MAKE YOUR LIFE COUNT FOR JESUS. Jude 1:24-25 NIV‬ is our August final blade. He who began good works in you shall bring it to completion. Today we give the Glory to Him who is able to keep us from stumbling/falling ... Yes to Him who is Able to present us before His glorious presence without fault To Him who rejoiced in us To the only God our Savior We give all the glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen. To take home.. Remember everything you have learnt, warned about, heard from this Holy Word, put it into practice. I will say blessed are the doers of the Word. #Amen

Guidelines for living. August 21st, 2026 Here’s The Only Way to Begin to Love This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 1 John 4:10-11 The greatest rivers in the world usually begin on the cold, frozen slopes of high mountains as the sun begins to melt snow and ice, and from the trickle of crystal-clear water a steam begins to flow and eventually a cascade of water plummets down the mountain. In the valley far below, the stream becomes a river, then a great river which we call the Nile, the Amazon, the Ganges, the Rhine, or whatever. By the time these massive bodies of water reach the ocean, they may be kilometers wide, and they are muddy and polluted. Now, apply that same concept to the biblical truth that God is love. John tells us this in the New Testament, and the farther we are from Him, seemingly the more polluted love becomes. By the time it has been filtered through human lust, what we call love is a far cry from the compelling love which caused God to send His Son long ago. Love is not a platitude, it is an action, an unconditional commitment to care, a decision of your heart. True, love is what the world needs. The words of a song popular a generation ago said it all: “The world is dying, dying for a little bit of love,” says one verse. If you’ve been following this series based on Paul’s great chapter on love, found in the New Testament in 1 Corinthians 13, you have focused on love’s characteristics, but any discussion of the subject would be incomplete without a few words of encouragement for you whose river of love has either evaporated in the desert of life, or else become so polluted you hardly know what the real thing is. When God touches your heart, your life will change. God takes up residence in your life, and the mud of sin is washed away. When pollution is eliminated, you start loving. This is the miracle of conversion. This is the answer to the lovelessness and the selfishness which destroys relationships. Joining a church, turning over a new leaf, going to confession, just “being religious,” is not the solution. A relationship with God through His son is the only way you will really begin to love. I will give you three simple guidelines that will help. Guideline #1: Acknowledge you need a relationship with God and confess that sin has stopped the flow of love in your life. It’s easy to point a finger and say, “Well, it was his fault; her fault.” The solution is saying, “God, I need you. Forgive me. Touch my life.” Guideline #2: Ask God’s forgiveness for your failure—not the other person’s—and ask Him to be Lord and Savior. Jesus gave us a promise. He said, “I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in and have fellowship with him, and he with me” (Revelation 3:20). That promise has your name on it, friend. Guideline #3: Begin loving in simple steps, one day at a time. When you fail and fall back into those old habits and a loveless way, quickly admit your wrong; ask God’s help to overcome it. Friend, you can talk about love until you have calluses on your vocal cords, but until you get back to the fountain and the source of love, who is God Himself, you’ll never lay hold of the real thing: the God kind of love that changes the world. So, go back to the source. It’s the only way to fill your cup and have enough left over for someone else in your life. Love is not a pious platitude. It’s the answer. Resource Reading: 1 John 4:1-21

The Advent Truth. “New covenant” does not mean “no law,” and “a new commandment” does not mean Jesus replaced the Ten Commandments with a vague command to love. Jesus said, “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you” (John 13:34). What was new? Not the command to love. Leviticus 19:18 had already commanded, “Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself” centuries earlier. And Jeremiah 31 actually proves the opposite of the “law abolished” argument. God describes the NEW COVENANT Himself: “I will put MY LAW in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts” (Jeremiah 31:33). Notice what God does NOT say: “I will abolish My law and replace it with another law.” The difference is where the law is written. Under the new covenant, God writes His law upon the HEART. Hebrews repeats Jeremiah’s prophecy: “I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts” (Hebrews 8:10; cf. 10:16). Yes, Jesus said, “This cup is the new testament [covenant] in my blood” (Luke 22:20). His blood ratifies the new covenant—but what covenant does Jeremiah say it is? The covenant in which GOD WRITES HIS LAW ON OUR HEARTS. The problem with the old covenant was never that God’s moral law was defective. Scripture says, “The law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good” (Romans 7:12). Hebrews identifies the problem: “finding fault with them” (Hebrews 8:8). The people promised, “All that the LORD hath spoken we will do” (Exodus 19:8), but human strength could not produce obedience. The new covenant provides what the old covenant experience lacked: forgiveness through Christ, a transformed heart, and God’s Spirit producing obedience from within. And what does love look like? “For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous” (1 John 5:3). Grace doesn’t erase God’s law. Grace writes it deeper. The old covenant could point to righteousness. The new covenant puts Christ within us to live it.

THE PILGRIMS GUIDE THURSDAY AUGUST 20, 2026 INVITATION TO DIVINE WISDOM A WORD FROM THE WORD: "If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault…" James 1:5 NIV. One of the greatest gifts God gives to His children is wisdom, that is, the privileged ability to see life from His perspective and make decisions that align with His will. Wisdom, from every sense responsibility, is more than knowledge or intelligence; it is in proper perspective, divine insight, spiritual understanding, and the capacity to choose rightly in every situation. Many frustrations in life come from decisions made without wisdom. Opportunities are missed, relationships break, time is wasted, and unnecessary battles arise. But when a person operates with God’s wisdom, confusion fades into insignificance and clarity takes its rightful place. The young King Solomon knew this, which was the reason he sought for wisdom above riches or power. His life demonstrated that when you get wisdom, everything else aligns. A peep into God’s wisdom shows the numerous benefits for His children who subscribe to it. It guards you from deception, and helps you to properly discern people and opportunities. It keeps you from repeating perennial mistakes, and directs you to the right path when there seem to be no clarity. God's wisdom plants you on the pedestal for long-term peace and successful endeavours. God is inviting you today to ask for His wisdom. He does not withhold it, but gives it liberally to as many as His children who ask. Seek wisdom and you will walk securely. PRAYER BULLETS: LORD Jesus, thank You for the privilege and invitation to ask for Your divine wisdom today. Guide my thoughts, decisions, and steps as I walk in, and operate in Your supernatural understanding. . FURTHER READING: 1 Kings 3:5-12; Proverbs 4:7; Ephesians 5:15-17; Colossians 1:9-10; James 3:13-18. __________________________________________ ©️ Amaobi Nwachukwu 2026. If you're blessed by this, please, do share with others. And if you'll like to partner with us, kindly check page 3 of our hard copy edition or better still send us a WhatsApp message or call on +234 8098421967. #ThePilgrimsGuide.

ANGRY SNAKE A carpenter went home after shutting down his workshop. When he was gone, a poisonous snake entered his workshop. The snake was hungry and hoped to find its supper lurking somewhere within. It slithered from one and to another. Finally it bumped into an axe and got very slightly injured. In angry and revenge, the snake bit the snake with full force. What could a snake’s bite do to the metallic axe? Instead the snake’s mouth started bleeding. Out of fury and arrogance, the snake tried its best to strangle and kill the metallic axe - The object that was causing it the pain by wrapping itself around the axe. The next day the carpenter opened the workshop. He found the dead snake wrapped around the blades of the axe. Here the snake did not die because of someone’s fault. But it faced these consequences merely because of its own anger and wrath. Sometimes when angry, we try to cause harm to others. But as time passes by, we realise that we caused more harm to ourselves. It is not necessary that we react to everything. Step back and ask ourselves if the matter is really worth responding to.

Brenda Walsh Ministries Reasons to Praise God. There’s a verse in the Bible that has some people scratching their heads and wondering what in the world did God mean? It’s found in James 1:2, where it says, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds.” Now, one might say, “Just wait one minute! Does God actually want me to enjoy my heartache?” Well, of course not! Keep on reading verse 3, “because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.” And verse 4, “Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” God is perfecting our characters, to prepare us for heaven, and we must persevere to stay strong, fight the good fight, and finish the race! There’s a reason God allows us to experience trials, although it doesn’t mean every time we go through heartache, that it’s God’s fault - sometimes life just happens as the result of sin! But how we respond to our hard times is what’s important! Instead of blaming God, lean on Him! Ask for strength, courage, and comfort, and you’ll find that working through each trial grows perseverance that is faith-building, and even in the midst of the trial, you’ll find reasons to praise God! Text: Romans 5:3-4, 2 Thessalonians 3:5, Hebrews 12:1, 1 Peter 1:6-7

James 1:2-12 2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers, when you encounter trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4 Allow perseverance to finish its work, so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 5 Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. 6 But he must ask in faith, without doubting, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7 That man should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 8 He is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. 9 The brother in humble circumstances should exult in his high position. ...

If you lack wisdom, ask God. He gives generously to all without finding fault. He’s ready to guide you 💛✨ #James15 #PottersFieldMinistries #AskForWisdom #DivineGuidance #GodGivesGenerously #SeekHisTruth #ScripturePower #BibleEncouragement #WisdomFromAbove #FaithInAction #TrustHisVoice

Daily Bible Lesson. “BEHOLD THE MAN!” THE INNOCENT SAVIOUR REJECTED FOR A CRIMINAL. Key Text: John 19:5 “Then came Jesus forth, wearing the crown of thorns, and the purple robe. And Pilate saith unto them, Behold the man!” This is one of the most heartbreaking scenes in the Bible. Pilate hoped that after seeing Jesus bruised, bleeding, and humiliated, the crowd would show mercy. Instead, they hardened their hearts and demanded His death. ① PILATE TRIED TO SAVE JESUS THROUGH COMPROMISE Pilate ordered Jesus to be scourged and mocked. Not because He was guilty... But because he hoped the cruel punishment would satisfy the angry crowd. Pilate thought: The people would pity Jesus. The priests would finally be satisfied. An innocent Man could be released. But compromise never satisfies evil. ② THE ENEMIES OF CHRIST SAW PILATE'S WEAKNESS The religious leaders quickly realized: Pilate was afraid. He wanted to avoid conflict. He lacked the courage to do what was right. Their determination only grew stronger. Every compromise gave them greater confidence to demand Christ's death. ③ “BEHOLD THE MAN!” Pilate presented Jesus before the multitude and declared: John 19:5 “Behold the man!” Again he testified: John 19:4 “I find no fault in Him.” Standing before the crowd was: The Son of God. Wearing a crown of thorns. His back torn by cruel scourging. His face covered with blood. Yet His expression revealed: Gentleness. Patience. Dignity. Compassion for those who hated Him. Even in suffering, Jesus displayed perfect love. ④ THE GREAT CONTRAST: JESUS OR BARABBAS Beside Jesus stood Barabbas. A hardened criminal. A rebel. A murderer. The contrast could not have been clearer. Jesus—the innocent Prince of Peace. Barabbas—the guilty lawbreaker. Yet the crowd chose the criminal... ...and rejected the spotless Lamb of God. ⑤ SOME HEARTS WERE TOUCHED Not everyone remained unmoved. Many spectators wept. Their hearts were filled with sympathy. Even the priests and rulers felt conviction deep within. They knew Jesus truly was who He claimed to be. But conviction without surrender leads to tragedy. ⑥ THE CHOICE STILL STANDS TODAY Every person must choose: Christ or the world? Truth or compromise? Obedience or rebellion? Eternal life or eternal loss? The crowd chose Barabbas. What will you choose? Joshua 24:15 “Choose you this day whom ye will serve.” LESSONS FOR US TODAY Never reject Christ for the pleasures of this world. Do not silence conviction when the Holy Spirit speaks. Stand for truth even when the majority chooses otherwise. Jesus willingly suffered so that we might receive eternal life. Isaiah 53:5 “But He was wounded for our transgressions... and with His stripes we are healed.” PRAYER Lord Jesus, thank You for enduring shame, suffering, and rejection to save me. Help me never to choose the world over You. Give me the courage to stand with You, even when others turn away. May my life always declare that I have chosen Christ above everything else. In Your precious name, Amen.

Good evening, brethren. 1. Evening devotion for today. ED.i. *DAILY WALK WITH CHRIST* (COCIN DEVOTIONAL) *DATE:* WEDNESDAY 12TH AUGUST, 2026 *SUB-THEME:* YOUTHS: VESSELS OF GOD'S GRACE. *TOPIC:* YIELDING TO GOD'S MOULDING PROCESS. *TEXT:* JEREMIAH 18:1-6 [1] The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: [2] “Arise, and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will let you hear My words.” [3] So I went down to the potter’s house, and there he was working at his wheel. [4] And the vessel he was making of clay was spoiled in the potter’s hand, and he reworked it into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to do. [5] Then the word of the Lord came to me: [6] “O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter has done? declares the Lord. Behold, like the clay in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel. *TOPIC:* YIELDING TO GOD'S MOULDING PROCESS. *THE MESSAGE:* In a world that encourages unchecked freedom and haste, it is challenging to submit to God's purpose patiently. Jeremiah uses the image of a potter and clay to illustrate God's sovereign authority to shape our lives as He wills. Though the moulding process may be uncomfortable and impact our character, desires, and attitudes, it is ultimately for our good. Yielding to this divine process transforms us into vessels of honor, shaped by grace. The key question is whether we are resisting or willingly submitting to God's refining work in our lives. Some delays in life, such as marriage, admission, employment, travel or even promotion, may be a moulding process orchestrated by God for our later glory. Do not allow these moulding processes to discourage you. Depend on God's plans for your life. *REFLECTION:* Yield to God's moulding process. *PRAYER:* Lord, here am I; mould me. 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 40-45. ED.ii. TERRIFIED "And being in anguish, He prayed more earnestly, and His sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground." - Luke 22:44 After the meal, Jesus took three of His disciples to the garden of Gethsemane. It was in this garden where He became terrified. Jesus, a man of sorrows, was confronted here with a pain He never experienced before in His life as the Son of man. Jesus was always joyful and at rest, but in this garden, everything became different. His peace was gone, His rest turned into a deadly fear. He even prayed: 'Abba, Father, everything is possible for You. Take this cup from Me. Yet not what I will, but what You will.' (Mark 14:36). Jesus' battle Jesus was waging a heavy battle. His sweat even became like drops of blood. He walked to His disciples and wanted to share His terrible fear with them. But they had fallen asleep. I always thought that Jesus was terrified because He was fighting the evil one in this garden. But then I realized that this is impossible, because Jesus already won that battle during the temptation in the desert. I understood that Jesus is talking about a cup here and He is asking His Father to take that cup away from Him if possible. This cup did not come from the Pharisees, nor from the evil one, nor from His sleeping disciples, nor from His traitor or other people, but from His own Father. That cup was filled with our sins, diseases and guilt. All the evil was in that cup. And now He had to drink that cup. That terrified Him, because with this cup God, His Father, would burden Him with all our sins! He was without fault, He was clean and holy. He could not sin. By drinking that cup, He stood in the place of sinners. The curse and the punishment had to come on Him. He was abandoned by God because of that guilt. Today we are able to come into God's presence 24 hours daily because Jesus drank that cup for us. Happy are those who believe this. https://www.theblessingdevotional.com 2. Evening Prayer for today. WP.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 A quiet heart is content with what God gives. ⏤ Elisabeth Elliot Our waiting eyes are on You, O Lord, this evening. The close of each day adds to our debt of gratitude for Your mercies and favors. We are not worthy of even the least of all Your goodness and loving-kindness, for we have sinned against You. Yet we hope in Your mercy and cast ourselves on Your grace. We thank You for the protection You have given us this day. We have gone out and come in, and You have kept us safe. You have blessed our home life, keeping us from harm, providing for our needs, and giving us strength for duty. You have blessed us in our work, giving us some measure of success and enabling us to continue in our place and do our tasks. We thank You for the grace You have given us to resist temptation, to bear our daily crosses, and to witness for You among others. Great Shepherd of all Your redeemed people, we ask You to take each member of our family into Your special care tonight. We cannot protect ourselves from the dangers of the darkness, so we entrust our lives to Your gracious keeping. May Your holy angels watch over our home. You who never slumber, keep watch over us. We pray for all our friends and neighbors. They have different needs, and we cannot know what each one requires, but You know. Grant each one what will be the truest blessing. Lead them in right paths. Let none of them be eternally lost. Remember Your church and give it spiritual enrichment. And to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be glory forever. Amen. https://www.youdevotion.com/daily-prayer/miller/38/evening #taptapstudio #youdevotion.