Scripture: Luke 4.  

OBSERVATION
(What is God saying here?)

Luke 4:1-2 (NLT)

1 Then Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan River. He was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, 2 where he was tempted by the devil for forty days. Jesus ate nothing all that time and became very hungry.

APPLICATION
(How Can I apply what God is saying here to my circumstances today?)

So many times I have heard about the temptations of Jesus in the wilderness, but it was not until I read this again today that the Holy Spirit impressed upon me that He will not only lead me into spiritual things, or into ‘holy’ situations, or into pleasing company, or with Godly people, or besides peaceful streams as taught in Psalm 23, but as in the case of Jesus, He may lead me/us into difficult situations. I believe that we must first insure that we haven’t brought such times on ourselves through sin or unwise choices. But secondly, if we can find no sin to confess or unwise behavior to change, we must ask God to strengthen us for the test. Regardless of the situation, we must always be careful to follow faithfully wherever the Holy Spirit leads. We must consider another scripture verse that says, “in all things, give thanks to God”. Our challenge is to realize that God didn’t say that we give thanks in all ‘good’ things that happen to us, but I believe that the intent is that in all things in which we acknowledge Jesus directing us, providing for us, giving us wisdom, giving us the right words to speak, giving us boldness to share Him and/or His Word with others, or humbling us to take our rightful place in His kingdom – in all these things that we give thanks honestly to Him who has all power and authority over us. Like Jesus, let’s not question why we go through trying times, but instead prepare our lives to live obediently and sacrificially before Him that leads and directs our every step. Lead me Lord, I will follow…

PRAYER
(With God’s help, what am I going to do differently today because He said it?)

What a message this morning! Too often I have felt that only those good and positive times in my life were led by God, but who am I to think that I should be more blessed than Jesus was? He was led into a very trying time. Should I believe for a moment that God will not lead me into circumstances that He knows could be used to strengthen my walk with Him? When I agreed to follow Jesus, I should have known that this meant through every situation, in all circumstances. The important thing is that I be willing to follow where He leads. Lord, may I truly be alert to Your leading today. May I always follow You knowing that You will always love me, care for me and lead me to Yourself. Please have Your way in my life today!

àWords underlined may be a hyperlink to a song that God laid on my heart while sharing this devotional this morning. Click it and be blessed by the song, like I was when I listened to it! …… I would be overjoyed to have the opportunity to pray with you about a need in your life that may, or may not have been highlighted by this Nugget today. Why not drop me a note and tell me about it? You may email me at:
nuggetsfromgodsword@yahoo.com.
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