March 19, 2016: Just Do It ! [AGAIN!!]

Daily Berry Patch Devotions in 2016 - Day 79 

Blogger Note: I used this title … “Just Do It” … in a blog on August 10, 2015, which a reader can access by USING THIS LINK . The redundancy and exhortation will be obvious to the reader. But remember what my mentor used to say: “Redundancy teaches!!!“

Devotional Song:  … GO TO THIS LINK …  Please take the time to take in a video of the group Newsong singing, For Goodness Sake declaring the commitment of Christians to live - every day - to be worthy of Christ’s calling.

Highlight Passage:  Philippians 1:27 [NKJV] …  
27 Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel, … 
… An exhortation [i.e., verse 27a in bold] Paul often wrote to Christians under the pressure of the world and the flesh … that our words and deeds BE WORTHY of Christ’s gospel calling. 
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Highlight Context – Philippians 1:27-30 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …  
… Paul so wanted his beloved Christian friends to stay on Christ’s path … the path worthy of the calling of Christ on our lives.
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Reference Passage #1 - John 14:21 [NKJV] …  
21 He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.” 
… Jesus lays it out for His Disciples … and do we get it today?

Reference Passage #2 - Luke 9:23 [NKJV] …  
23 Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. … “ 
… Jesus declares what it takes to walk a walk worthy of His Gospel.

Reference Passage #3 - Eph. 4:1; Col. 1:10; 1 Thess 2:12 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …  
… Paul repeatedly exhorted his fellow Christians to “walk worthy” of the calling we have from the Gospel of Christ.

My Journal for Today:  Today’s Our Daily Bread author, Dave Banon, reminded his readers (me) of the reality of the Gospel’s calling on our lives as Christians. As the Apostle Paul often reminded his beloved fellow walkers in “The Way” in his letters (see highlight and reference passages linked above), we are commanded by Christ (see Luke 9:23) to follow Him … i.e., to walk in a manner worthy of His Gospel calling.

So, the question is … ARE WE? And if not, WHY NOT?

Because if we claim to love our Lord, as He told His inner disciples (see John 14:21), we will keep His commandments. Therefore, after taking in today’s ODB entry, and remembering my similar blog on August 10, 2015 (see link above), I’m convicted by that old Nike slogan again … to … “Just Do It !!” … that is, … to follow His walk and His way today [and tomorrow too!].

How about you?

My Prayer Today:  Heavenly Father, … Show the me THE way, Lord; and I will follow in Your footsteps. … 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.