Feb 4, 2025 … Our Hope In Christ

Feb 4, 2025 … Our Hope In Christ  

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...   Please take the time to take in this song with music and lyrics with Phil Wickham singing … Living Hope …  of how our God opens up the eternal expanse of His living hope. 

God's expansive and living hope ... 

Highlight Passage: … Psalms 31:8 [NLT] … 

8 You have not handed me over to my enemies, but have set me in a safe place.            

… David recognizes and declares that God’s mercy and grace have given him (and us) God’s hope and have set him (us) in a safe place.  

Highlight Passage (in context): … Psalms 31:1-2, 8-16 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… King David sings of the hope he has in God’s expansive grace.                                                 

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Reference Passage: … Job 19:25 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… Job, even after going thru all his loss and pain, still held out hope that he would stand, with God, at the last.             

Reference Passage: … John 10:28-30 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …

… Jesus shows all who believe that Jesus and His Father are one, … which will be their (our) living hope for eternity. 

Reference Passage: …Romans 12:12 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… The Apostle Paul exhorts fellow Christians to put their (our) confident hope in Christ..                

Reference Passage: … Titus 3:7 NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… The Apostle Paul teaches Titus, and all Christians, to put their (our) confident hope in God’s grace to inherit eternal life.   

Reference Passage: … Hebrews 10:23, 11:1 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… God, thru the Author of Hebrews, shows that we can stand without wavering <b>(see photo)</b> in the expansive hope we have in God’s grace.  

Reference Passage: … 1Peter 1:3-5 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …

…  Peter assures fellow oppressed Christians of their hope found in the expansive grace of Christ.       

                              

My Devotional Journal: Today’s Our Daily Bread  -  Amy Boucher Pye … AT THIS LINK  - … relates the true story of theologian, Todd Billings, whose faith was tested and expansive grace and hope were found when Billings was diagnosed with incurable blood cancer, … especially in the context of being a parent; … Billings wrote ,….  “As the father of a one- and three-year-old, I tended to think of the next few decades as an open expanse, assuming I would see Neti and Nathaniel grow and mature. . . . But in being diagnosed . . . there is a narrowing that takes place.” 

Being a parent of two girls and having seen their kids (our grandkids) grow and develop a relationship with Christ, I can really empathize with the thoughts of this theologian in today’s ODB entry.  It brings me to realize what King David was writing about in Psalms 31,, our Highlight passage for today.  So, may I charge my readers to listen closely to the linked song and meditate on the Scriptures shared today and see where your (and our) hope lies.   I’m praying we all share in the expansive hope we all have in our relationship with Christ.                      

          

My Thanksgiving: … Oh, King Jesus, thank You, … for bringing me again to recognize the eternally expansive hope we have in Your grace, Lord. 

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I pray. … again today, … that all reading here will join me, … to see Your enabling grace, Lord, giving us all Your hope for our eternal future with 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. 

Feb 3, 2025 … God’s Amazing Love

Feb 3, 2025 … God’s Amazing Love  

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...   Please take the time to take in this song with music and lyrics with Chris Tomlin singing … Amazing Love …  highlighting the truth and extent of God’s amazing love for all of us.   

Highlight Passage: … Psalms 138:6 [NLT] … 

6 Though the Lord is great, He cares for the humble, but he keeps his distance from the proud..          

… David shows that God’s love is always extended, first to the humble, avoiding the proud.  

Highlight Passage (in context): … Psalms 138 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… King David sings of the extent of God’s love.                                                                       

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Reference Passage: … Proverbs 3:34 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… Solomon teaches the truth about God sharing His love with the humble, but resisting the proud mockers.           

Reference Passage: … Isaiah 56:1-2 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… God, thru Isaiah, shows that God shows His love … first to the humble and lowly … i.e., to those who do right and good, following God’s lead.    

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

… Jesus promises God’s blessing on the poor and those who recognize their need for God’s love.                

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

… Jesus invites all those who seek God’s love to yoke themselves (ourselves) to His strength.  

Reference Passage: … Romans 8:38-39 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… The Apostle Paul teaches truth God’s love ALWAYS being available to those who walk with Him faithfully.  

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

…  Peter teaches truth about giving all our cares over to God because He cares for us.        

                              

My Devotional Journal: Today’s Our Daily Bread  Author -  Xochitl Dixon … AT THIS LINK  … the ODB author tells of greeting a new family coming to her church and noticing their young daughter who was in a wheel sharing and obviously not speaking.  So, the ODB author knelt down and introduced the little girl to the author’s service dog, and immediately the girl smiled, showing how much she enjoyed being recognized and loved.  And that’s the feeling all Christians can get when we acknowledge the love of God for any who need His love.      

Personally, … i’m in that place right now, as I write these words.    How about you, as you read my thoughts here today.  Could you use a little more of God’s love?  If so, … be assured, if you’ve taken in the linked song and mediated on the truth of God’s word, shared and linked above, just reach out in prayer here today, and God’s love is yours for the asking.                    

          

My Thanksgiving:… Oh, King Jesus, thank You , Lord, … I come again, Lord, to Your throne of grace , here today, … to receive Your love.

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I pray. again today, that all reading here will join me, … to humbly seek Your love, Lord; … knowing it’s ours … right from Your heart.    … 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.

Feb 2, 2025: …  The Paradox of The Cross   

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...  Please take the time to take in this song with music and lyrics with Keith and Kristyn Getty Singers singing a contemporary rendition of the old hymn … When I Survey The Wondrous Cross …  showing the paradox of the love and the horror of the cross of Christ. 

The Cross - God's ultimate paradox ... 

Highlight Passage: … Matthew 5:4 [NLT] …

4 God blesses those who mourn, for they will be comforted.           

… Jesus shows His followers the paradox of this life, in this case God comforting those who mourn.  

Highlight Passage (in context): … Matthew 5:1-12 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …  

… Jesus - to His Disciples (and us) and the paradoxes of the Beatitudes introducing His Sermon on the Mount, showing that God’s chosen live in two worlds … the kingdom of Satan (i.e., the world) and the Kingdom of God.                                                                        

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Reference Passage: … Matthew 6:19-21 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… Jesus shows the paradox of our hearts, revealing who we are in Christ.             

Reference Passage: … Matthew 6:30-34 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… Jesus reveals the paradox of our lives showing us not to worry about tomorrow because of where God leads us today.   

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

… Jesus reveals to Nicodemus (and us) the paradoxical method Jesus would  use to give believers in Him a route to glory.               

Reference Passage: … 2Corinthians 5:17 NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… The Apostle Paul teaches truth that anyone who surrenders to Christ becomes a new person in His love/grace.   

Reference Passage: … Colossians 2:20 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… Paul witnesses that he had died to self and and was made alive in Christ.  

Reference Passage: … Colossians 3:1-4 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

…  Paul also teaches Christians belong to Christ and He will live them (us) forever in glory.        

                              

My Devotional Journal: Today’s Our Daily Bread  Author -  Kenneth Petersen … AT THIS LINK   … the ODB author tells about Isaac Watts,  the writer of the classic old hymn, When I Survey The Wondrous  Cross (hear a contemporary version in the song link provided), the writer used paradox to show the wondrous opposing forces seen at the Cross of Christ, … how that horrible death could bring such wonderful love to completion.   And it reveals how we, as surrendered followers of Christ, live in two paradoxical worlds but pursue the world Christ gives us - I.e., His kingdom, as opposed to choosing to live in the paradoxical world which God allows Satan to rule.     

Personally, …  in seeing the paradoxical view of the cross, … I have chosen to live for Christ and follow His way … all the way to glory.   How about you?                    

          

My Thanksgiving: … Oh, King Jesus, thank You , Lord, … seeing the wonderful/horrible view of the Cross, I choose to follow our Lord.  

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I pray. again today, that all reading here will join me, … to see Christ’s way following the Cross all the way to 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.

Feb 1, 2025 … God’s Faithful Love

Feb 1, 2025 …  God’s Faithful Love 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...    Please take the time to take in this song with music and lyrics with The Maranatha Singers singing … Great Is Thy Faithfulness …  assuring Christians of God’s enduring and eternal faithfulness. 

Highlight Passage: … 1John 3:1 [NLT] … 

1 See how very much our Father loves us, for He calls us His children, and that is what we are! … But the people who belong to this world don’t recognize that we are God’s children because they don’t know Him.            

… The Apostle John shows the extent of God’s love for His chosen children. 

Highlight Passage (in context): … 1John 3:1-3, 16-24[NLT] … USE THIS LINK …  

… John shows how faithful is God’s love for His born-again Christians.                                         

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Reference Passage: … Deuteronomy 7:9 NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… God, thru Moses to His people confirming His covenant love for those who obey His commands;            

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

,,, Jesus shares truth to Nicodemus (and us) of the extent of God’s eternal love by sending His Son to die to save them (us).                    

Reference Passage: …Romans 8:38-39  NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… The Apostle Paul assures fellow Christians - with his confidence - that NOTHING can separate us from God’s faithful love.   

Reference Passage: … 2Thessalonians 3:3 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… Paul also assures fellow Christians that God is faithful to strengthen the faith of born-again believers.   

Reference Passage: … 2Timothy 2:13 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

…  Paul teaches Timothy (and us) that our God will be faithful even when we, His chosen ones, are not faithful to Him.  His faithfulness is just who He is!!       

Reference Passage: … 1Peter 4:19 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …

… Peter assures fellow oppressed and persecuted Christins to trust that God will NEVER fail them (us).                               

 

My Devotional Journal: Today’s Our Daily Bread  Author -  Alyson Kieda  … AT THIS LINK  … the ODB author told of a young girl, named Kim,  who was a child of divorced parents and too often waited for her dad to pick her up for scheduled visits, when her dad simply didn’t show up to spend time with Kim.  

But I pray, that all who read with me here, have found and rely on the love of our eternal and Heavenly Father, Who, as in the scriptures above tell us, will ALWAYS be there to show His love and grace to those of us who reach out to receive that faithful love … EVERY DAY!   And here I am, waiting on His love, thru His word, as I do every morning; and He’s there again today to shower His love on us.   So, soak it in, my fellow Christian brother or sister.  He loves you too!                           

My Thanksgiving: … Oh, King Jesus, thank You , Lord, … once again today  … for lavishing Your love on me.        

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I pray. again today, that all reading here will join me, … to soak in Your love again today, Lord; and then even more 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.