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Pastor adventista Luis Morales queda en libertad luego de pagar la fianza de 12 mil dolares tras casi dos semanas detenido por ICE

August 22, 2026 By admin

HOUSTON, TEXAS. — El pastor adventista venezolano Luis Alfredo Morales Pérez recuperó su libertad el miércoles 19 de agosto, luego de permanecer casi dos semanas bajo custodia del Servicio de Inmigración y Control de Aduanas de Estados Unidos (ICE). Morales había sido detenido el 6 de agosto de 2026 en el Aeropuerto Intercontinental George Bush […] Source: https://atoday.org/pastor-adventista-luis-morales-queda-en-libertad-luego-de-pagar-la-fianza-de-12-mil-dolares-tras-casi-dos-semanas-detenido-por-ice/

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👤 THE BIBLICAL PERSON OF THE DAY | 08.23.2026 | 👁️ Ezekiel – The Prophet of Visions and Hope

August 22, 2026 By admin

👤 The Biblical Person of the Day


👁 Ezekiel – The Prophet of Visions and Hope


📌 Profile

  • Name: Ezekiel
  • Time of birth: approximately the 7th century BC
  • Place of birth: probably Judah
  • Time of death: unknown
  • Age: unknown
  • Occupation: Priest and prophet in exile

📖 Short Story

Ezekiel was a priest and prophet of God who was taken to Babylon together with many other Jews. There, far from Jerusalem and the temple, he received God’s Word and became an important messenger to the people in exile.

His calling began with a mighty vision of the glory of God. Ezekiel saw images filled with power, movement, and light, making one truth unmistakably clear: God’s glory was not confined to Jerusalem.

God appointed Ezekiel as a watchman for the house of Israel. He was to warn and admonish the people and faithfully deliver God’s message, even when many refused to listen.

His message was often serious. He had to show the people why Jerusalem would fall and why God’s judgment was coming upon sin, idolatry, and unfaithfulness.

But Ezekiel did not proclaim judgment alone. He also spoke of hope, restoration, and a new beginning that God would provide.

His promise of a new heart and a new spirit is especially well known. God did not merely want to bring his people back outwardly; he wanted to renew them inwardly.

Ezekiel’s story shows that God also speaks in foreign lands, offers hope even in judgment, and can create new life out of what appears to be dead.


🔥 The Decisive Moment

Ezekiel sees the glory of God in exile and is appointed as a watchman who must faithfully proclaim God’s Word.


✨ 7 Remarkable Facts About Ezekiel

  1. He was both a priest and a prophet
  2. He lived among the exiles in Babylon
  3. He saw a mighty vision of the glory of God
  4. He was appointed as a watchman for Israel
  5. He proclaimed judgment upon Jerusalem’s unfaithfulness
  6. He prophesied about a new heart and a new spirit
  7. He saw the vision of the valley of dry bones

⚖ Strengths & Weaknesses

✔ obedient to God’s commission
✔ faithful in difficult surroundings
✔ courageous in proclaiming serious messages
✔ filled with hope in God’s restoration
❌ his message was often difficult to bear
❌ his personal life was deeply affected by his prophetic commission


❗ The Mistake That Shaped Him

The Bible does not record any particular personal failing of Ezekiel.

➡ His life was primarily characterized by obedience, prophetic faithfulness, and a powerful hope in God’s renewing work.


📜 Key Verse

“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you.” (Ezekiel 36:26)


🧠 The Life Lesson

God can renew a broken people, a hardened heart, and even a life that appears to be dead when he works through his Spirit.


🎯 Application for Today

Trust God even when you feel inwardly dry, distant, or broken. He can give new life where, from a human perspective, no hope remains visible.


❓ A Question for You

Where do you need God to give you a new heart, a new spirit, and new life today?


📌 Context

Ezekiel ministered among the exiles during the Babylonian captivity. His message explained the judgment upon Jerusalem while also directing the people’s attention toward God’s future restoration.


🔗 Connections

Ezekiel is connected with the Babylonian exile, Jerusalem, the glory of God, the commission of the watchman, the promise of a new heart, and the vision of the valley of dry bones.


Conclusion:

Ezekiel shows that God is present even in foreign lands. His message is serious, yet filled with hope: God judges sin, but he can renew hearts, gather his people, and create new life from dry bones.

See you tomorrow with the next biblical person! 📖


✨ The Life Story ✨

✨ The Life Story of Ezekiel – God’s Glory in a Foreign Land ✨


🌄 A Priest in Exile

Ezekiel was a priest, but his life unfolded very differently from what might have been expected of a priest. Instead of quietly carrying out his ministry in the temple in Jerusalem, he found himself among the exiles in Babylon.

The exile was a profound shock for the people of Judah. Many had lost their homeland, security, temple, and familiar way of life. A heavy question weighed upon their hearts: Was God still with his people?

It was precisely in this foreign land that God began speaking powerfully to Ezekiel. In this way, the Lord demonstrated that his presence is not confined to walls, cities, or human forms of security.


👁 The Vision of God’s Glory

By the River Chebar, Ezekiel saw a mighty vision. He saw living creatures, wheels filled with movement, light, fire, and above everything something resembling a throne.

These images were difficult to express in human words. They did not reveal a small god who had been weakened by Judah’s defeat, but the Lord in all his glory, power, and majesty.

Ezekiel fell facedown. In the presence of God’s glory, human beings become small—but it is precisely there that a genuine calling begins.


📣 The Call to Be a Prophet

God spoke to Ezekiel and sent him to the house of Israel. He was to speak to a rebellious people who would not readily listen.

This calling was not comfortable. Ezekiel had to deliver words that were difficult, serious, and challenging.

But God also gave him strength. The Spirit lifted him up, set him on his feet, and enabled him to accept the commission.


🛡 The Watchman for Israel

Ezekiel was appointed as a watchman. A watchman stands upon the wall, sees danger approaching, and warns the people.

This responsibility carried great weight. If Ezekiel failed to deliver God’s warning, he would bear guilt. If he gave the warning, he remained faithful even when the people refused to listen.

His story therefore demonstrates that God’s messengers are not primarily judged by their success, but by their faithfulness to the Word they have received.


🔥 Symbolic Actions and Difficult Messages

Ezekiel not only had to speak God’s message, but sometimes also had to illustrate it through symbolic actions. His own life became a prophetic sign.

He symbolically portrayed the siege of Jerusalem, the guilt of the people, and the coming judgment. His messages were urgent because the people’s situation was serious.

God wanted his people to understand that the exile had not occurred by accident. It was the result of prolonged unfaithfulness, idolatry, injustice, and the rejection of divine warnings.


🏙 The Glory Departs from the Temple

One of Ezekiel’s most distressing visions shows the glory of God departing from the temple. This was a profound sign of judgment.

The temple was the place where God’s name was meant to dwell. But when the people rejected the Lord and defiled the temple, outward religion could not compel God’s presence to remain.

This vision was a solemn warning: God’s presence must never be treated as something that can be taken for granted.


👤 Individual Responsibility

Ezekiel also spoke clearly about personal responsibility. The people could not simply hide behind the sins of previous generations.

Through him, God made it clear that every person is accountable before the Lord. The righteous person is to live in righteousness, while the wicked person is called to turn back and live.

This message opened the door to hope. No one had to say, “My path is hopelessly and permanently lost.” God calls people to repentance so that they may live.


💗 The New Heart

In the midst of his serious messages of judgment, Ezekiel proclaimed one of the Bible’s most beautiful promises. God promised to give his people a new heart and a new spirit.

He would remove the heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh. The promise was therefore not merely about returning to a particular land, but about inward renewal.

This promise reveals God’s profound purpose: he does not merely want to bring outward order to people’s lives, but to transform them from within.


🦴 The Valley of Dry Bones

In a vision, Ezekiel saw a valley filled with dry bones. From a human perspective, there was no hope, no breath, and no life.

But God asked him: “Son of man, can these bones live?” Ezekiel answered humbly: “O Lord GOD, You know.”

Ezekiel then proclaimed God’s Word over the bones, and they came together. God gave them breath, and the valley of death became a picture of new life.


🌿 Hope for a Restored People

The vision of the dry bones showed Israel that God had not forgotten his people. Even though they appeared dead, scattered, and hopeless, God could gather them again and restore them to life.

Ezekiel proclaimed that God would bring his people back, cleanse them, and lead them under one Shepherd.

Thus, the prophet of judgment also became a prophet of great hope. God’s final word over his people was not death, but life.


✨ The Enduring Message of His Life

Ezekiel shows that God’s glory can become visible even in exile. No place is too distant, no situation too dark, and no people too broken for God to speak.

His story reminds us that God takes sin seriously, yet at the same time gives a new heart, a new spirit, and new life. The Lord can transform dry bones into a living people.


🌌 Closing Thought

Ezekiel was a priest without a temple ministry in Jerusalem, but God made him a powerful prophet in a foreign land.

He saw God’s glory, delivered God’s warnings, and proclaimed God’s hope to a broken people.

👉 His life story shows us that even in exile, judgment, and apparent hopelessness, God can reveal his glory and create new life through his Spirit.

Source: https://fulfilleddesire.net/%f0%9f%91%a4-the-biblical-person-of-the-day-08-23-2026-%f0%9f%91%81%ef%b8%8f-ezekiel-the-prophet-of-visions-and-hope/

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🌱LIVING FAITH | 🤲 Lesson 9: Love-driven Ministry | 🙏 9.1 Thanksgiving | ✉️ FIRST AND SECOND CORINTHIANS

August 22, 2026 By admin

🟦 Introduction

In Lesson 9, we see how Paul understood his ministry to the Corinthians as flowing from the love of Christ. He had personally experienced severe affliction, but it was precisely in that suffering that he experienced God’s comfort. This comfort was not merely a source of personal strength for him, but became a source from which he could comfort others. His love was also revealed through sincerity, integrity, and a willingness to make decisions for the good of the church. Paul did not seek his own advantage, but the healing, forgiveness, and spiritual restoration of the believers. This lesson invites us to carry out our ministry sincerely, compassionately, and with our entire focus on Christ.



✉ FIRST AND SECOND CORINTHIANS

🤲 Lesson 9: Love-driven Ministry


🙏 9.1 Thanksgiving

💧 Comforted by God in order to comfort others


📖 1. Introduction

Paul begins 2 Corinthians not with a complaint about his suffering, but with praise to God. Although he had experienced severe affliction, he first directed his attention toward the Lord, who comforts, sustains, and saves. For Paul, comfort was not merely a pleasant feeling, but a genuine experience of God’s presence in the midst of distress. He had learned that God reveals his mercy precisely in the darkest times. Yet this comfort did not end with Paul. Those who have been comforted by God are enabled to comfort others who are suffering.


📜 2. The Biblical Foundation

Paul writes:

“Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort.”

2 Corinthians 1:3

He then explains:

“Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble.”

2 Corinthians 1:4

Paul continues:

“For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ.”

2 Corinthians 1:5

Concerning his severe experience, he writes:

“We were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life.”

2 Corinthians 1:8

But then he confesses:

“In whom we trust that he will yet deliver us.”

2 Corinthians 1:10

These verses demonstrate that God’s comfort is stronger than our affliction.


🌍 3. Connection to Our Time

People today also experience suffering in many forms: illness, grief, disappointment, loneliness, conflict, overwhelming burdens, or fear of the future. Sometimes these burdens become so heavy that human strength is no longer sufficient. Paul shows us that faith does not mean denying suffering or always appearing strong. He speaks honestly about being burdened beyond his own strength. Yet it was precisely there that he learned not to place his trust in himself, but in God. This experience enables us to meet others not with superficial words, but with genuine compassion.


💡 4. Central Message of the Lesson

👉 God comforts us in our afflictions not only so that we ourselves may be strengthened, but also so that we may become instruments of his comfort for others.


✝ 5. Theological Focus

The theological focus of this lesson is the nature of God as the “Father of mercies” and the “God of all comfort.” Paul does not begin with himself, but with God. This is crucial. Suffering can very easily narrow our attention until we see only pain, fear, and our own limitations. Paul, however, begins with worship.

God is described here as the Father of mercies. This means that mercy is not foreign to God, but belongs to his very nature. He does not view the distress of his children with coldness or indifference. He is not a distant observer of suffering, but a God who bends down, sustains, heals, and strengthens.

Paul also calls him the God of all comfort. This expression is comprehensive. There is no affliction in which God is unable to comfort us. His comfort is not superficial, nor is it merely human encouragement. It is the presence of God in the midst of distress, giving us strength when our own strength is insufficient.

This comfort comes especially through Christ. Paul says that just as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our comfort through Christ also abounds. Those who follow Christ are not exempt from suffering, but neither are they abandoned in their suffering. Christ, who personally suffered, meets those who suffer with profound understanding.

This is important for a realistic life of faith. Paul does not promise a Christian life free from suffering. He does not say that believers will always be healthy, successful, and unshaken. Instead, he shows that even faithful servants of God can become so burdened that they despair of life itself. Yet it is precisely there that God’s comfort can be experienced.

For Paul, suffering also acquires a dimension of ministry. God comforts us “so that” we may comfort others. This does not mean that suffering itself is good. Suffering is a consequence of the fallen world. But God can transform even suffering and bring forth from it a ministry of compassion.

Those who have personally received comfort speak differently to people who are suffering. They do not speak down to them. They do not offer quick, cold answers. They know what darkness feels like. But they also know how God’s faithfulness can sustain a person. This is precisely what makes their comfort credible.

Paul also connects comfort with hope. In 2 Corinthians 1:9, he says that he learned not to trust in himself, but in God, who raises the dead. This is a profound thought. In his greatest distress, Paul was reminded of God’s resurrection power. If God can raise the dead, then no situation is truly hopeless.

Paul also emphasizes the importance of prayer. The church was to help through intercession. God’s comfort does not operate in isolation, but often through a praying community. When believers pray for one another, God’s mercy becomes visible in the body of Christ.

The theological core is this: God is not only the Deliverer from distress, but also the Comforter within distress. He uses the comfort we have received to make us instruments of his love. Suffering remains difficult, but in God’s hands it can become a place of spiritual maturity, deeper trust, and compassionate ministry.


🌟 6. Spiritual Reflection

This lesson speaks deeply to our hearts because everyone is familiar with suffering. Some forms of suffering are visible, while others remain hidden. Some wounds are caused by illness or death, while others result from disappointment, guilt, rejection, or inner exhaustion. Paul does not conceal this reality.

This is precisely what makes his words so credible. He does not speak as someone who has only considered comfort theoretically. He speaks as someone who personally experienced how severe affliction can be. He was burdened “beyond measure” and “beyond strength.” This is an astonishingly honest statement.

Such honesty is important. Christians do not need to pretend that they are always strong. Faith does not mean having no tears. Faith means coming to God with our tears. Paul shows that admitting our distress is not a sign of spiritual weakness. Seeking God in our distress is spiritually healthy.

Sometimes God allows our own strength to reach its limits. He does this not to destroy us, but to teach us to trust him more deeply. Paul says that he was no longer to trust in himself, but in God, who raises the dead. Suffering can shake our false securities and lead us closer to God’s power.

This does not mean that all suffering immediately becomes understandable. Some questions remain unanswered. Some pain lasts for a long time. But God’s comfort does not always consist of explaining everything immediately. Often, his comfort consists of giving us his presence, making the next step possible, and keeping hope alive in our hearts.

God’s comfort also changes the way we view others. Those who have personally experienced brokenness become more compassionate. They judge more slowly. They listen more attentively. They understand that people do not always need quick answers, but presence, prayer, patience, and compassion.

This is an important distinction. Genuine comfort is not the same as empty reassurance. Empty reassurance says, “Everything will be fine.” Genuine comfort says, “I am with you, and God is not far away, even in this darkness.” Empty reassurance attempts to dismiss pain quickly. Genuine comfort is willing to share the burden of pain and lovingly direct the suffering person toward Christ.

Paul also shows that the comfort we receive is meant to be passed on. God does not give us experiences only for our own benefit. What we have lived through with him can later help others. A wound touched by God can become a source of compassion.

This is especially important for the church. A church should not only be a place of teaching, but also a place of comfort. People should not feel that they must appear strong there. They should find space to be honest, receive prayer, and experience God’s mercy through fellow believers.

God’s comfort is always connected with Christ. Jesus is the suffering and risen Lord. He knows pain, rejection, loneliness, and death. Therefore, his comfort is not distant. He comforts as one who has personally suffered and, at the same time, has conquered death.

This connection between suffering and resurrection is powerful. Paul was so threatened that he believed his end had come. Yet it was precisely there that he remembered the God who raises the dead. The hope of the resurrection is therefore not merely a subject for the future, but a source of strength for the present.

When we suffer, we may ask ourselves: What does God want to show me about himself through this situation? Whom might I understand better in the future because I have walked this path? How can my pain, in God’s hands, become a ministry of compassion?

This does not make suffering easy, but it gives it a new direction. Nothing we endure with God needs to remain useless. God can transform tears into compassion, fear into trust, weakness into dependence upon him, and comfort into ministry.


🔧 7. Application to Everyday Life

Practical steps:

  • Bring your affliction honestly before God without wearing a religious mask.
  • Seek God’s comfort in prayer, in his Word, and in fellowship with others.
  • Do not rely only on your own strength, but on the God who raises the dead.
  • Remember previous situations in which God sustained you.
  • Pay attention to people who need comfort.
  • Listen patiently to those who are suffering before offering answers.
  • Pass on the comfort that you have personally received from God.
  • Pray specifically for people in distress and let them know that they are not alone.

❓ 8. Reflection Question

What comfort have I received from God that I could share with another person today?


🌟 9. Closing Thought

Paul begins his letter with thanksgiving, even though he had experienced severe affliction. He had come to know God as the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort. This comfort not only strengthened him personally, but also enabled him to encourage others who were suffering. God wastes none of the pain that we entrust to him. He can transform even dark experiences into sources of compassion and ministry. Those who are comforted by God can become living signs of his mercy to others.

“Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble.”
2 Corinthians 1:4 🙏💧🕊✨

Source: https://fulfilleddesire.net/%f0%9f%8c%b1living-faith-%f0%9f%a4%b2-lesson-9-love-driven-ministry-%f0%9f%99%8f-9-1-thanksgiving-%e2%9c%89%ef%b8%8f-first-and-second-corinthians/

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📜BELIEVE HIS PROPHETS | 📖 Bible Study | 08.23.2026 | 🎵 Psalms | 🛡️ Chapter 16 – You Are My Secure Portion

August 22, 2026 By admin

📅 August 23, 2026


📚 BELIEVE HIS PROPHETS

📖 Daily Bible Reading: 🎵 Psalm 16


🛡 You Are My Secure Portion

✨ True security grows from closeness to God


🌐 Read online here


🌅 Introduction

Psalm 16 is a song of trust. David begins by asking God to preserve him, but it quickly becomes clear where his true security lies: not in possessions, influence, or favorable circumstances, but in God himself. The Lord is his greatest good, his portion, his counselor, and his future. The psalm leads from trust in the present life to hope beyond death. For this reason, Psalm 16 is one of the most powerful psalms about security, joy in life, and Messianic hope.

⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯◆⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯

🔍 Commentary

David begins with a simple request: “Preserve me, O God, for in You I put my trust.” This opening sentence already contains the fundamental attitude of the entire psalm. David knows that he cannot fully protect himself. His security grows out of trust.

He then makes a profound confession: “You are my Lord; I have no good apart from You.” With these words, David declares that God is not merely one part of his life. God himself is his highest good. Everything else receives its true value only through a relationship with him.

David also speaks about the saints in the land and the joy he finds in those who take God seriously. A genuine relationship with God does not remain isolated. It connects people with others who seek the same Lord.

By contrast, David warns against the path of those who pursue other gods. Their sorrows will multiply. He refuses to participate in their worship or to take their names reverently upon his lips. His loyalty belongs to the Lord alone.

David then uses an image from the distribution of the land among the Israelites: “The LORD is my chosen portion.” For an Israelite, an inheritance represented a future, provision, and belonging. David is therefore saying: God himself is my true possession.

This statement is remarkable because it shows that spiritual security reaches deeper than material security. Possessions can be lost. Life’s circumstances can change. But those who have God as their portion possess something that no one can take away.

David speaks of the boundary lines that have fallen for him in pleasant places. He is grateful for what God has given him. This attitude stands in contrast to constant comparison and dissatisfaction. Those who recognize God as their greatest treasure can view everything they have received with different eyes.

David goes on to call God his counselor. Even during the night, his inner being is shaped by God’s instruction. For him, genuine guidance does not mean seeking God’s counsel only in times of crisis. His thoughts and decisions are continually influenced by his relationship with God.

Then comes one of the most powerful statements in the psalm: “I have set the LORD always before me; because He is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.” David deliberately directs his attention toward God. The danger is not the focus of his vision—the Lord is.

Joy grows out of this closeness to God. His heart is glad, his whole being rejoices, and even his body can rest securely. Trust in God embraces the whole person—thoughts, emotions, and physical life.

But the psalm goes even further. David says that God will not abandon his soul to the realm of the dead or allow his Holy One to see corruption. These words extend beyond David’s immediate experience.

The New Testament explicitly refers to Psalm 16. Peter in Acts 2 and Paul in Acts 13 apply these words to the resurrection of Jesus Christ. David died and was buried, but Jesus did not remain in the grave. Psalm 16 therefore has a clearly Messianic dimension.

The hope of the psalm is ultimately grounded in Christ. Because Jesus has risen, fellowship with God is stronger than death. The path of life does not end at the grave.

The final verse summarizes this hope beautifully: “You make known to me the path of life; in Your presence there is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” God’s presence is not only our protection in the present—it is the destination of our entire life.

Psalm 16 therefore reveals a complete journey of trust: God preserves, God is enough, God guides, God gives joy, and God opens the way to life beyond death.

⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯◆⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯

📌 Summary

Psalm 16 describes God as David’s greatest security and richest treasure. The Lord is his portion, his counselor, and the firm foundation of his life. Those who keep God before them find inner stability and joy. At the same time, the psalm prophetically points to the resurrection of Jesus and thereby opens a hope that extends beyond death.

⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯◆⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯

💡 Message for Us Today

Our greatest security does not come from having everything in life predictable or protected. True security arises when God himself becomes our portion. When we consciously keep him before us, our worries may not immediately disappear, but they lose their power over our hearts. In Jesus Christ, we also know that our hope does not end at the grave. The risen Lord leads us along the path of life and promises a joy that will become complete in his presence.

⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯◆⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯

💭 Reflection

If my outward securities were taken away, would I still be able to say: “You, Lord, are my portion and my greatest treasure”?

Source: https://fulfilleddesire.net/%f0%9f%93%9cbelieve-his-prophets-%f0%9f%93%96-bible-study-08-23-2026-%f0%9f%8e%b5-psalms-%f0%9f%9b%a1%ef%b8%8f-chapter-16-you-are-my-secure-portion/

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👑 THE KING IS COMING SOON | 08.23.2026 | 🌅 New Mercies Every Morning: Beginning Again with God Today

August 22, 2026 By admin

👑 The King Is Coming Soon – Hope Beyond the End


🌅 August 23 – New Mercies Every Morning: Beginning Again with God Today

Monthly Theme: Sanctification and Character Development – Ready When Jesus Comes
2026 Annual Theme: “Soon the King Will Come – Hope Beyond the End”


📖 Central Bible Text for Today

“Through the LORD’s mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.”
— Lamentations 3:22–23


🌅 Devotional for Today

Every morning is a gift from God. Even before we accomplish anything, before we pray, struggle, or make decisions, God’s mercy meets us. It has not been exhausted by yesterday. It has not diminished because of our failures. It has not been withdrawn because we were weak. God’s mercies are new every morning.

This truth is especially precious on the path of sanctification. Character development does not mean that we never fall, never grow tired, and never need correction. It means that God continually calls us back to Christ. A sanctified life does not grow through pride in our own progress, but through daily dependence on God’s grace.

Sometimes we carry yesterday into the new morning: a thoughtless word, a missed opportunity, an inner defeat, an impatient reaction, or a burden that makes us ashamed. But God does not call us to remain trapped in yesterday. He invites us to come to him anew today—to receive forgiveness anew today, to rise again today, and to continue walking with Christ today.

Being ready when Jesus comes does not mean looking at our own perfection, but trusting in his faithful grace. The coming King does not prepare his people through despair, but through mercy that cleanses and renews the heart. Those who come to Christ every morning will be transformed step by step.

God’s faithfulness is greater than our inconsistency. His patience is deeper than our weakness. His grace is stronger than our guilt. Therefore, we do not need to begin the new day with fear, but with trust: Lord, you are faithful. Your mercies are new today. Shape me on this day as well.

✨ Grace for a New Beginning

God does not give us new mercy so that we may treat sin carelessly, but so that we will not remain trapped in guilt and discouragement. His grace raises us up, cleanses us, and leads us forward. It makes the heart receptive to transformation.

Ellen G. White wrote:

“Consecrate yourself to God in the morning; make this your very first work.”

(Steps to Christ, p. 70)

Every morning can become a new altar of surrender. Not because we are strong, but because God is faithful. Not because yesterday was perfect, but because Christ is near again today.

🌿 Mercy Shapes Character

Those who receive God’s mercy daily will themselves become more merciful. A heart that lives by grace becomes less harsh toward others and more honest with itself. It learns to receive forgiveness and pass it on. It learns to rise again after falling and not to give up.

Ellen G. White wrote:

“Only those who are becoming like Christ can stand when He appears.”

(Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 413)

Christlike character does not grow through cold self-improvement, but through a life sustained by his grace. Those who recognize his mercy become humble, grateful, and willing to be transformed by him.

🕊 Continuing with Christ Today

Perhaps yesterday was difficult. Perhaps you did not respond as you had hoped. Perhaps you prayed and still struggled. Perhaps you feel spiritually weary. Then this morning is God’s invitation: Come back to me.

God does not expect you to begin the journey again alone. He walks with you. His mercy gives you not only forgiveness, but also strength for the next step. Today you may love again. Today you may pray again. Today you may open God’s Word again. Today you may be faithful again.

The coming King wants to prepare a people who live by his grace—a people who do not give up because God’s mercies are new every morning. Therefore, begin this day with hope. God’s faithfulness is great. Christ is near. And today, too, your character can be shaped by his love.


🙏 Prayer

Dear Father in heaven,

Thank you that your mercies are new every morning.

Help me not to remain trapped in yesterday, but to begin again with Christ today.

Forgive me, cleanse my heart, and give me strength for the next step.

Shape my character through your grace and make me grateful, humble, and faithful.

Prepare me for the return of Jesus by helping me grow in your mercy anew each day.

Amen.


💭 Thought for the Day

God’s mercy makes every morning a new invitation to continue walking with Christ.


💡 Personal Application

  1. Read Lamentations 3:22–23 and 1 John 1:9.
    Where do you personally need God’s renewed mercy today?
  2. Pray: “Lord, thank you for your renewed grace on this day.”
  3. Put it into practice: Begin the day intentionally with a brief prayer of surrender, and do not allow guilt or discouragement to continue ruling your heart.

🌺 Closing Verse

“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

Source: https://fulfilleddesire.net/%f0%9f%91%91-the-king-is-coming-soon-08-23-2026-%f0%9f%8c%85-new-mercies-every-morning-beginning-again-with-god-today/

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The Blind Man Healed

August 22, 2026 By admin

Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him. John 9:3.
“And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth. And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?” …
In the question the disciples asked Jesus, they showed that they thought all disease and suffering the result of sin. This is indeed truth, but Jesus showed that it was an error to suppose that everyone who was a great sufferer was also a great sinner. While He corrected their errors, He spat upon the ground and made clay of the spittle, and anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay and said unto him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam, (which is by interpretation, Sent),” and he went his way, and came seeing. Jesus answered the question the disciples put to Him in a practical way, and in the way He usually answered questions put to Him from curiosity. The disciples were not called upon to discuss the question of who had sinned or not sinned but to understand the power of God, His mercy and compassion, in giving sight to the blind. It was that all might be convinced that there was no healing virtue in the clay or in the pool wherein he was sent to wash, but that virtue was in Christ….
The friends and neighbors of the young man who had been healed looked upon him with doubt, for when his eyes were opened, his countenance had been changed and brightened, and made him appear like another man. From one to another the question was passed, “Is it he?” And some said, “It is like him,” but he who had received the great blessing settled the controversy by saying, “I am he.” He then told them of Jesus and by what means Jesus had healed him, and they inquired, “Where is he? He said, I know not. They brought to the Pharisees him that aforetime was blind. And it was the sabbath day when Jesus made the clay, and opened his eyes…. Therefore said some of the Pharisees, This man is not of God, because he keepeth not the sabbath day. Others said, How can a man that is a sinner do such miracles? And there was a division among them.” …
They knew not that it was He who had made the Sabbath, who knew all its obligations, who had healed the man.—Signs of the Times, October 23, 1893.
From the Heart p. 246
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Prayer Requests
—-Please pray for Sherry who had an cerebral aneurysm burst and is in ICU. Rose
—-Please pray for Bruce. He has lost another family member. Ron
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dear Friends,
Mr. Vanderlindy was my fourth-grade teacher. It was the first time we had had a man for a teacher, and we were all a bit intimidated by him at first. Eventually we realized that he was not scary at all. His enthusiasm and pleasant manner won our hearts.
About 3:00 one afternoon when it was the usual time to go home, our usually pleasant teacher stood up in front of the class with a stern look upon his face. Instantly fear crossed our faces. He announced that one of the students was missing his money. It was obvious to Mr. Vanderlindy that someone in that room had taken it. “No one will leave this room until the thief confesses and returns the money.” he declared.
Everyone looked surprised. Each student looked at his fellow classmates. Who could the thief be? A half an hour went by; no one said a word. Four o’clock came. Still, no one came forward to confess. Our teacher was getting more and more upset. He began to shout at us about the fact that no one was leaving that classroom for any reason until someone returned the money. We were getting more and more distressed. Each person looked at all of the others. Who was the thief? Why wouldn’t they confess? We wanted to go home. I began to think about what they must be thinking at home. I lived right across the street from the school. Surely, they must think that I had been kidnapped.
Indeed, that was exactly what they thought. My grandmother told my mother that I was missing. They were both frightened and greatly distressed. Had the thing that they had always feared come true? She went walking around the neighborhood calling my name. No answer. My mother decided that she would see if anyone in the school had seen anything suspicious. The school was deserted but still unlocked. Up to the third floor she climbed to my classroom to see if my teacher just happened to still be there. It was 4:45 PM by this time, almost two hours after I should have been home. She peeked through the long, narrow window that was in the classroom door. There, to her surprise, was a classroom full of students, looking very frightened and distressed.
My mother’s fear, turned to anger and my mother could get very, very angry. She knocked on the door and Mr. Vanderlindy stepped outside. By the time my mother was through “explaining” a few things to my teacher (which we could hear through that thick, wooden door), he meekly told the class that we could go home. We were so relieved. Everyone rushed for the door. I walked home with my mother, telling her all about how scared we had been.
Just as my mother delivered us from a distressing situation, so our Dear Saviour will soon deliver us from the evil one who tries in every way to capture us. Our “adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.” 1 Peter 5:8 In our own strength, we cannot resist him, but by taking hold of our Deliverer’s Powerful Hand, we can escape the snare of the enemy. If we refuse to take hold of the promises of God, we will still be sitting in the devil’s classroom unable to go home. Paul asks, “How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation?” Heb 2:3 To do so would be as foolish as it would have been if I had decided to stay in my classroom when my mother came to rescue me. May we allow our Great Rescuer to save us from the devil who wants to keep us captive is my prayer.
Rose

Source: https://rosesdevotional.org/the-blind-man-healed.html

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Sunday: Thanksgiving

August 22, 2026 By admin

Daily Lesson for Sunday 23rd of August 2026

Read 2 Corinthians 1:3-7. What is the reason for Paul’s attitude of thanksgiving here?

Paul’s thankfulness focuses on the comfort that God provides for those who are suffering. In this passage, the verb parakaleō (to comfort) and the noun paraklēsis (comfort) occur together ten times. This represents one third of all occurrences of these words in 2 Corinthians (29 times). God is portrayed as the “Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation” (2 Corinthians 1:3-4, NKJV).

"Come Unto Me" by Lars Justinen at GoodSalt.com

“Come Unto Me” Image ©Lars Justinen by Lars Justinen of GoodSalt.com

The comfort one receives from God is not to be kept for oneself (2 Corinthians 1:4-5). Only the afflicted heart that became the recipient of God’s consolation is able to impart comfort effectively to those in affliction, too.

Paul could comfort others because he himself, in his sufferings, received comfort from God. “If we are afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation. . . . Or if we are comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation” (2 Corinthians 1:6, NKJV; emphasis supplied). This is love!

What is Paul expressing thanks for in 2 Corinthians 1:8-11?

Paul speaks of trouble “beyond measure, above strength” that made him and his fellow workers fear that the end had come to them (2 Corinthians 1:8). For a moment, they thought the resurrection was their only hope. However, God delivered them, and the scenario changed (2 Corinthians 1:10). From the fear of death (2 Corinthians 1:8), they rise to an implicit hope that God would deliver them once again (2 Corinthians 1:10). God’s victories in the past give us confidence that He will do the same in the future. God uses afflictions to teach us to trust in Him. Hardships can lead us to spiritual maturity, at least to the extent that we allow them to draw us closer to God. Paul’s thanksgiving also displays the power of intercessory prayer and the gratitude we experience because of God’s deliverance (2 Corinthians 1:11).

What have you found helpful in dealing with the suffering that, one way or another, we all face?

<–Sabbath Monday–>

Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/26c-09-thanksgiving/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=26c-09-thanksgiving

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🌙 STILL AWAKE? | 08.22.2026 | 👑 He Is Greater Than I Am

August 22, 2026 By admin

🌙 Still awake?

Every evening, one step closer to Jesus.


📅 August 22


👑 He Is Greater Than I Am


📖 Matthew 3:11

“I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry.”
Matthew 3:11


By now, John had become well known far beyond the wilderness. People from Jerusalem, Judea, and the entire surrounding region came to him, listened to his sermons, confessed their sins, and were baptized in the Jordan. It would have been easy for anyone to be impressed by all this attention. John could have been proud that so many people made the journey into the wilderness because of him. He could have begun enjoying his own importance, building a great movement around himself, or considering himself indispensable.

But John did exactly the opposite. In the middle of his success, he directed attention away from himself and said: “After me comes one who is more powerful than I.” John knew that his ministry was important, but he also knew just as clearly that he was not the center of the story. His task was to prepare the way. The goal was Jesus.

🎯 John Knew His Mission

John knew why God had sent him. He was the forerunner of the Messiah, but he was not the Messiah himself. He could make people aware of their guilt and call them to repentance, but he could not take their guilt away. He could baptize them with water in the Jordan, but he could not renew their hearts through his own power. He could point them toward the right path, but Jesus himself was the way.

This is precisely where John’s humility becomes visible. Humility does not mean thinking badly about yourself or belittling your abilities. John did not say: “I am useless and can do nothing.” On the contrary, he preached courageously, faithfully fulfilled his mission, and allowed neither religious leaders nor powerful people to intimidate him. At the same time, he knew that his importance had limits. He was God’s servant, but Jesus was the Lord.

True humility therefore means seeing yourself as God sees you: neither more important nor less valuable than you truly are. John knew his place and did not need to try to take the place that belonged to Jesus.

📱 The Desire to Be the Center of Attention

Our world does not make it easy for us to think this way. So much revolves around being seen. We share our most beautiful pictures, talk about exciting experiences, and post our achievements. We watch how many people react to what we have shared and quickly compare ourselves with others. Perhaps it hurts when someone seems more popular, attractive, athletic, or successful. Perhaps we secretly wonder why others receive more attention than we do.

The desire for recognition is human. It becomes a problem when it begins to control our hearts. Then we no longer do things primarily because they are right, but because we want other people to notice them. We help while simultaneously hoping for praise. We talk about our successes but prefer to hide our mistakes. This desire can even conceal itself within our service for God. A person can speak about Jesus while secretly hoping that the listeners will mainly admire the speaker.

John could easily have said: “Look how many people are being changed through my ministry!” Instead, he essentially said: “Do not look at me. Look at the one who is coming after me.” His success did not make Jesus smaller. On the contrary, John used his influence to make Jesus greater.

👟 Not Even the Sandals

John went even further. He said about Jesus: “I am not worthy to carry his sandals.” At that time, carrying or untying someone’s sandals was considered one of the lowest forms of service. With these words, John was not claiming that he was worthless as a human being. He wanted to make clear just how great Jesus is.

To many people at that time, Jesus appeared to be nothing more than a man from Nazareth. He wore no crown, was not accompanied by soldiers, and possessed no palace. But John knew that behind this outward simplicity stood an incomparable reality: the Son of God had come to live among humanity. The King of heaven was living in the middle of his creation. The sinless One had come to save sinners.

When you truly recognize the greatness of Jesus, you no longer need to make yourself appear artificially important. You do not need to keep proving how important you are when you know to whom you belong. You do not need to be the center of attention when Jesus is at the center of your life. His greatness does not take away your value. On the contrary, precisely because you belong to him, you can know how valuable you are.

🌟 A Signpost Is Not the Destination

Imagine a road sign pointing toward a city. The sign is important. Without it, some people might take the wrong road. Nevertheless, no one would stop in front of the sign and say: “At last, I have arrived!” The sign is not the destination. Its purpose is to point toward the destination.

This is how John understood his ministry. He was a signpost. His sermons, his way of life, and his baptism were meant to prepare people to meet Jesus. If people had ended up admiring only John, he would have failed in his mission.

Your life can also become such a signpost. You do not need to be a pastor or a missionary, nor do you have to speak before a large crowd. Perhaps your life points to Jesus when you remain honest even though others cheat. Perhaps it happens when you refuse to laugh at someone whom everyone else mocks, when you apologize after doing something wrong, or when you calmly explain why your faith is important to you. Perhaps a friend hears about God’s love for the first time because you listen and pray for them.

The decisive question is not: “Do people admire me?” Far more important is: “Does my life help them see Jesus?”

❤ Jesus Is More Than an Example

John did not merely say that Jesus was a better teacher or a greater prophet. Jesus was incomparably greater because he could do something no human being is capable of doing. John could call people to repentance; Jesus could grant forgiveness. John could baptize with water; Jesus could renew a heart through the Holy Spirit. John could announce the coming King; Jesus was that King.

Even today, some people see Jesus primarily as a good man or a teacher of love. Of course, Jesus is our perfect example. But if he were only an example, we would have a serious problem. An example can show you how you should live, but it cannot bear your guilt. An example can show you what is right, but it cannot give new life to your heart.

You therefore need more than better rules or a higher moral ideal. You need forgiveness. You need a renewed heart. You need someone who can act on your behalf where you cannot save yourself. You need Jesus.

🙌 When Others Are More Successful

Later, John would see more and more people going to Jesus. Some of his own disciples became uneasy because of this. They saw that people’s attention was shifting away from their teacher and toward Jesus. John could have become jealous. He could have thought: “After everything I have done, the people are simply leaving and going to him.”

But John reacted in a completely different way. He said: “He must become greater; I must become less.” This was precisely what John had been working toward. When people followed Jesus, John’s mission had not failed—it had been fulfilled.

How do you react when someone else succeeds? When a friend receives a better grade, someone else is praised for an achievement, or another person receives more attention? Can you rejoice with them, or do you immediately feel that this somehow makes you less valuable?

Jealousy often grows from the fear that another person’s success takes something away from us. But your value does not depend on whether you are better than others. Your loving Father sees you, knows your gifts, and knows the task he has given you. He does not demand that you surpass someone else. He invites you to be faithful to him with what he has entrusted to you.

🪞 Who Is Sitting on the Throne?

John described Jesus as the more powerful one. But it is possible to call Jesus King with our lips while still wanting to sit on the throne of our own lives. We pray: “Your will be done,” but sometimes we secretly mean: “As long as your will fits my plans.”

We say that Jesus is our Lord, but when it comes to our relationships, free time, habits, or future plans, we would prefer to make all the decisions ourselves. Yet Jesus does not want to take away your joy in life. He is not a harsh king who uses his power to keep people down. He is the King who was willing to go to the cross for his people. That is precisely why you can trust him.

The most important question this evening is therefore not merely: “Is Jesus greater than John?” We already know the answer. The more personal question is: “May Jesus also become greater in my life?” May his voice become more important than the opinions of others? May his Word determine what is right and wrong? May he correct your plans and show you which habits you should let go of? May he truly be King?

🕯 Less of Me—More of Jesus

“Less of me” does not mean that you should lose your personality. God does not want to create colorless people who all think, speak, and act in exactly the same way. He has given you your own personality, abilities, and gifts. These things are valuable. The decisive question is simply what you use them for.

Perhaps you can sing well. Then you can use your voice not only so that people will admire you, but also to give them hope. Perhaps you are good at writing. Then your words can encourage people and point them toward Jesus. Perhaps you are athletic. Then you can demonstrate what fairness, respect, and Christian character look like. Perhaps you are especially good at listening. Then that very ability can become a gift from God to someone who feels lonely.

You do not need to become less valuable for Jesus to become greater. When Jesus is at the center, you discover what your abilities were truly meant for. John lost nothing by pointing people toward Jesus. In doing so, he fulfilled his mission.

Perhaps your greatest significance will ultimately not be found in having as many people as possible know your name. Perhaps it will be found in people coming to know the name of Jesus through your life.


💭 Think About It

In which situations do you especially want to be seen or praised? How do you react when someone else is more successful or receives more attention? Is there an area of your life in which you call Jesus your King but still want to make all the decisions yourself?


🌟 Challenge for Tomorrow

Tomorrow, intentionally do something good without telling anyone about it. Perhaps you can help someone, encourage someone, quietly complete a task, or pray for a person who currently needs support. Let it be a quiet act of service that perhaps only your loving Father knows about.

As you do it, pray: “Jesus, I do not need to be the center of attention today. Let something of you become visible through my life.”


🙏 Prayer

Dear Father,

Thank you that Jesus is greater, stronger, and more wonderful than any human being. Thank you that I do not need to make myself appear important because I can know that I belong to you.

Forgive me when I want to be the center of attention too often, when I compare myself with others, or when I become jealous because someone else receives more attention. You know my desire for recognition and how quickly I make my value depend on what other people think of me.

Help me not to base my identity on praise, success, or attention, but on your love. Let Jesus become greater in my life. May his words be more important than my desires, his love stronger than my pride, and his will more precious than my own plans.

Use my abilities, my words, and my decisions so that others can see something of Jesus. Teach me to rejoice sincerely in the good things happening in other people’s lives and to serve you faithfully even when no one praises me for it.

Like John, I do not want to point to myself, but to Jesus.

Amen.


🌙 Sleep well.

You do not need to be the center of attention to be valuable. Your loving Father knows you, loves you, and rejoices when your life points toward Jesus.

See you tomorrow.

Source: https://fulfilleddesire.net/%f0%9f%8c%99-still-awake-08-22-2026-%f0%9f%91%91-he-is-greater-than-i-am/

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📘Sabbath School with Pastor Mark Finley | 🤲 Lesson 9: Love-driven Ministry | ✉️ First and Second Corinthians | 3/2026

August 22, 2026 By admin

Series: ✉ FIRST AND SECOND CORINTHIANS with Pastor Mark Finley

🤲 Lesson 9: Love-driven Ministry
🕊 Moved by God’s comfort toward sincere and reconciling ministry

Introduction:

In Lesson 9, we see how Paul understood his ministry to the Corinthians as flowing from the love of Christ. He had personally experienced severe affliction, but it was precisely in that suffering that he experienced God’s comfort. This comfort was not merely a source of personal strength for him, but became a source from which he could comfort others. His love was also revealed through sincerity, integrity, and a willingness to make decisions for the good of the church. Paul did not seek his own advantage, but the healing, forgiveness, and spiritual restoration of the believers. This lesson invites us to carry out our ministry sincerely, compassionately, and with our whole focus on Christ.


Content:

🙏 9.1 Thanksgiving
💧 Comforted by God in order to comfort others

Paul begins this section with thanksgiving because he had experienced God as the “Father of mercies” and the “God of all comfort.” His suffering was not insignificant, but so severe that at times he even despaired of life itself. Yet it was precisely in this affliction that Paul learned not to trust in himself, but in God, who can even raise the dead. The comfort he received did not end with him, but became a ministry to others who were suffering. Paul thus shows that God can use our difficult experiences to make us more mature, compassionate, and helpful to others. Gratitude grows when we recognize God’s deliverance and continue to trust in his faithfulness for the future.


🪞 9.2 Simplicity and Sincerity
🤍 Genuine love acts openly, honestly, and with pure motives

Paul shows that love not only comforts, but also acts with integrity and sincerity. Although some of the Corinthians questioned his motives, he could say with a clear conscience that his conduct was characterized by sincerity and God’s grace. He sought neither personal advantage nor manipulative influence, but wanted to communicate with the church clearly, honestly, and understandably. True spiritual leadership therefore requires not only zeal, but also purity of motive and transparent communication. This attitude reminds us to be cautious when judging the intentions of others. Love does not blindly believe everything, but neither does it hastily assume evil motives where sincerity may be present.


🧭 9.3 Changing Plans for Love
💛 Love does not seek to protect its own image, but the spiritual well-being of others

Paul changed his travel plans not because he was unreliable or lacked love, but precisely because he cared about the Corinthians. Another immediate visit would probably have intensified the tensions and caused the church more pain than help. Paul therefore decided to write a serious letter instead, allowing room for repentance, clarification, and healing. His love was not demonstrated by stubbornly carrying out his original plans, but by placing the spiritual well-being of the church above his own reputation. At the same time, he reminded the Corinthians that God’s faithfulness in Christ remains firm and dependable. True love is willing to change its plans when doing so protects, strengthens, and leads people closer to Christ.


🤝 9.4 Forgiveness and Reaffirmation of Love
🌿 Correction with the goal of forgiveness and restoration

Paul shows that genuine love does not ignore sin, but neither does it abandon the sinner. The “tearful letter” had led the Corinthians to repentance and demonstrated that painful admonition can bear fruit when it comes from love. However, after the offender had been corrected, the church was not to continue crushing him, but to forgive him and reaffirm its love for him. Biblical correction never seeks to shame people permanently, but to lead them back to Christ. A church therefore needs both truth and mercy, clarity regarding sin, and open arms for the repentant. Those who have personally experienced God’s love will learn not only to admonish others, but also to help them rise again.


🏆 9.5 Triumph in Christ
✝ Christ leads his ministry to victory despite worry and pain

Paul was inwardly troubled as he waited for news from Titus and for the Corinthians’ response. Nevertheless, he did not remain silent, but continued proclaiming the gospel of Christ in Troas. When he later heard about the positive effect of his letter, he thanked God, who “always leads us in triumph in Christ.” For Paul, true victory was not personal success, but that Christ was made known, the church was strengthened, and hearts were led to repentance. At the same time, he emphasized that true proclamation does not arise from self-interest, but is carried out sincerely before God and out of love for Christ. This attitude also challenges us to ask whether our ministry is shaped by self-interest or by the desire for Jesus to become visible through us.


📌 9.6 Summary
🔥 Sustained by God’s comfort and led into ministry through love

Lesson 9 shows that genuine ministry grows from the love of Christ and is sustained even through suffering, worry, and pain. Paul thanks God because he comforted him in his affliction, and that comfort can now benefit others. His love for the Corinthians was demonstrated through integrity, sincerity, and a willingness to change his plans so that he would not place an unnecessary burden on the church. Even correction did not come from harshness, but pursued the goal of forgiveness, restoration, and a renewed affirmation of love. Despite his inner distress, Paul remained a faithful proclaimer of Christ and rejoiced when God’s work bore fruit. We thus learn that ministry motivated by love is sincere, comforting, reconciling, and entirely centered on Christ.

Source: https://fulfilleddesire.net/%f0%9f%93%98sabbath-school-with-pastor-mark-finley-%f0%9f%a4%b2-lesson-9-love-driven-ministry-%e2%9c%89%ef%b8%8f-first-and-second-corinthians-3-2026/

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Filed Under: Adventist Sermons & Video Clips, Fulfilled Desire, Sabbath School

Erton Köhler on What the New Generation Needs

August 22, 2026 By admin



Every generation seems to have the same struggle for identity. What miracles might happen if this new generation found its identity in Christ, bringing together purpose and faith? Would you share some encouraging words for Gen Z below? Source: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/D4y8ImEuQDk

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