REPENT NOW — Life Is Uncertain A solemn Christian sermon with prayer “Prepare to meet your God.” — Amos 4:12 The world often imagines death as the Grim Reaper—a dark figure carrying a scythe. That image is a powerful symbol in art and literature, but the Bible points us to a deeper truth: our lives are fragile, and none of us knows the day or hour when our earthly life will end. This is not meant to produce panic. It is meant to awaken the heart. Tomorrow is not promised Every sunrise is a gift from God. We make plans for next week, next year, and retirement, yet Scripture reminds us how brief life truly is. “Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.” — James 4:14 If your heart is far from Christ, do not delay repentance. If there is unforgiveness, confess it. If there is hidden sin, bring it into the light. If you have wandered from the Lord, come home today. Jesus is the Savior, not the destroyer God does not delight in the death of the wicked. His desire is that people turn and live. “The Lord is… patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” — 2 Peter 3:9 The Cross stands as Heaven's invitation. Jesus stretched out His hands so that guilty sinners could become forgiven children of God. No sin is too great for His mercy when it is met with genuine repentance and faith. What is true repentance? Repentance is more than feeling sorry. It is a change of heart that leads to a change of direction. Turn from sin. Turn toward Jesus Christ. Confess Him as Lord. Walk daily in obedience through the power of the Holy Spirit. “Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out.” — Acts 3:19 A Prayer of Urgent Repentance Heavenly Father, I come before You with humility and reverence. I confess that I have sinned against You in thought, word, and deed. I cannot save myself. Lord Jesus Christ, I believe You died on the Cross for my sins and rose again in victory. Have mercy upon me. Wash me in Your precious blood and make me a new creation. Holy Spirit, break every chain of sin. Remove my hardened heart and give me a heart that loves righteousness. Help me forgive others, walk in holiness, and live each day ready to meet my King. Teach me to number my days, that I may gain a heart of wisdom. Let my life glorify Jesus until my final breath. In the mighty name of Jesus Christ, Amen. The Call “Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.” — Hebrews 3:15 Do not wait for a better season. Do not assume tomorrow belongs to you. Repent today. Believe the Gospel today. Follow Jesus today. For Christ is ready to forgive all who come to Him with a sincere and repentant heart. BE READY TO DIE ANY TIME, WE LIVE MINUTE BY MINUTE. BE EVER READY TO MEET GOD! 2 CHOICES, JESUS EQUALS HEAVEN. REJECTION OF JESUS EQUALS ETERNAL DAMNATION BE READY TO DIE AT ANY TIME We Live Minute by Minute — Be Ever Ready to Meet God “Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” — Psalm 90:12 Every heartbeat is a gift. Every breath is sustained by the mercy of God. None of us knows whether we have fifty years remaining—or five minutes. The Bible calls us not to live in terror, but in readiness. Jesus repeatedly urged His disciples: “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.” — Matthew 25:13 The Two Eternal Choices According to the Christian Gospel, every person must respond to Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ The Way to Eternal Life John 14:6 • John 3:16 Repent. Believe. Follow Him. Forgiveness of sins, reconciliation with God, and the hope of eternal life through Christ alone. Reject Christ Remain Separated from God John 3:18 • Revelation 20:15 The warning is real. The New Testament warns that rejecting God's offer of salvation has eternal consequences. Don't Wait Until Tomorrow The greatest deception is believing there will always be another opportunity. The healthy can die suddenly. The wealthy cannot buy one more heartbeat. The young are not guaranteed old age. Death respects no calendar. “Now is the day of salvation.” — 2 Corinthians 6:2 God is not trying to frighten you away from Him. He is calling you toward Him. His warnings flow from His love, and His invitation remains open today. Jesus Is the Only Savior Jesus declared: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” — John 14:6 The apostles proclaimed: “There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” — Acts 4:12 Our good works cannot erase our sins. Religion cannot save us. Only the crucified and risen Son of God can reconcile us to the Father. A Prayer: Ready to Meet God Heavenly Father, I acknowledge that my life is in Your hands. I confess that I am a sinner and that I cannot save myself. Lord Jesus Christ, I believe You died for my sins and rose again. I repent of my sin and turn to You. Be my Lord, my Savior, and my King. Wash me in Your precious blood. Fill me with the Holy Spirit, and teach me to live in holiness, love, and obedience. Help me to be ready—not living in fear, but living in faithful expectation of seeing You face to face. Let every day of my life bring glory to Your name. In Jesus' mighty name, Amen. The Final Appeal “Choose this day whom you will serve.” — Joshua 24:15 Life is brief. Eternity is forever. Choose Jesus Christ. Walk with Him. Be ready to meet God.

Good morning, brethren. 1. Morning devotion for today. MD.i. 😀🎀💝🎁🌺🌹 MORNING TEA THE WORD FOR TODAY THURSDAY AUGUST 13, 2O26. "RESPONDING TO FAILURE" ‘A righteous person may fall…but he gets up again...’ Proverbs 24:16 GWT YOU CAN tell a lot about somebody by how they respond to life. Everybody gets knocked down, but how fast you get up again is what counts. Verla Gillmor says: ‘Failure teaches us things we can’t learn any other way…Treat it as a visitor allowed to deliver unpleasant news, but don’t let it take up residence. Remember, all failures aren’t equal. For example, when a beautiful, talented young woman is the first-runner-up in a beauty contest, some say she failed. Yet some people would give their right arm to be named the second most attractive female in a competition. It’s a matter of perspective… [examine] your failures and weigh them according to their importance in the overall scheme of things…I once received a ‘D’ at college…it’s ridiculous, but that sticks in my mind like a pebble in my shoe. Why do I fixate on that and not the fact that it happened during the term I carried nineteen credit hours, worked part-time, got engaged, and spent six weeks in the college health centre with mononucleosis? When I put the experience in context, it loses its power to undermine my confidence. Failure teaches us what’s important. I have a friend who was made redundant…It caught her by surprise because she was good at her work. “I tended to be full of pride,” she says. “I got away with it because I was so successful. Losing my job…humbled me. With pride you have no permission to fail. It’s a heavy yoke…and I don’t wear it any more. I feel lighter in my spirit without the burden of having to be perfect.’’’ Bible In A Year: Judg 9:34 – 11:40, Matt 17:1-13, Ps 119:73-80, Pro 20:25, Ecc 5:4-6. 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. [12/08, 8:10 pm] Pastor Attah: *MEDITATIONS ON DAILY ⓂANNA* THURSDAY, 13TH AUGUST, 2026. *A MORE DESCRIPTION OF HEAVEN* *TEXT:* REVELATION 21:1-8. 1And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. 2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. 4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. 5 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. 6 And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. 7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. 8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. *Timeless Truth:*_"For he (Abraham) looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God"_ (Hebrews 11:10). *INTRODUCTION* When Garden Eden was created, it was the most beautiful place Adam could ever conceive of, with all the beautiful birds, animals, plants and cool weather. However, nobody needed to tell Adam that there must be a better place because the God that used to commune with him in *"the cool of the day"* was not living in Eden. He must be dwelling in a better place. This faith was carried on from generations to generations until the time of Abraham, who in spite of all the wealth promised him, his affection was focused on the better city. *"For he (Abraham) looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God"*. Nobody was given a better revelation of heaven than Apostle John. Enoch and Elijah were said to be translated to heaven. How heaven looked like was left to human imaginations. Jesus Christ also mentioned heaven as the abode of the Triune God. He only told us it has many mansions. At the mount of transfiguration was revealed the glory of heaven and how the inhabitants will look like. Nothing more was revealed. Stephen saw heaven at the point of death but just faintly (Acts 7:55-56). Paul the apostle was taken to heaven which he called the third heaven, but he said he was not permitted to reveal what he saw to any except that he exposed that it has many foundations (Acts 11:10, 2 Corinthians 12:2-4). The text shows us the climax of God's revelation about heaven. Yet the Bible writers were short of words to describe heaven except that it is the place where God dwells from eternity, with all His created angels and saints. *"How beautiful heaven must be"*. *1. Prepared Heaven* a. Those who doubt the testimony of Apostle John must be ready to doubt his gospel and epistles that have transformed lives and brought supernatural comforts and revelation of Jesus Christ to mankind for centuries. *"And I saw a new heaven and a new earth"*. He was not told or heard from a third party. He saw it himself. It was not a remodelled new heaven and earth, but a totally new heaven and a new earth. *"And there was no more sea"*. There are three types of heaven mentioned in the Bible. There is the atmospheric heaven where the rain comes from (Deuteronomy 11:11). There is the second heaven called heavenlies where we have the galaxies including the primary domain of demonic forces and angelic conflicts (Ephesians 6:12). Then we have the third heaven or paradise where God dwells (2 Corinthians 12:2). *"For the first heaven and the first earth were passed away"*. The first two heavens were passed away except the third heaven. 2 Peter 3:12, 13 reveals how this will happen. *"….. wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. "*. The earth and the heavens will be destroyed through fervent heat. Jesus Himself confirmed that heaven and earth with all their structures, beauties, learnings and philosophies shall all pass away except the Word of God (Matthew 5:18, 24:35). In fact, all the human bodies will give way to eternal and indestructible bodies. Thus, what Apostle John saw was the giving away of all things that are visible and temporary for things that are eternal. b. *"And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven"*. The earthly Jerusalem was referred to as the city of the Great King (Psalm 48:2, Matthew 5:35). This is referring to the Millennium holy Jerusalem from where Jesus will rule the whole world physically. John the apostle said that Jerusalem ceased to exist, but gave way to a completely New Jerusalem. This New Jerusalem was seen coming *"out of heaven"*. Obviously, it is seen coming from the third heaven which is the eternal throne of God. He used the imagery of the beauty of a bride coming to meet the husband to describe the beauty of heaven. This is the best description human language can give. *Prepared as a bride adorned for her husband"*. He then heard the voice of God announcing the plan of God right from eternity. What was that plan? That God will physically, live among men as King over loving subjects; as Father over His children in a happy family set up and as God over His redeemed and people. *"And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God"*. This is the beginning of heaven, happy and holy eternity. *Question* Are you getting prepared for heaven in the practical sense of it? If Not, then you don't actually, believe in heaven. *2. Pacification with Happiness* a. The Apostle further gave a glimpse of how we will feel in heaven. *"And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes"*. Tears of sorrow, anguish, lost loved ones, physical and psychological pains, etc.will all be forgotten. This is difficult to imagine for man. It is like imagining how God promised that *"your sins and iniquities will I remember no more"*. We don't have a problem with God forgiving our sins, but God forgetting our sins will be difficult to imagine. We will all forget the painful past as we will be overwhelmed with the glory of God for eternity. *"There shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away"*. The pains and the tears, called *"light afflictions"* will be for a moment. They will not survive the joy of eternity. b. For those who have difficulty with believing, *"he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful"*. Heaven is prepared already. When Jesus Christ was about going to heaven, He assured the disciples of going to build mansions for them. About 60 years later, when John saw the revelation, he was told by the Lord that it was done. It means it is a settled and concluded matter. *"And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end"*. In heaven there will not be any heat or tension, but total refreshments and happiness. *"I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely"*. Everything God has will be totally ours. All the gifts of God, physical or spiritual, will belong to us as possessions. Nothing needed or useful will be denied. We suffer different lacks while on earth. Heaven will be the opposite. *"He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son"*. Are you an overcomer over sin, Satan and all his temptations? *Question* What are the things you are suffering on earth? Do you see them as temporary? *3. Punishment of Hell* What are the things that will disqualify any from entering heaven? What would be the abode of those who will miss heaven? The answer is fearful. *"But the fearful, and unbelieving"*. Every evil action stems from fear and unbelief. Unbelief of what God has spoken and the consequences of disobedience, fear of man and what man can do are terrible paralysing feelings that draw men to perdition. *"And the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars"*. Notice that all those sins are now also found inside the Church among professing saints. So there will be eternal surprises when those who profess that heaven is their home find themselves in a totally different place called hell. They *"shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone*. *Question* Are you transparently free from all sins? *Prayer Points* 1.Give praises to God that you are in that number saved by grace 🙏. 2.Ask God to search your life, expose, purge and cleanse you from all disqualifying habits 🙏. 3.Pray that the vision of heaven will get brighter and brighter to you and your mind and affections will be focused on heavenly things 🙏. 4.Pray that all believers will be delivered from all forms of self deception and will take entering heaven more seriously 🙏. *HYMN:* How Beautiful Heaven Must Be. *BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:* JOB 16-18. [12/08, 8:10 pm] Pastor Attah: ```DAILY Ⓜ️ANNA - (A DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE FOR ADULTS) THURSDAY 13TH AUGUST, 2026``` *SHORT SHELF-LIFE OF PAIN* 📓📖🎚️🫵🏽🙋🏽‍♂️🙋🏽‍♀️😢😭🧎🏽🧎🏽‍♀️🙏🏽🙌🏽 📜📜```TEXT:REVELATION 21:1-8```📜📜 🔑📖```KEY VERSE:``` _*"And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away" (REVELATION 21:4).*_ *John Harper, a Scottish Baptist pastor and evangelist, died on the _RMS Titanic_ in 1912. His last words, as testified by survivors, were "I have seen heaven, and it is beautiful" and "Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved." Despite his death, Harper used his final moments to preach the gospel, expressing his deep assurance that beyond death lay a place of eternal peace. A rescued survivor testified that Harper, clinging to the wreckage, asked if he was saved and urged him to believe in Jesus Christ. The survivor later accepted Christ and called himself "the last convert of John Harper."* *Today's passage paints a breath-taking vision of the new heaven and new earth. John sees the Holy City, the New Jerusalem, descending from God, adorned like a bride. A powerful voice declares that God will dwell among His people, wiping away every tear. Death, mourning, crying, and pain will be gone forever. The former things will pass away, and everything will be made new. God, the Alpha and Omega, promises the water of life to those who thirst. But He also warns that those who reject Him (those living in sin, fear, unbelief) will face eternal separation in the lake of fire.* *In this world, we experience suffering in many forms such as loss, illness, disappointment, pain and injustice. But for those who belong to Christ, these trials are temporary. Christ assures us that a glorious future awaits us, one where God Himself will comfort us, and all suffering will cease. This hope should encourage believers to endure hardships with faith, knowing that one day, we will step into a place where joy is endless and pain is no more. It also calls us to live righteously, rejecting sin and embracing the promise of eternity with God.* *No matter what trials you face today, hold unto the hope of heaven. Let this promise strengthen your faith, drive you to share the gospel, and encourage you to live in readiness for Christ's return. A day is coming when all suffering will cease and there will be no more tears, pain or death. Get ready to be part of this eternally glorious moment.* ✍🏽```THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:``` _*Nobody gets to heaven by accident.*_ 📜📜```THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:``` *JOB 16-18*📜📜 Short Shelf-Life Of Pain https://dailymanna.app// *RECOMMENDED GOSPEL HYMNS AND SONGS - GHS 5: NEVER GIVE UP; GHS 58: THE LAST MILE OF THE WAY; GHS 147: SWEET BY AND BY; AND GHS 175: HE IS COMING AGAIN* *TXD [THEXDEVOTIONALS] on Twitter* *#DailyManna13thAugust2026* *#GCK* *#WorshipNuggets* *#BibleNuggets* *#LeadershipNuggets* *#RevivalNuggets* *#CrusadeNuggets* https://www.youtube.com/[THEXDEVOTIONALS] [12/08, 8:10 pm] Pastor Attah: ```DEEPER CHRISTIAN LIFE MINISTRY``` _*HIGHER EVERYD🅰️Y: (A DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE FOR YOUTHS)*_ ✍🏽👩🏻‍💼🌻 🍇🙏🏽🛰🚀🔬📚 ```THURSDAY 13TH AUGUST, 2026``` *JESUS SETS FREE* 🎚️📓📖🫵🏽🙋🏽‍♂️🙋🏽‍♀️⛓️✝️🩸🧎🏽🧎🏽‍♀️🙏🏽⛓️‍💥🙌🏽 📜📜```TEXT:JOHN 8:28-36```📜📜 📖``` MEMORY VERSE:``` _*"If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed" (JOHN 8:36).*_ *A song writer wrote:* _*"There's power, power, wonder-working power*_ _*In the blood of the Lamb;*_ _*There's power, power, wonder-working power*_ _*In the precious blood of the Lamb."*_ *The words of this song reminds us of the power that is resident in the atoning blood of Jesus Christ. Jesus is the anointed One, the Messiah. Those who accept His lordship can experience His free gift of salvation.* *Note that though Christ has the power to save. He does not force His salvation on anyone because human beings are free moral agents and are made to be accountable for their choices.* *A lot of youths need freedom from bondage to sin and the devil. They need to acknowledge their sins and accept Christ as the only Saviour that can set free. Some are under slavery to fornication, masturbation, cultism, internet fraud, and so on.* *Friend, are you one of those lost in sin and in bondage to the devil? Get rid of your dirty deeds and believe that Jesus can set free, and He will set you free.* 💬 ```QUOTE:``` _*Jesus is the anointed One.*_ 🏆 ```CHALLENGE:``` _*Jesus can set you free indeed.*_ 🙏🏽🙏🏽 ```PRAYER:``` _*Lord, have mercy on me and set me free.*_ Jesus Sets Free https://dailymanna.app// *TXD [THEXDEVOTIONALS] on Twitter* *#HigherEveryday13thAugust2026* *#GCK* *#WorshipNuggets* *#BibleNuggets* *#LeadershipNuggets* *#RevivalNuggets* *#CrusadeNuggets* https://www.youtube.com/[THEXDEVOTIONALS] [12/08, 8:10 pm] Pastor Attah: ```DEEPER CHRISTIAN LIFE MINISTRY``` _*(SINCERE MILK: Children Daily Devotional Guide 2⃣0⃣2⃣6️⃣)*_ 🙇🏼🙇🏼🙇‍♀️🙇‍♀️🙇🏼🙇‍♀️🙇🏼🙇‍♀️🙇🏼‍♂️ ```THURSDAY 13TH AUGUST, 2026``` *GOD IS IN CHARGE* 📓📖🎚️🫵🏽🙋🏽‍♂️🙋🏽‍♀️🗣️🧎🏽🧎🏽‍♀️🙏🏽🙌🏽 📜📜```PSALM 35:1-9```📜📜 🕔📚🖋️🚻😁🎼🏆🍉🪴🌈💻 🔑📖 ```Key Verse:``` _*"And my soul shall be joyful in the LORD: it shall rejoice in his salvation" (Psalm 35:9).*_ 📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖 Nancy was sent to a supermarket to get some food items for the family. Unknown to her, the shop was under attack by armed robbers. She went in, and she was kidnapped! While being abducted, she remembered the Bible verses that her grandma had taught her. She rehearsed it aloud to the confusion of her abductors, and attracted helpers nearby. God heard her confession of faith and saved her. She was rescued. In times like these, when the society seems insecure; neither rich nor poor are free from the troubles in the world - kidnapping, cyber bullying, famine, climate change, diseases, natural disasters, and instability. *Children of God need not fear. God is in charge of all situations. The word of God is not just a shield for all those who believe, it is a formidable weapon that no force can withstand. Read, believe, confess and have faith in God's Word as you move through the days and months of the year.* 🍥🍥🍥🍥🍥🍥🍥🍥 ```🅿️rayer:``` _*Lord, let your word dwell in me richly, and teach me to know that you are in charge of my life.*_ 🙏🏽 ```📖 Further Reading:``` *Ephesians 6:11-18* God Is In Charge https://dailymanna.app// *TXD [THEXDEVOTIONALS] on Twitter* *#SincereMilk13thAugust2026* *#GCK* *#WorshipNuggets* *#BibleNuggets* *#LeadershipNuggets* *#RevivalNuggets* *#CrusadeNuggets* https://www.youtube.com/[THEXDEVOTIONALS]. 2. Morning Prayer for today. MP.i. Morning Prayer For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only [use] not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. ⏤ Galatians 5:13 Let your religion be less of a theory and more of a love affair. ⏤ G.K. Chesterton O God, who has redeemed us by the precious blood of the Lamb, help us to live for Your praise and glory in all that we do. Since Jesus Christ has died for us and we are not our own, we want to live lives worthy of Your holiness. We confess and renounce all our sins. Teach us to hate sin and give us the grace to live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world, to the glory of Your holy name. We ask You to reveal Yourself to us this morning as we go forth and to give us the assurance of Your presence. You have promised that as our days are, so shall our strength be, and that Your grace will always be sufficient for us. We cling to these promises as we enter a new day whose experiences we cannot predict. We do not know what dangers we will encounter, what burdens will be placed on us, what temptations will whisper in our ears, what pitfalls will lie in our path, or what insidious influences will threaten the purity of our souls. So we hide ourselves in You and trust You to keep us safe all day. We desire to be useful and helpful to others. Save us from selfishness and self-centeredness. Teach us the great lesson of service. May we have the mind of Christ, who came not to be served but to serve. May we serve one another in love. May we live to help others and do good. Help us to see the needs we can meet, to perceive the ways we can serve, and then give us the true spirit of ministry so that we may do the things that will bless others. Fill us with Your Spirit so that we may be like You. We ask all this in the name of our Savior. Amen. https://www.youdevotion.com/daily-prayer/miller/39/morning #taptapstudio #youdevotion.

📘 Daily Verse — August 12 Acts 17:11 (NKJV) “These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.” #LordsbookDailys #DailyVerse #August12 #Acts1711 #SearchTheScriptures #BereanFaith #BibleInspiration #GrowInFaith

Good morning, brethren. 1. Morning devotion for today. MD.i. 😀🌹🎀🎁💝🌺MORNING TEA THE WORD FOR TODAY WEDNESDAY AUGUST 12, 2O26. "WORKING IN THE KINGDOM (3)" ‘The father [or mother] of a righteous man has great joy...’ Proverbs 23:24 NIV. THE HARDEST work is sometimes the most overlooked work. A husband came home from work one day and the house was an absolute mess. Clothes were strewn all over the floor, washing up filled the sink, the kids were crying, the beds were unmade, the bathroom smelled badly and the TV set was blaring. When he asked his wife what was going on, she replied, ‘You know how you ask me every night what I did all day? Well, today I didn’t do it.’ If you’re a stay-at-home mum or dad, God considers your work to be important. It’s more important to the future than just about any other profession—because you’re determining the quality of the next generation. Martin Luther said, ‘What you do in your house is worth as much as if you did it up in heaven for our Lord.’ One day God will say, ‘Well done,’ to parents who cared for children—bathing them, feeding them, cleaning up after them—when they were tired and thought nobody was looking. Somebody is looking. Somebody is keeping track. It is worth it! You are the one who makes your work significant—not the other way round. When you discover the gifts God has given you and the passions He has placed within you, and put them to work in the service of values you deeply believe in—you are ‘working for God’ in the truest sense. So each day ask God to make your work go well. And try to identify the larger picture in your work that makes it a ‘calling.’ Bible In A Year: Judg 7:1 – 9:33, Matt 16:13-28, Ps 119:65-72, Pro 17:23-26. 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. [11/08, 9:24 pm] Pastor Attah: *MEDITATIONS ON DAILY ⓂANNA* WEDNESDAY, 12TH AUGUST, 2026. *HEAVEN: THE PERMANENT RESIDENCE OF THE BELIEVERS* *TEXT:* JOHN 14:1-6. 1Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. 2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. 4 And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. 5 Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? 6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me *Timeless Truth:*_"But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city"_ (Hebrews 11:16). *INTRODUCTION* Jim Reeves, in one of his classics, composed an all time beautiful and inspired song about heaven. "I have heard of a land; On a faraway strand 'Tis a beautiful home of the soul; Built by Jesus on high There we never shall die 'Tis the land where we never grow old. When our work here is done; And the life crown is won; And our troubles and trials are o'er; All our sorrow will end And our voices will blend With the loved ones who've gone on before". The children of Israel ate manna in the wilderness and not one of them fell sick for 40 years and neither did their cloth fade according to the Scriptures. The food of heaven and the environment of heaven will be such that the inhabitants will never grow old, but remain young, healthy and fresh throughout eternity. Every attempt by any mortal to describe heaven is like a blind man describing the colour of a beautiful house. It is easier to think and plan for what you see than what you don't see no matter how real. Hence, there is need for constant reminder, refocusing and reconsecration to make heaven, less our vision of the invisible and eternal things give way to the vision of visible temporary things. *"For truly, if they (the heroes of faith) had been mindful of that country (the world) from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned"* (Hebrews 11:15). *1. The Admonition on Faith* a. Man is consciously or unconsciously a slave to what he believes whether true or false. The person who does good or evil believes that it will pay him. The person who serves God or does otherwise believes that is the best thing to do, all things being equal. The only person who could experientially and authoritatively speak about heaven is the person who lived there for an innumerable number of years and had visited the earth. Jesus Christ challenged the faith of His disciples to fully and truly believe, not only in the reality of heaven, but what heaven offers. The thought of Jesus Christ leaving them for heaven was disturbing and troublesome. However, the thought of heaven is comforting above all troubles on earth. *"Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me"*. b. Jesus Christ said He came from heaven. Moses claimed He saw God come from heaven on the mount of Sinai. At the mount of transfiguration, three apostles said they saw the glory of heaven on Jesus, Elijah and Moses. John the Apostle emphatically said *"I John saw heaven open"*. Revelation also said that as God alone created the universe without any assistance from the angels, God Himself created heaven. *"Whose Builder and the Maker is God"*. When there is faith in God and consequently in heaven, all earthly glory and sorrows fade into insignificance. *Question* Is heaven and its glory real to you? Are you focused on making it by all means? *2. The Assurance for the Faithful* There is a Revelation about heaven that no other prophet could give except an eye witness. There is an abundance of accommodation for all the saints of God. *"In my Father's house are many mansions"*. Jesus invoked His undeniable truthfulness and integrity to give us a solid assurance. *"If it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you"*. Jesus is saying that there is no need to deceive His disciples. Part of the present preoccupation of Christ is building a beautiful and eternally durable unimproveable mansion for each of God's people. The cosmos is roughly 7 x10 to power 23 times larger than our planet, rendering Earth an invisible speck in the vast cosmic ocean. This is different from the part of the cosmos that humans' lenses cannot observe so far. John said *"there was no more seas"*. So the space for building mansions is inexhaustible by all the saints that ever lived. b. Every saint should therefore, be assured that there is an unfading and most beautiful accommodation ever, designed and built by God awaiting him for eternal dwelling. Which one is more real to you? Dream or what you see in the physical. As what you see on earth is more real than what is dreamt, much more, the life of heaven is incomparably more real than what is experienced on the planet earth. Everything in heaven is perfect that no man on earth and creature in heaven would be able to improve on it. *Question* Are you excited about heaven? *3. The Advent of the Forerunner* a. Jesus came from heaven and He is the firstborn from among the dead. He is the first to die, buried, resurrected and gone to heaven with a resurrected body. He also promised to come back to the earth with His resurrected glorified body. *"And if I go and prepare a place for you"*. Did He truly go as promised? Since He fulfilled the promise to go to heaven He will no doubt fulfill other promises attached. *"I will come again"*. He did not say He "may come again". He was very definite and certain. When He comes again for the Church, represented by the disciples He was speaking to, what will He do? *"And receive you unto myself"*. He did not say he would come and take them, but rather come and receive them. This is Rapture being referred to in which Jesus in the sky will receive the saints to heaven as a host comes out of his chamber to receive His special guest or visitors to his house. (1 Thessalonians 4:14-17). *"That where I am, there ye may be also"*. *Question* Are you always watchful to make sure you are ever ready? *4. The Answer to the Forgetful* You will be surprised at the kind of question the once doubting Thomas was asking. *"Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?"*. He was there when Nicodemus was lectured by Christ on how to get to heaven. He was there when Jesus preached the longest sermon on the Mount as to the qualification for heaven. He was there when Jesus said *"No man has seen God at all times"*. Preachers should not assume that their followers fully understand the spiritual things they are teaching. Spiritual truth must be repeatedly read and taught over and over until it turns to conviction. Jesus is the only true way to heaven. *Question* What makes someone qualified for heaven? *Prayer Points* 1.Lord, I praise You for the best alternative to this earth You have provided for me. Help me never to miss it 🙏. 2.Refocus my desire and affection on heaven and heavenly things afresh and help me that it will be my primary pursuit and vision 🙏. 3.Keep me from being deceived and distracted from heavenly things by the glamour of this world 🙏. 4.Search out Your people and remove all things in our lives that will make entering heaven impossible 🙏. *HYMN:* Where We Never Get Old. *BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:* JOB 13-15. [11/08, 9:24 pm] Pastor Attah: ```DAILY Ⓜ️ANNA - (A DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE FOR ADULTS) WEDNESDAY 12TH AUGUST, 2026``` *HEAVEN: PREPARED FOR THE PREPARED* 📓📖🎚️🫵🏽🙋🏽‍♂️🙋🏽‍♀️🧎🏽🧎🏽‍♀️🙏🏽🙌🏽 📜📜```TEXT:JOHN 14:1-6```📜📜 🔑📖```KEY VERSE:``` _*"In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you" (JOHN 14:2).*_ *D. L. Moody, the famous evangelist, once said before his death, "Someday you will read in the papers that D. L. Moody of East Northfield is dead. Don't you believe a word of it! At that moment, I shall be more alive than I am now. I shall have gone up higher, that is all, out of this old clay tenement into a house that is immortal, a body that death cannot touch, that sin cannot taint; a body fashioned like unto His glorious body." Moody understood the truth that heaven is not a vague idea but a real, prepared place for those who belong to Christ. He had no fear of death because he knew that Jesus had already secured for him an eternal home.* *In today's text, Jesus gives the same assurance to His disciples: He has gone ahead to prepare a place for them, and He will return to take them there. He speaks words of comfort to His troubled disciples. He tells them not to be afraid because His Father's house is big enough to accommodate all those who are qualified, and that He is going to prepare the place for them. More than that, He promises to return and bring them to be with Him forever. When Thomas questions the way to this place, Jesus makes a life-changing declaration: "...I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me" (John 14:6).* *Heaven is not an accidental destination. It is a prepared place for prepared people. Jesus makes it clear that He is the only Way to this eternal home. Today, many believe that all roads lead to heaven, but Christ's words leave no room for confusion. Only those who accept Him and live for Him will enter the place He has prepared.* *This truth should give us confidence and peace as believers in Christ's return. Just as a traveller finds joy knowing a home awaits at the end of his journey, we too should endure life's trials knowing that heaven is real and waiting for us. However, this is also a call for readiness, as only those who are prepared in Christ will enter there. Heaven is not for the undecided or the uncommitted; it is for those who know and follow Christ. It is for those who have let go of the world, let in Christ as their personal Lord and Saviour and live for Him consistently.* ✍🏽```THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:``` _*If your aim is heaven, look beyond this world.*_ 📜📜```THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:``` *JOB 13-15*📜📜 Heaven: Prepared For The Prepared https://dailymanna.app// *RECOMMENDED GOSPEL HYMNS AND SONGS - GHS 137: HOW BEAUTIFUL HEAVEN MUST BE; GHS 138: WHEN WE ALL GET TO HEAVEN; GHS 139: BEAUTIFUL HOME!; AND GHS 20: THE WAY, THE TRUTH, THE LIFE* *TXD [THEXDEVOTIONALS] on Twitter* *#DailyManna12thAugust2026* *#GCK* *#WorshipNuggets* *#BibleNuggets* *#LeadershipNuggets* *#RevivalNuggets* *#CrusadeNuggets* https://www.youtube.com/[THEXDEVOTIONALS] [11/08, 9:24 pm] Pastor Attah: ```DEEPER CHRISTIAN LIFE MINISTRY``` _*HIGHER EVERYD🅰️Y: (A DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE FOR YOUTHS)*_ ✍🏽👩🏻‍💼🌻 🍇🙏🏽🛰🚀🔬📚 ```WEDNESDAY 12TH AUGUST, 2026``` *THE PRAYER OF FAITH* 🎚️📓📖🫵🏽🙋🏽‍♂️🙋🏽‍♀️🗣️🧎🏽🧎🏽‍♀️🙏🏽🙌🏽 📜📜```TEXT:JAMES 5:13-18```📜📜 📖``` MEMORY VERSE:``` _*"And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him" (JAMES 5:15).*_ *Faith is the conduit between man and God. It is important in the life of a praying believer as the scripture confirms that without it, it is impossible to please God.* *"Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase," submitted Martin Luther King Jr. A prayer of faith means a prayer you offer believing in His promises firmly, even when you have not seen the physical manifestation of the promise yet.* *The centurion, a soldier, had a sick servant and met Jesus for the healing of the man. This man had faith in the prayer of our Lord to a point that he told Him not to bother following him to his house to pray for the sick.* *He believed when Jesus prays anywhere at any time, the sick will be healed, and distance is never a barrier to His miracles. His servant was healed according to his great faith.* *You may be going through some challenges now, but your prayer of faith can turn the situation around for you and move your mountain away.* 💬 ```QUOTE:``` _*Distance is never a barrier.*_ 🏆 ```CHALLENGE:``` _*Your prayer of faith can move mountains.*_ 🙏🏽🙏🏽 ```PRAYER:``` _*Lord, increase my faith.*_ The Prayer Of Faith https://dailymanna.app// *TXD [THEXDEVOTIONALS] on Twitter* *#HigherEveryday12thAugust2026* *#GCK* *#WorshipNuggets* *#BibleNuggets* *#LeadershipNuggets* *#RevivalNuggets* *#CrusadeNuggets* https://www.youtube.com/[THEXDEVOTIONALS] [11/08, 9:24 pm] Pastor Attah: ```DEEPER CHRISTIAN LIFE MINISTRY``` _*(SINCERE MILK: Children Daily Devotional Guide 2⃣0⃣2⃣6️⃣)*_ 🙇🏼🙇🏼🙇‍♀️🙇‍♀️🙇🏼🙇‍♀️🙇🏼🙇‍♀️🙇🏼‍♂️ ```WEDNESDAY 12TH AUGUST, 2026``` *AVOID THE DANGER AHEAD!* 📓📖🎚️🫵🏽🙋🏽‍♂️🙋🏽‍♀️⚠️‼️🛑❌🫷🏽🧎🏽🧎🏽‍♀️🙏🏽 📜📜```1 KINGS 11:9-14```📜📜 🕔📚🖋️🚻😁🎼🏆🍉🪴🌈💻 🔑📖 ```Key Verse:``` _*"And the LORD was angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned from the LORD God of Israel, which had appeared unto him twice" (1 Kings 11:9).*_ 📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖 It is not all things that glitters that is gold. God is loving, He has great plans for His children. However, no parent toils on a child who decides to disobey instructions. Solomon was a beloved child of God. He found favour with God because David his father obeyed God. Your Christian parents, pastors, teachers and elders are sent to correct you. Don't despise their correction. Though God is merciful, yet the salvation of your parents doesn't guarantee your protection from the wiles of the devil. Solomon allowed his great wisdom to control him. He forgot God and embraced popularity and riches. God was angry with him and punished him severely. God is not a respecter of persons. He punishes every sinner or backslider. *Avoid the danger ahead! Sin leads to heavy consequences. Such consequences could come in the form of sickness, failure in examination, oppression or death (physical and eternal). Return to God your Maker, He loves you. Don't allow your worldly wisdom, pride or riches of your parents to take you to hell. Let the blood of Jesus wash you now.* 🍥🍥🍥🍥🍥🍥🍥🍥 ```🅿️rayer:``` _*Dear God, give me the grace to humble myself under Your mighty hand.*_ 🙏🏽 ```📖 Further Reading:``` *Proverbs 1:7-14* Avoid The Danger Ahead! https://dailymanna.app// *TXD [THEXDEVOTIONALS] on Twitter* *#SincereMilk12thAugust2026* *#GCK* *#WorshipNuggets* *#BibleNuggets* *#LeadershipNuggets* *#RevivalNuggets* *#CrusadeNuggets* https://www.youtube.com/[THEXDEVOTIONALS]. 2. Morning Prayer for today. MP.i. Morning Prayer [It is of] the LORD's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. [They are] new every morning: great [is] thy faithfulness. ⏤ Lamentations 3:22-23 The Christian life is one of gratitude. A heart that is constantly overflowing with thankfulness is a heart close to God. ⏤ A.W. Tozer O God, giver of all good and fountain of all mercy, we thank You for Your grace and the many ways You show Your care for us. Your faithfulness never fails. Your mercies are new every morning, fresh every moment, more than we can count. What can we give You in return for all Your goodness to us? We have nothing to offer but the poor love of our hearts, and we give that to You. Grant us more and more the spirit of praise and thanksgiving. Teach us to sing even when tears choke our songs. Give us songs in the night. Teach us how to rejoice, even in care and sorrow. We thank You for our home and all it means to us. You have filled our lives with countless blessings through the love that unites us as a family. Our home is a little bit of Your love poured into our hearts. We thank You for the shelter our home provides and for the gentle affections that bind us together. May our home grow sweeter as the days pass. Make our home life more loving, patient, and kind. May our love be less selfish and more like the love of Jesus. We ask for special blessings for this day. We will face dangers we are unaware of; protect us from them. We are vulnerable to accidents wherever we go; defend us from them. Grant us the grace to walk through the moral challenges around us without being harmed by them. Give Your angels charge over us to keep us in all Your ways. Lead us wherever we go so that we may not stumble. Make us strong for holy service. Let Your protection be over us all day, and give us strength for every duty. We ask all this in Jesus' precious name. Amen. https://www.youdevotion.com/daily-prayer/miller/38/morning #taptapstudio #youdevotion.

Good morning, brethren. Morning devotion for today. MD.i. 😀🌺🌹🎁🎀💝 MORNING TEA THE WORD FOR TODAY TUESDAY AUGUST 11, 2O26. "WORKING IN THE KINGDOM (2)" ‘To those who use well what they are given, even more will be given...’ Matthew 25:29 NLT YOUR VALUE in a job is determined by the value you add to the job. When a Christian goes to work each day, God holds them accountable for adding, enhancing and improving things in their workplace. Jesus told the story of three men who were each given money. One was given five bags of it, another two, and another one. The first two ‘…went and traded with them, and gained…’ (Matthew 25:16 NAS). They showed skill, initiative, and made 100 percent profit. So they were commended by their master. But the third man just punched the clock, called in sick, didn’t train, try, dare, or do. So his job review didn’t go too well. And Jesus said something that ought to make us all sit up and take notice: ‘To those who use well what they are given, even more will be given, and they will have an abundance. But from those who do nothing, even what little they have will be taken away.’ That means if your attitude and work ethic are poor, you’re in trouble with God. So, let’s stop and think about your job. If Jesus were your supervisor, would you do your work any differently? How would you answer the phone, type documents, treat your employees, or teach your pupils if Jesus were checking your work? As a citizen of God’s kingdom you need to periodically review your attitude on the job, solicit feedback on how you can grow, demonstrate love and grace to those you work with, make your company profitable, and enjoy the work you do. Bible In A Year: Josh 2:1-24, Acts 9:20-30. 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. [10/08, 9:23 pm] Pastor Attah: ```DAILY Ⓜ️ANNA - (A DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE FOR ADULTS) TUESDAY 11TH AUGUST, 2026``` *HEALING THROUGH REPENTANCE* 📓📖🎚️🫵🏽🙋🏽‍♂️🙋🏽‍♀️🤢😩😭✝️🩸🧎🏽🧎🏽‍♀️🙏🏽🙌🏽 📜📜```TEXT:HOSEA 6:1-3```📜📜 🔑📖```KEY VERSE:``` _*"Come, and let us return unto the LORD: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up" (HOSEA 6:1).*_ *In 1949, a remarkable spiritual revival swept through the Scottish Hebrides Islands, known today as the Hebrides Revival. At that time, churches were nearly empty, and the younger generation had grown indifferent to the faith. Two elderly women, Peggy and Christine Smith, deeply burdened by the spiritual decline, began fervent prayer for God to awaken their community to righteousness. Their prayers were anchored in repentance and a return to the Lord. Soon, other believers joined them in prayer. One night, a young man leading the prayer meeting read from Psalm 24:3, 4: "Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? Or who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart..." He cried out, "Is my heart clean? Are my hands pure?" That honest moment of repentance sparked a spiritual breakthrough, and soon people across the island began confessing their sins, turning back to God, and experiencing profound spiritual healing.* *In our text, the prophet calls God's people to repentance. The passage begins with a heartfelt plea for repentance and return to the Lord. It reflects Israel's realisation that they had strayed from God and were suffering the consequences of their rebellion. Yet, despite their waywardness, God desired to restore and revive them if they genuinely repented. The promises of being "revived after two days" and "restored on the third day" symbolised God's readiness to bring spiritual renewal to those who returned to Him.* *Christians today have important lessons to learn. True healing, whether it is healing from guilt, broken relationships, spiritual dryness or backsliding, begins with repentance. It is not just about feeling remorse but about acknowledging your sins, seeking God's forgiveness, and making a decisive turn toward Him.* *In our modern world, temptations and sin often pull people away from God. But just as the Hebrides Revival demonstrated, God responds powerfully to repentance. When believers humble themselves and call upon God for themselves or others, He is faithful to heal, restore, and pour out His blessings. For those who need healing today, they should return to the Lord, so He can bind up their wounds and revive their spirit.* ✍🏽```THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:``` _*Repentance opens the door to restoration.*_ 📜📜```THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:``` *JOB 9-12*📜📜 [10/08, 9:23 pm] Pastor Attah: ```DEEPER CHRISTIAN LIFE MINISTRY``` _*HIGHER EVERYD🅰️Y: (A DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE FOR YOUTHS)*_ ✍🏽👩🏻‍💼🌻 🍇🙏🏽🛰🚀🔬📚 ```TUESDAY 11TH AUGUST, 2026``` *HUMILIATION OF THE HAUGHTY* 🎚️📓📖🫵🏽🙋🏽‍♂️🙋🏽‍♀️🤨⚠️‼️🛑❌👎🏽⚖️🧎🏽🧎🏽‍♀️🙏🏽 📜📜```TEXT:ISAIAH 3:14-26```📜📜 📖``` MEMORY VERSE:``` _*"Therefore the LORD will smite with a scab the crown of the head of the daughters of Zion, and the LORD will discover their secret parts" (ISAIAH 3:17).*_ *A haughty person is one who is proud of himself or herself. Many youths are guilty of pride because they fail to recognise God as the Giver of all things and to Him alone all glories must return. Pride is dangerous to your spiritual wellbeing, as God hates pride.* *Saint Augustine was correct when he affirmed that "It was pride that changed angels into devils; it is humility that makes men as angels." Pride cost the devil the opportunity of living eternally with God after he revolted against the authority of God in heaven.* *Young people of nowadays demonstrate pride because of their beauty or handsomeness, wears, education, family wealth and position in the society. Pride cost the devil and the fallen angels the kingdom of God, and would cost those who still indulge it.* *God frowns on pride among His children because all are equal before God and no one should look down on others. His judgment awaits every single soul, whether rich or poor, educated or uneducated, and so on. If you fail to kill pride now, it will kill you later.* 💬 ```QUOTE:``` _*Kill pride now!*_ 🏆 ```CHALLENGE:``` _*Pride is dangerous.*_ 🙏🏽🙏🏽 ```PRAYER:``` _*Father, take haughty attitude away from me.*_ [10/08, 9:23 pm] Pastor Attah: ```DEEPER CHRISTIAN LIFE MINISTRY``` _*(SINCERE MILK: Children Daily Devotional Guide 2⃣0⃣2⃣6️⃣)*_ 🙇🏼🙇🏼🙇‍♀️🙇‍♀️🙇🏼🙇‍♀️🙇🏼🙇‍♀️🙇🏼‍♂️ ```TUESDAY 11TH AUGUST, 2026``` *JESUS WEPT* 📓📖🎚️🫵🏽🙋🏽‍♂️🙋🏽‍♀️🧎🏽🧎🏽‍♀️😢😭🙏🏽 📜📜```JOHN 11:33-36```📜📜 🕔📚🖋️🚻😁🎼🏆🍉🪴🌈💻 🔑📖 ```Key Verse:``` _*"Jesus wept" (John 11:35).*_ 📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖 *Jesus Christ is God in human flesh. He came into the world to identify with our sufferings and troubles. He came to bear our burdens and carry our sorrows.* Hundreds of years before Jesus was born, Prophet Isaiah spoke about what He would do. He said He would be a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. This was exactly what Jesus did when He was on earth. He is loving and compassionate. Our Bible passage shows one aspect of the nature of Christ. Getting to the house of His friends whose brother had died, Jesus, moved with compassion wept openly. It was the highest show of love from God to His creature. Jesus is teaching us here that weeping is not a sign of weakness. It is a way to identify with those who are hurting. At the end, Jesus raised Lazarus from death. *Are you sad or lonely? Are you suffering in any way? Remember, Jesus cares for you. He does not want you to suffer. Call upon Him in time of trouble, and you will experience His comforting arms of love.* 🍥🍥🍥🍥🍥🍥🍥🍥 ```🅿️rayer:``` _*Compassionate Jesus, give me the grace to lean on You in times of trouble.*_ 🙏🏽 ```📖 Further Reading:``` *Matthew 11:28* [10/08, 9:23 pm] Pastor Attah: *MEDITATIONS ON DAILY ⓂANNA* TUESDAY, 11TH AUGUST, 2026. *PATHWAY TO RESTORATION AND REVIVAL* *TEXT:* HOSEA 6:1-3. 1Come, and let us return unto the LORD: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up. 2 After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight. 3 Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the LORD: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth. *Timeless Truth:*_"Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the LORD: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth"_ (Hosea 6:3). *INTRODUCTION* "Return, "Revival", "Refresh" and "Restoration" are some of the words used in Biblical and Christian circles that show that something good and precious have been lost or missing and appropriate efforts should be made to get those things back. All these show man's deliberate responsibilities in order to keep the blessings of God for a long time . In 1948, a released christian newsletter during the time of revivalist Abraham Branham reads. “All the great outpourings of the past have had their outstanding truths. Luther’s truth was Justification by Faith. Wesley’s was Sanctification. The Baptists taught the premillennial coming of Christ. The Missionary Alliance taught Divine Healing. The Pentecostal outpouring has restored the Baptism of the Holy Ghost to its rightful place. But, the next great outpouring is going to be marked by all these other truths plus such a demonstration of the nine gifts of the Spirit as the world, not even the Apostolic world, has ever witnessed before. This revival will be short and will be the last before the Rapture of the Church.” The consolation and joy is that whatever great and wonderful experiences we have enjoyed in the past can still be restored by God if man does the needful. This is the message of Hosea to Israel and the godly. *1. Call to Return to God* a. Adam, representing the man of all ages, started with God, but departed from God and many woes followed. In order to vacate the woes, the message of God is simple, return to God. All the woes, challenges, calamities, anguish, backslidings and challenges of man have only one divine prescription: Return to God. Returning to God requires turning or change. Man is generally, reluctant to change. This is one of Newton's Laws of Motion. Willingness to turn is generally, where the problem of man lies. The turning to God requires acceptance of wrongs towards God, decisions with appropriate steps and asking God for forgiveness without self justification. It involves deliberate action of repentance. Repentance from what cause the loss of good old blessings, including repentance from sin, unforgiving spirit, bitterness against neighbours and perhaps God, love of the world, selective obedience to the command of God in any area etc., are just what God is looking for before He pours down His blessings afresh. God did not see that turning or repentance in Adam and Eve. Both of them were busy giving excuses and blaming each other. Neither fully admitted his/her obvious wrong and neither fully repented and returned to God. The repercussion was that they never got the blessing they lost back. They were driven from the beautiful, blessed and blissful garden. If they had returned to God with words of soberness and repentance, the story would have been different for them and the whole humanity. All lost blessings from God are only returned after turning and repentance from the root cause. b. The message of God is the same. *"Come, and let us return unto the LORD"*. Stop the blame game. Stop the murmuring and complain. The promise of God for the repentant is valid at all times and in all generations. *"For he hath torn, and he will heal us"*. When your garment of glory is torn, when your shining regalia of blessings is torn, when the source of your joy is torn, the immediate and uncompromisable demand of God and solution is to turn to God. *"He hath smitten, and he will bind us up"*. This is a word of assurance for those who take the courage to turn from their evil ways, carelessness and compromise. *Question* Assess your life where you have departed from God and your old consecration to God and His word. Are you willing to turn? Start today. *2. Comforting Revival Through Grace* a. Has Israel not gone too far to an irredeemable damnable and bitter experience? God, through Hosea says NO. When there is possibility and willingness to turn, the promise to restore and revive is always unbreakable. Jesus said, *"the scripture cannot be broken."* Hosea used the picture of Calvary and the resurrection of Jesus on the third day to show the reality and restoration of revival for dead bones. *"After two days will he revive us"*. After two days is the third day including all other days after the third day. It shows the beginning of revival on the third day and the continuity of revival after the third day. *"In the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight"*. The resurrection of Jesus Christ has assurably made possible the restoration of any dead soul and experiences even when it appears they are already stinking spiritually in the grave. b. The parable of dead bones in Ezekiel 37 shows that revival and restoration is possible when the Word of God is given a prominent and final say in the life of an individual, family, church or nation. All the revivals the Church has experienced in different ages at a time of total darkness were as a result of giving the Word of God the first and unquestionably place. The same applies to any individual that needs revival. Taking the Word of God at face values drives to repentance including burdened and persistent prayers. Once this is done, the rain will definitely fall and there will be repentance and restoration. *Question* Are you desirous of revival and restoration of past glories in your life? From the explanation above, what is your decision? *3. Continuous Refreshment unto Glory* a. Why blessings are lost and revival is gone is because of lack of continuity in the Old faith and consecration that brought the revival in the first place. Jesus said, *"If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples in deed"*. Disciples in deeds are different from disciples in the mouth to profession. Continuity is the key. *"Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the LORD"*. Continuous following leads to deeper knowledge and deeper knowledge is manifested by continuous following. *"His going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth"*. The former rain is to prepare the ground for planting while the latter rain is to prepare the crop for harvesting. It is the harvesting that is generally seen, but not the planting time of rigour and sacrifice. He that sows, though not seen by many should sow in hope because harvesting is certain. Rain of the Holy Spirit is needed to sow the seed of repentance, intercession and consecration while rain of the Holy Spirit is also needed to enjoy the harvest of refreshment, restoration and revival. Continuity in sowing the seed of the Word of God and wetting it with tears of prayers and acts of consecration will bring the abundant rain and there will be overflowing joy, revival and restoration again. *Question* Are you determined to continue getting deeper into the Word, prayer and consecration without giving up until the rain falls and there are blessings and visitations from heaven again? *Prayer Points* 1.Lord, open my eyes to areas that I need to turn to you afresh and make me willing to pay the price of turning 🙏. 2.Give me the rain of the Spirit that will help me to sow with tears and deeper consecration until the abundant rain falls on my soul, nation and church 🙏. 3.I ask for power and determination to continue seeking your face without giving up and backing out 🙏. 4.Father, send the rain and awaken your Church to true restoration and revival 🙏. *HYMN:* Come Holy Spirit. *BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:* JOB 9-12. 2. Morning Prayer fir today. MP.i. Morning Prayer For we have not a high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as [we are, yet] without sin. ⏤ Hebrews 4:15 He is never nearer than when we are tempted. ⏤ E.M. Bounds O Jesus, we thank You for living this human life with us, knowing all about our experiences. You became a man. You were tempted in every way, just as we are, and understand what temptation is like. It comforts us to know that You understand our struggles and that we can rely on Your sympathy. Help us today, O Jesus, to overcome every temptation. Stand by us and do not let us fall into darkness in any moment of trial. We are also grateful that You know all about sorrow. You have experienced every depth of human pain. There is no sorrow unknown to You, no grief that You cannot understand. Life brings us sorrows, sometimes very deep ones. No human friend can fully understand them. Our loved ones want to help us but cannot take away our pain or give us true comfort. Earth has no sufficient consolation for us. So we turn to You, O Jesus, and ask for Your help in our sorrows. We want to bear them sweetly, without complaining. We want to receive the blessing that comes with every pain or suffering, a blessing that is often missed. Teach us how to suffer according to Your will. Give us true comfort that enables us to endure whatever pain or trial we must face. Help us to grow stronger and kinder in every affliction. May Your sympathy bless us, lifting us into deeper fellowship with You. We ask all this in Your precious name, Jesus our Savior. Amen. https://www.youdevotion.com/daily-prayer/miller/37/morning #taptapstudio #youdevotion.

Good evening, brethren. 1. Evening devotion for today. ED.i. *DAILY WALK WITH CHRIST* (COCIN DEVOTIONAL) *DATE:* MONDAY 10TH AUGUST, 2026. *SUB-THEME:* YOUTHS: VESSELS OF GOD'S GRACE. *TOPIC:* GOD'S BATTLE AXE. *TEXT:* JEREMIAH 51:20-24. 20. “You are My war club, My weapon for battle— with you I shatter nations, with you I destroy kingdoms, 21. with you I shatter horse and rider, with you I shatter chariot and driver, 22. with you I shatter man and woman, with you I shatter old man and youth, with you I shatter young man and young woman, 23. with you I shatter shepherd and flock, with you I shatter farmer and oxen, with you I shatter governors and officials. 24. “Before your eyes I will repay Babylon and all who live in Babylonia for all the wrong they have done in Zion,” declares the Lord. *TOPIC:* GOD'S BATTLE AXE. *THE MESSAGE:* Today's text explains that a battle axe symbolises a powerful weapon in the hands of a warrior capable of destroying strongholds. In this context, God is portrayed as the ultimate warrior, and His people are His battle axes, instruments through which He wages spiritual warfare. Just as God used David to defeat Goliath, believers, though often broken by sin or addiction, can be restored and used by God if they turn to Him. The message calls for spiritual renewal and readiness to be God's effective weapon in the battle against evil. The enemy is mainly attacking the youths through social ills: cultism, addiction, ritual acts, yahoo-yahoo plus, exam malpractice, gambling, and so on. How profitable are you? Are you entrapped? Submit to Jesus and be transformed into a useful axe for the kingdom. *REFLECTION:* You are God's battle axe. *PRAYER:* Lord, sharpen my life and make me useful. 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. *TODAY'S BIBLE READING PLAN:* JEREMIAH 33-35. ED.ii. WHEN THE LIGHT APPEARS "Who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light." - 1 Peter 2:9 You start to see things as they really are when Jesus comes into your life and when the Light appears in the darkness. You suddenly see the wickedness of the evil one. You recognize the temptations you must say 'no' to because you know they are not from God. When you are a slave to sin, you will not succeed in this. Unfortunately, most people follow sin and the evil one. He holds society and the world under his control... until people are taken out of the darkness into the Light. Then they realize that they were wrong, because their spiritual eyes are opening. The Holy Spirit speaks to them, they give their life to Jesus and start walking with Jesus. Set free to free others The evil one hates you and will try hard to regain control over you. So be careful! Once you have enjoyed the freedom, the happiness and the joy the Lord God gives, then it is the stupidest thing to follow again the evil one, just like so many people do. Stay free from that! Keep away from the hassle of the evil one and grow until you are strong enough to stand firm in authority over the evil one and his filthy powers and be able to say: Let go in Jesus' name. You will then commit yourself to free others from the power of the evil one. That is the call, over and over again: go, help to reach them. Come to the prayer meetings to pray for this. To free others by prayer, to cast out the powers of the evil one and to rebuke them in Jesus' name. You will see results and see people coming to Jesus. Do not forget: we are set free to free others. https://www.theblessingdevotional.com 2. Evening Prayer for today. EP.i. Evening Prayer So teach [us] to number our days, that we may apply [our] hearts unto wisdom. ⏤ Psalm 90:12 As we grow in grace, we more earnestly desire to live for the glory of our Lord. ⏤ Charles Spurgeon We thank You, Father, for another day. Each day You give us is a gift, meant to be used for You. They are not ours to waste in idleness, nor to fill with selfishness, or stain with sin. They are ours to spend in holy obedience and loving service. Each day comes to us like a blank page on which to write words of beauty that others may read, and that will be read at last when the books are opened in the final judgment. They come like ships for us to fill with good things, to be sent away to bless others. Now we bring another day to You. If we have written anything on the page that is not uplifting and beautiful, may You blot it out. If there are stains, may You remove them. If this day contains any messages for the judgment day that would bring us shame, may You erase them. If we have filled this day with selfishness instead of deeds of love, we ask for Your forgiveness. We cannot have the day back to correct it, so we ask You to turn its evil into good, just as You turned the sin of Joseph’s brothers into something good in the end. As we turn from this day, never to see it again until the judgment, we entrust it to You. You are merciful and gracious. Bless our home tonight. You who do not slumber, keep us in Your holy care and let no harm come near us. Bless us as a family and grant us Your peace. Prepare us for tomorrow, and when the new day comes, grant us Your presence and grace for all it holds. We ask this in the name of our Savior and Redeemer. Amen. https://www.youdevotion.com/daily-prayer/miller/36/evening #taptapstudio #youdevotion.

Acts 17: "1 Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews: 2 And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures, 3 Opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ. 4 And some of them believed, and consorted with Paul and Silas; and of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and of the chief women not a few. 5 But the Jews which believed not, moved with envy, took unto them certain lewd fellows of the baser sort, and gathered a company, and set all the city on an uproar, and assaulted the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people. 6 And when they found them not, they drew Jason and certain brethren unto the rulers of the city, crying, These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also; 7 Whom Jason hath received: and these all do contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, one Jesus. 8 And they troubled the people and the rulers of the city, when they heard these things. 9 And when they had taken security of Jason, and of the other, they let them go. 10 And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews. 11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. 12 Therefore many of them believed; also of honourable women which were Greeks, and of men, not a few. 13 But when the Jews of Thessalonica had knowledge that the word of God was preached of Paul at Berea, they came thither also, and stirred up the people. 14 And then immediately the brethren sent away Paul to go as it were to the sea: but Silas and Timotheus abode there still. 15 And they that conducted Paul brought him unto Athens: and receiving a commandment unto Silas and Timotheus for to come to him with all speed, they departed. 16 Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred in him, when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry. 17 Therefore disputed he in the synagogue with the Jews, and with the devout persons, and in the market daily with them that met with him. 18 Then certain philosophers of the Epicureans, and of the Stoicks, encountered him. And some said, What will this babbler say? other some, He seemeth to be a setter forth of strange gods: because he preached unto them Jesus, and the resurrection. 19 And they took him, and brought him unto Areopagus, saying, May we know what this new doctrine, whereof thou speakest, is? 20 For thou bringest certain strange things to our ears: we would know therefore what these things mean. 21 (For all the Athenians and strangers which were there spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell, or to hear some new thing.) 22 Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars' hill, and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious. 23 For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you. 24 God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; 25 Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; 26 And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; 27 That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us: 28 For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring. 29 Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device. 30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: 31 Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead. 32 And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked: and others said, We will hear thee again of this matter. 33 So Paul departed from among them. 34 Howbeit certain men clave unto him, and believed: among the which was Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and others with them."

*Today's Prophetic Declaration - Sunday, 9th August, 2026.* 🌟*AM LOOKING UNTO THE LORD FOR MERCY*🌟 *10th Sunday after Trinity & 2nd Sunday in August* 📖 Scripture: “Unto thee lift I up mine eyes, O thou that dwellest in the heavens. Behold, as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters, and the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress; so our eyes wait upon the LORD our God, until that he have mercy upon us.” — Psalm 123:1–2 (KJV). ✝️*Sunday Reflection – Look Up and Wait Upon the Lord* Today, as we celebrate the 10th Sunday after Trinity and the second Sunday in August, Psalm 123 calls us to lift our eyes away from our circumstances and look unto the Lord. The Psalmist describes the attitude of a servant watching the hand of his master. The servant looks with expectation, dependence, and readiness to respond. In the same way, God's children are called to look to Him for direction, provision, mercy, and help. There may be situations that appear beyond our control, but our hope is not in human strength. Our eyes are upon the Lord. When we wait upon Him, we learn to trust His timing, follow His direction, and depend completely on His mercy. Today, whatever your situation may be, lift your eyes to God. He sees your need, hears your prayer, knows your struggles, and is able to make a way where there seems to be no way. 🔊*Prophetic Declaration:* Today, I declare that my eyes are lifted toward the Lord. I will not allow circumstances, disappointments, difficulties, or the opinions of people to determine my confidence. My help comes from the God who dwells in the heavens. I declare that the mercy of the Lord shall speak for me today. Where I need forgiveness, may His mercy forgive me. Where I need restoration, may His mercy restore me. Where I need favor, may His mercy open doors. Where I need strength, may His mercy sustain me. I declare that I shall not run ahead of God's plan for my life. I receive grace to wait upon the Lord with patience and confidence. His timing shall be perfect concerning my family, ministry, work, business, studies, relationships, and destiny. Today, I receive divine direction. As the eyes of a servant look to the hand of the master, I shall remain sensitive to God's leading. I shall recognize the doors He opens, avoid the paths He forbids, and follow wherever He leads me. I declare that every season of waiting shall produce spiritual maturity, deeper faith, and greater testimonies. My waiting shall not be wasted. God is preparing something beautiful in His appointed time. I proclaim that every source of shame, disappointment, rejection, and frustration in my life shall be turned into a testimony by the mercy of God. The Lord shall lift my head, renew my strength, and restore my joy. Today, I declare God's mercy over my household. May His mercy preserve our lives, protect our homes, provide for our needs, and guide our steps. No evil shall prevail against us, and no weapon formed against us shall prosper. I declare that this second Sunday of August shall mark the beginning of greater testimonies. The Lord shall answer prayers according to His perfect will, open doors of opportunity, establish the work of my hands, and cause me to experience His goodness in the land of the living. I will keep looking unto Jesus. I will keep trusting the Lord. I will keep waiting upon His mercy. And I will not be disappointed. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen! 🙏🔥 ✅*Action Steps for today:* 1️⃣ Begin this Sunday by lifting your eyes to God in worship and thanksgiving. 2️⃣ Read Psalm 123 slowly and prayerfully, asking God to deepen your dependence upon Him. 3️⃣ Declare: “My eyes are upon the Lord; I will wait upon His mercy and trust His perfect timing.” 4️⃣ Surrender one situation you have been anxious about and deliberately place it in God's hands. 5️⃣ Encourage someone who is waiting on God today with a message of hope and faith. 6️⃣ Attend worship with expectation, asking God to speak directly into your situation through His Word. 7️⃣ End the day with thanksgiving, trusting that God's mercy is working even when you cannot yet see the result. 🔥*Prayer for the Second Sunday of August:* Heavenly Father, Today, I lift my eyes unto You, the One who dwells in the heavens. You are my Lord, my Helper, my Provider, and my Defender. Teach me to look to You in every circumstance. When I am confused, guide me. When I am weak, strengthen me. When I am discouraged, encourage me. When I am waiting, give me patience. When I am afraid, fill me with faith. Let Your mercy speak over my life and my household. Forgive my sins, restore what has been broken, provide what is lacking, and open the doors that are according to Your perfect will. Help me to wait upon You without complaining or losing hope. Let me recognize Your hand at work in my life and respond obediently to Your leading. Bless my family, ministry, work, business, studies, and every good endeavor committed into my hands. Establish the work of my hands and let Your favor surround me. As I continue through this month of August, let my eyes remain fixed upon You. May I experience Your mercy, favor, protection, peace, and abundant goodness. My eyes are upon You, Lord, and I shall not be disappointed. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 🙏🕊️ 🌿*Sunday Blessing* May the Lord receive your lifted eyes and answer you according to His mercy. May He guide your steps, strengthen your heart, provide for your needs, and turn every season of waiting into a testimony. May His mercy speak for you where you cannot speak for yourself. May His favor open doors before you, His peace guard your heart, and His mighty hand establish everything that concerns you. As you look unto the Lord, may you never lack divine direction, divine provision, divine protection, or divine help. 🌿Happy 10th Sunday after Trinity! 🌸 Happy 2nd Sunday in August! 🙏 Keep looking unto the Lord—His mercy will never fail you. Amen! 🙏 Good morning beloved and do have a blessed Sunday worship experience/service. Shalom! *Remember: Your confession is your possession.* *©️ Postulant C. O. Oyadosu.* _Please share with others, thank you and God bless you 🙏_ For counseling, prayers and partnership or you want to share your testimonies with us; please call or Whatsapp: +2348063128703 Or Email: clementoyadosu[gmail].com

‎Chapter Three: The Great Self-Deception Bake-Off: How to Frost a Lie and Call It Prophecy ‎ ‎“The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?” — Jeremiah 17:9 ‎ ‎Now, that is not a verse you’d want embroidered on a throw pillow. The prophet Jeremiah, who was never invited to many parties, drops this bombshell with the casualness of someone announcing the weather. Your heart—that warm, fuzzy center of emotion you've been taught to "follow" like a GPS—is, in fact, a pathological liar with a doctorate in spin. It is not just occasionally mistaken; it is deceitful above all things. Above a used chariot salesman. Above a politician promising lower taxes. Above a toddler with chocolate on his face insisting he did not eat the cake. Your heart is the most brilliant con artist you will ever meet, and it lives inside your chest, rent-free, forging your signature on checks you didn't even know you had. ‎ ‎And yet, we treat this internal fraudster as if it were the Holy Spirit's personal secretary. "The heart wants what it wants," we sigh, as if that's a profundity and not the battle cry of every disastrous decision since Eve looked at a piece of fruit and thought, "That looks like a good idea, and I feel strongly that it's fine." ‎ ‎Let's talk about what's actually happening when you feel something so intensely that it must be true. You are not receiving a divine download. You are attending the Great Self-Deception Bake-Off, a competition where your own mind whips up a three-tiered cake of false reality, frosts it with emotion, and then serves it to you on a silver platter while a tiny voice in your head screams, "Bon appétit! This is definitely from God!" ‎ ‎The recipe is deceptively simple. You take one genuine fact—a real hurt, a legitimate desire, a valid frustration—and you place it on the counter. So far, so good. This is the flour. But then, instead of following a sane recipe, you hand the kitchen over to a crew of sous-chefs named Assumption, Projection, and Catastrophic Thinking. Assumption dumps in an entire bag of "I know what they were thinking." Projection adds a heaping cup of "This is just like that time in 2007." And Catastrophic Thinking, wearing a chef's hat made of old newspapers, throws in a gallon of "This will never get better and I will die alone and my funeral will be sparsely attended." Mix thoroughly. Bake in the oven of rumination at 400 degrees of anxiety. Frost with a thick layer of righteous indignation or self-pity, depending on your preferred flavor profile. And there you have it: a magnificent, towering cake of Illusion à la Mode, garnished with a sprig of "I'm pretty sure God told me." ‎ ‎You sit down, take a bite, and the flavors explode. The anger tastes like power. The self-pity tastes like a warm hug from yourself. The lust tastes like a preview of heaven that is, in fact, a timeshare presentation for hell. And because the flavor is so intense, so vivid, so consuming, you conclude that the cake must be true. "I feel this strongly, therefore it is valid. God gave me taste buds, didn't He? This is confirmation." And you go back for a second slice, and a third, until you're lying on the floor in a sugar coma of self-deception, wondering why your life has turned into a cautionary tale. ‎ ‎The Apostle James, who had clearly witnessed a few bake-offs in his day, described the process with surgical precision: "Each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death." (James 1:14-15). Did you catch that? Desire conceives. It has a baby. And the baby is sin, and when that baby grows up, it becomes death. The whole thing starts with a tiny little desire—a spark, a wisp, a passing thought—and if you midwife it with enough emotional intensity, it eventually births a full-grown monster that eats your life. James is essentially saying, "Your feelings are not a prophet; they are a maternity ward for disaster." And you, my friend, are the one pushing. ‎ ‎But here's where the comedy curdles into something so absurd you have to laugh or you'll cry: we then take that monster baby, dress it in a little suit of Bible verses, and present it to the world as a word from the Lord. "God is leading me to leave this church," we declare, when in fact the pastor's sermon stepped on our toes and we felt convicted, but conviction feels uncomfortable, so we rebranded the discomfort as "discernment." "The Lord is telling me to speak truth into this situation," we announce, right before we unleash a torrent of unsolicited criticism that burns down a friendship, and we walk away feeling like Jeremiah at the gate, when in fact we were just a jerk with a vocabulary. ‎ ‎Imagine a man who eats an entire extra-large pizza with extra garlic and anchovies, followed by a milkshake, right before bed. He falls into a fitful sleep, and in the depths of the night, his stomach begins to churn and boil like a cauldron in a witch's kitchen. A dream arises—a wild, vivid, Technicolor dream full of dragons, floods, and talking donkeys. He wakes up in a cold sweat, clutching his abdomen, and gasps, "A vision! A prophetic vision! God is warning me of impending doom and possibly a dietary restriction!" He immediately texts his prayer group: "Urgent: I believe the Lord is calling us to a season of fasting and apocalyptic readiness. I saw a donkey and a flood. Repent!" The prayer group, equally susceptible to the Bake-Off, responds with fire emojis and "Amen, brother, I felt a shift." Meanwhile, the real prophecy was the anchovies, and the only shift needed was in his late-night eating habits. The man has mistaken his gastric distress for divine revelation. And before you laugh too hard, ask yourself: how many of your "leadings" were just spiritual indigestion? How many of your "words from God" were just the echo of your own anxieties bouncing around an empty room, dressed in a robe and sandals? ‎ ‎The internal bake-off is fueled by a simple, terrible engine: the illusion that intensity equals authenticity. If I feel it hotly, it must be holy. This is the spiritual equivalent of mistaking a car alarm for an angelic choir. The car alarm is loud, it demands attention, it rattles the windows—but it's not a herald of the Second Coming. It's just a malfunctioning sensor on a Toyota Camry. Your emotions are the Camry. The alarm is going off. And you're on your knees in the parking lot, weeping, "Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening," while a security guard taps you on the shoulder and says, "Sir, that's just your own panic. Also, your lights are on." ‎

*||RHAPSODY OF REALITIES DAILY DEVOTIONAL||* *||💜|| THE REALITY OF HIS BENEVOLENCE |💜||* *|| The LORD is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works (Psalm 145:9). ||* Thursday, 30th July. Pastor Chris Did you know that God is more willing to do you good than you could ever be willing to receive it? He’s more ready to help you in any situation, more eager to supply whatever you need in abundance. And beyond your needs, He delights to give you what you want. Some people say, “God gives you what you need but not what you want.” That’s not true. The problem is that many don’t know how to ask, and then they don’t know how to receive. But the Bible teaches us both—how to ask and how to receive. The Lord Jesus said in John 16:24, “…ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.” Practice this and you’ll live in superabundance; an overflow. It’s been my experience in life: I receive whatever I want so much so that my challenge is not to desire anything too much, because if I want something, I get it. And you can be sure it won’t come in trickles but in abundance. Sometimes when things come to me like that, I say, “Lord, this is too much. I didn’t mean it like that!” But that’s the reality of His benevolence. What’s benevolence? It’s God’s benefaction. It’s His disposition to be good to you, always willing to bless you, always willing to grant the desires of your heart. It’s His constant readiness to do you good, to help you, to lift you. You never have to qualify for it. This is one of the blessings of the Holy Spirit in your life. He does it because He loves you in Christ Jesus. What I’m sharing with you isn’t only scriptural; it’s practical. Put it to work. Walk in the consciousness of God’s benevolence towards you. You’ll discover that you never have to struggle for anything. Things will start happening suddenly for you. The angels will be responding to your desires faster than the speed of thought. That’s how generous God is. He’s gracious, loving and kind. His goodness toward you is unfailing. *||PRAYER||* *|| Dear Father, I thank you for your goodness and benevolence towards me. I walk in the consciousness of your blessings, provisions, increase and superabundance. My life is a testimony of your kindness and generosity, in Jesus’ Name. Amen. ||* *||FURTHER STUDY||* *|| Psalm 23:6 ||* Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: And I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever. *|| Luke 12:32 ||* Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. *|| James 1:17 ||* Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. *|| Psalm 68:19 ||* Blessed be the Lord, Who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah. *|| 1-YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN ||* Romans 5:1-11 Psalm 49-51 *|| 2-YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN ||* Ephesians 4:17-24 Isaiah 50