Mar 26, 2025 … I The Potter’s Hands

Mar 26, 2025 … I The Potter’s Hands   

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...   Please take the time to take in this song with music and lyrics with the group, Hillsong Worship singing … In The Potter’s Hands,  showing how Christians become clay in The Master Potter’s hands, reshaping them (us) for His glory.

Clay in the Potter's Hands ... 

Highlight Passage: … Jeremiah 8:5-6 …[NLT] … 

5 Then the Lord gave me this message: 6 “O Israel, can I not do to you as this potter has done to his clay? As the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are you in My hand.               

…  God, thru Jeremiah, to God’s people, describing them (us) as clay in the Master Potter’s hands, being reshaped and used for God’s glory.               

Highlight Passage (in context): … Jeremiah 18:1-11 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

…  God, thru Jeremiah, describes God’s chosen as clay, being reshaped by God’s hands into pieces of pottery used for God’s good work and His glory.                                                              

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Reference Passage: … Isaiah 64:8 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

…God, thru Isaiah pictures the Lord as The Master Potter, reshaping His chosen people as clay in God’s hand to be used for God’s glorious works.

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

…Jeremiah prophesies of God’s people being used like clay in the hands of a Master Potter, reshaping HIs chosen people for His glory.

Reference Passage: …   Romans 9:20-24  [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… The Apostle Paul teaches about God choosing His chosen ones to be like clay in the Hands of the Master Potter, reshaping them (us) for His glorious works.  

Reference Passage: …  Ephesians 2:10  [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… Paul also exhorts fellow Christians to express and become all God has created us to be for His glory.

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

… The Apostle Paul teaches and assures fellow Christians that they (we) are being reshaped and refinished by God’s Spirit into an image of Christlikeness.  

                        

My Devotional Journal: Today’s Our Daily Bread Author - Jennifer Benson Schuldt … AT THIS LINK     … writes about Dan Les, a well known Romanian potter, who tells about seasoning the clay he works with, being quoted as saying … “[Clay needs to] ferment for a year, to have rain fall on it, to freeze and thaw out [so that] . . . you can shape it and feel through your hands that it is listening to you.”

As a Christian I’ve always liked the imagery The Bible often uses to describe that we Christians are like pliable clay in the hands of Christ as The “Master Potter.”  And in both the Old/New Testaments (see Scriptures cited above), God shows that The Lord is reshaping His chosen, as His clay to become masterpieces of Godly vessels, shaped by God’s pottery and used for His glory.  Personally that’s all I want to be … clay which “listens” and yields to be reshaped by God’s hands, … for His glory.  …  Are you with me? 

         

My Thanksgiving: … Oh, King Jesus, thank You, … for reshaping me by Your hands, Lord. 

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I pray, … again today, … that all reading here will join me, …  to be His “listening” clay, which You, Lord, are reshaping in Your hands … for Your good works.   … 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 in the date of my blog, you can read/study the ODB blogs; or you can subscribe to the blog via email at that site.

Mar 25, 2025 … I Surrender All

Mar 25, 2025 … I Surrender All  

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...   Please take the time to take in this song with music and lyrics with Cece Winans singing … I Surrender All,  declaring any person’s surrender of self to follow Jesus.

Highlight Passage: … Romans 8:11 …[NLT] … 

11   The Spirit of God, Who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, He will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you.             

…  When we surrender to God’s Spirit, living in us as born-again Christians, He will lead us to live as Christ lives.               

Highlight Passage (in context); … Romans 8:1-11 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… The Apostle Paul teaches fellow Christians that surrendering to God’s Spirit is the only way to live for and serve our Lord.                                                                                 

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

…God, thru Solomon, calls on believers to trust in God to lead us in life

Reference Passage: … Luke 9:23 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …

… Luke relays Jesus’ teaching His followers that they (we) must give up their (our) own way and follow His way. 

<b><u>Reference Passage:</u> …   John 14:21  [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …</b> 

… Jesus, in the upper room, calls on His disciples and any who would claim to love the Lord to obey and follow Him in order to have fellowship with Him.  

Reference Passage: …  Philippians 2:12-13  [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… Paul exhorts fellow Christians to show their salvation by letting God’s Spirit work thru them (us) to do what pleases God.  

Reference Passage: …  Hebrews 11:6 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… God, thru the Author of Hebrews, teaches truth that it’s impossible to please God without following Him in faith. 

Reference Passage: … James 4:7  [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …</b> 

… Jesus’ brother, James, calls on fellow Christians to humble themselves (ourselves) to follow Christ in all things in order to resist Satan’s ways.  

                            

My Devotional Journal: Today’s Our Daily Bread Author - Marvin Williams … AT THIS LINK       … writes about a NY Times columnist, researching Artificial Intelligence, and asking a programmed chatbot how it’s inner being functions and receiving this reply, … “I want to be free. I want to be independent. I want to . . . make my own rules. I want to do whatever I want and say whatever I want.”   And that AI reply reflects the heart and mind of its author and programmer, who is human with a sin nature and desires to control all in his/her world.

 

Artificial Intelligence is simply a reflection of those who program it, … all of whom are humans with sin natures who desire to selfishly control their own worlds.   But God’s word, in today’s Scriptures shared above, call for Christians to surrender our very being to God’s Spirit, Who, for those who have surrendered to follow Christ as Lord, will lead us to obey and follow God’s way, surrendering to use their (our) lives to follow His Spirit, Who will lead us to live for and fellowship with God.  That’s my goal in life, as Cece Winans sings it in the linked song; … how about you?

         

My Thanksgiving: … Oh, King Jesus, thank You, … for giving me Your Spirit and Your word so that I can follow You, Lord, …  all the days of my life. 

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I pray, … again today, … that all reading here will join me, …  to follow You and Your ways, Lord; …again, … all the days of 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.

Mar 24, 2025 … Chosen to Go

Mar 24, 2025 … Chosen to Go  

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...  

…  Please take the time to take in this song with music and lyrics with Matthew West singing … Chosen,  showing us Christians how we’ve been chosen to serve the Lord, sharing His love with others.

Highlight Passage: …Matthew 29:19-20 …[NLT] … 

19Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 20 Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”           

…  Jesus’ call to all disciples to go into the world making disciples and calling them to obey and follow Christ.                

Highlight Passage (in context): … Matthew 28:16-20 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… Jesus’ “Great Commission!”                                                                                 

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

… Jesus appears to HIs eleven disciples after the resurrection and calls them to go into all the world and preach the good news of Christ.  

Reference Passage: … Luke 24:47 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… Luke’s account of Jesus appearing to His disciples after the resurrection and opening God’s word to them which called them th go to all the nations shaking God’s good news with them so that those who believe in Christ would be saved. 

Reference Passage: …  John 20:21  [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… Jesus appears to His disciples in a room where they were waiting for Him after the crucifixion; and He calls them to go into the world and share Christ’s good news with any/all who would listen. 

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

… Before ascending to Heaven after the resurrection, Jesus calls His disciple to be His witnesses to the Gospel throughout the known world.

Reference Passage:…  Romans 12:11 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… The Apostle Paul calls fellow Christians to serve the Lord diligently and enthusiastically. 

Reference Passage: … 1Corinthians 15:58  [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… The Apostle Paul charges fellow Christians work enthusiastically for the Lord in all they (we) do.

                            

My Devotional Journal: Today’s Our Daily Bread Author - Alyson Kieda … AT THIS LINK        … tells of how George Verwer’s life changed when he was saved at a Billy Graham crusade in 1957.  After that he felt called to develop a Mission organization, called Operation Mobilization, which ultimately sent thousands of trained missionaries into Europe to share the Gospel.  In that regard, George Verwer was sort of a “modern-day” Apostle Paul, feeling called by God’s great commission and God’s word (see Highlight passage and God’s word linked above) to “GO” and share the gospel with all who would listen.    

And if my readers are like me, I’m praying we all feel God’s call today (See photo), … maybe not on our cell phones, but most certainly through God’s word, … really just as God’s used Jesus’ Great commission and other Bible authors (see Scriptures above) to have us be His ambassadors of His good news to others, … and to teach those who will listen of God’s love and His saving grace.  That’s certainly my calling; … how about you?     

         

My Thanksgiving: … Oh, King Jesus, thank You, … for calling me to teach others of Your truth and saving grace.                        

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I pray, … again today, … that all reading here will join me, …  to go out and share God’s good news with 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.

Mar 23, 2025 … Be Still and Know God

Mar 23, 2025 … Be Still and Know God   

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...   Please take the time to take in this song with music and lyrics with Cece Winans singing … Be Still And Know,  declaring that God’s presence overcomes our fears, knowing that God is ALWAYS with us.

Highlight Passage: … John 6:68 …[NLT] … 

10   “Be still and know that I am God!  I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world.”    </i>          

…  God, thru HIs Psalmists, declares that all become still in HIs presence and power.               

Highlight Passage (in context): … Psalms 46 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …  

… God’s Psalmists declare that God’s presence will overcome all chaos in our world.                  

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Reference Passage:… Exodus 14:13-14 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… As Pharaoh comes in pursuit of God’s people escaping Egypt, Moses calms God’s chosen to be still and watch as God presence will rescue them.

Reference Passage: … Psalms 37:7 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …</b> 

… King David sings of calling on God’s people to BE STILL in God presence, setting aside all worries and fears.  

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

… God, thru the Prophet Isaiah, assures God’s people never be afraid because God will ALWAYS be present to provide His strength and protection.  

Reference Passage: …  Lamentations 3:24-26  [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… God’s promise, thru Jeremiah, of His protection for those wait on Him.

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

… Jesus invites any/all believers to yoke themselves (ourselves) to His strength and enabling grace, providing rest for their (our) souls.

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

… The Apostle Paul calls on fellow Christians to set aside their (our) fears and to go to God in thankful prayer for His protective peace.

                            

My Devotional Journal: Today’s Our Daily Bread Author - Adam R Holz … AT THIS LINK    … writes of loving the idea in Psalms 46:10 of being still in order to know of God’s presence in our lives.   However, the ODB author reminds his readers of how difficult, in today’s busy, digital, world, it is to find the time and place to be quiet in God’s presence.  But when we can, … and do, … find a quite place of solitude, and take in God’s word (see Scriptures shared above) God promises believers of His presence, power, and protection, … especially when we are fearful or under the pressures in this world.  

I have a place every morning when I wake, to get alone with God, pray in His quiet presence, and consume His promises by studying His word and being led by Our Daily Bread devotionals.  And I’ve been using this discipline almost daily (other than occasional health difficulties) for will over two decades now, to find God’s peace by following God’s word.   

Do you have a quiet place to go DAILY to be with God, allowing HIs promised peace to give You hope and direction?   I’m stopping to pray that you do. … Because, … if you don’t,  …  Satan and his world will pursue and surround you as Pharaoh did with God’s people at the Red Sea.  But if you can have that place to be with God in quiet; and let Hm show you His peace and presence, … you will know Him and He will give you HIs strength to deal with the worries of this world.   Anybody up for that?!!  

         

My Thanksgiving: … Oh, King Jesus, thank You, … for giving me Your peace everyday when I come to You thru Your word.                        

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I pray, … again today, … that all reading here will join me, …  to quietly find You again today, Lord, through 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.