*SEED FOR LIFE* The seeds that fell among the thorns are those who hear, but as they go on their way, they are choked by the worries, riches, and pleasures of this life, and their fruit does not mature. • Luke 8:14 Satan display the world with its most alluring, flattering charms to poor mortals, and as they gaze upon it, its glitter and tinsel eclipse the glory of heaven, and that life which is as enduring as the throne of God. A life of peace, happiness, joy unspeakable, which shall know nothing of sorrow, sadness, pain, nor death, is sacrificed for a short lifetime of sin. • Radiant Religion, p.234 *• A Point To Ponder •* What if Satan cannot persuade me to abandon Christ, but can persuade me to become so absorbed in the things of this life that I have little time, desire, or attention left for Him? _(FrontierOfHopeMinistry)_

🌅 Morning Grace — Today Is a Gift Scripture: “This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.” — Psalm 118:24 (KJV) This morning, before the worries of tomorrow begin to whisper and before yesterday tries to follow you into today, remember this: Today is a gift from God. You may not know what this day will hold, but you know Who holds it. God has already gone before you. His mercy is waiting for you. His grace is sufficient for you. And His presence will walk with you through every moment. Don’t let fear steal what faith was meant to carry. Don’t let guilt rob you of the grace Jesus already purchased. Don’t let worry consume a day God gave you to live. Walk in His light. Trust His plan. Live in His grace. Some days won’t unfold the way we hoped. There may be unexpected turns, difficult moments, or prayers that still seem unanswered. But even there, God is working. So today, choose faith over fear. Choose grace over guilt. Choose hope over worry. And choose Jesus over everything. ❤️ Prayer: Father, thank You for the gift of another morning. Help me not to waste today worrying about things I cannot control. Teach me to recognize Your presence in the ordinary moments and trust You with the uncertain ones. Let my words bring encouragement, my actions show love, and my life point someone toward Jesus. Whatever comes today, remind me that Your mercy is new, Your grace is enough, and I never walk alone. In Jesus’ name, Amen. 🙏 Today is a gift from God. Make it count for Him. Walking in Grace today, Rise in Grace Ministries ❤️

Today was a reminder that **things can go wrong, plans can fall apart, fear can creep in, and situations can arise that we simply cannot control—and God can still be right there in the middle of every bit of it.** There were moments today involving my son that frightened me and situations that are still unresolved. There was a frightening situation of my own where I know God's protection was over me. There were phone calls, worries, frustrations, and moments when this mama's mind wanted to run ahead and imagine every possible outcome. But God was there. God was with my son. God was with me. God was in the situations I understood, and He was in the ones I didn't. And somehow, right in the middle of everything, God still gave me time with my church family. I got to fellowship, laugh, talk, play games, eat some good food, and simply enjoy being around people I love. For a little while, the weight of the day wasn't quite so heavy. Then I came home and found one more thing to worry about—my chickens weren't locked up like they were supposed to be. Of course, I panicked again! But they were okay. And once again... **God was there.** Looking back tonight, I realize how much time I spent complaining, worrying, getting frustrated, and making everything feel bigger and worse in my mind. Lord, forgive me for the moments when I focused more on the storm than I did on You. Because You never left. Sometimes faith isn't watching God immediately fix everything. Sometimes faith is knowing that **God is already working while we're still waiting.** There are things tonight that I cannot fix. There are things I don't completely understand. There are things I desperately want resolved. So I am putting them at the feet of Jesus. The fear. The anger. The frustration. The unforgiveness. The questions. The things beyond my control. They don't belong in my hands anymore. God was there today. God is here tonight. And God is already in tomorrow. My job is to keep my eyes on Jesus, trust Him, be patient, and allow Him to move in His time—not mine. **Things happen. Life gets messy. We get scared. We get frustrated. We sometimes forget Who is standing beside us. But God remains faithful through every bit of it.** Tonight, instead of asking, *"Why did all of this happen?"* I'm choosing to say: **"Thank You, Lord, for being there through all of it."** In Jesus' name, Amen. 🙏❤️

📖 TODAY'S BIBLE READING Saturday, August 15 📜 OLD TESTAMENT JUDGES 16 — Samson and Delilah ✝️ NEW TESTAMENT 1 PETER 5 — Humble Yourselves Before God 🎉 Congratulations on completing the book of 1 Peter! Tomorrow we begin the next book in our progression. 🌿 MAJOR PROPHETS ISAIAH 26 — A Song of Trust in God 🌿 Today's Reflection 📜 Judges 16 Samson's strength, downfall, and final act reveal the consequences of compromising God's calling. Yet even in his weakness, Samson turns back to God and receives strength for one final victory. His story reminds us never to take God's grace or our calling for granted. ✝️ 1 Peter 5 Peter calls believers to humility, vigilance, and steadfast faith. We are instructed to cast our anxieties upon God because He cares for us, while resisting the devil and standing firm in faith. 🌿 Isaiah 26 Isaiah presents a beautiful song of trust and confidence in God. Even when circumstances are difficult, those who keep their minds fixed on God can experience His perfect peace. ✨ KEY VERSE "You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you." — Isaiah 26:3 🙏 PRAYER Heavenly Father, help us to remain faithful to the calling You have given us. Teach us humility, strengthen us when we are weak, and help us cast every anxiety upon You because You care for us. Keep our minds fixed on You so that we may walk in Your perfect peace. In Jesus' mighty name, Amen. WE STUDY. WE PRAY. WE OBEY. WE GROW. UNTIL WE ARE TOTALLY TRANSFORMED. 📖✨🙏 🌿 TODAY'S CHALLENGE Keep your mind fixed on God today. Surrender your worries to Him, walk humbly, resist temptation, and trust Him even when you cannot see what lies ahead.

A Prayer for Those Struggling with Debt Are you struggling with financial debts? Join me in this prayer. “Lord, we come before your throne today; we pray for everyone struggling from financial debts. You see the burden we all are carrying and the worries we cannot always express. Please provide for our needs, give us wisdom to manage what we have, and open doors for honest opportunities and provision. Give us strength not to lose hope and remind us that we are not walking through this season alone. Lord, make a way where we cannot yet see one. We are holding on to your words in Philippians 4:19 that say, “And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.” “Amen.”

Good evening, brethren. 1. Evening devotion for today. ED.i. *DAILY WALK WITH CHRIST* (COCIN DEVOTIONAL) *DATE:* THURSDAY 13TH AUGUST, 2026 *SUB-THEME:* YOUTHS: VESSELS OF GOD'S GRACE. *TOPIC:* BE AN EXAMPLE TO OTHERS *TEXT:* 1 TIMOTHY 4:11-16 11. Command and teach these things. 12. Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity. 13. Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching. 14. Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through prophecy when the body of elders laid their hands on you. 15. Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. 16. Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers. *TOPIC:* BE AN EXAMPLE TO OTHERS *THE MESSAGE:* In a society where individualism and humanism are emphasised, godly models become scarce. In today's text, Paul encouraged Timothy to stand out by being an example in speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity. He must accompany these qualities with sound doctrine and diligently live it out, for his salvation and that of others. These virtues should be lived out without compromise, regardless of one's age. Every believer, young or old, is called to live in a way that reflects Christ and inspires others to follow. Sadly, many young people today are influenced by vices, but Christians are urged to lead lives that model godly character. How is your testimony in your home, community, workplace, and church? Be a role model for Christ's kingdom. *REFLECTION:* Set a good example for your peers. *PRAYER:* Father, reform my character, in Jesus' name. 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 46-49. ED.ii. THE SABBATH "Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work." - Exodus 20:8-10 The commandment to keep the Sabbath is one of the Ten Commandments, so a commandment from the Lord God. The reason I am talking about this is because we live in an incredibly hectic time. Life is so much different compared to fifty years ago. Everything is to be done quickly and in a hurry. This is also because of the increase in science (see Daniel 12: 4). People no longer have peace in today's society. There is also a lack of rest time in the lives of many Christians. A gift from God However, God has given us a day to rest. Exodus 16:29 states: 'The Lord has given you the Sabbath.' The Sabbath is a gift from God and has a holy purpose. Sabbath means to rest, to stop. Every now and then people have to rest from what they are doing. Otherwise you will overwork yourself and get a burnout. When God created heaven and earth, He rested. As His creation was not safe yet, God had a plan to secure His creation. God was able to rest only after Jesus had completed His work on Calvary and rose from the death on the first day of the week. This is why we Christians celebrate the Sabbath day on Sunday. Spiritual rest There is something even more important though and that is our spiritual rest. In Hebrews 4:10 we read about a Sabbath rest for God's people: 'Anyone who enters God's rest also rests from their works, just as God did from His.'When you come to Jesus, you will get complete rest in spirit, soul and body. Every day is a Sabbath day for the Christian who is in Jesus Christ. If you are not at rest yet, go to Him who said: 'Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest' (Matthew 11:28). https://www.theblessingdevotional.com 2. Evening Prayer for today. EP.i. Evening Prayer Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. ⏤ Isaiah 1:18 The best remedy for a troubled heart is to focus on God’s unchanging character. ⏤ Charles Stanley O Lord, we bow before You in loving reverence. All our blessings come from You, and we praise You. We are sinful, and You are holy. We are not worthy to approach You, yet You have made a way for us to draw near to You with confidence, as children to a Father. Lord, cleanse our hearts as we come to You. Fill us with Your Spirit so that, renewed in the spirit of our minds, we may display all the virtues and graces of the Christian life in our daily walk. We need Your cleansing tonight after the day's journey in this sin-stained world. Our feet have been soiled in the dust as we walked through the day, our hands have been stained with the evil around us, our lips have spoken words we should not have spoken, and our hearts have been made unclean by wrong thoughts, feelings, and imaginations. Cleanse us tonight. Wash us, and we shall be whiter than snow! We have cares and worries that distract us at the end of the day. Help us to lay them all in Your hands and leave them there. Give us Your peace. Help us to cast our burdens on You and trust that You will take care of them. Make all things work together for our good. Have pity tonight, O God, on this sorrowful, sinful world. Remember the poor and open the hearts of those who have plenty to help those in need. Look with compassion on the sick and give them relief or the patience to endure their pain. Comfort those who are in sorrow. Hear us in these evening prayers, we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. https://www.youdevotion.com/daily-prayer/miller/39/evening #taptapstudio #youdevotion.

ou are Important, you are loved, you are valued! If God takes care of the birds of the air, He will surely take care of you. You don't have to carry tomorrow's worries today, for God knows what you need. He provides, and you are more valuable to Him than the birds He faithfully feeds. Matthew 6:26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?

~. . . And the evening and the morning were the 221st day. Good Morning, God's Beloved. On this 222nd day of 2026, might I submit to you that there is no place that God has named "Gone Too Far" . . .==> "Give all your worries and cares to God, for He cares about you." [1 Peter 5:7] [And as you RESPECT and LOVE one another as hard as you can, Please PLAY NICE, PRAY for one another, Distance-CHECK on your neighbors, and Keep a SMILE on your Faith.] (For more videos like this, subscribe to my YouTube channel, MelzMark Video Productions, at www.youtube.com/[VStMelz]) https://youtube.com/watch?v=ElGAHDTRU3g&is=qgr3NAfodjQ_fqgQ

SEED FOR LIFE You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in you. • Isaiah 26:3 There are many whose hearts are aching under a load of care because they seek to reach the world’s standard... True happiness is found in learning of Christ. Those who take Christ at His Word and surrender the soul to His keeping, their lives to His ordering, will find peace and quietude. Nothing of the world can make them sad when Jesus makes them glad by His presence. It is the love of self that brings unrest. • My Life Today, p.181 • A Point To Ponder • When your focus shifts from self to Christ, your worries lose their power because your confidence rests in the One who never changes. _(FrontierOfHopeMinistry)_

✝Living the Kingdom Way: Four Days Through Matthew 6✝ DAY 4 — Freedom From Worry Read: Matthew 6:25–34 Reflection Jesus closes the chapter by addressing the weight of worry. Worry steals peace, joy, and clarity, but Jesus invites the believer into trust. He points to birds and flowers, cared for without striving, and reminds us that we are worth far more. The cure for worry is not trying harder but seeking first the kingdom. When God becomes the priority, everything else finds its proper place. Tomorrow is in His hands. Today is where His grace meets you. Application Write down your top three worries and surrender them to God one by one. Ask: What am I carrying that God never asked me to carry? Practice “seek first” by choosing one kingdom action each morning. Prayer Lord, I release my worries to You. Teach me to trust Your care and seek Your kingdom first. Give me peace for today and faith for tomorrow. Amen.