As I was having my quiet time this morning I thought about
cattle ranches. I’ve never worked a ranch but I’ve watched lots of movies about
them. The scenes where they are cutting cattle are amazing. The historic reminders of days gone by are
amazing. Those cowboys who separated cattle from the herd required the highest
level of skill and rode specially skilled "cutting" horses, trained
to follow the movements of cattle, capable of stopping and turning faster than
other horses. Once cattle were sorted, most cowboys were required to rope young
calves and restrain them to be branded.
That’s when God spoke to my heart: The enemy is specially trained to cut you out
of the herd. He’s no amateur that you can avoid. He has, as the Word says, “a
cunningly devised plan”. He will also
cut you away from the Word. He wants you separated from the fellowship of faith
and He wants you separated from the Word of God. He will then rope you up in your misery and
brand you. His brands are humiliated, unbeliever, defenseless, outcast,
weakling, loner. These brands only stay
permanent as long as we believe them. We cannot get ourselves loose from the
enemy’s rope.
God spoke to my heart again: God is your Shepherd. Unlike
the enemy who wants to cut you down, cut you off and tie you up helpless, God’s
ways are loving, kind, merciful and generous. God wants to separate you from
the world’s way of thinking. He wants to put you in the right herd, teach you
how to live and untie you from all sins and all weaknesses. God’s desire is for
you to be strong in the Lord and in the power of His Might. He wants you to
know the Word thoroughly so you don’t get separated by the enemy. He has sent
Jesus to round you up, give you a new life, set your feet securely and give you
green pasture to live in all the days of your life.
Oh beloved, you must be certain of who is driving your life,
who is in the saddle and who you are letting call the shots. God’s love will
never constrain you, humiliate you, strand you or cut you out from fellowship.
You can know whether it is God’s doing or the enemy trying to get to you by
viewing your circumstances by God’s Word. Never resort to your own strength for
stamina. Never let others bind you with endless wrangling about things that
don’t matter. Your troubles may want to tie you up in knots, but Jesus sets you
free. Your heartaches may want to brand you weakling, but God’s Word says that
your strength will rise as you wait on Him. Your senses may say impossible, but
Jesus says all things are possible.
We are not cattle, but sheep who have a Shepherd to show us
the way, save us from death, guard us from the enemy, give us His plan, make
our way blessed, strengthen our days and teach us how to be like Him. God loves
you and He’s for you always, giving you freedom to grow in grace and knowledge
of Him all the days of your life.
Isaiah 40:11 He will feed his flock like a shepherd. He will
carry the lambs in his arms, holding them close to His heart. He will gently
lead the mother sheep with their young.
John 10:11 I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays
down His life for the sheep.
Psalm 121:8 The Lord will guard your going out and your
coming in from this time forth and forever.
Galatians 5:1 It was for freedom that Christ set us free;
therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.
Psalm 119:16 I shall delight in Your statutes; I shall not
forget Your word.
John 17:17 Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth.
