Berry Patch Devotions in 2021 - Day 123
Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ... Please take the time to take in song and lyrics from Chris Tomlin singing … No Turning Back … poignantly singing of we Christians must follow the ways of Christ no matter how unpopular that may be in the world.
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Highlight Passage: Matthew 5:39 [ESV] …
39 But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.
… Many of Jesus’ teaching were difficult to hear and follow by the people.
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Highlight Passage [Context]: … Matthew 5:38-48 [ESV] … USE THIS LINK …
… Jesus’ radical/unpopular ways from His Sermon on the Mount
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Reference Passage: … Proverbs 3:5-6 [ESV] …
5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths. <
… As Christ followers, we are to surrender to God’s ways … ALWAYS … trusting in our Lord … ALWAYS !!
Reference Passage: … Luke 9;23 [ESV] …
23 And He (Jesus) said to all, “If anyone would come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me.
… Following Jesus often means we have to deny our own ideas and selfish ways.
Reference Passage: … Romans 12:1-2 [ESV] …
1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
… As disciples of Christ we are to become living sacrifices, avoiding the ways of the world to follow the ways of our LORD.
My Devotional Journal: Today's Our Daily Bread author, Anne Cetas, AT THIS LINK … writes about a white-supremacist, who turned to follow Christ’s and had to be protected by the same African-American Christians he had wronged in the past.
Turning to follow Christ’s ways, and repenting of our selfish/sinful ways, will often mean going against the ways of the world, won’t it? And that’s why in His day Jesus’ teaching (see highlight passage) went against the ways of the culture of those times. And to this day, we still find it difficult to TOTALLY turn from the ways of the world or the flesh in surrender to follow our Lord as He calls us to discipleship in Luke 9:23.
What ways, in our lives, do we find it difficult to turn and follow Jesus, … with a “no turning back” attitude (see photo)? But if we’re willing to surrender completely and follow Jesus, the road may be tough to follow; but it will be so-SO worth it!!
My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh Abba Father, ... thank You, King Jesus, … for showing me Your way to follow You, Lord, by using Your “GPS,” found in Your word.
My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I pray that all reading here will join me, … to turn from the ways of the world to follow God’s ways. … 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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