Jehovah's Witnesses Straight Talk - Forum/Blog

The Shepherd of Our Souls

1 Peter 2:25 For you were going astray like sheep; but now have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer{"Overseer" is from the Greek episkopon, which can mean overseer, curator, guardian, or superintendent.} of your souls.

Who is the shepherd of our souls? This question is fundamental to our spiritual lives, many in religion today live in a frenzy seeking for lost sheep, those rejected by their religion.

Matthew 8:10 When Jesus heard it, he marveled, and said to those who followed, "Most certainly I tell you, I haven't found so great a faith, not even in Israel.

Luke 18:8 I tell you that he will avenge them quickly. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?"

They recall the words of Christ to the apostle John in saying “Feed my sheep.” They recall the words of the ancient prophets who wrote of God's sheep being scattered by cruel shepherds and they apply those words to their religion. But who is the shepherd of our souls the Overseer, the guardian if you will of our spiritual lives?

Matthew 18:11 For the Son of Man came to save that which was lost.

Conspicuously Missing

With all the concern for two thousand's years by religion one would think there could not be a missing sheep that religion has not reached by some media? Never in the history of mankind has their been more ways to reach people on every level yet the theme, the drum, the constant sound coming from religion is gather Christ lost sheep?

John 18:9 that the word might be fulfilled which he spoke, "Of those whom you have given me, I have lost none."{John 6:39}

However, what is conspicuously missing from the words of their bibles is once Christ was resurrected and glorified by his Father with incorruptible life - none of the bible writers were looking for lost sheep! In fact, Christ did not state to his apostles once he was glorified to go into all the world and look for God's lost sheep. However, we find in some religion that is the driving theme which their members use to pound fear and guilt into others they want to conform to their religious beliefs.

Rom.9:11 For being not yet born, neither having done anything good or bad, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him who calls.

The thought of being blood guilty looms large over each person head, (like a yoke of bondage) the thought of how their religion treated those they put out calling them lost sheep, it is a endless fear and judgment that is used time and again to prove their vast devotion to feeding Christ sheep.

John.15:5 I am the vine. You are the branches. He who remains in me, and I in him, the same bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.

Faithful and True

There is a very old saying which goes like this? We worry about 99% of what we can do nothing about, and 1% of what we can actually do something about. No more truer statement could be spoken for those that don't believe Christ is the Shepard of our souls his sheep. On the other hand, would false religion even exist if they believed Christ words the only proven faithful and true servant of God? Where did Christ ever say one of his sheep would be lost? We are not saying mistreated, but lost?

John 10:26 But you don't believe, because you are not of my sheep, as I told you.

Rom.8:35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Could oppression, or anguish, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 8:36 Even as it is written, "For your sake we are killed all day long. We were accounted as sheep for the slaughter."{Psalm 44:22} 8:37 No, in all these things, we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 8:38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers,
8:39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Let us dispel the lie! How can one be born again into the very body of Christ Jesus and be lost? How can Christ be a neglectful head of his own body when God stated there is none other in heaven or upon earth that is faithful enough to take the position of Shepard of mankind's souls than his chosen Son of God, Christ Jesus?

Heb. 2:8 You have put all things in subjection under his feet."{Psalm 8:4-6} For in that he subjected all things to him, he left nothing that is not subject to him. But now we don't see all things subjected to him, yet. 2:9 But we see him who has been made a little lower than the angels, Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that by the grace of God he should taste of death for everyone. 2:10 For it became him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many children to glory, to make the author of their salvation perfect through sufferings.
2:11 For both he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all from one, for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brothers{The word for "brothers" here and where context allows may also be correctly translated "brothers and sisters" or "siblings."},

There is another statement those teaching about Christ our savior should carefully consider? What foundation are they building upon? What are they implying about their own headship when teaching the sheep care comes under their control? There are no lost sheep in Christ, there are lost sheep to false Shepard of false religion, but none in Christ. Christ does not mistreat his sheep and scatter them upon the hills of this world, he does not neglect them by not feeding them with his very life, like our own body feeds its members, Christ is not an apostate from his own incorruptible life, is he now?

2 Thessalonians 1:12 that the name of our Lord Jesus{TR adds "Christ"} may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

James 2:7 Don't they blaspheme the honorable name by which you are called?

Unfaithfulness of All Flesh

Let us not confuse the spirit of our own flesh with the Spirit in Christ Jesus, let us not live in the fear of our flesh thinking its up to ourselves to feed and save ourselves if we are in Christ. Such thinking is the very mistake that fleshly Israel made while in the wilderness, they failed to understand the very fundamental premise of God. That man does not live by bread alone, but by every utterance coming from Jehovah God's mouth (Spirit). They had no faith, alone in God, they had faith in groups, in seeing another person flesh as their leader and teacher, but not in God's promises.

John.6:27 Don't work for the food which perishes, but for the food which remains to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For God the Father has sealed him." 6:28 They said therefore to him, "What must we do, that we may work the works of God?"
6:29 Jesus answered them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent." 6:30 They said therefore to him, "What then do you do for a sign, that we may see, and believe you? What work do you do?

Deuteronomy 8:2 You shall remember all the way which Yahweh your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, to prove you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments, or not.

John. 6:31 Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness. As it is written, 'He gave them bread out of heaven{Greek and Hebrew use the same word for "heaven", "the heavens", "the sky", and "the air".} to eat.'"{Exodus 16:4; Nehemiah 9:15; Psalm 78:24-25} 6:32 Jesus therefore said to them, "Most certainly, I tell you, it wasn't Moses who gave you the bread out of heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread out of heaven. 6:33 For the bread of God is that which comes down out of heaven, and gives life to the world." 6:34 They said therefore to him, "Lord, always give us this bread." 6:35 Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will not be hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.

Is the unshakable Kingdom of heaven weak? Who has the power to feed an anointed brother or sister in a dungeon if we could not get too them with bible verses?

1 Corinthians 1:24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God.

1 Corinthians 2:4 My speech and my preaching were not in persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power,

1 Corinthians 2:5 that your faith wouldn't stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.

Are we so foolish to think that the body of Christ is a physical body we must take care of? Do we actually understand what Christ stated as our truth that no one, in heaven or upon earth could take one of his sheep out of his hand? Do we further understand in that same thought Christ spoke of thieves that would take his position as the Shepard's of our souls as false prophets that would plunder and destroy others by claims of their great love for his sheep?

John.10:12 He who is a hired hand, and not a shepherd, who doesn't own the sheep, sees the wolf coming, leaves the sheep, and flees. The wolf snatches the sheep, and scatters them. 10:13 The hired hand flees because he is a hired hand, and doesn't care for the sheep. 10:14 I am the good shepherd. I know my own, and I'm known by my own; 10:15 even as the Father knows me, and I know the Father. I lay down my life for the sheep.

John.10:25 Jesus answered them, "I told you, and you don't believe. The works that I do in my Father's name, these testify about me.
10:26 But you don't believe, because you are not of my sheep, as I told you. 10:27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. 10:28 I give eternal life to them. They will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. 10:29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all. No one is able to snatch them out of my Father's hand.
10:30 I and the Father are one."

Do we understand that even in the book of Revelation Christ and his angels are not looking for lost sheep, but rather the voice calls out to his people, “to his people” to get out of Babylon the Great? Do we understand the preaching of the Kingdom is by Spirit from spirit son's of God from heaven? Now lets not confuse the issue, who on earth would God use to speak from the mouth of Christ (spirit) if it is not his spirit son's still left in the flesh on earth as his born again children in Christ?

2Cor.3:1 Are we beginning again to commend ourselves? Or do we need, as do some, letters of commendation to you or from you?
3:2 You are our letter, written in our hearts, known and read by all men; 3:3 being revealed that you are a letter of Christ, served by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tablets of stone, but in tablets that are hearts of flesh.
3:4 Such confidence we have through Christ toward God;
3:5 not that we are sufficient of ourselves, to account anything as from ourselves; but our sufficiency is from God; 3:6 who also made us sufficient as servants of a new covenant; not of the letter, but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

1 John 2:27 As for you, the anointing which you received from him remains in you, and you don't need for anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is no lie, and even as it taught you, you will remain in him.

Revelation 14:6 I saw an angel flying in mid heaven, having an eternal Good News to proclaim to those who dwell on the earth, and to every nation, tribe, language, and people.

What then is lacking in Christ, but the flesh and those that want to steal Christ headship over his temple? Faith in Christ, is not works of law in our flesh, nor is it fear that Christ is neglecting his body members, or not feeding them if we are not doing his job.

Matthew 6:26 See the birds of the sky, that they don't sow, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns. Your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren't you of much more value than they?

Matthew 25:26 "But his lord answered him, 'You wicked and slothful servant. You knew that I reap where I didn't sow, and gather where I didn't scatter.

We are his servants and we act faithfully when we are lead by the Spirit to our assignments, which, we do his will not ours, and speak his words not what we have been taught by false religion. There is and interchange of encouragement as there is a flow of blood that keeps alive our own body members, we know that our head directs the living life to our body, we rest in faith in that truth. We love our body members, without having to make ourselves love them, we don't have to do a work of law to prove to other body members that we love them we all have the same life force in us, one is not more loving then the others all things are for the body, all members belong to each others.

1 Corinthians 4:7 For who makes you different? And what do you have that you didn't receive? But if you did receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?

2 Corinthians 10:17 But "he who boasts, let him boast in the Lord."{Jeremiah 9:24}

1Cor.3:20 And again, "The Lord knows the reasoning of the wise, that it is worthless."{Psalm 94:11} 3:21 Therefore let no one boast in men. For all things are yours, 3:22 whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come. All are yours, 3:23 and you are Christ's, and Christ is God's.

None are more concern about others than the body they are in, is Christ fretting over his body members that some are lost because the hand did not do its job? Please understand false religion is the problem, not the Christ, some see a little false religion as OK because of its great so called fleshly emotional concern, but they fail to see no human being is going to get glory for building the household of God and feeding it but the one person God has made the Shepard of each of our soul within that household, Christ Jesus.

Revelation 17:14 These will war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings. They also will overcome who are with him, called and chosen and faithful."

Revelation 5:3 No one in heaven above, or on the earth, or under the earth, was able to open the book, or to look in it. 5:4 And I wept much, because no one was found worthy to open the book, or to look in it. 5:9 They sang a new song, saying, "You are worthy to take the book, and to open its seals: for you were killed, and bought us for God with your blood, out of every tribe, language, people, and nation,

We have a work to do in Christ his works, not ours, we must have faith in Christ faithfulness to do his work so we don't steal his work placing it into our flesh. Let us no confuse flesh with Christ, let us do what we are created to do for God's glory. Let us believe that the very hairs of our head are number. Let us believe all things work for God's glory for those he loves. Enduring in faith does not mean giving into the fear of distrusting Christ the Shepard of our souls. It means just as we are told that nothing can separate us from the Spirit of God, it is the Spirit of God that gives us life, and feeds us, and it is the power of flesh that deceives us.

Matthew 16:17 Jesus answered him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.

John 6:63 It is the spirit who gives life. The flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and are life.

Romans 8:8 Those who are in the flesh can't please God.

2 Corinthians 4:11 For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus may be revealed in our mortal flesh.

2 Corinthians 5:16 Therefore we know no one after the flesh from now on. Even though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now we know him so no more.

Revelation 22:17 The Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" He who hears, let him say, "Come!" He who is thirsty, let him come. He who desires, let him take the water of life freely.

John 14:18 I will not leave you orphans. I will come to you.

John 14:27 Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you; not as the world gives, give I to you. Don't let your heart be troubled, neither let it be fearful.

Completed: January 31, 2017

by: Daniel a Slave of Christ Jesus