THE CROSS OF CHRIST: PERSECUTION, SUFFERING AND FAITHFULNESS 1. The Cost of Following Jesus Christ After you accept Jesus Christ, you must be prepared to face opposition, persecution and suffering for the sake of the Gospel. Satan may raise opposition against you, but no trial is outside God's knowledge and sovereignty, as happened with Job (Job 1:12). You must be prepared to lose everything for the love of Christ if your faithfulness to the Lord costs you what you have. - You may be dismissed from your job because of your faith. - You may lose friends because of the Gospel. - You may face rejection from your own family. - You may go hungry. - You may face financial difficulties. - You may lose people's approval. - You may be humiliated, insulted and ridiculed. - You may face closed doors because of your decision to remain faithful to Christ. But remember the promises of Jesus Christ. Do not abandon your faith because of difficulties, because the Lord promised to be with us always (Matthew 28:20). Jesus said: «“And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.” — Luke 14:27 (KJV)» 2. The Meaning of the Cross of Christ The cross represents the cost of discipleship: self-denial, shame, reproach, opposition and suffering for the love of Jesus Christ. The cross does not simply mean carrying the ordinary difficulties of life. It also means remaining faithful to Christ when that faithfulness brings persecution, rejection or loss. 3. The Cross, Persecution and Suffering for Christ Persecution = opposition from family, friends and at work. Rejection = being cast aside or rejected because of your faith in Jesus Christ. Opposition = facing resistance for standing up for the truth of the Gospel. Tribulation = going through trials, difficulties and closed doors. Suffering = facing difficulties and losses because you remain faithful to Christ. Distress = experiencing anguish and sorrow because of opposition to your faith. Insults = receiving offensive words and insults because of Christ. Reproach = being humiliated, provoked or treated with contempt because of the Gospel. Loss = losing possessions, opportunities, relationships or benefits because you refuse to renounce your faith. Disapproval = being condemned or disapproved of by people because you choose to obey God. Shame for Christ's sake = being publicly shamed for confessing the name of Jesus. Scorn = suffering dishonour, insults and contempt for the love of Christ. Self-denial = giving up anything that prevents you from obeying Jesus. The cost of discipleship = accepting the consequences of following Christ, even when it requires sacrifice. Faithfulness = standing firm in the Word of God, even in the face of threats and persecution. 4. Family Opposition and Division Because of the Gospel Family rejection = when your family members do not accept your decision to follow Jesus Christ. Misunderstanding = when your family does not understand your faith, convictions and spiritual choices. Division = when the decision to follow Christ causes disagreements and separation among people close to you. Conflict = when arguments arise because of your faith and obedience to the Word of God. Pressure = when people try to force you to abandon your Christian convictions in order to please them. Contempt = when you are treated as someone worthless because of your faith. Ridicule = when people mock you for praying, preaching or living according to the Word of God. Loss of approval = when you no longer receive people's recognition and acceptance because you have chosen to please God. Choosing Christ = deciding to follow Jesus above human pressure and expectations. Spiritual priorities = placing God, His Word and His will above the interests of this world. Loving God above all things = loving the Lord more than any person, material possession or earthly benefit. Faithfulness in the face of opposition = remaining obedient to Christ even when others disagree with you. Renouncing human approval = refusing to compromise the truth of the Gospel merely to be accepted by people. Perseverance = continuing to follow Jesus through trials without abandoning your faith. Obedience = doing God's will even when it requires personal sacrifice. Confessing Christ = refusing to deny Jesus out of fear of rejection or persecution. Separation from sin = refusing practices contrary to the Word of God, even when friends or family try to influence you. Loving your enemies = continuing to love and pray for those who persecute you (Matthew 5:44). Forgiveness = refusing to harbour hatred or seek revenge against those who offend you because of your faith. Spiritual steadfastness = remaining unshaken in the truth without repaying evil with evil. 5. Remember the Words of Jesus «“And ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolks, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to death.” — Luke 21:16 (KJV)» «“And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.” — Matthew 10:22 (KJV)» «“He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.” — Matthew 10:37 (KJV)» «“Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” — Matthew 5:10 (KJV)» Remember: Jesus did not call us to seek suffering or provoke conflicts. He called us to be faithful. If opposition comes because of our obedience to Christ, we must stand firm, act with love, forgive and never deny His name. The cross may cost you people's approval, but do not sell your faithfulness to Christ in order to gain the approval of the world. Remember that the Word of God is a statute Pastor Yuri Silva [all] #jesus #Lordsbook #ChristianLiving #FaithInChrist #WalkByFaith #faith #FaithInAction #TrustGod

The Collect, Episcopal and Gospel for the nineteenth Sunday after Trinity.

Good morning, brethren. 1. Morning devotion for today. MD.i. 😀🎀💝🎁🌺🌹MORNING TEA THE WORD FOR TODAY. SATURDAY OCTOBER 10, 2O26. "JOB'S CREED (2)" ‘…This I know…I shall see God.’ Job 19:26 NKJV JOB ENDS his creed by saying, ‘After my skin is destroyed, this I know, that in my flesh I shall see God.’ When Christ returns, your body which sleeps in the grave will be replaced with a glorious Christ-like body. And then the promise of God’s Word will be fulfilled: ‘Your dead shall live; together with my dead body they shall arise. Awake and sing, you who dwell in dust…’ (Isaiah 26:19 NKJV). Of all the religions on earth, Christianity is the only one that guarantees the resurrection of your body. And that’s because Christ, our leader, was the only one capable of promising to rise from the dead bodily, and keeping that promise. Rejoice, when they lay you in your grave it will not be the last of you. Paul writes: ‘…I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed—in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality…then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: ‘Death is swallowed up in victory’’’ (1 Corinthians 15:51-54 NKJV). In that day faith will give way to sight. When a little boy’s kite flew so high it went out of sight, a man standing nearby asked him, ‘How do you know it’s still up there, son?’ Tightening his grip on the string, he replied, ‘Because I feel the tug!’ Do you feel something tugging you heavenward? Bible In A Year: 2 Sam 17:14 – 19:43, John 3:22-36, Ps 89:38-52, Pro 23:19-21. Courtesy: Grace So Amazing Foundation 💝🎀 *To partner with us, kindly refer to page 9 of the hard copy edition or simply send us a WhatsApp message/call on +2348128000068.*💝🌹🌷🎀. MD.ii. [09/10, 7:42 pm] Pastor Attah: ```DAILY Ⓜ️ANNA - (A DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE FOR ADULTS) SATURDAY 10TH OCTOBER, 2026``` *ONLY THE BEST* 📓📖🎚️🫵🏽🙋🏽‍♂️🙋🏽‍♀️🤜🏽💵💴💰🪎📨🧎🏽🧎🏽‍♀️🙏🏽🙌🏽 📜📜```TEXT:NUMBERS 18:20-32```📜📜 🔑📖```KEY VERSE:``` _*"Out of all your gifts ye shall offer every heave offering of the LORD, of all the best thereof, even the hallowed part thereof out of it" (NUMBERS 18:29).*_ *A story is told of a thirteen-year-old girl who listened intently to her pastor's sermon about God's love in giving the best gift of His Son to die for everyone. He spoke about the love of Jesus who willingly offered His life on the Cross for our sins. The girl's heart was deeply touched by what she heard. She had no money, so it seemed as though she had nothing to give to the Lord. Then, she thought of a gift that would please God very much. When the usher passed the offering plate, she whispered to him, "Please lower the offering plate." He lowered it. She kept requesting the plate to be lowered until it reached the floor. Then, she stepped into the offering plate and stood in it. She was giving the Lord the very best gift she could ever afford. She was giving herself to the Lord!* *Like the Levites in today's text, believers are to give their best as hallowed gifts to the Lord. As a song writer, Howard Benjamin Grose captured it in a hymn:* _*"Give of your best to the Master;*_ _*Give of the strength of your youth;*_ _*Throw your soul's fresh, glowing ardour;*_ _*Into the battle for truth."*_ *Believers are to offer their best unto the Lord. Jesus proved His love by giving us the best - His life.* *We must give Him our all - heart, life, time, talents and treasures. This can be done through total obedience to His words; we must preach the gospel, share His love, and be devoted and consecrated, teach, model and mentor the old and young until Christ is formed in them. Then, you will experience more of His transforming and satisfying love.* *As recipients of God's covenant grace and mercies, there should be no limit to what we render to our God. We must give our all, our very best and lay them on the altar unconditionally. Giving to Him must be sacrificial, wholesome, exciting and free. We must see it as a privilege reserved for those who truly appreciate the uncommon gesture of God in giving up His only begotten Son that we may be partakers of all things.* ✍🏽```THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:``` _*True fulfilment consists in giving all and serving the Lord wholeheartedly.*_ 📜📜```THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:``` *LUKE 20-21*📜📜 Only The Best https://dailymanna.app// *TXD [THEXDEVOTIONALS] on Twitter* *#DailyManna10thOctober2026* *#GCK* *#WorshipNuggets* *#BibleNuggets* *#LeadershipNuggets* *#RevivalNuggets* *#CrusadeNuggets* https://www.youtube.com/[THEXDEVOTIONALS] [09/10, 7:42 pm] Pastor Attah: ```DEEPER CHRISTIAN LIFE MINISTRY``` _*HIGHER EVERYD🅰️Y: (A DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE FOR YOUTHS)*_ ✍🏽👩🏻‍💼🌻 🍇🙏🏽🛰🚀🔬📚 ```SATURDAY 10TH OCTOBER, 2026``` *TOUGH JOB FOR THE TOUGH - 3* 🎚️📓📖🫵🏽🙋🏽‍♂️🙋🏽‍♀️💪🏽🧎🏽🧎🏽‍♀️🙏🏽🙌🏽 📜📜```TEXT:1 SAMUEL 17:42-51```📜📜 📖``` MEMORY VERSE:``` _*"And the Philistine said to David, Come to me, and I will give thy flesh unto the fowls of the air, and to the beasts of the field" (1 SAMUEL 17:44).*_ *David had a formidable and boastful enemy to fight, but he had no reason to panic before him because he was not a weakling but a tough-minded child of God. He knew that he was not going to defeat Goliath with the arm of flesh but with the power of God.* *F. B. Meyer wrote, "Our God is Jehovah of hosts, who can summon unexpected reinforcements at any moment to aid His people. Believe that He is there between you and your difficulty, and what baffles you will flee before you, as clouds before the gale."* *Truly, that was how the battle went. With a sling and stone, and an unshakable faith in God, he killed the seemingly unconquerable Goliath, and the great army of the Philistines who relied on Goliath for victory fled.* *Friend, as you go through life, from youth, adult to old age, you will face battles. But how will you respond to them? Of course, by faith. Your Goliath now may be your education, peer pressure or financial challenges. Pray, work hard and smart, and God will grant you good success.* 💬 ```QUOTE:``` _*He had no reason to panic.*_ 🏆 ```CHALLENGE:``` _*Be brave, as God will grant you success!*_ 🙏🏽🙏🏽 ```PRAYER:``` _*Lord, help me to overcome my Goliath.*_ Tough Job For The Tough - 3 https://dailymanna.app// *TXD [THEXDEVOTIONALS] on Twitter* *#HigherEveryday10thOctober2026* *#GCK* *#WorshipNuggets* *#BibleNuggets* *#LeadershipNuggets* *#RevivalNuggets* *#CrusadeNuggets* https://www.youtube.com/[THEXDEVOTIONALS] [09/10, 7:42 pm] Pastor Attah: ```DEEPER CHRISTIAN LIFE MINISTRY``` _*(SINCERE MILK: Children Daily Devotional Guide 2⃣0⃣2⃣6️⃣)*_ 🙇🏼🙇🏼🙇‍♀️🙇‍♀️🙇🏼🙇‍♀️🙇🏼🙇‍♀️🙇🏼‍♂️ ```SATURDAY 10TH OCTOBER, 2026``` *APPRECIATE YOUR PARENTS' CORRECTION* 📓📖🎚️🫵🏽🙋🏽‍♂️🙋🏽‍♀️🧎🏽🧎🏽‍♀️🙏🏽 📜📜```PROVERBS 29:15-28```📜📜 🕔📚🖋️🚻😁🎼🏆🍉🪴🌈💻 🔑📖 ```Key Verse:``` _*"Correct thy son, and he shall give thee rest; yea, he shall give delight unto thy soul" (PROVERBS 29:17).*_ 📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖 A story was told of a young man whose mother had pampered from his childhood, and would not correct his misbehaviour. The boy grew up to become an armed robber, and was caught and convicted by the court. When he was about to be executed for his crime, he requested to whisper a message into his mother's ear. In the process, the condemned criminal grabbed his mother's ear with his teeth and bit it off, claiming that she failed to correct his misdeeds from his childhood days and had led him to die in shame. Many children always feel very unhappy when they are corrected by their parents. Some children would pull the shoulders, murmuring and grumbling in rebellion to their parents' correction. Such attitudes are evil in the sight of God. Parents are commanded by God to lovingly but firmly correct their children when they are wrong, and train them up in the way of the Lord. It is evil to call for the arrest of your parents because they lovingly and firmly corrected you for your wrong doings. In 1 Samuel chapters 3 and 4, there was the story of a father called Eli who was not firm in correcting his two unruly and sinful sons. God was very unhappy with them. Therefore, both himself and his two sons perished on the same day. *Always give thanks to God for giving you such parents who lovingly and firmly correct you when you are wrong, and train you in the way of the Lord. Also, appreciate, love, respect and obey your parents always. This is the sure way to enjoy the blessings of God.* 🍥🍥🍥🍥🍥🍥🍥🍥 ```🅿️rayer:``` _*Dear God, I thank You for giving me such loving parents who correct me when I am wrong. Help me to always love and obey them.*_ 🙏🏽 ```📖 Further Reading:``` *Ephesians 6:1-3* Appreciate Your Parents' Correction https://dailymanna.app// *TXD [THEXDEVOTIONALS] on Twitter* *#SincereMilk10thOctober2026* *#GCK* *#WorshipNuggets* *#BibleNuggets* *#LeadershipNuggets* *#RevivalNuggets* *#CrusadeNuggets* https://www.youtube.com/[THEXDEVOTIONALS] [09/10, 8:20 pm] Pastor Attah: *MEDITATIONS ON DAILY ⓂANNA* SATURDAY, 10TH OCTOBER, 2026. *GOD, A FAITHFUL REWARDER* *TEXT:* NUMBERS 18:20-32. 20 And the LORD spake unto Aaron, Thou shalt have no inheritance in their land, neither shalt thou have any part among them: I am thy part and thine inheritance among the children of Israel. 21 And, behold, I have given the children of Levi all the tenth in Israel for an inheritance, for their service which they serve, even the service of the tabernacle of the congregation. 22 Neither must the children of Israel henceforth come nigh the tabernacle of the congregation, lest they bear sin, and die. 23 But the Levites shall do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation, and they shall bear their iniquity: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations, that among the children of Israel they have no inheritance. 24 But the tithes of the children of Israel, which they offer as an heave offering unto the LORD, I have given to the Levites to inherit: therefore I have said unto them, Among the children of Israel they shall have no inheritance. 25 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 26 Thus speak unto the Levites, and say unto them, When ye take of the children of Israel the tithes which I have given you from them for your inheritance, then ye shall offer up an heave offering of it for the LORD, even a tenth part of the tithe. 27 And this your heave offering shall be reckoned unto you, as though it were the corn of the threshingfloor, and as the fulness of the winepress. 28 Thus ye also shall offer an heave offering unto the LORD of all your tithes, which ye receive of the children of Israel; and ye shall give thereof the LORD'S heave offering to Aaron the priest. 29 Out of all your gifts ye shall offer every heave offering of the LORD, of all the best thereof, even the hallowed part thereof out of it. 30 Therefore thou shalt say unto them, When ye have heaved the best thereof from it, then it shall be counted unto the Levites as the increase of the threshingfloor, and as the increase of the winepress. 31 And ye shall eat it in every place, ye and your households: for it is your reward for your service in the tabernacle of the congregation. 32 And ye shall bear no sin by reason of it, when ye have heaved from it the best of it: neither shall ye pollute the holy things of the children of Israel, lest ye die. *Timeless Truth:*_"But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him"_ (Hebrews 11:6). *INTRODUCTION* God is faithful to reward those who serve Him according to His instructions. No good action of any man would go unrewarded and when those things are done for the sake of God, the reward would always be in multiple folds and at times eternal. This shows the nature of God as someone who appreciates little things done by men and as someone who faithfully rewards His servants. The text shows the reward system for temple servants, who we can call workers in the Christian setting. Our service to God is never in vain when rendered with a sincere heart. *1. Believers' Reward for Sustenance* a. Aaron and his seed, including the Levites, were commanded not to have any landed property in Israel. It is curious that this commandment was given after the rebellion of Dathan, Korah and Abiram for which the ground splitted open and consumed them. The thought of making material gain through priesthood might have been unspoken motivation that moved them to rebel against priestly office and Aaron. God decided to address the tendency towards this ministerial greed. God demanded consecration from His chosen temple servants and that they should not be chasing material wealth like those who are not called to the service of God. Seeking wealth in an ungodly way and seeking for impactful service to God don't mix. There must be a priority and a choice. *"For they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts which drown many unto perdition"* (1Timothy 6:9). b. Those consecrated to the service of God will not be forgotten by God. God said of Aaron and the Levites, *"I am thy part and thine inheritance among the children of Israel"*. What does this mean? While other Israelites inherited lands, farms and houses, God was the inheritance of the Levites and Aaron, the Priest . That meant all that God had belonged to them and they could have access to them anytime the need arose. To the New Testament saints, this is the same as being joint heirs with Christ. All the kingdom blessings are at the disposal of the consecrated Christian. *"Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you"* (Matthew 6:33). It is blindness of the mind to think a life consecrated to God is a call to poverty and penury. Serving God is the greatest security any person can have in this life. All forms of earthly distractions should be minimized for the service of God. *"Having food and raiment , let us therewith be content"*. *Question* Are you trusting God as your ultimate source of provision while faithfully fulfilling the responsibility He has committed to you? *2. Basic Remittance for Servants* a. All the tithes of the children of Israel were to go to the Levites. The Levites were just a tribe in Israel. While the tithe was 10%, it was even more than 8% (1/12), which was the average revenue of a tribe in Israel. Thus, in reality, they gained more than what they could averagely have gotten if they were not serving God. This tithe was also called a wave or heave offering which were to be waved and surrendered to God in recognition of Him as the source of all blessings. God instructed the Levites to offer a tenth of the tithes they received to Him. The Levites were to pay tithes to God too. b. Paying tithes cuts across dispensations. It predated the Law of Moses. Both Abraham and Jacob gave tithes as part of worship (Genesis 14:20, 28:22). The text speaks about tithes during the time of the Law. The prophetic writings also emphasised that dodging tithes is a sin against God and there is a curse attached to it (Malachi 3:10-11). In the New Testament, Jesus was also positive about paying tithes as something that should not be left undone (Matthew 23:23). The New Testament does not put much emphasis on paying tithes not because it is optional, but because God expects more since Jesus gave us all. Those who preach against tithes end up not giving it to God at the end of the day. They end up playing economic smartness with God. Since the Bible commanded that we should give according to the proportion of what we have (1 Corinthians 16:1,2), what percentage do we use better than the 10% which should be the minimum or baseline for believers. Believers are to give abundantly beyond the Old Testament since Jesus gave us His all. The whole lesson is on the principle of giving. Your needs must not give you anxiety to the point of cutting corners with God who desires your love and sincerity. Ministers, Christian workers and all believers must practice faithful stewardship, giving to God willingly and managing His resources honestly since the resources actually belong to God. *Question* Are you faithfully returning to God what belongs to Him and managing the blessings entrusted to you with integrity? *3. Best is Right for the Saviour* a. God commanded the Levites to offer the best and holiest portion of what they received. Their offering was not to be made carelessly or with what was left over after satisfying their personal desires. God deserved their best because He was holy and had graciously provided for them. After setting apart the required portion, they could enjoy the remainder as their reward for service. God gave us His very best. The best salvation, the best forgiveness, the best sacrifice for sin ever possible, His best heaven etc. The God who gives His bests also demands our best as love is reciprocal. He expects wholehearted devotion, excellent service, and faithful obedience from His people. Our giving, worship, time, talents and service should reflect our bests and the greatness of the God we serve. We must honour Him with our best, not merely with what costs us nothing, but sacrificial. *Question* Are you giving God the best of your life, resources, talents and service or only what remains after your personal interests? *Prayer Points* 1.Father, thank you because You are my inheritance. Help me to trust You as my inheritance and be satisfied with You 🙏. 2.Lord, deliver me from selfishness and unbelief and teach me to be a faithful steward of every blessing You entrust to me 🙏. 3.Father, fill my heart with perfect love for You to always honour You with the best of my resources, time, talents and service 🙏. 4.Help all Your children to be cheerful and sacrificial givers 🙏. *HYMN:* Give Of Your Best To The Master. *BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:* LUKE 20-21. 2. Morning Prayer for today. MP.i. Morning Prayer [It is of] the LORD's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. [They are] new every morning: great [is] thy faithfulness. ⏤ Lamentations 3:22-23 To be a Christian without prayer is no more possible than to be alive without breathing. ⏤ Martin Luther As we come to the end of another week, Father, we ask for Your blessing on this last morning. We’ve failed in many ways, and with humility and repentance, we confess our failures. We ask for the grace to make this last day of the week better than any of the others, to do its duties more faithfully, and to live more according to Your pure and holy laws. We thank You for all Your mercies. You’ve blessed us abundantly. The things we feared at the start of the week didn’t happen. The clouds we thought would bring darkness and storms either passed us by or brought only gentle rain that made our fields more fertile. The tasks we thought would be too hard for us have been manageable, and we’ve had the strength we needed as they came. We thank You for all the blessings of the week, which came to us in so many ways—through Your providence, through our friends, through our work. We’ve had food to eat and clothes to wear. We’ve had health and life’s comforts. You haven’t failed us once! This morning, we pray for our neighbors. Some of them are in trouble. Some homes have sickness. May You send Your tender grace and healing to them. Give strength to those who are suffering, so they can endure patiently, and may their suffering bring good to their souls. Remember the homes that have been darkened by sorrow. May those who are mourning catch glimpses of Heaven’s glory through their tears. Bless our neighbors who don’t know You yet, who are still resisting Your love. Lead them to surrender their lives to You. We ask all this in Jesus' precious name. Amen. https://www.youdevotion.com/daily-prayer/miller/06/morning #taptapstudio #youdevotion.

THE FULLNESS OF THE BLESSINGS OF CHRIST And I am sure that, when I come unto you, I shall come in the fulness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ (Romans 15:29). Every Christian is called to walk in the fullness of the blessing of the Gospel. The Apostle Paul knew it was possible, and by the Spirit, he declared accordingly. It’s not a special privilege exclusive to the apostles. Rather, it’s what is possible for every one of us in Christ; we’re called to live in the fullness of the blessings of Christ. Make up your mind that this is going to be your experience. Acknowledge and declare every day that you walk in the fullness of the blessing of the Gospel. This is the life of the new creation; it’s a life of advantage, abundant supply, and exceeding grace. Remember the line in the prayer that the Lord Jesus taught His disciples to pray, “Give us this day our daily bread” (Matthew 6:11). This means our heavenly Father has a daily budget for each one of us, a divine provision set aside just for you every single day! So, enjoy what’s yours; walk in the fullness of your daily provisions. God already made the supply. Even the ones you didn’t “collect” over the years have accumulated for you as arrears; call them forth! Make the firm decision to enjoy your life in Christ and to live a great life. He called you into a life of blessing according to 1 Peter 3:9, _*“…ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.”*_ Therefore, live in blessings. It’s part of the reasons we give, serve, and reach others with the love of Christ. It’s the reason we distribute God’s Word in every known language, to improve and save lives, and bring them into the glorious liberty of the sons of God, so they too can know about and walk in the fullness of the blessings of Christ. Praise God! FURTHER STUDY Ephesians 1:3 KJV Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: Romans 15:29 AMPC And I know that when I do come to you, I shall come in the abundant blessing of the Gospel of Christ. 2 Corinthians 9:8 AMPC And God is able to make all grace (every favor and earthly blessing) come to you in abundance, so that you may always and under all circumstances and whatever the need be self-sufficient [possessing enough to require no aid or support and furnished in abundance for every good work and charitable donation].

DO YOU WANT 🫵 TO BE A WARRIOR OF CHRIST? TAKE THE GOSPEL SERIOUSLY 📖 AND LIVE A LIFE OF SACRIFICE. 🔥 PRESENT YOURSELF 🫡 TO THE LORD YOUR GOD AS A LIVING SACRIFICE, WITH A LIFE OF PRAYER 🧎 AND FASTING. SPEND YOUR NIGHTS IN PRAYER AND REMAIN ON YOUR KNEES ⏱️ FOR HOURS AND HOURS. BUT FIRST, YOU MUST BELONG TO GOD. KEEP HIS WORD 📖 AND PRAY WITHOUT CEASING, WITH 🧎 AGONIZING PRAYERS AND INTENSE FASTING. 🔥 RISE UP, WARRIOR OF CHRIST! DON’T JUST TALK ABOUT THE POWER OF GOD—SEEK HIM WITH ALL YOUR HEART! 🙏 🖋️BY: PROPHET ELIJAH

# Notes on Ephesians 1:3-6 - The Greatest Blessings ## Summary The speaker delivers a passionate sermon on Ephesians 1:3-6, emphasizing the profound spiritual blessings believers have in Christ. He highlights that these blessings—being chosen, predestined, and adopted—are far superior to any material wealth or earthly achievement. The sermon encourages a life of holiness and blamelessness as a natural response to God's grace and calls for deep reflection and praise for these eternal truths. ## Highlights - **Overwhelming Nature of the Text:** The speaker is deeply moved by Ephesians 1:3-6, finding it so profound that his words struggle to do it justice, suggesting a supernatural revelation is needed for full understanding. - **Ephesians as a Christological Document:** Ephesians is described as one of the most solid Christological documents, exalting Jesus Christ's person and work, and the believer's position in Him. - **Transformative Power of Ephesians:** Studying Ephesians is presented as a life-changing experience, capable of transforming identity in Christ, faith, and daily practice. - **Longest Sentence in the New Testament:** Paul's writing in Ephesians 1:3-14 is noted as the longest sentence in the Greek New Testament, indicating his excitement and deep spiritual revelation. - **Praise Precedes Blessing:** Paul's immediate burst into praise ("Blessed be the God and Father...") before detailing the blessings challenges the common human tendency to bless God only after receiving tangible benefits. - **Spiritual Blessings vs. Material Blessings:** The sermon contrasts the American church's focus on tangible blessings with the spiritual, eternal blessings found in Ephesians 1, urging a shift in focus from this temporary life to eternity. - **First Blessing: Chosen Before the Foundation of the World (Ephesians 1:4):** God's sovereign choice of believers before creation, irrespective of their merit, sin, or circumstances. This choice implies God's preservation of individuals until their salvation. - **Responsibility of the Chosen:** Being chosen comes with the responsibility to live a holy and blameless life, reflecting God's glory. Holiness is presented as a natural desire stemming from this theological understanding. - **Second Blessing: Predestined for Adoption (Ephesians 1:5):** God's act of love in predestining believers for adoption as His children through Jesus Christ, according to His will. Predestination is linked to God's overarching purpose to create a family for Himself. - **Security in Adoption:** The adopted status provides security, assuring believers that nothing in life can thwart God's plan for them, as He is a faithful adoptive Father. - **Reformed Theology vs. Decision Theology:** Acknowledges both predestination and human free will (whosoever will) as taught in scripture, emphasizing the speaker's role in spreading the gospel regardless of not fully understanding the theological interplay. - **Call to Action for the Chosen:** Encourages the chosen to care deeply for the unsaved, pray for their salvation, and live lives of obedience, sacrifice, and holiness as a natural response to God's grace. - **Rhetorical Question: "What will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul?":** Used to underscore the ultimate worthlessness of earthly gains compared to Christ and eternal salvation. ## Key Information/Topics - **Ephesians 1:3-6:** The core biblical text for the sermon. - **Christology:** The study of Christ, central to the book of Ephesians. - **Identity in Christ:** Believers are "saints" (set apart) and "faithful," dual citizens of their nation and the Kingdom of Heaven. - **Spiritual vs. Material Blessings:** A critical distinction made throughout the sermon. - **Eternity:** Emphasized as the true focus for believers, detaching from the temporary nature of this life. - **Election/Chosen:** God's sovereign choice of individuals before creation. - **Predestination:** God's purpose to adopt a people for Himself. - **Adoption:** The act of God making believers His children, conferring all heavenly blessings. - **Holiness and Blamelessness:** The expected lifestyle of those chosen and adopted by God. - **Rhetorical Questions:** Used as a powerful communication tool to provoke deep reflection. - **Theological Concepts:** Sovereignty of God, human will, grace, salvation. ## Explicit Tasks - **Practice Praise:** The congregation is asked to practice "blowing the roof off with praise." - **Study Ephesians:** Encouragement to read, study, and meditate on Ephesians 1. - **Global Fast:** A call for a three-day fast (Thursday, Friday, Saturday) before the "Access" event. - **Attend "Access" Prayer Event:** Invitation to gather at AT&T Stadium for an hour of prayer for the nation, families, and loved ones. - **Release Tickets:** If unable to attend "Access," release tickets for others to use. - **Pray for the Unsaved:** A prayer for God to save unbelievers and open their eyes to the truth. - **Live Holy and Blameless:** A call for believers to live lives of obedience, sacrifice, and holiness as a response to their election.

When Mercy Opens Our Hands A Message to the Family of God from John 8:7 Grace and peace to you in the name of Jesus Christ, whose holiness reveals our need and whose mercy welcomes us into a life made new. Wherever this letter finds you—strong in faith, weary from struggle, burdened by regret, or wounded by the judgments of others—may you hear the voice of the Savior above every accusing voice. His words penetrate our defenses, but they also open a door to hope. He tells the truth about sin without forgetting the person standing before Him. John 8:7 brings us into a painful encounter: “When they continued to question Him, He straightened up and said to them, ‘Let him who is without sin among you be the first to cast a stone at her.’” A woman has been brought before Jesus, and her accusers demand an answer. They have made her shame public and turned her suffering into an opportunity to test Him. Yet Jesus refuses to allow their question to conceal the condition of their hearts. His response brings everyone present under the searching light of God. There is something deeply unsettling about the ease with which human beings can recognize another person’s failure while overlooking their own. We can speak confidently about someone else’s need for repentance while guarding the places where repentance is needed within us. We can become so occupied with identifying wrongdoing that we forget the patience God has shown us. Jesus interrupts that familiar pattern. Before anyone takes the place of executioner, He requires an encounter with truth that reaches beyond the accused and into the accuser. Dear brothers and sisters, this word belongs within the household of faith. It speaks to our conversations, our disagreements, our responses to scandal, and our treatment of those who have fallen. It challenges the satisfaction we sometimes find in being right about another person’s wrong. The church must never become a gathering of people who have forgotten that they live by mercy. We belong to God because He has drawn us near through Christ, forgiven our sins, and received us by grace. No member of this family stands before Him on the strength of personal innocence. The command of Jesus does not make sin unimportant. The One who speaks these words is perfectly holy. He knows the damage that rebellion brings into human lives, relationships, and communities. He does not confuse compassion with indifference, nor does He suggest that wrongdoing becomes acceptable because everyone has sinned. His words expose the hypocrisy of condemning others from a position of imagined moral superiority. We cannot faithfully address another person’s darkness while refusing to bring our own hearts into the light. This distinction matters because mercy is sometimes misunderstood as permission to avoid difficult truths. A loving church must be willing to name what destroys people. Deception, cruelty, exploitation, unfaithfulness, and abuse cannot be sheltered beneath religious language. Yet truth must be spoken with a heart shaped by Christ. Its purpose must include protection, repentance, healing, and restoration wherever restoration is possible. When correction becomes an opportunity to humiliate, or when discipline becomes an expression of contempt, something essential to the character of Christian love has been lost. Notice, too, the dignity Jesus preserves in this encounter. The woman is more than the accusation brought against her. She is a human being standing in terror before a crowd. Her accusers speak about her, but later Jesus speaks to her. That movement is profoundly important. Mercy restores personhood where judgment has reduced someone to a case, a problem, or a public example. Every person we encounter bears the image of God, even when that image has been obscured by grievous choices. No failure gives us permission to stop seeing a human being. Within the family of God, we must resist language that turns people into the worst thing they have done. A person who has lied must be called to honesty, but lying need not define every remaining chapter of that life. Someone who has wandered must be called home, but wandering does not place that person beyond the reach of the Shepherd. The gospel announces that genuine change is possible through Jesus Christ. To speak as though anyone is beyond His power to redeem is to forget the breadth of the grace that has reached us. At the same time, compassion for someone who has sinned must never require silence from someone who has been harmed. The words of Jesus must not be used to tell wounded people that they have no right to seek safety, speak truth, or pursue justice because they, too, are imperfect. That would turn a word exposing hypocrisy into a shield for further wrongdoing. Mercy cares for the vulnerable. It welcomes honest testimony, supports appropriate accountability, and recognizes that forgiveness does not automatically restore trust or remove consequences. Beloved family, if you have been hurt, you do not have to pretend that the wound is small. You may seek wise counsel, establish necessary boundaries, and ask for protection. Reconciliation requires truth and cannot be manufactured by pressuring the injured to move faster than healing allows. The church should walk patiently beside you. The tenderness of Christ makes room for grief, and His justice does not dismiss what has happened. A merciful community takes suffering seriously because the Savior takes suffering seriously. For those carrying the burden of their own wrongdoing, this passage offers a different but equally necessary word. You do not have to keep defending what God is calling you to confess. Shame often tells people to hide, minimize, blame, or surrender to despair. Grace makes another way possible. You may come into the light, acknowledge what you have done, accept appropriate consequences, and begin walking in obedience. Repentance is more than sorrow over exposure; it is a turning toward God that becomes visible in changed choices and a willingness to make amends. The hope of that turning rests in Jesus Himself. He alone stands without sin, and yet He does not use His holiness as a reason to despise sinners. His holiness expresses itself in saving love. The wider witness of the gospel leads us from this encounter to the cross, where Christ bears our sins and gives Himself for our reconciliation with God. Forgiveness is no casual dismissal of evil. It is a gift secured through the costly love of the Savior, whose resurrection opens the way into new life. Because we have received such mercy, humility should become the atmosphere of our common life. Humility does not require us to deny what is true or remain uncertain about everything. It requires us to remember who we are before God. We are dependent creatures, imperfect disciples, and forgiven sinners still being formed by the Holy Spirit. Even years of faithful service do not free us from that dependence. Spiritual maturity should make us more teachable, more honest about our weaknesses, and more patient with the struggles of others. One practical way to cultivate this humility is to pause before speaking about another person’s failure. Ask whether the words are necessary, whether the information is reliable, and whether sharing it will serve a loving purpose. Consider whether the conversation belongs with someone who can actually help. Many wounds within churches begin when concern becomes gossip and gossip borrows the language of prayer. A person’s pain should not become material for casual discussion. Love knows when to speak, but it also knows when to guard another person’s dignity. The same care is needed in public conversations and online spaces. It is easy to join a crowd when the accused person is distant and the consequences of our words are hidden from view. A cutting remark can feel like courage, and an unverified accusation can spread under the appearance of righteousness. Before adding your voice, remember that a screen does not remove your responsibility to love your neighbor. Christian faithfulness includes refusing to enjoy another person’s humiliation, even when disagreement is necessary and wrongdoing must be addressed. In our homes, this word from Jesus calls us to lay aside the habit of keeping a permanent record of one another’s failures. Marriage, parenting, friendship, and life between generations all suffer when every disagreement becomes an opportunity to reopen old accusations. Accountability may require remembering patterns, but love does not use memory merely to wound. Speak honestly about what needs to change. Listen carefully to what the other person is saying. Offer apologies without excuses, and allow genuine repentance to have a future. Within congregational life, restoration requires more than a welcoming phrase. People need patient companionship, sound teaching, practical support, and relationships in which honesty is possible. Those seeking freedom from destructive habits may need sustained help. Those returning after a season away may need time to rebuild trust. Those who have caused serious harm may need restrictions that remain in place even while they receive pastoral care. The work of grace often unfolds through steady, ordinary faithfulness rather than a single emotional moment. Let us also remember that gentleness is a fruit of the Spirit, not a failure of conviction. There is strength in confronting wrongdoing without cruelty. There is courage in refusing to follow an angry crowd. There is wisdom in asking questions before reaching conclusions. When someone confesses a struggle, the first response should not be astonishment that sin has appeared within the church. The family of God should be a place where confession can lead to wise help, where repentance is encouraged, and where truth can be spoken without the threat of needless humiliation. Some among you may find it easier to extend mercy to others than to receive it yourselves. Your past returns in memory, and you imagine that God regards you only through the lens of your failure. Yet the voice of accusation is not always the voice of the Lord. God’s conviction brings sin into the light so that we may turn to Him. Despair insists that turning is pointless. Listen to the Savior who calls you toward repentance and life. If you belong to Christ, your sin is serious, but it is not greater than His redeeming work. The encounter in John 8 does not conclude with permission to remain unchanged. Jesus sends the woman forward with a call to leave sin behind. Mercy gives her room to live differently. This is the pattern of Christian discipleship: grace receives us, and grace teaches us to walk in holiness. We do not pursue obedience to purchase God’s compassion. We pursue obedience because His compassion has reached us and His Spirit is renewing us. The hands that release their stones can become hands offered to God in service. Dear family of God, imagine what our communities might become if this word of Jesus took deeper root among us. The wounded would find people willing to listen. The repentant would find patient guidance. The proud would encounter a loving challenge to examine themselves. The vulnerable would find protection, and those entrusted with responsibility would accept accountability. Such a church would still face difficult decisions and painful failures, but it would face them with a clearer memory of the Savior at its center. May the Lord search our hearts before we presume to search the hearts of others. May He give us courage to confront evil, wisdom to protect those in danger, and tenderness toward every person who needs His grace. May our words carry truth without contempt and our actions make His compassion visible. And when we are tempted to close our hands around another stone, may the voice of Jesus call us back to humility, until those same hands open in prayer, in repentance, and in love. Grace and peace to you all in Jesus Christ.

Understanding the Enemy: Recognizing Spiritual Warfare 1. Consider Job: The Enemy Is Real, but God Is Sovereign When studying spiritual warfare, consider the story of Job. Satan attacked Job, but he could not act beyond the limits God permitted (Job 1:6–12; 2:1–6). The lesson: Satan is not equal to God. He is not all-powerful, and God remains sovereign even when His people experience suffering. We must be careful not to assume that every hardship is a direct attack from Satan. Scripture teaches us to be watchful, prayerful, and discerning while trusting God’s sovereignty. 2. Recognize the Battle Without Assuming Every Struggle Is an Attack Sometimes difficulties seem to happen all at once. Problems may affect our relationships, finances, confidence, health, and faith. When this happens, consider what is happening, where you are struggling, and how you can respond in a way that honors God. Ask yourself: * What is happening, and what do I know for certain? * Is there a natural explanation for this situation? * Am I responding through faith or fear? * What does Scripture teach me about this struggle? * How can I remain faithful to God through it? The timing or intensity of a problem does not automatically prove that Satan is targeting you or that a breakthrough is near. Instead of jumping to conclusions, test your thoughts against Scripture and seek godly wisdom. Remember: Not everything that feels connected has the same cause, but every situation is an opportunity to seek God and respond with wisdom. 3. Guard Your Faith Against Lies One of the enemy’s biblical strategies is deception. In Genesis 3:1–5, the serpent questioned God’s Word. In John 8:44, Jesus described the devil as a liar. Lies can cause us to question God’s character, doubt His Word, and lose sight of His promises. When discouraging thoughts arise, return to what God has actually said. * When you feel alone, remember Hebrews 13:5. * When you feel weak, remember 2 Corinthians 12:9. * When you feel afraid, remember Isaiah 41:10. * When you are discouraged, remember Romans 8:38–39. * When you are tempted, remember 1 Corinthians 10:13. Do not build your understanding of God around your feelings. Let His Word correct your feelings and guide your decisions. Guard your faith. Stand on the truth. Do not let fear become your foundation. 4. Recognize Repeated Patterns and Persevere Sometimes the same struggles return in different forms. You may repeatedly face discouragement, temptation, conflict, fear, or doubt. Ephesians 6:11 calls believers to put on the whole armor of God so they can stand against the schemes of the devil. James 4:7 teaches believers to submit to God, resist the devil, and trust God’s authority. When struggles repeat: * Keep praying. * Remain grounded in Scripture. * Recognize destructive patterns. * Establish healthy boundaries. * Seek wise, trustworthy counsel. * Repent when necessary and keep growing. * Persevere instead of giving up. The goal is not to become obsessed with identifying Satan’s every move. The goal is to remain faithful to Jesus Christ. Keep enduring. Keep growing. Keep your eyes on Jesus. 5. Understand What the Bible Says About Satan’s Limits Job’s story reminds us that Satan’s power is limited and that God remains sovereign. However, we should not conclude that every attack requires Satan to personally ask God for permission in the same way described in Job. That specific account reveals what happened in Job’s circumstances; we should not assume that every spiritual struggle follows an identical pattern. What we can confidently affirm is that Satan is not sovereign, God is greater, and believers are called to trust Him. Read: * Job 1:6–12 * Job 2:1–6 * 1 John 4:4 * James 4:7 * Ephesians 6:10–18 Our confidence is not in our ability to understand every spiritual event. Our confidence is in God’s character and authority. 6. Faithfulness Matters More Than the Enemy’s Opposition Obedience, faithfulness, purity, holiness, and sharing your testimony are important aspects of Christian living. The Bible teaches believers to pursue holiness (1 Peter 1:15–16), remain faithful (Revelation 2:10), and share the good news of Jesus (Matthew 28:19–20). Following Christ will not always make life easier. Jesus warned His disciples that they would face trouble (John 16:33). But opposition does not automatically mean you are doing everything right, just as suffering does not mean you are doing something wrong. Our responsibility is to remain faithful to God regardless of our circumstances. Live for Jesus because He is worthy, not because you expect every act of obedience to produce an immediate breakthrough. 7. Recognize Where You Need God’s Help Different struggles require different responses. Relationships: If a relationship is struggling, pray for wisdom, truth, reconciliation, and restoration when appropriate. Restoration requires more than hope alone; it may require repentance, accountability, changed behavior, and healthy boundaries. Read Matthew 18:15–17 and Romans 12:18. Finances: If you are struggling financially, pray for provision while taking practical steps toward stability. Seek wise counsel, manage available resources carefully, and practice generosity according to your means. Read Proverbs 21:5 and 2 Corinthians 9:7. Your voice and confidence: If fear or discouragement is keeping you from sharing your faith, remember that God calls believers to speak the truth in love. Build confidence through prayer, preparation, practice, and reliance on the Holy Spirit. Read 2 Timothy 1:7–8 and Ephesians 4:15. Your calling: If you feel discouraged about serving God, return to Scripture and examine your gifts, responsibilities, motives, and opportunities. Do not assume every obstacle means you are close to a breakthrough. Ask God for wisdom about your next faithful step. Read Colossians 3:17 and James 1:5. 8. Do Not Let Your Struggles Define Your Identity One of the most important things to guard is your identity in Christ. The world, your past, your mistakes, and your struggles do not have the final word over your life. For those who belong to Christ: * You are loved by God (Romans 8:38–39). * You are a child of God through faith in Christ (Galatians 3:26). * You are redeemed through Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1:7). * You are called to walk in the newness of life (Romans 6:4). * You are being transformed to become more like Christ (2 Corinthians 3:18). When discouragement tells you that you are abandoned, return to God’s promises. When shame reminds you of your past, remember the forgiveness available through Christ. When fear tells you that you cannot continue, remember that God’s grace is sufficient. Do not confuse your feelings with the truth of God’s Word. Your identity is not built on what the enemy says about you. It is grounded in what God has revealed through Jesus Christ. 9. Put on the Whole Armor of God Ephesians 6:10–18 gives believers a clear picture of how to stand firm in spiritual warfare. * The belt of truth: Know God’s Word and reject deception. * The breastplate of righteousness: Pursue a life that honors God. * The shoes of the gospel of peace: Stand firm in the good news of Jesus. * The shield of faith: Trust God when doubts and temptations arise. * The helmet of salvation: Remember the salvation God provides through Christ. * The sword of the Spirit: Use the Word of God faithfully and in context. * Prayer: Pray continually and remain watchful. Notice that this passage repeatedly emphasizes standing firm. Spiritual warfare is not about living in constant fear or searching for Satan behind every problem. It is about standing in God’s strength, remaining faithful to His Word, resisting temptation, and continuing to follow Jesus. You do not overcome the enemy through fear, speculation, or your own strength. You stand firm through faith in God and obedience to His Word. 10. Finish the Race With Your Eyes on Jesus The Christian life requires endurance. Hebrews 12:1–2 calls believers to run with endurance while looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith. There will be days when you feel strong and days when you feel exhausted. There will be victories, disappointments, answered prayers, and seasons when you must wait. Do not measure God’s presence by how easy your circumstances are. Do not assume suffering means abandonment. Do not assume every hardship means you are about to receive a breakthrough. Instead, continue praying, studying Scripture, seeking wise counsel, loving others, repenting when you sin, and trusting God. Remember Romans 8:28: God works all things together for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. This does not mean every event is good, but that God remains able to work through even painful circumstances according to His purposes. Final Reminder You may experience opposition, but you do not have to live in fear. You may feel weak, but you can seek God’s strength. You may face uncertainty, but you can turn to His Word for wisdom. You may struggle, but you can continue to grow in Christ. You may have a painful past, but your past does not have to determine your future. Remember that the battle is real, but so is God’s grace. The enemy is not equal to God, and suffering does not mean that God has abandoned you. Stay rooted in Scripture. Guard your heart. Test everything. Pray continually. Put on the whole armor of God. Persevere in faith. And above all, keep your eyes on Jesus. Key Scriptures to Study * Job 1–2: Satan’s limitations and God’s sovereignty. * Genesis 3:1–5: Deception and the twisting of God’s Word. * John 8:44: Jesus’ teaching about the devil and lies. * James 4:7–10: Submission to God and resisting the devil. * Ephesians 6:10–18: The whole armor of God. * 1 Peter 5:8–10: Being watchful, resisting the devil, and standing firm in faith. * Hebrews 12:1–3: Endurance with our eyes on Jesus. * Romans 8:31–39: God’s love and the believer’s assurance in Christ. The central lesson: Understanding the enemy begins with understanding God’s Word. Be alert to deception, but do not become so focused on Satan that you lose sight of Jesus. Discernment keeps Scripture at the center, tests assumptions, and helps us respond to suffering with faith, wisdom, and perseverance.

Good evening, brethren. 1 Evening devotion for today. ED.i. *DAILY WALK WITH CHRIST* (COCIN DEVOTIONAL) *DATE:* FRIDAY 9TH OCTOBER, 2026. *SUB-THEME:* BENEFITS OF GRACE. *TOPIC:* ATONEMENT. *TEXT:* HEBREWS 2:16-18. 16. For surely it is not angels He helps, but Abraham’s descendants. 17. For this reason He had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in order that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that He might make atonement for the sins of the people. 18. Because He Himself suffered when He was tempted, He is able to help those who are being tempted. *TOPIC:* ATONEMENT. *THE MESSAGE:* To atone for means "to cover" or "pardon" and make compensation for sin, thereby removing its guilt. The consequence of the fall was eternal condemnation. But Jesus became fully human in every aspect, except for sin, to represent believers and serve as their High Priest. His death was an atoning sacrifice to cancel sin and satisfy God's wrath (Rom. 3:24-25). His death reconciled us with God. Amazingly, God graciously pardoned our sins through Christ! Sadly, many people reject the Gospel of Christ, which calls sinners to repentance. Some do not even appreciate what God has done in their lives. Are you one of such people? Remember, you were condemned because of sin, but Christ paid for it to set you free. Believe in Him. *REFLECTION:* Christ has paid for your sin once and for all. *PRAYER:* Thank You, Lord, for atoning for my sin. Amen. *MEMORY VERSE FOR THE MONTH:* TITUS 2:11. For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. *TODAY'S BIBLE READING PLAN:* MATTHEW 26-28. ED.ii. FAKE CONVERSION "They worshiped the Lord, but they also served their own gods in accordance with the customs of the nations from which they had been brought." - 2 Kings 17:32-33 The Lord Jesus Christ teaches us in His Word that conversion is essential to enter heaven. But conversion can also be imitated. I call that a 'fake conversion.' In 2 Kings 16 and 17 we read that God warned the people of Israel that He would surrender them to the enemy if they did not obey His commandments. They did not listen. The king of Assyria captured the Israelites and brought people from all over his kingdom to the land of Israel to live there. They thought differently, lived differently and had a completely different religion than the Israelites. This caused great difficulties; because of this, God became angry with them and sent wild lions among them. The result was that they continued to serve their own gods, but also worshiped the God of Israel. They did not really turn to the Lord but had a fake conversion. Are you truly born again? Today there are many people like this living in our country. The entire Western world is built on the teachings of the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Many became religious because the lions were after them. But they have not really repented from their sins. It is a fake conversion and these 'Christians' have absolutely no desire to get to know the living God personally. Someone who is truly converted is shaken up in his conscience. The spiritual eyes of this person are opened, and he will, like the prodigal son, go to God to say: 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and against You. I am no longer worthy to be called Your son… Forgive me Father, allow me to come back to You.' This is true conversion and such person is born again. You no longer want to serve other gods besides Jesus Christ. https://www.theblessingdevotional.com 2. Evening Prayer for today. EP.i. Evening Prayer I will bless the LORD, who hath given me counsel: my reins also instruct me in the night seasons. ⏤ Psalm 16:7 It is not enough to begin to pray, nor to pray aright; nor is it enough to continue for a time to pray, but we must patiently, believingly continue in prayer until we obtain an answer. ⏤ George Müller We come to You, O God, for Your blessing at the end of this day. It’s dark around us—but darkness and light are the same to You. Your care is as perfect and full of blessings in the night as it is in the day. This has been a good day for us. You’ve led us along paths we didn’t know, and we couldn’t have found without Your guidance. Forgive us if we weren’t always willing to follow Your way. If any of us have strayed from the right path, forgive us and bring us back before we sleep. We want to follow Your plan for our lives, and we don’t want to ruin it by choosing our own foolish way. Now, as the day ends, we lay all our work before You. Nothing is truly finished until it has Your blessing. Bless the work of our hands. Correct our mistakes. Complete the beauty that we only began to sketch with our poor efforts. Make all our work holy, and take it into Your hands to be part of Your great plan. We ask You to bless the people we’ve met today with the influence of our lives on them. If we didn’t live in a way that truly represented Jesus, please forgive us. Let no harm come from our errors. We pray for all our friends everywhere. We pray for the sick, for those who are lonely tonight, for the sailors on the sea, for those facing temptation, the weary, the sorrowful. We ask all these blessings in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. https://www.youdevotion.com/daily-prayer/miller/05/evening #taptapstudio #youdevotion.

CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY CHURCH INTERNATIONAL Friday Encouragement — When the World Troubles Us, Let Us Return to Christ Blessings, dear brothers and sisters in Christ. It is Friday again, and another week is coming to an end. As we look back over the past few days, many of us have experienced the pressures, uncertainties, and difficulties that seem to accompany our daily lives. We also continue to witness a world troubled by conflict, division, suffering, and increasing resistance to the truth of God’s Word. On Wednesday, I shared something that I have learned through my own life. Holding on to Jesus Christ is the only true hope we have. Today, as we prepare our hearts for the Lord’s Day, I want us to consider what that truth should mean in our daily Christian lives. It is one thing to say that we trust Jesus Christ, but it is another to demonstrate that trust when circumstances become difficult. Our faith is often tested when prayers remain unanswered, problems continue, and the future appears uncertain. Yet our Lord has never promised that following Him would remove every difficulty from our lives. Instead, He has promised that His grace will be sufficient and that He will never abandon those who belong to Him. Scripture reminds us, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” — Psalm 46:1 (KJV) What a wonderful assurance this is. We do not serve a distant God who is unaware of our struggles. We serve the one true and living God, who knows our circumstances completely and remains sovereign over everything He has created. However, as we prepare for worship this Sunday, I believe we must also ask ourselves an important question. Are we allowing the problems of this world to occupy more of our attention than our relationship with Jesus Christ? We can become so concerned about political events, economic difficulties, personal responsibilities, and the problems of others that we gradually neglect prayer, Scripture, worship, and our responsibility to share the Gospel. This is a danger that every Christian, including myself, must guard against. Jesus said, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” — Matthew 6:33 (KJV) Our Lord was teaching His followers not to allow anxiety about earthly needs to displace their trust in their Heavenly Father. This remains an essential lesson for us today. The Church must also remember its calling. We have not been commissioned to solve every political dispute or transform society through human power. We have been commanded to proclaim Jesus Christ, teach His Word, make disciples, and demonstrate His love through faithful obedience. When we lose sight of that calling, we risk becoming so occupied with the world’s problems that we neglect the very Gospel the world desperately needs. Therefore, as another week comes to a close, let us return our attention to Jesus Christ. Let us examine our hearts, confess our sins, seek His guidance through Scripture, and ask the Holy Spirit to renew our faith and strengthen our obedience. Let us also remember those who are suffering, those who are discouraged, and those who have not yet heard the saving Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. May our prayers be accompanied by a willingness to serve wherever God opens the door. As we gather for worship this Lord’s Day, may we come not merely out of habit, but with hearts filled with gratitude for the salvation Christ has accomplished through His death and resurrection. The world will continue to change, and the difficulties of life may remain. However, our Savior has not changed, His Word has not changed, and His promise of eternal life remains secure for all who truly belong to Him. Christ is our Lord. Scripture is our authority. The Gospel is our message. The glory of God is our purpose. May we enter this Lord’s Day with our eyes firmly fixed upon Jesus Christ, remembering that our greatest hope is not found in what this world can offer, but in the One who has overcome the world. Serving Christ Together for His Glory Alone. Soli Deo Gloria.