The Mark of the Shepherd

Philip Keller, in his modern classic A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 (Read a large portion online here), relates a story and some insight into the relationship between Jesus, the Good Shepherd, and His followers, His sheep.

The day I bought my first thirty ewes, my neighbor and I sat on the dusty corral rails that enclosed the sheep pens and admired the choice, strong, well-bred ewes that had become mine. Turning to me he handed me a large, sharp, killing knife and remarked tersely, “Well, Phillip, they’re yours. Now you’ll have to put your mark on them.”

I knew exactly what he meant. Each shepherd has his own distinctive earmark which he cuts into one of the ears of his sheep. In this way, even at a distance, it is easy to determine to whom the sheep belongs.

It was not the most pleasant procedure to catch each ewe in turn and lay her ear on a wooden block, then notch it deeply with the razor-sharp edge of the knife. There was pain for both of us. But from our mutual suffering an indelible lifelong mark of ownership was made that could never be erased. And from then on every sheep that came into my possession would bear my mark.

For the man or woman who recognizes the claim of Christ and gives allegiance to His absolute ownership, there comes the question of bearing His mark. The mark of
the cross is that which should identify us with Him for all time. The question is –does it?

Jesus made it clear when He stated emphatically, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.”

Basically what it amounts to is this: A person exchanges the fickle fortunes of living life by sheer whimsy for the more productive and satisfying adventure of being guided by God.

It is a tragic truth that many people who really have never come under His direction or management claim that “The Lord is my shepherd.” They seem to hope that by merely admitting that He is their Shepherd somehow they will enjoy the benefits of His care and management without paying the price of forfeiting their own fickle and foolish way of life.

One cannot have it both ways. Either we belong or we don’t….

Our Shepherd

Know that the LORD, He is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.--Psalm 100:3, NKJV

Tonight during our midweek service, I shared some thoughts concerning the manner in which God relates to His followers...His sheep.

Many animals are more dignified, powerful, and glamorous than sheep. They are not very smart. I am told if they roll over on their back they can't stand without help. So, they are dependent on their shepherd. Several scriptures describe the Good Shepherd who Christians follow. There are five words that describe Him.

I. Satisfying (Psalm 23:1-2)

"The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want." He gives us what we need.

II. Sensitive (Isaiah 40:11)

"He will feed His flock like a shepherd;... And gently lead those who are with young. " God doesn't overlook our weaknesses. He cares about the problems and weaknesses we exhibit.

III. Sacrificial (John 10:11)

"The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep."

IV. Strong (Hebrews 13:20-21)

"Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,..." God is strong enough to keep His commitments.

V. Saving (I Peter 2:25)

"For you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls."

All who have surrendered to Jesus as Lord are His sheep. The Bible is clear that there are lost sheep who are not in the fold. May we be burdened for them. May they experience a personal relationship with the Good Shepherd.

Men's Banquet

Tonight, FBC Leakesville hosted the George/Greene Baptist Association Men's Banquet. Approximately, 220-30 men were present. Ray Mears was our speaker. He is an outdoor photographer and has made some amazing photos of deer, turkey, and ducks I've ever seen. Also, he shared a riveting testimony. He is a prince of a guy. I'm so glad I met him.

The meal was fantastic. This was a memorable night.

Good Day

This morning I attended the Doctrinal Study Preview at Main Street Baptist in Hattiesburg. The study is based on the book by Thom Rainer, Vibrant Church. Argile Smith, pastor of FBC Biloxi, led the study. He did a great job covering a lot of Biblical material related to the church.

This evening, I attended a meeting at the George-Greene Baptist Association Building regarding the upcoming mission trip to Brazil. I am planning to go. The folks present who have participated in past trips are excited. Bro. Jimmy Holcomb will lead the trip again. He does a fantastic job in organizing mission trips.

I am looking forward to the Associational Men's Banquest tomorrow night.

Sunday Summary

Many of our men filled the choir loft this morning for a Baptist Men's Emphasis. An all male ensemble sang before the sermon. I appreciate all the men who participated.

This evening, Frank Porter, Director of the Baptist Student Union at Jones County Junior College, brought some of his students to discuss their mission partnership with Christians in Muldova. The students who shared did a great job. Many in our church have expressed how much they appreciated their presentation.

The church gave a significant love offering to support the BSU's Mission Endeavors.

Trip to Jackson

This morning, I left with Jimmy Holcomb at a frosty 7:00 AM to go the Mississippi Baptist Convention Building in Jackson, MS for a Missions Mobilization Exploration Meeting. Representatives from Ohio, New York, and Vancouver gave presentations on the mission opportunities in their areas. Also, Ken Rhodes from the Missions Mobilization Department held a session in which he shared other potential mission partnerships in North America.

Please pray that God would lead us to find and complete the Summer Mission he has for us.

After the meeting, we traveled to the new Supreme Court Building to visit with new Supreme Court Justice Randy Bubba Pierce. He is a good friend and I know God will use him greatly in this prestigious position. Bubba gave us a tour of the "Halls of Justice." Also, we were able to spend some time with Justice James Kitchens. I met him about 4 years ago and he always has intriguing stories to tell.

Great Night

The attendance for our Mid Week Prayer Service has been better than average in the last few weeks. Also, the Missions Teachers stated more children than usual. This is great.

Each Wednesday night there is a group of volunteers who cook a meal for the students to enjoy. Volunteers have been doing this for years. What a blessing to have such committed folks.

Someone donated a large popcorn popper to the church. It was used for the first time last night. This is a fun addition to our church. I know the children and youth and pastor will enjoy having fresh popcorn occasionally.

Church Growth Plan Meeting

Tonight, all of our Church Growth Planning Team met for a training led by Huey Dedmon, Church Growth Specialist for the Mississippi Baptist Convention. I was thrilled by the attendance. We had some meaningful preliminary discussions concerning the roles of the leaders of our Bible Study Program.

Joe Errington and his wife assembled a great meal for us. We had great fellowship together.

I feel we accomplished a lot in the two and a half hours in which we met. Our next meeting will be following the Sunday Night Service on Feb. 15. The participation in the program by our leaders is superb.

Evangelism Conference

Each year, I make attending the Mississippi Baptist Evangelism Conference a priority. I have always been blessed by the preaching and the "Breakout Sessions." Also, my dad usually goes with me. We have a great time together.

Sunday Night, I drove to Magee and spent the night at my parents' home. Dad and I drove to FBC Clinton yesterday morning for this year's conference. The volunteers who welcomed folks to the conference did an incredible job. Their pastor should be proud.

Richard Blackaby and Mike Catt spoke in the morning service. Both did a great job. Mike Catt is from Pascagoula, MS. My grandmother "babysat" him when he was a child. She's 90 now and very pleased by the way God has used him.

Ed Stetzer spoke in the afternoon session. He distributed an 50+ page excerpt from his latest book Lost and Found: The Younger Unchurched and the Churches that Reach Them .

Frank Cox led an afternoon session on "Extending and Evangelistic Invitation." My dad and I agreed that his presentation was the best we have ever heard. I gleaned some good ideas.

Twenty-Six Years Ago

I began serving my first church in November 1982 as Minister of Music. The following January, my pastor, Edwin Pendergrast, invited me to go with him to the State Evangelism Conference, which was being held in Columbus, MS. While I don't remember the names of any of the men who preached that night, I do remember the blessing of hearing men share a burden for reaching people for Christ.

This year I didn't hear any new jokes, but I was refreshed and challenged. Please pray with me that FBC Leakesville would intentionally seek to make an impact for Christ upon our community.

An Introduction to Exodus

Sunday Night, Dr. Daniel Caldwell from William Carey University came and provided an introduction to the book of Exodus. He did a superb job of condensing an enormous amount of history into 45 minutes.

Starting in February, I will be preaching through Exodus. The history Dr. Caldwell shared will be invaluable in understanding the truths and principles we find in this book.

Daniel and I were students at William Carey at the same time. He was a year ahead of me in the undergraduate program. He is a blessing to the students at William Carey University. I appreciate his friendship and his willingness to be with us.

Blessed by Servants

Tonight, a couple in our church blessed Terri and I beyond anything we have ever experienced in ministry. Our 18th Wedding Anniversary was December 29. While my parents kept the kids, we had a special time together--one of the best anniversaries we have celebrated.

When we returned from the holidays, a couple in our church invited us to come to their home and be served to further celebrate our marriage milestone. Juggling schedules postponed the event until tonight. The couple paid our daughter Abbey to watch the younger kids.

We arrived at their home, which had beautiful candles adorning the steps. They welcomed us at the door and escorted us to their beautifully decorated dining room, also illuminated by a myriad of candles. Beautiful music was playing.

Next, they served us. This was an incredibly humbling and encouraging experience. Terri and I don't have a lot of "adult time" together. So, we had a blast reminiscing about our early years of marriage in Alaska and other highlights of our blessed journey together. We were so relaxed, so in tune with each other.

While the presentation and quality of the meal surpassed any restaurant I have experienced, the love the meal and decorations demonstrated is a ministry and marriage highlight for us. Throughout our marriage, God has placed people in our lives who have invested in us and enriched us beyond our ability to calculate.

Jesus said, "By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another (John 13:35).”

Following the main course, our hosts came and shared dessert with us. We had a special time of Christian fellowship. I will never forget this night. I love my wife. I love these special friends. I love Jesus.

Associational Men's Banquet

On Tuesday, January 27, FBC will host the Associational Men's Banquet. The banquet will begin at 6:45 PM. Ray Mears is the speaker this year and you must check out his website at RayMearsOutdoors.com. He has some awesome photos.

Tickets are $5 and you can purchase them at our church office or from Woody Rustin, Freddy Hight, or Ricky Dickson. Consider buying a few extra tickets and give them to friends who are hunters. They'll enjoy a great meal and experience a good time with Christian men. This is a super outreach opportunity.

All Southern Baptist Churches in the George-Greene Baptist Association should have tickets.

Brazil Missions Report

Last night, Tony and Karen Gray shared a report on their mission work in Brazil. Tony and Karen are the Mission Coordinators for Pioneer Missions in the country. Pioneer Missions is affiliated with Union University in Tennessee.

Tony and Karen are an incredible blessing to our church. They spend most of the year in Brazil. However, the weeks they are "home," they are active in our church. They are a great encouragement to me. Please pray for their ministry.

The Prayer of Jesus

This morning we examined the first eight verses of Jesus' last extended prayer recorded in the scriptures. John 17:1-8 are the words Jesus prayed in regard to Himself the night before he was crucified. The last prayer of a person reveals who they are. What a blessing from God that He inspired John to record this prayer for us. Notice 5 things Jesus addressed in the first section of His prayer.

I. The Aim (1)

Jesus began His prayer by affirming his desire to bring the Father glory. Kenneth Gangel has stated “In this prayer we learn that the Father’s glory is the foundational purpose in praying.” His aim should be our aim.

II. The Authority (2a)

Jesus affirmed that he was given the task to rule over "all flesh." He is the king of the universe, the Head of the Church, and Lord of all.

III. The Assignment (2b-3)

Jesus was sent to give eternal life. He prayed here with words that teach us that "this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent."

I John 5:11-12 And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. 12 He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.

IV. The Accomplishment (4-6)

Jesus told His Father, "I have finished the work which You have given Me to do."

V. The Acceptance (7-8)

Many trusted in Christ. In verse 8, he prayerfully shared with God, "I have given to them the words which You have given Me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came forth from You; and they have believed that You sent Me."

Remember This...

Jesus prayed for Himself and he prayed for you. However, he is still praying for you. The Bible states "It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us (Romans 8:34)." Be encouraged that Jesus, the Son of God, is talking to God on your behalf.

Saturday Travels

We started our day with Jared's first basketball game. Jared is involved in Upward Basketball at Memorial Baptist Church in Perry County (80 miles round trip). He scored his first goal only seconds after getting beaned in the head with the ball. He grabbed a rebound and scored, after the ball rolled around the rim for what seemed like an eternity. I am proud of him. Basketball is a good sport for him. Much more action than baseball and soccer. The wide open outdoors holds too many distractions.

Later in the afternoon, Terri and Charlee rode with me to Mobile. I had to make two visits in two different hospitals. It was great to have Terri ride with me.

Following the visits, we went to Sam's. I wonder if you really save money by buying in bulk at this place. The unit prices are cheaper, but there are so many temptations to make "impulse buys" that, if you're not careful, you'll come away with a case of something you really don't need. So, if you shop at Sam's, be careful out there.

Guiding Principles for 2009

Sunday Morning, I shared six guiding principles from the Model Prayer Jesus gave us in Matthew 6:9-13.

I. Live life Prayerfully.

In this manner, therefore, pray:

II. Know God Personally.

Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name.

III. Honor God Preeminently.

Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven.

IV. Trust God Physically.

Give us this day our daily bread.

V. Settle Disputes Promptly.

And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors.

VI. Conduct Yourself Purely.

And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one.
For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

Incredible Day at FBC

Yesterday was a great day for First Baptist of Leakesville.

Deacons Meeting

The deacons met at 8:00 AM. The meeting was held in a wonderful and positive spirit. The deacons did a great ministry at Christmas. Thirteen boxes of food were distributed to families in our community.

Morning Worship

Starting New Year's Eve, I began dealing with a fever and major chest congestion. Friday, I traveled to a clinic in Hattiesburg to try to get a remedy. So, I was concerned that my voice would not be clear in the AM Service and that I would be weak. However, I met with the men's prayer group at 9 AM. They prayed for me and I know God answered those prayers.

For me, the service was incredibly meaningful. I felt the presence of God. In preaching, the sermon went so much better than I expected. I know that's the Holy Spirit working.

While I enjoyed hearing my father preach last Sunday, I was thrilled to be back in the pulpit.

Ordination for Boo White

At 3:00 PM, I led an Ordination Council for Boo White. Over 20 men were present. Boo did a great job of answering the questions. Later, the Ordination Service was held. Jimmy Holcomb brought a powerful "Charge to the Candidate." Then, I "charged" the Church. Many people commented on how meaningful they found the service.

Boo, Missy, and the children are a priceless blessing to our church. God has blessed them as they have faithfully sought his will. To support them, I charged the church to Pray, Protect, Provide, Partner, and Participate. These are tangible ways to show them support.

A reception followed the service. The finger foods were amazing. We prolonged the holidays for a little bit. Our ladies and men did a great job setting up and serving. The amount of food was amazing. Way to go servants! I guess now the "Eating Season" is over.