Good morning to everyone. Grace and Peace be with you. Well, my house is nearly finished. I got the upstairs looking very good, and now I can complete the downstairs. Yes, I did do the downstairs first; however, all good things in the worldly arena must come to an end. Everything that was just hidden upstairs is now in my dining room to be sorted, reboxed in totes, and hidden away in the freshly organized shed. Should only take a couple of hours this afternoon. Then get my front room done and maybe start my office…hahahahahaha…..that is a true danger zone. Last night me and the hubby had a date night. Tried a new place to eat. The décor was good, the service very friendly and efficient; however, the food was lacking in our opinion. I will not say where we went because it was our opinion. Plenty of people were there and coming in, so it is just a matter of perspective. As we were talking this morning about different things going on in our lives; the kids coming, getting the house ready, health, appointments, daily adventures… and such … I heard got speak directly to me several times in that conversation. “I feel that a lot from you.” “Yes, I understand exactly how you feel.” “I have said that to you many times.” And my personal favorite, “Really?” All these were things I hear in my spirit, which made me step back and realize that much of what I say…He does too … to me. A friend of mine used to tell me how much they got annoyed when I would use their words against them in frustrated thoughts they had about something or someone. They wondered why I would not just take their side … I would giggle and we would end up in a bashing banter fight and all would be well. The Spirit does the exact same thing … minus the banter bashing … He takes our words, our frustrations, our doubts and shows us that He is there with us as well. I am pretty positive that I am a primary cause of migraines in the Holy Spirit. (LOL) Especially now that I am in menopause and my mood switches like a kid with a light toggle. The journeys that He gives us are specific to our personalities and strengths. I have on many occasions questioned both those motives, but in the end of each particular journey I have seen the end result and am thankful for it. In the long run, not only was I able to help someone, but I was strengthened as well. Just as I know my house will be 98 percent done today, after church, that the obstacles that I am facing will be conquered, that the frustrations that I feel will strengthen my resolve, and that any doubts that I may have on any given subject matter will dissipate … it is a matter of trusting the process, and the process is not mine, but His. Today I will go to His house. I will sit with Him. I will hear His Word. I will be fed his nourishment. I will drink of His Spirit. And … I will leave His house with an indwelling of His peace. Will you join me? Be blessed. ***Through him and for his name’s sake, we will receive grace and apostleship to call people from among all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith. --Romans 1:5

In Matthew 11:11–12, Jesus praises John the Baptist as the greatest of the old prophets, yet states that the least person in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. Jesus adds that since John’s ministry, the kingdom has faced intense opposition or advanced with unstoppable, forceful spiritual energy.Matthew 11:11 BreakdownJohn’s greatness: Jesus declares that no one born of women is greater than John the Baptist. John stands at the peak of the Old Testament era as the ultimate herald who directly prepared the way for the Messiah.The lesser in the kingdom: The "least in the kingdom of heaven" is greater than John because New Covenant believers possess a privileged, completed perspective. They witness the finished death, resurrection, and indwelling presence of Christ, privileges the prophets only looked forward to from a distance.

Greater Is He Who Is in You The comparison is between an indwelling Presence and an external power, and the indwelling One always prevails. A child with a giant on their side need not fear the giants in the field. Your size and spiritual experience are not the issue; your indwelling Tenant is the decisive reality. The battles you face in August are being fought against an enemy who has already lost the war. Press forward with confidence in the Greater One who lives within you, not in your own spiritual performance, but in the One who inhabits you. PRAYER: Gracious Heavenly Father, let me live today with the awareness that the Greater One dwells within me. Let Your greatness be evident in my life as I press forward in August with authority. In Jesus' name! Hallelujah! Amen!

Holy Wit – Bible Study #8 Love in Deed and Truth (Walking in the Light: Studies Through 1 John) Scripture Reading (NKJV): 1 John 3:11–24 11 For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another, 12 not as Cain who was of the wicked one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his works were evil and his brother’s righteous. 13 Do not marvel, my brethren, if the world hates you. 14 We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love [a]his brother abides in death. 15 Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. 16 By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 17 But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him? 18 My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. 19 And by this we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him. 20 For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things. 21 Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God. 22 And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight. 23 And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment. 24 Now he who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+John+3%3A11-24&version=NKJV 1. Two Ways of Life: Cain and Christ John presents two men whose actions reveal two entirely different spiritual families. Cain stands as the example of hatred, while Jesus Christ is the supreme revelation of love. Cain did not murder Abel because Abel had harmed him. He murdered his brother because Abel’s righteous life exposed the wickedness of his own. Cain’s hatred began in the heart before it appeared in his hands. His outward violence grew from inward rebellion against God. John therefore warns believers not to be surprised when the world hates them. The world’s hostility towards Christians is not always caused by something Christians have done. Sometimes faithful obedience itself becomes an offence because it exposes what people would prefer to leave hidden. This does not give Christians permission to be harsh, arrogant, or needlessly offensive. Believers must speak truth with humility and live peaceably wherever possible. Yet even a gracious Christian life may provoke resentment when it reminds others that God is holy and that all people are accountable to Him. Christ stands in complete contrast to Cain. Cain took the life of a righteous man to protect himself. Christ willingly gave His own righteous life to save guilty people. Cain sacrificed his brother for himself; Christ sacrificed Himself for His people. These two men reveal two spiritual directions. Hatred takes from others for the sake of self. Christian love gives itself for the good of others. Genesis 4:3–8 (NKJV): https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+4%3A3-8&version=NKJV John 15:18–20 (NKJV): https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+15%3A18-20&version=NKJV 2. Love as Evidence of Spiritual Life John does not teach that loving others earns salvation. He teaches that love is evidence that God has already given spiritual life. The natural condition of humanity is not spiritual neutrality. Apart from Christ, people remain under the power of sin and death. Salvation is God’s work of bringing sinners out of death and into life through faith in Jesus Christ. One visible result of this new life is a growing love for fellow believers. Christian love is not the cause of regeneration. It is the fruit of regeneration. A person may claim to know God, speak confidently about doctrine, participate in church activities, and display religious enthusiasm. Yet a settled pattern of hatred towards other believers contradicts that claim. John’s language is strong because the matter is serious. Persistent hatred belongs to the realm of death, not life. John compares hatred with murder because murder begins before blood is shed. Jesus taught the same truth when He traced outward violence back to anger and contempt within the heart. God judges not only what the hand does but also what the heart desires. This does not mean that a Christian will never become angry, speak wrongly, or struggle to forgive. Believers still battle sin. John is describing the settled direction of a life. The person who has been born of God cannot remain peacefully committed to hatred. The Holy Spirit convicts, corrects, and leads the believer towards repentance. Love for other Christians will never be perfect in this life, but it will be present. It may be weak, wounded, or inconsistent, but it cannot be entirely absent where spiritual life truly exists. 1 John 3:14–15 (NKJV): https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+John+3%3A14-15&version=NKJV Matthew 5:21–24 (NKJV): https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+5%3A21-24&version=NKJV 3. Christ Defines the Meaning of Love The world frequently speaks about love, but it often defines love as approval, attraction, affection, or personal fulfilment. John gives Christians a far more demanding definition. We understand love by looking at Jesus Christ, who laid down His life for His people. The cross does more than provide an inspiring example. Christ’s death was a substitutionary sacrifice in which He bore the judgment deserved by sinners. His sacrifice accomplished redemption. No Christian can repeat or add to that saving work. Nevertheless, the self-giving character of Christ’s love becomes the pattern for Christian living. Because Christ gave Himself for us, we are called to give ourselves for one another. John’s statement that believers ought to lay down their lives for the brethren includes the possibility of literal sacrifice, but it also reaches into ordinary life. Most Christians will never face a moment in which they must physically die for another believer. All Christians, however, will face opportunities to surrender time, comfort, money, attention, pride, and personal preference. It is possible to admire the sacrifice of Christ while carefully arranging our lives so that we never have to sacrifice anything for anyone else. John will not permit that separation. The love displayed at Calvary must begin to shape the lives of those who belong to the crucified and risen Lord. Christian love is therefore not merely warm feeling. Feelings may accompany love, but they do not define it. Love is a God-directed commitment to seek another person’s true good, even when doing so is inconvenient or costly. John 10:11 (NKJV): https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+10%3A11&version=NKJV Romans 5:6–8 (NKJV): https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+5%3A6-8&version=NKJV 4. Love Must Move Beyond Words John brings the discussion of love into a very practical situation. A believer sees a fellow Christian in genuine need and possesses the means to help. If that believer refuses compassion, words about love become empty. The issue is not that one person must meet every need. No individual possesses unlimited money, time, strength, or opportunity. Scripture does not command careless giving, nor does it forbid wisdom in distinguishing genuine need from manipulation. John’s concern is the deliberate closing of the heart. A person sees the need, possesses the ability to assist, and chooses indifference. Such a response raises a serious question: how can the love of God be dwelling in someone whose heart continually remains closed to the suffering of God’s people? Love in deed and truth is visible, practical, and sincere. It provides food when someone is hungry. It visits those who are lonely. It helps carry burdens. It forgives offences. It corrects gently. It listens patiently. It gives without demanding recognition. It remains present when a situation becomes uncomfortable. This love must also be governed by truth. Biblical love does not encourage sin, conceal destructive behavior, or treat every desire as good. Sometimes love comforts; sometimes it warns. Sometimes it gives material help; sometimes it refuses to support foolishness. Love seeks what is truly good according to God’s Word. Christian compassion therefore requires both tenderness and discernment. Deeds without truth may become harmful sentimentality. Truth without deeds may become cold religious speech. God calls His people to both. 1 John 3:17–18 (NKJV): https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+John+3%3A17-18&version=NKJV James 2:14–17 (NKJV): https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James+2%3A14-17&version=NKJV 5. Assurance When the Heart Condemns Us John understands that sincere Christians sometimes struggle with assurance. A sensitive conscience may remember past sins, dwell upon present failures, and accuse the believer of hypocrisy. The heart may pronounce a harsher judgment than God has pronounced. John directs troubled believers away from endless examination of their own feelings and towards the character of God. God knows everything. His knowledge includes every sin, but it also includes every evidence of grace, every sincere act of repentance, every imperfect expression of love, and every hidden desire to obey Him. The believer’s assurance does not rest upon sinless performance. No Christian could stand before God on that basis. Assurance rests first upon the finished work of Christ and the promises of God. Yet John also teaches that the fruit of obedience and love provides confirming evidence that faith is genuine. A condemning conscience should not simply be ignored. Sometimes the conscience is correctly identifying sin that must be confessed and forsaken. In such cases, the answer is repentance. At other times, however, the heart continues to condemn after sin has been confessed. It may demand a perfection God has not promised in this life. It may treat every struggle as proof that no spiritual life exists. In such moments, the believer must remember that God is a more reliable judge than the fluctuating human heart. God knows those who belong to Him. He knows the difference between a hypocrite who protects sin and a believer who grieves over it. He knows the difference between a person who hates righteousness and one who sincerely desires holiness but often falls short. The Christian’s confidence is therefore neither careless presumption nor hopeless self-condemnation. It is humble reliance upon Christ, accompanied by the growing evidence of a transformed life. 1 John 3:19–20 (NKJV): https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+John+3%3A19-20&version=NKJV Romans 8:31–34 (NKJV): https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+8%3A31-34&version=NKJV 6. Obedience, Confidence, and Prayer John connects a clear conscience with confidence before God. When believers are walking in obedience, they are able to approach God freely in prayer. This does not mean that Christians earn answers to prayer through good behavior. God is not placed in anyone’s debt. Prayer is never a transaction in which obedience purchases divine favors. Rather, obedience and effective prayer belong together because the obedient believer is learning to desire what pleases God. A life shaped by Scripture produces prayers increasingly shaped by Scripture. The believer begins to ask for holiness, wisdom, strength, provision, forgiveness, the spread of the gospel, and the good of others. John’s promise that believers receive what they ask must be read alongside the rest of Scripture. God answers according to His will, wisdom, and purpose. He may give what was requested. He may delay. He may provide something different. He may refuse because the request would not serve His glory or the believer’s good. The obedient believer trusts God’s answer because prayer is directed towards a Father, not a machine. Confidence in prayer means confidence in God Himself, not confidence that every personal preference will be granted. Disobedience damages prayer because cherished sin hardens the heart and distorts desire. Obedience does not make a person worthy of blessing, but it removes the double-mindedness of asking God for help while deliberately resisting His authority. Psalm 66:18–20 (NKJV): https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+66%3A18-20&version=NKJV 1 John 5:14–15 (NKJV): https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+John+5%3A14-15&version=NKJV 7. One Command with Two inseparable Parts John gathers the Christian life into one unified command: believe in Jesus Christ and love one another. Faith and love must not be separated. Faith without love is merely an empty profession. Love without faith in the biblical Christ becomes moral effort without saving truth. Saving faith rests in Jesus Christ as the eternal Son of God, the crucified Savior, and the risen Lord. It is not merely agreement that Jesus existed. It is personal trust in who He is and what He accomplished. Those who believe in Christ are then commanded to love one another. This love does not replace doctrine; it grows from doctrine. The more clearly believers understand the mercy shown to them in Christ, the less reason they have to remain proud, bitter, or indifferent towards others. John also speaks of mutual abiding. The believer abides in God, and God abides in the believer. This does not mean that Christians become divine. It describes a real spiritual union and continuing fellowship created by God. The Holy Spirit confirms this relationship. He illuminates the truth about Christ, produces obedience, creates love, convicts of sin, and enables perseverance. His presence is known not primarily through passing emotion but through a life increasingly submitted to the Word of God. The Christian life is therefore not sustained by human determination alone. God commands His people to believe, love, and obey, and He gives His Spirit to work within them. 1 John 3:23–24 (NKJV): https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+John+3%3A23-24&version=NKJV John 14:15–17 (NKJV): https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+14%3A15-17&version=NKJV Reflection Questions 1. Why did Abel’s righteous life provoke Cain’s hatred, and how does this help explain the world’s hostility towards faithful Christians? 2. What is the difference between occasional anger, which must be confessed, and a settled pattern of hatred? 3. How does Christ’s sacrifice define Christian love more clearly than emotion or sentiment? 4. Is there a need you have seen but avoided because helping would inconvenience you or cost you something? 5. How can a believer distinguish between the proper conviction of the Holy Spirit and continuing self-condemnation after repentance? 6. Why does obedience give believers greater confidence in prayer without earning answers from God? 7. In what ways does the Holy Spirit produce both truth and love in the life of a Christian? Prayer Points 1. Thank Jesus Christ for laying down His life to redeem guilty sinners. 2. Ask God to expose and remove bitterness, resentment, and hatred from your heart. 3. Pray for practical opportunities to love fellow believers through deeds of mercy and service. 4. Ask for wisdom to combine genuine compassion with faithfulness to biblical truth. 5. Pray for assurance grounded in the finished work of Christ rather than in changing feelings. 6. Ask God to bring your desires and prayers into greater agreement with His will. 7. Thank God for the indwelling Holy Spirit, who produces obedience, love, and perseverance in His people. For Further Study (NKJV): Genesis 4:1–16 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+4%3A1-16&version=NKJV Matthew 5:21–26 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+5%3A21-26&version=NKJV John 13:34–35 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+13%3A34-35&version=NKJV James 2:14–18 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James+2%3A14-18&version=NKJV Romans 8:31–39 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+8%3A31-39&version=NKJV #HolyWitBibleStudy #GordonMcGinnis #WalkingInTheLight #1John3

aily devotion for July 23rd All That Is Mine Is Yours He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you. John 16:14 Sometimes when you listen to Bible teachers today, you get the idea that there is to be a kind of Jesus-oriented Bible teaching with which we begin the Christian life but that as we mature we are to move on to Spirit-oriented truth, to recognize that the sign of maturity is to be concerned no longer with Jesus but with the Spirit. Nothing could be further from the truth! The work of the Spirit is to glorify Jesus. The Spirit-filled life is the life in which Jesus is central. And the one who matures is the one who grows deeper in an understanding of Jesus. How encompassing is this range of teaching? All, Jesus tells us. All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will take from what is mine and make it known to you (John 16:15). A young man asked me the other day, Is it right for a Christian to study secular subjects that have nothing to do with the Bible? My answer was, Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 3, All things are yours, and you are of Christ; and Christ is of God (1 Corinthians 3:21-23). And Paul, speaking of Jesus Christ, tells us in Colossians 2, In him are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. (Colossian 2:3). As you investigate any realm of science or knowledge, if you do so in reliance upon the indwelling life of Jesus and the teaching of the Spirit of God, He will open that branch of truth to you. George Washington Carver was born a slave, but he managed to get an education as a scientist. He said that the hunger of his heart was to discover the secrets of the universe. But, he said, God said to me, George, that's too big for you. I've got something more your size. You take a peanut and work on that. And so he began to investigate what God has hidden in a peanut. He found over 330 different products that could be made from the peanut, revolutionizing the technology of his day. But he always remained a simple, Bible-believing servant of God who relied upon Him to open his mind to truth. That is what Jesus means. All that belongs to the Father is mine, and it will be made available to you through the Spirit. Lord, thank You that You would share with me all that the Father has. Teach me to listen to what Your Spirit is saying to me through Your Word.

Maranatha. Pure in Heart and Life. Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. Matthew 5:8. Into the city of God there will enter nothing that defiles. All who are to be dwellers there will here have become pure in heart. In one who is learning of Jesus, there will be manifest a growing distaste for careless manners, unseemly language, and coarse thought. When Christ abides in the heart, there will be purity and refinement of thought and manner. But the words of Jesus ... have a deeper meaning—not merely pure in the sense in which the world understands purity, free from that which is sensual, pure from lust, but true in the hidden purposes and motives of the soul, free from pride and self-seeking, humble, unselfish, childlike. Only like can appreciate like. Unless you accept in your own life the principle of self-sacrificing love, which is the principle of His character, you cannot know God.... When Christ shall come in His glory, the wicked cannot endure to behold Him. The light of His presence, which is life to those who love Him, is death to the ungodly.... When He shall appear, they will pray to be hidden from the face of Him who died to redeem them. But to hearts that have become purified through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, all is changed. These can know God. Moses was hid in the cleft of the rock when the glory of the Lord was revealed to him; and it is when we are hid in Christ that we behold the love of God.... By faith we behold Him here and now. In our daily experience we discern His goodness and compassion in the manifestation of His providence. We recognize Him in the character of His Son.... The pure in heart see God in a new and endearing relation, as their Redeemer; and while they discern the purity and loveliness of His character, they long to reflect His image. They see Him as a Father longing to embrace a repenting son, and their hearts are filled with joy unspeakable and full of glory.... The pure in heart live as in the visible presence of God during the time He apportions them in this world. And they will also see Him face to face in the future, immortal state, as did Adam when he walked and talked with God in Eden.41Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, 24-27.

Daily devotion for July 16th What Does It Take To Obey? Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him. John 14:21 To read this, Obey Me, and you will love Me, produces a mechanical, dry Christianity with no warmth or joy or glory. But what Jesus says is, If you love Me, you will obey Me. It is easy to do, not difficult. Notice that it is not, If you love Me, you will have to keep My commandments. No, it is cause and effect: If you love Me, the result is that you will keep My commandments. That is the secret of all proper behavior in the Christian experience. The proof of our love is obedience. If it takes love to obey, what produces love? That is the issue. If you see a Christian disobeying Christ or you are tempted to disobey, what is it that will turn you around and make you obey? It is love. How do you produce love? What will make you love Him? This is what ties together verses 20 and 21. It is that basic secret of our identity that creates love--the Spirit in us, releasing to us the love of Jesus, awakens love from us in return. Remember how John puts it in his first letter: We love because he first loved us (1 John 4:19). Remembering this awakens love. Or, as Paul puts it in Romans 5, God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us (Romans 5:5). Therefore, the way to produce love is to remember who you are, to whom you belong, and who He is--His death, His resurrection, and His unity with you, His present indwelling life. You cannot remind yourself of that without experiencing a renewed sense of His love and feeling gratitude to Him for who He is and what He has done in your life. When that love begins to flow, then you are being motivated to obey. Much of the mythology of the ancient world was based upon biblical truth; some of our modern fables reflect that truth as well. For example, no one ever expected anything out of the ordinary from Clark Kent, that mild-mannered newspaper reporter. But whenever there was a sudden demand for action far beyond the ability of mere humans, he always stepped into the nearest phone booth, stripped off his conservative business suit, and emerged, complete with bulging muscles and spectacular costume, as Superman--able to do what otherwise he could not do. That is exactly what the Word of God is teaching us. We are to retire to the phone booth of our identity with Christ, to remind ourselves of who we are, to whom we belong, and who is within us, and immediately we find love and motivation and power available to us. We are able to do what otherwise we could not do. This is what our Lord is teaching His disciples at this moment: If you love me, you will keep my commandments. Lord, teach me to retreat to that place where I can renew my mind with the realities of my identity in Christ--that I am loved with an everlasting love, filled with Your Spirit, and able to obey by the power at work in me.

**The Joy of Divine Presence: Reflections on Acts 2:28** Acts 2:28 declares, “You have made known to me the ways of life; You will make me full of joy in Your presence.” This verse, spoken by the Apostle Peter on the Day of Pentecost, forms part of his powerful sermon explaining the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Peter quotes Psalm 16:11, attributing the words ultimately to King David, to demonstrate that the Messiah’s victory over death brings hope and life to all who believe. In just one sentence, the verse captures two profound realities: divine guidance along the path of life and the overflowing joy that comes from living in God’s presence. These themes remain deeply relevant for believers navigating the complexities of modern life. The first part of the verse—“You have made known to me the ways of life”—emphasizes God’s role as a revealer and guide. In the original context of Psalm 16, David expresses confidence that God will not abandon His faithful servant to the grave but will show him the path that leads to true, abundant life. For Peter and the early church, this prophecy found fulfillment in Jesus’ resurrection. Jesus Himself declared, “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6), positioning Himself as the ultimate revelation of God’s path. In practical terms, the “ways of life” refer not merely to moral rules but to a dynamic relationship with God that shapes decisions, values, and purpose. Scripture consistently portrays life as a journey requiring direction—whether through the wisdom literature of Proverbs, the guidance of the Holy Spirit in the New Testament, or the example of Christ. Without this divine revelation, humanity often wanders into futility, chasing temporary pleasures or self-defined success that ultimately disappoints. The second clause—“You will make me full of joy in Your presence”—shifts the focus from guidance to delight. Joy here is not the fleeting happiness dependent on circumstances but a deep, sustaining fullness (*plērōsōs* in Greek) that flows from intimacy with God. This joy characterized the early church even amid persecution; Acts 2 describes believers sharing meals, worshipping together, and experiencing gladness of heart. Throughout the Bible, God’s presence is portrayed as the source of ultimate satisfaction. The psalmist writes, “In Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore” (Psalm 16:11). Moses pleaded, “If Your presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here” (Exodus 33:15), recognizing that God’s companionship was more valuable than the Promised Land itself. In the New Testament, this presence is made possible through the indwelling Holy Spirit, who was poured out at Pentecost—the very occasion of Peter’s sermon. Together, these two elements form a beautiful progression: God reveals the way, and walking in that way leads to joy in His presence. This is not a promise of a trouble-free life. David faced enemies and trials, and the early Christians endured hardship, yet both discovered that God’s presence transforms suffering and gives meaning to the journey. In contemporary terms, this verse speaks powerfully against the emptiness many experience today. Modern society offers countless “ways” through technology, entertainment, career success, and self-help philosophies, yet rates of anxiety, depression, and burnout remain high. Acts 2:28 invites a counter-cultural response: true life and lasting joy are found not in escaping difficulties but in drawing near to God. Practices such as prayer, Scripture meditation, worship, and Christian community become pathways to experiencing this reality. The verse also carries communal and missional implications. Peter’s quotation was part of a sermon that led to thousands coming to faith. When believers live in the joy of God’s presence, it becomes attractive and contagious. The early church’s gladness and generosity drew others to Christ. In the same way, Christians today are called to reflect this joy as a testimony to a watching world. In conclusion, Acts 2:28 beautifully summarizes the heart of biblical faith: God guides us into life and fills us with joy through His presence. It is both a declaration of what God has done through Christ and an invitation to experience that reality personally. Whether in seasons of clarity or confusion, abundance or lack, this promise remains steadfast. As believers seek God’s ways and dwell in His presence, they discover the kind of life that cannot be taken away—a life marked by purpose and overflowing joy. This ancient verse continues to resonate because it addresses the deepest longings of the human heart: to know the way and to be satisfied in the presence of the One who created us.

THE ACTS of the Apostles.19:30. And when Paul wanted to go in to the people, the disciples would not allow him. Thank You LORD for this faithful day. I pray that as we believers are with the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit, the LORD God Almighty through the infinite mercy and grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, would defend us in this wicked world for His will in our lives for the manifestation of His glorious Name in Jesus Christ Mighty Name. Amen. Good morning, have a faithful Monday and beyond.

Living Water for a Thirsty Soul! Scripture: John 4:7–30 (KJV) "But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life." — John 4:14 (KJV) Thought Of The Day... Every person has a thirst that cannot be satisfied by the things of this world. We search for fulfillment in relationships, careers, possessions, success, and even religion, yet the emptiness remains. Only Jesus Christ can satisfy the deepest longing of the human heart. The encounter between Jesus and the Samaritan woman reminds us that God's grace reaches beyond barriers, beyond brokenness, and beyond our past. Jesus does not merely improve lives—He transforms them. The woman at the well came to draw ordinary water, but she left having encountered extraordinary grace. She expected another routine day, yet she met the Savior of the world. Isn't that just like God? He often meets us in the ordinary moments of life to accomplish extraordinary miracles. This woman carried more than a waterpot—she carried shame, disappointment, rejection, and the weight of a broken past. Society had labeled her, people had judged her, and she likely believed her best days were behind her. Yet Jesus intentionally traveled through Samaria because one hurting soul mattered to Him. Jesus asked her for a drink, not because He needed water, but because He wanted to begin a relationship. The Lord often starts with our physical needs to reveal our spiritual need. He knew everything about her past, yet He still offered her "living water." Jesus declared, "Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst" (John 4:13-14). Earthly pleasures provide temporary satisfaction, but only Christ offers eternal fulfillment. His living water is the gift of salvation, the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, and a life continually refreshed by His presence. When Jesus exposed the woman's past, He was not condemning her; He was confronting what had kept her bound. God never reveals our wounds to shame us—He reveals them so He can heal them. Before God can fill us with living water, we must allow Him to empty us of pride, sin, fear, and brokenness. Jesus then shifted the conversation to worship. True worship is not about a location, tradition, or outward performance. It is about a heart surrendered to God. The Father is seeking worshippers who worship Him in spirit and in truth. Genuine worship flows from hearts that have experienced God's transforming grace. The most remarkable moment came when Jesus plainly declared, "I that speak unto thee am he." The Messiah was standing before her. In that moment, her life changed forever. The evidence of true transformation appeared immediately. The Bible says she left her waterpot. The very reason she came to the well became insignificant compared to what she had found in Christ. She ran into the city proclaiming, "Come, see a man!" A woman once known for her failures became one of the first evangelists, leading others to Jesus. When you encounter Christ, your testimony becomes more powerful than your history. God specializes in turning broken people into bold witnesses. Your past does not disqualify you; God's grace qualifies you to tell others what He has done. Today, Jesus still stands at the well of every thirsty heart, offering living water that never runs dry. He knows every mistake, every failure, every hidden pain, and every unanswered question. Yet His invitation remains the same: "Come to Me." If you drink deeply from Christ, you will never leave His presence the same. Something to Think About... • What "waterpots" do I need to leave behind to fully follow Christ? • Am I trying to satisfy spiritual thirst with temporary things? • Am I worshipping God in spirit and in truth? • Who needs to hear my testimony this week? Prayer... Heavenly Father, thank You for seeking me even when I was broken, ashamed, and spiritually thirsty. Thank You for sending Jesus to offer living water that satisfies forever. Forgive me for trying to fill my life with things that can never truly satisfy. Wash away every sin, heal every wound, and renew my heart through the power of Your Holy Spirit. Help me to worship You in spirit and in truth and to leave behind everything that hinders my walk with You. Give me boldness to share my testimony so others may come to know Jesus as Lord and Savior. Let Your living water continually flow through my life, bringing hope, joy, peace, and eternal life. In Jesus' mighty name, Amen. Declaration... • I will drink deeply from the Living Water of Jesus Christ. • My past does not define me; God's grace has transformed me. • I will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. • I am forgiven, restored, and made new through Christ. • My testimony will point others to Jesus. • I will leave behind everything that hinders my walk with God. • The Holy Spirit is flowing through my life like a river of living water. • Today I choose eternal satisfaction over temporary pleasure. • I am a witness of God's amazing grace. • Jesus Christ is all I need, and He will never fail me.