A LIVING HOPE – HOW TO SHEPHERD THE FLOCK OF GOD
https://boxcast.tv/channel/yuyyyftbksyppzhnl3il?b=vfwcumrwomz3jltipbiq
I would like to thank Pastor Wayne Edwards for his kind words from his pulpit in Georgia addressed to faithful readers of my Blog. I am gratified that the teaching from Heritage Baptist Church, Perry, Georgia USA is reaching far and wide. Todays Service begins at approximately 20 minutes by clicking the link above. The usual Watchman’s Report follows below, it is essential and popular reading for those wanting to make sense of the current world convulsions.
Gibber! Gibber!
Chugley
PASTOR WAYNE WRITES:
October 18, 2024
Dear Heritage Family and Friends,
The most cherished image of Jesus among Christians is Him as our Shepherd. The metaphor of the shepherd who cares for his sheep is found from Genesis 4 to Revelation 7. The most beloved passage of Scripture is Psalm 23, where David, who was himself a shepherd, said, “The Lord is my shepherd: I shall not want.”
God described the leaders of His people as shepherds, and when this age comes to an end, the Lord will “Feed His flock like a shepherd; He will gather the lambs with His arm, and carry them in His bosom.” (Isaiah 40:11) In Ezekiel 34:23-24, God said, on that day, “I will establish one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them – My servant, David. He shall feed them and be their shepherd.”
Likewise, in the Old Testament, God warned those who turned out to be evil leaders. “Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of My Pasture.” (Jeremiah 23:1). And in the New Testament, Jesus constantly warned the people about false shepherds who were not called of God, whose aim was not to build up and care for the flock, but to ravage them for their selfish purposes. “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.” (Matthew 7:15-20) Then, in Matthew 24:10, Jesus said that during the last days of this age, “False prophets will arise and mislead many.” We are seeing the evidence of that today with the growth of mega-churches built upon quasi–Christian entertainment and a false gospel and the death of so many smaller congregations because of the loss of their members.
This Sunday, we are eagerly looking forward to continuing our sermons from 1 Peter. The title of this sermon is: “A Living Hope – How to Shepherd the Flock of God.” Soon, the Chief Shepherd will appear, and those privileged to be under-shepherds over God’s flock will give an account of their ministry.
· The sermon may be viewed at theheritagechurch.org
· The sermon will be available on our website and YouTube.
We want to express our deep gratitude for your participation in sharing these sermon study guides with those you believe might be interested. Your involvement is not only appreciated but vital to our Live Stream Ministry. We genuinely appreciate your help and value your contributions. We also enjoy reading the comments and insights you share!
Wayne J. and Linda J. Edwards
PO Box 766
Perry, GA 31069
706-599-3966
wnledwards@gmail.com
PASTOR WAYNE WRITES:
By Wayne J. Edwards, October 19, 2024
My Fellow Watchmen,
This week, a man in Bournemouth, England, became the first person to be convicted for “thinking the wrong thing in the wrong place.” Two years ago, British Army veteran Adam Smith-Connor was approached by the Bournemouth police under suspicion of violating a Public Spaces Protection Order. Although he was standing behind a tree and facing away from an abortion facility as he prayed, Smith-Connor was arrested and charged with “engaging in an act of approval/disapproval concerning issues related to abortion services.” These acts include any type of protest, whether “graphic, verbal or written means, prayer or counseling.”
Smith-Connor told the police he was “praying for his deceased son.” “Twenty-two years ago, I drove my ex-girlfriend to a facility and paid for her to have an abortion. It was a pivotal moment in my life. The consequences of my actions that day came back to grieve me years later when I realized I had lost my son Jacob to an abortion I had paid for.” “I would never have imagined being in a position to risk a criminal record for praying silently. In the past, I assisted with abortions in hospitals as part of my army medical training. Still, now I pray for those who perform abortions because I realize how harmful abortion is to women and families and that every single human life is valuable—no matter how small. Most of all, I’m moved to pray because of what happened to my son, Jacob.”
In addition to ordering him to pay prosecution costs of $11,700, the court issued Smith-Connor a two-year conditional discharge. This means he will face sentencing if he is convicted of any further offenses within that period. After the verdict, Smith-Connor’s legal counsel said: “A man has been convicted today because of the content of his thoughts—his prayers to God—on the public streets of England. “We can hardly sink any lower in neglecting basic fundamental freedoms of free speech and thought.”
In an interview with Decision magazine, Dr. Frank Turek, a prominent figure in the abortion rights debate and President of CrossExamined.org, commented: “The left is so committed to abortion that they cannot tolerate the thought of someone disagreeing with them, even silently.
Please forward this special edition of the Watchmen’s Report to those you think might be interested. PW
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Wayne J. and Linda J. Edwards
PO Box 766
Perry, GA 31069
706-599-3966
wnledwards@gmail.com