Closer To Heaven
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Comments of the Week July 20-26 “Absolutely NOT. Let the love of Jesus in our being and how we compassionately relate to the world draw people to Jesus, NOT a cruel, arrogant insistence on being ‘right’ at the expense of a budding relationship.” –Marion Duncan on Should Adventists Witness About the State of the Dead […] Source: https://atoday.org/comments-of-the-week-july-20-26/
Still awake?
July 26
God Sees More in You
Matthew 1:18“Mary … was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit.”
Matthew 1:18
How do other people see you?
As athletic?
As shy?
As popular?
Or perhaps as someone who is often overlooked?
Most people probably saw Mary as nothing more than a young girl from Nazareth.
Nothing special.
Not a princess.
Not a famous person.
But God saw more.
He saw a heart that trusted Him.
That is why He entrusted Mary with the greatest gift this world has ever received.
This reminds me of something important:
God does not look first at your age.
Not at your grades.
Not at your appearance.
Not at the number of your followers.
He looks at your heart.
Perhaps you sometimes feel too small, too insignificant, or not good enough.
But God writes history with people who are willing to trust Him.
Perhaps no one sees what is inside you.
But your loving Father sees it.
He knows your strengths.
He knows your dreams.
And He knows what He intends to do with your life.
You are not an accident to Him.
You are wanted.
Loved.
And precious.
Think About ItWhat do you base your worth on?
And what changes when you believe that God sees you through His eyes?
PrayerDear Father,
thank You for knowing me and loving me.
Thank You that my worth does not depend on what others think about me.
Help me to see myself through Your eyes and to trust that You have a good plan for my life.
I want to give You my heart.
Amen.
Sleep well.
Your loving Father sees more in you than you can see in yourself.
See you tomorrow.
Source: https://fulfilleddesire.net/%f0%9f%8c%99-still-awake-07-26-2026-%f0%9f%92%8e-god-sees-more-in-you/
From Babylon to the Eternal Kingdom
Historical, Spiritual, and Prophetic Poems from the Book of Daniel
Chapter 1 – Miniseries 2
The Test of Faithfulness When Small Decisions Have Great Consequences
Poem 6 – God’s Visible Blessing
When the Lord Honored the Faithfulness of His ServantsThe tenth night now had passed away;
the time of testing reached its end.
The overseer approached to judge,
while Babylon seemed still and hushed.
He looked upon the young men there,
upon their bearing and appearance.
He searched for any sign of weakness,
yet found no trace of it at all.
The days had quickly passed them by,
while some had mocked them in their hearts.
For many surely had supposed
that such a path could only weaken.
The palace tables overflowed
with food beyond compare.
The wine flowed daily, clear and red,
a sign of royal favor and abundance.
Yet Daniel and his faithful friends
had joined their hearts to God alone.
They sought no splendor from the world;
they longed to remain true to His will.
Now all could clearly see
that God’s faithfulness never fails.
The Lord who reigns above all things
had fulfilled what He had promised.
Their faces looked both clear and healthy,
more radiant than they had before.
The strength of life was seen in them,
and peace was mirrored in their eyes.
The overseer stood amazed,
for the result pointed unmistakably
to power greater than all human wisdom,
beyond what reason could explain.
He saw the young men standing there
and witnessed for himself the wonder.
The hand of God was clearly shown,
although it had remained unseen.
And so Daniel was free to follow
the path that God had set before him.
The overseer, no longer fearful,
removed the food supplied by the palace.
From then on, vegetables and water
remained the portion of these men of God.
And no one hindered them again
from serving faithfully the Lord.
Yet greater than their outward health
was what heaven itself revealed.
The testing had made clearly known
how faithfulness preserves the soul.
It was not food that made them strong,
nor human wisdom by itself.
The Lord became their strength and shield
because their trust was placed in Him.
And so, throughout those distant days,
they learned to carry God beyond Zion.
For neither temple stones nor sacrificial smoke
alone can keep true faith alive.
Whoever serves God from the heart
remains united with Him in stillness.
Whether home is near or far away,
the everlasting Lord remains the same.
The angels watched with joy to see
faith growing in a time of hardship.
For every victory in the life of faith
bears the handwriting of heaven.
Babylon did not yet understand
what had occurred in that small test.
They saw four young men standing there,
but God’s own work could now be seen.
The king could scarcely have imagined
the future hidden in God’s plan.
He saw only students of his kingdom;
God saw servants of His own.
These young men soon would stand
as steadfast witnesses before the world.
They would endure in front of kings
and understand the mysteries of heaven.
Yet everything began with one small step
that Daniel took by faith.
At the table of the king it became clear
where his first allegiance lay.
God does not always test through battle,
through violence or human power.
Faith is often shown from day to day
in matters scarcely noticed by others.
Whoever there obeys the Lord
will safely be led onward by Him.
Whoever trusts Him in the smallest sphere
He guides still further in His plan.
The world admires its splendor and fame,
its sudden victories and wealth.
But God does not see as mortals see;
He looks upon the heart and faithfulness.
Daniel had already learned this truth
while standing in a foreign Babylon.
And God confirmed before all eyes
that faithfulness is never shown in vain.
Thus the first test came to an end,
and God’s own blessing spoke its answer.
The young men stood securely firm,
for God will never leave the faithful.
The Lord who guided Daniel then
is still the One who reigns today.
And whoever trusts and believes in Him
stands safely founded on the Rock.
And so this truth continues shining
through every age and every place:
The Most High honors by His power
the faithfulness that brings Him glory.
Prophetic Reflection God visibly honored the faithfulness of His servants before the eyes of others.
The blessing was not a reward for human achievement, but a confirmation of divine guidance.
Daniel and his friends learned that those who obey God in small matters may also trust Him in greater ones.
Their story reminds God’s people in every age that obedience is not always understood immediately, but in the end it is vindicated by heaven.
The Most High sees the hidden decisions of the heart—and He is able to make them visible before the world. (1 Samuel 2:30)
Is this True, Somewhat True, or False? Getting to ALL is a gradual process. Join the Hit the Mark panel as they discuss Sabbath School Lesson 5 – All to the Glory of God. It’s the fastest hour of the week! Get this week’s keyword workbook HERE.
Daily Lesson for Monday 27th of July 2026
At first sight, it looks as though Paul’s defense of his apostleship, in 1 Corinthians 9:1-27, has nothing to do with the previous discussion on knowledge versus love. One cannot forget, though, that the Bible was not originally written in chapters. What Paul teaches in 1 Corinthians 9:1-27 is not disconnected from the preceding material. Indeed, 1 Corinthians 9:1-27 offers a practical example of selfless love for Christ and for the brethren. For the sake of love, Paul relinquishes a few rights.
Image © Review & Herald Publishing at Goodsalt.com
“To eat and drink” (1 Corinthians 9:4, NKJV). Here food and drink represent financial assistance in general. As an apostle, Paul had the right to receive material support from those to whom he ministered. Other religious leaders in his time used to do just that. But he didn’t; instead, he supported himself by making tents (Acts 18:3).
“To take along a believing wife” (1 Corinthians 9:5, NKJV). A married apostle was allowed to make a missionary journey with his wife at the church’s expense. Examples of missionary couples include Priscilla and Aquila (Romans 16:3) and Andronicus and Junia (Romans 16:7). But Paul was unmarried (1 Corinthians 7:8). He could get married and then benefit from the right of being accompanied by a wife, with financial support for both.
“To refrain from working” for a living (1 Corinthians 9:6, NKJV). Paul and Barnabas had the right to earn wages for their missionary work (1 Corinthians 9:4-6). Paul made tents for a living (Acts 18:3), but we don’t know what Barnabas’s occupation was. We know that he was very generous (Acts 4:36-37), and thus, he was willing to support himself.
In 1 Corinthians 9:7-11, Paul develops the idea of 1 Corinthians 9:6 in order to show that it is fair for him and Barnabas to earn a living from the church (1 Corinthians 9:11-12). The Lord Himself commanded, “Those who preach the gospel should live from the gospel” (1 Corinthians 9:14, NKJV; compare with 1 Timothy 5:18). Nevertheless, Paul says, “We have not made use of this right” (1 Corinthians 9:12, ESV). Thus, Paul presents himself as an example of self-denial (1 Corinthians 9:1-18) and argues that this benefits the preaching of the gospel in Corinth (1 Corinthians 9:19-23).
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What are things that, though they perhaps are due you, you might still be better off relinquishing in order to be a more effective witness for the Lord? |
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