Berry Patch Devotions in 2020 - Day 305
Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ... Please take the time to take in song and lyrics from Laura Story singing her song … Blessings … poignantly singing of how God’s blessings are often camouflaged by the trials or tragedies of life.
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Highlight Passage: Job 1:20-21 [ESV] ...
20 Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshiped. And he said, “Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.”
… Job declares His faith in His Lord as Job grieves his losses.
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Highlight Passage [Context]: … Job 1:18-22 [ESV] … USE THIS LINK …
… Job holds on to his faith in God in the midst of dire tragedy.
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Reference Passage: … Matthew 28:20b [ESV] …
20b … And behold, I am with you ALWAYS, to the end of the age.”
… Jesus’ promise to all of us, as His disciples.
Reference Passage: … John 14:1 [ESV] …
1 “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God;; … believe also in Me.
… Jesus’ difficult challenge to His disciples in the midst of their confusion as He was declaring He was about to die.
Reference Passage: … John 16:33 [ESV] …
33 I have said these things to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
… Jesus’ uplifting promise in the midst of His disciples’ confusion and doubt.
Reference Passage: … Romans 8:28 [ESV] …
28 And we know that for those who love God ALL THINGS work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose.
… God’s truth from Paul is very hard to hold to when we’re faced with trials or tragedies.
Reference Passage: … 1Corinthians 10:13 [ESV] …
13 No TEMPTATION has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.
… Remembering that the Greek word “temptation” in this passage can also be translated “trial, trouble, tragedy, or tribulation,” indicating that God will ALWAYS be there in the midst of our challenges to give us what it takes to endure those circumstances
My Devotional Journal: Today's Our Daily Bread author, Arthur Jackson, AT THIS LINK relates a story of a young couple who lost their newly restored home in a tornado tragedy (see photo); … yet, they were able to hold on to their faith that God was going to bring something good from the brokenness.
And that story of young Christian disciples searching for God’s triumph in the midst of tragedy certainly calls up Job’s faith (see highlight passage) in the midst of his tragic loss, doesn’t it? And in the midst of all the 2020 trials we’re going thru in the world this year, Jesus’ promises to His disciples just after He had told them in the upper room that He was headed to the cross, came to my mind (see passages from John above); … along with the truths espoused by Paul to fellow Christians in 1Cor. 10:13 and Rom. 8:28.
The challenge is what Laura Story sings in the linked song … that God’s blessings are often found in the midst of the tears we shed from tragedies or trials, … challenging us to have the faith to endure the trials of life and to retain our belief that our Lord will NEVER leave us or forsake us [see Matt. 28:20] as we face the tragedies of life.
My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh Abba Father, ... thank You, Lord, … for reminding me this morning from Your truth that You’re here with us in 2020 giving us the strength of Your grace to lift us up.
My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... I pray that all reading here will join me today to be lifted up by God’s promises in these trials we face now, believing the truth that You will give us the grace, King Jesus, to move on in life for Your glory. … Amen
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Blogger Note: Everyday during this year, my daily devotional blogs are influenced by the reading and study of the online devotional blog entitled “Our Daily Bread,” distributed online via email by RBC Ministries. If you GO TO THIS LINK on the date of my blog, you can read/study the ODB blogs; or you can subscribe to the blog via email at that site.
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