Berry Patch Devotions in 2021 - Day 222
<b></u>Devotional Song</u>: ... GO TO THIS LINK ... </b> … https://bit.ly/3uJp1Wd … Please take the time to take in song and lyrics from Danny Gokey singing … <b><i>Stand In Faith</b></i> … poignantly singing of how we Christians are called to stand firm in our faith in the midst of all kinds of evil and discord.
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Highlight Passage: … Esther 4:14 [NLT] …
14 If you keep quiet at a time like this, deliverance and relief for the Jews will arise from some other place, but you and your relatives will die. Who knows if perhaps you were made queen for just such a time as this?”
… Mordecai declares - speaking for God to Esther - the Lord’s desire that she must stand strong and speak out to King Xerxes during a time when God’s people where threatened by destruction.
Highlight Passage (Context): … Esther 4:7-14 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… God reveals thru Mordecai, Esther’s uncle, that in the face of evil and destruction of God’s people, Esther had been chosen by God to stand strong.
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Reference Passage: … Joshua 1:9 [NLT] …
9 This is My command — <b>be strong and courageous!</b> Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
… God commands Joshua just as the Lord would command us , … to remain strong and stand firm in our faith to do His will.
Reference Passage: … Luke 9:23 [NLT] …
23 Then He said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me.
… Jesus charged those who followed Him to be willing to stand firm and follow Him no matter what crosses we must bear daily in life.
Reference Passage: … 1Corinthians 16:13 [NLT] …
13 Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong.
… God calls on Christians, thru Paul, to stand firm and be strong in our faith … ALWAYS!
Reference Passage: … Ephesians 6:10-13 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… God, thru Paul, calls on Christians to stand firm in their faith in the mighty power of the Lord, especially when battling the evils of our enemies.
Reference Passage: … 1John 4:4 [NLT] …
4 But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world.
… God, thru John, reminds Christians, that we can fight on for God in this life because His power will alway prevail over the powers of the enemy.
My Devotional Journal: Today's Our Daily Bread author, Kimya Loder … AT THIS LINK … writes of a local Pastor in a small Illinois town, which was overcome by a plague of domestic violence, … declaring to his fellow townsmen, “Our prayers and compassion, coupled with some tangible support, can make an important difference.”
The Pastor in this small town was standing strong and declaring that the only thing which could bring about a permanent reduction in the rash of domestic violence was standing firm in faith that God could be victorious in this spiritual warfare. And I think we recognize that we are in desperate times - perhaps end times - which test our faith as we encounter all kinds of spiritual warfare all around us.
My fellow Christians, today’s song and the Scriptures above mean a lot to me. I’ve been called to lead a ministry which goes to battle daily against the evils of pervasive sexual sin in our world, … called to help Christian men to walk free from the evils of pornography addiction and other forms of sexual sin. And often I feel like we’ve been called to empty an ocean of evil with a teacup of ministry. But I know to stand strong; … because as the song rings true and the truth of God shouts to me thru His word [Scriptures above], … I can - AND MUST - stand firm in my faith and fight on for the battle is HIS and I march to follow HIM in battle every day.
And if you believe in the power of prayer, as I do, please pray for this old soldier; … and for yourself … as we do battle every day to stand firm in our faith in God’s power to make all things right in the end.
My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh, Abba Father, thank You, King Jesus, … for giving me Your empowering grace to do battle in Your Name and for Your glory today.
My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I pray that all reading here will join me, … to stand firm and fight on, with Your power, Lord, … continuing to do battle in Your Name today. … 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.
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