July 31, 2022… Above all - Knowing Christ …

Berry Patch Devotions in 2021 - Day 212 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...  Please take the time to take in song and lyrics from Kari Jobe singing … The More I Seek You… poignantly singing about pursuing to know our Lord with all of life’s worship and work.  

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Highlight Passage: … Philippians 3:12 [NLT] … 

12 I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me.

…  Paul declares that his main pursuit in life was to perfect the calling to which Christ had called him.     

Highlight Passage (Context): … Philippians 3:7-16 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …  

…  Paul shows fellow Christians that our main pursuit in life - as it was for him - should be to know and follow Christ.                                                                                                                     ===============                                                                 

Reference Passage: … Deuteronomy 4:29 [NLT] … 

29 But from there you will search again for the Lord your God. And if you search for Him with all your heart and soul, you will find Him..

… God promises His people, thru Moses, that all who seek to know God with ALL their hearts will find Him.  

Reference Passage: … John 17:3 [NLT] … 

3 And this is the way to have eternal life—to know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the One you sent to earth.

… Jesus prays to His Heavenly Father, showing that the only way to eternal life is to know the Father thru our knowledge of His Son.

Reference Passage: … Ephesians 1:16-18 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… Paul prayed that fellow Christians to pursue and know and follow Christ’s ways in all of life.   

Reference Passage: … Colossians 1:9-10 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… Again Paul prayed that fellow Christians would come to intimately know the Lord and to live as Christ did, following His ways in life.  

                                                                                

My Devotional Journal:</b> Today's Our Daily Bread author, Adam Holz … AT THIS LINK …  tells of Randy Jackson, a judge on the popular talent show, American Idol, congratulating contestants who took well-known songs and gave them a new twist or arrangement by saying, “You made that song your own, dawg!” 

And this story was was used by the ODB author to encourage Christians to get to know God so intimately and deeply as to personalize our lives by imitating our Lord in all we think, say, and do.  Truly it has always been God’s promise (see Deut 4:29) to reveal Himself to anyone who seeks Him with ALL our hearts.  The question is … DO WE?  

I had a mentor years ago who showed me that the best way to get to know and follow Christ is to get to know Him thru His word (see photo).  Because, as He would say often, … To know God is to love Him; … to love God is obey Him; … to obey God is to serve Him; … and to serve God is to be blessed by Him.  And because I want to be blessed by my Lord, I seek to know Him EVERYDAY thru His word. 

And if you, as do I, desire to be blessed by God, you will do all you can to get to know God.  And the best way to know and follow God, is to pursue getting to know Him thru His word as the Apostle Paul exhorted fellow Christians in the Scriptures above. And so, that is my prayer for all of us today.   

My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh, Abba Father, thank You, King Jesus, … for revealing Yourself to me thru Your word, Lord.

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I pray that all reading here will join me, …  to delve into Your word again today, Lord, so that we can get to know You more intimately today than yesterday and more tomorrow than 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.

July 30, 2022 … Shining Christ’s Light Today …

Berry Patch Devotions in 2021 - Day 211 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...   Please take the time to take in song and lyrics from the group Third Day singing … Jesus, Light of the World … poignantly singing about Jesus being the Light of Truth Who shines His light on our path in this dark world. 

Reflecting Christ's light into the world ... 

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Highlight Passage: … John 1:4-5 [NLT] … 

4 The Word gave life to everything that was created, and His life brought light to everyone. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it  

…  God, thru John, reveals the Christ, as the living Word, became the light of the world.    

Highlight Passage (Context): … John 1:1-5 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …  

…  God’s word came to life in Christ and He became the LIGHT of the world.                               ===============                                                             

Reference Passage: … Psalm 119:105 [NLT] … 

105 Your word is a lamp to guide my feed and a light for my path. 

… The living word - ie., Jesus, - thru God’s truth, becomes a light guiding our path in life.     

Reference Passage: … Matthew 5:14-16 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… Jesus declares that those who are His disciples must become His light, shining thru those who are born-again in Him.   

Reference Passage: … John 8:12 [NLT] … 

12 Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.” 

… Jesus declares to His followers that those who truly follow Him as the light of the world will never walk in darkness again. 

Reference Passage: … 1John 1:5 [NLT] … 

5 This is the message we heard from Jesus and now declare to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in Him at all. 

… John relays and repeats the truth about Jesus being the Light of God shining into a very dark world. 

                                                                                

My Devotional Journal: Today's Our Daily Bread author, Dave Branon … AT THIS LINK …  tells of the author’s four year-old granddaughter, sipping a cold glass of water with her grandfather, and looking out into the sunshine, creating shadows thru the trees and saying, “Look at the puddles of sunshine.”

What a lovely observation to be able to see how the light dispels the darkness in our world.  And that is exactly what Jesus wanted His followers to see; … that HE is the Light of the world, and when we live to follow Him, we, HIs disciples, become His light bearers, shining into the world thru our Christlikeness to dispel the darkness. 

My fellow Christian reader, … I pray we all take up Jesus’ charge for us to live by following the light of God’s word (see Ps 119:105) as the light of our path in life, so that we can become reflections of His Light (see Matthew 5:14-16 thru our Christlikeness so that we dispel the darkness in this world (see John 1:5 and 1John 1:5).  Are you with me to be His light bearer today and then again tomorrow?     

My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh, Abba Father, thank You, King Jesus, … for giving me Your Light to reflect into this ever darkening world.      

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I pray that all reading here will join me, …  to shine Your light into this dark world today, Lord, by following the light of Your truth. … 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.

July 29, 2022 … God’s Goodness and Mercy Everyday …

Berry Patch Devotions in 2021 - Day 210 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...  Please take the time to take in song and lyrics from Chris Tomlin singing … Goodness, Love, and Mercy … poignantly singing from Psalm 23 about God’s goodness, love, and mercy following the born-again believer all the days of our lives.  

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Highlight Passage: … Psalm 23:6 [NLT] …  

6 Surely Your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the Lord forever.  

…  God’s goodness, love, and mercy will follow the faithful believer all the days of their (our) lives.    

Highlight Passage (Context): … Psalm 23 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …  

…  King David sings of God being his GOOD SHEPHERD.                                                            ===============                                                             

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

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

… God, thru the Prophet, Isaiah, shows that the Messiah, thru His mercy and grace, will take the sins of His wayward sheep on Himself.  

Reference Passage: … Lamentations 3:22-23 [NLT] … 

22 The faithful love of the Lord never ends!  His mercies never cease.  23 Great is His faithfulness; His mercies begin afresh each morning.  

… God’s love and mercies never end and follow the faithful EVERY DAY.    

Reference Passage: … John 10:14-15 [NLT] … 

14 “I am the good shepherd; I know my own sheep, and they know me, 15 just as my Father knows me and I know the Father. So I sacrifice my life for the sheep. 

… Jesus declares that He is the Good Shepherd, willing to sacrifice His life for His sheep. 

Reference Passage: … Titus 3:5 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …  

… Paul teaches truth about God’s mercy and grace pursuing and saving us, not by anything we have done or could do. 

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. 

… All we need to do EVERYDAY is to open the door and let Jesus’ mercy and sanctifying grace come into our lives. 

                                                                                

My Devotional Journal: Today's Our Daily Bread author, Patricia Rayon … AT THIS LINK …  describes how plain-clothes security employees follow suspicious customers in a clothing store to be sure that they were not trying to steal from the store.    

And in somewhat the same way - but with vastly different motives - our Lord is faithful as our Good Shepherd (see highlight passage from PSALM 23), pursuing and following His sheep (i.e., His flock) and providing them (us) with His loving and merciful grace in order to save His flock (see Scriptures above).  

Our Lord, as our Good Shepherd, is relentless in His pursuit, … providing us with His saving and sanctifying mercy and grace.  All we need to do is be in surrender and let Him lead us.  And I’m praying that all reading here are opening the door on Jesus’ invitation - everyday - to let our Good Shepherd’s mercy and grace lead us today and then again tomorrow.     

My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh, Abba Father, thank You, King Jesus, … for providing us with Your never-ending love, mercy, and grace.      

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I pray that all reading here will join me, …  to follow our Lord as He invites is to receive the mercy and grace He has for His faithful followers everyday.  … 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.

July 28, 2022 … All Singing of God’s Glory …

Berry Patch Devotions in 2021 - Day 208 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...  Please take the time to take in song and lyrics from British group, The New Seekers, singing … I’d Like To Teach the World To Sing … powerfully singing about the dream to have the whole world singing of love/peace TOGETHER.  

Coming together to sing His praises ... 

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Highlight Passage: … Revelation 5:13 [NLT] …  

13 And then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea. They sang: …“Blessing and honor and glory and power belong to the one sitting on the throne and to the Lamb forever and ever.” 

…  In the New Jerusalem … a time when all God’s creatures, including His chosen ones, will come together to sing our praises to the Lamb of God.    

Highlight Passage (Context): … Revelation 5:8-14 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …  

…  John sees all of God creations, the angels and mankind in Heaven, coming together to sing of the worthiness of the Lamb of God.                                                                                              ===============                                                             

Reference Passage: … Psalm 66:8 [NLT] … 

8 Let the whole world bless our God and loudly sing His praises.. 

… God, thru a psalmist, calls on ALL of God’s people to sing praise to our Lord. 

Reference Passage: … Ephesians 5:18-19 [NLT] … 

18 Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit, 19 singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts.

… Again Paul exhorts fellow Christians to avoid living for self but to be filled with God’s Spirit, singing praises in our hearts to our God. 

Reference Passage: … Colossians 3:16 [NLT] … 

16 Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom He gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. 

… Again Paul exhorts fellow Christians (and us too) to sing our praises to God by singing to the Lord with thankful hearts. 

                                                                                

My Devotional Journal: Today's Our Daily Bread author, Mart DeHaan … AT THIS LINK …  recalled a 1970’s Coke commercial with a song entitled “The Real Thing,” which was remade into a hit song by a British group, The New Seekers, calling on all of mankind to come together and sing of peace and love (see linked song above).

And the ODB author reminded all born-again believers that one day - in heaven - all of God’s created beings, His angels and His chosen Church, will come TOGETHER to sing our praises to the Lamb of God Who sits on the throne of God.  And this is the plea of God’s word for Christ’s Bride, His Church, (see Scriptures above), … that we be filled with God’s Spirit, coming together, whenever we can, to sing our thankful and humble praises to our Lord. 

And oh how I stop and pray … right here and now… that we stop and join our hearts in thankful praise for King Jesus, who gave His all for us to be able to join all whom He has chosen to sing praises to Him in the New Jerusalem.    

My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh, Abba Father, thank You, King Jesus, … we come together as Your Bride, preparing to thankfully sing Your praises in heaven.     

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I pray that all reading here will join me, …  to be filled with thankful praises to You, Lord, for giving Your all for us to join You in heaven, singing Your praises forever.    … 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.

July 27, 2022 … The Key To God’s Peace …

Berry Patch Devotions in 2021 - Day 208 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...  Please take the time to take in song and lyrics from Don Moen singing … Wonderful Peace … poignantly singing about how we Christians capture the peace offered by God, the Father.  

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Highlight Passage: … Matthew 11:29 [NLT] …  

29 Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  

…  Jesus invites His followers to find peace and strength by surrendering self to the Savior.   

Highlight Passage (Context): … Matthew 11:25-29 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …  

…  Jesus prays, inviting those who follow Him to yoke themselves (ourselves) to Him for peace and strength.                                                                                                                                    ===============                                                             

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

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

… God, thru the Prophet Isaiah, promises peace to those who keep their (our) thoughts fixed on the Lord and following His ways.

Reference Passage: … John 14:27 [NLT] … 

27 “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.

… Jesus promises His troubled disciples - and to us - His peace if they can focus on their relationship with Him as LORD.      

Reference Passage: … Philippians 4:6-7 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… Paul teaches and exhorts fellow Christians to take our anxieties to the Lord in thankful prayer to receive His peace which will guard our hearts and minds. 

Reference Passage: … Colossians 3:15 [NLT] …

15 And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful. 

… Again Paul exhorts fellow Christians (and us too) to capture God’s peace when we let Him rule in our hearts.                   

                                                                                

My Devotional Journal: Today's Our Daily Bread author, Monica La Rose … AT THIS LINK … quotes Thomas Keating in his book, The Human Condition; … and using a story about finding the key to our human longings in our relationship with God, and writing, “intimacy with God, is the experience of God’s loving presence,” Keating concludes. “Without that experience, nothing else quite works; with it, almost anything works.” 

My fellow Christian reader, have you found the wonderful peace promised by God in the linked song by Don Moen?    If not, I pray that we know that we will only find the key to that peace in the intimacy of our relationship with Christ.  And Jesus Himself (see the red letter scriptures above) invites us to find God’s peace by yoking ourselves to Him.  

And the Apostle Paul clearly taught his fellow Christians - as he teaches us in Phil 4:6-7 and Col 3:15 above, to bring our anxieties to the Lord, thankfully and humbly in prayer. And as God told us in Isaiah 26:3 to keep our focus on the Lord, following His ways, as the key to our peace of mind and heart. 

And OH how I pray that we capture and live what’s in the photo … to KNOW God as the way to KNOW His peace.  

My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh, Abba Father, thank You, King Jesus, … for the peace that I find when I surrender to follow You, Lord.    

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I pray that all reading here will join me, …  to seek to KNOW You, Lord, and to receive Your peace by following You more closely 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.

July 26, 2022 … Returning To God’s Garden …

Berry Patch Devotions in 2021 - Day 207 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...   Please take the time to take in song and lyrics from Joni Mitchell singing … Woodstock … hauntingly singing about we have walked away from God’s garden and desire to go back to Him in HIs garden. … And THEN TO THIS LINK to hear Rosemary Siemens singing InThe Garden, which describes what we Christians will be doing when we’re returned to the garden-like glory of heaven.  

Adam and Eve expelled from God's Garden ... 

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Highlight Passage: … Genesis 3:8 [NLT] …  

8 When the cool evening breezes were blowing, the man and his wife heard the Lord God walking about in the garden. So they hid from the Lord God among the trees.  

…  Adam and Eve knew they had betrayed God and hid from Him in His Garden.  

Highlight Passage (Context): … Genesis 3 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …  

…  Adam and Eve give up their perfect walk with God to fall to Satan’s temptation and are expelled from God’s garden.                                                                                                             ===============                                            

Reference Passage: …  Genesis 1:11-12 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …  

… God creates the perfect place for mankind to be with Him forever.                  

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

15 The Lord God placed the man in the Garden of Eden to tend and watch over it.

… God placed mankind, His crowning creation, in the Garden of Eden to be with Him. 

Reference Passage: … Isaiah 58:11 [NLT] … 

11 The Lord will guide you continually, giving you water when you are dry and restoring your strength.  You will be like a well-watered garden, like an ever-flowing spring.

… It is God’s plan to return His faithful remnant to His care and garden of goodness forever.    

Reference Passage: … John 15:5-8 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… Jesus promises His disciples - i.e., any who surrender to follow Him - that if they remain and abide in Him they will be fruitful in life.                    

                                                                                

My Devotional Journal: Today's Our Daily Bread author, Tim Gustafson … AT THIS LINK …  tells of a song, written and sung by Joni Mitchell (see first link above), where Joni sings of us all trying to return to a simpler, more peaceful, life, … like that experienced by Adam and Eve in God’s garden.    

And those of us who know what Christ did for us sinners and have become born-again believers, can rest in the peace of God’s promise that we will one day return to a place much like that garden experienced by Adam and Eve before they were expelled from God’s garden (see photo); and we will once again walk with our Lord in heaven as sung by the second linked song above. 

Oh how I pray that all reading with me here KNOW Jesus as our Savior and we’re looking to one day return to walk with Him in His garden of glory.   

My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh, Abba Father, thank You, King Jesus, … for showing us the way to Your peace and garden-like glory forever.    

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I pray that all reading here will join me, …  to seek out the peace of Your garden, Lord, one day, once again, to walk with You in glory.   … 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.

July 25, 2022 … Traveling Lighter …

Berry Patch Devotions in 2021 - Day 206 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...  Please take the time to take in song and lyrics from Alan Jackson singing … Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus poignantly singing about how we, who love the Lord, can unburden our souls in this difficult trek thru life by turning our eyes to follow Jesus. 

Long distance cycler ... 

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Highlight Passage: … Hebrews 12;1 [NLT] …  

22 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. 

…  God’s people trying to show that they are unified in worship, knowing that God knows all. 

Highlight Passage (Context): … Hebrews 12;1-3 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …  

…  God’s word shows Christ’s followers that we must set aside the burdens of our sin nature as we travel thru life.                                                                                                                            ===============                                            

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

… God, thru Solomon, promises to lead us thru life if we but give Him our hearts and follow  Him.  

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

… Jesus promises to unburden the travels of His true disciples in life by yoking our burdens to our Lord’s strength.                

Reference Passage: … 1Corinthians 10:13 [NLT] … 

13 The temptations [also translated troubles, tests, trials, or tribulations] in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation [test, trial, or trouble] to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted [or troubled], He will show you a way out so that you can endure.</i>

… God, thru the Apostle Paul, promised fellow Christians (and us now) that He will show us the way to go thru all the trials and temptations of life.  

Reference Passage: … 2Corinthians 12:9-10 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… Jesus showed Paul - and us - that His strength would always be there to give us His empowering grace when we needed it to deal with the burdens of life                  

                                                                                

My Devotional Journal: Today's Our Daily Bread author, Katara Patton … AT THIS LINK …  relates a story of a long distance cycler (see photo), riding over 1200 miles from Seattle to San Diego and needing to unburden himself along the way, shedding some clothing and other heavier items as he traveled south into warmer climates and got more fatigued.  

It’s a good life picture of what God calls us to do as we travel the roads of life, … us needing to keep our eyes on Jesus and unburdening ourselves of the sins which weigh us down in life.  What we need to do is very simply sung by Alan Jackson in the linked song, … to keep our focus on following Jesus; and, as the Scriptures above exhort, setting aside any weight of sin which burdens us by confessing and repenting of the sin and leaving it behind.  

Anybody with me today … to unburden ourselves and keep our eyes on the road ahead, following our Savior?      

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

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I pray that all reading here will join me, …  as we jettison the burdens of our past and to forge ahead, following You, 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.