Jan 4 2026 … Creation Calls …

Jan 4 2026 …  Creation Calls  … 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...      and PLEASE take the time to listen to music and lyrics, from Brian Doerksen singing Creation Calls … calling on Christians to look around and see God’s glory through His creation.

 

Highlight Passage: … Luke 12:27-28 … [NLT] … 

27 “Look at the lilies and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. 28 And if God cares so wonderfully for flowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, He will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith? 

… Jesus teaches His followers about God’s creation   

Highlight Passage in Context:  Luke 12:22-31  [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… Jesus, teaching about God’s creation, declaring His glory, lifting up the faith of His followers 

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Reference Passage: …  Genesis 1:1-31 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… Who can deny the glory of what God has created for us. 

Reference Passage: … Psalms 19:1 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …

… Looking into the heavens, anyone can see the glory of God.  

Reference Passage: … Isaiah 42:5-6 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… God, thru Isaiah, promises, … thru creation, … that the Lord will make His people to be a light for the world to see His glory. 

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

… God’s promise, thru the Apostle John, that everything was created by God for His glory.

Reference Passage: … Colossians 1:16 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… The Apostle Paul teaches fellow Christians that everything we see around us was created for us by God for His glory.

Reference Passage: … Revelation 4:11 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… The Apostle John, as God revealed His heavenly glory through the Apostle, declares that God created all we see to reveal His glory.

My Devotional Journal: Today’s Our Daily Bread from John Blase …  USE THS LINK    … wrote about two parents who lost their two children several years apart and found their consolation and comfort by looking around to see what God had created for mankind, … realizing that if He created all that they saw in the world that He would give them what He had promised … to reunite them with their children in heaven.

And as I take in the linked song and the Scriptures shared above, I am lifted up with confidence in all of God’s promises, especially as I see all that God has created, … JUST FOR HIS OWN!  Can you see God’s care for us in creation?  I sure can; and I pray you can too! 

My Thanksgiving: … Oh, King Jesus, thank You …Lord, … for all I see You created for Your children. 

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, … We look around us and see Your glory.   … 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.

Jan 3 2026 … Gifted For God’s Service …

Jan 3 2026 …  Gifted For God’s Service  … 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...      and PLEASE take the time to listen to music and lyrics, from Chris Tomlin and Chris Lane singing Gifts From God … calling on Christians to use the gifts God has given them (us) to serve The Lord … for His glory.

One of the "Friendship Benches" ... 

 

Highlight Passage: … Nehemiah 3:6 … [NLT] …  

6 The Old City Gate was repaired by Joiada son of Paseah and Meshullam son of Besodeiah. They laid the beams, set up its doors, and installed its bolts and bars. 

… Nehemiah specifically names those who helped rebuild the walls and the gate to Jerusalem.  

Highlight Passage in Context:  Nehemiah 3:6-12  [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… Nehemiah names those who came forward to use their gifts to rebuild the walls and gates to Jerusalem.

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Reference Passage: …  Psalms 119:105 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… King David sings of using God’s word to guide us in serving the Lord. 

Reference Passage:… Romans 12:4-8 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… Paul teaches truth to God’s people that we, God’s church, are one body, using all it’s individual parts to work TOGETHER for God’s glory.   

Reference Passage:… 1Corinthians 12:4, 8-11 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… Paul teaches about God’s Spirit assigning gifts to each of His chosen ones to build His kingdom for His glory. 

Reference Passage: … James 1:17 [NLT]   … USE THIS LINK … 

… Jesus’ brother James describes that all His gifts are from God and are  given for His glory.

Reference Passage: … 1Peter 4:10 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …

… The Apostle Peter teaches fellow Christians that each of them (us) has been given a gift to used to serve one another for God’s glory.

My Devotional Journal: Today’s Our Daily Bread from Poh Fang Chia …  USE THS LINK      … told of a Dr. Chibanda, working in an African mental health hospital, being disturbed by the suicide of a young man who took his life because he didn’t have the bus fare to get to the hospital.  So Dr. Chibanda was led to establish the “Friendship Bench” program where gifted and dedicated and well-trained grandmothers where strategically placed on benches in the area (see photo) to meet and counsel with people who need the empathy and counseling provided by these grandmothers. 

And as my readers and I take in this illustration, as well as God’s word shared above about using our giftedness for God’s glory, I, for one,  am stopping to pray that we all realize God has given us His gifts to use for His glory TODAY AND TOMORROW.  I’m up for that!  How about you.

My Thanksgiving: … Oh, King Jesus, thank You …Lord, … for giving me special gifts to serve You.

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, … We are using Your gifts today, to serve You, for Your glory.   … 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.

Jan 2 2026 … Set Free …

Jan 2 2026 …  Set Free  … 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...      and PLEASE take the time to listen to music and lyrics, from Hope Darst, singing Set Free … calling on Christians to recognize that Christ’s work on the cross set us free from the debt of sin.

Set free - FOREVER - by Christ ... 

 

Highlight Passage: … Colossians 2:13-14 … [NLT] …  

13 You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for He forgave all our sins. 14 He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross. 

… The Apostle Paul teaches that Christ, by His finished work on the cross, has set all who put their faith in Christ have been set free from the debt of our sin

Highlight Passage in Context:  Colossians 2:13-15  [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… The Apostle Paul teaches truth to fellow Christians about their faith in Christ setting them (us) free from the shackles of our sin (see photo).

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Reference Passage:…  John 8:36 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… Jesus teaches that when God’s Son sets mankind free from our debt of sin, those that believe in Him will be free indeed. 

Reference Passage: … Romans 6:14-23 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …

… Paul teaches how we Christians were once slaves of our sin nature but, by our faith in Christ’s finished work on the cross, we have become free from our sin and slaves to righteousness.   

Reference Passage: … Romans 8:1-2 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… Paul also declares that our faith in Christ has set us free from our bondage to sin. 

Reference Passage: … 2Corinthians 5:17 [NLT]   … USE THIS LINK … 

… Paul also teaches fellow Christians that when we put our faith in Christ, we become new persons … FOREVER!

Reference Passage: … Galatians 5:13 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… The Apostle Paul repetitively teaches that our freedom from our past bondage to sin does not give us the license to satisfy the desire or our sin nature.

Reference Passage: … 1John 1:9 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… The Apostle John shows fellow Christians that when they (we) humbly confess their (our) sins, God is willing - and able - to forgive and cleanse the believer of his/her sin - completely and FOREVER. 

My Devotional Journal: Today’s Our Daily Bread from Jennifer Benson Schuldt …  USE THS LINK    … told about a doctor, who had treated patients for cancer for over 30 years, deciding to retire; and in the process decided to release patients, who owed him over $650,000 in debt, saying when asked about it, … “I’ve always been rather uncomfortable with sick patients not only having to worry about their own health, …[but also] their families, and their jobs, and their money.”   

And thru this financial illustration, it does somewhat illustrate - in the spiritual realm - what our faith in Christ’s finished work on the cross does for our sin debt, … completely erasing that debt and freeing us to decide - thru our faith in Christ - to become slaves of Christ and His righteousness - FOREVER.  I - for one - am eternally thankful for God’s willingness, thru giving up His Son, to set me, and prayerfully you, free from the shackles of our sin … forever!

My Thanksgiving: … Oh, King Jesus, thank You …Lord, … for setting me free!  

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, … Declaring our thanks for the freedom from our sin debt FOREVER.   … 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.

Jan 1 2026 … Sharing God’s Good News …

Jan 1 2026 …  Sharing God’s Good News  … 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...      and PLEASE take the time to listen to music and lyrics, from Kristyn Getty, singing By Faith … calling on Christians to be willing to share God’s Good News with others by faith.

Highlight Passage: … Acts 17:32 … [NLT] … 

32 When they heard Paul speak about the resurrection of the dead, some laughed in contempt, but others said, “We want to hear more about this later.”  … 

… The Apostle Paul ventures, in faith, to share the Gospel with Greeks in Athens who were seeking after truth and those who were skeptics when hearing of the resurrection from the dead.

Highlight Passage in Context: Acts 17:29-34 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …

… Paul shares God’s good news of salvation with skeptics and seekers in Athens.

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Reference Passage: …  Isaiah 52:7 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… God’s Prophet, Isaiah, declares the beauty of the feet of those who bring God’s Good News of salvation to the world. 

Reference Passage: … Matthew 28:18-20 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …

… Jesus, before He ascended back to Heaven, commands all, who would be His disciples, to GO into he world and carry God’s Good News of salvation.   

Reference Passage: … Mark 16:15-16 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… Jesus, after His resurrection, commands His remaining 11 disciples to “GO” in faith and preach the Gospel to the world.  

Reference Passage: … John 3:16 [NLT]   … USE THIS LINK … 

… Jesus teaches truth about salvation to Nicodemus, who was seeking for the truth of salvation from The Messiah.

Reference Passage: … 1Corinthians 9:14 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… The Apostle Peter shows that those who benefit from God’s good news should support those who go in faith to share the Gospel with the world.

Reference Passage: … Ephesians 2:8-9 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… The Apostle Paul shows fellow Christians the Gospel truth that salvation is a gift from God for those who accept God’s gift of salvation in faith.  

My Devotional Journal: Today’s Our Daily Bread from Tim Gustafson …  USE THS LINK   … warns Christians, seeking to share the Gospel with others in online news sites.   According to the ODB author today, he contends that we, who desire to share about living forever through faith in Christ, will find some who will listen; but others will mock what we share as fiction.           

So, when God’s “Good News” is shared with others - as we Christians are COMMANDED to do - just as Paul did with Greek scholars and skeptics in the Highlight Passage, we are going to encounter some who will listen and others who will mock and deride us.  But … share we must, … just as Jesus Himself (see Matt 28:19-20) has commanded all real Christians to do.  So, I’ll be looking to share and teach about God’s good news with others today and throughout this new year. How about you?

My Thanksgiving: … Oh, King Jesus, thank You …Lord, … for calling me to be an ambassador or Your Good News into the New Year.

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, … We’re praying today to be able to share Your “good news” with others.   … 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.