Reasons Why We Can’t Heal

When unlikely people attend church, they are either desperate for something more than they can find in their world, or they are in search for a better life. Basically, the Holy Spirit is at work in their lives. Because sinners have no desire to be among the righteous, or in the presence of the Almighty God. Often they will leave ‘unsatisfied’, or ‘unfulfilled’, or like they didn’t find what they came for. Why? Why not? Jesus tells us in today’s Scripture, through the words to His disciples when they failed to eject the demon from the boy brought to them by his dad.

DATE POSTED Friday, 2022-07-01
WRITTEN AT: O Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Mark 9:18-19; 28-29;
TRANSLATION: New Life Version (NLV)

BIBLE TEXT: ¹⁸Wherever the demon takes him, it throws him down. Spit runs from his mouth. He grinds his teeth. He is getting weaker. I asked Your followers to put the demon out but they could not.”
¹⁹He said, “You people of this day have no faith. How long must I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring the boy to Me.”
²⁸When Jesus went into the house, His followers asked Him when He was alone, “Why could we not put out the demon?” ²⁹He said to them, “The only way this kind of demon is put out is by prayer and by going without food so you can pray better.”

APPLICATION: It would be enlightening to see the results of a survey answered by first time visitors to our church services. Think about how you might answer such questions as: 1). Why did you chose this church today?; 2). Did the pastor show an interest in you, or your needs today?; 3). Did a regular church attendee show an interest in you, or your needs today?; 4). What brought you out to church today?; 5). Based on what you heard today, do you have a clear understanding of how you might know, or draw closer to God?; and 6). Do you feel like your needs were met at this church today? | Based on our Biblical story today, I feel like we could probably answer the above questions for the dad who brought his son for healing. The bottom line is, that up until his encounter with Jesus, his needs were unfulfilled. BUT Jesus issues a compassionate invitation when He says, “Bring the child to Me.” The father had come seeking help from the disciples, but the disciples were unable to help. But isn’t that like us a lot of times? Perhaps we might bring a child, a friend, a co-worker to church or Sunday School, but they were not helped. However, we should be comforted that we brought them to where the disciples of Jesus are, and guess who shows up sooner or later? Jesus Himself! Through a testimony shared, a study given, a story told, a song sung—something will happen! Jesus will come! “Bring your child to Me,” Jesus said. But often we are so filled with doubt and fear, that we will quickly respond: ‘But how?’ Morning by morning in our devotional time with Jesus; teaching him what you’re learning from the Word as you do errands together; making sure he’s growing through fellowship with other believers; showing love and compassion like Jesus showed to us; etc. The cause of evil and destruction in this world is Satan. The cure is Jesus. The question is: Will you bring your friends and family to Him? For the disciples (followers of Jesus Christ), you might find the excuse that there was no time to fast and pray when a situation suddenly presented itself to you. Friends, we must maintain a life of prayer and fasting, because when the demonized boy is before you, it’s too late to start. Often something exceedingly important could take place, but we feel impotent and powerless because we haven’t been praying, fasting, reading the Word, or seeking the Lord. Let me encourage you by saying that: As a father, I have no other recourse than to maintain a life of prayer and fasting because I never know when the Enemy will strike my child – For he has, he does; and he will; As a believer, I have no other choice but to maintain a close walk with God because I never know the next conversation that will open up before me at work, the grocery store or in the park with a neighbor, and Jesus may speak through me with words that will impact them for eternity. We MUST be ready dear friends! Always ready!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Jesus is compassionate about our needs, just as He was about the boy brought to Him by his dad. As representatives of the King of all kings, we must be filled with faith, ready, available and willing to speak truth and power in Jesus’ name, so that the Devil will flee and never impede us or our friends ever again.

PRAYER: Thank You Lord Jesus for being patient with us, although we are reminded from Your response to Your disciples, that You become frustrated by our lack of faith and our willingness to open up and let You have Your will and way in the lives we touch each day. Please Lord, help us to be ready on every occasion to represent You and be used of You for healing, salvation or just encouragement to help others go on in the faith. Just as You touched the little boy that You called to You, I pray that You will powerfully touch the lives of those who place their faith and trust in You today, for this world needs Jesus more today than ever before. 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 might 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 subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. You may also visit me on Spotify and listen to Nuggets while you’re out and about. I would encourage you to find a church home near by your home, and attend as frequently as you could. Get to know God, and allow His people to encourage and strengthen you in your Christian walk, while making every effort to be a blessing to them. God is at work among His people! Please consider growing in your faith, as you worship with fellow believers!

Nothing is Impossible To God

A familiar story is found in Luke chapter 1, but the above words were meant for me today. Like Mary, I often wonder how, or why God would work a miracle in my life, or in the life of my family or my church. But praise the Lord, I am reminded that if my God promises something to His children, we need not wonder ‘how’, or ‘if’, for God’s Word declares that ALLthings are possible with God! Let’s stop and consider His amazing power that is available to us every day!

DATE POSTED Monday, 2022-06-13
WRITTEN AT: Jensen Beach, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Luke 1:36-37
TRANSLATION: The Message (MSG)

BIBLE TEXT: ^36-37“And did you know that your cousin Elizabeth conceived a son, old as she is? Everyone called her barren, and here she is six months pregnant! Nothing, you see, is impossible with God.”

APPLICATION: Mary, a young, virgin girl, who had not exposed herself to any man yet, was approached by an angel and given a proclamation that sounded really far out – that in spite of her virginity, she would bear a child. Moreover, this child would be the very Son of God. We may have heard this story so many times that our senses may have become dulled by the prophetic words the angel Gabriel, and the impossible announcement given to this virgin girl. But for the purpose of fully grasping the awe of this story again today, let us stop and consider the idea of our young, sheltered, child coming in to tell us that: #1 – They are pregnant; and #2 – They will be the mother of God’s Son. Wow, those two statements would probably knock us to the floor! So, stop for a moment and just imagine how you would honestly react to that news. Furthermore, imagine if you were that young lady who was touched on the shoulder and spoken to by a, a…. a what??? An angel??? Ok, perhaps you are now beginning to understand why Mary needed a little more convincing! But she was given another big shocker, that her elderly cousin Elizabeth – you know, the barren one? Yes, Elizabeth will also have a child soon. Oh my, how much more could this young lady’s heart take? But she was given the tag that helped her to make sense of all this shocking news, for the angel told her that the author of all this is God, and that nothing is impossible with Him. But, you might ask: why was this included in the Bible for us? Oh my friend, I am hoping that you might be encouraged like I was. For when life seems overwhelming, to whom shall we turn? When we feel like God is sending us in a direction for which we seem so unprepared, how will we succeed? When our loved oneis stricken by a deadly disease, like Covid, with little hope of surviving, at least in the eyes of the doctors, what shall we do?? When we can’t seem to have children, and we want them so desperately, how, how, how???? Let us remember the words given to Mary by the angel when she stood in disbelief and wonderment – Nothing is impossible with God! When God promised in His Word to be with us through all phases of life – He will fulfill His promises and see us through. When God leads us into a situation, He will see us through to His satisfaction! Remember, the same God that caused a virgin girl to bear the very Son of God, is the same God that we serve today! He is still the same God that we call on with our ‘impossible’ situations. I praise God that He is the One that I serve, and the One that I adore, for nothing – absolutely nothing, is impossible with God! Oh what a Savior! Oh what an awesome God that we serve!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: What God did before, He is still very capable of doing even greater miracles today!

PRAYER: What a wonderful God we serve! Thank You Jesus, for the sacrifice You made so that our sins would be forgiven and that we would be privileged with life everlasting with our Father in heaven! Thank You for using Your children in things like bearing the very Son of God; the miracle of birth to a barren lady; healing of the lame, the blind and the dumb. Thank You for showing us that we are more than conquerors when we place our faith and trust in You. Please dear Lord, speak to those that choose to ignore You and the love and victory You provide to all who call You ‘Father’ and ‘Lord’ of their life. Oh that You may be glorified today in all that we are. AMEN!

Use Your Gift To Serve Others

Most of us would probably respond to my theme today with something like this: ‘But I don’t have any gifts’ or ‘All the gifts were given to my pastor’, etc. However, as you join me in this study today, we will discover Paul declaring that the Spirit distributes gifts to each believer, for the benefit of the church collectively. Know your gift and be ready to serve others who need help in that area of their life. Be mindful of the gifts of others so that you will know who to call on in times of need.

DATE POSTED Friday, 2022-06-10
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: 1 Corinthians 12:7-11
TRANSLATION: Contemporary English Version (CEV)

BIBLE TEXT: ⁷The Spirit has given each of us a special way of serving others. ⁸Some of us can speak with wisdom, while others can speak with knowledge, but these gifts come from the same Spirit. ⁹To others the Spirit has given great faith or the power to heal the sick ¹⁰or the power to work mighty miracles. Some of us are prophets, and some of us recognize when God’s Spirit is present. Others can speak different kinds of languages, and still others can tell what these languages mean. ¹¹But it is the Spirit who does all this and decides which gifts to give to each of us.

APPLICATION: A great start to this study is to recognize that these gifts referred to by Paul are supernaturally given to us by the Holy Spirit. That’s what Paul indicated. So we must not dare cower in a corner and say that we have no gift, otherwise we are calling Paul a liar, and the Holy Spirit inadequate for forgetting, or refusing to give us our gift. Perhaps we subject ourselves to the ploys of Satan, who would much prefer that we remain moot on the subject of our risen Lord, or any power that He may bestow on us. Paul was addressing this subject because the believers of his day felt they were totally unspiritual and didn’t deserve such power from on high. Doesn’t that sound so much like us today? Imagine our response if someone referred to us as holy, or spiritual, or a saint, or as powerful as Jesus Christ in performing miracles or mighty works of God. We would probably quickly refer them to our pastor, or church elder, for surely they would not be talking about simple old us, right? But unless we cast doubt on the holy Word of God, and the Holy Ghost inspired words of Paul, we must believe that God is more than able to empower us with His Holy Sprit and the gifts that He spoke to us about through His servant. So if you are convinced that you have been blessed with a gift from God, then the remaining piece of this should be natural for you: be sure to use your gift for the building up of the church and for the glory of God. How do you do that? I believe the Holy Spirit opened my eyes as I read this Scripture and showed me that when we come together as a church – a body of believers in Jesus Christ, some will have the gift of great wisdom, while others will speak with awesome knowledge. Accept these as gifts from God and allow that knowledge to saturate my mind. Others may portray unbelievable faith or even possess the power to heal the sick or perform other mighty miracles. Stop accusing them of being a showoff and give God thanks for His gift to these ambassadors. There may be some who prophesy, and some recognize the mysterious presence of God’s Spirit. While I may not have my primary language mastered, there may be some who will speak different kinds of languages, and still others who can tell what these languages mean. The bottom line is that we serve an outstanding and awesome God – in fact, He’s the One who created us all and the earth on which we reside. It is His Spirit who does all this and decides which gifts to give to each of us. In community, when one has a gift and shares it with others present, it’s like WE (collectively) have all these gifts! Oh that God may be glorified through each of His children, especially because they are using the gifts handed down to them from the Father, for His glory! Do your part dear friends. Use the gifts endowed upon you and bless every on that you come into contact with!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: What a mighty God we serve! Angels bow before Him. Heaven and earth adore Him! What a mighty God we serve! We must be an extraordinary for an extraordinary to consider giving us extraordinary gifts! Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost!

PRAYER: Lord, I now believe that we are foolish to ever say again that we are just an ‘ordinary’ person here on earth, for I have been reminded of Your greatness and also how special we are in Your eyes. No doubt if we would consider everyone that we come into contact with in that same light, we would never again look down on what You have created. Unfortunately some have permitted Satan to spoil the good in them, but Lord, I pray that You would once again today remind Your children of the value You have placed in them and of the love You showed for them on Calvary. Please speak intently to the hearts of the unsaved again today, especially the ones who will happen across this devotional. Please work in the lives of Your chosen people and help us to use the gift so lovingly given to us – for the betterment of the church – Your worshippers. AMEN!

You Will See The Lord Give You Victory!

King Jehoshaphat faced an overwhelming issue – he was about to face a huge army. Often our issues seem huge and unreal also, and we become overwhelmed with fear of the unknown. We can only see the huge battle, and we could easily see the limited resources that we have at our disposal. But the reassuring thing for us from this story today, is that the same God who promised victory to the king, is the same God that we serve, and the same God, at whose feet we will place our burdens today! Friend of God, I believe that our God is just as concerned about our battle as He was about the king’s challenge! But I also believe that He has the power to win our battle for us, just as He did for the king! What a super reminder for us today!

DATE POSTED Monday, 2022-05-02
WRITTEN AT: Citra, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: 2 Chronicles 20:15–17
TRANSLATION: Good News Translation (GNT)

BIBLE TEXT: Jahaziel said, “Your Majesty and all you people of Judah and Jerusalem, the LORD says that you must not be discouraged or be afraid to face this large army. The battle depends on God, not on you. Attack them tomorrow as they come up the pass at Ziz. You will meet them at the end of the valley that leads to the wild country near Jeruel. You will not have to fight this battle. Just take up your positions and wait; you will see the LORD give you victory. People of Judah and Jerusalem, do not hesitate or be afraid. Go out to battle, and the LORD will be with you!”

APPLICATION: King Jehoshaphat faced the reality of an approaching army that was superior to his and overwhelmingly outnumbered his army. He was accustomed to prayer, leadership by God, and the awesome power of God. And, true to form, the king took full advantage of petitioning the help of the God who promised to be with His children in their time of need! Jehoshaphat gathered his people in the temple courtyard and he personally led the prayer to God on behalf of his people. After bragging on the known accomplishments of God, in vs 7 and again in vs 12 the king acknowledged that “You are our God”, meaning that You are the proven One that we depend on; You are the One that is powerful enough to bring us victory! In response to this intense, yet humble time of prayer, God spoke through an unknown prophet in their midst, Jahaziel. The prophet shared with the king and his people that they are not to be afraid or discouraged, the battle depends on God, not on them! Wow, we serve the same great God that gave this promise to Jahaziel! What an awesome and reassuring reality when we face our battles today. When we have placed the battle in God’s hands, we can rest peacefully knowing that the battle is not ours, but His! What an all-powerful, protective and awesome God we serve, fellow Christian! Take time to give Him praise, adoration and glory today! If you are facing a battle, no matter how huge, please consider reading the full chapter 20 of 2 Chronicles (30 verses), and be encourage to surrender that battle over to God. Imagine the peace of knowing that the God who created this vast universe, now has the issue that has been troubling you, under His control. The battle is no longer yours, my friend, but His! He will be glorified for the way that He handles this! Just surrender it to God, my friend! For He alone is our God!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Surrendered hearts of believing Christians will seek God and surrender their battles to the Master of the sea; the healer of the blind, deaf and mute; the Victor of battles brought on against Jehoshaphat, and the One who loves, cares and waits for us in Glory. Our battles belong to Him!

PRAYER: Lord God, You know the mountains that we need to cross, and I believe that You know the challenges that seem overwhelming to us. Please comfort the hearts of Your children tuned in to this devotional today, and give us the reassurance that we need to help us face today, and tomorrow, knowing that You are still God and that our ‘mountains’ are very crossable with You as our Guide and our Deliverer. Praise be to God for the assurance of knowing teh God on the mountain is also God of our deepest valley. May we place our faith and trust in You at all times, for all things. AMEN!

Only God Can Give Inward Peace

When we think of a place of safety, we may tend to think of the sight of the frightened faces on Ukraine civilians as they flee their homeland while hoping they would not be killed during their exit. Or there may be multiple scenarios that are very close to us and our families where we look, and hope, for security that can only come from God. Let me encourage you to think on the relationship you have with God today as you meditate on the rest of this devotional.

DATE POSTED Thursday, 2022-04-07
WRITTEN AT: Astatula, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Psalm 62:5-8
TRANSLATION: Contemporary English Version (CEV)

BIBLE TEXT: ⁵Only God gives inward peace, and I depend on him.
⁶God alone is the mighty rock that keeps me safe and he is the fortress where I feel secure.
⁷God saves me and honors me. He is that mighty rock where I find safety.
⁸Trust God, my friends, and always tell him each of your concerns. God is our place of safety.

APPLICATION: David enjoyed a very intimate relationship with His Lord. Based on God’s help in many areas of his life, David grew to call on God for new challenges that came his way, and for situations that were bigger than he thought he could possibly handle, and God gave him inward peace. I believe this is well worth the time for believers in Jesus Christ to be reminded of, and I believe this might help unbelievers to better understand why Christians find such peace in the God that they love, serve and obey. My wife and I have often praised God for His mercies during rough times in our lives, and after feeling the calm and peace brought to us by God, I remember us commenting to each other about what could possibly bring such peace to an unbeliever. Notice how David had drawn so close to His God that he was able to depend on Him more assuredly, knowing that God had proven Himself already in many of the same areas that David was once again facing. How then, can we draw that close to God? First of all, compare the time you spend with God, to the time you spend with your spouse or best friend. Spending quality, personal, time with your spouse draws you closer together. You can recognize the things that make your spouse happy, or sad. Things that would cause them to draw closer to you, or withdraw from you. Now compare that to the total time you estimate spending with the Lord. Then subtract off the time you sat under someone’s teaching or preaching, and take note of the time remaining that you personally spend with the Lord. If you spent only that number of minutes, or hours with your spouse, do you suppose your marriage would last? Friends, our confidence in the power of the Almighty God, comes from the time we spend with Him – reading His Word and committing to obey His commands; praying; praising God; and spending time giving and receiving encouragement to/from other believers. Our dependence on God for everything in life will give us confidence in, and faith to, depend on Him when we are at our lowest. A friend of mine chose to pray for lost keys, or a misplaced wallet, and such. He found peace in knowing that just as God answered those small, simple prayers, he was confident that He could, and would, also answer the more complex worries of life when he called on Him. Notice that David enjoyed an inward peace, a firm and solid Rock on which to stand, and a fortress where he could feel safe from the dangers of the outside world. Because of these things David felt like God saved him, honored him, and supported him when he was weak and helpless. Friends, although David was a man after God’s own heart, I am convinced that we are just as loved, cared for and surrounded by the strong arms of God in every walk of our lives, IF we seek Him, accept Him, and allow Him to rule over us. SPECIAL NOTE: God is not a puppet that you can pull from your pocket when you’re in trouble. He created us in His image, and desires relationship with us, so that He could save, love, protect, guide and provide for us until we unite with Him around the throne for eternity.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Oh what a Savior! God cares for us in ways we could only imagine. In making an effort to mirror His ways, we too must learn to love others, just as God loves us!

PRAYER: Lord we praise You for loving us and taking such good care of us. It was encouraging to be reminded of the solid foundation David had in You and how he celebrated Your goodness to him. At the foot of the cross, we are all equal. So I am confident that as my readers, listeners and I place our faith, trust and emotions into accepting You, loving You, trusting You and obeying Your commands, You will also answer our prayer for help in life’s circumstances. Thank You Lord for the inward peace this brings to us – Your children. Please touch the hearts and lives of the unsaved today. Draw them to You Lord. Soften their hardened hearts so that they will realize their need for You. AMEN!

The Power of Our Awesome God

Perhaps you are feeling hopeless because of something going on in your life right now. No known solutions, and little hope for how you will overcome this ‘thorn in your side’. Today might be the day that God reminds you of who He is and the power that He possesses. Meditate on these words about our awesome God, and rejoice in the One that you sing praises to and you offer up thanks to. Praise God for His awesome power that can heal our every disease and help us work through every problem, no matter how insurmountable and overwhelming they appear to us!

DATE POSTED Saturday, 2022-02-26
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Psalm 33:6-9
TRANSLATION: New Living Translation (NLT)

BIBLE TEXT: ⁶The Lord merely spoke, and the heavens were created.
He breathed the word, and all the stars were born.
⁷He assigned the sea its boundaries and locked the oceans in vast reservoirs.
⁸Let the whole world fear the Lord, and let everyone stand in awe of him.
⁹For when he spoke, the world began! It appeared at his command.

APPLICATION: Don’t we hear it all the time? Haven’t we been there at one time or another in our life? Where we sour in the thought of our problems and we see no hope for anything, or anyone who could help us overcome the pain that we are facing? We are resigned to accepting death as our only victor. But isn’t that how David must have felt? He moved into the shelter and isolation of the mountains, and he could hardly sleep because his ears were so attuned to every little sound – which caused him to automatically assume that one more enemy member was closing in on him. Would life ever return to normal? Will there ever be a safe place for him to live again among family and friends? For us it might be that awful disease that we never want to hear the doctors pronounce on us – cancer. But then, many have died from Covid and from other ‘less talked about’ ailments. Dear friends, I am convinced that the same God who spoke this world, and each of us, into existence, is the same God that got David’s attention and caused him to stop and think outside of his own issues, and find the One who is greater than all of his problems. I also believe that this same God is still very much alive, well, and ready to work with His other sons and daughters today, whom He loves just as much as He cared for David! Be reminded my friend that this is not just another doctor, whose qualifications are limited to a specific area of our body. Be reminded that this is not just another priest or pastor, whose powers are limited to earnest prayer before their Creator on our behalf. Be reminded that this is the King of all kings; the Lord of all lords; the One who healed the sick, restored sight, hearing and mobility to those who traveled many miles by foot, but were convinced that if only they could touch the hem of His garment! It’s the same God who David acknowledged in our Scripture today. The same One who turned waterways into roads for a million of His chosen children to walk safely through as they faced the barrier of water in the Red Sea! Please tell me again, what is it that you think He is incapable of doing?!! We have reason for complete faith in this God of ours, just follow David’s example and stop to think on His many miracles. Of course He can!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: We have the answers to our problems right at our fingertips! Our God – the One who created everything from nothing at all, He’s available to us to still perform miracle after miracle for the one who places their faith and trust in Him! What a mighty God is this God – our God!

PRAYER: Precious Lord, You did it before, and I believe You can do it again! Unfortunately we look at our problems, particularly our many ailments, and we give up to the fear of our end quickly approaching. As Your precious children, may we be as bold as David and give You permission to help us outside of our box – the one filled with doubt, fear and limitations. May we look fully into the face of our awesome God who had the power to create everything around us, and may we be reminded that You still have that same power to manage, heal and overcome every limitation that Your created ones face today. Praise God, I serve a God who can do all things! May my faith be increased to believe and trust in You to allow that to include every issues I face each day as well! AMEN!

Our God Will …

If we are not careful, our world can bombard us with so much stress, that we might wonder at times if it is really worth it all. But then we are reminded in Scriptures like this one today, that life seems impossible – if we try to do it alone. We serve an awesome, all powerful God who is ready and willing to answer our cry for oneness with Him. I am convinced that He longs to receive us, love on us and take good care of us until the day He calls us to live eternally with He and the Father. Why not meditate with me today as we analyze and satisfy ourselves as to the power of our God!

Saturday, 2021-08-28

Bible Reference: Proverbs 3:5-10
Translation: The Living Bible (TLB)

Scripture

Bible Text: Trust the Lord completely; don’t ever trust yourself. ⁶In everything you do, put God first, and he will direct you and crown your efforts with success.
^7-8Don’t be conceited, sure of your own wisdom. Instead, trust and reverence the Lord, and turn your back on evil; when you do that, then you will be given renewed health and vitality.
^9-10Honor the Lord by giving him the first part of all your income, and he will fill your barns with wheat and barley and overflow your wine vats with the finest wines.

APPLICATION: Like me, I would imagine that, throughout your day there are times when you are overwhelmed as to how you will ever accomplish everything on your agenda, and that you wish you knew what might be happening in the coming days, weeks and years, so that you could make good choices today. Friends, I believe that God has placed the answer to this dilemma right at our fingertips – in these verses today. For I believe that you will see clearly that although we may not have all of the answers, there is a God who does – praise His name for ever and ever! As you read the first two verses of our Scripture today, let me remind you of Moses, God’s messenger and leader who had millions of people following him. Because He trusted completely in God, when he brought all these folk to the edge of the Jordan River, his ulcers didn’t explode from the stress of what to do next, for he was convinced that if God brought him to this crossroad, then obviously God would see him through, or across the river. These verses declare that when we place our faith and trust in Jesus, He will direct us into right paths and make our journey, or actions successful. Notice that this is not something we need to understand how or when success or answers will come, we are to just trust God and He will… Notice in verses 7-10, there are certain expectation from us, such as:
* Trust and reverence God;
* Turn our backs on evil – of course the positive equivalent to this is to obey God’s commands;
* Honor God by giving Him the first of our income;
Just remember that God is all powerful and He could bless our health and give us vitality without us feeling like we had anything to do with the formula, but by demanding that we participate in the above simple actions, we learn that God’s goodness is for those who have an interest – those who want it. Similarly with our finances – God could very easily bestow great riches on everyone, but don’t you know that we always abuse anything that is given to us without us have some ‘skin’ in the game? When we give the first of our income, we are not only showing obedience to God, but we are acknowledging that there is nothing more important in our life. It also helps us to recognize that because we are blessed by God to be able to work and provide for our family, the least we could do is give back to Him unconditionally from our financial earnings. In true form to the goodness of our God, He foreknew the temptation of money, so He still threw in a blessing for those that obey this commandment to give. I believe that God’s Word is clear that we will be blessed financially in proportion to what we give. Are you ‘blessed’ financially? Check your giving, perhaps it needs adjusting!

PRAYER: Lord God, You have proven Yourself to us in so many ways, yet we often feel like we could handle this thing called ‘life’ all by ourselves. Please forgive us for our littleness Lord. You are Creator; Master; Lord and the Savior of this world. Thank You for giving us clear instruction of what is expected of us to receive optimal results from You. Please touch our stubborn hearts today and convince us of the need for obedience and faithfulness to You. Lord, we want to benefit from all the great things You have promised to us, but more than that, we are anxious to one day be with You in glory, where we could worship You endlessly. Bless us this day with Your grace and your mercy. Please lead us into total obedience to Your Word, for I ask these things in the gracious and loving name of Jesus, AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: There are two more pages on my blog at https://NuggetsFromGodsWord.org 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 or listening to this devotional, please go to 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. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to Nuggets From God’s Word and see all of my posts, or you may freely subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. I would encourage you to find a church home near by your home, and attend as frequently as you could. Get to know God, and allow His people to encourage and strengthen you in your Christian walk, while making every effort to be a blessing to them. God is at work among His people! Please consider growing in your faith, as you worship with fellow believers!

If You Have Faith

I’m sure that almost every reader/listener will immediately think of a time when they wished they had more faith. There are times that we say a quick prayer for a concern that we have. But then there are times that we take to our knees and plead with God for certain urgent and critical concerns. Jesus told His disciples that faith is the secret to our prayers having feet or substance. How’s your faith? Let’s meditate on this Scripture and see what God has to share with us that might help.

DATE WRITTEN: Saturday, 2021-07-10
WRITTEN AT: Kingman, AZ

SCRIPTURE FROM: Matthew 17:19-20
TRANSLATION: New Living Translation (NLT)

BIBLE TEXT: ¹⁹Afterward the disciples asked Jesus privately, “Why couldn’t we cast out that demon?”
²⁰“You don’t have enough faith,” Jesus told them. “I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it would move. Nothing would be impossible.

APPLICATION: This Scripture comes at a time when I am visiting the Grand Canyon in Arizona, USA. We can read about God creating mountains and canyons, but until we see these things in person, it is so difficult to truly fathom His awesome works. In reading this Scripture I quickly concluded that God was simply using mountains as an illustration for us to understand how powerful our faith truly is, to the one who believes on teh Lord Jesus Christ. But as I looked at those beautiful mountains, I could only think that I would have no reason to have a mountain move, for it is very obvious that they were placed meticulously and perfectly by God. In all humility, I just beg of God to give me faith to heal certain diseases that hinder enjoyment of life by so many, even the health of my very own family. Think about it – COVID; Cancer; Alzheimer’s; Blindness; Deafness; the awful position of many who are lame or crippled, etc, etc. Friends, you may look at my list and say that in the realm of human capability, those diseases are just as huge as mountains, for they have been around for a while now and they seem to be beyond help by doctors, much less normal laity like you and I. But unless we go beyond the faith of the disciples, Jesus would repeat His explanation to us all over again as He did to the disciples. We currently have every reason to take God at His word in saying that ‘Nothing is impossible’, for we have seen where He performed miracle after miracle,and we know that all things are possible with Him. But I had a friend who would stop and pray that God would help him find his car keys, or show him the right path to take in his business. He said by turning everything over to God, it provided him with a foundation upon which to stand while asking God for the BIG things in life that may otherwise seem impossible in the eyes of man. Whatever it takes to syke up our minds to let go and believe in God with all of our heart, soul and mind, we must do it dear friend, for He cares for us and loves us more than anything we could even imagine. In some biblical translations a verse is added as vs 21, and it says that having this kind of faith may require us to fast and pray in deepest faith. So just as in the case of building physical strength, where we start small in our weightlifting and then increase as we could handle it, let’s plan to do the same on our Spiritual journey of faith. Develop your faith by trusting God in the small things, and watch how He will strengthen you to trust Him even in the times that may seem impossible, especially to unbelievers.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Just a little amount of faith will go a long way. Have faith, believe, and nothing will be impossible!

PRAYER: Lord, we often say that we believe in God, and that is admirable. But may we have such faith in You that our Scripture today will become a reality – Nothing is impossible with God, and for the one who believes in God with all their heart, soul and mind. Please embolden us with Your love, Your miraculous touch, and the everlasting hope that brighten the day of every believer in Christ. Please work miraculously through us, and grant us the boldness to know that ALL things are possible through the powerful and strong name of Jesus Christ. AMEN!

Faith and Persistence

Persistent in our faith is one thing, but being persistent because of our faith is even a step closer to getting the attention of Jesus Christ. Not that Jesus is deaf and needs us to repeat our petitions, but I believe that He wants to know that we are serious about what we are asking. Stay with me as we dig into our Scripture today, and develop this thought. This word still very much applies to us today.

DATE WRITTEN: Friday, 2021-05-21
WRITTEN AT: Nassau, Bahamas

SCRIPTURE FROM: Mark 7:25-30
TRANSLATION: The Passion Translation (TPT)

BIBLE TEXT: ²⁵… a woman whose daughter had a demon spirit heard he was there, she came and threw herself down at his feet. ²⁶She was not Jewish, but a foreigner, …. She begged him repeatedly to cast the demon out of her daughter. ²⁷Finally he said to her, “First let my children be fed and satisfied, for it isn’t fair to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs.”
²⁸She answered, “How true that is, Lord. But even puppies under the family table are allowed to eat the little children’s crumbs.”
²⁹Then Jesus said to her, “That’s a good reply! Now, because you said this, you may go. The demon has permanently left your daughter.” ³⁰And when she returned home, she found her daughter resting quietly on the couch, completely set free from the demon!

APPLICATION: It is important that we not only read today’s Scripture, but also read Matthew 15:21-28 to hear the extra details offered by Matthew’s perspective. There were several things that I believe the Holy Spirit ministered to my spirit about in this story, and although you may receive even more enlightenment as you read the Scripture, I wanted to share my thoughts with you, in hopes that you might be encouraged:
~ In spite of feeling like a foreigner to the ministry of Jesus, this mother still knew about the power of God through His Son, and because of her desperate need, she dared go to Jesus with her issue. For us, I am impressed that she didn’t go to the priest for prayer for her daughter, nor to ask that him to accompany her when she journeyed to see Jesus. It seems like we are so quick to call the pastor, or an official of the church to ask them to pray for our sick child. And while I know that the prayers of the righteous children of God availeth much, we should never expect that kind of request to supersede our deepest moments in prayer to the powerful God that we know, and believe in. Remember, the veil has been removed, and we have direct access to the Father. He wants to hear from us and to minister directly to us, in addition to any needs that we may bring before Him;
~ In spite of the disciples pushing her away and trying to protect the time of their Master, she was persistent enough that she caught the attention of Jesus. While helping our daughter to find a job, we asked a young waiter in a popular restaurant how did he secure his job there. I believe I will always remember his response: ‘I am convinced that because of my persistence, my employer saw that I truly wanted the job, and if I was that persistent about my application, they could only imagine how persistent I would be about my job, if employed by them.’ Do you convince Jesus that you truly care about, and want a response from Him because of your persistence? If you are a church leader, are you ever guilty of ‘pushing a desperate parishioner away’ because of the way they look, smell or act, or do you help everyone seeking Jesus to truly find Him and develop a relationship with Him? Please don’t be a stumbling block to any of Jesus’ children seeking to draw near to Him;
~ In spite of Jesus’ first response to this mother, she insisted on making sure that there was no misunderstanding about what she wanted. Her daughter was terrorized by a demon, and she wanted that stopped. Knowing that Jesus was the only one who could perform that miracle, the lady continued in persistent faith to call on Jesus. Don’t you feel like we often give up too soon when we are pleading our case before the Lord? Although the Bible teaches us to not continue in repetitive prayer lines, I am convinced that this refers to recorded lines by local religious officials. I know that when I pray from a sincere heart, because of a strong personal relationship with my Lord, He will hear my cry and He will respond in ways that will keep me in the center of His will.
Dear friends, Jesus is not deaf to the pleas of His children. Seek earnestly today and be persistent in asking according to Your desperate needs. Jesus loves you as His very own child and He will strive to show that love better than our earthly father or mother could ever have done. Keep on keeping on, my friend!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: We are all God’s precious children. Although not a Jew, Jesus still found time to visit with the desperate mother about her daughter who was terrorized by a demon. I believe He still listens keenly and intently for the cries of His children today!

PRAYER: Often we feel like our problems are too minor to bother the Creator of the entire universe, but Lord, I believe that You are way more concerned about every issue that bothers us. Our earthly fathers try hard to provide for our needs and love us unconditionally, but because of earthly distractions they sometimes failed. Praise God, Your love for us is greater than anything we could imagine, so I must ask that You kindly place a refreshing spirit within us to call on You, and chat with You about our every need, and to never neglect to praise You for Your many blessings on us. Your action on those things that we consider ‘minor’ will build our faith to seek only You in those serious times that seem impossible to us. Please draw us close to You oh God and deliver us from the evil of this world in which we live, so that our relationship with You will be enriched and we will come to depend on You as our constant source of help in our time of need. AMEN!

Do It Again, Lord

David had witnessed the power of God in His life many times, yet he didn’t take that for granted. We see in this Scripture today, that David is asking God to intervene – one more time. The powerful thing about these verses is that David is not approaching God as a stranger, for he shares with us lessons that he had previously learned. Hopefully we can approach God with that same confidence today!

Sunday, 2021-04-18

Bible Reference: Psalm 27:13-14
Translation: The Passion Translation (TPT)

Bible Text: Yet I totally trust you to rescue me one more time, so that I can see once again how good you are while I’m still alive! Here’s what I’ve learned through it all: Don’t give up; don’t be impatient; be entwined as one with the Lord. Be brave and courageous, and never lose hope. Yes, keep on waiting—for he will never disappoint you!

OBSERVATION: David had witnessed the power of God in His life many times, yet he didn’t take that for granted. We see in this Scripture today, that David is asking God to intervene – one more time. The powerful thing about these verses is that David is not approaching God as a stranger, for he shares with us lessons that he had previously learned. Hopefully we can approach God with that same confidence today!

APPLICATION: Hopefully we all can remember a time that God was especially real to us. It may have been a time when we couldn’t figure out where to turn next, or who to turn to for help, when suddenly we sensed the power of God intervening in our life and giving us purpose to go on. At some point we may have learned that someone was praying especially hard and persistent for us, and that convinced us even more that it was the hand of God that touched us in our time of need. Friends, I believe that God especially gives us times of refreshment like that, so that we might have a memorial to refer back to and be encouraged by. For He saw our need and responded to our prayers when times were really challenging for us. The glorious truth is, that He could very easily ‘do it again’, if only we would seek Him and depend on Him. While I believe that these very special times might be refreshing times for us individually, I also believe that they sometimes serve as a tool that we may use to encourage others that may encounter similar challenges. Another real purpose that these special experiences might serve, is to encourage our own selves when challenges come our way. Have you ever experienced a time when you sat down and almost cried, because the burden seemed so heavy? The need for power, or for encouragement, or perhaps healing may have been overwhelming. You may not have known which way to turn next – until the Holy Spirit suddenly brought to remembrance a time where God clearly responded to a similar need in your life. It was times like this, that you regained purpose in your relationship with the Master, and you were able to return humbly before the Lord and seek His forgiveness as you acknowledged your need and your weakness before the Creator of this universe, the Master of the land, sea, and every living thing. Friends, it is unfortunate, but way too often we try to assume control over our circumstances for which we have no power. And it’s not until we humble ourselves and rededicate ourselves completely to the lordship of Jesus Christ in total surrender, that we make room for Him and His awesome power to move mightily in our lives. I believe that God is waiting for us to surrender, or re-surrender ourselves to His will, so that He might move in our lives personally, and corporately, one more time. I need that, friends. I hope and pray that you will also see the need to be totally surrendered to Jesus – yes, especially today!

PRAYER: In Your awesome expression of love, humility and power, You reached down and touched my life, and I thank You for loving even me that much. Oh that I may be reminded of whose I am, every time that Satan tries to discourage and pull me down. Lord, I believe that many who will read this devotional may have experienced similar times of discouragement, and may honestly desire a touch from You once again. May this reminder from David be something that may return peace and encouragement to many who allow Your Word to penetrate their hearts today. Oh that they may be reminded of the mighty work You have already accomplished in their life, and may they be encouraged to seek You yet again, even in their current circumstances, knowing that You could just as easily ‘do it all again’! May You be glorified because of our surrender today dear Lord! AMEN!