false teachers

A Sheep Saunters Into 2 Peter 3:8-9

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Promises, Promises

Hey friend,

Come on in—grab that mug of coffee or tea, (or both, I won’t judge), and settle into your favorite chair across. The morning light is soft, the house is quiet, and I’ve been thinking about a passage that feels like it was written for the exact kind of waiting season so many of us find ourselves in. Let’s open 2 Peter 3:8-9 together and just talk it through, the way friends do when there’s no rush and nowhere else we need to be.

2 Peter 3:8-9 (NIV) “But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”

Have you ever sat with a promise that feels like it’s taking forever? Maybe you’ve prayed the same prayer for years, watched the calendar turn, and wondered quietly, “God… are You even listening?” Peter’s readers were feeling something very similar. Scoffers were mocking them: “Where is this ‘coming’ He promised? Everything’s just going on as it always has.” The delay was starting to look like forgetfulness—or worse, failure.

Into that ache Peter leans in with the gentlest, firmest word: “Dear friends… do not forget this one thing.” He reminds them (and us) that the God we wait for does not experience time the way we do. A thousand years can feel like a single day to Him, and a single day can hold the weight of a millennium. This isn’t poetic exaggeration; it’s a loving correction of our limited perspective. We measure God’s faithfulness by the ticking of our clocks. He measures it by the unfolding of His heart.

Then comes the heart of the passage—the reason for the “delay.”

“The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you…”

That little phrase “with you” is so personal. The patience of God is not an abstract attribute floating somewhere in the heavens. It is directed toward you. Toward the person reading these words right now. Toward the one still wrestling, still wandering, still not quite ready.

Why this long patience? Because God is not willing that any should perish. His heart burns with a holy longing that everyone—every single person—would turn and find life. The delay is not indifference. It is mercy with the door still open.

Isn’t that staggering? The same God who spoke galaxies into existence slows His own schedule so that one more heart might soften, one more life might turn, one more prodigal might come home. The “slowness” we sometimes resent is actually the kindness of a Father who refuses to close the door while there is still time for repentance.

So the next time the waiting feels heavy, remember: you are not being overlooked. You are being given room. The God who holds eternity is using time itself as an invitation—an invitation still extended to you, and through you, to others. His patience is not weakness.
It is love that refuses to give up.

Personal Reflection Questions

  1. Where in your life right now does God’s timing feel “slow”? How might viewing that delay as personal patience change the way you wait?
  2. Peter says the Lord is patient “with you.” What does it mean for you, specifically, that God’s patience has your name on it?
  3. Is there someone in your life for whom you’ve almost given up praying? How does this passage invite you to keep the door of hope open a little longer?
  4. In what quiet way might God be inviting you toward deeper repentance or fuller trust in this season of waiting?

Take a few unhurried moments with these questions. Let the patience of God settle over you like a warm blanket. He is not late. He is lovingly on time—for you.

A Short Prayer

Father, thank You that Your timing is never late and never cold. Thank You for the patient love that still holds the door open for me and for the people I care about. Help me trust Your heart when the waiting feels long. Soften any place in me that needs to turn toward You again, and keep me gentle and hopeful while we wait together. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

A Sheep Saunters Into 2 Peter 2:17-22

/ taethne

Empty Springs

My dear friends,

Grab your freshly steeped tea or brewed coffee and pull up a chair for a minute. I want us to walk slowly through a passage that can feel a little sharp at first, but underneath it beats a deeply caring heart. Peter isn’t trying to scare us; he’s trying to protect us—like a big brother who sees danger up ahead and gently but firmly points it out.

Here’s the text:

“These people are springs without water and mists driven by a storm. Blackest darkness is reserved for them. For they mouth empty, boastful words and, by appealing to the lustful desires of the flesh, they entice people who are just escaping from those who live in error. They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves of depravity—for “people are slaves to whatever has mastered them.” If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and are overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning. It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then to turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them. Of them the proverbs are true: “A dog returns to its vomit,” and, “A sow that is washed returns to her wallowing in the mud.” – 2 Peter 2:17-22

Peter is talking about false teachers—people who look spiritual on the outside but have nothing life-giving inside. He paints two vivid pictures: a spring that promises cool, refreshing water but turns out dry… and a mist that looks soft and promising until a storm blows it away. Both leave you thirsty and disappointed. That’s what empty religion or distorted teaching does. It talks a big game about freedom, enlightenment, or “living your best life,” but it actually chains people tighter to the very things that destroy them.

Notice the tragic irony in verse 19: they promise freedom while they themselves are slaves. Whatever has mastered someone—whether it’s pride, sensuality, greed, or the need to be right—will eventually master the people who follow them too. And the people most at risk? Those who are “just escaping”—folks who have recently tasted something better, who are still fragile, still learning what real freedom in Jesus feels like. False teaching doesn’t usually target the mature first; it goes after the newly hopeful.

Then Peter gets even more personal. He describes people who really did know Jesus—who genuinely escaped the world’s corruption through knowing the Lord—and then got tangled up again. The result isn’t neutral. They’re worse off. Why? Because light rejected is darker than light never seen. Knowledge brings responsibility. Turning away after tasting the real thing hardens the heart in a way that ignorance never could.

And those two proverbs at the end? They’re not mean-spirited. They’re simply honest about human nature left to itself. A dog returns to its vomit because that’s still its nature. A washed pig goes straight back to the mud because the outside got cleaned, but the inside never changed. External reform without heart transformation never lasts. Only the new heart Jesus gives can keep us from circling back to the old mess.So what’s the warm invitation here?

Peter isn’t saying, “Watch out—you might not make it.” He’s saying, “You have tasted something real. Stay close to the Living Water. Don’t settle for dry springs. Don’t let anyone talk you into trading true freedom for a counterfeit that looks easier or more exciting. The One who rescued you is still able to keep you.”

This passage is a protective hug more than a scolding. It reminds us that Jesus is not just the starting point of freedom—He’s the sustaining Source.

Personal Reflection Questions

Take a quiet moment with these. No pressure to have perfect answers—just honest ones.

  1. Where in my life right now am I most tempted to drink from “springs without water”—things that look promising but leave me emptier?
  2. Who or what has recently spoken “empty, boastful words” that appealed to something in my flesh? How did I respond?
  3. Can I remember a time when I experienced real freedom in knowing Jesus? What helped me stay free, and what pulled me back toward old patterns?
  4. If someone looked at my life, would they see a heart that’s being transformed, or mostly just a cleaned-up exterior?
  5. What is one simple way I can stay close to the true Source of living water this week—so I don’t drift toward the dry places?

Remember my dear friends, the Bible’s warning passages are there because the Good Shepherd deeply loves you and is trying to protect you – often from yourself. You’re not alone in this. The same Lord who called you out of darkness is still holding you. Keep walking toward the real Spring. He’s never run dry.

Your fellow Sheep

A Sheep Saunters Into 2 Peter 2:13-16

/ taethne

Insiders Who Are Outsiders

Beloved friend,

Grace and peace to you.

I’ve been sitting with 2 Peter 2:13-16 this morning, and I wanted to share some thoughts with you the way we might talk over a cup of coffee—honest, careful, and hoping the Spirit does the real work in both of us. Here’s the passage again from the NIV:

They will be paid back with harm for the harm they have done. Their idea of pleasure is to carouse in broad daylight. They are blots and blemishes, reveling in their pleasures while they feast with you.
With eyes full of adultery, they never stop sinning; they seduce the unstable; they are experts in greed—an accursed brood!
They have left the straight way and wandered off to follow the way of Balaam son of Bezer, who loved the wages of wickedness.
But he was rebuked for his wrongdoing by a donkey—an animal without speech—who spoke with a human voice and restrained the prophet’s madness.

Peter is in the middle of a strong warning about false teachers who had wormed their way into the churches. These weren’t outsiders shouting from the street; they were sharing the fellowship meals—probably the love feasts that included the Lord’s Supper. And instead of treating those gatherings as holy, they turned them into parties.

“Carouse in broad daylight” isn’t just about timing; it shows how shameless they were. Most people hide their excess under cover of night. These folks flaunted it. Peter calls them “blots and blemishes.” In the Old Testament sacrificial system, any spot or defect disqualified an animal from being offered to God. So Peter is saying these teachers were like impurities right in the middle of the worshiping community—visible stains on what should have been pure.

Then he gets even more specific in verse 14. “Eyes full of adultery”—the Greek picture is eyes so packed with lust that every look is already committing the act in the heart. They never stop sinning; the verb suggests a continuous, restless habit. And they don’t keep it to themselves. They “seduce the unstable”—people whose faith is still finding its footing, the ones who are curious or vulnerable. It’s not accidental; it’s predatory.

On top of that, they are “experts in greed.” The word for “experts” is the same one used for athletes who have trained hard. These teachers had practiced covetousness until it was second nature. Peter doesn’t mince words: “an accursed brood.” He’s echoing the language of people who stand under God’s judgment, not because God is mean, but because their whole way of life has chosen the curse over the blessing.

The comparison to Balaam in verses 15-16 drives it home. You remember the story in Numbers 22–24. Balaam was a prophet-for-hire. Balak, the king of Moab, offered him serious money to curse Israel. Balaam knew better—God had already told him not to—but the “wages of wickedness” kept calling. He packed up and went anyway. That’s when the Lord opened the mouth of his donkey. Can you picture it? A stubborn, ordinary animal starts talking sense while the professional prophet is charging ahead in madness. The donkey sees the angel of the Lord with a drawn sword; Balaam is so focused on the payday that he misses it completely. Peter says these false teachers have “left the straight way”—the clear, well-worn path of obedience Jesus walked and taught—and wandered onto Balaam’s road. Same motive: loving the profit more than the truth.

Here’s what strikes me as I read this with you. Peter isn’t just giving us a history lesson or a list of bad people to avoid. He’s showing us how subtle and how serious the drift can be. It starts with a heart that treats God’s gifts as personal playgrounds. It grows when our eyes linger where they shouldn’t. It hardens when we start calculating what we can gain instead of what honors Christ. And before long, the “straight way” feels optional. The mercy in the story is that God still speaks—sometimes through the most unexpected voices—to restrain us before the madness takes over.

So let’s talk about us for a minute. None of us sets out to become a “blot” in the family of God. But the same currents that pulled those teachers are still flowing. The question isn’t whether the temptation exists; it’s whether we’re paying attention to the quiet warnings along the way.Here are a few questions I’ve been asking myself—maybe they’ll help you listen too:

  1. When I’m in fellowship with other believers—meals, small groups, even online conversations—am I mostly looking to give or to take? Where might I be treating holy moments as opportunities for my own pleasure or status?
  2. What does “eyes full of…” look like in my daily life right now? Is there a screen, a relationship, a daydream that keeps pulling my gaze away from purity? What would it mean to ask Jesus to fill those eyes with something better?
  3. Where have I been “training” in greed—quietly calculating advantage, comparing, or protecting my comfort more than trusting God’s provision?
  4. Can I name a time when God used something ordinary or unexpected (a conversation, a setback, even a stubborn “donkey” of a circumstance) to stop me from wandering farther? How did I respond?
  5. Who around me might be “unstable” right now—new in faith, going through a hard season, easily influenced—and how can I help steady them instead of, even unintentionally, pulling them toward my own weak spots?

I’m grateful we get to walk this road together. The same Lord who rebuked Balaam is the One who walked the straight way perfectly for us, and who still speaks with patience when we start to drift. Let’s keep listening, keep returning, and keep enjoying the freedom that comes from staying close to Him.

With real affection and prayer for you,
Your brother along the way

A Sheep Saunters Into 2 Peter 2:10-12

/ taethne

Protection From False Teachers

Dear friends in Christ,

There are moments in the Christian life when the Word of God feels especially protective—like a shepherd’s staff gently guiding us away from danger we might not fully see. 2 Peter 2:10–12 is one of those passages. It is not soft or sentimental, yet it is deeply loving, because the Lord cares enough to warn us clearly about the path that leads to ruin.Let us listen carefully to the text (ESV):

“…and especially those who indulge in the lust of defiling passion and despise authority. Bold and willful, they do not tremble as they blaspheme the glorious ones, whereas angels, though greater in might and power, do not pronounce a blasphemous judgment against them before the Lord. But these, like irrational animals, creatures of instinct, born to be caught and destroyed, blaspheming about matters of which they are ignorant, will also be destroyed in their destruction…”

Peter is continuing his solemn description of false teachers who had slipped into the churches. These are not merely people who hold different opinions; they are those who have turned the grace of God into a license for the flesh and who treat spiritual authority with open contempt. Notice the progression Peter gives us.

First, they “indulge in the lust of defiling passion.” The Greek paints a picture of people who follow the desires of the body as their highest authority. What feels good, what promises freedom, what satisfies the moment—this becomes their guide. In doing so, they treat the holy calling of the believer as something light and disposable.

Second, they “despise authority.” The word carries the sense of treating lordship itself with disdain. Whether that authority is the Lord’s own, the apostolic teaching, or even the angelic order, they refuse to bow. Peter says they are “bold and willful.” There is a brazen confidence in their speech and lifestyle. They do not tremble when they speak against “the glorious ones”—likely a reference to angelic beings. In contrast, even the holy angels, who possess far greater power, refuse to pronounce blasphemous judgment. They leave judgment to God. True spiritual strength is marked by reverence, not by reckless speech.

Then comes the sobering comparison: these false teachers are “like irrational animals, creatures of instinct, born to be caught and destroyed.” They operate by appetite rather than by the mind renewed by the Spirit. They speak confidently about spiritual realities they do not understand, and in the end their own destruction will overtake them. The path of self-willed passion and arrogant independence does not lead to freedom; it leads to ruin.

Yet the tone of this warning is not harsh condemnation for its own sake. Peter writes as a shepherd who loves the flock. He wants us to see the danger clearly so that we will cling more tightly to the true Shepherd. The gospel is not a permission slip for the flesh; it is the power of God that sets us free from the dominion of sin and teaches us to walk in humility under the Lord’s kind authority.

When we feel the pull of self-indulgence or the temptation to speak lightly of spiritual things, these verses call us back. They invite us to ask whether our desires are being shaped by the Spirit or by the instincts of the old nature. They remind us that true boldness is not found in defiance but in trembling reverence before the holy God who deeply loves us.

Personal Reflection Questions

  1. In what areas of my life am I most tempted to “follow the lust of defiling passion” rather than the leading of the Holy Spirit? What would it look like to surrender those desires to Christ today?
  2. How do I respond to spiritual authority—whether in Scripture, in the local church, or in the quiet conviction of the Spirit? Is there any place where I have become “bold and willful” instead of humble and teachable?
  3. When I speak about spiritual matters, do I carry a sense of holy caution, or do I sometimes speak carelessly about things I do not fully understand? How might the example of the angels shape my speech?
  4. Where do I need the Lord’s gentle correction so that I do not drift toward the path of the “irrational animals” but instead walk as one who has been made new in Christ?

May the Lord, who is both just and merciful, keep our hearts soft, our desires pure, and our steps firmly on the path of life. He is faithful, and He will complete the good work He has begun in us.

In the love of Christ,


Your brother and fellow pilgrim

A Sheep Saunters Into 2 Peter 2:4-9

/ taethne

Assurance That God Does Care


Beloved brothers and sisters,

Have you ever looked around at the brokenness of this world—false voices promising freedom while leading people into deeper bondage, injustice that seems to go unanswered, or the quiet ache of trying to live faithfully while surrounded by compromise—and wondered, “Does God see? Does He care? Will He act?”

Peter writes these words to a church under pressure, infiltrated by teachers who twisted grace into license and scoffed at the idea of judgment. Into that tension the Spirit gives us one of the most pastoral, steadying passages in the New Testament. Let us walk through it together, slowly and gratefully. Fortified with our morning Vienna coffee or Assam tea, lets read 2 Peter 2:4-9 together.

Peter begins with three vivid historical pictures, all designed to reveal the same unchanging character of God:

“For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to chains of gloomy darkness to be kept until the judgment;
if he did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a herald of righteousness, with seven others, when he brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly;
if by turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to ashes he condemned them to extinction, making them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly;
and if he rescued righteous Lot, greatly distressed by the sensual conduct of the wicked…
then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment until the day of judgment.”

Notice the careful structure. Three “if” statements about judgment, two clear examples of rescue, and then the glorious “then.” God is both just and merciful—never one without the other.

First, the fallen angels. Even celestial beings who rebelled were not exempt. God did not overlook their sin because of their rank or former glory. He acted decisively, consigning them to a place of restraint until final judgment. Heaven itself is not a place of moral exemption.

Second, the ancient world of Noah’s day. Corruption had become so complete that “every intention of the thoughts of [man’s] heart was only evil continually” (Genesis 6:5). Yet in the midst of that dark tide, God preserved one family—Noah, “a herald of righteousness,” and seven others. The flood was both judgment and salvation: the same waters that destroyed the ungodly lifted the ark to safety.

Third, Sodom and Gomorrah. Their wickedness was open, aggressive, and oppressive to the righteous. Lot, for all his imperfections, is called “righteous” three times in this short paragraph. Day after day his soul was tormented by what he saw and heard. God did not leave him there. He rescued Lot even as He reduced those cities to ashes—an enduring example of what awaits unrepentant ungodliness.

Then comes the pastoral climax:
“The Lord knows how…”

He knows how to rescue the godly from trials.
He knows how to keep the unrighteous under punishment until the day of judgment.

This is not theoretical theology. It is a Father’s quiet word to His children who feel small, outnumbered, or weary. God is neither indifferent nor powerless. He has a perfect track record of distinguishing between the godly and the ungodly, of timing both rescue and judgment with perfect wisdom. The same God who shut the door of the ark, who sent angels to pull Lot out by the hand, is the God who watches over you today.

So when false teaching spreads, when moral darkness thickens, when your own soul feels pressed by the lawlessness around you—remember Noah. Remember Lot. Remember that the Lord knows how. Your trials are not outside His notice, and the apparent triumph of evil is never the final word.

Personal Reflection Questions

  1. Where in your life right now do you most need the quiet assurance that “the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials”?
  2. Is there any area where the “sensual conduct of the wicked” (or the more subtle compromises of our culture) is beginning to dull your sensitivity or weary your soul, the way it did Lot’s? How might you bring that distress honestly to the Lord today?
  3. How does the certainty of God’s future judgment of evil free you to live with greater courage and gentleness in the present?
  4. In what concrete way can you, like Noah, be a “herald of righteousness” in the places God has currently placed you—speaking truth with both boldness and compassion?

May the God who never fails to distinguish between the righteous and the unrighteous keep you steady, hopeful, and deeply at rest in His perfect care. Remember always that He loves you deeply.

Your fellow sheep

A Sheep Saunters Into 2 Peter 2:1-3

/ taethne

Wolves Among The Flock

Dear Beloved Friends,

Today’s passage is not necessarily a comfortable one, but it is one that has to be read. As sheep, we are vulnerable prey to a host of enemies. Our Good Shepherd, in His infinite love and wisdom, has prepared these words spoken through Peter for our protection. Join with me as we ponder these verses over a cup of coffee this morning and see how we can become vigilant Christians.

“But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed. And in their greed they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.” (2 Peter 2:1–3, ESV)

Peter has just finished lifting our eyes to the solid foundation of true prophecy and the sure knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ (2 Peter 1). The Spirit-inspired Word stands firm. Now, with pastoral honesty and deep affection, he turns to a sober reality every generation of believers must face: false teachers will arise among us.

He begins by drawing a clear parallel. Just as false prophets once arose among God’s people in the Old Testament—men who spoke smooth words while leading hearts away from the Lord—so false teachers will appear within the church. They do not usually storm in with open denial. Instead, they “secretly bring in destructive heresies.” The language pictures something smuggled in quietly, like contraband hidden in a traveler’s luggage. These teachings are not merely mistaken opinions; they are destructive—they unravel the soul and, left unchecked, pull people toward ruin.

The most serious charge follows: they even deny “the Master who bought them.” The word for Master is despotēs—the absolute Owner and Sovereign. Christ purchased them at the infinite cost of His own blood. Yet these teachers reject His lordship over their lives and doctrine. In doing so they bring swift destruction upon themselves. Peter does not mince words. Rebellion against the One who redeemed us is not a light matter.

The damage does not stop with the teachers. “Many will follow their sensuality.” The Greek word points to a lifestyle driven by unrestrained desires—often sexual, but more broadly any craving that dethrones Christ. When those who claim the name of Jesus live this way, “the way of truth will be blasphemed.” The watching world looks at the church and scoffs, “If this is the fruit of your gospel, why should we listen?” The reputation of Christ’s truth is dragged through the mud by those who claim to represent it.

Motive is laid bare in verse 3: greed. These teachers exploit people with “false words”—fabricated stories, plastic language that can be twisted to mean whatever sells. They trade on the trust of the flock for personal gain. Yet Peter closes with a note of holy certainty: their condemnation has been prepared from long ago, and their destruction is not sleeping. God is neither indifferent nor delayed. Justice is already on the move.

Beloved, this is not written to make us suspicious of every teacher or fearful of every new idea. It is written so that we might walk with open eyes and anchored hearts. The same God who warned us also preserves us. The same Christ who bought us keeps us. The same Spirit who inspired true prophecy still illuminates the Scriptures so that we can test every teaching against the clear Word of God.

False voices will come. Some will sound persuasive, even spiritual. But the Master who bought us with His blood remains our secure refuge. He is not surprised by the presence of counterfeits, and He will not abandon His sheep to them. Hold fast to the true knowledge of Jesus Christ. Let His Word be the plumb line. And rest in the quiet confidence that the Judge of all the earth does right—always.

Personal Reflection Questions

  1. In what ways am I currently guarding my heart and mind so that I can recognize teaching that subtly drifts from the lordship of Christ?
  2. How does the reminder that Jesus “bought” me shape the way I respond to messages that minimize His authority or elevate personal desire?
  3. Where might I be tempted to measure a teacher’s trustworthiness more by popularity, charisma, or personal benefit than by faithfulness to the clear teaching of Scripture?
  4. What practical step can I take this week to grow deeper in the true knowledge of Christ so that the “way of truth” is honored in my own life and witness?

Closing Prayer

Gracious Father,
We thank You for the clear warning of Your Word and for the steadfast love of our Master, Jesus Christ, who bought us with His own blood. Guard our hearts and minds from every destructive teaching that would draw us away from Him. Give us discernment by Your Holy Spirit, soft hearts that remain tender to Your truth, and courage to walk in the way that honors the gospel. Keep us from greed, from sensuality, and from any subtle denial of Your Son’s lordship. Preserve Your church, protect Your people, and let the way of truth shine brightly through our lives. We rest in the certainty that You see, You know, and You will bring all things to perfect justice. In the precious name of Jesus, our Sovereign Lord and Savior, we pray. Amen.

Keep your eyes and ears open, fellow sheep. Follow your True Shepherd and Him alone. Remember, He loves you deeply.

Your friend in Christ

Watching the Flock

/ taethne

While attending a church service this week, the speaker made a very good point. His sermon was on being a good shepherd to the flock God has entrusted to us as pastors, just as He is a Good Shepherd to His flock. During the speaker’s message, he made this observation; while we are watching our flock, so are spiritual predators. We must be constantly vigilant in overseeing the safety of those God has entrusted to us. The shepherd has the responsibility for more than just feeding the sheep, he must also protect them. As King David fought off lions and bears that attacked his father’s sheep when he was just a shepherd boy, we, too must fight off those who would devour our Father’s  sheep.

It is our job to warn the sheep of danger. It is our job to point out theological errors they may encounter, dangerous cults, erroneous worldviews, and false teachers. We must point out these things because if we do not, our sheep will wander off and become mired in a quagmire of false doctrines that will render them useless to the Kingdom of God. Yes, we must feed our sheep solid food, great teaching from God’s Word. Yes, we must lead them to Christ, the Living Water so they can drink deep of His presence. We must also protect and defend them from dangers or we are not doing all our job requires of us. The staff has two ends – a crook to lift sheep to safety and a club to defend them with and drive off predators. Who is looking over your flock?