Scripture: 2 Kings 1.  

OBSERVATION
(What is God saying here?)

2 Kings 1:16 (NLT)

16 And Elijah said to the king, “This is what the Lord says: Why did you send messengers to Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron, to ask whether you will recover? Is there no God in Israel to answer your question? Therefore, because you have done this, you will never leave the bed you are lying on; you will surely die.”

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

My mind was directed to cases that I have known of where families have travelled from long distances to have a TV evangelist pray over them because of what appeared to be an incurable decease from a human doctor’s perspective. While I believe that in desperation we will do almost anything to try and save a loved one, I also believe that it is evident from this passage that God wants us to be aware that He is everywhere that we are, and He is accessible by any of His children. An additional curse was placed on king Ahaziah for thinking that he could get answers from the gods at the temple of Baalzebub about the injuries he sustained in a serious fall. Friends, God is available to His children at any time, wherever we may find ourselves in need of Him. God’s Word is full of instances and verses that declare this truth. Seek the Lord while He is near. Depend on the Lord for He always hears our cry for help. Seek the Lord first and foremost, not wait until all else fails. We see from the previous chapter how the prophets called by the king quickly shared their personal views and then claimed that they were from God. Praise be to God that we can go directly to the throne and not have to worry about human intervention to fill the gap for us!

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

Father, You know that my mention of this example that I have knowledge of is not intended to place guilt on the minds of anyone, but rather I believe that You have opened the doors of Heaven to me today and helped me to be reminded of the power of the almighty God that I serve, and the value that You place on each of Your children. You have also showed me that I may come directly to You with requests, concerns and needs. If I feel like I am unworthy of that privilege, then there are some other cleaning up that I need to do in my relationship with You before You would hear my prayer directly or through the requests by others on my behalf. I pray that You may speak to me each and every day so that I may maintain a clean, open relationship with You so that You may continue to work in and through me in miraculous ways to fulfill Your perfect will. Thank You for loving me this much. Thank You for saving me from the evil one. Please use me as Your instrument today to reach the heart of one that may not know You personally and/or to encourage and bless the life of someone that does.

 

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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Scripture: John 20.  

OBSERVATION
(What is God saying here?)

John 20:24-27 (NLT)

24 One of the disciples, Thomas (nicknamed the Twin), was not with the others when Jesus came.

25 They told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he replied, “I won’t believe it unless I see the nail wounds in his hands, put my fingers into them, and place my hand into the wound in his side.”

26 Eight days later the disciples were together again, and this time Thomas was with them. The doors were locked; but suddenly, as before, Jesus was standing among them. “Peace be with you,” he said.

27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and look at my hands. Put your hand into the wound in my side. Don’t be faithless any longer. Believe!“
28
“My Lord and my God!” Thomas exclaimed.
29 Then Jesus told him,
“You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who believe without seeing me.”

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

I believe that many of us are like Thomas. We need to see a sign or miracle to believe. The thing that really spoke to me on this is that Thomas was one of the disciples, yet he struggled with faith. When others (particularly non-Christians) look at us as an example of Christ, as a follower of Christ, as one who knows the Lord, do they see enough faith in us to make a believer of them? Thomas was struggling on his own, I can’t imagine how others who looked to him for Godly wisdom and direction would have gained more strength than what he himself was displaying. God expects us to depend on Him, His Word and all the teachings contained therein. He expects us to be full of faith, as in verse 27 He admonished us to not be faithless any longer. Let us therefore stand on the promises of God. Let us believe that He will do what He said He would do. Let our faith be so bold that others will know there is a God because they can see it and feel it in all that we are about.

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

Father, there are so many truths in Your Word that encourage us each day and give us direction for the Godly life that You should lead, especially so that those that may not know You might gain a desire to want to know you personally. To do this, I believe that it will be important to place our faith and trust solidly in You and to make every moment count, as we could never imagine when someone may be looking to us for the Godly influence, faith or direction needed to help them make a decision to also ask Jesus to guide them. May I be a man of faith, and may those that read this be people of sincere faith each and every day through the grace that only You can give.

 

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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Scripture: 1 Kings 11.  

OBSERVATION
(What is God saying here?)

1 Kings 11:32-35 (NLT)

32 But I will leave him one tribe for the sake of my servant David and for the sake of Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel. 33 For Solomon has abandoned me and worshiped Ashtoreth, the goddess of the Sidonians; Chemosh, the god of Moab; and Molech, the god of the Ammonites. He has not followed my ways and done what is pleasing in my sight. He has not obeyed my decrees and regulations as David his father did. 34 “‘But I will not take the entire kingdom from Solomon at this time. For the sake of my servant David, the one whom I chose and who obeyed my commands and decrees, I will keep Solomon as leader for the rest of his life. 35 But I will take the kingdom away from his son and give ten of the tribes to you….

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

I know that my God is a just God and that He expresses love in ways that are way out of the realm of what I can fathom, but as I read this passage I was amazed of how much God really loves us when we not only say with our mouths that we believe, or express our acceptance of His Son as our Savior, but His love reaches to, what seems to be, new heights when He sees us so committed to Him that we obey His commands and follow His instructions. In other words, when we put our beliefs and commitment into action, and actually follow through with what we believe. God withheld total judgment on Solomon because of His deep love and regard for Solomon’s father, David. Wow, what a love God is expressing here for this man that followed His commands while he was alive. Now before you think that this was much easier for David than it is for us today, I want to remind you that David struggled with many of the same sins that we struggle with today, and he gave into many of the same desires and/or lusts that some of us give in to today. Yes, there was evidence of failures by David, but God’s Word also shows where David quickly reconciled with God and sought forgiveness and sincerely sought His help for strength to overcome and get back on a right footing with God. Friends, as we seek God’s heart and His will we will be more apt to seek His help to overcome the weaknesses and failures that may result. God knows better than us that there is only One who is perfect, and that’s His Son Jesus, but what He is looking for from us is to have a mind like His and a desire to bounce back and get back on track in following Him, and not to wallow in our sin and go on sinning. When we are reminded of sin in our lives, we don’t use the point of us being weak as a human, instead we lean on the power of the Almighty to show us how to overcome the human weakness and instead depend on God for His strength, His power, His direction and His ultimate love to excuse us and make us right with Him. How reassuring to know that He will bless for generations because of what we do and because of our obedience. Praise be to God that He sees such value in us!

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

Father, You are awesome and You constantly amaze me with Your love for me, just as You have shown me today about Your love for David, even long after he died. I need Your strength today to be more like You. I need Your strength, wisdom and direction to always return to the cross – at Your feet, and seek Your forgiveness and teaching on how I might be more like You and what I must do to follow Your commands with a perfect heart and will. Please be my constant guide today. Please give me quick reminders when I am tempted to stray or disobey Your commands. Your blessings for generations to come will be a side benefit, as my aim is to please You personally and to be more like You every day. Hearing You say “well done good and faithful servant” is my ultimate goal, but I clearly understand that I can only get there with total dependence on You. Thank You for expressing so much love to me. Please help me to express my love to You through daily obedience 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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Scripture: John 17.  

OBSERVATION
(What is God saying here?)

John 17:14-19 (NLT)

14 I have given them your word. And the world hates them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. 15
I’m not asking you to take them out of the world, but to keep them safe from the evil one.

16
They do not belong to this world any more than I do. 17 Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth.
18 Just as you sent me into the world, I am sending them into the world. 19 And I give myself as a holy sacrifice for them so they can be made holy by your truth.

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

After reading this chapter my mind reflected on my parents and made me wonder what they must have prayed for me, and what my mom must still pray for me, even at my age. While here on this earth Jesus did everything possible to demonstrate His love and His concern for His disciples and for those that He had contact with. He made an indelible impression on them and showed such great love for them that followed Him and obeyed Him without reservation. God has also placed us here in this world on mission. He sent His son Jesus to show us how to do it, and especially how to do it through obvious opposition from this world. The thing that I believe that we can learn from this passage today is the prayer that I underlined. If Jesus prayed that for us, how much more should we be mindful of the opposition, temptation and challenges that our children face in this world, and therefore be in daily prayer for them? Jesus said that He gave himself as a holy sacrifice so that we could be made holy. Surely we can give of ourselves in prayer for our kids that they too may become holy and pure before our Father.

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

Father I know that You are aware of all that we face each and every day. I believe that You also know what our kids face each day that hardens their hearts and keeps them from being totally sold out to You. In verse 19 You told the Father that You had given Yourself so that we may be made holy by the truth that You shared with us. I pray that Christian parents will join me in giving unselfishly of ourselves so that our kids may become one with You, so that they may find value and everlasting joy in totally surrendering themselves to You and following Your will and way for their lives each day. This old world has only gotten worse in the pressure that it places on our kids to follow a path that leads to destruction, but praise God I know that You are more powerful than any temptation that may come their way, so I plead with You again to touch the hearts of our kids with Your love and give them unbelievable strength to follow You in a world that seems to pull them in totally opposite directions. Please give me wisdom as a father to pray as You did and give sacrificially as You gave.

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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Scripture: 1 Kings 8-9.  

OBSERVATION
(What is God saying here?)

1 Kings 9:3-5 (NLT)

3 The Lord said to him, “I have heard your prayer and your petition. I have set this Temple apart to be holy—this place you have built where my name will be honored forever. I will always watch over it, for it is dear to my heart. 4 “As for you, if you will follow me with integrity and godliness, as David your father did, obeying all my commands, decrees, and regulations, 5 then I will establish the throne of your dynasty over Israel forever. For I made this promise to your father, David: ‘One of your descendants will always sit on the throne of Israel.’

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

Solomon had just spent 20 years building the temple and his palace. He then went through a very outstanding dedication of the temple, including sacrificing well over 100,000 animals to God at the temple. He offered admirable prayers to God on behalf of himself and his people and prayed that God would especially bless any prayers offered at, or towards the temple. I believe that God was very blessed by all this, however He had a personal message for Solomon that, I believe, could also speak to us today. Quoting from sections of these verses through which God spoke to me: “…if you follow me with integrity and godliness, … obeying all my commands, decrees, and regulations, then I will…..”. In other words, I believe that God will put aside all that we have done, and all that we still do in His name and for His glory, and there will come a time that He will sit us down and say, “OK buddy, now about you, here’s what I have to say to you….” I believe it is very evident that God is about having a personal relationship with us, not about us trying to prove anything to Him. Mind you, I believe that as we work on our personal relationship with God, He will use us beyond anything we could imagine, to bless Him through helping others and leading them towards integrity and godliness. I believe that in summing this whole message up today I would say that God is saying that it’s not all about what we can do for Him. It’s about our relationship with Him – if we follow Him with integrity and godliness. If we obey His commands, decrees and regulations (in other words, do we follow all that is taught to us in God’s Word). When I think of integrity, I think of people being able to trust what I say and what I claim to be without doubting my intentions, or without them seeing anything hypocritical about me. I must remember that God knows EVERYTHING about me – my thoughts, my actions, my words and even my intentions, so I can’t hide anything from Him.

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

Lord, may I follow You with integrity and godliness. May I be honestly dedicated to serving You in everything I say, do and even think. May You find holiness and godliness in everything that I am about. May others see these characteristics in me and want to know the Savior that grants me the strength, wisdom and power to accomplish such traits. May You be honored and glorified through me today, is my sincere prayer!

 

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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