Your Celestial Guide Awaits

When we see a crowd gathering or people looking up we’re curious, easily enticed, easily led, but why?
This pair of glasses was left on the floor at a museum by someone who wanted to see what happened… and people mistook for art! Several visitors to the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art this week were fooled into thinking a pair of glasses set on the floor by a 17-year-old prankster was a postmodern masterpiece.

Magazines portray an attractive but more than likely digitally altered body image, suggesting we should work hard at achieving that shape in an attempt to fit the acceptable mould… but does conforming to an image, if that were even possible, makes any sense? Imagine if there was only one kind of tree or flower all the same shape or animal or bird, how boring our world would be, so why is it that when it comes to us, we’re told we have to follow the rules or be left out?

The Bible calls us sheep when we blindly follow each other – sheep that have ‘gone astray’:

“We—every one of us—have strayed away like sheep! We, who left God’s paths to follow our own” Isaiah 53:6-8

Each one of us are uniquely designed with a specific purpose in mind, each of us one of a kind. Even our fingerprints are unique to us and there are things we each can do better than others. Imagine if we all looked, thought or acted the same way. That’s not the kind of place we want to live so why do we bow to pressure to conform?

The first 9 of the 10 commandments refer to our actions, don’t kill, don’t lie, don’t steal etc, but the 10th commandment deals with our heart. Don’t covet means don’t wish you had what others have. Wishing we are older, younger, blonde, brunette, taller, slimmer, smarter, prettier or even richer is coveting. Contentment comes when we accept who we are and what we have, then we become happy regardless of what we have.

Common sense predicts we can’t all have things our own way so why do we get caught up in this will to follow? The Bible likens this kind of behaviour to being bridled:

“Don’t be ornery like a horse or mule that needs bit and bridle to stay on track.” Psalm 32:9

I remember when people respected each other and their right to freedom, but lately respect has been replaced with fear and dishonour. When I was young it was common for people to treat others the way they’d like to be treated. It’s now common for people to expect things to go their own way, regardless of the consequences.

Freedom of expression without Godly guidelines has produced a dark and unfriendly world. Clearly we can’t all have what we want without affecting others and destroying their right to freedom.

When we stop standing for what is right and start accepting everyone’s view point or belief as valid chaos reigns, with people behaving badly because they feel like it e.g. an innocent bystander being punched in the head without provocation and dying or once quiet suburbs hearing the sounds of gun fire with the anguish of victims close by. Society is effected when something goes wrong and fear and terror are the result because we can’t live together selfishly and successfully.

In the Bible once again God refers to us as sheep, this time sheep without a shepherd:
Household gods give false advice, fortune-tellers predict only lies and interpreters of dreams pronounce comfortless falsehoods. So my people are wandering like lost sheep, without a shepherd to protect and guide them. Zechariah 10:2 and again here in Matthew 9:36

Even in church we can miss out on God encounters if we are satisfied with good theology!

Seeing the trouble we’re in, God decided on a rescue mission, deciding…. “It is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish.” John 11:50 NIV

We’re all like sheep who’ve wandered off and gotten lost. We’ve all done our own thing, gone our own way. And God has piled all our sins, everything we’ve done wrong, on him (Jesus), on him. That’s what Jesus did for us and one day He will return to make things right. But He holds off from returning because He doesn’t want anyone to miss out..

“What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? Matthew 18:12

And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. Matthew 18:13

Evil is taking over and one day it will be too late but right now the door is open for you to take a new path – God’s plan for us is to live this way:

When we live God’s way He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard—things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people. We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments, not needing to force our way in life, able to marshal and direct our energies wisely.Galatians 5:22-24

There is a spiritual battle going on for your life but Jesus offers you this:
I am the Door; anyone who enters through Me will be saved [and will live forever], and will go in and out [freely], and find pasture (spiritual security). The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance [to the full, till it overflows]. John 10:9-10

The time will come when you no longer have this opportunity to accept Jesus as your guide, when He comes back to judge us all and rid the world of evil.

“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory.

All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.
For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in,
I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?
When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you?
When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
“The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’

“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’

“They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’
“He will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’ “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.” Matthew 25:31-46

Jesus said again, "I tell you the truth, I am the Gate. Anyone who goes through me will be cared for—will freely go in and out, and find pasture. A thief is only there to steal and kill and destroy. I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of. John 10:7 MSG

When you make the choice to accept Jesus as your Saviour you receive all He has to offer:
For you were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls who keeps you safe from all attacks. 1 Peter 2:25

Loving God means doing what he tells us to do and really, that isn’t hard at all; 1 John 5:3

Please share this message and help to bring light and hope to those you love!
2017 Elaine Costin – Capturing Sunrise / Blog