December 31, 2021 … One Day Closer …

Berry Patch Devotions in 2021 - Day 365 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...    Please take the time to take in a song and lyrics from David Crowder and Tauren Wells singing … All My Hope Is In Jesus … poignantly singing of how we, as Christians, must put all our hope in Christ coming again to bring us with Him to our heavenly home. 

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Highlight Passage: …  Philippians 3:17 [NLT] …   

17 Dear brothers and sisters, pattern your lives after mine, and learn from those who follow our example.. 

… Paul charged fellow Christians in Phillippi [and all Christians] to follow him or others who were (are) surrendered to obey and follow Jesus’ call to follow Him.  

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Highlight Passage [Context]: … Philippians 3:15-21 [NLT] …  USE THIS LINK … 

… Paul exhorts fellow Christians (us too!) to pattern our lives after those who closely obey and follow Jesus.                               

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Reference Passage: … Proverbs 3:5-6 [NLT] …  

5 Trust in the Lord with ALL your heart and lean not on your own understanding. 6 In ALL your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths.  

… God, thru the Psalmist, proclaims where we find Godly wisdom.   

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’ clear command to disciples (that us too!) to follow Him - no matter when, … no matter what. 

Reference Passage: … Romans 12:2 [NLT] …  

 2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.   

… Paul warns fellow Christians to avoid following the ways of the world and surrender to do all we can to follow others love and who’re following Christ [see John 14:21 on your own].

Reference Passage: … 1Corinthians 4:16, … 11:1 [NLT] …  

4:16 So I urge you to imitate me. … 11:1 And you should imitate me, just as I imitate Christ.  

… Paul was confident in the hope He had in Jesus’ return so that he could exhort other disciples of Christ to follow him (Paul) because he was follow the ways of Christ.  

        

My Devotional Journal: Today's Our Daily Bread author, Adam Holz, AT THIS LINK …   wrote of the somewhat lost feelings that many have after the Christmas season is over.  It’s like the question in the attached photo, asking ourselves “What now!”   

But as the ODB author points out, that need not be the outlook for any Christian who, as the linked song proclaims, puts all his or her hope in the ultimate “Christmas,” … i.e., when Jesus comes again for all who’ve chosen to do what the Apostle Paul was exhorting fellow Christians; and that is to follow those, like Paul himself, who are committed humbly to follow the ways of Christ rather than then ways of the world (see the Scriptures above).  

So, I pray on this last day of the year, that all reading here are joining me to do all we can to follow Christ and to be lights to lead others ether to Him or closer to Him.  

Remember!! … Each day into 2022 is one day closer to His return !!                             

My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh, Abba Father, thank You, King Jesus, … for the hope we have into 2022 of Your return to take us home to be with You FOREVER.      

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I pray that all reading here will join me, …  to seek Your will and to follow Your ways, primarily thru Your word into the New Year.    … 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.

December 30, 2021 … Greater Than Gold …

Berry Patch Devotions in 2021 - Day 364 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...  Please take the time to take in a song and lyrics from the group The Gettys singing … Perfect Wisdom of Our God … poignantly singing of how the wisdom that we get from our relationship with God is invaluable for living our lives for/with Him. 

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Highlight Passage: …  Proverbs 3:18 [NLT] …   

8 Wisdom is a tree of life to those who embrace her; happy are those who hold her tightly. 

… Solomon shows us that getting and holding on to Godly wisdom is the key to peace and happiness.  

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Highlight Passage [Context]: … Proverbs 3:1-20 [NLT] …  USE THIS LINK … 

… God, thru Solomon, offering to will follow God’s ways, the value of wisdom in living our lives.    ===============                                              .                

Reference Passag: … Psalm 111:10 [NLT] … 

10 Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true wisdom.  All who obey His commandments will grow in wisdom. 

… God, thru the Psalmist, proclaims where we find Godly wisdom.   

Reference Passage: … Proverbs 1:7 [NLT] … 

7 Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline. 

… Solomon shows how fools ignore the way to Godly wisdom being the referenced of God and His truth.

Reference Passage: … Ecclesiastes 7:12 [NLT] …  

12 Wisdom and money can get you almost anything, but only wisdom can save your life.   

… Again, after years of folly and disobedience of God’s truth, Solomon declares that only the pursuit of Godly wisdom is life giving. 

Reference Passage: … James 1:5 [NLT] …  

5 If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and He will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking.  

… God, thru James, shows that the Lord will provide wisdom to anyone who humbly seeks it from Him.   

          

My Devotional Journal: Today's Our Daily Bread author, Patricia Rayon, AT THIS LINK …   tells of Edward Jackson, a seeker after gold in the gold rush of 1849, … who west from the midwest to find nothing but agony and heart ache in the process.  Much the wiser for this folly, he returned home to become a successful farmer and politician. 

And that story illustrates well what God, thru Solomon <b>(see Scriptures above)</b>, has tried to get His Chosen to understand; … that we may find fleeting prestige and power in gold (i.e., the pursuit of wealth); but only Godly wisdom, which we get from knowing and following God’s will, can give us life and true peace.  I pray that all reading here join me in Solomon’s quest for God’s wisdom, knowing that we will only find it thru our humble pursuit of knowing and worshiping our Lord and thru our obedience to His truth.                              

My THANKFULNESS:: ... Oh, Abba Father, thank You, King Jesus, … for giving me Your wisdom when I know and obey You.      

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I pray that all reading here will join me, …  to pursued Your wisdom and Your will, Lord, thru Your word.    … 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.

December 29, 2021 … The Lion and The Lamb…

Berry Patch Devotions in 2021 - Day 363 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...  Please take the time to take in a song and lyrics from the group Big Daddy Weave singing … The Lion and the Lamb … powerfully singing of how our Savior is the Lion of Judah, fighting our battles and the Lamb of God, slain and sacrificed, … once and for all time …  to free us from our sin. 

Two Lions guarding the entrance to the NYC Library ... 

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Highlight Passage: …  Revelation 5:5 [NLT] …   

5 But one of the twenty-four elders said to me, “Stop weeping! Look, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the heir to David’s throne, has won the victory. He is worthy to open the scroll and its seven seals.”  

… Jesus is The Lion of Judah and the Lamb of God, Who was slain to save God’s chosen from our sin when we surrender to His glorious victory in faith. 

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Highlight Passage [Context]: … Revelation 5:1-7 [NLT] …  USE THIS LINK … 

… God gives John the revelation of the Lion of Judah becoming the Lamb of God, sacrificed to save His chosen disciples from our sinfulness.                               

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Reference Passage: … Proverbs 28:1 [NLT] …  

1 The wicked run away when no one is chasing them, but the godly are as bold as lions. 

… Solomon proclaims that those who follow Christ can stand strong in His righteousness because He is the promised Lion of Judah.  

Reference Passage: … John 1:29 [NLT] …  

29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward Him and said, “Look! The Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world! 

… John recognizes and acknowledges, in faith, that Jesus is The Messiah, the Lamb of God, Who had come to give His life to save all who believe in His Lordship.

Reference Passage: … Revelation 22:3 [NLT] …  

3 No longer will there be a curse upon anything. For the throne of God and of the Lamb will be there, and His servants will worship Him..   

… John sees the Lamb of God on His throne with the curse of sin erased and all who’ve surrendered to the Lion of Judah worshipping the Lamb of God. 

          

My Devotional Journal: Today's Our Daily Bread author, James Banks, AT THIS LINK …  describes the two lion sculptures outside of the NYC library, fashioned in 1911 to honor the men whose donations provided for the library; … but the statues were renamed by the Mayor of NYC, who called them “Patience” and “Fortitude,” to stand for qualities he felt all citizens of NYC should emulate. 

And we who have surrendered our lives to follow Christ, as our Lord and Savior, have two images we follow, … the “Lion of Judah,” our strong Messiah, Who came to save all God’s faithful and the “Lamb of God,” Who was sacrificed and shed His perfect blood to save us from our human born sin.  

Oh, how I pray today that all who read with me here are the worshippers described in the Revelation passages above and who live our lives to worship our Lord and Savior, … King Jesus, …  as the LION OF JUDAH and the LAMB OF GOD.                              

My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh, Abba Father, thank You, King Jesus, … for standing strong as our Lion and loving us as God’s Lamb.      

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I pray that all reading here will join me, …  to worship You, today Lord, as the Lion of Judah and the one-and-only Lamb of God.   … 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.

December 28, 2021 … Sharing Christ’s Love …

Berry Patch Devotions in 2021 - Day 362 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...   Please take the time to take in a song and lyrics from Jackie DeShannon singing … What the World Needs Now … poignantly singing of how our world is in desperate need of God’s love

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Highlight Passage: …  Jude 1:22-23 [NLT] …   

22 And you must show mercy to those whose faith is wavering. 23 Rescue others by snatching them from the flames of judgment. Show mercy to still others, but do so with great caution, hating the sins that contaminate their lives  

… Jude proclaims God’s call for us Christians to do all we can to reach out and share the love of Christ with others as He shared it with us.   

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Highlight Passage [Context]: … Jude 1:17-23 [NLT] …  USE THIS LINK … 

… God thru Jesus’ brother, Jude, shows Christians how we must reach out and share the love of Christ with others who are oppressed or waning in faith.                                

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Reference Passage: … John 13:34-35 [NLT] …  

34 So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. 35 Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”  

… Jesus charges His disciples (and us too!) in the New Covenant to love others just as He has loved us.   

Reference Passage: … Philippians 2:3-5 [NLT] …  USE THIS LINK … 

… Paul strongly exhorts fellow Christians to have the attitude of Christ and to show His love by helping others along with helping ourselves. 

Reference Passage: … 1Peter 4:8 [NLT] …  

8 Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins.   

… Peter reminds oppressed Christians not to ignore sharing Christ’s love with others, especially sin times of trial and tribulation.  

          

My Devotional Journal: Today's Our Daily Bread author, Monica La Rose, AT THIS LINK …  uses the life picture of the wisdom of a shepherd, watching over his flocks, as what is needed in a world like ours,…  quoting an early church father, John Chrysostom, who wrote, … “The shepherd needs great wisdom and a thousand eyes to examine the soul’s condition from every angle.”

And then the ODB author cites Jude (see highlight passage), the half-brother of Jesus, who was trying to show oppressed and misguided Christians that they (and we) must reach out. … even in the midst of trying and confusing times, … to share the love Christ shared with us , trying to help others as much as we can. And I pray we’re all asking ourselves what we can do - maybe even today - to extend Christ’s love and grace with someone; because, as Jackie DeShannon sings in the old 60s hit song, … truly what the world needs now is not just superficial love … but the real love, extended by our Savior, which He calls His disciples to share with the world (see references passages above).                            

My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh, Abba Father, thank You, King Jesus, … for giving me the grace to share Your love with someone who might need it from You thru me.    

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I pray that all reading here will join me, …  to extend Your love with someone who needs it, …. maybe even today!   … 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.

December 27, 2021 … God’s Helping Hand …

Berry Patch Devotions in 2021 - Day 361 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...   Please take the time to take in a song and lyrics from Jeremy Camp singing … Healing Hands of God … poignantly singing of how we can rely on the healing and helping hands of God in our journey thru the trials of life. 

His helping hand ... ALWAYS there !! 

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Highlight Passage: …  Isaiah 41:13 [NLT] …   

13 For I hold you by your right hand— I, the Lord your God.  And I say to you,  ‘Don’t be afraid. I am here to help you.  … 

… God proclaims His promise, thru Isaiah, to restore and renew His faithful remnant in Judah.   

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Highlight Passage [Context]: … Isaiah 41:8-13 [NLT] …  USE THIS LINK … 

… God reminds His faithful remnant of believers (that’s us too) that He will ALWAYS be there to help them in their time of need.                               

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Reference Passage: … Psalm 46:1 [NLT] …  

1 God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble.  

… The psalmist - from God’s inspiration - sings of God’s refuge and strength in times of weakness, fear, and trial.  

Reference Passage: … Proverbs 3:5-6 [NLT] …  USE THIS LINK … 

… God, thru Solomon’s wisdom, declares our need to trust and follow God’s will and ways ALWAYS for Him to lead us thru life. 

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 lifts up His confused and fearful disciples in the upper room with the truth that He, their Lord and Messiah, had overcome the world.  So, they (and we) need not fear. 

Reference Passage: … Philippians 4:13 [NLT] … 

13 For I can do everything through Christ, Who gives me strength.   <

… Paul exhorts fellow Christians [that’s us too] that they (we) can get our strength to endure thru our relationship with Christ.  

          

My Devotional Journal: Today's Our Daily Bread author, Elisa Morgan, AT THIS LINK …  tells of being injured and in pain after an accident with her dog, but receiving uplifting encouragement and strength when she came across the scriptures we read above as the highlight passage, … God’s promises of restoration and strength for His faithful remnant of followers when we times times of trial and fear. 

Right now, as I write this,  I’m in quite a bit of pain from a recent back surgery; and as I read the ODB entry, which is God’s truth, about His overcoming, helping, and restoring hands of care (see Reference Scriptures above) all of which bubbled up in my consciousness from my memory; giving me God’s promises of His hand and lifting me up with His strength to comfort me.  

You, my readers, may be in some pain, or a fearful trial of some kind as you read this.  But if you believe as I do, we’re in GOOD HANDS … HIS HANDS.                           

My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh, Abba Father, thank You, King Jesus, … for giving me the strength of Your enabling grace to deal with today’s pain and trials.  

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I pray that all reading here will join me, …  to believe in and seek out Your empowering grace, Lord, to deal with today’s trials.   … 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.

December 26, 2021 … Making Things Right Again …

Berry Patch Devotions in 2021 - Day 360 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...   Please take the time to take in a song and lyrics from Michael W Smith singing … Friends … poignantly singing of how vital it is to stay close to our friends … FOREVER.  

Fractured friendship ... resolved and reconciled ... 

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Highlight Passage: …  Matthew 5:25a  [NLT] …   

25 “When you are on the way to court with your adversary, settle your differences quickly.  … 

… Jesus exhorts His followers to resolve their differences ASAP, … before it gets to the courts.  

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Highlight Passage [Context]: … Matthew 5:21-26 [NLT] …  USE THIS LINK … 

… Jesus teaches His followers on reconciling differences between believers quickly.                    

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Reference Passage</u>: … John 13:34-35 [NLT] …  USE THIS LINK … 

… Jesus reteaches His disciples God’s commandment to love one another so that others can see the love of Christ being shared among fellow Christians. 

Reference Passage: … Ephesians 4:26-27 [NLT] …  USE THIS LINK … 

… Paul exhorts fellow Christians not to let anger impede resolving differences between each other. 

Reference Passage: … Hebrews 12:14-15 [NLT] …  USE THIS LINK … 

… God, thru the Author of Hebrews, commands fellow Christians to resolve differences and live in peace.

          

My Devotional Journal: Today's Our Daily Bread author, Arthur Jackson, AT THIS LINK …   tells of two men, Simon and Geoffrey, former friends in Kenya whose friendship had become fractured by unresolved differences.  Then as Simon decided to go to Geoffrey’s mother’s funeral, they came together and resolved their differences,…  hugged <b>(see photo)</b>, and became friends again. 

Real friendships are so precious, aren’t they?  And that’s why Jesus and other scripture writers, like Paul, exhorted Christians to reconcile differences ASAP (see Scriptures above), especially before those differences reached the courts.  As the ODB story above and Michael W Smith’s song relate, … we need to do all we can as friends to resolve our differences, especially 

between us Christians, so that others can see the love of God being lived out in Christian friendships.                              

My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh, Abba Father, thank You, King Jesus, … for dying to allow us to come together in peace to show the world Your love and Your grace.   

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I pray that all reading here will join me, …  to do all we can to resolve any differences between us as Christian friends so that God’s love can be lived out and exhibited in our friendships.  … 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.

December 25, 2021 … A Child Become King …

Berry Patch Devotions in 2021 - Day 359 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...   Please take the time to take in a song and lyrics from the group Pentatonic singing … Mary Did You Know … poignantly singing of how young Mary gives birth to a child that she would later realize was her savior and Lord of all. 

Our Christmas Child .. Our Christmas King ... 

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Highlight Passage: …  Philippians 2:6-11  [NLT] …   

6  Though He was God, He did not think of equality with God as something to cling to.  7  Instead, He gave up is divine privileges; He took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. 

… What a thought!  The child in a Bethlehem manger becomes The Messiah, just as was prophesied by Isaiah (see Isaiah 9:1-7).700+ years earlier. 

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Highlight Passage [Context] : …Philippians 2:6-11 [NLT] …  USE THIS LINK … 

… Paul tells of the child being born Who would become the King of kings.                                

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Reference Passage: … Isaiah 9:1-7 [NLT] …  USE THIS LINK … 

… God promises, thru the Prophet Isaiah, a Messiah Who would be born in Bethlehem and become the King of kings and Lord of lords.   

Reference Passage: … Colossians 1:15-20 [NLT] …  USE THIS LINK … 

… The One, born in that Bethlehem manger, is Yahweh, … God Almighty , … King of kings, … Lord of lords. 

          

My Devotional Journal: Today's Our Daily Bread author, Sheridan Voysey, AT THIS LINK …  asks his readers to imagine that scene in a Bethlehem manger, maybe a cave, maybe a stall for cattle, … but a manger none-the-greater, … where a babe was born; but one that his blessed Mother didn’t even realize fully that she had given birth to the King of Kings … the Lord of lords, … God Almighty in the form of a baby, … the One we celebrate today as our Lord and Savior, … this Christmas King.        

 

For years, … this humble writer and disciple of King Jesus, has revered the highlight passage as being my favorite Christmas passage; because it describes Whom was born to that humble - but blessed - virgin.  He’s the baby Who was Mary’s (and our) King. This Christmas child was  her (and our)  Lord, and the one, as the linked song sings, would save her from her sins … and anyone else - like me or you - who would surrender to repent and receive God’s saving grace.   

Oh how I pray, on this Christmas day, that all who read here are celebrating what that Christmas child did for us all by becoming a cell, conceived in Mary’s womb by God’s Spirit, and the One Who was raised by a humble carpenter to become THE ONE Who went to the cross and died and was raised from the dead to show the world that He was - AND IS - King Jesus,  … God Almighty!  

I celebrate today … The Christmas Child Who saved me; … how about you?                              

My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh, Abba Father, thank You, King Jesus, … for setting aside Your glory to become that Babe in the manger, … Whom we celebrate today as our King of kings and Lord of lords.    

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I pray that all reading here will join me, …  to celebrate the coming of our Christmas child, … born to die on a cross to save us all!!  … 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.