May I encourage you to get your spiritual ‘Nuggets’ to start your day off right? Pretty amazing that our awesome God would consider feeding even us with His Word! May I encourage you to read the whole devotional, and look for a blessing, friend!………

Today’s Bible Reference: Acts 7:54–56
Today’s Bible Text: ⁵⁴ The Jewish leaders were infuriated by Stephen’s accusation, and they shook their fists at him in rage. ⁵⁵ But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed steadily into heaven and saw the glory of God, and he saw Jesus standing in the place of honor at God’s right hand. ⁵⁶ And he told them, “Look, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing in the place of honor at God’s right hand!”
The Bible Translation: New Living Translation (NLT)

My Take Away: God’s Word is holy, so it will highlight sin, and it will make sin very obvious. Some preachers will speak in parables to you, where they will use the Word of God but speak in current day, and or very gentle terms to say the same thing that God declares. However, there are some preachers who will simple tell it like it is and let ‘the chips fall where they may’. There are some who witness in this manner also, for some will live their Christian life with hopes that others will see and believe, while others will boldly be in your face with the truth of the gospel and wondering why aren’t you getting the point. I admire Stephen for his boldness, but more than that, I want to draw your attention to the fact that regardless of any fear he may have felt, when he looked towards heaven and fixed his eyes on the Father and the Son – his eternal destination, there was absolute peace, and absolutely no more fear. In fact, he just blurted out what he saw, and that was truly adding ‘fuel to the fire’ in what the Jewish leaders were already feeling towards him. Friends, let’s stop and think for a moment. If we only find freedom to speak when we’re in the safe company of other believers, how shall we impact the lost with the gospel of Jesus Christ? If we stumble, mumble and fall when faced with the opposition, will we ever convince them that we truly have access to the power of the God of this universe? If God is with us inside the four walls of our churches, shouldn’t we have every confidence to believe that He is with us when facing the enemy (Satan)? If there is any doubt, I would dare say that we are overcome with fear that he that is in the world is greater than He that overcame death and the grave so that we may have hope and assurance of salvation. Where do you stand friend? Who are you fearing, or who stops you from sharing the saving grace of Jesus with those that you come into contact with? Are you prepared to share, even if it may lead you to death (stoning and ridicule like Stephen encountered)? If God is for us, whom then shall we fear?

Prayer: Dear God, we believe in You, please help us in our unbelief and lack of confidence that You are who You truly claim to be. May we be filled with the same boldness that Your servant Stephen was filled with, so that others will see and believe. May our lives be so filled, and so opened to expressing Your love for us, that the walls of unbelief and doubt that Satan erects before this world, will be torn down. May blinded eyes be opened so that the world might catch a glimpse of the salvation that comes from You alone. I ask these things in the name of Jesus, the Christ – my Savior, AMEN!

Footnote: If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. Allow someone to pray with you and give you help and/or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Words underlined in my blog could indicate a link to a song that came to mind as I wrote the devotional. Feel free to click on the link and listen as you continue to read or pray. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to www.nuggetsfromgodsword.org and read more, or you may freely to subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. If you are anywhere near the Highlands County, Florida area and do not have a church home, I would be thrilled to welcome you at Bible Fellowship Church, located at 3750 Hammock Rd, Sebring, FL 33872! Click the link to check out service times and/or other special activities. God is at work among us! Please consider coming to worship with us!

2016