A WORD TO PASTORS AND MINISTERS

Beloved Pastors and Ministers,

I want to plead with us as men and women of God: let us be careful about the way we approach other pastors, churches, and ministries for connection or support.

If you desire to connect with someone, simply reach out and connect. Introduce yourself, share about your ministry, build a genuine relationship, and allow God to establish the connection.

We should not reduce ourselves, our ministries, or the work God has entrusted to us to repeated begging and emotional appeals for financial assistance.

There is nothing wrong with sharing a need. There is nothing wrong with asking for support when there is a genuine project or a legitimate ministry need. However, there is a difference between presenting a need with dignity and continually begging people for assistance.

The Church is bigger than money. Ministry relationships should not begin and end with financial requests.

Let us learn to build genuine friendships, fellowship, mentorship, partnership, prayer relationships, and ministry connections. When God connects people, He can create opportunities that money alone cannot create.

If you need help, you can communicate your need respectfully. If someone is willing to support, appreciate them. If they are not able to support, do not become offended or continue pressuring them.

Let us protect the dignity of the ministry.

Pastors should be able to connect with other pastors simply because they want fellowship, encouragement, spiritual growth, and kingdom partnership—not only because they need money.

Let us trust God as our ultimate provider.

Psalm 23:1: “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.”

May God give us wisdom, humility, integrity, and the right spirit as we build relationships within the Body of Christ.

Connect because you value the person.
Build because you value the relationship.
Partner because you value the Kingdom.
And trust God to provide for the needs of His work.

May the Lord bless and strengthen every pastor and ministry leader. In Jesus Christ’s name. Amen.

From your brother and fellow servant in Christ,
Pastor Deba Eric

*Learning to Live Humbly*

Have you ever met an angry Christian?

You may have come across Christians who seem to grumble, complain, or even speak harshly about other people. Maybe we’ve even been that person at times in our own life.

If we're not careful, we can easily become self-righteous within Christianity. After all, we know the truth and others may not. We might see how tempting it can be to look down on others, demean them, or consider them as worse off than ourselves.

But this misses the point of the Gospel of Jesus.

The Gospel tells us that all of us begin at the same starting point. And it’s only by Grace through faith that we come to Salvation and learn the truth about God’s love for us.

That doesn’t make us any better than other Christians! In fact, as Paul says in *Ephesians 4:2,* we should actually be humble and gentle with others, rather than harsh and critical. He says we are to be patient with one another, helping each other in every way possible so we can all grow together.

These ideas aren’t original to Paul. They actually came from how Jesus lived His life. As followers of Jesus, we too should strive to be gentle, humble, and patient with everyone in our lives. Regardless of whether they look or think a different way, every person deserves dignity, patience, and love.

Let's take some time today to consider a few ways that we can grow in patience, humility, and love with others. It could be slowing down long enough for people to know we care, saying something encouraging to someone, or admitting that we’ve made a mistake.

Let's make the decision today to live in humility and grace with others.

*Prayer For Love*
Father God, Your Word inspires us to be humble and gentle; to lead with patience and unconditional love. But we can't live that way without Your help. Teach us how to extend grace and forgiveness to those around us. In Jesus’ Mighty Name, Amen.

We offer respectful afterlife cremation services to honor your beloved companion with dignity, love, and care

Contact Us: 701-840-8247

For More Info Visit: www.companionanimalcremation.com

#PetCremationCare #RespectfulFarewell #BelovedPets #CompassionateAftercare #HeartfeltGoodbye #CherishedCompanions #PetRemembrance #GentleJourney #ComfortInLoss #HonoringEveryLife

Learning to Live Humbly

Have you ever met an angry Christian?

You may have come across Christians who seem to grumble, complain, or even speak harshly about other people. Maybe you’ve even been that person at times in your own life.

If we're not careful, we can easily become self-righteous within Christianity. After all, we know the truth and others may not. You might see how tempting it can be to look down on others, demean them, or consider them as worse off than ourselves.

But this misses the point of the gospel of Jesus.

The gospel tells us that all of us begin at the same starting point. And it’s only by grace through faith that we come to salvation and learn the truth about God’s love for us.

That doesn’t make us any better than other Christians! In fact, as Paul says in Ephesians 4:2, we should actually be humble and gentle with others, rather than harsh and critical. He says we are to be patient with one another, helping each other in every way possible so we can all grow together.

These ideas aren’t original to Paul. They actually came from how Jesus lived his life. As followers of Jesus, we too should strive to be gentle, humble, and patient with everyone in our lives. Regardless of whether they look or think a different way, every person deserves dignity, patience, and love.

Take some time today to consider a few ways that you can grow in patience, humility, and love with others. It could be slowing down long enough for people to know you care, saying something encouraging to someone, or admitting that you’ve made a mistake.

Make the decision today to live in humility and grace with others.

GOD SEES YOU: HIS JUDGMENT IS CERTAIN
Shalom, shalom, shalom, people of God!
This morning, I bring you a simple but powerful message:
God sees you. God sees your actions. God knows your heart.
Do not think that violence, hatred, war, oppression, and the destruction of innocent lives will remain without consequences. You may hide your actions from people, but you cannot hide them from God.
God did not create this world for destruction. He created it for life, love, justice, peace, and human dignity.
While some prepare wars and develop weapons capable of destroying entire populations, innocent people are suffering and families are simply asking for peace.
So I say to those who promote hatred and destruction:
Do not be deceived. God sees you.
The power of human beings has limits, but God is the final Judge.
To those who believe in God: do not answer evil with evil. Continue to love, forgive, bless, serve, and build peace.
And to those who are doing evil: repent while there is still time.
One day, every person will give an account before God.
The world was not created only to destroy.
We were created to build.
We were created to love.
We were created to serve.
We were created to live in peace.
May God awaken the conscience of leaders, nations, and every human being. May He give us wisdom, discernment, compassion, and the courage to choose peace over destruction.
God sees you. God knows you. His judgment is certain.
This is your servant from Bagamangevangelist’sministry, speaking to you this morning.
**May God bless you, protect the innocent, and bring peace to our world.
Shalom, shalom, shalom!**

As they said these things, Jesus Himself stood in the midst of them, and said to them, “Peace to you.”

Luke 24:36 ɴᴋᴊᴠ

The disciples were gathered together in Jerusalem on that day talking of His resurrection. He greeted them with that blessed salutation, “Peace to you.” For theirs was to be a mission of peace, and if they were to prosecute it rightly they must be filled with and kept in peace.

With a quiet and matchless dignity, He convinces them as to the reality of His resurrection, assures them that it is Himself and none other who stands before them, and opens their understanding as to the teaching of all Scripture concerning Himself. It was this teaching as to Himself that was to prepare them for the mission and to maintain them in peace in it. Out of Moses, the prophets, and the Psalms, He showed them God’s plan and His glory (Lk. 24:44–45). Their fears, then, that all they had hoped for was lost, were altogether groundless, for in Him, their risen Lord, everything that God had purposed was secured.

And further, though it was not then declared to them, they afterwards learned that in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily, and that they were complete in Him (Col. 2:9–10). All the resources of God were in Him for them, and there was not a power in the universe that could intercept those resources.

Brethren in Christ, are we conscious that our Lord is such a glorious Lord, Center, Leader, and Head for His servants? Those who are in the knowledge of this will fear no foe, for all the foes are defeated, as His resurrection is witness; they will dread no lack, for all the mighty fullness of God is at their disposal in Him. His presence in the midst of those disciples made them one: one in heart, object, and purpose. For what place could divergent views and selfish aspirations find in the presence of their glorious risen Lord?

J. T. Mawson


https://gbv-online.org/calendar/773/date/2026-08-16

August 14
“WHO GOD SAYS I AM”
I BEAR GOD’S IMAGE
Genesis 1:27 (LLV) —
“So God created mankind in His own image. In the image of God He created them; male and female He created them.”
Before anyone
could earn
a reputation,
God gave humanity
a dignity
that could never
be earned.
He created us
in His image.
That does not mean
we look
physically
like God.
It means
something far deeper.
God created us
with the capacity
to know Him.
To love.
To reason.
To create.
To choose.
To show compassion.
To live
in relationship
with Him
and with
one another.
Every human life
therefore carries
a dignity
that does not depend
upon achievement.
The wealthy
and the poor.
The strong
and the weak.
The young
and the old.
The celebrated
and the forgotten.
Every person
we meet
bears
the image
of the Creator.
Sin has damaged
the way
we reflect
that image.
But it has not
erased
our value.
And in Christ,
God is restoring
what sin
has distorted,
shaping us
more and more
to reflect
His character.
That changes
how we see
ourselves.
We do not need
the world
to tell us
that we matter.
Our Creator
already has.
But it should also
change
how we see
others.
The difficult person.
The stranger.
The person
who looks,
thinks,
or lives
differently
from us.
They too
carry
the dignity
God placed
upon human life
at creation.
Perhaps one
of the greatest ways
we can honor
the image of God
within ourselves
is by learning
to recognize
His image
in others.
A new beginning remembers its origin:
I have worth because I was created by God, and every person I meet deserves dignity because they too bear the image of their Creator.
Reflection: Would the way I treat people change if I consciously remembered that every person I meet has been created in the image of God?
Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for creating me in Your image and giving my life a worth that does not depend upon what I accomplish. Continue restoring Your likeness within me through Christ. Open my eyes to recognize the dignity You have given every person, and help me treat others with the compassion, patience, and respect that reflect Your heart. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Our Prayer for the Nations Tonight

Heavenly Father,
As we go to bed tonight, we lift before You the nations and peoples who are suffering under oppression, political injustice, poverty, unemployment, conflict, and bad governance. Remember those whose voices have been silenced, those who struggle to feed their families, young people whose opportunities have been taken away, and communities that have lived too long without peace and dignity.

Your Word says:
“He shall judge the poor of the people, he shall save the children of the needy and shall break in pieces the oppressor.”
Psalm 72:4 (KJV)

Lord, we ask You to rise for the poor, the oppressed, the displaced, and the forgotten. Give wisdom and conscience to those who govern nations. Turn the hearts of leaders toward justice, accountability, compassion, and peace. Restrain those who use political power to oppress their people and raise up leaders who will serve rather than exploit.

We also remember the teaching of the Book of Mormon:

“And now, my brethren, I would that ye should impart of your substance to the poor, every man according to that which he hath.”
Mosiah 4:21

Teach us, Lord, not to look away from the suffering of others. Give us generous hearts and willing hands to help those in need. Open doors of honest employment and opportunity for the unemployed. Provide food for the hungry, shelter for the homeless, education for children, and hope for families struggling under poverty.

Where there is war, bring peace.
Where there is oppression, bring freedom.
Where there is injustice, establish righteousness.
Where there is poverty, provide provision.
Where there is unemployment, open doors.
Where there is corruption, raise voices of integrity.
Where there is despair, restore hope.

Father, make us instruments of Your peace. Give us courage to speak for those who cannot speak for themselves and wisdom to pursue justice without hatred or violence.

As we sleep tonight, watch over the nations. Protect the innocent, strengthen the suffering, comfort those who mourn, and prepare a better tomorrow for those who have almost lost hope.

May Your justice prevail, your peace reign, and Your mercy reach every oppressed people and every struggling family.

In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Did you know there's an eco-friendly alternative to traditional cremation

Aquamation (water cremation) offers a peaceful, eco-friendly way to honor your pet’s life with dignity.

Contact Us: 701-840-8247

For More Info Visit: www.companionanimalcremation.com

#CompanionAnimalCremation #Aquamation #PetLoss #GrievingPetOwner #PetMemorial #PetCremation #PetAftercare

Daily Bible Lesson.
“BEHOLD THE MAN!” THE INNOCENT SAVIOUR REJECTED FOR A CRIMINAL.

Key Text: John 19:5
“Then came Jesus forth, wearing the crown of thorns, and the purple robe. And Pilate saith unto them, Behold the man!”

This is one of the most heartbreaking scenes in the Bible. Pilate hoped that after seeing Jesus bruised, bleeding, and humiliated, the crowd would show mercy. Instead, they hardened their hearts and demanded His death.

① PILATE TRIED TO SAVE JESUS THROUGH COMPROMISE
Pilate ordered Jesus to be scourged and mocked.
Not because He was guilty...
But because he hoped the cruel punishment would satisfy the angry crowd.
Pilate thought:
The people would pity Jesus.
The priests would finally be satisfied.
An innocent Man could be released.
But compromise never satisfies evil.

② THE ENEMIES OF CHRIST SAW PILATE'S WEAKNESS
The religious leaders quickly realized:
Pilate was afraid.
He wanted to avoid conflict.
He lacked the courage to do what was right.
Their determination only grew stronger.
Every compromise gave them greater confidence to demand Christ's death.

③ “BEHOLD THE MAN!”
Pilate presented Jesus before the multitude and declared:
John 19:5
“Behold the man!”
Again he testified:
John 19:4
“I find no fault in Him.”
Standing before the crowd was:
The Son of God.
Wearing a crown of thorns.
His back torn by cruel scourging.
His face covered with blood.
Yet His expression revealed:
Gentleness.
Patience.
Dignity.
Compassion for those who hated Him.
Even in suffering, Jesus displayed perfect love.

④ THE GREAT CONTRAST: JESUS OR BARABBAS
Beside Jesus stood Barabbas.
A hardened criminal.
A rebel.
A murderer.
The contrast could not have been clearer.
Jesus—the innocent Prince of Peace.
Barabbas—the guilty lawbreaker.
Yet the crowd chose the criminal...
...and rejected the spotless Lamb of God.

⑤ SOME HEARTS WERE TOUCHED
Not everyone remained unmoved.
Many spectators wept.
Their hearts were filled with sympathy.
Even the priests and rulers felt conviction deep within.
They knew Jesus truly was who He claimed to be.
But conviction without surrender leads to tragedy.

⑥ THE CHOICE STILL STANDS TODAY
Every person must choose:
Christ or the world?
Truth or compromise?
Obedience or rebellion?
Eternal life or eternal loss?
The crowd chose Barabbas.
What will you choose?
Joshua 24:15
“Choose you this day whom ye will serve.”

LESSONS FOR US TODAY
Never reject Christ for the pleasures of this world.
Do not silence conviction when the Holy Spirit speaks.
Stand for truth even when the majority chooses otherwise.
Jesus willingly suffered so that we might receive eternal life.
Isaiah 53:5
“But He was wounded for our transgressions... and with His stripes we are healed.”

PRAYER
Lord Jesus, thank You for enduring shame, suffering, and rejection to save me. Help me never to choose the world over You. Give me the courage to stand with You, even when others turn away. May my life always declare that I have chosen Christ above everything else. In Your precious name, Amen.