Good evening, brethren. 1. Evening devotional for today. i. *DAILY WALK WITH CHRIST* (COCIN DEVOTIONAL) *DATE:* THURSDAY 23RD APRIL, 2026. *SUB-THEME:* THE CROSS: CULMINATION OF GRACE. *TOPIC:* GRANTS ACCESS TO GOD. *TEXT:* MATTHEW 27:50-54. 50. And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, He gave up His spirit. 51. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split 52. and the tombs broke open. The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. 53. They came out of the tombs after Jesus’ resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared to many people. 54. When the centurion and those with Him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, “Surely He was the Son of God!” *TOPIC:* GRANTS ACCESS TO GOD. *THE MESSAGE:* The veil in the temple separating the Holy of Holies from the rest of the sanctuary did not allow worshippers to access God's presence. Only the high priest entered once a year on the Day of Atonement. The death of Jesus broke this barrier, removing the separation between God and the people. Therefore, through Christ's death, access to God is now open to all believers without restriction (read 10:19-20). The bodies of the saints coming out of the tombs show Christ's power over death and the grave, assuring believers of resurrection into God's eternal presence. Today, only sin can separate man from God. Do you desire to be in God's presence? Then, avoid the deeds of darkness. *REFLECTION:* Jesus' death gives access to God. *PRAYER:* Thank You, Father, for opening the door to Your presence. Amen. *MEMORY VERSE FOR THE MONTH:* COLOSSIANS 2:15. "And having disarmed the powers and authorities, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross." *TODAY'S BIBLE READING PLAN:* 2 CHRONICLES 10-12. ii. BE STRONG AND COURAGEOUS "It is good for me that I was troubled, so that I might learn Your Law." - Psalm 119:71 What gospel is this that says it is good to be troubled? And all this for one purpose: 'so that I might learn Your Law.' The Lord God wants to teach us time and again to trust in Him. Psalm 34:18 says: 'The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; He delivers them from all their troubles.' God wants us to learn from our problems and difficulties. He is a God who loves His children and wants to be involved in our difficult circumstances. When we understand how God repeatedly delivered His people from trouble, we will also acknowledge that God will deliver us from ours. 1 Corinthians 10:11 says: 'These things happened to them as examples for us. They were written down to warn us.' God wants to save us the same way He delivered His people. Exodus 3:7 says: 'The Lord told him: I have certainly seen the oppression of My people in Egypt. I have heard their cries of distress because of their harsh slave drivers.' Isn't this a great consolation? God knows what we are going through. He knows our feelings, pain, sadness and struggle! You can do whatever you want to save yourself, but in the end, you will have to acknowledge that God is the only One who can help you! Does this mean we do not struggle? On the contrary! We must have faith and trust in God. Difficulties should bring us closer to God and not further away from Him. Tribulation teaches us to pray and to call upon God. God loves us and He is full of compassion. Isaiah 63:9 says: 'In all their distress He too was distressed.' Dear reader, as we begin to cry to God in our tribulation, He begins to work on our deliverance. Keep courage and trust God. He is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine! https://www.theblessingdevotional.com iii. Skip to content Dalily Devotional by Elizabeth Haworth Posted onApril 23, 2026 by Editor Sacrifice for Sin Christian Applications Store:: Christian devotional App Store; Explore Recommended Christian Books and Devotionals He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 2Corinthians 5:21 Dead in Sin We are not sinners because we sin. We sin because we are sinners. When I first heard this saying I pondered it, to get it deep in my heart. My pride wants to say I am a good person, but God sees me as I am – a sinner. Born dead in trespasses and sins. Born with an inherent sin nature. Born in enmity with the Father. Born in desperate need of a Saviour. Federal Head Adam, created in God’s image, was authorised to rule the earth righteously, for God breathed into him the breath of lives – a living body, soul and spirit. Commissioned as the federal head of mankind, his was the responsibility. Together with Eve, he was created to rule under the God’s righteous authority – and Adam walked in the garden and had sweet fellowship with his God and Lord. God’s Spirit and man’s spirit fellowshipping together – Spirit to spirit communion. Man’s Choice Adam was given one command and a freewill to choose to obey or elect to rebel. His beloved wife was deceived by the serpent – questioning the truth of God’s Word. But as the authorised leader under God’s authority, it was Adam’s responsibility – and Adam choose to join her in sin, and fellowship with his Lord was severed. Sin Nature Adam chose to disregard God’s word of truth, which is rebellion against God, but the day of his disobedience was the day man’s sin nature became a reality – for the seed of the man became tainted with sin and his progeny are tainted with sin. We are not sinners because we sin – we sin because we are sinners. We sin because we are born of Adam’s sinful seed, dead in sins – estranged from God. Eternal Separation The federal head chose to sin, unaware of the eternal consequence of his choice, for the wages of sin is separation and so all his seed were condemned to damnation. Adam was created for fellowship with the Lord but sin separated his spirit from God. And such would have been the fate of all humanity if God had not designed salvation. His perfect, unblemished, sinless Lamb was slain from the foundation of the world.. so that Adam and his fallen race could be reunited in spirit with God – by faith.. faith in the Seed of the woman, not faith in any of the fallen progeny of Adam – salvation in the Son of Man.. not salvation by any other man or means or method. Rescue Strategy We are not sinners because we sin – we sin because we are a race of sinners. But God ordained a new race, a new man, a new creation, a new federal head. God planned for a second Adam; an obedient man having Holy Spirit to human spirit communion. God decided a rescue strategy – to redeem Adam’s fallen race from all condemnation – but there was no man to stand in the gap for all have sinned and all fall short, Sinless Sacrifice God alone is good – so God alone could save – but God is Sprit and man is flesh, and only a perfect Man could reach God on behalf of sinful, sin-infected man, Only a perfect Man would be sufficient to satisfy God’s righteous requirement. Only a sinless sacrifice, willing to die for His people, could pay the price for sin.. so God took on human flesh so man could be clothed in God’s righteousness. He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf – so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 2Cor5:21 God-Man God made the Lord Jesus Christ, Who was the second person of the eternal Trinity, to come in the likeness of human flesh, through the pure Seed of the fallen woman. God, Who alone is righteous became the only righteous man that ever lived, for the rest of humanity are sinful, sin-infected people. He alone was the only One Who could pay the price for sinful, sin-infected man and the many sins that each sinful man committed. And so the One who knew no sin – the One Who did not sin, HE BECAME SIN on our behalf, and the wrath of God was poured out on Him in full measure – upon that sinless God-Man, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 2Cor.5:21 Post navigation Previous Post Previous The Iniquity Of Us All Proudly powered by WordPress. 2. Evening Prayer for today. i. Evening Prayer Because thou hast made the LORD, [which is] my refuge, [even] the most High, thy habitation; There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. ⏤ Psalm 91:9-10 In the darkest times, we can rest knowing that God is our refuge and fortress. ⏤ Charles Spurgeon As the day ends, we come to You, Father, to hide ourselves away for the night in the secret place of the Most High, and to rest through the darkness under the shadow of the Almighty. O God, You are our refuge and fortress, our God in whom we trust. You will deliver us from the traps of the enemy and from deadly dangers. You will cover us with Your wings, and under Your wings of love, we will find refuge. Your truth will be our shield and protection. We won’t be afraid of the terror of the night, or the arrows that fly by day, or the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, or the destruction that strikes at noon. None of these dangers can harm us. Even if a thousand fall at our side and ten thousand at our right hand, the peril won’t come near us. You, Lord, are our refuge. Because we have made You, O Most High, our home, no evil will come upon us, no plague will come near our dwelling. You will command Your angels concerning us, to guard us in all our ways. They will lift us up in their hands, so we won’t even strike our foot against a stone. We will tread on the lion and the cobra without harm; we will trample the great lion and the serpent underfoot. Because we have set our love on You, You will deliver us from all danger. You will be with us in trouble; You will deliver us and honor us. With long life, You will satisfy us and show us Your salvation. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. https://www.youdevotion.com/daily-prayer/miller/18/evening #taptapstudio #youdevotion.

THE FIRST 15. “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!” Isaiah 6:3 Throughout Scripture we see a powerful principle exemplified: when God is seen for who he truly is, the natural response of the seer is full and absolute devotion. When God reveals his glory, love, power, holiness, and splendor, the seer responds with absolute commitment and worship. I believe that God would reveal himself to us today in simple but mighty ways. I believe that he longs for us to see him as he truly is, and that his chief desire is our devotion. May we see God face-to-face today and be forever changed by a fresh revelation of this God who would give up everything for relationship with us. Isaiah 6 exemplifies both a vision of God and a response of devotion. Isaiah has an open vision of the majesty of God in heaven. He sees God on his throne and hears angels declaring his holiness and splendor by saying, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!” (Isaiah 6:3). And in response to this vision Isaiah 6:8 says, “And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?’ Then I said, ‘Here I am! Send me.'” Isaiah responds to seeing God with full devotion. God doesn’t ask for your devotion the way man does. He doesn’t offer you ultimatums or transactionally based benefits if you will love him. Devotion to him is meant to be the natural response of seeing God for who he is, because he is inherently worthy of every bit of devotion we can bring to him. He is worthy of our allegiance because he is the King of Kings. He is worthy of our obedience because his will is both knowable and perfect. He is worthy of our worship because he is the almighty God to whom all creation offers ceaseless praise. And he is worthy of our heart because he is the God of love and mercy who has created us for relationship with him. Too often we mistake God’s mercy and grace as opportunities to go our own way and come back to him as we please or when we need something. Too often we treat his love as an opiate for our problems rather than the foundation on which we devote our lives in humble submission to him. God is patient. He is kind. He will never force or manipulate us into loving him. But his patience, kindness, and gentleness do not change the fact that he is King of kings, Lord of lords, and Creator of all, and that he is worthy and deserving of our ceaseless devotion. Run to meet your God in the secret place today. Look upon his face and see him for both the loving and majestic God he is. He longs to reveal his nature to you. He longs for you to search out the depths of him and be awed by his wonder and mystery. Spend time in prayer meeting with your loving heavenly Father and responding to his nature with your love, worship, and devotion. 1. Meditate on the majesty, holiness, and love of God. Allow Scripture and the Holy Spirit to guide you into a direct encounter with the living God. Ask God to reveal his nearness, holiness and love to you in a fresh way. 2. Spend time giving him thanks for who he is. Worship him through thanksgiving. 3. Now offer God your total devotion in response to who he is. Commit to following his leadership and living your life in total obedience to him through the help of the Holy Spirit. May your life be an example of a believer in love with God. May you offer God all the love, obedience, and devotion you can. All God desires is your heart. He longs to have all of you. He is completely relationship focused and completely lovesick for you. 2 Chronicles 16:9 says, “For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.” God will help you live your life in commitment to him if you allow him to. Receive the strength of the Lord and respond to his love with your devotion today. Extended Reading: Isaiah 44

GOD'S CREATION = 100 / evolution = 0 Diatoms are microscopic organisms that construct silica structures with precise geometry, repeating symmetry, and nanoscale pores. These are not random deposits. They are controlled architectures formed inside a living cell, shaping glass into functional designs. This is not chaos organizing itself. This is information directing matter, producing structure with purpose and precision far beyond what blind processes can account for. Romans 1:20 “For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made…”

Divine Wisdom: Investing in the Eternal Market ​In today’s first reading (Acts 5:34–42), we witness a masterclass in financial and spiritual risk management. Gamaliel, a respected teacher of the law, offers a profound insight that every investor should heed: “If this endeavor or this activity is of human origin, it will destroy itself. But if it comes from God, you will not be able to destroy them.” ​1. The Principle of Sustainable Growth ​Gamaliel’s logic is a spiritual blueprint for due diligence. In the world of finance, we often chase "get-rich-quick" schemes—the Theudas and Judas the Galilean movements of our time—that promise high returns but lack a solid foundation. These "human origins" inevitably fail. True financial prosperity, however, is built on Godly principles: integrity, value creation, and patience. When your business or career is rooted in divine purpose, it possesses a resilience that the market cannot break. ​2. Diversifying Your Eternal Portfolio ​The Apostles were "flogged" and ordered to stop speaking, yet they left "rejoicing that they had been found worthy to suffer dishonor for the sake of the name." In financial terms, they understood intrinsic value. They weren't looking at short-term losses (physical pain or social shame); they were looking at the long-term yield of the Kingdom. Are you so focused on your bank balance that you neglect the "assets" of character and faith? To truly prosper, you must invest in what the world cannot take away. ​3. Practical Example: The Ethical Entrepreneur ​Consider a business owner who refuses to cut corners on quality despite rising costs. To the "human" eye, this looks like a loss of profit. But because this practice is rooted in the Godly principle of honesty (Proverbs 11:1), the business builds a brand of trust. While competitors who cheated eventually collapse under legal fees or lost reputation, the ethical business stands the test of time. If your work is of God, it will not be destroyed. ​Unlock Your Financial Light ​Don't let your financial journey stay in the dark. Text the word "App" to the WhatsApp number 07058541377 to receive daily doses of sermons like this. Shine a light of prosperity on your day! In this free App, you will also find a link on how to generate income from the internet with minimum work. ​Or, check the message section of this post right now to see an example of how to make money online with little effort! ​Prayer for Prosperity ​Lord, grant us the discernment of Gamaliel to recognize truly God-given opportunities. Bless the works of our hands and align our finances with Your eternal purpose. May we find favor, increase, and the wisdom to build wealth that lasts. Amen.

Across the world, faith remains one of the most influential forces shaping human behavior. According to the Pew Research Center, approximately 84% of the global population identifies with a faith tradition. That statistic alone presents an important question for development leaders, policymakers, and social innovators: Are we fully leveraging the power of faith to solve some of the world’s most pressing challenges? While perspectives may differ on what constitutes the “most critical problems,” there is growing evidence that sustainable solutions require more than technical interventions alone. They require values, mindset, and community-driven transformation—areas where faith communities already play a significant role. For too long, faith has often been viewed as something to tolerate or critique within development conversations. But what if we shifted that perspective? What if, instead, we recognized faith as a strategic asset for social and economic transformation? Across cultures and continents, people of faith consistently demonstrate resilience, discipline, and a deep sense of purpose. Many attribute personal breakthroughs—sometimes against overwhelming odds—to their faith. The opportunity before us is to move from individual testimonies to collective transformation. This is the thinking behind the Freedom City Economic Empowerment Ecosystem (FCEEE)—a faith-driven initiative by Freedom City Word Impact Ministries . FCEEE is designed as an integrated model that brings together faith, entrepreneurship, mentorship, and access to capital to address both personal and community-level economic challenges. At its core is a simple but powerful theory of change: If individuals are equipped with practical skills, guided mentorship, access to finance, and a values-driven mindset, then they can build sustainable businesses, which in turn leads to income growth, job creation, and poverty reduction, ultimately resulting in transformed communities and measurable impact. The future of development may not lie in choosing between faith and systems—but in intentionally integrating both. The question is no longer whether faith has a role to play. The question is: how effectively are we harnessing it for impact?

Christian Marriage at the Crossroads: Biblical Foundations, Contemporary Crises, and Paths to Renewal By M.R. Mahlaule DipTheol 1. Introduction: Marriage in Crisis or Misunderstood? Marriage stands today at a crossroads. Once regarded as a sacred covenant and a foundational social institution, it is increasingly viewed as optional, fragile, or disposable. Churches lament declining marriage rates, governments worry about social instability, and communities struggle with the consequences of family breakdown. Yet the Christian faith insists that marriage is neither accidental nor outdated—it is divinely instituted and socially indispensable. This article examines Christian marriage from biblical, social, and empirical perspectives, asking not only why marriages fail, but also how they may be restored for the good of families, children, and society. 2. The Institution of Marriage: How and Why God Established It Marriage was instituted by God at creation, not invented by culture or religion. Genesis 2:18–24 presents marriage as a divine response to human loneliness, establishing companionship, unity, and mutual responsibility. The declaration that “the two shall become one flesh” frames marriage as a covenantal union, not merely a contractual arrangement. Jesus reaffirmed this creational foundation when responding to questions about divorce, grounding marriage firmly in God’s original intent rather than cultural concession (Matthew 19:4–6). Within Christian theology, marriage serves several purposes: companionship, procreation and nurture of children, moral regulation of sexual intimacy, and the provision of social stability. The Apostle Paul further presents marriage as a living metaphor of Christ’s faithful relationship with the Church (Ephesians 5:25–32), elevating it beyond convenience into sacred vocation. 3. Marriage Failures: Why Are So Many Marriages Breaking Down? South African Divorce Trends According to Statistics South Africa, 24,202 divorces were granted in 2024, representing an increase of nearly 9 percent from the previous year.^1 While South Africa does not calculate divorce as a proportion of all marriages in the popular “50 percent” format often cited globally, available data consistently shows that over 40 percent of divorces occur within the first ten years of marriage.^2 This indicates a pronounced vulnerability in early marriage. Key contributors to marital failure include inadequate premarital preparation, economic stress, unemployment, unresolved trauma, infidelity, substance abuse, poor communication skills, and declining spiritual commitment. Marriage increasingly begins with emotional enthusiasm but without the skills or support required for long-term resilience. 4. Comparative Insight: Why Are Divorce Rates Lower in Muslim Communities? Both global and South African studies suggest that Muslim communities report lower divorce rates than the national average.^3 While this does not imply the absence of marital conflict, several stabilising practices are noteworthy: structured premarital processes, strong extended-family involvement, community accountability, and clear moral boundaries regarding sexuality. However, comparisons must be approached cautiously. Cultural stigma, religious mediation, and differences in legal reporting may suppress formal divorce statistics. Nonetheless, the emphasis on serious preparation, communal responsibility, and marriage as a public covenant offers valuable insights for Christian communities seeking renewal. 5. Courtship and Ignored Red Flags: A Silent Crisis Before Marriage Relationship research consistently demonstrates that many marital breakdowns stem from problems present long before the wedding day.^4 Emotional instability, controlling behaviour, unresolved trauma, substance abuse, financial irresponsibility, and incompatible values are frequently minimised or rationalised during courtship. Within Christian contexts, the absence of structured premarital counselling often leads couples to confuse romantic intensity with relational readiness. Studies indicate that couples who undergo meaningful premarital education experience significantly lower rates of marital distress and divorce.^5 6. Cohabitation Before Marriage: A False Preparation? Cohabitation is commonly presented as a practical “test run” for marriage. Yet extensive longitudinal research shows that couples who cohabit prior to clear marital commitment face higher risks of marital instability, a phenomenon known as the cohabitation effect.^6 In South Africa, cohabitation has increased significantly among young adults, often replacing formal marriage.^7 These relationships, however, tend to be less stable and offer limited legal protection, particularly for women and children, as cohabitation is not automatically recognised under South African family law.^8 7. Father Absence, Failed Marriages, and Juvenile Delinquency South Africa faces a profound father-absence crisis. The State of South Africa’s Fathers 2024 report indicates that approximately 64.5 percent of children do not live with their biological fathers.^9 While father absence does not deterministically lead to criminal behaviour, research among juvenile offenders consistently identifies absent or disengaged fathers as a significant risk factor.^10 Stable marriages are not the sole solution, but they remain one of the most reliable environments for sustained paternal involvement, supervision, and moral formation. 8. Teenage Pregnancy: A Symptom and a Catalyst of Family Breakdown Teenage pregnancy remains a critical social challenge. In 2024, South Africa recorded over 98,000 births to mothers aged 19 and younger, including more than 2,000 births to girls aged 10–14.^11 Research links teenage pregnancy strongly to family instability, father absence, poverty, and lack of adult supervision.^12 The long-term effects include interrupted education, intergenerational poverty, unstable future unions, and increased dependency on social support systems—further entrenching cycles of family breakdown. 9. Steering the Ship from Sinking: What Can Be Done? The Church The church must reclaim its responsibility to prepare couples for covenant, not merely weddings. This includes mandatory premarital counselling, marriage mentorship programmes, and sustained teaching on biblical marriage. Society Communities must restore respect for family life, strengthen informal accountability structures, and resist cultural narratives that trivialise commitment and fidelity. Government Policy interventions should prioritise family-strengthening initiatives, fatherhood programmes, youth protection, and early intervention strategies that support vulnerable households. 10. Conclusion: Recovering the Sacred Vision of Marriage Christian marriage is not obsolete; it is under-prepared, under-supported, and under-discipled. The crisis of marriage is ultimately a crisis of commitment, formation, and communal responsibility. Through intentional renewal by the church, society, and government, marriage can once again serve as a stabilising force for families, children, and the nation. Footnotes  1.Statistics South Africa, Marriages and Divorces 2024 (Pretoria: Stats SA, 2025).  2.Statistics South Africa, Marriages and Divorces 2022 (Pretoria: Stats SA, 2023).  3.Aziza Ahmed, “Marriage and Divorce in Muslim Communities,” Journal of Comparative Family Studies 54, no. 2 (2023): 211–229.  4.John Gottman and Nan Silver, The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work (New York: Crown, 2015).  5.Scott Stanley, Howard Markman, and Susan Blumberg, Fighting for Your Marriage (San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2006).  6.Galena Rhoades and Scott Stanley, “The Cohabitation Effect,” Journal of Family Psychology 28, no. 2 (2014): 179–190.  7.Human Sciences Research Council, South African Social Attitudes Survey (Cape Town: HSRC, 2023).  8.South African Law Reform Commission, Domestic Partnerships Discussion Paper (Pretoria, 2022).  9.Richter, Linda, et al., State of South Africa’s Fathers 2024 (Cape Town: HSRC Press, 2024). 10.Patrick Burton, Offender Pathways and Family Structures in South Africa (Cape Town: Centre for Justice and Crime Prevention, 2021). 11.Statistics South Africa, Recorded Live Births 2024 (Pretoria: Stats SA, 2025). 12.UNFPA South Africa, Teenage Pregnancy and Social Risk Factors (Pretoria, 2023).

BIBLE VERSE OF THE. Romans 1:20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, NKJV.

GOD'S CREATION = 100 / evolution = 0 TWO HEADS BETTER THAN ONE? It’s often said that two heads are better than one. But in the case of a tortoise named Janus, that idea is not so good. Janus was a two-headed tortoise that hatched in 1997 in Geneva and lived under constant care at the Natural History Museum of Geneva. From the outside, it looks fascinating. Two heads. One body. Something unusual, even rare. But the reality behind it is not impressive. It is a struggle. Two heads mean two brains sending competing signals through one body. Movement becomes difficult. Coordination breaks down. And most importantly, Janus could not fully withdraw into its shell. For a tortoise, that is not a small detail. The shell is its primary defense. Without the ability to retreat inside, survival in the wild becomes nearly impossible. And that is the point. The surprising thing about creatures like this is not that they exist, but that they survive at all, and usually only because of human care. This is not a step forward. It is something going wrong. This condition is called dicephaly, a developmental error where the embryo begins to split into twins but does not complete the process. Instead of producing two healthy tortoises, it results in one compromised body. The original design is still there, but the development process has been disrupted. Think about what that reveals. Living creatures are not loosely assembled. They follow precise instructions, coordinated at every stage. When that process is disturbed, the result is not something new and improved. It is loss of function. This is where the idea of evolution runs into a serious problem. Evolution depends on random changes producing new, beneficial structures. But Janus shows the opposite. It shows that when changes happen randomly, they damage systems rather than build them. Two heads do not create a better organism. They create conflict and weakness. And this is exactly what we would expect in a fallen world. The Bible teaches that creation was originally made good, but broken by sin. In Genesis 3, we see the entrance of that brokenness into the world. Deformities like this are not creative steps forward. They are reminders that something has gone wrong. Janus is not evidence of evolution creating new life. It is a vivid picture of design being disrupted, and a reminder that the complexity we see in living things points back to a perfect Creator whose original design was far better than what we see today.

A NUGGET OF TRUTH. Why does Satan attack the Sabbath? The Bible says, “O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the Lord our maker” (Ps. 95:6). The heavenly host proclaim, “Thou art worthy, O Lord… for thou hast created all things” (Rev. 4:11). This is why the Sabbath matters. The fourth commandment points us directly back to creation: “For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is” (Exod. 20:11). The Sabbath stands as the memorial of God’s creative work. When we honour it, we honour Him as the One who made us. And that is exactly why it is attacked. Satan hates whatever directs worship to the true God. He seeks to nullify the very commandment that honours God as Creator and preserves His claim upon our worship. This is also why the final call of Revelation is so significant: “Worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters” (Rev. 14:7). The last message to the world points men back to the Creator—and therefore back to the Sabbath, the memorial of His creation. The issue is not merely a day. It is worship. It is authority. It is who we recognise as Creator.

Breathe © Acrostic Beautiful as a lovers gentle sigh. Rhythmic as a child's sleeping breathe. Each small motion of air moves the heart. A message of life that is spoken at birth. This is a music sacred and divinely created. Heaven listens intently for it's creation. Every time you breathe a silent prayer. M J Flack