Scripture: Luke 15.  

OBSERVATION
(What is God saying here?)

Luke 15:3-7 (NLT)

3 So Jesus told them this story: 4 “If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them gets lost, what will he do? Won’t he leave the ninety-nine others in the wilderness and go to search for the one that is lost until he finds it? 5 And when he has found it, he will joyfully carry it home on his shoulders. 6 When he arrives, he will call together his friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.’

7
In the same way, there is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven’t strayed away!

8 “Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Won’t she light a lamp and sweep the entire house and search carefully until she finds it? 9 And when she finds it, she will call in her friends and neighbors and say, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost coin.’

10 In the same way, there is joy in the presence of God’s angels when even one sinner repents.”

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

For those that we invest our interest in, through prayer, caring and/or some other tangible way, we tend to rejoice over their successes in life! This is because we have a vested interest in them. God’s Word says that there is rejoicing in heaven also when one sinner repents and returns to God. I love that word ‘RETURNS’ because it is an indication that we were God’s, but strayed away and now seen the error of our ways and have come back to God. I believe that if our churches today did a better job of investing ourselves in the lives of those that we say we are ministering to, then there would be a big party or celebration every time someone walks the isle and announces to the church that they are ‘returning’ to the God who loves them and have always cared for them. I don’t know about everyone else, but I need to get busy about the work of the Lord, and I don’t mean another committee, but rather busy about ministering to those who have strayed away from God and need to return to Him. While I am not a big party person, I would love to join in the heavenly celebration every service time as sinners return to God, especially if I had a small part in encouraging, or praying for that person. Christians, let’s re-focus on the main purpose of the church – a people drawing closer to God through personal development in the Word, and in encouraging others to ‘return’ to God so that they too can join the party! We have a Savior who loves us so much that He gave His very life for us – talking about a vested interest in us?

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

Lord Jesus, I know that I could spend all day just finding ways that I need to draw closer to You, but additionally I feel such a burden for those that need to ‘return’ to You and surrender their lives to You. Please give me the boldness to share words of encouragement with someone today. Please burden my heart with individuals that I may specifically pray for and encourage so that Your work may be accomplished. Thank You for loving me so much that You encouraged me back to You and away from a world that has no desire to see me succeed or live eternally with You. I rejoice in that today, and I look forward to rejoicing next Lord’s Day as I see others ‘return’ to You!

 

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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