Good morning, brethren. 1. Morning devotion for today. MD.i. 😀🌹🎀🎁💝🌺 MORNING TEA THE WORD FOR TODAY. TUESDAY JULY 7, 2026. "THE DANGER OF PURSUING POWER" '...The humble…retain honour.’  Proverbs 29:23 NKJV THE FIRST lie satan told Adam and Eve was a direct appeal to the ego in all of us: ‘…You will be like God…’ (Genesis 3:5 NRS). The crafty old serpent pulled back the curtain to heaven’s throne room and gave our first parents a glimpse of power and glory and they were hooked. And we’ve been hooked ever since! If you’ve spent any time in the company of social climbers and ‘name droppers’, you realise human nature hasn’t changed much. It’s still about staying on top! And since manners can take you where money alone can’t, you can actually take classes that teach you ‘power table manners’. Things like never handing your plate to the waiter and never stooping to retrieve dropped cutlery. In fact, to ensure your place on the ladder of upward mobility, a cardinal rule is never to stoop at all! Not even to help meet people’s needs, admit your mistakes, or give to those who can’t repay you. The pursuit of power makes you think you’re better than others and prevents you from serving them. It makes you susceptible to flattery, resistant to honest counsel and leads to isolation and non-accountability. You see it every day in little things like never complimenting those under you in case they ‘forget their place’; refusing to be loving and courteous to your mate in case you lose your most powerful weapon—control; putting personal ambition ahead of personal integrity; withholding intimacy to punish and manipulate someone. Such power plays are designed to get you what you want at other people’s expense. That’s why the Bible warns, ‘A man’s pride will bring him low, but the humble…retain honour.’ Bible In A Year: Ruth 1:3-18; John 6:41-69. 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.*🌷🎀💝🌹. MD.ii. THE HEALING OF BARTIMAEUS "Receive your sight; your faith has healed you." - Luke 18:42 Bartimaeus was sitting in complete darkness by the roadside. Sitting by the roadside means being rejected, feeling lonely and abandoned. Being blind is terrible. Not being able to ever see your loved ones, the beautiful flowers, the sun, moon or the splendor of the stars. Every day he sat there with a cup in his hand begging for money along the road to Jericho. Someone had told him about Jesus. Someone must have given him hope that Jesus, the Healer, could heal him. You might also be sick or feeling miserable. May I be the person to tell you that Jesus of Nazareth lives and that He is still able to do miracles today? Bartimaeus had never had a chance to meet Jesus before, but God knows the desire of the heart. Unexpectedly the day came in his life in which total darkness turned into beautiful light. Faith makes Jesus to stop When Bartimaeus heard the crowd approaching, he asked someone what the noise was. The answer was: 'Jesus of Nazareth is passing by' whereupon he answered, 'Jesus, Son of David! Have mercy on me.' People tried to silence him, but he shouted even more. Some people have no understanding to the need of others. However, there is One who fully understands you. He heard Bartimaeus' cry for help. He also knows the cry of your heart. Jesus stood still and had Bartimaeus brought to Him. Faith always makes Jesus stop. Jesus asked him: 'What do you want Me to do for you'? He immediately said: 'Lord, I want to see.' Jesus answered: 'your faith has healed you.' Bartimaeus had a bold and persistent faith. He knew what he wanted and ... he received it! https://www.theblessingdevotional.com 2. Morning Prayer for today. MP.i. Morning Prayer I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. ⏤ Galatians 2:20 Christ is not valued at all, unless He is valued above all. ⏤ Saint Augustine Jesus, our Savior and Redeemer, hear our prayer. You suffered to save us from eternal separation from God. Have mercy on us and bless us. We praise You and worship You, Son of God, who reigns with the Father in heaven. What can we give You for Your great love and sacrifice for us? Your mercy is endless, and Your grace is beyond understanding. This morning, we look to Your cross, where You paid the price for our salvation. May Your love fill our hearts as we bow before You, sparking a love in us that consumes our whole being. We want to live today under the influence of Your cross. Help us remember that we belong to You, bought by You at the cost of Your precious blood! Help us live in a way that honors You. Keep our hearts pure, so we can clearly see You. Keep our words clean, so we can speak of You with respect and honor. Keep our hands clean, so that everything we do brings blessings. Keep our lives free from wrongdoing, so that wherever we go, Your goodness shines through us. We ask You, dear Redeemer, to stay close to us all day and keep us close to You. There’s no safer place than near You. Protect us and wash away our sins in Your cleansing blood. Fill our hearts with Your Holy Spirit. We ask all these things in Your name. Amen. https://www.youdevotion.com/daily-prayer/miller/02/morning #taptapstudio #youdevotion.