February 3, 2023 … Sharing God’s Hospitality  …   

Berry Patch Devotions in 2023 - Day 34 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...  Please take the time to take in song and lyrics from Tom Booth singing  … Pilgrim Walk On … poignantly and powerfully singing about how we Christians, on God’s path to glory may feel like strangers in a strange land at times; but we must walk on, following God’s light in this dark and strange world.   

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Highlight Passage: …Levitate 19:33-34 [NLT] …  33 “Do not take advantage of foreigners who live among you in your land. 34 Treat them like native-born Israelites, and love them as you love yourself. Remember that you were once foreigners living in the land of Egypt. I am the Lord your God. 

… God commands His faithful family of believers treat strangers as He treats His covenant people … like His own family.                                                                                        

Highlight Passage (Context): …  Leviticus 19:32-37 [NLT] …  USE THIS LINK …  

…  God commands His chosen people to treat strangers like fellow Israelites.    

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Reference Passage: … Exodus 23:9 [NLT] … 

9 “You must not oppress foreigners. You know what it’s like to be a foreigner, for you yourselves were once foreigners in the land of Egypt.  

… God, thru Moses, commands God’s people to show charity and kindness to strangers, remembering what it was like for God’s people to be oppressed in Egypt.     

Reference Passage: … Matthew 25:35, … 40 [NLT] … 

35 For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home.  … 40 “And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’

… Jesus’ parable showing how much The Lord values those who treat strangers and those in need as He, King Jesus, would treat us.               

Reference Passage: … Romans 15:7 [NLT] … 

7 Therefore, accept each other just as Christ has accepted you so that God will be given glory.  

… Paul shows fellow Christians how we should accept and treat others as our Lord has accepted us into His family. 

Reference Passage: … 1Corinthians 11:1 [NLT] … 

2 Don’t forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it!  

… God’s word, thru the Author of Hebrews, admonishes Christians to show hospitality to strangers.   

Reference Passage: … 1Peter 4:9 [NLT] … 

9 Cheerfully share your home with those who need a meal or a place to stay.   

… Peter strongly calls on Christians to share hospitality with those in need of hospitality.      

                                                                             

My Devotional Journal: Today's Our Daily Bread author, l?Anne Cetas … AT THIS LINK …   shared a story of Church friends who reached out to welcome and help a new family dealing with a new land and culture, … helping them to feel welcome thru the family of God.  

And if my readers have ever traveled to a foreign land with an entirely new culture and language, you know how much like a pilgrim we feel.  So, when others become pilgrims in our world, as God’s word charges Christians in the Scriptures above, we should do all we can to help these pilgrims feel at home and welcome in a strange new world.  

And I’m stopping to pray right now that we do just as Christ would call us to do, and reach out to help pilgrims walk with God’s love and acceptance if we have the opportunity to show God’s love and grace to those who may be strangers in our world.                

My THANKFULNESS:= ... Oh, Abba Father, thank You, King Jesus, … for giving me Your love and showing Your invitation to experience the love or Your family forever.              

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I pray that all reading here will join me, … to reach out and share Your love, Lord, to others who need to be in Your family.         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.