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.

Prayer from Psalm 43
Prayer from Psalm 43

A Prayer Inspired by Psalm 43

Lord, when I feel discouraged, be my hope.

When I am confused, send me Your light.

When I don't know which direction to take, guide me with Your truth.

When I feel distant from You, draw me back into Your presence.

Help me remember Your faithfulness and trust You even when my circumstances haven't changed.

Today I choose to speak to my soul:

Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him.

Amen.

#Prayer #Psalm43 #HopeInGod #TrustGod #ChristianPrayer #GodsLight #Faith #Jesus
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The Story Behind the Hymns.
THE STORY BEHIND "I'II PRAISE MY MAKER WHILE I'VE BREATH

“I’ll Praise My Maker While I’ve Breath” is a beloved hymn by the English hymn writer and theologian Isaac Watts (1674–1748). The hymn is based on Psalm 146, transforming the biblical psalm into a personal declaration of lifelong trust, praise and devotion to God.

Watts published the hymn in his influential collection “The Psalms of David, Imitated in the Language of the New Testament” in 1719. Rather than translating the Psalm word-for-word, he expressed its message in a form that worshippers could sing as their own testimony of faith.

The opening words capture the central theme:

“I’ll praise my Maker while I’ve breath;
And when my voice is lost in death,
Praise shall employ my nobler powers…”

The hymn reflects the conviction that praise should not depend on circumstances. Watts points the worshipper toward God as the faithful Creator and everlasting source of hope, while reminding us that earthly rulers and human strength are temporary.

One of the most memorable ideas in the hymn is its confidence in God’s enduring care. Even as human life comes to an end, the singer looks beyond death with the assurance that praise continues in the presence of the Maker.

“I’ll Praise My Maker While I’ve Breath” became widely loved in Christian worship and has appeared in numerous hymnals across generations. Its enduring appeal lies in its simple but profound message: life itself is an opportunity to praise God, and that praise ultimately reaches beyond the limits of earthly life.

Isaac Watts died in 1748, but his hymns continued to shape Christian worship around the world. Through this hymn, his paraphrase of Psalm 146 remains a powerful invitation to make praise a lifelong commitment.

Need to know.
THE GRANDEST INVITATION

"Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready." — Revelation 19:7

In our world, wedding invitations carry weight. We check our calendars, coordinate attire, and prepare gifts to honor the couple. Yet the most magnificent celebration in human history—the Marriage Supper of the Lamb—requires a far different kind of preparation.

Revelation 19 shifts the cosmic scene from the fall of earthly empires to an outburst of unhindered praise. The long-awaited climax of history arrives not as a political conquest, but as a wedding feast. Jesus, the Lamb who was slain to purchase humanity with His blood, is revealed as the Bridegroom. The Church—every believer across time—is His bride.

This short verse carries three deep spiritual movements for your day:

Rejoice and Be Glad: True Christian joy is grounded in an unshakable future. Whatever hardship or disappointment you face today, it is not the final chapter of your story. The end of history is a feast, not a famine.

Give Him Glory: Salvation is entirely God’s initiative. We do not earn our place at this table; we are invited by grace.

Make Yourself Ready: The bride's readiness is both a gift and a pursuit. In the very next verse, Revelation notes that her fine linen is given to her, representing the righteous acts of God's holy people.

To be ready for the Bridegroom means living today in light of eternity. It means letting love, purity, and devotion shape how you treat others, manage your time, and guard your heart. You are not waiting aimlessly; you are preparing for a wedding.

Take time today to consider what temporary worry or distraction is currently competing for the joy that belongs to your eternal future, and how you can actively make yourself ready in your daily decisions and relationships.

Heavenly Father, thank You for inviting me to Your eternal feast through Jesus Christ, the Lamb. When the cares of this world feel heavy, lift my eyes to the joy that awaits me. Purify my heart today, align my desires with Your kingdom, and help me live with expectant hope. Let my life reflect the grace and righteousness You have so generously given me. Amen.

Please pray for our family! President Trump has paused immigrant visas for Ethiopians, and the pause is currently set to be permanent. Pray with us that this delay is immediately lifted so we can go home and build our family, home, and ministry together. We know this is in God's will!

We praise God for blessing us with marriage and a daughter. As missionaries—an American husband and an Ethiopian wife—we've seen God guide us through every step of the immigration process. Our daughter has her US passport and my wife's marriage visa is approved. Now we just need the path cleared so we can all return to the USA together. God bless all who pray for us in Jesus' name! Amen!

Please pray for our family! President Trump has paused immigrant visas for Ethiopians, and the pause is currently set to be permanent. Pray with us that this delay is immediately lifted so we can go home and build our family, home, and ministry together. We know this is in God's will!

We praise God for blessing us with marriage and a daughter. As missionaries—an American husband and an Ethiopian wife—we've seen God guide us through every step of the immigration process. Our daughter has her US passport and my wife's marriage visa is approved. Now we just need the path cleared so we can all return to the USA together. God bless all who pray for us in Jesus' name! Amen!

Creation itself points us to the greatness and glory of God.

Share this with someone who needs a reminder to pause and praise the Creator.

#Psalm191 #GloryOfGod #GodsCreation #HisHandiwork #PraiseTheCreator #CreationDeclares #WorshipGod #FaithInChrist #ChristianLiving #Lordsbook

HOW CAN WE TALK WITH JESUS

Talking with Jesus is simply praying. You do not need fancy or big words. Just talk to Him out loud or in your mind like you would talk to a close friend or a loving father. Be honest about your feelings, your worries, and your joys.

Steps to Start a Conversation:

- Find a quiet place: Go somewhere with no distractions so you can focus your mind.

- Be yourself: Do not try to sound holy or perform. Jesus wants your real, honest heart.

- Share what is on your mind: Tell Him what makes you happy, and tell Him what hurts.

- Listen and be still: Prayer is two-way. After you speak, pause, quiet your thoughts, and read the Bible to hear His guidance.

- Adoration: Praise Jesus for who He is and His goodness.

- Confession: Tell Him your mistakes and ask for His forgiveness.

- Thanksgiving: Thank Him for the good things in your life.

- Supplication: Ask Him for help, strength, or healing for yourself and others.

ENTER HIS PRESENCE WITH THANKFULNESS

Psalm 100:4-5

"Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him and bless his name! For the Lord is good; his love endures forever, and his faithfulness continues through all generations."

Psalm 100 calls the whole world to come before God with joy, gratitude, and praise. The psalmist bases this invitation on three certainties:

- God is good
- His goodness endures
- His faithfulness never changes.

Gratitude does not depend on what we are experiencing today, but on who God is. Even when circumstances are difficult, his goodness endures and his faithfulness remains intact.

Looking to God's faithfulness changes how we face the future. He who was faithful yesterday will be faithful again tomorrow.

Praise then becomes a declaration of faith: “Lord, I don’t understand everything, but I know that you are good and faithful.

This morning, take a few moments to remember your faithfulness. Thank you for what you have already done, for what you are doing now, and for what you will yet accomplish. Gratitude prepares your heart to see God’s work in your life.

Lord, thank you for your goodness and faithfulness. Teach me to praise you in every circumstance and to move forward with confidence, knowing that your faithfulness endures from generation to generation.

#GratitudeToGod🏼
#SpiritAndLife

Daily devotion for August 18th
Where To Begin
Blessed be your glorious name, and may it be exalted above all blessing and praise.

Nehemiah 9:5b
This prayer in the book of Nehemiah is a great model that will teach us much for our own prayer life. It begins with a great section of praise. First, God is praised as the Creator and Maker of everything. Beginning with the life He gave you is a great place to start when you are praising God. It seems strange to me that people who are dependent every moment on God to give them life allow themselves so easily to forget that fact. God sustains us moment by moment. We ought to be grateful for that. Let us never forget that our very breath comes from Him.

The next section praises God as the caller and chooser of people. He is the one who gives undeserved blessings to those He chooses. God is the keeper of promises. Not one of us would be here today if it were not for that merciful, sovereign call of God. Jesus said, No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him (John 6:44). We are here today because the Spirit of God in wondrous grace has drawn us to Himself.

Then the people praise God as the deliverer from sin and its enslavement. They retell the history of this nation, beginning with the call of Abraham and their deliverance from Egypt. Some of us have forgotten the lessons God has taught us and have returned to the same sins, plunging ourselves once more into rebellion and slavery. Let us never forget that we have been wonderfully, even miraculously, delivered by the great hand of God.

Praise for God as the great provider of wisdom and the necessities of life follows. Here is God's providential care of His own. He taught this people how to live in the midst of great wickedness. He knew he was sending them into a land inhabited by tribes who were morally degraded to a degree that is appalling to us today. They offered their children to the god Molech by throwing them alive into a furnace of fire. It was among these people that the Israelites had to live. Yet God taught them how to avoid defilement from those things. He taught them how to be friends with these people but not be destroyed by their immorality. It is exactly the situation we are called to live in today. God has given us this wonderful book that teaches us the rules of life, health, salvation, and deliverance and the inner strength that can resist the temptations that abound all around us. To neglect it is folly.

God also supplied their needs. He gave them bread to eat when there was none. He gave them water from the rock in the middle of the desert. That is not only an account of meeting physical needs, but it describes the meeting of spiritual needs as well. The New Testament tells us these are pictures of Christ: He is the bread of life; He is the water of life. As the Israelites learned the meaning of these symbols, they began to understand that there was One coming who would fully meet the need of the human heart.

Father, I praise and worship You as the Creator and Sustainer of the universe, as the One who has chosen me and drawn me to Yourself and the One who provides all that I need