I Know My Own And My Own Know Me

Today’s Word of Encouragement from Wayne:

"I am the good shepherd, and I know My own and My own know Me, even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep"

John 10: 14-15

Jesus, our Good Shepherd, laid His life down for us so that we might have eternal and abundant life forever with Him as His forever sheep, “the sheep of His hand” (Psalm 95:70). Our Good Shepherd regards us so highly that He invites us to "know Me, even as I know the Father and the Father knows Me." Make sure you receive this amazing truth, this holy invitation if you will, of the level of fellowship, communication, communion and oneness our Good Shepherd offers and has prepared for us, that we may know Him even as He and our Father know each other!

Jesus laid down His life for His sheep expressly so that we would enter into this grace, this state of oneness, this divine fellowship, where we know each other, completely, intimately, and in love, one with the Lamb of God our Shepherd for eternity. We know that our Savior was obeying His Father in heaven when He died at Calvary, paying for the sins of the world, and inaugurating the New Covenant, in His Own blood. But, from our Savior’s Own perspective, towards us, this is what Jesus said, "Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends" (John 15:13) and, "No one has taken it away from Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative" (John 10:18).

So, towards us, His sheep, the word of our Good Shepherd is, "I love you, I desire for you to be forever with Me, and I will take good care of you always. Nobody makes Me do this. This is what I want because I love you and consider you my friends, for ever. This is My initiative, My idea, and My desire, for you."

Receive, receive, receive dear friends of Jesus. Don’t be a stray sheep; be a stay sheep. Stay with Jesus Christ, your Good Shepherd and get to know Him even as He knows you. Hallelujah!