This is a good scripture. If you have been planted in a church, you can believe God that you shall flourish. I know that I was planted in the City of Murrieta, California, and I have the right to flourish there.
Notice that it isn't where you planted yourself, but where God planted you.
Here's a thought! What if you were somewhere, and God didn't plant you there? You would be out of the will of God, and you would not flourish. You would go down to hardly nothing.
So it pays off to be in the church where God tells you to go. Whatever church God planted you in, is the only place where you will flourish and prosper (Ps. 92:13). Isn't that good?
In Numbers 27:17 we read, "...that the congregation of the Lord be not as sheep which have no shepherd." In other words, people will be going in and out if they don't have a shepherd. They get nervous. What kind of church do you want? It depends on the standard you want to live by. You have to decide what price you are willing to pay.
A lot of the people in our church live a distance away and travel several hours to come to our church, because they know that they are supposed to be in our church. They are not church tramps going over here and going over there.
You need to be planted in the church where God has planted you.
You Need A Shepherd
I have peace, because I am where I am suppose to be. You can have a nice preacher and a nice teacher, but you need a shepherd! You need one shepherd. You can't have three shepherds.
Consider what the Word says in 1 Kings:
And I said, I saw all Israel scattered upon the hills, as sheep that have not a shepherd: and the Lord said, These have no master: let them return every man to his house in peace.If you don't have a shepherd, you will be scattered.
(1 Kings 22:17)
You will be scattered in your thinking, your marriage, your finances, and in your lifestyle. There is safety in the house where God sent you, where the shepherd is that you are supposed to sit under.
Jesus is the Chief Shepherd, but He isn't going to come down here and preach a sermon to you. He's at the right hand of the Father. Instead, He has raised up pastors to teach and preach to you about these things.
The Purpose Of A Shepherd
A shepherd is a feeder. He feeds the sheep—he's not to beat the sheep. God gives shepherds a fold, and if you don't belong to that fold, you shouldn't be in that fold.
My wife and I have made up our minds that we are going to preach on things that our fold can live on. We are responsible for our fold.
Through the teaching of the Word of God through these shepherds, our souls are restored (Ps. 23). Jesus is not going to come down here and prepare a table. He already did it. The table is the Word of God. Come and eat! Come and eat!
What are pastors doing? We are helping the Chief Shepherd prepare a table before your enemies. Your enemies are there, but they are not invited to the table. As long as you stay at the table, goodness and mercy shall follow you all the days of your life.
Ezekiel 34:5 says, "And they were scattered, because there is no shepherd: and they became meat to all the beasts of the field, when they were scattered."
You need to be planted somewhere and rooted. Get your tithe in there and help so that there will be meat in His house, and then you won't become meat to the beasts of the field—the devourer.
Stay Committed Wherever God Leads You
You men are really shepherds in your home, because a church is a family. There always has to be a dad. You fathers are shepherds. At least you should be.
In Matthew 9:36 notice, "...they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as a sheep having no shepherd." We have to remember that Jesus does what is best for the sheep. He loves the sheep. Always remember that.
I'm a stickler for not crossing over into different folds. He said one shepherd, not three! Sheep, stay with your shepherd. Shepherds, stay with your own sheep and stay away from the sheep that belong to another shepherd's fold.
A lot of people think it doesn't matter what church you go to, but you have got to go where God plants you. You will never grow until you do! He'll plant you in the house of the Lord.
Time is short and there's much work for the church to do. Become a committed, vital part in the church where God plants you and watch every part of your life prosper.
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