Teaching Notes

Characteristic of Healthy Sheep

MONDAY
When your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart's delight,
for I bear your name, O LORD God Almighty. - Jeremiah 15:16

Healthy Sheep. Good habits. If a sheep is healthy it will be evident in its habits. Such as eating. It will eat and the more it eats, the more eager it will become in eating. It will be eager to consume and the hunger will increase along with the eagerness. This characteristic is one that God wants to see in his children.  God wants us to eat his word and the more we eat the more we should want to consume and to be eager to eat. Our desire to consume God’s word should increase. This is evidence that we are healthy to the shepherd.

Prayer: Lord help me to desire to eat your word, which really means help me to desire to read your word and feed my spirit on your truth. Give me the hunger for knowing what your word speaks for my life.

TUESDAY
Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. - 1 Corinthians 15:58

Healthy Sheep. Active. Healthy sheep are active. The shepherd knows his sheep are healthy if he sees them active in the fields.  The sheep are grazing and interacting with the other sheep. God wants us to be always working for Him. He wants us active in the work of the kingdom. This is what a healthy sheep looks like. We are required to labor in the field for the Lord. If we are not gazing (or seeking what is to do in the field) or interacting with other believers we are seen as unhealthy by the shepherd.

Prayer: Lord help me even at my age to be active in the kingdom.  Help me to always be available to show someone the truth of your word and help me to be active in fellowship with other believers.

WEDNESDAY
but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. - 1 Corinthians 2:10


Healthy Sheep. Love to Climb higher. Healthy sheep love to climb and seek higher grounds. This is what God wants to see in his children. God wants us to grow and he wants us to have a desire to "climb" to higher grounds to deeper understanding in him.  The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. This is what God requires from us to want to learn the deeper things of God, which will require us to climb.  It isn't easy climbing up the side of a mountain for the sheep.  If the sheep is unhealthy, he cannot climb.  If we are to climb we must be healthy and grow. We also have our strength increased as we learn to climb up the mountains.

Prayer: Lord, I want to have a deeper understanding in you.  I want to climb higher spiritually which means I must allow you to help me grow. It is by your Spirit that you will show me the truth so help me to have spiritual ears to hear.


THURSDAY
Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. - 2 Timothy 2:15

Healthy Sheep. Curious. Healthy sheep are curious. Yet in their curiosity they do not wonder but will explore their living areas thoroughly so that they have little difficulty locating things. God wants us to study so that we have no difficulty in understanding the word of God and therefore are able to correctly handle truth. It is good to be curious about the things of God. He does not want us to be ashamed of the truth.  Healthy sheep seek to understand where they live.  We are to desire to understand how to live our Christian life.  We have the desire to present ourselves before God rightly understanding his word.

Prayer: Lord I want to be curious about your word.  When I do, it helps me to grow and it helps me to know what is right and what is evil.  Help me to be able to navigate this walk so that I am not caught unaware stumble.


FRIDAY
Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. - 1 Peter 2:11

Healthy Sheep. Good appetites. A shepherd looks for certain behavior in his sheep to know if the sheep is healthy. A depraved appetite is a sign that something is wrong with the sheep. If the sheep does not want to eat what is healthy for him, the shepherd knows the sheep is not well and will only get worse. God looks at his children and sees our appetites. If we do not have an appetite for healthy spiritual things lets him know we are not healthy and will only get worse. If we have a depraved appetitie for sinful things this will only cause harm for ourselves. God wants our desires to be for the things of God for he knows when we fulfill the desires, “the appetites” of the flesh we will die and war against our own souls.

Prayer: Lord help me to be spiritually healthy. I need to trust in you, be active, be curious about your word, and eat well (spiritually) so that I can be what you have desire for me to be. Help me this day and each day before me to exhibit the characteristics of a healthy sheep.