Dec 31, 2024 … God’s Leading Hand

Dec 31, 2024 … God’s Leading Hand   

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...   Please take the time to take in this song with music and lyrics with the group, Citizens and Saints singing … The Mighty Hand of God … showing that God’s hand will ALWAYS hold us and keep His own secure. 

King George VI on Christmas Eve 1939

Highlight Passage: … Isaiah 48:18 [NLT] … 

18 Oh, that you had listened to My commands! Then you would have had peace flowing like a gentle river and righteousness rolling over you like waves in the sea.           

… Isaiah relays God’s promise of peace for God’s faithful people who listen to and follow His commands.                   

Highlight Passage (in context): … Isaiah 48:12-19  [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …  

… God, thru the Prophet, Isaiah, declares His hand of protection over His chosen faithful followers.                                                   

===========           

Reference Passage: … Psalms 119:105-106 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …

… King David sings praise to God for His hand of protection of David’s path (and ours) in life.                                     

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

… God’s promise, thru Solomon, of protection for those who seek to follow God’s will and His ways and avoid following our own desires.                     

Reference Passage: … Isaiah 41:10, 13-14 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… God’s promise, thru Isaiah, to lift up His faithful and chosen followers from the trial they may face.                           

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

… Jesus invites those who have faith in Him, as Messiah and Lord, … to humbly receive and use His humble and gentle invitation to yoke ourselves to His strength.       

Reference Passage: … 1Peter 5:6-7 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …   

…The Apostle Peter exhorts fellow Christians to humble themselves (ourselves) and give all their (our) cares and worries to a God Who truly cars for them (us).     

 

My Devotional Journal: Today’s Our Daily Bread  Author -  Amy Boucher … AT THIS LINK  -  The ODB author, Amy Boucher Pye, wrote of King George VI in 1939, when WW2 was threatening England with attack, saying, “Go out into the darkness, and put your hand into the Hand of God.  … That shall be to you better than light, and safer than a known way.”  

King George knew the truth of God’s promises (see Reference Scriptures above) and the King addressed his nation by radio on Christmas eve in 1939 (see photo)…  praying that God’s hand would protect and lead Great Britain to victory; … and we know history’s outcome, don’t we?  Just as those of us who believe in God’s word and follow our Lord today: … we will ultimately experience an eternal life with Jesus in heaven.  I’m in for that victory!   How about you?           

                                                                    

My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh, Abba Father, thank You, King Jesus, … thank You, Lord, for Your promises of our glorious victory by following You by Your word.         

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I pray. again today, that all reading here will join me, … to use Your word, Lord, as our path in life, no matter what may happen.        …  Amen

=============

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. 

Dec 24, 2024 … Seeking His Light

Dec 24, 2024 … Seeking His Light  

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...  Please take the time to take in this song with music and lyrics with Lauren Daigle singing … Light of the World … declaring that the light of the world came in life of Jesus.  

The lights of the city below ... 

Highlight Passage: … Matthew 2:9 [NLT] … 

9 After this interview the wise men went their way. And the star they had seen in the east guided them to Bethlehem. It went ahead of them and stopped over the place where the child was.         

… The Wise men follow God’s light (i.e., star)  to find the Messiah.                   

Highlight Passage (in context): … Matthew 2:1-2, 9-12  [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… God, thru the Author of Hebrews, calls on Christians to work TOGETHER and encourage one another with love and good works.                                                  

===========           

Reference Passage: … Psalms 119:105 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …

… God shines HIs light on our path thru His word.                                    

Reference Passage: … Isaiah 60:1-3 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …

… God, thru Isaiah, declares that God’s people will shine His light for all to see His glory.                   

Reference Passage: … John 8:12 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… Jesus calls for His followers to walk with Him as the light of the world.                          

Reference Passage: … 2Timothy 1:10 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… Paul teaches Timothy (and all) that God has shown us His light thru the Good News of His Son, Jesus.        

Reference Passage: … 1John 1:6-7 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …  

… the Apostle John shows that we come out of the darkness, into the light, by following Jesus.  

 

My Devotional Journal: Today’s Our Daily Bread  Author -  Kirsten Holmberg  … AT THIS LINK  -    The ODB author, Kirsten Holmberg, tells of a tradition, she and her husband have, at Christmas, …  to hike up a hill near their home to take in the lights of the city below (see photo).

And the ODB entry reminds us, thru God’s word, shared above and the linked song by Lauren Daigle, telling us that God sent His light to us, thru His Son and our Lord, Jesus, to dispel the darkness we encounter in this world.  Oh, how I pray we seek to follow His light. I do - daily - by seeking His light to my path thru His word (Psalms 119:105).  How about you?  How do you seek to follow His light.         

                                                                    

My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh, Abba Father, thank You, King Jesus, … thank You, Lord, for shining Your light on my path every day thru Your word.        

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I pray. again today, that all reading here will join me, … to seek to follow Your light today … and then tomorrow.       …  Amen

=============

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.

Dec 23, 2024 … Battling TOGETHER

Dec 23, 2024 … Battling TOGETHER  

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...  Please take the time to take in this song with music and lyrics with Chris Tomlin and Russell Dickerson singing … Together … reminding Christians that we never walk alone in this life.

Lifting each other up ... 

Highlight Passage: … Hebrews 10:24 [NLT] … 

24 Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works.           

… Christians are admonished to work TOGETHER and motivate one another to love and good works.                   

Highlight Passage (in context): … Hebrews 10:19-25  [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …  

… God, thru the Author of Hebrews, calls on Christians to work TOGETHER and encourage one another with love and good works.                                                  

===========           

Reference Passage: … Psalms 133:1 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

…  As Jews ascended to Jerusalem for holy days, King David, sings of God being pleased when believers live and work TOGETHER.                                    

Reference Passage: … Proverbs 27:17 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… Solomon shares God’s wisdom on God sharpening friends who work TOGETHER.                 

Reference Passage: … Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …

… Solomon also shows that two, working TOGETHER, are always stronger than one working alone, and three TOGETHER even better.                         

Reference Passage:… Matthew 18:20 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

…  Jesus teaches that Christians coming TOGETHER in the church to resolve conflict will ALWAYS be joined by God’s Spirit . <b> just as Chris Tomlin sings in the linked song …</b>        

Reference Passage: … 1Corinthians 1:10 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …  

… the Apostle Paul pleads with fellow Christians to live and work TOGETHER in harmony.  

 

My Devotional Journal: Today’s Our Daily Bread  Author -  Sheridan Voysey  … AT THIS LINK   …  Sheridan Voysey, today’s ODB author, describes two celebrated early church (4th century)  leaders, Gregory of Nazianzus and Basil of Caesarea, who could’ve competed and been recognized individually.  However, the two form a brotherhood and worked closely TOGETHER to foster and encourage others to forge a Christlike way of living. 

And if my readers take the time to take in the linked song and meditate deeply on the Scriptures shared above, I think you’ll all be convicted, as was I, to do all we can … TOGETHER, with our fellow brothers and sisters IN CHRISTS, to foster Christlike living … EVERY DAY!        

                                                                    

My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh, Abba Father, thank You, King Jesus, … thank You, Lord, for calling Your Church to work TOGETHER for God’s glory.      

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I pray. again today, that all reading here will join me, … to work in unity, as Your Church, strengthened by Your Spirit, to work for Your glory.       …  Amen

=============

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.

Dec 22, 2024 … Loving Like Jesus

Dec 22, 2024 … Loving Like Jesus  

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...     Please take the time to take in this song with music and lyrics with Danny Gokey and Michael W Smith singing … Love God Love People … Calling on Christians to love others the way Jesus love us.  

Highlight Passage: … 1John 4:19 [NLT] … 

19 We love each other because he loved us first.          

… John states truth about how we can love each other because Jesus first loved us.                   

Highlight Passage (in context): … 1John 4:13-21  [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …  

… God reveals to John the new Jerusalem in Heaven where God is the source of light and no need for sun or moon.                                                  

===========           

Reference Passage: … John 3:16 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

…  Jesus tells a Jewish leader, Nicodemus, of the extent of God’s love in sending His Son to die for our sins.                                  

Reference Passage: … John 13:34-35 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… Jesus, in the upper room, teaches His Disciples (and us), commanding them (us) to love one another, showing the world that they (we) are His disciples.               

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

… Jesus, also in the upper room, shows what Christlike love is.                        

Reference Passage: … Romans 5:8 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

…  The Apostle Paul teaches fellow Christians (and  us) how Christ demonstrated His love for us by dying for us while we were still sinners.     

Reference Passage: … 1Corinthians 13:1-13 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …   

… the Apostle Paul also teaches fellow Christians what love is all about. 

Reference Passage: … 1John 4:8 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… John teaches any anyone who does not love others is not truly of God, Who is love.  

 

My Devotional Journal: Today’s Our Daily Bread  Author -  Amy Boucher Pye  … AT THIS LINK    …  Amy Boucher Pye, the ODB author today related a story of a church friend, Margaret, who was in a hospital and was visited by a number of church friends who showed their love for Margaret, who was witnessing her faith in Christ to another person in the room, the roommate who was almost overwhelmed by the exhibition of love by the visiting church members.  Margaret’s roommate commenting that the visitors where  “like tangible love poured out.”  And Margaret responded by witnessing,   “It all comes down to our love of God through His Son Jesus Christ!”  

And taking in the Scriptures shared above and the linked song, about the extent of God’s love for us, convicts me to do more in my life to share God’s love by showing HIS love thru MY love for others.  What could we do today that shares His love with someone?      

                                                                    

My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh, Abba Father, thank You, King Jesus, … thank You, Lord, for loving me, in spite of me.     

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I pray. again today, that all reading here will join me, … to reach out and share Your love with someone today.       …  Amen

=============

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.