Have you ever presented an idea or thought and it wasn’t accepted? Have you shared from your heart something you wanted to release, maybe a spiritual truth, and it wasn’t received?
Well, Jesus knows how you feel. He had finished sharing about Himself being the Bread of Life and “On hearing it many of his disciples said, “This is a hard teaching, who can accept it?” (John 6: 60)
Jesus tried to explain that “The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit; and they are life.” (John 6: 63)
- Learn to live your life in the Spirit.
- It leads us to “Hear what the Spirit is saying.” (Revelation 3: 22)
To the leaders and pastors, Jesus knows how you feel when people no longer follow you and turn away or turn back. After His teaching, it says, “From this time many of His disciples turned back and no longer followed Him.” (John 6: 66)
When disciples turn away and reject the Lord, we know who has tempted them to do so. I’ll give you a clue, his number is 666. Interesting, that the above scripture is from John 6:66. I’ve never seen that before.
Jesus, turning to His closest disciples asking, “Do you want to leave too? Peter said, “To whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.” (John 6: 67-68)
Jesus responded, “Have I not chosen you, the Twelve? Yet one of you is a devil!” (John 6:70)
- Even those who walk with God, the chosen of God, can turn away.
Maybe that’s why Jesus consistently told them to “Follow Me.”
(Shared from John 6: 60-71, Modified)
Shepherds are called to follow. The sound of their wailing is heard because of Israel rejecting the Good Shepherd. “Listen to the wail of the Shepherds; their rich pastures are destroyed! Listen to the roar of the lions, the lush thicket of the Jordan is ruined.” (Zechariah 11: 3)
Zechariah is seeing himself as a shepherd over his flock in this prophecy. He takes two staffs and pastors the flock, the oppressed flock. He then called one staff Favor and the other Union.
- Israel has favor as being the chosen of God.
- Their union is what was lost when Jerusalem was besieged.
His flock detested me, and he grew weary and then said, “I will not be your shepherd.” (Zechariah 11: 8) He then took his staff, called Favor, and broke it, revoking the covenant made with all the nations.
When he asked for his wages, they were paid out with thirty pieces of silver. Prophetically this is what Jesus was betrayed with by Judas. God then commands Zechariah to give the coins to the potter in the house (or temple) of the Lord.
Judas is filled with remorse after betraying Jesus and throws the coins into the temple, leaves then goes and hangs himself. Not wanted to put “blood money” into the treasury, the priests use it to buy a potter’s field.
- The Union and unity were broken when Judas was paid silver for his betrayal.
- Israel did reject their shepherd, Jesus, not willing to accept Him. (Shared from Zechariah 11, Modified)
David seeks to build unity by bringing together the commanders of the army, for the ministry of prophecy and worship. He is getting things in order for the building of the temple.
He appointed gatekeepers for the East Gate, North Gate, South Gate, and the West Gate. They were guarded and given watch over the doors. The treasures of the house were protected and guarded as well.
- Guard and protect the treasure of the Holy Spirit within.
- You are a treasured possession.
- Guard your life and the door of your heart with the presence of the Lord.
- Accepting Him will preserve Him and preserve our life.
- We are being preserved so we can produce and build His kingdom.
- Acceptance of this kingdom comes by the way of accepting and letting Him in.
UNBROKEN LOVE SERIES
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