Blessings Brethren! Did you miss our Sunday Service last week (8/30/26)? Check out the Sermon Excerpt by Pastor Leon on "When Satanic Agenda Demands A Stand"

1 Samuel 22:17-18

We look forward to worshiping with you today at 10 am!

TODAY’S BIBLE READING
Sunday, September 6
OLD TESTAMENT
1 SAMUEL 13 — Saul’s Impatience and Disobedience
NEW TESTAMENT
REVELATION 11 — The Two Witnesses & the Seventh Trumpet
MAJOR PROPHETS
ISAIAH 48 — The Lord Refines His People
TODAY’S REFLECTION
1 Samuel 13
Saul becomes impatient when Samuel does not arrive at the expected time and takes matters into his own hands. His actions remind us that impatience can lead us into disobedience. God's instructions are more important than our desire to control the outcome.
Revelation 11
The two witnesses faithfully testify despite opposition and persecution. Their story demonstrates that God's purposes cannot ultimately be defeated. The chapter ends with the sounding of the seventh trumpet and worship in heaven, declaring God's eternal reign.
Isaiah 48
God confronts Israel's stubbornness but continues to call them to listen and obey. He reminds them that He is their Redeemer and that His guidance leads them toward peace. God's correction is not rejection; it is part of His work of refining His people.
KEY VERSE
“Behold, I have refined thee, but not with silver; I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction.”
— Isaiah 48:10
PRAYER
Heavenly Father, help us to trust Your timing and never allow impatience to lead us away from obedience. Give us courage to stand faithfully for Your truth, even when we face opposition. Refine our hearts, correct our ways, and teach us to follow Your direction completely. In Jesus’ mighty name, Amen.
TODAY’S CHALLENGE
Where are you currently being tempted to rush ahead of God? Pause, pray, and surrender the situation to Him. Trust His timing rather than forcing your own solution.
WE STUDY. WE PRAY. WE OBEY. WE GROW. UNTIL WE ARE TOTALLY TRANSFORMED.

God Will Not Share His Glory

Scripture

1 Samuel 5:3–4 (NKJV)

“And when the people of Ashdod arose early in the morning, there was Dagon, fallen on its face to the earth before the ark of the LORD. So they took Dagon and set it in its place again. And when they arose early the next morning, there was Dagon, fallen on its face to the ground before the ark of the LORD. The head of Dagon and both the palms of its hands were broken off on the threshold; only Dagon’s torso was left of it.”

Every False God Must Fall Before the Lord

First Samuel 5 begins immediately after Israel's devastating defeat. The Philistines had captured the ark of God and carried it away as a trophy of victory.

From their perspective, Israel had been defeated, so Israel's God must have been defeated as well.

But the Philistines were about to discover something important:

God had never been defeated.

Israel had lost the battle because of its own rebellion and spiritual compromise. The capture of the ark did not mean that God had lost His power.

The Philistines brought the ark into Ashdod and placed it inside the temple of their god Dagon. They positioned the ark beside Dagon as though the God of Israel were simply another god among many.

The next morning, they discovered Dagon fallen face down before the ark of the Lord.

They picked their idol up and returned it to its place.

That alone reveals the weakness of false gods.

A god that must be picked up by people cannot save the people who worship it.

The following morning, Dagon had fallen again. This time his head and hands were broken off.

God was demonstrating unmistakably that He would not share His glory with an idol.

The Philistines had captured the ark, but they had not captured God.

They moved the ark from Ashdod to Gath and eventually toward Ekron, but wherever the ark went, God's judgment followed. The people experienced severe affliction and quickly realized that the presence of Israel's God was something they could neither control nor manipulate.

First Samuel 5 presents a dramatic contrast with chapter 4.

In chapter 4, Israel attempted to use God to win a battle.

In chapter 5, the Philistines attempted to contain God among their idols.

Both groups misunderstood Him.

God cannot be manipulated, controlled, reduced, or placed alongside competing gods. He alone is Lord.

We may not bow before statues of Dagon today, but idols still exist. Anything that receives the devotion, trust, affection, or priority that belongs to God can become an idol.

Money can become an idol.

Success can become an idol.

Relationships can become idols.

Ministry can become an idol.

Our reputation can become an idol.

Even our own plans can become idols when we refuse to surrender them to Christ.

The lesson of Dagon is simple: everything we place above God will eventually fall.

Jesus Christ deserves first place in every area of our lives. We do not add Him alongside everything else we worship. We surrender everything else beneath His authority.

Reflection Questions

1. Is there anything in my life competing with God for first place?

2. Am I trying to fit God into my plans, or am I surrendering my plans to Him?

3. What needs to be brought completely under the authority of Jesus today?

Prayer

Heavenly Father, You alone are God, and You alone deserve my worship. Reveal anything in my heart that has taken a place that belongs only to You. Tear down every idol, misplaced priority, and false source of security in my life. Help me to put Jesus first in my decisions, relationships, resources, ministry, and future. May everything in my life bow before Your authority, and may You alone receive the glory. In Jesus' name, Amen.

THE POSSIBILITIES OF SERVING GOD
“What Can God Do Through a Life Fully Surrendered to Him?”

Serving God is more than attending church or carrying a title. It is a life of surrender, obedience, faith, and availability. When a person makes himself available to God, ordinary abilities can become instruments for extraordinary purposes.

The Bible says:
“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” — Matthew 6:33

1. God Can Use You Beyond Your Natural Ability
Moses felt inadequate, yet God used him to lead Israel out of Egypt (Exodus 3–4). Your limitation does not limit God.
Possibility: God can accomplish through you what you could never accomplish by your own strength.

2. Serving God Can Change Lives
Paul encountered Christ and became a powerful instrument for spreading the Gospel (Acts 9:1–20).
Your service may become the answer to someone's prayer, the encouragement someone needs, or the message that brings someone back to God.

3. God Can Open Doors Through Your Service
Joseph served faithfully even in difficult places, and God eventually elevated him to a position of great influence (Genesis 39–41).
Your present place of service may be preparation for your future assignment.

4. God Can Multiply What You Give Him
A young boy offered five loaves and two fish, and Jesus used that small offering to feed thousands (John 6:1–14).
You may think your gift, time, voice, resources, or talent is small—but what is surrendered to God can become much more in His hands.

5. Serving God Can Produce Eternal Fruit
Jesus said:
“Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.” — John 15:8
True service is not measured only by popularity, numbers, or recognition. Its greatest value is the eternal fruit it produces.

6. God Can Make Your Life a Testimony
David was once a shepherd boy, but God raised him to become king of Israel (1 Samuel 16:11–13).
Never despise where you are today. God can use your journey, your struggles, and your obedience to create a testimony that encourages others.

KEY LESSON
There are possibilities in serving God that you cannot see from where you stand today.
When you serve God faithfully:
Your gift can become a ministry.
Your obedience can open a door.
Your small beginning can become something significant.
Your experience can become a testimony.
Your life can become a blessing to others.

Conclusion
God is not necessarily looking for the most talented person; He is looking for a willing vessel.
“Here am I; send me.” — Isaiah 6:8
The question is not only, “What can I do for God?” but also, “What can God do through me if I completely surrender to Him?”

Prayer:
“Lord, make my life useful in Your hands. Give me grace to serve You faithfully, humility to obey You completely, and courage to step into every assignment You have prepared for me. Let my service bring glory to Your name and become a blessing to many. Amen.”

2 Samuel 23:1-23

1 These are the last words of David: “The oracle of David son of Jesse, the oracle of the man raised on high, the one anointed by the God of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of Israel:
2 The Spirit of the LORD spoke through me; His word was on my tongue.
3 The God of Israel spoke; the Rock of Israel said to me, ‘He who rules the people with justice, who rules in the fear of God,
4 is like the light of the morning at sunrise of a cloudless dawn, the glistening after the rain on the sprouting grass of the earth.’
5 Is not my house right with God? For He has established with me an everlasting covenant, ordered and secured in every part. Will He not bring about my full salvation and my every desire?
6 But the worthless are all like thorns raked aside, for they can never be gathered by hand.
7 The man who touches them must be armed with iron or with the shaft of a spear. The fire burns them to...

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‎STOP PREACHING WHAT YOU REFUSE TO PRACTICE!
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‎Some churches that loudly preach holiness, righteousness, and the love of Christ are failing to demonstrate that same love in their daily lives.
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‎You preach love your neighbour, but practice selfishness.
‎You preach holiness, but harbour pride, hatred, jealousy, bitterness, wickedness, and self-centredness.
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‎Is this the Christianity Jesus Christ taught us?
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‎Jesus Christ did not say people would know us merely because we attend church, speak in tongues, preach powerful sermons, or call ourselves “holy.”
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‎He said:
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‎By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. John 13:35
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‎So where is the love?
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‎Where is the compassion?
‎Where is the forgiveness?
‎Where is the sacrifice?
‎Where is the genuine concern for our brothers and sisters?
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‎The Bible says:
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‎“Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. Galatians 6:2
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‎If we truly belong to Christ, the character of Christ must be visible in us.
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‎The Bible says:
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‎He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked. 1 John 2:6
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‎You cannot claim to have a genuine relationship with Jesus while deliberately living contrary to His character.
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‎Jesus is love. Jesus is compassionate. Jesus forgives. Jesus serves. Jesus cares for people.
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‎So if we claim to follow Him, those qualities should increasingly be seen in our lives.
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‎  WHAT IS HYPOCRISY?
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‎Hypocrisy is preaching one thing while deliberately living the opposite.
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‎Jesus Himself confronted religious leaders who looked righteous outwardly but were corrupt inwardly.
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‎Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! Matthew 23:27
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‎And He said:
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‎Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.  Matthew 23:28
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‎That warning is still relevant today.
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‎It is possible to have a microphone in our hands and still have hatred in our hearts.
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‎It is possible to preach holiness and yet mistreat people.
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‎It is possible to quote Scripture and still refuse to practice Scripture.
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‎It is possible to look spiritual before people while being far from the heart of Christ.
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‎God is not impressed by our appearance. He examines the heart.
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‎For the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart. 1 Samuel 16:7
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‎Some content creators, even demonstrating what genuine love, kindness, generosity, and concern for others should look like. Meanwhile, believers are watching without putting the love of Christ into practice. What a pity.
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‎If someone who does not even preach holiness can demonstrate compassion, while a person who claims to represent Christ cannot show love, what testimony are we giving to the world?
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‎The Bible says:
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‎If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar.” 1 John 4:20
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‎This is not a message against the Church.
‎It is a call for the Church to return to Christ.
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‎Let us stop measuring Christianity only by outward appearance.
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‎Let us stop using the name of Jesus while refusing to follow the teachings of Jesus.
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‎Let us stop asking, How holy do I look?  and start asking, How much of Jesus can people see in me?
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‎Heaven indeed will be full of surprises.
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‎Jesus warned:
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‎Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 7:21
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‎And Scripture tells us:
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‎But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. James 1:22
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‎Don't just preach love show love.
‎Don't just preach holiness live holy.
‎Don't just preach Christ reflect Christ.
‎Don't just tell people about Jesus let people encounter the character of Jesus through your life.
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‎May God deliver us from religious hypocrisy and give us hearts that genuinely reflect Jesus Christ.
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‎The world needs to see Jesus Christ in us.
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WHEN GOD SAYS, “I WILL REPLY THEM”

There are moments in life when people speak against you, misunderstand your journey, question your faith, or conclude that your story will never change. You may be tempted to defend yourself, explain everything, or fight back.
But sometimes, God wants you to remain silent because He has decided to answer on your behalf.

The Bible says:
“The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.” — Exodus 14:14
When the Israelites stood before the Red Sea, they had nowhere to go. Behind them was Pharaoh’s army, and before them was an impossible obstacle. They could have panicked, complained, or tried to prove themselves.
But God stepped in.
What they could not answer, God answered.
What they could not fight, God fought.
What looked like the end became the beginning of their testimony.
Sometimes, God’s reply is not an argument. It is a testimony.

Joseph's brothers rejected him, but God replied by lifting Joseph into a position of authority (Genesis 37; 41).
Hannah was mocked because of her barrenness, but God replied by giving her Samuel (1 Samuel 1).
David was underestimated by people, but God replied by making him king (1 Samuel 16–17).
So don't be discouraged when people write you off. You don't need to convince everyone about who you are when God already knows who He called you to become.
Keep praying.
Keep working.
Keep your heart clean.
Keep trusting God.
Because when God decides to reply, He doesn't need your explanation—He produces evidence.

Declaration
“Lord, I surrender every battle of misunderstanding, rejection, accusation, and opposition into Your hands. Let my life become Your answer. Where people have doubted me, let my testimony speak. Where doors have been closed, make a way according to Your will. In Jesus' name, Amen.”

Remember: When God replies, He doesn't just speak—He demonstrates.

Trust God, Not the Symbols of Faith

Scripture

1 Samuel 4:3 (NKJV)

“And when the people had come into the camp, the elders of Israel said, ‘Why has the LORD defeated us today before the Philistines? Let us bring the ark of the covenant of the LORD from Shiloh to us, that when it comes among us it may save us from the hand of our enemies.’”

God's Presence Cannot Be Replaced by Religion

First Samuel 4 records one of the darkest moments in Israel's history. Israel went into battle against the Philistines and suffered a devastating defeat. Thousands of Israelite soldiers were killed, and the people returned to camp wondering why God had allowed them to lose.

They asked an important question:

“Why has the LORD defeated us today?”

But instead of humbling themselves, examining their hearts, and genuinely seeking the Lord, they immediately developed their own solution.

They brought the ark of the covenant into the battle.

The ark represented God's covenant and His presence among Israel. But Israel began treating the ark as though the object itself possessed power. Instead of trusting God, they trusted something associated with God.

When the ark arrived in the camp, Israel shouted so loudly that the earth shook. The Philistines became afraid because they believed Israel's God had entered the camp.

There was tremendous excitement.

There was religious activity.

There was shouting.

But there was no genuine repentance.

Even worse, Hophni and Phinehas—the corrupt sons of Eli—were accompanying the ark. The people wanted God's power while continuing to tolerate the very spiritual corruption God had already condemned.

The result was catastrophic.

Israel was defeated again. Thirty thousand soldiers died. Hophni and Phinehas were killed, and the ark of God was captured by the Philistines.

When Eli heard that the ark had been captured, he fell backward, broke his neck, and died.

Then Phinehas's wife went into labor. As she was dying, she named her son Ichabod, declaring that the glory had departed from Israel because the ark of God had been captured.

The tragedy of 1 Samuel 4 teaches us something extremely important:

We cannot substitute religious things for a genuine relationship with God.

Owning a Bible does not replace reading and obeying it.

Going to church does not replace walking with Jesus.

Serving in ministry does not replace personal holiness.

Knowing Christian language does not replace knowing Christ.

Israel wanted the benefits of God's presence without submitting themselves to God's authority.

We can make the same mistake. Sometimes when trouble comes, we immediately ask God to fix our circumstances without first asking Him to examine our hearts.

The answer is not more religious activity.

The answer is returning to the Lord.

Our confidence must never rest in Christian symbols, traditions, ministries, buildings, positions, or past experiences. Our confidence belongs in the living God Himself.

Reflection Questions

1. Am I trusting God Himself, or have I placed confidence in religious routines and outward appearances?

2. When something goes wrong, do I immediately seek God's help, or do I also allow Him to examine my heart?

3. Is there any area where I want God's blessing without fully submitting to His authority?

Prayer

Heavenly Father, help me never to substitute religious activity for a genuine relationship with You. Examine my heart and reveal anything that needs repentance or surrender. Keep me from trusting in appearances, traditions, accomplishments, or past spiritual experiences. I want my confidence to be in You alone. Teach me to walk closely with Jesus, obey Your Word, and depend upon Your presence every day. In Jesus' name, Amen.

TODAY’S BIBLE READING
Saturday, September 5
OLD TESTAMENT
1 SAMUEL 12 — Samuel’s Farewell Speech
NEW TESTAMENT
REVELATION 10 — The Angel and the Little Scroll
MAJOR PROPHETS
ISAIAH 47 — The Fall of Babylon
TODAY’S REFLECTION
1 Samuel 12
Samuel reminds Israel of God's faithfulness and calls the people to fear the Lord and serve Him wholeheartedly. Even after Israel demanded a king, Samuel assures them that God will not abandon His people when they sincerely follow Him.
Revelation 10
John sees a mighty angel holding a little scroll. He is instructed to eat the scroll, which is sweet in his mouth but bitter in his stomach. God's Word can bring both joy and a serious responsibility as we receive and proclaim His message.
Isaiah 47
Babylon's pride and confidence in its own power are brought down. The chapter warns against arrogance and false security, reminding us that no earthly power can replace God or escape His judgment.
KEY VERSE
“Only fear the LORD, and serve him in truth with all your heart: for consider how great things he hath done for you.”
— 1 Samuel 12:24
PRAYER
Heavenly Father, thank You for Your faithfulness and for all the great things You have done for us. Help us to serve You with our whole hearts and never allow pride or worldly confidence to take Your place. Give us courage to receive Your Word, obey it, and faithfully share it with others. In Jesus’ mighty name, Amen.
TODAY’S CHALLENGE
Take a moment today to remember at least three great things God has done for you. Give Him thanks, and choose one practical way to serve Him wholeheartedly.
WE STUDY. WE PRAY. WE OBEY. WE GROW. UNTIL WE ARE TOTALLY TRANSFORMED.

IGNORANCE WILL KILL YOU

There is a kind of boldness that is actually ignorance.

People can become so convinced that they have authority that they start touching things God never told them to touch. Then something goes wrong and they blame God.

But you are not supposed to go ahead of your Lord and Master.

Samuel was the prophet of the Most High God. He was a man who could pray and storms would happen. Yet when God told him to go to the house of Jesse and anoint a new king, Samuel did not simply say, “No problem,” pick up his staff and run there.

He said, “Saul will kill me,” and God told him to hide.

Jesus Himself, the Son of God, was on earth and there were things He was not simply rushing into.

When soldiers came to arrest Jesus and asked for Him, He said, “I am.” And they fell to the ground. Yet He still allowed Himself to be arrested according to the Father's will.

So what makes you think you should run into every battle simply because you believe you have authority?

Some people say, “But doesn't the Bible say we have authority?”

Yes. But authority does not mean you are permitted to do whatever you want whenever you want.

You cannot run into Jericho without Joshua. You cannot go and take Ai without Joshua leading the battle.

Joshua is Yeshua. Jesus is your Lord and Master. You cannot go ahead of Him.

Some people have spent their whole lives poor, wretched and miserable in ways that were completely against God's will because they were fighting things God was not fighting through them.

They assumed, “God gave me authority, therefore I can touch anything.”

No. Sometimes the demons ruling a place have not been touched by God, and you decide to touch them because you think your faith makes you untouchable.

Then something happens and you say, “God would never allow this.”

The people of God can perish for lack of knowledge (Hosea 4:6).

You need to know what God is doing, what He is not doing, what He has sent you to do, and what He has not sent you to do.

There is a boldness that comes from knowing God, and there is a boldness that comes from foolishness.

Do not confuse the two.

Perhaps this is what Jude was warning us about in verse 10 ....we learn every day and until we get to full maturity in Christ, let's be open to instructions that could keep us alive in Christ Jesus