Be Raw before God, but move to confidence assurance;shift focus to God's power Psalm 6 is a heartfelt prayer by King David asking God for mercy, physical and emotional healing, relief from deep distress, and deliverance from enemies. It shows raw honesty in suffering and moves from deep sorrow to confident faith. David's plea for mercy, healing, and deliverance from his adversaries. When you are going through deep distress, sickness, or severe adversity, it is entirely natural to feel overwhelmed. Psalm 6 teaches us that it is completely okay to be completely honest with God about your pain. King David did not hide his suffering; he wept openly, declaring that his soul was in deep anguish and his bed was soaked with tears. God does not expect you to hide your struggles or put on a brave face. Pouring out your heart, crying, and admitting your weakness to Him is a vital part of faith. However, while it is important to express your grief, you must not allow your circumstances or your enemies to hollow you out or break your spirit. The enemy wants your pain to turn into despair and isolate you from hope. The turning point comes when you shift your focus away from the magnitude of the problem and toward the magnitude of God’s power. Just as David did, you can move from weeping to confident assurance. Remind yourself that the Lord hears your weeping and accepts your prayer. Trust that the temporary trial will give way to deliverance, and keep your eyes on the praise and testimony that will surely come when God restores you. prayer Heavenly Father,I come to You honestly in my pain, sickness, and distress. You see my tears, and You know how heavy my heart feels right now. Thank You that I do not have to hide my suffering from You, and that You welcome me when I cry out for help. Lord, please protect my mind and spirit from the enemy. Do not let this adversity hollow me out or cause me to despair. Right now, I shift my focus away from my problems and lift my eyes to Your great power. I choose to trust in Your mercy and Your ability to deliver me.Thank You for hearing my weeping and answering my prayer. I look forward to the breakthrough, the healing, and the praise that will come through this trial.In Jesus' name, Amen.

The Kitchen Newsletter Good day, Welcome to The Kitchen, where we explore, prepare and serve the contents in the Body of the Word as the delicacies of God—to create the form of the Father on the earth, to make the earth in His likeness, and to take charge of the economic destinies of nations for God. Relax, and let's journey through the scriptures to see the Body of the Word. What does God look like? It is a simple question, but Scripture gives us an answer that is far more concrete than we often realise. The Bible calls God invisible. Yet Scripture also tells us that the invisible God has made Himself known—not merely through ideas, doctrines, or written sentences, but through a Person. John, on the island of Patmos, saw Him. “I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me…” And what John saw was astonishing: a figure with a head and hair, eyes, feet, a voice, hands, a face and a mouth. John was describing the appearance of Jesus Christ—the living Word of God. Revelation 1:12–17 This is why Scripture says: “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being.” Hebrews 1:3 And again: “Christ, who is the image of God.” 2 Corinthians 4:4 So we can say: The Body of the Word is the image of the invisible God. The Scriptures Reveal a Person This changes the way we should read Scripture. We are accustomed to reading the Bible primarily as a collection of words, teachings, commandments, promises and historical accounts. But Scripture itself tells us that the Scriptures testify about a Person. Jesus said: “These are the Scriptures that testify about me.” John 5:39 The Scriptures are therefore not merely information about God. They testify about Jesus Christ, the living Word. Consider one example. John saw the eyes of Christ and wrote: “His eyes were like blazing fire.” Revelation 1:14 That is a detailed description of the Body of the Word. But Scripture also says: “Our God is a consuming fire.” Hebrews 12:29 The description of the Body therefore becomes a revelation about God Himself. The same principle runs through the Scriptures: the details of the Body of the Word testify about the Person of the Word and reveal the invisible Father. Paul writes: “God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.” 2 Corinthians 4:6 The “face of Christ” becomes a point of revelation—the Body of the Word revealing the invisible God. Scripture Must Be Unfolded This is where something particularly provocative begins to emerge. What if the Scriptures are not simply information about God, but the Father's script for revealing Himself? Psalm 119:130 says: “The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple.” Psalm 119:130 The Word must be unfolded. We can read a Scripture without necessarily seeing the revelation contained within it. We can know the sentence without knowing the Person whom the sentence reveals. That is the difference between merely reading Scripture and receiving revelation. The detailed descriptions of the Body of the Word are therefore not decorative language. They are scriptural descriptions that can be unfolded to reveal the Father. Paul describes this revelation as: “the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.” 2 Corinthians 4:6 So the purpose of the unfolding is not simply to give us more biblical information. It is to give us the revelation knowledge of the Father. The Body of the Word: White Like Wool and Snow Consider the description John gives: “His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow.” Revelation 1:14 This is a detailed description of the Body of the Word. But John is not alone in seeing this. Daniel saw the Ancient of Days and wrote: “His clothing was as white as snow; the hair of his head was white like wool.” Daniel 7:9 Then Song of Solomon gives another description: “His appearance is like Lebanon.” Song of Solomon 5:15 Lebanon was associated with its mountainous, snow-covered appearance. The Scriptures are therefore giving us a repeated picture. The Body of the Word is white like wool, as white as snow. And because Christ is: “the exact representation of his being” Hebrews 1:3 the description of Christ also becomes a revelation concerning the invisible God. This is why the details matter. The head matters. The hair matters. The eyes matter. The face matters. The hands matter. The feet matter. The mouth matters. The voice matters. The entire Body becomes a vocabulary through which Scripture speaks about the Person of the Word. The Body Is More Than a Description Every detailed description of the Body of the Word is also a Scripture because it testifies about the Person of the Word. Jesus said: “These are the Scriptures that testify about me.” John 5:39 Therefore, the description of His whiteness is not simply a physical observation. It is a testimony. It is a Scripture. It is a figure of speech. It is a revelation waiting to be unfolded. And Scripture gives us a principle for understanding this: “I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things hidden since the creation of the world.” Matthew 13:35 God uses visible and natural things to communicate invisible and spiritual realities. The Body of the Word is therefore not merely something we look at. It is something Scripture teaches us to understand. The Father Is Speaking Through the Body Isaiah gives us another remarkable statement: “The hand of the Lord will be made known to his servants.” Isaiah 66:14 Why the hand? Because the hand is part of the body. The hand becomes a doorway into understanding the Body of the Word. And the Body becomes a doorway into understanding the Person of the Word. And the Person of the Word reveals the invisible Father. Body → Person → Father. This is why I believe Jesus Christ, the Head of the Church, is addressing His Church through the detailed descriptions of His Body. He is continually making the Father known. Jesus said: “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.” John 14:9 And the Holy Spirit does not speak independently of Christ. Jesus said: “He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you.” John 16:14 The Spirit takes what belongs to Christ and makes it known. And Paul tells us: “The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.” 1 Corinthians 2:10 So there are depths in God that the Holy Spirit searches and reveals. Scripture Is God's Script for His Work There is another dimension to this revelation. The Scriptures are not merely records of what God has done. They are also the script through which His purposes are fulfilled. Again and again, Jesus said: “It is written…” Matthew 4:4, 7, 10 And concerning His ministry: “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” Luke 4:21 The Scriptures therefore have a relationship with God's performance on Earth. When the Father has an intention, He opens Scripture according to that intention. When He is doing a work, He brings particular Scriptures into revelation. When the Spirit speaks to the churches, He speaks through what is being revealed: “Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” Revelation 2:7 This makes the present question very important: What is the Spirit saying to the Church through the Scriptures He is opening? And if Christ is presently revealing Himself through the detailed descriptions of His Body, then these revelations deserve our attention. The Body of the Word Is Our Inheritance The Father has not given us Christ merely so that we can know facts about Him. He has given us Christ so that we can know Him. The Body of the Word is therefore not something we should approach casually. It is an inheritance. It is a revelation. It is an invitation to know the Person of the Word in greater detail. The Scriptures testify about Him. The Holy Spirit reveals Him. The Father is seen in Him. And the more the Scriptures are unfolded, the more light we receive concerning the Person of Christ and the glory of the invisible Father. So perhaps the question is no longer simply: “Do you read the Bible?” The deeper question is: “Do you recognise the Person whom the Scriptures are revealing?” Because the Bible is testifying. The Spirit is speaking. The Scriptures are being unfolded. And behind the revelation stands a Person: Jesus Christ, the living Word of God—the image of the invisible God. Listen to The Kitchen Podcast Continue this exploration of The Body of the Word on The Kitchen Podcast by Omodolapo Ogunye, available on Audible, Spotify, Deezer, Amazon Music and Apple Podcasts. Please share and spread the Revelation Knowledge of the Body of the Word. celebrating the Body of the Word #foodmoneyshow #bodyoftheword #marketplace #worldwide #moneymindset

August 21 🌿 “WHO GOD IS TO ME” MY REFUGE 📖 Psalm 46:1 (LLV) — “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” When trouble comes, our first instinct is often to look for somewhere to escape. Somewhere safe. Somewhere the storm cannot reach us. The psalmist points us toward such a place. “God is our refuge.” A refuge is more than shelter. It is a place we can enter when what surrounds us feels stronger than we are. But notice: The psalmist does not promise that those who trust God will never experience trouble. Quite the opposite. He assumes trouble will come. The promise is that trouble will never come without God being there. He is “a very present help.” Not distant. Not unaware. Not arriving after everything has settled down. Present. Right here. Right now. Sometimes God changes the circumstances around us. Sometimes He gives us strength to walk through circumstances that do not change. Either way, we are not alone. That is why the verse joins two words: “refuge” and “strength.” God is the shelter we run to. And God is the strength we receive when we must step outside the shelter and continue. Later in this psalm, the earth moves. Mountains shake. Waters roar. Nations rage. The world seems to be coming apart. Yet above all that noise comes the quiet command: “Be still, and know that I am God.” Our refuge is not found in a life where nothing ever goes wrong. Our refuge is found in knowing that nothing can happen outside the presence of God. A new beginning finds shelter here: When trouble surrounds me, I do not have to search for God. He is already present in the middle of it with me. Reflection: When trouble comes, is my first response to focus on everything going wrong, or to remember the God who is already present with me? Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for being my refuge and my strength. When trouble comes and circumstances feel larger than I can handle, remind me that I do not face them alone. Help me run to You rather than to fear. Give me shelter when I need to rest and strength when I need to continue. Above all, help me recognize that You are already here—my very present help. In Jesus' name, Amen.

The Original Corruption It started with Adam. When he ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 2:16–17), something fundamental broke — not just in him, but in every person who would come after him. God had warned him plainly: "For in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die." In Hebrew, that word for die carries the sense of separation. God wasn't just describing physical death. He was describing a rupture — a severing of humanity from Him and from the life He had designed us to live. That rupture is what the Bible calls sin. And it didn't stay contained to one man. It became the inheritance every human being receives at birth — a nature that resists God's principles and the order He built into creation. A Virus in the System Here's a picture that makes this easier to grasp: think about how malware infects a device. A virus slips into your phone or computer, quietly replicates itself, and starts modifying the files and programs already running there. Once it's embedded, it doesn't just sit still — it starts stealing information, hijacking processing power, and rerouting commands to serve its own purpose. Over time, the device stops functioning the way it was built to. It's still your phone. It just isn't working right anymore. That's an accurate picture of what sin did to human nature. We're not broken beyond recognition — we're still bearing the image of our Creator. But something foreign got in, and now we find ourselves doing the very things we didn't intend to do, and failing to do the things we know we should. Paul described this internal conflict with startling honesty: "For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing" (Romans 7:18–20). If you've ever felt that tension — wanting to be better than you are and running headlong into your own limitations — you're not alone. You're describing the default program every human being runs. https://a.co/d/0dJqZ3x8

❤️ JESUS IS MY HOPE — TODAY, TOMORROW & FOREVER. ✝️ When life feels difficult and you don’t know what tomorrow will bring, remember that you don’t have to face it alone. Jesus is with you every step of the way. 💪 He is your strength when you are weak. 🕊️ He is your peace when you are troubled. 🛡️ He is your protector when you are afraid. 🙏 He is your provider when you are in need. ❤️ He is your Savior when you feel lost. 📖 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace.” — John 16:33 Whatever you are facing today, put your trust in Jesus. He loves you, He died for you, and He will never leave you. 🙏❤️ Comment AMEN if Jesus is your hope! ✝️ #JesusIsMyHope #JesusChrist #TrustJesus #ChristianFaith #Faith #Hope #Prayer #BibleVerse #GodIsGood #ChristianPost #Amen

Do you know how to tell whether an animal is a predator or a prey? Predators hunt other animals so they have eyes 👀 in the FRONT. Prey animals are hunted ,so they have eyes 👀 on the SIDES of their heads to watch for danger ⚡. Interestingly, human beings also behave in a similar way. In the race of life 🧬, there are those who behave like predators and those who behave like prey. The ones who behave like prey are always looking out for danger ⚡. These are the people who have made themselves victims of the circumstances of life. For such people, excuses are their breakfast 🥞 and complaints are their dinner 🍽️. They are afraid 😟😳 of taking risks, they blame everyone and everything instead of taking responsibility for where they are and they constantly throw pity parties 🎉🎉🎊🎉 expecting everyone to sympathize with them. If you are like that, you have made yourself a prey for the issues of life 🧬. Those who succeed however in life, are those who look forward (eyes 👀 in front). They know there are dangers ⚡ in life but they are so FOCUSED on their purpose that they become the hunters rather than the hunted. Proverbs 4:25 says "let your eyes 👀 look straight ahead of you and fix your gaze in FRONT of you". This means FOCUS on your purpose, dream ✨ or vision. Forget about things of the past. Refuse to become a victim of your environment or even the economy of your country. Remember that as a child 🚸 of God 👑🙏,greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world 🌍🌎.Be a predator and not 🚫 a prey. Have a lovely day 💞❤️💜.

Two young men 👱🏾‍♂️👨🏼‍🦳went fishing 🎣🦦 one day.One of them 👨🏼‍🦳had a stick he brought with him.Anytime he👨🏼‍🦳 caught a fish 🐟 ,he used the stick to measure it.If the stick was longer than the fish 🐠 he put it in his bucket 🪣.If the stick was shorter than the fish 🐠 he threw it back into the river 🌊💦.After a while,his friend👱🏾‍♂️ asked whether there was a mystery 😨 to what he was doing .He 👨🏼‍🦳replied that he had a frying 🍳 pan 🥘 which he had measured with the stick.If the fish 🐟 was longer than the stick,it meant it won't fit in the frying pan 🥘 that's why he👨🏼‍🦳 threw them back into the river 🌊💦(by the way,he could have just cut the fish 🐠 in two).Our minds are like the frying pan 🥘 in this story.Anything beyond the capacity of our minds to receive 📲 📨 we throw away.Heaven doesn't waste resources.Therefore God 👑🙏 expects us to build capacity before He releases certain resources.When the widow👩🏻‍🦰 in 2 Kings 4:1-7, borrowed empty 🫙 vessels from her neighbors 🧑🏽‍🦳👩🏾‍🦳👱🏻‍♀️the oil 🪔🛢️ continued to flow 🫗. Build 💪 capacity through reading 📚 📚 📖,training, personal 💻 development, going for seminars, and mentorship 🧠 in the area of your calling.Provide a new wineskin and God 👑👑 will pour new wine 🍷 into your life 🧬(Matt.9:17). Have a lovely day 💝❤️💖.

THE HARD TRUTH ABOUT THANKFULNESS “So you cannot become my disciple without giving up everything you own.” —Luke 14:33 In her remarkable book The Hiding Place, Corrie ten Boom relates an amazing story about the importance of being thankful. Corrie and her sister Betsie were held in a concentration camp known as Ravensbrück, where they lived in barracks that were plagued by fleas. Fleas were everywhere—in their hair and on their bodies. One day Betsie told Corrie they needed to give thanks for the fleas. Corrie thought Betsie had gone too far. She couldn’t imagine thanking God for fleas. But Betsie insisted, reminding her sister that 1 Thessalonians 5:18 says, “Be thankful in all circumstances” (NLT). Still, Corrie didn’t want to thank God for the fleas. But as it turned out, Corrie and Betsie were trying to reach the other women in their barracks with the message of the gospel, and they had been holding Bible studies. They found out later that because of the fleas, the guards would not go into those barracks, and therefore, the women were able to have their Bible studies. As a result, they had the freedom to minister to numerous women. So, God can use even fleas. If the Bible said, “Be thankful in some circumstances,” I would say, “No problem there!” But it says, “Be thankful in all circumstances.” And that’s not an easy thing to do. Yet it’s necessary because “this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.” It’s also beneficial. Our attitude does, in fact, impact our circumstances. Being thankful won’t change events that have occurred, and it won’t prevent trials and suffering from coming our way. But when we lead with a spirit of thankfulness and joy, we change our relationship to our circumstances. We see them in a different light. We see them in the context of the big picture of God’s faithfulness. This isn’t simply a matter of choosing to be a “glass half full” person or to “always look on the bright side of life.” It’s a matter of choosing to see God at work in our lives, no matter how bad our circumstances get. It’s a matter of wrapping ourselves in His presence when life threatens to overwhelm us. It’s a matter of staying in constant contact with Him during trials and never losing sight of the awesome privilege of being able to do so. Maintaining a spirit of thankfulness will not only impact our lives, but it will also impact the lives of others in our orbit. Nothing speaks louder about the life-changing potential of the Christian faith than a believer who remains faithful and thankful when things go bad. First Thessalonians 5:18 doesn’t say we should be thankful for all circumstances, but rather in all circumstances. There are many things that happen that I’m not glad about. But I am glad that, despite the tragedies, God is still on the throne, and He is still in control of all circumstances that surround my life. God bless you!

YOU ARE MORE THAN A CONQUEROR Key Scriptures: Romans 8:37; 1 John 5:4; Philippians 4:13 Life can throw some tough battles, challenges, and opposition your way, but as a believer in Christ, remember this: you’re not fighting for victory—you’re fighting from a place of victory. Your identity isn’t that of a victim; you’re a victor because Jesus Christ has already triumphed over sin, death, and the forces of darkness. The Bible confidently states, "Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us" (Romans 8:37). No matter what you’re up against today, the power of God within you is far greater than any obstacle in your path. Throughout the Scriptures, we see how God granted ordinary people extraordinary victories simply because they placed their trust in Him. Take David, for instance—he took down Goliath with unwavering confidence in the name of the Lord (1 Samuel 17:45–50). Joshua led the Israelites into the Promised Land because God was right there with him (Joshua 1:5–9). And then there’s Paul, who faced persecution, imprisonment, and all sorts of hardships, yet he remained steadfast because Christ was his strength (2 Corinthians 11:23–28; Philippians 4:13). Their victories weren’t about their own skills; they were all about God’s faithfulness and power working through them. Whatever battle you’re facing today, don’t give in to fear or discouragement. "For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world" (1 John 5:4). The same God who granted victories to His servants in the past is fighting for you right now. Stand firm in your faith, keep trusting in His promises, and move forward with confidence. "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me" (Philippians 4:13). You are more than a conqueror—not because of your own strength, but because Christ lives in you. Your victory is assured, your future is bright, and your greatest triumph is still on the horizon. REV. ISHMAEL ASARE BAKAE

Daily devotion for August 21st The Need For A Sacrifice We assume the responsibility. For the holy offerings; for sin offerings to make atonement for Israel; and for all the duties of the house of our God. Nehemiah 10:32-33 The people recognized the need for offerings and sacrifices. The history of Israel clearly reveals that this nation emphasized shedding the blood of animals and offering up their crops and grain to God. By so doing they were never allowed to forget the cost of redemption. Blood shed means a death has occurred. God is teaching His people that their problem with sin within is of such a serious nature it cannot be solved by merely instructing the mind. Only death can cure it. These bloody offerings prepared the way for the death of Jesus and even our remembrance of that death at the Lord's table. We ought to meditate on this every day. We should never allow ourselves to forget the cost of our redemption. It took all that God had to open a door that we might return to Him. As Peter put it, For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect (1 Peter 1:18-19). Very closely related to the blood offerings was the promise of these people to bring the firstfruits of their crops, herds, flocks, and even their sons to God. What they were doing was recognizing the ownership and rights of God in their lives. A corresponding truth for us today is, You are not your own; you were bought at a price (1 Corinthians 6:19b-20a). God owns us. We do not own ourselves. The world says, You are your own. If you are pregnant and you do not want the baby, you can kill it, because you have a right to do what you please with your own body. But the Bible says, No, you are not your own. You do not have a right to do anything you like with the body God gave you. This is true in other aspects of life as well. We are not our own. We have no right to determine what we are going to do with our lives or even whom we are going to marry, apart from God's limitations. We have certain choices granted to us, but not all choices. One of the important aspects of becoming a Christian is to recognize the rights of God and to live our lives within the limits He establishes. This is what this great passage is teaching. It is the way by which Israel recognized frequently and continually that their lives were not their own. They too were bought with a price. They belonged to God. He has the right to direct their affairs and make many choices for them. Thank You, Lord, for this reminder that I am not my own; I have been bought with a price. I surrender my life to You, knowing that You have redeemed me with the precious blood of Christ