June 9, 2023 … Our Safe Place …

Berry Patch Devotions in 2023 - Day 160 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...  Please take the time to take in song and lyrics from Chris Rice singing … Rock of Ages … poignantly, yet powerfully, singing of how God’s chosen can hide ourselves in the Lord’s protective love and grace. 

Shaded by God's love and grace ... 

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Highlight Passage: … Romans 5:3-4 [NLT] … 

5 The LORD Himself watches over you!  The LORD stands beside you as your protective shade. 

… A Psalmist sings of God’s promise of being the protector of His chosen people.                   

                         

Highlight Passage (Context): …Psalm 121 [NLT] …  USE THIS LINK … 

… God’s Psalmist sings of God’s protecting His people.                                             .                   

===============                                                                 .                                                                                                                            

Reference Passage: … Psalm 461 [NLT] … 

1 God is our refuge and strength, ALWAYS ready to help in times of trouble.  

… God, thru Isaiah, promises the Lord’s victorious hand to lift believers up in times of trial.

Reference Passage: … Isaiah 41:10 [NLT] … 

<i> 10 Don’t be afraid, for I am with you.  Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God.  I will strengthen you and help you.  I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.  </i>

… God, thru Isaiah, promises the Lord’s victorious hand to protect believers in times of trial.     

Reference Passage: … Matthew 11:28-30 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… Jesus invites those who’re surrendered to follow Him to come to Him for His rest and strength.    

Reference Passage: … Romans 8:38-39 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… Paul assures fellow Christians that NOTHING can ever separate the born-again Christian from God’s love and protective grace.   

Reference Passage: … 2Thessalonians 3:3 [NLT] … 

3 But the Lord is faithful: . He will strengthen you and guard you from the evil one  

… Paul’s confidence that God is ALWAYS guard and protect believers from Satan.        

                                                                                                                          

My Devotional Journal</u>:</b> Today's Our Daily Bread author, Monica LaRose… AT THIS LINK …  tells of a retired teacher with a mission to convince anyone who would listen of the need to plant trees (like the one in the photo), which will grow to provide relief from the heat of the sun which causes so many deaths from heat stroke each year.   

And the teacher’s mission in today’s ODB entry is an apt word pictures for the safety and loving care provided by our Lord for His people.  As Chris Rice sings in the linked song, our Lord is our “Rock of Ages,” on which we can stand in safety.  And if my readers have meditated on the Scriptures cited above, we know that God’s word promises that our Lord is faithful to shade and protect us from the heat of the evil one … forever and always!   

My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh, Abba Father, thank You, King Jesus, … for giving me Your enabling grace to project me from the heat of the evil one.

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I pray that all reading here will join me, … to hide in the shelter of Your love and grace, Lord, today and always.  … 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.