Scripture: Proverbs 30-31.  

OBSERVATION
(What is God saying here?)

Proverbs 30:7-9 (NLT)

7 O God, I beg two favors from you; let me have them before I die.

8 First, help me never to tell a lie. Second, give me neither poverty nor riches! Give me just enough to satisfy my needs.

9 For if I grow rich, I may deny you and say, “Who is the LORD?” And if I am too poor, I may steal and thus insult God’s holy name.

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

Last evening in our midweek service we were challenged to think about the most important prayer need that we would approach God for. While I don’t know that any attendees were as targeted as in the case of Agur, whose sayings were included in this Proverb, I was impressed with these particular verses and wanted to share my thoughts. Lying is probably one of those things that come almost naturally to us. Now before you raise your eyebrows and wonder why I would say such a thing, I encourage you to consider the exaggerated stories you told yesterday and how you may have added to the story in order to emphasize a point or get the listener’s attention. Think about how you twisted the truth (perhaps just a little) in order to protect a loved one or close friend and help prevent them from getting in trouble. I believe that we lie a whole lot more than we ever stop to imagine, so I could appreciate why this was number one in Agur’s list of favors. I believe that money, or at least our desire for more of it, is probably very high on the list of many who may ask for a favor from God, but the humility and humble spirit in which this was asked of God touched my heart. Too much money may help me in denying the need of God, while too little may encourage, or even force one to steal and therefore disgrace our godly relationship with God. Wow, what a reality!

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

Father I am reminded that if I am to be a true witness of You to those that I come into contact with, then I must closely examine myself and bring my top prayer needs to You, so that I might in all purity represent the wonderful name of Jesus. Please bless me with sincerity of heart and purpose today. Help me to overcome the temptation to sin and therefore lose the trust that an unsaved person may be trying to develop in this earthly representation of You. Please forgive me where I have failed in this before and help me to stay focused on You and in serving You faithfully in all that I do and say, with the desire that others may be touched and encouraged to serve You better or even in a brand new relationship with 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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