May 5, 2019 …Praying for the Persecuted…

Berry Patch Devotions in 2019 - Day 125

Devotional Song: … GO TO THIS LINK … Please take the time to take in a YouTube video of song and lyrics of Crowder singing his song with Tauren Wells … All My Hope … poignantly singing of how we all are forgiven and freed by the blood of Jesus.

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Highlight Verse[s]: 2Corinthians 1:10-11 [NLT] … 10 And He [The Lord] did rescue us from mortal danger, and He will rescue us again. We have placed our confidence in him, and he will continue to rescue us. 11 And you are helping us by praying for us. Then many people will give thanks because God has graciously answered so many prayers for our safety. 
… Paul shows Christians (us) why it’s important to pray for the persecuted church. 
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Highlight Passage [context]: 2Corinthians 1:8-11 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… Paul thanks fellow Christians for their prayers when he and companions were persecuted.
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Reference Passage : … Luke 4:18-19 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… Jesus, quoting from Isaiah’s prophesy (Is. 61:1-2), declares why He came to earth … to free the oppressed from their own sin.

Reference Passage : … Hebrews 13:3 [NIV] … 3 Remember those in prison, as if you were there yourself. Remember also those being mistreated, as if you felt their pain in your own bodies. 
… God exhorts us to pray for others as if we were praying for ourselves in chains.

Reference Passage : … 1Peter 5:7 [NIV] … 7 Give all your worries and cares to God, for He cares about you.
… Since we serve a caring God, we need to take our concerns for others to Him.

My Devotional Journal: Today's ODB author, Poh Fang Chia, uses story of persecuted Christians to remind us of our obligation to pray for those in chains for their faith. The ODB author wrote … The day started out like any other, but it ended as a nightmare. Esther (not her real name) and several hundred women were kidnapped from their boarding school by a religious militant group. A month later all were released—except for Esther who refused to deny Christ. As my friend and I read about her and others who are being persecuted for their faith, our hearts were moved. We wanted to do something. But what? 

Every day, around the world, there are Christians who are persecuted - even martyred - for their faith. And persecution of Christians - and other faiths - is becoming more wide spread in our so-called free country as well. So, … what do we do?

Well, Jesus, Himself, reminded those of His day why He came to walk amongst them and even die for them; and that is to free us from the shackles of sin (see Luke 4:18-19); and the Apostles Paul and Peter reminded fellow Christians, … and us too, … that we should pray for those who are being persecuted in Christ’s Name (see reference Scriptures), … just as if we are the ones being persecuted.

Because, my fellow believer, it is highly likely that we are going to be a part of the persecuted Church very soon ourselves. So, … let’s pray, pray, pray for our persecuted brothers/sisters in Christ. 

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My THANKFULNESS: … Oh Abba Father, … thank You, Lord, … for coming to save us from the shackles of our sin.
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My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, … King Jesus, … I pray, Lord, that all reading here can, and will, join me, to pray diligently for the persecuted believers around the world.. … 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.

May 4, 2019 … Waiting …

Berry Patch Devotions in 2019 - Day 124

Devotional Song: … GO TO THIS LINK … Please take the time to take in a YouTube video of song and lyrics of Lincoln Brewster singing … While I Wait … poignantly singing of how we should wait for the Lord, making our lives a waiting game or preparation and worship.

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Highlight Verse[s]: Acts 1:4-5 [NLT] … 4 On one occasion, while He was eating with them, He gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. 5 For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” 
 … Jesus commands us to wait in Him in an attitude of trust and worship.
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Highlight Passage [context]: Acts 1:4-11 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… Just before Jesus ascended into Heaven after the resurrection, He commands His inner Disciples to gather and wait on the Holy Spirit.
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Reference Passage : … Psalm 130:5 [NIV] … 5  I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits, and in His word I put my hope. 
… The ancient Jewish command that we are to treat others with all the love God shows to us.

Reference Passage : … Proverbs 3:5-6 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… God desires that we wait - TRUSTINGLY - to allow Him to lead us with His word.

Reference Passage : … Isaiah 40:30-31 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… God desires that we allow Him to give us the strength to wait on Him.

Reference Passage : … Revelation 19:6-8 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… The Apostle John was given a vision of the Wedding Feast of the Lamb of God; … and His Bride was there, having prepared Her linens, which were the acts of worship and surrender to the Lord.

My Devotional Journal: Today's ODB author, Peter Chin, uses story of impatience and the bad that results when we’re unwilling to wait at times. The ODB author wrote … Police charged a woman with reckless driving after she drove off the street and onto the sidewalk and back because she didn’t want to wait for a school bus dropping off students! 
While it’s true that waiting can make us impatient, there are also good things to do and learn in the waiting. 

I know that patience [i.e., the ability to wait trustingly on God] is one of the fruit of the Spirit [see Galatians 5:22-23]; but I must admit that it is one of the lesser mature fruit in my life’s basket. I often find myself impatient, even to the point of anger, in traffic jams and other unimportant situations.

Just before Jesus ascended into Heaven, He told His Disciples (in the highlight passage) to wait patiently in Jerusalem for the coming of His Spirit. And they gathered, as they had before the crucifixion in an upper room, following His commands, … but waiting by prayer/worship on their Lord’s promises. And that scene shows us that there are going to be times when we have trouble waiting on God and His promises; … but wait we must … for His promises to unfold.

And that’s what God’s word tells us (see reference passages) over and over again, knowing that it’s going to be tough to wait. But the wait will be worth it … as described by God thru John’s reflection (see Rev 19:6-8). For one day we will be with our Bridegroom at the wedding feast of the Lamb of God.

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My THANKFULNESS: … Oh Abba Father, … thank You, Lord, … for giving us the strength to wait on You.
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My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, … King Jesus, … I pray, Lord, that all reading here can, and will, join me, to wait faithfully on God’s promises to unfold in His timing and good will. … 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.

May 3, 2019 … My Neighbor?

Berry Patch Devotions in 2019 - Day 123

Devotional Song: … GO TO THIS LINK …  Please take the time to take in a YouTube video of Fred Rogers singing … Won’t You Be My Neighbor … poignantly singing of his initiation for anyone to become his neighbor, … a sentiment which should be shared by all Christians … ALWAYS.

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Highlight Verse[s]: Luke 10:36-37 [NLT] … 36 “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” 37 The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.” 
… Jesus commands us all to treat others as the “good Samaritan” treated the man on the road.
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Highlight Passage [context]: Luke 20:25-37 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… Jesus tells the parable of the “Good Samaritan” to illustrate who should be our neighbor … anyone … anytime!
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Reference Passage : … Deuteronomy 6:5 [NLT] … 5 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. 
… The ancient Jewish command that we are to treat others with all the love God shows to us.


Reference Passage : … Mark 12:28-31 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… Jesus taught the religious leaders that there was no commandment from God greater than that of loving others - any and all - as our neighbors.

My Devotional Journal: Today's ODB author, Cindy Hess Kasper, uses a human interest story to illustrate taking Jesus’ command to make all people our neighbors … always. The ODB author wrote … In the summer of 2017, Hurricane Harvey brought devastating losses of life and property to the Gulf Coast of the US. Many people provided food, water, clothing, and shelter for those in immediate need. 
The owner of a piano store in Maryland felt prompted to do something more. He considered how music could bring a special kind of healing and sense of normalcy to people who had lost everything. So he and his staff began to refurbish pre-owned pianos and to make inquiries to see where the need was the greatest. That spring, Dean Kramer and his wife, Lois, began the long trek to Houston, Texas, driving a truck filled with free pianos [like the one in the photo] to give to grateful families, churches, and schools in the ravaged area. 

When Jesus was confronted by those challenging His authority, mostly the religious leaders of His day, He was asked who should be our neighbor, … i.e., one we should treat as commanded by God in Deut. 6:5? And He responded [see passages in Mark 12 and Luke 10) with the clear picture that we should treat EVERYONE as our neighbor,… just as the “good Samaritan” did in Jesus’ parable.

The question becomes, who will we come across today - or tomorrow - who needs us to invite him to be our neighbor just as Fred Rogers did the youth of American for years on TV [see linked video]. And just as those folks in Maryland did, by offering free pianos, … whom will we reach out to treat as a loving neighbor the next time we see someone in need?

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My THANKFULNESS: … Oh Abba Father, … thank You, Lord, … for treating me as Your neighbor.
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My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, … King Jesus, … I pray, Lord, that all reading here can, and will, join me, to reach out and help the next “neighbor” we encounter. … 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.

May 2, 2019 … KOKO in Prayer

Berry Patch Devotions in 2019 - Day 122

Devotional Song: … GO TO THIS LINK … Please take the time to take in a YouTube video of images and lyrics of Steve Green singing … Find Us Faithful … poignantly singing of how we must keep on keeping on (“KOKO”) in faith.

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Highlight Verse[s]: Luke 18:1 [NLT] … 1  Then Jesus told His disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. 
… Jesus teaching on the power of persistent/faithful prayer.
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Highlight Passage [context]: Luke 18:1-8 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… Jesus relates the parable of the persistent widow.  
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Reference Passage : … Romans 12:12 [NLT] … 12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. 
… Paul exhorting fellow believers to keep on keeping in faithful prayer.

Reference Passage : … Colossians 4:2 [NLT] … 2 Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. 
… God’s prescription for peaceful living.

Reference Passage : … 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 [NLT] … 16 Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 
… Paul’s strong exhortation to joyful, thankful, FAITHFUL prayer.

My Devotional Journal: Today's ODB author, James Banks, uses a personal story to illustrate how God honors the prayer of His faithful prayer warriors. The ODB author wrote … Kevin wiped a tear from his eye as he held out a slip of paper for my wife, Cari, to read. He knew Cari and I were praying for our daughter to return to faith in Jesus. “This note was found in my mother’s Bible after her death, and I hope it encourages you,” he said. At the top of the note were the words, “For my son, Kevin.” Below them was a prayer for his salvation. 
“I carry this with me in my own Bible today,” Kevin explained. “My mother prayed for my salvation for more than thirty-five years. I was far away from God, and I’m a believer now.” He looked intently at us and smiled through his tears: “Never give up praying for your daughter—no matter how long it takes.” 

Perhaps having taken in that story and the linked song, the name or life of a dear family member or friend, one who seemingly has not surrendered to God’s saving grace, has been called to your mind. And perhaps you, like I have for my sister for years, have been praying for the salvation of that person.

Well, don’t stop!! … “KOKO” (aka - Keep On Keeping On) in faith. Because if you believe as I do, and what the Apostle Paul encouraged believers in the above reference Scriptures, and also what Jesus taught in His parable (see highlight passage), … God honors the intent and humble faithfulness of those who pray persistently for those things in His will. So, let’s keep praying for God to pursue and save our loved ones.

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My THANKFULNESS: … Oh Abba Father, … thank You, Lord, … for Your willingness to honor the prayers of your faithful prayer warriors.
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My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, … King Jesus, … I pray, Lord, that all reading here can, and will, join me, to keep on keeping on praying for lost loved ones. … 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.

May 1, 2019 … God’s Remedies

Berry Patch Devotions in 2019 - Day 121

Devotional Song: … GO TO THIS LINK … Please take the time to take in a YouTube video of babies laughing uncontrollably … Babies Laughing … if you need a good laugh, … this will help make you feel better.

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Highlight Verse[s]: Proverbs 19;22 [NLT] … 22  A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones 
… A Godly prescription for longer living.
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Highlight Passage [context]: Proverbs 17:19-22 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… God, thru Solomon, provides many prescriptions for well being and Godly living. 
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Reference Passage : … Psalm 119:9-11 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… God’s prescription for pure living.

Reference Passage : … Proverbs 3:5-6 [NLT] … 5  Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. 6 Seek His will in all you do, and He will show you which path to take. 
… God’s prescription for purpose and direction in life.

Reference Passage : … Isaiah 26:3 [NLT] … 3  You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you. 
… God’s prescription for peaceful living.

My Devotional Journal: Today's ODB author, Lisa M Samra, uses a a very human story to illustrate how God provides a prescription for well being thru His word. The ODB author wrote … Greg and Elizabeth have a regular “Joke Night” with their four school-age children. Each child brings several jokes they’ve read or heard (or made up themselves!) during the week to tell at the dinner table. This tradition has created joyful memories of fun shared around the table. Greg and Elizabeth even noticed the laughter was healthy for their children, lifting their spirits on difficult days. 
The benefit of joyful conversation around the dinner table was observed by C. S. Lewis, who wrote, “The sun looks down on nothing half so good as a household laughing together over a meal.” 

One of the best reasons one finds me here EACH DAY, digging into God’s mine of truth [i.e., His word], is to find and internalize His prescriptions for well being and Godly living. And today, the ODB entry helps us to focus on one of them from Prov. 17:22 … that laughter, especially with family or friends [see photo], actually provides life-giving medicine.

But there are others which come to mind. How about these? …
… For PURE LIVING … see Psalm 119:9-11 … What good Christian doesn’t want to avoid sin in our lives?
… For PURPOSE … See Proverbs 3:5-6 … Who couldn’t use a more effective “GPS” for life?
 … For PEACE  … See Isaiah 26:3 … In this stress-ridden world, who couldn’t use more peace? 

And that’s why you’ll find me back here tomorrow, delving more deeply into God’s perfect prescription pad, … for His remedies for life.

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My THANKFULNESS: … Oh Abba Father, … thank You, Lord, … for Your prescription pad for life, … found in Your word.
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My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, … King Jesus, … I pray, Lord, that all reading here can, and will, join me, to seek out God’s prescriptions for Godly living. … 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.

April 30, 2019 … Transformed By Grace

Berry Patch Devotions in 2019 - Day 120

Devotional Song: … GO TO THIS LINK … Please take the time to take in a YouTube video with images and lyrics from the group Phillips, Craig, and Dean singing … Your Grace Still Amazes Me … poignantly singing of we must be overwhelmed by the wonder of God’s transforming grace.

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Highlight Verse[s]: Luke 22:61-62 [NLT] … 61 At that moment the Lord turned and looked at Peter. Suddenly, the Lord’s words flashed through Peter’s mind: “Before the rooster crows tomorrow morning, you will deny three times that you even know me.” 62 And Peter left the courtyard, weeping bitterly. 
… Three times Peter denies Jesus … even after declaring Jesus to be the Son of God. 
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Highlight Passage [context]: Luke 22:54-62 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… Peter fulfills Jesus’ prophesy of denying Him thrice.
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Reference Passage : … Lamentations 3:22-23 [NLT] … 22  The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. 23  Great is His faithfulness; His mercies begin afresh each morning.
… God’s mercy and grace are new every morning … yes, even every moment … to allow us the availability to His amazing grace.

Reference Passage : … John 14:21 [NLT] … 21 Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me. And because they love me, my Father will love them. And I will love them and reveal myself to each of them.” 
…Jesus promises any/all true disciples that He will be manifest in the life of anyone who is willing to obey and follow His commands.

Reference Passage : … John 21:7-17 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… Jesus returns to the Disciples after the resurrection and allow Peter to be restored by giving him the opportunity to declare Peter’s love for Jesus three times.

My Devotional Journal: Today's ODB author, Remi Oyedele, uses a historical reference to the life of Mary of Magdalene, to illustrate one who was transformed from sinner to saint by the wondrous grace of Jesus. . The ODB author wrote … Before she followed in the footsteps of John the Baptist by living in the desert, Mary of Egypt (c. ad 344–421) spent her youth pursuing illicit pleasures and seducing men. At the height of her sordid career, she journeyed to Jerusalem in an attempt to corrupt pilgrims. Instead, she experienced deep conviction of her sins and thereafter lived a life of repentance and solitude in the wilderness. Mary’s radical transformation illustrates the magnitude of God’s grace and the restoring power of the cross. 

And one of the most powerful stories about the transforming grace of God is also that of the Apostle Peter, who denied Jesus three times just before His crucifixion [see highlight passage]; and then was restored to service of the Lord, by Jesus, in John 21. And very personally, I think of how Jesus’ grace pursued yours truly for the first 40 years of my life, where I denied Him as an avowed atheist, only to be saved, and allowed to serve our Lord, in ministry, as I have for over two decades now.

GO FIGURE!! … It’s no wonder that Phillips, Craig, and Dean sing, in the linked song, that God’s saving and restoring grace is truly amazing. But perhaps you, too, have experienced His restoring grace. And if so, would you join me in a resounding … HALLELUJAH!! 

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My THANKFULNESS: … Oh Abba Father, … thank You, Lord, … for Your ever available mercy and grace, which transforms sinners to saints.
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My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, … King Jesus, … I pray, Lord, that all reading here can, and will, join me, to praise our Lord for His wondrous, transforming grace.. … 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.

April 29, 2019 … All Wisdom and Power

Berry Patch Devotions in 2019 - Day 119

Devotional Song: … GO TO THIS LINK … Please take the time to take in a YouTube video with live song and lyrics from the group Hillsong United singing … Christ Is Enought … poignantly singing of how we must trust and believe that our Lord is in control and He’s willing - AND ABLE - to handle ALL of life’s challenges.

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Highlight Verse[s]: Job 12:13 [NLT] … 13  “But true wisdom and power are found in God; counsel and understanding are His.
… True insights, thru Job, into the omniscience/omnipotence of God.
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Highlight Passage [context]: Job 12:13-25 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… Job states truth to his friends about where all power and authority come ... from God alone!
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Reference Passage : … Proverbs 3:5-6 [NLT] … 5  Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. 6 Seek His will in all you do, and He will show you which path to take. 
… No matter our circumstances, we must depend on God and follow His ways. He ALWAYS knows best.

Reference Passage : … Isaiah 55:8-9 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… God’s wisdom and His ways are ALWAYS higher than ours; and therefor, are often misunderstood.

Reference Passage : … Romans 8:28 [NLT] … 28 And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are the called according to His purpose for them. 
 … Almost impossible to understand … but TRUE!

Reference Passage : … 1 Peter 5:7 [NLT] … 7 Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you. 
 … When we don’t understand the challenges of life, we simply must give them over to God, Whom we know always cares for us.

My Devotional Journal: Today's ODB author, Julie Schwab, used a personal reflection to teach about times when we just can’t explain our trials and circumstances. The ODB author wrote … My friend’s father received the dreaded diagnosis: … cancer. Yet, during the chemo treatment process, he became a believer in Jesus and his disease eventually went into remission. He was cancer free for a wonderful eighteen months, but it returned—worse than before. He and his wife faced the reality of the returned cancer with concern and questions but also with a faithful trust in God because of how He saw them through the first time. 

I’m not a betting man; but if I were, I would wager that all reading here with me can recall a time in our lives when we simply couldn’t understand what was going on. Perhaps, some are even in the midst of such a time right now. And those who know the Bible, probably the best character to illustrate this dilemma was Job, … a righteous man who had done nothing to experience all the trials God allowed Satan to bring into this man’s life. And he had “friends” who tried to explain why God may’ve allowed all this trouble. But these so-called “friends” didn’t have a clue, did they?

No, and in today’s highlight passage Job sets them straight on the truth that there are just some life circumstances that we’ll never be able to explain with our human logic, science, or intelligence. And out of the truths shared above in the reference Scriptures, we must always remember … God is God and we are NOT! [see photo] And there are times when we just have to trust that God knows what He’s doing or allowing into our lives.

It took Job 42 chapters of quandary to fully figure that out; but he did and finally resolved to just trust God 100%. And so should we!

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My THANKFULNESS: … Oh Abba Father, … thank You, Lord, … for ALWAYS knowing what is best for us.
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My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, … King Jesus, … I pray, Lord, that all reading here can, and will, join me, to do the 1Peter 5:7 thing today and just cast our cares on God, knowing that He cares for us. … 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.

April 28, 2019 … God’s Calling = My Plans

Berry Patch Devotions in 2019 - Day 118

Devotional Song: … GO TO THIS LINK … Please take the time to take in a YouTube video with images and lyrics from Brian Littrell singing … I Surrender All … poignantly singing of how we must surrender to God’s calling on our lives if we are to serve Him effectively and give Him the glory that can come from our life.

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Highlight Verse[s]: Exodus 3:10 [NLT] … 10  Now go, for I am sending you to Pharaoh. You must lead my people Israel out of Egypt.”
. … God’s calling on the life of Moses late in the life of the Prophet.
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Highlight Passage [context]: Exodus 3:1-10 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… God calls Moses out of “retirement” to His service.
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Reference Passage : … Matthew 28:19-20 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… God’s calling on the lives of EVERY Christians - His Great Commission.

Reference Passage : … Luke 9:23 [NLT] … 23 Then He said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be My follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow Me. 
 … Jesus’ expectation for all who are surrendered to Him as disciples.

Reference Passage : … Acts 1:8 [NLT] … 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be My witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” 
… Jesus calls the lives of ALL Christians to be His witnesses.

My Devotional Journal: Today's ODB author, Ruth O-Reilly-Smith, used a historical story of a calling which changed the life course of a scientist. The ODB author wrote … Archaeologist Dr. Warwick Rodwell was preparing to retire when he made an extraordinary discovery at Lichfield Cathedral in England. As builders carefully excavated part of the floor of the church to make way for a retractable base, they discovered a sculpture of the archangel Gabriel, thought to be 1,200 years old. [See photo] Dr. Rodwell’s retirement plans were put on hold as his find launched him into an exciting and busy new season. 

After relating this story about Dr. Rodwell’s change in life plans, the ODB author makes reference to the drastic change in life focus Moses received (see highlight passage) when he encountered a burning bush later in his life. And tho it was difficult for him to accept, Moses surrendered his plans to God’s calling; and we know what happened thereafter as God used Moses to liberate God’s people from Egypt.

I certainly can relate to a change in “retirement” plans as God called yours truly, late in my career in healthcare, to a “commencement” rather than a “retirement.” I went from directing 50+ clinics in a hospital to becoming an ordained minister of the Gospel as well as founding and leading a ministry to help men walk free from habitual sexual sin to a fruitful walk with Christ [see this link].

Do we, as Christians, realize that we’re all called to serve the Lord as His witnesses (see Acts 1:8) and His disciples (see Matt. 28:19-20 and Luke 9:23). But the question always remains … if we sense God’s calling on our lives, are we willing to do what Brian Littrell sings and surrender all to serve the Lord?

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My THANKFULNESS: … Oh Abba Father, … thank You, Lord, … for Your calling on our lives to serve You.
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My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, … King Jesus, … I pray, Lord, that all reading here can, and will, join me, to follow God’s leading and His calling to give our lives in service to our Lord. … 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.

April 27, 2019 … So Much Beauty

Berry Patch Devotions in 2019 - Day 117

Devotional Song: … GO TO THIS LINK … Please take the time to take in a YouTube video with images and lyrics from Gordon Mote singing … Don’t Let Me Miss the Glory … poignantly singing of how we need to stop long enough to appreciate God’s glory in creation.

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Highlight Verse[s]: Ecclesiastes 3:11 [NLT] … 11 Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end. 
… So often we let the ugliness of the world and our own selfishness cloud our ability to see the beauty that God surrounds us with in His creation.
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Highlight Passage [context]: Ecclesiastes 3:9:13 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… Solomon paints a word picture of God’s glory, given to us in His creation.
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Reference Passage : … Lamentations 3:22-23 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… God’s mercies are often provided for us in the beauty of His creation.

Reference Passage : … Romans 8:28 [NLT] … 28 And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. 
… Oh, how we need to stop and CHOOSE to see God’s glorious gifts of goodness in even the challenges of life.

My Devotional Journal: Today's ODB author, Patricia Raybon, used a personal remembrance to illustrate how we must stop, in life, long enough to appreciate the beauty of creation God has provided for us. The ODB author wrote … The painting caught my eye like a beacon. Displayed along a long hallway in a big city hospital, its deep pastel hues and Navajo Native American figures were so arresting I stopped to marvel and stare. “Look at that,” [see photo] I said to my husband, Dan. 
He was walking ahead but I hesitated, bypassing other paintings on the wall to gaze only at that one. “Beautiful,” I whispered. 
Many things in life are beautiful indeed. Master paintings. Scenic vistas. Inspired crafts. But so is a child’s smile. A friend’s hello. A robin’s blue egg. A seashell’s strong ridges. To relieve the burdens life can bring, “[God] has made everything beautiful in its time” (Ecclesiastes 3:11). In such beauty, Bible scholars explain, we get a glimpse of the perfection of God’s creation—including the glory of His perfect rule to come. 

Today’s ODB author has reminded me of a reality that should not be ignored; … that God, thru His creation and the creation of those He created, has surrounded us with a wondrous exhibit of His glory. But in the midst of so much ugliness, which Satan puts in our line of sight daily, we have to CHOOSE to stop long enough to take in the Glory of God.

Right now I”m looking out of my window to see our azalea bushes in our patio blooming gloriously in the morning sun; and I pray we all stop and take in at least some part of God’s glory today. 

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My THANKFULNESS: … Oh Abba Father, … thank You, Lord, … for surrounding us with the beauty of Your creation.
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My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, … King Jesus, … I pray, Lord, that all reading here can, and will, join me, to stop and be thankful for the beauty You have created for us to sense 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.

April 26, 2019 … God Sees All

Berry Patch Devotions in 2019 - Day 116

Devotional Song: … GO TO THIS LINK … Please take the time to take in a YouTube video with song and lyrics from the group Anointed singing … God Is All Around Us … poignantly singing of how we can trust that God all around us, seeing/hearing all, and covering us with His love and grace.

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Highlight Verse[s]: 2 Chronicles 16:9 [NLT] … 9 The eyes of the Lord search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. What a fool you have been! From now on you will be at war.” 
… Hanani, the Prophet, proclaims what King Asa will reap for not relying on God. 
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Highlight Passage [context]: 2 Chronicles 16:7-9 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… King Asa failed to look to God for guidance, trying to do battle on his own.
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Reference Passage : … Proverbs 3:5-6 [NLT] … 5  Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. 6 Seek His will in all you do, and He will show you which path to take. 
… No matter our circumstances, we must depend on God and follow His ways.

Reference Passage : … Lamentations 3:22-23 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… God’s mercies - and His grace - are there for us … ALWAYS!!

Reference Passage : … Romans 8:28, 31 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… These truths show that God will always be there - for our good - no matter what we face.

My Devotional Journal: Today's ODB author, Elisa Morgan, used a personal remembrance to illustrate how we can trust in God to watch over us ALWAYS. The ODB author wrote … Early in the morning, I quietly pad past a family-room window overlooking a wilderness area behind our house. Often, I notice a hawk or owl perched in a tree, keeping watch over the area. One morning I was surprised to find a bald eagle boldly balanced on a high branch, surveying the terrain as if the entire expanse belonged to him. [see photo] Likely he was watching for “breakfast.” His all-inclusive gaze seemed regal. 

That’s a good word picture illustrating how God, in His omniscience and omnipotence, watches over us ALWAYS, just as He did King Asa in the highlight passage for today’s ODB. However, King Asa lost sight of God’s watchcase and decided, in doing battle, to use his own ways, rather than following God. And the King learned from Hanani, the Prophet, that when we go it on our own, not following God’s lead, bad things can result.

And that’s whet the reference passages, linked and copied above, tell us. But the question is - ALWAYS - do we believe these truths and continually look to let God lead us, knowing that He is always going to lead true believers in His ways, … for our good. … ALWAYS!!

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My THANKFULNESS: … Oh Abba Father, … thank You, Lord, … for being there ALWAYS … seeing/hearing all things … with your mercy and grace ALWAYS available to those who humbly follow You.
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My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, … King Jesus, … I pray, Lord, that all reading here can, and will, join me, to seek God’s ways today … and 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.

April 25, 2019 … All I Need

Berry Patch Devotions in 2019 - Day 115

Devotional Song: … GO TO THIS LINK … Please take the time to take in a YouTube video with song and lyrics from the group Hillsong United singing … Jesus, You’re All I Need … poignantly singing of how Christians live only for the glory of our Lord.

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Highlight Verse[s]: Matthew 4:4 [NLT] … 4 But Jesus told [Satan], “No! The Scriptures say, ‘People do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ [Deut 8:3]”
 … As Satan temps Jesus, who is hungry, having fasted 40 days, the Lord quotes from OT truth that we are sustained by God’s truth.
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Highlight Passage [context]: Matthew 4:1-11 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… Jesus holds on to the truth, from God’s word, that man cannot live by bread alone. 
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Reference Passage : … Deuteronomy 8:1-3 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… God reminds His people that they live for His truth, knowing that He, the Lord, will provide them with their needs.

Reference Passage : … Philippians 4:19 [NLT] … 19 And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus. 
… Trusting God to supply all we need.

My Devotional Journal: Today's ODB author, David H Roper, used a story about his grandson to illustrate how material possessions will never satisfy our needs. The ODB author wrote … When our grandson Jay was a child his parents gave him a new T-shirt for his birthday. He put it on right away and proudly wore it all day. 
When he appeared the next morning in the shirt, his dad asked him, “Jay, does that shirt make you happy?” 
“Not as much as yesterday,” Jay replied. 
That’s the problem with material acquisition: Even the good things of life can’t give us the deep, lasting happiness we so strongly desire. Though we may have many possessions, we may still be unhappy. 

Reading this illustration of how, as Jesus taught (in Matt. 6 and God’s word in Deut. 8), we will never be completely satisfied - in our souls - with material possessions. It’s what Jesus called out to Satan when the Devil tempted our Lord in the wilderness (see Matt. 4:1-11 and also Luke 4:1-13). And it’s the lesson the ODB author’s grandson learned having been gifted with the T-shirt.

And it’s why I’m here every morning, feeding my soul on God’s truth [see photo], … knowing that I need to be sustained by God’s truth every day, which I can feed on from His word. I know, and I pray all reading here also know, that God will supply all my [our] needs (see Phil. 4:19); and, as Hillsong sings, our Lord is really all that we really need.

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My THANKFULNESS: … Oh Abba Father, … thank You, Lord, … for giving all I need to feed my soul from Your word.
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My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, … King Jesus, … I pray, Lord, that all reading here can, and will, join me, to feed on God’s truth daily. … 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.

April 24, 2019 … All Are Invited

Berry Patch Devotions in 2019 - Day 114

Devotional Song: … GO TO THIS LINK … Please take the time to take in a YouTube video with song and lyrics from the group Sidewalk Prophets singing … Come To the Table … poignantly singing of how God invites all to come to His table.

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Highlight Verse[s]: Luke 14:23 [NLT] … 23 So his master said, ‘Go out into the country lanes and behind the hedges and urge anyone you find to come, so that the house will be full. 
 … Yes, God invites all to come to His family’s table
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Highlight Passage [context]: Luke 14:15-23 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… Jesus invites everyone to come to His banquet table.    
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Reference Passage : … Lamentations 3:22-23 [NLT] … 22 The faithful love of the Lord never ends.   His mercies never cease. 23  Great is His faithfulness; His mercies begin afresh each morning.  
… God’s mercies are for ALL

Reference Passage : … John 14:1-3 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… Jesus invites ALL to come with Him to HIs Father’s house in heaven.

Reference Passage : … 1Corinthians 1:26-29 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… God often chooses to invite the lowly to serve Him in His kingdom.

My Devotional Journal: Today's ODB author, Mike Wittmer, used a story about a fire fighter choosing to save a small rabbit to illustrate how our God’s mercy/grace reaches out to invite ALL to join Him at His table. The ODB author wrote … The video showed a man kneeling beside a busy freeway during an out-of-control brush fire. He was clapping his hands and pleading with something to come. What was it? A dog? Moments later a bunny hopped into the picture [see photo]. The man scooped up the scared rabbit and sprinted to safety. 
How did the rescue of such a small thing make national news? That’s why. There’s something endearing about compassion shown to the least of these. It takes a big heart to make room for the smallest creature. 

In the linked song today the singing group Sidewalk Prophets sings about God’s invitation to all to join Him at His table in HIs kingdom. And aren’t we glad that we don’t have to be rich, powerful, or even intelligent to join Him [see Scriptures above]?

I, for one, am so, SO grateful that he’s invited me. And I”m definitely coming to His banquet! How about you?

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My THANKFULNESS: … Oh Abba Father, … thank You, Lord, … for Your invitation for me (us) to come to Your party.
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My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, … King Jesus, … I pray, Lord, that all reading here can, and will, join me, to accept God’s invitation to the wedding feast of the Lamb of God. 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.

April 23, 2019 … Into the Light

Berry Patch Devotions in 2019 - Day 113

Devotional Song: … GO TO THIS LINK … Please take the time to take in a YouTube video with images and lyrics from Chris Tomlin singing … Light of the World … poignantly singing of Jesus becoming the light of our world.

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Highlight Verse[s]: Matthew 4:23 [NLT] … 23 Jesus traveled throughout the region of Galilee, teaching in the synagogues and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom. And he healed every kind of disease and illness. 
… Jesus moved out to shine His light into the darkness of Galilee.
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Highlight Passage [context]: Matthew 4:12-25 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… Jesus moved out from Nazareth into Galilee, preaching the Gospel and bringing the Light of the World to those in darkness.
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Reference Passage : … Psalm 119:105 [NLT] … 105  Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path. 
… Now we have God’s light, shining on our path in life, thru His word.

Reference Passage : … Isaiah 9:2 [NLT] … 2  The people who walk in darkness will see a great light. For those who live in a land of deep darkness, a light will shine. 
… The promise and prophesy of the Light of Messiah who would come to God’s people, shrouded in the darkness of sin.

Reference Passage : … Matthew 5:14-16 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… Jesus commanded His disciples to shine His light in the world for others to see the glory of God’s love/grace in the way we live our lives.

  Reference Passage : … John 8:12 [NLT] … 12 Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.” 
… Jesus declares Himself to be the “Light of the World” to bring them out of their darkness.

My Devotional Journal: Today's ODB author, Arthur Jackson, used a story about a musician to illustrate how we can shine the light of Christ thru the way we live. The ODB author wrote … On the streets of Los Angeles, a homeless man struggling with addictions stepped into The Midnight Mission and asked for help. Thus began Brian’s long road to recovery. 
In the process Brian rediscovered his love for music. Eventually he joined Street Symphony — a group of music professionals with a heart for the homeless. They asked Brian to perform a solo from Handel’s Messiah known as “The People That Walked in Darkness.” In words written by the prophet Isaiah during a dark period of Israel’s history, he sang, “The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined” (Isaiah 9:2). A music critic for The New Yorker magazine wrote that Brian “made the text sound as though it had been taken from his own life.” 

As the ODB author writes today following this story, Jesus was the fulfillment of those prophesies from Isaiah 9 about His light coming into the world to lead His people out of the darkness of their own sin. And when Jesus moved out from his home town into the countryside in Galilee and began sharing the Gospel of His kingdom with those who flocked to see Him, He became God’s Light, … His living word, … shining the light of truth and leading those who would surrender to Him out of their darkness and into His light.

And that’s what any of us can find in following Him. It’s certainly what led me out of the darkness of my selfishness and sin over 3 decades ago; and now I can seek and share His light of truth (see Ps. 119:105) with others here everyday and praying that we all will simply follow His light and reflect it into the world (see Matt. 5:14-16) so that others will follow the Lord’s light out of their own darkness.

I pray that all reading here are seeking His light of truth daily and sharing that light with others. 

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My THANKFULNESS: … Oh Abba Father, … thank You, Lord, … for the light of truth shining from Your word.
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My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, … King Jesus, … I pray, Lord, that all reading here can, and will, join me, to come out of the darkness of our selves into the light of the Savior. 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.

April 22, 2019 … Second Wind

Berry Patch Devotions in 2019 - Day 112

Devotional Song: … GO TO THIS LINK … Please take the time to take in a YouTube video with song and lyrics from Steven Curtis Chapman singing … His Strength Is Perfect … poignantly singing of how God’s strength, when we walk in the Spirit, will give us His strength to cover our weaknesses.

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Highlight Verse[s]: Isaiah 40:31 [NLT] … 31  But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint. 
 … It is those whose trust holds in the strength of God’s grace who will finish the race well. 
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Highlight Passage [context]: Isaiah 40:27-31 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… God, thru Isaiah shows where we can get our strength when we grow weak or weary in life. 
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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 you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand. 
… We need not be fearful in running the marathon we run in life; because God’s mighty right hand is there to lift us up when we get weak.

Reference Passage : … Matthew 11:28-30 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… Jesus invites those who trust in Him to find rest in Him.

Reference Passage : … 2Corinthians 12:9 [NLT] … 9 Each time He said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. 
… When Paul was weakened in the flesh, He learned to rely on God’s empowering grace to give him the strength to go on.

Reference Passage : … 2Timothy 4:7 [NLT] … 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful. 
… At the end of his life, the Apostle Paul, testifies to his finishing the race faithfully.

My Devotional Journal: Today's ODB author, Arthur Jackson, used a personal story to illustrate how we can find strength from God’s empowering grace when we get weak in running the race of life. The ODB author wrote … At the age of fifty-four I entered the Milwaukee marathon with two goals—to finish the race and to do it under five hours. My time would have been amazing if the second 13.1 miles went as well as the first. But the race was grueling, and the second-wind strength I’d hoped for never came. By the time I made it to the finish line [see photo], my steady stride had morphed into a painful walk. 
Footraces aren’t the only things that require second-wind strength—life’s race does too.

As I write this, this old runner, like Paul, writing to Timothy in 2Tim. 4, is in the last legs of the marathon we call life. I don’t know where my readers are in your race; but I do know that there are times when we all feel like we “hit the wall,” and our endurance to run the race we call life can wane. It is then when we find out just how much we trust in God’s promises (see highlight and reference passages) to help us finish the race.

And I pray, again like Paul, that we know - and trust - that God’s promises are true [see Isaiah 41:10 and 2Cor. 12:9] … that our God will, as Steven Curtis Chapman sings, give us His strength to go on when we feel weak.

And I need some of His empowering grace today. How about you?

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My THANKFULNESS: … Oh Abba Father, … thank You, Lord, … for Your uplifting strength when I get weak.
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My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, … King Jesus, … I pray, Lord, that all reading here can, and will, join me, to lean on God’s grace to give us His strength when we get weak. 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.

April 21, 2019 … Stained and Cleansed Hearts

Berry Patch Devotions in 2019 - Day 111

Devotional Song: … GO TO THIS LINK … Please take the time to take in a YouTube video with song and lyrics from the group Selah singing that great Andre Crouch song … The Blood Never Loses Its Power … poignantly singing of how Christ’s completed work, shedding His blood on the cross, will never lose it’s power to save and cleanse us from our sins.

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Highlight Verse[s]: Jeremiah 2:22 [NLT] … 22  No amount of soap or lye can make you clean. I still see the stain of your guilt.  I, the Sovereign Lord, have spoken! … Nothing we can do can cleanse us from the stains of our sin. 
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Highlight Passage [context]: Jeremiah 2:13, 20-22 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… God, thru Jeremiah, declares the sin stains of His people [and that’s us, too!].
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Reference Passage : … Lamentations 3:22-23 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… For those who need it (and that’s all of us - see Rom. 3:23), God’s mercies are new every morning … BUT … we have to be willing to surrender to its sustaining/cleansing power thru confession and repentance.

Reference Passage : … Psalm 32:5 [NLT] … 5  Finally, I confessed all my sins to you and stopped trying to hide my guilt. I said to myself, “I will confess my rebellion to the Lord.” And You forgave me! All my guilt is gone. 
… When we’re willing to confess and repent of our sin, God will forgive and cleanse the stain of ALL SINS - FOREVER.

Reference Passage : … John 19:28-30 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… When Jesus declared “It is finished” from the cross and dies, His blood had forever become the cleansing agent for all the sins of mankind … past, present, and future.

Reference Passage : … 1John 1:7, … 9 [NLT] … 7 But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin. 
… 9 But if we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. 
… All we need do now is confess our sins to Him directly and be cleansed.

My Devotional Journal: Today's ODB author, Lisa M Samra, used a personal story to illustrate how we are all permanently stained by sin with only the blood of Christ to cleanse us. The ODB author wrote … I couldn’t believe it. A blue gel pen had hidden itself in the folds of my white towels and survived the washing machine, only to explode in the dryer. Ugly blue stains were everywhere. My white towels were ruined. [see photo] No amount of bleach would be able to remove the dark stains. 
As I reluctantly consigned the towels to the rag pile, I was reminded of the Old Testament prophet Jeremiah’s lament describing the damaging effects of sin [see highlight passage]. 

The truth of Romans 3:23 [look it up if you don’t know it!] resounds in the hearts of all of us. We ALL have sin-stained hearts; and there’s only one way for those stains to be cleansed; and that is by receiving the sin-cleansing power of God’s Spirit when we confess and repent of our sins, … receiving the cleansing blood of Christ, which, as the linked song powerfully sings, … will never lose its power … to cleanse us completely (see 1John 1:7,9).

 I pray all who’re reading here, on this Easter day, have experienced that complete cleansing and move on in life knowing that God’s cleansing mercy is ALWAYS there for us

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My THANKFULNESS: … Oh Abba Father, … thank You, Lord, … for Your blood which cleanses me (and all of us) of the stains of sin.
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My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, … King Jesus, … I pray, Lord, that all reading here can, and will, join me, to celebrate, in this special day, the cleansing blood of Jesus. 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.

April 20, 2019 … Clean

Berry Patch Devotions in 2019 - Day 110

Devotional Song: … GO TO THIS LINK …  Please take the time to take in a YouTube video with song and lyrics from Natalie Grant singing … Clean … poignantly singing of how God sees all and is willing and able to cleanse us from all confessed sin.

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Highlight Verse[s]: 2 Samuel 12:13 [NLT] … 13 Then David confessed to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” Nathan replied, “Yes, but the Lord has forgiven you, and you won’t die for this sin. 14 Nevertheless, because you have shown utter contempt for the word of the Lord by doing this, your child will die.” 
… David cleansed of the sin, but not absolved of the consequences of the sin.
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Highlight Passage [context]: 2 Samuel 12:1-14 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… David’s sin revealed and confessed; and God’s mercy/grace to cleanse David.
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Reference Passage : … Lamentations 3:22-23 [NLT] … SEE THIS LINK …
… God’s mercies are new every morning … IF … we’re willing to let them work in our lives by humble and honest confession and repentance.

Reference Passage : … Psalm 32:5 [NLT] … 5  Finally, I confessed all my sins to you and stopped trying to hide my guilt. I said to myself, “I will confess my rebellion to the Lord.” And You forgave me! All my guilt is gone. 
… When we’re willing to confess and repent of our sin, God will forgive and cleanse - FOREVER.

Reference Passage : … John 19:28-30 [NLT] … SEE THIS LINK …
… Jesus declares “It is finished” from the cross and dies, doing all that was necessary to cleanse any repentant sinner of his/her sin.

Reference Passage : … 1John 1:9 [NLT] … 9 But if we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. 
  … All we need do now is confess our sins to Him directly and be cleansed.

My Devotional Journal: Today's ODB author, Jennifer Benson Schuldt, used a story of some modern technology that helps us reveal what is going on in our lives. The ODB author wrote … When a man installed a security camera outside his house [see photo], he checked the video feature to ensure that the system was working. He was alarmed to see a broad-shouldered figure in dark clothing wandering around his yard. He watched intently to see what the man would do. The interloper seemed familiar, however. Finally he realized he wasn’t watching a stranger roam his property, but a recording of himself in his own backyard! 
What might we see if we could step out of our skin and observe ourselves in certain situations?

As with King David, hiding in the darkness of his unconfessed sin (see highlight passage), sometimes it takes the eyes of someone else, to help us see, confess, and repent of our sin.

But also as with David, when we do, God, thru Jesus’ completed work on the cross (see John 19:28-30), is willing and able to cleanse us of that sin (see Psalm 32:5 and 1John 1:9) … COMPLETELY!

So, knowing that God is our ultimate security camera and sees all, … is there anything we need to confess and let our Lord cleanse us today?

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My THANKFULNESS: … Oh Abba Father, … thank You, Lord, … for Your mercies which are new to me every day.
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My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, … King Jesus, … I pray, Lord, that all reading here can, and will, join me, to repent of any unconfessed sin; and be cleansed 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.

April 19, 2019 … A New Way

Berry Patch Devotions in 2019 - Day 109 

Devotional Song: … GO TO THIS LINK … Please take the time to take in a YouTube video with song and lyrics from the group Selah singing that great Andre Crouch song … The Blood Never Loses Its Power … poignantly singing of how Christ’s completed work, shedding His blood on the cross, will never lose it’s power to save us from our sins.

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Highlight Verse[s]: Hebrews 10:19-20 [NLT] … 19 And so, dear brothers and sisters, we can boldly enter heaven’s Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus. 20 By his death, Jesus opened a new and life-giving way through the curtain into the Most Holy Place 
… Jesus’ completed work on the cross now allows us to come directly to Him to be cleansed of our sins.
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Highlight Passage [context]: Hebrews 10:10-23 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… When Jesus dies on the cross, a new way to come to Him was opened.
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Reference Passage : … Matthew 29:50-52 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… Jesus cries out one last time from the cross and dies; and at that moment the veil over the Holy of Holies in the Temple was torn, opening the way for us to come directly to Him for atonement of our sins.

Reference Passage : … John 19:28-30 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… Jesus declares “It is finished” from the cross and dies.

Reference Passage : … 1Corinthians 6:19-20 [NLT] … 19 Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, 20 for God bought you with a high price.
… Because of Jesus paying the price on the cross, WE are now the Temple of His Spirit.

Reference Passage : … 1John 1:9 [NLT] … 9 But if we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. 
… All we need do now is confess our sins to Him directly and we are cleansed.

My Devotional Journal: Today's ODB author, Dave Branon, used the Good Friday story to help us remember how the blood of Jesus now allows us to come directly to Him, rather than to bring sacrifices to the Temple. The ODB author wrote … It was a dark and somber day in the outskirts of Jerusalem. On a hill just outside the city walls, a Man who’d been attracting crowds of eager followers for the past three years hung in disgrace and pain on a rough wooden cross. Mourners wept and wailed in sorrow. The light of the sun no longer brightened the afternoon sky. And the intense suffering of the Man on the cross ended when He cried out in a loud voice, “It is finished” (John 19:30). 
At that very moment, another sound came from the great temple across town—the sound of ripping fabric [see photo]. Miraculously, without human intervention, the huge, thick veil that separated the outer temple from the holy of holies tore in two from top to bottom (Matthew 27:50-51). 

It is “GOOD” Friday … when we celebrate the worst - and best - moment in human history, … that time when Jesus cried out … ”It is finished!” … from the cross and gave up His life so that we, who believe in Him as Messiah and Lord, can now come directly to Him rather than having to bring our sacrifices to the Temple for remission of our sins.

At the moment Jesus died for our sins on the cross, the veil, covering the entry to the Holy of Holies in God’s Temple, was torn [see Matt. 27:50-52], … and dead men came out of the grave. Now, … all of us can now come directly to Jesus, … no longer having to bring our sacrifices to the Temple for atonement of our sins. We, who are saved by His blood, are now the Temple of God’s Spirit (see 1Cor. 6:19). Now, by the shedding of Christ’s blood, in that completed act on the cross, He has made a way for us to confess our sins and be cleansed completely and forever [see 1John 1:9].

Do I sense my readers joining me in a resounding … HALLELUJAH! … And I pray we all have a glorious Good Friday!!

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My THANKFULNESS: … Oh Abba Father, … thank You, Lord, … for Your completed work on the cross.
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My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, … King Jesus, … I pray, Lord, that all reading here can, and will, join me, to celebrate Jesus’ finished work on the cross, where our Lord shed His blood in complete remission of our sins. 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.

April 18, 2019 … Famous Last Words

Berry Patch Devotions in 2019 - Day 108 

Devotional Song: … GO TO THIS LINK …  Please take the time to take in a YouTube video with song and lyrics from the group Phillips, Craig, and Dean singing their song … Let My Words Be Few … poignantly singing of how our words should reflect our love of our Lord, especially in critical moments of our lives.

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Highlight Verse[s]: Luke 23:34a [NLT] … 46 Then Jesus shouted, “Father, I entrust my spirit into your hands!” And with those words He breathed His last. 
… Jesus, dying on the cross, speaks last words.
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Highlight Passage [context]: Luke 23:32-46 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… Jesus’ famous last words.
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Reference Passage : … Psalm 19:14 [NLT] … 14  May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to You, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer. 
 … The prayer of my heart ever morning and my prayer anytime I’m teaching or speaking about my Lord in public.

Reference Passage : … Ephesians 4:29 [NLT] … 29 Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them. 
 … Our words are so important and powerful to those who hear them.

Reference Passage : … James 3:1-12 [NLT] … SEE THIS LINK …
… What we say is SO important! My Devotional Journal: Today's ODB author, Tim Gustafson, used a remembrance of a critical moment in his life to illustrate the power/importance of our words, especially in critical moments. The ODB author wrote … The ambulance door was about to close—with me on the inside. [see photo] Outside, my son was on the phone to my wife. From my concussed fog, I called his name. As he recalls the moment, I slowly said, “Tell your mom I love her very much.” 
Apparently I thought this might be goodbye, and I wanted those to be my parting words. In the moment, that’s what mattered most to me.  

As expressed in this ODB story, words can be so very powerful and important, especially when they are spoken in critical moments. The words of Jesus from the cross, those famous, final, “red letter” words He spoke as His life ebbed (see highlight passage), are so very few; but Jesus knew, being the Living Word, that these words, as He was dying, were to be some of His most powerful and oft quoted in Scripture.

And our words, especially in critical moments, like the ones the ODB author spoke from the ambulance, should always try to reflect who we are in Christ (see Eph. 4:29 and James 3:1-12).

And that’s why every morning I start each day by praying … ALOUD, … the words of Psalm 19:14. And I especially do so just before I speak or teach in public, desiring to do what is sung in the linked song … to let my words be few but reflect who I am in Christ.

If today were to be your “famous last words,” what would they be?

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My THANKFULNESS: … Oh Abba Father, … thank You, Lord, … for Your famous last words. 
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My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, … King Jesus, … I pray, Lord, that all reading here can, and will, join me, to speak Your love and grace into the lives of those I might speak to 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.