June 30, 2022 … Working for Him Today …

Berry Patch Devotions in 2021 - Day 181 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...    Please take the time to take in song and lyrics from the group Hillsong singing … With All I Am for You Lord … poignantly singing of how, as disciples of Christ, we must live for The Lord in all we think, say, and do. 

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Highlight Passage [Context]: …  Colossians 3:23-24 [NLT] …  

23 Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. 24 Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward, and that the Master you are serving is Christ. 

…  Paul shows all Christians that we should do all we are called to do as slaves to Him as our Master.                            

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

… God, thru Paul, instructs Christian slaves - which really addresses everyone - to be slaves to/for Christ, working for the Lord as our Master.                                                                             ===============                                

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

3 You (LORD] will keep in perfect peace all who trust in You, … all whose thoughts are fixed on You. 

… God, thru Isaiah, shows that we can/will only find God’s peace by focusing our thoughts on Him. 

Reference Passage: …  Matthew 6:24, 33  [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… Jesus instructs His followers that we must serve God as our Master in life, avoiding serving in the world for personal gain or recognition.  

Reference Passage: …  Ephesians 2:10 [NLT] …  

10 For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things He planned for us long ago. 

… Paul shows that we were re-created by God’s grace to work for His glory.    

Reference Passage: …  Ephesians 4:1 [NLT] …  

1 Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God. 

… Paul saw himself as a slave of His Master, … our Lord, … serving only God; and he exhorted fellow Christians to serve Him likewise.     

Reference Passage: …  2Timothy 2:15 [NLT] …  

15 Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive His approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth.

… Paul charges fellow Christians to work hard at whatever we do for the approval of our Lord.   

                                                                                 

My Devotional Journal: Today's Our Daily Bread author, Patricia Rayon … AT THIS LINK … shares a personal story about her as a magazine writer who created intense work pressure on herself by working and writing for her editor rather than writing to honor God with her work. 

Fellow Christian, … this ODB entry hits me right where I live; because until I learned, as the song and the Scriptures lead us above, to do all I do for my Lord and for His glory, I was living for the approval of others.  Perhaps some of my readers here are caught in that trap, living and working for others rather than living as God lead us … to work for ONLY HIM.  

So, how about we all go forth today and live only as slaves for our Lord, working for only His approval.  And if we do, … we will find His peace.  

And PS … pease don’t miss today’s linked song … it shows us all how we should live for our Lord today …. and tomorrow.       

My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh, Abba Father, thank You, King Jesus, … for leading me to live only for You as my Master.        

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I pray that all reading here will join me, …  to go about our lives, today, Lord, living only for Your approval.  … 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.

June 29, 2022 … What’s Our Poison Ivy? …

Berry Patch Devotions in 2021 - Day 180 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...  Please take the time to take in song and lyrics from an anonymous witness singing … A Decided Mind … poignantly singing of how, as disciples of Christ, we must flee from sin, … choosing, with a decided mind and using God’s empowering grace, to avoid letting sin into our lives. 

Fleeing from the call of sin ... 

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Highlight Passage [Context]: …  Genesis 39:12 [NLT] … 

<i> 12 She came and grabbed him by his cloak, demanding, “Come on, sleep with me!” Joseph tore himself away, but he left his cloak in her hand as he ran from the house. </i> 

… Joseph chooses to resist sin and flee from Potiphar’s wife and her lustful advances.                

Highlight Passage [Context]: … Genesis 39:6-23 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… Joseph resists the advances of Potiphar’s wife and flees from sin, trusting in God.                    ===============                                

Reference Passage: …  Proverbs 4:14-15 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …

… God, thru Solomon, warns believers to avoid sin and run to The Lord’s safe care. 

Reference Passage: …  Matthew 26:41 [NLT] … 

41 Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak!” 

… Jesus warns His disciples to be vigilant and not give into temptation because our flesh is weak and vulnerable.  

Reference Passage: …  1Corinthians 6:18-19 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… Paul exhorts fellow Christians, as God’s temple, to run from sexual sin which so strongly tempts us with lustful sin.        

Reference Passage: …  2Timothy 2:22 [NLT] …  

22 Run from anything that stimulates youthful lusts. Instead, pursue righteous living, faithfulness, love, and peace. Enjoy the companionship of those who call on the Lord with pure hearts.

… Paul warns Timothy (and us), as God’s ambassador to run away from any lust which tempt us away from God’s call for Christians to live in purity of thought and action.  

                                                                                 

My Devotional Journal: Today's Our Daily Bread author, Dave Branon … AT THIS LINK …  relates a personal story of knowing the dangers of poison ivy when he was working and clearing brush; and even seeing the three-leafed plant nearby, … BUT …  thinking he could avoid its danger, the ODB author ended up with a bad case of poison ivy.  

WARNING!! … We must stay away from poison ivy when we know its danger and we are tempted to think we’re smart enough and strong enough to avoid being infected by its poison.  And I think the comparison with avoiding the temptation of sin in our lives is obvious, isn’t it?

In the highlight passage we read of Joseph fleeing from his temptation to sin from Potiphar’s wife’s sexual advances; … and in the reference passages, we read of God’s word warning Christians over and over again to run from sin, especially sexual sin, which will tempt us to sin against God.  Instead, we’re to run to the empowering grace provided by our Savior and His Spirit, Who will give us the strength to avoid the call of lustful sin. 

So, what is our poison ivy?   And are we running from its dangerous call on our lives (see photo)?       

My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh, Abba Father, thank You, King Jesus, … for giving me Your strength and empowering grace to run from sin today.        

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I pray that all reading here will join me, …  to run from the sin which tempts us 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.

June 28, 2022 … Being Real Friends of God …

Berry Patch Devotions in 2021 - Day 179 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...  Please take the time to take in song and lyrics from the group Phillips, Craig, and Dean singing … I Am A Friend of God … powerfully singing of those who become friends of God. 

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Highlight Passage [Context]: …  Matthew 10:40 [NLT] … 

40 “Anyone who receives you receives me, and anyone who receives me receives the Father who sent me. 

… Jesus gives His disciples insight as to whom would truly become friends of God.                          

Highlight Passage [Context]: … Matthew 10:1-4, 40-42 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… Jesus shows His disciples how to discern those would become friends of God.                        ===============                                

Reference Passage: …  Psalm 23 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …

… King David sings of being a friend of The Good Shepherd

Reference Passage: …  John 15:13-15 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… Jesus teaches His disciples (and us) that we become friends of God when we obey God’s word.      

Reference Passage: …  James 2:23 [NLT] …  

23 And so it happened just as the Scriptures say: “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.” He was even called the friend of God. 

… James teach fellow Christians how Abraham became a friend of God by believing and following the Lord in his life.

Reference Passage: …  Revelation 3:20 [NLT] …  

20 “Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends. 

… Jesus tells those who follow Him how to become closer friends with Him.  

                                                                                 

My Devotional Journal: Today's Our Daily Bread author, Mart DeHaan … AT THIS LINK …  writes of how close one can feel to a stranger when we discover that we have a mutual friend with whom we both trust as a close friend.  And the ODB author shows that we often hear, in situations like that, one might say,  “So nice to meet you. Any friend of Sam’s, or Samantha’s, is a friend of mine.” 

And if my fellow Christian readers have taken in the lyrics of the linked song and meditated on the Scriptures above, we come to realize that we become true, born-again, friends of God when we believe in our Lord and follow Him obediently and faithfully.  And when we meet others who love the Lord, we feel instant friendship - and even kinship - with them.  

I’m sure others reading here have experienced that kind of kinship in meeting other Christian “strangers.”  And I pray that we all will reach out to meet and share the love of God with others as we’re willing to help new acquaintances, who don’t know Jesus, to become His friends today.     

My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh, Abba Father, thank You, King Jesus, … for being my friend as I share Your love with others today.        

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I pray that all reading here will join me, …  to reach out and help others come to know You as a friend 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.

June 27, 2022 … He’s Our Provider …

Berry Patch Devotions in 2021 - Day 178 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...   take the time to take in song and lyrics from the groups Elevation Worship and Maverick City singing … Jireh …powerfully singing of how our God is Jehovah Jireh, providing more than enough to meet our needs.  

God provides the widow's needs thru Elisha ... 

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Highlight Passage [Context]: …  2Kings 4:2 [NLT] …  

2 “What can I do to help you?” Elisha asked. “Tell me, what do you have in the house?”“Nothing at all, except a flask of olive oil,” she replied. 

… God, in response to what the widow had, responded to her needs thru Elisha.                         

Highlight Passage [Context]: … 2Kings 4:1-7 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… God, thru Elisha, provides more then enough oil to live on His provision.                                    ===============                                

Reference Passage: … Deuteronomy 29:5 [NLT] …  

5 For forty years I led you through the wilderness, yet your clothes and sandals did not wear out.

… God, thru Moses, reminds His people how the Lord provided for their needs as they wondered in the wilderness for 40 years. 

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

… God will show us the way when we trust in Him with ALL our hearts.

Reference Passage: …  Matthew 5;33 [NLT] …  

33 Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and He will give you everything you need.  

… Jesus teaches God’s truth that He will provide our needs when we live for His kingdom.     

Reference Passage: …  Philippians 4:19 [NLT] …  

19 And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from His glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus. 

… Paul assures fellow Christians that that our God will supply all our needs from His heavenly riches.

                                                                                 

My Devotional Journal: Today's Our Daily Bread author, Xochitl Dixon … AT THIS LINK …  used the story of a three-year old boy, Buddy, who was willing to give all he had saved to help his mom’s church raise the money for a new truck to transport food to those in need as an example of trusting that our God will supply our needs when we have faith in Him as our provider.   

And the ODB author used the story of God providing the needs of a widow and her family thru the prophet Elisha … that we read about in the highlight passage.  And I pray that my readers join me by taking in the powerful linked song and the reference scriptures above to help us remember the reality that our God is our Jehovah Jireh … the Provider of all of our needs as His children.     

My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh, Abba Father, thank You, King Jesus, … for providing all my needs in life.        

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I pray that all reading here will join me, …  to thank You, Lord, for providing all our needs today … and 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.

June 26, 2022 … Sharing God’s Love …

Berry Patch Devotions in 2021 - Day 177 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...    take the time to take in song and lyrics from Dionne Warwick singing … What the World Needs Now …poignantly singing of how the world needs God’s love above all else.  

Billy, the dog, limping with his owner, Russell ... 

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Highlight Passage [Context]: …  Romans 13:8 [NLT] …  

8 Owe nothing to anyone—except for your obligation to love one another. If you love your neighbor, you will fulfill the requirements of God’s law. 

… The Apostle Paul exhorts fellow Christians to do all we can to extend our love to others which fulfills God’s Law completely                         

Highlight Passage [Context]: … Romans 13:8-14 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… Paul shows that walking and showing love to others helps Christians to a\void a multitude of sins and fulfills God’s law of love.                                                                                                     ===============                                

Reference Passage: …  Proverbs 10:12, … 17:17 [NLT] …  

10 Hatred stirs up quarrels, but love makes up of all offenses.  … 17 A friend is always loyal, and a brother is born to help in time of need.

… God, thru Solomon, shows that loving others covers for all kinds of sin.

Reference Passage: …  John 13:34 [NLT] …  

34 So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other.  

… Jesus commands His Disciples (and us) to love one another as He has loved us.    

Reference Passage: …  1Corinthians 13:13 [NLT] …  

13 Three things will last forever - faith, hope, and love = and the greatest of these is love. 

… Paul shows fellow Christians that showing love to one another is the greatest thing we can do.

Reference Passage: …  1Peter 4:8 [NLT] …  

8 Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins. 

… Peter strongly exhorts fellow Christians to show love for one another, … love that covers so many sins.  

                                                                                 

My Devotional Journal: Today's Our Daily Bread author, Anne Cetas … AT THIS LINK …  tells of dog in the UK, named “Billy,” which received a lot of internet attention in 2020 <b>(see photo)</b> because the dog would limp like his owner, Russell, who had to walk with a cane due to an injury,  The ODB author wrote, “That’s what you call trying to truly identify with someone’s pain!”  And readers can see the UK report of Billy, the Dog … USING THIS LINK   

And isn’t that what God calls all of us to do; … to show the love of God to others, … love that we all need desperately.  That’s what Dionne Warwick was singing about in the linked song, wasn’t it?  And that’s what I’m praying we can do for someone today, … for those who might need for us to walk alongside them, … and maybe even limp a bit with them like Billy, the dog, did for his owner.     

My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh, Abba Father, thank You, King Jesus, … for showing me how to love someone today who might need for me to walk alongside of them.       

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I pray that all reading here will join me, …  to reach out and share Your love to anyone who might need it 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

June 25, 2022 … Deep Prayers For Dark Moments …

Berry Patch Devotions in 2021 - Day 176 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...   take the time to take in song and lyrics from Matt Boswell and Matt Papa singing … Lord From Sorrow Deep I Call …poignantly singing (from Psalm 42) of how believers in the Lord can bring our sorrows to Him in prayer with hope eternal.   

Deep prayers for dark times ... 

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Highlight Passage [Context]: …  Psalm 143:11 [NLT] …  <

11 For the glory of your name, O Lord, preserve my life. Because of your faithfulness, bring me out of this distress. <

… David prays for God’s help in a time of great distress.                         

Highlight Passage [Context]: … Psalm 143 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… King David goes to God for help in a time of desperation.                                                          ===============                                

Reference Passage: …  Job 1:20-22 [NLT] …  USE THIS LINK … 

… Job declares his faith in God in the darkest time in his life.  

Reference Passage: …  Psalm 23:4 [NLT] … 

4 Even when I wall through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for You are close beside me.Your rod and Your staff protect and comfort me.  

… David sings of his confidence in his God during the darkest times of his life.   

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

10 Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God.I will strengthen you and help you.I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.  

… God promises, thru Isaiah, to lift all true believers up in our weakest times.  

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

… Jesus promises His faithful followers His strength to all who put their faith in Him.  

Reference Passage: …  1Peter 5:7 [NLT] …  

7 Give all your worries and cares to God, for He cares about you. 

… God, thru Peter, calls Christians - even in their darkest moments - to bring their (our) cares and concerns to God, Who cares for His chosen ones. 

                                                                                 

My Devotional Journal: Today's Our Daily Bread author, Arthur Jackson … AT THIS LINK …  tells of a popular actress who contemplated suicide during the isolation and fears during the COVID epidemic, and was quoted as saying,  “I had a dark moment.”

We’ve all had, … or are having, .. or will have … our own dark moments, won’t we, … where we feel deeply down or weakened for a time.  So, in those dark times, fellow Christian, where do to we go for strength or comfort?  Well, I don’t know about you, my fellow Christian readers today; but I’m bolstered and lifted up by the linked song and the truths shared above in the Scriptures I’ve referenced today.  

So, if we’re in a place like David was in Psalm 143 or Job was (see Job 1:20-22), let’s all just take Jesus’ promise (see Matt 11:28-30) as truth and bring our dark moments to You, Lord, … knowing (as Peter promised in 1Peter 5:7) that you care, Lord, and will lift us up (as God promised in Isaiah 41:10). 

And we’ll be okay, my friend, … even in the darkest of times.      

My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh, Abba Father, thank You, King Jesus, … for giving me Your enabling grace to make it thru even my darkest moments.       

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I pray that all reading here will join me, …  to receive Your grace, Lord, to help us thru any of our dark times.  … 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.

June 24, 2022…Sharing His Message …

Berry Patch Devotions in 2021 - Day 175 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ... </b> …  take the time to take in song and lyrics from the group 4Him singing … The Message …powerfully singing of how we Christians must follow God’s Spirit and receive - in faith - the power of God to share with others as His Message of truth and salvation.  

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Highlight Passage [Context]: …  1Corinthians 1:18 [NLT] …  

8 The message of the cross is foolish to those who are headed for destruction! But we who are being saved know it is the very power of God.  

… God giving up His Son to save all who would believe on Him may seem foolish to  unbelievers; but it is the power of God for all He has chosen to save.                       

Highlight Passage [Context]: … 1Corinthians 1:18-25 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… God’s plan of salvation, by giving up His Son on the cross to save mankind from our sin, seems foolish to many who cannot see and receive God’s saving grace.                                        ===============                                

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

… God, thru Solomon, promises to give guiding grace and protectively lead those who COMPLETELY trust in The Lord’s saving grace.    

Reference Passage: …  Isaiah 53:6 [NLT] …  

6 All of us, like sheep, have strayed away.  We have left God’s path to follow our own.  Yet the Lord laid on Him the sins of us all. 

… God lays out His plan of faith, thru Isaiah, to save all who have strayed away from God to come back to Him by believing in The Messiah’s saving message of grace.  

Reference Passage: …  John 14:6 [NLT] …  

6 Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.

… Jesus declares to a doubting Thomas and to His disciples that believing and following Him, thru all that was about to take place on the cross, is the ONLY way to glory in heaven.

Reference Passage: …  1Peter 2:21-25 [NLT] …  USE THIS LINK … 

… Peter shows oppressed fellow Christians that any, who believe in the power of the cross, are called to carry His message of salvation to any/all who will receive in the power of Christ on the cross … so The Lord can save those who would believe in Jesus as the Messiah.     

                                                                                 

My Devotional Journal: Today's Our Daily Bread author, Alyson Kieda … AT THIS LINK …  relates a story of a a young man, Zhang, who was raised in a “no God, no religion” home.  But later, fleeing his government, which was seeking to arrest him for protesting, was led to an illiterate farmer who had a copy of the book of John and asked Zhang to read it to the farmer.  And in doing so, Zhang, came to saving faith in Christ.       

For over two decades I called myself an “agnostic,” refusing to believe in anything that other Christian friends would share with me. But finally, God, thru those friends, got me to see the truth and my surrender to believe in my Savior, Who died for me, has changed my life to a place, as the group 4Him sings in the linked song, where sharing God’s message of changing grace can - AND WILL - transform the lives of any/all who will receive - in faith - the power of the message of the Cross. 

Oh how I pray that all reading my words here have surrendered in faith to God’s plan to give His Son to save all who would believe in Him.  And I pray that those who’ve received God’s message of saving grace will be sharing that message of salvation with any and all who will hear of God’s saving grace.       

My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh, Abba Father, thank You, King Jesus, … for giving Your Son to die on the cross to save me.       

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I pray that all reading here will join me, …  to thank You, Lord, for dying on that cross to save any of us who believe in You.  … 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.