May 9 2025 … Surprise! …

May 9 2025 … Surprise! …   

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...  Please take the time to hear music and lyrics with Steve Green singing  … People Need The Lord, calling for Christians to share God’s amazing gospel love with all who need His saving grace.  

God's Amazing Love !! 

Highlight Passage: …  John 20:18 … [NLT] … 

18 Mary Magdalene found the disciples and told them, “I have seen the Lord!” Then she gave them His message.             

…  Mary Magdalene, shocked by seeing Jesus, carried His message to His disciples of her seeing Jesus alive.         

           

Highlight Passage (in context):… John 20:11-18 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …  

… Jesus appears to Mary Magdalene after His resurrection.  .                                                       

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Reference Passage: … Proverbs 10:12  [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… God’s wisdom, thru Solomon, to let God’s love make up for all selfish sin as we love one another.    

Reference Passage: … Matthew 28:19-20  [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …

… Jesus commands His disciples go and share God’s Gospel love with the world.  

Reference Passage: … John 13:34-35  [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …

… Jesus commands His disciples to love one another as He has loved them, showing all that they are His disciples.                      

Reference Passage: …  John 15:16 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… Jesus shows His disciples that He chose them (and us) to be fruitful for the Lord. 

Reference Passage: … Acts 1:8 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… Jesus calls His disciples (that’s us too!) to be His witnesses in the world.   

Reference Passage: …  1Peter 4:8 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK ... 

… Peter declares the importance of Christians showing God’s love to one another as that love covers a multitude of sins.   

Reference Passage: …  1John 4:11 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… John passes along God’s command for fellow Christians to love one another as He has loved them (us). 

My Devotional Journal: Today’s Our Daily Bread Author - James Banks … AT THIS LINK        … tells about the main character, Ray Kinsella, in the movie Field of Dreams, who was shocked to see a vision of Ray’s father, living in the baseball field he felt called to build in the family’s corn field,.  But Ray was confused as to what to say to his dad.   And that led the ODB author to liken that surprising encounter to what Mary Magdalene was called to say to Christ’s disciples after He appeared to Mary after the resurrection (see Highlight passage).            

God’s love truly is amazing; …   and it’s difficult to share with others, isn’t it?  But after we take in the truths of the linked song and the Scriptures shared above, we see that we are called to share God’s love, thru the love of Christ, with any/all who will listen.  But are we answering God’s call; as Mary Magdalene did?  If we encounter someone today who needs God’s love and His saving grace, will we be Your witnesses today, Lord?  I pray so!     

         

My Thanksgiving: … Oh, King Jesus, thank You, … for calling me to be Your witness today to those who need Your love.

 

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I pray, … again today, … that all of us reading here, will be witnesses to Your saving love 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. 

May 8 2025 … Rooted In Christ …

May 8 2025 … Rooted In Christ …   

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...   Please take the time to hear music and lyrics with Kerrie Roberts singing  … Rooted,  showing that those who are rooted in Christ will grow and be fruitful for His glory.

Highlight Passage: …  Ephesians 3:17-19 … [NLT] … 

17 Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. 18 And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is.             

…  Paul prays for his fellow Christians … that they be given God’s power to grow and be fruitful for God’s glory.        

           

Highlight Passage (in context): … Ephesians 3:14-21 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …  

… The Apostle Paul prays for his fellow Christians that they put down roots of trust in Christ that they would become fruitful in serving Him.                                                                              

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Reference Passage: … Genesis 1:28  [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… God blessed Adam and Eve and placed them in the garden to tend the ground and anything therein to be fruitful.    

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

… God’s song, likely by King David, of His blessing on those whose roots of faith in Christ go deep and produce much fruit.                    

Reference Passage: … Jeremiah 17:7-8 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… God, thru Jeremiah, blesses those who establish their roots of faith in The Lord, Who will make them fruitful, producing much fruit. 

Reference Passage: …  John 15:16 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… Jesus shows His disciples that He chose them (and us) to be fruitful for the Lord.    

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

… Paul shows the fruit the Lord expects from those who have their roots of faith in Christ.   

Reference Passage: …  Colossians 1:10 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… Paul also shows fellow Christians that God will use them (us) to produce good fruit for God’s glory. 

My Devotional Journal: Today’s Our Daily Bread Author - Amy Boucher Pie … AT THIS LINK     … wrote of how South African Pastor Andrew Murray taught how the fruit tree arborists in his native country would trim diseased limbs from the fruit trees, allowing the roots to go deeper so that the trees could produce more fruit.           

And if my readers have taken in the linked song and meditated on the Scriptures shared above, all of us can become more fruitful as we serve God’s kingdom - if and when - we allow our roots of faith to go deeper into God’s soil of goodness and grace.  Because when we do, we will produce more fruit for God’s glory (see Galatians 5:22-23)   And I certainly desire that for my life; … how about you?      

         

My Thanksgiving: … Oh, King Jesus, thank You, … for planting Your roots in me to go deep into the soil of Your goodness, and allowing me to grow and be fruitful in Your kingdom. 

 

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I pray, … again today, … that all of us reading here, will allow Your roots of faith to go deep in Christ so that we may grow and be fruitful in serving You, 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.

May 7 2025 … Christlike Love …

May 7 2025 … Christlike Love …  

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...   Please take the time to hear music and lyrics with Brandon Lake and Phil Wickham  singing  … Love of God,   proclaiming the greatness of God’s love, being extended to others in the hearts of those who surrender to follow The Lord.

Sharing God's love ... 

 

Highlight Passage: …  2Samual 9:7 … [NLT] … 

7 “Don’t be afraid!” David said. “I intend to show kindness to you because of my promise to your father, Jonathan. I will give you all the property that once belonged to your grandfather Saul, and you will eat here with me at the king’s table!”          

…  King David promise to Jonathan’s son, Mephibosheth, who was severely handicapped, to serve the boy at David’s table for life.       

           

Highlight Passage (in context)  … 2Samuel 9:1-10 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …  

… God’s word describes David’s covenant love for God by fulfilling a promise he made to Jonathan by taking in the grandson of Saul, the handicapped boy Mephibosheth, into King David’s household.                                                                              

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Reference Passage: … Luke 6:35  [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… Jesus commands HIs followers, especially His disciples, to love even their (our) enemies just as Jesus showed His love and kindness to all.  

Reference Passage: … John 13:34-35  [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… Jesus commands His followers to prove their allegiance to Him by showing Christlike love to others.                    

Reference Passage: … Romans 5:8 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …

… The Apostle Paul teaches fellow Christians the extent of God’s love for them (us) by saving even sinners.

Reference Passage: …  Galatians 2:20 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… Paul joyfully witnesses that God now lives in him now that Paul had died to self and was reborn in Christ.     

Reference Passage: …  1Peter 4:8 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… Peter exhorts fellow Christians to show Christlike love for one another.  

Reference Passage: …  1John 4:16 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… The Apostle John shows fellow Christians that God’s love lives in those who show love to others.    

My Devotional Journal: Today’s Our Daily Bread Author - Dave Brandon … AT THIS LINK        … shared about a new game being played in a number of schools, which looks a lot like basketball. However, … the five players on each team on the court at any one time are made up of three who are handicapped in some way and two who are not.  And the point of the game is to encourage the handicapped players in any way possible to play the game with friendly competition with one another.         

And the way this game was played reminded the ODB author of how King David broke with custom when he, David, became king, …  to keep his covenant promise with Johnathan, Saul’s son, and to show David’s promised love for all of Johnathan’s family.  And to do this David took in Saul’s grandson, Mephibosheth, who was handicapped to be a part of The King’s court, protected for life  and forever eating at the King’s table (see the Highlight passage).  

It’s the way we all should play the game of life, isn’t it; … especially for those of us who claim to  show Christlike love for all in our lives; .. yes, even our enemies, as Jesus called for us to do.  But the question is … ARE WE?       

         

My Thanksgiving: … Oh, King Jesus, thank You, … for showing the extent of Your love for me, Lord; and calling me to offer the same to others.  

 

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I pray, … again today, … that all of us reading here, will reach out to show Your love to any/all in our lives.   … AMEN

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Blogger Note:  Everyday during this year, my daily devotional blogs are influenced by the reading and study of the online devotional blog entitled “Our Daily Bread,” distributed online via email by RBC Ministries.  If you GO TO THIS LINK on the date of my blog, you can read/study the ODB blogs; or you can subscribe to the blog via email at that site.

May 6 2025… Last To First …

May 6 2025… Last To First …   

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...   Please take the time to hear music and lyrics with Tim McGraw  singing  … Humble and Kind ,  showing how God prefers His chosen ones to ALWAYS be humble and kind.

Students line up ... 

Highlight Passage: …  Luke 14:11… [NLT] … 

11 For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”            

…  Jesus, teaching His followers about God’s principle of honoring those who humble themselves.      

           

Highlight Passage (in context): … Luke 14:7-11 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …  

… Jesus teaches His followers about humility.                                                                              

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Reference Passage: … Proverbs 22:4  [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… God, thru Solomon, declares that He honors those who are humble and fear the Lord..

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

… God’s Prophet, Micah, teaches that The Lord honors those love mercy and walk humbly with God.           .         

Reference Passage: … Ephesians 4:2 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …

… The Apostle Paul teaches fellow Christians to always be humble and gentle in dealing with others. 

Reference Passage: …  Colossians 3:2 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …

… Paul instructs fellow Christians to be models of Christlikeness, showing His mercy and humility, kindness, and love for others.    

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

… Paul also exhorts fellow Christians to avoid trying to impress others, … rather to be humble, thinking first of the needs of others.  

Reference Passage: …  James 4:10 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …

… James, Jesus’ brother and leader of the Church in Jerusalem, charges fellow Christians to humble themselves before the Lord.   

My Devotional Journal: Today’s Our Daily Bread Author - Kirsten Holmberg … AT THIS LINK    … tells of a friend, who taught a class of elementary students who were asked to line up to walk to another class.  When the teacher noted the students where jostling to be first in line (see photo), she ordered them to reverse order to the last in line leading the class, … to which many exclaimed “WHAAATT!”       

In our humanity, most of us desire to take the place of honor, … to be first, … to be seen as “The best,;”  … don’t we?  But Jesus, and God’s word (see Scriptures above), often taught that we, who follow Jesus as Lord, should live to be like Him, being gentle and loving to others.   And I must admit that I’ve got a long was to go to live up to the linked song, where Tim McGraw sings that we should always be humble and kind.  How about you, my friend?  Would you join me today to do all we can to humble ourselves and be more like Jesus in dealing with others?     

         

My Thanksgiving: … Oh, King Jesus, thank You, … for calling me to be like You, Lord, as I reach out to help others today.  

 

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I pray, … again today, … that all of us reading here, will humbly follow You, Lord, today … and reach out to be kind to others.   … 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.