The following passage has been recurring for the last 3 weeks. I sit up and take notice when this happens because I believe God is trying to draw my attention to something.
Luke 15:4-7, “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’ I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance.
Then, I had this dream: An acquaintance told me that she was going to arrange a birthday party for me. She would arrange everything and invite the guests. She created an expectation. In the dream I was excited that someone would care enough to do something like that. When the day of my birthday came along I arrived at the venue with great excitement. People were arriving and my acquaintance asked me to help carry the platters of food into the dining room. I gladly helped especially because of all the trouble she had gone to. I was mingling with the other guests and I started to feel uncomfortable because nobody was congratulating me on my birthday. Nobody even acknowledged that they knew it was my birthday and there weren’t any gifts. Someone mentioned that this was a very nice pre-Christmas party (whatever that may be). I suddenly realized that although this party was supposed to have been my birthday party, it wasn’t about me at all. My acquaintance had deceived me into believing that it was. I felt totally humiliated and couldn’t do anything about it without making myself look pathetic.
When I woke up I remembered the dream in detail and I asked God what it was all about. He showed me that the verse about the 99 sheep and the dream were connected.
Jesus, who is the Good Shepherd, is genuinely concerned about my well-being. And the well-being of every other person on earth. He died for all, regardless of who you are. If we accept Him as our saviour, we will be saved. He cares so much, that if I were to stray away from Him, He will leave everything to come and find me and bring me back into the fold. He loves me and cares for me and, as the verse says, there will be joy in heaven about one sinner that is saved. On the other hand, the devil will trick and deceive me at every chance he has.
2 Corinthians 11:14, And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light.
1 Peter 5:8, Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.
The devil is going to make things look good. He is going to tell you that the drugs of alcohol you are being offered are going to make you feel so good and you are going to forget all your problems. He will tell you that if you get into a relationship with someone who is married isn’t going to be a problem because it’s true love. He is going to tell you that it’s okay to cheat on your taxes because the government is actually busy cheating you. He is going to tell you that gossip is really just showing compassion. The list is endless and the outcome is always the same. The things you do have consequences and you are going to have to face the consequences. When the consequences come, the devil who incited you to doing the deeds is going to be laughing at you. The party he promises you is not for you. It is for him to humiliate you and show you that he is boss. Don’t fall for his tricks, and if you have please turn away immediately and all the Good Shepherd to retrieve you from the mud that you have become stuck in. He is going to throw the biggest, most sincere party for you and all of heaven will be rejoicing.
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