ShinLeung419

'If everyone would come after me, he must deny himself and just take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will drop it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it. What good can it be for a man to get the world, yet lose his soul'? Mark 8 34-36, NIV This has been an extended difficult summer and yet therefore fully alive with all the possibilites that God has shown me. I'm fast approaching the not exactly finished process of co-authoring a book on natural dog health with a holistic veterinarian, introduced out a new product line with Saving Grace Enterprises, and ramping up for an on the web discussion with vets, doctors, etc., to help inform on ending a superbug staph disease. Now this all seems kind of significant right? Well maybe not based on what God has been telling me all week Last Sunday in service, our pastor had an incredibly interesting sermon on Psalm 2-3 once we shut out a string on The Godward Heart. We've all heard and read that psalm because we were children probably, whichever Christian faith we're. Nevertheless, I have not ever heard it presented like this and that is almost certainly why it resonated so fully with me. I'd like to do my usual roundabout method of addressing the idea here... Psalm 23 is focused on the Shepard and His sheep, right? Understanding what a shepard's job was and how h-e went about it in Jesus' time is what got my attention. Those who have read my articles here realize that I am not really a pet lover but my business is a business in normal pet care. When our pastor started explaining how a shepard cares for his sheep and what tools he employs, I felt like God was sitting close to me and whispering in my head and it sent shivers up my spine in a most beautiful way I have wondered for a long-time how God could use me in an all natural pet-care company. Then He brought me along with Dee Kreidel and Saving Grace Enterprises to produce our new product line-in custom hand-tooled leather collars, leashes and journals. Huh I said? How does that go with normal pet-care Lord? I got a fascinating solution Sunday AND one that said never to get myself therefore seriously. I'll reach all-that in somewhat. The shepard had a staff (all of us know that) that was about 5 or 6 ft high I really believe our pastor said. Dig up new information on a partner web site - Click here close remove frame. Identify more on a partner website by clicking open in a new browser. It'd the hook at the end most of us know about and that has been to keep sheep collected in and not wandering. Sound familiar? Ever wonder why God identifies us as sheep? It's not a lovely statement because they're not the best animals in creation, and they need constant tending and direction. The shepard also carried a baton concerning the size of what our cops bring today. He'd use that to fend off attacking predators. He also used it for something a bit more hard. If one sheep was continually wandering off and not understanding how to stick to the herd, the shepard would use the baton to break one or two of this sheep's legs and then quickly set them. Then he had carry that sheep around his neck until he was completely healed. The reason? For the sheep to become dependent upon the shepard for all its requirements and to bond fully with him. Again, God does the sam-e to His children. Another interesting thing the shepard would do is to place oil o-n each sheep's head and also human body to defend against insects (bugs, ticks, flies, the usual suspects). Today the oil described isn't your vegetable cooking oil as that would not defend against insects. Nope it had been what we now know as crucial oils (which incidentally still are used extensively in that the main world because of their healing benefits and fast-growing here in the USA) blended with almost certainly coconut oil. The oils served another purpose too. Sheep are silly and get angry together over such a thing (again like us). To get alternative viewpoints, please consider glancing at lee mcfarland. When they did get angry, they'd go charging into each other to butt heads so difficult that they might destroy each other. With the oil on the minds, it'd help them to skid off each other preserving them from killing each other. Yes, I'm addressing your pet business with Dee and the 'serious stuff.' So for his or her own security the shepard would carry a huge leather poncho he'd wear during inclement weather and also use as a 'pup tent' of sorts to sleep in. So we've got Dee's leather goods and my essential oils from your dog business. Hmmm. Leather was the Shepard's protection. Oil through the entire Bible is representative of the Holy Spirit. He uses animals as samples of us. Is anyone else 'seeing' this? God will surely use whatever, wherever, whoever for His purpose and glory if we only have the heck from the way. Be relieved of ourselves so that Jesus may rule and work. He will protect us and He'll give us. Here was what was so funny to me when our pastor surely got to the Three Points of Ap-plication part 1. Since the Shepard is in control, I dont have to take myself so seriously. It's EXACTLY about Him. This doesn't mean to not take ISSUES in the world really because we have to. This means to not get OURSELVES so seriously. If we do keep getting ourselves so seriously, then that is actually internalized pride and wrong thinking grounded in the failure to submit. 2. Because the Shepard cares, I will relieve my burdens to Him. In the event you choose to learn supplementary info on pastor lee mcfarland, there are many resources you should consider investigating. Matthew 11:28, 1 Peter 5:7. 3. Since the Shepard is qualified, I could trust Him to guide my life. God explained in no uncertain terms not only WHAT I'm likely to be doing but additionally WHY, and HOW all of it tied in with WHO He's. What H-e didn't tell me was WHEN. Leave it to Him to keep tempering and teaching as H-e goes about His purpose. On Tuesday or Wednesday after this fascinating sermon on Sunday, John Fischer of the Purpose Driven Life wrote this in his devotional Acquittal by Penguin the next paragraph 'This is not to say that any behavior in-the natural kingdom legitimizes similar action among human beings, but I do think God has given us animals to mirror human behavior, and help us see ourselves in yet another light and not simply take ourselves or our roles therefore seriously. ' (italics mine) Hey, do you think God is trying to tell me anything? Therefore then I was playing some contemporary Christian music o-n Thursday while doing my housework. I was playing Jennifer Knapp's C-d, Lay it Down, and the music 'In-to You' got o-n. The words in the chorus 'relieve me of myself, bring me into You' just stuck out like a sore thumb and I've paid attention to that song numerous times. I KNOW God was telling me to take a chill pill, set it down, trust Him, don't take myself so seriously, He has a purpose for the work I am doing so enable Him to work, be treated of myself, depend on Him and just enjoy the ride WHEW What a journey too brethren. Therefore if anybody is getting too 'puffed-up' maybe all of us just need to conquer ourselves and rest inside the Shepard. I sure do not wish to have to master the hard way and simply take a 2X4 baton.