Let's talk about it. DYING AND GOING STRAIGHT TO HEAVEN IS A FALSE DOCTRINE The Bible does not teach that the dead immediately go to heaven as conscious spirits. When Lazarus died, Jesus said plainly: “Our friend Lazarus sleepeth.” — John 11:11 And Martha said: “I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” — John 11:24 She did not say Lazarus was already alive in heaven. She understood that his hope was the resurrection. Scripture repeatedly describes death as a sleep: “The dead know not any thing.” — Ecclesiastes 9:5 “His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish.” — Psalm 146:4 The Christian hope is not an immortal soul leaving the body at death. It is the resurrection when Christ returns. “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven... and the dead in Christ shall rise first.” — 1 Thessalonians 4:16 The teaching that the dead remain consciously alive opens the door to one of Satan’s oldest deceptions — the claim that human beings do not truly die. “Ye shall not surely die.” — Genesis 3:4 Once people believe the dead are conscious and able to communicate, they become vulnerable to spiritualism — apparitions, supposed messages from the dead, and deceptive supernatural manifestations. Scripture warns that powerful spiritual deceptions will occur in the last days. “For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders...” — Matthew 24:24 God’s Word gives the safeguard: The dead are unconscious. They do not communicate with the living. They await the resurrection. Our hope is not in supposed spirits of the dead. Our hope is in Jesus Christ and the resurrection at His coming.

Daily Bible Lesson. THE DANGER OF A HALF GOSPEL "For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God." — Acts 20:27 (KJV) There is a burden on my heart that I cannot remain silent about. The greatest deception in Christianity is not always an outright denial of Christ—it is the preaching of another gospel that leaves out the whole counsel of God. A gospel that emphasizes only what people want to hear while neglecting what God has commanded is not the gospel entrusted to the apostles. Many today preach messages such as: - "Any day is your Sabbath." - "Christ is our Sabbath, so the seventh-day Sabbath no longer matters." - "We are no longer under the law." - "The Ten Commandments are no longer binding." - "The Ten Commandments were only for the Jews." - "Since we are under the New Covenant, God's law no longer matters." - "Grace means obedience is optional." These teachings often comfort people in their sins instead of calling them to repentance, faith, and obedience. They present a Christ who saves from the penalty of sin while ignoring that He also saves from the power of sin. Jesus Himself said: «"If ye love me, keep my commandments." — John 14:15» The apostle Paul declared: «"Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law." — Romans 3:31» Grace is never a license to continue in disobedience. «"For the grace of God that bringeth salvation... teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world." — Titus 2:11–12» The true gospel is far more than prosperity, miracles, healing, or motivational speeches. Those things may have their place, but they are not the sum of the gospel. The gospel proclaims Christ crucified, risen, and ministering for His people. It calls sinners to repentance, faith, holiness, obedience, and complete surrender to God. Scripture plainly says: «"Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord." — Hebrews 12:14» When churches preach only pleasant messages and avoid the parts of God's Word that call for repentance and obedience, they leave people spiritually unprepared. A message that never confronts sin cannot produce genuine holiness. The Bible repeatedly warns believers to test every doctrine. «"Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God." — 1 John 4:1» «"Though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you... let him be accursed." — Galatians 1:8–9» Do not build your hope of salvation on popular opinions, human traditions, or teachings that set aside the clear commandments of God. Build your faith upon the whole Word of God. The gospel is not merely about feeling better—it is about becoming new in Christ. The call of Scripture is not comfort in sin, but victory over sin through Jesus Christ. Study the Bible for yourself. Test every doctrine by Scripture. Hold fast to the truth, and follow Christ wherever He leads. "Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth." — John 17:17 Be warned. Eternity is too important to entrust to a half gospel.

1. The process of reincarnation cannot cleanse us from our sins; only the person of the Lord Jesus Christ can do that! “Who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high” (Heb. 1:3, emphasis mine). 2. The process of reincarnation is not my hope for the future; the promises of God are. “But if I live on in the flesh, this will mean fruit from my labor; yet what I shall choose I cannot tell. For I am hard pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better” (Phil. 1:22–23, emphasis mine). 3. The process of reincarnation is in direct opposition to the doctrine of Christ’s bodily resurrection. The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the guarantee that we shall also be resurrected someday. “I have hope in God, which they themselves also accept, that there will be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and the unjust” (Acts: 24:15, emphasis mine). 4. The process of reincarnation does not do away with the judgment in the future. “And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment” (Heb. 9:27, emphasis mine). - DAVID JEREMIAH (Invasion of Other Gods)

People want the law. It's natural for us. It just seems, to our reasoning, that we need it. We think it might be good for us. We think it's a good medicine. Legalism seems like a pill we should take, but the law is a big pill. In fact, it's too big for us to swallow. "Oh well," our logic comes up with the solution, "I know. I'll cut it up into smaller pieces. Pieces that will still be good for me, but pieces I'm able to take." So, religious people sliced and diced the law up in their pill cutter-like brains and came up with sections that they labeled "civil law," "ceremonial law" and "moral law." God gave the law. All 613 commandments. It was people who cut it up. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗮𝘄 𝗶𝘀𝗻'𝘁 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗶𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀. 𝗜𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗯𝗶𝗴 𝗹𝘂𝗺𝗽. Even the most legalistic people though think that they don't have to take the ceremonial lump. To them, all they need is the moral part. It only has ten commandments, after all. Oh, maybe they sort through the bigger pieces they sliced off and pick out some other small bits they can take off of one of the big chunks. Some think that they should still abide by the dietary laws, and they decide that they shouldn't eat "unclean foods." Some think they should still honor feast days. Some cut off a little of the regulations for daily living as something they can swallow. The pill of the law brings with it some negative side effects. It causes bitterness and divisiveness and pride. People on the pill of the law can be angry and out of their mouths comes vitriol and disgust, especially to those that disagree with their doctrine. I’m left wondering … where is the fruit of the Spirit demonstrated here? Where at least is Christian love and compassion? Praise God we believers are free and no longer burdened like those under the law. The weight of their own guilt and condemnation causes them to be disgruntled, angry, hostile, and unable to show the love that believers ought to demonstrate. You see? If you're going to take the pill, you need the entire dose... not smaller, more palitable, easier to take sections. If you even miss one crumb of it, you are completely in the wrong and will experience the negative side effects.

Daily Devotional Save myself, by Saving other's Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee. 1 Timothy 4:16 I have read of a man who, journeying on a winter’s day through deep drifts of snow, became benumbed by the cold, which was almost imperceptibly freezing his vital powers. He was nearly chilled to death, and was about to give up the struggle for life, when he heard the moans of a fellow traveler who was also perishing with cold. His sympathy was aroused, and he determined to rescue him. He chafed the ice-cold limbs of the unfortunate man, and after considerable effort raised him to his feet. As the sufferer could not stand, he bore him in sympathizing arms through the very drifts he had thought he could never get through alone. When he had carried his fellow traveler to a place of safety, the truth flashed home to him that in saving his neighbor he had also saved himself. His earnest efforts to help another had quickened the blood that was freezing in his own veins and sent a healthy warmth to the extremities of his body. The lesson that in helping others we ourselves receive help must be urged upon young believers continually, by precept and example, that in their Christian experience they may gain the best results. Let the desponding ones, those disposed to think that the way to eternal life is trying and difficult, go to work to help others. Such efforts, united with prayer for divine light, will cause their own hearts to throb with the quickening influence of the grace of God, their own affections to glow with more divine fervor. Their whole Christian life will be more of a reality, more earnest, more prayerful.... The testimonies borne by them in the Sabbath services will be filled with power. With joy they will bear witness to the preciousness of the experience they have gained in working for others. [235]

This is Ezekiel 34:2-4 season. Here is DAILY BREAD FOR THE LAST DAYS : TODAY'S WORD Text: Jeremiah 23:1-2 “Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! declares the Lord... You have scattered my flock and have driven them away, and you have not attended to them.” Also: 2 Timothy 4:3-4 “For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions...” MESSAGE: SHEPHERDS, RETURN TO THE HEART OF GOD The Lord is crying over His sheep in these last days. 1. THE WARNING TO SHEPHERDS God says “Woe” to shepherds who feed themselves instead of the flock. When a shepherd chases the world and its things - money, fame, titles - he leaves the sheep hungry. When he preaches prosperity gospel but not holiness gospel, he trades eternal gifts for temporary bread. John 10:12 “The hireling... sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees.” A flock that is not sanctified is a flock that will be lost. Because “without holiness no one will see the Lord” Hebrews 12:14 2. THE WARNING TO THE CHURCH Saved church, wake up! Jealousy, hatred, gossip, disobedience to the Word... this is not the garment of Christ Colossians 3:8-10. When we cling to itching ears and reject sound doctrine, we become easy prey. God’s will is not just prosperity in the pocket. It is sanctification of the soul 1 Thessalonians 4:3. Jesus did not die to make us rich. He died to make us HOLY. 3. STRENGTHENING & ENCOURAGEMENT But there is hope. 1 Peter 5:4 “And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.” To every faithful shepherd: Keep feeding the Word. Keep calling to repentance. To every sheep: Return to the Word. Love holiness more than miracles. Love Jesus more than blessings. PRAYER: Father, raise up shepherds after Your own heart Jeremiah 3:15. Purify the pulpit. Purify the pew. Let us not trade eternity for earth. Sanctify us by Your truth. In Jesus’ name. Amen. ACTION TODAY: For Shepherds/Teachers: Check your message. Is it pointing people to Jesus and holiness, or just to prosperity? For All: Forgive anyone you have bitterness toward today. Gossip and hatred grieve the Holy Spirit Ephesians 4:30-31.

Good morning, brethren. 1. Morning devotion for today. 1. MD.i. 😀💝🌺🎁🌹🎀 MORNING TEA THE WORD FOR TODAY TUESDAY AUGUST 18, 2O26. "DR. JAMES DOBSON ON PARENTING (3)" ‘…Bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.’ Ephesians 6:4 NIV WHEN ASKED, ‘How do you suggest parents handle their children’s activities on web sites like Facebook and Twitter?’ Dr. Dobson gave this advice: ‘Parents have to know what technology their kids are using. Sexting is a terrible thing. (‘Sexting’ is the new term for children exposing themselves to one another online, thinking they are safe because they are in the sanctuary of their own home.) Pornography is pervasive, and parents need to keep up with changes in technology and protect their kids. That’s a tough assignment, because kids are ahead of them. Parents often have extremely demanding careers and when they come home they have nothing left to give, so the culture will often take your kids to hell.’ One night a father and his daughter were out on a lake when their small boat was caught in a storm. As he rowed, Dad kept saying to his daughter, ‘Can you see the shore? Can you see the shore?’ After a terrifying hour the little girl pointed over her dad’s shoulder and said, ‘Yes, I see the light. Mum said if we were out after dark she would hang a light in the window.’ When they finally got home a tearful mother hugged her husband and daughter, and thanked God for their safe return. Looking at her, the little girl said, ‘Mum, you never had to worry. We steered by your light!’ Parent, your children are being caught in life’s storms. They are rowing in the dark with no sense of direction. Live for God, and give them a light they can steer by! Bible In A Year: Gen 6:9 – 8:4, Matt 24:37-51. 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. [17/08, 9:11 pm] Pastor Attah: *MEDITATIONS ON DAILY ⓂANNA* TUESDAY, 18TH AUGUST, 2026. *THIRSTING AFTER GOD* *TEXT:* PSALM 42:1-5. 1As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. 2 My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God? 3 My tears have been my meat day and night, while they continually say unto me, Where is thy God? 4 When I remember these things, I pour out my soul in me: for I had gone with the multitude, I went with them to the house of God, with the voice of joy and praise, with a multitude that kept holyday. 5 Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance. *Timeless Truth:*_"O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is;"_ Psalm 63:1). *INTRODUCTION* When a man ceases to experience thirst, he is as good as dead. The same is true in the spiritual. In fact, one of the first experiences of a converted man is thirst for God and spiritual things. Spiritual thirst is a deep longing for God and His presence. Just as the body cannot survive without water, the soul cannot flourish without God. The psalmist expresses an intense desire for the living God despite the pain, tears, discouragement and difficult circumstances surrounding him. His experience teaches us that genuine faith does not mean the absence of trouble; rather, it means learning to seek God even in the midst of trouble. When everything else fails, God remains the only lasting satisfaction for the thirsty soul. *1. Thirsting After God Like a Hart* a. The psalmist declares, *“As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God.”* A thirsty hart desperately seeks water because its survival depends upon it. Many are thirsty for wealth, pleasure, popularity, power and pride of life among others. The thirst makes them pay a heavy price to get what they are looking for. At times they pay the ultimate price. True thirst will always be demonstrated by desperate seeking for how to satisfy and quench the thirst. In the same vein, many commonly seek God's blessings without seeking for the God of the blessings. The psalmist case was different. *"So panteth my soul after thee"*. Who and what you are passionately and desperately seeking for is a reflection of the state of your heart. In the same manner, the believer should have an earnest and persistent longing for God. The psalmist does not merely desire God's gifts; he desires God Himself. b. His greatest hunger is to *“appear before God.”* He was thirsty to become closer to God. Jesus also echoed this when He said, *"seek ye first the kingdom of God and its righteousness"*. Our ultimate purpose for seeking God was to see His glory, be conformed to His image and be always ready for the kingdom of God. Jesus further assured that *"all other things shall be added unto you"*. The psalmist demonstrated his thirst for God when he decided, *"early will I seek thee...to see thy power and thy glory as I have seen thee in the sanctuary"* (Psalm 63:1,2). Our spiritual lives become weak when our desire for God is replaced by the pursuit of worldly pleasures, possessions, recognition or human approval. Genuine revival begins when the soul cries out for God's presence, His Word, His holiness and fellowship with Him. *Question* Is my desire for God as deep and urgent as the thirst of a hart for water? *2. Tearful Afflictions Giving Loss of Hope* a. Incidentally, the psalmist did not prioritize seeking for heavenly blessings above seeking for God just because everything was going well with him. In fact, the psalmist's circumstances have become so painful that his tears have been his food day and night. He was not finding it rosy in life at that time. One would have expected him, as many worshippers do today, to concentrate on seeking God for release from pains and troubles as priority. Worse still, people around him mockingly asked, directly and indirectly, *“Where is thy God?”.* His memories of former worship and joyful fellowship with God's people intensify his present sorrow. Yet that did not distract his affections towards God. b. At times, affliction can attack not only our circumstances, but also our emotions and confidence. Yet the psalmist's tears reveal that God's children may experience seasons of deep discouragement without being abandoned by God. His pain was real, but it did not have the final word. Even when circumstances seem to contradict God's promises, faith must continue to look toward Him. Seeking God and His righteousness, above all else, should not be diminished as a result of our pains, problems, persecutions and poverty among others. Whatever be our situations, the promises of God that *"all other blessings shall be added"* still stand as long as we keep seeking the face and the glory of God to be reflected in our lives above all else. We must have grace to be tougher than our tough challenges. It is our attitude and the content of our prayers in the time of distress and difficulties that reflect the genuineness of our love for God. Jesus Christ, while on the cross and under intense pains, was still consecrated to soulwinning and intercessory prayers for the sinners and the lost. The will of God and the glory of God was His priority. He has given us examples to follow. *Question* Am I consecrated to seek God and His glory as priority when affliction and tears surround me? *3. Trust in Abiding Grace with a Life of Holiness* When passing through tough times, we must maintain trust in God's abundant grace and continue to live the life that God approves. There is no challenge we pass through that God has not allowed and if God allowed it, then He will see us through as children. The act of faith is in mocking those challenges and still continues seeking the glory of God and heavenly readiness. We must learn how to feed our frustrations and fruitlessness with the word of hope and promises given by God. The psalmist speaks directly to his troubled soul: *“Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God.”* He refuses to surrender permanently to despair. Instead, he deliberately redirects his heart toward God. Trusting God's abiding grace means choosing hope when feelings say there is no hope. It also means continuing to live faithfully, before God while waiting for His intervention. A thirsty soul must not only seek God's presence, but also remain committed to a holy life. God's grace sustains us, restores our joy and enables us to praise Him even before our circumstances change. For a child of God, no bad situation is permanent, but temporary and for a moment. *"weeping may endure for the night, but joy cometh in the morning"*. *Question* Am I deliberately trusting God's abiding grace and maintaining a holy life even when my circumstances are discouraging? *Prayer Points* 1.Father, create within me an unquenchable thirst for Your presence and Your Word 🙏. 2.Lord, strengthen me when tears, afflictions and discouragement threaten my faith 🙏. 3.Father, make me tougher than my challenges and keep me on being engaged in Your service 🙏. 4.Lord, visit and help those brethren who are carrying heavy loads and sustain them by Your grace 🙏. *HYMN:* More of Jesus would I know *BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:* JOB 35-38. [17/08, 9:11 pm] Pastor Attah: ```DAILY Ⓜ️ANNA - (A DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE FOR ADULTS) TUESDAY 18TH AUGUST, 2026``` *DOUSING DESPONDENCY* 📓📖🎚️🫵🏽🙋🏽‍♂️🙋🏽‍♀️😩😢😭🧎🏽🧎🏽‍♀️🗣️🙏🏽 📜📜```TEXT:PSALM 42:1-5```📜📜 🔑📖```KEY VERSE:``` _*"Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance" (PSALM 42:5).*_ *As German bombs fell on England during _World War II,_ the situation became desperate. Hearts were filled with discouragement and thoughts of defeat. Then Winston Churchill's voice echoed over the radio. It inspired the nation and boosted morale among a people on the verge of giving up. On a spiritual level, believers find hope in God too, as they hear the voice that resonates through the pages of His Word. In moments of discouragement, Christians serve as a testimony to those who have never met God or heard His voice.* *David exemplifies this in our devotional text as he expresses acute hunger and "thirst for God, the living God". In his hopelessness, he recalled the exhilarating moments he had in God's house and presence. Reminiscences of the voice of joy and praise filled his soul. Awakened by the testimonies of God's faithfulness and the certainty of blessedness that flows from trust in God, he gladly addresses his soul and jerks back from the abyss of despondency.* *Are you troubled about any ugly situation or setback? Cheer up and look up! Here are gems and clues for you as a Christian pilgrim, who could, at times, be discouraged and cast down. Don't stay down. David didn't. He queried and counselled his soul. First is to know that neither discouragement nor despondency is a sign of weakness. Elijah is one biblical character who fits this description. After defeating the prophets of Baal, he received a death threat from Jezebel. His hope was shattered, and despondency set in. He wanted to die! The Lord did not rebuke him for his feelings but sent an angel to provide for his physical needs. In our times of discouragement, suicide is no option; it only leads to a more serious, endless and interminable suffering in hell. The present challenge or problem has not diminished God's love for us. He desires to lead us to a place of a renewed vision of His power!* *The time to exit the discouragement mode is now! Take the verifiable steps that effectively log you out, which include a deep, interminable longing for God. This is what Isaiah calls "waiting upon the Lord". Second, you will do well to consciously recall and delight in God's past acts of mercy, divine interventions, and faithfulness. Finally, you must deliberately seek the remedy of praise to uplift your downcast, crestfallen, and discouraged heart. Beloved, don't give in to despair! God will certainly lead you in paths of love, light and joy, where you will find new hope.* ✍🏽```THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:``` _*God always opens the window of hope for His own in the darkest of times.*_ 📜📜```THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:``` *JOB 35-38*📜📜 Dousing Despondency https://dailymanna.app// *RECOMMENDED GOSPEL HYMNS AND SONGS - GHS 1: ALL YOUR ANXIETY; GHS 3: IMPATIENT HEART, BE STILL; GHS 4: LEAVE IT THERE; GHS 5: NEVER GIVE UP; AND GHS 7: TURN YOUR EYES UPON JESUS* *TXD [THEXDEVOTIONALS] on Twitter* *#DailyManna18thAugust2026* *#GCK* *#WorshipNuggets* *#BibleNuggets* *#LeadershipNuggets* *#RevivalNuggets* *#CrusadeNuggets* https://www.youtube.com/[THEXDEVOTIONALS] [17/08, 9:11 pm] Pastor Attah: ```DEEPER CHRISTIAN LIFE MINISTRY``` _*HIGHER EVERYD🅰️Y: (A DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE FOR YOUTHS)*_ ✍🏽👩🏻‍💼🌻 🍇🙏🏽🛰🚀🔬📚 ```TUESDAY 18TH AUGUST, 2026``` *STAND IN CHRIST'S LIBERTY* 🎚️📓📖🫵🏽🙋🏽‍♂️🙋🏽‍♀️🧎🏽🧎🏽‍♀️🙏🏽🙌🏽 📜📜```TEXT:GALATIANS 5:1-13```📜📜 📖``` MEMORY VERSE:``` _*"For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another" (GALATIANS 5:13).*_ *The Christian liberty is the freedom Christ has purchased for the children of God through His death on the Cross of Calvary. The devil fights this liberty in diverse ways. When young Christians fail to understand their liberty in Christ, the devil keeps reminding them about their past sins to create major stumbling blocks to their prayers.* *It is a common strategy of the devil to manipulate them and push them back into their shells. Once you are born again through genuine repentance, you have the liberty to serve God in truth and in Spirit because God does not give us the spirit of fear but He gives us the Spirit of power and of a sound mind.* *When God has forgiven you, you are justified by faith and no longer bound to the yoke of sin. However, this liberty is not a guarantee to continue in sins, believing the erroneous doctrine of eternal security. Apostle Paul warns: "For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another" (Galatians 5:13).* 💬 ```QUOTE:``` _*You have the liberty.*_ 🏆 ```CHALLENGE:``` _*Don't use the Christian liberty to sin.*_ 🙏🏽🙏🏽 ```PRAYER:``` _*Lord, help me to understand and enjoy my liberty in Christ.*_ Stand In Christ's Liberty https://dailymanna.app// *TXD [THEXDEVOTIONALS] on Twitter* *#HigherEveryday18thAugust2026* *#GCK* *#WorshipNuggets* *#BibleNuggets* *#LeadershipNuggets* *#RevivalNuggets* *#CrusadeNuggets* https://www.youtube.com/[THEXDEVOTIONALS] [17/08, 9:11 pm] Pastor Attah: ```DEEPER CHRISTIAN LIFE MINISTRY``` _*(SINCERE MILK: Children Daily Devotional Guide 2⃣0⃣2⃣6️⃣)*_ 🙇🏼🙇🏼🙇‍♀️🙇‍♀️🙇🏼🙇‍♀️🙇🏼🙇‍♀️🙇🏼‍♂️ ```TUESDAY 18TH AUGUST, 2026``` *THE TEMPTATION OF JESUS - 3* 📓📖🎚️🫵🏽🙋🏽‍♂️🙋🏽‍♀️👿❌🫷🏽🧎🏽🧎🏽‍♀️🙏🏽 📜📜```MATTHEW 4:8-11```📜📜 🕔📚🖋️🚻😁🎼🏆🍉🪴🌈💻 🔑📖 ```Key Verse:``` _*"Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve" (Matthew 4:10).*_ 📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖 Jesus has power and authority over Satan, and He always uses them at the appropriate time. In this situation, Jesus did not hesitate to command Satan to get behind Him. Satan knew that Jesus is over and above him, yet he tempted Christ to bow down in worship to him. Can the master bow to worship his servant? No! Jesus cannot, will not, and did not bow to Satan. As a friend of Jesus, you must know who you are in Christ. You are a joint-heir with Christ. What Jesus has is what you have because of the privilege of sonship. Do not throw your costly apparels (Christian experiences) to the dogs. The things of this world as stated in 1 John 2:15-17 will pass away. Let the love of God and the things of eternal value be uppermost in your heart. Do not yield to the enticement and allurement that your friends are using to deceive you. The fashions of the world may look attractive, but they will soon pass away. Do not follow them. Do not seek to please the world. Strive to please only God. *Jesus has set the example of refusing to bow to Satan in order to show us that we can be victorious. You can do likewise. Become His friend if you are not, follow Him faithfully and consistently, and He will give you the grace to overcome Satan.* 🍥🍥🍥🍥🍥🍥🍥🍥 ```🅿️rayer:``` _*Lord, please help me to obey You only and not yield to pressure to obey, worship or serve Satan.*_ 🙏🏽 ```📖 Further Reading:``` *Luke 4:1-13* The Temptation Of Jesus - 3 https://dailymanna.app// *TXD [THEXDEVOTIONALS] on Twitter* *#SincereMilk18thAugust2026* *#GCK* *#WorshipNuggets* *#BibleNuggets* *#LeadershipNuggets* *#RevivalNuggets* *#CrusadeNuggets* https://www.youtube.com/[THEXDEVOTIONALS]. 2. Morning Prayer for today. MP.i. Morning Prayer Thou wilt keep [him] in perfect peace, [whose] mind [is] stayed [on thee]: because he trusteth in thee. ⏤ Isaiah 26:3 Trust the past to God's mercy, the present to God's love, and the future to God's providence. ⏤ St. Augustine Father, days come and go, bringing change and decay, but You remain the same forever. A thousand years in Your sight are like a single day. With You, there is no past or future; all time is present to You. Yet in our small lives, we need daily blessings. The memories of our past sorrows cast shadows on our present, and our fears for the future often cast shadows on our path. We are grateful that You see and know everything—past, present, and future—and that we can safely leave it all in Your hands. Help us to live faithfully in this little day that is ours, leaving the past and future with You, without worrying. So, we ask for Your peace, which surpasses all understanding, to guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, enabling us to be true and faithful in all our duties. We ask You, O Lord, to give us the strength and wisdom we need for today’s responsibilities and experiences. Let nothing surprise or dishearten us. Hold our hand through every situation. Give us wisdom to answer every question and make every decision in a way that pleases You. Strengthen us to resist temptation, no matter how subtly it approaches. Increase Your love within us so that we may be patient with everyone we meet, compassionate toward those who are sorrowful, cheerful with those who are discouraged, and helpful to those who are weak. Send us out to do Your work so that everything we do today is for You. Breathe upon us as we wait here in Your presence and give us Your blessing as our Father. We ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen. https://www.youdevotion.com/daily-prayer/miller/44/morning #taptapstudio #youdevotion.

Don Francisco’s “He’s Alive” A Story of Fear, Forgiveness, and Resurrection There is something almost haunting about the beginning of Don Francisco’s “He’s Alive.” It doesn’t begin with celebration. It begins in the dark. Peter is hiding. The doors are shut. The windows are fastened. Outside is the world that has just killed Jesus, and inside is a frightened group of men who don’t know what will happen next. Peter cannot sleep. Every sound must seem dangerous. Every shadow beyond the door could mean soldiers. But Peter is carrying something heavier than fear. He is carrying shame. Only days before, he had stood beside Jesus and promised that he would never leave Him. Yet when the pressure came, Peter denied knowing Him. Not once. Three times. And now Jesus is dead. Peter has to live with the knowledge that the last thing he did while Jesus was alive was fail Him. Then, before sunrise, Mary comes. She brings news that sounds impossible. The stone has been moved. The tomb is empty. Jesus’ body is gone. Peter and John run. They reach the tomb and find the evidence for themselves, the stone rolled away, the burial cloths lying there, but no Jesus. John begins to understand. Peter doesn’t. And that is one of the most beautiful things about Francisco’s song. Peter doesn’t instantly become a man of triumphant faith. He is confused. He has seen Jesus die. He knows what death looks like. An empty tomb is astonishing, but Peter’s heart is still trying to catch up with what his eyes have seen. So he returns. And there, alone with his thoughts, the resurrection becomes something far more frightening. Because if Jesus really is alive… Peter is going to have to face Him. And what would Jesus say? Would He remind Peter of the promises he had made? Would He ask why Peter had denied Him? Would He turn away? Would He condemn him? Peter has every reason to believe that he deserves it. And then, in the beautiful dramatic imagination of Francisco’s song, something happens that Peter could never have expected. Jesus appears. Alive. Not as a memory. Not as a ghost. Not as someone Peter wishes he could see. Jesus is standing there. And Peter looks at Him. The man Peter thought he had lost forever is alive. But there is something even more astonishing. Jesus isn’t there to punish him. He doesn’t come with anger. He doesn’t come with a list of Peter’s failures. He comes with love. Peter falls before Him, overwhelmed by the impossible reality of it all. The Savior he denied is standing before him. And instead of condemnation, Peter finds forgiveness. Instead of judgment, he finds mercy. Instead of the end of his story, he discovers that God has written another chapter. And suddenly Peter understands. The empty tomb wasn’t simply proof that Jesus had conquered death. It was proof that Peter’s failure wasn’t the end either. Jesus is alive. And because He is alive, Peter can be forgiven. Peter can get up. Peter can breathe again. Peter can live again. And that is what makes Don Francisco’s “He’s Alive” so much more than an Easter song. It is a song about what the resurrection feels like to someone who knows they have failed. It is about the moment when shame tells you that you are finished… and Jesus tells you that you are not. Francisco originally tried to tell the resurrection story through Thomas, but the song came together when he began telling it through Peter. Francisco has explained that Peter’s guilt and shame were something he personally understood. That choice changed everything. Because Peter wasn’t a perfect disciple. He was impulsive. He was courageous one moment and frightened the next. He promised more than he could deliver. He failed Jesus at the very moment he thought he would be strongest. And yet Jesus came back for him. That’s the heart of “He’s Alive.” Not simply that the tomb was empty. Not simply that death had been defeated. But that the same Jesus Peter believed he had betrayed beyond repair was standing before him with forgiveness. The song takes the greatest event in Christianity and tells it through the eyes of a broken man. And perhaps that’s why it has endured. Because somewhere inside Peter, many of us recognize ourselves. We know what it is to make promises we couldn’t keep. We know what it is to look backward and wish we could change something. We know what guilt feels like. We know what it is to wonder whether we have gone too far. And then comes the message of the resurrection: You are not finished. The stone was rolled away. The grave was empty. Jesus was alive. And Peter, the man who thought he had failed beyond forgiveness was given another chance. That is why the final declaration carries so much weight. He’s alive. Not merely alive in history. Not merely alive in doctrine. But alive in such a way that Peter’s story can continue. And perhaps that is the quiet miracle at the center of Don Francisco’s song… Jesus didn’t erase Peter’s past. He redeemed it. And the man who once stood outside a fire denying that he knew Jesus could now stand in the light knowing that Jesus still knew him. He was alive. Peter was forgiven. And the story wasn’t over. #ChristianMusic #CCM #DonFrancisco #HesAlive #JesusMovement #ChristianMusicHistory #GospelMusic #Resurrection #JesusChrist #ChristianSongwriting

THE ADVENT TRUTH The debate over Junia has become one of the most common arguments used to justify women serving as pastors. But before anyone builds an entire doctrine on Romans 16:7, we should slow down and ask: What does the text actually say? First, we don’t even know with absolute certainty that Junia was female. The earliest Greek manuscripts were written in all capital letters without accent marks. Those manuscripts do not distinguish between the feminine Junia and the masculine Junias. The accents that identify the name as feminine were added centuries later. Many scholars believe the name is feminine, while others argue it could be masculine. The point is simple: the evidence isn’t so clear that this verse should overturn the broader testimony of Scripture. Second, even if Junia was a woman, Romans 16:7 still does not prove she held the office of pastor or elder. The Greek phrase can legitimately be translated either as “well known to the apostles” or “outstanding among the apostles.” Both renderings have scholarly support. Third, the word apostolos simply means “one who is sent.” In the New Testament it is used in more than one way. Jesus is called an Apostle (Hebrews 3:1). The Twelve were apostles. Paul was an apostle. Barnabas is called an apostle (Acts 14:14), and Epaphroditus is literally called “your apostle” in Philippians 2:25 (though many English versions translate it “messenger”). The word does not always refer to the governing office established by Christ. Finally, Romans 16 never calls her an elder, overseer, bishop, or pastor. When Scripture specifically gives the qualifications for those offices in 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1, it lays out a consistent pattern. A single debated name, a debated translation, and a debated use of the word “apostle” are not enough to overturn the clear pattern of Scripture. Sound doctrine is built by harmonizing all the evidence—not by allowing one difficult verse to reinterpret the rest of the Bible.

28 Beleifs # 17 SPIRITUAL GIFTS AND MINISTRIES God bestows upon all members of His church in every age spiritual gifts that each member is to employ in loving ministry for the common good of the church and of humanity. Given by the agency of the Holy Spirit, who apportions to each member as He wills, the gifts provide all abilities and ministries needed by the church to fulfill its divinely ordained functons. According to the Scriptures, these gifts include such ministries as faith, healing, prophecy, proclamation, teaching, administration, reconciliation, compassion, and self-sacrificing service and charity for the help and encouragement of people. Some members are called of God and endowed by the Spirit for functions recognized by the church in pastoral, evangelistic, and teaching ministries particularly needed to equip the members for service, to build up the church to spiritual maturity, and to foster unity of the faith and knowledge of God. When members employ these spiritual gifts as faithful stewards of God’s varied grace, the church is protected from the destructive influence of false doctrine, grows with a growth that is from God, and is built up in faith and love.