Acts 23:

"1 And Paul, earnestly beholding the council, said, Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day.
2 And the high priest Ananias commanded them that stood by him to smite him on the mouth.
3 Then said Paul unto him, God shall smite thee, thou whited wall: for sittest thou to judge me after the law, and commandest me to be smitten contrary to the law?
4 And they that stood by said, Revilest thou God's high priest?
5 Then said Paul, I wist not, brethren, that he was the high priest: for it is written, Thou shalt not speak evil of the ruler of thy people.
6 But when Paul perceived that the one part were Sadducees, and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee: of the hope and resurrection of the dead I am called in question.
7 And when he had so said, there arose a dissension between the Pharisees and the Sadducees: and the multitude was divided.
8 For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither angel, nor spirit: but the Pharisees confess both.
9 And there arose a great cry: and the scribes that were of the Pharisees' part arose, and strove, saying, We find no evil in this man: but if a spirit or an angel hath spoken to him, let us not fight against God.
10 And when there arose a great dissension, the chief captain, fearing lest Paul should have been pulled in pieces of them, commanded the soldiers to go down, and to take him by force from among them, and to bring him into the castle.
11 And the night following the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good cheer, Paul: for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome.
12 And when it was day, certain of the Jews banded together, and bound themselves under a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul.
13 And they were more than forty which had made this conspiracy.
14 And they came to the chief priests and elders, and said, We have bound ourselves under a great curse, that we will eat nothing until we have slain Paul.
15 Now therefore ye with the council signify to the chief captain that he bring him down unto you to morrow, as though ye would inquire something more perfectly concerning him: and we, or ever he come near, are ready to kill him.
16 And when Paul's sister's son heard of their lying in wait, he went and entered into the castle, and told Paul.
17 Then Paul called one of the centurions unto him, and said, Bring this young man unto the chief captain: for he hath a certain thing to tell him.
18 So he took him, and brought him to the chief captain, and said, Paul the prisoner called me unto him, and prayed me to bring this young man unto thee, who hath something to say unto thee.
19 Then the chief captain took him by the hand, and went with him aside privately, and asked him, What is that thou hast to tell me?
20 And he said, The Jews have agreed to desire thee that thou wouldest bring down Paul to morrow into the council, as though they would inquire somewhat of him more perfectly.
21 But do not thou yield unto them: for there lie in wait for him of them more than forty men, which have bound themselves with an oath, that they will neither eat nor drink till they have killed him: and now are they ready, looking for a promise from thee.
22 So the chief captain then let the young man depart, and charged him, See thou tell no man that thou hast shewed these things to me.
23 And he called unto him two centurions, saying, Make ready two hundred soldiers to go to Caesarea, and horsemen threescore and ten, and spearmen two hundred, at the third hour of the night;
24 And provide them beasts, that they may set Paul on, and bring him safe unto Felix the governor.
25 And he wrote a letter after this manner:
26 Claudius Lysias unto the most excellent governor Felix sendeth greeting.
27 This man was taken of the Jews, and should have been killed of them: then came I with an army, and rescued him, having understood that he was a Roman.
28 And when I would have known the cause wherefore they accused him, I brought him forth into their council:
29 Whom I perceived to be accused of questions of their law, but to have nothing laid to his charge worthy of death or of bonds.
30 And when it was told me how that the Jews laid wait for the man, I sent straightway to thee, and gave commandment to his accusers also to say before thee what they had against him. Farewell.
31 Then the soldiers, as it was commanded them, took Paul, and brought him by night to Antipatris.
32 On the morrow they left the horsemen to go with him, and returned to the castle:
33 Who, when they came to Caesarea, and delivered the epistle to the governor, presented Paul also before him.
34 And when the governor had read the letter, he asked of what province he was. And when he understood that he was of Cilicia;
35 I will hear thee, said he, when thine accusers are also come. And he commanded him to be kept in Herod's judgment hall."

1 Chronicles 16:7-22
On that day David first delivered this psalm into the hand of Asaph and his brethren, to thank the LORD: [8] Oh, give thanks to the LORD! Call upon His name; Make known His deeds among the peoples! [9] Sing to Him, sing psalms to Him; Talk of all His wondrous works! [10] Glory in His holy name; Let the hearts of those rejoice who seek the LORD! [11] Seek the LORD and His strength; Seek His face evermore! [12] Remember His marvelous works which He has done, His wonders, and the judgments of His mouth, [13] O seed of Israel His servant, You children of Jacob, His chosen ones! [14] He is the LORD our God; His judgments are in all the earth. [15] Remember His covenant forever, The word which He commanded, for a thousand generations, [16] The covenant which He made with Abraham, And His oath to Isaac, [17] And confirmed it to Jacob for a statute, To Israel for an everlasting covenant, [18] Saying, "To you I will give the land of Canaan As the allotment of your inheritance," [19] When you were few in number, Indeed very few, and strangers in it. [20] When they went from one nation to another, And from one kingdom to another people, [21] He permitted no man to do them wrong; Yes, He rebuked kings for their sakes, [22] Saying, "Do not touch My anointed ones, And do My prophets no harm."

All are classified by how great are their Oaths...

#Oath #Oaths #all #allClassified #classified

All are classified by how great are their Oaths...

#Oath #Oaths #all #allClassified #classified

New English Translation
Matthew 23:11-13,15-22
The greatest among you will be your servant. And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted. “But woe to you, experts in the law and you Pharisees, hypocrites! You keep locking people out of the kingdom of heaven! For you neither enter nor permit those trying to enter to go in. “Woe to you, experts in the law and you Pharisees, hypocrites! You cross land and sea to make one convert, and when you get one, you make him twice as much a child of hell as yourselves! “Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘Whoever swears by the temple is bound by nothing. But whoever swears by the gold of the temple is bound by the oath.’ Blind fools! Which is greater, the gold or the temple that makes the gold sacred? And, ‘Whoever swears by the altar is bound by nothing. But if anyone swears by the gift on it he is bound by the oath.’ You are blind! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that makes the gift sacred? So whoever swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it. And whoever swears by the temple swears by it and the one who dwells in it. And whoever swears by heaven swears by the throne of God and the one who sits on it.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/dev?id=6912617385068819777

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.

Acts 2:

"1 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.
4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
5 And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.
6 Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language.
7 And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans?
8 And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?
9 Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia,
10 Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes,
11 Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God.
12 And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another, What meaneth this?
13 Others mocking said, These men are full of new wine.
14 But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words:
15 For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day.
16 But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;
17 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:
18 And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:
19 And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke:
20 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come:
21 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.
22 Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know:
23 Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:
24 Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.
25 For David speaketh concerning him, I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved:
26 Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope:
27 Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.
28 Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance.
29 Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day.
30 Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne;
31 He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption.
32 This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses.
33 Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.
34 For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand,
35 Until I make thy foes thy footstool.
36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.
37 Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?
38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
39 For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.
40 And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation.
41 Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.
42 And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.
43 And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles.
44 And all that believed were together, and had all things common;
45 And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.
46 And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,
47 Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved."

OPEN HEAVEN DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DATE: SATURDAY, JULY 25TH, 2026
THEME: PUT JESUS FIRST

AUTHOR: PASTOR E.A ADEBOYE

MEMORISE: "I have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved." Psalm 16:8

READ: 1 Kings 17:8-16
8 And the word of the LORD came unto him, saying,
9 Arise, get thee to Zarephath, which belongeth to Zidon, and dwell there: behold, I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee.
10 So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, the widow woman was there gathering of sticks: and he called to her, and said, Fetch me, I pray thee, a little water in a vessel, that I may drink.
11 And as she was going to fetch it, he called to her, and said, Bring me, I pray thee, a morsel of bread in thine hand.
12 And she said, As the LORD thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse: and, behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die.
13 And Elijah said unto her, Fear not; go and do as thou hast said: but make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it unto me, and after make for thee and for thy son.
14 For thus saith the LORD God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the LORD sendeth rain upon the earth.
15 And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah: and she, and he, and her house, did eat many days.
16 And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by Elijah.

MESSAGE:
One of the ways that believers can preserve and maintain their position as children of God is by putting Him first in everything. In Genesis 22:1-18, God tested Abraham to find out who was more important in his life: God's gift to him (Isaac) or the Giver of the gift (God). He asked Abraham to sacrifice his only son, and he passed the test. Abraham put God first and chose to obey Him. He knew that the God who quickened his dead body to bear a son could also raise his son from death (Hebrews 11:17-19). When he passed the test, the Almighty God made a promise to multiply him exceedingly, and today, Abraham's seed can be found everywhere. When you put God first, He will single you out for mighty miracles.

In today's Bible reading, a man of God met a widow and asked her for food. The widow responded that all she had was just enough for her and her son to make one last meal before they die. However, she eventually gave up the meal to feed the prophet, and for the rest of the famine, she and her son didn't suffer hunger. In Luke 4:25-26, the Bible tells us that there were many widows in the land of Israel whom Elijah could have been sent to at that time. However, I believe that God singled her out for an unending supply because He knew that she would put Him first.

One way to put God first in your life is to give Him your firstfruits. I find it surprising when some people struggle to offer their firstfruits to God. In Proverbs 3:9-10, God says that when you honour Him with your firstfruits, your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will overflow with new wine. You cannot put God first in your finances and experience scarcity or lack. Just do as God has said and leave the rest to Him.

Another way to put God first is to make His priorities your priority. One of the most important things to God is the salvation of souls. In Luke 19:10, Jesus said that He came to seek and save the lost. Winning souls and making disciples are important to God; therefore, they should be important to you also. Beloved, tell others about Jesus today, and become actively involved in their spiritual growth. Go the extra mile to ensure that someone else follows Jesus, and the Almighty God will single you out for His marvelous miracles.

PRAYER POINT:
Father, please help me to put You first in every area of my life, in Jesus’ name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Isaiah 38-40

HYMN 21: MY HOPE IS BUILT ON NOTHING LESS
1 My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus' Blood and righteousness;
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly lean on Jesus’ name.

Chorus:
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand,
All other ground is sinking sand.

2 When darkness seems to veils His face,
I rest on His unchanging grace;
In every high and stormy gale,
My anchor holds within the veil.

3 His oath, His covenant, and His blood,
Support me in the whelming flood;
When all around my soul gives way,
He then is all my hope and stay

4 When He shall come with trumpet sound,
Oh, may I then in Him be found;
Dressed in His righteousness alone,
Faultless to stand before the throne..



PRAYER POINTS ON TODAY'S OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL*
*Saturday 25th July 2026*

*PUT JESUS FIRST*
‎
‎*PRAYER POINTS*

✓Father, thank You for loving me first, and for giving me Your only begotten son Jesus, to die for my sins so I can be saved from hell.

✓Father, thank You for translocating me from being a slave to sin, and making me a king and a priest to reign on earth and with You in heaven.

✓Father, thank You for repositioning me as Your son/daughter. Thank You for empowering me as a vessel unto honour in Your hands.

✓Father, please help me to preserve and maintain my position as Your son/daughter by putting You first in everything I do, in Jesus' name.

✓Father, I choose to put You first and to obey You at all times, please when I am tested of my commitment to You, help me to pass and not fail, in Jesus' name.

✓Father, please let nothing be too precious to me to give to You. Help me to spend and to be spent for You, in Jesus' name.

✓Father, please help me to submit to Your command in the giving of my firstfruits. Help me to trust You and not to struggle obeying You completely, in Jesus' name.

✓Father, please help me to put You first in my finances, knowing fully well that You are the giver of all things, in Jesus' name

✓Father, please help me to make Your priorities my priority, to be committed to soul winning and making disciples of them, in Jesus' name.
‎
✓Father, please help me to be actively involved in the spiritual growth of others, to go the extra mile in ensuring someone else follow Jesus
‎
‎✓Father, please help me to put You first in every area of my life, in Jesus' name.

✓Father, thank You for the life of Your son, Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye.
‎
Help him to be committed to putting You first in every areas of His life, in Jesus' name. Bless his children (biological and spiritual). Help him to continue to produce sons and daughters to Your glory, in Jesus' name
‎
‎✓Father, please bless Your son that You have been using to prepare these prayer points, beyond measure, and all those who have been broadcasting them, in Jesus' name.
‎
‎✓Father, please let every challenge, hindrance and obstacles of getting these prayer points across to Your children, timely, and on daily basis be removed, in Jesus' name.
‎
‎✓Your personal petitions.
‎(Philippians 4:6)
‎
‎✓In Jesus' name I pray.
‎(John 14:13-14; 15:16)

These prayers have no expiry dates! Please, pray them, irrespective of the time they get to you. Remain blessed, in Jesus' name.
‎

Matthew 14:1-13

Matthew 14 opens with the explanation of why Herod had John the Baptist beheaded at a feast. The rumors of miracles being performed, the dead being raised has Herod thinking back on the forced execution of John the Baptizer.

John had been imprisoned for approaching Herod and rebuking him for stealing his brother's wife. Understand this, John knew that taking this stand would result in his death. And at a party where Herod was content with leaving John locked up forever, but his manipulative new wife was anything but content. She wanted blood.

So she manipulated her daughter, likely Herod's niece into dancing seductively for her new stepfather, the king. She was promised in a moment of hubris on Herod's part anything her heart desired. And with one consultation with her mother, she asked for the head of John the Baptist on a platter.

And despite his fear of John's followers, he listened to his wife, which honestly is the source of many a man's downfall. It is this depiction of his execution that the producers of the Chosen have brought to life the tragedy and hope John the Baptist had at his time of death.
I encourage you to watch that scene if you haven't already. As he is led to the chopping block, the wry grin on his face as he says, “I've never been to a banquet.” And as he kneels to see the lamb in front of the setting sun as the axe falls, the irony of his first banquet being his last is felt.

The actor captures all of that emotion with a look. He is amazing. When you watch, remember, this is the man Jesus said was the greatest man alive. Fortunately, not all believers are called to die for their faith but we are all expected to do so if it comes to it. So will we approach our end with the same faith John had?

We can only pray that we would remain faithful with His strength. We can only in these times do as he did and look to the lamb. And maybe, with this faith, look forward to the banquet we will be welcomed to when we open our eyes in death the first time.


[1] At that time Herod the tetrarch heard the news about Jesus, [2] and said to his servants, “This is John the Baptist; he himself has been raised from the dead, and that is why miraculous powers are at work in him.” [3] For when Herod had John arrested, he bound him and put him in prison because of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip. [4] For John had been saying to him, “It is not lawful for you to have her.” [5] Although Herod wanted to put him to death, he feared the crowd, because they regarded John as a prophet. [6] But when Herod’s birthday came, the daughter of Herodias danced before them and pleased Herod, [7] so much that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she asked. [8] And after being prompted by her mother, she *said, “Give me the head of John the Baptist here on a platter.” [9] And although he was grieved, the king commanded it to be given because of his oaths and his dinner guests. [10] He sent word and had John beheaded in the prison. [11] And his head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, and she brought it to her mother. [12] John’s disciples came and took away the body and buried it; and they went and reported to Jesus. [13] Now when Jesus heard about John, He withdrew from there in a boat to a secluded place by Himself; and when the people heard about this, they followed Him on foot from the cities.

Good morning, brethren.
1. Morning devotion for today.

MD.i. MORNING TEA.
THE WORD FOR TODAY
WEDNESDAY JULY 15, 2026.
"ARE YOU 'STEPHEN'?(2)"

‘Choose…men…full…of the Spirit.’  Acts 6:3 NIV

STEPHEN WAS also chosen for leadership in the New Testament church because he was ‘full of…the Holy Spirit’ (v. 5 NIV). Why is that important? Because Jesus said to His disciples: ‘…You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem (your home base), and in all Judea (those within driving distance) and Samaria (places where you won’t necessarily be welcomed) and to the end of the earth’ (Acts 1:8 NKJV). Paul writes, ‘…Be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit…’ (Ephesians 5:18). The story is told of a pastor who was seen drinking a glass of wine at dinner. Seizing on Paul’s words, ‘Be not drunk with wine,’ the deacon board called for his immediate resignation. Whereupon the pastor responded, ‘Then let’s all resign. You say I failed the first half of the commandment, “Be not drunk with wine.” But you’ve all failed the second half, ”Be filled with the spirit”.’ Understand this: you need to be continually filled with God’s Spirit. After all, you’re not running your car on the first tank of petrol you put in it, are you? Remember the old ad for Brylcreem hair gel for men? ‘A little dab’ll do ya!’ That doesn’t work when it comes to leadership in God’s kingdom! You’re either being led by the Holy Spirit—or your own spirit. ‘But I have talent,’ you say. Yes, and God will use it. But when it comes to building what He wants built, it’s, ‘Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, saith the Lord’ (Zechariah 4:6 NKJV).

Bible In A Year: Acts 12-15; Matt 5:27-38; Ps 133; Pro 16: 2. 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. BROKEN PROMISES

"And Jephthah made a vow to the Lord: If you give the Ammonites into my hands, whatever comes out of the door of my house to meet me when I return in triumph from the Ammonites will be the Lord's, and I will sacrifice it as a burnt offering." - Judges 11:30-31

The Judge Jephthah was facing an important happening as he was going to fight against the Ammonites. Firstly, he prayed and made a promise to God. How often have we promised in our prayers while we struggle and want to receive from Him? I want to ask you: think back to that promise which you may have made to God long ago. What did you promise Him then?

God heard Jephthah's prayer. After this victory he goes home happy. However, who does he see first hopping and dancing? It is his only child, his daughter. Then Jephthah remembered his promise to the Lord, he tore up his clothes and cried: 'Oh no, my daughter! You have brought me down and I am devastated. I have made a vow to the Lord that I cannot break' (verse 35).

What can we learn from this history?

A) We must pay close attention to what we promise;

B) We must thoroughly consider and know what we do before we make a commitment;

C) We must be aware of our responsibility, for example if you get engaged and eventually get married.

Why are these things so important? Because you might end up in the same situation as Jephthah and have to cry out: 'I want to go back on my promise, but I cannot.'

Jesus says in Matthew 5:33: 'Do not break your oath but fulfill to the Lord the vows you have made.' When you make a promise, keep it at all costs. The Bible only gives one exception for divorce which is adultery. If you have made a promise to God, keep that promise. The Lord will bless you!


https://www.theblessingdevotional.com

2. Morning devotion for today.

MD.i. Morning Prayer

Thy word [is] a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. ⏤ Psalm 119:105

A thorough knowledge of the Bible is worth more than a college education. ⏤ Dwight L. Moody

Father, please bless the words we’ve read together this morning. We’re grateful that here in this world, we can read the very words of Heaven and hear Your voice speaking to us. Help us to honor and love Your word. Help us to keep its truths in our hearts so that they can bless and transform our lives. Help us to lean on Your promises like we lean on a staff for support. Help us to take refuge in Your word, just as someone fleeing danger would hide in the cleft of a rock. Let Your word be a lamp to guide our way, showing us the right path. May it be our counselor, guiding us through life’s challenges. Let the lessons we’ve learned this morning touch and bless everything we do today. May its holy truths inspire us, strengthen us, and give us life. Let them be a source of motivation, stirring within us and energizing us. May they build up our character and show us our duties at every step.

We can’t live without You. We need Your presence every moment. May we receive Your strength to make us strong for every task and challenge. We pray for everyone in our home. We also pray for our loved ones, wherever they are, that they may be kept safe and in good health. We pray for those who are sick, for the poor and troubled, for those traveling by sea, for those in danger, and for orphaned children. We pray for those facing strong temptations, that You will keep them from falling.

We ask You to forgive all our sins and give us the grace to live this day sweetly and beautifully, glorifying You and blessing everyone our lives touch. We ask all this in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

https://www.youdevotion.com/daily-prayer/miller/10/morning

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