Berry Patch Devotions in 2020 - Day 365
Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ... Please take the time to take in song and lyrics from Kristian Stanfill singing … More Like Jesus … poignantly singing of how we as Christians must live to become more like Jesus.
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Highlight Passage: Philippians 2:1-2 [ESV] ...
1 So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, 2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.
… We are being completed in Christlikeness when we surrender to be like Him.
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Highlight Passage [Context]: … Philippians 2:1-8 [ESV] … USE THIS LINK …
… Paul recognized that being a disciple of Christ was to become more like Jesus in the way we lived, … surrendering self to the Savior just as Jesus surrendered Himself completely to the Father, … even unto death on a cross.
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Reference Passage: … Proverbs 3:5-6 [ESV] … USE THIS LINK …
… Solomon helps us realize that we must trust and follow God in all things; because, as we can see in <b><u>Romans 8:28</b></u>, ALL THINGS are for our good and God’s glory.
Reference Passage: … Luke 9:23 [ESV] …
23 And He said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. …”
… Jesus clearly spells out what it takes to be His disciple.
Reference Passage: … 1Corinthians 11:1 [ESV] …
1 Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.
… The Apostle Paul knew that others could follow him because he was following Christ.
Reference Passage: … Galatians 5:22-23 [ESV] …
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
… Paul wanted fellow Christians to know that if one was born-again in Christ, he/she would exhibit the fruit of the Spirit, … i.e., characteristics of Christlikeness.
Reference Passage: … 1John 2:6 [ESV] …
6 … whoever says he abides in Him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.
… If we say that we’re disciples of Christ, God’s word commands us to walk as He walked.
My Devotional Journal: Today's Our Daily Bread author, Sheridan Voysey, AT THIS LINK writes of an interview where the interviewee felt compelled to be sure that the interviewer knew who he was by repeating his credentials.
Fellow Christian, if one (like me) were to ask you if you consider yourself a disciple of Christ, … would you respond affirmatively? And if so, what are your credentials to show others that you’re a follower of Christ.
I had a mentor years ago, who said that every now and again, it was a good idea to take a personal inventory of the “fruit of the Spirit” (found in Gal 5:22-23); because those qualities of Christlikeness exhibit whether one is truly a disciple, surrendered and following Christ (see Luke 9:23). And Paul knew that if he was imitating Christ by the way he (Paul) walked (see 1Cor 11:1) others could follow him and become a stronger disciple of Christ.
So, … as we move into 2021, we all need to take stock of how closely we’re following Christ and how much His character traits (i.e, the fruit of the Spirit) are showing others that we are truly disciples of King Jesus.
My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh Abba Father, ... thank You, Lord, … for leading me into this New Year, as truly Your disciple.
My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... I pray that all reading here will join me, to see if we’re showing off the fruit of Christ’s Spirit as we lead others into 2021. … 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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