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Post Date: |
Monday, 2017-01-09 |
| SCRIPTURE | |
|
From: |
Matthew 4:18-22 (TLB) |
|
Text: |
18 One day as he was walking along the beach beside the Lake of Galilee, he saw two brothers—Simon, also called Peter, and Andrew—out in a boat fishing with a net, for they were commercial fishermen.
19 Jesus called out, “Come along with me and I will show you how to fish for the souls of men!” 20 And they left their nets at once and went with him. 21 A little farther up the beach he saw two other brothers, James and John, sitting in a boat with their father, Zebedee, mending their nets; and he called to them to come too. 22 At once they stopped their work and, leaving their father behind, went with him. |
| OBSERVATION: | |
| In religious circles, we hear a lot of caution used to warn students of the Word not to take things out of context. I had been taught this story over and over from even an early age, but until this morning never really caught the context of Jesus calling His first disciples. Beginning up in verse 12 we are told that Jesus went to Galilee, a place known for its unbelievers. Yet as He walked along the lake and saw these fishermen, He simply gave the call to them, and without hesitation they dropped what they were doing and followed Jesus. This story is nothing short of miraculous, friends! | |
| APPLICATION: | |
| I wonder what has happened to cause so many who sit under the teachings of the Lord Jesus to be in such doubt about the same Lord who they’ve heard for years to be a miracle-working, loving, sacrificial, all-powerful God. I would imagine that in many of our local churches Jesus may walk in today, He could call on the pastor, or the elders, or the deacons, or the Christians who have boasted of Him over the years, and they may ‘prayerfully consider’ the request to follow Jesus into the unknown – although on second thought, to leave everything they have and follow Him wherever He may guide them, well that may create somewhat of a challenge for many! One old faithful retired missionary told us that when he was called to missions, he sold everything he had and gave the money to his local home churches, because he felt like if Jesus called him, then he would provide for him. Furthermore, it increased his faith in the one that he knew he would lean heavily on for the unknowns of a foreign land. That really takes ‘faith’ to a whole new level for me! So in my above analogy, we believe that Jesus may stand a chance getting a few to follow Him among our church leadership, but what if He went down just about any old street in your neighborhood, where people hang out for everything but church-related activities? Would Jesus be accepted there, and will the residents follow Him ‘at once’? Friends, I believe that as we study the Word of God, we are often reminded that our Lord is not just ‘anyone’ walking our streets, or the isles of our churches looking for a handout. He knows us by name, and Scripture says that He knows us so well that He even knows the number of hairs on our head. So when He calls us, it will not be a ‘hey you over there in that red shirt’ type of thing, but He could very well call you by name and give you plenty enough evidence that He is calling you personally, in spite of all the guilt you may feel about your inadequate, feeble walk with Him. If you designed and made a particular tool that you wanted to use every time that you worked on a particular engine, or that you might want to cook a particular dish with, you will remember every peculiarity about that tool. Please don’t forget that God made you also friend, and He knows every little dent or nick that you’ve received over the years. He is simply looking for your availability through which He might mightily move in His earthly ministry. Are you willing to respond unconditionally and immediately? If not, why not? Accept Him today and know that peace that passes all understanding, for He cares for you, and loves you beyond anything you can imagine! Read my Footnote if you would like more information about a personal relationship with my Lord! | |
| PRAYER: | |
| Father, You are so amazing! You created us and gave us the freedom to either follow You in faith and savor that enormous love that You have for us, or to encounter the evil of this world where Satan strives daily to destroy us. Unfortunately, it seems like our faith never matures to the state that we are quick to obey and follow You, like these disciples demonstrated to us. Please forgive us for our lack of faith, and our desire to do our own thing, in spite of the normal bad results that we read about, hear about or have witnessed personally. Lord, we need a fresh dose of Jesus every day of our lives, for we are weak and sinful beyond anything we ever thought possible. Only You can save us, and only You can direct us in the paths that You have set out before us. Please fill us with Your everlasting love, power and commitment to be obedient children of the King of all kings and Lord of all lords. For I ask these things in the precious name of Jesus, my Lord and my Savior, 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! | |
Tag: Christian
A believer in Jesus Christ!
Faith Under Fire
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Post Date: |
Saturday, 2017-01-07 |
| SCRIPTURE | |
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From: |
Mathew 4:1-3 (NET) |
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Text: |
1 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 After he fasted forty days and forty nights he was famished. 3 The tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become bread.” |
| OBSERVATION: | |
| Jesus had just been baptized by John the Baptist in the presence of many. At the baptism, God spoke audibly to the people officially announcing that this is His beloved, or dear, Son in whom He (God) is well pleased. I would have thought that the next scene would have been one filled with Jesus performing miracle after miracle, and proving to the people that they weren’t just hearing things from the heavens, but here is proof that Jesus is the Son of God. However, we know from the scriptures that this was not the case, for Jesus was led by the Spirit of God into the wilderness to spend time with Satan – there to be tempted by the evil one. It seems almost like Jesus was deliberately forced into the most vulnerable position imaginable after such a high point in His life. Additionally, He even fasted for 40 days before facing the tempter. | |
| APPLICATION: | |
| In my observation above, I built the case for us to look at here. I wonder what God wants us to see in this. I don’t believe this was done to make Jesus stronger, or to open His eyes to any spiritual truth, for He is the Son of God. He is part of the trinity, meaning that He is also one with the Father. So obviously this was done as a demonstration for those in attendance, and for those of us that would read the account later, and try to grow from its truth. So let’s look at this in that light. I could only imagine that there were lots of folk there that day at the baptism that doubted this whole announcement from God about Jesus being His Son, don’t you think that they would have been good candidates for a heavy dose of temptation from Satan? Don’t you think that there were some in attendance like Peter, who swore that he would stand by Jesus through thick and thin? Surely they would have been candidates for the serious temptations of Satan so that they could firm up their words into actions? Friends, I believe that this process that Jesus was forced to endure could very easily have been done to show us today that our commitment to our Lord Jesus is more than words alone, but a lifetime commitment that may even come with temptations and/or other actions by Satan that will test our commitment. I believe the word ‘hypocrite’ probably came about because of folk that say they are one thing or the other, but their lives do not exemplify that commitment that they supposedly made. Where do you stand, friend? Stop. Meditate and consider where you stand in your relationship with Jesus today. How would you fare under strong temptations? Draw close to God friend, and He will draw close to you. He will be your guide, especially in times like temptations when you need Him most. | |
| PRAYER: | |
| Lord Jesus, I am reminded yet again how much You went through for me, and I thank You for Your grace, and Your underserved mercy. Thank You heavenly Father for Your love for sinners such as I. Please touch the lives of those that will read this devotional today. Please search our hearts and show us our weaknesses – our weak commitments and our open doors for Satan to easily attack. Lord, please prepare us to respond to Satan and his attacks using the example You gave us in this account of Your temptation. May we be more like You in every respect, is my request and my heart’s desire today oh Lord, my Rock and my Salvation. 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! | |
He’s Got This!
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Post Date: |
Friday, 2017-01-06 |
| SCRIPTURE | |
|
From: |
Psalm 3:1-3 (TLB) |
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Text: |
1O Lord, so many are against me. So many seek to harm me. I have so many enemies. 2 So many say that God will never help me. 3 But Lord, you are my shield, my glory, and my only hope. You alone can lift my head, now bowed in shame. |
| OBSERVATION: | |
| In these verses we see where David was just like us, for he felt like the world was against him and making fun of he and the God that he served and depended on. However, in verse 3 David brushed aside everything that he was feeling depressed about, and instead gave glory to the God who had stayed by his side through many battles and numerous personal defeats. The God who lifted him up and helped him to see the brighter side of things. | |
| APPLICATION: | |
| I would dare say that there are more of us just like David, than we would care to admit! For there are times that we may feel like even our friends are making fun of us and our beliefs. There are times that we tend to feel like friends are even thinking that we waste so much of our time seeking after God. However, I am here to encourage us today! For like David, we must be willing and always ready to say that no matter what our circumstances are, and no matter who we feel might be against us, or trying to discourage us, our God is still God! He is still worthy of our praise! He is even more so a shield to protect us from the evil one and every evil dart that Satan sends our way. I believe that He desires to see our heads lifted up and praising Him, than to see ours heads bowed in shame and defeat. Friends, for those of us who have surrendered our lives to the Lord Jesus Christ, we have every reason to keep looking up, keep praising and keep serving our victorious and risen Lord! Remember, we are children of the King of all kings and Lord of all lords, who loved us enough to die sacrificially on the cross at Calvary to save even an undeserved wretch like you and me. We are royalty – wonderfully made and truly blessed by God, who loves us unconditionally. Let’s learn to praise Him in all circumstances of life – He’s Got This!! | |
| PRAYER: | |
| Lord, You are good, and Your mercies endures forever and forever! You have proven Your love for us in so many ways, including providing a home for us when we pass from this world to the next. Yes, while living among sinful people here on earth, we will encounter discouragement, but Lord, may I ask You humbly today that You might bless us with the encouragement that David found – that in all things we might lift our heads high and proclaim the praises of our wonderful Lord! Please lift us higher and higher each day, so that we might be reminded of the wonders of our King and find encouragement even through the toughest times here on earth. We love You Lord. Please help us to never leave room to question that by our actions when tough times come to us. We’re Yours Lord, may we show whose we are in every circumstance of life, 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! | |
Give of Your Best To God
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Post Date: |
Thursday, 2017-01-05 |
| SCRIPTURE | |
|
From: |
Genesis 4:3–7 (NCV) |
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Text: |
3 Later, Cain brought some food from the ground as a gift to God. 4 Abel brought the best parts from some of the firstborn of his flock. The LORD accepted Abel and his gift, 5 but he did not accept Cain and his gift. So Cain became very angry and felt rejected.
6 The LORD asked Cain, “Why are you angry? Why do you look so unhappy? 7 If you do things well, I will accept you, but if you do not do them well, sin is ready to attack you. Sin wants you, but you must rule over it.” |
| OBSERVATION: | |
| I find it interesting that right from the very beginning, God experienced the variance of His kids who showed total love and dedication vs those who chose to give half-heartedly back to Him. Cain thought that he could manage to give up some of the fruit and/or vegetables from the ground, while his brother, Abel, chose the firstborn of his choicest cattle to give back to the Lord. I believe I have passed over this many times, because at first glance one might think: well perhaps Cain was the farmer and Abel was the rancher, so they each gave of the best from what they had. However, it is obvious from God’s response in vs 4 & 5 that this was not the case. For God looked at these two offerings and saw where one gave of his very best with a willing heart, while the other gave of what he had because of obligation to give at the altar. God looked at this from a perspective of Abel giving from the sincerity and deep commitment of the heart, versus Cain’s gift being impacted by sin that had caused him to analyze and consider what might he give, in order to get by. | |
| APPLICATION: | |
| Friends, I know you must be wondering how on earth does this apply to us today, since most reading this devotional probably has nothing to do with sacrifices being offered at the local temple. But I would suggest that you first ask God to open your spiritual eyes to the truths of His Word and how they may be applied to your life, then take a moment to slowly read over the above scripture verses again. May I remind you that each day you are faced with making the same types of decisions that Cain and Abel responded to in these verses? Allow me to jog your memory on a few ways that I believe God chooses to test your commitment to Himself: 1). God gives you a good night’s rest and awaits time alone with you each morning. A time where you can converse with Him through prayer, and a time where He could lay out Your ministry for the day through His Word. 2). It’s your day of worship. You know what you should be doing as God’s chosen child, but you’ve heard about how good the fishing is with the current moon, and since every other day you are obligated to go to work, you decide that since God will be there next week, and the fish may not be biting then, you’ll go fishing today. I know there are tons of other things that God desires from each of us, much like the long list of preferences we would like to see in our kinds, but these are just a few examples. Our response to these and other aspects of our Christian walk, shows God whether from the depths of our heart, we are more similar to Cain, or to Abel. Allow God to work on you and make you the type of servant that will represent Him well and be the best representative of His in what you think, do or act. Please don’t misrepresent our God. I believe that God chooses what our ‘best’ is, based on the heart from which we decided what to give, when to give and how to give. While man can only see the outward expressions of your heart based on what you give, God knows your heart and knows all about every thought that crossed your mind as you prepared to give. | |
| PRAYER: | |
| Lord thank You for giving to us while we were yet sinners and so undeserving of Your unselfish love. Your Word is a light unto our path, and today You have shown us the importance of giving from the very depths of our heart. In our Scripture today it is evident that Abel ‘got it’, while Cain gave grudgingly, hoping he could get away with it. This sounds an awful lot like us, Heavenly Father, so I want to place myself at Your feet today and ask for Your forgiveness, because I have not always given in ways that may have pleased You. Please touch the lives of those that will read this devotional and apply Your Word to the very depths of their heart so that it may impact their world for Jesus Christ. To You be all the glory, honor and praise, AMEN! | |
| FOOTNOTE: | |
| There are two more pages on my blog that will provide you with additional information, one of them being ‘To Know Jesus’. If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please click on the above page, or speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. Please allow someone to pray with you and give you help and/or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Words underlined in my blog could indicate a link to a song that came to mind as I wrote the devotional. Feel free to click on the link and listen as you continue to read or pray. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to Nuggets From God’s Word and read more, or you may freely to subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. If you are anywhere near the Highlands County, Florida area and do not have a church home, I would be thrilled to welcome you at Bible Fellowship Church, located at 3750 Hammock Rd, Sebring, FL 33872! Click the link to check out service times and/or other special activities. God is at work among us! Please consider coming to worship with us! | |
The Repercussion For Sin
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Post Date: |
Wednesday, 2017-01-04 |
| SCRIPTURE | |
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From: |
Genesis 3:17–19 (NCV) |
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Text: |
17 Then God said to the man, “You listened to what your wife said, and you ate fruit from the tree from which I commanded you not to eat. “So I will put a curse on the ground, and you will have to work very hard for your food. In pain you will eat its food all the days of your life. 18 The ground will produce thorns and weeds for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. 19 You will sweat and work hard for your food.
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| OBSERVATION: | |
| God gave some very simple rules to the very first family, concerning a tree in the middle of the garden that they were not permitted to eat from. Of course, it seems like anytime that rules are given, it is just human instinct to test the waters and see if anything would happen if we circumvent, or disobey that rule. In the preceding verses we see where the serpent was chastised and punished for his role in this whole act by Adam and Eve, then we see where God also punished Eve, followed by Adam. In each case the punishment was long-lasting, as we never hear about a serpent that does not crawl around on its stomach. Nor do we hear of a woman going through childbirth painlessly. In the above verses we see where Adam’s punishment was also long-lasting as men are still bothered today with weeds and thorns as they garden, plus the effort is so great that no one wants to do farming anymore. Bottom line is that God made it clear from the very beginning that He would not tolerate sin, and that there would be repercussions, if we sin. | |
| APPLICATION: | |
| Why then do we keep on sinning? It seems many times that it must really be in our DNA to rebel or fight against the standards established by God. Is it that Satan is stronger in our lives and therefore prohibits God from fulfilling His mission in us and through us? This may very well be the case friends. But no one deliberately chooses Satan as their leader, so why do we feel he is so prevalent in our lives? Think about this for a moment: if we are born into a sinful world around sinful people doing sinful actions, what exactly do you suppose one would be? Friends, we are told in Scripture that unless we confess our sins, and accept the precious gift God offers to us through His precious Son, Jesus Christ, then we remain in sin and will face eternal damnation, which is our eternal punishment for our sin. However, for those who accept the gift of Jesus Christ, to those shall be granted eternal forgiveness of sin, and therefore eternal happiness in heaven with Jesus and His Father. So to recap: if we continue in sin and do nothing, we will be worse off than Adam and Eve, for we will face eternal damnation with Satan and his cohorts. However, to be obedient to the call of Jesus on our lives and surrender our lives to Him, He has the power to save us and through His grace He will save us. This cleanses us from our sin and allows us entry into the heights of heaven to be with our Master for ever and ever. What’s your choice friend! | |
| PRAYER: | |
| Lord Jesus, I thank You for convicting me of my sin and giving me boldness to surrender my life to You. I look forward to the day when You will welcome me home to glory, because of Your grace! While remaining here on earth I need Your ongoing power and grace to help me overcome evil and to stand firm in my faith. Please be my guide and my stay throughout every circumstance of life. Lord, I have relatives and friends who are very much like the characters in our story today, but they have not surrendered their heart to You yet. In faith, I believe that You will send readers to this devotional who need to hear Your message of salvation today. Please Lord, may Your hand reach gently on the lives of these ones who need a Savior, please soften their hearts and make their will moldable so that they will stop and listen to Your voice. This is Your day oh Lord, please have Your will and way in our lives, so that You may be glorified and praised. AMEN! | |
| FOOTNOTE: | |
| There are two more pages on my blog that will provide you with additional information, one of them being ‘To Know Jesus’. If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please click on the above page, or speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. Please allow someone to pray with you and give you help and/or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Words underlined in my blog could indicate a link to a song that came to mind as I wrote the devotional. Feel free to click on the link and listen as you continue to read or pray. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to Nuggets From God’s Word and read more, or you may freely to subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. If you are anywhere near the Highlands County, Florida area and do not have a church home, I would be thrilled to welcome you at Bible Fellowship Church, located at 3750 Hammock Rd, Sebring, FL 33872! Click the link to check out service times and/or other special activities. God is at work among us! Please consider coming to worship with us! | |
God – Our Provider!
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Post Date: |
Monday, 2017-01-03 |
| Scripture | |
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From: |
Genesis 2:7–8 (NCV) |
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Text: |
7 Then the LORD God took dust from the ground and formed a man from it. He breathed the breath of life into the man’s nose, and the man became a living person. 8 Then the LORD God planted a garden in the east, in a place called Eden, and put the man he had formed into it.
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| Observation: | |
| Please note how God had such an interest in mankind right from the very beginning of time. Having already created the earth and sky, God then created man, so that he could care of everything else that He would create. God knew that Adam would need food, so He immediately provided a garden. Next, was the creation of several rivers, and no doubt these were to provide the necessary water for the garden, and for Adam to see and harvest the fish in those rivers. | |
| Application: | |
| Isn’t it interesting how God didn’t just create a man and place him on earth to fend for himself? Just like He is still doing today, God placed Adam on earth and made sure that his every need was met, right up to and including a help mate. Notice also that God didn’t just cause the fruit to appear on Adam’s table one day, but He created the garden and told Adam to care for it and make use of most of the fruit, with only two exceptions. Yes, there were rules and restrictions right from the very beginning friends. This teaches us self-control and accountability to those commands. So I believe there is an interesting lesson in this Scripture for us today. When we realize that we have reached the end, and it seems like little hope remains, let us never fail to place our faith and trust in Jesus Christ and await His mighty hand. We’re talking about the same God that provided everything for Adam, from the ground up. We’re talking about the same God that destroyed armies in the middle of the night in order to protect His chosen people. The One who gave sight to the blind and caused the deaf to hear. Why He even brought the dead to life again! That’s the Provider – the awesome God that believers can place their faith and trust in today! Do you know Him friend? Will You commit again to surrender to Him and His call on your life today? As descendants of one man, I believe that God is just as proud of His creation as He was of Adam. He wants to provide for us, but He as given us the choice of allowing Him to, or not. I have dear friends who were depending on God’s direction regarding a physical relocation. It appeared like God was not hearing their prayers, because their agenda was not being met. However it became increasingly evident that God was answering their prayers all along in the way He saw fit for their lives. He is our provider, friends. You can depend on Him – just try it! | |
| Prayer: | |
| Lord, as I reflect on all that You did for mankind right from the very start, I can ashamedly acknowledge how we have let You down in so many ways by following our own vices and self-proclaimed knowledge or even that of other earthly authorities. I can only come before You today feeling ashamed and unworthy of Your presence. I truly believe that You are still able, willing and ready to provide the needs of all who call on You as Savior and Lord. So Lord God, my readers and I come before that type of awesome God, as Your humble servants bowing at Your feet, and asking for a touch from You once again today. Most of us may not have physical needs, but Lord we need You to just help us deal with, and overcome the intrusion of Satan in to so many areas of our lives while we remain here on this old earth. May Your will be done in our lives today, oh Lord, my Rock, my Redeemer and soon coming Lord, AMEN! | |
| Footnote: | |
| There are two more pages on my blog that will provide you with additional information, one of them being ‘To Know Jesus’. If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please click on the above page, or speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. Please allow someone to pray with you and give you help and/or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Words underlined in my blog could indicate a link to a song that came to mind as I wrote the devotional. Feel free to click on the link and listen as you continue to read or pray. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to www.nuggetsfromgodsword.org and read more, or you may freely to subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. If you are anywhere near the Highlands County, Florida area and do not have a church home, I would be thrilled to welcome you at Bible Fellowship Church, located at 3750 Hammock Rd, Sebring, FL 33872! Click the link to check out service times and/or other special activities. God is at work among us! Please consider coming to worship with us! | |
Choices Today for 2017 and Possibly Beyond
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Post Date: |
Monday, 2017-01-02 |
Scripture |
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Bible Text From: |
Psalm 1 |
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Bible Text: |
4 But for sinners, what a different story! They blow away like chaff before the wind. 5 They are not safe on Judgment Day; they shall not stand among the godly. 6 For the Lord watches over all the plans and paths of godly men, but the paths of the godless lead to doom. |
|
Translation: |
The Living Bible (TLB) |
Observation: |
This short Psalm is power-packed with information on what each of us can expect when we come face-to-face with our Master and Lord. In verses 1 thru 3 the Psalmist, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, shared with us all that believers in Jesus Christ might expect. There are such words as: Joy; Fruitfulness; Delight; Searching for ways to please God more; Fresh; Alive; Perky (and not withering). However, God knew from the very beginning of time that there would be some who would choose to ‘do their own thing’ and ignore the commands of the Lord. Unfortunately, we find throughout God’s Word that He is a jealous God and will not stand for disobedience to His commands, or contempt, or deliberate sinful actions. Because of the deliberate disobedience to God’s commands, these individuals are considered ‘sinners’ by God. So in verses 4-6 God draws the contrast of what will happen to them. There some words used in this section that we try to also avoid in our lives here on earth: Inconsistent; Unstable; Easily swayed to believe something else; Unsafe on Judgment Day; Segregation – for they will not stand with the righteous. This all results in a destiny of doom. |
Application: |
Based on the Word of God, we know that the parallel drawn by the Psalmist is not just a ‘What If’ scenario, or a scare tactic, for God confirms throughout His word that there is a place prepared for every person. He also declares in advance what the criteria is that He will use to determine our destiny. Therefore, we had best prepare for the outcome, rightfully assuming that today might be the day that God might call us out of this world, and therefore the day that He will decide who will reign over us throughout eternity. God has prepared a place called Heaven for those of us who have placed our faith and trust in Him. There we will spend eternity at the feet of Jesus and His Father, God. The path of doom mentioned in verse 6 points to the doom that will come to those who have decided to do life alone, and don’t see the need for a Savior. In todays vernacular, these individuals are sometimes called unbelievers; or sinners; or the unsaved. The doom referred to here is the unfortunate leadership of the Evil One – Satan, in a place called Hell. Knowing that you can decide today where you will spend eternity, is there any reason why you would deliberately choose Hell? Unfortunately, the default location is Hell, because unless you make a decision to accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior , that’s where you will go – according to the Word of God. So what’s your decision friend? You can settle the issue TODAY by reading my Footnote and following the directions included there. It is your choice! |
Prayer: |
Lord Jesus, I thank You for prompting this humble man many years ago into making a decision to accept You as my Lord and Savior, and giving me the peace of one day being with You in heaven. Many of my readers have, no doubt, made that same decision, however Lord, I pray that You will direct one to read this devotional today who might be looking for the way to make this change in their life’s ultimate direction. You have been plain throughout your Word of how the end will turn out for us, based on the decisions made while right here on earth. We claim to be smart folk who know how to make good decisions. Lord, may this be a day of good decisions, especially as we start off this New Year with so many uncertainties. There is only one way to heaven, and it is solely based on our acceptance of the awesome plan You put in place for our good. Thank You Lord Jesus for making the way and giving us opportunity after opportunity to accept that plan. 2017 could be the year You will come to take us home with You, may we all be ready and waiting for Your return, is my humble plea, AMEN! |
Footnote: |
There are two more pages on my blog that will provide you with additional information, one of them being ‘To Know Jesus’. If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please click on the above page, or speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. Please allow someone to pray with you and give you help and/or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Words underlined in my blog could indicate a link to a song that came to mind as I wrote the devotional. Feel free to click on the link and listen as you continue to read or pray. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to www.nuggetsfromgodsword.org and read more, or you may freely to subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. If you are anywhere near the Highlands County, Florida area and do not have a church home, I would be thrilled to welcome you at Bible Fellowship Church, located at 3750 Hammock Rd, Sebring, FL 33872! Click the link to check out service times and/or other special activities. God is at work among us! Please consider coming to worship with us! |
The Old vs The New
Saturday, 2016-12-31
Scripture
Bible Reference: John 19:28-30
Bible Text: 28 Jesus knew that everything was now finished, and to fulfill the Scriptures said, “I’m thirsty.” 29 A jar of sour wine was sitting there, so a sponge was soaked in it and put on a hyssop branch and held up to his lips. 30 When Jesus had tasted it, he said, “It is finished,” and bowed his head and dismissed his spirit.
Bible Translation: The Living Bible (TLB)
My Take
This passage of scripture is generally heard around Easter time, when we hear about the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. In considering what happened around that time, we might consider what the followers of Jesus were thinking as they saw their Master crucified. This was a crossroads for them on what the future might hold. Similarly, today is a crossroads for each of us, for many things will change, if God allows us to welcome a New Year in tomorrow. Putting aside the obvious changes such as government leadership; increased taxes; new church leadership; new benefit packages at work, etc., I want us to center our thoughts around the purpose of my blog – to help us stop and think spiritually about how God may have been involved in the old vs how we will permit Him to be involved in the new. Stop for a few minutes and consider some of the key events of the current year that is quickly drawing to a close. What would you tell an unbeliever may have been the most exciting time of your Christian walk this year? Think about a time that God may have been so real to you that you felt there was only one thing better, and that was to be at His side in glory! Think about a time when you thought God was not listening and had no interest in your prayer request, only to find out later that He was there all the while answering your prayer in ways that you weren’t expecting, but that you later discovered was the best thing for you. Take a moment and praise Him for all these things and acknowledge His presence with you in so many unbelievable ways. Jesus’ situation was much more dire, but in verse 30 He realized that all Scripture had been fulfilled, and in accordance with the will of the Father, His time had come to give up His earthly ministry and prepare for what was ahead. Today you will not only give thanks for the many ways that God accomplished His work through You, but I believe many of us will also have regrets for the times that we took the reigns of life and ‘did it our way’, only to find out later that things didn’t always turn out right. May I suggest that you use this as an opportunity to speak to God about your regrets, and possibly ask Him to help you seek Him first and His righteousness as you approach this brand new year? In preparing for a long road trip, you may easily remember the gas, water, snacks, head rests, GPS, etc, but in facing a New Year you will be taking this trip without knowing about the bumps in the road, the crazy drivers on the road, road construction, etc. However, I am here to remind you and/or enlighten you to the fact that for those who have place their faith and trust in Jesus Christ, we serve the One who knows exactly what lies ahead for us – the good, the bad and the ugly. The fascinating, and encouraging part for the Christian is that we know the creator of life and death and of each person. He has already proved His love for us in very extreme ways, so we have no doubt that He will be watching every step that we take, and help us over every hurdle that we will meet. Our part is to stay loyal to the Director of it all – worship Him when everything seems perfect to us, and when we wish things were different, but in ALL things, knowing that our Savior leads the way for our good and for His glory! So while the THINGS of this earth seems so uncertain for many, the ONE who holds the whole earth together is the One who holds our hand and guides us along to the end of all time! That’s the One I have placed my faith and trust in friend. Have you? If not, please, please read my Footnote and take advantage of the help offered to you.
Prayer
Father, as we reflect on the blessings and the undeserved grace that You have showered on us throughout this year that is ending, may we also gain strength and confidence in knowing that You are still so very faithful, so very loving, so very kind and that You will be our friend and guide even until the very end of time. Lord, we have no idea what tomorrow holds, but I praise You for knowing the One who not only holds tomorrow, but who knows what every day in this New Year will hold for each child that meditates on this devotional today. So Lord, I praise You for everything that You are, and for all that You will do in my life and in the lives of those that I love and care for. You are forever faithful and true, and in You I can assure my readers that we must place our faith and our trust. You were faithful to the very end in fulfilling the word of Your Father, may we be found faithful to You in all aspects of our lives this coming year, for this is my humble plea for Your help to achieve all this, AMEN!
Footnote
There are two more pages on my blog that will provide you with additional information, one of them being ‘To Know Jesus’. If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please click on the above page, or speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. Please allow someone to pray with you and give you help and/or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Words underlined in my blog could indicate a link to a song that came to mind as I wrote the devotional. Feel free to click on the link and listen as you continue to read or pray. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to www.nuggetsfromgodsword.org and read more, or you may freely to subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. If you are anywhere near the Highlands County, Florida area and do not have a church home, I would be thrilled to welcome you at Bible Fellowship Church, located at 3750 Hammock Rd, Sebring, FL 33872! Click the link to check out service times and/or other special activities. God is at work among us! Please consider coming to worship with us!
Your Response Compared to Mary’s
Saturday, 2016-12-24
Scripture
Bible Reference: Luke 1:46-50
Bible Text: Then Mary said, “I praise the Lord with all my heart. I am very happy because God is my Savior. I am not important, but he has shown his care for me, his lowly servant. From now until the end of time, people will remember how much God blessed me. Yes, the Powerful One has done great things for me. His name is very holy. He always gives mercy to those who worship him.
Bible Translation: Easy-to-Read Version (ERV)
My Take
In verse 30 of this same chapter, the angel who appeared before this young virgin, Mary, calmed her be saying that God was delivering this awesome news to her because He was pleased with her. Does that make you think that there was a close relationship between Mary and her God? There is a gospel song entitled ‘Why me’, and I love that song, but I believe it is evident in this example of Mary that if we have the kind of relationship with God that He is pleased with, then perhaps He will be pleased with us also! Therefore, in line with God’s everlasting goodness, there is no limit as to what He might do through you and I also! I believe that the other thing that we are taught in this greeting to Mary, is that when you have this type of relationship with God, and He decides to use you, He may very well use an agent of His to deliver the good news, as He did with the angel to Mary. Oh that we may have the grace to humbly accept the assignments that God sends our way. In accepting His assignment, I believe you are acknowledging that the God of this universe knows what He’s doing, and will do what He has planned, and He knows how He might best use you for His ultimate glory! Now consider what you may have thought of Mary if she responded to the angel that she would take time to think about it, because she is not one to make snap decisions. Or perhaps, asked the angel for a sign to prove to her that this assignment is truly from God. Wouldn’t that sound like she was second-guessing God. Friends, I believe that it is very obvious that God always looks for our availability, and He never has to worry about our abilities. Remember in Paul’s ministry, he desired that he might decrease, so that God may increase? Remember how John the Baptist said that he could only baptize with water, but that One who was to follow Him would actually baptize with the Holy Spirit? Yes, considering our weaknesses and our limited knowledge and abilities, we are limited by what we can do for the glory of God, but the Word of God reminds us that in Christ, and under the anointing of His Holy Spirit, He (God) can do ALL things. Friends, without any intention to brag, I can share from personal experience that God called me into various ministries where I was totally dependent on Him, and when totally surrendered to God, He was able to accomplish great things for His glory. When others look at us, and witness our actions and attitudes, their lives will only be moved into action IF they see Jesus. I would like to recommend that you consider joining me, as we daily connect with God – seek His face, not His hand, and give Him the place of honor and glory that He deserves. Make yourself available to Him for anything that He would consider using you for in accomplishing His will in your realm of influence. I believe it will amaze us how He could use even you and me! Can we, like Mary, praise God from the very depths of our hearts for what He has done, can do, and even accomplish through us, this Christmas?
Prayer
Lord Jesus, what a wonderful Savior You are! To create mere humans, allow them to do their own thing, then to accept our call for salvation, and unconditionally love us enough to welcome us back to Yourself. Wow, Oh What A Savior! But more than that Lord, You look at Your restored loved ones with such holiness that they are at Your disposal to even be used by You! Wow, Oh What A Savior! Scripture shows us how You used Your humble servant Mary, and I truly believe today that those who know You personally can easily be used by You as we place ourselves at Your feet and accept Your authority. Your will be done oh Lord! AMEN!
Footnote
If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. Allow someone to pray with you and give you help and/or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Words underlined in my blog could indicate a link to a song that came to mind as I wrote the devotional. Feel free to click on the link and listen as you continue to read or pray. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to www.nuggetsfromgodsword.org and read more, or you may freely to subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. If you are anywhere near the Highlands County, Florida area and do not have a church home, I would be thrilled to welcome you at Bible Fellowship Church, located at 3750 Hammock Rd, Sebring, FL 33872! Click the link to check out service times and/or other special activities. God is at work among us! Please consider coming to worship with us!
What Happened?
Friday, 2016-12-23
Scripture
Bible Reference: Luke 2:15-17
Bible Text: 15 When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” 16 They hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger. 17 After seeing him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child.
Bible Translation:New Living Translation (NLT)
My Take
Perhaps this Christmas, as we are reminded again about the actions, excitement, awe and obedience of those involved in the story of the birth of Christ, we might ask ourselves “What Happened?”. Why is it that poor shepherds who saw nothing but stink, four-legged sheep all day and then watched over them even by night, why is that they ‘got it’, and we still look through blurred glasses and see nothing but gifts, shopping, stress, children singing and preachers bellowing, but we never stop to consider the thought of meeting or knowing the One that this whole thing of Christmas is all about? I believe that way too often we would represent the shepherds who saw and heard angels for the very first time, recognized that yes, they are directing their message towards us, but then sit back and say “oh well, that was nice. They were in tune and did a wonderful job” and then roll back on our side and go to sleep. Please stop and read the story again, the shepherds didn’t settle for hearing about this miraculous birth, they wanted to see, feel, and witness the scene, the baby, the parents and understand the whole concept of what this whole thing was about! So what do you suppose happened to you and I? We have attended, and probably still will attend church events where we hear in song and word about a God who loves us so much that He miraculously caused His Son to be born among us; lived among us and performed many miracles to prove His relation to God; humbly and obediently died between two common criminals, just to prove His love for us and to provide the means of eternal life for us. Yes friend, that’s the kind of amazing story that surrounds the One we will hear about this Christmas, but will you look deeper than the ones singing, the ones preaching and the nagging mother who tries every year to get you out to church with her, and instead commit to knowing more about the One whom this whole Christmas thing is about? If your best friend told you they were having chest pain, you would not simply smile at them and express your disappointment, most of us would start researching for ways to help that friend overcome the problem. So what happened to us that we would hear of Jesus and deflect that good news and reject the offer that still stands today – to know Him personally and accept His free gift of salvation that leads to life eternally with He and our Father! Friends, may I encourage you to know Him; know the true meaning of ‘love’ in its purest form, and know about that peace that surpasses everything we could every imagine or understand this Christmas season? This could then truly be the merriest of all Christmases for you and those you love, friend!
Prayer
Lord God, we are thankful that You gave to us in the form of Your precious Son in greatest humility back in Bethlehem many years ago. We are compelled to seek Your forgiveness for the ways that we have focused attention from Your birth and more towards the commercial aspects of Christmas that we now find ourselves caught up in. I believe that what has happened is that the evil one has found ways to distract us from Your birth and instead more towards the worldly pleasures that pull us away from You. Please restore a desire within us to know You personally and a deep commitment to serve You and share Your love with others. May we be reminded that because You gave to us of your very best, we too might give You our heart and share our love with others in ways that might draw them to You this Christmas. AMEN!
Footnote
If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. Allow someone to pray with you and give you help and/or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Words underlined in my blog could indicate a link to a song that came to mind as I wrote the devotional. Feel free to click on the link and listen as you continue to read or pray. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to www.nuggetsfromgodsword.org and read more, or you may freely to subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. If you are anywhere near the Highlands County, Florida area and do not have a church home, I would be thrilled to welcome you at Bible Fellowship Church, located at 3750 Hammock Rd, Sebring, FL 33872! Click the link to check out service times and/or other special activities. God is at work among us! Please consider coming to worship with us!
Nuggets From God's Word 