Yesterday, I was accused of contempt for God, because I demonstrate contempt for his law. Like the Apostle Paul wrote, and I concur that, "we uphold the law," for the purpose in which the law was given. We use the law to show unbelievers their guilt and need for Jesus, but once the person has come to Faith in Christ for their salvation, the purpose of the law has been fulfilled for them in Jesus.

Saved people no longer need the law. We are not led by the law. We are led by the Holy Spirit, the writer and giver of the law. Since we believers have the giver of the law in our hearts, what further need could we possibly have for the law? Trust that the Holy Spirit actually does what Jesus said he would do in the believer's life.

Contempt for the Lord? The worst kind of contempt for the Lord is diminishing the power and sufficiency of the blood of his son, Jesus. Don't think that your obedience to the commandments given to Israel, just like the legalistic Pharisees back then, buys you brownie points with God. Without faith, the Bible says, it is impossible to please God.

Here's the truth... we believers, those who have placed our faith in Christ alone for our salvation, we believe that our redemption, our sanctification, our justification and our continued right standing with God are all gifts by the grace of God through faith in Jesus as our only source and our only hope of that salvation and righteousness.

Don't misplace your faith in the incorrect object of faith. Don't place your faith in yourself. That's putting your faith in your own obedience. It's in your own holiness. It's in your own performance. If that's what you think, repent of your unbelief! Place your faith in the correct object of faith. What is the correct object of faith? Christ and him crucified.

1 Corinthians 1:23-24 KJV
"But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; [24] But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God."

To those that have fallen for false gospels, like the SDA, LDS, the Church of Christ, JWs, etc..., it is still foolishness.

#jesuschrist #faith #gospel #grace #believe

Three Angels Broadcasting Network Devotional.
Sound the Alarm

By Jenni Poling

August 19th, 2026

“Blow the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in My holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble; for the day of the Lord is coming, for it is at hand.” Joel 2:1

To take a stroll in late summer in Southern Illinois is to be treated to a symphony, day or night. The air is filled with the sound of insects, including crickets, katydids, grasshoppers, and cicadas. There is a seemingly endless array of melody and percussion.

No song is louder than that of the cicada, however. In fact the Australian green grocer cicada is considered one of the loudest insects in the world. Cicadas can produce sounds up to 120 decibels—loud enough to cause permanent hearing loss in humans at close range. The male cicada doesn’t deafen himself, however. He is equipped with the ability to protect his own eardrums by shutting them down while singing.

So what are these noisy creatures? At first glance, they might appear to be enormous flies, but closer inspection reveals that they have wide-set eyes, short antennae, and membranous wings held close to the sides of their body. The largest cicada—the empress cicada—has a head and body length of 2.8 inches and a wingspan of 8 inches! Another amazing fact about the cicada is that it comes engineered with the first known biomaterial that can kill bacteria. Its wing surfaces are covered with nanoscale-sized spikes that simply tear the bacteria apart.

Cicadas spend the majority of their life underground, tapping into the roots of trees and emerging for only a few short weeks to mate and lay eggs. There are two major groups of cicadas: the annual and the periodic types. All spend considerable time underground, but the periodic cicada broods are synchronized to emerge all at once every thirteen to seventeen years. And when this happens, it’s quite an event because the sight and sound are tremendous!

Cicadas like to sing during the daytime, but especially at dawn and dusk. One evening, while we were on one of our walks, it occurred to me that they sounded like so many alarms going off, and that got me thinking. What are alarms used for?

Well, there are alarm clocks to wake you up. There are also fire alarms, burglar alarms, and car alarms, among others. The message of these alarms is about the same: if you want to avoid trouble, get up, get ready, and get going! I wonder, might there also be some internal alarms going off? Alarms that tell us to shake off our lethargy and observe what is happening around us in the spiritual realm? Is there something that tells us to wake up and be roused to action? Listen, because the alarms may be sounding loudly for you!

So as you enjoy your evening walks, and if you are in a place where you can hear these “alarms,” think about the message God may be trying to give you. Don’t forget to listen and heed the alarms, trusting God to get you through.

God's Creation,100 / evolution,0
THE UNMISTAKABLE ENGINEERING OF A DRAGONFLY WING

At first glance, a dragonfly wing looks like fragile lace stretched across a frame. In reality, it is one of the most sophisticated passive flight control systems ever discovered. Embedded halfway along each wing is a microscopic structure called the nodus. This is not decoration. It is a precision engineered mechanical joint. In modern engineering terms, it functions as a passive aeroelastic control hinge.

The nodus divides the wing into inner and outer sections with deliberately different stiffness profiles. At low speeds, the wing behaves as a single rigid surface, maximizing lift and efficiency. As speed increases or turbulence intensifies, aerodynamic forces automatically cause the outer wing section to rotate slightly out of phase with the inner section. This passive motion reduces torsional stress, suppresses destructive flutter, and stabilizes flight without sensors, nerves, or active feedback. The wing adapts instantly, driven purely by physics.

What makes this even more extraordinary is the material engineering. The veins surrounding the nodus transition gradually from stiff to compliant in a highly specific pattern. Membrane tension changes across the joint in a way that prevents crack propagation and structural failure. Even after millions of wing beats, the wing does not fatigue catastrophically. Aerospace engineers struggle to achieve this kind of load management and vibration damping even with advanced composites and active control systems.

This system cannot be built gradually. A wing that flexes too early loses lift. A wing that flexes too late fails structurally. The nodus only works when its geometry, placement, material gradients, and membrane tensions are all correct at the same time. Partial versions are liabilities, not advantages. This is not trial and error. This is foresight.

Scripture says creation was established in wisdom and understanding. When you look closely at structures like the dragonfly nodus, that claim stops sounding poetic and starts sounding precise. This is not accidental elegance. This is engineering written into living tissue from the beginning

The Advent Truth.
John 13:34 is one of the most misunderstood verses in Scripture. Many claim Jesus replaced the Ten Commandments with one new command: “Love one another.” But is that what He actually said?

First, loving your neighbor wasn’t new. Leviticus 19:18 had already commanded God’s people, “Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.”

Jesus said, “As I have loved you.” He was calling His followers to the self-sacrificing, cross-centered love that He Himself demonstrated. The command wasn’t replacing God’s law—it was revealing its fullest expression.

In Matthew 22:36-40, Jesus summarized the law with two great commandments. But notice where He quoted them from. “Love the Lord thy God” comes from Deuteronomy 6:5, and “Love thy neighbour as thyself” comes from Leviticus 19:18. The context of both passages is obedience to God’s commandments. Deuteronomy 6 follows the repetition of the Ten Commandments in chapter 5, while Leviticus 19 repeatedly calls Israel to keep God’s statutes and includes commands that reflect the second table of the Decalogue. Jesus wasn’t replacing the Ten Commandments—He was summarizing them.

What does loving God look like? Worship Him alone. Don’t make idols. Honor His name. Remember His Sabbath.

What does loving your neighbor look like? Honor your parents. Don’t murder. Don’t commit adultery. Don’t steal. Don’t lie. Don’t covet.

Paul agreed. In Romans 13:8-10 he quoted commandments against adultery, murder, theft, and coveting before concluding, “Love is the fulfilling of the law.”

John agreed too. The same apostle who recorded John 13:34 later wrote, “For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments” (1 John 5:3).

The Bible never pits love against obedience. It unites them.

The world says, “Just love.”

Jesus says, “If ye love me, keep my commandments.” (John 14:15)

It’s not my opinion, it’s the Advent Truth.

Daily Devotional.
Be kind and tenderhearted.

Be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you. Ephesians 4:32

Let the tenderness and mercy that Jesus has revealed in His own precious life be an example to us of the manner in which we should treat our fellow beings.... Many have fainted and become discouraged in the great struggle of life, whom one word of kindly cheer and courage would have strengthened to overcome.... We cannot tell how far reaching may be our tender words of kindness, our Christ-like efforts to lighten some burden. The erring can be restored in no other way than in the spirit of meekness, gentleness, and tender love.

In all your transactions with your fellow men never forget that you are dealing with God’s property. Be kind; be pitiful; be courteous. Respect God’s purchased possession. Treat one another with tenderness and courtesy.

If you have enmity, suspicion, envy, and jealousy in your hearts, you have a work to do to make these things right. Confess your sins; come into harmony with your brethren. Speak well of them. Throw out no unfavorable hints, no suggestions that will awaken distrust in the minds of others. Guard their reputation as sacredly as you would have them guard yours; love them as you would be loved of Jesus.

The grace of God leads men to place themselves in all their business transactions in the place of those with whom they are dealing. It leads men to look not only on their own things but also on the things of others. It leads them to reveal tenderness, sympathy, and kindness. Cherishing a right spirit, living a holy life—this is what being Christlike means....

Let your life be controlled by the wide, generous principles of the Bible, the principles of good will, kindness, and courtesy. [236]

This is how it is in the morning at Vision complex orphanage. I am wondering how is it looks like there in the morning!!

~. . . And the evening and the morning were the 230th day. Good Morning, God's Beloved. On this 231st day of 2026, might I suggest to you that it's okay to not be okay. Just remember that there's a Savior who cares . . .==> "Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you." [1 Peter 5:6-7]
[And as you RESPECT and LOVE one another as hard as you can, Please PLAY NICE, PRAY for one another, Distance-CHECK on your neighbors, and Keep a SMILE on your Faith.]
(For more videos like this, subscribe to my YouTube channel, MelzMark Video Productions, at www.youtube.com/[VStMelz])
https://youtube.com/watch?v=vpuHsP-dRs8&is=iuOatzUFwDEH-Rs0

PROVERB OF THE DAY

(Proverbs 19)

1. Better is the poor who walks in his integrity
Than one who is perverse in his lips, and is a fool

2. Also it is not good for a soul to be without knowledge,
And he sins who hastens with his feet.

3. The foolishness of a man twists his way,
And his heart frets against the LORD.

4. Wealth makes many friends,
But the poor is separated from his friend.

5. A false witness will not go unpunished,
And he who speaks lies will not escape.

6. Many entreat the favor of the nobility,
And every man is a friend to one who gives gifts.

7. All the brothers of the poor hate him;
How much more do his friends go far from him!
He may pursue them with words, yet they abandon him.

8. He who gets wisdom loves his own soul;
He who keeps understanding will find good.

9. A false witness will not go unpunished,
And he who speaks lies shall perish.

10. Luxury is not fitting for a fool,
Much less for a servant to rule over princes.

11. The discretion of a man makes him slow to anger,
And his glory is to overlook a transgression.

12. The king’s wrath is like the roaring of a lion,
But his favor is like dew on the grass.

13. A foolish son is the ruin of his father,
And the contentions of a wife are a continual dripping.

14. Houses and riches are an inheritance from fathers,
But a prudent wife is from the LORD.
15. Laziness casts one into a deep sleep,
And an idle person will suffer hunger.

16. He who keeps the commandment keeps his soul,
But he who is careless of his ways will die.

17. He who has pity on the poor lends to the LORD,
And He will pay back what he has given.

18. Chasten your son while there is hope,
And do not set your heart on his destruction.

19. A man of great wrath will suffer punishment;
For if you rescue him, you will have to do it again.

20. Listen to counsel and receive instruction,
That you may be wise in your latter days.

21. There are many plans in a man’s heart,
Nevertheless the LORD’s counsel—that will stand.

22. What is desired in a man is kindness,
And a poor man is better than a liar.

23. The fear of the LORD leads to life,
And he who has it will abide in satisfaction;
He will not be visited with evil.

24. A lazy man buries his hand in the bowl,
And will not so much as bring it to his mouth again.

25. Strike a scoffer, and the simple will become wary;
Rebuke one who has understanding, and he will discern knowledge.

26. He who mistreats his father and chases away his mother
Is a son who causes shame and brings reproach.

27. Cease listening to instruction, my son,
And you will stray from the words of knowledge.

28. A disreputable witness scorns justice,
And the mouth of the wicked devours iniquity.

29. Judgments are prepared for scoffers,
And beatings for the backs of fools.

Good morning to everyone. Grace and Peace be with you.

It appears that the rain monster is headed back our way. Perhaps today. I have one more yard to mow/bale, and hopefully I can get that done before it gets here. If I recall, the rain is supposed to start this afternoon around 3. We kind of made a plan for today, so…fingers crossed that the monster stays away for the right amount of time.

This year has been a wild year for my yard. I do not recall a year where it felt like a cloud just passed over my place and the grass grew six inches. It is crazy how fast my yard is growing this year. I don’t even think that it has to rain a tiny bit for my yard to keep growing. It is crazy. You know, I always thought a balance of water and sun was the formula for a good growing yard. Apparently, my yard has an attitude and has said, “Give me rain, or not; give me sun or not; give me cold or not; I will grow and will not rot.” I guess it is its version of ‘hold my beer’.

The wonderful part of it is that my yard actually looks like a fluffy pillow of beautiful grass. Not sure how that happened, but it did. There are not a lot of thistles or weeds; even in the back part of the yard, it is beautiful grass.

The way that the grass is growing so quickly and fully is a reminder of how quickly sin can manifest in our lives. Now you are wondering, how did I just turn my beautiful pillow grass into sin? Stick with me; I think you will like this. Some of you who are used to my brain are trying to see my vision first. Haha.

In one of the parables that Jesus taught, the farmer planted bountiful seeds and had a great crop. However, one day one of his servants told him of how the weeds were growing up in the plants and should they pull the weeds. The farmer told them no; they would worry about the weeds at harvest.

My nice and quick-growing yard is just like the weeds in the parable, in that the weeds sprung up quickly and became noticeable to the servants. They did not need attention, but they were trying to take over the crop to the point that the servant wanted to rid the field of them.

Sin works the same way. It finds its way into our lives, usually with logic. Such as, Jesus sat with sinners, so why can’t I? The problem with that example is that Jesus was perfect and without blemish. He did not succumb to the sin from which he was trying to save them from. He simply sat with them and told them the truth in love. WE on the other hand, are sinners who are saved by grace. WE are still human and are susceptible to the temptation of the same sins that we are sitting with. Meaning, a drug addict should not move into a drug-infested area to witness because the temptation could become too strong for them to resist.

Once sin has planted itself in our minds, it festers and grows quickly. It uses logic and ‘common sense’ ideas to justify its existence. Soon, and it does not take long, for those around you to see how the sin has manifested and grew in your/our lives. And the bad part of it all is that many times we either do not see it and still try to justify our actions with the ‘Jesus sat with sinners’ or we do not see it at all.

Today I encourage you to go to Him in prayer and ask Him to reveal any areas in your life that you may be lying to yourself about as a witness opportunity to allow for your sin. When He reveals it to you, go to Him and ask Him to forgive you. If He had sent anyone to open your eyes, ask them to forgive you for not listening to His servant. As you do that, you are telling the enemy to kick rocks and that will give him a headache for sure.

Be blessed.

**Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. – Colossians 3:17

Dear Father,

Edmund Gettier, a philosopher, proposed an addition to the concept of epistemology-- the study of knowledge, when he argued that a person can believe something without knowing it, but no one can claim to know something without believing it. How true is this of humanity? There is also a branch of epistemology called empiricism, which supports the idea that the most reliable source of human knowledge is experience or sensory perceptions. My problem with this view is that it limits the truth of humanity’s existence to what is attainable in his lifetime.

I was reminded of Thomas, who, when the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!” responded, “Unless I see the nail marks in His hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.” The issue, however, lies not in the limitations that exist in obtaining the experience needed for an unwavering belief in You, but in how willing we are to pay the price to know what we have always believed.

It is true that many of us are like Thomas, with certain doubts and confusions, believing in Jesus but not all that He purports to represent. Perhaps this is what Edmund communicates: that there is a risk in believing when sufficient knowledge is lacking. Isn’t this one of the reasons we struggle with our faith? Isn’t this the reason we doubt-- asking questions without necessarily seeking answers?

Today, I took it upon myself to reflect on how much I have put into knowing all that I believe about You.

Translations;
Slide 1: English
Slide 2: French
Slide 3: Bengali
Slide 4: Hindi
Slide 5: Urdu
Slide 6: Portuguese

#LettertoGod
#believe
#knowledge
#doubt
#Thomasstory