Dec 9 2025 … Being Christ’s Church …

Dec 9 2025 …  Being Christ’s Church … 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...      and PLEASE take the time to listen to music and lyrics, from Matthew West singing Holy Forever …  exhorting Christians to come TOGETHER to be His church FOREVER.  

Christ's Church coming TOGETHER for His glory ... 

Highlight Passage: … Acts 2:47 … [NLT] … 

47 … all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people. And each day the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being saved. 

… Early believers in Christ as Lord came TOGETHER to worship Him and live for His glory as His Church.

Highlight Passage in Context:  Acts 2:36-47  [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… Peter preaches at Pentecost of God’s Spirit coming to call ALL who believe in Jesus as Lord to be a part of His Body, The Church.

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Reference Passage: … Matthew 16:18 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …

… Jesus declares to Peter that He, as Lord, would build His church which would prevail against all forces in the world.

Reference Passage:…  Acts 20:28 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… The apostle Paul teaches truth and exhorts fellow Christians to come TOGETHER as His church to worship Him and to witness of His glory.  

Reference Passage:… Romans 10:9 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… Paul preaches truth that anyone who believes in Christ as Lord and gives witness to that faith to others will be saved.  

Reference Passage: … 1Corinthians 12:13 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… The Apostle Paul teaches truth about anyone believing on Christ as Lord becoming part of His Body, the Church and sharing in His Spirit.

Reference Passage: … Ephesians 1:22-23 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …

… Paul also teaches of the Church becoming one Body under the Lordship of Jesus as The Christ.

Reference Passage: … Revelation 21:2 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …

… God gives John the revelation of God’s Body, The Church, coming down as Christ’s bride, adorned for glory for the Bridegroom.

My Devotional Journal: Today’s Our Daily Bread Author, Anne Cetas …  USE THS LNK    …  related how she, as a child, was playing with her neighbor friends when they overheard neighbors having a worship service in their neighborhood home, which turned out to be a baptism service and to which the neighbors invited her and her friends to witness.

And this became the first illustration of Christ’s church coming TOGETHER to worship and witness their faith for the ODB author, who, as is witnessed in the linked Scriptures above, is the worldwide expression of The Church of Jesus Christ in the world today.  I pray that all who are reading with me here have become part of that Church.   I certainly am.  How about you? 

My Thanksgiving: … Oh, King Jesus, thank You …Lord, … for inviting me to be part of Your Church … now and forevermore.

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, … building Your Church for all who believe in and worship You as Lord today.  … Amen

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Blogger Note:  Everyday during this year, my daily devotional blogs are influenced by the reading and study of the online devotional blog entitled “Our Daily Bread,” distributed online via email by RBC Ministries.  If you GO TO THIS LINK on the date of my blog, you can read/study the ODB blogs; or you can subscribe to the blog via email at that site.

Dec 8 2025 … Helping The Needy …

Dec 8 2025 …  Helping The Needy … 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...      and PLEASE take the time to listen to music and lyrics, from Matthew West singing Do Something …  exhorting Christians who see the needy in the world to follow God’s call to “DO SOMETHING!”

Highlight Passage: … Deuteronomy 24:19 … [NLT] … 

19 “When you are harvesting your crops and forget to bring in a bundle of grain from your field, don’t go back to get it. Leave it for the foreigners, orphans, and widows. Then the Lord your God will bless you in all you do. … “ 

… Moses instructs God’s people in one way to reach out to help the needy, especially the foreigners in their land.

Highlight Passage in Context:  Deuteronomy 24:17-23  [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… God, thru Moses calls God’s people to be hospitable and generous to the needy among them.

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Reference Passage:… Deuteronomy 15:11 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …

… God, thru Moses, commands His people to give freely to help the poor among them.

Reference Passage: … Proverbs 14:31, 19:17 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… Solomon calls on believers to be willing to honor God by giving to help the needy.  

Reference Passage:… Matthew 6:1-4 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… Jesus, in His “sermon on the mount” calls on His followers to give in private to help the needy, not publicly for show.

Reference Passage:… Hebrews 13:16 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …

… The Author of Hebrews extols and encourages fellow Christians to be willing to give to help the needy.

Reference Passage: … 1John 3:17-18 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

…John teaches truth about giving to help other which shows the love of God in those who’re willing to give to help the needy.

My Devotional Journal: Today’s Our Daily Bread Author, Matt Lucas …  USE THS LNK    …  related how his church, some time in the past, had opened up their homes and showed God’s love and hospitality to share their homes and resources with a group of immigrants who had been displaced from their homeland due to a political change of leadership.

And this act of loving kindness, which certainly was compatible with what God calls His people to do (see Scriptures shared above), reinforced, for the ODB author, what all Christians should be doing when they (we) see others in need.   Actually, I, for one, need to be more open-hearted, when I see others who genuinely need a helping hand.  What about you? 

My Thanksgiving: … Oh, King Jesus, thank You …Lord, … for calling me to be more hospitable and generous when I see others in need.

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, … thank You for giving Your all for Your children, … all of us who need Your love and mercy so desperately. … Amen

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Blogger Note:  Everyday during this year, my daily devotional blogs are influenced by the reading and study of the online devotional blog entitled “Our Daily Bread,” distributed online via email by RBC Ministries.  If you GO TO THIS LINK on the date of my blog, you can read/study the ODB blogs; or you can subscribe to the blog via email at that site.

Dec 7 2025 … Prayers of the Heart …

Dec 7 2025 …  Prayers of the Heart … 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...      and PLEASE take the time to listen to music and lyrics, from Matthew West singing Don’t Stop Praying …  exhorting and encouraging Christians to never stop praying.

Praying from the heart ... 

 

Highlight Passage:… Genesis 16:13 … [NLT] … 

17 “O our God, hear your servant’s prayer! Listen as I plead. For your own sake, Lord, smile again on your desolate sanctuary. … “ 

… Hagar recognizes that God is watching over her and providing her with her needs.

Highlight Passage in Context:  Daniel 9:4-6, 15-19 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …</b> 

… Daniel prays deeply from his heart for forgiveness of God’s people and for what is deeply on his heart.

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Reference Passage: … Matthew 6:6 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… Jesus, in His sermon on the mount, instructs His followers how to pray more effectively to God.

Reference Passage: … Matthew 21:22 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… Jesus promises that God rewards the faithful who truly pray to God <u>in His Name</u>.  

Reference Passage: … John 15:7 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… Jesus promises His disciples that if they (we) abide in Him and pray in His Name God will hear and grate their (our) prayers.

Reference Passage: … Romans 8:26 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …

… Paul teaches truth to fellow Christians about God hearing their (our) prayers from God’s Spirit intervening in our hearts.

Reference Passage: … Philippians 4:6-7 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …

…Paul also teaches truth to fellow Christians to bring <u>anything and everything</u> that’s on their (our) hearts to God, seeking His peace.

Reference Passage: … James 4:3 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …

… Jesus’ brother James calls on fellow Christians. when they have concerns to bring them to God, asking for His mercy and grace.

My Devotional Journal: Today’s Our Daily Bread Author, John Blase …  USE THS LINK  -       …  wrote about a fictitious couple, “Brenda and Eddie,” who were going out to dine together and they went back and forth asking each other where they might go with neither one expressing their heart on where to go.   It’s a scenario that probably has been shared by many readers here today.

And the ODB author points out in today’s entry how we, as surrendered disciples of Christ, need to take the example of Daniel (in the Highlight passage) and from God’s word, shared above … to open up our hearts and be willing to share what’s on our hearts with God, especially when our desires are in accord with God’s will and His heart.   Today, that’s what I’m praying for!   How about you? 

My Thanksgiving: … Oh, King Jesus, thank You …Lord, … for hearting my heart again today as I seek Your mercy and grace. 

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, … thank You for hearing our hearts again today, Lord.  … Amen

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Blogger Note:  Everyday during this year, my daily devotional blogs are influenced by the reading and study of the online devotional blog entitled “Our Daily Bread,” distributed online via email by RBC Ministries.  If you GO TO THIS LINK on the date of my blog, you can read/study the ODB blogs; or you can subscribe to the blog via email at that site.

Dec 6 2025 … God Sees ME …

Dec 6 2025 …  God Sees ME … 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...      and PLEASE take the time to listen to music and lyrics, from Matthew West singing The God Who Stays …  showing Christians we serve a God Who stays with us ALWAYS as He watches over us.

Highlight Passage: … Genesis 16:13 … [NLT] … 

13 Thereafter, Hagar used another name to refer to the Lord, Who had spoken to her. She said, “You are the God Who sees me.” She also said, “Have I truly seen the One who sees me?”

… Hagar recognizes that God is watching over her and providing her with her needs.

Highlight Passage in Context:  Genesis 16:5-13 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …</b> 

… God watches over and provides Hagar with what she needs to care her son, from Abram, … whom she named “Ishmael.”

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Reference Passage: … Proverbs 3:5-6 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… Solomon teaches and calls on believers to trust that God watches over and leads them (us) in the right way thru the trials of life.

Reference Passage:… Isaiah 43:1-2 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… God, thru Isaiah, promises His people to always watch over them (us).  

Reference Passage: … Matthew 28:20b … [NLT] … 

20b   And be sure of this … “I will be with you ALWAYS, even to the end of the age!”

… Jesus, just before He ascended back to Heaven, promises His faithful disciples and followers that He will ALWAYS be them (us) ... {hear it in the linked song}

Reference Passage:… Romans 8:28 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …

… God, thru Paul, promises that ALL THINGS are from God watching over and caring for His chosen people.

Reference Passage: … Philippians 4:19 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

…Paul also teaches truth to fellow Christians that God watches over and provides the needs of His faithful.  

My Devotional Journal: Today’s Our Daily Bread Author, Poh Fang Chia …  USE THS LNK  -      …  related the story of a young woman, named Sun, whose husband had sustained a stoke, causing Sun to become his caretaker.  However, as the burdens of caring for Sun’s husband became more and more overwhelming, at times Sun felt that God wasn’t watching over her.  But in time help came to her and Sun realized that God was indeed watching over her all the time.

And Sun’s story reminded the ODB author of Hagar’s situation in the Old Testament (see the highlight passage in Genesis 16), … where Hagar felt all alone, taking care of the son of Abram, … whom she named, Ishmael.  Hagar finally came to see that God was, in reality, watching over her and providing her with what she needed to care for her son. 

Today, as my readers take in the linked song and the Scriptures shared above, I pray you see, as I do, that our God is ALWAYS watching over us and providing for our needs … every moment! … every day!   He’s The God Who sees us … and cares for us.   I’m seeing that truth right now; … how about you?

My Thanksgiving: … Oh, King Jesus, thank You …Lord, … for watching over me with Your caring eyes.

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, … thank You for providing for our needs … today and always.  … Amen

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Blogger Note:  Everyday during this year, my daily devotional blogs are influenced by the reading and study of the online devotional blog entitled “Our Daily Bread,” distributed online via email by RBC Ministries.  If you GO TO THIS LINK on the date of my blog, you can read/study the ODB blogs; or you can subscribe to the blog via email at that site.