Good morning, brethren. 1. Morning devotion for today. MD.i. 😀💝🌺🎁🌹🎀 MORNING TEA THE WORD FOR TODAY SUNDAY AUGUST 23, 2O26. "THREE LEVELS OF ATTACK (3)" ‘…All these things I will give you...’ Matthew 4:9 NKJV THE ATTACK over the cross. Let’s look at the third temptation Jesus faced: ‘…The devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to Him, “All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me’’’ (Matthew 4:8-9 NKJV). Satan’s third attack was over a cross-less life. In essence, he told Jesus, ‘You don’t have to carry the cross. Just bow to me and you can have it all.’ Jesus said, ‘…“Away with you, satan!...”’ (Matthew 4:10 NKJV). ‘Away’ with any teaching that says God is your porter and He has to wait on you! Or that He’s like a vending machine; all you have to do is put in a few coins and whatever you want will come out. Paul writes, ‘I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me’ (Galatians 2:20 NKJV). Has God promised to bless you? Absolutely! But that doesn’t mean you’ll never get hurt, or face lack, or fatigue, or be betrayed and disappointed by others. Jesus said, ‘…unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies [to self], it remains alone; but if it dies [to self], it produces much…’ (John 12:24 NKJV). Have you ever heard the expression, ‘Dead man walking?’ To do God’s will, you have to die to your own will, and do it daily. But if you’re willing to, God will take you to a new level of blessing. Bible In A Year: Amos 5:18 – 9:15, Matt 20:29-34, Ps 119:145-160, Pro 19:1-2. Courtesy: Grace So Amazing 💝🎀 *To partner with us, kindly refer to page 9 of the hard copy edition or simply send us a WhatsApp message/call on +2348128000068.*🎀💝🌹🌷. MD.ii. [22/08, 8:22 pm] Pastor Attah: *MEDITATIONS ON DAILY ⓂANNA* SUNDAY, AUGUST 23, 2026 *THE REWARD OF SACRIFICIAL DISCIPLESHIP* *Text:* Matthew 19:27–30 27. Then answered Peter and said unto him, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore? 28. And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29. And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life. 30. But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first. *Timeless Truth:* _For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister"_ (Hebrews 6:10) *INTRODUCTION* During the Second World War, Desmond Doss, an American Army medic and committed Christian, served without carrying a weapon because of his convictions. During the Battle of Okinawa in 1945, he repeatedly entered a dangerous battlefield to rescue wounded soldiers. He is credited with saving approximately 75 men, lowering each wounded soldier to safety while under enemy fire. Doss later received the Medal of Honor for extraordinary courage. His story reminds us that genuine commitment often involves sacrifice. A person who is committed to a worthy cause may surrender comfort, safety and personal advantage because he believes the cause is greater than himself. Peter's question in Matthew 19:27 comes from this same concern. The disciples had left much to follow Jesus, and Peter asked, “What shall we have therefore?” Jesus did not condemn the question. Instead, He taught them that sacrifice for God's kingdom is never wasted.*For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.* (Hebrews 6:10). The passage teaches us that Christ calls His followers to sacrificial discipleship, promises them spiritual reward and warns them against measuring God's kingdom by worldly standards. Perhaps you have sacrificed time to serve God. Perhaps you have endured rejection because of your faith. Perhaps you have given financially when it was difficult. Perhaps you have chosen obedience over personal ambition. Perhaps you have remained faithful in a ministry where nobody seems to notice your work. Jesus' answer in this passage is an encouragement: God sees, God remembers and God rewards. But Christ also corrects our understanding of reward. The Christian life is not primarily about asking, “What can I get from following Jesus?” It is about asking, “How can I faithfully serve the One who gave everything for me?” The disciples left much, but Jesus promised that their sacrifice would not be wasted. There are three great challenges before us: (i) Surrender your life completely to Christ. (ii) Serve faithfully without demanding immediate recognition. *(iii)* Stand firm when sacrifice becomes difficult. The world may celebrate those who appear to be first. God's kingdom operates differently. The person who quietly serves, humbly gives, faithfully prays, patiently suffers and continues obeying Christ may be accomplishing something of far greater eternal value than the person receiving public applause. Therefore, do not give up because your service is unnoticed. Do not stop serving because your sacrifice is costly. Do not measure God's faithfulness by your immediate circumstances. Your labour for Christ is never wasted. *Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.* (1 Corinthians 15:58) One day, the Lord Himself will reveal what truly mattered. And on that day, the faithful servant will discover that nothing surrendered to Christ was ever truly lost. *1. The Surrender of Sacrificial Discipleship* a. Peter reminded Jesus that the disciples had left their possessions and livelihoods to follow Him. Following Christ involves surrender. Christianity is not merely receiving blessings; it is also yielding our lives to the Lord. We must ask whether Christ truly has first place in our lives. Following Him may require us to surrender habits, relationships, ambitions, possessions, or personal preferences that compete with His will. b. The disciples did not merely admire Jesus; they left their former way of life and continued with Him. Christian commitment is not measured by how enthusiastically we begin, but by how faithfully we continue. *Questions* (i) What am I unwilling to surrender to Christ? (ii) Does my daily lifestyle demonstrate that following Jesus is more important to me than personal comfort? *2. The Reward of Kingdom Service* a. Jesus assured His disciples that their sacrifices would not go unnoticed. Jesus spoke of the future when He would sit on His glorious throne and the disciples would share in His kingdom. Our present service must be viewed in light of eternity. What we sacrifice for Christ now has eternal significance. b. Jesus promised that those who had sacrificed houses, family relationships or possessions for His name would receive abundant blessings. This does not mean that discipleship is a scheme for material prosperity. Rather, Jesus assures His followers that nothing surrendered to Him is ultimately lost. Jesus concludes His promise with: *"And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters... for My name's sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life.”* *Questions* (i) Do I serve God for His glory or mainly for recognition and earthly rewards? (ii) When sacrifice becomes difficult, do I remember the eternal reward promised by Christ? *3. The Reversal of Kingdom Standards* a. Jesus concludes with a statement that challenges human ideas about success and reward. Human society often measures greatness through wealth, position, influence, education and recognition. But God's measurement is different. We should not measure our spiritual worth by comparing ourselves with other people. b. God values humble service rather than self-promotion. A disciple should be willing to serve even when nobody applauds, notices or rewards the work. The world's ranking system will not determine the final outcome. God will ultimately reveal the true value of every person's service. *Questions* (i) Do I become discouraged when others receive recognition while my service remains unnoticed? (ii) Am I willing to serve faithfully even when I receive no immediate reward? *Prayer Points* 1. Lord Jesus, help me to surrender every area of my life completely to You and place Your kingdom above my personal interests.🙏 2. Father, give me grace to remain faithful in serving You even when the work is difficult or unnoticed.🙏 3. Lord, deliver me from comparing myself with others and help me to value eternal rewards above temporary recognition.🙏 4. Holy Spirit, remove pride and selfish ambition from my heart and make me a humble servant who seeks God's glory rather than human applause.🙏 *Hymn:* Take My Life and Let It Be *THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:* DANIEL 9-10 [22/08, 8:22 pm] Pastor Attah: ```DAILY Ⓜ️ANNA - (A DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE FOR ADULTS) SUNDAY 23RD AUGUST, 2026``` *BEYOND HUMAN MEASURE* 📓📖🎚️🫵🏽🙋🏽‍♂️🙋🏽‍♀️🧎🏽🧎🏽‍♀️🙏🏽👑🙌🏽 📜📜```TEXT:MATTHEW 19:27-30```📜📜 🔑📖```KEY VERSE:``` _*"And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life. But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first" (MATTHEW 19:29, 30).*_ *Brother Andrew, a humble Dutchman, began smuggling Bibles into communist countries during the _Cold War,_ risking his life to serve believers behind the Iron Curtain. He didn't seek fame; he just obeyed God's quiet call. That small, faithful beginning grew into _Open Doors,_ a global ministry that continues to help persecuted Christians today. Though little known on earth, Andrew is surely honoured in heaven.* *His story perfectly illustrates the timeless principle Jesus lays out in today's passage: that all faithful, sacrificial service done for Him, however hidden or risky, will attract heaven's reward. In the text, Apostle Peter poses a question many believers still echo today: "We have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore?" It is a question laced with hope but also with the subtle implication of comparison with others and transaction with God. Considering the context, Peter's question implies that if we have given up much for God, in contrast to the rich young ruler who didn't, surely we are due a proportionate reward. In His answer, Jesus affirms that sacrifice in His name is never forgotten. Certainly, we shall receive astounding rewards, yet He closes with a warning wrapped in a paradox: "But many _that are_ first shall be last; and the last _shall be_ first."* *This final line holds the key to understanding divine reward, not as a salary earned but as a gift bestowed in Sovereign wisdom. God's kingdom does not run on human logic or worldly meritocracy. Instead, it operates based on grace, faithfulness, and sincerity of heart. When we serve God with a mere transactional mind-set, doing in order to receive, we risk missing the heartbeat of discipleship. And to correct this misunderstanding, Jesus immediately follows His statement with the parable of the workers in the vineyard. There, those who worked a full day were shocked to receive the same wages as those hired last. Then Jesus concluded with the same warning: "So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen". The point is clear: God's rewards are not based on length of service or human measure, but on His gracious prerogative. Faithfulness, not fame, draws heaven's attention.* *This ought to challenge and comfort us. We are not in competition in God's kingdom. We are simply called to be faithful. Whatever the sacrifice our calling may demand, the measure of our reward is not in the scope of our task but in our fidelity to it. So, as the "prize-giving day" draws near, let us serve with joy, not calculation, remembering that the One who called us is no man's debtor but a just and faithful Rewarder.* ✍🏽```THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:``` _*When you serve in silence, heaven echoes your labour with eternal applause.*_ 📜📜```THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:``` *DANIEL 9-10*📜📜 Beyond Human Measure https://dailymanna.app// *RECOMMENDED GOSPEL HYMNS AND SONGS - GHS 54: I AM READY FOR SERVICE; GHS 59: LITTLE IS MUCH WHEN GOD IS IN IT; GHS 62: GO LABOUR ON; AND GHS 89: O JESUS, I HAVE PROMISED* *TXD [THEXDEVOTIONALS] on Twitter* *#DailyManna23rdAugust2026* *#GCK* *#WorshipNuggets* *#BibleNuggets* *#LeadershipNuggets* *#RevivalNuggets* *#CrusadeNuggets* https://www.youtube.com/[THEXDEVOTIONALS] [22/08, 8:22 pm] Pastor Attah: ```DEEPER CHRISTIAN LIFE MINISTRY``` _*HIGHER EVERYD🅰️Y: (A DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE FOR YOUTHS)*_ ✍🏽👩🏻‍💼🌻 🍇🙏🏽🛰🚀🔬📚 ```SUNDAY 23RD AUGUST, 2026``` *ATTITUDE TO WORLD AFFAIRS* 🎚️📓📖🫵🏽🙋🏽‍♂️🙋🏽‍♀️❤️🌍❌🧎🏽🧎🏽‍♀️🙏🏽 📜📜```TEXT:1 JOHN 2:15-17```📜📜 📖``` MEMORY VERSE:``` _*"Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him" (1 JOHN 2:15).*_ *The hands of the clock has been used to describe three categories of believers. Twelve-o'clock-Christians are so heavenly conscious, but of no earthly use. Half-past-six-o'clock-Christians are buried in the world and have lost the vision of heaven. The six-o'clock-believers are Christians who are of significance on earth and are heavenly minded.* *The significance of salt as flavour is not felt when it is isolated from other ingredients. It is not eaten as food all on its own. The worth of salt is acknowledged when it is used as flavour. So are believers. We are the salt of the earth. While we insulate ourselves from the pollutions of the world and live with the consciousness of heaven, we should equally exact positive influence in the world.* *Christian youths can influence their world in various clubs in school - like the Press Club, Junior Engineers, Technicians and Scientists, Young Farmers Club, Red Cross Society - to shine the gospel light. Qualified youths should exercise their franchise during elections as responsible citizens. We should not contaminate ourselves with the evils of the society; instead, impact it positively.* 💬 ```QUOTE:``` _*Youths can influence their world.*_ 🏆 ```CHALLENGE:``` _*Don't isolate but insulate against the world.*_ 🙏🏽🙏🏽 ```PRAYER:``` _*Father, help me to be a blessing to the world.*_ Attitude To World Affairs https://dailymanna.app// *TXD [THEXDEVOTIONALS] on Twitter* *#HigherEveryday23rdAugust2026* *#GCK* *#WorshipNuggets* *#BibleNuggets* *#LeadershipNuggets* *#RevivalNuggets* *#CrusadeNuggets* https://www.youtube.com/[THEXDEVOTIONALS] [22/08, 8:22 pm] Pastor Attah: ```DEEPER CHRISTIAN LIFE MINISTRY``` _*(SINCERE MILK: Children Daily Devotional Guide 2⃣0⃣2⃣6️⃣)*_ 🙇🏼🙇🏼🙇‍♀️🙇‍♀️🙇🏼🙇‍♀️🙇🏼🙇‍♀️🙇🏼‍♂️ ```SUNDAY 23RD AUGUST, 2026``` *FIRST ON THE LIST* 📓📖🎚️🫵🏽🙋🏽‍♂️🙋🏽‍♀️✝️🧎🏽🧎🏽‍♀️🗣️🖤🩸🤍🙏🏽 📜📜```PSALM 103:1-5```📜📜 🕔📚🖋️🚻😁🎼🏆🍉🪴🌈💻 🔑📖 ```Key Verse:``` _*"Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases" (Psalm 103:3).*_ 📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖 A list always starts with number one (1). In most cases, the first thing is the most important. For example, in an examination result, the first position is given to the child that scores the highest mark. The first always opens the list for other items to follow. As shown in our Bible passage, the first opens the door for all other benefits to come through. The blessings of God seem to be arranged in a divine, logical order in the lives of God's children. We do not have to rush for the second if we have not yet received the first. Sins (iniquities) block our way to receiving God's many benefits or blessings. Sin must first be removed out of our lives if we want to have God's blessings. For, *"if I regard* (allow) *iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me"* - and bless me (Psalm 66:18). In our Bible passage, the first benefit stated there is *"forgiveness of sin"*. It is after you have received this first benefit, by turning away from your bad ways, saying sorry to God, and making Jesus your Saviour and friend, that you are qualified to enjoy the other benefits like healing, deliverance, love and mercy of God, provision and long life. *If you desire God's blessings in your life, do the first thing first: repent and turn away from your sins, and the needed blessings will come into your life.* 🍥🍥🍥🍥🍥🍥🍥🍥 ```🅿️rayer:``` _*Lord, I am sorry for every bad thing I have done. Forgive my sins, be merciful to me and bless me.*_ 🙏🏽 ```📖 Further Reading:``` *Psalm 32:1, 2* First On The List https://dailymanna.app// *TXD [THEXDEVOTIONALS] on Twitter* *#SincereMilk23rdAugust2026* *#GCK* *#WorshipNuggets* *#BibleNuggets* *#LeadershipNuggets* *#RevivalNuggets* *#CrusadeNuggets* https://www.youtube.com/[THEXDEVOTIONALS]. 2. Morning Prayer for today. MP.i. Morning Prayer Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. ⏤ Hebrews 10:22 He who kneels the most, stands the best. ⏤ D.L. Moody Most gracious God, in Your good providence You have allowed us to see the light of another Sunday—draw near to us in mercy. May the Sun of righteousness arise upon us with healing in His wings. May our fellowship this day be with You, the Father, and with Your Son, Jesus Christ. May all unworthy thoughts be suppressed, and may our hearts be filled with holy desires. Be a guest in our home today. Abide with us and sanctify our home life. We ask You to bless all the gatherings of Your people who will worship today in any part of the world. May Your Spirit be with all who preach and teach in the name of Jesus, and with all who love You. May Your word have great power. May lost sinners be convicted and led to repentance. May Christians be strengthened and encouraged. May those who are sorrowful be comforted. May children and young people receive holy and heavenly guidance and be blessed. May this be a day of the power of the Most High, and may its influence be deep and lasting. We ask You, O God, to give us a good Sunday in our own home. Help us to remember the day and keep it in a way that pleases You and brings blessings into our lives. May our love for each other grow as we worship together. May Your love be poured out in our hearts more abundantly. May we stay close to Your heart all day. We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. https://www.youdevotion.com/daily-prayer/miller/49/morning #taptapstudio #youdevotion.

COMPLETENESS “And I will give you rest.” — Matthew 11:28 Whenever something begins to disturb your relationship with Jesus, turn to Him immediately and ask Him to give you His rest. Don't allow anything that is destroying your peace to remain in your heart. When you become troubled, overly focused on yourself, or worried about what people think about you, bring it to Jesus. Self-consciousness can slowly lead to self-pity: “Nobody understands me.” “They should apologize to me.” “I need to explain myself.” “People should recognize what I have done.” Instead of focusing on yourself and what people are doing, turn your attention back to Christ. Ask God to make you more conscious of Christ than you are of yourself. What does completeness mean? A complete Christian life is like the life of a child—simple, trusting, and restful. A child does not constantly analyze everything. A child trusts. When we are constantly asking, “Am I doing God's will? Is God pleased with me? Is God answering my prayer?” it can show that we have lost our sense of rest in God. A child of God learns to trust that God is present, God is working, and God hears prayer. When we move away from God's will, we begin to feel the need to ask, “Lord, what is Your will?” But as we remain close to Him, our lives naturally begin to follow His will. Jesus does not want us to live constantly focused on ourselves. He says: > “Come unto Me, and I will give you rest.” — Matthew 11:28 The more we focus on Jesus, the less we become controlled by ourselves. Don't spend your life thinking about how people see you, whether they appreciate you, or whether they understand you. Look to Jesus. Where Jesus is truly in control, He brings rest, peace, stability, and completeness.

The Advent Truth. CONSCIOUSNESS DOES NOT DETERMINE HUMAN VALUE. One increasingly common argument says that ending the life of a developing child isn't really taking a human life because the child isn't yet conscious. But think carefully about that standard. Since when does consciousness determine whether a human being has the right to live? A person who is asleep isn't consciously aware of the world around them. A patient under general anesthesia isn't consciously experiencing their surroundings. Someone knocked unconscious in an accident may temporarily have no awareness whatsoever. Would that make intentionally ending their life acceptable? Of course not. That's because our value as human beings isn't created by our current level of consciousness. And there's another problem: newborn babies don't possess anything close to the developed self-awareness, reasoning ability, memory, or cognitive capacity of adults. If consciousness determines human worth, exactly HOW MUCH consciousness is enough? Where is the line? And who gets to draw it? The Bible gives us a radically different foundation for human value: "So God created man in his own image..." — Genesis 1:27 Our value comes from WHO created us—not how much we can currently think, understand, communicate, remember, or accomplish. David said: "Thou hast covered me in my mother's womb... Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect." — Psalm 139:13,16 Jeremiah was told: "Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee." — Jeremiah 1:5 And Luke describes John before birth using the Greek word brephos—"baby"—the SAME word used for Jesus after His birth (Luke 1:41,44; 2:12,16). Before birth and after birth: a developing human life. Human worth cannot safely be based on intelligence, independence, size, location, development, or consciousness. Once we make human dignity dependent upon possessing certain abilities, human rights stop being inherent and become something the powerful decide who qualifies for. Human life has value because human beings bear the image of God.

Adam was never born. He has no childhood. No first word. No mother to resemble. No memories before consciousness. He opens his eyes as a fully formed man, and the very first face he has ever seen is the face of God. Think about how impossible that is. The first voice he ever heard was not human. The first relationship he ever knew had no fear. The first love he ever experienced had no conditions. Which means Adam never had to learn who God was. He only had to learn what life felt like after losing what he once knew perfectly. Maybe that's why humanity has spent every generation searching for something it cannot explain. Perhaps every soul carries an echo of a home it never personally remembers but was originally created for. #Lordsbook

The Mice in the Piano Pastor Joseph Clark August 12, 2026 “He who denies the existence of God, has some reason for wishing that God did not exist.” —Saint Augustine “Whoever acknowledges Me before others, I will also acknowledge before My Father in heaven. But whoever disowns Me before others, I will disown before My Father in heaven.” —Matthew 10:32–33 The Mice in the Piano Once upon a time, there were two little mice. They were brothers, and they had lived their entire lives inside a piano. It was the only world they had ever known. Their parents and siblings had died of old age, leaving the two brothers as the last members of their family. They spent their days exploring their strange little world and listening in wonder to the beautiful music that constantly filled the piano. They could not see where the music came from. Their parents had taught them that the music was produced by a great and mysterious being who lived beyond their understanding—the one who played the piano. The two mice loved to think about this great player. They talked about him, wondered about him, and delighted in the beautiful music he produced. Then, one day, one of the mice went exploring. When he returned, he was thoughtful and unusually serious. “There is no great player,” he told his brother. “It is all a myth. I have seen the inside of this piano. The music is produced by wires, hammers, strings, and mechanisms. I have seen them with my own eyes!” The brothers abandoned their belief in the great player. They were convinced that they had finally discovered the truth. They understood the mechanisms of the piano, and therefore they believed they had explained away the musician. They examined the wires, hammers, strings, and mechanical workings repeatedly. The more they learned about how the piano worked, the more confident they became that there was no need to believe in a player. But they had overlooked something very important. Knowing how the piano works does not explain who is playing it. And so, while the two mice congratulated themselves on their newfound wisdom, the great player continued to play. The mice simply could not see him. The Limits of Human Understanding There is an important lesson in this little story. Human beings are intelligent. We have learned extraordinary things about the universe. We have explored the depths of the oceans, walked on the moon, examined the microscopic world, mapped the human genome, and discovered astonishing laws governing the physical universe. But our ability to understand something does not mean that we understand everything. The Bible repeatedly reminds us that humility is essential when approaching God. Jesus said: “Unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” —Matthew 18:3 He also said: “Let the little children come to Me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.” —Matthew 19:14 And again: “Whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.” —Luke 18:17 Jesus is not telling us to abandon reason or become intellectually childish. Rather, He is calling us to humility, trust, and dependence upon God. Scripture says: “Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” —Matthew 18:4 The Christian life begins with recognizing that God is God—and we are not. “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God.” —Ephesians 2:8 And: “The righteous shall live by faith.” —Romans 1:17 Faith is not a rejection of reason. Faith recognizes that human reason has limits. Living in a Skeptical Age In 1897, Francis Pharcellus Church wrote his famous response to eight-year-old Virginia O'Hanlon concerning her question about Santa Claus. Church observed that people can become skeptical of anything they cannot see or fully comprehend. Although Church was writing about Santa Claus—not God—the broader observation is worth considering. We live in an age that often treats what can be measured as though it were the only thing that can be real. But there are many things we accept as real without seeing them directly. We cannot see gravity. We cannot see thoughts. We cannot see love. We cannot see electricity itself. Yet we observe their effects. Likewise, Christians believe that although God cannot be placed under a microscope or reduced to a laboratory experiment, His existence can be considered through the evidence of creation, reason, morality, human consciousness, history, and ultimately the revelation of Jesus Christ. The fact that we cannot see God with our physical eyes does not prove that God does not exist. The mice could not see the piano player either. That did not mean he wasn't there. When People Mock Our Faith A close friend of mine, an Archbishop, once told me a humorous story from his childhood. He had been at a park with his mother when he ran over excitedly and told her that the sun was actually a star and that the stars in the sky were also suns. His mother, apparently overwhelmed by the complexity of the information, responded with a blunt declaration that, in essence, the sun was the sun and the stars were the stars—and that was the end of the discussion! Sometimes we can become uncomfortable when someone challenges what we believe. That is particularly true when people we respect dismiss Christianity as foolishness. Richard Dawkins, Woody Allen, Isaac Asimov, Mark Twain, Carl Sagan, and many others have expressed skepticism toward Christianity or belief in God. But Christians should not respond with anger or hatred. We should respond with grace. Forgive them. Pray for them. Love them. And share the Gospel with them. The Apostle Peter instructed Christians: “Always be ready to give an answer to anyone who asks you for the reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect.” —1 Peter 3:15 That is an important distinction. We are called to defend the faith, but we are not called to be quarrelsome. Jesus said: “If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, leave that home or town and shake the dust off your feet.” —Matthew 10:14 And He warned: “Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls before swine.” —Matthew 7:6 There comes a time when we must recognize that arguing louder will not make someone believe. Our responsibility is to faithfully proclaim Christ. The Holy Spirit is responsible for changing hearts. What About Suffering? One of the most common objections to belief in God is the existence of suffering. People ask: “How can I believe in a loving God when there is so much suffering in the world?” This is a serious question, and Christians should never dismiss it with a shallow answer. The Bible itself contains people crying out to God in the midst of suffering. Job asked difficult questions. David cried out in the Psalms. Even Jesus wept at the tomb of Lazarus. Christianity does not pretend that suffering is imaginary. Instead, Christianity tells us that suffering exists in a fallen world and that God entered that suffering Himself through Jesus Christ. The cross is Christianity's answer to the claim that God is indifferent to human suffering. God did not remain distant from our pain. He entered our world. He suffered. He died. And He rose again. The Apostle Paul writes: “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.” —Romans 8:18 C.S. Lewis famously described pain as God's “megaphone” to a deaf world. Suffering does not prove that God does not exist. For many people, suffering instead becomes the very circumstance that drives them to ask the deepest questions about meaning, morality, mortality, and God. What About Hell? Another question frequently asked is: “How can a loving God send people to Hell?” The Christian answer begins with the extraordinary love of God. Jesus said: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.” —John 3:16 God offers salvation freely through Christ. The Gospel is not a message that God delights in condemning people. It is a message that God has provided a way of salvation. Jesus came to seek and save the lost. The seriousness of judgment is precisely what makes the offer of salvation so important. God does not force anyone to love Him. The Gospel calls us to repent, believe, and receive the grace of God. Faith and the Evidence of Creation The universe raises enormous questions. Why is there something rather than nothing? Why does the universe possess order? Why are the laws of nature intelligible? Why does human consciousness exist? Why do human beings possess an awareness of moral obligation? Science can investigate how many things work. But questions concerning ultimate meaning and purpose extend beyond the laboratory. The Christian does not believe that science is the enemy of faith. Quite the opposite. The universe is intelligible because Christians believe it was created by an intelligent God. The laws of nature can be investigated because Christians believe those laws reflect an ordered creation. The human capacity to reason can be used to explore the universe because Christians believe human beings were created by God. Science can tell us much about the mechanisms of the piano. But science alone cannot answer the question: Who is playing the music? Believers in the Scientific Community Christianity has never belonged exclusively to the uneducated or uninformed. Throughout history, many highly accomplished scientists have believed in God. Among them are figures such as: Isaac Newton, whose work transformed physics and mathematics. James Clerk Maxwell, one of the great figures in electromagnetic theory. Gregor Mendel, whose experiments established foundational principles of genetics and who was also an Augustinian friar. Georges Lemaître, a Catholic priest and physicist whose work on an expanding universe helped establish the foundation of what became known as Big Bang cosmology. Francis Collins, physician-geneticist and former director of the National Human Genome Research Institute, who has publicly identified as a Christian. Charles Townes, Nobel Prize-winning physicist and inventor of the maser and co-inventor of the laser, who was an openly religious Christian. These examples do not prove Christianity simply because these scientists believed. But they do demonstrate something important: Faith in God is not incompatible with intellectual achievement. A person does not have to abandon intelligence in order to believe in God. Nor does becoming a Christian require someone to stop asking questions. Christians should welcome honest questions. The Problem With the Piano Mice The two mice made a fundamental mistake. They confused an explanation of the mechanism with an explanation of the ultimate cause. They discovered the wires. They discovered the hammers. They discovered the strings. They discovered the machinery. And then they concluded: “Therefore, there is no piano player.” But that conclusion did not logically follow from their discovery. In fact, their discovery of the piano's complexity could have led them to ask an entirely different question: Who designed this? And that is the question we must ultimately ask about our universe. Where did everything come from? Why is there something rather than nothing? Why does the universe operate according to discoverable laws? Why does consciousness exist? Why do we have an innate sense that some things are genuinely right and others genuinely wrong? And perhaps the greatest question of all: Who are we, and why are we here? The Christian answer is that we are creatures made by our Creator. We are not accidents without purpose. We were created by God, for God, and ultimately for relationship with Him. We Are the Mice There is another lesson in the story that we must not miss. Perhaps the greatest danger is not being ignorant. Perhaps it is believing that we know everything. We are the mice in the piano. We live inside a universe vastly larger and more complicated than our minds can fully comprehend. We see only a fraction of reality. We understand only a fraction of what exists. And yet we sometimes look at the small portion we understand and confidently declare that nothing exists beyond it. The Bible reminds us: “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, declares the LORD.” —Isaiah 55:8 And: “Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and how inscrutable His ways!” —Romans 11:33 The proper response to a God who is greater than our understanding is not arrogance. It is humility. It is worship. It is faith. The Music Continues The two mice eventually stopped believing in the piano player. They became convinced that they had explained everything. But outside their tiny world, the musician continued to play. The music never stopped. The fact that they could not see him did not mean he was absent. And perhaps that is where many people find themselves today. They have examined the mechanisms of the universe. They have learned about physics, biology, chemistry, mathematics, and astronomy. They have become fascinated by the machinery. But they have never stopped to ask whether there is a Creator behind it all. The Christian message is that there is. His name is Jesus Christ. He is not merely an idea, a philosophy, or a comforting story. He is the Son of God who entered human history, died for our sins, and rose from the grave. And He calls every one of us to respond. Jesus said: “Whoever acknowledges Me before others, I will also acknowledge before My Father in heaven.” —Matthew 10:32 The question is not merely whether we believe that God exists. The deeper question is: What will we do with Jesus Christ? The piano is playing. The music is all around us. The question is whether we will remain convinced that there is nothing beyond the wires and hammers—or whether we will humble ourselves, listen carefully, and seek the One who is playing the music. Do not be so certain that you have explained the piano that you never look for the Player. —Pastor Joseph Clark

Daily devotion for August 12th When Not To Run Away Should a man like me run away? Or should one like me go into the temple to save his life? I will not go! Nehemiah 6:11 Once again the enemy switches his tactics, reverting again to subterfuge. A word comes in the form of a prophecy, but this man is a false prophet. He claims to have hidden knowledge that men are coming to kill Nehemiah and advises him to go into the temple to save his life. This false prophet may be involved in the occult, because that is what is suggested here by the explanation that he was shut in at his home (Nehemiah 6:10). Being shut in suggests that for some religious reason he was secluding himself. What he says sounds logical. Some people are out to get you. They are going to kill you, he charges. Nehemiah certainly knows that! The man suggests, Come on up here, and we will go into the temple and shut the doors. They will not dare attack you there. That sounds good, but immediately Nehemiah detects something wrong. He knows that as a layman, he is not permitted to go into the temple, for only priests could enter the temple. It was simply not right for him to enter the temple. He realizes that a prophet who was really from the Lord wouldn't say anything that was not in line with the commands of God. There was an altar of asylum in the temple courtyard to which people who were under threat could flee and be safe, but this man is proposing they actually go into the temple and shut the doors. Nehemiah says it was all part of a plan to discourage the people from following his lead. Fueled by jealousy and ambition, these enemies slandered him and tried to trick him into yielding to their demands. We must be aware of this kind of attack on our lives in these days. Do not take people's advice just because they are friendly to you. It may be completely wrong advice. Nothing substitutes for a knowledge of the Word of God. That is how you can detect error and tell what is wrong. The best response to such an approach is what Nehemiah uses here--a deep sense of his true identity as a believer. Should a man like me run and hide and try to save his life by wrong approaches and unlawful practices? He falls back upon his clear consciousness of who he is. He is a believer in the living God, and thus he need not resort to trickery to save his life. This is exactly what the New Testament calls us to as well. Writing to the Thessalonians, faced with the normal pressures and problems of life, the apostle Paul's word is, live lives worthy of God (1 Thessalonians 2:12). We are called to walk with God. You are a child of His. You belong to Him. You are therefore living at a different level from those around you. If you remember who you are, you will not go along with the wrong things that people are being pressured into today. Henry David Thoreau wrote in Walden Pond, If I seem not to keep step with others, it is because I am listening to another drumbeat. Christians also listen to another drumbeat. They are following their Lord, not the voices they hear around them. Nothing will free us more from the subtle pressures and temptations of today than to remember who we are. There are so many voices, Lord. Help me to discern Your voice. Help me to act in accordance with Your Word and my true identity as Your child.

🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤 DEMONS IN MULTITUDES OF CHURCHES KUNDALINI 🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤 . 🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤 THANKS TO GERALD W THOMAS 🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤 . 🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤 KUNDALINI THE FALSE HOLY SPIRIT THE FALSE RUACH HAQODESH THE FALSE SET-APART SPIRIT HAS INFILTRATED MANY CHURCHES 🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤 . 🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤 Yoga IS a Religion, and its purpose is to awaken one's Kundalini. What is "KUNDALINI"? In Hinduism, KUNDALINI is actually a goddess that resides at the base of the spine and is awakened by the practice of Yoga. In other words, it is a demon. YOGA is simply an invitation to demonic possession. The KUNDALINI SPIRIT gained access to the Western world from India through New Age teaching. It is popularly known as Yoga. Don't for a minute think that Yoga is harmless. Yoga is an inherent part of Hindu philosophy which teaches man and nature are one with divinity. In KUNDALINI Yoga, there are seven sensitive points (chakras) that have a serpent at the base of the spine. The serpent works through each chakra that is open until it reaches the penal gland (which most consider the third eye), until you then realize you are a god…does this sound familiar? 🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: For ELOHIYM knows that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as elohiym, knowing good and evil. RE’SHIYTH (GENESIS) 3:4-5 Eth Cepher 🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤 Signs one's KUNDALINI has been awakened: Involuntary jerks, tremors, shaking, itching, tingling, and crawling sensations, especially in the arms and legs 🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤 Energy rushes or feelings of electricity circulating the body Intense heat (sweating) or cold, especially as energy is experienced passing through the chakras 🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤 Spontaneous pranayama, asanas, mudras and bandhas 🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤 Visions or sounds at times associated with a particular chakra 🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤 Diminished or conversely extreme sexual desire sometimes leading to a state of constant or whole-body orgasm 🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤 Emotional upheavals or surfacing of unwanted and repressed feelings or thoughts with certain repressed emotions becoming dominant in the conscious mind for short or long periods of time. 🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤 Headache, migraine or pressure inside the skull 🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤 Increased blood pressure and irregular heartbeat 🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤 Emotional numbness Antisocial tendencies Mood swings with periods of depression or mania 🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤 Pains in different areas of the body, especially back and neck Sensitivity to light, sound and touch 🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤 Trance-like and altered states of consciousness Disrupted sleep pattern (periods of insomnia or oversleeping) 🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤 Loss of appetite or overeating Bliss, feelings of infinite love and universal connectivity, transcendent awareness 🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤 If you know anything about spiritual warfare and exorcism, many of these symptoms are red flags for demonic possession. So, should a Follower of Messiah practice Yoga? A better question is: Do you want to invite demons into your body and break the First Commandment by practicing a religion that believes there are elohiyms (gods) other than the ELOHIYM of the Scriptures? Now let's look at KUNDALINI in :THE TORAH/TANACH You shall have no other elohiym before me. SHEMOTH (EXODUS) 20:3 Eth Cepher 🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤 KUNDALINI is an anti-Messiah spiritual counterfeit of the RUACH HAQODESH (Set-Apart (Holy) Spirit). We need To Bind This Serpent Spirit, Cast It Out, and for every Scripture Preacher And Teacher to Discern this Spirit and close the church doors to its Occult Operations. 🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤 Scriptural passages that do mention stuff like shaking, crying, laughing, and so on cannot be interpreted into the “fruits” that MASHIACH speaks about since fruits rather refers to acts of repentance (LUKE 3) and Spiritual fruits like love, joy and peace (GALATIONS) Scriptures DO show how False Spirits Mimic The RUACH HAQODESH (Set-Apart (Holy) Spirit), like when Pharaoh’s Wizards turned their staffs into Snakes just like Moses did through The Power Of YHWH. If you just focus on the outer appearance you can Mix The True with The False. 🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤 🟧🟧🟧🟧🟧 EVE OR CHAWAH 🟧🟧🟧🟧🟧 🟧 OUR HEBREW HERITAGE GREAT INSIGHT 🟧 🟧 THE SECRETS REVEALED FOR END-TIME 🟧 🟧🟧🟧 CLICK BELOW AND ENJOY 🟧🟧🟧 🟧🟧🟧🟧🟧🟧🟧🟧🟧🟧🟧🟧🟧🟧🟧🟧🟧 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0atCYFIh96U&list=PUCqes8d_T4YBRxnQWAE4I-A&index=34 🟧🟧🟧🟧🟧🟧🟧🟧🟧🟧🟧🟧🟧🟧🟧🟧🟧 .#

🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤 DEMONS IN MULTITUDES OF CHURCHES KUNDALINI 🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤 . 🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤 THANKS TO GERALD W THOMAS 🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤 . 🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤 KUNDALINI THE FALSE HOLY SPIRIT THE FALSE RUACH HAQODESH THE FALSE SET-APART SPIRIT HAS INFILTRATED MANY CHURCHES 🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤 . 🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤 Yoga IS a Religion, and its purpose is to awaken one's Kundalini. What is "KUNDALINI"? In Hinduism, KUNDALINI is actually a goddess that resides at the base of the spine and is awakened by the practice of Yoga. In other words, it is a demon. YOGA is simply an invitation to demonic possession. The KUNDALINI SPIRIT gained access to the Western world from India through New Age teaching. It is popularly known as Yoga. Don't for a minute think that Yoga is harmless. Yoga is an inherent part of Hindu philosophy which teaches man and nature are one with divinity. In KUNDALINI Yoga, there are seven sensitive points (chakras) that have a serpent at the base of the spine. The serpent works through each chakra that is open until it reaches the penal gland (which most consider the third eye), until you then realize you are a god…does this sound familiar? 🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: For ELOHIYM knows that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as elohiym, knowing good and evil. RE’SHIYTH (GENESIS) 3:4-5 Eth Cepher 🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤 Signs one's KUNDALINI has been awakened: Involuntary jerks, tremors, shaking, itching, tingling, and crawling sensations, especially in the arms and legs 🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤 Energy rushes or feelings of electricity circulating the body Intense heat (sweating) or cold, especially as energy is experienced passing through the chakras 🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤 Spontaneous pranayama, asanas, mudras and bandhas 🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤 Visions or sounds at times associated with a particular chakra 🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤 Diminished or conversely extreme sexual desire sometimes leading to a state of constant or whole-body orgasm 🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤 Emotional upheavals or surfacing of unwanted and repressed feelings or thoughts with certain repressed emotions becoming dominant in the conscious mind for short or long periods of time. 🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤 Headache, migraine or pressure inside the skull 🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤 Increased blood pressure and irregular heartbeat 🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤 Emotional numbness Antisocial tendencies Mood swings with periods of depression or mania 🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤 Pains in different areas of the body, especially back and neck Sensitivity to light, sound and touch 🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤 Trance-like and altered states of consciousness Disrupted sleep pattern (periods of insomnia or oversleeping) 🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤 Loss of appetite or overeating Bliss, feelings of infinite love and universal connectivity, transcendent awareness 🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤 If you know anything about spiritual warfare and exorcism, many of these symptoms are red flags for demonic possession. So, should a Follower of Messiah practice Yoga? A better question is: Do you want to invite demons into your body and break the First Commandment by practicing a religion that believes there are elohiyms (gods) other than the ELOHIYM of the Scriptures? Now let's look at KUNDALINI in :THE TORAH/TANACH You shall have no other elohiym before me. SHEMOTH (EXODUS) 20:3 Eth Cepher 🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤 KUNDALINI is an anti-Messiah spiritual counterfeit of the RUACH HAQODESH (Set-Apart (Holy) Spirit). We need To Bind This Serpent Spirit, Cast It Out, and for every Scripture Preacher And Teacher to Discern this Spirit and close the church doors to its Occult Operations. 🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤 Scriptural passages that do mention stuff like shaking, crying, laughing, and so on cannot be interpreted into the “fruits” that MASHIACH speaks about since fruits rather refers to acts of repentance (LUKE 3) and Spiritual fruits like love, joy and peace (GALATIONS) Scriptures DO show how False Spirits Mimic The RUACH HAQODESH (Set-Apart (Holy) Spirit), like when Pharaoh’s Wizards turned their staffs into Snakes just like Moses did through The Power Of YHWH. If you just focus on the outer appearance you can Mix The True with The False. 🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤💥🖤 🟧🟧🟧🟧🟧 EVE OR CHAWAH 🟧🟧🟧🟧🟧 🟧 OUR HEBREW HERITAGE GREAT INSIGHT 🟧 🟧 THE SECRETS REVEALED FOR END-TIME 🟧 🟧🟧🟧 CLICK BELOW AND ENJOY 🟧🟧🟧 🟧🟧🟧🟧🟧🟧🟧🟧🟧🟧🟧🟧🟧🟧🟧🟧🟧 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0atCYFIh96U&list=PUCqes8d_T4YBRxnQWAE4I-A&index=34 🟧🟧🟧🟧🟧🟧🟧🟧🟧🟧🟧🟧🟧🟧🟧🟧🟧 .

Ellen G. White CAN THE DEAD SPEAK TO US? The ministration of holy angels, as presented in the Scriptures, is a truth most comforting and precious to every follower of Christ. But the Bible teaching upon this point has been obscured and perverted by the errors of popular theology. The doctrine of natural immortality, first borrowed from the pagan philosophy, and in the darkness of the great apostasy incorporated into the Christian faith, has supplanted the truth, so plainly taught in Scripture, that “the dead know not anything.” Multitudes have come to believe that it is the spirits of the dead who are the “ministering spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation.” And this notwithstanding the testimony of Scripture to the existence of heavenly angels, and their connection with the history of man, before the death of a human being. The doctrine of man’s consciousness in death, especially the belief that the spirits of the dead return to minister to the living, has prepared the way for modern Spiritualism. If the dead are admitted to the presence of God and holy angels, and privileged with knowledge far exceeding what they before possessed, why should they not return to the earth to enlighten and instruct the living? If, as taught by popular theologians, the spirits of the dead are hovering about their friends on earth, why should they not be permitted to communicate with them, to warn them against evil, or to comfort them in sorrow? How can those who believe in man’s consciousness in death reject what comes to them as divine light communicated by glorified spirits? Here is a channel regarded as sacred, through which Satan works for the accomplishment of his purposes. The fallen angels who do his bidding appear as messengers from the spirit world. While professing to bring the living into communication with the dead, the prince of evil exercises his bewitching influence upon their minds. He has power to bring before men the appearance of their departed friends. The counterfeit is perfect; the familiar look, the words, the tone, are reproduced with marvelous distinctness. Many are comforted with the assurance that their loved ones are enjoying the bliss of Heaven; and without suspicion of danger, they give ear to “seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils.” When they have been led to believe that the dead actually return to communicate with them, Satan causes those to appear who went into the grave unprepared. They claim to be happy in Heaven, and even to occupy exalted positions there; and thus the error is widely taught, that no difference is made between the righteous and the wicked. The pretended visitants from the world of spirits sometimes utter cautions and warnings which prove to be correct. Then, as confidence is gained, they present doctrines that directly undermine faith in the Scriptures. With an appearance of deep interest in the well-being of their friends on earth, they insinuate the most dangerous errors . The fact that they state some truths, and are able at times to foretell future events, gives to their statements an appearance of reliability; and their false teachings are accepted by the multitudes as readily, and believed as implicitly, as if they were the most sacred truths of the Bible. The law of God is set aside, the Spirit of grace despised, the blood of the covenant counted an unholy thing. The spirits deny the divinity of Christ, and place even the Creator on a level with themselves. Thus under a new disguise the great rebel still carries forward his warfare against God, begun in Heaven, and for nearly six thousand years continued upon the earth. GC88 551.1 - GC88 552.2

The Creation of Adam is one of the most famous frescoes by Michelangelo, painted around 1511–1512 on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City. The painting depicts the biblical moment when God gives life to Adam, the first man. Adam lies on the earth at the left, appearing relaxed and not yet fully energized. God approaches from the right, surrounded by angels and wrapped in a flowing cloak. The most iconic part is their two hands reaching toward each other. God's index finger stretches toward Adam's, but their fingertips do not quite touch. That tiny gap creates tension and is often interpreted as representing the instant just before divine life or spiritual power passes from God to humanity. Adam's body resembles God's in posture and form, which is often connected to Genesis 1:27—humanity being created "in the image of God." The painting can therefore be understood as more than the creation of a physical body: Adam already has a human form, while God's approaching hand symbolizes the gift of life, consciousness, or divine spirit. #creationofadam