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Post  Admin Wed 17 Apr 2013, 10:55 pm

Welcome to the Nugget
April 16, 2013
Dovetailing Some Dove Facts, Part 1
By Answers2Prayer

One needn't be a bird scientist to discern the fact that God's Holy Word attaches a lot of importance to a Dove. Almost fifty times, there is a mention of Dove in the Scriptures...more than that of any other avian creature. As early as Gen. 1:2, there is symbolism which would create in one's minds-eye a picture of a Dove. Why even the Holy Spirit descended upon our Lord at the time of His Baptism in the form of a Dove (Matt 3:16)!

In this series of 2 parts comprising of 4 sub-headings, I intend to train my spotlight on the holy similarities which exist between a dove and the Holy Spirit. At this stage, we would be well served to ask ourselves a question: "Are these traits found in me?" For in a Christian in whom the Spirit of Christ resides (Rom. 8:9), these qualities ought to be as naturally found, just like water in a surging river. Firstly...

1. Purity: Ask a dove, the only bird of the avian world permitted for sacrifice under the Old Testament dispensation (See Lev 1:14-17/12:8), to light on anything unclean, such as a carcass, and it would plainly refuse! Remember the account of a dove sent by Noah to check on the receding waters of the Flood? It came back to him, without landing on the defiled carrion. Contrast this attitude with that of the raven sent next. As it did not have natural revulsion for anything unclean, it did not come back (Gen. 8:7-9). Instead, without any doubt it would have feasted on the floating carcasses.

If we have been cleansed by the atoning blood of Christ and if the Holy Ghost is a holy and a permanent guest in our lives, then naturally, as one wise soul put it "we would become allergic to what we were addicted to (sin) and we would become addicted to (holiness) what we were allergic to."

Doves, say the avian scientists, are also strictly monogamous birds. Once a Dove chooses its mate...till death do us part...sacred vow comes into effect immediately. The one man, one wife principle set in motion in the Garden of Eden (Gen. 2:21-24) encapsulating sexual purity. Subsequent to the Fall, this operated sadly only in fits and starts in the Old Testament era (Issac and Rebaccah were an honorable exception). Quite fittingly, we see the Holy Spirit also working only in fits and starts in the Old Testament era, equipping people for a special assignment here...a distinctive work there...and nothing more! Simply put, the Holy Ghost was never permanent resident in the Old Testament era. It is only in the New Testament dispensation, what with the arrival of Holy Spirit imminent on the Pentecostal day, do we see the urgency to restore the pristine purity in the conjugal relationship (Matt. 19:8-11/Mark 10:6-12/Luke 16:18). In the Early Church age, the apostles followed suit adhering to the Master's command, whilst teaching on the subject of marital fidelity (1 Cor. 7:10-11/1 Tim 3:2). How true then "in the heart of holy marriage lies the holiness of the heart, made holy by the Holy Spirit"!

While on the subject, not only of Holy marriage, let it be said at this juncture that nothing of what Jesus preached in His famous Sermon on the Mount can ever be practiced without the empowerment of the indwelling Holy Spirit (John 15:5/James 4:5-6 NLT). As one Biblical scholar put it, "Christianity can never become our responsibility, till we acknowledge that it is primarily our faith-filled response to His ability."


2. Affability:

Now the anatomical study of Doves would reveal that it has no gall. The gall, say acclaimed naturalists, is the source behind a contentious and a bitter spirit. As day follows night, it follows that in the absence of gall, this bird is uniquely gentle (Matt. 10:16 MSG). Ever seen doves fighting over food, like crows do? Never!

Is not one of the fruit of the Spirit, among other things, "gentleness" (Gal 5:23)? If the Holy Spirit were indwelling us then it follows that we would be "gentle"men to the core. Period. Our evangelistic efforts (some Christians sadly become too aggressive here) would be marked not by any "holier-than-thou" behavior, but by an affable and a gentle spirit (1 Peter 3:15-16).

Prayer: Father, we commit ourselves into Thy hands. Help us always imbibe both the traits of purity and affability. In Jesus Name. Amen. Suresh ManoharanJ and SM Ministries
Announcement:

The book of Job has many valuable lessons to teach us. Over the course of the next year, several min-series will be published in the Nugget, focussing on each of these lessons. Please click here for Study #1 -- "Managing Troubles". The next lesson, "Lessons on Discernment", is currently appearing in the Saturday Nuggets in April. Please join us on Saturday for the final lesson in "Lessons on Discernment From the Book of Job"!
©Copyright 2011 Answers2Prayer | Matt 10:8 "Freely you have received, freely give."
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Post  Admin Sun 14 Apr 2013, 9:35 am


Welcome to the Nugget
April 13, 2013
But Most of it is True... Lessons on Discernment from Job, Part 2
By Answers2Prayer
The book of Job has many valuable lessons to teach us. Over the course of the next year, several min-series will be published in the Nugget, focusing on each of these lessons. Please click here for Study #1 -- Managing Troubles. The next 3 devotionals from Job will focus on the lessons that Job has to teach us about discernment ... Last week, in Lessons on Discernment, Part 1, we learned that Truth is not defined by tradition or culture, the wisdom of the day, or even by supernatural occurrences. Truth is defined by God's Word.

Today's lesson on discernment takes us to the second of Job's friends: Bildad the Shuhite.

Just who is this Bildad?

There is only one other mention of a Shuhite in the Bible: "Abraham again took a wife, and her name was Keturah. And she bore him Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah." (Gen 25:1-2 NKJC). Now we don't know much about these other sons of Abraham, except what Gen. 25 records: "And Abraham gave all that he had to Isaac. But Abraham gave gifts to the sons of the concubines which Abraham had; and while he was still living he sent them eastward, away from Isaac his son, to the country of the east." (Gen 25:5-6 NKJV)

Now there is no way to know for sure, but it seems logical to assume that Bildad may have been a descendant of Abraham's son, Shuah, who was sent into Arabia and not mentioned again in the Bible until the book of Job when we hear of Bidad the Shuhite. (See Job 2:11 NKJV)

Interestingly, there is much debate about when the story of Job takes place. However if Bildad is truly a descendant of Abraham's son, Shuah, then we know that the story takes place after Abraham, likely during the time of the patriarchs.

But this is all just an interesting aside, for the real message on discernment comes to us from Bildad's first discourse with Job, as it is recorded in Job 8. Bildad begins his discourse by asking Job a valid question: "How long will you speak these things, And the words of your mouth be like a strong wind?" (Job 8:2 NKJV)

We know from later in the book of Job that Job's words were not 100% righteous. This is why God spends several chapters admonishing him. So Bildad's discourse begins with an element of truth, and if you look closely, you will find many, many elements of Truth in Bildad's discourse. Here are a couple of excellent examples:

"For inquire, please, of the former age, And consider the things discovered by their fathers; For we were born yesterday, and know nothing, Because our days on earth are a shadow. Will they not teach you and tell you, And utter words from their heart? Can the papyrus grow up without a marsh? Can the reeds flourish without water? While it is yet green and not cut down, It withers before any other plant." (Job 8:8-12 NKJV)

"So are the paths of all who forget God; And the hope of the hypocrite shall perish, Whose confidence shall be cut off, And whose trust is a spider's web. He leans on his house, but it does not stand. He holds it fast, but it does not endure." (Job 8:13-15 NKJV)

But there are also misconceptions in Bildad's discourse. Not blatant contradictions, but subtle false accusations and insinuations: "If you would earnestly seek God And make your supplication to the Almighty..." (Job 8:5)

The insinuation here is that Job is not earnestly seeking God, that he is not making supplication to the Almighty. But we know that he is!

Here is another: "If you were pure and upright, Surely now He would awake for you, And prosper your rightful dwelling place." (Job 8:6,7 NKJV)

This verse insinuates that Job is not pure and upright. But we know that prior to the onset of the trials and tribulations, God has already called Job blameless... "In all this Job did not sin nor charge God with wrong." (Job 1:22 NKJV)

Lots of words of wisdom, mixed with a few subtle contradictions. But that is all it takes to sour the pot, isn't it?

I see two separate applications for this problem. In one application, we see religions proclaiming things that are 99% Truth, but 1% falsehood.

If I make a pot of rice, and by mistake I leave it on the fire too long, the bottom layer will burn. I can scrape the good rice out of the pan, leaving behind the thin burned layer, but the taste of burned rice will have permeated throughout the entire pot, making it less than desirable to eat. The 1% falsehood will do the same! It will permeate throughout all that this religion teaches, spoiling the entire thing!

Friends, when it comes to religion, only 100% Biblical Truth counts!

Another application of this message might include anything we read or hear that is not the pure Word of God. Many of these messages contain wonderful pearls of wisdom, but what if there is just a tiny bit of untruth hidden in the message? Should we reject the whole message?

If we do, then we miss out on the pearls of wisdom that may be vital to our walk with Christ! So how do we glean the good and reject the wrong?

We need to pray for discernment!

But wait! That puts a lot of pressure on us, doesn't it?

Not really. God has promised us wisdom (James 1:5), and He has promised us discernment (1 Cor 12:10). What this simply means is that whenever we hear or read anything, other than the pure Word of God, we must ask God for wisdom and discernment so that we can glean the real words of wisdom, but reject that which does not represent 100% Truth!

Please join us next week for Lessons on Discernment, Part 3: The Folly of Leaning on our Own Belief System.
In His love,

Lyn

Lyn Chaffart, Speech-Language Pathologist, mother of two teens, Author and Moderator for The Nugget, a tri-weekly internet newsletter, and Scriptural Nuggets, a website devoted to Christian devotionals and inspirational poems, with Answers2Prayer Ministries.
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SUBMISSIONS WELCOMED!!!

Has God given you a special message? Why not share it with The Nugget and its subscribers? The Nugget welcomes any and all Bible-based devotional submissions under 1000 words. Please include at least ONE BIBLE TEXT in your submission, and send it here!
©Copyright 2011 Answers2Prayer | Matt 10:8 "Freely you have received, freely give."
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Post  Admin Fri 12 Apr 2013, 8:02 pm

Welcome to the Nugget
April 11, 2013
Faith, Hope and Love
By Answers2Prayer
Scripture
"We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labour prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ." (1 Thes 1-3)

Observation
Paul was thankful for the these people because of their witness in the community in which they lived. They were known for three things:

1. Work - These Christians were workers, they didn't just learn about the Lord and the Bible, but they also worked this out in their everyday living. Their work was born in faith and this is the kind of work that pleases the Lord. It is by faith that we are put right with God and when we do things by faith we accomplish that which God would have us accomplish.

2. Labour - This is the kind of commitment to a task that makes sure it gets done, no matter what. Labour can be painful and tiring but it brings new life, it turns a barren field into a fruitful field. This labour was prompted by love, this was the motivation that caused these people to give until it hurt, to work even though they were tired and to keep on keeping on for the sake of the Kingdom.

3. Endurance - This is a higher degree on top of work and labour, this is effort that requires determination and conditioning. Endurance is needed to get through the tough times and the times when we hit the wall. The marathon runner keeps on going despite the pain and the wall, it requires a mental toughness and a physical toughness. This endurance is inspired by God and inspired by hope. Hope enables us to go through the grueling times and still know that God is in us and with us to help us complete His work.

Application

I desire to be like these believers in Thessalonica, believers who worked, laboured and endured for the sake of the gospel. This requires me to have faith, to walk in faith and live by faith. It necessitates that I have a heart that is motivated by love and that my actions are loving. It means that I need to be inspired by God's hope and that this causes me to endure in the work that God calls me to do.

Prayer
Lord, please help me live and move in faith, love and hope, in Jesus name, amen. David Goodwin

Announcement:
Do you ever wonder why the Holy Spirit is depicted as a dove? Join us for the following 2 Tuesdays for "Dovetailing Some Dove Facts", and find out!
©Copyright 2011 Answers2Prayer | Matt 10:8 "Freely you have received, freely give."
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Post  Admin Thu 11 Apr 2013, 10:15 pm

Welcome to the Nugget
April 9, 2013
Our Heavenly GPS
By Answers2Prayer
"He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: He leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake." (Psalm 23:2-3)

I have often heard the question put forth as to the mechanism of God's guiding our lives. If He plans our lives, as the Bible says, how do you explain our ability to choose our own actions? Our life is a journey, beginning at our birth and ending with our arrival at eternal life (because all are going into eternity, be it Heaven or Hell) and God is our Heavenly GPS. He has mapped out our route from beginning to end. However, as when we are driving, we have the freedom to ignore a turn or choose another not on our planned route. Sometimes we are simply not looking at or listening to our vehicle's GPS and we miss a turn. Because God is also the satellite for our Heavenly GPS, that sees all the possible ways to get where we are going, He replans our route, adding a new turn or, sometimes, a U-turn!

Sometimes we miss things along the way, some good, some bad, and experience others instead. Just like with our vehicle's GPS, our new route will still get us to our destination. Some things are essential to our journey in equipping us for our destination so, perhaps, some turns bring us to dead ends, forcing us to turn around.

We have, for the most part, confidence in our vehicle's GPS and trust its ability to get us to our destination and to re-route us as needed. Anyone who has used a GPS for any length of time probably knows the frustration of being told you have "reached your destination" while in the middle of an intersection or, perhaps, the middle of nowhere. God, on the other hand, will never fail us. If we will listen to our Heavenly GPS and follow where it leads, we will not only come to our destination, we will be enriched and blessed along the way.

Yours in Christ,
Sonya Richards
Announcement:
The book of Job has many valuable lessons to teach us. Over the course of the next year, several min-series will be published in the Nugget, focussing on each of these lessons. Please click here for Study #1 -- "Managing Troubles". The next lesson will be appearing in the Saturday Nuggets in April. Please join us then for "Lessons on Discernment"!
©Copyright 2011 Answers2Prayer | Matt 10:8 "Freely you have received, freely give."
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Post  Admin Mon 08 Apr 2013, 5:20 pm

Welcome to the Nugget
April 6, 2013
But it Came Supernaturally! Lessons on Discernment from Job, Part 1
By Answers2Prayer
The book of Job has many valuable lessons to teach us. Over the course of the next year, several min-series will be published in the Nugget, focussing on each of these lessons. Please click here for Study #1 -- Managing Troubles. The next 3 devotionals from Job will focus on the lessons that Job has to teach us about discernment ... One of the vitally important lessons that the book of Job has to teach us is one of discernment: How to discern the difference between Truth and falsehood.

The setting for this lesson takes us to Job 4. We learn in the first three chapters of the book that Job has lost everything -- his wealth, his children, even his health -- to the point that his own wife tells us, "Curse God and die!" (Job 2:9 NKJV).

The Bible then tells us that Job has three friends who come to "console" him: "Now when Job's three friends heard of all this adversity that had come upon him, each one came from his own place -- Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite. For they had made an appointment together to come and mourn with him, and to comfort him." (Job 2:11 NKJV)

Seven days of silence ensure, for it was apparently considered impolite in those days for anyone to speak without being spoken to, and since Job didn't have anything to say for seven days, the friends had no choice but to hold their tongues as well. And when Job finally does speak, he speaks for an entire chapter (see Job 3), and his message is clear: Poor me! "May the day perish on which I was born, And the night in which it was said, "A male child is conceived ...'" (Job 3:3-4 NKJV)

Can you blame Job? After all, he's just lost everything, and he's suffering terribly!

Only then does the first of Job's friends, Eliphaz, begin to speak: "Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said: 'If one attempts a word with you, will you become weary? But who can withhold himself from speaking?'" (Job 4:1-2 NKJV)

Now Eliphaz is from Tenam ("Eliphaz the Temanite..." Job 2:11), a region well known in ancient literature for its wisdom. Thus, Eliphaz is the word of wisdom among the three friends.

We will note that Eliphaz starts out his discourse very politely, and his initial words are, indeed, given with plenty of tact. He goes on to express his words of wisdom, and they portray the understanding of the time: The good are blessed by God, the bad are cursed: "Who ever perished being innocent? Or where were the upright ever cut off?" (Job 4:7).

But Eliphaz does not stop here. He doesn't leave his argument hanging just on traditional wisdom teachings! He goes on to show that his words have been verified in a dream: "Now a word was secretly brought to me, And my ear received a whisper of it. In disquieting thoughts from the visions of the night, When deep sleep falls on men ..." (Job 4:12-13 NKJV), one that comes from a spirit: "Then a spirit passed before my face; The hair on my body stood up. It stood still, But I could not discern its appearance. A form was before my eyes; There was silence..." (Job 4:15-16 NKJV)

Sounds pretty official, doesn't it? If a spiritual being presents a message to you in a dream, shouldn't you pay attention?

And the words of this spirit seem pretty wise: "Can a mortal be more righteous than God?
Can a man be more pure than his Maker?" (Job 4:17 NKJV)

Eliphaz then goes on to relate the words of the spirit, which in essence point out that God is sovereign ("Then I heard a voice saying: 'Can a mortal be more righteous than God? Can a man be more pure than his Maker?'" Job 4:16-17 NKJV); the foolish are cursed ("I have seen the foolish taking root, But suddenly I cursed his dwelling place. His sons are far from safety, They are crushed in the gate, And there is no deliverer." Job 5:3-4 NKJV); and trouble is used as a "correction" ("Behold, happy is the man whom God corrects; Therefore do not despise the chastening of the Almighty ... In famine He shall redeem you from death, And in war from the power of the sword." Job 5:17-20 NKJV)

The implication here? Job is being "corrected". He must have sinned, or this wouldn't have happened to him! It is the wisdom of the day, and it is verified by this spirit that Eliphaz has seen in the night, therefore, it must be doubly Truth!

There is only one problem: We know from scripture that God doesn't just allow His blessings to flow on the good, and not on the bad! Consider Jesus' words: "...for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust." (Matt 5:45)

And herein lies our first lesson in discernment: It doesn't matter how heartfelt someone's advice is, how "supernatural" the source of the message, how in tune with the teachings of the day: If it isn't 100% in line with God’s word, it isn't Truth!

Many write in asking about the teachings of various other religions. Interestingly, many of these have roots in teachings that were given supernaturally. Just like Eliphaz' message to Job! But just because the message is from a supernatural source doesn't mean it is Truth. Let's remember that though the supernatural is God's realm, it is also inhabited by the archenemy and the angels who fell with him. And this camp of supernatural beings wants nothing more than to confuse you, to lead you away from Truth!

Is it for naught that God's Word advises us to test the spirits? "Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world." (1 John 4:1 NKJV)

Join us next week for Lessons on Discernment From the Book of Job, Part 2: But Most of it is True!

In His love,

Lyn

Lyn Chaffart, Speech-Language Pathologist, mother of two teens, Author and Moderator for The Nugget, a tri-weekly internet newsletter, and Scriptural Nuggets, a website devoted to Christian devotionals and inspirational poems, with Answers2Prayer Ministries.
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BIBLE STUDYGreat news, our latest Bible Study is finally out. Basking in God's Unfailing Love, An Open Invitation to Experience God Personally To a world gone mad, trying to get to know Jesus may seem foolish. However if you give Him a try, you will desire to get to know Him more and more at the deepest level possible. His relationship with you will be more precious compared to any other human relationships out there. Enjoy getting to know Him.

Come explore it here! http://answers2prayer.org/studies.html
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Post  Admin Sat 06 Apr 2013, 11:51 am

Welcome to the Nugget
April 4, 2013
Better People
By Answers2Prayer Subscribe Unsubscribe Devotionals Contact us

Mother Teresa of Calcutta was often quoted as saying: "I know God will not give me anything
I can't handle. I just wish He didn't trust me so much." Over the years I have found myself often feeling the same way. I have had a blessed life, but it has never been an easy one. In my 45 years I have had to deal with sickness, injuries, accidents, and pain. I have had to deal with years of poverty and financial struggles. I have had to deal with my sons' mental handicaps, the death of loved ones, and being separated from those I love. I have had to deal with anger, betrayal, confusion, depression and at times even despair.

Like so many before me I have asked the question: Why do bad things happen to good people? It is a question that has been asked throughout the ages. Books have even been written about it. It is a question that will never be answered completely this side of Heaven. Yet, looking back on my own life now I have to believe that at least part of the reason bad things happen to good people is to make them better people.

When I remember all that I have faced and gone through in this life, I realize that God has used all of it to eventually make me better. With pain came empathy. With grief came healing. With frustration came patience. With struggles came strength. With sorrow came joy. With depression came compassion. With anger came love. And with despair came trust in God.

Every test, challenge, and tragedy eventually led me to greater goodness, greater love, and greater Oneness with our Heavenly Father. None of us likes the negative experiences in life. None of us enjoys pain. None of us wants to go through sorrow. Still, the truth is that "God causes all things to work together for good for those who love Him." (Romans 8:28) May each day here then help you to grow better and more loving. By Joseph Mazzella
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Does your faith need a boost? Why not "boost" it with a series of studies on the Faith chapter, Hebrews 11? Simply click here!
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Post  Admin Wed 03 Apr 2013, 8:34 pm

Welcome to the Nugget
April 2, 2013
Checking Back
By Answers2Prayer
"In the morning, O LORD, I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation." (Psalm 5:3)

"I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you." (Psalm 32:8)

Saturday mornings, when our kids were growing up, were often designated as house cleanup and yard work time. If the list of chores was lengthy, we'd give them one thing to do and tell them to check back with us when they'd finished. Then we'd give them the next thing to do, and then to check back again. Worked well getting through the list that way.

Last night when I was getting dinner ready I was getting myself crazy stopping to change, edit, and rearrange the lists and schedules I had on the counter. I actually had entered many of the things on the lists on my phone notepad and transferred them. Not only was I feeling OCD doing and redoing all this, to make it worse I was updating the kitchen wall calendar with each change, including other family members appointments. Maybe you can relate? Or perhaps you are one of the folks who carry schedules and appointments in your head. Either way, the to-do list is never-ending.

Later in the evening I was reading from a devotional book. The daily message was about how we tend to write and obsess over our lists and plans, and it was like a neon sign went on in my head. In essence, it said that God has everything in control for each day, just let Him handle all the schedules.

After letting that thought sink in some, my plan now is:

- Keep it simple.
- Surrender to God and his plans.
- Check in with Him in the morning.
- Check back with Him throughout the day for the next thing.

I have no illusions about getting it perfect right off, since I am a recovering list person. However I do plan to stick with trying to carry this out, and I believe that checking back will be the ticket to a whole lot less frustration and to-do nutsiness. God's got a plan.

That's good news. Sally I KennedyInspirational messages by Sally I. Kennedy
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The book of Job has many valuable lessons to teach us. Over the course of the next year, several min-series will be published in the Nugget, focussing on each of these lessons. Please click here for Study #1 -- Managing Troubles. Study #2 -- Lessons on Discernment, will be appearing in the upcoming Saturday Nuggets. Please join us then!
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Post  Admin Sun 31 Mar 2013, 12:21 am

Welcome to the Nugget
March 30, 2013
Of "Control" at the Cross, Part 3
By Answers2Prayer
In the concluding part of this series Of "control" at the Cross, let's focus on three other aspects of significant import... Geographical Matters

Today let's focus on one more Geographical matter. Why was Jerusalem chosen as the "The place of all places" where the Redemption plan prepared before the foundation of the World (1 Pet 1:20/Rev 13:8) would be completed? By virtue of its location in the middle of the World (Ez 5:5), it typified Jesus' mediatory Ministry of bringing about reconciliation between Holy God and sinful mankind (1 Tim 2:5). The penalty of the Cross which requires the condemned "hands and legs be fastened by the nails to it" also in a way portrays the "middleman" role of the Saviour, for in the Cross the condemned man's head neither touches the sky nor do his legs touch the ground. He is right in the middle--between God above and man below. Amazing, isn't it! My Saviour paid the price in order that I am liberated from both the clutches of sin and the demands of the Law (1 Cor 15:54-57)! Also it is much easier for the Good News of the completed redemption work to reach the "ends of the World" (Acts 1:8) from the middle spot on Planet Earth rather than its North or South Pole. Levitical Matters...

Now let's continue to meditate on God's control over other "Levitical" events. As per the Law, who alone are entitled to slay the Paschal Lamb? The Levitical priests! With Pontius Pilate washing his hands off again as per divine sovereign will, who was responsible for putting Jesus on the cross? The priestly class (John 11:46-54/John 19:15-16), exactly as the law required!!!So much so as a consequence of Jesus' vicarious death on the Cross, (2 Cor 5:21/Phil 2:5-11) it is said that God was glorified, Christ was magnified, law was satisfied, sin was nullified, and sinner was justified!!! Here it needs to be noted that Roman Soldiers in the entire act of the Divine Paschal offering were no more than the "instruments" (knives, forks etc) which the Priests used whilst offering the Paschal sacrifice. So this leads to question: should we brand the Jews as "Christ slayers"? No way! The Early Jerusalem Church's (a model for Christians of all generations) nuanced, balanced stand on this issue is best summed up in this Scripture portion: "Friends, I realize that what you and your leaders did to Jesus was done in ignorance. But God was fulfilling what all the prophets had foretold about the Messiah—that he must suffer these things. Now repent of your sins and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped away…" (Acts 3:17-19)

Personal Matters...

Simply amazing are the acts of the Adonai God. Hallelujah. He can weave even "wicked acts" into the tapestry of His Divine plan in order that the "final embroidered piece" (read outcome) is very much in conformity with His will. Now the point in conclusion is...is this Adonai God who is seated in the Heavenly throne also seated in the throne of your heart? It is one thing for Him to have the World in His control, it is quite another to have you in His control, for He would not forcibly gatecrash into your heart, till you open it in love for Him. And those who have been Christians for a long time, have we allowed Him access and reignship in every area of our lives? For it is said that He doesn't come with a desire to be a mere resident in our lives, but to be a president!!! Hallelujah!!! What a great Adonai God we serve! Amen and amen!!!

Prayer: Let this truth be burned into our hearts that we ought to live to please Thee at all times. In all places that You in Your sovereign wisdom place me, help me to be a shining witness for Thee. In Jesus Name. Amen. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

Suresh ManoharanJ and SM Ministries
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Have a wonderful Easter, friends! And remember: Jesus is the reason for the season!
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Post  Admin Fri 29 Mar 2013, 1:17 am

Welcome to the Nugget
March 28, 2013
Of "Control" at the Cross, Part 2
By Answers2Prayer
In this series on how the Adonai God controlled events leading to Christ's atoning death exactly at the appointed time on the Passover day, today let's focus on...
Epochal matters...
At this stage, I intend to increase the intensity of the spotlight on the subject of Adonai God... it would stun many of us when we observe the sequence of events leading up to the Cross as to how the Almighty had "everything in His Sovereign control in order everything takes place at the right place and in the right time". Now consider this Scripture in the background of Jesus' arrest "in the night before His crucifixion" and Judgment of the High Priest (Matt 26:57-66). Next morning...

"Then the entire council took Jesus to Pilate, the Roman governor. They began to state their case: 'This man has been leading our people astray by telling them not to pay their taxes to the Roman government and by claiming he is the Messiah, a king.' So Pilate asked him, 'Are you the king of the Jews?' Jesus replied, 'You have said it.' Pilate turned to the leading priests and to the crowd and said, 'I find nothing wrong with this man!' Then they became insistent. 'But he is causing riots by his teaching wherever he goes--all over Judea, from Galilee to Jerusalem!' 'Oh, is he a Galilean?' Pilate asked. When they said that he was, Pilate sent him to Herod Antipas, because Galilee was under Herod's jurisdiction, and Herod happened to be in Jerusalem at the time." (Luke 23:1-7)
God's Perfect Timing
Let's remember: Caesarea to Jerusalem = 112 kms; Tiberias to Jerusalem = 176 kms; Caesarea to Tiberias = 90 kms

Before I go any further, for the uninitiated a picture of the Geo-political "climate" at the time of Jesus' crucifixion is essential to understand better the complete picture of God's Sovereign control over the sequence of events.

For smooth governance, the Land of Palestine was divided by Rome into 6 provinces (Luke 3:1):
A) Galilee, Samaria and Judea (North to South on the Western side of River Jordan) and
B) Iturea, Decapolis and Perea (North to South on the Eastern side of River Jordan)

While the Rome-appointed Governor for Judea and Samaria was Pontius Pilate with his headquarters at the Coastal city of Caesarea (not Jerusalem, obviously commercial reasons influenced Rome in the matter of choosing Caesarea with a thriving port over Jerusalem), the provinces of Galilee and Perea were under the Governorship of Herod Antipas, with him stationed at Tiberias (we will restrict the information on the Geo-political climate to this, for this is what matters for better understanding of the afore-captioned Scripture portion).

Now consider the magnitude of God's sovereignty over the sequence of events leading up to the Cross. If Pontius Pilate and Herod Antipas had not been at Jerusalem in the climactic hours before the crucifixion, doubtless the Priests (virtual local rulers over the Jews) would have taken Jesus to Caesarea to get the ruling of Pontius Pilate (did not the scene of action shift from Jerusalem to Caesarea when Apostle Paul was arrested? See Acts 23:23-33) which is a good 112 Kms from Jerusalem, and there too in the questioning process, Pontius Pilate would have discovered Jesus was from Galilee and would have directed the Jesus' accusers' to take him to Herod Antipas in Tiberias in Galilee, which is a good 90 kms away from Caesarea. Undoubtedly Herod Antipas, after examining Jesus, would have passed "the buck" back again to Pontius Pilate. In all this ponder for a moment...tick-tock...tick-tock...the time is ticking away. Jesus had to die in Jerusalem on the Passover Day only between 3 pm and 5 pm at God's appointed time. Now let's go on stitching together the probable sequence of events...

Finally in Caesarea Pontius Pilate under severe pressure from the highly influential Priestly class "would have washed his hands" and the High priests would have crucified Jesus in Caesarea itself well after Passover time...maybe as much as 2 days later, after the subsequent Sabbath days (John 19:31) were over. Bye, Bye Divine plan of God's Paschal Lamb dying in Jerusalem at the appointed twilight time??? No way!!! The almighty Adonai God ensured that both the Governors (instrumental in decision the decision making process) were in Jerusalem at the right time, because everything had to occur as per the pre-destined unalterable divine plan!!! HALLELUJAH!!!

Earlier in this series, I had mentioned about how the Adonai God can make the Earthly authorities virtually dance to His tune without even their own knowledge (2 Kings 19:20-29). The Earthly Kings may undertake to do something to achieve their own selfish ends, but the Almighty can turn their actions around in such a way so that they all would fit His Greater plans. Historically speaking, during that Passover festivities, both Pontius Pilate and Herod Antipas came to Jerusalem for "selfish reasons" one "announced" and the other "secret". Firstly about the former...like in modern times, even 2000 years ago the politicians were all for public pleasing, and it was a custom for Rome appointed Governors to "identify themselves with the Jews during their most prominent Festival time...the Passover" by being at Jerusalem (the temple city) and coming-up with some public-pleasing gimmicks (Matt 27:15). Coming to the "secret" reason, whenever many Jews are gathered in one place, one jingoistic shout of "Freedom from Rome" would be sufficient to spread the wildfire of "rebellion against Rome". So the presence of a large number of heavily-armed Roman soldiers on the ground, and Mounted cavalry with gleaming swords under the personal supervision of the Rome-appointed Governors, would serve as a deterrent to such nationalistic uprisings, besides making the crowd-control process that much easier. So there were Pontius Pilate and Herod Antipas in Jerusalem at that time rather than being in Caesarea and Tiberias, respectively. Ah, the bottom-line is that the Almighty was in complete control keeping the authorities at the right place and the right time, in order for the divine redemption plan prepared even before the foundation of the world was laid was carried out at the right place and at the right time. HALLELUJAH!!!
Prayer: Father, I commit every area of my life into your all powerful, sovereign hands. Help me lead a life pleasing unto Thee. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
Suresh ManoharanJ and SM Ministries
Announcement:

The book of Job has many valuable lessons to teach us. Over the course of the next year, several min-series will be published in the Nugget, focusing on each of these lessons. Please click here for Study #1 -- "Managing Troubles". The next lesson will be appearing in the Saturday Nuggets in April. Please join us then for "Lessons on Discernment"!
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Post  Admin Thu 28 Mar 2013, 12:19 am

Welcome to the Nugget
March 26, 2013
Of "Control" at the Cross, Part 1
By Answers2Prayer
Introduction
Who has not come across this old saying... Rule #1: "Your boss is always right." Rule #2: "If you think the boss is wrong, refer to Rule #1." Take heart, there is a big boss over all the bosses. Of several Hebrew names for God, the word Adonai (See Is 6:1, NLT), used to describe the Almighty on His Sovereign throne, has through the ages brought comfort to the confused, solace to the distraught and reassurance to many with creased foreheads. The somber setting--King Uzziah, who by and large was a good King offering security and prosperity had died--to the vision of Prophet Isaiah is good enough reason for the Almighty to remind the worried Prophet (about the future of the Judean Kingdom) that good Kings may come and go but the King of Kings shall always reign from His throne providing for His needy ones at all times.

Not only the King of Kings rules over all, He also at specific times influences (even without their knowledge) the Kings and authorities, He has placed in power in a way they virtually dance to His Divine tune in order that the bigger Divine purposes are achieved. Take Christ's birth in Bethlehem as a case in point. Where was the Holy family of Joseph and Virgin Mary when the time was drawing near for the birth of the Saviour? In Nazareth (Northern part of Israel) but as per the prophecies (Micah 5:2, NLT) where would the Messiah be born? In faraway Southern town of Bethlehem!!! So the Heavenly King in whose hands the heart of an Earthly King is like "a stream of water that He channels toward all who please him" (Prov 21:1, NLT) made Roman Emperor Augustus pass a decree that Census has to be taken which required all Jews return to their native towns and villages. Joseph's forefathers, who were descendants of King David (a native of Bethlehem), had due to so many unknown reasons in the past shifted from Bethlehem to Nazareth in the intermittent time of 1000 years (David lived around 1000 BC). But now thanks to the Royal decree...

"All returned to their own ancestral towns to register for this census. And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David's ancient home. He traveled there from the village of Nazareth in Galilee. He took with him Mary, his fiancee, who was now obviously pregnant. And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. She gave birth to her first child, a son..." (Luke 2:3-7, NLT)

So if in God's plan the birth of the "Lamb of God" (see John 1:29, NLT) was foreordained in Bethlehem, then it was also part of His Redemption plan that God's Paschal Lamb (1 Cor 5:7-8, NLT) complete the atoning work on the the Cross exactly on Passover day in Jerusalem again precisely between 3 pm and 5 pm, exactly when the Paschal Lamb is slain as per the Law (Ex 12:6, NLT). Mind you, by Jesus' own words He came to fulfill the Law (Matt 5:17 NLT). Because He has met all the requirements of the Law, we are saved from its demands (Acts 15:4-11, NLT / Gal. 5:1 NLT).

Here it would not to be out of context to remind ourselves that just as the blood of the Paschal Lamb made the death angel pass over the Jewish homes on the night of their redemption from Egyptian bondage (Ex. 12:21-23 NLT), the Blood of Jesus (God's Paschal Lamb) on us unworthy sinners makes the just wrath of God "pass over" over us (1 Thess 1:10, NLT) at all times. During this season when we meditate on our Lord's sufferings, beginning with the next devotional, Of "Control" at the Cross, we will focus on how the Almighty controlled events leading up to Christ's atoning death exactly on the Passover day at the appointed time.
Prayer: Father, I know you can easily influence the hearts of the authorities. Influence my heart too in such a way that I always do things pleasing in Thy sight. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
Suresh Manoharan J and SM Ministries
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Post  Admin Sun 24 Mar 2013, 9:56 pm

Welcome to the Nugget
March 23, 2013
The Black Eye: An Easter Message
By Answers2Prayer
There it was, my worst nightmare: The ugliest face in the dramatic presentation was not the devil's. It was ... Mine!
It all started like this:

Our church was sponsoring the program, "Heavens Gates, Hell's Flames" for Easter weekend, but during the Good Friday service, it was announced that if more participants didn't come forward, the production would have to be cancelled.

Now I'll admit, I'm a bit of a ham. I love drama, and though I'm not great at it, I've always enjoyed the thrill of being on stage, and the next morning found me awaiting assignment of my role.

Lots of angels were needed, but since angels didn't have speaking roles, I didn't particularly want to be one. I wrestled with this for a few minutes before God gave me victory, and it was with honest conviction that I could then tell the director I would do anything he needed me to do, including being an angel.

Sure enough, I was assigned to be an angel, but when one of the actresses begged to be relieved of her speaking role, I am happy to say that it was with all humility that I accepted her part.

Then I received my lines. Four simple ones. Hey, no problem! No need for outside help here! I'd have this down in a matter of minutes!

Sunday afternoon rolled around. Two complete practices were schedule before the first performance, and after the first one, I was feeling smug. This was definitely within my comfort zone!
The lights went out for the beginning of the second practice, and strains of Via Delarosa filled the auditorium as our pastor, playing the part of Jesus, stumbled down the centre aisle under the wooden cross. Then the strobe lights came on, and the cast charged, running wildly forward as screams of "Crucify Him" filled the air. And I was the most enthusiastic one in that crowd.

But halfway down the aisle, I tripped, cracking my forehead and ribs against the corner of a church pew.

As I later sat with an icepack to my forehead, it struck me that I could no longer play my role. I was dizzy, I had a headache, my side hurt, and my eye was fast turning into a beautiful shade of purple. There was no way I could stand up on stage like this!

That's when I finally did what I should have done in the first place: I went down on my knees before my Lord and maker, and weeping, I confessed to Him that I couldn't do it on my own, and I had been wrong to think I could. Oh, how I needed His help!

The play went on that night. A little make-up on my other eye made me look like I was wearing purple eye shadow, and even my 17 year old couldn't tell I had been injured. The production was a huge success, and more than 20 people came forward in the altar call. Now that was God!

But God had only begun teaching me lessons. By the next day, my face was so swollen and purple that I could have played the devil in the production without make-up. How was I going to do the next two shows? It was too late to make changes in the cast!

That's when God again spoke to me, this time, through the story of Jacob.

Jacob, the trickster, had always relied on himself, giving himself credit for the blessings God had given him. But now Jacob stood facing the threat of an angry brother coming at him with 400 armed men.

What did Jacob do? He gave it to God!

But then he took things into his own hands, dividing his family up into two groups, sending huge gifts to his brother, and during the night, he even sent his entire family over the river, thinking they would be safer there.

Talk about faltering faith!

But then, Jacob was used to figuring his way out of problems, wasn't he?

Then a "man" appeared and wrestled with Jacob until daybreak: "Now when He saw that He did not prevail against him, He touched the socket of his hip; and the socket of Jacob's hip was out of joint as He wrestled with him." (Gen 32:25-26 NKJV)

Wait a minute! We know that the "man" was God Himself: "So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: 'For I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.'" (Gen 32:30-31)! Why was it that God couldn't prevail over Jacob? Was Jacob stronger than God?

Friends, the "man" couldn't bring Jacob down because Jacob was too self-reliant for God to be able to do a good work in his life! God didn't prevail against Jacob because Jacob was too full of himself!

Isn't that exactly how I had been the previous day during play practice?

But now, in much the same way that the "man" had touched the socket of Jacob's hip, throwing the hip out of joint, I had been touched, bringing me to the place that I could do nothing on my own.

Friends, I thank God for that black eye. I thank Him for this reminder that I cannot do anything of Kingdom value on my own! Only when I empty myself of me can there be any hope that any of my efforts will have Kingdom results!

The play went on for the next two nights, and with a few God-inspired script-changes, I continued in my role. And between the three showings, 50-60 people gave their hearts to Christ. That's what can happen, friends, when we empty ourselves and allow God to fill us with Him!

As Easter approaches this year, let's remember that Jesus died on that rugged cross and rose again the third day, not only to become our Savior, but also to become the Lord of our lives! Will you join me this Easter in emptying ourselves of us, so that we can be more completely filled with Him?

In His love,
Lyn
Lyn Chaffart, Speech-Language Pathologist, mother of two teens, Author and Moderator for The Nugget, a tri-weekly internet newsletter, and Scriptural Nuggets, a website devoted to Christian devotionals and inspirational poems, with Answers2Prayer Ministries.
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Post  Admin Sat 23 Mar 2013, 9:38 am

Welcome to the Nugget
March 21, 2013
Safety Rules: Written on the Heart, Part 12
By Answers2Prayer
Last week, in Written on the Heart, Part 11, we saw that the death and resurrection of Jesus has rolled away all impediments. But the decision to have Him write on our hearts is ours to make.

The Driver had stopped his freight train on the mountain top for safety checks and was ready now to move on to the descent down the steep grade where he knew the line could be blocked with fallen rocks or storm wrecked gum trees or even a remote possibility that the line could have been broken through slight earth movement.

Then with a careful last check of the brakes, the driver eases the train forward towards the coast. He carefully regulates his speed to his braking capacity so that his train runs smoothly down the long grade.

A lone signal on the line tells the driver it is safe for him to continue so he eases forward, carefully checking the brakes so that he does not drain too much air away which would cause the brakes to work inefficiently.

The scenery closes around this stretch of single-line track as the train winds its way through narrow, deep cuttings with giant gum trees and native vines clutching the steep cliffs above him and deep ravines on the other side.

Occasionally a Lyre bird scurries across the line ahead into the deep undergrowth. A Rock Wallaby bounds along the top of sandstone cliffs, or a Bush Turkey scavenges in the bush near the track. Above him, the driver sees a flock of white cockatoos wheeling and winding above the gorges.

The driver has travelled this track over many years and he searches for points of interest along the way. His favourite point is near as the train emerges from one of the tunnels it runs through and he looks up to the cliffs on his left. There is a waterfall he is looking for, the clear mountain stream sparkles in the sunlight.

"There are two things written on my heart that I check on every journey," the Driver explained to me as he described this trip. "The first one is that I must always check the rules to keep my train on the rails. The second is to know and look for, the signs leading to the end of the journey."

"Perhaps," he said, "those two rules are true through all time and of every journey; one, check the rules for staying on the track, and two, know the end you are looking for."

Then he looked at the first rule marked in his book, "Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart." (2nd Corinthians 3:3). (See also Hebrews 10:16.)

And, thinking of the city where his journey would end, he looked up the second rule, "Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city." (Revelation 22:14).

This is the last part of the Written on the Heart series. If you have missed any parts to this series, you can access them online by clicking here. If you have trouble accessing this webpage, then email us and we will be happy to forward them to you. May God bless you abundantly as you let God’s writing on your hearts begin!

Elizabeth Price
Announcement: Join us next week for "Of Control of the Cross", a 4-part series for Easter!
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Post  Admin Thu 21 Mar 2013, 12:10 am

Welcome to the Nugget
March 19, 2013
Let the Writing Begin: Written on the Heart, Part 11
By Answers2Prayer
Last week, in Written on the Heart, Part 10, we learned that we must accept God's grace to soften our hearts and make it easier for God to write there. So what, then, if anything, is keeping God from writing on our hearts?

I have said that where I grew up there was a lovely rocky hill about right for stretching the legs and exercising the lungs.

I remember the blue granite rocks that were solidly inbuilt and you could sit on them or hide behind them for hours. Solid rocks do not shift or roll around or get kicked out of the way and they reminded me of the spiritual rock that followed the children of Israel during their wanderings, and "that Rock was Christ." (1st Corinthians 10:4).

There were even little indents that held the water in the rocks where I grew up that overflowed in the fissures and poured down the rock as living streams reminding me that God's people "did all drink the same spiritual drink."

It was Christ who said to his disciples, "on this rock will I build my church." (Matt 16:18) because He is the rock dispensing spiritual water and rocks are dependable.

But there were loose stones lying about on the pathways on our hillside, and loose stones disrupt walking paths and planting time and harvest. Loose stones must be rolled away.

So God sent word that He would do just that and roll the stones away. He said, "I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh and give you an heart of flesh, and I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgements and do them." (Ezekiel 36:26,27).

He will roll our stones away and "put my law in their inward parts, and write it on their hearts, and will be their God, and they shall be my people." (Jeremiah 31:33.)

He cannot write on our heart until the stone is rolled away and we cannot roll it away ourselves. It must be rolled away for us.

And God has rolled the stone away!

Read it again and read it carefully. Three women went to the tomb to tend the body of Jesus, worried because they could not move the stone that guarded the tomb "for it was very great." But "when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away." (Mark 16:4). What they could not do for themselves, was done for them.

The stone was rolled away and when Jesus rose from the dead and went back to heaven, He declared again through Hebrews that He would do the writing He promised to do, "saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them." (Hebrews 10:16).

The writing has begun and it will be complete at the end of Revelation when "behold, I come quickly" and "Blessed are they that do his commandments...and may enter in through the gates into the city." (Revelation 22:13,14).

Our hearts must be softened if we are to be once again "made in his image" but the stones in our live "are very great." Our Lord has rolled the stone away because He must write the law of our Rock on our hearts. To give His access to our hearts, the stone was rolled away from the tomb. The decision to have God write on our hearts is ours to make.

So let the writing begin!
Elizabeth Price
Announcement: Please join us on Thursday for the final part of Written on the Heart!
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Post  Admin Sun 17 Mar 2013, 9:09 pm

Welcome to the Nugget
March 16, 2013
Solomon's Blessing
By Answers2Prayer

It is a special day in Israel. After seven years of construction (See 1 Kings 6:38 NKJV), the temple is completely finished.

In a prayer of thanksgiving and dedication, Solomon beseeches God to never forget His people. He presents numerous scenarios, including ones where God's people will go astray, but when they turn their hearts back to God and pray, Solomon implores God to bring them back to Him, to re-establish them in their land, to remember His people.

It is a powerful prayer, one that could be studied in detail, but Solomon then turns and blesses the people, and it is his blessing that strikes me as being a real eye-opener. Let's take a look at each piece of this special blessing:

"Then stood and blessed all the assembly of Israel with a loud voice, saying: 'Blessed be the Lord, who has given rest to His people Israel, according to all that He promised. There has not failed one word of all His good promise, which He promised through His servant Moses.'" (1 Kings 8:55-56 NKJV)

True enough, it was a peaceful time in Israel's history, perhaps the most peaceful they had ever known. But if you look back into the more immediate history of these people, you will recall the Philistine oppression, the tyranny of the Midianites and the Mesopotaniens, the Moabites, the Canaanites, etc. How could this be a fulfillment of God's promise? It sounds like Solomon hasn't read his history books!

Yet God had fulfilled His promises, and the generation that built God's temple were the generation who actually got to see this fulfillment!

The lesson for us? God's promises aren't always fulfilled when and how we think they will be. But just because we don't see our expected outcome doesn't mean God isn't fulfilling them!

Let's look at the next line of his blessing:

"May the Lord our God be with us, as He was with our fathers. May He not leave us nor forsake us, that He may incline our hearts to Himself, to walk in all His ways, and to keep His commandments and His statutes and His judgments, which He commanded our fathers." (1 Kings 8:57-58 NKJV)

I find Solomon's wording very interesting here: May He not leave us nor forsake us, that He may incline our hearts to Himself.

What is God's motive here for not leaving us?

It is to bring us into fellowship with Him!

Most of us think that when God promises to not forsake us, it is so that we will have all that we need. But God's primary purpose is to draw us to Him!

Why?

Because He knows that we will never know the fullness of happiness that can be ours on this Earth unless we are drawn to Him, unless we humbly submit our hearts and lives to Him, unless we are fully "broken" and made anew by Him!

So why should we seek after God's promise to not forsake us? For selfish gain?

No!

Our motivation needs to be to establish that fellowship, that relationship, with our Lord and Maker!

Let's look at the next line:

"And may these words of mine, with which I have made supplication before the Lord, be near the Lord our God day and night, that He may maintain the cause of His servant and the cause of His people Israel, as each day may require, that all the peoples of the earth may know that the Lord is God; there is no other." (1 Kings 8:59-60 NKJV)

What is Solomon, in his wisdom, telling us here?

He's telling us the real reason we should desire for God to answer our prayers!

But wait. Shouldn't we want God to answer our prayers so that we will find happiness? Comfort? Stability?

No, those things aren't mentioned at all. Instead, Solomon says, "that all the peoples of the earth may know that the Lord is God; there is not other!"

In other words, God wants us to stop looking to our own small concerns. He wants us to start looking to and caring about the concerns of the unsaved world! Our real reason for praying for God's miracles in our lives is that His name be glorified to those who don't know Him, for when His name is glorified, the unsaved will be drawn to Him!

And then Solomon concludes his supplication to the people: "Let your heart therefore be loyal to the Lord our God, to walk in His statutes and keep His commandments, as at this day." (1 Kings 8:61 NKJV)

It seems fitting that Solomon would conclude by reminding the people to stay true to God. After hundreds of years of history has shown the people the result of not staying true to God, it seems logical that he would try to ensure that peace continue in the land. But this is not the reason Solomon gives. The word "therefore" refers back to the message he has just portrayed. He is telling us to keep our hearts loyal to God so that we can enter into deeper and deeper fellowship and relationship with God. As a result of this, our faith in Him will become unshakable, and the end-product of this will be that God's name would be glorified to the unsaved world!

Friends, the next time we pray and make supplications before our God, let's remember Solomon's famous address to the people. Let's make sure our motives and reasons are in line with God's!

In His love,
Lyn
Lyn Chaffart, Speech-Language Pathologist, mother of two teens, Author and Moderator for The Nugget, a tri-weekly internet newsletter, and Scriptural Nuggets, a website devoted to Christian devotionals and inspirational poems, with Answers2Prayer Ministries.
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Post  Admin Fri 15 Mar 2013, 2:16 pm

Welcome to the Nugget
March 14, 2013
Why it is so Hard? Written on the Heart, Part 10
By Answers2Prayer
Last week, in Written on the Heart, Part 9, we came to understand that though our hearts have become "stony", God has not changed. We need to ask God to soften them so He can write there.

Is there anything that could possible keep God from writing on our hearts?

The secret of citizenship is when the law of the country is written on the heart because obedience is not only a legal thing but also an attitude thing. The law and I need to be in harmony and harmony is there when my response to the law is truly from my heart.

So when our telephone connection was not behaving lawfully to its requirements, I had a problem. The telephone was being monitored and for the next two days we were told there would be many calls but we must not pick up the receiver to answer any of them and we must make no calls out.

When the phone rang, by the law written on my heart, I automatically reached out to answer. Then I remembered the warning and pulled my hand back. My problem was me because it was hard to just not do what I had always done and I had never ignored a call.

It was such a simple demand - and so hard.

The first day was the hardest but by the next day I had overcome my heart tugs. By evening I was immune to the ring tone and finally did not even hear the calls. My heart was thoroughly hardened!

Now I understood how Pharaoh "hardened his heart" against every message from God through Moses. At first Pharaoh reacted, then he rejected and finally he plotted to stop all calls. Pharaoh, "hardened his heart" (Exodus 8:15), and over and over, "he hardened his heart."

Finally, when all Pharaoh's lies and excuses were exhausted, God called his people out of Egypt but in an extraordinary twist of logic they also hardened their hearts!

They wanted to go back to Egypt, "Would to God we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, where we sat by the flesh pots, and did eat bread to the full." (Exodus 16:3).

Have you ever asked yourself "Why?"

Why would they want to go back when they had a God-promised future in front of them?

Think about what they had learned early in their lives as Children of Israel (Jacob.) They had learned self-discipline, particular eating habits, particular thought patterns and worship patterns of the God of Israel just as I had learned particular patterns in my relationship to my telephone connection.

However, like my telephone connection, those patterns and habit lines had been intercepted by a complete change of patterns and habits. In my case it was immediate, in theirs it was gradual. The "flesh-pots of Egypt," full tummies and another culture of worship had been presented during some 300 hundred years of interaction with Egypt.

The difference was in stark contrast to patterns established by God for his Children and "temptation comes when anyone is lured and dragged away by his own desires, then desire conceives and gives birth to sin, and sin when it is full-grown breeds death." (James 1:15).

The Children of Israel refused to listen and no way would they let God's writing stay on their hearts. So with incredible insight, God took up the challenge and, instead of writing on dead hearts, he wrote his laws and his grace "on tables of stone written with the finger of God." (Exodus 31:18).

Always remember that the grace of God is written where the law of God is written (See Exodus 20:6), and it is only "by grace" that we have salvation (See Romans 3:24). So grace and grace alone can melt our stony hearts to make a soft place for God to write. We must accept this grace so that our hearts can be softened and God can write there.

Elizabeth Price
Announcement: What lessons do the letters to the seven churches in the book of Revelation have to teach us? Check out the mini-series, "Studies on the Seven Churches of Revelation" and find out!
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Welcome to the Nugget
March 12, 2013
Extraordinary Miracles
By Answers2Prayer
Scripture
"God did extraordinary miracles through Paul, so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirits left them." (Acts 19:11)

Observation
Not just ordinary miracles but extraordinary! Paul walked not just in the authority of God's word but with the power of the word. I like that miracles can be extraordinary, I desire to see the ordinary ones as well!
We find a little later in this chapter there were seven sons of a priest called Sceva, who were using the name of Jesus to try and do works in people's lives but were not successful. So what was the difference? The sons of Sceva were wanting to see the power of God manifest without having the relationship with God, they did not have the authority that Paul had and were not successful.
When we desire to be used for the Lord in miraculous ways we need to keep on developing our relationship with Jesus, authority flows from knowing our God and hearing from Him. In the book of Daniel it says, "Those who know their God will take action and do great exploits." Knowing God is a continuous process, Paul knew His God and amazing miracles followed Him.
These miracles came from His submission to Christ, they were never something he focused on - the finished work of Christ was his focus. When we walk with God we can expect to walk in His power.

Application
I desire to walk closely with the Lord and see His power moving in my life and in the lives of other people. The miracles are not what we should seek but rather the manifest presence of God, the miracles should be a result of our walk not the aim. Miracles reveal the presence of God and should draw people to Him. I desire to see people drawn closer to Jesus.

Prayer
Lord, may my relationship with You increase and may extraordinary miracles come from that walk, in Jesus name, amen. David Goodwin
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Post  Admin Sun 10 Mar 2013, 11:25 pm

Welcome to the Nugget
March 9, 2013
A Pair of Miracles
By Answers2Prayer
Is God trying to get my attention or what?

I am a confident driver, especially in the winter time. I respect the ice and snow, but I am not afraid of it. Where others avoid certain roads, I look forward to the challenge that the slippery white stuff that hasn't yet been cleared away will bring.

And what has my bravery gotten me? For one thing, a squeaky-clean driving record!

I must admit that I've reached the point that I've become a little bit proud of my good driving skills. Whenever the weather is iffy and a trip needs to be made, I say, "Don't worry! We'll be fine! I'll drive!" In fact, I figure that the secret to safe winter driving is a little bit aggressiveness combined with a lot of guts!

This attitude has served me well in this, the snowiest year in at least ten.

Or at least that what I thought...

My 14 year-old and I were headed to youth. I opted to use the shortest--and snowiest!--road. Like so many country roads, this one was only clear down the middle. Not a problem, as long as there weren't any oncoming cars! There is a short section of this road where the prevailing wind always causes snow to drift onto the road, hiding even the clear section down the middle. Naturally, this part requires a bit more care, and just as we arrived, a car appeared, headed straight for--Me!

I put on the brake, but instead of slowing down in the deep snow, I drifted to the right--out of the path of the approaching car--straight into the much deeper snow on the side of the road! By the time we finally came to a stop, the snow was above my fender.

My son forced the car door open through the snow and got out to push, but it was no use. We were in too deep. Unbeknownst to me, he began praying for someone to come by and help us, and about five minutes later a four-wheel drive appeared out of nowhere. He stopped abreast my car and informed me that he was carrying a tow rope. He had us out of the drift in less time than it takes to tell the story, and many thanks later, we were on our way. When we looked back over our shoulders however, for one final glimpse at our human "angel", his truck was nowhere to be seen.

Had it been a real angel? Only God knows, but there was no question in our minds that it had been a miracle.

This should have been enough to get my attention, but it wasn't. I drove on to the youth program without a single change in my driving habits, and my cocky attitude for driving was still firmly in place the next day as I was driving home from the grocery store.

I was on a main road this time, and it was well cleared. As I topped a tiny hill, I noticed a car pulling out into the road not 30 feet in front of me. She must have seen me the same time I saw her, for she stopped. Right in the middle of the road.

Naturally, I put on my brakes. What I didn't realize however, was that the road was a little bit icy. Not icy enough to have given me problems driving, but icy enough to make stopping a bit hazardous. I slipped and slid down that little incline, and I didn't come to a complete stop until my front right fender had planted itself in the middle of her left front fender.

So much for my squeaky clean driving record!

God be praised, there wasn't a single scratch on either car. By the time the noses of our cars actually touched, I must have been going under the bumper limit. Praise God!

As I thought about these two miracles, and how they could have turned out so much worse, I began to realize that God was trying to get my attention. He was lovingly working to show me that although His hand of protection was upon me, I also needed to do my part! I needed to take more care when driving in winter conditions!

And perhaps, just maybe, I also needed to be a little less cocky about my winter driving skills!

As I drove on home, I began praising God for yet another reason: When these little "reminders" came along, the ones who had been admonishing me to be more careful while driving in the winter were not with me! I had learned my lesson, but God was allowing it to be a "private" lesson. I would never have to admit to anyone that I had been wrong all along! Yes!

But keeping the incidents to myself also meant keeping the miracles to myself. That wasn't right. God's miracles need to be shouted to the world. And maybe, just maybe, part of my humility lesson included admitting I had been wrong... Ouch!

I'm ashamed to admit that I struggled with this one for awhile, but in the end, I did "confess" what had happened to the ones who had been admonishing me to be less prideful and more careful while driving in the winter. That knocked me off my pride tower faster than anything else possibly could! But it also made me realize that throughout all of this, God wasn't just trying to help me drive more safely. His plan included something far more important: He wanted me to develop a spirit of humility. He wanted me to understand that "When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom." (Prov 11:2 NIV)

The next time you are feeling a bit proud about your abilities or accomplishments, Remember: "Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before a fall." (Prov 16:18 NIV).
In His love,
Lyn

Lyn Chaffart, Speech-Language Pathologist, mother of two teens, Author and Moderator for The Nugget, a tri-weekly internet newsletter, and Scriptural Nuggets, a website devoted to Christian devotionals and inspirational poems, with Answers2Prayer Ministries.
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Post  Admin Fri 08 Mar 2013, 12:10 am

Welcome to the Nugget
March 7, 2013
The Law of Stone: Written on the Heart, Part 9
By Answers2Prayer
Last week, in Written on the Heart, Part 8, we came to understand that law preserves sanctity of life. If we want God's lifestyle, if we want to reflect Jesus, if we want to respond to God's light, His law must be written on our hearts. But just how does God do this?

The rejection of God's writing on their hearts led to the death of almost everyone who came out of Egypt under Moses. They eventually died before they reached the Promised Land because God's people hardened their hearts the same as did the Pharaoh of Egypt.

So everybody has visual images when the stone-age is mentioned, and believe me, when I honestly say "I belong to the stone-age." You see, where I grew up there was a lovely rocky hill which was about right for stretching the legs and exercising the lungs. It was especially good for playing hide and seek on moonlight nights, and we children knew our way around that hillside almost like mountain goats.

Of course there were loose stones lying about and cattle roaming the hillside could dislodge them on to the narrow tracks the sheep made. So unless you watched your step, you might trip on the stones and fall down the hillside a bit before you could stabilise yourself.

On the other hand, stones could be good because if your companions were out of sight, you could let them know where you were by simply picking up a loose stone and throwing it. They could tell the direction it came from and where you were.

Like you, they needed too read the grace in the law of the stones because the law of the stones was either your friend or your enemy depending on your intentions. So when God wrote His law on stones, it was either your friend or your enemy depending on your attitude and intentions, and Zechariah 7:12 warned that God's people: "made their hearts as an adamant stone, lest they should hear the law." They refused to listen even when God wrote His grace on stone that He shows "mercy unto thousands that love me and keep my commandments." (Ez 20:6 KJV).

But stones are not the end of the story because they could not shelter you from death and pain and suffering or from the hot westerly winds that blew in summer or from the cold southerly winds that blew up from the southern arctic in winter. The law of stone was also a letter of intent, because God said through Ez 11:19 KJV: "I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh and give you an heart of flesh, and I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgements and do them..." (See also Ez 36:26-27 KJV).

God has said He is does not change: "For I am the Lord, I change not." (Mal 3:6 KJV), so from the beginning to the end, His principle and intention has no change. One day, God will take away my stone-age heart and give me a new heart with His law written on it, but before He can write there, He must roll the stone away.

Will you come with me to shelter under the Rock and say a prayer together? We can say, "Please Lord, roll our stones away to make a soft place so that You can write directly on our hearts."

Elizabeth PriceBut how can we "soften" our "stony" hearts so that He can write on them? Please join us next week for Written on the Heart, Part 10.

Announcement: Would you like to make a difference in the world? Why not join the Answers2Prayer Ministry team? We have many volunteer positions. By joining in, you can help in carrying out the Great Commission: "Then Jesus came to them and said, 'All authority in Heaven and on Earth have been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.'" (Matt. 28:18-20 NIV) The time is right and we are in need of many laborers. "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field." (Matt 9:37-38 NIV) If you feel compelled, let us know by sending us an email.

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Post  Admin Wed 06 Mar 2013, 7:32 pm

Welcome to the Nugget
March 5, 2013
A Long Season
By Answers2PrayeR

About six months after my son Joshua died by suicide, my mind grew exhausted and muddled. Sleep had come in meager fits of three hours a night. My eyes burned and my teeth itched.
One afternoon, I entered the dining room and stared at the seagull-bordered wallpaper Joshua and I hung together. It was one of the many projects he helped me with up until his death at age twenty-five. My chest heaved with a stab of pain. In my peripheral vision, I saw Joshua retreating around a corner. My mind is playing tricks on me, I thought.
Out loud, I said, "Will I ever feel joy, again?"
Months later, I mounted on the wall a wrought-iron plaque with a Scripture from Joshua 24:15... 'but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."
After watching a Jesus movie one evening, I fixed my eyes on the plague. "Lord, God, I miss Joshua twenty-four seven."
Immediately, a prompting came for me to read Josh 24:7! I grabbed my Bible and read until the end of that verse, "...and ye dwelt in the wilderness a long season" (KJV). In my stubborn attitude, a pang of disappointment slammed into my chest.
I fought my anger and tears, but lost once again. Out loud, I said, "I'm sick of crying. I'm sick of missing Joshua. My son took his own life, Lord!"
The moments stretched into minutes, and my sobs throbbed in my ears for the millionth time. Then, a hush hovered over me. I sensed a comforting Presence, wanting me to understand. He wanted me to learn something important.
Then, it came. I must wander on the path of grief for a longer time. God showed me by the scripture He prompted me to read, and I read it again, "...and ye dwelt in the wilderness a long season."
I blinked at the significance.
While I had grieved isolated and alone in the previous months, God now broke through His silence. In His love, He sent the Holy Spirit to comfort and reassure me that my grieving journey had indeed just begun. God can only speak truth and the truth is what I needed.
Although, I would have rather heard my grief would soon end, God showed me otherwise. I had to claim it. Another idea came to me. God knew all too well the sorrow of seeing a Son suffer, and He understood my broken heart.

Father, thank You for caring about me. Even in my rebellious heart, You heard me and showed me the truth through Your holy Word. In Jesus' holy name, I am grateful. Amen.
Jean Williams Author of Adult Nonfiction
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Post  Admin Sun 03 Mar 2013, 6:07 pm

Welcome to the Nugget
March 2, 2013
To the Church in Laodicea: Studies on the Seven Churches of Revelation, Part 8
By Answers2Prayer
"To the Angel of the church in Laodicea write..." (Rev. 3:14a)

Laodicea was a city in Asia Minor, near the modern city of Denizli. Founded by Antiochus II, it lay on one of the great Asian trade routes and was considered to be the wealthiest city of Roman times.

It was also a leading banking centre, and when the city was destroyed in the earthquake in A.D. 70, no doubt it was the rich banking firms that refinanced the rebuilding of the city, for Laodicea refused the Senate's earthquake relief.*

"These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God's creation." (Rev. 3:14b)

Jesus is identifying Himself as the ruler of the Earth, and as its ruler, what He says is not disputable. It isn't made up. He clearly sees the hearts, and He has the authority to speak in the manner that He does!

Interestingly, the letter to the church of Laodicea is one of the only two that does not begin positively. And if you compare this letter to the letter to the church of Smyrna (See Studies on the Seven Churches of Revelation, Part 6), you will note that Jesus has even harsher things to say to the Laodiceans than to the church of Smyrna. Thus, it is important that they understand He has the authority to speak to them in this manner!

"I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth." (Rev. 3:15-16)

Isn't this strange imagery?

Interestingly, Laodicea lay near an area of thermal activity, and water from the hot springs was piped into the city. By the time it reached its destination it was no longer hot, but lukewarm. Jesus is simply using this analogy because the people of Laodicea knew what it was like to drink lukewarm water!

"Because you say, 'I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing' -- and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked...'" (Rev. 3:17)

The valley where Laodicea was situated produced a glossy black wool, the source of black cloaks and carpets, for which the city was renowned. Laodicea was also the home of a medical school, which manufactured Collyrium, a famous eye salve. More than likely, the city's exposed position and easy wealth was the cause of the spirit of compromise and worldly-mindedness in the church.

Notice that Jesus specifically attacks the three items in which Laodiceans took great pride: Financial wealth ("You are wretched, miserable, poor..."); Eye salve ("...blind...") and Extensive textiles ("...and naked..."). In other words, Jesus is saying, though you see yourself as without need, your need is, indeed, very, very great!

But this doesn't speak of us today, does it?

Is it not the bane of humanity to think of ourselves as being self-sufficient, in need of nothing? We see ourselves as better than we really are, and just like the people of Laodicea, who refused government help after the earthquake, we see ourselves as strong and unshakable, as "good" people who have not real need of God! This letter is a wake-up call to us all, friends!

And this is the counsel Jesus gives us: "I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see." (Rev. 3:18)

White garments are what God is recorded as wearing: "I watched till thrones were put in place, And the Ancient of Days was seated; His garment was white as snow..." (Dan. 7:9). We are told that "Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white as snow." (Is 1:18); and that "He has clothed me with the garments of salvation, He has covered me with the robe of righteousness..." (Is. 61:10)

What Jesus is telling us is that we don't need worldly wealth. What we need is Jesus! We need His redeeming power to flow through us and cleanse us from all sin! And more than this, we also need to be healed of our blindness!

But Jesus does not leave even such a wayward bunch of people without hope: "As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne." (Rev. 3:19-21)

In ancient times, dining was an image associated with intimacy. Thus when Jesus says He will come in and dine with us, He is, in essence, saying that He is standing outside our heart's door, reminding us gently that He is there, waiting and hoping for an invitation to have warm closeness with each of us!

And there's more! Inviting Jesus in and having that close relationship with Him will assure us of a place in the throne room of the most High, at the right hand of God Himself!

Isn't that a prize worth working for? Far better than being spewed out of God's mouth!

Let's heed the warning to the church of Laodicea. Let's recognize our need! Let's let God cover us with His righteousness! Let's let Him open our blind eyes that we may truly see! Let's depend on Him for our needs, so that we may truly be rich!

Then we may truly sit at the right hand of God at the throne of Glory.

This is the last study on the seven churches of Revelation. My prayer is that you have been blessed by these lessons. If you have missed any of them, they can be found online by clicking here. Or if you have any difficulty accessing the lessons from the website, just email me.

In His love,
Lyn
Lyn Chaffart, Speech-Language Pathologist, mother of two teens, Author and Moderator for The Nugget, a tri-weekly internet newsletter, and Scriptural Nuggets, a website devoted to Christian devotionals and inspirational poems, with Answers2Prayer Ministries.

* Taken from commentary given in The Archaeological Study Bible, New International Version, Copyright ©
2005 by the Zondervan Corporation, pages 2046, 2050, 2052, 2057.
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Post  Admin Fri 01 Mar 2013, 10:33 pm

Welcome to the Nugget
February 28, 2013
How Readest Thou? Written on the Heart, Part 8
By Answers2Prayer
Last week, in Written on the Heart, Part 7, we came to understand that God longs to have a relationship with us as it was at the beginning. So He gives us the light we need and repeats Himself in varying ways. But just how are we to have God's lifestyle? How are we to reflect Jesus?

Public figures, such as law-makers and church officials, often say they uphold the sanctity of life. They are saying life is sacred and they treat it as so.

The Lord agrees. He made a specific, unambiguous law about it and carved it on stone. "You shall not murder" (Ex. 20:13) He said, and He surrounded it with upholding laws that maintained the sacred nature of life but also maintained the dignity and harmony of life.

Immediately after "you shall not murder" He wrote against infidelity, and I suspect He did so because infidelity devalues life. It reduces self-worth and self-confidence, creates doubt and self-justification and releases a whole set of emotions that diminish dignity and harmony.

Infidelity treats life with contempt.

Even before the law against murder and infidelity, there was a specific law that set a rhythm and pattern of both social and personal dignity and harmony. God wrote that six days work was the upper, allowable limit for work. Nobody could be required to work more than six days in a row in any one week. It was to underpin all of the social and family activities of a whole nation giving recreation, family time and time for meditation and worship.

The sanctity of life was surrounded by equally sacred laws that ensured the quality of every life.

In addition, the Lord spent forty years instilling the necessity for regular and proper meal times. A day's work did not begin until food had been assembled and eaten and the day's work must conclude to allow for the assembling and eating of the last meal of the day.

Stretching the number of days worked or the number of hours worked in a day was not tolerated.

During the forty years instilling the spirit of the law in God's people in the desert, iconic days and weeks were also set aside demonstrating the need for family holidays, recreation, social and civic interaction.

Ten Commandments enshrine the "sanctity of life" and involve the whole person and the whole community. It is fact and intent, including the letter and the spirit of the law. It was only because of sin, that it was lawyer-proofed by supporting legislation given through Moses.

Sin makes our hearts stony so the laws had to be written on stone, but Jeremiah said the laws written in stone would be written on human hearts (Jer 31:33). Jesus promises to do just that. When He sat down at the right hand of God, Jesus quotes Jeremiah, "I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds." (Heb. 10:12, 16). And He proceeded to do just that.

So when someone says "I believe in the sanctity of life" does his own heart tell the whole story? And does your heart have the sanctity of life written into it? God does not change, so there can be no change from what he intended at the beginning. His law preserves sanctity of life, and if we want God's lifestyle, if we want to reflect Jesus, if we want to respond to God's light, His law must be written on our hearts.

When you read a person, read his or her heart. Have you read any good hearts lately that have been written with the Word of God?

Elizabeth Price But just how does God write on our hearts? Please join us next week for Written on the Heart, Part 9.
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Post  Admin Wed 27 Feb 2013, 10:25 pm

Welcome to the Nugget
February 26, 2013
Checkmate ... Pal! Part 4
By Answers2Prayer

In the concluding part of our Series on the "Chess game" between wily ole' Serpent and God's children, today we come to some more of the strategies Satan uses to trip a believer.
1. Friction:
What would the devil not do to make Christians fight with one another? If it is publicly all the more better ... for it would serve his wicked ends of publicly tarnishing image of our good Lord. Ideally, when there is agape love in the hearts of God's children, this problem would not arise. But there may be friction between two Christians on account of different levels of spiritual growth or it may be on account of doctrinal differences or perceived unfairness in business deals. This is where magnanimity or the greater spiritual maturity of one of the individuals (may be the one at the receiving end) ought to come to the fore to rescue the situation (Luke 12:48). For the Lord expects more from those to whom He has given more ...

Say Child of God, is there any friction in your marriage or your Church? Without succumbing to the Satan's temptation of "getting even" with the 'hurting ones', have you prayed to the good Lord along with those "hurting you" to take away any bitterness (Heb 12:15) from everyone's heart, so that the Lord is pleased and His Name glorified? 2. Depression: Sometimes the devil will trip you (I would be the first to admit that he tripped me many a time), and worse urge, you to remain "in a fallen condition". Subsequent to a fall, he would whisper sinisterly into your ears, 'You are of no use to the Almighty, you might as well call it quits!' But do not let his words of discouragement, to use the chess parlance, "pin" you down. Remember the great Saints like David, Jonah and Peter who "got up from the canvas, after being down for a count" with a repentant heart and fought the "good fight for the Lord". Claim the promise in 1 John 1:9 ... Hey, Anand lost game 7, briefly went into a depression, and bounced back to win game 8 resoundingly. By the way, please do not take the comparison to its logical conclusion. Let me categorically state here: Gelfand is no devil ... 3. Obliteration: It is historically proven that people can perish because of lack of spiritual knowledge (Hosea 4:6). Satan would try his best to obliterate from the minds of the believers the constant reminder (2 Tim 3:16,17) to be well versed in the Bible. He knows very well that if believers start claiming the Biblical promises (there are more than 7000 of them), he would not be able to sow seeds of doubt in their minds as to God's goodness and faithfulness. In the absence of sound Biblical instruction, we are prone to delve deep into the deep, dry wells of self-sufficiency instead of waiting upon Him to provide for our needs (2 Corinthians 12:9) and that's exactly what our spiritual adversary wants! Remember Asa's self-sufficient ways of folly and the tragic consequences (2 Chronicles 16:1-9)?

Our Lord Jesus himself countered Satan in the midst of his temptations in the wilderness by quoting the Scriptures (Deuteronomy 8:3, 6:16, 6:13). Our Lord's method of nullifying the Satanic temptations is still the best way to neutralize the latter's subtle tricks.

While on the subject of Scriptures, disguised as legitimate doubts, would come some posers from the wily ole' enemy ...Can you, living in the NT era, claim the Biblical promises of the OT era? The answer to that question is a resounding YES, all of the promises given to Abraham apply to Christ (Gal 3:16/3:29), and since we are in Christ, they apply to us also ... As such, WE CAN CLAIM THEM! HALLELUJAH!

Considering that there are as many as 31,102 verses in the Bible how can you recollect the right scripture portion to counter my temptations at the right time? To settle this doubt, once and for all we can claim this promise!

"But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you." (John 14:26)

We do the job of reading the Bible reverentially over and over again, God will do His of reminding us of the right Scripture portion, at the right time. We ought to do the possible, leaving the impossible to Him. When the men at Lazarus tomb did the possible of removing the tombstone, and did Jesus not do the impossible of raising his dead and decaying friend to life (John 11:38-44)?The above guiles may be by no means, the only aces Satan has up his sleeve. However in conclusion, let me affirm the simple "truth" that God gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ (I Cor 15:57). The secret of leading a victorious spiritual life (John 8:30-32) by steering clear of Satan's lies, as always, lies on us carefully following the one who claimed to be the Truth (John 14:6)!

Finally folks claim these promises of "checkmating" the enemy ... "The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure." (I Cor 10:13)

"The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet ..." (Romans 16:20)Prayer: Father, let the overwhelming victory be always yours, even as you help us stand firm in the wake of several "mental" assaults of our enemy. In Jesus' Name. Suresh Manoharan J and SM Ministries This is the concluding part of "Checkmate ... Pal!" If you have missed any of the part to this powerful series, you can access them by clicking here. Or send an email to request the desired lessons.
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Post  Admin Sun 24 Feb 2013, 6:34 pm

Welcome to the Nugget
February 23, 2013
To the Church in Philadelphia: Studies on the Seven Churches of Revelation, Part 7
By Answers2Prayer
"To the Angel of the church in Philadelphia write..." (Rev. 3:7a NKJV)

Philadelphia, known today as Alashehir, was named after its founder, Attalus II Piladelphus. Piladelphus was known for his devotion to his brother, Eumenes, thus it is quite fittingly that Philadelphia means "brotherly love"!

Philadelphia was located as the gateway to the high central plateau of the Roman province of Asia and was a city of commercial importance. The district, an area of wine production, was also the center for the worship of Dionysus, the god of wine and fertility.*

"These are the words of Him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What He opens, no one can shut, and what He shuts, no one can open." (Rev. 3:7b NKJV)

In ancient palaces, the one holding the keys was an important official, the only person controlling access into the king's presence.* Jesus is identifying Himself here as the only One who can grant access to the presence of the King, His Father.

It is interesting that there is nothing negative at all said about the church of Philadelphia. Only commendations. And what are they commended for?

"I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name." (Rev. 3:8 NKJV)

1. Love: Philadelphia means Brotherly Love.

We need to have the Love of God burning so ferociously in my heart that no one can doubt that we serve a God of love. And our deeds need to speak for this love, for "You will know them by their fruits." (Matt 7:16 NKJV)

2. Weakness: "I know that you have little strength..."

Isn't it interesting that one of the primary characteristics of this blessed church is...weakness! Most of us think of weakness as being a negative thing, but in this case, it is considered a very remarkable thing! Why? Remember God's words to Paul when Paul asked to be healed of a problem? "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." (2 Cor 12:9 NKJV). Friends, it is in our weakness that God's strength is glorified, and it is only when we are humble enough to admit our weakness that God's Strength can be perfected in us! Instead of praying for strength, we should pray that God's Strength be perfected in our weakness!

And their reward for their faithfulness? "Indeed I will make those of the synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews and are not, but lie -- indeed I will make them come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you. Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth." (Rev. 3:9-11 NKJV)

This beautiful promise is actually two-fold:

1. Their enemies will come to know the Lord, they will worship them at the feet of the faithful church of Philadelphia.

In the near east, falling at someone's feet is an appropriate act of submission. Thus their enemies would submit to the authority of the weak, but faithful church, and acknowledge that God loves them! Talk about heaping coals of fire on someone's head!

2. They would not suffer the hour of trial which will come upon the whole world! This refers to the tribulation, friends, and I don't know about you, but getting to miss out on the tribulation is indeed a worthy reward!

I don't know about you, but of all these churches, this is the one I would want to be numbered amongst!

And Jesus has one piece of advice for the church of Philadelphia: "Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown." (Rev. 3:11 NKJV)

Just what is it that the church of Philadelphia have?

Love and weakness! In other words, we need to show God's love in every situation while we cling to His strength!

"Him who overcomes I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will he leave it. I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of Heaven from my God; and I will also write on him my new name." (Rev. 3:11-13 NKJV)

When we do hold on to love and weakness, we will be permanent dwellers in God's temple.

All references to the temple in Revelation use the word that designates the temple proper--the place where God's presence dwelled. What this tells us is that by holding on to love and weakness, we are assured of a permanent place in God's presence!

But even more than this, we will be sealed with God's name, the name of the New Jerusalem, and also Jesus' new name. There will be no doubt that we are His children!

So what do you say, friends? Why don't we put aside all of our haughty pride. Let's admit our weaknesses and allow God's strength and love to be perfected in us! When we do, we will be assured a permanent place in His presence, sealed by His very name!

Join us next week for Studies on the Seven Churches of Revelation, Part 8: To the Church in Laodicea.

In His love,
Lyn
Lyn Chaffart, Speech-Language Pathologist, mother of two teens, Author and Moderator for The Nugget, a tri-weekly internet newsletter, and Scriptural Nuggets, a website devoted to Christian devotionals and inspirational poems, with Answers2Prayer Ministries. * Taken from commentary given in The Archaeological Study Bible, New International Version, Copyright 2005 by the Zondervan Corporation, pages 2046, 2050, 2057.
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Post  Admin Fri 22 Feb 2013, 8:16 pm

Welcome to the Nugget
February 21, 2013
Three Lightning Strikes: Written on the Heart, Part 7
By Answers2Prayer
Last week, in Written on the Heart, Part 6, we understand that God gives us the Light we need to reflect Jesus and learn His lifestyle. He gives it to us through the Word. But we must then choose to walk in it.

Does God desire us to do just that?

We had a severe flash of lightning that took out all our electronic communication equipment. The technician said he had never seen a strike as bad and he was amazed nothing else was damaged and nobody was hurt. He also said he was sure everything on our computer was gone and all our equipment would need to be replaced.

I dreaded the loss of writings I share with others as we search more of what Scripture reveals, and many of my thoughts were still "works in progress." Now, apparently, they were gone. But it was one lightning strike that actually struck three times.

It reminded me of Job and then back to the Garden when Satan replaced Adam and Eve as representatives of God on the earth. They broke God's law that was written on their hearts when they obeyed another voice above God's.

They actually obeyed Satan who spoke through the serpent. The serpent allowed it and was denuded of his beauty (Genesis 3:1 and Genesis 3:14). Adam and Eve allowed it and were stripped of the light of God (Genesis 3:7), that emanated through them and clothed them.

From that time, Satan represented mankind on this earth.

Now, at a meeting with God, Satan said he had been over the earth from end to end, and God mentioned Job was a righteous man, reminding Satan that God still has ultimate authority.

"Skin for skin" (Job 2:4) scoffed Satan and challenged God to let him prove Job was not as worthy as he seemed. God agreed and Satan stripped Job of children and external wealth, but still Job worshipped God.

So then God allowed Satan to cover Job with extremely painful boils, head to foot. Still Job worshipped God.

During the next thirty or more chapters, we have Job's friends preaching "do-goodism" and righteousness by works. Finally God reprimanded them, "you have not spoken as you ought about me" (Job 41:7), and God commended Job.

From the beginning of Job's saga, God and Satan were not playing games, God was letting us know that Satan has certain authority in this world and we must be alert to it. Job teaches us that troubles indicate whether we truly worship God through all that Satan can throw at us.

So we looked at the lightning strike anew. And yes, some of our equipment needed to be replaced and some needed repairs. When it was done, we were amazed that none of our information was lost, everything we valued was still there.

We do not question who caused the lightning strike and the damage done.

Neither do we question who took care of us through it because, whatever happens in this life, God does not desert us. God used the lightning for His purpose, "For God has said, 'I will never leave you or desert you,'" (Romans 13:5). He showed us that there were three strikes from the one lightening. One, it took out our communication; two, it opened God's communication to us through Job; and three, it opened God communication to us from the Garden.

The importance of God's light was not lost. Through the lightening, He made his thoughts known to us and wrote them on our minds and hearts, and the importance of God's light in the lightning was not lost to us. His very first words were "Let there be light," (Genesis 1:3) and it made His thoughts known. Then He wrote the light of His thoughts into us when He made us in His image. Much later, as our light grew dim, He wrote the light of His thoughts on stone and in His Word for us.

Wherever we are, God longs for you and me to share the light of His thoughts; thoughts that He is writing on our hearts and minds. He longs for that relationship He had with us at the beginning so He gives us the light we need, and He repeats Himself in varying ways!

Elizabeth PricePlease join us next week for Written on the Heart, Part 8.
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Post  Admin Wed 20 Feb 2013, 10:44 pm

Welcome to the Nugget
February 19, 2013
Checkmate ... Pal! Part 3
By Answers2Prayer

Continuing our series on the "Chess game" between the crafty Enemy of our souls and Christians, today we come to Satan's insidious attempts to waylay a believer, who has already "tasted" God's love.

1. Perception:
He would always try to make us "perceive" things we ought to avoid looking at. Eve's fall can be originally traced back to "looking" (Genesis 3:6) at the forbidden fruit. How nice it would have been had she completely avoided looking at it, in the first place! Also, never get carried away by a lie, even when it's cunningly sandwiched in betwixt the seemingly inviting fresh bread and presented. Did not the wily ole' foe sandwich the lie "you will not die", between the alluring true bread "your eyes will be opened" and "you will be wise as God"? On the subject of the original temptation, it needs to be reiterated that even 99.9% truth is not truth...truth is 100% truth. Period. Nothing more, nothing less and nothing else! Samson's fall also illustrates the fact sin does not actually leap on us but stealthily creeps on us! Had Samson avoided looking at an erotic philistine lady (out of bounds for him), all the trouble, which he fell into later, could have been avoided!!! Samson fall was not a sudden crash but a slow decline into pleasures of flesh, from which there would be no escape (Judges 16). Nothing quite like nipping in the bud a tempting thought (be it of sexual or financial immorality)! No wonder Paul exhorts young Timothy to "Keep a close watch on all you do and think..." (I Tim 4:16 TLB)While on the subject, let me emphasize getting tempted is not sin (remember our Lord too was tempted), but how we respond to the temptation is what is crucial to our spiritual welfare. We cannot avoid a sparrow from flying over our head in the sky but we can surely prevent it from hatching a nest on our heads (thanks Martin Luther for this pearl of wisdom)! 2. Negation: Another of Satan's pet tools' is to make us look yearningly at "pets" of others (2 Sam 11:1-4/1 Kings 21:1-4), without appreciatively counting the "pets" God has already placed in our hands. Negated far into the background of our thoughts are the blessings, we have received from God's bountiful hand. So effectively, if Satan is a proven expert in making US LOOK at what we ought not to see, he is just as skilful in making us NOT SEE, what we ought to look at thankfully.The grass would always look greener on the other side for those, who turn a blind eye (blinded by the spiritual adversary) to lush green grass on their own side of the fence. Even as the Jews were being fed a Divine food miraculously in the wilderness en-route to the Promised Land, did not the food "on the other side of the fence" (read Egypt) appeal more to them with tragic results (Numbers 11)? 3. Botheration: It is said that as long as you are bothered and worried stiff about your future, Satan wouldn't be bothered about you! Since it would mean that he has you well and truly caught in his "mind trap". He is a "natural" at selling clever lies such as that the coming days in this period of "economic meltdown" are going to be "too hot" for you to handle. Oh how would my future pan out, is the vexing question in the minds of many nowadays robbing them of the joyous fellowship with the Lord. That is why the Bible exhorts us to live one day at a time (Matt 6:34) casting our entire burden upon our Lord, who is willing to carry them (I Peter 5:7). In this fallen world, sometimes groaning out of the difficulties created by the unscrupulous are inevitable, but if He has promised to bring you, out of them, He certainly would (I Peter 5:10)! Remember Joseph ...

Want to have peace that passes all understanding (Philippians 4:7)? Then say along with me "I may not know what the future holds, but I personally know and love the ONE who holds the future". Has not the good Lord, who faithfully sustained you in the days gone-by going to sustain you in the days to come also? Say Amen! Prayer: Father, we are no match to the wiles of the wicked enemy of our souls, if we try to fight Him with our own hands. However depending on Thee, we claim victory in Jesus' Name. Amen. Please join us next Tuesday for Part 4 of CHECKMATE!

Suresh Manoharan J and SM Ministries
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