February 21, 2022 … No More “Can’ts”

Berry Patch Devotions in 2021</u> - Day 52 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...   … Please take the time to take in song and lyrics from Don Moen singing … God Will Make A Way…  poignantly singing of how we must trust that God will show us the way to follow Him.     

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Highlight Passage: … Exodus 4:12 [NLT] …   

12 Now go! I will be with you as you speak, and I will instruct you in what to say.” 

… God instructs Moses to go, in His Name and power, and not with an “I can’t” attitude.               

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Highlight Passage [Context]: … Exodus 3:7-10, 4:10-15 [NLT] …  USE THIS LINK … 

… God commands Moses to go as His deliverer in spite of Moses’ objections.                              

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Highlight Passage [Context]: … 1Chronicles 16:11  [NLT] …   

11  Search for the Lord and for His strength; … continually seek Him.  

… King David sings of seeking and relying on God’s strength … ALWAYS.  

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

… God, thru Solomon, instructs believers to trust and follow God’s ways and avoid leaning on our own understanding..      

Highlight Passage [Context]: … Proverbs 16:3, 9  [NLT] …  USE THIS LINK …  

… God, again thru Solomon, shows His disciples that we must commit our ways to God’s ways, … ALWAYS.       

Highlight Passage [Context]: …  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 teaches that we, … HIs disciples, … will face trials in life; but, by leaning on God’s strength, rather than our own, we will find His strength to overcome the world.            

My Devotional Journal: Today's Our Daily Bread author, Alyson Kieda … AT THIS LINK …   wrote about the remarkable story of Jen Bricker, … born without legs and adopted by parents who would not let her say, “I can’t;” … and who went on to become an award winning gymnast (see photo).  

All too often we let our “I can’t” attitude get in the way of letting God have HIS WAY; and trying to do what we think is impossible.  What are we letting “I can’t” get in the way of God’s truths above as well as letting God make a way where there seems to be no way as Don Moen sings in the linked song. 

How about we pray and move forward today with an “I CAN” attitude and let God show us the way … HIS WAY!!         

My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh, Abba Father, thank You, King Jesus, … for giving me Your empowering Grace and showing me the way - YOUR WAY - to go today.       

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I pray that all reading here will join me, …  to seek out Your way, Lord, and follow it no matter what may seem in our way 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.

February 20, 2022 … Leaning On Our God

Berry Patch Devotions in 2021 - Day 51 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...   Please take the time to take in song and lyrics from Chris Rice singing … Leaning On the Everlasting Arms …  poignantly singing the old hymn of how we, who are truly Christ’s disciples, can lean and rely on the strength of our God.   

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Highlight Passage: …  1Thessalonians 5:16-17 [NLT] …   

16 Always be joyful. 17 Never stop praying.  

… God, thru Paul, instructs disciples to ALWAYS lean on the Lord in prayer.                  

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Highlight Passage [Context]: … 1Thessalonians 5:12-24 [NLT] …  USE THIS LINK … 

… Paul’s strong exhortation to fellow Christians about leaning and relying on the power of God as believers live our lives.                                     

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Highlight Passage [Context]: … 1Chronicles 16:11  [NLT] …   

11  Search for the Lord and for His strength; continually seek Him.   

… King David sings of seeking and relying on God’s strength ALWAYS.  

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

… God, thru Solomon, instructs believers to trust and follow His ways and avoid leaning on our own.            

Highlight Passage [Context]: …  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 teaches that we, HIs disciples, will face trials in life; but, by leaning on Him, we will find His strength to overcome the world.         

        

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

Jesus, thru Paul, shows born-again believers that we can ALWAYS lean and rely on God’s empowering grace when we feel weak or unable to handle life’s challenges.    

My Devotional Journal: Today's Our Daily Bread author, James Banks … AT THIS LINK …    … wrote about the extraordinary faith of Harriet Tubman, who was wanted during the Civil War (see photo) for transporting slaves from the South to the North and dealing with brain trauma and illiteracy.  Tubman reported that she just leaned on her God, knowing that it was His strength which would bring her thru her trials.   

What a great testimony to the truth of the Scriptures above and what Chris Rice sings from the old hymn … that we, who believe in and follow Christ, can ALWAYS lean on His everlasting arms.   And Tubman’s life was a tribute to what the Apostle Paul exhorted fellow Christians to do in the highlight passage and in 2Cor 12:9-10), … as we Christians will always have the Lord’s strength - i.e., His empowering grace - to cover our weakness.   

But - and it’s a big ”BUT”, … we must be willing to continually trust in and lean on our Lord for HIS strength, … continually praying, like Harriet Tubman did, that our God will lead us, thru HIS strength, to HIS freedom.         

My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh, Abba Father, thank You, King Jesus, … for giving me Your empowering grace to handle the world and the challenges we will face today.      

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I pray that all reading here will join me, …  to seek out, and use, Your grace, Lord, to handle the challenges we will face 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.

February 19, 2022 … Spotting God’s Peace

Berry Patch Devotions in 2021 - Day 50 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...  Please take the time to take in song and lyrics from Don Moen singing … Wonderful Peace …  poignantly singing of how we, who are truly Christ’s disciples, can find and hold onto God’s wonderful peace.  

Spotting during a pirouette ... 

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

 3 You will keep in perfect peace ALL who trust in You, … ALL whose thoughts are fixed on You! 

… God promises to give His peace to any/all who keep focused on God’s truth.                          

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Highlight Passage [Context]: … Isaiah 26:3-4 [NLT] …  USE THIS LINK … 

… God promise His peace to the faithful who’re willing to focus on and believe in Him as THE  ROCK OF AGES.                                    

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Highlight Passage [Context]: … Isaiah 55:10-11  [NLT] …  USE THIS LINK ... 

… God’s word will provide His faithful remnant of believers with the fruit of peace in our lives; but we have to be willing to seek it out and trust in Him.         

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

… Jesus promises to give rest and peace to those who’re willing to yoke our lives to His strength to cover our weaknesses.     

Highlight Passage [Context]: …  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.”   

… By focusing on our abiding relationship with Christ we can find more peace in our lives.        

        

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

… Godl, thru Paul, shows born-again believers that we can find God’s proactive peace if we’re willing to come to Him with a thankful heart, seeking after that peace in prayer.    

My Devotional Journal: Today's Our Daily Bread author, Kimya Loder … AT THIS LINK …   discovered, as a young ballerina, that she could avoid dizziness, after spinning in a pirouette, (see photo) by SPOTTING a place on the wall to focus on after each turn.   

And that is a good life picture of what we, as disciples of Christ, must do to avoid turmoil and confusion in this troubled world; … and that is to do a “spot” on God’s truth, as Isaiah taught God’s faithful followers In the highlight passage.  And Jesus, Himself, promised His peace and rest to those who’re willing to “spot” on Him daily (i.e., surrendering to His truth in Matt 11:28-30).  The Apostle Paul also (see  Phil 4:6-7) taught fellow Christians (and us too!!) that we can do a “spot” on God’s protective peace if we come to Him, with thankful and humble hearts, to pray for His peace 

If’ you’ve followed me posting my daily journal entries here daily - for years - you know that I come here each day to start out my day by “spotting” my life on God’s word, … grounding my thoughts in God’s steady and protective word; … because I know (and have experienced) the peace that comes from being in and living in God’s truth.  

How about you, my friend?  Could you use more peace in your life?  Well, … I’m praying that you can “spot” faithfully on God’s truth today and tomorrow … and daily … being in His word and finding His promised peace.        

My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh, Abba Father, thank You, King Jesus, … for giving me Your peace,  that I find daily, by being in Your word.    

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I pray that all reading here will join me, …  to seek out, find, and hold onto Your peace, Lord, by “spotting” on 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.

February 18, 2022 … He Lifts Me

Berry Patch Devotions in 2021 - Day 49 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...   Please take the time to take in song and lyrics from Paul Baloche singing … You Lift Us Up…  powerfully singing of how we, who are truly Christ’s disciples, are lifted up by God’s strength when are down and out.  

Taking off into the wind ... 

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Highlight Passage: …  Joshua 1:8 [NLT] …   

8 Study this Book of Instruction [i.e., God's word] continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do. 

… God promises to lift Joshua up and give him power to lead God’s people … IF … Joshua would use and follow God’s ways thru His word.                          

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

… God assures and lifts up Joshua, who needs God’s strength to lift him up for the task ahead of taking God’s people into the Promised Land.                                   

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Highlight Passage [Context]: … Isiah 41:10  [NLT] …  

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, thru Isaiah’s prophesy, promises to lift up those willing to faithfully follow Him.        

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

… Jesus promises to lift up any who need to be yoked to His strength to lift us up.          

        

Highlight Passage [Context]: …  2Corinthians 4:16-18  [NLT] …  USE THIS LINK … 

… Paul exhorts fellow Christians to never give up because of God’s power being available to those who trust the Lord when we’re down and out in troubles.  

My Devotional Journal: Today's Our Daily Bread< author, Mike Wittmer … AT THIS LINK …  taught about a plane taking off from an aircraft carrier (see photo) after the carrier tuns into the wind to give the plane more lifting power on the wings.  

In our lives, all of us have faced trials or challenges when we have felt too weak to lift off and fly successfully.  But God’s word shows us our Lord’s promises to lift us up when we need His strength to cover our weakness … as Paul Baloche sings in the linked song. Have you ever been there, … being down - and almost out … needing a lift from God?  Maybe you need that lift right now! 

Joshua was certainly there <b>in the highlight passage</b>, where Moses had died and God showed  Joshua as the Lord’s newly anointed Prophet how he would be successful if Joshua would use God’s word to lead His people into the Promised Land.  And Isaiah would later give God’s people His promise (see Isaiah 41:10) to lift us up when we need the Lord’s strength.   And finally, Jesus Himself, promises His disciples (that’s us!!) to give us HIS strength when we feel down and out (see Matt 11:28-30). 

I’ve needed that power to give me a lift of God’s strength of late.   How about you?        

My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh, Abba Father, thank You, King Jesus, … for giving my Your empowering grace to lift me up so recently.    

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I pray that all reading here will join me, …  to be in surrender and seeking Your lift of strength, Lord, as we need it, … 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.

February 17, 2022 … Seen and Encouraged

Berry Patch Devotions in 2021 - Day 48 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...   Please take the time to take in song and lyrics from Toby Mac singing … Speak Life …  poignantly singing of how we, who are truly Christ’s disciples, need to encourage others by speaking words of encouragement into the lives of others. 

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Highlight Passage: …  Acts 9:27 [NLT] …   

27 Then Barnabas brought him to the apostles and told them how Saul had seen the Lord on the way to Damascus and how the Lord had spoken to Saul. 

… When others were afraid of Paul due to his past record of pursuing Christians, Barnabas intervened to stand up for Paul and encourage other Christian leaders to accept Paul’s teaching.                         

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Highlight Passage [Context]: … Acts 9:26-30 [NLT] …  USE THIS LINK … 

… Barnabas recognized the reality of who Paul (Saul)s had become and encouraged fellow Christians to accept Him.                                  

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Highlight Passage [Context]: … Deuteronomy 34:9  [NLT] … 

9 Now Joshua son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom, for Moses had laid his hands on him. So the people of Israel obeyed him, doing just as the Lord had commanded Moses.  

… Moses recognized God’s Spirit in Joshua and laid hands on him to become Israel’s leader into the promised land.       

Highlight Passage [Context]: …  2Samuel 16:11-13  [NLT] …  USE THIS LINK … 

… Samuel, God’s Prophet, sees and recognizes David as God’s new King.          

        

Highlight Passage [Context]: …  Acts 16:1-3  [NLT] …  USE THIS LINK … 

… Paul sought out Timothy and helped him to be recognized by other Christians for his value in missionary world for the Lord TOGETHER.  

My Devotional Journal: Today's Our Daily Bread author, Julie Schwab … AT THIS LINK …   relates the thoughts of Hannah Schell, author, who wrote about mentoring that … 

“first, and perhaps foremost, a good mentor sees you. . . . Recognition, not in terms of awards or publicity but in the sense of simply ‘being seen,’ is a basic human need.” 

I certainly agree with that premise, don’t you?  We all need to be seen, recognized for whom we are, and encouraged to become more for the Lord’s service! That’s what Moses was for Joshua (see Deuteronomy 34).  … That’s what Samual did for David in 2Samuel 16.  That’s what Barnabas was for Paul In the highlight passage, … and that’s what Paul was for Timothy as the young man’s mentor (see Acts 16).  

Have you ever had someone in your life who really recognized you for whom you are and encouraged you to be more?  I have; and my relationship with an elder-mentor was used by God to really see the ME in me.  And then, … he encouraged me to go from angry atheist to become an Ordained Minister, working for God’s kingdom in ministry.  

We all need to be seen for what we can do for our Lord and for whom we really are in Christ, don’t we?  Perhaps you could become an encourager for someone today, maybe even a mentor down the road of life?        

My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh, Abba Father, thank You, King Jesus, … for sending a mentor to point my way to Your service, Lord.    

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I pray that all reading here will join me, …  to be an encourager for someone today and maybe even to lead them closer to Christ than ever 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 you can subscribe to the blog via email at that site.

February 16, 2022 … Heeding Wise Advice

Berry Patch Devotions in 2021 - Day 47 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...   Please take the time to take in song and lyrics from Kristyn Getty singing … The Perfect Wisdom of Our God …  poignantly singing of how we, who are Christ’s disciples, need to get our advice from His perfect word as a light unto our path in life.   

Heeding wise advice saved Notre Dame Cathedral in 2019

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Highlight Passage: …  Proverbs 6:23 [NLT] …   

23 For the commandment is a lamp and the teaching a light, and the reproofs of discipline are the way of life, … 

… Solomon shows that a child should follow the Godly wisdom of his/her parents as a lamp to lead them out of the darkness of this world.                        

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Highlight Passage [Context]: … Proverbs 6:20-23 [NLT] …  USE THIS LINK … 

… Solomon shows the wisdom of heeding Godly wise advice.                                 

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Highlight Passage [Context] </u>: … Psalms 119:105  [NLT] …  </b>

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

… King David sings of follow the Godly advice of God’s word as a light to our path in the darkness of this world.     

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

15 The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice.

… Solomon again show the Godly wisdom of taking good - logical - advice from others.  

Highlight Passage [Context]: …  2Timothy 3:16-17  [NLT] …  USE THIS LINK … 

… God, thru Paul to Timothy (and to us), shows all that His word is the perfectly wise advice from God to handle life’s circumstances.        

        

Highlight Passage [Context]: … Hebrews 4:12  [NLT] …  

12 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart..

… God, thru the Author of Hebrews, show us that we can’t go wrong when we get our advice to handle life from His word.  

My Devotional Journal: Today's Our Daily Bread author, Sheridan Voysey … AT THIS LINK …    tells of how the Paris Fire Department Captain was able to save the Notre Dame Cathedral in the 2019 fire by heeding wise advice from a junior fireman.  Sometimes wisdom to save the day can come from unexpected sources.  

However, in dealing with life’s heat and challenges, we can never go wrong when we seek and heed the Godly advice of God’s word.  And if we’ve taken in the sage - and perfect - advice of God’s word above, encouraged by the linked song, we can have confidence, when we face the darkness - yes, even the fires - of this world, we can put those fires out by following God’s advice in His word.  

Oh, how I pray we do so EVERYDAY!          

My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh, Abba Father, thank You, King Jesus, … for giving me the empowering grace and wisdom of Your word to securely help me put out the fires in my life.   

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I pray that all reading here will join me, …  to use Your advice, Lord, from Your word, … to put out the fires burning 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.

February 15, 2022 … Others First

Berry Patch Devotions in 2021 - Day 46 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...    Please take the time to take in song and lyrics from Danny Gokey singing … Love God To Love People …  powerfully singing of how we, who follow Christ as His disciples, need to simply focus the basics of loving others first, … just as He loves us.  

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Highlight Passage: …  Romans 12:1 [NLT] …   

1 And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind He will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship Him. 

… God shows, thru Paul, that we honor our Lord and worship Him by becoming living sacrifices to Him by serving others before self.                         

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Highlight Passage [Context]: … Romans 12:1-5 [NLT] …  USE THIS LINK … 

… Paul calls fellow Christians to live and love as Christ did … by ALWAYS thinking and caring for others over self.                                 

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Highlight Passage [Context]: … John 13:34  [NLT] …  

34 So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other.  

… Jesus to His disciples (that’s you and me) of His commandment to love others as He has loved us.  

Highlight Passage [Context]: … John 14:21  [NLT] …  

21 Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me.  And because they love me, my Father will love them. And I will love them and reveal myself to each of them.”

…  Jesus clearly teaches that we show our love to Him by believing in and following Jesus’ commandments.  

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

…The Apostle Paul showing fellow Christian to love as Christ loved - by helping others before self.  

Highlight Passage [Context]: … 1John 4:19-21  [NLT] …  USE THIS LINK … 

… God, thru John, reiterates the Lord’s command to show our love for Him by showing our love for others first.       

        

My Devotional Journal: Today's Our Daily Bread author, Xochitl Dixon … AT THIS LINK …   illustrates God-like, sacrificial love by telling of a young farmer who heard that his family farm was up for sale.  And going to the auction, having scraped together the finances, he placed the first bid; and when no other bid came forth, he realized that the other neighboring farmers were sacrificing their own potential profits by giving up the family farm to the young man.  

And that’s the kind of sacrificial love that God calls on us, as His disciples, to show for one another, … the kind of love He showed for us.  It’s the kind of love that Danny Gokey sings about in the linked song; and it’s the kind of sacrificial love I pray that we’ll show to others out there in the world today.       

My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh, Abba Father, thank You, King Jesus, … for giving me the enabling grace to love others before myself.  

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I pray that all reading here will join me, …  to go out today and think of the needs of others before our own needs or desires.  … 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.