Re: NUGGET Today's Devotional

Admin Sat 18 Jul 2020, 5:15 pm

Perhaps the place to start when looking to understand mountain-moving faith is in Hebrews 11, the Faith Chapter:

Vs. 1: "Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see." (NLT)

This verse tells us that our faith is the evidence that what we hope for will come to pass. It is what makes up the reality of what we hope for.

Take a moment to meditate upon that. When we truly believe God will keep His promises, our faith is the evidence that what He has promised will come to be! To state it differently, the mere fact that you believe God is going to do it is all the evidence needed that He will do it!

That, my friends, is what mountain-moving faith looks like!

But there's more...

Vs 3: "By faith we understand that the entire universe was formed at God's command, that what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen." (NLT)

So often when we are in need of a miracle, we need the impossible to happen. We need something to be created out of nothing. Take, for example, the empty bank account coupled with the loss of job. There is nothing there, and in order to pay the bills, money will have to be created out of nothing. Impossible, right? Yet God gave the command, and the entire universe was formed out of nothingness. The fact that there is no money cannot stop the God who created the entire universe out of...nothing!

This opens up a powerful way to pray: "Father God, it is not too much for You, the creator of the universe, the One who spoke a word and the entire universe was created out of nothingness, to create a way to ____out of the nothingness that I have! I pray Your creative power over _____, and I praise You in advance that the One who created the universe out of nothing will provide!"

Vs. 4: "It was by faith that Abel brought a more acceptable offering to God than Cain did. Abel's offering gave evidence that he was a righteous man, and God showed his approval of his gifts. Although Abel is long dead, he still speaks to us by his example of faith." (NLT)

Why was Abel's offering was "more acceptable" than Cain's? Genesis 4 tells that: "Cain presented some of his crops as a gift to the Lord. Abel also brought a gift--the best portions of the firstborn lambs from his flock...." (vs. 3 NLT). We know that an animal sacrifice was what was required to provide temporary covering of our sins (See Heb. 9:22, Lev. 17:11), and this was instituted right after the original sin (See Gen. 3:21). The required sacrifice was a sacrificial lamb, and when Cain brought crops, he was, in essence, saying that he knew better than God. Herein lies another important part of Mountain-moving faith: It relies totally on God and not on our own strength!

Vs. 5: "It was by faith that Enoch was taken up to heaven without dying--'he disappeared, because God took him.' For before he was taken up, he was known as a person who pleased God." (NLT)

This powerful verse tells us how we can get mountain-moving faith. Genesis 5:23 tells us: "Enoch lived 365 years, walking in close fellowship with God. Then one day he disappeared, because God took him." (NLT).

Notice that it was in walking in close fellowship with God that Enoch was known as someone who pleased God. We all know that trusting someone begins with getting to know them, and the better we know them, the more we trust them. Thus, in walking in close fellowship with God, Enoch developed faith in Him, and it was by this faith that he was eventually be taken to Heaven without experiencing death. Thus, an important part of developing mountain-moving faith is to walk closely with God and to spend time fellowshipping with Him!

And just in case we haven't yet understood that it pleases God when we put our faith in Him, vs. 2 & 6 tells us that in so many words:

Vs. 2: "Through their faith, the people in days of old earned a good reputation." (NLT)

Vs. 6: "And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him." (Heb. 11:6 NLT).

Here is yet another part of mountain-moving faith: It is faith that believes God exists and that He is powerful enough and He loves us enough to answer our prayers. Interestingly, it is also that faith that make God happy and that gives us a good reputation with God.

In summary then, mountain-moving faith is:

a) The evidence that what we are praying for will happen. All the evidence we need lies in our believing in God's power and ability and love;
b) The assurance that God who, by speaking forth the Word and made the universe out of nothing will also make something out of the nothing in your lives;
c) Faith that relies totally on God and not on our own strength;
d) Faith that is acquired by walking in close fellowship;
e) What pleases God!

Although that may be a pretty impressive list, there is more...Join us on Tuesday for "More of What Faith That Will Move a Mountain Looks Like: Mountain-Moving Faith, Part 2".

In His love,
Lyn

Lynona Gordon Chaffart, Speech-Language Pathologist, mother of two, Author -- "Aboard God's Train -- A Journey With God Through the Valley of Cancer", 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. Follow Lyn on Twitter @lynchaffart.

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Admin Thu 16 Jul 2020, 1:21 pm

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Strange pain in the lower rib cage on the left side is what drove me to the doctor. When an x-ray revealed that there was no fractures or lesions to the bone, the next step was abdominal ultrasound. Being a breast cancer survivor for the past six years, you can only imagine the peak in my stress when the results came back as undefined lesions on my liver and on both kidneys...

The next step was a CT of the abdomen. I was believing that the lesions would be gone, along with the pain, but they weren't. It didn't matter, however, because surely the procedure would confirm the lesions were not cancerous. But it was not to be. The results of the CT were also inconclusive...An MRI would be required to identify the lesions.

I tried not to worry. I gave it to God, I prayed for healing, but when I still hadn't gotten a date for the MRI three weeks later, my patience ran out. I needed to know those lesions were not cancer!

Unfortunately, calling the MRI booking department only made things worse. Apparently they hadn't even received my referral until that same morning...

Meanwhile, my husband continued to pray for my complete healing, and he was quite puzzled as to why the prayers were not being answered. One morning, he asked me to do a simple exercise. He asked me to meditate upon the concept of faith that will move a mountain.

I have to admit I was a little incensed...Why does everyone assume in the face of no miracle that the recipient doesn't have enough faith?

God got to me quickly enough, however. He helped me to remember that I had been asking Him to increase my faith. He also reminded me of my innate battle with pride, and He helped me to see that I needed to stop worrying about what everyone thinks and simply let Him grow me.

I decided to do what my husband suggested. The results have been incredibly eye-opening to me, and as a result, my faith is indeed strengthened. Over the course of the next five devotionals, I will attempt to share with you what God has been teaching me about mountain-moving faith. My hope and prayer is that your faith will also be strengthened so that the next time you face an immovable mountain, you will be better equipped to take a stand in faith.

As an introduction, let's take a closer look today at the Biblical incident that led to Jesus' famous quote: "I tell you the truth, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move; nothing will be impossible for you." (Matt. 17:20 NET).

At the beginning of the story, the Bible records: "When they came to the crowd, a man came to him, knelt before him, and said, 'Lord, have mercy on my son, because he has seizures and suffers terribly, for he often falls into the fire and into the water. I brought him to your disciples, but they were not able to heal him.'" (Matt. 17:14-16 NET)

The first thing of note here is that it is actually the father who is seeking healing for his son, not the son himself. We do not know the state of mind of the son, but you have to ask yourself in the recipient of the miracle actually had faith at all! And even the father of the child lacked faith, for the gospel of Mark records that he said to Jesus, "I believe; help my unbelief!" (Mark 9:24 NET). However, Jesus' statement about mountain-moving faith was not addressed at the son or his father; rather, it was addressed to the disciples who could not cast out the demon! "Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, 'Why couldn't we cast it out? He told them, 'It was because of your little faith.'" (Matt. 17:19-20a NET).

This doesn't mean that we don't need faith to be the recipient of miracles. The Bible even records that He didn't do many miracles in His hometown because of their lack of faith (See Matt. 13:58) and in commending others for their faith, their prayers were answered (See Matt. 15:22-29; Luke 7:1-10). However, the fact that Jesus rebuked the disciples for not having enough faith is significant. It means that it isn't only the recipient of the miracle that needs faith...

It is also the one(s) praying and asking for the miracle!

Whether you are the one in need of a miracle or the one praying for that miracle, remember this Truth: "...if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move; nothing will be impossible for you." (Matt. 17:20 NET).

But just what does mountain-moving faith look like? Join us on Saturday for "What Faith that will Move a Mountain Actually Looks Like...Mountain-Moving Faith, Part 1".

In His love,
Lyn

Lynona Gordon Chaffart, Speech-Language Pathologist, mother of two, Author -- "Aboard God's Train -- A Journey With God Through the Valley of Cancer", 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. Follow Lyn on Twitter @lynchaffart.

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1. Join us on Saturday for Part 1 of "Mountain-Moving Faith" to begin learning what faith that will move a mountain actually looks like. And may I join each of you in prayer for the "mountains" that need to be moved in your lives?

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Admin Wed 15 Jul 2020, 8:30 pm

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Sometimes depression is the monster that can destroy our peace. But when we know where to find peace, freedom finds us.

I received this announcement in the mail. It read: "The Foundation Fighting Blindness is sponsoring a dinner dance in the dark."

A clever thing. Not only is it a fundraiser for research to find a cure for blindness, but also for sighted folks to catch a glimpse of the world of the blind. Thus, the event will be held in the dark.

Interesting, right? You can be sure hands will be in the mashed potatoes. Who knows how many glasses of water will be spilled? And, with no lights, wait till they have to visit the bathroom.

I've been in that physical darkness. Actually, I'm there now. Living for over 30 years without sight, I've grown accustomed to it. But the funny thing is, I often forget I'm blind. Okay, you can laugh. It's kind of silly, but I do forget. In fact, I even enjoy dancing. That's why that dinner dance in the dark is way too familiar to me.

Though it's familiar, the dance back then wasn't pleasant. When a retinal disease closed my eyesight, I danced with depression in the darkness of my misfortune. The steps were awkward and clumsy. I slammed into obstacles while I groped, searching for healing. But fear, anxiety, pride, stubbornness and self-pity blocked my path to happiness; and instead they took me to depression.

The depression made my world even darker. Seeking a cure, looking for freedom and answers only added to the emotional bruises, cuts and wounds. But when the mess became too much, I became aware of what I was missing: The wisdom to reach out to God, who had the path out of my plight. He knew the source of my sadness. And He had the light to shine into my darkness.

Thank you, thank you, Lord.

The day He turned on that light for me, the light of His Word, the splendor of His ways and the clarity of His path, life began for me. Like a flower blooming, my heart opened up to joy and His reminder ever echoes in me: "...for you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as a child of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for it is light that makes everything visible." (Ephesians 5:8-13 NIV).

And what became visible was the dance floor where Jesus leads the dance, step by step, day by day to the melody of His promises.

Let's Pray: Father, I confess the pride and anxiety that led me nowhere. Thank you for the light that showed me to the path of Your love and Your healing. IN Jesus name.

What leads your path out of darkness?

Janet Eckles

If this message resonated with you, please visit Janet's cyberspace home for more inspiration.

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2. Faith that will move a mountain: Do we truly understand what this means? Do we desire it? How can we attain it? Join us on Thursday for the introduction to a new mini-series, "Mountain Moving Faith", by Lyn Chaffart
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Admin Sat 11 Jul 2020, 9:15 pm

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It was a full day. On this, our third day on the island of Grenada, we decided to take a tour of the entire island with a local tour company. We had a friendly guide who picked us up at the door, took us to several of the local attractions and provided us with history and stories and even lunch.

The problem was, this guide was not always patient with us when we had questions. He did answer each one, but we would also later learn that his answers to our questions were not always 100% accurate...

It was another full day. We were in our second week on the island when we decided to hike out to see some of the local waterfalls known as the "Seven Sisters". We had been advised to go with a local guide, and when there was one waiting at the entrance to the hike, we gladly accepted his services. This guide was immediately in tune to my husband's visual difficulties and the problems this caused him when hiking. He was there to give a helping hand and good advice. He responded to all of our questions patiently. He didn't always have an answer for us, however. Instead, he would say, "I'm not sure. Let me look that up!" In the end, when he advised that the trail to the last 5 of the 7 falls was more treacherous than we could handle, we trusted his opinion.

Two weeks later, we decided to climb Mt. Qua Qua, one of the peaks surrounding an ancient volcanic crater that is filled with water: The Grand Etang of Grenada. Again it was advised that we go with a guide...

Anyone care to guess which of our two guides we choose?

Yup. You got it! The second one.

Why did we trust the opinion of the second guide over the first? Because he guided us into truth. He gave us accurate information when he could, and when he didn't know the answers, he admitted it and sought them out.

Truth is so important. True enough, whether or not a particular beach goes by this name or that one won't make or break us in the grand scheme of things; but if someone isn't trustworthy with the little things, how can you put your trust in him for something as big as whether or not we will be safe on a trail?

And what about the things that really matter in life? What about the Truth of God's Word? What about the guidance we seek? Do we have a truthful honest guide who can help us in these situations as well?

I'm happy to say that we most certainly do. In fact, we don't just have a truthful guide, we have one who truly does know all things: "But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God." (1 Cor. 2:10a NKJV); and "However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth..." (John 16:13 NKJV).

And what is even better, this Guide has been given to us as a gift! We don't even have to seek Him out: "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you." (John 14:26 NKJV).

An interesting thing about our second guide...He was always willing and eager to help, but he only reached out in help when he was asked to do so. It is the same with God's Spirit. God will never push Himself on us. We must choose to seek Him out, we must choose to solicit His help. Why not choose Him today?

But, you say, how can I know if truly God's Spirit who is guiding me? Doesn't the Bible teach: "Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world..." (1 John 4:1 NKJV)?

The first way is this: Did you ask Him to guide you? If you did, then you know that He is: "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord..." (James 1:5-7 NKJV)

But a vitally important way to know it is God's Spirit and not that voice of our own in our heads is this: Does the given advice go against anything written in God's Word? If it does, then it is not of God: "To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light in them." (Isaiah 8:20 NKJV).

So where does this leave us?

It leaves us with a Guide, One that is reliable, helpful, loving, truthful and faithful: The Spirit of the Living God. Don't try to navigate life without Him. He is a free gift of God, One that you can always count on!

In His love,
Lyn

Lynona Gordon Chaffart, Speech-Language Pathologist, mother of two, Author -- "Aboard God's Train -- A Journey With God Through the Valley of Cancer", 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. Follow Lyn on Twitter @lynchaffart.

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If you are planning on visiting the Island of Grenada and would like the contact information for an excellent guide, let me know! Likewise, if you wish to know more about seeking our Loving Father's Spirit, I would love to help you there as well. Just email me!

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Admin Thu 09 Jul 2020, 11:07 pm

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"We who are strong ought to put up with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Each of us must please our neighbor for the good purpose of building up the neighbor." (Romans 15:1-2 NRSV)

Giuseppe Verdi (1813-1901) buried his wife and two children in 1840. Grief paralyzed him. He gave up composing. The days were dark, and the nights were worse. Visits from his music agent did not help. As one of his visits was ending and not knowing what to do, the agent left with Verdi a manuscript about the Babylonian king, Nebuchadnezzar. Verdi ignored the manuscript for some time. Slowly, the vision of a new opera began to take shape. Verdi described the process: "One day one verse, one day another, one time a note, another time a phrase, and little by little the opera was written."*

This story illustrates two skills that are essential for anyone grieving a significant loss or wanting to offer support. First, there is the support of family, friends, and professionals. The most helpful aspect of support is listening. When words are spoken, they must be non-judgmental and must not compare one loss against another.

The second grief skill is not to rush. Take time. Do what seems possible. The break with a loved one has to be incorporated into one's thinking and behaviour. The break in the relationship has to heal before reinvestment is possible. Healing takes time and effort. Verdi was lonely and lost. At some point he gave himself permission to look at the manuscript. The simple step led to two, then to three, and to more. The effort resulted in Verdi the composer finding a new life. The new fame did not take away the pain of the loss of his wife and children or memories of them, but it did keep him from joining them.

I recall hearing a presenter say that we do not need more grief therapists. What we need are more people willing to listen to grieving people. A man said to me, "My mother did not want someone to tell her how to feel. She wanted to tell someone how she was feeling."

"Now during those days, when the disciples were increasing in number, the Hellenists complained against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution of food." (Acts 6:1 NRSV)

But the neglect was more than food. A husband and wife who deliver meals to widows, invalids, and needy persons told me that delivering the box containing the warm meal is only ten per cent of what they do. The remaining ninety per cent is the visiting that takes place and the informal inquiry as to the health and safety of the recipients.

An important date in the life cycle of grief is the one-year anniversary of the loss. It is a day that seems unreal -- how could a whole year have passed? It is a day when a visit, a telephone call, or being with friends is helpful and healing. It is not a day to ignore the grieving.

Prayer: Gracious God, as we join the circle of prayer, we pray for those who mourn. Reveal Your presence to them. Comfort them in this time of change and sorrow. Give us the courage to be listening neighbours. May our presence be unspoken words of sympathy, strength, and love. Amen.

* Cavanaugh, Patrick. Spiritual Moments with the Great Composers. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 1995, page 147.

Richard Worden
Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada

Reprinted from the PresbyCan Daily Devotional with the author's permission

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DEALING WITH GRIEF
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Admin Wed 08 Jul 2020, 8:57 pm

July 7, 2020

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"Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing." (James 1:2-4 ESV)

An unusually hot and wet Spring this year was followed by an extremely hot and wet Summer. Sunny skies were constantly giving way to heavy showers only to be replaced with more sun and heat. This combination has made for a few changes from our regular Summer here in the mountains of my home.

The limbs on the trees are growing twice as fast as usual and their leaves are huge. The Queen Anne’s Lace, Daisies and Black Eyed Susan’s are growing waist high in the meadows and on the sides of the roads. The bush in my front yard is shooting up as fast as a Sunflower. The grass in my yards is thicker and taller than ever. Butterflies and Bumble Bees are everywhere as are the Yellow Jackets and Hornets. Mama Deer and their babies can be seen coming out of the woods to feast on the abundance of crab apples on the ground. Squirrels with acorns are scurrying up the trees and baby birds are flying out of their nests. Everywhere I look there is an explosion of growth and life. It is incredible to see.

We humans are a little different than the rest of nature, however. Yes, our bodies do grow best in optimal conditions. We grow healthy and strong when we have good food, clean water, fresh air, and plenty of exercise. On the inside, though, it is often during the hardest times that we grow the most. During the times of death, loss, and suffering is when our souls grow stronger and closer to God. During the bleakest Wintertime is when our hearts grow more loving. During the worst times of our lives is when we help each other the most.

Why is it that we grow kinder, stronger, and wiser during the tough times as well as the good ones? Why is it that the worst in this world often brings out the best in us? No one knows for sure, but I am happy with the mystery. Live well then. Love much. Grow strong. Be the person God meant for you to be during the Winter nights as well as the Summer days.

Joseph J. Mazzella

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Admin Sat 04 Jul 2020, 9:40 pm

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It was the big day. My parents, my brother 16 and I at 17 sat in the courtroom. We dressed for the occasion and our hearts wore unprecedented excitement.

My family worked hard to meet the requirements and lead us to this event that would change our lives. The red, white and blue of the American flag covered the front wall of the large courtroom. Its majestic presence reminded us we were about to take a step filled with a unique honor.

"Raise your right hand," the immigration officer said.

We did, and with unwavering conviction we renounced our allegiance to Bolivia and pledged our allegiance to the United States of America. In that ceremony we officially became American citizens, fully committed to our allegiance. And that's when the 4th of July sent off fireworks of gratitude in us.

Not so when I pledged my allegiance to Christ. I became a Christian, but, unaware, I adopted dual citizenship--to God and, to the world, too.

On Sundays I worshipped. During the week I worried.

Have you been there? On Sundays we pledge to believe, to obey and follow God. We commit to embrace God's Word and hold on to His promises. But when life brings ugly moments, our allegiance to negative emotions takes over.

How can that happen? God says not to worry, but we do. He repeats to trust in Him, but we doubt instead. He offers peace, and we forget that, too.

But freedom from worry comes when we remember that worry is a language, a specific way to communicate with God. Our worry repeats these five lies:

1. God is not capable to remove the anxiety in us.
2. God is not capable to bring answers to our solutions.
3. God is not aware of the details that bring on fear.
4. God is not able to put back the pieces of our broken heart.
5.God cannot change the path of our wrong choices.

That's the language of worry, unacceptable to Him, and destructive to us. Worry-talk contradicts God's Word and dilutes His promises.

But if we renew our allegiance to His instructions, we can speak the language of faith. It can express His strength, enough to sustain us. It can repeat of His love, enough to cover us. And of His grace to bring a timely outcome. "Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own" (Matt. 6:34 NIV).

And with worry in the garbage disposal of life, we sing, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust." (Ps. 91:2 NIV)

So why do you doubt, shake or fret? When you know "Surely he will save you from the fowler's snare and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday" (Psalm 91:3-6 NIV).

Let's Pray: Father, thank you for the reassurance that You have me and my family covered. Thank you for the sleep that comes at night as you silence the lies. I praise You for the reassurance You whisper into my heart, removing worry from my mind. In Jesus' name.

When will you begin your worry-free life?

Janet Eckles

If this message resonated with you, please visit Janet's cyberspace home for more inspiration.

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Admin Thu 02 Jul 2020, 8:01 pm

NUGGET Today's Devotional - Page 11 Raw?appid=YMailNorrin&ymreqid=2e9d598e-399b-5e90-1ce4-6a003001ef00&token=zitEzqOML3j84e6ealFTT5U7-km5qEQF52lp7AcCuBbpSVmqVp7Mb1q_UYn7twkRB1-qIdDQsPsbO8JXArPhA02Acmnr9mgmTGCL79S-UbQGYHG5zZROOYeWZBW-NzAx

That was one of my southern-born mother's favorite expressions, one that I admit she had to use often. I was (still am!) the queen of seeing whatever I am upset about as being much bigger in the grand scheme of things as it truly is.

Take, for example, how upset I got over the recent sale of our house. The more time that went by without a "sold" sign hanging in front of the house, the more I was sure the world would end if the house didn't sell in my time.

In the end, God sold the house--in January, after we took it off the market... Hey, we weren't even in the country! And God's timing was actually far better than any I could have come up with, especially when the only house we saw that we really liked wasn't even available until our house sold...

I truly made a "mountain" out of that "molehill".

But from God's view, aren't most of our "mountains" nothing more than "molehills"?

I mean, how He must have shaken His head as He watched me worry and fret about the sale of the house. He already knew it would sell, He knew when the time would be right, and He already had all the ducks ready to put in a row, so to speak.

And I am afraid I make God shake His head in the face of most of my problems. Even cancer. How I fretted about having cancer. Yet He knew well in advance that I would have it, that I would recover from it, that I would go on to live many more healthy years.

The truth of the matter is, what we see as the "mountain" of problems in front of us are nothing more than mere "molehills" to Him, piles of dirt that He will plant His Heavenly "foot" on them at just the right time.

The Bible says, "I lift up my eyes to the hills..." (Ps. 121:1 ESV). Why should we do that? Because when we look to the "top" of our "mountains", that is where we see God, towering over them, ready to squish them in His time.

We sang a beautiful song in church on Sunday: "Be lifted up, be lifted higher!" It made me think: When I insist on worrying about the "mountains" of problems facing me, I am not allowing God to be God. When He is lifted up in my life, higher than the problems, then is when I begin to see how tiny my problems are in the face of an almighty God.

Yes, I tend to make mountains out of molehills; but the good news is, God makes molehills out of our mountains!

What "mountain" will you lift up to Him today? When you do, be prepared to see it from His perspective, a tiny molehill that He will squish at the right time. In addition, also be prepared for the exciting ride with God from this moment forward until the day that molehill is squished for good!

In His love,
Lyn

Lynona Gordon Chaffart, Speech-Language Pathologist, mother of two, Author -- "Aboard God's Train -- A Journey With God Through the Valley of Cancer", 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. Follow Lyn on Twitter @lynchaffart.

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Admin Sat 27 Jun 2020, 11:53 pm

June 27, 2020

NUGGET Today's Devotional - Page 11 Raw?appid=YMailNorrin&ymreqid=2e9d598e-399b-5e90-1c54-d1000101a300&token=zitEzqOML3j84e6ealFTT5U7-km5qEQF52lp7AcCuBbpSVmqVp7Mb1q_UYn7twkRB1-qIdDQsPsbO8JXArPhA02Acmnr9mgmTGCL79S-UbQGYHG5zZROOYeWZBW-NzAx

It was truly an adventure to walk the roads in Grenada. Sidewalks were rare, even in the towns, and the roads were hilly, narrow and winding.

Because we were staying outside of the main town of St. Georges, and because our primary mode of transportation was the local mini-bus, we often found ourselves walking down the side of the road. We would soon learn that because of the hills and twists and turns, it was often impossible to see oncoming cars. A far more reliable way to tell if there were vehicles coming was to trust our ears.

The problem was, we weren't used to this! We're used to relying on our eyes! But it didn't take long for us to learn: when our eyes registered an empty road, this didn't necessarily mean there were no oncoming cars.

This reminds me of faith. The Bible tells us that faith comes by hearing: "Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message..." (Rom. 10:17a NIV)

Notice what the Bible doesn't say: It doesn't say that faith comes from seeing. In other words, as we walk the paths of life, especially the dark, shadowy ones, we can't trust what we see. Our eyes trick us. Our eyes try to make us think we should rely on logic. Our eyes try to make us think that just because we don't see the solution, it must not be there. God's promises are not upcoming, etc.

Rather, faith comes from hearing!

What does that mean?

It means that if God said it, it will happen, whether we see it or not. It doesn't matter that we don't see an end to our problems. It doesn't mean a thing that our circumstances only appear to be worsening. If God said it, it will happen!

So how can we "hear" what we need to hear in order for our faith to grow?

Romans 10 tells us this as well: "...and the message is heard through the word about Christ." (Rom. 10:17b NIV)

In other words, our faith grows by hearing the messages in the Bible, the Word of God. When we read stories of how God kept all His promises, making a way where there was no way, coming through at just the right time; when we meditate upon the wonders of the cross as outlined in God's Word, our faith will grow.

Does it look like your circumstances are never-ending? Do they seem to be worsening instead of getting better? Don't rely on what your eyes are telling you! Instead, pick up the Word of God. Listen for what He is speaking to you through the Bible. Write down what you hear so that you can return to it in moments of doubt. And most importantly, never forget that faith does not come by seeing, but rather, by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God!

Oh, and the next time you are visiting Grenada on foot, remember: Don't trust your eyes to tell you there aren't any upcoming cars. Instead, listen to what your ears are telling you!

In His love,
Lyn

Lynona Gordon Chaffart, Speech-Language Pathologist, mother of two, Author -- "Aboard God's Train -- A Journey With God Through the Valley of Cancer", Author and Moderator for The Nugget, a tri-weekly internet newsletter, andScriptural Nuggets, a website devoted to Christian devotionals and inspirational poems, withAnswers2Prayer Ministries. Follow Lyn on Twitter @lynchaffart.

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Admin Thu 25 Jun 2020, 9:11 pm

NUGGET Today's Devotional - Page 11 Raw?appid=YMailNorrin&ymreqid=2e9d598e-399b-5e90-1ca7-c0000101b700&token=zitEzqOML3j84e6ealFTT5U7-km5qEQF52lp7AcCuBbpSVmqVp7Mb1q_UYn7twkRB1-qIdDQsPsbO8JXArPhA02Acmnr9mgmTGCL79S-UbQGYHG5zZROOYeWZBW-NzAx

"When one of you says, 'I am a follower of Paul,' and another says, 'I prefer Apollos,' aren't you acting like those who are not Christians? Who is Apollos, and who is Paul, that we should be the cause of suh quarrels? Why, we're only servants. Through us God aused you to believe. Each of us did the work the Lord gave us." (1 Corinthians 3:4-5 NLT)

Lovebirds are native to the forest and savannas of sub-Saharan Africa and Madagascar. Remains of different lovebird's species have been unearthed in South Africa, dating as far back as prehistoric times.

Lovebirds are social and affectionate and the name comes from the parrot's strong monogamous pair bonding and the long periods which paired birds spent sitting together. They live in small flocks and eat fruit, vegetables, grasses and seeds.

The monogamous birds reach sexual maturity when they are about ten months old. Mating begins with courtship behavior and can continue throughout their roughly fifteen year lifespans. Wow! Lovebirds mate for life, isn't that great? Monogamy is essential to the social stability of their social behavior.

It was a wonder to me that such beautiful traits can be found in the life of birds. They mate for life. Once they have chosen their partner, they mate for life, against all odds and this is a truth and tradition that is being erased from the mechanism of the new world.

We are meant to mate with our chosen partner for life, without seeking comfort elsewhere. We are meant to mate and be one with the lord, our maker for life, we are not meant to look back and be drawn in by the pleasures of life.

When you do this, you will realize that, you will not find yourselves in the heartache, worry, disaster and problems that is a product of most friendships, relationships and marriages.

I pray we will see the beauty of monogamy.

In God's love,

Okunola Peace.

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Admin Tue 23 Jun 2020, 8:50 pm

NUGGET Today's Devotional - Page 11 Raw?appid=YMailNorrin&ymreqid=2e9d598e-399b-5e90-1c25-fe0001018400&token=zitEzqOML3j84e6ealFTT5U7-km5qEQF52lp7AcCuBbpSVmqVp7Mb1q_UYn7twkRB1-qIdDQsPsbO8JXArPhA02Acmnr9mgmTGCL79S-UbQGYHG5zZROOYeWZBW-NzAx

"While Jesus was in Bethany, reclining at the table in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head." (Mark 14:3 NIV)

Every woman loves to receive perfume. We don't wear it all the time, just dab on a little for special occasions. This perfume was worth a year's wages and the woman tipped it all over Jesus, on purpose! It seems like a strange thing to do. "What a waste!" we think.

Perhaps Jesus didn't smell so sweet! It was a hot country, but bathing and cleanliness were still important. Both men and women wore perfumed oils. Suppose Jesus had been allergic to it! Some are allergic to the essential oils we use today.

It doesn't appear to have been an accident. Was the woman saving the perfume for a rainy day and just decided this was the day? Should she have saved the perfume to barter with at a future date? Did she realise that if it were sold, the money raised could have been used to do all kinds of good things?

Was it a rash action on her part? How many of us have said it seemed a good idea at the time ... We might understand this woman's seemingly bizarre act if we consider some of the things we spend our money on today. Some of us will admit that we bought a year's membership to a gym, but only went a few times. Or we invested in a timeshare proposition then tried to get out of it.

There are also those who leave everything behind to follow Jesus, or are led by the Holy Spirit to give away their car or house. Everything comes to us from God, and He blesses extreme generosity. For instance, He commanded the Israelites to cancel all loans and let their slaves go free every seven years (See Deuteronomy 15).

I don't think the woman regretted her action. To her, it was a logical thing to do as well as emotional. She wanted to show her love for Jesus by giving Him something. She gave the best she had. She may have been Mary, a sister of Lazarus, whom Jesus resurrected from the dead. In that case, nothing was too good for Him.

This was an act of worship and Jesus seems to consider her act to be perfectly appropriate. We are born to worship, and what we worship says a lot about the kind of person we are. If we worship the wrong things, our lives remain empty because we were designed to worship God alone. When we worship our Creator - who gave His Son Jesus to be sacrificed on the cross for us - we begin to have new priorities. We find ourselves spending our time, our life, on Jesus. We want to give Him whatever He has given us: resources, talents, money, time.

Our behaviour may appear strange and extravagant to others, but it's not wasteful. It's an investment. When we put God first, we find that we pour out our love and life for Him in all kinds of beautiful and unusual ways, and He always blesses us in return.

Prayer: Father in Heaven, We confess that sometimes we worship the wrong things. Help us to pour out our life on You, as You did for us. In Jesus' Name we pray, Amen.

JJ Olerenshaw

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Admin Sat 20 Jun 2020, 10:18 pm

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Anyone from a French culture knows exactly what is meant by the word, "Carnaval", or "Carnival", as we write it in English. Depending upon where Carnival is being celebrated, this could mean anywhere from three days to seven weeks of celebration, with celebrations always ending on Ash Wednesday.

Our first experience with carnival came as our host was driving us from the airport in Pointe-a-Pitre Guadeloupe to our rented apartment. He was excited to share with us that we had arrived at the perfect time of year, for carnival had just begun. He left us at our apartment assuring us that he would text us with carnival locations so that we wouldn't miss any of the celebration.

The very next day was a Sunday. Everything in Guadeloupe closes at noon on Sundays and after church, we went out for a walk. Imagine our surprise to see boys, young and old, slapping the pavement with long, thickly-braided homemade whips. The sound could best described as a gunshot, and when there were many whips being slapped at the same time, it was hard to not look around for fireworks.

We had no idea what this meant, but later that evening, the "pops" and "cracks" of hundreds of whips could be heard throughout our neighbourhood. It was shortly after this that the parade began, and we were blessed to have it pass right down our street. We were able to see the entire parade from our balcony!

Everyone people were joyous and excited, and there was plenty of security around. Overall, it was a fascinating cultural experience for us. We were happy to have been in Guadeloupe at just the right time to see what we thought would be a one-time experience.

Imagine our surprise to learn that this was only a tiny part of a seven-week celebration...

It wasn't hard for the locals to know we were tourists, and they took great pride in telling us where the upcoming carnival celebrations would be taking place. Initially we smiled and said we had already been to carnival; but they would just get more excited that we would be able to experience it again and again.

Please understand that the reason for our 4-week stay in Guadeloupe was to visit the beautiful island. Yes, we wanted to experience the culture, but we felt there were other things we wished to experience in Guadeloupe besides Carnival. Also understand that the main highway around the Island also served as the main road for most of the small towns. This meant that if Carnival was being celebrated in a town we needed to pass through in order to get to our given destination, we would be completely stuck for the next several hours. After getting "stuck" behind Carnival celebrations a couple of times, we became serioius about finding out where Carnival would be celebrated next... with the sole reason of knowing what places to avoid!

Although we loved the natural beauty of the island of Guadeloupe and would miss the beautiful people we met there, we were happy enough to leave their Carnival celebrations behind. Especially since we almost missed our flight off the island due to another Carnival parade! And you can imagine our frustration to arrive at our next island, Martinique, only to discover that everything on this beautiful island would be closed down for the next four days for the cummlation of the Martinique Carnival celebrations...

It all made me think about sin. Now please understand I am not calling Carnival "sin". The reason we wished to avoid it had nothing to do with sin, per sae. Rather, it was simply because we had other things on our agenda, and the Carnival celebrations stopped us from doing what we hoped to do. However, in the same way we wished to avoid Carnival, we all need to avoid even the appearance of sin.

Why?

Because in the same way that Carnival was so exciting to the locals and looked like such innocent fun, sin can be equally enticing. To the same extent that Carnival blocked the highways and main roads, making it difficult for people to get from point "A" to point "B", sin blocks us from pursuing the paths that we have laid out in front of us. And in the same manner the Carnival celebrations closed down all of the stores in Martinique, making it difficult for us to even be able to buy food those first few days on the island, the results of sin can bar us from the essentials of relationships, love and support that we so vitally need.

Is it for naught that we are told to:
a. "...lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us..." (Heb. 12:1b) so that we can, "...run with endurance the race that is set before us..." (Heb. 12:1c NASB)?
b. "Come away from her, my people. Do not take part in her sins..." (Rev. 18:4b NLT) so that we will not, "...be punished with her." (Rev. 18:4c NLT)?
c. "Stay away from every kind of evil." (1 Thess. 5:22 NLT)?
d. "Run from anything that stimulates youthful lusts." (2 Tim. 2:22a NLT) and instead, "...pursue righteous living, faithfulness, love, and peace." (2 Tim. 2:22b NLT)?

Not sure what sin God is trying to cleanse you of at the moment? Spend some honest, humble time with Him right now. He will reveal it to you; and when He does, flee it!

In His love,
Lyn

Lynona Gordon Chaffart, Speech-Language Pathologist, mother of two, Author -- "Aboard God's Train -- A Journey With God Through the Valley of Cancer", 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. Follow Lyn on Twitter @lynchaffart.

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Admin Thu 18 Jun 2020, 8:03 pm

NUGGET Today's Devotional - Page 11 Raw?appid=YMailNorrin&ymreqid=2e9d598e-399b-5e90-1cef-200001019500&token=zitEzqOML3j84e6ealFTT5U7-km5qEQF52lp7AcCuBbpSVmqVp7Mb1q_UYn7twkRB1-qIdDQsPsbO8JXArPhA02Acmnr9mgmTGCL79S-UbQGYHG5zZROOYeWZBW-NzAx

This beautiful truck won first prize at a local classic car show. Not just because of the impressive exterior, or the great paint job or even those snazzy wheels. It won because of the engine, its components, the way it was built, the clean look and its performance. The judges at the car show analyzed all entries to determine the first-prize winner.

You and I are also in line to get a prize.

God begins his analyzing. Like the truck, He won't look at the way we painted the outside--with a lean body, fancy clothes, impressive jobs, or tons of followers on social media.

None of that attracts His attention. He Himself said, "Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." (1 Sam. 16:7 NIV).

Our heart is His focus because it's the engine that makes it all work. He said, "Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (Matthew 6:21 NIV)

If our heart stores anger, stress will flow out. If our heart holds on to resentment, stress will increase. If our heart keeps notions of insecurities, stress accompanies it. And if fear rumbles in our heart, stress rises like the summer temperatures in Orlando.

As you read this, the content in your heart defines your mood, your attitude toward this message, your path and even your destination. Jesus said in Luke 12:34: "For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks." (NIV)

Gulp. That mouth creates and pours out words that either give life or death. Circumstances test this truth.

I was put to that test not long ago.

I sat at the gate. And the announcement came telling passengers my flight to the event where I was to speak was full. No room for me. No chance to reach my destination till the next day. No other options than to miss my event.

That was the reality of the circumstance. But here's the action in my heart. I had choices:

a) To let stress build up.
b) To demand my rights as a disabled person who should have boarded first.
c) To speak my mind and join my irate fellow passengers.

You’ve been there, haven't you? Stress and tension are eating you for lunch. Good news, here is the get-rid-of stress test to take and see if you pass.

Multiple choice:

a) Do I recognize the Holy Spirit is beside me, listening, observing, and taking in all my attitude and words?
b) Will my demands change the situation?
c) Will I gain favor from the person to whom I'm lashing out?
d) Will I mirror the Christian I claim to be--displaying patience, forgiveness and understanding?

If you answered "yes" to A and D, that means the circumstance didn't dictate your reaction, your heart determined your response instead. Then you became a winner by deleting stress and tension.

Not only that, but the victory carries God's promise--His supernatural ways to turn impossible situations around. By removing obstacles. By granting us favor before others and ushering an outcome we never expected.

Just FYI, while at the gate, I took a deep breath. Although there was no solution, I silently thanked God for His way to resolve it. I took the multiple-choice test myself. I relaxed, sat back and waited. Then the agent offered a huge credit for volunteers to give up their seats. Two people took it and I boarded the plane.

Let's pray. Father, how often I create my own stress by reacting to circumstances. I ask Your help to analyze my heart first, to seek to please You, and be confident in Your solutions. In Jesus' name, amen.

Who's winning today--you, or your stress?

Janet P. Eckles

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Admin Tue 16 Jun 2020, 9:17 pm

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Most of David's life sets a prime example of faith for each of us. Even in the midst of his darkest mistakes, his faith never wavers. Take, for example, the day the Amalekites destroyed David's home town of Ziklag and carried off everything, including his wives and children...

How that must have hurt. David probably blamed himself for not being at home when the enemy arrived; but to make things worse, his men blamed him as well: "David was greatly distressed because the men were talking of stoning him; each one was bitter in spirit because of his sons and daughters." (1 Samuel 30:6a NIV).

David's response is a wonderful model for each of us today: "But David found strength in the LORD his God." (1 Samuel 30:6b NIV).

Why was it that in the face of a stoning, David could find strength in the Lord?

Because he knew God. He knew that no matter what, he could trust God to work things out.

David then continues to show us how to respond in times of trouble. He immediately sought God's wisdom as to what to do about the problem: "...and David inquired of the LORD, 'Shall I pursue this raiding party? Will I overtake them?'" (1 Samuel 30:8a NIV).

When God promised victory, David set out after the Amalekites. It didn't matter to that his tiny army of 600 men was totally outnumbered. He had God's promise, that that was good enough for him.

Unfortunately for David, things only got worse. 200 of his men were "too exhausted" to continue (See 1 Samuel 30:10). He had been seriously outnumbered with all 600 of his men, but now that 1/3 of them had dropped off, how could he even hope to recover the women and children?

Doesn't this always seem to be the case? We believe God to heal our shaky relationship with our spouse; but then we are served divorce papers. We believe God to heal a small cancerous tumour; only to learn that there are multiple tumours throughout. We claim God's promise for provision despite the minimum wage job; and then we lose that job...

I don't know about you, but my response to God in such times is something like this: "Lord, did I hear you right? Am I truly following Your will? I mean, it was impossible then, but now...Now there's absolutely no way!"

But this wasn't David's response at all. In fact, the Bible doesn't record any hesitation on David's part. It just says, "...but David and the other four hundred continued the pursuit." (1 Samuel 30:10b NIV).

How could David so calmly go on in the face of yet another calamity?

Because David knew something that we would do well to learn: God is never surprised by what happens! When God clearly told David to go, that he would have victory over the Amalekites, He already knew that the 200 men would be too tired to go on. He already knew that David didn't need all 600 men. He knew that David would be victorious with just 400! And because David trusted God, because David knew that God is never surprised by the things that happen after He gives a promise, the loss of those 200 fighters didn't faze him in the least.

The bottom line is this: when God says something, He means it, and the little changes we see are not surprises to Him!

Is your stand in faith only resulting in more problems? Take heart! Whatever it is, God knew when He gave His promise that there would be more problems, and He isn't surprised in the least! Let's learn from David to not let these mushrooming problems faze us. Let's continue to stand firm on the promise that God has given, no matter what happens, for to God, there are no surprises!

In His Love,
Lyn

Lynona Gordon Chaffart, Speech-Language Pathologist, mother of two, Author -- "Aboard God's Train -- A Journey With God Through the Valley of Cancer", 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. Follow Lyn on Twitter @lynchaffart.

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Admin Sat 13 Jun 2020, 11:53 pm

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"Your freedom ends where your brother's begins..."

I don't know how many times I heard my mother say it. I never fully comprehended what it meant, however, until much later in life; and even then, its fully meaning wasn't perhaps permanently drilled into my mind until the day we flew from Guadeloupe to Martinique...

They were all minor things, really: The Carnaval celebrations that blocked the closest route to the airport, resulting in us arriving about 30 minutes later than foreseen; the rental car attendant who was definitely on island time; the fact that we apparently owed money for damages to our rental car; the shuttle driver who was also on island time; the fact that he dropped us off at the wrong terminal; the long line at check in...

But the commutation was definitely during check-in: We were asked to weight our carry-on bags. Now I don't know about you, but I've never had to weigh my carry-on. In fact, I had specifically loades my carry-on with all the heavy items so that my checked bag wouldn't be overweight, and as a result, my carry-on bag was six kilos too heavy!

There was nothing we could do but repack, and that meant waiting in the long line for the check-in yet another time. Of course I had originally placed all the batteries in the carry-on, as per flight regulations; but during the "repack" process, I was not thinking about flight regulations, and the heavy batteries all ended up in the luggage to be checked. That meant that I had to open the checked bags again, find where I had dumped the batteries, and transfer them back to the carry-on. Of course, this made the carry-on overweight once again...Sigh...In the end, there was nothing left in my carry-on but batteries and my laptop, and it was still overweight!

We did finally get everything shifted, but my sour mood didn't lift even when we had passed the check-in. You see, as we went through security, there were many people in line with large carry-on bags that obviously weighed more than five kilos! And so I grumbled and complained until my husband suggested that I let it go. I stopped, but only for a while, and he once again had to suggest that I let it go. I am ashamed to admit how many times this scenario repeated itself, but I did notice that each time I started up my complaining, he seemed to become more tired. In fact, by the time we finally arrived in Martinique, he was exhausted. It was only later that I realized that it was my negativity that was pulling him down...

Wait. Didn't I have a right to complain? And if I can't express my feelings to my husband, who can I express them to?

"Right" or "wrong", however, my words were pulling him down, and the only thing that would stop him from being further hurt was for me to sacrifice my "right" to complain... Suddenly I understood. My freedom to complain ended where his freedom to live in peace began...

Jesus asks us to love one another: "So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other." (John 13:34 NLT). This isn't an easy command in the best of times; but it becomes much harder when "loving" someone else in a way that respects their wishes means sacrificing my own "rights".

Consider these potential examples:

In Canada, I have the "right" to use either one of the official languages. But what if I decide to execute this "right" and speak English, when the person I'm speaking to only speaks French?

Do I not also have the "right" to feed peanuts to squirrels if I want to? But what if those squirrels took my nuts and ate them on the porch of my next door neighbour who is deathly allergic to peanuts?

And think about this: God has every right to punish sin and the sinner, and since the wages of sin is death (See Rom. 6:23), God could -- rightfully -- strike down every each one of us. What if He had executed that right? We would all be doomed to eternal darkness. Instead, God sent Jesus to be punished in our place (See 2 Cor. 5:21)...

And let's also remember this from Jesus' perspective: He had the right to equality with God: "He had equal status with God..." (Phil. 2:5 MSG). What if He had executed that "right"? He would never have left Heaven. Instead He, "...didn't think so much of himself that he had to cling to the advantages of that status no matter what. Not at all. When the time came, he set aside the privileges of deity and took on the status of a slave, became human! Having become human, he stayed human. It was an incredibly humbling process. He didn't claim special privileges. Instead, he lived a selfless, obedient life and then died a selfless, obedient death--and the worst kind of death at that--a crucifixion." (Phil. 2:6-8 MSG). If Jesus had executed His right to equality with God, we would all be doomed to eternal death.

The next time you are tempted to be upset at someone for interfering with your "rights", remember to follow God's example. In a love-dominated world, our freedom truly ends where another's begins...

In His love,
Lyn

Lynona Gordon Chaffart, Speech-Language Pathologist, mother of two, Author -- "Aboard God's Train -- A Journey With God Through the Valley of Cancer", 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. Follow Lyn on Twitter @lynchaffart.

Admin Wed 10 Jun 2020, 8:40 pm

I was making a cake. I had bought all the ingredients and put them together in a time-proven way, and I knew the cake would turn out well. And of course it did, it cooked perfectly so when a visitor arrived I could honestly offer her a piece of 'my' cake.

Another time I sewed together a skirt from material I had bought. It turned out so well I could wear it to town and a stranger smiled at me, then said gently, 'I love your skirt.' In reply I commented that I had made it myself and the stranger was quite surprised. 'How lovely,' she commented. 'Next time I see you in the street, I will know you by your own skirt!'

And so it goes on all through life. We all 'make things' of one sort or another and they belong to us. They are 'ours.'

And more importantly I also accept that the Creator made the world we live in. He said, "Let there be light ... let there be a firmament ... let the dry land appear ..." (See Gen. 1) right on throughout the full week of creation until the garden He created had living creatures and finally, human beings in it. "And God saw everything that he had made, and, behold, it was very good." (Genesis 1:31 KJV).

The Creator, as a member of the Godhead, made the world and everything in it, from His ingredients. Naturally He could say it was all His. I do not question his ownership of all he has made any more that my guest questioned that the cake she ate was 'mine' or the lady in town accepted that the skirt I had made was 'mine.'

We also have 'my 'mother, 'my' father, 'my' children and so on, claiming ownership of our relationships along with 'my' home, 'my' garden, 'my' tools and so on and on; but I think a most outstanding example of ownership is what Jesus said as he sat at table and ate a meal with his disciples...

It was a special yearly event in the calendar of Israel, and at that time nothing fermented was to be taken. In fact, there were strict laws about what was allowed to be kept in the pantry and what could or could not be taken during that period.

So, in keeping with the rules He had established for Israel, Jesus gathered with His disciples to take a meal. He "took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins." (Matthew 26:27,28 KJV)

The cup was full of grape juice but a lot of people seem to be confused about it, and this is where there can be serious lines drawn between what was literally made by Jesus and what seems to be implied. I understand that a literal reading in the Old Testament about the grape is that its juice was not called grape juice, it was called 'the blood of the grape.' (See Genesis 49:11, Deut. 32:14). It was called blood from the beginning, hence Jesus could say with utter truth, "This is my blood." He had originally made grapes, so the juice-the blood of the grape-was literally 'His.'

The bread that Jesus and the disciples were eating comes into the same category. Jesus had created the seed that is harvested to make bread, so naturally, it was His. He made it and He broke a slice of it in pieces (see Matt. 26:26) and used it as an illustration of His body soon to be broken as was the piece of bread He broke to share with his disciples.

There is nothing mystical in taking bread and grape blood in memory of Jesus. The basics of life are provided by Him, and the basics of salvation are also provided by Hm and are representative of Him. What makes bread and grape juice so meaningful to us is how we relate to Jesus, not just in physical obedience, but in spiritual obedience.

Yes, we give thanks for our daily food, but on one special days we focus more deeply on our spiritual relationship and rejoice that Jesus has promised to eat bread and drink the blood of the grape with us once again in the kingdom of heaven: "But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom." (Matthew 26:29 KJV)

Come, Lord Jesus.
Elizabeth Price

Admin Sat 06 Jun 2020, 11:12 pm

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I don't know about you, but I can't help but think how nice it would be, in the midst of our difficulties, to have people praying for us...I mean, "God, can't you just send someone to pray???"

I would propose, however, that perhaps God has already done this, but we just don't realize it. I mean, if someone doesn't contact us and say, "Hey, I'm praying for you about_____", would we even know?

Several years ago, my family and I were caught up in a legalistic religion. We know from personal experience that coming out of this particular religion is very difficult. It was, perhaps, the most difficult thing I've ever done. I see how others struggle, and I know that most of them do not have the courage to come out. So what made us different? Why were we able to break the chains of religion when other sincere members of this religion cannot?

We would learn, only later, that there was someone, a solid, spirit-filled prayer warrior in Africa, who was praying for us to come out. He had been an e-correspondent for years. He had never voiced any objection to our religion or any pressure to come out. He had just silently prayed for us.

Some time after this, as I was "catching up" with a friend about our change in churches, she admitted that she had been praying for me to "come out" for years.

It made me wonder how many others there had been praying for us, ones who I was never made aware of! And as I think back over this, I realize that God did, indeed, post "watchmen" on the "walls" so to speak, people who would pray continually for us.

It makes me think of the text in Isaiah 62:7: "O Jerusalem, I have posted watchmen on your walls; they will pray day and night, continually." (Isaiah 62:6 NLT). This was written at a time when God had already promised Jerusalem would be re-established, yet all of Israel awaited the fulfillment of the promise. I'm sure there were many who thought, "If only someone cared enough about our situation to pray for us!" Meanwhile, God had already raised up an army of "watchmen", and He had already placed it on their hearts to pray "day and night, continually"!

What problem do you find yourself in the midst of at the moment? God has promised to carry you through, but in the midst of it all, when there doesn't appear to be any end, any light at the end of the tunnel, I know how hard it is to remember that promise. If this is where you find yourself today, take heart! God has already posted prayer warriors around the world, most of whom you will never even know about this side of heaven, who are lifting you and your difficulties before the Lord in prayer. They are praying continually, day and night. You need not fear. God has this!

In His love,
Lyn

Lynona Gordon Chaffart, Speech-Language Pathologist, mother of two, Author -- "Aboard God's Train -- A Journey With God Through the Valley of Cancer", 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. Follow Lyn on Twitter @lynchaffart.

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Feeling the need for some "watchmen" to pray? Why not send in a prayer request and let the prayer warriors of this ministry lift your problems up to the Lord? Send your prayer requests by clicking here. Oh, and don't forget, even if you don't see them, God has already posted people around the world to lift you up in prayer!

Admin Sat 30 May 2020, 10:05 pm

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In the third part of our series, let’s continue to focus on the similarities between the Corona virus and a disease far more deadly than the former, even whilst exploring remedies for them...

Costly and Centerpiece...

"For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And it was not paid with mere gold or silver, which lose their value. It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God" (1 Peter 1:18-19 NLT)

To what extent a person infected and dying with Corona virus would go to get hold of the medicine that would cure him instantly? No prizes for guessing... He would be willing to pay any price for it.

The amazing thing when it comes to salvation from sin is, one need not pay any price at all for it. Oh, it is given free of cost, and that is why, amongst other reasons, it is also called the "great" salvation (See Heb. 2:3) to anyone who comes to the Almighty with a sincere and a contrite heart (See Ps. 51:16-17) willing to personally appropriate Christ's sacrifice on the Cross in his life (See Acts 2:37-38/Rom 10:9-10).

Just as any dying Corona virus patient would immediately consume a curative medicine given to him the escape from imminent death, urgency in repentance of a sinner would be set in motion only when a sinner is able to see, figuratively speaking, what is staring at him: The eternal death! Without that God-inspired conviction, no genuine repentance is possible. When I repented on Oct 16th, 1983 I virtually breathed into my nostrils some of the "smoke coming out of the hell-fire" (so close was I to the "gates of Hell" and condemnation)! Say Dear Reader, have you tasted the joy of your sins being forgiven? If not, please do not delay. Visit the Savior's Call now!||

I urge you once again to say this prayer and experience for yourself a joyous, Christ-centred life from then on. From now on, you would have the inner power of His indwelling Spirit (See 1 John 4:4) to say "NO" to your erstwhile pleasure-seeking desires, and say "Yes" to life of humble subjection to God's Holy desires aimed at your eternal benefit. Ah...you would be restored to the original, pristine condition Adam and Eve enjoyed before the Fall. This is what genuine repentance in Jesus' Name does, restoring the immeasurably precious right relationship with our Creator! Attend a Local Church regularly now to further strengthen your faith in Christ.

While salvation is given free to us, we should always remember with a grateful heart what it cost Christ to give salvation to us. Oh His indescribable suffering simply cannot be quantified, nor can the value of His priceless blood ever be calculated! That is why while participating in the Lord's Table (See 1 Cor. 11:23-32), we need to every single time renew our love borne out of gratitude for Him.

Going by medicinal analogy, what makes Christ's (also called the good Doctor -- See Matt. 9:9-12) redemption work the centerpiece (absolutely unique) of human history is that no doctor has ever in the human medicinal history "infected" himself with a virus whilst discovering a vaccine for it. Whereas Christ "infected himself" with a virus called sin so that in exchange, we get His good health (the right relationship with our Creator -- See 2 Cor. 5:21). Yes, research scientists like Jonas Salk may have vaccinated themselves with the vaccine they discovered (in Salk's case, the one for polio) to prove its efficacy to the World, even whilst taking all the risks associated with such an action upon themselves. But even such noteworthy actions simply pale into insignificance in comparison when we consider the fact that our Divine Doctor Christ got Himself voluntarily infected with the killer disease, experiencing indescribable pain (See John 14:30), in order that His sick and dying patients could get His good health in return.

Care and Compassion...

Metaphorically speaking, what would be the natural reaction of a dying Corona virus patient be if he comes across a Doctor who is willing to take the killer disease upon himself in order the former could get the latter's good health in return?

With a heart overflowing with gratitude for such a selfless doctor, and with heart full of concern for other needy, sick Covid-19 patients, the miraculously-cured patient would broadcast to every other sinking Corona virus patient the Good News about his recovery, courtesy of the good doctor. He would also urge those patients to rush to him, in order they too would benefit from his wondrous "treatment'!

Now should I need to remind the Christian readers of the "Great Commission" i Matt 28:18-20) at this time?

Even in these days of limited social interaction and opportunities, it is our bounden duty to tell with love and humility (See I Peter 3:15) every one we come across. This includes physically as well as in cyberspace, after establishing a rapport with them. Why? Becuase this is what Christ has done for us. He has cured us of a far deadlier disease than Corona, even while lovingly inviting everyone to submit themselves to His Divine treatment in order they too are delivered from their lethal spiritual ailment.

With the "fear of death" hanging in the air, many hearts have been spiritually ploughed (read softened-up) now, as it were, to receive better the "good seed of Good News", than at any other time in the recent history.

For those of us with a Blessed hope, maybe the painful process of death may seem bothersome, but not death itself, for: "Because God’s children are human beings--made of flesh and blood--the Son also became flesh and blood. For only as a human being could he die, and only by dying could he break the power of the devil, who had the power of death. Only in this way could he set free all who have lived their lives as slaves to the fear of dying." (Heb 2:14-15 NLT). At any time, all Christians ought to join the Apostle Paul in chorusing these immortal words borne out of wondrous hope: ”To live is Christ, to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21 NLT). Why? Because the moment we close our eyes on Planet Earth, we would open the same in a far better world free of any disease. More than anything else, this blessed hope seen in every area of our lives, which make us fearless to death (read living differently), would draw those who have not yet tasted Christ's redemptive power to His loving arms.

I am not for a moment saying that Christians ought to be "care-free" at this time, without adhering to Government rules aimed at overall public safety. No, not at all! For none of us "ought to put God to a foolish test" (Deut. 6:16 NLT -- See also Matt. 4:7) by looking out for trouble! By the same token... In these days of social distancing, whilst leaning towards "doing all that is possible from getting infected", we need to distance ourselves from frantic fear of death borne out of faithlessness.

Prayer: Father, enable us to reach out in love to all those who have not tasted Thy redemptive love. Even as they observe our Blessed Hope in Thee may their hearts be drawn unto Thee. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

Suresh Manoharan
Hyderabad-India
J and SM Ministries

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Please join us on Tuesday for "A Cure for a Virus Deadlier than Corona Virus", Part 4!

Admin Fri 29 May 2020, 1:00 am

Counter and Cure...

As of now, an effective vaccine is yet to be found for neutralizing "the deadly venom" of the Corona virus. Let's hope and pray it is discovered at the earliest! At the Tree of Calvary, however, the "vaccine", which is the shed blood of our Saviour Christ, was "found" for neutralizing the far more lethal venom of sin. Note the following Scripture portion testifies...

"...and through him God reconciled everything to himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of Christ's blood on the cross..." (Col. 1:20 NLT)

In an amazing counter, 4000 years after Satan had contaminated the Earth using the "Tree of Knowledge", whilst making Eve disobey her Heavenly Father and also caused her husband to disobey (see 1 Tim. 2:14), our Heavenly Father turned the tables around on the original sinner. Our faithful and eternal Benefactor, who would always steadfastly love His children in accordance with His covenantal relationship with them, would use the very "Seed of Eve" (See Gen. 3:15, Gal. 4:4) to crush the head of the great, ancient Serpent Satan (See Rev. 12:9). He did so by virtue of that "Seed's" total obedience revolving around "a Tree of Foolishness", ( See 1 Cor. 1:18) in contrast! Hey...this "Salvation-bearing Tree" was "planted" in the Centre of planet Earth, for Mount Golgatha in Jerusalem is a part of the middle portion of the planet Earth (See Eze. 5:5), just as the Tree of Knowledge was in the centre of the Garden of Eden! Ah… in contrast to the alluring tree in the centre of Garden of Eden, which was a delight to the eyes of Eve, this "tree" (read the Cross) was anything but a delight to the eyes of the "Seed of Eve". Also its "fruit" of immeasurable suffering did not appeal in any way to Him, but still He partook of it in humble obedience to His Father's will (See John 6:38/Mark 14:35-36/John 14:30).

If sin brought death to mankind, contaminating our very life source, the very the blood in us, then Jesus, who is the Life (See John 14:6/1 John 1:2) shed the blood, His very life, to virtually transfuse that pure, cleansing blood into all those sin-infected ones who accept Him as the Saviour, completely regenerating them in the process as this Scripture portion declares:

"This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!" (2 Cor. 5:17 NLT)

The proof of the pudding is in the eating thereof!

Like countless Christians before and after me would testify, I, too, would herald from roof-tops--nay from mountain tops--that on the 16th of October, 1983, when I accepted Him as my personal Saviour (after having run after many worldly pleasures and found no lasting fulfillment), I tasted this transcendental experience myself! The following Scripture portion also symbolically substantiates this truth:

"for the life of the body is in its blood. I have given you the blood on the altar to purify you, making you right with the LORD. It is the blood, given in exchange for a life, that makes purification possible." (Lev 17:11 NLT)

Following my "Born again" experience, I became a more responsible individual (much to the relief of my worried parents), I took my studies more seriously, and I was eventually blessed with a challenging job in the marketing sector of IBP Co. Ltd. (a Public Sector reputed Petroleum Company under the aegis of the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas of the Government of India). After a 13-year stint therein, when the good Lord called me to full-time spiritual work (this too is a great blessing), special grace was given unto me to come out of my "comfort zone". Anyone who has tasted Christ would not allow anything to come between him and his Saviour. Any hesitancy on my part in answering the Lord's call for full-time spiritual Ministry would have meant that I am giving greater importance to the "gift" (a lucrative job guaranteeing good social status) rather than to the "Giver of the gift". Why I brought this interlude, Dear Friends, is to bring forth a truth: Anyone who reveres the Lord to the extent of being willing to do anything for Him would state the truth and nothing but the truth, especially when he is called to be his Savior's mouthpiece. So Dear Friends, especially those who are not regular Church goers and those outside of Christian faith, you can count on me to tell the truth even as I am representing Truth, for Jesus says, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me." (John 14:6 NLT).

Now coming back to our subject...in the context of Christ's blood being the "vaccine" for the virus of sin, Paul teaches us: "and through him God reconciled everything to himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of Christ’s blood on the cross." (Col. 1:20 NLT). This can be applied to any Christian's life at the point of his regeneration ("justification" in the Christian doctrinal parlance). However, there are bound to be some slip-ups and subsequent revival borne out of sincere repentance in any Christian's life in that "ethereal journey". As a result, the following Scripture portions ally to acts of repentance on "falling" whilst walking as a Christian, and they apply to all God's children in their "Pilgrims' progress" (thanks John Bunyan) towards their eternal destination (Heaven):

"But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin..." (1 John 1:7 NLT)

"My dear children, I am writing this to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate who pleads our case before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who is truly righteous..." (1 John 2:1 NLT)

Prayer: Father, we cannot find adequate words to thank Thee for the remedy-Salvation in Jesus- You have in place for a malaise of sin which is far more lethal than the Corona virus. Inspire all those who have not availed it to do the same without any further delay. In Jesus' Name!

Suresh Manoharan
Hyderabad-India
J and SM Ministries

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Please join us on Saturday for "A Cure for a Virus Deadlier than Corona Virus", Part 3 to contemplate the cost and to learn of the care and compassion of our Lord and Saviour!

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Admin Tue 26 May 2020, 1:02 pm

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In the first part of our series let's cast spotlight on similarities on Corona virus and a disease far deadlier than it even whilst exploring remedies for the same...

Cause and Cue...

"You were an anointed guardian cherub. I placed you; you were on the holy mountain of God; in the midst of the stones of fire you walked. You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created, till unrighteousness was found in you" (Ezekiel 28:14-15 ESV)

It is a well known fact that the Corona Virus first made its debut in Wuhan, China. The jury is still out on the cause, and time alone will give us the right answer. In regards to sin, there is no doubt as to its origin or the cause behind it all! No complexity here!

After the Almighty God through His Eternal Son created the Heavens, with angels in a certain hierarchical system therein as His subjects, and the Earth (Col 1:16), there was perfect order in the cosmos for some time. One day, however, and none of us knows exactly "when" for "The secret things belong to the Lord our God..." (Deu. 29:29 NIV), something changed. Note the following:

"You said in your heart, 'I will ascend to heaven; above the stars of God, I will set my throne on high; I will sit on the mount of assembly, in the far reaches of the north; will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High, But you are brought down to Sheol, to the far reaches of the pit...'" (Isa 14:12-15 ESV

...There was rebellion by an archangel who lusted for God's throne (we see sins of lust of the eyes and pride of life in his rebellion) resulting in his fall from God's Grace.

No excuse whatsoever is there for this tragic, far-reaching rebellion of the Devil. The creation, which ultimately owes its very existence to the Creator, needs to be subject to the Good Creator rather than being independent of Him! Oh, how much is our Heavenly Father's joy linked to our act of being subject to Him!

Ah...now we come to the crux of the matter. Sin, unwrapped of all its fanciful trappings, is the exact opposite of humble subjection to the Creator. In other words, it is all about acting independent of the Creator God without being humbly subjected to Him, resulting in the loss of right relationship (read righteousness) with Him. This act of coming out of humble subjection is invariably intertwined with pursuance of an "apparent benefit" (not a benefit at all per se... The greatest benefit lies in being humbly subject to the Creator's will!), which matters more to the sinner (in Satan's case, it was about sitting in God's throne) at that tragic moment than the right relationship with the Creator. We forget that He rejoices in seeing His precious creation being subject to Him, and He grieves at the rejection of His authority. The invisible cue, or the "prompter" behind this act of coming out of humble subjectivity and causing grief to the Creator, can be called in other words, Pride-the bane of the Devil.

If any one of us are reasoning that sin originated in the Garden of Eden, it is time we revise our opinion. It began in the heavenly realm before the creation of the Garden of Eden, with the culprit behind its origin being Satan and his innate and the invisible prompter behind it all being pride.

Contaminate and Consequences...

If Corona virus, having originated from Wuhan in China, spread in Wuhan, first taking a heavy toll therein before spreading throughout the globe, then sin, which began in the Heavenly realm, initially started spreading there (1/3rd of the angels sadly joined the Satan's rebellion -- See Rev. 12:4) before later spreading its wicked tentacles into the pristine Garden of Eden and to all of God's precious, innocent children.

Even the first sin in the Garden of Eden was not committed by our first parents, but by the Devil Himself, when he "hissed" the first lie therein ... "Thou shalt not die (when you eat the forbidden fruit." (Gen. 3:4 KJV)). No wonder, he is called the father of all lies by our Saviour Himself (See John 8:44)!

What happened in the Garden of Eden when the first temptation came the way of our first progenitors is now a sad, sad history -- albeit not without hope of redemption! In fact, it replicated Devil's original sin of the Heavenly realm in that our first parents cast aside the "blessed yoke" of humble subjection to God's will, not caring a hoot for the right relationship with Him in the process. For them, the "the apparent benefits", which would accrue out of stepping outside God's domain of instructions, mattered more than His joy of they remaining within them.

Consequent to Satan projecting the "apparent benefits" to Eve, in her action of disobedience to the Divine instructions, which was nothing but lawlessness (See John 3:4), she proudly proclaimed her "independence of God" not so much with her lips as by her willful actions. The mega sins (See 1 John 2:16/Gen 3:6) were all exemplified in her action of disobedience:

a) Lust of the flesh: The tree was good for food;
b) Lust of the eyes: The tree was a delight to the eyes;
c) Pride of life: The tree would make her equal to God in knowing right and wrong.

Note that they all revolved around "a Tree of knowledge" located incidentally in the centre of her then known world, the Garden of Eden...

While Corona virus does not get transmitted from a parent to an offspring (I reiterate that studies have underscored this point), the far more deadly virus of sin gets transmitted from parent to child. Courtesy of the disobedience of our first parents, which signaled the advent of sin into mankind, the tragic consequence is: "...all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Rom. 3:23; See also Rom. 5:12)! We all are born with the inherent independent rebellious sinful spirit giving us, with no desire whatsoever to live lives of humble subjection to the Creator to whom we owe our very existence. That very thought of being humbly subject to the Creator’s will is totally alien to us from birth. Nobody (neither our parents nor our school teachers in kinder garden) teaches how to tell a lie, but we pick up this lawless trait "naturally". In the same manner, the trait of disobeying our parents' simple instructions comes "naturally" to us, much in the manner our first progenitors disobeyed their Heavenly Father's instructions.

Want proof? Ask any young and "innocent" Dennis the Menace as to why so very frequently, he finds himself in the rocking chair in a room's corner! )Hey, I am missing my Newspaper comic strips...for that matter my favourite "Morninger" itself in these days when even its distribution seems to have been put in abeyance due to the fact that its "harmless" pages can carry the "harmful" virus! Nothing quite like flipping through the pages of one's favourite newscarrier rather than poring over its digital version in a Smartphone ... Sob)!

Prayer: Father, we are thankful for what all You in your infinite wisdom have permitted to happen recently. Enable your children your children to absorb meaningful lessons at this time and pass it onto the unchurched ones too in order they too can experience your redemptive love. Amen.

Suresh Manoharan
Hyderabad-India
J and SM Ministries

Announcements

Please join us on Thursday for "A Cure for a Virus Deadlier than Corona Virus", Part 2 to learn about the cure!

Admin Sat 23 May 2020, 10:29 pm

Not a nano second seems to pass in all forms of media nowadays without we being updated about the rising number of infections and casualties on account of the deadly Corona Virus. Even as I began preparing this message, the news of a celeb like Prince Charles having tested positive for this lethal virus trickled down. And to think in his social interaction, he had been as cautious as possible, replacing handshakes with Indian style Namaste, whilst greeting dignitaries of other Nations! By the time I was concluding this message, the News of Boris Johnson, the British Prime Minister having been infected was "in the air". From paupers to princes, from a person down in the dumps economically in some remote corner of this World to a distinguished National leader residing in the famous Downing Street, London, this virus seems to be in no mood of sparing anyone!

For a layman, a chill would run across his spine when the chilling truth sinks in that all kinds of people, irrespective of their societal status, are becoming victims of the "predatory instincts" of this contagious disease.

Besides doing all that is socially correct by strictly adhering to Government rules aimed at curbing the spread of this disease, are there any spiritual lessons for us to be learned at this time of universal crisis? Plenty, if you ask me...

In this Series of 6 parts with sub-headings beginning with "C", Yours Truly aims to focus on a virus which is far more deadly than Corona virus. And that, Ladies and Gentlemen, is sin (Remember that all other disease-causing viruses originated from this one!). In addition, and most importantly, we will also be focusing on the cure!

There are many reasons for stating that sin is far more lethal than Corona virus. Here two of them:

a) COVID-19 (another name for Corona Virus) can merely kill the body, whereas sin, in contrast, kills not only body but also permanently separates a person's spirit (his real self) from its Creator God leading to a far more excruciating "Second death" (read damnation into Hell Rev 2:11).

b) Covid-19 virus is not transmitted from a mother to a child (recent studies have substantiated this point), whereas sin gets transmitted from parents to their offspring

Before zeroing in on the main cause of sin and the solution for it, firstly let us cast spotlight on a Scripture portion, which gives one a glimpse of the situation prevalent in the contemporary world and the glorious future. The scenario may appear apparently tragic, but it is tailor-made (an offshoot of our Heavenly Father's infinite wisdom) to fashion us into a Christ-like image and make us pine for a better world:

"For all creation is waiting patiently and hopefully for that future day when God will resurrect his children. For on that day thorns and thistles, sin, death, and decay--the things that overcame the world against its will at God's command--will all disappear, and the world around us will share in the glorious freedom from sin which God's children enjoy. For we know that even the things of nature, like animals and plants, suffer in sickness and death as they await this great event. And even we Christians, although we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory, also groan to be released from pain and suffering. We, too, wait anxiously for that day when God will give us our full rights as his children, including the new bodies he has promised us--bodies that will never be sick again and will never die." (Romans 8:19-30 TLB)

Please join us on Tuesday for "A Cure for a Virus Deadlier than Corona Virus", Part 2, to see the cause, contamination and consequences of sin!

Prayer: Father, You in your infinite wisdom have permitted this global crisis. Enable your children your children to absorb meaningful lessons at this time and pass it onto the unchurched ones, too, in order they too can experience your redemptive love. Amen.

Suresh Manoharan
Hyderabad-India
J and SM Ministries

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Admin Thu 21 May 2020, 10:33 pm

NUGGET Today's Devotional - Page 11 Raw?appid=YMailNorrin&ymreqid=2e9d598e-399b-5e90-1c96-f20001017900&token=zitEzqOML3j84e6ealFTT5U7-km5qEQF52lp7AcCuBbpSVmqVp7Mb1q_UYn7twkRB1-qIdDQsPsbO8JXArPhA02Acmnr9mgmTGCL79S-UbQGYHG5zZROOYeWZBW-NzAx

Have you ever picked seashells by the seashore? If so, then you're aware that many of the shells can be in small pieces, broken and crushed. You might even be lucky enough to find a shell that is absolutely perfect, undamaged and without blemish.

Recently my wife and I were doing just that. We were hunting for seashells amidst the frothy surf as waves rolled into the shoreline. It wasn't long before my wife had a small collection of pretty ocean treasures in her hands. Most of the shells we found were a fraction of their original size and beauty. Some were smooth, while others were grooved and differed in shape and color.

As we sauntered along, my wife mentioned how the shell pieces reminded her of us, Gods broken people. All of us with fractured lives and weighed down with personal baggage and sin. As she browsed through the shells, much of their natural beauty was covered by sand until we washed them clean.

No doubt you can see where I'm going with this?

Further along the beach we found that perfect shell! It was pure and unbroken, a further reminder of our need for a perfect Savior; that only our belief in and acceptance of Jesus Christ can help put the broken pieces of our lives back together again and grant us healing, peace and salvation.
As I washed away the sand from the broken shells, my wife kept the perfect shell in her hand. When we combined them all, the broken with the unbroken, we couldn't help but think of how our messy lives are washed clean and made whole because of the cross and the blood shed by our Savior. He shields us, protects us and covers us with his loving arms.

Check out these verses:

"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:9 NIV)

"Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. Your filth will be washed away, and you will no longer worship idols." (Ezekiel 36:25 NIV)

Is my life a broken shell? Yes; Am I covered in sand? Absolutely; But I know I'm saved by faith in Jesus, washed clean and made whole through the blood of the Lamb. And you my dear friend can be too. Salvation is not rocket science or something you can earn. Salvation is a free gift if only we ask and believe.

Need proof?

"Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." (Romans 10:13 NIV)

"I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand." (John 10:28 NIV)

So there you have it! Like us, seashells may be broken and dirty, but one thing is certain. Jesus Christ is worth your effort, your time and your sacrifice. And just like the thrill of finding that perfect shell at the beach, an even greater joy awaits those who place their faith in our beautifully perfect Savior.

Amen to that!

Paul Smyth

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Admin Tue 19 May 2020, 9:17 pm

NUGGET Today's Devotional - Page 11 Raw?appid=YMailNorrin&ymreqid=2e9d598e-399b-5e90-1c68-840001015c00&token=zitEzqOML3j84e6ealFTT5U7-km5qEQF52lp7AcCuBbpSVmqVp7Mb1q_UYn7twkRB1-qIdDQsPsbO8JXArPhA02Acmnr9mgmTGCL79S-UbQGYHG5zZROOYeWZBW-NzAx

"Let's go get you a new computer chair," my husband urged.

"No," I responded with a doubtful shake of my aching head. "I'll be okay." I paused to try to rub the stiffness from my neck and shoulders. "I think it's just my glasses. With my bifocals, and I have to tip my chin up to be able to see the screen through the appropriate visual prescription."

He shook his head and began massaging my shoulders, and I proceeded to elevate my chair to its maximum height. Thirty minutes later, I had to take a break because I had could no longer stand the pain in my head, my neck and my shoulders.

"Let's go get you a new chair," my husband repeated.

I just shook my head. We had just moved, and with all the expenses, I couldn't see spending the money required for a new chair. "I think I'll buy cheap reading glasses. That way it won't matter how my head is tipped. I'll still be able to see." And I proceeded to put a 10cm thick book on the seat of my chair. Fifteen minutes later, I had to take another break. My head was pounding, my eyes were strained and I couldn't stand the pain in my neck and shoulders.

"Let's go get you a new chair!"

I have to admit that as I shook my head, I was annoyed. He was starting to sound like a parrot! My old chair had never bothered my eyes before. It couldn't be the chair. Surely it wasn't the new computer desk he had insisted on buying me...

"Here," he said, pushing his computer chair to my desk. "At least try a different chair and see if it will make a difference."

I started to argue, but he had already removed my old chair and was using it at his computer desk.

When my headache had eased a tiny bit, I reluctantly made my way back to the computer and sat down in his chair. It was amazing, but I was able to work for the next 30 minutes without aggravating my headache, and at the end, my neck and shoulders felt better than when I'd begun. Okay...Maybe it was the chair! But why buy a new one when I could use his?

It was about 30 minutes after that when he got up and went looking for his lower back brace. "What's wrong?" I asked.

"It's that chair!" he complained. "It's hurting my back! Let's go buy you a new chair so I can have mine back!"

"No," I continued to argue. "You can have your chair back. I'll just..."

He didn't give me a chance to finish as he ushered me into the car.

The new chair did help. Lots. Why didn't I just accept his offer of help earlier on? Why was I so stubborn about not getting a new chair?

And why am I so stubborn about accepting help in general?

Especially spiritual help?

You see, no matter what problem I face, God is always there, holding out His hand, offering to help me through: "The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need." (Ps. 23:1 NLT).

Why don't I just accept His help?

Sure, He doesn't always remove the problem; but He offers to walk the road with me, to hold my hand, to encourage and to bless me: "He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams. He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name. Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me. You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies. You honor me by anointing my head with oil." (Ps. 23:2-5a NLT).

And in the end, God is there to even help me understand that it had indeed been a road worth walking: "My cup overflows with blessings. Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the Lord forever." (Ps. 23:5b,6 NLT)

Let's pray: Dear Lord Jesus, thank You so much for walking the road to Calvary to provide for my every need. Thank You for being there, to walk with me through the valleys, to hold my hand, to guide and protect and comfort me, and thank You that one day I will see why this was a road worth walking. But Lord, I have this problem accepting Your help! Humble me. Help me to reach out to you immediately, so that I don't have to continue to plow through on my own. In the precious name of Jesus, Amen!

Anyone want an office chair? I won't make promises as to how comfortable it is, but I have one up for grabs...

In His love,
Lyn

Lynona Gordon Chaffart, Author, Moderator, the Nugget, with Answers2Prayer Ministries, www.answers2prayer.org .

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Whatever it is you are up against, don't try to plow through on your own! Accept God's help! You may find some assistance in previously published Nuggets on facing trials. Just click here!

Admin Sun 17 May 2020, 12:53 pm

NUGGET Today's Devotional - Page 11 Raw?appid=YMailNorrin&ymreqid=2e9d598e-399b-5e90-1ca2-b4002c01b900&token=zitEzqOML3j84e6ealFTT5U7-km5qEQF52lp7AcCuBbpSVmqVp7Mb1q_UYn7twkRB1-qIdDQsPsbO8JXArPhA02Acmnr9mgmTGCL79S-UbQGYHG5zZROOYeWZBW-NzAx

We were at a beautiful beach near Fort de Fleur-Epee in Guadeloupe when I first heard the screaming child. He couldn't have been more than 6 months old, just old enough to sit unsupported; and there he sat, screaming in fear, in about 3 inches of ocean water. Meanwhile, his father sat calmly by.

My first thought?

How can a good father just sit by and watch while his child screams in fear?

I'm afraid that something else caught my attention at that point, and I didn't think anything more about the child and the ocean until the next day when we happened upon a similar scenario. We were walking along a tropical beach in Ste-Anne, Guadeloupe, when again my attention was drawn to a screaming child. This time it was a baby girl, and she couldn't have been more than a year old. She was being held in her mother's arms, but her mother was standing waist-deep in ocean water, and the breaking of the gentle waves sent sprays of seawater over the baby girl.

My first thought?

Again...How can that mother, no matter how protectively she was holding her child, just stand by and watch her baby scream in fear?

That's when I remembered the screaming boy with his father the day before; but alas, my attention was then diverted to something else and it wasn't until later that day that both incidences were brought back to mind. We were walking along yet another pristine tropical beach on the shores of Guadeloupe when yet another screaming child caught my attention. This was a baby boy who was likely under 6 months of age. He was also being held by his mother while she sat in the shallow water of the shoreline. Although she was obviously protective of her child, she seemed completely oblivious to the fact that each ocean spray caused him to scream even louder in fear...

That's when God began to speak to me. You see, these were obviously loving parents. They were all right there protecting their babies. The reason they didn't remove their children from the source of fear is that they knew something the babies did not know. They knew the water wouldn't hurt their precious little ones. They knew that the fear in their babies was completely ungrounded, and that the fear of the ocean would only stand in the way of their safety, their fun, maybe even their livelihoods, as many in Guadeloupe are fishermen. They knew that the only way to help their dear little ones overcome their fear of water was...to expose them to it! And so they sat, all three loving parents, oblivious to the screaming of their babies...

I am so often just like those three babies. I have fears: Will I have enough money? What if I miss the bus? What will I do if something happens to my spouse? What would my family without me if something happened to me? How will I ever get all this work done? What will I do if ____ gets mad at me? How can I help ___ see that their fear is unfounded? What if I lose my job? How can I _______________....

Have you been there?

Perhaps you are their right now?

If so, then you, too, can emphasize with those three screaming babies. We don't like what we see around us, we want to be away from the wind and the waves, and we don't understand why our loving Heavenly Father doesn't just pick us up out of the water and take us to safer, higher, dryer ground...

But the lesson that God really drove home for me from these ocean waves was this: Our loving Heavenly Father knows that we are not in any real danger. He is standing by to protect us from the really bad stuff, and even to comfort us through the waves. He knows that our fears will only stand in the way of a productive, faith-filled life, and will keep us from truly experiencing the freedom and joy He has for each of us. He also knows that in time we will learn to trust Him in the midst of the ocean waves, and so He allows us to "sit" in the "water" of trials for a time. But all the time He is there with His protective arms around us, with His protective hand upon us, ever ready to sweep us away should any real danger arise.

Oh, what a loving heavenly Father we have!

Prayer: Father God, may I stop wishing away the trials of life. May I stop fearing them. May I put my faith in You and You alone, ever knowing that You will carry me through, and in the process, may I learn to trust in Your unfailing, everlasting love.

Feeling like a screaming baby?

Remember the Truth of Romans 5:3-5: "Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us." (NIV)

Take a step back and trust Your Heavenly Father who is right there carrying you through. Trust Him to know what is best for you. Trust Him to teach you the lessons you need in life. Just...trust Him!

In His love,
Lyn

Lynona Gordon Chaffart, Speech-Language Pathologist, mother of two, Author -- "Aboard God's Train -- A Journey With God Through the Valley of Cancer", 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. Follow Lyn on Twitter @lynchaffart.

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Admin Thu 14 May 2020, 11:36 pm

NUGGET Today's Devotional - Page 11 Raw?appid=YMailNorrin&ymreqid=2e9d598e-399b-5e90-1c8c-000001012100&token=zitEzqOML3j84e6ealFTT5U7-km5qEQF52lp7AcCuBbpSVmqVp7Mb1q_UYn7twkRB1-qIdDQsPsbO8JXArPhA02Acmnr9mgmTGCL79S-UbQGYHG5zZROOYeWZBW-NzAx

"Stop being mean, bad-tempered and angry. Quarreling, harsh words and dislike of others should have no place in your lives. Instead, be kind to each other, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, just as God has forgiven you because you belong to Christ." (Ephesians 4:31-32 TLB)

As I was busy giving my two year old granddaughter her lunch the other day. I had to remind her several times that the food was hot and to be careful and blow on it. Although I was eating my food without any problem, her little mouth is still very tender and what is not too hot for me, is still too hot for her.

This little scenario brought today's Scripture verses to my mind. It reminded me that just as over the years, my lips and tongue and mouth have become much less sensitive to hot food, my mind can also become much less sensitive to others around me.

Relationships are difficult things to maneuver. Whether it is a relationship within a marriage, with our children or parents, within the church, or our jobs or with our neighbours, or even other drivers sharing or not sharing the road, relationships are always changing and creating challenges. And sometimes as we grow older cynicism can very easily set in. We get sick and tired of always putting up with the same behaviour, or what we consider unacceptable behaviour in others which can gradually erode the tender-hearts God has blessed us with through our relationship with Christ. We get caught up nattering away to ourselves about how others have or are or we think are going to treat us and before we know it quarreling, harsh words and the dislike of others can become common place within our behaviour.|

But God has given us a cure for such hard-heartedness. He instructs us to be kind to each other and tender-hearted, forgiving one another, just as He has forgiven us because of Christ. God knows that if we just step out and start being kind and tender towards others, whether we may feel like it or not, those acts or words of kindness begin to work their power upon our cynicism.

Just as blowing on hot food cools it down, doing acts of kindness when we feel hot tempered towards others, cools our attitude down and allows room for the Holy Spirit to begin to change it into God's attitude toward others within us. And as this happens forgiveness becomes easier and easier amidst any and all situations and relationships.

So today may each of us consider through the guiding power of prayer, the state of our own heart. Has it become hard hearted in regards to our relationships with others? Has there been any quarreling, hard words or the dislike of others within our realm? If the answer is "yes" may we make the decision to embrace God's cure for this condition and begin, whether we feel like it or not, to be kind to each other, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, just as God has forgiven us because we belong to Christ.

Prayer: Father God we come to You today and ask that You would search our hearts and reveal any hard-heartedness within us. Bless us with obedience toward Your cure for this condition and strengthen us to just step out and begin acting upon it that our hearts may be restored to the tender condition You desire within us. In Christ's name we prayer. Amen.

Lynne Phepps
Atlin, B.C.

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