January 7, 2022 … Real Deal Hope …

Berry Patch Devotions in 2021 - Day 7 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...    Please take the time to take in a song and lyrics from David Crowder and Tauren Wells singing … All My Hope … poignantly singing of how we, as disciples of Christ, must put ALL our hope in Him … ALWAYS!

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Highlight Passage: …  1Peter 1:3 [NLT] …   

3 All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation …   

… Peter. giving persecuted Christians the everlasting hope we have by holding on in faith to our relationship with Christ and the reality of His resurrection to save all who have faith in His finished work on the cross.      

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Highlight Passage [Context]: … 1Peter 1:3-9 [NLT] …  USE THIS LINK … 

… Peter, writing to God’s oppressed people in Asia-Minor, giving them the hope we have in our Lord, and Savior, … King Jesus!                       

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Reference Passage: … Proverbs 3:5-6  [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… Solomon shows that we must trust in our Lord with ALL OUR HEART to be able to follow Him.

Reference Passage: … Isaiah 26:3 [NLT] … 

3   You (LORD) will keep in perfect peace all who trust in You, … ALL whose thoughts are fixed on You.  

… God, thru Isaiah, promises to give hope and peace to any/all who focus our faith on our faithful God. 

Reference Passage: … John 16:33  [NLT] … 

33 I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”  

… Jesus promised His disciples, … as they learned He was about to die, … that they would always have troubles and trials in their (our) lives, but for His disciples [that’s us too!!], He, King Jesus, had overcome the world.  

Reference Passage: … 1Peter 5:6-7  [NLT] …

6 So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time He will lift you up in honor. 7 Give all your worries and cares to God, for He cares about you.   

… Peter once again gives persecuted and oppressed Christians the hope they (we) have when they (we) can humble ourselves and rely on the One Who cared enough for us to die for them (us). 

        

My Devotional Journal: Today's Our Daily Bread author, Bill Crowder, AT THIS LINK …  relates how the hopefulness of the early 60s, with a new, young President, proclaiming that the USA would go to the moon, was replaced by despair and hopelessness when Kennedy was assassinated and the economy went negative in the later 60s.     

So often our attitudes and expectations are clouded by our feelings of pessimism when bad stuff happens.  And that’s what God’s people faced after the resurrection; and it’s what we’re facing now, going thru the Covid pandemic and all the violence and disharmony we see in our world.  

But, as Peter wrote to persecuted Christians in his day (see Peter’s Scriptures above), … no matter what our circumstances, … as Jesus also promised His disciples (see John 16:33), following our Lord and focusing our faith in Him gives us the ultimate in peace, as God Himself promised us thru Isaiah (see Isaiah 26:3).     

Oh how I pray today, for all reading with me here, that we keep focusing our hope EXCLUSIVELY on our relationship with Jesus, as Crowder/Wells sing in the linked song.  Because then, and ONLY THEN, will our God be able to give us the empowering grace of His peace                             

My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh, Abba Father, thank You, King Jesus, … for the peace I have in knowing You saved me to be with You forever.       

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I pray that all reading here will join me, …  to keep our focus on our relationship with King Jesus as we move into these unsettling times in 2022.    … 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.

January 6, 2022 … Forever Forgiving …

Berry Patch Devotions in 2021 - Day 6 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...    Please take the time to take in a song and lyrics from Tim McGraw singing … Humble and Kind … poignantly singing of how we all, but certainly we, as Christians, need to be forgiving and kind … ALWAYS!!  

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Highlight Passage: …  Colossians 3:13 [NLT] …   

13 Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.  

… God, thru Paul, shows us that we must ALWAYS be willing to forgive others just as God, thru Christ, has forgiven us.      

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Highlight Passage [Context]: … Colossians 3:12-15 [NLT] …  USE THIS LINK … 

… Paul, engages and exhorts fellow Christians (that’s us too!!) to take on Christlike attitudes of forgiveness, gentleness, and kindness … ALWAYS!!                           

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Reference Passage</u>: … Matthew 6:14-15  [NLT] … </b>

14 “If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. 15 But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.  

… Jesus clearly commands HIs followers (i.e., disciples) to forgive others or incur the wrath of God’s unforgiveness.  

Reference Passage: … Matthew 18:21-22  [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… Peter clearly shows Peter (and us too!!) that we must be willing to FOREVER FORGIVE others for their misdeeds or disagreements.

Reference Passage: … Ephesians 4:31-32  [NLT] … 

31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. 32 Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.   

… Once again God, thru Paul, calls on fellow Christians to set aside selfish anger and show Christlike forgiveness to others. 

Reference Passage: … Philippians 2:3-5 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK ...  

… Repetitively, … Paul strongly exhorts fellow Christians to take on the attitude of Christ, being willing to think of others before self. 

          

My Devotional Journal: Today's Our Daily Bread author, Kimya Loder, AT THIS LINK … shows how the social media platform, “Twitter,” has become a battle-ground for disagreement and disharmony, … showing us Christians, as Paul repetitively expresses in the Pauline Scriptures above that, as Christ also called us (see Matt 6 and 18 above), we must be willing to set aside our selfish human feelings and forgive others as the Lord has, thru Christ, forgiven us.    

However, … as the ODB author shows, these days we often vent our feelings and deal with disagreements online, or personally, with caustic and uncaring critical remarks.  My fellow Christians, why don’t we take Jesus and the Apostle Paul (above) at their God-inspired word and do all we can intro 2022 to live like Tim McGraw sings in the linked song … ALWAYS being humble and kind.  

That’s a pretty good - Christ-called - New Year’s resolution, don’tcha think?!!                                

My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh, Abba Father, thank You, King Jesus, … for showing me Your way … to forgive rather than confront in anger.      

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I pray that all reading here will join me, …  to set aside our selfish feelings and forgive others as You, Lord, have called us to do.   … 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 this site.

January 5, 2022 … Back To Basics …

Berry Patch Devotions in 2021 - Day 5 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...   Please take the time to take in a song and lyrics from Matthew West singing … Do Something … powerfully singing of how we, as Christians, have the responsibility to do what we can to follow God’s way in our lives.  

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Highlight Passage: …  Ezekiel 45:9 [NLT] …   

9 “For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Enough, you princes of Israel! Stop your violence and oppression and do what is just and right. Quit robbing and cheating my people out of their land. Stop expelling them from their homes, says the Sovereign Lord.  

… God, thru Ezekiel, charges God’s people (and us today) to return the basics of the faith as found in God’s word (in this case, the Old Testament)      

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Highlight Passage [Context]: … Ezekiel 45:9-10, 17-20 [NLT] …  USE THIS LINK … 

… From God’s prophesy, Ezekiel exhorts and charges God’s exiled people to repent and return to the ways of God, following God’s commands from the Old Testament.  And that works for us today … to return to the basics of the faith.                             

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Reference Passage: … Isaiah 55:11  [NLT] … 

11  It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit.  It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it.

… God promises that His word will ALWAYS accomplish what He intended … when - and ONLY WHEN - we choose to follow His truth.   

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 gives simple - but direct - commands to those would choose to follow Him as Lord and Messiah. 

Reference Passage: … Ephesians 4:1-4 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK ...  

… God, thru Paul’s exhortation to fellow Christians (and to us!), calling us to live lives worthy of our calling as Christians.

Reference Passage: … Galatians 6:9  [NLT] … 

9 So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.   

… God, thru Paul, calls His Church to never get tired of doing what is right in following our Lord.            

My Devotional Journal:Today's Our Daily Bread author, Tim Gustafson, AT THIS LINK …   … Mocks selfishly generated New Year’s resolutions, which often don’t work because we’re seeking to follow self rather than the Savior.  

And the ODB author refers to God’s commands, thru Ezekiel, for God’s people [that’s us too!] to return to the basics of the faith once they had been consumed in exile to Babylon.  Sometimes it takes a radical challenge in our lives to get God’s message (as in the Scriptures above) that we must do what Jesus commanded of us in Luke 9:23 …. to deny our selfish ways and to simply follow Jesus. 

Perhaps that needs to be our simple - but very pertinent - resolution into 2022 … and that is …to take the truth of Isaiah 55:11 and Galatians 6:9,  from the Old and New Testaments, and seek out God’s will and follow His ways by heeding His word.  

Back to the basics, my fellow Christian!!                                

My THANKFULNES:: ... Oh, Abba Father, thank You, King Jesus, … for showing me Your way … Your only way … to follow You today.     

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I pray that all reading here will join me, …  to get back to the basics of the faith 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.

January 4, 2022 … Building on The Rock …

Berry Patch Devotions in 2021 - Day 4 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...   Please take the time to take in a song and lyrics from the Norton Hall Band singing … My House Is Built On Nothing Less … poignantly singing of how we, as Christians, have built our lives on the “Solid Rock” of God’s Son, our Savior. 

Built on sand ... 

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Highlight Passage: …  Matthew 7:24 [NLT] …   

24 “Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. …”  

… Jesus warns to build our ives on the solid foundation of His teachings i.e., HIs word].     

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Highlight Passage [Context]: … Matthew 7:24-27 [NLT] …  USE THIS LINK … 

… Jesus teaches that we must build our lives on the solid ground of obedience to His word. Also found in Luke 6:47-49.                             

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Reference Passage: … Psalm 18:2  [NLT] …

2  The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my Savior; my God is my rock, in whom I find protection 

… King David recognized and sang of the reality that His Lord and Savior was the only one Who could give him real protection. 

Reference Passage: … Proverbs 3:5-6 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK ...  

… God, thru Solomon warns of avoiding following our own feelings and perceptions. 

Reference Passage: …John 14:21 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK ...  </b>

…Jesus strongly, and clearly warns His disciples (and us) that He will only manifest Himself in those who obey and follow His commands (i.e, His word). 

Reference Passage: … 1Corinthians 3:10-11 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK ...  

…God, thru Paul, shows that those who build our lives on the Cornerstone of our Savior will have strong foundations for weathering the storms of life.  

          

My Devotional Journal: Today's Our Daily Bread author, Xochitl Dixon, AT THIS LINK … writes about those who build lovely homes on sandy beaches sometimes have lost those homes to the winds of strong storms (see photo) because their homes were built on he foundation of sand rather than solid rock. 

Oh, my fellow Christians, I pray that we’re all heeding the warnings of our Savior and other Bible authors, like David or Solomon, from God’s word above, as well as the linked song, to build the foundation of our lives on nothing less that the obedience to God’s word.  Because that’s the only foundation for life that will weather the storms of life, … which we know are going to come to threaten our well being.  

That’s why you find me here, … EVERY DAY, … going back to the “Master Builder” and using His building plans [i.e., His word] so that I’ll be able to weather the storms of life.                               

My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh, Abba Father, thank You, King Jesus, … for showing me, thru Your word, how to build the foundation of my life.    

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I pray that all reading here will join me, …  to trust Your word, Lord, to build our lives on the strong foundation of Your word.    … 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.

January 3, 2022 … Never Ending Grace …

Berry Patch Devotions in 2021 - Day 3 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...    Please take the time to take in a song and lyrics from Lauren Daigle singing … I Will Trust In You … poignantly singing of how we, as Christians, can ALWAYS rely on God’s love. 

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Highlight Passage: …  Psalm 145:20a [NLT] …  

 20a The Lord protects ALL THOSE who love Him, …  

… David sings of how God’s love extends to ALL who love the Lord.    

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Highlight Passage [Context]: … Psalm 145:8-20 [NLT] …  USE THIS LINK … 

… David sings of God’s unending love for us and how He watches over those who love Him.       ===============                                              .                   

Reference Passage: … Deuteronomy 31:6 [NLT] … 

6 So be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic before them. For the Lord your God will personally go ahead of you.  He will neither fail you nor abandon you. 

… God’s Old Testament promise, thru Moses to HIs people, that the Lord would never leave them more forsake them - NO MATTER WHAT!!   

Reference Passage: … Proverbs 3:5-6 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK ...  

… God, thru Solomon shows that we can ALWAYS trust in God’s love and grace to lead us; but we have to choose to trust in Him.

Reference Passage: … Matthew 23:20b [NLT] …  

20b  “And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”” 

… Jesus’s promise to all who surrender to follow Him - that He would be (and is) with us ALWAYS.  

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

…God, thru Paul, promises to always be there to shower His love on us as born-again believers. 

Reference Passage: … 1Peter 5:6-7 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK ...  

…God, thru Peter, promises His oppressed believers that we can trust in God’s love and grace … ALWAYS!!! 

          

My Devotional Journal: Today's Our Daily Bread author, James Banks, AT THIS LINK …  tells of a friend relating a story about her grandfather … who always put away his favorite pocket watch (see photo) before taking the friend out for a special time together.  And when asked why, the grandfather, told the author’s friend, “Because I want you to know how important my moments with you are to me. I just want to be with you and let time go by.”    

What a good life picture of how much God loves and cares for His beloved family.  And if any of my readers have taken in the linked song and mediated on the Scriptures above, I pray, … into this new year, … we all grasp and live under the truth that NOTHING can separate us from God’s love; and we can ALWAYS trust and partake of His enabling and empowering grace … ANYTIME we need it.                            

My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh, Abba Father, thank You, King Jesus, … for being there with Your love and grace … today and ANY DAY I need it.   

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I pray that all reading here will join me, …  to trust that Your empowering grace, Lord, is there for us as we need it today - and 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 can subscribe to the blog via email at that site.

January 2, 2022 … Fresh Start … 

Berry Patch Devotions in 2021 - Day 2 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...    Please take the time to take in a song and lyrics from Ryan Stephenson singing … Fresh Start … powerfully singing of how we, as Christians, get to choose our fresh start every day … every moment … in our relationship with Christ.  

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Highlight Passage: …  Colossians 3:10 [NLT] …   

10 Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like Him. 

… Paul was adamant in teaching fellow Christians that we can choose to put on our new self in following Christ’s way rather than our own.   

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Highlight Passage [Context]: … Colossians 3:1-17 [NLT] …  USE THIS LINK … 

… Paul taught fellow Christians that we could choose EVERY DAY to put on the new self that is ours in our relationship with Christ.                           

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Reference Passage: … Proverbs 3:5-6 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK ...  

… God, thru Solomon shows that we can choose - every day … every moment … to trust Him and when we do He will lead us in the right way in life. 

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

 23 [Jesus to HIs followers] …  “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 was clear in giving His disciples the choice to follow Him or to follow our past selfish ways.  We get to choose!!!.

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

…God, thru Paul, shows Christians that we need not look at life from a human perspective anymore because in Christ we have Spirit-led perspective to evaluate life.

Reference Passage: … Titus 3:3-7 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK ...

…Paul was insistent in teaching Titus, and other fellow Christians [like us!], that when we follow Christ we get to choose - EVERY DAY - to follow a fresh start in life, … following our Lord rather than our previous selfish ways.   

          

My Devotional Journal: Today's Our Daily Bread author, Sheridan Voysey, AT THIS LINK …   writes of three people who, as they entered a new year, decided to make some radical changes in their lives, trying to make a fresh NEW start for their idea of a better life.    

It’s January 2nd; and we probably find a number of us looking in the mirror and wanting to make a few start into the the new year (see photo).  Well, if we’re born again in Christ, we can, you know?  But not just as a New Year’s resolution.  In Christ, especially according to the insistence of the Apostle Paul in the ABSOLUTELY TRUE scriptures above, we can make a fresh start, follow Christ’s command in Luke 9:23 and God’s admonition, thru Solomon (in Prov 3:5-6). to decide TODAY - or really in this very moment - to trust and follow Christ’s way rather than our own selfish ways. 

And when we SERIOUSLY make that choice, … and we Christians know we need to, … God promises His power and direction to snow is the way to go.  How about we make some serious choices to follow our Lord today!!                           

My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh, Abba Father, thank You, King Jesus, … for giving us Your enabling and empowering grace to start on a new road - Your road - today.    

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I pray that all reading here will join me, …  to make some serious choices to follow You, Lord, and put on our new - Christlike - selves 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.

January 1, 2022 … God’s Word into the New Year …

Berry Patch Devotions in 2021 - Day 1 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...   Please take the time to take in a song and lyrics from The Gettys singing … Speak O Lord … poignantly singing of how we, as Christians, get to know and follow the Living God thru His living word. 

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Highlight Passage: …  John 1:1 [NLT] …   

17 In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. 

… God’s word, given to John, to show us that our Lord was and is the Word Who became flesh to dwell among us as the Son of God.   

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Highlight Passage [Context]: … John 1:1-14 [NLT] …  USE THIS LINK … 

… God’s word, thru John, shows the world Whom we worship, being the truth of the living Word of God.                            

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Reference Passage: … John 5:39 [NLT] …  

39 “You search the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me!  

… Jesus declared to the religious leaders of His day and to the world that God’s word - our Old Testament - points clearly to Himself as the Son of God. 

Reference Passage: … John 17:17 [NLT] …  

17 Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth..   

… Jesus prayed that HIs disciples would be made right with God - i.e. sanctified - by His word (i.e., His truth).

Reference Passage: … Philippians 2:6-8 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK  ... 

… God, thru Paul, shows us that The Word became flesh and dwelt among us as God’s Son, ultimately to die on a cross for our sins.

Reference Passage … 2Timothy 3:16-17 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK ... 

… God has given us His word to reveal Himself and to guide us in living this life for/with Him.  

          

My Devotional Journal: Today's Our Daily Bread author, Amy Boucher Pye, AT THIS LINK …  told of a young Philippine girl in college, aspiring to become a writer, who discovered God by reading the truth of <b>the highlight passage</b> in today’s ODB entry.    

Oh, my fellow Christian reading with me here, what do we really have in God’s word <b>(see photo)</b>?  As the girl in the ODB entry discovered, … God’s word is His clear description of Himself.  It’s how we come to know the truth of His calling to be saved and sanctified by His word (see John’s scriptures above).  

Yes, God’s word is everything Paul declared to Timothy (and us) in 2Tim 3:16-17.  It’s the “GPS” that God has given us to guide us thru life.  The question which glares from this ODB entry today is “Do we believe and use God’s truth (i.e., His word) in the way He intended for us to use it?”  And if not, why not?   Good questions to ponder as we enter a New Year, aren’t they?                              

My THANKFULNESS</u>:</b> ... Oh, Abba Father, thank You, King Jesus, … for giving us Your living truth to follow in this New Year.      

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I pray that all reading here will join me, …  to seek and follow You, Lord, into he New Year by using Your living word.    … 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.