Jan 17, 2025 … Hang In There !!

Jan 17, 2025 … Hang In There !!  

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...    Please take the time to take in this song with music and lyrics with ;Steven Curtis Chapman singing … Don’t Lose Heart … encouraging and calling on Christians to persist in serving the Lord as HE calls us onward as His disciples. 

 

Highlight Passage: … Galatians 6:9  [NLT] … 

9 So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.          

… The Apostle Paul calls on fellow Christians to persist in living for Christ as His disciples.      

Highlight Passage (in context): … Galatians 6:7-10 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

…Paul exhorts fellow Christians to persist with courage and not lose heart in their (our) pursuit of Christlikeness.                                                               

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Reference Passage: … Proverbs 24:16a [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …

,,, Solomon declares that believers may fall; but they get back up to follow the Lord.    

Reference Passage: … Luke 11:9-10 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …

 … Jesus teaches to keep on keeping on as we seek to serve Him.                                      

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

… The Apostle Paul exhorts fellow Christians, teaching that anything done for the Lord is not in vane.      

Reference Passage: …Philippians 3:13-14 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… Once again, Paul calls on fellow Christians to forget the past and to move forward in serving the Lord as God calls us to do.          

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

… God, thru the Author of Hebrews, calls on Christians to persist in serving the Lord, be casting away everything that weights us down.        

Reference Passage: … Revelation 3:20 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… Jesus calls to John (and all born-again believers) to hear Christ’s knocking on our hearts and to open the door and let Him in.                   

 

My Devotional Journal: Today’s Our Daily Bread  Author -  Poh Fang Chia  … AT THIS LINK  … writes of a young man, named Salya, who was a new believer in Christ, trying his best to live as God seemed to call him to live for Christ on the job; but he became weary in doing so.   

Every felt that way as a Christian, … living for Christ as you read in the Scriptures above clearly calling us?  It can be tough, can’t it?  But persist, we must… as Steven Curtis Chapman sings in the linked song.   Hang on, as God’s word strongly and persistently calls us to do!!  And let’s all come back tomorrow giving witness to our persistence as disciples of the One Who is calling us onward for His glory.   

 

My Thanksgiving: … Oh, King Jesus, thank You , Lord, for calling me onward to live for You, Lord, … day after day after day.   

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I pray. again today, that all reading here will join me, … to seek Your strength, Lord, in serving You ALWAYS. 

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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.

Jan 16, 2025 … Trusting God Always

Jan 16, 2025 … Trusting God Always   

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...   Please take the time to take in this song with music and lyrics with Chris Brown singing … Trust In God … testify to God’s faithful protection and guidance ALWAYS. 

Highlight Passage: … Exodus 14:13-14 [NLT] … 

13 But Moses told the people, “Don’t be afraid. Just stand still and watch the Lord rescue you today. The Egyptians you see today will never be seen again. 14 The Lord Himself will fight for you. Just stay calm.”           

… Moses tells God’s people to cast aside their fears and trust in God’s deliverance.     

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

…How Moses, when God’s people had been delivered from bondage in Egypt balked in fear, told them to fear not and trust God for protection.                                                               

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Reference Passage: … Psalm 37:4-5 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …

,,, King David calls on believers to commit all to God’s faithful protection and guidance.   

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

 … God’s promise, thru Solomon, that God will show the way to those who trust Him to lead them (us).                                     

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

… God, thru Isaiah, promises to give strength to His people (that’s us too) when they (we) are weak.     

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

… Jesus, in His sermon on the mount to His followers, promising God’s faithful protective guidance.          

Reference Passage: … Romans 8:28 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… The Apostle Paul teaches Christians that ALL THINGS work together for the good of His born-again Christians and for His glory.        

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

… Paul also exhorts fellow Christians to pray with thankful hearts for God to watch over them (us) … ALWAYS!                  

 

My Devotional Journal: Today’s Our Daily Bread  Author -  Mike Wittmer  … AT THIS LINK  - tells of a young Pastor, named Mark, whose young son died suddenly while kicking a ball with his dad.  Mark still grieves over the loss; but sees that the horrible loss helped him to be more compassionate towards others.  And then the ODB author quotes A.W. Tozer, who wrote … “It is doubtful whether God can bless a man greatly until He has hurt him deeply.”   

Personally, I agree with Tozer’s observation.  How about my readers?  Today, we many face some really trying or troubling circumstances.   But how will we react or respond?  Do we agree with all the biblical wisdom in the Scriptures quoted above; or will we desire to bolt and run into our own, sinful or selfish, ways of looking at life’s challenges.   I pray we take in and follow the wisdom in the linked song, trusting that our loving Lord will give us His enabling grace to strengthen us today … and ALWAYS! 

 

My Thanksgiving: … Oh, King Jesus, thank You , Lord, for giving me Your faithful promises of Your strength when I am feeling so weak, … as I am right now.  

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I pray. again today, that all reading here will join me, … to seek Your strength, Lord, and Your enabling grace when we’re feeling down and out.      …  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 to the blog via email at that site.

Jan 15, 2025 … A New Walk

Jan 15, 2025 … A New Walk   

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...   Please take the time to take in this song with music and lyrics with Big Daddy Weave singing … All Things New … showing that faith in Jesus as Messiah makes all things new.

Rembrandt's 1633 painting of a New Life in Christ

  

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

8 But God showed His great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.          

… Paul teaches of Christ dying on the cross while we were still sinners to save us forever from our sins.    

Highlight Passage (in context): … Romans 5:6-11 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …  

…The Apostle Paul teaches fellow Christians truth about our salvation to those who believe in Christ’s finished work on the cross to save mankind from our sins.                                                 

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Reference Passage: … Isaiah 43:18-19 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

,,, God’s promise, thru Isaiah, to make a new thing for His people, which was the promise of the work of Christ on the cross.   

Reference Passage: … Ezekiel 11:19-20 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …

 … God’s promise, thru Ezekiel, to give His chosen people a new heart so that they (we) can - and will - obey the Lord.                                     

Reference Passage: … 2Corinthians 5:17-21 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… The Apostle Paul teaches fellow Christians of God’s redemptive plan to die on the cross and make all things new for sinners who believe on Him as Messiah.   

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

… Paul witnesses his faith in Christ and his restoration by Christ living in his (and our) life thru our faith in Christ’s redeeming work on the Cross.         

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

… The Apostle Paul teaches Christians that God has made over formerly broken sinners into the newness of a restored relationship with God.       

Reference Passage: … Colossians 3:10 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… Paul also exhorts fellow Christians to put on the new nature and become more like our Savior, Jesus, Who is The Christ.                         

 

My Devotional Journal: Today’s Our Daily Bread  Author -  James Banks  … AT THIS LINK  - makes a point about us becoming new thru our faith in the finished work of Christ on the cross, which was illustrated in the 1633 painting by Rembrandt who painted his own portrait into two people at the foot of the cross (see photo), making the statement that he, … Rembrandt, … put Jesus up on that cross, which actually made him over into a soldier for Christ, … who was also in the painting, another self portrait, waling away in new garments.  

And the whole point of today’s ODB entry was that all, who believe in Christ’s finished work on the cross, are made new by Christ’s redeeming work on the cross and we now can walk in that restoration and grace.  That’s me today, doing al i can to put on the newness of the grace my Lord affords me.   How abut you?  Are you walking  with me in His love and grace today?            

My Thanksgiving: … Oh, King Jesus, thank You , Lord, for walking away into my new life through Your blood, shed on that cross. 

 

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I pray. again today, that all reading here will join me, … to walk in the newness of our restored relationship with You.       …  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. 

Jan 14, 2025 … Walking With God

Jan 14, 2025 … Walking With God    

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...  Please take the time to take in this song with music and lyrics with Michael Bethany singing … Walk With You … calling on Christians to walk with the Lord in obedience to His word.  

Walking with God ... in His way ... 

 

Highlight Passage: … James 1:22 [NLT] … 

23 Enoch lived 365 years, 24 walking in close fellowship with God. Then one day he disappeared, because God took him.          

… Enoch walked all his life in close fellowship with God.    

Highlight Passage (in context): … Genesis 5:21-24 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …  

… Enoch, the father of Methuselah, walked closely with God until God took him to be with The Lord.                                                               

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Reference Passage: … Genesis 6:9 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

,,, Moses writes of Noah, who walked with God in close fellowship with the Lord.    

Reference Passage: … Psalms 119:105, 133 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …</b> 

… King David sings of walking with God by letting God’s word guide his (and our0 path.

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

 … God’s promise, thru Solomon, that God will show us THE WAY to go, when we trust and follow Him.                                                         

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

… The Apostle Paul teaches that we are created by God to be His workmanship by walking in obedience to His word.          

Reference Passage: … Galatians 5:16 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… The Apostle Paul teaches fellow Christians to let God’s Spirit guide our walk with The Lord. 

Reference Passage: … James 4:7-8 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …

… James warns fellow Christians to humble themselves (ourselves) before God and walk away from the ways of the world, which is Satan’s call to disobey God.                        

 

My Devotional Journal: Today’s Our Daily Bread  Author -  Matt Lucas  … AT THIS LINK  - Reports the findings of research done by the US NIH, which report  … “Adults who took 8,000 or more steps a day had a reduced risk of death over the following decade than those who walked only 4,000 steps a day.” 

Yes, walking is a healthy exercise, … to avoid unhealthy life outcomes.  But the ODB entry points us to an even more important exercise; and that is walking with God in obedience to His word.  And that’s why you find me, each day, here, in God’s word, doing my best to walk diligently to follow God’s way.  EVERY DAY my day breaking prayer is from Psalms 139:23-24 - linked here  -   which reflects King David’s prayer to avoid walking in his (our) selfish ways as David (and we) seek to follow God’s ways (i.e, to walk with the Lord).  Are you with me?  Let’s walk with Him today using God’s word as our “GPS” … and then again tomorrow, following God all the way to glory.    

My ThanksgivingL … Oh, King Jesus, thank You , Lord, for showing me Your way for me to walk with you today.   

 

My Prayer Today:  Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I pray. again today, that all reading here will join me, … to seek Your way, Lord, and to walk with you …  ALWAYS!     …  Amen

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Blogger NoteL:  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.