|
Post Date: |
Friday, 2017-03-03 |
| SCRIPTURE | |
|
From: |
Exodus 5:1-2 (TLB) |
|
Text: |
1 … Moses and Aaron went to see Pharaoh. They told him, “We bring you a message from Jehovah, the God of Israel. He says, ‘Let my people go, for they must make a holy pilgrimage out into the wilderness, for a religious feast, to worship me there.’”2 “Is that so?” retorted Pharaoh. “And who is Jehovah, that I should listen to him, and let Israel go? I don’t know Jehovah and I will not let Israel go.” |
| OBSERVATION: | |
| Pharaoh challenged Moses and Aaron as to why should he obey the commands that their God sent them to convey to him. In not knowing the same God that Moses and Aaron knew, loved and worshipped, Pharaoh refused to obey what the two brothers relayed to him from their God. After all, why should an unbeliever obey a god that they don’t know, and that we feel is genuine? | |
| APPLICATION: | |
| To tell someone that I met for the first time, that I have the best wife in the whole world, they may look at me and admire how well programmed I am to say those words to even a stranger. To tell that stranger that my wife said that they must not eat certain foods because it will destroy their bodies, they may look at me like I’ve really lost my mind, or perhaps ask me to get out of their face. However, if my healthy looking wife walked into the room and became acquainted with them and answered their questions about nutrition and how she attributes her great health to certain diet restrictions that she follows every day, the stranger may become more apt to accept what she says – listen and obey. As I read this Scripture this morning it was like God stopped me and made me ponder for a while that aren’t Christians doing the same thing as Moses and Aaron> Think about it, we become very spiritually fed during our weekend services and as we enter our weekday we try to share, or some may even demand some of the scriptural commands on those we work with, or come across during our day. If they don’t know God, why would they listen to us or consider obeying what we try to convince them that God said? I am very convinced that the most important thing Christians can do for unbelievers is to live life in total obedience to God, so that we can convince them that God is impacting our life. Secondly, don’t ‘beat around the bush’ about why we act the way we do, or why we attend church, or why we don’t care about their crude jokes, or why God is so important in every decision we make. When a person’s heart is touched by the Lord, THEN and only THEN will they want to hear what God has to say to them. Let’s remember, we are not in the sales business, we simply bear witness to the Truth, and He will do the convincing. Remember, He intricately designed the heart, and He knows exactly what it takes to reach that heart with the love and acceptance of Jesus Christ. When we go over and above what God intended, or leads us towards, we actually cause walls to be erected by the unbeliever. Are you meeting many folk like Pharaoh? How’s your witness for our Lord, convincing to the unbeliever? Remember, God is the One who does the convincing and the saving, we are merely the earthly vessels that He might use to help in that process. Let’s not get the order messed up and confuse the unbeliever as to who brings salvation into their lives! | |
| PRAYER: | |
| Lord, You’ve shown us through the story of Pharaoh how challenging it is to obey Your commands if we don’t know the Commander personally. Please forgive us for often reversing that order and expecting our friends to like the things we like or go the places we go, when their hearts are often polluted with so much of the world. Please continue to work on believers so that we may simply desire to be conduits through which You can share Your love, Your salvation message, and Your grace, so that others may see and believe. I am anxious to be used by You through circumstance yet unknown today. May Your will be done, oh Lord, my Rock and my salvation, AMEN! | |
| FOOTNOTE: | |
| There are two more pages on my blog that will provide you with additional information, one of them being ‘To Know Jesus’. If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please click on the above page, or speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. Please allow someone to pray with you and give you help and/or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Words underlined in my blog could indicate a link to a song that came to mind as I wrote the devotional. Feel free to click on the link and listen as you continue to read or pray. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to Nuggets From God’s Word and read more, or you may freely to subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. If you are anywhere near the Highlands County, Florida area and do not have a church home, I would be thrilled to welcome you at Bible Fellowship Church, located at 3750 Hammock Rd, Sebring, FL 33872! Click the link to check out service times and/or other special activities. God is at work among us! Please consider coming to worship with us! | |
Tag: King
Your Response to ‘Impossible’ Tasks
|
Post Date: |
Wednesday, 2017-03-01 |
| SCRIPTURE | |
|
From: |
Exodus 3:10-12 (Voice) |
|
Text: |
Eternal One: 10 So go. I’m sending you back to Egypt as My messenger to the Pharaoh. I want you to gather My people—the children of Israel—and bring them out of Egypt.
Moses (to God): 11 Who am I to confront Pharaoh and lead Israel’s children out of Egypt? Eternal One: 12 Do not fear, Moses. I will be with you every step of the way….. |
| OBSERVATION: | |
| Moses was challenged way outside of his comfort zone, because he was being asked to do something he had not been trained for, and that he felt very unqualified for. As we ponder the ‘application’ of this Scripture reading today, I want us to think about exactly what it would take for us to agree to such a task! | |
| APPLICATION: | |
| How many times have you been asked to take on a job that you have received no training for? How many times have you been invited to a meal or a meeting with top government officials, and you turned it down because of shattered nerves or 1001 other excuses that you quickly came up with? In my work field we have customer interfacing employees, and we have support staff that strictly work behind the scenes making sure that the front line staff could perform their jobs well. We find that if an employee whose makeup best suits dealing with customers is placed in the backroom, they are seldom happy in their jobs. I believe that Moses was like that! To be asked to go and see the king was a huge challenge for him, and to further be asked to confront the king with demands that anyone could guess would be confrontational, just caused Moses to pull back and try every which way to escape his assignment. Been there and done that?? I bet that we all may have faced similar challenges before, and we could probably identify with Moses. So is there anything we can do to prepare ourselves for these types of challenges? Friends, I believe you will agree that you will very easily do what your parent or spouse tells you to do, and almost anything that a sibling might ask you to do! Why? Because you trust them, and you know that because they love you, they would never ask you to do something they know you would fail at, or that would bring harm to you. So I believe that brings us to the point of obedience to God. Trust is built based on relationship. So I believe that we must first look at how well we know the One (our Father) that we are wanting to follow and/or obey. In building this relationship we will also develop a sense of what all the One, who we are wanting to trust, is capable of doing. May I remind you that the God we place our faith and trust in, has been proven over and over again, but I also believe that He will quickly give you the assurance that You need as well. I would gladly and unreservedly assure you friend, that my God is not only the Creator of this earth and each of us, but He loves us above and beyond anything we have ever experienced here on earth. In fact, He proved that love for us by sacrificing the life of His very own Son, Jesus, so that we might have a clear path to the Father and His heavenly home. I accepted Him over 40 years ago, and without hesitation, will highly recommend Him to anyone reading this devotional. Please read my ‘Footnote’ for more information on how you might know Jesus personally. That’s the beginning of a relationship with Him! May you accept Him as Lord, trust in Him as your Savior, worship Him as God and live for Him as a living sacrifice and witness to a world that is lost and going to Hell if they are not introduced to our Savior. | |
| PRAYER: | |
| Thank You Father for loving us enough to sacrifice Your very own Son to save us from our sin that seperates us from You. Thank You for hearing our cry for help, and for challenging us with assignments that cause us to trust You more, and to depend on You as our sole Provider; Healer; Friend; Deliverer; Savior and Lord. Please touch the hearts of my readers and I so that we might develop the faith of Moses, and be willing to do as You command for the salvation of Your people. In thanksgiving, and desiring more faith from You, I glorify Your holy name. 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 God Who Protects Us!
|
Post Date: |
Saturday, 2017-02-25 |
| SCRIPTURE | |
|
From: |
Psalm 18:1-3 (TLB) |
|
Text: |
1 Lord, how I love you! For you have done such tremendous things for me.2 The Lord is my fort where I can enter and be safe; no one can follow me in and slay me. He is a rugged mountain where I hide; he is my Savior, a rock where none can reach me, and a tower of safety. He is my shield. He is like the strong horn of a mighty fighting bull. 3 All I need to do is cry to him—oh, praise the Lord—and I am saved from all my enemies! |
| OBSERVATION: | |
| David had been rescued from battle after battle, and he sat down and considered the source of his protection, support and wisdom, and exploded with a sacrifice of praise to the only God, the One who was so gracious to him. He acknowledged that God stepped in and saved him from his enemies whenever he cried out to Him, and now his heart was so filled with thanksgiving and praise that it appears like there may not be enough descriptive words to serve the purpose! How are we doing in this area of life? | |
| APPLICATION: | |
| We hear about folk traveling hundreds of miles to be touched by a TV evangelist who has been known to heal attendees of crippling deceases, and we hear of prayer meetings where we are encouraged to bring our petitions and our needs before the Lord, but how often do we remember to return to the altar and lay our hearts out before God in awesome praise and adoration, having recognized Him as the Healer, or Provider, or Miracle Worker in our personal situation that we had laid before Him in prayer? As a kid, we were taught that it is good and proper to say ‘thank you’ after being blessed with a gift from someone. But how often do we return to God to acknowledge His holiness and His awesome blessings to us? Friends, may I encourage you to acknowledge God for His mighty works, and stop attributing your successes, recoveries and wins over serious deceases to ‘good luck’ or ‘your special moment’ or any other avoidance of praising God? If you took time to pray for God’s intervention in your serious situation, and you see a breakthrough in that situation, please acknowledge the One that you asked to help in the first place. I believe that each day results in multiple ways that we can stop and praise the Lord – protection while traveling the road of life; the doctors who helped us overcome serious illness; loved ones who encourage and bless us every day; food to eat and the comfort of our homes. Let’s not take those things for granted. God blessed us with then, and He knows what we need and when we need them. Let’s acknowledge Him in all things each and every day, and let’s not forget to thank those that God has placed in our path, so that they also might be blessed and appreciated by us. God is so good, and in so many ways. Let’s praise Him for who He is and for all that He does! | |
| PRAYER: | |
| Lord Jesus, You are so good to us and so often we neglect in returning thanks and appreciation for all that You do. Please forgive us for our ungratefulness. Lord, may we learn from David and be more moved by Your Spirit to return to the throne of grace and offer up our praises to You on a regular basis. As recognized in my ‘Application’ above, You look out for us each and every day, and You bless us more than we could possibly deserve every day. Thank You Father for Your awesome love for us and for all that You do for us. May we be more like David in an example of a grateful and appreciative child of the King. 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! | |
Humility and Dependence
|
Post Date: |
Friday, 2017-02-24 |
| SCRIPTURE | |
|
From: |
Matthew 18:2–5 (NCV) |
|
Text: |
2 Jesus called a little child to him and stood the child before his followers. 3 Then he said, “I tell you the truth, you must change and become like little children. Otherwise, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 The greatest person in the kingdom of heaven is the one who makes himself humble like this child.
5 “Whoever accepts a child in my name accepts me. |
| OBSERVATION: | |
| At the very time that the disciples thought to get the children out of their way, Jesus called them to Himself and illustrated the characteristics of a child that mankind should learn from. We will look at ways to apply these principles… | |
| APPLICATION: | |
| In life, parents and other family members try so hard to teach young children how to be just like them – in words (manners) and in actions (smiles and in looking at you). Isn’t that ironic, for Jesus taught that we (adults) should really learn a thing or two from children also! Some translations declare Jesus as saying that unless you become like a little child. This version today reads that we must change (from our normal, worldly character) to that of a child. Think about it friends, as adults we are taught to avoid strangers – is there ever a stranger in a young child’s eyes? As an adult we are taught to be careful who we show affection towards – I believe that a child will love on anyone, in any place, at any time, no matter who’s in the audience; As an adult our biggest objective is to become independent, even from God at times, as we will always try to do everything ourselves first, and only turn to God if we need help – as a child they are totally dependent, and has no qualms about it, for they will cry or yell for what they want; Adults are taught to trust no one, because everyone is out to get them – a child will jump from a wall into the arms of a parent or caretaker without a second thought, and they will depend on them for food, shelter or other provisions without ever questioning how, or why. Friends, it always takes a humble spirit to accept the fact that you need someone to help you, yes even to acknowledge that you need the help of God in your everyday decisions, provisions and direction of life itself. I believe that God loves His children passionately and wants so badly to help us achieve the best out of life. In fact, I believe that He even wants to fill us with His divine power to be duplicates of himself in ministering to the needs of others. However, God also knows that it would not be good for us to pollute the world with more of our sinful ways, so He wants us to draw close to Him and allow Him to control our lives, so that we might become one with Him. In this way, with Christ in us, as we share with others, we will actually allow Christ to share His love through us. How is it with you friend? Do you know my Jesus? Have you surrendered your life to His control, like a child? While I would suggest that you click on the link below ‘To Know Jesus’ and read the scripture references included, I would also offer my willingness to pray with you, if needed or desired. Please drop me a quick note and allow me to be your prayer partner. | |
| PRAYER: | |
| Lord Jesus, thank You for being God, and thank You for being our heavenly Father. Thank You for caring for even adults, especially those who think that they have everything worked out on their own. For us to accept Your help, we must become like a child again – with outstretched arms and hearts. Please continue to work with us on this Jesus, so that we might always be willing to humble ourselves and look to You for help, for guidance, for reassurance, for direction, and for a character that mirrors You in every way. No matter how independent we may feel like we are, others clearly recognize when You are missing. We want to be effective witnesses and ambassadors for You Lord, please help us to always humble ourselves like a child and accept the help that You lovingly offer. 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! | |
A Test of Your Faith
|
Post Date: |
Thursday, 2017-02-23 |
| SCRIPTURE | |
|
From: |
Matthew 17:19-21 (Voice) |
|
Text: |
19 Later, when they were away from the crowds, the disciples asked Jesus why they hadn’t been able to drive out the demon themselves.
Jesus: 20 Because you have so little faith. I tell you this: if you had even a faint spark of faith, even faith as tiny as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, “Move from here to there,” and because of your faith, the mountain would move. If you had just a sliver of faith, you would find nothing impossible. [21 But this kind is not realized except through much prayer and fasting.] |
| OBSERVATION: | |
| One could only imagine the frustration that the disciples must have felt when they kept receiving hints from Jesus that they could do what He does, and yet they felt so powerless at times. This particular incident was one of those cases, for a man presented his epileptic son for healing, and the disciples were totally helpless. Let’s examine why… | |
| APPLICATION: | |
| There were so many things that Jesus did that might be compared to magic today. It may seem to some that they merely say the word and the lame will walk again and the blind will once again see like you and I. However, I believe that Jesus clears this up for us in these verses. If the power was truly given to us to bring about healing, why would one need Jesus, or to know about His Father? First of all, we must remember that as His children, we are merely messengers of the Almighty God. Meaning that God still does the healing, and not us. Often mankind is out to win the battle and claim the victory personally, and that is not the way that God works. I remember gathering with others to pray down God’s blessings on upcoming revival services, and that hearts that had become hardened, would be touched by God and drawn back to Him. By the time the revival services began, I remember looking down the aisle with expectation and anticipation of individuals walking the aisle who we had prayed diligently and desperately for. The praise and rejoicing went to the Father as we saw results though, because we prayed to Him asking Him to move in their hearts. So to see ones walk the aisle meant that God had accomplished His work as a result of our prayers and His perfect will for the individuals we prayed for. In the verses we are looking at today, we are reminded that verse 21 was not included in some ancient manuscripts, but I believe it was inserted later to help us understand that miracles are still a work of the Almighty, and if we are sincere about our requests to Him, then we must be earnest in our prayers to Him about the individual or the situation. Friends, when we are willing to do more than just mere words. When we are deeply convicted and are ready to seek God’s face over a situation. When it becomes a priority to us, enough that we are willing to seek His face more than some other pleasure in life, then I believe Jesus recognizes the earnestness of our prayers and the deep desires of our heart. Are you ready to take a need before the Lord in such earnest today? If so, God assures us that it could be as big of a challenge as moving a mountain from one location to another, for nothing is impossible with God! Let’s get serious about the needs that we pray about, and be willing to commit more than just words to the need. Our God is able, if we are willing! | |
| PRAYER: | |
| Dear God, we have become so trivial with our promises to pray, that our promise to pray for a Brother or Sister just rolls off the tongue. Sometimes we make promises to pray, and then allow the busyness of life to take over, and overwhelm the promise we made to pray. At other times we are challenged to put our all into the request because of our lack of concern, or perhaps because of our lack of faith in the Father who can do ALL things. Please forgive us Lord, and fill us with hearts like Yours, where we are willing to sacrifice, or fast, and pray to the Father over the needs we might have. Thank You for the awesome powerful God that You are! Please give us renewed strength, boldness and power to pray as You did, Lord 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! | |
Through Our Actions, Who do we Say Jesus Is?
|
Post Date: |
Tuesday, 2017-02-21 |
| SCRIPTURE | |
|
From: |
Matthew 16:15-17 (NCV) |
|
Text: |
15 Then Jesus asked them, “And who do you say I am?” 16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 Jesus answered, “You are blessed, Simon son of Jonah, because no person taught you that. My Father in heaven showed you who I am. |
| OBSERVATION: | |
| Because Peter was first asked who others were saying Jesus is, it almost seemed like Peter was being tempted to respond like the world and therefore respond to Jesus’ question along the same lines of what he felt like others were saying. However, Peter, led by the Holy Spirit, responded to Jesus’ question appropriately, but it sure does open the eyes of believers that followed Peter to stop and ponder what they truly believe! | |
| APPLICATION: | |
| I wonder how many of us today would respond to a question like Jesus posed to Peter. I wonder how many of us would have a scriptural response for Jesus, and possibly the preacher, but a slightly different response for our unsaved friends, and an altogether politically correct response, if asked in public in the presence of the authorities. Friends, we are called on daily to show the world who Jesus is to us. Think about it. When we are asked to respond to a crisis, do we automatically panic and display our worry that the world is coming to an end because we can’t see clearly what’s ahead of the fast train that could easily jump the tracks? What about right inside of the church (with other believers) how do you respond when someone is about to desecrate another believer who is struggling with a situation? How do you respond to an individual who is very ‘needy’, not necessarily financially, but one who can’t see light at the end of their long, dark tunnel. There’s a lot less stress to just run in the opposite direction, and many of us choose that option, but is that really what Jesus would have done? I wonder what Jesus must truly think at the end of the day after having watched what you and I told the world who it is that we honestly serve and evangelize? I could only imagine that some days I would be honestly ashamed of what Jesus would say about me. How about you friend? From the very depths of our hearts we speak and react. I believe it is time for us to really fill our hearts with more, and more, and more of Jesus? Will you commit to this along with me? | |
| PRAYER: | |
| Oh Lord Jesus, please open Your loving arms to this weak and sinful son, for I am afraid that way too often I reflect a very poor image of who you truly are. I’m afraid that folk must sometimes walk away from me assuming that you are mean, selfish, stuck up with pride, unwilling to speak to the poor and lowly, uncaring and unloving. Please forgive me Lord, for I want my heart, my mind and my life so filled with You that You will spill forth from every word I speak and every action, each and every day. Lord, may I ask that You also tender the hearts of my readers so that they may also examine themselves and be prepared to face those who need proof of a Savior today. May there be no doubt that You are alive in us and may the world recognize that, and have a desire to know the Lord that we love, adore and aim to portray every day. 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 Source of Happiness and Contentment
|
Post Date: |
Monday, 2017-02-20 |
| SCRIPTURE | |
|
From: |
Psalm 16:7-9 (ERV) |
|
Text: |
7 I praise the Lord because he taught me well. Even at night he put his instructions deep inside my mind. 8 I always remember that the Lord is with me. He is here, close by my side, so nothing can defeat me. 9 So my heart and soul will be very happy.… |
| OBSERVATION: | |
| David sounded very content in recognizing all that God had taught him, both during the day and even at night as he acknowledged learning additional things while he rested. He was reassured by God’s presence with him at all times, and he reflected on how he had proven Him over and over that nothing, or no one, could defeat him with God as his guide, protector and everlasting Father. His heart was happy and content! | |
| APPLICATION: | |
| I believe that any of us reading this devotional, or anyone that we might connect with today, would all desire such a peace as David shared in this Psalm. As we face the world each morning, and the many challenges that a day might bring, wouldn’t our blood pressure drop several numbers if we were reassured that God’s in control, and not us? For those of us who have seen God work out His plan for our lives, including overcoming what seems like ‘battles’ in our eyes, isn’t it rewarding to be reminded of God’s power in teaching us the right things, directing our path each day, and reassuring us of His love and protection no matter what a day brings? Friends, stress will have very negative effects on our lives, especially our hearts. Knowing Jesus intimately and being assured of His leadership, love and care for us, should calm our nerves and lead us towards a peace that passes all understanding. Do you know my Lord? Do you have a sense of that peace that I am referring to? I am convinced that Jesus loves us so much that He would like nothing better than to show His love towards us in very meaningful ways such as I’ve mentioned, however He can only do that when we fully surrender to His call on our lives. May we find this peace and comfort today as we strive to surrender more and more to our Lord. | |
| PRAYER: | |
| Heavenly Father, thank You for sending Your Son as a sacrifice for my sin. Lord Jesus, thank You for being obedient to the Father and for loving me so much that You willingly went to the cross for sinners such as I. Your love, protection and ongoing guidance is like sunshine to a plant, for it helps us to survive the many trials and challenges of this world, and it provides life to our daily survival. Thank You heavenly Father, thank You Lord Jesus, and thank You Holy Spirit. Oh so unworthy, yet I’m a child of the King! Praise God from whom all blessings flow! I love You Lord, and I lift my voice, to worship You! May my life be worthy of allowing You to work through me to reach some soul today, oh Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer, 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! | |
For Best Results in Life, Do This….
|
Post Date: |
Saturday, 2017-02-18 |
| SCRIPTURE | |
|
From: |
Proverbs 3:4-6 (TLB) |
|
Text: |
4-5 If you want favor with both God and man, and a reputation for good judgment and common sense, then trust the Lord completely; don’t ever trust yourself. 6 In everything you do, put God first, and he will direct you and crown your efforts with success. |
| OBSERVATION: | |
| I believe that my translation of today’s verses might read: “when you are tired of the trial and error method, or the constant failures and brick walls that hinder success, do what the Good Book says, and seek God’s face for perfect direction that leads to success”! | |
| APPLICATION: | |
| There’s a common piece of advice often given to folk who try something and fail: “try and try again, and eventually you will succeed”. Isn’t it interesting that this is not God’s way of doing things? For God’s Word tells us to place our faith and trust in God, and He will direct our path, or tell us what to do. I believe it is evident that because God knows exactly what the next moment holds, He will be ‘dead on’ with what He directs us to do. Additionally, the Scripture also tells us that God will shower on us, or crown us, with success, when we follow His will and His directions. The other piece of advice in this proverb is that we are to put God first in all that we do and say. I believe that this means that when we respond to folk, that we respond with what will please God and give glory to Him. This is quite the opposite to our normal instinct to place self first and get as much as we could for ourselves. How often do we say things knowing that it will probably bring glory to ourselves? Friends, I am reminded to constantly seek ways to glorify God and direct the praise of others to Him. After all, I want Him to share His wisdom, His direction and His power with me to accomplish great things for Him. I’m just the vessel being used by Him so any praise should be directed to Him, so that He might be glorified by others and myself. If you can identify with what I have shared, please plan to adopt this same attitude so that together we may honor and praise our Father for all that He does for us and through us. | |
| PRAYER: | |
| Heavenly Father, You’ve shown us the way to success – thank You! Please now, help us to stop trying so hard to do life our way and instead seek Your face and follow Your way to true life, led by an all-knowing, all-loving God. As we commit ourselves to You again today, please give us minds that will always look to You for direction, instead of stumbling along try to do life all by ourselves. We can’t do this alone dear Lord, so we ask for Your help and Your guidance in all aspects of life. AMEN! | |
| FOOTNOTE: | |
| There are two more pages on my blog that will provide you with additional information, one of them being ‘To Know Jesus’. If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please click on the above page, or speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. Please allow someone to pray with you and give you help and/or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Words underlined in my blog could indicate a link to a song that came to mind as I wrote the devotional. Feel free to click on the link and listen as you continue to read or pray. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to Nuggets From God’s Word and read more, or you may freely to subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. If you are anywhere near the Highlands County, Florida area and do not have a church home, I would be thrilled to welcome you at Bible Fellowship Church, located at 3750 Hammock Rd, Sebring, FL 33872! Click the link to check out service times and/or other special activities. God is at work among us! Please consider coming to worship with us! | |
Spiritually Fit
Today’s Bible Reference: 1 Timothy 4:6-10
Today’s Bible Text: You’ve been raised on the Message of the faith and have followed sound teaching. Now pass on this counsel to the followers of Jesus there, and you’ll be a good servant of Jesus. Stay clear of silly stories that get dressed up as religion. Exercise daily in God—no spiritual flabbiness, please! Workouts in the gymnasium are useful, but a disciplined life in God is far more so, making you fit both today and forever. You can count on this. Take it to heart. This is why we’ve thrown ourselves into this venture so totally. We’re banking on the living God, Savior of all men and women, especially believers.
The Bible Translation: The Message (MSG)
My Take Away: I believe that a lot of money is spent on gym memberships, and a lot of time is well spent on physical fitness in order to keep our heart and muscles in great physical shape, due to the stationary, inactive lifestyles we have in our desk jobs or just the choices we make to watch TV or play on computer devices. So what if we did to our physical bodies what we do in our spiritual lives? You know, we may open our Bibles once a week when we attend church, or in some cases two or three times per year for special occasions. Do you suppose that we might see more physical deaths if we only exercised that infrequent? Do you suppose that this might be the reason we see so many spiritual ‘deaths’ in the church? If we only connect with the Master of this world on a very occasional basis, will that develop ‘relationship’ with Him? Physical exercise requires commitment to a designated time of fitness each day. It means sacrificing a warm bed for working out at the gym or jogging down a long, dark path, often until we feel like we are about to drop! It means ‘beating’ ourselves into submission, so that we can do it even when we don’t feel like it. Now, think about Spiritual fitness. Should it be any different? The results, or the outcome, is way more important, for it leads to an active, participating relationship with the King of this universe, One who sent His Son to die for us so that we might accept His sacrifice and therefore ultimately be with Him in glory one day. Physical fitness helps you condition your bodies to fight off diseases, have less pain and recover much faster from illnesses, and it may extend your life here on earth by a few years. Spiritual fitness opens the doors of heaven for you while here on earth and to life ever after with the Creator. It gives you hope, peace and love here on earth and rewards for eternity that are out of this world! Spiritual fitness is suitable for all walks of life, for those fit enough to do Physical fitness or not. Please don’t make excuses Brothers and Sisters. Seek to strengthen your spiritual lives so that you may be usable by God here on earth, until He is ready for you in Heaven. Each of us will face Him at Judgment Day, will you be prepared to smile and thank Him for allowing You to stay Spiritually Fit while here on earth? I hope there will be no regrets.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, we are such a blessed people, because of Your persistent love for us, and the way that You show that in so many ways to us daily. Please touch the lives of each one reading this devotional today with a desire to enhance our Spiritual fitness so that we might be drawn closer to You in every aspect of our lives. Others are watching to validate that we are who we say we are. May we be so engrossed in Your Word, and have such a determination to follow Your teachings, that the evidence might be obvious in all that we say or do while here on earth. We want them to see Jesus. May we be fit vessels that You can work through to reach those in our realm of influence dear 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!
2016
Expectations of a ‘True’ Worshiper
|
Post Date: |
Thursday, 2017-02-16 |
| SCRIPTURE | |
|
From: |
Psalm 15 (TLB) |
|
Text: |
2 Anyone who leads a blameless life and is truly sincere. 3 Anyone who refuses to slander others, does not listen to gossip, never harms his neighbor, 4 speaks out against sin, criticizes those committing it, commends the faithful followers of the Lord, keeps a promise even if it ruins him, 5 does not crush his debtors with high interest rates, and refuses to testify against the innocent despite the bribes offered him—such a man shall stand firm forever. |
| OBSERVATION: | |
| The Psalmist lists things he believes a ‘True’ Worshipper should do and some that they shouldn’t do. This was in response to his own question that he posed to the Almighty God about who will be permitted in His presence. I believe that there was conflict in David’s mind about what was acceptable to God, and what might not be acceptable, and he had to get this cleared up. | |
| APPLICATION: | |
When we are feeling conflicted by the various teachings of man and/or churches and/or denominations, wouldn’t it be great to take that conflict before God and ask Him to help us clear it up? I could only imagine that my blog title probably raised a few eyebrows as you probably thought that I would dare teach on who should be permit in our church sanctuary, or who we will allow to sit forward of the very back seat, or who we will allow to raise their hands in worship. Unfortunately you may be disappointed, as this goes way beyond the practices of any church here on earth. Notice that David was in prayer, or communication with the One that most Christian churches actually lift up their worship to, for He wanted to know what was acceptable to the God who created us, provides for us, and even died a sacrificial death for us, before returning to His Father to sit at His side and petition with Him on our behalf. You see, church leadership has come a long way in what our ancestors taught about what you could wear to church, which instruments can, or cannot be played in our services, and who might sing in the praise group, or choir. It seems like we have become a lot more tolerable and allow anyone with any thought or practice or selfish desire to worship and possibly participate or even teach, while tolerating known sin in their lives. David looked beyond all this and was more interested in what God would permit. Here are some things that he concluded about the attitude and/or character of the genuine worshipper of the Almighty:
David concluded that ‘such a man shall stand firm forever’. May I suggest to you friend that no matter how good you feel about your church, or how much you despise what the leadership allows, or rejects, what truly matters in your relationship with God is what you discern from God’s Word as being pleasing in His sight. Please don’t be so weak that you merely stand by and wait for the instructions of church leadership, although I want you to respect them and cooperate with their leadership that you feel aligns with God’s Word, however what is more important is that you develop such a relationship with God that you seek His face in all things and personally please Him in every way. He’s the One that we live for and seek to serve wholeheartedly, so please Him among everything else here on earth, and you too ‘will stand firm forever’, child of God! |
|
| PRAYER: | |
| Lord Jesus, please help us to always seek Your face and Your design for our lives here on earth. Often we are pulled in many directions with various beliefs and practices. May we strive to please You and seek Your will in deciding truth. It’s You we long to adore and be with throughout eternity. Oh that ‘religion’ will not hinder our walk down here as we strive to please You, is my humble prayer, 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! | |
Nuggets From God's Word 