📖 Join us for Sunday Service at 10 AM for worship, prayer, and Bible teaching at Freedom Chapel Cape Flats. ✨ Grow in faith and fellowship as we focus on Jesus Christ. 🌐 Learn more: freedomchapelfellowship.org #FreedomChapelCapeFlats #SundayService #VerseByVerse #BibleTeaching #FaithAndFellowship #Worship #ChurchFamily #ChristianCommunity #JesusCentered #GrowInFaith

We concluded our last Discipleship training week of the year Thanks to everyone for the prayer and financial support Alpha Worship Connection is humbled for trust. To our connectors that we continue to train every week and they were able also to teach in this conference thanks. Betty and Amuge Angela Now our eyes get to focus on the #worshipleadersgathering! #africaworshipmissions #empoweringworshipleadersandpastors #equippingthelocalchurchhttps

✨ Invest in what lasts, store up treasures in heaven. 📲 Share this with someone who needs encouragement to keep their focus on God's Kingdom. #Matthew620 #TreasuresInHeaven #EternalPerspective #KingdomFirst #LiveForEternity #FaithInChrist #ChristianLiving #WalkByFaith #GodsKingdom #Lordsbook

“I INDEED… BUT HE” “I indeed baptize you with water... but He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and fire.” — Matthew 3:11 There comes a point in our Christian life when we must be able to say: “I indeed… but HE.” In other words: “I have reached the end of myself, but Jesus begins where I end.” There are things we cannot change or accomplish by our own strength. We may try harder, make promises, or depend on our own goodness, but eventually we must recognize: “I cannot do this by myself. I need Jesus.” That is where Jesus begins to work. Am I truly ready for Jesus? Jesus cannot fully work in us while we are hiding things from Him. When He comes into our lives, He brings things into the light. He may show us attitudes, habits, pride, wrong desires, unforgiveness, or things we thought were acceptable. Where we know something is wrong, Jesus wants to deal with it. But sometimes we think we are already good enough. We defend ourselves and say: “I'm not that bad.” “At least I'm better than others.” “God understands me.” That attitude can prevent us from experiencing God's deeper work in our lives. True repentance Repentance is more than simply saying, “I have sinned.” It is recognizing: “Lord, I cannot save myself. I cannot make myself holy. I desperately need You.” It means giving up our excuses and our attempts to defend ourselves. We come before God with humility and say: “Jesus, I need You completely.” “He shall baptize you” John the Baptist said: > “He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and fire.” The focus is not on what we can accomplish. The focus is on what Jesus does. I indeed—but HE. I am weak—but He is strong. I cannot change myself—but He can change me. I cannot make myself holy—but He sanctifies me. I cannot do it—but He can. Stop trying to do God's work through your own strength. Come to the point where you can honestly say: > “I indeed am at the end of myself—but He begins there.” Get to the place where Jesus does everything.

COMPLETENESS “And I will give you rest.” — Matthew 11:28 Whenever something begins to disturb your relationship with Jesus, turn to Him immediately and ask Him to give you His rest. Don't allow anything that is destroying your peace to remain in your heart. When you become troubled, overly focused on yourself, or worried about what people think about you, bring it to Jesus. Self-consciousness can slowly lead to self-pity: “Nobody understands me.” “They should apologize to me.” “I need to explain myself.” “People should recognize what I have done.” Instead of focusing on yourself and what people are doing, turn your attention back to Christ. Ask God to make you more conscious of Christ than you are of yourself. What does completeness mean? A complete Christian life is like the life of a child—simple, trusting, and restful. A child does not constantly analyze everything. A child trusts. When we are constantly asking, “Am I doing God's will? Is God pleased with me? Is God answering my prayer?” it can show that we have lost our sense of rest in God. A child of God learns to trust that God is present, God is working, and God hears prayer. When we move away from God's will, we begin to feel the need to ask, “Lord, what is Your will?” But as we remain close to Him, our lives naturally begin to follow His will. Jesus does not want us to live constantly focused on ourselves. He says: > “Come unto Me, and I will give you rest.” — Matthew 11:28 The more we focus on Jesus, the less we become controlled by ourselves. Don't spend your life thinking about how people see you, whether they appreciate you, or whether they understand you. Look to Jesus. Where Jesus is truly in control, He brings rest, peace, stability, and completeness.

TODAY'S KINGDOM INSIGHTS: SERMON TOPIC: DOES READING THE BIBLE ON YOUR PHONE A SIN? A Powerful Sermon for Young and Mature Christians. The Phone Is Not the Problem. Imagine this: You wake up in the morning. Before your feet touch the floor, your hand reaches for your phone. You check WhatsApp. You scroll through Facebook. You watch a few videos. You check notifications. You laugh at a few posts. Then someone asks you: “Did you read your Bible today?” You say, “Yes, I read it on my phone.” But another person says, “Reading the Bible on your phone is not spiritual. You need a physical Bible!” So, who is right? Is reading the Bible on your phone a sin? The answer is NO. The Bible does not teach that reading God's Word from a phone is sinful. The issue is not whether the Bible is printed on paper or displayed on a screen. The greater issue is whether God's Word is entering your heart and transforming your life. Your phone can be a tool for temptation—or a tool for transformation. The same device that can carry pornography can carry Scripture. The same phone that can waste three hours can also help you spend thirty minutes with God. The question is not simply: “What device are you using?” The deeper question is: “What are you using the device for, and what is God's Word producing in your life?” 1. GOD'S WORD IS WHAT MATTERS, NOT THE MATERIAL IT IS PRINTED ON Key Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:16–17 «“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.”» Paul does not say God's Word becomes powerful only when printed on paper. The authority of Scripture comes from God, not from the material on which the words appear. Whether you read: - a physical Bible, - a Bible app, - an ebook, - a Bible website, - or listen to an audio Bible, the important question is whether you are receiving and obeying the truth of God's Word. Consider this: If you read Psalm 23 on paper, God can speak to you. If you read Psalm 23 on your phone, God can speak to you. The paper does not make the Word powerful. God makes His Word powerful. The Bible says: «“The word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword.” — Hebrews 4:12» The power is in the Word, not in the paper. 2. JESUS TAUGHT US TO CARRY GOD'S WORD IN OUR HEARTS Key Scripture: Psalm 119:11 «“Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.”» Notice what the psalmist says: “I have hidden Your Word in my heart.” He doesn't say, “I have hidden Your Word in my leather Bible.” The ultimate goal of Bible reading is not merely to own a Bible. It is to allow the Bible to own your heart. You can carry a beautiful Bible everywhere and never obey it. You can have 20 Bible apps installed and never open one. You can underline hundreds of verses and still refuse to forgive somebody. You can listen to sermons every day and remain unchanged. Therefore, Bible possession is not the same as Bible transformation. Jesus said: «“If ye love me, keep my commandments.” — John 14:15» The real evidence that we are receiving God's Word is not merely that we read it. It is that we obey it. 3. YOUR PHONE CAN BECOME A TEMPLE OF DISTRACTION OR A TOOL OF DISCIPLESHIP This is where we need wisdom. Reading the Bible on your phone is not a sin. But allowing your phone to constantly distract you from God's Word is a spiritual problem. You open your Bible app to read Matthew 5. A notification appears. You check WhatsApp. Someone has posted something interesting. You open Facebook. Then you see a video. Then another video. Twenty minutes later, you have forgotten why you opened the phone. The problem was not the phone. The problem was lack of spiritual discipline. Jesus said: «“Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation.” — Matthew 26:41» We must learn to control our devices rather than allowing our devices to control us. Your phone can help you: - read Scripture every morning; - memorize Bible verses; - listen to Scripture while travelling; - study different Bible translations; - search for related passages; - take spiritual notes; - listen to Christian teaching; - share Scripture with others; - follow a Bible reading plan. But it can also become a major source of distraction. The same phone can take you closer to God or farther from Him. The difference is how you use it. 4. DON'T CONFUSE A PHYSICAL BIBLE WITH SPIRITUALITY There is nothing wrong with loving a physical Bible. In fact, many Christians find it easier to concentrate, underline passages, make notes, and remember where verses are located when using a printed Bible. That's wonderful. But we must be careful not to create spiritual rules that God did not create. If someone says: “You are sinning because you read the Bible on your phone,” ask respectfully: “Where does Scripture teach that?” We must distinguish between: Biblical commands Things God actually commands. Personal preferences Things that may help us spiritually but are not universal commands. A physical Bible can be an excellent spiritual tool. But it is not a requirement for salvation. It is not the paper that makes someone spiritual. It is their relationship with Christ and their submission to God's Word. 5. THE GOAL OF BIBLE READING IS TRANSFORMATION Key Scripture: James 1:22 «“But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.”» This is one of the most important truths in this entire message. You can read the Bible on your phone and become spiritually mature. You can read the Bible from a physical Bible and remain spiritually immature. Why? Because reading is the beginning—not the destination. The Word should change: - how you speak; - how you think; - how you treat people; - how you handle money; - how you respond to temptation; - how you conduct relationships; - how you forgive; - how you work; - how you raise your children; - how you use technology. If your Bible reading does not affect your life, something is missing. The purpose of Scripture is not simply to fill your head with information but to transform your heart and direct your life. BIBLICAL CASE STUDY: JESUS IN THE WILDERNESS Consider Jesus' temptation in Matthew 4. When Satan came to tempt Him, Jesus responded repeatedly: “It is written…” Jesus knew the Word. He remembered the Word. He trusted the Word. He used the Word. And He obeyed the Word. The lesson is powerful: The Bible is not merely something we read during peaceful moments. It is truth we carry into spiritual battles. When temptation says: “You cannot overcome this.” The Word says: “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man…” — 1 Corinthians 10:13 When fear says: “You are alone.” The Word says: “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” — Hebrews 13:5 When anxiety says: “Everything is going to collapse.” The Word says: “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication…” — Philippians 4:6 When condemnation says: “You are finished.” The Word reminds you: “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus.” — Romans 8:1 That is why we must not merely read the Word. We must know the Word. DEEP SPIRITUAL INSIGHT Your phone is neither holy nor sinful by itself. It is a tool. A knife can prepare food or cause harm. Money can support ministry or become an idol. A car can take you to church or take you somewhere sinful. A phone can spread the Gospel or spread ungodliness. The issue is the heart of the user. Jesus taught: «“For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” — Matthew 6:21» Therefore, examine your heart. If you use your phone to read Scripture, praise God. If your phone constantly distracts you from Scripture, establish boundaries. If a particular app repeatedly pulls you into sin, have the courage to remove it. Don't protect an app at the expense of your spiritual life. PRACTICAL ACTION STEPS 1. Choose a Bible-reading time Don't wait until you “feel spiritual.” Set a time and keep it. 2. Turn off notifications When studying Scripture, silence unnecessary notifications. Give God your attention. 3. Use your phone intentionally Before opening your phone, know why you are opening it. If you are reading Scripture, read Scripture. 4. Keep a physical Bible if it helps you There is absolutely nothing wrong with having a printed Bible. Use whatever helps you engage deeply with God's Word. 5. Don't only read—meditate Ask: What is God saying? What does this reveal about Him? What must I change? What must I obey? 6. Memorize Scripture A phone can disappear. A battery can die. A network can fail. But God's Word hidden in your heart remains with you. 7. Put Scripture into practice Forgive. Love. Serve. Give. Pray. Speak truth. Resist temptation. Live holy. That is when Scripture becomes visible in your life. QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION 1. Am I reading the Bible to know God or simply to complete a reading plan? 2. Does my phone help my spiritual life more than it harms it? 3. What usually distracts me when I try to read Scripture? 4. Do I obey the Bible or merely quote it? 5. Is there an app or online activity that is consistently pulling me away from God? 6. What Scripture am I currently hiding in my heart? 7. If someone observed my phone activity for one week, would they see evidence of Christ? POWERFUL PRAYER POINTS 1. Prayer for Hunger Father, give me a deep hunger and thirst for Your Word. Let me desire Scripture more than entertainment, in Jesus' name. 2. Prayer for Understanding Lord, open my spiritual understanding. Help me not only to read Your Word but to understand what You are saying to me. 3. Prayer Against Distraction Father, deliver me from every distraction that steals my attention from You. Give me discipline and spiritual focus. 4. Prayer for Obedience Lord, give me grace to practice what I read. Let Your Word transform my thoughts, character, decisions, and relationships. 5. Prayer for Technology Father, teach me to use technology wisely. Let my phone become a tool for Your glory and not an instrument of spiritual destruction. 6. Prayer for Young People Lord, raise a generation of young people who love Your Word, understand Your truth, resist temptation, and boldly represent Christ in this digital age. 7. Prayer for Spiritual Growth Holy Spirit, make me spiritually mature. Let Scripture become deeply rooted in my heart and visible in my daily life. STRONG CLOSING: WHAT IS YOUR PHONE DOING TO YOUR SPIRIT? Let me leave you with this question: When you pick up your phone, what usually gets the first part of your attention? Social media? Entertainment? Messages? News? Or God? Your phone is not your master. Your notifications are not your master. Social media is not your master. Jesus Christ is Lord. So, if reading the Bible on your phone helps you encounter God, read it. If listening to an audio Bible helps you stay in God's Word, listen. If a physical Bible helps you concentrate, use it. The goal is not to worship the format. The goal is to know the Author. Don't become a Christian who owns a Bible but doesn't know the God of the Bible. Don't become someone who can quote Scripture but refuses to obey it. Don't allow a smartphone to become smarter than your spiritual life. Use technology—but don't let technology use you. Read the Word. Study the Word. Meditate on the Word. Memorize the Word. Obey the Word. Live the Word. And most importantly: Live for Jesus. Final Declaration My phone will not control me. My distractions will not control me. God's Word will guide me. The Holy Spirit will lead me. Jesus Christ will remain my Lord. And everything I use—including my technology—will be used for the glory of God. Amen! If you have not given your life to Jesus kindly do so by joining a Bible believing Church. You can get inspirational ebooks from my selar/amazon shops below https://selar.com/m/umoh-edem1 https://selar.com/m/umoedem https://www.amazon.com/author/umohedembooks CONTACT - Whatsapp +2349024173027, +2349055447540, Email pastor.umoedem@gmail.com

August 22 - Jesus’ Availability to Jairus #LifeOfChrist “Jesus got up and began to follow him, and so did His disciples” (Matthew 9:19). Jesus was always willing to go out of His way to serve others in the Father’s name. This trait was certainly evident as Christ reached out to Jairus with accessibility and availability. There were certainly many other needy people in the region near Jairus, but the urgency of the synagogue leader’s circumstances demanded that Jesus go to Jairus’s home. From a distance the Lord could have sent the power to raise the man’s daughter from the dead. He chose, however, to manifest selfless love and compassion by following the grieving Jairus to his home. God is sensitive not only to the needs of the many but to the cry of individuals in need. The Holy Spirit’s work through Philip in Acts 8 illustrates this principle. In the midst of a highly profitable ministry in Samaria, an angel dispatched the evangelist to Gaza (v. 26). Right away Philip met the Ethiopian eunuch, the royal official who served the queen of Ethiopia. When the Holy Spirit prompted Philip to approach the man, the evangelist found an eager seeker about the things of God and was able to lead him to saving faith in Christ (vv. 35–37). God sometimes leads us, as He often led His own Son and the early disciples, to temporarily set aside a larger ministry to focus on the need of one person—and He wants us to be available. After all, Jesus did promise that every single individual who genuinely “comes to Me I will certainly not cast out” (John 6:37). Ask Yourself Who comes to mind when you think of someone God has called you to influence at this point in time? Avoid the temptation to withhold yourself from others, not wanting to get involved in the messiness of their needs and problems, when Jesus has called you to compassion.

🌿 Focus on faithfulness, not comparison. 📲 Share this with someone who needs encouragement to stop comparing and keep growing. #Galatians64 #Faithfulness #NoComparison #GodsPurpose #StayFocused #GrowInFaith #WalkByFaith #FaithInChrist #ChristianLiving #Lordsbook

Be Raw before God, but move to confidence assurance;shift focus to God's power Psalm 6 is a heartfelt prayer by King David asking God for mercy, physical and emotional healing, relief from deep distress, and deliverance from enemies. It shows raw honesty in suffering and moves from deep sorrow to confident faith. David's plea for mercy, healing, and deliverance from his adversaries. When you are going through deep distress, sickness, or severe adversity, it is entirely natural to feel overwhelmed. Psalm 6 teaches us that it is completely okay to be completely honest with God about your pain. King David did not hide his suffering; he wept openly, declaring that his soul was in deep anguish and his bed was soaked with tears. God does not expect you to hide your struggles or put on a brave face. Pouring out your heart, crying, and admitting your weakness to Him is a vital part of faith. However, while it is important to express your grief, you must not allow your circumstances or your enemies to hollow you out or break your spirit. The enemy wants your pain to turn into despair and isolate you from hope. The turning point comes when you shift your focus away from the magnitude of the problem and toward the magnitude of God’s power. Just as David did, you can move from weeping to confident assurance. Remind yourself that the Lord hears your weeping and accepts your prayer. Trust that the temporary trial will give way to deliverance, and keep your eyes on the praise and testimony that will surely come when God restores you. prayer Heavenly Father,I come to You honestly in my pain, sickness, and distress. You see my tears, and You know how heavy my heart feels right now. Thank You that I do not have to hide my suffering from You, and that You welcome me when I cry out for help. Lord, please protect my mind and spirit from the enemy. Do not let this adversity hollow me out or cause me to despair. Right now, I shift my focus away from my problems and lift my eyes to Your great power. I choose to trust in Your mercy and Your ability to deliver me.Thank You for hearing my weeping and answering my prayer. I look forward to the breakthrough, the healing, and the praise that will come through this trial.In Jesus' name, Amen.

August 21 🌿 “WHO GOD IS TO ME” MY REFUGE 📖 Psalm 46:1 (LLV) — “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” When trouble comes, our first instinct is often to look for somewhere to escape. Somewhere safe. Somewhere the storm cannot reach us. The psalmist points us toward such a place. “God is our refuge.” A refuge is more than shelter. It is a place we can enter when what surrounds us feels stronger than we are. But notice: The psalmist does not promise that those who trust God will never experience trouble. Quite the opposite. He assumes trouble will come. The promise is that trouble will never come without God being there. He is “a very present help.” Not distant. Not unaware. Not arriving after everything has settled down. Present. Right here. Right now. Sometimes God changes the circumstances around us. Sometimes He gives us strength to walk through circumstances that do not change. Either way, we are not alone. That is why the verse joins two words: “refuge” and “strength.” God is the shelter we run to. And God is the strength we receive when we must step outside the shelter and continue. Later in this psalm, the earth moves. Mountains shake. Waters roar. Nations rage. The world seems to be coming apart. Yet above all that noise comes the quiet command: “Be still, and know that I am God.” Our refuge is not found in a life where nothing ever goes wrong. Our refuge is found in knowing that nothing can happen outside the presence of God. A new beginning finds shelter here: When trouble surrounds me, I do not have to search for God. He is already present in the middle of it with me. Reflection: When trouble comes, is my first response to focus on everything going wrong, or to remember the God who is already present with me? Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for being my refuge and my strength. When trouble comes and circumstances feel larger than I can handle, remind me that I do not face them alone. Help me run to You rather than to fear. Give me shelter when I need to rest and strength when I need to continue. Above all, help me recognize that You are already here—my very present help. In Jesus' name, Amen.