The Story Behind the Hymns. THE STORY BEHIND "ALL CREATURES OF OUR GOD AND KING" “All Creatures of Our God and King” traces its roots to one of the most beautiful expressions of praise in Christian history: the Canticle of the Sun, written by St. Francis of Assisi around 1224. St. Francis composed the canticle near the end of his life, during a period of physical suffering. Rather than allowing his circumstances to silence his faith, he looked at creation and saw it as a reflection of God’s glory. The sun, moon, wind, water, fire and earth became, in his poetic prayer, fellow worshippers joining humanity in praising their Creator. Centuries later, the English clergyman William Henry Draper brought this ancient prayer into the world of congregational hymn singing. Draper translated and adapted portions of St. Francis’ canticle into English, creating the hymn now known as “All Creatures of Our God and King.” Draper prepared the hymn for a children’s Whitsuntide celebration in Leeds, England. His version was subsequently published in the early 20th century and became widely used in churches, particularly in Britain and other English-speaking Christian communities. The familiar melody adds another layer of history. The tune, commonly known as “Lasst uns erfreuen,” originated in Germany and appeared in a Catholic hymnal in 1623. Centuries later, it was arranged and popularised in the English-speaking church, notably through the work of composer Ralph Vaughan Williams and the English Hymnal. The hymn’s message is simple yet profound: all creation belongs to God and is called to praise Him. Its repeated invitation to “O praise Him” turns the song into a celebration of worship that reaches beyond humanity to the entire created world. From a prayer written by a 13th-century saint to an English adaptation sung in churches centuries later, “All Creatures of Our God and King” has endured because of its timeless reminder that creation itself points toward the greatness, goodness and glory of its Creator.

Voici une version plus structurée, sincère et forte de votre exhortation, en gardant l’appel à la repentance et à l’amour du prochain, tout en formulant avec précision l’enseignement biblique sur le jugement dernier. ABANDONNE LA MÉCHANCETÉ : LE DERNIER JUGEMENT EST CERTAIN Message du frère évangéliste Bagamang Baldere Bertrand — Bagamangevangelist’sministry Shalom, shalom, shalom, peuple de Dieu ! Ce matin encore, je viens vous adresser un rappel simple, mais profondément sérieux : n’oublions jamais que nous sommes des créatures de Dieu et que notre vie Lui appartient. La Bible dit : « Dieu créa l’homme à son image » (Genèse 1:27). Et elle nous rappelle également que notre corps est « le temple du Saint-Esprit » (1 Corinthiens 6:19). Alors, mon frère, ma sœur, comment pouvons-nous porter l’image de Dieu et, en même temps, choisir la méchanceté, la haine, l’injustice, l’égoïsme et le refus d’aider notre prochain ? Dieu est unique. Il est le Créateur de tous les êtres humains. Il n’est pas seulement le Dieu d’un peuple ou d’une communauté. Il appelle chaque personne à revenir à Lui, à rechercher la justice, la vérité, l’amour et la paix. La méchanceté ne doit pas devenir notre chemin La Parole de Dieu nous avertit clairement : « Ne vous y trompez pas : on ne se moque pas de Dieu. Ce qu’un homme aura semé, il le moissonnera aussi » (Galates 6:7). Celui qui sème constamment la haine, l’injustice et la méchanceté ne peut pas prétendre récolter la paix et la vie éternelle sans repentance. La Bible dit encore : « Car le salaire du péché, c’est la mort ; mais le don gratuit de Dieu, c’est la vie éternelle en Jésus-Christ notre Seigneur » (Romains 6:23). Il faut donc être sérieux avec notre destinée éternelle. L’enfer est une réalité biblique et le jugement dernier est certain. Jésus lui-même a parlé du jugement et du châtiment éternel (Matthieu 25:31-46). Apocalypse 20:12-15 parle également du jugement devant Dieu. Mais je ne vous annonce pas cela pour vous condamner. Je vous le dis pour vous appeler à changer. Change pendant qu’il est encore temps Mon frère, ma sœur, si tu occupes une responsabilité dans une entreprise, une administration, une direction, une institution ou dans la société, pose-toi cette question : Est-ce que je traite les personnes placées sous ma responsabilité avec justice et amour ? Si Dieu t’a donné plus que ton frère, pourquoi refuser de partager ? Si tu as deux chemises et que ton frère n’en a pas, pourquoi ne pas lui en donner une ? Si tu as de la nourriture et que ton prochain a faim, pourquoi fermer ton cœur ? La Bible dit : « Celui qui a des biens du monde, et qui voit son frère dans le besoin, et qui lui ferme ses entrailles, comment l’amour de Dieu demeure-t-il en lui ? » (1 Jean 3:17). L’autorité n’a pas été donnée pour écraser les autres. L’autorité est une responsabilité. Le véritable responsable nourrit, protège, écoute, encourage, corrige avec justice et cherche le bien de ceux qui lui sont confiés. Dieu nous a montré l’amour Regardons simplement ce que Dieu a fait pour nous. Si Dieu était méchant, nous aurait-il donné la vie ? S’il était méchant, nous aurait-il donné la création, la famille, la nourriture, le soleil, la pluie et toutes ces possibilités de vivre ? Et surtout, dans la foi chrétienne, Dieu a manifesté son amour en envoyant Jésus-Christ pour nous sauver (Jean 3:16). Voilà pourquoi nous devons apprendre à aimer. Jésus nous commande : « Tu aimeras ton prochain comme toi-même » (Matthieu 22:39). Et encore : « Aimez vos ennemis, faites du bien à ceux qui vous haïssent » (Luc 6:27). Le jugement dernier viendra Peuple de Dieu, ne pensons pas que nos actes resteront éternellement cachés. La Bible dit : « Car il nous faut tous comparaître devant le tribunal de Christ » (2 Corinthiens 5:10). Nous rendrons compte de notre vie. Le jugement de Dieu ne dépendra pas de notre fonction, de notre richesse, de notre titre, de notre influence ou de notre position sociale. Le riche et le pauvre, le responsable et le simple citoyen, tous devront rendre compte devant Dieu. C’est pourquoi il est temps de se repentir. Il est temps d’abandonner la méchanceté. Il est temps d’abandonner la haine. Il est temps d’abandonner l’injustice. Il est temps d’abandonner l’égoïsme. Il est temps de pardonner. Il est temps de partager. Il est temps d’aimer son prochain. Il est temps de revenir à Dieu. Ne remettons pas à demain ce que Dieu nous demande de faire aujourd’hui. Car le regret vient parfois lorsque l’occasion de changer est déjà passée. Mon appel de ce matin Mon frère, ma sœur, responsable, cadre, chef, employé, citoyen, jeune ou ancien : examine ton cœur. Demande-toi : Suis-je en train de construire ou de détruire ? Suis-je en train d'aimer ou de haïr ? Suis-je en train de partager ou de retenir ? Suis-je en train de servir ou d'opprimer ? Si Dieu me demandait aujourd’hui de rendre compte de ma vie, serais-je prêt ? Le message est simple : Abandonne la méchanceté. Choisis l’amour. Choisis la justice. Choisis le partage. Choisis le pardon. Choisis la repentance. Choisis le chemin de Dieu. Le jugement dernier est certain. Mais aujourd’hui encore, la porte de la repentance est ouverte. Que personne ne dise : « Je changerai demain. » Change aujourd’hui. Aime aujourd’hui. Pardonne aujourd’hui. Partage aujourd’hui. Fais le bien aujourd’hui. Que le Seigneur nous donne un cœur nouveau, un cœur capable d’aimer, de servir et de partager. Que Dieu bénisse le Tchad, l’Afrique et tous les peuples. Frère évangéliste Bagamang Baldere Bertrand Bagamangevangelist’sministry Évangélique pour la paix, la cohésion sociale et l’utilisation responsable d’Internet en Afrique.

St. Stephen of Hungary St. Stephen was from a very noble family and was born in the year 997 to father Prince Geza and mother Sarolt of Hungary. He married Giselle, the daughter of Duke Henry-Ii of Bavaria. He took very sincere efforts to spread Christianity and extended patronage to Church leaders. St. Stephen was anointed as king of Hungary by Pope Sylvester-II on the Christmas day in the year 1001, with the consent of the Holy Roman Emperor Otto-III. St. Stephen dedicated his crown to Holy Mary, during the coronation. His only son Emeric died after being wounded in a hunting expedition in the year 1031. Therefore St. Stephen was having no son left to rule his Kingdom. So in his death bed he raised the Holy Crown by his right hand and prayed to the Holy Mary to take the Hungarians as Her subjects and to become the Queen of Hungarians. He died on August 15, 1038, on the commemoration day of the Assumption of Mary. St. Stephen's right hand is kept as a relic and is called as the "Holy Right" by Hungarians. His right hand remains uncorrupted due to the reason that with this hand he raised the Holy Crown towards heaven and prayed to the Virgin Mary. The right hand is now in the Basilica of King Saint Stephen in Budapest. He is venerated as the patron saint of masons, stone cutters and brick layers. He was canonized by Pope Gregory-VII on August 20, 1083. #crown #king #mason #stone #stonecutter #brick #bricklayers #faith #Catholic #loveformary #catholic #faith #respectmothermary #budapest #holyhand #righthand #hand #right #uncorrupt #king #

St. Maximilian Mary Kolbe St. Maximilian Mary Kolbe was born on January 8, 1894 in Poland, to father Julius Kolbe and mother Maria Dabrowska. He joined the Franciscans in 1907 and ordained as a priest in 1918. He founded a movement devoted to Our Lady and spread this movement through a magazine named "The Knight of the Immaculate". He was arrested by Nazis on February 17, 1941 and sent to the concentration camp at Auschwitz. He was singing hymns to the Virgin Mary in the concentration camp without any fear. He was tortured in the Nazi concentration camp without giving any food, water and other facilities for more than two weeks. When another person was due to be killed on a particular day, that man started crying" my wife, my children". Then Maximilian volunteered to take the place of that man to die, to save that poor man. He was killed by giving carbolic acid injection. He died on August 14, 1941. A cure from intestinal tuberculosis to one Angela Testoni in July, 1948 and also a cure from calcification on the arteries/sclerosis were attributed to the intervention of St. Maximilian. He was beatified in 1971 by Pope Paul-VI and canonized by Pope John Paul-II on October 10, 1982. He was declared as a martyr and is venerated as a patron saint of drug addicts and political prisoners. #catholic #saint #St. #drug #addiction #politicalprison #political #prision #drugfree #addictionfree #savepoor #injection #virginmary #Mary #intervention #interventionfordisease #disease #illness #cure #politicalharrasament #prisioerofconscience #dissident #undertrialprisoners #prisionalwithoutanycharge

A Saint is not just Citizen of one or more Countries but Universal Citizen...

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

Brothers and sisters in Christ, Please hear my heart: this is not an attack on anyone, nor am I telling you to leave church. No, no I am still in church, and I am still part of what we call church in this modern day. For a very long time, God has been showing me clearly through His Word that much of what we see today is not His original design. Many have come against me and tried to convince me that these modern setups are from God, but when I open the Scriptures, I see something completely different. I am not telling you what to do with what I share in this group. All I know is that revelation does not mean leave, and revelation does not mean attack. Revelation means: Question and search the Word (Acts 17:11). Test all things (1 Thessalonians 5:21). Read and study the Scriptures (2 Timothy 2:15). Most importantly, PRAY. When the disciples walked with Jesus, received all His wisdom, knowledge, and revelation, they didn't go out to fight the religious leaders or destroy the system the Pharisees had built. Instead, they asked Jesus one specific thing: "Lord, teach us to pray" (Luke 11:1). They knew that prayer is the ultimate source of power, the answer, and the only thing that brings true change from our Heavenly Father. So yes, if you want to do something about what you read here, you have my full support: pray for the Body of Christ and for HIS Church not mine, not yours, but the Church of King Jesus Christ. Amen, brothers and sisters Exposing Religion, Restoring Covenant, and Understanding the True Body of Christ THE ROOT PROBLEM: ADAM'S BLOODLINE VS. THE LAST ADAM To understand what the Church is supposed to be, we must first understand why we needed Jesus in the first place. The Inherited Condition: In Genesis 2:21-23, Eve was taken out of Adam’s side they shared the same life and blood. When Adam sinned, spiritual death and corrupted iniquity entered the human spiritual DNA. The Transmitted Curse: Just like a child born with a condition inherited from their parents through no fault of their own, every human born of human seed inherited Adam’s fallen nature (Psalm 51:5, Romans 5:12). The Pure Virgin Birth: This is why Jesus could not have an earthly human father. The Holy Spirit overshadowed Mary (Luke 1:35). Jesus was born with pure, heavenly, undefiled blood bypassing Adam's fallen seed. "The first man Adam became a living being. The last Adam became a life-giving spirit." 1 Corinthians 15:45 Key Insight: Salvation through Holy Communion and the Blood of Jesus acts like spiritual dialysis filtering out the toxicity of Adam's sin and replacing it with the pure, incorruptible life of King Jesus! GOD’S DESIGN FOR MARRIAGE AND COVENANT Why did God create marriage, forbid sex outside of it, and tell us not to be unequally yoked (2 Corinthians 6:14)? God is Eternal Community: God exists as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Love requires relationship. When God said, "It is not good that man should be alone" (Genesis 2:18), He wasn't just fixing Adam's loneliness He was creating humanity to reflect His relational, self-sacrificial nature. Godly Offspring: Sex inside marriage creates a covenant shield over the home. Malachi 2:15 asks why God made two into one: "He seeks godly offspring." Born-again parents create a holy atmosphere covered by prayer (1 Corinthians 7:14). Important Note: Born-again parents give their children a spiritual foundation, but every child must still reach an age where they personally accept Jesus as their Savior. God has children, not grandchildren! Marriage as a Prophetic Picture: In Ephesians 5:31-32, Paul reveals that marriage between a husband and wife was created from Genesis to be a prophetic mirror of Christ and the Church. THE TRAP OF MODERN RELIGION, CULTURE, AND TRADITIONS In Matthew 15:6–9, Jesus confronted the religious leaders of His day with a severe warning: "You have nullified the word of God for the sake of your tradition. They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules." When the modern Church strays from the Holy Spirit, it falls into three traps: Religion: Replaces raw intimacy with God with mechanical checklists and outward appearances. Culture: Waters down the Gospel to avoid offending people offering a soft "love" without Truth that leaves people bound in sin. Tradition: Protects "how we've always done it," defending empty human routines even when the Holy Spirit wants to move. The Pool of Bethesda Warning (John 5) A paralyzed man lay by the pool for 38 years. He said, "Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up." He was inside a place called the "House of Mercy," yet he was totally isolated by religious crowds pursuing their own blessings. Jesus bypassed the crowd, spoke Kingdom power, and commanded him to rise! The Holy Spirit does not need a human run-sheet; He needs obedient vessels. TRUTH AND LOVE: THE GREAT PHYSICIAN Modern churches often preach Truth without Love (Legalism) or Love without Truth (Compromise). Jesus came full of Grace and Truth (John 1:14). Truth without Love - Brutality: Uses Scripture like a hammer to condemn people without helping them. Love without Truth - Deception: Tells a drowning person they are fine while they perish in their sin. The Doctor Analogy: A good doctor hates the cancer, but loves the patient. To the woman caught in adultery (John 8): Jesus offered unconditional Grace ("Neither do I condemn you") AND uncompromising Truth ("Go and sin no more"). Why Jesus Acted Differently with Different People: To the broken, lost, and hurting sinner: Jesus was gentle, patient, and merciful (Zacchaeus, the woman at the well). To the hypocritical religious leaders: Jesus was sharp, bold, and uncompromising ("Woe to you, hypocrites! White-washed tombs!" - Matthew 23:27). WHAT IS THE TRUE CHURCH (EKKLĒSIA)? If Jesus walked into our towns today, He wouldn't look for a brand name, a denomination, or a big building. The word "Church" in Greek is Ekklēsia, meaning "the called-out ones." The Origin of the Setup: For the first 300 years, the early Church met from house to house as a family (Acts 2:46). When Emperor Constantine legalized Christianity in 313 AD, church life was merged with Roman pagan structures building giant basilicas, introducing altars, and turning active believers into passive spectators watching a priest or pastor perform on stage. What is a "Saint"? In Scripture, every born-again believer is a saint (Ephesians 1:1). The "assembling of the saints" (Hebrews 10:25) was never meant to be watching a weekly 90-minute show. 1 Corinthians 14:26 says: "Whenever you come together, each of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation." Whose Church Does Jesus Visit? Where believers gather in HIS Name (not human brand names - 1 Corinthians 1:12-13). Where people worship in Spirit and in Truth (John 4:24). Where genuine Love is shown to the broken (John 13:35). Where Jesus is not locked outside the door by human programs (Revelation 3:20). REVELATION IS A CALL TO PRAYER, NOT REBELLION Testing what we hear against Scripture is biblical the Bereans were praised because they searched the Scriptures daily to verify what Paul taught (Acts 17:10-11). When God gives you revelation to see the flaws in religious traditions: Do not use it to destroy or attack: Revelation is not a weapon to throw rocks at the Bride of Christ. Use it as an assignment to intercede: In Luke 11:1, the disciples didn't ask Jesus how to preach or do miracles they asked, "Lord, teach us to pray." Follow Jesus’ High Priestly Prayer (John 17): Right before the cross, Jesus prayed for the protection and supernatural unity of His believers ("that they all may be one as We are one"). OUR CALLING AS STEWARDS We do not own the Church; we are only stewards of what Jesus built. It was already perfect in the New Testament. We don't need to reinvent it with human business models or cultural traditions. It is time to be soft and compassionate toward the broken sheep, but bold and uncompromising against the religious spirit that keeps people trapped. Let us return to the original blueprint: living in the pure bloodline of Jesus, worshipping in Spirit and Truth, loving one another, and being His living Body on the earth! Amen!

Good morning, brethren. 1. Morning devotion for today. MD.i. 😀🌹🎀🎁💝🌺MORNING TEA THE WORD FOR TODAY WEDNESDAY AUGUST 12, 2O26. "WORKING IN THE KINGDOM (3)" ‘The father [or mother] of a righteous man has great joy...’ Proverbs 23:24 NIV. THE HARDEST work is sometimes the most overlooked work. A husband came home from work one day and the house was an absolute mess. Clothes were strewn all over the floor, washing up filled the sink, the kids were crying, the beds were unmade, the bathroom smelled badly and the TV set was blaring. When he asked his wife what was going on, she replied, ‘You know how you ask me every night what I did all day? Well, today I didn’t do it.’ If you’re a stay-at-home mum or dad, God considers your work to be important. It’s more important to the future than just about any other profession—because you’re determining the quality of the next generation. Martin Luther said, ‘What you do in your house is worth as much as if you did it up in heaven for our Lord.’ One day God will say, ‘Well done,’ to parents who cared for children—bathing them, feeding them, cleaning up after them—when they were tired and thought nobody was looking. Somebody is looking. Somebody is keeping track. It is worth it! You are the one who makes your work significant—not the other way round. When you discover the gifts God has given you and the passions He has placed within you, and put them to work in the service of values you deeply believe in—you are ‘working for God’ in the truest sense. So each day ask God to make your work go well. And try to identify the larger picture in your work that makes it a ‘calling.’ Bible In A Year: Judg 7:1 – 9:33, Matt 16:13-28, Ps 119:65-72, Pro 17:23-26. 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. [11/08, 9:24 pm] Pastor Attah: *MEDITATIONS ON DAILY ⓂANNA* WEDNESDAY, 12TH AUGUST, 2026. *HEAVEN: THE PERMANENT RESIDENCE OF THE BELIEVERS* *TEXT:* JOHN 14:1-6. 1Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. 2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. 4 And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. 5 Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? 6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me *Timeless Truth:*_"But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city"_ (Hebrews 11:16). *INTRODUCTION* Jim Reeves, in one of his classics, composed an all time beautiful and inspired song about heaven. "I have heard of a land; On a faraway strand 'Tis a beautiful home of the soul; Built by Jesus on high There we never shall die 'Tis the land where we never grow old. When our work here is done; And the life crown is won; And our troubles and trials are o'er; All our sorrow will end And our voices will blend With the loved ones who've gone on before". The children of Israel ate manna in the wilderness and not one of them fell sick for 40 years and neither did their cloth fade according to the Scriptures. The food of heaven and the environment of heaven will be such that the inhabitants will never grow old, but remain young, healthy and fresh throughout eternity. Every attempt by any mortal to describe heaven is like a blind man describing the colour of a beautiful house. It is easier to think and plan for what you see than what you don't see no matter how real. Hence, there is need for constant reminder, refocusing and reconsecration to make heaven, less our vision of the invisible and eternal things give way to the vision of visible temporary things. *"For truly, if they (the heroes of faith) had been mindful of that country (the world) from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned"* (Hebrews 11:15). *1. The Admonition on Faith* a. Man is consciously or unconsciously a slave to what he believes whether true or false. The person who does good or evil believes that it will pay him. The person who serves God or does otherwise believes that is the best thing to do, all things being equal. The only person who could experientially and authoritatively speak about heaven is the person who lived there for an innumerable number of years and had visited the earth. Jesus Christ challenged the faith of His disciples to fully and truly believe, not only in the reality of heaven, but what heaven offers. The thought of Jesus Christ leaving them for heaven was disturbing and troublesome. However, the thought of heaven is comforting above all troubles on earth. *"Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me"*. b. Jesus Christ said He came from heaven. Moses claimed He saw God come from heaven on the mount of Sinai. At the mount of transfiguration, three apostles said they saw the glory of heaven on Jesus, Elijah and Moses. John the Apostle emphatically said *"I John saw heaven open"*. Revelation also said that as God alone created the universe without any assistance from the angels, God Himself created heaven. *"Whose Builder and the Maker is God"*. When there is faith in God and consequently in heaven, all earthly glory and sorrows fade into insignificance. *Question* Is heaven and its glory real to you? Are you focused on making it by all means? *2. The Assurance for the Faithful* There is a Revelation about heaven that no other prophet could give except an eye witness. There is an abundance of accommodation for all the saints of God. *"In my Father's house are many mansions"*. Jesus invoked His undeniable truthfulness and integrity to give us a solid assurance. *"If it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you"*. Jesus is saying that there is no need to deceive His disciples. Part of the present preoccupation of Christ is building a beautiful and eternally durable unimproveable mansion for each of God's people. The cosmos is roughly 7 x10 to power 23 times larger than our planet, rendering Earth an invisible speck in the vast cosmic ocean. This is different from the part of the cosmos that humans' lenses cannot observe so far. John said *"there was no more seas"*. So the space for building mansions is inexhaustible by all the saints that ever lived. b. Every saint should therefore, be assured that there is an unfading and most beautiful accommodation ever, designed and built by God awaiting him for eternal dwelling. Which one is more real to you? Dream or what you see in the physical. As what you see on earth is more real than what is dreamt, much more, the life of heaven is incomparably more real than what is experienced on the planet earth. Everything in heaven is perfect that no man on earth and creature in heaven would be able to improve on it. *Question* Are you excited about heaven? *3. The Advent of the Forerunner* a. Jesus came from heaven and He is the firstborn from among the dead. He is the first to die, buried, resurrected and gone to heaven with a resurrected body. He also promised to come back to the earth with His resurrected glorified body. *"And if I go and prepare a place for you"*. Did He truly go as promised? Since He fulfilled the promise to go to heaven He will no doubt fulfill other promises attached. *"I will come again"*. He did not say He "may come again". He was very definite and certain. When He comes again for the Church, represented by the disciples He was speaking to, what will He do? *"And receive you unto myself"*. He did not say he would come and take them, but rather come and receive them. This is Rapture being referred to in which Jesus in the sky will receive the saints to heaven as a host comes out of his chamber to receive His special guest or visitors to his house. (1 Thessalonians 4:14-17). *"That where I am, there ye may be also"*. *Question* Are you always watchful to make sure you are ever ready? *4. The Answer to the Forgetful* You will be surprised at the kind of question the once doubting Thomas was asking. *"Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?"*. He was there when Nicodemus was lectured by Christ on how to get to heaven. He was there when Jesus preached the longest sermon on the Mount as to the qualification for heaven. He was there when Jesus said *"No man has seen God at all times"*. Preachers should not assume that their followers fully understand the spiritual things they are teaching. Spiritual truth must be repeatedly read and taught over and over until it turns to conviction. Jesus is the only true way to heaven. *Question* What makes someone qualified for heaven? *Prayer Points* 1.Lord, I praise You for the best alternative to this earth You have provided for me. Help me never to miss it 🙏. 2.Refocus my desire and affection on heaven and heavenly things afresh and help me that it will be my primary pursuit and vision 🙏. 3.Keep me from being deceived and distracted from heavenly things by the glamour of this world 🙏. 4.Search out Your people and remove all things in our lives that will make entering heaven impossible 🙏. *HYMN:* Where We Never Get Old. *BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:* JOB 13-15. [11/08, 9:24 pm] Pastor Attah: ```DAILY Ⓜ️ANNA - (A DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE FOR ADULTS) WEDNESDAY 12TH AUGUST, 2026``` *HEAVEN: PREPARED FOR THE PREPARED* 📓📖🎚️🫵🏽🙋🏽‍♂️🙋🏽‍♀️🧎🏽🧎🏽‍♀️🙏🏽🙌🏽 📜📜```TEXT:JOHN 14:1-6```📜📜 🔑📖```KEY VERSE:``` _*"In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you" (JOHN 14:2).*_ *D. L. Moody, the famous evangelist, once said before his death, "Someday you will read in the papers that D. L. Moody of East Northfield is dead. Don't you believe a word of it! At that moment, I shall be more alive than I am now. I shall have gone up higher, that is all, out of this old clay tenement into a house that is immortal, a body that death cannot touch, that sin cannot taint; a body fashioned like unto His glorious body." Moody understood the truth that heaven is not a vague idea but a real, prepared place for those who belong to Christ. He had no fear of death because he knew that Jesus had already secured for him an eternal home.* *In today's text, Jesus gives the same assurance to His disciples: He has gone ahead to prepare a place for them, and He will return to take them there. He speaks words of comfort to His troubled disciples. He tells them not to be afraid because His Father's house is big enough to accommodate all those who are qualified, and that He is going to prepare the place for them. More than that, He promises to return and bring them to be with Him forever. When Thomas questions the way to this place, Jesus makes a life-changing declaration: "...I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me" (John 14:6).* *Heaven is not an accidental destination. It is a prepared place for prepared people. Jesus makes it clear that He is the only Way to this eternal home. Today, many believe that all roads lead to heaven, but Christ's words leave no room for confusion. Only those who accept Him and live for Him will enter the place He has prepared.* *This truth should give us confidence and peace as believers in Christ's return. Just as a traveller finds joy knowing a home awaits at the end of his journey, we too should endure life's trials knowing that heaven is real and waiting for us. However, this is also a call for readiness, as only those who are prepared in Christ will enter there. Heaven is not for the undecided or the uncommitted; it is for those who know and follow Christ. It is for those who have let go of the world, let in Christ as their personal Lord and Saviour and live for Him consistently.* ✍🏽```THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:``` _*If your aim is heaven, look beyond this world.*_ 📜📜```THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:``` *JOB 13-15*📜📜 Heaven: Prepared For The Prepared https://dailymanna.app// *RECOMMENDED GOSPEL HYMNS AND SONGS - GHS 137: HOW BEAUTIFUL HEAVEN MUST BE; GHS 138: WHEN WE ALL GET TO HEAVEN; GHS 139: BEAUTIFUL HOME!; AND GHS 20: THE WAY, THE TRUTH, THE LIFE* *TXD [THEXDEVOTIONALS] on Twitter* *#DailyManna12thAugust2026* *#GCK* *#WorshipNuggets* *#BibleNuggets* *#LeadershipNuggets* *#RevivalNuggets* *#CrusadeNuggets* https://www.youtube.com/[THEXDEVOTIONALS] [11/08, 9:24 pm] Pastor Attah: ```DEEPER CHRISTIAN LIFE MINISTRY``` _*HIGHER EVERYD🅰️Y: (A DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE FOR YOUTHS)*_ ✍🏽👩🏻‍💼🌻 🍇🙏🏽🛰🚀🔬📚 ```WEDNESDAY 12TH AUGUST, 2026``` *THE PRAYER OF FAITH* 🎚️📓📖🫵🏽🙋🏽‍♂️🙋🏽‍♀️🗣️🧎🏽🧎🏽‍♀️🙏🏽🙌🏽 📜📜```TEXT:JAMES 5:13-18```📜📜 📖``` MEMORY VERSE:``` _*"And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him" (JAMES 5:15).*_ *Faith is the conduit between man and God. It is important in the life of a praying believer as the scripture confirms that without it, it is impossible to please God.* *"Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase," submitted Martin Luther King Jr. A prayer of faith means a prayer you offer believing in His promises firmly, even when you have not seen the physical manifestation of the promise yet.* *The centurion, a soldier, had a sick servant and met Jesus for the healing of the man. This man had faith in the prayer of our Lord to a point that he told Him not to bother following him to his house to pray for the sick.* *He believed when Jesus prays anywhere at any time, the sick will be healed, and distance is never a barrier to His miracles. His servant was healed according to his great faith.* *You may be going through some challenges now, but your prayer of faith can turn the situation around for you and move your mountain away.* 💬 ```QUOTE:``` _*Distance is never a barrier.*_ 🏆 ```CHALLENGE:``` _*Your prayer of faith can move mountains.*_ 🙏🏽🙏🏽 ```PRAYER:``` _*Lord, increase my faith.*_ The Prayer Of Faith https://dailymanna.app// *TXD [THEXDEVOTIONALS] on Twitter* *#HigherEveryday12thAugust2026* *#GCK* *#WorshipNuggets* *#BibleNuggets* *#LeadershipNuggets* *#RevivalNuggets* *#CrusadeNuggets* https://www.youtube.com/[THEXDEVOTIONALS] [11/08, 9:24 pm] Pastor Attah: ```DEEPER CHRISTIAN LIFE MINISTRY``` _*(SINCERE MILK: Children Daily Devotional Guide 2⃣0⃣2⃣6️⃣)*_ 🙇🏼🙇🏼🙇‍♀️🙇‍♀️🙇🏼🙇‍♀️🙇🏼🙇‍♀️🙇🏼‍♂️ ```WEDNESDAY 12TH AUGUST, 2026``` *AVOID THE DANGER AHEAD!* 📓📖🎚️🫵🏽🙋🏽‍♂️🙋🏽‍♀️⚠️‼️🛑❌🫷🏽🧎🏽🧎🏽‍♀️🙏🏽 📜📜```1 KINGS 11:9-14```📜📜 🕔📚🖋️🚻😁🎼🏆🍉🪴🌈💻 🔑📖 ```Key Verse:``` _*"And the LORD was angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned from the LORD God of Israel, which had appeared unto him twice" (1 Kings 11:9).*_ 📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖 It is not all things that glitters that is gold. God is loving, He has great plans for His children. However, no parent toils on a child who decides to disobey instructions. Solomon was a beloved child of God. He found favour with God because David his father obeyed God. Your Christian parents, pastors, teachers and elders are sent to correct you. Don't despise their correction. Though God is merciful, yet the salvation of your parents doesn't guarantee your protection from the wiles of the devil. Solomon allowed his great wisdom to control him. He forgot God and embraced popularity and riches. God was angry with him and punished him severely. God is not a respecter of persons. He punishes every sinner or backslider. *Avoid the danger ahead! Sin leads to heavy consequences. Such consequences could come in the form of sickness, failure in examination, oppression or death (physical and eternal). Return to God your Maker, He loves you. Don't allow your worldly wisdom, pride or riches of your parents to take you to hell. Let the blood of Jesus wash you now.* 🍥🍥🍥🍥🍥🍥🍥🍥 ```🅿️rayer:``` _*Dear God, give me the grace to humble myself under Your mighty hand.*_ 🙏🏽 ```📖 Further Reading:``` *Proverbs 1:7-14* Avoid The Danger Ahead! https://dailymanna.app// *TXD [THEXDEVOTIONALS] on Twitter* *#SincereMilk12thAugust2026* *#GCK* *#WorshipNuggets* *#BibleNuggets* *#LeadershipNuggets* *#RevivalNuggets* *#CrusadeNuggets* https://www.youtube.com/[THEXDEVOTIONALS]. 2. Morning Prayer for today. MP.i. Morning Prayer [It is of] the LORD's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. [They are] new every morning: great [is] thy faithfulness. ⏤ Lamentations 3:22-23 The Christian life is one of gratitude. A heart that is constantly overflowing with thankfulness is a heart close to God. ⏤ A.W. Tozer O God, giver of all good and fountain of all mercy, we thank You for Your grace and the many ways You show Your care for us. Your faithfulness never fails. Your mercies are new every morning, fresh every moment, more than we can count. What can we give You in return for all Your goodness to us? We have nothing to offer but the poor love of our hearts, and we give that to You. Grant us more and more the spirit of praise and thanksgiving. Teach us to sing even when tears choke our songs. Give us songs in the night. Teach us how to rejoice, even in care and sorrow. We thank You for our home and all it means to us. You have filled our lives with countless blessings through the love that unites us as a family. Our home is a little bit of Your love poured into our hearts. We thank You for the shelter our home provides and for the gentle affections that bind us together. May our home grow sweeter as the days pass. Make our home life more loving, patient, and kind. May our love be less selfish and more like the love of Jesus. We ask for special blessings for this day. We will face dangers we are unaware of; protect us from them. We are vulnerable to accidents wherever we go; defend us from them. Grant us the grace to walk through the moral challenges around us without being harmed by them. Give Your angels charge over us to keep us in all Your ways. Lead us wherever we go so that we may not stumble. Make us strong for holy service. Let Your protection be over us all day, and give us strength for every duty. We ask all this in Jesus' precious name. Amen. https://www.youdevotion.com/daily-prayer/miller/38/morning #taptapstudio #youdevotion.

Lifeline Today Wednesday August 12 Say No to Fear As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, He said to the ruler of the synagogue, “Do not be afraid, only believe.” Mark 5:36(NKJV) The Lord Jesus had to immediately issue a strong command to Jairus, the ruler of the synagogue after he was told that his daughter was dead while both were on the way to his house. Fear is generated and fertilized by words. It is either in words spoken to you or the ones you speak to yourself. Words you say to yourself in moments of challenges can put so much fear in you and rob you outright of the confidence you have in God’s faithfulness. Fear is the opposite of faith, the enemy of progress. Fear is the advance notice of Satan to sift and dislodge a saint. It is the forerunner of hopelessness, confusion, depression, failure, and complete paralysis of destiny. To resist fear, you must first identify it. Any time you lose your peace, fear is knocking on the door of your heart. Command it to go where it belongs, and you will be free. This is your day. Wisdom Fountain: “Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear, not absence of fear." Prayer: Lord, You are bigger than any worry or terror that tries to creep into my mind. I say no to the voice of doubt, anxiety, and intimidation. I will not let fear make my choices for me. As written in 2 Timothy 1:7, I walk in Your power instead of trembling in weakness. I receive holy boldness to step forward, knowing You go ahead of me and will never leave me in Jesus’ name.

👓 OU 🕶️ À travers quelles lunettes lisez-vous votre réalité ? Selon le chapitre 2 du Volet 3 de « Qui Suis-Je ? », notre regard n'est pas neutre, il dépend de nos « lunettes » cognitives. Dans 2 Rois 6:15-17, le serviteur d'Élisée panique devant l'armée ennemie. Élisée prie : « Éternel, ouvre ses yeux... ». Le serviteur découvre alors les chars de feu protecteurs. Changer de perspective dissipe la peur. Le Pr Jacques Besson cite l'analogie du cylindre : selon l'angle, on voit un cercle ou un rectangle. Il affirme que la spiritualité élargit ce regard pour percevoir une réalité plus vaste, la « 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐧-𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐞 ». Ne restez plus prisonnier de vos angoisses. Chaussez les lunettes de l'Esprit Saint pour retrouver la clarté. Découvrez le Volet 3 👉 linktr.ee/qsje Écrivez 𝐑𝐄𝐆𝐀𝐑𝐃 en commentaire pour recevoir un outil gratuit d'évaluation.