Luke 15:1-6 KJV 1 Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him. 2 And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them. 3 And he spake this parable unto them, saying, 4 What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? 5 And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6 And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost.

Who is the good shepherd that leaves ninety-nine sheep only to look for one lost. In the modern world one might say leave that one lost, not worth risking the other ninety-nine that might try and wander from the group. No that one that is lost is just as important as the ninety-nine that are in the group. Jesus is telling a parable, but missing sheep. No matter how simple this story seems one can think for a time on the importance of the one missing. The little sheep was not a king, the little sheep was only lost. If a child is kidnapped how soon are parents not searching for their children. They first look the normal places and upon not finding the child the police are called and the child is searched for. Hopefully the child is found before any harm comes to her or him. There is a purpose in writing can you think about this, the devil likes to steal God's people. The Devil likes to take God's people. He likes to confuse them, deceive them, and even lie to them to cause them to stumble. God sent his only Son to call to his children and to those not of his flock, to bring them to repentance and to join the flock. If the flock is purchased and add into the old flock, they are not one big flock of unique sheep, belong to one Shepherd. Now if you bought 100 sheep and one went missing, that one lamb chop that is not going to be at your dinner table tonight, unless you find it. The point being you get the number you pay for and it is yours, to do as you please with. God paid the price for all of us that are sheep that are saved. We can not wander off from his sheep pen. There is a point that one sheep is of value, and it not that the ninety-nine are not as equally important, it can not survive alone. The wolves will devour it. God is able to keep his sheep safe, but we need to know we are part of the family of God and can not wander without someone searching for us. God's people are scatter among the wolves of the world. Yet the wolves of the world are in need of a shepherd too. God sent his Son to his sheep fold as well as to the wolves. Woves are animals that in general stay in a pack, Every now and then you hear of a lone wolf. Wolves are killing because of their instincts to hunt for game. Those lost and get saved are learning to worship God. The acts they do were not of God but also, they were not told to follow Christ for healthy living. That sheep that gone astray or is lost, is not following Jesus the good shepherd. Jesus goes and finds the sheep and picks him up in his arms and carries him home. Jesus is not mad the sheep wander for he sees not the sheep's sin, but only that he lost. Who knows maybe that one sheep followed a butterfly or something. He carries the sheep puts him back in the fold and the only thing the sheep needs is to be welcome home. The angels in heaven rejoice at seeing the lost sheep. The sheep tired and cold needing his home, only to discovered he went to far away from the group. He is sadden he took his eyes off of Jesus. All he knows is he need Jesus all this time. His heart is remorse as the shepherd lifts him up to carry him home. The loving act of a ride home to be with the other sheep. He needed that home, a place to feel safe in His Father's embrace. How often as believers we backslide into sin, only to discover the need for forgiveness. The need to feel we belong somewhere. The world is cold, and God's churches should be the loving flock to those that went astray. A place that ministers can bring the lost and know they are cared for among the brethern and sisters of the church. What is wrong with the church world when love and compassion is not shown, it because they know not the laws of God. They know the love of forgiveness, but not what it means to follow Christ. To follow Christ is not to continue to sin and go astray but to remain in the embrace of the Savior. Yes the Holy Spirit will convict and teach the heathen. But there are two heathen groups. One that pure evil, and one that lives as wolves in sheep clothings. They look and talk like decent folk but in truth are devils in disguise. Some even know how to eat at the table with fine china, and yet they are nothing but devils. These wolves that need the shepherd are changable by Christ. When one receives Christ and repents that are transformed into a new creation and the old ways of life are gone. If you never tell a wolf that looks like a wolf and acts like a wolf he can change by the power of God, he will never know there is the same hope you can be offered to him. Christ is calling the believing Jews that are saved and the Gentiles to salvation. Jesus feed all that would hear and listen to him as he travel around Israel. As believers we need to talk to those saved and those lost in need of a Savior. Meet a friend the other day and said they had not been shopping in one store lately, but going closer to home to shop, but had been thinking on returning because of food prices. The truth is the one was missing fellowship of old friend that they would run into when they shopped there. How often we need the store house of God to be feed to retain that need of fellowship in order to continue to build each other in faith in order to keep our feet from slipping. Dear Heavenly Father, continue searching for your children to bring them to the fold once more. To bring them one day to their eternal home. Their human weakness causes them to fall, but the embrace of your eternal love for them carries them back home to the place of safety. Let us see the beauty of our Saviors eyes so we never look away or go astray but are memerized by his love for us. In Jesus precious name, Amen. Continual Scripture Study for Devotion:Mark 6:32-40 KJV 32 And they departed into a desert place by ship privately. 33 And the people saw them departing, and many knew him, and ran afoot thither out of all cities, and outwent them, and came together unto him. 34 And Jesus, when he came out, saw much people, and was moved with compassion toward them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd: and he began to teach them many things. 35 And when the day was now far spent, his disciples came unto him, and said, This is a desert place, and now the time is far passed: 36 Send them away, that they may go into the country round about, and into the villages, and buy themselves bread: for they have nothing to eat. 37 He answered and said unto them, Give ye them to eat. And they say unto him, Shall we go and buy two hundred pennyworth of bread, and give them to eat? 38 He saith unto them, How many loaves have ye? go and see. And when they knew, they say, Five, and two fishes. 39 And he commanded them to make all sit down by companies upon the green grass. 40 And they sat down in ranks, by hundreds, and by fifties. http://www.turtle30cshell.com