The Lord spoke to me early this week in a dream. It was very short but very powerful. The kind of dream that you wake up from almost instantly.
I have talked about this before but throughout history and recorded in the Bible we see God speaking to both Believers and Non-Believers through dreams. Just to name a few, Jacob’s ladder, Joseph was in prison and the Baker and the Butler had dreams that Joseph interpreted. The king who had taken Sarah from Abraham because he said she was my sister.
Remember Mary and Joseph how God lead Joseph through dreams to take Mary to be his wife and also to take Mary and Jesus to Egypt to save him from being destroyed by Herod the King.
This is not one of the main points of the message today but I do want you to recognize it is scriptural for God to speak to you in dreams and partially if you are a old man like me. Remember God spoke through his prophet Joel?
Joel 2:28-32
King James Version
28 And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:
***The question you need to ask yourself is how do I know the Lord is speaking to me via a dream or vision?
John 10:24-31
24 Then came the Jews round about him, and said unto him, How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly.
25 Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness of me.
26 But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you.
27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.
30 I and my Father are one.
31 Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him.
***The measure that we should always use to determine if the dream or vision our intuition is from the Lord is the statement quoted from or in harmony with the Word of God.
John 1:14
14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
***I do not care how real your experience was, I do not care who you saw in the dream or vision or how many goosebumps you felt…… if the information conveyed to you cannot be found directly or in Harmony with the word of God then it is not of God!
Listen again to Paul’s letter to the Galatians:
Galatians 1:6-9
6 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:
7 Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.
8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.
9 As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.
****It was Wednesday morning when the Lord spoke to me in the dream the way he often does with a specific scripture from his word. In my dream that was only a few seconds long I saw and heard myself preaching this scripture:
Jeremiah 23:7-8
7 Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that they shall no more say, The Lord liveth, which brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt;
8 But, The Lord liveth, which brought up and which led the seed of the house of Israel out of the north country, and from all countries whither I had driven them; and they shall dwell in their own land.
*** Now I know this scripture but I have not thought about it in years. As a matter of fact I am reading the book of Romans now and have not been in Jeremiah for a long time. I remember hearing my Father preach about this scripture in the context of end time prophecy and the Lord bringing the Jews back to the land of Israel after they had been in Russia which is the large land mass north of Israel. We also can point to this scripture and say it was fulfilled in 1948 and since then as post WWII the nation of Israel was formed again and Jews from all over the world have returned back to live in the land of promise.
But I believe that this morning God wants to speak to us through his word a deeper and more individual principle from this passage of scripture and the surrounding context.
Those of you who remember the message from last week will see a trend in what the Lord is speaking to us. I can only assume that this is because we are walking into a day when hearing the voice of the Lord will be difficult over all the noise of the false prophets and false pastors/teachers:
Amos 8:11-12
11 Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord:
12 And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the Lord, and shall not find it.
Let’s go back and start at Jeremiah 23:1
Jeremiah 23
King James Version
1 Woe be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! saith the Lord.
2 Therefore thus saith the Lord God of Israel against the pastors that feed my people; Ye have scattered my flock, and driven them away, and have not visited them: behold, I will visit upon you the evil of your doings, saith the Lord.
3 And I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all countries whither I have driven them, and will bring them again to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and increase.
4 And I will set up shepherds over them which shall feed them: and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall they be lacking, saith the Lord.
***The 1st point of the Message today: The “Sheep” belong to Jesus, and God will judge the pastors who do not take care of them.
My friends if ever we lived in a time that this is applicable it is now. Particularly in the western world there are multitudes of Sheep, God’s people who are spiritually malnourished, overgrowth with too much wool that are spiritually unhealthy.
John 10:11-18
11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.
12 But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep.
13 The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep.
14 I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.
15 As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.
16 And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.
17 Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.
18 No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.
***I want to ask this question. Have you ever seen sheep hooked up to a plow pulling it through a field doing work? No. Have you ever seen a group of sheep by strength either individually or collectively producing anything other than wool?
As yourself this question: Does the sheep care for the shepherd….or does the shepherd care for the sheep?
John 13
King James Version
1 Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end.
2 And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him;
3 Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God;
4 He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself.
5 After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded.
6 Then cometh he to Simon Peter: and Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet?
7 Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter.
8 Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me.
9 Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head.
10 Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all.
11 For he knew who should betray him; therefore said he, Ye are not all clean.
12 So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you?
13 Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am.
14 If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet.
15 For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.
16 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him.
17 If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.
***The 1st point of the Message today: The “Sheep” belong to Jesus, and God will judge the pastors who do not take care of them.
***The 2nd point of the Message today: God is looking for servant leaders in the body of Christ who will serve rather than being served.
***Are you a servant leader today? God is looking for servant leaders as described by Jesus. Back the example of the Shepard providing for the sheep and not the other way around. The only thing the Shepard takes from the sheep in their life is the excess hair (wool) that must be removed to keep the sheep healthy. Sometimes as shepherds we see sheep roll into Church a few times a year and they are resistant to any kind of shearing. As a result they are dangerously over weighted by the burden of caring around all the extra, all the excess. It looked good at first but as it continues to grow on them it will begin to pick up the filth of the environment and eventually can cause the sheep
Sheep that aren't sheared regularly can face a number of health and safety risks, including:
- Mobility issues
A heavy, matted coat can restrict blood flow to the limbs, causing sores and wounds that make it difficult for sheep to move around. This can also make it hard for them to access food and water, and they may become stuck on their backs, which can be fatal. Overgrown wool on the face can also impair a sheep's vision.
- Heat stress
Without shearing, sheep can overheat during warmer months, which can lead to dehydration, exhaustion, and even death.
- Parasite infestation
Shearing helps prevent the buildup of parasites in the wool, which can lead to skin infections and infestations.
- Fly strike
Dirt, feces, and urine that accumulate in the wool can attract flies, which can lead to flystrike, a painful and potentially deadly condition
Matthew 11:29-30
29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
1 Timothy 6:17-19
17 Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;
18 That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate;
19 Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.
***The 1st point of the Message today: The “Sheep” belong to Jesus, and God will judge the pastors who do not take care of them.
***The 2nd point of the Message today: God is looking for servant leaders in the body of Christ who will serve rather than being served.
The 3rd point of the Message today: If you are a stressed sheep then maybe you need a loving shear by the Good Shepherd
Continuing in:
Jeremiah 23:5
5 Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth.
6 In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, The Lord Our Righteousness.
7 Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that they shall no more say, The Lord liveth, which brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt;
8 But, The Lord liveth, which brought up and which led the seed of the house of Israel out of the north country, and from all countries whither I had driven them; and they shall dwell in their own land.
*** I want you to recognize this passage speak of Jesus Christ, The righteous Branch and King who has come and is returning to reign. Many of the Old Testament prophets wrote as did Paul the Apostle regarding the restoration of God’s people back to himself.
Romans 11:25-36
25 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.
26 And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:
27 For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.
28 As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the father's sakes.
29 For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.
30 For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief:
31 Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy.
32 For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.
33 O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!
34 For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor?
35 Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again?
36 For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.
***The 4th point of the Message today: Do not be so quick to judge the other sheep around you, let Jesus be the Shepherd.
*** Now the rest of Jeremiah 23 we see God really speaking out against the false prophets and priest. You see they had lost their relationship with God and therefore they had lost their ministry and ability to care for the sheep (God’s people)
Timothy wrote about this form of godliness in
2 Timothy 3
1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
Here are just few quotes from the rest of Jeremiah 23
11 For both prophet and priest are profane; yea, in my house have I found their wickedness, saith the Lord.
…………..
14 I have seen also in the prophets of Jerusalem an horrible thing: they commit adultery, and walk in lies: they strengthen also the hands of evildoers, that none doth return from his wickedness; they are all of them unto me as Sodom, and the inhabitants thereof as Gomorrah.
………….
21 I have not sent these prophets, yet they ran: I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied.
22 But if they had stood in my counsel, and had caused my people to hear my words, then they should have turned them from their evil way, and from the evil of their doings.
………….
25 I have heard what the prophets said, that prophesy lies in my name, saying, I have dreamed, I have dreamed.
26 How long shall this be in the heart of the prophets that prophesy lies? yea, they are prophets of the deceit of their own heart;
…………
32 Behold, I am against them that prophesy false dreams, saith the Lord, and do tell them, and cause my people to err by their lies, and by their lightness; yet I sent them not, nor commanded them: therefore they shall not profit this people at all, saith the Lord.
…………
39 Therefore, behold, I, even I, will utterly forget you, and I will forsake you, and the city that I gave you and your fathers, and cast you out of my presence:
40 And I will bring an everlasting reproach upon you, and a perpetual shame, which shall not be forgotten.
***The 1st point of the Message today: The “Sheep” belong to Jesus, and God will judge the pastors who do not take care of them.
***The 2nd point of the Message today: God is looking for servant leaders in the body of Christ who will serve rather than being served.
The 3rd point of the Message today: If you are a stressed sheep then maybe you need a loving shear by the Good Shepherd
***The 4th point of the Message today: Do not be so quick to judge the other sheep around you, let Jesus be the Shepherd.
*** In closing I want to go back to the scripture the Lord woke me up with on Wednesday morning in the dream. Lets read it again:
Jeremiah 23:5
7 Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that they shall no more say, The Lord liveth, which brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt;
8 But, The Lord liveth, which brought up and which led the seed of the house of Israel out of the north country, and from all countries whither I had driven them; and they shall dwell in their own land.
You see meditating on this passage of scripture this morning I see a bigger spiritual principle being conveyed to us.
**The 5th and Closing point of the Message today: Do not limit your faith of what God will do for your in the future based on what he has done for you in the past.
1 Corinthians 2:9-10
9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.
***You see there was nothing bigger to an Israelite than what God had done with Moses and bringing the children of Israel out of the Land of Egypt. God was speaking through the prophet Jeremiah that the future plans that God has for his people will with Jesus Christ, King of Kings and Lord of Lords was so far superior that it would replace even Passover, and the feast of unleavened bread….. God is going to do something so much bigger and better that it will replace the very narrative of comparison demonstrations of God’s power.
**The 5th and Closing point of the Message today: Do not limit your faith of what God will do for your in the future based on what he has done for you in the past.