MORNING PRAYER!  DO 98    6/71

         1. THE PICTURE OF THE SHEPHERD, on the hillside with his sheep: The shepherd seems to be upset about something. The sheep are bunching up & running around nervously, excitedly & somewhat fearfully back & forth in confusion, as though they're wondering what made the shepherd angry. It's a funny thing how animals partake of your own spirit. If YOU'RE frightened, THEY'RE frightened. If you're cross & nervous, they get nervous, especially if you're very close to them!
         2. WHEN THE SHEPHERD GETS UPSET, IT UPSETS THE SHEEP. The shepherd must feed of the elements of the Earth to be satisfied & to satisfy his flock. He too must sit upon the hillside & pipe sweet music unto His Creator in praises, to bring peace to his own soul.
         3. AND WHEN HE JUST QUIT TRYING TO RUN EVERYTHING ELSE IN HIS OWN SPIRIT & sat down & relaxed & got in communication with his own Creator--when he shut his eyes & began to play such sweet music on his pipe--the sheep knew everything was alright & they just calmed down & went quietly about their business. That quietness of spirit was passed on to them. So the shepherd himself has to be fed with the hand of his Creator & the hand of HIS Shepherd if he's going to feed the sheep & bring them the same peace. That sweet music of praise relaxed the sheep & they began to graze again & spread out over the hillside.
         4. OCCASIONALLY IT IS NECESSARY FOR THE SHEPHERD TO FEED A SHEEP WITH THE ROD & with the bread of affliction--Micah 7:14; 1Kings 22:27. So instead of bawling EVERYBODY out, he just takes a staff & strikes the one sheep that's disorderly, not making a big fuss about it, so it doesn't upset ALL the sheep. But THAT one gets the point!
         5. THE MAIN JOB OF A SHEPHERD IS TO KEEP IN TOUCH WITH THE LORD--to begin the day with sweet music--praise & fellowship. We have to learn how to first of all REST at the Lord's feet. The secret of that calm & peace & rest & patience & faith & love is that resting in the Lord!--Getting calm before the Lord & praising the Lord & seeking the Lord first. And then you just impart this to the sheep--it's a SPIRIT--you impart that very atmosphere.
         6. THIS IS WHY YOU CANNOT EVEN MAKE A MOVE UNTIL YOU FIRST HAVE FOUND THAT PLACE OF REST & CALM & SWEET PEACE IN THE LORD & have set down & played your pipe to the Lord. It's all a spiritual thing. If you try to do it in the flesh, you might as well quit. Your own flesh will get you down. That sweet rest is a sign of real faith, which brings patience. As your harp begins to play sweet music, it communicates to the sheep. We comfort others with the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted.


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