I want a dad in the real sense of it. I want a dad whose confidence, leadership, courage, and examples inspire me.
I want a dad who will not usher my budding destiny into smoking and drinking and clubbing by transference of spirits. I want a dad who will pay the price just so for me to emerge. I want a dad I can bless and not regret in the years to come. I want a dad I can call my own, not an absentee dad.
I want a dad that will truly love my mum. I want a dad that will not mess up my inclinations and outlook by bringing in so many ‘mums’ into his bed. I want a dad that will not teach me to lie. I want a dad that will not make my malleable emotions and innocent tendencies gravitate into the world of sexual perversion.
I want a dad that prays for me, a dad that I am proud of, a dad I am close to and a dad I can discuss everything with! I want a dad that will not touch me (girl child) inappropriately. I want a dad who will not sexualize me. I want a dad who will teach me how to love my spouse when the time comes in a pragmatic way.
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY I am a good man. God will help me!
PRAYER FOR THE DAY oh Lord, flood the eyes of my mind with revelational light in Jesus name.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY 1Ti 2:8 KJV I will therefore that men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.
ACTION PLAN FOR THE DAY Check the man in you and sincerely take an inventory to see whether you are pleasing God or not.
Hello precious one, today I will be talking to you about God as our shepherd. Have you ever heard the word Shepherd?
It’s a name given to someone. So who is a shepherd and what does he/she do?
A shepherd is a person who tends sheep, his or her responsibility is to watch, keep, feed, and protect a sheep.
In the bible, we see on several occasions that it refers to God as a Shepherd and the bible also calls us God’s sheep.
Just like an earthly Shepherd, there are several responsibilities promised to us by God. Our father is “The good shepherd” and his sheep are always watched by him.
Let me show you a few places where the bible speaks about God as our shepherd and us as his sheep.
Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. –Psalms 100:3 (NIV)
Don’t you just love the word of God? The bible calls us God’s people, as in his very own, and then he says we are the sheep of his pasture.
Another verse is Psalm 23:1
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not be in want. –Psalms 23:1 (NIV)
This verse makes it a personal confession, God is ”my Shepherd”, as a result of this, I am not in lack of anything, he is responsible for my daily needs!
The last verse we will be looking at is found in Isaiah 40:11
He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young. –Isaiah 40:11 (NIV)
This verse declares that God carries us as his children, not only are we carried; he places us close to his heart, such that for anything to happen to us, that means God too will be affected.
Thank God we have a Good Shepherd who cares for us! Amen.
PRAYER: Father help me to know you as my Shepherd.
ACTION POINT: Make sure you take out time to pray this morning
DECLARATION: The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
Do you know that the Lord meets your needs? There are several verses one can recite offhand. One of it is the shepherds psalm.
Every child is taught right from Sunday school days. It is so easy to memorize.
The LORD [is] my shepherd; I shall not want – Psa 23:1
The Lord is…it didn’t say the Lord was…
This assures us that God is very ready to meet out immediate needs.
God is a God of the now, one that can relate with you based on what you are going through at every point in time.
Here is another verse to confirm that;
God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. – Psalms 46:1
There you have it again. God is… Isn’t it wonderful to know this God?
Children, it is not enough to be able to recite this verse or several others verses offhand, you must allow the revelation of these verses to hit you and stick with you.
That way, when faced with any form of trial, you have what it takes to stand tall, even in the midst of contradictions.
The Shepherd raced through the trees, his heart pulsating madly inside his chest heavily. Baa! Baa! The cry came again. He shoved branches out of his way, not caring if they pricked his skin. The cry was getting closer as he reached the edge of the stream. Baa! Baa! Baa! Baa!
“Where are you?” Deep fear flooded his heart, dragging life out of him but he refused to believe the worst. Baa! Baa! The cries came just in front of him. He looked and moved closer to the trees in front of him, there he found his little one.
He broke into a sob at the sight of the bruises on its legs. Lifting it up slowly, he tenderly wrapped his arms around the lamb and began to walk home. He was happy that the one missing lamb was found.
Did you see how the shepherd ran to the rescue of his sheep? Did you see how the shepherd followed the voice of the sheep? That is how God comes to your rescue when you call.
Call on Jesus for help. He is your Shepherd and ever ready to help you. There’s even a song describing the type of love God has for us. It goes like this
Oh, the overwhelming, Never-ending Reckless love of God
Oh, it chases me down, fights till I’m found Leaves the ninety-nine.
I couldn’t earn it, I don’t deserve it. Still You give Yourself away
There’s no shadow You won’t light up Mountain You won’t climb up coming after me
There is no wall You won’t kick down Lie You won’t tear down Coming after me
God displays how much He loves us by going all the way to find us. Call out to Him today and let Him find you.
I myself will tend my sheep and give them a place to lie down in peace, says the Sovereign Lord. – Ezek. 34:15 NLT
Every sheep that will get the best from its shepherd must learn how to be still. Being still means to trust in the shepherd’s person, that he would never lead them to a place of danger or harm nor will he leave them in the face of trouble.
They trust him to take them to where the choicest grasses are and the cleanest of water is.
The Lord is my Shepherd. I have everything I need. He gives me rest in green pastures. He leads me to calm waters. Psalm 23:1-2 ICB
They follow behind him, and when he stops, they stop too. An obedient sheep knows to stay within the safe boundaries created by the shepherd.
It is not in the sheep’s place to teach the shepherd what to do but to watch, listen to and obey the shepherd at all times – to be still and follow the shepherd.
Do you obey your parents at home? When they tell you not to do something because of the bad things that could happen to you, do you listen to them? Or you do as you like, thinking you know what’s best for you?
A sheep doesn’t know what’s best for it. Only the shepherd does. Are you a good sheep following Jesus as your shepherd? Do you obey Him by obeying your parent’s instructions? Learn to be still and follow Jesus.
The most important question that you need to ask yourself right now is this—have you accepted Jesus into your life as your Lord and Saviour? If yes, are you obeying His leading?
If not, then say the prayer at the bottom of this post.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, I believe you are the son of God. Thank you for dying on the cross for me. I accept you into my life as Lord and Saviour. I want to be a sheep in your flock. Please be my shepherd. In your mighty name, I pray. Amen.
Action point: Look through this series and see where you can improve on.
Declaration: The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want
