Shepherding: Restoring of the Soul

He restores my soul;He guides me on the paths of righteousness / For His name’s sake. (Psalms 23:3, RecVer)

In the first coming of the Lord Jesus, He accomplished redemption through His crucifixion and regenerated the many believers to be the organic members of the Body of Christ in His resurrection as prophesied in Psalms 22. In the second coming of Christ, Jesus will come as a King reigning in the Kingdom of God as prophesied in Psalms 24. In between the first and second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord is shepherding His many brothers in the church, especially in restoring their souls, and gradually transforming them to be spiritual men having the "mind of Christ" to express Him and represent Him on this earth today.

Jehovah as the Shepherd is shepherding all the children of God wherever they are. The effectiveness of the Lord’s shepherding depends on each one’s relationship with the Shepherd. Those who are open, simple, and pure would receive the Lord’s shepherding profitably.  Whereas, those who are rebellious will have a hard time getting through in their being. Nevertheless, the Lord is faithful to shepherd each one according to their conditions. Ultimately, the Lord will gain His built up Body among those who cooperated with Him to be shepherded and be overcomers to bring Him back in His second coming.

The Lord shepherds His sheep as the God of Abraham who supplies all the needs so they lack nothing. The Lord shepherds His sheep as the God of Isaac who lets His sheep lie down, rest, and blesses them with rich inheritance. The Lord shepherds His sheep as the God of Jacob who restores their souls even when they go through the valley of the shadow of death, He guides and protects them, makes them overcomers, and blesses them. As the Triune God, He shepherds the tripartite being of His sheep. In this way, bit by bit, day by day, restoring their souls, renewing their mind to be the mind of Christ and make them "spiritual man".

For who among men knows the things of man, except the spirit of man which is in him? In the same way, the things of God also no one has known except the Spirit of God. But we have received not the spirit of the world but the Spirit which is from God, that we may know the things which have been graciously given to us by God; Which things also we speak, not in words taught by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual things with spiritual words. But a soulish man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him and he is not able to know them because they are discerned spiritually. But the spiritual man discerns all things, but he himself is discerned by no one. For who has known the mind of the Lord and will instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ. (1 Corinthians 2:11-16, RecVer)

Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus, (Philippians 2:5, RecVer)

The word of God plays a pivotal role in shepherding the souls of the saints. The word should become "flesh" in the being of the believers, even becoming them by being supplied with Spirit and life. Therefore, in the course of shepherding, feeding on the milk of the word is of utmost importance. This will issue in the growth in life, the gaining of the soul, the end of their faith, the salvation of their souls.

As newborn babes, long for the guileless milk of the word in order that by it you may grow unto salvation, (1 Peter 2:2, RecVer)

Receiving the end of your faith, the salvation of your souls. (1 Peter 1:9, RecVer)

But we are not of those who shrink back to ruin but of those who have faith to the gaining of the soul. (Hebrews 10:39, RecVer)

Thus, in Jehovah's shepherding as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the entire tripartite being of the saints will be gained to the extend of them becoming spiritual men having the mind of Christ to dwell in the house of Jehovah as the built up Body of Christ ushering in His coming again to bring in His kingdom on the earth.

Lord, shepherd us day by day, restore our souls.