Devotional Song: ... Go to this link … Please take the time to take in a video of the famous Simon & Garfunkel song … Bridge Over Troubled Waters, declaring how one can be a bridge of encouragement when someone in our lives is down & out by lifting them up by just providing love, … for us Christians, … God’s love. … And then ... USE THIS LINK ... and hear another 60s classic, written by Burt Bacharach and performed by Jackie DeShannon, What the World Needs Now Is Love Sweet Love … and I’m totally convicted to help bridges of love and encouragement to others!!
Highlight Passage 1st Thessalonians 1: 8 [NKJV] …
8 For from you the word of the Lord has sounded forth, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place. Your faith toward God has gone out, so that we do not need to say anything.
… The Apostle Paul, teaching, yet encouraging, his beloved fellow Christians in Asia Minor, and any Christian reading, exhorting them [us] to reach out in faith and share the Gospel and God’s love.
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Highlight Context - 1st Thessalonians 1: 1-10 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …
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Reference Passage #1 - Philippians 1: 3-5 [NKJV] …
3 I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, 4 always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy, 5 for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now, …
… Another of Paul’s encouraging letters to fellow Christians …
Reference Passage #2 - Revelation 3: 7-13 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …
… Jesus’ exhortation of perseverance of the faithful Church, i.e, for all Christians, to “keep on keeping on,” building bridges of love, between God and those who need Him (everyone!) …
My Journal for Today: Today’s Our Daily Bread devotional entry, authored by Bill Crowder, primarily highlights the words and sentiments written by the Apostle Paul to fellow Christians [see the passages from Philippians and 1st Thessalonians above], writing to encourage them (us) to become bridges of encouragement, much as Paul Simon wrote into the classic pop song, which he and Art Garfunkel sung, Bridge Over Troubled Water [please use the link above to hear the song with the lyrics].
And as I was listening to Paul Simon’s song, I remembered another old 60s classic, [these were songs of my youth, friends!] What the World Needs Now is Love Sweet Love; and both of these classic songs, along with the exhortations from the Apostle Paul above (as well as from Jesus in Revelations 3), totally convicted me that I need to do more to build bridges of love and encouragement with those who come into my life.
And isn’t that just about everyone?!!
My Prayer for Today … O Lord, … help me to build bridges of love between You and those whom You need to use me to edify. … Amen
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.
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