1 Peter 5:1-11 KJV
1 The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed:
2 Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;
3 Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.
4 And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.
5 Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.
6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:
7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
9 Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.
10 But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.
11 To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

In our days of youth we fight and in old age we do better when we allow God to often to do the work for us. Soldiers in battle young and old, wait for the day they can rest. Up all hours of day and night, no one concerned of what time it is, but how long will the battle rage on. Can I take another enemy dagger or is my shield of faith strong enough to not allow one dart to wound my very soul.

The enemy cares nothing for, the enemy will set a trap for you. The enemy will try and destory every relationship you have including the one with God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. We have a job as believers not to act as God over God's people. Soon or later if you not already shepherding you will be if you are a believer. What does that mean. God does train his disciples to be a witness and a teacher of faith. When do we begin to teach the minute we begin to yield to the Holy Spirit. It is easy to argue with someone over trivial things, but hard to stop the quick response one might give in an argument. They day you allow God to come right between that argument is the day the devil lost his foothold. One must stand firm in faith. First thing we must remember is God truly cares for each of us. Once you understand how much cares, it is easy to humble oneself under his hand and allow him to mold and make you into what he has called you to be, a child of God, a disciple, a prince/princess/minister and a humble servant. That molding that God begings to do is when we submit to the voice of his Spirit in our heart. God can mold our very response to win an argument. Yet do we recognize the molding and touch of his hand in our life.

He wants to put us each on the potters wheel, and mold us and shape us into the soldier that will know how to fight off the enemy's attack in a harsh battle. When we begin the yield in the battle to our Commander and Chief Shepherd of our soul, we yield to his knowledge of what he sees in the heart of the one attacking us. He knows what the punch is, and he knows those punches might hurt, but he also knows what will quiet it. He sees what we can from his view point. God just wanting for us to yield, to humble and to submit to his command.

You want to power walk, but you wanting first to do it your own strength and power, it will not last. If you walk in the power of his might, you will be strength for the longsuffering and patience needed to defeat the enemy. It takes time, and patience to win the battles in life, but I can tell you this as you learn to submit he will settle you and establish you, strengthen you and even settle, bring you to a point of rest. Where the battles of this world seems less and less. It only a picture of what must pass to get to heaven gate to enter.

If one read Psalm 23 we discover David understood about the Shepherd guiding hand. It says I shall not want. I shall not want, meaning want is the things that are not of God the believer has no need of it. He takes us and leads us into green pastures as a shepherd leads his flock. He provides a cool drink of water. Restores our soul, He leads the beleiver in the paths of righteousness. If we walk in the shadows of death we will not fear evil, because he comforts us in our grief. Right on the grass in the pasture he made a fine meal for his sheep, where right in the middle of his enemies, and do they fear, only when they see the wolf, because they are killed all the times. Yet the good shepherd he herds his sheep together, and keeps them together, so they are not a target for the enemies attack.

Are you good shepherd or evil one. Are you separating the good from the bad. Come on people, we gather together, so we know there more then one of us out there in field eating a fine meal where the wolf may attack. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow all the days of the believers life, why because they follow the Shepherd. and the believer will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. God's house the creation of the New Jerusalem, the place Jesus is preparing for us. To live out our eternity following our Heaven Father's will.

Standfast, stand firm knowing that lion is wanting to devour you. Knowing God sees it all. There is time coming when the enemy will lay beside the sheep and not want to devour it, and a time the lambs will play right outside the snake home with snake babies and no one will think anything about it. Have you ever thought about we living in those days of where those snakes have houses with children and the believers children play right in their yard. Playing games and are at peace with each other. Jesus lived in a town growing up, known to be full of both Gentiles and Jews. Yet we never think on the issue other then to know that the time we are in, is the same as the time of Christ. The separation from the world does not mean we are not surrounded by the enemy, or the enemy does not board a bus with us, or sleep next door to us, it only means that the enemy there and God is preparing us a banquet of food right in the mist of our enemies. That God's children have a feast on his word. The eat the passover in reminderof the fact that they eat the bread of life a symbol of Christ flesh that is broken for us and drink the blood in the form of juice/wine, to symbolize the blood that Christ shed for us, and yet we blind to persecution. Blind to the devil attacks.

Let us open our eyes and see what God wants to show us about the enemy, let us open our eyes so we know when God's hand guides into the fold it is for a purpose. Sheep do wander, but a good shepherd comes in search of his sheep. Yet if some calls and ask where you are, because your not there how long did it take. Does the world feel it is intrusive or a bother to check on a person, then guess what does God's people check on their own, praying and helping each other along life path. Knowing God send his people to help and not the enemy. Enemy cares nothing if you win or lose.

Dear Heavenly Father, you care for your sheep and some you do take early because they heard you not to come to the sheep fold, or gather together. We know you count and search for the hundredth lamb that is missing from the flock. Where two or more are gather in your name, you are in their mist. Help us to stand firm against those darts with those others of faith knowing you are going to establish, settle and bring us to day of rest, because you are the great shepherd. In Jesus precious name, Amen.

Continual Scripture Study: Psalm 23:1-6 KJV
1 A Psalm of David. The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.