Don Francisco’s “He’s Alive” A Story of Fear, Forgiveness, and Resurrection There is something almost haunting about the beginning of Don Francisco’s “He’s Alive.” It doesn’t begin with celebration. It begins in the dark. Peter is hiding. The doors are shut. The windows are fastened. Outside is the world that has just killed Jesus, and inside is a frightened group of men who don’t know what will happen next. Peter cannot sleep. Every sound must seem dangerous. Every shadow beyond the door could mean soldiers. But Peter is carrying something heavier than fear. He is carrying shame. Only days before, he had stood beside Jesus and promised that he would never leave Him. Yet when the pressure came, Peter denied knowing Him. Not once. Three times. And now Jesus is dead. Peter has to live with the knowledge that the last thing he did while Jesus was alive was fail Him. Then, before sunrise, Mary comes. She brings news that sounds impossible. The stone has been moved. The tomb is empty. Jesus’ body is gone. Peter and John run. They reach the tomb and find the evidence for themselves, the stone rolled away, the burial cloths lying there, but no Jesus. John begins to understand. Peter doesn’t. And that is one of the most beautiful things about Francisco’s song. Peter doesn’t instantly become a man of triumphant faith. He is confused. He has seen Jesus die. He knows what death looks like. An empty tomb is astonishing, but Peter’s heart is still trying to catch up with what his eyes have seen. So he returns. And there, alone with his thoughts, the resurrection becomes something far more frightening. Because if Jesus really is alive… Peter is going to have to face Him. And what would Jesus say? Would He remind Peter of the promises he had made? Would He ask why Peter had denied Him? Would He turn away? Would He condemn him? Peter has every reason to believe that he deserves it. And then, in the beautiful dramatic imagination of Francisco’s song, something happens that Peter could never have expected. Jesus appears. Alive. Not as a memory. Not as a ghost. Not as someone Peter wishes he could see. Jesus is standing there. And Peter looks at Him. The man Peter thought he had lost forever is alive. But there is something even more astonishing. Jesus isn’t there to punish him. He doesn’t come with anger. He doesn’t come with a list of Peter’s failures. He comes with love. Peter falls before Him, overwhelmed by the impossible reality of it all. The Savior he denied is standing before him. And instead of condemnation, Peter finds forgiveness. Instead of judgment, he finds mercy. Instead of the end of his story, he discovers that God has written another chapter. And suddenly Peter understands. The empty tomb wasn’t simply proof that Jesus had conquered death. It was proof that Peter’s failure wasn’t the end either. Jesus is alive. And because He is alive, Peter can be forgiven. Peter can get up. Peter can breathe again. Peter can live again. And that is what makes Don Francisco’s “He’s Alive” so much more than an Easter song. It is a song about what the resurrection feels like to someone who knows they have failed. It is about the moment when shame tells you that you are finished… and Jesus tells you that you are not. Francisco originally tried to tell the resurrection story through Thomas, but the song came together when he began telling it through Peter. Francisco has explained that Peter’s guilt and shame were something he personally understood. That choice changed everything. Because Peter wasn’t a perfect disciple. He was impulsive. He was courageous one moment and frightened the next. He promised more than he could deliver. He failed Jesus at the very moment he thought he would be strongest. And yet Jesus came back for him. That’s the heart of “He’s Alive.” Not simply that the tomb was empty. Not simply that death had been defeated. But that the same Jesus Peter believed he had betrayed beyond repair was standing before him with forgiveness. The song takes the greatest event in Christianity and tells it through the eyes of a broken man. And perhaps that’s why it has endured. Because somewhere inside Peter, many of us recognize ourselves. We know what it is to make promises we couldn’t keep. We know what it is to look backward and wish we could change something. We know what guilt feels like. We know what it is to wonder whether we have gone too far. And then comes the message of the resurrection: You are not finished. The stone was rolled away. The grave was empty. Jesus was alive. And Peter, the man who thought he had failed beyond forgiveness was given another chance. That is why the final declaration carries so much weight. He’s alive. Not merely alive in history. Not merely alive in doctrine. But alive in such a way that Peter’s story can continue. And perhaps that is the quiet miracle at the center of Don Francisco’s song… Jesus didn’t erase Peter’s past. He redeemed it. And the man who once stood outside a fire denying that he knew Jesus could now stand in the light knowing that Jesus still knew him. He was alive. Peter was forgiven. And the story wasn’t over. #ChristianMusic #CCM #DonFrancisco #HesAlive #JesusMovement #ChristianMusicHistory #GospelMusic #Resurrection #JesusChrist #ChristianSongwriting

Gods Creation, 100 / evolution, 0 WHY DID T. REX HAVE TINY ARMS? Few animals capture the imagination quite like Tyrannosaurus rex. It's one of the most recognizable dinosaurs in the world. Towering over the landscape with a massive skull and bone-crushing jaws, one feature has puzzled scientists for decades: those tiny little arms. A new study claims to have solved the mystery. After examining the skulls and forelimbs of dozens of meat-eating dinosaurs, researchers found that species with larger, more robust skulls generally had smaller arms. From that relationship, they proposed that as these dinosaurs supposedly changed over millions of years, the head gradually became the primary weapon while the forelimbs became less important. It's an interesting observation, but does that explanation really follow? The study identified a relationship between skull size and arm size. It didn't discover how that relationship came to be. Instead, the evolutionary story is added afterward because that's the framework through which the evidence is being interpreted. But there's another explanation that's much simpler. Think about a playground teeter-totter. If one side becomes much heavier, the other side has to compensate or everything falls out of balance. A two-legged dinosaur faces the same engineering challenge. Its head, neck, torso, hips, legs, tail, and forelimbs all have to work together to keep its center of gravity exactly where it belongs. A massive skull combined with equally massive forelimbs would place tremendous weight toward the front of the animal. Something else would have to compensate. The tail would need to become larger, the hips would need to change, or the body would become increasingly unstable. Suddenly those tiny arms don't seem strange at all. They make perfect engineering sense as part of a balanced, integrated body. The researchers also describe the arms as "reduced" or "vestigial," yet they still don't know exactly what purpose those arms served. History has shown why we should be cautious with that conclusion. Again and again, structures once dismissed as evolutionary leftovers have later been found to perform important functions. The difference ultimately comes down to where we begin. If evolution is the starting point, then every feature must somehow be explained through millions of years of gradual change. But if we begin where Scripture begins, with God as Creator, then coordinated engineering is exactly what we should expect. The Bible tells us God created every creature according to its kind during Creation Week. From that perspective, T. rex wasn't a work in progress. It was created as a complete, fully functional animal whose skull, arms, legs, hips, and tail all worked together from the very beginning. The word "dinosaur" wasn't even invented until 1842. Before that, these incredible creatures would simply have been known as dragons, great beasts, or perhaps even among the kinds of magnificent animals described in passages like Behemoth in the book of Job. Whatever name people used, they were part of the "very good" creation God made during Creation Week. The tiny arms of Tyrannosaurus rex aren't evidence of a failed evolutionary experiment. They are another reminder that God's creation displays remarkable engineering, thoughtful design, and purpose, even in places where scientists are still searching for answers.

Did you know? The Bible clearly teaches that demonic possession is real, not a myth, metaphor, or ancient superstition. Throughout the life and ministry of Jesus, we see Him encounter people who were controlled by evil spirits. Jesus did not dismiss these cases as imagination or simply explain them away—He spoke directly to demons, commanded them to leave, and they obeyed Him. The Gospels show that Satan and demons are real spiritual enemies, but they are not equal to God. Jesus has complete authority over them, showing that no power of darkness can stand against the power of Christ.

Good evening, brethren. 1. Evening devotion for today. ED.i. *DAILY WALK WITH CHRIST* (COCIN DEVOTIONAL) *DATE:* FRIDAY 14TH AUGUST, 2026 *SUB-THEME:* YOUTHS: VESSELS OF GOD'S GRACE. *TOPIC:* LIVING ABOVE REPROACH. *TEXT:* PSALM 34:4-5 4. I sought the Lord, and He answered me; He delivered me from all my fears. 5. Those who look to Him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame. *TOPIC:* LIVING ABOVE REPROACH. *THE MESSAGE:* Living _above reproach_ is a life that is marked by integrity, godly character, and freedom from blame or shame. Today's text explains that those who sincerely seek God are delivered from fear and never brought to shame. While reproach involves disapproval due to moral failure, believers, especially youths, are called to live in a way that honours God. This does not mean being perfect but being intentional, obedient, Spirit-led, and uncompromising in faith. Ultimately, a life above reproach serves as a radiant testimony that points others to Christ. Who are your companions? Be warned, bad company corrupts good character. Do not be influenced by bad friends; instead, influence them with life of Christ in you. *REFLECTION:* Do not misuse God's grace. *PRAYER:* Lord, help me to live above reproach. Amen. *MEMORY VERSE FOR THE MONTH:* 2 TIMOTHY 2:21. "If a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be instruments for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master, and prepared to do any good work. *TODAY'S BIBLE READING PLAN:* JEREMIAH 50-52. ED.ii. IMAGINATION "So God created mankind in His own image, in the image of God He created them; male and female He created them." - Genesis 1:27 To create something you need imagination; this means, you are able to imagine something that is not yet there - God did that too. He said: 'Let Us make mankind in Our image, in Our likeness.' He imagined in His mind an image that would resemble Him, however, this image was not there yet. We may not think this through, but it is a Divine quality. A sculptor sees in a lump of clay or in a piece of stone, the entire image he wants to make - this is a Divine quality in him. Before he picks up the brush, the artist already sees what he is going to paint. A musician is able to write and play the music which he hears in his mind beforehand. God puts that in such person. The human being is able to have an image or an idea of something in his mind which still needs to happen. Wrong use of imagination Imagination can also be very dangerous. God put this in us to use it for good. But since the time man became corrupt, it has also been used by the evil one. By using their imagination people such as terrorists, come up with complicated and angry plans which is sometimes implemented later. Nuclear weapons were thought out; they were not suddenly invented. A man's thoughts can also be influenced by the evil one. Creativity has been placed in man by God Genesis 1:27 says that this attribute of creativity has been placed in man by God. Look, God did not quickly put man together. No, man with a soul and spirit has been made so superior because God thought about it. He created man with a lot of love. Everything in our body works perfectly. Just think of our brains and organs: everything is ingeniously made by God! How foolish to believe that man came from a primordial slime. Those poor scientists are completely lost with their theory of evolution. https://www.theblessingdevotional.com 2. Evening Prayer for today. EP.i. Evening Prayer I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety. ⏤ Psalm 4:8 Christians are not perfect, but they should be perfectly restful. ⏤ A.W. Tozer Lord, You alone make us live in safety. We lie down at night under the shadow of Your wings, and our sleep is sweet because You sustain us. We ask You now for another night of rest and comfort. As the sun has set and darkness covers us, we’re reminded of how much we need You. We have no power to keep or care for ourselves. Be our protection tonight. Let no harm come near us, let no sickness invade our home, let nothing cause us fear. As the stars come out as the sun sets, we’re reminded of the promises of Your grace, which shine even brighter when the sun of our prosperity or happiness fades. We wouldn’t see the stars without the night, and we thank You for the many uplifting, comforting words in the Scripture that we wouldn’t notice without our troubles and sorrows. We’ve found many precious meanings in Your Word during times of trial that we never saw before. Make Your Word more and more a treasure house of goodness, which You will reveal to us as we need it. Grant us an evening blessing. Bless our home life. May our love for each other grow stronger every day. Help us to see the best in each other. Help us each to give our best to one another. Protect us from impatience and lack of kindness, and give us the grace to be kind to each other. May we learn from Jesus how to love at home. Enable us to be helpful to each other, making each other better, stronger, and more courageous. In Your great mercy, O God, forgive us all our sins, and bring us at last into Your heavenly kingdom, through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Redeemer. Amen. https://www.youdevotion.com/daily-prayer/miller/40/evening #taptapstudio #youdevotion.

Good morning to everyone. Grace and Peace be with you. I do not recall the last year when we had so many storms pound us one right after the other. I am thinking it was the early 2000’s or so. Mind you, my memory is not the best and I was working a lot after 2003, so my time frame could be off. In the last week alone, it feels like we have been handed a new and severe storm each day. Mowing is all but out of the question, though the grass is green and full … and high. I told you about my drive to the airport and how much ‘fun’ it was. Last night we had another very loud and very powerful storm come through our area, during which my dog decided to have a panic attack in the midst of it, which of course woke me up. In her defense, the storm and my overactive imagination had already stirred me, so it was not like I was sound asleep. However, I called her over to my side of the bed and we had an ‘its okay’ pet and conversation as the storm made its way through the noisy and scary part. This morning, she is in my office with me as another part of this storm party is making its way through. Her reaction to the storms reminded me of myself. As powerful and influential storms pass through my life, sometimes they are intimidating enough to send me into an internal panic attack. (Rarely are they visible to anyone other than those closest to me because of my pride…just being honest.) Last night, as I calmed my dog, I felt the Holy Spirit remind me that what I was doing to settle her down, He did/does for me. A simple, yet effective, visual aid to remind me that I am not alone in my storms. All I need to do is put my eyes and my faith in the One who has everything under control. Last night, when my dog came to my side of the bed for comfort, she knew that I would not let anything happen to her. She felt soothing and calm begin almost instantly. After a few minutes of reassurance and light, loving pets, she returned to her bed on the floor and slept the rest of the night. This is the peace that the Holy Spirit brings to us in our storms … if we truly believe and trust that He is the one who will not allow anything to hurt/happen to us. Just before the first big thunder cracker hit, my overactive imagination had already begun; the Holy Spirit sent my dog to me for comfort, to release my mind from the internal chaos I was building and to place my focus on Him. It worked. My focus changed to soothing the dog and my anxiety went down tremendously, so then I could get back to sleep. The Trinity is a powerful tool in our arsenal against our daily battles. God created us. Jesus died for us. The Holy Spirit holds us close in times of struggle to remind us of our value to the first two. Leaning on Them, is the only way to truly release the demons of our mind and regain our peace. Peter had faith to step out of the boat, but allowed his eyes to see the storm, so he sank … but … he called out for the One who was on the water with him and reached for His hand. When we start focusing on the storms, we lose sight of the One who saved us in the first place, but when we call out … He is there. Today, as the storms of life push through, keep your eyes focused on the One who will hold you close and protect you. Invite Him to come sit and cuddle with you as your storm passes. The comfort you receive is unimaginable and beautifully felt. Be blessed. ** “Come.” He said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, ‘Lord save me!’ Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. – Matthew 14:29-31a

Good morning, brethren. 1. Morning devotion for today. MD.i. 😀💝🌺🎁🌹🎀 MORNING TEA THE WORD FOR TODAY FRIDAY AUGUST 14, 2O26. "PROMISES, PROMISES!' (1)" ‘…when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.’ Hebrews 10:36 NIV. MANY OF us remember singing in church, ‘Every promise in the Book is mine!’ Exciting words—but are they entirely true? If you’ve prayed for the fulfilment of a Bible promise that didn’t materialise, you may have wondered, felt disillusioned, or even stopped trusting. What’s true is that every promise in the Book intended for you, is yours! God is committed to keeping every promise He has made (Matthew 24:35). So how can you know which Bible promises are yours? Here are some scriptural guidelines to help you: 1) Be sure you understand the promise. God is committed to His Word, not to your interpretation of it. When Jesus said, ‘…Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up’ (John 2:19 NKJV), His audience completely misunderstood Him, thinking He meant the literal temple when He meant His body. 2) Walk in the Spirit, not the flesh. Walking in the Spirit, Peter received divine understanding of Christ’s deity. When Jesus asked, ‘Who do you say I am?’ Peter answered, ‘You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.’ Jesus replied, ‘…this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father…’ (Matthew 16:15-17 NIV). Soon afterwards, walking in the flesh, the same man totally misunderstood Jesus and was severely rebuked by Jesus (Matthew 16:21-23). Why? Because ‘…the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God…nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned’ (1 Corinthians 2:14 NKJV). So submit your thoughts to God; pray for His guidance, and in due course, you’ll get the insight you need. Bible In A Year: Judg 12-15, Matt 17:14-27, Ps 119:81-88, Pro 17:27-28. Courtesy: Grace So Amazing Foundation 💝🎀 *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. IMAGINATION "So God created mankind in His own image, in the image of God He created them; male and female He created them." - Genesis 1:27 To create something you need imagination; this means, you are able to imagine something that is not yet there - God did that too. He said: 'Let Us make mankind in Our image, in Our likeness.' He imagined in His mind an image that would resemble Him, however, this image was not there yet. We may not think this through, but it is a Divine quality. A sculptor sees in a lump of clay or in a piece of stone, the entire image he wants to make - this is a Divine quality in him. Before he picks up the brush, the artist already sees what he is going to paint. A musician is able to write and play the music which he hears in his mind beforehand. God puts that in such person. The human being is able to have an image or an idea of something in his mind which still needs to happen. Wrong use of imagination Imagination can also be very dangerous. God put this in us to use it for good. But since the time man became corrupt, it has also been used by the evil one. By using their imagination people such as terrorists, come up with complicated and angry plans which is sometimes implemented later. Nuclear weapons were thought out; they were not suddenly invented. A man's thoughts can also be influenced by the evil one. Creativity has been placed in man by God Genesis 1:27 says that this attribute of creativity has been placed in man by God. Look, God did not quickly put man together. No, man with a soul and spirit has been made so superior because God thought about it. He created man with a lot of love. Everything in our body works perfectly. Just think of our brains and organs: everything is ingeniously made by God! How foolish to believe that man came from a primordial slime. Those poor scientists are completely lost with their theory of evolution. https://www.theblessingdevotional.com 2. Morning Prayer for today. MP.i. Morning Prayer And whatsoever ye do, do [it] heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; ⏤ Colossians 3:23 God does not call us to be successful, but to be faithful. ⏤ Mother Teresa O God, who brings joy to both the morning and the evening, we thank You for the gladness of this new day. You didn’t let our night be filled with pain or sorrow, but instead, You gave us peace and comfort. It’s because You kept us safe that we are so richly blessed. We lift our hearts to You in gratitude for the light and joy of this new day. Bless us as we go about our work. Bless our efforts and help us to be diligent. Keep us from growing weary with the routine tasks we must do each day. Help us to do all our tasks with a cheerful heart. Teach us how to do our everyday work for You. It will be easier if we do it all for You. The burdens won’t feel so heavy if we are carrying them for You. The tedious tasks won’t seem so dull if we do them for You. Teach us to live our whole lives for You, so we can truly honor You. Give us grace to be kind and helpful to everyone we meet today. Sometimes we get impatient, or we aren’t as polite as we should be, or we get irritable in the stressful moments of life. Not everyone we meet is easy to get along with, and sometimes we have to endure rudeness. O God, keep us loving and gentle, no matter what we face today. Help us to always keep a sweet spirit. We want to honor You in everything we do, say, and feel today. Bless us with Your love. Fill us with Your Spirit so that we can be like Jesus, no matter how others treat us. Make us true blessings wherever we go. Keep us from stumbling. Grant Your grace to everyone we love. And to You, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, we give all the glory. Amen. https://www.youdevotion.com/daily-prayer/miller/40/morning #taptapstudio #youdevotion.

Lifeline Today Thursday August 13 Adapting to Today’s challenges To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: Ecclesiastes 3:1 Making meaningful progress depends largely on how well adapted you are to today’s challenges. A proper understanding of the realities of time is important. There is, the past, present and future. You cannot afford to live only in the memories of the past and the observation of the present. Otherwise, you will be responding only to what has happened and is happening. You will be reactive and not proactive. But, when you adapt to today’s challenges, you are focused on the future. You begin to design and possess the future through new ideas, insights, and inspirations. You can set out what the future would be like by harnessing the power of forward-looking imagination. This what buying the future with today’s currency means. You are being proactive, not waiting to respond after things have happened. You are set for the top! This is your day. Wisdom Fountain: “Our very survival depends on our ability to stay awake, to adjust to new ideas, to remain vigilant and to face the challenge of change.” Prayer: Heavenly Father, I come to You seeking the spiritual strength and mental flexibility required to handle daily demands. Grant me the inner power and discipline to release the past, quiet present distractions, and fix my eyes firmly on the future. Fill my mind with Your vision, align my steps with Your purpose, and give me the strength to press forward with hope and unwavering focus. I declare that through Your grace, I am adaptable, capable, and victorious in Jesus’ name.

Reading Acts1:15-26 The Forgotten disciple We know little of Matthias, after this snapshot, we hear nothing about him. We know in verse 21, that although he wasn't part of the inner group of apostles, he was closely associated with them and saw everything that happened. So he was a man who stayed the course, he did not leave, when many so many were leaving. Probably this is why he was chosen, because he could be trusted. Can the same be said about you? Secondly, he was chosen to be a witness to the resurrection. Here was a man who was like the apostles who had seen the miracles Jesus had done, but also he was a witness of the resurrection. Today we are to be witnesses of that resurrection, Jesus truly rose from the dead, it is not a figment of the apostles imagination. These twelve men and others were going to tell the world that Jesus lives. We don't know where Matthias ended up, but we know that he played a full role on the day of Pentecost and was imprisoned at least twice for his faith, all of the apostles except John died a martyrs death, so we know that this forgotten apostle gave up his life. Many people in the church live in the background, they are not at the front, but serve consistently behind the scenes. Maybe you think, just because your name is not well known that you have been forgotten, but it hasn't. God sees all your service and will reward you in due time, with a crown of life. JUST LIKE MATTHIAS Tell people of the resurrection of Jesus, that he is alive. God bless you Kk

*THE SPIRIT REALM IS MORE REAL THAN THE PHYSICAL* One of the greatest mistakes believers make is treating the spirit realm as though it is less real than the physical world. It is not. The physical world came out of the spirit realm. God is Spirit. Before there was a visible creation, there was God. The invisible produced the visible. (John 4:24; Colossians 1:16–17) That is why the battles you cannot see often determine the outcomes you can. Some people wonder why they constantly struggle with the same temptations. They feel as though there are two versions of themselves. One desires righteousness. The other keeps pulling them toward sin. The struggle is real because spiritual realities are real. You cannot afford to ignore what is happening in your heart simply because no one else can see it. Jesus did not wait until adultery became physical before addressing it. He dealt with the desire that produced it. He said that anyone who looks with lust has already committed adultery in the heart. (Matthew 5:27–28) Why? Because heaven does not only judge actions. Heaven also sees the inner [spirit] man. The unseen matters. Every evil thought entertained, every sinful imagination rehearsed, every hidden fantasy cultivated is taking place in a realm that God sees clearly. This is why spiritual warfare begins long before anyone notices anything outwardly. Guard your heart. Guard your thoughts. Guard your imagination. If you win there, you will win here. Good evening!

*THE SPIRIT REALM IS MORE REAL THAN THE PHYSICAL* One of the greatest mistakes believers make is treating the spirit realm as though it is less real than the physical world. It is not. The physical world came out of the spirit realm. God is Spirit. Before there was a visible creation, there was God. The invisible produced the visible. (John 4:24; Colossians 1:16–17) That is why the battles you cannot see often determine the outcomes you can. Some people wonder why they constantly struggle with the same temptations. They feel as though there are two versions of themselves. One desires righteousness. The other keeps pulling them toward sin. The struggle is real because spiritual realities are real. You cannot afford to ignore what is happening in your heart simply because no one else can see it. Jesus did not wait until adultery became physical before addressing it. He dealt with the desire that produced it. He said that anyone who looks with lust has already committed adultery in the heart. (Matthew 5:27–28) Why? Because heaven does not only judge actions. Heaven also sees the inner [spirit] man. The unseen matters. Every evil thought entertained, every sinful imagination rehearsed, every hidden fantasy cultivated is taking place in a realm that God sees clearly. This is why spiritual warfare begins long before anyone notices anything outwardly. Guard your heart. Guard your thoughts. Guard your imagination. If you win there, you will win here. Good evening!