LOST IN THE CHURCH:

[BEING LOST IN CHURCH]

Part Five

Measuring Holiness

There has been a great deception among many people who assume that holiness is measured by comparing a person’s good deeds with their bad deeds. When the scale of good deeds appears to outweigh the bad, they conclude that the person is holy.

In this way, many have continued to measure Christianity by looking at what they have done and what they have not done. This kind of holiness focuses heavily on measuring sin according to the “Don’ts” found in Scripture.

And this has become the interpretation of religion throughout history. It has continued to damage the Church and has contributed to leading many people to hell.

Holiness or sin is not merely an action—not simply what a person does or does not do—but a condition of the heart. God is deeply concerned with the condition of our hearts. Actions are only the results of what is already inside the heart. Many have measured holiness by good deeds, yet the Lord does not look at things in that way. He looks at the spirit or intention behind every action, examining the manner and motive with which it was done.

Therefore, the Lord is not simply looking for people who perform good deeds on earth, but for people who do what is right!

There is a great difference between doing a good thing and doing the right thing. Sometimes the right thing may appear to be evil in the eyes of people. When the Lord commanded Israel to destroy the nations of the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, as stated in Deuteronomy 20:17, could the world have called Him good? Yet we know without doubt that the Lord was doing what was right, because He does not make mistakes, and His works are always without error.

Understand that sin is a condition of the heart, and there is One who examines the deepest intentions of the heart. A person can perform good deeds with an evil motive, while another can perform something that appears bad with a good intention. Therefore, it is very easy for a person to be deceived if they place their confidence in goodness or in their works.

Indeed, evil kills; however, goodness can be responsible for deceiving and destroying even more people in the world than evil itself. One of Satan’s most powerful weapons for bringing destruction into the world comes through what appears to be good. There is hardly a greater deception Satan can use than coming to us dressed as an angel of light. 2 Corinthians 11:14

Because sin is a condition of the heart, a person can be a murderer even if they have never physically killed anyone. Likewise, someone can be an adulterer before God even if they have never slept with a woman.

For example, even if a lemon tree refuses to produce fruit, perhaps in an attempt to hide its nature, it cannot change and become a mango tree.

We cannot remove sin from within ourselves by keeping the Law or by trying to be good. We must be transformed in our hearts as we hold firmly to the Cross. Otherwise, even if a person never commits an outward act of sin, that does not necessarily mean they are without guilt.

Remember: even if a lemon tree does not produce fruit, that does not mean it will be counted as an orange tree.

Circumcision of the Heart

Essentially, there is no action a person can perform that can change their inner nature. Things such as religion and the Law can change the outward appearance, but they cannot transform the inner person. Christianity does not begin from the outside and move inward; rather, it begins from within and moves outward.

Therefore, through religion, the Law, happiness, habits, the desire for praise, and so forth, it is entirely possible for a person to do good outwardly while not actually being good in their heart.

That is why the Lord used circumcision as an illustration of removing the outward covering of hypocrisy, so that what is inside would correspond with what is outside. This was the foundation of the circumcision commanded by the Lord in the house of Israel, when He instructed them to circumcise the foreskin of their bodies.

And was this not a prophecy concerning the circumcision of the heart in our present age, when we look to Christ, as it is written in Philippians 3:3:

> “For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and put no confidence in the flesh.”



If you are in church and have not been born again, understand that your nature has not been transformed.

Therefore, even if you pretend to do good, fast extensively, keep all the Laws, observe all the ancient festivals, new moons, or Sabbaths, understand that hell awaits you!

And these are words of truth.

He who has ears to hear, let him hear.

Amen!

#ToBeContinued...

Mwl. Ernest Nyalula

#LostInTheChurch
#CircumcisionOfTheHeart
#TrueHoliness
#BornAgain
#HeartTransformation
#ChristAlone
#GraceAndTruth
#Christianity
#FaithInChrist
#TheGospel
#JesusChrist
#KingdomOfGod
#LordBook
#SpiritualGrowth
#TruthOfTheGospel

Good evening, brethren.
1. Evening devotion for today.

ED.i. *DAILY WALK WITH CHRIST*
(COCIN DEVOTIONAL)

*DATE:*
SUNDAY 16TH AUGUST, 2026.

*SUB-THEME:*
YOUTHS: VESSELS OF GOD'S GRACE

*TOPIC:*
DILIGENCE: PATHWAY TO GREATNESS.

*TEXTS:*
PROVERBS 12:24; 22:29.
*12:24.*
24. Diligent hands will rule, but laziness ends in forced labour.

*22:29.*
29. Do you see someone skilled in their work? They will serve before kings; they will not serve before officials of low rank.

*TOPIC:*
DILIGENCE: PATHWAY TO GREATNESS.

*THE MESSAGE:*
Diligence means consistent, earnest, and skilful effort that leads to excellence and advancement. According to Proverbs, those who work hard and refine their skills will stand out, serving before influential people and rising to postions of honour, whether in secular or gospel ministry. True promotion is a reward for diligent effort, not the result of ambition or manipulation. Christian youths must eschew laziness and embrace hard work as a core value. Diligence glorifies God. Wasting time on entertainment and social media without developing one's potential is contrary to godly wisdom. How diligent are you in your studies, skills, career, house chores, community, and church work? Do not be nonchalant. Discover and maximise your potential diligently.

*REFLECTION:*
Diligence breeds excellence.

*PRAYER:*
Lord, deliver me from laziness, in Jesus' name. Amen.

*MEMORY VERSE FOR THE MONTH:*
2 TIMOTHY 2:21.
"If a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be instruments for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master, and prepared to do any good work."

*TODAY'S BIBLE READING PLAN:*
EZEKIEL 1-3.

ED.ii. TWO TYPES OF PEOPLE

"All who have this hope in Him purify themselves, just as He is pure." - 1 John 3:3

The Bible always speaks about two types of people, ways or choices: sheep and goats, corn and chaff, wise and foolish virgins, a wide and a narrow path, a man walking in the light or a man walking in the darkness, a sinner or a righteous person. The Bible says that God wants to bring people from darkness into His wonderful light. Each time you see these two categories of people. The Bible speaks of people who are damned and people who are saved; lost and redeemed people; people who have strayed from the straight road and who belong to the flock; carnal and spiritual people.

The contrast that the Bible indicates between one group and the other is quite large. You stand either on one side or on the other. You choose heaven or hell. You choose death or life. You cannot be saved a little or go to heaven a little. You cannot be pregnant for just a little bit either. Either you are pregnant, or you are not. You are a Christian or you are not. You walk in the light or in the darkness. You are far from God because of sin or your sins are forgiven, and you have entered the presence of God. It is either the one or the other!

Born again is essential

A person has to experience a change within. Rebirth is to take place. The Bible calls it 'being born again'; to go from the old to the new creation. If you are not born again you cannot see the Kingdom of God, let alone enter it. This is essential for all believers. Jesus says that if we give our heart to Him and allow Him, He will come to us.

In 2 Corinthians 5:17 we read: 'Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!'


https://www.theblessingdevotional.com

2. Evening Prayer.

EP.i. Evening Prayer

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. ⏤ James 1:17

Gratitude bestows reverence, allowing us to encounter everyday epiphanies. ⏤ John Milton

Lord, we humbly come before You, asking that You hear our prayers, our confession, our requests, and our praise, which we offer to You through Jesus Christ our Lord. We have gone astray and wandered from Your ways, like lost sheep. We have followed too much the desires of our own hearts. We have broken Your holy laws. We have left undone the things we should have done and have done things we should not have done. There is nothing good in us. But You, O Lord, have mercy on us as miserable offenders, and for Jesus' sake, give us the grace to turn away from every evil path and to live in a way that brings glory to Your holy name.

What can we give You, O Giver of all good things, for Your kindness to us as a family? We thank You for the comforts of our home, for the opportunities we have for learning, for our health and happiness, for prosperity, and for all the blessings of Your providence, including the love that unites us as a family.

Help us, O Father, to live in a way that is worthy of all Your favors and gracious kindness. May our hearts be filled with love and gratitude. May our lips speak Your praise. May our lives truly reflect the gratitude we feel.

Sanctify all the blessings of this day. Bless the preaching of Your Word and all the services in which we participated. May Your blessing follow all the work of Your people today in every church and Sunday school. Now grant us restful and refreshing sleep, and may the blessings of this Sunday carry us through the new week. We ask this in Jesus Christ. Amen.

https://www.youdevotion.com/daily-prayer/miller/42/evening

#taptapstudio
#youdevotion.

FOOLISH JEWS
The Jews are foolishly being deceived by themselves and the Devil to run with the old agreement or old covenant patterns that have been fulfilled in the personality of the Messiah that came and they failed to realize it which was why they were dispersed and trampled upon all over the world(Luke 21:20 - 24,20:16,17,18,19,Mark 13:2)
God's ultimate plan is for the universal church on earth to have a unified worship in Israel but the reality is that the Jews are still foolish fools who read the scriptures without understanding which was why God called them DENSE(Matthew 23) for they have eyes to see but do not see and have ears to hear but do not hear. They are blind guards. The Holy Scriptures in Isaiah 55:5 says,"You shall call a nation you do not know and nations who do not know you shall run to you because of the LORD your YHWH for HE has glorified you(God coming as human in flesh to bestow all what it takes) and verse 3/4 says," Incline your ears and come to ME(Leaving the old covenant and modernizing and upgrading).Hear, and your soul shall live; and I (YHWH) will make an everlasting covenant (New Covenant that is only on Christ the Messiah alone and no other) the sure mercies of David (Matthew 2:1-6, check chapter 1 on genealogy) with you which is the sure mercies of David(which is the plan from of old because even David could not keep the laws but walked in fleshly lusts and sin).I Indeed I(YHWH) have given HIM (CHRIST or Yahshua)as a witness to the people.A leader and commander for the people". The truth was that Christ prophesied about the dispersions, pulling down of Jerusalem and coming back plus the failures and the successes if the truth is realized that God cannot go back to the old method to give the Jews power and protection but only gathering and taking care of the universal church rather than Rome,the Idolatrous. Yahshuanisim is the only survival for the Jews as most of the talks of Jesus Christ are prophecies of that time and present but they thought that HE was raving mad but part of those words have come to pass. The curses declared by the Master are prophecies and every word HE uttered were fullfiled. Some thought that HIS curses,for example to that woman HE called a dog shouldn't be, but that woman knew so to be true, for she was truly a dog(metaphorically and spiritually Matt 15:25,27).
Jews think that the way they want and go is the way God wanted them to go without realizing that they should have been the Body that gathers all diverse believers of non denominational believers for the Time for all in Christ the Messiah which was why a space was provided in the old pattern or old covenant temple for gentiles and when Jews realize this then that's when a new wave of universal outbreak in Yahshanism will expand. Jerusalem or Israel should be a kingdom like America but unlike it in impurity meant to gather Yahshuans (believers in the Messiah Yah is My Ishua(Yahshua, Immanuel, Jesus Christ, Yeshua or whatever the name of the Son of Man is called) from all over the world together, which is the Rome of our Time or of the current time.

LOOKING BACK ON Battle FOR BRITAIN.. IT INVOLVES BREAKING OF NEW GROUNDS.
Those who can remember, we all know Battlefield Of Britain ain't for the weak or those who faint but its victory is in the hands of those who keep digging.
Yes leaving the distraction behind.

Genesis 26:11–31 — #2024.
Great message to run with through Isaacs Journey in relation to Britain right now.

Isaac's journey shows a clear progression. He dug a well, and it was disputed — he named it Esek, meaning contention. He dug another, and it was disputed again — he named it Sitnah, meaning opposition. He did not stop or turn back; he moved on and dug a third well, and this time no one contended over it — he named it Rehoboth, the room God provided. There, at Beersheba, God established him, and even those who had opposed him came and recognised that the LORD was with him.

When Isaac first reopened the wells his father Abraham had dug, and no one contended over them. It was only when he broke new ground — Esek, then Sitnah — that opposition rose against him. Britain has restored what former generations laid down in the faith, yet in pressing forward into new ground for Christ in this generation, the nation has met contention and now stands in Sitnah. One of the Sitnahs' instruments is law. Isaac did not return to the old wells or retreat; he kept digging new ground until he reached Rehoboth.

Britain the race is not for the Swift but for them who are able to keep going without fainting.
So, do not stop digging because of Sitnah. Keep digging, keep praying, keep contending for the faith, keep standing for righteousness, and keep proclaiming Christ — until there is a Rehoboth, a place where God makes room to establish His purposes in this nation; until God is recognised in the land and peace reigns.

It is written about you.. Are you part of the tribe..
Hebrews 10:7 And Psalms 40;7-8 reads
Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come— In the volume of the book it is written of Me— To do Your will, O God.’ ”
Are his laws written in your hearts?

Keep This Word In Mind.
‭Galatians 6:9 NIV‬
Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
#hallelujah

LOST IN THE CHURCH

Part Three

CIVILIZATION / RESPECTABILITY

One of the greatest things religion could achieve at its highest level is to try to make a person extremely good and civilized.

However, being civilized is not a fruit of the Spirit, it is not holiness, and it is not Christianity.

A civilized person may be someone who believes that he can calm God's anger through good behavior and by keeping religious laws. The origin of this kind of civilization is the attempt to please God by conforming to the spirit of this world—by obeying human expectations more than the will of God.

Many people assume that being loved and accepted by the world is the same as being loved by God.

But Jesus Himself was not "civilized" according to the standards people often use today. How could He be, when He called Herod, the ruler of His country, "that fox"? (Luke 13:32)

Where have you ever seen a "civilized" person make a whip of cords, drive people out of the Temple, overturn the tables and chairs of the merchants, and scatter their money? (John 2:15)


Tell me, where have you ever seen a civilized person behave like that?

It amazes me that today civilization and politeness are sometimes mistaken for Christianity.

THE GRACE OF GOD

> "For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ."
John 1:17



Jesus did not come to establish salvation through the Mosaic Law. And if the Law given through Moses could not accomplish God's ultimate purpose of restoring humanity to Him, then holiness cannot be achieved merely by keeping laws.

Rather, it is through the grace of God, freely given to the person who looks to the Lord.

However, I am not saying that there is no law under grace. What I mean is that the law operating within grace is the law of love.

Love must come first, and obedience follows.

To put law before love is slavery. And the Lord clearly said that God's children are free. (Matthew 17:26)

Therefore, we do not obey God's commandments in order to create love within ourselves. We obey because we have already begun to love God.

Remember what the Word says in John 14:15:

> "If ye love me, keep my commandments."



Notice the order of the words. The order matters.

Love comes first.

He loved us first. (1 John 4:19)

Therefore, when we obey His commandments, His laws, or His truth, it should be because His love has taken root in our hearts.

Otherwise, we risk falling into the very spirit of deception and error that has existed throughout history—the spirit of religion.

If you read 1 Corinthians 13, beginning from verse 1 onward, you will see the Apostle Paul explaining how empty it is for a person to perform even something apparently spiritual or divine when there is no love in his heart.

SALVATION: GRACE AND WORKS

Salvation is by grace, and it is freely given because of the finished work of the Cross of Jesus Christ.

Therefore, any attempt to offer our own achievements as payment for acceptance before God is essentially an insult to the Cross, because it suggests that Christ's sacrifice was insufficient.

And the Lord will not accept anyone who attempts to approach Him on such a basis.

GRACE VS. WORKS

Today, a large number of believers are lost in the Church because they have failed to properly distinguish between these two concepts: works and grace.

The way of life often passes through truths that appear to be in tension.

I do not mean grace alone while completely rejecting obedience. Neither do I mean works alone while ignoring grace.

It is not everything done by God, nor is it everything done by us.

Some have gone too far into the direction of legalistic works. Others, after thinking they have understood grace, have been pushed to the opposite extreme and become lost in a distorted understanding of grace.

If you approach Scripture with a distorted "grace-only" mindset, you can become lost in that extreme. Likewise, if you approach Scripture entirely through the lens of works, you can also become lost.

The Bible clearly says:

> "Faith without works is dead."



Yet it is also a great deception to perform works merely so that you can be considered a person of faith.

Yes, the Lord carried the Cross for us, and that is grace.

But have you ever asked yourself why He also told us to take up our own cross and follow Him? (Luke 9:23)

That is where we discover that we also have a part to fulfill.

Once you understand that it is not grace without responsibility, do not overreact and jump with both feet into legalism.

If you do, you will fall into another dangerous deception: believing that God can be found through human effort.

Some people believe that if they pray for extremely long periods, jump up and down, give this or that offering, perform certain religious activities, or do particular things, then God will finally hear them.

Sadly, such ideas have become widespread in the house of God today.

I have often wondered about the prophets of Baal and how they cut themselves with swords and knives until blood flowed while calling upon their god in the days of the prophet Elijah.

Could that not also be a picture of people who would arise in our generation, believing that God's goodness can be obtained through religious effort and works of the law?

May God bless you greatly.

#ToBeContinued...

Mwl. Ernest Nyalula
+255 616 609 885

#LostInTheChurch
#GraceVsWorks
#GraceOfGod
#Christianity
#ChristianFaith
#BiblicalTruth
#BibleStudy
#JesusChrist
#ChristianLife
#SpiritualGrowth
#GodsGrace
#FaithAndWorks
#TheWordOfGod
#KingdomOfGod
#ChurchLife
#ChristianTeaching
#KnowTheTruth
#WalkWithChrist
#Holiness
#FaithInJesus

LOST IN THE CHURCH

Part Three

CIVILIZATION / RESPECTABILITY

One of the greatest things religion could achieve at its highest level is to try to make a person extremely good and civilized.

However, being civilized is not a fruit of the Spirit, it is not holiness, and it is not Christianity.

A civilized person may be someone who believes that he can calm God's anger through good behavior and by keeping religious laws. The origin of this kind of civilization is the attempt to please God by conforming to the spirit of this world—by obeying human expectations more than the will of God.

Many people assume that being loved and accepted by the world is the same as being loved by God.

But Jesus Himself was not "civilized" according to the standards people often use today. How could He be, when He called Herod, the ruler of His country, "that fox"? (Luke 13:32)

Where have you ever seen a "civilized" person make a whip of cords, drive people out of the Temple, overturn the tables and chairs of the merchants, and scatter their money? (John 2:15)


Tell me, where have you ever seen a civilized person behave like that?

It amazes me that today civilization and politeness are sometimes mistaken for Christianity.

THE GRACE OF GOD

> "For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ."
John 1:17



Jesus did not come to establish salvation through the Mosaic Law. And if the Law given through Moses could not accomplish God's ultimate purpose of restoring humanity to Him, then holiness cannot be achieved merely by keeping laws.

Rather, it is through the grace of God, freely given to the person who looks to the Lord.

However, I am not saying that there is no law under grace. What I mean is that the law operating within grace is the law of love.

Love must come first, and obedience follows.

To put law before love is slavery. And the Lord clearly said that God's children are free. (Matthew 17:26)

Therefore, we do not obey God's commandments in order to create love within ourselves. We obey because we have already begun to love God.

Remember what the Word says in John 14:15:

> "If ye love me, keep my commandments."



Notice the order of the words. The order matters.

Love comes first.

He loved us first. (1 John 4:19)

Therefore, when we obey His commandments, His laws, or His truth, it should be because His love has taken root in our hearts.

Otherwise, we risk falling into the very spirit of deception and error that has existed throughout history—the spirit of religion.

If you read 1 Corinthians 13, beginning from verse 1 onward, you will see the Apostle Paul explaining how empty it is for a person to perform even something apparently spiritual or divine when there is no love in his heart.

SALVATION: GRACE AND WORKS

Salvation is by grace, and it is freely given because of the finished work of the Cross of Jesus Christ.

Therefore, any attempt to offer our own achievements as payment for acceptance before God is essentially an insult to the Cross, because it suggests that Christ's sacrifice was insufficient.

And the Lord will not accept anyone who attempts to approach Him on such a basis.

GRACE VS. WORKS

Today, a large number of believers are lost in the Church because they have failed to properly distinguish between these two concepts: works and grace.

The way of life often passes through truths that appear to be in tension.

I do not mean grace alone while completely rejecting obedience. Neither do I mean works alone while ignoring grace.

It is not everything done by God, nor is it everything done by us.

Some have gone too far into the direction of legalistic works. Others, after thinking they have understood grace, have been pushed to the opposite extreme and become lost in a distorted understanding of grace.

If you approach Scripture with a distorted "grace-only" mindset, you can become lost in that extreme. Likewise, if you approach Scripture entirely through the lens of works, you can also become lost.

The Bible clearly says:

> "Faith without works is dead."



Yet it is also a great deception to perform works merely so that you can be considered a person of faith.

Yes, the Lord carried the Cross for us, and that is grace.

But have you ever asked yourself why He also told us to take up our own cross and follow Him? (Luke 9:23)

That is where we discover that we also have a part to fulfill.

Once you understand that it is not grace without responsibility, do not overreact and jump with both feet into legalism.

If you do, you will fall into another dangerous deception: believing that God can be found through human effort.

Some people believe that if they pray for extremely long periods, jump up and down, give this or that offering, perform certain religious activities, or do particular things, then God will finally hear them.

Sadly, such ideas have become widespread in the house of God today.

I have often wondered about the prophets of Baal and how they cut themselves with swords and knives until blood flowed while calling upon their god in the days of the prophet Elijah.

Could that not also be a picture of people who would arise in our generation, believing that God's goodness can be obtained through religious effort and works of the law?

May God bless you greatly.

#ToBeContinued...

Mwl. Ernest Nyalula
+255 616 609 885

#LostInTheChurch
#GraceVsWorks
#GraceOfGod
#Christianity
#ChristianFaith
#BiblicalTruth
#BibleStudy
#JesusChrist
#ChristianLife
#SpiritualGrowth
#GodsGrace
#FaithAndWorks
#TheWordOfGod
#KingdomOfGod
#ChurchLife
#ChristianTeaching
#KnowTheTruth
#WalkWithChrist
#Holiness
#FaithInJesus

Brenda Walsh Ministries
Not Everyone is Going to Heaven.

It’s been said over and over again - “I’m a good person, and as long as I don’t break any laws, I’m going to heaven.” But that is not what the Bible says in Matthew 7:21, where we’re told, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.” You see, it’s not about “being a good person” but rather “loving God and believing in Him.” The Bible even takes it one step further and says in John 14:15, “If you love me, keep my commandments.” God wants us to not only love and believe in Him, but to also “obey” Him by keeping His commandments. There’s a beautiful promise in this favorite scripture found in John 3:16 - “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life.” We need to stop fooling ourselves into thinking we can merrily go through life, just being a “good person,” and not worrying about salvation - because if we do - we will miss out on eternity with our Lord and Savior! Make no mistake - not everyone is going to heaven - only those who love and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and keep His commandments - have a ticket to heaven!! Text: John 11:25-26, 1 John 3:2-3, Acts 16:31, Isaiah 50:10

Daily Bible Lesson.
TRUTH IS NOT POPULAR—WHY DO SO FEW FOLLOW JESUS IN HIS OWN SABBATH PATH?

“As His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day.” — Luke 4:16

Luke does not describe a rare visit.

He reveals Christ’s custom.

The Sabbath was not an accident in His life.
It was part of His faithful walk with the Father.

TRUTH IS NOT DECIDED BY THE CROWD

Noah stood with God while the world laughed.

Elijah stood for truth while a nation compromised.

Jesus stood upon Scripture while religious leaders defended tradition.

The crowd may be sincere—

and still be wrong.

“Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil.” — Exodus 23:2

Jesus did not ask:

What is popular?
What is comfortable?
What does the majority practice?

He answered:

“It is written.” — Matthew 4:4

Truth is not settled by numbers.

It is settled by God’s Word.

JESUS LEFT AN EXAMPLE—NOT MERELY A MESSAGE

Jesus did not only say:

“Believe in Me.”

He also said:

“Follow Me.” — Matthew 4:19

The Savior who died for us also showed us how to live.

“Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow His steps.” — 1 Peter 2:21

Many admire Jesus.

Few imitate Him.

Many call Him Lord.

Few follow when obedience becomes unpopular.

“Why call ye Me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?” — Luke 6:46

JESUS REVEALED TRUE SABBATH-KEEPING

The same Jesus who created the Sabbath also kept it.

“The Son of man is Lord also of the Sabbath.” — Mark 2:28

He stripped away man-made burdens and restored its true beauty:

Worship.
Mercy.
Healing.
Fellowship.
Rest in God.

“It is lawful to do well on the Sabbath days.” — Matthew 12:12

Jesus did not abolish the Sabbath.

He rescued it from legalism and revealed its Christ-centered purpose.

The Sabbath points to Him as:

Creator.
Redeemer.
Lord.
Rest for the weary soul.

“Come unto Me… and I will give you rest.” — Matthew 11:28

THE SABBATH WILL OUTLIVE SIN

The Sabbath did not begin with Israel.

It began in Eden—before sin, before nations, and before denominations.

“God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it.” — Genesis 2:3

Jesus honored it during His earthly life.

And Scripture reveals that the redeemed will worship from Sabbath to Sabbath in the new earth.

“From one Sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before Me.” — Isaiah 66:23

The Sabbath began before sin,
was exemplified by Christ during redemption,
and will remain when sin is gone forever.

What God sanctified in Eden,
what Jesus honored on earth,
and what the redeemed will celebrate eternally—

should not be strange to Christ’s followers today.

ONLY JESUS SAVES

We are not saved by keeping a day.

We are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.

“By grace are ye saved through faith.” — Ephesians 2:8

But saving grace does not excuse rebellion.

It forgives the sinner, transforms the heart, and writes God’s law within.

“I will put My laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts.” — Hebrews 8:10

Obedience is not the price of salvation.

It is the fruit of salvation.

“If ye love Me, keep My commandments.” — John 14:15

Truth without Christ becomes cold.

Obedience without love becomes legalism.

But faith that beholds Calvary produces loving loyalty.

THE REAL ISSUE IS AUTHORITY

The deepest Sabbath question is not merely:

Which day?

It is:

Who rules my conscience—Christ or tradition?

Christ warned against worship built upon human commands.

“In vain they do worship Me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.” — Matthew 15:9

A tradition may be ancient.

It may be popular.

It may be defended by millions.

But age cannot sanctify error.

Popularity cannot replace divine authority.

“To the law and to the testimony.” — Isaiah 8:20

CHRIST IS CALLING YOU CLOSER

Perhaps you followed tradition sincerely.

Jesus is not calling you to pride, bitterness, or argument.

He is calling you to:

Repentance.
Faith.
Surrender.
Obedience.

Repent of placing human authority above His Word.

Believe—not in your obedience, but in His cleansing blood.

Surrender to His transforming grace.

Follow wherever His truth leads.

“The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.” — 1 John 1:7

“These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever He goeth.” — Revelation 14:4

“The strongest argument in favor of the gospel is a loving and lovable Christian.” — The Ministry of Healing, p. 470

The narrow path has never been crowded.

But Jesus walks there.

The crowd cannot forgive you.

Tradition cannot transform you.

A denomination cannot save you.

Only Christ can.

Do not measure truth by the crowd.

Measure everything by Christ and His Word.

Prayer
Lord Jesus, forgive my compromise. Cleanse me by Your blood, write Your law upon my heart, teach me to keep Your Sabbath as You did—with worship, mercy, love, and joy—and give me courage to follow You from this earth into eternity.

Conflict and Courage
Behold, the Lord cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain. Isaiah 26:21.
Our God is a God of mercy. With long-sufferance and tender compassion He deals with the transgressors of His law.... But there is a point beyond which divine patience is exhausted, and the judgments of God are sure to follow. The Lord bears long with men, and with cities, mercifully giving warnings to save them from divine wrath; but a time will come when pleadings for mercy will no longer be heard....

The time is at hand when there will be sorrow in the world that no human balm can heal. The Spirit of God is being withdrawn. Disasters by sea and by land follow one another in quick succession. How frequently we hear of earthquakes and tornadoes, of destruction by fire and flood, with great loss of life and property! Apparently these calamities are capricious outbreaks of disorganized, unregulated forces of nature, wholly beyond the control of man; but in them all, God's purpose may be read. They are among the agencies by which He seeks to arouse men and women to a sense of their danger.

God's messengers in the great cities are not to become discouraged over the wickedness, the injustice, the depravity, which they are called upon to face while endeavoring to proclaim the glad tidings of salvation.... In every city, filled though it may be with violence and crime, there are many who with proper teaching may learn to become followers of Jesus.... God's message for the inhabitants of earth today is, “Be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh” (Matthew 24:44).... We are standing on the threshold of the crisis of the ages....

The storm of God's wrath is gathering; and those only will stand who respond to the invitations of mercy, as did the inhabitants of Nineveh under the preaching of Jonah, and become sanctified through obedience to the laws of the divine Ruler. The righteous alone shall be hid with Christ in God till the desolation be overpast.18Ibid., 275-278.

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