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Today’s Scripture

John 2:7 (ESV)

“Jesus said to the servants, ‘Fill the jars with water.’ And they filled them up to the brim.”

Opening the Scriptures

The six large stone jars were standing nearby.

Then Jesus gave the servants a simple command:

“Fill the jars with water.”

The servants did not yet know what Jesus was going to do. The wedding needed wine, yet Jesus told them to bring water.

From a human point of view, the command may have seemed unrelated to the problem.

But the servants obeyed.

John adds an important detail:

“They filled them up to the brim.”

They did not partially obey. They did not fill the jars halfway and decide that was enough. They carried out the command completely.

They still did not know what would happen next.

They simply did what Jesus told them to do.

Living God’s Word Today

There is an important lesson here about Christian obedience.

We often want God to explain everything before we obey Him.

We want to know why.

We want to know what will happen.

We want to understand how obedience will benefit us.

But obedience to Christ cannot depend upon our understanding of the outcome.

When God has spoken clearly in His Word, our responsibility is to obey.

Sometimes His commands will challenge us.

Forgive.

Love your enemies.

Speak the truth.

Flee from sin.

Care for those in need.

Share the Gospel.

Remain faithful when obedience becomes costly.

We may not always understand what God is accomplishing through our obedience.

The servants at Cana certainly did not.

But they filled the jars “up to the brim.”

There is also a warning for us here.

Partial obedience is often disguised disobedience.

We cannot faithfully follow Christ while selecting only the commands we find comfortable.

Jesus said, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.”

Our obedience does not earn salvation. We are saved by grace through faith in Christ, not by our works. But a life transformed by Christ should increasingly become a life of obedience to Christ.

The servants could fill the jars.

They could not perform the miracle.

That belonged entirely to Jesus.

The same distinction remains important for us.

Our responsibility is faithful obedience. The results belong to God.

Today, do not demand to see the outcome before obeying.

Trust Christ enough to do what He has commanded.

And when you obey, do not stop halfway.

Fill it to the brim.

Question for Today

Is there an area where you have been giving Christ only partial obedience?

Respond: “Lord Jesus, help me to obey You completely.”

What Does It Mean To Be Saved?

To be saved means to be rescued by God from the penalty, power, and ultimately the presence of sin, and brought into a right relationship with Himself through Jesus Christ alone.

The Problem: Why You Need to Be Saved

All humans are born under the curse of Adam's sin. Because God is holy and just, sin separates you from Him and places you under His righteous judgment (Romans 3:23, Romans 6:23). You cannot save yourself by being good enough, religious enough, or sincere enough. Your best works are like filthy rags before a perfectly holy God (Isaiah 64:6).

What Salvation Is

Salvation is God's act of rescuing sinners through the finished work of Jesus Christ. It involves several realities that happen together:

Regeneration (New Birth): The Holy Spirit gives you new spiritual life. You are born again. Apart from this, you are dead in your trespasses and unable to seek God on your own (Ephesians 2:1-5, John 3:3-8).

Faith and Repentance: You respond to the gospel by turning from sin (repentance) and trusting in Christ alone (faith). These are two sides of the same movement—turning from sin and to the Savior (Acts 20:21, Romans 10:9-10).

Justification: God declares you righteous, not because of anything in you, but because Christ's perfect righteousness is credited to your account and His punishment for your sin is credited to Christ. You stand before God as if you had never sinned, clothed in Christ's righteousness (Romans 3:24-26, 2 Corinthians 5:21).

Adoption: You are brought into God's family as a beloved child. You are no longer an enemy but an heir (Galatians 4:4-7, Romans 8:15-17).

Sanctification: The Holy Spirit begins the lifelong work of making you actually holy in your daily life, conforming you to the image of Christ (Philippians 2:12-13, Romans 8:29).

Glorification: At Christ's return, you will receive a resurrected body, free from all sin, suffering, and death. This is the final completion of salvation (Romans 8:30, 1 Corinthians 15:52-54).

How You Are Saved

By grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, according to Scripture alone, for the glory of God alone. There is no other name under heaven by which you can be saved (Acts 4:12). Salvation is entirely God's work from start to finish. You contribute nothing to your rescue except the sin that made it necessary.

What Salvation Looks Like in a Person's Life

A truly saved person will bear fruit. This does not mean perfection, but it does mean a changed life—a growing hatred of sin, a growing love for God and His people, and a persistent faith that endures to the end (James 2:17, 1 John 2:3-6, Matthew 7:16-20). If there is no change at all, there is reason to question whether salvation has actually taken place.

The Bottom Line

To be saved is to be brought from death to life, from condemnation to justification, from slavery to sin to adoption as a child of God, and from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of Christ. It is entirely a work of God's grace, received by faith, and it results in a life that increasingly reflects the supremacy of Christ.

If you are asking this for yourself: repent of your sin, trust in Christ's death and resurrection alone, and you will be saved.

The name of the LORD is a strong fortress; the godly run to Him and are safe.

Proverbs 18:10 NLT
_____
Understanding envy and its destructive impact can encourage us to confront and overcome it.
_____
Spend time each day in the Word of God, guarding your heart so that only righteous words come out of your mouth. “From the mouth of the righteous comes the fruit of wisdom.” The tongue reveals what the heart is storing.
_____
Heavenly Father, may I serve You and others faithfully today.
_____
I could have no greater joy than to hear that my children are following the truth.

3 John 1:4 NLT

Guidelines for living.
August 21st, 2026

Here’s The Only Way to Begin to Love

This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 1 John 4:10-11



The greatest rivers in the world usually begin on the cold, frozen slopes of high mountains as the sun begins to melt snow and ice, and from the trickle of crystal-clear water a steam begins to flow and eventually a cascade of water plummets down the mountain. In the valley far below, the stream becomes a river, then a great river which we call the Nile, the Amazon, the Ganges, the Rhine, or whatever. By the time these massive bodies of water reach the ocean, they may be kilometers wide, and they are muddy and polluted.

Now, apply that same concept to the biblical truth that God is love. John tells us this in the New Testament, and the farther we are from Him, seemingly the more polluted love becomes. By the time it has been filtered through human lust, what we call love is a far cry from the compelling love which caused God to send His Son long ago.

Love is not a platitude, it is an action, an unconditional commitment to care, a decision of your heart. True, love is what the world needs. The words of a song popular a generation ago said it all: “The world is dying, dying for a little bit of love,” says one verse.

If you’ve been following this series based on Paul’s great chapter on love, found in the New Testament in 1 Corinthians 13, you have focused on love’s characteristics, but any discussion of the subject would be incomplete without a few words of encouragement for you whose river of love has either evaporated in the desert of life, or else become so polluted you hardly know what the real thing is.

When God touches your heart, your life will change. God takes up residence in your life, and the mud of sin is washed away. When pollution is eliminated, you start loving. This is the miracle of conversion. This is the answer to the lovelessness and the selfishness which destroys relationships.

Joining a church, turning over a new leaf, going to confession, just “being religious,” is not the solution. A relationship with God through His son is the only way you will really begin to love.

I will give you three simple guidelines that will help.

Guideline #1: Acknowledge you need a relationship with God and confess that sin has stopped the flow of love in your life. It’s easy to point a finger and say, “Well, it was his fault; her fault.” The solution is saying, “God, I need you. Forgive me. Touch my life.”

Guideline #2: Ask God’s forgiveness for your failure—not the other person’s—and ask Him to be Lord and Savior. Jesus gave us a promise. He said, “I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in and have fellowship with him, and he with me” (Revelation 3:20). That promise has your name on it, friend.

Guideline #3: Begin loving in simple steps, one day at a time. When you fail and fall back into those old habits and a loveless way, quickly admit your wrong; ask God’s help to overcome it.

Friend, you can talk about love until you have calluses on your vocal cords, but until you get back to the fountain and the source of love, who is God Himself, you’ll never lay hold of the real thing: the God kind of love that changes the world. So, go back to the source. It’s the only way to fill your cup and have enough left over for someone else in your life. Love is not a pious platitude. It’s the answer.



Resource Reading: 1 John 4:1-21

The Advent Truth.
CONSCIOUSNESS DOES NOT DETERMINE HUMAN VALUE.

One increasingly common argument says that ending the life of a developing child isn't really taking a human life because the child isn't yet conscious.

But think carefully about that standard.

Since when does consciousness determine whether a human being has the right to live?

A person who is asleep isn't consciously aware of the world around them. A patient under general anesthesia isn't consciously experiencing their surroundings. Someone knocked unconscious in an accident may temporarily have no awareness whatsoever.
Would that make intentionally ending their life acceptable?

Of course not.

That's because our value as human beings isn't created by our current level of consciousness.

And there's another problem: newborn babies don't possess anything close to the developed self-awareness, reasoning ability, memory, or cognitive capacity of adults. If consciousness determines human worth, exactly HOW MUCH consciousness is enough?

Where is the line?

And who gets to draw it?
The Bible gives us a radically different foundation for human value:

"So God created man in his own image..." — Genesis 1:27

Our value comes from WHO created us—not how much we can currently think, understand, communicate, remember, or accomplish.

David said:

"Thou hast covered me in my mother's womb... Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect." — Psalm 139:13,16

Jeremiah was told:

"Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee." — Jeremiah 1:5

And Luke describes John before birth using the Greek word brephos—"baby"—the SAME word used for Jesus after His birth (Luke 1:41,44; 2:12,16).

Before birth and after birth: a developing human life.
Human worth cannot safely be based on intelligence, independence, size, location, development, or consciousness. Once we make human dignity dependent upon possessing certain abilities, human rights stop being inherent and become something the powerful decide who qualifies for.

Human life has value because human beings bear the image of God.

Daily Bible Lesson.
YOUR PAST DOES NOT DISQUALIFY YOU

John: 4:13–18, 28–29

"Lord, quiet my heart as I spend these few minutes with You. Help me set aside the burden of past mistakes, regret, or shame. Open my eyes to see how Your grace covers my entire history, and remind me that my past is never a barrier to Your purpose for my life. Amen."

In the ancient Near East, women gathered water at the well during the cool early morning or late evening. It was a social, shared routine. But in John 4, a Samaritan woman comes to Jacob’s well at noon—the hottest, most unforgiving hour of the day.

She wasn't avoiding the heat; she was avoiding the people.

Her life was marked by brokenness: five previous husbands, and a current living arrangement that offered no security or honor in her community. She carried the weight of public judgment, self-reliance, and isolation.

When Jesus asked her for a drink, He broke three major cultural barriers at once: social (men didn't speak to women publicly), religious/ethnic (Jews avoided Samaritans), and moral (rabbinic traditions avoided public interaction with people of ill repute).

Jesus didn't ignore her past. In fact, He directly addressed it:

“Go, call your husband and come back.”
“I have no husband,” she replied.
Jesus said to her, “You are right when you say you have no husband. The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true.” — John 4:16–18

Notice how Jesus speaks: He states facts without condemnation. He exposes her true condition not to humiliate her, but to show her that He knows everything about her and still wants to offer her living water.

Many people live under the impression that God only uses those with pristine backgrounds. We assume that past failures, bad choices, or deep regret relegate us to the spiritual sidelines.

The Samaritan woman’s story flips that assumption completely:

Full Exposure Leads to Full Acceptance:
Jesus knew her complete history before He started the conversation. God never looks at your past and says, "I didn't realize you did that." His offer of grace is given with full knowledge of your worst moments.

From Hiding to Witnessing: After meeting Jesus, the woman left her water jar behind—the very symbol of her daily burden and isolation—and ran back into the city she had been avoiding.

A Voice for the City: The very town that judged her became her mission field. “Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony” (John 4:39).

Your past does not disqualify you from God's love or His purpose. In God’s hands, the very mess you tried to hide can become the message that points others to freedom.

Take a moment to reflect or write down your thoughts on these questions:

1. What past mistake or area of regret do you tend to hold onto, assuming it limits how God can use you?

2. How does knowing that Jesus fully understood the woman's past
before offering her living water change how you view His offer to you?

"Father, thank You that my past does not dictate my future in Your Kingdom. Thank You that You see every flaw, every regret, and every mistake, yet You still call me, love me, and offer me living water. Give me the courage to leave my 'water jar' of shame behind and walk confidently in the purpose You have for me today. In Jesus' name, Amen."

My Daily Witness.
Jesus loves you so much that HE died for you, and Rose from the dead for you, and now desperately longs to have a personal relationship with you, will you accept Him into your heart and life today, as your Savior, and King? Repent of sin in your life, and live for HIM, and let Him live through you.

For God so loved the world, that HE gave His one and only Son, that whosoever believes in Him, should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16.

After accepting Jesus as your Savior, show your love for HIM by keeping His Commandments.

"If you love me keep my commandments". John 14:15.

ACCEPT JESUS CHRIST AS YOUR SAVIOR, REPENT OF SIN IN YOUR LIFE, KEEP THE COMMANDMENTS OF GOD, INCLUDING THE 4TH COMMANDMENT (THE SEVENTH DAY SABBATH).

FOR JESUS CHRIST IS SOON RETURNING, AND HIS REWARD IS WITH HIM, SOME TO EVERLASTING LIFE, SOME TO EVERLASTING DEATH!!!!!
Revelation 12:14
Revelation 22:12
Daniel 12:2

WHEN GOD WRITES ON THE WALL
A Call to Examine Your Heart Before God

KEY SCRIPTURE
“TEKEL; Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting.”
— Daniel 5:27 (KJV)

Thought Of The Day...
There are times when God whispers to our hearts. There are times when He sends warnings through His Word, through circumstances, and through people. And then there are moments when God makes His message so unmistakably clear that it can no longer be ignored.
Daniel 5 gives us one of the most powerful and sobering examples in all of Scripture.
King Belshazzar was surrounded by celebration. The palace was filled with people, food, wine, wealth, music, power, and prestige. To everyone looking from the outside, it appeared that the king had everything under control. But while Belshazzar was celebrating on earth, Heaven was examining his heart.
While people were honoring the king, God was weighing the king.
While Belshazzar was looking at what he possessed, God was looking at what he had become.
Suddenly everything changed.
“In the same hour came forth fingers of a man's hand, and wrote over against the candlestick upon the plaister of the wall of the king's palace: and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote.”
— Daniel 5:5 (KJV)
The celebration stopped. The king's confidence disappeared. The man who commanded others suddenly had no control over himself.
Scripture says:
“Then the king's countenance was changed, and his thoughts troubled him... and his knees smote one against another.”
— Daniel 5:6 (KJV)
Belshazzar discovered something that we must never forget: when God speaks, earthly power cannot silence Him. When God exposes something, money cannot cover it. When God pronounces judgment, human influence cannot reverse it.
Belshazzar called for the astrologers, Chaldeans, soothsayers, and wise men of Babylon, but none of them could interpret the writing. All the intelligence of Babylon was powerless before a message that came from God.
Eventually Daniel was summoned.
Daniel had lived faithfully before God for years. Kings had changed. Governments had changed. Circumstances had changed. Daniel had grown older, but his commitment to God had remained.
What a testimony!
The queen said concerning Daniel:
“...there is a man in thy kingdom, in whom is the spirit of the holy gods... light and understanding and wisdom... was found in him.”
— Daniel 5:11 (KJV)
Daniel had developed a reputation that when everybody else was confused, Daniel knew how to seek God.
May that become our testimony.
When people around us are confused, may they know that we know God. When families experience trouble, may they know there is somebody who knows how to pray. When darkness enters a situation, may our lives carry the light of Christ.
Jesus declared:
“Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.”
— Matthew 5:14 (KJV)
Belshazzar offered Daniel wealth, clothing, jewelry, and political promotion if he could interpret the message. But Daniel answered:
“Let thy gifts be to thyself, and give thy rewards to another...”
— Daniel 5:17 (KJV)
Daniel's integrity was not for sale.
He didn't need the king's money to tell the king God's truth. He wasn't seeking popularity. He wasn't chasing another title. Daniel understood that pleasing God was greater than pleasing people.
That same conviction must live within us.
There will be times when standing upon God's Word will not make us popular. There will be times when truth will challenge people. There will be times when obedience may cost us opportunities, relationships, applause, or acceptance.
But we must be able to say:
“For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men?...”
— Galatians 1:10 (KJV)
Daniel reminded Belshazzar about Nebuchadnezzar. Nebuchadnezzar had once become lifted up in pride, and God humbled him until he understood:
“...that the most high God ruled in the kingdom of men, and that he appointeth over it whomsoever he will.”
— Daniel 5:21 (KJV)
Then Daniel spoke words that should cause every believer to examine his or her heart:
“And thou his son, O Belshazzar, hast not humbled thine heart, though thou knewest all this.”
— Daniel 5:22 (KJV)
Though thou knewest all this.
Belshazzar had been given an example. He knew what pride had done before him, but he refused to learn from it.
There is a dangerous difference between not knowing God's will and knowing God's will but refusing to obey it.
The Bible says:
“Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.”
— James 4:17 (KJV)
God's patience should never be mistaken for God's approval.
Just because judgment has not come does not mean God approves of what we are doing. Sometimes God's delay is actually God's mercy giving us time to repent.
“The Lord is... longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”
— 2 Peter 3:9 (KJV)
Belshazzar had also taken the sacred vessels from God's temple and used them during his celebration. He treated what belonged to God as though it were common.
Daniel told him:
“...thou hast lifted up thyself against the Lord of heaven...”
— Daniel 5:23 (KJV)
This should cause us to ask ourselves: Have we become too casual with the things of God?
Have we become casual about prayer?
Casual about worship?
Casual about God's Word?
Casual about holiness?
Casual about our calling?
Casual about the gifts God placed inside us?
Casual about gathering with other believers?
God is loving, gracious, merciful, and compassionate, but He is still holy.
“But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation.”
— 1 Peter 1:15 (KJV)
Belshazzar praised gods made from silver, gold, brass, iron, wood, and stone. Yet when trouble entered the palace, none of those gods could answer him.
How often do people still place their confidence in things that cannot save them?
Money cannot save the soul.
A career cannot save the soul.
A title cannot save the soul.
Popularity cannot save the soul.
Possessions cannot save the soul.
Human relationships cannot take God's place.
Jesus asked:
“For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?”
— Mark 8:36 (KJV)
Then Daniel revealed the handwriting:
“MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN.”
— Daniel 5:25 (KJV)
MENE meant:
“God hath numbered thy kingdom, and finished it.”
— Daniel 5:26 (KJV)
Belshazzar thought he had more time.
God said his time had been numbered.
That should remind us that every day is a gift from God.
Every morning is mercy.
Every breath is grace.
Every opportunity to pray is precious.
Every opportunity to forgive matters.
Every opportunity to tell someone about Jesus matters.
Every opportunity to obey God matters.
David prayed:
“So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.”
— Psalm 90:12 (KJV)
Then came TEKEL:
“Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting.”
— Daniel 5:27 (KJV)
What a frightening statement.
Belshazzar had been weighed—not by public opinion, not by his friends, not by his servants, and not by the standards of Babylon.
He had been weighed by God.
People may celebrate what God is correcting.
People may applaud what God is examining.
People may be impressed by our gifts while God is concerned about our character.
People may see our appearance while God sees our hearts.
Scripture declares:
“...for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.”
— 1 Samuel 16:7 (KJV)
That brings us to a serious question:
If God examined my heart today, what would He find?
Would He find humility or pride?
Would He find obedience or rebellion?
Would He find forgiveness or bitterness?
Would He find love or hatred?
Would He find integrity when nobody is watching?
Would He find genuine faith?
Would He find someone seeking His glory—or someone seeking his or her own?
This is not about earning salvation. We cannot save ourselves through our works.
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works...”
— Ephesians 2:8–9 (KJV)
Our hope is Jesus Christ. But when Christ truly transforms our hearts, our lives should produce evidence of that transformation.
Finally came PERES:
“Thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.”
— Daniel 5:28 (KJV)
Then Scripture delivers the sobering conclusion:
“In that night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans slain.”
— Daniel 5:30 (KJV)
That night.
Belshazzar started the evening sitting on a throne and ended it having lost everything.
He thought he had tomorrow.
He didn't.
This is why Scripture says:
“...behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.”
— 2 Corinthians 6:2 (KJV)
Don't wait for tomorrow to surrender what God is asking for today.
Don't wait until tomorrow to forgive.
Don't wait until tomorrow to repent.
Don't wait until tomorrow to pray.
Don't wait until tomorrow to make things right.
Don't wait until tomorrow to answer God's call.
And above all, don't wait until tomorrow to come to Jesus.
Daniel 5 is not merely about handwriting appearing on a wall. It is about a God who sees beyond appearances and examines the heart.
Belshazzar's kingdom is gone. Babylon's glory faded. Its wealth could not last. Its power could not last. Its king could not last.
But our God remains.
“For I am the LORD, I change not...”
— Malachi 3:6 (KJV)
Before God ever has to write something on the wall, allow Him to write His Word upon your heart.
“Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.”
— Psalm 119:11 (KJV)
Let His Word correct you.
Let His Word convict you.
Let His Word humble you.
Let His Word guide you.
Let His Word transform you.
And when God reveals something in your heart that needs to change, don't run from Him.
Run to Him.
Because through Jesus Christ there is forgiveness, mercy, restoration, and new life.
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
— 1 John 1:9 (KJV)

PRAYER...
Most Holy and Eternal God, our Father,
We come before You in the mighty name of Jesus Christ, humbled by Your Word and grateful for Your mercy.
Father, search us today.
Your Word declares:
“Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts.”
— Psalm 139:23 (KJV)
Lord, shine Your light into every area of our lives. Reveal anything within us that does not please You.
If pride has entered our hearts, humble us.
If bitterness has entered our hearts, cleanse us.
If unforgiveness has taken root, help us forgive.
If compromise has entered our lives, give us courage to turn away from it.
If we have become casual concerning holy things, restore our reverence for You.
If anything has taken Your rightful place in our hearts, tear down every idol and draw us back to You.
Father, never allow us to become so comfortable with Your blessings that we forget the One who blessed us.
Help us remember that every breath comes from You, every opportunity comes from You, every gift comes from You, and every good thing comes from You.
Your Word says:
“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above...”
— James 1:17 (KJV)
Give us the spirit of Daniel.
Give us wisdom when others are confused.
Give us courage when others compromise.
Give us integrity when temptation comes.
Give us faith when circumstances become difficult.
Give us boldness to speak Your truth with love.
May we never sell our convictions for acceptance, promotion, popularity, money, or position.
Father, teach us to number our days.
Help us understand that tomorrow is not promised and today is an opportunity to glorify You.
May our lives bring honor to Jesus Christ.
May our homes glorify You.
May our marriages and families glorify You.
May our ministries glorify You.
May our workplaces glorify You.
May our words glorify You.
May our decisions glorify You.
And when You examine our hearts, may You find people who sincerely love You, trust You, obey You, and desire to walk according to Your Word.
Thank You for Jesus.
Thank You that where we have fallen short, the blood of Jesus still cleanses.
Thank You that repentance is still available.
Thank You that grace is still available.
Thank You that mercy is still available.
Thank You that restoration is still available.
Create within us clean hearts and renew right spirits within us.
“Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.”
— Psalm 51:10 (KJV)
We surrender ourselves completely to You.
In the mighty, matchless, wonderful name of Jesus Christ we pray, Amen and Amen!

DECLARATION...
I DECLARE IN THE NAME OF JESUS:
My heart belongs to God!
My life belongs to God!
My family belongs to God!
My gifts belong to God!
My future belongs to God!
My worship belongs to God!
I will not allow pride to rule my heart.
I will not allow the things of this world to become idols in my life.
I will not compromise God's Word for popularity, acceptance, position, possessions, or applause.
Like Daniel, I will walk with an excellent spirit.
I will stand when others compromise.
I will pray when others panic.
I will trust God when others doubt.
I will speak truth with love.
I will honor God publicly and privately.
MENE! I understand that my days are numbered, therefore I will make my days count for the glory of God.
TEKEL! I understand that God examines the heart, therefore I will walk humbly and sincerely before Him.
PERES! I understand that earthly kingdoms, possessions, titles, and accomplishments will pass away, but the Kingdom of God will stand forever.
I declare that God's Word will be written upon my heart.
I will not wait for the handwriting on the wall before I obey God.
TODAY I CHOOSE JESUS!
TODAY I CHOOSE HUMILITY!
TODAY I CHOOSE OBEDIENCE!
TODAY I CHOOSE HOLINESS!
TODAY I CHOOSE FAITH!
TODAY I CHOOSE TO LIVE FOR THE GLORY OF GOD!
“But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”
— Joshua 24:15 (KJV)
This is my declaration, this is my commitment, and this is my prayer—in Jesus' mighty name. Amen and Amen!

DAILY LEADERSHIP BOOST (DLB)

FRIDAY, 21 AUGUST 2026

THE HERESY OF JESUS NOT COMING

“Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, And saying, Where is the promise of his coming?” 2 Peter 3:3-4 KJV

Leaders, we are living in the days Peter warned about.
There is a heresy rising in our time. It is the quiet, subtle teaching that “Jesus is not really coming.” It sounds like wisdom. It sounds like patience. But it is unbelief dressed in theology.

Scoffers are saying, “Where is the promise of his coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.” - 2 Peter 3:4. That is the voice of the last days. It tells you to settle down. To get comfortable. To build for 50 years and forget eternity. It makes the second coming sound distant, symbolic, or unnecessary.

But this heresy is dangerous because it produces sleepy Christians and careless leaders. When people stop believing Jesus is coming soon, they stop living holy. They stop preaching the gospel with urgency. They start storing up for themselves and not for God. Luke 12:45-46 “But and if that servant say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming... The lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him.”

The truth is clear. Jesus Himself promised, “Surely I come quickly.”_ Revelation 22:20. The apostles lived and died with this hope. Titus 2:13 “Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ.” The early church greeted each other with “Maranatha” — Our Lord, come. 1 Corinthians 16:22.

So how do we deal with this heresy?

First, anchor yourself in the Word, not in opinions: God is not slack concerning His promise. 2 Peter 3:9. The delay is mercy, so that more may repent. Don’t let mockers shake your faith. The same Bible that predicted His first coming with accuracy will be fulfilled in His second.

Second, reject the spirit of the age: The world wants you to believe that everything will continue as normal. But Peter says the heavens will pass away and the elements will melt. 2 Peter 3:10. This world is not our home. We are pilgrims. Hebrews 11:13-14. Live like it.

Third, preach and model the blessed hope: People follow what leaders believe. If you believe He is coming, you will live ready. You will disciple with eternity in view. You will correct sin in love because you know judgment is real. Jude 1:21 _“Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.”

Leaders, don’t let this generation be robbed of hope. Don’t let the pulpit go silent on the second coming because it is “unpopular.” The gospel without the return of Christ is half a gospel.

Jesus is coming. Not as a baby in a manger, but as King of kings and Lord of lords. Revelation 19:11-16. Let us not be found among the scoffers. Let us be found among the watchers.

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Prayer For Today
Father, forgive me for every time I have lived like Your coming is far away. Wash my mind from every heresy and every distraction. Set my heart on fire again for Your appearing. Keep me from scoffers and from spiritual slumber. Help me to live holy, preach boldly, and watch faithfully. I declare that Jesus is coming, and I will be ready. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Today's Declaration
I reject the heresy that Jesus is not coming. I believe the Word. I live with the blessed hope. I am watching, I am working, and I am ready for my King.

Bible Reading Plan
2 Peter 3:1-14, Matthew 24:45-51, Jude 1:17-21, Titus 2:11-14, 1 John 2:18-28, Revelation 22:12-21

Today’s Action
Leaders, identify one place in your teaching or leadership where you have gone silent on the second coming. Correct it this week. Preach it, teach it, and live it.https://https://https://https://https://https://https://https://https://