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If I were to summarize John 10, I would say first of all that there are sheep. (And on the one hand, having raised sheep for a small portion of my life, it doesn’t necessarily feel like a compliment to me, to be called a sheep. But on the other hand, sheep are the sole focus of the heart and mind of a shepherd.) So there are sheep (that’s us); there is a shepherd, that’s Jesus, and there is a thief, that’s the devil, the very enemy of our souls. AND the battle for life is a battle for our ears. The question is to whom will we give our ears, to whom will we listen. Will we listen to the thief – who in the last episode Jesus called the father of lies – or will we listen to the Good Shepherd.

Henry Blackaby wrote in his book, "Experiencing God," God speaks and we are in trouble at the very heart of our relationship with God if we don't recognize his voice.  In John 10, Jesus says that he is the good shepherd (another I-am identity statement) and his sheep know his voice. Listen there are so many voices out there and we are foolish to believe that those voices don't shape our lives. To whom are you giving your ears? To whom are you paying attention? If we listen for his voice, his words will bring life.