Devotional Song: Go to this link … Please take the time to see a video of a Bill Gaither celebration of Billy Graham’s tent revivals with Billy’s worship leader, Cliff Barrows, leading the praises by having the congregation sing… Blessed Assurance, which proclaims the truth for any/all believers who have their peace and strength in a relationship with Christ.
Highlight Passage: Matthew 11: 28 [NKJV} … Do we rest in Jesus when we’re feeling anxious …28 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. …”
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Highlight Context - NKJV: Matthew 11: 28-30 [NKJV] … GO TO THIS LINK … Our relationship with Jesus is where we find our peace …
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Reference Passage #1: Proverbs 3: 5-6 … [NKJV] … GO TO THIS LINK … I hope you know this one BY HEART. It”s true; but do we have this kind of trust.?
Reference Passage #2: Isaiah 26: 3 … [NKJV] … Again, truth; but do we rest in its reality . …
3 You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.
Reference Passage #3: Philippians 4: 6-7 … [NKJV] … Paul hits most of us right between the eyes with conviction …
6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Reference Passage #4: 1st Peter 5: 7… [NKJV] … And Peter said it too!! …
7 … casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.
My Journal for Today: Today’s Our Daily Bread devotional entry, authored by Jennifer Benson Schuldt, had an interesting word picture in today’s ODB to illustrate her lesson. She spoke of the curious strategy used by possum’s to “play dead” when threatened by danger. And that reminded me of another, more personal picture, which I remember from my own past.
When my wife and I moved into our home, our first dog was a tiny little toy poodle, named, “Scamp,” who only weighed about 4 pounds. It was always getting into stuff it shouldn’t; and when Scamp knew it was “busted” and was about to be yelled at, it would almost do a “possum pose,” lying down, belly up, totally prostrate, in a posture of total surrender to me, … her MASTER!
And that picture reminded me of the posture God’s truth paints for us when we’re feeling oppressed or when we’re anxious. And God said it through many of His truth sayers, like Jesus in today’s highlight passage of Matthew 11: 28; … or by Solomon in Proverbs 3: 5—6; … or through the Prophet, Isaiah, in Isaiah 26: 3, … or from the Apostle Paul in Philippians 4; 6-7; … or from Paul’s buddy, Peter, in 1st Peter 5: 7 … all passages of truth either linked or copied above for your study and meditation.
How many times does God have to say, through how many spokesmen, that He wants us to come, just like our little dog (see the attached photo). and lie in total surrender, trusting TOTALLY in the Master Who ALWAYS has our well being in His hands?
Our question today, as is always God’s question, … DO WE BELIEVE these truths enough to surrender ALL of our will to His, trusting that He cares for us and will be our protector and guide in life?
I pray we do.
My Prayer for Today … Lord, as the video prompts me to sing, THIS IS MY STORY; … You are my BLESSED ASSURANCE … all my life long! Amen
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 [TGIF], distributed online via email by RBC Ministries. If you GO TO THIS LINK on the date of my blog, you’ll find a link to read the Our Daily Bread blogs; or you can subscribe to the blog via email at that site.
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