Daily devotion: Habakkuk 3:17-18 “Even though the fig trees have no fruit and no grapes grow on the vines, even though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no corn, even though the sheep all die and the cattle stalls are empty, I will still be joyful and glad, because the LORD God is my saviour.” The one thing that no one can deny is that the human race is flailing under the oppression of pure evil. Never, in my lifetime, has the world been filled with so much anger, hatred and death. People are out of control. This current generation continues to mock God and the faithful. It also seems that nature itself turned its back on people. Fire and earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricanes, volcanic eruptions, drought and famine, pestilence. And I’m not even mentioning the events happening in space. The world is filled with godless people. You look at the news and see the devil in their eyes. They are not hiding anymore. These are similar to the days of Noah and it has been prophesied that, in endtimes, people will be selfish and arrogant, lovers of money and superficial appearances. They will mock our God and refuse to repent. They ask: “Where is this God of yours. Show me the scientific evidence of His existence.” Do they not understand that even THEY were CREATED by God. THEY are the evidence. Every single cell of all that lives on this planet, humans, animals, plants, has been made by God Himself. Our purpose on earth is to worship our Lord and to spread the gospel. As Christians we should not fear the things that are happening and the things that are still coming. We may live difficult lives, but still we need to rejoice in the Lord. It may seem impossible to praise God in times of anguish, but just look at what Habakkuk 3:19 says: “The Sovereign LORD gives me strength. He makes me sure-footed as a deer, and keeps me safe on the mountains.” God is within each one of us and we should look towards the future with joy and exaltation, for He is steadfast, He is almighty, He is the ONE God. He sees through the artificial smiles, He knows what troubles your heart and He will take care of you ALWAYS. #Christianity #JesusChrist #Faith #Hope #prayer

The Mice in the Piano Pastor Joseph Clark August 12, 2026 “He who denies the existence of God, has some reason for wishing that God did not exist.” —Saint Augustine “Whoever acknowledges Me before others, I will also acknowledge before My Father in heaven. But whoever disowns Me before others, I will disown before My Father in heaven.” —Matthew 10:32–33 The Mice in the Piano Once upon a time, there were two little mice. They were brothers, and they had lived their entire lives inside a piano. It was the only world they had ever known. Their parents and siblings had died of old age, leaving the two brothers as the last members of their family. They spent their days exploring their strange little world and listening in wonder to the beautiful music that constantly filled the piano. They could not see where the music came from. Their parents had taught them that the music was produced by a great and mysterious being who lived beyond their understanding—the one who played the piano. The two mice loved to think about this great player. They talked about him, wondered about him, and delighted in the beautiful music he produced. Then, one day, one of the mice went exploring. When he returned, he was thoughtful and unusually serious. “There is no great player,” he told his brother. “It is all a myth. I have seen the inside of this piano. The music is produced by wires, hammers, strings, and mechanisms. I have seen them with my own eyes!” The brothers abandoned their belief in the great player. They were convinced that they had finally discovered the truth. They understood the mechanisms of the piano, and therefore they believed they had explained away the musician. They examined the wires, hammers, strings, and mechanical workings repeatedly. The more they learned about how the piano worked, the more confident they became that there was no need to believe in a player. But they had overlooked something very important. Knowing how the piano works does not explain who is playing it. And so, while the two mice congratulated themselves on their newfound wisdom, the great player continued to play. The mice simply could not see him. The Limits of Human Understanding There is an important lesson in this little story. Human beings are intelligent. We have learned extraordinary things about the universe. We have explored the depths of the oceans, walked on the moon, examined the microscopic world, mapped the human genome, and discovered astonishing laws governing the physical universe. But our ability to understand something does not mean that we understand everything. The Bible repeatedly reminds us that humility is essential when approaching God. Jesus said: “Unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” —Matthew 18:3 He also said: “Let the little children come to Me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.” —Matthew 19:14 And again: “Whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.” —Luke 18:17 Jesus is not telling us to abandon reason or become intellectually childish. Rather, He is calling us to humility, trust, and dependence upon God. Scripture says: “Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” —Matthew 18:4 The Christian life begins with recognizing that God is God—and we are not. “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God.” —Ephesians 2:8 And: “The righteous shall live by faith.” —Romans 1:17 Faith is not a rejection of reason. Faith recognizes that human reason has limits. Living in a Skeptical Age In 1897, Francis Pharcellus Church wrote his famous response to eight-year-old Virginia O'Hanlon concerning her question about Santa Claus. Church observed that people can become skeptical of anything they cannot see or fully comprehend. Although Church was writing about Santa Claus—not God—the broader observation is worth considering. We live in an age that often treats what can be measured as though it were the only thing that can be real. But there are many things we accept as real without seeing them directly. We cannot see gravity. We cannot see thoughts. We cannot see love. We cannot see electricity itself. Yet we observe their effects. Likewise, Christians believe that although God cannot be placed under a microscope or reduced to a laboratory experiment, His existence can be considered through the evidence of creation, reason, morality, human consciousness, history, and ultimately the revelation of Jesus Christ. The fact that we cannot see God with our physical eyes does not prove that God does not exist. The mice could not see the piano player either. That did not mean he wasn't there. When People Mock Our Faith A close friend of mine, an Archbishop, once told me a humorous story from his childhood. He had been at a park with his mother when he ran over excitedly and told her that the sun was actually a star and that the stars in the sky were also suns. His mother, apparently overwhelmed by the complexity of the information, responded with a blunt declaration that, in essence, the sun was the sun and the stars were the stars—and that was the end of the discussion! Sometimes we can become uncomfortable when someone challenges what we believe. That is particularly true when people we respect dismiss Christianity as foolishness. Richard Dawkins, Woody Allen, Isaac Asimov, Mark Twain, Carl Sagan, and many others have expressed skepticism toward Christianity or belief in God. But Christians should not respond with anger or hatred. We should respond with grace. Forgive them. Pray for them. Love them. And share the Gospel with them. The Apostle Peter instructed Christians: “Always be ready to give an answer to anyone who asks you for the reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect.” —1 Peter 3:15 That is an important distinction. We are called to defend the faith, but we are not called to be quarrelsome. Jesus said: “If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, leave that home or town and shake the dust off your feet.” —Matthew 10:14 And He warned: “Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls before swine.” —Matthew 7:6 There comes a time when we must recognize that arguing louder will not make someone believe. Our responsibility is to faithfully proclaim Christ. The Holy Spirit is responsible for changing hearts. What About Suffering? One of the most common objections to belief in God is the existence of suffering. People ask: “How can I believe in a loving God when there is so much suffering in the world?” This is a serious question, and Christians should never dismiss it with a shallow answer. The Bible itself contains people crying out to God in the midst of suffering. Job asked difficult questions. David cried out in the Psalms. Even Jesus wept at the tomb of Lazarus. Christianity does not pretend that suffering is imaginary. Instead, Christianity tells us that suffering exists in a fallen world and that God entered that suffering Himself through Jesus Christ. The cross is Christianity's answer to the claim that God is indifferent to human suffering. God did not remain distant from our pain. He entered our world. He suffered. He died. And He rose again. The Apostle Paul writes: “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.” —Romans 8:18 C.S. Lewis famously described pain as God's “megaphone” to a deaf world. Suffering does not prove that God does not exist. For many people, suffering instead becomes the very circumstance that drives them to ask the deepest questions about meaning, morality, mortality, and God. What About Hell? Another question frequently asked is: “How can a loving God send people to Hell?” The Christian answer begins with the extraordinary love of God. Jesus said: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.” —John 3:16 God offers salvation freely through Christ. The Gospel is not a message that God delights in condemning people. It is a message that God has provided a way of salvation. Jesus came to seek and save the lost. The seriousness of judgment is precisely what makes the offer of salvation so important. God does not force anyone to love Him. The Gospel calls us to repent, believe, and receive the grace of God. Faith and the Evidence of Creation The universe raises enormous questions. Why is there something rather than nothing? Why does the universe possess order? Why are the laws of nature intelligible? Why does human consciousness exist? Why do human beings possess an awareness of moral obligation? Science can investigate how many things work. But questions concerning ultimate meaning and purpose extend beyond the laboratory. The Christian does not believe that science is the enemy of faith. Quite the opposite. The universe is intelligible because Christians believe it was created by an intelligent God. The laws of nature can be investigated because Christians believe those laws reflect an ordered creation. The human capacity to reason can be used to explore the universe because Christians believe human beings were created by God. Science can tell us much about the mechanisms of the piano. But science alone cannot answer the question: Who is playing the music? Believers in the Scientific Community Christianity has never belonged exclusively to the uneducated or uninformed. Throughout history, many highly accomplished scientists have believed in God. Among them are figures such as: Isaac Newton, whose work transformed physics and mathematics. James Clerk Maxwell, one of the great figures in electromagnetic theory. Gregor Mendel, whose experiments established foundational principles of genetics and who was also an Augustinian friar. Georges Lemaître, a Catholic priest and physicist whose work on an expanding universe helped establish the foundation of what became known as Big Bang cosmology. Francis Collins, physician-geneticist and former director of the National Human Genome Research Institute, who has publicly identified as a Christian. Charles Townes, Nobel Prize-winning physicist and inventor of the maser and co-inventor of the laser, who was an openly religious Christian. These examples do not prove Christianity simply because these scientists believed. But they do demonstrate something important: Faith in God is not incompatible with intellectual achievement. A person does not have to abandon intelligence in order to believe in God. Nor does becoming a Christian require someone to stop asking questions. Christians should welcome honest questions. The Problem With the Piano Mice The two mice made a fundamental mistake. They confused an explanation of the mechanism with an explanation of the ultimate cause. They discovered the wires. They discovered the hammers. They discovered the strings. They discovered the machinery. And then they concluded: “Therefore, there is no piano player.” But that conclusion did not logically follow from their discovery. In fact, their discovery of the piano's complexity could have led them to ask an entirely different question: Who designed this? And that is the question we must ultimately ask about our universe. Where did everything come from? Why is there something rather than nothing? Why does the universe operate according to discoverable laws? Why does consciousness exist? Why do we have an innate sense that some things are genuinely right and others genuinely wrong? And perhaps the greatest question of all: Who are we, and why are we here? The Christian answer is that we are creatures made by our Creator. We are not accidents without purpose. We were created by God, for God, and ultimately for relationship with Him. We Are the Mice There is another lesson in the story that we must not miss. Perhaps the greatest danger is not being ignorant. Perhaps it is believing that we know everything. We are the mice in the piano. We live inside a universe vastly larger and more complicated than our minds can fully comprehend. We see only a fraction of reality. We understand only a fraction of what exists. And yet we sometimes look at the small portion we understand and confidently declare that nothing exists beyond it. The Bible reminds us: “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, declares the LORD.” —Isaiah 55:8 And: “Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and how inscrutable His ways!” —Romans 11:33 The proper response to a God who is greater than our understanding is not arrogance. It is humility. It is worship. It is faith. The Music Continues The two mice eventually stopped believing in the piano player. They became convinced that they had explained everything. But outside their tiny world, the musician continued to play. The music never stopped. The fact that they could not see him did not mean he was absent. And perhaps that is where many people find themselves today. They have examined the mechanisms of the universe. They have learned about physics, biology, chemistry, mathematics, and astronomy. They have become fascinated by the machinery. But they have never stopped to ask whether there is a Creator behind it all. The Christian message is that there is. His name is Jesus Christ. He is not merely an idea, a philosophy, or a comforting story. He is the Son of God who entered human history, died for our sins, and rose from the grave. And He calls every one of us to respond. Jesus said: “Whoever acknowledges Me before others, I will also acknowledge before My Father in heaven.” —Matthew 10:32 The question is not merely whether we believe that God exists. The deeper question is: What will we do with Jesus Christ? The piano is playing. The music is all around us. The question is whether we will remain convinced that there is nothing beyond the wires and hammers—or whether we will humble ourselves, listen carefully, and seek the One who is playing the music. Do not be so certain that you have explained the piano that you never look for the Player. —Pastor Joseph Clark

Good morning, brethren. 1. Morning devotion for today. MD.i. 😀🎀💝🎁🌺🌹MORNING TEA THE WORD FOR TODAY WEDNESDAY AUGUST 5, 2O26. "YOU CAN CARRY GOD’S PRESENCE WITH YOU (1)" ‘The poles…are not to be removed.’ Exodus 25:15 NIV THE ARK of the Covenant represented the presence of God in the midst of His people. When the Philistines captured it, they were smitten with tumours. When they placed it in their temple, their god Dagon fell to the ground (1 Samuel 5). The moral of this story is—don’t mess around with the things of God! Even if you are not prepared to serve God; at least be wise and revere Him. When Israel conquered the Philistines, David decided to bring the Ark, the symbol of God’s presence, back home to Jerusalem. Now, when God designed the Ark, He put rings on the side of it, and poles through those rings, saying it must only be carried on the shoulders of special priests. But somebody thought of ‘a better way,’ so they put it on a new cart pulled by an ox. And that’s when everything went wrong. When the Ark started to slip off the cart, a well-meaning bystander decided to steady it. And he died for it! You say, ‘That’s pretty extreme.’ There’s a lesson here for those who want to package God’s presence, market it, and ‘take it on the road.’ Who is qualified to carry God’s presence? Only believer-priests who have been cleansed by the blood of the Lamb, are washed by the Word at the laver, who fellowship with God at His table, who worship Him at the altar of incense, and who walk in the light of truth represented by the seven-branched lampstand. Away with newfangled carts! ‘…the Lord added to the church…’ (Acts 2:47 NKJV). If we are going to carry God’s presence and build His church, we’ve got to do it His way. Bible In A Year: Deut 32:29-34:12; Matt 14:13-21; Ps 119:17-24; Pro 27:7-10. 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. [04/08, 9:31 pm] Pastor Attah: ```DAILY Ⓜ️ANNA - (A DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE FOR ADULTS) WEDNESDAY 5TH AUGUST, 2026``` *DEFILEMENT DETESTED* 📓📖🎚️🫵🏽🙋🏽‍♂️🙋🏽‍♀️🖤❌🩸🤍🧎🏽🧎🏽‍♀️🙏🏽 📜📜```TEXT:LEVITICUS 11:13-28```📜📜 🔑📖```KEY VERSE:``` _*"And he that beareth the carcase of them shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even: they are unclean unto you" (LEVITICUS 11:28).*_ *Leonard Syme, a professor of epidemiology at the University of California at Berkeley, indicates the importance of social ties and social support systems in relationship to mortality and disease rates. He simply underscores the saying that attack is the best defence. Defiant posture to defilements regardless the form or the size is the panacea for living holy.* *This is the gem in the seemingly extensive and meticulous dietary regulation outlined in our passage, which serves a crucial purpose beyond maintaining physical health. To the Israelites, it was a constant reminder to their distinct identity and calling on one hand and a perpetual prompt to seek holiness and live in constant obedience to God in all aspects of life on the other hand. In the same way, believers today are called to maintain a distinct identity in the world. Our lives must be marked by holiness, obedience, and respect for God's commandments.* *Our text, on the surface, sets forth the dietary restrictions on fowls or birds (Leviticus 11:13b-19) and flying insects (Leviticus 11:19-23), but at a deeper level they are part of a larger tapestry of holiness and obedience to God's laws.* *The hallmark of this dietary law is the indelible imprint of God's work in them and the call to live lives directed by God. The regulation constantly reminds the Israelites that they are a different and separate people who should by no means live the same way or share common values with the surrounding nations. As the distinction exists between clean and unclean animals, birds or creeping creatures so is there an uncompromisable difference between the Israel of God and other nations. Their food choices reflect this consecrated, holy identity.* *How this speaks to you, the "ecclesia", called out one today. If you are saved, your only option is to be separated to live holily before the Lord Who saved you: "But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy" (1 Peter 1:15, 16). These detailed and seemingly complicated instructions underscore the place of God's amazing grace and the unmerited favour He shows to us by His covenant loving-kindness.* ✍🏽```THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:``` _*Passion for heaven necessitates strict separation and unqualified obedience to the word.*_ 📜📜```THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:``` *JOHN 10-12*📜📜 Defilement Detested https://dailymanna.app// *RECOMMENDED GOSPEL HYMNS AND SONGS - GHS 190: "CALLED UNTO HOLINESS"; GHS 219: MORE HOLINESS GIVE ME, MORE STRIVING WITHIN; AND GHS 188: TAKE TIME TO BE HOLY* *TXD [THEXDEVOTIONALS] on Twitter* *#DailyManna5thAugust2026* *#GCK* *#WorshipNuggets* *#BibleNuggets* *#LeadershipNuggets* *#RevivalNuggets* *#CrusadeNuggets* https://www.youtube.com/[THEXDEVOTIONALS] [04/08, 9:31 pm] Pastor Attah: ```DEEPER CHRISTIAN LIFE MINISTRY``` _*HIGHER EVERYD🅰️Y: (A DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE FOR YOUTHS)*_ ✍🏽👩🏻‍💼🌻 🍇🙏🏽🛰🚀🔬📚 ```WEDNESDAY 5TH AUGUST, 2026``` *LIFT UP JESUS* 🎚️📓📖🫵🏽🙋🏽‍♂️🙋🏽‍♀️✝️🆙🧎🏽🧎🏽‍♀️🗣️📢📣🙏🏽 📜📜```TEXT:JOHN 12:30-36```📜📜 📖``` MEMORY VERSE:``` _*"And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me" (JOHN 12:32).*_ *Jesus is the Saviour of the world. Life here and in eternity will be worthless without Him. Thus, everything concerning the redemption and restoration of man after his unfortunate fall in the Garden of Eden revolves around His ultimate price for the propitiation of our sins.* *Since Christ is the cornerstone of our existence, we must lift Him up for the world to see and be saved because without salvation through His blood, a soul will be damned in hell forever.* *Modern technology has made it easy to lift up Jesus for the world to see. The social media platforms have made it very easy to preach to thousands of people without stress. Serve the Lord in the days of your youth; lift up the flag of Jesus with all your strength and vigour to draw all men to Him for their salvation.* *God has rewards for those who faithfully carry out the work of evangelism. However, for you to lift up Christ for those to see, you must allow Christ to lift you out of your sinful lifestyle first.* 💬 ```QUOTE:``` _*Lift up Christ for others to see.*_ 🏆 ```CHALLENGE:``` _*Serve the Lord.*_ 🙏🏽🙏🏽 ```PRAYER:``` _*Lord, help me to lift up Christ every day.*_ Lift Up Jesus https://dailymanna.app// *TXD [THEXDEVOTIONALS] on Twitter* *#HigherEveryday5thAugust2026* *#GCK* *#WorshipNuggets* *#BibleNuggets* *#LeadershipNuggets* *#RevivalNuggets* *#CrusadeNuggets* https://www.youtube.com/[THEXDEVOTIONALS] [04/08, 9:31 pm] Pastor Attah: ```DEEPER CHRISTIAN LIFE MINISTRY``` _*(SINCERE MILK: Children Daily Devotional Guide 2⃣0⃣2⃣6️⃣)*_ 🙇🏼🙇🏼🙇‍♀️🙇‍♀️🙇🏼🙇‍♀️🙇🏼🙇‍♀️🙇🏼‍♂️ ```WEDNESDAY 5TH AUGUST, 2026``` *A HELPER TO OTHERS* 📓📖🎚️🫵🏽🙋🏽‍♂️🙋🏽‍♀️👥🤝🧎🏽🧎🏽‍♀️🙏🏽 📜📜```GALATIANS 6:1-3```📜📜 🕔📚🖋️🚻😁🎼🏆🍉🪴🌈💻 🔑📖 ```Key Verse:``` _*"Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ" (Galatians 6:2).*_ 📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖 Helping others is an important aspect of Christian fellowship. Jesus set the perfect example by healing the sick, comforting the brokenhearted and providing for those who were in need. Christ's life was dedicated to serving others, showing us that true love is found in selfless acts of kindness and compassion. When we help others, we are following Christ's command to love our neighbours as ourselves. Serving others does not always require big gestures. Sometimes, it is the small things that matter most; like a kind word, a listening ear, or sharing what we have. These simple acts can make a big difference in someone's life and show Christ's love in powerful ways. *By helping others, we not only fulfill God's command, but we also make the world a better place. Our service becomes a living example of God's love, drawing others closer to Jesus. Through these actions, we share the hope and grace that He offers, and in doing so, we become vessels of His love in the world.* 🍥🍥🍥🍥🍥🍥🍥🍥 ```🅿️rayer:``` _*Lord, guide me to help others, showing Your love through my actions and words.*_ 🙏🏽 ```📖 Further Reading:``` *Matthew 25:35-40* A Helper To Others https://dailymanna.app// *TXD [THEXDEVOTIONALS] on Twitter* *#SincereMilk5thAugust2026* *#GCK* *#WorshipNuggets* *#BibleNuggets* *#LeadershipNuggets* *#RevivalNuggets* *#CrusadeNuggets* https://www.youtube.com/[THEXDEVOTIONALS] [04/08, 9:32 pm] Pastor Attah: *MEDITATIONS ON DAILY ⓂANNA* WEDNESDAY, 5TH AUGUST, 2026. *BEYOND GOOD AND BALANCED DIET* *TEXT:* LEVITICUS 11:13-28. 13 And these are they which ye shall have in abomination among the fowls; they shall not be eaten, they are an abomination: the eagle, and the ossifrage, and the ospray, 14 And the vulture, and the kite after his kind; 15 Every raven after his kind; 16 And the owl, and the night hawk, and the cuckow, and the hawk after his kind, 17 And the little owl, and the cormorant, and the great owl, 18 And the swan, and the pelican, and the gier eagle, 19 And the stork, the heron after her kind, and the lapwing, and the bat. 20 All fowls that creep, going upon all four, shall be an abomination unto you. 21 Yet these may ye eat of every flying creeping thing that goeth upon all four, which have legs above their feet, to leap withal upon the earth; 22 Even these of them ye may eat; the locust after his kind, and the bald locust after his kind, and the beetle after his kind, and the grasshopper after his kind. 23 But all other flying creeping things, which have four feet, shall be an abomination unto you. 24 And for these ye shall be unclean: whosoever toucheth the carcase of them shall be unclean until the even. 25 And whosoever beareth ought of the carcase of them shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even. 26 The carcases of every beast which divideth the hoof, and is not clovenfooted, nor cheweth the cud, are unclean unto you: every one that toucheth them shall be unclean. 27 And whatsoever goeth upon his paws, among all manner of beasts that go on all four, those are unclean unto you: whoso toucheth their carcase shall be unclean until the even. 28 And he that beareth the carcase of them shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even: they are unclean unto you. *Timeless Truth:*_"Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ"_ (Colossians 2:16,17). *INTRODUCTION* It is doubtful if there is any generation different from ours who is better exposed to the principle of healthy living through a good and appropriate diet. This is possible through newest and advanced, though progressive, scientific discoveries especially, from nutritional scientists. Ignoring their advise and instructions is suicidal against healthy living and longevity. A healthy spirit in an unhealthy and weak body cannot be at its best spiritually. Does God care about what we eat? God is the greatest nutritional scientist since He created those animals and knows them more than anybody else. The dietary laws in the text were primarily directed to Israel as part of the Mosaic law which are not binding for those in the new covenant. However, beyond dietary rules, these rules are meant to pass across deeper truths as they are shadows of things to come in the New Testament (Colossians 2:16,17). *1. Dietary Laws* a. In order to get honey from the rock, there must be willingness and determination to pay the price of diligently digging hard. The same with the old covenant which is a shadow of the new. Due diligence must be given so as to eat and digest the meat of the Word which is beyond the milk of the Word. b. The chapter can be categorized for better understanding. i.Land-living mammals that can be eaten and those that cannot be eaten are given in Leviticus 11:1-8. God gave these laws to the children of Israel. Did God create any animal to be unclean? The New Testament says NO. *"I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean."* God just decided to make that temporary classification to teach some lessons as divine revelations were evolving. When God created animals, *"God saw that it was good"* (Genesis 1:25). Would something unclean be good to God? The classification was revealed in the days of Noah when there was a distinction between clean and unclean animals (Genesis 7:2, 8:20) for the purpose of sacrifice. The first law God gave to humanity had to do with what could and could not be eaten. Was the fruit that was not to be eaten unclean. NO. It was a good fruit from a good tree, but God classified it as forbidden to test their obedience. So these laws were given to Israel as a test of their obedience and separation to God. ii.Water creatures that cannot be eaten and those that cannot be eaten are listed in Leviticus 11:9-12. Under these dietary laws given to Israel, the unclean water creatures were to be regarded as an abomination and could not be eaten. iii.Birds and other flying things that can and cannot be eaten are listed in Leviticus 11:13-19. There was no rule given to determine if a bird was clean or unclean. Instead, specific birds (twenty in all) are mentioned as being unclean and therefore forbidden for eating.The common thread through most of these birds is that they are either predators or scavengers which, apart from killing fellow creatures, have the tendency to drink their blood. iii. Insects that can and cannot be eaten are listed in Leviticus 11:20-23. Good examples of clean insects include the locust, the cricket and the grasshopper. All these unclean creatures can be touched when they are alive except that they must not be eaten. We can relate with sinners without getting polluted with their sins. If the carcass of any of the unclean is touched either deliberately or accidentally, the person and their clothes become unclean and must perform some ceremonially purifying rituals. *"And for these ye shall be unclean: whosoever toucheth the carcase of them shall be unclean until the even"*. The evening was referring to the time of their evening sacrifice. *"And whosoever beareth ought of the carcase of them shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even"*. *Question* Check the list for those animals and birds that were unclean then, but are freely eaten now by believers and man in general. *2. Definite Lessons* a.It has been established that no creature of God is created unclean. The classification was temporary to pass across some eternal messages. Eternal divine messages are difficult to comprehend by the natural man. The concept of the innocent coming to die for the wicked is not natural. It is the other way around. A kind of mercy that will declare the guilty not just forgiven and stands before God as though he had never sinned and a saint is beyond human comprehension. This is called justification. How do you reconcile justice and mercy? What about the concept of grace that will make God forget committed sins to the point that He would not be able to remember again? God in His wisdom decided to use natural and visible things in the Old Testament to shadow reality in the New Testament so that those concepts will be readily understood by mankind. And it worked. b. The emphasis in the text is more of moral uncleanness rather than medical uncleanness. It teaches that there is moral cleanness and moral uncleanness and they cannot mix. Moral uncleanness is not just divine hatred, it is an abomination to God of which the judgment is capital or eternal damnation. The fact that unclean animals cannot be sacrificed is indicative of the fact that God only accepts the sacrifices and the services of those that are holy and clean. *"Be ye holy for I am holy"*. This is reasonable. If you have a delicious meal, but notice a small and an "insignificant" quantity of human excreta in the food, will you eat it? If you are very hungry and you see an exposed loaf of bread in a dustbin of all kinds of rotten things, will you pick the bread and eat? If you are interviewing a person for a good job and you notice the person tells "small, small lies", will you employ the person? At times man pushes to God what he himself cannot accept or tolerate. Will you blame God if He is angry at your unholy sacrifice, service and actions? There is also the law of "don't touch" a dead animal or you become unclean. This is the law of total separation from uncleanness and peddlers of uncleanness. *"Come out from among them and be ye separate"*. Jesus Christ, in mind, motive and every area, was separate from sinners. Even when He physically interacted, it was to shine the light to them and minister the truth to them. *"Abstain from all appearance of evil"*. The defiled shall be unclean till the even or evening sacrifice.It was time an innocent animal was slain for the sin of the whole nation on a daily basis. It shows that forgiveness comes through atonement by the blood. The fact that he must also wash himself with water is an indication that there must be personal responsibility in addition to the atonement. The sinner must apply the washing of water by the Word of God to wash his mindset, heart, attitude and actions and be presentable to God as a holy vessel. The fact that some food is forbidden is a test of our obedience and self control. It is not everybody we befriend or relate with. There must be self discipline. *Question* What other lessons can you learn? Do you depart from uncleanness and all unclean people? In addition to the atonement, do you do your part by opening up your heart and mind for the Word of God to clean on a daily basis? *Prayer Points* 1.Praise God for His wisdom in making spiritual truths to be comprehensive to all seekers 🙏. 2.Ask God for more understanding of deep mysteries of the Word of God and the gospel 🙏. 3.Offer your heart and life to God afresh and ask for total cleansing from all defilements 🙏. 4.Pray that the messages of holiness will go beyond our heads, but permeate through our hearts to true holiness 🙏. *HYMN:* Wash Me O Lamb of God. *BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:* JOHN 10-12. 2. Morning prayer for today. MD.ii. Morning Prayer To the chief Musician for the sons of Korah, A Song upon Alamoth. God [is] our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. ⏤ Psalm 46:1 God does nothing but by prayer, and everything with it. ⏤ John Wesley Gracious Father, we come to You at the start of this new day, seeking Your blessing. We thank You for the rest we’ve had through the night. We laid down, slept, and woke up again because You sustained us. We will not fear any opposition because You are our refuge and strength, a very present help in times of trouble. Now, our Father, send us out into the new day on new missions. We want to take our directions from You. Help us to keep Your commandments. Cleanse us from hidden faults and sins; keep us from falling into willful sin. You are able to keep us from falling—we commit our souls to Your holy care. Deliver us from the Evil One. We have no power to stand against his cunning attacks, so we trust our souls to You, our faithful Creator and Friend. Save us from the Tempter. We ask that You make us strong for our duties today. We have many things to do that will require wisdom and perseverance. Give us the strength that comes from victory in struggle. Equip us to do good at home—showing love and care for one another. May our home be filled with Your rich blessings. Let nothing disrupt our love for each other or harm our fellowship. Help us to grow in love that is sincere, patient, thoughtful, and kind. May we continue to learn the lessons of love better and better. May the light from our home shine out, showing others how to live more sweetly. May Your grace be upon us in proportion to our need, filling our hearts and lives, and preparing us for every experience we may face today. We ask all this in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. https://www.youdevotion.com/daily-prayer/miller/31/morning #taptapstudio #youdevotion.

Cardiovascular and thoracic surgeon Dr. Orlando López de Victoria has drawn attention for the way he integrates his Christian faith with his work in the operating room. With nearly 30 years of experience, Dr. López de Victoria has shared that before every surgery, he pauses to pray and invites Jesus to guide him as he begins each procedure. For him, medicine is more than technical skill alone. He believes that every operation requires careful preparation, scientific knowledge, precision, teamwork, and humility before God. While recognizing the importance of medical training and experience, he says he also entrusts each patient and procedure to the Lord in prayer. His testimony has encouraged many Christians who view their professions as opportunities to serve God faithfully while using the gifts and abilities He has given them. Whether in medicine, education, business, or any other field, believers are called to work with excellence while depending on God's wisdom and strength. Colossians 3:23 says: "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters." James 1:5 says: "If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you." May God continue to bless and guide healthcare professionals around the world, granting them wisdom, compassion, and strength as they care for those entrusted to them.

WHEN THE STONES CRY OUT: ARCHAEOLOGY AND THE GOD WHO ACTS IN HISTORY Dr. Xavier Cravenwolfe, ThD Luke 19:40; Psalm 85:11 INTRODUCTION: THE GOD WHO LEAVES EVIDENCE Saints, today we stand on holy ground not because of the carpet beneath our feet, but because of the truth beneath our faith. We live in a world that questions everything sacred, doubts everything divine, and dismisses everything biblical. But Jesus said something that echoes across time: “If these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out.” He was not speaking metaphorically. He was speaking prophetically, and in our generations, the stones are crying out. Archaeology, the science of digging into the earth has become a witness to the truth of Scripture. Psalm 85:11 declared it long ago: “Truth shall spring out of the earth.” Truth is rising from the soil. Truth is emerging from the dust. Truth is being uncovered from the ruins. And every discovery whispers the same message: The Bible is true. The God of the Bible is real. And the God who acted in history is still acting today. Today, I want to take you on a journey not just through Scripture, but through the stones, the ruins, the inscriptions, the tombs, the cities, and the artifacts that confirm the Word of God. This is not a lecture. This is not a seminar. This is not an academic presentation. This is a sermon, a proclamation of truth, a declaration of faith, and a celebration of a God who leaves evidence. I. THE TEL DAN STELE WHEN A PAGAN KING CONFIRMS GOD’S PROMISE For decades, the "minimalist" school of biblical criticism argued that King David was nothing more than a pious fiction, a mythological figure akin to King Arthur, designed to give a fledgling post-exilic community a sense of grand heritage. They claimed there was no extra-biblical evidence for his existence. But in 1993, at the foot of Mount Hermon in northern Israel, archaeologist Gila Cook noticed a stone used in a secondary wall that looked different. It was a fragment of a victory monument, the Tel Dan Stele, commissioned by Hazael of Aram-Damascus. As the dust was brushed away from the basalt surface, three words in Paleo-Hebrew script silenced the skeptics and shook the foundations of academia. "Beit David" – "The House of David." This wasn't a biblical scribe writing with a theological agenda; this was a pagan king, a bitter enemy of Israel, boasting of his military triumph over a dynasty he recognized as the legitimate lineage of David. He didn't just carve a name; he carved a historical reality. The stones cried out across 2,800 years of silence. This discovery confirmed: David was real. His dynasty was real. His impact was real. God’s promise to him was real. Preaching Lift: If God kept His promise to David, a promise carved into history He will keep His promise to you. Your faith is not built on fairy tales. Your faith is built on a God who leaves evidence. And sometimes, God will let your enemies confirm your calling. II. THE HOLY SEPULCHRE GARDEN THE RESURRECTION IN REAL SPACE For nearly two millennia, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre has stood as the epicenter of Christian pilgrimage, marking the traditional site of Golgotha and the Empty Tomb. While some sought more "scenic" locations like the Garden Tomb, recent scientific excavations and restorations within the Aedicule and the surrounding complex have unveiled a subterranean history that aligns perfectly with the Passion narratives. But recent excavations beneath that church revealed: A first‑century garden Soil containing grains, grapes, and figs A quarried limestone tomb matching Gospel descriptions A landscape consistent with John’s words: “In the place where He was crucified there was a garden.” Critically, archaeologists found that the site was originally an ancient limestone quarry that had been transformed into a garden in the first century. By analyzing the archaeological strata, they confirmed that the tomb was indeed carved into a rock face outside the city walls of that era, exactly as the New Testament records. Archaeology cannot peer into the supernatural moment of the resurrection, but it can and has verified the geographical theater of our salvation. The Gospel is not a "once upon a time" story; it is a "there in that garden" reality. The discovery of the limestone quarry-turned-garden is not merely a geological curiosity; it is a profound chronological marker. For years, critics argued that the traditional site of the Holy Sepulchre was located inside the city walls of Jerusalem during the time of Christ, which would have invalidated it as a burial site according to Jewish law. However, archaeological probes have definitively shown that these walls were expanded by Herod Agrippa I only years after the crucifixion. The stones reveal that at the moment of our Lord’s sacrifice, this ground was indeed "outside the gate," preserving the legal and historical integrity of the Passion narrative. Furthermore, the presence of agriculture remains, the soil containing grains, grapes, and figs paints a vivid picture of the "garden" mentioned in the Gospel of John. This was not a manicured park of leisure, but a working, living piece of Judean land. It underscores the profound humility of the Incarnation: that the King of Glory was laid to rest in the working soil of His own creation. The archaeology invites us to see the Resurrection not as a ghost story occurring in a vacuum, but as a cosmic event anchored in the very dirt and vegetation of the first century. Finally, the specific architectural features of the tomb itself, uncovered during recent restorations of the Aedicule, provide a direct link to the burial customs of the wealthy in the Second Temple period. The presence of a "kokh" or burial niche and the rolling stone track found in similar tombs of that era validate the specific details provided by the Evangelists regarding Joseph of Arimathea’s "new tomb." Every measurement of the rock and every analysis of the mortar serves as a silent, physical witness that the story of the Empty Tomb is rooted in a specific, identifiable location that still speaks to us today. Preaching Lift: If the resurrection happened in real space, then redemption happens in real lives. Your salvation is not symbolic, it is historical. Your deliverance is not theoretical, it is factual. Your hope is not imaginary, it is anchored in reality. III. CAPERNAUM AND MAGDALA JESUS WALKED WHERE WE WALK The shores of the Sea of Galilee aren't just beautiful landscapes; they are the floorboards of the Master's classroom. At Capernaum, known as Jesus' "own city," excavators found in 1968 the black basalt foundations of the very synagogue where He taught, and just steps away, an octagonal church built over a humble first-century home identified by early Christian graffiti as the House of Peter. This is where the healing of the paralytic and the centurion's servant weren't just stories, they were events. The theology of the Incarnation is etched into this basalt and limestone. When we touch these stones, we are touching the reality that the Word did not just become "idea" or "philosophy" He became flesh. He dwelt in a specific house, walked on specific floors, and breathed the air of a fishing village. The House of Peter serves as a monument to a God who is comfortable in the messy, ordinary spaces of our lives. A first‑century synagogue beneath a later structure Homes arranged exactly as described in the Gospels Fishing tools consistent with Peter’s profession Even more striking is the recent discovery at Magdala. While building a retreat center, workers struck stone and found a perfectly preserved first-century synagogue, one of only seven in the world. They found the "Magdala Stone," a miniature representation of the Second Temple, likely seen and touched by Jesus Himself. These aren't just ruins; they are witnesses to the fact that Jesus occupied the same physical world we do. The Magdala Stone represents the bridge between the holiness of the Temple and the dust of the village. It tells us that Jesus brought the presence of God out of the distant sanctuary and into the marketplace. The Incarnation means that the "Holy of Holies" has entered the human experience, validating every square inch of our physical existence as a potential meeting place with the Divine. A first‑century synagogue A carved stone depicting the Menorah A thriving Jewish fishing village Mary Magdalene’s hometown These discoveries confirm that Jesus’ ministry unfolded in real towns with real people not imaginary settings. Preaching Lift: If Jesus walked into real towns, He can walk into your real situation. The archaeological record at Capernaum and Magdala proves that our Savior is not a distant, sanitized deity, but an Incarnate Lord who got His feet dusty in the same world where you struggle. He is not a mythical Redeemer or a symbolic figure; He is a present help in the real world for real people with real problems. Because He truly entered our history, He can truly transform your story. IV. THE EXODUS AND THE FORTRESS OF TELL EL‑KHAROUBA: GOD GUIDES WITH STRATEGIC PURPOSE In the blistering, arid expanse of the northern Sinai, at a strategic site known as Tell el-Kharouba, archaeologists have unearthed a massive Egyptian military installation that provides a startlingly clear window into the geopolitical landscape of the New Kingdom. This fortress was a critical link in the defensive chain guarding "The Way of Horus," the primary coastal international highway connecting Egypt to Canaan. The archaeological significance of this infrastructure cannot be overstated; excavations revealed thick mud-brick ramparts, sophisticated granaries, and residential quarters for a permanent garrison of elite Egyptian troops. The presence of such advanced military infrastructure confirms that this "Way of the Philistines" was not merely a road, but a militarized zone. Tell el-Kharouba served as a logistics hub and early-warning system for Pharaoh’s chariot corps. For Israel, a newly liberated but militarily unproven assembly of former slaves, artisans, and families, to have attempted this route would have been a suicide mission. They were a non-combatant group laden with the elderly, children, and livestock totally unequipped to breach a fortified frontier guarded by the world's most advanced superpower. This fortress confirms: Egypt heavily fortified the northern coastal route Israel could not have taken the “short way” Exodus 13:17–18 is historically accurate: “God led them not by the way of the Philistines… but by the wilderness.” The theology of the "detour" in Exodus 13:17–18 is revealed here as an act of divine tactical genius and fatherly preservation. God did not lead them into the wilderness because He was lost; He led them there because He knew the vulnerability of their hearts and the reality of the Egyptian swords at Kharouba. The text says, "Lest peradventure the people repent when they see war." God understood that while the spirit might be willing, the trauma of slavery had not yet been replaced by the courage of the covenant. By diverting them from the coastal route, God was not delaying their destiny; He was protecting their fragile, burgeoning freedom from the crushing military reality of the "Way of Horus." Preaching Lift: When God reroutes your life and sends you the "long way," it is not a sign of His absence, but of His strategic protection. The archaeology of the Sinai proves that His detours are often the only reason we survive the hidden fortresses of our enemies. The same God who saw the garrison at Tell el-Kharouba sees the obstacles in your future and is guiding you with a purpose that prioritizes your preservation over your speed. V. NEBUCHADNEZZAR’S CYLINDERS THE KING WHO FULFILLED PROPHECY For generations, the Book of Daniel was dismissed by critics as a late-date pious fiction, written long after the events it purports to describe. Skeptics argued that its intimate details of the Babylonian court were too accurate to be prophetic and too specific to be historical. However, the shovel of the archaeologist has once again silenced the seat of the scornful. The discovery of numerous primary sources including the clay cylinders found near Kish and the monumental East India House Inscription has provided an archival, first-person look into the reign of Nebuchadnezzar II. These are not biblical commentaries; they are the official state records of a superpower, preserving the voice of the king himself across the chasm of two and a half millennia. The physical evidence etched into these cylinders is staggering. They describe a monarch of unparalleled ambition whose construction projects transformed Babylon into the envy of the ancient world. The inscriptions detail the building of the Etemenanki ziggurat, the massive Ishtar Gate, and the formidable defensive walls that made the city seemingly impregnable. These artifacts confirm that the biblical portrait of Nebuchadnezzar is not a caricature, but a precise historical reflection of the man who stood at the center of the world's stage. His absolute military and political dominance across the Ancient Near East His historical role in the siege of Jerusalem and the destruction of Solomon’s Temple His exhaustive architectural campaigns that mirrored the "Great Babylon" of Scripture The theology of the Babylonian exile is anchored in the reality of Nebuchadnezzar’s pride. In Daniel 4:30, the king walks upon his palace roof and boasts, “Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honor of my majesty?” The East India House Inscription contains words that are eerily similar, recording his obsession with his own legacy and his "mighty work" for the glory of his name. This is more than a linguistic parallel; it is a spiritual revelation. It shows that God does not merely observe history; He manages it. He took a king who sought to immortalize himself in clay and stone and used him to fulfill the prophetic purposes of the Almighty, proving that the heart of the king is but a stream in the hand of the Lord. Preaching Lift: If God can take the most powerful monarch of the ancient world, a man who thought he was a god, a king who commanded empires with a whisper and turn him into a servant of His divine decree, then there is no authority on this earth that can overrule God’s plan for you. The archaeological record of Nebuchadnezzar proves that the "Great Babylon" of man’s ambition is merely a footstool for the King of Kings. You need not fear the "kings" and "cylinders" of this world; for the same God who held the heart of Babylon holds your future in His hands. His sovereignty is the final word, and His providence is the ultimate architecture of your life. Part 2 WHEN THE STONES CRY OUT: ARCHAEOLOGY AND THE GOD WHO ACTS IN HISTORY Luke 19:40; Psalm 85:11 VI. THE DEAD SEA SCROLLS GOD PRESERVES HIS WORD IN THE WILDERNESS In 1947, a young Bedouin shepherd threw a stone into a cave near Qumran and heard pottery shatter. That unexpected sound led to a monumental discovery that changed biblical scholarship forever: the Dead Sea Scrolls. Hidden away in those desert caves lay ancient jars holding priceless manuscripts that had remained preserved across two millennia. Inside those caves were: Over 900 manuscripts, representing a vast library of theological and community documents. Copies of every Old Testament book except Esther, confirming the textual canon used in the Second Temple period. A complete scroll of Isaiah dated to around 125 BCE, which is virtually identical to the texts used today. Texts that match the Masoretic Hebrew Bible with astonishing accuracy, silencing those who claimed the Bible had evolved over time. The Dead Sea Scrolls provide undeniable historical confirmation that the Scriptures we read today are not corrupted, altered, or distorted. Across centuries of copying and historical upheaval, the Word has been supernaturally preserved. This discovery serves as a bridge across time, linking our modern Bibles directly to the hands of ancient scribes who treated every letter as sacred. Preaching Lift: If God can preserve His Word in a cave for 2,000 years, He can preserve you in the wilderness of your life. No matter how isolated, dry, or challenging your surroundings may feel, your calling and destiny remain secure in His hands. Just as the scrolls were kept safe from the elements, God is keeping you safe from the fires of your trials. The scrolls cried out from the desert: “The Word of God endures forever.” VII. HEZEKIAH’S TUNNEL WHEN FAITH BUILDS WHAT FEAR CANNOT STOP In 701 BCE, King Hezekiah faced the threat of Assyrian invasion. Scripture says he built a tunnel to secure Jerusalem’s water supply (2 Chronicles 32:30) Archaeologists found that tunnel 1,750 feet long, carved through solid rock, meeting perfectly in the middle. Inside the tunnel, they found an inscription describing: The workers The engineering The breakthrough moment when the two teams met The exact biblical event The stones cried out. The architectural feat of Hezekiah’s Tunnel is more than an engineering marvel; it is a physical manifestation of the synergy between human responsibility and divine sovereignty. When the Assyrian king Sennacherib boasted of shutting up Hezekiah "like a bird in a cage," he underestimated a king who had already secured his city's lifeblood. The Siloam Inscription, discovered on the tunnel wall, records that the two teams of stonecutters guided by the sound of their axes meeting in the middle, bridged a gap that should have been impossible to navigate with such precision. This "breakthrough" was not merely a victory of craftsmanship, but a victory of a people who refused to let the drought of fear dictate their destiny. Archaeologically, the tunnel validates the specific strategic measures detailed in the biblical text, proving that Hezekiah did not simply pray and wait, he prayed and prepared. The Gihon Spring, Jerusalem’s only permanent water source, was redirected into the city to ensure that "the kings of Assyria should not come and find much water." The stones tell us that the "God who acts in history" often acts through the calloused hands of those who are willing to dig in the dark. The theology of the tunnel teaches us that when we move in obedience to secure the "living water" of God's presence, the obstacles of solid rock must eventually yield to the progress of the promise. Preaching Lift: Faith does not wait for crisis faith prepares for victory. Hezekiah dug a tunnel before the enemy arrived. Some of you need to start digging before the battle begins. VIII. THE PONTIUS PILATE INSCRIPTION THE GOVERNOR WHO COULD NOT STOP GOD’S PLAN For centuries, skeptical scholars and critics claimed that Pontius Pilate was nothing more than a fictional character or a literary invention. But in 1961, in the ancient seaside city of Caesarea Maritima, archaeologists turned over a limestone block and uncovered a monumental discovery. Carved directly into the stone was an authentic first-century inscription reading: “Pontius Pilate, Prefect of Judea.” The very Roman governor who presided over the trial of Christ and condemned Jesus to be crucified had his name and official title indelibly etched into physical history. This limestone inscription confirms: The historical existence and official role of Pontius Pilate as Prefect of Judea. The historical reliability of the Gospel accounts detailing the trial and condemnation of Jesus. That human rulers and political authorities cannot stop or erase God’s sovereign plan. Pilate famously sought to wash his hands of Jesus and distance himself from the judgment, yet he could not wash his name out of human history. Though he held earthly power and sentenced the Savior, the physical stone at Caesarea Maritima remained hidden for generation

🙏🛐The power of prayer-2🛐🙏 📖✝️Syllabus-32✝️📖 "And Elijah prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not upon the land for three years and six months." James 5:17 Under the leadership of Ahab, the nation of Israel was indulging in gross idolatry and was the object of God's great wrath. Elijah was a prophet of God. The intense pain of God's heart also resonated in his heart. He then prayed with great power to teach Ahab that there would be no rain or dew on the land. Kings 17:1. And indeed, there was no rain or dew on the land for three and a half years. The seasons change on earth due to the evolution of the sun, moon and earth and natural phenomena like rain, monsoon, dew, storm, cyclone, flood etc. occur. Therefore, to stop the rain, it is necessary to change the entire solar system. It is necessary to change the movements of the sun, moon and earth. If everything continues according to its own rules, then rain, dew and storms occur at a fixed time. But to change this, it is necessary to change the entire solar system. Therefore, can't impossible things be accomplished through prayer? Man cannot accomplish this task with his knowledge and intelligence. Due to current scientific progress, man has been able to cause temporary rain in some places. But they do not have any scientific formula to stop the rain for three and a half years. Has God not given His people a strange power to protect the glory of God, which can be accomplished through prayer. If we all faithfully follow the Lord, it is possible for us to accomplish the impossible for His glory. "Remember his wonderful works that he has done, his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth." Psalm 105:5

The evidence was in the pottery. For generations Sodom was treated as mythology — a city destroyed by God in Genesis 19, possibly symbolic, probably invented, certainly not something that left physical evidence behind in the archaeological record. Then a team of archaeologists spent fifteen years excavating a Bronze Age site called Tall el-Hammam in the Jordan valley of modern Jordan, just northeast of the Dead Sea — in the exact geographic region where Genesis locates the cities of the plain. Their findings, published in the peer-reviewed journal Nature Scientific Reports in 2021 and authored by a team of more than twenty scientists from multiple disciplines, described something that changed the terms of the conversation. The excavation revealed a prosperous, densely populated Middle Bronze Age city with sophisticated architecture and a population estimated in the tens of thousands — suddenly and violently destroyed around 1650 BC in a single catastrophic event. The evidence for what caused the destruction was unlike anything previously found at an ancient Middle Eastern site. Building materials had been melted. Pottery had been vitrified — converted to glass by temperatures in excess of what any ancient human technology could produce. Roof clay was found that had been instantly transformed by temperatures reaching roughly 1500 degrees Celsius or higher. The destruction layer contained shocked quartz — minerals deformed by enormous instantaneous pressure — and tiny spherules of melted metals, including platinum, consistent with material falling from a cosmic impact or airburst event. The scientists concluded that the most consistent explanation was a low-altitude airburst from a small asteroid or comet fragment, exploding above or near the city and releasing energy vastly exceeding any ancient volcanic or human cause. The city was abandoned. The entire region showed no significant resettlement for several centuries. A cosmic airburst. In the right location. At the right time. Destroying everything. Followed by centuries of abandonment. #Sodom #TallElHammam #Archaeology #BibleFacts

Amazing Facts. Daily Devotionals The Source of Life August 1st, 2026 Evidence continues to mount that the mystery of life can only be explained by intelligent miraculous intervention. In the mid-1800s, when Charles Darwin wrote his theory of evolution, many scientists believed in something called “spontaneous generation.” This is the belief that living things, like maggots, can spontaneously arise from non-living material. Many people believed this because they had observed worms and flies apparently springing forth from lifeless material like decaying meat or fruit. In 1859, the great scientist Louis Pasteur proved the absurdity of spontaneous generation. He demonstrated when the decaying material was insulated from flies and insects, no larva ever appeared. Now more than ever, modern science confirms that life is extremely complex and can only arise from pre-existing life. This is why the best efforts of evolution scientists have not been able to produce a single cell of life even in the controlled environments of expensive high-tech laboratories. Now with the marvels of 21st-century microscopes, scientists understand that even the simplest and smallest organism is, in effect, a virtual factory containing thousands of exquisitely designed pieces of intricate molecular machinery, far more complicated than the International Space Station. In fact, each microscopic cell is as functionally complex as a small city at rush hour! Now as we delve deeper into the cellular world, science reveals a virtual Lilliputian world of enormous complexity that has pushed the theory of evolution to a breaking point. It is likely that if Charles Darwin was alive today and could see a single cell magnified 50,000 times through electron micrographs, he would utterly renounce his theory as foolishness. Because it is increasingly obvious there is no scientific explanation for the origin of life on Earth, evolutionists are now playing the alien card. In other words, they are saying life was introduced on our planet by a comet or meteor or by some alien visitors. Of course that creates an out-of-this-world argument that makes it virtually impossible to disprove their fantasy. In spite of the staggering mountain of evidence that only a miracle could produce life, the modern world refuses to accept the Bible account of Jesus’ resurrection. But not only did Jesus have a resurrection, He is the Resurrection! Jesus is the Author of life, the Source of life both now and eternally. Key Bible Texts Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: (John 11:25 KJV)

The evidence was in the pottery. For generations Sodom was treated as mythology — a city destroyed by God in Genesis 19, possibly symbolic, probably invented, certainly not something that left physical evidence behind in the archaeological record. Then a team of archaeologists spent fifteen years excavating a Bronze Age site called Tall el-Hammam in the Jordan valley of modern Jordan, just northeast of the Dead Sea — in the exact geographic region where Genesis locates the cities of the plain. Their findings, published in the peer-reviewed journal Nature Scientific Reports in 2021 and authored by a team of more than twenty scientists from multiple disciplines, described something that changed the terms of the conversation. The excavation revealed a prosperous, densely populated Middle Bronze Age city with sophisticated architecture and a population estimated in the tens of thousands — suddenly and violently destroyed around 1650 BC in a single catastrophic event. The evidence for what caused the destruction was unlike anything previously found at an ancient Middle Eastern site. Building materials had been melted. Pottery had been vitrified — converted to glass by temperatures in excess of what any ancient human technology could produce. Roof clay was found that had been instantly transformed by temperatures reaching roughly 1500 degrees Celsius or higher. The destruction layer contained shocked quartz — minerals deformed by enormous instantaneous pressure — and tiny spherules of melted metals, including platinum, consistent with material falling from a cosmic impact or airburst event. The scientists concluded that the most consistent explanation was a low-altitude airburst from a small asteroid or comet fragment, exploding above or near the city and releasing energy vastly exceeding any ancient volcanic or human cause. The city was abandoned. The entire region showed no significant resettlement for several centuries. A cosmic airburst. In the right location. At the right time. Destroying everything. Followed by centuries of abandonment. #Sodom #TallElHammam #Archaeology #BibleFacts

Good morning, brethren. 1. Morning devotion for today. MD.i. 😀🎀💝🎁🌺🌹 MORNING TEA THE WORD FOR TODAY TUESDAY JULY 28, 2O26. "YOUR MISSION: TO SERVE" 'The gospel…of which I, Paul, have become a servant.’   Colossians 1:23 NIV WHO AM I? What’s my calling? The apostle Paul, who considered himself ‘…not in the least inferior to the most eminent apostles’ (2 Corinthians 11:5 NAS), answers simply: ‘I am Paul. My role is serving. I am a servant to the gospel and the body of Christ.’ Certain people in the early church tried to determine which of the apostles were the greatest. Some claimed Paul and others Apollos. But Paul challenged them, ‘What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe…’ (1 Corinthians 3:5 NIV). Whatever your calling, be it pastor of a megachurch or a lay member, you’re no more—and no less—than a servant. In God’s kingdom class distinctions don’t count. ‘There is neither Jew nor Greek…slave nor free man…male nor female…you are all one in Christ Jesus’ (Galatians 3:28 NAS). We’re servants called to do the will of God, wherever He appoints us to serve. And that’s a good thing! In being a servant there’s relief from ‘the pressure to perform’. No one has the right to judge you except your Master. ‘Who are you to judge the servant of another? To his own master he stands or falls…’ (Romans 14:4 NAS). We should be concerned about what pleases God, not people. He alone can evaluate our service. Jesus came to serve His Father, saying, ‘…I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me’ (John 5:30). And He has also sent you to do God’s will, promising that, ‘…If any man serve me, him will my Father honour’ (John 12:26). Bible In A Year: Lev 24:17-22; Deut15:7-11; Matt 5:38-48. 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. [27/07, 10:01 pm] Pastor Attah: ```DAILY Ⓜ️ANNA - (A DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE FOR ADULTS) TUESDAY 28TH JULY, 2026``` *A BURNING JUDGMENT* 📓📖🎚️🫵🏽🙋🏽‍♂️🙋🏽‍♀️⚠️‼️🛑⚖️🧣⛰️🔥🧎🏽🧎🏽‍♀️🙏🏽 📜📜```TEXT:MICAH 1:1-7```📜📜 🔑📖```KEY VERSE:``` _*"And the mountains shall be molten under him, and the valleys shall be cleft, as wax before the fire, and as the waters that are poured down a steep place" (MICAH 1:4).*_ *For as long as anyone can remember, Mount Wingen in Australia has been burning, with an acrid smell of sulphur in the fumes issuing from cracks along its summit. Australia's Aboriginal inhabitants had known about this burning mountain for many years before the European settlers reached the area. But soon after they came, this spectacle attracted scientific attention. It was initially thought to be a volcano or pseudo-volcano. But _Burning Mountain_ is not a volcano, Australia being fortunate in not having any volcanoes still active today. Instead, it was discovered that within Mt Wingen is a layer of coal that is burning, having been set alight by natural means.* *Like this Australian burning mountain, the Lord promised to turn the high places upon the earth into a burning mountain, in a planned blistering judgment, delivered through Prophet Micah. Micah was chosen as a mouthpiece of the Lord, to condemn the sins of the children of Israel in his day. He predicted swift judgment that will ignite the mountains of the land with fire, which will cascade dangerously into the valleys, like a waterfall. Samaria, which at one time was the capital city of the corrupt northern kingdom of Israel, will be ploughed like the fields and the graven images, representing the idolatry of the people shall be burned with fire. Worthy of note here is God's promise to sustain these judgements until Israel repents.* *Micah, like many other prophets in the Bible, was largely ignored by the sinning Israelites. Israel's protracted stubbornness dates back to their days in Egypt. When eventually, they were rescued from slavery through the supernatural hands of Jehovah, they refused to show appreciable gratitude. Interestingly, the messages of the various prophets sent to them from the onset struck a similar chord. They warned about impending judgment for Israel's sins. It is amazing that Israel could ignore prophets after prophets delivering the same messages until the predicted punishment occurred. Even their long stay in captivity in Babylon did not produce a consistent fruit of repentance in them.* *God expects sinners to repent and turn to Him immediately after hearing the gospel. It is sheer foolishness to engage in the habit condemned in today's text. Sinners must be persuaded and compelled, though in love, to turn decisively from sin and obtain God's free salvation. Those who blatantly refuse this offer of redemption after repeated admonitions are doomed to face His fiery judgment in eternity.* ✍🏽```THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:``` _*It is neither bravery nor wisdom, but self-destruct to remain adamant to God's warnings.*_ 📜📜```THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:``` *EXODUS 39-40*📜📜 A Burning Judgment https://dailymanna.app// *RECOMMENDED GOSPEL HYMNS AND SONGS - GHS 208: THE GREAT JUDGMENT MORNING; GHS 207: THERE'S A GREAT DAY COMING; AND GHS 205: HAVE YOU COUNTED THE COST?* *TXD [THEXDEVOTIONALS] on Twitter* *#DailyManna28thJuly2026* *#GCK* *#WorshipNuggets* *#BibleNuggets* *#LeadershipNuggets* *#RevivalNuggets* *#CrusadeNuggets* https://www.youtube.com/[THEXDEVOTIONALS] [27/07, 10:01 pm] Pastor Attah: ```DEEPER CHRISTIAN LIFE MINISTRY``` _*HIGHER EVERYD🅰️Y: (A DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE FOR YOUTHS)*_ ✍🏽👩🏻‍💼🌻 🍇🙏🏽🛰🚀🔬📚 ```TUESDAY 28TH JULY, 2026``` *DON'T FIT IN, STAND OUT* 🎚️📓📖🫵🏽🙋🏽‍♂️🙋🏽‍♀️🧎🏽🧎🏽‍♀️🙏🏽 📜📜```TEXT:MATTHEW 5:14-16```📜📜 📖``` MEMORY VERSE:``` _*"And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God" (ROMANS 12:2).*_ *A popular adage says, "The surest way to corrupt a youth is to instruct him to hold in higher esteem those who think alike than those who think differently." This explains the possible negative effects of peer pressure on youths.* *In today's world, there are pressures from unconverted friends in our schools and neighbourhoods to conform to trends in fashion, fit in with a group, adhere to societal expectations, gossip or engage in activities that don't align with practical Christian values. As Christians, we should be distinct and shining amid a dark world.* *The metaphor "a city that is set upon a hill cannot be hid" reminds us that our lives should be distinct, yet not isolated. Beyond that, we must not shy away from letting others know the source of our transformation, Christ, the Saviour of the world.* *Standing out attracts persecution, derogatory remarks and denials or deprivations. Yet, we must stand out and be separate from the world and its sinful fashions, obscenity and ungodliness. Only those who suffer with Christ will reign with Him.* 💬 ```QUOTE:``` _*We should be distinct and shining.*_ 🏆 ```CHALLENGE:``` _*Stand out for Jesus.*_ 🙏🏽🙏🏽 ```PRAYER:``` _*Lord, make me a bright light in this dark world.*_ Don't Fit In, Stand Out https://dailymanna.app// *TXD [THEXDEVOTIONALS] on Twitter* *#HigherEveryday28thJuly2026* *#GCK* *#WorshipNuggets* *#BibleNuggets* *#LeadershipNuggets* *#RevivalNuggets* *#CrusadeNuggets* https://www.youtube.com/[THEXDEVOTIONALS] [27/07, 10:01 pm] Pastor Attah: ```DEEPER CHRISTIAN LIFE MINISTRY``` _*(SINCERE MILK: Children Daily Devotional Guide 2⃣0⃣2⃣6️⃣)*_ 🙇🏼🙇🏼🙇‍♀️🙇‍♀️🙇🏼🙇‍♀️🙇🏼🙇‍♀️🙇🏼‍♂️ ```TUESDAY 28TH JULY, 2026``` *OUR PERFECT EXAMPLE* 📓📖🎚️🫵🏽🙋🏽‍♂️🙋🏽‍♀️✝️🧎🏽🧎🏽‍♀️🙏🏽 📜📜```HEBREWS 12:1-3```📜📜 🕔📚🖋️🚻😁🎼🏆🍉🪴🌈💻 🔑📖 ```Key Verse:``` _*"Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God" (Hebrews 12:2).*_ 📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖 One of the major activities students engage in on Fridays in Bright High School is impromptu speech. Each student in the group for that day is given a chance to pick a random topic and speak on it for five (5) minutes. When it was the turn of Rhoda to speak, it was on the topic *"My Example".* She said, an example or examplar can be someone you know personally, such as a family member, teacher, mentor; or someone you admire from afar, who inspires one to become a better version of himself or herself through his or her achievements and positive qualities. Rhoda further established that her mom is her example because she is a woman of integrity, empathy, resilience and humility. Everybody clapped for her when she was done. Whilst it is not out of place to make some people our examples, it is also very essential to note that Jesus is our Ultimate and Perfect Example. This is because He is the embodiment of all that is good. Humans are limited in wisdom, power and strength. *Circumstances could make man derail or fail to keep up with the standards we once admired in them, but Jesus remains the same in His selfless love, humility, integrity, honesty, forgiveness and faithfulness. Fix your gaze on Him, and be determined to walk in His steps.* 🍥🍥🍥🍥🍥🍥🍥🍥 ```🅿️rayer:``` _*Dear Lord, help me to focus on You as my Perfect Example for life.*_ 🙏🏽 ```📖 Further Reading:``` *1 Timothy 4:12* Our Perfect Example https://dailymanna.app// *TXD [THEXDEVOTIONALS] on Twitter* *#SincereMilk28thJuly2026* *#GCK* *#WorshipNuggets* *#BibleNuggets* *#LeadershipNuggets* *#RevivalNuggets* *#CrusadeNuggets* https://www.youtube.com/[THEXDEVOTIONALS] [27/07, 10:01 pm] Pastor Attah: *MEDITATIONS ON DAILY ⓂANNA* TUESDAY, 28TH JULY, 2026. *INESCAPABLE AND INEXCUSABLE JUDGMENT* *TEXT:* MICAH 1:1-7 1. The word of the LORD that came to Micah the Morasthite in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, which he saw concerning Samaria and Jerusalem. 2 Hear, all ye people; hearken, O earth, and all that therein is: and let the Lord GOD be witness against you, the LORD from his holy temple. 3 For, behold, the LORD cometh forth out of his place, and will come down, and tread upon the high places of the earth. 4 And the mountains shall be molten under him, and the valleys shall be cleft, as wax before the fire, and as the waters that are poured down a steep place. 5 For the transgression of Jacob is all this, and for the sins of the house of Israel. What is the transgression of Jacob? is it not Samaria? and what are the high places of Judah? are they not Jerusalem? 6 Therefore I will make Samaria as an heap of the field, and as plantings of a vineyard: and I will pour down the stones thereof into the valley, and I will discover the foundations thereof. 7 And all the graven images thereof shall be beaten to pieces, and all the hires thereof shall be burned with the fire, and all the idols thereof will I lay desolate: for she gathered it of the hire of an harlot, and they shall return to the hire of an harlot. *Timeless Truth:*_"For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God. And if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God?"_ (1 Peter 4:17). *INTRODUCTION* Criminals generally don't factor the possibility and reality of being caught, convicted and condemned at the point of crime or its conception. If they do, many would have avoided the crime. Sinners must always live in the consciousness of inescapable and inexcusable judgment that will always follow their evil actions. *"Judgment must begin at the house of God"* is a clear warning to saints too that they must not live carelessly as if they will not be accountable for all their actions. The prophecy of Micah came during a period of spiritual decline in both Samaria and Judah. Though God had repeatedly warned His people through His prophets, they persisted in idolatry, injustice, and rebellion. Micah's message reveals that God's judgment is neither accidental nor impulsive; it is the righteous response of a holy God to persistent sin. No nation, church or individual can escape divine judgment when they continually reject God's mercy. Yet the warning itself is evidence of God's desire for repentance before punishment falls. *1. Divine Alarm at Sins* a. Micah, by the Spirit of God, begins by declaring the Word of the Lord and calling all people to listen. *"Hear all ye people; hearken"*. His message will be of no use except the audience takes time to listen. Israel got into the spiritual mess as a result of not hearkening to the voice of God and would only be delivered by hearkening to the Word of God. A heart that is void of the Word of God will be void of the righteousness of God. The more the Word of God dwells in the heart with fervency, the more the fear of God and the more the righteousness in the heart. God was alarmed at the sins of Israel and Judah. Northern Israel, with Samaria as the headquarters, had unbroken chain of evil rulers. Judah, with her capital as Jerusalem enjoyed godly rulers, but at this particular time, her ruler, Ahaz was ungodly. God was alarmed as to how deep and far they had gone in their horrible sins. He summons the whole earth as witnesses because sin is never hidden from His all-seeing eyes. His alarm is not merely emotional, but judicial. Before God judges, He speaks. His warnings are expressions of His mercy, giving sinners the opportunity to repent. Ignoring God's voice only increases one's accountability. b. In this modern time, sin has grown in bounds and boundaries with different modern names for different horrible sins. New sins are being invented in every culture and race. The verdict of God is ever the same to all sinners. *"Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them."* (Romans 1:32). *Question* Am I responding promptly to God's warnings through His Word and the conviction of the Holy Spirit or am I treating His warnings lightly? *2. Definite Arrival of Sufferings* a. God is portrayed as coming down from His holy dwelling to execute judgment. *"Behold the LORD cometh forth out of his place"*. His arrival is heralded by supernatural disequilibrium of the forces of nature. The mountains melt and valleys split before His majestic presence, showing that no power can withstand Him. His judgment is irresistible. Samaria, once proud and prosperous, would become a heap of ruins because of her persistent idolatry. *"And I will discover the foundations thereof"*. All its mighty structures would be levelled down to the ground. Every idol would be destroyed and every ill-gotten gain consumed. All this came to pass about 28 years after the prophecy in BC 722 when Assyria invaded Samaria and carried all the ten tribes captives. b. Divine judgment may seem delayed, but it always arrives at God's appointed time. Those who refuse repentance will eventually, experience the consequences of their rebellion. Nobody enjoys the sufferings of judgment whenever it comes. There is also the final eternal judgment for the unrepentant into the Lake of fire. When the trumpet sound of repentance is blowing, only fools ignore it. *Question* Am I relying on God's mercy while neglecting genuine repentance, forgetting that His judgment will surely come upon unrepentant sin? *3. Description of Annoying Sacrilege* The breakdown of the judgment further shows the nature of their sins that annoyed God to condemn them. Micah clearly identifies the root cause of Israel's calamity: transgression and idolatry. *"For the transgression of Jacob is all this, and for the sins of the house of Israel"*. Sin, of any form is always annoying to God. God hates sin with perfect hatred. The religion that condones, excuse or justify sin is not of God. Samaria and Jerusalem had abandoned wholehearted devotion to God and embraced practices that dishonoured His covenant. Their cities were shamelessly filled with graven images including all forms of idols. In addition, they had many temple harlots that engaged in immorality with the worshippers. Sacrilege is offensive because it replaces God's glory with human desires and false worship. Anything that occupies God's rightful place in our hearts becomes an idol. God demands exclusive worship and complete loyalty from His people. Sin, of any form or shape, is defiling, dangerous, destructive and damnable. Eternal regrets always follow a lack of repentance. *Question* Is there anything in my life that has taken God's rightful place and become an idol in my heart? *Prayer Points* 1.Lord, give me a tender heart that quickly responds to Your warnings and turns away from every sinful path 🙏. 2.Father, deliver me from every form of idolatry, compromise and hidden rebellion against Your will 🙏. 3.Help me by the Holy Spirit, to always work in the consciousness and reality of judgment to come and to always have reverential fear of You 🙏. 4.Lord, put Your fear in the heart of Your children and help them to live daily in holiness, obedience and unwavering devotion until the coming of Christ. *HYMN:* Let Him In. *BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:* EXODUS 39-40. 2. Morning Prayer for today. MP.i. Morning Prayer Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved. ⏤ Psalm 55:22 We are stronger than we know, as we draw on His grace. ⏤ Eugene Peterson Almighty God, our heavenly Father, we come to You in prayer through Your beloved Son, Jesus Christ. You have invited us to come to You, and we come boldly to Your throne of grace to find mercy and help in our time of need. Grant us Your peace and accept us graciously. We are sorry for our sins, which have grieved You. We offer no excuse and won't try to make our sins seem less serious than they are. We simply confess them and ask You to forgive us. We have burdens to carry. Some of them are heavy, and it feels like we can't bear them. But we remember Your promise that if we cast our burdens on You, You will sustain us. So we cast our burdens on You. We don't ask that You take them away from us, for it may be that we need to continue bearing them. So we ask for the grace to keep carrying our burdens, and we trust Your promise to give us the strength to sustain us as we walk under them with faith and confidence. Help us not to faint and fall under the load, but enable us to walk upright, helped by Your sustaining grace. Teach us to do Your will. Your will is always the best thing for us, the only good thing we can do. Going against Your will grieves You and harms our own lives. Show us Your will, day by day, step by step—what You would have us do. Then teach us to DO Your will. Incline our hearts to Your commandments. Then help us to obey them. It’s not easy for us to do this with our weak hearts, but help us today to do only the things that please You. We ask this in Jesus' precious name. Amen. https://www.youdevotion.com/daily-prayer/miller/23/morning #taptapstudio #youdevotion.