July 18, 2022 … Avoiding Unwanted Sin …

Berry Patch Devotions in 2021 - Day 199 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...  Please take the time to take in song and lyrics from Don Moen singing … Trust and Obey poignantly singing the old hymn about finding our peace and happiness in our relationship with God when we trust and obey His word.     

Seeking God's will and His ways ... 

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Highlight Passage [Context]: … Psalm 19:12, …14 [NLT] …  

12 How can I know all the sins lurking in my heart?  Cleanse me from these hidden faults. … 14 May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to You, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer. 

…  David prays that God will show him his unwanted sin and give him the strength to follow God’s way rather than his own.                                

Highlight Passage [Context]: … Psalm 19:1-4, 7-14 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… David proclaims God’s glory, shown in creation and prays that God will give him the strength to avoid his sin nature.                                                                                                                     

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Reference Passage: …  Psalm 139:23-24 [NLT] … 

23 Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. 24 Point out anything in me that offends You, and lead m along the path of everlasting life.  

… David desperately prays that God help him live a live that is pleasing to God.  

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

… God, thru Solomon, shows that trusting and following God is the only way to go in 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 and help you.  I will hold you up with my victorious right hand. 

… God’s promise, thru Isaiah, that He will give His strength to His faithful followers.   

Reference Passage: …  Matthew 11:28 [NLT] … 

28 Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.   

… Jesus invites any who follow Him in faith to come to him when we’re burdened by life.      

   

Reference Passage: …  John 14:13-14 [NLT] … 

13 You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. 14 Yes, ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it 

… Jesus, just before going to the cross, promises His disciples that, when they are tuned into His will and following His ways, … He will do anything that His disciples ask.          

                                                                                

My Devotional Journal: Today's Our Daily Bread author, Marvin Williams … AT THIS LINK …  relates a story about a couple returning from a delightful honeymoon but the husband was experiencing pain in his feet.  Upon going to his doctor, it was determined that parasites had gotten into the skin of his feet thru his flip-flops.     

And the ODB author used the story to illustrate how unwanted sin can burrow into our lives when we don’t pay attention to where we’re walking in life.  King David knew of the potential of letting sin burrow into his consciousness.  So, in Psalm 19:14 and in Psalm 139:23-24 David prays, … as should we, … that God reveal and cleanse us from any sinful desires.  

{BTW, a personal PS - those are two prayers I use to start my day - EVERYDAY.  Do I always succeed?  NO!  But when I’m able to seek out God’s will and follow it, my Lord ALWAYS leads me away from my unwanted sin.}

And, if my readers have taken in and believed the truth in the linked song and the Scriptures above, we should know that our God promises His strength and direction to lead born-again believers away from our sin nature, … giving His the strength to walk in God’s way and follow His will.  And so, I pray that’s our heart’s desire today … and tomorrow.  

My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh, Abba Father, thank You, King Jesus, … for showing us the way to Go, Lord, … by seeking Your will and following Your word.   

My Prayer Today:Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I pray that all reading here will join me, …  to pray for and seek out Your will, Lord; .. and to follow You diligently 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.