The Phil Files

The Lord’s prayer for today, May 3 (TNIV):

“This, then, is how you should pray:

“‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us today our daily bread.

And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.

And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.

For or yours is the kingdom and the power
and the glory forever. Amen.’”

I didn’t grow up dancing. One of my nicknames in college was Trip. Except for a brief stint in band in the sixth grade as a drummer, I’ve led a pretty beat impaired life. But as I tried to get caught up in the message I shared today, one powerful image struck me. God has invited me to share His dance of grace. I don’t have to lead. I don’t have to worry about the beat. I don’t have to get uptight about the right steps.

He leads! He supplies the rhythm. He guides my steps.

Just like you, God is at work in me (Philippians 2:13; Romans 8:28). I can be His co-worker in His great work of redemption (1 Corinthians 3:9 & 1 Thessalonians 3:1-2). I am invited into the Divine Partnership between Creator and prized creation — the Great Purposer has a plan for me. The great Dancer has chosen me for His dance partner.

But bottom line, it is about bringing God glory … forever.

I think this is a dance that I can’t mess up if I take His hand and let Him lead, even on my most beat impaired days. Sure, I’m going to trip sometimes, but the music will still play and the Great Dancer will still take my hand if I will just get up and dance.

For Yours, O God, is the Kingdom and the power and the GLORY forever. I’ll follow your lead and trust you to hold me up when I stumble knowing I am knew at this dancing thing.

Target Date: 11.22.09 – See CTT Page

The focus this week is on how Jesus led people out from where they were – danger, hunger, brokenness, rejection, bondage – to a better place. A good shepherd leads his sheep to still waters and has them rest in green pastures. He restores their souls. Even in difficult times, even during the long dark valley of the shadow of death, the good shepherd stays with his sheep and leads them out to find food and leads them in to find safety. I wonder which is hardest for most real shepherds and most spiritual shepherds, leading them out to pasture or leading them back to safety?

The Key Scriptures

• John 10:3, 9-10
• Psalm 23
• Ezekiel 34
• Luke 9:23-26

Please share the link to any online pictures, YouTube movies, or video clips of sheep or shepherds or Scripture graphics you think illustrate the main focus of this week’s passages! What are the differences between driving cattle and herding sheep? Share your own ideas on how to listen to the Shepherd’s voice! What are some examples of this principle? Please share any video clips or YouTube links that you think may help us better understand this principle.

Target Date: 11.15.09 – See CTT Page

The focus on this message focuses on how sheep listen to their shepherd’s voice. They recognized his voice even in the noise of many voices. The message that we need to hear is that we need to know how to recognize “Jesus’ voice” because we have listened to Him so long that we can tell the words of the evil impostors as well as the misguided shepherds. Like Jesus’ saw through the Devil’s temptations using the Word of God, we know our Shepherd and His words so well, we recognize when they are being misused. In addition, no matter what any other shepherd may say to us — a biblical author or a Spirit equipped church leader — we evaluate and understand what they say based on Jesus’ guidance adn words. In fact, one of the waays Jesus ministered to God’s sheep who were scattered and without a shepherd was through His teaching. So this will be a clear call to know what Jesus has taught! Of course, one of the best biblical examples of this principle is when Mary met the resurrected Jesus and didn’t recognize Him until He called her by name: then, just by the sound of His voice, she knew it was Jesus and cried out, “Rabboni!” Isn’t it interesting that disciples (followers) of Jesus followed Him around to learn from Him for several years, similar to the way sheep follow their shepherd.

The Key Scriptures

• John 10:3-5, 14, 27
• John 20:11-16
• 1 Peter 2:25
• Luke 4:1-12
• Matthew 9:36
• Mark 6:34

Inputs and Ideas

Share your own ideas on how to listen to the Shepherd’s voice! What are some examples of this principle? Please share any video clips or YouTube links that you think may help us better understand this principle. Is there someone you know who has learned to truly hear the “voice” of Jesus among all the competing voices: how did they do it and how can you tell that they know the words of Jesus and have incorporated them into their life? Please also share the link to any online pictures, YouTube movies, or video clips of sheep or shepherds or Scripture graphics you think illustrate the main focus of this week’s passages!