Beloved,

Having explored and experienced our focus of the month for September – “The LORD is my Shepherd” (Psalm 23:1), it is important that we continue to walk in the reality of this truth as we journey through the remaining days of 2025.

God is our Protector, Preserver, and Defender. No matter what is happening around us, our lives are hidden with Christ in God.

As sheep under His care, we must hear and obey the voice of the Shepherd, refusing to wander away from His covering and divine purpose. Let Him lead as the Good Shepherd, while we follow faithfully as His sheep.

The Lord has also sent us forth as sheep among wolves (Matthew 10:16). For this reason, we must be wise as serpents and harmless as doves. These are not contradictions, but complements:

Wisdom without innocence becomes craftiness.

Innocence without wisdom becomes foolishness.

To survive and thrive in the midst of wolves, we must embody both wisdom and innocence.

As we trust God to carry us beyond 2025 if Christ tarries in His second coming and our earthly journey continues, we must remain discerning, able to recognise the enemy’s wiles, traps, and deceptions, and walk steadfastly in the truth.

May the Lord keep us from falling, preserve us in His will, and uphold us by His grace in Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Adeolu Bakare