🧭 Trust God's direction, even closed doors can lead to His greater purpose. 📲 Share this with someone who needs encouragement to trust God's leading through every open and closed door. #Acts16610 #GodsGuidance #TrustHisDirection #HolySpiritLeads #OpenDoors #ClosedDoors #WalkByFaith #FaithInChrist #ChristianLiving #Lordsbook

IT WAS LIKE A DREAM When God Turns Captivity Into a Testimony Key Scripture: Psalm 126:1–6 There are times when God transforms your life so profoundly that it feels almost surreal. Psalm 126:1 tells us, “When the Lord turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream.” Some breakthroughs are so remarkable that the pain of yesterday fades into the background. God has the power to shift you from sorrow to joy, from being overlooked to being embraced, from feeling stuck to experiencing growth, and from a long wait to a season of fulfillment. Take Joseph’s story, for instance. He went from being thrown into a pit to becoming a slave, then from slavery to prison, and finally from prison to the palace (Genesis 37; Genesis 39–41). Just picture waking up one day as a prisoner and realizing that God has set you up to be second in command in Egypt. It must have felt like a dream come true. Similarly, David’s journey was nothing short of miraculous—he went from tending sheep in the fields to reigning as the king of Israel (1 Samuel 16:11–13; 2 Samuel 5:3–4). When God intervenes in your life, He can elevate your status, transform your circumstances, and reshape your future in ways you never saw coming. Maybe you find yourself in a season where change feels elusive. Your prayers might seem unanswered, doors may appear firmly shut, and your dreams could feel out of reach. But remember, just because things are delayed doesn’t mean they’re denied. God can turn a situation around in an instant. Psalm 126:2 reminds us, “Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing.” The very mouth that once cried can become a source of testimony. The eyes that shed tears can become witnesses to God’s inYour current chapter isn’t the end of your story. Keep planting seeds of faith, keep praying, keep believing, and keep trusting in God. Psalm 126:5 reminds us, “Those who sow in tears will reap in joy.” One day, you might find yourself looking back at those moments of sorrow and saying, “Look at what the Lord has accomplished!” What God is about to do in your life could be so incredible that it’ll be hard to put into words. Your next testimony might be so amazing that all you can say is: IT WAS LIKE A DREAM! Closing Prayer Heavenly Father, thank You for being the God who changes our circumstances. We trust that You can turn our tears into laughter, our sadness into joy, and our bondage into freedom. Lord, please remember everyone who is waiting for a breakthrough. Shift their situations according to Your perfect plan. Open doors that no one can close, restore what has been lost, and bring hope where disappointment has taken root. Father, let our stories be so extraordinary that we will know for sure it was Your hand at work. May those who have seen our struggles also witness Your unwavering faithfulness. We declare that our season is shifting. Tears will transform into testimonies, waiting will lead to fulfillment, and what seems impossible will become a testament to Your power. Soon, we will look back and say, “It was like a dream!” In the mighty name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, I am reaching out to your ministry because I desperately need prayer. I have been going through a very deep spiritual struggle, and I feel lost, frightened, and spiritually exhausted. I love Jesus Christ and I sincerely want to follow Him, but I have become deeply afraid about my eternal salvation. Matthew 7:21–23 has been weighing extremely heavily upon me. When I read Jesus' warning about people saying, “Lord, Lord,” but being told that He never knew them, I become terrified that somehow I could be one of those people. I am deeply afraid of hell and of being separated from God forever. I examine my life and see so many weaknesses, failures, sins, inconsistencies, and areas where I struggle. I keep thinking that I am not doing enough, that I am not good enough, or that perhaps God does not truly accept me. Sometimes I struggle to believe that God is truly merciful and gracious toward me. His judgment and holiness can seem so overwhelming that I forget how enormous His love and grace are. I know intellectually that salvation is by grace through faith and not by my own works, but my heart struggles to rest in that truth. I feel as though I am constantly trying to make myself right with God, yet I know I cannot save myself. I need Jesus. I need His mercy. I need His grace. I need His forgiveness. I need the Holy Spirit to transform me. I need to know that I am truly loved and accepted by God through Christ. Please pray that God would take away this overwhelming condemnation and replace it with genuine biblical assurance. Please pray that I would understand Matthew 7:21–23 correctly and not allow fear to destroy my relationship with Jesus. Please pray that I would truly know Jesus—not merely know about Him. Please pray that the Holy Spirit would search my heart, reveal anything that needs to change, lead me into genuine repentance, and give me a deeper love for God. Please pray that I would stop trying to save myself through my own efforts and learn to completely trust in the finished work of Jesus Christ. Please pray that Romans 8:1 would become deeply rooted in my heart: “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” Please also pray that I would truly believe the words of Jesus: “Whoever comes to me I will never drive away.” — John 6:37 I don't want to run away from God because I am afraid of Him. I want to run toward Him. I want my relationship with Jesus to become real, deep, genuine, and unshakable. Please pray for a fresh filling of the Holy Spirit, renewed faith, spiritual discernment, freedom from condemnation, freedom from fear, genuine repentance, and a restored joy in my salvation. Please pray that God would help me surrender everything to Him and trust His character even when my emotions tell me otherwise. I am asking you to please stand with me in prayer. Please pray for my mind, heart, soul, faith, salvation, relationship with Jesus, and my entire life. I especially ask that you pray that I would come to understand the difference between Holy Spirit conviction that draws me toward Christ and condemnation that makes me believe I am hopeless and rejected. I don't want to be a fake Christian. I don't want to merely have religious words. I want to know Jesus Christ personally and sincerely. I want to love Him. I want to follow Him. I want to surrender my life to Him. And I want to spend eternity with Him. Please pray that God would meet me exactly where I am and lead me into a deep assurance that rests not in my ability to be perfect, but in the mercy, grace, righteousness, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for taking the time to pray for me. May the Lord bless you and everyone in your ministry abundantly for standing in the gap for people who are struggling. In the precious name of Jesus Christ, Amen. With heartfelt gratitude and Christian love, Markus Klinger from London Ontario Canada

📌 Today's Readings are from the Book of 2 Kings 23–24 | Ephesians 1 📌 👇 Overviews Are Below (PLEASE READ YOUR BIBLE: Overviews Do Not Replace Daily Reading) 👇 2 Kings 23 Revival Through the Word of God 2 Kings 23 records one of the greatest seasons of spiritual reform in Judah's history under King Josiah. After hearing the Book of the Law and humbling himself before the Lord, Josiah immediately begins leading the nation back to covenant faithfulness. His response demonstrates that genuine revival always begins with God's Word and continues through obedient action. Josiah gathers the people and publicly renews the covenant before the Lord. He does not keep God's truth private but calls the entire nation to return to faithful worship. The king understands that spiritual renewal must involve both personal repentance and public obedience. The reforms that follow are comprehensive. Josiah removes idols, destroys pagan altars, eliminates false worship, and cleanses the temple. Nothing that competes with devotion to the Lord is left untouched. His actions reveal that true repentance is more than sorrow over sin—it involves turning away from everything that dishonors God. One of the most significant moments in the chapter is the restoration of the Passover. For generations, this central celebration of God's redeeming work had been neglected. By restoring it, Josiah calls the nation to remember God's covenant faithfulness and their identity as His redeemed people. Worship becomes centered once again on God's saving acts rather than human traditions. Yet despite Josiah's remarkable faithfulness, the chapter reminds us that the accumulated rebellion of previous generations has consequences. God delays His judgment because of Josiah's humility, but the coming exile will still occur. National reform, though sincere, cannot erase centuries of persistent rebellion. Josiah's death at the end of the chapter marks the conclusion of a bright season in Judah's history. His passing prepares the way for the nation's final decline. Nevertheless, his example remains a testimony of wholehearted devotion to the Lord. Theologically, 2 Kings 23 teaches that God's Word produces genuine repentance, which in turn leads to practical obedience. Revival is never merely emotional; it transforms worship, priorities, and daily living. The chapter also reveals that while God's mercy is abundant, sin carries consequences that cannot always be avoided. This chapter points to Christ, who fulfills the meaning of the Passover as the true Lamb of God. Josiah restored the celebration that pointed forward to Jesus, whose sacrifice would accomplish the ultimate redemption from sin. Christ brings the complete spiritual renewal that even Judah's greatest reforms could never fully achieve. For believers today, 2 Kings 23 reminds us that true revival begins when we humbly submit ourselves to God's Word. We are called to remove every idol from our hearts, renew our devotion to the Lord, and remember the redemption we have received through Christ. Genuine faith is demonstrated not merely by hearing God's truth but by obeying it wholeheartedly. 2 Kings 24 The Faithfulness of God in the Midst of Judgment 2 Kings 24 marks the beginning of Judah's final collapse before the Babylonian exile. After Josiah's death, a series of kings lead the nation back into rebellion against the Lord. Though prophets continue warning the people, they refuse to repent. The chapter records the fulfillment of what God had patiently declared for generations. Babylon rises to become the dominant world power, and Judah gradually falls under its control. Political alliances fail, military strength proves insufficient, and the nation experiences the consequences of years of covenant unfaithfulness. The writer emphasizes that these events are not simply the result of Babylon's military superiority but the outworking of God's righteous judgment. The chapter repeatedly points back to the sins of Manasseh and the persistent rebellion that followed him. Judah has consistently rejected God's Word, ignored His prophets, and embraced idolatry. The exile is therefore presented not as God's abandonment of His people but as His faithful response to His covenant warnings. King Jehoiakim rebels against Babylon despite God's clear purposes, bringing additional suffering upon the nation. His successors continue the same pattern of disobedience. Eventually, King Jehoiachin surrenders, and many of Judah's leaders, craftsmen, and treasures are carried away to Babylon. The exile has begun. Even in this difficult chapter, however, hope remains. God preserves the line of David by allowing Jehoiachin to live. Though the kingdom appears to have collapsed, God's covenant has not failed. His redemptive plan continues quietly through the preserved royal line, preparing the way for the coming Messiah. The chapter reminds us that God's judgment is always purposeful. His discipline is designed not to destroy His covenant but to purify His people and accomplish His larger redemptive purposes. Theologically, 2 Kings 24 reveals God's complete faithfulness. He fulfills both His promises of blessing and His warnings of judgment. The chapter also demonstrates that God's sovereign purposes continue even during seasons of loss, discipline, and apparent defeat. This chapter points to Christ, the faithful Son of David who remained obedient where Judah's kings repeatedly failed. Though the earthly kingdom entered exile, God's promise of an eternal King remained secure. Jesus fulfills that promise by establishing an everlasting kingdom that can never be conquered or carried away. For believers today, 2 Kings 24 reminds us that God's discipline flows from His faithfulness, not from His abandonment. Seasons of correction are opportunities to return to Him with humble hearts. In Christ, we have the assurance that even when circumstances seem difficult or uncertain, God's redemptive purposes continue unfolding. Our hope is not found in earthly kingdoms or temporary security but in the eternal reign of Jesus Christ, whose kingdom will never end. Ephesians — The Riches of God's Grace in the Christ The book of Ephesians presents one of the fullest pictures of God's eternal redemptive plan through the Christ, the Son of God. It begins by revealing everything believers have received in Him and then shows how those spiritual blessings are to shape everyday Christian living. The first half of the letter focuses on doctrine—who believers are in the Christ. The second half focuses on practice—how believers are to live because they belong to Him. A central theme throughout the book is God's eternal purpose in the Christ. Before the foundation of the world, God established His plan to redeem a people for Himself through His Son. Every promise, every blessing, and every aspect of salvation finds its fulfillment in the Christ. The redemptive plan is not an afterthought but the unfolding of God's eternal purpose. Another major emphasis is the believer's identity. Those who trust in the Christ are forgiven, adopted into God's family, sealed by the Holy Spirit, and seated with the Christ in heavenly places. They are no longer defined by their past but by their relationship with the Son of God. The book also highlights the unity of the Church. Through the Christ, God has brought together people from every background into one body. Walls of division have been removed, and believers now share one faith, one hope, one Lord, and one Spirit. Christian living reflects this unity through love, humility, and mutual service. Ephesians also emphasizes spiritual growth. Believers are called to put away the old way of life and grow into the likeness of the Christ. They are strengthened by the Holy Spirit, equipped for ministry, and encouraged to walk in holiness, wisdom, and love. The letter concludes with the reality of spiritual warfare. The Christian life involves ongoing conflict, not against people, but against spiritual forces. Yet believers do not fight in their own strength. The Son of God provides everything necessary to stand firm through the armor of God and the power of His Spirit. For believers today, Ephesians reminds us that our identity, purpose, strength, and hope are all found in the Christ. Christian living flows from understanding who we are because of what the Son of God has accomplished. As we walk in His grace, grow in His love, and stand firm in His truth, we display the beauty of His eternal redemptive plan to the world. Ephesians 1 — Every Spiritual Blessing in the Christ Ephesians chapter 1 opens with a magnificent celebration of God's eternal plan of salvation through the Christ, the Son of God. Rather than beginning with human need, Paul begins with God's grace, showing that every aspect of salvation originates with Him. The chapter reveals the immeasurable spiritual riches believers possess because they are united with the Christ. Christian living begins by understanding what God has already accomplished through His Son. The chapter begins by praising God for every spiritual blessing given through the Christ. These blessings are not earned through human effort but freely given by God's grace. The redemptive plan begins with God's initiative, not humanity's achievement. Every blessing believers enjoy flows from their relationship with the Son of God. Paul explains that God's purpose was established before the foundation of the world. Long before humanity fell into sin, God had already planned redemption through the Christ. This demonstrates the certainty and sovereignty of His redemptive plan. The Son of God did not come as a response to an unexpected problem but as the fulfillment of God's eternal purpose to redeem a people for Himself. The chapter then describes the privilege of adoption. Through the Christ, believers are brought into God's family as sons and daughters. This new relationship is based entirely upon God's love and grace. Christian living flows from the security of belonging to the Father through the Son. The believer no longer approaches God as a stranger but as a beloved child. Paul also emphasizes redemption through the blood of the Christ. Forgiveness is possible because the Son of God willingly gave Himself as the perfect sacrifice for sin. Every debt has been paid, every sin forgiven, and every barrier between God and humanity removed through His finished work. The redemptive plan reaches its fulfillment in the sacrifice of the Christ. Another major theme is God's purpose to bring everything together under the authority of the Christ. History is moving toward the complete fulfillment of His kingdom. The Son of God reigns over all creation, and every promise God has made will ultimately find its completion in Him. Christian living is therefore marked by hope and confidence because believers know that God's purposes cannot fail. The chapter also highlights the ministry of the Holy Spirit. Those who believe in the Christ are sealed with the Spirit as God's own possession. The Holy Spirit serves as the guarantee of the inheritance awaiting believers. This assurance provides confidence that God's redemptive plan will be completed exactly as He has promised. Paul then prays that believers would grow in spiritual understanding. He desires that they know the hope of God's calling, the riches of their inheritance, and the greatness of His power. Christian living is strengthened as believers continually grow in their knowledge of the Son of God and understand the incredible blessings already given to them through Him. The chapter concludes by declaring the supreme authority of the Christ. God has exalted His Son above every ruler, authority, power, and dominion. The Church is described as His body, living under His headship and displaying His presence in the world. The redemptive plan reaches beyond individual salvation to the creation of a people who live under the lordship of the Christ and proclaim His glory. Throughout Ephesians chapter 1, the Christ stands at the center of every spiritual blessing. He is the source of election, adoption, redemption, forgiveness, inheritance, and eternal hope. Everything God has planned and accomplished is found in His beloved Son. For believers today, this chapter reminds us to begin our Christian lives by focusing on what God has already done through the Christ. Christian living is not driven by fear or striving but by gratitude for His abundant grace. We are called to live as God's adopted children, secure in His love, confident in His promises, and empowered by His Spirit. As we grow in our understanding of the Son of God, we increasingly reflect His glory and participate in His eternal redemptive plan. #DailyBibleReading #OpenYourBible #StudyTheWord #ScriptureForToday #FaithJourney #GodsWord #BibleTime #WalkWithGod

Good morning, brethren. 1. Morning devotion for today. MD.i. 😀🌹🎀🎁💝🌺 MORNING TEA THE WORD FOR TODAY. TUESDAY AUGUST 25, 2O26. "LEARN TO WAIT" ‘They that wait upon the Lord...’ Isaiah 40:31KJV THE WORD ‘wait’ can give us a picture of two things. The first is of a waiter at your table attending to your needs. The second is making a request of a judge or someone in power. Your success depends on approaching them the right way, and on their willingness to grant your request. Since they hold the power, you must be patient and wait for them. Are you getting the idea? Our problem is twofold. First, we want God to wait on us, instead of the other way round. Second, we don’t want to wait for anything! We drive to work listening to the radio and talking on the phone; some of us even put ourselves and others at risk by text-messaging. Vance Havner points out that in the Old West if someone missed a stagecoach they said, ‘That’s okay, another one will come around in three or four weeks. Now we don’t even want to wait for a revolving door.’ What God does in you while you are waiting is often more important than what you’re asking God to do. Waiting on God brings rewards that nothing else will. Here are a few of them: 1) Vindication. ‘Do not fret because of evil men or be envious of those who do wrong… Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart’ (Psalms 37:1-4 NIV). 2) Strength. ‘Wait on the Lord…and He shall strengthen your heart…’ (Psalms 27:14 NKJV). 3) Deliverance. ‘I…waited for God…He lifted me out of the ditch…’ (Psalms 40:1-2 TM). So relax, wait on God and He will come through for you. Bible In A Year: 2 Kings 4:42-44, Mark 6:30-44. Courtesy: Grace So Amazing Foundation 💝🎀 *To partner with us, kindly refer to page 9 of the hard copy edition or simply send us a WhatsApp message/call on +2348128000068.*🌹🌷🎀💝. MD.ii. [24/08, 10:07 pm] Pastor Attah: *MEDITATIONS ON DAILY ⓂANNA* TUESDAY, 25TH AUGUST, 2026. *BLESSING OUR BOUNTIFUL GIVER* *TEXT:* PSALM 103:1-22.  Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. 2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: 3 Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; 4 Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; 5 Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's. 6 The LORD executeth righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed. 7 He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel. 8 The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. 9 He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever. 10 He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. 11 For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. 12 As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us. 13 Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him. 14 For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust. 15 As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth. 16 For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone; and the place thereof shall know it no more. 17 But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children's children; 18 To such as keep his covenant, and to those that remember his commandments to do them. 19 The LORD hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all. 20 Bless the LORD, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word. 21 Bless ye the LORD, all ye his hosts; ye ministers of his, that do his pleasure. 22 Bless the LORD, all his works in all places of his dominion: bless the LORD, O my soul. *Timeless Truth:*_"Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name"_ (Psalm 103:1-22). *INTRODUCTION* God gives us blessings. Does He need our blessings? To "bless the Lord" means to praise, worship, and speak well of God's greatness and goodness from a deeply grateful heart. The opposite of blessing God is to speak negatively of God, blame, insult, complain against or even curse Him. While humans usually receive blessings from God, we "bless" Him in return by honoring, thanking and adoring Him for who He is and what He has done.  Psalm 103 is a beautiful hymn of praise in which David calls his soul to remember the goodness, mercy and faithfulness of God. The Lord is not only the source of our blessings; He is Himself the Bountiful Giver who forgives, heals, redeems, satisfies, and crowns His children with lovingkindness. As we reflect on His goodness, our appropriate response is to bless His holy name with a grateful heart. *1. Call to Bless the LORD* a. How do you feel when people commend, appreciate or speak well of you right in your presence or in the presence of others? You feel encouraged, satisfied and happy. God feels the same as the Person who created us in His image. David begins by addressing himself: *“Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.”* He didn't say bless the LORD with his lips. That, as good as it can be, may be mechanical and for people to see. But he said his soul would bless the LORD. The blessings must be from his inner being and must affect all that is within him. It should be wholehearted praise. b. He repeats the command, *“Bless the LORD,”* emphasizing that worship must come from the whole person. He warns himself not to forget God’s benefits. *"And forget not all his benefits"*. It is possible, human and natural to forget some of His benefits, but it is ingratitude to forget ALL. A recollection of a few of His benefits should cancel all forms of complaints due to hardship and delayed blessings. Many times, we remember our problems more readily than God’s goodness; but thanksgiving becomes powerful when we deliberately recall His blessings. Every breath, provision, protection, opportunity, and answered prayer is evidence of His mercy. We should, therefore, bless God not merely with our lips but with our entire being. *Question* Am I deliberately remembering and praising God for His benefits, or have I allowed my challenges to make me forget His goodness? *2. Covenant Blessings from the LORD* a. The divine covenant blessings are those blessings God gives to those who have come into covenant relationship with Him through the Lord Jesus. Such blessings are not for the general populace. David identifies some of the covenant benefits of the Lord: *“Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; who satisfieth thy mouth with good things.”* Our greatest blessing is forgiveness. This forgiveness doesn't put into consideration the gravity of the sin, the foolishness of the offender, etc. It is freely and fully forgiven once there is evidence of repentance. He restores our relationship with Him and gives us a new beginning. He is also our Redeemer, preserving us from destruction and surrounding us with lovingkindness and mercy. He satisfies our lives with good things so that we may experience renewed strength like the eagle. The healings we received freely are part of God's covenant blessings. The irony of life is that many erroneously think they are mere general blessings and as a result, they are weak in pleasing the Lord. b. God's blessings are not accidental; they flow from His covenant faithfulness. Therefore, let us trust Him, appreciate His benefits and remain faithful to Him. Deliberate efforts should constantly be made to recall the uncommon benefits we have received from the Lord. *Question* Which of God's covenant benefits have I received that I should consciously thank Him for today? *3. The Character of the Bountiful LORD* God is not a hypocrite. His blessings flow from His nature and character. The remaining verses reveal the character of our Bountiful LORD. He is righteous and just, defending the oppressed (v.6). He is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy (v.8). He does not treat us according to our sins, but removes our transgressions far from us (vv.10–12). His compassion is like that of a loving father toward his children (v.13). God understands our frailty because He remembers that we are dust (v.14). Though human life is temporary, *“the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting”* (v.17). His throne is established in heaven, and His kingdom rules over all (v.19). The psalm, therefore, ends with a universal call for angels, heavenly hosts and all God's works to bless His holy name (vv.20–22). The appropriate response to such a generous and compassionate God is continual praise, obedience, trust and thanksgiving. Blessing God invites further divine blessings and draws the souls to God as well as scare the devil and his agents. *Question* Does the character of God revealed in this Psalm inspire me to trust Him more deeply and bless His name continually? *Prayer Points* 1Lord, give me a grateful heart that will continually remember and bless You for all Your benefits 🙏. 2 Father, I thank You for Your forgiveness, redemption, mercy, healing, provision and preservation in my life 🙏. 3 Lord, help me to trust and always recall Your unfailing mercy and blessings and help me to remain faithful to You in every circumstance🙏 4 O Bountiful Giver, let our lives become a testimony of Your goodness and may everything within us continually bless Your holy name🙏 *HYMN:* Praise the Lord *BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:* NAHUM 1-3. [24/08, 10:07 pm] Pastor Attah: ```DAILY Ⓜ️ANNA - (A DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE FOR ADULTS) TUESDAY 25TH AUGUST, 2026``` *FORGET NOT HIS BENEFITS* 📓📖🎚️🫵🏽🙋🏽‍♂️🙋🏽‍♀️🧎🏽🧎🏽‍♀️🙏🏽🙌🏽 📜📜```TEXT:PSALM 103:1-22```📜📜 🔑📖```KEY VERSE:``` _*"Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits" (PSALM 103:2).*_ *The story was told of a young boy who was given writing materials to write everything God and Satan had done for him within an hour. He set out to write about the blessings he received from God. He kept on remembering new things to write about the goodness of God in his life, and by the time he was done with that, the entire time was taken. So, he wrote at the bottom of his script "NO TIME FOR SATAN".* *It is difficult to itemise all benefits we receive from God as His children. David, in the text, listed several of them, but the list is endless: He forgives all our sins, heals all our diseases, redeems our lives from destruction, satisfies our mouths with good things, provides justice for the oppressed, shows mercy to people, and retains not His anger forever. Attention was then shifted to His throne in heaven, where the angels worship Him and do all His commandments. His dominion is universal and His Kingdom rules over all.* *David, the psalmist, wrote this psalm from his wealth of experience as Israel's king. He could tell and sing of God's mercies because he experienced them. He spoke from personal experience when God took Him from following the sheep as a shepherd to set him up as king in Israel. He saved him from the many battles he had to fight to maintain as well as expand the nation's territory. And when he fell into sin, with the devastating consequences on his family and kingship, he cried to God in penitence and received forgiveness. David knew that God's kingdom is not like that of man. He reigns and rules over the entire universe.* *Like David, we should recall, remember and count our blessings, naming them one by one. We must deliberately focus our attention on the wonderful things He has done for us and stop worrying over the unresolved problems in our lives. As we praise God for His past mercies and blessings, we can be sure that He will arise and do more in our lives.* ✍🏽```THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:``` _*Don't count your losses, count your blessings.*_ 📜📜```THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:``` *NAHUM 1-3*📜📜 Forget Not His Benefits https://dailymanna.app// *RECOMMENDED GOSPEL HYMNS AND SONGS - GHS 50: COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS; GHS 9: GREAT IS THY FAITHFULNESS; AND GHS 13: TO GOD BE THE GLORY* *TXD [THEXDEVOTIONALS] on Twitter* *#DailyManna25thAugust2026* *#GCK* *#WorshipNuggets* *#BibleNuggets* *#LeadershipNuggets* *#RevivalNuggets* *#CrusadeNuggets* https://www.youtube.com/[THEXDEVOTIONALS] [24/08, 10:07 pm] Pastor Attah: ```DEEPER CHRISTIAN LIFE MINISTRY``` _*HIGHER EVERYD🅰️Y: (A DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE FOR YOUTHS)*_ ✍🏽👩🏻‍💼🌻 🍇🙏🏽🛰🚀🔬📚 ```TUESDAY 25TH AUGUST, 2026``` *BE IMPARTIAL* 🎚️📓📖🫵🏽🙋🏽‍♂️🙋🏽‍♀️⚖️🧎🏽🧎🏽‍♀️🙏🏽 📜📜```TEXT:JAMES 2:1-10```📜📜 📖``` MEMORY VERSE:``` _*"My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons" (JAMES 2:1).*_ *A scale is one of the symbols of the judiciary where justice was beautifully represented by the ancients as holding a pair of scales equally balanced. It depicts the principle of equity and fairness, balance and objective outlook. Justice ought to be without prejudice or passion.* *Our text today condemns partiality in its entirety. God expects His children to treat everyone without prejudice or favouritism. We are expressly commanded in the Bible to do "nothing by partiality" (1 Timothy 5:21). Christians must avoid double standard in dealing with issues. Partiality makes someone a transgressor. "But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors."* *Believers should act impartially when mediating between two people. Avoid emotional impressions when dealing with issues among people. We must give fair hearing to both parties in dispute. Issues should be treated on merit, not personal attachment, friendship, or fondness. Same punishment should be for same offence; same reward for same good deed, no matter whose ox is gored. Preconceived bias against any man is unrighteousness. Say no to partiality.* 💬 ```QUOTE:``` _*Say no to partiality.*_ 🏆 ```CHALLENGE:``` _*Partiality is condemnable, avoid it.*_ 🙏🏽🙏🏽 ```PRAYER:``` _*Father, help me to always stand for justice, fairness and equity.*_ Be Impartial https://dailymanna.app// *TXD [THEXDEVOTIONALS] on Twitter* *#HigherEveryday25thAugust2026* *#GCK* *#WorshipNuggets* *#BibleNuggets* *#LeadershipNuggets* *#RevivalNuggets* *#CrusadeNuggets* https://www.youtube.com/[THEXDEVOTIONALS] [24/08, 10:07 pm] Pastor Attah: ```DEEPER CHRISTIAN LIFE MINISTRY``` _*(SINCERE MILK: Children Daily Devotional Guide 2⃣0⃣2⃣6️⃣)*_ 🙇🏼🙇🏼🙇‍♀️🙇‍♀️🙇🏼🙇‍♀️🙇🏼🙇‍♀️🙇🏼‍♂️ ```TUESDAY 25TH AUGUST, 2026``` *GOD'S GRACE IS A GIFT* 📓📖🎚️🫵🏽🙋🏽‍♂️🙋🏽‍♀️🎁✨🧎🏽🧎🏽‍♀️🙏🏽 📜📜```EPHESIANS 2:8-10```📜📜 🕔📚🖋️🚻😁🎼🏆🍉🪴🌈💻 🔑📖 ```Key Verse:``` _*"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God" (Ephesians 2:8).*_ 📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖 *Grace is a beautiful and undeserved gift from God. It is God's love, forgiveness and help given to us even though we do not deserve it. It is not something we can earn through our actions or good deeds; it is freely given because of God's deep love for us.* *When we accept God's grace, we receive the incredible gift of salvation through Jesus Christ. His sacrifice on the cross makes it possible for us to be reconciled with God, and this grace transforms our lives. It helps us live in a way that honours God and reflect His love for others.* *Grace is not just a one-time gift, it is something that continues to sustain and guide us. It reminds us that no matter how far we fall, God's grace is always available to lift us up and give us the strength to keep moving forward. It is a constant reminder of God's unwavering love and His desire to help us grow closer to Him.* 🍥🍥🍥🍥🍥🍥🍥🍥 ```🅿️rayer:``` _*God, I thank You for the gift of Your grace.*_ 🙏🏽 ```📖 Further Reading:``` *Titus 2:11, 12* God's Grace Is A Gift https://dailymanna.app// *TXD [THEXDEVOTIONALS] on Twitter* *#SincereMilk25thAugust2026* *#GCK* *#WorshipNuggets* *#BibleNuggets* *#LeadershipNuggets* *#RevivalNuggets* *#CrusadeNuggets* https://www.youtube.com/[THEXDEVOTIONALS]. 2. Morning Prayer for today. MP.i. Morning Prayer A Psalm of David. The LORD [is] my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. ⏤ Psalm 23:1-3 He who has learned to pray has learned the greatest secret of a holy and happy life. ⏤ William Law O Light of the hearts that trust You, Life of the souls that love You, and Strength of all who seek Your face—grant us Your grace as we begin this day. We thank You for the mercies of the night. You have brought us back from the seeming death of sleep. We place our hands in Yours and ask You to guide us throughout the day. Be our Good Shepherd. Lead us in paths of righteousness for Your name’s sake. Be our refuge and strength, a very present help in times of trouble. Teach us to do Your will. Incline our hearts to walk in Your ways. Help us to love Your commandments. Renew our hearts continually, so that we love doing what is right and hate whatever is wrong. We will need Your divine wisdom all day long. Help us to conduct our affairs in a way that pleases You. May all our business be Your business. May our work at home be done without worry. Help us to bear the trials and endure the challenges of life as our blessed Master did, without fretting or complaining, but with patience and joy. Grant us the patience, forbearance, meekness, and joy to make this day holy and beautiful, as we stay near You and live by Your help and grace. Allow no temptation to endanger our souls, but with every temptation make a way for us to escape, so we do not fall away into eternal death. Let us not yield to unholy influences, but may we be more than conquerors in all things through Him who loved us. We ask these mercies, humbly confessing our sins, through Jesus our Redeemer. Amen. https://www.youdevotion.com/daily-prayer/miller/51/morning #taptapstudio #youdevotion.

Choose Humility (Philippians 2:3–4) Pride doesn't always look obvious. Sometimes pride sounds like: “I don't need anyone.” Sometimes it looks like refusing to apologize. Sometimes it is always needing to be right. Sometimes it is comparing yourself with others. Sometimes it is wanting recognition for everything you do. And sometimes pride can even enter our relationship with God when we begin believing that we know better than Him. But Jesus calls us to a different way of living. The Bible says: “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves.” Humility doesn't mean thinking you are worthless. It means understanding that you are not the centre of everything. You can recognize your gifts without looking down on others. You can succeed without becoming arrogant. You can be knowledgeable without believing you know everything. You can receive recognition without making recognition your identity. And you can lead while still being willing to serve. Jesus is the greatest example of humility. He had every reason to receive glory. Yet He chose to serve. He washed His disciples' feet. He welcomed people others overlooked. He touched the hurting. He listened. He taught. And ultimately, He humbled Himself and gave His life on the cross for us. Think about that. The Son of God chose the path of sacrifice. If Jesus was willing to serve, we should never consider ourselves too important to serve others. Sometimes humility means saying: “I was wrong.” Sometimes it means: “I need help.” Sometimes: “I don't know.” Sometimes: “I'm sorry.” Sometimes: “How can I help you?” Those words don't make you weak. They can demonstrate strength of character. Pride asks: “What can I get?” Humility asks: “What can I give?” Pride asks: “Why aren't people noticing me?” Humility asks: “How can I make someone else's life better?” Pride wants the platform. Humility is willing to serve even when nobody is watching. This is especially important in a world where social media can make everything about visibility. Followers. Likes. Views. Comments. Recognition. It is easy to begin measuring your value by how much attention you receive. But remember: God sees what people don't see. He sees the quiet act of kindness. He sees the prayer nobody heard. He sees the sacrifice nobody noticed. He sees the person you helped without posting about it. He sees your heart. So don't serve only when people are watching. Don't do good only when you can receive recognition. Serve because you love God. Serve because Christ first served you. And when you succeed, remember where your abilities came from. When God opens a door, be grateful. When He gives you an opportunity, remain humble. When you achieve something, celebrate without looking down on those who haven't reached the same place yet. Your success should give you an opportunity to lift others, not make you feel superior to them. And if someone else succeeds before you, don't allow jealousy to take over. Celebrate them. Learn from them. Encourage them. Your journey doesn't become less valuable because someone else's journey looks different. Humility also means being teachable. Never become so confident that you cannot receive correction. Never become so experienced that you stop learning. Never become so successful that you stop listening. A humble heart remains open to growth. Most importantly, remain humble before God. You don't have to pretend that you have everything figured out. Come to Him honestly. Ask for wisdom. Ask for correction. Ask Him to reveal areas of your heart that need to change. Because the goal isn't simply to look humble. The goal is to become more like Christ. True greatness in God's kingdom is not about how many people serve you. It is about how faithfully you serve others. Today, look for one opportunity to put someone else first. Encourage someone. Help someone. Listen to someone. Apologize if necessary. Give without expecting recognition. And when nobody notices, remember: God does. What is one area of your life where God may be calling you to choose humility over pride? #ChooseHumility #Philippians23 #Humility #ServeOthers #ChristLikeLiving #FaithInAction #ChristianYouth #FollowJesus #JesusSaves #ShareJesus #DailyFaith #Lordsbook #JMSM #KNKA

TODAY'S KINGDOM INSIGHTS: SERMON TOPIC: THE MOST DANGEROUS BELIEVERS ARE NOT THOSE WHO LEAVE THE CHURCH. Theme: Examining the danger of remaining around the things of God while the heart is far from God Scripture: Matthew 7:21–23; Revelation 3:1–3; Luke 18:9–14 Church, let me begin with a statement that may shock you: The most dangerous believer is not always the one who leaves the church. Sometimes, it is the one who remains in the church but leaves Christ in the heart. Some people leave the church physically, and everybody notices. But there are others who remain in the congregation, sing the songs, carry the Bible, attend services, shout “Amen,” give offerings, quote Scriptures—and yet their hearts have slowly moved away from God. They have not left the building, but they have left the Presence. Jesus warned us that there would be people who would say, “Lord, Lord,” and yet He would say, “I never knew you.” — Matthew 7:23. This means church attendance is not the same thing as spiritual transformation. You can sit in church and still be far from God. You can know Christian language and not know Christ. You can serve in a department and secretly serve your flesh. You can have a title without having a testimony. The question is not merely: “Am I in church?” The deeper question is: “Is Christ truly ruling my life?” KEY BIBLE VERSES. 1. Matthew 7:21–23 — “Lord, Lord” Jesus said: «“Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven…”» Notice something frightening: these people called Jesus “Lord.” They knew the language of faith. They even claimed to have done mighty works. Yet Jesus said, “I never knew you.” Spiritual lesson: It is possible to be familiar with the things of God without having a genuine relationship with God. Church activity cannot replace spiritual intimacy. 2. Revelation 3:1 — “You have a name that you are alive” Jesus told the church at Sardis: «“Thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.”» What a frightening diagnosis! The church had a reputation for being alive, but Jesus saw something different. People saw activity. Jesus saw the heart. People saw the appearance. Jesus saw the condition. Spiritual lesson: God is more interested in who you are privately than who you appear to be publicly. 3. Isaiah 29:13 «“This people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me; but have removed their heart far from me.”» Their lips were close. Their hearts were far away. This is the danger of religious appearance without genuine surrender. 5 TYPES OF DANGEROUS BELIEVERS 1. THE BELIEVER WHO KNOWS SCRIPTURE BUT REFUSES TO OBEY IT There is a difference between knowing God's Word and living God's Word. James 1:22 says: «“But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only…”» Some believers can explain forgiveness but refuse to forgive. They can preach holiness but live carelessly. They can quote Scripture but manipulate people. They know what God says, but they have decided to obey themselves. Deep insight: Information without transformation can produce religious pride. The devil does not necessarily fear a Christian who knows many Bible verses. He fears the Christian who believes, obeys, and lives the Word. 2. THE BELIEVER WHO HAS A FORM OF GODLINESS BUT NO POWER 2 Timothy 3:5 speaks about people: «“Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof.”» A form is an outward appearance. It looks right. It sounds right. But something is missing inside. You can dress like a Christian. Talk like a Christian. Post Christian messages. Attend Christian programs. And still refuse to surrender your character to Christ. Ask yourself: What happens to my Christianity when nobody is watching? That is where genuine Christianity is tested. Your secret life is a better measurement of your spiritual condition than your public reputation. 3. THE BELIEVER WHO HAS BECOME COMFORTABLE WITH SIN One of the most dangerous conditions is not falling into sin accidentally. It is becoming comfortable with sin deliberately. The believer begins by saying: «“It is only once.”» Then: «“Everybody is doing it.”» Then: «“God understands.”» Eventually, the conscience becomes quiet. Romans 6:1–2 warns against continuing in sin because grace abounds. Deep spiritual truth: Grace is not permission to remain in sin. Grace is God's power to bring us out of sin. If something is destroying your relationship with God, don't defend it. Repent from it. 4. THE BELIEVER WHO LOVES THE CHURCH BUT DOES NOT LOVE CHRIST This may sound strange, but it happens. Someone can love: - The choir - The pastor - The church building - Christian conferences - Christian music - Christian social media - Christian friendships …but fail to love Jesus with all their heart. Jesus told the church at Ephesus: «“Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.” — Revelation 2:4» They were working. They were enduring. They were doctrinally discerning. But they had lost their first love. Important lesson: You can be busy doing things for Jesus while becoming distant from Jesus. Don't allow ministry to replace relationship. Don't allow your assignment to replace intimacy. Don't allow the work of God to become more important than the God of the work. 5. THE BELIEVER WHO REFUSES CORRECTION A dangerous believer is one who cannot be corrected. When the pastor preaches against something they are doing, they become angry. When a mature Christian warns them, they say: «“Don't judge me.”» When Scripture confronts their lifestyle, they look for another interpretation. Proverbs 12:1 says: «“Whoso loveth instruction loveth knowledge: but he that hateth reproof is brutish.”» Spiritual maturity means: I am willing to be corrected because I want to become more like Christ. A person who cannot receive correction will eventually become a prisoner of their own deception. BIBLICAL CASE STUDY: JUDAS ISCARIOT Judas is one of the most sobering examples in Scripture. Judas walked with Jesus. He heard Jesus teach. He witnessed miracles. He traveled with the disciples. He was part of the ministry. He was close enough to Jesus to call Him Master. Yet Judas eventually betrayed Him. This teaches us something frightening: Being close to spiritual things does not automatically mean your heart belongs to God. You can be around anointed people and remain unchanged. You can witness miracles and still struggle with unbelief. You can carry a Bible and still carry bitterness. You can occupy a position and lose your spiritual condition. But there is hope. Peter also failed Jesus. The difference was that Peter returned in repentance. Judas allowed his failure to lead him into destruction. Failure does not have to be the end of your story. Repentance can become the beginning of restoration. PRACTICAL ACTION STEPS 1. EXAMINE YOUR HEART Psalm 139:23–24: «“Search me, O God, and know my heart…”» Don't only ask, “What is wrong with others?” Ask: “Lord, what needs to change in me?” 2. RETURN TO YOUR FIRST LOVE If prayer has become a duty, return. If Bible reading has become routine, return. If worship has become performance, return. If your passion for Christ has disappeared, return. 3. STOP JUSTIFYING WHAT GOD IS ASKING YOU TO REPENT OF Don't rename sin. Don't call disobedience “weakness.” Don't call compromise “wisdom.” Don't call rebellion “freedom.” When God reveals something, respond with repentance. 4. PRACTICE PRIVATE CHRISTIANITY Pray when nobody is watching. Read the Word when nobody is applauding. Give when nobody knows. Forgive when nobody forces you. Serve when nobody celebrates you. What you do privately reveals what you truly value. 5. STAY TEACHABLE Allow God's Word to correct you. Allow mature believers to challenge you. Allow the Holy Spirit to convict you. A heart that can still be corrected is a heart that can still be transformed. DEEP SPIRITUAL INSIGHTS 1. PROXIMITY TO HOLY THINGS DOES NOT GUARANTEE HOLINESS. Judas was close to Jesus physically, but his heart was not surrendered. 2. RELIGIOUS ACTIVITY CAN HIDE SPIRITUAL DECLINE. A person can become busier in church while becoming colder toward God. 3. GOD LOOKS BEYOND THE PLATFORM. People may see your preaching. God sees your private life. People hear your words. God knows your motives. 4. THE GREATEST DANGER IS SELF-DECEPTION. A sinner who knows he is lost may seek help. But someone who is lost and believes he is spiritually healthy may never seek rescue. 5. JESUS DOES NOT ONLY WANT YOUR CHURCH ATTENDANCE. He wants your heart. He wants your character. He wants your obedience. He wants your entire life. QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION 1. Am I following Jesus or merely following Christian activities? 2. Does my private life agree with my public confession? 3. Is there any sin I have become comfortable with? 4. Can I receive correction without becoming offended? 5. Have I lost my first love for Christ? 6. Am I more concerned about what people think about me than what God thinks about me? 7. If Jesus examined my heart today, what would He find? POWERFUL PRAYER POINTS 1. Father, search my heart and expose everything in me that is not pleasing to You, in Jesus' name. 2. Lord Jesus, deliver me from religious appearance without spiritual reality. 3. Father, restore my first love for You. Let my passion for Christ become stronger again. 4. Lord, give me grace to obey Your Word, not merely hear it. 5. Every spirit of hypocrisy and self-deception, be broken over my life, in Jesus' name. 6. Father, give me a heart that receives correction and grows in wisdom. 7. Lord, let my private life and public testimony agree. 8. Holy Spirit, create in me a clean heart and renew a right spirit within me. 9. Father, keep me faithful to Christ until the end of my journey. CALL TO ACTION Beloved, don't leave this message thinking about another believer. Think about yourself. Don't ask: «“Who in my church needs to hear this?”» Ask: «“Lord, what are You saying to me?”» The goal of Christianity is not simply to remain in church. The goal is to remain in Christ. Jesus said in John 15:4: «“Abide in me, and I in you.”» Don't just carry the name Christian. Carry Christ in your heart. Don't just attend church. Become the church wherever you go. Don't just quote the Word. Live the Word. Don't just raise your hands in worship. Surrender your heart in obedience. And don't wait until you stand before Jesus to discover that you were close to church but far from Christ. TODAY, RETURN TO JESUS. Return to your first love. Return to prayer. Return to the Word. Return to holiness. Return to obedience. Return to genuine fellowship with Christ. The greatest question is not, “Did I attend church?” It is: “DOES JESUS TRULY KNOW ME?” May we never be believers who merely look alive. May we be believers who are truly alive in Christ. In Jesus' mighty name. Amen. FINAL DECLARATION I will not merely look like a Christian; I will live for Christ. I will not only hear God's Word; I will obey it. I will not hide behind religious activity; I will pursue genuine relationship with Jesus. My heart belongs to Christ, my life belongs to Christ, and my future belongs to Christ. In Jesus' name. Amen. Give your life to Jesus by joining a Bible believing Church. You can get inspirational ebooks from my sela/Amazon shops below https://selar.com/m/umoh-edem1 https://selar.com/m/umoedem https://www.amazon.com/author/umohedembooks https://afrikdp.com/author/umohedem-9128 CONTACT - WhatsApp +2349024173027, +2349055447540 Email pastor.umoedem@gmail.com

JESUS IS NOT PAYING A DIME TO YOUR KIDNAPPERS Many believers have a subnormal view of the Lord Jesus, that is why they live miserable lives and are easily lured to follow the world. God who knows who He made Christ laughs when see Satan trying to lead men further into rebellion. Our redemption in Christ Jesus is so complete and powerful that you only need to walk out on Satan when you catch the revelation of it. In Isaiah chapter 52, God told us to remove the chains of Satan that are upon us and just walk out on the devil. If you are scared of ordering the devil around, go back to your Bible and learn Jesus 101. There is room for resit. 1. Awake, awake; put on thy strength, O Zion; put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city: for henceforth there shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean. 2. Shake thyself from the dust; arise, and sit down, O Jerusalem: loose thyself from the bands of thy neck, O captive daughter of Zion. 3. For thus saith the LORD, Ye have sold yourselves for nought; and ye shall be redeemed without money. God expects the you and I to reclaim our dominion without a struggle. This is depicted as our rising to loose the bands on our necks all by ourselves in the passage above. God has better plan for your life than you running helter-sketer looking for deliverers. He wants you to rise up by faith and enforce your liberty, all by yourself. He expects you to deliver yourself on the strength of your understanding of the redemption you have in Christ Jesus. He knows that the Devil took you cheaply because of your ignorance and He is not going to pay ransom to your kidnappers. Enough is enough. I break every yoke of Satan off me NOW in Jesus mighty name!

Note The Stick You Write With When we read the bible,what do we think about? Do we think about the writer being inspired by the Spirit of God? Do we look to the setting it was written in, the culture of the times, etc? Do we look at the style of writing as some scholars teach us to do? These and more are often taught as the way to read the bible. In more modern education we are taught to think critically and what is being said and written. In other words what can we infer or deduce from the text we are reading? Questions such as these, more often than not lead to an overly complicated mess of confusion that is sometimes hard to navigate. Complicating the simple way the people of the day actually thought. What is more is that the New Testament was written in Koine ( common Greek). This Greek as written in the NT is often studied by scholars, pastors and laymen alike, searching for a clearer picture of what the biblical writers were intending. And in this way, we may more accurately discern the truth that God, through His servants, is trying to convey to us, 2,000 years later. Mind you in a culture that is very far removed from the culture it was written in. In short a lot has happened in 2,000 years, and some ideas just don’t translate well. To make up for this, scholars have tried hard to come up with different and new translations, paraphrases etc, that are everything from absolute trash, to literal word for word hard to read versions of the bible. Many popular bible translations we read are something of a dynamic equivalent, that’s thought for thought. Others are word for word. And still others are a paraphrase giving the general sense of what is being spoken of. Yet, for all this we seem to lose a little or a lot depending, when we try to bring this all into a culture, language and thought process that is far removed from the original. So we dig, scholars and laymen alike, dig. We dig into the language it is written in. We find meanings to words, and their roots. Sometimes we look at the society and culture around them and it brings out even more. Yet for all that, it seems we still come up short and we wonder why. In my own life, the more I dug into some limited Greek studies, the more I saw it was not really going too far, so I stopped looking. I would only look up what I was curious about or led to. If I am honest at times, I would remember my pastor who told me of his friend who was a biblical Greek scholar, who said it really doesn’t do you that much good to know Greek. As I studied I could see that, but why. Aren’t we taught to look into the language? Isn’t that the example that is set by many, if not most pastors and writers of biblical material? Look into the Greek to find the meaning of the words used in the NT, so we can understand a bit better? But its really not helping that much so what am I missing? What I found was not intentional. I was not looking for it. At all. I found where Jesus wrote about being the bread of life In John 6:35: “And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.” In our minds we wonder what that means so we dig. And that is just what I did. I wanted to find out what that meant, exactly. My research led me to the cultural life of the Jewish people. And I found out that they, without a long explanation, knew that Jesus was saying, without bread, you die, you have no life. That may seem obvious and overly simplistic, yet for a people who lived in the desert, to not have bread and water, was a fact of certain death. Biblically the principle stems back to the time in the wilderness when God supplied bread for them in the form of mana. Again, this may seem obvious, but it’s not something most in western culture know very much about. We don’t know starvation as a possibility as well as they did then, we don’t know the waterless tracts of land they made their home in for thousands of years. They knew intimately the slow agonizing death by starvation and thirst, in a land where water is a commodity. Unlike us who just go to the faucet or by another water bottle at the nearest grocery store. These things were their reality, unlike ours. Finding this set me on a journey of sorts to looking into their culture more. As I did I began seeing things that we don’t often talk about. Then one day I realized that almost every NT writer with the exception of Luke was born Jewish. That meant that they came from a Jewish background, culture, traditions and language. Then I began to wonder how come we are looking at the NT from a western outlook, through the Greek language, when we should possibly be looking at it from a more Hebraic outlook? Why weren’t we looking at what they were saying through the culture, history etc of the person who was speaking it? They knew the language and ideas of the OT far better than we do. So, again I began digging. What I found was that as a general rule, the Jewish people of that day, had gained some complexity of thought because of outside influences, such as the Babylonian captivity, the Roman occupation etc, they still retained much of their original simplicity and straightforward thinking. In fact, without going too deep in this, most Jewish men at the time had at least some knowledge of the OT scriptures and how they were written and the thoughts behind them. This is due to the fact that they would teach the fathers trade to the children and were required to teach them the word of God as well. For them, things were relatively simple. Their culture and thought process, at least so far as these things are concerned, was simple compared to the Romans, or Greeks where we in the west get much of our way of thinking. To see the difference when we describe something, such as a pencil, we say its long, often yellow, with lead or graphite inside, it has an eraser on one end and the other is sharpened to a point so you can write with it. In ancient Hebrew, it’s literally a stick you write with, that is the description. To us, who habitually over complicate everything, even a bowl of Cheerios, this seems way too simplistic. Truthfully one may be right with that assessment. But that does not negate the fact that they understood things far different than we do. Now, I am doing more digging. Looking into the Hebrew language and looking at the NT from somewhat of a different angle. What happened is the truth we all see, written within the pages, started taking on a deeper meaning. Instead of looking at the Word through the lens of our culture or even the Greek, I began to see things that way I think the biblical writers were seeing them, and thus seeing the intent of God through them. Regardless of how it was written. When we look at the bible in this way it seems to take on new life. It doesn’t change the meaning, but deepens it, brings a fuller, more clear revelation, and application to our lives and ministries. I write my own writing, I do not use AI to write. All my writing is my own and can be scanned for AI content as well as plagiarism.

Isaiah 57:18 I have seen what they do, but I will heal them anyway! I will lead them. I will comfort those who mourn, LETS PRAY : THANK YOU JESUS CHRIST OF NAZARETH FOR NOT GIVING UP ON US EVEN THOUGH OUR WAYS DO NOT PLEASE YOU.