July 1, 2021 … Taking Time To Pray …

Berry Patch Devotions in 2021 - Day 182 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...   Please take the time to take in song and lyrics from Michael W Smith leading worship and singing Martin Luther’s hymn … A Mighty Fortress … poignantly singing how our God is a mighty fortress in Whom we can rest … ALWAYS. 

==============

Highlight Passage:  Psalm 46:10 [ESV] …  

10 “Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!”  

… God speaks thru the Psalmist, commanding His people to rest in His mighty presence.       

=============  

Highlight Passage [Context]: … Psalm 46 [ESV] …  USE THIS LINK … 

… The Psalmist writes of taking rest in our God, Who is our mighty fortress …    

==============           

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

… God, thru Solomon, shows us that we should trust and follow God ALWAYS, … even when we’re feeling weak or confused. 

Reference Passage: … Isaiah 26:3 [ESV] … 

3 You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You. 

… God points us tot he key to peace and that is to keep our mind focused on seeking the Lord. 

Reference Passage: … Isaiah 41:10 [ESV] …

10 …fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. 

… God, thru the Prophet Isaiah, promises His strength to lift us up in times of weakness.

Reference Passage: … Matthew 11:28-30 [ESV] … USE THIS LINK … 

… Jesus invites any/all who believe on Him to rest in His strength when we feel weak.   

Reference Passage: …Hebrews 4:1, 3 [ESV] … USE THIS LINK .. 

… God’s word, thru Hebrews, shows that God’s promise of rest always has been available to those who trust in our God’s strength.  

My Devotional Journal: Today's Our Daily Bread author, John Blasé, AT THIS LINK   …cites an Hawaiian historian who described the early converted Hawaiian Christians who, from their preChristian temple habits, felt the the Missionaries who led them to Christ didn’t take enough time to prepare for and languish in time devoted to prayer.  

And wouldn’t that be the observation one could make about many, … if not most, … Christians today?  I’m certainly convicted by what the ODB author wrote about Martin Luther, who often led those around him to sing his hymn, A Mighty Fortress, the lyrics of which (see linked song) were based in Psalm 46.  

And if you believe, as I do, that God’s word calls us (see Scriptures above)to rest in our Lord as our MIGHTY FORTRESS, giving us His strength to lift us up when we are feeling weak, then why don’t we take more time to rest and find peace in our prayers to our mighty God?  

As I said, I’m convicted by that question.  How about you?         

My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh, Abba Father, thank You, King Jesus, … for being my rest today.  Help me to take the time to rest in Your mighty strength in my prayer time with You.     

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I pray that all reading here will join me, … to just take the time to rest in prayer with our MIGHTY FORTRESS today. … Amen

=============

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.