DATE POSTED: Friday, August 16, 2024, and I was blessed to be at San Marcos River Resort, Fentress, TX when God inspired me to prepare this devotional. My Footnote will tell you how to find, read or listen to any and all episodes that I have shared over the years.

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE FROM THE Amplified Bible (AMP) IS FOUND IN Hebrews 13:5-6

THE BIBLE TEXT IS: Let your character [your moral essence, your inner nature] be free from the love of money [shun greed—be financially ethical], being content with what you have; for He has said, “I will never [under any circumstances] desert you [nor give you up nor leave you without support, nor will I in any degree leave you helpless], nor will I forsake or let you down or relax My hold on you [assuredly not]!” So we take comfort and are encouraged and confidently say, “The Lord is my Helper [in time of need], I will not be afraid. What will man do to me?”

APPLICATION OF THE WORD: Something that I believe most of us truly care about, is our character. We will go to great lengths to protect against what others might think or say about our character. I therefore found the opening words of these verses very sobering, as God says through His messenger, the writer of Hebrews, protect your character so that others don’t find you offensive, or greedy, or money hungry. But why is this important? I believe that the minute someone evaluates you as greedy or hungry after money, their ears become deaf to the words you might share or the testimony you endeavor to expose to them through your lifestyle. It appears to me that many today have adopted the beliefs and character of the world, rather than staying true to the Word of the Lord, that God made available to us to teach us His values and His lifestyle, while Jesus was on earth among us. I am reminded that God knew that a major character flaw we might have, is our desire for more: money, things, friends, time doing worldly things, etc. I love it when pastors, teachers and yes, the Word of God, uses Scripture to support the point they are making. In our focal verses today, notice where the Spirit-controlled writer of Hebrews supported his message in reminding us of what God had said (bold print)? Check out Deuteronomy 31:6&8 and Psalm 118:5-8! Wouldn’t this be an awesome lesson for us to adopt and follow? Imagine when asked what our opinion is about a popular situation today, that instead of giving our tainted opinion, or the opinion of a tainted politician or public figure, that instead we respond with thus says the Lord, God Almighty! Friends, when we do this, we are much like a humble Pastor/servant I heard teach his church this week. He merely taught us what the Word of God says about abortion, not what his personal views are, or those of today’s politicians, or what doctors fear most, but instead ‘here is what the Word of God says in Proverbs 6:17 about God hating the sin of hands that shed innocent blood’ and in Prov 31:8 where God warns us that we are to open our mouths for the defenseless and speechless’. It is so easy for a poor person to rain down curses on a rich person and how their riches resulted from their greed. But when we share the unashamed Word of God with anyone who may have attained riches in ways displeasing to God, the battle becomes personal between that person and God. Friends, if you are anything like me, it becomes increasingly challenging to quote Scripture at the spur of the moment, but I am convinced that if God leads us to it, He will give us the boldness and the words to carry us through it. For only God changes lives, not you or me. Today you may be touched by the Holy Spirit to examine yourself for signs of your love for money. Please be open to what the Spirit says, and what He directs you to do to better align yourself with the teachings and example of Jesus Christ. If we spend adequate time on this, I believe that the natural desire for more money, or self-worth will diminish as we recognize the desire for holiness and becoming more like our Creator and Lord becomes more prevalent in us.

PRAYER BECAUSE OF THE IMPACT OF TODAY’S SCRIPTURE: Dear Lord Jesus, thank You for leading the way in showing us how to live like our Creator, God. He designed us, and He has a plan for us, if only we will subject ourselves to His teachings and to the life You lived while here on earth. Forgive us Lord for cheapening ourselves to accept and follow the ways of this wicked world instead. Please embolden us and show us the way to not only surrender our lives to Jesus, but to commit to imitating Him in everything we do and say in every circumstance of life. Our world has become so hypocritical that we struggle to accept anything said by our peers. We humbly ask that You evaluate us daily and deliberately show us our misguided actions. Precious Lord may each of my readers join me in admitting that we can only live like You, if we surrender our lives totally and wholeheartedly to You. Please Lord, may our surrendered lives look more like You each day, and may the unsaved be drawn to You because of our determination and commitment. AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: There’s another page on my website, entitled ‘To Know Jesus’. If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading or listening to this devotional, please go to this 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. If you would like to read more of my devotionals, or subscribe for a daily email containing each new devotional, please go online to NuggetsFromGodsWord.org. For my podcast, go online to Apple Podcasts or, using the Apple Podcast app, simply search for Nuggets From God’s Word to hear more episodes, or click ‘Follow’ to be notified of Podcast updates. Friends, please allow me to encourage you to find a church home nearby 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!