Devotional Song: … GO TO THIS LINK … Please take the time to take in a YouTube video of images and lyrics from Amy Grant singing the old song … Count Your Blessings … poignantly singing of how we need to keep our lives in perspective by remembering God’s many blessings.
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Highlight Verse[s]: Deuteronomy 8:10 [NLT] …
10 When you have eaten your fill, be sure to praise the Lord your God for the good land he has given you.
… We should be grateful in all things.
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Highlight Passage [context]: Deuteronomy 8:6-18 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… Moses exhorts God’s people, about to enter the Promised Land, to be grateful for His providence and provisions.
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Reference Passage #1 [NLT] : … Deuteronomy 8:17-18 [NLT] …
17 He did all this so you would never say to yourself, ‘I have achieved this wealth with my own strength and energy.’ 18 Remember the Lord your God. He is the one who gives you power to be successful, in order to fulfill the covenant he confirmed to your ancestors with an oath.
… Remembering that without God we are nothing.
Reference Passage #2 [NLT] : … Romans 15:5 [NLT] …
5 “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.
… Jesus is clear to His disciples (i.e., you and me) that without Him we can not be fruitful.
Reference Passage #3 [NLT] : … Philippians 4:6-7, 19 [NLT] ... USE THIS LINK …
… Paul on how to eliminate worry and remember that it is GOD Who supplies ALL of our needs in/for Christ.
My Devotional Journal: Today's ODB author, Cindy Hess Kasper used a personal story to teach on how we need to be grateful for God’s providence. The ODB author wrote: In Australia, it can take hours to drive between towns and fatigue can lead to accidents. So at busy holiday times rest stops are set up on major highways with volunteers offering free coffee. My wife, Merryn, and I grew to enjoy these stops during our long drives there.
On one trip, we pulled in and walked over to order our coffee. An attendant handed the two cups over, and then asked me for two dollars. I asked why. She pointed to the small print on the sign. At this stop, only the driver got free coffee; you had to pay for passengers. Annoyed, I told her this was false advertising, paid the two dollars, and walked off. Back at the car, Merryn pointed out my error: I had turned a gift into an entitlement and become ungrateful for what I received. She was right.
Oh how we’ve become a culture of selfish entitlement and a world of needless worry. And we forget Who supplies everything and watches over everyone. And if we take in today’s linked song and the Scriptures above, perhaps we all need to so - as I did this morning - taking inventory and being grateful - REALLY GRATEFUL - for all that God has done in our lives.
And beyond that, … we need to surrender to the reality that God created all - and controls all - for HIS glory, not ours. It’s all His!
And if we can do that, … everything will fall back into perspective and we can quit worrying.
My Prayer Today: Abba Father, … King Jesus, … It’s all Yours, Lord … for Your good glory and for my well being as Your child. … 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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