Feb 9, 2021 … Looking Upward

Berry Patch Devotions in 2020 - Day 40

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...   Please take the time to take in song and lyrics from Alan Jackson singing … Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus…  Poignantly singing of how we Christians should always look to the ways and will of our Lord, Jesus. 

The cockeyed squid ... 

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Highlight Passage:  Colossians 3:2  [ESV] ... 

2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. 

… Paul clearly points fellow Christians to where our eyes should be focused.      

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Highlight Passage [Context]: …  Colossians 3:1-4 [ESV] …  USE THIS LINK … 

… Paul helping fellow Christians to focus heavenward rather than on the things of earth or the flesh.  

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Reference Passage: … Psalm 101:3  [ESV] ... 

3 I will not set before my eyes anything that is worthless.  I hate the work of those who fall away; it shall not cling to me. 

…  David, in song, commits his eyes to avoid anything worthless in God’s eyes, … turning away from those who would do evil. 

Reference Passage: … Matthew 6:25-33 [ESV] ...  USE THIS LINK … </b>

…  Jesus, to His followers, points them to where their focus should be … on God and His righteousness, … NOT on the things of this earth. 

Reference Passage: … Ephesians 5:15-16  [ESV] ... 

15 Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. 

…  Paul exhorts fellow Christians to seek and walk wisely in those evil times, … just as we should in our times. 

Reference Passage: … 2Timothy 3:16-17 [ESV] … USE THIS LINK … 

…  Paul helps Timothy (and us) realize the power of God’s word to keep us focused heavenward in this life. 

My Devotional Journal: Today's Our Daily Bread author, Kirsten Holmberg, AT THIS LINK  describes the features of the cockeyed squid (see photo), a creature of the deep with two eyes, one larger than the other which apparently looks upward to the light and the smaller one which watches downward into the darkness of the depth. 

And the author uses this interesting creature to illustrate that we, as Christians, are forced to watch out for the challenges of this life; but should - really MUST - look upward, seeking Godly wisdom and vision from God’s word to navigate our lives heavenward.  That’s what the Scriptures above and the linked song today point us toward; don’t they?   And I pray that is how we have our eyes focused … HEAVENWARD … as we walk thru this life. 

My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh Abba Father, ... thank You, Lord, … for giving us Your word to help us focus our lives heavenward as we walk thru this life. 

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... I pray that all reading here will join me, …to use God’s light, … His word, … to help us look heavenward while walking here on earth today and tomorrow.  … 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.