October 21, 2021 … Digging Deeply …

Berry Patch Devotions in 2021 - Day 294 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...  Please take the time to take in a song and lyrics from The Gettys singing … Speak, O Lord … poignantly singing of how We, as Christians, must dig deeply into God’s word as His light guiding us in this life. 

Digging deeply and using God's "GPS" ... His word ... 

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Highlight Passage:  John 5:39-40  [NLT] …  

39 “You search the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me! 40 Yet you refuse to come to me to receive this life. 

… Jesus declares that God’s word - the Scriptures - point to Him as The Messiah.                     

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Highlight Passage [Context]: … John 5:39-47 [NLT] …  USE THIS LINK … 

… Jesus challenges the religious leaders of His day to see that Scriptures point to Him as the way to eternal life. 

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Reference Passage: … Psalm 19:7-11  [NLT] …  USE THIS LINK … 

… King David sings of God’s truth (i.e., His word) which guides those who follow Scriptures to know God more deeply and to follow His ways. 

Reference Passage: … Psalm 119:1-3  [NLT] …  USE THIS LINK …  

… King David again sings of the joy experienced by those who know and obey God’s word. 

Reference Passage: … Joshua 1:8 [NLT] …   

8 Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do.

… God shows Joshua (and any believer) how to be successful in carrying out God’s will … by being deeply into the discipline of following God’s word. 

Reference Passage: … 2Timothy 3:16-17 [NLT] …  

16 All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. 17 God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work. 

…  Paul shows Timothy (and us) the importance of knowing and following God’s word in our lives so as to know more deeply and to follow His ways more closely,       

My Devotional Journal: Today's Our Daily Bread author, Arthur Jackson, AT THIS LINK   … quoted J.I. Packard, noted Bible scholar and author, who had written about the importance of knowing God thru His word, writing, … “A simple Bible reader and sermon hearer who is full of the Holy Spirit will develop a far deeper acquaintance with his God and Savior than a more learned scholar who is content with being theologically correct.” 

If my readers, … as I have today, … have taken in the ODB entry inked above, I hope you are as encouraged, by God’s truth, … that the way to know God more intimately and follow His will and His ways more closely is to dig deeply - and with discipline - following God’s word.  

That’s why you find me here every morning, … desiring to use God’s “GPS” (i.e., God’s Positioning System), ,,, and that is His word … to know my Lord more intimately.   Because, … as God taught Joshua (in Joshua 1:8); … and as Jesus rebuked the Pharisees in the highlight passage, … and as Paul taught Timothy (in 2Timothy 3:16-17), … God’s prescription for success in knowing His ways and following His will is to dig deeply into God’s word and to follow it closely every day (see photo).  

I leave it to you, fellow Christian, and your relationship with God’s Spirit, as to whether that is your desire and daily discipline. It certainly is mine.   And for years it has led me daily out of darkness into God’s light. I pray the same for you.        

My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh, Abba Father, thank You, King Jesus, … for calling me to follow You daily by being in Your word and seeking to follow Your truth.      

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I pray that all reading here will join me, …  to dig into Your truth daily, Lord, and to do all we can to follow Your word as our “GPS” in life.   … 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.