The command by God to the people of Israel who were taken captive and exiled to Babylon was not to rebel, hate or isolate themselves, but to pray for peace, so that they too can lead peaceful lives. As believers in Jesus, we too have a responsibility to pray for God's peace and blessings on those around us, and a greater call to pray for their salvation so they too can be at peace with God. This prayer for peace should extend to all the war-torn nations, and every country where hatred, violence and communal disharmony are rampant. Have a peaceful day, and let the _'Shalom'_ or _'Peace'_ that Jesus offers rule our hearts and reign over our homes, cities, nations and the world. 😊 Esther Collins Based on Jeremiah 29:7

Morning Family, how easy have we missed the mark in our walk with Christ. Smoking, drinking, clubbing, prostitution etc aren't the things that are leading us to eternal damnation. Now hear my heart, good cannot come from these things but instead of these it is hatred, envy, jealousy, ill feelings towards each other. These are the things which will get us to hell. Ephesians 4:26 Do not let the sun go down whistle you are still angry. Matthew 22:39 Love your neighbor as you love yourself. Matthew 18:21-22 Peter asks Jesus how many times we should forgive someone who does wrong to us. Jesus replied " I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven." Matthew 5:44 "Love your enemies and pray for those who persecut you." John 13:35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another. Truely I say to you that we have all fallen short of this and my prayer is that we do not let the sunset today without making amends, so that the Deciever will not gain a foothold. Peace be with you all ❤️

**JESUS IS CALLING TODAY** Why do you call me, Lord, Lord, and do not do what I say? This question from Jesus, in Luke 6:46, needs to touch your heart deeply. We live in a time when much is said about the love of Jesus, about blessing, healing, and prosperity, but little is said about repentance, obedience, and holiness. It is true that Jesus is love, for those who also love him (Proverbs 8:17), but the same Jesus who said come to me also declared that if you want to follow him, you must deny yourself and take up your cross daily. Following Christ has a cost: dying to sin and living for Jesus. He himself said that whoever loves him keeps his commandments. I ask you, you who say you are a Christian: are you truly following Jesus, or just using his name? The Word of God does not call sin a weakness; it calls it sin, and it confronts the attitude of those who claim to be Christian yet live out, day to day, practices such as lying, greed, envy, pride, hatred, adultery, sexual immorality, idolatry, theft, addictions, corruption, slander, and hypocrisy. Paul, in 1 Corinthians 6, lists several of these practices. But right after, he reminds us that some of the believers in Corinth had once lived this way, and were washed, sanctified, and justified in the name of Jesus. Jesus says to you: repent and turn away from sin. Jesus told the parable of the rich man who built bigger barns, thinking he had many years ahead, and God said to him: Fool, this very night your soul will be required of you; then who will own what you have prepared? You may have a house, a car, a job, a good salary, plans but what does it profit you to gain the whole world and lose your soul? If you are in Jesus Christ, you are a new creation, and the evil one cannot touch you or your household. The book of Acts 3:19 says: Repent and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out. Jesus does not look only for those who call him Lord, but for those who follow him and do what he commands, being doers of the word and not hearers only. Your life is short, eternity is real. Do not treat grace as a license to sin, and do not put it off until tomorrow. If today you hear his voice, do not harden your heart.

Good morning to everyone. Grace and Peace be with you. How do you measure your prosperity? Is it by your bank account, or what you drive or live in? Is it by how many friends you have? Is it measured by how many ‘collectables’ you have acquired? What exactly does prosperity look like for you? Jeremiah 29:11 is everyone’s favorite verse to quote when it comes to times of ‘financial’ struggles. “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." The definition of prosper, according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, is this: (1) to succeed in an enterprise or activity/ especially: to achieve economic success (2) to become strong and flourishing. I Googled the original Hebrew verbiage and found that prosperous is not a word in the Hebrew language exactly. The word was ‘maschshevot,’ which in modern terms equates to peace, well-being and a positive future. The enemy is very good at taking God’s word and turning it into something BIGGER for his glory. He dilutes the Word to soften it; he adjusts the meaning of the Word to satisfy popular opinion; he creates a world of his translation of the Word to satisfy the egos of all those who want the easy way. Such as: Unconditional Love … that does not mean that I love your sin; it means that I love you enough to speak the truth in love, not judgment. The enemy will tell you that I am judging you, when I am not; I am just stating facts so that you can make an informed decision. Eye for an eye … that is hatred, according to Jesus, who says when someone harms you, turn the other cheek Prosperity preaching … from this verse … claims that if you ‘give’ to the church, then God will give to you, or rather that if you give to “their” church, God will give to you. Prosperity and riches. The enemy will hamstring you into believing that God does not love you because you have not ‘given’ enough or that your gift is not good enough. These are all lies. Starting with, God wants you to be financially rich. It is not that God does not want you to be financially rich, but he knows how easily it can distract you from Him. If you are financially rich, then your heart turns to protecting your money instead of worshiping Him who gave you the riches. Prosperity in Jeremiah is speaking of hope, peace, and well-being; not Richie Rich. I am not a RICH person, but I am better off than many. I have food in my belly, a roof over my head, people around me who love and respect me, a quality vehicle, but most of all … I have love. I have peace. I have joy. I have God. I am one of the most prosperous people I know. Today I encourage you to find your peace in Him. Worship Him. Praise Him. Embrace Him. Love Him. When you do those things with your whole heart … the world does not seem so hard to deal with. Your eyes are open to so many opportunities for His light and love to shine. This will bring so much joy to your heart that it overflows in abundance to those around you. He knows what the world is like, and He wants you to have His peace and prosperity. Be blessed. **But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. – Matthew 6:33

This is my very first book to be published soon: Preface For generations, humanity has accepted without question the idea that Jehovah is the Supreme and Ultimate Being — the beginning and the end of all existence. Religions have been built upon this belief, civilizations shaped by it, and billions have worshipped under its shadow. Yet throughout history, some questions have remained unanswered, buried beneath doctrine, fear, and tradition. This book was born from one such question: *What if Jehovah Himself is not the Highest Authority?* What if beyond the God humanity has known, there exists a Greater Source — a Father above God? At first glance, such a suggestion may sound shocking, even offensive to many. But every major discovery in human history began with a question people were afraid to ask. This book does not seek to attack faith, destroy belief, or mock religion. Instead, it seeks to examine Scripture, logic, justice, and the events recorded from the very beginning of human existence with honesty and courage. The foundation of this argument begins in the Garden of Eden. If Jehovah possessed absolute wisdom, absolute justice, and absolute power as traditionally believed, why was humanity condemned through Adam in a way that affected every generation after him? Why would descendants inherit suffering for a choice they never made? Why would an all-powerful being allow sin to spread endlessly instead of resolving the matter directly with Adam and Eve alone? Could it be that the events in Eden reveal limitations, laws, or higher authorities beyond Jehovah Himself? Throughout this book, we will explore difficult and uncomfortable questions that many avoid: * Was the punishment in Eden truly just? * Why does suffering continue despite divine power? * Why do Scriptures sometimes hint at beings greater than the God mankind worships? * Could the title “God” itself imply authority granted from a higher source? * Did Jesus Himself suggest the existence of a reality beyond human understanding of God? This work is not written from hatred toward religion, but from a deep desire to search for truth wherever it may lead. Truth has never feared investigation. Only deception demands silence. The purpose of this book is not to force conclusions upon the reader, but to invite critical thought, reflection, and fearless examination. Whether one ultimately agrees or disagrees with these ideas, the journey itself may challenge long-held assumptions and open doors to deeper understanding. Some readers may reject these pages immediately. Others may find themselves wrestling with questions they have secretly carried for years. Either response is understandable. But if there truly exists a Father above God, then perhaps humanity’s understanding of divine reality has only scratched the surface. And perhaps the greatest mystery is not whether God exists… …but whether God Himself has a Father.

GLORIOUS SUNDAY SERMON OF 23RD AUGUST 2026 Beloved of God, welcome to this amazing gathering of God's children. As we are about to hear from the throne of mercy, I declared that you will not come in vain, and you will not go empty handed. But before we share the word of God, let us pray 🙏 ENJOY THE FULL VIDEO HERE 👇👇 https://youtu.be/-Zfqj60lXcU?si=XfTep0H_aLMP6SL7 PLEASE WATCH, LIKE, COMMENT AND SUBSCRIBE TO HELP MY CHANNEL GROW. THANKS 🙏 LESSON: PSALM 139: 23-24. TOPIC: WHEN GOD LOOKS AT ME, WHAT DOES HE SEE? TEXT: For man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart. 1 Samuel 16:7 (NKJV) INTRODUCTION: Last Sunday, we asked ourselves a very important question: “What Kind of Christian Am I?” Today, I want us to go one step deeper. The question is no longer about what I call myself. It is not about what people call me. It is not even about the image I have created before others. The question is: “When God looks at me, what does He see?” People see the outside. They see our clothes. They hear our words. They see our church attendance. They see our posts on social media. They know our titles and positions. But God sees beyond all of that. 1 Samuel 16:7 says: “For man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” That means I can impress people and still disappoint God. I can look religious before men and still be far from God in my heart. So today, let us allow God to examine us. EXPOSITION: 1.GODSEES BEYOND MY APPEARANCE: We are very conscious of how people see us. We dress well because we want to look good. We speak carefully because we want to sound intelligent. We behave properly because we want to maintain a good reputation. There is nothing wrong with these things. But God sees what people cannot see. He sees the thoughts we hide. He sees the motives behind our actions. He sees what we do when nobody is watching. He sees the person behind the public image. You may deceive people, but you cannot deceive God. David understood this when he prayed in Psalm 139:23-24: “Search me, O God, and know my heart... and see if there is any wicked way in me.” That should become our prayer too. “Lord, search me.” Not, “Lord, search my neighbour.” Not, “Lord, search my enemies.” Search me. 2. GOD SEES THE CONDITION OF MY HEART The heart is where God begins His examination.What is inside my heart? Is there unforgiveness? Bitterness? Pride? Jealousy? Greed? Hatred? Secret sin? Or is there genuine love for God and for people? Jesus said in Matthew 12:34: “For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” Our words often reveal what is already living inside us. Sometimes we say, “That was just a mistake.” But repeated words, repeated attitudes and repeated behaviours may reveal something deeper. And this is where the message becomes personal. What does God see when He looks into my heart? Does He see Christ? Does He see humility? Does He see love? Does He see repentance? Or does He see a heart that has become comfortable with things He has been asking us to surrender? 3. GOD SEES WHETHER MY LIFE AGREES WITH MY CONFESSION: Perhaps this is the hardest question. Do I live what I claim to believe? If I say I am a Christian, can people see Christ in the way I treat them? If I say I love God, does my lifestyle demonstrate that love? If I say I have forgiven someone, have I truly released the person from my heart? If I preach holiness, am I pursuing holiness? If I tell others to trust God, do I trust Him when my own circumstances become difficult? Jesus said in Matthew 7:16: “You will know them by their fruits.” God is not only interested in what comes out of our mouths.He is interested in what comes out of our lives. Our character is preaching every day. Our conduct is preaching. Our attitude is preaching. Our relationships are preaching. Even when we say nothing, our lives are saying something. CONCLUSION: THE GREATEST TRAGEDY : My beloved, today God is not asking us to examine somebody else. He is asking us to examine ourselves. When God looks at me, what does He see? Does He see a Christian only on the outside? Or does He see a transformed heart? Does He see someone who has truly surrendered to Christ? Maybe today, we need to stop defending ourselves and simply say: “Lord, show me who I really am.” Because the greatest tragedy is not that people misunderstand us. The greatest tragedy is when we misunderstand ourselves before God. People may applaud us. People may praise us. People may call us wonderful names. But at the end of everything, the only opinion that matters eternally is God's. So, before you ask, “What does God think about other people?” Ask yourself: “When God looks at me, what does He see?” And if He reveals something that does not look like Christ, don't run from Him.Run to Him. Because the God who reveals our condition is also the God who can transform us. PRAYER: Father, when You look at me, let me not be ashamed of what You see. Search my heart. Remove every bitterness, pride, hypocrisy, unforgiveness and secret sin. Create in me a clean heart and renew a right spirit within me. Let my private life agree with my public confession. Let my character reflect Christ. Let my words, actions and attitudes bring glory to Your name. And when You look at me, Lord, let You see the evidence of Your grace working in my life. In Jesus' powerful name, Amen. GOODWILL MESSAGE. This is my goodwill message to you this week: May the Lord search your heart and remove everything that does not represent Christ. May your private life be as pleasing to God as your public life appears before men. May your character reflect your confession, your actions reflect your faith, and your life become a true testimony of the transforming power of Jesus Christ. In Jesus' name, Amen. HAPPY BLESSED SUNDAY! HAVE AN AMAZING WEEK. JESUS IS COMING BACK AGAIN SOON! REPENT AND BE READY FOR HIM!! 🙋This wonderful message is brought to you With Love from Pastor M O Glorious, CHRIST APOSTOLIC CHURCH , Palace of Mercy, Royal District, Restoration Zone. Damolapa, Laketu, Lucky Fibre, Ikorodu Lagos Nigeria. For prayer or counseling, pls contact us@ 08055646358: 09018952081 or peganmire[gmail].com #WhenGodLooksAtMe #WhatDoesGodSee #ChristianLife #ExamineYourself #SearchMyHeart #ChristianCharacter #FaithInAction #JesusChrist #WalkWithGod #TheWordOfGod #GloriousPositiveVibes

Simple Warnings To Always Remember. They Are Very Important. 1. Beware of ungodly people secretly entering the church — Jude 1:4 People can come among believers while secretly distorting God's grace and denying Jesus Christ. 2. Do not turn God's grace into a license for sin — Jude 1:4 Grace is not permission to live in immorality or rebellion. 3. Remember that God judges unbelief — Jude 1:5 Israel was delivered from Egypt, yet those who later refused to believe were destroyed. 4. Do not rebel against God's authority — Jude 1:6 Jude points to angels who abandoned their proper position and were kept for judgment. 5. Do not practice sexual immorality — Jude 1:7 Sodom and Gomorrah are presented as examples of people receiving judgment for sexual sin. 6. Do not despise spiritual authority — Jude 1:8. Jude warns against people who reject authority and speak abusively about spiritual realities. Do not speak arrogantly about things you do not understand — Jude 1:10 Ignorance combined with arrogance can lead to destruction. 7. Do not follow the way of Cain — Jude 1:11 This warns against hatred, unrighteousness, and rebellion against God's way. 8. Do not pursue Balaam's error — Jude 1:11 This represents corruption through greed and using spiritual things for personal gain. 9. Do not follow Korah's rebellion — Jude 1:11 Jude warns against rebelling against God-appointed authority. 10. Beware of corrupt people within Christian fellowship — Jude 1:12 Jude describes them as dangerous influences who participate in fellowship while living contrary to God. 11. Beware of people who live only for themselves — Jude 1:12 They are compared to shepherds who feed themselves rather than caring for God's people. 12. Beware of spiritually empty people — Jude 1:12–13 Jude compares them to waterless clouds, fruitless trees, wild waves, and wandering stars. 13. Remember that ungodliness will face judgment — Jude 1:14–15 Jude points toward the coming judgment of the Lord against ungodly actions and words 14. Beware of grumbling and complaining — Jude 1:16 Jude identifies persistent complainers and people driven by their own desires. 15. Beware of boasting and flattering others for personal advantage — Jude 1:16 Their words can be used to manipulate people. 16. Expect mockers in the last days — Jude 1:17–18 Jude warns that people will mock the faith and follow ungodly desires. 17. Beware of people who cause division — Jude 1:19 They create divisions and are described as worldly rather than Spirit-led. #Amen

A hater shows off with his face, but in his heart he harbors deceit. Don't believe his words, even if they are sweet, because he has seven hateful things in his heart. Even though his hatred is hidden with deceit, his wickedness will be revealed in society. He who digs a pit will fall into it; he who rolls a stone, it will return on him. Proverbs 26:24-27

# Purpose and Stewardship I have been thinking about purpose, and I am beginning to see it through the idea of "stewardship". I believe God has a general purpose for humanity, a general purpose for those who belong to Christ, and also particular things He entrusts to individuals. In Genesis, humanity was given responsibility to fill the earth, cultivate it, work it, keep it, and exercise dominion under God. Man was therefore placed in creation not as the ultimate owner, but as a **steward**. For the Christian, this stewardship goes further. Jesus calls us **“the salt of the earth”** and **“the light of the world.”** He Himself said, “As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” He taught, preached, healed, delivered, instructed, and ministered to people. He exercised and dispensed what the Father had entrusted to Him. Peter says: “As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.” — 1 Peter 4:10 So stewardship is not merely about money, possessions, talents, or abilities. **Stewardship is managing whatever comes into our little world according to how God wants it managed, so that it does not leave our hands contrary to His will.** But not everything we encounter is necessarily ours to steward. We live in a world filled with countless people, problems, opportunities, and events. We cannot take responsibility for everything. There must be a distinction between what we merely encounter and what the Master actually places within our sphere of responsibility, influence, authority, relationship, opportunity, or care. Therefore, one of the crucial questions of purpose is: **“What has the Master placed within my stewardship, and what has He not?”** If someone comes into my care, how do I treat them? If money comes into my hands, how do I use it? If knowledge comes to me, what do I do with it? If I receive an opportunity, how do I handle it? If I am given influence, what do I cause that influence to produce? If I receive a spiritual gift, do I use it to serve others? If evil comes into my sphere, do I become another channel through which it spreads—or do I, by God's grace, stop its transmission through me? This is why stewardship also involves **cultivation**. Cultivation takes time. A seed becomes a tree. A child grows into an adult. Knowledge develops into wisdom. A gift becomes fruitful through exercise. Truth is taught from one generation to another. Good institutions and communities are built over time. And therefore, what passes through our hands can become either **something we cultivate for God's purposes or something we help multiply contrary to His will**. Unforgiveness can produce bitterness. Bitterness can produce hatred. Hatred can produce further harm. But forgiveness can interrupt a cycle. Truth can produce trust. Love can produce love. Wisdom can produce wisdom. Generosity can produce generosity. The Christian should therefore ask not only: **“What am I producing?”** but also: **“What am I helping to reproduce?”** Ultimately, I think purpose can be understood in this way: **Purpose is not simply doing something impressive with our lives. It is faithfully doing what the Master has entrusted to us.** Jesus prayed to the Father: > “I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.” > — John 17:4 He did not say, “I have done everything that could possibly be done.” He said: **“The work which Thou gavest Me.”** That is the distinction. We are not called to steward everything in the world. We are called to faithfully steward **what the Master brings into our hands and places within our responsibility**. And when we stand before Him, the question will not ultimately be how much we possessed, how famous we became, or how impressive our accomplishments appeared. It will be: **What did you do with what I entrusted to you?** Perhaps, then, to fulfill purpose is simply this: **To take what the Master puts into our hands, manage it according to His will, cultivate what He wants cultivated, dispense what He wants given, refuse to propagate what He calls evil, and faithfully complete the work He has given us to do.** **That is stewardship. And perhaps that is what it means to fulfill purpose.**

What Does It Mean To Be Saved? To be saved means to be rescued by God from the penalty, power, and ultimately the presence of sin, and brought into a right relationship with Himself through Jesus Christ alone. The Problem: Why You Need to Be Saved All humans are born under the curse of Adam's sin. Because God is holy and just, sin separates you from Him and places you under His righteous judgment (Romans 3:23, Romans 6:23). You cannot save yourself by being good enough, religious enough, or sincere enough. Your best works are like filthy rags before a perfectly holy God (Isaiah 64:6). What Salvation Is Salvation is God's act of rescuing sinners through the finished work of Jesus Christ. It involves several realities that happen together: Regeneration (New Birth): The Holy Spirit gives you new spiritual life. You are born again. Apart from this, you are dead in your trespasses and unable to seek God on your own (Ephesians 2:1-5, John 3:3-8). Faith and Repentance: You respond to the gospel by turning from sin (repentance) and trusting in Christ alone (faith). These are two sides of the same movement—turning from sin and to the Savior (Acts 20:21, Romans 10:9-10). Justification: God declares you righteous, not because of anything in you, but because Christ's perfect righteousness is credited to your account and His punishment for your sin is credited to Christ. You stand before God as if you had never sinned, clothed in Christ's righteousness (Romans 3:24-26, 2 Corinthians 5:21). Adoption: You are brought into God's family as a beloved child. You are no longer an enemy but an heir (Galatians 4:4-7, Romans 8:15-17). Sanctification: The Holy Spirit begins the lifelong work of making you actually holy in your daily life, conforming you to the image of Christ (Philippians 2:12-13, Romans 8:29). Glorification: At Christ's return, you will receive a resurrected body, free from all sin, suffering, and death. This is the final completion of salvation (Romans 8:30, 1 Corinthians 15:52-54). How You Are Saved By grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, according to Scripture alone, for the glory of God alone. There is no other name under heaven by which you can be saved (Acts 4:12). Salvation is entirely God's work from start to finish. You contribute nothing to your rescue except the sin that made it necessary. What Salvation Looks Like in a Person's Life A truly saved person will bear fruit. This does not mean perfection, but it does mean a changed life—a growing hatred of sin, a growing love for God and His people, and a persistent faith that endures to the end (James 2:17, 1 John 2:3-6, Matthew 7:16-20). If there is no change at all, there is reason to question whether salvation has actually taken place. The Bottom Line To be saved is to be brought from death to life, from condemnation to justification, from slavery to sin to adoption as a child of God, and from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of Christ. It is entirely a work of God's grace, received by faith, and it results in a life that increasingly reflects the supremacy of Christ. If you are asking this for yourself: repent of your sin, trust in Christ's death and resurrection alone, and you will be saved.