Good evening, brethren.
1. Evening devotion for today.

ED.i. *DAILY WALK WITH CHRIST*
(COCIN DEVOTIONAL)

*DATE:*
MONDAY 17TH AUGUST, 2026.

*SUB-THEME:*
YOUTHS: VESSELS OF GOD'S GRACE.

*TOPIC:*
OVERCOMING TEMPTATIONS.

*TEXT:*
GENESIS 39:11-14.
11. One day he went into the house to attend to his duties, and none of the household servants was inside.
12. She caught him by his cloak and said, “Come to bed with me!” But he left his cloak in her hand and ran out of the house.
13. When she saw that he had left his cloak in her hand and had run out of the house,
14. she called her household servants. “Look,” she said to them, “this Hebrew has been brought to us to make sport of us! He came in here to sleep with me, but I screamed.

*TOPIC:*
OVERCOMING TEMPTATIONS.

*THE MESSAGE:*
Temptation is a common test that comes in various forms and from different sources. Joseph faced a powerful and subtle temptation from Potiphar's wife, yet he refused to yield, relying on God's help. Though his resistance was reciprocated with harsh punishment, he remained faithful. Many young people, though called by God, have fallen into temptation and lost their voices and vitality. Today, many innocent young men and ladies have fallen victims of rape, sexual harassment in places of work or sex for good grades. Some church workers are not exempted from this awful sin. Have you harass or have been harassed sexually? Do not give the enemy a foothold. God's grace is available to all who desire victory. You can overcome temptation and live in freedom through His grace and word.

*REFLECTION:*
No temptation will pass your ability to resist.

*PRAYER:*
Lord, help me to resist and flee temptation. Amen.

*MEMORY VERSE FOR THE MONTH:*
2 TIMOTHY 2:21.
"If a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be instruments for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master, and prepared to do any good work."

*TODAY'S BIBLE READING PLAN:*
EZEKIEL 4-6.

ED.ii. GOD'S COVENANT WITH MAN

"The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. And the Lord God commanded the man: You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die." - Genesis 2:15-17

God's covenant or agreement with man was:

1) God said that man should cultivate the garden;

2) God said he had to take care of the garden. Adam's position as the ruler of the garden had to be preserved;

3) God said they could freely eat from all trees except from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If they ate from it, they would certainly die.

The consequence of the fall

But Adam and Eve broke this agreement. They believed the evil one and preferred to follow him, that creature who had disobeyed God, opposed God and was therefore thrown out of heaven. When this sin occurred, everything seemed lost. God made everything so beautiful and appointed Adam as ruler over this. However, when Adam and Eve sinned, Adam lost his position as ruler. They both became slaves to sin.

God's rescue plan

However, no one but God knew that He already had an escape route for man so man could regain his previous position. The Lamb of God, He was chosen before the creation of the world (see 1 Peter 1:20). This plan to save mankind was there before the world was created.

The reason God allowed His Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross was because He wanted to give back to man the position he once had. Now man was able to rule over sin, over the evil one and over this earth. He could walk with God again and come into His presence. The human being is allowed to reign together with God as a Royal child.


https://www.theblessingdevotional.com

2. Evening Prayer for today.

EP.i. Evening Prayer

He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth [shall be thy] shield and buckler. ⏤ Psalm 91:4

God does not want us to worry about the future. He wants us to trust Him today. ⏤ Corrie ten Boom

Father, we are like little children in this vast world and cannot take care of ourselves. But we are so grateful that we are Your children and that You are our Father. We trust in Your eternal care. We know that You will never let us fall out of Your love and protection. As night falls again, we come close to You. We hide ourselves in the secret place of Your love and protection.

We ask You to forgive all the sins we’ve committed against You today. Renew our hearts more deeply, so that we may keep Your commandments and live in harmony with Your will in both our thoughts and actions.

Tonight, Father, we also remember Your other children around us. Some of them are happy; may they not forget You in their joy. Bless all pure happiness and let it lead to a closer relationship with You. Some of Your children are facing challenges. Some are struggling to find their daily bread. Some have sickness in their homes. Others have loved ones who are not living as they should, who do not love You or walk in Your ways, and their hearts are heavy with concern. Some have lost dear ones and are grieving deeply. For all these neighbors, we pray tonight. Bless them all. Give them the grace they need. Send relief and comfort in the way You know is best. And give us the grace to do our part in helping them in Your name, through Jesus Christ. Amen.

https://www.youdevotion.com/daily-prayer/miller/43/evening

#taptapstudio
#youdevotion.

Are You an Intentional Christian?

By Pastor Joseph Clark

Life does not simply happen to us. At least, it should not. There are circumstances we cannot control. There are things that happen to us that we never anticipated, and there are seasons when we have little choice over what comes our way. But within all of that, God has given us something extraordinarily important:

The freedom to choose how we will live before Him.

We should never be content merely to hope that our faith is genuine. We are called to deliberately follow Christ, deliberately obey His Word, deliberately love others, deliberately serve, deliberately grow—and deliberately bear fruit. The Christian life is not a spectator sport.

Let me be absolutely clear: we are not saved by our good works. The Bible teaches that salvation is by grace through faith, not something we earn through religious accomplishments or our own efforts. We cannot purchase forgiveness by doing enough good deeds. We cannot impress God into saving us.

Paul writes:

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works.”

Ephesians 2:8–9

Amen.

But sometimes Christians stop reading there. The very next verse says:

“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

Ephesians 2:10

Notice the order. We are not saved by good works. We are saved for good works. Works are not the root of our salvation; they are supposed to be the fruit of our salvation.

That distinction is absolutely essential. A person does not become a Christian because he produces fruit. Rather, because he has been brought into Christ, his life should increasingly begin to produce fruit.

I have observed that some Christians use the “by faith, not works” argument as a cop-out to justify a lazy, fruitless walk.

Jesus Himself said:

“By their fruit you will recognize them.”

Matthew 7:16

He did not say, “Don’t worry about fruit because you believe.” He said:

“Every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.”

Matthew 7:17

There is a dangerous misunderstanding that can sometimes enter Christian thinking. A person says, “I am saved by faith and not works.” That statement is true. But then he concludes, “Therefore, it doesn’t matter whether my life produces anything.”

That conclusion is not biblical.

James puts the matter bluntly:

“Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.”

James 2:17

James isn’t teaching that we purchase salvation by our deeds. He is teaching that genuine faith is living faith.

If I tell you that I have a fire burning in my house, but you enter the house and find no heat, no light, no flame, and no evidence whatsoever of fire, you would have good reason to question my claim.

In the same way, if someone claims to belong to Christ but deliberately refuses to grow, refuses to obey, refuses to serve, refuses to love, refuses to forgive, and refuses to bear any spiritual fruit, we should not simply congratulate that person by saying, “Well, you’re saved by faith, so none of that matters.”

Jesus never taught such complacency.

Consider one of the most sobering statements Jesus ever made. In Matthew 7:21–23, Jesus describes people who will stand before Him on the day of judgment. They will say that they did things in His name. And Jesus will say:

“I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!”

Matthew 7:23

That should cause every professing Christian to pause.

Jesus did not say, “You weren’t sincere enough.” He did not say, “You didn’t perform enough religious deeds.” He said, “I never knew you.”

The issue is ultimately relationship with Christ.

Likewise, Jesus gives a similar warning in the Parable of the Ten Virgins. Some of the virgins were complacent and unprepared for the bridegroom. When he arrived, they were shut out of the wedding feast. The warning is unmistakable: we must not live carelessly or presume upon the grace of God.

A person can say the right things, use Christian vocabulary, attend church, perform religious activities, and even speak about Jesus—and yet not actually belong to Him.

This is why we should never merely sit back and say, “I hope my faith is genuine.” We should examine our lives. We should pursue Christ. We should repent when we sin. We should seek holiness. We should love our neighbor. We should forgive. We should serve. We should pray. We should study God’s Word. We should proclaim the Gospel. We should bear fruit.

Not because these things purchase our salvation—but because Christ has saved us and called us to live differently.

Our fruitfulness should also be expressed through obedience to Christ’s Great Commission.

Jesus said:

“I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last.”

John 15:16

That is not passive language.

Go. Bear fruit.

Christ did not save us so that we could sit comfortably on the sidelines of Christianity. He called us into a life of purpose.

Jesus also said:

“This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.”

John 15:8

There is that word again: fruit.

Fruit is evidence of life.

Wake Up and Bear Fruit

Do you see what is happening in this fallen world today?

Paganism. False religions.

They are boldly, deliberately, and intentionally seeking to influence and claim the hearts and minds of people throughout the world.

Our answer should be bold, fruitful evangelism!

Wake up!

Use your God-given gifts in any way you can to share His Gospel.

An apple tree doesn’t produce apples in order to become an apple tree. It produces apples because it is an apple tree.

Likewise, Christians don’t perform good works in order to become God’s children. We bear fruit because, through faith in Christ, God has made us His children.

This brings us back to our central question:

What are you going to do with the life God has given you?

You cannot choose every circumstance. But you can choose whether you will trust God in those circumstances.

You can choose whether you will forgive.

You can choose whether you will serve.

You can choose whether you will encourage someone who is discouraged.

You can choose whether you will open your Bible.

You can choose whether you will pray.

You can choose whether you will share your faith.

You can choose whether you will repent.

You can choose whether you will obey Christ when obedience is difficult.

You can choose whether your Christianity will be merely something you claim—or something you deliberately live.

Paul told the Philippians:

“Work out your salvation with fear and trembling.”

Philippians 2:12

Paul did not mean, “Work for your salvation.” He was writing to people who were already Christians. The meaning is that the salvation God has worked into your life should be worked out in the way you live.

Your faith should become visible.

Your character should change.

Your priorities should change.

Your relationships should change.

Your choices should change.

Your life should increasingly resemble the Christ you profess to follow.

There is a difference between saying, “I hope I’m a faithful Christian,” and saying, “By the grace of God, I will deliberately seek to become a faithful Christian.”

The first can become passive.

The second is intentional.

What Will You Do With What God Has Given You?

Do you remember the Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25:14–30?

Are you the servant who was given one talent and buried it in the ground rather than using it?

To that servant, the master said:

“You wicked, lazy servant!”

Matthew 25:26

The judgment concludes:

“And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

Matthew 25:30

Or are you the servant to whom the Lord will say:

“Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!”

Matthew 25:21

Let me pause and ask you right now:

Is this message off-putting to you? Does this message offend you?

If so, ask yourself: Why?

Why does God’s Word—and a message consistent with His Word—bother you?

And don’t misunderstand me: you cannot manufacture spiritual fruit through human strength.

Jesus said:

“Apart from me you can do nothing.”

John 15:5

Fruit comes from abiding in Christ.

But abiding in Christ is not passive indifference.

We choose to remain close to Him.

We choose obedience.

We choose repentance.

We choose prayer.

We choose service.

We choose faithfulness.

We choose to say yes when Christ calls.

In the Parable of the Talents, one servant received one talent and buried it. He did not steal it. He did not destroy it. He simply did nothing with it.

When the master returned, the servant had an excuse. But the master condemned him.

Why?

Because what had been entrusted to him was intended to be used.

There is a warning here for Christians who have been given time, abilities, opportunities, spiritual gifts, knowledge, and resources but deliberately refuse to use them for God’s purposes.

God did not give you your life merely to consume it.

He gave you a life that can be offered back to Him.

Jesus also told of a fig tree that was not producing fruit. The owner came looking for fruit and found none. The tree was occupying valuable ground, but it was not fulfilling the purpose for which it existed.

That should make us think.

What is your Christian life producing?

Are people encouraged because you know Christ?

Are people helped because you serve?

Are people forgiven because you have learned to forgive?

Are people hearing the Gospel because you are willing to speak?

Are people seeing Christ in your conduct?

Are you becoming more patient?

More loving?

More humble?

More truthful?

More generous?

More courageous?

More obedient?

Has God given you talents or resources such as public influence, good oratory, conversational skills, a good computer, social media, or other online tools?

Use them for Christ.

Do you enjoy Christian podcasts, Christian articles, or Christian music?

Share them online with others.

Do you know someone who is in need or grieving?

Be present to them.

Let them know you are praying for them.

Pray for them!

Make a prayer list and pray daily.

Pray for this fallen world.

Reassure others of the coming of Christ.

Use whatever God has entrusted to you to advance His Kingdom and proclaim His Gospel.

What fruit is your life producing?

You Don’t Have to Be Famous to Be Fruitful

You don’t have to be famous to be fruitful.

You don’t have to preach to thousands.

You don’t have to write books.

You don’t have to stand behind a pulpit.

A mother raising her children in the faith can be fruitful.

A man encouraging a discouraged neighbor can be fruitful.

A Christian visiting the lonely can be fruitful.

Someone praying faithfully for another person can be fruitful.

A believer forgiving an enemy can be fruitful.

A Christian refusing to participate in gossip can be fruitful.

Someone quietly giving to help another person can be fruitful.

Fruitfulness isn’t necessarily spectacular.

Sometimes the greatest Christian fruit is produced quietly, where only God sees it.

Jesus said:

“Your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”

Matthew 6:4

Your life will not be perfect.

You will fail.

You will sin.

You will sometimes become discouraged.

You will occasionally make terrible decisions.

But don’t confuse failure with fruitlessness.

A fruitful Christian is not a perfect Christian. A fruitful Christian is an obedient Christian who keeps turning toward Christ.

When he falls, he gets back up.

When he sins, he repents.

When he fails, he seeks God’s grace.

When he becomes discouraged, he keeps walking.

When God opens a door, he walks through it.

When Christ calls, he responds.

That is deliberate Christianity.

So don’t merely sit back and hope that your faith is genuine.

Pursue Christ.

Don’t use salvation by faith as an excuse for spiritual laziness.

Bear fruit.

Don’t try to earn God’s love through good works.

Serve because you have already received His grace.

Don’t live as though your life is something that merely happens to you.

By the grace of God, choose to make it count.

Jesus said:

“By their fruit you will recognize them.”

And He also said:

“I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last.”

The Christian life is not about earning salvation.

It is about living out the salvation you have received.

So get up.

Pray. Believe. Repent. Obey. Serve. Love. Forgive. Speak. Give. Go.

Create content.

Share content.

Practice charity.

Use your talents in any way you can to share the Kingdom of Christ and reach pagans, non-believers, and those who do not yet know Jesus Christ.

Bear fruit.

You have been given one life.

Don’t merely wait to see what happens to it.

With Christ, deliberately choose what you will do with it.

And may your life bear fruit—not for your own glory, but for the glory of the One who saved you.

In Jesus’ name, I pray.

AMEN. AMEN. AMEN!

PROVERB OF THE DAY

(Proverbs 10)

1. The proverbs of Solomon:

A wise son makes a glad father,
But a foolish son is the grief of his mother.

2. Treasures of wickedness profit nothing,
But righteousness delivers from death.

3. The LORD will not allow the righteous soul to famish,
But He casts away the desire of the wicked.

4. He who has a slack hand becomes poor,
But the hand of the diligent makes rich.

5. He who gathers in summer is a wise son;
He who sleeps in harvest is a son who causes shame.

6. Blessings are on the head of the righteous,
But violence covers the mouth of the wicked.

7. The memory of the righteous is blessed,
But the name of the wicked will rot.

8. The wise in heart will receive commands,
But a prating fool will fall.

9. He who walks with integrity walks securely,
But he who perverts his ways will become known.

10. He who winks with the eye causes trouble,
But a prating fool will fall.

11. The mouth of the righteous is a well of life,
But violence covers the mouth of the wicked.

12. Hatred stirs up strife,
But love covers all sins.

13. Wisdom is found on the lips of him who has understanding,
But a rod is for the back of him who is devoid of understanding.

14. Wise people store up knowledge,
But the mouth of the foolish is near destruction.

15. The rich man’s wealth is his strong city;
The destruction of the poor is their poverty.

16. The labor of the righteous leads to life,
The wages of the wicked to sin.

17. He who keeps instruction is in the way of life,
But he who refuses correction goes astray.

18. Whoever hides hatred has lying lips,
And whoever spreads slander is a fool.

19. In the multitude of words sin is not lacking,
But he who restrains his lips is wise.

20. The tongue of the righteous is choice silver;
The heart of the wicked is worth little.

21. The lips of the righteous feed many,
But fools die for lack of wisdom.

22. The blessing of the LORD makes one rich,
And He adds no sorrow with it.

23. To do evil is like sport to a fool,
But a man of understanding has wisdom.

24. The fear of the wicked will come upon him,
And the desire of the righteous will be granted.

25. When the whirlwind passes by, the wicked is no more,
But the righteous has an everlasting foundation.

26. As vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes,
So is the lazy man to those who send him.

27. The fear of the LORD prolongs days,
But the years of the wicked will be shortened.

28. The hope of the righteous will be gladness,
But the expectation of the wicked will perish.

29. The way of the LORD is strength for the upright,
But destruction will come to the workers of iniquity.

30. The righteous will never be removed,
But the wicked will not inhabit the earth.

31. The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom,
But the perverse tongue will be cut out.

32. The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable,
But the mouth of the wicked what is perverse.

PROVERB OF THE DAY

(Proverbs 10)

1. The proverbs of Solomon:

A wise son makes a glad father,
But a foolish son is the grief of his mother.

2. Treasures of wickedness profit nothing,
But righteousness delivers from death.

3. The LORD will not allow the righteous soul to famish,
But He casts away the desire of the wicked.

4. He who has a slack hand becomes poor,
But the hand of the diligent makes rich.

5. He who gathers in summer is a wise son;
He who sleeps in harvest is a son who causes shame.

6. Blessings are on the head of the righteous,
But violence covers the mouth of the wicked.

7. The memory of the righteous is blessed,
But the name of the wicked will rot.

8. The wise in heart will receive commands,
But a prating fool will fall.

9. He who walks with integrity walks securely,
But he who perverts his ways will become known.

10. He who winks with the eye causes trouble,
But a prating fool will fall.

11. The mouth of the righteous is a well of life,
But violence covers the mouth of the wicked.

12. Hatred stirs up strife,
But love covers all sins.

13. Wisdom is found on the lips of him who has understanding,
But a rod is for the back of him who is devoid of understanding.

14. Wise people store up knowledge,
But the mouth of the foolish is near destruction.

15. The rich man’s wealth is his strong city;
The destruction of the poor is their poverty.

16. The labor of the righteous leads to life,
The wages of the wicked to sin.

17. He who keeps instruction is in the way of life,
But he who refuses correction goes astray.

18. Whoever hides hatred has lying lips,
And whoever spreads slander is a fool.

19. In the multitude of words sin is not lacking,
But he who restrains his lips is wise.

20. The tongue of the righteous is choice silver;
The heart of the wicked is worth little.

21. The lips of the righteous feed many,
But fools die for lack of wisdom.

22. The blessing of the LORD makes one rich,
And He adds no sorrow with it.

23. To do evil is like sport to a fool,
But a man of understanding has wisdom.

24. The fear of the wicked will come upon him,
And the desire of the righteous will be granted.

25. When the whirlwind passes by, the wicked is no more,
But the righteous has an everlasting foundation.

26. As vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes,
So is the lazy man to those who send him.

27. The fear of the LORD prolongs days,
But the years of the wicked will be shortened.

28. The hope of the righteous will be gladness,
But the expectation of the wicked will perish.

29. The way of the LORD is strength for the upright,
But destruction will come to the workers of iniquity.

30. The righteous will never be removed,
But the wicked will not inhabit the earth.

31. The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom,
But the perverse tongue will be cut out.

32. The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable,
But the mouth of the wicked what is perverse.

THE PILGRIMS GUIDE

WEDNESDAY AUGUST 5, 2026

YOUR HEART DETERMINES THE QUALITY OF YOUR SERVICE 5

A WORD FROM THE WORD:

"Meanwhile, God’s firm foundation is as firm as ever, these sentences engraved on the stones: GOD KNOWS WHO BELONGS TO HIM. STEER CLEAR OF EVIL, ALL YOU WHO NAME GOD AS GOD. In a well-furnished kitchen there are not only crystal goblets and silver platters, but waste cans and compost buckets—some containers used to serve fine meals, others to take out the garbage. Become that kind of container God can use to present any and every kind of gift to his guests for their blessing." 2 Timothy 2:19-21 MSG.

Have you wondered why an athlete does not run a race in suit, tie, boot, hat, and so on? The reason is because those stuffs no matter how fashionable they are, nothing is wrong with them, just that they are not relevant to the sport; they draw you back, and won't allow you perform optimally.

Now the fact that YOUR HEART DETERMINES THE QUALITY OF YOUR SERVICE cannot be controverted or overemphasised, it has become a reality set before you; and now is the acceptable time you have to recognise and (re)activate your core to serve.  

Are you ready to let go and follow the LORD Jesus, or are you ready to abandon heaven? Choose now. 
The LORD Jesus is still asking,  WHERE AND HOW IS YOUR HEART?    

PRAYER BULLETS:

LORD Jesus, in spite of my self life, my heart yearns for you, help and engrace me to follow You all the way, and please You all my life.

FURTHER READING:

Ezra 7:10; Luke 8:15; Hebrews 10:22.
_________________________________________

Amaobi Nwachukwu 2026.

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https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/articles/c5y67zrrdddo
Uefa to boycott World Cups if Fifa plans approved

Football season is still a few weeks, away … just over a month … we still have “pre”-season, or you could say time to prepare.

"My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work. Do you not say, ‘There are still four months and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest!” John 4:34-35

Preparation is key.

"The Pre-game Meal."
For an athlete in any sport, this meal may be the most important meal of the entire day. An athlete must have enough energy to last through the entire competition.

Taking in the right amount of caloies to be burnt during competition is of utmost importance. Like a pilot about to take flight, taking in the right amount of fuel for a flight is likewise the same importance. Too little and you are destined to crash. This is the last chance to get the fuel needed.

When I was a coach, I too needed fuel and after feeding my body I would look to God for something extra. Jesus talks about a different kind of fuel in the bible.

Doing God's work is the fuel we need in order to succeed in the game of life.

In Matthew 28:18-20, Jesus explains it like this;

"All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."

The challenge given to me as a christian coach was to devote myself to this kind of work. By way of example I am to present to the athletes I help coach as well as fellow coaches, and all whom they influence, the challenge and adventure of receiving Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, serving Him in their relationships and in the fellowship of the church.

As my day begins, I ask these questions;

1. Are you seeking to do God's work daily?

2. Are you asking God to show you where He wants you to work

3. Are you studying God's Word daily to become a better worker

4. Today, what can you do to feed your soul?

Another piece of scripture I followed in my coaching philosophy was from Peter that says this;

“Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.”
1 Peter 5:2-3

Lord, show me where You want me to work, and I will serve You. Put people in front of me whom You want me to talk to today. Let Your words be heard with my voice. Take this life and use it to build Your Kingdom. In the name of Jesus Christ I pray, amen.

Good even ing, brethren.
1. Evening devotion for today.

ED.i. *DAILY WALK WITH CHRIST*
(COCIN DEVOTIONAL)

*DATE:*
SUNDAY 26TH JULY, 2026.

*SUB-THEME:*
THE CONSEQUENCES OF REJECTING GOD'S GRACE.

*TOPIC:*
MENTAL AFFLICTION.

*TEXTS:*
1 SAMUEL 16:14; 18:6-11

*1 SAMUEL 16:14.*
14. Now the Spirit of the Lord had departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord tormented him.

*1 SAMUEL 18:6-11.*
6. When the men were returning home after David had killed the Philistine, the women came out from all the towns of Israel to meet King Saul with singing and dancing, with joyful songs and with timbrels and lyres.
7. As they danced, they sang: “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands.”
8. Saul was very angry; this refrain displeased him greatly. “They have credited David with tens of thousands, he thought, “but me with only thousands. What more can he get but the kingdom?”
9. And from that time on Saul kept a close eye on David.
10. The next day an evil spirit from God came forcefully on Saul. He was prophesying in his house, while David was playing the lyre, as he usually did. Saul had a spear in his hand.
11. and he hurled it, saying to himself, “I’ll pin David to the wall.” But David eluded him twice.

*TOPIC:*
MENTAL AFFLICTION.

*THE MESSAGE:*
Rejecting God's grace leads to mental affliction. Excessive jealousy can lead to mental disorders or health issues. Today's text reveals how God gave David victory over Goliath and was praised for bringing honour to Israel. But King Saul became jealous of him. Consequently, the Spirit of God left Saul and an evil spirit possessed him that he became mentally disoriented and loss the path of peace. David sang and played the harp to bring respite to Saul. But Saul always wanted to kill him.
Are you jealous of your neighbour's achievements and will want to harm them?
Be careful, and do not incur God's wrath upon yourself. You stand to enjoy peace and other benefits when you rejoice and celebrate the achievements of others.

*REFLECTION:*
Jealousy devastates the mind.

*PRAYER:*
Lord, may your Spirit continually dwell in me. 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 44-45.

ED.ii. WHAT MAKES YOU A GOOD FATHER?

"Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it." - Proverbs 22:6

A growing problem in the world today is fathers who are absent. For some reason, more and more fathers are leaving their families. Another problem is that though fathers are physically present, they are not available for their children. Of course, there are many fathers who take good care of their families, but they are only a provider and not an educator. Every child needs a good upbringing. A father has an important role in the family structure.

Love, time and attention

Dear fathers, your children do not envision you as a good father because you bring home a bag of money. They do not judge you if you give an expensive gift or not. The most important thing for your child is your love, time and attention.

Is your career, sport or hobby more important than your children? Children sense this and are deeply hurt if there's a lack of love, time and attention for them. When you give birth to a living soul, you have to understand in advance that there will be sacrifices too. Many fathers think they are indispensable at work, but nobody is indispensable. As the father of your children though, you are irreplaceable. You are the only father they have on earth. Yet I want to tell all fatherless children that God in heaven wants to be your Dad. He is the best Father. He will never leave you.

Children copy behavior

Fathers, if you acknowledge this message is for you, go also to your Heavenly Father. Read the Bible, you will find the answers there. Children copy behavior, they imitate you when they hear you talk, swear or curse. When they hear such things at home, they think it is normal. However, they will also copy you if you pray and read the Bible every day, if you forgive, love, attend church meetings, etc. Are you willing to adjust your lifestyle when needed? God will help you and give you strength for this.


https://www.theblessingdevotional.com

2. Evening prayer for today.

ED.i. Evening Prayer

Come unto me, all [ye] that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. ⏤ Matthew 11:28

If you look at the world, you’ll be distressed. If you look within, you’ll be depressed. But if you look at Christ, you’ll be at rest. ⏤ Corrie Ten Boom

This quiet Sunday evening, our Father, we come to You with glad hearts. We thank You for the Sunday that comes after six days of work, giving us the opportunity for rest and renewal of strength. If we had to go on without rest, we couldn't bear the burden. Sunday reminds us of Your love for us, providing little sanctuaries among the days.

We thank You for Sunday because it keeps the memory of our Savior's victory over death alive in our hearts. It tells us that we have a living Savior, who lives to be our Friend, Companion, and Guide!

We also thank You for all the Sundays that have been part of our lives. We thank You for this Sunday, now ending, and for all the grace, comfort, and renewed strength it has brought us. We have looked into Your face and received blessings in Christian fellowship. We have read and heard Your word, and its truths linger in our hearts. We have sung Your praise and called upon You in prayer.

May all this day's impressions stay with us as part of our character from now on. May the strength we have received make us stronger in body, mind, and spirit for the tasks of the coming week. May the songs of this day keep singing in our hearts for many days to come.

So may this day indeed be a blessing to us, leaving us with a richer character, new visions of beauty, and higher ideals to strive for.

Draw us close to You now for a blessing, then fold us away in Your love for the night. We ask all this through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

https://www.youdevotion.com/daily-prayer/miller/21/evening

#taptapstudio
#youdevotion.

"Lord, who may abide in Your tabernacle? Who may dwell in Your holy Hill?"

There's a program on ESPN called 30 for 30 and I watched a specific episode that recounted the 1983 draft for the NFL. The NFL draft is much like Psalm 15 in the Bible. When teams in the NFL are looking for somebody to fill a slot or an opening on the team, they are specifically looking for somebody with the physical talent, mental awareness as well as the maturity necessary to fill the vacancy for a specific slot.

Psalm 15 somewhat does the same thing but does not look for physical talent or ability so much as the character requirements of those who may dwell in heaven with God.

"He who walks uprightly, And works righteousness, And speaks the truth in his heart; He who does not backbite with his tongue, Nor does evil to his neighbor, Nor does he take up a reproach against his friend; In who's eyes a vile person is despised, But he honors those who fear The Lord; He who swears to his own hurt and does not change; He who does not put out his money at usery, Nor does he take a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things shall never be moved."

Being accepted by God and getting into heaven should be looked at the same way reaching the level an athlete needs to become in order to be accepted by any given NFL team. Nothing less than absolute, total and complete dedication.

When it comes to the NFL draft, the main focus is on an athletes physical ability and talent. When it comes to getting into heaven, psalm 15 asks the question, who is righteous enough to approach God? Certainly no one is except Jesus, the Messiah himself. But there have always been those who stand before God as forgiven sinners, who's righteousness comes as a gift from God much like the talent that's given to an athlete getting into a professional sport.

As far as getting into the NFL, any chance I may have had has long-ago come and gone. However, I still have time to make sure that I do what's necessary and what is required as it is written in the Bible to make the team and to hear my name called at the podium when the day comes that I'm standing at the pearly gates.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/articles/cr47y5nvrqlo
South Africa World Cup midfielder Adams dies aged 25