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Feed the Sheep - Love the Sheep- Part 3

Nov 112010

Christine Young, Europe President

In the previous articles I had shared that our mission in Europe is to “feed the sheep” based on Jn 21:15-17. In part two I had centered primarily on the importance of loving God first so we have love to give out. If we are intentional in our love relationship with the Lord we can both “feed the sheep, and love the sheep.” Actually we are feeding the sheep His love which makes all of the difference. As I continued to search out the Word and ask God for His design on our ministry, I was led to the feeding of the five thousand (naturally, more about food and feeding J) and in Mark 6:30-34, it reads:

³⁰The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. ³¹Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”

³²So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place. ³³But many who saw them leaving recognized them and ran on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them. ³⁴When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things.

This scripture drew me back to the importance of having His love for His sheep because in and of myself, I don’t have love for the sheep. Did you know sheep bite? I’ll save that for another time. J The truth is that we need the Lord Jesus and His love and compassion in order to love the sheep and touch hearts. Jesus had compassion for the sheep because they were like a sheep without a shepherd. Do you know some sheep that have no shepherd? Do you know some women who have just moved to your post and they are wandering around lost, like a sheep with no shepherd? Do you have compassion for them? If not, why not? If your love tank is empty and you have no compassion, head back to verse 31. Have you had a chance to eat at His table? And if not, maybe it’s time you receive the invitation He is giving out “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” Then rustle up some sheep!

Feed the Sheep (Do you love me?), Part 2

regional review

Oct 142010

Christine Young, Europe President

As I shared in the first article, Europe’s mission is to “feed the sheep” based on John 21:15-17. Jesus had told Simon Peter to feed the sheep three times. I’d like to look deeper into that line of questioning with you. Here is the passage:

When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”

Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you truly love me?” He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.”

The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my sheep.

What did Jesus ask him before he told Simon Peter to feed the sheep? He asked, “Do you love me?” The key in the passage lies in that very question, “do you love me?” Of course, Jesus had to know that Simon Peter loved Him. He knows all things and yet, He draws this out of Simon Peter like water from a well. The key is love. IF we love the sheep we will in turn feed the sheep. And I would also add that our love for Him, our love relationship with Him, supplies us with the love we have to accomplish His command to love the sheep. If we are not drawing from that well of love, found only in the person of Jesus Christ, our well runs dry and we end up in the land of striving, pleasing and struggling. If that’s where you are today, go back to the well! It never runs dry and always satisfies. God’s design is for us to love Him first before we love others. In Mt 22:36-40, Mark 12:30, and Luke 10:27 we see that same truth emphasized. In 1 Corinthians 1 we find another verse, “If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.” Have you heard Ginny Owens’ song, “I am Nothing?” It’s an excellent song and reminder that love is the first ingredient in everything we do. Here’s just a sample of the lyrics:

I could travel over oceans, cross the deserts, climb the mountains
Just to share your story, bring you glory, and win souls for you.
I could sing like an angel, songs so humble and so thankful
Full of drama and emotion, so the world would know your truth.
I could give away my money and my clothes and my food
To restore those people who are poor, lost, and down-and-out.
Oh, I could succeed at all these things,
Find favor with peasants and kings,
But if I do not love, I am nothing.

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The Europe region update is published on the second thursday of every month. Submit comments or suggestions to: europepresident@pwoc.org

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Tech Tuesday

Jul 062010

This one is for those of you new to blogging (and, yes, that is a verb!). If you follow only one blog, it’s not difficult to open that page each day to check for new entries; however, if you are like me and follow more than twenty blogs, this can absorb a tremendous amount of time that you’d rather spend doing something else. Mix in that many bloggers don’t add new posts every day and you’ve wasted time navigating to their page only to find nothing new. Ugh!

Enter Blog Readers, an ingenious techie tool! There are many Blog Readers on the internet so just enter ‘Blog Reader’ into your favorite search engine to find a list of options. I like integration so I use the one that fits in with all of the other online business that I do, but that’s certainly not a requirement.

What does a Reader do exactly?
A Blog Reader makes checking a list of Blog entries as easy as checking your email. In one place, you have a list of all the blogs you follow and the reader will alert you to new entries by making the related title bold, just like email! Simply click the bold title, and read the entry. Voila! It’s really that easy!

How do I get started using a Reader?
Looking toward the upper right of the PWOC Blog page (above the Search box), you’ll find a Subscribe link that looks like this:

Clicking this image will return the many Reader options from which to choose and selecting the Reader of your choice will subscribe the PWOC Blog to your Reader. From here, you simply check in with your Blog Reader daily to find what’s new in your Blog world.

Disclaimer: This has in no way been a step-by-step tutorial for establishing a Blog Reader account. For more detailed instructions, there is a virtual mountain of information available online found by using your favorite search engine as described above.