The Holy Bible: The Good news Translation

John 9:31–33 (Key verses)

31 We know that God does not listen to sinners; he does listen to people who respect him and do what he wants them to do. 32 Since the beginning of the world nobody has ever heard of anyone giving sight to a person born blind. 33 Unless this man came from God, he would not be able to do a thing.”

My Thoughts:
(How Can I apply what God is saying here to my life today?)

I believe that some of the best lessons learned, or the best sermons told, are from personal experiences. In this story today we see where the man that was once blind was confronted to tell his story about who healed him. The Jewish leaders wanted to hear the story that they were afraid he would go and tell the people of his town and therefore convince them of the messiah. Friends, there are folk awaiting to hear our story, if only we would be as bold as this man. However, the aspect of this that God spoke to me on is, what is the world’s perception of me as a Christian? Is there enough evidence to prove me guilty? How is it with you Brother? How about you Sister? Do they know us by our fruit, as described in the Bible? How’s our actions, and our attitudes? Can they truly say that God must be using us because we show evidence that we are His? The same principle applies today as told in this story, God will use His own to perform miracles, He will not use sinners. Can He depend on us? Can He count us in?

My Prayer
(What I will ask of God, in order for me to properly apply His Word to my life)

What a mind sobering point in this story, Lord Jesus. This type attitude/action/character is not something that we could pretend, or try to fool the people with. This is something that You would know from the very core of our being – the sincerity of our heart. Father, may the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable to You, oh Lord, my Rock and my Salvation. I pray that I can be a usable vessel for You without causing any embarrassment to You and Your work. Please help me to be more like You every day, is my prayer.

**Words underlined may be a hyperlink to a song that God laid on my heart while sharing this devotional this morning. Click it and be blessed by the song, like I was when I listened to it! …… I would be overjoyed to have the opportunity to pray with you about a need in your life that may, or may not have been highlighted by this Nugget today. Why not drop me a note and tell me about it? You may email me at:
nuggetsfromgodsword@yahoo.com
**

The Holy Bible: The Good news Translation

2 Kings 9:11–12 (Key verses)

Jehu went back to his fellow-officers, who asked him, “Is everything all right? What did that crazy fellow want with you?”

“You know what he wanted,” Jehu answered.

12 “No we don’t!” they replied. “Tell us what he said!”

“He told me that the LORD proclaims: ‘I anoint you king of Israel.’ ”

My Thoughts:
(How Can I apply what God is saying here to my life today?)

Those who faithfully deliver the Lord’s message to sinners, have often been called ‘madmen’, and I would dare say that many today will call us ‘madmen’ if we stand up for what is against Bible teaching, and reveal sin for what it is. The reason for this is because our judgment, speech, and conduct would be contrary to that of other men. We would be influenced by motives that would be quite different to that of others (the ungodly). The irony of the story in 2 Kings, and of the story we would be faced with today, is that the charge is/would be brought by the worldly and ungodly who, themselves are mad indeed for not following the ways of God; while the principles and practices of the devoted servants of God are proven to be wise, reasonable and instructed by the God of this universe. Friends, this is nothing to be afraid of, or to shy away from. Jesus said that His ways are not our ways, and I would dare say to you that if we follow closely what Jesus teaches us to say and do, our ways will be different to those of the world. We may therefore be looked at as ‘madmen’. Please don’t let your coward-ness set in and weaken your walk with the Lord. Stand firm and be counted as a child of the king!

My Prayer
(What I will ask of God, in order for me to properly apply His Word to my life)

Lord, I’m sure that You are very aware of the prejudices that sometime beset Your children, because of our beliefs and practices. Please help us to stay strong in your Word and to be obedient to it so that Your light will shine in every aspects of our walk at all times. Perhaps being called a ‘madman of Jesus’ would be a compliment, instead of an insult, as it would be an indication that our witness is evident to the world. Lord, I want Your love and mercy to be extended through me, so that the world might know Jesus. Please help the readers of this devotional to be doers of the Word and not just say they are Yours, so that the world will know You.

**Words underlined may be a hyperlink to a song that God laid on my heart while sharing this devotional this morning. Click it and be blessed by the song, like I was when I listened to it! …… I would be overjoyed to have the opportunity to pray with you about a need in your life that may, or may not have been highlighted by this Nugget today. Why not drop me a note and tell me about it? You may email me at:
nuggetsfromgodsword@yahoo.com
**

The Holy Bible: The Good news Translation

John 9:11 (Key verses)

11 He answered, “The man called Jesus made some mud, rubbed it on my eyes, and told me to go to Siloam and wash my face. So I went, and as soon as I washed, I could see.”

My Thoughts:
(How Can I apply what God is saying here to my life today?)

This story reminds me of the story of salvation. Our sins are washed away and suddenly we are cleansed by the blood of Jesus. Praise God, the experience of salvation and the healing of sight to the blind is only accomplished by the powerful hand of Jesus, and no other! Do you know my Jesus today friend? He is the same today as He was when He touched the hand of the blind man in this story, and He loves you as much as He did this blind man. You can depend on Him today, won’t you consider this invitation? Please drop me an email at the address below if I could possibly pray with you or help in any way. This is the most important decision you could make in your life.

My Prayer
(What I will ask of God, in order for me to properly apply His Word to my life)

Lord Jesus, thank You for loving me enough to provide the means for my salvation. The means for me to lay aside the weights of this old world and to place my faith and trust in You as my Rock, my Savior, my Lord and my best friend. I look forward to the day when I shall see You face to face and live with you in total peace and harmony for ever and ever! Father, I hurt for my family and friends that don’t know You personally and have not asked You for forgiveness of their sin. Please make this Thanksgiving weekend one that we can be eternally grateful for by melting the hardened hearts of these ones and encouraging them to surrender their hearts and lives to You.

**Words underlined may be a hyperlink to a song that God laid on my heart while sharing this devotional this morning. Click it and be blessed by the song, like I was when I listened to it! …… I would be overjoyed to have the opportunity to pray with you about a need in your life that may, or may not have been highlighted by this Nugget today. Why not drop me a note and tell me about it? You may email me at:
nuggetsfromgodsword@yahoo.com
**

The Holy Bible: The Good news Translation

2 Kings 5:11-14 (Key verses)

11 But Naaman left in a rage, saying, “I thought that he would at least come out to me, pray to the Lord his God, wave his hand over the diseased spot,k and cure me! 12 Besides, aren’t the rivers Abana and Pharpar, back in Damascus, better than any river in Israel? I could have washed in them and been cured!”

13 His servants went up to him and said, “Sir, if the prophet had told you to do something difficult, you would have done it. Now why can’t you just wash yourself, as he said, and be cured?” 14 So Naaman went down to the Jordan, dipped himself in it seven times, as Elisha had instructed, and he was completely cured.

My Thoughts:
(How Can I apply what God is saying here to my life today?)

I found it interesting how Naaman humbled himself, like we would when we are in need, and went to the king of Israel, then on to Elisha, but having so many preconceived ideas in his head about how healing is done, he was unable to accept the instructions of Elisha. We are very much the same, especially if we go with a little money in hand to prompt the one we will be speaking with. To Naaman’s surprise, Elisha didn’t even come out to see him. Imagine the shock, wouldn’t pay him the honor of coming out to see him even in spite of all the gifts he took with him! I bet Naaman was looking for something tangible, like some special words to be said directly to him by the prophet, at least. Isn’t it like us to pack up our georgie bundle and move on if things are not done our way! Naaman did that even though he was being told that this would result in his healing! Thank God for those that encourage us though. Elisha’s servants knew the blessing that Naaman was missing out on so they went and called Naaman back and encouraged him to do as the prophet told him. Fortunately Naaman conceded and followed the instructions, only to find that he was indeed healed. Friends, God’s power is beyond man’s understanding, that’s why He is God! Why not place your faith in Him today? Whether for healing, or just for obedience to follow His will and way, let Him be your Guide, your Protector, your Master, your Friend and your Savior. Drop me a note if I could help or encourage you in your spiritual life. I would consider it a blessing.

My Prayer
(What I will ask of God, in order for me to properly apply His Word to my life)

Lord how guilty I am at times about things like this. I need wisdom and guidance from You in every way for every day. Please deal in my life so that I may be Your obedient servant, and that I may allow You to use me to touch and encourage others with similar challenges. Thank You for loving us enough to not only provide for us, but also going the extra mile to make sure that we take advantage of Your benefits.

**Words underlined may be a hyperlink to a song that God laid on my heart while sharing this devotional this morning. Click it and be blessed by the song, like I was when I listened to it! …… I would be overjoyed to have the opportunity to pray with you about a need in your life that may, or may not have been highlighted by this Nugget today. Why not drop me a note and tell me about it? You may email me at:
nuggetsfromgodsword@yahoo.com
**

The Holy Bible: The Lexham English Bible

John 8:42–44 (Key verses)

42 Jesus said to them, “If God were your father, you would love me, for I have come forth from God and have come. For I have not come from myself, but that one sent me. 43 ⌊Why⌋ do you not understand my way of speaking? Because you are not able to listen to my message. 44 You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father!

My Thoughts:
(How Can I apply what God is saying here to my life today?)

I believe that if we know Jesus intimately and obey His commands we prove that we are children of the King. This is actually very biblical, see John 8:31. The trouble with the Jews (the audience being reached in the passage quoted above) and with many church attendees today, is that they have an expectation of what they want to hear preached and taught. Anything different is almost heresy to them. Jesus recognized that His audience was not just drawing a blank, but they were refusing to listen, because they were fixated on their father, the Devil. Jesus told His audience this in verse 44, but what about you Brother? How is it with you, Sister? Do you go to church and try to listen to the preacher, until God’s Word really starts to challenge you about who you are, or what you may have flippantly said, or your refusal to perhaps help a stranger in need, or just how you ignore God’s instructions? How’s your heart, friend? Do you know my Savior? Have you committed your life totally to Him and promised to follow Him and obey Him the rest of your life? According to verse 31 mentioned above, this is how you prove that you are His disciple. The reason this applies to us is that disciples were the first to be called Christians in the Bible (Acts 11:26). If we are Christ’s disciples, we would listen to His Word, and lovingly obey it, as a way of showing our love to the One who first loved us! Examine yourself friend and decide for yourself if you are truly open to the Word of God and seek to obey it with all of your being. If you are struggling with this, I encourage you to have an urgent talk with your Maker. Seek His forgiveness; surrender your life totally to Him and seek His help to obey His commands.

My Prayer
(What I will ask of God, in order for me to properly apply His Word to my life)

Lord Jesus, thank You for helping us to understand more clearly from this passage on whose side of the fence we reside. Please forgive me for the times I may have refused to listen to your Word and obey Your every command. I am Your disciple and consider it of ultimate importance to be obedient to You in every way. I ask You for additional wisdom to understand Your Word; and strength, boldness and commitment to obey every command taught in it. Thank You for loving me enough to correct me in this way, and draw to me the importance of obedience. Please speak with my friends today about this also, especially as they meditate on this devotional. May they also surrender their lives entirely over to You and obey Your commands like disciples should.

**Words underlined may be a hyperlink to a song that God laid on my heart while sharing this devotional this morning. Click it and be blessed by the song, like I was when I listened to it! …… I would be overjoyed to have the opportunity to pray with you about a need in your life that may, or may not have been highlighted by this Nugget today. Why not drop me a note and tell me about it? You may email me at:
nuggetsfromgodsword@yahoo.com
**

The Holy Bible: The Good news Translation

John 8:39–41 (Key verses)

39 …”If you really were Abraham’s children,” Jesus replied, “you would do the same things that he did. 40 All I have ever done is to tell you the truth I heard from God, yet you are trying to kill me. Abraham did nothing like this! 41 You are doing what your father did.”

“God himself is the only Father we have,” they answered, “and we are his true children.”

My Thoughts:
(How Can I apply what God is saying here to my life today?)

Jesus told some of our earlier ancestors that they were doing what their father did. What does He say to us at the end of some days to you? He was telling the Pharisees that their father was the Devil, and they were doing exactly what he would do. How is it with you, friend? Have you accepted the Lord Jesus as your Master, your Lord and your Savior? Are you reading His Word so you can understand what He does, and what He expects of you as His child? Or are you still following the same old ways of this world, and of your first father, the Devil? Jesus is the only way friend, and when we obey His commands (directions from His Holy Word) then we show that we are His. The world needs to see more who are doing what their Father, Jesus Christ, did. Friend, let’s get with the program, and follow the ways of our Father! Let’s make Him proud of His kids, and at the same time show the world what it means to be a true follower of Jesus. They may want to meet Him also!

My Prayer
(What I will ask of God, in order for me to properly apply His Word to my life)

Lord Jesus, thank You for saving me, loving me and being my very best Friend. Thank You for setting such an awesome example for me to follow. Please give me wisdom, strength and boldness to daily prove to whom I belong. May the world clearly see that I am a child of the most high King, and may this impact their lives in such a way that they would want to know You also, is my humble prayer today. Please speak to the hearts of my friends that may meditate on this devotional today. May they be reminded who their father is, based on their actions that will show evidence, and may they be convicted to turn their actions around and follow You instead with all their power and might.

**Words underlined may be a hyperlink to a song that God laid on my heart while sharing this devotional this morning. Click it and be blessed by the song, like I was when I listened to it! …… I would be overjoyed to have the opportunity to pray with you about a need in your life that may, or may not have been highlighted by this Nugget today. Why not drop me a note and tell me about it? You may email me at:
nuggetsfromgodsword@yahoo.com
**

The Holy Bible: The Good news Translation

John 8:30–32 (Key verses)

30 Many who heard Jesus say these things believed in him.

31 So Jesus said to those who believed in him, “If you obey my teaching, you are really my disciples;
32 you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

My Thoughts:
(How Can I apply what God is saying here to my life today?)

Many are moved to decision in Jesus Christ, sometimes because of peer pressure, or perhaps pressure from fear of death or disaster, but for those who have truly accepted Jesus as Lord of their lives and then continue to obey Him/His Word, there is evidence that they are truly His disciples. So if Jesus knows all things, why is it necessary to show evidence of our salvation? Think about this friend. If an electrician goes to work and acts as a nurse instead of an electrician, he will probably not have a job very long. If a married man continues to act like a single young man and never adjust to becoming one with his wife, the marriage will probably be short lived. In this passage, and again over in the book of James, it is clear that by our actions, or work, we will be known. If we accept Jesus, study the Bible and do what it says, of course we are showing evidence that our lives have changed and it is evident from our deeds and words, that we are a new person in Christ. I always like to turn the action point around and see if, perhaps, the passage might speak to me more clearly. If I did that with verse 31, it would say if you don’t obey me/my Word, then there is a clear indication that there has been no change in your life and that Jesus is no part of you. Based on your daily actions, what evidence are you showing, saved or unsaved? Friend, we never know about tomorrow. Please don’t wait to get this cleared up with Jesus by asking forgiveness of your sin, then follow Him – show evidence that you are His, every day of your life.

My Prayer
(What I will ask of God, in order for me to properly apply His Word to my life)

Lord Jesus, thank You for who You are and the salvation that You offer to me and all my family and friends. You know that there are unsaved, and uncommitted ones in this group, and I beg of You today to please soften the hardened hearts and help each one to be assured of their salvation. Please help us to not only say that we belong to You, but to show it through our words and deeds that You are truly Lord over our lives. I truly believe that our friends will be saved when they see us less hypocritical and showing more evidence of belonging to the One in whom we believe. Thank You for Your loving kindness to me every day, and thank You for strength and humbleness to honestly serve You every day, regardless of my circumstance. Please help me to always look for ways to draw even closer to You and be even more obedient to You. Please tender the hearts of ones that may meditate on these words today, so that they may be willing to accept You and obey You every command.

**Words underlined may be a hyperlink to a song that God laid on my heart while sharing this devotional this morning. Click it and be blessed by the song, like I was when I listened to it! …… I would be overjoyed to have the opportunity to pray with you about a need in your life that may, or may not have been highlighted by this Nugget today. Why not drop me a note and tell me about it? You may email me at:
nuggetsfromgodsword@yahoo.com
**

The Holy Bible: The Good news Translation

2 Kings 2:19–22 (Key verses)

19 Some men from Jericho went to Elisha and said, “As you know, sir, this is a fine city, but the water is bad and causes miscarriages.”

20 “Put some salt in a new bowl, and bring it to me,” he ordered. They brought it to him, 21and he went to the spring, threw the salt in the water, and said, “This is what the LORD says: ‘I make this water pure, and it will not cause any more deaths or miscarriages.’ ” 22And that water has been pure ever since, just as Elisha said it would be.

My Thoughts:
(How Can I apply what God is saying here to my life today?)

This is so much like God, to show us that when we are dealt with a lemon – make lemonade instead of whining and complaining! He can make a good result from any circumstance that we surrender to Him. My God is glorious! In this case He allowed Elisha to purify the water instead of seeing the prophets curse what He divinely made! He can do the same in our situations that we may otherwise think are impossible and/or the worse thing that could have happened to us!

My Prayer
(What I will ask of God, in order for me to properly apply His Word to my life)

Father, please give me a positive attitude always, so that I may recognize all the beauty You have provided for me. No matter how bad things may seem, I am blessed by Your love, Your daily protection and Your provision. Thank You for Your prophets like Elijah and Elisha, and for continuing to work in and through our spiritual leaders of today. You are beyond description, and I adore You today. Please also touch the hearts of my friends that may meditate on these words today.

**Words underlined may be a hyperlink to a song that God laid on my heart while sharing this devotional this morning. Click it and be blessed by the song, like I was when I listened to it! …… I would be overjoyed to have the opportunity to pray with you about a need in your life that may, or may not have been highlighted by this Nugget today. Why not drop me a note and tell me about it? You may email me at:
nuggetsfromgodsword@yahoo.com
**

The Holy Bible: The Good news Translation

John 8:12 (Key verses)

12 Jesus spoke to the Pharisees again. “I am the light of the world,” he said. “Whoever follows me will have the light of life and will never walk in darkness.”

My Thoughts:
(How Can I apply what God is saying here to my life today?)

Christ is the Light of the world. God is light, and Christ is the image of the invisible God. One sun enlightens the whole world, and so does one Christ. What a dark dungeon would this world be without the sun! A friend of mine recently gave me a glimpse of what it was like last winter when the weather was so bad outside, that he and his wife could not get out and travel to town for almost 2 weeks. He was depressed, because his world felt very dark. This is exactly how the world would be without Jesus, by whom light came into the world. Those who follow Christ shall not walk in darkness. They shall not be left without the truths which are necessary to live a godly life. Are you comforted in knowing the Son, friend? Just as my friend found a bright hope in finally being able to get out of his home and travel to town, you can find an even brighter hope in knowing Jesus – the Light of the world. Please consult with a local Bible teaching pastor for help in knowing this Jesus, or feel free to contact me using the email address noted below. Brighten your day and brighten your future, by know my Jesus, the Light of the world, and my hope for eternal life in heaven!

My Prayer
(What I will ask of God, in order for me to properly apply His Word to my life)

Lord Jesus, You provide joy for my day, happiness in my relationships, and unending peace in knowing that I have a hope and I have a future, because I know You, the Son, who made the path for me to enter heaven one day and be with You eternally. That really brightens my day and gives me hope even among all the darkness that I see and hear all around me in this old world. What have I done to deserve this? Absolutely nothing, it is all mine because of my faith in You and the gift You provided for me on the cross at Calvary. Thank You for loving me enough to do this, and for giving, and blessing me with Your grace!

**Words underlined may be a hyperlink to a song that God laid on my heart while sharing this devotional this morning. Click it and be blessed by the song, like I was when I listened to it! …… I would be overjoyed to have the opportunity to pray with you about a need in your life that may, or may not have been highlighted by this Nugget today. Why not drop me a note and tell me about it? You may email me at:
nuggetsfromgodsword@yahoo.com
**

The Holy Bible: The Good news Translation

John 8:5–7 (Key verses)

5 In our Law Moses commanded that such a woman must be stoned to death. Now, what do you say?” 6They said this to trap Jesus, so that they could accuse him. But he bent over and wrote on the ground with his finger. 7As they stood there asking him questions, he straightened himself up and said to them, “Whichever one of you has committed no sin may throw the first stone at her.”

My Thoughts:
(How Can I apply what God is saying here to my life today?)

It is so easy sometimes to act the part of the Teachers and Pharisees and turn in the ‘guilty’ ones, while we are guilty of so much ourselves. Many times we are self-righteous and say to ourselves that we are merely doing the work of the Lord by pointing out sin to our Brother. We must be very careful with this action friend. We must be sure that God is leading us to correct that person. I feel sure that God will not send an unclean messenger to correct his Brother! If only we can be as understanding and forgiving as our Master. He could tell from the sorrow in this woman’s heart that she was sorry for her sin and wanted true repentance, so He dismissed her in peace and with His blessing. Now a big part of this example is actually found in the verse that follows when Jesus told the woman that she must now go and sin no more. Let’s do our best and seek God’s help to not repeat the same sinful act or deed over and over. Jesus is our helper in these things! Friends, we must learn from our mistakes and experiences, and we must allow them to correct our ways and drive our future. Jesus loved this sinner and forgave her for her sin. We must do the same if we are to follow in Jesus’ footsteps.

My Prayer
(What I will ask of God, in order for me to properly apply His Word to my life)

Heavenly Father, please forgive me for acting in pious ways at times, much like these teachers and Pharisees did. It is so difficult to examine self, and way too easy to point a finger at a Brother or Sister for their wrongs. Please help me to lay out my actions and my words against that which You have taught in Your Word, so that sinful deeds and actions might be highlighted. Help me then to be humble, yet bold enough to immediately seek Your forgiveness, and Your help to overcome. I would sincerely ask Your help and direction on my friends that may meditate on this devotion today, that they too will utilize Your Word in their lives before using this to apply to a Brother or Sister behind them. May our lives be acceptable to You, and clean enough, that they can be used of You today as a channel of Your blessing and opportunity for salvation to the lost that we will come into contact with. Thank You for loving me this much Jesus!

**Words underlined may be a hyperlink to a song that God laid on my heart while sharing this devotional this morning. Click it and be blessed by the song, like I was when I listened to it! …… I would be overjoyed to have the opportunity to pray with you about a need in your life that may, or may not have been highlighted by this Nugget today. Why not drop me a note and tell me about it? You may email me at:
nuggetsfromgodsword@yahoo.com
**