John 10

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Rise and Shine

October 6, 2026September 30, 2026 krisshetter

First published December 29, 2023 as part of the Soli Deo Gloria series.

“Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you. See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the Lord rises upon you and his glory appears over you.” Isaiah 60:1-2

Rise and shine and give God the glory! Those are the words I heard when I first woke this morning. You see I had told my husband last night, just before we went to sleep, that I had no idea what I was going to write about today. Zip, zilch, nada. But I wasn’t worried. I didn’t lay awake all night concerned about the words that had yet to come. Why? Because more than a month ago, I committed this project to the Lord and determined not to run ahead of Him. I surrendered my worries to Him. So, last night I fell into a blissful sleep with the knowledge that our glorious Lord always comes through for us.

You read that correctly. He always comes through on His promises. He is always present to comfort us, to teach us, to protect and heal. The way He accomplishes this may not (and it usually doesn’t) look like how we imagined but, when we have faith in His love for us and we seek Him in every circumstance we will see Him at work.

Yesterday at lunch my friend and I shared the topics of what can keep us up at night: family strife, fears of illness, the state of the world, and even our pets. As the Lord has worked on the part of me that often brings the most struggle, my mind, He has taught me to surrender every thought to Him in prayer and trust. To release my prideful ideas of control and be still of mind.

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” John 10:10

That thief? He is the one keeping you up at night. He whispers that you are responsible for fixing everyone else. He reminds you that death may be just around the corner. He reveals to you all your weaknesses and screw ups. He places the doubt of God’s sovereignty and love in your mind. He’s convincing you to expect bad things to happen. He’s the one telling you to clean up your act before you can come bow down before our Mighty and Glorious King. Ugh! I hate that guy! The king of lies

“Rejoice not over me, O my enemy; when I fall, I shall rise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord will be a light to me.” Micah 7:8

Oh, yes we will rise! We will rise because when we pray, the glory of the Lord shines a light on the lies. Before we go to bed each night we turn every single thought over to Him and we don’t take it back. We put it in God’s holy lockbox. We pray for the hope of tomorrow. That the Lord will do a mighty work in our circumstances. Because Jesus came to slay that serpent and indwell in us the fruit of the spirit.

I heard in a podcast this morning that Israel’s enemies would try to defeat them by putting rocks in their fruitful wells. King David was said to have opened all the wells up in victory. That’s what we need to pray today. For the Lord not to fill us — as believers we already have the gift of the Spirit in us — but to remove all those rocks we have placed in our well. It may be bitterness, jealousy, fear, mistrust, anger or any number of negative thoughts and actions. We pray not to be filled but to break down those rocks and fully utilize the glorious gifts we’ve been given such as love, joy and especially peace.

Oh, that blissful peace. It’s what we yearn for each night we lay our heads to rest. My friends, it’s time to unblock our wells and give God the glory for all He has done and will do for you. The hope of today and tomorrow that He will be present in your life every single moment.

And when you rise, give God all glory and honor and power. Amen.

Bighorn sheep standing on rocky terrain with mountains and a colorful sunset in the background

The Lord Provides

June 10, 2026April 17, 2026 krisshetter

“Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son. So Abraham called that place The Lord Will Provide.” Genesis 22:1-19

“And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:19

The story in the Old Testament of God asking Abraham to sacrifice his God-given son is the cause of so much anxiety about God. These scriptures have led to many deep discussions into the night by my friends, all mothers. The horror of being asked by God to not only release a child to death but to also be the one responsible for that death seems unimaginable and cruel.

It’s important to notice that Abraham didn’t go gleefully to the hill where the sacrifice was to take place. In fact, you get the impression he was taking his time, slowly preparing the funeral pyre. What he did go with was the ultimate trust that God would provide. God had already provided for Abraham in many ways, not the least of which was resurrecting Sarah’s womb so they could have the very child he led up the mountain.

Commentators say, and I agree, that Abraham not only trusted that God would provide a substitute sacrifice but also that if one were not given, God would be able to resurrect Isaac. Somehow, he had already developed the deep insight into Jehovah jireh, the God Who Provides.

Complete Trust in the Provider

“Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storehouse or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds!” Luke 12:24

When the bill arrives or the diagnosis comes, do we trust God’s provision as fully as Abraham did? Do we believe Jesus when He tells us how much more valuable than birds are we! Or do we scoff at His words when He commands us:

“Do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on.” Luke 12:22

I think we get a bit confused by His promises for provision. While yes, God provided water from a rock. Or miracles of a place to stay, a check to cover rent right when needed, or even a baby when we have been deemed unable. Those are amazing experiences of His provision!

Day to day however, we should be so thankful for the more mundane. The physical ability to go to a job. The job itself. The education that got you that job. The paycheck from which you can buy food and pay the mortgage. The strength to wrangle your kids when you just don’t feel well. That solution suddenly revealed to a nagging problem.

The idea of seeing our lives as being provided for by God was foreign to my dad. He told me once, “I’ve done everything on my own, by myself.” One day I finally pointed him to the many miracles when God intervened during his 80 years. As I listed them all, my dad became quiet. He had never reviewed his life through the lens of God’s provision. He had never stopped to contemplate that someone “out there” was watching over his needs.

When we see the thousands of ways Jehovah jireh works in our daily lives we become people of thankfulness. I believe we also become people who, in the name of our LORD, become providers for others.

Our Good Shepherd

“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.” Psalm 23:1

Friends, sheep don’t worry about what they are going to eat or where they are going to sleep. They don’t even seem to worry about any dangers on the perimeter of their wooly lives. They trust completely in their Shepherd. That is the picture Jesus paints for us throughout the Gospels.

^“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.” John 10:27-28

We are such independent people and being likened to sheep really rankles us. That’s because our sinful nature begs and brags about doing everything ourselves. This striving without ceasing brings us separation from the God who loves you so dearly that He wants you to come to Him for all your needs.

Whatever worry is on your heart and mind today, bring it to God. Bring it to the Father who is the giver of all good gifts. I hope you will also ask Him how you can be a blessing in return.

“Then Jesus declared, ‘I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.’” John 6:35

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Sleeping lamb cuddled gently in human hands

The Shepherd’s Pursuing Love

May 20, 2026May 20, 2026 krisshetter

“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters.
He restores my soul.” Psalm 23:1-2

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” John 10:11

In the last week of my BSG’s study on the Book of Ruth, Pastor Alistair Begg asked, “When have you, like Ruth, wondered, ‘Why?’ about God’s providence and generosity?” It was interesting that most of our group answered with the negative in mind—“Why did this terrible thing happen?” But Pastor Begg was actually pointing to Ruth’s honest confusion in response to unexpected kindness. In Ruth 2,

“I (Boaz the farmer) have told the men not to lay a hand on you. And whenever you are thirsty, go and get a drink from the water jars the men have filled.”

At this, she (Ruth) bowed down with her face to the ground. She asked him, “Why have I found such favor in your eyes that you notice me—a foreigner?”

She wasn’t questioning punishment; she was marveling at kindness in light of her position.

Chosen With Love

My own “why” answer to the study question was along the same lines—a question I often thank God for in my life: “Why did You choose me when I didn’t even know You? Why have You blessed me so richly and changed me for the better?”

In past posts, we’ve talked about the importance of remembering. For me, it has been essential to my sanctification. When I look back on my life “before Christ,” I remember the ways I sought comfort apart from God, especially in sexual immorality. To that I added anger, unforgiveness, pride, and selfishness. And I still at times, now that I am “in Christ,” ask: why?

“In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” 1 John 4:10-11

And this is His answer: He loved me while I was still a sinner (Romans 5:8). Just as He loved you, dear friend—not after you cleaned up your act, but before. Before you were even born. It’s hard to grasp that kind of love, isn’t it? Maybe that’s why so much of the world rejects it. It can’t possibly be true—and yet it is.

Our Loving Shepherd

As I considered today’s post, I thought about simply including all of Psalm 23—the familiar “The Lord is my Shepherd” psalm. I’ve always found it interesting that it’s so often associated with death, when it speaks so richly about life and love; the good life held in the arms of our loving Shepherd.

“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
    all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
    forever.^"Psalm 23:6

What a comfort to know this love. A God who loved us before we were born and who follows us all the days of our lives! A Shepherd who protects and provides for His sheep—and His sheep know His voice. This God is Jehovah-Raah: the Lord is my Shepherd.

No matter how long we’ve walked with Christ, we can look back and see moments we’re grateful He loved us—even then. Some are blessed to have known that love early; others, like me, recognized it later. Either way, His timing is perfect. As I’ve slowly grasped what His love means, chains have broken, wounds have healed, and my love for Him has grown year by year.

In a post from a while back, we talked about God the Creator. On the sixth day, He crowned His creation by making humanity in His image and declared it not only good, but very good. And with that began a love story—a love that never leaves us or forsakes us. When we turn our backs, He still calls, “Come back to Me, your Shepherd.”

“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.” John 10:26-33

How beautiful is this picture of God’s love for us—to be held secure for all eternity. Today, let us rest in the love of God: the One who defines love, who is Love; the God who loved you then, loves you now, and will love you forevermore.

Dear Heavenly Father,

I come before You with a humble heart, recognizing that Your love is the foundation of all existence. Your love is beyond measure, beyond comprehension, and it surpasses all human understanding. I am in awe of Your boundless love that extends to every corner of creation.

Lord, I pray that Your love may envelop me completely. Fill every fiber of my being with Your unconditional and transformative love. Let it penetrate every thought, every word, and every action. Help me to experience the depth of Your love in every aspect of my life.

I surrender myself to Your love, knowing that it is the greatest force in the universe. Thank You, dear Lord, for the immeasurable gift of Your love. May it be my constant source of strength, joy, and peace. I offer this prayer in the name of Jesus, who embodied Your love fully. Amen.

Author Unknown, Bibleversesnow.com

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Rise & Shine

December 29, 2023 krisshetter

“Arise, shine, for your light has come,
    and the glory of the Lord rises upon you.
See, darkness covers the earth
    and thick darkness is over the peoples,
but the Lord rises upon you
    and his glory appears over you." Isaiah 60:1-2

Rise and shine and give God the glory! Those are the words I heard when I first woke this morning. You see I had told my husband last night, just before we went to sleep, that I had no idea what I was going to write about today. Zip, zilch, nada. But I wasn’t worried. I didn’t lay awake all night concerned about the words that had yet to come. Why? Because over a month ago I made the commitment to the Lord that I wouldn’t run ahead of Him in this project. I turned any worries I might have over to Him. So, last night I fell into a blissful sleep with the knowledge that our glorious Lord always comes through for us.

You read that correctly. He always comes through on His promises. He is always present to comfort us, to teach us, to protect and heal. The way He accomplishes this may not (and it usually doesn’t) look like how we imagined but, when we have faith in His love for us and we seek Him in every circumstance we will see Him at work.

Yesterday at lunch my friend and I shared the topics of what can keep us up at night: family strife, fears of illness, the state of the world, and even our pets. As the Lord has worked on the part of my body that brings me so much grief — my mind — He has shown me how to turn each thought over to Him in trust and prayer. To release my prideful ideas of control and be still of mind.

"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." John 10:10

That thief? He is the one keeping you up at night. He is the one that whispers that you must be the one to fix other people. He reminds you that death may be just around the corner. He reveals to you all your weaknesses and screw ups. He places the doubt of God’s sovereignty and love in your mind. He’s convincing you to expect bad things to happen. He’s the one telling you to clean up your act before you can come bow down before our Mighty and Glorious King. Ugh! I hate that guy! The king of lies.

"Rejoice not over me, O my enemy;
    when I fall, I shall rise;
when I sit in darkness,
    the Lord will be a light to me." Micah 7:8

Oh, yes we will rise! We will rise because when we pray, the glory of the Lord shines a light on the lies. Before we go to bed each night we turn every single thought over to Him and we don’t take it back. We put it in God’s holy lockbox. We pray for the hope of tomorrow. That the Lord will do a mighty work in our circumstances. Because Jesus came to slay that serpent and indwell in us the fruit of the spirit.

I heard in a podcast this morning that Israel’s enemies would try to defeat them by putting rocks in their fruitful wells. King David was said to have opened all the wells up in victory. That’s what we need to pray today. For the Lord not to fill us — as believers we already have the gift of the Spirit in us — but to remove all those rocks we have placed in our well. It may be bitterness, jealousy, fear, mistrust, anger or any number of negative thoughts and actions. We pray not to be filled but to break down those rocks and fully utilize the glorious gifts we’ve been given such as love, joy and especially peace.

Oh, that blissful peace. It’s what we yearn for each night we lay our heads to rest. My friends, it’s time to unblock our wells and give God the glory for all He has done and will do for you. The hope of today and tomorrow that He will be present in your life every single moment.

And when you rise, give God all glory and honor and power. Amen.

30daysofpraise, christian encouragement, Uncategorized

The Strong, Silent Type

August 16, 2020August 14, 2020 krisshetter

When I think of shepherds, the farmer in the movie “Babe” comes to mind. He had complete control over his flock with simple grunts, murmurs, or hand motions. The farm animals look at him like a god. But then there was Babe, the pig. He wanted more. As a pig he was supposed to simply eat and get fat. His future was the dinner table. But he wanted to be a shepherd. Why? Because shepherds protect. They lead. They have a love for their flock. At first, Farmer Hoggett resisted. And Babe persisted. What followed was a beautiful story of the Shepherd teaching and guiding another to become a shepherd as well. I love the little song Farmer Hoggett sings to Babe:

Can’t you just imagine Jesus quietly singing these words as he walked with the disciples along the Sea of Galilee? Or around the campfire in the Garden of Gethsemane before the soldiers came? Yes, Jesus was quite a force when it came to speaking to Pharisees and Sadducees but throughout His ministry, I sense a quiet force. With just a nod, a whisper, a few well-placed words He touched thousands.

God spoke to Jeremiah about the coming of Jesus and His trained shepherds: “Then I will give you shepherds after my own heart, who will lead you with knowledge and understanding. Jer 3:15. He also warned of shepherds that would come against the people of God. Shepherds who “set traps to catch people.” Ones whose evil deeds have no limit. Shepherds who do not have the spiritual health of their flock in mind.

Jesus, the Good Shepherd, stands as the touchstone for our spiritual shepherds. As his sheep, we listen only to His voice, his murmurs. When he gestures for us to come and follow we turn from the distractions and place our eyes only on him.

“I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.
John 10:14-16

Jesus leads us out of danger. He leads us to pastures that will sustain us. He brings us safely home to our Father. He loves us with His own life. He is the gatekeeper for our eternal salvation. Thank you, great Shepherd.

Do you have a favorite movie that has hidden meanings about God and His Kingdom? Share it in the comments below along with your praise for our Good Shepherd!