Devotional Song: … GO TO THIS LINK … Please take the time to take in a YouTube video with images and lyrics from the group Unspoken singing their song … Call It Grace … powerfully singing of the grace from God which gives all Christians a make-over/do-over in Christ.
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Highlight Verse[s]: Ezra 1:5 [NLT] … 5 Then God stirred the hearts of the priests and Levites and the leaders of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin to go to Jerusalem to rebuild the Temple of the Lord.
… God gives His people a new beginning!!
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Highlight Passage [context]: Ezra 1:1-11[NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… God’s people get a re-start from the Persian King, Cyrus, … to go back from exile to Jerusalem and rebuild God’s Temple.
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Reference Passage : … Lamentations 3:22-23 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… Jeremiah puts past troubles and heartaches in the past; but then reflects on the hope he has and holds onto in his relationship with his God.
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.
… No matter what we’ve gone thru, what we’re going thru, or what we will go thru, in Christ, it’s all for our good. … Yes, ALL OF IT !!
Reference Passage : … 2 Corinthians 12:9 [NLT] … 9 Each time He [Jesus] said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I [Paul] am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.
… God’s grace is ALWAYS sufficient to cover our weaknesses.
Reference Passage : … Hebrews 13:5, 8 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… We can rely and hope in Christ because He never changes. He will never leave us or forsake us.
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.
… A confession and repentance ALWAYS gives us a cleansing and a “do-over!”
My Devotional Journal: Today's ODB author, Kirsten Holmberg, reflects on going from the Advent Season into a New Year with the promise of a fresh start. The ODB author wrote: After Christmas festivities conclude at the end of December, my thoughts often turn to the coming year. While my children are out of school and our daily rhythms are slow, I reflect on where the last year has brought me and where I hope the next will take me. Those reflections sometimes come with pain and regret over the mistakes I’ve made. Yet the prospect of starting a new year fills me with hope and expectancy. I feel I have the opportunity to begin again with a fresh start, no matter what the last year held.
HAPPY NEW YEAR, dear one! …
Yes, it’s a new year today; and like the ODB author, New Year’s Day always causes me to reflect on the past year and look forward to a fresh start into the new year. And each year my computer reminds me to read a hope-filled poem, written by the strong Bible teacher, Woodrow Kroll, entitled Start Over,, which helps me to meditate on what lies ahead and how God gives all Christians, who desire to humbly follow Him, a “DO-OVER!” If you’d like to read the poem, HERE’S A LINK to a pdf file which you can print out for your study.
And I do pray that any reader here with me on New Year’s Day will take the time to meditate on the poem and the scriptures above, … as well as let God’s grace encourage you in the linked song. Those of us who’re in Christ, need to realize that our Lord desires for us to set aside past failures and look forward to new beginnings, which He will bring our way … IF … we’re willing to humbly and obediently follow Him.
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My THANKFULNESS: Oh Lord, thank You for giving me this new year!!
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My Prayer Today: Abba Father, … King Jesus, … Precious Spirit … I look forward to all You will do with/thru me - for Your glory - in 2018. … 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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