March 31, 2019 … Come and See Jesus

Berry Patch Devotions in 2019 - Day 90 

Devotional Song: … GO TO THIS LINK … Please take the time to take in a YouTube video with Steve Green singing … People Need the Lord … poignantly singing of how we need to share the glorious gift of Jesus with others.

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Highlight Verse[s]: John 1:45 [NLT] … 45 Philip went to look for Nathanael and told him, “We have found the very person Moses[a] and the prophets wrote about! His name is Jesus, the son of Joseph from Nazareth.” 
… Phillip shares Jesus with Nathaniel, the greatest gift one could share with another. 
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Highlight Passage [context]: John 1:43-51 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… Jesus calls Phillip to discipleship, who shares Jesus with his brother Nathaniel. 
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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. 
 … Knowing God intimately is trusting God completely!

Reference Passage : … John 14:21 [NLT] … 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.” 
… If we claim to love Jesus, we will obey Him and follow His will and His ways through His word.

Reference Passage : … Ephesians 1:3-6 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… We have been given God’s greatest blessing in getting to know His Son, Jesus.

My Devotional Journal: Today's ODB author, Xochitl Dixon, uses a personal reflection of how a friend shared the greatest gift one can share, … getting to know Jesus through His word. The ODB author wrote … Over the years, my friend Barbara has given me countless encouraging cards and thoughtful presents. After I told her I’d received Jesus as my Savior, she handed me the greatest gift she’d ever given me—my first Bible. She said, “You can grow closer to God and mature spiritually by meeting with Him daily, reading Scripture, praying, and trusting and obeying Him.” My life changed when Barbara invited me to get to know God better. 

Do you have someone you love who doesn’t know Jesus as Lord and Savior? Sharing Jesus with others is the greatest gift we can share with them; and that is what the ODB author’s friend did with her. And it is what my first mentor did for me after I went from atheist to believer.

Dr. Bob, my mentor did what Phillip did for Nathaniel in the highlight passage. He invited and exhorted me to “come and see” Jesus; and to get to know Jesus more intimately. And he knew that the best way to do that was through His word.  So, he led me on a quest to get to know my Savior through God’s word; and no other pursuit did any more to transform me into a disciple of Christ than that discipline.

So, let’s all help others get to know our Lord more intimately thru His word. Steve Green is right in the linked song for today … People really do need to know the Lord more intimately; and we can help them … just like Phillip did for Nathaniel.

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My THANKFULNESS: … Oh Abba Father, … thank You, Lord, … for Your invitation to “some and see” You today and everyday.
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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 share the joys of our Lord thru His word 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.

March 30, 2019 … Seeing God’s Glory

Berry Patch Devotions in 2019 - Day 89 

Devotional Song: … GO TO THIS LINK … Please take the time to take in a YouTube video with Gordon Mote singing … Don’t Let Me Miss the Glory … poignantly singing of how we see at least some of the greatness of our God in His creation.

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Highlight Verse[s]: Hebrews 1:3a [NLT] … 3 The Son radiates God’s own glory and expresses the very character of God, and He sustains everything by the mighty power of His command. 
 … Jesus created all and sustains it for the glory of His Father’s Name.
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Highlight Passage [context]: Hebrews 1:1-4 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… We see at least a portion of God’s glory in His creation all around us.
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Reference Passage : … Psalm 19:1 [NLT] … 1  The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display His craftsmanship. 
 … Look up into the heavens and see at least some of God’s glory.

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. 
 … We really have no way to think that there is no God; for all we have to do is look around us to see His glory.

Reference Passage : … Colossians 3:15-17 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… When we see God’s creation we see what He has done for us.

My Devotional Journal: Today's ODB author, Lisa M Samra, uses a word picture of a watchmaker to show how God’s creation helps us to appreciate the masterworks of our Lord thru His creation. The ODB author wrote … Working with a magnifying glass and tweezers, Swiss watchmaker Phillipe meticulously explained to me how he takes apart, cleans, and reassembles the tiny parts of specialty mechanical watches. Looking at all the intricate pieces, Phillipe showed me the essential component of the timepiece, the mainspring [see photo]. The mainspring is the component that moves all the gears to allow the watch to keep time. Without it, even the most expertly designed watch will not function.

When we see the inner workings of an intricate Swiss watch, we can appreciate the wonderful, intricate creation of the watchmaker, … just as we can see and appreciate at least some of God’s glory when we look around us and see all that God has created for His own glory and our pleasure and well being.

So, as Gordon Mote sings in the linked song, let’s all look around us today and take in the reality that all we see was created BY God, … FOR God, … and for the masterpiece of His creation; … and that, my friends, is us!!

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My THANKFULNESS: … Oh Abba Father, … thank You, Lord, … for Your creation and Your glory we see in this 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 to declare a resounding ”HALLELUJAH!” as we see at least some of God’s glory in His creation. … 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.

March 29, 2019 … Reflecting His Light

Berry Patch Devotions in 2019 - Day 88 

Devotional Song: … GO TO THIS LINK …  Please take the time to take in a YouTube video with Jason Gray singing … Glow In the Dark … poignantly singing of how God wants us to shine the light of Christlikeness in this world, darkened by evil influences. … and then ON TO THIS LINK  to hear Joy Williams singing, Do They See Jesus In Me, expressing our Lord’s desire for others to see His light in all we think, say, and do.

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Highlight Verse[s]: Philippians 2:14-15 [NLT] … 14 Do everything without complaining and arguing, 15 so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God,shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people. 
… We, as Christians, should shine brightly into this dark world!
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Highlight Passage [context]: Philippians 2:12-18 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… God, thru Paul, expresses how we are to shine Christ’s light into a very dark world. 
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Reference Passage : … Matthew 5:14-16 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… As Christians, we are to be - or become - the “Light of the World” for all to see Christ in the way we live.

Reference Passage : … John 14:21 [NLT] … 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.” 
… We cannot show Christ’s love to others, shining His Light, unless we obey Him. Our light is diminished by our sin.

My Devotional Journal: Today's ODB author, Arthur Jackson, uses a story about a teacher becoming a shining light in the midst of very dark circumstances. The ODB author wrote … In the summer of 2015, a group from our church was sobered by what we saw in Mathare, one of the slums in Nairobi, Kenya. We visited a school with dirt floors, rusting metal walls, and wooden benches. But against the backdrop of extremely humble surroundings, one person stood out. 
Her name was Brilliant, and the name couldn’t have fit her better. She was an elementary school teacher who possessed joy and determination that matched her mission. Colorfully dressed, her appearance and the joy with which she instructed and encouraged the children were stunning. 

Taking in Jason Gray’s linked song and the Scriptures above, today’s ODB entry challenges me with the very convicting question as to whether I’m shining Christ’s light bright enough, overcoming the darkness of my sin nature, so that others can see Christ in me and dispel some of the darkness of this world (as Joy Williams sings in the second linked song).

Hey, dear one, let’s go out and reflect our Lord’s perfect light for others to be able to see Him in the way we live our lives today.

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My THANKFULNESS: … Oh Abba Father, … thank You, Lord, … for being THE Light of 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 to reflect a bit of His brightness into this very dark world today … and then even more 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.

March 28, 2019 … Surrounded

Berry Patch Devotions in 2019 - Day 87 

Devotional Song: … GO TO THIS LINK … Please take the time to take in a YouTube video with the group Anointed singing … God Is All Around Us … poignantly singing of how Our Lord is ALWAYS there for us in times we feel overwhelmed by life.

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Highlight Verse[s]: Psalm 125:2 [NLT] … 2 Just as the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds his people, both now and forever. 
… God is ALWAYS there for His children.
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Highlight Passage [context]: Psalm 125:1-5 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… We can never be where God is not.
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Reference Passage : … Psalms 121:1-2 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… Our help comes from the Lord ALWAYS.

Reference Passage : … Proverbs 3:5-6 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… Trusting in to show us the way … HIS WAY!

Reference Passage : … Matthew 28:20b [NLT] … And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” 
… Jesus will ALWAYS be there for us.

Reference Passage : … Hebrews 13:8 [NLT] … 8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. 
… We can rely on our Lord ALWAYS because He never changes.

My Devotional Journal: Today's ODB author, Patricia Raybon, uses a remembrance of a friend’s dilemma to illustrate God’s surrounding grace. The ODB author wrote … In a busy airport, a young mother struggled alone [see photo]. Her toddler was in full tantrum mode—screaming, kicking, and refusing to board their plane. Overwhelmed and heavily pregnant, the burdened young mother finally gave up, sinking to the floor in frustration, covering her face, and starting to sob. 
Suddenly six or seven women travelers, all strangers, formed a circle around the young mother and her child—sharing snacks, water, gentle hugs, and even a nursery song. Their loving circle calmed the mother and child, who then boarded their plane. The other women returned to their seats, not needing to discuss what they had done, but knowing their support had strengthened a young mother exactly when she needed it.

Ever been there, friend? Oh, maybe not pregnant with a screaming child in an airport, … but overwhelmed in some way by life’s demands, feeling that God has left you. Maybe you’re there now, like that mother in the airport, … just at wits end with the circumstances of life; … or maybe you can recall such a circumstance where God showed up in the help from loved ones, or even strangers, as in the ODB story, to show you that the love of God is ALWAYS there for us if we just trust Him and reach out for help [see Psalm 121 & 125].

But often, when we’re overwhelmed with life, we let our feelings or our pride blunt our recognition that the Lord never changes (Heb. 13:8); and that we can look to His always present love/grace to help us thru the moment [see Matt. 28:20b].

So, perhaps someone out there needs to reach out for help from God today from those around us; … or we need to be the Lord’s agent of grace to help someone in need of God’s love today. We just need to remember that, as the group Anointed sings, “God IS all around us!”

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My THANKFULNESS: … Oh Abba Father, … thank You, Lord, … for ALWAYS being there for us.
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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 reach out for help if we’re overwhelmed … or to help someone see that God’s love surrounds 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.

March 27, 2019 … Remembering My Dad

Berry Patch Devotions in 2019 - Day 86 

Devotional Song: … GO TO THIS LINK … Please take the time to take in a YouTube video with the group Phillips, Craig, and Dean singing … I Want To Be Just Like You … poignantly singing of how we have a Father in Heaven who wants us to become just like His Son.

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Highlight Verse[s]: Job 38:4 [NLT] … “Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell me, if you know so much. 
… God helps Job see and remember Whom God really is.
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Highlight Passage [context]: Job 38:1-11 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… God helps Job remember His God, … the Father and creator of all.
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Reference Passage : … Genesis 1:26-27 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… We must remember that we, i.e., mankind, were created by our Heavenly Father in His image.

Reference Passage : … Psalms 139:13-16 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… God knit us together in our mother’s womb as His masterpiece - created before time began, for the glory of our Heavenly Father.

Reference Passage : … Ephesians 2:10 [NLT] … 10 For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. 
 … We are God’s masterpiece, created to do good things for His glory.

Reference Passage : … Colossians 3:23 [NLT] … 23 Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. 
… Whatever we do is done for the glory of our Heavenly Father.

My Devotional Journal: Today's ODB author, Alyson Kieda, uses a remembrance of her earthly father to reflect on her Heavenly Father. The ODB author wrote … When I remember my dad, I picture him best outdoors hammering or gardening or downstairs working in his cluttered workroom, stuffed with fascinating tools and gadgets. His hands were always busy at a task or project—sometimes building (a garage or a deck or a birdhouse), sometimes locksmithing, and sometimes designing jewelry and stained-glass art. 
Remembering my dad prompts me to think of my heavenly Father and Creator, … 

Well, … this Our Daily Bread [ODB] entry today, caused me to remember my own earthly Dad (see photo of a plaque on my office wall), whose birthdate, almost a century ago, is this week. And then the ODB author helped me remember an even more significant Father-Son relationship, … that with my Heavenly Father, … my Abba Father. … And meditating on the Scriptures above helped me see, as did Job from his journal and David in song (see Job 38 and Ps. 139), … that my God created me, being my Heavenly Father, to be His workmanship … for His glory (see Eph. 2:10 and Col. 3:23).

I had a great earthly Dad. Perhaps you did too. Or maybe your dad was not a good reflection of our Lord. But no matter, like Job came to realize, … and we need to remember [ALWAYS!], … we are created in God’s image (see Gen. 1:26-27) and all that we are, and all that we do, is for His glory, … not our own.

I pray that we all will see that the Daddy image we should all remember today and honor with our lives is that of our Abba - Heavenly - Father.

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My THANKFULNESS: … Oh Abba Father, … thank You, Lord, … for being my Heavenly Dad, … my Abba Father!
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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 honor our Abba Father today with all that we think, say, and do. … 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.

March 26, 2019 … Ear Fluff

Berry Patch Devotions in 2019 - Day 85 

Devotional Song: … GO TO THIS LINK … Please take the time to take in a YouTube video with the group Plumb singing … Lord, I’m Ready Now … poignantly singing of how we can open up to the Lord when we set aside self and surrender to the Savior.

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Highlight Verse[s]: Exodus 6:9 [NLT] … 9 So Moses told the people of Israel what the Lord had said, but they refused to listen anymore. They had become too discouraged by the brutality of their slavery. 
… So often we won’t or can’t listen to God because of our slavery to the moment. 
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Highlight Passage [context]: Exodus 6:1-9 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… Moses relays God’s promise to His people about His covenant made earlier to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; but the people wouldn’t listen because of their slavery and brokenness. 
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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. 
… We will only be ready to seek/follow God’s path when we trust in His way and not our own.

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 says that we’ll only be ready to follow Him when we can set the “fluff” of selfishness.

Reference Passage : … 2Corinthians 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. 
… We will only break free from our own weaknesses when we’re willing to surrender to the Lord’s empowering grace.

My Devotional Journal: Today's ODB author, David H Roper, uses a character from children’s literature to show that we all need to be patient with those who have trouble hearing the truth. The ODB author wrote … Winnie the Pooh famously said, “If the person you are talking to doesn’t appear to be listening, be patient. It may simply be that he has a small piece of fluff in his ear.” [see photo] 
I’ve learned over the years that Winnie might be on to something. When someone won’t listen to you even though following your counsel would be to their advantage, it may be that their reticence is nothing more than a small piece of fluff in their ear. Or there may be another hindrance: Some folks find it hard to listen well because they’re broken and discouraged. 

Perhaps you know someone - maybe yourself [!] - who’s so bogged down in their [you’re] own circumstances or personal challenges that they’re - or you’re - unable - or maybe unwilling - to seek God’s way out. That’s the way it was for God’s people when Moses came to them with God’s promise of freedom from Pharaoh (see highlight passage). But God’s promise of deliverance had always been there, thru His covenant promise of freedom made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. And His promise of freedom from our own selfishness and sin is ours today thru the finished work of Jesus on the cross and thru His resurrection.

We just have to be willing to take the fluff of selfishness and sin out of our ears to be able to hear God’s promise of freedom thru an abiding relationship with Christ. And when we do, we’ll be able to set aside self, receive God’s empowering grace, and follow the Savior [see reference Scriptures above].

So, ... what are we waiting for?!! I don’t know about you, but as the song sings, “I’m ready now!”

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My THANKFULNESS: … Oh Abba Father, … thank You, Lord, … for Your promise of freedom from myself thru my Savior.
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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 surrender our selfishness and walk free, following our Lord. … 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.

March 24, 2019 … Delayed Gratification in Christ

Berry Patch Devotions in 2019 - Day 84 

Devotional Song: … GO TO THIS LINK … Please take the time to take in a YouTube video with the group Phillips, Craig, and Dean singing … I Want To Be Just Like You … poignantly singing of how being raised by disciplined parents ultimately pays big dividends in their children later in life.

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Highlight Verse[s]: Galatians 6:9 [NLT] … 9 So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. 
 … We must continue to sow God’s seeds of righteousness here on earth, even tho the benefits may not be obvious now, our rewards being in heaven.
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Highlight Passage [context]: Galatians 6:7-10 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… Paul exhorts Christians to keep on keeping on in the faith, sowing seeds of Christlike goodness, because the fringe benefits in glory - our heavenly harvest - is worth the discipline of sowing the seeds here on earth.
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Reference Passage : … 1Corinthians 15:58 [NLT] … 58 So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless. 
… God, thru Paul, exhorts us to keep on keeping on in the faith, because our work for Christ will never be in vain.

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, thru Paul, promises us, as born-again believers, that His Spirit is working in us, tho not always obvious, to complete us in the image of Christ in glory.

Reference Passage : … Hebrews 10:24 [NLT] … 24 Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. 
… We must, in faith, continue to perform the disciplines of the faith, even tho the earthly rewards are not always obvious.

My Devotional Journal: Today's ODB author, Julie Schwab, uses a personal reflection to teach on the values of Christian discipline. The ODB author wrote … A friend and I went for a walk with her grandkids. While pushing the stroller, she commented that her steps were being wasted—they weren’t being counted on the activity tracker she wore on her wrist because she wasn’t swinging her arm. I reminded her that those steps were still helping her physical health. “Yeah,” she laughed. “But I really want that electronic gold star!” I understand how she feels! Working toward something without immediate results is disheartening. But rewards aren’t always immediate or immediately visible. 

When I reflect on or teach about the disciplines of our faith, such as maintaining a daily quiet time or a disciplined prayer life, I often use the health disciplines, such as brushing our teeth (see photo), as illustrating behaviors which we maintain even tho the results are not immediately obvious. We brush our teeth ever day to prevent tooth or gum decay, don’t we? And we probably learned that discipline from our parents, just as the linked song reflects. And even tho we don’t see these ultimate long term results after each tooth brushing, we “keep on keeping on,” just as our parents taught us, because we know that the results are for our good down the road of life.

And in many respects that’s why I’m here … in this quiet place this morning, … going thru my daily disciplines of solitude, humble and thankful prayer, and my time, with the help of ODB, to dig deeply into God’s word. Certainly the results of my being here this, and each, morning are not always immediately apparent; but I know that the seeds of faith that I sow here, will be rewarded by God’s Spirit down the road of life and ultimately bring God glory, … impacting my eternal life with my Savior in glory.

I pray that all of us here realize that these works of spiritual discipline, which we carry out in faith now, will pay big … BIG … HUGE … dividends in heaven.

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My THANKFULNESS: … Oh Abba Father, … thank You, Lord, … for giving us your divine promises of eternal rewards for our spiritual disciplines sown in faith daily 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 and to keep on keeping on in the disciplines of our faith. … Amen

PS: If a reader wants to learn more about the importance of spiritual disciplines, this author would recommend the book, The Spirit of the Disciplines, by Dallas Willard, which a mentor used to help me see the eternal rewards for sowing daily seeds of discipline in my life. The book can be obtained online.

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.

March 24, 2019 … Singing Our Praises

Berry Patch Devotions in 2019 - Day 83 

Devotional Song: … GO TO THIS LINK …  Please take the time to take in a YouTube video with song and lyrics from the group Hillsong singing … Sing to the Lord … powerfully leading in worship and singing of how we need to sing our praises to the Lord in our lives of worship.

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Highlight Verse[s]: 2 Chronicles 5:13 [NLT] … 13 The trumpeters and singers performed together in unison to praise and give thanks to the Lord. Accompanied by trumpets, cymbals, and other instruments, they raised their voices and praised the Lord with these words: “He is good! His faithful love endures forever!” 
… Solomon, in dedicating the new Temple, had the Priests lead the people in the worship of song, singing praises to God for His Holiness and mighty power.
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Highlight Passage [context]: 2 Chronicles 5:7-14 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… Solomon, in bringing the Arch of the Covenant, into the Holy of Holies in God’s temple, had the people sing their praises to the the living God accompanied by the musicians in God’s Temple. 
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Reference Passage : … Psalms 13:8, 96:1-2, 104:33, 149:1 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK ... 
 … In God’s song book, the Psalms, the psalmists declare their praises and Spirit-led worship by singing to the Lord.

Reference Passage : … Ephesians 5:18-19 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… God, thru Paul, exhorts His people to walk in the Spirit and worship by singing to the Lord.

Reference Passage : … James 5:13 [NLT] … 13 Are any of you suffering hardships? You should pray. Are any of you happy? You should sing praises. 
… James exhorts fellow Christians to pray when suffering and sing praises when feeling joy.

My Devotional Journal: Today's ODB author, Mart DeHaan, uses a historical reference to show the importance of song and music in the worship of God. The ODB author wrote … During the Welsh Revivals of the early twentieth century, Bible teacher and author G. Campbell Morgan described what he observed. He believed the presence of God’s Holy Spirit was moving on “billowing waves of sacred song.” Morgan wrote that he had seen the unifying influence of music in meetings that encouraged voluntary prayers, confession, and spontaneous singing. If someone got carried away by their feelings and prayed too long, or spoke in a way that didn’t resonate with others, someone would begin to softly sing. Others would gently join in, the chorus swelling in volume until drowning out all other sound. 

If you’ve ever read or followed my daily journals, as I blog what God’s Spirit shares with me and I lift up my praises to the Lord here daily, you’ll note that I find and link at least one song to express my praises and joy in my quiet times. Music has always been a great part of my devotional life; and I’ve got many Christian praise songs stored on my cell phone to which I go often during most days, to worship God or to lift me out of any down spirit I may be experiencing.

By being a teacher in a local medical school for years, I often taught how music, accompanied by meaningful lyrics, activates the entire brain simultaneously; and that’s why I’m convinced it was so important to those who were leading in worship in both the Old/New Testaments … to do so with music.

When Solomon dedicated the Temple he had built for God, he had the Priests lead the people in song (see highlight passage). There is a song book in the middle of the Old Testament, and we read the Psalmists often referencing their singing of praises to God (see Psalms linked above). And luminaries like Paul and James in the New Testament exhorted fellow Christians to sing their praises and worship in song (see NT reference Scriptures above).

So, I pray that any readers here will find a favorite praise or worship song today and raise it … with joy … to the Lord, … singing to God with gratitude for His wondrous grace and love. 

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My THANKFULNESS: … Oh Abba Father, … thank You, Lord, … for giving us the capacity to sing our praises and our love for You today and tomorrow.
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My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, … King Jesus, … I pray, Lord, that all reading here can, and will, join me and to find a song and sing our praises and love for the Lord 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.

March 23, 2019 … Clouded Vision

Berry Patch Devotions in 2019 - Day 82 

Devotional Song: … GO TO THIS LINK … Please take the time to take in a YouTube video with images and lyrics from the group Selah singing … Be Thou My Vision … poignantly singing of how we, having been born-again in Christ, are to find our vision in our faith, not what we see with our own eyes.

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Highlight Verse[s]: 2 Corinthians 4:18 [NLT] … 18 So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever. 
 … Paul exhorts us to be able to see past the cloudiness or fogginess of this world with eyes of faith to see what lies ahead in glory.
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Highlight Passage [context]: 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… Paul, trying to get other Christians to be able to see the world more clearly thru eyes of faith. 
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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. 
… Trusting in His will and ways, thru His word, gives us eyes of faith so that we don’t have to rely on the eyes of our own feelings/senses, … which can so often trick us.

Reference Passage : … Matthew 28:20b [NLT] … 20b  “… And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” 
 … Jesus, at His ascension, promising His disciples (that’s us!) that He would ALWAYS be with us.

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. 
… As followers of Christ, we are to avoid following our own way and do all we can to follow Him, … even if He’s difficult to see at times.

Reference Passage : … Hebrews 11:1, 6 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… We, as Christians, are exhorted to follow Jesus with the eyes of faith, not the eyes of our own senses.

My Devotional Journal: Today's ODB author, Amy Boucher Pye, uses a personal reflection to illustrate how we must have eyes of faith to help us see past the cloudiness and confusion of this world which we see with our own eyes. The ODB author wrote … A rare supermoon appeared in November 2016—the moon in its orbit reached its closest point to the earth in over sixty years and so appeared bigger and brighter than at other times. But for me that day the skies were shrouded in gray [see photo]. Although I saw photos of this wonder from friends in other places, as I gazed upward I had to trust that the supermoon was lurking behind the clouds. 

It is not uncommon for us Christians to have trouble seeing the path God wants us to take because of the cloudiness and confusion of our circumstances and our world, … where God often seems far away and maybe even not there. … But He is!

And in those moments we need to use the light of truth given to us clearly by God’s Spirit thru His word, to follow our Lord with eyes of faith rather than groping thru the dark with our own feelings or senses (see the Scriptures above). In those moments of cloudiness, that’s the time when must pray, as the group Selah sings in the attached song, for the Lord to be our vision to keep following Him, even tho it can be so difficult to find His way at times.

And that’s why you find me here, starting each day, by picking up His torch of light - to have His truth to light my way (go meditate on Ps. 119:105 and memorize it!).

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My THANKFULNESS: … Oh Abba Father, … thank You, Lord, … for giving us the light of Your truth to follow when the way clouds of circumstances seem to make it difficult to follow 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 and to set aside any feelings of confusion or cloudy vision to seek Your way with eyes of faith. … 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.

March 22, 2019 … Grace Anyway

Berry Patch Devotions in 2019 - Day 81 

Devotional Song: … GO TO THIS LINK … Please take the time to take in a YouTube video with images and lyrics from Laura Story singing her song … Grace Abounds … poignantly singing of how we, having been born-again in Christ are seek out God’s grace to return His love to other when they strike out at us.

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Highlight Verse[s]: 1Peter 3:9 [NLT] … 9 Don’t repay evil for evil. Don’t retaliate with insults when people insult you. Instead, pay them back with a blessing. That is what God has called you to do, and he will grant you his blessing.
… As disciples of Christ we are never to repay evil with evil. Rather, repay insults with blessings.
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Highlight Passage [context]: 1Peter 3:8-14 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… God, thru Peter, exhorts Christians to avoid trying to repay evil with evil.
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Reference Passage : … Matthew 6:14-15 [NLT] … 14 “If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. 15 But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins. 
… Jesus … on forgiving those who wrong us.

Reference Passage : … Luke 23:34 [NLT] … 34 Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.” 
 … From the cross, dying, Jesus showed no bitterness or resentment … ONLY GRACE.

Reference Passage : … Ephesians 4:29 [NLT] … 29 Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them. 
… As Christians, we’re to avoid speaking ill of or to others … rather to bless them with ONLY edifying or grace-filled speech.

Reference Passage : … Philippians 2:5 [NLT] … 5 You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. 
… When someone wrongs us with unjust ills, we must follow what Paul exhorts … and that is to have the same attitude of our Lord; and He was always willing to extend His love to others … even on the cross (see Luke 23:34).

My Devotional Journal: Today's ODB author, Winn Collier, uses a relatively recent new story about a released prisoner to illustrate how we must not hold onto to bitterness and show others the same kind of grace Christ has shown for us. The ODB author wrote … On January 30, 2018, almost thirty-eight years after his conviction, Malcolm Alexander walked out of prison a free man. DNA evidence cleared Alexander, who had steadfastly maintained his innocence amid a myriad of court proceedings that were tragically unjust. An incompetent defense attorney (later disbarred), shoddy evidence, and dubious investigative tactics all put an innocent man in prison for nearly four decades. When he was finally released, however, Alexander showed immense grace. “You cannot be angry,” he said. “There’s not enough time to be angry.” 

As in this ODB story, we rejoice when the scales of justice, which were so unequally balanced (see photo), … as they were for Malcolm Alexander, are put back into balance again. But if you were this man, wrongly imprisoned for almost 4 decades, would you be able to set aside all anger and bitterness and move on with an attitude like that of our Lord when He hung dying on the cross (see Luke 23: 34)?

And in Scripture, we read both Peter and Paul, in their letters to Christians (that’s us too!), exhorted fellow believers to do what Jesus taught to His disciples … and that is to extend grace and blessing to those who have wronged us (see highlight and reference passages).

I know, … it’s tough to do! However, nonetheless, … that is our Christlike mandate; and like Malcolm Alexander, we must set aside very natural feelings from having been wronged to be like Christ and show God’s love and grace, as Laura Story sings in the linked song.

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My THANKFULNESS: … Oh Abba Father, … thank You, Lord, … for showing us how to use Your grace and extend blessing to those who’ve wronged us.
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My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, … King Jesus, … I pray, Lord, that all reading here can, and will, join me and to set aside any feelings of anger or bitterness and CHOOSE to extend the same kind of saving and sanctifying grace our Lord extends to us all. … 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.

March 21, 2019 … Fashioned By The Master

Berry Patch Devotions in 2019 - Day 80 

Devotional Song: … GO TO THIS LINK … Please take the time to take in a YouTube with song and lyrics from Danny Gokey singing … Masterpiece … poignantly singing of how we, having been born-again in Christ are God’s masterpiece fashioned for God works in His name and for His glory.

"Handmade for you by Munna"

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Highlight Verse[s]: Ephesians 2:10 [NLT] … 10 For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. 
… God created us - His masterpiece - to glorify Him by the works He planned for us to do. 
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Highlight Passage [context]: Ephesians 2:4-10 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… Paul relating what our purpose is in Christ.
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Reference Passage : …2 Corinthians 5:17 [NLT] … 17 This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! 
… Born-again in Christ, we are being newly re-fashioned in His image.

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. 
… Paul shows us God’s promise that He is refashioning us into a “masterpiece” in His images.

My Devotional Journal: Today's ODB author, Elisa Morgan, uses a personal remembrance to teach on how genuine Christians are being made-over into an image of The Master, … King Jesus. The ODB author wrote … My grandmother was a talented seamstress who won contests in her native Texas. Throughout my life, she celebrated hallmark occasions with a hand-sewn gift. A burgundy mohair sweater for my high school graduation. A lovely quilt for my marriage [see photo]. I’d fold over a corner of each custom-crafted item to discover her signature tag reading, “Hand made for you by Munna.” With every embroidered word, I sensed my grandmother’s love for me and received a powerful statement of her faith in my future. 

The Apostle Paul really wanted fellow Christians to know [see Reference passages above] that when one surrendered his/her life to the Lordship of Christ, that person was destined to be refashioned into a Masterpiece of the Lord’s creation, … remade into a unique make-over of Christ’s image. And we would see HIM on display as His “Masterpiece” for all to see His image in the way we live.

It’s like the quilt in the photo and the ODB entry. Once the author’s grandmother made one of those quilts, her love was conveyed for all to see in the uniqueness of that masterpiece. And this is what our Lord is doing with all truly born-again Christians, … fashioning us, as His “Masterpieces,” as Danny Gokey sings in the linked song, for all to see Him in our works which glorify The Master.

So, we must ask, do our works, yesterday, today, and tomorrow display His love and grace for all to see?

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My THANKFULNESS: … Oh Abba Father, … thank You, Lord, … for making us over into Your image.
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My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, … King Jesus, … I pray, Lord, that all reading here can, and will, join me and to be a showcase of God’s love, … as His masterpiece of works, … on display in the way we live. … 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.

March 20, 2019 … From Tears to Triumph

Berry Patch Devotions in 2019 - Day 79 

Devotional Song: … GO TO THIS LINK …  Please take the time to take in a YouTube with images and lyrics from Nichole Nordeman singing her song … Legacy … poignantly singing of how we, having been given the legacy of Christlikeness from others in our past must leave a similar legacy of witness and we do all we can to shine Christ’s light thru the way we live.

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Highlight Verse[s]: Psalm 30:2, … 11 [NLT] … 2  O Lord my God, I cried to you for help, and you restored my health. … 
11  You have turned my mourning into joyful dancing. You have taken away my clothes of mourning and clothed me with joy, ...
… David sings of God having turned his life from wailing to worship.
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Highlight Passage [context]: Psalm 30:1-12 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… King David thanks God in song, praising the Lord for having delivered His people as He had promised.
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Reference Passage : … Isaiah 61:2-3 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… God promises to turn our ashes into beauty from our relationship with Messiah.

Reference Passage : … Lamentations 3:22-23 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… The “weeping Prophet, Jeremiah, declares, in the face of his anguish, the truth that God’s mercies are always there for those who love our faithful Lord.

Reference Passage : …Habakkuk 3:16-19 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… The Prophet sings of God’s promise to allow us to choose joy in the midst of our trials/tribulations.

Reference Passage : … 1 Corinthians 10:13 [NLT] … 13 The temptations [also translated “trials, troubles, or tribulations”] 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, He will show you a way out so that you can endure. 
… Paul recognized that God will never allow His beloved to be put in temptations or trials where, with His grace, we cannot find the joy of our relationship with Him.

My Devotional Journal: Today's ODB author, Xochitl Dixon, uses a personal remembrance to teach on how we can - and should - be able to dance with joy in the midst of our trials. The ODB author wrote … Kim began battling breast cancer in 2013. Four days after her treatment ended, doctors diagnosed her with a progressive lung disease and gave her three to five years to live. She grieved, sobbing prayers as she processed her emotions before God for the first year. By the time I met Kim in 2015, she had surrendered her situation to Him and radiated contagious joy and peace. Though some days are still hard, God continues to transform her heart-wrenching suffering into a beautiful testimony of hope-filled praise as she encourages others. 

I’m sure others have seen people like Kim in the ODB entry today, … folks who just have found the way to find joy and radiate God’s love … even in the midst of trials … even life-threatening illness, as with young Kim. Perhaps you are one of those; … or maybe you’re one who’d like to find the joy which God has promised in His word (see Scriptures above).

The only way that I’ve been able to seek out - and find - God’s promised joy is to lock myself into the truth of His word and the promises which I know to be true there. And that is one reason why you find me here - EVERY morning - letting God’s love give me a hug of joy to start each day, … as I read passages like Lamentations 3:22-23 where God, thru Jeremiah, the weeping Prophet, reminds me that His mercies will be there for ME … just as they were - EVERY MORNING - for God’s chosen people.

And I pray we all realize the truth which Habakkuk discovered [see Hab. 3:16-19], allowing him to find joy even tho God had allowed terrible circumstances to visit God’s people. And I pray, with the Apostle Paul [in 1Cor. 10:13], who exhorted fellow Christians with the truth that God will never put us in any temptation or trial that we cannot handle with God’s faithfully provided grace.

And even if we’ve been wailing with anguish (as David sung in the highlight passage), I pray we begin singing the worship of our gratefulness for God’s mercy and grace, which are there for us today and will be tomorrow.

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My THANKFULNESS: … Oh Abba Father, … thank You, Lord, … for Your ever faithful enabling/empowering 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 and to thank and praise God for showing us how to go from wailing to worship … from fear to faith … from tears to triumph … realizing and believing God’s promised mercy. … 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.

March 19, 2019 … Legacy of Christlikeness

Berry Patch Devotions in 2019 - Day 78 

Devotional Song: … GO TO THIS LINK …Please take the time to take in a YouTube with images and lyrics from Nichole Nordeman singing her song … Legacy … poignantly singing of how we, having been given the legacy of Christlikeness from others in our past must leave a similar legacy of witness and we do all we can to shine Christ’s light thru the way we live.

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Highlight Verse[s]: 2Timothy 1:5 [NLT] … 5 I remember your genuine faith, for you share the faith that first filled your grandmother Lois and your mother, Eunice. And I know that same faith continues strong in you. 
… Paul gives honor to Timothy’s grandmother and mother for the faith they instilled in Timothy. 
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Highlight Passage [context]: 2Timothy 1:3-7 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… Paul testifies and gives honor to the faith in Christ passed down to Timothy from Timothy’s grandmother and mother.
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Extended Highlight Passage: … 2Timothy 3:14-15 [NLT] … 14 But you must remain faithful to the things you have been taught. You know they are true, for you know you can trust those who taught you. 15 You have been taught the holy Scriptures from childhood, and they have given you the wisdom to receive the salvation that comes by trusting in Christ Jesus. 
… Paul shows Timothy the importance of the legacy of God’s truth that was taught to him, giving Timothy the charge to pass that along to other Christians in Ephesus, where Timothy was to be their Pastor.
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Reference Passage : … Matthew 5:14-16 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… Jesus charges those who have the light of Christ in their hearts to shine that light for others to see.

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 charges those who have been instilled with the light of Christ thru His Spirit to be His witnesses to others in our sphere of influence.

  My Devotional Journal: Today's ODB author, Arthur Jackson, uses a personal remembrance to teach on how we can - and should - leave a legacy of Christlikeness to those around us, by shining the light of Christ which has been lit in our hearts. The ODB author wrote … Her name was long but her years were even longer. Madeline Harriet Orr Jackson Williams lived to be 101 years old, outliving two husbands. Both were preachers. Madeline was my grandmother, and we knew her as Momma. My siblings and I got to know her well; we lived in her home until her second husband whisked her away. Even then she was less than fifty miles away from us. Our grandmother was a hymn-singing, catechism-reciting, piano-playing, God-fearing woman, and my siblings and I have been marked by her faith.

When I was a new, somewhat baby, Christian, God led me to a mentor who had been raised into Christlikeness by his family, somewhat like Timothy was by his grandmother and mother and then by the Apostle Paul. The light of Christ, for Paul, of course, had been established by Christ Himself; but Paul realized that that he had been given the opportunity to fan the flames of Christ which had been lit for Timothy by his grandmother and mother (see highlight passage).

I hope - and pray - that all reading here take the charge of Christ (see Matthew 5:16 and Acts 1:8) to do all we can to give witness to others by the way we live and to pass along the essence of Christ in us to others in our sphere of influence.

So, we need to ask ourselves, … are we honoring our Lord and those who have shined His light in our life by passing along the torch of Christlikeness as the runners would in a relay race (see photo)? Because, that light definitely needs to be shared as we do all we can to build a legacy of Christlikeness in those we know/love.

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My THANKFULNESS: … Oh Abba Father, … thank You, Lord, … for Your legacy of love that has been planted in my heart by Your Spirit.
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My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, … King Jesus, … I pray, Lord, that all reading here can, and will, join me and to do all we can to leave a legacy of Christlikeness by the way we pass the torch of God’s love to 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.

March 18, 2019 … Joy Anyway

Berry Patch Devotions in 2019 - Day 77 

Devotional Song: … GO TO THIS LINK … Please take the time to take in a YouTube with images and song from Laura Story singing her song … Blessings … poignantly singing of how God’s blessings are sometimes hidden in the midst of trials and tribulations.

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Highlight Verse[s]: Habakkuk 3:17-18 [NLT] … 17  Even though the fig trees have no blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vines; even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty and barren; even though the flocks die in the fields, and the cattle barns are empty, 18  yet I will rejoice in the Lord! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation!  
… As did Habakkuk. we can choose God’s joy to dispel our fears.  
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Highlight Passage [context]: Habakkuk 3:16-19 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… God showed the Prophet how to choose to hold onto his joy in the midst of trying times. 
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Reference Passage : … Joshua 1:5 [NLT] … 5 No one will be able to stand against you as long as you live. For I will be with you as I was with Moses. I will not fail you or abandon you. 
… No matter how hard things seem, God will never forsake us.

Reference Passage : … Proverbs 3:5,6 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… In the midst of trials and troubles, we must avoid seeing the world thru our own eyes and trust to see things in light of God’s truth.

Reference Passage : … John 16:33 [NLT] … … 33 I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” 
 … Jesus taught His disciples (and reminds us) that He has overcome all elements of the world, no matter what we might see going on out there.

Reference Passage : … Romans 8:28, 15:13 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK ... 
… Trusting that ALL circumstances are for our good; and praying that God gives us His peace in the midst of turmoil.

My Devotional Journal: Today's ODB author, Kirsten Holmberg, uses a personal remembrance to teach on how we can choose to overcome trying circumstances with an attitude of joy and trust in our God. The ODB author wrote … Whenever she was unable to take my phone call, my friend’s voicemail recording invited me to leave her a message. The recording cheerfully concluded, “Make it a great day!” As I reflected on her words, I realized that it’s not within our power to make every day “great”—some circumstances truly are devastating. But a closer look might reveal something redeeming and beautiful in my day, whether things are going well or poorly. 

It’s hard sometimes, in this chaotic/evil world, to choose to hold onto joy in the midst of trying times. That’s what the Prophet Habakkuk had to deal with too. In his journal, which we find in his prophetic book in the Bible, among the so-called “minor prophets,” we read Habakkuk coming to God confused and troubled, his faith challenged by troubling times. But God takes Habakkuk from being fearful in Chapter 1, where the prophet felt like a victim to being joyful in Chapter 3 (see highlight passage) … where Habakkuk chose to be faithful and see the victory that was going to come from God in the midst of loss and trial.

From victim to victory! … From fearful to faithful! … Where are we today? … Do we trust in God to give us the truth in the reference passages above? … Because if we do believe God’s truth, then we’re going to trust that even the tough trials in life can be - and must be - seen as blessings … as Laura Story sings in the linked song.

Personally, … tho it may be really hard, I’m grateful for this reminder from OBD that I don’t have to wait on the warm and fuzzy times to CHOOSE to hold onto my joy in the midst of these dark days. And because of the truth of my God’s promises (see above), I’m praying right now for His peace [if you don’t know it, go to Phil. 4:6-7 on your own]… to dispel my fears and give me His joy. 

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My THANKFULNESS: … Oh Abba Father, … thank You, Lord, … for Your promise that You have overcome the troubles of this world and will ALWAYS give me your joy when I seek it. 
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My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, … King Jesus, … I pray, Lord, that all reading here can, and will, join me and to set aside our fears and faithfully seek Your joy. … 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.

March 17, 2019 … Stand Strong In Christ

Berry Patch Devotions in 2019 - Day 76 

Devotional Song: … GO TO THIS LINK …  Please take the time to take in a YouTube with song and lyrics from Zach Williams singing … Fear Is A Liar … poignantly singing of how God charges us to cast our fears in the fire of God’s love and strength.

Martin Niemöller

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Highlight Verse[s]: Deuteronomy 31:8 [NLT] … 8 “ … Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; He will neither fail you nor abandon you.” 
… God’s promise thru Moses to Joshua that the Lord will always be with the faithful. 
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Highlight Passage [context]: Deuteronomy 31:1-8 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… Moses recognizing that he will soon die and will not be able to lead God’s people into the promised land charges them - with Joshua’s leadership - to go forth and be courageous. 
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Reference Passage : … Joshua 1:5 [NLT] … 5 No one will be able to stand against you as long as you live. For I will be with you as I was with Moses. I will not fail you or abandon you. 
… Joshua had no reason to fear his charge to lead the people.

Reference Passage : … Proverbs 3:5,6 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… As disciples of Christ we need to trust God COMPLETELY to lead us and avoid leaning on our own fears and perceptions.

Reference Passage : … Romans 8:31b [NLT] … 31b … If God is for us, who can ever be against us? 
… Why would we ever be anxious with this promise from God.

Reference Passage : … 2Timothy 1:7 [NLT] … 7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline. 
 … God’s promise to Timothy (and to us) thru Paul.

My Devotional Journal: Today's ODB author, Winn Collier, uses a reference to the courage of a German Pastor during WW2 to illustrate the kind of courage we, as Christians, should have ALWAYS. The ODB author wrote … While most German church leaders gave in to Hitler, theologian and pastor Martin Niemöller was among the brave souls who resisted Nazi evil. I read a story describing how in the 1970s a group of older Germans stood outside a large hotel while what appeared to be a younger man bustled about with the group’s luggage. Someone asked who the group was. “German pastors,” came the answer. “And the younger man?” “That’s Martin Niemöller—he’s eighty [see photo]. But he has stayed young because he is unafraid.” 
Niemöller wasn’t able to resist fear because he possessed some superhuman antifear gene, but because of God’s grace. In fact, he had once held anti-Semitic views. But he had repented and God restored him and helped him speak and live out the truth. 

During WW2, Martin Niemöller was able to stand firm in his Christian faith, resisting the Nazi tyranny, because of his trust in the truths of God’s word (see ODB entry above). And so should we, as disciples of Christ, knowing and standing on the truths of God’s word [see above].

God promises us, as He did for Moses and Joshua (see highlight passages) that He will never leave us, nor forsake us. He charges us to avoid seeing the world thru our human perspective and realize that we can ALWAYS rely on our Lord to stand in the gap for us (see Prov 3:5-6 and Rom 8:31). So, … let us lean on the truth which Paul related to Timothy (see ), … knowing that any fears we feel are lies from Satan, as sung in the linked song, and that we can ALWAYS rely on the truth that God only has His love and strength for us. 

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My THANKFULNESS: … Oh Abba Father, … thank You, Lord, … for Your promise to give us Your strength to cover our weaknesses.
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My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, … King Jesus, … I pray, Lord, that all reading here can, and will, join me and to do cast our fears aside, recognizing that those feelings are lies from Satan. … 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.

March 16, 2019 … Others First

Berry Patch Devotions in 2019 - Day 75 

Devotional Song: … GO TO THIS LINK … Please take the time to take in a YouTube with images from Joy Williams singing … Do They See Jesus In Me … poignantly singing of how God calls us to live lives which show Christ to the world by seeing us considering the needs of other before self … just as Jesus did!

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Highlight Verse[s]: 2 Samuel 23:17 [NLT] … 17 “The Lord forbid that I should drink this!” he exclaimed. “This water is as precious as the blood of these men who risked their lives to bring it to me.” 
… David honored his brave fellow soldiers before God by withholding the the water they had retrieved for him.
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Highlight Passage [context]: 2 Samuel 23:13-17 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… David recognizes the exports of his brave soldier before God by refusing to drink the water the three men had risked their lives to retrieve for their King-to-be.
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Reference Passage : … Galatians 6:8-9 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… We should never grow weary of serving others before self because we will reap what we sow

Reference Passage : … Philippians 2:3-5 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… We are to emulate Christlike humility and consider the needs of others before self.

Reference Passage : … Hebrews 10:24 [NLT] … 24 Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. 
… Our Christlike M.O. should be to think - and act - on things which show God’s love to others.

My Devotional Journal: Today's ODB author, Tim Gustafson, relates a sports story to illustrate a young man who, emulating Christlikeness, honored the exploits of a former team member rather than seek honor for himself. The ODB author wrote … On the verge of making team history, University of Iowa basketball star Jordan Bohannon intentionally missed the free throw that would have broken a twenty-five-year-old school record [see photo]. Why? In 1993, days after Iowa’s Chris Street had made thirty-four free throws in a row, he lost his life in a car crash. Bohannon chose to honor Street’s memory by not breaking his record. 
Bohannon showed a keen awareness of things more important than his own advancement. We see similar values in the life of the young warrior David. 

And in the highlight passage, we see young “king-to-be” David, honoring his brave fellow soldiers by refusing to drink the water three of his fellow soldiers had risked their life to retrieve for a thirsting David, … David honoring them before God for their exploits. And in a similar way, young Iowa basketball star, Jordan Bohannon, missed a free throw on purpose [see photo] rather than trying to set a personal record, … the record previously having been set by another former Iowa basketball legend.

And these are illustrations of the attitude we, as disciples of Christ, should exhibit in our lives, … an attitude like Christ, as we honor Him, serving the needs of others before self. If we take in the reference passages above, where God exhorts us to be like Jesus and consider others before self, we’ll be living as the linked song proclaims … to have others see Jesus in us before seeing us in us. That is my prayer for us today.

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My THANKFULNESS: … Oh Abba Father, … thank You, Lord, … for showing us how to live for You, and let others see You in us as we live for OTHERS FIRST.
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My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, … King Jesus, … I pray, Lord, that all reading here can, and will, join me and to do all we can to let others see You in the way we live like You, serving others before 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.

March 15, 2019 … KOKO in Christ !!

Berry Patch Devotions in 2019 - Day 74 

Devotional Song: … GO TO THIS LINK … Please take the time to take in a YouTube with images from the Clay Crosse, Bob Carlisle, and Bebe Winans singing … I Will Follow Christ … poignantly singing of we must - at times - overcome our fears and follow Christ … NO MATTER WHAT!

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Highlight Verse[s]: Exodus 12:42 [NLT] … 42 On this night the Lord kept his promise to bring his people out of the land of Egypt. So this night belongs to Him, and it must be commemorated every year by all the Israelites, from generation to generation. 
… Upon the exit of the Israelites from Egypt, God gives instructions for the Passover. 
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Highlight Passage [context]: Exodus, Chapters 10-12 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… God put the Egyptians thru the ten plagues and finally delivered the Israelites from bondage to Pharaoh in Egypt.
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Reference Passage : … John 15:1-7 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… If we abide in Christ we never fear, but rather Keep on keeping on in faith.

Reference Passage : … Romans 8:28-31 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… We must keep moving forward in faith that God is working - ALWAYS - and bringing us forward to accomplish HIS purposes.

Reference Passage : … 2 Timothy 1:7 [NLT] … 7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline. 
… God is not the source of fear, but rather of love and power and self control thru His grace.

Reference Passage : … Hebrews 11:27 [NLT] … 27 It was by faith that Moses left the land of Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger. He kept right on going because he kept his eyes on the one who is invisible. 
… It was by faith that Moses was able to endure all he - and God’s chosen - did to be able to leave Egypt and head to the promised land.

My Devotional Journal: Today's ODB author, Jennifer Benson Schuldt, relates a personal experience to illustrate how we must keep on moving in faith that our Lord will lead us to fulfill His promises. The ODB author wrote … I Working in the corporate world allowed me to interact with many talented and levelheaded people. However, one project led by an out-of-town supervisor was an exception. Regardless of our team’s progress, this manager harshly criticized our work and demanded more effort during each weekly status phone call. These run-ins left me discouraged and fearful. At times, I wanted to quit. 

I would expect that many - if not most - of those reading with me have had times when things seemed dark and it would have been easy to just quit. But I hope that the attached photo and all the biblical examples above give you the idea that God wants us to do what is described in the linked song today; … and that is to keep on keeping on in our trek in life to follow Christ … NO MATTER WHAT!! 

That’s what Moses had to do in following the Lord’s promises to lead His people out of Egypt (see Exodus 10-12 and Hebrews 11:27); and it’s what we must do when we run up against strong obstacles to our faith. And if we believe the truth of the reference passages above, we need not fear, but rather keep on keeping on in faith.

I know, … sometimes that’s easier said than done, isn’t it?! … But nonetheless true! And that is my prayer for us all today; and as I often sign many emails and letters [see below in red], … let’s “Keep On Keeping ON in Christ!” …

<'KOKO>< 

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My THANKFULNESS: … Oh Abba Father, … thank You, Lord, … for giving us a Spirit of love/power to avoid any feelings of fear.
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My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, … King Jesus, … I pray, Lord, that all reading here can, and will, join me and to keep moving on, following our Lord today, … no matter what we might face. … 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.