July 4 2026 … He’s My Shepherd

July 4 2026 … He’s My Shepherd 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...         and PLEASE take the time to listen to music and lyrics from Patrick Mayberry  singing … Lead On Good Shepherd … calling on all Christians to follow the Lord as our Good Shepherd.

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Highlight Passage: … Ezekiel 34:15  [NLT]

…  15 I myself will tend My sheep and give them a place to lie down in peace, says the Sovereign Lord. 

… God, thru Ezekiel, declares Himself to the Shepherd for Israel. 

Highlight Passage: … Ezekiel 34:1-2, 11-16 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… God, thru the Prophet Ezekiel, shows Himself to be the “Good Shepherd” for His chosen people..      

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Reference Passage: …  Psalms 23:1-6 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

…  King David sings of The Lord being his (and our) Good Shepherd.

Reference Passage: … Isaiah 40:11 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… God, thru Isaiah, describes our Lord being like a Good Shepherd, caring for His flock. 

Reference Passage:… Matthew 9:36 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… Jesus was described by Matthew as being like a good shepherd, having compassion and caring for His sheep.

Reference Passage: … Matthew 11:28-29  [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… Jesus, invites His faithful followers to rest in Him, just as a shepherd would his flock.

Reference Passage: … John 10:11-14 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …           

… Jesus describes Himself as “Good Shepherd” watching over, caring for, and protecting His flock.

Reference Passage: … 1Peter 2:25 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …

…  Peter also shows Jesus describing Himself as a “Shepherd” caring for His flock of sheep.

My Devotional Journal: Today’s Our Daily Bread from James Banks  …  USE THIS LINK           related a story about two friends, Heather, who found a small lamb caught in a fence and called in her Husband, Tim, who freed the fawn and put it in a safe place.   But the mother was no where to be found.  Later Tim noted a flock of sheep near the woods nearby and a somewhat nervous doe in their midst.  Tim looked up a distress call for a sheep on his cell phone and played it on his speaker; and the doe followed him to where he released to lamb to the doe; and she immediately began to nurse her little lamb.  Tim had a been a good shepherd for those sheep, … an illustration of what our Lord is for His sheep.

And for my fellow Christian readers here with me today, … you guessed it!  We’re the sheep and our Lord, Jesus, if you’ve taken in the linked song and the Scriptures above, is our “Good Shepherd.”  He cares for, guides, and protects His Flock; and I for one, follow Him.  How about you?  

My Thanksgiving: … Oh, King Jesus, thank You … for being My Good Shepherd.

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, … thank You, Lord, … for being our Good Shepherd ,,, ALWAYS!   … 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.

July 3 2026 … Walk By Faith

July 3 2026 … Walk By Faith 

Devotional Son: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...        and PLEASE take the time to listen to music and lyrics from Steven Curtis Chapman singing … His Strength Is Perfect … declaring that God will provide His perfect strength when our faith is weak.

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Highlight Passage: … Isaiah 40:31  [NLT]

…  31 But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint. 

… God’s promise, thru Isaiah, to give HIs strength to His weary people.

Highlight Passage: … Isaiah 40:25-31 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… God, thru the Prophet Isaiah, promises His strength to give faith to His weakened people.      

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

…  God promises to show THE WAY, … His way …, to those who trust in Him with ALL their heart.

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

… God, thru Jeremiah, promises His peace to His weary people. 

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

… Jesus promises to His faithful followers His rest for their weary souls..  

Reference Passage: … Romans 8:37  [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… The Apostle Paul teaches truth that Christians are conquerers thru our faith in and relationship with Christ.

Reference Passage: … Philippians 4:13 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… The Apostle Paul again witnesses to the strength he had thru His faith in Christ.

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

…  The Author of Hebrews assures fellow Christians that they (we) can (and will) run the race we call “life” by shedding all the burdens we carry in this life.

My Devotional Journal: Today’s Our Daily Bread from Nancy Gavilanes  …  USE THIS LINK     related how a handicapped woman struggled to walk up the steps to get into the church for worship; and a man, trying to encourage her said, “One step at a time. That’s the only way you’re going to make it. ...Take it easy.”  And the ODB author, who heard the words of this man to this fellow believer, was encouraged as well as the handicapped woman.

And if my readers have taken in the linked song, and have meditated on the Scriptures I shared above, I hope you are lifted up, as was I, by the promises God has made thru His word to provide His people - and that’s you and me - with His strength and peace when we feel down or discouraged.  And right now I’m needing more than a little of my God’s strength.  How about you?  

My Thanksgiving: … Oh, King Jesus, thank You … for promising me Your strength as I walk this walk of faith.

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, … thank You, Lord, … for lifting us up when we feel  weak.  … 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.

July 2 2026 … Teamwork for Christ

July 2 2026 … Teamwork for Christ 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...        and PLEASE take the time to listen to music and lyrics from Chris Tomlin and Russell Dickerson singing … Together … Calling all Christians to work TOGETHER in service to the Lord.

Teamwork for Christ !!! 

 

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Highlight Passage: … Luke 22:19  [NLT]

…  10 If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble.

… Solomon discovers that working alone is not as effective as TEAMWORK in this world.

Highlight Passage: … Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… Solomon shares Godly wisdom about believers working TOGETHER for the Lord’s will and His work.      

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Reference Passage: …  Genesis 2:18 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …</b> 

…  God designed mankind, from the beginning, to work TOGETHER for His glory.

Reference Passage: … Psalms 133:1 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… King David sing that it wonderful when mankind can work TOGETHER for His glory.  

Reference Passage: … Proverbs 27:17 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… Solomon shows that “iron sharpens iron” when believers work TOGETHER.  

Reference Passage: … 1Corinthians 12:22-25  [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… The Apostle Paul teaches truth that all parts of the Body of Christ, like all parts of our physical body, are necessary for the whole body to work TOGETHER effectively

Reference Passage: … Ephesians 4:16 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …      

… The Apostle Paul again exhorting fellow Christians, compares working TOGETHER as the Body of Christ to how the whole human body functions, with all of it’s parts working in harmony.

Reference Passage: … 1Peter 4:10 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

…  Peter reminds fellow Christians that they (we) must use our individual gifts TOGETHER with other fellow Christians, working in harmony with each other.

My Devotional Journal: Today’s Our Daily Bread from Dave Branon  …  USE THIS LINK         related a true story of the main engineer for the building of the Brooklyn Bridge in 1892 becoming very ill and his wife, working closely with her husband, relaying his plans to the workers, … the couple working TOGETHER, as a team, got the bridge finished, which still stands today as a tribute to teamwork.

We all need each other, don’t we, … especially in this life where we were designed by God to be in teamwork, as the linked song and the Scriptures shared above?    It’s the individual parts of God’s body, His Church, working TOGETHER, for His glory.  Common, fellow Christians, let’s be a team today!   

My Thanksgiving: … Oh, King Jesus, thank You … for giving all the parts of Your body to work TOGETHER with me for Your glory.

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, … thank You, Lord, … for calling us ALL to work TOGETHER in harmony for Your glory.   … 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.

July 1 2026 … Remembering Jesus

July 1 2026 … Remembering Jesus 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...    PLEASE take the time to listen to music and lyrics from David Ware singing … Remember Christ … Calling all Christians to remember and celebrate - in worship - the sacrifice of Christ.  

Stopping to remember Christ's sacrifice ... 

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Highlight Passage: … Luke 22:19  [NLT]

…  19 He took some bread and gave thanks to God for it. Then He broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of Me.” 

… Jesus, the night before His crucifixion, celebrated Passover with His Disciples, charging them (us) to remember Him by sharing His meal together.

Highlight Passage: … Luke 22:14-23 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… Luke recalls Jesus taking the bread and the cup and sharing them with His disciples to remember His sacrifice for all who believe in Him as Messiah and Lord.       

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

…  Jesus shares with Nicodemus the extent of God’s sacrifice for the sins of mankind by giving up His Son as the Lamb of God.

Reference Passage: … John 6:56 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… The Apostle John calls fellow Christians to come to His table and share of His body and blood by partaking of the bread and the wine together.

Reference Passage: … John 11:25-26 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… After Lazarus’ death, Jesus declares to Martha about all who believe in Him as Messiah being saved from death

Reference Passage: … Romans 12:1  [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… Paul pleads with fellow Christians to be willing to give of themselves as living sacrifices just as Jesus did for all who believe in Him as Lord. 

Reference Passage: … 1Corinthians 11:23-26 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… The Apostle Paul recalls Jesus instituting the Lord’s Supper by sharing the bread and the cup with His disciples the night before His death.

Reference Passage: … 1Thessalonians 4:13-14 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

…  Paul reminds fellow Christians that the dead who believe in Christ’s resurrection will be raised again to be with Him in glory.

My Devotional Journal: Today’s Our Daily Bread from Christen Holmberg …  USE THIS LINK        related C.S. Lewis sharing wisdom in one of his books about the joy relived by any of us as we remember and celebrate some glorious event we’ve experienced in the past.  And in essence, … that was what Jesus did for His own as He instituted the so-called “Last Supper” (see Scriptures shared above).  And now, by sharing communion as the body of Christ, we can worship and remember what our Lord did for us by dying on that cross and being raised again from the dead to save those who believe on Him FOREVER.  

I remember what He did for me (i.e., for us).  How about you?  

My Thanksgiving: … Oh, King Jesus, thank You … for sharing Your glory and giving us a way to remember what You did for us on the cross.

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, … thank You, Lord, … for calling Your own to remember Your sacrifice by sharing Your table.   … 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.

June 30 2026 … Let Go -> Let God!

June 30 2026 … Let Go -> Let God! 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...        and PLEASE take the time to listen to music and lyrics from Matthew West singing … Don’t Stop Praying… Exhorting  fellow Christians to never stop praying for every issue in the Church.

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Highlight Passage: … 1Corinthians 3:7  [NLT]

… 7 It’s not important who does the planting, or who does the watering. What’s important is that God makes the seed grow. 

… Paul’s call for God’s people to let God do all in His church to make it grow for His glory alone.

Highlight Passage: … 1Corinthians 3:1-9 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… Paul preaches to Christians in Corinth - and everywhere - to let God have the glory for the growth in His church.        

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Reference Passage: …  Matthew 6:7-8 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …               

…  Jesus, in His sermon on the Mount, calls on His followers to pray, not like the Gentiles,  but to surrender ALL to God.

Reference Passage: … Luke 18:1 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… Jesus calls on His disciples to NEVER give up and to ALWAYS pray to God for their needs.

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

… Paul calls on fellow Christians to place their hope in Jesus and to keep on praying to God.

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

… Paul exhorts all Christians to bring ALL their anxieties to God in prayer with a thankful heart and experience His peace. 

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

… The Apostle Paul also calls on Christians to devote themselves to prayer with an alert and thankful heart.

Reference Passage: … 1Thessalonians 5:15-16 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …

…  Once again, Paul calls on fellow Christians to NEVER stop praying for God to meet their needs.

My Devotional Journal: Today’s Our Daily Bread from Patricia Raybon …  USE THIS LINK        wrote about a missionary from Singapore, Lam Wai Chan, who started a church in Japan, which as stagnant in growth until Chan asked his flock to pray … for EVERYTHING … for their needs, for their cares, for God’s favor on the church.  And slowly, but steadily, the church doubled in his number of partitioners.    

And for my readers here today, that’s the message of the linked song and the ODB entry for today.   And that’s my prayer today, … that we bring all our cares to the Lord in prayer, with thankful hearts, … knowing that He hears and will grant those prayers which are within His will and are for His glory.  So, …  I’m praying!  How about you?  

My Thanksgiving: … Oh, King Jesus, thank You … for hearing my prayers again today.

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, … thank You, Lord, … for calling on Your chosen to pray … and keep praying … ALWAYS!     … 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.