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Post Date: |
Friday, 2017-05-12 |
| SCRIPTURE | |
|
From: |
Mark 9:28-29 (ERV) |
|
Text: |
28 Then Jesus went into the house. His followers were alone with him there. They said, “Why weren’t we able to force that evil spirit out?”
29 Jesus answered, “That kind of spirit can be forced out only with prayer. |
| OBSERVATION: | |
| On the first read of this passage of Scripture, one might assume that the disciples didn’t have enough faith, or perhaps they didn’t have the necessary power to command the evil spirit out of the boy brought to them by his father. But we will have a closer look at what Jesus told His disciples so that we might also know how to handle these situations today. | |
| APPLICATION: | |
| TV evangelists will tell you that you must bring the sick to them for healing. Some churches have healing services, while others barely bring the subject up. Jesus had performed many miracles in the presence of His disciples, and He even told them that they had power to do what they had seen Him do. However in this instance, Jesus told the disciples that this type of issue could only be handled through prayer. And prayer is directed to whom? Jesus is telling the disciples that only God could handle this type of a situation. In other words, be careful how you go about thinking that you can do anything. Notice in verse 18 the father told Jesus that he took the child to His followers and they couldn’t get rid of the evil spirit from his son. Friends, today we are no different. We are advocates of the Father, and we had best remember who is in charge. May we never assume that we could do anything in our own strength. Our job is to communicate (pray) to the Father. It is He who does the healing, if within His perfect will, He sees and understands that this would be the best thing for the individual, and that it might bring praise and honor to His Son, Jesus. The other thing that we must be careful of, is the manner in which we approach the throne of grace and speak with our Father. We are not His boss, so we don’t approach Him as such. Servants approach their Master in humility, thanksgiving and with petitions that He alone may choose to respond to. Notice in verse 29 Jesus said that the Father must be approached in prayer, meaning that we should plead our case/requests with Him, Remember, we do the asking, God does the healing. I don’t believe that God would be very happy at all with us if we try to reverse the rolls, for after all, He alone is God. As His workmanship, we are simply tools that He could use to accomplish His will and His work, if He so chooses. | |
| PRAYER: | |
| Lord Jesus, it is so easy for us to pick pieces of Scripture and hang our hats on those nuggets, as they may better fit the situation we are facing at the time. Lord, please get our attention to the fact that You are in control and that You alone are capable of the miraculous works of the Master. We are simple, humble servants and we must approach Your throne with that simplicity. Servants ask, not tell their Master what to do. May we never forget the authority You have over us, nor forget the absolute lack of authority we have over You. Thank You Lord for loving us anyway and for allowing us to represent You before a lost world. Thank You for Your discipline when its necessary to remind us who’s in control! With much love, appreciation and submissiveness I ask these things dear 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 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: Healing
Faith Enough For Healing
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Post Date: |
Thursday, 2017-04-27 |
| SCRIPTURE | |
|
From: |
Mark 5:25-29 (GNT) |
|
Text: |
25 There was a woman who had suffered terribly from severe bleeding for twelve years, 26 even though she had been treated by many doctors. She had spent all her money, but instead of getting better she got worse all the time. 27 She had heard about Jesus, so she came in the crowd behind him, 28 saying to herself, “If I just touch his clothes, I will get well.”
29 She touched his cloak, and her bleeding stopped at once; and she had the feeling inside herself that she was healed of her trouble. |
| OBSERVATION: | |
| Jesus was surrounded by a crowd, but it didn’t stop the persistence of a lady who had heard about Jesus and knew His power to heal even her disease that doctors had failed to stop or control. She was humble enough that she didn’t want any fanfare, however, she was convinced that if she could press through the crowd just enough to touch some part of Jesus’ garment, that would be enough for her to be healed. It turns out she was right on target, but she also unexpectedly got the attention of the Master! | |
| APPLICATION: | |
There are various stories in the Bible about how different folk were healed in the days of Jesus’ earthly ministry. I’m sure that each one appeals to the various needs of folk even today who meditate on the Word of God and desire healing of some sort in their bodies. I noticed that the lady’s name was not even disclosed, so I don’t believe the intent of the writer was for us to lift her up as a great godly woman, although I’m sure she probably was. Instead, I believe that God would have us recognize in this story a few things that we might learn and apply to our lives today:
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| PRAYER: | |
| Lord Jesus, we need You a whole lot more than we will ever stop to admit. Many reading this blog may not need healing, such as the lady in our story today, but their need may very well be more serious in nature and indeed desperate to them. Being reminded of Your power, and the faith of this lady, brings renewal to our souls Jesus. Please remind us each day of our need for the Savior, and the awesome power that’s always available to those in a relationship with You. Lord, You are awesome, and we are so proud of being Your humble servants. Please help us to be sincere witnesses for You today, so that the world might know that Jesus lives, and indeed You live in our hearts! 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! | |
The Only One Who Can
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Post Date: |
Monday, 2017-04-24 |
| SCRIPTURE | |
|
From: |
Mark 4:38-41 (TLB) |
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Text: |
38 Jesus was asleep at the back of the boat with his head on a cushion. Frantically they wakened him, shouting, “Teacher, don’t you even care that we are all about to drown?”39 Then he rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Quiet down!” And the wind fell, and there was a great calm!
40 And he asked them, “Why were you so fearful? Don’t you even yet have confidence in me?” 41 And they were filled with awe and said among themselves, “Who is this man, that even the winds and seas obey him?” |
| OBSERVATION: | |
| Taking advantage of a few minutes of rest while his boat crossed the lake, Jesus rested near the stern of the boat. Because he was not awake to witness the panic that was building with his disciples as the waters became more and more violent, the disciples automatically assumed that Jesus didn’t care about their safety. However, hearing the urgency of their need, Jesus awoke and immediately took care of their need. | |
| APPLICATION: | |
| The disciples had witnessed many miracles performed already, so they knew that Jesus was very capable of handling their current desperate situation. I believe the disciples had faith that Jesus could correct their current situation, because after the waves got so bad that they were about to give up on hopes of their survival, they finally decided to go and try Jesus. I was reminded of our personal situations. We may not get so worried over what appears to be minor illnesses, but as the situation worsens, we become more and more desperate and then we begin to pray in earnest and we call in the troops (our pastors, elders and Christian friends) to pray with us over our dire situation. Friends, we pray because we know that all power lies with the God of our salvation, for we know that He is our friend, our healer and our conqueror. Let’s never forget that this is the same Master and Lord who brought Lazarus back to life; who turned water into the best wine of the evening; who healed the blind; who walked on water and healed a woman who merely touched the hem of His garment, that’s the King who Christians turn to in our time of need! That’s our King! Now, I have also learned over the years that we tend to call on Jesus as a last resort. Oh how I wish that we would learn to call on our Master each and every day, when things are going great and when we first notice the slightest need arising. Remember, He went to Calvary as a sacrifice for our sin, knowing that we would get into stuff that would possibly lead to sin/situations from which we could not escape on our own. Jesus did this for us in advance, so let us be just as proactive in taking our needs before Him, for He cares for us, more than anything we could ever imagine. Furthermore, just like the disciples knew that Jesus was the only one who could speak to the elements, we are just as convinced that He is the only one that could meet our very personal needs, so let’s not delay, let’s share our heart with Him today. This might be very desperate needs, or just the concerns of our heart. Let’s open that door of communication with the only One who can do anything about our needs, for He cares for His own! | |
| PRAYER: | |
| Thank You Lord Jesus for the reminder in this passage that You should always be the one that we communicate with daily, and not just when things are at their worst. Lord, we need You ever hour, as the words of an old hymn reminds us. We especially need Your protection, Your guidance and Your strength to help us maintain a close relationship with You. One that we could learn from and share with our friends each and every day. There seems to be a constant need of someone much greater than us, more powerful than we are and always willing to help us overcome. That’s You Lord, and we are standing in the need of prayer today, so that we might always share our need of our Master and King in all walks of life. Thank You Heavenly Father for being available for Your children. 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! | |
Obedience Vs Disrupting God’s Work
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Post Date: |
Friday, 2017-04-14 |
| SCRIPTURE | |
|
From: |
Mark 1:40-45 (HCSB) |
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Text: |
40 Then a man with a serious skin disease came to Him and, on his knees, begged Him: “If You are willing, You can make me clean.”
41 Moved with compassion, Jesus reached out His hand and touched him. “I am willing,” He told him. “Be made clean.” 42 Immediately the disease left him, and he was healed. 43 Then He sternly warned him and sent him away at once, 44 telling him, “See that you say nothing to anyone; but go and show yourself to the priest, and offer what Moses prescribed for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.” 45 Yet he went out and began to proclaim it widely and to spread the news, with the result that Jesus could no longer enter a town openly. But He was out in deserted places, and they would come to Him from everywhere. |
| OBSERVATION: | |
| God blessed this leper for the faith he showed in presenting himself to Jesus for healing. However, in his zealous and joyful heart after his healing, he wound up doing exactly what Jesus told him not to do, and this disrupted the ongoing work of Jesus. |
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| APPLICATION: | |
| This is a challenging one for us to learn, for the question becomes: How often do we override the commands of God, to do what we feel is best? Yes, even when our plan is to supposedly honor and glorify God. This reminds me of what we do when someone tells us a secret and asks us to keep it between us two. What’s the first thing we do? We find someone who we feel is trustworthy and we preface our gossip with: “Now ‘Tom’ told me to keep this between us two, but I know you won’t say anything, and I really believe you should know this…”, right? Now I know that God never made a mistake, so I’m sure that He knew this leper would instinctively go and tell the world that a man whom they despised and rejected is now perfectly whole again, and it was Jesus, the Christ who healed him. However, look at what happened to the ministry of Jesus when the healed leper allowed his will to be done, instead of the will of the One who just healed his body. Jesus said up in verse 38 that His whole reason for coming to earth was to preach the Word of God in all villages, then in just a few verses later we see where Jesus’ ministry was then restricted to to isolated places outside of the city. I wonder what impact our cruel, unthoughtful words; or our selfish and often bitter attitudes; or our prideful and arrogant treatment of others; must have on the work of the Lord in our circles of influence? Remember, that our knowledge and our vision of what lies ahead in a situation is restricted by what we can see in that present moment, compared to the eternal God who knows and sees all things, including what the future holds for those involved. He has a purpose in commanding us to follow His Word, even when it seems so strange to us. Oh may His perfect will be done, so that His glory might be revealed, resulting in awesome praise and worship to the Father, for ‘Our God Is an Awesome God!’ |
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| PRAYER: | |
| Father, please forgive us for the times that we deliberately jump out in front and decide to do things that totally disrupts Your work. Yes, we always think that we know enough to make sound decisions or recommendations, but oh how limited our knowledge truly is. The leper in our story today probably thought that he was doing the best possible thing, for he was promoting the name of Jesus by telling the world that He is the one responsible for his healing. However, Jesus didn’t tell him to go and do what he thought best, which is exactly what we tend to do way too often. Please open our eyes to the innocence of raw humility and strict obedience to You oh Lord, so that You might accomplish Your will and Your work in our midst, without us erecting stumbling blocks along the way. Your way is perfect, please help us to always be mindful of that, AMEN! |
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| 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! | |
Where The Power Comes From!
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Post Date: |
Thursday, 2017-03-16 |
| SCRIPTURE | |
|
From: |
Exodus 17:9-13 (NCV) |
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Text: |
9 So Moses said to Joshua, “Choose some men and go and fight the Amalekites. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill, holding the walking stick of God in my hands.”10 Joshua obeyed Moses and went to fight the Amalekites, while Moses, Aaron, and Hur went to the top of the hill. 11 As long as Moses held his hands up, the Israelites would win the fight, but when Moses put his hands down, the Amalekites would win. 12 Later, when Moses’ arms became tired, the men put a large rock under him, and he sat on it. Then Aaron and Hur held up Moses’ hands—Aaron on one side and Hur on the other. They kept his hands steady until the sun went down. 13 So Joshua defeated the Amalekites in this battle. |
| OBSERVATION: | |
| Moses had been given the ‘Staff of God’ while dealing with the Egyptian king and he saw God perform miracle after miracle to change a stubborn man’s heart. He had also used the staff on many occasions in the wilderness to do such miracles as parting the Red Sea, bringing forth water from a rock, etc. Then, of course, we are told in this passage how Moses also used the Staff to deliver Joshua and his men who protected the Israelites from the onslaught of the Amalekites. The source of the power to win this battle is evident! | |
| APPLICATION: | |
| I find it so interesting that we seek God in earnest prayer when we are sick or when something serious is going on in our life. However, when God answers our prayers and delivers us from, what seemed to be a very critical situation, we resort to giving praises to the handiwork of the doctors; the great care by the nurses; the love and concern of our family; etc, but often we move on with life instead of recognizing that it was the power of the Almighty, merciful Father that brought us through. In reading this biblical story today, it is very evident where the power came from for Joshua and his men to ‘overwhelm the Amalekites’, as one translation puts it, for as long as Moses held up the ‘Staff of God’, Joshua and his army would win, but when he became tired and the Staff of God dropped, Joshua and his men would suffer under the Amalekites. Could it be that it is the ‘power of God’ that: heals the sick and afflicted today; or comforts the broken hearted; or saves the unlikely neighbor or enemy of yours when you pray? Friends, I believe that when we recognize God in response to our prayers, we must not ‘beat around the bush’ about any worldly influence in that situation, instead we must use that as a praiseworthy situation to which God deserves our praise and thanksgiving. Those are especially times of witnessing for the awesome work of God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the sweet Holy Spirit that prompts us to pray for power from on high. There just isn’t any other name or no other power like that of Jesus. As you acknowledge the power of our God, the unsaved will stop and begin to understand through real life situations how truly awesome our God is. May I suggest that you continue to pray with all your heart, soul and mind, but never forget to follow through in praise and honor to the God who can do all things, especially miracles where there is no other explanation for the outcome. Lift up the banner of God friend, so that the world might know and believe in the one true God and His precious Son, Jesus our Lord! | |
| PRAYER: | |
| Lord Jesus, we are often so ungrateful for all that You do in answering our prayer (lifting our ‘Staff of God’ before You), yet we are so quick to follow the crowd in giving others praise for accomplishing the very work that we prayer to You for. Shameful, shameful on our part. Please forgive us. I believe it is evident that You perform these miracles so that You might be lifted up, not that we might be satisfied that we have access to the Father anytime we need Him. You are not our ‘Santa Claus’, but rather, You are the God who created us; the God who saved us; the God who hears the heart cry of a sinner who had turned their back on You, yet You are willing to forgive and receive us as holy and acceptable to You. You are the same God that hears our prayer for circumstances that seem impossible to us, and You are not only attentive to our prayer, but You answer our prayers in the only way that is perfect. Lord, I have no understanding why we would not be in a mode of continuous praise and adoration of such an awesome Father, but You do, and so I plead with You to touch the hearts of Your children once again and teach us to recognize Your power and never be ashamed of giving You praise and glory for Your mighty works. Thank You Heavenly Father, 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! | |
Our Promised Healer
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Post Date: |
Tuesday, 2017-03-14 |
| SCRIPTURE | |
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From: |
Exodus 15:26 (MSG) |
|
Text: |
God said, “If you listen, listen obediently to how God tells you to live in his presence, obeying his commandments and keeping all his laws, then I won’t strike you with all the diseases that I inflicted on the Egyptians; I am God your healer.” |
| OBSERVATION: | |
| God had performed miracle after miracle in the process of getting His people out of Egypt and through the wilderness, yet as soon as they felt like their crisis was over, the Israelites would return to their false gods and their sinful ways. So God made them a conditional promise, that I believe holds true even today. Let’s look at this closely, as I believe it could reap benefits for the child of God even now. | |
| APPLICATION: | |
| I want you to be the judge in a scenario I will explain. The cops are called to a scene where trouble was reported. There are two young men at the scene. One (dressed in jogging pants) reports that he was passing by on his daily walk, and was beat up and robbed by the other man. The second man reports that the first man cursed at him and hurled insults at him while he was passing by, and provoked him to protect his ‘good name’. Fortunately, the police have never seen the first man before, whereas the second one had many encounters with the law over the past year. Who would you assume to be the guilty party among the two? As in this illustration, I believe that God was reminding the Israelites that if they live in obedience to the commands that He had laid out for them, then He will know they are serious about their commitment to Him, and for that He will spare them of the plagues and sicknesses that He was forced to send on the Egyptians to get their attention. In fact, He promised that He would be their healer. And this is where my introductory story fits in, for if you are living like the devil, why would you want, or expect God to step in and heal you or help you through a difficult time? In His Word, God is clear that He will punish the wicked but joyfully bless and heal the righteous. Based on your lifestyle, your commitment, and your obedience to God, will He recognize your cry, as one of His, when you cry for help? If not friend, may I encourage you to surrender your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ, and learn to live in obedience to His Word, so that you may become one with He and His Father – God? Then we can claim the promise given to us in this verse today, that He is our Healer! | |
| PRAYER: | |
| Dear God, You have already given so much for us. Thank You from the very bottom of my heart for loving each of us so much that You gave everything – for our ultimate good! After reading through the Israelites plight through the wilderness, and seeing Your willingness to still accept them and promise to be their Healer, I believe that Your children today who might meditate on this blog still stands a chance also. I don’t believe the rules have changed, for I believe that You still want to see us be obedient to Your commands that You lovingly put in place to help us be more like You. Please provoke us towards being Your obedient children willing to honor and serve You in every way possible, every day. 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! | |
What Can Jesus Do For You?
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Post Date: |
Monday, 2017-03-06 |
| SCRIPTURE | |
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From: |
Matthew 20:31-34 (NLT) |
|
Text: |
31 “Be quiet!” the crowd yelled at them. But they only shouted louder, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!”
32 When Jesus heard them, he stopped and called, “What do you want me to do for you?” 33 “Lord,” they said, “we want to see!” 34 Jesus felt sorry for them and touched their eyes. Instantly they could see! Then they followed him. |
| OBSERVATION: | |
| In this story we see a few things: First is the determination of the blind men to get Jesus’ attention. Although told by the disciples to be quiet, they shouted all the louder; Secondly, I am always shocked how Jesus would ask two blind men what he could do for them! He didn’t assume that they were there to have their sight restored, for they may have had much deeper needs that only the Master could resolve for them. And thirdly, their miracle led to them becoming followers of Christ! | |
| APPLICATION: | |
| Throughout the gospels we can read story after story about the extremes that some folk went to in order to see, touch, or plead with Jesus about their situation. I am saddened by our current day believers who either wait until their very last option to seek Jesus and ask Him for help in their respective scenario, or because they have listened to Satan and the world, and have chosen to not follow Christ, they therefore might opt to not ‘bother’ Him in their time of need. Notice that the blind men did not let pride get in their way of getting close to Jesus and asking Him for a miracle. They weren’t concerned about friends trying to turn them away because they never wanted anything to do with Jesus. I want you to also notice that although these men were not follower of Christ, He stopped, listened to their plea, and delivered them from their blindness. Friends, this is another reminder of how deep the love of God is for His children. Notice also that Jesus teaches us to never assume what the needs of another person might be. Wouldn’t you have thought that two blind men waiting to see Jesus, were probably there to ask for restoration of their sight? However, Jesus still asked what they wanted of Him. Friends, let’s learn from this that we are to be specific in our asking of God. So I believe the important question that Jesus might have for you today is: What is your greatest need that you would have me attend to for you? This should be the item that you are daily pleading to God for, and is first and foremost on your mind. Be determined as the two blind guys, knowing that the same Jesus that they called out to for mercy and healing, is still available, able and ready to also hear our cry for help. | |
| PRAYER: | |
| Dear Lord, we serve the awesome Creator of this world, and You have proven yourself over and over again, yet You are often the very last person that we call on in our times of trouble and despair. As we were reminded by this Scripture today, please teach us to be persistent in asking, knowing that You are ruler over all things and that Your awesome power is just as prevalent today as it was when You gave the command to restore eyesight to the two blind men. Lord, please touch the hearts and lives of all who might read this devotional today, and please especially touch the lives of my family at this time so that we all might be reminded of the King of all kings and Lord of all lords, and Your awesome love and power. For I ask these things in Your wonderful and matchless name, 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! | |
Would You Like To Get Well?
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Post Date: |
Tuesday, 2017-02-07 |
| SCRIPTURE | |
|
From: |
John 5:5–9 (TLB) |
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Text: |
5 One of the men lying there had been sick for thirty-eight years. 6 When Jesus saw him and knew how long he had been ill, he asked him, “Would you like to get well?” |
| OBSERVATION: | |
| This is part of the story that speaks about the crippled man who laid along the colonnades of the Pool at Bethesda, together with others who were blind, lame, or paralyzed. This particular man had been lame for 38 years and part of his reason for being at the pool was to beg arms of those who would come to bathe in the pool, for he had to hope for getting better, since he was unable to get off his bed and be the first to rush into the pool for healing when the waters started moving. Most other miracles performed in the New Testament resulted from folk begging, or touching or calling out to Jesus for healing, but this one was quite different. For in response to Jesus’ question, the man gave the long answer, and shared the hopelessness of his situation that not only prevented him from moving to gain his independence, but also hindered him from taking the necessary step that would bring about his wellness – his healing. Little did he know that he was in the presence of the greatest Healer, the very one who created Him and provided for him each and every day! The man didn’t know Jesus, nor did he know of His healing power, so he merely gave Jesus his sob story, instead of anxiously reaching out to Jesus for healing. | |
| APPLICATION: | |
| I wonder how many of us could stop, think, and come up with a parallel between the lame man at the pool-side, compared to our own story and/or actions? How many of us get so caught up in our own sad stories that we overlook the hand that is extended to help us navigate this rough life and overcome the obstacles that seem to block us at every turn? Are we one to take that lemon and enjoy some lemonade, instead of whining and complaining about its tangy, sour, bitter, acid-filled taste that is good for nothing? What must others be saying about us when they see us coming? Complainer; whiner; discourager; faithless; imitator of Satan; or a curse? Or might we be seen as one with all of the opposite attributes and filled with the Spirit of God? Can we answer a direct question if the Master walked into our presence and asked about our needs? Do we truly have the faith to honor the commands of the God that we serve, and actually attempt to stand up; roll up our mat; and walk away, when told to do so? Or are we too content in our whining and complaining? I have a friend who is blind from birth, and I have never seen a more positive person. He is able to make blind jokes to help folk like me who feel sorry for him. He has gone on with his life, even with his handicap, and is succeeding and excelling in many, many ways. An evangelist who is badly handicapped by MS once asked in his sermon after telling his story: “so what’s your problem healthy friend, why are you sitting back saying you can’t?” Friends, I believe that Jesus is very aware of our limitations, but He also said in His Word ‘that’s OK, for in your weakness and inabilities, I will be more easily recognized for the awesome work that I will do through you’. Jesus made us just as we are, for His glory. Would you say that He is glorified by the way that we have accepted His masterpiece? | |
| PRAYER: | |
| Lord Jesus, please be merciful to me, a sinner saved by the grace of my awesome Savior. For I often feel sorry for myself, or feel incapable of speaking to others, or feel unworthy of the calling that You have placed on my life. I don’t believe I’m alone in feeling this way Lord, for our churches are not filled and I still see many in our neighborhoods who are still lost in their sin. Please help us to be the hands and feet of Jesus, and please help us to be obedient to You in everything we do or say, for only what’s done for Jesus will last, and will be worth it all, when we see You face-to-face. The man in our story today was lame and he couldn’t… We also have many excuses as to why we can’t be Your followers, Your disciple, and Your witness to our lost friends and family. Please forgive us Lord, and fill us once again with Your power, Your encouragement and Your boldness. 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! | |
Faith to Receive Healing
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Post Date: |
Thursday, 2017-01-26 |
| SCRIPTURE | |
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From: |
Matthew 9:27-29 (NCV) |
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Text: |
27 When Jesus was leaving there, two blind men followed him. They cried out, “Have mercy on us, Son of David!” 28 After Jesus went inside, the blind men went with him. He asked the men, “Do you believe that I can make you see again?” They answered, “Yes, Lord.” 29 Then Jesus touched their eyes and said, “Because you believe I can make you see again, it will happen.” |
| OBSERVATION: | |
| Interesting story of how two individual sought after God for what appears to be very obvious reasons. However, Jesus took nothing for granted, He wanted to make sure that they believed in His power to heal, and that they were actually interested in being healed. I believe that Jesus also knew that the response from the two blind men were 100% honest and that they had the faith to believe in His healing power. While I believe it is clear that it was the miraculous power of Jesus Christ that healed the men, Jesus was adamant that it was their faith that healed them. I believe that Jesus was saying to the men that had they not had confidence, or faith in his healing power, that they were wasting their time following Him and seeking His help. | |
| APPLICATION: | |
| How often do we seek the face of Jesus for a need in our life, but consider it as one of our options, instead of seeking Him wholeheartedly with all of our heart, soul and mind, in total faith that Jesus has the power to do it, if we have the faith to believe in Him and His awesome power? Friends, God’s Word is filled with stories of how Jesus healed every type of malady or handicap; how He forgave; how He brought the dead back to life; and He loved unconditionally. Is there anything too difficult or impossible for Him? So I wonder why we choose to make our petitions to our Master as the very last option? Is it because of our lack of faith? Is it because we want to try all earthly options first? Is it because we don’t want to bother Jesus with our issues? Friends, we gain our faith through experience with our Lord. Think of a child. The first time a dad suggest that the child jump from a wall into his arms. There is much hesitation, but after gaining the confidence that dad could very easily handle the jump, you can barely stop the child from wanting to do it again! When God heals that little toe ache you placed at His feet in prayer, confidently praying in faith, don’t you know that He will also be just as willing to attend to your needs when the heart disease begins to worry you? Our God is able, friend! Let’s show that we believe that by placing our faith and trust in Him to meet our needs miraculously, just as He is able to do. Will you join me in that? | |
| PRAYER: | |
| Lord Jesus, in faith we come to You today, praying for the miracle of ___________. As we each fill that blank with the very deepest need in our lives today, I pray that we will do so in faith believing in the awesome power of a Savior who can….. Please renew such a strength in us Lord Jesus that our faith will be renewed and our relationship with You will be rekindled to such a degree, that those around us will see, hear and believe on the same Son of God that is working miracles in our life. Lord, may Yours be the glory, the honor and all praise, for I ask these things in the name of Jesus, and for His glory only, 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! | |
It’s All About God
May I encourage you to get your spiritual ‘Nuggets’ to start your day off right? Pretty amazing that our awesome God would consider feeding even us with His Word! May I encourage you to read the whole devotional, and look for a blessing, friend!………
Today’s Bible Reference: Acts 9:36–42
Today’s Bible Text: 36 In Joppa there was a woman named Tabitha, who was a believer. (Her name in Greek is Dorcas, meaning “a deer”.) She spent all her time doing good and helping the poor. 37 At that time she became ill and died. Her body was washed and laid in a room upstairs. 38 Joppa was not very far from Lydda, and when the believers in Joppa heard that Peter was in Lydda, they sent two men to him with the message, “Please hurry and come to us.” 39 So Peter got ready and went with them. When he arrived, he was taken to the room upstairs, where all the widows crowded round him, crying and showing him all the shirts and coats that Dorcas had made while she was alive. 40 Peter put them all out of the room, and knelt down and prayed; then he turned to the body and said, “Tabitha, get up!” She opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter, she sat up. 41 Peter reached over and helped her get up. Then he called all the believers, including the widows, and presented her alive to them. 42 The news about this spread all over Joppa, and many people believed in the Lord.
The Bible Translation: The Good news Translation (GNT)
My Take Away: No doubt many of you went to church this past weekend, and I could only imagine that if asked about your experience, there would probably be an array of responses. It is very common to hear things like: The Praise and Worship team did an amazing job; The pastor was spot on with the message, I believe there had to be some who were touched; You would never believe who I saw at the service – for the first in a long time; It was like a fashion show, and I felt so out of place; We had a boring service; We had an exciting service; etc, etc…. After reading this scripture this morning, I wonder how many would need to be asked about their worship experience this weekend if they really saw God at work in their midst! In this story, there were two men sent out to invite a nearby disciple to come and pray with them over their friend Dorcas. I wonder how many of us went to church with that kind of faith – Went knowing that our unsaved loved ones were being invited to be in the presence of the One who could save them from the grasp of sin on their life. Knowing that the friend attending who had been told that her cancer was in its final stages, would actually sit in the presence of the only One who could heal her body and restore her health. We went knowing that we were there to wait on the same Lord that touched our friends at the last service in ways that could not be explained in any other way than a touch from God. Friends, there’s a difference between what the attendees experienced in the first examples I gave, than in the second set of examples. In the first, we can see where folk were attending church in much the same way that most of us experience every week. In the second example, it is evident that the same God who listened to Peter’s prayer and healed Dorcas, also heard the prayers of believers and visited with them – meeting their specific needs as God felt necessary. Did you really prepare yourself to meet God this past weekend, or was it just that you wanted to attend church?
Prayer: Dear God, I am so thankful that we can still worship the same God that raised Dorcas back to life! Thank You for hearing the cry of Peter and the others who participated in that prayer meeting around Dorcas, but I also thank You for assuring us of Your availability to us even today. We often gather with so many needs, yet distracted by so many trivial things. Please help us to stay focused on You dear Lord. The unsaved of our community will only respond to knowing that You were present in our midst, not any of the other ‘fluff’ that tends to distract us each week. Please help us to stay focused on Your power and to always welcome Your presence in our midst, so that others might know that our hope and our faith is all built around You oh Lord. Please have Your will and way in our lives today, for I ask this in the name of Jesus, who must reign in our lives if others are to be impacted for the kingdom, 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!
2016
Nuggets From God's Word 