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