God’s Word Says….

Acts 16:23-26 (NCV)
23 Then Paul and Silas were thrown into jail, and the jailer was ordered to guard them carefully. 24 When he heard this order, he put them far inside the jail and pinned their feet down between large blocks of wood.
25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing songs to God as the other prisoners listened. 26 Suddenly, there was a strong earthquake that shook the foundation of the jail. Then all the doors of the jail broke open, and all the prisoners were freed from their chains.

My Thoughts…..

Two important lessons can be found in this short passage of Scripture for the Christian: 1). Rejoice in the Lord ALWAYS – yes even when under persecution, or perhaps in chains, or imprisoned. Easy to do? No, but the Bible also says that we are to give thanks for ALL things (not all good things). When we buckle under pressure, we are re-writing the Scripture to say that God is with us when things are going well for us, but you’re on your own when things get tough. Never thought that way? If not, non-Christians think that way when they see us (Christians) unable to function, or pray, or praise during our less-than-ideal circumstances, and I don’t believe that’s the kind of witness we ever wanted to portray to our non-Christian friends. 2). In order to be reachable by our lost, non-Christian friends, we must not flaunt our freedom in Christ. Prayers were answered and Paul, Silas and the other prisoners were free to go, but in staying, the jailer was converted!

Challenge……

Friends, we must learn to stay strong in our faith through the good times and through the bad, or challenging times. The God we celebrate and give thanks to for our mountain top experiences, is the same God that we call on when we feel like we are at our lowest point. Nowhere in Scripture does it ever indicate that God would hide His face from us under certain circumstances or when we are in certain locations or with certain friends that He may not approve of. Notice that I am not indicating that Christians have certain freedoms to do just as they please and go wherever they choose with whomever they please, then when times get tough just call on God. Instead, I am saying that God is with us when life seems toughest or even impossible, so let’s learn to praise Him and pray to Him in every aspect of our lives. Let’s live like Christians who believe that our Lord is alive, and He is with us every day, everywhere and at all times. When we praise Him in the tough times, we reassure ourselves that God is just as near to us then as any time in our past, and that He is able to hear our prayer and act on it! As we meditate on the second point above, let us be reminded that our friends need someone who they can identify with, and who they feel is real. Without their faith in Christ, it may be impossible for them to grasp the joy and reassurance that we feel. So while we may feel God’s presence in a very real sense, and we have comfort in knowing that He will help us though the unfortunate circumstances we may be facing with our friend, let’s try to be understanding of our friend and the fear they are feeling inside. Let us earn their trust, so that they might sincerely desire a need for our Savior that gives us strength, hope and love. They must feel like we can identify with their need so that they will trust the Savior in who we are placing our trust and faith.

Prayer……

Lord Jesus, these are tough principles in this Scripture passage today, but I am convinced that all Scripture is God-breathed for our good. Many of us are either already facing, or will face situations where our non-Christian friends may feel like we may be unreachable because of differences in character, talk or actions in their lives versus ours. Lord, I believe that for us to be a good witness, we must humble ourselves like you did while here on this earth. Father God, please help us to keep our eyes focused on Your Son. Please help us to be His imitators. Please help us to set pride aside and instead concentrate on the bigger goal of seeing our lost friends come to accept Your Son and develop relationships with Him, and I humbly ask all this in the precious name of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, Your Son, AMEN!

Action…..

In response to God leading You through this devotional today, please get with a Bible teaching Pastor you may know and allow him to guide you. Otherwise feel free to reply to my post online, or you may email me directly at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. I will gladly add you to my prayer list, and/or respond to your request(s) ASAP.

God’s Word Says….

Acts 16:18-21 (NCV)
18 She kept this up for many days. This bothered Paul, so he turned and said to the spirit, “By the power of Jesus Christ, I command you to come out of her!” Immediately, the spirit came out.
19 When the owners of the servant girl saw this, they knew that now they could not use her to make money. So they grabbed Paul and Silas and dragged them before the city rulers in the marketplace. 20 They brought Paul and Silas to the Roman rulers and said, “These men are Jews and are making trouble in our city. 21 They are teaching things that are not right for us as Romans to do.”

My Thoughts…..

I believe that most of us will immediately respond that effective ministry will always result in a winning outcome for the kingdom, right? Well, I believe that we will see from this passage that this may prove to be a true statement, but often it might come with its side effects invoked, or tainted, by Satan and his demons, as we also see in this passage. Satan is always an unhappy camper when he observes God impacting his followers. I believe that what this means to us today is that as we witness, and as we teach, and as we preach, Satan will be looking at every angle for ways to break up that good work that God may be doing through us. This could easily discourage us, but instead let’s give thanks to God because we then have proof that He is indeed breaking down some walls, and intruding on Satan’s territory in response to our prayers and/or other ministry efforts!

Challenge……

So you may snicker and want to remind me that this does not happen in our country, or our church, or our special little families, right? Well friends, I want to bring you into the real world in which we live, by giving you a few examples. We studied a book by a very popular pastor who, in spite of a blossoming ministry and a church exploding with growth, yet Satan got to his daughter in his attempts to disrupt the effective ministry of this man of God. Praise God, there was a glorious ending to the story, after many months of heartache by this pastor and the agonizing prayers of his church members. But bringing this down to the lay persons’ lives; like me, I believe that many of my readers will also know of families that are hurting, and perhaps pondering if they made the right decision to accept the Lordship of Jesus, because of what they see occurring in their immediate families. Friends, I want to remind us that our God is King over all this world, and He is more powerful than Satan or any of his evil attempts to destroy us. In fact, we can really say like Paul, that whether we become victors here on this earth or not, to die is actually gain, because we would be leaving the wickedness, evil and destruction of this world and entering the presence of our loving and awesome God! So whether we rejoice in seeing results here on this earth or not, we will one day rejoice at the feet of our Master and Lord, Jesus the Christ! So our challenge is to continue doing what God says for as long as we have breath, for we will glory in the cross of Christ here on this earth, and/or when we sit at the feet of Jesus in glory! Praise the wonderful name of Jesus, my Lord! Do you know Him, friend?

Prayer……

Lord Jesus, thank you for the reminder in Your Word this morning, that we may end up like Paul and Silas, being ridiculed, mocked or even beaten for our part in Your ministry here. However, a day is coming when we will look into You loving eyes and receive Your nod of approval for being consistent in our walk and in our talk, even in spite of our enemies, but all for the glory of God! Please help us to keep on ministering whether we see results or not. We can only plant the seeds and wait for You to mature them in the lives of individuals – Your precious children. You indeed have a plan for our lives, and I trust that You can always use me and my friends meditating on this devotional to also be a part of Your plan to reach the hearts and souls of our loved ones that we want so desperately to be with You in glory when the time shall come. Thank You for the provision, and thank You for ministering to my heart and soul to make me a part of Your wonderful family! I thankfully worship You and ask all this in Your wonderful name, Jesus my Lord, AMEN!

Action…..

In response to God leading You through this devotional today, please get with a Bible teaching Pastor you may know and allow him to guide you. Otherwise feel free to reply to my post online, or you may email me directly at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. I will gladly add you to my prayer list, and/or respond to your request(s) ASAP.

God’s Word Says….
Nehemiah 13:19-22 (NCV)

19 So I ordered that the doors be shut at sunset before the Sabbath and not be opened until the Sabbath was over. I put my servants at the gates so no load could come in on the Sabbath. 20 Once or twice traders and sellers of all kinds of goods spent the night outside Jerusalem. 21 So I warned them, “Why are you spending the night by the wall? If you do it again, I will force you away.” After that, they did not come back on the Sabbath. 22 Then I ordered the Levites to purify themselves and to guard the city gates to make sure the Sabbath remained holy.

My Thoughts…..

Nehemiah ‘took the bull by the horn’ and made sure that the law of the Sabbath was maintained in his town! I smiled as I read through these verses, because this took real courage and boldness! But then I believe that God challenged me with the thought, but what if my men, like you and other men of God, were strong enough in your faith, and bold enough in your witness, to take such bold steps today to make sure that my Word is taught like it is true, obeyed as to avoid the fear of God’s wrath, and honored to enjoy the power of His love through miracle after miracle as He blesses His people? This could very easily create such a pinnacle of blessing and praise in our lives that we might eventually feel like we have already entered into our heavenly home! In other words, I believe that it could soon overwhelm us with a tremendous shower of God’s blessings! I am afraid that our Sabbath, and I use it interchangeably with ‘The Lord’s Day’, has become the one hour, or perhaps 2-3 hours that we spend around church for Sunday School and church. After that we tend to immediately move into our self-taught ‘modern day Sabbath’ where we do what we please, instead of the day of rest and holiness that I believe God intended it to be. Think with me for a moment about the increase in heart attacks; the many, many ill health effects that has crept upon us, and the ineffectiveness of the church today. Could it possibly be caused by the lack of rest that mankind receives – and yes, especially me? Could it be why any and everything is acceptable in our world, yet Christian/Biblical principles are frowned upon? Why should we expect any less? Friend, God loves us so much that He wants to bless us beyond anything we could even imagine, but it must be on His terms, and following His commands. We can’t expect to receive His fullness and His rich blessings, when we disregard His written instructions (His Word – The Bible) and continue to act like we did before we invited Him to take charge of our lives.

Challenge……

How important is God’s blessings to you? How important is it to you that this world be impacted for God’s glory, because of your stance for God and His Word? I am convinced that we need to stop riding the fence, and decide this day who we will serve. If indeed it is God, then let’s do it wholeheartedly, without reservation, and stand up to any opposition, whether it’s in teaching, or practicing otherwise. We are sitting on, and treating way to lightly, the power of our Mighty, but Loving and Awesome God. Choose this day whom you will serve! Then as any good attorney would do in order to be effective in a courtroom, read the Book of instruction and follow its teachings. It leads to Christ. Exactly where you and I should be in all Truth and obedience.

Prayer…

Lord Jesus, I’m afraid that we (Christians) have not given up our worldly roots and truly learned to follow You. Thank You for all that You offer to us, and want to do for us. Please take control of our minds, our most inner beings, and help us to be firm in our faith, obedient in our decisions and actions, and bold in our witness to others, after we have cleared the ‘plank’ from our own eyes and lives. Lord, I must ask You to first of all do this in my life, but Master, I would humbly ask that You then start from the top of our earthly role models with the same impact. Begin with our pastors, then all the way down to our church attendees. Please help us to truly be all that we claim to be, children of Yours – living lives exampled after You and in appreciation for all that You did for us so that we may enjoy the benefits of eternity with You in heaven! You are God alone, please help us to honor You in and through our lives while here on this earth, is my humble and heartfelt prayer. For it is in Your most precious and holy name that I pray, AMEN!

Action…..

In response to God leading You through this devotional today, please get with a Bible teaching Pastor you may know and allow him to guide you. Otherwise feel free to reply to my post online, or you may email me directly at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. I will gladly add you to my prayer list, and/or respond to your request(s) ASAP.

God’s Word Says….

Acts 15:36-40 (NCV)
36 After some time, Paul said to Barnabas, “We should go back to all those towns where we preached the message of the Lord. Let’s visit the believers and see how they are doing.”
37 Barnabas wanted to take John Mark with them, 38 but he had left them at Pamphylia; he did not continue with them in the work. So Paul did not think it was a good idea to take him. 39 Paul and Barnabas had such a serious argument about this that they separated and went different ways. Barnabas took Mark and sailed to Cyprus, 40 but Paul chose Silas and left.

My Thoughts…..

Often in the lives of individuals, and yes even in the lives of Christians and our churches, disagreements will arise, and sometimes the decision is made to separate. Way too often though, enough is not done to reach the state of mutual decision before one party flies off in a rage and promises the world and all of Satan’s demons that they will never darken the doors of a church again, or they will do all within their power to bring revenge on the other person or group. As in every case with scripture, we can find the answers to life’s challenges right within the pages of the Bible and, as Christians, we are obligated to follow its instruction, whether it is in our favor or not. Paul and Barnabas, these saints that did such awesome work for the Lord, had a disagreement about Barnabas wanting to bring a family member along who, at one point earlier, had abandoned their ministry. Although some translations indicate that this was a very serious argument, it is clear that they separated. Yet they multiplied their efforts by sending out two teams, instead of just the one team of Paul and Barnabas. With the help of later scripture, it is believed that both teams had effective ministry opportunities and successes. Effective ministry will only happen when God has free reign in the effort and that there are no wedges placed there by us that will cause God to turn His holy face away from us.

Challenge……

I’m sure that each one meditating on this devotional will agree that at one point in your lives you have either been involved in, or part of a church or group that had been involved in some type of disagreement or split at some point. It is not something that any of us could be proud of, because God’s Word teaches unity and reconciliation. This particular story teaches us that we can agree to disagree, and yes, we may even have to separate at times to effectively continue ministry for our Lord. But we should always bear in mind that our sole purpose as a Christian is to: a). Worship and adore the Savior we recognize as Lord of our lives; and b). to grow each day to be more like Jesus in every way, and this involves living humble loving lives like He did, and loving our neighbor as ourselves, as He commanded. There is an old chorus that Christians once sang, “They will know us by our love”. To fulfill either of these Christian duties, we must be willing to give and take. It’s not all about us! Jesus is the One that we live for, love, adore and strive to imitate every day. Can we commit today to be more like Him in ALL walks of life, so that the world will know us by our love? We know that He is with us at all times, and that we are never alone, so with His help we can do ALL things! Let’s fill this world with true Jesus followers and imitators of Christ friend!

Prayer……

Lord Jesus, I am sure that You must look at us, sometimes utterly ashamed of the people that You created specifically to worship and honor You. Often we allow such an influence by Satan in our lives and subsequently in our churches, that You are excluded, and I am convinced that You will refuses to force Yourself upon us. Lord, we are ashamed of our weaknesses and our defeated lives, while family and friends all around us are dying and going to Hell. Please forgive our littleness and ineffectiveness. Lord I know that it is only You who can fill us and make us more like You in all of life’s situations, so I humbly ask You for a fresh filling of Your Holy Spirit so that I may have power to overcome sin and its awful effect on my life. I know that with Your help, I can be more than a conqueror of anything that Satan throws at me. Please fill me with Your power and Your love so that I may share it with all those that I come into contact with. You overcame death on that glorious day after your crucifixion, oh that You may fill me, and my friends meditating on this, with Your power to overcome evil and to be a reflection of our risen Lord! For it is in that name that I humbly pray and ask all this, AMEN!

Action…..

In response to God leading You through this devotional today, please get with a Bible teaching Pastor you may know and allow him to guide you. Otherwise feel free to reply to my post online, or you may email me directly at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. I will gladly add you to my prayer list, and/or respond to your request(s) ASAP.

God’s Word Says….

Acts 15:20-21 (NCV)
20 Instead, we should write a letter to them telling them these things: Stay away from food that has been offered to idols (which makes it unclean), any kind of sexual sin, eating animals that have been strangled, and blood. 21 They should do these things, because for a long time in every city the law of Moses has been taught. And it is still read in the synagogue every Sabbath day.”

My Thoughts…..

After deep study on these verses I believe that I understand what James was trying to accomplish in what he said to the Jews gathered. Because of other scripture, we know that James was very aware that there is only one thing required for salvation. In fact, today is Good Friday, a day that commemorates the day that Jesus was crucified. A powerful sacrifice made for our forgiveness of sin. Powerful, because He could have taken the liberty of also being the Son of God, and prevented the enormous pain, agony, embarrassment, and mockery of public crucifixion. There are many accounts in scripture where we saw the power of Jesus – raising the dead; turning water into wine; healing the blind and the crippled, etc. so we know that He could have just as easily performed a miracle to avoid the cross. So James, knowing that there is nothing more needed for salvation – no add-ons, yet he proposed that the letter back to the new Gentile converts include conditions. What he was actually doing here is leaving the door of opportunity for these new converts to be accepted by his Jewish brothers, because he knew that one day they (the Gentiles) may very well have to witness to their Jewish counterparts about their lost (life without Jesus) condition. The conditions included were a type of compromise that would allow the Jews to accept what Paul and Barnabas said was happening among the Gentiles.

Challenge……

This story perfectly illustrates how we may have to sometime ‘go with the flow’, as long as it is not sin, in order to keep the windows of opportunity open with those that we are trying to reach. In 2 Timothy 2:10 Paul told Timothy that he was not only willing to be tied in chains, but to do anything if it would help in leading his fellow countrymen to salvation in Jesus Christ. So how is it with you friend? What are you willing to do to reach that lost family member or friend that you are praying for? Are you keeping the doors of communication opened? Are you showing them that you are just as human as they are, and that you understand the pain and struggles that they might be going through, some of which might be standing in their way of decision for the Lord? To earn that person’s trust, they need to know that you can identify with them. To enable you to speak to their heart, they must have your trust. Jesus was just a humble, servant kind’a man, yet He had more power than anyone in the whole world. Can you be that humble – for the ultimate good of mankind? How important is the salvation of the person at the top of your prayer list to you?

Prayer……

Lord Jesus, my heart is heavy today as I reflect on all that You willingly suffered on Calvary’s rugged cross, just so that I might have forgiveness of sin, and look forward to eternity in Heaven with You. But praise God, I am overjoyed in knowing that You loved even me, a mere sinner saved by grace, enough to compromise Your power over those that carried out the acts at Golgotha on that dismal day that we now call Good Friday! You loved me enough to lay down Your life for me! Thank You Jesus! Please touch the hearts of those that will hear this message again this weekend. May they surrender their sinful lives over to our resurrected, loving and living Lord, is my humble prayer to You. Please show my friends reading this devotional, and myself what sacrifices are necessary in our lives so that You may have liberty in working through us to witness to those that burden our hearts today. For I ask all this in the name of the resurrected and living Lord that I adore, Jesus the Christ, God’s only Son, AMEN!

Action…..

In response to God leading You through this devotional today, please get with a Bible teaching Pastor you may know and allow him to guide you. Otherwise feel free to reply to my post online, or you may email me directly at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. I will gladly add you to my prayer list, and/or respond to your request(s) ASAP.

God’s Word Says….

Acts 15:19 (AMP)
19 Therefore it is my opinion that we should not put obstacles in the way of and annoy and disturb those of the Gentiles who turn to God,

My Thoughts…..

The subject may seem a bit weird to some readers, but would your church leaders today be any different to the group of men that Paul, Barnabas, Peter and James stood before in Acts 15? I would dare so ‘no’, for I believe that we continue to have our biases and want to defend our church beliefs above all others, even today. This is why community events sponsored by churches, will not be supported by some churches. This is why pastors from various churches refuse to mix with pastors of certain other churches. This is why some church leaders look down their pious noses and respond negatively when they hear of moves of the Holy Spirit at certain other churches. Unfortunately, not a whole lot has changed – even after all of the lessons we have learned through history and, in particular, from God’s Word.

Challenge……

Can we expect to see a lost world attracted to the Savior that we brag on, if all they see is our backbiting and disagreements with each other within the body of Christ? If I might use the words of James in verse 15 to challenge us with today: We should not put obstacles (stumbling blocks) in the way of, and annoy and disturb the move of God among His people, no matter which Christian, Bible Believing church they hear the gospel in, or are saved in, or decide to attend for their ongoing discipleship and mission efforts. What part will you play in winning the lost friend? Will you be brave enough to stand with Paul, Barnabas, Peter and James, or will you be on the team of ridicule? I dare say that God’s work will not flourish through the latter group. You decide!

Prayer……

Lord Jesus, please forgive us for interfering in Your work. Who are we to question the work of our Master and our Lord? You rescued us from a life of sin and dirt, yet we forget that and question that someone else who may not equal our social status, or are a part of our church, could be saved? I am ashamed that we have not learned our lessons and been Your disciples to a lost and dying world, much like You did for us. Please forgive me Jesus, because although my actions may not be blatant, I’m sure that I have also failed in true, unadulterated discipleship to the world at large. My desire is to see my lost family, friends, coworkers and folk within my realm of influence, come to know You as Lord. I need Your love, strength, wisdom and boldness to be an influence in this action for You, please dear Lord. All this I ask in the most precious name that I know, Jesus my Lord! AMEN!

Action…..

In response to God leading You through this devotional today, please get with a Bible teaching Pastor you may know and allow him to guide you. Otherwise feel free to reply to my post online, or you may email me directly at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. I will gladly add you to my prayer list, and/or respond to your request(s) ASAP.

God’s Word Says….

Acts 15:7-11 (GNT)
7 After a long debate Peter stood up and said, “My friends, you know that a long time ago God chose me from among you to preach the Good News to the Gentiles, so that they could hear and believe. 8 And God, who knows the thoughts of everyone, showed his approval of the Gentiles by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he had to us. 9 He made no difference between us and them; he forgave their sins because they believed. 10 So then, why do you now want to put God to the test by laying a load on the backs of the believers which neither our ancestors nor we ourselves were able to carry? 11 No! We believe and are saved by the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they are.”

My Thoughts…..

If we ever expect to see the world, and in particular our world of influence, saved from their sin and to the lordship of Jesus Christ, then Christians MUST know the answer to this question! It’s not the preacher, or pastor or other spiritual leader that will save them, it’s their close, intimate friends that they trust, who will plant the seed of faith in them and cause them to turn their eyes and inquiring minds towards Jesus. It is God’s Holy Spirit working through each of us that will impact our unsaved loved ones! However, I believe that this passage comes as a warning to each of us today, for we must be extremely careful not to try and impose upon these ones we are witnessing to, any non-biblical values that we may hold as ‘good moral practices’, and then present that as a requirement for salvation. Paul, Barnabas and Peter ran into this, as described in these highlighted verses. They had been out in the field teaching, preaching and witnessing based on the biblical facts taught to them at the time of their decision to accept Jesus as Lord. Back at ‘head office’ where the patriarchs were located, they were carefully screening all that these disciples were teaching and subsequently correcting them, as necessary. One of the corrections concerned circumcision, a practice that began way back with their forefathers. Now under discussion between the group and the disciples/missionaries, Peter clarifies in verse 9 that the Gentiles were taught the Word of God, then, in turn they believed, were saved and ultimately filled with the Holy Spirit as evidence of their new birth. No other conditions were necessary.

Challenge……

In the case of the Jews questioning the disciples, they had an add-on of circumcision as a requirement for salvation. What are our add-ons today friend? Is it the type clothes the convert must wear, is it the church they must attend or the number of church services, or is it the new ‘godly’ language they must learn to speak? Let’s not forget friends, while many of these things are attributes of a Christian that we may know, these are added blessings that God will shower on us and that we may gain from being around God’s people, in His Word and just learning about His character. Let’s take heed to what Peter said in vs 10, and not place any conditions on a person we are witnessing to. Let’s teach the unadulterated Word of God, and watch these new converts change from the inside out. The important thing is that they place their faith and total surrender to the One that can change them – deep inside.

Prayer……

Lord Jesus, I can only imagine that You must shake Your head at times when You see what mockery we have made of religion, and especially of the simplicity of the gospel. You willingly gave Your life so that ALL may accept You and one day spend eternity in heaven. I believe that You did this without condition so that ALL may qualify for this free gift. Please speak wisdom into our hearts and allow us to simply share this truth without placing our ‘unapproved conditions’ on folk that want to know You. We live in a world that is dying and going to Hell, and although I believe that You never thought that everyone will accept this gift, I do believe that You expect each of Your children to be busy about Your Father’s work in sharing the Good News with all that we come into contact with. Please tender the hearts of Your children today, so that we may learn to ‘share’, and not to be like spoiled children of the world who are generally selfish with the gifts the world may have showered them with. Thank You for hearing my prayer. I am anticipating a great move of Your Spirit today, beginning with me! For it is in Your most holy and precious name that I pray, AMEN!

Action…..

In response to God leading You through this devotional today, please get with a Bible teaching Pastor you may know and allow him to guide you. Otherwise feel free to reply to my post online, or you may email me directly at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. I will gladly add you to my prayer list, and/or respond to your request(s) ASAP.

God’s Word Says….

Acts 14:19-20 (GNT)
19 Some Jews came from Antioch in Pisidia and from Iconium; they won the crowd over to their side, stoned Paul and dragged him out of the town, thinking that he was dead. 20But when the believers gathered round him, he got up and went back into the town. The next day he and Barnabas went to Derbe.

My Thoughts…..

Because of Paul’s ministry, and the miracles that ensued, the Jews stoned him and took him outside the city gates. However the disciples (the fellow believers in Christ) circled about him and he got up and went back into the city. I am envisioning that the disciples got around this man, prayed for him and showed concern and love for him. Further, I believe that they circled around him as he returned to the city, indicating that they were his protector. I also believe that it was, to a great extent, the prayers and their love that helped Paul get to his feet and continue the ministry to that city.

Challenge……

Friends, I believe that God places people like Paul in our path every day. There are folk that are hurt, discouraged, and looking for a disciple to circle around them, pray for them, encourage them and love on them. I believe there are folk that feel like giving up because they feel like their ministry is falling on deaf ears and having no impact for the Lord. There are friends within our realm of influence that are hurting – either financially, or in their health, or in the bad health of their loved one, or even because of death, perhaps. It is not our job to refer them to the pastor, or send them to the church office, or ask someone else to go and pray for them. We are often placed in such scenarios so that God might minister through us. Sounds impossible? Remember, with God all things are possible. God is looking for our availability and willingness to serve Him, not our abilities. Sure in the eyes of the world there may be others more qualified to help, but I can guarantee you today that there is none like our God, and with Him ministering through us, we can do all things! So be on the lookout for who might need you today, and seek God’s wisdom and power to help them. He is more than willing to encircle us and help us to do the right thing. Just let Him do it friend!

Prayer……

Lord Jesus, I believe that there are many that are hurting in our world. Literally in OUR world of influence. Please open my eyes that I might see the needs of people that I come into contact with. Please give me wisdom and humbleness to stop the busy-ness around me so that I might not only see the needs, but that I might encircle the person, encourage them, pray for them and show love to them, like You would have me do. Father, You have a large army of folk that claim You as Lord on Sunday. Please help us to be Your disciple every day of the week and truly show that we are Yours. For it is in Your precious and wonderful name that I pray. AMEN!

Action…..

In response to God leading You through this devotional today, please get with a Bible teaching Pastor you may know and allow him to guide you. Otherwise feel free to reply to my post online, or you may email me directly at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. I will gladly add you to my prayer list, and/or respond to your request(s) ASAP.

God’s Word Says….

Nehemiah 9:16-19 (The Message)

They turned a deaf ear, they refused to remember the miracles you had done for them;
They turned stubborn, got it into their heads to return to their Egyptian slavery.
And you, a forgiving God, gracious and compassionate, incredibly patient, with tons of love – you didn’t dump them. Yes, even when they cast a sculpted calf and said, “This is your god who brought you out of Egypt,” and continued from bad to worse, You in your amazing compassion didn’t walk off and leave them in the desert.

My Thoughts…..

I thought that this sounded much like the condition of our great country today. In all good consciousness, we can honestly say that God has been gracious to us. Blessed us beyond measure, been very patient with, and loving to us. Yet every time we turn on the evening news we hear about all the evil that occurred that day in all parts of our country. It you will take time to read the whole chapter you will see that Ezra listed a whole lot of sin that went on among his people, yet God was merciful and forgave them when they cried out to Him. Christian friends, I believe God can touch the wicked hearts of our people today also, but I believe that, like Ezra, we must humble ourselves, and cry out to Him.

Challenge……

In 2 Chronicles 14, we are taught that, as God’s people, we must humble ourselves, turn from our wicked ways (yes friends, even us – we have wicked ways that are not pleasing to God, and He will not hear us when also poisoned by sin) and pray, then we will hear from heaven. In other words, then He will melt the hearts of our wicked neighbors, friends, city, state and country. Yes, our God is not dead, He’s still in control of this world, but He allows us the opportunity to make our own choices. What’s your choice today? Are you prepared to do as the scripture says: turn, pray and receive God’s forgiveness? Today you have that choice, who knows if you will be alive or capable of making that choice tomorrow? So don’t delay, please?

Prayer……

Lord Jesus, I acknowledge that we are a wicked nation, with atrocious sin revealed every day. Please allow me to begin with self – please strengthen me so that I may turn away from things that displease You. Sinful things that are opposite to what You teach in Your Word. I am sorry Lord, that I have become a weakened vessel for You, as a result of sin that always interferes and weakens my relationship with You. Then Lord, I plead with You to forgive me of my sin and strengthen me with Your awesome power, so that I may truly be a usable instrument by You. I also ask that You please touch the hearts of those that may meditate on this devotional today. Please influence them to do the same as I just did, so that we may be a stronger witness for You in all areas of our lives. No matter where we are in the world, I believe that You need warriors who are truly committed to serving You without the hindrance of sin. Dear God, I ask all this in the precious and awesome name of Your Son, Jesus, my Lord. AMEN!

Action…..

In response to God leading You through this devotional today, please get with a Bible teaching Pastor you may know and allow him to guide you. Otherwise feel free to reply to my post online, or you may email me directly at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. I will gladly add you to my prayer list, and/or respond to your request(s) ASAP.

God’s Word Says….

Nehemiah 8:1-3 (AMP)
1 THEN ALL the people gathered together as one man in the broad place before the Water Gate; and they asked Ezra the scribe to bring the Book of the Law of Moses, which the Lord had given to Israel.
2 And Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly of both men and women and all who could hear with understanding, on the first of the seventh month.
3 He read from it, facing the broad place before the Water Gate, from early morning until noon, in the presence of the men and women and those who could understand; and all the people were attentive to the Book of the Law.

My Thoughts…..

I have really been touched by the life and work of Ezra. Very heartwarming and encouraging. A role model that I can follow and recommend. I was really touched by this whole chapter, but want to draw attention to just a few things: a). The people gathered as one (vs 1). I know that most of us meditating on this devotional may gather voluntarily to worship at least once each week, but friends I also believe that a major flaw that keeps many of our family and friends out of church, is the backbiting, gossip and disharmony they feel when they attend church. These folk gathered in complete harmony – as one – no personal agendas that would cause separation or disharmony! b). The people asked Ezra to read the Word of God. Thank God I worship with believers who are hungry after the Word of God, and I also thank God for the number of excellent teachers and preachers that expound on the Word – explains it in a way that we can understand. I feel like too often in our churches we find too much of ‘self-ology’ to truly allow the people to see Jesus and understand His teaching; and c). The Word was read for at least four hours – from morning to noon. I feel like way too often we have placed God in a box, and we are willing to give Him just so much of our time. We plan what time we want our crock pots to finish our lunch, or we plan with friends to meet us at a restaurant at a given time.

Challenge……

What if God was allowed to have His way with us in our church service, and our pastor was led to read the Word for an hour or more? What if we were led to go over and pray for that friend that we know might be facing many life challenges? What if we paid no attention to the clock and God moved so mightily that we wound up leaving about three hours later? Would you be left in the number remaining, or would you be one of the first to leave at the one-hour mark? Down in vs 14, we see where the people were reminded of some Godly practices they had forgotten. Wouldn’t it be rewarding to leave our church service with a few items on our personal to-do list, because we had either forgotten that teaching or at some point in our past had chosen to disregard it? Friends, when stuff like this start to happen, we will need to build larger churches, because the lost will want to see what is going on in our churches that is impacting our lives! Oh that God would work on the hearts of His people …. like you and me. Begin with church members/attendees, then through us, the lost will desire a change in their lives!

Prayer……

Lord Jesus, You know that we, Your people have generally become a poor excuse as representatives of Yours. I believe that You are saddened by the number of unsaved loved ones and friends who are totally turned off from the gospel, because of the hypocritical lives that we live. Please forgive me for my inconsistency and lack of Godly example that I may portray to my lost friends and family. These are the folk that know me best dear God, so please help me to be bold and consistent in my daily walk and talk. Please allow me to reflect Your teachings and Your ways in all aspects of my life. Please tender the hearts of readers so that they too might examine their hearts and seek Your help, as necessary.

Action…..

In response to God leading You through this devotional today, please get with a Bible teaching Pastor you may know and allow him to guide you. Otherwise feel free to reply to my post online, or you may email me directly at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. I will gladly add you to my prayer list, and/or respond to your request(s) ASAP.