March 7, 2016: “Respectfully Yours, …”

Daily Berry Patch Devotions in 2016 - Day 67  

Devotional Song:  … GO TO THIS LINK …  Please take the time to take in a video of Kendrick Graham singing, Meekness and Majesty,… declaring, in song, the reality of the God-Man, King Jesus, our Lord and Savior, … the One we bow down in ultimate respect to worship as our Messiah.

Highlight Passage:  Ezra 5: 17 [NKJV] …  
17 Now therefore, if it seems good to the king, let a search be made in the king’s treasure house, which is there in Babylon, whether it is so that a decree was issued by King Cyrus to build this house of God at Jerusalem, and let the king send us his pleasure concerning this matter. 
 … We note the respectful tone of the letter from the Babylonian Governor [possibly Zerubbabel with a Babylonian name changed to “Sheshbazzar”] on behalf of the Israelites, directed to King Darius, citing their rights to rebuild coming from the former Babylonian King, Cyrus.
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Highlight Context – Ezra 5:1-17; 6:1-12 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …  
… To rebuild the Temple and the walls amongst Babylonian authority, permission for the Jews to rebuild had to be granted from Darius the current Babylonian ruler; … thus a letter was written to him for permission from those desiring to rebuild the Temple. And we note that Darius not only gave permission; but offered to pay for the project (see Chapt 6).
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Reference Passage #1 - Matthew 5:38-42 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …  
… Jesus’ kingdom teaching about dealing with those who might smite us … or those in authority who unjustly treat Christians.

Reference Passage #2 - Romans 13:1-7 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK  
… God’s teaching, thru Paul, on how Christians should deal with Governments established by God.

My Journal for Today:  Today’s Our Daily Bread author, Dave Branon, taught today about His chosen ones, or for us Christians, to deal with those in authority; and he illustrated his teaching by using the time when the Jews, under Ezra and Nehemiah, were granted permission to rebuild the Temple by the Babylonians. He wrote … However, the governor of their region was not sure they should be doing that, so he sent a note to King Darius (Ezra 5:6-17). … In the letter, the governor says he found the Jews working on the temple and asks the king if they had permission to do so. The letter also records the Jews’ respectful response that they had indeed been given permission by an earlier king (Cyrus) to rebuild. When the king checked out their story, he found it to be true: King Cyrus had said they could build the temple. So Darius not only gave them permission to rebuild, but he also paid for it! (see 6:1-12). 

In the letter (in Ezra, Chapter 5), we note how the designated Governor, wrote VERY RESPECTFULLY to King Darius; and we see (in Ezra, Chapter 6) the result of how treating one in authority with respect yielded a respectful response. Now, this may not always happen, e.g., when those in authority are tyrants with no moral compass. However, as pictured in the attached photo, one certainly should do all one can to generate respect so as to expect respect in return.

And as I read this ODB entry today, I couldn’t help but think what is going on in our political arena today; … how disrespect and harshness generates likewise from one presidential candidate to another. The whole mess - and it is a big mess!!! - would very likely not be taking place if these men would follow the teaching of our Savior (from His Sermon in Matthew 5) or the Apostle Paul’s teaching (in Romans 13).

Openly expressed disrespect from one to another so often bends the ego of the one disrespected; and as we see in this ludicrous 2016 presidential campaign, both sides cannot find the humility to treat the other with the meekness ALWAYS exhibited and taught by Jesus. The only time we ever see Jesus break from that in open disrespect was when He often confronted the Pharisees, whom He saw desecrating the image of God, the Father. Then, and only then, in righteous anger, we see Jesus using even civil disobedience when he purged the Temple of the con-men disrespecting God. But what we need these days is more of what is sung in today’s song, linked above, … a lot more of the meekness and majesty exhibited by our Savior.

But God’s word is clear on how we generally should treat those in authority who are the leaders whom God has allowed to rule in our lives, such as the President, the Congress, and the Supreme Court. We can just hope and pray that civility and Christian respect will once again rule soon in our land. If not, it’s going to be a rough ride ahead!!

My Prayer Today:  Heavenly Father, … I know others of Your remnant, such as yours truly, are praying for the civility of Christlikeness to return to our 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.

March 6, 2016: Music To His Ears

Daily Berry Patch Devotions in 2016 - Day 66  

Devotional Song:  … GO TO THIS LINK …  Please take the time to take in a video of Susan Boyle singing Leonard Cohen’s popular Christian song, Hallelujah,… declaring, in song, the praise we should sing to our Lord. and music’s power to worship Him.

 
Highlight Passage:  Colossians 3: 16 [NKJV] …  
16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. 
 … The Apostle Paul recognized the power of God-honoring music to teach about Godly virtues and to worship the Lord.
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Highlight Context – Colossians 3:12-17 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …  
… Paul declares the power of God-honoring music to bring His Church to lift their lives to worship Him.
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Reference Passage #1 - Psalm 51 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …  
… David sings his song of repentance and confession before all of Israel; and because of the heart behind the song, God spares his life.

Reference Passage #2 - Proverbs 23: 7 [NKJV] …
7   As a man thinks, in his heart, so is he … 
… Solomon recognizes the power of our thoughts to become the man/woman God intended us to be.

  My Journal for Today:  Today’s Our Daily Bread author, David McCasland, wrote of the power of music to move the Christians soul.  He wrote:  Music is deeply rooted in our souls. And for followers of Jesus, it is a powerful means of encouraging each other along the journey of faith. … Singing together to the Lord embeds the message of His love in our minds and souls. It is a powerful ministry of teaching and encouragement that we share together. 

Anybody who has followed my blogging on this website knows that EVERY DAY, I use music to honor God in my journaling by finding a song which prayerfully illustrates and imbeds the message God’s Spirit has given me for that day’s blog. Christian music has always been a big part of my discipline of getting with God daily to worship Him in prayer and from being in His word.

Music is a powerful mind-bending force . for good … or not-so-good. … Neurologically, a melodic line with meaningful lyrics uses both sides of the brain to activate one’s thinking; and we know from Proverbs 23:7, … As a man thinks, in his heart, so is he … . When we sing Godly music with God-honoring lyrics, we can’t help but do what Susan Boyle is singing in the linked song above … to sing … HALLELUJAH!!!

King David, of course, was spared death for his transgressions involving Bathsheba when he wrote his song of repentance and confession, the lyrics of which we read in Psalm 51 (see above). The Apostle Paul recognized the power of music to stir the soul when he exhorted the Christians in Colosse to worship God in song (see Col 3: 16 above). And Paul’s exhortation holds for us today, doesn’t it? … So, what are some of your favorite Christian hymns or songs … those which bring you to a state of praise and worship?

Why don’t you go find one on You Tube or God Tube and send me the link to the song so that we can worship God together with music which honors our Lord. To do that my email address is billb13@bellsouth.net; and I’ll thank those ahead of time who do so. Let’s sing our praises to God together.

My Prayer Today:  Heavenly Father, … I join with Susan Boyle today, Lord, singing HALLELUJAH to You. … 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.

March 5, 2016: Send It On To God

Daily Berry Patch Devotions in 2016 - Day 65  

Devotional Song:  … GO TO THIS LINK …  Please take the time to take in a video of Steven Curtis Chapman singing, Be Still And Know,… declaring the reality that our unchanging, omnipotent God is ALWAYS there to hear our problems. … and then USE THIS LINK to hear SCC also sining, His Strength is Perfect, declaring God’s strength which is there when we are too weak to handle life.

 
Highlight Passage:  2nd Kings 19: 14-15 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …  
… Hezekiah laid out his dilemma before God, Who heard and came against the Assyrians. 
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Highlight Context – 2nd Kings 19:1-20 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …  
… Hezekiah gets bad news from the messenger of the Assyrians coming agains Jerusalem; and he took the message to God through Isaiah.
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Reference Passage #1 - Psalms 46:1, 10 [NKJV] …  
1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. … 10 Be still and know that I am God, … 
… The Psalmist knew where to take his troubles …

Reference Passage #2 - Habakkuk 1:1-5 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …  
… Habakkuk was overwhelmed by the evil of his day; and so he took the challenges to His Lord.

Reference Passage #3 - Matthew 11:28-30 [NKJV] …  
28 “… Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” 
… Jesus invites us to bring our troubles to Him.

Reference Passage #4 - 1st Peter 5: 7 [NKJV] …  
7 … casting all your cares on Him, because He cares for you … 
… When things seem bleak, know where to take your problems …

My Journal for Today:  Today’s Our Daily Bread author, Lawrence Darmani, reminded me about how, in World War 1, the British or American people hated to see Telegraph messengers coming to their home; because, … as in the attached photo, the news may have been horrible about the loss of a loved one in the war. And there are times in life, aren’t there, where life sends us messages of horror that are way too difficult for us to handle in our own strength?

And that’s where King Hezekiah was when God’s people in Jerusalem were about to be besieged by the Assyrians. And in the highlight passage, linked above, we read of the King of the Israelites getting a terror producing message from the Assyrians who were coming against Jerusalem. But King Hezekiah did what we all should when we feel overwhelmed by the circumstances of life. And in 2nd Kings 19: 14-15, we read that Hezekiah laid out the message before God and prayed for deliverance. 

You know, … things right now in our times are sending all kinds of messages of terror and horror, aren’t they? And I don’t know about you, but these messages we get in the media these days are simply overwhelming; … and so frustrating, … because we seem powerless to do anything socially, or especially politically, to quell the impending doom.

So, what do we do? Where do we go?

I think you get where I’m going here. God’s word (see passages above) tell us to take our fears and frustrations to God … just like Hezekiah did. Just like Habakkuk did in his day? Just like Jesus invites His faithful to do; … to bring our fears and weaknesses to Him and let our Lord help us handle the burdens (see Matthew 11:28-30). And when we do, we can know, in our heart-of-hearts, that God hears and that He cares (see Psalm 46:1… 10 and 1st Peter 5:7).

 So, if we’re getting messages from life that are way too hard to handle, let’s do what Hezekiah or Habakkuk did; … let’s take Jesus up on His invitation and take our fears and frustrations to Him, KNOWING that He will hear us … because He is God; … and He loves us.

My Prayer Today:  Heavenly Father, … O, dear Lord, things are way out of our hands these days. PLEASE … take over today; … and tomorrow too! … 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.

March 4 2016: Troubled Times - His Times

Daily Berry Patch Devotions in 2016 - Day 64  

Devotional Song:  … GO TO THIS LINK …  Please take the time to take in a video of Laura Story singing the song she wrote, Blessings,… declaring the reality that many of the challenges of life are actually blessings in disguise … and then USE THIS LINK  to hear Laura Story, lightly and with joy, telling the very serious story which was behind the writing her now very popular contemporary Christian song - linked above.

Highlight Passage:  James 1: 2-3 [NKJV] …  
4 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience, … 
… Therefore, trials become blessings in disguise.
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Highlight Context – James 1:2-4 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …  
… God’s people charged to share God’s greatness … one generation to another.… No need to fear when God is with us …
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Reference Passage #1 - Psalm 31: 14-15 [NKJV] …  
14 But as for me, I trust in You, O Lord; I say, “You are MY God.” 15 My times are in Your hands, …
… David showed the trust we need … even in times of trial and tribulation and temptation

Reference Passage #2 - 1st Corinthians 10: 13 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …  
… Remember the word “tempation” in this passage by Paul can also be translated - trial or test or tribulation.

Reference Passage #3 - Romans 8: 28 [NKJV] …  
28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. 
… But do we really trust God in this truth?

My Journal for Today:  Today’s Our Daily Bread author, David Roper, quoted the noted 19th Century South African Pastor, Andrew Murray: “In time of trouble say: God will keep us by His love. By His grace, we can rest in Him. 
First—God brought me here. It is by His will I am in this strait place. In that I will rest. 
Next—He will keep me in His love and give me grace in this trial to behave as His child. 
Then—He will make the trial a blessing, teaching me lessons He intends me to learn, and working in me the grace He means to bestow. 
Last—In His good time He can bring me out again—how and when He knows. 
I am here—by God’s appointment, in His keeping, under His training, for His time.” 

And really other than those wise words about handling the challenges of this life, I’m going to be lazy today in my blogging, by referring you to the You Tube links above where you can hear the poignant song, Blessings, written and sung by Laura Story, and then a second link where Laura joyfully tells the very touching - and very serious - story behind the song.

 And I know when/if you take the time (about 10 min.) to hear these, you’ll know the point of what the ODB entry for today was saying to us, with the support of the highlight and reference Scriptures. And I know you’ll be just as convicted as I am now, trusting in God to have us in His hands … ALWAYS!!!

My Prayer Today:  Heavenly Father, … your challenges and trials are blessings. Help me to trust You and know this. … 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.

March 3, 2016: Tell ‘em NOW!

Daily Berry Patch Devotions in 2016 - Day 63  

Devotional Song:  … GO TO THIS LINK …  Please take the time to take in a video of the group Avalon singing Testify to Love… declaring God’s desire that we testify to His love and mighty works with every breath we take.

Highlight Passage:  Psalm 145:4 [NKJV] …  
4 One generation shall praise Your works to another, and shall declare Your mighty acts. 
… But do we testify to our progeny of our God?
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Highlight Context – Psalm 145:1-13 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …  
… God’s people charged to share God’s greatness … one generation to another.… No need to fear when God is with us …
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Reference Passage #1 - Deuteronomy 6:4-6 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …  
… Moses charges God’s people to share the word of their Lord with the next generation.

Reference Passage #2 - Deuteronomy, Chapters 31-32 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …  
… Moses just before he died, charged Joshua, the Priests, and the Elders to convey regularly God’s truth and His word to His rebellious people. … And that is our charge as well.

Reference Passage #3 - Acts 1:8 [NKJV] …  
8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me[a] in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” 
… Jesus, ascending back into heaven after His resurrection charges His disciples (that’s us!) to witness for Him to the world.

My Journal for Today:  Today’s Our Daily Bread author, Poh Fang Chia, used a personal story to illustrate how how God has charged us to share His Story (i.e., His truth) with our family and His family (the world). He wrote: Many families have a secret recipe, a special way of cooking a dish that makes it especially savory. For us Hakkas (my Chinese ethnic group), we have a traditional dish called abacus beads [see photo], named for its beadlike appearance. Really, you have to try it! … Of course Grandma had the best recipe. Each Chinese New Year at the family reunion dinner we would tell ourselves, “We should really learn how to cook this.” But we never got around to asking Grandma. Now she is no longer with us, and her secret recipe is gone with her. … God has designed us to enjoy family and community and to benefit from each other. We miss Grandma, and it’s sad to lose her recipe. It would be far more tragic if we were to fail to preserve the legacy of faith entrusted to us. 

All of us can likely relate to the ODB author today. Perhaps you can remember a family recipe which you loved; and maybe it was shared down through the generations; … perhaps not. However, God intended that His greatness and glory would be shared down through His chosen peoples and then onward, through the wonders of the Messiah, with all peoples.

The question which I’m dealing with this morning is … Am I doing all I can to testify to God’s love to my family, my friends, and especially to those who need the saving grace of my Lord, and Savior, Jesus? 

Am I sharing the wonders of my Lord to my grandkids, … and through my life to others? Am I doing what the group Avalon sings about in today’s linked devotional song (above). Perhaps we all should ask and answer these provocative questions … which really come from God, Himself, through His word to all who believe in Him.

My Prayer Today:  Heavenly Father, … give me an appointment to share You today with someone who needs Your love. … 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.

March 2, 2016: The Lion Roars

Daily Berry Patch Devotions in 2016 - Day 62  

Devotional Song:  … GO TO THIS LINK …  Please take the time to take in a video of Mia Fieldes singing Fearless… declaring our need to be fearless in the face of the unknowns in this world.

Highlight Passage:  Numbers 14:9 [NKJV] …  
9 Only do not rebel against the Lord, nor fear the people of the land, for they are our bread; their protection has departed from them, and the Lord is with us. Do not fear them.” 
… No need to fear when the Lord is with us … and He always is.
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Highlight Context – Numbers 13 - 14:1-9 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …  
… No need to fear when God is with us …
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Reference Passage #1 - Psalm 23 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …  
… Out from the valley of the shadow of death to dine with our Savior in His pastureland.

Reference Passage #2 - Proverbs 3: 5-6; 28:1 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …  
… If we trust in God, He will lead us - even through lion country.

Reference Passage #3 - John 10:7-10 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …  
… Our Good Shepherd cares for His flock; … yes, even in lion country.

Reference Passage #4 - 1st Peter 5:6-9 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …  
… Yes, the Devil is real; and he roars; … but we need not fear when our trust is in God.

My Journal for Today:  Today’s Our Daily Bread author, Tim Gustafson, used a personal story to illustrate how we need not fear when we trust in God He wrote: When I was young, my dad would “scare” us by hiding in the bush and growling like a lion. Even though we lived in rural Ghana in the 1960s, it was almost impossible that a lion lurked nearby. My brother and I would laugh and seek out the source of the noise, thrilled that playtime with Dad had arrived. … One day a young friend came for a visit. As we played, we heard the familiar growl. Our friend screamed and ran. My brother and I knew the sound of my father’s voice—any “danger” was merely a phantom lion—but a funny thing happened. We ran with her. My dad felt terrible that our friend had been frightened, and my brother and I learned not to be influenced by the panicked reaction of others.

Now, there’s no doubt that there are things in our world to respect with a healthy fear … and even avoid to protect us. Scripture even says (see 1st Peter 5 linked above) that Satan operates like a roaring lion (see attached photo), trying to devour God’s flock by scattering us with his roar. But as we walk as Christians, believing and following our Good Shepherd, in His flock, Jesus Himself told us (see John 10:7-10) that He would watch over and protect His lambs (that’s you and me!). 

Therefore, in this scary world, we need to have the faith and courage of Joshua and Caleb, who stood in the face of 10 other spies who advised God’s people to stay away from the Promised Land and reported that God’s chosen could move into the land because God was with them [see Numbers 14:9].

There’s a lot of scary things going on out there; and Satan is most certainly roaring his head off these days, trying to scare Christians and cause us to bolt and run from God’s flock. So, … let’s stay close to the Good Shepherd. He’ll bring us through the bushes of lion country, and out into His pastureland (I think you know Psalm 23).

So, … please take in the linked song today and mediate on the truth of God’s truth above; and when you do, I know you’ll join me in my prayer today.

My Prayer Today:  Heavenly Father, … we follow You, our Good Shepherd, Lord, in spite of the lion roaring. … 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.

March 1, 2016: Soaking In The Sun [i.e., Son]

Daily Berry Patch Devotions in 2016 - Day 61  

Devotional Song:  … GO TO THIS LINK …  Please take the time to take in a video of Matt Redman singing Light of the World… declaring the reality Christ being the “light of the world” Who shines upon His own.

Highlight Passage:  1st Peter 2: 9 [NKJV] …  
9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; … … He has called us out of our darkness into His light!
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Highlight Context – 1st Peter 2:4-10 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …  
… We walk in His light …
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Reference Passage #1 - Ephesians 2:1-10 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …  
… Made alive by His blood to walk out of the darkness of sin into the Light of His likeness.

Reference Passage #2 - Colossians 1:13-14 [NKJV] …  
13 He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, 14 in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins. 
… Delivered from the power of darkness (i.e. sin) into the Kingdom of Light (His likeness).

My Journal for Today:  Today’s Our Daily Bread author, Jennifer Schuldt, uses a simple, graphic word picture to illustrate what we’ve been given as Christians. She wrote: One day I received a bouquet of pink tulips. Their heads bobbed on thick stems as I settled them into a vase, which I placed at the center of our kitchen table. The next day, I noticed that the flowers were facing a different direction. The blossoms that once faced upward were now leaning to the side, opening and reaching toward sunlight that streamed in through a nearby window. … [And] In one sense, we all were made to be like those flowers. God has called us to turn to the light of His love. 

All of us once walked in the darkness of our own sin; and now, being born again in Christ, like the tulips in the attached photo, we soak in the Light from the Son (of God). And we are being made over by His light, and by His Spirit, into His image. And all I can say this morning in the realization of this truth … is … Hallelujah.

And perhaps once you take in today’s song link and the highlighted Scriptures, you’ll join me in resounding praise to the One who brought us out of our own darkness into His Light of truth.

My Prayer Today:  Heavenly Father, … Oh, Lord, yes, … HALLELUJAH!!! … 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.

February 29, 2016: Once For ALL

Daily Berry Patch Devotions in 2016 - Day 60  

Devotional Song:  … GO TO THIS LINK …  Please take the time to take in a video of Matt Papa singing It Is FInished… declaring the reality Christ’s once-for-all sacrifice of His blood to save all who believe in His completed work on the cross.

 
Highlight Passage:  Hebrews 9:22, 26 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK  
… Only once He had to shed His blood; and as He said from the cross, “It is finished!” 
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Highlight Context – Hebrews, Chapter 9 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …  
… Blood was sacrificed under the Old Covenant … only One shed His blood for all in the New Covenant.
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Reference Passage #1 - John 19:28-30 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …  
… Once for all and “IT IS FINISHED!”

Reference Passage #2 - Hebrews 9:27-28 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …  
… He died once for us; we die once to self and are raised forever by His blood.

My Journal for Today:  Today’s Our Daily Bread author, Keila Ochoa, told of a friend who had trouble understanding the blood Jesus sacrificed on the cross. She wrote: Mary Ann believed in God and His Son Jesus, but she struggled with why Jesus had to shed His blood to bring salvation. Who would think of cleansing something with blood? Yet the Bible says, “The law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood” (Heb. 9:22). That, in Mary Ann’s opinion, was disgusting! … Then one day she had to go to a hospital. A genetic condition had altered her immune system, and doctors became alarmed when the illness started attacking her blood. As she was in the emergency room she thought, If I lose my blood, I will die. But Jesus shed His blood so I can live! 

The author of the book of Hebrews in the NT wanted the Jews following Jesus’ resurrection to understand that the New Covenant, with Jesus’ blood on the cross, had fulfilled the Old Covenant [see Hebrews, Chapter 9 linked above]. That when Jesus said, “It is finished!” on the cross and died, His blood was the blood of the Lamb of God; and it was all that was necessary to satisfy God, the Father, and to give faithful mankind all that was necessary to save them at their judgement (see Hebrews 9:27-28 and John 19:28-30).

Do you get it, dear one? Oh, how I pray that we do. Because if we do, and in faith have received the power from Christ’s blood, we will spend eternity with Him. If not, … we will not; and our pain will never end.

My Prayer Today:  Heavenly Father, … Oh, Lord, thank You for Your blood, which was shed for my life. … 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.

February 28, 2016: Teamwork

Daily Berry Patch Devotions in 2016 - Day 59  

Devotional Song:  … GO TO THIS LINK …  Please take the time to take in a video of the group 4HIM singing The Basics of Life… declaring the reality of the Church today … to return to the basics of the faith … TOGETHER!!

Highlight Passage:  Ephesians 4:16 [NKJV] …  
15 … but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— 16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love. 
… All Christians need to “grow up” in the faith, … but we need to do it TOGETHER, exhorting and encouraging one another …
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Highlight Context – Ephesians 4:1-16 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …  
… Coming TOGETHER in Christ and growing in the faith as His body.
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Reference Passage #1 - Romans 12:1-13 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …  
 … Christians, coming TOGETHER, in the unity of the Body of Christ to edify one another and grow in the faith.

Reference Passage #2 - 1st Corinthians, Chapter 12 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …  
 … In Christ we are ONE BODY, using our gifts TOGETHER to be Christ’s Body on earth.

Reference Passage #3 - Hebrews 10: 24-25 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …  
… Coming TOGETHER as the body of Christ, especially in these troubled times, to get back to the basics of the faith and grow in Christlikeness.

My Journal for Today:  Today’s Our Daily Bread author, Tim Gustafson, related a personal story to illustrate his teaching about the Church growing TOGETHER in Christlikeness. He wrote: Watching my young grandson and his friends play T-Ball is entertaining [see attached photo]. In this version of baseball, young players often run to the wrong base or don’t know what to do with the ball if they happen to catch it.  If we were watching a professional baseball game, these mistakes would not be so funny. … It’s all a matter of maturity. 

In my estimation, T-ball is a good word picture for the Church. When we’re newbies in Christ, we’re ushered into a new team game called “the body of Christ,” … the Church; and we really need coaching and the encouragement of more mature “coaches and players” (i.e. Disciples of Christ) to grow in the skills, given to us by God, to contribute (one day) to the “team.” And in the beginning, we need to learn and practice the basics and then apply those skills, as a team, to become a more effective and unified body, coming TOGETHER to glorify God.

I hope you’ve taken the time to hear that linked song above and to mediate on the Scriptures provided. The Apostle Paul (and the author of Hebrews), really wrote a lot, inspired by God’s Spirit, to exhort Christians to come together in His Body, developing our gifts and talents (i.e., on “God’s team”), … to edify one another and grow in the basics of the faith.

And as 4HIM sings above, we need to get back to the basics in the game of life, don’t we? It’s Sunday as I write this, and as the author of Hebrews 10:24-25 wrote, I pray that we’re all coming together, wherever we are in the Body of Christ today, to encourage one another and to help one another grow in Christlikeness.

My Prayer Today:  Heavenly Father, … Oh, Lord, help us, as Your Body, to come together today, … and all days, … helping one another to grow in our faith and to glorify You. … 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.

February 27, 2016: Count Your Blessings

Daily Berry Patch Devotions in 2016 - Day 58 

Devotional Song:  … GO TO THIS LINK …  Please take the time to take in a video of Guy Penrod singing the old hymn Count Your Blessings… Helping us to remember God’s blessings in the face of life’s challenges.

Highlight Passage:  Job 38:4 [NKJV] …
4 [GOD to Job] Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? … 
… Job begins to see the perspective on his life from GOD’S viewpoint.
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Highlight Context – Job, Chapters 37-40 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …  
… God helps Job remember what is really important.
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Reference Passage #1 - 1st Kings 19:1-4 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …  
… Elijah forgets how God worked miracles in his life in the face of fatigue and Jezebel’s pursuit.

Reference Passage #2 - Isaiah 6:1-5 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …  
… Isaiah, even getting a vision of heaven, can only see how unclean he was.

Reference Passage #3 - Luke 5:4-8 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …  
… Jesus performs a miracle of the fish catch; and all Peter can see is how much of a sinner he is.

Reference Passage #4 - 2nd Corinthians 12: 1-9 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …  
… How quickly Paul forgot his vision of glory in the face of the thorn Jesus allowed Satan to bring into his life.

My Journal for Today:  Today’s Our Daily Bread author, Julie Ackerman Link, related a personal story to illustrate a very human tendency we all likely exhibit at times. She wrote: When I clean my house for a special event, I become discouraged because I think that guests won’t notice what I clean, only what I don't clean. This brings to mind a larger philosophical and spiritual question: Why do humans more quickly see what's wrong than what's right? We are more likely to remember rudeness than kindness. Crimes seem to receive more attention than acts of generosity. And disasters grab our attention more quickly than the profound beauty all around us. 

It’s true, isn’t it? Have you noticed in the news (papers or TV), how the headlines are usually always negative, maybe even horrible, events? And in the face of great challenges in life, how easy is it for us to forget the many blessings God may have showered on us in our past.

 Job was the classical biblical example of this, wasn’t he? Oh, yes, when Satan was allow by God to visit Job with a series of horrible challenges, Job did exhibit great faith; but as time unfolded, we see that Job faith began to unravel; and he began to challenge God with the very natural “WHY” questions. And finally, God gave Job a series of faith-building questions and Job was able to see that God was in control - in spite of all of his pain and anguish (see Job, Chapters 37-40).

 But Job wasn’t the only example in scripture of our human tendency to focus on the negative and forget the positive. And in the reference passages linked above, we see Elijah so quickly forgetting how God brought down fire on his enemies, as he desired to die after being pursued by Jezebel. … And we see Elijah, seeing only how unclean he was, in the face of God allowing the Prophet to see heaven. … And there was Peter who immediately focused on his own sinfulness when Jesus called him to be a disciple. … And finally, Paul, having been given a glimpse of glory, fell victim to a “thorn” and finally needed encouragement from Jesus Himself to lift his spirits. All of these episodes are linked above for your reading.

 But the question from today’s ODB is … can we do what Guy Penrod sings in the linked song today, … i.e., count our blessings in the face of life’s trials? Or do we focus so much on the negatives of life, we can’t see or remember God’s blessings?

 Take a few moments here and write down the three most significant blessings God has wrought in your life; and then see if any current challenges don’t pale by comparison.

My Prayer Today:  Heavenly Father, … Oh, my Lord, You have so blessed my life !!! … 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.

February 26, 2016: Not For Sissies!!

Daily Berry Patch Devotions in 2016 - Day 57  

Devotional Song:  … GO TO THIS LINK …  Please take the time to take in a video of Steven Curtis Chapman singing His Strength Is Perfect… declaring the reality of God’s strength being always there for weakened believers

 
Highlight Passage:  Isaiah 46:4 [NKJV] …  
41 Even in your old age, I am He, and even to gray hairs I will carry you! … 
… God is there to sustain us … yes, even when we’re gray and worn out.
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Highlight Context – Isaiah 46: 4-13 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …  
… God’s encouragement for any who feel weakened in themselves
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Reference Passage #1 - Psalm 90:12 [NKJV] …  
12 So teach us to number our days, … that we may gain a heart of wisdom. 
 … God’s says “patiently!”

Reference Passage #2 - Proverbs 3:5-6 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …  
… Avoiding the weakened self and relying on the perfect strength of the Savior.

Reference Passage #3 - 2nd Corinthians 12:9 [NKJV] …  
9 And He [Jesus] said to me, … “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in [your] weakness.” … 
… When we’re at our weakest, He is there with His strongest.

Reference Passage #4 - Philippians 4:13 [NKJV] …  
13 I can do all things through Christ Who gives me the strength. 
… No matter when I feel weak, He is my strength.  

My Journal for Today:  Today’s Our Daily Bread author, Lawrence Darmani, wrote about Billy Graham dealing with the challenges of old age. He wrote: “Growing old has been the greatest surprise of my life,” says Billy Graham in his book Nearing Home. "I am an old man now, and believe me, it's not easy." However, Graham notes, "While the Bible doesn't gloss over the problems we face as we grow older, neither does it paint old age as a time to be despised or a burden to be endured with gritted teeth.” 

And when I read that, from somewhere in my own old brain, I remembered an oft-quoted phrase that I often dredge up and use when I’m feeling a bit down-and-out with the aches and pains of old age: … Old age ain’t for sissies!! … And in my quiet time with God this morning, I did a little googling and found out that that quote was attributed to the sassy actress, Bette Davis, in her later years (see attached photo).

So, for any of my readers here that are in their later years, like yours truly, perhaps you’d agree with Bette … that old age produces challenges of weakness which are burdensome at best and at times almost overwhelming.

But long ago, when I was younger, my mentor, who was then about as old as I am now, told me to store up in my heart God’s truth about His strength when I was feeling weakened by life … whether by my own weaknesses or by the circumstances of the moment. Most of those memorized Scriptures are found above; and as I grow older, now well into my 70s, I find myself rehearsing these verses and relying on the strength of my Lord to do what Steven Curtis Chapman sings (linked above) … and that is to give me His perfect strength to cover my aging weakness.

I pray that you also have God’s strong truth to help you shore up your weakness … whether it’s aging or inability dealing with burdensome circumstances.

My Prayer Today:  Heavenly Father, … Oh, today and everyday I need Your strength to cover my weakness. … 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.

February 25, 2016: Waiting for His "GO Light"

Daily Berry Patch Devotions in 2016 - Day 56  

Devotional Song:  … GO TO THIS LINK …  Please take the time to take in a video of Daniel O’Donnell singing Here I Am Lord… declaring the true believers desire to diligently follow the Lord in surrender to His will.

Highlight Passage:  Numbers 14:41-42 [NKJV] …  
41 And Moses said, “Now why do you transgress the command of the Lord? For this will not succeed. 42 Do not go up, lest you be defeated by your enemies, for the Lord is not among you. 
 … God, thru Moses, warned His people; … but NO, they wouldn’t listen.
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Highlight Context – Numbers 13:23-36, 14:39-45 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …  
… God’s people just couldn’t wait patiently for God’s hand to protect them.
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Reference Passage #1 - Psalm 37: 7 [NKJV] …  
7 Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him. 
… God’s says “patiently!”

Reference Passage #2 - Psalm 119:105 [NKJV] …  
105 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. 
… Let’s wait for the go-light … HIS go light!!

Reference Passage #3 - Proverbs 3:5-6 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …  
… Avoiding impulsive, irresponsible choices.

Reference Passage #4 - Luke 9:23 [NKJV] …  
23 Then Jesus said to His followers, “If anyone would come after Me, let him deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow Me.” 
… If we move forward, are we following Him?

My Journal for Today:  Today’s Our Daily Bread author, Tim Gustafson, wrote of the horrible tragedy when our Challenger astronauts died because the shuttle crew were impatient and didn’t heed the warnings about the infamous o-rings. He wrote: On January 28, 1986, after five weather-related delays, the space shuttle Challenger lumbered heavenward amid a thunderous overture of noise and flame. A mere 73 seconds later, system failure tore the shuttle apart, and all seven crew members perished. … The disaster was attributed to an O-ring seal known to have vulnerabilities. Insiders referred to the fatal mistake as “go fever”—the tendency to ignore vital precautions in the rush to a grand goal. 

How often in life do we have “go-fever,” plunging ahead impatiently and not waiting on or ignoring the leading of God through His Holy Spirit. Certainly we have biblical evidence of how disastrous “go-fever” can be in the highlight account in Numbers 13-14, linked above, don’t we? Like God’s people then, now we too, all too often, want to control things on our own and we plunge ahead in life, with “go-fever,” and disaster is the result.

 Jesus warned his followers what it took to be His disciple (see Luke 9:23). It takes self denial; and patiently waiting on our Lord to lead us (see also Ps. 37:7 and Prov. 3:5-6).

 So, today, let’s avoid “GO-fever,” and wait on God to shine His light brightly on our path [see Ps. 119:105], so that we can clearly and diligently follow Him.

My Prayer Today:  Heavenly Father, … I pray it almost every day; … shine Your light brightly on my path so that I can’t help but see that it’s Your way, not my way, where I’m walking. … 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.

February 24, 2016: Looking Forward Hopefully

Daily Berry Patch Devotions in 2016 - Day 55  

Devotional Song:  … GO TO THIS LINK …  Please take the time to take in a video of blind Christian singer, Gordon Mote, singing Don’t Let Me Miss the Glory… gloriously declaring the joy the hope we have in Christ … our Messiah … our Savior … our everlasting hope.

 
Highlight Passage:  Luke 2:25-26 [NKJV] …  
25 And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was just and devout, waiting for the Consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 26 And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.
… The Holy Spirit resided in the hope of Simeon’s heart … to behold Messiah before he died. 
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Highlight Context – Luke 2: 21-35 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …  
… Faithful Simeon was given the grand glimpse of glory by holding the baby Jesus in the Temple to fulfill God’s promise to him.
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Reference Passage #1 - Revelation 22:20 [NKJV] …  
6 He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming quickly.” … Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus! 
… Oh yes, do so, come soon, King Jesus!!!

My Journal for Today:  Today’s Our Daily Bread author, David McCasland, writes of an unfinished painting by the Dutch Master, Rembrandt, which was found on his easel when he died (see attached photo). He wrote: When the great Dutch painter Rembrandt died unexpectedly at age 63, an unfinished painting was found on his easel. It focuses on Simeon’s emotion in holding the baby Jesus when He was brought to the temple in Jerusalem, 40 days after His birth. Yet the background and normal detail remain unfinished. Some art experts believe that Rembrandt knew the end of his life was near and—like Simeon—was ready to “be dismissed” (Luke 2:29). 

In meditating on the highlight passage today from Luke 2:21-35, one can only imagine the joy experienced by Simeon, a Godly Jew, who had been given a promise from God that he would not see death before beholding THE Messiah. And the glory Simeon must’ve felt when Mary laid the baby Jesus in his hands, there in the Temple where she and Joseph had brought him to be circumcised.

 I love the song, linked above, sung by one of my favorite Christian artists, Gordon Mote. I hope any reader here takes the time to use the link and hear Gordon singing of his desire to go through life with the hope of not missing the glory God has to show to us, which are, or will be, bare reflections of the same glory hoped for and experienced by Simeon … to be with and share place and time with Messiah.

 So, as we go through this day, perhaps God will show us a small experience or glimpse of His glory … maybe in the smile of a grandchild (oh, how I love those!!) … or the clean rain hitting our face as it rains here today … or a beautiful sunrise or sunset where you are … or … well, … don’t miss it when it happens! Because no matter what glimpse you get, it’s God showing us a sample of what our Messiah will show off when we’re with Him in glory.

 Oh, how I revel in the hope of Revelation 22:20 … Oh, yes, do so come soon, Lord Jesus!!!

My Prayer Today:  Heavenly Father, … Oh, the hope of being with You, Lord Jesus, one day!! … 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.

February 23, 2016: Up A Tree

Daily Berry Patch Devotions in 2016 - Day 54  

Devotional Song:  … GO TO THIS LINK …  Please take the time to take in a video of Sandi Patty and Larnelle Harris singing I’ve Just Seen Jesus… gloriously declaring the joy of pursuing and seeing Jesus in our lives.

Highlight Passage:  Luke 19:2-3 [NKJV] …  
4 So he [Zacchaeus] ran ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see Him [Jesus], for He was going to pass that way. 
… Zacchaeus doing what it takes to see Jesus
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Highlight Context – Luke 19: 1-10 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …  
… Zacchaeus desired desperately to see Jesus.
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Reference Passage #1 - John 6:66-69 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …  
… When challenged by Jesus, the Disciples had to choose Whom they would follow.

Reference Passage #2 - Hebrews 11:6 [NKJV] …
  6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. 
… Pursuing Christ in faith will be rewarded for those, like Zacchaeus, who diligently pursue seeing Him for Whom He really is.

Reference Passage #3 - 1st Peter 5:5-7 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …  
 … Humility is the tree we must climb to see fully see and follow Jesus.

My Journal for Today:  Today’s Our Daily Bread author, Jennifer Benson Schuldt, told a personal story to highlight her teaching. She wrote: As a child, I loved to climb trees. The higher I climbed, the more I could see. Occasionally, in search of a better view, I might inch out along a branch until I felt it bend under my weight. Not surprisingly, my tree-climbing days are over. I suppose it isn’t very safe—or dignified. 

Schuldt’s primary teaching Scripture today came from the account of the hated tax-collector, Zacchaeus (in Luke 19, linked above), who desperately desired to see Jesus walking into his hometown of Jericho. So, being short of stature, he climbed a tree to see the Lord passing by. And Jesus noted him in the tree, and knowing his heart, invited Zaccheaus to come down and dine with Him; and from Zaccheaus’ sincere pursuit, in faith, he was saved that day.

 BTW, … I’ve seen that tree in Jericho (see attached photo). And according to archeo-biologists, that 2000+ year old Sycamore tree, which is still standing on the only road Jesus would have taken into Jericho that day, is very likely the very tree Zaccheaus claimed to climb to get a view of Jesus.

 And when I saw the tree on my only trip to the Holy Land, I was taken by the mental image of that little sinner, climbing up that tree to get one desperate look at Jesus. And it caused me ask myself, … what have I done in my life to do what Larnelle Harris and Sandi Patty sing about in the linked song today … to see and seek Jesus?

 Really, … I would declare to you that my being here this morning is Bill Berry, climbing up into a tree of life to get one little glimpse of the glory of my Lord through my prayer and pursuit of Him in Scripture. And each morning that I climb up in this tree of devotion, He shows up and invites me to get closer to Him … just as I feel His presence here this morning.

 My friend, what is standing in the way you seeing Jesus today? Is it pride or the pursuit of power or pleasure? God’s word declares that when we humble ourselves in diligently pursuing Him, … that He will reward our pursuits with His presence and His grace [see Heb. 11:6 and 1st Pet. 5:5-7].

 So, what tree can we climb today to see Jesus?

My Prayer Today:  Heavenly Father, … The view from this tree is great; and I can see You clearly 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.

February 22, 2016: In Quiet Surrender

Daily Berry Patch Devotions in 2016 - Day 53  

Devotional Song:  … GO TO THIS LINK …  Please take the time to take in a video of the group Steven Curtis Chapman singing his song Be Still and Know… declaring the reality that our God is God; and we are not … that our God never never changes and we must always stand in awe of our Lord, … King Jesus!

Highlight Passage:  Psalm 46:10a [NKJV] …  
10 Be still and know that I am God, … 
… Surrendering to God as God . …
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Highlight Context – Psalm 46 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …  
… God, through the Psalmist, commands are surrender to His majesty.
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Reference Passage #1 - Proverbs 3: 5-6 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …  
… Do we acknowledge that God is God and we are not? Only when we do, can He show us the way, … HIS WAY, … in life.

My Journal for Today:  Today’s Our Daily Bread author, Phillip Yancey, reminds his readers of a very salient truth in this hustle-bustle, fast-paced world. He wrote: Years ago I responded to letters within a couple of weeks and kept my correspondents happy. Then came the fax machine, and they seemed content with receiving a response within a couple of days. Today, with email, instant messaging, and mobile phones, a response is expected the same day! 

Yancey reminded me of a day, 55+ years ago, when my wife and I, then courting, were at a distance, trying to keep our love vibrant; and we were forced to exchange “snailmail” messages about every 10 days. We exchanged long, lovely letters, which brimmed of our love. Today, we’d likely be texting back and forth and expecting responses immediately every time we texted (see attached photo).

 In today’s highlight and oft quoted passage from Psalm 46a, … “Be still and know that I am God, …” … God asserts the attitude we must have in coming before His glorious majesty … that of SURRENDER. And in today’s song link above, Steven Curtis Chapman sings of that attitude in his rendering of that Psalm. Take that exhortation from God in several different translations of Scripture ...

[NKJV, NIV, ESV, NASB] … “Be still, and know that I am God ” 
[TLB] … “Be silent! … Know that I am God!” 
[MSG] … “Step out of the traffic! Take a long, loving look at Me, your High God, …”

That phrase “be still” in Hebrew is the term, “rapha,” which can be translated “go weak,” or “be in surrender”, or “let it go!” And in getting the true sense of God’s command, thru the Psalmist in Ps. 46a, I like The Message version, which says, “Step out of the traffic” to take a “long, loving look” at God.

And it’s true, isn’t it? … Today, in this information saturated, fast-paced world, we often find it difficult to do what God is exhorting us to do … to get alone and surrender our self to the Savior.

My friend, that’s why I’m here today and will be here tomorrow … to get alone … in solitude … and invest quiet-time, getting to know my Lord more intimately through prayer and His word. And it’s why I’m exhorting any who read with me here today to find a niche of your own quiet-time to be alone with God and acknowledge Him as LORD of our lives.

We need to let Him know that He is God and we are not!!!

My Prayer Today:  Heavenly Father, … I stand aside, my LORD, in surrender to Your majesty!! … 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.

February 21, 2016: Taking the High Ground

Daily Berry Patch Devotions in 2016 - Day 52  

Devotional Song:  … GO TO THIS LINK …  Please take the time to take in a video of the group Selah singing the old hymn Be Thou My Vision… declaring the reality of our victory won by using the vision of King Jesus

 
Highlight Passage:  Philippians 4:8 [NKJV] …  
8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. 
 … To thing God-honoring thoughts is to take the high ground of prayer.
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Highlight Context – Philippians 4:8-13 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …  
… Paul wanted his Philippian friends to be able to see the world from a Godly perspective 
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Reference Passage #1 - Psalm 119: 105 [NKJV] …  
105 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. 
… We all need to use His truth (i.e., the Bible) as our mental GPS to help us see His path.

Reference Passage #2 - Proverbs 3: 5-6 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …  
… We can see God’s path only when we trust Him to lead us.

Reference Passage #3 - Ephesians 6:17-18 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …  
… God’s #1 battle strategy is to take/hold the high ground of prayer

Reference Passage #4 - Colossians 3:1 [NKJV] …
1  If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God.
… Going to the high ground of prayer is seeking the things which are above.

My Journal for Today:  Today’s Our Daily Bread author, Dave Roper, uses a personal view to show how God’s high ground is the perspective we need to seek for daily spiritual warfare. He wrote: Our valley in Idaho can be very cold in the winter. Clouds and fog roll in and blanket the ground, trapping frigid air under warmer layers above. But you can get above the valley. There’s a road nearby that winds up the flank of Shafer Butte, a 7,500-foot mountain that rises out of our valley [see attached photo]. A few minutes of driving and you break out of the fog and emerge into the warmth and brilliance of a sunlit day. You can look down on the clouds that shroud the valley below and see it from a different point of view. 

I think all who read with me here would agree that daily life is a battle; and the best place to be to fight a battle is on the high ground, isn’t it? And the Apostle Paul was trying his best in some of prison epistles to help fellow Christians in his day to seek, take, and hold the high ground in spiritual warfare, … which is PRAYER.

 Paul wanted them (us) to know that the way we choose to think is that high ground strategy for battling our spiritual enemies; and when he wrote to Philippi, and Ephesus, and Colossi (and to all who would follow him in battle), he pointed them to use prayer as the high-ground battle strategy. Paul wanted his fellow Christians to realize, as Selah sings above, that the only way our vision would be through God’s eyes was when we’re thinking Godly thoughts (see Phil. 4:8) and the best way to choose to think with God, especially in daily spiritual warfare, was in prayer (see Eph. 6:17-18 AND Col. 3: 1).

 So, my friend, join me at the high ground today as we do battle together here. Pray with me and hold that high ground for our Lord.

My Prayer Today:  Heavenly Father, … I come with You, here today, Lord, to take and hold the high ground of thought life in prayer and to use Your vision for battle. … 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.

February 20, 2016: Seeing With New Eyes

Daily Berry Patch Devotions in 2016 - Day 51  

Devotional Song:  … GO TO THIS LINK …  Please take the time to take in a video of Crystal Lewis and Ron Kenoly singing Beauty for Ashes… declaring the truth that God is always willing to help us see beauty in the face of the ashes of life.

 
Highlight Passage:  Psalm 77: 13 [NKJV] …  
13 Your way, O God, is in the sanctuary; Who is so great as our God? 
… Asaph finally sees God the way we all should see Him.
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Highlight Context – Psalm 77:1-15 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …  
… The Psalmist shows several ways to look at life
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Reference Passage #1 - Psalm 119: 105 [NKJV] …   
105 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. 
… We all need to use His truth (i.e., the Bible) to help us see His path.

Reference Passage #2 - Proverbs 3: 5-6[NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …  
… We can see God’s path only when we trust Him to lead us.

Reference Passage #3 - Isaiah 26: 3 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …  
3 You will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on You, [LORD] because he trusts in You. 
… We see best and find peace through the eyes of trust.

Reference Passage #4 - Habakkuk 1:3; 2:1; 3:17-18 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …  
… Habakkuk’s vision changes as He comes to seek God humbly and trust in Him.

My Journal for Today:  Today’s Our Daily Bread author, Anne Cetas, uses the nearsightedness of a tired mother [see attached photo] to teach about our clarity of vision as a Christian, coming through our degree of trust in God. The mother in according to Cetas, was tired and downhearted from her duties as a mom. And she went to church and got a new perspective on how to look at life. She heard of three ways to look at life through the eyes of Asaph, the author of Psalm 77 (see highlight passage linked above).

1.    Seeing life through HELPLESS eyes, … taking our hurts and hangups directly to God when we can’t see the forest for the trees. That’s what Asaph did in Psalm 77:7-9, being willing to honestly take the tough questions directly to God. It’s what the confused Prophet, Habakkuk, did as well (see Habakkuk 1:3).

2.  Seeing life through HONEST eyes, … being willing to try to see and remember what God has done for us in the past. Asaph (in Ps. 77: 10-12) stopped and remembered what God had done for His people. Habakkuk (in Chapter 2:1) also stopped to wait for God to show His ways to the Prophet. We all can see more and find more peace when we’re willing to wait on Him and to seek His mind (see Prov. 3: 5-6 and Isaiah 23:3).

3.   Seeing Life through HOPEFUL eyes, … choosing to trust in God and see Him though the eyes of faith rather than human reason. Asaph (see Ps. 77: 13-14) came to the place of simply trusting God by choosing to recognize and rely on His greatness and promises, … as did Habakkuk as well in Hab. 3:17-18. And when we are willing to view life through the hopeful eyes of faith, nothing can steal our joy.

 How about it, my following friend? How are we seeing life these days [?] … Through the eyes of fear or faith; … through the eyes of worry or worship, … through the eyes of confusion or clarity?  I pray it's the latter in each case.

My Prayer Today:  Heavenly Father, … Shine a light on my path clearly, O Lord, as You promise in Ps. 119:105, so that I can see and follow Your path. … 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.

February 19, 2016: Trusting Anyway

Daily Berry Patch Devotions in 2016 - Day 50  

Devotional Song:  … GO TO THIS LINK …  Please take the time to take in a video of Don Moen singing the old hymn Trust and Obey… declaring the reality of our need to trust in God no matter the circumstances of life, … the only way to be happy in our relationship with Christ.

Highlight Passage:  Habakkuk 3: 17-18 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …  
 … Habakkuk learned that no event can steal his joy as long as He trusts in his God.
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Highlight Context – Habakkuk, Chapter 3 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …  
 … Habakkuk comes to faith, overcoming his fears, and trusting in His God.
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 Reference Passage #1 - Isiah 41:10 [NKJV] …
10  Fear not, for I am with you; … be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; … yes, I will help you. I will lift you up with My righteous right hand. 
… Trust and obey … there is no other way … especially when we’re out of control … to have faith in God’s control.

Reference Passage #2 - Matthew 11: 28-30 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …  
 … Jesus invites any and all to come to Him when our burdens are too heavy.

Reference Passage #3 - 2nd Corinthians 12: 9-10 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …  
… We all need God’s enabling/empowering and sufficient grace to help lift us up in our moments of fear or weakness.

Reference Passage #4 - Hebrews 13: 5 [NKJV] …  
5 Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
… Faithful and true … because God will never forsake us …

Reference Passage #5 - 1st Peter 5:6-7 [NKJV] …  
6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, 7 casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. 
… No mater what the circumstances, we need to humbly trust in our God.

My Journal for Today:  Today’s Our Daily Bread author, Poh Fang Chia, teaches about trusting God and holding on to our faith, … even when we see tragedy coming. He wrote: Life had been going along so well, when it was abruptly interrupted and forever changed without warning. … Tragedy can come in many forms—the loss of a loved one, an illness, the loss of wealth or our livelihood. And it can happen to anyone at any time. 

I think of an event which occurred at night on Palm Sunday in 1965 near in my home town, … when my Aunt and Uncle were driving into their driveway; and they heard a “freight-train” noise as they looked up to see a tornado obliterated their home. They were miraculously saved from death; but they could do nothing to save their home on that devastating night. Their home and farm was gone in an act of God they certainly didn’t desire but one which certainly tested their faith.

In the Old Testament, the writings of the Prophet Habakkuk carry a message with which we can all identify and from which we can all learn. And that would most certainly be true for my Aunt and Uncle in dealing with the aftermath of that Palm Sunday tornado. Habakkuk was a Prophet during the times of Jeremiah and Daniel when Jews, faithful to God, watched helplessly as the people turned to idol worship and debauchery and as the Babylonians, under Nebuchadnezzar, were about to overtake Jerusalem, which ultimately occurred in 605 BC.

And in those times, Habakkuk had a crisis of faith, … confused in seeing His covenant God allow what was going on in the Prophet’s world, … as well as seeing that God would allow such an evil people as the Babylonians to capture God’s holy temple as well as His chosen peoples. But we know from Habakkuk’s book and song that the Prophet went from worry to worship and from fear to faith, teaching all of God’s people what is sung in today’s linked song … “that there’s no other way to be happy in Jesus, than to trust and obey.” 

I hope we all take in today’s teaching and meditate on the Scriptures above, … with the assurance that our God is always in control and well never forsake any believer in Christ who trusts in our Lord.

My Prayer Today:  Heavenly Father, … Lift us up today, Lord … With all that is taking over our world, we need You!!! … 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.