Dear Saints,
Several spiritual matters have occupied my heart while I have been continuing Joseph Herrin’s online ministry of Parables and Heart4God. One of the most important of these matters concerns our stepping out of Babylon at this late hour. Because it is clearer than day to me that if we are still engaged with mainstream media, whether it be 24/7 ‘News’ cycles on TV or social media on the internet, or ‘alt-media’ and its politicised ‘counter-narratives’ and mixing of truth with gaslighting, or popular Christian websites like CBN, then we are still being shaped by the Image of the Beast; our understanding and our faith are still being weakened by these seductive whispers of the devil entering upon our minds.
You cannot stare into the abyss without the abyss staring back at you. A philosopher who ended his days as a raving lunatic made that particular statement, which tells us much about the fruit of his thinking; also, that perhaps he stared into the abyss for much too long.
A similar statement can be made of the mainstream media. We cannot engage with it in any way that is not corrosive to our faith. Just consider those believers who are always on their phones or who still watch TV News. Are they strengthened in their walks in Christ by this constant relationship with the Image of the Beast, or are they confused and weakened by it?
Once we learn what lies within the abyss, once we understand the hidden darkness of this world, once we can see through all the noise and can hear the voice of our Shepherd clearly, why do we need to continue staring into the abyss?
Once we learn that ‘they’ are lying to us continually, why must we continue imbibing of their lies?
Why do we need to keep gazing at this nightmare clown show that perpetually spins our heads around with psy-op after psy-op leading us further from the certainty of truth and revelation, further from peace and promise, into an anxious and busy state of our souls? Once we understand that the world truly is a stage, and most of what we are shown a deceptive performance, why do we have to keep watching the performance?
Why do we not turn our backs on it all?
A Sabbatical From The Internet
Over the holiday period I took a kind of sabbatical from the internet for a month, so I could spend some time with my family and to work on a few personal writings. Since I already long ago stopped watching regular TV or using a mobile phone, this meant a total disengagement with modern media.
Before I did so, I prepared a handful of JH articles from the Parables archives. I set these up to publish automatically on certain calender dates using an auto-publish feature, so that the blog was still published during my absence.
With it being mid-winter – the wettest winter I can ever remember by the way (yes, the weather warfare continues) – and little to be done with the market garden or our little organic business, it seemed the perfect time for a rest.
I cannot think of a single thing that I lost out on because of this disengagement from the internet for a month, other than communications with friends and fellow brothers and sisters of the faith. What comes to mind instead are the blessings we received as a family during this time together, how wonderful it was to be relaxed and at peace in the companionship of loved ones, to make up lost time with my wife and children after such a busy few years behind me. Since I do not take holidays normally, least of all holidays abroad, I was reminded often during this time of our need to balance our lives according to the seasons and rhythms of the Holy Spirit within us. That sometimes we are called to lay down our tools for a while, and if we ignore these calls, how our health and even our peace of mind can suffer until we are forced to rest regardless.
Perhaps that was why I wrote a lot less than intended during the break. Writing still felt like a form of work, and just then a form of striving, as much as I love doing it. Instead, I relented to a proper spell of doing nothing, just taking it easy with the family, or reading in front of the fire, or making notes for the year to come, getting organised and reevaluating things in silent prayer. I even had time to pick up a Ukulele, a birthday gift from my wife, and to begin learning how to play it – not something I had previously considered doing at the age of 52.
During that month of disconnection, it felt like we existed in a small island of the Living Kingdom, while the Kingdom of the Beast continued to burn and rage around our high spiritual walls; its dragon-flood of lies perishing into the dry wilderness that now lay between us because we had stepped out from the madness, the plagues and poisons, of Mystery Babylon.
Because we had turned our backs upon it all.
A New Year Ahead
Yet we saints in Christ are to engage with this world, if we are to shine as lamps on a hill for the sake of the world. We must continue to live and struggle in this ever-more-fallen world without our souls remaining a part of it.
So it was with some reluctance that my sabbatical with my family came to an end, and in the new year I returned to the warfare of the world outside.
And so far, we have had a very good beginning to this new year of 2026. We have received some very kind and generous donations to the ministry, along with other good news too. It is seldom the case that a year begins so well, and I am heartened by these blessings and take them as encouragement from Yahweh for our ongoing mission, even though there are no doubt difficult times coming too.
The main reason for my sabbatical was that I have a strong impression in my spirit that now is a time to be drawing closer to our loved ones. And, dare I say it, a time for the Remnant to be drawing closer together too. Other saints have likewise expressed to me this sense of the year ahead, 2026, holding much trouble in store for the world and for believers.
But we should not be alarmed or anxious about what is coming. We have been forewarned that these things must happen, as birth pains, in order for mankind and the world to be redeemed. Indeed we are to be the very opposite of alarmed or anxious. As saints, we are to be at peace while the storms gather in ferocity all around us, so that others can see our peace and our hope when all they feel is rising terror, and wonder at what it is we have that they might also have.
We lead others to the Gospel of Christ not by argument or striving, but by example, truth, and good fruits; by shining as lamps in the gathering darkness. By drawing the lost towards the light.
By loving and blessing those who are even our enemies.
And we can only do these things effectively if we are no longer a part of the Beast Kingdom, weakened and confused, but vital members of the Body of Christ, of the Living Kingdom of God.
Where love is the whole of the law.
Our Daily Sacrifices
Forgive me if my talk of a good start to the year flies contrary to your own present situation.
I face many struggles too in life – the health of myself and others, insecurity of accommodation, earning enough money to live on. It is not all roses and ice-cream for us here in our little guerilla homestead in the hills of Donegal. But my point, of course, is that as saints we must gain our peace in Christ regardless of our present difficulties. We must give all our cares and worries over to our Lord in good faith, and allow ourselves to be wholly lead of the Spirit, knowing that our Father has a path already lead out for us if only we have the courage and obedience to follow His will.
Troubles will come regardless of our obedience to the Most High. At times even because of our obedience. And I pray for any reader who is having a difficult time so far in this new year. I pray they not be disheartened by their present troubles. I pray they turn ever-deeper to Christ-like love.
As we all know, true love is SELFlessness. SELFlessness towards God, towards ourselves, towards others. The only way to be free of our suffering is to crucify our SELVES daily as an act of love, as a living sacrifice to our Creator. Crucify some part of your SELF, that part that is still writhing in its sufferings, and then give witness and praise for the blessings you receive for your sacrifice – for you will be blessed.
What we give in SELFless love is always given back to us many times over – and not only as spiritual riches in Heaven. Blessings rain upon us in this fallen world too, in all their various forms, for every loving sacrifice we make.
A Heart-Felt Thank You To Our Supporters
I smile at seeing how much I have written here already, considering the main reason for today’s post is not so much to catch up with my brothers and sisters, nor to sermonize, but to offer my gratitude.
In today’s blog post I would like to thank the regular readers of Parables for their warm welcome to this long-standing ministry of Joseph Herrin, and also the kind words of support from newer readers too. It has been a rather remarkable year and more, I must say. Breathtaking, really, in how much this work matures you in your faith and understanding. How much you get to see.
Amongst those I especially would like to thank are Jordan in Canada and Vincent in Australia (Vincent is sort of the ministry ‘consigliere’ in my mind) for their continuing aid and fellowship behind the scenes. Randy Simmons for his help in finding just the right articles by Joseph Herrin to repost in the early days. And Tim Moores for his technical support during the trickier times of last year, when hackers/hacker AIs seemed determined to break into the Parables website for some no-good reason (and still appear to be at it, as far as I can make out).
A Heart-Felt Thank You To Our Donars
Especially heartening has been the financial support offered over the previous year, and now into this new year of 2026, which means even more in these days of worsening economic conditions and soaring prices everywhere. So I would like to give special thanks to all those who have donated to the ministry, allowing this work of Joseph Herrin to continue.
I will not list the names of those who I particularly wish to offer my gratitude to for their financial support – as saints we are, of course, a fairly shy lot when it comes to singing our praises for our good works. But I hope that each of you are reading these words, and that you know how invaluable your support is to the continuance of this labour of love. Without you, it would simply not be possible – for the Father has not passed on this ministry to someone with plenty of free time and secure financial means (nor decades of experience in the ‘Christian Religion’ and its Doctrines), but in fact, to someone quite the opposite.
I pray you receive many blessings both here and to come for your generous and SELFless acts of love.
All praise to our Father!
Kingdom Giving
When I was first born again in Christ, one of the most surprising things that I noticed was that the more I tried to help and to give to others around me, the more I discovered that the act of giving can in fact be quite a difficult thing to do. Many people do not want to be helped, and do not want your kindness. I suppose it is a form of stubborn pride. Like those too prideful to accept charity or a simple act of kindness. They feel shamed and lessened by it. Or rather, their vaunted sense of SELF feels shamed and lessened.
Here at Parables we of course have no qualms about receiving gifts offered by those who wish to help. Indeed we need your help and very much welcome it.
There are many ways to support this work that are not financial. Many saints are already stretched to the limit in terms of their finances. Fervent prayer is the primary way in which you can lend aid, and there are as many other ways as the Spirit may lead you.
For those who do wish to give financially and are able to do so, I am gladdened to say that our basic internet running costs for 2026 have already been met by very generous donations at the start of the year. But beyond our basic running costs, we have several projects to pursue for 2026, including:
- Putting Joseph Herrin’s books into print. I have sourced what I believe is the best self-publishing company for this task. It will take some money to develop and print each book, though not a great deal, starting with The Remnant Bride. At present, it looks like we will be able to provide Joseph’s books in print for around the $7 or $8 mark. I had hoped for around $5 per book, but this would barely cover the printing costs alone.
And of course the books are all available for free as e-books on the Heart4God website.
- New articles and writings. Throughout the year I will be continuing to re-publish Joseph’s many older Parables articles with fresher images and formatting, as chosen by the leading of the Spirit. (And as always, your suggestions for JH articles to re-post are always most welcome).
In between these posts I will be posting new articles written by myself and guest writers, largely concerning events happening now in relation to the last days. Your donations enable me to free up more time from that very necessary activity of providing for my family, so that I can write.
- Printing my Personal Testimony as a book. I have been thrilled with the writing of my testimony for Parables – so much revealed when you look back at your life through spiritual eyes. I am also amazed at how long the testimony will likely be in terms of words. By the time it is finished there will be enough for a small book, and I would like to publish it as such once it is completed.
(The writing of these Testimony articles is more time-consuming than I had expected, so I will be rolling them out over the following months as an irregular series).
- Maintaining A Weekly Blog Schedule. Now that I am more confident about using the auto-publish feature of the Parables blog, I feel more confident about publishing Parables on a weekly basis rather than fortnightly, since with this feature I can do more with less time. It means I should be able to publish more of Joseph’s writings.
One issue this creates is sourcing enough relevant archive articles written by Joseph to republish. So I would ask anyone with a good knowledge of Joseph’s previous blog articles to consider contributing any suggestions they may have.
Another issue is that this is still additional labour, though not as much as it would be without the auto-publish feature. So your donations help free up time to do this work, so that I can put the blog out weekly.
But none of these plans should be undertaken through any kind of striving. Instead they should grow as a living thing, or not at all.
I ask only that you follow the leadings of the Holy Spirit within you. And give thanks to Yah for every blessing received.
Again, there are many other ways to offer your support if you feel this ministry is worth supporting. Your prayers alone are worth more than any counting.
Let us be at peace, and leave it all in the hands of the Father.
I pray you are well, brothers and sisters in Christ!
May you be blessed with peace and understanding in these last days.
Colin Buchanan
thiswisefool@protonmail.com
0 Comments