Remaining faithful to God during hard times means bringing your honest pain to Him, holding tight to His past promises, and leaning on a community of believers. Faith does not mean you never feel sad or confused. It means you choose to trust, acknowledging God that He is real and present. Pleasing God requires complete trust and confidence in Him rather than just relying on human works even when life hurts.
#FaithComesFromGod
#NeverGiveUp
#LordsBook

Just because I post about God doesn’t mean I have everything figured out. It doesn’t mean I’m healed, perfect, or somehow better than anyone else.

I’m still human. I’m still a sinner. I still struggle with things I don’t always talk about. I still have days when my faith feels stronger and days when I feel tired, lost, confused, or distant. I make mistakes. I fall back into old habits. I overthink. I doubt. I get frustrated. I have moments where I don’t understand what God is doing in my life.

But that’s exactly why I talk about Him.

My faith isn’t a declaration that I’ve arrived. It’s a reminder that I’m still being carried.

Every day, His grace meets me where I am. Not where I think I should be. Not where everyone expects me to be. Right where I am.

Sometimes God doesn’t change the situation immediately. Sometimes He changes the strength I have to face it. Sometimes the miracle is simply getting through another day without giving up.

So if you see me posting about God, don’t assume my life is perfect. I’m not preaching from a place of perfection. I’m sharing from a place of dependence.

I need grace too.

And honestly, that’s the beautiful part. I don’t have to be perfect to come back to God. I just have to keep coming back.

Every time I fall, His grace reminds me that falling isn’t the end of my story.

I’m still learning. Still growing. Still struggling. Still believing.

And every day, somehow, His grace picks me back up.

#quotes #relatable #inspiration #SpiritualGrowth #TrustGod #fyp

Admit it. You like reading the Psalms, the Gospels, Paul's epistles and maybe Esther and Ruth.
But what about the least read Bible books -- I call them Orphan Books -- because they almost are never read. Here's a list I found.
Hope you take the challenge to read an "orphan" or two this week.
------------------------------------
# Book Why read it? Difficulty
1 Obadiah A miniature study of pride, injustice, and God's judgment Easy
2 Haggai A surprisingly relevant book about misplaced priorities Easy
3 Philemon Paul, slavery, forgiveness, and Christian brotherhood in 25 verses Easy
4 3 John A fascinating glimpse into early church politics and leadership Easy
5 2 John Truth, love, hospitality—and boundaries Easy
6 Nahum The dark counterpart to Jonah: what happens to Nineveh? Medium
7 Zephaniah Judgment followed by one of the OT's beautiful pictures of God's joy Medium
8 Jude Strange, intense, apocalyptic, and packed with unusual references Medium
9 Habakkuk One of the Bible's best books for wrestling honestly with God Easy
10 Lamentations Biblical poetry about grief, catastrophe, and hope Medium
11 Joel Locusts, the Day of the LORD, and the famous promise about God's Spirit Medium
12 Malachi A surprisingly sharp ending to the Old Testament Easy
The ones I'd especially recommend
If you only want to read five, I'd pick:
Habakkuk — perhaps the most rewarding “orphan.” The entire book is essentially a conversation between a confused believer and God. Habakkuk starts by asking, “Why aren't you doing something about this?” and ends somewhere radically different.
Haggai — extremely short but surprisingly practical. Its central question is basically: What happens when God's people become preoccupied with their own houses while neglecting God's house?
Philemon — don't let its size fool you. It's an extraordinarily compressed little letter about power, status, forgiveness, reconciliation, and what the gospel does to human relationships.
Nahum — read it immediately after Jonah if you can. Jonah tells you that Nineveh repented; Nahum, written later, tells you what eventually happened to Nineveh. Reading them together makes both books considerably more interesting.
Lamentations — probably the most emotionally neglected book on the list. It gives you something the Bible is unusually good at: language for grief when everything has gone terribly wrong.
And here's the really fun challenge
Don't read these as if they're merely the Bible's “B-list.”
Try reading one orphan book a week, with no commentary at first. Just read the entire thing in one sitting.
You'll discover something interesting: some of the books that feel least important at first are actually the ones that illuminate the famous books around them.
Jonah → Nahum
Isaiah/Jeremiah → Lamentations
Romans/Galatians → Habakkuk
1 John → 2 John → 3 John
Ezra/Nehemiah → Haggai

TODAY'S KINGDOM INSIGHTS:

SERMON TOPIC:

HOW CAN YOU PRAY SO THAT GOD HEARS YOU?

Main Text: Psalm 66:18–20; 1 John 5:14–15
Supporting Texts: Matthew 6:5–13; James 5:16; Proverbs 15:29; Mark 11:24–25

GOD IS STILL LISTENING.

One of the deepest questions a believer can ask is:
“When I pray, does God really hear me?”
You may have prayed for months and seen no answer. You may have cried in secret, knelt beside your bed, prayed in church, prayed while travelling, prayed when nobody knew what you were going through—and still wondered, “God, are You hearing me?”
Here is the good news:
God hears prayer.
But the Bible also teaches us that there is a way to approach God in prayer.
Prayer is not merely talking loudly.
Prayer is not using many religious words.
Prayer is not trying to manipulate God.
Prayer is fellowship with the Father.
Jesus said:
«“Your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.” — Matthew 6:8»
So the question is not simply, “How much do I pray?”
The deeper question is:
“How do I position my heart when I pray?”
1. PRAY WITH A SINCERE AND HUMBLE HEART
God is not impressed by religious performance. He looks at the heart.
Psalm 51:17 says:
«“The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart…”»
David understood something important: God values the condition of the heart more than the appearance of the prayer.
You can pray beautiful words with a proud heart and miss the heart of prayer.
But you can come before God with tears, weakness, and simple words and experience His presence.

Jesus' illustration

In Luke 18:9–14, Jesus told the story of two men who went to the temple to pray.
One was a Pharisee. He boasted about himself.
The other was a tax collector. He simply cried:
«“God be merciful to me a sinner.” — Luke 18:13»
Jesus said the humble man went home justified.

Spiritual lesson

God is not looking for impressive prayers; He is looking for surrendered hearts.
Come to God honestly.
If you are hurting, tell Him.
If you are confused, tell Him.
If you have failed, confess it.
If you are afraid, tell Him.
Prayer begins when pretending ends.
2. PRAY WITH FAITH
James 1:6 says:
«“But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering.”»
Faith does not mean that you dictate to God what He must do.
Faith means that you trust who God is, even when you do not understand what He is doing.
Mark 11:24 says:
«“What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.”»
Faith says:
“Father, I believe You are able.”
And when the answer does not come immediately:
“Father, I still trust You.”
Faith does not disappear because the answer is delayed.
Remember the three possible answers to prayer:

YES — God grants the request.

WAIT — God is working, but the timing is different.

NO — God knows something you do not know.
A “no” from God is not proof that God has abandoned you.
Sometimes God's refusal is protection.
Sometimes His delay is preparation.
Sometimes His silence is developing your spiritual maturity.
3. PRAY ACCORDING TO GOD'S WILL
One of the most powerful scriptures on prayer is:
«“And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us.” — 1 John 5:14»
Notice the words:
“According to His will.”
Prayer is not about making God's will submit to ours.
Prayer is about bringing our desires into alignment with God's will.
Jesus demonstrated this in Gethsemane.
He prayed:
«“Nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.” — Luke 22:42»
Jesus was facing the cross, yet He surrendered to the Father's will.
That is mature prayer.
A child may say:
“God, give me what I want.”
But spiritual maturity says:
“God, give me what You know is best.”
A powerful prayer to learn:
“Lord, if this desire is from You, establish it. If it is not from You, remove it. And if I must wait, give me grace to wait.”
4. DEAL WITH UNFORGIVENESS AND SIN

We must be careful here.

The Bible does not teach that every unanswered prayer means a person has committed some hidden sin.
Job suffered greatly without being guilty of the accusations brought against him.
However, Scripture clearly teaches that deliberate, unrepentant sin can affect our relationship and fellowship with God.
Psalm 66:18 says:
«“If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me.”»
And Isaiah 59:2 says:
«“But your iniquities have separated between you and your God…”»
God is merciful, but we should not treat sin casually.
What about unforgiveness?
Jesus taught:
«“And when ye stand praying, forgive…” — Mark 11:25»
You cannot continuously ask God for mercy while deliberately refusing to show mercy to others.
Forgiveness does not mean saying that what happened was acceptable.
Forgiveness means releasing vengeance into God's hands.
Ask yourself:
“Is there somebody I need to forgive?”
“Is there something God has been asking me to surrender?”
“Am I asking God to bless something He has already told me to leave?”
5. PRAY WITH PERSISTENCE
Some answers require persistent prayer.
Jesus taught this through the parable of the persistent widow in Luke 18:1–8.
The purpose of the parable was clear:
«“Men ought always to pray, and not to faint.” — Luke 18:1»
Do not stop praying simply because you have not yet seen the answer.
Daniel gives us another powerful example.
In Daniel 10, Daniel prayed and fasted. His answer was delayed, but heaven had heard him from the beginning.
The angel told him:
«“From the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand… thy words were heard.” — Daniel 10:12»
Think about that!
Daniel was praying on earth while heaven was already responding.
The delay did not mean God had ignored him.

BIBLICAL CASE STUDY:

HANNAH — A WOMAN WHO POURED OUT HER SOUL

Hannah's story in 1 Samuel 1 is one of the clearest pictures of persistent prayer.
She was deeply troubled because she had no child.
She went to the house of the Lord and prayed.
She didn't simply perform a religious ritual.
She poured out her soul before God.
Eli initially misunderstood her.
But Hannah kept praying.
Eventually, God answered her prayer and gave her Samuel.
Her story teaches us:
1. You can bring your deepest pain to God.
2. People may misunderstand your prayer, but God understands your heart.
3. Delay does not mean denial.
4. God can turn tears into testimony.
Hannah went into the presence of God carrying sorrow.
She came out carrying peace.
The circumstances had not immediately changed—but something had changed inside her.
That is one of the miracles of prayer.
Sometimes prayer changes the situation.
Sometimes prayer changes the person going through the situation.
And sometimes God does both.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN THAT GOD "HEARS" PRAYER?

When Scripture says God hears prayer, it means far more than God simply detecting our words.
It means God attends to, receives, and responds according to His wisdom and will.
God hears the prayer of His children.
Proverbs 15:29 says:
«“The LORD is far from the wicked: but he heareth the prayer of the righteous.”»
And James 5:16 declares:
«“The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.”»
Your prayer may look small on earth, but it is not small when it reaches heaven.

PRACTICAL ACTION STEPS

1. SET A CONSISTENT PRAYER TIME
Do not pray only when there is an emergency.
Build a prayer life.
2. BEGIN WITH WORSHIP
Before presenting your shopping list to God, acknowledge who He is.
“Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name…” — Matthew 6:9
3. CONFESS YOUR SINS
Ask the Holy Spirit to search your heart.
Psalm 139:23–24
4. PRAY SCRIPTURE
Use God's Word as the foundation of your prayers.
5. ASK SPECIFICALLY
Instead of only saying, “Lord, bless me,” tell God what you are trusting Him for.
6. LEARN TO LISTEN
Prayer is not a one-way conversation.
After speaking, become quiet before God.
Read Scripture.
Pay attention to the convictions and guidance of the Holy Spirit.
7. KEEP A PRAYER JOURNAL
Write down your requests.
Record dates.
Record answers.
One day you will look back and realize how many prayers God answered.

DEEP SPIRITUAL INSIGHTS

1. God's silence is not necessarily God's absence.
You may not hear anything, but God may still be working.
2. Prayer is not primarily about getting things; it is about knowing God.
The greatest answer to prayer is not always a possession.
Sometimes it is God Himself.
3. Prayer changes the atmosphere of the person praying.
You may enter prayer anxious and leave with peace.
4. God's answer may be different from your expectation.
Never limit God to one method of answering.
5. The strongest prayer is surrendered prayer.
“Lord, have Your way” is one of the deepest expressions of faith.

QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION

1. When I pray, am I seeking God's will or only demanding my own will?
2. Is there any known sin I need to confess?
3. Is there someone I need to forgive?
4. Have I stopped praying because my answer is delayed?
5. Do I genuinely trust God when His answer is different from what I expected?
6. Is my prayer life based on relationship with God or only on emergency needs?
7. What prayer have I abandoned that God may be asking me to continue bringing before Him?

POWERFUL PRAYER POINTS

1. PRAYER FOR A DEEPER PRAYER LIFE
Father, awaken in me a fresh hunger for prayer. Take away spiritual laziness and teach me to seek Your face consistently, in Jesus' name.
2. PRAYER FOR A PURE HEART
Lord, search my heart. Reveal anything that is displeasing to You and give me grace to repent and walk in righteousness.
3. PRAYER FOR FAITH
Father, increase my faith. When answers are delayed, help me trust You. When I cannot see the way, help me believe that You are still working.
4. PRAYER FOR GOD'S WILL
Lord, deliver me from insisting on my own way. Align my desires with Your purpose and give me grace to say, “Your will be done.”
5. PRAYER FOR PERSISTENCE
Father, give me strength not to faint in prayer. Help me continue believing until Your appointed time.
6. PRAYER FOR FORGIVENESS
Lord, give me grace to forgive those who have hurt me. Heal my heart and remove bitterness from my spirit.
7. PRAYER FOR DIVINE ANSWERS
Father, concerning every legitimate request I have brought before You, let Your perfect will be established. Open the right doors, close the wrong doors, and lead me according to Your purpose.
8. PRAYER FOR SPIRITUAL SENSITIVITY
Holy Spirit, teach me to recognize Your voice. Help me distinguish Your leading from my emotions, fears, and human desires.

DON'T JUST PRAY—BUILD A RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD

Beloved, prayer is not a religious emergency button.
Prayer is relationship.
Do not wait until everything is falling apart before you seek God.
Pray when you are happy.
Pray when you are confused.
Pray when you have money.
Pray when you have nothing.
Pray when the door opens.
Pray when the door closes.
Pray when you understand.
Pray when you don't understand.
And above all, pray with a heart that trusts God.
Remember:
A delayed answer is not necessarily a denied prayer.
God's silence is not necessarily God's absence.
God's “no” is not a rejection of you.
And God's “wait” is not a waste of your time.
There is a God who hears.
There is a God who sees.
There is a God who knows.
There is a God who answers.
So keep praying. Keep believing. Keep trusting. Keep walking with God.

FINAL DECLARATION

I will not give up in prayer.
I will not allow delay to destroy my faith.
I will seek God's face, not merely His hands.
I will surrender my will to His will.
I will forgive.
I will believe.
I will persevere.
And I will trust the God who hears me.
In Jesus' mighty name, Amen!

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*TODAY'S PROPHETIC DECLARATION - SUNDAY, 23RD AUGUST, 2026.*

*COME UNTO ME, AND I WILL GIVE YOU REST*

12th Sunday after Trinity | 4th Sunday in August.

Scripture:
“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” — Matthew 11:28 (KJV).

*Reflection – Jesus Is Our Place of Rest*

Life can become overwhelming. There are burdens we carry because of responsibilities, expectations, disappointments, unanswered prayers, family concerns, ministry demands, work, studies, and the uncertainties of tomorrow.

Jesus does not tell the weary to struggle harder. He gives a gracious invitation:

“Come unto me.”

Christ does not promise that we will never face difficulties. Instead, He promises that when we bring our burdens to Him, He will give us rest.

The rest Jesus gives is deeper than physical relaxation. It is the rest of a heart that knows it is no longer carrying everything alone. It is peace in the midst of pressure, confidence in the midst of uncertainty, and strength to continue when we feel weak.

Today, whatever burden you are carrying, bring it to Jesus. Do not carry what Christ is asking you to surrender.

Your burden may be heavy, but His grace is sufficient.

*Prophetic Declaration:*
Today, I declare that I come to Jesus Christ with every burden, concern, fear, and uncertainty in my life. I refuse to carry alone what I can surrender to my Savior.

I declare that the rest of Christ is entering every troubled area of my life. His peace shall replace anxiety, His strength shall replace weakness, and His hope shall replace discouragement.

I proclaim that every burden weighing heavily upon my heart shall be surrendered to the Lord. I release the burdens of fear, disappointment, uncertainty, financial pressure, family concerns, ministry responsibilities, work, business, studies, and the future into God's capable hands.

Today, I receive divine strength to continue the journey. Where I have become weary, the Lord shall renew me. Where I have become discouraged, He shall restore my joy. Where I have become confused, He shall give me direction.

I declare peace over my family and household. May every unnecessary tension, anxiety, misunderstanding, and heaviness give way to the peace of Christ.

I declare grace over my ministry and service to God. I shall not serve from exhaustion or seek to carry God's work in my own strength. I receive fresh grace, wisdom, strength, and spiritual renewal.

I proclaim divine rest over my work, business, and studies. The Lord shall give me wisdom to manage my responsibilities, strength to complete my assignments, and favor to accomplish what He has placed in my hands.

I declare that I shall not be controlled by tomorrow's uncertainties. God holds my future, and I choose to trust Him one day at a time.

Today, I reject the lie that I must solve everything by myself. I acknowledge my dependence on God and receive His grace for every challenge before me.

I declare that the Lord shall restore my emotional, spiritual, and physical strength according to His will. He shall lead me beside still waters and restore my soul.

I proclaim that my home shall be a place of peace, my heart shall be a dwelling place of God's presence, and my life shall reflect the calm confidence of someone who trusts in Christ.

I come to Jesus.
I surrender my burdens.
I receive His rest.
I receive His strength.
I receive His peace.
I will not be overwhelmed, because Christ is with me.

Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen!

*Action Steps for today:*
Begin with Jesus: Before you begin carrying today's responsibilities, spend time in prayer and surrender your burdens to Christ.

Read Matthew 11:28–30: Meditate on Jesus' invitation to the weary and His promise of rest.

Declare: “I come to Jesus, I surrender my burdens, and I receive His rest and peace.”

Make a burden list: Write down the things troubling your heart and consciously hand each one over to God in prayer.

Stop carrying what belongs to God: Do your part faithfully, but leave the outcome in God's hands.

Rest in God's presence: Set aside quiet time today for prayer, worship (attend church service), Scripture reading, and reflection.

Encourage someone who is weary: Share Matthew 11:28 with someone who needs to be reminded that Jesus cares about their burdens.

End the day with thanksgiving: Thank Jesus for carrying you through the day and for every evidence of His grace.

*Sunday Prayer:*
Lord Jesus,
Thank You for Your gracious invitation: “Come unto me.”

Today, I come to You with everything that is weighing upon my heart. I bring my fears, worries, responsibilities, disappointments, unanswered questions, and every burden I cannot carry by myself.

Lord, give me Your rest.

Quiet every storm within me. Replace anxiety with peace, confusion with clarity, fear with faith, and weakness with strength.

I surrender my family, ministry, work, business, studies, relationships, finances, plans, and future into Your hands. Teach me to do what I can faithfully and trust You with what is beyond my control.

Restore my soul. Renew my strength. Refresh my spirit. Give me wisdom for every responsibility and grace for every challenge.

Help me not to run away from You when I am tired, but to run toward You.

Let Your presence fill my home. Let Your peace rule in my heart. Let Your grace sustain me throughout this new week.

Jesus, I come to You.
Jesus, I trust You.
Jesus, I surrender to You.
Jesus, I receive Your rest.

In Your mighty name I pray. Amen.

*Sunday Blessing:*
May the Lord Jesus give you rest from every burden that has been weighing upon your heart.

May His peace fill your home and household. May His strength sustain you in your ministry, work, business, studies, and every responsibility entrusted to you.

May God give you wisdom to know what to carry and what to surrender. May He renew your strength when you are weary and restore your joy when you are discouraged.

May every storm around you become an opportunity to experience the peace of Christ within you.

As you enter the coming week, may you go forward not in your own strength, but in the strength of the Lord.

Come to Jesus.
Surrender your burdens.
Receive His rest.
Walk in His strength.
Abide in His peace.

12TH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY

4TH SUNDAY IN AUGUST

“COME UNTO ME, ALL YE THAT LABOUR AND ARE HEAVY LADEN, AND I WILL GIVE YOU REST.” — MATTHEW 11:28

May the peace of Christ fill your heart, your home, and your entire week.

Good morning beloved, happy Sunday, do have a blessed and refreshing Sunday!
Shalom!

*Remember: Your confession is your possession.*

* Postulant C. O. Oyadosu.*

_Please share with others, thank you and God bless you _

For counseling, prayers and partnership or you want to share your testimonies with us; please call or Whatsapp: +2348063128703
Or
Email: clementoyadosuAnderson Mwila.com

DOMINION DAILY DEVOTION ~ DAY 235
DATE: 23RD AUGUST 2026
TOPIC: RELY ON GOD _3
ANCHOR SCRIPTURE: LUKE 18:1 (NKJV)
“Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart.”
Devotional message:

Yesterday, we saw that God desires us to make Him our ultimate source and to rely completely upon Him. Today, we look at one of the clearest ways we demonstrate our dependence upon God: prayer.

Prayer is more than presenting our requests before God. Prayer is an acknowledgment of our dependence upon Him. When we pray, we are declaring that we cannot sustain ourselves by our own strength and that we need God's wisdom, grace, direction, protection, provision, and sustaining power.

Therefore, a prayerless life can gradually become an expression of self-dependence. When a person consistently lives without seeking God, it can communicate, whether consciously or unconsciously, “I can manage my life without You.”

Daniel is a powerful example. Despite occupying a high position in government and serving under different regimes, he never allowed his position to become his source of security. Scripture records that he prayed three times a day, just as he had done previously (Daniel 6:10).

His government position could not sustain him. His wisdom could not protect him from every danger. His influence could not guarantee his future.He needed God.And because Daniel maintained his dependence upon God, the Lord sustained him even through different administrations and dangerous circumstances.

And our greatest example is Jesus Christ Himself.Before beginning His public ministry, Jesus spent time in prayer. Scripture records that He withdrew to solitary places to pray (Luke 5:16), and on another occasion He went to the mountain and continued all night in prayer (Luke 6:12).

Prayer keeps us connected to the Source.When we pray, God can correct our direction before we make costly decisions. He can strengthen us when we are weak, guide us when we are confused, sustain us when we are weary, and remind us that we are not walking this journey alone.

Do not wait until the battle becomes unbearable before you pray.Pray before the battle. Pray during the battle. Pray after the victory.Make prayer your lifestyle, not merely your emergency tool.The more we recognize our dependence upon God, the more naturally we will seek Him.

PRAYER

Heavenly Father,As Daniel sought You consistently, as the disciples devoted themselves to prayer, and as Jesus continually withdrew to fellowship with the Father, give us grace to seek you continually.In Jesus' name, Amen.

DAILY BIBLE READING
Dan 6:1–28,Luke 5:15–16,Luke 6:12–16,Acts 3:1–10,1 Thessalonians 5:16–18,John 5:19–30

Author : Alfred Wabuko Manyasi
Contact :
Email : DominionvoicesminisrtyAnderson Mwila.com
Facebook : Alfred Wabuko Manyasi
Dominion Daily Devotion, 2026
© Dominion Voices Ministry

Our hero makes a cup of Turkish coffee, gets his pack of cigarettes, and goes into his room, responding to some emails and messages, then goes to exercise in his home gym; the workout is the same with dumbbells, sometimes light barbell deadlifts, and simple moves with weights.
He posts the workout live on YouTube; he has a YouTube channel, even though he does not know why he cares, but it gives him something to do when there is no work; it was a Monday; that's when he goes to church for bible study and a family prayer meeting.

Being a Coptic Orthodox Christian is different; he loves the church, but he is always uneasy and confused and does not know where he stands about his faith; he believes in the creed.

He was born on 9/9/1986; now he is 39 years old, has a lot more wisdom and knowledge about life and work, and he tries to follow Christ, but he always feels like he is not doing enough; being with mental illness determines what he can and cannot do, although he may pass as totally normal.

It goes into his head: what is normal, who defines it, or how being normal can be defined; he is like 60% analytical, and the rest is just total and utterly unrealistic “he is out of his mind in the remaining 40%.”

He comes back from church, takes his medication, and goes to sleep. He dreams of his father; they are having a conversation. Before he gets up, he tells his father I will talk to you when I get up, that is weird.
:
His father passed away like 10 years ago, and before that he had progressive supranuclear palsy and became paralyzed for the last 10 years of his life.

This is the way with dreams, unrealistic and never complete, but sometimes his thinking is more unrealistic than his dreams.
But if you ask him what his dreams are, he will not be able to answer; this is a question that he never had an answer to.

Others dream of fame and fortune, but he thinks being unknown is amazing. Money for what? All lives start the same and end the same; money can buy luxuries that are unessential, and the most expensive foods, which go down the same.


The world is fascinated with Alion Musk, President Trump and Mohamed Slah, without noticing the sacrifices they had to make, to live for their work and it only, they may look happy, they do what they love so they are happy, so do the work that makes you happy, but life and work is not that simple, young adults get married and within after 9 months their first born, they are not ready, but it is dictated by the community they live in, and it is a disaster not to have kids after 2 years of marriage, that is if the relationship happens in the context of marriage.

This is thought that passed through his head, he realizes that he does not conform with his community and church, he grew up in a mix of ideas and beliefs, adding to that the tragedies that happened in his life, these morphed the person he is now, he believes in Christ, he loves others as he loves himself, but he knows that not one denomination has a monopoly on Christianity and that only God knows the hearts of his creation.

But when he enters his church, he feels that God is truly present with him. When he listens to Christian songs that praise and glorify God, his spirit rejoices, and he feels a deep sense of peace and closeness to Him. He is also inspired by the way Catholics serve their communities, helping those in need and putting their faith into action through love, compassion, and service.

But all these thoughts just hit a wall when he tries to articulate them to someone, specially to Orthodox and Catholics, he sees great understanding in Evangelicals.

He realizes that those thoughts pop up because he has not gotten a project in a long time, but that is freelancing for you, he was unable to hold a steady paying job for more than 5 days, most of those was call center jobs, others were busboy jobs, he did not understand life as he does now.

He works from home, but like all freelance jobs there is no steady salary, that is a problem for when and if the miracle happens and he finds a wife, it is not only the age and work it is also the medication he must take.

May be deep down he think he does not deserve love; he cannot imagine his life with a wife and kids, how can he have children to face this life in this world, how can he repeat the cycle, and of course his feelings of impending doom and end, he is fascinated with Bible prophesy and the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Today he has a confession, he goes in and tries his best, he confesses his hesitation in the Orthodox faith, and that he cannot fast and be ready for communion, with his condition and all.

He is sure of one thing that gods answer his prayers all of them, something happens and he remembers he prayed for that a long time ago, some answers are in the way.

The medication timing can make or break the patient’s life, taking a sedating medication in the morning is very counterproductive, and if psychiatrists have their way all patients will be walking zombies, he sees this happens.

Talking about the hospital, anyone how goes there may see it as a horrible place, he sees it as therapeutic, when you see people who can’t walk or unable to take care of their basic needs you really thank God for everything you can do and have.

He sometimes thinks of his father and the cross he caried, to be totally paralyzed for 9 years, unable to speak, unable to move, unable to eat sold food, his father was a good man, he has his downfalls, but he had a good heart.

Our hero remembers his first day in university, he was young and outright weird, with his father in this condition, he was unable to adapt, this is when his illness started, he tried his best to study but after his father passed away, he left this university in his third year.

At the beginning of his healing journey his psychologist and mother were trying to push him to have a social life, like going to church meetings and university and other social events, she is a virtuous woman but narrowminded.

WHEN GOD WRITES ON THE WALL
A Call to Examine Your Heart Before God

KEY SCRIPTURE
“TEKEL; Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting.”
— Daniel 5:27 (KJV)

Thought Of The Day...
There are times when God whispers to our hearts. There are times when He sends warnings through His Word, through circumstances, and through people. And then there are moments when God makes His message so unmistakably clear that it can no longer be ignored.
Daniel 5 gives us one of the most powerful and sobering examples in all of Scripture.
King Belshazzar was surrounded by celebration. The palace was filled with people, food, wine, wealth, music, power, and prestige. To everyone looking from the outside, it appeared that the king had everything under control. But while Belshazzar was celebrating on earth, Heaven was examining his heart.
While people were honoring the king, God was weighing the king.
While Belshazzar was looking at what he possessed, God was looking at what he had become.
Suddenly everything changed.
“In the same hour came forth fingers of a man's hand, and wrote over against the candlestick upon the plaister of the wall of the king's palace: and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote.”
— Daniel 5:5 (KJV)
The celebration stopped. The king's confidence disappeared. The man who commanded others suddenly had no control over himself.
Scripture says:
“Then the king's countenance was changed, and his thoughts troubled him... and his knees smote one against another.”
— Daniel 5:6 (KJV)
Belshazzar discovered something that we must never forget: when God speaks, earthly power cannot silence Him. When God exposes something, money cannot cover it. When God pronounces judgment, human influence cannot reverse it.
Belshazzar called for the astrologers, Chaldeans, soothsayers, and wise men of Babylon, but none of them could interpret the writing. All the intelligence of Babylon was powerless before a message that came from God.
Eventually Daniel was summoned.
Daniel had lived faithfully before God for years. Kings had changed. Governments had changed. Circumstances had changed. Daniel had grown older, but his commitment to God had remained.
What a testimony!
The queen said concerning Daniel:
“...there is a man in thy kingdom, in whom is the spirit of the holy gods... light and understanding and wisdom... was found in him.”
— Daniel 5:11 (KJV)
Daniel had developed a reputation that when everybody else was confused, Daniel knew how to seek God.
May that become our testimony.
When people around us are confused, may they know that we know God. When families experience trouble, may they know there is somebody who knows how to pray. When darkness enters a situation, may our lives carry the light of Christ.
Jesus declared:
“Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.”
— Matthew 5:14 (KJV)
Belshazzar offered Daniel wealth, clothing, jewelry, and political promotion if he could interpret the message. But Daniel answered:
“Let thy gifts be to thyself, and give thy rewards to another...”
— Daniel 5:17 (KJV)
Daniel's integrity was not for sale.
He didn't need the king's money to tell the king God's truth. He wasn't seeking popularity. He wasn't chasing another title. Daniel understood that pleasing God was greater than pleasing people.
That same conviction must live within us.
There will be times when standing upon God's Word will not make us popular. There will be times when truth will challenge people. There will be times when obedience may cost us opportunities, relationships, applause, or acceptance.
But we must be able to say:
“For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men?...”
— Galatians 1:10 (KJV)
Daniel reminded Belshazzar about Nebuchadnezzar. Nebuchadnezzar had once become lifted up in pride, and God humbled him until he understood:
“...that the most high God ruled in the kingdom of men, and that he appointeth over it whomsoever he will.”
— Daniel 5:21 (KJV)
Then Daniel spoke words that should cause every believer to examine his or her heart:
“And thou his son, O Belshazzar, hast not humbled thine heart, though thou knewest all this.”
— Daniel 5:22 (KJV)
Though thou knewest all this.
Belshazzar had been given an example. He knew what pride had done before him, but he refused to learn from it.
There is a dangerous difference between not knowing God's will and knowing God's will but refusing to obey it.
The Bible says:
“Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.”
— James 4:17 (KJV)
God's patience should never be mistaken for God's approval.
Just because judgment has not come does not mean God approves of what we are doing. Sometimes God's delay is actually God's mercy giving us time to repent.
“The Lord is... longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”
— 2 Peter 3:9 (KJV)
Belshazzar had also taken the sacred vessels from God's temple and used them during his celebration. He treated what belonged to God as though it were common.
Daniel told him:
“...thou hast lifted up thyself against the Lord of heaven...”
— Daniel 5:23 (KJV)
This should cause us to ask ourselves: Have we become too casual with the things of God?
Have we become casual about prayer?
Casual about worship?
Casual about God's Word?
Casual about holiness?
Casual about our calling?
Casual about the gifts God placed inside us?
Casual about gathering with other believers?
God is loving, gracious, merciful, and compassionate, but He is still holy.
“But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation.”
— 1 Peter 1:15 (KJV)
Belshazzar praised gods made from silver, gold, brass, iron, wood, and stone. Yet when trouble entered the palace, none of those gods could answer him.
How often do people still place their confidence in things that cannot save them?
Money cannot save the soul.
A career cannot save the soul.
A title cannot save the soul.
Popularity cannot save the soul.
Possessions cannot save the soul.
Human relationships cannot take God's place.
Jesus asked:
“For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?”
— Mark 8:36 (KJV)
Then Daniel revealed the handwriting:
“MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN.”
— Daniel 5:25 (KJV)
MENE meant:
“God hath numbered thy kingdom, and finished it.”
— Daniel 5:26 (KJV)
Belshazzar thought he had more time.
God said his time had been numbered.
That should remind us that every day is a gift from God.
Every morning is mercy.
Every breath is grace.
Every opportunity to pray is precious.
Every opportunity to forgive matters.
Every opportunity to tell someone about Jesus matters.
Every opportunity to obey God matters.
David prayed:
“So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.”
— Psalm 90:12 (KJV)
Then came TEKEL:
“Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting.”
— Daniel 5:27 (KJV)
What a frightening statement.
Belshazzar had been weighed—not by public opinion, not by his friends, not by his servants, and not by the standards of Babylon.
He had been weighed by God.
People may celebrate what God is correcting.
People may applaud what God is examining.
People may be impressed by our gifts while God is concerned about our character.
People may see our appearance while God sees our hearts.
Scripture declares:
“...for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.”
— 1 Samuel 16:7 (KJV)
That brings us to a serious question:
If God examined my heart today, what would He find?
Would He find humility or pride?
Would He find obedience or rebellion?
Would He find forgiveness or bitterness?
Would He find love or hatred?
Would He find integrity when nobody is watching?
Would He find genuine faith?
Would He find someone seeking His glory—or someone seeking his or her own?
This is not about earning salvation. We cannot save ourselves through our works.
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works...”
— Ephesians 2:8–9 (KJV)
Our hope is Jesus Christ. But when Christ truly transforms our hearts, our lives should produce evidence of that transformation.
Finally came PERES:
“Thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.”
— Daniel 5:28 (KJV)
Then Scripture delivers the sobering conclusion:
“In that night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans slain.”
— Daniel 5:30 (KJV)
That night.
Belshazzar started the evening sitting on a throne and ended it having lost everything.
He thought he had tomorrow.
He didn't.
This is why Scripture says:
“...behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.”
— 2 Corinthians 6:2 (KJV)
Don't wait for tomorrow to surrender what God is asking for today.
Don't wait until tomorrow to forgive.
Don't wait until tomorrow to repent.
Don't wait until tomorrow to pray.
Don't wait until tomorrow to make things right.
Don't wait until tomorrow to answer God's call.
And above all, don't wait until tomorrow to come to Jesus.
Daniel 5 is not merely about handwriting appearing on a wall. It is about a God who sees beyond appearances and examines the heart.
Belshazzar's kingdom is gone. Babylon's glory faded. Its wealth could not last. Its power could not last. Its king could not last.
But our God remains.
“For I am the LORD, I change not...”
— Malachi 3:6 (KJV)
Before God ever has to write something on the wall, allow Him to write His Word upon your heart.
“Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.”
— Psalm 119:11 (KJV)
Let His Word correct you.
Let His Word convict you.
Let His Word humble you.
Let His Word guide you.
Let His Word transform you.
And when God reveals something in your heart that needs to change, don't run from Him.
Run to Him.
Because through Jesus Christ there is forgiveness, mercy, restoration, and new life.
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
— 1 John 1:9 (KJV)

PRAYER...
Most Holy and Eternal God, our Father,
We come before You in the mighty name of Jesus Christ, humbled by Your Word and grateful for Your mercy.
Father, search us today.
Your Word declares:
“Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts.”
— Psalm 139:23 (KJV)
Lord, shine Your light into every area of our lives. Reveal anything within us that does not please You.
If pride has entered our hearts, humble us.
If bitterness has entered our hearts, cleanse us.
If unforgiveness has taken root, help us forgive.
If compromise has entered our lives, give us courage to turn away from it.
If we have become casual concerning holy things, restore our reverence for You.
If anything has taken Your rightful place in our hearts, tear down every idol and draw us back to You.
Father, never allow us to become so comfortable with Your blessings that we forget the One who blessed us.
Help us remember that every breath comes from You, every opportunity comes from You, every gift comes from You, and every good thing comes from You.
Your Word says:
“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above...”
— James 1:17 (KJV)
Give us the spirit of Daniel.
Give us wisdom when others are confused.
Give us courage when others compromise.
Give us integrity when temptation comes.
Give us faith when circumstances become difficult.
Give us boldness to speak Your truth with love.
May we never sell our convictions for acceptance, promotion, popularity, money, or position.
Father, teach us to number our days.
Help us understand that tomorrow is not promised and today is an opportunity to glorify You.
May our lives bring honor to Jesus Christ.
May our homes glorify You.
May our marriages and families glorify You.
May our ministries glorify You.
May our workplaces glorify You.
May our words glorify You.
May our decisions glorify You.
And when You examine our hearts, may You find people who sincerely love You, trust You, obey You, and desire to walk according to Your Word.
Thank You for Jesus.
Thank You that where we have fallen short, the blood of Jesus still cleanses.
Thank You that repentance is still available.
Thank You that grace is still available.
Thank You that mercy is still available.
Thank You that restoration is still available.
Create within us clean hearts and renew right spirits within us.
“Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.”
— Psalm 51:10 (KJV)
We surrender ourselves completely to You.
In the mighty, matchless, wonderful name of Jesus Christ we pray, Amen and Amen!

DECLARATION...
I DECLARE IN THE NAME OF JESUS:
My heart belongs to God!
My life belongs to God!
My family belongs to God!
My gifts belong to God!
My future belongs to God!
My worship belongs to God!
I will not allow pride to rule my heart.
I will not allow the things of this world to become idols in my life.
I will not compromise God's Word for popularity, acceptance, position, possessions, or applause.
Like Daniel, I will walk with an excellent spirit.
I will stand when others compromise.
I will pray when others panic.
I will trust God when others doubt.
I will speak truth with love.
I will honor God publicly and privately.
MENE! I understand that my days are numbered, therefore I will make my days count for the glory of God.
TEKEL! I understand that God examines the heart, therefore I will walk humbly and sincerely before Him.
PERES! I understand that earthly kingdoms, possessions, titles, and accomplishments will pass away, but the Kingdom of God will stand forever.
I declare that God's Word will be written upon my heart.
I will not wait for the handwriting on the wall before I obey God.
TODAY I CHOOSE JESUS!
TODAY I CHOOSE HUMILITY!
TODAY I CHOOSE OBEDIENCE!
TODAY I CHOOSE HOLINESS!
TODAY I CHOOSE FAITH!
TODAY I CHOOSE TO LIVE FOR THE GLORY OF GOD!
“But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”
— Joshua 24:15 (KJV)
This is my declaration, this is my commitment, and this is my prayer—in Jesus' mighty name. Amen and Amen!

Three Angels Broadcasting Network Devotional.
Habits

By Elena Varnavskaya

August 20th, 2026

“I will set nothing wicked before my eyes.” Psalm 101:3

How, Lord, in our age, is it possible to avoid looking at wicked things when we are assaulted on every side by TV screens, smartphones, and billboards showing images of scantily clad bodies advertising every conceivable product? What do we do with our eyes? Or our children and grandchildren’s eyes? How can we resist wasting precious time on things that don’t make us any better?

Recently, we bought our teenaged granddaughter a smartphone. She was very eager for it because all her peers have had one for a long time. Her mother had wisely delayed the purchase, knowing that her daughter seemed easily influenced by other people’s views; but it wasn’t long before the problems began.

At first, she stayed on the Internet for hours at a time and didn’t even notice it, so we limited her data usage to one hour a day. But this didn’t stop her, as she quickly caught on to using wi-fi signals. Then it wasn’t long before we got a pretty big shock when we checked her text messages and found some pretty vulgar language! We were horrified that, like a sponge, she seemed to absorb everything that was bad! And to make things worse, her sister, who is three years older, never developed these problems. What could we do? How could we teach our child to only look at things that would change her for the better? We took her phone away, but we all knew that this couldn’t solve the problem.

So what can we do to help our children? First, we must understand how we influence them—not only by our words, but by our actions. As one Russian proverb says, “Look at the habits of the parents and you’ll find that the children already have vices.” Only the Lord can help us be rid of our bad habits and acquire good ones in their place.

In his letter to the Romans, the Apostle Paul wrote, “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” Romans 12:2. As parents, we are responsible to God for our children; but before we can change them, we must change ourselves. We all have many more acquired and inherited habits than our children do, and only the Lord can miraculously change us into His image and likeness.

What hope can we give parents who see their bad habits replicated in their children and grandchildren? We can tell them to trust the Lord, and pray that the transforming power of the Holy Spirit that changed our lives will work on our children’s hearts, too.

God is too wise to fulfill our confused, darkened, and self-serving desires. But He will always fulfill the desires of our transformed, and enlightened hearts. What higher desires can we have than to love God and want communion with Him, to have His will be done in our life, and to have a deeper interaction with His people? Those whom God will take home with Him will want to do His will. They will walk in perfect freedom forever, for there will be nothing in their hearts to give up!