Devotional Song: … GO TO THIS LINK … Please take the time to take in a YouTube video with song and lyrics from Phillips, Craig, and Dean singing their song … I Want To Be Just Like You … poignantly singing of the surrendered attitude of a child to become just like his father just as we, as God’s children want to become just like His Son, our Savior.
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Highlight Verse[s]: Matthew 18:2-3 [NLT] … 2 Jesus called a little child to him and put the child among them. 3 Then he said, “I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven.
… It takes the surrendered/faith attitude of a child to enter Heaven.
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Highlight Passage [context]: Matthew 18:1-5, 19:13-14 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… Jesus was clear that we need the trustful attitude of a child to receive His saving grace.
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Reference Passage : … Proverbs 3:5-6 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… Complete trust in our Lord, like that of a child for his parent is what is need to follow Jesus.
Reference Passage : … Luke 9:23 [NKJV] … 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. …”
… That’s what a child does in following a parent … to give up himself and to follow in complete trust.
Reference Passage : … Revelation 3:20 [NKJV] … 20 “Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends. …”
… Jesus wants to fellowship with us; but we have to trust Him and open the door to our hearts just like a child will come to a father when he calls.
My Devotional Journal: Today's ODB author, David C McCasland, told a personal story about his little laughter to illustrate how we must come to Jesus to receive His saving grace. The ODB author wrote: One evening many years ago, after saying a goodnight prayer with our two-year-old daughter, my wife was surprised by a question.
“Mommy, where is Jesus?”
Luann replied, “Jesus is in heaven and He’s everywhere, right here with us. And He can be in your heart if you ask Him to come in.”
“I want Jesus to be in my heart.”
“One of these days you can ask Him.”
“I want to ask Him to be in my heart now.” So our little girl said, “Jesus, please come into my heart and be with me.” And that started her faith journey with Him.
It is true that children, even at age two, are little heathens in need of salvation; but they also have an attitude of trust where they can openly and accept the need for a Savior. And that’s what Jesus used as a life picture when He instructed His disciples [in the highlight passages] on the attitude of trust and surrender it took for anyone to come to Him in faith and receive Him as Lord and Savior.
It took a full 39 years, and the relentless pursuit of God’s Spirit, for me to finally, in brokenness, to surrender and accept God’s saving grace. I can only hope that all reading here have - at some point - had the trust of a child and seen the need to receive Jesus as your Lord and Savior.
And I will pray below that we all have that childlike trust today and open the door of our hearts for our Savior to be with us in fellowship today (see Rev. 3:20).
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My THANKFULNESS: … Oh Lord, Jesus, thank You helping me get to the point of a child who needs to come to His Father in repentance and accept Your saving grace.
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My Prayer Today: Abba Father, … King Jesus, … Precious Spirit … May all who read with me here join me in coming to You daily and receiving your sanctifying grace so that we can fellowship with You and follow You as our Lord all days. … 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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