THE GOOD SHEPHERD

    Jesus said, "I tell you most solemnly, anyone who does not enter the sheepfold    
     through the gate but enters in some other way is a thief and a robber.  The one
     who enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep.  The gatekeeper lets   
     Him in, the sheep hear His voice and one by one He calls His sheep and He
     lead them out because they know His voice.  They never follow a stranger
     but run away from him.  The sheep do not recognize his voice, the voice of a    
     stranger." (John 10:1-5)

     Jesus Christ told this parable but none of His disciples and followers understood it.  So He spoke to them again and said most solemnly that He is the gate of the sheepfold. He said that everyone else that had come were thieves and robbers but the sheep took no notice of them.  (John 10:6-8)
     In His explanation of the parable of Jesus, He said that He is the gate of the sheepfold, speaking of My kingdom of heaven, and anyone who enters through Him will be safe, that he or she will go in and out and be sure of finding pasture for rest from their labors.(verse 9)
     Then Jesus Christ identified the originator of the evil that is in the world.  He said that the thief comes only to kill and destroy, but that He, Jesus, came to earth so that they might have life and have it to its ultimate fullest. (verse 10)
     Jesus identified Himself as the good shepherd and He said that the good shepherd is the one who lays down his life for his sheep, speaking of Himself in His crucifixion.  (verse 11) He said that the hired man abandons the sheep and runs away as soon as he sees a wolf coming, the hired men being the religious and political leaders of His day who used religious laws to enslave people to fear.  Then the wolf, or devil, attacks and the religious and political leaders scatter the sheep because they are only hired hands and have no concern for the sheep.  He was speaking about the religious Law and its teachers, the religious and political leaders. (verses 12-13)
     Again Jesus Christ identified Himself as the Good Shepherd.  He said that He knows His own sheep and they know Him just as I know Him and He knows Me.  He knows His sheep and they know Him; and He lays down His life for His sheep.   He comforted His disciples by telling them that He was going to lay down His life and take it up again.(verses 14-18)
    It was that proclamation that infuriated the Jewish leaders, especially when He said that it was in his power to lay it down and in his power to take it up again.  They began to say that He was possessed, raving mad, and why should the people listen to Him? (verse 19-20)  There were some men present who claimed that His words were not the words of the devil because the devil can't open the eyes of a blind man. (verse 21)
    Truly, there is only one gate into My kingdom of heaven.  (verse 9)  Passing through the gate, being Jesus Christ, is always for the forgiveness of sins and the followers of Jesus Christ obeyed His words and became born of My Holy Spirit and baptized in My Holy Spirit, thus entering into My kingdom of heaven while they lived in the earth. 
   This one parable as taught by Jesus Christ more fully revealed the truth concerning good versus evil and the old covenant of laws versus My New Covenant of the Holy Spirit. 
   Make sure that you learn to recognize His voice.  It is in hearing the words of the Holy Spirit that you become filled with faith and are empowered to be victorious over the devil and his demons in your life on earth.  His words tell you how to use wisdom over evil and His words through praying in My spiritual language battle against the devil and his demons.  I always win the battles.
    You truly can find the green pastures of rest from your labors. (Psalm 23) Jesus Christ promised it and My Holy Spirit facilitates it by My grace.
     Your Father of Mercy and Grace