August 23, 2026 (day 235/365)
SUNDAY

GOD'S WORD FOR THE DAY

“Giving God Our Best”

2 Kings 12:11

“Then they gave the money, which was weighed out, into the hands of those who did the work, who had the oversight of the house of the Lord.”

This is the Word of God. 2 Kings 12 describes how King Joash took action to repair the temple of the Lord. The work required careful stewardship of the resources that had been entrusted to them. The people gave, the workers served, and the temple was restored.

This reminds us that what we give to God should be handled with faithfulness and responsibility. Our time, abilities, possessions, and resources are all gifts from Him, and we are called to use them for His glory.

Serving God is not merely about giving something; it is about giving our best with an honest and willing heart. Whether our contribution seems great or small, God values faithfulness.

May God help us to be faithful stewards of everything He has entrusted to us and to give Him our best in every area of our lives. Amen.

Have a blessed day with the Lord.

-- Pastor Emmanuel Serto

Getting banned & shut down on YouTube sure is aggravating & inconvenient!

My video post claims it's too long for here, even after trimming so I will post the transcript!

So, I guess my video must have really chapped someones backside yesterday because I woke up this morning to the news that my you tube channel has been shut down after right about a year & almost 600 followers. They claim I'm in violation of some sort of spam, deceptive practices or scam policy when all I've done is speak some truths. Atleast I have biblically based messages of faith, salvation & recovery, not useless brain rot & dribble. Not once have I ever asked anyone for money or to click on a link that's a hack site, nor have I led anyone down a path that I wouldn't walk on or haven't walked on myself. And sure, I've had some get upset with me & they voice their opinions & sometimes I even offer a rebutle but most of the time when someone doesn't like what someone has to say on their page they just swipe along & move onto something they enjoy more. I'm not sure who got upset about my post yesterday but I'll say again for clarity, prosperity gospel is misleading! You cannot buy your way into heaven by making some preacher mega rich & no, God won't bless your life any more when you do give more because it's not about the amount, it's about freely giving from your heart what you can, not chasing a fairy tale that some well dressed man tells you! God never promised anyone a cooshy life & maybe that's what gets some of you worked up because many christians & churches have watered down the bible to make them feel good to keep attendance & donations up instead of really paying attention & digging deep into God's word. No matter what some may think of me I have appealed their decision & I will continue on my other current platforms as I feel called to plant seeds of hope, salvation & love in others. I will likely make a new youtube account because I am unashamed of my faith & I'm not scared of any establishment's silly guidelines that violate my 1st amendment right of free speach & freedom of religion! I'm an american, I'm an air force veteran & above all I am happily a child of God!

#God
#faith
#christian
#youtube
#life

7 - CANONS OF PUBLIC PRAYER
C. H. Spurgeon

First, public prayer should be a matter of the heart.
A man must be really earnest in prayer. You can pardon a man’s familiarities and vulgarities too, when you clearly see that his inmost heart is speaking to his Master, and that it is only the man’s defects of education or experience which create his faults, and not any moral or spiritual vices of his heart. Cast your whole soul into the exercise of public prayer. So pray, that by a divine attraction, you draw the whole congregation up with you to the throne of God. So pray, that by the power of the Spirit, you express the desires and thoughts of every one present, and stand as the one voice for hundreds of beating hearts which are glowing with fervor before God’s throne.

Second, public prayer should be appropriate. There is no need to make the public prayer a gazette of the week’s events, or a register of the births, deaths, and marriage of your people, but the general movements that have taken place in the congregation should be noted by the minister’s careful heart. He should bring the joys and sorrows alike before the throne of grace.

Third, public prayer should not be long.
John Macdonald said, “If you are in the spirit of prayer, do not be long, because other people will not be able to keep pace with you in such unusual spirituality; and if you are not in the spirit of prayer, do not be long, because you will then be sure to weary the listeners.” Ten minutes is the limit to which our public prayer ought to be prolonged.

Fourth, do not use cant phrases.
Be done with these vile things altogether. There should be no grotesque mingling of Scripture texts, alterations of Scripture texts, or abuses of Scriptural truth in prayer. It ought always to be a point of honor among ministers always to quote Scripture directly. Make us of an expression fresh from your own mind, and it will be quite as acceptable to God as a scriptural phrase defaced or clipped. Vehemently strive against garblings and perversions of Scripture, and renounce forever all cant phrases, for the are the disfigurement of free prayer.

Five, vary the order, length, and current of your public prayers.
Vary the order of your prayers, then, for the sake of maintaining attention, and preventing people going through the whole thing as a clock runs on till the weights are down. Also vary the length of your prayers. Do you not think it would be much better if sometimes instead of giving three minutes to the first prayer and fifteen minutes to the second, you have nine minutes to each? Would it not be better sometimes to be longer in the first, and not so long in the second prayer? Finally, vary the current of your prayers. There are many topics which require your attention; the church in its weakness, its backslidings, its sorrows, and its comforts; the outside world, the neighborhood, unconverted hearers, the young people, the nation. Do not pray for all these every time, or otherwise your prayers will be long and probably uninteresting.

Six, keep from all attempts to work up spurious fervor in public devotion.
Do not labor to seem earnest. Pray as your heart dictates, under the leading of the Spirit of God, and if you are dull and heavy tell the Lord so. It will be no ill thing to confess your deadness, and bewail it, and cry for quickening; it will be real and acceptable prayer; but simulated ardor is a shameful form of lying.

Seventh, prepare your prayer.
Proper preparation means solemn consideration beforehand of the importance of prayer, meditation upon the needs of men’s souls, and a remembrance of the promises which we are to plead; and thus coming before the Lord with a petition written upon the fleshly tables of the heart. This is surely better than coming to God at random, rushing before the throne at haphazard, without a definite error or desire.

If we wanted to summarize the canons with adverbs we could say, “Spurgeon exhorts pastors to pray soulfully, appropriately, quickly, authentically, variously, and prepared-ly.”

Spugeon’s conclusion of the lecture is a most fitting place for this post to end:

Let your prayers be earnest, full of fire, vehemence, prevalence. I pray the Holy Ghost to instruct every student of this College so to offer public prayer, that God shall always be served of his best. Let your petitions be plain and heart-felt; and while your people may sometimes feel that the sermon was below the mark, may they also feel that the prayer compensated for all.

Romans 12:1–8 reminds me that worship is more than what happens inside a church. It is how we live when we leave it.

To offer ourselves as a living sacrifice means giving God not just our Sundays, but our time, choices, abilities, plans, and everyday lives.

We are one body, with different gifts and different roles. We don't have to be someone else. We simply have to faithfully use what God has entrusted to us.

Good morning!

#BlessedSunday

MAKE PRAYER A DAILY RELATIONSHIP, NOT AN EMERGENCY CALL

Prayer should not be something we remember only when we need help.

Prayer is about building a relationship with God.

When you wake up, say:
“Lord, thank You for giving me another day.”

When something good happens:
“Thank You, Lord.”

When you are worried:
“Lord, I give this situation to You.”

When you make a mistake:
“Lord, forgive me and help me do better.”

When you have nothing to ask for, simply say:
“Lord, I am here. Thank You for being with me.”

And before you sleep:
“Thank You for carrying me through today. I commit tomorrow into Your hands.”

Prayer doesn't need complicated words. Talk to God naturally, honestly and consistently.

Don't make God your emergency contact. Make Him your daily companion.

«“Pray without ceasing.” — 1 Thessalonians 5:17»

Share this with someone who needs to be reminded that prayer is more than asking God for help .

Daily Bible Lesson.
WE ASK GOD FOR MORE LIGHT—THEN MAKE EXCUSES WHEN HIS LIGHT REQUIRES CHANGE

“Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice.” — 1 Samuel 15:22

We pray:

“Lord, show me Your will.”

Then His light touches something we love—

our time, appetite, appearance, character, location, or tongue—

and suddenly:

“My situation is different.”
“Everyone does it.”
“I'm not convicted.”

Perhaps our greatest problem is not always lack of light.

IT IS THE HUMAN HEART'S AMAZING ABILITY TO EXPLAIN AWAY THE LIGHT IT DOES NOT WANT TO OBEY.

Jesus asks:

“Why call ye Me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?” — Luke 6:46

So here is the question beneath every reform:

ARE WE SEEKING GOD'S WILL—OR ASKING GOD TO APPROVE OURS?

---

① SABBATH REFORM—WHO OWNS YOUR TIME?

THE EXCUSES:

“I have to work.”
“Most Christians worship Sunday.”
“God knows my heart.”

Yes—God knows the heart.

And Jesus says:

“If ye love Me, keep My commandments.” — John 14:15

God's command still reads:

“The seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God.” — Exodus 20:10

Obedience may cost convenience, approval, opportunity—even income.

But faith asks something deeper:

WHAT IS JESUS WORTH?

“We ought to obey God rather than men.” — Acts 5:29

Do not merely argue for the Sabbath.

KNOW THE LORD OF THE SABBATH—and ask Him for faith to walk in His footsteps.

---

② HEALTH REFORM—HAS APPETITE RENAMED ITSELF “NECESSITY”?

THE EXCUSES:

“My body needs it.”
“I've always eaten this way.”
“We're all going to die anyway.”

But this body is not ours to abuse.

“Ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.” — 1 Corinthians 6:20

“Whether therefore ye eat, or drink… do all to the glory of God.” — 1 Corinthians 10:31

Health reform is not salvation by menu.

It is stewardship of a body purchased by Christ.

Inspiration warns of those who “frame excuses and make necessities which have no existence” while resisting health light. — Counsels on Diet and Foods, p. 399

What a warning:

APPETITE IS A TERRIBLE COUNSELOR WHEN ASKED TO JUDGE ITS OWN HABITS.

Stop asking only:

“Do I enjoy it?”

Ask:

“WILL THIS KEEP MY BODY AND MIND FIT FOR CHRIST'S SERVICE?”

---

③ DRESS REFORM—WHO ARE WE TRYING TO PLEASE?

THE EXCUSES:

“It's only fashion.”
“God only looks at the heart.”
“I don't want to look different.”

Yes:

“The LORD looketh on the heart.” — 1 Samuel 16:7

And Scripture also calls for:

“Modest apparel.” — 1 Timothy 2:9

The issue is not ugliness.

Not neglect.

Not a religious uniform.

The question is:

WHO IS SHAPING MY APPEARANCE—CHRIST OR THE WORLD?

Christian dress should reflect modesty, simplicity, health, dignity, and good taste without making self the attraction.

CLOTHING CANNOT SAVE THE HEART—BUT THE MASTER OF THE HEART WILL INFLUENCE THE CLOTHING.

Let your appearance quietly testify:

“I BELONG TO CHRIST.”

---

④ CHARACTER REFORM—“THAT'S JUST HOW I AM.”

Perhaps no excuse protects cherished defects more effectively.

Anger becomes “my personality.”
Pride becomes “confidence.”
Bitterness becomes “what they deserve.”

Then comes the universal shield:

“Nobody is perfect.”

True.

But Jesus never made imperfection an excuse for refusing transformation.

“If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature.” — 2 Corinthians 5:17

“Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.” — Philippians 2:5

Christ does not merely forgive us in the old life.

HE BEGINS MAKING US NEW.

“When the character of Christ shall be perfectly reproduced in His people, then He will come to claim them as His own.” — Christ's Object Lessons, p. 69

Stop defending your defect with:

“THAT'S WHO I AM.”

Bring it to Jesus:

“LORD, MAKE ME LIKE YOU.”

---

⑤ LOCATION REFORM—WHY DID INSPIRATION CRY, “OUT OF THE CITIES”?

Here excuses become painfully practical:

“My job is here.”
“My children's opportunities are here.”
“I'll move when everything becomes convenient.”

Yet Inspiration repeatedly urged:

“Out of the cities, out of the cities! This is the message the Lord has been giving me.” — Country Living, p. 29

Why?

Not because soil saves souls.

But country surroundings can favor health, simplicity, useful labor, children learning from nature, greater separation from corrupting influences, and preparation for difficult times.

God's first home for humanity was not a congested metropolis.

“The LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden.” — Genesis 2:8

Abraham lived as a pilgrim.

Lot “pitched his tent toward Sodom.” — Genesis 13:12

Their stories remind us:

LOCATION CANNOT CONVERT THE HEART—BUT ENVIRONMENT CAN POWERFULLY INFLUENCE IT.

Yet Inspiration also counseled:

“Out of the cities; but not a moment before God would have us go.” — Country Living, p. 26

So the message is not:

PANIC AND RUN.

It is:

PRAY.
PREPARE.
SIMPLIFY.
LEARN.
WATCH PROVIDENCE.
AND WHEN GOD OPENS THE WAY—OBEY.

And remember:

YOU CAN LEAVE BABYLON GEOGRAPHICALLY WHILE BABYLON STILL LIVES IN YOUR HEART.

Christ's first relocation project is:

SELF OFF THE THRONE—CHRIST ON IT.

---

⑥ SPEECH REFORM—CAN A CONVERTED HEART KEEP AN UNCONVERTED TONGUE?

Here the excuses sound innocent:

“I'm only joking.”
“But it's true!”
“I just needed to release my feelings.”

Scripture answers:

“Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting… but rather giving of thanks.” — Ephesians 5:4

“Speak evil of no man.” — Titus 3:2

And instead:

“That which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.” — Ephesians 4:29

Imagine that standard:

WORDS THAT MINISTER GRACE.

No gossip.

No slander.

No degrading jesting.

No cutting sarcasm.

No dishonest flattery.

No spreading bitterness from heart to heart.

“Bless, and curse not.” — Romans 12:14

This does not mean hiding wrongdoing.

Jesus rebuked sin.

Nathan confronted David.

Paul corrected churches.

Truth sometimes must hurt before it heals.

But Scripture says:

“Speaking the truth in love.” — Ephesians 4:15

Before speaking, ask:

IS IT TRUE?
IS IT NECESSARY?
IS IT LOVING?
WILL IT BUILD RATHER THAN POISON?
WOULD I SAY IT THIS WAY IN THE VISIBLE PRESENCE OF JESUS?

“Let the law of kindness be upon your lips and the oil of grace in your heart.” — Christ's Object Lessons, p. 337

What a standard:

**TRUTH ON THE LIPS.

GRACE IN THE HEART.**

---

⑦ PERHAPS THE MOST DANGEROUS EXCUSE—“I'M NOT CONVICTED.”

Sometimes that is sincere.

Conscience must never be forced.

But sometimes:

“I'M NOT CONVICTED”

really means:

“I DON'T WANT TO INVESTIGATE THIS DEEPLY ENOUGH TO BECOME CONVICTED.”

Jesus reveals a searching principle:

“If any man will do His will, he shall know of the doctrine.” — John 7:17

Notice the order:

WILLINGNESS → UNDERSTANDING → OBEDIENCE.

Before asking,

“Is this really required?”

ask:

“LORD, IF YOUR WORD SHOWS ME THAT I AM WRONG—AM I WILLING TO CHANGE?”

That question exposes whether we want truth—

or merely reassurance.

---

⑧ BUT HERE IS THE DANGER ON THE OTHER SIDE—REFORM WITHOUT CHRIST

Inspiration defines genuine reformation:

“Reformation signifies a reorganization, a change in ideas and theories, habits and practices.” — Selected Messages, vol. 1, p. 128

Truth must reach:

the calendar,
the kitchen,
the wardrobe,
the temper,
the address,
the tongue,
and the choices nobody sees.

“Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only.” — James 1:22

But never miss this:

REFORMATION WITHOUT CHRIST CAN PRODUCE A PHARISEE.

You can keep Sabbath—

and hate your brother.

Eat perfectly—

and feed on pride.

Dress modestly—

and advertise self-righteousness.

Move to the country—

and take worldliness with you.

Guard your tongue publicly—

while bitterness rules privately.

Jesus did not come merely to rearrange our habits.

HE CAME TO RECREATE OUR HEARTS.

“Without Me ye can do nothing.” — John 15:5

---

THE QUESTION BENEATH EVERY REFORM

When Christ touches your—

TIME—will He be Lord?

APPETITE—will He be Lord?

APPEARANCE—will He be Lord?

CHARACTER—will He be Lord?

LOCATION—will He be Lord?

TONGUE—will He be Lord?

There it is.

DOES JESUS HAVE PERMISSION TO CHANGE EVERYTHING?

“If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.” — Luke 9:23

Perhaps we do not need another argument.

Perhaps we need another surrender.

Instead of continually praying:

“LORD, GIVE ME MORE LIGHT,”

perhaps we need to pray:

“LORD, FORGIVE ME FOR RESISTING THE LIGHT I ALREADY HAVE.”

Take my appetite.

Take my pride.

Take my temper.

Take my tongue.

Take my plans.

Take my home.

TAKE MY WHOLE HEART.

“Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do?” — Acts 9:6

NO MORE EXCUSES.
NO MORE BARGAINING WITH LIGHT.
NO MORE TRYING TO OUTREASON GOD.

CHRIST BEFORE CONVENIENCE.
FAITH BEFORE FEAR.
TRUTH BEFORE TRADITION.
SURRENDER BEFORE SELF.

Because when Jesus truly becomes Lord—

REFORMATION IS NO LONGER SOMETHING GOD MUST FORCE FROM US.

IT BECOMES SOMETHING LOVE IS WILLING TO SURRENDER TO HIM.

August 22nd, 2026
Read; Romans 12:10

To be "devoted to each other in brotherly love," we can't just say in church that we're family, brothers and sisters, and children of God; we have to show it. We need to get to know each other and be a part of each other's lives so we can serve, love, and bless each other. What have you done recently to get more involved in the lives of your fellow Christians? Devotion to others comes after making an effort to get to know them and be known by them.

Prayer

Father, thank You for giving me a large extended family in Christ and for loving me with unwavering love. Help me be generous with my time and willing to share my life with those in Your family. Give me a deep desire to bless those You have adopted as Your children, and the humility to receive their care as well. In Jesus' precious name, I pray. Amen.

I will be grateful to God for giving me such a beautiful life. And I will also pray to God that I can correct the bad habits that are in my body. Amen

Choose Forgiveness (Ephesians 4:32)

Almost everyone knows what it feels like to be hurt.

Someone breaks your trust.

A friend betrays you.

Someone says something that stays in your heart for years.

A relationship ends painfully.

Someone treats you unfairly.

And sometimes the hardest part isn't the pain itself.

It's deciding what to do with that pain.

You may feel like holding on to anger will protect you.

You may think:

“They don't deserve my forgiveness.”

And perhaps what happened was genuinely wrong.

But Jesus calls us to something greater than revenge.

The Bible says:

“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”

Forgiveness doesn't mean pretending that what happened was acceptable.

It doesn't mean saying that the person didn't hurt you.

It doesn't mean you must immediately trust someone who has broken your trust.

And forgiveness doesn't always mean reconciliation.

Sometimes healthy boundaries are necessary.

But forgiveness means refusing to allow someone else's wrongdoing to control your heart forever.

It means releasing your desire for revenge and placing justice in God's hands.

Jesus gave us the ultimate example.

He was betrayed.

Rejected.

Mocked.

Beaten.

Crucified.

Yet even while suffering on the cross, He prayed for those who were hurting Him.

That is the power of God's grace.

And if Christ has forgiven us, we are called to extend that grace to others.

Think about how much God has forgiven you.

Every mistake.

Every sinful thought.

Every wrong decision.

Every time you ignored His voice.

Every time you chose your own way.

We stand in need of grace too.

That doesn't make someone else's wrongdoing insignificant.

It reminds us that we are also people who need forgiveness.

Maybe today you're carrying anger toward someone.

You don't have to pretend everything is fine.

Bring the pain to God.

Tell Him exactly how you feel.

Ask Him to heal your heart.

Ask Him to help you forgive.

And if necessary, establish wise boundaries.

But don't let bitterness become your identity.

Bitterness can consume the person carrying it more than the person who caused the hurt.

Forgiveness sets your heart free.

Sometimes forgiveness happens in one decision.

Sometimes it is a process.

You may have to surrender the same pain to God repeatedly.

That's okay.

Keep giving it to Him.

Keep praying.

Keep healing.

Keep choosing grace.

And remember that forgiveness doesn't mean you have to forget the lesson.

You can forgive someone and still learn from what happened.

You can forgive and still protect yourself.

You can forgive and still choose wisdom.

You can forgive without returning to an unhealthy situation.

Forgiveness is not weakness. It is freedom.

If you have hurt someone, don't only ask God for forgiveness.

Where appropriate, have the courage to apologize.

Say:

“I was wrong.”

“I'm sorry.”

“Please forgive me.”

Humility can begin the healing of a relationship.

And if someone has hurt you, ask God for the strength to release the bitterness.

You may not be able to change what happened.

But with God's help, you can choose what happens next.

Don't let yesterday's pain steal today's peace. Give your hurt to God and choose forgiveness.

Is there someone you need to forgive—or someone you need to ask for forgiveness today?

#ChooseForgiveness #Ephesians432 #Forgiveness #Grace #Healing #ChristianYouth #FaithInAction #JesusForgives #JesusSaves #ShareJesus #DailyFaith #Lordsbook #JMSM #KNKA

“I INDEED… BUT HE”

“I indeed baptize you with water... but He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and fire.” — Matthew 3:11

There comes a point in our Christian life when we must be able to say:

“I indeed… but HE.”

In other words:

“I have reached the end of myself, but Jesus begins where I end.”

There are things we cannot change or accomplish by our own strength. We may try harder, make promises, or depend on our own goodness, but eventually we must recognize:

“I cannot do this by myself. I need Jesus.”

That is where Jesus begins to work.

Am I truly ready for Jesus?

Jesus cannot fully work in us while we are hiding things from Him.

When He comes into our lives, He brings things into the light. He may show us attitudes, habits, pride, wrong desires, unforgiveness, or things we thought were acceptable.

Where we know something is wrong, Jesus wants to deal with it.

But sometimes we think we are already good enough. We defend ourselves and say:

“I'm not that bad.”
“At least I'm better than others.”
“God understands me.”

That attitude can prevent us from experiencing God's deeper work in our lives.

True repentance

Repentance is more than simply saying, “I have sinned.”

It is recognizing:

“Lord, I cannot save myself. I cannot make myself holy. I desperately need You.”

It means giving up our excuses and our attempts to defend ourselves.

We come before God with humility and say:

“Jesus, I need You completely.”

“He shall baptize you”

John the Baptist said:

> “He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and fire.”



The focus is not on what we can accomplish. The focus is on what Jesus does.

I indeed—but HE.

I am weak—but He is strong.
I cannot change myself—but He can change me.
I cannot make myself holy—but He sanctifies me.
I cannot do it—but He can.

Stop trying to do God's work through your own strength.

Come to the point where you can honestly say:

> “I indeed am at the end of myself—but He begins there.”

Get to the place where Jesus does everything.