Monday, September 30, 2019

September 30, 2019 … The Healing Tree

Berry Patch Devotions in 2019 - Day 273 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ... Please take the time to take in a YouTube video of song and lyrics from Natalie Grant singing Clean ... poignantly singing of how we, as Christians, are made clean by repenting of our sin and believing in the cleansing sacrifice of Christ’s blood on the cross.

 Left - Poisonwood Tree ... Right - Gum Elemi Tree 

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Highlight Verse[s]: Isaiah 53:5 [NKJV] ... 5  But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. 
… God’s prophesy of God healing our sin thru the Lord’s sacrefice on the cross.
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Highlight Passage [context]: Isaiah 53:1-6 [NKJV] ... USE THIS LINK ...
… Isiah prophesies the healing sacrifice of the Messiah 700+ years before it took place. 
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Reference Passage : … Lamentations 3:22-23 [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. 
… God promises His healing grace to be there for all who need His healing mercies … anyone, … anytime, … anywhere.

Reference Passage : … Isaiah 41:10 [NKJV] … 10  Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’ 
… God’s promise; … to lift us up anytime/anywhere we need His strength.

Reference Passage : … Matthew 11:28-30 [NKJV] ... USE THIS LINK ...
… Jesus’ promise to be there anytime we need Him to help us carry our load in life.

My Devotional Journal: Today's ODB author, Amy Peterson, uses a botanical picture in nature illustrating how Christ’s blood heals all our sin wounds. … The ODB author wrote: Following the park guide, I scribbled notes as he taught about the plants of the Bahamian primeval forest. He told us which trees to avoid. The poisonwood tree, he said, secretes a black sap that causes a painful, itchy rash. But not to worry! The antidote could usually be found growing right next it. “Cut into the red bark of the gum elemi tree,” he said, “and rub the sap on the rash. It will immediately begin to heal.” [see photo of the two trees described above] 
I nearly dropped my pencil in astonishment. I hadn’t expected to find a picture of salvation in the forest. But in the gum elemi tree, I saw Jesus. He’s the ready remedy wherever the poison of sin is found. Like the red bark of that tree, the blood of Jesus brings healing. 

Interesting picture from nature … of God’s mercy and grace … with His saving grace being available to anyone - anytime - anywhere - for the healing of our sin; … but only when we’re willing to believe in Christ’s sacrifice and receive His healing grace; … and, as Natalie Grant sings in the linked song, experiencing the cleansing from the balm of our Lord’s sacrifice.

I pray all reading here have allowed Christ’s blood, thru our faith in His sacrifice, to cleanse us and heal us from the painful disease of our sin nature. And as I have this morning, … by hearing the linked song and meditating on the scriptures above, sensing His healing grace all over again. 

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My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh Abba Father, ... thank You, Lord, ... for ALWAYS being there to provide the salve of Your blood to cover the wounds of our sin.
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My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... I pray, Lord, that all reading here will join me to revel in the healing grace we have thru Christ’s blood. … 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.</ span>

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