*DOMINION MANDATE DAILY DEVOTIONAL*

TUESDAY, JUNE 30, 2020

*THE GOOD SHEEP*

*BIBLE READING: PSALM 78:52-54; JOHN 10:1-16*

*The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. Psalm 23: 1-3(NKJV).*

Did you know that sheep are the most mentioned animals in the Bible? Throughout the old and new testament, God's children were referred to as sheep. Believers are not compared to bears or lions or other animals. Those who belong to Christ are always compared to sheep. On several instances, Christ called His followers sheep.

There are good behavioural traits of sheep which believers should strive to emulate. These good characteristics are what we are focusing on today in our study. Some of these attributes are as follows:

*1) Sheep stay in the flock In order for a sheep to survive, it must stay in its flock. Its safety depends on it. They move, graze and sleep in groups. Any sheep that strays from the flock is in danger of being devoured by wild beasts. We as Christians cannot grow and survive alone. We need to fellowship constantly with other believers because the enemy can easily strike when in isolation. Hebrews 10:25 (NKJV) exhorts us, *"Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching."*

*2) Sheep are fruitful Sheep give birth to their kind, produce meat, milk and wool. Any sheep that does not produce any of these produce mentioned, is considered useless and unfit to be in the flock. Likewise, a disciple of Christ must be fruitful. You as a child of God must be of value to Him. There must be something to show that you are truly a follower of Christ (Matthew 7:15-2.

*3) Every flock has a shepherd Every flock is looked after by a herdsman or a shepherd who tends to the needs and safety of the sheep. With time the sheep is acquainted with its shepherd and it runs to him each time he calls. In every church, the pastor represents the Shepherd (Christ). As members of the church, we must recognise our leader as Christ's representative and follow him as he follows Christ (Heb. 13:17; 1 Cor. 11:1).

*PRAYER
Dear Lord, I ask that you give me a spirit of humility to follow and submit to my pastor. Remove that heart of stone and give me a heart of flesh. Lord, renew a right spirit within me in Jesus' name.

*CONFESSION
The Lord who keeps me and my family neither slumbers nor sleeps.