Apr 5, 2025 … The Worship Dilemma …

Apr 5, 2025 … The Worship Dilemma …  

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...   Please take the time to take in this song with music and lyrics with Cece Winans singing about  … I Surrender All,  declaring the singers - and prayerfully all Christians’ - desire to surrender all our worship and praise to God. 

Highlight Passage: … Psalms 145:3 … [NLT] … 

3  Great is the LORD!  His most worthy of Praise!  No one can measure His greatness.          

…  David declares that God is worthy of our praise above all else. 

           

Highlight Passage (in context): … Psalms 145:1-8 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …  

…  King David in song extols the greatness of God, .. Who is worthy to be praised.                      

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Reference Passage: … Psalms 103:1-2 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… David also sings that he will praise The Lord above all else in life.  

Reference Passage: …   Psalms 150:6  [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… psalmist, likely King David, calls on all mankind to sing praises to the Lord.  

Reference Passage: … Isaiah 12:4, 25:1 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… God, thru the Prophet Isaiah, calls on all believers to thank the Lord and give Him praise for all the Lord does for His chosen. 

Reference Passage:…  Mark 10:27  [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …

… Jesus teaches His disciples (and us) that being saved and entering God’s kingdom is impossible for man but with God everything is possible.  

Reference Passage: …  Ephesians 1:3  [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …

… The Apostle Paul calls on born-again Christians to praise our God because He has provided with every spiritual blessing possible in the lives we live. 

Reference Passage: …  Colossians 3:16 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… The Apostle Paul calls on born-again Christians to celebrate together and praise our God, Who is worthy of our praise.

                        

My Devotional Journal: Today’s Our Daily Bread Author - John Blase  … AT THIS LINK        … shows how social researches have shown that most adults in our world these days check with their (our) cell phones over 150 times in a day.  And from the standpoint Christian believers, this presents a spiritual dilemma.  Why?  Well, because we Christians recognize that mankind was created to worship something; and we all know that we we worship the things in our lives in which we devote our attention.  So, the question is … do we spend our lives worshipping our digital devices rather than devoting our lives to God by devoting our attention to Him - above all else?     

Personally, … I pray that I’m here - right now - devoting the beginning of each day with my focus on being with my God and devoting time in His word and in prayer as my praise to my Lord as Gold’s word brings out in the Scriptures shared above.  Oh how I pray that the linked song captures my desire to praise and worship my God; because I do desire to surrender my all to Him.  How about You?    

         

My Thanksgiving: … Oh, King Jesus, thank You, … for calling on us Christians to devote our time and praise to You, Lord, above all else in our lives.

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I pray, … again today, … that all reading here will join me, …  to do all we can to devote our lives to worship You, Lord, for You are worthy of our praise.     … 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.

Apr 4, 2025 … Treasured Prayer …

Apr 4, 2025 … Treasured Prayer …  

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...   Please take the time to take in this song with music and lyrics with Matthew West singing about  … Don’t Stop Praying,  reassuring Christians that God hears and treasures our prayers.  

God treasures oru prayers ... 

Highlight Passage: … Revelation 5:8 … [NLT] … 

8  And when He took the scroll, the four living beings and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp, and  they held gold bowls filled with incense, which are the prayers of God’s people.            

…  God reveals the box in God’s Throne room which held the incense of the prayers of God saints. 

           

Highlight Passage (in context): … Revelation 5:7-14 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …  

…  God reveals Heaven’s throne room to John and the box containing the treasured prayers of His people.                                                                              

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Reference Passage: … Mark 11:24 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… God reveals, thru John Mark, of The Lord’s willingness to reveal His glory to those who are willing to pray to Him … in His Name.  

Reference Passage: …   John 15:7  [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …</b> 

… God reveals, thru the Apostle John’s writings, of The Lord’s willingness to provide His power thru prayer in accord with His word and in His Name.  

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

… The Apostle Paul teaches truth of God’s Spirit helping born-again Christians to pray in accord with God’s will. 

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

… Paul teaches fellow Christians that they (we) can bring all our worries and cares to Go in prayer and receive God’s peace.

Reference Passage: …  James 5:16b [NLT] …</b> 

The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results. 

… James teaches other Christians of the power God releases through the prayers of righteous believers.  

                        

My Devotional Journal: Today’s Our Daily Bread Author - James Banks  … AT THIS LINK -       … told of how his father treasured an old, rather worn, pocketknife which had been given to the ODB author as the only thing his dad had to remember his grandfather.  And so the ODB author also treasured the knife, given to him by his father as a family heirloom.    

And this treasured family object reminded the ODB author of the Revelation to John of the throne room of God in heaven, (see the Highlight passage) revealed to John where John saw The Lamb of God Who opened a box which contained God’s treasures of the prayers of the Saints from all eternity past.  Do we realize the value of our prayers to God?   After meditating on the Scriptures above and taking in the linked song, I’m reminded and convicted that I don’t take my prayer life as seriously as I should.   How about You?  

         

My Thanksgiving: … Oh, King Jesus, thank You, … for treasuring what I pray to You, Lord, … every day.

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I pray, … again today, … that all reading here will join me, …  to pray to You, Lord, knowing that You treasures what we pray.   … 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.

Apr 3, 2025 … Grumble … Grumble!! …

Apr 3, 2025 … Grumble … Grumble!! …  

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...   Please take the time to take in this song with music and lyrics with Don Moen singing about  … God Will Make A Way,  reassuring Christians that our God will provide and protect His chosen ones in their (our) times of need.

Highlight Passage: …Exodus 15:25 …[NLT] … 

25  So Moses cried out to the Lord for help, and the Lord showed him a piece of wood. Moses threw it into the water, and this made the water good to drink..             

…  Moses pleads with God to provide His wandering - and grumbling - people with water to drink; and God provides the clear water they needed.               

Highlight Passage (in context): … Exodus 15:22-27 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …  

…  As God’s people, led by Moses, wandered in the wilderness they encountered bitter waters at Mount Moriah, … and God provided His people with clean/clear waters to drink..                      

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Reference Passage: … Psalms 18:2 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… King David sings of God being His rock and a place of safety and provision ALWAYS.  

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

… God, thru Solomon, calls on God’s people to trust in Him - and Him alone - to show their (our) way in life.   

Reference Passage: … Matthew 6:25-34 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

…  Jesus teaches His followers not to worry, but that God will ALWAYS provide for the needs of those He has chosen as His own.  

Reference Passage:</u> …  Romans 8:28 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… teaches fellow Christians that ALL THINGS work for the good of His chosen peoples and for HIs glory.

Reference Passage: …  1Corinthians 10:13 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …</b> 

… The Apostle Paul shows fellow Christians that God will show them (us) a way to follow Him in life as He provides our needs (i.e., a way to go).  

Reference Passage:  …  Philippians 4:19 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… The Apostle Paul clearly declares that our God will provide the needs of His chosen, born-again believers.

                        

My Devotional Journal: Today’s Our Daily Bread Author - Karen Huang  … AT THIS LINK -        … related a story of a friend, named Alex, who had recently received an unexpected benefit check from His dental insurance carrier.  But shortly thereafter Alex grumbled somewhat after receiving word that he needed more dental work.  Alex wondered, and grumbled, about where the money to cover that new dental treatment would come.  However, after praying about the matter, Alex received an unexpected check from a relative which covered the cost of that treatment.   

The story from the ODB author reminded her of how God provided His grumbling followers, wandering in the wilderness, with their needs time after time after time.  And in God’s word, shared above, we read of God’s promises to provide for His people which He did, and will always, for those who believe in and follow the Lord and His promises.  So the question from today’s ODB entry and the Scriptures shared above is … DO WE BELIEVE in God’s promises to provide for us as He did thru Moses to God’s people wandering - and grumbling - in the wilderness?  …  I pray so!! 

         

My Thanksgiving: … Oh, King Jesus, thank You, … for ALWAYS providing for my needs. 

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I pray, … again today, … that all reading here will join me, …  to trust in our God to provide for our needs today and then again 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.

Apr 2, 2025 … He Forgives …

Apr 2, 2025 … He Forgives …  

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...  Please take the time to take in this song with music and lyrics with Matthew West singing about  … Forgiveness,  reminding Christians of God’s complete forgiveness of their (our) sins.

Highlight Passage: … Luke 15:24 …[NLT] … 

24  for this son of mine was dead and has now returned to life. He was lost, but now he is found.’ So the party began.            

…  The Son’s Father forgives His son and calls for a celebration of the son’s return.               

Highlight Passage (in context): … Luke 15:17-24 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …  

…  Jesus tells a story of a father’s forgiveness in the return of a lost prodigal son.                        

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Reference Passage: … Matthew 6:14-15 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… Jesus preaches to His followers of God’s forgiveness being there for those who’re willing to forgive others. 

Reference Passage: …   Luke 6:37  [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

…  Luke quotes and describes Jesus’ teaching on forgiveness.   

Reference Passage:… Acts 10:43 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

…  Peter declares that Jesus is the One Whom the Prophets foretold Who came to die that all who believe in Him would be saved from their (our) sins.  

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

… Paul teaches fellow Christians that God extends His love and forgiveness to any/all who believe that Jesus is THE Messiah and THE Lord of all.

Reference Passage:  …  Hebrews 8:12 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… God’s wonderful promise, thru the Author of Hebrews, that God will forgive the wickedness of those who’re willing to confess and repent of their (our) sins.

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

… The Apostle John strongly declares that out God will cleanse any/all of their (our) sin if we’re willing to confess of their (our) sins to our loving God. 

                        

My Devotional Journal: Today’s Our Daily Bread Author - Sheridan Voysey  … AT THIS LINK    … used a short story by Ernest Hemingway to illustrate how a father whose son had left the father and their family; … and the father in the story advertised in the local newspaper of his forgiveness of the son and called for the son to return to the father at a certain time and place.   And when the designated time arrived, the father found a crowd of men there claiming to be the lost and forgiven son.        

And the Hemingway short story, of course, reminded the ODB author of Jesus’ parable of the lost son in Luke 15, which tells of God’s forgiveness of any who come to God, believing in Jesus as The Christ, and who are willing to confess of their (our) sins before a loving God.  I am certainly one of those lost sons who has been forgiven by my Heavenly Father.   And if you are one of those who’s looking for God, our Heavenly Father, to run to you with His forgiveness, … be assured ,,,  He will.   And He will celebrate your return as well.   

         

My Thanksgiving: … Oh, King Jesus, thank You, … for forgiving me of my past sins.   

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I pray, … again today, … that all reading here will join me, …  to come to You, Lord, … our Heavenly Father; … to receive Your saving grace and 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.