March 7, 2022 … Waiting Patiently

Berry Patch Devotions in 2021 - Day 66 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...   Please take the time to take in song and lyrics from Lincoln Brewster singing … While I Wait …  poignantly singing of how we, who believe in Christ’s return, must be willing to actively, but patiently, wait for Him.    

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Highlight Passage: … James 5:7-8 [NLT] …   

7 Dear brothers and sisters, be patient as you wait for the Lord’s return. Consider the farmers who patiently wait for the rains in the fall and in the spring. They eagerly look for the valuable harvest to ripen. 8 You, too, must be patient. Take courage, for the coming of the Lord is near. 

… James uses a farmer waiting on his harvest, exhorting Cristians to wait patiently on Christ’s return.                

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Highlight Passage [Context]: … James 5:7-12 [NLT] …  USE THIS LINK … 

… James exhorts fellow oppressed Christians to wait patiently on the promised return of Christ as s farmer awaits the harvest time, actively attending the crops.                                         

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Highlight Passage [Context]: … Proverbs 3:5-6  [NLT] … SEE THIS LINK …  

… God, thru Solomon, promises to ALWAYS be there to guide any believer who is totally surrendered to wait on and follow our Lord. 

Highlight Passage [Context]: … Isaiah 40:31  [NLT] …   

31 But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary.They will walk and not faint. 

… God, thru Isaiah, promises to give strength to those who trust and wait faithfully on God.

Highlight Passage [Context]: … Lamentations 3:25  [NLT] …   

25 The Lord is good to those who depend on Him, … to those who search for Him.  

… God, thru Jeremiah to oppressed believers, His promise to ge good to those who patiently seek and wait for the Lord.  

Highlight Passage [Context]: … 2Peter 3:9  [NLT] …  

9 The Lord isn’t really being slow about His promise, as some people think. No, He is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent. 

… Peter helps frustrated and oppressed Christians to realize why God seems so long in His promise to return for His Bride (i.e., the Church).         

My Devotional Journal: Today's Our Daily Bread author, Marvin Williams, … AT THIS LINK … tells of recent research in this digital age, showing that internet users become extremely frustrated and anxious when download speeds get sluggish when downloading information which is important to the user.          

Imagine how frustrated 1st century (and now current) Christians can get in waiting for the promised return of Christ.  It’s been over 2000 years now since Christ’s resurrection and ascension back to heaven; and yet, His promise of return remains.  And the Scriptures above help early Christians, and prayerfully us too, to continue to wait patiently for our Lord’s return.

But as the half-brother of Jesus, James, wrote in God’s word (see highlight passage), we are to be like a farmer, who has planted his crop and now waits patiently for the harvest.  But the farmer doesn’t just sit (as in the photo) as he waits.  He actively tends the crops, watering, weeding, … but waiting.  And that should be our process of waiting for Christ’s return.  

And my waiting process is to actively get closer to my Lord thru His word as I wait for Him.  That’s why I’m here each morning sharing that waiting process with you.   How, my friend, are you waiting on Jesus to return to claim us as His Bride?   No matter how; … I pray we wait actively, … yet patiently … because HE WILL RETURN!!            

My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh, Abba Father, thank You, King Jesus, … for Your promise to return for me.  I believe it; and I patiently wait - again today - for Your return.  

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I pray that all reading here will join me, …  to trust in You, Lord, for Your promise to return … maybe even 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.

March 6, 2022 … Tongue Tied

Berry Patch Devotions in 2021 - Day 65 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...    Please take the time to take in song and lyrics from the group Hillsong, leading in worship, and singing … Holy Spirit, Rain Down …  poignantly singing of how at times we Christians simply need to surrender to God’s Spirit, especially when we don’t know what or how to pray   

"Tongue-tied" and praying in the dark ... 

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Highlight Passage: … Romans 8:26 [NLT] …   

26 And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words.  

… Paul shows God’s Spirit being there to intercede before God’s throne of grace for those who don’t know how/what to pray.                

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Highlight Passage [Context]: … Romans 8:22-27 [NLT] …  USE THIS LINK … 

… Paul teaches truth about God’s Spirit being there for believers by interceding on our behalf when we don’t know how or what to pray.                                          

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Highlight Passage [Context]: … Psalm 116:1-2 [NLT] … SEE THIS LINK …  

… The faith of a psalmist singing of God ALWAYS being there to bend down to hear the prayers of a surrendered believer.   

Highlight Passage [Context]: … Proverbs 3:5-6  [NLT] … SEE THIS LINK …  

… God, thru Solomon, promises to ALWAYS be there to guide a believer who is totally surrendered to follow our Lord. 

Highlight Passage [Context]: … John 4:24  [NLT] …  

24 For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.”. 

… Jesus teaches the Samaritan “woman at the well” (and us too) that worshipping God, as a Spirit, requires us to worship Him in the Spirit.  

Highlight Passage [Context]: … Ephesians 6:18  [NLT] …   

18 Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere. 

… Paul shows that we, who are in battle for the Lord, must do all we can - ALWAYS - to seek the Lord by praying IN THE SPIRIT.        

My Devotional Journal: Today's Our Daily Bread author, Elisa Morgan, … AT THIS LINK …  used a story of the author’s younger brother having to undergo surgery to clip the shortened “tie” under his tongue to release the tongue to be able to swallow and speak normally.  The genetic condition is called being “tongue-tied;” which is easily corrected with surgery.        

And the Spiritual condition which the condition and surgery illustrates for our lives is Christians being “tongue-tied” emotionally or spiritually when we are overwhelmed by life.  Even as born-again Christians, at times we just don’t know what or how to pray (see photo and highlight passage).   And in those dark moments, we have to rely on our trust that God will ALWAYS hear and lead us (see Ps 116:1-2 and Prov 3:5-6).  And as Paul taught in dealing with Spiritual warfare, we need to surrender to God’s Spirit as we go to God in prayer (see Eph 6:18). 

My friend(s) … there are always going to be times when we’re in the dark, “tongue-tied” in prayer; but I’m praying today that we can muster our spirits to surrender to God’s Spirit and let Him pray for us before God’s throne of grace.          

My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh, Abba Father, thank You, King Jesus, … for being there, Holy Spirit, as my advocate before God’s throne.  

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I pray that all reading here will join me, …  to trust in You, Lord, to pray for us when we’re “tongue-tied” in our seeking prayer.     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.

March 5, 2022 … Hands of Safety

Berry Patch Devotions in 2021 - Day 64 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...    Please take the time to take in song and lyrics from the group Selah singing … You Are My Hiding Place …  poignantly singing of how we Christians always have a plane to go when we feel overwhelmed by life … into the hands of our Lord and Savior.  

Doug Merkey's "Hiding Place" hands ... 

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Highlight Passage: … Psalms 32:7 [NLT] …   

7  For You are my hiding place; You protect me from trouble. You surround me with songs of victory.  

… After hiding and then confessing his sin against God with Bathsheba (see Psalm 51), David learns that his God is ALWAYS his “go to” for health and healing from his transgressions in life.   

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Highlight Passage [Context]: … Psalm 32 [NLT] …  USE THIS LINK … 

… King David,  after confessing and being saved by God’s mercy <b>(see Psalm 51)</b>, expresses how His God gave him healing from the anguish of his hidden sin.                               

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Highlight Passage [Context]: … Psalms 17:8, … 27:5  [NLT] … SEE THIS LINK …  

… David shows his faith in his God as his hiding place in times of trouble, trial, or tribulation.  In these times David, in faith, came to trust God for His mercy and grace.   

Highlight Passage [Context]: … Matthew 11:28-30  [NLT] … SEE THIS LINK …  

… Jesus, Himself, offers ANYONE to come and yoke ourselves to His strength when we feel weakened in life.  

Highlight Passage [Context]: … 2Corinthians 12:9-10  [NLT] … SEE THIS LINK …  

… Paull shares Jesus’ promise to be there, in our times of weakness or need, with His sufficient, enabling, and empowering grace. 

Highlight Passage [Context]: … 1John 1:9  [NLT] …   

9 But if we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from ALL wickedness. 

… God, thru John, promises His cleansing when we’re willing to confess our sins to Him.          

My Devotional Journal: Today's Our Daily Bread author, Arthur Jackson, … AT THIS LINK …  writes of how Christian minister and sculpture, Doug Mercy, created his “hiding place hands” sculpture (see photo) to depict his feelings of being able to take his many trials/troubles to the Lord, … even in his worst times.   And we can too !!!         

And like Merkey, King David found that same reliance on the strength of HIs God when, … often, … David was in deep doo-doo trouble; but he came to know and trust God to be his “hiding place” see David’s Psalms above.  This was especially true after David had confessed and was delivered from his hidden sin with Bathsheba and the murder of her husband.  In Psalm 51 … [I would expect you know that one] …. we read of David’s confession and in Psalm 32 [see above] we read of David’s renewal and deliverance.   

Oh, how I pray today that all reading here recognize the truths of the Scriptures above and we all have discovered, what the group Selah sings about in the linked song, … that our God is our hiding place … EVERYDAY!!          

My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh, Abba Father, thank You, King Jesus, … for a place I can go … anytime … anywhere … to hide in Your mercy and grace.     

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I pray that all reading here will join me, …  to trust in You, Lord, as our hiding place today and all days.     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.

March 4, 2022 … Slave to ?

Berry Patch Devotions in 2021 - Day 63 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...    Please take the time to take in song and lyrics from Paul Baloche singing … My Offering …  poignantly singing of how we who serve King Jesus, worship our Lord with an offering of our lives.  

Whom do we serve? ... 

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Highlight Passage: … Matthew 6:24 [NLT] …  

4 “No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money.   

… Jonathan is willing to risk his life to encourage and help David, showing remarkable faith in God’s choice to anoint David as the new king, … giving up his inherited rights as the son of King Saul.             

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Highlight Passage [Context]: … Matthew 6:19-24 [NLT] …  USE THIS LINK … 

… Jesus teaches truth about being a slave to God or to worldly things.                                          

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Highlight Passage [Context]: … Ecclesiastes 5:10  [NLT] …   

10 Those who love money will never have enough. How meaningless to think that wealth brings true happiness! 

… God, thru Solomon, warns of the enslaving lure of money.    

Highlight Passage [Context]: … Luke 12:15  [NLT] …   

15 Then He said, “Beware! Guard against every kind of greed. Life is not measured by how much you own.”  

… Again Jesus warns against greed and becoming a slave to our possessions.

Highlight Passage [Context]: … 1Timothy 6:10  [NLT] …   

10 For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil.  And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows. </i> 

… Paul warns Timothy that loving money - rather than our Lord - can become enslaving to the world.  

Highlight Passage [Context]: … Hebrews 13:5  [NLT] …   

5 Don’t love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said, “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.”  

… God’s Spirit teaches, thru the Author of Hebrews, quoting from the OT (Deut 31:6), to assure believers that we don’t need to rely on earthly gains because our God will never abandon us.          

My Devotional Journal: Today's Our Daily Bread author, Anne Cetas, … AT THIS LINK …  writes of a man named Keven, who collected his father’s belongings from a nursing care facility where he had passed away, … discovering there were only two small boxes.  Yet,Kevin knew that his dad had lived a very happy life his last years, joyfully sharing his faith and positive words with others where he lived out the end of his life.             

The ODB story, of course, illustrates all the truths expressed in the Scriptures above and especially in the highlight teaching of Jesus (see Matt 6:19-24) that we cannot serve God and be a slave to money and worldly things at the same time.  And the ODB entry today calls me, (perhaps you too) to ask whom we pursue to serve with our lives today.  And I pray that we can answer that question with a confident declaration that our lives are like Paul Baloche sings in the linked song … that we are an offering of worship to our Lord.          

My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh, Abba Father, thank You, King Jesus, … for calling me to be Your slave.     

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I pray that all reading here will join me, …  to surrender our affections today solely to serve our Lord.     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.

March 3, 2022 … Uplifting Others

Berry Patch Devotions in 2021 - Day 62 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...   Please take the time to take in song and lyrics from he group King and Country singing … Shoulders …  poignantly singing of how, … in Christ , … our Lord is ALWAYS there to lift us up so that we can do the same for others.  

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Highlight Passage: … 1Samual 23:16 [NLT] …   

16 Jonathan went to find David and encouraged him to stay strong in his faith in God.    

… Jonathan is willing to risk his life to encourage and help David, showing remarkable faith in God’s choice to anoint David as the new king, … giving up his inherited rights as the son of King Saul.             

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Highlight Passage [Context]: … 1Samuel 23:15-24 [NLT] …  USE THIS LINK … </b>

… The story of the remarkable encouraging relationship for David from Jonathan, King Saul’s son, lifting David us when Saul was trying to kill David.                                        

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Highlight Passage [Context]: … Ecclesiastes 4:9-12  [NLT] …  USE THIS LINK …  

… God, thru teaches that’s it’s always best to take on the world, standing together with another rather than trying to do so alone.    

Highlight Passage [Context]: … Philippians 2:3-5  [NLT] …  USE THIS LINK …  

…God, thru Paul, exhorts fellow Christians (and us) to take on the humble servant attitude of Christ and do all we can to look out for the interests of others as well as for ourselves. 

Highlight Passage [Context]: … Hebrews 10:24-25  [NLT] …  USE THIS LINK … 

…God shows His desire that all of come together to help each other in Christ’s Body.             

My Devotional Journal: Today's Our Daily Bread author, James Banks, … AT THIS LINK … writes of the famous 20th century author, Langston Hughes, who was encouraged by a well-known poet in Hughes’ youth, which lifted the aspiring writer to move forward and pursue a writing career.            

Sometimes, an uplifting word of encouragement at just the right time, can make all the difference in our attitude to move forward, can’t it?  And that was certainly the case for the young and newly anointed King of Israel, David, who was helped and protected and encouraged by Jonathan, the birthright son of King Saul <b>(see highlight passages)</b>, … Jonathan risking his very life to help David.

At just the right time in my discipleship as a “newby” Christians, I had a mentor come along and lift me up with challenges and encouragement.  Perhaps you had someone who lifted you up when you needed encouragement.  And the question from today’s time with God’s Spirit is … FOR WHOM might you - or I -  be that uplifting arm of encouragement (see photo) today?         

My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh, Abba Father, thank You, King Jesus, … for lifting me up with the encouragement from others along my way in life.   

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I pray that all reading here will join me, …  to do all we can to be an encouragement to someone 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.

March 2, 2022 … His Gifts for His Glory

Berry Patch Devotions in 2021 - Day 61 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...    Please take the time to take in song and lyrics from Chris Tomlin singing … Gifts From God …  poignantly singing of how God gives all His children gifts that they (we) can use to serve one another an glorify the Father.  

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Highlight Passage: … 1Peter 4:10 [NLT] …  

10 God has given each of you a gift from His great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another.  

… Peter exhorts fellow Christians to use the gifts/talents God has given each believer to serve on another and thereby glorify God.            

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Highlight Passage [Context]: … 1Peter 4:7-11 [NLT] …  USE THIS LINK … 

… Paul shows fellow dispersed and persecuted Christians to use the Spiritual gift or gifts God has given them to equip and help each other.                                         

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Highlight Passage [Context]: … Romans 12:6-8  [NLT] …  USE THIS LINK …  

… God, thru Paul, teaches fellow Christians about God’s Spirit giving each born-again Christian a special gift (or gifts) which can - and should be - used to serve others for God’s glory.    

Highlight Passage [Context]: … 1Corinthians 12:4-11  [NLT] …  USE THIS LINK …  

…God, thru Paul, repeats his clear teaching and truth about the use of God’s Spirit-imparted gifting which should be used by Christians to serve others and glorify our Heavenly Father in the process 

Highlight Passage [Context]: … Ephesians 4:11-16  [NLT] …  USE THIS LINK …  

…Paul repeats His charge to fellow Christians to use their (our) Spirit-given gifts for the Body or Christ.              

My Devotional Journal: Today's Our Daily Bread author, Patricia Raybon… AT THIS LINK …  writes of the work of renown British actor, David Suchet, who had come to know Christ by reading the Book of Romans in a hotel room Bible; and how Suchet considered his crowning achievement as an actor was to use his gifts/talents to record the entire Bible for audio distribution …. all 752,702 words, … which Suchet viewed as God’s calling to glorify the Father thru this project.           

If you believe, as I do, in the veracity of Scripture, then reading and meditating on God’s teaching in the Scriptures, thru Paul and Peter above, about Spiritual gifts, you must feel, as do I, some degree of conviction or stirring to answer the question “Am I using my spiritual gifts or God’s imparted talents for His glory today?” 

I believe I will be today.  In fact just writing this blog uses two of my gifts of teaching and encouragement.  And I pray I can do even more to use what God has given me to serve His Body, the Church, today … and on into tomorrow.   And I pray that you know what your Spiritual gifting is and you’ll be searching today, and into the future, to glorify God with your gifts.        

My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh, Abba Father, thank You, King Jesus, … for giving me gifts that I can use every day for Your glory.  

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I pray that all reading here will join me, …  to choose to use our Spiritual gifting to glory You as 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.

March 1, 2022 … Cosmic Coincidence ?

Berry Patch Devotions in 2021 - Day 60 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...   Please take the time to take in song and lyrics from Zach Williams singing … Fear Is A Liar …  poignantly singing of how fear is NEVER from the Lord … It is manufactured by the author or lies … SATAN.  

Overcoming fear to share Christ ... 

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Highlight Passage: … Ephesians 6:19 [NLT] …   

19 And pray for me, too. Ask God to give me the right words so I can boldly explain God’s mysterious plan that the Good News is for Jews and Gentiles alike.   

… Paul begs for prayer to give him the strength to boldly share God’s good news with Gentiles as well as Jews … even those he encounters in the prison where he was currently incarcerated.  

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Highlight Passage [Context]: … Ephesians 6:18-20 [NLT] …  USE THIS LINK … 

… Paul, tho in prison, asks fellow Christians to pray for his strength to share the Gospel with any and all Paul would contact.                                         

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Highlight Passage [Context]: … Psalm 56:3  [NLT] …  USE THIS LINK …  

3  But when I am afraid, I will put my trust in YOU.  

… King David learned, as we need to, … to trust in His God when fear came upon him.   

Highlight Passage [Context]: … Isaiah 41:10  [NLT] …  USE THIS LINK …  

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. 

… God encourages and empowers all true believers with His promise to lift us up when we feel weak.

Highlight Passage [Context]: … Philippians 4:6-7  [NLT] …  USE THIS LINK …  

…God, thru Paul, exhorts fellow Christians to set aside any oppressive anxieties but to take our cares to God with an attitude of gratitude seeking HIs peace in prayer to guard our hearts from fear.  

Highlight Passage [Context]: … 2Timothy 1:7  [NLT] … 

7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline. 

… God, thru Paul to Timothy, a rather timid ambassador for Christ, encouragement that God will ONLY supply us with His power … and NEVER give us a spirit of fear.              

My Devotional Journal: Today's Our Daily Bread author, Jennifer Benson Schuldt… AT THIS LINK …  tells of how she was led - to overcome her personal fears - to share her love for Jesus with a dear friend who didn’t share that faith; … but how her willingness to share led to her friend coming to know Christ in the sharing process (see photo).          

Today, … I awoke to read today’s ODB entry and was captivated by the “coincidence” that it came from Ephesians 6:18-20, when that was the same passage I had planned to share with my discipleship group TONIGHT.  When things like this happen, I’ve learned to pay attention to this so-called “coincidence,” … recognizing that is God much more likely sharing a special truth with me. 

Well, tonight I will, like the young lady in the ODB entry, who shared her faith boldly with her friend, take this ALERT from God this morning to share how we must set aside personal anxieties and fears in the battles we face and take the high ground in our battles and that is prayer.  Join me to pray for that high ground … RIGHT NOW !!!        

My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh, Abba Father, thank You, King Jesus, … for sending me a clear message of Your empowering grace which I can access today thru my prayer.  

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I pray that all reading here will join me, …  to reach out and claim God’s empowering grace, which we have as ours by taking the high ground of grateful prayer 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.