Feb 28, 2025 … Seeking God’s Peace

Feb 28, 2025 … Seeking God’s Peace 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...   Please take the time to take in this song with music and lyrics with Don Moen  singing … Peace, Peace Wonderful Peace,  showing the wonderful peace that is bestowed on all who seek it from our relationship with the Lord. 

Seeking God's Peace .... 

Highlight Passage: … Colossians 3:15 …[NLT] … 

15 And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful          

… Paul calls fellow Christians to live at peace with one another with thankful hearts, letting Christikeness dwell in our hearts..      

Highlight Passage (in context)  … Colossians 3:1-17 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …  

… The Apostle Paul, writing to fellow Christians, to be at peace with one another, by taking off the old self and putting on the new nature found in Christlikeness.                                                 

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Reference Passage: … Psalms 34:14 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… King David, sings of searching for God’s peace in all we think and do.

Reference Passage: … Isaiah 26:3 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… God’s Prophet, Isaiah, gives God’s prescription for peace in our lives … to trust in the Lord.

Reference Passage: … Matthew 5:9  [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …

… Jesus preaches to His followers that God blesses those who seek God’s peace for themselves and for others.

Reference Passage: … John 14:27 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …

… Jesus promises His disciples, in a time of confusion and turmoil to process them (and us) with His perfect peace.  

Reference Passage: … Romans 12:18 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… Paul exhorts fellow Christians to do all they (we) can to live in peace with one another.

Reference Passage: … Philippians 4:5-7  [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… Paul also shows fellow Christians to take all their (our) worries to the Lord in prayer, seeking His peace with thankful hearts, knowing that Christ is coming soon. 

                            

My Devotional Journal: Today’s Our Daily Bread Author - Patricia Raybon  … AT THIS LINK -     … tells of how a “war” erupted between residents in Adirondack Park, NY, . between environmentalists and those who wanted to promise business growth and commercial development.  The locals called it the “Adirondack Wars.”  But finally, a common ground alliance began to take to one another rather than yell at each other; and genuine solutions resulted from the peaceful discussions leading to growth and development in the area with ways to protect the environment.  

The ODB entry today is an apt illustration of what God wants for His followers; … i.e.,  to hear His word and to seek His peace in the way we live as Christians in this world.  And if my readers have taken in the linked song by Don Moen and have meditated on the Scriptures I shared in the links above, I think you, … like me, … will come to the conclusion that we can - and should - do more to seek God’s peace in our lives.  And I, for one, am stopping right here - and now - and praying that I will look for opportunities to seek my Lord’s peace today.  Are you with me?                  

My Thanksgiving: … Oh, King Jesus, thank You, … for promising and giving me Your peace by praying from Your word today.

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I pray, … again today, … that all reading here will join me, …  to seek Your peace and follow Your ways thru Your word.   … 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 27, 2025 … God’s Forever Love

Feb 27, 2025 … God’s Forever Love 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...    Please take the time to take in this song with music and lyrics with Michael W Smith  singing … His Love Endure Forever,  singing praise to God for His eternally enduring love.

  

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

1 Then the Lord said to me, “Go and love your wife again, even though she commits adultery with another lover. This will illustrate that the Lord still loves Israel, even though the people have turned to other gods and love to worship them.”          

… God shows how The Lord’s command for Hosea to show love for his adulterous wife like God’s loves and pursues Israel in spite of her idolatrous ways.      

Highlight Passage (in context):… Hosea 3 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …  

… God commands Hosea to love His unfaithful wife just as God’s love for and adulterous Israel is eternal.                                                                          

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Reference Passage: … Psalms 136:26 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… God’s Psalmist, likely King David, sings of God’s love enduring FOREVER.

Reference Passage: … Zephaniah 3:17 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… God’s Prophet, Zephaniah, shows of God’s love and pursuit of love for His faithful followers.  

Reference Passage: … John 3:16, 15:13  [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …

… John, in his Gospel account, shows the extent of God’s love for His chosen people in that He was willing to give up His son to save even his unfaithful people. 

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

… The Apostle Paul assures fellow Christians that God showed his great love for His born-again believers by being willing to die to save even sinners. 

Reference Passage: … Romans 8:37-39 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… Paul also assures Christians that NOTHING can separate them (us) from God’s love.

Reference Passage: … 1John 4:16, 19  [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …

… John shows fellow Christians that we can love one another because Christ first loved us.  

                            

My Devotional Journal: Today’s Our Daily Bread Author - Tom Felton … AT THIS LINK     … related a story about some fellow Christian friends, Scott and Bree, who were in a quandary about how to relate to some acquaintances who didn’t share their Christian values.  But they learned from the Highlight passage from the Book of Hosea in the Bible, as well as from meditating on the Scriptures shared in today’s journaling, that they must continue to reach out and share God’s love, which is eternal, and will ultimately reveal God’s love through Scott and Bree conveying that love for their new acquaintances. 

I’m stopping to pray - right now - that we - God’s ambassadors of love, reach out and simply - tho difficult at times - share God’s love with others.  Perhaps God will give us an opportunity, even today, to share His love with someone.                  

          

My Thanksgiving: … Oh, King Jesus, thank You, … for loving me so that I can share Your love with others. 

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I pray, … again today, … that all reading here will join me, …  to willingly and gladly share your love and enabling grace with others - maybe even today!   … 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 26, 2025 … Giving Joyfully

Feb 26, 2025 … Giving Joyfully  

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...   Please take the time to take in this song with music and lyrics with Moen speaking and  singing … We Are An Offering, showing that we, Christians, should be giving of ourselves - our times and talents - as an offering to and for the Lord by joyously helping others.

Woman joyfully crocheting a hat ... 

Highlight Passage: … Acts 9:36 …[NLT] … 

36 There was a believer in Joppa named Tabitha (which in Greek is Dorcas). She was always doing kind things for others and helping the poor.           

… Tabatha was a joyful worker for her Lord.      

Highlight Passage (in context)  …Acts 9:36-43 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …  

… Paul relates the story of Tabitha (i.e., “Dorcas” in the Greek) who worked joyfully for the Lord and was raised from the dead by God thru Peter’s intervention.                                                     

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Reference Passage: … Deuteronomy 15:10 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… God, thru Moses, commands His people to give generously to the poor with God’s blessing on those who do.

Reference Passage: … Proverbs 22:9 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… Solomon’s wisdom on giving joyfully to the Lord. 

Reference Passage: … Malachi 3:10  [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… God’s challenge, thru the Prophet Malachi, that God will pour out a blessing on those who joyfully and generously give to God’s storehouse. 

Reference Passage: … Luke 6:38 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… Jesus clearly commands His born-again servants to give generously, joyfully, and sacrificially. 

Reference Passage: … Acts 20:35 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …

… The Apostle Paul witnesses and testifies how he had tried to be an example to others of joyfully working hard to help others.

Reference Passage:… 2Corinthians 9:6-7  [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… Paul assures fellow Christians that God will provide for those who give to help those in need. 

                            

My Devotional Journal: Today’s Our Daily Bread Author - Katara Patton … AT THIS LINK     … related a story about a woman on a five-hour flight noticing that a baby on her mother’s lap next to her was joyfully watching her crocheting a sweater (see photo).  But the woman decided to crochet a hat for the baby; and in the remaining hour of the flight time she rapidly and joyfully finished the hat and presented it to the mother of the baby, who gladly received the hat, knowing that the woman making the hat had kept her baby so occupied during the flight.

That story is a good human illustration of what we Christians should be doing with our time,  talents and treasures (i.e., money), … giving them and using them for God’s glory by helping  others who are in need of what we can joyously and sacrificially give.  So, I’m praying - right now - for all of us to look for opportunities  - maybe even today - of how we can give and serve JOYOUSLY in the name of our Lord.                  

          

My Thanksgiving: … Oh, King Jesus, thank You, … for being my joyous example of giving all I can in your name and for Your glory.

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I pray, … again today, … that all reading here will join me, …  to joyously give and serve others - maybe today - in Your name and for Your glory, 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.

Feb 25, 2025 … Generosity’s Response

Feb 25, 2025 … Generosity’s Response  

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...    Please take the time to take in this song with music and lyrics with Steven Curtis Chapman singing … Kindness, showing that we, Christians, give as God has given to us with kindness in our hearts.

Highlight Passage: … Luke 6:38 …[NLT] … 

38 Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full — pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.”           

… God’s promise, thru the words of His Son, Jesus, about giving in the proportion that one is given by God       

Highlight Passage (in context): …Luke 6:31-38 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… Jesus cals on His followers (i.e., those who believe He is Messiah) to give generously to the needy when they they are blessed to receive God’s bounty in life.                                                  

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Reference Passage: … Deuteronomy 16:17 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …

… God, thru Moses, commands His people to give to others in the same way the Lord gives to them (us).  

Reference Passage:… Proverbs 11:24-25 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… Solomon’s wisdom on being generous as God is generous to His children. 

Reference Passage: … Matthew 6:1-4  [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …

… Jesus again teaches on God’s promise (i.e., His “golden rule”) to give to those in need as God has provided for those who love the Lord.

Reference Passage: … 2Corinthians 9:6-7  [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… Paul assures fellow Christians that God will provide for those who give to help those in need. 

Reference Passage: … Hebrews 13:16 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… The Author of Hebrews teaches that God is pleased with those who sacrifice themselves (ourselves) to help those in need. 

                            

My Devotional Journal: Today’s Our Daily Bread Author - Monica La Rose … AT THIS LINK    … tells of a study done to test the generosity of common people who were anonymously given $10,000 from the study.   And it was found that over 2/3 of the people in the study gave some of the study money to others (or to charities).  

What would you do if today you received a generous amount of money?  If you’re a Christian, I’m stopping to pray - right now !! -  that we’d all think first how we could use the money to help someone in need …before using the $$$ only to benefit ourselves.  Well, after you’ve heard Steven Curtis Chapmans’ song (linked above); … are you thinking of someone who needs help?  Well, how about doing something to help that person … today?!                   

          

My Thanksgiving: … Oh, King Jesus, thank You, … for ALWAYS taking care of my needs. 

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I pray, … again today, … that all reading here will join me, …  to reach out and use Your providence, Lord, to help others.   … 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.