A Good Shepherd

 N.T.#742 "A Good Shepherd"

Feb. 24, 2026 

John 10-Part 4

I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. (verse 11) 

LET IT GLOW

Did you notice that Jesus is not merely a shepherd, but a Good Shepherd? What does a good shepherd do?

• He lays down his life for the sheep. (verse 11)
• He has the power and right to do so. (verse 18)
• He knows his sheep and they know Him. (verse 14)
• His fold will be both Jews and Gentiles. (Acts 10:28)

Besides being the only door into the sheepfold, Christ is also the Good Shepherd. He is good because He giveth His life for (in behalf of) the sheep. Laying down His life for the sheep was a voluntary act of sacrifice. (Falwell)

Friend, who is your Good Shepherd?

LET IT GROW 

The hireling (hired people) is not the same as shepherd because they flee when the wolf comes to steal and devour the sheep. They don't give a hoot for the sheep. No way would they put their life in danger. Nope, they are out of here. 

There is similarity with the hireling and a pastor just in it for the money. When troubles arise, they leave. No love for the people.

LET IT GO

Teach us to love the sheep.

Help us forgive, overcome criticism, conflict. and love.

Abundant Life

N.T.#741 "Abundant Life"

Feb. 23, 2026

John 10-Part 3 

LET IT GLOW 

Who is the Door? Jesus said twice that He is the Door. (verses 7 and 9) What does that mean? Jesus is the only way into God's kingdom, heaven. It is His salvation that gives us abundant, rich, and full life. Life in Christ is lived on a higher plane because of His overflowing forgiveness, love, and guidance. 

Abundant life includes peace, purpose, destiny, a genuine purpose for living, the joy of facing any adversity-including the grave-without fear, and the ability to endure hardship with confident assurance. The abundance Jesus offers is a spiritual abundance that transcends circumstances like income, health, living conditions, and even death. (Swindoll)

Do you have this life which Christ offers to all who will have faith in Him and walk through the Door

LET IT GROW 

The thief comes only to steal, and kill, and destroy. (verse 10a, NAS)

Satan and his followers have no concern for the well-being of the sheep. They enter the sheep pen for their own gain. The enemy attempts to block the blessings, purpose, and spiritual fulfillment God has for your life. (Tony Evans)

Following the Good Shepherd leads to blessing, joy, and growing experience of eternal and abundant life. Which do you want?

LET IT GO 

Close the door on the devil, his ways of evil, the fleshly desires, and turn to Jesus.

His love never fails, never gives up, never runs out. 

Scoop the Poop

N.T.#740 "Scoop the Poop"

Feb. 20, 2026 

John 10-Part 2 

I am the door: by Me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. (verse 9)

LET IT GLOW 

Where are you looking to find satisfaction? 

Jesus Christ is the door. Enter Him, and you can be saved and have eternal life. This believer will find pasture (abundant life) or constant nourishment necessary to maintain life.

I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. (verse 10)

 Christ gives life abundantly [something thrown off (by the spade)], as a clod. 

Sometimes the cows would get out of the field and into our yard back at the farm. Where there are cows, there are cow piles (poop for city folks). I would get the shovel and scoop it up, then throw it over the fence. If we throw off those sinful habits or ways not pleasing Jesus, then we can have life abundantly. Just scoop the poop.

Anything needing thrown off in your life? Scoop it up and get rid of it, confessing the sin, and leave it alone.

LET IT GROW

Are you finding love, joy, peace in worldly things or in Jesus? It isn't the world's broad way that leads to those things, but the narrow way to Jesus. The world tries to convince us that it provides fulfillment in marriage, raising children, advancing a career, or pursuing pleasure. Sin leads to death. (Roman. 6:23) Living God's way gives us abundant and joyful life.

LET IT GO 

Settle for nothing less than God's best for your life. (Blackaby)

Help us throw off those sins that so easily beset us, Lord Jesus.

Baaa

 N.T.#739 "Baaa"

Feb. 19, 2026

John 10 

I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. (verse 9)

LET IT GLOW 

When our granddaughter was in 4H, she trained and showed her sheep at the county fair and another contest. The more she worked with the sheep, the more they trusted her, walked with her, knew her voice, obeyed her. By the time the contest came, she didn't need a halter to lead them. She had been the one to feed them, clean their stall, walk them, sheer them (with parents help). Last year, she won second place, which should have been grand champion, but the owners hired a guy to train the sheep and the boy could not even control his sheep. Our girl did a great job controlling hers. (That's politics-who you are. Sorry, this grandma had to vent.)

At night, sheep were gathered into a sheep pen to protect them from thieves, weather, or wild animals. Sheep pens were often caves, sheds, or open areas surrounded by walls made of stones or branches. The shepherd often slept at the doorway to protect the sheep. 

How do the sheep respond to their own shepherd?

• They hear their shepherd's voice and follow him. (verses 3-4)
• He calls the sheep by name and leads them out of the pen. (verse 3)
• The shepherd leads his sheep and they follow him because they know his voice. (verse 4)
• The sheep will not follow a stranger, but flee from him because they don't know his voice. (verse 5)

The more the sheep were with the shepherd, the more they trusted him and loved him. 

LET IT GROW 

You know where this analogy is going, don't you?

Who does Jesus say He is?

• Jesus is the door to God's salvation for us. He is the only way to God. 
• No man can shut the door that Jesus opens. (Rev. 3:8)
• Jesus will guide His sheep/followers to experience Him and no one can stop Him-we just need to obey and follow our Good Shepherd.
• The saved will go in and out and find pasture. Peace is ours through Jesus.

He offers access to safety and security. He is our protector. Jesus is the only way to access God and to heaven. (John 14:6) Entrance into the fold is by Him and Him alone. 

LET IT GO

Listen to the voice of Jesus and Holy Spirit.

Deny ourself and follow Him.

Love Jesus with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength.

Are Your Prayers Being Answered?

 N.T.# 738 "Are Your Prayers Being Answered?"

Feb. 18, 2026 

John 9-Part 4 

LET IT GLOW 

Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth His will, him He heareth. (verse 31)

What can we learn from this verse?

1. God doesn't hear sinners and unbelievers including not answering their prayers. Repentance for salvation is the only prayer God hears from sinners.
2. God hears the prayers of the worshiper of God who does His will. This is the believer in Jesus Christ as their Savior and The Son of God. They glorify their Creator and adore His name.
3. The worshiper of God obeys the Father's will and strives to keep His Laws.
4. God hears the believer's prayers and answers them; hears his praises and accepts them; hears his appeals and complaints. 

[Resource: Matthew Henry's Commentary]

In Psalm 34, New American Standard Bible, we read about:

• the eyes of the LORD are toward the righteous,
• His ears are open to their cry,
• the righteous cry and the LORD hears and delivers them out of all their troubles.
• the LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit,
• the LORD redeems the soul of His servants,
• and none of those who take refuge in Him will be condemned. 

Friend, are you broken hearted and crushed in spirit? Come to Jesus. He loves you very much. Take refuge in Him. Pray like never before.

LET IT GROW

The healed blind man had never seen Jesus nor met Him since he went to wash in the pool, he did not recognize Jesus at first as the One who healed Him. (John MacArthur) The once-was blind man had more insight as to whom Jesus is-not a sinner, but from God than the Pharisees did.

The religious leaders knew the Scriptures better than anyone, and they had been trained in Hebrew history and theology. It was their sin of unbelief and rejection of Jesus as Messiah and Son of God that kept them in spiritual darkness. They cast out the healed man from the synagogue because he believed in Jesus. (verse 34) They just wouldn't let u on the new believer. 

We can't leave the guy wandering around outside the Temple. 

What happened next?

• Jesus found him. (verse 35) God knows where His children are.
• There is a conversation between the newly seeing man and Jesus. (He had yet to see and know who his Healer was.) Jesus asked him if he believed in the Son of Man. 
• This guy asked who He is that I may believe in Him.
• Jesus reveals Himself as the Healer and the Son of Man.
• Lord, I believe. And he worshiped Him. (Reference to Jesus) (verse 38)

Jesus came to help the spiritually blind to see, to believe, and to worship the One True God. Are we bringing the spiritually blin, those who walk in the darkness of sin, to Jesus? Is our life lining up with what we say we believe? Or is it a stumbling block to unbelievers?

LET IT GO

Precious Lord Jesus, be near the brokenhearted, the crushed in spirit, the discouraged believer.

We worship You as God, Savior, Redeemer, our very life You sustain.

May we let go of the burdens we carry and let You take care of them.

Heal us, Lord Jesus.

When Doubt Needs to Leave

 N.T.# 737 "When Doubt Needs to Leave"

Feb. 17, 2026 

John 9-Part 3 

LET IT GLOW 

Has doubt attacked you lately? Do you struggle in believing Jesus is control? Is evil trying to knock you down and remove your faith? Hold on to the Faithful One, Jesus. Keep praying and reading God's Word. Send doubt walking, for it is of the devil.

Four times John quoted Jesus saying He is the Light of the world. After the Pharisees discussed the healing with the former blind man,

There were various opinions about Jesus:

• The Pharisees concluded Jesus was not of God because He does not keep the Sabbath rules as a Jew should. (verse 16) 
• Others argued that it was impossible for a sinner to perform miracles. Since Christ did perform a miracle, maybe He was not a sinner. 
• The former blind man considered Jesus a prophet. (verse 17)
• The guy's parents feared the Jews would put them out of the synagogue if they confessed Jesus was Christ. So they passed the buck on to their son who could now see. (verse 22)

It is an individual thing for one to believe Jesus is God's Son, the Savior and Messiah. Have you?

LET IT GROW 

The Pharisees wanted the healed man to give God the praise, for they knew Jesus was a sinner. They kept on trying to persuade the seeing man, over and over again, but he would not submit. He knew the Truth-Jesus.  

One thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see. (verse 25)

Friend, can you say that once you were spiritually blind, but now you see? 

We may not have much knowledge of the Bible, but we know beyond the shadow of a doubt when we are saved. When we know Truth, Jesus, our life is changed. We must not doubt or give in to the doubters. 

LET IT GO

We know Your Word is Truth, for You are Truth, King Jesus.

Help us not back down when confronted with doubt.

Glory to God in the Highest. 

Jesus Did It!

N.T. #736 "Jesus Did It!"

Feb. 16, 2026 

John 9-Part 2

I must work the works of Him that sent Me, while it is day: the night cmeth, when no man can work. (verse 4) 

LET IT GLOW

As we get older, we tend to realize how short of time we have left on earth. Are we witnessing for Jesus? Now is the time to study, pray, give our testimony, investing our finances in kingdom work? We better be busy about our Father's work now while we can. We may not have tomorrow. Who do we need to show love to today?

It was Jesus' purpose to compete the Word of God through specific deeds in complete obedience. He calls us to do the same. The time of grace is limited before the world suffers the ultimate judgment of God. Jesus' time on earth was limited and came to an end. (Swindoll)

His next time coming, He will reign as King.

LET IT GROW 

Suddenly, one day, this same man bounds into the temple without his stick and beggar's basket, marveling at the splendor of God's house. Where is the joy and excitement of this man's miraculous healing? Instead, the Pharisees drag him to an inquisition. (Swindoll)

Jesus did it! This miraculous healing threw the Pharisees' theology into doubt about God, sin, and justice. They fired questions about his experience. The blind beggar was no more. Maybe the man considered Jesus to be a prophet sent from God. They had not had one for 400 years.

Then the Pharisees called in the parents of the healed man. They didn't know anything about the situation, only their son could now see. Ask him. His parents knew that any one confessing Jesus was the Christ (Anointed One), they would be put out of the synagogue. (verse 22)

So they called the healed man back into the synagogue and attributed the miracle to God alone, not to Jesus Christ. If they were to give Jesus credit, they would have to admit who Jesus is and that they were sinners. They called Jesus a sinner. 

Whether He be a sinner or no, I know not: one thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see. (verse 25)

What a statement. Once we were blind to the things of God, but He showed mercy to us and saved us sinners. He redeemed us from the pit of hell and sin. Delivered us and set our feet upon the Rock-Jesus.

Hallelujah!

LET IT GO

 Help us keep our focus and eyes on You, Sweet Jesus.

Open the spiritual eyes of sinners so they see their sins and come to You for forgiveness and spiritual sight.