Good morning, brethren. 1. Our morning prayer focuses on "living one day at a time." 2. How do you manage your mind? 3. Do you know who the good Shepherd is? 4. Are you precious to God? To know more, read the message below. 1. Morning Prayer Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day [is] the evil thereof. ⏤ Matthew 6:34 Worry is a cycle of inefficient thoughts whirling around a center of fear. ⏤ Corrie Ten Boom Father, You have told us that we ought to learn to live by the day. You taught this lesson to Your people long ago by giving them manna, not in supplies to last for years—but day by day, enough only each day for the day. You taught us the same lesson by the lips of Your Son, our great Teacher, who commanded us to pray for our daily bread. May You teach us how to live day by day. It is hard for us to learn the lesson. We grow anxious when we cannot see how tomorrow is to be provided for. We worry about tomorrow’s bread and guidance and help. Teach us, Father, to trust You as little children. You have promised to take care of us. You are our Shepherd, and we shall not lack. You are our God and will supply all our needs, according to the riches of Your glory in Christ Jesus. You who spared not even Your only begotten Son, who delivered Him up for us all—will surely with Him give us all needful things. You who have made us with so many needs of body and soul, will surely meet all these needs if we will trust You and wait for You. You have promised that we shall not lack any good thing if only we are faithful to You. Forgive us our feverish ways, and give us the spirit of trust. Help us now to live this one little day without anxiety. Give us grace to do the one day’s work well, and to trust You with all its care. Give us physical strength for our duties. Give us wisdom to make the right decisions and choices. Give us our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation—but deliver us from evil. For Yours is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen. https://www.youdevotion.com/daily-prayer/miller/73/morning #taptapstudio #youdevotion. 2. 😀💝🌺🎁🌹🎀 MORNING TEA. THE WORD FOR TODAY WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 17, 2025. "MIND MANAGEMENT (2)" ‘Fight to capture every thought until it acknowledges the authority of Christ.’ 2 Corinthians 10:5 PHPS BE CAREFUL what you allow into your mind, because your thoughts run your life. You say, ‘But thoughts come at me every day from all directions: at home, at work, through the media, in my relationships and in my private world. How can I manage my mind successfully?’ The answer’s surprisingly simple. You can be transformed by making this one decision: I will submit my thoughts to the authority of Jesus. It’s easy to overlook the significance of Christ’s claim: ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me’ (Matthew 28:18 NIV). Jesus controls everything in heaven and on earth. That means He has the final say on everything—including your thoughts. He has more authority, for example, than your parents. Your parents may have told you you’re worthless, but Jesus says you’re valuable, and He has authority over your parents. He even has more authority over you than you do. You may tell yourself you’re too bad to be forgiven, but Jesus has a different opinion. And when you repent and give Him authority over your life, those old condemning thoughts are no longer allowed. Jesus also has authority over your ideas. Suppose, for example, you get an idea about robbing a grocery store. Jesus has already made it clear that stealing is wrong, and if you’ve given Him authority over your mind then the idea of stealing can’t linger in your mind. To manage your mind successfully, all you have to do is submit your thoughts to the authority of Christ. Will it happen overnight? No, but with practice and commitment you’ll get better at it. Bible In A Year: Zech 5-9, John 20:19-31. Courtesy Grace So Amazing Foundation🌹🎀 *To partner with us, kindly refer to page 9 of the hard copy edition or simply send us a WhatsApp message/call on +2348128000068.*🌷🎀💝🌹. 3. Topic: The Good Shepherd. Text: John 10:1-8. Message: In his book A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23, Phillip Keller describes the peril of a “cast sheep,” that is, a sheep that’s fallen flat on its back and cannot get back up on its own. In this position, it’s an easy target for predators such as buzzards and wolves. And, if not rescued within a short time, it will die. Gas spreads through the digestive system and cuts off the flow of blood. If the weather is hot and sunny, the sheep can die in just a few hours. As sheep, we need the Good Shepherd (vv. 11, 14)! Like a shepherd, Jesus cares for, watches over, guides, protects, defends, and rescues us. He knows us by name (v. 3). His voice leads us (v. 4). In Ancient Near Eastern culture, shepherding was a common metaphor for kingship. An ideal king would behave much like a good shepherd, working to create and ensure the well-being of his nation (flock). So when Jesus asserted His authority at the end of this passage, He wasn’t really changing topics (v. 18). He is our King as well as our Shepherd! Notice that the shepherd is strongly contrasted with the thief and the hired hand. Thieves and robbers wanted to harm the flock (vv. 1–5). These are enemies of God. Hired hands might be better, but they run away when danger comes. They’re not invested like the shepherd (vv. 12–13). These are false shepherds or bad religious leaders. Christ is an exceptional shepherd. He loved us so much He laid down His life for us (vv. 11, 15, 17). His selfless goal is our salvation—“that they may have life, and have it to the full” (v. 10). As sheep, our best choice is to follow, trust, and stay close to Him. 4. Our Daily Bread MinistriesSUPPORT December 17 | Bible in a Year: Amos 7-9; Revelation 8 Precious to God You are precious and honored in my sight. Isaiah 43:4 READ Isaiah 43:1-7 audio playLISTEN ONLINE The painting hung on the wall of a home for years, unnoticed and forgotten, until one day it fell. When it was taken to an art restorer for repairs, he discovered it was a long-lost Rembrandt masterpiece titled The Adoration of the Magi. It had been thought that only copies of the work remained, but here was the original. Suddenly the painting’s value skyrocketed to hundreds of millions of dollars. The Bible paints another picture of underestimated value and forgotten worth. Isaiah the prophet, inspired by the Holy Spirit, told God’s people that even though they would be taken away to a foreign land where they would suffer and be devalued, He would still be with them: “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine,” He assured them (Isaiah 43:1). Though they would “pass through the waters” and “walk through the fire” (v. 2), His faithfulness to them would not change. With words that point to His coming kingdom in Christ, God promised that He would one day restore “everyone who is called by my name” (v. 7) and bring them home to Him. God will one day gather all who are His because they “are precious and honored in [His] sight” (v. 4), each one an original! Our Creator values us because of His infinite kindness and mercy. The world may overlook us, but He never will. By James Banks REFLECT & PRAY How does God’s kindness in Christ show that you are precious to Him? How much is He worth to you? Saving God, how amazing is Your perfect love, that You would give Yourself for me! Learn more here about having a personal relationship with God. SCRIPTURE INSIGHT God disciplined His covenant people because of their unrepentant unfaithfulness and exiled them to Babylon for seventy years (Isaiah 39:6-7). But He wouldn’t forget His covenant or abandon His chosen people. In Isaiah 40-66, the prophet speaks of the return from exile and Judah’s future restoration. In chapter 43, God promised He’d bring them back to the promised land. They were disciplined, not abandoned, for He said, “I am with you” (v. 5). He reminded them that He’s still their God—their creator, redeemer, protector, and savior (vv. 7-15). As God’s people, we need not be afraid of the trials we face or the uncertainties of our future. Because we belong to Him, we can be assured of His unfailing love (vv. 1-3). He tells us, “You are precious and honored in my sight” (v. 4). He loves us and won’t forget us. K.T. Sim Our mission is to make the life-changing wisdom of the Bible understandable and accessible to all. Copyright © 2025, Our Daily Bread Ministries.