August 27, 2026

8 hours ago
5 min read

Tribute

Before I read today’s post, I feel that a tribute is appropriate. Millions of Americans are honoring the life of Dolly Parton, who passed away this week. You don’t have to be a country music fan to appreciate the “Queen of Country’s” accomplishments and generosity. Coming from poverty and humble beginnings, she drew on the moral strength and character of her grandfather, her mother, and others in the family to stay grounded. Dolly openly spoke of Jesus as her Savior and the biblical values that guided her. She was even more generous than she was talented, earning hundreds of millions of dollars and also giving away hundreds of millions.

Known for her literacy advocacy, Dolly founded the Imagination Library. Inspired by her father’s inability to read and write, Dolly started her Imagination Library in 1995 for children within her home county. Today, her program spans five countries and gifts millions of free books each month to children around the world. This non-profit will continue to give children [ages 1-5] free books. To date, Dolly’s Imagination Library has gifted over 300,000,000 books.(1)

What a lesson in legacy! The world is poorer today without her influence. RIP Dolly Parton.

And now to a less appealing subject. The title is:

Subtlety and Pride

Generally, the first time a major subject is mentioned in the Bible, significant facts are given about it that remain consistent and relevant throughout Scripture.

The first mention of the serpent (satan) is in Genesis 3:1:

“Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, ‘Indeed, has God said, “You shall not eat from any tree of the garden?"’”

This law of first mention is easy to see at work here when God first speaks of satan. He emphasizes the serpent’s subtlety or craftiness. God is informing us of the most important thing we must know regarding satan: He is far more dangerous to us as the crafty serpent than the roaring lion. His subtlety is his greatest weapon.

“Crafty” is the Hebrew word aruwm, taken from aram, which means “to be bare or smooth.”(2) The concept of this word made it into our English language. Someone who is crafty or wily is often referred to as “slick” or “a smooth operator.” Such is the case with satan. He is slick, very cunning, and we must be wary of his subtlety.

If satan’s subtlety is his greatest strength, pride is his greatest weakness. It was Lucifer’s original sin and downfall (Isaiah 14:12-15; Ezekiel 28:12-17). When he stops resorting to subtlety to deceive people and lets his pride take center stage, it’s a clear indication that he thinks victory is guaranteed. He no longer feels the need to hide what he’s doing, thinking he cannot be stopped. Now he can brag about it! We are coming to this stage in America.

Over the past few decades, the attempts to weaken and ultimately destroy our nation have been very subtle. Progressivism, socialism, liberalism, woke ideologies, moral decay, anti-American sentiments, etc. have been cloaked in intellectual arguments and reasoning, with colleges and universities even becoming their headquarters.

The lid began coming off of these movements during President Trump’s first term. Nefarious actions such as the censoring of Americans, the stealing of elections, and a shadow-run government in the White House came into clear focus. The brazenness continued and expanded to: castrating and mutilating children, open calls for the destruction of Jews, a refusal to acknowledge the difference between male and female, open borders, the acceptance of terrorist organizations, calling for the end of capitalism and the acceptance of communism, lobbying for the end of our government as we have known it, including the Electoral College and the Senate, and Islamists openly declaring they are taking over America. And the list could certainly continue!

The point is that satan’s strategy of subtlety is transitioning. Those leading these efforts now gloat over their success and openly declare victory in our nation, moving into the proud, arrogant stage. This is negative in the sense that it clearly indicates the progress they have made; it is positive because their intentions are in the open and Americans are waking up. The “not my problem, someone else will take care of it” phase in our nation is ending. I predict that even many from the evangelical “don’t talk about politics or cultural issues in the church” crowd will now find their voices. It is harder to exhibit apathy and complacency when the “freedom-stealers” and oppressors are knocking on your door. And it becomes even more difficult when they begin kicking it down, which they are.

Grandmas ARE going to jail for praying in front of abortion clinics.

Five and six-year-old children ARE being castrated.

Americans ARE being awakened in their neighborhoods by the Muslim call to prayer.

Socialists HAVE become the influencers in the Democrat “Big Tent” Party.

States ARE passing laws to prohibit the exposing of fraud (to the tune of billions of taxpayer dollars).

And millions of babies ARE still being aborted, some at full term…while dehumanized people clap and cheer.

Yes, the lid is off; satan’s plans are now undeniable, and Americans will have to choose: acquiesce or make a stand. I believe the stand is coming.

Pray with me:

Father, You have done much in the last few years to expose evil and corruption in America. Now, evil is exposing itself. As this occurs, we ask You to further awaken Americans, revive our passion for freedom, and resurrect the willingness to fight for it. Break off us apathy and complacency, and the self-deception that says: “someone else will take care of it.”

And even as we pray this, we realize that some aspects of America’s rebirth can come only from You, not our determination. America is so far down the slippery slope of compromise that we could never stop the slide on our own. We must have Your divine intervention. But we are confident that You, who began a good work in us, will finish it. America was close to its demise before we ever reached nationhood, but You sent the First Great Awakening. We were once again close in the 1800s, but You sent the Second Great Awakening and saved us. We are in desperate need of another.

We ask that You rescue us once more with a Third Great Awakening. You are more than Creator, the Almighty, Everlasting God, Ancient of Days, the great I Am. You are Emmanuel, Savior, Redeemer, Deliverer, High Priest, Mediator, and the Great Shepherd. Lord, shepherd our nation back to Your fold, back to Your care. Drive off wolves and thieves, and cover us once again with Your protective arms.

And we pray for our government leaders. Save, protect, and guide them into wise decisions. Deliver us from evil leaders. We pray all of this in Christ’s name. Amen.