A FLOCK MENTALITY

Part 4

"Therefore will I save my flock, and they shall no more be a prey"
(Ezekiel 34:22)

Today we look at the last five ways God cares for us as a flock. God . . .

INCREASES HIS PEOPLE LIKE A FLOCK

A shepherd always wants his flock to increase. The interesting thing is that sheep are good at increasing. They frequently have twins, and sometimes even triplets. God also wants His flock to increase. He is a God of increase. In Ezekiel 36:37, 38 He says: "I will increase them with men like a flock. As the holy flock, as the flock of Jerusalem in her solemn feasts; so shall the waste cities be filled with flocks of men: and they shall know that I am the Lord." This is a prophetic Scripture for Israel and how that when God brings His people back to the land, as He is doing today, that He will increase them. Not just a little. He wants the waste cities FILLED with flocks of men.

Isn't it interesting how God talks about "flocks of men"? He is the shepherd of flocks of men. He wants us to see our family as a flock, too. You won't want to put a stop to your growing family. That's not God's shepherd heart. If you have a shepherd's heart, you'll want to increase your family. You will have a flock mentality.

LEADS HIS PEOPLE LIKE A FLOCK

Psalm 77:20 is such a beautiful Scripture. It says: "Thou leddest thy people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron." Read also Psalm 80:1. God wants to lead your flock too, but just as He chose Moses and Aaron to lead the children of Israel through the wilderness, He has chosen YOU to lead your children through the wilderness of this evil world with all its fleshly and worldly temptations.

What a responsibility we have as mothers to always keep close to the Lord in order to hear His voice. We can only lead our little flock in God's ways as we follow closely to the Shepherd ourselves.

What does a shepherd do? He leads his flock-- to good pastures, to clean water, to places of peace and security. As shepherding mothers we must also lead our children. We can't be apathetic, status quo, or laid back. We are LEADERS--leading our children closer to God, leading them to the good pasture of His Word, leading them in truth in the midst of a deceptive world, leading them in holiness in the midst of an immoral society, and inspiring them to be lights in the midst of the darkness.

A true shepherd doesn't lead his flock sometimes, or whenever he feels like it. Every morning he wakes it is his fulltime job to lead his flock to their daily pasture. Dear mother, each new day you must also lead your children closer to God, further in the pathway of God, and more and more in His truth.

The shepherd goes before his sheep and leads them. You also are out in front, showing your children the way. "Come on, Children. This is the way we walk in this world." Your great task of leading your children is as great as the leader of a nation. You help to determine the fate of the nation as you daily lead your children away from darkness and more and more into the light. You become a threat to the enemy as you diligently teach your children in the truth,

And we must not forget God's promise to you in Isaiah 40:11: "He gently leads those that are with young." Are you pregnant? Do you have little ones around you? God gently leads you. He doesn't expect you to be involved in all the activities at church and outside the home. He lets you lag behind a bit. Relax and slow down; enjoy your pregnancy. Don't rush around everywhere; enjoy your little ones.

MAKES HIS FLOCKS TO LIE DOWN IN SAFETY

Isaiah 17:2 speaks of "flocks, which shall lie down, and none shall make them afraid." Read also Jeremiah 33:12. The true shepherd does not want his flocks to be agitated. He wants them to be in safety and where they will not be afraid. This is the blessing of the home. It is a sanctuary God has given to us to care for our flock and to keep them safe from the world and the wiles of the devil. Yes, there will come a time when they will have to go out and face this world, but we are making them strong and getting them ready. We don't send them out before their time.

SAVES HIS PEOPLE LIKE A FLOCK

A shepherd is gentle with his sheep, but he must also be brave when he has to save one of his flock from the prowling enemies, such as a lion or bear. The devil, like a roaring lion, prowls around trying to get access to our children (1 Peter 5:8). He wants to infiltrate their minds with his deceptive philosophies. With all the electronics of this age and the epidemic proportions of pornography and immoral living, we must be constantly on the watch. Sometimes he may grab one of our children. What do we do? Wring our hands and cry? No, we rise up with courage and go after the enemy. We will pull t hem out of his mouth (1 Samuel 17:34-36). We will not sit down until we rescue our child and bring them safely back to the fold. We will not allow our children to become a prey to the devil. Read also Ezekiel 34:8-10 and Zechariah 9:16.

SEEKS HIS PEOPLE LIKE A FLOCK

Ezekiel 34:12: "For thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I, even I, will both search my sheep, and seek them out." We will always have the flock mentality. We cannot rest if one is out of the fold. We guard our whole flock.

Blessings from Nancy Campbell

PRAYER:

"Dear Shepherd of the sheep, please help me to be a faithful shepherdess, constantly watching out for prowling enemies that would take my children as prey. Help me to observe, not only the outward, but what is going on in their hearts. Amen."

AFFIRMATION:

I am a flock guarder.