Matthew 20:17-34 Jesus was always clear that He demands it all from us if we are to follow Him. And during this journey of miracles, feedings and teaching Jesus again warns them of the fact that when they arrive in Jerusalem that He would be handed over to be killed. Now what the disciples were thinking I can't tell you. Maybe they thought that if they ignored it long enough it just won't happen. Maybe they thought this was another parable they didn't understand fully, yet. But they were too scared to ask. He told them He would be raised on the third day but that good news didn't really get through their heads. Because to accept the good part they had to mentally accept the bad part. A ‘raising from the dead’ can't be done before the death part comes. And it is in this context I believe that James and John’s mothers’ prayer for her sons was answered. Her prayer? That it would be her sons seated at Jesus’ left and right hands in the Kingdom. No doubt being the Jewish mother of all mothers she wanted her boys on the leadership council when He takes his Kingdom. She wanted them to be preeminent amongst all the disciples and Jesus is horrified at the request because he knows what it will mean for them and her. She was thinking they would be powerful, Jesus knew it would cost their lives. Are you able to drink the cup I am about to drink? He asked, are you able and willing to die for this position? And they affirmed it. And that is the point that God made these two men the effective book ends for the Martyrdom that would claim the lives of all apostles. James was the first Apostle to die. Acts 12:1-2 [1] Now about that time Herod the king laid hands on some who belonged to the church, to do them harm. [2] And he had James the brother of John executed with a sword. Herod was insane, but he was a people pleaser and when the church began making inroads into Jewish life and James’ death marks the beginning of the effort that led to the continued persecution of the church and the death of the apostles. After James’ death, the enemy used the one tactic that would continually fail throughout history, persecution. Yes, some solid Christian leaders fell to the violence, but persecution always spurred on mighty works of the Spirit which grew the church. The one strategy the enemy believed would discourage the church became the catalyst for rapid expansion of Christianity worldwide. And it was encompassed by these Bookends of Martyrdom, James and John. A position their mother believed would be an honor to them not realizing that honor would claim their lives as James became the first and John the last to give their lives for Him. Think of the reception in Heaven when these young men arrived. Their arrival is a victory celebration in eternity while those who believed they were in the right for killing them celebrated here, temporarily. And now they suffer eternally. Be careful mothers about what you pray for. You may end up getting it. The passage ends with healing blind men on their way. And amongst his warning of His impending death, His followers' fates and a prayer for a blessing she didn't fully comprehend Jesus has compassion and heals them. [17] As Jesus was about to go up to Jerusalem, He took the twelve disciples aside by themselves, and on the road He said to them, [18] “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn Him to death, [19] and they will hand Him over to the Gentiles to mock and flog and crucify, and on the third day He will be raised up.” [20] Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came to Jesus with her sons, bowing down and making a request of Him. [21] And He said to her, “What do you desire?” She *said to Him, “Say that in Your kingdom these two sons of mine shall sit, one at Your right, and one at Your left.” [22] But Jesus replied, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink?” They *said to Him, “We are able.” [23] He *said to them, “My cup you shall drink; but to sit at My right and at My left is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by My Father.” [24] And after hearing this, the other ten disciples became indignant with the two brothers. [25] But Jesus called them to Himself and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles domineer over them, and those in high position exercise authority over them. [26] It is not this way among you, but whoever wants to become prominent among you shall be your servant, [27] and whoever desires to be first among you shall be your slave; [28] just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.” [29] As they were leaving Jericho, a large crowd followed Him. [30] And two people who were blind, sitting by the road, hearing that Jesus was passing by, cried out, “Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!” [31] But the crowd sternly warned them to be quiet; yet they cried out all the more, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!” [32] And Jesus stopped and called them, and said, “What do you want Me to do for you?” [33] They *said to Him, “Lord, we want our eyes to be opened.” [34] Moved with compassion, Jesus touched their eyes; and immediately they regained their sight and followed Him.

Amazing Facts. Daily Devotionals Surprise Babies August 3rd, 2026 In May 1996, Karen Watson, age 20, gave birth to a 5-pound, 12-ounce baby boy in Albany, Oregon. This would not be so remarkable except for the fact Karen had no idea she was even pregnant. Karen was en route by train to a wedding in Missoula, Montana. During the train ride, Watson became increasingly uncomfortable. Someone eventually called ahead, and they were met by paramedics at the Albany train stop to see what was causing Karen’s mounting physical distress. Minutes later, Watson gave birth to a healthy baby boy. This event took her completely by surprise, though she admitted some doctors had diagnosed she was suffering from anemia and a thyroid condition. Of course, this was not the first case of a woman unexpectedly giving birth. But it is hard to comprehend how slender, 105-pound Watson never even dreamed that the seven extra pounds she had gained could be a 5-pound, 12-ounce baby boy. What makes this even more amazing is that Karen Watson was a pre-med biology major at the University of California, Davis, with plans to go into family practice. Did you know the Bible talks about a number of miracle baby boys that surprised their mothers? Isaac, Joseph, Samuel, John the Baptist, and Jesus were all born under miraculous circumstances. The elderly Sarah was so delighted when Isaac was born that she said, “God has made me laugh, and all who hear will laugh with me” (Genesis 21:6). Rachel, who had been tormented by her sister Leah because she had no children, said after bearing Joseph, “God has taken away my reproach” (Genesis 30:23). Hannah had her miracle boy, “and called his name Samuel, saying, ‘Because I have asked for him from the Lord’” (1 Samuel 1:20). Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist, was also beyond the usual child-bearing years when she became with child. Her response: “Thus the Lord has dealt with me, in the days when He looked on me, to take away my reproach among people” (Luke 1:25). The most miraculous baby, of course, was Jesus, who was born to save all those who choose to be miraculously born again in Him. Key Bible Texts And the LORD visited Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did unto Sarah as he had spoken. (Genesis 21:1 KJV)

Women of God Shiprah and Puah- Righteous Rebellion When the Hebrew midwives Shiprah and Puah were asked by Pharaoh to start the routine killing of Hebrew baby boys, they bravely resisted. It was a horrific request. Neither Egypt nor the Israelites were nations that engaged in infanticide. We are told the midwives feared God more than they feared Pharaoh. The Bible is full of examples of people who chose the righteousness of God over obeying those in authority and these two Hebrew women are considered by theologians to be the first. Lord God, let me seek to do what is right. Let me submit to earthly authority according to your will and to live peaceably with others wherever possible. But when needed help me step out in faith and courage to do what is right in your eyes. The king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, whose names were Shiphrah and Puah, “When you are helping the Hebrew women during childbirth on the delivery stool, if you see that the baby is a boy, kill him; but if it is a girl, let her live.” The midwives, however, feared God and did not do what the king of Egypt had told them to do; they let the boys live. Then the king of Egypt summoned the midwives and asked them, “Why have you done this? Why have you let the boys live?” The midwives answered Pharaoh, “Hebrew women are not like Egyptian women; they are vigorous and give birth before the midwives arrive.” So God was kind to the midwives and the people increased and became even more numerous. And because the midwives feared God, he gave them families of their own. ‭‭Exodus‬ ‭1‬:‭15‬-‭21‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Good morning, brethren. 1. Morning devotion for today. MD.i. 😀💝🌺🎁🌹🎀 MORNING TEA THE WORD FOR TODAY SUNDAY AUGUST 2, 2O26. "TAKE THE PLUNGE (2)" ‘…Underneath are the everlasting arms...’ Deuteronomy 33:27 NKJV PICTURE THIS: A father and his two small children are playing. He’s in the swimming pool, and he invites them to run and jump into his arms. One does, the other doesn’t. The one who doesn’t, watches gleefully, applauds, and jumps up and down. But when her dad invites her to do the same she shakes her head and backs away. Is that you? Living on the edge of the pool, never taking the plunge, happy to experience life vicariously through others? Preferring to take no risk, rather than any risk? For fear of the worst, you never enjoy the best. You say, ‘But I’m not sure what I’m jumping into!’ Read this: ‘Underneath are the everlasting arms.’ Foolishness is closing your eyes and jumping before you know there’s even water in the pool, or that your father has said, ‘Come, I’ll catch you.’ Faith is knowing that the only way to conquer your fear of the water is to take the leap, because the One who is calling you has been there for you from the moment you became His child. Nothing is more important to Him than your safety, the development of your faith, and your total success in life. God told Joshua, ‘…arise, go over this Jordan…to the land which I am giving [you] …Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go’ (Joshua 1:2, 7 NKJV). Note the words, ‘Arise, go, be strong.’ In other words: take the plunge! Bible In A Year: Deut 28-29, Matt 13:47-58, Ps 119:1-8, Pro 17:3. 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. [01/08, 8:46 pm] Pastor Attah: ```DAILY Ⓜ️ANNA - (A DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE FOR ADULTS) SUNDAY 2ND AUGUST, 2026``` *NOTHING WITHOUT HIM* 📓📖🎚️🫵🏽🙋🏽‍♂️🙋🏽‍♀️✝️🩸🧎🏽🧎🏽‍♀️🙏🏽 📜📜```TEXT:JOHN 15:1-5```📜📜 🔑📖```KEY VERSE:``` _*"I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing" (JOHN 15:5).*_ *Humanity has witnessed incredible feats over the centuries, especially in the fields of science and technology. While these developments have improved the standard of living across the world, it has equally fuelled or, at most, reinforced atheistic and contemptuous dispositions of despisers of God. Some folks, indeed, think that God should completely stay away from the affairs of earthlings. They can boast of transgender surgery that changes sex identity at birth to something that God did not intend, all in an attempt to part ways with Him. Unknown to such warped minds, they are only trying to deform or alter what God has created. The effective way of parting ways with God would have been to create their own man or woman before meddling with their features, but not from the dust of the soil which He created. This is simply impossible!* *Our Lord Jesus Christ was unequivocal about man's grave inability to exist or function without Him. Just as man and his habitat could not have come into existence without Him, so we should always lean on Him, not only for sustenance, but also for survival. We live at the pleasure of God. Our breath comes from Him. Nature, through its atmosphere, land, vegetation, oceans, and rivers, from which we draw what we consume in food, manufacturing, and industry, belongs to Him. The feeble man is humiliatingly overwhelmed by his Creator.* *Thus helplessly exposed, man must not be arrogant or presumptuous because of any inventions, whose feats and contraptions are toys as they stand in contrast to the great galactic formations overlooking our planet. We must revere the One Who brought them forth. It's contemptuous to contemn Him by telling Him we have had enough of Him, and that we can take care of ourselves.* *Everyone needs God and His unfailing love and laws more than ever before to deliver them from the trap and deadly consequences of sin. We need more of Christ's presence to dominate our souls, government structures, homes, schools, public places, and worship centres. We need His peace in a troubled world on the brink of collapse. We need Him also to usher us into the hereafter of eternal joy.* ✍🏽```THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:``` _*Our attachment to Christ makes life become more meaningful and fulfilling.*_ 📜📜```THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:``` *JOHN 4-5*📜📜 Nothing Without Him https://dailymanna.app// *RECOMMENDED GOSPEL HYMNS AND SONGS - GHS 23: NO OTHER PLEA; AND GHS 244: ALL THINGS IN JESUS* *TXD [THEXDEVOTIONALS] on Twitter* *#DailyManna2ndAugust2026* *#GCK* *#WorshipNuggets* *#BibleNuggets* *#LeadershipNuggets* *#RevivalNuggets* *#CrusadeNuggets* https://www.youtube.com/[THEXDEVOTIONALS] [01/08, 8:46 pm] Pastor Attah: ```DEEPER CHRISTIAN LIFE MINISTRY``` _*HIGHER EVERYD🅰️Y: (A DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE FOR YOUTHS)*_ ✍🏽👩🏻‍💼🌻 🍇🙏🏽🛰🚀🔬📚 ```SUNDAY 2ND AUGUST, 2026``` *BURNING BUSH* 🎚️📓📖🫵🏽🙋🏽‍♂️🙋🏽‍♀️🌳🔥🗣️📢📣🧎🏽🧎🏽‍♀️🙏🏽 📜📜```TEXT:EXODUS 3:1-10```📜📜 📖``` MEMORY VERSE:``` _*"And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt. And when the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I" (EXODUS 3:3-4).*_ *The burning bush symbolises the condition of the children of Israel in Egypt. God appeared to Moses miraculously to draw his attention to the suffering of His people in the hands of Pharaoh, the king of Egypt.* *Moses turned aside to see the burning bush, and God spoke to him about the affliction of His people and sent him to deliver them from Egypt. Sinning youths are expected to turn to God for their salvation without delay.* *Believers are expected to respond to the call of God to reach out to sinners around them. Jesus has commanded all believers to go into all parts of the world to preach the gospel to every creature. The big question is: Are there youths who are ready to turn aside like Moses did to hear the call of God?* *Our society is burning with young boys and girls who have lost the true meaning of life. God is calling on Christian youths to use the gospel to deliver sinners from eternal damnation in hell. Give your life to your Creator, and answer His call to save your generation.* 💬 ```QUOTE:``` _*Answer His call.*_ 🏆 ```CHALLENGE:``` _*Answer God's call to preach the Gospel.*_ 🙏🏽🙏🏽 ```PRAYER:``` _*Lord, give me the grace to preach the gospel to others.*_ Burning Bush https://dailymanna.app// *TXD [THEXDEVOTIONALS] on Twitter* *#HigherEveryday2ndAugust2026* *#GCK* *#WorshipNuggets* *#BibleNuggets* *#LeadershipNuggets* *#RevivalNuggets* *#CrusadeNuggets* https://www.youtube.com/[THEXDEVOTIONALS] [01/08, 8:46 pm] Pastor Attah: ```DEEPER CHRISTIAN LIFE MINISTRY``` _*(SINCERE MILK: Children Daily Devotional Guide 2⃣0⃣2⃣6️⃣)*_ 🙇🏼🙇🏼🙇‍♀️🙇‍♀️🙇🏼🙇‍♀️🙇🏼🙇‍♀️🙇🏼‍♂️ ```SUNDAY 2ND AUGUST, 2026``` *CHILDREN UNLIKE THEIR FATHER* 📓📖🎚️🫵🏽🙋🏽‍♂️🙋🏽‍♀️✝️🧎🏽🧎🏽‍♀️🙏🏽 📜📜```JOHN 8:39-44```📜📜 🕔📚🖋️🚻😁🎼🏆🍉🪴🌈💻 🔑📖 ```Key Verse:``` _*"They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works of Abraham" (John 8:39).*_ 📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖 Has someone ever told you that you resemble one of your parents? That can only happen if that person has known your parents before. However, that remark may only be true about your physical appearance, but not in your conduct. There are some children, of course, whose physical appearance and conduct are entirely different from those of their parents. That means, good and godly parents can produce bad and wicked children, like the case of Eli and his sons. Jesus knows who Abraham was (John 8:58). The Lord said He could not see any part of the character of the children of Israel that resembled that of Abraham they claimed to be their father. How could they claim to be children of Abraham who feared, obeyed and loved God, and yet go against the way and the will of God? Jesus concluded that they were children of the devil and not of Abraham (John 8:44). One's behaviour betrays him or her. No one can hate Christ, disobey His word, reject Him as Saviour and even want to kill Him, and claim to be a child of God. There are many people who use religion as a cover-up to hate and reject Christ. That is because they do not know the true God at all. *Are you one of those children who say they are children of God, friends of Jesus, but their behaviours are sinful and ungodly? It is only through your Christ-like and righteous life that others can know whether you are a true friend of Jesus or not.* 🍥🍥🍥🍥🍥🍥🍥🍥 ```🅿️rayer:``` _*Lord, in all my desires and lifestyle, help me to be like You.*_ 🙏🏽 ```📖 Further Reading:``` *Titus 1:14-16* Children Unlike Their Father https://dailymanna.app// *TXD [THEXDEVOTIONALS] on Twitter* *#SincereMilk2ndAugust2026* *#GCK* *#WorshipNuggets* *#BibleNuggets* *#LeadershipNuggets* *#RevivalNuggets* *#CrusadeNuggets* https://www.youtube.com/[THEXDEVOTIONALS] [01/08, 8:46 pm] Pastor Attah: *MEDITATIONS ON DAILY ⓂANNA* SUNDAY, 2ND AUGUST, 2026 *ABIDING IN CHRIST: THE SECRET OF A FRUITFUL LIFE* *TEXT:* JOHN 15:1–5 1. I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. 2. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. 3. Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. 4. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. 5. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. *TimelessTruth:* _Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord._ (1 Corinthians 15:58). *INTRODUCTION* George Washington Carver (1864–1943), the renowned agricultural scientist and devoted Christian, transformed farming in the southern United States by encouraging crop rotation and better soil management. He often spent time in prayer before beginning his research, believing that wisdom came from God. Carver once remarked, "I love to think of nature as an unlimited broadcasting station, through which God speaks to us every hour." One of the lessons farmers understand is that a branch separated from the vine cannot bear fruit, regardless of how healthy it once appeared. Its life depends entirely upon its connection to the vine. The branch does not struggle to produce fruit; it simply remains connected, and the life of the vine flows through it. Jesus used this familiar agricultural picture in John 15 to teach one of the greatest truths of the Christian life: fruitfulness is the result of abiding in Him. *"Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is. For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.* ( Jeremiah 17:7–8) Our effectiveness in Christian living does not depend upon our talents, education or strength, but upon our continual fellowship with Christ. His followers, are not merely to admire the Vine, but to abide in it. The Christian life is not sustained by occasional moments of devotion, but by a continual relationship with Christ. The branch has no independent life. Its strength, nourishment and fruitfulness all come from the vine. Likewise, believers flourish only as they remain connected to Jesus through faith, obedience, prayer and His Word. This passage challenges us to examine our lives: Are we merely attached to Christ outwardly or are we truly abiding in Him? Are we busy with religious activity while neglecting personal fellowship with the Saviour? Is the fruit of the Spirit becoming increasingly evident in our character and conduct? God is more concerned with fruitfulness than mere busyness. A fruitful life glorifies Him, blesses others and bears lasting eternal value. When difficulties come, remember that the Father's pruning is not punishment, but preparation. He lovingly removes what hinders growth so that we may bear more fruit. May we daily abide in Christ, depend upon His strength and allow His life to be seen through ours. *1. The Source of Fruitfulness* a. Jesus identifies Himself as the True Vine and His Father as the Vinedresser. Jesus alone is the true source of spiritual life and lasting fruit. The Father lovingly removes unfruitful branches and prunes fruitful ones to increase their productivity. b. God's purpose is not merely that believers exist, but that they bear much fruit for His glory. God desires every believer to grow spiritually. His discipline and pruning are expressions of His love, preparing us for greater usefulness. *Questions* Am I allowing God to remove attitudes, habits or priorities that hinder my spiritual growth? Is my life producing spiritual fruit that brings glory to God? *2. The Secret of Fellowship* a. Jesus calls His disciples to remain in Him continually. The disciples had been made clean through Christ's teaching. Abiding is a daily, deliberate choice to remain in close fellowship with Christ. *Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving* (Colossians 4:2). b. Spiritual life flourishes through constant dependence upon Jesus. A fruitful Christian life is maintained by regular prayer, Bible study, worship and obedience. *Questions* What practical habits help me remain closely connected with Christ each day. Am I spending time with Christ consistently or only when difficulties arise?* *3. The Strength of Dependence* a.Jesus declares that apart from Him, believers can do nothing of eternal value. Every ability for effective Christian living comes from Christ. Apostle Paul declared: *“I can do all things through Christ who strengtheneth me.” (Philippians 4:13)* Fruitfulness begins when believers surrender completely to Christ's leadership. b. Those who abide in Christ bear much fruit because His life flows through them. Lasting spiritual success is not achieved through self-effort, but through continual dependence upon Christ. *Questions* Am I relying on my own strength or on Christ's power in my daily life and ministry? Can others see evidence of Christ's life and character in me? *Prayer Points* 1. Lord Jesus, help me to abide in You daily through prayer, obedience and Your Word.🙏 2. Father, produce in my life the fruit of the Holy Spirit that glorifies Your name.🙏 3. Lord, give me grace to accept Your loving discipline so that I may become more useful in Your service.🙏 4. Heavenly Father, keep me from relying on my own strength and teach me to depend entirely upon Christ.🙏 *Hymn:* I am Thine Oh Lord. *THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:* JOHN 4-5. 2. Morning Prayer for today. MP.i. Morning Prayer This [is] the day [which] the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. ⏤ Psalm 118:24 The soul needs Sabbath to rest and recharge. ⏤ Wesley L. Duewel O God, we thank You for this holy Sunday. It is Your day, honored and made sacred by You from the beginning. It was made even more holy by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. It is full of holy hopes as it reminds us of the eternal rest in Heaven. We thank You for all that this day means to us in our personal lives and for the blessings it has brought to our home. We thank You for its quiet rest, that we can cease from our weekday toil and spend the day with You. May You make this a day of real blessing to us. May Heaven’s windows be opened, and may holy blessings be poured upon us. Bless our home life today. May we grow closer together as a family. May our affection be sweetened. Fill our hearts with Your love—then we will love each other as we should. Bless our home conversation. May it be beneficial to us, ministering grace to our hearts, and may it be worthy of the day. Help us to shut out of our lives anything that is worldly or unworthy of You. May Your Spirit fill our home, bringing gentle, enriching influences. Bless our worship in Your house. Go with us and help us to honor You in the public services. Open our eyes to see wonderful things in Your word. Sanctify the worship and instruction we receive in the sanctuary. May we be so blessed in our hearts by waiting on You that we will be ready for good service all week. Help us also to be a blessing to others today. Fill us with Your Spirit so that every life that touches ours will receive a blessing from us. We ask all these Sunday blessings from Your hand, humbly, faithfully, and joyfully, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. https://www.youdevotion.com/daily-prayer/miller/28/morning #taptapstudio #youdevotion.

When Your Faith Lands You in the Lions' Den! God Is Still in Control When the Enemy Thinks It's Over Scripture:"Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast him into the den of lions. Now the king spake and said unto Daniel, Thy God whom thou servest continually, he will deliver thee." — Daniel 6:16 (KJV) Thought Of The Day... There are seasons in life when doing the right thing seems to bring the greatest opposition. Daniel wasn't thrown into the lions' den because he had sinned—he was thrown in because he had remained faithful. His enemies couldn't find corruption in his character, so they attacked his commitment to God. Sometimes your greatest trials are not evidence that God has abandoned you—they are evidence that your faith has become a threat to the enemy. The lions' den was meant to be Daniel's grave, but God turned it into a platform for His glory. Notice that King Darius said, "Thy God whom thou servest continually, he will deliver thee." Even a pagan king recognized Daniel's unwavering faith. Daniel's consistent walk with God became his testimony before the crisis ever arrived. He didn't suddenly become a man of prayer when the lions appeared. He had already developed a lifestyle of trusting God. The enemy may throw you into a den of fear, sickness, rejection, financial hardship, betrayal, or uncertainty. Those lions may roar loudly, but they cannot move without God's permission. The same God who walked with the Hebrew boys in the fiery furnace shut the mouths of the lions for Daniel. Your den is not your destination. It is the place where God demonstrates His power. What the enemy intended to destroy you will become the testimony that strengthens your faith and encourages others. Sometimes God doesn't keep us out of the den; He meets us in it and proves His faithfulness there. If you are in a lions' den today, don't panic. Pray. Don't surrender. Stand firm. God has not forgotten you. He is still able to silence every lion that comes against His children. Something to Think About... Ask yourself: • Am I remaining faithful even when obedience costs me something? • Is my trust in God based on my circumstances or on His unchanging character? • How can I continue serving God faithfully while I wait for His deliverance? Remember: The lions may surround you, but they do not have the final word. God does. Prayer... Heavenly Father, Thank You for being with me in every lions' den I face. When fear surrounds me and my circumstances seem impossible, remind me that You are greater than every roaring lion. Give me the courage to remain faithful even when obedience is difficult. Strengthen my faith so that I will trust You before, during, and after the trial. Shut the mouths of every lion that seeks to destroy my peace, my purpose, and my testimony. Turn every attack of the enemy into an opportunity for Your glory to be revealed. Help me to serve You continually, just as Daniel did, knowing that You are my Deliverer and my Defender. In Jesus' mighty name, Amen. Key Truth Your faith may take you into the lions' den, but God's faithfulness will bring you out with a testimony. Declaration... Today I declare that I will not fear the lions around me because my God is greater than every threat. I will remain faithful, stand firm in His promises, and trust Him to deliver me in His perfect time. My lions' den will become my testimony, and God will receive all the glory. In Jesus' name, Amen.

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Follow After Love (Smith Wigglesworth 1922) I want to turn this morning to the last verse of the thirteenth chapter of First Corinthians, and the first three verses of the fourteenth chapter. I want you to see that the primary thought in this passage is that when love is in perfect progress, other things will work in harmony, for prophetic utterances are of no value unless perfectly covered by divine love. Jesus was so full of love to His Father and love to us that that love never failed to accomplish its purpose. It works in us and through us by the power of the Father's love in Him. This is what must come into our lives. Christ is to be the all-in-all of all things. All our doings, sayings, workings must be in Him and unto Him. Then our prophetic utterances will be well-pleasing to God. Pentecostal people sometimes make prophetic utterance a side issue. They think they are obliged to rise up and speak because the Spirit is upon them. That is not true - and again it is true. If they are in the right place - hidden away in Christ, saturated with His love they will have such unction as to be balanced and always have spiritual utterance that pleases Him. It will all be to edification. "Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy" (1 Corinthians 14:1). Moses said, I would " ... that all the Lord's people were prophets, and that the Lord would put his spirit upon them!" (Numbers11:29). And this is to me a revelation that God would have us in such a spiritual, holy place that He can take our words and so fill them with divine power that we speak in the Spirit right along in prophetic utterance. Beloved, there is human language on the human plane, and there is a divine incoming into the same language so that it is changed by spiritual power and made to live to those who hear. That divine touch of prophetic utterance will never come on any line except being filled with the Spirit. If you wish to be anything for God, do not miss the plan. You cannot afford to be on ordinary lines. You must realize that within you there is a power of the Spirit that is forming everything you require. Perhaps you have not heard what our experience was in the early days of the Christian Mission in England which turned out to be the Salvation Army. I have never seen anything like it in my life. The power of God rested upon the worst characters and they were saved. It reached every class. Drunkards were saved right and left and the next day when they were put up for testimony their testimony thrilled the place so that the power of God fell upon others who in turn became witnesses to the salvation of Christ. There was no such thing as a building large enough to hold the work. The meetings were in open marketplaces, and they put big wagons there for platforms. The people who were saved the night before would speak and the power of God would fall. I maintain that we are in a different order and a higher, yet we lack. We have too much preaching and too little testifying. You can never get a live Pentecostal church with a preacher every night preaching, preaching, preaching. The people become weary of preaching. But they never tire of the whole place being on fire. Therefore I can understand the exhortation "that ye may prophesy." You must awake out of your lethargy. There is no room for a man in the Pentecostal Movement who has settled on his lees. If you come to a Pentecostal meeting and sit through it unmoved, you are not in the Spirit, and dearth will fall on the church. When the Holy Ghost comes in His fullness He comes into a man to move him so that he knows he has to speak now in a different way. " ... when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth ... " (John16:13). The Holy Ghost is inspiration, revelation, manifestation, operation. When a man comes into the fullness of the Holy Ghost he is in perfect order, built on a scriptural foundation. I have failed to find any man who understood the 12th, 13th and 14th chapters of First Corinthians unless he had been baptized in the Holy Ghost. When a man gets baptized with the Holy Ghost, he speaks from a deep inward conviction, by the power of the Spirit, a revelation of that Scripture. God wants to make us on fire in the Spirit, speaking burning words. He wants to make all that a man has so prophetic in all its bearings that he will always speak as an oracle of God. There ought to be something within him that shines through him with a vital power that makes men know he has seen God, and they feel God has come into their midst. One day in a railroad carriage I was drawing near to Cardiff and washed my hands and face because I knew the moment I jumped off the train I should have to rush to get to the meeting. I had just a little season of prayer while washing. Meanwhile the carriage had filled up with people who got on at Newport. When I returned there were two ministerial gentlemen with the accustomed white collars. These two parsons cried out under conviction of sin, and in ten minutes' time the whole place was bathed in prayer and conviction. We should be filled with the Holy Ghost to such an extent it would always be so. To be filled with the Holy Ghost and fire is a higher order different from anything else. I often kneel before God thinking, "Now what is the burden of my heart?" The Lord knows more than I do about the burden, and the moment I kneel down I lose all my English. I am in the presence of God and He takes me right on to victory. Talk about this praying in the Holy Ghost, there is nothing like it! There is a secret about it. It is a secret between you and God. It is purely a Holy Ghost utterance. Let me tell you an incident of what it does. It does such marvelous things. Brother Burton, who is associated with my son-in-law in Africa, has a wonderful work going on in the Congo. When they were going there to break up the new ground they lost one man on the way, and then Burton was laid low. He seemed dead, and they started on brokenheartedly. But looking around they saw him coming on just as lively as though he had never had a touch of fever. "What has happened?" they shouted. "Tell us!" He said, "From my head right down there came a warmth of life through my body, and here I am perfectly well." Afterwards Burton visited England and when he was at a meeting a woman said to him, "Do you keep a diary?" "Yes," he answered. "I wish you would look at your diary," she continued, "and tell me what happened on a certain day," (giving the date). While he was looking it up she went on, "I saw you lying as one dead, and I was broken down before God in your behalf and was praying for you when the Spirit filled me and there I was speaking in an unknown tongue, and when I got through I saw you looking perfectly well. Burton found in his diary that it was the very hour of his recovery. What we need is more of the Holy Ghost. Oh, let it be no longer we but the Spirit who prays! Two African boys were brought to us from the Congo, and my daughter said to me, "Father, will you take the boys around?" Well, it was a job because they could not speak a word of English. When I was walking with these boys I kept saying, "Praise the Lord, Amen." After a while they caught on to it. So when I said, "Praise the Lord," they would say, "Amen." We boarded a car which was full of people and the boys were at one end and I at the other. They would shout, "Praise the Lord!" and I would respond, "Amen," and we kept it up through the town. The boys were having a great time. When they sought the baptism of the Holy Ghost we had a glorious time. By the way, these "boys" were thirty years old. The Holy Ghost fell on them and gave them a new language, so different from their own. It was wonderful. They were full of the Spirit and joyful beyond words. They said, "When we were saved it was good, very good; but now it is more good, more so!" 0 beloved! I know God wants us all to have this "more so" salvation. It is not a measure but a pressed down measure; and not only a pressed down measure but a measure shaken together and running over. The baptism of the Spirit is an overflowing cup. Praise the Lord! People who are baptized in the Holy Ghost can have a wonderful time in song. I have seen it, especially in England. If we only understood it better we should have greater chorals than ever were sung, far better than man ever made. I have heard singing in the Spirit with such rarity of music as I have never heard elsewhere, music from the deepest bass to octaves higher than you ever hear in the natural. All is in perfect harmony and it makes you think of a big organ, only more massive, more beautiful. Everyone gets to weeping and rejoicing and is solemnized by the presence of God, so that there is nothing in the flesh. The people are melted down at such times. I pray God we may all come to understand this in its fullness. (1922, Glad Tidings Tabernacle, San Francisco, California.) Read Smith Wigglesworth's other works at http://www.teleiosministries.com/Gifts-of-Healing.html Free Downloads at www.teleiosministries.com

Amazing Facts. Daily Devotionals Our Full Stature in Christ. July 7th, 2026 Can you predict how tall a child will end up being as an adult? Some people would say, “Sure, just take a look at the parents.” But it’s more complex than that. Several factors are at play, including the growth of other family members, when the child reaches puberty, chronic illnesses that he or she may have had, and nutrition intake. Pediatricians track a child’s height and weight with every checkup so they can plot their growth on a chart and compare it with what is typical for healthy boys and girls. Genes play a large role in determining how tall you will be. Girls start their growth spurt around age 9 to 10, with their fastest growth peaking around age 12. Boys start their growth spurt around age 11 and hit their peak at 13. The Bible describes a transformation that will take place in our bodies at the Second Coming. We are not only justified in Christ and sanctified by the Holy Spirit, but we will be glorified when Jesus returns. Paul describes this: “If the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you” (Romans 8:11). This final redemption is something we can look forward to when Jesus returns. Paul explains, “The earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God” (v. 19). Then he adds, “Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body” (v. 23). While God desires that we keep growing each day, we may be completely perfect now in Christ. Yet our ultimate transformation will take place when Jesus comes again. Until then, we should be careful about our “height,” as Paul warned, “Let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall” (1 Corinthians 10:12). Apply It: How tall are you? How tall do you think you will be in the kingdom of heaven? Dig Deeper: Mark 4:28; 1 Corinthians 15:35–58; Ephesians 4:13 Key Bible Texts Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: (Ephesians 4:13 KJV)

What Must I Do? Written By Karen Woodard They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.” Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his household were baptized. The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God—he and his whole household. Acts 16:30-34 “Why didn’t Paul and Silas run away from the jail when the earthquake opened the doors?” one of the boys in my first grade Kids’ Church class asked me. (I am sometimes astounded how kids can ask such great questions!) I have been thinking about his question in terms of how willing I am to give up my rights and freedom for a greater cause. We all have our personal fears. My family once decided to do an Escape Room, so I went along with the idea, until I realized that not only was I going to be blindfolded but also locked in a cell! I have always been a bit claustrophobic, and so has one of my daughters, so we both asked not to be imprisoned with the others! When I shared about this “jail” experience with my class, we all agreed that none of us would like to be locked up, so as we explored why Paul and Silas stayed, we noted the following truths: The jailer would have killed himself if they would have run away. He had no hope. Denying their desire to escape led to an opportunity to see a whole family saved Paul & Silas were not afraid of being in jail. They sang worship songs during the night, even though they were probably cold and hungry. They didn’t let their personal needs or fears get in the way of God getting the glory! Because they persevered, God worked through them! Their choices and the witness of their lives led the Philippian jailer to ask, “What must I do?” He realized that he had no hope for the future and needed an answer. “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved,” was their reply. So he did! Father God, you know all of my fears. Please help me to release these and choose to focus on how wonderful you are! Let me see others, even in positions of power over me, as needing your love and forgiveness. Don’t let me run away from being your messenger today. Amen. Throughout this day: What are your fears when it comes to telling others about the Good News? Most of us are afraid to share our faith with others, not realizing how desperate their life situation is! While the people in our daily lives are usually not as afraid and suicidal as the jailer was, how motivated are we to see the people around us “filled with joy because of having believed in God”?

Guidelines for Living. July 1st, 2026 Are You Living for Something Worth Dying For? Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. John 15:13 Mable Shaw was one of the first women missionaries sent to Rhodesia by the London missionary Society (now Zimbabwe). In 1915 she reported that as she was about to leave a village of lepers and bicycle home, she was told that a lion was prowling about, and it wasn’t safe for her to go alone. As she prepared to leave, the headman, an aged but venerable man who himself was a victim of leprosy, came out of one of the little houses. She wrote about it, saying, “He held a spear between the stumps that once were hands, and he went hobbling along the path in front of me. I called to him, and he stopped and looked around. “Where are you going?” she asked. “I am going to escort you to Mbereshi village. You can’t go alone with lions about,” he replied, matter-of-factly. “I smiled at him, ‘but on my bicycle I’ll be there in a minute,’ [she said].” The old man would not be persuaded. It was a matter of protection and honor, and he assumed full responsibility for the missionary’s presence. “I looked at him,” she said, “a feeble old man, handless, feet half-eaten, his whole body covered with marks of disease, and his face most pitiful.” Half jesting and with a smile, she said, “Now what could you do if a lion came?” The old man drew himself up and with quiet dignity said, “Have I not a life to give?” She was silenced, but she thought of a cross—the cross upon which Jesus gave His life. She concluded, “I followed him to the village, thanked him, and came home, having met with God face-to-face.” In the Upper Room with the cross looming on the horizon, Jesus said, “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13). There are few individuals like the old headman, a leper himself, who will volunteer, “Have I not a life to give?” While there may be few, there are some—nurses who go beyond the call of duty working with the sick, the infirm and the diseased; doctors who knowingly risk their lives, almost defying the odds of catching the very disease which has felled their patient; researchers who end up with the very bacteria they are striving to isolate and kill; teachers who labor without sufficient salary—often in rural areas, teaching boys and girls, driving back the darkness of ignorance; and a vast army of pastors, missionaries and Christian workers who give their lives, sacrificially, for the cause of Christ. Long ago David confronted a giant whose name was Goliath. When he was challenged why he was willing to take on this monster, possibly and lose his life in the battle, he countered, “Is there not a cause?” (1 Samuel 17:29, KJV). The world will never understand the elite army of men and women who, like the diseased headman in a leprosy village in Africa who was willing to lay down his life for a woman missionary, are willing to be expendable, to burn as a candle giving light in a dark world. A fitting conclusion to today’s commentary is the true account of a visitor to the missionary hospital of ELWA in Monrovia, Liberia. Watching a nurse dress an open wound, the visitor said, with disdain, “I wouldn’t do that for all the money in the world.” Looking up, the missionary nurse replied, “Neither would I!” Thank God there is a motive for sacrifice far beyond the purchasing power of gold and silver. It is motivated by love. People who have that make the world a better place in which to live. Think about it. Resource reading: John 19:28-37