Good morning, brethren. 1. Morning devotion for. Today. i. 😀🌹🎀🎁💝🌺 MORNING TEA THE WORD FOR TODAY TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2026. "THE PARABLE OF THE PRODIGAL SON (1)" ‘…There was a man who had two sons.’ Luke 15:11 NIV THE REAL star in the Parable of the Prodigal Son is the father. He had two boys. One was rebellious, the other was religious. But he loved each of them. And because they were his family he refused to give up on them. While the younger brother was away wallowing in sin, the older brother was at home wallowing in self-righteousness. One was guilty of the sins of the flesh (the obvious ones); the other was guilty of the sins of the spirit (the not-so-obvious ones). Only when the younger brother lost everything did he discover that living in submission to his father’s rule was the safest, most fulfilling place you could be. Only when the older brother discovered the difference between rule-keeping and relationship was he able to understand his father’s words, ‘…Everything I have is yours’ (Luke 15:31 NIV). One was a miserable rule keeper; the other was a miserable rule breaker. (Which are you?) The problem was neither boy really knew the heart of their father because they were self-centred. But that changed when they discovered that he loved them in spite of their flaws, and planned to bless them. Understand this: you can read the Bible, go to church, keep all the rules - and not really know God’s faithfulness, His love and His plan for you. Until you really know God, you’ll have no anchor in life; you’ll be tossed to and fro by every circumstance, emotion and temptation. But when you know Whose you are, you’ll begin to understand who you are, what you’re supposed to do, and where you’re supposed to be. Bible In A Year: 1 Cor 9:24-27, Num 6:1-8. 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.*🎀💝🌹🌷. ii. DO YOU PLAN TO GIVE UP? "Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father's care. You are worth more than many sparrows." - Matthew 10:29,31 Nowadays there are many people facing extreme difficulties in life. Some are able to somewhat cope with the issues, while for others the problems are overwhelming. Many people abandon their faith and fall back into old habits because they do not know how to break the downward spiral. Life is not all that rosy It does not always have to do with trusting Jesus though, because they still love God. They give up their self-trust: they no longer believe they can survive the situation. I know this from letters I receive from people. When I write them back, I tell them that it is an illusion to think that life with the Lord Jesus is all rosy. Psalm 34:19 says: 'The righteous person may have many troubles.' I am happy that we also read in the same verse: 'but the Lord delivers him from them all.' Many people question why they are having a hard financial time while the Lord says that He gives life abundantly. Others want to know why they are sick since the Lord is our Healer. Many people have a broken heart, a broken relationship or they feel lonely and depressed. Be a 'faith optimist' Personally, I am a 'faith optimist' and an 'everything-is-possible thinker.' But I also know that many people are facing difficult times and they can not only sing 'hosanna, praise the Lord.' There is a time of sadness and pain, a time of lonely nights, misery and illness. It is great to know that Jesus is not only with us when we are on the mountain but also in the deep valley of life. So, how do I get out of this difficult situation? Dear Reader, my answer is to hold on and live with Jesus every day! The Lord God will put an end to all wicked work and the evil one. Until then you will have to face the battle with Him on your side. https://www.theblessingdevotional.com 2. Morning Prayer for today. i. Morning Prayer Thou wilt keep [him] in perfect peace, [whose] mind [is] stayed [on thee]: because he trusteth in thee. ⏤ Isaiah 26:3 Trust the past to God's mercy, the present to God's love, and the future to God's providence. ⏤ St. Augustine Father, days come and go, bringing change and decay, but You remain the same forever. A thousand years in Your sight are like a single day. With You, there is no past or future; all time is present to You. Yet in our small lives, we need daily blessings. The memories of our past sorrows cast shadows on our present, and our fears for the future often cast shadows on our path. We are grateful that You see and know everything—past, present, and future—and that we can safely leave it all in Your hands. Help us to live faithfully in this little day that is ours, leaving the past and future with You, without worrying. So, we ask for Your peace, which surpasses all understanding, to guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, enabling us to be true and faithful in all our duties. We ask You, O Lord, to give us the strength and wisdom we need for today’s responsibilities and experiences. Let nothing surprise or dishearten us. Hold our hand through every situation. Give us wisdom to answer every question and make every decision in a way that pleases You. Strengthen us to resist temptation, no matter how subtly it approaches. Increase Your love within us so that we may be patient with everyone we meet, compassionate toward those who are sorrowful, cheerful with those who are discouraged, and helpful to those who are weak. Send us out to do Your work so that everything we do today is for You. Breathe upon us as we wait here in Your presence and give us Your blessing as our Father. We ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen. https://www.youdevotion.com/daily-prayer/miller/44/morning #taptapstudio #youdevotion.