Hi friends, I'm Annie F. Downs. Let's read the Gospels. The Gospels are the first four

books of the New Testament in the Bible, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. These are the stories

of Jesus Christ's life on earth, the friendships, the parables, the sacrifices, the meals, the

miracles. Each month we read all four books. We finished Matthew, Mark, Luke, and now we

are working our way through John. We say this around here a lot, but you don't have to

be in the Gospels every day to be changed, but every day you're in the Gospels will change

you. So we're really glad you're here today. Here's how to work. I'll read three chapters

to you today. You can listen or read along in your own Bible or online, and then I'll

pray. And that's it. So today is August 27th, day 27, and I'll be reading John chapters

10 through 12. And this month I'm reading from the message.

John 10. Let me set this before you as plainly as I can. If a person climbs over or through

the fence of a sheep pin, instead of going through the gate, you know he's up to no

good, a sheep rustler. The shepherd walks right up to the gate. The gatekeeper opens the

gate to him and the sheep recognize his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads

them out. When he gets them all out, he leads them and they follow because they are familiar

with his voice. They won't follow a stranger's voice, but will scatter because they aren't

used to the sound of it. Jesus told this simple story, but they had no idea what he was talking

about. So he tried again. I'll be explicit then. I am the gate for the sheep. All those

others are up to no good sheep rustlers, every one of them. But the sheep didn't listen

to them. I am the gate. Anyone who goes through me will be cared for, will freely go in and

out and find pasture. A thief is only there to steal and kill and destroy. I came so

they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of.

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