Tuesday, April 08, 2025

Apr 8, 2025 … “W.W.J.D.” …

Apr 8, 2025 … “W.W.J.D.”     


Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...   Please take the time to take in this song with music and lyrics with Zach Williams singing  Less Like Me,  declaring his heart-felt desire to live to be more like Jesus and less like himself … 



Highlight Passage: … Ephesians 4:3 … [NLT] … 

  Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace.           

  The Apostle Paul exhorts fellow Christians to live TOGETHER, bound by and living for Christlike peace. 

           

Highlight Passage (in context): … Ephesians 4:1-6 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK 

  Paul exhorting fellow Christians to do all we can to live in peace with one another.                  

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Reference Passage: … Romans 8:29 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK

… The Paul show how Christians were chosen by God to become like Jesus, God’s Son.    


Reference Passage: …   1Corinthians 11:1  [NLT] … USE THIS LINK 

… Paul encourages (exhorts) fellow Christians to do all they (we) can to follow him (i.e. Paul) because he was doing all he (Paul) could be to imitate Christlike behavior.  


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

… Paul testifies of his own death to selfishness and doing all he could to live in Christlikeness. 


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

… Paul also assures fellow Christians that they (we) were created to be - and become - God’s masterpiece of God works.


Reference Passage: …  Philippians 1:6  [NLT] … USE THIS LINK 

… God’s promise, thru Paul, that God’s Spirit is working in Christians to remake them (us) in Christ’s image. 


Reference Passage: …  1John 2:6 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK 

… John teaches truth … that those who claim to be in Christ, should live as Jesus lived.  

                        

My Devotional JournalToday’s Our Daily Bread Author - Nancy Gavilanes AT THIS LINK     related a story of stopping in traffic and seeing a sticker on the back window of a car which stated …  “New Driver. Please Be Patient.”; and with all the stories in the news about road-rage these days, that sticker reminded me of a fad among Christians a number of years ago where Christians wore bracelets imprinted with ”WWJD” (SEE PHOTO), … which was a reminder for Christians to show their faith by living to be like Jesus. 


And that’s what Zach Williams sings about in the linked song, doesn’t he?   And today’s ODB entry, and the scriptures shared above, almost loudly, call on those of us who declare ourselves to be “CHRISTIANS” to do all we can to live up to that claim by doing all we can to follow the pattern of Christlike living.   How about it, my fellow “Christian,” … how’re we doing these days at the “WWJD” lifestyle?

         

My Thanksgiving: … Oh, King Jesus, thank You, … for calling me to live like You lived, Lord.


My Prayer TodayOh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I pray, … again today, … that all reading here will join me, …  to do all we can today - and for all our tomorrows - to be more like 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.

Monday, April 07, 2025

Apr 7, 2025 … ALWAYS With Us …

Apr 7, 2025 … ALWAYS With Us     


Today's Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...   Please take the time to take in this song with music and lyrics with the group, The Afters, singing about  God Is With Us,  assuring Christians that our God is ALWAYS with us … “24/7” … 



Highlight Passage
: … Acts 16:14-15a … [NLT] … 

 I will be your God throughout your lifetime - until your hear is white with age.  I made you, and I will care for you.  I will carry your along and save you.            

  God’s promise, thru Isaiah, to be with His chosen peoples ALWAYS and FOREVER.. 

           

Highlight Passage (in context): … Isaiah 46:3-9 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK 

  God’s promise to ALWAYS be with His chosen and covenant people.                                       

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Reference Passage: … Psalms 23:4 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK 

… King David sings of His Good Shepherd, our Lord, being with us … ALWAYS.    


Reference Passage: …   Isaiah 41:10  [NLT] … USE THIS LINK

… God’s promise, thru Isaiah, to be with us … ALWAYS … 24/7 … Forever!!  … No matter what we face in life.  


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

…Jesus explains to Nicodemus and to all that God was (and ALWAYS) is willing to give His Son to save us from ourselves. 


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

… Paul assures fellow Christians that NOTHING can separate believers from God’s love … 24/7 … ALWAYS … FOREVER !!   


Reference Passage: …  1Corinthians 3:16  [NLT] … USE THIS LINK

… Paul also assures fellow Christians that God’s temple dwells inside all who believe in Jesus as LORD. 


Reference Passage; …  Revelation 3:20 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK 

… Jesus assures all who are willing to hear and respond to His call to open themselves (ourselves) to Him … that He will ALWAYS be there to come in to them (us) and fellowship with them (us).  

                        

My Devotional JournalToday’s Our Daily Bread Author - Kenneth Petersen AT THIS LINK    writes of a Danish study which showed that people tend to think of themselves as 20 percent younger than their current age.  But it doesn’t take any “scientific” study to show us that we recognize we’re getting older and would like to to imagine ourselves as younger than we are.  


But PTL, … God’s word (like the Scriptures shared above) promises Christians that God is ALWAYS with us … (see photo) … “24/7” … and that, my dear fellow Christian is ALWAYS!  And oh, how I’m here today, praying that we all get that … even with the effects of aging bearing on us every day, … yes, … 24/7.  God is with me (us) … ALWAYS … and as the Apostle Paul tells us (see Romans 8:38-39, … we are NEVER separated from His love and protective care … no matter what we face.  My friend, …  I'm holding on to God’s promises today … how about you?

         

My Thanksgiving: … Oh, King Jesus, thank You, … for being with me 24/7.


My Prayer TodayOh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I pray, … again today, … that all reading here will join me, …  to thank You, Lord, for Your 24/7 watch care.     … 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. </ span>

Sunday, April 06, 2025

Apr 6, 2025 … Christlike Hospitality …

Apr 6, 2025 … Christlike Hospitality    


Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...   Please take the time to take in this song with music and lyrics with Tim McGraw singing about  Humble and Kind,  calling all of us to always stay humble and kind to others.


"Welcome" ... to ALL ... 


Highlight Passage </u>: … Acts 16:14-15a … [NLT] … </b>

<i> 14  One of them was Lydia from Thyatira, a merchant of expensive purple cloth, who worshiped God. As she listened to us, the Lord opened her heart, and she accepted what Paul was saying. 15 She and her household were baptized, and she asked us to be her guests. .…    

  Lydia and her family offers hospitality to Paul and his fellow travelers in Thyatira. 

           

Highlight Passage (in context); … Acts 16:11-15 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK  

  Lydia offered hospitality to The Apostle Paul and his fellow travelers who were in Philippi.       

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Reference Passage: … Leviticus 19:33-34 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK 

… God, thru Moses, commands His chosen believers to treat foreigners with hospitality.    


Reference Passage: …   Luke 14:12-14  [NLT] … USE THIS LINK 

… Jesus teaches the religious leaders who had invited him to a dinner to be hospitable and invite the needy and hurting ti all future wedding banquets.  


Reference Passage: … Acts 28:1-2 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK 

… Paul and fellow travelers were shipwrecked on the island of Malt and here treated with great hospitality by the natives there. 


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

… Paul teaches that elders and overseers muar be hospitable and kind, opening their home to others with love and kindness.  


Reference Passage: …  Hebrews 13:1-2  [NLT] … USE THIS LINK 

… God calls on Christians, thru the Author of Hebrews to treat all others as brothers/sisters in the faith, being hospitable to all. 


Reference Passage: …  1Peter 4:9 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK 

… The Apostle Peter calls on born-again Christians to share their (our) homes with those in need.

                        

My Devotional Journal:  Today’s Our Daily Bread Author - Katara Patton  AT THIS LINK    tells about famous New Orleans chef, Leah Chase, during he civil rights movement who opened her restaurant to feed those who marched in New Orleans for the rights of all, declaring,  “I was just feeding people. They were fighting for something, and they didn’t know what they would find when they went out there. They didn’t know what would happen to them on the streets. But when they were here, they knew I’d feed them. That’s what I could do for them.”


And that’s the humility and kindness which Tim McGraw sings about in the linked song and what God’s word, … shared above, … calls from all who believe in and follow Christ as (our) Lord and Savior.  Personally, i could do more of that; … how about you?   

         

My Thanksgiving: … Oh, King Jesus, thank You, … for prodding me to do more to treat others with Christlike humility and kindness.  


My Prayer TodayOh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I pray, … again today, … that all reading here will join me, …  to watch for Your opportunities, Lord, to humbly help others who are needy.     … 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. 

Saturday, April 05, 2025

Apr 5, 2025 … The Worship Dilemma …

Apr 5, 2025 … The Worship Dilemma …  


Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...   Please take the time to take in this song with music and lyrics with Cece Winans singing about  I Surrender All,  declaring the singers - and prayerfully all Christians’ - desire to surrender all our worship and praise to God. 




Highlight Passage: … Psalms 145:3 … [NLT] … 

 Great is the LORD!  His most worthy of Praise!  No one can measure His greatness.          

  David declares that God is worthy of our praise above all else. 

           

Highlight Passage (in context): … Psalms 145:1-8 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK  

  King David in song extols the greatness of God, .. Who is worthy to be praised.                      

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Reference Passage: … Psalms 103:1-2 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK 

… David also sings that he will praise The Lord above all else in life.  


Reference Passage: …   Psalms 150:6  [NLT] … USE THIS LINK 

… psalmist, likely King David, calls on all mankind to sing praises to the Lord.  


Reference Passage: … Isaiah 12:4, 25:1 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK 

… God, thru the Prophet Isaiah, calls on all believers to thank the Lord and give Him praise for all the Lord does for His chosen. 


Reference Passage:  Mark 10:27  [NLT] … USE THIS LINK

… Jesus teaches His disciples (and us) that being saved and entering God’s kingdom is impossible for man but with God everything is possible.  


Reference Passage: …  Ephesians 1:3  [NLT] … USE THIS LINK

… The Apostle Paul calls on born-again Christians to praise our God because He has provided with every spiritual blessing possible in the lives we live. 


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

… The Apostle Paul calls on born-again Christians to celebrate together and praise our God, Who is worthy of our praise.

                        

My Devotional JournalToday’s Our Daily Bread Author - John Blase  AT THIS LINK        shows how social researches have shown that most adults in our world these days check with their (our) cell phones over 150 times in a day.  And from the standpoint Christian believers, this presents a spiritual dilemma.  Why?  Well, because we Christians recognize that mankind was created to worship something; and we all know that we we worship the things in our lives in which we devote our attention.  So, the question is … do we spend our lives worshipping our digital devices rather than devoting our lives to God by devoting our attention to Him - above all else?     


Personally, … I pray that I’m here - right now - devoting the beginning of each day with my focus on being with my God and devoting time in His word and in prayer as my praise to my Lord as Gold’s word brings out in the Scriptures shared above.  Oh how I pray that the linked song captures my desire to praise and worship my God; because I do desire to surrender my all to Him.  How about You?    

         

My Thanksgiving: … Oh, King Jesus, thank You, … for calling on us Christians to devote our time and praise to You, Lord, above all else in our lives.


My Prayer TodayOh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I pray, … again today, … that all reading here will join me, …  to do all we can to devote our lives to worship You, Lord, for You are worthy of our praise.     … 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.