2 Samuel 12:1-25

1 Then the LORD sent Nathan to David, and when he arrived, he said, “There were two men in a certain city, one rich and the other poor.
2 The rich man had a great number of sheep and cattle,
3 but the poor man had nothing except one small ewe lamb that he had bought. He raised it, and it grew up with him and his children. It shared his food and drank from his cup; it slept in his arms and was like a daughter to him.
4 Now a traveler came to the rich man, who refrained from taking one of his own sheep or cattle to prepare for the traveler who had come to him. Instead, he took the poor man’s lamb and prepared it for his guest.”
5 David burned with anger against the man and said to Nathan: “As surely as the LORD lives, the man who did this deserves to die!
6 Because he has done this thing and has shown no pity, he must pay for the lamb four times over.”
7 Then Nathan said to David, “You are...

2 Samuel 12:1-25

1 Then the LORD sent Nathan to David, and when he arrived, he said, “There were two men in a certain city, one rich and the other poor.
2 The rich man had a great number of sheep and cattle,
3 but the poor man had nothing except one small ewe lamb that he had bought. He raised it, and it grew up with him and his children. It shared his food and drank from his cup; it slept in his arms and was like a daughter to him.
4 Now a traveler came to the rich man, who refrained from taking one of his own sheep or cattle to prepare for the traveler who had come to him. Instead, he took the poor man’s lamb and prepared it for his guest.”
5 David burned with anger against the man and said to Nathan: “As surely as the LORD lives, the man who did this deserves to die!
6 Because he has done this thing and has shown no pity, he must pay for the lamb four times over.”
7 Then Nathan said to David, “You are...

When Earthly Differences End

Bible Text: Ecclesiastes 9:2

“All things come alike to all: there is one event to the righteous, and to the wicked.”

When you refuse to be equal with your fellow man, brethren, friends, colleagues, or relations in status, wealth, achievements, position, and accomplishments, remember this: you will certainly be equal with them in the grave.

The grave does not recognize wealth or poverty, status or obscurity, position or power, achievement or failure. In death, every earthly distinction is stripped away. The rich and the poor, the influential and the insignificant, the celebrated and the unknown all pass through the same doorway of death.

There, we are reminded that everything we possessed, attained, and accomplished on earth was temporary. The body returns to the dust, and the soul stands before its Creator.

The grave may make us equal, but eternity reveals where our true destiny lies—before God, either in eternal separation from Him or in His eternal presence.

Therefore, while we live, let us not allow pride, competition, wealth, status, or earthly accomplishments to make us despise or consider ourselves superior to others.

For one day, the same grave awaits us all.

“For dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.” — Genesis 3:19

What matters most is not how highly we are regarded among men, but how we stand before God when this earthly journey ends.

God's Loving Heart.

Ellen G. White
Jeremiah 22:16

He judged the cause of the poor and needy; then it was well with him: was not this to know me? saith the LORD.
Commentary:
Christ’s words in regard to our duty to the poor show the spirit in which all work for God is to be done, and open a field where all may find something to do. “The poor always ye have with you” (John 12:8), said Jesus, and none need complain that there is no place where they can labor for Christ. As long as there are hungry ones in God’s world to be fed, naked ones to be clothed, perishing souls that need the bread of life, there is work for us to do. Every comfort we have, every gracious gift of God to us, every piece of money needlessly expended, pleads for the poor and the naked. 11LtMs, Ms 58, 1896, par. 22

Daily Devotional
Clothe the naked.

I was ... naked, and ye clothed me. Matthew 25:35, 36

Christ ... says, It was I who was hungry and thirsty. It was I who was a stranger. It was I who was sick. It was I who was in prison.... While you crowded your wardrobe with rich apparel, I was destitute. While you pursued your pleasures, I languished in prison.

When you doled out the pittance of bread to the starving poor, when you gave those flimsy garments to shield them from the biting frost, did you remember that you were giving to the Lord of glory? All the days of your life I was near you in the person of these afflicted ones, but you did not seek Me. You would not enter into fellowship with Me.

In the professed Christian world there is enough expended in extravagant display, for jewels and ornaments, to supply the wants of all the hungry and clothe the naked in our towns and cities; and yet these professed followers of the meek and lowly Jesus need not deprive themselves of suitable food or comfortable clothing. What will these church members say when confronted in the day of God by the worthy poor, the afflicted, the widows and fatherless, who have known pinching want for the meager necessities of life, while there was expended by these professed followers of Christ, for superfluous clothing, and needless ornaments expressly forbidden in the Word of God, enough to supply all their wants?

In the fifty-eighth chapter of Isaiah the work that the people of God are to do in Christ’s lines is clearly set forth. They are to break every yoke, they are to feed the hungry, to clothe the naked.... If they carry out the principles of the law of God in acts of mercy and love, they will represent the character of God to the world, and receive the richest blessings of Heaven. [242]

John 1:1, NASB
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

He Who was from the Beginning is so Big and so Beyond our Understanding!
In His Love He made it easy for us to Know Him
by showing Himself through the Person of Jesus Christ! Someone we can Talk to, Someone we can Understand.
How can we explain the Grace of the Lord Jesus Christ!

Prayer:
2Corinthians 8:9, NASB
“For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich.”

Thank You Lord, You demoted Yourself from the Highest Heavens to the Lowest Earth, to make us Understand the Father Heart of God!
We are forever Grateful for such Mercy! Amen.

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: TUESDAY 25TH AUGUST 2026

TOPIC: FEAR GOD, PART 1

MEMORIZE:
"But the Lord your God ye shall fear; and he shall deliver you out of the hand of all your enemies." 2 Kings 17:39 (KJV)

BIBLE READING: PSALM 112:1-9
1 Praise ye the Lord. Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord, that delighteth greatly in his commandments.

2 His seed shall be mighty upon earth: the generation of the upright shall be blessed.

3 Wealth and riches shall be in his house: and his righteousness endureth for ever.

4 Unto the upright there ariseth light in the darkness: he is gracious, and full of compassion, and righteous.

5 A good man sheweth favour, and lendeth: he will guide his affairs with discretion.

6 Surely he shall not be moved for ever: the righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance.

7 He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed, trusting in the Lord.

8 His heart is established, he shall not be afraid, until he see his desire upon his enemies.

9 He hath dispersed, he hath given to the poor; his righteousness endureth for ever; his horn shall be exalted with honour.

MESSAGE:
The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom (Psalm 111:10); therefore, anyone who does not fear God is not wise. He is a Consuming Fire (Hebrews 12:29), and those who do not fear Him are truly foolish because even a mad dog fears fire. Psalm 111:10 also means that those who fear God become wise.

Apart from wisdom, however, there are many other benefits to fearing God, and today's Bible reading outlines many of them. One of the benefits is that the seed of a person who fears God will be mighty upon the earth (Psalm 112:2). That same verse also tells us that the generation of the upright shall be blessed. Psalm 112:3 says that you will have access to wealth and riches when you fear God. Also, Psalm 112:7 says that you will not be afraid of evil tidings. People who fear God do not need to be afraid of anything because He will deliver them out of the hands of all their enemies and everything that can harm them.

Those who do not fear God will find it easy to commit sins, and this can bring a curse upon them and their descendants. For example, Gehazi's lack of fear for the Lord caused him and his descendants to become carriers of the leprosy that was previously upon Naaman (2 Kings 5:20-27). Whenever a person acts in a way that shows that he or she does not fear God, such a person robs his or her children of the opportunity to be great and exposes them to curses rather than blessings.

Joab was another person whose lack of fear for the Lord brought curses upon his lineage. In (2 Samuel 3:27-29), the Bible details how he tricked Abner and murdered him in cold blood. When David heard about it, he placed a curse on Joab's lineage that sicknesses, leprosy, poverty, weakness, and untimely death would befall Joab's family and his descendants. People who do not fear God purchase trouble for their children.

Beloved, if you want your future and that of your children to be glorious, you need to have the fear of God in you. If you're going to have peace of mind in your old age, you must fear God. The reason I am sure that my tomorrow and those of my children will be alright is that I fear the Lord. I pray that your life and those of your descendants will be filled with blessings and not curses, in Jesus' name.

KEY POINT:
The fear of the Lord guarantees God's blessings for you and your lineage.

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

BIBLE READING IN ONE YEAR:
EZEKIEL 5 - 8

HYMNAL 7 - I AM THINE O LORD
1 I am Thine, O Lord, I have heard Thy voice,
and it told Thy love to me;
but I long to rise in the arms of faith,
and be closer drawn to Thee.

REFRAIN:
Draw me nearer, nearer, blessed Lord,
to the cross where Thou hast died;
draw me nearer, nearer, blessed Lord,
to Thy precious, bleeding side.

2 Consecrate me now to Thy service, Lord,
by the pow'r of grace divine;
let my soul look up with a steadfast hope,
and my will be lost in Thine.

[Refrain]

3 O, the pure delight of a single hour
that before Thy throne I spend,
when I kneel in prayer, and with Thee, my God,
I commune as friend with friend!

[Refrain]

4 There are depths of love that I cannot know
till I cross the narrow sea;
there are heights of joy that I may not reach
till I rest in peace with Thee.

[Refrain]


PRAYER POINTS ON TODAY'S OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL.
Tuesday 25th August 2026 FEAR GOD, Part 1
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‎PRAYER POINTS
1.God of all wisdom and might, the One who made the heavens and earth with no pillars in between; You laid the foundations of the earth that it should not be removed

2.Father, the earth and the fullness thereof is in Your care, and by You we have the fullness of life through Christ Jesus.

3.Father, by Your wisdom You made the sun to rule the day, and the moon and stars to rule the night. The heavens declare Your glory, and the firmament shows Your handywork.

4.Father, please help me to fear You, and to walk in complete obedience to Your word, so I can become wiser, in Jesus' name.

5.Father, please help me to walk in Your fear, so I can be delivered out of the hands of all my enemies, in Jesus' name.

6.Father, please help me to walk in holiness and in Your righteousness so it will become practically impossible for me to commit sin, in Jesus' name.

7.Father, please help me to fear You so I won't miss the opportunity to be great and be exposed to blessings rather than curses, in Jesus' name.

8.Father, please help me not to purchase trouble for my children for lack of fear for You, in Jesus' name.

9.Father, please put Your fear in me so my children and I will have a glorious future, and peace of mind in my old age, and in Jesus' name.

10.Father, please let my life and those of my descendants be filled with blessings and not curses, in Jesus' name.

11.Father, thank You for the life of Your son, Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye.
‎
Help him to abide in Your fear for the rest of his life, till You come again in glory, in Jesus' name. Bless his children (biological and spiritual). Help him to continue to produce sons and daughters to Your glory, in Jesus name
‎
‎12.Father, please bless Your son that You have been using to prepare these prayer points, with wisdom and favour. Answer all his prayers beyond measure, and all those who have been broadcasting them, in Jesus' name.
‎
‎13.Father, please let every challenge and temptations, hindrance and obstacles of getting these prayer points across to Your children, timely, and on daily basis be removed, in Jesus name.
‎
‎14.Your personal petitions.
‎(Philippians 4:6)
‎
‎15.In Jesus name I pray.
‎(John 14:13-14; 15:16)
‎
‎#Godblessournation
‎

5.Lies: Jesus has turned away from me

Hebrews 13:5: "For He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee."
Jesus died for His sheep, and suffered tremendous pain to save them from destruction of their soul so if He willingly gave up His life to bring them to Himself He will never leave them and abandon them to darkness and dessertion. Jesus is near His children. He loves the lost that He came to rescue from the clutches of death and separation from God. Jesus never lies my human weakness and sinful nature leads me to believe He has left and forsaken me because of my insecurities and sins. And that is a very unfortunate thing to feel abandoned and alone when He is all around me. Jesus is praiseworthy trustworthy and faithful He will always be with me. He is my way my truth and my life. Jesus is close to the broken, poor in spirit and afflicted ones.

Righteousness That Comes from God

These days, we are meditating on the Gospel of Matthew, especially the Sermon on the Mount, where Jesus teaches His disciples the principles of the Kingdom of Heaven. After teaching them to let their light shine before others so that people may see their good works and glorify their Father in heaven, Jesus explains the true meaning of righteousness and obedience to God’s Law.

Jesus said, “Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill” (Matthew 5:17). He came not to destroy the Law, but to fulfill its purpose and reveal its deepest meaning. The heart of God’s Law is love: love for God and love for others.

Jesus confronted the religious leaders of His time because the scribes and Pharisees often emphasized outward religious practices while neglecting the condition of the heart. They had developed human traditions that sometimes replaced God’s commandments. Jesus asked, “Why do you yourselves transgress the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition?” (Matthew 15:3).

The Law is holy because God is holy. The Ten Commandments reveal God’s character and help us understand what sin is. However, the Law cannot save us. Instead, it reveals our sin and shows us our need for a Savior. It leads us to recognize our need for God’s mercy, forgiveness, and salvation through Jesus Christ.

John 1:17 says, “For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ.” The scribes and Pharisees practiced righteousness outwardly, often seeking recognition and honor from people. Jesus warned, “Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them” (Matthew 6:1). Their righteousness was based on self-righteousness rather than a transformed heart.

Therefore, Jesus declared, “Unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:20). True righteousness is not merely outward behavior; it comes from a heart transformed by God through faith in Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit.

This is why Jesus calls us to be poor in spirit—to recognize our spiritual need and humbly come to Him. May our righteousness never be hypocritical or self-made, but may it be the righteousness God gives through Jesus Christ. Let us love God, love people, walk humbly, and allow the Holy Spirit to transform our hearts. May God bless you.

DBF-001-031 continues with John 2:10. The master of the feast recognizes that something unusual has happened: the best wine has been kept until now. We should keep the focus on Christ’s provision and avoid turning the verse into a promise of material abundance.

DAILY BREAD FELLOWSHIP

DBF-001-031

Today’s Scripture

John 2:10 (ESV)

“And said to him, ‘Everyone serves the good wine first, and when people have drunk freely, then the poor wine. But you have kept the good wine until now.’”

Opening the Scriptures

The master of the feast had tasted the wine, but he did not know where it had come from.

He called the bridegroom and expressed his surprise.

Normally, the better wine was served first. Yet at this wedding, the master believed that the best had been kept until later.

What he did not know was that the bridegroom had not provided this wine.

Jesus had.

The master could recognize the quality of the gift, but he did not recognize its source.

The servants knew.

Behind what appeared to be an unexpected provision stood the power and authority of Jesus Christ.

John is steadily directing our attention away from the wedding itself and toward Jesus.

Living God’s Word Today

There is a danger in receiving God’s gifts while forgetting the Giver.

Every day we receive things we can easily take for granted.

Food.

Shelter.

Family.

Friendship.

Strength for another day.

Opportunities to serve.

Most importantly, for those who belong to Christ, forgiveness of sin and eternal life.

Scripture reminds us:

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above.” — James 1:17

Yet we must also be careful about what this miracle does not teach.

Jesus turning water into wine does not promise Christians wealth, comfort, success, or an easy life. The apostles themselves would later suffer greatly for following Christ.

The greatest gift at Cana was not the wine.

The greatest gift was Christ Himself.

That remains true today.

God may give us much or little in this world. Our circumstances may change. Health can fail. Possessions can disappear. Human relationships can disappoint us.

But the Christian’s greatest treasure cannot be measured by earthly prosperity.

We have Christ.

In Him we have something infinitely greater than temporary comfort: reconciliation with God, forgiveness of sin, and the certain hope of eternal life.

The master of the feast enjoyed the gift without knowing its source.

Let us not make the same mistake.

Recognize God’s goodness.

Give thanks for His daily provision.

But never become so occupied with God’s gifts that you forget the God who gives them.

Treasure Christ above everything He gives.

Question for Today

Do you value God’s gifts more than you value God Himself?

Respond: “Christ is my greatest treasure.”