|
Post Date: |
Thursday, 2017-01-05 |
| SCRIPTURE | |
|
From: |
Genesis 4:3–7 (NCV) |
|
Text: |
3 Later, Cain brought some food from the ground as a gift to God. 4 Abel brought the best parts from some of the firstborn of his flock. The LORD accepted Abel and his gift, 5 but he did not accept Cain and his gift. So Cain became very angry and felt rejected.
6 The LORD asked Cain, “Why are you angry? Why do you look so unhappy? 7 If you do things well, I will accept you, but if you do not do them well, sin is ready to attack you. Sin wants you, but you must rule over it.” |
| OBSERVATION: | |
| I find it interesting that right from the very beginning, God experienced the variance of His kids who showed total love and dedication vs those who chose to give half-heartedly back to Him. Cain thought that he could manage to give up some of the fruit and/or vegetables from the ground, while his brother, Abel, chose the firstborn of his choicest cattle to give back to the Lord. I believe I have passed over this many times, because at first glance one might think: well perhaps Cain was the farmer and Abel was the rancher, so they each gave of the best from what they had. However, it is obvious from God’s response in vs 4 & 5 that this was not the case. For God looked at these two offerings and saw where one gave of his very best with a willing heart, while the other gave of what he had because of obligation to give at the altar. God looked at this from a perspective of Abel giving from the sincerity and deep commitment of the heart, versus Cain’s gift being impacted by sin that had caused him to analyze and consider what might he give, in order to get by. | |
| APPLICATION: | |
| Friends, I know you must be wondering how on earth does this apply to us today, since most reading this devotional probably has nothing to do with sacrifices being offered at the local temple. But I would suggest that you first ask God to open your spiritual eyes to the truths of His Word and how they may be applied to your life, then take a moment to slowly read over the above scripture verses again. May I remind you that each day you are faced with making the same types of decisions that Cain and Abel responded to in these verses? Allow me to jog your memory on a few ways that I believe God chooses to test your commitment to Himself: 1). God gives you a good night’s rest and awaits time alone with you each morning. A time where you can converse with Him through prayer, and a time where He could lay out Your ministry for the day through His Word. 2). It’s your day of worship. You know what you should be doing as God’s chosen child, but you’ve heard about how good the fishing is with the current moon, and since every other day you are obligated to go to work, you decide that since God will be there next week, and the fish may not be biting then, you’ll go fishing today. I know there are tons of other things that God desires from each of us, much like the long list of preferences we would like to see in our kinds, but these are just a few examples. Our response to these and other aspects of our Christian walk, shows God whether from the depths of our heart, we are more similar to Cain, or to Abel. Allow God to work on you and make you the type of servant that will represent Him well and be the best representative of His in what you think, do or act. Please don’t misrepresent our God. I believe that God chooses what our ‘best’ is, based on the heart from which we decided what to give, when to give and how to give. While man can only see the outward expressions of your heart based on what you give, God knows your heart and knows all about every thought that crossed your mind as you prepared to give. | |
| PRAYER: | |
| Lord thank You for giving to us while we were yet sinners and so undeserving of Your unselfish love. Your Word is a light unto our path, and today You have shown us the importance of giving from the very depths of our heart. In our Scripture today it is evident that Abel ‘got it’, while Cain gave grudgingly, hoping he could get away with it. This sounds an awful lot like us, Heavenly Father, so I want to place myself at Your feet today and ask for Your forgiveness, because I have not always given in ways that may have pleased You. Please touch the lives of those that will read this devotional and apply Your Word to the very depths of their heart so that it may impact their world for Jesus Christ. To You be all the glory, honor and praise, 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! | |
Category: Bible Believing
The Repercussion For Sin
|
Post Date: |
Wednesday, 2017-01-04 |
| SCRIPTURE | |
|
From: |
Genesis 3:17–19 (NCV) |
|
Text: |
17 Then God said to the man, “You listened to what your wife said, and you ate fruit from the tree from which I commanded you not to eat. “So I will put a curse on the ground, and you will have to work very hard for your food. In pain you will eat its food all the days of your life. 18 The ground will produce thorns and weeds for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. 19 You will sweat and work hard for your food.
|
| OBSERVATION: | |
| God gave some very simple rules to the very first family, concerning a tree in the middle of the garden that they were not permitted to eat from. Of course, it seems like anytime that rules are given, it is just human instinct to test the waters and see if anything would happen if we circumvent, or disobey that rule. In the preceding verses we see where the serpent was chastised and punished for his role in this whole act by Adam and Eve, then we see where God also punished Eve, followed by Adam. In each case the punishment was long-lasting, as we never hear about a serpent that does not crawl around on its stomach. Nor do we hear of a woman going through childbirth painlessly. In the above verses we see where Adam’s punishment was also long-lasting as men are still bothered today with weeds and thorns as they garden, plus the effort is so great that no one wants to do farming anymore. Bottom line is that God made it clear from the very beginning that He would not tolerate sin, and that there would be repercussions, if we sin. | |
| APPLICATION: | |
| Why then do we keep on sinning? It seems many times that it must really be in our DNA to rebel or fight against the standards established by God. Is it that Satan is stronger in our lives and therefore prohibits God from fulfilling His mission in us and through us? This may very well be the case friends. But no one deliberately chooses Satan as their leader, so why do we feel he is so prevalent in our lives? Think about this for a moment: if we are born into a sinful world around sinful people doing sinful actions, what exactly do you suppose one would be? Friends, we are told in Scripture that unless we confess our sins, and accept the precious gift God offers to us through His precious Son, Jesus Christ, then we remain in sin and will face eternal damnation, which is our eternal punishment for our sin. However, for those who accept the gift of Jesus Christ, to those shall be granted eternal forgiveness of sin, and therefore eternal happiness in heaven with Jesus and His Father. So to recap: if we continue in sin and do nothing, we will be worse off than Adam and Eve, for we will face eternal damnation with Satan and his cohorts. However, to be obedient to the call of Jesus on our lives and surrender our lives to Him, He has the power to save us and through His grace He will save us. This cleanses us from our sin and allows us entry into the heights of heaven to be with our Master for ever and ever. What’s your choice friend! | |
| PRAYER: | |
| Lord Jesus, I thank You for convicting me of my sin and giving me boldness to surrender my life to You. I look forward to the day when You will welcome me home to glory, because of Your grace! While remaining here on earth I need Your ongoing power and grace to help me overcome evil and to stand firm in my faith. Please be my guide and my stay throughout every circumstance of life. Lord, I have relatives and friends who are very much like the characters in our story today, but they have not surrendered their heart to You yet. In faith, I believe that You will send readers to this devotional who need to hear Your message of salvation today. Please Lord, may Your hand reach gently on the lives of these ones who need a Savior, please soften their hearts and make their will moldable so that they will stop and listen to Your voice. This is Your day oh Lord, please have Your will and way in our lives, so that You may be glorified and praised. 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! | |
God – Our Provider!
|
Post Date: |
Monday, 2017-01-03 |
| Scripture | |
|
From: |
Genesis 2:7–8 (NCV) |
|
Text: |
7 Then the LORD God took dust from the ground and formed a man from it. He breathed the breath of life into the man’s nose, and the man became a living person. 8 Then the LORD God planted a garden in the east, in a place called Eden, and put the man he had formed into it.
|
| Observation: | |
| Please note how God had such an interest in mankind right from the very beginning of time. Having already created the earth and sky, God then created man, so that he could care of everything else that He would create. God knew that Adam would need food, so He immediately provided a garden. Next, was the creation of several rivers, and no doubt these were to provide the necessary water for the garden, and for Adam to see and harvest the fish in those rivers. | |
| Application: | |
| Isn’t it interesting how God didn’t just create a man and place him on earth to fend for himself? Just like He is still doing today, God placed Adam on earth and made sure that his every need was met, right up to and including a help mate. Notice also that God didn’t just cause the fruit to appear on Adam’s table one day, but He created the garden and told Adam to care for it and make use of most of the fruit, with only two exceptions. Yes, there were rules and restrictions right from the very beginning friends. This teaches us self-control and accountability to those commands. So I believe there is an interesting lesson in this Scripture for us today. When we realize that we have reached the end, and it seems like little hope remains, let us never fail to place our faith and trust in Jesus Christ and await His mighty hand. We’re talking about the same God that provided everything for Adam, from the ground up. We’re talking about the same God that destroyed armies in the middle of the night in order to protect His chosen people. The One who gave sight to the blind and caused the deaf to hear. Why He even brought the dead to life again! That’s the Provider – the awesome God that believers can place their faith and trust in today! Do you know Him friend? Will You commit again to surrender to Him and His call on your life today? As descendants of one man, I believe that God is just as proud of His creation as He was of Adam. He wants to provide for us, but He as given us the choice of allowing Him to, or not. I have dear friends who were depending on God’s direction regarding a physical relocation. It appeared like God was not hearing their prayers, because their agenda was not being met. However it became increasingly evident that God was answering their prayers all along in the way He saw fit for their lives. He is our provider, friends. You can depend on Him – just try it! | |
| Prayer: | |
| Lord, as I reflect on all that You did for mankind right from the very start, I can ashamedly acknowledge how we have let You down in so many ways by following our own vices and self-proclaimed knowledge or even that of other earthly authorities. I can only come before You today feeling ashamed and unworthy of Your presence. I truly believe that You are still able, willing and ready to provide the needs of all who call on You as Savior and Lord. So Lord God, my readers and I come before that type of awesome God, as Your humble servants bowing at Your feet, and asking for a touch from You once again today. Most of us may not have physical needs, but Lord we need You to just help us deal with, and overcome the intrusion of Satan in to so many areas of our lives while we remain here on this old earth. May Your will be done in our lives today, oh Lord, my Rock, my Redeemer and soon coming Lord, 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 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! | |
Choices Today for 2017 and Possibly Beyond
|
Post Date: |
Monday, 2017-01-02 |
Scripture |
|
|
Bible Text From: |
Psalm 1 |
|
Bible Text: |
4 But for sinners, what a different story! They blow away like chaff before the wind. 5 They are not safe on Judgment Day; they shall not stand among the godly. 6 For the Lord watches over all the plans and paths of godly men, but the paths of the godless lead to doom. |
|
Translation: |
The Living Bible (TLB) |
Observation: |
This short Psalm is power-packed with information on what each of us can expect when we come face-to-face with our Master and Lord. In verses 1 thru 3 the Psalmist, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, shared with us all that believers in Jesus Christ might expect. There are such words as: Joy; Fruitfulness; Delight; Searching for ways to please God more; Fresh; Alive; Perky (and not withering). However, God knew from the very beginning of time that there would be some who would choose to ‘do their own thing’ and ignore the commands of the Lord. Unfortunately, we find throughout God’s Word that He is a jealous God and will not stand for disobedience to His commands, or contempt, or deliberate sinful actions. Because of the deliberate disobedience to God’s commands, these individuals are considered ‘sinners’ by God. So in verses 4-6 God draws the contrast of what will happen to them. There some words used in this section that we try to also avoid in our lives here on earth: Inconsistent; Unstable; Easily swayed to believe something else; Unsafe on Judgment Day; Segregation – for they will not stand with the righteous. This all results in a destiny of doom. |
Application: |
Based on the Word of God, we know that the parallel drawn by the Psalmist is not just a ‘What If’ scenario, or a scare tactic, for God confirms throughout His word that there is a place prepared for every person. He also declares in advance what the criteria is that He will use to determine our destiny. Therefore, we had best prepare for the outcome, rightfully assuming that today might be the day that God might call us out of this world, and therefore the day that He will decide who will reign over us throughout eternity. God has prepared a place called Heaven for those of us who have placed our faith and trust in Him. There we will spend eternity at the feet of Jesus and His Father, God. The path of doom mentioned in verse 6 points to the doom that will come to those who have decided to do life alone, and don’t see the need for a Savior. In todays vernacular, these individuals are sometimes called unbelievers; or sinners; or the unsaved. The doom referred to here is the unfortunate leadership of the Evil One – Satan, in a place called Hell. Knowing that you can decide today where you will spend eternity, is there any reason why you would deliberately choose Hell? Unfortunately, the default location is Hell, because unless you make a decision to accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior , that’s where you will go – according to the Word of God. So what’s your decision friend? You can settle the issue TODAY by reading my Footnote and following the directions included there. It is your choice! |
Prayer: |
Lord Jesus, I thank You for prompting this humble man many years ago into making a decision to accept You as my Lord and Savior, and giving me the peace of one day being with You in heaven. Many of my readers have, no doubt, made that same decision, however Lord, I pray that You will direct one to read this devotional today who might be looking for the way to make this change in their life’s ultimate direction. You have been plain throughout your Word of how the end will turn out for us, based on the decisions made while right here on earth. We claim to be smart folk who know how to make good decisions. Lord, may this be a day of good decisions, especially as we start off this New Year with so many uncertainties. There is only one way to heaven, and it is solely based on our acceptance of the awesome plan You put in place for our good. Thank You Lord Jesus for making the way and giving us opportunity after opportunity to accept that plan. 2017 could be the year You will come to take us home with You, may we all be ready and waiting for Your return, is my humble plea, 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 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! |
The Old vs The New
Saturday, 2016-12-31
Scripture
Bible Reference: John 19:28-30
Bible Text: 28 Jesus knew that everything was now finished, and to fulfill the Scriptures said, “I’m thirsty.” 29 A jar of sour wine was sitting there, so a sponge was soaked in it and put on a hyssop branch and held up to his lips. 30 When Jesus had tasted it, he said, “It is finished,” and bowed his head and dismissed his spirit.
Bible Translation: The Living Bible (TLB)
My Take
This passage of scripture is generally heard around Easter time, when we hear about the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. In considering what happened around that time, we might consider what the followers of Jesus were thinking as they saw their Master crucified. This was a crossroads for them on what the future might hold. Similarly, today is a crossroads for each of us, for many things will change, if God allows us to welcome a New Year in tomorrow. Putting aside the obvious changes such as government leadership; increased taxes; new church leadership; new benefit packages at work, etc., I want us to center our thoughts around the purpose of my blog – to help us stop and think spiritually about how God may have been involved in the old vs how we will permit Him to be involved in the new. Stop for a few minutes and consider some of the key events of the current year that is quickly drawing to a close. What would you tell an unbeliever may have been the most exciting time of your Christian walk this year? Think about a time that God may have been so real to you that you felt there was only one thing better, and that was to be at His side in glory! Think about a time when you thought God was not listening and had no interest in your prayer request, only to find out later that He was there all the while answering your prayer in ways that you weren’t expecting, but that you later discovered was the best thing for you. Take a moment and praise Him for all these things and acknowledge His presence with you in so many unbelievable ways. Jesus’ situation was much more dire, but in verse 30 He realized that all Scripture had been fulfilled, and in accordance with the will of the Father, His time had come to give up His earthly ministry and prepare for what was ahead. Today you will not only give thanks for the many ways that God accomplished His work through You, but I believe many of us will also have regrets for the times that we took the reigns of life and ‘did it our way’, only to find out later that things didn’t always turn out right. May I suggest that you use this as an opportunity to speak to God about your regrets, and possibly ask Him to help you seek Him first and His righteousness as you approach this brand new year? In preparing for a long road trip, you may easily remember the gas, water, snacks, head rests, GPS, etc, but in facing a New Year you will be taking this trip without knowing about the bumps in the road, the crazy drivers on the road, road construction, etc. However, I am here to remind you and/or enlighten you to the fact that for those who have place their faith and trust in Jesus Christ, we serve the One who knows exactly what lies ahead for us – the good, the bad and the ugly. The fascinating, and encouraging part for the Christian is that we know the creator of life and death and of each person. He has already proved His love for us in very extreme ways, so we have no doubt that He will be watching every step that we take, and help us over every hurdle that we will meet. Our part is to stay loyal to the Director of it all – worship Him when everything seems perfect to us, and when we wish things were different, but in ALL things, knowing that our Savior leads the way for our good and for His glory! So while the THINGS of this earth seems so uncertain for many, the ONE who holds the whole earth together is the One who holds our hand and guides us along to the end of all time! That’s the One I have placed my faith and trust in friend. Have you? If not, please, please read my Footnote and take advantage of the help offered to you.
Prayer
Father, as we reflect on the blessings and the undeserved grace that You have showered on us throughout this year that is ending, may we also gain strength and confidence in knowing that You are still so very faithful, so very loving, so very kind and that You will be our friend and guide even until the very end of time. Lord, we have no idea what tomorrow holds, but I praise You for knowing the One who not only holds tomorrow, but who knows what every day in this New Year will hold for each child that meditates on this devotional today. So Lord, I praise You for everything that You are, and for all that You will do in my life and in the lives of those that I love and care for. You are forever faithful and true, and in You I can assure my readers that we must place our faith and our trust. You were faithful to the very end in fulfilling the word of Your Father, may we be found faithful to You in all aspects of our lives this coming year, for this is my humble plea for Your help to achieve all this, 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 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!
Your Response Compared to Mary’s
Saturday, 2016-12-24
Scripture
Bible Reference: Luke 1:46-50
Bible Text: Then Mary said, “I praise the Lord with all my heart. I am very happy because God is my Savior. I am not important, but he has shown his care for me, his lowly servant. From now until the end of time, people will remember how much God blessed me. Yes, the Powerful One has done great things for me. His name is very holy. He always gives mercy to those who worship him.
Bible Translation: Easy-to-Read Version (ERV)
My Take
In verse 30 of this same chapter, the angel who appeared before this young virgin, Mary, calmed her be saying that God was delivering this awesome news to her because He was pleased with her. Does that make you think that there was a close relationship between Mary and her God? There is a gospel song entitled ‘Why me’, and I love that song, but I believe it is evident in this example of Mary that if we have the kind of relationship with God that He is pleased with, then perhaps He will be pleased with us also! Therefore, in line with God’s everlasting goodness, there is no limit as to what He might do through you and I also! I believe that the other thing that we are taught in this greeting to Mary, is that when you have this type of relationship with God, and He decides to use you, He may very well use an agent of His to deliver the good news, as He did with the angel to Mary. Oh that we may have the grace to humbly accept the assignments that God sends our way. In accepting His assignment, I believe you are acknowledging that the God of this universe knows what He’s doing, and will do what He has planned, and He knows how He might best use you for His ultimate glory! Now consider what you may have thought of Mary if she responded to the angel that she would take time to think about it, because she is not one to make snap decisions. Or perhaps, asked the angel for a sign to prove to her that this assignment is truly from God. Wouldn’t that sound like she was second-guessing God. Friends, I believe that it is very obvious that God always looks for our availability, and He never has to worry about our abilities. Remember in Paul’s ministry, he desired that he might decrease, so that God may increase? Remember how John the Baptist said that he could only baptize with water, but that One who was to follow Him would actually baptize with the Holy Spirit? Yes, considering our weaknesses and our limited knowledge and abilities, we are limited by what we can do for the glory of God, but the Word of God reminds us that in Christ, and under the anointing of His Holy Spirit, He (God) can do ALL things. Friends, without any intention to brag, I can share from personal experience that God called me into various ministries where I was totally dependent on Him, and when totally surrendered to God, He was able to accomplish great things for His glory. When others look at us, and witness our actions and attitudes, their lives will only be moved into action IF they see Jesus. I would like to recommend that you consider joining me, as we daily connect with God – seek His face, not His hand, and give Him the place of honor and glory that He deserves. Make yourself available to Him for anything that He would consider using you for in accomplishing His will in your realm of influence. I believe it will amaze us how He could use even you and me! Can we, like Mary, praise God from the very depths of our hearts for what He has done, can do, and even accomplish through us, this Christmas?
Prayer
Lord Jesus, what a wonderful Savior You are! To create mere humans, allow them to do their own thing, then to accept our call for salvation, and unconditionally love us enough to welcome us back to Yourself. Wow, Oh What A Savior! But more than that Lord, You look at Your restored loved ones with such holiness that they are at Your disposal to even be used by You! Wow, Oh What A Savior! Scripture shows us how You used Your humble servant Mary, and I truly believe today that those who know You personally can easily be used by You as we place ourselves at Your feet and accept Your authority. Your will be done oh Lord! 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!
What Happened?
Friday, 2016-12-23
Scripture
Bible Reference: Luke 2:15-17
Bible Text: 15 When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” 16 They hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger. 17 After seeing him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child.
Bible Translation:New Living Translation (NLT)
My Take
Perhaps this Christmas, as we are reminded again about the actions, excitement, awe and obedience of those involved in the story of the birth of Christ, we might ask ourselves “What Happened?”. Why is it that poor shepherds who saw nothing but stink, four-legged sheep all day and then watched over them even by night, why is that they ‘got it’, and we still look through blurred glasses and see nothing but gifts, shopping, stress, children singing and preachers bellowing, but we never stop to consider the thought of meeting or knowing the One that this whole thing of Christmas is all about? I believe that way too often we would represent the shepherds who saw and heard angels for the very first time, recognized that yes, they are directing their message towards us, but then sit back and say “oh well, that was nice. They were in tune and did a wonderful job” and then roll back on our side and go to sleep. Please stop and read the story again, the shepherds didn’t settle for hearing about this miraculous birth, they wanted to see, feel, and witness the scene, the baby, the parents and understand the whole concept of what this whole thing was about! So what do you suppose happened to you and I? We have attended, and probably still will attend church events where we hear in song and word about a God who loves us so much that He miraculously caused His Son to be born among us; lived among us and performed many miracles to prove His relation to God; humbly and obediently died between two common criminals, just to prove His love for us and to provide the means of eternal life for us. Yes friend, that’s the kind of amazing story that surrounds the One we will hear about this Christmas, but will you look deeper than the ones singing, the ones preaching and the nagging mother who tries every year to get you out to church with her, and instead commit to knowing more about the One whom this whole Christmas thing is about? If your best friend told you they were having chest pain, you would not simply smile at them and express your disappointment, most of us would start researching for ways to help that friend overcome the problem. So what happened to us that we would hear of Jesus and deflect that good news and reject the offer that still stands today – to know Him personally and accept His free gift of salvation that leads to life eternally with He and our Father! Friends, may I encourage you to know Him; know the true meaning of ‘love’ in its purest form, and know about that peace that surpasses everything we could every imagine or understand this Christmas season? This could then truly be the merriest of all Christmases for you and those you love, friend!
Prayer
Lord God, we are thankful that You gave to us in the form of Your precious Son in greatest humility back in Bethlehem many years ago. We are compelled to seek Your forgiveness for the ways that we have focused attention from Your birth and more towards the commercial aspects of Christmas that we now find ourselves caught up in. I believe that what has happened is that the evil one has found ways to distract us from Your birth and instead more towards the worldly pleasures that pull us away from You. Please restore a desire within us to know You personally and a deep commitment to serve You and share Your love with others. May we be reminded that because You gave to us of your very best, we too might give You our heart and share our love with others in ways that might draw them to You this Christmas. 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!
Time, Place and Availability
Thursday, 2016-12-22
Scripture
Bible Reference: Luke 2:4-7
Bible Text: 4-5 Mary’s fiancé Joseph, from Nazareth in Galilee, had to participate in the census in the same way everyone else did. Because he was a descendant of King David, his ancestral city was Bethlehem, David’s birthplace. Mary, who was now late in her pregnancy that the messenger Gabriel had predicted, 6 accompanied Joseph. While in Bethlehem, she went into labor 7 and gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped the baby in a blanket and laid Him in a feeding trough because the inn had no room for them.
Bible Translation: The Voice Translation (Voice)
My Take
Time, Place and Availability are three things we tend to look closely at this time of the year as we plan our parties and family meals. But these are some things that require our attention in the Christmas story also! I would suggest that you click on the Scripture for today and read the first 7 verses of Luke chapter 2. You will notice in this short passage that God had a perfect plan for the birth of His Son, Jesus. Here are some points that I believe you will find fascinating:
- The Time: Was it coincidence, or was it God’s perfect plan that the very time for Joseph to go to his family’s birthplace (Bethlehem) to be registered for the census, was also the time in Mary’s pregnancy that her baby would be born?
- The Place: Was it coincidence, or was it God’s perfect plan that when Isaiah prophesied that the Son of the Most High would be of the lineage of David, that God would actually align a plan to place Mary and Joseph in the same birth-town of David at the time of Jesus’ birth?
- The Availability: Joseph broke all traditions to take Mary as his wife, even after learning that she was pregnant – and not bearing his child. He was available to the call of God, in spite of the mockery he would receive. Mary openly accepted the call of God to carry His miraculous One, in spite of the possibility of losing her fiancé Joseph, and losing all respect from her family and townspeople. They both were available to the will and plan of God. However, this was not the way it was in every case during the pregnancy and birth of our Lord, for much like many of us today, there was no room for Joseph and Mary to rest their head and prepare for the birth of their child – the Savior of the world; the King of all kings; the Redeemer sent to save all mankind from the grip of sin on their life. There was no room for Jesus.
Friends, I believe that there is an enormous message in this short Scripture for us today. At times, it appears like there are circumstances in our lives that we would just rather not deal with, and for the life of us we just can’t understand why some things happen to us. I believe you can see from the above that our awesome God has this whole delicate life of ours perfectly in the palm of His hand and under His awesome plan and care, even if we sometimes may think in terms of coincidence, or happen-chance. Here is a personal experience that gives me confidence in this powerful truth: almost 30 years ago I sat before my aging parents in the Bahamas, and told them that my wife and I had been approved by the US Government to reside in the USA. It really saddened and frustrated my dad that his oldest son would move that far away from his aging parents. In less than 2 years after that meeting with my parents, my dad thanked God, in my presence, that He had opened that door for me, that now led to his life being saved through medical intervention here in the US. Friends, when we allow room for Jesus in our life, we had best hang tight for the time of our lives. Yes, there will be circumstances we don’t understand, but notice that there is no recorded argument by Mary or Joseph with God over His perfect plan. God just needs our availability. Have you found time for Jesus in your life? Have you surrendered to His perfect plan for your life? Ours is not to question or reason, just to surrender and obey. One of these days, when face to face with Jesus, I look forward to the voice of my Savior saying “well done, good; faithful; and obedient servant, welcome home!” This can also be your outcome, if you have surrendered your life to Jesus. Please read my Footnote and follow the referenced scripture to identify the need in your life today.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, even at Your birth we marvel at the perfect plan that had been aligned to announce Your coming, Your birth and the heralded welcome by so many. There were many who surrendered to Your call, and who stopped what they were doing to allow Your guiding hand upon their lives. Perhaps as we stop and listen this Christmas, we will hear; we will understand better; and we will be more obedient to Your call on our lives. Lord may we learn to place You as high priority in our busy lives this Christmas and in the year ahead. Often we tend to blame our neglect on not having time (for You). May we learn to change that to openly confess that You were just not a priority to us. I sincerely believe that to be the case, and pray that You might help us to get our priorities straight, beginning with me, and beginning today. For I surrender myself afresh to You precious Lord, 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!
A Deep Test Of Obedience
Wednesday, 2016-12-21
Scripture
Bible Reference: Matthew 1:20-25
Bible Text: 20 Now when Joseph had decided to act on his instincts, a messenger of the Lord came to him in a dream.
Messenger of the Lord: Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to wed Mary and bring her into your home and family as your wife. She did not sneak off and sleep with someone else—rather, she conceived the baby she now carries through the miraculous wonder-working of the Holy Spirit. 21 She will have a son, and you will name Him Jesus, which means “the Lord saves,” because this Jesus is the person who will save all of His people from sin.
24 Joseph woke up from his dream and did exactly what the messenger had told him to do: he married Mary and brought her into his home as his wife 25 (though he did not consummate their marriage until after her son was born). And when the baby was born, Joseph named Him Jesus, Savior.
Bible Translation: The Voice Translation (Voice)
My Take
Kids learn at a very early age that if you really want to get to another kid, just mention something bad about their mom. As adults we become very tender anytime we hear something derogatory about almost any close relative, whether spouse; child; sibling or parents. So as I meditated on this very common passage of scripture that we hear almost every Christmas, I tried to imagine what Joseph must have been thinking when, in spite of him having no sexual relations with Mary, yet he found that the woman he was about to marry was already pregnant. I’m sure his mind must have travelled along the road of infidelity on Mary’s part, and the mockery that he would receive from family and friends. Like us, Joseph had already made plans in his mind how he was going to handle the break-off of the engagement so that there would not be a negative impact on Mary. However, I believe that as Joseph pondered these things in his heart, he must have really been hoping that there would be some miraculous explanation about this whole earth-shattering event in his life, for I believe that love is just that way, it hears bad things, but expects clarification to help an individual make good on his/her commitment to one another. But here comes the kicker, hope came in a very unexpected, and yes, miraculous way, for an angel appeared to Joseph as he slept and dreamed. However the message was very clear. In fact, so much so, that there is no doubt expressed in the Word of God! Joseph simply followed the instructions given to him by the angel. He married his awesome bride, and from every indication, he took care of her as if the baby was his very own flesh and blood. This is an awesome story of obedience to the Holy Spirit, friends. Yes, we can surmise what may have happened if Joseph decided to ignore God, but I sincerely believe that God works very much the same today. When he speaks to us, there is no doubting on our part, or trying to conjure up a plan to escape His plan, for we are His servants who should be constantly asking for His guidance and understanding of His will for our lives. Therefore, when it becomes evident to us, we simply obey and thank God for it. The obedience of Mary and Joseph let to the fulfilment of prophecy, and to being used by God to birth into this world the Savior, who would ultimately prove to be the very Son of God and redeemer of all who trust Him as their Lord and Savior. Friends, the obedience talked about here led to something BIG, I mean HUGE! Imagine what miracles can be wrought through you and me if only we will humble ourselves in obedience to the King of all kings and Lord of all lords. We may look at the challenges of reaching our family and friends for the Lord as virtually impossible in our eyes, but compared to the miracle of a virgin girl becoming conceived without sexual relations by a man makes our challenges somewhat lame in comparison. Being led by God to witness and encourage a lost friend may sound impossible to us because we are so convinced that we know the negativity of the person so well, but the same God who got through to Joseph, can also redirect our doubtful minds and lead us and the friend we are direct to, towards total obedience. Are you prepared to imitate the obedience and faith of Joseph this Christmas? God has a plan, and you and I could very well be in the very middle of it, if only we will surrender our will to the Master.
Prayer
Dear Lord, You are truly in control of this whole universe, and especially in control of Your children seeking Your will for their very next move. As in the case of Joseph, I pray that we will look beyond the possibilities of our natural eyes, and instead rest our very selves at the control of our Savior during this time of the year when most folk stop to reflect on the newborn Christ-child as being the very meaning and reason for Christmas. Lord, may joy bells ring out loudly this Christmas as our family and friends find peace in the grace and power of the new-born King, Jesus, our Lord and the Savior of the world! 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!
A Well Orchestrated Plan!
Tuesday, 2016-12-20
Scripture
Bible Reference: Micah 5:2-5
Bible Text: 2 The Lord says, “Bethlehem Ephrathah, you are one of the smallest towns in Judah, but out of you I will bring a ruler for Israel, whose family line goes back to ancient times.” 3 So the Lord will abandon his people to their enemies until the woman who is to give birth has her son. Then those Israelites who are in exile will be reunited with their own people. 4 When he comes, he will rule his people with the strength that comes from the Lord and with the majesty of the Lord God himself. His people will live in safety because people all over the earth will acknowledge his greatness, 5 and he will bring peace.
Bible Translation: Good News Translation (GNT)
My Take
Because I learned a few new things in my study today about this popular passage included in the story about the birth of Jesus, I wanted to share with you the fascination I found with how God coordinated this whole birth of His Holy One, the Lord Jesus Christ. For those of you that know all of these things, I ask that you bear with this humble child while I continue to learn the great truths of God’s Word. Look at these things with me:
- Bethlehem Ephrathah – It seems interesting why God chose the humility of one of the smallest towns around for His Son to be born. His Son that would be born to rule and reign over all Israel and be the Savior of the whole world. But:
- Did you know that in this small town, David was also born? Look at 1 Samuel 17:12 for this reference! Remember from New Testament scripture that Jesus would be of the lineage of David!
- Did you know that God didn’t need the popularity of a large town, or the extra security of a major city for His Son to be born and recognized as a major leader of the world?
- The Lord abandoned His people – The Lord had worked so miraculously among the Israelites and carefully provided for them, yet time after time He sadly saw them return to their sin and idol worship. So in this passage we are told that He answered their requests to leave them alone, for He abandoned them. But He did this while also foretelling of One that He would send to love, rule, and reign over them with deep compassion. Friends, do you see where this whole miracle has changed us very much today? For it seems like we live in a world where idol worship is still very prevalent, and our merciful God is still mocked through the blatant sin and disregard of His precious Son. Note that ‘idol’ worship is something, or someone, other than God, who attracts the attention of His people. What are those excuses again that folk use when they can’t, or won’t make it to corporate worship?
Friends, we can see from the very beginning that God had a well orchestrated plan to save His people from their sin, and I am convinced that this was not just for the people of Israel, but for all that He created to live on this earth. That includes both you and me. I have accepted Him as my Lord and Savior and therefore can boast of my eternal home in heaven. My whole purpose in sharing these blogs each day is not to help you feel better about yourself, or for you to see how guilty I feel about myself, but to encourage you to take God at His word. He orchestrated a plan for your salvation. Please consider accepting that gift today, by surrendering your life to the Lord Jesus Christ. You will see and feel Christmas in a way that you have never done before! Friends, know Him and know the peace that is often referred to each Christmas, won’t you?
Prayer
Dear God, I thank You for the everlasting gift of salvation, and for Your precious Son that You sent so that salvation might be possible. I am so afraid that our world has become as bad or worse than Israel when You removed Your hand from them. I am also afraid that we are still as stubborn about our sin and disregard even after Your special provision given through Your Son. Lord, please use this Christmas season to once again remind our people of the purpose of You sending Your Son, and the unique privilege that is ours to allow Your Prince of Peace, the Everlasting Savior, to rule and reign in our lives throughout the rest of our lives and even through eternity with You in glory. You’re my King, and I praise You Heavenly Father, 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!
Nuggets From God's Word 