November 5, 2023 … God Is My Father …

November 5, 2023 … God Is My Father …    

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...    Please take the time to take in this song with lyrics from the group Avalon singing  … Orphans Of God …  Poignantly, yet powerfully singing of how all Christians are God’s children in the family of God, … our Heavenly Father.    

============        

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

1 See how very much our Father loves us, for He calls us His children, and that is what we are! But the people who belong to this world don’t recognize that we are God’s children because they don’t know Him 

… John assures fellow Christians that they (we) are called by our God to be His children, not like those in the world who reject believing in Christ, choosing to become orphans of the world. . 

Highlight Passage in Context … 1John 3:1-3 (NLT) …  USE THIS LINK ...  

… John, Christ’s beloved Apostle, assures faithful followers of Christ that we, born-again Christians are sons and daughters of God.  

===============                                                                 .                                                                                                                                             

Reference Passage: …Deuteronomy 32:5-6 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… When we rebel against God we are foolish to disobey the Father who created us for Himself.  

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

9 And don’t address anyone here on earth as ‘Father,’ for only God in heaven is your Father. . 

… Jesus chides the religious leaders that only HIs Father, our heavenly Father, is our real “father.”    

Reference Passage: … John 1:12 [NLT] …  

12 But to all who believed Him and accepted Him, He gave the right to become children of God. 

… John assures fellow, born-again, Christians that they (we) are the ones who are sons and daughters of our heavenly Father  - i.e., “children of God”. 

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

… The Apostle Paul assures fellow Christians that NOTHING in this life can separate born-again Christians from the love of God, our Heavenly Father.          

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

26 For you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus.  

… Paul also assures fellow Christians that they (we) are all children of God thru our belief in His Son, The Christ.       

                                                                              

My Devotional Journal: Today's Our Daily Bread< author, Mike Wittmer  … AT THIS LINK …  tells of Deland McCollough,  a young college footballer, who was recruited by Coach Sherman Smith, who treated the young man like a father, … later to learn that Deland was actually his biological son.           

And this story illustrates what is sung in the linked song and taught in the Scriptures above … that we, who know Christ as Lord, can never say that we don’t have a Father who loves us or feel that we are orphans in this world.  Because those of us, who believe in Christ as Lord and Savior, will never be orphans because we are God’s children… and Sons and Daughters of our Heavenly Father … and brothers/sisters in God’s family.   Is God your Father, too?!   I pray so.      

My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh, Abba Father, thank You, King Jesus, … for being my Heavenly Father.                                                  

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I pray. again today, that all reading here will join me, … to revel in the reality of being a child of my Heavenly Father thru faith in You, Lord.     … Amen 

=============

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.

November 4, 2023 … Seeking God’s Will …

November 4, 2023 … Seeking God’s Will …    

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...   Please take the time to take in this song with lyrics from an anonymous duet singing  … This Is The Will of God …  Poignantly, yet powerfully singing of how all Christians are called to seek and follow God’s will .    

Diligently seeking after God's will ... 

============        

Highlight Passage: … Psalms 40:2 [NLT] … 

2 He lifted me out of the pit of despair, … out of the mud and mire.  He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along. 

… King David singing of God’s faithful willingness to lead Him in God’s will as David walked thru his difficult life. 

Highlight Passage in Context: … Psalms 40:1-4 (NLT) … USE THIS LINK ...  

… King David sings of waiting patiently and seeking to follow God’s will thru the the trials and troubles of life.  

===============                                                                 .                                                                                                                                             

Reference Passage: …Deuteronomy 4:28-29 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… God, thru Moses, promises His faithful believers to be there to rescue them from worthless idols when we search for God’s will with all our hearts   

Reference Passage: … Psalms 9:10 [NLT] …  

10 Those who know Your name trust in You, for You, O Lord, do not abandon those who search for you.. 

… And song by King David of our God being with those who trust in Him and seek His will.   

Reference Passage: …1Chronicles 16:11 [NLT] …  

11 Search for the LORD and His strength, . continually seek Him.   

… David exhorts in song that all God’s people should seek His strength to follow the Lord’s will. 

Reference Passage: … Matthew 6:33, 7:7-8 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… Jesus commands His own to seek after His will and His way, promising to meet all the needs of those who do.         

Reference Passage:  ... James 4:8 [NLT] …  </b>

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. 

… God’s call, thru James, is for fellow Christians to seek God’s will and avoid seeking the ways of the world.     

                                                                              

My Devotional Journal: Today's Our Daily Bread author, Marvin Williams  … AT THIS LINK …   tells of a young man, who was called a “guardian angel,” for leaving his worksite to search for a missing girl, whom Jake Manna found and rescued from a mud pit where the girl was waist deep and sinking.           

The story reminded the ODB author of King David singing (see the Highlight passage) of God rescuing him as David sought to do God’s will in troubled times.  And all I’m asking, … from  my readers today, … is to listen to the linked song and meditate deeply on the Scriptures above and join me to ask ourselves if we are REALLY seeking to do God’s will diligently …  with ALL our heart.  Personally, I need to do more to seek after God’s will, thru His word (see photo); … how about you?       

   

My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh, Abba Father, thank You, King Jesus, … for giving me Your strength, Lord, to do Your will.                                                  

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I pray. again today, that all reading here will join me, … to seek after Your rescuing strength, Lord, as we seek to do Your will.    … Amen 

=============

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.

November 3, 2023 … Reflecting His Light …

November 3, 2023 … Reflecting His Light …   

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...  Please take the time to take in this song with lyrics from the group Elevation Worship singing … Shine A Light …  Powerfully singing of how all Christians are called to shine Christ’s light into this ever darkening world. .    

============        

Highlight Passage: … Matthew 5:14a [NLT] …

14 “You are the light of the world -   

… Jesus proclaims that His disciples become the “light of the world.”  

Highlight Passage (Context): … Matthew 5:14-16 [NLT] …  USE THIS LINK …  

… Jesus teaches to His followers that His followers become the Light of the world and are called by the Lord to shine that light with their (our) good deeds. 

===============                                                                 .                                                                                                                                             

Reference Passage: … John 8:12 [NLT] …  

12 Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.”   

… Jesus that His faithful followers will carry His light into the darkness of the world, leading the lost to eternal life.                      

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

… The Apostle Paul teaches fellow Christians that we must become more like Christ to share His light and life with others.  

Reference 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. 

… The Apostle Paul exhorts fellow Christians to become more and more like Christ to be able to show His image (i.e., His glorious light) to a dark and sinful world.           

Reference Passage: … 1John 1:5 [NLT] …  

5 This is the message we heard from Jesus and now declare to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in Him at all.  

… God’s call, thru John, is for fellow Christians to recognize that God is light and has no darkness in Him; and so, we have His light in us as we surrender and follow Him.     

                                                                              

My Devotional Journal: Today's Our Daily Bread author, Xochitl Dixon … AT THIS LINK …    tells of being upset with her mother and writing her a note, trying to express the author’s feelings, yet tinged with love, ….  which caused the author’s  mom to write back to the her saying, …  “You’ve changed!”  And that led to interaction which ultimately led the ODB author’s mother to receive the Lord as her Savior.       

Oh how I identify with that scenario.  Some time after I went from angry atheist to a follower of Christ, I realized that my dad, who was an Elder in our home church, was actually lost (long story).  So, I began writing my dad about my relationship with Christ and how God’s love and grace had been a light for me to follow. Well, tho my dad was well into his 70s, he wrote me a letter, telling me that he had prayed to receive Christ as his Savior.  And immediately I noted a change in my dad, … like a light had be switched on … with him becoming more loving to my mother whom he had to care for with here heart disease’ and all of his former racist attitudes and crude jokes simply disappeared from his speech.  

So, I realized that my sharing what Christ had done to shine HIs light for me to follow Him was reflected  to my father by simply shining that light thru my testimony to my father.   How can we be Christ’s light today as we interact with a very dark world?  Let’s go be His light today and see what happens!    

   

My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh, Abba Father, thank You, King Jesus, … for shining Your light thru me as I walk in this very dark world.                                                

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I pray. again today, that all reading here will join me, … to shine our light - Your Light, Lord - as we walk into the darkness of this world.   … Amen 

=============

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.

November 2, 2023… Created To Worship God …

November 2, 2023… Created To Worship God …   

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...   Please take the time to take in this song with lyrics from the group We Are Messengers singing … Images of God …  Poignantly singing of how all of us are made in the image of God and created by the Lord to worship.    

============        

Highlight Passage: … Acts 17:22 [NLT] … 

22 So Paul, standing before the council, addressed them as follows: “Men of Athens, I notice that you are very religious in every way, …   

…  Paull, preaching of the one true God, appeals to the gentile culture in Athens to show that we all worship something in this life.               

              

Highlight Passage (Context): … Acts 17:22-34 [NLT] …  USE THIS LINK …  

… The Apostle Paul preaches to to the intellectual elite in Athens about the ONE true God. 

===============                                                                 .                                                                                                                                             

Reference Passage: … Psalms 95:6 -7 [NLT] …USE THIS LINK …  

… Likely King Dave sings, calling all God’s people to bow down and worship the One true God. 

Reference Passage: …Psalms 100 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

…God’s Psalmist, also most likely King David, sings of thanksgiving, worship, and praise being extended to one-and-only, … true, … God, Who created all we are and all we see     

Reference Passage: … John 4:23-24  [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… Jesus speaks truth to the Samaritan women (and to us) that one day EVERYONE will worship The LORD, Who is the One True God.                 

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

… The Apostle Paul teaches fellow Christians that we must be willing to become living sacrifices, giving our all to worship and follow the One, true God.           

Reference Passage: … Revelation 4:9-11 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… God reveals to John that all in heaven will give all glory and honor and praise to our God on His throne in glory, Who is worthy of all praise.      

                                                                              

My Devotional Journal: Today's Our Daily Bread author, Sheridan Voysey … AT THIS LINK …   tells visiting the hill near Agora in Athens where the Apostle Paul reasoned with philosophers and the Greek intellectual elite, showing them that we all worship something; but that something -  or someone  - needs to be the God Who created us all to worship Him as The God Who created everything.        

But from today’s ODB entry and the Scriptures shared above, I’m directed (and prayerfully you) to the reality that God created all mankind with the desire to worship SOMETHING.  It’s really a spiritual hole in our hears that only God can fill.  This reality calls all of us to ask ourselves what or who are we worshipping.  I’m praying we all bow before The Lord, especially in this Thanksgiving season, and worship The LORD, casting away all our selfish or worldly idols, to become, as Paul wrote in Romans 12:1…  “living sacrifices” … to the One, TRUE, God.  

   

My THANKFULNESS:.. Oh, Abba Father, thank You, King Jesus, … for helping me fill the “Love Hole” in my hear that You created to draw me to worship You with my life.                                     

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I pray. again today, that all reading here will join me, … to praise You, Lord,  for created us to worship You.  … Amen 

=============

Blogger Not:  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.

November 1, 2023 … I Surrender All …

November 1, 2023 … I Surrender All  …   

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...   Please take the time to take in this song with lyrics from Carrie Underwood singing … I Surrender All …  Poignantly and powerfully singing of how those of use who claim to be Christians must be willing to surrender our ALL to follow Jesus. 

Are we willing to carry His cross daily? ... 

============        

Highlight Passage: … Luke 25:33 [NLT] … 

3 So you cannot become my disciple without giving up everything you own. 

…  Are we willing to cover the cost of being Christ’s disciple?              

              

Highlight Passage (Context): … Luke 14:25-33 [NLT] …  USE THIS LINK … 

… Jesus lays out - got hid followers - the cost of following Him and being His disciple. 

===============                                                                 .                                                                                                                                             

Reference Passage: … Matthew 10:37  [NLT] … 

37 “If you love your father or mother more than you love me, you are not worthy of being mine; or if you love your son or daughter more than me, you are not worthy of being mine. 

… Matthew quotes Jesus’ demand that only those who’r willing to love and follow Him can be His disciples.      

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. 

… Luke also reports on Jesus’ call to be His disciples requiring His follower’s willingness to surrendering EVERYTHING to follow Him.        

      

Reference Passage: …Mark 8:35  [NLT] … 

34 Then, calling the crowd to join His disciples, He said, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me..

… Mark also conveys Jesus’  demand to be willing to give up anything and everything to be a disciple of Christ.  Are we?          

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

… The Apostle Paul teaches fellow Christians that we must be willing to become living sacrifices, giving our all to follow Him all our lives. Are we?         

Reference Passage: … Philippians 3:7-8 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

…  Paul also teaches his followers that everything we see and pursue in this life is meaningless and purposeless compared to knowing and following Christ.     

                                                                              

My Devotional Journal: Today's Our Daily Bread author, Tim Gustafson … AT THIS LINK …   tells of a young woman in a religious, but non-, family who began reading the Bible intently and came to the realization that she would have to be willing to confront and deal with her father’s anger at his daughter’s decision to follow the Jesus of the Bible rather than his religious dogma.      

And today’s ODB and the absolutely true Scriptures above, reinforce Jesus’ demands for His followers to be willing to give up EVERYTHING to follow Jesus as His disciple.  And it all comes down to a simple question, ARE WE?   And if my readers, as I do, feel that they (we) can call themselves (ourselves) disciples of Christ, I pray that we are doing all we can to give up ourselves and our worldly idols to follow our Lord.  So, … my fellow “Christian,” … ask yourself, … AM I really willing to give up my all to follow Jesus and carry His cross every day?!  

   

My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh, Abba Father, thank You, King Jesus, … for showing me the way to follow You, Lord, thru Your word.                                                

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I pray. again today, that all reading here will join me, … to give up ourselves, Lord, to be Your disciples. … Amen 

=============

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.