TUESDAY 25TH AUGUST 2026 IGNITE YOUTH DEVOTIONAL Topic: Learn to Say No Bible Reference My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent. Proverbs 1:10 (NKJV) A Short Story Joshua was a serious student who had always wanted to do well in school. He attended church regularly, respected his parents, and had decided that he would not allow anything to destroy his future. However, things began to change when he entered a new group of friends in school. They were confident, popular, and always seemed to be having fun. One Friday afternoon, the group invited Joshua to join them at a party. He knew that some of the things that happened at their parties were not things he should be involved in, so he politely declined. His friends laughed at him and told him that he was behaving like a small boy. Joshua felt embarrassed, especially because some girls were also there. He eventually changed his mind and decided to go with them. At the party, things quickly became different from what Joshua had expected. Some people were drinking, others were taking drugs, and several young people were involved in things he knew were wrong. Joshua wanted to leave, but his friends told him not to spoil the fun. They kept telling him that he needed to relax and stop acting like a church boy. Joshua stayed longer than he planned. Before he left, he had joined in some of the things he had promised himself he would never do. On his way home, he felt terrible. He realised that he had not done those things because he wanted to. He had done them because he was afraid of what his friends would say if he refused. That night, Joshua sat quietly in his room and thought about what had happened. He remembered how easy it was to say no when he was alone, but how difficult it became when people around him were laughing and putting pressure on him. He understood that his greatest problem was not that he did not know what was right. His problem was that he wanted to be accepted. Joshua made a decision that night. He would rather lose a few friends than lose his values, his peace, and his future. He learned that saying no is sometimes the strongest thing a young person can do. Today's Message There are times when your greatest test will not come from an obvious enemy. It will come from a friend saying, Come on, everybody is doing it. Many young people know what is right but struggle to do it because they are afraid of being laughed at, rejected, or called old fashioned. You may face pressure to drink, smoke, sleep with someone, cheat in an examination, join a bad group, waste your money, follow unhealthy trends, lie for a friend, or do something wrong simply because you do not want to feel left out. The pressure may even come through social media, where people make wrong behaviour look normal and attractive. The Bible gives a simple instruction in Proverbs 1:10: do not consent. In other words, do not agree to follow people into what you know is wrong. Scripture does not tell you to debate with temptation for hours. There are situations where the wisest response is simply to say no and walk away. Proverbs 1:10 directly addresses the kind of pressure young people face when others try to persuade them to do what is wrong. Saying no does not mean that you hate people. You can love your friends without following them into sin. You can respect people without copying everything they do. You can be friendly with people who have different choices from yours while still keeping your own convictions. Your faith should not disappear simply because you are around people who do not share it. You also need to understand that every yes has a consequence. When you say yes to cheating, you are saying no to honesty. When you say yes to sexual immorality, you are saying no to purity. When you say yes to drugs, you are saying no to self control. When you say yes to reckless spending, you are saying no to financial discipline. When you say yes to the wrong relationship, you may be saying no to the peace and purpose God wants for your life. The people around you can influence your choices. First Corinthians 15:33 warns that bad company can corrupt good character. This is why you must be careful about the people you allow to have strong influence over your life. Your friends should not constantly make it difficult for you to obey God. You do not need everybody to approve of you. Some people will laugh when you refuse to join them. Some may call you boring. Some may stop inviting you to certain places. Some may even say that you are trying to be too holy. Do not allow the fear of losing people to make you lose yourself. There is strength in being able to say, I cannot do this. There is strength in leaving a conversation that is becoming sinful. There is strength in ending a relationship that is pulling you away from God. There is strength in refusing to cheat when everyone else is cheating. There is strength in walking away from an opportunity that requires you to compromise your values. Your future is more important than temporary acceptance. Learn to say no before you find yourself in a situation where saying no becomes much harder. Decide your values before the pressure comes. Know what you believe. Know what the Bible teaches. Know what kind of person you want to become. When the wrong invitation comes, you will not need to spend too much time thinking about it because you have already made up your mind. Remember this: You do not have to say yes just because somebody asked you. Sometimes your greatest act of courage is simply saying no. What To Do Today 1. Think about one area where you often struggle to say no because of pressure from friends or other people. 2. Decide what your Christian values are in that area and make up your mind not to compromise them. 3. Look carefully at your closest friends. Ask yourself whether they are helping you become a better person or making it harder for you to obey God. 4. Practise saying no to wrong things without feeling guilty. You do not owe anyone an explanation for choosing what is right. Prayer Lord, give me the courage to say no when I am being pressured to do what is wrong. Help me not to live for the approval of people. Give me wisdom to choose my friends carefully and strength to stand by my convictions. Help me to value my future, my character, and my relationship with You more than temporary acceptance. When temptation comes, help me to recognise it and walk away. Let my decisions honour You in every area of my life. In Jesus' name, Amen. Daily Challenge Today, practise saying no to one thing that does not help your spiritual life, character, studies, career, relationships, or future. Remember: Every time you say no to what can destroy you, you are saying yes to the future God has prepared for you. ©️ Anthony Ijere Christian Author and Revivalist

Day - 24 - Evening Theme: BUILDING A SAFE HOME: Creating a Marriage Where Love Respect and Peace Can Grow. 🌙 Reflection Money can easily become a source of tension when couples stop seeing it as a shared responsibility. Today, take a quiet moment to remember that your spouse is not your financial opponent. You are partners, and the goal is not to prove who is right but to build a secure and responsible future together. Even when resources are limited, unity, honesty and wise planning can help protect peace in the home. 📖 God's Word "Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labour." — Ecclesiastes 4:9 🌙 Heart Check Are we facing our financial challenges together, or are we allowing money to create distance between us? 🙏 Prayer Heavenly Father, give us wisdom and discipline in managing the resources You have entrusted to us. Help us communicate honestly about money and make financial decisions together. Keep greed, secrecy and resentment far from our home. May our finances serve our marriage rather than divide it. In Jesus' name, Amen. Remember In marriage, it is not about winning the argument; it is about winning each other's hearts.

✨ Choose truth and live with integrity. 📲 Share this with someone who needs encouragement to walk in honesty and integrity. #Proverbs1222 #WalkInTruth #Integrity #SpeakTruth #GodlyCharacter #Faithfulness #ChristianLiving #FaithInChrist #WalkByFaith #Lordsbook

Daily Bible Lesson. GOD DOES NOT BRING HIMSELF DOWN TO HUMAN STANDARD, HE CALLED US TO RISE TO HIS STANDARD God does not bring Himself down to our human standard. He calls us to rise to His standard. We live in a generation where people are increasingly comfortable redefining God’s Word to fit their preferences. Some say, “I will keep this commandment, but that one is no longer necessary.” But the question is not, “Which commandments do I prefer?” The question is, “What has God commanded?” The Ten Commandments are not ten suggestions. They reveal the character, righteousness, and moral will of God. Scripture says, “The law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.” — Romans 7:12. Look carefully at the commandments: 1. “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” Are we putting God first, or have we allowed something else to occupy His place? 2. “Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image.” Are we worshiping God according to His Word, or according to human tradition? 3. “Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain.” Do our words and lives honor the name we claim to represent? 4. “Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.” Why do people readily accept nine commandments while arguing against the fourth? If God wrote all ten, who gave us permission to erase one? 5. “Honour thy father and thy mother.” Do we respect the authority God has established in the family? 6. “Thou shalt not kill.” God values human life. 7. “Thou shalt not commit adultery.” God calls us to purity and faithfulness. 8. “Thou shalt not steal.” God requires honesty and respect for what belongs to others. 9. “Thou shalt not bear false witness.” God calls His people to truthfulness. 10. “Thou shalt not covet.” God is not merely concerned with outward behavior; He searches the heart. Notice something important: the commandments are connected. We cannot claim to honor the God who gave the law while deliberately rejecting the commandment we find inconvenient. James 2:10–11 teaches that the One who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not kill.” The same God stands behind the whole law. But let us be clear: we are not saved by keeping the law. We are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. Yet grace does not give us permission to live in rebellion. Jesus said, “If ye love me, keep my commandments.” — John 14:15. The law does not replace Christ. Christ leads us to obedience. So before we select which commandments we want to keep, let us humble ourselves and ask: “Lord, what does Your Word say?” God does not need to lower His standard to accommodate our disobedience. He calls us higher. Let us stop choosing between commandments and start choosing obedience to God. “Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.” — Revelation 14:12 God’s standard remains God’s standard—even when society changes. Amazing Love

What are you hiding? Let me ask you a difficult question: What are you hiding? Not from your friends. Not from your pastor. Not from your family. From everyone. Maybe you still attend church. Maybe you still lift your hands during worship. Maybe people still call you “Brother” or “Sister.” But there is a part of your life you desperately hope nobody discovers. Saints with Stain is not written to shame people. It is written to expose the danger of pretending that everything is fine when it isn't. Because healing cannot begin where honesty is forbidden. Sometimes freedom begins with admitting, “This is where I am.” 📖 Get Saints with Stain: https://nestuge.com/saintswithstain1

This is my very first book to be published soon: Preface For generations, humanity has accepted without question the idea that Jehovah is the Supreme and Ultimate Being — the beginning and the end of all existence. Religions have been built upon this belief, civilizations shaped by it, and billions have worshipped under its shadow. Yet throughout history, some questions have remained unanswered, buried beneath doctrine, fear, and tradition. This book was born from one such question: *What if Jehovah Himself is not the Highest Authority?* What if beyond the God humanity has known, there exists a Greater Source — a Father above God? At first glance, such a suggestion may sound shocking, even offensive to many. But every major discovery in human history began with a question people were afraid to ask. This book does not seek to attack faith, destroy belief, or mock religion. Instead, it seeks to examine Scripture, logic, justice, and the events recorded from the very beginning of human existence with honesty and courage. The foundation of this argument begins in the Garden of Eden. If Jehovah possessed absolute wisdom, absolute justice, and absolute power as traditionally believed, why was humanity condemned through Adam in a way that affected every generation after him? Why would descendants inherit suffering for a choice they never made? Why would an all-powerful being allow sin to spread endlessly instead of resolving the matter directly with Adam and Eve alone? Could it be that the events in Eden reveal limitations, laws, or higher authorities beyond Jehovah Himself? Throughout this book, we will explore difficult and uncomfortable questions that many avoid: * Was the punishment in Eden truly just? * Why does suffering continue despite divine power? * Why do Scriptures sometimes hint at beings greater than the God mankind worships? * Could the title “God” itself imply authority granted from a higher source? * Did Jesus Himself suggest the existence of a reality beyond human understanding of God? This work is not written from hatred toward religion, but from a deep desire to search for truth wherever it may lead. Truth has never feared investigation. Only deception demands silence. The purpose of this book is not to force conclusions upon the reader, but to invite critical thought, reflection, and fearless examination. Whether one ultimately agrees or disagrees with these ideas, the journey itself may challenge long-held assumptions and open doors to deeper understanding. Some readers may reject these pages immediately. Others may find themselves wrestling with questions they have secretly carried for years. Either response is understandable. But if there truly exists a Father above God, then perhaps humanity’s understanding of divine reality has only scratched the surface. And perhaps the greatest mystery is not whether God exists… …but whether God Himself has a Father.

DAY 22 - Morning Theme: LOVE THAT CHOOSES: Making Daily Decisions That Strengthens The Marriage 🌅 Reflection Make Your Home a Safe Place Good Morning! Home should be more than the place where we sleep. It should be a place where the heart can rest. A husband should be able to come home without wondering whether every mistake will become a source of criticism. A wife should be able to express herself without fearing ridicule. Children should know that disagreement does not mean the family has stopped loving them. A safe home doesn't mean there are no disagreements. It means people can disagree without destroying one another. In a Christ-centred marriage, love should create an atmosphere where both husband and wife can say: "I am safe to be honest here." 📖 God's Word "Let your gentleness be evident to all." — Philippians 4:5 ❤️ Today's Love Action Ask your spouse: "What can I do to make our home feel even safer and more peaceful for you?" Listen without becoming defensive. 💬 Let's Talk What makes a home emotionally safe? 🙏 Prayer Lord, make our home a place of peace, honesty, respect and grace. Help us never use each other's weaknesses as weapons. Amen. 🌿 From The Counselor's Chair A healthy marriage is not one where nobody gets hurt. It is one where hurt can be discussed without fear and repaired with grace. 💎 Marriage Nugget "A peaceful home is built when love becomes stronger than fear." Remember In marriage, it is not about winning the argument; it is about winning each other's hearts.

Proverbs 11:1, NASB “A false balance is an abomination to the Lord, But a just weight is His delight.” Honesty is God's Policy! By seeming to lose in the natural by being honest is gaining Big because you will have the God of the Universe behind you! Be honest then you will have God's Best! Amen. Prayer: Genesis 13:14-15, NASB “14. The Lord said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him, “Now lift up your eyes and look from the place where you are, northward and southward and eastward and westward; 15. for all the land which you see, I will give it to you and to your descendants forever.” Help us to be of the Faith of Abraham and not to trust in temperory advantage or riches! We trust You to give us the Best. In Your Righteous Name. Amen.

SATURDAY 22ND AUGUST 2026 IGNITE YOUTH DEVOTIONAL Topic: Do Not Ignore the Small Compromise Bible Reference “He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much.” Luke 16:10 (NKJV) A Short Story Blessing had always seen herself as a good Christian. She attended church, joined the youth meetings, prayed regularly, and tried to live according to God's Word. One afternoon, she noticed that she had been given too much change at a shop. The difference was not much. She looked at the money in her hand and thought, “It is only a small amount.”She could easily have kept it. Nobody would know. She walked a few steps away from the shop, but something inside her made her stop. She remembered that she had been praying for God to trust her with greater responsibilities. She turned around and returned the money. The following week, something similar happened. This time, it was not money. A friend asked her to lie about where they had been so that their parents would not find out. Again, it seemed like a small matter. Blessing remembered the change she had returned the previous week. She realized that integrity was not something she could practise only when the matter was serious. She refused to lie. As she walked home that evening, she understood something she had never considered deeply before. The small decisions she made every day were preparing her for the bigger decisions that would come later. Today's Message Many people want God to trust them with great things, but they ignore the small things. Jesus said that the person who is faithful in little will also be faithful in much. This means that your character is being developed through ordinary decisions. A small lie may seem harmless. A little dishonesty may seem insignificant. A secret compromise may appear too small to matter. But compromise has a way of growing. The enemy does not always begin by asking you to do something obviously wrong. Sometimes, he starts with something that looks too small to deserve your attention. Do not measure the seriousness of a decision only by how big it looks. Ask whether it agrees with God's Word. Your private decisions are shaping your public character. If you want God to trust you with greater responsibility, learn to honour Him in the little things first. What To Do Today 1. Pay attention to the small decisions you normally overlook. 2. Refuse to justify dishonesty because the matter seems insignificant. 3. Keep your word, even when nobody will punish you for breaking it. 4. Remember that character is built through repeated choices. Prayer Lord, help me to be faithful in little things. Give me the strength to reject every compromise, no matter how small it appears. Build integrity into my character and prepare me for everything You have planned for me. In Jesus' name, Amen. Daily Challenge Today, choose honesty in one small situation where it would be easier to compromise. Let your decision be an act of worship to God. ©️ Anthony Ijere Christian Author and Revivalist WHATSAPP GROUP https://chat.whatsapp.com/BDs9qaNMQumKTicv7uU7SJ?s=cl&p=a&mlu=0&ilr=0 TELEGRAM CHANNEL https://t.me/anthonyijere

Be Raw before God, but move to confidence assurance;shift focus to God's power Psalm 6 is a heartfelt prayer by King David asking God for mercy, physical and emotional healing, relief from deep distress, and deliverance from enemies. It shows raw honesty in suffering and moves from deep sorrow to confident faith. David's plea for mercy, healing, and deliverance from his adversaries. When you are going through deep distress, sickness, or severe adversity, it is entirely natural to feel overwhelmed. Psalm 6 teaches us that it is completely okay to be completely honest with God about your pain. King David did not hide his suffering; he wept openly, declaring that his soul was in deep anguish and his bed was soaked with tears. God does not expect you to hide your struggles or put on a brave face. Pouring out your heart, crying, and admitting your weakness to Him is a vital part of faith. However, while it is important to express your grief, you must not allow your circumstances or your enemies to hollow you out or break your spirit. The enemy wants your pain to turn into despair and isolate you from hope. The turning point comes when you shift your focus away from the magnitude of the problem and toward the magnitude of God’s power. Just as David did, you can move from weeping to confident assurance. Remind yourself that the Lord hears your weeping and accepts your prayer. Trust that the temporary trial will give way to deliverance, and keep your eyes on the praise and testimony that will surely come when God restores you. prayer Heavenly Father,I come to You honestly in my pain, sickness, and distress. You see my tears, and You know how heavy my heart feels right now. Thank You that I do not have to hide my suffering from You, and that You welcome me when I cry out for help. Lord, please protect my mind and spirit from the enemy. Do not let this adversity hollow me out or cause me to despair. Right now, I shift my focus away from my problems and lift my eyes to Your great power. I choose to trust in Your mercy and Your ability to deliver me.Thank You for hearing my weeping and answering my prayer. I look forward to the breakthrough, the healing, and the praise that will come through this trial.In Jesus' name, Amen.