Scripture: Deuteronomy 32.  

OBSERVATION
(Key verses)

Deuteronomy 32:46-47 (NLT)

46 Moses added: “Take to heart all the words of warning I have given you today. Pass them on as a command to your children so they will obey every word of these instructions.

47 These instructions are not empty words—they are your life! By obeying them you will enjoy a long life in the land you will occupy when you cross the Jordan River.”

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

Because of circumstances leading up to this point in Moses’ life, he knew that because of his disobedience he would soon die and not get to celebrate the entrance into the Promised Land. Yet Moses was a man of God and willingly allowed God to speak through him to the people of Israel. Being at the crossroads of his death, I would imagine that Moses’s speech was filled with passion, as he really wanted to see his people succeed in their mission for God. In these particular verses, Moses urged the people to think about God’s word and teach it to their children. Friends, the Bible can sit on our bookshelf and gather dust, or we can make it a vital part of our life by regularly setting aside time to study it. When we personally discover the wisdom of God’s message, we will want to apply it to your life and passionately pass it on to our family and others we love. The Bible is not merely good reading—it’s real help for real life.

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

Dear Lord, as reminded by this old saint in this passage of scripture, Your Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. As I am nurtured by its many truths, may I become passionate about teaching it and exampling it before my child so that she may see its importance to me and, in turn, make it her guide in life. Please speak to the heart of those that may meditate on this devotional today so that they too may become attached to Your Word and look to it for all of life’s answers.

 

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

Scripture: Deuteronomy 30.  

OBSERVATION
(Key verses)

Deuteronomy 30:6 (NLT)

6 “The LORD your God will change your heart and the hearts of all your descendants, so that you will love him with all your heart and soul and so you may live!

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

God’s mercy is unbelievable. It goes far beyond what we can imagine. Even if the Jews deliberately walked away from him and ruined their lives, God would still take them back. God would give them inward spiritual renewal. I found this chapter very rewarding and encouraging as I was reminded about how awesome my God is. God wants to forgive us and bring us back to himself, too. It is so unfortunate that some of us will not learn this until our world has crashed in around us. Then the sorrow and pain seem to open our eyes to what God has been saying all along. How is it with you friend, are you separated from God by sin? No matter how far you have wandered, God promises a fresh beginning if only you will turn to Him. The Israelites had done some pretty awful things, even under circumstances when God was providing for their every need. Yet He told them that He would change their hearts so that they would love Him with every fiber of their being. Friends that is unconditional love that only a Savior could provide. For those that can join me in celebration today, I believe that you will agree that this is the kind of love that our Savior showed us on the cross, and that He continues to show us, who are oh so unworthy, every day. Perhaps some may read this that have never met my Lord, but would like to know more about this unconditional love, please write to me at the email listed below and allow me to introduce you.

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

Lord Jesus, thank You for loving me so much that You gave. Thank You for demonstrating your love for me in so many ways. Thank You for showing me in this passage of Scripture today that You would continue tugging on my heart and reminding me of Your love so that I might stay close to You. Please remind me often of this so that I may never lose hope when life may otherwise tend to feel empty. You are my Rock and my Inspiration. Please guide me to someone who needs to know You today.

 

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

Scripture: Luke 8.  

OBSERVATION
(Key verses)

Luke 8:18 (NLT)

18 “So pay attention to how you hear. To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given. But for those who are not listening, even what they think they understand will be taken away from them.”

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

Applying God’s Word helps us grow. This is a principle of growth in physical, mental, and spiritual life. For example, a muscle, when exercised, will grow stronger, but an unused muscle will grow weak and flabby. Spiritually, if we are not growing stronger, we are growing weaker; it is impossible for us to stand still. How are you using what God has taught you?

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

Lord, thank You for speaking to Your children through Your Word. Please sharpen our minds and our understanding. Please clear our minds so that we might concentrate on all that You have to say to us. May we be careful to be Your obedient servants and act on all that You teach us and in all that You provide guidance to us in. I love You Lord and lift my voice to worship You for all that You are to me! Thank You Jesus!

 

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

Scripture: Luke 7.  

OBSERVATION
(Key verses)

Luke 7:44-47 (NLT)

44 Then he turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Look at this woman kneeling here. When I entered your home, you didn’t offer me water to wash the dust from my feet, but she has washed them with her tears and wiped them with her hair.

45 You didn’t greet me with a kiss, but from the time I first came in, she has not stopped kissing my feet.

46 You neglected the courtesy of olive oil to anoint my head, but she has anointed my feet with rare perfume.

47 “I tell you, her sins—and they are many—have been forgiven, so she has shown me much love. But a person who is forgiven little shows only little love.”

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

Did you ever have someone visit with you, and after spending a fair amount of time with you, a question was asked about a mark on the person’s face or something very obvious, and you couldn’t answer the question? Ever found yourself so busy preparing a meal and cleaning up after the meal, that when your friends or family left you wished to yourself that instead you would have devoted more time listening to them and talking with them? I believe that this happens all too often, and unfortunately I believe that it happens all too often in our churches. We are so busy serving, or so busy teaching, or so preoccupied in our own little world filled with so many problems, that we completely tune out that a person may be looking for a wise word from us or a loving, caring thought from us. In fact, we are so busy trying to impress others, that we don’t take time to spend specifically and personally with Jesus – the whole purpose for us attending church in the first place. In the captioned verses we see where Simon was so busy trying to be a good host and attending to the matters he thought important, that Jesus quickly brought to his attention the important customary things that had been overlooked. Compare that to the lady who came for the specific purpose of blessing the Savior, worshipping Him and anointing Him. She had no interest in bringing something to help with the meal or something to impress others in the room. She came with an intended purpose, and she carried it out. We can learn so much from this story! If we went to church with the main purpose being to meet with Jesus, to worship Him, to spend time with Him, to express our love for Him, and to Him – imagine how dim and unimportant the other things that we concentrate on today would become? Becoming one with Jesus is all about relationship, not what we could do for Him.

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

Lord, I am ashamed to come before You today in prayer, because of guilt in all this lesson has taught me. For I have become so engrossed in trying to do things for You, when You are more than capable of doing for yourself. I am so busy trying to do for others so that they might see an act of Jesus, when all they are really looking for is evidence of my love for You so they could be assured of my true relationship with You. Please forgive me and help me to overcome these weaknesses. Please help me instead to concentrate on my relationship with You, and that I might express my love for You. Please touch the lives of all readers of this devotional so that they may recognize Your love and their need for a closer relationship with You, not the busyness of their Christian lives.

 

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

Scripture: Deuteronomy 26.  

OBSERVATION
(Key verses)

Deuteronomy 26:16-19 (NLT)

16 “Today the LORD your God has commanded you to obey all these decrees and regulations. So be careful to obey them wholeheartedly.

17 You have declared today that the LORD is your God. And you have promised to walk in his ways, and to obey his decrees, commands, and regulations, and to do everything he tells you.

18 The LORD has declared today that you are his people, his own special treasure, just as he promised, and that you must obey all his commands.

19 And if you do, he will set you high above all the other nations he has made. Then you will receive praise, honor, and renown. You will be a nation that is holy to the LORD your God, just as he promised.”

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

We may sometimes feel like obedience to God’s commands are burdensome, perhaps sometimes refrains us from the fun that our friends enjoy, perhaps very narrow-minded. Friends, we need to stop and think about all that our Savior did for us on Calvary. We need to think of all the promises that God made to us in Scripture such as the verses noted here. Let’s remember that He is preparing a place for us in Heaven where we will spend eternity with Him and all the other saints gone on before us. If He loved us enough to sacrifice His one and only Son, can’t you imagine how it must please Him to see us obeying His commands and worshiping Him? I am convinced that Jesus loves us with unimaginable fervor, one that exceeds anything we could ever imagine. He will lift us up and have us holy before a holy God – wow!! Let’s follow His commands out of obedience and love for God today. Remember, our rewards are coming!

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

Lord Jesus, thank You for loving me so much that You gave everything. Please help me today to be obedient to your instructions found in Your Word. Thank You for all that You bless me with daily, and for all to come! Please touch the hearts of each one that may read this devotional today. May they come to know You personally and learn to follow Your commands.

 

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

Scripture: Luke 6.  

OBSERVATION
(Key verses)

Luke 6:47-49 (NLT)

47 I will show you what it’s like when someone comes to me, listens to my teaching, and then follows it.

48 It is like a person building a house who digs deep and lays the foundation on solid rock. When the floodwaters rise and break against the house, it stands firm because it is well built.

49 But anyone who hears and doesn’t obey is like a person who builds a house without a foundation. When the floods sweep down against that house, it will collapse into a heap of ruins.”

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

In Florida we are in the middle of our hurricane season. This means that we must be fully prepared for a hurricane, should one come unexpectedly. Being prepared gives us peace during a hurricane, because we know that everything will be OK. We have a certain confidence, because we are convinced that we did everything possible in our preparations. In these verses in Luke, Jesus is explaining that this same peace and confidence can be expected by those who have placed their faith and trust in Him. When the foundation of our faith rests in Jesus, and we have done everything to understand and accept His power and His love for us, we can stand secure in His arms when the storms of this life come against us. We can identify with scripture where it says that we can be happy here on this earth because of our peace in knowing that Jesus is with us, or if Jesus calls us home from the circumstances here, we can be even happier to be with our Master, our Friend, our Savior and our Lord! This peace and confidence is not exclusive to just a few, because the Bible says that Jesus loves us all. However, the Bible also says that for those who call Him Lord, and have accepted the free gift of God’s only Son, to those He will forgive them of their sin and show His abundant love and forgiveness. These are the folk referred to in verses 47 and 48. There’s no riding the fence friends. Return to this wonderful Savior of mine and accept Him and His free Gift so that you too may enjoy eternal life and the peace and confidence that only He can give.

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

Thank You for peace in knowing You as my Lord and Savior, Jesus. Thank You for that confidence in knowing that every little thing is going to be alright with You in control of my destiny. Please remind me of this when I’m downhearted and in despair. I know that I need You every hour. Thank You for always being there for me – in good times and in challenging times. May I show that kind of unconditional love towards others also, is my humble plea today. Please touch the lives of those that may read this devotional and may not have ever surrendered their life to You. Please soften their hearts and fold their souls with Your love today so that they may decide to follow You unconditionally.

 

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

Scripture: Deuteronomy 20.  

OBSERVATION
(Key verses)

Deuteronomy 20:16-18 (NLT)

16 In those towns that the LORD your God is giving you as a special possession, destroy every living thing.

17 You must completely destroy the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, just as the LORD your God has commanded you.

18 This will prevent the people of the land from teaching you to imitate their detestable customs in the worship of their gods, which would cause you to sin deeply against the LORD your God.

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

There is so much about the Old Testament that we can look at today and turn our heads from because it all sounds so cruel and primitive. However, the principle behind the decisions and actions bear a lot of value that, if considered today, could result in stronger families, a stronger nation and a strong world. We have become so accustomed to compromise, and willing to do so much in the name of equal rights, that we find no reason to stand our ground based on principles we learn and believe from God’s Word. In the verses chosen today we can see where God saw such a need to remove the temptation that might cause His people to worship other gods, and to commit detestable sin, that He ordered that the invaders totally destroy the inhabitants of the land they were entering. Friends, we often find ourselves in precarious positions today where we are willing to accept so much, yes even that which is spoken against in God’s Word. When we allow anything that is acceptable to this old wicked world, we are often in great compromise to God’s Word. Throughout the surrounding chapters we are shown what the Israelites were taught to do with those found guilty of certain sins. In today’s world, we have become acceptable of these things because we don’t want to get into the other person’s business, or because God loves them just as they are. We find excuses for our acceptance. God’s Word is clear, He hates sin and He hates actions that are opposite to that which is taught in His Word. Friends, if God hates these things, we should never believe that He wants His imitators, His children, those who are called by His name, to do otherwise. We must learn to stand on the teachings of the Bible, even if we become unpopular to this world.

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

Lord, as I read Your Word, I believe there is much that You detest about the happenings in this world in which I live. Ashamedly I must admit that there are probably times that You also detest Your people, Your chosen people, those who are called by Your name, because we have become so much like this world. So much so that folk may often find it difficult to determine the difference. Lord, You have given us Your Book of Instructions so that we may know what pleases You and what is detestable to You. Please open my eyes today so that I may walk in obedience to Your Word. Please give me boldness to speak up for what You teach as the right thing if I am to represent You fairly and truthfully. Please forgive me where I have failed in this.

 

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

Scripture: Deuteronomy 17.  

OBSERVATION
(Key verses)

Deuteronomy 17:18-20 (NLT)

18 “When he sits on the throne as king, he must copy for himself this body of instruction on a scroll in the presence of the Levitical priests.

19 He must always keep that copy with him and read it daily as long as he lives. That way he will learn to fear the LORD his God by obeying all the terms of these instructions and decrees.

20 This regular reading will prevent him from becoming proud and acting as if he is above his fellow citizens. It will also prevent him from turning away from these commands in the smallest way. And it will ensure that he and his descendants will reign for many generations in Israel.

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

God was preparing the Israelites for their entry into their new country, The Promised Land. God knew that they would probably want a king, so He gave them explicit instructions about how this man must be one of them, but then He also told them how important it was for the king to know the Word of God. This would be accomplished by writing it out onto a scroll, an awesome task, but then he was supposed to read the Word of God daily. Now we hear a lot about this today from our pastors, but I want to draw your attention to the reasons why this king was to do this, because this also applies to us today friends:

1. As he learnt the Word, he would follow in obedience to its terms and instructions;
   
2. It would teach him humility, and stop him from becoming proud and feeling like he was better than, or above his fellow citizens;
   
3. It would give him guidance and be a constant reminder to help him avoid disobedience to God’s commands in even the slightest way;
   
4. It would give him and his descendants longevity in their jobs – governing the people.
   

Friends, I don’t know about you, but this gives a renewed reason for studying God’s Word. It really impacts our lives and our whole outlook on life – the reason for our existence. We fall into such a routine each day, but when we are pumped up by the Word of God and allow it to impact our lives in these powerful ways, life becomes so much more worthwhile and impactful to others. Remember, all of this begins with daily reading and studying of the Word of God. If you are not already doing this, I urge you to make this a priority in your day. At the end of each day when you failed to do this, always say that “it was not a priority to me today”, and not say the usual “I just didn’t have time”!

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

Lord Jesus, I have always felt the importance of reading Your Word. Thank You for showing me the reasons why this daily reading is so important. Please help me to continue to make this a priority in my day, so that I may be obedient to it; be humbled by it, be guided by it and that I and my family may be blessed with longevity in our jobs – all for Your ultimate glory and praise! Thank You Father for Your precious Word!

 

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

Scripture: Luke 4.  

OBSERVATION
(Key verses)

Luke 4:14 (NLT)

14 Then Jesus returned to Galilee, filled with the Holy Spirit’s power. Reports about him spread quickly through the whole region.

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

At a time when Jesus had just returned from being tempted by Satan for 40 days, a time when many would take another 40 days in counseling to overcome the pressure and depression from that time of temptation, yet the Bible says that Jesus returned ‘filled with the Holy Spirit’s power’. Not only is that amazing, but the Word also says that filled with such power, He went on to accomplish a lot of ministry in the area. Friends, I believe that when we fail to connect sincerely with God and allow Him to fill us with His Holy Spirit, we fumble through witnessing and other forms of ministry. In fact when we fail to fill ourselves with God’s Holy Spirit, we are very full of ourselves, and what power do we have to change the sinful minds of those that we come in touch with every day? It is only through our humble submission to Him; only through the wonderful blood of Jesus; only through the power of the Almighty; only when we speak in His name and under His power that anything spiritual can be accomplished of eternal significance. Let’s examine ourselves and present ourselves daily as living sacrifices to the Master, so that He might empty us of sin and self and fill us with His awesome power so that He may accomplish great things through us. Let’s commit to doing things in Jesus’ name and for His glory, with nothing pointing to us, less we are tempted to boast of our strength and our power that just doesn’t exist when it comes to ministering to the soul of mankind.

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

Dear Lord, You have placed me here as Your humble servant, awaiting my next set of instructions, so that You might accomplish a great work in and through me. Please help me daily to give You priority, while brushing self aside. I pray that I will be so full of Your Holy Spirit, that You will use me as your instrument to speak to those that I come in contact with and to bring healing and comfort to those in need of a touch from the Master. Please help me to be so filled with Your Spirit that even in circumstances where I may have otherwise become depressed by life’s challenges, yet through Your power even greater works might be accomplished. Have Your will and way in my life today dear Lord. Please speak to the hearts of my friends that may read this devotional, that they may get the message that You would have us discern from Your scriptures today.

 

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

Scripture: Deuteronomy 12.  

OBSERVATION
(Key verses)

Deuteronomy 12:28&32 (NLT)

28 Be careful to obey all my commands, so that all will go well with you and your children after you, because you will be doing what is good and pleasing to the LORD your God.

32 “So be careful to obey all the commands I give you. You must not add anything to them or subtract anything from them.

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

In reading God’s Word I believe that He often draws my attention to the exact, positive meaning of a passage. However I find that He often causes me to say, yes but what if the opposite is true. In other words, verse 28 is clear in telling us that when we are careful to obey God’s commands, it will give reason to all going well with us and our children. Now friends, we all know that there are some who will not always obey God’s commands. Unfortunately I believe that the Word is also saying to us that they could look forward to trouble in paradise. In other words, there is no promise that all will go well with them and their children. Friends, is this getting your attention and, like me, helping you to realize that when everything around us seems to be going wrong and life itself seems hopeless, that we now know where to examine and what needs attention? I believe that the Word is clear that our relationship with God is paramount to our (us and our family’s) peace, contentment and well-being. God didn’t intend for us to be islands unto ourselves, He designed us to be like Him – loving and kind to everyone and obedient to the Father. Let it be pleasing to God how obedient you are to His commands, and how you get along with others today.

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

Lord, thank You for Your Word. We hear about so much depression, and so much strife and envy among Your people, yet it is clear from Your Word that we bring much of that on ourselves by being disobedient to Your Word and selfish in our actions and love towards others. Please forgive us for straying away from Your perfect design and doing our ‘own thing’. Please redirect our paths and help us to be more like You today and obedient to Your Word.

 

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