Pastor Bell's Words To Live By

If Jesus is the good shepherd, then it stands to reason that there are bad shepherds. The good shepherd has the interests of the sheep at heart, whereas the bad shepherd has his own interest at heart. The good shepherd has integrity, character and compassion. The bad shepherd operates in an underhand way, is sneaky and has no discernment. The good shepherd is open, transparent and accommodating. The bad shepherd is secretive, opaque and disconcerting. So Jesus said: “I will lay down my life for the sheep, I will lay it down not because of compulsion or force but because of love.”  Jesus is teaching us kingdom principles here. To gain abundant life you have to lose the vices you brought to the table as a ‘bad shepherd’. The obtain authority you have to learn to serve. To gain trust you have to become trustworthy. The walk in integrity you have to be true to yourself, repentant when and not if you make a mistake and be in constant communication with the great shepherd and bishop of our souls (1Peter 2:25).

So today how do I become a good shepherd? Answer, by spending time with the great shepherd and his father! Read Psalm 23, ‘the Lord is my shepherd I shall not be in want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures, the leads me beside still waters, he restores my soul’…..