February 28, 2022 … Celebrating With Joy

Berry Patch Devotions in 2021 - Day 59 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...   Please take the time to take in song and lyrics from David Crowder and Lauren Wells singing … All My Hope …  poignantly singing of how can always find joy in the hope we have from our relationship with Christ.  

Let's celebrate !!! 

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Highlight Passage: … 1Peter 2:9 [NLT] …   

9 But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.   

… Those who come to know Christ as Lord and Savior come to realize that we are a chosen people who have been ushered from the kingdom of darkness in Christ’s wonderful light.            

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Highlight Passage [Context]: … 1Peter 2:1-3, 9-10 [NLT] …  USE THIS LINK … 

… Peter shows fellow Christians, especially those who are oppressed, the joy should now have in the saving graced we have received from Christ and in our relationship with Him.                     

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Highlight Passage [Context]: … Jeremiah 15:16  [NLT] …  

16  When I discovered your words, I devoured them. They are my joy and my heart’s delight, for I bear your name, O Lord God of Heaven’s Armies.  

… Like Jeremiah we can - and should - find joy and celebration in the consumption of God’s word.  

Highlight Passage [Context]: … Matthew 4:4  [NLT] … 

4 But Jesus told him, “No! The Scriptures say, ‘People do not live by bread alone,
but by every word that comes from the mouth of God. 

…Jesus takes on the temptations of Satan by quoting (see Deut 8:3) of how we don’t live by bread alone, but by consuming and living under the power of God’s word. 

Highlight Passage [Context]: … Hebrews 5:14  [NLT] …  USE THIS LINK … 

14 Solid food is for those who are mature, who through training have the skill to recognize the difference between right and wrong. 

…God teaches His mature disciples that they must consume God’s word as their solid food to empower them to live as Christ.            

My Devotional Journal: Today's Our Daily Bread author, Monica La Rose… AT THIS LINK …  writes of an author learning from a handicapped friend that the opposite of envy is celebration, … realizing that her friend, who would have been an easy victim of the selfishness of envy due to her handicap; but had learned to celebrate the life she had with no regrets.         

It’s easy to slip into the slippery slope of comparing our lives with those who have more and can do more and becoming consumed with envy.   But when we can truly celebrate who we are because of Christ and in the relationship we have with Him, as Jesus expressed in the wilderness with Satan tempting [see Matt 4, we can live without the consumed temptation of envy, expressing the joy we have in the hope Christ gives us thru His word.   

How bout it?!  Let’s take in the joy of His truth today, … consuming its goodness, and celebrate the joy we have in the hope of being with Christ forever.       

My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh, Abba Father, thank You, King Jesus, … the grace I feed on daily from Your word which gives me the fuel to live for tomorrow.   

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I pray that all reading here will join me, …  to consume more of God’s bread of life today to feed us for 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.

February 27, 2022 … Joyful Good News

Berry Patch Devotions in 2021 - Day 58 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...   Please take the time to take in song and lyrics from Mercy Me singing … Best News Ever…  poignantly singing of how we Christians always in possession of the best news every … the reality of the saving grace for our Lord and Savior Jesus. 

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Highlight Passage: … Isaiah 61:1 [NLT] …   

1 The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon me, for the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor He has sent me to comfort the brokenhearted and to proclaim that captives will be released and prisoners will be freed  

… Isaiah’s prophesy of Christ coming to save His people, … the ultimate in good news.          

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Highlight Passage [Context]: …Isaiah 61:1-7 [NLT] …  USE THIS LINK … 

… God, thru Isiah’a prophets of the coming of the Messiah be bring the good news of salvation and restoration to God’s oppressed people                                      

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Highlight Passage [Context]: …Luke 4:18-21 [NLT] …  USE THIS LINK … 

… Jesus reads from the Isaiah prophesy of the coming Messiah; and then declares that He IS the good news. 

Highlight Passage [Context]: …John 15:11  [NLT] …  

11 I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow!.   

… Jesus wanted His disciples - and us too - to have all the joy we could in our relationship with Him.

Highlight Passage [Context]: … Romans 15:13  [NLT] …  USE THIS LINK …  

13 I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit. 

…Paul wanted his fellow Christians to see all the joy that they could have in the hope of salvation in Christ.          

My Devotional Journals: Today's Our Daily Bread author, Winn Collier … AT THIS LINK …  told of a radio broadcast by a young woman during the horrible 1964 9.2 scale earthquake in Anchorage Alaska where her radio reports, interspersed with names of survivors were great news to those who wanted to know about loved ones.        

And that’s what the prophetic news of a coming Messiah to save the world should have been to God’s people in the dire times they were going thru when Isaiah gave that prophesy (see highlight passage)   It’s the good news that should have rocked the people when Jesus repeated  that prophesy in Bethlehem in Luke 4.  And it’s the good news which when shared with others shows the world Jesus has come to save us all.  

I pray we all revel in this good news today and go out and share it with others today.         

My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh, Abba Father, thank You, King Jesus, … for reminding me of the joy I have in the good news of Your saving grace. 

My Prayer Today Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I pray that all reading here will join me, …  to revel together in the saving grace we share in our surrender to Christ today.   Amen 

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Blogger Not:  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

February 26, 2022 … My Family Is His Family!

Berry Patch Devotions in 2021 - Day 57

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...   Please take the time to take in song and lyrics from Bill Gaither singing … The Family of God …  poignantly singing of how we Christians are joined together in God’s family.  

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Highlight Passage: … Ephesians 2:19 [NLT] …   

19 So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God’s holy people. You are members of God’s family.  

… Gentiles and Jews alike all now apart of God’s family of believers.         

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Highlight Passage [Context]: … Ephesians 2:19-22 [NLT] …  USE THIS LINK … 

… God, thru Paul’s teaching of how God has included any/all who believe on the fished work of Jesuits be part of His family … the family of God                                       

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Highlight Passage [Context]: … John 1:12  [NLT] …  

12 But to all who believed Him and accepted him, He gave the right to become children of God.. 

… God declares, thru John, that ANYONE who accepts Jesus as Lord will be part of the family of God.

Highlight Passage [Context]: … 1Corinthians 12:22-27  [NLT] …  USE THIS LINK …  </b>

… God is putting together His body - Hie Family - to be able to function in unity.         

My Devotional Journal: Today's Our Daily Bread author, Lisa M Samra … AT THIS LINK …  used an illustration from the popular British TV drama, Downtown Abbey, to show how difficult it can be to integrate a new person into en established family depicted in the drama.      

And right now, having been very sick for the past few days, all I want to convey today is the glorious truth that in my belief in the finished work of Jesus, Whom I believe to be The Christ, I know that I’m part of God’s family and will be with His glorious family one day in heaven.   And I pray anyone reading here with me will be part of that family as well. 

And I hope that we all can sing along with Bill Gather in the linked song that we are all graciously a part of the Family of God.        

My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh, Abba Father, thank You, King Jesus, … for allowing me into Your family 

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I pray that all reading here will join me, …  to worship and work together gratefully today as part of the family of God…  … 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.

February 25, 2022 … The Right Door ?!

Berry Patch Devotions in 2021 - Day 56 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...   Please take the time to take in song and lyrics from Keith and Kristyn Getty singing … God’s Perfect Wisdom …  poignantly singing of how we, children must look to follow God’s perfect wisdom in dealing with confusing life. 

No ... not that door !! 

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Highlight Passage: … Proverbs 5:8 [NLT] …  

8  Stay away from her! Don’t go near the door of her house!  

… Solomon warns his son to stay away from the door of the temptress (see photo)        

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Highlight Passage [Context]: … Proverbs 5:1-14 [NLT] …  USE THIS LINK … 

… Solomon presents for his son the warning to follow God’s woman of wisdom rather that the enemy’s temptress in life.                                      

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Highlight Passage [Context]: … Proverbs 1:7 [NLT] … 

7 Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.  

… Solomon shows us that the fear of an following the Lord is the way to wisdom.  

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

…It’s all a matter of trusting God to follow His word and to avoid letting our own ways to lead us to temptation and ruin.        

Highlight Passage [Context]: … Proverbs 3;13  [NLT] …  

13  Joyful is the person who finds wisdom, the one who gains understanding.   

… Solomon again showing His son (and us too) that joy comes by seeking and finding Godly wisdom. 

Highlight Passage [Context]: … Proverbs 4:7  [NLT] … 

7 Getting wisdom is the wisest thing you can do!  And whatever else you do, develop good judgment.  

… Solomon reaches that pursuing wisdom is the wisest thing we will every do in life. 

           

My Devotional Journa Today's Our Daily Bread author, Sheridan Voysey … AT THIS LINK …  tells of how Solomon tries to help his son in the first nine chapters of Proverbs to look to follow the wonderful woman called “wisdom”, rather than to be led thru the wrong door of temptation by Satan’s evil temptress - that other woman Solomon warned his son about over and over again (see Proverbs above).    

And my guess is that everyone - especially every man - reading here has been led by the temptress of sexual sin to that red door of self-indulgence and selfish sin <b>in the photo</b>.  All we have to do is follow the wise woman God gives us to go to one of the other doors - ANY of the other doors. 

Oh how I pray we avoid that red door today.       

My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh, Abba Father, thank You, King Jesus, … for giving me the empowering and discerning grace to open the doors You lead me to open for my good and Your glory today.   

My Prayer Today Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I pray that all reading here will join me, …  to seek out and follow Your wisdom, Lord, and as we confront the doors of life 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.

February 24, 2022 … Following Our Leader

Berry Patch Devotions in 2021 - Day 55

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...    Please take the time to take in song and lyrics from Clay Crosse, Bob Carlisle, and Bebe Winans singing … I will Follow Christ …  powerfully singing of how we, as disciples of Christ, must declare we are true followers of our Lord and then back it up with action. 

Zumba - Follow the Leader ... 

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Highlight Passage: … 1Corinthians 11:1 [NLT] …   

1 And you should imitate me, just as I imitate Christ.  

… All we have to do is look into the night sky <b>(see photo)</b> to discern the glory of God in creating all we see for our good and His glory.                   

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Highlight Passage [Context]: … 1Corinthians 10:23-11:1 [NLT] …  USE THIS LINK …

… Paul trying to lead those in Corinth to follow Christ’s way not their own ways..                          

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

…It’s all a matter of trusting God to follow His word and to avoid letting our own ways to      

Highlight Passage [Context]: … Luke 9:23  [NLT] …  

23 Then He said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me..  

… Jesus showed His followers what it takes to be His true disciples.    

Highlight Passage [Context]: … John 14:21  [NLT] … 

21 Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me. And because they love me, my Father will love them. And I will love them and reveal myself to each of them.”   

… Jesus showed His disciples that the way to know those who truly love The Lord is to see if they obey His commands (i.e., His word).  

Highlight Passage [Context]: … John 15:5  [NLT] …  

5 “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.   

… Jesus showed His inner disciples that they must remain as abiding in Him to have any power in life.             

My Devotional Journal: Today's Our Daily Bread author, Kstara Patton … AT THIS LINK … tells of how the developers of Zumba, the musical exercise system, developed a way for any exerciser to follow any Zumba leader without any verbal cues.   

And to some degree that’s what Paul was trying to show confused seekers in Corinth … that they could follow Christ … by following him, … Paul, … following the way he lived to follow Christ (see 1Cor 11:1)).   But Paul’s way of following His Leader - Jesus - was to live according to and obey Christ’s commands. … i.e., His word.  And that’s what Jesus commanded His true disciples, didn’t He (see red letter verses above)?  

And as I meditate along with the music/words of the linked song, I’m here daily, staying on track myself and prayerfully leading others to follow Christ by doing what He, Himself, told others in God’s word (see Scriptures above).    That’s my prayer for all reading here today. So, let’s all follow THE Leader again today.      

My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh, Abba Father, thank You, King Jesus, … for showing us the way to go again today.     

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I pray that all reading here will join me, …  to follow You, Lord, leading us to Your glory again today thru Your word..  … 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.

February 23, 2022 … No Excuses

Berry Patch Devotions in 2021 - Day 54 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...   Please take the time to take in song and lyrics from Brian Doerksen singing … Creation Calls …  poignantly singing of how we have no excuses about the existence of a glorious. all powerful God when we look around us in creation. 

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Highlight Passage: … Psalm 8:3-4 [NLT] …  

3  When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers—the moon and the stars you set in place—  4   what are mere mortals that you should think about them,  human beings that you should care for them?  

… All we have to do is look into the night sky (see photo) to discern the glory of God in creating all we see for our good and His glory.                   

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Highlight Passage [Context]: … Psalm 8 [NLT] …  USE THIS LINK … 

… King David sings of the glory of God found in His creation … especially that our God would honor mankind above all other creations.                                    

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Highlight Passage [Context]: … Psalm 19:1-4  [NLT] …  USE THIS LINK …  

… God, thru King David, sings for the heavens declaring the glory of God.     

Highlight Passage [Context]: … Romans 1:20  [NLT] … 

20 For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.   

… Paul teaches that we have no excuses about the existence of God since we can look around us and see His glory in creation.       

Highlight Passage [Context]: … Colossians 1:15-16  [NLT] …  USE THIS LINK …  

… Paul shows that God created all things by Christ and for Christ.             

My Devotional Journal: Today's Our Daily Bread author, Tim Gustafson … AT THIS LINK …  wrote of an early 20th century poet, F. T. Marinetti, who helped launch a “futurism” movement which had no place for God or Christ and honored war and death.  Shortly thereafter WW1 was on the world scene and that movement died along with it. 

Mankind has tried in various ways to uphold the idea that there is no God; but as the scriptures above attest, God’s glory is declared and upheld in the glory of creation; and all we have to do, according to King David in the OT and the Apostle Paul in the NT is to look up at night and see God’s glory, … giving us no excuses to deny His power or His existence.  And oh how I pray that all reading here with me see our God’s glory as we - TODAY - are surrounded by His glory in creation.       

My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh, Abba Father, thank You, King Jesus, … for showing me Your glory, Lord, in Your creation.   

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I pray that all reading here will join me, …  to look around us today and see the glory of our Lord’s creation..  … 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.

February 22, 2022 … Reconciled and Renewed

Berry Patch Devotions in 2021 - Day 53 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...   Please take the time to take in song and lyrics from the group Jesus Culture singing … Make us One …  poignantly singing of how we must come together in the love of Christ, forgiving one another and being reconciled by the blood of Christ. 

Amos Tverssky and Daniel Kahneman - Nobel Friends 

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Highlight Passage: … Colossians 4:10 [NLT] …   

10 Aristarchus, who is in prison with me, sends you his greetings, and so does Mark, Barnabas’s cousin. As you were instructed before, make Mark welcome if he comes your way. 

… Paul shows his forgiveness and reconciliation with (John) Mark after an earlier altercation and split - see Acts 15:36-41…                   

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Highlight Passage [Context]: … Colossians 4:7-10 [NLT] …  USE THIS LINK … 

… Paul shows his love for those who’ve been with and supported him during his missionary journeys.                                    

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Highlight Passage [Context]: … Matthew 5:23-26  [NLT] …  USE THIS LINK …  

… Jesus preached reconciliation, especially when brothers/sisters are at odds with one another.    

Highlight Passage [Context]: … 2Corinthians 5:18-21  [NLT] …  USE THIS LINK …  

… Paul teaches that since we have been reconciled to Christ by the shedding of His blood, we, who are in Christ, should be ambassadors of reconciliation to one another.       

Highlight Passage [Context]: … Ephesians 4:30-32  [NLT] …  USE THIS LINK …  

… Paul shows that fellow Christians should set aside petty differences and be reconciled by our relationship with Christ, … especial by His amazing love and grace.            

My Devotional Journal: Today's Our Daily Bread author, Mike Wittmer … AT THIS LINK … wrote about the relationship between Amos Tversky and Daniel Kahneman (see photo), both psychologists but with vastly different personalities, … coming together and becoming friends , … enough so that they won a Nobel prize together in 2002.  However. sometime later their differences caused a split in friendship …. but only for three days, … when Daniel learned that Amos had cancer, … the news cutting thru their differences to bring about a complete reconciliation of their friendship.  

This story caused the ODB author to recall the differences of opinion between the Apostle Paul and Barnabas over the way John Mark should be handled in their joint ministry (again look up Acts 15:36-41). However, we know that Paul and Barnabas likely recalled; because we also know (see highlight passage), that Paul and Mark were totally reconciled and working together in ministry,  

The ODB author today challenges his readers [that’s us!] to think of someone whom we may need - or simply must - forgive and do all we can to reconcile our differences because of the amazing love and grace our Lord gives us to do so.  … I pray we move to do so today.      

My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh, Abba Father, thank You, King Jesus, … for helping me to have right relationships with my brother/sisters in Christ.  

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I pray that all reading here will join me, …  to do all we can to reconcile with anyone in our lives where differences separate us.  … 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