Berry Patch Devotions in 2021 - Day 192
Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ... Please take the time to take in song and lyrics from Hillsong Worship singing a contemporary version of the old hymn … Have Decided To Follow Jesus … poignantly singing of how we Christians need to be willing to follow Jesus surrendering our personal freedom to follow Him no matter what happens in life. … Also, USE THIS LINK to hear Frank Sinatra singing the anthem of personal selfishness; … declaring that he would live life and do it “MY WAY!” … We get to choose to live life My Way or God’s Way. … Which way will we choose to go?
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Highlight Passage [Context]: … 1Corinthians 10:24 [NLT] …
24 Don’t be concerned for your own good but for the good of others.
… Paul shows Christians that they should be seeking to serve the needs of others before our own selfish desires … just as Christ would lead us to do.
Highlight Passage [Context]: … 1Corinthians 10:23-11:1 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… Paul teaches fellow Christians (and us too!) that the freedom we find in Christ allows us to choose to follow Christ FIRST rather than seeking to fulfill our own personal desires. ===============
Reference Passage: … 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 shows His followers (us too!) that we should deny ourselves to follow His Ways …
Reference Passage: … Galatians 6:2 [NLT] …
2 Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ.
… Paul shows fellow Christians (and us too) that we fulfill God’s law of love when we use our providence from God to humbly follow Christ’s way of serving others before self.
Reference Passage: … Philippians 2:3-5 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… Paul exhorts fellow Christians that we take on the serving attitude of Christ when we humbly reach out to help others in need before trying to satisfy our own desires.
Reference Passage: … 1Peter 5:5 [NLT] …
5 In the same way, you who are younger must accept the authority of the elders. And all of you, dress yourselves in humility as you relate to one another, for …
“God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”
… Peter quotes Proverbs 3:34 in teaching fellow Christians to seek out and HUMBLY follow other, more mature, Christians who are closely following the Lord.
My Devotional Journal: Today's Our Daily Bread author, Poh Fang Chia … AT THIS LINK … tells of a situation on a train where a young child was imitating a woman, named Meiling, who was taking notes and drawing in a book as the child’s mother was trying to teach her child not to deface someone else’s book. So, Meiling quit taking notes on her own book to avoid teaching the young child a destructive example.
As we travel the roads of life, whose example do we follow? Because as we walk-the-walk of life, our example, as Christians will likely be examples for others. That’s why Jesus (in Luke 9:23) commanded His followers to be willing to deny ourselves and follow His ways FIRST. That’s why Paul desired to show fellow Christians the way to follow Christ just as Paul was willing to give up his own desires to follow his Lord and to lead others (see 1Cor 11:1). That’s why Peter quotes Solomon to charge fellow Christians to humble ourselves and follow other, more mature Christians, who are closely following God’s way in life (see 1Peter 5:5).
But, my fellow Christian, … DO WE GET IT! … Whom are we following in life, … our way or God’s (see photo)? Have we decided to follow Jesus (see Song #1); or are we doing life our own way as Frank Sinatra sings (Song #2 above).
Personally, I’ve decided to follow Jesus today … and tomorrow; … how about you?
My THANKFULNESS:... Oh, Abba Father, thank You, King Jesus, …got giving me Your enabling grace to follow You, Lord, onward … the rest of my life.
My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I pray that all reading here will join me, … to choose to follow You, Lord, today and for all our lives. … 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.
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