December 31, 2018 … God’s Messagers

Berry Patch Devotions in 2019 - Day 364

Devotional Song: … GO TO THIS LINK …  Please take the time to take in YouTube images and lyrics from the group, 4Him, singing … The Message … powerfully singing of how we must be God’s messengers in our lives, carrying THE MESSAGE of God’s truth from His word to others as we witness of our Lord and Savior.

=============
Highlight Verse[s]: Malachi 3:1 [NLT] … 1 “Look! I am sending My messenger, and he will prepare the way before Me. Then the Lord [Messiah] you are seeking will suddenly come to His Temple. The Messenger of the covenant, whom you look for so eagerly, is surely coming,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. 
 … The pronouncement of the coming Messiah which would be heralded by a messenger. 
==============
Highlight Passage [context]: Malachi 3:1-5 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… God’s message, thru Malachi, was that He would send a messenger to God’s people harkening the coming of the New Covenant.
=============

Reference Passage : … Matthew 11:9-10, 17:12-13 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… It became clear to the Disciples that God’s “messenger,” prophesied by Malachi had come in John the Baptist, heralding the coming of our Messiah in King Jesus.

Reference Passage : … Acts 1:8 [NLT] … 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” 
… Jesus challenge message to all Christians … to go forth and witness His Gospel message to all we can in our sphere of influence.

Reference Passage : … 2 Timothy 3:16-17 [NLT] … 16 All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. 17 God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work. 
… God’s word is His ultimate message to mankind, giving us all we need to be His messengers of hope.

My Devotional Journal: Today's ODB author, Amy Boucher Pye, uses a personal remembrance to illustrate how we, who are in Christ, have received God’s message of hope thru His word and the effect it can have when we share it with others. The ODB author writes … “I have a message for you!” A woman working at the conference I was attending handed me a piece of paper, and I wondered if I should be nervous or excited. But when I read, “You have a nephew!” I knew I could rejoice. 
Messages can bring good news, bad news, or words that challenge.  In the Old Testament, God used His prophets to communicate messages of hope or judgment. But when we look closely, we see that even His words of judgment were intended to lead to repentance, healing, and restoration. 

In the Old Testament, as today’s ODB entry explains, God sent Prophets to be His messengers because the Priesthood had failed to be His heralds of promise and good news. And one of those Prophets, Malachi, foretold of one special messenger, who would proclaim the coming of God’s ultimate messenger, His Messiah. And that messenger, of course, was John the Baptist, who came with the message of the New Covenant in God’s Messiah, … King Jesus [see Matthew 11 and 17 linked above].

So what is “The Message” sung about in today’s linked song> You likely know it, my fellow messengers. It, of course, is God’s word, and Jesus was the living Messenger of His Truth until He charged us to be His witnesses when He ascended to heaven after the resurrection, commissioning all who know Him as Lord to take His word to all mankind (see Acts 1:8).

And to me, that would be a great New Year’s resolution, wouldn’t it; … for us to do all we can to share God’s message of truth from His word to any/all who need to hear our Lord’s Gospel message of hope?! Would you join me to be His messengers into 2019 and beyond … if He gives us that much time?

=============
My THANKFULNESS: … Oh Abba Father, … thank You, Lord, … for Your gospel message of hope found in Your word.
=============

 My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, … King Jesus, … I pray, Lord, that all reading here can, and will, join me in a resolution this new year to carry the message of hope we have in Christ by sharing God’s truth with others thru the way we live in/for Christ. … 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.

December 30, 2018 … Our “Make-Over” in Christ

Berry Patch Devotions in 2019 - Day 363

Devotional Song: … GO TO THIS LINK …  Please take the time to take in YouTube images and lyrics from Chris McClarney singing … Beauty For Ashes … poignantly singing of how our faith and trust in Christ gives us the ultimate “do-over … make-over” in Heaven.

=============
Highlight Verse[s]: Isaiah 25:9 [NLT] … 5 And the One sitting on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new!” … 
… All things become new in Heaven, including you and me.
==============
Highlight Passage [context]: Revelation 21:1-7 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… In Heaven, God makes all things new !!!
=============

Reference Passage : … Isaiah 61:1-3 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… What the Messiah will do to make us new when He comes again from glory, giving us a crown of glory for the brokenness and ashes of this life (see v. 3).

Reference Passage : … 1 Corinthians 15:35-55 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… In heaven our decaying - or decayed - human bodies will be made over into Christlike bodies.

Reference Passage : … 2 Corinthians 5:17 [NLT] … 17 This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! 
 … As Christians, we’re already brand new; but we await the full package in heaven.

Reference 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. 
… One day, in Heaven, we will realize the completion of what Christ, in all Christians, has - or had - begun when we received Him as Lord and Savior.

My Devotional Journal: Today's ODB author, James Banks, uses a personal remembrance, a word picture, to illustrate how we, who are in Christ, will get a wondrous “make-over” in heaven. The ODB author writes … Junkyards intrigue me. I enjoy working on cars, so I frequently make trips to the one near our home. It’s a lonely place, where the wind whispers through discarded hulks that were once someone’s prized possession. Some were wrecked, some wore out, and others simply outlived their usefulness. As I walk between the rows, a car will sometimes catch my eye, and I’ll find myself wondering about the adventures it had during its “lifetime.” Like a portal to the past, each has a story to tell—of human hankering after the latest model and the inescapable passage of time. 
But I take particular pleasure in finding new life for an old part. Whenever I can take something discarded and give it new life in a restored vehicle, it feels like a small victory against time and decline. 

When my father was dying, and living in a nursing home, he suffered from constant pain, difficulty with breathing, swallowing problems, and many other maladies. And every time I visited him in his last years, he would ask me to read the passage in 1 Cor. 15:35-55 where God’s word describes what our newly “made-over” bodies will be like in heaven.

My dad came to Christ as Lord and Savior in his 70s; but suffering severely in his 80s, he believed in, and now has realized in Heaven, the ultimate “do-over” Christ has arranged for all who have truly have received His saving grace.

So, if you, like me, have some physical or emotional “junkyard” brokenness [in your past or present], … take heart; … because God’s promise in his word, is the promise sung by Chris McClarney in the linked song … that in heaven God’s ultimate “make-over” will be completed and we will be made COMPLETELY new in Christ.

Do, I sense a hopeful and confirming, HALLELUJAH?!!!

=============
My THANKFULNESS: … Oh Abba Father, … thank You, Lord, … for what You completed on the cross to allow me to become new in You.
=============

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, … King Jesus, … I pray, Lord, that all reading here can, and will, carry and share the hope we have to become new creatures in Christ. … 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.

December 29, 2018 … God’s “No” = God’s Goodness

Berry Patch Devotions in 2019 - Day 362

Devotional Song: … GO TO THIS LINK … Please take the time to take in YouTube images and song with Laura Story singing her song … Blessings … poignantly singing of how our faith and trust in God is often tested when He says “NO” or brings us His blessings in the disguise of troubles.

=============
Highlight Verse[s]: Isaiah 25:9 [NLT] … 9  In that day the people will proclaim, “This is our God! We trusted in Him, and He saved us!This is the Lord, in whom we trusted.  Let us rejoice in the salvation He brings!” 
… God will always be there for the remnant of trusting, surrendered believers.
==============
Highlight Passage [context]: Isaiah, Chapters 24-25 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… Isaiah spells out God saying a big time “NO” to God’s people in Chapt 24; then for the remnant of trusting believers, He says an even bigger “YES,” showing the ultimate restoration and salvation of those who trust in our God.
=============

Reference Passage : … Proverbs 3:5-6 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… Trusting God when it makes no sense is the real test of faith.

Reference Passage : … Romans 8:28 [NLT] … 28 And we know that God causes EVERYTHING to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.
… Not SOME THINGS … but EVERYTHING!!

Reference Passage : … 2 Corinthians 12:8-9 [NLT] … 8 Three different times I begged the Lord to take it [the painful thorn] away. 9 Each time He said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. 
 … Paul came to humbly realize that God’s “No” was just His grace in disguise.

My Devotional Journal: Today's ODB author, Leslie Koh, uses a personal remembrance of a challenge in life to show that we must trust in God even when He says “NO” to our desires. The ODB author writes … When I was conscripted into the military at age eighteen, as all young Singaporean men are, I prayed desperately for an easy posting. A clerk or driver, perhaps. Not being particularly strong, I hoped to be spared the rigors of combat training. But one evening as I read my Bible, one verse leaped off the page: “My grace is sufficient for you . . .” (2 Corinthians 12:9). 
My heart dropped—but it shouldn’t have. God had answered my prayers. Even if I received a difficult assignment, He would provide for me. 
So I ended up as an armored infantryman, doing things I didn’t always enjoy. Looking back now, I’m grateful God didn’t give me what I wanted. The training and experience toughened me physically and mentally and gave me confidence to enter adulthood. 

I’m not a betting man, but I would wager that any/all reading here can look back, as Christians, on circumstances we did not desire - or even hated - but times which turned out to be be, as Laura Story sings, … “blessings in disguise.”

We humans are really self serving creatures, aren’t we? We want life to go our way, … to be in control ALWAYS! And we Christian-type Christians often shape our prayers to reduce our pain and soothe the road of life. Common, … admit it; … we do, … don’t we?!

But the reality is that the tough times in life, … those times when God says “NO” to our prayers, are the most powerful teaching moments in our lives. Just as went the Apostle Paul sustained a “thorn” (see 2Cor. 12); and he prayed and prayed for relief; but God said “NO,” and he lived out the rest of his live with the pain from that “thorn,” … learning that God’s grace is ALWAYS sufficient!

And just as Paul learned, we need to realize that God’s “NO” is ALWAYS for our good (see Romans 8:28. And we need to trust His ways … ALWAYS … as He leads us down the path of life (see Proverbs 3:5-6). I pray we do!!

=============
My THANKFULNESS: … Oh Abba Father, … thank You, Lord, … for Your ever sustaining, ever helpful grace.
=============

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, … King Jesus, … I pray, Lord, that all reading here can, and will, recognize and praise You, even when You’re saying “NO” to help us to become more like You. … 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.

December 28, 2018 … Good Riddance

Berry Patch Devotions in 2019 - Day 361

Devotional Song: … GO TO THIS LINK … Please take the time to take in YouTube images and song with the group Casting Crowns singing … East to West … poignantly singing of how our faith in the completed work of Jesus, our sins are cast in His sea of forgetfulness and we stand cleansed before His throne of grace.

=============
Highlight Verse[s]: Psalm 103:11-12 [NLT] … 11  For his unfailing love toward those who fear him is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth. 12  He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west. 
 … How wondrous is God’s unfailing love that He would remove our sins utterly and completely.
==============
Highlight Passage [context]: Psalm 103:1-12 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… King David, recognizing God’s vast, faithful, unfailing love, praises His God for His forgiveness. 
=============

Reference Passage : … Isaiah 1:18 [NLT] … 18 “Come now, let’s settle this,” says the Lord … “Though your sins are like scarlet, I will make them as white as snow. Though they are red like crimson, I will make them as white as wool. 
 … What a deal; and all we have to do is recognize and receive His saving/sanctifying grace!!

Reference Passage : … Lamentations 3:22-23 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… God’s mercies and His grace are ALWAYS available for those who’re willing to confess, repent, and receive His forever gift of forgiveness.

Reference Passage : … Micah 7:19 [NLT] … 19  Once again You [LORD] will have compassion on us. You will trample our sins under Your feet and throw them into the depths of the ocean! 
… When we surrender to God’s grace and are willing to confess and/or repent, God will toss our sins into His sea of forgetfulness.

Reference Passage : … 1 John 1:9 [NLT] … 9 But if we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. 
… God’s wondrous willingness to cleanse us completely from our sins when we’re willing to humbly and honestly confess and repent.

My Devotional Journal: Today's ODB author, Marvin Williams, uses an interesting New Year’s event which people use to try to rid one of past guilt for past issues or memories. The ODB author writes … Since 2006 a group of people have celebrated an unusual event around the New Year. It’s called “Good Riddance Day.” Based on a Latin American tradition, individuals write down unpleasant, embarrassing memories and bad issues from the past year and throw them into an industrial-strength shredder. Or some take a sledgehammer to their good riddance item. 

An interesting mental exercise to try to cast past memories or troublesome issues into the past and move on into the new year. Each year I go thru a similar meditation by pulling up a poem, written by the stellar Bible teacher, Woodrow Kroll, entitled “Start Over,” where I launch myself into the New Year with a “start over” mentality [see photo]. You can read this powerful poem AT THIS LINK.

However, the basis of my New Year’s meditation is much more powerful than those who practice “Good Riddance Day.” My “start over” attitude is based in the truth of the Scriptures above, where the various authors of God’s word recognize God’s willingness to cast our sins and past wrongs into His “sea of forgetfulness,” (see Micah 7:19) and cleanse me of the sins of which we’re humbly willing to confess and repent (see remaining Scriptures above).

So, I’m praying that all reading here with me will join me to praise God for His faithfulness and the grace He’s willing to exercise in letting us say “GOOD RIDDANCE” to our sins as we move into the new year.

=============
My THANKFULNESS: … Oh Abba Father, … thank You, Lord, … for Your faithfulness and willingness to cleanse me (us) of my (our) sins.
=============

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, … King Jesus, … I pray, Lord, that all reading here can, and will, join me to praise God with a robust “HALLELUJAH!!” for His willingness to let us start over in the new year [or even today!] with a clean slate. … 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.

December 27, 2018 … Highest of All

Berry Patch Devotions in 2019 - Day 360

Devotional Song: … GO TO THIS LINK … Please take the time to take in YouTube images and lyrics with the group Avalon singing … Everything To Me … poignantly singing of how Jesus must become our EVERYTHING!

=============
Highlight Verse[s]: Colossians 1:15, 17 [NLT] … 15  Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation, … 17 He existed before anything else, and He holds all creation together. 
 … Jesus is everything and everything is for Him.
==============
Highlight Passage [context]: Colossians 1:15-23 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… God, thru Paul, declares the veneration we must hold in our relationship with Christ … that He is our all in all.
=============

Reference Passage : … Psalms 8:3-4, 36:6, 50:1 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… When we look to the highest mountains [see photo], we get a faint reflection of the glory of God … that He is above EVERYTHING!!

My Devotional Journal: Today's ODB author,Tim Gustafson, uses a question from a friend to point to the importance of Christ. The ODB author writes … My husband invited a friend to church. After the service his friend said, “I liked the songs and the atmosphere, but I don’t get it. Why do you give Jesus such a high place of honor?” My husband then explained to him that Christianity is a relationship with Christ. Without Him, Christianity would be meaningless. It’s because of what Jesus has done in our lives that we meet together and praise Him. 
Who is Jesus and what has He done? The apostle Paul answered this question in Colossians 1. No one has seen God, but Jesus came to reflect and reveal Him (v. 15).

When my Pastor prays, we often hear him say, … “Oh, Lord, You are so worthy and we are so needy.” And I think that statement of who we are and Whom we worship sums up our relationship with God about as well as any, don’t you?

And, as the group Avalon sings in the linked song, as well as the Psalms referenced above, our Lord is mightier and higher than any mountain peak (see photo); and the question from today’s ODB devotion arises for me (and you as well) … “Is our Lord, who is King Jesus, EVERYTHING to us?” And is there anything in our lives that we elevate to a place higher than our King, … our LORD, … the Christ? Because if so, we need to tear that thing down, whether it’s a sin stronghold, or just something that gets in the way of our worship of the Lord, and elevate Jesus to His rightful place in our lives.

=============
My THANKFULNESS: … Oh Abba Father, … thank You, Lord, … for being my EVERYTHING! 
=============

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, … King Jesus, … I pray, Lord, that all reading here can, and will, join me to tear down anything in our lives which has taken a place of honor/worship that is higher than You, Lord. Oh, yes, Lord, You are worthy and we are needy!! … 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.

December 26, 2018 … Christmas Everyday

Berry Patch Devotions in 2019 - Day 359

Devotional Song: … GO TO THIS LINK … Please take the time to take in YouTube images and lyrics with Steve Green singing … People Need the Lord … poignantly singing of how we need to be sharing God’s wondrous “Christmas” gift of salvation everyday of the year.

=============
Highlight Verse[s]: Acts 3:19-20 [NLT] … 19 Now repent of your sins and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped away. 20 Then times of refreshment will come from the presence of the Lord, and he will again send you Jesus, your appointed Messiah. 
… Peter preaches the truth of what man must do to receive God’s gift of salvation and to await Jesus’ return to bring His Bride to glory.
==============
Highlight Passage [context]: Acts 3:12-26 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… Peter preaches the first post-pentecostal Gospel sermon and many came to faith and were given God’s eternal gift of salvation.
=============

Reference Passage : … Isaiah 7:14 [NLT] … 14 All right then, the Lord himself will give you the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God is with us’). 
… For those of us who’ve truly received the gift of God’s saving grace, everyday is a Christmas gift of sanctifying grace. Everyday God is with us!

Reference Passage : … Mathew 5:14-16 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… Jesus commands us to share His light of salvation with all we can.

Reference Passage : … John 3:16-17 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… God sent His Son to give all mankind the gift of salvation and eternal life.

Reference Passage : … Acts 1:8 [NLT] … 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” 
… Everyday we, as God’s saved ones, are called to share God’s wonderful Christmas gift with our witness and testimony of salvation.

My Devotional Journal: Today's ODB author,Tim Gustafson, uses a literature reference to show that everyday should be an opportunity to share the wondrous Christmas gift of salvation thru our witness. The ODB author writes … In “Christmas Every Day,” William Dean Howells tells of a little girl who gets her wish. For one long, horrible year it is indeed Christmas every day. By day three, the yuletide joy has already begun to wear thin. Before long everyone hates candy. Turkeys become scarce and sell for outrageous prices. Presents are no longer received with gratitude as they pile up everywhere. People angrily snap at each other. 
Thankfully, Howell’s story is just a satirical tale. But what an incredible blessing that the subject of the Christmas celebration never wearies us despite the fact that we see Him throughout the Bible. 

I have a friend, a retired Pastor, who wishes me “Merry Christmas” almost every time he greets me; and I know what he’s saying, … that every day we, who know Christ as Savior/Lord, carry with us the Lord’s gift of salvation in our hearts, the Holy Spirit [see Isaiah 7:14 and John 3:16]; and so, everyday we should be shining the light of that eternal gift by the way we live for all to see that they can share in that gift [see Matthew 5:14-16 and Acts 1:8]. In that way, through our witness, everyday becomes a Christmas gift we can give to anyone with whom we’re gifted to confront.

That’s what Peter did when he preached his first Gospel sermon (see highlight passage); and it’s what the Apostles did for the rest of their post-resurrection lives. And since we know the truth of what Steve Green sings in the linked song, we need to be witnessing God’s wondrous gift of saving grace to any/all we can … especially going into a new year.

=============
My THANKFULNESS: … Oh Abba Father, … thank You, Lord, … for giving me (us) Your eternal - everyday - gift of salvation to share with others.
=============

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, … King Jesus, … I pray, Lord, that all reading here can, and will, join me to do all we can into the new year to give witness to Your eternal gift of salvation. … 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.

December 25, 2018 … So Many Missed IT!

Berry Patch Devotions in 2019 - Day 358

Devotional Song: … GO TO THIS LINK … Please take the time to take in YouTube images and lyrics with Audrey Assed singing … White Snow … poignantly singing of how Jesus came, so quietly, like snow on a Christmas morning, to save all those who see and believe in Him.

=============
Highlight Verse[s]: Isaiah 42:2-3 [NLT] … 2  He will not shout or raise his voice in public. 3  He will not crush the weakest reed or put out a flickering candle. He will bring justice to all who have been wronged. 
 … The Messiah will so quietly come to save mankind.
==============
Highlight Passage [context]: Isaiah 42:1-4 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… The Prophet Isaiah foretells of the Messiah coming to set mankind free and bring justice to His peoples.
=============

Reference Passage : … Isaiah 7:14 [NLT] … 14 All right then, the Lord himself will give you the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God is with us’). 
… The birth of the Messiah was foretold 700+ years before His coming in a manger.

Reference Passage : … Luke 2:1-20 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… The familiar passage documents the humble arrival of the Messiah, King Jesus, wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.

Reference Passage : … Philippians 2:5-11 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… The Son of God was willing to set aside His glory/majesty and come to earth, born in a manger, walk this earth, die on a cross, and be resurrected to save mankind from our sins.

My Devotional Journal: Today's ODB author, Lisa Samra, uses a personal reflection and the reference to a song illustrating how our Messiah came so quietly that so many missed His coming then (and now) and what He has done for mankind. The ODB author writes … In winter, I often wake to the beautiful surprise of a world blanketed in the peace and quiet of an early morning snow [see photo]. Not loudly like a spring thunderstorm that announces its presence in the night, snow comes softly. 
In “Winter Snow Song,” [hear linked song] Audrey Assad sings that Jesus could have come to earth in power like a hurricane, but instead He came quietly and slowly like the winter snow falling softly in the night outside my window. 
Jesus’s arrival took many by quiet surprise. Instead of being born in a palace, He was born in an unlikely place, a humble dwelling outside Bethlehem. 

God came to mankind so-so humbly, quietly, as the linked song proclaims, … like a blanket of white snow in the morning, … so quietly, viewed only by those in that manger by His parents and those lowly shepherds as we so often read about on this day from Luke’s account of The Messiah’s birth. 

And so many then … and even more now … missed the arrival of the Savior, even tho He was prophesied by Prophets venerated by the Priests and religious elite of Jesus’ day. But, … on this Christmas day, I pray that all reading with me here today not only haven’t missed His coming into that manger scene over 2000 years ago, … but we are willing to tell anyone, anywhere, just how that Christ child walked quietly - or maybe disturbingly - into our lives and changed us - nay, TRANSFORMED us! - by being The Christ, our Immanuel, … our Savior and Lord.

So, whenever and wherever we can during this upcoming new year, let us tell of that babe who came so quietly, like snow on a Christmas morning, to shed His crimson blood and make us all white as snow.

=============
My THANKFULNESS: … Oh Abba Father, … thank You, Lord, … for setting aside Your glory for a time to set us free from ourselves … forever.
=============

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, … King Jesus, … I pray, Lord, that all reading here can, and will, see that fresh snow of eternal glory this morning as we celebrate our Lord’s coming down to save us all. … 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.

December 24, 2018 … Pondering Things

Berry Patch Devotions in 2019 - Day 357

Devotional Song: … GO TO THIS LINK … Please take the time to take in YouTube images with Steven Curtis Chapman singing … Be Still and Know … poignantly singing and helping us to ponder our relationship with our our God.

=============
Highlight Verse[s]: Luke 2:18-19 [NLT] … 18 All who heard the shepherds’ story were astonished, 19 but Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often. 
… Imagine thoughts which Mary had as she had just brought the Messiah into this world. 
==============
Highlight Passage [context]: Luke 2:8-20 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… That night when the shepherds came to see the Christ child caused Mary to ponder who she was to be the arch of the New Covenant and the mother of the Son of God.
=============

Reference Passage : … Psalm 63:1-4 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… Every morning in my quiet time with God, I stop to ponder my search to know my God with these words.

Reference Passage : … Psalm 139:23-24 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… Pondering our lives with the desire for God to lead us along HIS paths in life.

Reference Passage : … Proverbs 3:5-6 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… Over and over, in yet another devotional, … I keep harkening back to the thoughts we should ponder always, knowing and trusting that our God will lead us thru this troubled life.

My Devotional Journal: Today's ODB author, David C McCasland, uses a story of a great Bible teacher to illustrate how we must continually ponder our lives to see where we are on our quest to know God more intimately. The ODB author writes … During Oswald Chambers’ years at the Bible Training College in London (1911–15), he often startled the students with things he said during his lectures. One young woman explained that because discussion was reserved for the following mealtime together, Chambers would frequently be bombarded with questions and objections. She recalled that Oswald would often simply smile and say, “Just leave it for now; it will come to you later.” He encouraged them to ponder the issues [see photo] and allow God to reveal His truth to them. 

This is a good time of the year to look back over our lives and ponder where we’ve been and seek God’s leading/guiding hand to move us forward into the new year ahead. Can we just image what it must’ve been like for the young virgin, Mary, as she nursed her Baby in that manger, with the shepherds coming to visit her (see highlight passages), pondering what had happened with an angel telling her that she had just delivered the Son of God, … The Messiah, … into this world?

Well, ... back to our reality, … and really, any time is a good time to ponder who we are and where our God has brought us, … but even more where we desire for Him to lead us in the future. That’s why you find me here … every day … praying the psalms of Psalms 63:1-4 and 139:23-24 … praising God for Whom He is and begging Him to lead me in His way as I do all I can to avoid taking my selfish roads in life (see Prov. 3:5-6).

So, … let’s stop today and ponder where are we are and where we desire for God to lead us into the new year … and really … for the rest of our lives.

=============
My THANKFULNESS: … Oh Abba Father, … thank You, Lord, … for bringing us here and for promising to lead us to eternity to be with You.
=============

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, … King Jesus, … I pray, Lord, that all reading here can, and will, stop for at least a moment, and do as Steven Curtis Chapman sings, to be still and know that God is leading us. … 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.

December 23, 2018 … Blessings In Disguise

Berry Patch Devotions in 2019 - Day 356

Devotional Song: … GO TO THIS LINK … Please take the time to take in a YouTube images and lyrics from Laura Story singing her song … Blessings … poignantly singing declaring the truth that many of God’s greatest blessings come in the trials, providing us with Gods’ mercies in disguise.

=============
Highlight Verse[s]: Job 1:21 [NLT] … 20 Job stood up and tore his robe in grief. Then he shaved his head and fell to the ground to worship. 21 He said, …“I came naked from my mother’s womb, and I will be naked when I leave. The Lord gave me what I had, and the Lord has taken it away. Praise the name of the Lord!” 
 … Job declares his praise for and his faith in The Lord … NO MATTER WHAT!! 
==============

Highlight Passage [context]: Job 1:13-22 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… Job retains his trust/faith in God thru horrible … painful … affliction.
=============

Reference Passage : … Proverbs 3:5-6 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… Again, in yet another devotional, … God points to me (and you) being able to trust God in all circumstances … a lesson Job had to endure a lot to finally TOTALLY believe in his [our] God’s sovereignty.

Reference Passage : … Isaiah 41:10 [NLT] … 10  Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand. 
… God, thru the Prophet, promises that His hand would always be there to give us strength to deal with the trials of life. … But do we believe it?

Reference Passage : … Romans 8:28 [NLT] … 28 And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.
… Do we really realize and have faith that ALL THINGS are for the good of those of us who’ve surrendered to receive God’s saving - and sanctifying - grace?

Reference Passage : … Philippians 4:11-13 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… The Apostle Paul came to realize and live the truth that our relationship in Christ can bring us thru any circumstance … with the Lord’s strength lifting us up.

My Devotional Journal: Today's ODB author, Adam Holz, uses an athletic word picture to illustrate that faith in God is our only hope strategy for life. The ODB author writes … Ann Voskamp’s book “One Thousand Gifts” encourages readers to search their lives each day for what the Lord has done for them. In it, she daily notes God’s abundant generosity to her in gifts both large and small, ranging from the simple beauty of iridescent bubbles in the dish sink to the incomparable salvation of sinners like herself (and the rest of us!). Ann contends that gratitude is the key to seeing God in even the most troubling of life’s moments. 

The Bible journal attributed to Job has always been one of the strongest biblical teachings on dealing with loss, privation, and pain. In it we see a believer retain his faith thru the worst of pain and loss and even thru the personal quandary of doubt which comes from such privation. And it always, at least for this humble Christian, raises the question in me as to whether I could hold onto my faith if I were to encounter even a portion of such loss/pain.

But when I look at and remember, as Laura Story sings in the linked song, … that even the greatest Jobian-like challenges of life are likely God’s “blessings in disguise,” I realize that even if I lost everything, I would still be a blessed man because of what God has given me by coming to earth, dealing with the temptations of life, and dying on a cross to shed His blood for my salvation.

Yes, I am truly a blessed man no matter what may come my way. But Lord, I pray for myself and anyone reading her that we don’t have to endure any such “Jobian” challenges to prove our trust and faith in You.

=============
My THANKFULNESS: … Oh Abba Father, … thank You, Lord, … for being there with Your strength to cover my weaknesses.
=============

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, … King Jesus, … I pray, Lord, that all reading here can, and will, be able to always recognize that even the challenges of life are Your blessings. … 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.

December 22, 2018 … Our Anchor of Hope

Berry Patch Devotions in 2019 - Day 355

Devotional Song: … GO TO THIS LINK … Please take the time to take in a YouTube images and lyrics from Crowder and Lauren Wells singing … All My Hope … poignantly singing of our anchor of hope which is our faith/trust/hope in Jesus.

=============
Highlight Verse[s]: Micah 7:7 [NLT] … 7  As for me, I look to the Lord for help. I wait confidently for God to save me, and my God will certainly hear me. 
… Micah knew exactly where - or rather Whom - to anchor his hope for the future even tho disaster loomed over God’s people.
==============
Highlight Passage [context]: Micah 7:1-7 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… Micah prophesies disaster for Israel but plants his hope strongly and deeply in His God. 
=============

Reference Passage : … Proverbs 3:5-6 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… Again God points to where - or rather, in WHOM - we should anchor our faith.

Reference Passage : … Hebrews 6:18-19 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… God has promised that we can anchor our faith/hope in Him. The question is … DO WE?!

My Devotional Journal: Today's ODB author, Adam Holz, uses an athletic word picture to illustrate that faith in God is our only hope strategy for life. The ODB author writes … My favorite football team has lost eight consecutive games as I write this. With each loss, it’s harder to hope this season can be redeemed for them. The coach has made changes weekly, but they haven’t resulted in wins. Talking with my coworkers, I’ve joked that merely wanting a different outcome can’t guarantee it. “Hope is not a strategy,” I’ve quipped. 
That’s true in football. But in our spiritual lives, it’s just the opposite. Not only is cultivating hope in God a strategy, but clinging to Him in faith and trust is the only strategy. 

Back in the days of the Prophet Micah (see highlight passage), having hope in God and waiting on His promises to unfold was a strategy of waiting often for months - if not years. In today’s culture of entitlement, waiting for hours - if not minutes or seconds - is often too much to ask of our millennials or “gen-Zers.”

And as it is for me, many Christians, find that our fruit of patience is often sorely immature or not as sweet as the other fruit of the Spirit (on your own, see Gal. 5:22-23). And so, what we need to do is what God’s word call us to do (see Scriptures above); and that is to affix our anchor of hope deeply into The Rock of Ages; and that is as Crowder sings (in the linked song) with ALL our hope in Jesus!!

=============
My THANKFULNESS: … Oh Abba Father, … thank You, Lord, … for being the Rock to Whom we can affix the anchor our hope.
=============

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, … King Jesus, … I pray, Lord, that all reading here can, and will, be able to sink our anchor of hope deeply into the Rock of Ages by strengthening our relationship with Christ. … 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.

December 21, 2018 … No fear! It’s Only God!

Berry Patch Devotions in 2019 - Day 354

Devotional Song: … GO TO THIS LINK …  Please take the time to take in a YouTube images and lyrics from Clay Aiken singing … Mary Did You know … powerfully singing of the Mother of God, Mary, giving birth to and raising the God-Man, Jesus.

=============
Highlight Verse[s]: Luke 9:23 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK ... 
…   Even Jesus’ parents were fearful of what they saw in the Temple … but their boy calmed their fears with just a word from Him.
============== Highlight Passage [context]: Luke 2:42-52 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… Jesus’ parents frantic when He stayed behind in the Temple; and they learned of focus on doing His Father’s business.
=============

Reference Passage : … Proverbs 3:5-6 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… Our call to trust in God and follow His path … No need to be afraid.

Reference Passage : … Philippians 4:6-7 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… No need to fear. … No, we’re just to take our anxieties to God in thankful prayer and He will give us His peace.

My Devotional Journal: Today's ODB author, Patricia Raybon, uses the word picture of jets flying in formation to illustrate how we must follow our Leader, Christ, wherever He would lead us. The ODB author writes … Nearly every time an angel appears in the Bible, the first words he says are “Don’t be afraid!” Little wonder. When the supernatural makes contact with planet Earth, it usually leaves the human observers flat on their faces in fear. But Luke tells of God making an appearance in a form that doesn’t frighten. In Jesus, born with the animals and laid in a feeding trough, God takes an approach that we need not fear. … 
 Jesus can talk to anyone—His parents, a rabbi, a poor widow—without first having to announce, “Don’t be afraid!” In Jesus, God draws near. 

And that’s what the story [in the highlight passage and the photo] of Jesus being separated from His parents at 12 in the Temple tells us. But, even His mother, Mary, who is sung about in today’s linked song, could become confused as to what her Son was all about.

And so can we at times; but in reality we need to recognize what Mary ultimately came to accept and surrender without fear … that she had given birth to the Son of God, Who was on a trek to save mankind from our sins … including hers.

So, as we come to Him in this Advent season, let us take our anxieties or fears to Him in humble prayer and seek the peace which can only come from the King of kings and the Lord of Lords [see Phil. 4:6-7], trusting, as Mary came to learn, … that her boy was our Savior … the Great I AM!! 

=============
My THANKFULNESS: … Oh Abba Father, … thank You, Lord, … for coming to us as the God-Man to save us from ourselves.
=============

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, … King Jesus, … I pray, Lord, that all reading here can, and will, take our anxieties to You, seeking Your wondrous peace. … 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.

December 20, 2018 … Follow THE Leader

Berry Patch Devotions in 2019 - Day 353 

Devotional Song: … GO TO THIS LINK … Please take the time to take in a YouTube images from Clay Crosse, Bob Carlisle, and BeBe Winans singing … I Will Follow Christ … powerfully singing our strong decision, as disciples of Christ, to follow Him … no matter what!

=============
Highlight Verse[s]: Luke 9:23 [NLT] … 23 Then He said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me. ..."
… After declaring that He would soon be martyred, Jesus strongly declares what the requirements and costs of discipleship - i.e., following our Lord - must be.
==============
Highlight Passage [context]: Luke 9:21-24 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… Jesus declares to His followers what it takes to follow Him.
=============

Reference Passage : … Proverbs 3:5-6 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… Our call to trust in God and follow His path … NO MATTER WHAT!!

Reference Passage : … John 14:21 [NLT] … 21 Those who accept My commandments and obey them are the ones who love Me. And because they love Me, my Father will love them. And I will love them and reveal Myself to each of them.” 
… The day before Jesus was to die on the cross, He lays out for His disciples what it will take to follow His lead … and that is obedience to His word.

Reference 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. 
… God thru the Apostle Paul encourages me that He’s doing what it takes in my life to allow me to follow Christ more completely day-by-day.

My Devotional Journal: Today's ODB author, Patricia Raybon, uses the word picture of jets flying in formation to illustrate how we must follow our Leader, Christ, wherever He would lead us. The ODB author writes … In the sky over our house, three fighter jets scream through the sky—flying in formation so close together they appear to be one [see photo]. “Wow,” I say to my husband, Dan. “Impressive,” he agrees. We live near an Air Force base and it’s not unusual to see such sights. 
Every time these jets fly over, however, I have the same question: How can they fly so close together and not lose control? One obvious reason, I learned, is humility. Trusting that the lead pilot is traveling at precisely the correct speed and trajectory, the wing pilots surrender any desire to switch directions or question their leader’s path. Instead, they get in formation and closely follow. The result? A more powerful team. 

When any reader here takes in the ODB entry, the photo, and the linked song, there’s not really any mystery into what Jesus is calling for from His followers, is there? It’s the kind of followership which those pilots must have to fly in formation at such speeds, isn’t it?

It’s the TRUST declared in Prov. 3:5-6! It’s the DENIAL OF SELF called for by Christ in Luke 9:23. It’s the OBEDIENCE TO GOD’S WORD demanded by our Lord in John 14:21. It’s the COMMITMENT sung so strongly about in the linked song. And … it’s the DISCIPLINE exhibited by those Navy pilots in the attached photo.

Our question here today as we take in all of this is … Are we committed, obedient, unselfish, and disciplined enough yet to be Christ’s disciples? …

Personally, I’ve got a way to go yet. … But fortunately, the Lord, thru the Apostle Paul (in Phil. 1:6) encourages me that God’s Spirit is doing what it takes to bring me to a stronger followership of my Lord … day-by-day-by-day!

=============
My THANKFULNESS: … Oh Abba Father, … thank You, Lord, … for making me over into a true disciple who can follow You and prayerfully let me witness for You more effectively today than tomorrow.
=============

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, … King Jesus, … I pray, Lord, that all reading here are doing all we can to follow our Lord more closely today than yesterday. … 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.

December 19, 2018 … Light of the Wor[l]d

Berry Patch Devotions in 2019 - Day 352 

Devotional Song: … GO TO THIS LINK …  Please take the time to take in a YouTube images and lyrics from Lauren Daigle singing … Light of the World … poignantly singing the coming of Immanuel, the Word becoming flesh, God with us, to become the Light of the World.

=============
Highlight Verse[s]: John 1:1, … 14 [NLT] … 1 In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. … 14 So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son. 
… Jesus, the Christ, was the Word Who became flesh so that He could become the “Light of the World”
==============
Highlight Passage [context]: John 1:1-14 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… The Apostle John reflects - with The Spirit’s inspiration - just Who Jesus was [and IS] … The Word, coming in the flesh to become the Light of the World.
=============

Reference Passage : … Isaiah 7:14 [NLT] … 14 All right then, the Lord himself will give you the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God is with us’). 
… 700+ years before God became flesh, Isaiah prophesied that God would become “Immanuel.”

Reference Passage : … Matthew 5:14-16 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… Jesus charges us to become reflections of Himself and become lights shining in this dark world so that others might see the glory of our Savior and our Heavenly Father.

Reference Passage : … Philippians 2:6-11 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… The Apostle Paul writes of our God, becoming human flesh, Whom now we see was the light of the world come to save us.

My Devotional Journal: Today's ODB author, Amy Boucher Pye, uses a personal memory to illustrate how God’s word is God’s Christmas letter to us, revealing the miracle of God becoming flesh in Jesus, the Christ. The ODB author writes … Every Christmas, a friend of mine writes a long letter to his wife, reviewing the events of the year and dreaming about the future. He always tells her how much he loves her, and why. He also writes a letter to each of his daughters. His words of love make an unforgettable Christmas present. 
We could say that the original Christmas love letter was Jesus, the Word made flesh. John highlights this truth in his gospel: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1). 

I really love this time of year. Oh, I know there’s a lot of commercialism and “gimme-gimme” attitudes on display. But all the lights and the music remind me of the reality and truth that the Triune God laid aside His glory (see Phil. 2:6-11 and the highlight passage) to become human, … to become the “light of the world” as Lauren Daigle sings in the linked song.

So, pray that we have the attitude of humility and thankfulness during this season … that we, who know Christ as Savior, can see Him shining His light of truth in this Advent season. And then, let’s do all we can to reflect that light into a dark world world so that others can see the glory of our Heavenly Father and His Son (see Math. 5:14-16).

=============
My THANKFULNESS: … Oh Abba Father, … thank You, Lord, … for being the living Word and becoming the Light of the world.
=============

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, … King Jesus, … I pray, Lord, that all reading here, like myself, reflect God’s Light into the darkness of this world today. … 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.

December 18, 2018 … Waking Up With God

Berry Patch Devotions in 2019 - Day 351 

Devotional Song: … GO TO THIS LINK …  Please take the time to take in a YouTube of song and lyrics from Jeremy Camp singing … There Will Be A Day … poignantly singing of our hope, as Christians, to one day seeing Jesus face-to-face for eternity.

=============
Highlight Verse[s]: Deuteronomy 34:5 [NLT] … 5 So Moses, the servant of the Lord, died there in the land of Moab, just as the Lord had said. 
 … The Hebrew for “died there…just as the Lord had said” literally and figuratively means “was laid to rest with God’s kiss”
==============
Highlight Passage [context]: Deuteronomy 34:1-8 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… Moses died in Moab without ever entering the promised land; but He then was awakened in Heaven to be with God in the ultimate promised land.
=============

Reference Passage : … John 3:16 [NLT] … [ I’m sure any reader here knows this one! ]
… God’s kiss of promise and love … is that I, having received His saving grace, will be with Him forever in glory.

Reference Passage : … 1st Thessalonians 4:14 [NLT] … 14 For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring back with him the believers who have died. 
 … Our promise in Christ is to one day awake to see Jesus face-to-face.

My Devotional Journal: Today's ODB author, David H Roper, uses a parental word picture of a father kissing his sleeping child just as God must’ve kissed Moses with the promise of His child being with the Lord forever in eternity. The ODB author writes … I have a treasured memory of gatherings with family friends when our boys were small. The adults would talk into the night; our children, weary with play would curl up on a couch or chair and fall asleep. 
When it was time to leave, I would gather our boys into my arms, carry them to the car, lay them in the back seat, and take them home. When we arrived, I would pick them up again, tuck them into their beds, kiss them goodnight, and turn out the light. In the morning they would awaken—at home. 
This has become a rich metaphor for me of the night on which we “sleep in Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 4:14). We slumber . . . and awaken in our eternal home, the home that will heal the weariness that has marked our days. 

In meditating on the highlight passage in Deut. 34 in today’s ODB entry, it must’ve been disappointing for Moses in his last days to be able to see God’s “Promised Land” and yet knowing that he would never enter it physically. But at the same time, when he died, I learned that the Hebrew colloquial translation of Verse 5 of that passage (above), actually is translated Moses died with the kiss of God; and I’m sure he knew that he (Moses) would awake and be face to face with His Lord in Heaven.

That brings the picture of a parent kissing their child at night [see photo] with the faith that the child would be with them forever in heaven. And that is my prayer for all reading here who have children; and as well for those of us who know that we will one day be with our Lord - FACE-TO-FACE - forever [see 1Thess. 4:14].

=============
My THANKFULNESS: … Oh Abba Father, … thank You, Lord, … for the promise of being with You forever.
=============

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, … King Jesus, … I pray, Lord, that all reading here, like myself, have surrendered in faith to God’s promise to be with Him forever. … 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.

December 17, 2018 … Find Us Faithful

Berry Patch Devotions in 2019 - Day 350 

Devotional Song: … GO TO THIS LINK …  Please take the time to take in a YouTube of images and lyrics from Steve Green singing … Find Us Faithful … poignantly singing of those who will always walk the faithful path following our Lord into eternity.

=============
Highlight Verse[s]: Luke 1:6-7, … 13 [NLT] … 6 Zechariah and Elizabeth were righteous in God’s eyes, careful to obey all of the Lord’s commandments and regulations. 7 They had no children because Elizabeth was unable to conceive, and they were both very old.… 13 But the angel said [see photo], “Don’t be afraid, Zechariah! God has heard your prayer. Your wife, Elizabeth, will give you a son, and you are to name him John.
 … The faithful walk of Elizabeth and Zechariah was rewarded with a child who would become John the Baptist.
==============
Highlight Passage [context]: Luke 1:5-25 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… Mary’s Song of Joy and Thankfulness at the realization of God’s gift of His Son in her womb. 
=============

Reference Passage : … Psalm 139:23-24 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… Our prayer to be faithful followers of God’s path in life.

Reference Passage : … Proverbs 3:5-6 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… God's call to faithfulness … no matter the circumstances.

Reference Passage : … Luke 9:23 [NLT] … 23 Then He said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be My follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow Me. ..."
 … Jesus calls us to deny our own desires and follow Him faithfully … whenever … wherever.

Reference Passage : … Ephesian 4:1-3 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… God, thru Paul, exhorts us to live lives worthy of our calling as “Christians.”

My Devotional Journal: Today's ODB author, Poh Fang Chia, uses the story of Zechariah and Elizabeth to illustrate how we must walk faithfully - ALWAYS - as followers of The Messiah. The ODB author writes … It’s that time of the year again, when families gather to celebrate the festive season together. Some of us, however, dread meeting certain “concerned” relatives whose questions can make those who are still single or childless feel that there’s something wrong with them. 
Imagine the plight of Elizabeth, who was childless despite being married for many years. In her culture, that was seen as a sign of God’s disfavor (see 1 Samuel 1:5–6) and could actually be considered shameful. So while Elizabeth had been living righteously (Luke 1:6), her neighbors and relatives may have suspected otherwise. 

It’s tough to live up to Jesus’ command of His disciples (and that’s us, too!) in Luke 9:23, isn’t it? Yes, … it takes a strong faith to live true to our calling as Christians (see Eph. 4:1-3). And that was the calling to which the Priest Zechariah and his wife, Elizabeth, found themselves prior to the birth of The Messiah, … childless and in disgrace … but faithfully following God’s commands in their life [see highlight passage].

And what was the outcome of their faithful following and trust in the coming Messiah? Well, Luke shows us in God’s telling of their being given a son, who would become John the Baptist, … their reward for being faithful, as Steve Green sings in the linked song.

So, what can we do, … how can we live, … to honor our Lord as faithful followers of His command in Luke 9:23? Well, … I don’t know about other readers here, but there is much more I can do … yes, even today, … to be a more faithful disciple of my Lord. How about you?

=============
My THANKFULNESS: … Oh Abba Father, … thank You, Lord, … for calling me and all of Your disciples, to be worthy and faithful disciples of Yours.
=============

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, … King Jesus, … I pray, Lord, that all reading here, like myself, are committed to be more faithful followers of Your way as we pray the prayer of Ps. 139:23-24. … 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.

December 16, 2018 … God’s Mirror of Truth

Berry Patch Devotions in 2019 - Day 349 

Devotional Song: … GO TO THIS LINK … Please take the time to take in a YouTube of images and lyrics from the group Mercy Me singing their song … Word of God Speak … poignantly singing about God’s mirror of truth, the Bible, which reveals our Lord to us as well as the reality our lives.

=============
Highlight Verse[s]: Luke 1:46-48 [NLT] … 25 But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free [i.e., God’s word], and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it. 
… Following God’s word is our mirror of truth.
==============
Highlight Passage [context]: James 1:16-27 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… God, thru James, reveals the importance of viewing our lives in the mirror of His word.  
=============

Reference Passage : … Psalm 119:15-18, 105 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… The Psalmist reflects his passion (and mine!) to live by and follow God’s word.

Reference Passage : … 2 Corinthians 3:17-18 [NLT] … 17 For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like Him as we are changed into his glorious image. 
… The reality of our relationship with Christ is revealed to us thru His word so that we can become more like Him.

Reference Passage : … 2 Corinthians 3:17-18 [NKJV] … 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. 18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord. 
… Slightly different wording … BUT … same meaning from another translation of this passage.

Reference Passage : … John 14:21 [NLT] … 21 Those who accept My commandments and obey them are the ones who love Me. And because they love Me, my Father will love them. And I will love them and reveal Myself to each of them.” 
… In Jesus’ own words to His disciples, telling them (us) that He will only be revealed in those who accept and obey His commandments (i.e., His word).

My Devotional Journal: Today's ODB author, Lawrence Darmani, uses a word picture of a mirror to illustrate how God’s word allows us to see ourselves now as we seek to become more like Jesus. The ODB author writes … When I emerged from my hotel in Kampala, Uganda, my hostess, who had come to pick me up for our seminar, looked at me with an amused grin. “What’s so funny?” I inquired. She laughed and asked, “Did you comb your hair?” It was my turn to laugh, for I had indeed forgotten to comb my hair. I’d looked at my reflection in the hotel mirror. How come I took no notice of what I saw? 
In a practical analogy, James gives us a useful dimension to make our study of Scripture more beneficial. We look in the mirror to examine ourselves to see if anything needs correction—hair combed, face washed, shirt properly buttoned. Like a mirror, the Bible helps us to examine our character, attitude, thoughts, and behavior (see highlight passage). This enables us to align our lives according to the principles of what God has revealed. [see photo]

Really, … I don’t need to add anything here to get the message of this ODB author across, do I? And surely the words from God Himself in the Scriptures above, speak to what the group Mercy Me sings in the linked song?

And, in reality, the attached photo reveals why I am here daily, looking as deeply as I can into God’s truth, … i.e., His word, … so that I can become more like my Lord. And I think we all need to ask ourselves whether we’re looking into God’s word deeply enough and following the path laid out in it, … making it our mirror of truth and our “GPS” for life (God’s Positioning System). 

=============
My THANKFULNESS: … Oh Abba Father, … thank You, Lord, … for giving me (us) Your Mirror of Truth.
=============

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, … King Jesus, … I pray, Lord, that all reading here are using Your Word as our mirror of truth to allow us to become more like You day by day. … 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.

December 15, 2018 … Mary’s Song of Joy

Berry Patch Devotions in 2019 - Day 348 

Devotional Song: … GO TO THIS LINK …  Please take the time to take in a YouTube of song and images from Mark Lowry singing his lyrics and Buddy Greene’s music … Mary Did You Know … poignantly singing of how blessed was Mary giving birth to the Great I AM.

=============
Highlight Verse[s]: Luke 1:46-48 [NLT] … 46 Mary responded, “Oh, how my soul praises the Lord. 47  How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior! 48  For He took notice of His lowly servant girl, and from now on all generations will call me blessed. … “ 
… Mary sings for joy at her blessing to carry the Son of God.
==============
Highlight Passage [context]: Luke 1:46-55 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… Mary’s Song of Joy and Thankfulness at the realization of God’s gift of His Son in her womb. 
=============

Reference Passage : … Isaiah 7:14 [NLT] … 14 All right then, the Lord himself will give you the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God is with us’). 
… 700+ years before His birth, the conception of our Lord to a virgin was prophesied.

Reference Passage : … John 3:16 [NLT] … {I think you know it!} … God’s greatest gift of love to us all!! My Devotional Journal: Today's ODB author, Lisa Samra, makes reference to the song of joy and recognition Mary sings when she realizes that she is carrying the Son of God in her womb. The ODB author writes … Sitting in the courtyard of the Church of the Visitation in Ein Karem, Israel, I was overwhelmed with the beautiful display of sixty-seven mosaics containing the words of Luke 1:46–55 in as many languages [a few of the mosaics in the photo]. Traditionally known as the Magnificat from the Latin “to magnify,” these verses are Mary’s joyous response to the announcement that she will be the mother of the Messiah. …The biblical hymn etched in the tiles is a song of praise as Mary recounts the faithfulness of God to her and the nation of Israel. … 
 Mary shows us that recounting the great things God has done for us is a way to express praise and can lead us to rejoice. This Christmas season, consider God’s goodness as you reflect on the year. In doing so, you may create a mosaic of great beauty with your words of praise. 

The last paragraph of this ODB devotional entry convicted and helped me to realize this morning in my Advent quiet time with God just how blessed I am; and I’ve taken some time today to create my own mosaic of remembrance to praise God with thankfulness for the many blessings He has bestowed on my life.

Perhaps we all need to take time to list and give praise to God for our many blessings, especially in this special time of year as we remember the greatest gift God has given to Mary and to mankind. 

=============
My THANKFULNESS: … Oh Abba Father, … thank You, Lord, … for Your ultimate blessing, carried by Mary into this world, … the gift of Your Son, Who truly is Immanuel, God with me (us). 
=============

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, … King Jesus, … I pray, Lord, that all reading here will take the time in this Advent season to thank You for Your many blessings and especially for the gift of Your Son, Who is The Christ. … 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.