July 15, 2025 • 14 mins
Welcome to today's episode of The Heartbeat of Faith Podcast with Dr. Andrew Farley. In this enlightening discussion, we delve into the profound interconnectedness of the Bible, discovering how every scripture weaves a magnificent tapestry of faith. Join us as we explore the character of Jesus, focusing on his role as The Good Shepherd. Like vulnerable sheep, we'll explore our shared human traits, our anxieties, and our need for divine guidance. Through captivating narratives and scripture references, we'll unveil the heroic shepherd that Jesus is, protecting us from life's lurking predators.
Sign up for free devotionals on each episode at https://www.HeartbeatOfFaith.com
Moses and David, two biblical heroes, foreshadow the ultimate Shepherd, Jesus, who leads us out of sin's slavery and conquers the giants of our lives. As sheep to our Good Shepherd, we'll learn to listen intently to His voice for safety, comfort, and guidance. Additionally, we're called to carry the heart of a shepherd, just as Paul did when warning the Ephesian church of hidden wolves. We'll discover what it truly means to be disciples of Jesus, caring for His flock. And, in the poignant exchange between Jesus and Peter, we'll witness the profound charge to feed and tend His sheep.
Download the Pray.com app today to experience the vivid revelation of God's divine presence through cinematic storytelling, guided by the influence of the Holy Spirit.
For more encouragement in God's grace visit AndrewFarley.org.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Let us pray. The Lord is my shepherd. I shall
not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures.
He leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul.
He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his
Name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of
(00:20):
the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for
Thou art with me. Thy rod and thy staff they
comfort me Psalm twenty three, verses one through four. Lord,
you are my shepherd. You guide, correct and protect me.
My soul is satisfied in you alone. When my thoughts
stray from you, Lord, your spirit within me reminds me
(00:42):
of our intimate union. When my attitudes wander and I
lose my way, you show me how to enjoy your
green pastures all over again. When I am anxious, you
lead me beside your still waters, and you quiet my
restless soul. I put my trust in you. You are
my good shepherd in Jesus name, Amen, Thank you for
(01:04):
praying with me today. Now discover the profound intricacies of
scripture through prey dot COM's podcast The Heartbeat of Faith
with doctor Andrew Farley. Stay tuned after this quick word
from our sponsors. Does your money stretch as far as
it used to? Most likely know? Here's why it took
two hundred years for the US to print its first
(01:26):
five trillion dollars. Today Washington has done that in just
three years. The problem every new dollar makes each of
your dollars worth less. Our sponsor, Birch Gold Group, has
helped tens of thousands of Americans protect their iras or
four oh one k's from the dollar's loss in value
with physical gold and silver. Now you can too, get
(01:48):
a free info kit on gold right now by texting
the word heartbeat to nine eight nine eight nine eight.
With an A plus rating with the BBB, You're in
good hands with Birch Gold. So get your no cost,
no obligation infoKit now by texting Heartbeat to the number
nine eight nine eight nine eight.
Speaker 2 (02:16):
Hello. I'm doctor Andrew Farley with today's episode of the
Heartbeat of Faith podcast. My sincere hope is that we'll
all witness the interconnectedness of the Bible and be amazed
by it. I want us to discover how each story
is intertwined with one another like threads artfully woven into
(02:39):
a magnificent tapestry. From stories to letters, prophecies to poems,
every piece of Scripture is linked to one another to
reveal the grandeur of the Biblical universe. As we dive
deeper into these epic stories, we tune in to the
heartbeat of faith, moving forward toward a life of purpose, love,
(03:04):
and grace. Today, we continue to look at the character
and attributes of Jesus. Who is he according to the
story of scripture and how do we relate to him
personally and intimately. Today we'll look at Jesus as the
good Shepherd. Of all the ways God describes himself, perhaps
(03:25):
this one expresses best his heart for us. Dozens of
Old and New Testament passages portray God as a loving
and brave shepherd. So what does that make us, Well,
we're the sheep. It may not be the most flattering
way to describe us, but look at it from God's perspective.
(03:46):
He's simply saying we belong to him and we're dependent
on him for everything. Sheep are vulnerable and dependent creatures.
They have large bodies, tiny legs, and poor eyesight. Because
of all these qualities, many are skittish, anxious, and prone
(04:07):
to restlessness. Does that sound familiar to you? Whether we
like it or not, we share many characteristics with sheep.
We can get anxious quickly and stray easily. But our
most considerable similarity to sheep is their trust in a
shepherd to protect them from wolves and other predators. There
(04:30):
are many wolves in our lives, people, false beliefs, temptations
that actively seek to take us down. Jesus declared himself
a good shepherd who lays his life down to protect
his sheep.
Speaker 3 (04:47):
I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down
his life for the sheep. He who is a hired
hand and not a shepherd, who doesn't own the sheep,
sees the wolf coming, leaves the sheep and flees. The
wolf snatches the sheep and scatters them.
Speaker 4 (05:07):
The hired hand flees because.
Speaker 5 (05:09):
He is a hired hand and doesn't care for the sheep.
I am the good shepherd. I know my own, and
I'm known by my own, even as the Father knows me,
and I know the Father. I lay down my life
for the sheep, John ten eleven through fifteen.
Speaker 2 (05:33):
Many people in our lives may pose as shepherds. They
claim to offer us security and comfort. But they fail
us when the going gets tough and the forecast is bleak.
Jesus described those people as hired hands who are there
for the good times, but run when things start heading south.
(05:55):
But Jesus is our ever faithful shepherd that stays with
us no matter what. He'll never abandon us and promises
to always keep us from the evil one. Two great
heroes of the faith that came before Jesus were shepherds.
First there was Moses, who was tending his flock before
(06:18):
God called him.
Speaker 4 (06:23):
One day, Moses was tending the flock of his father
in law, Jethro. He led the sheep far into the
wilderness and came to a mountain called Sinai, the Mountain
of God. The mountain covered the sun, and the sheep
grazed in the shade. Moses saw a faint light flickering
in the distance. He approached it and found a blazing
(06:44):
fire engulfing a bush. The fire raged, yet the bush
did not burn, nor whither the fire reflected off Moses's eyes.
He stared in amazement. Why isn't it burning, he whispered
to himself. He took a step closer to the flame.
Then a sound like a thousand rushing waters emanated from
(07:05):
the flame. A voice so beautiful yet so powerful, filled
the air around him. Moses. The voice said, Moses, it's
said again. Here I am. Moses replied, still in awe,
do not come any closer. The voice said, take off
your sandals, for you are standing on holy ground. Moses
(07:27):
did as he commanded, now standing in amazement before the flame.
I am the God of your Father, the God of Abraham,
the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. When
Moses heard this, he covered his face and fell to
the floor. He now fully understood he was in the
presence of the most high God, Halloim, the creator of
(07:49):
the heavens and Earth.
Speaker 2 (07:53):
The second Hero of faith, also a shepherd, was King David.
Before becoming a giant, slayer, warrior, king, or conqueror, he
was just a small shepherd boy passionate about protecting his flock.
Speaker 4 (08:12):
Without permission to enter, David burst through the tent and
knelt at the foot of Saul. David, looking down at
the floor, said, do not let anyone's heart fail because
of the giant. I will go up against him. Saul
and the others in his tent held in chuckles Saul
helped David up on his feet and said, you are
not able to go up against him. You are a boy,
(08:35):
and he has been killing since he was a boy.
David gave a slight grin. His eyes were gleaming with
intensity and hope. David looked up and said, as you know,
I keep the sheep for my father. Anytime there was
a lion or bear that stole away a lamb from
the flock, I would go after it and strike it down.
I have delivered sheep from the jaws of lions. I
(08:58):
have struck them down. This philistine shall be like one
of them, for he has threatened the sheep of God.
Saul and the others gritted their teeth and looked at
one another with concerned faces. David continued, saying, the Lord
has delivered me from the paw of the lion and
the claw of the bear. He will deliver me from
the hand of this giant.
Speaker 2 (09:21):
In a way, Moses and David were foreshadowings of Jesus.
Moses led the flock of Israel out of slavery, in
the same way Jesus leads us out of our slavery
to sin. David defeated Goliath to protect the flock of
Israel in the same way Jesus defeated sin and death
(09:43):
through his cross and resurrection. Sheep listened intently to the
voice of their shepherd because they know the shepherd is
the source of safety, comfort and guidance. So we too
listen to our good shepherd Jesus and follow as he
leads us internally by his spirit within us. As children
(10:06):
of God, you might say, we can now adopt the
ways of a sheep dog leading others to the good
shepherd Jesus Christ. Paul was an excellent example of this,
especially when he was saying goodbye to the Ephesian church.
Speaker 4 (10:25):
Paul arrived in Ephesis again and called the elders to
join him in the room of meeting. The men gathered
around Paul. His lips were quivering and his hands were shaking.
Paul took along drawn out breath and began speaking, You
know that I have served among you without fear. You
know that I am not one to shrink in the
face of danger or persecution. There was a pause, and
(10:47):
Paul looked up at the loving faces of his brothers
and sisters. Paul smiled and cleared his throat, trying to
hold back tears. I am going to Jerusalem. I don't
know what will happen to me there. The only thing
I know is that the Holy Spirit draws me forward
so that I might finish the race. Well, it is
very possible that none of you will see my face again.
(11:09):
Tears broke through Paul's hardened face. I know that when
I leave, there will be wolves in sheep's clothing coming
out against you. Be alert, my friends, put on the
full armor of God.
Speaker 2 (11:24):
Paul cared for the church like they were his flock.
He warned them of wolves in sheep's clothing. When we
know the good Shepherd, we can't help but care for
his sheep as he does. This is what it means
to be children of God who belong to each other.
Just as a body has many essential parts that operate together,
(11:47):
we are the body of Christ, and we belong to
each other. We're designed to point each other to Jesus,
the Good Shepherd, and encourage each other in His love
and grace. After all, we share in Christ, and we
the Church are partakers of His divine nature. After being
(12:09):
restored by Jesus beside the fire, Peter was given a
charge to care for the sheep of Jesus. It was
a charge he took seriously, and it's a privilege and
a beautiful calling we all get to be a part
of today.
Speaker 4 (12:29):
Simon, son of John, Do you love me?
Speaker 3 (12:32):
Jesus asked.
Speaker 4 (12:34):
Peter rose his head and looked deeply into Jesus's eyes. Yes, Lord,
you know that I love you, Peter answered. Then feed
my lambs. Jesus asked a second time, Simon, son of John,
do you love me? This time Peter paused and considered
the question, yet his answer was the same. Yes, you
(12:55):
know that I love you. Then tend to my sheep,
Jesus said. Fire cracked and the coals burned brightly. Jesus
asked the same question, saying, Simon, do you love me?
Peter's heart broke as Jesus asked a third time. Memories
of denying Jesus three times flooded his mind. Peter, a
(13:15):
tough man forged by the sea, wept before Jesus. His
eyes streamed with tears, and he covered his face with
his hands. Yes, Lord, you know all things. You know
that I love you, Peter answered. Jesus stood up from
across the fire and sat next to Peter. He put
his arm around him and said, then feed my sheep.
Speaker 2 (13:38):
Thank you for listening to today's episode of the Heartbeat
of Faith podcast. Follow the podcast so you can learn
the Bible in this inspiring and entertaining way. Don't forget
to download the Prey dot com app, and for more
encouragement in God's grace, visit Andrewfarley dot org. That's Andrew
(13:59):
Farley dot O.
Speaker 1 (14:00):
R G
Speaker 4 (14:09):
Hmm
Let us pray. The Lord is my shepherd. I shall
not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures.
He leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul.
He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his
Name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of
(00:20):
the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for
Thou art with me. Thy rod and thy staff they
comfort me Psalm twenty three, verses one through four. Lord,
you are my shepherd. You guide, correct and protect me.
My soul is satisfied in you alone. When my thoughts
stray from you, Lord, your spirit within me reminds me
(00:42):
of our intimate union. When my attitudes wander and I
lose my way, you show me how to enjoy your
green pastures all over again. When I am anxious, you
lead me beside your still waters, and you quiet my
restless soul. I put my trust in you. You are
my good shepherd in Jesus name, Amen, Thank you for
(01:04):
praying with me today. Now discover the profound intricacies of
scripture through prey dot COM's podcast The Heartbeat of Faith
with doctor Andrew Farley. Stay tuned after this quick word
from our sponsors. Does your money stretch as far as
it used to? Most likely know? Here's why it took
two hundred years for the US to print its first
(01:26):
five trillion dollars. Today Washington has done that in just
three years. The problem every new dollar makes each of
your dollars worth less. Our sponsor, Birch Gold Group, has
helped tens of thousands of Americans protect their iras or
four oh one k's from the dollar's loss in value
with physical gold and silver. Now you can too, get
(01:48):
a free info kit on gold right now by texting
the word heartbeat to nine eight nine eight nine eight.
With an A plus rating with the BBB, You're in
good hands with Birch Gold. So get your no cost,
no obligation infoKit now by texting Heartbeat to the number
nine eight nine eight nine eight.
Speaker 2 (02:16):
Hello. I'm doctor Andrew Farley with today's episode of the
Heartbeat of Faith podcast. My sincere hope is that we'll
all witness the interconnectedness of the Bible and be amazed
by it. I want us to discover how each story
is intertwined with one another like threads artfully woven into
(02:39):
a magnificent tapestry. From stories to letters, prophecies to poems,
every piece of Scripture is linked to one another to
reveal the grandeur of the Biblical universe. As we dive
deeper into these epic stories, we tune in to the
heartbeat of faith, moving forward toward a life of purpose, love,
(03:04):
and grace. Today, we continue to look at the character
and attributes of Jesus. Who is he according to the
story of scripture and how do we relate to him
personally and intimately. Today we'll look at Jesus as the
good Shepherd. Of all the ways God describes himself, perhaps
(03:25):
this one expresses best his heart for us. Dozens of
Old and New Testament passages portray God as a loving
and brave shepherd. So what does that make us, Well,
we're the sheep. It may not be the most flattering
way to describe us, but look at it from God's perspective.
(03:46):
He's simply saying we belong to him and we're dependent
on him for everything. Sheep are vulnerable and dependent creatures.
They have large bodies, tiny legs, and poor eyesight. Because
of all these qualities, many are skittish, anxious, and prone
(04:07):
to restlessness. Does that sound familiar to you? Whether we
like it or not, we share many characteristics with sheep.
We can get anxious quickly and stray easily. But our
most considerable similarity to sheep is their trust in a
shepherd to protect them from wolves and other predators. There
(04:30):
are many wolves in our lives, people, false beliefs, temptations
that actively seek to take us down. Jesus declared himself
a good shepherd who lays his life down to protect
his sheep.
Speaker 3 (04:47):
I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down
his life for the sheep. He who is a hired
hand and not a shepherd, who doesn't own the sheep,
sees the wolf coming, leaves the sheep and flees. The
wolf snatches the sheep and scatters them.
Speaker 4 (05:07):
The hired hand flees because.
Speaker 5 (05:09):
He is a hired hand and doesn't care for the sheep.
I am the good shepherd. I know my own, and
I'm known by my own, even as the Father knows me,
and I know the Father. I lay down my life
for the sheep, John ten eleven through fifteen.
Speaker 2 (05:33):
Many people in our lives may pose as shepherds. They
claim to offer us security and comfort. But they fail
us when the going gets tough and the forecast is bleak.
Jesus described those people as hired hands who are there
for the good times, but run when things start heading south.
(05:55):
But Jesus is our ever faithful shepherd that stays with
us no matter what. He'll never abandon us and promises
to always keep us from the evil one. Two great
heroes of the faith that came before Jesus were shepherds.
First there was Moses, who was tending his flock before
(06:18):
God called him.
Speaker 4 (06:23):
One day, Moses was tending the flock of his father
in law, Jethro. He led the sheep far into the
wilderness and came to a mountain called Sinai, the Mountain
of God. The mountain covered the sun, and the sheep
grazed in the shade. Moses saw a faint light flickering
in the distance. He approached it and found a blazing
(06:44):
fire engulfing a bush. The fire raged, yet the bush
did not burn, nor whither the fire reflected off Moses's eyes.
He stared in amazement. Why isn't it burning, he whispered
to himself. He took a step closer to the flame.
Then a sound like a thousand rushing waters emanated from
(07:05):
the flame. A voice so beautiful yet so powerful, filled
the air around him. Moses. The voice said, Moses, it's
said again. Here I am. Moses replied, still in awe,
do not come any closer. The voice said, take off
your sandals, for you are standing on holy ground. Moses
(07:27):
did as he commanded, now standing in amazement before the flame.
I am the God of your Father, the God of Abraham,
the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. When
Moses heard this, he covered his face and fell to
the floor. He now fully understood he was in the
presence of the most high God, Halloim, the creator of
(07:49):
the heavens and Earth.
Speaker 2 (07:53):
The second Hero of faith, also a shepherd, was King David.
Before becoming a giant, slayer, warrior, king, or conqueror, he
was just a small shepherd boy passionate about protecting his flock.
Speaker 4 (08:12):
Without permission to enter, David burst through the tent and
knelt at the foot of Saul. David, looking down at
the floor, said, do not let anyone's heart fail because
of the giant. I will go up against him. Saul
and the others in his tent held in chuckles Saul
helped David up on his feet and said, you are
not able to go up against him. You are a boy,
(08:35):
and he has been killing since he was a boy.
David gave a slight grin. His eyes were gleaming with
intensity and hope. David looked up and said, as you know,
I keep the sheep for my father. Anytime there was
a lion or bear that stole away a lamb from
the flock, I would go after it and strike it down.
I have delivered sheep from the jaws of lions. I
(08:58):
have struck them down. This philistine shall be like one
of them, for he has threatened the sheep of God.
Saul and the others gritted their teeth and looked at
one another with concerned faces. David continued, saying, the Lord
has delivered me from the paw of the lion and
the claw of the bear. He will deliver me from
the hand of this giant.
Speaker 2 (09:21):
In a way, Moses and David were foreshadowings of Jesus.
Moses led the flock of Israel out of slavery, in
the same way Jesus leads us out of our slavery
to sin. David defeated Goliath to protect the flock of
Israel in the same way Jesus defeated sin and death
(09:43):
through his cross and resurrection. Sheep listened intently to the
voice of their shepherd because they know the shepherd is
the source of safety, comfort and guidance. So we too
listen to our good shepherd Jesus and follow as he
leads us internally by his spirit within us. As children
(10:06):
of God, you might say, we can now adopt the
ways of a sheep dog leading others to the good
shepherd Jesus Christ. Paul was an excellent example of this,
especially when he was saying goodbye to the Ephesian church.
Speaker 4 (10:25):
Paul arrived in Ephesis again and called the elders to
join him in the room of meeting. The men gathered
around Paul. His lips were quivering and his hands were shaking.
Paul took along drawn out breath and began speaking, You
know that I have served among you without fear. You
know that I am not one to shrink in the
face of danger or persecution. There was a pause, and
(10:47):
Paul looked up at the loving faces of his brothers
and sisters. Paul smiled and cleared his throat, trying to
hold back tears. I am going to Jerusalem. I don't
know what will happen to me there. The only thing
I know is that the Holy Spirit draws me forward
so that I might finish the race. Well, it is
very possible that none of you will see my face again.
(11:09):
Tears broke through Paul's hardened face. I know that when
I leave, there will be wolves in sheep's clothing coming
out against you. Be alert, my friends, put on the
full armor of God.
Speaker 2 (11:24):
Paul cared for the church like they were his flock.
He warned them of wolves in sheep's clothing. When we
know the good Shepherd, we can't help but care for
his sheep as he does. This is what it means
to be children of God who belong to each other.
Just as a body has many essential parts that operate together,
(11:47):
we are the body of Christ, and we belong to
each other. We're designed to point each other to Jesus,
the Good Shepherd, and encourage each other in His love
and grace. After all, we share in Christ, and we
the Church are partakers of His divine nature. After being
(12:09):
restored by Jesus beside the fire, Peter was given a
charge to care for the sheep of Jesus. It was
a charge he took seriously, and it's a privilege and
a beautiful calling we all get to be a part
of today.
Speaker 4 (12:29):
Simon, son of John, Do you love me?
Speaker 3 (12:32):
Jesus asked.
Speaker 4 (12:34):
Peter rose his head and looked deeply into Jesus's eyes. Yes, Lord,
you know that I love you, Peter answered. Then feed
my lambs. Jesus asked a second time, Simon, son of John,
do you love me? This time Peter paused and considered
the question, yet his answer was the same. Yes, you
(12:55):
know that I love you. Then tend to my sheep,
Jesus said. Fire cracked and the coals burned brightly. Jesus
asked the same question, saying, Simon, do you love me?
Peter's heart broke as Jesus asked a third time. Memories
of denying Jesus three times flooded his mind. Peter, a
(13:15):
tough man forged by the sea, wept before Jesus. His
eyes streamed with tears, and he covered his face with
his hands. Yes, Lord, you know all things. You know
that I love you, Peter answered. Jesus stood up from
across the fire and sat next to Peter. He put
his arm around him and said, then feed my sheep.
Speaker 2 (13:38):
Thank you for listening to today's episode of the Heartbeat
of Faith podcast. Follow the podcast so you can learn
the Bible in this inspiring and entertaining way. Don't forget
to download the Prey dot com app, and for more
encouragement in God's grace, visit Andrewfarley dot org. That's Andrew
(13:59):
Farley dot O.
Speaker 1 (14:00):
R G
Speaker 4 (14:09):
Hmm
Host
Andrew Farley
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