Saturday, October 22, 2016

October 22, 2016: Helping the Needy

Daily Berry Patch Devotions in 2016 - Day 296  

Devotional Song:  … GO TO THIS LINK …  Please take the time to take in a YouTube video of images illustrating the song by Avalon … No Orphans of God … with a strong message to Christians to reach out to help those in need.

 
Highlight Verse[s]: Matthew 25:40 [NKJV] …  
40 And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’ 
… God is faithful to help us through the rough patches of life.
============
Highlight Context: Matthew 25:31-40 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK 
… Jesus, teaches/preaches on how we are to fulfill His example to the world of the law of love. 
===========

Reference Passage #1 … Isaiah 58:7-8 [NKJV] …USE THIS LINK 
… God speaks thru the Prophet on how we are to live in His kingdom.

Reference Passage #2 … John 13:34-35 [NKJV] …  
34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” 
… Could Jesus have made his law of love more clear to His disciples (that’s you and me too!)?

Reference Passage #3 … Galatians 6:9-10 [NKJV] …  
9 And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith. 
… Paul so wanted fellow Christians to love and live as did Christ, sharing with those who are in need, especially other Christians.

Reference Passage #4 … Philippians 2:3-4 [NKJV] …  
3 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.  4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. 
… Again Paul exhorting Christians to share God’s love with others.

My Journal for Today:  … Our Daily Bread author, Tim Gustafson, uses a true story to illustrate his teaching on God’s LAW OF LOVE. He wrote: Several years ago when the Southern California economy took a downturn, Pastor Bob Johnson saw not only difficulty but also opportunity. So he scheduled a meeting with the mayor of his city and asked, “What can our church do to help you?” The mayor was astonished. People usually came to him for help. Here was a minister offering him the services of an entire congregation. Together the mayor and pastor came up with a plan to address several pressing needs. In their county alone, more than 20,000 seniors had gone the previous year without a single visitor. Hundreds of foster children needed families. And many other kids needed tutoring to help them succeed in school. 

That Pastor put into action everything that God did His best, through Jesus and His Apostles, to exhort (and even command) His family to execute in His “law of love,” by reaching out to help others in need. Please take in today’s photo and song, and most certainly the exhortations of God through His Son and Disciples in the Scriptures above … for us to do all we can to live as Jesus lived, … hence serving Him every time we help someone else in need.

But are we getting it and doing that in our world today? … I think not! … But no matter what others may do, I need to do my part today.

My Prayer Today: Heavenly Father, … Show me clearly where I need to serve You by helping others. 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.

No comments: