WELCOME TO SEPTEMBER 2026

Father, as we enter this new month, may You remember us for good.

May Your grace speak for us.

May Your favour locate us.

May doors that no man can shut be opened before us.

Bless the work of our hands.

Protect our families.

Fill our homes with peace and joy.

Turn our waiting into testimony and our prayers into praise.

May September be a month of divine remembrance, uncommon favour, open doors and beautiful testimonies.

Lord, let this month bring us closer to You and deeper into Your purpose.

In Jesus' Name, Amen. 🏽

If you receive this prayer, say:

AMEN! 🏽

Happy New Month! Welcome to September 2026.



#September2026 #HappyNewMonth #SeptemberPrayer #NewMonthPrayer #DivineRemembrance #DivineFavour #GodsGrace #OpenDoors #UncommonFavour #Breakthrough #Blessings #Testimonies #Prayer #Faith #Jesus #ChristianFaith #GodIsFaithful #Amen #LifeLightTV

TITLE: PURITY IS OUR REQUIREMENT — OUR SANCTIFICATION WILL OF GOD — BECOMING 144000 — Rev 14:1-5 — BY GRACE THROUGH FAITH, NOT BY EFFORTS

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INTRODUCTION:

Church — Purity is our requirement. Our sanctification is will of God.

1 Thess 4:3 — For this is will of God, your sanctification
1 Thess 4:7 — For God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness
Heb 12:14 — Pursue holiness, without which no one will see Lord
1 Pet 1:15-16 — Be holy, for I am holy
Matt 5:8 — Blessed are pure in heart, for they shall see God

Example God gives is 144000 — Rev 14:1-5 — People God needs us to become.

MAIN TEXT: Rev 14:1, 3-5

Rev 14:1 — Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with Him 144,000 having His Father's Name written on their foreheads
Rev 14:3 — Redeemed from earth
Rev 14:4 — These are ones who were not defiled... for they are virgins. These are ones who follow Lamb wherever He goes. Redeemed from among men, being firstfruits to God and to Lamb
Rev 14:5 — And in their mouth was found no deceit, for they are without fault before throne of God

This is standard of final salvation — Pure & blameless.

POINT 1: HOW DO YOU HAVE THIS? NOT BY YOUR EFFORTS BUT BY GOD'S REDEMPTIVE GRACE OF JESUS' BLOOD AND OUR FAITHFULNESS

Eph 2:8-9 — For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is gift of God, not of works
Titus 2:11-12 — Grace of God... teaches us to deny ungodliness
Eph 1:7 — In Him we have redemption through His blood according to riches of His grace
Rev 17:14 — Those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful
Rev 2:10 — Be faithful until death and I will give you crown of life
Rev 14:4 — These are ones who follow Lamb wherever He goes — Faithfulness

Not effort = Rom 9:16 — Not of him who wills, nor runs, but of God who shows mercy — But grace + your faithfulness to follow.

POINT 2: WE ARE IN FLESH THOUGH SAVED, LED BY SPIRIT — BATTLE BETWEEN FLESH & SPIRIT EVERYDAY

Rom 8:9 — You are not in flesh but in Spirit, if indeed Spirit of God dwells in you
Gal 5:16-17 — Walk in Spirit, and you shall not fulfill lust of flesh. For flesh lusts against Spirit, and Spirit against flesh; and these are contrary to one another
Rom 7:21-23 — Battle in members
Gal 5:24 — Those who are Christ's have crucified flesh with its passions

You are saved, spirit-led, but battle is manifested everyday in our lives.

POINT 3: YOU MUST KEEP A CLEAN RACE UPTO END — STARTED BY GRACE AND FAITH UNTIL FINAL SALVATION AS PURE & BLAMELESS LIKE 144000

Heb 12:1 — Let us run with endurance race set before us
2 Tim 4:7 — I have finished race, I have kept faith
1 Cor 9:24-27 — Run to obtain, bring body into subjection
Phil 1:6 — He who has begun good work will complete it
Eph 2:10 — Created for good works which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them
Matt 24:13 — He who endures to end shall be saved
Rev 14:5 — Without fault before throne — Eph 1:4 — Holy and without blame — Jude 1:24 — Present you faultless

You started by grace and faith — Gal 3:3 — Having begun in Spirit — You must keep clean race upto end.

POINT 4: BRETHREN THIS ISN'T EASY BUT BY PRAYER AND WORD BECOME IT, BECOME PURE

1 Tim 4:5 — For it is sanctified by word of God and prayer
John 17:17 — Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth
Ps 119:9 — How shall young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word
Ps 119:11 — Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You
Eph 5:26 — Washing of water by word
John 15:3 — You are already clean because of word

Word + Prayer = Purity. That is formula for 144000 formation.

POINT 5: IN THIS LAST AGE WITH THAT BATTLE — TRUE REPENTANCE & BLOOD WASH IS CRUCIAL

True repentance = turning away from sin or evil you did & don't do it again.

Acts 3:19 — Repent therefore and be converted, that sins may be blotted out
2 Cor 7:10 — Godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation
Prov 28:13 — He who confesses and forsakes will have mercy
Luke 3:8 — Bear fruits worthy of repentance
1 John 3:9 — Whoever born of God does not practice sin

Blood washes, purifies you:

Rev 1:5 — Washed us from sins in His own blood
1 John 1:7 — Blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin
Heb 9:14 — Blood of Christ cleanse your conscience
Isa 1:18 — Though sins like scarlet, shall be as white as snow

POINT 6: THINGS THAT MUST BE AVOIDED FOR PURITY EARNING — SIN

Gal 5:19-21 — Works of flesh are evident: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries
1 Cor 6:9-10 — Neither fornicators, adulterers, thieves, covetous, drunkards, revilers, extortioners will inherit kingdom
Eph 4:31 — Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, evil speaking be put away
James 3:16 — Where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there
Col 3:8 — Put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language
Rev 21:8 — Unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have part in lake

You listed: envy, jealous, gossiping, quarreling, drunkenness, adultery, corruption, unbelief, compromise of truth — turning away from truth to follow deception, lies — etc — Must be avoided.

2 Cor 7:1 — Cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness
James 1:27 — Keep oneself unspotted from world

POINT 7: NOT GOING TO RUN THIS CLEAN RACE TO FINAL SALVATION BY THY EFFORTS BUT BY GRACE THROUGH FAITH

Zech 4:6 — Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit
Phil 2:13 — It is God who works in you both to will and to do
Titus 3:5 — Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us
2 Tim 1:9 — Saved us... not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace

Your part is faithfulness — His part is grace to keep you.

POINT 8: YOU NEED TO PRAY THE WORD THAT CLEANSES US — DAVID SAYS HIS WORD KEEPS ME BLAMELESS AND IN WALK OF RIGHT PATH

Ps 119:9, 11 — Cleanses way, keeps from sin
Ps 18:23 — I was also blameless before Him, and I kept myself from my iniquity
Ps 119:133 — Direct my steps by Your word
Ps 37:31 — Law of his God is in his heart; none of his steps shall slide
Josh 1:8 — Meditate in word day and night... then you will make your way prosperous

Pray the word — Jer 23:29 — Is not My word like fire? — It burns impurity.

POINT 9: ENSURE YOU BELIEVE IN THY PRAYING — PRAYER IN FAITH = WORKS, NOT FAITH ALONE — BELIEVE YOU HAVE RECEIVED — SPEAK THAT YOU BELIEVE

2 Cor 4:13 — We having same spirit of faith, according to what is written, "I believed and therefore I spoke," we also believe and therefore speak
Mark 11:23-24 — Whoever says... and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. Therefore... whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them
James 2:17, 22, 26 — Faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead... Faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect
John 6:29 — This is work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent — John 6:28-29 — What shall we do, that we may work works of God?

Believing = works of faith. When you pray minus faith, and don't see it, this might fail your prayer.

James 1:6-7 — Let him ask in faith, with no doubting... let not that man suppose he will receive anything from Lord
Heb 11:6 — Without faith it is impossible to please Him
Matt 21:22 — Whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive

So in this, your prayer is sealed with faith & works.

Isa 43:26 — Put Me in remembrance; state your case
Job 22:28 — You will also declare a thing, and it will be established for you
Rom 10:10 — With heart one believes unto righteousness, and with mouth confession is made unto salvation

CONCLUSION & ALTAR CALL PRAYER:

Therefore — Believe = works of faith — John 6:29 — And you will receive, it will be done unto you — Mark 11:24

Today we choose to be pure & blameless like 144000 — Not by efforts but by grace through faithfulness — Turning, washed by Blood, avoiding sin, by word & prayer, believing we have received purity.

1 John 3:3 — Everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure

Let us pray Rev 14:1-5 prayer we made — And believe we have received it —

Amen.

Daily devotion for August 21st
The Need For A Sacrifice
We assume the responsibility. For the holy offerings; for sin offerings to make atonement for Israel; and for all the duties of the house of our God.

Nehemiah 10:32-33
The people recognized the need for offerings and sacrifices. The history of Israel clearly reveals that this nation emphasized shedding the blood of animals and offering up their crops and grain to God. By so doing they were never allowed to forget the cost of redemption. Blood shed means a death has occurred. God is teaching His people that their problem with sin within is of such a serious nature it cannot be solved by merely instructing the mind. Only death can cure it.

These bloody offerings prepared the way for the death of Jesus and even our remembrance of that death at the Lord's table. We ought to meditate on this every day. We should never allow ourselves to forget the cost of our redemption. It took all that God had to open a door that we might return to Him. As Peter put it, For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect (1 Peter 1:18-19).

Very closely related to the blood offerings was the promise of these people to bring the firstfruits of their crops, herds, flocks, and even their sons to God. What they were doing was recognizing the ownership and rights of God in their lives. A corresponding truth for us today is, You are not your own; you were bought at a price (1 Corinthians 6:19b-20a). God owns us. We do not own ourselves. The world says, You are your own. If you are pregnant and you do not want the baby, you can kill it, because you have a right to do what you please with your own body. But the Bible says, No, you are not your own. You do not have a right to do anything you like with the body God gave you.

This is true in other aspects of life as well. We are not our own. We have no right to determine what we are going to do with our lives or even whom we are going to marry, apart from God's limitations. We have certain choices granted to us, but not all choices. One of the important aspects of becoming a Christian is to recognize the rights of God and to live our lives within the limits He establishes. This is what this great passage is teaching. It is the way by which Israel recognized frequently and continually that their lives were not their own. They too were bought with a price. They belonged to God. He has the right to direct their affairs and make many choices for them.

Thank You, Lord, for this reminder that I am not my own; I have been bought with a price. I surrender my life to You, knowing that You have redeemed me with the precious blood of Christ.

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: TUESDAY 25TH AUGUST 2026

TOPIC: FEAR GOD, PART 1

MEMORIZE:
"But the Lord your God ye shall fear; and he shall deliver you out of the hand of all your enemies." 2 Kings 17:39 (KJV)

BIBLE READING: PSALM 112:1-9
1 Praise ye the Lord. Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord, that delighteth greatly in his commandments.

2 His seed shall be mighty upon earth: the generation of the upright shall be blessed.

3 Wealth and riches shall be in his house: and his righteousness endureth for ever.

4 Unto the upright there ariseth light in the darkness: he is gracious, and full of compassion, and righteous.

5 A good man sheweth favour, and lendeth: he will guide his affairs with discretion.

6 Surely he shall not be moved for ever: the righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance.

7 He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed, trusting in the Lord.

8 His heart is established, he shall not be afraid, until he see his desire upon his enemies.

9 He hath dispersed, he hath given to the poor; his righteousness endureth for ever; his horn shall be exalted with honour.

MESSAGE:
The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom (Psalm 111:10); therefore, anyone who does not fear God is not wise. He is a Consuming Fire (Hebrews 12:29), and those who do not fear Him are truly foolish because even a mad dog fears fire. Psalm 111:10 also means that those who fear God become wise.

Apart from wisdom, however, there are many other benefits to fearing God, and today's Bible reading outlines many of them. One of the benefits is that the seed of a person who fears God will be mighty upon the earth (Psalm 112:2). That same verse also tells us that the generation of the upright shall be blessed. Psalm 112:3 says that you will have access to wealth and riches when you fear God. Also, Psalm 112:7 says that you will not be afraid of evil tidings. People who fear God do not need to be afraid of anything because He will deliver them out of the hands of all their enemies and everything that can harm them.

Those who do not fear God will find it easy to commit sins, and this can bring a curse upon them and their descendants. For example, Gehazi's lack of fear for the Lord caused him and his descendants to become carriers of the leprosy that was previously upon Naaman (2 Kings 5:20-27). Whenever a person acts in a way that shows that he or she does not fear God, such a person robs his or her children of the opportunity to be great and exposes them to curses rather than blessings.

Joab was another person whose lack of fear for the Lord brought curses upon his lineage. In (2 Samuel 3:27-29), the Bible details how he tricked Abner and murdered him in cold blood. When David heard about it, he placed a curse on Joab's lineage that sicknesses, leprosy, poverty, weakness, and untimely death would befall Joab's family and his descendants. People who do not fear God purchase trouble for their children.

Beloved, if you want your future and that of your children to be glorious, you need to have the fear of God in you. If you're going to have peace of mind in your old age, you must fear God. The reason I am sure that my tomorrow and those of my children will be alright is that I fear the Lord. I pray that your life and those of your descendants will be filled with blessings and not curses, in Jesus' name.

KEY POINT:
The fear of the Lord guarantees God's blessings for you and your lineage.

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

BIBLE READING IN ONE YEAR:
EZEKIEL 5 - 8

HYMNAL 7 - I AM THINE O LORD
1 I am Thine, O Lord, I have heard Thy voice,
and it told Thy love to me;
but I long to rise in the arms of faith,
and be closer drawn to Thee.

REFRAIN:
Draw me nearer, nearer, blessed Lord,
to the cross where Thou hast died;
draw me nearer, nearer, blessed Lord,
to Thy precious, bleeding side.

2 Consecrate me now to Thy service, Lord,
by the pow'r of grace divine;
let my soul look up with a steadfast hope,
and my will be lost in Thine.

[Refrain]

3 O, the pure delight of a single hour
that before Thy throne I spend,
when I kneel in prayer, and with Thee, my God,
I commune as friend with friend!

[Refrain]

4 There are depths of love that I cannot know
till I cross the narrow sea;
there are heights of joy that I may not reach
till I rest in peace with Thee.

[Refrain]


PRAYER POINTS ON TODAY'S OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL.
Tuesday 25th August 2026 FEAR GOD, Part 1
‎
‎PRAYER POINTS
1.God of all wisdom and might, the One who made the heavens and earth with no pillars in between; You laid the foundations of the earth that it should not be removed

2.Father, the earth and the fullness thereof is in Your care, and by You we have the fullness of life through Christ Jesus.

3.Father, by Your wisdom You made the sun to rule the day, and the moon and stars to rule the night. The heavens declare Your glory, and the firmament shows Your handywork.

4.Father, please help me to fear You, and to walk in complete obedience to Your word, so I can become wiser, in Jesus' name.

5.Father, please help me to walk in Your fear, so I can be delivered out of the hands of all my enemies, in Jesus' name.

6.Father, please help me to walk in holiness and in Your righteousness so it will become practically impossible for me to commit sin, in Jesus' name.

7.Father, please help me to fear You so I won't miss the opportunity to be great and be exposed to blessings rather than curses, in Jesus' name.

8.Father, please help me not to purchase trouble for my children for lack of fear for You, in Jesus' name.

9.Father, please put Your fear in me so my children and I will have a glorious future, and peace of mind in my old age, and in Jesus' name.

10.Father, please let my life and those of my descendants be filled with blessings and not curses, in Jesus' name.

11.Father, thank You for the life of Your son, Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye.
‎
Help him to abide in Your fear for the rest of his life, till You come again in glory, in Jesus' name. Bless his children (biological and spiritual). Help him to continue to produce sons and daughters to Your glory, in Jesus name
‎
‎12.Father, please bless Your son that You have been using to prepare these prayer points, with wisdom and favour. Answer all his prayers beyond measure, and all those who have been broadcasting them, in Jesus' name.
‎
‎13.Father, please let every challenge and temptations, hindrance and obstacles of getting these prayer points across to Your children, timely, and on daily basis be removed, in Jesus name.
‎
‎14.Your personal petitions.
‎(Philippians 4:6)
‎
‎15.In Jesus name I pray.
‎(John 14:13-14; 15:16)
‎
‎#Godblessournation
‎

The Story Behind the Hymns
THE STORY BEHIND "GUIDE ME, O THOU GREAT JEHOVAH"

Few hymns capture the journey of faith with the vividness of “Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah.” Written out of the rich Welsh Christian tradition, the hymn turns the biblical story of Israel’s journey through the wilderness into a deeply personal prayer for God’s guidance, strength and provision.

The original hymn was written in Welsh by William Williams Pantycelyn (1717–1791), one of the most influential hymn writers of the Welsh revival. The Welsh title, “Arglwydd, arwain trwy'r anialwch” meaning “Lord, lead me through the wilderness” first appeared in 1745.

Williams drew heavily on the story of the Israelites travelling through the wilderness under God’s direction. The hymn speaks of a believer who recognises that the journey ahead cannot be completed by human strength alone. God is asked to lead, sustain and provide until the traveller reaches the promised destination.

The English version familiar to congregations today came through the work of Peter Williams, who translated the hymn in 1771. It was subsequently adapted and revised in English hymnals, helping the hymn move beyond Wales and into the wider Christian world.

Its imagery remains striking: the believer is a “pilgrim through this barren land,” dependent upon the “Bread of Heaven” for spiritual nourishment and upon God’s presence for every step of the journey.

The hymn became especially associated with Welsh Christianity and eventually found a powerful musical setting in the tune “Cwm Rhondda,” composed by Welsh musician John Hughes in 1907. The combination of Williams’ words and Hughes’ stirring melody transformed it into one of the best-known hymns to emerge from Wales.

“Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah” has since been sung in churches, at major Christian gatherings, at national occasions and in moments of remembrance and celebration. Its enduring appeal lies in its simple but profound message: life may lead us through wilderness seasons, but the believer does not have to walk through them alone.

The final destination is not the wilderness. The prayer of the hymn is that the Great Jehovah will continue to guide His people until they reach the promised land.

Conflict and Courage.
Habakkuk
Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith. Habakkuk 2:4.
At the time Josiah began to rule, and for many years before, the truehearted in Judah were questioning whether God's promises to ancient Israel could ever be fulfilled....

These anxious questionings were voiced by the prophet Habakkuk. Viewing the situation of the faithful in his day, he expressed the burden of his heart in the inquiry: “O Lord, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear!” ... And then, his faith reaching out beyond the forbidding prospect of the immediate future, and laying fast hold on the precious promises that reveal God's love for His trusting children, the prophet added, “We shall not die.” With this declaration of faith he rested his case, and that of every believing Israelite, in the hands of a compassionate God....

The faith that strengthened Habakkuk and all the holy and the just in those days of deep trial was the same faith that sustains God's people today. In the darkest hours, under circumstances the most forbidding, the Christian believer may keep his soul stayed upon the source of all light and power. Day by day, through faith in God, his hope and courage may be renewed. “The just shall live by his faith.” ...

We must cherish and cultivate the faith of which prophets and apostles have testified—the faith that lays hold on the promises of God and waits for deliverance in His appointed time and way. The sure word of prophecy will meet its final fulfillment in the glorious advent of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, as King of kings and Lord of lords.... With the prophet who endeavored to encourage Judah in a time of unparalleled apostasy, let us confidently declare, “The Lord is in his holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before him.” Let us ever hold in remembrance the cheering message, “The vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come.” 36Prophets and Kings, 384-388.

7 - CANONS OF PUBLIC PRAYER
C. H. Spurgeon

First, public prayer should be a matter of the heart.
A man must be really earnest in prayer. You can pardon a man’s familiarities and vulgarities too, when you clearly see that his inmost heart is speaking to his Master, and that it is only the man’s defects of education or experience which create his faults, and not any moral or spiritual vices of his heart. Cast your whole soul into the exercise of public prayer. So pray, that by a divine attraction, you draw the whole congregation up with you to the throne of God. So pray, that by the power of the Spirit, you express the desires and thoughts of every one present, and stand as the one voice for hundreds of beating hearts which are glowing with fervor before God’s throne.

Second, public prayer should be appropriate. There is no need to make the public prayer a gazette of the week’s events, or a register of the births, deaths, and marriage of your people, but the general movements that have taken place in the congregation should be noted by the minister’s careful heart. He should bring the joys and sorrows alike before the throne of grace.

Third, public prayer should not be long.
John Macdonald said, “If you are in the spirit of prayer, do not be long, because other people will not be able to keep pace with you in such unusual spirituality; and if you are not in the spirit of prayer, do not be long, because you will then be sure to weary the listeners.” Ten minutes is the limit to which our public prayer ought to be prolonged.

Fourth, do not use cant phrases.
Be done with these vile things altogether. There should be no grotesque mingling of Scripture texts, alterations of Scripture texts, or abuses of Scriptural truth in prayer. It ought always to be a point of honor among ministers always to quote Scripture directly. Make us of an expression fresh from your own mind, and it will be quite as acceptable to God as a scriptural phrase defaced or clipped. Vehemently strive against garblings and perversions of Scripture, and renounce forever all cant phrases, for the are the disfigurement of free prayer.

Five, vary the order, length, and current of your public prayers.
Vary the order of your prayers, then, for the sake of maintaining attention, and preventing people going through the whole thing as a clock runs on till the weights are down. Also vary the length of your prayers. Do you not think it would be much better if sometimes instead of giving three minutes to the first prayer and fifteen minutes to the second, you have nine minutes to each? Would it not be better sometimes to be longer in the first, and not so long in the second prayer? Finally, vary the current of your prayers. There are many topics which require your attention; the church in its weakness, its backslidings, its sorrows, and its comforts; the outside world, the neighborhood, unconverted hearers, the young people, the nation. Do not pray for all these every time, or otherwise your prayers will be long and probably uninteresting.

Six, keep from all attempts to work up spurious fervor in public devotion.
Do not labor to seem earnest. Pray as your heart dictates, under the leading of the Spirit of God, and if you are dull and heavy tell the Lord so. It will be no ill thing to confess your deadness, and bewail it, and cry for quickening; it will be real and acceptable prayer; but simulated ardor is a shameful form of lying.

Seventh, prepare your prayer.
Proper preparation means solemn consideration beforehand of the importance of prayer, meditation upon the needs of men’s souls, and a remembrance of the promises which we are to plead; and thus coming before the Lord with a petition written upon the fleshly tables of the heart. This is surely better than coming to God at random, rushing before the throne at haphazard, without a definite error or desire.

If we wanted to summarize the canons with adverbs we could say, “Spurgeon exhorts pastors to pray soulfully, appropriately, quickly, authentically, variously, and prepared-ly.”

Spugeon’s conclusion of the lecture is a most fitting place for this post to end:

Let your prayers be earnest, full of fire, vehemence, prevalence. I pray the Holy Ghost to instruct every student of this College so to offer public prayer, that God shall always be served of his best. Let your petitions be plain and heart-felt; and while your people may sometimes feel that the sermon was below the mark, may they also feel that the prayer compensated for all.

Daily devotion for August 21st
The Need For A Sacrifice
We assume the responsibility. For the holy offerings; for sin offerings to make atonement for Israel; and for all the duties of the house of our God.

Nehemiah 10:32-33
The people recognized the need for offerings and sacrifices. The history of Israel clearly reveals that this nation emphasized shedding the blood of animals and offering up their crops and grain to God. By so doing they were never allowed to forget the cost of redemption. Blood shed means a death has occurred. God is teaching His people that their problem with sin within is of such a serious nature it cannot be solved by merely instructing the mind. Only death can cure it.

These bloody offerings prepared the way for the death of Jesus and even our remembrance of that death at the Lord's table. We ought to meditate on this every day. We should never allow ourselves to forget the cost of our redemption. It took all that God had to open a door that we might return to Him. As Peter put it, For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect (1 Peter 1:18-19).

Very closely related to the blood offerings was the promise of these people to bring the firstfruits of their crops, herds, flocks, and even their sons to God. What they were doing was recognizing the ownership and rights of God in their lives. A corresponding truth for us today is, You are not your own; you were bought at a price (1 Corinthians 6:19b-20a). God owns us. We do not own ourselves. The world says, You are your own. If you are pregnant and you do not want the baby, you can kill it, because you have a right to do what you please with your own body. But the Bible says, No, you are not your own. You do not have a right to do anything you like with the body God gave you.

This is true in other aspects of life as well. We are not our own. We have no right to determine what we are going to do with our lives or even whom we are going to marry, apart from God's limitations. We have certain choices granted to us, but not all choices. One of the important aspects of becoming a Christian is to recognize the rights of God and to live our lives within the limits He establishes. This is what this great passage is teaching. It is the way by which Israel recognized frequently and continually that their lives were not their own. They too were bought with a price. They belonged to God. He has the right to direct their affairs and make many choices for them.

Thank You, Lord, for this reminder that I am not my own; I have been bought with a price. I surrender my life to You, knowing that You have redeemed me with the precious blood of Christ

The Story Behind the Hymns
THE STORY BEHIND "ETERNAL FATHER, STRONG TO SAVE "

“Eternal Father, Strong to Save” is one of the world’s best-known hymns associated with the sea, sailors and those who face danger on the waters. Its powerful words are a prayer for God’s protection and a reminder of His authority over the forces of nature.

The hymn was written in 1860 by English hymn writer William Whiting (1825–1878), who was then the headmaster of Winchester College Choristers’ School in England.

Whiting was inspired to write the hymn after a student preparing to travel by sea came to him troubled by the dangers of the journey. Whiting drew inspiration particularly from Psalm 107, which speaks of sailors caught in storms and waves and of God calming the sea.

The opening words, “Eternal Father, strong to save,” immediately establish the hymn’s central theme: God as the protector of those at sea. Whiting’s original poem included references to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, asking each person of the Trinity for protection.

The hymn became even more widely known after English composer John Bacchus Dykes created the tune “Melita” for it in 1861. The name refers to Melita, the ancient name associated with Malta, where the Apostle Paul was shipwrecked according to Acts 28.

With its memorable melody and prayerful words, “Eternal Father, Strong to Save” soon became closely connected with naval and maritime traditions. It has been sung by sailors, naval personnel and families seeking protection for loved ones travelling across the sea.

Over the years, the hymn has also been used at naval ceremonies, military services, funerals and moments of remembrance. Its appeal, however, reaches far beyond the sea. The hymn speaks to anyone who needs courage and assurance in the face of uncertainty, placing human vulnerability against the enduring strength of God.

More than 160 years after it was written, “Eternal Father, Strong to Save” remains a beloved hymn because its message is timeless: when the waters are troubled and human strength reaches its limits, faith looks to the One who commands the sea and offers refuge to those who call upon Him.