Feb 3 2026 … Stay Focused on God …

Feb 3 2026 … Stay Focused on God … 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...       and PLEASE take the time to listen to music and lyrics from Steven Curtis Chapman singing His Strength Is Perfect … calling on Christians to seek and receive God’s strength when they (we) are feeling weak.

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Highlight Passage: … Haggai 2:4 … [NLT] …  

4 But now the Lord says: Be strong, Zerubbabel. Be strong, Jeshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest. Be strong, all you people still left in the land. And now get to work, for I am with you, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.  

… God’s promise of His strength, thru Haggai, to the faithful remnant of God’s people, who had been in exile, now called rebuild God’s Temple.

Highlight Passage in Context:  Haggai 2:1-9 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …

… God lifts up His people, thru a message from the Prophet Haggai, that as they are called to rebuild God’s temple, He, The Lord, would be with them ALWAYS

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

… God calls on Joshua to focus on The Lord’s covenant promise to be with His people as they follow Joshua into God’s promised land. 

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

… Solomon shows his son (and all believers) that God will lead those who trust in Him completely.

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

…God’s promise to His faithful remnant, thru the Prophet Isaiah, to provide His strength when their (our) strength is gone.

Reference Passage: … Matthew 28:20b [NLT] …  

20b And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”  

… Jesus’ promise to born-again Christians that He would be with them (us) ALWAYS.

Reference Passage: … Philippians 4:6-8 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… The Apostle Paul assures fellow Christians that God will provide His peace to those who keep their (our) focus on God.  

Reference Passage: … 1Peter 5:7 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… The Apostle Peter exhorts fellow Christians (who were oppressed) to take all their cares to a caring God.

My Devotional Journal: Today’s Our Daily Bread from Karen Huang …  USE THIS LINK   … told of a discouraged father, Jess,  who was trying to help his son with math, and thinking of how his wife, who had died recently, had been so much stronger and better at helping their son with homework and keeping up the household.  

Wouldn’t my readers agree that there are times when things seem overwhelming and extremely frustrating?  Well, today’s ODB entry was/is for those of us who’re dealing with such times.  And if you’ve taken in the linked song and meditated deeply on the Scriptures shared above, I hope you, … as I am, … are reminded that we serve a God who will lift us up and give us His strength, as He did for God’s faithful prophets and people in the past.  Personally, that’s very helpful and encouraging to this old servant of God right now.   How about you?

My Thanksgiving: … Oh, King Jesus, thank You …Lord, … for reminding me or Your promise of peace and strength when I focus on You rather than my trials/troubles.

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, … thank You, Lord, for calling Your children to focus on You rather than our troubles.   … 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 2 2026 … Like A Child …

Feb 2 2026 … Like A Child … 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...       and PLEASE take the time to listen to music and lyrics from The Maranatha Singers singing Humble Yourself … calling on Christians to humble themselves (ourselves) and become like a child before the Lord.

Coming to Him like a little child ... 

 

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Highlight Passage: … Matthew 18:3 … [NLT] …  

3 Then He said, “I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven.” 

… Jesus holds a little child before His disciples and tells them that those who enter God’s kingdom must become humble like a little child.

Highlight Passage in Context:  Matthew 18:1-4 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… Jesus teaches His disciples (and all Christians) that they (we) should humble themselves (ourselves) like a little child to enter the kingdom of God.

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Reference Passage: … 2Chronicles 7:14 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… After dedicating God’s Temple to the Lord, God speaks to King Solomon, calling on God’s people to humble themselves before the Lord. 

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

… Jesus describes Himself as being HUMBLE and GENTLE OF HEART (i.e. meek or kind) … our model to follow.

Reference Passage: … Mark 10:45 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… Jesus describes Himself to His disciples as being HUMBLE, like a slave …  to serve others rather than being served. 

Reference Passage: … John 13:3-7 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… Jesus, by washing the feet of His Disciples, models what He was called to do; and that is to humble Himself to be like a slave, serving others. 

Reference Passage: … Philippians 2:5-8 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… Paul teaches to fellow Christians what it takes to take on the attitude of Christ, … becoming like a slave to serve mankind.  

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

… Jesus brother James exhorts fellow Christian to humble themselves (ourselves) before the Lord … so that God can lift us up in honor.

My Devotional Journal: Today’s Our Daily Bread from Matt Lucas …  USE THIS LINK   … described a lovely garden in the area where his father used to take a young boy, who the family cared for, and who use to love going thru a small door to the “Children’s Garden,” where my father used to have to get down on his knees to squeeze thru the door, causing the young boy to laugh heartily.

The memory reminded the ODB author of the scene where Jesus called a young child to come to Him (as in the photo), declaring for His disciples that one must humble himself, as a child, to enter God’s kingdom. And if my readers have taken in the attached song and meditated on the Scriptures I’ve shared above, I would hope that we all would do all we can to become humble, like Jesus, to qualify to enter God’s eternal garden … FOREVER.   Are you with me?

My Thanksgiving: … Oh, King Jesus, thank You …Lord, … for calling a sinner like me to come to follow You into Your kingdom.

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, … thank You, Lord, for showing us the way to follow You to 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. 

Feb 1 2026 … His Unfailing Love …

Feb 1 2026 … His Unfailing Love … 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...       and PLEASE take the time to listen to music and lyrics from Chris Tomlin singing Unfailing Love … declaring  God’s unfailing love for ALL who humbly surrender to receive His saving grace.

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Highlight Passage: … Philippians 1:6 … [NLT] …  

6 And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.

… Paul reassures fellow Christians that God is working in them (us) to make us over into Christ’s likeness.

Highlight Passage in Context:  Philippians 1:3-11 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… The Apostle Paul teaches truth to his fellow Christians in Philippi (and all other Christians) of God’s unfailing love for those who surrender to Him and follow Him as Lord.

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Reference Passage: … 1Chronicles 16:34 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …

… King David gives honor to God with a song of praise and thanks for God’s unfailing love, which endures FOREVER.  

Reference Passage: … Psalms 36:5 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… King David also sings that God’s love is so vast it extends beyond the heavens.

Reference Passage: … Isaiah 54:10 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… God, thru Isaiah, describes the extent of His covenant love for His chosen people.

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

… Jesus explains to Nicodemus about the extent of God’s love.

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

… Paul shows fellow Christians just how far God’s love is willing to go … to save even sinners. 

Reference Passage: … 1Corinthians 10:1-13 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …

… Paul teaches truth to fellow Christians about the extent of God’s unfailing love. 

My Devotional Journal: Today’s Our Daily Bread from Amy Boucher Pie …  USE THIS LINK   … wrote about being rejected by fellow campers at a church came and feeling really down during and after the camp.   But a camp counselor, concerned for the teenager, wrote her quoting from the Highlight Passage in today ODB entry, Philippians 1:6, where Paul was trying to show his readers - and God did in all of today’s shared Scriptures, that God’s love extends to all who surrender to follow Him.  And the letter from the camp counselor lifted up the the ODB Author, in those teen years, to realize the extent of God’s love.

But the challenge from today’s ODB entry, the linked song, and the Scriptures shared above is whether we, as professed “Christians,” really realize and and believe in the extent of God’s unfailing love. I do; … I really do!  … Do you?

My Thanksgiving: … Oh, King Jesus, thank You …Lord, … for lifting me up today with Your promised unfailing - and eternal - love.

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, … thank You, Lord, for the promise - and reality -  of Your unfailing love.    … 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 31 2026 ... Focus On God …

Jan 31 2026 ... Focus On God … 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...   and PLEASE take the time to listen to music and lyrics from the group, 4Him, singing Be Thou My Vision … calling on Christians to focus on God rather than on the challenges of life.  

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Highlight Passage: … Isaiah 26:3… [NLT] … 

 3 You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in You, all whose thoughts are fixed on You!

… God’s promise, thru Isaiah, is for God’s peace to come to those who stay focused on God, even in times of trial/trouble.

Highlight Passage in Context:  Isaiah 26:1-5 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… God, in a song from the Prophet Isaiah, promises the strength of God’s kingdom for those who trust and stay focused on God.

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Reference Passage: … 1Chronicles 16:11 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… King David honors God with a song of praise for God’s strength in times of trouble for those who continually focus on God.

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

… Solomon’s wisdom about God showing the way for those who trust in Him.

Reference Passage: … Romans 12:2 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… Paul warns/exhorts fellow Christians to avoid following the world and staying focused on following God.

Reference Passage: … 1Corinthians 10:13 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… Paul teaches truth to fellow Christians about God ALWAYS providing the way to deal with temptations (trials, troubles, or tribulations) when they (we) stay focused on and follow God.

Reference Passage: … Colossians 3:1-2 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… The Apostle Paul also strongly teaches Christians in their (our) new life in Christ must focus on the things above and not on the things of this world.

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

… Paul shows fellow Christians what to focus on in this life.  

My Devotional Journal: Today’s Our Daily Bread from Katara Patton …  USE THIS LINK   … wrote about a co-worker who called her about a work-related issue; and the ODB author confessed having a serious sinus infection.  Immediately the co-worker offered to pray for her; and stopped right there to pray on the phone.  And the ODB author admitted that she often takes her mind off of going to God when the struggles of life weigh heavily on her mind.

And I would guess that is the case with many of us too; … wouldn’t you agree?   It’s so very easy to focus on our troubles or trials when they come our way rather than remembering that God calls on us (see Scriptures shared above) to remember and focus on Him in these times of trial.  I, … for one …, am glad to be reminded of God’s repetitive promises of His peace, … even today!   How about you?

My Thanksgiving: … Oh, King Jesus, thank You …Lord, … for reminding me of Your enabling grace which is ALWAYS there, calling me to trust in You.

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, … thank You, Lord, for being there … ALWAYS …  when we come to 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.