Scripture: Luke 20.  

OBSERVATION
(What is God saying here?)

Luke 20:45-47 (NLT)

45 Then, with the crowds listening, he turned to his disciples and said, 46 “Beware of these teachers of religious law! For they like to parade around in flowing robes and love to receive respectful greetings as they walk in the marketplaces. And how they love the seats of honor in the synagogues and the head table at banquets. 47 Yet they shamelessly cheat widows out of their property and then pretend to be pious by making long prayers in public. Because of this, they will be severely punished.”

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

God’s Word is clear that if we are blessed with any type of leadership role while serving here on this earth, we must be careful not to let it affect our witness of Him. It is so important that we humble ourselves and allow God to increase. It is so important that we stop often and realize that had it not been for the grace of God, we could very easily have been bound up in sin and bitter because of our unforgiving spirit. It is only through God’s grace, His power and His example, that we stop and realize how far we have come through His grace. Let us therefore look to His example and seek to serve Him wholeheartedly while never trying to take the controls away from Him, but allowing Him the place of honor, the place of leadership, the place of control and the place of God that He truly is. We must decrease, so that He might increase and take His rightful place in our lives.

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

Thank You Father for assuming first place in my life some 36 years ago. I acknowledge that this is a daily job of surrendering control over to You, so please give me strength, wisdom, humility and power to daily commit myself as a servant of the most high. It’s You I live for and You that I serve. Please help me to never try to assume that position, but help me to practice my position so much that others may be blessed and see the example that You may give me strength for each day. You must increase and I must decrease!

 

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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