How to have the peace of God  Jude 1 [KJV] [vs: 2] Mercy unto you, and peace, and love, be multiplied. Sin brings fear of God's judgement, but when repent of our sins and revieve Jesus into our hearts we receive pardon for our sins through the mercy of God and are assured in our hearts that we are his children, his peace fills our hearts, the peace refers in this verse is the inner calmness in our soul that comes as a result of our reconciliation with God . there is the presence of God and a settled assurance in our hearts that drives away fear of his judgement when we truly become his children. When we do his will we have confidence with him because our lives pleases him and his anger is turned away from us, it is the assurance that we belongs to God that brings  peace to our hearts . Therefore being justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, Romans 5:1 26 February 2026

Daily devotion for August 19th Time After Time But as soon as they were at rest, they again did what was evil in your sight. Then you abandoned them to the hand of their enemies so that they ruled over them. And when they cried out to you again, you heard from heaven, and in your compassion you delivered them time after time. Nehemiah 9:28 What a marvelous picture of the patience of God! He lets us taste the results of our evil. He gets our attention sometimes by letting disaster strike. But it is only in order that we might hear what He is saying and be delivered. He warns us in order to keep us free. One evening the president of the Gay People's Union of a university was invited to come and speak to a church's group of young people on what the Bible says about homosexuality. The group gave him the opportunity to defend the position that the Bible endorses homosexuality as an alternate lifestyle. Although this man was the president of his university's debating club, he struggled as he tried to present his case. He went all through the Bible trying to prove his cause, but he floundered and could not get anything together. The group leader made an agreement with him that when he finished, one of the church's pastors would speak on the same subject. The pastor graciously opened the Scriptures and pointed out that when God forbids something it is not because He wants to limit us or narrow our lives. It is because He is protecting us from something that we cannot handle, something so devastating it will ruin us. He demonstrated from the Word how homosexuality destroys human beings and turns them into something God never intended them to be. Eventually those embracing a homosexual lifestyle would be locked into pain, hurt, misery, loneliness, and death. Out of that episode came opportunity for members of this church to reach out to those who were struggling with homosexual tendencies. A great number of these people were delivered by the mercy and grace of God. That is what this passage describes--the tough love of God, who will not let ruin overtake us without adequate warning. The closing paragraph, beginning with verse 32, connects the history of earlier generations with the present generation. Here we find a change of pronouns from they and them to we and our as the Israelites begin to look at their own generation. This is where we find ourselves today. Our cities are torn with violence and strife of such intensity that people hardly dare to go outside their homes. The only recovery is to do as these people did--confess our wrongdoing to God and praise Him for His compassionate mercy. Notice how specific the Israelites are. You have acted faithfully, but we did wrong. There is no if in true confession. You say, Lord, I did it. I walked in my own willful way. Then God hears, forgives, and restores. Lord, thank You for Your promise that as I confess my sin, You are faithful and righteous to forgive and restore

TODAY'S KINGDOM INSIGHTS: SERMON TOPIC: WHEN TRUTH MEETS GRACE. Main Text: John 1:14, 17 «“And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us... full of grace and truth.” — John 1:14» «“For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.” — John 1:17» TWO SIDES OF THE CROSS. There are two dangerous extremes in Christianity. One says, “Tell people the truth, no matter how you hurt them.” The other says, “Just show them love; don't confront anything.” But Jesus did something greater. Jesus was full of grace AND truth. Truth without grace can become harshness. Grace without truth can become compromise. Truth tells us what is wrong. Grace shows us that we can be made right. Truth exposes the wound; grace brings healing to the wound. Truth says, “You have sinned.” Grace says, “There is forgiveness.” Truth says, “You must change.” Grace says, “God will help you change.” Truth reveals our condition. Grace reveals God's compassion. That is what happens when truth meets grace. 1. TRUTH REVEALS WHAT GRACE COMES TO HEAL John 8:32 — “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” Truth is not always comfortable, but it is necessary. A doctor cannot treat a sickness that the patient refuses to acknowledge. In the same way, we cannot experience spiritual transformation while continually denying our spiritual condition. The Word of God tells us: - If we are living in sin, truth calls it sin. - If we are walking in bitterness, truth exposes it. - If pride is controlling us, truth confronts it. - If unforgiveness has taken root, truth reveals it. But God does not reveal our condition to destroy us. He reveals it so that His grace can transform us. Spiritual Insight Conviction is not rejection. When the Holy Spirit shows you something that needs to change, He is not saying, “I have abandoned you.” He is saying, “I love you too much to leave you like this.” 2. GRACE DOES NOT CANCEL TRUTH. One of the greatest misunderstandings about grace is that grace means God does not care about our behavior. That is not biblical. Romans 6:1–2 asks: «“Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid.”» Grace does not give us permission to remain in sin. Grace gives us power to overcome sin. A person who truly encounters grace does not say: «“Because God forgives me, I can do whatever I want.”» Instead, he says: «“Because God has forgiven me, I want to live differently.”» Grace does not lower God's standard. Grace gives us the strength to pursue God's standard. 3. TRUTH WITHOUT LOVE CAN PUSH PEOPLE AWAY Ephesians 4:15 teaches us to speak the truth in love. Notice that Scripture does not say: “Speak truth anyhow.” It says: “Speak the truth in love.” There are people who are correct in what they say but wrong in how they say it. You can win an argument and lose a soul. You can prove someone wrong and still fail to show them Christ. Jesus never compromised truth, but He also never treated broken people as worthless. Biblical Example: The Woman Caught in Adultery Read John 8:1–11. The religious leaders brought a woman caught in adultery before Jesus. They wanted judgment. Jesus gave her something greater than condemnation—an opportunity for transformation. He did not say: «“What you did doesn't matter.”» Neither did He say: «“You are hopeless.”» Jesus told her: “Go, and sin no more.” That is truth and grace working together. Grace did not approve her sin. Grace gave her a future beyond her sin. 4. JESUS IS THE PERFECT MEETING POINT OF TRUTH AND GRACE John 1:14 says Jesus was: «“full of grace and truth.”» Not half grace and half truth. Full of grace. Full of truth. Jesus could look at Zacchaeus and say, “Come down.” Then He could enter his house and bring salvation. Jesus could confront Peter's failure and still restore Peter to ministry. Jesus could confront Thomas's doubt and still invite him closer. Jesus could confront Saul's persecution of the Church and transform him into Paul, a powerful apostle. This is the Gospel: God does not ignore our brokenness, but neither does He abandon us because of it. At the cross, truth and grace met. Truth declared: Sin must be judged. Grace declared: God Himself will provide the sacrifice. And Jesus became that sacrifice. 5. WE MUST LEARN TO LIVE WITH BOTH TRUTH AND GRACE As Christians, we must become people who carry both. In our homes Tell your children the truth, but correct them with love. In the church Teach holiness, but never make struggling people feel that restoration is impossible. In relationships Be honest, but do not use honesty as an excuse for cruelty. On social media Stand for biblical truth, but do not become known for insulting people. In evangelism Tell people about sin, judgment, repentance and holiness—but also tell them about the mercy, forgiveness and salvation found in Jesus Christ. The goal is not merely to expose people. The goal is to lead people to Christ. REAL-LIFE PICTURE: THE MIRROR AND THE SOAP Imagine someone standing before a mirror with a dirty face. The mirror shows the dirt. But the mirror cannot wash the face. That is what truth does. Truth shows us who we are and where we have fallen. But then grace comes like water and soap. Grace says: “You don't have to remain this way.” The mirror is necessary. The washing is necessary. Truth and grace belong together. DEEP SPIRITUAL INSIGHTS 1. Truth without grace produces condemnation. People may know they are wrong but believe they are beyond redemption. 2. Grace without truth produces deception. People may feel comfortable while continuing in destructive patterns. 3. Truth brings conviction; grace brings restoration. The Holy Spirit exposes sin so that Christ can restore the sinner. 4. Grace is not God's approval of our past. Grace is God's invitation into a transformed future. 5. Mature Christianity knows how to confront without destroying. Spiritual maturity is not merely knowing Scripture. It is knowing how to apply Scripture with the character of Christ. PRACTICAL ACTION STEPS This week: 1. Allow God's truth to examine you. Read Psalm 139:23–24 and ask God to reveal areas that need correction. 2. Stop using grace as an excuse. Identify one habit or attitude that God is calling you to surrender. 3. Correct someone with love. If confrontation is necessary, pray first. Speak truth without humiliation. 4. Forgive someone who has failed you. Remember the grace you have received from God. 5. Share the Gospel with someone. Tell them both the truth about sin and the good news of salvation through Christ. 6. Examine your social media behavior. Before posting or commenting, ask: “Am I representing Christ, or am I merely trying to win an argument?” QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION 1. Do I usually emphasize truth while neglecting grace? 2. Do I use grace as an excuse to tolerate sin? 3. Can people see the character of Christ in the way I correct them? 4. Is there an area of my life where God is asking me to change? 5. Have I received God's grace personally, or am I only talking about it? 6. Who needs truth from me today? 7. Who needs grace from me today? POWERFUL PRAYER POINTS 1. Father, give me the courage to accept Your truth, even when it confronts me. 2. Lord Jesus, deliver me from every attitude that uses grace as an excuse for sin. 3. Holy Spirit, teach me to speak the truth in love. 4. Father, heal every area of my life that Your truth has exposed. 5. Lord, give me grace to forgive those who have hurt me. 6. Father, remove pride, bitterness, hypocrisy and self-righteousness from my heart. 7. Lord Jesus, make my life a testimony of both holiness and compassion. 8. Let everyone who encounters me encounter something of the character of Christ. 9. Father, give me wisdom to know when to confront, when to correct, when to forgive and when to remain silent. 10. Lord, let Your truth set me free and let Your grace transform me completely. COME TO JESUS Perhaps truth has exposed something in your life today. Do not run from it. Run to Jesus. Maybe you have failed. Grace is still available. Maybe you have wandered away. Grace is calling you home. Maybe you have been hiding behind religious activity while your heart is far from God. Truth is calling you back. Maybe you have been using grace to justify what God has asked you to surrender. Truth is calling you to repentance. And perhaps you have been condemning yourself because of your past. Grace is telling you that your story is not over. At Calvary, truth and grace met. Your sin was serious enough to require the cross. But God's love was great enough to provide the cross. So today, do not choose between truth and grace. Receive both. Let truth correct you. Let grace restore you. Let truth make you honest. Let grace make you humble. Let truth lead you to repentance. Let grace lead you into restoration. And above everything else— LET JESUS CHRIST BE THE PLACE WHERE TRUTH AND GRACE MEET IN YOUR LIFE. FINAL DECLARATION “I will not run from God's truth, and I will not abuse God's grace. I will walk in truth, live by grace, speak the truth in love, and become more like Jesus every day. 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 https://afrikdp.com/author/umohedem-9128 CONTACT - WhatsApp +2349024173027, +2349055447540 Email pastor.umoedem@gmail.com Join our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/share/1HZA5cQsuy/

Psalm 138:8 (KJV): The LORD will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O LORD, endureth for ever: forsake not the works of thine own hands.

🙌 God's mercy is greater than your failures. #GodIsWithYou #NeverAlone #FaithDaily #ChristianCommunity #Encouragement #Hope #SpiritualGrowth #LordsbookApp

THE SPIRITUAL TRUTHS OF EACH BEATTITUDE… The Beatitudes, delivered by Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:3-12), are far more than a moral code or a list of pleasant virtues. They map out a radical spiritual inversion—a pathway where worldly weakness becomes divine strength and the values of the human ego are completely upended by the reality of the Kingdom of Heaven. "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." The Spiritual Truth: Spiritual Bankruptcy is the Gate to Grace. Insight: To be "poor in spirit" means recognizing your utter inability to save, justify, or sustain yourself spiritually on your own terms. It strips away self-sufficiency and spiritual pride. The paradox is that you can only inherit divine richness when you admit your spiritual destitution. 2. "Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted." The Spiritual Truth: Holy Sorrow Prepares the Heart for Divine Joy. Insight: This mourning refers not just to general grief or bereavement, but to deep contrition over personal sin and the brokenness of the world. In a culture that desperately pursues endless distraction and superficial happiness, this truth teaches that facing the weight of human suffering and our own shortcomings creates an empty space that only divine comfort can fill. 3. "Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth." The Spiritual Truth: Surrendered Power is True Strength. Insight: Meekness (prautes) is often misunderstood as weakness or timidity, but in the ancient world, it described a wild stallion that had been broken and trained to respond to the slightest touch of its master's reins. It is power under control. The meek do not need to manipulate, dominate, or defend themselves because they trust God to vindicate them, ultimately inheriting the renewed creation. 4. "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled." The Spiritual Truth: Desire Determines Destiny. Insight: Most people hunger for comfort, approval, status, or security. This beatitude points to a relentless, visceral appetite—like a starving person craving food—for alignment with God's justice, character, and righteousness. Spiritual fullness is not given to the self-satisfied, but to those whose deepest craving is union with the divine good. 5. "Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy." The Spiritual Truth: Grace Given is Grace Received. Insight: Mercy is withholding judgment and extending active compassion where it is completely unearned. Spiritually, we cannot truly comprehend or hold onto the mercy we’ve received from God if we hoard it from others. Extending forgiveness and empathy is the mirror that reflects our own participation in God's forgiving nature. 6. "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God." The Spiritual Truth: Internal Singleness of Purpose Leads to Divine Vision. Insight: Purity here does not mean flawless perfection; it means integrous and undivided. A pure heart is one whose motives are transparent, unclouded by hypocrisy, double-mindedness, or hidden agendas. When the lens of the heart is wiped clean of ego-driven distortions, God stops being a theological concept and becomes a lived reality you can perceive everywhere. 7. "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God." The Spiritual Truth: Active Reconciliation Mirrors the Family Likeness. Insight: Peacemaking is vastly different from mere "peacekeeping" (which often just sweeps conflict under the rug to keep things quiet). Peacemakers actively step into hostility, brokenness, and division to bridge gaps, absorbing conflict to restore harmony. By doing this, they act like their Father, bearing the unmistakable family resemblance. 8. "Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." The Spiritual Truth: Friction is the Proof of Alignment. Insight: When a life completely aligns with transcendent truth and selfless love, it inevitably clashes with a world system built on self-preservation and compromise. This beatitude reframes suffering not as a sign of divine abandonment, but as the ultimate badge of honor—proof that your life is echoing a reality higher than this world.

My God, I did not thank You because I have so much, but because so much of what I have has become ordinary to me, and still, You have not taken it away. I thank You for the things I no longer ask for, because I have grown accustomed to finding them whenever I open my eyes each morning. For a home I return to, until I began to believe that returning was something I was entitled to. For a body that carries me through every day, until I forgot to thank You simply because it does not hurt. For faces I love, still where they have always been. For voices I can still hear, until I forgot that somewhere, someone is longing to hear just one more word from a voice they have lost. How many blessings do we never thank You for simply because they never changed? We mistake stability for something ordinary, protection for something passing, peace for something we deserve, and the people we love for a permanent part of life. Until one of them is gone. And only then do we realize, too late, that it was never ordinary at all. My God, teach me not to wait for loss to understand the value of what You have given me. Not to wait for sickness to understand the gift of health. Not to wait for loneliness to understand the blessing of companionship. Not to wait for fear to understand the meaning of safety. Teach me to see the blessing while it is still here, and to thank You for what I have stopped noticing. Not because I am afraid of losing it, but because I finally understand that its staying was never something ordinary. Perhaps the greatest of Your blessings are the ones we do not even have the courage to call blessings, because we have grown so accustomed to their presence that we began to believe they were ours by right. And how much of what we called our right was, in truth… mercy.

❤️ True love doesn't just see a need, it responds with compassion. 📲 Share this with someone who needs encouragement to be a blessing. #Luke103337 #GoodSamaritan #ShowCompassion #LoveYourNeighbor #BeKind #FaithInAction #Mercy #ServeOthers #ChristianLiving #Lordsbook

I am an Indian Hindu on whom Lord Jesus Christ bestowed His mercy and now I am in the process of healing. ✝️

You are not defined by your past—you are defined by the One who called you. Through Christ, you have been chosen, set apart, and brought from darkness into His marvelous light. You are part of a royal priesthood, a holy nation, and God's own special people. His mercy has given you a new identity, a new purpose, and a new hope. Live each day in the confidence of who you are in Him, and let your life proclaim His goodness and glory. May you walk boldly in your calling, shine brightly with His light, and reflect His love wherever He leads you. 🤍 #1Peter29 #1Peter210 #ChosenGeneration #RoyalPriesthood #HolyNation #HisOwnSpecialPeople #MarvelousLight #ChildOfGod #IdentityInChrist #CalledByGod #GodsMercy #BibleVerse #ScriptureOfTheDay #DailyDevotion #ChristianFaith #ChristianEncouragement #GodsWord #Yeshua #JesusChrist #HolySpirit #KingdomLife #SoulManna #LordsBook