Monday, June 22, 2015

June 22, 2015 … Transitions

Daily Berry Patch Devotions in 2015 - Day 173

Devotional Song: … GO TO THIS LINK … Please take the time to take in a video of Steven Curtis Chapman singing his own poignant song His Strength Is Perfect … declaring the truth that God will give us HIS strength when our weaknesses are obvious … And THEN TO THIS LINK  to hear Don Moen sing God Will Make A Way … TRUTH = When there seems to be no way - GOD!! 

Photo:  Kyle Woods in wheelchair - his former coach, Grant Teaff, speaking 

Highlight Passage Joshua 1: 7-8 [NIV] … USE THIS LINK …
... God’s encouragement and prescription for success in the transitions of life
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Highlight Context - Joshua 1: 1-11 [NKJV]USE THIS LINK
… In the transitions of life - we must trust God as did Joshua when it was God’s timing to take His people into the Promised Land
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Reference Passage #1 - Deuteronomy 31: 6-8 [NKJV] USE THIS LINK ...
… Moses encourages Joshua and God’s people as they stand ready to enter the Promised Land

Reference Passage #2 - Proverbs 3: 5-6 [NKJV] … 
5 Trust in the Lord and lean not on your own understanding, 6 In ALL your ways, acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths. 
… The question is - DO WE TRUST HIM?

Reference Passage #3 - Lamentations 3: 22-21 [NKJV] … 
22 Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. 23 They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness. 
… And in the tough transitions of life, do we rely on this truth?

Reference Passage #4 - Romans 8: 31 [NKJV] … 
31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 
 … Really?!! Do we believe it and live it?

Reference Passage #5 - Philippians 4: 13 [NKJV] … 
13 I can do all things, through Christ, Who gives me the strength. 
… No matter what we’re dealing with in our own weakness, God’s strength is ours.

Reference Passage #6 - 2nd Corinthians 12: 9 [NKJV] … 
9 And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
… God’s grace is ALWAYS sufficient - no matter what!!

My Journal for Today: Today’s Our Daily Bread author, David C McCasland, in teaching on dealing with the transitions of life, writes: Whether it’s the loss of a job, the loss of a marriage, a serious illness, or a financial setback, every major change brings challenges. The former athlete told the soldiers that the key to success when you are transitioning into a new way of living is to reach out and get help. 

It was the story of such an athlete, going through a serious transition in his life which changed my life forever. In the attached photo, you see a picture of young Kyle Woods, taken in a wheelchair with quadriplegia, after he had been a promising football player for Baylor University back in the 80s.  I heard Kyle’s story, being told by Kyle Woods’ Coach, Grant Teaff [also in the attached photo], when I was in a deep transition in my life, realizing that I need spiritual strength.

 The coach was relating Kyle Woods’ testimony on a cassette tape I heard … of Christ giving the young boy strength when he became paralyzed from the chest down from a football accident in a practice one day at Baylor. And Woods attributed the strength he had found to deal with this transition in his life, physically, to his spiritual strength from following Christ.

 That story changed my life, from a selfish “agnostic,” … seeking spiritual strength, … to a Christian seeking God’s way in life. I don’t know where you are in life or what transition you may be dealing with now. But if you take in today’s devotional songs, linked above, as well as the truths you read above from God’s word, … AND … if you believe those truths, … you, like Joshua, when he had to deal with the transition in his life after Moses died (see Joshua 1: 1-11), will be able to handle any challenge God has thrown your way. Yes, my fellow Christian, … if you know and believe and meditate on those Bible passages above, there is NO TRANSITION which will get you down. And as Don Moen sings above … “God will make a way!!!”

My Prayer Today: Oh Lord, … You uplift me … AGAIN … King Jesus, with Your encouraging, engaging, empowering word. 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, 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.

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