—S— John 10:4 NLT // ‘When he has brought out all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. They will not follow a stranger, but they will run from him because they do not know the voice of strangers.’ // Jn 10.4 NLT

—O— Not only do the sheep recognize the voice of the shepherd, they can identify a stranger by voice as well.

The shepherd goes ahead of them. He leads by example. He blazes the trail. The sheep follow the shepherd and thus his trail. The sheep do not follow the stranger or his path because his voice is foreign to them.

The trail may be foreign in both cases, but the sheep go with the familiar voice, the trusted voice.

—A— We don't have to know the path if we know the shepherds voice.

—P— Father, please give me the sheep's discernment, the ability to distinguish between your voice and the voice of the thief. Keep me on the path of the Good Shepherd, and protect me from the voice of the thief and his path. I'm praying for discernment and an obedient heart. XP Amen.