TODAY'S KINGDOM INSIGHTS: SERMON TOPIC:- WHEN GOD CLOSES A DOOR. Understanding Divine Closure, Redirection, and the Next Move of God. Key Scripture: Revelation 3:7 — “What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open.” There are times in life when you pray for a door to open, you believe God has answered, you prepare yourself to walk through it—and suddenly, the door closes. The job opportunity disappears. The relationship ends. The business deal fails. The application is rejected. The opportunity goes to someone else. The plan you prayed about does not work. And you ask, “God, why?” But here is a truth every believer must understand: A closed door is not always a sign of God's absence. Sometimes it is evidence of God's protection. We often celebrate God when He opens doors, but mature Christians must also learn to trust Him when He closes them. Sometimes God closes a door because what is behind it would destroy what He is building inside you. Sometimes God closes a door because the next chapter of your life requires you to leave the previous chapter behind. And sometimes God closes a door because He is preparing to open another one that you could never have opened for yourself. 1. GOD CAN CLOSE A DOOR FOR YOUR PROTECTION Scripture: Proverbs 16:9 «“A man's heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps.”» There are things we desperately want because we can only see what is in front of us. But God sees what is beyond the door. You may see an opportunity. God may see a trap. You may see a relationship. God may see the pain it will produce. You may see a promotion. God may see the pride it could create. You may see a business opportunity. God may see the consequences you cannot yet see. Biblical Example: Balaam In Numbers 22, Balaam was travelling in a direction he thought was acceptable, but God placed an angel in his path. Balaam could not see the danger. His donkey could. What Balaam considered an obstacle was actually divine protection. Sometimes you are frustrated because something is blocking your way, while heaven is saying: “I am blocking this because I know what you don't know.” Don't curse every closed door. Some closed doors are mercy. 2. GOD MAY CLOSE ONE DOOR TO REDIRECT YOU TO ANOTHER Scripture: Acts 16:6–10 Paul and his companions wanted to preach in certain regions, but Scripture says: «“They were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia.”» Then Paul received a vision of a man from Macedonia saying, “Come over into Macedonia, and help us.” Notice something powerful: Paul was doing God's work, yet God still closed a door. This teaches us that: A good idea is not necessarily a God idea for this particular season. You can be sincere and still be moving in the wrong direction. You can have a legitimate opportunity and still not have divine permission. You can pray, plan, prepare—and God can still say: “Not this way.” The closed door redirected Paul toward Macedonia, where God had prepared a greater assignment. Spiritual Insight Never allow disappointment to make you disobey divine direction. When God closes a door, ask: “Lord, where are You directing me?” Not merely: “Lord, why did You stop me?” 3. A CLOSED DOOR DOES NOT MEAN A CLOSED FUTURE Scripture: Revelation 3:7 «“What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open.”» One closed door does not mean your entire future has been cancelled. David was rejected by his family. Joseph was rejected by his brothers. Moses experienced rejection before returning to Egypt. Paul experienced opposition throughout his ministry. Yet God's purpose for them continued. Remember this: A closed chapter is not a closed destiny. You may lose an opportunity without losing your purpose. You may lose a relationship without losing your future. You may lose a position without losing your calling. You may experience rejection without becoming rejected by God. The enemy wants you to interpret one disappointment as the conclusion of your entire story. But God says: “I am still writing.” 4. SOMETIMES GOD CLOSES A DOOR BECAUSE YOU HAVE OUTGROWN THE ROOM Scripture: Isaiah 43:18–19 «“Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing.”» There are seasons you cannot enter while continuously holding onto the previous one. The children of Israel could not remain in Egypt forever. Ruth had to leave Moab. Abraham had to leave his father's house. The disciples had to leave their nets and follow Jesus. Growth requires movement. Sometimes the door closes because God is calling you forward. You keep asking God to reopen what He has already closed. But God may be saying: “Stop trying to return to where I am trying to take you from.” Some people are praying for restoration when God is offering transformation. Some are asking God to rebuild yesterday when God is preparing tomorrow. 5. LEARN TO TRUST GOD WHEN YOU CANNOT UNDERSTAND HIM Scripture: Romans 8:28 «“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God.”» Notice that Scripture does not say everything that happens is good. It says God can work all things together for good. The rejection can become redirection. The disappointment can become development. The delay can become preparation. The closed door can become protection. The ending can become the beginning of something greater. Faith says: “God, I don't understand this, but I trust You.” That is mature faith. Anyone can praise God when everything is working. But there is a deeper level of worship when you can say: “Even when I don't understand Your decision, I still trust Your character.” BIBLICAL CASE STUDY: JOSEPH Joseph received a dream from God, but his journey did not immediately look like the dream. He was hated by his brothers. He was thrown into a pit. He was sold into slavery. He was falsely accused. He was imprisoned. Door after door seemed to close. But God was not abandoning Joseph. God was positioning Joseph. The pit was not the palace. The prison was not the promotion. The rejection was not the conclusion. Eventually, Joseph stood before Pharaoh. Genesis 50:20 captures the revelation: «“Ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good.”» What looked like destruction became divine positioning. Somebody needs to hear this: Your current closed door may be part of a larger story that you cannot see yet. Don't abandon God because you don't understand the chapter. Keep walking. Keep praying. Keep serving. Keep believing. The God who gave you the promise is still working on the process. DEEP SPIRITUAL INSIGHTS 1. Not every closed door is an attack. Some are divine interventions. 2. God's “NO” can be as loving as His “YES.” A parent who loves a child does not give the child everything they request. God is your Father. 3. Timing matters. Something can be good but wrong for your present season. 4. Never force what God has closed. When God closes a door, human manipulation cannot make it God's will. 5. Look for God's presence beyond the door. Sometimes we become so focused on what we lost that we fail to notice where God is leading us. PRACTICAL ACTION STEPS When God closes a door: 1. Don't panic. Take time to pray before making emotional decisions. 2. Don't force it open. What God has closed does not need manipulation. 3. Examine your heart. Ask whether the closure is correction, protection, preparation, or redirection. 4. Seek God's Word. Don't interpret your circumstances without Scripture. 5. Ask for direction. Pray: “Lord, show me what You want me to do next.” 6. Keep moving. A closed door should not become an excuse to stop your entire life. 7. Trust God's timing. What you cannot understand today may become clear tomorrow. QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION 1. What closed door am I currently struggling to accept? 2. Am I trying to force open something God may have closed? 3. Could this disappointment actually be divine protection? 4. What might God be redirecting me toward? 5. Am I more committed to God's will or to my own plans? 6. What lesson is God teaching me in this season? 7. Can I still trust God even when I don't understand Him? POWERFUL PRAYER POINTS 1. Father, give me the grace to recognize when You are closing a door for my protection. 2. Lord, deliver me from forcing doors that You have closed. 3. Father, when one door closes, give me spiritual eyes to see the door You are opening. 4. Lord, heal every disappointment caused by rejection, delay, and closed opportunities. 5. Father, redirect my steps into Your perfect will. 6. Every door that must remain closed for my protection, give me the grace to leave it closed. 7. Lord, open the doors that align with Your purpose for my life. 8. Father, strengthen my faith when I cannot understand what You are doing. 9. Every good thing You have ordained for my life, let no power of darkness permanently hinder it. 10. Lord Jesus, let my life become a testimony that even through closed doors, You were working for my good. CALL TO ACTION Beloved, don't spend the rest of your life standing in front of a door God has already closed. There is a time to knock. There is a time to wait. There is also a time to walk away. If God closed it, trust Him. If God blocked it, thank Him. If God redirected you, follow Him. If God is preparing another door, wait for Him. You may not understand the closure today. But one day you may look back and say: “Thank God that door did not open.” The door you are crying over today may be the very door God closed because He saw something you could not see. So dry your tears. Strengthen your faith. Lift your eyes. Your story is not over. There is still purpose. There is still grace. There is still a future. And there are doors that only God can open. DECLARE BY FAITH: “I will not die at a closed door. I will not force what God has closed. I will not allow rejection to destroy my faith. I will trust God's direction. I will follow His purpose. And when my appointed door opens, no man will be able to shut it!” In Jesus' mighty name. 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, +2349055447640 Email pastor.umoedem@gmail.com

Jason Ashe: The Bible does not directly state that snakes once had legs, but it does imply a dramatic change in their form after the Fall. In Genesis 3:14, when God pronounced judgment on the serpent, He declared: “Cursed are you above all livestock and above all beasts of the field; on your belly you shall go, and dust you shall eat all the days of your life.” The phrase “on your belly you shall go” strongly suggests that the serpent did not always move in this way. Before God’s curse, it likely had another form of locomotion—walking on limbs. Remarkably, discoveries in the fossil record confirm what Scripture implied thousands of years ago. Since 2012, paleontologists have unearthed four separate fossils of snakes with fully formed legs. Evolutionary illustrations typically depict creatures gradually developing new limbs and gaining new features over time. Yet here we find the opposite: snakes with fully formed limbs that later became limbless. Losing functional limbs is hardly an example of becoming more advanced or better equipped for life; in many environments, the loss of limbs would mean losing a useful means of movement. Rather than demonstrating creatures evolving upward into new forms, these fossils reveal the loss of an existing feature—a process that can rightly be described as “de-evolution.” This aligns directly with Genesis, where the serpent’s form was altered by God’s judgment. Evolutionary scientists claim humans have only existed for about 200,000 years, while these legged snake fossils are dated at more than 140 million years. Yet Scripture—written long before any such fossils were discovered—already recorded that the serpent did not always crawl. If the Bible were merely human invention, how could it describe details about snakes that science would only “discover” thousands of years later? These findings provide a striking confirmation of the reliability of God’s Word. What skeptics once dismissed as myth is now supported by physical evidence in the fossil record. The existence of legged snakes affirms the historical accuracy of Genesis 3, demonstrating that the Bible contains truths far beyond human imagination. While evolutionary theory continues to shift with each new discovery, the Word of God remains unshaken—proving that “the Scripture cannot be broken” (John 10:35).

“…And the ark rested in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, upon the mountains of Ararat...” - Genesis 8:4

A Woman. There is also a woman in Genesis 1. But she is hidden. She doesn’t make her appearance until Genesis 2. Where is the woman hidden? She is hidden inside the man. In Genesis 2, God puts Adam into a deep sleep and takes a woman out of him.

Good evening, brethren. 1. Evening devotion for today. ED.i. *DAILY WALK WITH CHRIST* (COCIN DEVOTIONAL) *DATE:* SATURDAY 22ND AUGUST, 2026. *SUB-THEME:* YOUTHS: VESSELS OF GOD’S GRACE. *TOPIC:* REQUIRES OBEDIENCE. *TEXT:* GENESIS 22:2, 16-18. 2 God said, “Please take your son, your unique son whom you love—Isaac—and go to the land of Moriah. Offer him as a burnt offering there on one of the mountains that I will point out to you.” Heb 11:17. 16 and said, “I have taken an oath to swear by Myself,” declares the LORD, “that since you have carried this out and have not withheld your only unique son, Luk 1:73 Heb 6:13 [Eze 16:8] [Heb 6:14] 17 I will certainly bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in heaven and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the gates of their enemies. Gen 24:60 [Gen 46:3] [Neh 9:23] [Heb 11:12] 18 Furthermore, through your descendants all the nations of the earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed my command.” Gen 12:3 Gen 18:18 Gen 26:4 Act 3:25 Gal 3:8 [Gen 28:14] [Jer 4:2] [Luk 1:55] [Luk 24:27] [Joh 1:45] [Joh 4:22] [Joh 5:46] [Act 10:43] [Act 13:32] [Act 26:6] [Act 28:23] [Rom 1:2]. *TOPIC:* REQUIRES OBEDIENCE. *THE MESSAGE:* In Christianity, being obedient means listening attentively to divine instruction and responding positively out of reverence for our Creator. When anything else occupies your heart, obeying God becomes difficult. Faithful obedience, as seen in Abraham's prompt response to God's command, requires trust and surrender, not rationalisation. Abraham obeyed God and was willing to sacrifice his only Son, the promised child. Like Jesus, our ultimate example, we must obey even when it is complex and costly. You must give up something of worth. Are you obeying God's instructions, or hesitating? Can you let go of a relationship that you hold so dearly to safeguard your faith? If you struggle, ask God for a heart that responds promptly and faithfully. *REFLECTION:* Obedience comes with blessings. *PRAYER:* Father, give me the grace to obey You promptly. Amen. *MEMORY VERSE FOR THE MONTH:* 2 TIMOTHY 2:21. "If a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be instruments for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master, and prepared to do any good work." *TODAY'S BIBLE READING PLAN:* EZEKIEL 24-28. ED.ii. WHEN WE COME TOGETHER "What then shall we say, brothers and sisters? When you come together, each of you has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. Everything must be done so that the church may be built up." - 1 Corinthians 14:26 When we come together, we call it a church meeting or service. In a meeting there should be room for the ministry of God's servant, so the church is educated and grows. But it is also important that the entire congregation participates. If you are a member of a church, then you are not a visitor nor a guest, but a member of the Body of Christ. The intention is that every member participates in the meeting. As the congregation consists of several people, it could become hyperactive. When everyone participates at the same time, it then becomes chaotic. Order in church Paul gives us insights about these things in his letters to the Corinthian church. Corinth was a young church with many activities. That is why they needed help with the order during the church service. They had to learn how such a meeting should be because they had recently been born again. There were gifts of the Holy Spirit in the church, but they did not know which gift to give priority to. They also did not have much experience in dealing with new church members. They did not know how to resolve certain disagreements, etc. Paul wanted to help them. We have gained knowledge about these matters because Paul wrote and explained how everything should work. Paul says that 'the church may be built up' (1 Corinthians 14:26) and in 1 Corinthians 14:40 he says: 'but everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way.' Nobody is to have a hidden agenda. Let us live like the first church did. 'They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer' (Acts 2:42). https://www.theblessingdevotional.com 2. Evening Prayer for today. EP.i. Evening Prayer And whatsoever ye do, do [it] heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; ⏤ Colossians 3:23 God does nothing except in response to believing prayer. ⏤ John Wesley O God, by the teaching and example of Your dear Son, You have warned us to work Your works while it is day, before the night comes. Give us the spirit of earnestness and diligence so that we may faithfully do the work You’ve given us. Save us from laziness and sloth. Help us to understand the true meaning of life. Enable us by Your grace to do everything with all our might, whatever tasks come our way. We ask Your forgiveness tonight for where we’ve failed to fulfill our duties. Give us grace and wisdom to use every talent You’ve entrusted to us, so that it may bring blessings and good into the world, and honor and glory to Your name. May we be faithful in every relationship in life. In our home, help us to fulfill our duties so that no part of our home life suffers. Help us to be faithful in all our business, social, church, state, and worldly responsibilities. We also ask that You teach us how to make all our work Christian work—business for Jesus. Teach us how to do everything for Your glory. Let not our worldly activities steal our hearts away from our heavenly Master. Don’t let us become worldly while we are busy with the things we must do to provide for our bodies. Make all our work a means of grace to us. May we learn to do everything for Jesus. Then we will find a blessing in every task and duty. Grant that in all things we may honor and glorify You, forgetting ourselves. We ask this in the name of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen. https://www.youdevotion.com/daily-prayer/miller/48/evening #taptapstudio #youdevotion.

Gods Creation, 100 / evolution, 0 DINOSAUR TRACKS FOUND PRESERVED IN SCHOOLYARD A remarkable discovery has been made in Queensland, Australia, where a slab of rock containing 66 fossilized footprints was unearthed in the yard of an Australian high school. Incredibly, this rock sat at the school for 20 years as students walked by and even occasionally put gum on it. This slab, measuring several feet in length, appears to show the footprints of :"prehistoric" reptiles or amphibians frozen in motion—perfectly preserved in what was once soft sediment. After examining the rock, paleontogists found even more fossil prints in a nearby parking lot! What makes this find so significant isn’t just the number of footprints, but the conditions that must have existed to preserve them so clearly and suddenly. From a biblical creationist perspective, this kind of fossil evidence fits seamlessly into the account of Noah’s Flood. During the early stages of the Flood described in Genesis 7, as waters rose and covered the land, creatures would have been fleeing to higher ground. The sediment-laden waters rapidly covered vast areas, and in the process, footprints left in soft mud would be buried quickly under layers of silt and sand—conditions ideal for fossilization. The fact that so many prints are preserved together, with no signs of long-term erosion or disturbance, strongly supports the idea of a rapid, catastrophic event rather than slow geological processes over millions of years. (They claim these are 200 million years old, but we know better) Additionally, these footprints are often found disconnected from body fossils, which aligns with what we’d expect during a massive Flood event—animals leaving tracks as they tried to escape, but then being swept away before they could be buried whole. This incredible slab serves as yet another silent testimony to the global catastrophe recorded in Scripture. Instead of a slow, evolutionary past, these footprints tell the story of a world overwhelmed by judgment, just as Jesus described in Matthew 24:38–39, pointing to the days of Noah as a warning for today.

Daily Bible Lesson. WE ASK GOD FOR MORE LIGHT—THEN MAKE EXCUSES WHEN HIS LIGHT REQUIRES CHANGE “Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice.” — 1 Samuel 15:22 We pray: “Lord, show me Your will.” Then His light touches something we love— our time, appetite, appearance, character, location, or tongue— and suddenly: “My situation is different.” “Everyone does it.” “I'm not convicted.” Perhaps our greatest problem is not always lack of light. IT IS THE HUMAN HEART'S AMAZING ABILITY TO EXPLAIN AWAY THE LIGHT IT DOES NOT WANT TO OBEY. Jesus asks: “Why call ye Me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?” — Luke 6:46 So here is the question beneath every reform: ARE WE SEEKING GOD'S WILL—OR ASKING GOD TO APPROVE OURS? --- ① SABBATH REFORM—WHO OWNS YOUR TIME? THE EXCUSES: “I have to work.” “Most Christians worship Sunday.” “God knows my heart.” Yes—God knows the heart. And Jesus says: “If ye love Me, keep My commandments.” — John 14:15 God's command still reads: “The seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God.” — Exodus 20:10 Obedience may cost convenience, approval, opportunity—even income. But faith asks something deeper: WHAT IS JESUS WORTH? “We ought to obey God rather than men.” — Acts 5:29 Do not merely argue for the Sabbath. KNOW THE LORD OF THE SABBATH—and ask Him for faith to walk in His footsteps. --- ② HEALTH REFORM—HAS APPETITE RENAMED ITSELF “NECESSITY”? THE EXCUSES: “My body needs it.” “I've always eaten this way.” “We're all going to die anyway.” But this body is not ours to abuse. “Ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.” — 1 Corinthians 6:20 “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink… do all to the glory of God.” — 1 Corinthians 10:31 Health reform is not salvation by menu. It is stewardship of a body purchased by Christ. Inspiration warns of those who “frame excuses and make necessities which have no existence” while resisting health light. — Counsels on Diet and Foods, p. 399 What a warning: APPETITE IS A TERRIBLE COUNSELOR WHEN ASKED TO JUDGE ITS OWN HABITS. Stop asking only: “Do I enjoy it?” Ask: “WILL THIS KEEP MY BODY AND MIND FIT FOR CHRIST'S SERVICE?” --- ③ DRESS REFORM—WHO ARE WE TRYING TO PLEASE? THE EXCUSES: “It's only fashion.” “God only looks at the heart.” “I don't want to look different.” Yes: “The LORD looketh on the heart.” — 1 Samuel 16:7 And Scripture also calls for: “Modest apparel.” — 1 Timothy 2:9 The issue is not ugliness. Not neglect. Not a religious uniform. The question is: WHO IS SHAPING MY APPEARANCE—CHRIST OR THE WORLD? Christian dress should reflect modesty, simplicity, health, dignity, and good taste without making self the attraction. CLOTHING CANNOT SAVE THE HEART—BUT THE MASTER OF THE HEART WILL INFLUENCE THE CLOTHING. Let your appearance quietly testify: “I BELONG TO CHRIST.” --- ④ CHARACTER REFORM—“THAT'S JUST HOW I AM.” Perhaps no excuse protects cherished defects more effectively. Anger becomes “my personality.” Pride becomes “confidence.” Bitterness becomes “what they deserve.” Then comes the universal shield: “Nobody is perfect.” True. But Jesus never made imperfection an excuse for refusing transformation. “If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature.” — 2 Corinthians 5:17 “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.” — Philippians 2:5 Christ does not merely forgive us in the old life. HE BEGINS MAKING US NEW. “When the character of Christ shall be perfectly reproduced in His people, then He will come to claim them as His own.” — Christ's Object Lessons, p. 69 Stop defending your defect with: “THAT'S WHO I AM.” Bring it to Jesus: “LORD, MAKE ME LIKE YOU.” --- ⑤ LOCATION REFORM—WHY DID INSPIRATION CRY, “OUT OF THE CITIES”? Here excuses become painfully practical: “My job is here.” “My children's opportunities are here.” “I'll move when everything becomes convenient.” Yet Inspiration repeatedly urged: “Out of the cities, out of the cities! This is the message the Lord has been giving me.” — Country Living, p. 29 Why? Not because soil saves souls. But country surroundings can favor health, simplicity, useful labor, children learning from nature, greater separation from corrupting influences, and preparation for difficult times. God's first home for humanity was not a congested metropolis. “The LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden.” — Genesis 2:8 Abraham lived as a pilgrim. Lot “pitched his tent toward Sodom.” — Genesis 13:12 Their stories remind us: LOCATION CANNOT CONVERT THE HEART—BUT ENVIRONMENT CAN POWERFULLY INFLUENCE IT. Yet Inspiration also counseled: “Out of the cities; but not a moment before God would have us go.” — Country Living, p. 26 So the message is not: PANIC AND RUN. It is: PRAY. PREPARE. SIMPLIFY. LEARN. WATCH PROVIDENCE. AND WHEN GOD OPENS THE WAY—OBEY. And remember: YOU CAN LEAVE BABYLON GEOGRAPHICALLY WHILE BABYLON STILL LIVES IN YOUR HEART. Christ's first relocation project is: SELF OFF THE THRONE—CHRIST ON IT. --- ⑥ SPEECH REFORM—CAN A CONVERTED HEART KEEP AN UNCONVERTED TONGUE? Here the excuses sound innocent: “I'm only joking.” “But it's true!” “I just needed to release my feelings.” Scripture answers: “Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting… but rather giving of thanks.” — Ephesians 5:4 “Speak evil of no man.” — Titus 3:2 And instead: “That which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.” — Ephesians 4:29 Imagine that standard: WORDS THAT MINISTER GRACE. No gossip. No slander. No degrading jesting. No cutting sarcasm. No dishonest flattery. No spreading bitterness from heart to heart. “Bless, and curse not.” — Romans 12:14 This does not mean hiding wrongdoing. Jesus rebuked sin. Nathan confronted David. Paul corrected churches. Truth sometimes must hurt before it heals. But Scripture says: “Speaking the truth in love.” — Ephesians 4:15 Before speaking, ask: IS IT TRUE? IS IT NECESSARY? IS IT LOVING? WILL IT BUILD RATHER THAN POISON? WOULD I SAY IT THIS WAY IN THE VISIBLE PRESENCE OF JESUS? “Let the law of kindness be upon your lips and the oil of grace in your heart.” — Christ's Object Lessons, p. 337 What a standard: **TRUTH ON THE LIPS. GRACE IN THE HEART.** --- ⑦ PERHAPS THE MOST DANGEROUS EXCUSE—“I'M NOT CONVICTED.” Sometimes that is sincere. Conscience must never be forced. But sometimes: “I'M NOT CONVICTED” really means: “I DON'T WANT TO INVESTIGATE THIS DEEPLY ENOUGH TO BECOME CONVICTED.” Jesus reveals a searching principle: “If any man will do His will, he shall know of the doctrine.” — John 7:17 Notice the order: WILLINGNESS → UNDERSTANDING → OBEDIENCE. Before asking, “Is this really required?” ask: “LORD, IF YOUR WORD SHOWS ME THAT I AM WRONG—AM I WILLING TO CHANGE?” That question exposes whether we want truth— or merely reassurance. --- ⑧ BUT HERE IS THE DANGER ON THE OTHER SIDE—REFORM WITHOUT CHRIST Inspiration defines genuine reformation: “Reformation signifies a reorganization, a change in ideas and theories, habits and practices.” — Selected Messages, vol. 1, p. 128 Truth must reach: the calendar, the kitchen, the wardrobe, the temper, the address, the tongue, and the choices nobody sees. “Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only.” — James 1:22 But never miss this: REFORMATION WITHOUT CHRIST CAN PRODUCE A PHARISEE. You can keep Sabbath— and hate your brother. Eat perfectly— and feed on pride. Dress modestly— and advertise self-righteousness. Move to the country— and take worldliness with you. Guard your tongue publicly— while bitterness rules privately. Jesus did not come merely to rearrange our habits. HE CAME TO RECREATE OUR HEARTS. “Without Me ye can do nothing.” — John 15:5 --- THE QUESTION BENEATH EVERY REFORM When Christ touches your— TIME—will He be Lord? APPETITE—will He be Lord? APPEARANCE—will He be Lord? CHARACTER—will He be Lord? LOCATION—will He be Lord? TONGUE—will He be Lord? There it is. DOES JESUS HAVE PERMISSION TO CHANGE EVERYTHING? “If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.” — Luke 9:23 Perhaps we do not need another argument. Perhaps we need another surrender. Instead of continually praying: “LORD, GIVE ME MORE LIGHT,” perhaps we need to pray: “LORD, FORGIVE ME FOR RESISTING THE LIGHT I ALREADY HAVE.” Take my appetite. Take my pride. Take my temper. Take my tongue. Take my plans. Take my home. TAKE MY WHOLE HEART. “Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do?” — Acts 9:6 NO MORE EXCUSES. NO MORE BARGAINING WITH LIGHT. NO MORE TRYING TO OUTREASON GOD. CHRIST BEFORE CONVENIENCE. FAITH BEFORE FEAR. TRUTH BEFORE TRADITION. SURRENDER BEFORE SELF. Because when Jesus truly becomes Lord— REFORMATION IS NO LONGER SOMETHING GOD MUST FORCE FROM US. IT BECOMES SOMETHING LOVE IS WILLING TO SURRENDER TO HIM.

SEED OF LIFE When the Lord saw that the wickedness of man on the earth was great, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. But the earth was corrupt before the face of God, and the earth was filled with violence. • Genesis 6:5 & 11 Our Father gave His commandments to man as a rule of life, but His law was transgressed, and every conceivable sin was the result. The wickedness of man was open and defiant, justice was trampled into the dust, and the cry of the oppressed ascended to heaven... The sins that cried out for vengeance upon the world before the flood exist today. The fear of God is banished from the hearts of men, and His law is treated with indifference and contempt. The intense worldliness of that generation is matched by that of the generation now living.• Patriarchs and Prophets, pp. 90 & 101 •A Point to Ponder• The world may become increasingly lawless, more violent, and more secular, but our Father's answer is not fear. It is faithfulness – a continuous walk with Him.(FrontierOfHopeMinistry)

Proverbs 11:1, NASB “A false balance is an abomination to the Lord, But a just weight is His delight.” Honesty is God's Policy! By seeming to lose in the natural by being honest is gaining Big because you will have the God of the Universe behind you! Be honest then you will have God's Best! Amen. Prayer: Genesis 13:14-15, NASB “14. The Lord said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him, “Now lift up your eyes and look from the place where you are, northward and southward and eastward and westward; 15. for all the land which you see, I will give it to you and to your descendants forever.” Help us to be of the Faith of Abraham and not to trust in temperory advantage or riches! We trust You to give us the Best. In Your Righteous Name. Amen.

# 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.**