Good evening, brethren. 1. Evening devotion for today. ED.i. *DAILY WALK WITH CHRIST* (COCIN DEVOTIONAL) *DATE:* WEDNESDAY 29TH JULY, 2026. *SUB-THEME:* THE CONSEQUENCES OF REJECTING GOD'S GRACE. *TOPIC:* WAR (II). *TEXT:* 2 SAMUEL 3:1, 6-12. 1. The war between the house of Saul and the house of David lasted a long time. David grew stronger and stronger, while the house of Saul grew weaker and weaker. 6. During the war between the house of Saul and the house of David, Abner had been strengthening his own position in the house of Saul. 7. Now Saul had had a concubine named Rizpah daughter of Aiah. And Ish-Bosheth said to Abner, “Why did you sleep with my father’s concubine?” 8. Abner was very angry because of what Ish-Bosheth said. So he answered, “Am I a dog’s head—on Judah’s side? This very day I am loyal to the house of your father Saul and to his family and friends. I haven’t handed you over to David. Yet now you accuse me of an offense involving this woman! 9. May God deal with Abner, be it ever so severely, if I do not do for David what the Lord promised him on oath 10. and transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul and establish David’s throne over Israel and Judah from Dan to Beersheba.” 11. Ish-Bosheth did not dare to say another word to Abner, because he was afraid of him. 12. Then Abner sent messengers on his behalf to say to David, “Whose land is it? Make an agreement with me, and I will help you bring all Israel over to you.” *TOPIC:* WAR (II). *THE MESSAGE:* When David gained victory over Goliath, Saul began to hunt him, but David respected Saul’s life as the anointed of God. After Saul’s death, his son Ish-Bosheth ascended to the throne of Israel, while David ruled over Judah from Hebron. A war broke out between the two families, lasting for a long time. However, David grew stronger while Saul’s house grew weaker, especially when Abner pledged loyalty to him. The war between the royal families resulted in continuous bloodshed, depriving Israel of peace. When Christians fail to appreciate God's grace and blessings in the lives of others, hostility is likely to arise. Is there any conflict or pending disagreement in your family, community, or church? Discuss the matter, as overlooking it may lead to escalation and deprive you of harmony and peace. *REFLECTION:* Be an agent of peace. *PRAYER:* I choose the path of peace, so help me, God. Amen. *MEMORY VERSE FOR THE MONTH:* HEBREWS 10:29. How much more severely do you think one deserves to be punished who has trampled on the Son of God, profaned the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and insulted the Spirit of grace? *TODAY'S BIBLE READING PLAN:* ISAIAH 52-57. ED.ii. GOD'S WAY IS THE BEST WAY "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts." - Isaiah 55:9 This is a big problem for God's children, because we have to accept that our thoughts are often not God's thoughts. We are able to know God's thoughts by reading the Bible. Often it turns out that the Lord God has a different way than we want to take and He has different thoughts than we have on the matter. We frequently have to deal with this. If God does not help or do as we expected, we become angry or disappointed. We say: 'I thought that you would do this or that.' But then the Lord says: 'You thought wrongly. Yes, you thought so, but:   I think differently.   I know the future.   I know all circumstances.   I know who you are.   I know what your marriage and your family are like.   I know how things are.   I know what is happening in the Netherlands.   I know what is happening in the world.   I know all things and think differently.   You want to do it that way, but I want to do things differently.'   Dear readers, this is where God's children often do not understand God. You think about the way you want to take and you assume that this is also the Lord's way. Then suddenly you discover that the Lord says: 'Do not walk the path you thought was the right one, I choose a different way for you.' Remember: God's way is the best way, it is always the best path! https://www.theblessingdevotional.com 2. Evening Prayer for today. EP.i. Evening Prayer He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For as the heaven is high above the earth, [so] great is his mercy toward them that fear him. As far as the east is from the west, [so] far hath he removed our transgressions from us. ⏤ Psalm 103:10-12 A holy life is the best testimony we can give of the grace which we have received. ⏤ J.C. Ryle O God, our Father, breathe an evening blessing upon us. There is much in us that needs cleansing. Look upon us as friends of Your Son. He has died for us. We have no merit of our own. We dare not lift our hands in Your sight, except as Your redeemed people. Jesus loved us and gave Himself for us. He was wounded for our transgressions. He bore our sins in His own body on the cross. We don't mention our own names before You, for we have sinned and fallen short of Your glory. Even our best efforts are stained with sin. Our purest thoughts have evil in them. Our kindest deeds are not entirely pure. Wrong motives, selfish desires, and unholy feelings taint everything we do! But Jesus Christ is our hope and trust. We hide behind His cross. We want to be seen by You only in Him. For His sake, then, look upon us graciously and love us freely. We thank You for the blessings of this day. Bless all of today’s experiences to us. Teach us the lessons You intended for us to learn. Bless all our efforts to help others. May the things we have tried to do to give comfort, help, and encouragement—to make burdens lighter and paths smoother—be recognized by You and used to advance Your work in the lives of those we sought to help. If we have wronged others today, whether in impatience, selfishness, or without intent, in carelessness or thoughtlessness—we ask for Your forgiveness, and we also ask that You help us undo the wrong, if possible. Teach us how to overcome evil with good. Give us the gentle, healing touch that will cure the hurts we have caused. Fill us with more and more love so that we may always bless and never harm others. We ask all these mercies in the name of Jesus. Amen. https://www.youdevotion.com/daily-prayer/miller/24/evening #taptapstudio #youdevotion.