Shepherd Leadership is the Bible type of Leadership. Shepherd is a person whose job is to look after sheep. Spiritually speaking, a shepherd guides and looks after people so that they do not get lost. Sheep is an animal that is kept on farms and used for its wool or meat. A male sheep is a ram, a female sheep is a ewe and a young sheep is a lamb. When sheep make a noise, they bleat. This is written as baa. The meat from sheep is called lamb or mutton.

CYRUS : HE IS MY SHEPHERD

Cyrus was chosen for the purpose of fulfilling the purposes of God. The purpose is to build the city of Jerusalem and to lay foundation for the reconstruction of the Temple in Jerusalem. For the construction work, a shepherd was chosen. God is choosing the leaders who will perform His will on this planet earth. In the Bible, Abraham Jacob and Joseph were shepherds. Moses was a shepherd. David was a shepherd boy. God chose them for specific purposes. In the New Testament, Jesus said in John 10:11 “ I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep”.

Shepherd is different from an hireling and the wolf. Jesus said: wolf is coming, the hireling flees. The hireling does not care for the sheep. The wolf scatters the sheep. Jesus gives His life for the people. Jesus Christ manifested the love of the Father to the sheep. He cares for you, He loves you with an everlasting love. Again Jesus says in John 10;14: “ I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine”. Why is He a good shepherd? He knows His sheep. He said the sheep hears my voice. He knows your name. He calls you by name and not by number. A good teacher calls his students by name and not by Register number or roll number. He loves to call you by name. God is love.

CYRUS: THE LORD’S ANOINTED

“ Thus saith the LORD to His anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden, to subdue nations before him; and I will loose the loins of kings, to open before him the two leaved gates; and the gates shall not be shut”( Isaiah 45:1).

Cyrus was anointed by the LORD. To anoint means to put oil or water on sb’s head as part of a religious ceremony. Applying oil on a person’s head represents the anointing of the Holy Spirit with wisdom and understand to do God’s assignment. The Apostle Paul prayed for the believers: “ That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him; The eyes of your understanding being enlightened;…” ( Ephesians 1:17,18).

God is our Father. Our Lord Jesus Christ is our elder brother. He is God manifested in the flesh. Through the knowledge of God, Father God gives you the spirit of wisdom and revelation. He enlightens the eyes of your understanding to know His calling, His riches and His mighty power. The Holy Spirit anoints each and every one of you to perform God’s job of salvation. The LORD says: I have holden your right hand, I will loose the loins of kings, to open before you the two leaved gates, the gates shall not be shut. The anointing brakes the yoke and the hindrances and leads you to God’s purpose.

THE LORD’S PRESENCE WILL GO BEFORE CYRUS

“ I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight; I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron: “ ( Isaiah 45:2 ).

The LORD says, “ I will go before you”. You need to just follow His leading. He makes the Highway, Railways, Water ways and Airways. He brakes the brass gates in pieces, He cuts the bars of iron. The enemy cannot hinder you. You will perform God’s assignment. I told you about the assignment of God. In the New Testament, God’s assignment is building His Church. Jesus said in Matthew 16:18:

“ And I say unto thee, That thou art Peter; and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it”. . God is building His church upon the firm foundation, who is Jesus the Christ, The Son of the Living God. The church is the body of Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit leads you and guides you and provides you; I feel in my spirit that I am one such Cyrus in the new Testament church. You are also called by the LORD for this construction job of building churches all over the world. I will go before you, says the LORD. “ And He said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest” ( Exo. 33:14 ).

GOD GIVES THE RESOURCES TO CYRUS

“ And I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that thou mayest know that I the LORD, which call thee by thy name, am the God of Israel” ( Isaiah 45;3 ).

God gives the Shepherd Leader two things: 1. The treasures of darkness,( which represents human souls and also finances0 and 2. Hidden riches of secret places ( which represents spiritual riches of wisdom and understanding and material riches). One of the meanings of treasure is: a collection of very valuable objects, for example gold, silver, jewellery, etc., Another meaning is to find buried treasure. Treasure also means something that is very valuable. God considers you somebody to be very special or valuable. You don’t need to hunt for this treasure, God gives you the treasures of darkness. Wisdom is better than all these treasure, even though all these treasures are given by God to His anointed leader. Let us read Job Chapter 28 about the unlimited resources of God:

“12 But where shall wisdom be found? and where is the place of understanding?13 Man knoweth not the price thereof; neither is it found in the land of the living.14 The depth saith, It is not in me: and the sea saith, It is not with me.15 It cannot be gotten for gold, neither shall silver be weighed for the price thereof.16 It cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir, with the precious onyx, or the sapphire.17 The gold and the crystal cannot equal it: and the exchange of it shall not be for jewels of fine gold.18 No mention shall be made of coral, or of pearls: for the price of wisdom is above rubies.19 The topaz of Ethiopia shall not equal it, neither shall it be valued with pure gold.20 Whence then cometh wisdom? and where is the place of understanding? ( Job 28:12-20).

My friends, God knows the place. God understands the way and knows the place. He looks and sees the whole earth under heaven. Unto man He said: “Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to depart from evil is understanding”. We can find wisdom in Jesus Christ. Christ is the power of God and wisdom of God( 1. Corinthians 1:24 ).God gives you wisdom. That is what He said to Cyrus.

Jesus said: “ Again, the kingdom of Heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for the joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field” ( Matt. 13:44 ).

What is the meaning of this parable? Filed is the world full of people. Treasure is the valuable souls of the people. Who is the man? He is Jesus Christ, the Don of God, who manifested in the flesh. He suffered on the cross, shed His precious blood, and bought you and me as precious souls and jewels. This is the joy of salvation. God is not mad at you. He is brilliantly in spiritual love( God kind of love ) with you. The Bible says:“ In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge”( Colossians 2:3 ). Get this treasure in you. Buy this field. Buy this truth. Do not sell this like Judas Iscariot. Invite Jesus Christ into your heart. Christ in you the hope of glory. Well. Praise the LORD. God bless you. The grace of our LORD Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.

Rev. C. Peter Chandran, on 30 th January 2014 in a Pastor’s conference in Villupuram Township from 1.00 p.m. to 2.00 p.m. ).

GOD IS GOOD, PRAISE HIM; FOR HIS MERCY ENDURES FOREVER.

YOUR’S SINCERELY

IN CHRIST JESUS,

REV. C. PETER CHANDRAN

The Friend of God