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Post Date: |
Thursday, 2017-02-02 |
| SCRIPTURE | |
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From: |
Matthew 11:27-30 (CEV) |
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Text: |
27 My Father has given me everything, and he is the only one who knows the Son. The only one who truly knows the Father is the Son. But the Son wants to tell others about the Father, so that they can know him too.
28 If you are tired from carrying heavy burdens, come to me and I will give you rest. 29 Take the yoke I give you. Put it on your shoulders and learn from me. I am gentle and humble, and you will find rest. 30 This yoke is easy to bear, and this burden is light. |
| OBSERVATION: | |
| Jesus makes His relationship to the Father very clear in these verses, and He shares His purpose for the world. He knew there would be many things that mankind would be faced with, and He also knew that there would be only One who could do anything about that. However He makes it clear that His gift of mercy is only extended to those who ask for it, for He said in verse 28: “Come to me and I will give you rest”. | |
| APPLICATION: | |
| Many may look at these verses and say that they have no burdens or concerns, so why should they yoke themselves together with God. Friends, I find it very interesting how the poor seems burdened with debt and wish they were rich; How the rich are constantly worried about who will take advantage of them, or steal from them, or if the stock market is safe enough for them to risk investing their money in it. These are just two comparable financial reasons for concern, or that may appear as burdens. This idea even filters down to the church, as one translation reads that if you feel burdened by all the dictates of church or religion, then come to Jesus. I believe it is very apparent that we all need the Savior, because the Bible tells us that the only way to heaven, and eternal peace with the Father, is through accepting the free gift of eternal life through the Son of God (Jesus), who was sent to this earth, humbled among mankind, for the sole purpose of saving us from our sin. Friends, for everything here on this earth, we either feel an obligation yo reciprocate, to obey certain rules or laws, or a deep sense of commitment to someone – so that they might remain your friend. Jesus tells us that He knows the Father intimately, and that He came to rescue us from the slavery of man’s rules and regulations. We can trust Him, for His rules, or yoke, is very light and easy for all. Furthermore, we know that we can trust Him to look out for our best interest only, with love and admiration. For we are His chosen ones for whom He personally sacrificed His very own life for. So friends, what are you worried about today? What are you burdened with, or about? Jesus loves us unconditionally and with the sincere purpose of saving us so that we could one day be with Him in glory. There are no strings attached, or no fine print that negates His desire for His kids. Are you prepared to trust Him in that and surrender your life totally and completely over to Him? Consider reading my footnote and the noted scriptures to help you understand how to take advantage of this very special offer from the Creator of this universe! | |
| PRAYER: | |
| Lord, we thank You for not giving up on us. You have provided the greatest sacrifice for us, so that we might be relieved of our burdens and have the assurance of eternal life in heaven with You and the Father. Thank you Jesus! Please forgive us for often choosing those things that restricts our opportunity to fully trust and worship You. Please open our eyes to those things today and allow us to clearly see, and be reminded of, the love that You have for us. May we lay our burdens at Your feet and welcome the joy that comes from fully trusting in, and leaning on, You. Lord, we welcome You as our Mediator; Savior; Deliverer; Friend and everlasting Father. May we be faithful to the call You have placed on us. AMEN! | |
| FOOTNOTE: | |
| There are two more pages on my blog that will provide you with additional information, one of them being ‘To Know Jesus’. If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please click on the above page, or speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. Please 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 Nuggets From God’s Word 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! | |
Month: February 2017
Obedience From The Heart
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Post Date: |
Wednesday, 2017-02-01 |
| SCRIPTURE | |
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From: |
Psalm 119:33-34 (Voice) |
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Text: |
33 Eternal One, show me how to live according to Your statutes, and I will keep them always. 34 Grant me understanding so that I can keep Your law and keep it wholeheartedly. |
| OBSERVATION: | |
| We know from the life of David that there were many ups and downs, or highs and lows in his life, and perhaps that’s why many of us can identify with David so much. However, David became pretty special to God though, and we can see from our verses today that David’s heart was one of humbleness before God. He had a desire to learn more of God Word, and His perfect will for his life, feeling like if he could only understand it, he would put his whole heart into being obedient to it. | |
| APPLICATION: | |
| Ever had a time in your life where you were about to get upset with a child because they were about to do something that you had corrected them on many times before? Then you realized that they were doing their very best to do what they probably understood from you, but just not as perfectly as you were hoping for? Isn’t that the way it is with God’s Word sometimes? You want to do things according to your understanding of God’s teachings, yet you become confused by all that is being taught from various pulpits, classrooms or media platforms. Friends, I believe that we need to pay close attention to the method used by David. Notice how he went to the Source to ask for wisdom and understanding? Notice how he had determined in his own mind that with this understanding and additional wisdom, came a determined heart to be obedient to whatever God revealed to him? I believe that often we become so hung up on wanting to hear an explanation of the Bible that fits our own personal desires and wishes that we tune out the teachings and explanations that are contrary to predetermined ideas. I believe that when we seek God’s face, like David did, we will often be led in opposite directions to what was determined in our minds, because God’s ways are so different to our ways. The bottom line for us though, is that only what’s done for Jesus will last. Only when we do what’s pleasing to Him and in full obedience to Him, will we truly align our lives with His will for us. So shall we seek to follow David’s example and seek God’s face, asking for Him to clarify exactly what it is that we need to do, so that we may be a pleasing fragrance in His nostrils? It’s not about what self wants or desires. It’s all about pleasing God in all that we do, friends, so that His perfect will might be accomplished through even us – His humble servants. | |
| PRAYER: | |
| Father in heaven, You have demonstrated Your love for us by sending Your only Son as a sacrifice for our sin. Yet we love grudgingly and with many strings attached. You gave us Your Word – Your book of instructions for life, so that we might know the way to eternal life, and that we might know what pleases the Father. Yet we often choose to do our own thing, in hopes of selfish returns and personal achievements. Your servant David demonstrated through this Psalm today, that it’s not until we stop and surrender wholeheartedly to You, and Your perfect will for our lives, that we truly become a pleasing aroma to You and usable instruments by You to reach unsaved loved ones. Lord, may this be a day that You will be busy at work in our understanding of Your statutes and commands, whether we are sitting to ‘soak in’ the words from Your Holy Bible, or whether driving along being blessed by all that You have made, or whether through the spoken word of another believer. Lord, may Your will become perfectly clear to us today, is my honest plea and heart’s desire, with total thanksgiving for all that You will do today, AMEN! | |
| FOOTNOTE: | |
| There are two more pages on my blog that will provide you with additional information, one of them being ‘To Know Jesus’. If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please click on the above page, or speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. Please 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 Nuggets From God’s Word 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! | |
Nuggets From God's Word 