this is me singing with my church choir at a concert we did at my church just recently.

Pilgrims of God

I was wandering the desert
Lost without hope for now I roam
Crushed beneath the pressure
Wanting a place I could call home
I was drowning in my sorrow
Up to my kneck in sin
Looking for somebody
Who I respect- a friend
I was desperate for a treasure
Never bought and can't be sold
But stuck inside a prison
And the devil had a hold
I couldn't see my way out
And I was just about to fold
Till then heard of a savior
Who purchased every soul
He promised life in heaven
I knew I could not say no
Many of us were called there
Only a few of us would go
I left behind the old life
And stepped into the light
The darkness wasnt happy
so it scuffled and tried to fight
I held onto the rugged cross
Grappled to it with all my might
Took a little bit of time
And the darkness left my sight
I passed up all the lost souls
I tried to grab them if I could
I talked about the gospel
As I knew a Christian should
I saw them as did Jesus
In the valley on a slope
Up top of God's mountain
I tossed down to them a rope
The flames of hell roared higher
Nearly devoured some to nought
I rejoiced to all the heavens
About the few of them I caught
The angels played a trumpet
A couple instruments with strings
I heard the choir bellow
Out a hymnal they did sing
See heaven is the treasure
The Holy Ghost bestow a ring
Some claimed to know all mysteries
yet still slow to know a thing
And didnt know the calling
So quickly fell from Grace
Dont buy into this life of sin
Nor after riches niether chase
Dont forfeit to hell your precious soul
For if so your life you waste
Just call out now to Jesus
Bow your head and seek his face
He loves you very much
This world is but a bitter taste
see Jesus is enough
He knows your every hurt....
And carries all your sorrow
Ask for His safety here and now
For you may not see tomorrow
Listen to the preachers words
Of life beyond the veil
Take heed to travel down this path
Forsake the broken trail
And you will live in glory of the Father
you should know
That Jesus has a plan for you
And your eternal soul

By Clifton Wagner
Gospel Poetry Foundation

LOST IN THE CHURCH

[GETTING LOST IN CHURCH]

Part Four

Keeping the Law

No one will enter Heaven by keeping the Law. For no one can keep all the Law without stumbling even in one point. And whenever you break one law, you have broken all of it.

Essentially, the Law was not given to the world to save people. It was given to reveal the sin that exists in the hearts of human beings and then show them that humanity needs a Savior—Jesus Christ!

So, it is strange that Jesus has come, yet people have refused to go to Him and instead have gone back to the Law.

If the Law could save, then what was the purpose of Jesus dying on the cross? It would have been enough simply to send the Law into the world, and it would have accomplished everything.

My brothers and sisters, sin is not merely an action; sin is a condition of the heart.

For example, when someone steals, people immediately judge the action. But they may fail to understand that the action has only revealed the sin that already existed within that person's heart. Therefore, before God, that person is a thief even before the actual act of stealing, because God looks at the heart.

For instance, if you give a person a law that says, “Do not steal,” and that law succeeds in preventing him from stealing 100% of the time, you have only succeeded in controlling his body from expressing sin outwardly. You have not removed the sin from his heart.

Therefore, at its very best, the Law cannot make a person's heart pure. And Scripture clearly says that no one will see God without a pure heart. Matthew 5:8

Therefore, anyone who approaches the Law in order to become holy has been seriously deceived. I compare such a person to someone who goes to a traditional healer to have a demon removed. What the healer may do is not remove the demon but merely suppress it—controlling it so that it does not cause trouble while it remains inside.

Jesus alone is able to transform you when you come to Him. He can change your very nature.

My brothers and sisters, the Lord did not come into the world looking for good people, perfect people, people who never sin, or people who are capable of perfectly keeping the Law. He came looking for people who recognize their need for His help, who will believe in Him, and above all, who will love Him.

Keeping the Law Under the New Covenant

Whenever people hear about keeping the Law, the first thing that often comes to mind is the Old Covenant and certain churches that emphasize the Law.

Because they consider themselves churches of salvation, they may think this message does not apply to them.

But from the perspective of “Getting Lost in Church,” this message may actually apply even more to spiritual churches than to others.

There is a great danger in reading the New Covenant through the mindset of the Old Covenant.

Someone may think that perhaps praying for a long time, fasting frequently, or performing many religious activities will make God accept them.

Someone may think that because they attend church every day, do not commit adultery, do not lie, give generously to God, help the needy, serve in church, sing in the choir, preach, or have a good relationship with the pastor, they will automatically be allowed into Heaven on the last day.

Many people in church have been deceived by these things. They even look down on others because they believe they themselves are safe.

Now, I am not saying that doing these things is wrong or unnecessary. Not at all.

Rather, a person should do these things after they have already encountered the Lord.

Keeping the Law without encountering the Lord or being born again is an insult to the cross of Calvary.

If someone could enter Heaven simply by doing all these things, then why did Jesus have to die on the cross?

So, salvation is not primarily about what we have done, but about what the Lord Jesus has already done on the cross.

Outside the cross of Jesus, there is no true love, no holiness, no righteousness, no relationship with God, no Christianity, and no salvation.

Therefore, when we look at the cross with grateful hearts and connect it to everything we do, we enter into His love and develop a relationship with Him.

And we know that the life of every relationship is communication.

Without communication, there can be no genuine love or meaningful relationship.

Have you ever had a relationship with someone you love who was far away from you, while the two of you stopped communicating?

Even in English, we say:

“The more the communication, the stronger the relationship—and vice versa.”

This means that the degree to which a person hears from God and communicates with Him determines the closeness of that person's relationship with God.

For the Word says:

“My sheep hear my voice.”
John 10:27

#ToBeContinued...

Sir. Ernest Nyalula

LostInTheChurch
#JesusChrist
#GraceNotWorks
#TheCrossOfChrist
#NewCovenant
#SalvationByGrace
#BornAgain
#ChristianTruth
#BiblicalTruth
#KnowTheWord
#FaithInChrist
#KingdomOfGod
#LordBook
#Christianity
#SpiritualGrowth

WATCH YOUR MOUTH: WHEN YOUR WORDS REVEAL YOUR HEART!

Key Scripture
“Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.” — James 3:10 (KJV)

Thought of the Day...
There is tremendous power in the words we speak.
With our mouths, we praise God. We pray for the sick. We encourage the discouraged. We preach the gospel. We tell people that Jesus saves. We sing songs of worship and declare the goodness of God.
Yet James confronts us with an uncomfortable truth: the same mouth that blesses God can also become a weapon that wounds people.
We can shout “Hallelujah!” on Sunday and tear somebody down on Monday.
We can quote Scripture and still gossip.
We can pray for people publicly and speak evil about them privately.
We can proclaim the love of Jesus while harboring hatred, prejudice, racism, bitterness, resentment, or unforgiveness toward people created in the image of God.
James says:
“My brethren, these things ought not so to be.” — James 3:10
In other words, something is wrong when our confession and our conversation contradict each other.
WHAT IS IN THE HEART WILL EVENTUALLY COME OUT OF THE MOUTH
Jesus said:
“For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.” — Matthew 12:34 (KJV)
Our words are more than sounds—they are often windows into the condition of our hearts.
If bitterness continually comes from our mouths, we need to examine what is growing in our hearts.
If hatred comes from our mouths, we need to examine our hearts.
If racism, prejudice, degrading jokes, insults, gossip, slander, or cruelty continually come from our mouths, we cannot simply excuse it by saying, “That’s just how I talk.”
Jesus teaches that our speech reveals something deeper.
Sometimes we ask God to control our tongues when God is trying to transform our hearts.
Because if God changes the heart, eventually the conversation will change.
David prayed:
“Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.” — Psalm 51:10 (KJV)
We don't merely need better vocabulary.
We need transformed hearts.
FRESH WATER AND BITTER WATER SHOULD NOT COME FROM THE SAME SOURCE
James continues:
“Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter?” — James 3:11 (KJV)
James uses a simple picture with a powerful message.
You wouldn't expect to approach a freshwater spring, take one drink and receive clean water, then take another drink and receive poison.
Yet spiritually, that contradiction can happen with our mouths.
One moment:
“God is good!”
The next moment:
“I hate those people.”
One moment:
“Jesus loves everybody.”
The next moment, we speak contemptuously about someone because of their race, background, nationality, social status, political differences, neighborhood, education, or past.
James challenges us: How can blessing and cursing continually flow from the same source?
The gospel does not merely change where we go on Sunday.
The gospel changes who we are.
And when Christ changes who we are, He should also change how we speak and how we treat people.
YOU CANNOT CLAIM LIGHT WHILE PRACTICING HATRED
The Apostle John writes:
“He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now.” — 1 John 2:9 (KJV)
That Scripture should cause every believer to examine themselves.
Christianity is not merely what we say we believe.
It must become visible in how we live.
Church attendance cannot substitute for transformation.
A title cannot substitute for transformation.
Preaching cannot substitute for transformation.
Singing in the choir cannot substitute for transformation.
Knowing Scripture cannot substitute for transformation.
Jesus said:
“By their fruits ye shall know them.” — Matthew 7:20 (KJV)
And Paul tells us what Spirit-produced fruit looks like:
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance...” — Galatians 5:22-23 (KJV)
The question becomes:
What kind of fruit is hanging from my life?
RACISM AND PREJUDICE HAVE NO PLACE IN A CHRIST-SURRENDERED HEART
Racism and prejudice contradict the reconciling work of Jesus Christ.
Scripture teaches that Christ:
“...hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us.” — Ephesians 2:14 (KJV)
Jesus came tearing down walls that sin had built.
Therefore, believers should not rebuild walls that Christ died to destroy.
We cannot preach reconciliation while practicing division.
We cannot celebrate grace for ourselves while denying dignity to others.
We cannot ask God to judge people according to their skin while asking Him to judge us according to His mercy.
At the foot of the cross, nobody has room to boast.
We all needed the same Savior.
We all needed the same blood.
We all needed the same grace.
We all needed the same forgiveness.
And everyone who comes to Jesus must come the same way—by grace through faith.
BUT THERE IS ALSO A DANGER IN SILENCE
Our responsibility goes beyond refusing to participate in hatred ourselves.
There are moments when love requires us to speak.
Paul tells believers:
“But speaking the truth in love...” — Ephesians 4:15 (KJV)
Notice both sides.
Truth.
And love.
Truth without love can become cruelty.
Love without truth can become compromise.
Biblical courage requires both.
When hatred, racism, prejudice, or dehumanizing speech appears around us, believers should not laugh along simply because everyone else is laughing.
We should not forward it.
We should not encourage it.
We should not excuse it because the person saying it is our friend, relative, coworker, church member, favorite celebrity, or someone whose views we otherwise share.
There are moments when following Jesus means having enough courage to say:
“That's wrong.”
Not arrogantly.
Not hatefully.
Not self-righteously.
But truthfully and lovingly.
Because silence can sometimes communicate agreement where there should have been a godly witness.
THE REAL QUESTION IS: DOES MY LIFE MATCH MY CONFESSION?
It is easy to examine everybody else's words.
But today's devotional isn't primarily about their mouth.
It's about mine.
Before pointing at someone else, I need to ask God:
Lord, what is coming out of me?
Do my private conversations sound like Jesus?
Do my social media posts sound like Jesus?
Do my jokes sound like Jesus?
Do my comments about people who are different from me sound like Jesus?
Do I speak differently when certain people leave the room?
Would I be comfortable if Jesus physically sat beside me and listened to everything I said this week?
That's where conviction becomes personal.
David prayed:
“Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.” — Psalm 19:14 (KJV)
Notice that David didn't pray only about his mouth.
He prayed about his heart.
Because God knows that if He transforms what is happening inside of us, it will eventually transform what comes out of us.
TODAY'S CHALLENGE: WATCH YOUR MOUTH—AND CHECK YOUR HEART
Before you speak today, ask yourself:
Does this glorify God?
Is it true?
Is it necessary?
Will it build someone up or unnecessarily tear someone down?
Does this reflect the character of Jesus Christ?
Would I say this if Jesus were visibly standing beside me?
And when you fail—and all of us stumble in our words—don't excuse it.
Repent.
Ask forgiveness.
Make it right when necessary.
And allow the Holy Spirit to continue transforming you.
Because spiritual maturity is not demonstrated only by how loudly we praise God.
Sometimes it is demonstrated by knowing when to speak, what to speak, how to speak, and when to remain quiet.
May our mouths never become instruments of hatred while claiming to represent the God of love.
May our words never become weapons of destruction while claiming to follow the Prince of Peace.
May the same mouths that proclaim Jesus also demonstrate His character.
Because somebody is listening.
Somebody is watching.
And somebody may form an opinion about the Christ we profess by the way we speak to and about others.
If Jesus lives in our hearts, eventually Jesus ought to show up in our words.

CALL TO ACTION...
• Examine your speech. Ask yourself whether your words consistently bless, encourage, heal, and glorify God—or whether they carry bitterness, gossip, prejudice, anger, or poison.
• Examine your heart. Ask the Holy Spirit to expose hidden prejudice, resentment, unforgiveness, pride, or hatred that may be influencing your words.
• Repent quickly. When God convicts you about something you have said, don't justify it. Confess it, turn from it, and make amends when appropriate.
• Refuse to participate in hatred. Don't laugh at it, share it, forward it, encourage it, or quietly help normalize it.
• Speak truth in love. When circumstances require you to take a stand, have the courage to do so without becoming hateful yourself.
• Walk in the Spirit daily. Ask God to make your speech evidence that Jesus Christ truly rules your heart.

PRAYER...
Heavenly Father, in the mighty name of Jesus, I come before You asking You to search me completely.
Your Word declares, “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts”(Psalm 139:23). Lord, shine Your light into every hidden place within me.
If there is bitterness in me, expose it.
If there is hatred in me, remove it.
If there is prejudice in me, confront it.
If there is racism in me, uproot it.
If there is unforgiveness in me, help me release it.
If there is pride in me, humble me.
If there is anything in my heart that does not look like Jesus, Lord, change me.
Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.
Father, forgive me for every careless word I have spoken. Forgive me for words spoken in anger, words spoken out of pride, gossip, slander, insults, degrading jokes, prejudice, and anything else that dishonored You or wounded someone made in Your image.
And Lord, forgive me for those moments when I should have spoken truth in love but remained silent because I was afraid of rejection, confrontation, or discomfort.
Teach me when to speak and when to remain silent.
Teach me how to speak truth without hatred.
Teach me how to disagree without dishonoring.
Teach me how to correct without condemning.
Teach me how to stand boldly without losing the character of Christ.
Father, place a guard over my mouth.
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer.
Holy Spirit, fill me until Your fruit overflows through my life—love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance.
Lord Jesus, make me an instrument of reconciliation in a divided world.
Where hatred has built walls, use me to demonstrate love.
Where racism has caused wounds, use me to promote healing.
Where prejudice has created division, use me to demonstrate the reconciling power of the gospel.
Where lies are being spoken, give me courage to stand for truth.
But Father, never allow me to fight hatred with hatred.
Never allow me to confront darkness while becoming dark myself.
Let me overcome evil with good.
I pray for every person who has been wounded by racism, prejudice, discrimination, hateful speech, rejection, or degrading treatment. Father, heal the places nobody else can see. Restore what hatred tried to steal. Remind them that their worth is not determined by another person's prejudice but by the God who created them in His image.
And Lord, I pray for those whose hearts have been consumed by hatred. Convict them. Break the chains of prejudice. Open blinded eyes. Bring them to genuine repentance and allow them to encounter the transforming grace of Jesus Christ.
And Father, start with me.
Before I examine somebody else's mouth, help me examine mine.
Before I judge somebody else's heart, search mine.
Before I demand change from somebody else, show me where I need to change.
I surrender my heart, my mind, my attitude, my conversations, my social media, my private words, and my public words to You.
From this day forward, let my mouth be used as an instrument of Your glory.
May I bless and not curse.
Build up and not tear down.
Heal and not wound.
Encourage and not discourage.
Speak truth and reject lies.
Promote reconciliation and not division.
And above everything else, may my words cause people to see Jesus Christ living in me.

I declare:
My mouth belongs to God.
My words belong to God.
My heart belongs to God.
And by the power of the Holy Spirit, I will strive to make sure that what comes out of my mouth agrees with the Christ I claim lives within my heart.
In the mighty, matchless, saving, transforming, and powerful name of Jesus Christ, I pray.
Amen and Amen!

Final Thought...
Don't just ask God to change your vocabulary—ask Him to change your heart. Because when Jesus truly transforms the heart, eventually the mouth will testify that something on the inside has changed.
“Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.” — James 3:10 (KJV)

OPEN HEAVEN DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DATE: THURSDAY AUGUST 6TH 2026

THEME: NOT BY MIGHT

MEMORISE: Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.
Zechariah 4:6

READ: Ecclesiastes 9:11-12
11 I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all.

12 For man also knoweth not his time: as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare; so are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them.


MESSAGE

What a person will become during his or her sojourn on earth will not depend solely on the fellow's efforts. African elders have an adage that says, Hustling and bustling does not translate to wealth. This is true because, for instance, dockworkers who offload cargo from a ship from sunrise to sunset typically would earn only a fraction of what the Chief Executive Officer of a wharf, who sits in an air- conditioned office, sipping tea and merely signing documents, would earn. At the end of a month, the fellow's salary might even be more than what a hefty, hardworking dockworker will earn in a whole year!

Today's Bible reading makes it clear that the fact that a fellow can run swiftly does not mean that he or she will win a race, and the fact that a fellow is strong does not mean that he or she will defeat an enemy. The passage goes on to say that bread is not to the wise, neither are riches to men of understanding. This means that a fellow's advanced level of education alone will not determine how wealthy he or she will become.

I recall that I was in Redemption Camp (now Redemption City) sometime between 1983 and 1984, spending time alone with God, and crying to Him. I said, "God, I'm not asking for clothes, a car, or a house. I was minding my business as a lecturer at the university when You asked me to come and serve You. I agreed, and I really want to serve You; however, I need power to do Your work. I don't want to be an ordinary pastor; I want to excel." In desperation, I added, "God, it is either You empower me, or You take me home." My prayer touched Him, and that night, the entire campground shook due to an earthquake that sent tremors as far as ljebu Ode, a town several kilometres away. The Lord visited me and empowered me with His anointing to excel.

Beloved, you need God's anointing to excel. It is God who gives power to get wealth (Deuteronomy 8:18), it is only His anointing that can teach you everything you need to now (1 John 2:27), and it is only through Him that you can do all things (Philippians 4:13). This is why you must cry out to God to anoint you just as I did several years ago. I pray that my Daddy will empower you to excel, in Jesus' name.

PRAYER POINT
Dear Lord, please visit me and empower me to excel, in Jesus ‘name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Jeremiah 9-11

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A ADEBOYE

HYMN 1: ALL HAIL THE POWER OF JESUS NAME

1. All hail the power of Jesus' Name!
Let angels prostrate fall;
Bring forth the royal diadem,
and crown Him Lord of all.
Bring forth the royal diadem,
and crown Him Lord of all.

2. Let highborn seraphs tune the lyre,
and as they tune it, fall
Before His face Who tunes their choir,
and crown Him Lord of all.
Before His face Who tunes their choir,
and crown Him Lord of all.

3. Crown Him, ye morning stars of light,
Who fixed this floating bail;
Now hail the strength of Israel's might,
and crown Him Lord of all.
Now hail the strength of Israel's might,
and crown Him Lord of all.

4. Crown Him, ye martyrs of your God,
who from His altar call;
Extol the Stem of Jesse's Rod,
and crown Him Lord of all.
Extol the Stem of Jesse's Rod,
and crown Him Lord of all.

5. Ye seed of Israel's chosen race,
ye ransomed from the fall,
Hail Him Who saves you by His grace,
and crown Him Lord of all.
Hail Him Who saves you by His grace,
and crown Him Lord of all.

6. Hail Him, ye heirs of David's line,
Whom David Lord did call,
The God incarnate, Man divine,
and crown Him Lord of all,
The God incarnate, Man divine,
and crown Him Lord of all.

7. Sinners, whose love can ne'er forget
the wormwood and the gall,
Go spread your trophies at His feet,
and crown Him Lord of all.
Go spread your trophies at His feet,
and crown Him Lord of all.

8. Let every tribe and every tongue
before Him prostrate fall
And shout in universal song
the crownèd Lord of all.
And shout in universal song
the crowned Lord of all



PRAYER POINTS ON TODAY'S OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL.
Thursday 6th August 2026

NOT BY MIGHT
‎
‎PRAYER POINTS
1.Ancient of Days, I worship and adore You for creating me in Your image and likeness. Thank You for being my strength and my help, thank You for taking care of my weaknesses.

2.Helper of the helpless, You are my Present-help, please help me to succeed in my sojourn here on earth, in Jesus' name.

3.Father, please bless the labour of my hands, and let my hardwork yield much more blessings for me and my household, in Jesus' name.

4.Father, please help me to win the race of life, and strengthen me to win the battles thereof. Grant me wisdom and understanding to get wealth, in Jesus' name.

5.Father, I don't want to be ordinary please, empower me to excel in every area of my life endeavors, in Jesus' name.

6.Father, please visit me today and empower me with Your anointing to excel, in Jesus' name.

7.Father, please let Your anointing abide in me, and teach me all that I need to know so I can be empowered to do all things, in Jesus' name.

8.Father, please I depend on You for help and strength, please flood my life with Your joy and let me prevail over sorrows and sadness, in Jesus' name.

9.Father, please by Your Spirit, help me to become what You have created and destined me to be in life, in Jesus' name.

10.Dear Lord, please visit me and every member of my family and local assembly, and empower us to excel, in Jesus' name.

11.Father, thank You for the life of Your son, Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye.
‎
Let Your anointing be on the increase in His life, in Jesus' name. Bless his children (biological and spiritual). Help him to continue to produce sons and daughters to Your glory, in Jesus name
‎
‎12.Father, please bless Your son that You have been using to prepare these prayer points, with wisdom and favour. Answer all his prayers beyond measure, and all those who have been broadcasting them, in Jesus' name.
‎
‎13.Father, please let every challenge and temptations, hindrance and obstacles of getting these prayer points across to Your children, timely, and on daily basis be removed, in Jesus name.
‎
‎14.Your personal petitions.
‎(Philippians 4:6)
‎
‎15.In Jesus name I pray.
‎(John 14:13-14; 15:16)
‎
‎#Godblessournation

‎These prayers have no expiry dates! Please, pray them, irrespective of the time they get to you. Remain blessed, in Jesus name.
‎

Life Of Charles G. Finney.
By
Aaron Merritt Hills

Part 1 - B

SENT OF GOD

Charles Finney found the old authors in his law books frequently quoting from the Scriptures. This excited his curiosity so much that he purchased a Bible, the first that he had ever owned, and hunted up every passage referred to. This led to careful reading and much meditation upon the Sacred Word. Here follow two facts that are profoundly important to all Churches and Christians, and especially to all who would ever be successful soul-winners. His pastor's name was Rev. George W. Gale, a graduate of Princeton College and Theological Seminary. His theology was hyper-Calvinistic and not yhe genui e Calvinism taught in Princeton at that time. Gale believed that man’s nature was so totally sinful that he was utterly incapable of any good; the will was incapable of a right choice; the soul was utterly passive in regeneration; ''there was no adaptation in the gospel to change his nature, and consequently no connection in religion between means and ends.”

"This Brother Gale sternly held; and consequently, in his preaching, he never seemed to expect, nor did he even aim at converting anybody by any sermon that I ever heard him preach. And yet he was an able preacher, as preaching was then estimated. The fact is, these dogmas were a perfect strait-jacket to him. If he preached repentance, he must be sure, before he sat down, to leave the impression on his people that they could not repent. If he called them to believe, he must be sure to inform them that, until their nature was changed by the Holy Spirit, faith was impossible to them. And so his orthodoxy was a perfect snare to himself and to his hearers." (Memoirs of C. G. Finney, pp. 59, 60.)

The pastor was in the habit of dropping into the
young lawyer’s office to see what impression his sermons had made on the lawyer’s mind. Finney was at this time leader of his choir, and of course their relations were familiar. With the keen, subtle, intellectual acumen which characterized him and a frankness bordering on to impolite bluntness, and probably with a touch of cynical irreverence, the lawyer satisfied the minister’s curiosity completely; for fifty years afterward he wrote: 'I now think that I criticised his sermons unmercifully. . . . Indeed, I found it impossible to attach any meaning to the terms which he used with great formality and frequency. What did he mean by repentance? Was it a mere feeling of sorrow for sin? Was it altogether a passive state of mind, or did it involve a voluntary element? If it was a change of mind, in what sense was it a change of mind? What did he mean by the term 'regeneration?’

What did such language mean when applied to a spiritual change? What did he mean by faith? Was it merely an intellectual state? Was it merely a conviction or persuasion that the things stated in the gospel were true? What did he mean by sanctification? Did it involve any physical change in the subject, or any physical influence on the part of God? I could not tell; neither did he seem to know himself. I sometimes told him that he seemed to begin in the middle of his discourse, and to assume many things which, to my mind, needed to be proved. I must say, I was rather perplexed than edified by his preaching.”
(Memoirs, pp. 7, 8.)

As one reads such words, one can not help wondering how many ministers now are as vague and misty as was Rev. Gale, and how many multitudes are still sitting in the pews and wondering what the ministers are talking about. Neither can one help reflecting that, with such a theology prevailing, it is little wonder that infidelity was widespread at the beginning of the century, and revivals were few, with seldom a conversion, and that only one in fourteen of the population of this country was even a professor of religion!

Everybody was told that they were absolutely helpless, and could do nothing to secure their own repentance or conversion; and they generally believed it. With one accord they were idly waiting, in imaginary helplessness, for a sovereign God to enable them to repent and believe; and thus whole generations were sweeping into hell. What appalling results can flow from a false theology!

The other striking fact was this: Finney read a great deal in his Bible about prayer and answers to
prayer and prayer promises; and yet he continually heard people pray for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, and as often confess that they did not receive what they asked for. He heard them exhort each other to wake up and be engaged and pray earnestly for a revival of religion, professing that, if they were in earnest, they would have a revival, and the impenitent would be converted; but they would as continually bemoan their coldness and complain that they were making no progress. He says : '"This inconsistency, the fact that they prayed so much and were not answered, was a sad stumbling-block to me.'' ‘'On one occasion, when I was in one of the prayer-meetings, I was asked if I did not desire that they should pray for me. I told them, ‘No,' because I did not see that God answered their prayers. I said: ‘I suppose that I need to be prayed for—for I am conscious that I am a sinner—but I do not see that it will do any good for you to pray for me; for you are continually asking, but do not receive. You have been praying for a revival of religion ever since I have been in Adams [three years], and yet you have it not. You have prayed enough since I have attended these meetings to have prayed the devil out of Adams, if there is any virtue in your prayers. But here you are, praying on and complaining still.' " (Memoirs, p. 10.)

Some young people proposed to pray for Finney, among them the noble young woman who afterward became his wife. But the hopeless pastor remarked that it would do no good; he did not believe that Finney would ever be converted, since he had already sinned against so much light that his heart was hopelessly hardened! And what was the more, the choir was so much under Finney's influence that it was doubtful if they would ever be converted while their leader remained in Adams.

Fortunately for the kingdom of God, some one had more faith than the pastor, and laid hold of God for Finney’s conversion. To use his own words, he became 'Very restless.” A little reflection showed him that he was by no means in a state of mind to go to heaven, if he should die. He began to feel that there was something in religion of infinite importance, and that, if the soul was immortal, he needed a great change to be prepared for happiness in heaven. The great soul was approaching his Bethel: he was standing face to face with God, and confronting the decisive question whether he would accept Christ as presented in the gospel, or pursue a worldly course of life. Prayers were being answered at last; for God had his hook in Finney’s jaw, and was pulling with the mighty cord of Infinite Love.

The Story Behind the Hymns.
THE STORY BEHIND "COME CHRISTIANS JOIN TO SING"

Come, Christians, Join to Sing is one of the Church's most joyful hymns of praise, inviting believers everywhere to unite their voices in worship. Though simple in language and melody, it has become a beloved congregational hymn across many Christian traditions.

The words were written in 1843 by Christian Henry Bateman (1813–1889), an English minister in the Moravian Church. Bateman originally titled the hymn Come, Children, Join to Sing and wrote it for young worshippers, encouraging them to praise God together with glad hearts. As the hymn gained popularity, the opening line was changed to Come, Christians, Join to Sing, making it suitable for congregations of all ages.

The hymn first appeared in Bateman's collection Sacred Melodies for Children and quickly spread beyond Moravian circles. Its message of united praise resonated with churches across Britain and later around the world.

The familiar tune associated with the hymn was arranged and published by Henri Abraham César Malan (1787–1864), a Swiss pastor, theologian, and hymn composer. His bright, uplifting melody perfectly complements Bateman's words, making the hymn easy for congregations to sing with enthusiasm.

One of the hymn's most memorable features is the repeated cry of "Alleluia! Amen!" at the end of each stanza. "Alleluia" is a universal expression of praise to God, while "Amen" means "so be it" or "truly." Together, they reinforce the hymn's central message: believers are called to glorify God with one voice, rejoicing in His love, grace, and eternal reign.

For more than 180 years, Come, Christians, Join to Sing has been sung at worship services, choir festivals, thanksgiving celebrations, and special church occasions. Its enduring popularity reminds Christians that praise is not merely an individual act but a joyful expression of the unity of God's people.

‎Chapter Three: The Great Self-Deception Bake-Off: How to Frost a Lie and Call It Prophecy
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‎“The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?” — Jeremiah 17:9
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‎Now, that is not a verse you’d want embroidered on a throw pillow. The prophet Jeremiah, who was never invited to many parties, drops this bombshell with the casualness of someone announcing the weather. Your heart—that warm, fuzzy center of emotion you've been taught to "follow" like a GPS—is, in fact, a pathological liar with a doctorate in spin. It is not just occasionally mistaken; it is deceitful above all things. Above a used chariot salesman. Above a politician promising lower taxes. Above a toddler with chocolate on his face insisting he did not eat the cake. Your heart is the most brilliant con artist you will ever meet, and it lives inside your chest, rent-free, forging your signature on checks you didn't even know you had.
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‎And yet, we treat this internal fraudster as if it were the Holy Spirit's personal secretary. "The heart wants what it wants," we sigh, as if that's a profundity and not the battle cry of every disastrous decision since Eve looked at a piece of fruit and thought, "That looks like a good idea, and I feel strongly that it's fine."
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‎Let's talk about what's actually happening when you feel something so intensely that it must be true. You are not receiving a divine download. You are attending the Great Self-Deception Bake-Off, a competition where your own mind whips up a three-tiered cake of false reality, frosts it with emotion, and then serves it to you on a silver platter while a tiny voice in your head screams, "Bon appétit! This is definitely from God!"
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‎The recipe is deceptively simple. You take one genuine fact—a real hurt, a legitimate desire, a valid frustration—and you place it on the counter. So far, so good. This is the flour. But then, instead of following a sane recipe, you hand the kitchen over to a crew of sous-chefs named Assumption, Projection, and Catastrophic Thinking. Assumption dumps in an entire bag of "I know what they were thinking." Projection adds a heaping cup of "This is just like that time in 2007." And Catastrophic Thinking, wearing a chef's hat made of old newspapers, throws in a gallon of "This will never get better and I will die alone and my funeral will be sparsely attended." Mix thoroughly. Bake in the oven of rumination at 400 degrees of anxiety. Frost with a thick layer of righteous indignation or self-pity, depending on your preferred flavor profile. And there you have it: a magnificent, towering cake of Illusion à la Mode, garnished with a sprig of "I'm pretty sure God told me."
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‎You sit down, take a bite, and the flavors explode. The anger tastes like power. The self-pity tastes like a warm hug from yourself. The lust tastes like a preview of heaven that is, in fact, a timeshare presentation for hell. And because the flavor is so intense, so vivid, so consuming, you conclude that the cake must be true. "I feel this strongly, therefore it is valid. God gave me taste buds, didn't He? This is confirmation." And you go back for a second slice, and a third, until you're lying on the floor in a sugar coma of self-deception, wondering why your life has turned into a cautionary tale.
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‎The Apostle James, who had clearly witnessed a few bake-offs in his day, described the process with surgical precision: "Each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death." (James 1:14-15). Did you catch that? Desire conceives. It has a baby. And the baby is sin, and when that baby grows up, it becomes death. The whole thing starts with a tiny little desire—a spark, a wisp, a passing thought—and if you midwife it with enough emotional intensity, it eventually births a full-grown monster that eats your life. James is essentially saying, "Your feelings are not a prophet; they are a maternity ward for disaster." And you, my friend, are the one pushing.
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‎But here's where the comedy curdles into something so absurd you have to laugh or you'll cry: we then take that monster baby, dress it in a little suit of Bible verses, and present it to the world as a word from the Lord. "God is leading me to leave this church," we declare, when in fact the pastor's sermon stepped on our toes and we felt convicted, but conviction feels uncomfortable, so we rebranded the discomfort as "discernment." "The Lord is telling me to speak truth into this situation," we announce, right before we unleash a torrent of unsolicited criticism that burns down a friendship, and we walk away feeling like Jeremiah at the gate, when in fact we were just a jerk with a vocabulary.
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‎Imagine a man who eats an entire extra-large pizza with extra garlic and anchovies, followed by a milkshake, right before bed. He falls into a fitful sleep, and in the depths of the night, his stomach begins to churn and boil like a cauldron in a witch's kitchen. A dream arises—a wild, vivid, Technicolor dream full of dragons, floods, and talking donkeys. He wakes up in a cold sweat, clutching his abdomen, and gasps, "A vision! A prophetic vision! God is warning me of impending doom and possibly a dietary restriction!" He immediately texts his prayer group: "Urgent: I believe the Lord is calling us to a season of fasting and apocalyptic readiness. I saw a donkey and a flood. Repent!" The prayer group, equally susceptible to the Bake-Off, responds with fire emojis and "Amen, brother, I felt a shift." Meanwhile, the real prophecy was the anchovies, and the only shift needed was in his late-night eating habits. The man has mistaken his gastric distress for divine revelation. And before you laugh too hard, ask yourself: how many of your "leadings" were just spiritual indigestion? How many of your "words from God" were just the echo of your own anxieties bouncing around an empty room, dressed in a robe and sandals?
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‎The internal bake-off is fueled by a simple, terrible engine: the illusion that intensity equals authenticity. If I feel it hotly, it must be holy. This is the spiritual equivalent of mistaking a car alarm for an angelic choir. The car alarm is loud, it demands attention, it rattles the windows—but it's not a herald of the Second Coming. It's just a malfunctioning sensor on a Toyota Camry. Your emotions are the Camry. The alarm is going off. And you're on your knees in the parking lot, weeping, "Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening," while a security guard taps you on the shoulder and says, "Sir, that's just your own panic. Also, your lights are on."
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Hello, I would like to share with you the message from 31 juillet 2026 from “The Good Seed” daily calendar.


Come to Me, all you who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28)

The master’s invitation
Yehudi Menuhin (1916-1999) was a legend from the beginning. And his fame as a violinist grew from year to year because he caressed the musical soul of his audience. When he performed in Warsaw for the first time in 1956, the rebuilt National Philharmonic where he gave his concert was completely full. People even overflowed along the walls and into the corridors of the building.
 Menuhin stepped onto the stage, which could accommodate a large symphony orchestra and an even larger choir. Now it was empty because solo sonatas were on the program. There was a hearty round of applause. Then it was silent. Menuhin raised the violin … everyone held their breath … he lowered it again. Then he waved the bow to the people standing along the walls and in the corridors, inviting them to come up to the stage and sit around him on the floor. They followed hesitantly at first, then more and more. Eventually, hundreds of people were sitting there – looking up at the man in their midst.
 When the Lord Jesus Christ lived, He also didn’t keep people at a distance. He took children in His arms and saved Peter from the water by taking hold of his hand. He gave the invitation again and again: “Come to me”! But today, people keep their distance from Him: they don’t read the gospels, which are well researched or even eyewitness accounts, and they don’t speak to Him in prayer. Yet, He still invites today: “Come to Me”! Why do people decline His invitation?
 Back then in Warsaw, Menuhin invited people to come closer. And they came, saw and listened. People today have no idea what they are missing if they keep their distance from the Lord Jesus.

Today’s reading: Joshua 7:16-26 – 1 Corinthians 6:1-11

Watch angelic harmonies and spiritual soundscapes come alive through synchronized MIDI art and worship-inspired visuals.
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