ARIES--THE RAM!                    DFO 302B        3/74

         1. There are so many that hunger for the Words of your father & really seek nourishment at his hand, EVEN THE PROUD RAMS, leaders of the sheep, they must submit to the shepherd. They're BELLWETHERS & they really lead the sheep, but they still need the shepherd. They're not as wise as the shepherd. They put on a bold front, but they know they don't know enough. They need a shepherd.
         2. They like to be admired by the sheep. They stand very lofty & proud, but all the time they're looking toward the shepherd for direction & guidance. They know they cannot lead the sheep by themselves, but if the shepherd gives the cue, they will follow, & the sheep will follow them.
         3. For they are bellwethers who definitely lead the sheep & are real leaders. They don't like to admit they need to be led, but they have to be & they know it & they very deeply appreciate it if you lead them, as long as you don't let the SHEEP know that you're leading them. But they're very very hungry & dependent to be led.
         4. Their soul cries out for your eye to show them which way to go. Then they'll proudly lead the sheep in the direction you show them. And they'll very deeply & secretly appreciate & love you for not letting the sheep know that you're the one who pointed the way, because THEY want to be the hero of the day!
         5. They want the sheep to follow them & feel that THEY are the ones. Rams are very, very masculine: All the little girl sheep just absolutely FLIP over them! They'll follow them to destruction, if need be! But the ram really DOES want to be LED, but he doesn't want YOU to let anybody ELSE know it. He's too proud.
         6. The picture I had was of the ram standing on a big rock with the sheep grazing in the fields below in the mountain valley. The meadow is surrounded by hills & cliffs, the shepherd is off to one side to the left & the ram is standing on a big rock like the king of all he surveys, like he's proud of himself, his position & even his flock.
         7. But the shepherd is over there by the trail which leads off slightly to the left through the mountain pass. The ram is standing there on his rock, proud, erect. They're always standing on a rock, as it seems to be their nature, & they really watch over the flock & they can protect them pretty well with those big horns.
         8. A ram is a big male he-sheep . He is in nature more like a big billy goat than part of the sheep family. He's got more the nature of a stubborn goat than the rest of the sheep. He's so proud & independent! So the shepherd gets his pack on his back & kind of looks back at the ram out of the corner of his eye, & the ram looks at him knowingly.
         9. Then the shepherd with his staff goes on up the trail, & the minute he's almost out of sight the ram starts to move with stately majesty, unhurried, in that general direction up the trail after the shepherd, & the ram calls to the sheep & they follow him.
         10. The bellwethers are very, very smart. The ram knows he has to follow the shepherd or he's lost, but he doesn't exactly want to admit it to the sheep--to the common flock. It's just like he & the shepherd have an understanding. It's as though the shepherd is saying, "I'm going now, & I'm going up the trail, so you'd better get ready to follow me as soon as your DIGNITY will permit!"
         11. Then it's like the ram looks back at him & says, "Yes I know. I'll be there soon. Just give me a little time. Don't push me! I want the sheep to think it was MY idea.--`Pray honour me before the people!'"--1Sam.15:30.
         12. Rams are so much like kings.--Like King Saul. They don't like to admit they need the Prophet or the Lord & His guidance. They like to be honoured by the people. "Behold, he's a god!"--Like Herod that time. (See Acts 12:21-23) God didn't mind him making that beautiful speech. God MADE him to make it, & to be a king. But God didn't like Herod taking ALL the CREDIT for it, so He smote him!
         13. So the big ram, as soon as the shepherd is practically out of sight, starts moving slowly & majestically in the direction of the shepherd & up the trail after the shepherd, & the shepherd waits just around the bend to make sure he's coming, 'cause he doesn't always trust him!
         14. Because every now & then there is a ram like Saul who wants his OWN way & thinks he can do entirely WITHOUT the shepherd & he won't listen. He wants all the glory, & so he leads the sheep astray & the whole nation gets in trouble! Reminds me of some stubborn leaders right now: They're wrecking their countries because they're too proud to submit to the Words of God through His Prophets!

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