Verse of the Day 1/6

Verse of the Day 1/6

John 10:27-28   My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. ²⁸ I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.  English Standard Version (ESV)

We live in uncertain times and an uncertain world.  If we look at the world around us, 5 or 10 years ago we would never have believed that so many of the events of the past few years could have happened.  We long for security, for certainty.  For the Christian, the Christ follower, today's verses offer us some comfort and give us confidence of our eternal security.  If we are truly His, if we are held by the Creator of the world, nothing or no one may take us from His hand.

The other important statement in the verse is "they follow me".  If we desire eternal security, we should be, we need to be following Him.  We should be mindful of the Beatitudes that we just read recently, they should be our attitudes.  Part of that following will mean growing, "growing in the grace and knowledge of our Savior" 2 Peter 3:18.

The "hearing of His voice" is the growing in grace.  Charles Spurgeon expands on the concept of growing in grace as he writes, "Grow in grace"--not in one grace only, but in all grace. Grow in that root-grace, faith. Believe the promises more firmly than you have done. Let faith increase in fulness, constancy, simplicity. Grow also in love. Ask that your love may become extended, more intense, more practical, influencing every thought, word, and deed. Grow likewise in humility. Seek to lie very low, and know more of your own nothingness. As you grow downward in humility, seek also to grow upward--having nearer approaches to God in prayer and more intimate fellowship with Jesus. May God the Holy Spirit enable you to "grow in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour."

In reading Spurgeon's statement, you can't help read them with the Beatitudes from Matthew 5 in view.  As we follow we should be growing and a faith that is growing will, as Spurgeon writes, "increase in fullness, constancy and simplicity".  May it be said of our faith as we here His voice and follow Him while knowing that no one and nothing can snatch us out of His hand.

--   In Christ,  Mike    Folllow the Verse of the Day blog at http://mikesvotd.blogspot.com  Ephesians 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins,  in accordance with the riches of God's grace.  NIV    

John 10:28-30The Message (MSG)

^25-30 Jesus answered, "I told you, but you don't believe. Everything I have done has been authorized by my Father, actions that speak louder than words. You don't believe because you're not my sheep. My sheep recognize my voice. I know them, and they follow me. I give them real and eternal life. They are protected from the Destroyer for good. No one can steal them from out of my hand. The Father who put them under my care is so much greater than the Destroyer and Thief. No one could ever get them away from him. I and the Father are one heart and mind."