From the Home Place

July 8, 2026

Greetings! It was 56 degrees at 2:30 a.m. when the Lord poked me in the ribs for a visit. At 5:30 its 53, headed for 81. There is a 62% shot at some rain this afternoon, hopefully without any rocks in it.

The early morning visit was about John 10:10 where Jesus states, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.”

I hope that you as a Christ-follower have noticed the constant influence in today’s movies, portraying the “dark side” of this world? So many popular movies portray Satan and his fellow demons as subjects of great movies that everyone should watch, and unfortunately, most all of these kinds of movies make billions of dollars and gain great popularity. Why?

Simple answer, “Because we live in a world that is under the influence of Satan.” Although God the Father is in control of the universe, including what takes place on this earth, He also allows humanity to choose their lot. God does not force Himself upon anyone. Thus, as fallen humans, we prefer to exist within the dark rather than live in the light

Just look at the lifestyles that are portrayed on television and in movies: homosexuality is constantly portrayed as normal, while Satan’s main attributes are celebrated – “steal and kill and destroy.” The word “steal” doesn’t just mean to take that which is not mine, it carries the idea of doing so with force. There is a measure of brutality even in Satan’s method of stealing. This idea continues in the next two words, “kill and destroy.”

To “kill” within this context is to murder. There is nothing humane about the way Satan and his crew steal life from someone. Take a moment and read the verses following John 10:10. As you study verses 11-21, note the conversation is about a wolf killing sheep. The “sheep” are here a reference to humanity, not just Christians. The “wolf” is Satan.

When a wolf kills a sheep there is nothing humane about it. The process is laced with terror and pain. Wolves most often kill for the sport of killing, not just for food. Verse 12 reveals that Jesus possessed a keen understanding of how wolves operate. Note, Jesus doesn’t use pronouns to describe a wolf killing a single sheep because the wolf is hungry. No, the wolf “snatches them” and “scatters them.” The word “them” reveals that as a wolf attacks a group of sheep, his aim is to disrupt the life of each sheep within said group. Suggesting that the “sheep” are like a human family.

The shepherd’s responsibility is to keep the sheep in a group, well protected. Verses 12 & 13 reveal that the shepherd mentioned here is a “hired hand.” He doesn’t own the sheep, and as such, has no vested interest in the wellbeing of the sheep; for this shepherd it’s just a job. Why does the shepherd “flee” when the wolf shows up? Because the shepherd knows that the wolf is a killing machine and as such, is likely to kill the shepherd as well as kill the sheep.

However, Jesus is a “good shepherd.” He is willing to “lay down” His life to protect the sheep because He does care about the sheep. His desire to protect the sheep, is exactly why Jesus went to the cross where He laid down His life for the sheep.

I encourage you, spend some time chewing of John 10:10-21; and then stay away from programs, books, movies and other avenues of influence that glamorize the workings of Satan. After 40+ years of counseling, I can tell you for sure that the power of influence is tremendous. Just look at the world around you – most are captivated with the brutality of the dark side. Stay away from all influences of evil, even those considered to be “innocent.”

It’s really simple, if you desire to be a follower of the “good Shepherd,” then stay away from the “wolf”! If you want to enjoy “life abundantly,” then you must stay very close to the Shepherd! “Be careful little eyes what you see, be careful little ears what you hear.”

Living under the protection of the good Shepherd with you, Neal