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Good day and welcome to your
Kingdom Connection Devotional for March- Week 2! In honor of the Texas Rodeo, the theme for this month is Christ's Kingdom Livestock. Last week we looked 5 aspects of sheep and on this week we will look at the goat.
While shepherds are HUGE "thing" in the scripture and "flocks" can be of all kinds of livestock, the Bible does point out an End Time difference between sheep and goats. It begins with Matthew 24 with the scenario of Jesus speaking to the disciples regarding the Temple. Jesus then informs them that 'not one stone shall be left here upon another...'. They then in turn ask of Him to, "Tell us when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?" (vs 3). He then iterates various signs that shall happen. Christ continues teaching them throughout Chapter 24 and into Chapter 25. When we arrive at verse 31, the depiction is of Christ coming with the holy angels and then Him sitting on His throne. Verse 32 informs us that all the nations will be gathered before Him and He will separate them and it specifically states, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. Then verse 33 lets us all know that He will set the sheep on His right hand but the goats on the left. Verse 34 informs us that those on the right hand will be invited to inherit the Kingdom which was prepared for them from the foundation of the world. The just King will take the time to explain WHY He made such decisions in verses 35 &36. However, in verse 41 He will say to the goats on the left, "Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels.
This passage is so rich and has several important implications but sticking with our introduction of goats for this week is what I want to highlight. Today we will analyze 3 major concerns that led to the saving of some and the destruction of others.
1. Every ONE knew God!
This has to be the most alarming concern of all. How is that all appeared before the King? How is it that in verse 37, the sheep called Him "Lord" and verse 44, the goats called Him, "Lord". We aren't taking about church people verses satanic people. We aren't talking about sheep verses sheep in wolves clothing. There is no implication that those who were separated to the right were in nor of DIRECT connection Satan or his kingdom. This alone has to make us wonder, if Christ entered our church today would He ask YOU/ME to please step to His right or step to His left? This alone should make each of us judge where we are exactly with OUR Lord and even more importantly where is HE with US.
2. Actions Being Taken TOWARD GOD
We see after Christ separates the 2 types of "believers" He begins to explain why.
1) When HE was hungry, the sheep feed HIM.
2) When HE was thirsty, the sheep gave HIM drink.
3) When HE was a stranger, the sheep took HIM in,
4) When HE was naked, the sheep clothed Him
5) when HE was sick, the sheep visited HIM
6. When HE was in prison, the sheep came to HIM
The King informed them they did these 6 action to HIM. And what is most amazing is that they questioned it! The actions they were committing
were not registering to them that it was unto the Lord. They were conducting
acts out of their hearts
and out of concern for
their fellow man.
3. WHEN Lord?
The goats are then asking, "Lord WHEN did we see you hungry or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked or sick or in prison and did not minister to YOU?" They wanted to know WHEN was God without? They literally asked, WHEN did God NOT have and WHEN was GOD LOCKED UP? How detached from reality can one be? God tells us in His word, that IF He was hungry... He would not TELL US!!! LOL That's Psalms 50:12- The WHOLE world IS HIS. So this concern is about the faulty spiritual world goats live in. The disconnect from spirituality that's displayed. Can you really know God and come up with such a question?
4. Christ's Brothers?
Be mindful that these events had NOT happened at this time. Christ was still providing End Time "prophecies" to His disciples. But it makes it clear, that as time progresses onward how people will view one another as well as people in relationship to God. NEITHER the