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Post Date: |
Thursday, 2017-03-09 |
| SCRIPTURE | |
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From: |
Luke 23:43 (Voice) |
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Text: |
Jesus: 43 I promise you that this very day you will be with Me in paradise. |
| OBSERVATION: | |
| Two criminals faced certain death at the same time as Jesus. One was rebellious right to the end, the other was humbled and asked Jesus to remember him when He arose in glory. Jesus instantly accepted him and assured him of his final destination – ‘Paradise’! | |
| APPLICATION: | |
| If you are one of those who are quickly offended when we talk about death, because you are still among the living, then you may want to click away from this blog entry now. However, if you are unsure about where you will spend eternity, or if you would much rather hear about the option of ‘Paradise’ versus where you know you are destined to spend eternity in your current spiritual condition, then stay tuned. In the story of the crucifixion there were two criminals. One was rebellious right to the end, and the other realized his sinfulness and wanted to do something about it, even though he was very near the end of his life. Friends, there are three words that I underlined in this short verse, and I want to speak with you about their importance. The two criminals in this story had a planned appointment for their death, where a decision would be made about their eternity. However, that is not the normal case for us. A dear friend lost a 49 year old son to a severe stroke recently. There was no time for a last minute decision. A coworker was reading a local paper about a man who was run over by his own truck in a church parking lot this past weekend. There was no time for a last minute decision. I want you to see that Jesus didn’t question the criminal of every little bad thing that he ever did, He simply accepted him based on his sincere request. May I suggest that you order Satan away from your mind about you being way too bad for God to ever accept? A very popular Bible verse reminds us that Jesus is very clear that He died for all, and that anyone who calls on Him and believes in Him, will be saved. That includes YOU friend! In my ‘Footnote’ you will find information to help you cement this decision today, for we have no promise of tomorrow. Today is the day of salvation! If you decide to do nothing, like the rebellious criminal, then Satan has also prepared a place for you. Unfortunately, from everything we know about that place it’s just the opposite to Heaven. You make these two choices every day friend. My prayer and my hope is that I will see you in glory with our Heavenly Father, singing praises at His feet! | |
| PRAYER: | |
| Lord Jesus, we have been reminded that there is only one way to prepare ourselves for an eternity in ‘Paradise’ with You, and that’s to accept You as our Lord and Savior. For it was Your sacrifice that would redeem us of our sin and make us worthy to enter heaven’s gates. I believe that daily You touch the hearts of many who are unbelievers to convince them of their need for a Savior. I gave two examples above of how their time of prompting ended, and now they are either with You, or in the pit of Hell. Lord I sincerely pray that this warning will not fall on deaf ears today, but that decisions will be made where necessary to ensure our eternity with You. Thank You for Your willingness to accept even me, a sinner saved only by Your grace. 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: Heaven
This refers to my new home in glory with my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!
You Can Avoid Separation
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Post Date: |
Saturday, 2017-02-11 |
| SCRIPTURE | |
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From: |
Matthew 13:49-51 (Voice) |
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Text: |
49….. The heavenly messengers will separate the good from the bad, the righteous from the wicked, the repentant from the prideful, the faithful from the hard-hearted. 50 The bad, the wicked, the prideful, and the hard-hearted will be thrown into the fiery furnace where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth. 51 Do you understand? … |
| OBSERVATION: | |
| Jesus shared a story about how fishermen culled the undesired fish from the choice ones, and He likened that act of separation to the day that He will send His angels to collect His choice ones who prepared themselves for His return. It is obvious that some have ignored that readiness plan, so Jesus explained clearly what would happen to them. In His story there was no room for the undecided, for it was either that they would be taken out to join He and His Father in heaven, or be thrown into the fiery furnace with their worldly master, Satan. Let’s look at how we should deal with this today… | |
| APPLICATION: | |
| I recently took part in what ranch workers call ‘working the cows’, meaning that they gather the whole herd, and they give medication to the cows that need it; spray them with bug repellant; and separate the young nursing cows that are ready to be on their own or sold at the auction house. For those that were separated, there was a lot of loud cries by mama cows and by the young ones who were now on their own. This sounds sad, and I hate to spoil your day with sad news, but friends, Jesus was very clear with the similar story that He shared in our Scripture today. He also made it clear that there will be a separation of humans, for sin is not allowed in heaven, nor are those who chose to ignore the call of Jesus on their lives here on earth. This brings me to a point of clarification about my subject, for I wanted every reader to know that seeing you are alive to read this blog, you also have the opportunity to accept the free gift of salvation that my precious Savior sacrificed His very life to provide for us, and therefore avoid the separation referred to by Jesus. This, my friend, IS THE ONLY MEANS of avoiding separation from loved ones, who have accepted the gift of salvation already. What’s really unique about this gift is that it unites you in a personal relationship with Jesus, the only One that you can trust wholeheartedly, and who will stick to you closer than any friend you have ever associated with. He offers perfect advice to you through teachings from His Holy Word, and He is available to communicate with you 24/7/365 through prayer. Friend, although He is God, Jesus is also the best friend you will ever have. He will never leave you alone, and He will protect you from the evil one. He desires an intimate relationship with you, and I believe He longs for the day when He calls you home to be with Him in glory. There is now no condemnation or separation for those who have accepted our Lord Jesus Christ. Know Him today and know the peace that comes from all that I have explained to you herein. | |
| PRAYER: | |
| What have I done to deserve God’s precious Son? What can wash away my sin, nothing but the blood of Jesus. Father, thank You for the enormous love You showed for our best interest, to sacrifice Your own Son on the cross at Calvary, to provide the means for our salvation from sin. Please tender the hearts of family members, friends and my precious readers today Lord. May their eyes and hearts be opened to the only means of preventing separation from their loved ones who have gone on to heaven already. May our home-going be a time of celebration because of our uniting with You, and reuniting with all who have surrendered to Your call already. Speak to the hearts of Your children today Lord Jesus, may we never know, or hear the words ‘I never knew you’. 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! | |
Relief For Your Burdens
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Post Date: |
Thursday, 2017-02-02 |
| SCRIPTURE | |
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From: |
Matthew 11:27-30 (CEV) |
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Text: |
27 My Father has given me everything, and he is the only one who knows the Son. The only one who truly knows the Father is the Son. But the Son wants to tell others about the Father, so that they can know him too.
28 If you are tired from carrying heavy burdens, come to me and I will give you rest. 29 Take the yoke I give you. Put it on your shoulders and learn from me. I am gentle and humble, and you will find rest. 30 This yoke is easy to bear, and this burden is light. |
| OBSERVATION: | |
| Jesus makes His relationship to the Father very clear in these verses, and He shares His purpose for the world. He knew there would be many things that mankind would be faced with, and He also knew that there would be only One who could do anything about that. However He makes it clear that His gift of mercy is only extended to those who ask for it, for He said in verse 28: “Come to me and I will give you rest”. | |
| APPLICATION: | |
| Many may look at these verses and say that they have no burdens or concerns, so why should they yoke themselves together with God. Friends, I find it very interesting how the poor seems burdened with debt and wish they were rich; How the rich are constantly worried about who will take advantage of them, or steal from them, or if the stock market is safe enough for them to risk investing their money in it. These are just two comparable financial reasons for concern, or that may appear as burdens. This idea even filters down to the church, as one translation reads that if you feel burdened by all the dictates of church or religion, then come to Jesus. I believe it is very apparent that we all need the Savior, because the Bible tells us that the only way to heaven, and eternal peace with the Father, is through accepting the free gift of eternal life through the Son of God (Jesus), who was sent to this earth, humbled among mankind, for the sole purpose of saving us from our sin. Friends, for everything here on this earth, we either feel an obligation yo reciprocate, to obey certain rules or laws, or a deep sense of commitment to someone – so that they might remain your friend. Jesus tells us that He knows the Father intimately, and that He came to rescue us from the slavery of man’s rules and regulations. We can trust Him, for His rules, or yoke, is very light and easy for all. Furthermore, we know that we can trust Him to look out for our best interest only, with love and admiration. For we are His chosen ones for whom He personally sacrificed His very own life for. So friends, what are you worried about today? What are you burdened with, or about? Jesus loves us unconditionally and with the sincere purpose of saving us so that we could one day be with Him in glory. There are no strings attached, or no fine print that negates His desire for His kids. Are you prepared to trust Him in that and surrender your life totally and completely over to Him? Consider reading my footnote and the noted scriptures to help you understand how to take advantage of this very special offer from the Creator of this universe! | |
| PRAYER: | |
| Lord, we thank You for not giving up on us. You have provided the greatest sacrifice for us, so that we might be relieved of our burdens and have the assurance of eternal life in heaven with You and the Father. Thank you Jesus! Please forgive us for often choosing those things that restricts our opportunity to fully trust and worship You. Please open our eyes to those things today and allow us to clearly see, and be reminded of, the love that You have for us. May we lay our burdens at Your feet and welcome the joy that comes from fully trusting in, and leaning on, You. Lord, we welcome You as our Mediator; Savior; Deliverer; Friend and everlasting Father. May we be faithful to the call You have placed on us. 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 Responsibility of Obedience
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Post Date: |
Monday, 2017-01-30 |
| SCRIPTURE | |
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From: |
Acts 26:18 (Voice) |
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Text: |
18 It will be your mission to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the kingdom of Satan to the kingdom of God. This is so that they may receive forgiveness of all their sins and have a place among those who are set apart for a holy purpose through having faith in Me.” |
| OBSERVATION: | |
| Paul is known as one of the prominent writers of the gospel in what we know today as the New Testament. However, it is good to reflect on all that Paul shared with King Agrippa in the testimony included in this scripture passage from which our verse is taken today. For you see, Paul was not born in a preacher’s home and spoon-fed the gospel all of his life. In fact, quite the opposite, for he was a persecutor of the Christian church and was feared by them for his cruelty to Christians. However, once God god a hold of Paul, and he was converted, it was ‘all in’ for him, and he stayed consistent to His call by God, even if facing personal persecution, or even death. | |
| APPLICATION: | |
| In today’s society, we are so determined to have things done our way, or to make sure that self is well taken care of, that way too often we cave in when faced with opposition to our witness, or hardships for our stance on the things of Christ. Paul stood before the most powerful leader of his time, knowing that one wrong word could result in death or extreme times of imprisonment or persecution, yet he testified to his life changing event that took place on the road to Damascus. He further told the king of the extreme change made on His life by his Savior, and how everywhere that he went, he chose to preach the saving news of Jesus Christ. I wonder how far into the interrogation by the King would each of us have lasted? Let’s fast-forward to today. Hopefully each of us find a ‘safe’ place to gain our confidence each week, by meeting with fellow believers in a church setting. As we leave the doors of our sanctuary, I pray that we may have the tenacity of Paul to share the glorious gospel that saved us on our road of self destruction that was leading us to Hell. I further pray that we may we be so burdened by the hearts of those still headed in the worong direction, that we may become as bold and determined as Paul to allow the power of God to minister through us to minister in His name so that the world may know that there is a Savior who loves them so much that He bled and died for their sin, so that they might have hope. Friends, for all who have sought Jesus, and surrendered their lives to His sovereign reign and Lordship, to those He has promised eternal life with He and His Father in heaven one day. Can we commit to sharing this with the same boldness that Paul did? They may accept the invitation that we give to them, however if they don’t, we would have at least been obedient to the call of Christ. Remember, we can’t save anyone. However, as we respond in obedience, God can do His mighty work through us. Are you willing to facilitate the call on a friends life today? | |
| PRAYER: | |
| Lord Jesus, please forgive us for our littleness and selfishness in keeping the awesome news of Jesus all to ourselves. Please help us to empty ourselves of pride and fear, and to be bold in our openness and willingness to allow You to have Your way even through humble men and women. Please help us to mirror the boldness of Paul today, and may You use our obedience to accomplish awesome work in the lives of those that we rub shoulders with today. For thine is the kingdom, the glory and the honor, for ever and ever, 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 Awe of Our Wonderful Lord
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Post Date: |
Wednesday, 2017-01-25 |
| SCRIPTURE | |
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From: |
Psalm 8:3, 4, 9 (CEV) |
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Text: |
3 I often think of the heavens
your hands have made, and of the moon and stars you put in place. 4 Then I ask, “Why do you care about us humans? Why are you concerned for us weaklings?” 9 Our LORD and Ruler,
your name is wonderful everywhere on earth! |
| OBSERVATION: | |
| I believe that David had one of those moments where, in his mind, he stopped everything around him and, as he gazed into the heavens and marveled at the beauty of what God had provided, his heart was overwhelmed and he burst into a time of worship to the Master. David was reminded that yes, God placed mankind on earth to rule over, or lord over everything that He created, but he was also reminded that many of the other things made by the Master is nowhere as rebellious and unthankful as mankind is. I wonder how many ranchers will tell you about the cattle that protest against certain grasses fed to them, or the bitter cold or heat they endure from time to time. They just don’t protest and show their lack of gratitude to the Creator who placed them here on this earth. So David took time to give glory to the One responsible for not only creating the cattle and the skies and stars, but also for caring for comparable insignificant and ungrateful mankind. | |
| APPLICATION: | |
| I realize that we don’t all recognize God’s wonderment in the same way as David did, but if we were to stop and reflect on our typical day, I wonder which moment in our day lends itself to opening our eyes to God’s handiwork. If your mornings are as rushed as many that I hear about, then you probably don’t have time to eat, nor reflect on the goodness of God. My drive to work may be different to many, for I could see God’s handiwork in the skies and pastures, plus the birds and wild animals that sometimes cross my path. But for you city folk, that’s something you could only imagine! If your jobs are like mine, then we hardly have time to remember our spouse during the day, so reflecting on the awesome God that created us may be a stretch for many. Evenings are either filled with meetings for the involved and dedicated, or good TV shows for those who choose to just relax. So when do we find time to truly reflect on the goodness of our faithful Creator? As you can tell from the daily schedule that I painted for you, we can easily say that we just don’t have time, but let me offer to pay you $20 to drive 5 miles to the nearest coffee shop and bring me a cup of their best coffee and a sweet Danish each morning, and I bet that most of you will find time to do that, right? After all, that will pay your gas bill for a few days! So is it really a matter of time, or is it more a matter of priority? Time alone with God fits in that same predicament. You have to decide if your relationship with God is worth prioritizing time with Him every day, and we must always be mindful of the wonderful works of the Master – whether in nature, or each other, or in His provisions for our daily living. Let me assure you friend, our Savior loves us just as we are, and unconditionally. He showed that love in a way that has not been repeated by anyone – He willingly surrendered His life on a cruel cross so that we may have access to the Father because of His sacrifice. To stop and think on that alone, especially at times when we are mad at the world for the least little thing, is worth moments of praise to the Father! | |
| PRAYER: | |
| Wonderful Savior, glorious Lord, to You we sing our song of praise for all that You are and all that You have done for us. Because of You, we have the hope of eternity with You our Heavenly Father in heaven. As David reminded us in scripture today, who are we that a Kind should live and die for? Father, please forgive us for our ungrateful spirit, for we prioritize every other aspect of our lives, except time with You. I ask for personal forgiveness, and I ask that You touch the hearts of my readers that we might be drawn back to the cross where You presented Yourself in obedience to Your Father, just for our salvation. May we be constantly reminded of this precious gift and never fail to worship and thank You for loving us so much. Thine be the glory, the honor and the praises, dear 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! | |
Time, Place and Availability
Thursday, 2016-12-22
Scripture
Bible Reference: Luke 2:4-7
Bible Text: 4-5 Mary’s fiancé Joseph, from Nazareth in Galilee, had to participate in the census in the same way everyone else did. Because he was a descendant of King David, his ancestral city was Bethlehem, David’s birthplace. Mary, who was now late in her pregnancy that the messenger Gabriel had predicted, 6 accompanied Joseph. While in Bethlehem, she went into labor 7 and gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped the baby in a blanket and laid Him in a feeding trough because the inn had no room for them.
Bible Translation: The Voice Translation (Voice)
My Take
Time, Place and Availability are three things we tend to look closely at this time of the year as we plan our parties and family meals. But these are some things that require our attention in the Christmas story also! I would suggest that you click on the Scripture for today and read the first 7 verses of Luke chapter 2. You will notice in this short passage that God had a perfect plan for the birth of His Son, Jesus. Here are some points that I believe you will find fascinating:
- The Time: Was it coincidence, or was it God’s perfect plan that the very time for Joseph to go to his family’s birthplace (Bethlehem) to be registered for the census, was also the time in Mary’s pregnancy that her baby would be born?
- The Place: Was it coincidence, or was it God’s perfect plan that when Isaiah prophesied that the Son of the Most High would be of the lineage of David, that God would actually align a plan to place Mary and Joseph in the same birth-town of David at the time of Jesus’ birth?
- The Availability: Joseph broke all traditions to take Mary as his wife, even after learning that she was pregnant – and not bearing his child. He was available to the call of God, in spite of the mockery he would receive. Mary openly accepted the call of God to carry His miraculous One, in spite of the possibility of losing her fiancé Joseph, and losing all respect from her family and townspeople. They both were available to the will and plan of God. However, this was not the way it was in every case during the pregnancy and birth of our Lord, for much like many of us today, there was no room for Joseph and Mary to rest their head and prepare for the birth of their child – the Savior of the world; the King of all kings; the Redeemer sent to save all mankind from the grip of sin on their life. There was no room for Jesus.
Friends, I believe that there is an enormous message in this short Scripture for us today. At times, it appears like there are circumstances in our lives that we would just rather not deal with, and for the life of us we just can’t understand why some things happen to us. I believe you can see from the above that our awesome God has this whole delicate life of ours perfectly in the palm of His hand and under His awesome plan and care, even if we sometimes may think in terms of coincidence, or happen-chance. Here is a personal experience that gives me confidence in this powerful truth: almost 30 years ago I sat before my aging parents in the Bahamas, and told them that my wife and I had been approved by the US Government to reside in the USA. It really saddened and frustrated my dad that his oldest son would move that far away from his aging parents. In less than 2 years after that meeting with my parents, my dad thanked God, in my presence, that He had opened that door for me, that now led to his life being saved through medical intervention here in the US. Friends, when we allow room for Jesus in our life, we had best hang tight for the time of our lives. Yes, there will be circumstances we don’t understand, but notice that there is no recorded argument by Mary or Joseph with God over His perfect plan. God just needs our availability. Have you found time for Jesus in your life? Have you surrendered to His perfect plan for your life? Ours is not to question or reason, just to surrender and obey. One of these days, when face to face with Jesus, I look forward to the voice of my Savior saying “well done, good; faithful; and obedient servant, welcome home!” This can also be your outcome, if you have surrendered your life to Jesus. Please read my Footnote and follow the referenced scripture to identify the need in your life today.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, even at Your birth we marvel at the perfect plan that had been aligned to announce Your coming, Your birth and the heralded welcome by so many. There were many who surrendered to Your call, and who stopped what they were doing to allow Your guiding hand upon their lives. Perhaps as we stop and listen this Christmas, we will hear; we will understand better; and we will be more obedient to Your call on our lives. Lord may we learn to place You as high priority in our busy lives this Christmas and in the year ahead. Often we tend to blame our neglect on not having time (for You). May we learn to change that to openly confess that You were just not a priority to us. I sincerely believe that to be the case, and pray that You might help us to get our priorities straight, beginning with me, and beginning today. For I surrender myself afresh to You precious 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!
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!
Steeped In Sin, Yet God…
Saturday, 2016-12-03
Scripture
Bible Reference: Isaiah 64:6-9
Bible Text: We’ve sinned and kept at it so long! Is there any hope for us? Can we be saved? We’re all sin-infected, sin-contaminated. Our best efforts are grease-stained rags. We dry up like autumn leaves – sin-dried, we’re blown off by the wind. No one prays to you or makes the effort to reach out to you Because you’ve turned away from us, left us to stew in our sins.
Still, God, you are our Father. We’re the clay and you’re our potter: All of us are what you made us. Don’t be too angry with us, O God. Don’t keep a permanent account of wrongdoing. Keep in mind, please, we are your people—all of us.
Bible Translation:The Message (MSG)
My Take
We hear it often, and we may have even thought it at times ourselves: “I am so dirty with sin, that no one wants anything to do with me – not even God”. However, I hope that many of you who are guilty of that statement are actually reading this devotional today, because like me, I hope that you will find hope in what these verses are really conveying to us. You see, at this Advent season on the church calendar, we especially think of the reason that Jesus came to earth, and we specifically reflect on, and celebrate His miraculous birth at Christmas. Friends, I am convinced that God sent His Son for one specific reason – not just to heal the sick, broken-hearted or discouraged; and not just to raise the dead from the grave; but He also saw how bad it was getting on earth with blatant sin – murder; rape; adultery; and all sorts of wickedness. He realized that sacrificing of animals for forgiveness of sin was just not working, so in spite of the enormous sin going on at that time, He sent His very own Son to simplify the act of one seeking forgiveness of their sin. You see, God’s mission has always been to see His people live like He intended here on this earth, and to always seek His leadership and His guidance, so that we might desire to do what He originally created us for – to worship Him and Him alone. Friends, I wonder how saddened God must be with His creation, when He looks around earth and sees how far we have strayed from His design. Satan is rampant in our families; in our churches; in our cities, states, country, and indeed in our world. Unfortunately, God has given us freedom of choice in deciding who we will follow, and in spite of God’s perfect design; the gift of His precious Son; and the promise of eternity in heaven for those who believe in Jesus; yet it is very evident that the attraction of worldly possessions; fun; and self-indulgence has been more attractive to mankind – even at the expense of knowing that he will spent eternity in the pit of Hell with his worldly leader – Satan, who has nothing to offer but eternal damnation, unending fire, and nothing but pain and destruction. I believe our challenge for today is simply to open our eyes to the love of Jesus, for I don’t believe that anyone who acknowledges the love of God for His children by sacrificing His very own Son, will willfully turn their backs on Him and settle for the only other alternative – the offerings of Satan. We have a Savior who loves us unconditionally, and will accept us today, if only we will harken to His call. There really is no reason to wait friend. God will work with you to rid yourself of everything that causes you to sin against Him, so please don’t confuse the order of things. Accept Him first, and ask for His help to fully dedicate yourself to Him. This could be the best Christmas ever for you and your family and friends who ‘put up’ with you!
Prayer
Lord God, we are such a blessed people. You have been so patient, loving and kind to us in so many ways. I thank You for touching my life and convincing me of my need for Your Son, Jesus. Lord, I am very concerned for the unsaved in my family, my church and throughout my community, and I ask that You patiently tender their hearts again today so that they may hear about You and believe. I have a special place in my heart for my readers also Lord, and I ask that should there be one who happens across this devotional today that have yet to make a decision to surrender their life to You, that this may be the day. Lord, may this be a weekend that churches will be filled with seekers. Lord, may those churches release those parishioners into the world as new-born Christians, because of the preaching of Your Word, and Your miraculous touch on their lives. Lord may they be obedient to Your call on their life and accept You as their Savior, For this is my humble and sincere prayer, 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!
Encourage One Another With These Words
Wednesday, 2016-11-30
Scripture
Bible Reference: Isaiah 35:3-7
Bible Text: 3 With this news bring cheer to all discouraged ones. 4 Encourage those who are afraid. Tell them, “Be strong, fear not, for your God is coming to destroy your enemies. He is coming to save you.” 5 And when he comes, he will open the eyes of the blind and unstop the ears of the deaf. 6 The lame man will leap up like a deer, and those who could not speak will shout and sing! Springs will burst forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert. 7 The parched ground will become a pool, with springs of water in the thirsty land. Where desert jackals lived, there will be reeds and rushes!
Bible Translation: The Living Bible (TLB)
My Take
It seems like especially in the times that we live, people are so despondent that one might find it challenging as to what you might say or do to encourage them. I believe that Isaiah not only had insight from God as to what his people needed to hear at the time of his writing, because of all the unfair treatments they were receiving as a nation, BUT I also believe that God gave Isaiah foresight into the Savior that would be born and would handle unfair treatments and perform miracles such as restoring sight to the blind, and bringing hope to his people. I also believe that foresight extended to proclaim these words of encouragement for those still alive today. For it seems like there is more stress and discouragement in the lives of individuals today than ever before, whether it’s financial, health, family, work or friendship stresses. Our family and friends, or perhaps even my readers, may be facing very challenging times where there seems like little light at the end of the dark tunnel of circumstances they are now facing. Friends, I am encouraged by the words of Isaiah, and I want to share this with you so that you also might be encouraged. Our awesome God looks out for us today, through His Son Jesus, who came to save us from our sin, and He has a home already prepared for those who claim Him as Lord and Savior! May I be the first one to remind you today that there is a plan in place to not only protect us from the evil one here on this earth, but also a plan to unite us with our Savior on the other side! God tells us in His Word that there will be no crying there, no pain there, and I believe we can deduce that there will be no need for stress there, for our sole purpose will be to worship, praise and adore our wonderful Savior. I believe something that might help us comprehend what that may be like is, and may I encourage you to slow down your reading so that you can truly meditate on this thought, but: imagine that you are in the best worship service that you have ever experienced. For the sweet presence of the Holy Spirt is evident. There is no time to worry about work, family or any other issues, for your heart, soul and mind is fixed on worshiping the Savior of this world, who is obviously in your midst with an unbelievable presence. It’s a time that you don’t want to stop, because all of your external concerns and issues have faded away and you only have focus and time for Jesus – absolutely nothing else. Now imagine that precious time never ending – that’s a glimpse of what I believe it might be like in heaven. Is this something you might be willing to work towards even now? Believe it or not, that time could come much sooner than expected for some reading this devotional today. I pray that you have your heavenly affairs in order, because the alternative to what I described above is Hell itself with Satan as its leader. God has provided the means by which you might be assured today of what your destination might look like after you leave this world. Please read my Footnote and contact me if there are any unanswered questions.
Prayer
Father, thank You for creating such a wonderful world for Your children to live in! As with all sin, we have not only abused the beauty of everything that You have blessed us with, but we have burdened ourselves with a lot of worry about things that we really can’t change. Reading Your Word today has brought renewed hope and joy, as I am reminded that these things that my friends and I face today are only temporary, as You have a much brighter and happier future already prepared for those who have shown their interest in wanting to be with You eternally. Lord, may we learn to redirect our thoughts to the hope that lies ahead, instead of the circumstances we are burdened with today. May our eyes and our hearts be fixed on You, oh Lord, our hope for all eternity. Please help us to encourage one another, much like Isaiah did, on the fact that You are alive forevermore, and that You not only stand waiting to help us in our daily lives, but also awaiting our exit from this world, to welcome us home! With much love and adoration, we sincerely than You dear Father for that enormous love for us! 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!
From the Stump of Jesse – Jesus!
Monday, 2016-11-28
Scripture
Bible Reference: Isaiah 11:1-2
Bible Text: 1A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.
2 The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him—
the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding,
the Spirit of counsel and of might,
the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the Lord.
Bible Translation: The New International Version (NIV)
My Take
It is times like this that we see how the Bible fits together like a glove! I was reading earlier in Deuteronomy 18 where God said that He would send a prophet just like Moses, for He would be obedient to God and to every word that He commands Him to say. In that chapter, it was very evident that God was speaking of His Son Jesus, that would later be born of a virgin in Bethlehem. In this scripture today, it is evident that the same reference in Luke 1:27 where Luke said that Jesus would be born of a virgin named Mary, who was engaged to a carpenter, Joseph, a descendant of David, is very much the same as referenced in today’s scripture, that Jesus is of the root of, or from the stump of Jesse! I also found it fascinating that the seven gifts mentioned in this chapter that Jesus would benefit from – rest; wisdom; understanding; counsel; might; knowledge; and fear (respect for God), make up, and references the same sevenfold Spirit spoken of in Revelation 1:4! Friends, if you are anything like me, you have probably been very hooked into the New Testament and only hit the Old Testament when you absolutely have to. In reading through the Bible, I have been blessed to see that our Bible is all-inclusive and not separated by Testaments to cause segregation of one from the other. I have a pastor who teaches that we can find Jesus in every page of the Old Testament! Examples such as the one illustrated herein will cause you to believe that pastor, and encourage you to search for more! God had a plan in mind from the very beginning, I am so glad that embedded in that plan was His precious Son, Jesus, who would be born through miraculous means, and His life would touch the lives of so many, to make a miraculous way for them to enter Heaven’s portals because of a single word ‘grace’. All of this was done because of you and I Brothers and Sisters! The only thing needed for you to be recognized on that day of reconciliation friend, is to personally decide that you want this Savior of mine so much that you are willing to surrender your will to His will. In making this commitment, invite Jesus into your heart, mind and soul and give Him control of your life. I’ve done this, and been living over 40 years as His child, and submissive to His will. You can do this friend! Please read my Footnote for help on how to proceed. I would love for you to contact me, if you don’t have a local Bible teaching pastor that you know. I would love to pray with you and give you guidance, if I could.
Prayer
Father, You are so awesome! Through a great series of events You presented to us Your very own Son, Jesus, as a babe born in Bethlehem. We have been celebrating His birth for centuries at Christmas, and I thank You sincerely for this gift! While recognizing the gift, and the birth of Your Son, I believe very deeply, based on Your Word, that Your greatest desire is that mankind would seek out Your Son and accept Him personally in their lives, so that they might one day be accepted into Your kingdom. Lord please teach us to be obedient to Your Word in all that we do. May You be glorified because of the decisions made today here in my small town and throughout the world. I believe that You are earnestly working on the final chapter, I pray that we all might be ready! 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 