December 11, 2014 … The Lion & the Lamb

Daily Berry Patch Devotions in 2014 - Day 345.

Devotional Song:  Go to this link          … Once again, please take take in a contemporary song, sung by Brian Doerksen, Creation Calls, … repeated from yesterday’s ODB, reminding us that God is ultimately calling us to be part of re-perfected creation, … where the lion will lay down with the lamb. … And then ON TO THIS LINK  to hear Big Daddy Weave singing, Redeemed, declaring that in Christ we are redeemed from our brokenness and captivity to sin …    

    

Highlight Passage #1 - NKJV  Isaiah 11: 9 … A day when mankind will no longer pollute God’s perfect creation  … 

⁹ They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain,
For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord
As the waters cover the sea. …  

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Highlight Context – Isaiah 11: 1-9 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …   God’s prophesy of His coming Kingdom on earth

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Reference Passage #1 - NKJV  Isaiah 11: 6 … God will redeem us to dwell with Him in peace …

 ⁶  “The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb,
The leopard shall lie down with the young goat,
The calf and the young lion and the fatling together;
And a little child shall lead them.

Reference Passage #2 - NKJV  Malachi 4: 2 … Another prophesy of the day to come when God’s glory will come down for the remnant who believe …

 ²  But to you who fear My name the Sun of Righteousness shall arise with healing in His wings; and you shall go out and grow fat like stall-fed calves.

My Journal for Today:  Today’s Our Daily Bread devotional entry, authored by Jennifer Benson Schuldt, begins with a colorful true story of a young boy who was fascinated by seeing a large venomous snake in a clear plastic display box in a zoo where the boy could view the snake, up close, without fear.   The author’s point was that one day this broken world will be redeemed and restored to the place of perfect peace prophesied in Isaiah, Chapter 11 [linked above for study/reflection]. 

Yes, we now live in a broken world, wracked by man-made pollution, disease, and war, … all brought on by the sin of the first man, Adam, who, along with his sin-bearing partner, Eve, were expelled from God’s created and perfect garden of peace.   But as author Schuldt points out from biblical prophesy, we will one day, due to the redeeming work of Christ, live in a world of peace and perfect harmony, where, as depicted in the attached photo, all of God’s creation will be put right and the lion will lay down with the lamb.

Yes, as Big Daddy Weave sings in the song linked above, we are redeemed; and I don’t know about you, but as the Apostle John wrote in Revelation 22: 20

, I declare loudly today, …  “Even so, come Lord Jesus!”

My Prayer for Today

… Lord, please forgive Your remnant for our selfish stewardship of Your planet; and we are so blessed You have come to redeem us.  So, we pray to come soon to restore us to Your place of peace.   Amen

Blogger Note:  Every day 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 THISLINKo  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.

December 10, 2014 … Creation’s Sermon In Me

Daily Berry Patch Devotions in 2014 - Day 344. Devotional Song: Go to this link -  … Please take the time to take in a contemporary song, sung by Brian Doerksen, Creation Calls, … reminding us that God speaks to us, of His presence and power through His creation - sometimes quietly and sometimes loudly.

Highlight Passage #1 - NKJV Job 38: 4 … God’s call for His children to hear Him through His creations …
  4 “Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? … Tell Me, if you have understanding. …” 
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Highlight Context – Job, Chapter 38 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …  … God’s sermon on creation to his confused servant, Job
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Reference Passage #1 - NKJV Psalm 71: 6 … Praise to God for all that I am in the vastness of His creation.
  5 For You are my hope, O Lord GOD; You are my trust from my youth. 6 By You I have been upheld from birth; You are He who took me out of my mother’s womb. My praise shall be continually of You.
Reference Passage #2 - NKJV Psalm 139: 13-14 … AGAIN, praise to God for all that He has created in me.
  13 For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb. 14 I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well. 

Reference Passage #3 - NKJV Romans 1: 20-21 … Even Paul wrote about how man’s selfishness has a tendency to hide his or her eyes for God’s greatness.
  20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, 21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 

My Journal for Today: Today’s Our Daily Bread devotional entry, authored by Mart De Haan, begins with a reminder of the wonders of the human heart. De Haan writes …
" Our heart beats about 100,000 times every day, pumping blood to every cell in our bodies. This adds up to about 35 million beats a year and 2.5 billion beats in an average lifetime. Medical science tells us that every contraction is similar to the effort it would take for us to hold a tennis ball in our palm and give it a good hard squeeze.”

 But when we’re running a marathon or just handling the challenges of life, do we really think of this one little physical organ which God has created so that we can live and move and have our being. In think not!! … And then when one contemplates the vastness of all of creation, we have to be overwhelmed by the majesty and wonder of our God. And that is what God’s servant, Job, finally confronted, after he had be plunged into an abyss of personal suffering and pain. Job, like most of us would, lost his perspective of his God, a perspective of faith which he had expressed much earlier in his journal of suffering [go back and meditate on Job 1: 20-22].

We’re like Job, aren’t we? When we get embroiled in the mist of the trials of life, we have a tendency to ignore God’s glory which surrounds us or when we contemplate what God has done to allow us to live in the world HE created. But in Chapter 38 of Job’s song of deliverance [linked above], we read of God opening Job’s eyes to really WHO GOD IS in the perspective of God’s creation. And then we see Job’s eyes of faith being opened again as we read of Job seeing the greatness of God and His glory through all Job had experienced in the vastness of all God had created.

 Perhaps there are some reading here who’ve lost their perspective of God due to trials we might be encountering. Well, look around and see all of God’s creation; and know that HE IS GOD … and WE ARE NOT!!! … And in this we can praise our Lord for all that HE IS and all we could be if we but acknowledge Him in faith.

My Prayer for Today … Lord, You created me to be a reflection of Your creation. Help me to shine Your light today, forgetting who I see in me and projecting whom You’ve created me to be. Amen

Blogger Note: Every day 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.

December 9, 2014 … Living As A Primer

Daily Berry Patch Devotions in 2014 - Day 343.

Devotional Song: Go to this link  … Please take the time to take in a contemporary song, sung by the group, 4Him, Back To The Basics of Life, … reminding us all that as we live in the basics of our faith, we will likely be the only Bible others may be able to see.

Highlight Passage #1 - NKJV Deuteronomy 6: 4-5; … 7 … God’s call for togetherness in His Church …
  4 “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one! 5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. … 7 You shall teach them [i.e., these principles] diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. …”
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  Highlight Context – Deuteronomy 6: 4-9 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …   The #1 standard for Israelite living
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Reference Passage #1 – Exodus 20: 2-5 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …  The first two and most important of the TEN COMMANDMENTS

Reference Passage #2 - NKJV Matthew 22: 36-38 … Religious leaders trying to trap Jesus into breaking with the law.
  36 [Religious leader] “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?” … 37 Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and great commandment.” 

My Journal for Today: Today’s Our Daily Bread devotional entry, authored by Dennis Fisher, makes a historical reference to the New England Primer, which was used by the earliest educators in 18th Century America to bring the highest standards to the education of the youth of early America. And the Primer (see attached photo) was based on biblical principles and moral teachings; so, the earliest of Americans were raised on God’s word and His ways. And the most primary of these can be found in the Highlight passage of today’s ODB devotional (see Deut. 6: 4-9).

 And this sets the standard for how we should be educating our youth and, in fact, our entire culture. … BUT … SUCH IS NOT THE CASE in our culture and country!! In fact our aggressive courts, who call themselves “progressives,” have ruled that we cannot use biblical standards to educate our youth; and they have even ruled that prayer – especially CHRISTIAN prayer – is to be avoided by our public educational institutions.

 And where has this trend gotten us? Well, all we have to do is to watch the evening news any night; and we see the result of extracting our education from the Bible and God’s commands. And as long as we keep our kids separate from His word and His standards, we will continue to see an exacerbation of the social plagues we now experience in this world … maladies, mayhem, and murder. God gave us HIS word and HIS way for us to move forward toward Him. But as long as we choose to ignore HIS way and HIS will, from HIS word, we will continue to fall backwards.

OUR CHOICE!!! 

My Prayer for Today … Lord, Jesus, Help us to move forward and to teach YOUR ways to our kids and grandkids. Amen

  Blogger Note: Every day 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.

December 8, 2014 … Christmas Shouts of “Jesus !!!”

Daily Berry Patch Devotions in 2014 - Day 342.

Devotional Song: Go to this link   … Please take the time to take in a happy Christmas song, sung by Johnny Mathis, It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas, … reminding us all that we tend to commercialize the Advent season, which celebrates the coming of King Jesus in a manger.

Highlight Passage #1 - NKJV Luke 19: 39-40 … God’s call for togetherness in His Church …
  39 And some of the Pharisees called to Him from the crowd, “Teacher, rebuke Your disciples.” 40 But He answered and said to them, “I tell you that if these should keep silent, the stones would immediately cry out.” 
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Highlight Context – Luke 19: 28-40 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …   Jesus’ triumphant entry to the City of David
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Reference Passage #1 - NKJV Zechariah 9: 9 … The prophesy fulfilled by the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem in Luke 19 [see above].
  9 “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation, lowly and riding on a donkey, a colt, the foal of a donkey. … “ 

Reference Passage #2 – Philippians 2: 6-11 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …   Jesus set aside His glory to be among His children, which – to me – is the essence of Christmas.

My Journal for Today: Today’s Our Daily Bread devotional entry, authored by Julie Ackerman Link, refers to the trend of our world, commercializing the glorious coming of our Lord during the Advent season with promotions and advertisements which try to use the joy of Christ to sell, sell, sell. All one has to do is go to shopping mall the day after Thanksgiving (in the US – see attached photo) to see all the declarations which shout out … ”It’s Christmas time !!!”

 Well, … this time of the year reminded the ODB author, Julie Link, of the declaration of Jesus Himself in Luke 19: 40 (which was an allusion to the prophesy of Zechariah 9: 9) that “the stones would cry out” of the coming of Jesus if the people could not shout their worship of the Messiah. And I agree with ODB author, Link, that when you hear Christmas carols being played in the malls, … as well as lost people, just as dead as stones, singing traditional carols, proclaiming the coming of the Christ child, even if the singers don’t really know Him as their Savior, … one can feel and see the joy of our Lord being shouted out in the midst of all the commercialism.

 So, when we hit the malls in this Advent Season, take in the joy of reality as the “stones” shout out of the coming of our Lord!!!

My Prayer for Today … Lord, Jesus, … It’s You we sing about as the world shouts out of Your coming. Amen

Blogger Note: Every day 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.

December 7, 2014 … Teamwork

Daily Berry Patch Devotions in 2014 - Day 341

Devotional Video: ...  Go to this link  … Please take the time to take in a brief news story on Johnny Agar, Pushed By His Dad, … telling of the encouragement from family to excel in spite of Johnny’s cerebral palsy.

Highlight Passage #1 - NKJV Hebrews 10: 24 … God’s call for togetherness in His Church …
  24 And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, … .
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Highlight Context – Hebrews 10: 19-25 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …   Jesus knows and calls “Zacchaeus” by name
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Reference Passage #1 – Philippians 2: 3-4 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …   Looking out for the interests of OTHERS

Reference Passage #2 - NKJV 1st Thessalonians 5: 11 … Encouragement is a reflection of God’s grace and love from His Church – TOGETHER!!
  11 Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing. 

My Journal for Today: Today’s Our Daily Bread devotional entry, authored by Dave Branon, uses a story of the caring exploits of “team Agar,” a father-son team who often “run” long distance marathons together … with the son, Johnny, who has cerebral palsy, being pushed or assisted on the races by his dad, Jeff. [See the linked story/video above.]

Johnny’s dad, Jeff, got his son involved at an early age in these long-distance running events, where Jeff would push Johnny in a specially designed wheelchair. And more recently Johnny has developed the ability to “run” in the races with a special running frame, again with his dad’s assistance. [See the attached photo]

 As the ODB author points out, “team Agar,” is a good personal depiction of the way Christians should be to one another, especially when a brother/sister in Christ perceives that another fellow human could use some kind of assistance or encouragement. Today’s highlight Scripture passage and the other reference verses are God’s exhortations to reach out beyond self and to encourage others – at the least – or to do all we can to help others who need our assistance.

 And I was convicted today to do another self-inventory. Can we look at our lives and honestly say we are encouraging others – REGULARLY; … or even more importantly, are we reaching out to help others we see who might need what we can offer in the way of time, resources, or assistance? Revealing mirror, isn’t it?

My Prayer for Today … Lord, Jesus, … show me someone today who might need You using me in some way. Amen

Blogger Note: Every day 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.

December 6, 2014 … Humility Heals

Daily Berry Patch Devotions in 2014 - Day 340

Devotional Song: Go to this link  … Please take the time to take in the lyrics with the Heritage Singers singing The Gaither classic, He Touched Me, … reminding all Christians of the power of God to heal and restore the brokenness of any believer

Highlight Passage #1 - NKJV 2nd Kings 5: 14-15a … God’s healing powers - the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow … from the witness of one God healed as a witness of the healing powers of our God …
  14 So he [Naaman] went down and dipped seven times in the Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God [Elisha]; and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean. 15 And he returned to the man of God, he and all his aides, and came and stood before him; and he said, “Indeed, now I know that there is no God in all the earth, except in Israel; … 
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Highlight Context - 2nd Kings 5: 1-15 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …  Humility and repentance are healers
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Reference Passage #1 - Matthew 6: 33-34 [NKJV] … Jesus: Our humble focus should always be on our ever constant, never changing, God …
  33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. 

Reference Passage #2 - NKJV Hebrews 13: 8 … Neither God, nor His healing powers every change …
  8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. 

Reference Passage #3 - James 5: 13-16 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …   God’s healing can be activated by a believer’s faith and God’s will

My Journal for Today: Today’s Our Daily Bread devotional entry, authored by Jennifer Benson Schuldt, used the wonderful story of the healing of Naaman, the leprous warrior in 2nd Kings 5 (see above links/copies) to illustrate how God’s healing powers come first to those who’ve humbled themselves to receive God’s healing grace. And as we also see in the New Testament, from Hebrews 13: 5 and James 5: 11-13, God’s power to bring healing is the same today as it was for Elisha praying for Naaman’s healing or a man of God today praying on behalf of one who needs healing today.

 How God heals and when God heals is totally up to God. But God is God … the same God as He was when He healed Naaman; and He’s the same God you can go to now and humbly have the Elders of your church pray for your healing, restoration, or renewal TODAY. But if we cannot - or will not - humble ourselves to even ask for God’s healing, how can we ever expect our God to exercise His healing grace for ourselves or for others.

My Prayer for Today … Lord, … Even today I pray for healing for a brother in Christ who needs Your restoring touch. You know Him, Lord, and You can heal him for Your glory. I pray You will do so for this brother. 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.

December 5, 2014 … Love On Display

Daily Berry Patch Devotions in 2014 - Day 339

Devotional Video: Go to this link  … Not a song today. Please take the time to take in this video which likely illustrates the love of God being expressed from one human to another better than any other I’ve ever seen. The video is entitled Here Is Love, … and when you see it you’ll see just a reflection of the love God has expressed to us through His Son and our Savior, Jesus.

Highlight Passage #1 - NKJV 1st John 4: 7; 16 … Our love for others is the test of Christian discipleship ...
  7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. … 16 And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him. 
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Highlight Context - 1st John 4: 7-16 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …   Love is the test of our relationship with Christ
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Reference Passage #1 - John 3: 16 [NKJV] … I”m sure you know this one by heart so I won’t insult you by quoting it here …

Reference Passage #2 - John 13: 34-35 [NKJV] … Jesus gives His inner 12 Disciples His great love commandment …
  34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.

My Journal for Today: Today’s Our Daily Bread devotional entry, authored by Bill Crowder, uses an interesting illustration of what has been called “human chess” (see attached photo) … where humans take on the roles of chess pieces and play the game at their own whim, trying to do all they can to manipulate the other pieces to take the other team’s King. And the game, according to Crowder, illustrates real life, where so often we try to manipulate others to win a control advantage in this world.

 But that’s not the game which our Lord envisions for His disciples to follow; and Jesus gave His own illustration when He came together with His inner twelve Disciples just before he went to the cross to exhibit the greatest love of all. Jesus, in His “Upper Room Discourse” (see John, Chapters 13-16) related what the essence of this life should hold for His followers. And in the Scripture passages copied and linked above, we read of His command - above all other commands - to love one another as a reflection of what these 12 would later see on the cross as Jesus died for mankind’s sin.

 And in the video sequence, linked above for any reader’s reflection in this entry, you see that kind of love on display in real life. And it’s not a human chess game. It’s the real deal; and it’s the kind of love we, as Christians, should be sharing with one another in this world to reflect the love of God given to us by the Son of God on the cross [see John 13: 34-35].

 So, let’s ask ourselves today. ARE WE REALLY LOVING OTHERS AS GOD LOVED US; … or … are we playing human chess with others, trying to control their lives to win an advantage in this life?

My Prayer for Today … Lord, … help me to love others as You have loved me. 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.

December 4, 2014 … He Knows My Name

Daily Berry Patch Devotions in 2014 - Day 338

Devotional Song: Go to this link   … Please take the time to take in the lyrics Daniel O’Donnell singing, Here I Am Lord, … telling of the surrender all Christians must express – in faith – come when God calls

Highlight Passage #1 - NKJV Luke 19: 5 … Jesus called; and Zacchaeus responded …
5 And when Jesus came to the place, He looked up and saw him, and said to him,“Zacchaeus, make haste and come down, for today I must stay at your house.”  
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Highlight Context – Luke 19: 1-10 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …   Jesus knows and calls “Zacchaeus” by name
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Reference Passage #1 – Judges 6: 11-23 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …  … The Lord calls out Gideon, seeing much more in this “mighty man” than Gideon saw in himself

Reference Passage #2 – Isaiah 6: 1-8 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …   The Lord calls out Isaiah to carry His message to God’s people; and Isaiah surrenders to God’s calling

Reference Passage #3 - NKJV Luke 5: 10-11 … Jesus calls the fishermen away from their boats to become “fishers of men” and they dropped all and followed Jesus
10b And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid. From now on you will catch men.” 11 So when they had brought their boats to land, they forsook all and followed Him. 

Reference Passage #4 - NKJV 1st Peter 5: 7 … When the Lord has called us, we cast all our cares on Him and follow …
  5 Casting all your cares on Him because He cares for you. 

My Journal for Today: Today’s Our Daily Bread devotional entry, authored by David McCasland, uses the story of Jesus calling Zacchaeus by name out of a tree and showing Him the saving grace that only Jesus can offer to the lost. I so relate to that story; because Zacchaeus recognized his weakness and need for a Savior just as I did a little over 30 years ago. And when Zacchaeus responded to the Lord’s calling, He came down out of that tree, repented, and was saved. And in much the same way I recognized Jesus calling me; and on April 13, 1983; and I came down out of my tree of habitual sin and surrendered my life to the one Who knew my name.

 I can remember that day as if it were this morning. My Lord called me down out of my tree of past weakness and habitual sin; and He called me by name with a set of bizarre circumstances showing me that only He could provide me the spiritual strength to come out of my tarpits of sin and following Him as my Lord. And, just like all the callings of God on His followers documented above by the highlight and reference passages, I heard the Lord calling, and I came. Just as Daniel O’Donnell sings in the song linked above, God called me and I said, “Here I Am Lord;” and I came.

 I pray today that all who read here with me have responded to God’s calling; because He knows our names; and He calls all to surrender to Him, just as Zacchaeus did.

My Prayer for Today … Lord, Jesus, … You've called me ... now I come. Amen

Blogger Note: Every day 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.

December 3, 2014 … On Whose Side Am I?

Daily Berry Patch Devotions in 2014 - Day 337

Devotional Song: Go to this link  … Please take the time to take in the lyrics with the group, Avalon, singing their contemporary song, He’s Everything To Me, … reminding all Christians of the reality of a true life in Christ where our pursuit of a deep/abiding relationship brings our life into accord with Him.

Highlight Passage #1 - NKJV Psalm 73: 28 … Being near to God is just the “bestest” place to be!! …
28 But it is good for me to draw near to God; … I have put my trust in the Lord GOD, … That I may declare all Your works. 
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Highlight Context – Psalm 73 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …  The Psalmist pleads for God’s presence, provision, and power
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Reference Passage #1 – Deuteronomy 31: 6-8 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …  Moses reminds Joshua (and us) that God will never leave us, nor forsake us

Reference Passage #2 - NKJV Psalm 139: 23-24 … The psalmist’s plea for God’s reshaping and restoration
  23 Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties; 24 And see if there is any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting. 

Reference Passage #3 - NKJV Proverbs 3: 5-6 … Solomon teaches of the need to get as close to God as we can in this life, not leaning on our own ways …
  5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. 

My Journal for Today: Today’s Our Daily Bread devotional entry, authored by Joe Stowell, tells an interesting historical story about Abe Lincoln during the American Civil War to illustrate his devotional point today. He writes …
  In the heat of the American Civil War, one of President Lincoln’s advisors said he was grateful that God was on the side of the Union. Lincoln replied, “Sir, my concern is not whether God is on our side; my greatest concern is to be on God’s side, for God is always right.” 

And that was the concern of Asaph, the Psalmist of Psalm 73; and David in Psalm 139; and Solomon in Proverbs 3: 5-6, who pleaded with God to bring them into a right and abiding relationship with their God.

 And if you take in the images and truths from the attached photo, the linked song, and the Scriptures referenced above, you will be challenged to ask, as I was today … ”Just how close am I to my God, Who desires that I draw as near to Him as I can?” And I’m sure you’ll be motivated to seek a more intimate/abiding relationship with our Lord today than yesterday … and even more tomorrow than today.

My Prayer for Today … Lord, Jesus, … Holy Spirit, … draw me close today. Amen

Blogger Note: Every day 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.

December 2, 2014 … A Root of Evil

Daily Berry Patch Devotions in 2014 - Day 336

Devotional Song: Go to this link  … Please take the time to take in the lyrics with the group, Hillsong, leading in worship, singing their contemporary song, Jesus, You’re All I Need, … reminding all Christians of our need to recognize that God has provided all we need in our relationship with Christ.

Highlight Passage #1 - NKJV 1st Timothy 6: 10 … Beware of loving money!! …
  10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. 
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Highlight Context – 1st Timothy 6: 6-10 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …   Paul warns that money is not bad … but THE LOVE OF MONEY is a big danger zone
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Reference Passage #1 – Matthew 6: 19-24 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …   Jesus teaching that mankind cannot serve both God and money [see verse 24]

Reference Passage #2 - NKJV Matthew 6: 33 … Jesus stanchly teaches where our life priorities should lie …
33 Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness; and all these things … [the needs of life] … will be added unto you. 

Reference Passage #3 - NKJV Philippians 4: 11-12 … Paul had learned to be content no matter what his status in life … with plenty or in privation …
  11 Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: 12 I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. 13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. 

My Journal for Today: Today’s Our Daily Bread devotional entry, authored by Marvin Williams , takes ODB readers (me) back to the time when the Apostle Paul was mentoring a young Timothy to become the Pastor of the church in Ephesus. And Paul recognized one of the main dangers a church will face, … the reality of coming to worship money, riches, and power in lieu of the worship of the ONE & ONLY GOD. Hence the warning to the young Pastor [see 1st Timothy 6: 6-10 linked above] and to all Christians of the message Jesus also forcefully taught in His Sermon on the Mount [see Matthew 6: 19-24] … that man cannot serve both God and money.

 Paul had learned this lesson in living, telling of his ability to be content, no matter whether in plenty or in privation, … being able to find his strength in his relationship with Christ (see Phil. 4: 11-13). Jesus taught us to “seek first the kingdom of God;” and then all we need would be provided for us (see Matt. 6: 33). The question becomes … do we believe that and do we live out these truths (above) every day in our lives? I leave that self-inventory to you as I’m dealing with it here today from this ODB entry.

My Prayer for Today … Lord, … Jesus, You’re all I need. Amen

Blogger Note: Every day 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.

December 1, 2014 … “Got That T-shirt”

Daily Berry Patch Devotions in 2014 - Day 335

Devotional Song: Go to this link  … Please take the time to take in the lyrics with Steven Curtis Chapman singing his contemporary song, His Strength Is Perfect, … reminding all Christians of the strength of God, which, in His faithfulness, is available to any who’re willing to surrender to receive it to cover our weaknesses

Highlight Passage #1 - NKJV Hebrews 4: 15 … Jesus, our High Priest in Heaven, empathizes totally with our condition …
  15 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. 
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Highlight Context - Hebrews 4: 11-16 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …   God knows what T-shirt we’re wearing in life … He’s been there and has the T-shirt of having defeated temptation … 
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Reference Passage #1 - Psalm 119: 9-11 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …   God’s prescription and power for dealing with temptations

Reference Passage #2 - Matthew 4: 1-11 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …   Jesus models how we are to deal with temptation … by being able to wield the sword of the Spirit

Reference Passage #3 - NKJV 1st Corinthians 10: 11-13 … Especially note verse # 13 [in bold], where Paul outlines God’s faithfulness in His helping us deal with temptation …
  11 Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. 12 Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. 13 No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it. 

My Journal for Today: Today’s Our Daily Bread devotional entry, authored by Anne Celas, refers to a growing problem in our culture - the struggles so many deal with in battling addictions of various sorts [see attached photo]. In fact the ministry which God has called my wife and I to lead [see this link] deals with the growing social plague of sexual addition in our culture/world. And this is personal with me because, for 22 years of my life, I was deeply addicted to pornography; so, I know VERY PERSONALLY of how temptation to sin can can become an obsessive/compulsive influence in our everyday battles of life.

 Yes, when it comes to dealing with the battles of addictive temptation in our lives, as the kids say these days, “I’ve been there, done that, and I’ve got that T-shirt!” … But perhaps, reading here, you’re dealing some stronghold of sin, which perhaps has even become an addictive influence in your life. Well, God knows how we feel in our human weakness [see the Hebrews 4 passage as well as Paul’s promise from God in 1st Corinthians 10: 13]. Yes, God’s strength is there to help us deal with even the most powerful influences which tempt us to sin; and God has even given a powerful prescription for dealing with sin and temptation - yes, even addiction.

 Take note above of how Jesus modeled His own battle strategy for dealing with our weaknesses and temptations. Read and meditate on the Matthew 4: 1-11 passage (also found in Luke 4: 1-13, where Satan did his best to tempt our Lord to sin. But Jesus used God’s prescription for our dealing with temptation by wielding God’s word as His sword and strength to cover His human weakness. And Psalm 119: 9-11 lays out how God wants us to battle temptation to sin in our lives. [I hope you have that passage memorized and internalized!]

 God’s word is our only offensive weapon to deal with all those temptations or addictions depicted in the attached photo. And as Steven Curtis Chapman sings in the linked song today, God’s power, through His word, is there for us to wield and defeat the addictive and tempting powers that Satan will use to bring us down. In fact, at one time in my life my life T-shirt would have read “ADDICTED TO PORN;” … but now the T-shirt I wear, which identifies me, reads “ADDICTED TO GOD’s WORD!!” That’s why I’m here everyday digging in to God’s truth and doing all I can to allow it to infuse me with God’s power.

What does your T-shirt say?!

My Prayer for Today … Lord, … You have shown me Your power; … now I need to wear Your sword, practice it, and use it to battle Your enemies 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.

November 30, 2014 … Purchased - “AS IS”

Daily Berry Patch Devotions in 2014 - Day 334

Devotional Song: Go to this link  … Please take the time to take in the lyrics with Kristian Stanfill singing his contemporary version of the old song, Jesus Paid It All, … reminding all Christians the reality that Christ purchased all of us on the cross, paying the infinitely high price for our sin, washing it clean with His blood, no matter in what condition we come to Him.

Highlight Passage #1 - NKJV Revelation 21: 1 … John saw The Lamb of God take the scroll of life to open the seals as the only One Worthy to do so …
1  “You are worthy to take the scroll, And to open its seals; For You were slain, And have redeemed us to God by Your blood Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, 10 And have made us kings and priests to our God; And we shall reign on the earth.” 
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Highlight Context - Revelation 5: 1-12 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …   Only the Lamb of God was worthy to open the scroll
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Reference Passage #1 - NKJV John 19: 29-30 … Jesus paid it all - “It is finished!!” …
  29 Now a vessel full of sour wine was sitting there; and they filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on hyssop, and put it to His mouth. 30 So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit. 

My Journal for Today: Today’s Our Daily Bread devotional entry, authored by David C. McCasland, uses an interesting true-to-life word picture to illustrate just how far God went to redeem us from our sin. McCasland writes, …
  A house listed for sale “As Is” usually means the seller is unable or unwilling to spend any money to repair it or make it attractive. Any necessary repairs or desired improvements are the responsibility of the buyer after the purchase is complete. “As Is” on a real estate listing is equivalent to saying, “Buyer beware. Home may require significant further investment.” 

Now think about what Jesus, as the Lamb of God, did for all mankind on the cross. As the song by Kristian Stanfill, linked above, proclaims, Jesus paid it all, … all to Him I owe! Yes, our Lord, when He gave up His Spirit to God the Father on the cross, declared, It is finished!, which, in Christ’s words was a declaration that the sin debt from all mankind had been PAID IN FULL by His blood. 

And that is why, when John saw the scroll of life being opened in Heaven (see Revelation 5: 1-12, linked above) there was only One Worthy to do so; and that was the Lamb of God. And today, on this Sabbath day, I yield my all to the Lamb of God, … the worthy One Who came into my life, and purchased my all with His all, … taking full ownership of my soul, as shabby as it was, and paying my full sin debt for eternity.

OH PRAISE MY LORD FOR HIS GRACE!!! 

My Prayer for Today … Lord, … You paid it all for me; and now I will live it all for 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.

November 29, 2014 … That Glorious City

Daily Berry Patch Devotions in 2014 - Day 333

Devotional Song: Go to this link  … Please take the time to take in the lyrics and beautiful images of heaven with Fernando Ortega singing his beautiful song, Beyond The Sky … reminding all Christians of the glorious promise of The New Jerusalem

Highlight Passage #1 - NKJV Revelation 21: 1 … John saw all the glories of the New Jerusalem, … heaven come down for all who’ve received the saving grace of Christ.
1 Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. 
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Highlight Context - Revelation 21: 1-7 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …   All of life comes full circle, from the garden into New Jerusalem
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Reference Passage #1 - Genesis 3: 22-24 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …   Man expelled from God’s garden … to return one day in His glorious city

Reference Passage #2 - Isaiah 65: 17-25 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …  God, through the Prophet, tells of His glorious new city

Reference Passage #3 - 1st Corinthians 15: 50-58 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …  Death has no victory over any Christian

Reference Passage #4 - NKJV 2nd Peter 3: 13 … The Apostle Peter longs for the day of the Lord to bring the new heavens where all righteous dwells …
  13 Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. 

My Journal for Today: Today’s Our Daily Bread devotional entry, authored by Phillip Yancey, reminds readers (that’s me!) of God bringing mankind from that time when we were expelled from His garden (see Genesis 3: verses 22-24, linked above) into His New Jerusalem (see attached photo depiction).

 Please take a few moments and use the song link above to hear Fernando Ortega singing a song I would like to have played at my memorial service some day (I hope a long time from now), … but that time when I’ve gone on to be with God in His promised City of Love. That’s the glorious New Jerusalem, of which the Prophet Isaiah foretold 700 years before the coming of the Messiah [see Isaiah 65: 17-25 linked above]; and it’s the new heavens and new earth promised by the Apostle in 2nd Peter 3: 13.

 You know, … it’s easy to get downright depressed when we see what’s going on in the world; and even more so when we experience the trials/tribulations of life. My father in his final few years experienced horrible physical pain and many personal maladies; and when I used to go visit him in the nursing care facility where he resided in his last few years on this earth, he would ask me - every time - to read a passage from 1st Corinthians, Chapter 15, where it spoke of our having a new, incorruptible body in heaven. And I’m sure it was glorious for the Apostle John to be given a vision of that glorious heaven which all in Christ will one day experience (see the highlight passage from Revelation 21: 1-7 [linked above].

 So, my heart and my attitude were lifted high today as I saw the attached photo, listened to the linked song, and meditated on the Scriptures above. I hope you take all of it in today and realize that one day we, who in faith have received Christ as our Savior/Lord, will live eternally with Jesus in the New Jerusalem.

 Do I sense a bold and robust ”HALLELUJAH!!” from any reading here?

My Prayer for Today … Lord, … yes, my Savior, HALLELUJAH!; and come soon, Lord 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.

November 28, 2014 … Amani Means Peace

Daily Berry Patch Devotions in 2014 - Day 332

Devotional Song: Go to this link  … Please take the time to take in the lyrics and beautiful and pertinent song, sung by the group, Hillsong, singing a contemporary version of the old hymn It Is Well With My Soul. … reminding us of the peace provided by our God in spite of any/all troubles. 

Highlight Passage #1 - NKJV 1st Samuel 16: 23 … David gave peace to Saul with the playing of God’s music on the harp
23 And so it was, whenever the spirit from God was upon Saul, that David would take a harp and play it with his hand. Then Saul would become refreshed and well, and the distressing spirit would depart from him. 
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Highlight Context #1 - 1st Samuel 16: 14-23 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …   David’s pacifying influence on Saul
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Reference Passage #1 - NKJV Isaiah 26: 3 … God, through Isaiah, one of The Lord’s prescriptions for peace to God’s people …
  3 You will keep him in perfect peace, … Whose mind is stayed on You, … Because he trusts in You.

Reference Passage #2 - NKJV 2nd Timothy 1: 7 … Paul on the peace provided to the heart by one’s abiding relationship with Christ …
  7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. 

Reference Passage #3 - Philippians 4: 6-7[NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …   God’s prescription for peace through Paul

Reference Passage #4 - Hebrews 13: 20-21 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …   A benediction from the “God of Peace” to those of the New Covenant
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!!! PROMINENT REFERENCE PASSAGE !!! - John 14: 25-27 [NKJV] … Jesus trying to calm His disquieted Disciples with the truth of His grace to come in His Holy Spirit …
  25 “These things I have spoken to you while being present with you. 26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, … He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. … “ 

My Journal for Today: Today’s Our Daily Bread devotional entry, authored by Jennifer Benson Schuldt, told an interesting true story to illustrate her teaching point today. She writes [take a peek at the attached photo]…
" Amani, which means ‘peace’ in Swahili, is the name of a Labrador retriever pup that has some special friends. Amani lives with two young cheetahs at the Dallas Zoo. Zoologists placed the animals together so the cheetahs could learn Amani’s relaxed ways. Since dogs are generally at ease in public settings, the experts felt that Amani would be a “calming influence” in the cheetahs’ lives as they grow up together. " 

 I think we’d agree that there are certain people or animals or even habits in our lives which have a peace-giving influence on our soul. In today’s highlight passage, the ODB author calls our attention to the time when King Saul was troubled and called for David to play his harp, which gave the King a soul-refreshing respite. And if you read and meditate on the reference Scriptures provided above, I’m sure you will be given much peace in the realization that God has given us His peace to all Christians through the reality of His Spirit abiding in our lives.

 When Jesus addressed His troubled Disciples, in what we know of as “the Upper Room Discourse” (see John, Chapters 13-16), He told them of sending a “Comforter,” Who was/is to be The Holy Spirit, to provide them [and us] with God’s presence and His power as they moved forward to witness to God’s New Covenant Gospel message. They didn’t really understand it at the time; but later, as Paul wrote, in Phil. 4: 6-7 and 2nd Tim. 1: 7, Christ’s disciples don’t need to have a spirit of fear. No, … we have God’s love and His power in the presence of God’s Spirit in our hearts to proclaim His truth to others.

 I pray we all live, move, and have our being in the realization of living with God’s Spirit in our hearts as born-again believers.

My Prayer for Today … Lord, … Your power and peace are mine! 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.

November 27, 2014 … Thanksgiving Praise

Daily Berry Patch Devotions in 2014 - Day 331

Devotional Song: Go to this link  … Please take the time to take in the lyrics and beautiful and pertinent song, sung by one of my favorite performers, Josh Groban, singing Thankful. … reminding us, on this special holiday, that there is so, so, so much for us to be thankful

Highlight Passage #1 - NKJV Psalm 100: 1 … David describes all who should make a joyful noise of thankfulness to our God …
  1 Make a joyful shout to the Lord, all you lands! 
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Highlight Context #1 - Psalm 100 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …   A Song of thanksgiving to God by King David
============ Highlight Passage #2 - NKJV Psalm 150: 6 … David describes all who should praise the living God …
  6 Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. … PRAISE THE LORD!! 
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Highlight Context #2 - Psalm 150 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …   A Song of praise to God by King David
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Reference Passage #1 - 2nd Samuel, Chapter 22 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …   David sings a song of thankfulness and praise at God’s deliverance of the king-to-be

Reference Passage #2 - 1st Thessalonians 5: 16-18 [NKJV] … The Apostle Paul exhorts believers to be believers and live lives of thankfulness and praise
  16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 

My Journal for Today: Today’s Our Daily Bread devotional entry, authored by Julie Ackerman Link, reminded the readers from the joyous praise of Psalm 150; and since today is THANKSGIVING DAY, Link’s entry took my mind and heart back to another of David’s songs of Praise, … Psalm 100.

 In her ODB devotional, Julie Link, references several questions, which are answered in Psalm 150; and this same Q/A exercise can be done from Psalm 100. So, I’ve delineated these questions/answers below from these two songs of David …

Psalm 100
 Q: Why are we thankful? … A: God
 Q: How do we offer thanks? … A: Joyfully
 Q: Who should give thanks? … A: Everyone
Psalm 150
 Q: Why do we offer praise? … A: God 
 Q: How do we offer praise? … A: Joyfully
 Q: Who should praise? … A. Everyone 

 I think the parallels and the pattern is obvious. … So, as we gather together, perhaps with family or friends on this Thanksgiving day, perhaps it would be a good exercise for all to hear these Songs of praise and thanks, offered to God’s honor by the “man after God’s own heart,” … King David. Because these songs express what all who love God should be feeling and expressing from their hearts, today and everyday … i.e., … PRAISE TO GOD!!

My Prayer for Today … Lord, … I give thanks and a loud HALLELUJAH! of praise to my 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.

November 26, 2014 … "Go Fish!!"

Daily Berry Patch Devotions in 2014 - Day 330

Devotional Song: Go to this link  … Please take the time to take in the lyrics with Steve Green singing the poignant and always pertinent song People Need the Lord. … declaring our commission to become fishers of men just as He called His inner 12 to become.

{Elly Berry walking the beach where Jesus called His "fishers of men"}

Highlight Passage - NKJV Luke 5: 10b … Paul describes the “Father of their Faith” to Christians …
  10 And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid. From now on you will catch men.” 
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Highlight Context #1 - Luke 5: 1-10 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …   Jesus calls the fishermen to become "fishers of men"
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Reference Passage #1 - Matthew 4: 18-20 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …   Matthew’s version of Jesus calling the fishermen by the Sea of Galilee … and …
Reference Passage #2 - Mark 1: 16-18 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …   Mark’s version of Jesus calling the fishermen to come and become His disciples

Reference Passage #3 - Matthew 28: 18-20 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …   All disciples of Christ are commissioned to be “fishers of men (and women)”

Reference Passage #4 - John, Chapter 21 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …   Jesus returns to His men after the resurrection to restore Peter to be His fisherman

My Journal for Today: Today’s Our Daily Bread devotional entry, authored by David Roper, took me back to our time in the Holy Land where my wife and I walked the very beach where Jesus called the fishermen, Peter and his brother Andrew, to come and follow Him and become “fishers of men.” In the attached photo, you see my wife and a few others in our party of pilgrims walking on that very beach, which archeologists are sure was the beach where Jesus called His disciples and where he met with them for breakfast after the resurrection and where Jesus restored Peter after he had denied Jesus [see the link to John 21 above].

 It was sobering to be on that beach where Jesus first called the big fisherman, Peter (and the others) - see the highlight passage from Luke 5 and the parallel passages in Matthew/Mark. To realize that we were walking where Jesus, after His resurrection came back to that very beach to dine with His remaining 11 Disciples and then to restore Peter, who was so broken after his denial of The Lord [see the John 21 link above].

 Jesus had called Peter (and the others) to follow Him and become “fishers of men;” and then, after our Lord was raised from the dead, He returned to the very same beach where He had called Peter to recommission him to “feed My lambs.” It’s our Lord’s beautiful symmetry of the Gospel call to all Disciples. And when Jesus left this earth to return to heaven (see Matthew 28: 18-20), all Christians were/are called, just as was Peter, to GO and become fishers of men and feeders of God’s flock. And that’s what Steve Green sings about in the linked song above. … All people need the Lord; and we are called to share the Gospel with any and all whom we’ve been given the opportunity to share God’s redeeming grace with those who need Him.

 It’s like that command from the children’s card game. We are called to “GO FISH!!”   So, today, as we walk about, may we be convicted to remember that any and all, who look us in the eyes, are those who need Christ. Yes, as Steve Green sings, “People Need the Lord!!”

My Prayer for Today … Lord, … help me to be a fisherman 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.

November 25, 2014 … Patience in God’s Purpose

Daily Berry Patch Devotions in 2014 - Day 329

Devotional Song: Go to this link  … Please take the time to take in the lyrics with a Mennonite Chorus singing the old hymnI Know Him Whom I Have Believed. … declaring our commitment to God’s promises and His purposes - no matter how long they may take to unfold.

Highlight Passage - NKJV Romans 4: 20-22 … Paul describes the “Father of their Faith” to Christians …
  20 He [Abraham] did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, 21 and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform. 22 And therefore “it was accounted to him for righteousness.”
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Highlight Context #1 - Romans 4: 16-22 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …   Abraham’s imperfect, but long-suffering faith in God’s promises … accounted to him as righteousness
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Reference Passage #1 … Romans 8: 28 [NKJV] … Truth; but do we have the patience and faith to believe it in our lives!! …
  6 … All things work together for the good of those who love the Lord and are the called according to His purposes. 

Reference Passage #2 … 2nd Corinthians 5: 17 [NKJV] … God’s promise for all true, born-again Christians …
 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. 

Reference Passage #3 - 2nd Timothy 1: 3-14 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …   Paul saw so much more in Timothy that the young preacher could see in himself … and a testimony to Paul’s own faith

Reference Passage #4 … 2nd Timothy 1: 12 [NKJV] … Paul’s witness of faith in God and in Timothy … the words of the title hymn, linked above …
  12 For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day. 

My Journal for Today: Today’s Our Daily Bread devotional entry, authored by Marion Stroud, by using the life of Abraham as an exemplar of faith [see the Highlight passage from Romans, Chapter 4] and the reference to the mentoring of Paul to Timothy [from 2nd Timothy, Chapter 1], I was taken back many years in my own life to a time when I was a babe in Christ, a relatively new Christian, growing in my discipleship.

 And in those days, I came under the mentoring of a Godly retired physician, an Elder in our church, and a man who met with me for over a dozen years, weekly at first and then later biweekly. And early in this relationship, I didn’t know what to do or how to grow in Christ; and much like Timothy must’ve felt under the mentoring of the Apostle Paul, I just let this man of God lead me. And my mentor must’ve seen much more in me than I could see in myself; because he took me, a former sex addict before my conversion, a broken man, finally surrendered to God, to become an Ordained Minister of the Gospel and an Elder in our church. … Now that’s patience in the promises of God to transform a surrendered Christian as Paul had preached in 2nd Cor. 5 17 [see above].

 But PTL that my mentor had the kind of faith in God’s transformational grace as Paul had in mentoring the young, sickly Timothy. … Somehow my mentor had patience enough to let God remake me into a man who could serve our Lord and His purposes. Because this is the kind of patience which all Christians should have in the God of Romans 8: 28 and 2nd Tim. 1: 12.

 And as you take in the linked hymn for today and these scriptures above, I pray that you have faith that God can/will transform you so that you can be used of God, as was my mentor and Paul to Timothy, to help bring along others into the promise God has for their lives.

My Prayer for Today … Lord, … use me to be a shepherd in Your Name and for Your purposes … for others. 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.

November 24, 2014 … Purity From Pain

Daily Berry Patch Devotions in 2014 - Day 328

Devotional Song: Go to this link  … Please take the time to take in the lyrics with the group, Hillsong, singingRefiner’s Fire. … reminding Christians we are often put through the fires of life as God’s method of purify our souls when we choose to live lives of Christlike holiness.

Highlight Passage - NKJV 1st Peter 1: 6-7 … The only way to purify gold is to put it to the fire …
  6 … In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, … 
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Highlight Context #1 - 1st Peter 1: 3-9 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …  Suffering and pain purify the soul
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Reference Passage #1 - Ezekiel 22: 17-22 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …   God will do His work to purify us into the image of Christ just as He did with ancient Israel

Reference Passage #2 … Philippians 1: 6 [NKJV] … God is going to do what it takes to purify all Christians into Christ’s image …
  6 … being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ; … 

Reference Passage #3 … James 1: 2-4 [NKJV] … Recognize, with joy, that it is the pain of the fires of life which produce the purity God desires from us …
  2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. 

Reference Passage #4 … Revelation 19: 7-8 [NKJV] … As Christ’s bride, we are in a place to ready ourselves with purity for our Bridegoom’s return …
  7 Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.” 8 And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. 

My Journal for Today: Today’s Our Daily Bread devotional entry, authored by Julie Ackerman Link, reminded me of a rather scary - but very true - word picture. And the picture is of the reality that it often takes the fires of life, with all its fury and pain, to bring us to a purified state of holiness - i.e., the state of Christlikeness.

 I hope all Christians realize in reading here that God is in the business of doing whatever it takes to rebrand us into the image of our Savior; and quite often that involves doing what the Prophet Ezekiel wrote about with regard to God’s Old Covenant with His people in Israel. And the word picture used in Ezekiel 22: 17-22 is much the same as one the Apostle Peter used in his letter to a much persecuted group of churches in Asia Minor in his day (see the link to 1st Peter 1: 3-9 above). And the picture is much as depicted in the attached photo, … that of God putting us through the fires of life to purify our souls.

 When we Christians choose to live holy and pure lives (i.e., living as Christ lived), it may take putting us through the fires of life to burn off the dross [disobedience and sin] from our souls, purifying us into Christlikeness. God was doing that with his people in the OT Covenant. He continued the strategy through Christ in His NT Covenant; and He continues to do it in the lives of His Bride, the Church, today.

 But when we’re obedient, as His Bride, and we choose to humble ourselves to prepare for our Bridegroom’s coming again (see Revelation 19: 7-8 above] by living purified lives, He will honor God with our humility and it will keep us from the Refiner’s fire. Wouldn’t we rather choose to live in humility and holiness rather than having God put us through the purifying fires of pain to have us be prepared for His return?

My Prayer for Today … Lord, … I prepare my linens for Your return. Come soon, Lord 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.

November 23, 2014 … Roots of Bitterness

Daily Berry Patch Devotions in 2014 - Day 327

Devotional Song: Go to this link  … Please take the time to take in Crystal Lewis and Ron Kenoly singingBeauty For Ashes. … reminding Christians that God can ALWAYS give us peace for despair and beauty for ashes when we choose forgiveness over bitterness

Highlight Passage - NKJV Colossians 3: 12-13 … Forgiveness is the only way to uproot any bitterness in our lives …
  12 Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; 13 bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. 
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Highlight Context #1 - Colossians 3: 12-17 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …   Paul, from prison, exhorts about the character of a real Christian
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Reference Passage #1 … Ephesians 4: 31-32 [NKJV] … Forgiveness is the only way to avoid the results of bitterness …
  31 Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. 32 And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you. 

Reference Passage #2 … Hebrews 12: 14-15 [NKJV] … Pursuing peace and avoiding all roots of bitterness should be the goal of all Christians …
  14 Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: 15 looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled; ... 

My Journal for Today: Today’s Our Daily Bread devotional entry, authored by Randy Kilgore, illustrated his main point by using the life of Corrie Ten Boom, the Dutch evangelist who had witnessed her father and sister die in a German concentration camp during WW2. After the war, speaking in America, one of her former prison guards answered an altar call after one of her talks; and Corrie was confronted with the reality of choosing to hate the man or forgive him. In that moment of truth, she recognized the truth of today’s highlight and reference passages … that the only way to uproot bitterness in our lives is to forgive … just as Christ has forgiven us for our unforgivable sinfulness.

 If you’ve taken in the attached photo, the linked song, and meditated on all the truths above from God’s word, you know that we must cut out any root of bitterness in our lives by Christlike forgiveness; and I’ll let any/all who read here deal with that exhortation from our Lord today.

My Prayer for Today … Lord, … thank You for giving me the grace to forgive. 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.