God’s Word Says….

Acts 25:16-19 (MSG)

Governor Festus continued in verse 16:

“I told them that wasn’t the way we Romans did things. Just because a man is accused, we don’t throw him out to the dogs. We make sure the accused has a chance to face his accusers and defend himself of the charges. So when they came down here I got right on the case. I took my place in the courtroom and put the man on the stand”. The accusers came at him from all sides, but their accusations turned out to be nothing more than arguments about their religion and a dead man named Jesus, who the prisoner claimed was alive.

My Thoughts…..

I believe that God included this passage of scripture so that we may see at least two important things:

1. Like Paul, we should know what we believe, why we believe it and then be willing to stand our ground for what we believe, even if it means having to defend it before the highest authority, or before the majority rule; and
2. Seldom can we take note of an earthly figure head, but Festus was not willing to listen to what his supporters, or the majority, or the town leaders had to say to him about Paul. He wanted a sound footing to base his decision on. In other words he wanted to make his own decision, based on the facts, not based on what the leaders wanted and on their strong influence in order to get what they personally wanted.

Challenge……

Unfortunately when our boat is rocked a little, or when our belief system is challenged, or our leadership is questioned, most of us will normally jump to quickly defending ourselves. Regrettably, we often do this by pulling our opposition down. This might also involve using information at hand against the opponent in order to prove them wrong or incompetent. Governor Festus quickly saw that this was the case with the Jewish leaders who presented Paul. As leaders in our churches, we too must be prepared to separate what is truth, compared to what is exaggeration or twisted facts to suit the opponent’s desire. Thank God that He is our ultimate Judge! Also, notice Paul, then place yourself in his shoes. Some may have caved in to prevent further discussion or to prevent more folk getting involved. Let’s aim to follow Paul’s example – he knew what he believed, he was convinced of what he believed, and he was willing to defend what he believed before the highest authorities. He didn’t mind being made a spectacle before the King or those attending the high court, because he was convinced of his beliefs. Are you that confident of your belief in Christ, that you would defend it before even our highest courts? Many of us need to get off the fence, but we can’t do that until we are 100% sure of what we believe! May I encourage you to devote time towards your relationship with Jesus? In knowing Him in a very personal and intimate way, you will desire more time in the Word and you will want to talk with Him (pray) on a regular basis. When this happens, you too will know Him well enough to defend Him, and defend your love and faith in Him. Let me encourage you to make this a priority friend!

Prayer……

Lord Jesus, unfortunately we have become such a weak and misunderstood people that we are easily led to change our belief to that of the crowd in which we find ourselves. This has caused multiple church denominations and multiple splits in churches. In fact, this has caused the world to look at our churches and want no part of us, so our world is dying and going to hell without being introduced to You. I pray that my heart will be changed to claim You and Your great love with such passion that, that I can easily defend myself and the Savior who purchased my sin with His life on Calvary’s cross. I pray that the residents of my town will find such a sweet aroma of Jesus in my church that they might be attracted to You like a magnet, and that they too will want to experience Your love, because of seeing such love in everything we do and say. I humbly plead with You to grant me peace in the decisions I make. May they be filled from the saturation of prayer, Your subsequent approval, power and guidance, so that I might represent you well, and may You receive honor and glory for any praise derived from my actions. Please give readers who meditate on this devotional a similar desire so that You church may indeed be the church of our respective areas. I ask all this in Your precious and most holy name that is worthy of all my praise, AMEN!

Action…..

In response to God leading You through this devotional today, please get with a Bible teaching Pastor you may know and allow him to guide you. Otherwise feel free to reply to my post online, or you may email me directly at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. I will gladly add you to my prayer list, and/or respond to your request(s) ASAP.

God’s Word Says….

Job 31:13-15 (MSG)

^13–15 “Have I ever been unfair to my employees when they brought a complaint to me? What, then, will I do when God confronts me? When God examines my books, what can I say? Didn’t the same God who made me, make them? Aren’t we all made of the same stuff, equals before God?

My Thoughts…..

Job analyzed all areas of his life to determine what might be out of sync with God’s demands that might be at the root of all his punishment. He carefully examined his dealings to see if he had treated them like an equal human being – like he would want to be treated. Still in today’s society we find where employees might be classified as just a tool to get the job done, not necessarily as a fellow brother or sister. I feel like we should think very much like Job, in that he reflected on the fact that his employees were born humanly just as he was. They were no less human that he was. If he treated them unfairly or unjustly, what might he expect from God when he stands before Him?

Challenge……

To the supervisors or managers that might meditate on this today, I would ask: If God will judge you, based on the way that you treat your employees, what might you expect on Judgment Day? To general employees, I would ask: are you being treated in a manner that resembles the way that you treat your children or your family? Our God is a just God, and I am convinced from His Word that He will not be patient with unjust kids. Are you OK with facing God today, knowing that He will challenge you on the way that you have treated others, including your employees? When we talk about living the Christian life, it means living our lives in a manner obedient and pleasing to God. Do you truly live up to God’s commands on this? This is a case where you must live the Christian life while also being pleasing to your boss. I am here to tell you that it is possible. God will give you wisdom and boldness to live your life like He wants. Please don’t try doing it your way, then asking God to bless it. Although you may have difficulty being honest with yourself, God knows right down to the desires of your heart and the whispers of your mind. Do yourself a favor and live justly before God in all walks of life – even to your very employment.

Prayer……

Lord, I thank You for being a just and holy God. Yes, I thank You for correcting me and giving me a godly conscience so that I may quickly recognize when I’m not aligned with Your will – yes, right down to my worldly employment. Please forgive me for the times I have been less than perfect – less than 100% perfectly aligned with Your will. Father, please continue to be patient with me, but I ask also that You continue to open my eyes to Your Word, as You have done this morning, so that I might receive direction and guidance from You. Lord, I am concerned that many ‘Christians’ might be fooled into a false sense of security because they have followed a preacher’s plan, or through peer pressure have made a decision to carry the label ‘Christian’. Please continue to touch my life, and the lives of all that might meditate on this devotional, that together we might be reminded of the importance of our relationship with You, the most important responsibility this side of heaven. Relationship will only happen when we spend time with You and when we follow Your commands, whether we want to or not. Please help us to develop such a love for You that we will want to be Your humble servants (employees) and that we will treat all those over whom we have authority, in the same fashion that we are being loved and treated by You. This world needs this kind of love, and we need to be this kind of people. Please accomplish Your will through us, for I ask this in Your most precious and holy name, AMEN!

Action…..

In response to God leading You through this devotional today, please get with a Bible teaching Pastor you may know and allow him to guide you. Otherwise feel free to reply to my post online, or you may email me directly at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. I will gladly add you to my prayer list, and/or respond to your request(s) ASAP.

God’s Word Says….

Job 31:2-4 (MSG)

So what can I expect from God? What do I deserve from God Almighty above? Isn’t calamity reserved for the wicked? Isn’t disaster supposed to strike those who do wrong? Isn’t God looking, observing how I live? Doesn’t he mark every step I take?

My Thoughts…..

As I read this passage today, I was reminded of a sermon I once heard that has long since remained in my heart and mind. It was titled “Why do Bad Things happen to Good People”. No doubt we have felt that way before ourselves, for we see the good-hearted Christian person, who has served God and his church faithfully, dying of cancer, while at the same time we see a person living in open sin flourishing in wealth and no health issues, and we tend to ask God “why?”, don’t we? Friends, we see a good example of this in this present stage of Job’s life, and like Job, we may tend to ask God, “why?”

Challenge……

I believe that Job is showing us in his response, that in our acknowledgment of what appears to be punishment by God, we are to open our eyes and seek God’s face all the more, as we are actually witnessing His hand of discipline and we may need help in asking Him to show us in a clearer form exactly what it is that needs our attention. In this chapter Job goes down the list of things that he feels God might be opening his eyes to. No doubt as we see these things happening and we have an honest conversation with self, we can immediately seek God’s face in humility and ask for His forgiveness and subsequent help to overcome that thing that is getting our attention. That thing that is not aligned with God’s written Word and His desire for our lives. I believe that in this wicked world, we seldom find purity in its God-given, honest and true form. In other words, there is often incentives, or ulterior motives in our actions, and not always a sincerity to obedience of God’s will and His Word. Job was going through a litmus test of things that he wanted to check his purity against with God. I challenge you to join me in laying our list of things before God today and seek His approval on everything we do and/or say, that our intentions might be pure, and aligned with His perfect will.

Prayer……

Lord Jesus, I am reminded of that song “Create in me a clean Heart, Oh Lord”, because in and of our own weak selves we cannot see beyond the sin that grips us and holds us hostage every day. Like Job, I want to be honest and guiltless before You oh God, because while here on this earth it becomes an almost impossible task. Please shower Your wonderful blessings on me and Your powerful touch on my life so that I might easily fight the evil around me, the sin that is so prevalent everywhere I turn. It is so difficult to represent You in a world where there is so much opposition to You, but I know that You are all powerful over everything, and that through Your strength and power, I can do all things. As I learn from You each day, may my life and my character exemplify Your love and Your character in every way. Many of my friends are also Your holy children Lord, so I ask that You provoke them into a closer walk with You also, and that You bless them with power from above to live a similar life to the one I requested. May Your army become stronger today as a result of spending time with You, is my humble prayer that I ask in Your name alone, AMEN!

Action…..

In response to God leading You through this devotional today, please get with a Bible teaching Pastor you may know and allow him to guide you. Otherwise feel free to reply to my post online, or you may email me directly at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. I will gladly add you to my prayer list, and/or respond to your request(s) ASAP.

God’s Word Says….

Acts 24:24-25 (GNT)

24 After some days Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish. He sent for Paul and listened to him as he talked about faith in Christ Jesus. ²⁵But as Paul went on discussing about goodness, self-control, and the coming Day of Judgment, Felix was afraid and said, “You may leave now. I will call you again when I get the chance.”

 

My Thoughts…..

When travelling to another state or country by plane or train, there is often the chance of delays, for one reason or another. If the fault is attributed to the airline, then they will often provide vouchers to the stranded passengers for food, and sometimes even for hotel, if the delay will prevent travelling the same day. Can you begin to imagine the costs paid by carriers for these delays? Now, meditate with me on what happened in your respective church services over the weekend. Hopefully the message of the Gospel was presented, and attendees were given the opportunity to surrender their lives to Jesus as their Lord and Savior. No doubt your church, like mine, saw folk leave without accepting the invitation of the pastor, and the Holy Spirit that tugged on their hearts of sin. They delayed their decision to act at that time for various reasons. The big question is, what might this delay have cost them? Perhaps they said like Felix did, “I will deal with this another time”. Will there be ‘another time’?

 

Challenge……

Friends, we must leave the last question without an answer, because we have no control over whether we will have another opportunity. Thankfully, I made it all the way home safely yesterday. Did everyone else? Perhaps they did, or perhaps they didn’t. God’s Word has very clear advice for us when it tells us that “now is the accepted time”, the only moment promised to us. Remember, at our borders all those arriving with proper authentication (passports and appropriate visas) are allowed in, others are rejected and expatriated back to their home country. This will be no different at the entrance to Heaven’s portals, only those who have personally accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior (that’s their passport and visa) will be accepted into God’s eternal home, others will be returned to their desired home with Satan and his band of demons. Please don’t delay, it could cost you eternal life with the Master of this universe. The creator, Savior and King, who loved you enough to die in order that you might receive forgiveness of your sin, when you ask Him. Your delay could cost you big time. Don’t even wait for the next service time, contact a pastor or Christian leader of a local church, or contact me so that I may help you, but PLEASE, don’t delay make a decision today.

 

Prayer……

Lord Jesus, many of us just attended church yesterday and here you are beating up on us again today through this illustration with Felix delaying his decision to hear more from Paul and then follow through in accepting You as Lord. Thank You for loving us enough to do this. Many fathers would just dismiss this as a bad choice by their children, and sometimes they may even disassociate themselves from their kids because of their bad decisions. I praise You for not giving up on me. Today I humbly plead that You melt the hearts of those that meditate on this devotional with me, so that given another opportunity, they may come to their senses and make this vital decision. As indicated above, I am so afraid of, and anxious about my friends not making a very costly mistake in delaying their decision. May today be the day of salvation for all who might meditate on this with me, is my humble and earnest prayer, and it is in Your most powerful name that I ask this, AMEN!

Action…..

In response to God leading You through this devotional today, please get with a Bible teaching Pastor you may know and allow him to guide you. Otherwise feel free to reply to my post online, or you may email me directly at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. I will gladly add you to my prayer list, and/or respond to your request(s) ASAP.