
“Thou hast been in Eden the Garden of God.” ~ Ezekiel 28:13 [podcast]
Excerpt from the book Lie of the Ages
THE INTRUDERS—THE RESTORATION
“Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God.” ~ Ezekiel 28:13
The evil one had been thrust down from Heaven to the earth for the iniquity found in him (Ezek. 28:15; Lk. 10:18). This evil foe, who had been ejected by God from Heaven’s pristine and perfect premises, was cast down to the earth and allowed in the sanctuary of the Garden of Eden, because God gives men a choice to serve—or to not serve Him. He created in mankind the gift of free will. Temptation is ultimately the test as to whom the individual will love and serve. “For the LORD your God proveth (tests) you, to know whether ye love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul” (Deut. 13:3).
The serpent slithered among the lush embellishments of the Garden of Eden. His goal was the fall of the first man and woman who were created in the image of the One who made all things. Satan obviously schemed and strategized as to what weapon to employ in order to accomplish his main objective—to cause the first man and woman to fall from grace by sinning, and consequently, be alienated from the LORD. This enemy of souls knew from personal experience that the Almighty keeps His Word and casts down those who disobey Him. To this point, Adam and Eve knew only righteousness. They did not yet realize what the evil one knew and had already been the recipient of – that is, the judgment of God for his sin. A hard lesson lay ahead of Adam and Eve, and a fallen creation would be left in the wake of their defiance of the holy LORD and His righteous command – not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Gen. 2:17).
The enemy of all souls has not changed. His temptations are “common to man” (1 Cor. 10:13). Satan’s goal was, and is, to interrupt and destroy the relationship between his enemy, God, and His special creation—man. Jesus informed us that the ultimate “thief” has come to “steal, to kill and to destroy” (Jn. 10:10). This same goal—the fall of man—is still his aim and will be until the LORD Himself puts him away for good (Rev. 20:10).
From the Garden to the modern pulpit, the enemy has lied to mankind. Satan and his false teachers are the intruders—the very enemies of the Almighty. The serpent has slithered through the garden path of history, seductively spreading his poisonous seed, causing the fall of many and now possesses the thoughts and doctrines of an army of deceived men in ministry.
Ever since the Garden, the lie of the ages dwells among men, especially in the sanctuary where the LORD is supposed to be reigning—the Church world. As in the Garden of creation, so the enemy specifically concentrates on the sanctuary of his enemy’s people. He seeks to molest purity, beguiling those who are unlearned. Many times, he uses the body of Christ’s own leaders.
Today, the pulpits and platforms of modern media are the places that most people simply do not suspect to be the mediums where falsehoods thrive, reside, and flow. They do not see the serpent lurking among the trees in the garden of modern “Christian” pulpits, organizations, and media. Most are not aware of the wolves in sheep’s clothing who, like the lurking serpent in the garden, “lie in wait to deceive” (Eph. 4:14).
As foretold by the prophet Amos, the enemy of souls seeks to alter and remove the Word of God from the hearing of God’s people (Amos 8:11). This is what he did in the Garden of Eden (Gen. 2:17; 3:4). Today this same enemy uses the most subtle messengers—the ones many people look to for truth. The Holy Spirit forewarned us that in these last of days men would not remain in the truth but rather that “some shall depart from the faith” and that “many” would “corrupt the word of God” (1 Tim. 4:1; 2 Cor. 2:17): “Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils.”
It simply doesn’t matter if a leader realizes he is teaching heresy or not. If he is teaching anything other than the Word, he is a detractor from the glory of God and leading others astray. Men of God are to “preach the word” and speak only “as the oracles (words) of God” (2 Tim. 4:2; 1 Pet. 4:11). This is a non-negotiable command to all who would accurately represent the LORD. No matter the reasoning, one will be found a deceiver on Judgment Day if he preaches any other message than the Word of God (Isa. 8:20). One can be sincere and sincerely wrong at the same time (Prov. 14:12). “Let God be true, but every man a liar” (Rom. 3:4).
The holy and almighty God told us that He is going to judge all men according to His Word (Jn. 12:48; Rom. 2:16; Rev. 20:11-15).
From the very beginning (Garden of Creation), the beguiler’s target has been God’s people. Nothing has changed. His message to men is simple— “You don’t have to worry about obedience, it’s optional, you can live the way you choose and still remain in the grace of God.”
Through those men he uses today, the enemy mixes in some truth with this deadly lie of lasciviousness and poisons the whole pond, leading many astray into a false gospel and false security. Perhaps it has been wisely stated that “Satan will give you a million pounds of truth to blind you with that one ounce of a deadly lie which will kill you.” In order to bring in a lie among God’s people, the enemy likes to lead with truth as his smokescreen in order to bring in that deadly distortion behind the cover of truth. See Matthew 16:6-12 and 1 Corinthians 5:6. “A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump” (Gal. 5:9).
Why should we be surprised that this ultimate enemy still uses the most “subtle” and unsuspected methods and personalities to communicate his deadly message to God’s people? After all, his message still works to cause unsuspecting men to fall out of fellowship with God. Why should we wonder why the evil one still utilizes the same lie that claimed the first man and woman? Has this message not captured untold scores of souls since then? Are we so blindly naïve as to believe that there is no evil or devil? Why should we be surprised to realize that this same evil enemy of souls is ceaselessly in the midst of our garden today, telling this same lie by adding to the Word of the Maker?
God said “Thou shalt surely die,” and Satan countered with “Ye shall not surely die.”
Are pulpits more sacred than the very Garden of Eden? Obviously not. There was no sin in the Garden until Satan introduced the lie of the ages, and the man and woman bought it. In the very cradle of creation, the enemy of God initiated and launched the lie that would fatally wound mankind, claiming the souls of millions throughout the centuries. This exact same deadly lie was picked up, incorporated, and perpetuated by early century church fathers, so-called theologians, whose heresy-laced writings and commentaries regrettably hold great prominence among many evangelicals today—even though they have no reconciliation with the Counsel of God, which will be demonstrated throughout this book.
The Bible enlightens us to the reality that Satan is a strategist and has schemes of which believers are instructed not to be ignorant (2 Cor. 2:11; 1 Pet. 5:8). We are in a war, and like any good war general and his staff, we are to study and know the nature, weapons, and ways of our enemy.
The apostle Paul informed us that Satan’s methods are the same today as they were from the start—in the Garden.
“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
In this same text, the LORD told us that He makes a way to escape the re-used lies of the enemy and his temptations.
As can be clearly seen in Genesis, “once saved always saved” is not a new doctrine, and it’s also not the LORD’s doctrine. “Once saved always saved” is clearly the lie that caused the fall of man. This is the doctrine of the arch enemy of the Almighty. As in the very beginning, the unholy serpent himself is still creeping into the homes and gathering places of believers today and utilizing the same lie to mislead people and cause their fall from grace. The chief wolf who has come “to steal, and to kill, and to destroy” seeks to devour souls for his kingdom and from the Chief Shepherd, who is “come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly” (Jn. 10:10; Heb. 13:20). Beware! “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Pet. 5:8).
The first lie led to the fall of the first man and woman and is leading to the fall of masses of people today. Millions in our day are being taught that they are unconditionally eternally secure—in the absence of the truth about the holiness of the God they will stand before in judgment, and His demand that we be made holy as He is holy (1 Pet. 1:16).
The pulpits of America have been hi-jacked by men who have “crept in unawares” who are teaching a doctrine originated by the enemy of all souls and calling it “Christian.” This is paramount to using the name of the LORD in vain, by attaching His holy name to a teaching of his arch enemy.
Tracing the Lie
The adversary attacked God through His own creation—the Garden, the fruit, the serpent, the woman, and the man.
Does it intrigue you to uncover the very first lie told by the one Christ warned us of who is the father of all lies? Of Satan, Jesus said: “for he is a liar, and the father of it” (Jn. 8:44).
One three-letter word— “not”—changed the course of history! Satan told the woman “Ye shall not surely die,” after their Maker had told them that they would “surely die” in the day they disobeyed Him (Gen. 2:17; 3:4).
“And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall NOT surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.” ~ Genesis 3:4-5
This first and poisonous falsehood, the lie of the ages, is still today the same deadly venom being injected by the evil one in the battle that rages for the eternal souls of men. The serpent infused the first man and woman with this venomous and paralyzing deception, robbing from their hearts the fear of the LORD, which led to their fall from grace. Consequently, a separation was incurred between a holy Maker and His creation with a catastrophic curse which fell.
This unconditional eternal security—without condition to the recipient—is the very FIRST LIE the devil ever told to mankind. “Once saved always saved” (OSAS) is one of the modern labels of the renamed, or repackaged, lie of the ages. In this deception in the Garden, as well as in our day, Satan craftily convinces people that they have irrevocable “security” and “assurance,” no matter what their actions against the clear command/Word of God.
The message of eternal security without condition to the recipient is that once one has been born again, he has no responsibility to continue to faithfully obey the Almighty—the One who saved him. Those who sit under this teaching are told that once they have been brought into fellowship with Him in His garden of salvation through Christ, they can never “die” or be separated from Him again, even if they blatantly rebel. This lie teaches that the person who Christ has saved can then choose to live as he wishes with no fear of consequence or righteous retribution from the One who is “Holy, holy, holy” (Isa. 6:3; Rev. 4:8). This is the very lie that Satan gave Adam and Eve which led to their fall into sin and separation from the LORD.
Can you see why it is a big score for the enemy of souls when people are told by their misled leaders that they are “once saved always saved”—no matter what they choose to do, including revolt completely against the Most High and go back to the life of sin?
In the sanctity of the Garden, where there was no suspicion, Satan intruded. Today, in the sanctuary of the pulpits and various Christian media, his emissaries are intruding where few suspect. He prospers because so many believe that their leaders are guiding them correctly, and yet do not know and obey the Word of God for themselves. Only those who learn the way of the LORD through His Word can know and see the enemy’s work. Those who do not have a life in the Word will fall prey to deception and ultimately be destroyed (Hos. 4:6; Matt. 22:29). Discernment comes from being personally exercised in the Word of God (Heb. 5:11-14).
The New Garden—Restored Holy Bliss
“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.” ~ Isaiah 9:6-7
The Genesis account of creation and the relationship between the LORD and the first man and woman, is an ongoing saga to continue until the hour of Christ’s return, and the establishment of His eternal kingdom. We are given this record (the Bible) in order to know the LORD and how He deals with men, and who He blesses and who He curses.
From the Garden to the Holy City—Genesis to Revelation, the war over the souls of men rages. The enemy seeks to reclaim those redeemed by the blood of the One who is the seed of woman (Gen. 3:15). What better way to undertake such an evil mission than to use those shepherds at the very helm of the visible church?
God’s account of man’s creation and fall is not left without a solution from the only One who can remedy his alienation. Holy Writ opens with the creation and fall of mankind and the promised prophetic restoration through the Messiah of all who will come to Him, as He justly prescribed (Gen. 3:15). The book of all Books ends with a warning to all of us concerning making the very same error Adam and Eve made when they bought into the distortion of His holy words, and thereby fell, joining forces with His archenemy.
“And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie. I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star. And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely. For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book. He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.” ~ Revelation 22:12-21
In these final words of Holy Scripture, Jesus Christ tells us that He is coming quickly to reward all according to each person’s works. He says to us that those who keep and do His Word will receive blessings and “have right to the tree of life” in the restored “holy city” of God. Outside this blessedness will be all who have lived in and justified their sins—no matter what their previous relationship with Him might have been. Then, in the very final words of Holy Writ, there is the warning of adding to or taking from His words. This adding to or removing of truth is done first internally, in the hearts of those who do not genuinely love the LORD with all their heart, soul, mind and strength. Those who love darkness rather than His holy light do not wish to come clean under the light of divine truth (Jn. 3:18-21; 2 Tim. 4:3-4).
This war for the souls of men spans from Genesis to Revelation, and the words of God are pivotal in this most crucial and consequential of battles. Those who play into the enemy’s scheme to “add unto” or “take away” from God’s words of instruction will be removed from the book of life, cut out of the holy city, and from all eternal blessings. The lake of fire waits.
PRAYER: LORD Jesus, please purify my heart and remove all dissimulation and mixture from me. Rid my life of all secret faults and presumptuous sins! Father, please grant me the blessing of knowing You in truth and living in Your holy light and will. Jesus, please preserve my eternal soul until the day of Your soon return. Amen.
Excerpt from the book Lie of the Ages
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Abiding
The Eternal Danger of Trusting Mere Men [podcast]

Idol Shepherds Abounding!
The LORD is Holy and will not share His glory with any other.
“I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.” Isaiah 42:8
Your favorite pastor, evangelist or teacher among men is “at his best state … altogether vanity” (Psalms 39:5). God be thanked for the life of every true servant elder and yet they are mere men. God did not send His only begotten Son to die and be buried and raised again to make you a good church member or fan of a mere man who is supposed to be a servant leader. Jesus came to take away our sins, make us new creatures so we could know Him and His Father – and serve them and not man (John 1:29; 17:3; 1 Corinthians 7:23). We are each called to “know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death” (Philippians 3:10). Let’s read the whole verse: “That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death” (Philippians 3:10).
RAVI ZACHARIAS is just another pawn of Satan whom gullible dupes clung to, they hung to his every word. He rarely even mentioned the cardinal doctrines of the Christian faith – the holiness of God, the precious blood of Jesus, the crucified life, repentance, etc.. Why did they cling to him, a mere man? They were unrepentant and therefore weren’t choosing to truly worship, seek the face of, love and obey Christ. The vacuum left by their idolatry facilitated their delusion. Then Ravi died in sin. When you love the LORD, truly, you love and devour HIS Word, daily. Read 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12.
“LORD, make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is; that I may know how frail I am. 5 Behold, thou hast made my days as an handbreadth; and mine age is as nothing before thee: verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity. Selah. 6 Surely every man walketh in a vain shew: surely they are disquieted in vain: he heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them. 7 And now, Lord, what wait I for? MY HOPE IS IN THEE.” Psalms 39:4-7
When O When will we truly repent and genuinely follow JESUS, pouring over and hanging on HIS every Word – from Genesis to Revelation? Isn’t that why He gave us HIS Word, the Bible? (2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:19-21)
“And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” John 17:3
“But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.” 20:31
“Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD.” Jeremiah 17:5
The ministries of mere men are not an end in themselves.
They are called to simply teach God’s Word itself – and to get you into God’s Word daily for yourself.
Notice how the apostle Paul reveals how the disciples at Thessalonica “received the word of God.”
“For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when YE RECEIVED THE WORD OF GOD which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.” 1 Thessalonians 2:13
“Ye received the word of God – Ye received the doctrine of God, not as any thing fabricated by man, but as coming immediately from God himself, we being only his messengers to declare what he had previously revealed to us. And ye have had the fullest proof that ye have not believed in vain; for that doctrine, under the power and influence of the Holy Ghost, has worked most powerfully in you, filling you with light, life, and holiness.” Adam Clarke
They were “taught of God”, not men (1 Thessalonians 4:9).
The ministries of the servants of God are merely designed to get you to discern ….. and to get into God’s Word FOR YOURSELF – to study to show your own self approved unto God! (Acts 17:10-11)
” And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews. 11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. Acts 17:10-11
“For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.” 1 Thessalonians 2:13
YOU do it.
“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” 2 Timothy 2:15
The lazy, those who don’t truly love the LORD are being eliminated as goats. This all comes on the heels of their refusal to seek God…. and study His own Word.
No, instead the idolaters of mere men will read and listen to endless messages by mere men, their favorite preachers, mere men. They then bond with those mere men, there is an unnatural soul-tie created.
“Cease ye from man, whose breath is in his nostrils: for wherein is he to be accounted of?” Isaiah 2:22
“Isaiah 2:19-22 People will seek for shelter wherever they can hide. It will be clear then that fleeting man is unworthy of trust. Only the Lord is worthy of the undivided confidence of His people.” Believer’s Bible Commentary
“Cease ye – Never admire or place your trust in man. Breath – Whose breath is quickly stopped and taken away. Wherein – What excellency is in him, considered in himself, and without dependence on God?” John Wesley
“Cease ye from man – Trust neither in him, nor in the gods that he has invented. Neither he, nor they, can either save or destroy.” Adam Clarke
The church world is full of wolves in sheep’s clothing. The list of “idol shepherd(s)“ is long…. Here is but a sampling:
See all shorts videos here on ministry youtube channel.
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Abiding
“Jesus the Author and Finisher of our Faith” [podcast]

Jesus Christ is the Author and Finisher of our faith and He requires our personal participation both initially and ongoing, as we “endure to the end”, abiding in Him (Matthew 10:22; 24:13; John 15, etc.).
“From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. 67 Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away?” John 6:66-67
WHERE O WHERE are we going to go if we depart from Jesus? …. does He, the eternal God and Creator of all things not hold the future of every living soul in His holy hand?
FB Meyer on John 6:60-71
“THE SIFTING OF JESUS’ FOLLOWERS
Christ’s pathetic question-Will ye also go away?-elicited from Peter a reply which proved that the inner meaning of His words had already broken upon their souls. ‘Thy words give us and nourish within us the eternal life.'”
“Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away?” John 6:66-67
There are many today, who like the 5,000 who departed from Christ, leave when they hear the cross message – the divine command to be crucified with Christ. Jesus asks us today: “Will you allow He who authored your faith to finish it?”
“Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die.” Ezekiel 18:4
“Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:1-2
“If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.” Colossians 3:1-4
“What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? 2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? 3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: 6 knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. 7 For he that is dead is freed from sin. 8 Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: 9 knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. 10 For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. 11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. 12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. 13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. 14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. 15 What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid. 16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness”? Romans 6:1-16
“In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 4 And this I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words. 5 For though I be absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, joying and beholding your order, and the stedfastness of your faith in Christ. 6 As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: 7 rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. 8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. 9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. 10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:” Colossians 2:3-10
The Gospel, the Resurrection of Christ
1 Corinthians 15
1 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;
2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
5 And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve:
6 After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.
7 After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles.
8 And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.
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Abiding
“My Sheep Hear My Voice, and I Know them, and they Follow Me” [podcast]

There are 7 portraits of Jesus in the Gospel of John. One of those seven portraits is Jesus our “the good shepherd.” (John 10)
The first thing the good shepherd of the sheep did was give His life to purchase the sheep with His own blood.
“I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.” John 10:11
Jesus who created us, then came to die to buy up back to the Father and Himself.
The Bible, God’s Word, is full of illustrations of who God is, and who He is to us. He is our shepherd….the shepherd of His true sheep. How do we know who His remnant saints, sheep truly are? How do we know if we individually are truly His?
“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: 28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. 29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.” John 10:27-29
“John 10:27
My sheep hear my voice – But ye will not hear: – my sheep follow me; but ye will neither follow nor acknowledge me. Any person who reads without prejudice may easily see, that our Lord does not at all insinuate that these persons could not believe, because God had made it impossible to them; but simply because they did not hear and follow Christ, which the whole of our blessed Lord’s discourse proves that they might have done. The sheep of Christ are not those who are included in any eternal decree, to the exclusion of others from the yearnings of the bowels of eternal mercy; but they are those who hear, believe in, follow, and obey the Savior of the world.” Adam Clarke
We know He is our shepherd if we are reading, listening for, and walking out the voice of His Word. That’s why He gave us His Word. The voice of His Word is His voice. This is why God gave us the Bible, His Word, the “voice” of His Word. Jesus says “My sheep hear my voice” and the “voice” of Jesus is with us, is God’s written Word. We have the “voice”, the very words of our LORD on record. “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17)
The primary way God’s voice is heard by His sheep is the Holy Scriptures….. reading God’s Word is hearing the voice of God.
“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” Psalms 119:105
“Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. 14 He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.” John 16:13-14
Our LORD, the good shepherd of our souls, told us that His sheep are those who hear His voice, the voice of His Word. Those not in the Word are not hearing the voice of God.
“He that is of God heareth God’s words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God.” John 8:47
Those who are “of the truth” hear the voice, the words of Jesus Christ.
“To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.” John 18:37
Jesus made it clear who His true sheep are ….
“He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.” John 14:21
Jesus’ sheep hear His voice, He knows them, they follow Him. They don’t listen to nor follow their own feelings, human reasoning, their own wicked heart, nor any mere men … “follow your heart”? No. That’s a lie from hell. “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” (Jeremiah 17:9) Jesus died to save you so you would be His, and that you would follow Him, His voice and none other.
Jesus, on record in John 10:27-29, is telling us that it’s only those who are hearing His voice, the voice of His Word, and following Him, who are going to be kept in His holy hand. After being saved, only those who abide in Christ to the end will be kept by Him and with Him eternally. Read John 15:1-6 where you will see that any whom Jesus saves and yet then they don’t “abide” (remain, continue) in Him will be cast into the fire of hell (v6).
Take a closer look at John 10:27-29. Anchor the promise in verses 28-29 on verse 27 where Jesus identifies who His sheep are—those who hear and continue to hear His voice and continue to follow Him (present tense). The divine promise here to be kept is a conditional
promise requiring the individual recipient of the gift of God to continue to hear His voice and follow Him (John 10:27-29). If you are born again, a sheep of Christ’ pasture, and you cease hearing His voice and following Him, you are no long His.
Many today detach, separate our LORD’s words in verse 27 from verses 28-29 of John 10. In doing so, they perpetrate their “eternal security” mythology which is Satan’s first lie (Genesis 2:17; 3:4). Beware as this was the first lie Satan told mankind, which led to the fall (Genesis 2:17; 3:4).
The LORD saved you to be His – to hear the voice of His Word and to follow Him, to walk with Him.
“Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.” 1 Peter 1:5
To be kept you must live “through faith” – to hear and believe the voice of His Word, and walk with Him accordingly.
“But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” Hebrews 11:6
“Eternal security”, otherwise known as “once saved always saved”, is a lie from hell. Run from any and all wolves peddling this, Satan’s first lie (Genesis 2:17; 3:4).
To be “kept” by Jesus, the saved sheep must live his life “through faith.”
“And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith.” Luke 17:5
The recipient of salvation must “through faith” be “kept.” God never removes man’s free will and requires not only initial but also continued faith. Jesus foretold that some would be saved and then not continue with Him and “fall away” (Luke 8:12-13).
“Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.” 1 Peter 1:9
Prayer: Father, I know You are holy and require my faith to the end of this life. Make sensitive my conscience, quicken my spirit to repentance and to be holy as You are holy. In Jesus’ name.
Jesus Christ our LORD is “that great shepherd of the sheep.”
“Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, 21 Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.” Hebrews 13:20-21
“For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. To day if ye will hear his voice,” Psalms 95:7
“Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.” Psalms 100:3
“To hear His voice, we submit to the pruning of the Holy Ghost in our heart. The fruit of righteousness can only be produced in an ABIDING relationship with Jesus and cultivated by the Holy Spirit given to them that OBEY him. (John 15:3-5; 14:15-17)” Jon Crane
Moments with Our Master [book] 365 Day Devotional book available at and amazon. English and Spanish.
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