June 30, 2020 … He’s Our Guide

Berry Patch Devotions in 2020 - Day 182 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...  Please take the time to take in song and lyrics from Leeland singing … Waymaker … poignantly singing how we must choose to make God our WayMaker in life.

Letting Our Guide Show the Way !! 

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Highlight Passage : … Psalm 32:5 [NLT] ... 5  I entrust my spirit into Your hand.  Rescue me, Lord, for You are a faithful God. 
… David gives it all over to God’s faithful/guiding hand.
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Highlight Passage [context] : … Psalm 32:1-11 [NLT] ... USE THIS LINK …
… King David relies on God to lead him, restore him, and give him the strength to move on. 
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Reference Passage : … Proverbs 3:5-6 [NLT] ... USE THIS LINK …
… As we travel down the whitewaters of life’s river, we must trust in letting God’s Spirit be our guide.

Reference Passage : … Isaiah 58:11 [NLT] ... 11  The Lord will guide you continually, giving you water when you are dry and restoring your strength. You will be like a well-watered garden, like an ever-flowing spring. 
… God’s promise, thru Isaiah, to always be our guide … when we chose to let Him.

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 commands His disciples to let go of our way and follow His … no matter how tough the waters get.

Reference Passage : … 2Corinthians 12:9-10 [NLT] ... USE THIS LINK …
… Paul knew, when he was weak, to let God’s empowering grace lead him thru the rough waters of life.

Reference Passage : … 1Peter 5:6-7 [NLT] ... 6 So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time He will lift you up in honor. 7 Give all your worries and cares to God, for He cares about you. 
 … Peter wanted fellow Christians being persecuted to humble ourselves and let God be our guide.

My Devotional Journal: Today's Our Daily Bread author, Adam R Holz, AT THIS LINK uses a story of six rookie rafters being guided by an experienced river guide (see photo) to illustrate how we must surrender and follow God’s guidance in life to negotiate the rough waters ahead.

It’s a good picture of life, don’t you think? And that’s what King David wrote about in the highlight passage of Psalm 32 after he had gone thru the rough waters of sin involving Bathsheba and the murder of her husband. … And David’s rafting thru over a year of him covering up the sin before he was outed by Nathan and confessed his sin (see Psalm 51) showed the King he had to TOTALLY surrender and follow God’s guiding hand.

David wanted God’s people to know from that song that following the Lord, as our WayMaker (hear today’s linked song), is the only way to negotiate the rough waters of selfishness and sin brought about by being surrounded by others who are trying to make it through the whitewaters of life by going it on their own.

So, I pray that all reading here take in the truths of God’s guiding light, i.e. His word [see reference passages above], and let our God guide us thru rough waters … today in these viral times … or maybe farther down the whitewaters of life.

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My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh Abba Father, ... thank You, Lord, … for being my Guide … ALWAYS!
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My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... I pray, Lord, that all reading here will join me, … to humbly yield to God’s way as we negotiate the rough rivers we’re going thru these days. 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.</ span>

June 29, 2020 … Just Ask

Berry Patch Devotions in 2020 - Day 181 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...  Please take the time to take in song and lyrics from Meghan Baird leading in worship and singing … Show Us Christ … poignantly singing a prayer of going to God and asking for Him to show Himself to us in faith.

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Highlight Passage : … 2Kings 5:13 [NLT] ... 13 But his officers tried to reason with him and said, “Sir, if the prophet had told you to do something very difficult, wouldn’t you have done it? So you should certainly obey him when he says simply, ‘Go and wash and be cured!’” 
… Naaman exhorted to respond in faith and receive healing from God.
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Highlight Passage [context] : … 2Kings 5:1-14 [NLT] ... USE THIS LINK …
… The story of Naaman’s hesitancy to ask and receive healing in faith from God’s messenger, Elisha. =============

Reference Passage : … Psalm 37:4-5 [NLT] ... USE THIS LINK …
… When we’re able to delight ourselves in our relationship with the Lord, we can ask what we desire and He will provide.

Reference Passage : … Proverbs 3:5-6 [NLT] ... USE THIS LINK …
… Seek His ways, … YES! … But only when we’re surrendered to trust Him … no matter what happens thereafter.

Reference Passage : … Matthew 7:7-8 [NLT] ... 7 “Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. 
… Jesus’s command to ask of Him so that we can receive from Him.

Reference Passage : … James 1:5-6 [NLT] ... 5 If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and He will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. 6 But when you ask Him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind.  
 … When we go to God for the desires of our hearts, we must ask, … not wavering in faith.

Reference Passage : … 1John 5:14-15 [NLT] ... USE THIS LINK …
… We can have confidence in taking our questions to God because we know He hears and responds when we ask in obedience to His will.

My Devotional Journal: Today's Our Daily Bread author, Patricia Raybon, AT THIS LINK uses a story of a person with blindness who was healed to see again by simply asking the right question of the right doctor. And sometimes we need to realize that’s the approach we need to take with God when we’re seeking for the desires of our hearts.

If you, as I have today, taken in the linked song and meditated on the Scriptures above, maybe we need to realize that God invites us to bring our deepest quandaries to Him. And not only that, … He promises to be there to hear and to provide us with His healing/empowering grace … when - but ONLY WHEN - we come to Him with unwavering faith and trust.

I pray we can do that today!!

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My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh Abba Father, ... thank You, Lord, … for being there to hear my questions today.
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My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... I pray, Lord, that all reading here will join me, … to humbly take our deepest questions to God in faith … deep and abiding 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.</ span>

June 28, 2020 … Redeemed and Set Free

Berry Patch Devotions in 2020 - Day 180 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...  Please take the time to take in song and lyrics from Big Daddy Weave singing … Redeemed … poignantly singing about how we, as Christians, are redeemed from our past sins - ALL OF THEM - and set free to witness our freedom in Christ.

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Highlight Passage : … Acts 9:22 [NLT] ... 22 Saul’s preaching became more and more powerful, and the Jews in Damascus couldn’t refute his proofs that Jesus was indeed the Messiah. 
 … Saul of Tarsus, redeemed and renamed by Jesus to become the Apostle “Paul” … 
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Highlight Passage [context] : … Acts 9:1-22 [NLT] ... USE THIS LINK …
… The wondrous conversion of Saul of Tarsus, persecutor of Christians, who would be redeemed by Christ and become the Apostle Paul.
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Reference Passage : … Joel 2:28-32 [NLT] ... USE THIS LINK …
… God’s prophesy, thru Joel, of the Messiah, Who would come to redeem and save all who repent and believe in Him [see especially verse 32].

Reference Passage : … Romans 10:9-10 [NLT] ... 9 If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved. 
 … Paul preached the truth of redemption and salvation by repenting of our sin and believing in the finished work of Christ on the cross.

Reference Passage : … Ephesians 1:5-7 [NLT] ... USE THIS LINK …
… Paul exhorts fellow Christians to praise the Lord for God’s saving and redeeming grace.

Reference Passage : … Galatians 2:20 [NLT] ... 20 My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.  
 … Paul shows fellow Christians that our sanctification and ransformation by our faith in Christ frees us from our sin past to live a redeemed life.

My Devotional Journal: Today's Our Daily Bread author, James Banks, AT THIS LINK  uses a story of a serial killer, who became a Christian while in prison, and became a die-hard witness for Christ the rest of his life. And the ODB author then makes reference to the great story of redemption and salvation which occurred in the conversion of Saul of Tarsus, … whom we know became the Apostle Paul, the greatest of the New Testament witnesses for Christ.

I, for one, identify with the conversion and redemption story of the Apostle Paul (see highlight passage), because almost four decades ago, I was saved from a life of an angry atheist, verbally attacking Christians as much as I could, to become whom I am now, … an ordained minister of the Gospel. And as Big Daddy Weave sings in the linked song, I was able to walk free in repentance with a testimony of redemption and freedom to share with others.

I pray any/all reading here have experienced that redemption and freedom (see attached photo); because if you have not, please email me at - billb13@bellsouth.net - and I can show you how you too can be redeemed and set free from your past patterns of sin.

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My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh Abba Father, ... thank You, Lord, … for being my Redeemer and setting me free from the shackles of my past sins.
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My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... I pray, Lord, that all reading here will join me, … to share, maybe even this week, … the redemption we all have in Christ. 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.</ span>

June 27, 2020 … Passing the Baton

Berry Patch Devotions in 2020 - Day 179 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...  Please take the time to take in images, song and lyrics from Steve Green singing … People Need the Lord … poignantly singing about how, as Christians, we need to pass the baton of our faith on to others who need God’s saving and sanctifying grace.

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Highlight Passage : … 2Timothy 1:13 [NLT] ... 13 Hold on to the pattern of wholesome teaching you learned from me—a pattern shaped by the faith and love that you have in Christ Jesus. 
… Paul mentors and disciples Timothy to develop and pass on the baton of faith that he, Paul, had given to Timothy.
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Highlight Passage [context] : … 2Timothy 1:13-14 [NLT] ... USE THIS LINK …
… Paul exhorts Timothy, whom he had discipled in the faith, to hold on to, develop, and share the grace that Paul had passed on to him.
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Reference Passage : … Proverbs 3:5-6 [NLT] ... USE THIS LINK …
… We must avoid going it alone and lead others to follow God’s ways.

Reference Passage : … Matthew 29:19-20 [NLT] ... USE THIS LINK …
… We are charged by Jesus, Himself, to go and make disciples of others, teaching them to obey and follow Christ.

Reference Passage : … Mark 16:15 [NLT] ... 15 And then He told them, “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone. …” 
… Appearing to His disciples after the resurrection, Jesus charges them to go and share the Gospel with any/all.

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, just before ascending back to Heaven, charges us al to go, in the power of God’s Spirit and be His witnesses to all the world.

Reference Passage : … 2Timothy 1:8-11 [NLT] ... USE THIS LINK …
… Paul exhorts Timothy to take God’s grace and share it with others as Paul had shared it with Timothy.

My Devotional Journal: Today's Our Daily Bread author, Amy Peterson, AT THIS LINK,   illustrates how we need to pass down to others the faith and grace God has given to us as Christians. And I see it much like passing the baton in a relay race (see attached photo).

And that was what the Apostle Paul did for Timothy (see the passages in 2Timothy above) … to encourage his young protege to share the gospel forward as a Pastor in Ephesus. Paul had discipled Timothy in the faith; and just before he was to die in prison, Paul charged Timothy to carry the torch of the Gospel to others.

Years ago, when I was a “baby Christian,” … very new in the faith, … a retired physician mentored me and showed me how to grow as a disciple of Christ, especially in following God’s word. He took the time to do that so that I could learn to share my faith and disciple others. And now as an ordained Minister, I try to pass the baton of faith on to others.

That’s actually what Christ did for His disciples in the “great commission,” (see Matt. 28 and Mark 16 above), didn’t He? And it’s what we should all be doing to pass our baton of faith on to others in our world (see linked song).

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My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh Abba Father, ... thank You, Lord, … for passing along Your baton of faith to me and showing me the way to pass it forward to others.
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My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... I pray, Lord, that all reading here will join me, … to pass along the torch of the Gospel in the relay race of 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.</ span>

June 26, 2020 … Our Heart Beats On

Berry Patch Devotions in 2020 - Day 178 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...  Please take the time to take in images, song and lyrics from Phillips, Craig, and Dean singing … Tell Your Heart To Beat Again … poignantly singing about how, as Christians, need to live out the promises of God to give us new life in Him.

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Highlight Verse[s]: Judges 5:21 [NLT] ... 21  The Kishon River swept them away — that ancient torrent, the Kishon. March on with courage, my soul! 
… Deborah sings of the hope of God’s people to march on in spite of oppression.
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Highlight Passage [context]: Judges 5:19-21 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… In a moment of danger for God’s people, Deborah, sings of hope in the Lord’s promise to protect His people.
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Reference Passage : … Psalm 42:5-6 [NLT] ... 5  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 6 my God! 
 … The Psalmist sings of the hope we have in God when things are seemingly desperate.

Reference Passage : … Proverbs 3:5-6 [NLT] ... USE THIS LINK …
… We must avoid our own perceptions and feelings in times of trial and weakness and trust in God’s strength to guide us.

Reference Passage : … Isaiah 41:10 [NLT] ... 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. 
… God, thru Isaiah, promises His strength when we are discouraged or down.

Reference Passage : … Romans 8:28, 31 [NLT] ... USE THIS LINK …
… Paul came to recognize that all things show us that God is for us; and when He is, nothing can prevail against us.

  Reference Passage : … 2Corinthians 12:9 [NLT] ... 9 Each time [Jesus] 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. 
 … In a time of weakness and pain, Paul remember what Jesus had promised him about God’s empowering grace to cover us in our times of weakness.

My Devotional Journal: Today's Our Daily Bread author, Sheridan Voysey, AT THIS LINK, writes about a song by Phillips, Craig, and Dean (linked above) inspired by a true story of a heart surgeon pleading with his patient’s heart to begin beating again after it had been repaired during surgery but had stopped beating. The surgeon pleaded with the anesthetized patent to tell her heart to beat again … and it did.

And then the ODB author used a song sung by Deborah (see highlight passage), one of God’s Judges, who sang of God’s people marching on, even when things seemed desperate. And we all have times when we’re feeling like it’s hard - if not impossible - to go on, … don’t we?

But if we take in the linked song and we believe in the Reference Scriptures above, we can march on when life gives us severe set-backs. The question is, … when our heart almost stops beating with discouragement and hopelessness, will we, … IN FAITH, … tell it to beat on!

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My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh Abba Father, ... thank You, Lord, … for promising your empowering grace to give me Your strength in my times of weakness.
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My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... I pray, Lord, that all reading here will join me, … to believe that God will empower us to move on when we’re halted in hopelessness. 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.</ span>

June 25, 2020 … Deeply Rooted

Berry Patch Devotions in 2020 - Day 177 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...  Please take the time to take in images, song and lyrics from Paolo Do Buono singing … Rooted In Christ … poignantly singing about how, as Christians, we must become deeply rooted in Christlikeness.

Our Faith Deeply Rooted in Christ ... 

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Highlight Verse[s]: Matthew 13:23 [NLT] ...  23 The seed that fell on good soil represents those who truly hear and understand God’s word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted!” 
… Jesus’ explains how we, as disciples of Christ, must be planted and rooted in good soil so that we can become fruitful.
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Highlight Passage [context]: Matthew 13:18-23 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… Jesus explains the parable of the seeds to illustrate how we must root ourselves in Him. 
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Reference Passage : … Psalm 1:3 [NLT] ... 3  They [God’s people] are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do. 
… King David sings of how God’s people are like the trees planted and nourished like trees near a stream of life.

Reference Passage : … Jeremiah 17:8 [NLT] ... 8  They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green, and they never stop producing fruit. 
… Jeremiah repeats the teaching of David (Ps. 1:3) that God’s people must be well rooted and nourished to become fruitful.

Reference Passage : … John 15:5-8 [NLT] ... USE THIS LINK …
… Jesus explains to His Disciples (and to us) how we must be rooted and abiding in Him to become fruitful as His disciples.

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 promises that He will impart His power thru His Spirit to His witnesses in this world.

Reference Passage : … Romans 16:25 [NLT] ... 25 Now all glory to God, who is able to make you strong, just as my Good News says. This message about Jesus Christ has revealed His plan for you Gentiles, a plan kept secret from the beginning of time.  
… God, thru Paul, shows Christians that God’s plan was to make us strong as we are rooted in Christ’s good news (i.e., His Kingdom Gospel), … yes, even for the Gentiles.

My Devotional Journal: Today's Our Daily Bread author, Xochitl Dixon, used the image of a tree, well rooted beneath the ground’s surface, to illustrate how we must become well rooted in Christ to bear fruit for His glory. And you can read about our well-rooted faith in today’s ODB devotional AT THIS LINK -  and see it illustrated in the attached photo.

And my fellow disciples of Christ, … I’m praying that we all heed the lyrics of the linked song as well as the truths expounded in the Scriptures above … so that we can establish a deeply rooted relationship with Christ and become what Jesus described to His inner disciples [see John 15:5-8] … i.e., … fruitful for God’s glory.

And I think all reading here know that this fruitfulness in Christ can only be accomplished when we send our roots of faith deeply into God’s truth (i.e., His word) so that our lives can abide in obedience to Christ and bare the fruit of our witness of His kingdom gospel [see Acts 1:8].

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My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh Abba Father, ... thank You, Lord, … for letting us be the witnesses of Your glory as we send out roots of faith deeply into Your truth.
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My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... I pray, Lord, that all reading here will join me, … to send our roots in Christ deep … by watering and nourishing our faith in God’s word. 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.</ span>

June 24, 2020 … Paid In Full !!

Berry Patch Devotions in 2020 - Day 176 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...  Please take the time to take in song and lyrics from Fernando Ortega singing … Jesus Paid It All … poignantly singing the old hymn about Jesus paying our sin debt in full on the cross.

2019 Morehouse College grads learn their college debts were 
PAID IN FULL ... 

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Highlight Verse[s]: Revelation 1:5 [NLT] ... 5 … and from Jesus Christ. He is the faithful witness to these things, the first to rise from the dead, and the ruler of all the kings of the world.  … All glory to Him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by shedding his blood for us. 
… John reveals Jesus’ reminder to His church that our sin debt has been paid in full FOREVER! 
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Highlight Passage [context]: Revelation 1:4-7 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… John relates Jesus greeting to His Church, reminding us of our sin debt that He paid on the cross. 
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Reference Passage : … John 3:16 [NLT] ... 16 “For this is how God loved the world: He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. 17 God sent His Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through Him. 
… Jesus tells of God, the Father, in His grace sacrificed His Son’s blood to pay for our sin.

Reference Passage : … Romans 3:23-26 [NLT] ... USE THIS LINK …
… God, thru Paul, reminds fellow Christians of Jesus paying our sin debt with His blood.

Reference Passage : … 2Corinthians 5:21 [NLT] ... 21 For God made Christ, Who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ. 
… Paul, exhorting others to share the good news of Christ, declares the truth about Jesus’ blood sacrifice to pay for our sins.

Reference Passage : … 1John 2:2 [NLT] ... 2 He himself is the sacrifice that atones for our sins—and not only our sins but the sins of all the world. 
… John teaches on the truth of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross to pay for all our sins.

My Devotional Journal: Today's Our Daily Bread author, Arthur Jackson, tells of the elation felt by the 2019 Morehouse College graduates at their Commencement when they learned that their entire college debts had been paid by the Commencement speaker. And you can read about their joy AT THIS LINK  … and see it in the attached photo.

Fellow Christian, … perhaps some of you have experienced - as have my wife and I - the elation of receiving the paper work from the bank that the mortgage is PAID IN FULL. Well, that’s what the Morehouse grads in 2019 felt like when they learned that their billionaire commencement speaker had paid all of their college debts. And it’s the feeling we should remember and feel - but even more so - that ALL of our sin debt was PAID IN FULL by Christ on the cross.

But, I’m afraid many - if not most - of us Christians get to a place where we take that wonderful truth for granted. Hey, fellow believer, TODAY let’s remember with joy and elation - and WITH PRAISE - that our Lord shed His blood in propitiation for our sins. In other words, as the linked song declares, He paid it all; … and we PTL for it!!!

SO, … today … I declare a resounding HALLELUJAH!! And I say, ”PRASE JESUS!!” for paying my sin debt in full.

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My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh Abba Father, ... thank You, Lord, … for shedding Your blood to pay for our sins.
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My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... I pray, Lord, that all reading here will join me, … to remember and declare our praise for Jesus shedding His blood to pay our sin debt … IN FULL !!! 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.</ span>

June 23, 2020 … Wearing His Crown

Berry Patch Devotions in 2020 - Day 175 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...  Please take the time to take in song and lyrics from the group Avalon singing … No Orphans of God … poignantly singing of how we as Christians are sons and daughters of King Jesus and there are no orphans in His family.

He wore our crown so that we can wear His ... 

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Highlight Verse[s]: 1Samuel 15:17 [NLT] ... 17 And Samuel told him [Saul], “Although you may think little of yourself, are you not the leader of the tribes of Israel? The Lord has anointed you king of Israel.  
… Saul couldn’t see himself as “King.”
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Highlight Passage [context]: 1Samuel 15:10-18 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… Saul had trouble seeing who he was as the anointed King of Israel.
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Reference Passage : … John 1:12 [NLT] ... 12 But to all who believed Him and accepted Him, He gave the right to become children of God. 
… When we make Him our Lord, we become children of the King.

Reference Passage : … Romans 8:14-17 [NLT] ... USE THIS LINK ... 
… God, thru Paul, shows us that we when Christ becomes our Lord and Savior, we become children of our Abba Father.

Reference Passage : … 2 Corinthians 6:18 [NLT] ... 18  And I will be your Father, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty. 
… Paul quotes from the OT (2 Samuel 7:14), showing all born again believers that we are sons and daughters of God Himself.

Reference Passage : … 1John 3:1-2 [NLT] ... USE THIS LINK ...
… We may have trouble seeing it in this life; but we need to try to see ourselves as we are, … children of the King!

My Devotional Journal: Today's ODB author, Glenn Packiam, uses the story of a young team leader to illustrate how we often have trouble seeing ourselves as sons or daughters of our Abba Father. … The ODB author wrote: The young man became his team’s captain. The professional sports squad was now led by a mild-mannered kid who barely needed to shave. His first press conference was underwhelming. He kept deferring to the coach and to his teammates, and mumbled clichés about just trying to do his job. The team performed poorly that season, and by the end of it the young captain had been traded. He didn’t grasp that he’d been entrusted with the authority to lead, or maybe he never believed he could. 

As born again Christians, I think we often fall prey to the image problem illustrated by the ODB story today. We are children of our Abba Father (see reference scriptures above). Yet, we too often see ourselves as “orphans” in this life and in this world. And we have a tendency to beat up on ourselves.

However, when we see ourselves as God sees us, … as His sons and daughters, … we can - and will - take on His role and wear His crown (see photo). So, I’m praying today that we no longer see ourselves as portrayed in the linked song (i.e., as orphans); but that we take on our anointed role today as kids of the King!

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My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh Abba Father, ... thank You, Lord, … for letting me wear Your crown of glory.
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My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... I pray, Lord, that all reading here will join me, … to recognize that we are children of the Living God, wearing His Crown and representing His throne here in this 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.

June 22, 2020 … Eyes For Jesus

Berry Patch Devotions in 2020 - Day 174 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...  Please take the time to take in images, song and lyrics from Alan Jackson singing … Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus … poignantly singing of how we as Christians need to focus our attention on our relationship with Christ ALWAYS, especially in times of trouble.

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Highlight Verse[s]: 2Corinthians 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. 
… God shows fellow believers how to focus on Christ in the midst of troubles times. 
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Highlight Passage [context]: 2Corinthians 4:7-18 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… Paul writes to show fellow Christians how to deal with the trials and tribulations of life. 
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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. 
… When we feel lost, in the midst of trials, we need to trust completely that God is in control, … not trying to control things on our own.

Reference Passage : … Matthew 6:33 [NLT] ... 33 Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. 
 … Jesus commands us to seek HIM above all else.

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.” 
… We WILL have many trials in life; but Jesus shows that He has overcome the world.

Reference Passage : … 1Corinthians 10:13 [NLT] ... 13 The temptations [also translated “tests, 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 shows us that God will make a way … even in the worst of times.

Reference Passage : … Colossians 3:16, … 17 [NLT] ... 16 Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. … 17 And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father. 
 … Paul helps fellow Christians to focus solely on Christ with thankful hearts for the grace He has given us.

My Devotional Journal: Today's ODB author, Estera Pirosca Escobar, expresses the longings of a Christian mother that her family have eyes only for the Lord after having gone thru some horrible times in their lives. … The ODB author wrote: Eternal eyes, [see photo] that’s what my friend Madeline prays her children and grandchildren would have. Her family has gone through a tumultuous season that ended with the death of her daughter. As the family grieves from this horrific loss, Madeline longs for them to be less and less nearsighted—consumed by the pain of this world. And to be more and more farsighted—filled with hope in our loving God. 

I’m a grandparent; and I see my kids and grandkids going thru these troubled times; and I can only pray that they learn to take in what Alan Jackson sings in the linked song and what the Scriptures point to above. And that is … that we, who have surrendered out lives to Christ, must believe that He is in total control, … yes, especially in trouble times like these. And I pray that for all reading here today.

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My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh Abba Father, ... thank You, Lord, … for showing me the way to look to You in these trials we’re going thru now.
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My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... I pray, Lord, that all reading here will join me, … to turn our eyes upon Jesus in these troubled times. 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.</ span>

June 21, 2020 … Helping Others

Berry Patch Devotions in 2020 - Day 173 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...  Please take the time to take in images, song and lyrics from Matthew West singing … Do Something … powerfully singing of how we as Christians need to be the feet, hands, and mouths of Jesus and DO SOMETHING in His Name and for His glory in this dark and needy world.

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Highlight Verse[s]: 1Timothy 6:18 [NLT] ... 18 Tell them to use their money to do good. They should be rich in good works and generous to those in need, always being ready to share with others.
… God teaches us, thru Paul, that we need to use what He has given us to help others. 
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Highlight Passage [context]: 1 Timothy 6:17-19 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… Paul helping Timothy teach that sharing with others is Christ’s way of using us to help others. 
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Reference Passage : … Proverbs 19:17 [NLT] ... 17  If you help the poor, you are lending to the Lord — and He will repay you! 
… God’s promise, thru Solomon, that the Lord will repay those who help others.

Reference Passage : … Matthew 5:42 [NLT] ... 42 Give to those who ask, and don’t turn away from those who want to borrow. 
… Jesus clearly teaches that it is His way to reach out and help others in need.

Reference Passage : … John 15:12 [NLT] ... 12 This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. 
… Jesus commands His disciples to show love to others the way He has shown His love for us.

Reference Passage : … Galatians 6:9-10 [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. 10 Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone — especially to those in the family of faith. 
… God, thru Paul, exhorts Christians to help others, especially fellow Christians.

Reference Passage : … Hebrews 10:15-16 [NLT] … 15 Therefore, let us offer through Jesus a continual sacrifice of praise to God, proclaiming our allegiance to His name. 16 And don’t forget to do good and to share with those in need. These are the sacrifices that please God. 
… God shows Christians how to show our allegiance to Christ by reaching out to do good for others.

  My Devotional Journal: Today's ODB author, Kirsten Holmberg, illustrates Christians helping others by a man giving up his plane seat to help a mother have a more comfortable seat to help her child. … The ODB author wrote: Kelsey navigated the narrow airplane aisle with her eleven-month-old daughter, Lucy, and Lucy’s oxygen machine. They were traveling to seek treatment for her baby’s chronic lung disease. Shortly after settling into their shared seat, a flight attendant approached Kelsey, saying a passenger in first class wanted to switch seats with her. With tears of gratitude streaming down her face, Kelsey made her way back up the aisle to the more spacious seat, [see photo] while the benevolent stranger made his way toward hers. 
Kelsey’s benefactor embodied the kind of generosity Paul encourages in his letter to Timothy. Paul told Timothy to instruct those in his care with the command to “do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share” (1 Timothy 6:18). 

If we had the opportunity TODAY to give up our first class seat to help a mom with a needy baby on a plane, would we do it? That’s the challenge from today’s ODB entry above; … and really it’s God’s challenge for us Christians, isn’t it (see Scriptures above)? So, I pray that all reading here today will do what God has commanded all of us to do; … and that is to look for opportunities to show His love and grace by helping others, … just as He has shown His love for us.

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My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh Abba Father, ... thank You, Lord, … for giving me the empowering grace to reach out and help others in Your Name.
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My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... I pray, Lord, that all reading here will join me, … to take any/all opportunities to help others 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.</ span>

June 20, 2020 … Walking By Faith

Berry Patch Devotions in 2020 - Day 172 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...  Please take the time to take in song and lyrics from Jeremy Camp singing … Walk By Faith … powerfully singing of how we as Christians need to walk by faith and not by sight.

Yes, ... even when we can't see Him ... 

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Highlight Verse[s]: Isaiah 8:17 [NLT] ... 17  I will wait for the Lord, Who has turned away from the descendants of Jacob. I will put my hope in Him. 
… There are times when God seems to have turned away; but we must trust that He’s always there for the faithful who’re willing to wait on Him.
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Highlight Passage [context]: Isaiah 8:16-18 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… Isaiah, in his faith in God, shows that he and God’s people must often wait on God, trusting in His presence and power in times of trial.
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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. 
… Yes, even when we walk in times when it’s hard, if not impossible, to see where God is leading us.
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.
… If we’re really Christians, … even when we’re blind-sided by life, it’s for our good and for His purposes.

Reference Passage : … 1Corinthians 10:13 [NLT] ... 13 The temptations [also translated “test, trial, trouble, or tribulation”] 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. 
 … Our God is always there when we’re tempted to let fear shackle our walk with the Lord.

Reference Passage : … 2Corinthians 5:6-10 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… Paul had confidence in walking by faith, even when he couldn’t see God’s path ahead (see v. 7).

Reference Passage : … Hebrews 11:1, 6 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… Faith is trusting God even when we can’t see or sense His presence.

My Devotional Journal: Today's ODB author, Leslie Koh, writes of a husband who had to walk by faith… and not by sight … as his wife was diagnosed with terminal cancer. … The ODB author wrote: Lela was dying of cancer, and her husband, Timothy, couldn’t understand why a loving God would let his wife suffer. She had served Him faithfully as a Bible teacher and mentor to many. 
“Why did You let this happen?” he cried. Yet Timothy continued to be faithful in his walk with God. “So why do you still believe in God?” I asked him frankly. “What keeps you from turning away from Him?” … 
“Because of what has happened before,” Timothy replied. While he couldn’t “see” God now, he recalled the times when God had helped and protected him. 

I would expect that many, if not all, of my readers have had times when God seemed to have disappeared; … when our trust in God was being tested by circumstances like those in the ODB entry today. And that’s when FEAR is so very real and our FAITH has to help us get thru those dark moments [see photo]. But for the faithful, like the husband in the ODB story, we KNOW … that we know that we know … that God is ALWAYS there for us, … even when it’s hard to believe in God’s promises, … as with the Scriptures above.

But as with the authors of these promises from God’s truth, we must walk by faith when we can’t walk by sight. And I pray that for all here with me today.

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My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh Abba Father, ... thank You, Lord, … for giving me the faith to know that you’re there, … walking with me today, … even tho I can’t see where You’re leading me. 
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My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... I pray, Lord, that all reading here will join me, … to walk thru the darkness, maybe today, trusting that God will see us thru. 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.</ span>

June 19, 2020 … Abundant Living

Berry Patch Devotions in 2020 - Day 171 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...  Please take the time to take in images, song and lyrics from Hawk Nelson singing … Live Like You’re Loved … powerfully singing of how we need to choose to live like we’re loved by Jesus … because He does!

He's Our Good Shepherd ... 

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Highlight Verse[s]: John 10:10-11 [NLT] ... 10 The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life. … 11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep. 
… Jesus declares His willingness to die for His sheep as our Good Shepherd, showing just how much He loves His beloved sheep (that’s us, folks!!).
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Highlight Passage [context]: John 10:1-11 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… Jesus pictures Himself as our “Good Shepherd,” willing to give up His life for His sheep so that they (we) can live a more abundant life.
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Reference Passage : … Isaiah 53:6 [NLT] ... 6  All of us, like sheep, have strayed away.  We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the Lord laid on Him the sins of us all. 
 … We may stray, like sheep, but our Lord has made the way of His love for us to rise above ourselves.

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. 
… If we trust God’s will thru His word, He will show us the right patch to take in life.

Reference Passage : … Psalm 23 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… Jesus, our Messiah, leads us from the valley of the shadow of death unto His garden of goodness and love.

Reference Passage : … Matthew 6:31-33 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… Jesus shows disciples what it takes to overcome the worries of life … to seek to follow Him, no matter what!

Reference Passage : … Romans 12:1-2 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… God, thru Paul, taught that If - AND ONLY IF - we’re willing to become living sacrifices to/for Him, … following His ways ALWAYS, … He is willing to show us His perfect will and give us His love for life.

My Devotional Journal: Today's ODB author, Remi Oyedele, compares a bleak philosophical view of life from Thomas Hobbes with Jesus’ view with His promise of abundant living. … The ODB author wrote: Seventeenth-century philosopher Thomas Hobbes famously wrote that human life in its natural state is “solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short.” Hobbes argued that our instincts tend toward war in a bid to attain dominance over others; thus the establishment of government would be necessary to maintain law and order. 
The bleak view of humanity sounds like the state of affairs that Jesus described when He said, “All who have come before me are thieves and robbers” (John 10:8). But Jesus offers hope in the midst of despair. “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy,” but then the good news: “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” (v. 10). 

I think we’d all agree that life at times just sucks, doesn’t it? And that’s what the philosopher Thomas Hobbes proclaimed by describing our human tendency to see life the way our sinful minds perceive it. But Jesus came, as our “Good Shepherd” (see Ps. 23), to die on a cross to give us a view of life worth living [see highlight passage], … a life full of the love and grace and abundance He promises when we surrender to follow Him.

He loved us, as our Good Shepherd, … enough to die for us as His sheep [see Isaiah 53:6]. And I ask my readers today the question asked in the linked song, ”Are we living like we’re loved by Jesus?” Because that’s the abundant life that I, for one, desire to live today.

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My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh Abba Father, ... thank You, Lord, … for showing me the way to live with and for Your love - which is the abundant life.
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My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... I pray, Lord, that all reading here will join me, … to choose to surrender and follow the One Who is leading us to the love our Good Shepherd has 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.</ span>

June 18, 2020 … Following His Path

Berry Patch Devotions in 2020 - Day 170 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...  Please take the time to take in images, song and lyrics from The Maranatha Singers singing … Thy Word … poignantly singing of how God’s Word is a lamp, leading us thru life with God’s light of truth.

Ploughing a straight row ... 

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Highlight Verse[s]: 2Kings 22:2 [NLT] ... 2 He [Josiah] did what was pleasing in the Lord’s sight and followed the example of his ancestor David. He did not turn away from doing what was right. 
… Josiah, a young King of Judah, was able to stay God’s course by following His will from His word closely.
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Highlight Passage [context]: 2Kings 22:1-2, 9-13 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… Young King Josiah followed God’s will from His word and was able to follow the Lord’s way closely and reliably.
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Reference Passage : … Joshua 1:8 [NLT] ... 8 Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do. 
 … God showed Joshua, … and us, … the way to the Promised Land by studying and following God’s word.

Reference Passage : … Psalm 119:105-106 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… Following God’s will, thru His word, is the only way to let God’s way lead us thru life.

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. 
… If we trust God’s will thru His word, He will show us the right patch to take in life.

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.”
… God reveals His way and His will to those who pursue, find, and obey His word.

Reference Passage : … 2Timothy 3:16-17 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… God’s word - ALL OF IT - is our guiding light, leading us to follow God’s will in life.

My Devotional Journal: Today's ODB author, John Blase, uses a word picture of God’s Word being like a farmer using a special type of GPS to plough straight furrows. … The ODB author wrote: It used to take the steady eye and the firm hand of a farmer to drive a tractor or combine down straight rows. [SEE PHOTO] But even the best eyes would overlap rows, and by end of day even the strongest hands would be fatigued. But now there’s autosteer—a GPS-based technology that allows for accuracy to within one inch when planting, cultivating, and spraying. It’s incredibly efficient and hands-free. Just imagine sitting in a mammoth combine and instead of gripping the wheel, you’re gripping a roast beef sandwich. An amazing tool to keep you moving straight ahead.

My dear fellow Christian; … if you’ve taken the time to hear today’s song and taken in the Scriptures above, I really don’t need to add much more here, do I? I’m sure, like me, you’ve gotten what God has to say to all who are His true disciples; … that we can - AND WILL - plow straight rows in life, if we follow God’s will and His ways closely, … that is, … if - AND ONLY IF - we stay true to His word.

So, we must ask ourselves what we’re doing to use God’s perfect “GPS” (God’s Positioning System), … i.e., His word, … to lead us in life. Personally, that’s why you find me starting each day by turning on God’s lamp (see Ps. 119:105) to light my way, knowing that it’s really all I need (see reference Scriptures) to start my way by using His “GPS” for each day.

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My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh Abba Father, ... thank You, Lord, … for giving me Your perfect “GPS” to show me the way to stay straight and to follow You.
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My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... I pray, Lord, that all reading here will join me, … to seek God’s straight path, i.e., His will, … by using Your Word to guide our 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.</ span>

June 17, 2020 … He Is Worthy !!!

Berry Patch Devotions in 2020 - Day 169 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...  Please take the time to take in images, song and lyrics from Chris Tomlin singing Andrew Peterson’s song … Is He Worthy? … poignantly singing of how we need to do all we can to praise the worthiness of the Lamb of God, … our Messiah … Our Lord … our King, Jesus!!

Praising God's Worthiness !!! 

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Highlight Verse[s]: Mark 14:4, … 6 [NLT] ... 4 Some of those at the table were indignant. “Why waste such expensive perfume?” they asked. … 6 But Jesus replied, “Leave her alone. Why criticize her for doing such a good thing to me?” 
… Jesus’ encourages the lavish worship of the woman who was criticized by others for her worship of Jesus with the expensive perfume.
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Highlight Passage [context]: Mark 14:1-9 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… Jesus lauds the worship of a woman anointing Him with expensive perfume.
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Reference Passage : … Psalm 96-1-4 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… The Psalmist sings to the glory and worthiness of our God.

Reference Passage : … Psalm 150: 6 [NLT] ... 6  Let everything that breathes sing praises to the Lord! … “Praise the Lord!” 
… Another Psalmist sings of God’s worthiness to be praised.

Reference Passage : … Luke 10:38-42 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… Jesus, at the home of Martha and Mary, encouraging the attention and praise given to Him by Mary.

Reference Passage : … John 14:6 [NLT] … 6 Jesus [declares] … “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. 
… Jesus declares His worthiness in the grand scheme of life.

Reference Passage : … Revelation 4:11 [NLT] … 11  “You are worthy, O Lord our God, to receive glory and honor and power. For You created all things, and they exist because You created what You pleased.” 
… In HIs revelation of Heaven, John saw all worshipping the Lamb of God for His worthiness as our Creator.

My Devotional Journal: Today's ODB author, David H Roper, uses a depiction of a common dilemma these days when styles of worship make some uncomfortable. … The ODB author wrote: A number of years ago, my wife and I visited a small church where during the worship service a woman began to dance in the aisle. She was soon joined by others. Carolyn and I looked at each other and an unspoken agreement passed between us: “Not me!” We come from church traditions that favor a serious liturgy, and this other form of worship [see photo] was well beyond our comfort zone. 

Some call this dilemma descriptive of the cultural “worship wars” which go on when some are exposed to vastly different worship styles in various churches. But I think we need to remember what Jesus taught his followers and friends in His days on earth; and that is that HE, … and HE ALONE, … is worthy of our praises … in any way we desire to express it. And we need to refrain from letting our preferences and past habits get in the way of others who desire to do nothing but express their praises of our Lord, … our Messiah, … our King, Jesus!!!

The Scriptures above show that Jesus favored extravagant and “over-the-top” styles of those who desired to worship Him with praise (see highlight and reference passages). And once we all take in Chris Tomlin singing Andrew Peterson’s wonderful sing (see link), hopefully we’ll realize that our lives should be our praise for the Lamb of God, Whom we’ll worship forever in Heaven (see Rev. 4:11).

Yes, my friends, HE IS WORTHY!!!

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My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh Abba Father, ... thank You, Lord, … for reminding me to focus only on Your worthiness of our praises and not on the way we express it.
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My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... I pray, Lord, that all reading here will join me, … to do all we can today to think, say, and do all we can to express our praise of the One Who is worthy of all praise. 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.</ span>

June 16, 2020 … Backup Idols

Berry Patch Devotions in 2020 - Day 168 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...  Please take the time to take in images, song and lyrics from Jessa Anderson singing … Idols … poignantly singing of how we must turn our attention away from anything in this life - i.e., idols - which take our attention off of our relationship with Christ.

Perhaps an idol?

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Highlight Verse[s]: Nehemiah 2:18 [NLT] ... 10 They [God’s people] have returned to the sins of their ancestors. They have refused to listen to me and are worshiping other gods. Israel and Judah have both broken the covenant I made with their ancestors. 
… Jeremiah’s warning about the dangers of falling prey to idols. A warning we should heed today!! 
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Highlight Passage [context]: Jeremiah 11:9-13 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… God, thru the Prophet, Jeremiah, warns his people about return to idols.
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Reference Passage : … Exodus 20:3-6 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… God’s #1 COMMAND ... to have no other God’s before Him !!!

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.
 … God, thru Solomon, exhorts us to avoid putting our trust in our own ways (i.e., our idols) and trusting completely in God.

Reference Passage : … Jonah 2:8 [NLT] … 8  Those who worship false gods turn their backs on all God’s mercies. 
… God makes it clear, thru Jonah, that worshipping idols is turning our back on God’s love.

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.” 
… Jesus made it clear that the ones who obey His commands (i.e., His word) are the ones who really love Him. … DO WE?

Reference Passage : … 1Corinthians 10:13-14 [NLT] … 13 The temptations 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. … 14 So, my dear friends, flee from the worship of idols. 
… Paul recognized that earthly/worldly idols are tempting but the temptations can be avoided by allowing God to lead us away from our idols.

My Devotional Journal: Today's ODB author, Mike Wittmer, uses a picture (see photo) of a common, modern-day, idol which can draw our attention away from trusting God. … The ODB author wrote: Sam checks his retirement account twice each day. [see photo] He saved for thirty years, and with the boost of a rising stock market, finally has enough to retire. As long as stocks don’t plunge. This fear keeps Sam worrying about his balance. 

There are so many potential idols in our lives, such as the stock market, which can misdirect our trust away from God (see Scriptures above). Maybe it’s political ideas. Perhaps P0RN. Maybe even compulsive exercise. But whatever it is, as Jessa Anderson sings in the linked song, we must turn our trust away from ourselves or worldly influences - away from modern-day idols - and surrender our hearts to follow the Lord.

What is drawing our trust and love away from Jesus’s demand for obedience to His word [see John 14:21]?  I’m dealing with that conviction today. How about you?

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My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh Abba Father, ... thank You, Lord, … for reminding me to focus on Your ways and to stay away from the idols of this life.
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My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... I pray, Lord, that all reading here will join me, … to place our trust/focus on Christ, avoiding the idols of 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.</ span>

June 15, 2020 … Rebuilding Temple Walls

Berry Patch Devotions in 2020 - Day 167 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...  Please take the time to take in images, song and lyrics from Andrew Peterson singing … All Things New … poignantly singing of how our Lord leads us to make all things new in His image … forever.

Nehemiah surveys the destruction of the walls in Jerusalem ... 

============= Highlight Verse[s]: Nehemiah 2:18 [NLT] ... 18 Then I told them about how the gracious hand of God had been on me, and about my conversation with the king.  … They replied at once, “Yes, let’s rebuild the wall!” So they began the good work. 
… God’s people recognize, from Nehemiah’s leadership, the need to work together to rebuild the walls.
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Highlight Passage [context]: Nehemiah 2:11-18 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… Nehemiah surveys the damage of the destruction in Jerusalem [see photo] and the need to rebuild the walls. 
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Reference Passage : … Psalm 127:1 [NLT] ... 1  Unless the Lord builds a house, the work of the builders is wasted. Unless the Lord protects a city, guarding it with sentries will do no good. 
… The Psalmist sings of rebuilding “God’s Temple,” which is the lives of believers; … but only following the work of the Lord.

Reference Passage : … Daniel 9:24-25 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… God gives Daniel a vision of Jerusalem’s destruction and rebuilding when the “Anointed One,” … the Messiah … returns for His people.

Reference Passage : … Amos 9:11, 14 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… God, thru Amos, prophesies the rebuilding and restoration of God’s people in Israel.

Reference Passage : … 1Corinthians 6:19-20 [NLT] … 19 Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, 20 for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body. 
… We must honor God by keeping His Temple (our body) as clean/pure as possible.

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 recognized that God was doing a work in all Christians, rebuilding us into the image of our Lord

My Devotional Journal: Today's ODB author, Dave Branon, uses the Bible story of Nehemiah leading the rebuilding of the Temple walls in Jerusalem after the Babylonians destroyed the walls to illustrate what we must do to rebuild our damaged “temple” (i.e., our sinful lives). … The ODB author wrote: When it came time to report the damage to the officials of the city, [Nehemiah] began by saying, “You see the trouble we are in” (Nehemiah 2:17). He reported that the city was in ruins, and the protecting city wall had been rendered useless. But then he made a statement that energized the troubled citizens: “I also told them about the gracious hand of my God on me.” Immediately, the people replied, “Let us start rebuilding” (v. 18). 
 … As you consider your circumstances, is there something that looks difficult but that you know God wants you to do? A sin you can’t seem to get rid of? A relationship rift that’s not God-honoring? A task for Him that looks too hard? 

 I don’t think I need to explain or write much here to understand the ODB challenge today, do I? Those question above challenge us directly to survey “the walls” of our lives, especially how we see the condition of “God’s Temple” (i.e., our bodies - see 1Cor. 6:19-20). And perhaps, … my fellow readers, as do I, we see that there is more rebuilding necessary to shore up the walls in God’s Temple, … just as Nehemiah saw in his day, … leading God’s people to rebuild the walls in the shattered temple in Jerusalem.

I pray we all do a survey our our “temple” and see what needs rebuilding, … beginning today to let God’s Spirit lead us into the rebuilding project.

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My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh Abba Father, ... thank You, Lord, … for leading me to rebuild the walls of Your temple.
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My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... I pray, Lord, that all reading here will join me, … to work together, as did God’s people in Nehemiah’s day, to rebuild the walls of our Temple. 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.</ span>

June 14, 2020 … Getting Ready TOGETHER

Berry Patch Devotions in 2020 - Day 166 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...  Please take the time to take in song and lyrics from John Waller singing … The Marriage Prayer … poignantly singing of how, when Christians come together and stay together in marriage, it is a prayer that reflects what God, the Father, intended for His Son and His Bride, the Church.

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Highlight Verse[s]: Genesis 2:18 [NLT] ... 18 Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper who is just right for him.”  
… God created mankind for togetherness.
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Highlight Passage [context]: Genesis 2:18-24 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… God, the Father, created a help mate for man and for them to be with each other til death do them part.
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Reference Passage : … Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… God designed mankind for togetherness and unity as His Body.

Reference Passage : … Song of Solomon 8:6-7 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… God’s song, thru Solomon, of the seal of marriage He desires for His Son and His Bride, the Church.

Reference Passage : … Isaiah 54:5 [NLT] ... For your Creator will be your husband; the Lord of Heaven’s Armies is his name! He is your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel, the God of all the earth.
… What God, the Father, prophesies for His Son, … a Bride forever !!

Reference Passage : … Ephesians 5:25-29 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… God, thru Paul, explains His intention that marriage reflect the Father’s desire for His Son to have a Bride forever.

Reference Passage : … Revelation 19:6-8 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… Right now, as Christ’s Bride we are preparing ourselves for our Bridegroom and the wedding feast of the Lamb of God.

My Devotional Journal: Today's ODB author, Alyson Kieda, uses a story about an elderly couple who were totally dedicated to one another as a human illustration of God’s desire for His Son to have a helpmate, a BRIDE, forever. … The ODB author wrote: “I take care of him. When he’s happy, I’m happy,” says Stella. Merle replies, “I’m happy when she’s around.” Merle and Stella have been married for 79 years. When Merle was recently admitted to a nursing home, he was miserable—so Stella gladly brought him home. He’s 101, and she’s 95. Though she needs a walker to get around, she lovingly does what she can for her husband, such as preparing the food he likes. But she couldn’t do it on her own. Grandchildren and neighbors help with the things Stella can’t manage. 
Stella and Merle’s life together [see photo] is an example of Genesis 2, where God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him” (v. 18). 

As I indicated in my journal entry two days ago, my wife and I may not be as old as Merle and Stella in the ODB story, but we have been married for 55 years [yesterday]; and everyday, even during this viral pandemic we’re going thru now, we recognize just how true it is for us to spend our lives in a loving community as the Bride of Christ. Yes, marriage was intended to be a human reflection of what God, the Father, desired for His Son, … to spend eternity with a Bride. And The Church is that Bride.

Therefore, … my wife and I know, … and have experienced, … the togetherness that reflects what God, the Father, desired and created for His Son, … a Bride for eternity. And for those marrieds who’re reading here, I desire for you all to cherish the togetherness in your marriage, … just as God’s Son, Jesus, has for His intended Bride. And for those not married, realize, as it says in Rev. 19, that we Christians are simply preparing ourselves, as the Bride of Christ, to be with our Bridegroom forever after the wedding feast of the Lamb of God.

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My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh Abba Father, ... thank You, Lord, … for giving me a helpmate to live out my life as a reflection of Your eternal love for Your Bride.
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My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... I pray, Lord, that all reading here will join me, … to prepare ourselves for the wedding feast of the Lamb. 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.</ span>