August 19
“WHO GOD IS TO ME”
MY SHEPHERD
Psalm 23:1 (LLV) —
“The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.”
Perhaps
no picture
of God
is more familiar
than this one.
A shepherd.
And perhaps
because it is
so familiar,
we can read
the words
without stopping
to consider
what David
was actually saying.
“The LORD
is my shepherd.”
David knew
what being
a shepherd
required.
A shepherd
did not simply
point the sheep
toward a pasture
and walk away.
He stayed
with them.
He knew
where water
could be found.
He searched
for safe pasture.
He watched
for danger.
He tended
the injured.
He searched
for the wandering.
And when darkness
came,
the shepherd
was still there.
So when David
called the LORD
his Shepherd,
he was saying
something deeply
personal.
God
knows me.
God
leads me.
God
watches over me.
God
provides
what I need.
And God
stays
with me.
Then David adds:
“I shall
not want.”
That does not mean
we will receive
everything
we desire.
The sheep
does not choose
the pasture.
The shepherd
does.
The sheep
does not know
where tomorrow's water
will come from.
The shepherd
does.
“I shall not want”
is therefore
not a promise
that life
will contain
everything
we wish for.
It is
a declaration
of trust.
My Shepherd
knows
what I need.
There will be
green pastures.
There will also be
dark valleys.
There will be
still waters.
There may also be
enemies.
David will tell us
all of that
before the psalm
is finished.
But through
every changing scene,
one thing
does not change.
The Shepherd.
Perhaps
that is why
David begins
there.
Before the pasture.
Before the water.
Before the valley.
Before the table.
Before the overflowing cup.
The LORD
is my shepherd.
Everything else
in Psalm 23
rests upon
that truth.
A new beginning does not need to know everything about the road ahead:
I only need to know that my Shepherd knows the way.
Reflection: Am I trusting my Shepherd to know what I truly need, even when His path or His provision looks different from what I expected?
Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for being my Shepherd. Thank You for knowing me personally, providing for me faithfully, watching over me carefully, and never abandoning me along the way. When I cannot see what lies ahead, help me trust that You can. Teach me to follow Your leading and rest in the assurance that my Shepherd knows exactly what I need. In Jesus' name, Amen.

When Ministry Becomes Celebrity

I believe we need to be careful when Christian ministry begins to look more like celebrity culture than the ministry we see in the New Testament.

A preacher is a servant, not a celebrity. The sheep are people to shepherd, not customers. The Gospel is good news to be proclaimed, not a product to be sold.

Jesus welcomed the poor, the sick, the rejected, and the ordinary. He did not create VIP access to Himself.

Paul said:

«“What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed.”
— 1 Corinthians 3:5»

And:

«“We are not... peddlers of God’s word.”
— 2 Corinthians 2:17»

This does not mean ministers cannot receive financial support. Scripture teaches that those who preach the Gospel may be supported (1 Corinthians 9:14).

The concern is when money becomes the doorway to greater access, status, or privilege around a spiritual leader.

When ministry becomes about branding over truth, profit over people, merchandise over mission, and celebrity over Christ, we should stop and examine ourselves.

The call is simple:

Back to Christ.
Back to Scripture.
Back to servant leadership.
Back to the simplicity of the Gospel.

There is only one true center of the church:

Jesus Christ.

Everyone else is a servant.

“The one who boasts, boast in the Lord.” — 1 Corinthians 1:31

The Lord is my Shepherd, I shalll not want.
Psalm 23:1

A WORD TO PASTORS AND MINISTERS

Beloved Pastors and Ministers,

I want to plead with us as men and women of God: let us be careful about the way we approach other pastors, churches, and ministries for connection or support.

If you desire to connect with someone, simply reach out and connect. Introduce yourself, share about your ministry, build a genuine relationship, and allow God to establish the connection.

We should not reduce ourselves, our ministries, or the work God has entrusted to us to repeated begging and emotional appeals for financial assistance.

There is nothing wrong with sharing a need. There is nothing wrong with asking for support when there is a genuine project or a legitimate ministry need. However, there is a difference between presenting a need with dignity and continually begging people for assistance.

The Church is bigger than money. Ministry relationships should not begin and end with financial requests.

Let us learn to build genuine friendships, fellowship, mentorship, partnership, prayer relationships, and ministry connections. When God connects people, He can create opportunities that money alone cannot create.

If you need help, you can communicate your need respectfully. If someone is willing to support, appreciate them. If they are not able to support, do not become offended or continue pressuring them.

Let us protect the dignity of the ministry.

Pastors should be able to connect with other pastors simply because they want fellowship, encouragement, spiritual growth, and kingdom partnership—not only because they need money.

Let us trust God as our ultimate provider.

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

May God give us wisdom, humility, integrity, and the right spirit as we build relationships within the Body of Christ.

Connect because you value the person.
Build because you value the relationship.
Partner because you value the Kingdom.
And trust God to provide for the needs of His work.

May the Lord bless and strengthen every pastor and ministry leader. In Jesus Christ’s name. Amen.

From your brother and fellow servant in Christ,
Pastor Deba Eric

Sermon Title: "FEED MY SHEEP, NOT YOUR AGENDA"
Key Texts: Ezekiel 34:1-10, John 21:15-17, 1 Peter 5:2-4, Hebrews 12:14, 2 Timothy 4:3-4

INTRODUCTION
The Lord is asking the same question today He asked Peter: “Do you love me? Feed my sheep.” John 21:17
But in this last age, many shepherds have left the sheep to chase the world.
And many sheep have left holiness to chase prosperity.
Both are losing the eternal gift.

1. WARNING TO SHEPHERDS: YOU LEFT THE HEART OF THE LORD
Ezekiel 34:2-4 — “Woe to the shepherds of Israel who feed themselves! Should not shepherds feed the sheep? The weak you have not strengthened, the sick you have not healed... and you have not sought the lost.”

God’s heart for His people is:
Feed them the Word, not opinions
Heal the broken, not use them
Seek the lost, not ignore them

But some shepherds today have “given into the world and its things.”
Jeremiah 23:1 — “Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture!” declares the Lord.

Why? Because it’s not sanctified. Ministry without holiness becomes business.
John 10:13 — The hireling sees the wolf and flees because he cares nothing for the sheep.

God’s warning: Ezekiel 34:10 — “I am against the shepherds, and I will require my sheep at their hand.”

2. WARNING TO THE CHURCH: YOU LEFT HOLINESS FOR PROSPERITY
The message says: “saved church not clinging to holiness bcos jealous, hatred, gossip and not obeying the word... itching ears for prosperity gospel instead of soul eager for sanctification gospel.”

This is exactly what Paul warned:
2 Timothy 4:3-4 — “For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.”

Holiness is being traded for hype.
Hebrews 12:14 — “Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.”

Signs of a church that left holiness:
Jealousy and hatred - Galatians 5:19-21 works of the flesh
Gossip - Proverbs 16:28 separates close friends
Disobedience to the Word - James 1:22 “be doers of the word”
Prosperity over the Cross - 1 Peter 2:2 “long for the pure spiritual milk”

When we chase blessings more than the Blesser, we lose the eternal gift: sanctification and seeing God.

3. GOD’S CALL BACK: RETURN TO THE SHEPHERD
1 Peter 5:2-4 — “Shepherd the flock of God that is among you... And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.”

To Shepherds:
Repent. Return to feeding, not fleecing. Acts 20:28 — “Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock.”

To the Church:
1 Peter 1:15-16 — “As he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct.”
Holiness is not legalism. It is love. It is being set apart for God.

Psalm 51:10 — “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.”

CLOSING PRAYER
Father, forgive us.
Forgive shepherds who fed themselves and left Your sheep. Put back in us the heart of the Lord for Your people.
Forgive Your church for chasing prosperity and ignoring sanctification. Create in us clean hearts.
Let us hunger for Your Word, not myths. Let us love holiness, not gossip and jealousy.
Make us a people ready for Jesus. In His Name, Amen.

SHEPHERDS AND HOLINESS:

Message:
This is a warning and a call. Ezekiel 34: shepherds, return to the heart of the Lord for His people. Don’t feed yourself and leave the sheep.
Church, Hebrews 12:14 — pursue holiness. Don’t trade sanctification for prosperity. Jealousy, gossip, disobedience

This is Ezekiel 34:2-4 season.

Here is DAILY BREAD FOR THE LAST DAYS :

TODAY'S WORD
Text: Jeremiah 23:1-2
“Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! declares the Lord... You have scattered my flock and have driven them away, and you have not attended to them.”
Also: 2 Timothy 4:3-4 “For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions...”

MESSAGE: SHEPHERDS, RETURN TO THE HEART OF GOD
The Lord is crying over His sheep in these last days.

1. THE WARNING TO SHEPHERDS
God says “Woe” to shepherds who feed themselves instead of the flock.
When a shepherd chases the world and its things - money, fame, titles - he leaves the sheep hungry.
When he preaches prosperity gospel but not holiness gospel, he trades eternal gifts for temporary bread.
John 10:12 “The hireling... sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees.”
A flock that is not sanctified is a flock that will be lost. Because “without holiness no one will see the Lord” Hebrews 12:14

2. THE WARNING TO THE CHURCH
Saved church, wake up!
Jealousy, hatred, gossip, disobedience to the Word... this is not the garment of Christ Colossians 3:8-10.
When we cling to itching ears and reject sound doctrine, we become easy prey.
God’s will is not just prosperity in the pocket. It is sanctification of the soul 1 Thessalonians 4:3.
Jesus did not die to make us rich. He died to make us HOLY.

3. STRENGTHENING & ENCOURAGEMENT
But there is hope. 1 Peter 5:4 “And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.”
To every faithful shepherd: Keep feeding the Word. Keep calling to repentance.
To every sheep: Return to the Word. Love holiness more than miracles. Love Jesus more than blessings.

PRAYER:
Father, raise up shepherds after Your own heart Jeremiah 3:15. Purify the pulpit. Purify the pew. Let us not trade eternity for earth. Sanctify us by Your truth. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

ACTION TODAY:
For Shepherds/Teachers: Check your message. Is it pointing people to Jesus and holiness, or just to prosperity?
For All: Forgive anyone you have bitterness toward today. Gossip and hatred grieve the Holy Spirit Ephesians 4:30-31.

THE PILGRIMS GUIDE

TUESDAY AUGUST 18, 2026

RESTING IN GOD'S FAITHFUL CARE

A WORD FROM THE WORD:

“The Lord is my shepherd, I have everything I need.” Psalm 23:1 GNB.

One of the fulfilling understandings that one would derive from David’s declaration in our foundational Scripture is that beyond the poetic, it is more of prophetic.
When the LORD is your Shepherd, lack becomes an impossibility. Here are some qualities of true shepherd, he guides, protects, provides, and ensures the wellbeing of the sheep. The LORD Jesus is not a distant supervisor; He is the ever-present Shepherd who walks with you daily.

Your life becomes what He envisions for you when you come to the point of realising and recognising that you are not at the mercy of situations and circumstances. You are under divine Shepherdhood. The vision of tomorrow may not be clear to you, but your Shepherd has already gone ahead of you. He knows the path, He knows the dangers, and He knows the green pastures prepared for you. All you have to do is to follow Him duly.

See, the LORD Jesus is not just a shepherd, He is your Shepherd. Personalised. Faithful and Intentional. The implications of this means that you will not lack direction, protection, supply, peace, or victory. Everything you need to fulfil your God-given destiny is already in His hands.

Rest assured, and rest in His guidance. Trust His leading, trust His process, follow His voice, He has no record of failure, and cannot fail.

PRAYER BULLETS:

LORD Jesus, thank You for being my Shepherd. Lead me, guide me, and provide for me today. I trust Your voice above every fear.

FURTHER READING:

Psalm 23:1-4; Isaiah 26:3-4; John 10:11-14; Philippians 4:19.
_________________________________________

Amaobi Nwachukwu 2026.

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