Our Shepherd Still Loves Thr Strays
The sermon emphasizes God's love and presence in our trials, encouraging us to rest in His loving arms and trust Him to bring us through.
David Wilkerson emphasizes that our great shepherd, Jesus, loves every sheep that has strayed due to life's trials and temptations. He reassures us that we are never abandoned, even in our moments of despair and weariness. Despite the struggles we face, we are encouraged to hold onto God's Word and trust in His presence. Wilkerson reminds us that Jehovah Rohi, our shepherd, knows us intimately and invites us to rest in His love and grace. Ultimately, we are called to accept His love and find comfort in His guidance through our challenges.
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Our great shepherd loves every sheep who has gone astray because of testings, trials, hurts and wounds. We never dare to accuse our shepherd of abandoning us. He still walks beside us and watches over us at all times.
Right now you may be waging a losing war against some kind of temptation. Whatever your struggle is, you've determined not to run away from the Lord. You refuse to give yourself over to sin's grasp. Instead, you've taken God's Word to heart.
Yet, like David, you've grown weary. And now you've come to a point where you feel absolutely helpless. The enemy is flooding you with despair, fear, lies.
Your testing may become even more mystifying and unexplainable. But I want you to know--no matter what you're going through, the Holy Ghost wants to reveal in you Jehovah Rohi, the Lord your shepherd. You have a shepherd who wants to imprint his love on your heart.
Jesus assures us, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." And our heavenly Father--Jehovah Rohi, the Lord our shepherd--has revealed himself to us in Psalm 23. He tells us, "I know you by name, and I know what you're going through. Come, lie down in my grace and love. Don't try to figure out everything. Just accept my love for you. And rest in loving arms. Yes, I'm the Lord of hosts. I'm the majestic and holy God. I want you to know all of these revelations about me. But the one revelation I want you to have right now is the revelation of Jehovah Rohi. I want you to know me as your loving, caring shepherd. And I want you to rest assured I'll bring you through all your trials, in my tenderness and love."
Sermon Outline
- The Shepherd's Love for Strays
- The Shepherd's Call to Rest
- Accepting God's Love and Grace
- Resting in the Shepherd's Arms
Key Quotes
“I will never leave you nor forsake you.” — David Wilkerson
“Come, lie down in my grace and love.” — David Wilkerson
“I want you to know me as your loving, caring shepherd.” — David Wilkerson
Application Points
- We should rest assured that God will bring us through all our trials in His tenderness and love.
- We should accept God's love and grace, rather than trying to figure out everything on our own.
- We should trust God's presence in our lives, even when we feel helpless or overwhelmed.