January 31, 2022 … Tears of Love …

Berry Patch Devotions in 2021 - Day 31 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...   Please take the time to take in a song and lyrics from Matt Hammitt singing … Tears … singing of how God made our tears to express our deepest love toward Him.  

Tears of love ... 

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Highlight Passage: …  Luke 7:38 [NLT] …   

38 Then she knelt behind hHm at His feet, weeping. Her tears fell on His feet, and she wiped them off with her hair. Then she kept kissing His feet and putting perfume on them. 

… The women shed her tears and anointed Jesus’ feet at the banquet to show her unashamed love for Jesus.                     

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Highlight Passage [Context]: … Luke 7:36-44 [NLT] …  USE THIS LINK … 

… Luke relates the encounter of the uninvited sinful woman at a Pharisee’s banquet. the woman unashamedly shed tears to anoint the feet of Jesus.                           

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Highlight Passage [Context]: … Job 16:20 [NLT] …  

20  My friends scorn me, but I pour out my tears to God.   

…  Like Job we need to be willing to shed our tears of love and desperation to God. 

Highlight Passage [Context]: … Psalm 126:5 [NLT] …  

5  Those who plant in tears will harvest with shouts of joy. 

… The Psalmist sings of shedding tears of love to reap a harvest of joy.        

Highlight Passage [Context]: … John 11:33-37 [NLT] …  USE THIS LINK … 

… Jesus wept, showing His love for Lazarus …  

          

My Devotional Journal: Today's Our Daily Bread author, Elisa Morgan AT THIS LINK …  tells of the apologetic, but sincere, tears shed by her friend, Karen, who was so thankful for the men of her church organizing and including her teenage kids in a special weekend outing for the youth of her church.    

How often, … probably not often enough, … are we moved to tears of joy or thankfulness, being willing to openly and honestly shed those tears to show our love or gratitude?  

It’s my prayer, here today, that we take in the scriptures above about those who were willing to shed tears of love, … including Jesus Himself; … and then, let the tears flow if we feel them, being unapologetic to show our love for the object of our tears. 

If they’re there, let ‘em flow, my friend !! 

My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh, Abba Father, thank You, King Jesus, … for being the object of my tears of love as I hear the linked song this morning and know what You have done for me, my Lord.    

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I pray that all reading here will join me, … to let the tears go, when we feel Your love for us, dear Lord.      … 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.

January 30, 2022 … Praying and Waiting …

Berry Patch Devotions in 2021 - Day 30 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...   Please take the time to take in a song and lyrics from the group Elevation Worship + Maverick singing … Wait On You  … singing of how we, as Christians, at times simply must humbly and patiently wait on God’s promises to unfold. 

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Highlight Passage: … Psalm 6:3b [NLT] …   

3b … How long, O Lord, until you restore me? 

… David desperately waits for God to respond to his prayers.                    

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Highlight Passage [Context]: … Psalm 6 [NLT] …  USE THIS LINK … 

… King David sings a desperate prayer, waiting for God to respond.                          

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

… Solomon shows that we must trust in God <b>with our whole heart</b> to be able to follow His leading in life 

Highlight Passage [Context]: … Isaiah 4:31 [NLT] … 

31  But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.  

… God, thru the Prophet shows His willingness to renew the strength of those who’re willing to trust and wait on the Lord to give us His strength.      

Highlight Passage [Context]: … Lamentations 3:22-25 [NLT] …  USE THIS LINK … 

… God thru the Prophet Jeremiah promises to lift up those who patiently depend on Him.  

Highlight Passage [Context]: … Matthew 11:28-30 [NLT] …  USE THIS LINK … 

… Jesus promised His disciples (and us!) His strength when we trust and wait on His yoke of power in our times of weakness.  

          

My Devotional Journal: Today's Our Daily Bread author, John Blase AT THIS LINK …   tells of a scenario dealt which many parents have dealt with on long trips with young children, who often ask, during the travels, … “Are we there yet!”, … (see photo).   

But we adults are like that too, aren’t we, in this journey we call life?  All too often, I find myself, getting impatient - at the least and maybe even desperate at times - waiting for God to intervene  with my “Are we there yet, God” impatience.  In those instances I need a big dose of the truths God gives us in the Scriptures above, where He is saying to all who really trust and are willing to follow Him all the way to the destination to where HE is leading us.  

And that’s my prayer for all of us today; … that we humbly and patiently wait on God to show us the way … HIS WAY!!  

My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh, Abba Father, thank You, King Jesus, … for handing me Your “GPS” - that is, Your word - which shows me the way You’re leading me to go today. 

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I pray that all reading here will join me, … to patiently wait on You, Lord, to show us the way to go today … and then again 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.

January 29, 2022 … Letting Go Today …

Berry Patch Devotions in 2021 - Day 29 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...    Please take the time to take in a song and lyrics from Steffany Gretzinger singing … Letting Go  … singing of how we, as Christians, must let go of our selves to find closeness to the Savior.   

Letting go of self ... 

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Highlight Passage: … Matthew 19:21 [NLT] …   

21 Jesus told him [the rich young ruler], “If you want to be perfect, go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” 

… Jesus teaches (and commands) the rich young ruler what it takes to enter God’s kingdom, a command to which the young man could not comply.                   

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Highlight Passage [Context]: … Matthew 19:16-26 [NLT] …  USE THIS LINK … 

… Jesus encounters a rich young ruler who desires to know how to enter God’s kingdom.                           

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

… Solomon shows that we must trust in God <b>with our whole heart</b> to be able to follow His leading in life 

Highlight Passage [Context]: … Matthew 5:43-48 [NLT] …  USE THIS LINK … 

… Jesus commands His followers (and disciples) to go beyond God’s commands to “love your neighbor” <b>[see Lev 19:18]</b> … and to even “love your enemies,” … praying for them, and doing all we can to “be perfect” as He, our Lord, is perfect.    

Highlight Passage [Context]: … Ephesians 4:31-32 [NLT] …  USE THIS LINK … 

… Paul passes along God’s desire to fellow Christians to get rid of all past selfishness, anger or bitterness and to forgive one another as Christ has forgiven us.  

Highlight Passage [Context]: … Philippians 3:12-14 [NLT] …  USE THIS LINK … 

… Paul exhorts fellow Christians to strive forward, as he (Paul) was, toward the goal of Christlikeness.  

          

My Devotional Journal: Today's Our Daily Bread author, Monica La Rose AT THIS LINK …    quotes author, Kathleen Norris, about the concept of “perfectionism,” who wrote,  “Perfectionism is one of the scariest words I know,” … pointing to story in Matthew of the rich young ruler who thought he had led a pure and perfect life.  Yet Jesus showed the young man that he was holding on to his wealth and power too tightly and would never enter God’s kingdom with that attitude. 

With that story of the rich young ruler as a backdrop of truth, we need to ask ourselves if we’re holding on to any selfish attitude too tightly in this life, … being called by God’s truth (see Scriptures above) to let ANYTHING go (see photo) that’s holding us back from becoming more like Christ.  

I know that I find myself holding on too tightly to my balloon of desire to be admired by others.  What do we need to let go, as we hear in the linked song, to become more like our Lord?   

My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh, Abba Father, thank You, King Jesus, … for giving me the enabling grace to let go of my self and to follow You, Lord, more closely. Yes, even today!!  

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I pray that all reading here will join me, … to let go of the balloon of selfishness to follow You, Lord, toward Christlikeness.     … 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.

January 28, 2022 … Roots of Trust …

Berry Patch Devotions in 2021 - Day 28 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...    Please take the time to take in a song and lyrics from Jeremy Camp singing … Walk By Faith … singing of how we thrive when we walk by faith and trust in following our Lord. 

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Highlight Passage: …  Jeremiah 17:7-8 [NLT] …   

7  “But blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence. 8  They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water. 

… God blesses those who plant their roots of faith deeply in a trusting relationship with the Lord.  

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Highlight Passage [Context]: … Jeremiah 17:5-8 [NLT] …  USE THIS LINK … 

… God, thru the Prophet Jeremiah, promises to bless those who plant their roots of trust deeply in our faith in the Lord.                          

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

… Those who plant roots of faith and trust deeply in God’s word will prosper.  

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

… Solomon shows how trusting in God with ALL our hearts is the way to find God’s way in life.   

Highlight Passage [Context]: … Isiah 26:3  [NLT] …  

 3  You will keep in perfect peace ALL who trust in You, … all whose thoughts are fixed on You!   

… Only those who can fix their (our) thoughts on the Lord can find His peace.  

Highlight Passage [Context]: … Matthew 11:28-30 [NLT] …  USE THIS LINK … 

… Jesus promises to give His faithful His strength to cover us in our weakness.      

 

Highlight Passage [Context]: …John 14:1  [NLT] …  

1 “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in Me.   

… Jesus charges His disciples (and us!) to trust in Him, … no matter what they (we) face. 

My Devotional Journal: Today's Our Daily Bread author, Marvin Williams AT THIS LINK …    relates a story of a pregnant woman diagnosed with a liver condition who decided not to be hospitalized during the COVID pandemic, trusting in God; … and was rewarded in that trust with a healthy delivery.  

There are so many things in life which can cause us to be stressed or anxious, … especially in this pandemic and with all the dark and threatening things we face these days.  But if we can fix our minds and hearts on God’s repeated promises to give His peace to those who trust in Him (see Scriptures above), we can - AND WILL - find His strength to deal with the stresses of life. 

i come here every morning to start my day by covering myself with God’s word and receiving His promises of peace and strength, which He gives me thru His word to lift me up for my day.  How do you find Gold’s peace each day?       

My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh, Abba Father, thank You, King Jesus, … for giving me the empowering grace of Your strength thru Your word again today.  

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I pray that all reading here will join me, … to plant our roots of faith deeply in Your truth, Lord, again 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.

January 27, 2022 … Let It Go !! …

Berry Patch Devotions in 2021 - Day 27 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...    Please take the time to take in a song and lyrics from Matthew West singing … Forgiveness … singing of how God has commanded us to go beyond ourselves and forgive others when we’ve been wronged. 

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Highlight Passage: …  Romans 12:17-18 [NLT] …  

17 Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. 18 Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone. 

… Paul exhorts fellow Christians to let go of grudges and live in peach with all as much as we can.                 

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Highlight Passage [Context]: … Romans 12:12-21 [NLT] …  USE THIS LINK … 

… God, thru Paul, teaches forgiveness rather that holding grudges or seeking revenge.                         

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Reference Passage: … Leviticus 19:18 [NLT] … 

18 “Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against a fellow Israelite, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord. 

… Moses relates God’s instructions for Godly living which includes letting go of any grudges and living in peace with one another. 

Highlight Passage [Context]: … Matthew 5:43-44 [NLT] …  USE THIS LINK … 

… Jesus commands His followers (and disciples0 to go beyond God’s commands to “love your neighbor” [see Lev 19:18] … and to even “love your enemies,” … praying for them.  

Highlight Passage [Context]: … Matthew 6:14-15 [NLT] …  USE THIS LINK … 

… Jesus in His sermon on the mountain teaches His followers to forgive others who have wronged us if we desire our Heavenly Father to forgive us of our trespasses.   

Highlight Passage [Context]: … Ephesians 4:31-32 [NLT] …  USE THIS LINK … 

… Paul passes along God’s desire to fellow Christians to get rid of all past anger or bitterness and to forgive one another as Christ as forgiven us.      

          

My Devotional Journal: Today's Our Daily Bread author, Marvin Williams AT THIS LINK …  relates a story of two old CFL football players who got in a fight on stage a league event from a grudge which they had held for years.  And as the fight went on, those in attendance at the event, cried out, ”Let it go!!”, which is good - and Godly - advice  for anyone who holds onto anger and enmity toward another for any length of time.  

God’s word, repetitively, in the Old and New Testaments <b>(see Scriptures above)</b>. commands us, as disciple of Christ, to let go of any grudges we hold onto and to do as Matthew West sings in the linked song … i.e., to forgive and show love to any who’ve wronged us in the past.  

And that’s my prayer for anyone reading here who might be holding on to a desire to seek vengeance for any wrong which was done to us in the past.  Common, dear one, … let’s LET IT GO with a forgiving heart, … praying for any who’ve wronged us and moving on with the peace of Christ in our hearts today.       

My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh, Abba Father, thank You, King Jesus, … for showing me how to forgive those who’ve wronged me in my past. 

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I pray that all reading here will join me, … to forgive anyone in our past who’ve wronged us and to move on in peace … Your peace, Lord.     … 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.

January 26, 2022 … Real Happiness? …

Berry Patch Devotions in 2021 - Day 26 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...   Please take the time to take in a song and lyrics from Chris Tomlin leading in worship and singing … I Stand Amazed In the Presence … singing of how wondrous and joyous it is to be in the presence of our Lord, King Jesus. 

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Highlight Passage: …  Ecclesiastes 3:12 … 14 [NLT] …  

12 So I concluded there is nothing better than to be happy and enjoy ourselves as long as we can. …  14 And I know that whatever God does is final. Nothing can be added to it or taken from it. God’s purpose is that people should fear Him. 

… Solomon teaches that searching for God is at the heart of seeking happiness.                  

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Highlight Passage [Context] … Ecclesiastes 3:9-14 [NLT] …  USE THIS LINK … 

… Solomon concludes that searching for closeness to God is searching for real happiness.                        

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Reference Passage: … Proverbs 16:20 [NLT] … 

20  Those who listen to instruction will prosper; those who trust the Lord will be joyful. 

… The only way to find happiness and joy is trusting and following God’s word.  

Highlight Passage [Context]: … Habakkuk 3:17-18 [NLT] …  USE THIS LINK … 

… God shows, thru the Prophet Habakkuk, that the only way to joy and happiness is thru our relationship with the Lord and trusting in Him.   

Highlight Passage [Context]: … John 15:6-7 [NLT] …  USE THIS LINK … 

… Jesus commands His Disciples to abide in Him and follow His commands to achieve joy and happiness. 

Highlight Passage [Context]: … Philippians 4:4-9 [NLT] …  USE THIS LINK … 

… Paul teaches fellow Christians (and us!) that we will only find joy and happiness and experience God’s peace in a close and abiding relationship with the Lord.     

          

My Devotional Journal: Today's Our Daily Bread author, Sheridan Voysey AT THIS LINK … writes of a 10th century Spanish king who took inventory of all the days he ruled and could account for only 14 where he had true happiness, which is in line with the feeling and writings of Solomon in his journal in Ecclesiastes. 

Solomon, in Ecclesiastes (see highlight passage, writes to believers in Yahweh that only those days where we seek after and follow God’s purposes in life will be those where we find any happiness and joy.  And that is supported by other writings in God’s word, isn’t it (see reference Scriptures above)?  

So, I’m praying that other readers here have discovered what this Christian has discovered; and that is to seek my happiness by following God’s will and His ways through His word … just as I am right now by journalling what I’m finding in God’s truth again today.       

My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh, Abba Father, thank You, King Jesus, … for showing my way to Your happiness thru Your word.  

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I pray that all reading here will join me, … to seek after the joy of Your happiness thru Your word, Lord, again 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.

January 25, 2022 … God’s Real-deal Love …

Berry Patch Devotions in 2021 - Day 25 

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 … singing of how the world so desperately needs the love of God. 

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Highlight Passage: …  1John 4:16 [NLT] …   

16 We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in His love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them.. 

… God’s love dwells in anyone who loves and lives for the Lord.                  

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Highlight Passage [Context]: … 1John 4:10-21 [NLT] …  USE THIS LINK … 

… God, thru John, promises His everlasting - perfect love to any/all who know and love our Lord.                       

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Reference Passage: … Psalm 86:15 [NLT] … 

8 But you, O Lord, are a God of compassion and mercy,  slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love and faithfulness. 

… David sings a prayer, showing the extent of God’s love and mercy for His chosen ones. 

Highlight Passage [Context]: … John 3:16-17 [NLT] …  USE THIS LINK … 

… God’s love for us was (and is) so great that He was willing to die of us.   

Highlight Passage [Context]: … John 13:34-35 [NLT] …  USE THIS LINK … 

… Jesus commands His Disciples in the upper room the night before His betrayal to love one another as He has loved them.

Reference Passage: … Romans 5:8 [NLT] … 

8 But God showed His great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. 

… Even tho mankind were (and are) sinners, Christ love was so great He died for us sinners.    

          

My Devotional Journal: Today's Our Daily Bread author, Anne Cetas, AT THIS LINK …  tells of a college professor who taught a college course online and made sure to wish his class his best at the end of class.  But one student - to her classmates one day responded by saying, “I love you;” and from that day onward, the class created a “love you chain,” which created a strong bond of togetherness in the class. 

That’s what love - real-deal love … Godlike love … can do.   And it’s the kind of love that our Lord showed all of us who have come to know Him as Lord and Savior, isn’t it?  The Apostle John wrote about God’s love extensively in His gospel and in His letters (see John’s scriptures above); and He even washed their feet in the upper room the night before His betrayal and death to show how any of His disciples - yes, even us latter day disciples - can … and must … show others when we have His love dwelling in us as born-again believers. 

So, I pray we respond to the call of the linked popular song from the 60s and reach out in our lives to show God’s love, which is so needed in our world, to others today.     

My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh, Abba Father, thank You, King Jesus, … for giving us Your love to share with others today. 

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I pray that all reading here will join me, … to do all we can to share Your love with someone 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.