Sept 20, 2024 … God Is ALWAYS Just

Sept 20, 2024 … God Is ALWAYS Just

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...   

… Please take time to hearTim Hughes, with music and lyrics, singing God Of Justice, of how our God, … the God of justice and mercy, …  called us to reflect His justice to those who need it in our world.    

The "Fall of Nineveh" by John Martin 

    

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Highlight Passage: … Nahum 1:3a [NLT] … 

3 The LORD is slow to get angry, but His power is great, and He never lets the guilty go unpunished.  … 

… God’s just nature is described by the Prophet Nahum.        

    

Highlight Passage (in context)  …  Nahum 1:1-8, 15 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …  

…God gives a vision to the Prophet Nahum about the justice of God on the sins of the Ninevites.   

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Reference Passage: … Psalms 33:4-5 … [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …  

…  The Psalmist, likely King David, declares our God to love whatever is just and good.   

Reference Passage: …  Proverbs 21:15-16 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …  

… Solomon’s wisdom on how the Godly love justice but it terrifies the evildoers.                       

Reference Passage: … Ecclesiastes 3:17 [NLT] …  USE THIS Link …  

… Solomon declares truth about God ultimately judging everyone for our deeds.   

Reference Passage: … Isaiah 1:17  [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …   

… God’s truth, thru Isaiah, charging God’s people to seek justice for those who need it in our world, especially the widows and the orphans.   

Reference Passage: … Micah 6:8  [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …   

…  God , thru the Prophet Micah, calls on His people, (i.e., believers ) to live justly and do what He requires of them (us).       

Reference Passage: … Galatians 6:7-8  [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …   

…  The Apostle Paul charges and reminds fellow Christians that we all will just reap what we sow.               

My Devotional Journal: Today’s Our Daily Bread  Author, Tim Gustafson  AT THIS LINK  -  tells of the 19th Century artist John Martin painting his classic painting depicting The Fall of Nineveh, reminding all who see it (See attached photo) of God’s justice for any/all who forget that God WILL judge the sins of any/all who turn away from God’s justice .

     

And that’s why I enlist anyone who is reading with me here to know that we serve a just God, Who, … even tho He, the LORD,  … is slow to anger, will ultimately judge those who refuse to confess and repent of their sins.  However, God will bless those with eternal life who do come to the Lord with repentant hearts.  I’m praying, … right now, … that you and I are those who live for God’s justice and His way of life, following His truth (i.e., His word) all the way to God’s glory.      

My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh, Abba Father, thank You, King Jesus, … for leading me to live by Your word and following Your truth in my life.      

My Prayer Today:  Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I’m praying that those who read with me here will choose to walk in Your justice, Lord, … by living according to Your word today and again tomorrow.     …  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. 

Sept 19, 2024 … Finding God’s Joy in Creation

Sept 19, 2024 … Finding God’s Joy in Creation

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...   

… Please take time to hear Brian Doerksen, with music and lyrics, singing Creation Calls, of how we find God’s joy and peace by looking into God’s creation.    

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Highlight Passage: … Psalms 16:11 [NLT] … 

11 You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of Your presence and the pleasures of living with You forever.  

…David sings of finding joy with God’s presence and the eternal hope of being with The Lord forever.        

    

Highlight Passage (in context): …  Psalm 16 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …  

… King David sings of God granting him with the joy of God’s promise of He’s eternal presence.                                                                                  

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Reference Passage: … Psalm 19:1, 118:24 … [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …  

…  King David sings of God’s creation declaring that every day is a day we can rejoice and be glad of God’s presence.  

Reference Passage: …  Isaiah 26:3-4 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …  

… God’s promise, thru Isaiah in song of The Lord proividing his pest to those tho trust in God’s eternal strength and stability.                       

Reference Passage: … John 16:20-22 [NLT] …  USE THIS Link …  

… Jesus after confusing His disciples in the Upper Room, promises He will give them joy when he returns from the dead, alive to ge with them forever.   

Reference Passage: … Philippians 4:4-7 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …  

…  fellow Christians that they (we) can find God’s peace and joy by bringing all  our cares and worries to the Lord in prayer with a thankful heart.  

Reference Passage: … James 1:2-4  [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …  

…  James, the brother of Jesus, teaches fellow Christians how do deal with troubles, when our faith is tested by trials so that we can find God’s joy and peace.                 

My Devotional Journal: Today’s Our Daily Bread  Author, Patricia Raybon  AT THIS LINK  -  related the story of how an emergency physician, who felt overwhelmed by the death all around him in the ER of a hospital during the COVID pandemic.  So the doctor found peace and joy by taking pictures of snowflakes (see photo), … finding peace from the trials of life by seeing God’s beauty in His creation.  And that’s what Brian Doerksen sings about in the linked song, which I’m praying that you all have taken time to hear.  .

     

And it’s what God shares with us …  to seek (and find) joy, being seen in the Joy God had created for us to see - and trust Him  - in God’s word, which is shared above.  And I’m praying right now that all who read with me here today are finding some joy and God’s peace by seeing God’s glory all around us in His creation; and by trusting that The Lord will take away our stresses when we look all around us to see the glory our Lord has created for us.        

My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh, Abba Father, thank You, King Jesus, … for leading me thru this world and on to Your glory.      

My Prayer Today:Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I’m praying that those who read with me here will take time to see the Joy of Your creation, Lord, which You have created for us us to see and find more of Your joy in our lives.    …  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.

Sept 18, 2024 … God’s Transforming Grace

Sept 18, 2024 … God’s Transforming Grace

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...  Please take the time to hear the group, Casting Crowns, with music and lyrics, singing The Change In Me, of how we Christians are changed into God’s image thru His Spirit.   

TRANSFORMED ... !!! 

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Highlight Passage: … Isaiah 42:3 [NLT] … 

3 He will not crush the weakest reed or put out a flickering candle.  He will bring justice to a ll who have been wronged.. 

… Isaiah prophesies of the coming Messiah Who will bring light and justices to all who believe in Him.      

    

Highlight Passage (in context): …  Isaiah 42:1-7 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… God’s prophetic promise of the Messiah coming to transform His people into lights for the world to see God more clearly.                                                                                                         

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Reference Passage: … Romans 12:1-3 … [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …  

…  The Apostle Paul pleads with fellow Christians to see themselves in the light of Christ, avoiding the ways of the world and sacrificing self to be transformed and becoming more like Jesus.

Reference Passage: …  2Corinthians 5:16-17 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… Paul charges fellow Christians to look at themselves and others as being transformed into Christlikeness by God’s love and grace.  .                      

Reference Passage: … Ephesians 2:8-10 [NLT] …  USE THIS Link …   

… Paul teaches fellow Christians that it is God’s grace, not our works, that saves us and transforms us to become into God’s masterpiece for His purposes.  

Reference Passage: … Philippians 1:6 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …   

…  Paul assures fellow Christians that that God’s Spirit will ultimately transform them (us) into the image of Christ. .  

Reference Passage: … Titus 3:4-6  [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …   

…  Paul teaches fellow Christians about what God has done thru Christ to save and transform those who believe and humbly follow Him.                

My Devotional Journal: Today’s Our Daily Bread  Author, Monica La Rose  AT THIS LINK  -   related the story of a cat that the author, which she named “Mystique” and how the cat was transformed from a forlorn street cat to a loved and cuddling member of the author’s family … by the loving care of the ODB author as Mystique’s new owner (see photo).  

     

How many of you,…  my readers, … have been - or are being - transformed by God’s patient and loving care?  I certainly was changed by God's persistent and patient love and grace, … from an angry atheist who was deeply into selfish addictive sexual sin into an ordained minister of The Gospel and church elder,...  thru my faith and God’s loving and caring Spirit.  Do you need God’s love and transforming grace?  if so, He’s there for you.   Go to Him in faith.  He will change you with His love and caring Spirit.        

My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh, Abba Father, thank You, King Jesus, … for taking me in, Lord, and making me over with Your love/grace.      

My Prayer Today:</b> Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I’m praying that those who read with me here and need our God’s loving and transforming grace, will go to You, Lord, … 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.

Sept 17, 2024 … Grafted In To Be Fruitful

Sept 17, 2024 … Grafted In To Be Fruitful

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...  Please take time  to hear the group, CJ and Friends, with music and lyrics, singing I Wanna Bear Fruit,  young people singing of how God has called them to bear fruit for Jesus.  

Bearing Good Fruit - Living from God's word 

 

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Highlight Passage: … Romans 11:17 [NLT] … 

17 But some of these branches from Abraham’s tree—some of the people of Israel—have been broken off. And you Gentiles, who were branches from a wild olive tree, have been grafted in. So now you also receive the blessing God has promised Abraham and his children, sharing in the rich nourishment from the root of God’s special olive tree.  

… The Apostle Paul explains why God allowed Gentiles to be grafted into God’s family by the rejection of Jews who chose by their lack of faith in Jesus as the Messiah and the faith of Gentiles to believe.      

    

Highlight Passage (in context): …  Romans 11:11-21 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …  

… The Apostle Paul teaches, most Jewish Christians (and to us) why God allowed Gentile believers to be grafted into the family of God.                                                                                  

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Reference Passage: … Jeremiah 11:16-17 … [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …   

…  God, thru the Prophet Jeremiah, prophesies of a time when God, in anger because of the sins of God’s people will throw them into the fire to make way for the fruitful branches He will graft in as faithful/fruitful branches.

Reference Passage: …  John 3:16-17 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …  

… Jesus shows Nicodemus God’s plan to save all who would believe in Jesus as Messiah and Lord.                      

Reference Passage: … John 15:1-4 [NLT] …  USE THIS Link …   

… Jesus teaches His disciples (and us) that He is the vine where only those who are His branches will produce fruit.  

Reference Passage: …Galatians 5:22-23 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …   

…  Paul teaches fellow Christians the kind of fruit which will come from all those who faithfully believe in Christ as the Messiah.  

Reference Passage: … Ephesians 2:11-13  [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …   

…  Paul teaches Gentiles that they were once separated from God’s family but now have been grafted into God’s family by their faith, believing in Jesus as the Messiah.              

My Devotional Journal: Today’s Our Daily Bread  Author, Nancy Galvanes  AT THIS LINK  -   told of visiting her dad’s homeland in Ecuador and him explaining how trees with strange fruit growing had been created by grafting the branches from other fruit trees into the host trees, producing the strange, but new and different fruit.      

     

And seeing that grafting process reminded the ODB author of how, as described in the Scriptures shared above, God has grafted in new - Gentile - branches into the fruit bearing - Jewish trees which are the main branches of God’s fruit trees.  And it should cause all reading here with me to ask if we are producing God’s fruit because we’re grafted into God’s tree of life.  

My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh, Abba Father, thank You, King Jesus, … for grafting me into You, Lord, and allowing me to produce Your fruit from my faith and witness of You as Messiah and Lord.      

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I’m praying that those who read with me here will join together in faith to produce Your good fruit, Lord, forever.  …  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.

Sept 16, 2024 … Building His Temple

Sept 16, 2024 … Building His Temple

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...   Please tske time to hear the group, Elevation Worship, with music and lyrics, singing Build Your Church,  singing of how God is building His church, i.e. His Temple, on  the lives of those who’re willing to surrender and give their (our) lives to make Christ as our cornerstone. 

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Highlight Passage: … 1Peter 2:5 [NLT] … 

5 And you are living stones that God is building into His spiritual temple. What’s more, you are His holy priests. Through the mediation of Jesus Christ, you offer spiritual sacrifices that please God..  

… Pul teaches that the reality of Christ’s resurrection is critical to our faith and our hope to be with Him in heaven.      

    

Highlight Passage (in context)  …  1Peter 2:4-10 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …  

… The Apostle Peter calls on Old Testament scripture to build His church with Christ as the cornerstone (see photo).                                                                                                                 

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Reference Passage: … Isaiah 28:16 … [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …  

…  God, thru the Prophet Isaiah, prophesies to build His temple with The Messiah as His cornerstone.       

Reference Passage: …  Haggai 1:7-8 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …  

… God, thru the Prophet Haggai, calls on God’s people to sacrifice themselves to rebuild His temple.                      

Reference Passage: … Matthew 16:18 [NLT] …  USE THIS Link …  

… Jesus declares that He will rebuild His church with Himself as “the Rock” and as the cornerstone of His temple.  

Reference Passage: … 1Corinthians 6:19-20 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …   

…  Paul teaches fellow Christians that they (we) are individually and collectively God’s temple.

Reference Passage: … Ephesians 2:20-22  [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …  

…  Paul teaches fellow Christians that they (we) must come together to build God’s church with Christ as the cornerstone <b>(see photo)</b>.            

My Devotional Journal: Today’s Our Daily Bread  Author, Bill Crowder  AT THIS LINK  -  discussed how we have created special names for groups of animals, like a “flock” of sheep, or a “herd” of cattle, or even a “gaggle” of geese, … with some being surprising like a “building” of rooks (which are a type of crow).     

     

And this concept reminded the ODB author to show how the concept of a “building” is often used in the Bible to describe what God wanted to do to build rebuild His Temple (i.e., His church).  We can see this repeated in the Scriptures shared above as well as in the linked song.  And I’m stopping to pray here that all of my readers have surrendered our lives to build our relationship with Christ as the cornerstone of His church.       

My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh, Abba Father, thank You, King Jesus, … for using me (and all true Christians) to build Your church, Lord, with You as the Cornerstone.        

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I’m praying that those who read with me here join together to build and to be Your temple with You as our cornerstone.  …  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.