January 14, 2022 … Trust and Obey…

Berry Patch Devotions in 2021 - Day 14 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ... </b>  Please take the time to take in a song and lyrics from Don Moen singing … Trust and Obey … poignantly singing of how we, as Christians are are called, by no less that God’s word, to trust and obey all that is in it.  

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Highlight Passage: …  James 1:22 [NLT] …   

22 But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.  

… According to God’s truth, we who follow Christ must live out what God says in His word.         

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Highlight Passage [Context]: … James 1:19-27 [NLT] …  USE THIS LINK … 

… God, thru the teaching of James to fellow persecuted Christians, showing believers that they must live out what they know to be truth from God’s word.                         

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Reference Passage: … Psalm 119:105 [NLT] …  

105  Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path. 

… King David sings of how we’re following God’s light when we walk out of the darkness by following His enlightened word. 

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

… God, thru Solomon, calls His faithful to trust and follow God’s will … ALWAYS. 

Reference Passage</u>: … Isaiah 55:11 [NLT] …  </b>

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 has given us His word so that we can - and will  - be fruitful to His purposes.    

Reference Passage: … John 14:15-21 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …  </b>

… Jesus shows His disciples that they (and we) must obey His commands with the leading and with the help of the Holy Spirit in their (our) lives.  

Reference Passage: … 2Timothy 3:16-17 [NLT] …

16 All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. 17 God uses it to prepare and equip His people to do every good work.  

… God’s word, inspired and authored by God’s Spirit, gives us God’s direction to follow in life.    

          

My Devotional Journal: Today's Our Daily Bread author, Xochitl Dixon AT THIS LINK …  tells of her young son. Xavier, whom she taught from God’s word at a young age, who, one day seeing his mom burst out in anger, called out to the ODB author, …    ”Practice what you preach, Mama!”               

And for us Christians, that’s the call of God’s word for us all, isn’t it; … to practice what we learn and live from God’s word, … the Holy Scriptures?  And if my fellow Christian readers have taken in and meditated on the Scriptures above - ALL TRUE AND ALL FOR US - we know, and are likely convicted, just as I am right now, … knowing that we need to TRUST AND OBEY all we read from God’s truth.

As Don Moen sings it in the linked song, … ”When we walk with the Lord. in the light of His word, what a glory He sheds on our way, … “

Personally, that’s where I want to walk.  How about you?                                    

My THANKFULNESS:... Oh, Abba Father, thank You, King Jesus, … for showing me and my fellow believers where to walk by the light of Your word.            

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I pray that all reading here will join me, …  to follow You, Lord, and Your call … everyday … to follow You thru Your GPS, which is 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 13, 2022 … Following God’s Call…

Berry Patch Devotions in 2021 - Day 13 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...   Please take the time to take in a song and lyrics from Clay Crosse, Bob Carlisle, and Bebe Winans singing … I Will Follow Christ … poignantly singing of how we, as Christians are compelled to seek and follow Christ … no matter what!!  

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Highlight Passage: …  Jeremiah 32:8 [NLT] …  

8 Then, just as the Lord had said He would, my cousin Hanamel came and visited me in the prison. He said, “Please buy my field at Anathoth in the land of Benjamin. By law you have the right to buy it before it is offered to anyone else, so buy it for yourself.” Then I knew that the message I had heard was from the Lord. 

… When we know God is calling, we know we must follow His will.  … But do we?           

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Highlight Passage [Context]: … Jeremiah 32:6-15 [NLT] …  USE THIS LINK … 

… God calls Jeremiah to buy and redeem a parcel of land, which Jeremiah follows exactly as God leads even tho the Babylonians were threatening to invade.                         

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

… God, thru Solomon, calls His faithful to trust and follow God’s will … ALWAYS. 

Reference Passage: … John 14:15, … 21 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… If we truly love the Lord, we will obey and follow His call to follow Him … no matter what!   

Reference Passage: … Romans 12:1-2 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …  

… God, thru Paul, calls us to be living sacrifices, staying away from follow the world and letting God’s transforming power lead us in life.  

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

1 And you should imitate me, just as I imitate Christ.  

… Paul knew that others could follow him; because He was - and would always - follow Christ.   

          

My Devotional Journal: Today's Our Daily Bread author, Winn Collier AT THIS LINK …  tells of an investor, Floyd Odium, who went against the common worldly wisdom during the stock market crash in 1929 an invested in ways that allowed him to stay on financially solid group, even when others were losing their financial footing.              

And that’s a picture of what God calls His disciples, thru His word, to do; … i.e., to trust and follow His will and His ways thru His word … no matter what happens.  It’s what God called Jeremiah to do in the highlight passage.  It’s what Jesus called His disciples to do just before He went to the cross (see John 14:15, 21).  And it’s what Paul called fellow Christians to do in Romans 12:1-2 and 1Cor. 11:1.  

But today’s ODB entry is challenging us to follow Christ just as the linked song sings.  The question is … Are we up to following our Lord as He calls us to do? Personally, I need to be more committed to my Lord’s calling.  How about you?                                  

My THANKFULNESS ... Oh, Abba Father, thank You, King Jesus, … for showing me Your will and Your ways thru Your word.           

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I pray that all reading here will join me, …  to follow You, Lord, and Your call … everyday … to follow You thru Your GPS, which is 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 12, 2022 … Yes, He Hears!!…

Berry Patch Devotions in 2021 - Day 12 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...   Please take the time to take in a song and lyrics from Mandy Lining singing … God Hears Our Prayers … poignantly singing of how we, as Christians, KNOW, … beyond doubt, … that our God hears our prayers. 

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Highlight Passage: …  1Kings 8:44-45 [NLT] …   

44 “If your people go out where you send them to fight their enemies, and if they pray to the Lord by turning toward this city you have chosen and toward this Temple I have built to honor your name, 45 then hear their prayers from heaven and uphold their cause. 

… Solomon prays to God, knowing that He will hear the king’s prayers.          

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Highlight Passage [Context]: … 1Kings 8:37-45 [NLT] …  USE THIS LINK … 

… Solomon prays to God as the Ark of the Covenant is brought back into he Temple, knowing that his God would hear his prayers.                         

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Reference Passage: … Psalms 116:1-2 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… The Psalmist sings of our God ALWAYS hearing our prayers. 

Reference Passage: … Proverbs 15:29 [NLT] …

3 The LORD is far from the wicked, but He hears the prayer of the righteous.   

… God, thru Solomon, promises to hear the prayers of the righteous. 

Reference Passage: … Romans 8:26-27 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …  

… God, thru Paul to fellow believers, promises to be there for us even when we don’t know what to pray.   

Reference Passage: … 1John 5:14-15 [NLT] …

14 And we are confident that He hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases Him. 15 And since we know He hears us when we make our requests, we also know that He will give us what we ask for. 

… When we Christians pray and ask of God within His will, we KNOW that He hears and answers.  

          

My Devotional Journal: Today's Our Daily Bread author, Patricia Rayon AT THIS LINK …  tells of a mother who prayed for her little prematurely born baby, Maison, to live.  And tho born at slightly over one pound and hard of hearing, the mother, with God answering her payers, was able to witness her baby hear the sounds of his mother’s voice, with hearing aids, seeing the joy in the eyes of little Maison whom God had allowed to live.            

My fellow Christian friend, do you believe, as I do, that God ALWAYS hears the prayers of His children, just as Mandy Lining sings in the linked song?  I believe that … because I believe the Bible is true, … all of it.  And if you take in the Scriptures above, and believe as I do, you will KNOW today that anywhere, … any time, … we can pray to our God and He ALWAYS hears our prayers.                                

My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh, Abba Father, thank You, King Jesus, … for being there…. RIGHT now … on Heaven’s throne of grace, hearing my prayers today.          

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I pray that all reading here will join me, …  praying to You, Lord, knowing that You hear our prayers.   … 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 11, 2022 … Real Deal Peace? …

Berry Patch Devotions in 2021- Day 11 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...  Please take the time to take in a song and lyrics from Don Moen singing … Wonderful Peace … poignantly singing of how we, as Christians, can find God’s peace when we’re willing to surrender all and follow the Lord. 

Hot tub peace ??

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Highlight 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’ promise to His disciples that they can have confidence to find peace by following their Lord … no matter what comes their (and our) way in this world.          

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Highlight Passage [Context] … John 16:25-33 [NLT] …  USE THIS LINK … 

… Jesus assures His disciples that they can only find true peace by surrendering to follow Him.  

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

… God, thru Solomon, promises God’s peace when we’re willing to trust to follow His way rather than trying to do life our own way. 

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 the Prophet, promises His perfect peace to any/all who keep their thoughts fixed on God’s way rather than our own way.

Reference Passage: … John 14:27 [NLT] … 

27 “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.   

… Jesus promises His disciples, in the upper room, His real-deal peace, … the same promise He gives to any born-again disciple who is willing to surrender self to follow Him as Lord and Savior. 

Reference Passage: …Romans 8:6 [NLT] … 

6 So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace.   

… Paul exhorts fellow Christians to surrender our spirit to follow God’s Spirit as the only way to find the peace of God. 

          

My Devotional Journal: Today's Our Daily Bread author, Adam Holz  AT THIS LINK …  writes of how the author and his wife dreamed of getting a hot tub (see photo) to bring some relaxation and peace into their lives.  But then they realized that such an investment would bring higher energy bills and a lot of maintenance work, … taking away from the peace they sought.           

The world will certainly do all it can, … thru Satan’s devices, … to sell us on strategies to bring us the appearance of real-deal peace.  However, as Christians we have God’s word - i.e., His promises  - that real peace can only come thru seeking and following God’s will.  And I pray that we have surrendered to follow the ways of our Lord by using God’s “GPS,” … His word.                               

My THANKFULNESS:... Oh, Abba Father, thank You, King Jesus, … giving us Your real-deal peace by following Your word.           

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I pray that all reading here will join me, …  to seek out Your peace, Lord, by following Your will thru 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 10, 2022 … God’s Etch-A-Sketch Love …

Berry Patch Devotions in 2021 - Day 10 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...   Please take the time to take in a song and lyrics from the group Casting Crowns singing … East To West … poignantly singing of how we, as Christians, can seek God’s complete and utter forgiveness from His grace as our loving Lord. 

Etch-A-Sketch ... 

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Highlight Passage: …  Psalm 103:12 [NLT] …   

12 He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west.  

… King David describes God’s ever-forgiving nature.        

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Highlight Passage [Context]: … Psalm 103:7-13 [NLT] …  USE THIS LINK … 

… David sings of God’s willingness and ability to completely forgive the repentant and contrite believer.                        

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Reference Passage: … Jeremiah 31:31-34 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… God, thru Jeremiah, prophesies of His covenant of forgiveness for the faithful remnant of God’s people who had sinned over and over against their loving God.

Reference Passage: … Lamentations 3:22-23 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… God shows, thru the Prophet Jeremiah, His mercy, which is ALWAYS there for the faithful believer.   

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. 

… God, thru Paul, exhorts fellow Christians to be forgiving to one another just as our God - in Christ - has forgiven us. 

Reference Passage: … 1John 1:7-9 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… God word and truth shows His FOREVER willingness to forgive and cleanse the repentant and confessing Christian.  

          

My Devotional Journal: Today's Our Daily Bread author, Katara Patton AT THIS LINK … shows how she enjoyed playing with the Etch-A-Sketch toy (see photo) as a child.  The author loved the toy because, when she didn’t like or was bored creating a design she had created, she could simply turn the toy upside down and shake it and the design she had made would disappear.  And the ODB author likened that process to God’s forgiveness, which, as is documented in God’s word, … Old and New Testaments (see Scriptures above) … will ALWAYS erase and cleanse the sins of any contrite and repentant believer who comes to God seeking His forgiveness.         

And I’m praying here, as King David often did in his songs or praise, (as in Psalm 103), praising God for His love and grace, where the Lord had forgiven David’s sin, as Casting Crowns sings in the linked song, …  “as far as the east is to the west.” …. Because, my fellow Christian, God will do for us what He did for King David; but we’ve got to be willing to come to Hm - maybe right now - and confess to Him with a repentant heart.                              

My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh, Abba Father, thank You, King Jesus, … for forgiving me of my sins … yesterday, today, and tomorrow.          

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I pray that all reading here will join me, …  to confess and repent of our sins, coming to You, Lord, for forgiveness.    … 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 9, 2022 … Washed By the Blood …

Berry Patch Devotions in 2021 - Day 9 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...   Please take the time to take in a song and lyrics from the group CityAlight singing … Washed By the Blood … poignantly singing of how we, as disciples of Christ, are saved and washed by our faith in the finished work of Jesus shedding His blood on the cross to save us from our sins. 

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

4 But—When God our Savior revealed his kindness and love, 5 he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit.  

… Paul describes the cleansing power of Christ’s blood to save us by His grace.        

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Highlight Passage [Context]: … Titus 3:3-7 [NLT] …  USE THIS LINK … 

… Paul teaches fellow Christians of the cleansing and regenerating power of our faith in the finished work of Christ’s shedding His blood to save us on the cross.                        

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

… Jesus assures Nicodemus (and us too!) that we must be born-again by our faith in The Messiah to be saved from our sin. 

Reference Passage: … 1Corinthians 6:9-11[NLT] … USE THIS LINK ... 

… God, thru Paul’s teaching, shows us that only those who’ve been cleansed of our sin through our faith in the Christ’s shedding His blood on the cross will find their (our) way to heaven. 

Reference Passage</u>: … Ephesians 2:18 [NLT] … 

18   Now all of us can come to the Father through the same Holy Spirit because of what Christ has done for us. 

… God, thru Paul, assures ALL, both Jews AND Gentiles that God’s Spirit can cleanse all of us from our sins because of what Christ did for us on the cross. 

Reference Passage: … 1John 1:7-9 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK ... 

… God, thru God’s promise, thru John, to cleanse us COMPLETELY from our sins when we confess and repent and surrender our lives to Christ as Lord. 

          

My Devotional Journal: Today's Our Daily Bread author, Dave Brandon AT THIS LINK …  relates what a friend of his, named Bill, said when asked what he felt like when he turned from his past wickedness and sin to accept Jesus as His Lord; and what Bill said was … “Washed!”         

And oh how I personally identify and empathize with that feeing that this other Bill had; because on April 13th, 1983, I went from angry atheist, addicted to habitual sexual sin, to a cleansed and redeemed son of God when I turn my life over to Jesus, … Who, according to all of the Scriptures above, shed His blood to save me - and prayerfully you too - by shedding His blood on the cross  to cleanse any/all who come to repent and confess of our sins and to surrender our lives to King Jesus as Lord and Savior. 

Oh how I pray all reading here have done that?  Because, … if you haven’t, I invite you to email me @ billb13@bellsouth.net and give me the heavily privilege of showing you the way to a redeemed and cleansed life as a born-again Christian.                               

My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh, Abba Father, thank You, King Jesus, … for showing me the way to the cleansing You, Lord, have given me thru Your shed blood on the cross.         

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I pray that all reading here will join me, …  to give over our lives to You, King Jesus, as our Lord and Savior to be cleansed of our sins 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.

January 8, 2022 … Drawing Near To God …

Berry Patch Devotions in 2021 - Day 8 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...    Please take the time to take in a song and lyrics from Russ Taff and Leigh Nash singing … Draw Near To God … poignantly singing of how we, as disciples of Christ, can draw nearer to our Lord by surrendering to follow Him more closely. 

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Highlight Passage: …  Leviticus 16:2 [NLT] …   

2 The Lord said to Moses, “Warn your brother, Aaron, not to enter the Most Holy Place behind the inner curtain whenever he chooses; if he does, he will die. For the Ark’s cover—the place of atonement—is there, and I myself am present in the cloud above the atonement cover.  

… One can only draw near to the holiness of God by going thru God ordained processes.       

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Highlight Passage [Context]: … Leviticus 16:1-5 [NLT] …  USE THIS LINK … 

… God, thru Moses, instructs Aaron, the high Priest on how to draw near to the Hoy of Holies in the Tabernacle.                        

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Reference Passage: … Psalm 145:18 [NLT] … 

18   The Lord is close to all who call on Him, yes, to all who call on Him in truth.  

… God, thru King David’s song, promises to draw near to all who call on (i.e., pursue) Him thru His truth (i.e., His word). 

Reference Passage: … John 15:5-8  [NLT] … USE THIS LINK ... 

… Jesus teaches His disciples (and us) that the only ones who will be fruitful (for God) in our lives are those who abide (i.e., stay close) to God thru the way we live our lives. 

Reference Passage: … Hebrews 4:16, … 7:25 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK ... </b>

… God show us thru His word that we can - and MUST - draw near to our God thru our abiding relationship with our Lord, and Savior, … King Jesus.  

Reference Passage: … James 4:8 [NLT] … 

8   Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world  

… We can draw rose to our God by being cleansed in the closeness of our relationship with Christ. 

          

My Devotional Journal: Today's Our Daily Bread author, Kirsten Holmberg ... AT THIS LINK …   elates how the bank restrictions and rules to be ableto get into the bank to open a safe deposit box have become much more restrictive during the Covid pandemic, … comparing this with the rigorous restrictions which God gave Aaron (see highlight passage) to be able to draw near to God and to enter the Holy of Holies.      

But now, in our saving relationship with Christ, we can draw near to God’s holiness any time we, who are surrendered to Christ as Lord and Savior, desire; … because we have desired to pursue God thru a close and abiding relationship with Christ (see Scriptures above).  The challenge of today’s ODB asks if we’re abiding close enough, as Jesus charges His disciples (see John 15), to draw near to our Lord and become fruitful as He desires of our lives.

I don’t know about you, my Christians friend, … but I’ve got some going to be in more of a surrendered mode so that I might draw closer to our Savior and receive the grace of His holiness to become more like Him.                              

My THANKFULNESS:: ... Oh, Abba Father, thank You, King Jesus, … for extending Your saving and sanctifying grace to even one like me.        

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I pray that all reading here will join me, …  to reach out and draw closer to You, Lord, thru a more abiding relationship with You, our LORD and Savior.    … 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.