DATE POSTED Friday, 2022-12-30
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Philippians 4:8-9
TRANSLATION: Living Bible (TLB)

BIBLE TEXT: ⁸ …… Fix your thoughts on what is true and good and right. Think about things that are pure and lovely, and dwell on the fine, good things in others. Think about all you can praise God for and be glad about. ⁹ Keep putting into practice all you learned from me and saw me doing, and the God of peace will be with you.

APPLICATION: Perhaps the greatest challenge for us as we consider the example set for us by Paul, is that we never know when someone is following in our footsteps, for many of the things we do are instinctively said or done form the content of our heart. I have 2 examples to share with you that might help you better tune in to this challenge from Paul: 1). Several couples and I were spending a weekend together. The challenge was given for everyone to get up early enough on Sunday morning to attend church together. The end result was that only the women joined me in attending church. Because of this, no children accompanied us. Later that day as we were gathered all together in one room, and I challenged the fathers to be spiritual leaders in their homes and take their families to church each week. The children sat quietly as I made my challenge, and several were even on electronic devices. However, at a later date one set of parents were discussing in the car whether they would go to church the following day. The child in the back seat pops up and shares the words that I had challenged the dad with some weeks earlier! Were the followers listening and then ready to accept the challenge? You bet ‘cha! 2). I had a relative coming to spend the weekend with my wife and me. My wife told him to not forget his church clothes. To which he responded, I went and bought a shirt with a color, so that I could dress like my uncle for church! Not only were we enthused over the effort put forth, but I had never realized that my dress code was anything special. Obviously, someone was watching! Friends, Paul shows us in this challenge today that his followers stood at a point in their life where they would go on without him in it, and they had to make a choice on whether they would apply what they learned from him, or resort back to their original way of life. We too have this same challenge in knowing that 2023 will occur within hours. Will it be just ‘more of the same’ for us, or are we using this as a steppingstone to enter into a New Year, changed by the words, actions and experiences of 2022? I am convinced that if we act on the simple message taught by Paul, God will smile at the changes He sees next year! Think about it:
=> Fix your thoughts on what is true and good and right.
=> Fix your thoughts on things that are pure and lovely.
=> Dwell on the fine, good things in others.
=> Dwell on everything you can praise God for.
=> Choose to be glad about life, and the things mentioned before this.
=> Put into practice all you learned from followers of Christ and saw them doing.
Oh, that we would live in such a way that we can say to others what Paul said to his followers in that very last sentence. We must be determined to live differently to the world, and live the example set forth for us by our Lord Jesus Christ, and His faithful saints. Without that determination, we are left at the mercy of every wind of change, every move of Satan and all the evil that serves to turn us away from God.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Paul reminds us that if we follow the design of God, learn from His Word and obey His commands, then the peace of God will be with us. I have no greater desire than to know the peace of God is with me today and every day!

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, teach us to live as honored examples of You, and in a way that others will see Jesus in and through us. Lord, I want Your perfect will in my life, and I want to do Your will in every aspect of my life. Take control Lord, teach me Your ways, give me boldness to obey, and a desire to live every day following Your will, even if it is totally contrary to that of the world in which I live. As I reflect on 2022, may I see the areas of my life that require attention and more dedication to align with Your will. As the New Year comes, may it not only bring new opportunities to let Your light shine through me, but may I also feel closer to You than ever before, and may that reflect in every word, deed and attitude. Lord, there are many in my circle of family and friends who show no evidence of knowing You or reflecting an attitude of what might be Your will for their lives. May this New Year bring renewed desires to find You, experience You, and reflect Your will for our lives, so that unbelievers would see and experience the love of Jesus, even while still here on earth. 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 might 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 subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. You may also visit me on Spotify and listen to Nuggets while you’re out and about. I would encourage you to find a church home near by your home, and attend as frequently as you could. Get to know God, and allow His people to encourage and strengthen you in your Christian walk, while making every effort to be a blessing to them. God is at work among His people! Please consider growing in your faith, as you worship with fellow believers!