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.

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, 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.

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

Good morning, brethren. 1. Morning devotion for today. MD.i. 😀🎀💝🎁🌺🌹MORNING TEA THE WORD FOR TODAY WEDNESDAY AUGUST 5, 2O26. "YOU CAN CARRY GOD’S PRESENCE WITH YOU (1)" ‘The poles…are not to be removed.’ Exodus 25:15 NIV THE ARK of the Covenant represented the presence of God in the midst of His people. When the Philistines captured it, they were smitten with tumours. When they placed it in their temple, their god Dagon fell to the ground (1 Samuel 5). The moral of this story is—don’t mess around with the things of God! Even if you are not prepared to serve God; at least be wise and revere Him. When Israel conquered the Philistines, David decided to bring the Ark, the symbol of God’s presence, back home to Jerusalem. Now, when God designed the Ark, He put rings on the side of it, and poles through those rings, saying it must only be carried on the shoulders of special priests. But somebody thought of ‘a better way,’ so they put it on a new cart pulled by an ox. And that’s when everything went wrong. When the Ark started to slip off the cart, a well-meaning bystander decided to steady it. And he died for it! You say, ‘That’s pretty extreme.’ There’s a lesson here for those who want to package God’s presence, market it, and ‘take it on the road.’ Who is qualified to carry God’s presence? Only believer-priests who have been cleansed by the blood of the Lamb, are washed by the Word at the laver, who fellowship with God at His table, who worship Him at the altar of incense, and who walk in the light of truth represented by the seven-branched lampstand. Away with newfangled carts! ‘…the Lord added to the church…’ (Acts 2:47 NKJV). If we are going to carry God’s presence and build His church, we’ve got to do it His way. Bible In A Year: Deut 32:29-34:12; Matt 14:13-21; Ps 119:17-24; Pro 27:7-10. 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. [04/08, 9:31 pm] Pastor Attah: ```DAILY Ⓜ️ANNA - (A DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE FOR ADULTS) WEDNESDAY 5TH AUGUST, 2026``` *DEFILEMENT DETESTED* 📓📖🎚️🫵🏽🙋🏽‍♂️🙋🏽‍♀️🖤❌🩸🤍🧎🏽🧎🏽‍♀️🙏🏽 📜📜```TEXT:LEVITICUS 11:13-28```📜📜 🔑📖```KEY VERSE:``` _*"And he that beareth the carcase of them shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even: they are unclean unto you" (LEVITICUS 11:28).*_ *Leonard Syme, a professor of epidemiology at the University of California at Berkeley, indicates the importance of social ties and social support systems in relationship to mortality and disease rates. He simply underscores the saying that attack is the best defence. Defiant posture to defilements regardless the form or the size is the panacea for living holy.* *This is the gem in the seemingly extensive and meticulous dietary regulation outlined in our passage, which serves a crucial purpose beyond maintaining physical health. To the Israelites, it was a constant reminder to their distinct identity and calling on one hand and a perpetual prompt to seek holiness and live in constant obedience to God in all aspects of life on the other hand. In the same way, believers today are called to maintain a distinct identity in the world. Our lives must be marked by holiness, obedience, and respect for God's commandments.* *Our text, on the surface, sets forth the dietary restrictions on fowls or birds (Leviticus 11:13b-19) and flying insects (Leviticus 11:19-23), but at a deeper level they are part of a larger tapestry of holiness and obedience to God's laws.* *The hallmark of this dietary law is the indelible imprint of God's work in them and the call to live lives directed by God. The regulation constantly reminds the Israelites that they are a different and separate people who should by no means live the same way or share common values with the surrounding nations. As the distinction exists between clean and unclean animals, birds or creeping creatures so is there an uncompromisable difference between the Israel of God and other nations. Their food choices reflect this consecrated, holy identity.* *How this speaks to you, the "ecclesia", called out one today. If you are saved, your only option is to be separated to live holily before the Lord Who saved you: "But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy" (1 Peter 1:15, 16). These detailed and seemingly complicated instructions underscore the place of God's amazing grace and the unmerited favour He shows to us by His covenant loving-kindness.* ✍🏽```THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:``` _*Passion for heaven necessitates strict separation and unqualified obedience to the word.*_ 📜📜```THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:``` *JOHN 10-12*📜📜 Defilement Detested https://dailymanna.app// *RECOMMENDED GOSPEL HYMNS AND SONGS - GHS 190: "CALLED UNTO HOLINESS"; GHS 219: MORE HOLINESS GIVE ME, MORE STRIVING WITHIN; AND GHS 188: TAKE TIME TO BE HOLY* *TXD [THEXDEVOTIONALS] on Twitter* *#DailyManna5thAugust2026* *#GCK* *#WorshipNuggets* *#BibleNuggets* *#LeadershipNuggets* *#RevivalNuggets* *#CrusadeNuggets* https://www.youtube.com/[THEXDEVOTIONALS] [04/08, 9:31 pm] Pastor Attah: ```DEEPER CHRISTIAN LIFE MINISTRY``` _*HIGHER EVERYD🅰️Y: (A DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE FOR YOUTHS)*_ ✍🏽👩🏻‍💼🌻 🍇🙏🏽🛰🚀🔬📚 ```WEDNESDAY 5TH AUGUST, 2026``` *LIFT UP JESUS* 🎚️📓📖🫵🏽🙋🏽‍♂️🙋🏽‍♀️✝️🆙🧎🏽🧎🏽‍♀️🗣️📢📣🙏🏽 📜📜```TEXT:JOHN 12:30-36```📜📜 📖``` MEMORY VERSE:``` _*"And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me" (JOHN 12:32).*_ *Jesus is the Saviour of the world. Life here and in eternity will be worthless without Him. Thus, everything concerning the redemption and restoration of man after his unfortunate fall in the Garden of Eden revolves around His ultimate price for the propitiation of our sins.* *Since Christ is the cornerstone of our existence, we must lift Him up for the world to see and be saved because without salvation through His blood, a soul will be damned in hell forever.* *Modern technology has made it easy to lift up Jesus for the world to see. The social media platforms have made it very easy to preach to thousands of people without stress. Serve the Lord in the days of your youth; lift up the flag of Jesus with all your strength and vigour to draw all men to Him for their salvation.* *God has rewards for those who faithfully carry out the work of evangelism. However, for you to lift up Christ for those to see, you must allow Christ to lift you out of your sinful lifestyle first.* 💬 ```QUOTE:``` _*Lift up Christ for others to see.*_ 🏆 ```CHALLENGE:``` _*Serve the Lord.*_ 🙏🏽🙏🏽 ```PRAYER:``` _*Lord, help me to lift up Christ every day.*_ Lift Up Jesus https://dailymanna.app// *TXD [THEXDEVOTIONALS] on Twitter* *#HigherEveryday5thAugust2026* *#GCK* *#WorshipNuggets* *#BibleNuggets* *#LeadershipNuggets* *#RevivalNuggets* *#CrusadeNuggets* https://www.youtube.com/[THEXDEVOTIONALS] [04/08, 9:31 pm] Pastor Attah: ```DEEPER CHRISTIAN LIFE MINISTRY``` _*(SINCERE MILK: Children Daily Devotional Guide 2⃣0⃣2⃣6️⃣)*_ 🙇🏼🙇🏼🙇‍♀️🙇‍♀️🙇🏼🙇‍♀️🙇🏼🙇‍♀️🙇🏼‍♂️ ```WEDNESDAY 5TH AUGUST, 2026``` *A HELPER TO OTHERS* 📓📖🎚️🫵🏽🙋🏽‍♂️🙋🏽‍♀️👥🤝🧎🏽🧎🏽‍♀️🙏🏽 📜📜```GALATIANS 6:1-3```📜📜 🕔📚🖋️🚻😁🎼🏆🍉🪴🌈💻 🔑📖 ```Key Verse:``` _*"Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ" (Galatians 6:2).*_ 📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖 Helping others is an important aspect of Christian fellowship. Jesus set the perfect example by healing the sick, comforting the brokenhearted and providing for those who were in need. Christ's life was dedicated to serving others, showing us that true love is found in selfless acts of kindness and compassion. When we help others, we are following Christ's command to love our neighbours as ourselves. Serving others does not always require big gestures. Sometimes, it is the small things that matter most; like a kind word, a listening ear, or sharing what we have. These simple acts can make a big difference in someone's life and show Christ's love in powerful ways. *By helping others, we not only fulfill God's command, but we also make the world a better place. Our service becomes a living example of God's love, drawing others closer to Jesus. Through these actions, we share the hope and grace that He offers, and in doing so, we become vessels of His love in the world.* 🍥🍥🍥🍥🍥🍥🍥🍥 ```🅿️rayer:``` _*Lord, guide me to help others, showing Your love through my actions and words.*_ 🙏🏽 ```📖 Further Reading:``` *Matthew 25:35-40* A Helper To Others https://dailymanna.app// *TXD [THEXDEVOTIONALS] on Twitter* *#SincereMilk5thAugust2026* *#GCK* *#WorshipNuggets* *#BibleNuggets* *#LeadershipNuggets* *#RevivalNuggets* *#CrusadeNuggets* https://www.youtube.com/[THEXDEVOTIONALS] [04/08, 9:32 pm] Pastor Attah: *MEDITATIONS ON DAILY ⓂANNA* WEDNESDAY, 5TH AUGUST, 2026. *BEYOND GOOD AND BALANCED DIET* *TEXT:* LEVITICUS 11:13-28. 13 And these are they which ye shall have in abomination among the fowls; they shall not be eaten, they are an abomination: the eagle, and the ossifrage, and the ospray, 14 And the vulture, and the kite after his kind; 15 Every raven after his kind; 16 And the owl, and the night hawk, and the cuckow, and the hawk after his kind, 17 And the little owl, and the cormorant, and the great owl, 18 And the swan, and the pelican, and the gier eagle, 19 And the stork, the heron after her kind, and the lapwing, and the bat. 20 All fowls that creep, going upon all four, shall be an abomination unto you. 21 Yet these may ye eat of every flying creeping thing that goeth upon all four, which have legs above their feet, to leap withal upon the earth; 22 Even these of them ye may eat; the locust after his kind, and the bald locust after his kind, and the beetle after his kind, and the grasshopper after his kind. 23 But all other flying creeping things, which have four feet, shall be an abomination unto you. 24 And for these ye shall be unclean: whosoever toucheth the carcase of them shall be unclean until the even. 25 And whosoever beareth ought of the carcase of them shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even. 26 The carcases of every beast which divideth the hoof, and is not clovenfooted, nor cheweth the cud, are unclean unto you: every one that toucheth them shall be unclean. 27 And whatsoever goeth upon his paws, among all manner of beasts that go on all four, those are unclean unto you: whoso toucheth their carcase shall be unclean until the even. 28 And he that beareth the carcase of them shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even: they are unclean unto you. *Timeless Truth:*_"Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ"_ (Colossians 2:16,17). *INTRODUCTION* It is doubtful if there is any generation different from ours who is better exposed to the principle of healthy living through a good and appropriate diet. This is possible through newest and advanced, though progressive, scientific discoveries especially, from nutritional scientists. Ignoring their advise and instructions is suicidal against healthy living and longevity. A healthy spirit in an unhealthy and weak body cannot be at its best spiritually. Does God care about what we eat? God is the greatest nutritional scientist since He created those animals and knows them more than anybody else. The dietary laws in the text were primarily directed to Israel as part of the Mosaic law which are not binding for those in the new covenant. However, beyond dietary rules, these rules are meant to pass across deeper truths as they are shadows of things to come in the New Testament (Colossians 2:16,17). *1. Dietary Laws* a. In order to get honey from the rock, there must be willingness and determination to pay the price of diligently digging hard. The same with the old covenant which is a shadow of the new. Due diligence must be given so as to eat and digest the meat of the Word which is beyond the milk of the Word. b. The chapter can be categorized for better understanding. i.Land-living mammals that can be eaten and those that cannot be eaten are given in Leviticus 11:1-8. God gave these laws to the children of Israel. Did God create any animal to be unclean? The New Testament says NO. *"I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean."* God just decided to make that temporary classification to teach some lessons as divine revelations were evolving. When God created animals, *"God saw that it was good"* (Genesis 1:25). Would something unclean be good to God? The classification was revealed in the days of Noah when there was a distinction between clean and unclean animals (Genesis 7:2, 8:20) for the purpose of sacrifice. The first law God gave to humanity had to do with what could and could not be eaten. Was the fruit that was not to be eaten unclean. NO. It was a good fruit from a good tree, but God classified it as forbidden to test their obedience. So these laws were given to Israel as a test of their obedience and separation to God. ii.Water creatures that cannot be eaten and those that cannot be eaten are listed in Leviticus 11:9-12. Under these dietary laws given to Israel, the unclean water creatures were to be regarded as an abomination and could not be eaten. iii.Birds and other flying things that can and cannot be eaten are listed in Leviticus 11:13-19. There was no rule given to determine if a bird was clean or unclean. Instead, specific birds (twenty in all) are mentioned as being unclean and therefore forbidden for eating.The common thread through most of these birds is that they are either predators or scavengers which, apart from killing fellow creatures, have the tendency to drink their blood. iii. Insects that can and cannot be eaten are listed in Leviticus 11:20-23. Good examples of clean insects include the locust, the cricket and the grasshopper. All these unclean creatures can be touched when they are alive except that they must not be eaten. We can relate with sinners without getting polluted with their sins. If the carcass of any of the unclean is touched either deliberately or accidentally, the person and their clothes become unclean and must perform some ceremonially purifying rituals. *"And for these ye shall be unclean: whosoever toucheth the carcase of them shall be unclean until the even"*. The evening was referring to the time of their evening sacrifice. *"And whosoever beareth ought of the carcase of them shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even"*. *Question* Check the list for those animals and birds that were unclean then, but are freely eaten now by believers and man in general. *2. Definite Lessons* a.It has been established that no creature of God is created unclean. The classification was temporary to pass across some eternal messages. Eternal divine messages are difficult to comprehend by the natural man. The concept of the innocent coming to die for the wicked is not natural. It is the other way around. A kind of mercy that will declare the guilty not just forgiven and stands before God as though he had never sinned and a saint is beyond human comprehension. This is called justification. How do you reconcile justice and mercy? What about the concept of grace that will make God forget committed sins to the point that He would not be able to remember again? God in His wisdom decided to use natural and visible things in the Old Testament to shadow reality in the New Testament so that those concepts will be readily understood by mankind. And it worked. b. The emphasis in the text is more of moral uncleanness rather than medical uncleanness. It teaches that there is moral cleanness and moral uncleanness and they cannot mix. Moral uncleanness is not just divine hatred, it is an abomination to God of which the judgment is capital or eternal damnation. The fact that unclean animals cannot be sacrificed is indicative of the fact that God only accepts the sacrifices and the services of those that are holy and clean. *"Be ye holy for I am holy"*. This is reasonable. If you have a delicious meal, but notice a small and an "insignificant" quantity of human excreta in the food, will you eat it? If you are very hungry and you see an exposed loaf of bread in a dustbin of all kinds of rotten things, will you pick the bread and eat? If you are interviewing a person for a good job and you notice the person tells "small, small lies", will you employ the person? At times man pushes to God what he himself cannot accept or tolerate. Will you blame God if He is angry at your unholy sacrifice, service and actions? There is also the law of "don't touch" a dead animal or you become unclean. This is the law of total separation from uncleanness and peddlers of uncleanness. *"Come out from among them and be ye separate"*. Jesus Christ, in mind, motive and every area, was separate from sinners. Even when He physically interacted, it was to shine the light to them and minister the truth to them. *"Abstain from all appearance of evil"*. The defiled shall be unclean till the even or evening sacrifice.It was time an innocent animal was slain for the sin of the whole nation on a daily basis. It shows that forgiveness comes through atonement by the blood. The fact that he must also wash himself with water is an indication that there must be personal responsibility in addition to the atonement. The sinner must apply the washing of water by the Word of God to wash his mindset, heart, attitude and actions and be presentable to God as a holy vessel. The fact that some food is forbidden is a test of our obedience and self control. It is not everybody we befriend or relate with. There must be self discipline. *Question* What other lessons can you learn? Do you depart from uncleanness and all unclean people? In addition to the atonement, do you do your part by opening up your heart and mind for the Word of God to clean on a daily basis? *Prayer Points* 1.Praise God for His wisdom in making spiritual truths to be comprehensive to all seekers 🙏. 2.Ask God for more understanding of deep mysteries of the Word of God and the gospel 🙏. 3.Offer your heart and life to God afresh and ask for total cleansing from all defilements 🙏. 4.Pray that the messages of holiness will go beyond our heads, but permeate through our hearts to true holiness 🙏. *HYMN:* Wash Me O Lamb of God. *BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:* JOHN 10-12. 2. Morning prayer for today. MD.ii. Morning Prayer To the chief Musician for the sons of Korah, A Song upon Alamoth. God [is] our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. ⏤ Psalm 46:1 God does nothing but by prayer, and everything with it. ⏤ John Wesley Gracious Father, we come to You at the start of this new day, seeking Your blessing. We thank You for the rest we’ve had through the night. We laid down, slept, and woke up again because You sustained us. We will not fear any opposition because You are our refuge and strength, a very present help in times of trouble. Now, our Father, send us out into the new day on new missions. We want to take our directions from You. Help us to keep Your commandments. Cleanse us from hidden faults and sins; keep us from falling into willful sin. You are able to keep us from falling—we commit our souls to Your holy care. Deliver us from the Evil One. We have no power to stand against his cunning attacks, so we trust our souls to You, our faithful Creator and Friend. Save us from the Tempter. We ask that You make us strong for our duties today. We have many things to do that will require wisdom and perseverance. Give us the strength that comes from victory in struggle. Equip us to do good at home—showing love and care for one another. May our home be filled with Your rich blessings. Let nothing disrupt our love for each other or harm our fellowship. Help us to grow in love that is sincere, patient, thoughtful, and kind. May we continue to learn the lessons of love better and better. May the light from our home shine out, showing others how to live more sweetly. May Your grace be upon us in proportion to our need, filling our hearts and lives, and preparing us for every experience we may face today. We ask all this in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. https://www.youdevotion.com/daily-prayer/miller/31/morning #taptapstudio #youdevotion.

Gods Creation, 100 / evolution, 0 HOW DID FISH AND PLANTS SURVIVE NOAH'S FLOOD? One of the most common questions skeptics ask about Noah's Flood is, "How did freshwater fish survive if the oceans mixed with freshwater?" Closely related is another question: "How did plants survive being underwater for months?" The question sounds difficult at first, but when we look at the evidence, it turns out there are several reasonable answers. First, fish were never on the Ark. Scripture tells us that the Ark was built to preserve land-dwelling, air-breathing animals and birds (Genesis 7:14-15, 21-23). Aquatic creatures already lived in the water and would not have required transportation aboard the Ark. The assumption behind the objection is that freshwater and saltwater species could not survive major changes in salinity. Yet many living creatures today demonstrate remarkable adaptability. Estuarine animals regularly experience dramatic swings in salt concentration as river water mixes with seawater. Tidepool organisms endure continual changes as tides come and go. Some fish spend part of their lives in freshwater and part in saltwater. Salmon hatch in freshwater streams before migrating to the ocean. Eels do the reverse, reproducing in saltwater but maturing in freshwater. Atlantic sturgeon move between both environments, while related sturgeon species live entirely in freshwater. Across the animal kingdom, numerous fish groups contain both freshwater and saltwater representatives. This suggests that the ancestors of modern fish may have possessed a much broader tolerance for changing salinity than many specialized species do today. After the Flood, populations could have become increasingly adapted to particular environments, losing some of their original flexibility over time. Even today, the physiological differences between freshwater and marine fish are often matters of degree rather than completely different systems. Fish regulate water and salt through their kidneys, gills, and body chemistry. Some sharks, for example, alter the concentration of urea in their blood depending on whether they inhabit saltwater or freshwater environments. Sawfish moving into freshwater can dramatically increase urine production while reducing blood urea levels. Another possibility is that the Flood waters were not uniformly mixed everywhere on Earth. Freshwater naturally floats on top of saltwater because it is less dense. Modern bodies of water often contain distinct layers separated by what scientists call a halocline, a sharp boundary between waters of different salinity. It is entirely possible that regions existed during and after the Flood where freshwater and saltwater environments remained sufficiently separated to allow many aquatic species to survive. Not every marine creature survived the catastrophe. In fact, the fossil record points to massive destruction in the oceans. Roughly 95% of fossils are marine organisms. This is exactly what we would expect if the Flood began with the breaking up of the "fountains of the great deep" (Genesis 7:11), unleashing catastrophic upheaval beneath the seas. Turbidity, temperature changes, volcanic activity, and violent sediment movement would have devastated countless marine ecosystems. What about plants? Many terrestrial plants reproduce through seeds, and seeds are remarkably resilient. Studies have shown that numerous seeds can survive extended exposure to both freshwater and saltwater. Others may have survived within floating mats of vegetation, which likely covered large portions of the Flood waters. Still others could have been preserved aboard the Ark among Noah's food supplies and animal feed. Interestingly, Charles Darwin conducted experiments showing that seeds could survive long periods in saltwater. His goal was to explain how plants spread across oceans, but the same observations demonstrate that many seeds could have survived the Flood. The survival of plants and fish during Noah's Flood is not the impossible problem critics often claim. Modern biology reveals numerous examples of organisms capable of tolerating changing environments, while the catastrophic nature of the Flood itself explains why so many creatures perished and became fossilized. The real surprise is not that some fish and plants survived. The real surprise is how many clues in the natural world still point back to a global catastrophe exactly like the one described in Genesis.

❤️HOW TO KNOW GOD'S WILL FOR IMPORTANT DECISIONS IN YOUR LIFE. Part 3 of 6. God’s Basic Will for Every Christian. Continued. Who would you say such individuals are acknowledging when they make such negative statements as these concerning their sickness, defeat, frustrations, anxieties, and problems–God or Satan? This may explain to you why you are not experiencing more of God's leading in your life, or why it is that you do not know His will in this or that particular situation. Perhaps it is because you are acknowledging the wrong person as the controlling influence in your life and circumstances. Yes, this could very well be the major factor in much of your sickness, problems, frustration, and defeat, for God promises to direct the steps only of those who trust fully in Him, not themselves, and who acknowledge Him and His divine providence in all their ways. STUDY 2 How God Makes Known His Will for Specific Decisions and Needs. As incredible as it may seem at first glance, nevertheless, it is true that "the steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord" (Ps 37:23). The term "ordered" means literally "establish, or ordain" in the original Hebrew, and is used by David in Psalm 8:3 where he exclaims, "When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained, what is man, that you are mindful of him?" The cycles of the moon, the movements of the planets, sun, and stars in their courses, as well as the revolving of the countless galaxies, composed of billions of stars, throughout the universe, are all ordained by God with such precision that scientists can set their watches by the sun or stars, astronomers can predict accurately where a certain heavenly body will be 100 years from now, and space scientists can, for example, send a spaceship toward Mars which will arrive many months later exactly on target. It is this same term which is used in Psalm 37:23, where we are told, "the steps of a good man are ordained by the Lord." This means that the same wisdom which ordained the courses of the sun, moon, planets, and stars with such magnificent precision has also ordained the steps of the Christian. Thus, we see that God has a plan for every life. When we know His will for our lives, then we can fulfill His plan. God has a plan for everything in the universe which He created: the sun, the moon, and stars; the angels and hosts of heaven; the southern flight of the birds in the winter and their return in the spring; the rise and fall of the tides; the periodic rainfall with the resultant growth of the earth's vegetation; the variation and change of the seasons, and so on. His wisdom, planning, and providential control are evident everywhere, from the delicate intricacy of design seen in the falling snowflake to the balance of the earth on its axis in its course around the sun. Since God has a preordained plan for everything, would it not, therefore, be strange if He neglected to have a plan for men, whom He created in His own image? And yet, most people, including Christians, live as if God created man, and then more or less left him alone, having only a passing interest in his welfare and condition. The Scriptures clearly state that God has a plan for every believers' lives, as seen for example, in such passages as Psalm 37; 91; Proverbs 37:23; Psalm 37:23; Romans 8:28; Ephesians 1; 4:11-15; 5:17. . Nevertheless, Many Christians know nothing of the concept of a God-planned life. These are people who apparently do not know that Jesus promised that a sparrow "shall not fall on the ground without your Father," and that "the very hairs of your head are all numbered" ( Mt. 10:29-30). From their joyless expression and speaking of wretchedness, adversity, and confusion, one would gather that God had saved them only to forsake them, leaving them to struggle along in the world as best they can. There are Christians everywhere who seem to have lost their direction, who have made the wrong choices, who are uncertain as to God's will for their lives, who are in the wrong occupation and are unhappy and dissatisfied, who are insecure and afraid, who cannot make a decision without doubt or apprehension concerning whether or not they have done the right thing, and who are frustrated, discouraged, and defeated by circumstances. It is not God's will that any Christian should suffer such bewilderment and defeat. Why? Simply because "the steps of a good man are ordained by the Lord." Far too many Christians are living below the level of what God has planned for their lives. He has a perfect plan for you in order for you to fulfill His will; but there is also a permissive will which He allows those to follow who, for one reason or another, reject or neglect to follow His perfect will. So many Christians are living on this lower plane of God's permissive will, which can never bring the joy, peace, accomplishment and fulfillment they are looking for. Often they are accepting a life of frustration, oppression, and poverty because of their ignorance of, or their unwillingness to submit to, God's perfect will for their lives. Our lives are only happy and complete when we are moving in God's will, since we lack both the wisdom and foresight to plan our own lives effectively. The Scriptures declare, "O Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walks to direct his steps" (Jer.10:23) Isaiah graphically portrays the consequences of man's attempt to plan and direct his own life, saying, "All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way" (Isa. 53:6). "Does God want me to go back to my wife and attempt to salvage our marriage for the children's sake, or remain separated and try to make the best of it?" a bewildered husband asks. "I feel the call of God in my life," confides another. "It seems to be in the mission field. However, I have a family to provide for, and as yet I do not have the support of any missionary society. How can I know what God would have me to do?" "Now that I have received the baptism in the Holy Spirit," a young woman asks, "should I remain in my present church, which is not sympathetic toward this experience today, and try to witness my experience there, or should I seek fellowship with Spirit filled Christians in another church?" "I must know by the end of the next month whether or not I should renew my lease on my place of business. My wife and I feel that the Lord may be leading us out of this into something else. How can I know for certain just what God would have us do?" asks a man that is pressed for a decision soon. "Can I believe God for deliverance from the financial oppression I am suffering?" "Will God heal me of multiple sclerosis, which medical science states to be incurable?" "Is it possible for me to ask in faith for the salvation of my family?" "How can I determine if God would have me to remain in my present employment or ask for something better?" "Should I remain unmarried and thereby be able to serve the Lord more effectively?" "Have I failed God somewhere and missed His will for me, since I seem to be going through so many severe trials in the past few months?" "Should we pray for deliverance from our trials?" "How may I determine if I should seek to serve the Lord in some form of religious work, or remain in my present teaching position?" "I am confused about God's will for my life. How may I be sure just what He would have me to do?" Questions ... questions ... questions - all from bewildered, confused, sometimes frustrated Christians, earnestly seeking to learn God's will for their lives, or anxious to know His will concerning an important decision they must make in some pressing matter. How can the man who feels God would have him go to the mission field ascertain God's will? Certainly it is an important and crucial decision with which he is faced. It is useless, and even unsafe, for a man to be trying to serve the Lord in India, if God wants him in Indiana. That student will certainly fail who attempts to leave a school where God has placed him, merely because he must undergo certain trials in order to remain. Nor will that person ever succeed who, motivated by an enthusiasm to serve the Lord, disposes of his business in order to go preach the gospel, when God desires to use him as a Christian businessman right where he is. He will be as frustrated and out of place as that individual who failed to respond to God's call to preach His Word and accepted something less than God's perfect will for his life. Likewise, when one is not sure whether or not he has made the right decision about some matter in harmony with God's will, it will be terribly difficult to determine, if he finds himself going through trying circumstances, whether these experiences are "trials of his faith," or chastisement for his disobedience. How can we be sure just what God's will is in the decisions which confronts us? How can we avoid mistakes and costly blunders? You may be sure of one thing - you do not have to plead with God to guide and direct you. Over and over in Scripture He expresses His willingness and desire to give you an understanding of His perfect will for your life. He promises to direct your footsteps day to day. God has pledged Himself to direct each step of your life if you will determine to meet the three-fold condition which He sets forth in Proverbs 3:5-6 of total trust in the Lord; a lack of trust in yourself; and a constant statement of these two facts. EIGHT SCRIPTURAL METHODS BY WHICH GOD MAKES KNOWN HIS WILL It is not unreasonable to believe that if God could create a man in His image that He could also speak to him and communicate His will to him, Inasmuch as God has clearly stated in His Word that it is His desire to reveal His will to the believer, and is displeased when we are not walking in harmony with it. We should also expect that He would provide the means for ascertaining it. This He has done. There are, we find, eight scriptural methods for ascertaining God's will – three are notice in which we must take the initiative, and five are passive in which we become recipients of divine revelation of His will for us, as seen, for example, in the angel's appearance to Joseph in a dream warning him to flee into Egypt with the child, Jesus. Passive revelation of God's will comes unsought at the Spirit's sovereign discretion, inasmuch as God has promised to direct the steps of those who fulfill the conditions (Prov. 3:5-6). At the Altar: I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be you transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God (Rom. 12:1-2). I find that many Christians spend years seeking to learn God's will for their lives. They read books on the subject, hoping to find some clue, they pray for guidance, or they seek help through religious counseling, but they have overlooked God's basic requirement for learning His perfect will – the total commitment of one's life on the altar as a living sacrifice. To comprehend just what God requires for total consecration, it is suggested that the section entitled Go Back to Calvary in the first previous studies be reviewed again, for all that was set forth there is to be applied here as the manner in which Romans 12:1-2 is to be understood and obeyed. While it is true that the Christian can ascertain to some degree God's will through prayer, study at His Word, or by other means, nevertheless, total consecration is required to know His perfect will, as Romans 12:1-2 clearly indicates. We must learn that we cannot substitute praying for obeying; for without total commitment many precious hours can be wasted praying for a revelation of God's will, or for guidance for our lives in some matter, and heaven will often seem as brass. Why? God is waiting for us to present ourselves as living sacrifices, and climb upon the altar where He can speak with us. He only reveals His perfect will to us when we are upon the altar, for it is only here that we are in a position to hear Him when He speaks. When "self" has been crucified and the life surrendered without reservation, then you will find that the Spirit is frequently speaking inwardly to you, and that you can become quite sensitive to His voice, being able to discern it from your own will, or from the suggestions of the enemy. It is a great blessing to know when the Spirit is speaking, and to be able to respond to His leading and prompting, fulfilling God's will instead of wandering aimlessly about confused and, bewildered. You will find that you will be sensitive to His voice to the extent your life is consecrated on the altar and you are yielded to the Spirit. And to the extent you are sensitive to His voice you are able to respond when He speaks. God at times, for one reason or another, speaks directly to His children in an audible voice to reveal some matter to them, give them guidance, or make known His will. Generally, however, it is by means of that still, inner voice that He speaks to our spirit, prompting, leading, directing, and influencing, or at times checking us from taking some undesirable course of action. God will not reveal His perfect plan and will to a Christian who is not fully yielded unto Him without reservation, for such an individual would be ineffective and unable to fulfill God's purpose in his life. An effective instrument is one that has yielded itself completely to the hand of the one using it. Many Christians feel they have yielded themselves to the Spirit and have consecrated themselves to God, yet they have not always done so without reservation. One individual, for instance, feels that he is consecrated because he is praying for God to send him as a missionary to India, but who at the same time would have no desire for God to use him as a missionary to Indiana! He is consecrated, but not unconditionally; thus, God's perfect will cannot be revealed to him, since it would be impossible for it to be fulfilled in his life. Another, with a gift of prophecy prays earnestly to God to fulfill his desire and use him in a great way in a ministry of prophecy like that of Amos or Isaiah, but has little inclination to follow in the steps of a prophet like Lucius, for example. After all, who has ever heard of Lucius outside of the people in the local church at Antioch (Acts 13:1)? Another pleads with God for the gifts and power to slay giants as David, pulling down Satan's strongholds, but would decline to engage in this warfare alone in his closet, on his knees, wrestling with the forces of darkness by prayer and fastings. Christians too often come to God and think they are consecrating themselves to Him simply because they say, "Here I am Lord, use me in such and such a place, at such and such a time, in such and such a way." Then they wonder why God does not respond to this little genuflection before Him with a mighty out-pouring of His Spirit upon them, or why they seem to have so much difficulty in ascertaining His will for their lives. After all, they do wish to serve Him and to be used by Him. Why then are they so often bewildered and ineffective? It is simply because they have not placed themselves on the altar and yielded themselves unconditionally to Him. It is true that God wants to use you to speak His Word; but if you are not fully yielded to Him, then often you will find that you will be speaking the wrong word to the wrong people at the wrong time. An effective instrument is one fully yielded to the purpose of the one using it. Therefore, before God can unveil His perfect will for your life day to day, you must first obey that aspect of His will which He has already revealed – total consecration, "for this is the will of God, even your consecration" (1 Th. 4:3). It is only as we present ourselves as living sacrifices that we are shown progressively, day to day, more and more, "what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God" (Rom. 12:1-2). Just as we fellowship and speak with our children God promises to communicate with us and reveal His will, however, it may be that you have been living too far from Him to hear His voice when He speaks. Draw near to Him daily in prayer, love, and obedience, and you will find yourself becoming increasingly sensitive to His voice as He speaks to you. In the Word; All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works (2 Tim. 3:16-17). Those who may be looking for a shortcut or some easy solution to learning the will of God probably will be disappointed to learn that God has already revealed His will for their lives in large measure in the Scriptures; and, as a consequence, this means they will have to pay the cost of sacrificing some of their time and interest in other things, and diligently search His Word, if they expect Him to speak to them through it. In these instances in which Christians with whom I have counseled are bewildered and confused, and are unable to ascertain God's will about some matter, I have found almost invariably that their predicament is the inevitable consequence of not knowing what the Word of God teaches concerning their problem or need. Again and again I have seen Christians pray for a revelation of God's will, or come to me for guidance about some matter, the solution to which is already revealed in God's Word. It is useless to ask God for guidance on matters where He has clearly unfolded His will, if through negligence, or for some other reason, an individual has not bothered to ascertain what He has had to say on the subject. If, for example, a Christian woman wishes to marry an unbeliever, hoping to convert him after marriage, she could pray for months for a revelation of God's will in the matter without receiving it, for God is never going to answer such a request as to whether or not this marriage should take place. Why? Simply because He has already revealed His will on this matter in His Word (2 Cor. 6:14). Neither is God going to give that individual the Holy Spirit who prays as some do whom I have heard, saying, "Lord, if the baptism in the Holy Spirit is for me, and if it is your will that I should have it, then somehow show me this fact and I will accept it." God has already revealed in His Word the promise of the Holy Spirit, and states clearly that the baptism will be given to those who, in faith, ask for it (Lk. 11:13). Again, many Christians are confused concerning God's will in the matter of sickness. Since they are not firmly grounded in what the Word of God teaches on the subject of healing, then they are unsettled in their minds, believing that it is not always God's will to heal the sick, and that there are some exceptions to His promise that "the prayer of faith shall heal the sick" (Jam. 5:15). Because they do not know God's Word as they should on this question, then they do not always know what God's will is in the event of sickness, especially in case of serious illness, and have, therefore, committed themselves to praying the faithless prayer in such instances, "O Lord, if it be thy will I ask that I might be healed somehow, nevertheless, not my will but thine be done." Such apparent resignation to God's will may sound pious, but it most certainly is not scriptural, inasmuch as God has already revealed His will about the matter of sickness in His Word in dozens of passages, such as Mark 16:18, saying, "They shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover." Edited. Shared. To be Continued. ❤️ God willing, more will be posted soon. All glory to Jesus alone.

The evidence was in the pottery. For generations Sodom was treated as mythology — a city destroyed by God in Genesis 19, possibly symbolic, probably invented, certainly not something that left physical evidence behind in the archaeological record. Then a team of archaeologists spent fifteen years excavating a Bronze Age site called Tall el-Hammam in the Jordan valley of modern Jordan, just northeast of the Dead Sea — in the exact geographic region where Genesis locates the cities of the plain. Their findings, published in the peer-reviewed journal Nature Scientific Reports in 2021 and authored by a team of more than twenty scientists from multiple disciplines, described something that changed the terms of the conversation. The excavation revealed a prosperous, densely populated Middle Bronze Age city with sophisticated architecture and a population estimated in the tens of thousands — suddenly and violently destroyed around 1650 BC in a single catastrophic event. The evidence for what caused the destruction was unlike anything previously found at an ancient Middle Eastern site. Building materials had been melted. Pottery had been vitrified — converted to glass by temperatures in excess of what any ancient human technology could produce. Roof clay was found that had been instantly transformed by temperatures reaching roughly 1500 degrees Celsius or higher. The destruction layer contained shocked quartz — minerals deformed by enormous instantaneous pressure — and tiny spherules of melted metals, including platinum, consistent with material falling from a cosmic impact or airburst event. The scientists concluded that the most consistent explanation was a low-altitude airburst from a small asteroid or comet fragment, exploding above or near the city and releasing energy vastly exceeding any ancient volcanic or human cause. The city was abandoned. The entire region showed no significant resettlement for several centuries. A cosmic airburst. In the right location. At the right time. Destroying everything. Followed by centuries of abandonment. #Sodom #TallElHammam #Archaeology #BibleFacts

God's Creation, 100 / evolution, 0 HUMAN FOOTPRINTS THAT CHALLENGE EVOLUTION THEORY Nearly 50 years after they were first discovered, a remarkable set of footprints in northern Kenya is making headlines once again. A new study, published on July 28, 2026 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, offers the latest secular interpretation of tracks that were originally discovered in 1978 by Smithsonian geologist Kay Behrensmeyer near the shores of what researchers believe was once an ancient lake. Secular scientists interpret the rock layers surrounding the footprints as being approximately 1.43 million years old. That date is not an observed fact, but an interpretation based on uniformitarian assumptions and radiometric dating methods. From a biblical creation perspective, we reject the claim that these footprints are millions of years old. The footprints are real. The evolutionary timeline assigned to them is not. Researchers believe the tracks were made by Paranthropus boisei, a species evolutionists classify as a human relative rather than a true human. Yet the footprints display an unmistakably human pattern of walking. They reveal a well-developed arch, a forward-pointing big toe, and an efficient heel-to-toe stride that closely resembles the way people walk today. If humans evolved gradually from ape-like ancestors, fossils and footprints from the distant past should reveal transitional anatomy. Instead, researchers continue uncovering evidence of complete, fully functional human-like design. These are not awkward, half-developed feet. They are remarkably human. The new study also forced researchers to revise another long-held assumption. Based on the footprints, they concluded the individuals who made them were much larger than previous skeletal reconstructions suggested. Once again, the evidence required changes to the evolutionary story. This pattern should sound familiar. Again and again, new discoveries force revisions to evolutionary interpretations, while the evidence itself remains the same. Fossils are reassigned. Family trees are redrawn. New branches are added. The narrative changes, but the commitment to millions of years and human evolution remains firmly in place. From a biblical worldview, none of this is surprising. Genesis teaches that mankind was created fully human from the beginning. Adam did not slowly evolve human feet over millions of years. He was created complete, bearing God's image from the very first day. If Genesis is true, then we would expect human beings to possess fully functional anatomy from the moment they appear in history. Secular researchers begin with the assumption that Earth's history spans millions of years, then interpret the evidence within that framework. Creationists begin with God's eyewitness account in Scripture and interpret the same evidence through the history recorded in Genesis. The footprints themselves cannot tell us how old they are. They simply preserve the fact that someone walked across soft sediment before it hardened. For Christians, discoveries like this are another reminder that Scripture provides the most reliable foundation for understanding history. The evidence points to fully human footprints. The claim that they are 1.43 million years old is a secular interpretation, not something written into the tracks themselves. When we begin with God's Word rather than human assumptions about the past, discoveries like these fit naturally within the biblical account of creation and the true history of mankind.

Amazing Facts. Daily Devotionals The Source of Life August 1st, 2026 Evidence continues to mount that the mystery of life can only be explained by intelligent miraculous intervention. In the mid-1800s, when Charles Darwin wrote his theory of evolution, many scientists believed in something called “spontaneous generation.” This is the belief that living things, like maggots, can spontaneously arise from non-living material. Many people believed this because they had observed worms and flies apparently springing forth from lifeless material like decaying meat or fruit. In 1859, the great scientist Louis Pasteur proved the absurdity of spontaneous generation. He demonstrated when the decaying material was insulated from flies and insects, no larva ever appeared. Now more than ever, modern science confirms that life is extremely complex and can only arise from pre-existing life. This is why the best efforts of evolution scientists have not been able to produce a single cell of life even in the controlled environments of expensive high-tech laboratories. Now with the marvels of 21st-century microscopes, scientists understand that even the simplest and smallest organism is, in effect, a virtual factory containing thousands of exquisitely designed pieces of intricate molecular machinery, far more complicated than the International Space Station. In fact, each microscopic cell is as functionally complex as a small city at rush hour! Now as we delve deeper into the cellular world, science reveals a virtual Lilliputian world of enormous complexity that has pushed the theory of evolution to a breaking point. It is likely that if Charles Darwin was alive today and could see a single cell magnified 50,000 times through electron micrographs, he would utterly renounce his theory as foolishness. Because it is increasingly obvious there is no scientific explanation for the origin of life on Earth, evolutionists are now playing the alien card. In other words, they are saying life was introduced on our planet by a comet or meteor or by some alien visitors. Of course that creates an out-of-this-world argument that makes it virtually impossible to disprove their fantasy. In spite of the staggering mountain of evidence that only a miracle could produce life, the modern world refuses to accept the Bible account of Jesus’ resurrection. But not only did Jesus have a resurrection, He is the Resurrection! Jesus is the Author of life, the Source of life both now and eternally. Key Bible Texts Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: (John 11:25 KJV)