PROVERB OF THE DAY (Proverbs 2) 1. My son, if you receive my words, And treasure my commands within you, 2. So that you incline your ear to wisdom, And apply your heart to understanding; 3. Yes, if you cry out for discernment, And lift up your voice for understanding, 4. If you seek her as silver, And search for her as for hidden treasures; 5. Then you will understand the fear of the LORD, And find the knowledge of God. 6. For the LORD gives wisdom; From His mouth come knowledge and understanding; 7. He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; He is a shield to those who walk uprightly; 8. He guards the paths of justice, And preserves the way of His saints. 9. Then you will understand righteousness and justice, Equity and every good path. 10. When wisdom enters your heart, And knowledge is pleasant to your soul, 11. Discretion will preserve you; Understanding will keep you, 12. To deliver you from the way of evil, From the man who speaks perverse things, 13. From those who leave the paths of uprightness To walk in the ways of darkness; 14. Who rejoice in doing evil, And delight in the perversity of the wicked; 15. Whose ways are crooked, And who are devious in their paths; 16. To deliver you from the immoral woman, From the seductress who flatters with her words, 17. Who forsakes the companion of her youth, And forgets the covenant of her God. 18. For her house leads down to death, And her paths to the dead; 19. None who go to her return, Nor do they regain the paths of life— 20. So you may walk in the way of goodness, And keep to the paths of righteousness. 21. For the upright will dwell in the land, And the blameless will remain in it; 22. But the wicked will be cut off from the earth, And the unfaithful will be uprooted from it.

PROVERB OF THE DAY (Proverbs 1) 1. The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel: 2. To know wisdom and instruction, To perceive the words of understanding, 3. To receive the instruction of wisdom, Justice, judgment, and equity; 4. To give prudence to the simple, To the young man knowledge and discretion— 5. A wise man will hear and increase learning, And a man of understanding will attain wise counsel, 6. To understand a proverb and an enigma, The words of the wise and their riddles. 7. The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, But fools despise wisdom and instruction. 8. My son, hear the instruction of your father, And do not forsake the law of your mother; 9. For they will be a graceful ornament on your head, And chains about your neck. 10. My son, if sinners entice you, Do not consent. 11. If they say, “Come with us, Let us lie in wait to shed blood; Let us lurk secretly for the innocent without cause; 12. Let us swallow them alive like Sheol, And whole, like those who go down to the Pit; 13. We shall find all kinds of precious possessions, We shall fill our houses with spoil; 14. Cast in your lot among us, Let us all have one purse”— 15. My son, do not walk in the way with them, Keep your foot from their path; 16. For their feet run to evil, And they make haste to shed blood. 17. Surely, in vain the net is spread In the sight of any bird; 18. But they lie in wait for their own blood, They lurk secretly for their own lives. 19. So are the ways of everyone who is greedy for gain; It takes away the life of its owners. 20. Wisdom calls aloud outside; She raises her voice in the open squares. 21. She cries out in the chief concourses, At the openings of the gates in the city She speaks her words: 22. “How long, you simple ones, will you love simplicity? For scorners delight in their scorning, And fools hate knowledge. 23. Turn at my rebuke; Surely I will pour out my spirit on you; I will make my words known to you. 24. Because I have called and you refused, I have stretched out my hand and no one regarded, 25. Because you disdained all my counsel, And would have none of my rebuke, 26. I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your terror comes, 27. When your terror comes like a storm, And your destruction comes like a whirlwind, When distress and anguish come upon you. 28. “Then they will call on me, but I will not answer; They will seek me diligently, but they will not find me. 29. Because they hated knowledge And did not choose the fear of the LORD, 30. They would have none of my counsel And despised my every rebuke. 31. Therefore they shall eat the fruit of their own way, And be filled to the full with their own fancies. 32. For the turning away of the simple will slay them, And the complacency of fools will destroy them; 33. But whoever listens to me will dwell safely, And will be secure, without fear of evil.”

“But they delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night. They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do.” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭1‬:‭2‬-‭3‬ ‭NLT‬‬ GLORY TO GOD FOR EVER

Good morning, brethren. 1. Morning devotion for today. MD.i. 😀🎀💝🎁🌺🌹 MORNING TEA THE WORD FOR TODAY FRIDAY JULY 24, 2O26. "DON'T LOOSE YOUR COMPASSIONATE EDGE (2)" '…Faith…if it does not have works, is dead.’  James 2:17 NKJV MOTHER TERESA said, ‘The biggest disease today isn’t leprosy or cancer. It’s the feeling of being uncared for, unwanted—of being deserted and alone.’ As a result, she spent her life rescuing sick babies and giving dignity to the dying. Asked why she did it, she replied, ‘Because Jesus did.’ What a great answer! When simultaneous disasters hit different countries around the world, humanitarian organisations say we suffer from ‘donor fatigue’. Let’s add one more: ‘compassion failure.’ Philosopher Miguel de Unamuno wrote, ‘Warmth, warmth, more warmth! For we are dying of cold and not of darkness. It is not the night that kills, but the frost.’ Think about this: of the 1,189 chapters in the Bible, 250 contain the words of the prophets. That’s roughly 25 percent. Half of what they say denounces sin and the other half condemns those who see human suffering and do nothing about it. Yet events that horrified those same prophets take place in our world every day, and we’re immune to them. Like wearing a watch, you get used to it and after a while you don’t even notice it. But the prophets noticed! They never became desensitised to sin—or human suffering. And you mustn’t either. You say, ‘But my main focus at the moment is on building up my faith.’ That’s a good thing; but never forget that ‘Faith by itself, if it does not have works [of compassion], is dead.’ Bible In A Year: Deut 3-4; Matt 12:1-14; Ps 46; Pro 16:20-22. 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. [23/07, 10:32 pm] Pastor Attah: ```DEEPER CHRISTIAN LIFE MINISTRY``` ```DAILY Ⓜ️ANNA - (A DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE FOR ADULTS) FRIDAY 24TH JULY, 2026``` *DON'T BE A COLLATERAL VICTIM* 📓📖🎚️🫵🏽🙋🏽‍♂️🙋🏽‍♀️⚠️‼️🛑🧎🏽🧎🏽‍♀️🙏🏽 📜📜```TEXT:JOSHUA 12:1-6```📜📜 🔑📖```KEY VERSE:``` _*"Now these are the kings of the land, which the children of Israel smote, and possessed their land on the other side Jordan toward the rising of the sun, from the river Arnon unto mount Hermon, and all the plain on the east" (JOSHUA 12:1).*_ *There are people who sleep walk into disaster, through either arrogance, pride or sheer hubris. It may be that they had recorded successes in previous battles, or have become famous for their accomplishments. They may deem themselves to be invincible, and either declare a war that's totally unnecessary, or inject themselves into other people's battles. In the end, they become the victims of their ego and exaggerated sense of power and importance.* *This is what happened to the kings of the nations on the east of River Jordan. The children of Israel were on a journey ordered by the Almighty God. They were heading to the land of Canaan, in fulfilment of the promise God made to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Their land was not part of Canaan, and therefore, was not intended to be inherited by the Israelites. The inheritance of the Israelites was to be solely Canaan, the land flowing with milk and honey. But on their way, the Israelites encountered nations that had heard about the supernatural work of God in bringing them out of Egypt. Although the Israelites did not declare war against them, these nations, some out of unfounded fear of losing their territory, and others out of envy and hatred against this nation that had a God that can subdue, humble and defeat Egypt, the great world power of the time, took it on themselves to stop Israel from progressing towards their land of promise. One of such kings was Sihon, king of the Amorites, whose nation was mainly a lush vegetation sandwiched by rivers and plain land that was a haven for pastoralists and for other forms of agriculture. The other king was Og, king of Bashan, a land of the remnants of the giants, with similar topography as the land of the Amorites. When they rose against the Israelites, they were roundly defeated, their kingdoms destroyed and their land confiscated by Moses. He subsequently allocated the land to two and half tribes of Israel, which desired to settle there because it was suitable for their vocation as pastoralists. Had those nations stayed out of the way of the Israelites, they would have remained in their land.* *We must be wise and not take on battles that are not ours, whether out of sympathy with other people or to prove that we are powerful. As believers, we have more than enough battles against principalities and powers, rulers of the darkness of this world, spiritual wickedness in high places, against sin and Satan. The armour Christ has given us is intended to defeat these adversaries. It is not to be wasted on self-imposed battles that do not benefit the kingdom of God. Those who engage in the wrong battles suffer great loss, and live to regret it for the rest of their lives. Let us focus on the assignment Christ has given us, namely, taking the gospel to the world of sinners, and endeavouring to bring as many as are willing, into the kingdom of God.* ✍🏽```THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:``` _*Those who fight battles without profit, reap rewards without benefits.*_ 📜📜```THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:``` *EXODUS 26-29*📜📜 [23/07, 10:32 pm] Pastor Attah: ```DEEPER CHRISTIAN LIFE MINISTRY``` _*HIGHER EVERYD🅰️Y: (A DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE FOR YOUTHS)*_ ✍🏽👩🏻‍💼🌻 🍇🙏🏽🛰🚀🔬📚 ```FRIDAY 24TH JULY, 2026``` *DIVINE FRESHNESS* 🎚️📓📖🫵🏽🙋🏽‍♂️🙋🏽‍♀️✨🧎🏽🧎🏽‍♀️🙏🏽🙌🏽 📜📜```TEXT:PSALM 1:1-6```📜📜 📖``` MEMORY VERSE:``` _*"And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper" (PSALM 1:3).*_ *Freshness implies newness of life, originality, and the absence of weakness or death. It is always God's will that His creatures be strong, hale, and hearty. The reverse, however, is the case with many who live in continual weakness, pain, and disability.* *God provides the means of drawing from His life for energy. Still, instead of utilizing the provision, they resort to the use of hard drugs and destructive substances for strength and vitality.* *Our passage for today unveils simple steps for young people to enjoy God's divine freshness. One, they must abstain from the way, walk, and counsel of the wayward and wicked. Two, they should delight in, read and meditate daily on God's word.* *Three, they should appropriate the avalanche of God's blessings and prosperity through prayer and faith. Four, they should not meddle with the ungodly. Friend, the ungodly experience dryness instead of divine freshness. They go through harrowing experiences since they are cut off from God, the source of life and all goodness.* *Would you like to be renewed and transformed? Call on the Lord God, today.* 💬 ```QUOTE:``` _*Freshness implies newness.*_ 🏆 ```CHALLENGE:``` _*Stay rooted in Christ, and never run dry!*_ 🙏🏽🙏🏽 ```PRAYER:``` _*Jesus, help me to maintain spiritual freshness.*_ [23/07, 10:32 pm] Pastor Attah: ```DEEPER CHRISTIAN LIFE MINISTRY``` _*(SINCERE MILK: Children Daily Devotional Guide 2⃣0⃣2⃣6️⃣)*_ 🙇🏼🙇🏼🙇‍♀️🙇‍♀️🙇🏼🙇‍♀️🙇🏼🙇‍♀️🙇🏼‍♂️ ```FRIDAY 24TH JULY, 2026``` *THE FOOL IN FULL* 📓📖🎚️🫵🏽🙋🏽‍♂️🙋🏽‍♀️😠😡🫸🏽📓⚠️‼️🛑🧎🏽🧎🏽‍♀️🙏🏽 📜📜```PSALM 53:1-6```📜📜 🕔📚🖋️🚻😁🎼🏆🍉🪴🌈💻 🔑📖 ```Key Verse:``` _*"The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. Corrupt are they, and have done abominable iniquity: there is none that doeth good" (Psalm 53:1).*_ 📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖 An extract from _Merriam Webster_ dictionary goes thus: *"Something is said to be 'in full' when it has come to the highest or the fullest state of degree, when it is at the uttermost extent or when it is complete, especially in details, number, or duration."* The fool in full is the greatest fool that will ever live on earth. He breathes in the air made by God, cultivates the soil created by God, and eats out of the produce thereof, lives in the world God created and enjoys the gift of life given by God, to mention a few; and yet, turns around to say "there is no God." The fool deliberately denies the existence of God despite the many proofs of God's existence. He sees the sun, the moon, the stars, the seas and the uncountable creatures in it, but never pauses to ask: *"Who made the world?"* The things he sees tell him there is God, but in his heart, he refuses to give Him the glory. There is, however, another fool who accepts there is God but refuses to accept His gift of salvation through Jesus Christ. This category of fools claim they can worship the Living God the way they like. They corrupt the way of worshipping Him; worshipping idols, the work of their hands. The fool can never do what is good before God. *You should not be a fool. Believe in the only true God and in Jesus Christ, whom He has sent. Turn away from all corrupt and abominable thoughts and actions. Then you will be saved from the foolishness of this world.* 🍥🍥🍥🍥🍥🍥🍥🍥 ```🅿️rayer:``` _*Thank You Lord, for delivering me from the foolishness of unbelief.*_ 🙏🏽 ```📖 Further Reading:``` *John 17:2, 3* [23/07, 10:33 pm] Pastor Attah: *MEDITATIONS ON DAILY ⓂANNA* FRIDAY, 24TH JULY, 2026. *REHEARSAL OF GOD'S FAITHFULNESS* *TEXT:* JOSHUA 12:1-6. 1.Now these are the kings of the land, which the children of Israel smote, and possessed their land on the other side Jordan toward the rising of the sun, from the river Arnon unto mount Hermon, and all the plain on the east: 2 Sihon king of the Amorites, who dwelt in Heshbon, and ruled from Aroer, which is upon the bank of the river Arnon, and from the middle of the river, and from half Gilead, even unto the river Jabbok, which is the border of the children of Ammon; 3 And from the plain to the sea of Chinneroth on the east, and unto the sea of the plain, even the salt sea on the east, the way to Bethjeshimoth; and from the south, under Ashdothpisgah: 4 And the coast of Og king of Bashan, which was of the remnant of the giants, that dwelt at Ashtaroth and at Edrei, 5 And reigned in mount Hermon, and in Salcah, and in all Bashan, unto the border of the Geshurites and the Maachathites, and half Gilead, the border of Sihon king of Heshbon. 6 Them did Moses the servant of the LORD and the children of Israel smite: and Moses the servant of the LORD gave it for a possession unto the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh. *Timeless Truth:*_"Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits"_ (Psalm 103:2). *INTRODUCTION* From creation, God has been engaged in doing great and new wonders. Some are penned down in the Bible while there are many more that have been experienced by individuals, families, communities and nations since creation of man. The fact that God is immutable guarantees that those miracles can be repeated and increased in greatness and number. One of the greatest ways to strengthen faith is to deliberately rehearse God's faithfulness and meditate on those past wonders of God. Throughout Scripture, God often instructed His people to remember His mighty acts so that they would trust Him for future victories. Israel's conquest of the Amorites under Sihon and the later record of those victories in Joshua remind us that God's past interventions are powerful testimonies of His unfailing covenant. Every believer should cultivate the habit of recalling God's goodness instead of dwelling on past fears or failures. As we recount His faithfulness, our confidence in His promises grows. *1.Arrogant Courting of Battles* Israel peacefully requested passage through the land of Sihon, king of the Amorites, but Sihon arrogantly rejected the request and chose war instead (Numbers 21:21–25). It is the norm in military warfare that you don't fight those who come and prefer peace to war. The worst is to lead them as captives. Sihon had taken pride in defeating Moab and taking her possessions (Numbers 21:26-2). Their victory over Moab was celebrated as it became a song in the land. He was optimistic and emboldened that he could repeat the same feat against Israel. However, he was thoughtless and proud. His pride blinded him to the fact that he was fighting against God's covenant people. It is dangerous and risky to fight against the covenant people of God. The battle ended in complete defeat of Sihon because no human strength can prevail against God's purpose. b. Believers have the domineering power of Jesus Christ to crush every power of the adversaries. However, this is not a license for believers to arrogantly court and tempt the people of darkness to unnecessary warfare. When Herod wanted Jesus to perform some miracles for a show of power, Jesus declined because it was unnecessary (Luke 23:8). When Satan tempted Jesus to jump down from the mountain, Jesus also declined because it was an unnecessary show of power. Believers should avoid unnecessary boasting and fight in the name of the Lord that is borne out of arrogance or pride. Believers should never fear opposition, for God remains the Defender of those who trust Him. At the same time, we must guard against pride, remembering that arrogance always invites destruction. *Question* Am I trusting God's strength in life's battles, or am I relying on human confidence and pride? *2. Appreciative Counting of Blessings* Joshua carefully recorded the kings and their land, whom God had delivered into Israel's hands (Joshua 12:1–5). These verses are more than historical records—they are memorials of divine faithfulness. God's people are encouraged to remember every victory and every answered prayer. Gratitude protects the heart from discouragement and unbelief. When we regularly count our blessings, we discover that God's mercies greatly outweigh our trials. Thanksgiving also prepares us to receive greater blessings from the Lord. As the psalmist puts it, *"Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits."* This will take a diligent and deliberate effort like Joshua did when he wrote down and recalled the good wonders of God to himself and to the whole Israel. *Question* How often do I deliberately remember and thank God for His past faithfulness in my life? *3. Additions to Covenant for the Beloved* a. The conquered territories were not part of the promised Canaan inheritance. But Sihon and Og lost their land through their pride and arrogance and those blessings were taken from them and added to the children of Israel (Joshua 12:6). After getting victory, Moses assigned the conquered territory to the tribes of Reuben, Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh as their inheritance. God's faithfulness extends beyond victory in battle to the fulfillment of His covenant promises. b. There are several cases where God took away the assigned blessing of the arrogant and added them to the portion of the godly. Reuben and Esau were supposed to have the double blessings of their first born, but they both lost them through carelessness and profanity. Their blessings were added to Judah and Jacob respectively. Jesus warned the Ephesian Church of loss of ministry if they didn't repent from the loss of their first love and the immoral practices of the Nicolaitans(Revelation 2:5). He also warned the Pastor of Philadelphia that if he was not watchful, his crown would be taken from him and be given or added to another person. *"Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown"* (Revelation 3:11). Remember, King Saul lost his crown, which was supposed to be generational, to David. The same with Esau and none of them could get his back. Fight and be watchful to retain and enjoy all your blessings and inheritance assigned to you by God. *Question* Am I very watchful and prayerful in ensuring that my blessings and inheritance are not taken from me and transferred to another person? *Prayer Points* 1.Heavenly Father, help me always remember and celebrate Your faithfulness in every season of my life 🙏. 2.Lord, deliver me from every form of pride, boasting and unnecessary show of power and grant me victory over every battle confronting my faith 🙏. 3.Give me a grateful heart that continually counts Your blessings instead of focusing on life's difficulties. 4.Give Your children grace to be watchful and prayerful and don't allow anyone to take their assigned blessings and inheritance 🙏. *HYMN:* Count Your Blessings *BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:* EXODUS 26-29. 2. Morning Prayer for today. MP.i. Morning Prayer A man's heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps. ⏤ Proverbs 16:9 To pray is to let go and let God take over. ⏤ Philip Yancey O God, our Father, we, Your children, wait for Your blessing before we go out to the work and care of this new day. We thank You for the blessings You gave us in our sleep. You have renewed our strength and restored what yesterday’s toil took from us. We are strong this morning and ready for another day’s work because of the blessings You gave us in our sleep. We consecrate our lives to You for this new day. Take us and use us as You will. We don’t want to make our own plans, for we are too short-sighted and would only plan for present comfort or earthly success. We would rather have You reveal Your plan for our day. It may not be easy, but we know it is wiser and better than our way could ever be, for You see the end from the beginning, and You choose the best things for us. We lay our plans at Your feet and ask You to use them if they are the best, but if not, to set them aside so that Your plan for the day may work unhindered in us. We pray for our neighbors. Some of them are sick. Remember them and grant them healing and restoration. Send them Your comfort in their pain, and let them be richly blessed by the experiences they are going through. Some of our neighbors have gone through sorrows. Heal their broken hearts and give them comfort that will make them stronger to bear their grief, and help them find the blessings You have hidden in their sorrow. Receive us now into Your care for this day; bless us, keep us, and use us as You will. We ask in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. https://www.youdevotion.com/daily-prayer/miller/19/morning #taptapstudio #youdevotion.

Verse for Tuesday, September 01 Nehemiah 1:11 11 Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of this your servant and to the prayer of your servants who delight in revering your name. Give your servant success today by granting him favor in the presence of this man.” I was cupbearer to the king.

PROVERB OF THE DAY (Proverbs 29) 1. He who is often rebuked, and hardens his neck, Will suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy. 2. When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. 3. Whoever loves wisdom makes his father rejoice, But a companion of harlots wastes his wealth. 4. The king establishes the land by justice, But he who receives bribes overthrows it. 5. A man who flatters his neighbor Spreads a net for his feet. 6. By transgression an evil man is snared, But the righteous sings and rejoices. 7. The righteous considers the cause of the poor, But the wicked does not understand such knowledge. 8. Scoffers set a city aflame, But wise men turn away wrath. 9. If a wise man contends with a foolish man, Whether the fool rages or laughs, there is no peace. 10. The bloodthirsty hate the blameless, But the upright seek his well-being. 11. A fool vents all his feelings, But a wise man holds them back. 12. If a ruler pays attention to lies, All his servants become wicked. 13. The poor man and the oppressor have this in common: The LORD gives light to the eyes of both. 14. The king who judges the poor with truth, His throne will be established forever. 15. The rod and rebuke give wisdom, But a child left to himself brings shame to his mother. 16. When the wicked are multiplied, transgression increases; But the righteous will see their fall. 17. Correct your son, and he will give you rest; Yes, he will give delight to your soul. 18. Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint; But happy is he who keeps the law. 19. A servant will not be corrected by mere words; For though he understands, he will not respond. 20. Do you see a man hasty in his words? There is more hope for a fool than for him. 21. He who pampers his servant from childhood Will have him as a son in the end. 22. An angry man stirs up strife, And a furious man abounds in transgression. 23. A man’s pride will bring him low, But the humble in spirit will retain honor. 24. Whoever is a partner with a thief hates his own life; He swears to tell the truth, but reveals nothing. 25. The fear of man brings a snare, But whoever trusts in the LORD shall be safe. 26. Many seek the ruler’s favor, But justice for man comes from the LORD. 27. An unjust man is an abomination to the righteous, And he who is upright in the way is an abomination to the wicked.

Martyrdom of John the Baptist St. John the Baptist was the son of Zechariah and Elizabeth. Elizabeth became pregnant with John in her old age, according to God's plan, which was revealed to Zechariah by the Archangel Gabriel when Zechariah was in the temple. While Elizabeth was pregnant, Holy Mary, the mother of Jesus, visited her and helped her. The name "John" was chosen by God and also announced by the Archangel Gabriel to Zechariah. As a young man, John lived in the desert, wearing clothes made from camel hair and surviving on locusts and honey. He spent his life giving witness to Jesus, declaring that Jesus was the Son of God. John also baptized Jesus and publicly proclaimed that Jesus was the Messiah. Jesus praised John, saying that he was greater than an apostle. John was bold in speaking the truth, even to powerful people, and he openly criticized them for their sins. One example of John’s courage was when he condemned Herod Antipas, the ruler of Galilee, for marrying his brother's wife, Herodias, while his brother Herod Philip I was still alive. Herod Antipas had divorced his first wife, Phasaelis, to be with Herodias, which was unlawful. Herod wanted to kill John but was afraid to because many people believed John was a prophet and a holy man. At a banquet, Herodias' daughter, Salome, performed a dance that greatly pleased Herod Antipas. In his delight, Herod promised to give her anything she asked for, even up to half of his kingdom. At her mother Herodias' urging, Salome asked for the head of John the Baptist on a platter. Although Herod was reluctant, he had to keep his promise and ordered John's beheading. John was executed at the fortress of Machaerus around 30 to 35 A.D. The Jewish historian Flavius Josephus wrote that Herod's army was later destroyed as divine punishment for the killing of St. John the Baptist. John the Baptist is considered the forerunner of Jesus, sent by God to prepare the way for Christ’s coming. Just as John prepared the way for Jesus' first coming, Christians believe they should prepare themselves for the second coming of Jesus, which will bring the Last Judgment and establish the Kingdom of God. To do this, we must strive to live as true followers of God and His Son, Jesus Christ. #Catholic #trust #death #martyr #John #Christian #

PROVERB OF THE DAY (Proverbs 29) 1. He who is often rebuked, and hardens his neck, Will suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy. 2. When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. 3. Whoever loves wisdom makes his father rejoice, But a companion of harlots wastes his wealth. 4. The king establishes the land by justice, But he who receives bribes overthrows it. 5. A man who flatters his neighbor Spreads a net for his feet. 6. By transgression an evil man is snared, But the righteous sings and rejoices. 7. The righteous considers the cause of the poor, But the wicked does not understand such knowledge. 8. Scoffers set a city aflame, But wise men turn away wrath. 9. If a wise man contends with a foolish man, Whether the fool rages or laughs, there is no peace. 10. The bloodthirsty hate the blameless, But the upright seek his well-being. 11. A fool vents all his feelings, But a wise man holds them back. 12. If a ruler pays attention to lies, All his servants become wicked. 13. The poor man and the oppressor have this in common: The LORD gives light to the eyes of both. 14. The king who judges the poor with truth, His throne will be established forever. 15. The rod and rebuke give wisdom, But a child left to himself brings shame to his mother. 16. When the wicked are multiplied, transgression increases; But the righteous will see their fall. 17. Correct your son, and he will give you rest; Yes, he will give delight to your soul. 18. Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint; But happy is he who keeps the law. 19. A servant will not be corrected by mere words; For though he understands, he will not respond. 20. Do you see a man hasty in his words? There is more hope for a fool than for him. 21. He who pampers his servant from childhood Will have him as a son in the end. 22. An angry man stirs up strife, And a furious man abounds in transgression. 23. A man’s pride will bring him low, But the humble in spirit will retain honor. 24. Whoever is a partner with a thief hates his own life; He swears to tell the truth, but reveals nothing. 25. The fear of man brings a snare, But whoever trusts in the LORD shall be safe. 26. Many seek the ruler’s favor, But justice for man comes from the LORD. 27. An unjust man is an abomination to the righteous, And he who is upright in the way is an abomination to the wicked.

Have you ever sat down to pray and wondered, “What am I supposed to do right now?” You want to spend time with God, but perhaps you become distracted, repeat the same requests, or feel unsure of where to go next. It doesn’t have to be this way. You can learn to recognize the flow of the Holy Spirit. Here are 7 Streams of Prayer you can follow. Prayer is like a river, and a river has many streams. When you identify those streams, you can better discern what the Holy Spirit is doing in any given moment. When you first learn to drive, every movement requires conscious effort. Eventually, driving becomes natural. Prayer can be similar. When you are first learning to pray, you may wonder what to say next. As you grow, you begin to recognize where the Holy Spirit is leading you. These seven streams of prayer are not boxes you must check every time you pray. Instead, they can help you recognize the different ways prayer can flow. 1. Adoration Adoration is the worship of God. There are moments when you enter prayer and suddenly want to sing, praise, or simply tell Jesus that you love Him. That is prayer. “For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.” - John 4:24 (NLT) Worship is a response to revelation. When the Holy Spirit breathes upon the truth of who God is, worship rises from within your heart. Do not rush past those moments. If your heart is being drawn toward worship, worship Him. 2. Supplication Supplication means bringing your requests to God. You may need guidance, provision, healing, or help in a difficult situation. Bring those needs to Him. “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.” - Philippians 4:6 (NLT) You can either worry or pray. Worry is the flesh’s powerless counterfeit for prayer. It is a useless attempt to control something over which you have no control. Take the list of concerns in your mind, give it to God, thank Him for what He has already done, and receive His peace. 3. Confrontation Confrontation refers to spiritual warfare. Scripture teaches that we are engaged in a real spiritual battle, and there are moments when the Holy Spirit will lead you to confront spiritual opposition in prayer. “So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” - James 4:7 (NLT) Notice the order: submit to God, resist the devil, and he will flee. You do not confront the enemy in your own strength. Submission places you in Christ and under His authority. From that position, you can resist the attacks of the enemy against your mind, family, and spiritual life. Remain aware of the spiritual battle without becoming obsessed with it. Greater is He who lives in you than he who is in the world. 4. Contrition. Contrition is repentance. Repentance is not living under condemnation; it is allowing God to continually change your mind and keep your heart tender toward Him. “But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.” - 1 John 1:9 (NLT) Sometimes you begin praying and sense that something is wrong. The Holy Spirit may bring an attitude, thought, word, or action to your attention. Respond quickly: “Lord, that was wrong. Forgive me and help me walk differently.” Do not allow small compromises to slowly harden your heart. Let the Holy Spirit remove them while they are still small. 5. Meditation. Meditation means dwelling on the Word of God. The Word gives fuel to your prayer life. “But they delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night. They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do.” - Psalm 1:2-3 (NLT) If you do not feel inspired to pray, read the Psalms. If you want God to work on your character, read Proverbs. Do not merely read a passage and then forget it. Think about it, repeat it, speak it, and turn it into prayer. You might read that the fruit of the Spirit includes patience. Repeat that truth until it becomes a prayer: “Lord, make me patient.” The Word gives substance and weight to your prayers. It also develops godly desires within you. 6. Intercession. Intercession is praying for other people. “I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them.” - 1 Timothy 2:1 (NLT) Pray for your family, friends, coworkers, church, and those who do not yet know Jesus. You may not immediately see anything change. The person may even appear to move further away from God. Keep praying. Your prayers are making a difference, even when you cannot see what is happening in the supernatural. Learn to see through the eyes of faith instead of judging only by present circumstances. How many people are following Jesus today because someone prayed for them? If no one in your family has established a legacy of prayer, you can be the first. 7. Appreciation. Appreciation is thanksgiving. “Enter his gates with thanksgiving; go into his courts with praise. Give thanks to him and praise his name.” - Psalm 100:4 (NLT) Thanksgiving is like the send button on your prayers. You have presented your request, and now you thank God in faith. Ask Him for healing, and then thank Him. Ask Him to deliver you, and then thank Him. Ask Him to save your loved ones, and begin thanking Him for what He is going to do. Imagine the day after the miracle. Picture your loved one worshiping God. See yourself walking in joy, peace, freedom, and courage. Let thanksgiving produce faith and hope within your heart. Final Thoughts Let the Holy Spirit Direct the Flow. These seven streams are not seven boxes you must check every time you pray. The goal is not to worship for five minutes and then force yourself to move to supplication. The goal is to recognize the flow of the Holy Spirit. You might begin by worshiping God. Then a need comes to mind, so you ask Him for help. A Scripture rises in your heart, and you begin meditating on it. Suddenly, you remember someone who needs prayer, and you begin interceding. The prayer flows. As you recognize these streams, you will learn when it is time to move from one to another. Prayer becomes less rigid because you are cooperating with what the Holy Spirit is doing. Remember: prayer is a flow, not a formula.

Father God..Thank you for giving me another day of my existence.. Delight your presence in me..