The Gate

     This week I have been studying in Lysa Terkeurst study Finding I Am. We have been learning in the study about the seven I Am statements of Christ.

This week it has been I Am the Gate (John 10:9) and I am the Good Shepherd (John 10:11).

Here's what I have learned:

• Like a shepherd tends his sheep...loving, tender, protector, nurturing...that's the way The Lord tends to us. 
• Sheep recognize their Shepherds voice and obey it. 
• The gate is there to allow coming in and going out of the sheep. Keeping them protected inside the fence from their enemies. Nothing can get thru that gate without the shepherd knowing about it...for he sleeps at he gate at night to guard it. 
• Christ is the Gate. He is always there..protecting us.. on guard for us. He knows our coming in and going out.

Psalm 121:8 (NASB) "The Lord will guard your going out and your coming in

From this time forth and forever."

• You must go thru Him. He is the only Sheep Gate. The only way to the Father. 

So here are my random thoughts:

        If we know these things then why do we live like we do not. If we are the sheep then what keeps us from hearing God's voice. My thought is this.. we let to many other things creep in our fence. They come in and they do not go thru the Gate.

      Probably if you asked yourself.. because I know I asked this of myself.. you find that most everything we do.. decisions we make, things that take up our time, our plans, our thoughts.. most everything we let in our fence does not go through the Gate. If we allowed them to enter in through the Gate how different would our lives look?

     I think of my grandma. She always said that "the woman sets the tone for the house." If this is true.. which I believe it is..then as women we ought to be asking all the time if everything is passing through the Gate that we let in. Because this effects our tone :) which in turn affects the whole house. You with me?

     My grandma always had the best attitude about life. Things were not always pleasant for her because she grew up pretty poor. She had 15 brothers and sisters and they worked hard for very little. When she was older and had four children of her own she faced a huge hurtle in her marriage. As time went on she saw many loved ones pass away and been through many more hard times.. but in everything her attitude has been what we call a "Pollyanna" attitude. Meaning that when the hard times came she always would smile and say something like ' Oh well God is in control'. :) She has true Joy!

As I am getting older and studying Gods word more, I see what happened in her life. The Lord has always been her Shepherd and she learned at a young age to listen to His voice and she obeyed. She made sure the things in her life went through The Gate first before entering in. You see the more time we spend with the Shepherd the better we know His voice. 

 1. She knew the Shepherd

 2. She listened for His voice

 3. She obeyed

   So here is some more randomness. What if we as women did this? This is what hurts my heart. I see all kinds of things creeping over our fence walls. Coming in stealing and destroying our children, our marriages, our time, our energy, our finances, our relationships and our homes. I see women running to hear the voice of whomever they can find for advice but I do not always see us running to the Shepherd to hear His voice. (I am at fault too)

    Maybe there is some confusion in your life..or something you just cannot put your finger on. Ask your self 'Did I allow this to come through The Gate first' or 'did I listen to the Shepherds voice?', 'Would I even know the Shepherds voice if I heard it?'

On side thought.. there are things that happen in life that are good and bad.. to the good and the bad. Nothing gets to you that He does not allow to get there. He is the Gate. 

I love this verse from the study this week and I guess it is the one that got me really thinking.. 

Isaiah 46:4 Even to your old age I will be the same,
And even to your graying years I will bear you!
I have done it, and I will carry you;
And I will bear you and I will deliver you.

He will always be the same. He is the tender, caring, nurturing, protector, Shepherd.

And just like He has carried my grandma into old age, He will carry us. He welcomes us with open arms.. not matter how much we have allowed inside our fences. He is the trustworthy Shepherd.  He says I will deliver you.