June 26, 2025 … Our #1 Choice !! …

June 26, 2025 … Our #1 Choice !!   …  

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...  Please take the time to hear music and lyrics with Clay Crosse, Bob Carlisle, and Bebe Winans singing… I Will Follow Christ,  showing that Christians must make the choice to ALWAYS follow Christ.

Choosing HIS way as our PRIORITY way in life ... 

Highlight Passage: … Mark 1:38 … [NLT] … 

38 But Jesus replied, “We must go on to other towns as well, and I will preach to them, too. That is why I came.”           

…  Jesus shows why His mission of sharing the Gospel was His #1 priority coming to be with them (us).

           

Highlight Passage (in context): … Mark 1:35-39  [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …  

… Mark shows Christ’s Disciples choosing to follow Him … anywhere and everywhere.    

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Reference Passage: … Proverbs 3:5-6, 16:3  (NLT) …  USE THIS LINK …

…Solomon with Godly wisdom, calling God’s chosen to trust and follow The Lord in ALL we do.  

Reference Passage: … Matthew 6:31-33 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

…   Jesus shows His followers (and all Christians) to <u>seek first</u> the Kingdom of God.  

Reference Passage: …Matthew 6:26-33 (NLT) …  USE THIS LINK … 

… Jesus teaches, in His Sermon on the Mount, that His followers should recognize and trust that God will provide all their (our) needs.

Reference Passage: … Romans 12:1-2 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… The Apostle Paul teaches that Christians should become living sacrifices in serving the Lord, avoiding following the ways of the world.

Reference Passage: … Galatians 2:20 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… Paul also witnesses to fellow Christians how his life was transformed to Christlikeness when he chose to die to self and live for Christ.  

Reference Passage: … Colossians 3:1-4 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …

… Paul also exhorts fellow Christians to surrender our lives to follow and live for Christ  

My Devotional Journal: Today’s Our Daily Bread Author - Karen Huang  … AT THIS LINK       … related a story about a young Christian, named Jose, who was invited to address a prestigious national Christian leadership conference.  However, Jose refused because he felt that the preparation and travel time involved would take away from a project which he felt God had called him to serve the Lord.  The story illustrated, for the ODB author,  the kind of priority choices we Christians must make to adhere to our calling as Christians in the challenging world in which we live.      

Today, my fellow Christian readers, we’re going to confront a lot of demands from the world, trying to avoid and to escape the temptations and trials which Satan will put before us.  But if my readers have taken in the linked song and meditated on the Reference Scriptures above, I believe, you, as I was, will be convinced and directed to seek out and choose to follow God’s will - and His ways - as our priority #1 way to serve the Lord.  

My Thanksgiving: … Oh, King Jesus, thank You, … for showing me Your way to follow You, Lord, through Your word. 

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I praise You, … again today, Lord. … as You show us THE WAY to follow You, Lord, to Your glory.    … Amen

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

June 25, 2025 … God Did It! …

June 25, 2025 … God Did It!  …  

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...  Please take the time to hear music and lyrics with Matt Maher singing… Light the Way,  reminding Christians that it is God Who lights the way for us to go in life.

Highlight Passage: … Daniel 2:47 … [NLT] … 

47 The king said to Daniel, “Truly, your God is the greatest of gods, the Lord over kings, a revealer of mysteries, for you have been able to reveal this secret.”           

…  King Nebuchadnezzar recognizes and credits Daniel’s God for revealing the meaning of the king’s dreams.

           

Highlight Passage (in context): … Daniel. Chapter 2  [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …  

… Daniel credits God for giving him the truth behind the King Nebuchadnezzar’s dreams..  

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Reference Passage: … Psalms 119:105  (NLT) …  USE THIS LINK … 

… King David sings his credit to God for shining His light of truth to guide David’s (and our) path in life.  

Reference Passage:… Proverbs 3:5-6  (NLT) …  USE THIS LINK … 

… God, thru Solomon, shows His chosen that when jeu (we_ trust and humble themselves  (ourselves) to rely on God, He will show believers the way - His way - to go. 

Reference Passage: … Isaiah 45:7 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …

…   God, thru Isaiah, shows that it is HE that creates the light for us to follow what HE reveals to believers.  

Reference Passage: …Matthew 6:26-33 (NLT) …  USE THIS LINK … 

… Jesus teaches, in His Sermon on the Mount, that His followers should recognize and trust that God will provide all their (our) needs.

Reference Passage:… Romans 8:16-19 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… The Apostle Paul teaches that God will bring glory to all who trust and follow Him faithfully. 

Reference Passage: … 1John 1:5 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… John teaches truth from Jesus that God shines HIS light for all to follow Him. 

My Devotional Journal: Today’s Our Daily Bread Author - Karen Pimpo  … AT THIS LINK      … told of how hundreds of volunteers gathered to celebrate the fundraising abilities of a non-profit organization over the years; and one of the founding members spoke to give God the credit for all that had been done over the years to raise money to help those in need.  The message was - as it should be … God did it!!”      

Today, as we live out our lives in this very real world, do all of you, who thread with me here, recognize the message of this ODB entry, the linked song, and the word from God’s truth shared above.  And that is…  it is our God Who gives us His will and His enabling grace to do what we do EVERY DAY.  It is HE that is able (see photo).  So, let us all humble ourselves today to give the Lord the credit that is due Him. Will you share a deeply felt HALLELUJAH! with me?  

My Thanksgiving: … Oh, King Jesus, thank You, … for giving me Your grace to do what I can do for Your glory today. 

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I praise You, … again today, Lord. … as You lift us up to serve Your kingdom!    … Amen

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

June 24, 2025 … Our Rescuer …

June 24, 2025 … Our Rescuer  … 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...   Please take the time to hear music and lyrics with Zach Williams singing… Rescue Story,  declaring that Jesus is the “Rescue Story” for all born-again Christians.

God is our Rescuer and Protector ... 

Highlight Passage: … Jeremiah 23:3 … [NLT] … 

3 But I will gather together the remnant of my flock from the countries where I have driven them. I will bring them back to their own sheepfold, and they will be fruitful and increase in number.      

…  Jeremiah declares that The Lord will bring His faithful remnant, like a shepherd, to His pasture to be safe and fruitful forever. 

           

Highlight Passage (in context): … Jeremiah 23:1-8  [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …  

… God, thru Jeremiah, declares that He, The Lord God, will rescue His lost flock and bring them into His glorious pasture.

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Reference Passage: … Psalms 54:4, 91:4  (NLT) …  USE THIS LINK … 

… God’s Psalmists sing of God sending a Shepherd to rescues His faithful remnant, His flock, and bring them to safety.  

Reference Passage: … Isaiah 41:10  (NLT) …  USE THIS LINK … 

… God, thru Isaiah, promises to provide His strength when His people are weak.  

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

… Jesus, teaches Nicodemus, Christ,  as Messiah, that God will protect and save all those who believe and trust in Him.

Reference Passage: … Luke 15:1-7 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

…   Jesus relates a parable about a shepherd going out to save one lost lamb from His flock. 

Reference Passage: … Colossians 1:13-14 (NLT) …  USE THIS LINK … 

… Paul teaches fellow Christians that God has rescued all born-again Christians from darkness and leads them (us) into His kingdom of light.

Reference Passage: … 2Peter 2:9 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… The Apostle Peter teaches truth about God being their (our) rescuer. 

My Devotional Journal: Today’s Our Daily Bread Author - Marvin Williams  … AT THIS LINK       … related a true story of four courageous men who successfully scaled the sheer cliffs above the ocean to save an injured sheep which had been unable to move for almost two years.  But the men were able to recuse and save the sheep despite the danger.       

The story reminded the ODB author [and me too!!] of how God is willing - and does - become like the mother dove in the attached photo as well as the rescuer sung about in the linked song or the Good shepherd in the Scriptures shared above. Yes, our Lord becomes our Rescuer and Protector, … Who saves us, His faithful remnant, from our own inability to save ourselves.  Can I get a witness of a strong “HALLELUJAH” from my readers today.

My Thanksgiving:… Oh, King Jesus, thank You, … for saving and protecting us, … Your lost lambs, Lord.

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I praise You, … again today, Lord. … as You lead us, Lord, to Your pasture, as our Good Shepherd, saving us from ourselves.     … Amen

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

June 23, 2025 … Entangled and Encumbered …

June 23, 2025 … Entangled and Encumbered …  

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...   Please take the time to hear music and lyrics with the group New Wine Worship singing… Song of Repentance,  calling for all Christians to repent and unburden themselves (ourselves) of our sin.

The vines ENTANGLE the garden .... 

Highlight Passage: … Hebrews 12:1 … [NLT] … 

1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.              

…  God calls on Christians to strip away any/all sins in our lives which hinder us from serving and being fruitful for the Lord. 

           

Highlight Passage (in context): … Hebrews 12:1-3 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …  

… God calls on born-again Christians  to focus on setting aside anything which encumbers us from serving and being fruitful for God’s Kingdom.   

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Reference Passage: … 2Chronicles 7:14  (NLT) …  USE THIS LINK …

… God calls on Solomon to call God’s people to let God help them (us) by forgiving our sins and restoring them (us) to become more fruitful for God’s kingdom.

Reference Passage: …Proverbs 28:13 (NLT) …  USE THIS LINK … 

… God”s wisdom from Solomon on confessing of our sins to receive God’s mercy.  

Reference Passage: … Matthew 4:17 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… Jesus began to preach repentance to all who were following Him … 

Reference Passage: … Luke 13:3 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …

…   Jesus again warns believers to repent of their (our) sin or perish.

Reference Passage: … Acts 2:38 NLT) …  USE THIS LINK … 

… Peter preaches at Pentecost of Christians repenting and receiving God’s Spirit to help them (us) be cleansed of our sinful ways.

Reference Passage:… 1John 1:9 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… The Apostle John teaches truth about confessing of our sins and receiving the cleansing of God’s Spirit.    

My Devotional Journal: Today’s Our Daily Bread Author - Jennifer Benson Schuldt  … AT THIS LINK    … used a story of how she had to untangle and remove watermelon vines (see photo) from her garden because they were strangling the growth of her tomatoes and peppers.  She felt that her efforts to make her vegetable garden more fruitful were like God sending His Spirit to help us untangle our lives by confessing and repenting of our sin and becoming more fruitful for God’s kingdom.      

Today, by taking in the ODB entry, the linked song, and the Scriptures I shared from God’s word (see above), I realized that I need to do more to untangle my life and cut away all the sins which block my fruitfulness God’s kingdom.  if my readers have taken in all of this, what is God saying to you today? Is there anything that God reveals to you which can be cut away - today - like the watermelon vines in the ODB entry?   If so, I’m praying that God’s Spirit is leading you as He is for me.  How about it?  Let’s get clean today!!  

My Thanksgiving: … Oh, King Jesus, thank You, … for helping me cut away the sins which entangle my life today, Lord. 

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I praise You, … again today, Lord. … as Your Spirit, Lord, shows me those things which entangle my life in serving You.     … Amen

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