January 31, 2019 … Adopted By God

Berry Patch Devotions in 2019 - Day 31

Devotional Song: … GO TO THIS LINK … Please take the time to take in YouTube song and lyrics from the group Avalon singing … No Orphans of God … poignantly singing of how we, as Christians, are born again in the family of God, adopted as Christ’s heirs … and ON TO THIS LINK  to hear the group Hillsong United singing I Am A Child of God singing of the truth that God has not only saved His children but has redeemed us and set us free from our slavery to sin.

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Highlight Verse[s]: Galatians 4:7 [NLT] … 6 And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!” 7 Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir [c]of God through Christ. 
… God, our “Abba Father” has made us His sons and heirs to His kingdom in the family of God. 
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Highlight Passage [context]: Galatians 4:1-7 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… God, thru Paul, shows us that we are not only saved to be born-again into the family of God and no longer slaves to our sin nature; but that the Lord has made us His heirs in Christ. 
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Reference Passage : … John 3:16-17 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… God loved us so much that He saved us from our slavery to sin and made us heirs to His throne as adopted members of His family

Reference Passage : … Revelation 3:11-12 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… We must hold on to our crown of life dearly because our Lord is coming and He will give us a new name as He crowns us in glory as the heir to His throne of grace.

My Devotional Journal: Today's ODB author, Mike Wittmer, uses a personal reflection to illustrate how we, as born-again Christians have been completely freed from the slavery of our sin nature and adopted into the family of God as heirs to God’s throne of grace. The ODB author writes … I’m glad when a philanthropist builds an orphanage for homeless children. I’m thrilled when that person gives even more and adopts one of them. Most orphans would be delighted merely to have a patron. But then to learn the sponsor isn’t content merely to help me but also wants me. How must that feel? 
If you’re a child of God you already know, because it’s happened to you. 

Dear ones, … reading here with me, … if you’re truly born-again and saved by God’s love [John 3:16-17], having repented of your sin and completely received God’s saving grace, then you know what the ODB author is writing is true. We are God’s redeemed and adopted sons and daughters; … and we’re not only freed from our bondage to sin; but we’ve been made heirs to God’s throne and will be crowned with His glory and given a new name when enter into His glory [Rev. 3:11-12].

And I pray today, humbly and thankfully, that we’re all living as heirs to God’s throne of sanctifying grace, having fully accepted the mantle of His adoption and walking in the freedom that He gave us by allowing us to be redeemed from our slavery to sin and made to be children of the King

So, listen to … and meditate on … the 2 linked songs and rejoice with me as fully redeemed members of God’s family!!

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My THANKFULNESS: … Oh Abba Father, … thank You, Lord, … for adopting me and giving me a new name when I join You in Your heavenly family.
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My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, … King Jesus, … I pray, Lord, that all reading here can, and will, join me today to live our live as children of the Savior rather than slaves to self. … 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.

January 30, 2019 … Glory All Around

Berry Patch Devotions in 2019 - Day 30

Devotional Song: … GO TO THIS LINK … Please take the time to take in YouTube images and lyrics from Gordon Mote singing his song … Don’t Let Me Miss The Glory … poignantly singing of how we, as Christians, need to look around us daily and take in God’s glory from His creation.

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Highlight Verse[s]: Job 37:14 [NLT] … 14  “Listen to this, O Job; Stand still and consider the wondrous works of God. 
… Elihu, Job’s young apologist, reflects on how we can often miss the glory of God all around us in Creation when we’re in the midst of personal pain - as was Job.
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Highlight Passage [context]: Job 37:14-34 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… One of Job’s friends helped him to remember to look past the agony to see God’s glory in creation.
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Reference Passage : … Isaiah 26:3 [NLT] … 3 You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in You, all whose thoughts are fixed on You! 
… We so often take our mind’s eye off of God and lose His peace by focusing on our selves.

Reference Passage : … Isaiah 55:8-9 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… When we’re mired in personal problems, we can easily forget or miss the truth that God’s ways are so difficult to see/understand.

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.
… So easy to miss God’s glory and see His grace when we’re wrapped in personal problems.

Reference Passage : … Hebrews 13:5-6 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… God, in this passage, promises He will never leave us or forsake us when we’re down or depressed. But do we trust Him?

My Devotional Journal: Today's ODB author, Julie Schwab, uses a personal reflection to illustrate how we can miss the glory of God, ever before us in creation, especially when we get wrapped up in our daily cares/concerns. The ODB author writes … “What’s a diatom?” I asked my friend. I was leaning over her shoulder looking at pictures on her cell phone she had taken through a microscope. [see photo] 
 “Oh, it’s like algae, but it’s harder to see. Sometimes you need a drop of oil on the lens or they have to be dead to see them,” she explained. I sat amazed as she scrolled through the pictures. I couldn’t stop thinking about the intricate detail God put into life that we can only see with a microscope! 
God’s creation and works are endless. In the book of Job, one of Job’s friends, Elihu, points this out to Job as he struggles through his loss. 

Reflecting on God’s glory thru the “microscope” of God’s word in Job’s journal is a good way to keep the greatness of God in perspective as we deal with the everyday cares and concerns of life. Job almost lost his faith perspective as he dealt with all of the pain/agony of his personal loss. And tho his friends led him somewhat astray with their faulty ideas about God’s justice, one of those, Elihu, the youngest of Job’s four friends, helped Job to see that even what Job was going thru was evidence of God’s glory (see highlight passage).

And we too need to look past the fogginess of our trials and troubles; and do all we can, as Gordon Mote sings in the linked song, to look around and take in God’s glory in creation, … reminding us of God’s truth in the reference scriptures above.

And that’s why I come here everyday, taking up the microscope of truth, which is God’s word, to let God’s Spirit open my eyes to His glory … much like the ODB author was able to see that evidence by viewing diatoms thru a real microscope.

So, I pray that all reading with me here stop and recognize that any/all things we see or experience today help us to see the glory of our God.

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My THANKFULNESS: … Oh Abba Father, … thank You, Lord, … for showing us Your glory thru creation and the realities of our everyday life.
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My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, … King Jesus, … I pray, Lord, that all reading here can, and will, join me today to be thankful to our God for our lives … just as they are … and for all He has created around us to help us see His glory. … 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.

January 29, 2019 … God Is Where?

Berry Patch Devotions in 2019 - Day 29

Devotional Song: … GO TO THIS LINK … Please take the time to take in YouTube song and lyrics from Lincoln Brewster singing his song … No One Like Our God … powerfully singing of how we, as Christians, can bring all our cares to a God Who always listens and cares for our needs.

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Highlight Verse[s]: Isaiah 64:1, … 4 [NLT] … 1  Oh, that you would burst from the heavens and come down! How the mountains would quake in your presence! 
… 4  For since the world began, no ear has heard and no eye has seen a God like you, 
 … The Prophet in a dire time of trouble declares the greatness of His Go.
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Highlight Passage [context]: Isaiah 64:1-8 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… Isaiah’s prayer when God had allowed the Babylonians to consume His people.
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Reference Passage : … Isaiah 63:11-15 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… Isaiah, after God had allowed the Babylonians to consume Judah, takes his faith challenges directly to God … just as we should when we have doubts.

Reference Passage : … Habakkuk 1:2-3, … 3:17-18 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… Habakkuk takes his questions/concerns to God (see Chapt. 1); and God belays his fears and even allows the Prophet to find joy in the midst of calamity (see Chapt. 3).

Reference Passage : … Romans 8:28, 37-38 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… If we have a faith in the reality of these truths, then we will ALWAYS be able to - in faith - take our trials and troubles to our God.

Reference Passage : … Hebrews 13:5-6 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… Our God, … no matter what we face, … promises He will never leave us or forsake us. But do we trust Him?

Reference Passage : … 1Peter 5:7 [NLT] … 7 Give all your worries and cares to God, for He cares about you. 
 … Peter exhorts us to bring our cares to God … with the faith that He hears and will do what is right.

My Devotional Journal: Today's ODB author, Winn Collier, uses a personal memory to illustrate how our faith in the presence and power of God can be challenged by our dire circumstances. The ODB author writes … In a recent conversation, where a friend shared with me that she’d abandoned her faith, I heard a familiar complaint: How can I believe in a God who doesn’t ever seem to do anything? This gut-wrenching question appears for most of us at one point or another, as we read of violence in the news and as we carry our own heartbreak. My friend’s distress revealed her intense need for God to act on her behalf, a longing we’ve all likely felt. 

And the ODB author makes reference to the faith questions Isaiah had when God allowed the Babylonians to take over Judah - God’s people (see the Isaiah 63 passage). But in reaction to this disappointment and quandary, the Prophet (in the highlight passage) takes his prayers of concern directly to God and prays for God to come down and show the Lord’s power as He had down in times past with God’s people.

And it was the same for another Prophet of God, Habakkuk, to whom I made reference in my journal entry yesterday. And each of us have likely “been there” and worn that kind of t-shirt, haven’t we; … doubting God’s presence or power when things go awry? And yes, it’s in those times that we need to muster up even a mustard-seed sized faith and take our issues to our God [see reference passages], believing that God will never forsake us.

I pray today that all reading here believe what is sung in the linked song today … that we serve a God who always listens and is not like anyone or anything that can create our trials in life. He is the God Who parted the Red Sea! He is the God Who went to the cross for us! And He is the God Who is listening right now when we take any trial or trouble to Him.

So, I pray we do just that!!!

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My THANKFULNESS: … Oh Abba Father, … thank You, Lord, … for being there to hear my cries today.
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My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, … King Jesus, … I pray, Lord, that all reading here can, and will, join me today to humbly take our trials to a God Who hears our concerns and will NEVER forsake us. … 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.

January 28, 2019 … God - Our Mood Mender

Berry Patch Devotions in 2019 - Day 28

Devotional Song: … GO TO THIS LINK … Please take the time to take in YouTube song and lyrics from Zach Williams singing his song … Chain Breaker … powerfully singing of how we, as Christians, can bring all our cares to the greatest mood mender of all, … our Lord, King Jesus!

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Highlight Verse[s]: Psalm 94:19 [NLT] … 19  When doubts filled my mind, Your comfort gave me renewed hope and cheer. 
… The psalmist sung about our God being our mood mender when we’re down.
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Highlight Passage [context]: Psalm 94 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… The psalmist chooses to let his faith in God prevail over his downer mood.    
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Reference Passage : … Isaiah 26:3, … 41:10 [NLT] … 3 You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on You!… 
 10  Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. … I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand. 
… Our God will lift us up when we’re down if we trust in Him and bring our cares to Him.

Reference Passage : … Habakkuk 1:2-3 … 3:17-18 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… Habakkuk takes his questions/concerns to God (see Chapt. 1); and God belays his fears and even allows the Prophet to find joy in the midst of calamity (see Chapt. 3).

Reference Passage : … Hebrews 13:5-6 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… God, in this passages, promises He will never leave us or forsake us when we’re down or depressed. But do we trust Him?

Reference Passage : … 1Peter 5:7 [NLT] … 7 Give all your worries and cares to God, for He cares about you. 
 … Peter exhorts us to bring our cares to God.

My Devotional Journal: Today's ODB author, Linda Washington, uses a personal memory to illustrate how we can allow God’s care to override a bad mood when we’re overcome with negative thoughts. The ODB author writes … As I waited at the train station for my weekly commute, negative thoughts crowded my mind like commuters lining up to board a train [see photo] — stress over debt, unkind remarks said to me, helplessness in the face of a recent injustice done to a family member. By the time the train arrived, I was in a terrible mood. 
On the train, another thought came to mind: write a note to God, giving Him my lament. Soon after I finished pouring out my complaints in my journal, I pulled out my phone and listened to the praise songs in my library. Before I knew it, my bad mood had completely changed. 

It is not uncommon for me to wake up with concerns or cares that drag me down. Can I get a witness?

But, it is also often the case that when I take my cares to God in my quiet times; and I go thru the discipline of going thru God’s word in my ODB entry, and journaling my thoughts as today, my realization that my God cares lifts me up. (see the Isaiah passages).

As did Habakkuk in a really bad downer moment (see Habakkuk passages), when I surrender my cares to God (see also Peter’s exhortation), I recognize that my God will never forsake me (yes, Hebrews 13:5); and He becomes, as the ODB entry is titled today, my “Mood Mender;” … and as Zach Williams sings, … my “Chain Breaker.”

And I share here with any readers that journaling your cares, as did the writers of the Scriptures above, is one of the strongest “mood menders” of all. Try it and see if God’s prescription for anxiety doesn’t work to lift you up when you’re down.

Dear ones, … it’s not Bill Berry’s promise, … it’s God’s!!!

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My THANKFULNESS: … Oh Abba Father, … thank You, Lord, … for being my mood mender, … my chain breaker!
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My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, … King Jesus, … I pray, Lord, that all reading here can, and will, join me today to be thankful to be able to go to a God who is ALWAYS there to lift us up. … 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.

January 27, 2019 … Shining His Light

Berry Patch Devotions in 2019 - Day 27

Devotional Song: … GO TO THIS LINK … Please take the time to take in YouTube images and lyrics from Jason Gray singing his song … Glow In the Dark … powerfully singing of how we, as Christians, must often shine Christ’s life thru our decisions and actions so that His light can glow in the darkness of the world. … And ON TO THIS LINK where Joy Williams sings Do They See Jesus In Me singing a question we all should ask ourselves as Christians.

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Highlight Verse[s]: Esther 4:14 [NLT] … 14 If you keep quiet at a time like this, deliverance and relief for the Jews will arise from some other place, but you and your relatives will die. Who knows if perhaps you were made queen for just such a time as this?” 
… Esther’s uncle, Mordecai, declares that we are often placed by God into our circumstances to be a righteous light shining in the darkness.
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Highlight Passage [context]: Esther 4:5-14 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… God places Esther in such a place at such a time to shine God’s light in the darkness. 
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Reference Passage : … Matthew 5:14-16 [NLT] …USE THIS LINK …
… Jesus declares that we are to be His light shining out into the world to glorify God with our righteous decisions.

Reference Passage : … Matthew 25:37-40 [NLT] …USE THIS LINK …
… Jesus shows His followers how, when they serve/help others they are serving Him.

Reference Passage : …John 8:12 [NLT] … 12 Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.” 
… Jesus is the light of the world; and when we reflect His light in the way we live, others see Him in us.

My Devotional Journal: Today's ODB author, Lisa Samra, uses a personal memory to illustrate how can be reflections of God’s light in the darkness of this world. The ODB author writes … At Yad Vashem, the Holocaust museum in Israel, my husband and I went to the Righteous Among the Nations garden [see photo] that honors the men and women who risked their lives to save Jewish people during the Holocaust. While looking at the memorial, we met a group from the Netherlands. One woman was there to see her grandparents’ names listed on the large plaques. Intrigued, we asked about her family’s story. 
Members of a resistance network, the woman’s grandparents Rev. Pieter and Adriana Müller took in a two-year-old Jewish boy and passed him off as the youngest of their eight children from 1943–1945. 
Moved by the story, we asked, “Did the little boy survive?” An older gentleman in the group stepped forward and proclaimed, “I am that boy!” 

Really, today, this ODB entry, as well as the two linked songs, cries out for us, as reflections of Christ, the light of the world (John 8:12), to shine His light into the darkness of this world by the way we live (Matt. 5:14-16) … by the way we think, speak, and live, … i.e., by our actions, … so that others can see Christ and glorify God, the Father.

And so, I pray that my readers will join me to worship our Lord today with the decisions we make and to the people with whom we share our lives.

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My THANKFULNESS: … Oh Abba Father, … thank You, Lord, … for being our Light to reflect into the world.
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My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, … King Jesus, … I pray, Lord, that all reading here can, and will, join me today to “Glow In the Dark” as Jason Gray sings. … 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.

January 26, 2019 … Obedient Freedom

Berry Patch Devotions in 2019 - Day 26

Devotional Song: … GO TO THIS LINK …  Please take the time to take in YouTube images and lyrics from Nichole Nordeman singing her song … Finally Free … poignantly singing of how we, as Christians, can only find freedom when we walk in the paths of freedom directed by God’s word.

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Highlight Verse[s]: Psalm 119:35 [NLT] … 35  Make me walk along the path of Your commands, for that is where my happiness is found. 
… Real joy and happiness can only be found in the freedom that comes in obedience to God’s commands.
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Highlight Passage [context]: Psalm 119:33-48 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… The Psalmist recognized that the only way to freedom was in obedience to follow God’s word. 
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Reference Passage : … Psalm 119:105 [NLT] … 105  Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path. 
… God’s word is the light which guides our path to freedom from ourselves.

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 commanded any disciples (including us) to deny ourselves and follow Him.

Reference Passage : …John 8:31-32 [NLT] … 31 Jesus said to the people who believed in Him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to My teachings. 32 And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” 
… Since Jesus is the living truth (thru His word), the only way to real freedom is in following His word.

My Devotional Journal: Today's ODB author, Jennifer Benson Schuldt, uses a family picture of parents helping their kids to see the way to happiness in following the directions of the parents. The ODB author writes … On a winter day, my children begged to go sledding. The temperature hovered near zero degrees Fahrenheit. Snowflakes raced by our windows. I thought it over and said yes, but asked them to bundle up, stay together, and come inside after fifteen minutes. 
Out of love, I created those rules so my children could play freely without suffering frostbite. … While my kids were sledding, I watched them blast down the hill. I smiled at the sound of their laughter and the sight of their pink cheeks. [see photo] They were free within the boundaries I’d given them. 

The psalmist of Psalm 119 [see above] came to realize the same thing those kids were learning when they went out to play in the cold snow; … that we are only free and can find happiness when we walk in obedience to the commandments given to us in God’s word.

And really the only question which comes from my journal entry today is … “Are we walking in genuine happiness following the “GPS” given to us thru God’s word?” Because, if we are, we’ve discovered that we’re really and finally free … just as Nichole Nordeman sings in the linked song. 

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My THANKFULNESS: … Oh Abba Father, … thank You, Lord, … for the freedom and happiness You give us by following Your word.
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My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, … King Jesus, … I pray, Lord, that all reading here can, and will, join me today use the “GPS” (God’s Positional System) of God’s word to light our path to find real freedom and happiness in life. … 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.

January 25, 2019 … A Wider Faith Perspective

Berry Patch Devotions in 2019 - Day 25

Devotional Song: … GO TO THIS LINK … Please take the time to take in YouTube images and lyrics from the group Casting Crowns singing … If We Are the Body … poignantly singing of how we, as the body of Christ, need to be doing more to reach out and be His witnesses of love and grace in this world.

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Highlight Verse[s]: 1 Peter 2:9 [NLT] … 9 But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for He called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light. 
… Taking a wider perspective on our faith gives us more strength as the “BODY OF CHRIST.” 
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Highlight Passage [context]: 1 Peter 2:1-10 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… In our faith God shows us, thru Peter, that we’re much more than the faith of one person, … we are a worldwide “holy nation” in Christ.
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Reference Passage : …Acts 1:8 [NLT] … 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be My witnesses, telling people about Me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” 
… Christ calls us ALL - the Body of Christ - to be His witnesses to the entire world.

Reference Passage : … 1 Corinthians 12:22-27 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… Being the “Body of Christ,” we have so much more power to serve God than just being one individual part.

Reference Passage : … Hebrews 10:24-25 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… God wants us to come TOGETHER in worship to help us gain strength in our faith to serve and worship Him as His BODY.

Reference Passage : … 2 Peter 1:3-4 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… As the body of Christ, we’ve been given all we need, individually and corporately, to take on the world’s problems and be Christ’s witnesses (see Acts 1:8).

My Devotional Journal: Today's ODB author, David C McCasland, uses a mental picture of a much wider perspective on our faith to help us see the entire “Body of Christ.” The ODB author writes … During the television coverage of the inauguration of the first African-American president of the US, the camera showed a panoramic view of the enormous crowd of the nearly two million people who had gathered to witness the historic event. CBS News correspondent Bob Schieffer remarked, “The star of this show is the wide shot.” Nothing else could capture the multitude stretching from the Lincoln Memorial to the Capitol. [see photo] 

When we, as individual Christians, go to church on Sundays to worship God, we get a little wider perspective on our faith than we’re trying to tackle life on our own. We come together in corporate worship to see that we are a part of the larger “Body of Christ.” And then we we pan back in our minds to realize that on that one Sunday millions - nay, BILLIONS - of fellow Christians will be coming together to worship the King of kings, … and LORD of lords; … it helps to give us a much wider perspective on our faith.

That’s what the ODB author was trying to show by using the inaugural word picture. We, often, can get a bit narrow in our handling of the day’s problems, being just one Christian taking on the world. But we need to see that we’re just one of a “nation” of faith [see highlight passage]; and we need to just do our part, using what God has given each of us (and that’s a lot!! - see 2 Peter 1:3-4), to come together, as the body of Christ, to take on the world.

So, … let’s all just do our part today and use the gifts and Spirit-given resources we have, as outlined in the Scriptures above, to serve our Lord.

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My THANKFULNESS: … Oh Abba Father, … thank You, Lord, … for Your Spirit, Who gives Your Body all we need to serve, worship, and glorify You.
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My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, … King Jesus, … I pray, Lord, that all reading here can, and will, join me today to do all we can to serve You, … our King, Jesus, as one member of Your entire Body. … 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.

January 24, 2019 … Lifting Others Up

Berry Patch Devotions in 2019 - Day 24

Devotional Song: … GO TO THIS LINK … Please take the time to take in YouTube images and lyrics from the group Casting Crowns singing … If We Are the Body … poignantly singing of how we, as the body of Christ, need to be doing more to reach out and be His witnesses of love and grace in this world.

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Highlight Verse[s]: Isaiah 58:6 [NLT] … 6  “No, this is the kind of fasting I want: Free those who are wrongly imprisoned; lighten the burden of those who work for you. Let the oppressed go free, and remove the chains that bind people. 
… God, expresses clearly that He desires that His people do all they (we) can to help others. 
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Highlight Passage [context]: Isaiah 58:6-9 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… God, thru Isaiah, tells His people what kind of sacrifice of the heart He desires to represent His loving heart.
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Reference Passage : …Acts 1:8 [NLT] … 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be My witnesses, telling people about Me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” 
… Jesus commanded all His disciples to be His witnesses of love/grace to the world.

Reference Passage : … 1 Corinthians 12:25-27 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… Being the “Body of Christ,” we’re charged to help others in the body who need our help.

Reference Passage : … Galatians 6:1-10 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… We’re charged by God to do all we can give of ourselves to help others.

Reference Passage : … Hebrews 13:15-16 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… God, in the NT, expresses HIs desire that we share His providence with others.

My Devotional Journal: Today's ODB author, Patricia Raybon, uses a personal story to illustrate how God desires His own to help others. The ODB author writes … A family member needed help with his December rent. To his family, the request felt like a burden—especially with their own unexpected expenses at year’s end. But they dug into their savings, grateful for God’s provision—and blessed by their relative’s gratitude. 
He handed them a thank-you card filled with grateful words. “There you go again . . . doing nice things, probably passing it off as no big deal.” 
Helping others is a big deal, however, to God. [see photo] 

OK, … I’m assuming that all my fellow readers have taken in the photo, heard the linked song, and taken the time to meditate on the Scriptures above. And perhaps, … like yours truly, … you’re asking yourself, … “could I do more” … to reach out with what I have (i.e., my providence) to help others, … especially those in the body of Christ who need assistance.

And if that’s our conviction, don’t you think that might be - or IS - the Holy Spirit calling us to be stronger witnesses of God’s love/grace … just as Jesus called us to be as His disciples (see Acts 1:8)? … Well, that’s my impression from this morning wrestling match with my Lord in my quiet time. I’ll have to leave your impressions to you and God.

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My THANKFULNESS: … Oh Abba Father, … thank You, Lord, … for Your charge to do what I can to help others … tho the pain of conviction is a bit intense right now.
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My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, … King Jesus, … I pray, Lord, that all reading here can, and will, join me today to find ways to lift others up as in the photo. … 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.

January 23, 2019 … Realness of Heart

Berry Patch Devotions in 2019 - Day 23

Devotional Song: … GO TO THIS LINK … Please take the time to take in YouTube images and lyrics from Brian Doerksen singing … Just As I Am … poignantly singing of how God wants us to come to Him for salvation and sanctification … “Just As I Am!”

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Highlight Verse[s]: Matthew 15:19 … 20 [NLT] … 19 For from the heart come evil thoughts,… 20 These are what defile you. … ” 
 … Who, who’ve repented of sin and have received God’s Spirit are children of King Jesus. 
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Highlight Passage [context]: Matthew 15:1-11, 16-20 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… Jesus illustrates how He desired to see realness of heart rather than the show of traditions or external deceiving words.
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Reference Passage : … Isaiah 29:13 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… Quoted by Jesus [see highlight passage] to unmask the Pharisees, who were trying to con God’s people with their traditions, many of which were really a sham of pretense.

Reference Passage : … Proverbs 23:7 [NKJV] … 7  For as he thinks in his heart, so is he. 
… Reality … we become what we think … So we must think Godly thoughts.

Reference Passage : … John 14:21 [NKJV] … 21 Those who accept My commandments and obey them are the ones who love Me. And because they love Me, my Father will love them. And I will love them and reveal Myself to each of them.” 
 … Jesus showing His disciples what is really important to Him in the way we think or act.

Reference Passage : … Philippians 4:8-9 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… God, thru Paul’s teaching, admonishes us to think Godly thoughts so that we can become Godly in our choices and behaviors (the outcome of Prov. 23:7).

My Devotional Journal: Today's ODB author, Tim Gustafson, uses a very human word picture to describe how we often try to hide who we really are to impress others. The ODB author writes … When a college class went on a cultural field trip, the instructor almost didn’t recognize one of his star pupils. In the classroom she had concealed six-inch heels beneath her pant legs [see photo]. But in her walking boots she was less than five feet tall. “My heels are how I want to be,” she laughed. “But my boots are how I really am.” 
Our physical appearance doesn’t define who we are; it’s our heart that matters. Jesus had strong words for those masters of appearances—the super-religious “Pharisees and teachers of the law.” 

How often do we - DO I - act like the Pharisees in Jesus’ day, … putting on airs of pretense to impress others and then misrepresenting God with what is in our hearts or the way we live? Trying to wear heels (see photo) to hide our shortness and sin nature may be a stretch in the teaching here. But for sure, … I am guilty of saying things or doing things at times to impress others instead of doing just what Brian Doerksen sings in the old song which Billy Graham used for years to speak to the hearts of the lost who were called by God to come to Him for salvation.

Don’t you agree that it’s what is in our hearts that God really cares about, not the masks - or the heels - we wear? And so I pray that we do all we can to just be real and come to Him today just as we are. And when we do, Gods’ Spirit will help us think the way our Lord does (see Prov. 23:7 and Phil. 4:8-9) and then live the way He desires for us to live [John 14:21].

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My THANKFULNESS: … Oh Abba Father, … thank You, Lord, … for receiving me just as I am and help me to think more like You do.
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My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, … King Jesus, … I pray, Lord, that all reading here can, and will, join me to come today and open the doors of our hearts … just as we are! … 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.

January 22, 2019 … Children of God

Berry Patch Devotions in 2019 - Day 22

Devotional Song: … GO TO THIS LINK … Please take the time to take in YouTube song and lyrics from the group Hillsong United singing … Who You Say I Am … poignantly singing of the reality of our identity in Christ; … that we are children of King Jesus, … children of God.

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Highlight Verse[s]: Romans 8:14 [NLT] … 14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. 
… Who, who’ve repented of sin and have received God’s Spirit are children of King Jesus. 
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Highlight Passage [context]: Romans 8:9-17 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… Paul recognizes and teaches that all who receive Christ as Lord and Savior are children of the living God.
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Reference Passage : … Romans 8:38-39 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… Paul also teaches the truth that NOTHING in this world can ever separate a child of God from our loving Father in Heaven and His Spirit Who dwells in our hearts.

Reference Passage : … 1 John 5:11-12 [NLT] … 11 And this is what God has testified: He has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. 12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have God’s Son does not have life. 
… TRUTH: That eternal life is found in EVERY child of God.

My Devotional Journal: Today's ODB author, Amy Boucher Pye, reflects on a personal moment when she realized that nothing would ever separate her from the love of her parents. The ODB author writes … During a church service I attended with my parents, according to the usual practice we held hands while saying the Lord’s Prayer together. As I stood with one hand clasped to my mother’s and the other to my father’s, I was struck by the thought that I will always be their daughter. Although I’m firmly in my middle age, I can still be called “the child of Leo and Phyllis.” I reflected that not only am I their daughter, but I will also always be a child of God. 

Oh how I pray that all reading here with me had earthly parents who made us feel that our identity and security were secure in our relationship with them. However, not all Christians, and certainly many non-believers, like the ODB author, can feel or say that.

However, when anyone who knows Christ as Lord and Savior is reading here with me, … we can KNOW that we are solid members of the family of God, … children of THE KING, … and secure in our eternal life with our Savior. We can sing along with the group, Hillsong, in the linked son of our identity, which is found in our relationship with Christ.

So, meditate on the truths above in today’s highlight and reference passages; … and then sing along with Hillsong United, … strongly, loudly, and boldly … “I am a child of God!”

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My THANKFULNESS: … Oh Abba Father, … thank You, Lord, … for having me in Your loving family … FOREVER!!
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My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, … King Jesus, … I pray, Lord, that all reading here can, and will, join me to declare and share that our identity is found in the family of God and our loving relationship with our Lord and Savior, … King Jesus! … 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.

January 21, 2019 … Creation Sings His Glory

Berry Patch Devotions in 2019 - Day 21

Devotional Song: … GO TO THIS LINK … Please take the time to take in YouTube images and lyrics from Gordon Mote singing his song … Don’t Let Me Miss The Glory … poignantly singing of how all we need to do is look around us to take in the glory of God.

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Highlight Verse[s]: Psalms 19:1-2 [NLT] … 1  The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display his craftsmanship. 2  Day after day they continue to speak; …  night after night they make Him known. 
 … All we have to do is look into the heavens or around us in creation to see God’s glory. 
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Highlight Passage [context]: Psalm 19:1-6 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… A song declaring the wonders of God’s glory that the Psalmist saw in the heavens. 
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Reference Passage : …Psalm 148:5 [NLT] … 5  Let every created thing give praise to the Lord, for He issued His command, and they came into being. 
… Perhaps it was God’s song which brought creation into being for His glory.

Reference Passage : … Isaiah 40:12 [NLT] … 12  Who else has held the oceans in his hand? Who has measured off the heavens with his fingers? Who else knows the weight of the earth or has weighed the mountains and hills on a scale? 
… ANSWER: Only God!!

Reference Passage : … Romans 1:20 [NLT] … 20 For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see His invisible qualities—His eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God. 
… Seeing the heavens and creation all around us is all we need to believe in a creator God.

Reference Passage : … Colossians 1:15-16 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… Christ created all we see around us … and all of it for His Father’s glory and for us to enjoy.

My Devotional Journal: Today's ODB author, Remi Oyedele, reflects on the reality of what we see around us singing of God’s glory. The ODB author writes … Using acoustic astronomy, scientists can observe and listen to the sounds and pulses of space. They’ve found that stars don’t orbit in silence in the mysterious night sky, but rather generate music. Like humpback whale sounds, the resonance of stars exists at wavelengths or frequencies that may not be heard by the human ear. Yet, the music of stars and whales and other creatures combine to create a symphony that proclaims the greatness of God.  

Did you look into the night sky last night? Perhaps, … if you did … and it was clear, with a telescope or binoculars you saw some stage of a lunar eclipse which revealed what astronomers call a “blood moon.” [see photo] 

Or maybe on another clear night, as I often do, you look into the stars and think what the Psalmist sung of in Psalm 19; … and what we should think (see Ps. 148:12) … that we should see God’s glory in creation all around us and proclaim our praises to the God Who created it all.

And in the reference passages we read that Christ was our Creator and we all should be thinking what Gordon Mote sings in the linked song … i.e., … for us to look around everyday and see the glory God has created for Himself and our enjoyment. And I pray we do just that today.

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My THANKFULNESS: … Oh Abba Father, … thank You, Lord, … for what sings to us so gloriously from the heavens.
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My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, … King Jesus, … I pray, Lord, that all reading here can, and will, join me to take in Your creation today and reflect with thanks and praise what You have created for us. … 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.

January 20, 2019 … Fixating on Jesus

Berry Patch Devotions in 2019 - Day 20

Devotional Song: … GO TO THIS LINK …  Please take the time to take in YouTube images and lyrics from Alan Jackson singing the old hymn … Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus … poignantly singing of how we must take our eyes off of ourselves and put them on Jesus.

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Highlight Verse[s]: Psalms 121:1-2 [NLT] … 1  I look up to the mountains — does my help come from there? 2  My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth! 
… Where are we focused in life?
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Highlight Passage [context]: Psalm 121:1-8 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… A song of where we should focus in life as we traverse the challenges of daily living. 
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Reference Passage : …Psalm 139:23-24 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… A song, praying where our focus in life should be to let God lead us from a focus on self to one which lets Him lead us.

Reference Passage : …Proverbs 3:5-6 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… If we take our focus off of self and onto our Savior, He will lead us in His ways.

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 is clear what it takes to be His disciple … to take our eyes off of ourselves and do all we can to follow Him.

My Devotional Journal: Today's ODB author, Adam Holz, uses an interesting word picture of how we as Christians should focus on Christ as we traverse the difficult roads of life. The ODB author writes … What determines our direction in life? I once heard an answer to that question in a surprising place: a motorcycle training course. Some friends and I wanted to ride, so we took a class to learn how. Part of our training dealt with something called “target fixation.” 
“Eventually,” our instructor said, “you’re going to face an unexpected obstacle. If you stare at it—if you target fixate—you’ll steer right into it. But if you look above and past it to where you need to go, you can usually avoid it.” Then he added, “Where you’re looking is the direction you’re going to go.” [see photo] 
That simple-but-profound principle applies to our spiritual lives too. When we “target fixate”— focusing on our problems or struggles — we almost automatically orient our lives around them. 

Really I don’t think I need to add any clarity to the ODB entry as well as the message of the linked song, do I? The message is clear for us to take our eyes (i.e., our focus) off of our selves, especially on the troublesome circumstances which confront us; and we need to fix our focus on the road ahead (see photo) where God is leading us.

That’s why the reference Scriptures above mean so much to me and become the focus of my prayers so often, especially Psalm 139:23-24, where I’m seeking God’s way in life rather than my own (see also Prov. 3:5-6).

So, where’re we going today, dear one?

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My THANKFULNESS: … Oh Abba Father, … thank You, Lord, … for Your willingness and grace to lead us in THE WAY, … Your way …, everlasting.
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My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, … King Jesus, … I pray, Lord, that all reading here can, and will, join me to take our focus off of self and as Alan Jackson sings, onto the Savior. … 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.

January 19, 2019 … The Faithfulness of God’s Love

Berry Patch Devotions in 2019 - Day 19

Devotional Song: … GO TO THIS LINK … Please take the time to take in YouTube song and lyrics from the Maranatha Singers singing … Great Is Thy Faithfulness … poignantly singing of how our Lord is always faithful to His Bride.

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Highlight Verse[s]: Proverbs 5:15 [NLT] … 15  Drink water from your own well — share your love only with your wife. 
… The meaning for those in the covenant of marriage is obvious.
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Highlight Passage [context]: Proverbs 5 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… Solomon charges his son, as God so charges all who are married, to hold our love for only the promised one in Covenant love just as the Lord loves His Bride.
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Reference Passage : … Ephesians 5:21-29 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… A marriage is the picture of the covenant love of Christ for His church, where He is faithful unto death for His Bride, just as we should be faithful to Him in our covenant of love.

Reference Passage : … Hebrews 13:5 [NLT] … 5 … For God has said, “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.” [Deut. 31:6, 8] 
… God will never forsake us, … so too we should never fail each other, especially in marriage.

Reference Passage : … 1 Peter 3:7 [NLT] … 7 In the same way, you husbands must give honor to your wives. Treat your wife with understanding as you live together. She may be weaker than you are, but she is your equal partner in God’s gift of new life. Treat her as you should so your prayers will not be hindered. 
 … Our Lord has honored His Bride, the Church, in the ultimate way of faithfulness, dying for her to save her, … and we just bee willing to honor our spouses in the same way by living for one another in covenant love.

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, is always faithful in HIs love for His Bride, the church; but but we must be faithful to Him as our Bridegroom.

My Devotional Journal: Today's ODB author, Keila Ochoa, uses an interesting word picture of how in the dance of marriage, the two should have eyes only for one another. The ODB author writes … The “Jarabe Tapatío,” also known as the Mexican hat dance, celebrates romance. During this upbeat dance, the man places his sombrero on the ground. At the very end, the woman grabs the hat and both hide behind it to seal their romance with a kiss. [see photo] 
This dance reminds me of the importance of faithfulness in marriage. 

Christian marriage is a picture of the covenant love Christ, which the eternal Bridegroom has for His Bride (the Church). And His perfect love for His Bride was sealed forever on the Cross as He died for us in Covenant love. And the dance we have in our covenant love for our spouses should reflect Christ’s love for us as His Bride, just as the two in the Mexican hat dance should have eyes for only one another [see photo].

And I pray that all of us reading here who’re married, reflect the faithfulness our Lord has for us as we dance the dance of life in our covenant love for our mates. That’s the faithfulness our God has for us (hear the linked song); and it’s the faithfulness we, as Christ’s Bride, must have for our Lord first, and then for others here in this life, especially, if we’re married, for our spouse.

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My THANKFULNESS: … Oh Abba Father, … thank You, Lord, … for the matchless faithful love You have for Your Bride.
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My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, … King Jesus, … I pray, Lord, that all reading here can, and will, join me to reflect the covenant love our Lord has for His Bride by showing more of His love for others in this life, especially in the covenant of marriage. … 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.

January 18, 2019 … Our Doubts as Worship

Berry Patch Devotions in 2019 - Day 18

Devotional Song: … GO TO THIS LINK … Please take the time to take in YouTube images and lyrics from Jeremy Camp singing … The Answer … poignantly singing of how our Lord has the answers to our questions if we but - in faith - are willing to take those questions to Him.

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Highlight Verse[s]: Psalm 13:1, …5 [NLT] … 1  O Lord, how long will you forget me? Forever?  How long will you look the other way? ... 
 …  5  But I trust in your unfailing love.  I will rejoice because you have rescued me.  
…  David brings his doubts and questions to God [v.1]; but in a spirit of trust and worship [v.5] !! 
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Highlight Passage [context]: Psalm 13:1-6 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 
… In this lament, David is open, with a worshipping heart, but takes his doubts directly to God. 
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Reference Passage : … 1 Corinthians 10:13 [NLT] … 13 The temptations [or trials, tests, troubles] in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted [or tried], He will show you a way out so that you can endure. 
… When we trust God to be there for us and willingly and humbly take our trials to Him, He will show us the way to move on in life. 

Reference Passage : … Hebrews 13:5 [NLT] … 5 … For God has said, “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.” [Deut. 31:6, 8] 
… No matter what we face, if we take it to God, we’ll realize that He’s always there for us.

Reference Passage : … 1 Peter 5:7 [NLT] … 7 Give all your worries and cares to God, for He cares about you. 
 … God actually invites us - in His love for us - to bring our doubts, worries, or cares to Him.

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, is continually inviting us to open the door of doubt to let Him in so that He can fellowship with us and lead us out of the fogs of life and into His light. 

My Devotional Journal: Today's ODB author, Arthur Jackson, uses a personal remembrance which we’ve all likely experienced to illustrate taking our questions directly to the source of our trust. The ODB author writes … It’s not uncommon during a long (or short!) trip for someone in a group of travelers to ask, “Are we there yet?” or “How much longer?” Who hasn’t heard these universal queries coming from the lips of children and adults eager to arrive at their destination? But people of all ages are also prone to ask similar questions when wearied because of life challenges that never seem to cease. 

On every trip we ever took when our girls were young, … sometime during the trip, one, or both, of them would ask, “Daddy, when will we be there?” They, didn’t know; but they trusted that I did; so - in faith - they brought their question to me. And that’s the message of what the ODB author is bring out in his illustration.

It’s not wrong to have questions or concerns in this life, especially feeling like we’re in a fog of reality at times … where we can’t seem to find our way. And Whom better than God to take our worries or cares [see photo]. And that’s actually God’s direct invitation in all of the scriptures above. Actually, when you think about it, our coming to God with a trusting attitude, as David did in Psalm 13, is a humble form of worship; and God loves it when we surrender and rely on Him.

So, let’s all thank our Lord that He’s calling for us to bring our cares to Him today ( see 1Peter 5:7); and be willing to open the door and let Him in … to show us the way (Rev. 3:20).

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My THANKFULNESS: … Oh Abba Father, … thank You, Lord, … for Your invitation to show us the way out of our fog into Your light.
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My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, … King Jesus, … I pray, Lord, that all reading here can, and will, join me to raise our hand (again see photo) and ask Him to show us the way. … 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.

January 17, 2019 … He’ll Never Leave Us!

Berry Patch Devotions in 2019 - Day 17

Devotional Song: … GO TO THIS LINK … Please take the time to take in YouTube song and lyrics from Phillips, Craig, and Dean singing … He’ll Do Whatever It Takes … poignantly singing of how nothing can separate us from the unconditional love of God which will do whatever it takes to bring us to Himself in glory.

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Highlight Verse[s]: Hosea 11:8a [NLT] … 8  “Oh, how can I give you up, Israel? How can I let you go? 
… God’s unconditional love for His people is FOREVER.
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Highlight Passage [context]: Hosea 11:1-11 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… God, thru the Prophet Hosea, shows that His love for His chosen people is so great that He will never abandon those who love and seek to obey Him.
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Reference Passage : … John 10:14-16 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… Jesus is our “Good Shepherd,” and He would die that God’s flock be brought into gate of heaven.

Reference Passage : … Romans 8:38-39 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… God, thru Paul, clearly lays out how we are to live for others first, rather than just for ourselves.

Reference Passage : … Philippians 1:6 [NLT] … 6 And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue His work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns. 
… God never gives up on one of His kids.

Reference Passage : … Hebrews 13:5 [NLT] … 5 … For God has said, “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.” [Deut. 31:6, 8] 
… A NT author quotes God from the OT, showing that His promise to hold us in His care is forever.

My Devotional Journal: Today's ODB author, Poh Fan Chia, asks an interesting question from a radio host to challenge us to think about what is most precious to us. The ODB author writes … “What’s one thing you can’t give up?” the radio host asked. Listeners called in with some interesting answers. Some mentioned their families, including a husband who shared memories of a deceased wife. Others shared they can’t give up on their dreams, such as making a living in music or becoming a mother. All of us have something we treasure dearly—a person, a passion, a possession—something we can’t give up. 

How would you answer that question, fellow Christians? … I have a letter laminated and stored in a special place which my father wrote to me at age 72 declaring that he had prayed to receive Christ as Lord and Savior. I had witnessed to him for almost five years, knowing that he was lost; and finally God’s Spirit brought him to a place where he could see the truth of His need of God’s love and grace. If there was a fire in our home, I would want to save that letter.

But now that I’ve thought more about that question asked in the ODB entry today, I can see that the thing which is forever mine which is MOST PRECIOUS to me is my abiding relationship with Christ and His unconditional love and grace which has saved me and is NOW transforming me into His own image. That’s what all of the scriptures above point to; and I pray we call all declare a loud, ”Hallelujah!” to that reality.

Yes, ... no matter what we’ve done in our past, if we’ve come to our Lord with a humble and repentant spirit and, in faith, received His saving grace, as the linked song declares, God’s Spirit will never leave us and will do all that it takes to bring us to Himself in glory.

And I for one, loudly, declare … “Thank You, Jesus!” 

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My THANKFULNESS: … Oh Abba Father, … thank You, Lord, … for Your unconditional love and grace.
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My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, … King Jesus, … I pray, Lord, that all reading here can, and will, join me to praise our Lord, Whose love us our ours FOREVER if we come humbly seeking His sanctifying grace! … 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.

January 16, 2019 … Sharing Me - Sharing Christ

Berry Patch Devotions in 2019 - Day 16

Devotional Song: … GO TO THIS LINK …  Please take the time to take in YouTube song and lyrics from Brian Littrell singing … I Surrender All … poignantly singing of how we Christians must be willing to surrender our all to serve our Lord.

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Highlight Verse[s]: Ruth 1:16 [NLT] … 16 But Ruth replied [to Naomi], “Don’t ask me to leave you and turn back. Wherever you go, I will go; wherever you live, I will live. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God. 
… Ruth surrenders all to her mother-in-law.
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Highlight Passage [context]: Ruth 1:11-18 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… Ruth surrenders her life for Naomi; and God rewards her by becoming the grandmother of King David.
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Reference Passage : … Mark 10:42-45 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… Jesus rebukes His disciples for their selfishness and shows them how we must live to serve one another just as He lived to serve all who would follow Him in faith as true disciples.

Reference Passage : … Galatians 6:8-10 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… God, thru Paul, clearly lays out how we are to live for others first, rather than just for ourselves.

Reference Passage : … Philippians 2:3-4 [NLT] … 3 Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. 4 Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. 
… Paul repeats his exhortation for Christians to live, as Christ did, for others.

My Devotional Journal: Today's ODB author, Peter Chin, uses word picture of a child being selfish, showing us how we all can be at times. The ODB author writes … “But I don’t want to share!” wailed my youngest child, brokenhearted that he would have to part with even one of his many LEGO pieces [see photo]. I rolled my eyes at his immaturity, but truthfully, this attitude is not limited to children. How much of my own life, and really all of human experience, is marked by a stubborn resistance to freely and generously give to others? 

Common! … We need to admit that at times we all can be like the child in the ODB story, can’t we … unwilling to share what Jesus has given to us COMPLETELY? And today’s highlight passage from the story of Ruth illustrates how God wants all of His children to live, surrendering who we are in God’s kingdom to serve others.

Jesus certainly showed that to His disciples (and to us) in the Mark 10 passage, linked above, didn’t He? And His Apostle, Paul, repeated the exhortation for Christians to share our lives serving others in his letters to the Galatians and Philippians (and really to all of us Christians).

So, how’re we doing? Might it be a good idea to live more in a Christlike servant mode and be willing to share some of our legos with others today?

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My THANKFULNESS: … Oh Abba Father, … thank You, Lord, … for Your perfect model of how to be a sharing servant in Your kingdom.
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My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, … King Jesus, … I pray, Lord, that all reading here can, and will, join me - at least today - to do all we can to share our “toys” [and life] with others. … 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.

January 15, 2019 … Worth the Wait

Berry Patch Devotions in 2019 - Day 15

Devotional Song: … GO TO THIS LINK … Please take the time to take in YouTube song and lyrics from Steven Curtis Chapman singing two songs … Be Still and Know … poignantly singing of how we Christians must often wait obediently and faithfully on the Lord to release us of the pains of life … and His Strength Is Perfect - WITH THIS LINK - showing us that God’s grace will give us the strength to cover our weaknesses.

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Highlight Verse[s]: Psalm 42:11 [NLT] … 11  Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? … I will put my hope in God! I will praise Him again — my Savior and my God! 
… Patiently waiting for our God in spite of the pain or privation.
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Highlight Passage [context]: Psalm 42:1-11 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… The Psalmist painfully waits for God to move.
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Reference Passage : … Proverbs 3:5-6 [NLT] … 5  Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. 6  Seek His will in all you do, and He will show you which path to take. 
 … Oh so hard to trust our God when we can’t the “WHY” in life.

Reference Passage : … Romans 8:28 [NLT] … 28 And we know that God causes everything to work together[a] for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. 
 … Really, God!!! … Yes, really … ALL THINGS, … even the painful things.

Reference Passage : … 1 Corinthians 15:42-44 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… In heaven we’ll have NEW bodies … free of pain and worry …

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, promises His grace to give us the strength to deal with life’s pain or privation.

My Devotional Journal: Today's ODB author, Monica Brands, uses a reference to his dog to show us the kind of faith we need in God. The ODB author writes … My father’s life was one of longing. He longed for wholeness, even as Parkinson’s disease gradually crippled more and more of his mind and body. He longed for peace, but was tormented by the deep pain of depression. He longed to feel loved and cherished, but often felt utterly alone. 
He found himself less alone when he read the words of Psalm 42, his favorite psalm. 

My dad was much like the ODB author’s father in his later years, suffering with multiple maladies and pain. And my dad’s favorite Bible passage, one he would ask me to read to him every time I visited him in the nursing care facility where he resided his last years, was from 1st Cor. 15 (see above), where God promises us a new body in heaven. He so wanted to hear that soon he would not have to deal with all the pain; … that all the privation he was enduring was worth it. And now, in heaven, he knows it was.

Perhaps today, there are readers here with me, who are trying to deal with chronic pain or trying to find the purpose of privation, as was the Psalmist who wrote the highlight passage in Psalm 42.

In the midst of the pain, it’s so easy to ask “Why!” … isn’t it? … But I am praying today that we know - and believe - the truth of Rom. 8:28 and 2Cor. 12:9 … that God is allowing our pain for our good and for His glory; and it’s WAY WORTHY seeking His empowering grace and to wait on Him as Steven Curtis Chapman sings in the linked songs.

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My THANKFULNESS: … Oh Abba Father, … thank You, Lord, … for Your enabling, empowering grace to deal with life’s pain.
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My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, … King Jesus, … I pray, Lord, that all reading here can, and will, join me - at least today - to patiently wait for God to give us His strength to cover our weakness. … 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.