|
Post Date: |
Thursday, 2017-07-27 |
| SCRIPTURE | |
|
From: |
Deuteronomy 28:1-2; 15 (MSG) |
|
Text: |
1-2 If you listen obediently to the Voice of God, your God, and heartily obey all his commandments that I command you today, God, your God, will place you on high, high above all the nations of the world. All these blessings will come down on you and spread out beyond you because you have responded to the Voice of God, your God:
15 Here’s what will happen if you don’t obediently listen to the Voice of God, your God, and diligently keep all the commandments and guidelines that I’m commanding you today. All these curses will come down hard on you: |
| OBSERVATION: | |
| Moses was not permitted to enter the Promised Land, but he was given last minute instructions for the Israelites that would help them understand how God would react to their decisions and actions once they receive their freedom to live in their new and exciting country. Benefits and/or consequences is generally something we look at in hindsight, but with God instructing Moses, he could tell them in advance what to expect. We’ve been given that same advantage through the Bible, let’s look at that! | |
| APPLICATION: | |
| As parents, we will generally give our children choices, and we may even add what the benefits and/or consequences are if they obey, or if they disobey what we told them. As I read this chapter, I believe that God pointed out to me the parallel between the instructions that He gave to the Israelites through His servant Moses, and the equivalent of what He gave to us through His Word regarding our destiny, based on our level of obedience today. This is all declared in the New Testament with the birth, death and resurrection of His precious Son, Jesus. You see, when God introduced His new covenant offered through the shed blood of Jesus, He assured us that the benefit for those of us who accept that free gift of salvation, would be that we could look forward to eternity in heaven with our Savior; our Father – God; and the Holy Spirit. In chapter 28 today, there were 14 verses of benefit descriptions for the Israelites that obeyed the commands of God. For the person who accepts Jesus as Lord and Savior, I would dare say that the benefits are endless, and they are greater than our wildest imagination. Imagine being face to face with Jesus, who performed miracle after miracle; who also showed His love for us with outstretched arms on a cruel cross; but praise be to God, He arose from the dead three days later and reigns with His Father forevermore! However, for the unconcerned or disobedient, the Bible also gives us the equivalent for what people today can expect, just as God did in the case of the Israelites, beginning in verse 15 above. For those who decline the offer of salvation, and continue to live contrary to the instructions given by God in His Word, they could expect to spend eternity in the pit of Hell with Satan and his demons, being tormented for all eternity. So friends, just like the Israelites who knew the game rules as they entered the Promised Land, we have the game Book available to us. If we obey, I reminded you of the benefits. If we disobey, I reminded you of the consequences. May I encourage you to know Jesus and know peace and hope regarding your eternity? No Jesus will result in no peace my friend. The choice is yours alone, please insure your peace and security in my Savior, Jesus Christ, today! See my Footnote below for help with this. | |
| PRAYER: | |
| Lord Jesus, Your Word is very clear for us today, just as Your word through Moses was clear for the Israelites. We claim to be a very smart generation, so please touch our hardened hearts so that we may make wise decisions and follow in obedience to all that You have taught us through Your Word. Thank You for the promise of eternity in heaven with You one day! Please help us to encourage as many as possible while here on earth until that day You call us home to glory, 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: salvation
The Importance of Your Ministry
|
Post Date: |
Wednesday, 2017-07-26 |
| SCRIPTURE | |
|
From: |
Luke 10:16 (ERV) |
|
Text: |
16 “When anyone listens to you my followers, they are really listening to me. But when anyone refuses to accept you, they are really refusing to accept me. And when anyone refuses to accept me, they are refusing to accept the one who sent me.” |
| OBSERVATION: | |
| Jesus sent out 70 disciples to minister in His name. These were not necessarily anyone special, like ordained or specially trained pastors or teachers, but they were sent by Jesus to go and share whatever He had taught them. How is this different to what we are called to do today? | |
| APPLICATION: | |
| I’m sure that anytime we hear of people being ‘called’ of God, we think of our pastors, and perhaps other pastors from our community that we know, but how often do we think about the idea of us being called individually to minister in the name of our Lord? We often hear believers say that I just work with the youth at my church, or I’m involved in the kids ministry, or perhaps I teach an adult Sunday School class. The real unfortunate statements that we hear way too often is that ‘I’ve done my part, so now it’s up to the younger folk to carry on the ministry in the church and in our community’. Friends, I can find nowhere in the Bible where Jesus called anyone to carry on the message of the cross and handed them a retirement package that would activate at a certain age. At what age do you stop being married, or stop bragging about your spouse? Let’s look at the Scripture again…. The Word say that when others listen to you and I declaring the name of the Lord, they are actually listening to Jesus – the One who sent us. When they refuse to accept the one whom we teach and preach, they are rejecting Jesus, and His Father (GOD) who sent Him. I don’t know about you friend, but those are some pretty serious consequences that our ‘ministry’ could have on those that we mentor, or tutor (teach). I trust that Jesus will always clearly say to us at the end of life’s journey: ‘Well done good and faithful servant’. Don’t disappoint Him child of God. Your individual ministry is very important. If God assigned it to you then taking it lightly, or not doing it at all, is disobedience to Him. | |
| PRAYER: | |
| You provided the way, and You provided the means for our salvation Lord Jesus. Please help us to never be ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Please prompt us into the service of ministering in Your name so that You and the Father might be glorified, for Thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, for 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! | |
Distractions in Ministry
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Post Date: |
Monday, 2017-07-24 |
| SCRIPTURE | |
|
From: |
Luke 9:61-62 (TLB) |
|
Text: |
61 Another said, “Yes, Lord, I will come, but first let me ask permission of those at home.”62 But Jesus told him, “Anyone who lets himself be distracted from the work I plan for him is not fit for the Kingdom of God.” |
| OBSERVATION: | |
| The verses hyperlinked above actually shares two accounts where individuals that God had called into ministry found excuses why they couldn’t assume the task at that time. Not a whole lot different to what we do today, but I believe God would have us be reminded again how He feels about this. | |
| APPLICATION: | |
| In a first glance, or reading of this Scripture, we probably look at our pastors and wonder why they might question the call of Christ on their lives, or procrastinate following the call after clearly hearing God calling them into service. Friends, most churches have election of officers and teachers each year, and I believe I would be safe in saying that nominating teams have probably heard every excuse possible when asking an individual to serve. In the section of Scripture we are looking at today, we see where one needed to bury his father before he could assume the call of Christ. In the second instance the other one needed to check with his family first to make sure they could manage without him. While we will also look at our excuses, think for a minute who it was that called these two individuals – Jesus, the very Son of God. Did He personally know their hearts and all about the possible excuses they could have given Him? Of course He did. But by sharing these things with us, it help us to also consider the excuses that we tend to give when asked to join the ministry team at our respective churches. I believe that three of the most popular excuses used today are: 1). I feel so unqualified to teach; 2). I cannot speak well in a classroom setting; and 3). I live such a busy lifestyle that I couldn’t possible take on one more thing. Friends, don’t you think that it is God that gave you the gifts to do His work and the time to do it? Don’t you know that God is well aware of your qualifications and gifts and that He has you handpicked to accomplish a task you are being asked to accomplish? A Nominating Team or Pastor who may asked you to fill a position at church has probably bathed the matter in deep prayer, so I feel like when we make excuses why we can’t fulfil the request, we are actually complaining to God. Let me suggest that if you feel that time might be the issue, try responding that you can’t make that a priority in your life right now. Jesus could have found many excuses and could have called many angels to His rescue when beaten and led to the cross, but He accepted His unfortunate task as a priority – just for you and I. God is not looking at your abilities, because where you are lacking He fills that void so that He might be glorified. All He wants is your availability. | |
| PRAYER: | |
| Dear God, please forgive us for the excuses we make to not use the many gifts that You have blessed us with. Thank You for not giving up on us, as easily as we give up on trying to serve You. Oh Lord, may we be obedient to Your call on our life. May we be a living sacrifice, willing to always testify to Your calling in our personal witness to others and to help make Your work in our local church complete. You have truly blessed us beyond anything we deserve, may we learn to bless You through our availability and willingness to serve in local ministries, so that the world might know You and believe in You. God being our helper, our enabler and guide. 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! | |
Jesus’ Definition of ‘Greatness’
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Post Date: |
Sunday, 2017-07-23 |
| SCRIPTURE | |
|
From: |
Luke 9:46-48 (TLB) |
|
Text: |
46 Now came an argument among them as to which of them would be greatest in the coming Kingdom! 47 But Jesus knew their thoughts, so he stood a little child beside him 48 and said to them, “Anyone who takes care of a little child like this is caring for me! And whoever cares for me is caring for God who sent me. Your care for others is the measure of your greatness.” |
| OBSERVATION: | |
| It seems like Jesus’ definition of ‘greatness’ is quite different to ours. So we will look at this a little deeper today to make sure that we are not only getting the meaning of this word from Webster or some other English dictionary, but also to make sure that we are following God’s desire for our ‘greatness’ in this world. | |
| APPLICATION: | |
| In this world, and even in dictionaries, we learn that ‘greatness’ is considered: superior; or possess a natural ability to be better than most; illustrious; important; famous; etc. However, from everything we know of Jesus, He never showed any of these characteristics. He was born in a lowly manger in a cattle stall, and for the rest of His life there is no talk of Him living, or desiring to live anywhere near a palace. He simply obeyed His Father and served all mankind with sincere love and admiration. Yet He was the greatest man that ever lived! In our Scripture today Jesus is teaching His disciples that for them to evaluate who among them is the greatest in the kingdom of God, they must consider who is the greatest servant, for simply looking through worldly eyes at what they each might be famous for, will only impact what the world thinks of them and expects from ‘great’ people, in their terms. Let me suggest that we stop and consider how concerned, helpful and caring we would be towards a little child as they go helplessly down a river. Now think about the child, they are totally dependent upon you to keep their heads above water and from the harm of all rocks or debris, plus keep them warm once they are ready to exit the water. I believe Jesus wants us to care for everyone here on earth in much the same way as we would for that child in the river. This includes those who are very close to us, those that we think are above us in status and especially those that we know society always look down their noses at. ALL are precious in His sight. Jesus also wants us to be like the child going down the river: fully dependent on Him; begging for His helping hand to guide, protect and keep us; and willing to accept help from anyone that stretches out ther hand to help us. At the end of life’s road when we meet Jesus, we will all be considered children of God, or not. There will be no ‘greatness’ that will get us there, only the simple invitation of Jesus into our lives. What’s your position today friends? Do you know my Jesus personally? Are you serving Him faithfully in all phases of your life and with whomever you come into contact with? If so you may one day stand to hear: ‘Welcome my child, you have been faithful over many things on earth, now come and dine with me and my Father as we rejoice together throughout eternity! | |
| PRAYER: | |
| Lord, thank You for all that You have demonstrated through Your example, and from all that You have taught us through Your precious Word. We will meet many that are different in many ways from us. Please teach us to always welcome one another with the same grace that You welcome us. It is unimaginable that a King would willingly sacrifice His life for my sin, and my opportunity to spend eternity in heaven. Yet You did just that. Thank You Lord Jesus! Now may I, and all my readers be prepared to act in similar fashion and accept even those who persecute us; who have more money than us; who may live in mansions; and who may live under bridges. All are precious in Your sight, and so should they be in ours. For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, for 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! | |
Your Hands – God’s Hand Extended
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Post Date: |
Friday, 2017-07-21 |
| SCRIPTURE | |
|
From: |
Proverbs 3:27-28 (MSG) |
|
Text: |
27-28 Never walk away from someone who deserves help; your hand is God’s hand for that person. Don’t tell your neighbor “Maybe some other time” or “Try me tomorrow” when the money’s right there in your pocket. |
| OBSERVATION: | |
| This Proverb is teaching us to help one another and be a neighbor that would remind people of God. Have you ever stopped to consider that, as God’s servants, we are His hands and feet on the ground? When we see a need, God encourages us to think about what He would have done if He was here, then impresses on us to press on to ‘get ‘r done’! What an honor it is to feel like someone might recognize our helping hand as that inspired and designed by God for that very action that we are helping them with! To God be the glory! | |
| APPLICATION: | |
| How often have you arrived home at the end of your workday, tired beyond words, and trying to get in the door of your home so you could relax and clear your mind, when your neighbor calls out for your help on a project, or just needs someone to talk to? Do you suppose that your reaction was noticeable to the neighbor? Do you suppose God recognized your reaction as something He did while here on earth? Have you ever been in need of help yourself? Some months ago I purchased a shed, and it was delivered the day after I had a back surgery. I was anxious to have it erected, so I asked a neighbor for help. Much of the time I was absolutely of no help at all, because I couldn’t. It was a very humbling experience hearing him outside working, with me being totally incapable of helping him. However, I feel like he did something that Jesus would have done when He was here on earth. Did my neighbor have other things to do, I could almost assure you that he did, but whether he realized it or not, I saw Jesus at work in my yard that day. Friends, we often hear an old saying ‘what comes around goes around’. Please stop and ask God what you might do to extend a hand to someone today. Friends, family or church members might be in hospital. They obviously can’t visit you, so please consider visiting with them. It will help them feel better knowing that others cared enough to sacrifice time to visit with them. They will thank God for you and your visit. Call a friend you haven’t heard from in a long time, they may have gone through awful times and couldn’t call you, but your call might really serve to encourage them knowing that you cared enough to miss them, and then to call them. Perhaps, more of Jesus in our lives, and less TV and internet devices, might help us be real neighbors again, and extend the love of Jesus through our meager efforts here on earth. Be willing to share friends. It takes no money – just your willingness to listen to God and be His hands extended to someone else. | |
| PRAYER: | |
| Lord, You unselfishly gave of Yourself for us, and You gave us a wonderful life to enjoy here on earth until You are ready to call us home. Please help us to constantly be aware of our surroundings and the needs that cry out for our involvement – Your hands extended. Lord, may others be drawn to You and give thanks continuously for Your outstretched arm of love, and action through Your saints. May all the glory be Yours oh King, my Lord and Savior, AMEN! | |
| FOOTNOTE: | |
| There are two more pages on my blog that will provide you with additional information, one of them being ‘To Know Jesus’. If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please click on the above page, or speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. Please allow someone to pray with you and give you help and/or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Words underlined in my blog could indicate a link to a song that came to mind as I wrote the devotional. Feel free to click on the link and listen as you continue to read or pray. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to Nuggets From God’s Word and read more, or you may freely to subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. If you are anywhere near the Highlands County, Florida area and do not have a church home, I would be thrilled to welcome you at Bible Fellowship Church, located at 3750 Hammock Rd, Sebring, FL 33872! Click the link to check out service times and/or other special activities. God is at work among us! Please consider coming to worship with us! | |
Prayerful Expectancy
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Post Date: |
Wednesday, 2017-07-19 |
| SCRIPTURE | |
|
From: |
Luke 2:25-26 (MSG) |
|
Text: |
25-26 In Jerusalem at the time, there was a man, Simeon by name, a good man, a man who lived in the prayerful expectancy of help for Israel. And the Holy Spirit was on him. The Holy Spirit had shown him that he would see the Messiah of God before he died. |
| OBSERVATION: | |
| We are led to believe that Simeon was a godly man who prayed. We also know that he prayed in earnest about one particular thing, more than anything else – that God would send a warrior, or savior for his native Israelites. This caused me to stop and think about the one thing of highest importance that I pray about, and I would like to challenge my audience to do the same. | |
| APPLICATION: | |
| For those who regularly attend prayer meetings at your church, and if your church family are given the opportunity to pray out loud, I believe that you can generally understand the heart of each prayer warrior. Somewhere in each one’s prayer you will hear them pray from the sincerity of their heart for at least one specific person, ministry or kingdom work. Simeon was like this, for he prayed diligently for help for his country Israel. Friends, I don’t know about you, but I believe that we could do with lots more Simeon’s in our churches in America, who will make the needs, concerns and sins of our country as their top priority for prayer. I have relatives in the Bahamas, and no doubt many of you reading this devotional may be located in other countries or have relatives living abroad. I have every reason to believe that these other countries also need prayer warriors who will commit to pray unceasingly for help in these countries also. Oh that our countries might return to God, and seek to operate according to God’s laws that have succeeded century after century under the protection of His powerful hand. Won’t you join me in prayer for our respective countries friends? No matter how impossible it may look to doubting eyes, we know without a doubt that our God lives, and He is still in the miracle working business. Why not ask for His power to save our countries so that we may live peaceably, in love and unity with one another, with God as our leader and enabler! | |
| PRAYER: | |
| Lord God, You are our Rock; our Provider; our Protector; and our Healer of everything, including our nations. Lord You’ve told us that if we, Your meek servants, would humble ourselves and pray, You would hear from heaven and heal our land. That’s our desire Lord! We want to see You and we also want our friends and family to see You one day. Living in a country that entices the worship of our awesome God could only serve to encourage the lost to seek Jesus, the answer to the world and it’s many problems. Thank You Jesus for loving us enough to care, 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! | |
Just A Touch Can Do!
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Post Date: |
Tuesday, 2017-07-18 |
| SCRIPTURE | |
|
From: |
Luke 8:45-48 (TLB) |
|
Text: |
45 “Who touched me?” Jesus asked. Everyone denied it, and Peter said, “Master, so many are crowding against you. . . . ” 46 But Jesus told him, “No, it was someone who deliberately touched me, for I felt healing power go out from me.” 47 When the woman realized that Jesus knew, she began to tremble and fell to her knees before him and told why she had touched him and that now she was well. 48 “Daughter,” he said to her, “your faith has healed you. Go in peace.” |
| OBSERVATION: | |
| Jesus was on a mission headed towards the home of Jairus to meet the need reported to Him by this father. While enroute, there was a large crowd following, and they pressed in on Jesus’ personal space because they didn’t want to miss anything that He did. By this time, many had heard so much about the power of Jesus, that they were willing to do things such as merely getting close enough to touch His clothing, such as noted in the verses today. This took real faith! Do we have what it takes? | |
| APPLICATION: | |
| As I read this Scripture today, I believe that Jesus prompted me to reflect on how we might go about ‘touching the hem of His garment’ in our world today. Think about it friends, we often think of a ‘touch from God’ when we’re sick, or about to face surgery, or lost a loved one, or can’t see ourselves through financial struggles, or things at work seems impossible, but there is no ‘hem of Jesus’ garment’ for us to go and touch, is there? Well, let’s reread the verses again and see if the answer came in touching Jesus’ garment. In verse 48 Jesus actually tells the woman what actually healed her. It was her faith! I believe this lady knew Jesus, knew of His awesome power and compassion on those in need, and I feel pretty sure that she probably knew the miracles He had already performed. So do you suppose she left her home that day with a good luck charm hoping that these rumors she had heard about Jesus could also possibly touch her life? Do you suppose that the thought may have crossed her mind that she perhaps could stay at home in her bed and if Jesus wants to, He would heal her? Let me share with you what my thoughts are: I believe this lady knew Jesus personally, and I believe she had lots of faith – enough to believe that Jesus could do for her everything that she had heard about Him ever doing for anyone else. However, I believe she wanted a close-up experience with her Master. Seeing that Jesus was thronged by so many people, she felt like she could never get His personal attention, but she knew that if she could only manage to get close enough to touch Him or any part of His clothing, she would be healed. Friends, that’s a lot of faith! That’s like us having faith to call on Him in our time of need, or asking our church elders to pray over you with oil, as spoken of in the New Testament. May I remind you again today that Our God’s Not Dead, Nor Has He Lost His Power To Heal! If He’s your God today friend, call on Him in your time of need. Celebrate Him when You remember His goodness and recognize His miracle working hand. | |
| PRAYER: | |
| Lord Jesus, we are so amazed by Your awesome power, and often wonder why You would consider even us for Your miraculous work. Please teach us the wonder of faith and the unlimited power of our wonderful God. May we always come to the Savior for salvation; the Healer with our illnesses and to our Eternal God with our desire for eternity in Heaven with You. Thank You for loving us so much dear God, our Heavenly Father! 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! | |
In All Honesty and Fairness
|
Post Date: |
Monday, 2017-07-17 |
| SCRIPTURE | |
|
From: |
Deuteronomy 16:18-20 (NCV) |
|
Text: |
18 Appoint judges and officers for your tribes in every town the Lord your God is giving you; they must judge the people fairly. 19 Do not judge unfairly or take sides. Do not let people pay you to make wrong decisions, because that kind of payment makes wise people seem blind, and it changes the words of good people. 20 Always do what is right….. |
| OBSERVATION: | |
| Moses, in guiding God’s people as they prepared to enter the Promised Land, realized that this would be a whole new experience for them, so he tried to share every detail with them. In these verses that we will look at today he told them that they will need judges and leaders, to take the place of all that he and Aaron had done for them over the past 40 years. Knowing that we can also benefit from this reminder, I want God to lead us in this devotional on how we might be better leaders… | |
| APPLICATION: | |
| It is so easy for us look at a judge’s decision, and if it’s contrary to our belief, or our desire for the prosecuted (defendant), we may quickly respond “that’s unfair” without giving it a second thought. Our wish didn’t come true. However good judges are put in place to learn everything possible about the law of the land, so that when a case is brought before them, they could listen to all the facts, compare what they hear to everything they know about the law, and then determine as an independent person whether the defendant is guilty of wrongdoing. Not being a ‘judge’ you may question if this really applies to you and I. That’s what I want us to look at today, because I believe that we make decisions every day that shows God whether we are thinking and acting fairly. Let’s look at our work situation where we are looking at 3 candidates who have applied for a position we have available. Although much of our decision is based on a ‘gut feeling’, I believe it will surprise us to stop and ponder what prejudices or selfish motives come into play with our decision. Secondly, imagine two individuals being reported to you as doing something contrary to company policy. One brings you coffee every morning and has your back most of the time, vs the other one causes relational problems in your department. Can you honestly deal fairly and consistent with both employees? Things become especially tricky in churches when dealing with those that financially support the church vs a regular attendee who may or may not support the church financially. Friends, as you can see from the examples given, we all make judgment calls in some aspect of our lives. You can also see that bribes come in more ways than one, and they all serve to sway our decision in one way or another. This Scripture is teaching us to be careful of this, for it makes a wise man blind and causes him to make decisions that he may ordinarily have done if being obedient to his full understanding of God’s perfect laws. Obeying God’s laws is sometimes tougher than we might think, if we try to follow them in our own strength and power. I believe that it is a daily challenge that we must keep ever before God, that we seek His guidance, His strength and His perfect design for us to be aligned with what He desires of us. Living a life like Jesus is so different to anything we experience here on earth, that we must stay closely in tuned with our awesome Designer. Are you prepared to do this friend? | |
| PRAYER: | |
| Lord, this life is challenging at best, and we can only accomplish Your will with the help of Your Holy Spirit. Leadership is challenging when we have to put personal feelings aside and judge according to Your perfect design. But Lord, we want to be more like You every day and in every way. So teach us Your ways, and help us to understand Your perfect will more and more clearly. We love You Lord, and appreciate every opportunity You give to us to show that same awesome love to others we come into contact with, all for Your honor and glory, 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! | |
Here’s The Reason Jesus Came
Sunday, 2017-07-16
Scripture
Bible Reference: Mark 2:17
Bible Text: 17 When Jesus heard this, he told them, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do. I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.”
Bible Translation: New Living Translation (NLT)
My Take
The attention given to the unrighteous, reminds me of a friend who is attracted to the one who sits at the back of the church and may be feeling dejected. I am also made keenly aware of why our churches are not reaching many of the unsaved in our communities. Think about it, who do most of our church members hang around? Fellow Christians, right? What happens to a pastor or church leader who may be seen hanging around a questionable crowd? Jesus said that He came for those who know that they are sinners. Wouldn’t that be a bold statement for a church to acknowledge that they exist for the sake of the unsaved? Who generally devours most of your pastor’s time, the saved or the unsaved? Where do most of your budget dollars go – towards reaching the lost; or patting the backs of the saved, and keeping them entertained? Will the unsaved feel welcomed at your worship services, or will they feel looked down on by the masses? Are you a part of a ministry that imitates the desire of Jesus, seeking to reach those who know they are sinners? If we are to be about our Father’s work, I believe we should be busy doing exactly what He showed and taught us to do. Can you handle that friend?
Prayer
Lord, may we Your children be willing to minister to those in need of a Savior more than just ministering to those just like us, or those we like. You came so that the lost might be saved and see the Kingdom of God. Please help us to keep that as our focus of ministry. I ask these things in the strong name of Jesus, 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!
Show How Blessed You Are
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Post Date: |
Saturday, 2017-07-15 |
| SCRIPTURE | |
|
From: |
Deuteronomy 16:16-17 (NCV) |
|
Text: |
16 ….No man should come before the Lord without a gift. 17 Each of you must bring a gift that will show how much the Lord your God has blessed you. |
| OBSERVATION: | |
| The Israelites received guidance from Moses on where they should worship, when, how and why. Other than the sacrifices, where Jesus offered Himself as a living sacrifice for us, I believe the other guidance that Moses felt led of God to share with his people are still very much in line with what we should still be doing today. The point today of giving in return for the blessings you receive, is one that we will look closer at and attempt to apply to our lives today. | |
| APPLICATION: | |
| I would imagine that there are some out there that give to the work of the Lord for various reasons, like giving because of promises by preachers that you would be healed, or that you will get rich. Some to avoid shame when the offering plate is passed, so that you will not be looked at strangely if you put nothing at all in it. Some may not give because they feel like churches or pastors are out to get rich quick from the gifts of even the poorest members. Or because you never have enough money for yourself each paycheck after paying your bills, so why should you short yourself to give to the church? These are probably just the ‘tip of the iceberg’ on excuses you have either heard or used before, but friends, our direction comes from God’s Word. Throughout His Word He teaches that those who love Him, or know Him, or who are His, are those who obey His commands. The guide given in verse 17 above, is that we give in line with how we’ve been blessed. Notice that there is no other calculation used? Here’s a personal testimony: When I became a tither, the biggest hurdle for me was to switch from a $1 offering in the plate as it passed, to actually giving 10% of my paycheck. There were times when funds got so tight that old Satan would make me question why am I doing this crazy giving thing? But God always saw me through, and He blessed me day after day. No He didn’t make me rich in money, but rather rich in blessings. Later in my Christian walk, an evangelist spoke on giving to God from our financial resources. In his closing prayer, he had us take our wallets out of our pocket, hold them in our hands before God, as we prayed for direction on our giving in relation to our blessings. God clearly reminded me that He had blessed me with my whole paycheck, and not just the net amount after taxes, loan payments, etc. At a time when funds were already challenging, I trusted God to see me through this change in the amount that I surrendered to Him. In no way is this bragging on anything special about this old born again sinner, but I would like you to know that God has held my hand and helped me through every financial challenge, AND blessed me enormously in my everyday life. Is God proud of the way you recognize His blessings to you? If He went strictly by the percentage you gave to Him unreservedly, and out of total obedience to His Word, would He consider you to be a totally appreciative person? If God blessed you strictly based on the amount you give to Him, do you suppose your blessings would increase, or decrease? Friends, let me assure you, our God is a very giving God. You can’t out-give Him, and I strongly believe that He will bless you even more as He recognizes that you are giving honestly and in response to His matchless blessings to you! | |
| PRAYER: | |
| Lord, how could we ever give enough to show our appreciation for all that You willingly and generously give to us? Lord, please help us to always give back to You out of love and in proportion to all that You have blessed us with, and never in response to what we feel that our church leaders may fail at. We want to be blessed by You, so we give to You. As You direct us to elect Your leaders to lead Your church, I have no doubt that You will place trusted leaders to mind Your flock and provide for the spiritual welfare of Your flock and our community. Thank You for giving so overwhelmingly to us Lord. May we give in proportion to all that You give to 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! | |
Nuggets From God's Word 