October 17, 2019 Spirit Meat Daily Devotional : Topic – CHARACTERISTICS OF GOATS (2) – EZEKIEL 34:1-24
3. Goats disobey instructions: Goats are always doing their own will. They do not follow instructions. If you need to catch four sheep, all you need do is to look for the leader sheep among them and catch him. Once you catch him, the rest would follow. But if it were to be four goats you need to catch, you would need four strong men that can run really fast and four good ropes. The sheepfold is about feeding, and if a sheep does not follow, it cannot be fed. It must however be said that the first level of relationship in the sheepfold is not feeding but leading.
4. Goats don’t follow leader-sheep: Goats follow themselves. A goat will not follow the shepherd (the leader), he will follow a goat like himself. The goats are not harmful to the sheep, but are a danger to the pasture; they can scatter the ground and muddle up the waters for the sheep. This is why they also need shepherding, but they do not realize it.
5. Goats don’t like to contribute: Goats are only in it for themselves, they have little or no interest in contributing to the sheepfold, to other sheep or to less-privileged people around them. They constantly complain about tithes and offerings. They often spread misinformation to others about this but are more than happy to receive help from other sheep in their time of personal need.
PRAYER: Dear father, thank you for opening my eyes to the truth in your word! Help me to work in love, understanding and obedience to the shepherd you’ve given me. Amen!
BIBLE IN A YEAR: Jeremiah 30:1-31:26, 1 Timothy 2:1-15, Psalm 87:1-7, Proverbs 25:18-19