Amazing Facts.
Daily Devotionals

Sheep Farmer Endurance.

August 4th, 2026

In 1983, a 61-year-old sheep farmer named Cliff Young decided to participate in the world’s toughest race, a 544-mile ultra-marathon from Melbourne to Sydney, Australia. When the 150 world-class athletes gathered at the starting line they were amused to see old Cliff enter the race wearing overalls with galoshes over his work boots.

As soon as the race started, the pros quickly left Cliff shuffling behind. Spectators were hoping someone would stop the crazy old man before he hurt himself, but he kept plodding along. Normally the contenders run about 18 hours and sleep 6 hours during the seven-day race. But no one told Cliff he was supposed to sleep!

So while the other runners slept he kept running, gaining on the pack a little more each day. By the last night, he passed all of the world-class athletes. By the last day, he was way in front of them. Incredibly, not only did Cliff run the Melbourne to Sydney race at age 61 without dying, he won first place, breaking the race record by 9 hours and becoming a national hero!

When asked how he could run all night, Cliff said. “See, I grew up on a farm where we couldn’t afford horses, and whenever the storms would roll in, I’d have to go out on foot and round up the sheep. We had 2,000 head, and sometimes I would have to run those sheep for two or three days nonstop.”

Throughout the race, he just imagined he was chasing sheep. When Cliff was awarded the first prize of $10,000, he said he didn’t know there was a prize and insisted they split it among the other lead runners. The nation fell in love with the 61-year-old vegetarian who came out of nowhere to defeat the world’s best long-distance runners.

Cliff Young, because of his upbringing, had incredible endurance. The Bible says we also must have endurance for “the race that is set before us.” But where do we get the strength and stamina we need? The Psalms tell us that God is “He who gives strength and power to His people,” and “It is God who arms me with strength” (Psalm 68:35; 18:32). The strength and endurance we need come only from Him.

Key Bible Texts
Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, (Hebrews 12:1 KJV)

Acclaimed singer songwriter Ben Potter continues the Sydney series in the AS with NM by Greg Attwells, Candid Remark and Brroke Ligertwood plus tracks from Lilli, Drew Wilson, Cindy-Leigh Boske and Ethan Beer.
Now with over 90 songs running over 5 ½ hours, check out the AGR Artists New Music playlist on Spotify here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3tb3Nt3dbJewVzOWjnGF7O
Vote for your favourite(s) below
#Aussie #AussieMusic #ChristianMusic

The AG Sydney series continues with Am Élie and NM by Victor Claye, Jeremy Bilson & Hillsong Worship plus the latest from Craving Faith, Courtney Keil, Fraser Evan and Sandy Louise.
Now with over 85 songs running over 5 hours, check out the AGR Artists New Music playlist on Spotify here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3tb3Nt3dbJewVzOWjnGF7O
Vote for your favourite(s) below
#AussieGrown #Christianmusic

A Nugget of Truth.
THE ALMOST-FORGOTTEN DAY

When our world sprang forth from the Creator's hand it was exceedingly beautiful. There were hills and plains, and mountains and valleys. The landscape was adorned with flowers that filled the air with their sweet perfume. Majestic trees rose high above the earth, being many times larger and much more splendid than they are today. The plant kingdom was simply magnificent with its rich variety of shapes, colors, and sizes.

Then there was the marvelous animal kingdom - from the ant to the elephant, from the lion to the lamb, from the fish that swam the seas to the birds that filled the air with song. All these creatures that God had made were in their original perfection - an expression of the very thoughts and purpose of God.

As a Memorial of His creative works God established the seventh-day Sabbath. The Bible says, "Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all the work which he had made. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all the work which God created and made." Genesis 2:1-3.

Even in the Garden of Eden, God foresaw the need for Adam and Eve to lay aside their own interests and pursuits on a certain day each week - that they might more fully contemplate His created works. So important is the observance of the seventh-day Sabbath that God made it a part of the Ten Commandments: "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that in within thy gates: for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it." Exodus 20:8-11.

From the time of Creation to the time of Christ, the people of God have joyfully kept the fourth commandment concerning Saturday, the seventh-day Sabbath. Christ Himself, by whom "were all things created," certainly did not forget the Sabbath. Colossians 1:16. The Bible says, "And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, ans stood up for to read." Luke 4:16. The disciples continued the "custom" and example of Jesus in keeping the seventh-day Sabbath holy. See Acts 13:42-44.

For centuries, most of the Christian churches kept the seventh-day Sabbath. It was not until the fourth century that we find the Church of Rome casting aside the seventh-day Sabbath and substituting in its place Sunday worship. As one Catholic catechism records, "We observe Sunday instead of Sturday because the Catholic Church in the Council of Laodicea (A.D. 364) transfered the solemnity from Sabbath to Sunday." Peter Geirmann, The Convert's Catechism, 50.

The Church of Rome clearly teaches that the transference of the Sabbath to Sunday is not based on the Bible, stating, "Sunday is a Catholic institution and its claim to observance can be defended only on Catholic principles.... From beginning to end of Scripture there is not a single passage that warrants the transfer of weekly public worship from the last day of the week to the first." Catholic Press, Sydney, Australia, August, 1900.

To facilitate the conversion of the pagans in the Roman Empire to Catholicism, the Church of Rome instituted pagan rites - such as, sun-worship, incense, images, holy days, and much more. As history records, "The Church [of Rome] made a sacred day of Sunday ... largely because it was the weekly festival of the sun; for it was a definite Christian policy to take over the pagan festival endeared to the people by tradition, and to give them a Christian significance." Arthur Weigall, The Paganism in Our Christianity, 1928, 145.

When the Church of Rome switched to Sunday observance, most of the other Christian bodies continued to keep the seventh-day Sabbath. Even in the eleventh century, the Sabbath issue continued to be "the subject of a bitter dispute between the Greeks and Latins." Neale, A History of the Holy Eastern Church, vol. 1, 731.

However, today, the seventh-day Sabbath is almost forgotten, even though in over 100 languages around the world, "Saturday" is rendered "Sabbath." For example:
Spanish ............ "Sabado"
Russian ............. "Subbata"
Bulgarian ........... "Shubbuta"
Arabic ................ "As-Sabt"

Yet there is good new! All around the world, millions of Christians from the various denominations are restoring the "breach" made in the law of God by keeping the seventh-day Sabbath. See Isaiah 58:12-14. They have come to realize that it is God's will for all people to keep all of His commandments, including the seventh-day Sabbath. See Hebrews 10:16; John 14:15; 1 John 5:2-3.

The last gospel call to the world, symbolically described by three angels flying in the midst of heaven, brings together the preaching of the everlasting gospel, the judgment-hour message, the worship of God as our Creator [by keeping the Sabbath], and the warning not to worship the beast and his image. See Revelation 14:6-12.

The threefold message that will go to all the world just prior to the second coming of Christ, teaches us to "worship him that mafde heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters." Revelation 14:7. It also describes the members of God's last-day church as those who "keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus." Revelation 14:12. The one commandment that teaches us to worship God as our Creator is the fourth commandment - the seventh-day Sabbath.

Tragically, the "worship of the beast" is in direct opposition to the "worship [of] him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters." Sunday sacredness, the mark of papal authority, is in direct opposition to God's seventh-day Sabbath. The issue here is more than merely over a different day of worship. it is a question of authority. Whom shall we obey?

Obviously, this is a very important issue to God because the penalty for worshiping the beast is eternal condemnation. The Bible says, "If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God." Revelation 14:9-10.

Now note this very important point: no one as yet has received the "mark of the beast." No one will suffer the wrath of God until he or she has received sufficient light to make an informed decision concerning the Sabbath of the Lord and the papal Sunday. Some people have never heard of the binding claims of the fourth commandment. And as yet, most of God's people are in the Sunday-keeping churches. But in these last days God is calling forth the final Reformation. The call to keep the almost-forgotten day will be the central issue in the reformation of both Catholic and Protestant churches, because it has been the one commandment most trampled upon in the Christian era.

AG begins a series of Artist Spotlights on the musicians of Sydney with Shara Rose this week with NM by Taya, Simon Orton and Roma Waterman plus Bailey Perrie, Ethan Beer, Natalie Gauci and Drew Wilson.
Now with over 85 songs running over 5 hours, check out the AGR Artists New Music playlist on Spotify here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3tb3Nt3dbJewVzOWjnGF7O
Vote for your favourite(s) below.

Sharing🗣:
Sobrang saya ni kuya dahil nalaman niyang buntis na ang kanyang asawa. Hindi siya nahihiya sa ibang tao kahit para siyang bata na nagpagulong-gulong sa putik dahil para sa kanya, wala nang mas sasaya pa kapag sinagot na ng Diyos ang matagal mo ng panalangin. Matagal na panahon na ipinapanalangin nilang mag-asawa na sana magkaroon sila ng anak at sa wakas ay matutupad na rin ito. Mapalad ang asawa niya sa kagaya niyang lalaki. Hindi siya sumuko sa kanilang pagmamahalan kahit parang napakaimposible na magkaroon sila ng anak. Bibihira na lang ang mga lalaki sa panahon ngayon na hindi nang-iiwan ng kanilang asawa.
𝘔𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘰 7:7
"𝘔𝘈𝘎𝘚𝘐𝘏𝘐𝘕𝘎𝘐 𝘒𝘈𝘠𝘖, 𝘈𝘛 𝘒𝘈𝘠𝘖'𝘠 𝘉𝘐𝘉𝘐𝘎𝘠𝘈𝘕; 𝘔𝘈𝘎𝘚𝘐𝘏𝘈𝘕𝘈𝘗 𝘒𝘈𝘠𝘖 𝘈𝘛 𝘒𝘈𝘠𝘖'𝘠 𝘔𝘈𝘕𝘎𝘈𝘒𝘈𝘒𝘈𝘚𝘜𝘔𝘗𝘖𝘕𝘎; 𝘔𝘈𝘎𝘚𝘐𝘛𝘜𝘒𝘛𝘖𝘒 𝘒𝘈𝘠𝘖 𝘈𝘛 𝘒𝘈𝘠𝘖'𝘠 𝘉𝘜𝘉𝘜𝘒𝘚𝘈𝘕."
☘Kapag masigasig tayo sa pananalangin, pakikinggan tayo ng Diyos at ibibigay Niya sa atin ang mga hinihingi natin. Hindi nakakalimot ang Diyos sa atin. Lagi Siyang bukas-palad na ibigay ang mga angkop na bagay na makapagpapasaya sa atin. Walang mahirap sa kapangyarihan Niya kaya kahit ang bagay na imposible ay ipanalangin natin sa Kanya. Amen.

~Sydney~

Sharing:
Ganito ang mga tao sa panahon ngayon. Bulag ang kanilang mata sa katotohanan ng Ebanghelyo. Binulag sila ng diyablo na naghahari sa sanlibutang ito. Matigas ang kanilang puso sa salita ng Diyos. Mas pinipili nila ang kanilang sariling kasiyahan na hindi ayon sa sinasabi ng Bibliya.
𝘑𝘶𝘢𝘯 3:19
"𝘎𝘈𝘕𝘐𝘛𝘖 𝘈𝘕𝘎 𝘗𝘈𝘎𝘏𝘈𝘛𝘖𝘓 𝘕𝘎 𝘋𝘐𝘠𝘖𝘚: 𝘕𝘈𝘗𝘈𝘙𝘐𝘛𝘖 𝘚𝘈 𝘚𝘈𝘕𝘓𝘐𝘉𝘜𝘛𝘈𝘕 𝘈𝘕𝘎 𝘐𝘓𝘈𝘞, 𝘕𝘎𝘜𝘕𝘐𝘛 𝘐𝘕𝘐𝘉𝘐𝘎 𝘗𝘈 𝘕𝘎 𝘔𝘎𝘈 𝘛𝘈𝘖 𝘈𝘕𝘎 𝘋𝘐𝘓𝘐𝘔 𝘒𝘈𝘠𝘚𝘈 𝘓𝘐𝘞𝘈𝘕𝘈𝘎, 𝘚𝘈𝘗𝘈𝘎𝘒𝘈𝘛 𝘔𝘈𝘚𝘈𝘚𝘈𝘔𝘈 𝘈𝘕𝘎 𝘒𝘈𝘕𝘐𝘓𝘈𝘕𝘎 𝘎𝘈𝘞𝘈."
May mga tao na nabubuhay dito sa mundo para lang magpakasama ng magpakasama hangga't gusto nila. Mas iniibig nila ang dilim kaysa liwanag dahil ayaw nilang talikuran ang kanilang masasamang gawa. Ang Panginoong Jesus ang ilaw na dumating sa sanlibutan na dapat nating tanggapin upang makapagbagong buhay tayo. Mula sa dilim(kasalanan) ay makakapamuhay tayo sa liwanag(biyaya ng Diyos) sa pamamagitan ng Panginoong Jesus. Kung hindi natin tatanggapin ang Panginoong Jesus at magpapatuloy tayo sa kasalanan ay tiyak na kapahamakan ang naghihintay sa atin. Amen.

~Bro. Sydney~

THE STORY BEHIND THE HYMNS.
THE STORY BEHIND "LIFT HIGH THE CROSS"

“Lift High the Cross” is one of the most triumphant processional hymns in Christian worship, calling believers to boldly proclaim the love and victory of Christ. The hymn was written in 1887 by the English Anglican priest and hymn writer George William Kitchin, who at the time served as Dean of Winchester Cathedral.

Kitchin originally composed the hymn for a special festival of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel (SPG), a missionary organization of the Anglican Church. The service celebrated the global spread of Christianity, and the hymn was intended to capture the spirit of mission, the call for Christians everywhere to lift up the message of Christ so that the whole world might come to know Him.

The stirring refrain,

“Lift high the cross, the love of Christ proclaim,
Till all the world adore his sacred name,”

summarizes the heart of the Christian mission: boldly declaring Christ’s sacrificial love and inviting all nations to worship Him.

Although Kitchin wrote the text, the hymn became widely popular after Sir Sydney Hugo Nicholson, an English composer and church musician, revised the hymn in 1916 and set it to the powerful tune “Crucifer.” Nicholson slightly shortened and reshaped the text so it could work better as a processional hymn, sung as clergy and choir enter the church carrying a cross.

Dur to its strong rhythm and clear message, “Lift High the Cross” quickly became a favorite in Anglican churches and eventually spread across many Christian denominations worldwide. It is especially associated with festive services, mission celebrations, confirmations, and church dedications, where the imagery of raising the cross symbolizes Christ’s victory over sin and death.

Today, the hymn continues to inspire congregations with its confident proclamation that the message of Christ is not hidden or quiet but meant to be lifted high before the whole world.
The words remind believers that the cross, once a symbol of suffering, has become the universal sign of hope, redemption, and divine love.