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Post Date: |
Monday, 2017-01-16 |
| SCRIPTURE | |
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From: |
Genesis 15:4–6 (NCV) |
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Text: |
4 Then the LORD spoke his word to Abram: “He will not be the one to inherit what you have. You will have a son of your own who will inherit what you have.”
5 Then God led Abram outside and said, “Look at the sky. There are so many stars you cannot count them. Your descendants also will be too many to count.” 6 Abram believed the LORD. And the LORD accepted Abram’s faith, and that faith made him right with God. |
| OBSERVATION: | |
| In verses 1-3 it seems like Abram had somewhat of a pity party, feeling sorry for himself. God promised a reward to Abram, but he could see no further than having no one to pass the reward on to. However, God didn’t get impatient with Abram as He went on to promise him a son, even at his advanced age, to pass his blessings on to. Now, let’s be sure that we get the picture here, for Abram was already 85-86 years old at the time, having never had a child with his wife Sarai, yet God promised Abram that he would have a son! What would you have done? Now look at verse 6, for we see where Abram never discounted anything that God told him, not even the obvious questionable promise of him have a son at that age. And because of his faith, Abram was considered by God to be righteous, or right with God! | |
| APPLICATION: | |
| We often hear the saying by men “Oh ye of little faith”, when they see us falter or doubt the works of God. Friends, I believe that this story of Abram was uniquely placed in God’s Word for you and I. When we accept Jesus as Lord, and we take our daily concerns to Him, we should be reassured by this story that the action of surrendering our will to God’s will, and the act of asking for things in faith through Jesus, is a demonstration of our faith in the awesome power of the God of this universe. Yes, I realize that we often lay some pretty heavy stuff at the feet of Jesus and ask for His perfect will to be done, however, we often quickly retort to disappointment or rebellion when our prayers are not answered in exactly the same way that we demanded. Praise God that He answers in ways that are perfect and that fits within His design for our lives, and in ways that will bring glory to Himself. Please let’s try and remember that the reason we ask God is to seek His face and His perfect will. Simply demanding that God answer in the way that we ask will create extreme stress and hardship for us, for we are selfish and will only ask using the limitations we can see or expect or dream of. God is much bigger than that, for just as He made us, and the world around us, He also knows what comes next. Being His chosen people who have accepted the Lordship of His precious Son, makes us the ‘apple of His eye’, and as such, He wants for us far more than we could ever dream or imagine! So how’s your faith friend? Would God consider you ‘righteous’ because of the faith you demonstrate in His Son? Perhaps a matter of prayer and commitment today might be in asking God to open our eyes and our heart to trust Him in total faith. Please do me a favor, and consider doing that along with me today! | |
| PRAYER: | |
| Father, You are so good and Your faithfulness endures forever and forever! We serve such an awesome God! Having created us and made every provision for our wellbeing and happiness, yet to see us falter, fail and seek You selfishly must hurt You beyond anything we could imagine. Lord, we are reminded in this story of Abram that You look for, expect and honor our faith. Abram’s faith resulted in You viewing him as ‘righteous’. Lord, please help us to put self aside and to place our faith and trust in You for ALL things. May our faith become so strong, that we never make decisions without feeling reassured that You are in control and directing us towards decision that will bring You glory and draw us closer to You. I ask these things in faith, and through the precious name of Jesus, 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: Forgiveness
Because of God’s Unfailing Love
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Post Date: |
Friday, 2017-01-13 |
| SCRIPTURE | |
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From: |
Psalm 5:7–8 (NLT) |
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Text: |
7 Because of your unfailing love, I can enter your house; I will worship at your Temple with deepest awe. 8 Lead me in the right path, O LORD, or my enemies will conquer me. Make your way plain for me to follow.
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| OBSERVATION: | |
| The Psalmist was very open in declaring that it was only because of God’s unfailing love that he could even enter the house of the Lord – His temple, to worship Him. In spite of his victories in battle, David could easily have kept his head lifted high in pride, but instead he continued to plead with God for His direction – the right path that he (David) should follow. | |
| APPLICATION: | |
| Friends, I am so afraid that we have assumed way too much pride when it comes to church attendance. At my church, we were reminded last Sunday that our singing, our praise and our worship is intended for an audience of ONE. We don’t need to impress the Brother in front of us, or the Sister beside us, but in all humbleness of heart we walk into the presence of the Almighty God, and in spite of our sin and shameful deeds of that week, we come asking God to accept us – mere sinful humans, as we are, presenting all we have to offer Him – our act of worship. Friends, the mere picture of that, presents us with the fact that although we might seem like peons, yet we are the creation of the God that we have now come to return thanks, and offer our sacrifices of praise. We have nothing to boast of, outside of the awesome work that God has chosen to do through us. The thankfulness of heart from just the fact that He accepted us after forgiving us of our sins, is worth hours of worship and thanksgiving each time we think of it. The willingness to use vessels that were torn by sin and separation from God, is enough to blow our minds, but fill us with thankfulness because of His great love and forgiveness. Friends, we must realize that each and every day that we’re alive deserves our humble, yet ultimate act of worship as we come before a God who loved us enough to accept us as we were when we approached His throne of grace. It was because of God’s amazing grace that He listened to our plea for forgiveness, and accepted us as pure and holy, even as He is holy. To the one who has not sought that forgiveness of sin yet, you might ask ‘What shall wash away my sin’? To which Jesus and His holy saints would respond ‘Nothing but the blood of Jesus’. May I encourage the unbeliever to seek the face of Jesus today and His righteousness, please? May I encourage the saints to take another look at the way that you approach Jesus and His holiness. Re-read how David looked at this, and consider approaching Him in deepest respect and awe, just for who He is! | |
| PRAYER: | |
| Lord God, You created us in Your own image, and I’m sure You were so proud of what You had created! I believe that You are still proud of us, and loves us unconditionally, in spite of our straying away from You and our tendency to lean towards those things that the adversary offers in this sinful world. Thank You for loving us in spite of our evil desires and straying hearts. Lord, You have made it clear in Your Word that Your desire is to see the sinner return to You, seek Your face and Your forgiveness. Some might read this devotional today who have not placed their faith and trust in You. May I ask that You humble their hearts as they read Your word, so that they may surrender their heart to You, please Heavenly Father? I would also love for You to touch the hearts of believers today that may have allowed the freshness of their conversion to fade into the background and now take Your presence for granted. Please dear God, always keep us humble to remember the Love that You showed for us when You hung on the cross of Calvary. As we enter your courts, Your temple, Your church, may our hearts be so fill up with praise and thanksgiving, that our time together with You will be overwhelming worship of the King of all kings! I love You Lord! AMEN! | |
| FOOTNOTE: | |
| There are two more pages on my blog that will provide you with additional information, one of them being ‘To Know Jesus’. If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please click on the above page, or speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. Please allow someone to pray with you and give you help and/or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Words underlined in my blog could indicate a link to a song that came to mind as I wrote the devotional. Feel free to click on the link and listen as you continue to read or pray. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to Nuggets From God’s Word and read more, or you may freely to subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. If you are anywhere near the Highlands County, Florida area and do not have a church home, I would be thrilled to welcome you at Bible Fellowship Church, located at 3750 Hammock Rd, Sebring, FL 33872! Click the link to check out service times and/or other special activities. God is at work among us! Please consider coming to worship with us! | |
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! | |
Of More Importance Than Food
Friday, 2016-12-30
Scripture
Bible Reference: John 4:31-34 (CEV)
Bible Text: 31 While this was happening, Jesus’ disciples were saying to him, “Teacher, please eat something.” 32 But Jesus told them, “I have food that you don’t know anything about.” 33 His disciples started asking each other, “Has someone brought him something to eat?”
34 Jesus said: My food is to do what God wants! He is the one who sent me, and I must finish the work that he gave me to do.
My Take
There is a saying I’ve heard around churches, “if you feed them, they will come”! That sounds bad, but it is so true of many folk who attend church today! I believe you will even see this proven at weddings where the couple decides not to have a reception, for I’m sure their attendance is down, compared to the weddings that offer a feast afterwards at a reception. Why, even to funerals are now followed by a huge reception that attracts most attendees to eat, rather than spending quality time with the mourning family members. It is unfortunate that we have gotten our priorities so twisted. Perhaps as we face the coming of a brand new year, we may look to the Word of God to make sure that our priorities are in order. Here are some examples for us to take note of, and follow as God leads:
- John 4:31-34 – In this focal passage, Jesus saw an opportunity to speak with unsaved Samaritans, and this was far more satisfying to Him than any amount, or quality of food that He could physically eat at the time. If it was important to Jesus, should it not be for us also?
- Matt. 14:15–17; John 4:8; Luke 18:28 – The Disciples were always concerned about the physical need, particularly food!
- Luke 11:11-13 – Jesus taught the disciples to first remember that God will provide exactly what they need, even though their tendency was to worry about food and physical needs primarily. Imagine pleading and pleading for a hamburger, when God wants to give you a ranch where you could have all the beef you want! He will supply our needs, friends! Praise the wonderful name of Jesus!
Friends, when we get our priorities straight and do what Jesus commands in Matthew 6:33 – seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, then perhaps He will see to it that ALL of our need are met, not just our physical needs of nourishment. Perhaps the next time we become so concerned over whether to have a meal in order to attract folk to an event, particularly a church event, we should read Romans 14:17-18 and remind ourselves of what’s important to the kingdom of heaven! Perhaps if we concentrate more on our spiritual needs and the desire of God for our lives in 2017, we will not only trim some fat, but we will gain a whole lot more faith, hope, love for each other, and gain a closer walk with the Lord than we have ever had before. Friends, can we make this our goal in 2017, God being our helper?
Prayer
Lord Jesus, please forgive us for alowing our priorities to drift away from the most important person, and the most important thing. We are very close to being blessed with a brand new year, where we have the opportunity to make a brand new start in our spiritual lives. We need to draw close to You Lord, for living in this old wicked world has poisoned us into following the ways of Satan instead of the righteousness that would please You, the one who sacrificed Your very own life for us. Please renew within us a right spirit, so that we might get our priorities straight, and may this all happen so that You might be glorified in all things. 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!
Reasons Why Jesus Came
Wednesday, 2016-12-14
Scripture
Bible Reference: Luke 1:49-54
Bible Text: 49 …His name is holy; 50 from one generation to another he shows mercy to those who honor him. 51 He has stretched out his mighty arm and scattered the proud with all their plans. 52 He has brought down mighty kings from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly. 53 He has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away with empty hands. 54 He has kept the promise he made to our ancestors ….
Bible Translation: Good News Translation (GNT)
My Take
Beginning in verse 46, Mary’s heart is so full of the miracle of God, that she breaks into song. In fact a song that has been known over the years as ‘The Magnificat’ and song by many popular singers around the word every Christmas season. However, what really hit me as I meditated on these verses, is that after Mary had gotten over the humble admiration of being chosen to bear the child – the Son of God; the King of all kings; and the Lord of all lords; she then expanded her praise into other areas where she saw so many other things being fulfilled. In fact, she even showed proof of her ancestral teachings about the Lord God, because some words of her song almost identically quote the words from the mother of Samuel (Hannah), when she rejoiced over her miraculous pregnancy and the state of her people at that time – refer to 1 Samuel 2:4-8. Friends, I sincerely believe that the miraculous birth of our Lord and Savior was not only miraculous to Mary, and reminded her of the hope for her and her people, but because we know the rest of the story in His Book, the Bible, then we also are reminded of the comfort, and the hope we have in knowing that the same babe of which Mary rejoiced before her God. This is the same Jesus who loved us enough to go to the cross of Calvary in order to accomplish His Father’s plan for our salvation! This is the same Jesus that loves us enough to save us – wretched sinners we are, who deserve the depths of Hell; He continues to look out for our good – just as Mary recognized that He would do for her people; and He has an even bigger plan for all eternity, for we have heaven to look forward to – a place where there is no division, or hatred, or envy, but instead a place of peace and solitude where we will worship Father, Son and Holy Spirit for ever and ever, amen! Mary reassured herself in verse 54 that God kept His promise to her ancestors, and friend I am here as His messenger to assure you that He has a plan for our eternity, and there is no doubt as to whether He will keep His promise. The important thing for each of us right now, is that while we are alive – and we all know how delicate that can be, but we are allowed to make our own choice about our destiny. I’ve just described the choice that I made, for I have been promised the joys of heaven. If you have not made that same choice already, then I would encourage you to invite Jesus into your life without further delay. Heaven is there for those who have accepted Jesus as Lord. The alternative is Hell, and without any attempt to bribe or frighten you friend, I want you to know that it’s a place controlled by Satan and his evil cohorts, and I would never wish that on anyone. Please don’t deliberately accept the default because you have not accepted the key to Heaven. Jesus is that key to heaven friend. Please read my Footnote and assure yourself of your eternal destiny. This is super important.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, just as Mary rejoiced in the Son of God that she brought into this world, knowing that He would serve a much greater cause, I commit myself to You all over again. Thank You for accepting me as Your very own child many years ago, please keep me alert to Your ongoing love and purpose for my life so that I may be a living witness to those that I come into contact with. For those who will read this devotional today, please may they find joy and hope this Christmas season in the One for whom Christmas was created to celebrate. As each one reflects on this day and the decision made about their eternal destiny, I pray that they will rejoice in having chosen Jesus as their Lord – the only One who could rescue them from the destination of Hell. You alone are worthy of our praise oh Lord, and we worship You for having made the ultimate sacrifice for our sin. Thank You for coming to this world as a child, and thank you for dying so that we may live eternally with You and the Father! 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!
To Be Entrusted with God’s Most Precious Gift!
Tuesday, 2016-12-13
Scripture
Bible Reference: Luke 1:45
Bible Text: 45 You believed that God would do what he said; that is why he has given you this wonderful blessing.”
Bible Translation: The Living Bible (TLB)
My Take
We might feel honored if we were asked to dine with the leader of our respective countries. We might feel even more honored if we were asked to work alongside of them – for the benefit of our country. We know very little about Mary prior to her being asked to carry the Son of God, but we are told that she was still a young lady who, although engaged to be married to Joseph, she had not yet had relations with a man. Let’s consider that as we think about our scenario friends. We walk into our churches for worship, and we walk in all the same way. The way we leave depends on us. Some attend because of habit or tradition, and I believe that often they leave feeling accomplished, because they have fulfilled the one obligation they feel like they owe to God for that week. Others attend because they are searching for more from God. They’ve come to a place where they realize that they need God in order to survive the evil and frustrations of this world, and they know that they need a Savior in order to one day be with Him in glory. So they try to connect with God through the songs, and they take out their Bibles so they could look at the scripture during the sermon delivery. I don’t feel like that’s because they want to make sure the preacher speaks truth from the Word of God, but rather, to look around the context and see what else God might be saying to them individually. Some of these folk, and I believe you know where you are placed in these descriptions I just gave, will leave church fulfilled, because they are satisfied that they have been in God’s presence and therefore they have renewed hope that God will continue to be with them each day that follows. I honestly believe that God knows the very depths of our heart and the sincerity of our innermost person. I have no idea where Mary would have fit into the scenarios I have just expressed, but God knew that He could trust her with the most precious gift that He had in store for all mankind – His very own Son – the Savior of this world. In all honesty to yourself and before our most holy and righteous God, where do you stand, friend? Just a passerby, or are you interested in being a part of the ministry of Jesus Christ? God may not have another son to give you dear sister, but for all of us, God has many other gifts that He would like to shower upon us, so that we might use those gifts to be a blessing to a child of His who needs to know His Son personally. Do you feel like you are in a position where God can entrust you with His most precious gifts, so that He might be glorified through you?
Prayer
Lord Jesus, although we know very little about Mary before you entrusted her with Your Son, I believe You knew all about her from the inside out. I also believe that You know us to the same extent. For some that brings joy, because we realize that our efforts to live a life dedicated to You is not going unnoticed by You. To others, this might bring shame and a feeling of disgrace, as they know that they are revolting in the face of a holy and righteous God. Lord, each of us are accountable to You for our every thought, action, deed and word. I pray that we will live our lives in such a way that You will grace us with Your presence and surround us with Your amazing love, so that our lives would be usable by You in many miraculous ways. Have Your will and way in our lives today dear Lord, I pray, 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!
Our God-Tools for Dealing with The World
Thursday, 2016-12-08
Scripture
Bible Reference: 2 Corinthians 10:3-6
Bible Text: 3 Although we live in the world, we don’t fight our battles with human methods. 4 Our weapons that we fight with aren’t human, but instead they are powered by God for the destruction of fortresses. They destroy arguments, 5 and every defense that is raised up to oppose the knowledge of God. They capture every thought to make it obedient to Christ. 6 Once your obedience is complete, we are ready to punish any disobedience.
Bible Translation: Common English Bible (CEB)
My Take
I wonder if the usual observer would notice any difference in the way that Christians respond to arguments, or other daily battles and challenges, than they would notice with the ordinary person of this world! I believe that way too often we, followers of Jesus Christ, put Jesus aside while we use our worldly minds and actions to deal with individuals that we believe are getting the upper hand on us. Let me attempt to put these verses into perspective for you. This past Sunday in church, our pastor read the 23rd Psalm – a passage that we either hear read at every funeral, or at least posted inside every obituary, yet there were a few words that popped out off the page at me. In verse 3, the New Century Version reads: He gives me new strength. He leads me on paths that are right for the good of His name. Wow, it never occurred to me that the verse didn’t just say that God would lead me in the right paths, but also added that any praise attained from me walking that right path is for His name’s sake, and for His praise and His honor! Similarly, in these verses from 2 Corinthians, God is saying to me that when I was a follower of the leader of this world, Satan, I acted and spoke and did those things that were indicative of Satan. However, now that I am a child of the King, led by Him, following His example, and filled with the power of His Holy Spirit who has taken up residence inside of me, then what comes out of me, should match what’s inside of me. Why would I dare mess things up by reacting in my old sinful way, when I can surrender my will to that of Jesus Christ, and be led by His Holy Spirit to do miraculous things that only He can do? Friends, I believe these verses are written to show us how Paul dealt with everyday challenges under the unction and power of the Holy Spirit, who was able to do God-like things through him (Paul). Paul told the Corinthian church in verse 6, and I believe that God is still telling us today, that when we claim Jesus as Lord, and become truly submissive and obedient to the Him, then He will show His readiness to work through us to deal with the disobedience in those that we rub shoulders with, and/or are concerned about, every day. May I recommend that we each get before the Lord and ask Him to remove any sin that separates us from His desire to work through us to touch the lives of those in our circle of life, especially those who oppose Him?
Prayer
Lord Jesus, You are so worthy of our praise, for Your know our needs and our weaknesses even before we can voice them to You. Father, we will face even greater challenges today, but in full confidence we petition before a God who never changes, who can handle the challenges of yesterday, and who already knows the challenges that will come before Your saints even today. Please keep us holy, fully committed to You, and submissive to Your will and Your way of handling things. You have reminded us that our fight is not against flesh and blood, but against the powers of the evil one. May we learn to look beyond the faults of others, and instead seek Your face, Your will, and Your awesome power to again deal with the evil powers of Satan, even as they affect our family and friends that we will deal with today. Personally, I have to completely surrender my will and my all to thee again today Lord. May Your will consume me and Your Holy Spirit guide and direct me. May that same power be convincing to my readers today, so they also may surrender their will and their attitudes to You, 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!
The reason We Pray
Wednesday, 2016-12-07
Scripture
Bible Reference: Psalm 130:1-5
Bible Text: 1 O Lord, from the depths of despair I cry for your help: 2 “Hear me! Answer! Help me!”
3-4 Lord, if you keep in mind our sins, then who can ever get an answer to his prayers? But you forgive! What an awesome thing this is! 5 That is why I wait expectantly, trusting God to help, for he has promised.
Bible Translation: The Living Bible (TLB)
My Take
I believe that very often we fall into need like the Psalmist expressed in the first two verses, for we feel like our needs are desperate and that we must hear from God for us to survive the desperation of the moment. I know what it’s like to cry out to God in desperation, and I believe that many of you meditating on this devotional have probably been there and done that. But then, don’t we stop for a moment and hesitate, wondering why on earth would God listen to somebody like you, or like me? After all, if we never sinned against Him, or turned our backs on Him, wouldn’t we stand a better chance of getting through to God? We’ve learned from our earthly experiences, that we might ask forgiveness of our family or friends, but we often still get the ‘cold-shoulder’ for a long time? Why would God totally separate our sins from as, as far as the east is from the west? Friends, throughout God’s Word we are assured of His forgiveness and His awesome love for us. Further, we have endless examples of miracles that Jesus performed for ordinary people, just like us. He forgave them of their sins and brought about a miraculous change in their lives. Why, He healed them of their blindness, their leprosy, their inability to walk or talk, and He even brought some back to life again. Can you imagine Jesus weeping over us? Can you imagine Jesus going to the cross for us, indicating to His Father that He would bear the burden for our sin? Friends, it is almost impossible for us to understand the sincere love that Jesus has for us, but may I remind you today that it is because of His love that we can humbly come before Him expecting for our prayers to be heard, and it is because of His love and His awesome power, that we can wait expectantly for His help and His answers to our prayers. Will you trust Him with the concerns of your life and the deep needs that only He can meet today? He is able to deliver you, and He loves you enough that He wants to do it. Trust Him to do what He has promised, and that only He can do.
Prayer
Father we recognize, and are eternally thankful for, Your love and Your unrivaled power to touch our lives in miraculous ways. We feel somewhat ashamed to even come before Your throne, because we feel so unworthy, knowing that daily we fall into, and often concede to the temptation of this world and its awful leader, Satan. Lord, we need Your strength and boldness to stand firm in our faith, even when temptation comes, for we want to be Your loyal servants living life in full obedience to Your commands and Your will. Please shower us with Your gracious love and awesome power to stand firm today, for we ask this because of Your grace, 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!
God’s Majestic Plan – In Spite of known Opposition
Monday, 2016-12-05
Scripture
Bible Reference: Isaiah 40:1-5
Bible Text: 1 “Comfort, yes, comfort my people,” says your God. 2 “Speak tenderly to Jerusalem and tell her that her sad days are gone. Her sins are pardoned, and I have punished her in full for all her sins.”
3 Listen! I hear the voice of someone shouting, “Make a road for the Lord through the wilderness; make him a straight, smooth road through the desert. 4 Fill the valleys; level the hills; straighten out the crooked paths, and smooth off the rough spots in the road. 5 The glory of the Lord will be seen by all mankind together.” The Lord has spoken—it shall be.
Bible Translation: The Living Bible (TLB)
My Take
Israel had been dealt quite a hand by prophets who threatened what God would do in response to their wickedness and sin. However God, through His servant Isaiah, brought hope to those who trusted in God in spite of the sin that they cringed at in their wicked neighbors every day, for he told of the coming of the Messiah! In fact, in verses 1 & 2, it was like God had assured Isaiah that he should now share some good news with His people. I have heard the following verses repeated at many Christmas programs in the past and even used in sermons around Christmas time, but my study of this has really opened my eyes to the meaning of this. We will see later in the New Testament (In Matt 3:3; Mark 1:3; Luke 3:4; and in John 1:23) where John the Baptist again repeated these words as he went about preaching the coming of the Messiah. The truth being proclaimed was that the Messiah would face many challenges, such as one would face in the wilderness, or the desert, or the mountains, or along crooked and rough roads. You know, similar to what churches face today or that evangelists are challenged with today. But wait a moment you might quickly retort, what challenges? Friends, the message of Jesus Christ faces as many challenges as, or more than John the Baptist imagined in his proclamation. For today we face the mountains of increasing government regulations; the crooked paths of our society prohibiting the proclamation of Jesus Christ in many public environments because they fear that some might object; the objection of prayer or Bible teaching in our schools, in spite of increased crime rates, molestation, teacher abuse, and increased costs by keeping law enforcement on site. Friends, I believe it is very obvious that we have more obstacles to smooth out, remove or overcome than Isaiah or John the Baptist spoke of in their address to the people of their day. However the Word of God speaks, and in verse 5 we are told that the glory of God will be seen by ALL mankind, in accordance with what the Lord has spoken. So are you a part of the problem, or part of the solution? Did you consider this in your recent voting (here in the US)? Do you make your voice count at school administration meetings? Notice that verse 5 says that the glory of the Lord WILL be seen – that’s not a ‘maybe, if you agree with it’ type of a statement. Jesus has come, and He WILL call us home to be with Him one day, if we know Him as Lord. Are you ready friend? Do your part by readying your world for His return, will you?
Prayer
Dear Lord in Heaven, thank You Father for sending Your one and only Son, in spite of knowing beforehand what He would face here on earth, with so much opposition, hatred and rejection. I realize that this was all a part of Your majestic plan for our eternal salvation, and I thank You sincerely for touching the hardened heart of this old sinner and convincing me of my need for a Savior. Lord, I am saddened to see the huge mountains still in place by many of my family and friends, for they have built their defenses and want nothing to do with You, the Savior who died for their sake. Lord, please continue to work on them, for these are Your children that You have placed on this earth. And it’s because of that awesome love for every child, that I believe You will continue to work on challenging them and helping them to straighten out the path towards salvation. I hurt for my Brothers and Sisters, because they are gambling with life and their decisions about meeting You, but they have no control over the very next moment in their life, for TODAY is the day of salvation. Lord, may they trust in You today, is my sincere and humble prayer this morning, 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 