March 26, 2024 … Back To The Basics …

March 26, 2024 …  Back To The Basics  …      

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...   Please take the time to take in this song with lyrics from Jeremy Camp singing … Living Word …  Powerfully singing of how God’s living word powerfully leads us thru life.

==========

Highlight Passage: … Matthew 22:29 [NLT] … 

29 Jesus replied (to the Religious teachers challenging Jesus’ authority), “Your mistake is that you don’t know the Scriptures, and you don’t know the power of God.             

… Jesus shows the Religious leaders challenging His authority that they misinterpret and misapply God’s word.                          

Highlight Passage (in context): …  Matthew 22:23-33 … USE THIS LINK …  

… Jesus shows those trying to shame Him because of their misunderstanding and misinterpretation of God’s word.                      

=========                                                                 .                                                                                                                                                            

Reference Passage: … Psalms 119  [NLT] …  USE THIS LINK … 

… King David honors the truth and power off God’s word as a guide for his (and our) life.       

Reference Passage: … Proverbs 30:5-6 [NLT] …  USE THIS LINK … 

…, thru Solomon, warns of anyone who misunderstands, misinterprets, and misuses God’s truth.             

Reference Passage: … Matthew 4:3-4  [NLT] …  USE THIS LINK …  

… Jesus rebukes satan by quoting from Deuteronomy 8:3 that mankind is to follow every word that comes from God thru His word.   

Reference Passage: … John 17:17 [NLT] …  

17 Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth.. 

… Jesus prays that all who follow after Him in faith be made holy thru the truth of God’s word.    

Reference Passage: … 2Timothy 2:15, 3:16 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK .. 

… Paul shows Timothy (and us) that all teachers/leaders, really all Christians, must lead others to follow and teach from God’s truth , … i.e., God’s word.  

Reference Passage: … Hebrews 4:12  [NLT] …  

12 For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.

…The Author of Hebrews declares the power of God’s word to lead faithful followers of Christ.     

My Devotional Journal: Today’s Our Daily Bread  Author, Winn Collier -  AT THIS LINK -   told of how a rival fast-food chain tried to introduce a burger which was larger than MacDonald’s “quarter-pounder,” at 1/3 pound and at the same price.   However, … the public misunderstood the math in the rivals’ commercials and the A&W Burger product failed to win the “burger battle.”     

And this real-life battle of words can be used to illustrate what Jesus was trying to teach in the highlight passage in confrontation with the religious teaches of His day.  And that is to use God’s truth, i.e., His word, to correctly show the reality of God’s direction for life - all of it - pointing to the reality of Whom God is in the Person of Jesus, … The Christ.  And the song by Jeremy Camp and the Scriptures cited above bring my readers today to the truth of God’s word and how we Christians must use it accurately to lead us in life.  Will my readers come along with me to use God’s word here today, and then again tomorrow, to shine a light for our paths in life (see link above for Ps 119:105?                     

My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh, Abba Father, thank You, King Jesus, … for showing me how to follow You, Lord, thru Your perfect “GPS,” … Your word!     

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I pray. again today, that all reading here will join me again today, … to use Your word, Lord, as our perfect “GPS” for 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.

March 25, 2024 … Loving God By Loving Others …

March 25, 2024 …  Loving God By Loving Others  …      

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...   Please take the time to take in this song with lyrics from Danny Gokey and Michael W Smith singing … Love God, Love People …  Powerfully singing of how our love of God shows up in the way we Christians love others.    

==========

Highlight Passage: … Matthew 25:40 [NLT] … 

40 “And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’.           

… Jesus shows His followers that loving others is the way that we show our love to Him as our King and Master.                         

Highlight Passage (in context): …  Matthew 25:31-40 … USE THIS LINK … 

… Jesus uses a parable to show that loving others is the way to show our love of God.                

=========                                                                 .                                                                                                                                                            

Reference Passage: … Proverbs 10:12, 17:17 [NLT] …  USE THIS LINK … 

… God, thru Solomon’s teaching, shows that loving others is THE way to show our love of God.    

Reference Passage: … John 3:16, 13:34 [NLT] …  USE THIS LINK … 

… God gave His son to show the extent of His love for His chosen; and He commands all who believe in Christ to show their (our) love for each other.            

Reference Passage: …  1Corinthians 13:13  [NLT] …  

13 Three things will last forever — faith, hope, and love — and the greatest of these is love., 

… The Apostle Paul shows fellow Christians that the greatest thing we can share with one another is love.  

Reference Passage: … Romans 13:8 [NLT] … 

8 Owe nothing to anyone — except for your obligation to love one another. If you love your neighbor, you will fulfill the requirements of God’s law. 

… Paul shows teaches fellow Christians that they (we) fulfill the Law of God when we show love to one another.  

Reference Passage: … Ephesians 4:32 [NLT] …  

32 Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.

… Paul exhorts fellow Christians to share God’s love to one another by being kind and forgiving one another just as God ha forgiven them (us).  

Reference Passage </u>: … 1Peter 5:8  [NLT] … 

<i>  8 Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins.

… Peter calls on fellow Christians to share God’s love with others, coving our sin nature with the love of God.    

 

My Devotional Journal: Today’s Our Daily Bread  Author, Elisa Morgan -  AT THIS LINK -  told of how God’s love was on display in how fellow Christian brothers and sisters came along side a young couple who had two sets of twins in 13 months, … helping the couple with supplies and baby sitting time to allow the overwhelmed parents to work to pay for their much needed insurance.   

Do any of my readers, and I, really desire to show off God’s love in our lives, as is shared in the linked song and the Scriptures above, … reaching out to share God’s love by loving others?  So, as God gives us opportunity, will we be there to share God’s love and a helping hand to those who need God’s love, … just as God has shown His love for us by being willing to die on a cross for our sins?   I’m praying we do!                     

My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh, Abba Father, thank You, King Jesus, … for giving me opportunities to share Your love with others.    

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

=============

Blogger Note:  Everyday during this year, my daily devotional blogs are influenced by the reading and study of the online devotional blog entitled “Our Daily Bread,” distributed online via email by RBC Ministries.  If you GO TO THIS LINK on the date of my blog, you can read/study the ODB blogs; or you can subscribe to the blog via email at that site.

March 24, 2024 … Our Renaissance In Christ …

March 24, 2024 …  Our Renaissance In Christ  …      

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...    Please take the time to take in this song with lyrics from Phil Wickham singing … The Jesus Way …  Powerfully singing of how our lives are reborn and reformed forever by surrendering and repenting to follow Jesus’ way.    

==========

Highlight Passage: … John 12:24 [NLT] … 

24 I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat is planted in the soil and dies, it remains alone. But its death will produce many new kernels—a plentiful harvest of new lives..           

… Jesus predicts His death as necessary for all who follow His way to eternal life..                       

Highlight Passage (in context)  …  John 12:23-26 … USE THIS LINK … 

… Jesus declares that He must die in order for all who believe and follow His way to rebirth and eternal life.                       

=========                                                                 .                                                                                                                                                            

Reference Passage: … Matthew 18:3  [NLT] …  

3 Then he said, “I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven..

… Jesus teaches His followers of the truth of repenting in faith to walk with Christ into eternal life.    

Reference Passage: …  John 1:12  [NLT] …  

12 But to all who believed Him and accepted him, He gave the right to become children of God., 

… John teaches truth that faith in Christ is the only way to be reborn into eternal life.          

Reference Passage: …  John 14:6  [NLT] …  

12 But to all who believed Him and accepted him, He gave the right to become children of God., 

… John teaches truth that faith in Christ is the only way to be reborn into eternal life 

Reference Passage: …  2Corinthians 5:17  [NLT] …  

17 This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!, 

… Paul shows fellow Christians that ANYONE who surrenders in faith to follow Jesus will experience a new life. 

Reference Passage: … Ephesians 2:8-10 [NLT] …  USE THIS LINK … 

… The Apostle Paul also teaches all Christians that dying to self and following Christ’s ways will produce a renaissance way of life for all time.  

Reference Passage: … Titus 3:5 [NLT] …  

 5 He saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit.. 

… Paul also assures all born-again Christians that Christ died to give all who surrender to follow Him a new lift thru God’s Spirit.  

 

My Devotional Journal: Today’s Our Daily Bread  Author, Tim Gustafson -  AT THIS LINK -   wrote of Leonardo da Vinci declaring of his life, … “While I thought I was learning how to live… , “I was learning how to die.”  And really, that’s what God’s word teaches, doesn’t it?<b>(see Scriptures above)</b>  It teaches us about our lives being surrendered in faith to Christ, … giving faithful followers of Christ a new, renaissance, way of Christlike living, … a life which produces fruit for God’s eternal kingdom.  

Any of my readers interested in such renaissance living?  That’s why you find me here, every morning, praying that my pursuit of Christlike living, by following God’s word, can - and WILL - lead to the new life, promised by the Apostle Paul, and Jesus, Himself in the Reference Scriptures above, which will see me made over into a Christlike, renaissance, way of living.   Anybody out there with me?                    

My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh, Abba Father, thank You, King Jesus, … for giving me Your way of renaissance living.   

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I pray. again today, that all reading here will join me again today, … to continue to pursue Your eternal way of living for You, Lord. … everyday!!   … 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 23, 2024 … Sharing God’s Lavish Love …

March 23, 2024 …  Sharing God’s Lavish Love …     

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...    Please take the time to take in this song with lyrics from Cory Asbury singing … Reckless Love …  Powerfully singing of how God shares His reckless love with anyone who surrenders and receives God lavish love.  

==========

Highlight Passage: … 1Peter 2:12 [NLT] … 

12 Be careful to live properly among your unbelieving neighbors. Then even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior, and they will give honor to God when he judges the world..           

… Peter extols fellow Christians to live like Christ so as to point others to God’s love thru the way we Christians live.                       

Highlight Passage (in context)  …  1Peter 2:11-12 … USE THIS LINK … 

…Peter, writing to persecuted Christians, exhorts them (and us) to live as Christ lived so that others will experience Christ’s love by the way we live.                       

=========                                                                 .                                                                                                                                                            

Reference Passage: … Psalms 23:1-6 [NLT] …  USE THIS LINK … 

… King David sings of God being our “Good Shepherd,” Who lavishes His love on those who faithfully follow Him as Lord.     

Reference Passage: … John 3:16-17 [NLT] …  USE THIS LINK …  

… Jesus declares the extent of God’s love for those who believe on Him as Messiah and Lord.           

Reference Passage: … Romans 5:8; 8:37-39 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …  

… The Apostle Paul teaches fellow Christians about God’s extravagant love.   

Reference Passage: … 1Corinthians 13:4-7 [NLT] …  USE THIS LINK … 

… The Apostle Paul teaches fellow Christians what God’s love really looks like in the way they (we) live our lives for others. 

Reference Passage: …Ephesians 3:20 [NLT] …  

20 Now all glory to God, Who is able, through His mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.. 

… Paul also calls on fellow Christians to love others as Jesus loves us so that they will be drawn to His love and saving grace.    

Reference Passage: … 1John 3:1 [NLT] …  

1 See how very much our Father loves us, for He calls us His children, and that is what we are! But the people who belong to this world don’t recognize that we are God’s children because they don’t know Him. 

… God, thru John, calls Christians to shower others with God’s love so that they will see Christ living in and thru our good deeds.  

 

My Devotional Journal: Today’s Our Daily Bread  Author, Mike Wittmer-  AT THIS LINK -  told of sitting next to a non-believer on a flight, who reported moving to a town where many of her neighbors were church-goers and was so impressed by how these so-called “Christians” showered this non-believer’s handicapped father with lavish love and caring compassion.     

And today’s ODB entry calls out for me - and all Christians - to see if the way we live our lives demonstrates God’s lavish love openly and obviously points others to Christ as we live our lives to show God’s love to any and all who might see Christlike love by the way we live for others.  So, let’s all take in today’s linked song and meditate on the Scriptures above and then go out - maybe even today - and share God’s extravagant love with someone.                     

My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh, Abba Father, thank You, King Jesus, … for giving me Your enabling grace to share Your lavish love with someone.  

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I pray. again today, that all reading here will join me again today, … to show off Your lavish love, Lord, by the way I love others to point them to You 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.