Devotional Song: … GO TO THIS LINK … Please take the time to take in a YouTube video of a live performance by the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir singing … More Than Enough … poignantly singing how our God’s grace is way sufficient to meet our needs.
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Highlight Verse[s]: Jonah 2:1-2 [NLT] … 1 Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from inside the fish. 2 He said, “I cried out to the Lord in my great trouble, and He answered me. I called to you from the land of the dead, and Lord, you heard me!
…When we’re in trouble and we know that God hears us, we have only to call on Him for our needs.
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Highlight Passage [context]: Jonah 2:1-10 [NLT] …USE THIS LINK …
… A disobedient Jonah, called on God from the belly of the fish; and God heard him and rescued him.
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Reference Passage : … Lamentations 3:22-23 [NLT] … 22 The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. 23 Great is His faithfulness; His mercies begin afresh each morning.
… God’s mercies never cease. Hence, we can call on Him anytime for rescue.
Reference Passage : … 2 Corinthians 12:9 [NLT] … 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.
… Jesus reminds Paul - and us - that His empowering/saving grace is more than enough to rescue us from any circumstances.
Reference Passage : … Ephesians 3:20 [NLT] … 20 Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.
… When we’re “up a tree,” God’s always able to help.
Reference Passage : … Revelation 3:20 [NLT] … 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 rescue us from ourselves, inviting us to dine at His table; and all He wants us to do is open the door of our hearts and let Him in.
My Devotional Journal: Today's ODB author, Elisa Morgan, told a personal story about her mom’s cat being rescued to illustrate how our God can/will rescue us when we’re “up-the-tree” of life. The ODB author wrote: My mother discovered my kitten Velvet atop the kitchen counter, devouring homemade bread. With a huff of frustration, she scooted her out the door. Hours later, we searched our yard for the missing cat without success. A faint meow whistled on the wind, and I looked up to the peak of a poplar tree where a black smudge tilted a branch.
In her haste to flee my mother’s frustration over her behavior, Velvet chose a more precarious predicament. Is it possible that we sometimes do something similar—running from our errors and putting ourselves in danger? And even then God comes to our rescue. …
After exhausting our efforts to woo Velvet down, we summoned the local fire department. With the longest ladder fully extended, a kind man climbed high, plucked my kitten from her perch, and returned to place her safely in my arms. [See photo]
I don’t know about any other readers here today; but I really identify with this story in today’s ODB entry. For over 22 years of my life, i ran to escape my God, much as the cat ran up the tree; … or as Jonah did in the highlight scripture passage above. And in some respects I got myself in a horrible place in life, which threatened everything I held dear, … totally brought about by my own selfish choices.
BUT … when I needed Him the most, God came for me and rescued me from the pits of hell and invited me to join His family at His table of life [see reference passages above]. God truly can - and WILL - rescue us … in HIs good will and His perfect timing. But He does want us to be willing to call out to Him in surrendered faith.
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My THANKFULNESS: … Oh Lord, Jesus, thank You for coming after me when I needed You the most.
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My Prayer Today: Abba Father, … King Jesus, … Precious Spirit … Help me, Lord, as I open the door, hearing You knock 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.
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