Good morning to everyone. Grace and Peace be with you.

Before I start, I must issue a disclaimer. I strongly suggest that you do not consume ANY morning/evening beverages (depending on when you are reading this) while you read this. You have been duly warned and I cannot be held responsible for any mishaps from here on out.

Every morning, we have a scheduled mini-bible study with some friends to start our day off right with God. Every morning, we are usually a few minutes late because I am trying to get everything done with my posts so that I do not forget anything. As long as I stay in my routine, I am good. Yesterday, I overslept a little (on purpose-I was tired), so there was no writing done. We were ready with coffee and bible in hand at a quarter til 7. A MIRACLE.

When we got out of the truck, I asked if hubby had the keys; he did not, so I went in to get them off the hook. Not there. Checked the table; not there. Checked the office and last night’s clothes; not there. Now, before you think that I locked them inside, I did not; the truck was open. After several minutes of searching, we took the borrowed car to bible study. I let my son, who is visiting from across the pond, know and asked them to look for my keys. They seem to know where all my stuff is … I sure don’t. haha. Bible study was fantastic and when we got home, he informed me that they could not find them. The mega search and destroy was on. I moved laundry piles. I dug through my outgoing trash on the street. I crawled around under all the seats and stood on my head to look under the vehicle. Freezer, refrigerator, laundry in the basket and on the bed. Pulled all the covers down and pillows off. Shook towels and linen. Hands into sofa cushions and trash cans. These keys were lost. Or…very much secure … however you want to look at it.

Finally, we called a lock smith to come out and make new keys. A very nice man, professional and polite. Joked with us and even let us know that when, not if, but when we find the other key … how to reprogram it so it will work in the truck also. I paid him, and we offered to spread the word about his business. I went inside to change to go to town, I had to go help my mother with a weed problem. I changed my clothes and went to put on my shoes. Left shoe no problem. RIGHT shoe … out falls the truck key. The one place that I did not look. And why would I look in my shoes that were inside the open closet door? Right? Naturally, I hobbled outside where everyone -but the locksmith- was with shoe in hand and tossed the key over the back of the truck into the drive. Laughter consumed my yard’s atmosphere.

BRIGHT SIDE: I now have three keys for my truck instead of one.

If you spewed coffee, tea, water, or any other beverage, I am not to blame. I warned you.

A couple of things came from that little event. Seeds were planted with the locksmith in that there are still good people out there willing to help someone out. It really is a good idea to have more than one key for your vehicle and to always put them in the same place. Most importantly, however, when you lose your keys … always check your shoes that are in your closet. Just saying.

The locksmith has been in our area, I guess, for a while, and someone else has been trying to snipe business at lower rates. Which is the case in any business. When we offered to help spread the word about his quality service, he was extremely thankful. You never know who you can impart His love on or in. I do not know if he was a believer or just someone who needed a smile of supporting love. What I do know is that my little story will bring smiles to more than just him, and the fact that it is true … well, that makes it even funnier. This world is full of ugly; will you help me bring brightness to the dark? Will you help me shine His Light?

Be blessed.

**So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. – 1 Corinthians 10:31

THANK YOU, LORD, FOR THE GIFT OF LIFE
Good morning, people of God.
Good morning, humanity.
This morning, I want to begin with one simple and powerful word:
Thank You, Lord.
We do not know why we were born or why God has given us the grace to still be alive today. We did not choose to come into this world. Yet the Supreme Being, the God of Israel, freely gave us the precious gift of life and the breath in our lungs.
So, if I were standing where you are today, what would I say?
I would simply say:
“Lord, thank You for everything.”
Thank You for life.
Thank You for Your grace.
Thank You for Your Word.
Thank You for the Holy Bible, which teaches us Your truth and gives us strength to believe, hope, and love more deeply each day.
Every morning, I ask myself:
“Lord, what can I still change in my life so that I can become a better person before You? How can I grow in holiness, humility, love, forgiveness, and truth?”
Because walking with God is not simply about talking about God.
It is about allowing God to transform the way we live.
The Bible reminds us:
“Your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit.”
— 1 Corinthians 6:19
If my body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, how can I despise it? How can I use my life to hurt others, hate, lie, humiliate, or destroy?
And Scripture also tells us:
“So God created mankind in his own image.”
— Genesis 1:27
My brother, my sister, take a moment and think about this:
You were created in the image of God.
And so was your neighbor.
The person you love was created in God's image.
The person you struggle to love was also created in God's image.
So why should we despise someone whom God created?
Why should we hurt someone whose life has value before God?
Why should we live in pride when everything we have is ultimately a gift of grace?
And there is another truth that should live in our hearts every day:
“It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me.”
— Galatians 2:20
Oh, Lord!
If Christ truly lives in me, then my heart should reflect Christ.
My words should reflect Christ.
My actions should reflect Christ.
The way I treat others should reflect Christ.
My forgiveness should reflect Christ.
My love should reflect Christ.
Let us look around us and recognize the greatness of God.
The birds of the sky, the trees, the stars, the beauty of creation—all remind us that we are not here by our own power.
We are God's creation, standing before our Creator.
And yet, God does not treat us according to our failures, our mistakes, or our pride.
He continues to give us time.
Time to repent.
Time to change.
Time to forgive.
Time to love.
Time to return to Him.
That is the depth of His grace.
God could have turned away from us because of our failures, but He continues to call us.
He says, in essence:
“Come back to Me. Change your heart. Love one another. Walk in truth.”
That is why, people of God, we should never take life for granted.
Every breath is a gift.
Every morning is a blessing.
Every new day is another opportunity to choose love, kindness, forgiveness, and faith.
So let us not allow pride, hatred, ignorance, or bitterness to control our lives.
Instead, let us ask God for hearts that reflect His character:
A humble heart.
A compassionate heart.
A patient heart.
A forgiving heart.
A joyful heart.
A heart ready to serve and do good.
Jesus teaches us:
“Love your neighbor as yourself.”
— Matthew 22:39
Imagine what our world could look like if we truly lived by these words.
Less hatred.
Less revenge.
Less violence.
Less division.
Less deception.
And more forgiveness.
More love.
More respect.
More kindness.
More unity.
More peace.
More smiles.
That is a life that truly reflects God.
So this morning, I invite you to say with me:
I was created in the image of God.
My body is a temple of the Holy Spirit.
It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me.
And above all, let us pray:
“Lord, I recognize that my life is a gift of Your grace. Keep me from pride. Teach me to be humble, to love, to forgive, to serve, and to walk in Your truth. Let my life be a testimony of Your goodness, Your mercy, and Your love.”
People of God, let us recognize God's grace while we still have time.
May our lives not simply be long, but meaningful, faithful, holy, valuable, and pleasing to God.
May God give us the wisdom to understand that every human being is precious in His sight—and therefore, every human being should also be precious in our eyes.
Let us choose peace.
Let us choose forgiveness.
Let us choose love.
Let us choose hope.
Let us choose to be a blessing to someone today.
And let us never forget to smile and be grateful for the beautiful gift of another day.
Lord, thank You for life.
Thank You for Your grace.
Thank You for Your patience.
Thank You for Your love.
And above all, thank You because You give us another opportunity today to return to You, to love one another, and to make this world a better place.
Amen.
— Bagamang Bertrand, Evangelist

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*Praising Adonai From Dawn to Dusk*

Close your eyes for a moment. And while you do that, picture this wonderfully diverse planet we call home. (Yes, really.)

Everything that you just imagined—God created all of it. And God created all of us to worship Him.

From north to south and east to west. From bustling cities to slow-paced villages. From lifeless deserts to life-packed forests. From the highest mountains to the farthest oceans.
*“From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets, the Name of the Lord is to be praised!” Psalm 113:3*
The sun “rises” and “sets” on all of us. All people, all languages, all nations. All skin colors, eye colors, and hair colors. All shapes, sizes, and personalities. Rich and poor. Aching hearts and contagious smiles.

An eclectic mix of people from various parts of the world have been praising God from generation to generation—and it continues to happen now. And we know it will never stop.

In *Revelation 7*, John has a vision of a “great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people, and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb,” who is Christ. They are serving and worshiping, all day and night.

God’s people—past, present, and future—are a worshiping people. 

We can worship with our songs.
We can worship with our money.
We can worship with our lives.

And one day, when we finally see things clearly, every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. But today, we don’t have to wait to worship.

When sunlight streams through our windows, we can worship.
When the evening sky turns orange-ish pink, we can worship.
When we’re in a season of waiting, we can worship.
When we’re in a season of receiving, we can worship.
When our heart is empty and breaking, we can worship.
When our heart is full, we can worship.

*From dawn to dusk, let the Name of the Lord be praised.*

Today, let's begin to think about this verse and consider what compels us to worship God. Then, shift our hearts toward Him and don’t forget to worship Him that sit enthroned upon the circle of the earth.. The One that lives forever.

*Praising God For His Goodness*
Father God, You are good and Your Mercy endures forever. No matter what goes on around us—You are always good. You are worthy of our praises because You are God in eternity past, present and future. You provide for us, strengthen us, deliver us, heal us and redeemed our souls. Even when we don’t see You at work in our lives, that doesn’t change the fact that You are working. There is no one like You. So regardless of what we face today, we will praise You forever! In Jesus’ Mighty Name, Amen.

Good morning to everyone. Grace and Peace be with you.

Yesterday was such a beautifully blessed day filled with hilarity, accomplishment, and love. With help from our guests, my storage unit is now empty and all that was left is now properly stored in my shed. My shed, appropriately named: All Things Not Garage, is tidy and does not look like anything that I would own. Now, the little garage which sits right beside the shed of all things not garage, it is a little more cluttered, but still does not look like anything that I would own … it is tidy-ish. My third yard got mowed without issue and I got me a nice hot bath. Played games on the phone with the littles, got cuddles and lots of giggles. However, the biggest event for my day was when we tried a new translation AP so that me and my friend could have a conversation. WE had a conversation … a conversation of giggles and hearty laughter.

As we tried to talk slow, but fast enough and fast, but slow enough for the AP to understand two old ladies … let's just say the translations … well, some were good and correct; others were good for loud laughing. This actually got me in trouble, because my daughter-in-law was trying to put the kids to bed.

In this transaction of trying to talk to each other without one of the kids being there to translate for us, these two old women laughed and bonded in love. Love for fun. Love for family. Love for the Spirit who wants us to understand each other a little better.

Sometimes, as adults, we get too caught up in the adulting part of life that we forget to remember to have fun. We forget that we are allowed to laugh. We are allowed to let go. We are allowed to be free of all the adult rules from time to time and just act like kids. To let our bodies feel the ache of stomach cramps from laughing too hard and too much. We are allowed to live.

This day even ended with hilarity. As I was saying my prayers and giving thanks, my mind was everywhere. Then when I went to recite the Lord’s Prayer, “Our Father who art in heaven, hilarity be thy name….” I kid you not it took three tries before I got the words right. And yes, that caused even more laughing for me.
Today I would like to encourage you to find that inner person who is screaming for laughter. Who is crying to have gut-wrenching aches from too many giggles. Do not allow the enemy to keep you from the beautiful smiles and joyful bliss of laughter. Being an adult is hard enough; do not take away your playtime. Find time today to enjoy the blessings, instigate laughter, and smile because it looks good on you.

Be blessed.

**For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God. – Romans 8:20-21

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OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DATE: SUNDAY, AUGUST 16TH, 2026
TOPIC: THE GAINS OF GOD'S COVENANT I

AUTHOR: PASTOR E.A ADEBOYE

MEMORISE: "Keep therefore the words of this covenant, and do them, that ye may prosper in all that ye do." Deuteronomy 29:9

BIBLE READING: DEUTERONOMY 28:1-14
1 And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the LORD thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth:
2 And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God.
3 Blessed shalt thou be in the city, and blessed shalt thou be in the field.
4 Blessed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy ground, and the fruit of thy cattle, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep.
5 Blessed shall be thy basket and thy store.
6 Blessed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and blessed shalt thou be when thou goest out.
7 The LORD shall cause thine enemies that rise up against thee to be smitten before thy face: they shall come out against thee one way, and flee before thee seven ways.
8 The LORD shall command the blessing upon thee in thy storehouses, and in all that thou settest thine hand unto; and he shall bless thee in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.
9 The LORD shall establish thee an holy people unto himself, as he hath sworn unto thee, if thou shalt keep the commandments of the LORD thy God, and walk in his ways.
10 And all people of the earth shall see that thou art called by the name of the LORD; and they shall be afraid of thee.
11 And the LORD shall make thee plenteous in goods, in the fruit of thy body, and in the fruit of thy cattle, and in the fruit of thy ground, in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers to give thee.
12 The LORD shall open unto thee his good treasure, the heaven to give the rain unto thy land in his season, and to bless all the work of thine hand: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, and thou shalt not borrow.
13 And the LORD shall make thee the head, and not the tail; and thou shalt be above only, and thou shalt not be beneath; if that thou hearken unto the commandments of the LORD thy God, which I command thee this day, to observe and to do them:
14 And thou shalt not go aside from any of the words which I command thee this day, to the right hand, or to the left, to go after other gods to serve them.

MESSAGE:
In Proverbs 31:1-9, one of the things King Lemuel's mother taught him was that there were certain things that kings should not do. She told him that kings should not give their strength to women, nor should they follow the ways that destroy kings, nor should they drink wine or strong drink. If a fellow does the things that kings shouldn't do, it is expected that such a person would either never become a king or would be dethroned if he or she is already a king.

To fully enjoy the gains of any covenant with God, you must be ready to fulfil its terms and conditions by surrendering totally to Him and obeying all His instructions. Once you decide to serve God with all your life and do whatever He says, sooner or later, people will come to you and say, "Tell us your secret; how are you flourishing in every area of your life?!"

Many people attribute the remarkable progress of RCCG to my academic background; however, they are unaware that we are reaping the benefits of the founder's covenant with God. God called the founder of the church, Pa Josiah Akindayomi, a man who never attended school, and told him that if he could meet certain conditions, He would establish a church through him that would spread around the world. God helped Pa Akindayomi, and before his death, he fulfilled all the conditions that God gave him. Today, the RCCG is present in over 195 nations worldwide.

The church is where it is today because of God's covenant with my Father in the Lord. God cannot be mocked. Anyone who obeys the terms of His covenant will reap its gains. In today's memory verse, Moses told the Israelites that if they kept God's commandments, they would prosper in all that they did.

Prosperity is a major gain that those who keep God's covenant will enjoy. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob all enjoyed abundant prosperity as a result of God's covenant with Abraham. Father Abraham was described as a man who was blessed in all things (Genesis 24:1), Isaac was described as being very great (Genesis 26:13), and Jacob was described as a prosperous man (Genesis 30:43).

Beloved, God has given His children all things to enjoy richly (1 Timothy 6:17). However, you must fulfil the terms and conditions of God's covenant with His children to truly enjoy prosperity in all areas of your life. May your life reflect the gains of God's covenant abundantly, in Jesus' name.

KEY POINT:
Anyone who obeys the terms of God's covenant wil reap its gains.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: JEREMIAH 40-43

HYMN 30: WHEN WE WALK WITH THE LORD
1 When we walk with the Lord
in the light of His word,
what a glory He sheds on our way!
While we do His good will, He abides with us still,
and with all who will trust and obey.

Refrain:
Trust and obey, for there's no other way
to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

2 Not a shadow can rise,
Not a cloud in the skies,
But His smiles quickly drives it away;
Not a doubt nor a fear,
Not a sigh nor a tear,
Can abide while we trust and obey.

3 Not a burden we bear,
Not a sorrow we share,
But our toil He doth richly Repay;
Not a grief or a loss,
Not a frown or a cross,
But is blest if we trust and Obey.

4 But we never can prove
The delights of His love
Until all on the altar we lay;
For the favour He shows,
For the joy He bestows,
Are for them,
Who will trust and obey.

5 Then in fellowship sweet
We will sit at His feet,
Or we'll walk by His side
In the way;
What He says we will do,
Where He sends we will go;
Never fear, only trust and obey..

OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DATE: SUNDAY, AUGUST 16TH, 2026
TOPIC: THE GAINS OF GOD'S COVENANT I

AUTHOR: PASTOR E.A ADEBOYE

MEMORISE: "Keep therefore the words of this covenant, and do them, that ye may prosper in all that ye do." Deuteronomy 29:9

BIBLE READING: DEUTERONOMY 28:1-14
1 And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the LORD thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth:
2 And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God.
3 Blessed shalt thou be in the city, and blessed shalt thou be in the field.
4 Blessed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy ground, and the fruit of thy cattle, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep.
5 Blessed shall be thy basket and thy store.
6 Blessed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and blessed shalt thou be when thou goest out.
7 The LORD shall cause thine enemies that rise up against thee to be smitten before thy face: they shall come out against thee one way, and flee before thee seven ways.
8 The LORD shall command the blessing upon thee in thy storehouses, and in all that thou settest thine hand unto; and he shall bless thee in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.
9 The LORD shall establish thee an holy people unto himself, as he hath sworn unto thee, if thou shalt keep the commandments of the LORD thy God, and walk in his ways.
10 And all people of the earth shall see that thou art called by the name of the LORD; and they shall be afraid of thee.
11 And the LORD shall make thee plenteous in goods, in the fruit of thy body, and in the fruit of thy cattle, and in the fruit of thy ground, in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers to give thee.
12 The LORD shall open unto thee his good treasure, the heaven to give the rain unto thy land in his season, and to bless all the work of thine hand: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, and thou shalt not borrow.
13 And the LORD shall make thee the head, and not the tail; and thou shalt be above only, and thou shalt not be beneath; if that thou hearken unto the commandments of the LORD thy God, which I command thee this day, to observe and to do them:
14 And thou shalt not go aside from any of the words which I command thee this day, to the right hand, or to the left, to go after other gods to serve them.

MESSAGE:
In Proverbs 31:1-9, one of the things King Lemuel's mother taught him was that there were certain things that kings should not do. She told him that kings should not give their strength to women, nor should they follow the ways that destroy kings, nor should they drink wine or strong drink. If a fellow does the things that kings shouldn't do, it is expected that such a person would either never become a king or would be dethroned if he or she is already a king.

To fully enjoy the gains of any covenant with God, you must be ready to fulfil its terms and conditions by surrendering totally to Him and obeying all His instructions. Once you decide to serve God with all your life and do whatever He says, sooner or later, people will come to you and say, "Tell us your secret; how are you flourishing in every area of your life?!"

Many people attribute the remarkable progress of RCCG to my academic background; however, they are unaware that we are reaping the benefits of the founder's covenant with God. God called the founder of the church, Pa Josiah Akindayomi, a man who never attended school, and told him that if he could meet certain conditions, He would establish a church through him that would spread around the world. God helped Pa Akindayomi, and before his death, he fulfilled all the conditions that God gave him. Today, the RCCG is present in over 195 nations worldwide.

The church is where it is today because of God's covenant with my Father in the Lord. God cannot be mocked. Anyone who obeys the terms of His covenant will reap its gains. In today's memory verse, Moses told the Israelites that if they kept God's commandments, they would prosper in all that they did.

Prosperity is a major gain that those who keep God's covenant will enjoy. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob all enjoyed abundant prosperity as a result of God's covenant with Abraham. Father Abraham was described as a man who was blessed in all things (Genesis 24:1), Isaac was described as being very great (Genesis 26:13), and Jacob was described as a prosperous man (Genesis 30:43).

Beloved, God has given His children all things to enjoy richly (1 Timothy 6:17). However, you must fulfil the terms and conditions of God's covenant with His children to truly enjoy prosperity in all areas of your life. May your life reflect the gains of God's covenant abundantly, in Jesus' name.

KEY POINT:
Anyone who obeys the terms of God's covenant wil reap its gains.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: JEREMIAH 40-43

HYMN 30: WHEN WE WALK WITH THE LORD
1 When we walk with the Lord
in the light of His word,
what a glory He sheds on our way!
While we do His good will, He abides with us still,
and with all who will trust and obey.

Refrain:
Trust and obey, for there's no other way
to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

2 Not a shadow can rise,
Not a cloud in the skies,
But His smiles quickly drives it away;
Not a doubt nor a fear,
Not a sigh nor a tear,
Can abide while we trust and obey.

3 Not a burden we bear,
Not a sorrow we share,
But our toil He doth richly Repay;
Not a grief or a loss,
Not a frown or a cross,
But is blest if we trust and Obey.

4 But we never can prove
The delights of His love
Until all on the altar we lay;
For the favour He shows,
For the joy He bestows,
Are for them,
Who will trust and obey.

5 Then in fellowship sweet
We will sit at His feet,
Or we'll walk by His side
In the way;
What He says we will do,
Where He sends we will go;
Never fear, only trust and obey..