John 10: Jesus, the Great Shepherd

The shepherd faithfully guides the flock, not one will he forsake;

They become tuned to the sound of his voice and not of a thief or fake.

He loves and leads and guides the flock as they go about each day;

He leads them to safety every night where they pass the darkness away.

The sheep hear his voice when its time to leave, follow him out the door.

He leads to pasture where they feed and drink along the shore.

Jesus used this illustration as He taught them so well each day,

But Israel rejected this notification and sadly walked away.

So Jesus speaks here even more clearly; He tells us He is the door.

He is the entrance to salvation; we, the sheep He died for.

He who is saved acknowledges truth and places His trust in Christ,

The perfect, sinless Son of God who became our sacrifice.

There were many who had come before, various national leaders,

Evil, selfish users of others, undeniable bottom feeders.

These false shepherds didn’t care about the people they led.

They saw them only as slaves to sell out, a source of their daily bread.

But there is a thief who would steal your soul; Satan is his name,

Deception, destruction, murder his goal, subterfuge his game.

The future of those who fail to heed God is dreadful indeed to tell,

An endless confinement of wretched woe in the fires of hell.

But there is no reason for that to be, for Jesus laid down His life.

The Lamb of God completely sin-free, freely paid the price.

He died to give life abundantly; takes away our guilt and strife,

Transforms us in our earthly walk, then grants eternal life.

He is the picture of a true shepherd, the opposite of the wolf

Who scatters the sheep and regards the lame as dinner on the hoof.

But Jesus Christ, our Great Shepherd, never abandons His flock,

Faithful and True, the Soon-coming King, the ever-solid Rock.

There was yet some very good news they would fathom later.

Jesus referred to another flock to which He would be the Savior.

He was referring to His church, which would come in a very few years.

Salvation for all, preached by Paul, and affirmed by apostle peers.

Oh how this passage confronts my soul, a good shepherd I long to be:

To teach God’s Word, share God’s hope; help others do better than me.

In this world with its phony leaders, we’re filled with utter disgust,

But oh what a faithful savior we have, a shepherd to love and trust.

© Copyright 2016 George M. Cuff, All Rights Reserved

Something to Think About

Something to Think About

Genesis 1:1; John 1:1-2, 10-12

Every time I pen a devotion,

I hope my old friends will seize the notion

To stop their pursuit of human fame

And consider Jesus; examine His claim.

He came to reveal the Father’s favor,

To offer Himself as Lord and Savior.

From the beginning there was this plan:

The Son of God would become a man.

It’s amazing to me what man will believe,

What incredible concepts he will receive!

Once an amoeba in the primeval pond,

He evolved to a monkey eating a frond.

A few zillion errors and billions of years

Made him a human with all of his peers.

He’s willing to trust this uncertain story

But refuses to believe the God of Glory.

The Lord gave evidence plain to see;

It’s there to discover for you and me:

The universe; what made it explode,

The laws of nature, the DNA code.

The sense of calling, a desire to know

Why I am here and where I should go?

So open your Bible; read each verse,

For life continues after the hearse.

© Copyright 2016 George M. Cuff, All Rights Reserved

John 9 - Part 2: The Pharisees Rebuke the Blind Man

He who was blind now could see because of Christ’s love for man.

Healing the sick in His ministry was a part of His master plan.

God became man clothed in flesh to rescue humanity

From the effects of sin and death and eternal calamity.

The Pharisees didn’t like the fact the man was healed on the Sabbath;

These hypocrites felt such a kindhearted act to be a very bad habit.

Once again when they should have been silent holding God in awe,

They criticized His miracle and hid behind the law.

Dissatisfied by the blind man’s report they called his parents aside.

“Is this your son who says he was healed? We think he may have lied.”

His parents replied he was their son, his healing couldn’t be explained.

Fearful of a synagogue shun, from comments they refrained.

Once again they called the fellow who was formerly blind

Seeking to discover a fault, the character of Christ malign.

“You should be giving God the glory; that Jesus is sinful indeed.”

To which he replied, “I used to be blind, but now I clearly see.”

As the text states, their minds made up, Christ they would not believe.

Anyone else they could not persuade were those they would not receive.

The pressure was on. It’s conform or else. Obey and do not dispute.

Coercion remains the devil’s tool, intimidation absolute.

This healed man who would not conform was viciously criticized.

 Disparaged, dishonored, and debased, he found himself victimized.

Have you noticed this practice today is still very much alive?

Whether education or politics, such actions continue to thrive.

If God has made you a trophy of grace and you dare to live for Christ,

No matter what your status has been, you will be sacrificed.

The opponents of truth and godliness fear exposure to the light.

If you shine the gospel light on them, you better expect a fight.

Rather than praise our God of love for sending a savior who healed,

They closed their eyes and ears and hearts to the Christ revealed.

Let us not fall in love today with our comfortable church tradition

And miss the message of God’s Word about our perilous condition.

A day is appointed when all will face God in a very personal meeting.

It won’t be a time when sinners get by with blaming, lying, and cheating.

Unbelievers will be judged for every word and deed and act;

It’s too late for forgiveness then, and that is a scriptural fact.

True believers will be judged for the way they lived their life.

Did they earnestly serve the Lord or major in church strife?

Without a doubt these facts are true and everyone should heed them.

The Word of God was written for you; a wise man knows he needs them.

© Copyright 2016 George M. Cuff, All Rights Reserved

John 9: The Healing of the Blind Man: Part One

There is much about our life we simply don’t understand.

This becomes clear in this account of a sightless man.

Blind from birth, there wasn’t a day he awoke to see morn’s light

But here in John’s record Jesus came to give to him his sight.

The disciples observed the sad affliction endured by the unseeing man.

“Who sinned and caused this eye condition? His parents or this man?”

Since they were sure all sickness was caused by somebody’s evil sin,

They simply assumed it must be his parents or even possibly him.

Jesus answered, “That’s incorrect. He is blind and has never had sight

So that the power of God could be seen in making everything right.

“I am here to work in this world devoid of spiritual insight,

Sent by the Father to be the world’s brilliant shining light.”

Then he spat upon the dirt and made a clay-based poultice

Pasted it upon his eyes in a way that all would notice.

“Go wash this poultice off your eyes. Close your eyelids tight.”

He went and washed in the pool of Siloam and came away with sight.

There were many who had seen him in the days when he was blind

Stunned to see him whole and healed, obviously seeing fine.

Several asked, “What happened to you, how can you now see?”

The man replied, “I met this man, Jesus. It is He who healed me.”

This brings to mind some careful thoughts about which to ponder.

Our life may have a higher purpose, opportunities not to be squandered.

Perhaps our Lord would use our affliction to demonstrate His grace

As He becomes our joy and purpose in running our earthly race.

Whether he gives a miracle or not to deliver from hardship or pain,

We don’t run this race for naught but have an ultimate gain.

This time in which we live right now, which Jesus called the day,

Is our time to serve our Lord, His loving grace on display.

But there is a time Christ called night when goodness will be removed.

A time when evil is so strong man’s heart cannot be moved.

This is the time when all need the light but live in the darkness of sin,

A time when evil will be called right, when there’s no shame within.

This account continued tomorrow will see the Pharisees,

Blinded by pride and arrogance, respond so wrongfully.

To those of us inclined to judge (may this scripture open our eyes)

Serving to give us a life-changing nudge before it is time to die.

 © Copyright 2016 George M. Cuff, All Rights Reserved

John 8: The Woman Caught in Adultery

Here is an account from the Gospel of John containing a message true.

The wise will discern its application; take time to think it through.

Jesus was teaching on temple grounds, crowds were flocking to hear

When Pharisees threw down an adulterous woman trembling in fear.

They placed the woman before the Lord, said she was caught in the act.

“Moses said she ought to be stoned. Isn’t that a fact?”

(John pauses here to make it clear this action was a test

Intending to stifle approval of Him, His influence to arrest.)

The Pharisees would surely demand she die under a pile of stones,

For such a sinner cannot be allowed to return to her sin-filled home.

Others would plead for mercy, not thinking she should die.

It was a trap to summon discord, His influence disqualify.

Jesus stooped low and slowly began writing in the sand.

Perhaps those nearby could see the words written by His hand.

Jesus said in a sorrowful tone, “He without sin, cast the first stone.”

Then he began to write again, and the Pharisees headed for home.

We have no idea what He wrote, but they were struck within.

Perhaps he began to write a list of their own besetting sins.

Perhaps he revealed the innermost thoughts running through their mind;

This we know without a doubt: we all sin countless times.

Here in the text is what we find: their conscience afflicted their soul.

They had to admit within their mind they too were out of control.

Jesus was left with a wilting lady her head bowed down in shame

Degraded by evil, character shady, dishonored and tarnished in name.

“I see no accusers,” Jesus said, “of the sins you must account for?”

“Neither do I condemn you, daughter. Now go and sin no more.”

This sullied woman, debased by sin, and guilty as could be,

Left the Savior cleansed within, forgiven and spiritually free.

Now here is a truth behind this account, a fact we all should learn.

We all must place our trust in Christ: salvation cannot be earned.

Whether we judge like the Pharisee or look the other way,

We too have lived quite sinfully, will account for it some day.

Would you face God in your own righteousness? If so, you are a fool.

You would have to be sinless like our Lord, and that you cannot do.

This is why Jesus entered this world: to pay sin’s price on the cross.

We’re saved by Perfection enveloped in flesh from sure eternal loss.

© Copyright 2016 George M. Cuff, All Rights Reserved