ARE YOU GROWING?(2)

*WISDOM FOR TODAY.*

*ARE YOU GROWING? (2)*

*Scripture Treasure.*

John 10: 1-4, 11, 14, 27-28

*Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.*

*But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.*

*To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.*

*And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.*

*I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep*

*I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.*

*My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:*

*And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.*

*Insight and Highlight.*

Christian growth and mentorship.

*Scripture Commentaries.*

In Matt 7:16, Jesus teaches that good fruit (i.e, the way a person behaves) authenticates a person as a true follower of His.

Who you follow can be an indicator of your growth.

Jesus teaches us in John 10 that those who follow a hireling are following strange voices but His sheep who follow Him will not follow a stranger. They *".....will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.* John 10: 5.

Today, there are strange people claiming to be of Christ whom no one knows whom they follow or had followed (as shepherds or mentors).

He called them, hirelings, thieves, robbers.

In John 10:8 He says *All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them.*

In John 10:10a He says these thieves (Satan and his agents) *".....cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy:..."*

He says the hireling, is not a good shepherd when he *".....seeth the wolf coming,......"* he *"..... leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep.*

Jesus says "*.....The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep.*, John 10: 12.

Performance or manifestations of great spiritual magnitude may not determine or override identifying who mentored you.

There are people whom no one can say they mentored them and they can not say who mentored or whom they follow or followed.

Jesus made a perfect example of leadership, mentoring and followership when He teaches that, though He is God and one with the Father (John 10:30),

knowing and identifying whom you follow is just as good as you knowing each other. In other words you know your mentor and your mentor knows you.

*As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.* John 10:15.

His 'mentor' is His Father and He is known of Him.

His Father is God. He has spiritual stature and identifiable,.His Father was not someone no one knows.

He says in John 10:29 *My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; ......."*

Though your mentor may not be great but

he should have an identity found in Christ's followership profile, (ref Matt 18:1-4).

Those who follow Satan are known as false prophets who can perform signs and wonders, etc and can pretend to be Christ's 2 Cor 11:13-15.

If Christian growth is not measured by who you follow, Jesus would not highlight the importance of the shepherd.

If Christian growth is not measured by who you follow, Jesus would not highlight the importance of distinguishing those who follow the shepherd as sheep.

The most significant identity besides being a sheep is that you will see the sheep in the shepherd and the shepherd in the sheep and the shepherd leads while the sheep follow.

Elisha was described as having poured water in the hands of Elijah, 2 Kgs 3:11.

In 2 Kgs 2, he followed Elijah from Gilgal to Bethel, Jericho, and finally to the Jordan River.

He refused to leave his side despite being told to stay back.

He saw him to the point he was taken up by the Chariots of fire into Heaven, he said

"*.....My father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof. And he saw him no more: and he took hold of his own clothes, and rent them in two pieces.*

The fallen cloth (mantle) he received was his first calling card of who his mentor was to him and who he was to his mentor.

As he *".....stood by the bank of Jordan;........"* he *".....took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and smote the waters, and said, Where is the Lord God of Elijah? and when he also had smitten the waters, they parted hither and thither: and Elisha went over.* 2 Kgs 2:1-14.

Ultimately the impact of the spiritual mentoring he received was immediately felt when he got to Jodan and slammed the mantle he had received to part the Jordan.

Are you growing?

Who you follow can determine your growth and who you are in the Kingdom. It can determine how God and people see you. It is an acceptable standard of determining Christ's true followers in the Kingdom.

*Remorse corner.*

Jesus is the good Shepherd, the good shepherd who *" giveth his life for the sheep.* John 10:11.

*Call to Word action.*

People should know who mentored you.

2 Kgs 3:11 *Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of the LORD, that we may inquire of the LORD by him? And one of the king of Israel's servants answered and said, Here is Elisha the son of Shaphat, which poured water on the hands of Elijah.*

*The Christian clarion duty.*

To ask who mentored you is a biblical principle. It is a truth that should not be challenged.

*Prayer.*

Lord lead me to Your Kingdom's spiritual mentor in Jesus name.

Good morning all and have a blessed day.

God bless you.

Shalom.