Daily Devotion — August 17 | Acts 18:28 (NKJV)

Pointing Others to Jesus Through Scripture

Acts 18 introduces Apollos, a gifted speaker who loved God's Word. After receiving further instruction from Priscilla and Aquila, he boldly proclaimed the gospel with greater understanding. Using the Scriptures, Apollos demonstrated that Jesus is the promised Messiah, helping many people place their faith in Christ.

Apollos did not depend merely on eloquence or personal opinions. His confidence rested in the truth of God's Word. By faithfully explaining the Scriptures, he showed that God's promises were

fulfilled in Jesus Christ. His ministry reminds us that the Bible is our greatest tool for sharing the gospel and defending the truth.

For believers today, this passage encourages us to know God's Word well so we can lovingly and confidently point others to Jesus. As we grow in biblical understanding, God equips us to answer questions, strengthen fellow believers, and share the hope of the gospel with those who are searching.

Reflection Questions

1. Am I growing in my knowledge of God's Word?

2. How can I use Scripture to encourage someone this week?

3. Is Jesus the center of my conversations about faith?

Prayer

Lord God, thank You for giving me Your Word to guide my life and reveal Jesus Christ. Help me to study the Scriptures faithfully and give me wisdom and courage to share the truth with love. May my life always point others to my Savior. In Jesus name Amen.

Practical Application

● Spend time studying Scripture with the goal of knowing Christ better.

● Share a Bible verse that has encouraged you with someone this week.

● Be prepared to explain the hope you have in Jesus with gentleness and respect.

Takeaway Thought

God's Word faithfully points every seeking heart to Jesus Christ.

#LordsbookDailys #DailyDevotion #August17 #Acts1828 #JesusIsTheChrist #PowerOfScripture #BoldFaith #BibleInspiration #GrowInFaith

Monday thought:-
It is hard sometimes to lower ourselves especially when someone is blaming us for things we didn't do. But God gave us a spirit of humility and gentleness.
To Note - : Galatians 5:22

with all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;
Ephesians 4:2 KJV

GLORIOUS SUNDAY SERMON OF
16TH AUGUST 2026

Beloved of God, welcome to this amazing gathering of God's children. As we are about to hear from the throne of mercy, I declared that you will not come in vain, and you will not go empty handed.
But before we share the word of God, let us pray

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LESSON:
Matthew 7:16-20

As a matter of fact, today's message is a self reflection, that's why it's topic is:

TOPIC:
WHAT KIND OF CHRISTIAN AM I?

TEXT:
You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles?
Matthew 7:16–20 (NKJV)

INTRODUCTION:
It is easy to ask, “What kind of church do I attend?” or “What kind of Christians are around me?” But today, God is asking a more personal question:
What kind of Christian am I?
Christianity is more than attending church, carrying a Bible, singing worship songs, or being known as a believer. Jesus wants our faith to be visible in the way we live, speak, love, forgive, serve and represent Him.
The real test of Christianity is not simply what we profess with our lips, but what our lives produce.
Be immensely blessed by the word in Jesus name.

EXPOSITION:
With a sincere mind, let's examine and consider these 3 basic important points.

1. WHAT KIND OF FRUIT IS MY LIFE PRODUCING?
Matthew 7:16–20; Galatians 5:22–23; John 15:4–5
Jesus said, “You will know them by their fruits.”
Notice that Jesus did not say people would be known merely by their appearance, religious vocabulary, church position or spiritual title. He said they would be known by their fruit. Fruit is evidence of what is happening inside a tree. In the same way, our daily conduct reveals what is happening in our hearts.

A Christian may speak about love, but how do I treat people who offend me? I may talk about forgiveness, but can I forgive those who hurt me? I may preach holiness, but what happens when nobody is watching? I may say that I trust God, but what happens when I face disappointment? These are the moments when our fruit becomes visible.
Galatians 5:22–23 describes the fruit of the Spirit as love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

This gives us something practical to examine.
Is there love in me? Is there patience in me?
Is there self-control in me? Can people see Christ in the way I respond under pressure?
Because sometimes, the greatest testimony we preach is not from the pulpit. It is through our behaviour when life does not go according to our expectations. Jesus also said in John 15:5, “He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit.”

Fruitfulness is therefore connected to our relationship with Christ. We cannot consistently produce Christlike character while living far from Christ. The question is not whether we once produced good fruit. The question is: What is my life producing now?

EXPOSITION:
2. AM I A LIGHT THAT LEADS PEOPLE TO CHRIST OR A STUMBLING BLOCK?
Matthew 5:14–16; Romans 14:13; 1 Peter 2:12
Jesus said, “You are the light of the world.”
That means our Christianity is not supposed to remain inside the church building. People are watching us.
Our neighbours are watching. Our colleagues are watching. Our family members are watching. Young people are watching. Even people who disagree with Christianity are watching.

Sometimes, before they read the Bible, they read our lives. This is why we must ask ourselves a difficult question: Does my lifestyle make people desire to know Jesus, or does it give them another reason to reject Him? A Christian can become a stumbling block through bitterness, dishonesty, hypocrisy, arrogance, unforgiveness, gossip, immoral behaviour or an abusive attitude. Imagine telling someone that Jesus changes lives, while that person consistently sees anger, hatred and dishonesty in our own life.
What message are we communicating?

Romans 14:13 tells believers not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in another believer’s way.
This does not mean that we live our lives based on people's opinions. It means we recognize that Christian freedom carries Christian responsibility.
Our lives should make the Gospel attractive, not contradictory. Jesus said in Matthew 5:16:
“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”

The purpose of our light is not to make people admire us. It is to make them glorify God. So, when people encounter me, what do they encounter? Christ or character problems? Grace or hostility? Truth or hypocrisy? Love or bitterness? We cannot preach the Gospel effectively with our mouths while preaching a different gospel with our lifestyle.

EXPOSITION:
3. AM I OBEYING CHRIST OR AM I ONLY PRACTISING RELIGION?
John 14:15; James 1:22–25; Matthew 28:19–20
Jesus said plainly: “If you love Me, keep My commandments.” That means genuine Christianity must eventually produce obedience. It is possible to become very familiar with church activities while becoming unfamiliar with obedience to Christ.
We can attend services, participate in programmes, sing loudly, pray publicly and even hold positions in church, yet still ignore the simple commands of Jesus.

Jesus commanded us to love one another.
He commanded us to forgive.
He commanded us to serve.
He commanded us to make disciples.
He commanded us to preach the Gospel.
He commanded us to live as lights in a dark world.
The question therefore becomes:
Am I doing what Jesus asked me to do?

James 1:22 warns us not to be merely hearers of the Word, but doers. Hearing God's Word without obeying it can create the illusion of spiritual maturity.
Knowledge is not the same as obedience.
Knowing that we should forgive is not forgiveness.
Knowing that we should evangelize is not evangelism.
Knowing that we should love is not love.
Knowing that we should live holy is not holiness.
At some point, the Word we hear must become the life we live. And this includes the Great Commission.

Jesus said in Matthew 28:19–20, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations.” Every Christian may not stand behind a pulpit, but every Christian has a responsibility to represent Christ. There is somebody around us who needs encouragement.
Somebody needs to hear the Gospel.
Somebody needs to see forgiveness.
Somebody needs to see genuine Christian love.
Somebody may be watching our life and wondering whether Jesus is truly real.

So the question is not merely:
“Am I a Christian?” The deeper question is:
“What kind of Christian am I?”
Am I a Christian by name, or by transformation?
Am I only a church member, or am I a disciple of Jesus? Am I carrying the name of Christ while refusing to carry His character?
This brings us to the conclusion of the message.

CONCLUSION:
Today, the mirror is before us.
Not before our neighbour.
Not before another church member.
Not before society. Before me.
What kind of Christian am I?
May our Christianity be more than words, titles and religious activities. May our lives produce good fruit, shine as lights, and demonstrate obedience to Christ.
Let people encounter us and see something that points them back to Jesus.

CLOSING PRAYER:
Let us pray!
Lord Jesus, make us genuine representatives of Your kingdom. Let our lives produce good fruit, let our character reflect You, and let our actions never become a stumbling block to others. Help us to love, forgive, serve and obey You faithfully. May our lives point people to Christ. In Jesus’ mighty name, Amen.

GOODWILL MESSAGE:
This is my goodwill message for you this week:
May your life become a living testimony of the transforming power of Jesus Christ. May your words carry grace, your character reveal Christ, and your actions draw others closer to God. May your faith remain fruitful, your light continue to shine, and your life bring glory to your Father in heaven. Amen.

HAPPY WONDERFUL SUNDAY,
HAVE AN AMAZING WEEK.

LIKE IT OR NOT!
JESUS IS COMING BACK AGAIN SOON!!
REPENT AND BE READY FOR HIM!!!

This wonderful message is brought to you
With Love from Pastor M O Glorious,
CHRIST APOSTOLIC CHURCH ,
Palace of Mercy, Royal District, Restoration Zone. Damolapa, Laketu, Lucky Fibre, Ikorodu Lagos Nigeria. For prayer or counseling, pls contact us@
08055646358: 09018952081
or
peganmireAnderson Mwila.com

#WhatKindOfChristianAmI #ChristianCharacter
#ChristLikeLiving #FruitOfTheSpirit
#BeTheLight #ChristianFaith
#WalkWithChrist #ObeyChrist
#LiveForJesus l#LetYourLightShine
#KingdomLiving #JesusChrist

“Come to Me”
Matthew 11:28 “Come to Me, all who are weary and burdened…”
Bible Study — Rest Begins With Surrender
Jesus doesn’t say, “Come to Me when you’re strong.” He says, “Come to Me when you’re weary.” Matthew 11:28 is an invitation to bring the weight you’re carrying — not hide it.

Rest is not found in escape.
Rest is not found in distraction.
Rest is found in coming to Jesus with what feels heavy.
He offers rest for your soul — the deep kind that reaches the places no sleep, vacation, or break can touch. His rest comes from surrender, from laying down what you were never meant to carry alone.

Today, Jesus invites you to bring the burden, not pretend it isn’t there. He meets you with gentleness, not judgment. He gives rest, not pressure.

Reflection
What weight do you need to bring to Him today?

Prayer
Lord, I come to You with what feels heavy. Give rest to my soul. Teach me to lay down what I cannot carry and trust You with what overwhelms me. Amen

AUGUST 15
DAY 15 - Morning
Theme: LOVE THAT CHOOSES
Making Daily Decisions That Strengthen the Marriage

Morning Reflection
Choose Your Spouse Again

Good Morning!
There was a time when you chose each other with excitement.
You dressed up.
You made plans.
You dreamed about the future.
Then life happened.
Bills arrived. Children came. Responsibilities increased. Work became demanding. Some dreams changed.
But one of the beautiful things about marriage is that you don't only choose each other on the wedding day.
You keep choosing each other every day.
You choose patience when irritation would be easier.
You choose forgiveness when resentment feels justified.
You choose conversation instead of silence.
You choose faithfulness when temptation appears.
You choose love when feelings are tired.
Your wedding vow may have been spoken once, but its meaning is lived every day.

God's Word
"Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience." — Colossians 3:12

Today's Love Action
Tell your spouse today:
"I still choose you."
Then mention one reason why.

Let's Talk
What made you choose your spouse in the beginning, and what makes you continue choosing them today?

Prayer
Lord, renew our commitment to one another. Help us choose love, faithfulness and grace even on difficult days. Amen.

From The Counselor's Chair:
Feelings change with circumstances, but mature love learns to make faithful choices even when emotions fluctuate.

Marriage Nugget
"Marriage becomes stronger when choosing each other becomes a daily decision, not merely a past decision."

Remember
In marriage, it is not about winning the argument; it is about winning each other's hearts

TODAY'S KINGDOM INSIGHTS:

SERMON TOPIC:

IS YOUR LIFE A STAGE OR AN ALTAR?

Main Text: Romans 12:1

«“Present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.”»

WHAT ARE YOU BUILDING WITH YOUR LIFE?

Every day, we stand before an audience.
People watch what we do.
People listen to what we say.
People observe our success, relationships, appearance, ministry and lifestyle.
But there is an audience greater than humanity: God.
The question is not simply, “What do people think about me?”
The deeper question is:
“What does God see when He looks at my life?”
A stage is where people perform to be seen.
An altar is where a person surrenders to God.
On a stage, the question is:
«“How do I look?”»
At an altar, the question is:
«“Lord, what do You want from me?”»
Many people are living on a stage while believing they are standing at an altar.
They pray publicly but disobey privately.
They appear spiritual before people but live differently when nobody is watching.
They want the applause of men but have lost the approval of God.

Today, God is calling us from performance to surrender, from appearance to authenticity, and from the stage to the altar.
1. THE STAGE SEEKS APPLAUSE; THE ALTAR SEEKS GOD'S APPROVAL
Jesus warned about religious performance.
Matthew 6:1
«“Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them.”»
Jesus was not condemning good works. He was exposing the wrong motive.
You can do the right thing for the wrong reason.
You can preach because you want recognition.
You can sing because you want applause.
You can give because you want people to celebrate you.
You can post Scripture because you want people to praise your spirituality.
But God looks beyond the action and examines the heart.
1 Samuel 16:7
«“Man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.”»
The stage asks: “Who is watching?”
The altar asks: “Is God pleased?”
A person living at the altar does not need human applause to remain faithful.
Spiritual insight:
If your Christianity only works when people are watching, you may be performing rather than worshipping.
2. THE STAGE DISPLAYS TALENT; THE ALTAR REVEALS CHARACTER
Talent can put you on a platform.
Character determines whether you can remain there without destroying yourself.
David had musical ability.
David had courage.
David had leadership ability.
But before David stood before kings, he learned to stand before God in the wilderness.
The altar develops what the stage cannot produce.
The stage can reveal your gift.
The altar reveals your heart.
A person can be gifted and still lack character.
A person can preach powerfully and live carelessly.
A person can sing beautifully and still have an uncontrolled heart.
A person can be celebrated publicly and be broken privately.
That is why God is more interested in who you are becoming than merely what you are doing.
Galatians 5:22–23
The fruit of the Spirit includes love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
Notice that Scripture calls these fruit, not performance.
Fruit grows from a life connected to God.
Ask yourself:
What happens to my character when nobody is watching?
That question can reveal whether your life is a stage or an altar.
3. THE STAGE WANTS TO RECEIVE; THE ALTAR IS WILLING TO SURRENDER
An altar is a place of sacrifice.
Romans 12:1 says:
«“Present your bodies a living sacrifice…”»
God does not merely want your Sunday.
He wants your Monday.
He does not only want your voice in church.
He wants your conversations at home.
He does not only want your offering.
He wants your heart.
He does not only want your public ministry.
He wants your private obedience.
The stage says:
“God, bless what I want to do.”
The altar says:
“God, I surrender what I want to do to Your will.”
That is the difference.
Jesus demonstrated this in Gethsemane.
Luke 22:42
«“Not my will, but thine, be done.”»
That is altar language.
Sometimes the greatest worship you can give God is not a song.
It is surrender.
4. THE STAGE CAN BE MAINTAINED BY APPEARANCE; THE ALTAR REQUIRES TRUTH
A stage can be decorated.
An altar cannot hide the condition of the sacrifice.
God is calling His people back to authenticity.
Psalm 51:6
«“Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts…”»
God wants truth in the hidden places.
Who are you when the phone is off?
Who are you when nobody is applauding?
Who are you when you are angry?
Who are you when you have money?
Who are you when you have power?
Who are you when temptation comes?
Who are you when nobody can reward you?
That is where character is tested.
Christianity is not merely about looking holy.
It is about becoming holy.
5. GOD DOES NOT WANT A PERFORMANCE; HE WANTS A LIVING SACRIFICE
Romans 12:1 gives us the picture clearly:
«“Present your bodies a living sacrifice…”»
Notice the word living.
The Christian life is not a one-time emotional experience.
It is daily surrender.
Every morning, we should be able to say:
“Lord, my life belongs to You.”
My plans belong to You.
My career belongs to You.
My relationships belong to You.
My finances belong to You.
My gifts belong to You.
My body belongs to You.
My future belongs to You.
That is life on the altar.

BIBLICAL CASE STUDY: SAUL AND DAVID

Two men were anointed by God.
Two men were given opportunities.
But their responses to God were different.
Saul became increasingly concerned about how he appeared before people.
1 Samuel 15:24
Saul admitted that he feared the people and obeyed their voice.
David, despite his failures, repeatedly returned to God with a repentant heart.
Psalm 51:10
«“Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.”»
Saul was concerned about his image.
David was concerned about his heart.
One was more concerned about the stage.
The other understood the altar.
This does not mean David was perfect. He was not.
It means that when confronted by God, David learned to return to Him.

STAGE VS ALTAR

THE STAGE| THE ALTAR
Seeks applause| Seeks God's approval
Focuses on appearance| Focuses on character
Wants recognition| Wants obedience
Performs before people| Surrenders before God
Protects image| Pursues holiness
Says “Look at me”| Says “Lord, use me”
Lives for public approval| Lives for divine purpose

PRACTICAL ACTION STEPS

1. Examine your motives
Ask:
“Why am I doing what I am doing?”
2. Build a private life with God
Do not allow your public ministry to become larger than your private relationship with God.
3. Stop living for human applause
People can praise you today and criticize you tomorrow.
God's approval must become your anchor.
4. Repent where necessary
If there are hidden areas of compromise, bring them before God.
Do not protect what God is asking you to surrender.
5. Practice obedience when nobody is watching
The secret place is where genuine Christianity is developed.
6. Make your whole life worship
Your workplace can become worship.
Your family life can become worship.
Your business can become worship.
Your ministry can become worship.
Your private decisions can become worship.

DEEP SPIRITUAL INSIGHTS

1. God is more interested in your heart than your platform.
A bigger platform without a deeper heart can become dangerous.
2. Public success cannot compensate for private failure.
You can impress thousands and still grieve God.
3. The altar comes before the platform.
Before God uses a person publicly, He often works on that person privately.
4. Your greatest audience is God.
People see moments.
God sees the entire life.
5. The altar is where ambition dies and purpose is born.
Sometimes God must remove our desire to be seen before He can trust us to be used.

QUESTIONS FOR PERSONAL REFLECTION

1. Am I living to please God or to impress people?
2. Who am I when nobody is watching?
3. Is my private life consistent with my public confession?
4. Am I more interested in being celebrated or being transformed?
5. What have I refused to surrender to God?
6. Have I allowed social media to become my stage?
7. Is my ministry flowing from intimacy with God or the desire for recognition?
8. If God removed the applause, would I still serve Him?
9. What area of my life needs to return to the altar?
10. Can God trust me with a greater platform?

POWERFUL PRAYER POINTS

1. Prayer for a pure heart
Father, create in me a clean heart and renew a right spirit within me. Let my private life please You.
2. Prayer against hypocrisy
Lord, deliver me from every form of hypocrisy and spiritual performance. Let my public life agree with my private life.
3. Prayer for genuine surrender
Father, I surrender my plans, ambitions, gifts, relationships and future to You. Have Your way in my life.
4. Prayer against the desire for human applause
Lord, free me from the bondage of seeking human approval. Teach me to live for Your approval alone.
5. Prayer for character
Holy Spirit, develop Christlike character in me. Let my character be greater than my platform.
6. Prayer for usefulness
Lord, make my life an instrument in Your hands. Let everything You have placed in me bring glory to Your name.

COME DOWN FROM THE STAGE.

Perhaps the greatest question today is not:
“How many people know me?”
It is:
“Does God know me?”
Not:
“How impressive is my life?”
But:
“How surrendered is my life?”
The world says:
“Build your platform.”
God says:
“Build your altar.”
The world says:
“Make people notice you.”
God says:
“Let your light shine so that people may glorify your Father.”
The stage is temporary.
The applause is temporary.
Popularity is temporary.
Titles are temporary.
But what you do for God and who you become in Christ have eternal significance.
So today, come down from the stage.
Lay down the need to impress.
Lay down the need to be celebrated.
Lay down the hidden compromise.
Lay down the pride.
Lay down the fear of people's opinions.
Lay down your plans.
And say:
«“Lord, here I am. My life is Yours.”»

FINAL DECLARATION

My life will not be a stage for human applause.
My life will be an altar for God's glory.
My gifts will serve His purpose.
My character will reflect Christ.
My private life will honor Him.
My public life will glorify Him.
And everything I am and everything I have will belong to Jesus.
Amen.

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Dear God, thank You for this new day and for Your word that shows me who I’m supposed to be in You. Your word in Galatians 5:22-23 says, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.” God, it’s not always easy to be gentle with people, to forgive them, or to have self-control over my emotions, but I’m asking You for that strength today. Help me walk in the Spirit instead of giving in to my flesh, and help me reflect Your fruit in my words and my actions in every situation I face. I want my life today to point people back to You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

But he who has been a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does. -James 1:25

Daily Bible Lesson.
“BEHOLD THE MAN!” THE INNOCENT SAVIOUR REJECTED FOR A CRIMINAL.

Key Text: John 19:5
“Then came Jesus forth, wearing the crown of thorns, and the purple robe. And Pilate saith unto them, Behold the man!”

This is one of the most heartbreaking scenes in the Bible. Pilate hoped that after seeing Jesus bruised, bleeding, and humiliated, the crowd would show mercy. Instead, they hardened their hearts and demanded His death.

① PILATE TRIED TO SAVE JESUS THROUGH COMPROMISE
Pilate ordered Jesus to be scourged and mocked.
Not because He was guilty...
But because he hoped the cruel punishment would satisfy the angry crowd.
Pilate thought:
The people would pity Jesus.
The priests would finally be satisfied.
An innocent Man could be released.
But compromise never satisfies evil.

② THE ENEMIES OF CHRIST SAW PILATE'S WEAKNESS
The religious leaders quickly realized:
Pilate was afraid.
He wanted to avoid conflict.
He lacked the courage to do what was right.
Their determination only grew stronger.
Every compromise gave them greater confidence to demand Christ's death.

③ “BEHOLD THE MAN!”
Pilate presented Jesus before the multitude and declared:
John 19:5
“Behold the man!”
Again he testified:
John 19:4
“I find no fault in Him.”
Standing before the crowd was:
The Son of God.
Wearing a crown of thorns.
His back torn by cruel scourging.
His face covered with blood.
Yet His expression revealed:
Gentleness.
Patience.
Dignity.
Compassion for those who hated Him.
Even in suffering, Jesus displayed perfect love.

④ THE GREAT CONTRAST: JESUS OR BARABBAS
Beside Jesus stood Barabbas.
A hardened criminal.
A rebel.
A murderer.
The contrast could not have been clearer.
Jesus—the innocent Prince of Peace.
Barabbas—the guilty lawbreaker.
Yet the crowd chose the criminal...
...and rejected the spotless Lamb of God.

⑤ SOME HEARTS WERE TOUCHED
Not everyone remained unmoved.
Many spectators wept.
Their hearts were filled with sympathy.
Even the priests and rulers felt conviction deep within.
They knew Jesus truly was who He claimed to be.
But conviction without surrender leads to tragedy.

⑥ THE CHOICE STILL STANDS TODAY
Every person must choose:
Christ or the world?
Truth or compromise?
Obedience or rebellion?
Eternal life or eternal loss?
The crowd chose Barabbas.
What will you choose?
Joshua 24:15
“Choose you this day whom ye will serve.”

LESSONS FOR US TODAY
Never reject Christ for the pleasures of this world.
Do not silence conviction when the Holy Spirit speaks.
Stand for truth even when the majority chooses otherwise.
Jesus willingly suffered so that we might receive eternal life.
Isaiah 53:5
“But He was wounded for our transgressions... and with His stripes we are healed.”

PRAYER
Lord Jesus, thank You for enduring shame, suffering, and rejection to save me. Help me never to choose the world over You. Give me the courage to stand with You, even when others turn away. May my life always declare that I have chosen Christ above everything else. In Your precious name, Amen.

TODAY'S BIBLE READING
Thursday, August 13
OLD TESTAMENT
JUDGES 14 — Samson and the Philistines
NEW TESTAMENT
1 PETER 3 — Living as God's People
MAJOR PROPHETS
ISAIAH 24 — The Judgment of the Earth
Today's Reflection
Judges 14
Samson begins to confront the Philistines, and God uses even the circumstances surrounding Samson to accomplish His purposes. The chapter reminds us that God's plans are greater than what we can immediately understand.
1 Peter 3
Peter teaches believers to live with humility, compassion, patience, and holiness. We are encouraged to respond to others with gentleness and respect and to be ready to explain the hope we have in Christ.
Isaiah 24
Isaiah describes God's judgment upon the earth because of humanity's rebellion. Yet even amid judgment, God remains sovereign. The chapter points us toward the seriousness of sin and the certainty of God's righteous rule.
KEY VERSE
"Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have."
— 1 Peter 3:15
PRAYER
Heavenly Father, help us to live as people who truly belong to You. Give us wisdom to respond with gentleness and respect, courage to share the hope we have in Christ, and strength to remain faithful even when surrounded by challenges. May our lives point others toward Jesus. In His mighty name, Amen.
WE STUDY. WE PRAY. WE OBEY. WE GROW. UNTIL WE ARE TOTALLY TRANSFORMED.
TODAY'S CHALLENGE
Let your life demonstrate the hope you have in Christ. Speak with gentleness, act with compassion, and be ready to share what Jesus means to you.

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