Sermon Title: "FEED MY SHEEP, NOT YOUR AGENDA" Key Texts: Ezekiel 34:1-10, John 21:15-17, 1 Peter 5:2-4, Hebrews 12:14, 2 Timothy 4:3-4 INTRODUCTION The Lord is asking the same question today He asked Peter: “Do you love me? Feed my sheep.” John 21:17 But in this last age, many shepherds have left the sheep to chase the world. And many sheep have left holiness to chase prosperity. Both are losing the eternal gift. 1. WARNING TO SHEPHERDS: YOU LEFT THE HEART OF THE LORD Ezekiel 34:2-4 — “Woe to the shepherds of Israel who feed themselves! Should not shepherds feed the sheep? The weak you have not strengthened, the sick you have not healed... and you have not sought the lost.” God’s heart for His people is: Feed them the Word, not opinions Heal the broken, not use them Seek the lost, not ignore them But some shepherds today have “given into the world and its things.” Jeremiah 23:1 — “Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture!” declares the Lord. Why? Because it’s not sanctified. Ministry without holiness becomes business. John 10:13 — The hireling sees the wolf and flees because he cares nothing for the sheep. God’s warning: Ezekiel 34:10 — “I am against the shepherds, and I will require my sheep at their hand.” 2. WARNING TO THE CHURCH: YOU LEFT HOLINESS FOR PROSPERITY The message says: “saved church not clinging to holiness bcos jealous, hatred, gossip and not obeying the word... itching ears for prosperity gospel instead of soul eager for sanctification gospel.” This is exactly what Paul warned: 2 Timothy 4:3-4 — “For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.” Holiness is being traded for hype. Hebrews 12:14 — “Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.” Signs of a church that left holiness: Jealousy and hatred - Galatians 5:19-21 works of the flesh Gossip - Proverbs 16:28 separates close friends Disobedience to the Word - James 1:22 “be doers of the word” Prosperity over the Cross - 1 Peter 2:2 “long for the pure spiritual milk” When we chase blessings more than the Blesser, we lose the eternal gift: sanctification and seeing God. 3. GOD’S CALL BACK: RETURN TO THE SHEPHERD 1 Peter 5:2-4 — “Shepherd the flock of God that is among you... And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.” To Shepherds: Repent. Return to feeding, not fleecing. Acts 20:28 — “Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock.” To the Church: 1 Peter 1:15-16 — “As he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct.” Holiness is not legalism. It is love. It is being set apart for God. Psalm 51:10 — “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.” CLOSING PRAYER Father, forgive us. Forgive shepherds who fed themselves and left Your sheep. Put back in us the heart of the Lord for Your people. Forgive Your church for chasing prosperity and ignoring sanctification. Create in us clean hearts. Let us hunger for Your Word, not myths. Let us love holiness, not gossip and jealousy. Make us a people ready for Jesus. In His Name, Amen. SHEPHERDS AND HOLINESS: Message: This is a warning and a call. Ezekiel 34: shepherds, return to the heart of the Lord for His people. Don’t feed yourself and leave the sheep. Church, Hebrews 12:14 — pursue holiness. Don’t trade sanctification for prosperity. Jealousy, gossip, disobedience

This is Ezekiel 34:2-4 season. Here is DAILY BREAD FOR THE LAST DAYS : TODAY'S WORD Text: Jeremiah 23:1-2 “Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! declares the Lord... You have scattered my flock and have driven them away, and you have not attended to them.” Also: 2 Timothy 4:3-4 “For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions...” MESSAGE: SHEPHERDS, RETURN TO THE HEART OF GOD The Lord is crying over His sheep in these last days. 1. THE WARNING TO SHEPHERDS God says “Woe” to shepherds who feed themselves instead of the flock. When a shepherd chases the world and its things - money, fame, titles - he leaves the sheep hungry. When he preaches prosperity gospel but not holiness gospel, he trades eternal gifts for temporary bread. John 10:12 “The hireling... sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees.” A flock that is not sanctified is a flock that will be lost. Because “without holiness no one will see the Lord” Hebrews 12:14 2. THE WARNING TO THE CHURCH Saved church, wake up! Jealousy, hatred, gossip, disobedience to the Word... this is not the garment of Christ Colossians 3:8-10. When we cling to itching ears and reject sound doctrine, we become easy prey. God’s will is not just prosperity in the pocket. It is sanctification of the soul 1 Thessalonians 4:3. Jesus did not die to make us rich. He died to make us HOLY. 3. STRENGTHENING & ENCOURAGEMENT But there is hope. 1 Peter 5:4 “And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.” To every faithful shepherd: Keep feeding the Word. Keep calling to repentance. To every sheep: Return to the Word. Love holiness more than miracles. Love Jesus more than blessings. PRAYER: Father, raise up shepherds after Your own heart Jeremiah 3:15. Purify the pulpit. Purify the pew. Let us not trade eternity for earth. Sanctify us by Your truth. In Jesus’ name. Amen. ACTION TODAY: For Shepherds/Teachers: Check your message. Is it pointing people to Jesus and holiness, or just to prosperity? For All: Forgive anyone you have bitterness toward today. Gossip and hatred grieve the Holy Spirit Ephesians 4:30-31.

TODAY'S WORD Text: Isaiah 40:31 “But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.” MESSAGE: RENEWED FOR THE RACE The last days are tiring. Many are weary. But God has not called you to run dry. 1. STRENGTHENING: Waiting on God is not wasting time. It’s refueling. When you pray, worship, and sit in His Word, He puts new strength in you. Like an eagle, you’ll rise above the storms. 2. ENCOURAGING: You will NOT faint. You will NOT quit. The same God who sustained you at St. Joseph P.3-P.7 will sustain you at Parents Joy P.1-P.4. He does not grow tired Isaiah 40:28. 3. SANCTIFICATION: To "wait on the Lord" means to set yourself apart from distractions and fix your eyes on Him Hebrews 12:1-2. Sanctification is choosing His presence over panic, His peace over pressure. PRAYER: Father, I wait on You today. Renew my strength. Lift me on eagles’ wings. Help me to run this race and not grow weary, and to walk in holiness until Jesus comes. In Jesus’ name, Amen. 1 Thessalonians 5:11 “Encourage one another and build each other up.”

Matthew 28:19-20 — with a message to go in all nations and which strengthen, encourage, and call people to sanctification in these last days. TODAY'S DAILY WORD - Day 1 Text: 2 Peter 3:11-12 “Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God...” MESSAGE: LIVE READY, LIVE HOLY Beloved, we are in the last days. The world is shaking, but God is calling His people higher. 1. STRENGTHENING: Don’t be moved by what’s collapsing. Your foundation is Christ. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever Hebrews 13:8. Stand firm. 2. ENCOURAGING: Jesus is coming back. That is not fear — that is hope. It means every tear, every labor in the Lord is not in vain 1 Corinthians 15:58. 3. SANCTIFICATION: God’s will for us is holiness 1 Thessalonians 4:3. In these last days He is purifying a people for Himself. Ask the Holy Spirit GREEN7 🌱 daily: “Wash me, set me apart, make me ready.” PRAYER: Father, in Jesus’ name, make me ready. Strengthen my heart, encourage my soul, and sanctify me by Your Word and Spirit. Help me to live holy as I wait for You. Amen.

TODAY'S KINGDOM INSIGHTS: SERMON TOPIC: 5 THINGS EVERY CHRISTIAN WOMAN SHOULD NEVER COMPROMISE. Key Scripture: Proverbs 31:30 «“Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised.”» A Christian woman is not called to fit into the world; she is called to shine in the world without becoming part of its darkness. There will be pressure to compromise your convictions for a relationship, a job, money, acceptance, fashion, popularity, or social media approval. But remember this: What you compromise to gain today may become the very thing that destroys your testimony tomorrow. You can lose money and recover it. You can lose an opportunity and find another. You can lose popularity and still be fulfilled. But when you lose your character, convictions, and fellowship with God, the cost can be far greater. A godly woman must learn to say: “I would rather disappoint people than disappoint God.” 1. NEVER COMPROMISE YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD Matthew 6:33 «“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness…”» Before you are a wife, mother, professional, entrepreneur, student, minister, or friend, you are first a woman created by God. Your relationship with God must not become secondary because life becomes busy. Do not abandon prayer because you have entered a relationship. Do not abandon the Word because you have become successful. Do not stop attending fellowship because you have become comfortable. Do not allow a relationship to replace your relationship with Christ. Deep Spiritual Insight Anything that takes God's rightful place in your heart eventually becomes an idol. A Christian woman must be able to say: “God is not part of my life; God is the foundation of my life.” Practical Action - Maintain a consistent prayer life. - Study God's Word. - Fellowship with other believers. - Guard your spiritual environment. - Put God first in your decisions. 2. NEVER COMPROMISE YOUR PURITY AND CHARACTER 1 Thessalonians 4:3-4 «“For this is the will of God, even your sanctification…”» The world may tell you that purity is outdated. It is not. Holiness is not old-fashioned. Holiness is still God's standard. Your body is not merely an instrument for attracting attention. It is a temple of the Holy Spirit. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 Paul reminds believers that their bodies belong to God. Therefore, do not allow desperation for marriage, money, attention, or acceptance to push you into sexual immorality or compromising situations. A woman of God must understand: Your value is not determined by who desires you. Your value is determined by the God who created you. Biblical Example: Joseph and Potiphar's Wife Joseph was tempted privately when nobody appeared to be watching. But Joseph said: «“How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?” — Genesis 39:9» Notice what Joseph considered most important. He did not say, “What will people say?” He said, “I cannot sin against God.” That must also be the conviction of every Christian woman. 3. NEVER COMPROMISE YOUR IDENTITY AND GOD-GIVEN VALUE Psalm 139:14 «“I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made…”» Social media can make women compare themselves with other women. One woman looks more beautiful. Another appears richer. Another has a successful marriage. Another has thousands of followers. Another seems to have everything together. But remember: Comparison can make you despise what God created. You don't have to become somebody else to become valuable. God created you intentionally. Your identity should not be built on: - Physical appearance - Relationship status - Wealth - Social media validation - People's opinions - Titles - Material possessions Your identity must be rooted in Christ. 1 Peter 2:9 You are part of a chosen generation and a royal priesthood. Therefore, don't sell your identity cheaply for acceptance. You are God's workmanship before you are anybody's girlfriend, wife, employee, friend, or follower. 4. NEVER COMPROMISE YOUR VALUES FOR MONEY OR SUCCESS Proverbs 11:1 «“A false balance is abomination to the LORD…”» There is nothing wrong with wanting success. There is nothing wrong with building a business. There is nothing wrong with becoming financially independent. But success without integrity is failure wearing expensive clothes. Never lie to make money. Never cheat to get ahead. Never sleep with someone to secure an opportunity. Never participate in corruption because “everybody is doing it.” Never allow financial pressure to destroy your principles. Biblical Example: The Virtuous Woman Proverbs 31:25 «“Strength and honour are her clothing…”» The woman described in Proverbs 31 was productive, hardworking, intelligent, business-minded, generous, and responsible. She was not weak. She was a woman of strength and honour. God does not require Christian women to be unsuccessful. He requires them to be faithful while pursuing success. 5. NEVER COMPROMISE YOUR PURPOSE AND GODLY INFLUENCE Esther 4:14 «“And who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”» Esther was positioned in the palace for a purpose. Her position was not merely for comfort. It was an opportunity to influence history. Every Christian woman has influence somewhere. You may influence: - Your children - Your husband - Your workplace - Your church - Your community - Your generation - Your social media audience - Young people watching your life Never underestimate your influence. Titus 2:3-5 Older Christian women are instructed to teach and guide younger women. This means Christian women are not merely recipients of spiritual knowledge. They are also carriers and transmitters of godly wisdom. Your life is preaching something even when your mouth is closed. The question is: What is your life preaching? BIBLICAL CASE STUDY: HANNAH 1 Samuel 1:9-20 Hannah experienced deep emotional pain because she had no child. She was mocked and misunderstood. Yet she took her pain to God. She did not allow her disappointment to destroy her faith. She prayed. She waited. She trusted. And eventually, God answered her with Samuel. Lesson for Christian Women Your current situation is not necessarily your final chapter. You may be waiting for: - Marriage - Children - Financial breakthrough - Career advancement - Healing - Ministry growth - Restoration But don't compromise while waiting. Never exchange your destiny for temporary relief. Hannah waited before God, and her story changed. 5 QUESTIONS EVERY CHRISTIAN WOMAN SHOULD ASK HERSELF 1. What am I tempted to compromise because I desperately want something? 2. Has any relationship become more important to me than God? 3. Does my private life agree with my public Christian testimony? 4. Am I allowing society or social media to determine my value? 5. If Jesus examined my decisions today, would I be proud of them? PRACTICAL ACTION STEPS 1. Establish non-negotiable convictions. Decide beforehand what you will and will not compromise. 2. Choose relationships wisely. Anyone who constantly pushes you away from God is not helping your destiny. 3. Protect your private life. Character is revealed by what you do when nobody is watching. 4. Build your identity in Christ. Know God's Word concerning who you are. 5. Find godly women to learn from. Don't walk alone. Learn from mature Christian women who have walked with God through different seasons of life. POWERFUL PRAYER POINTS 1. Father, give me the grace to love You above everything else, in Jesus' name. 2. Lord, strengthen me to stand for righteousness when I am under pressure to compromise. 3. Father, protect my heart, mind, body, and destiny from ungodly influences. 4. Lord, deliver me from comparison, insecurity, and the need for human approval. 5. Father, give me wisdom to recognize relationships and opportunities that are not from You. 6. Lord, help me to pursue success without sacrificing my integrity. 7. Father, let my life become a godly example to the generation coming after me. 8. Lord, restore every woman who has fallen through compromise and give her the grace to rise again. CALL TO ACTION Dear woman of God, you don't have to compromise to be accepted. You don't have to compromise to get married. You don't have to compromise to become successful. You don't have to compromise to become beautiful. You don't have to compromise to become influential. You don't have to compromise to survive. God is able to bless you without destroying you. The world may tell you: “Everybody is doing it.” But you must say: “I am not everybody. I belong to Christ.” When everybody is bowing, stand. When everybody is compromising, stand. When everybody is pursuing popularity, pursue holiness. When everybody is choosing temporary pleasure, choose eternal purpose. Your beauty will fade. Your possessions will pass away. Your popularity may disappear. But a life that honours God will leave an eternal testimony. Final Declaration I will not compromise my faith. I will not compromise my purity. I will not compromise my identity. I will not compromise my integrity. I will not compromise my purpose. I am a woman of God. I belong to Christ. My life has purpose. My body is God's temple. My character is my treasure. My faith is my foundation. And by the grace of God, I will stand! “Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised.” — Proverbs 31:30 Stand firm, woman of God. Your generation needs the woman God has called you to become. 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://amazon.com/author/umohedembooks CONTACT - WhatsApp +2349024173027, +2349055447540 Email pastor.umoedem@gmail.com

1 Corinthians 4:1 NASB "This is the way any person is to regard us: as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God." Many people who have been deceived into believing false Gospels, those that add any human effort to salvation, which is a gift from God to all those who place their faith in Jesus alone, think that they are servants of Christ because they go about spreading their false gospels. BUT they believe in a different gospel and follow a different christ. Ministers of the true gospel are "stewards of the mysteries of God." The word "steward" was translated from the Greek word οἰκονόμος, pronounced oy-kon-om'-os, and it means, according to Strong's Exhaustive Dictionary, "a house distributor (that is manager) or overseer that is an employee in that capacity; by extension a fiscal agent (treasurer); figuratively 𝗮 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗿 (𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝗼𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗹): - chamberlain governor steward." Preachers of the true gospel preach about the mysteries of God. 👇👇👇 1 Corinthians 2:7-13 NASB "but we speak God’s wisdom in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God predestined before the ages to our glory; [8] the wisdom which none of the rulers of this age has understood; for if they had understood it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory; [9] but just as it is written: “Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, And which have not entered the human heart, All that God has prepared for those who love Him.” [10] For to us God revealed them through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God. [11] For who among people knows the thoughts of a person except the spirit of the person that is in him? So also the thoughts of God no one knows, except the Spirit of God. [12] Now we have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God. [13] We also speak these things, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words." The great mystery is this: that God would so love us that he withheld nothing from us, even offering up the body and blood of his own son for us, so that if we'd only believe in Jesus and his finished work at Calvary as being sufficient for our salvation, that we would be given the righteousness of God in Christ, salvation, redemption, justification, sanctification and inherit eternal life through no effort of our own or any of our own works through obedience to the commandments. Anything else is a false Gospel. Anyone offering you a Jesus who wasn't enough is offering you a false Jesus and a different Jesus. #jesuschrist #faith #cults #gospel #grace

TODAY'S KINGDOM INSIGHTS. SERMON TOPIC: 5 THINGS EVERY CHRISTIAN MAN SHOULD NEVER COMPROMISE. A Christian man is not measured by how loud he speaks, how successful he becomes, how much money he makes, or how many people respect him. A Christian man is measured by what he refuses to compromise when nobody is watching. We live in a generation where compromise is often called wisdom, holiness is called extremism, and standing for truth is considered foolishness. But there are moments when a man must say: “I may lose the opportunity, but I will not lose my integrity. I may lose the money, but I will not lose my testimony. I may stand alone, but I will not deny my God.” Joseph was tempted, but he refused. Daniel was pressured, but he refused. Job was tested, but he held on. The question today is not, “What are you willing to gain?” The question is: “What are you unwilling to lose?” KEY TEXT Proverbs 4:23 — “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.” Your heart is the control center of your life. When the heart is compromised, character eventually follows. When character falls, destiny can be damaged. 1. NEVER COMPROMISE YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD Matthew 6:33 — “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness…” God must remain first. Not your career. Not your business. Not your relationship. Not your political connection. Not money. Not popularity. A Christian man who puts everything before God may gain the world but lose his spiritual direction. Biblical Example: Daniel Daniel was surrounded by a culture that wanted to reshape his identity. Yet Daniel 1:8 says: “But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself…” Notice the phrase: “purposed in his heart.” Daniel decided before the pressure came. That is wisdom. Don't wait until temptation comes before deciding what you believe. Spiritual Insight Private convictions produce public strength. If your relationship with God is strong in private, you will have the courage to stand for Him in public. Practical Action Steps - Maintain a consistent prayer life. - Study God's Word daily. - Attend fellowship. - Make decisions according to biblical principles. - Never allow success to replace your devotion to God. 2. NEVER COMPROMISE YOUR INTEGRITY Proverbs 10:9 — “He that walketh uprightly walketh surely…” Integrity means who you are when nobody is watching. A man may deceive people, but he cannot deceive God. Don't lie because the truth may cost you. Don't steal because others are doing it. Don't manipulate people because you have power. Don't falsify documents because you want quick success. Don't betray someone's trust for personal gain. Biblical Example: Joseph Joseph was in Egypt when Potiphar's wife tempted him. Nobody from his family was there. Nobody from his community was watching. Joseph could have said, “Nobody will know.” Instead, he said: “How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?” — Genesis 39:9 Joseph understood something powerful: Sin is not primarily about who is watching you. It is about who you belong to. Spiritual Insight Your character is building your future even when nobody applauds you. Never sacrifice a permanent testimony for a temporary pleasure. 3. NEVER COMPROMISE YOUR PURITY 1 Thessalonians 4:3 — “For this is the will of God, even your sanctification…” Sexual temptation is one of the areas where many men have destroyed marriages, ministries, businesses, reputations and destinies. A Christian man must understand that not every attractive opportunity is a divine opportunity. You need boundaries. You need discipline. You need accountability. You need the fear of God. Joseph's Example Joseph didn't negotiate with temptation. He didn't say: "Let me think about it." He ran. Genesis 39:12: “And he left his garment in her hand, and fled…” Sometimes the most spiritual thing a man can do is run away. Run from compromising relationships. Run from pornography. Run from secret affairs. Run from conversations that weaken your convictions. Run from environments designed to destroy your purity. Spiritual Insight You cannot repeatedly feed your flesh and expect your spirit to remain strong. What you watch affects what you desire. What you desire influences what you pursue. What you pursue eventually shapes your character. 4. NEVER COMPROMISE YOUR RESPONSIBILITY A Christian man must learn to take responsibility. 1 Timothy 5:8 says: «“But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith…”» Biblical manhood is not about domination. It is about responsibility, sacrifice, protection, leadership and service. A Christian man should not run away from responsibility. Be responsible with: - Your family - Your finances - Your words - Your spiritual life - Your work - Your commitments - Your children - Your calling Biblical Example: Joshua Joshua declared: “As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” — Joshua 24:15 Joshua didn't say, “As for me, whatever my family decides.” He took spiritual responsibility. Spiritual Insight Leadership begins with responsibility before it becomes authority. Don't demand to be respected as a leader while refusing to carry responsibility. 5. NEVER COMPROMISE YOUR FAITH IN TIMES OF PRESSURE Anybody can praise God when everything is working. But what happens when the prayer has not yet been answered? What happens when business is struggling? What happens when people misunderstand you? What happens when your friends abandon you? What happens when obedience becomes expensive? That is when genuine faith is revealed. Job 13:15: “Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him…” Job lost much, but he refused to lose his faith. Biblical Example: The Three Hebrew Men Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were commanded to bow before Nebuchadnezzar's image. They refused. Daniel 3:17–18 shows their confidence: «“Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us… But if not… we will not serve thy gods.”» That is powerful faith. They were essentially saying: “Even if God does not answer the way we expect, we will still remain faithful.” Spiritual Insight Faith is not proven when God gives you what you want; faith is proven when you continue trusting Him when you don't understand what He is doing. REAL-LIFE LESSON Imagine a Christian man who receives a lucrative business opportunity. The money is excellent. But he discovers that the business requires him to falsify records and deceive customers. He has two choices: Profit with compromise or obedience with integrity. The world may tell him: "Everybody does it." But heaven asks: “Will you remain faithful?” Sometimes obedience will cost you money. Sometimes integrity will cost you opportunities. Sometimes holiness will make you unpopular. But remember: Anything you gain by compromising your relationship with God is too expensive. FIVE THINGS TO REMEMBER 1. Your relationship with God Never replace God with success. 2. Your integrity Never exchange character for temporary gain. 3. Your purity Never sacrifice holiness for temporary pleasure. 4. Your responsibility Never run away from what God has entrusted to you. 5. Your faith Never abandon God because the journey becomes difficult. PRACTICAL ACTION STEPS This week: 1. Examine your heart. Ask God to reveal areas of compromise. 2. Identify your greatest temptation. Don't pretend it doesn't exist. 3. Set boundaries. Remove people, places, habits or media that continually pull you away from God. 4. Strengthen your spiritual life. Pray, study Scripture and maintain fellowship. 5. Find a trustworthy spiritual accountability partner. 6. Make one difficult decision based on biblical conviction rather than convenience. 7. Teach the next generation by your example. QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION 1. What am I currently tempted to compromise? 2. Is God truly first in my life? 3. Who am I when nobody is watching? 4. Have I allowed money or success to weaken my convictions? 5. Are there relationships that are pulling me away from God? 6. Am I taking responsibility for what God has entrusted to me? 7. Would my private life agree with my public testimony? 8. If obedience costs me something, will I still obey God? POWERFUL PRAYER POINTS 1. Father, give me the grace to remain faithful to You when nobody is watching. 2. Lord, strengthen my character and make me a man of integrity. 3. Every power pushing me toward compromise, be broken in Jesus' name. 4. Father, deliver me from every secret temptation that can destroy my testimony. 5. Give me strength to flee from every appearance of evil. 6. Lord, make me a responsible spiritual leader in my family and generation. 7. When pressure comes, give me the courage to stand for truth. 8. Father, let my private life and public testimony agree. 9. Give me grace to finish my Christian journey faithfully. 10. Lord Jesus, let my life become an altar that brings glory to Your name. CALL TO ACTION Christian man, the world does not need another man who can simply make money. It needs men who can be trusted. Men who can pray. Men who can stand for truth. Men who can keep their word. Men who can control their desires. Men who can protect their families. Men who can say NO when everyone else is saying YES. Men who will choose righteousness when compromise appears profitable. Men who will choose Christ when the world offers them another throne. Remember: Joseph refused compromise and preserved his destiny. Daniel refused compromise and maintained his influence. The three Hebrew men refused compromise and experienced God's presence in the fire. Your greatest victory may not be what you acquire. Your greatest victory may be what you refuse to surrender. So today, make a decision: “I will not compromise my God. I will not compromise my integrity. I will not compromise my purity. I will not compromise my responsibility. I will not compromise my faith.” Because a man who stands with God may stand alone for a moment, but he will never stand without God. Stand firm. Stay pure. Walk faithfully. Finish well. “Be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.” — Ephesians 6:10 Amen. Try and attend Church service today. 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 Email pastor.umoedem@gmail.com

Good evening, brethren. 1. Evening devotion for today. ED.i. *DAILY WALK WITH CHRIST* (COCIN DEVOTIONAL) *DATE:* SATURDAY 15TH AUGUST, 2026. *SUB-THEME:* YOUTHS: VESSELS OF GOD'S GRACE. *TOPIC:* BE SANCTIFIED. *TEXT:* 1 THESSALONIANS 4:4-5. 4 Each of you must know how to control his own body in a holy and honorable manner, 5 not with passion and lust like the gentiles who do not know God. 1Co 15:34 Eph 4:18 [Col 3:5] *TOPIC:* BE SANCTIFIED. *THE MESSAGE:* To be sanctified means to be set apart for God's purpose. God is holy (Lev. 20:7), so He calls His people to live in holiness, especially the way they control their bodies. In our reading, believers are urged to practice self-discipline, avoid sexual immorality, live honourably, and not be driven by lust like unbelievers. Sadly, many youths today compromise their sanctification through exposure to immoral content, substance abuse, and other defiling influences. Unwanted pregnancies, abortions, and eloping marriages are rampant. These affect the Christian testimony adversely. God desires pure vessels for His glory. Are you trapped in such vices? Do not give up; God is the God of second chances. Come to Him in repentance and be cleansed. *REFLECTION:* Sanctification is not optional. *PRAYER:* Lord, help me to set myself aside for Your use. Amen. *MEMORY VERSE FOR THE MONTH:* 2 TIMOTHY 2:21. "If a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be instruments for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master, and prepared to do any good work." *TODAY'S BIBLE READING PLAN:* LAMENTATIONS 1-5. ED.ii. THE STRUGGLE TO PRAY "So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God's law; but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me." - Romans 7:21-23 Many people find it difficult to pray because they are struggling. You want to pray, read the Bible and go to the church meeting. You want to obey God and follow Him. But it seems like a battle has started in you. It seems as if there is an inner struggle between the light and the darkness and you do not know what to do. You had such a need to do the abovementioned, but it is as if the evil one is whispering all kinds of wrong things to you. You got up in the morning with the best intentions but a few hours later they are all gone. The struggle between two natures There was a time when the great apostle Paul was also bothered by this: 'For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do — this I keep on doing' (Romans 7:19). There is a law of the flesh which pulls you down and a law of the Spirit which pulls you up. This means that there are still two natures working in your life. It means that the 'old man' has not died yet. It means that the process to Calvary has not yet taken place in you. The 'old man' is still too strong. This struggle must end in your life and Jesus wants to help you with that. You have to go from Romans 7 to Romans 8, which starts with: 'Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.' Only people who desire to live in this new and redeemed life of Romans 8 are able to be real intercessors and prayer warriors. Allow that 'old man' to die like the seed must die first before it bears fruit. https://www.theblessingdevotional.com 2. Evening prayer for today. EP.i. Evening Prayer He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, [He is] my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. ⏤ Psalm 91:1-2 God is always trying to give good things to us, but our hands are too full to receive them. ⏤ Augustine of Hippo O God, our Father in Heaven, You have kept us through another week, and now we come to You seeking an evening blessing. We thank You for all that this week has been to us. Your goodness and mercy have been with us every day and every night. You have provided for us daily, just as You provided manna for Your people in the wilderness. You have blessed us with health, with friends, with the comforts of home, and with all the good things You have given us this week. But we haven’t been as faithful in our part. We’ve been forgetful and careless. We haven’t fulfilled all our duties to each other and to our neighbors. We’ve left many things undone that we should have done. Please forgive us and help us to learn from our failures so that we can live holier lives in the coming week. We leave all our work in Your hands. We look forward to Sunday with hope and longing, as we desire to come again to Your house of worship. Our souls thirst for You like dry, barren land thirsts for rain. Please prepare us for Sunday, so that when it comes, we may be ready to receive rich blessings. Keep us through the night. Protect us from all harm. Preserve our bodies from sickness and accidents, and our souls from all kinds of evil. May we rest in peaceful sleep and wake up refreshed. We ask for special protection for our home from fire and any other dangers. We also remember our friends. Please give them a Saturday evening blessing. Hear our evening prayers, bless us, comfort us, strengthen us, and keep us. We ask all these things in the name of Jesus Christ, our Redeemer. Amen. https://www.youdevotion.com/daily-prayer/miller/41/evening #taptapstudio #youdevotion.

The mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming. 2 Thessalonians 2:7–8 ɴᴋᴊᴠ The apostle Paul expressed his joy in writing his beloved brethren at Thessalonica because their faith was growing exceedingly, evidenced by their love for each other. He takes this occasion to warn them of the dangerous false teaching being circulated about the Day of the Lord—the time when righteous judgment will come upon the ungodly. Lawlessness, or iniquity, was already working in its secret or mystery form in the apostle’s day. There was an attempt to undermine the truth and unsettle the saints at Thessalonica by trying to persuade them that the Day of the Lord had already come. Paul assures them, however, that their present sufferings at the hands of unrighteous men were not the Day of the Lord. After the true Church of God has entered its rest at the Rapture, then the unrighteous ones left behind will suffer God’s just judgment. After the saints are caught away at the Rapture, restraint will be removed and lawlessness will come in like a flood. Then the “lawless one” will be revealed, exalting himself as God, sitting in the temple of God, and assuming to be God (2 Th. 2:3). This is the climax of evil summed up in one man, the man of sin, “whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming.” As we see this day of lawlessness approaching, we are comforted by these words: “We are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God from the beginning chose you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth … Therefore, brethren, stand fast” (2 Th. 2:13, 15). Jacob Redekop https://gbv-online.org/calendar/773/date/2026-08-15

Who are Israelites, to whom pertain … the giving of the law. Romans 9:4 ɴᴋᴊᴠ Israel was a nation and a people who were under the Law of God. It was given to them by God through Moses, who was their mediator, as well as through angelic mediation (Gal. 3:19; Ex. 19–20; 34:1–9). This was a privilege only they had. Other nations had their laws and national constitutions, but they were man-made. Not so for Israel! The apostle Paul mentioned this privilege earlier in the Epistle to the Romans when he wrote, “What advantage then has the Jew, or what is the profit of circumcision? Much in every way! Chiefly because to them were committed the oracles of God” (Rom. 3:1–2). The “oracles of God” were the Old Testament Scriptures, and in particular, the books of Moses: the Law. Israel had an advantage over other nations in that they had written, inspired communications from the living God, a wonderful privilege. These oracles showed them how to conduct their nation and order their personal lives. But herein lay the problem: “the carnal mind,” or the flesh, “is not subject to the law of God” (8:7). In fact, one of the purposes of the law was to show man that he is a sinner (4:15; 5:20; 7:7, 13; Gal. 3:19–24). Israel was the “test case” to prove this. Their history revealed continual insubjection to God’s law. Righteousness could not come through the law (Rom. 10:4), only through faith in God’s provision of grace in Christ. This is important to understand because some teach we are under the law. It is said, “We are not under law for justification but are for sanctification.” However, we have died to the law and spiritual fruit comes, not through the law or legalism, but through the Spirit of God (6:14; 7:6; 2 Cor. 3:18). May we ever appreciate what Christ—who died under the curse of the law—has wrought for us who believe! Amen. Brian Reynolds https://gbv-online.org/calendar/773/date/2026-08-12