Day 305 Election Day Sermons

 

11/1/2026 

"To whom much is given, much is required."

Luke 12:48

 

 As the clocks rolled back a new day dawned, and another full day began! It seems as if every day this week has challenged me to rise and shine, ready for whatever laid ahead of me, planned or otherwise, as there always seems to be one more surprise meeting or tidying up from the previous day. I must admit I had been anxiously looking forward to today, for several reasons, but I think the main one was that my son agreed to go with me to the morning church service. Every now and then he surprises me with his attendance, but today was a special day, and the message rightly timed. I love it when the pastor preaches the uncompromising Word of the Lord that not only steps on our toes but punches us in the gut! While that may not sound pleasant to others, I need truth, and I want to examine myself each day. I want to do all for the glory of God. That's the challenge, isn't it?  Didn't Paul admonish the church in Philippians 2:12-13 by saying, "Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling;  for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure."

Today, being the Sunday before mid-term elections, Pastor Jack Hibbs donned his black clergy robe reminiscent of the Black Robe Regiment to deliver "An Election Day Sermon - A historical message on the Great Awakening and its effect upon the inhabitants of thirteen English colonies in the North America, and the rise of the Black Robe Regiment." He entitled his message "Once Upon A Time There Was A Revolution." Using historical facts and quotations and speeches of our great American patriots and reformation pastors and evangelists, he led us through the history of our great nation beginning with the Magna Carta and the Mayflower Compact, two important first documents. Although he did not have enough time to go into great detail in his message, he did spark a desire in me to brush back up on my knowledge of American history. Raised in Virginia, one of the original thirteen colonies, I received an extensive education on the history of my State and America. Back then we were taken on field trips to important locations to relive the events in history. When my own children were in school they also learned about the history of our State, but when we moved to New Mexico they lost much of the heritage of the land in which they were born, but they did learn the culture of their dad's family. History is an important subject in life, especially when our nation was birthed on Biblical values, and our education included the Bible as a primary textbook. Today's educational system is missing out as are the children from removing God's Word from the curriculum.

In the afternoon I went back to church to enjoy a "One Family Worship" event for our Dinwiddie County Faith Community, consisting of praise, prayer, and testimonies. It was hosted by several local churches, and it was a wonderful afternoon that I hope will become a community tradition. I saw friends I'd not seen for quite awhile, and I met a friend who graduated with my brother. The theme was loving our neighbor, not just those we know, but loving everyone we meet, following in the footsteps of Jesus, especially at this dark time in our history when there's so much unrest and upheaval. We need each other, and there are many people who need a helping hand who are not part of a local church. I was pleased to note that on the back of our program there was an article about the Dinwiddie County Faith-Based Initiative. It read:  

"The Dinwiddie County Board of Supervisors and Dinwiddie County School Board recognize that the health and vitality of our community extends beyond the scope of government and schools. 

In 2018, the County and School leaders came together with leaders of the faith community to identify opportunities for collaboration and better meet the needs of our citizens. Churches have a unique perspective and an influence that is unmatched. This partnership will result in strategies that lead to a healthier, stronger, and more vibrant community. 

To date, the Dinwiddie County Faith-Based Initiative has worked to provide opportunities to bring citizens and local businesses together to explore cooperative ventures to enhance and serve our community. Every church and house of worship in the County has a seat at the table, alongside representatives of the Board of Supervisors and School Board."

Just reading about this joint effort to enjoy a real community, the essence of meaning of what the word means, thrilled me, as I have been seeking a place to belong. It reminds me of when I was a young girl growing up in the county, when everyone knew everyone and cared about the important matters of life. School teachers were Sunday School teachers, and school principals were deacons in the church. Our school lessons were reinforced by our Sunday School lessons, and everyone played a part in our upbringing. In today's world that is not the case, unless one is blessed to have a church that involves itself in the local community. Such churches do exist, I am happy to say. But the information about my county gave me hope for a brighter tomorrow, especially for our children.

Now the hour is late, but the day is far from done. Still tomorrow comes early, so it's time to say goodnight. Remember, revival comes to the individual first, and then it transforms and the spark once lit cannot be extinguished. We are called to be lights in the darkness of the world. Let your light so shine! 

Day 304 Reformation Day

 

10/31/2026

"Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD."

Psalm 33:12

 

Today marks the celebration of Reformation Day when in 1517 Martin Luther nailed his Ninety-five Theses to the door of All Saint's Church in Wittenberg, Germany marking the beginning of the Protestant Reformation. It was a call to true repentance in the church, godly sorrow for sins that Luther found lacking in the established church. Something that is much-needed in our present age. As we pray for revival, another Jesus Revolution, we realize that before revival can happen, we must first have a transformation of our hearts that leads to repentance for the sin in our lives and on behalf of our nation and humbly beseech God's mercy. With mid-term elections very close we stand on the precipice of change, and we need to seek Him while there is still time. 

For the past 52 days beginning on September 10 many ministry leaders, governmental leaders, business owners, intercessors, and private citizens have committed ourselves to prayer, repentance, and fasting on behalf of our nation's turning back to God. We are also praying for the church to return to their first love. I have spoken about the current situation that is now facing our national security and threatening our Constitutional rights. We must cry out to God, because He is the only One who can heal our land. Right now Israel stands in need of a miracle for their election as well. Iran still poses an existential threat not only to Israel but to our nation as well. The regime in Iran has been very vocal about their intentions towards our nation, so it is of extreme importance that our people are protected. It is also important that we continue to stand in support of Israel. The prophetic time clock is ticking, as  the world holds its breath watching what will happen next and how it will affect the world. This is why it is so important that we as the Body of Christ rally around Israel with our support, and why we need to wake up and pay attention to the imminent threat within our own country. These things do not happen overnight. What has been happening in France and other European nations are examples years of planning.

Today the Nehemiah Alliance 52 days of prayer ended with a celebration in the National Mall in Washington DC. It was an exciting event as representatives for each of the 50 states and Washington DC repented before God on behalf of their States, nations, lives, and families desperately seeking the mercy of God. It was an amazing time, but although the 52 days have been competed, we still need to be diligently involved in prayer and fasting for the elections. Not only is our national security at stake, we must stand for the restoration of the nuclear family, and pray for the church to arise and continue the good fight of faith, as Paul the Apostle exhorted us to do:

"Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of witnesses" (2 Timothy 6:12).

"I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith" (2 Timothy 4:7).

"Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ" (Jude 3-4).

It is indeed a great honor and blessing to stand with so many humble men and women who want nothing more than to see our nation restored to One Nation Under God. We are united members of the Body of Christ, seated in heavenly places with Christ Jesus who has given us authority over the evil of this age. He has endued us with His power by sending Holy Spirit to dwell within us to teach us, guide us, and strengthen us as we stand against the spiritual warfare advancing in this world. As we stand on the wall, taking our positions in Christ, just like Nehemiah restoring the walls of Jerusalem against great odds, we stand victorious knowing that "This is the word of the Lord...'Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit," says  the Lord of hosts"  (Zechariah 4:6).

Day 303 The Vultures are Circling

 

10/30/2026

 "Unless the Lord builds the house,
They labor in vain who build it;
Unless the Lord guards the city,
The watchman stays awake in vain."

Psalm 127:1

 

For the past two or three weeks I've been outside attempting to get the yard cleaned and the new shed painted. I love to paint, but this shed has been a nightmare in so many ways. I'm not a painter, but I have painted my house, and even the outside many years ago when I wasn't timid about climbing high. Still at the risk of falling off the ladder, we did enlist the support of a friend who was a house painter, among his other talents. So since then I've limited my painting to walls and my art work. I always paint trim first before tackling the main job, which may be counter to what a true painter would do, but as an artist, I am able to draw a straight line, and I can do fine work near the edges where the two colors blend quite easily. With this job, however, the edges are rough and sanding is impossible, so that's makes it much harder not to slop paint all over the place. My son thought we should paint the shed first before the trim - wrong, but I allowed him to have his way. Now I'm cleaning up the mess. I'm also the one on the ladder, as my son has medical issues and a fear of heights, so being the acrobat in the household, I inherited the task.

For several days while painting I noticed that vultures were circling overhead. At first I thought my cat Alex was on the menu, but they soon disappeared, and Alex showed up to eat. But this went on for days. Finally, I looked up to the sky and asked the vultures if they knew something I didn't. After all I'd been to the doctor for blood work, and my doctor had shown concern over my recent CT scan. So I laughed, but I became curious about the habits of these scavengers and decided to research their habits. I found that vultures ride the rising columns of warm air that allows them to remain in flight without expending energy while they scout for food. Birds are amazing creatures anyway, but I wouldn't think that a vulture had delicate, thin wings, but they do. God is a master creator! When I went back outside the next day, the little rascals were circling, so I greeted them cordially, but I reminded them that I was living, so I would not be on their menu. Soon they lost interest and flew away. I imagine if the neighbors heard me laughing, talking to vultures they were wondering about my sanity. I already give them plenty to think about as it is.

My research also revealed that there are spiritual meanings given to seeing vultures circling. Traditionally it "symbolizes transformation, patience, spiritual renewal, and the natural cycle of life and death." Alternative views suggest that in folklore this action can be a warning or call to watch out for possible harm or malicious intent. There are other suggestions leaning towards interpretation of dreams and other mystical interpretations. The imagination can take us to places we dare not go. 

While natural predators do exist in our natural world as part of creation, they serve a God-created design and plan just as all creatures and birds of the air and fish and critters of the seas and oceans. God's creation blows my mind and a deeper respect for our Giver of Life. But there are human predators and those who are within our nation who are posing as wolves in sheep's clothing and predators in the pulpit. David Wilkerson of blessed memory wrote a book about deception creeping into our churches, and Jesus warns that many will come in His name, but they are false prophets, teachers, and pastors. He warns of things to come before His return for the church. He calls us to be busy for the Kingdom but conscious of the snares of the enemy.  

"And Jesus answered and said to them: 'Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying "I am the Christ," and will deceive many. And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled, for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of sorrows. Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name's sake. And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. But he who endures to the end shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.'" (Matthew 24:1-14) 

Anyone who reads what Jesus told the disciples will note that these things are happening today, increasing daily. As we approach the mid-term elections, the behind the scenes work of opposing parties and factions have been secretly engaged in unthinkable, intensely evil strategies intended to destroy our government system and our nation as we know it. They want to rewrite our Constitution, get rid of our Senate, as well as an entire list of plans that have been in the works for years, and all of it is public information. My heart is broken to think that we have elected leaders in office who want to destroy America and have a socialist/communist government. That is not what America is. These people say all the right things for the trusting people who think these leaders mean what they say, the ones who are not alert to hear what is truly being said or bothering to check out the truth. And that is truly disheartening. I have always been a trusting person, hoping people mean what they say, but I have learned that this simply is not so, even in the church. There are pastors running for office who are compromising the Word of God. How can that be? Truly these are the last days, as the days are darker each day. 

This reminds me of an episode of the Star Trek series, Into the Darkness, where an evil man and his followers, threatened civilization based on revenge and a lust for power. It's never really for the good of all, only for the benefit of the few. Captain Kirk was making a speech to christen the new starship, and he gave the following speech:   

"There will always be those who mean to do us harm. To stop them we risk awakening the same evil within ourselves. Our first instinct is to seek revenge when those we love are taken from us. But that's not who we are. We are here today to rechristen the USS Enterprise, and to honor those who lost their lives nearly one year ago. When Christopher Pike first gave me his ship, he had me repeat the Captain's Oath, words I didn't appreciate at the time. Now I see them as a call for us to remember who we once were, and who we must be again. And those words: Space the final frontier. These are the voyages of the Starship Enterprise. Her five year mission: to explore the strange new world, to seek out life and new civilizations, to boldly go where no one has gone before." 

The Captain spoke from a heart of integrity and a longing to live a moral life, fulfilling the purpose given to those who were entrusted with preserving a civilization and the hope of including other civilizations for the common good. There was no malice or evil intention, just good will and freedom, a world where men lived in unity and shared a common dream. Where neighbors helped each other. Perhaps I'm adding to the text here, but this is how I feel when I think of how our lives should be lived. But we can never live a moral life, one of integrity and concern for others, until we know the God of creation, the one who created us in His image and who desires to have fellowship with us. The one who said the greatest  commandment was to love our neighbor as ourselves and to love God with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strength. Our nation was established on His principles, and they are the best ones. Our leaders took oaths based on the words of the Constitution. But there are those who have infiltrated our nation and who have influenced the weak minded into believing the government is illegitimate, failing, broken, when there are wicked people undermining every action taken, setting traps and deceiving people. What is happening in France and other nations was not caused by school children. It was carefully planned years in advance, people brought in, their plan of action to destroy a country set in motion. It foreshadows what has been put into motion in our nation. We need to wake up. 

I read a quote that said "Human institutions never work. God's work lasts forever." We can do nothing without God's influence in our lives. May we wake up before it's too late. The vultures are circling. 

Day 302 Declaring the Sovereignty of God

 

10/29/2026

 "For the LORD is our judge, the LORD is our lawgiver,

the LORD is our king; He will save us."

Isaiah 33:22 

 

Yesterday has drifted into tomorrow, and I sit here exhausted from sifting through my daily mail, deleting old news and attempting to quickly glean what I need to know from others. Events are happening, and so many people seem clueless, yet the signs are all around them. Some are waking up for the first time, realizing that a shift is forming and their life is about to change, a life they never considered possible in a privileged culture, a new threat that is so outside their ability to understand. A life they have heard about, but really never gave it serious thought of ever happening in their country. Suddenly they panic, desperately trying to find a way to escape what has not yet happened, yet terrorized with great fear at the thought of what may be. Scrolling on their cells phones to catch the recent news, finding nothing to cause alarm, yet the unsettling feeling and the rise of anxiety from what they heard through the grapevine has overtaken all reasoning. Panic begins to boil within them, and they cannot breathe. 

My life is a continuous merry-go-round of honest reports backed up by prophetic scripture, although what could be may become true in the world around us, I must keep my focus on what I know to be true and on the One in whom I place my trust. Now that may sound too easy, even impractical as we are told to be ready and watching. But a watchman stands on the wall, but he continues to work until the watch is over. 

Although I will not be attending the huge meeting at the National Mall this weekend, I have answered the call to serve with the Nehemiah Alliance in prayer. Many have responded to the call for prayer, and they will be in attendance with pastors and leaders in ministry who will gather there. This meeting will be a gathering of American citizens, Christians, believers in Christ Jesus, who understand the prophetic timelines and who understand the existential threat of what is happening in our nation today. We have been called to 52 days of unified prayer, fasting, and repentance asking God to rebuild the spiritual and moral walls of our nation. Using the example of Nehemiah, the cup-bearer to the King Artaxerxes of Persia, where he had been exiled with the other Jewish believers for 70 years, we are standing on the wall together defending the work God has given us as citizens of a free nation, One Nation Under God. The Proclamation came from the State of South Carolina through the Nehemiah Alliance and Intercessors for America, and our stand began September 10 and will continue up to the election. 

When Nehemiah was serving as cup-bearer to the King of Persia a friend brought a report back from Jerusalem where many of exiles had returned to rebuild the Temple. His friend reported the good news of the completed temple, but he shared that the wall around Jerusalem was still in shambles as the enemy had left it. This news greatly distressed Nehemiah, and he mourned for days about his city being in ruin and unprotected. When the King noticed that his countenance was downcast he inquired about the reason, so Nehemiah shared the news with him. The King allowed Nehemiah to temporarily return to Jerusalem to rebuild the wall and fortify the city. Naturally there were those who attempted to halt the work of the Lord, so Nehemiah had the people working on the wall position themselves along the wall to keep the enemy from attacking. They had a trowel in one hand and a weapon in the other. They kept the line secure, each man building in front of his own home forming one continuous line of watchmen until the work was completed. One had a trumpet charged with the task of releasing a blast on the trumpet should danger appear. At last after 52 days the wall was rebuilt, and the book of the Law was read to all people. The book of Nehemiah chronicles these events.  

Many threats have been disclosed, and the enemy has been busy perverting justice and turning the minds of many towards evil through lies and coverups. I like to check out the facts about those running for governmental positions before I cast my vote. I have visited the Democratic Socialists of America website, and it makes socialism sound so good, but this is the deception, but many have been influenced wrongly. I remember when a friend of mine voted in 2020 she believed the advertisements on television were honest. She was taken into the lie and the opinions of non-believers and even her own family. As Christians, believers and followers in Christ we must always base our decisions on what God says about everything. We cannot sit on the fence or compromise. Sadly, my friend voted wrongly, and as things began to play out, seeing the decline of our nation, she was so remorseful. I was reminded today that these are not the days of John Kennedy. Values have definitely changed, and he and his contemporaries would be so aghast at the things that are happening. My heart breaks.

Regardless of what does or does not happen, our God reigns, and He cares for His children. Psalm 91:1-2 reminds us that: "He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust."

In the book of Ecclesiastes King Solomon concludes the book with these words found in Ecclesiastes 12:13-14:

"Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man's all. For God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil."

Selah.

Day 301 Who Else is Worthy?

 

10/28/2026

"Then I saw a strong angel proclaiming

with a loud voice,

'Who is worthy to open the scroll and to loose its seals?'"  

Revelation 5:2

 

Often I am awakened with words or songs playing in my head. This morning I woke up twice hearing the words: Who else is worthy? There is no one, only Jesus!" I rejoice in the goodness and the kindness of our LORD in reminding daily of the truth of these words. And no matter what happens, no matter what others attempt to do to harm His people, all feeble plans of man will ultimately fail. Because only He is worthy of all praise, honor and glory!

The Lord has a way of reaching me in my most frazzled situations. I've been poking my way through the book The Helper by Catherine Marshall, in which she is describing her journey to understanding the baptism of Holy Spirit spoken of in the Scriptures. This was a controversial subject in many churches back in her day, and it continues to be so, sadly. All one has to do is read the Bible, pray, ask, and seek and answers will come. She speaks of how Holy Spirit, who is God, is interested in every area of our lives, not just the spiritual growth and development. Jesus even spoke of why we need not worry over the affairs of this life in Matthew 7 in His Sermon on the Mount. But we still seem to worry and fret over way too many things, when it would be so easy to simply seek Holy Spirit.

This morning I was reading as Catherine shared about a sewing project she couldn't figure out how to do, and so upset, weary, and exhausted from her own efforts, she called a friend for help. Unfortunately, the friend was of little help, and she also become flustered. As Catherine was about to abandon the project as hopeless and move on to the next task, she heard a little voice say, "Why not try it this way," or words to that effect. Then as she listened, she began to visualize the entire project and complete it without effort. When I read this I laughed, as I know as I have experienced His leading many times, but then I thought about that shed outside I've been trying to paint for two weeks. So as I looked out the window, as I usually do when I'm praying, I pleadingly started to ask God why He hadn't helped me figure out things to make the task easier. Before I was mid-sentence or thought, I heard Holy Spirit say to me, "because you didn't ask Me." This was true, however, I had finally relied on my artistic talents to draw a fine line of paint in some areas, but I do know that thought came from Him. After all, I may not be a painter, but I am an artist by God's design only. I have learned much in this process, however, and my advice, humanly speaking that is, to those who purchase an outdoors shed is to pay to have someone else paint it. In the long run it will save you money and time that could have been better spent doing something more relaxing or beneficial. And although I am not certain, I may very well have heard that same advice from Holy Spirit when I purchased it. I have often not listened to the still small voice thinking "Oh, it's just my thoughts." No, when God says that He's interested in everything that concerns us, He means it! So be careful to listen intently, and be sure to ask His advice. This is the path of true shalom.

So, today I give praise to my Father and Lord Jesus Christ for loving me and sending Holy Spirit to guide me into the truth, all truth of His will and way. Only One is worthy of our praise! I can hardly wait to see His face and bow in His presence. Thank You, Holy Spirit, for guiding me through the struggles in my life and in my prayers for this chaotic world. May Your will be done, Father, on earth as it is in Heaven in my life, the lives of my family and friends, in my city and State, and in this nation and the world. Bless Israel today, and may all Israel be saved! According to Your Word, they will! May it be so!  

Day 300 Little Flock

 

10/27/2026 

"Thus says the LORD: 'Stand by the roads, and look,

and ask for the ancient paths, where the good

way is; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls.'"

Jeremiah 6:16

 

One of the questions people ask each other when they are first introduced or get together again to catch up on years between is "What are you doing now?" A retired person of my age should be having the time of her life, especially after working in a human service position for so many years. So many times I hear the words "You deserve to do something for yourself." When in dialog I am asked that question or the similar ones of how I spent my life, it can become quite detailed, and this is the time I begin to explain to them who has first place in my heart. Yesterday I spoke of an incident where a young salesman came to our house to offer solutions to assist us in saving energy. Although his company offered valuable resources, it just wasn't something we could pursue at this time. But when he left I felt "less than," because I am not living the life he thought one in my age bracket should have, but limited based on my sole source of income. That's the way the enemy attempts to bring me down off the wall of intercession, if only briefly, so he feels that he can still take me down the rabbit hole of defeat. Well, it didn't work. In fact the encounter made me grateful for the life that I have been given, and the spiritual gifts and natural talents that he has gifted me to do His work at this stage of my journey. I am so incredibly blessed, even with very little coinage jingling in my pocket, without a fancy house, or two, or sporting a new car; without a stamp on my passport - without a passport! And I am content, happy even, just to wake up each morning, breathe in fresh clean air and proclaim "This is the day the LORD has made; I will rejoice and be glad in it!" and mean it. My life is full, and I am loved by God. 

Daily Bible reading keeps me grounded and equipped for a life of prayer and intercession, as Holy Spirit directs. My daily walk through the Scriptures now finds me in the book of John, an apostle to Christ, whose descriptions of the teachings of Jesus are so rich and colorful. When I think of the character of Jesus and the way He walks with us through each step and carries us when we are weak and uncertain, I think of Him as the Great Shepherd described in the 10th chapter of the book of John. It's always interesting to see how Jesus countered the questions and baiting of the Pharisees and religious leaders who were always hiding in the crowds when Jesus taught. After he healed the man blind from birth they interrogated him relentlessly demanding to know who healed him. Getting no satisfaction from the beleaguered man, weary of having to repeat the same words over and over again, the man finally exclaimed, "One thing I know: that though I was blind, now I see." Later when Jesus encountered the man again, he accepted Jesus as Lord. Still the religious leaders demanded that Jesus explain Himself. They became incensed even further when Jesus spoke of the difference between true vision and true blindness. Then Jesus continued with the analogy of the Good Shepherd who cares for His flock and the hireling, who only cares for his own needs.

"Most assuredly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers" (John 10:1-6). 

Of course those listening do not understand, as they are not only spiritually blind but spiritually deaf, so Jesus explains:

"Then Jesus said to them again, 'Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them. The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep. I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own. As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd. Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father'" (John 10:7-21).

Naturally the Pharisees and religious leaders were still confused, but there were some who began to question, and some who believed Jesus was sent from God. I know that Nicodemus, Joseph of Arimathea, and Jairus were among those who believed Jesus and secretly followed Him. I know there must have been more who tired of the self-imposed rules added to the laws Moses had received from God, making it impossible for the people to follow the religious leaders' expectations. Jesus came to set them free, and they recognized this fact.

Phillip Keller has authored several books about the life of a shepherd, beginning with A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23. He grew up in Kenya with missionary parents, and as a shepherd himself, he understood the loving attention needed in caring for sheep and the great blessing received in ministering to the flock's  needs. In Bible times a sheepfold was a cave, and the shepherd laid across the opening at night to protect the sheep from predators or from getting out, getting lost, and injuring themselves. Sheep are not known to be intelligent in overseeing their own welfare, so they are dependent on their shepherd. They are known to easily stray away while feeding, but they cannot trace their way back; they have a tendency to overeat, so when they lie down they cannot get up again; if they get into the water, they can easily drown, and they are extremely vulnerable to wolves and other predators. One thing in their favor is that they do indeed know and respond to their shepherd's voice. I have watched sheep from different flocks, that have been placed inside a fence together, follow the voice of their shepherd when each herd is called out by its shepherd. It is amazing how they are capable of understanding given their other foibles. This is why no one wants to be compared with sheep, or a church's congregation called "a flock." But Isaiah 53:6 likens us as sheep: "All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all." Here Isaiah is speaking of Jesus laying down His life for us who are likened to sheep who have strayed far from the Word. The comparison makes us very cognizant of our need for a Shepherd to lead us. So then, why do we resist His gracious offer?

Day 299 Abundant Provision

 

10/26/2026

 "God does all that He does, because

He is all that He is."

 Daily Walk

 

Tonight I've attended two special prayer meetings - the first for the threat against our election and our nation at large; the second, for Israel's elections and for Iran.

The Word of God states in James 5:16 that "The effective, fervent prayers of a righteous man avails much." This means that God hears persistent prayers from a person who is walking in His ways. Preceding these words in verse 16 it reads, "Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another that you may be healed." The Apostle James is speaking to the believers concerning the appropriate way to approach God for our needs, particularly healing in this instance, but throughout the Word Jesus taught about God honoring persistent prayers. He also made it clear that we must have a clean, pure heart. He speaks often about forgiveness also. 

Today we live in a very angry, confused world, and it seems that even the Christian believers fall into the same snare that was set for Eve in the beginning. The snare of "Did God really say that?" casting doubt into our often fickle minds. The enemy is very cunning, as the Bible says, but yet, we continue to listen to his clearly devised, but craftily disguised lies and deceptions. Have we become so weak in faith that we cannot trust God completely? 

We had a visitor stop by to show us how to save money on the electricity bill, as he said that many neighbors in this area were complaining about their electric bills increasing drastically in recent months. I was outside painting, so my son invited him inside to hear his suggestions. Later, after inspecting our home, I had to be called in to discuss his findings and answer other questions, as I am the home owner. So I listened, and although his solutions were received as valid, we explained that we did not have room in our budget at this time as our income is limited. Discussions followed, and the young man left without a contract. In fact he left very abruptly. 

Why did I share that information with you? So glad you asked. My home is older than I am, so roughly 80 years old perhaps. We still have the same oil furnace in the basement that we have serviced each year to keep it going. They call it "the monster," as it is clearly outdated but wonderfully meeting our needs. We do not have central air-conditioning, but my son has a small, dying unit in his bedroom, as he hates the heat and humidity. I have only ceiling fans, that my daddy installed in every room in the house, except the bathroom, and a small window fan, if I need it. The young fellow marveled that in 100 degree weather we did not curl up and die from the heat. He had the same reaction knowing that a 76 year old lady loves to cut grass, just shy of one acre, using a push mower. He was so shocked at the fact that we had a thermostat for the furnace but not for the air conditioning that we never had. The other shocker was that our water heater is 40 years old, and it is still functioning well. The water is SO hot that I barely turn it on, carefully cooling it, in the shower so I won't burn myself. So we use very little water. He kept asking me over and over again to repeat what I had told him, as he could not believe that we exist under such circumstances.

The best is yet to come. When discussing if we could even qualify for a program, I laughed, because my credit is excellent, and thanks to God, I do not have any debts. I have a modest savings, that I try not to touch, and to his thinking, our social security combined is very minimal in order to survive. I'm not working, and my son is unable to do so because of his health at the moment, so here we are. But this is not the first time my little social security has been questioned by someone. A friend told me once that he thought I should draw much more having worked all my life. I must say that the devil has his ways of attempting to steal our joy by making us feel "less than." My response to this young man was that we were happy. This is the first time I did not mention the LORD in my conversation, which I found very odd for me. The way he hurried out the door, without leaving literature or a business card, was disconcerting. But I went back outside, and I attempted to continue painting the new shed we just purchased to house my John Deere tractor that I plan to purchase next year. Still, his words made me think.

The reason I share, if you have not put it together yet, is this - God provides for our needs, just as the Bible says over and over. Also, when we give Him first place in our hearts, loving Him first, and loving others, being generous, He blesses us. He watches out for us. The only solution this man could offer to assist us was fresh insulation in our attic and basement which was fire and mold protection. Clearly, God has taken care of my parents' home for all these years, and as we continue to work around here to fix things up to show appreciation to God for giving us this home and the means to take care of it and each other, He will continue to meet our needs. 

I may not have much in the way of income or savings, and we may look impoverished in the world's eye, but we have far greater riches than anyone else. I pray that the young man considers all he heard and takes it into his heart, pondering how this is possible. He sat at an old, rickety table, on a torn seat covered with a chair pillow (the fabric had pigs and cattle on it) in a kitchen with a cracked chimney, half-painted cabinets without doors, walls in partial stages of work, and a floor badly in need of replacement. I imagine he felt as if he was sitting in a house in the slums from the look on his face. But I assured him that I was happy, to which my son agreed. After all we do have a brand new refrigerator and stove! God is so good, and I don't thank Him nearly as often as I should for my dumpy house needing so much repair, but a rare jewel in our eyes! One of my relatives said it was unlivable, but that's her opinion. It may not look pretty, as it once did when my parents were alive, but it will be again in God's good time. But even if I leave this earth before that time, my time is spent on more important things. God's work comes first. The times I spend in prayer are the sweetest parts of my day. It is of eternal value while the other is temporal. God also calls us to give to others, share from the abundance He has provided for us, and we do regularly. I grew up with this example, as my parents were not wealthy in the world's eyes, but rich beyond all reckoning in their service to our LORD. They did not sow sparingly, and neither will I. 

Rest assured we will continue to finish the tasks partially completed, but the tasks of eternal value must come first.