How To Flee Predators

Date: Monday, August 25, 2014
Today's Chapters: Jeremiah 50
Message Title: How To Flee Predators

Hello My Friend,
Sheep, they are mild mannered, timid, and quite good at sensing danger, but their natural instinct is to flee not fight. They use their instinct to band together for safety, after fleeing, they will reform their group and look directly at the predator. Sheep also have an amazing tolerance for pain, they do not show pain, because if they do, they will be more vulnerable to predators who look for those who are weak or injured. Any sheep that is by itself is more vulnerable to an attack, which is why a shepherd is not far behind. God often refers to His people as sheep, when they stay close to Jesus they are less vulnerable to the predators of the world, and there is nothing that Jesus would not do to save His sheep. “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.” - John 10:10,11.
As God continues to send Jeremiah to all the nations facing judgment, He ends with Babylon. Now, Babylon has been glorying in the fact that God used them to fulfill the judgment upon Israel, especially since they could care less about God. God may use heathens to get His people to repent, including them, but when He has fulfilled His purpose for them, they too will be judged. God does have a message for His sheep. “In those days, and in that time, saith the LORD, the children of Israel shall come, they and the children of Judah together, going and weeping: they shall go, and seek the LORD their God. They shall ask the way to Zion with their faces thitherward, saying, Come, and let us join ourselves to the LORD in a perpetual covenant that shall not be forgotten. My people hath been lost sheep: their shepherds have caused them to go astray, they have turned them away on the mountains: they have gone from mountain to hill, they have forgotten their restingplace. All that found them have devoured them: and their adversaries said, We offend not, because they have sinned against the LORD, the habitation of justice, even the LORD, the hope of their fathers.” - Jeremiah 50:4-7.

Before the destruction of Babylon, this is not talking about the actual nation, but the world, we learn that the lost sheep of Israel will willingly seek God and return to Him, and not by Jewish tradition, but by the Gospel. They will willingly confess that the Messiah they heard so much about truly is Jesus,a nd join in with the rest of His sheep. God is angry at all the shepherds who caused His sheep to flee, many are lost, and some have even fell prey to predators, but Jesus knows where His sheep are and once He returns they will all regroup and find Him. “I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep. And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.” - John 10:14-16.
God continues to tell the fate of Babylon, this time He foretells of His sheep fleeing Babylon, again this is metaphorically speaking of the world, and returning to their land with every one of their sins forgotten. “Israel is a scattered sheep; the lions have driven him away: first the king of Assyria hath devoured him; and last this Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon hath broken his bones. Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will punish the king of Babylon and his land, as I have punished the king of Assyria. And I will bring Israel again to his habitation, and he shall feed on Carmel and Bashan, and his soul shall be satisfied upon mount Ephraim and Gilead. In those days, and in that time, saith the LORD, the iniquity of Israel shall be sought for, and there shall be none; and the sins of Judah, and they shall not be found: for I will pardon them whom I reserve.” - Jeremiah 50:17-20.
The reserve, the few saved sheep, compared to billions upon billions, who fled the world in search of their Shepherd, once they found Him and came to Him, all of their sins were forgotten, never to be remembered, and they are pardoned of all their iniquities. “Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.” - 1 Corinthians 6:9-11.

Just like sheep have an amazing tolerance for pain, so do we, which is why God afflicts His sheep every once in a while. When we start to wander away from the Shepherd, affliction is going to come, not to punish us, but to keep us from fleeing, once we flee, He cannot keep us safe from our predators. We must remember that God never afflicts us more than we can handle, He will always make a way for us to escape, regroup, and find our Shepherd. “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” - 1 Corinthians 10:13.
Today's Prayer: God, It's amazing to find out just how much we are like sheep, there may be some black sheep among the group, but for the most part, we truly do have the natural instincts to flee danger and escape our predators. When the predators of the world tempt us, we can easily fall prey to them when we lose sight of our Shepherd. Lord, let no temptation move me away from Your sight, give me Your power to stay close by You so that I can flee and escape their attempts to get me away from You. When I feel the desire to run away from You, give me Your strength to endure, and let me not lose my ability to sense the dangers ahead. In Jesus' name. Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
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