The Biblical Person of the Day

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Elkanah – the man who faithfully went to Shiloh

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Profile

• Name: Elkanah
• Time of birth: the period of the judges
• Place of birth: probably Ramathaim-Zophim in the hill country of Ephraim
• Time of death: unknown
• Age: unknown
• Occupation: family man, husband of Hannah and Peninnah

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Short Story

Elkanah lived during the period of the judges and was a man from the hill country of Ephraim. He is best known as Hannah’s husband and Samuel’s father.

Year after year, Elkanah went with his family to Shiloh to worship the Lord and offer sacrifices. This habit shows that worship held a permanent place in his life.

However, his family was not free from pain. Elkanah had two wives: Hannah and Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah remained childless for a long time.

This situation brought much suffering into the household. Peninnah hurt Hannah, and Hannah suffered deeply because of her unfulfilled longing for a child.

Elkanah loved Hannah especially and tried to comfort her. Yet his comfort could not completely take away her pain.

After Hannah poured out her heart before God in Shiloh, Samuel was later born. Elkanah supported Hannah’s vow and walked alongside her when Samuel was dedicated to the Lord.

His story shows that faithfulness in everyday life matters. It also makes clear that love must listen and take another person’s pain seriously, even when it cannot fully resolve it.

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The Decisive Moment

Elkanah supported Hannah’s journey of faith and accepted that Samuel would be dedicated to the Lord.

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7 Special Things About Elkanah

1. He lived during the period of the judges
2. He came from the hill country of Ephraim
3. He went to Shiloh every year to worship God
4. He was the husband of Hannah and Peninnah
5. He loved Hannah especially
6. He became Samuel’s father
7. He supported Hannah’s decision to dedicate Samuel to the Lord

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Strengths & Weaknesses

faithful in worship
caring
devoted to his family
supported Hannah’s journey of faith
his family structure created tension
he did not always fully understand Hannah’s pain

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The Mistake That Shaped Him

Elkanah loved Hannah, but he could not fully understand her deep pain over being childless.
His story shows that love must not only comfort, but also take the other person’s pain seriously.

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Key Verse

“Year after year this man went up from his town to worship and sacrifice to the Lord of hosts at Shiloh.” (1 Samuel 1:3)

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The Life Lesson

Faithfulness in faith and support within the family can create an important space in which hope can grow.

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Application for Today

Be faithful in your faith and attentive to the pain of the people close to you.

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A Question for You

Who can you not only comfort today, but truly take seriously and walk alongside?

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Context

Elkanah lived during the period of the judges, shortly before Samuel appeared as a prophet and judge of Israel.

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Connection

Elkanah was Hannah’s husband and Samuel’s father, one of Israel’s most important prophets.

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Conclusion:

Elkanah shows that faithful habits, family support, and a lived-out faith can create an important setting for God’s work.

See you tomorrow with the next biblical person!

The Story of His Life

The Life Story of Elkanah – Faithfulness, Family, and a Child of Promise

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A Man from the Hill Country of Ephraim

Elkanah lived in Ramathaim-Zophim in the hill country of Ephraim. He belonged to a time when Israel was often spiritually and socially unstable.

Many people followed their own ways, but Elkanah remained committed to the habit of regularly going to Shiloh. The sanctuary was there, and there he offered sacrifices before the Lord.

His life is not described through great events, yet his faithfulness in worship shows that faith was not only occasionally important to him, but had a permanent place in the yearly rhythm of his family.

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A Family with Inner Tension

Elkanah had two wives, Hannah and Peninnah. This family structure created great tension because Peninnah had children, while Hannah remained childless.

At that time, childlessness was often associated with deep shame, social pressure, and personal pain for a woman. Hannah suffered especially because of it.

Peninnah used this situation to hurt Hannah. As a result, family life became difficult for Hannah year after year.

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Hannah’s Pain

Elkanah loved Hannah deeply and gave her a special portion during the sacrificial meal. He wanted to show her that she was precious to him even without children.

Yet Hannah’s pain could not simply be removed through kind words or visible affection. Her longing for a child was deep and remained.

Elkanah asked her whether he was not worth more to her than ten sons. These words showed his love, but also that he could not fully grasp the depth of her inner pain.

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The Journey to Shiloh

Year after year, Elkanah went with his family to Shiloh. For Hannah, that place became not only a place of worship, but also a place where her distress became especially visible.

One day she could no longer bear it and prayed in tears. She poured out her heart before God and made a vow.

Elkanah was not at the center of that prayer, but his faithful journey to Shiloh created the setting in which Hannah could experience that decisive moment before God.

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The Birth of Samuel

God answered Hannah, and she became the mother of a son. She named him Samuel because she had asked the Lord for him.

For Elkanah, this birth brought great joy. The son Hannah had long desired became a special gift to their family.

Yet Samuel’s birth was also connected to Hannah’s vow. This child was to belong to the Lord.

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A Father Who Had to Let Go

When Samuel was old enough, Hannah brought him to Shiloh to dedicate him there to the Lord. Elkanah supported this path and did not oppose Hannah’s decision.

This also meant letting go for him. Samuel was not only Hannah’s son, but his son as well. Yet Elkanah accepted that this child had a special calling.

Through this willingness, he became part of a story that reached far beyond his own family.

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The Importance of His Faithfulness

The Bible does not describe Elkanah through great speeches or extraordinary heroic deeds. His importance lies more in his steady faithfulness and in his role within the family from which Samuel came.

He was not the prophet, not the judge, and not the main character of the story. Yet his life formed an important background for God’s work in Hannah and Samuel.

Sometimes significance does not consist in standing at the center, but in faithfully creating the space in which others can find their way with God.

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The Lasting Message of His Life

Elkanah shows that faithful habits and family support are important. His story makes clear that a person cannot always solve everything, but can still accompany, support, and remain steadfast in faith.

It also reminds us that love must learn to take another person’s pain seriously, even when it does not fully understand it.

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Final Thought

Elkanah was a man who went to Shiloh year after year and led his family into the presence of God. He loved Hannah and became the father of Samuel, a man who would play a decisive role in shaping Israel.

His life shows that quiet faithfulness and support in the background can have great importance.

His life story shows that whoever remains faithful in faith and walks alongside others can become part of a story greater than their own life.

Source: https://fulfilleddesire.net/%f0%9f%91%a4-the-biblical-person-of-the-day-07-20-2026-%f0%9f%99%8f-elkanah-the-man-who-faithfully-went-to-shiloh/

FIRST AND SECOND CORINTHIANS

Lesson 4: Sin in the Church

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4.2 Dealing with Scandals

Correction with the Goal of Restoration

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1. Introduction

In 1 Corinthians 5, Paul shows that a church must not respond with indifference to open and serious sin. The scandal in Corinth was not only the sin of one individual, but also the wrong attitude of the entire congregation. Instead of sorrow, prayer, and spiritual responsibility, the church displayed pride and false tolerance. Paul therefore uses very serious words because the situation threatened the purity, identity, and credibility of the church. Nevertheless, his goal is not revenge or destruction, but repentance and restoration. Biblical correction is always serious, but it should be carried out in love and lead the person back to God.

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2. The Biblical Foundation

Paul writes:

“And you are arrogant! Ought you not rather to mourn? Let him who has done this be removed from among you.” 1 Corinthians 5:2

Then he says:

“Deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord.” 1 Corinthians 5:5

Paul continues with a warning:

“A little leaven leavens the whole lump.” 1 Corinthians 5:6

And at the end he commands:

“Purge the evil person from among you.” 1 Corinthians 5:13

These verses show that Paul calls for clear correction, but with the goal of bringing the sinner to his senses and leading him to salvation.

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3. Connection to Our Time

Churches today also find it difficult to deal properly with scandals, especially those involving sexuality, abuse of power, or public sin. Some want to conceal such matters out of fear of conflict. Others react harshly, without love, or with self-righteousness. Paul shows a different way: sin must not be minimized, but the sinner must not be treated as though there is no hope. The church must reflect both the truth of God and the saving love of Christ. Especially in a time when “acceptance” is often valued more highly than holiness, the church needs courage, wisdom, and humility in dealing with sin.

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4. Central Message of the Lesson

The church must take serious and open sin seriously in order to lead the sinner to repentance, protect the community, and visibly preserve God’s holiness.

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5. Theological Focus

The central idea of this lesson is that biblical church discipline does not arise from harshness, but from spiritual responsibility. Paul does not view the sin in Corinth as a private matter that concerns no one else. It affects the entire church because it is publicly known and tolerated by the congregation.

Paul demands that the man be removed from the church. This may sound harsh to modern ears, but it shows how seriously sin must be taken when it is openly practiced and not repented of. The church must not pretend that everything is fine when God’s Word is being clearly violated.

The expression “delivered to Satan” means that the man is placed outside the protective sphere of the church. He is meant to recognize the consequences of the path he has chosen. Anyone who deliberately lives outside obedience to God also places himself outside the spiritual protection offered by fellowship with Christ and His church.

Yet Paul also states the goal: “so that the spirit may be saved.” This is crucial. Correction is not meant to destroy, but to save. It is intended to awaken the person so that he recognizes where his path is leading and returns to God.

Here we see the serious love of God. God takes sin seriously because it destroys people. A love that ignores sin is not saving love. It allows a person to continue along a dangerous path. Biblical love warns, corrects, and calls people to repentance.

Paul uses the image of leaven. A little leaven leavens the whole lump. In this way, he shows that tolerated sin has a spiritual effect on the entire church. When serious sin is publicly known and not corrected, it changes the thinking of the community.

The church may begin to think: sin is not really so serious. God’s standards are not that important. Love means tolerating everything. This is exactly the attitude Paul wanted to prevent. The church was not to be shaped by false tolerance, but by Christ, truth, and holiness.

It is important to note that Paul is not saying Christians may no longer have contact with sinful people outside the church. Otherwise, they would have to leave the world. He is speaking about someone who calls himself a brother while deliberately living in open sin. In such a case, the church must preserve spiritual clarity.

The theological focus, therefore, is the connection between holiness and restoration. God’s goal is a holy church, but also the salvation of the fallen person. Correction without love becomes harsh. Love without correction becomes dangerous. The gospel brings both together.

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6. Spiritual Deepening

This lesson challenges us to reflect on how we deal with sin. Many people are afraid of correction because they have had bad experiences with harshness, control, or condemnation. Yet Paul shows that biblical correction must be different. It is not carried out to shame someone, but to save them.

At the same time, it is dangerous to reject every form of correction out of fear of abuse. A church that never corrects often leaves people alone in their sin. It may appear kind, but it loses its spiritual responsibility.

Paul wants the church to grieve. This sorrow is important because it protects against self-righteousness. A person who grieves over sin does not see it as an opportunity to place himself above others, but as a reason to humble himself before God. A church that corrects others must itself remain under the cross.

We must never forget that every one of us needs grace. No one can stand before God by their own strength. Therefore, correction must never be carried out with arrogance. It must come from people who understand: I too live only by the mercy of God.

Nevertheless, grace must not be confused with indifference. Christ did not die so that sin could be minimized, but so that people could be set free from it. When we tolerate sin that God calls destructive, we contradict the purpose of the cross.

Dealing with scandals requires great wisdom. It requires prayer, spiritual leadership, clarity, protection for those affected, and the courage to speak the truth. Especially in serious cases, the church must not conceal or downplay what has happened. Truth is part of healing.

At the same time, the way back must remain open when genuine repentance takes place. Paul’s goal is restoration. When a person recognizes their sin, repents, and turns away from it, the church should not reject them permanently, but forgive, support, and help them.

This balance is difficult, but necessary. Some churches are too quick to exclude and condemn. Others are too quick to minimize sin and show false leniency. The gospel calls us to a path that is both holy and merciful.

A scandal in the church is always painful. It can destroy trust and hurt many people. That is why it is important for the church to act transparently, spiritually, and responsibly. The goal is not to protect its reputation, but to uphold truth, bring healing, and honor God.

This lesson also reminds us how serious our personal lives are. My decisions do not affect only me. They can influence my family, my church, and my testimony. Therefore, I need daily closeness to Christ and the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

The best protection against public sin is an honest life before God in private. Anyone who regularly examines their heart, confesses sin, and seeks help before problems grow protects both themselves and others from great harm.

Paul therefore does not call us to fear, but to spiritual vigilance. A church should be a place of grace, but precisely for that reason it must also be a place of truth. People should not be affirmed in their sin there, but renewed in Christ.

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7. Application in Daily Life

Practical steps:

• Take open and destructive sin seriously without becoming self-righteous.
• Pray for wisdom before addressing difficult situations.
• Do not confuse love with tolerating sin.
• Do not confuse correction with lovelessness or control.
• When dealing with personal guilt, seek help, prayer, and spiritual guidance early.
• Protect the church and those affected through clear and responsible action.
• Keep the path to restoration open when genuine repentance takes place.
• Ask God for a church that holds truth, grace, and holiness together.

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8. Reflection Question

How can I help my church take sin seriously while also remaining a place of grace, healing, and restoration?

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9. Final Thought

Paul shows that dealing with scandals in the church requires clear spiritual responsibility. Open and unrepentant sin must not be tolerated out of false tolerance, because it endangers both the individual and the entire church. Yet biblical correction never aims to destroy people, but to lead them to repentance and salvation. A church that belongs to Christ must hold truth and love together. It must take sin seriously, but it must not leave the sinner without hope. When correction is carried out in the spirit of Christ, it can become a path toward restoration.

“So that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord.” 1 Corinthians 5:5

Source: https://fulfilleddesire.net/%f0%9f%8c%b1living-faith-%e2%9a%a0%ef%b8%8f-lesson-4-sin-in-the-church-%f0%9f%a7%ad-4-2-dealing-with-scandals-%e2%9c%89%ef%b8%8f-first-and-second-corinthians/

July 20, 2026

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BELIEVE HIS PROPHETS

Daily Bible Reading: Job 24

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When Justice Is Delayed

Why does God not intervene immediately?

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Read online here

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Introduction

Job continues his response and reflects on a difficult question: Why does God allow injustice to seemingly go unpunished? He describes the suffering of the oppressed and the success of violent people. Job chapter 24 reveals the honest struggle of a person who does not doubt God’s justice but does not understand its timing.

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Commentary

Job begins by asking why God does not appoint fixed times for judgment, so that people may clearly recognize His justice. He wonders why so many crimes seem to remain without immediate consequences.

He then describes many examples of injustice. Powerful people move boundary stones, steal flocks, and take away the possessions of the weak. Orphans and widows are exploited, while the poor are driven from their land and deprived of their means of survival.

Job vividly portrays the misery of the needy. They are forced to work in the fields of others, go hungry despite their hard labor, and sleep without sufficient clothing or shelter. While others live in abundance, they struggle simply to survive.

He then turns his attention to people who deliberately choose evil. He mentions murderers, adulterers, and thieves who seek the darkness of night to hide their deeds. They believe they can remain unseen and escape responsibility.

Yet Job does not claim that God approves of evil. He knows that God sees everything and that, ultimately, no one escapes His judgment. His difficulty is that this judgment is often not immediately visible. Reality seems to contradict the simplistic explanations offered by his friends.

In this way, Job makes it clear that God’s justice does not operate according to human expectations of time. God’s patience does not mean that He is indifferent to injustice. His judgment will come at the appointed time.

Job remains honest before God with all his questions. He does not ignore the suffering in this world, nor does he settle for superficial answers. This is precisely what makes his faith credible.

Job chapter 24 reminds us that we live in a fallen world where not every injustice is punished immediately. Nevertheless, God remains the righteous Judge who sees everything and will one day establish perfect justice.

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Summary

Job 24 describes the suffering of the oppressed and the apparent success of the wicked. Job asks why God’s judgment is often delayed, yet he continues to hold firmly to the truth that God sees everything and will judge justly.

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Message for Us Today

Even when injustice appears to go unpunished, nothing escapes God’s notice. His patience is not indifference. He sees the suffering of the weak and will act with perfect justice in His time. Until then, we are called to live justly, mercifully, and faithfully.

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Reflection

Do you trust that God acts justly even when His intervention seems delayed?

Source: https://fulfilleddesire.net/%f0%9f%93%9cbelieve-his-prophets-%f0%9f%93%96-bible-study-07-20-2026-%f0%9f%99%8f-job-%e2%9a%96%ef%b8%8f-chapter-24-when-justice-is-delayed/

The King Is Coming Soon – Hope Beyond the End

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July 20 – God’s People in the Last Days: Light in a Dark World

Theme of the Month: The Three Angels’ Messages – The Final Message of Grace
Theme of the Year 2026: “Soon the King Is Coming – Hope Beyond the End”

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Key Bible Verse for the Day

“Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.”
— Revelation 14:12

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Devotional for the Day

The book of Revelation describes God’s people in the last days not primarily by outward greatness, human influence, or visible power. They are not characterized by wealth, popularity, or political strength, but by faithfulness. God’s people keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. They remain steadfast, patient, and clear while the world becomes increasingly marked by confusion, false worship, and spiritual uncertainty.

This is a serious yet deeply hopeful description. In the last days, God will have a people who belong to Him. Not a perfect people through their own strength, but a people purified, guided, and preserved by Christ. People who may be weak but who hold firmly to Jesus. People who do not depend on themselves but on the grace of God. People who love God’s truth and, at the same time, reveal the spirit of Christ.

God’s people in the last days are called to be light. This light does not consist only of correct words, but of a life that reflects God’s character. In a world filled with harshness, God’s people are to show mercy. In a world filled with lies, they are to live the truth. In a world filled with fear, they are to radiate hope. In a world filled with compromise, they are to remain faithful.

Yet this calling must not make us proud. Those who truly understand what it means to belong to God’s people will be humble. No one belongs to God because they are better than others. We belong to Him because Christ has called, forgiven, and accepted us. The final church is not a monument to human achievement, but a testimony to divine grace.

The three angels’ messages show that God’s people have a mission. They are to proclaim the everlasting gospel, call people to true worship, warn against spiritual confusion, and make faithfulness to Christ visible. But this mission can be fulfilled only when the message first reaches their own hearts. God’s people must live what they proclaim.

A Faithful People

Faithfulness is one of the distinguishing characteristics of God’s people. This faithfulness is revealed not only in great trials but also in everyday life. It is shown by taking God’s Word seriously, even when others weaken or relativize it. It is shown by following Christ, even when the path is uncomfortable. It is shown by remaining truthful, patient, and loving.

Ellen G. White wrote:

“God will have a people upon the earth to maintain the Bible, and the Bible only, as the standard of all doctrines and the basis of all reforms.”

(The Great Controversy, p. 595)

This faithfulness to Scripture is not a sign of harshness, but of trust. Those who love God’s Word trust that His ways are better than human opinions and that His truth provides safe guidance.

A People Who Reflect the Character of Christ

God’s final people are not only to know the truth but also to reflect the character of Christ. Truth without love can easily become cold. Love without truth can easily become powerless. Christ unites both perfectly. Therefore, His people are to be clear in their message and gentle in spirit.

Ellen G. White wrote:

“Christ is waiting with longing desire for the manifestation of Himself in His church.”

(Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 69)

This means that the world should recognize something of Jesus in God’s people. Not only teachings about Jesus, but also His patience, humility, purity, love, and faithfulness.

A People with a Message of Grace

God’s people in the last days carry a serious message, but they must not share it in a harsh spirit. The three angels’ messages are the final message of grace. Therefore, they must also be proclaimed in the spirit of grace.

People need truth, but they need truth presented with the heart of Christ. They need warning, but warning given with tears. They need clarity, but clarity without pride. They need a testimony that not only sounds right but is supported by a transformed life.

When God’s people truly reflect Christ, the message becomes credible. Then the world will not only hear that the King is coming soon but will also see something of His kingdom: truth, justice, mercy, and hope.

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Prayer

Dear Father in heaven,

thank You that in the last days You have a people who belong to You.

Help me to live humbly rather than proudly, because everything is by grace.

Make me faithful to Your Word and steadfast in the faith of Jesus.

May my character be shaped by Christ, so that my life makes Your message credible.

Use me as a light in this world and prepare me for the return of the King.

Amen.

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Thought for the Day

God’s people in the last days will not be recognized by human greatness, but by faithfulness to God’s Word and by the character of Christ.

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Personal Application

1. Read Revelation 14:12 and Matthew 5:14–16.
   How can your life be a light to others today?
2. Pray: “Lord, shape me into a faithful witness of Your grace.”
3. Practical step: Deliberately choose one specific action today through which Christ can be seen in your character.

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Closing Verse

“You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.”
— Matthew 5:14

Source: https://fulfilleddesire.net/%f0%9f%91%91-the-king-is-coming-soon-07-20-2026-%f0%9f%95%af%ef%b8%8fgods-people-in-the-last-days-light-in-a-dark-world/