July 19, 2024 … Helping The Hurting …

July 19, 2024 … Helping The Hurting   …   

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...  Please take the time to take in this song with the group, Mercy Me,  singing Even If … Poignantly, and yet powerfully singing of relying on God to lift us up and praising Him in our brokenness, … no matter what we face in life.  

Rev Dr William Barber II .... 

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Highlight Passage: … James 2:3-4 [NLT] … 

 3 If you give special attention and a good seat to the rich person, but you say to the poor one, “You can stand over there, or else sit on the floor”—well, 4 doesn’t this discrimination show that your judgments are guided by evil motives?.  </i>

… God, thru James, rebukes those who discriminate against the broken and the hurting.        

    

Highlight Passage (in context):… James 2:3-6  [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… God’s word, thru James, charging fellow Christians to avoid discriminating against those who are hurting or in need of help.                                                                                                          

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Reference Passage: …Psalm 34:18  [NLT] …  

18 The Lord is close to the brokenhearted;  He rescues those whose spirits are crushed. 

… King David sings of God being close to those to the hurting.  

       

Reference Passage: … Isaiah 40:29-31 [NLT) ... USE THIS LINK ...  

… God gives strength to those who serve Him. 

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

… Jesus, in teaching to His followers and His inner 12 disciples (and to us now), … that they (we) should yoke ourselves to His strength and look for His light in dealing with the world.

Reference Passage: … Romans 15:1  [NLT] … 

1 We who are strong must be considerate of those who are sensitive about things like this. We must not just please ourselves.. .

… Paul teaches fellow Christians (and us) that those who are strong should help those who are weak.

Reference Passage: … 2Corinthians 1:3-5  [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …  

… the Apostle Paul teaches truth to fellow Christians that God provides comfort to those who comfort the the nursing.                          

Reference Passage: … Galatians 6:2 [NLT] …  

2 Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ. . 

… Paul exhorts fellow Christians to share each other’s burdens.       

<b><u>My Devotional Journal</u>:</b> Today’s Our Daily Bread  Author, Arthur Jackson -  AT THIS LINK  - https://odb.org/2024/07/19/brokenness-that-blesses  -  told of a Pastor William Barber II in 1993 (see photo), who suffered from a spinal condition making it difficult for him to even walk, … and being told, … “Barber, you probably gonna need to figure out another thing to do besides pastoring, because the church ain’t gonna want [someone disabled] to be their pastor.”  But Barber rebuffed His critics and became one of the strongest advocates for helping the broken and downtrodden in our society. 

And if you’ve taken in the Linked song and the Scriptures shared above, I think my readers, as was I, will be convicted to see that God is calling us, and giving us His strength to help others who are suffering or down-trodden.  What do you think we could do - even today - to help someone who much need our assistance?  I pray we do?!            

My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh, Abba Father, thank You, King Jesus, … for showing me someone who I might help … maybe even today?!    

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I’m praying that those who read with me here will join me to use Your strength and grace, Lord, to help others 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.