Feb 18 2026 … God’s Restoration …

Feb 18 2026 … God’s Restoration … 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...      and PLEASE take the time to listen to music and lyrics from the group Elevation Worship singing Graves Into Gardens … showing that God’s restoring grace is bigger, and more powerful, than anything we experience or fail at in our past. 

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Highlight Passage: … Joel 2:25 … [NLT] …  

25 The Lord says, “I will give you back what you lost to the swarming locusts, the hopping locusts, the stripping locusts, and the cutting locusts. It was I who sent this great destroying army against you. 

… God says, thru the Prophet Joel, that he would restore the devastation wrought by God sending a horde of locusts to devour the fields around God’s sinful people. 

Highlight Passage in Context:  Joel 2:21-27 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… God, thru the Prophet Joel, promises to restore the fields which were devoured as God punished His people by a horde of locusts devouring the vegetation in the area where His people lived.  

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Reference Passage: … Job 42:10 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… God restored all that Job had lost when Job decided to pray for his mistaken “friends.”  

Reference Passage: … Psalms 51:11-12 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… King David prays that God would restore his repentant heart after David’s sin with Bathsheba and her husband.

Reference Passage: … Isaiah 61:7 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

…  God, thru Isaiah, promises restored and everlasting joy to the remnant of God’s forgiven people. 

Reference Passage: … Matthew 6:33 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… Jesus promises to restore all we have lost in our sinful lives if God’s faithful will but repent and follow Him.

Reference Passage: … Acts 3: 19-21 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… The Apostle Peter preaches to the people, in the Temple, of God’s restoring grace when they are willing to repent of their sins and be healed forever.

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

… Finally, the Apostle John declares truth that God is willing - and able - to forgive and cleanse any and all of His children who will confess of their (our) sins.

My Devotional Journal: Today’s Our Daily Bread from Nancy Gavilanes …  USE THIS LINK   … told of feeling devastated when a friend accidentally deleted all of her personal photos and videos while helping the ODB author install a new computer.  But after several hours of working to find the deleted photos, her friend was able to restore all the precious memories the ODB author thought she had lost.      

And that incident reminded the ODB author of how God was able to restore what God’s people had lost when a horde of locusts had devoured  all the vegetation in their land, which we read about in the Highlight passage.  Perhaps, like me, some of my readers have experienced God’s promised, and very real, restoration from the devastation that can be wrought from our past sins.  But God is a God of grace and  restoration (see photo); and if we’re willing to confess and repent of our sins, He will, as revealed in the Scriptures shared above, most certainly restore us.  I’m praying - right now - that you have - or will - experience God’s restoring mercy and grace.  Maybe today!

My Thanksgiving: … Oh, King Jesus, thank You …Lord, … for restoring and cleansing me of ALL my past sins and giving me the glory of Your healing grace.

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, … thank You, Lord, for of being The God of restoration for all who believe in and follow 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.

Feb 17 2026 … Purpose In Christ …

Feb 17 2026 … Purpose In Christ … 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...       and PLEASE take the time to listen to music and lyrics from Josh Baldwin singing Made For More … declaring that in Christ, those who surrender are made for service to Him FOREVER. 

Purpose and Direction from God's word ... 

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Highlight Passage: … John 3:36 … [NLT] …  

36 And anyone who believes in God’s Son has eternal life. Anyone who doesn’t obey the Son will never experience eternal life but remains under God’s angry judgment.” 

… Jesus calls on Nicodemus … and anyone … to find eternal life by obeying and serving the Son of God. 

Highlight Passage in Context:  John 3:1-6, 9, 14-16, 36 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… Jesus shows Nicodemus - and us - where the purpose for life exists - in surrender to live for and serve the Son of God …  FOREVER.  

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Reference Passage: … Psalms 138:8 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… King David sings of finding our purpose from the God Who made us.

Reference Passage: … Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… Solomon declares that our purpose in life comes from the One Who created us, the One we are to follow and obey ALWAYS. 

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

…  Jesus commissions all who would surrender to follow Him to a life serving Him. 

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

… The Apostle Paul shows that ALL THINGS in our lives are created to show us our purpose in life comes from God.

Reference Passage: … 1Corinthians 10:31 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… The Apostle Paul also calls on fellow Christians to do EVERYTHING in their (our) lives for God’s glory.

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

… Finally, the Apostle Paul declares that each of us was created to be God’s ambassador, ,,, created to do His purpose, … for His glory.

My Devotional Journal: Today’s Our Daily Bread from John Branon …  USE THIS LINK   … related the true story of a young woman, named Isobel Kuhn, known by most as “Belle,” who early in her life rejected her Christian parent’s faith in Christ and became depressed and despondent.   But searching for purpose in life, she finally surrendered her life to serve The Lord as a missionary in China and Indonesia, leading many thousands to faith in Christ.      

If you’ve taken in the linked song and the scriptures I’ve shared from the ODB entry today, I pray you, … as I do, … realize that each of us who’ve surrendered our lives to live for Christ’s calling have a purpose, … given to us by God.  It may not be to become a missionary; but it most certainly is to be an ambassador for Christ, … with a life serving the Lord in some way.  I’m doing my utmost to serve our Lord everyday by searching for my meaning by following His word (see photo).   How about you?

My Thanksgiving: … Oh, King Jesus, thank You …Lord, … for calling me and giving me meaning in life by serving You.

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, … thank You, Lord, for calling us today … and all days … to serve 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.

Feb 16 2026 … Being Humble and Kind …

Feb 16 2026 … Being Humble and Kind  … 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...       and PLEASE take the time to listen to music and lyrics from Tim McGraw singing Humble and Kind … Calling on us all to stay humble and kind … like Jesus.

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Highlight Passage: … Genesis 33:3 … [NLT] …  

3 Then Jacob went on ahead. As he approached his brother, he bowed to the ground seven times before him. 

… Jacob bows before Esau, humbly trying to apologize for his past deceit in stealing their father’s blessing. 

Highlight Passage in Context:  Genesis 33:1-10 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… Jacob humbles himself before Esau, trying to seek forgiveness for stealing Esau’s blessing.

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

… King David sings of what it takes be blessed by God … i.e., … to follow God’s ways ALWAYS.

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

… God, thru the Prophet Micah, calls all believers to humble themselves in order to follow the Lord.  

Reference Passage: … Matthew 11:29 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

…  To be like Jesus, … we see that He describes Himself as being humble and kind.

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

… The Apostle Paul shows the fruit (i.e., character traits) which come from Christians humbling themselves to follow and become more like Christ.

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

… The Apostle Paul also calls on fellow Christians to be more like Christ, looking to help others more than helping themselves (ourselves).

Reference Passage: … Colossians 3:12-13 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… Finally, the Apostle Paul repetitively calls on fellow Christians to take on the humility, kindness, and forgiveness of Christ.

My Devotional Journal: Today’s Our Daily Bread from Anne Cetas…  USE THIS LINK   … Told of how the ODB Author’s cousins, who lived only a few miles from her family, were told by their parents to never interact with her until years later when one of the cousins came to her brother’s funeral.  And since that act of humility, the relationship between the cousins and the ODB Author began to heal.    

And if my readers have taken in the ODB entry, the linked song, and the Scriptures I’ve shared above, I’m hoping we all see, as did Jacob in the highlight passage, that it takes the kind of humility and kindness modeled by our Lord to heal broken relationships and hold them together.  That’s a lesson I learned years ago; but being humble and kind, like Jesus, is hard, … isn't it?  But I’m stopping to pray today that we all try to be more like Jesus, ,,, being humble and kind to others.

My Thanksgiving: … Oh, King Jesus, thank You …Lord, … for giving me Your enabling grace to allow me to be humble and kind … like You.

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, … thank You, Lord, for showing us how to be humble and kind, like 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.

Feb 15 2026 … Love Like Him …

Feb 15 2026 … Love Like Him  … 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...       and PLEASE take the time to listen to music and lyrics from Michael W Smith singing Love One Another … telling of God’s command that we love one another as He has loved us.

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Highlight Passage: … John 13:34-35 … [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. 35 Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” 

… Jesus, the night before He was to die on a cross, commands His disciples to show their love for Him by loving one another as He has love them (us).

Highlight Passage in Context:  John 13:31-38 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… Jesus commands His disciples (and all Christians) to love one another, showing all the they (we) are His disciples.

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

… Jesus shows Nicodemus the extent of God’s love, being willing to give His Son to die for mankind’s sin.

Reference Passage: … John 15:12-13 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… Jesus commands His disciples to love each other being willing to give their lives for one another just as HE was willing to give His life for their salvation.  

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

…  Paul teaches truth to fellow Christians about the extent of God’s love, being willing to die for them (us) as sinners.

Reference Passage: … 1Corinthians 13 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… Paul also teaches truth about the extent of God’s love.

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

… The Apostle Peter explains to oppressed Christians the importance of loving others as Christ loved them (us).

Reference Passage: … 1John 4:7-8 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… The Apostle John writes of showing love for one another because love covers a multitude of sins.

My Devotional Journal: Today’s Our Daily Bread from Marvin Williams …  USE THIS LINK   … described how the value of Stradivarius stringed instruments, which were created so skillfully, centuries ago, made it shocking when one of them was reported to have accidentally fallen off a table.      

And the ODB entry by Marvin Williams used the value of these priceless instruments as an illustration of the value God places, as described in the various Scriptures I’ve shared above and the linked song, on Christians sharing their (our) love for one another.  So, I, for one, today am going to be looking for opportunities to share the love of God with others.   How about you?    

My Thanksgiving: … Oh, King Jesus, thank You …Lord, … for calling me to share Your love with others today. 

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, … thank You, Lord, for showing us how we must share Your love with others to demonstrate the value of Your love for us  … 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.