Devotional Song: … GO TO THIS LINK … Please take the time to take in a YouTube video of images and lyrics from the group AVALON singing … Everything To Me … poignantly singing of how we we need to seek a surrendered and abiding relationship with our Lord DAILY.
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Highlight Verse[s]: Philippians 3:8 [NKJV] … 8 Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ …
… His relationship with Jesus was EVERYTHING for Paul.
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Highlight Passage [context]: Philippians 3:7-14 [NKJV]… USE THIS LINK …
… Paul’s declared allegiance and depth of love for His Savior.
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Reference Passage : … Psalms 42:8, 50:1, 90:14, 119:105 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …
… Four psalmists singing of why we should surrender to God and bath in His glory daily.
Reference Passage : … Proverbs 3:5-6 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …
… Complete trust and absolute surrender to follow Jesus!!
Reference Passage : … John 15:1-8 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …
… Our everything for Jesus, … His all for us!! My Devotional Journal: Today's ODB author, Joe Stowell, reflected on a time he had with Billy Graham and Billy’s impressive surrender to His Lord. The ODB author wrote: I’ll never forget the time I had the privilege of sitting next to Billy Graham at a dinner. I was honored but also somewhat nervous about what would be appropriate to say. I thought it would be an interesting conversation starter to ask what he loved most about his years of ministry. Then I awkwardly started to suggest possible answers. Was it knowing presidents, kings, and queens? Or preaching the gospel to millions of people around the world?
Before I had finished offering suggestions, Rev. Graham stopped me. Without hesitation he said, “It has been my fellowship with Jesus. To sense His presence, to glean His wisdom, to have Him guide and direct me—that has been my greatest joy.” I was instantly convicted and challenged. Convicted because I’m not sure that his answer would have been my answer, and challenged because I wanted it to be.
When you read the portion of today’s ODB entry above, what impresses you about Billy Graham’s declaration of devotion to His Lord? … “SURRENDER” is the word which comes to my mind. Billy’s daily fellowship with Jesus meant literally everything to him.
Can we, as disciples of Christ, say the same?
Is there anything in our lives which diminishes the abiding relationship we desire to have with Christ? Because, if there is, it will diminish our fruitfulness as Christians (see John 15:1-8). Are we doing all we can, devoting special time with our Lord daily, so that we can have a fully surrendered, abiding relationship with our King, Jesus?
That’s why you find me here everyday, in prayer and delving deeply into God’s word, starting each day with the first-fruits of my time with Jesus? O how I desire to follow him; and the best way I know to do that is an abiding time in prayer and partaking of the “Bread of Life” daily. For those who join me here daily, I pray that is your desire as well.
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My THANKFULNESS: … Oh Lord, Jesus, thank You for for giving me this special time with You today … and if You’re willing, tomorrow.
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My Prayer Today: Abba Father, … King Jesus, … Precious Spirit ... O Lord, … help any and all reading here to a deeper, more abiding relationship with You as we delve into Your truth today … and then again tomorrow. … 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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