World Wide Christians Partner with Jesus' Place/
Would you like to react to this message? Create an account in a few clicks or log in to continue.
Who is online?
In total there are 25 users online :: 0 Registered, 0 Hidden and 25 Guests :: 2 Bots

None

[ View the whole list ]


Most users ever online was 386 on Sun 25 Apr 2021, 2:56 pm
Latest topics
» JIHAD WATCH
NUGGET Today's Devotional - Page 19 EmptyYesterday at 11:38 pm by Admin

» Gatestone Institute
NUGGET Today's Devotional - Page 19 EmptyYesterday at 11:18 pm by Admin

» AISH
NUGGET Today's Devotional - Page 19 EmptyYesterday at 10:24 pm by Admin

» WORTHY NEWS
NUGGET Today's Devotional - Page 19 EmptyYesterday at 10:21 pm by Admin

» BIBLE STUDY on VERSE
NUGGET Today's Devotional - Page 19 EmptyYesterday at 10:13 pm by Admin

» israelAM
NUGGET Today's Devotional - Page 19 EmptyYesterday at 10:09 pm by Admin

» ISRAEL BREAKING NEWS
NUGGET Today's Devotional - Page 19 EmptyYesterday at 9:54 pm by Admin

» Israel War UPDATE
NUGGET Today's Devotional - Page 19 EmptyYesterday at 9:51 pm by Admin

»  Chip Brogden CHURCH WITHOUT WALLS
NUGGET Today's Devotional - Page 19 EmptyTue 26 Mar 2024, 11:49 pm by Admin

» Pressure from UN Threats
NUGGET Today's Devotional - Page 19 EmptyTue 26 Mar 2024, 11:45 pm by Admin

» Ship that obliterated Baltimore bridge
NUGGET Today's Devotional - Page 19 EmptyTue 26 Mar 2024, 11:44 pm by Admin

» PROPHESY NEWS WATCH
NUGGET Today's Devotional - Page 19 EmptyTue 26 Mar 2024, 11:08 pm by Admin

» Be Fervent in Spirit
NUGGET Today's Devotional - Page 19 EmptyTue 26 Mar 2024, 10:54 pm by Admin

» Remain in God - iBelieve Truth
NUGGET Today's Devotional - Page 19 EmptyTue 26 Mar 2024, 1:25 am by Admin

» Amir Tsarfati BEHOLD ISRAEL
NUGGET Today's Devotional - Page 19 EmptyTue 26 Mar 2024, 12:43 am by Admin

»  HONEST REPORTING Defending Israel from Media Bias plz read REGULAR UPDATES
NUGGET Today's Devotional - Page 19 EmptyMon 25 Mar 2024, 11:40 pm by Admin

» WORTHY NEWS
NUGGET Today's Devotional - Page 19 EmptyMon 25 Mar 2024, 11:00 pm by Admin

» Israel 365 News
NUGGET Today's Devotional - Page 19 EmptyMon 25 Mar 2024, 8:54 pm by Admin

» Is Gaza Really Starving
NUGGET Today's Devotional - Page 19 EmptySun 24 Mar 2024, 11:40 pm by Admin

» NUGGET Today's Devotional
NUGGET Today's Devotional - Page 19 EmptySun 24 Mar 2024, 10:08 pm by Admin

Navigation
 Portal
 Index
 Memberlist
 Profile
 FAQ
 Search

NUGGET Today's Devotional

Page 19 of 40 Previous  1 ... 11 ... 18, 19, 20 ... 29 ... 40  Next

Go down

NUGGET Today's Devotional - Page 19 Empty Re: NUGGET Today's Devotional

Post  Admin Fri 20 Dec 2013, 11:06 pm

Welcome to the Nugget
December 19, 2013
The Greatest Gift, Part 1
bible
By Answers2Prayer
"What do you want for Christmas this year?"

It's a question that I often start asking pretty early on. Say...In September?

Why?

Because by the time everyone in my family has the time to think about Christmas and give me a wishlist, it is usually well into November. Imagine how late I would get the wishlists if I didn't start asking until December!

With all the emphasis on "getting", I have tried to instill in my family the joy of "giving" at Christmas time. My boys learned very quickly how good it made them feel to see the smile on their papa's face when he received one of their gifts, and I am pleased to say that this "joy of giving" seems to have permeated itself through my little world. Rather than asking me what I want for Christmas, many of my friends ask me what I am planning on giving my boys for Christmas!

And yes, Christmas is really about giving, isn't it? It is about God giving of Himself in the form of a tiny baby. It's about Jesus giving of Himself on a cruel Roman cross. It's about the Holy Spirit giving of Himself in the form of our Comforter and Counselor.

But isn't it also about receiving?

Let's say you buy your adult son the perfect gift. You wrap it up and put it under the Christmas tree, just waiting for him to return home for the holidays. But something happens and he can't come home for Christmas. You have the perfect gift under the tree, but you have no one to give it to!

Yes, Christmas is also about receiving. A gift means nothing if it isn't received, and though God's gift for us was given back in Bethlehem, more than 2000 years ago, it is a gift that can still be received. God's greatest joy is for each of His children to receive it. But is it just a one-time gift?

In this three part Christmas series, we will look at the different levels of this wonderful Gift, and we will discuss what we need to do to truly receive the gift of God to the fullest. Today, we will look at the immediate meaning of the gift. Anyone who receives God's gift of baby Jesus and Jesus' sacrifice will receive salvation. That's what Baby Jesus came to give: freedom from sin! "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved." (Acts 16:31).

When Baby Jesus came to this Earth, He had a mission to fulfill, and it was to save sinners: "The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost." (1 Tim. 1:15). To do that, Jesus left the riches of Heaven to come and live among the scum of creation: Sin-laden mankind. Consider the following text: "...did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross..." (Philippians 2:6-8).

Why was this necessary?

Because sin separates us from God: "But your iniquities have separated you from your God; And your sins have hidden His face from you, So that He will not hear." (Isa 59:2, NKJV). Adam and Eve walked with God in the Garden of Eden. They talked with God, face to face, but the moment sin entered the world, they hid themselves. Why? Because sin created a rift where there had once been a relationship, and as a result, no one can have face to face communion with God.

But Jesus' gift repairs the rift that happened in Eden. It is the gift that makes us right again with God, that reconciles us again with God: "...that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation." (1 Cor. 5:19).

As a result of Jesus' Christmas gift, we can once again walk and talk with God. We can have a relationship with Him, and when the last days of our lives have come to us, we can have the assurance that we will go to live with Him in Heaven, where we will walk and talk with Him for eternity.

Now that's a gift worth receiving!

All gifts come with a price tag, however. Sometimes they cost us money, sometimes time, and sometimes our creativity, but all gifts cost something, and Jesus' gift is no different: Jesus' Christmas gift to us cost Him His life. Now there's a sacrifice the most of us aren't willing to make, even for those we love the most, and even at Christmas!

Join us on Saturday for The Greatest Gift, Part 2: The Giving Gift
In His love,
Lyn
Lyn Chaffart, Speech-Language Pathologist, mother of two teens, Author and Moderator for The Nugget, a tri-weekly internet newsletter, and Scriptural Nuggets, a website devoted to Christian devotionals and inspirational poems, with Answers2Prayer Ministries.
Announcement:

Join us on Saturday for The Gift, Part 2!
©Copyright 2011 Answers2Prayer | Matt 10:8 "Freely you have received, freely give."
Admin
Admin
Admin

Posts : 81232
Join date : 2008-10-25
Age : 78
Location : Wales UK

https://worldwidechristians.forumotion.com

Back to top Go down

NUGGET Today's Devotional - Page 19 Empty Re: NUGGET Today's Devotional

Post  Admin Wed 18 Dec 2013, 5:19 pm

Welcome to the Nugget
December 17, 2013
Four P's of Messiah and Beyond, Part 3
NUGGET Today's Devotional - Page 19 HeavenlyHighPriest
By Answers2Prayer
In the concluding part of the series on the Messianic prophecy of Isaiah (9:6-7) which portrays the Messiah as an embodiment of four types of Leaders who led the Chosen Nation of Israel in its "4 installment" 2000 year history, today we come in Chronological order to the last category...

Priests

"And He will be called...Prince of Peace..."

"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)

The last 500 years of Jewish History coinciding towards the end with the First advent of the Messiah witnessed the leadership of Priests beginning with sincere Joshua (Ezra 2:2/3:2/Zech 3:8) and ending with capricious, self-seeking ones...the likes of Annas and Caiaphas (Luke 3:2), who were "yoking" people with their own, man-made "heavy" traditions, so much so that the Redeemer made the clarion call: "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light." (Matt 11:28-30)

Well as per the Law what was the primary calling of the Priest? To stand in the Gap and intercede for the people. He would be the people's representative before God and vice-versa. In other words, he would virtually be a "peacemaker" between Holy God on one side and unholy people on the other. Messiah, by His unique virgin birth alone, qualifies to be the "perfect Peacemaker". By virtue of being the Son of Man (Mary was His mother -- Luke 19:10), He would be Man's advocate before God and by the same token by being Son of God (John 3:16), He would represent the interests of the Almighty before men. Now by shedding His precious atoning blood on the Cross, the Messiah has become the Prince of Peace of the Entire World, as this Scripture declares:

"So Christ has now become the High Priest over all the good things that have come. He has entered that greater, more perfect Tabernacle in heaven, which was not made by human hands and is not part of this created world. With his own blood--not the blood of goats and calves--he entered the Most Holy Place once for all time and secured our redemption forever." (Heb 9:12)

Before He establishes World-wide peace at His Second Advent, Jesus is keener now on establishing the peace that passes all understanding in the hearts of everyone who accepts Him as his "personal High Priest". How is that done? By placing His Holy Spirit in our hearts, who by His joyous presence at all times (except at the times of our disobedience) assures us that all is well between us and our Creator. Is anything more important than this realization, which at once puts our troubled minds at rest?  If the Lord is on our side, then who can be against us...(Romans 8:31).

Now Dear Friends, those of you who have never accepted Jesus as "High Priest" of your life, why delay any further and those who have done so but have back-slidden since, isn't the time right now for appropriating this Biblical promise in your lives:

"But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness." (1 John 1:9)

Christian life begins with repentance and is sustained by repentance.

Hey, the Heavenly Father on the First Christmas put the:

a) Right Product: Messiah embodying the 4 P's of Jewish history;

b) In the Right Place: Israel is at the centre of Earth (See Ezekiel 5:5);

c) At the Right Time: (when Rome the World power had connected the nations under its control with excellent roads facilitating easy spread of the Gospel -- See Galatians 4:4);

d) At the Right Price (Absolutely free to us, but at an incredible cost to Him); and

e) Backed up with the Right Angelic, Cosmic Promotion: (Luke 2:8-15/Matt 2:2) and later by awe-inspiring miracles (John 10:37-38).

Sadly, hardened in their hearts, amongst His own people there were very few who accepted Him (John 1:10-11) when He came for the first time till His death. However the Good News with a capital "G" is even today to those who accept Him...He gives them the right to become children of God (John 1:13) like He did 2000 years ago!

Say Reader, have you accepted Him? Then Merry, merry Christmas to you, brother!!!  Merry, merry Christmas to you, sister!!!

Hallelujah! No theology should end without doxology!!!

Prayer: Father, we praise and thank Thee for giving us the Matchless Messiah!!! May we always be deeply in love with Him during this Christmas and beyond...!!! Amen and Amen

Suresh Manoharan
J and SM Ministries

Announcement:

Please join us on Thursday, Saturday, and next Tuesday for another Christmas special: The Gift!  A mini-series by Lyn Chaffart
©Copyright 2011 Answers2Prayer | Matt 10:8 "Freely you have received, freely give."
Admin
Admin
Admin

Posts : 81232
Join date : 2008-10-25
Age : 78
Location : Wales UK

https://worldwidechristians.forumotion.com

Back to top Go down

NUGGET Today's Devotional - Page 19 Empty Re: NUGGET Today's Devotional

Post  Admin Sun 15 Dec 2013, 9:35 pm

Welcome to the Nugget
December 14, 2013
Four P's of Messiah and Beyond, Part 2
bible
By Answers2Prayer
In the Second part of the series on how the Messiah as per Isaiah's prophecy (9:6-7) is an embodiment of 4 types of towering leaders who led the Nation of Israel in their 2000 year history, (after having focused upon the Patriarchs in the First part) today we come to other 2 types of Leaders:

Prophets

"And He will be called...Wonderful Counselor...

An Oxford Dictionary would give the definition of the word Counsellor as one who gives "guidance". Starting with that peerless Prophet Moses and ending with the redoubtable Samuel, the people of Israel for the next 500 years (after the era of Patriarchs) were led by the Prophets. The principle calling of any Prophet is to "guide" the people in the ways of the Lord. Now who was the Greatest of em' all? A no brainer really...Moses by far, for he not only guided the people geotraphically all the way from Egypt to the brink of the Promised Land, but also most importantly was the first of the Prophets to guide them in the matter of holy living in tow with the Holy God (Lev. 20:7-8).

Well Moses, bound by limitations of time and space, could not guide all the people all the time, our Messiah who excels Moses (Heb. 3:3) is a wonderful Counseller guiding us at all times by being within us in the presence of the Holy Spirit (John 14:26/1 Cor. 2:11-16/1 John 2:27) advising us in all matters including those so private that some are known not even to our spouses!!! Say Christian...are you listening to His still small guiding voice (John 10:4/27) in all areas of your life (Is 30:21)?

Princes

"And David perceived that the LORD had established him king over Israel, and that he had exalted his kingdom for his people Israel's sake." (1 Sam. 5:12)

"...the government will be on His shoulders. Of the greatness of His government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom..." (Isaiah 9:6-7)

For the next 500 years after that committed Prophet Samuel made way for the first of the Israeli Kings (Largely people's choice -- King Saul -- who faltered after a promising start) the Princes would lead the people of Israel. It was under King David that the nation, which began as a family 1000 years ago, became a mighty empire holding sway over whole of Mid West Asia. King David besides being the most powerful Monarch in the annals of Jewish history would also become a benchmark to his successors in the matter of obedience to the Almighty (2 Chron. 17:3/28:1/34:2).

What about the Messiah's superiority over great King David. Well, the latter himself calls the Messiah His Lord as this Scripture testifies...

"The LORD said to my Lord, 'Sit in the place of honor at my right hand until I humble your enemies, making them a footstool under your feet.'" (Ps. 110:1/Matt 22:44/Heb 1:13)

Say my fellow pilgrim, is David's Lord the Lord of every area of your life? Before Jesus sets up His universal millennial rule at His imminent Second Advent, He needs to rule first unopposed in the lives of His Chosen Ones, ransomed by His precious atoning blood. Before His Will is done on Earth as it is done in Heaven (Luke 11:2 KJV), should it not be accomplished first in Toto in the lives of every Christian?

Prayer: Father, give us always that submissive heart and gentle spirit which would allow your Son to rule completely unopposed in our lives. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

Suresh Manoharan
J and SM Ministries

Announcement:
Please join us on Tuesday for the concluding part of Four P's of Messiah and Beyond, Part 3!
©Copyright 2011 Answers2Prayer | Matt 10:8 "Freely you have received, freely give."
Admin
Admin
Admin

Posts : 81232
Join date : 2008-10-25
Age : 78
Location : Wales UK

https://worldwidechristians.forumotion.com

Back to top Go down

NUGGET Today's Devotional - Page 19 Empty Re: NUGGET Today's Devotional

Post  Admin Sat 14 Dec 2013, 12:51 am

Welcome to the Nugge
December 12, 2013
Four P's of Messiah and Beyond, Part 1

By Answers2Prayer
"For to us a Child is born, to us a Son is given, and the government will be on His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of His government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this." (Isaiah 9:6-7)

A reader may be forgiven if the 4 P's in the title of this message remind him of the 4 P's of Marketing. Yes, the magic mantra of success in Marketing is all about putting the right product in the right place, at the right price, backed by right promotion (thanks Marketing guru E.J. McCarthy). Now can you believe it that Messiah as far as his apparent earthly nature is concerned is an irresistible mix of 4 P's? Confused? Let me explain keeping the above-captioned Scripture portion in focus which is quoted time and again during the Christmas season.

First things first. The promised Messiah who is to be worshipped more than anything else for His unique qualities would be fully Divine (mighty God) and fully human. Events in Jesus' life especially towards the end of His earthly journey attest to this fact. There you see Him dying on the cross (Luke 26:46). Hey, can the Divine die? No! His earthly body died as an atonement for sins of mankind even as His Divine being entrusted not in the grave but into the Heavenly Father's hands went into the ethereal realm to perform supernatural works as the following Scripture portion proclaims:

"So he went and preached to the spirits in prison--those who disobeyed God long ago when God waited patiently while Noah was building his boat." (1 Peter 3:19-20)

Besides His Divine attributes, it is the magnitude of greatness in his apparent "human" traits which would make us fall in love with Him again and again. Now Isaiah the Prophet toeing the line of a creative Modern day Biblical Scholar could well have used the words "Omnipotent, Omnipresent and Omniscient" to capture the essence of the Messiah's character. Why then was he guided by Divine Inspiration to prophetically describe the Messiah as..."Everlasting Father...wonderful Counsellor, Prince of Peace, besides declaring that govenment would rest upon His shoulders."

The answer is as simple as it is profound. For only then would the Messiah instantly and truly appeal as an "irresistible mix" to the Jews truthfully embodying as He was the 4 different types of leaders in the Jewish history!!!

To the uninitiated, let me explain that Israeli history spanning 2000 years before the advent of Christ divides itself neatly into 4 parts of approximately 500 years each. At every stage of their "four installment" history, they were led by towering personalities whom we can classify on the basis of their calling into 4 categories beginning with...what else...the letter P!!! In this Christmas-series of 3 parts we shall focus on the 4 types of leaders who led the chosen Nation of Israel from time to time and how the Messiah is an embodiment of all these 4 types of leaders and beyond.

Firstly, the first of the Ps...


PATRIARCHS:

"And He will be called...Everlasting Father..."

Any recounting of Israeli history be it in the Old Testament or the New Testament times begins by first training the spotlight on the call of the greatest Patriarch of them all Abraham (Joshua 24:3/Acts 7:2 KJV) who is reverently addressed by one and all as Father Abraham (Remember the Sunday School Choral sung by swinging arms matching the beat of marching legs..."Father Abraham had Many Sons..."). Agreed, the twelve tribes may have originated from another great Patriarch Jacob (Abraham's grandson) but there was none greater than Father Abraham amongst the Patriarchs for it was with him that the Divine Covenant was made (Genesis 12:1-3) and the ceremony of circumcision initiated (Genesis 17:9-13). Well Father Abraham who was mortal and rejoiced to see the first advent of the Messiah was not even born "when the everlasting Father-The Messiah, the great I am" was in existence (John 8:56-59) from eternity.

Well, the Jews may take pride in identifying themselves with Father Abraham, calling themselves his children (Matthew 3:9). Be that as it may Dear Reader, this Christmas how about becoming a child of infinitely greater "Everlasting Father" (John 1:12) by accepting Him into your hearts. Every one born as a descendant of fallen Adam (including the respectable ones of the society) needs to accept Him, for all of us by birth inherit the fallen Adamic nature (Romans 5:12). Well Yours truly did it 29 years back...on October 16th, 1983 to be more precise. After becoming His child, Ah...the joys of walking with Him when He starts leading us playing the role of...oh it brings us to the second sub-title.

Wait for it in the next part of this series, appearing this Saturday.

Prayer: Lord Jesus thou art the Everlasting Father. How proud we are to be called by your Name. Enable us to live up to our calling. Amen

Suresh Manoharan
J and SM Ministries

Announcement:

Christmas is almost here. Please join us next week, beginning on Thursday, for a few lessons on gift giving: The Greatest Gift: A Miniseries by Lyn Chaffart
©Copyright 2011 Answers2Prayer | Matt 10:8 "Freely you have received, freely give."
Admin
Admin
Admin

Posts : 81232
Join date : 2008-10-25
Age : 78
Location : Wales UK

https://worldwidechristians.forumotion.com

Back to top Go down

NUGGET Today's Devotional - Page 19 Empty Re: NUGGET Today's Devotional

Post  Admin Wed 11 Dec 2013, 8:33 pm

Welcome to the Nugget
December 10, 2013
Christmas Gift
bible
By Answers2Prayer
This is the greeting you receive if you celebrate Old Christmas. Back before the calendar was changed Christmas was celebrated on January 6. but after the calendar was changed and more days added Christmas was moved to December 25. The Scotch-Irish called December 25 New Christmas. They saw it as the commercial Christmas. they would also celebrate Old Christmas on January 6 which was a spiritual Christmas. It would be a time of music, storytelling and worship and good old fun.

A former pastor at our church started celebrating Old Christmas since we are in the Appalachian Mountains which is where a lot of the Scotch-Irish moved to in the New World. so they continued to celebrate New Christmas and Old Christmas. When our minister resigned from our church he arranged to celebrate in Tennessee's oldest town of Jonesborough for several year.

I took part in some of the celebrations by singing. A friend would tell the story of "Silent Night" and I would start singing the first verse. I also sang a song that our minister found in his research. If you have heard some versions of "The Cherry Tree Carol" this song uses the same tune that most people use. Here are the words:

Joseph and the angel

As Joseph was awalkin' he heard an angel sing:
"This night shall be the birthnight of Christ the heavenly king."
"This night shall be the birthnight of Christ the heavenly King."

"He neither shall be borned in house nor in hall Nor in a king's palace but in a manger stall."
"Nor in a king's palace but in a manger stall."

"He neither shall be washed with white wine nor red But with the clear spring water with which wee were christen-ed."
"But with the clear spring water with which wee were christen-ed."

"He neither shall be clothed in purple nor in pall But in the fair white linen which usen babies all."
"But in the fair white linen which usen babies all."

"He neither shall be rock-ed in silver nor in gold but in the wooden cradle which rocks upon the mold."
"but in the wooden cradle which rocks upon the mold."

"On the sixth day of January His birthday shall be When the stars and the mountains shall tremble with glee."
"When the stars and the mountains shall tremble with glee."

"As Joseph was awalkin' thus he heard the angel sing."
"And Mary's son at midnight was born to be our King."
"And Mary's son at midnight was born to be our King."

Our minister also found a true story which was my favorite out of all the stories that were told at the celebration. It is about the first Christmas tree in Appalachia.

the Solomon family was moving west one winter when it started snowing. I think they were in the area of where Wytheville, Virginia is now. The wife was pregnant so she and her husband found an outcropping of rocks in the mountains. so they got under those rocks to shelter them from the snow that night.

they ended up staying there. He cut down trees and enclosed the front of the rock outcropping. She gave birth to a boy they nicknamed Solly.

When Solly was six years old his mother said they needed a Christmas tree but there was not room for one under that same outcropping of rocks that they still lived under. So his father went looking around the woods around their dwelling and found a holly tree that had the perfect shape. He found a limb out of another tree that had fallen to the ground. He made a cross out of it and used a thong made of deer hide to tie the two pieces of wood together. then he took bear tallow and put it all over the cross. Then he climbed up into the holly tree and used another deer thong to tie the cross to the top of the tree.

On Christmas Eve they invited other families to join them for a celebration.
After it got dark they lit the end of a branch and lighted it up to light the cross. Of course, the fire burned through the deer thongs and the cross tumbled out of the tree and down the hill toward the creek.

Several years later Solly's father saw a native American that had been mauled by a mountain lion. so he took the native American to see if he could mend his wounds. The native American then told Solly's father about the night the burning cross tumbled down towards the creek. That night there was going to be a raid to kill the white man. The native Americans had been preached to by missionaries so knew about the cross but when that flaming cross came towards them where they were hiding they ran. So the cross saved the lives of the white white man several ways.
Dean Masters
Announcement:
Not sure how to uncommercialize Christmas in your home? Check out a few ideas from the recently-published mini-series: Should Christians Celebrate Christmas?
©Copyright 2011 Answers2Prayer | Matt 10:8 "Freely you have received, freely give."
Admin
Admin
Admin

Posts : 81232
Join date : 2008-10-25
Age : 78
Location : Wales UK

https://worldwidechristians.forumotion.com

Back to top Go down

NUGGET Today's Devotional - Page 19 Empty Re: NUGGET Today's Devotional

Post  Admin Mon 09 Dec 2013, 8:15 pm

Welcome to the Nugget
December 7, 2013
The Shepherd and His Flock -- Lessons on Salvation by Faith, Part 6: There Shall be ONE Flock and ONE Shepherd
By Answers2Prayer 
Last week, in The Shepherd and His Flock, Part 5, we saw that when we follow our Good Shepherd, when we let Him lead us, not only are we assured life eternal, but we are assured that He will be our provider, our protector, and our guide throughout life. God doesn't promise us that there won't be problems, He simply promises that our lives will be full! 

The focus of today's lesson, this last one from the Shepherd and the Flock study, is an obscure statement Jesus made towards this end of this famous discourse: "And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd." (John 10:16 NKJV)

To fully understand this text we must also remember that Jesus is speaking to the house of Judah. In other words, He is saying, "I have sheep here in Judea, but I have others too, who aren't Jews!"

Who is Jesus talking about? 

The rest of the house of Israel, yes, and the Samaritans, and the Africans, the Arabs, the native peoples of North America, the Asians, and the Europeans! He is talking about each one of us! That's the good news! The Gospel of the Kingdom is not just for Jewish people, it is for the world! 

But not everyone is one of Jesus' flock. Remember what Jesus said a bit earlier in the discourse? "But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice." (John 10:2-3 NKJV) 

Let's remember the sometimes these sheep pens were large enough to hold many different flocks. In the mornings the shepherd would call out, and only his sheep would follow him, because his sheep knew his voice. In saying these words, Jesus is indicating that not every sheep in the sheep pen is His! 

This concept holds a couple of vitally important facts here, friends! First of all, we can be assured of our Salvation! 

Let's remember that Jesus is saying that not everyone is God's child. Some will not ever respond to Jesus' call. 

Does this mean we are pre-chosen in advance? 

Yes. The Bible teaches that God knows us while we are still in our mother's womb. He knows what decisions we will make. He knows that someday we will (or won't) make a decision for Jesus. It is known even before we are born if we are God's sheep or not! This doesn't mean we don't have the power of choice; it simply means God knows in advance what our choices will be. 

So what differentiates God's flocks from the rest? 

Simply this: "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me." (John 10:27 NKJV)

Want to be assured that you are part of God's flock? It's simple, really! You are part of God's flock when you listen for His voice and when you follow Him!

One more vitally important lesson can be learned from this passage of scripture. 

When Jesus says: "And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd" (John 10:16 NKJV), He is assuring us with confidence that His worldwide saving purpose will be successful! 

Does this mean, then, that we can sit back and watch Him bring those other sheep into the fold?

Not at all. Otherwise Jesus would have never given His last great command while here on Earth: "...Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you..." (Matt 28:19-20a NKJV)! 

Even when He was here on Earth, Jesus sent out others to work towards accomplishing this purpose: "After these things the Lord appointed seventy others also, and sent them two by two before His face into every city and place where He Himself was about to go" (Luke 10:1 NKJV).

The point is, Jesus has called us to help bring the lost sheep of the world into the sheepfold of our Lord and Savoir! 

Therefore, the message for us today from John 10:16 is two-fold: First of all, those who are God's sheep will know His voice and will follow Him. No one can take them from the flock, and their reward is life eternal. And secondly, our job as followers of the Good Shepherd is to go out and call the lost sheep to the fold! 

Have you heard God's voice calling you? Are you truly following the Good Shepherd, going where He leads? Are you working to call more of the lost sheep home? 

This is the last lesson from The Shepherd and His Flock. If you've missed any former lessons, you may access them by clicking here, or email me here.

May God bless you abundantly as He draws you closer and closer to Him! 
 
In His love, 
Lyn
Lyn Chaffart, Speech-Language Pathologist, mother of two teens, Author and Moderator for The Nugget, a tri-weekly internet newsletter, and Scriptural Nuggets, a website devoted to Christian devotionals and inspirational poems, with Answers2Prayer Ministries. 
Announcement:Christmas is almost here.  Join us Thursday and Saturday for The Messiah and Christmas: A mini-series by Suresh Manoharan.

©Copyright 2011 Answers2Prayer | Matt 10:8 "Freely you have received, freely give."
Admin
Admin
Admin

Posts : 81232
Join date : 2008-10-25
Age : 78
Location : Wales UK

https://worldwidechristians.forumotion.com

Back to top Go down

NUGGET Today's Devotional - Page 19 Empty Re: NUGGET Today's Devotional

Post  Admin Sat 07 Dec 2013, 1:08 am

Welcome to the Nugget
December 5, 2013
Should Christians Celebrate Christmas?  Part 4: The Hustle
By Answers2Prayer 
 
Christmas can be a special time, but it can also be a sad time of year. My grandmother, my dad, and my younger brother all died at Christmas time, and another Christmas, my mother fell and broke her hip. In the rehabilitation hospital where I work, we see obvious trends, with more stroke patients coming in our doors in January and February, patients who suffered their strokes at Christmas time. 

Why is this?

And why do I always get sick at Christmas time? 

If Christmas is something that Christians are meant to celebrate, then why does the season bring about so many stress-related incidents? 

It is because we have made Christmas such a busy time of year! We are hustling and bustling around, decorating, baking, shopping, going to parties, trying to ensure that every member of our family is seen by us over the holidays. There is just no time to rest! Surely this isn't what God would want for us at Christmas time!

I was thinking about all of this recently, and God gave me a Bible story: 

"Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus' feet and heard His word. But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, 'Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me.' And Jesus answered and said to her, 'Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.'" (Luke 10:38-42, NKJV) 

Suddenly I understood. It isn't that the preparations for Christmas are wrong. What is wrong is that we make the preparations our priority! We become "distracted" by the shopping and decorating and Christmas cards, so "distracted" that we forget to sit at Jesus' feet and hear His Word! 

So what can you do this year? 

Here are a few practical suggestions that I am going to try. 

1. Do less at Christmas. This allows us to spend more time at Jesus' feet!

2. Don't worry about decorating the house perfectly. 

Two years ago, I became so dismayed because I had to do the decorating all by myself. This past year, on a weekend when my older son was home, I invited over his special friend, and together they, along with my younger son, had a "tree decorating" party. We had so much fun that it didn't seem like work at all! 

3. You don't have to "do" Christmas dinner by yourself. Have it pot-luck style. Enlist the kids to do the clean up afterwards. Or maybe consider going out to dinner for Christmas dinner! 

4. Remember, just because it is a "family tradition" doesn't mean you have to do it every year. There were a few family traditions that didn't happen last year at my house, and I don't think anyone missed them. Perhaps the emphasis on our traditions often takes our minds off of the God we are celebrating!

5. Don't be in a rush to take down the decorations. Do it a little at a time. In our home, we leave up the winter scenes on top of the piano and the bookcases until well into February. Why not? It's snowy and dreary outside anyway, this just brings in a little winter cheer! 

6. Start and end each day in December at the same time and in the same way you would start and end your day any other month of the year. If you aren't finished wrapping presents by the time you would normally have some quiet time aside with God, put aside the gift-wrapping. The preparations can wait. Remember, Mary chose the "good part" -- she sat at Jesus' feet! 

7. Start planning for Christmas months in advance. Think about the people you would like to give gifts too. Is there something you could make that would be special to them? Something that is truly giving of you? 

Here are just a few examples of gifts I've recently received that I found to be especially special: 

a. A child--a beautiful little girl from Ecuador for me to sponsor. 

b. A year's worth of ironing. Hey, it doesn't cost a dime, but oh, do I ever appreciate it! 

c. Homemade cookies. My husband, who is a teacher, received so many gifts of homemade cookies this year. I was delighted. That meant I didn't have to make cookies for Christmas Eve. A double batch of cookies placed on decorative plates and done up with plastic wrap and bows will make at least half a dozen beautiful and inexpensive gifts, gifts that are truly giving of yourselves, gifts that truly portray the love of God. 

The list could go on, but suffice is to say, we don't have to sweat the Christmas gifts. All we need to do is to follow Jesus' example and give of ourselves.

In summary, I do not believe that it is wrong for followers of Christ to celebrate Christmas. I believe that we can let the symbols of Christmas point us to the Christ Child, and with just a little effort on our part, we can not only keep Christ in our Christmas, but we can let His love shine forth through our celebration of Christmas to a lost and hungering world, thus shining forth as the true lights of Christmas. 

Does this really work? All I can say is that with the tiny changes we made last year to how we celebrated Christmas, all of my family were overheard to say they truly felt Christ in our Christmas. 

This is the last part of the Should Christians Celebrate Christmas series. If you have missed any of the parts and would like to have access to them, you will find them posted online by clicking here. Or you can email me and I will be happy to forward them to you. May God bless you, may He fill your home with His presence as each of us strive to make room for Him this Christmas! 

In His love, 
Lyn
Lyn Chaffart, Speech-Language Pathologist, mother of two teens, Author and Moderator for The Nugget, a tri-weekly internet newsletter, and Scriptural Nuggets, a website devoted to Christian devotionals and inspirational poems, with Answers2Prayer Ministries. 
 
Announcement:
God is concerned about even the minutest points of our lives, and if we let Him, He will guide us into the right decisions, 100% of the time! Our only job is to seek His guidance every step of the way. Visit us online for the previously-published series, "God Guides"!
©Copyright 2011 Answers2Prayer | Matt 10:8 "Freely you have received, freely give."
Admin
Admin
Admin

Posts : 81232
Join date : 2008-10-25
Age : 78
Location : Wales UK

https://worldwidechristians.forumotion.com

Back to top Go down

NUGGET Today's Devotional - Page 19 Empty Re: NUGGET Today's Devotional

Post  Admin Thu 05 Dec 2013, 1:30 am

Welcome to the Nugget
December 3, 2013
Welcome to the Nugget
By Answers2Prayer
Somebody gave me a creamy white cross. It was about the size of a piece of costume jewellery and I looked it over carefully because I had not seen anything like it before. 

It was hand made and smooth with a slight sheen, and the more I looked at it and handled it, the more I liked it. In fact it took on personality and it seemed to come alive in its own way.

I was shocked to be told it was crafted from the old bone of a dead cow. It was astounding that long after it had died this part of the cow, at least, could have new life and take on new attributes. 

So bones have importance and all over the world there are dead bones, not just of creatures but of people. They are in graves, in unknown places, and in the depths of the sea, and we share their tragic legacy. 

Even Joseph, virtually Prime Minister of Egypt at its height, considered where his bones should rest and told the children of Israel take them up with them to the promised land (See Exodus 13:19). Joseph's faith was confirmed in the famous faith chapter in Paul's letter to the Hebrews. He said, some three hundred years or more after Joseph's death, the children of Israel remembered Joseph's command.

I think Joseph believed that the Lord would establish his kingdom through Israel and when the day of resurrection came, he wanted to be in God's Kingdom. Later on, the Lord even tested Ezekiel on the idea of dead bones when Ezekiel was shown a valley full of dead bones and the Lord asked him, "Can these bones live?" (Ezekiel 37:3).

God demonstrated a picture here for Ezekiel, and said old bones will be restored and they will come to life and be real people and the bones were given sinews and flesh and they breathed the air we breathe. 

Such life is the prerogative of the Lord as Job had already declared, "Thine hands have made me and fashioned me." (Job 10:8), and in verse 11 he says, "Thou hast clothed me with skin and flesh and hast fenced me with bones and sinews."

Jesus himself confirms that He identifies with us. After His resurrection He said, "Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself; handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have." (Luke 24:39). 

So there is a future of reality for dead bones and my little cross, made of dead bone, reminds me of it. 

Jesus did not come from the grave as a spirit, He came as a real person because in verse 42 He asked for food and His disciples gave Him honeycomb and broiled fish "and he took it and did eat before them." A little later in verse 51 Luke tells us that "while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven." 

Then in Romans 6:5 Paul says emphatically that "we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection" and in his letter to the Ephesians that "we are members of his body, of his flesh and of his bones" (Ephesians 5:30).

So now my little cross of old bone is a keepsake that Jesus is what we shall be. He is for real and He is one of us. 

Elizabeth Price


Announcement:

The book of John is packed full of life-giving nuggets of Truth. We invite you to read previously-published devotionals from the Book of John by clicking here. Please join us this Saturday for the final study on The Shepherd and His Flock!   
©Copyright 2011 Answers2Prayer | Matt 10:8 "Freely you have received, freely give."
Old Bones
Admin
Admin
Admin

Posts : 81232
Join date : 2008-10-25
Age : 78
Location : Wales UK

https://worldwidechristians.forumotion.com

Back to top Go down

NUGGET Today's Devotional - Page 19 Empty Re: NUGGET Today's Devotional

Post  Admin Sun 01 Dec 2013, 2:14 pm

Welcome to the Nugget
November 30, 2013
The Shepherd and His Flock -- Lessons on Salvation by Faith, Part 5: I am the Good Shepherd 
By Answers2Prayer
Last week, in The Shepherd and His Flock, Part 4, we saw that Jesus is the "gate" to the sheep pen. He willingly took the fall for us, when we were the ones who deserved it, and as a result, salvation and eternal life are ours for the taking. There is just one catch: We cannot get to Heaven in any other way except through Him! (See Acts 4:12) 

But is Salvation the only advantage to being one of God's sheep?

Not at all. Jesus mentions several others in this discourse. Let's take a look: 

"and the sheep listen to His voice. He calls His own sheep by name and leads them out ... and His sheep follow Him because they know His voice." (John 10:3 NIV). 

One of the biggest advantages to being a follow of Jesus is this: when we accept His gift of Salvation, we are assured that we will not only know God's voice when we hear it, but that we will also listen to it! 

But wait. Isn't recognizing the voice of our Lord and Savior a huge problem for most Christians? How, then, is it that we will know it and listen to it?

Jesus gives us the explanation: "I am the Good Shepherd. I know My sheep and My sheep know Me--just as the Father knows Me and I know the Father..." (John 10:14-15a)

Wait a minute. We will know Jesus in the same way that Jesus knows the Father? But isn't Jesus God? Part of the three-in-one? An integral part of the God-head? 

Yes, He is. And since He is a part of the God-head, then Jesus knows the Father and the Father knows Him! 

But Jesus is saying we will know Him in the same way. How can this be? We're certainly not part of the God-head! 

We are told that when we accept Jesus' gift of Salvation, He comes to live in our hearts: "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." (Gal 2:20 NIV) If Christ lives in us, then we have a part of the God-head living in our hearts! This means that His voice is part of us! 

So, then, why is it that we don't recognize it? 

Because we don't take the time to listen, to spend time with God, to learn to hear His voice, to sense His presence, to understand when His Spirit is speaking to us! 

So every time we say, "If only God would speak to me ...", He is doing just that! He is ready to give us all the guidance we need. All we have to do is learn to listen! 

And that, my friends, is one of the biggest advantages to being God's child! We have access to knowing the thoughts of the Holy of Holies, the Creator of the universe!

But there are more. Jesus also said, "When He has brought out all His own, He goes on ahead of them, and His sheep follow Him ..." (John 10:4 NIV) Jesus promises to LEAD us! Where? 

"He will come in and go out, and find pasture ..." (John 10:9b)

Other places in the Bible confirm this, Psalms 23, for example. When Jesus refers to "pasture", He is referring to food, water, peace and tranquility. All of that is ours, through Him!

If this is true, then why don't we always feel like our food and water are sure? Why don't we always experience that tranquility? 

Jesus never promised we would live trouble free lives: "In this world you will have trouble." (John 16:33b NIV). What Jesus promises is that if we keep our eyes fixed upon Him, we will overcome: "But take heart! I have overcome the world." (John 16:33c NIV)! Jesus came to give us abundant life: "I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." (John 10:10b NIV) But the only way to have that abundant life is to surrender completely to His will, to let Him carry us through whatever troubles we have to go through. He will provide our way of escape. It may not look the way we envision it to look, but it will be there! 

Friends, when we follow our Good Shepherd wherever He leads, not only are we assured life eternal, but we are also assured that He will be our provider, our protector, and our guide. God wants us to live our lives to the fullest, and He knows that the only way to do so is by completely surrendering to His will. We may think that certain things are our "due". But God doesn't promise us riches or elegant cars or big, fancy weddings. He promises that our lives will be full, and that will only happen when we, like sheep, follow our Shepherd! 

Please join us next Saturday for the last lesson from The Shepherd and His flock: There Shall be One Flock and One Shepherd. 

In His love, 
Lyn
Lyn Chaffart, Speech-Language Pathologist, mother of two teens, Author and Moderator for The Nugget, a tri-weekly internet newsletter, and Scriptural Nuggets, a website devoted to Christian devotionals and inspirational poems, with Answers2Prayer Ministries. 
Announcement:Christmas is coming soon.  The stores are all decked out in Santas and Reindeer, and as we go into this season of the year an important question must be addressed:  With all the commercialism that surrounds the Holidays, should Christians even celebrate Christmas?  Join us on Thursdays for Should Christians Celebrate Christmas? -- A mini-series by Lyn Chaffart.

©Copyright 2011 Answers2Prayer | Matt 10:8 "Freely you have received, freely give."
Admin
Admin
Admin

Posts : 81232
Join date : 2008-10-25
Age : 78
Location : Wales UK

https://worldwidechristians.forumotion.com

Back to top Go down

NUGGET Today's Devotional - Page 19 Empty Re: NUGGET Today's Devotional

Post  Admin Fri 29 Nov 2013, 5:34 pm

Welcome to the Nugget
November 28, 2013
Should Christians Celebrate Christmas?  Part 3: The Giving of Gifts
By Answers2Prayer 
 
Last week, in Should Christians Celebrate Christmas, Part 2, we discovered that even though they are all of pagan origins, all of the things we normally associate with Christmas can be used to draw us closer to Him! We can't get away from these symbols. Instead we can use them to point us back to the real reason for the season: Jesus Christ!

But what about the giving of gifts? Is that something a Christian should do in celebration of Christmas? With overspending such a huge problem in North American, with some families raking in sometimes thousands of dollars of debt all in the name of gift-giving, and with the fact that for the most part, those who receive our gifts aren't exactly needy, isn't the giving of gifts at Christmas simply feeding our materialistic nature? 

I took that question back to God, and His immediate answer was "yes"! 

Gift-giving is vitally important because it reminds us of Jesus' ultimate gift. And while we are giving gifts, we are also receiving, an important reminder that Jesus' gift does us no good whatsoever if we do not receive it! 

But how can we avoid feeding our inherent materialism? 

This past year I awoke on Christmas morning to a white world. Since everyone was still sleeping, I went out for a walk. What an ideal opportunity to talk to God about what was on my heart, and the farther I walked in that freshly fallen snow, the more convicted I became that I had not done well in the area of gift-giving this Christmas! 

Oh, I had spent plenty of time Christmas shopping. I had carefully chosen each gift, wrapped it up, and stowed it away under the Christmas tree. What more could I have done? 

But the sense of rebuke would not shift.

Then, suddenly God began to show me tiny snippets of my life over the past few weeks. 

First was the time when my husband had suggested we invite someone over who might not have anyone to celebrate Christmas with. I had listened and given lip service to the fact that it was a "good idea", but in all reality, I cringed at the thought. Having people over is stressful for me. Christmas is already a stressful time of year. I certainly didn't need more stress! And so when he finished the conversation by saying he had no idea who to invite, I breathed a silent sigh of relief and told him I didn't know who to invite either! 

But as I crunched through that newly-fallen snow, I suddenly could have filled up my entire living room with people. Take the international students at the local college, for example. There were plenty of them who would have loved to come into a warm home for Christmas dinner. And what an opportunity to share with them the love of Jesus! 

And then there was the local soup shelter. There would be plenty lining up outside on Christmas day. It would only require driving downtown and opening up the car doors! 

And there was, of course, my dear friend who is raising three teenagers on 400$ a month. Yes, she lived over an hour away, and no, she doesn't have a car. Yes, it would require about 4 hours on the road to bring her and her family for Christmas dinner. But wouldn't it have been showing her love?

I began to balk at this thought, however. I mean, I did send her some money for Christmas! 

God's response was quick: It's easy to give money. What is hard is opening up my home! Yet which gift best shows the love of God? The one that is the greater sacrifice! 

And then, what about...

Needless to say, the list went on and on, and with each new revelation, my understanding began to increase. The giving of gifts at Christmas time isn't about going out and buying things. It's about being a living demonstration of Jesus' love! Being His hands and feet! Fulfilling people's needs! 

It's about sacrifice! 

So is it right for followers of Christ to exchange gifts on Christmas?

The answer is an enthusiastic "yes"! As long as we are truly giving of ourselves. As long as we are being Jesus' hands and feet on earth so that His love is demonstrated to a lost and lonely world! For only in so giving do we bring true meaning to the giving of gifts at Christmas! 

So what will I try do different this year? 

I will try to give more of myself. I will open my home to the lonely. I will take some of the money I might have otherwise spent on those who have plenty and give it to the poor. I will consider sponsoring a missionary, purchasing and distributing Bibles, sending food to the hungry, all in the name of Jesus. 

Let's remember this Christmas: "Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me." (Matt 25:37-40, NKJV)

But Christmas time is so busy! With all of the hustle and bustle, don't we rob God of the intimate time He wishes to have with us during this special season? 

Join us next Thursday for Should Christians Celebrate Christmas? Part 4: The Hustle. 

In His love, 
Lyn
Lyn Chaffart, Speech-Language Pathologist, mother of two teens, Author and Moderator for The Nugget, a tri-weekly internet newsletter, and Scriptural Nuggets, a website devoted to Christian devotionals and inspirational poems, with Answers2Prayer Ministries. 
 
Announcement:
Burdened by endless trouble? Feel like you're stuck in the valleys of problems? Wonder why you can't spend at least SOME time on the mountain tops? Check out "Mountain Top Experiences", an eight part mini-series designed to help us view the peaks and valleys of life from GOD'S perspective! www.scripturalnuggets.org/folder10/mountain_top_experiences.htm
©Copyright 2011 Answers2Prayer | Matt 10:8 "Freely you have received, freely give."
Admin
Admin
Admin

Posts : 81232
Join date : 2008-10-25
Age : 78
Location : Wales UK

https://worldwidechristians.forumotion.com

Back to top Go down

NUGGET Today's Devotional - Page 19 Empty Re: NUGGET Today's Devotional

Post  Admin Thu 28 Nov 2013, 12:33 am

Welcome to the Nugget
November 26, 2013
Life is Simple

By Answers2Prayer
 
"He has told you, O man, what is good, and what the LORD really wants from you: He wants you to promote justice, to be faithful, and to live obediently before your God." (Mic 6:8, NET)

My first born son is mentally handicapped, yet in so many ways he is far wiser than I am. He has an intuitive knowledge of what is important in life. When we go out he looks people in the eye, calls them by name, and shares his smile far more easily than I do. He goes through life with a soul full of love, joy, and kindness that he gives to everyone he meets. He makes others feel better. He makes each day shine brighter. He makes this world more beautiful just by being in it. He may not understand everything in life, but he knows how to live happily and lovingly. He shows me everyday that life is simple. It is we who make it complicated.

You see, life is just the choices we make each day. We can choose to love or we can choose to be afraid. We can choose to help or we can choose to turn away. We can choose to forgive or we can choose to hate. We can choose to be kind or we can choose to be cruel. We can choose to trust or we can choose to be suspicious. We can choose to give or we can choose to take. We can choose to serve or we can choose to be selfish. We can choose to laugh or we can choose to sulk. We can choose to cry or we can choose to hide our hearts. We can choose to smile or we can choose to stress. We can choose to be at peace or we can choose to be at war within ourselves. We can choose to live or we can choose to just exist. We can choose to believe God loves us or we can choose to live in doubt. We can choose to shine our souls or we can choose to dwell in darkness. We can choose to make this world more like Heaven or we can choose to make this world more like Hell.

My son knows these choices by heart and always makes the right ones. I hope to one day get there as well. Until then I will do my best to live simply, to be wise, and to choose well. 

Until then I will do my best to love God, myself, and others. May you do the same.

Joseph J. Mazzella  
Announcement:

The book of John takes us through many deep discussions that Jesus gave at various times in His ministry. Please click here for Study #1 -- JESUS AND NICODEMUS; Study #2 -- THE WOMAN AT THE WELL; Study #3 -- AT THE POOL OF BETHESDA; and Study #4 -- THE BREAD OF LIFE.  The fifth study in this series will be appearing in the Saturday Nuggets in the month of November.  Please join us on Saturdays in November for The Shepherd and His Flock: A series focusing on the discourse in John 9!
©Copyright 2011 Answers2Prayer | Matt 10:8 "Freely you have received, freely give."
Admin
Admin
Admin

Posts : 81232
Join date : 2008-10-25
Age : 78
Location : Wales UK

https://worldwidechristians.forumotion.com

Back to top Go down

NUGGET Today's Devotional - Page 19 Empty Re: NUGGET Today's Devotional

Post  Admin Mon 25 Nov 2013, 1:48 am

Welcome to the Nugget
November 23, 2013
The Shepherd and His Flock -- Lessons on Salvation by Faith, Part 4: I am the Gate
By Answers2Prayer 
 
Last week, in The Shepherd and His Flock, Part 3, we learned that a sheep pen was a low, open enclosure with a simple, ungated opening. The shepherd, himself, would lie down across the opening to keep predators out during the night. We also learned that sometimes many different flocks of sheep were kept within a single sheep pen, and when this was the case, a "watchman" was hired to guard the gate. In the morning, the flocks were separated by each shepherd simply calling his own sheep. The sheep would follow only the voice of their own shepherd. Finally, we saw that "Shepherd" is one of the many names God uses for Himself throughout the Old Testament. Thus it was imagery the people were familiar with. They should have understood Jesus' meaning.

But they didn't: "Jesus used this figure of speech, but they did not understand what He was telling them." (John 10:6 NIV) 

So Jesus tried to tell them a bit more plainly: "I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep." (John 10:7 NIV)

Remember, in a sheep pen with just one flock, it was that flock's own shepherd who lay down across the opening, thus ensuring that predators could not have access to the sheep. Now Jesus is telling us that He is the "gate". He is the one who lies across the opening to our sheep pen!

And did He not do just that? 

How, you ask?

The Bible teaches that there is but one way to Heaven, and that is through Jesus Christ: "Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." (Acts 4:12) In essence, Jesus stretched Himself out across the gap in the "sheep pen" where we reside. The "thief" attacked and killed Jesus in our stead! We, the sheep on the inside of the sheep pen, should have been the recipients of the vicious attack, but we weren't! Our Good Shepherd lay Himself down to protect us from the punishment that we deserve. He took the fall so that we don't have to do so! 

But isn't there a catch somewhere?

There always is, isn't there? 

The catch is this: Just because Jesus took our punishment for us doesn't mean that we have free access to get to Heaven anyway we feel like it! Just like the gate was the only way for sheep to get into the sheep pen, Jesus, in His famous statement, "I am the gate for the sheep." (John 10:7b NIV), is telling us that the only way for us to get to Heaven is by going through Him! There is no other way! In fact Jesus goes on to say as much: "All who ever came before me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved." (John 10:8-9a NIV)

But what happens to those who try to enter another way? 

Jesus is clear: "I tell you the truth, the man who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber." (John 10:1 NIV) 

Is it any wonder that Peter was later quoted to say: "Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." (Acts 4:12) 

And just in case we still don't get it, Jesus repeats Himself: "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand is not the shepherd who owns the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it ..." (John 10:11,12 NIV) 

Let's remember that if a sheep pen contained more than one flock, a watchman would be hired to guard the sheep pen. But a watchman wasn't the shepherd. The sheep were not his own. If he were to find his own life in danger, he would abandon the sheep, and the predator would have nothing to stop him from attacking the sheep. What Jesus is saying here is that He is not a hired hand: He is the good shepherd, He is the gate to the sheep pen. He will not abandon His sheep. In fact, He lay down His life for His sheep! Now that, friends, is love!

And that love, that safety from the devil, is what Jesus offers to each of us today. He took the fall for us, opening, through Himself, the way to Heaven. And that's the most important gift He could possibly give us! 

But is Salvation the only advantage to being one of God's sheep?

Join us next week for The Shepherd and His Flock, Part 5: I am the Good Shepherd. 

In His love, 
Lyn
Lyn Chaffart, Speech-Language Pathologist, mother of two teens, Author and Moderator for The Nugget, a tri-weekly internet newsletter, and Scriptural Nuggets, a website devoted to Christian devotionals and inspirational poems, with Answers2Prayer Ministries. 
Announcement:/h4> Christmas is coming soon.  The stores are all decked out in Santas and Reindeer, and as we go into this season of the year an important question must be addressed:  With all the commercialism that surrounds the Holidays, should Christians even celebrate Christmas?  Join us on Thursdays for Should Christians Celebrate Christmas? -- A mini-series by Lyn Chaffart.

©Copyright 2011 Answers2Prayer | Matt 10:8 "Freely you have received, freely give."
Admin
Admin
Admin

Posts : 81232
Join date : 2008-10-25
Age : 78
Location : Wales UK

https://worldwidechristians.forumotion.com

Back to top Go down

NUGGET Today's Devotional - Page 19 Empty Re: NUGGET Today's Devotional

Post  Admin Fri 22 Nov 2013, 11:10 pm

Welcome to the Nugget
November 21, 2013
Should Christians Celebrate Christmas?  Part 2: How?
By Answers2Prayer 
 
Last week, in Should Christians Celebrate Christmas, Part 2, we saw that we should, indeed, commemorate the greatest gift that humanity could have ever received: the gift of Baby Jesus. But is it right to celebrate Christmas the way the world does? I mean, Christmas is so rooted in paganism! 

I was thinking about this as I was out for a walk the other night. The street was lit up with Christmas lights, and as usual, I was saddened by the abundance of Santas and Reindeer and Christmas trees. But as I was staring at one particular Christmas tree, wondering in my heart whether I, as a Christian, should even have a Christmas Tree in my home, I heard the whisperings of God's voice: "But I like trees!"

What? I am contemplating whether or not take down my Christmas tree, an idea that I am sure God will not only approve of, but will push me to do, and God tells me He likes trees?

Then came the whisperings again: "I created trees. I like them very much! I even died on a tree!" 

Sudden understanding washed over me: It isn't the Christmas tree that is offensive to God, for it can be seen as a beautiful reminder of His ultimate Gift to mankind, the Gift that the world has stopped celebrating at Christmas! 

So if God loved the Christmas tree, then certainly what is wrong with the tree is what we've done to it! 

I decided to explore this more thoroughly: We've taking God's created tree, the same tree that should point us to Jesus' gift on the cross, and we've covered it with lights and ornaments and images of Santas, and we've piled gifts underneath, most of which fall in the category of "I couldn't afford to buy it and you don't need it anyway..."

But God wouldn't let me go there...He stopped me at "lights", and once again His whispery voice echoed in my ear: "I also created light! And besides, I am the Light of the world!" 

That blew me away. So God didn't have anything against Christmas lights either... But what about the ornaments?

"My birth WAS beautiful!" came the voice of God. "Why shouldn't it be celebrated with pretty things?"

"But Lord," I tried, "what about the gifts? We've made it so materialistic..."

But again He cut me off: "The gifts represent the greatest gift of all! The one that I came to give!" 

And suddenly I understood: It wasn't that any part of the way we celebrate Christmas is inherently wrong: It is the fact that we see these things as a representation of a holiday, all the while forgetting the One the holiday is supposed to point us to! It isn't that Christmas in itself is wrong, it is what we've done with Christmas!

So just how should Christians celebrate Christmas?

I would like to propose that we don't need to put away our Christmas trees and our lights, that we don't need to stop giving gifts. But instead, that we begin to see these things with a different light. Instead of letting the traditional symbols of Christmas draw us away from Jesus, let's let them draw us to Jesus! 

On Christmas Eve last year we did a little exercise. Each one in the room was to chose one of the many symbols of Christmas around the room and describe how that symbol could point to Jesus. The answers were eye-opening. Here are a few examples:

My older son chose the Poinsetta, and here is his explanation: The green leaves represent mankind in his sinless state. The Red flowers represent the blood Jesus shed for each of us, and the white pot represents how God sees us once we've accepted Jesus' fantastic gift! As white as snow! 

His friend Jen chose the cluster of nutcrackers. As they all stared out in the same direction, they reminded her of how we should all be just as attentive and interested in taking in Jesus' offer of a relationship! 

My younger son chose the Christmas tree, stating that as it pointed upward, to the star at the peak of the tree, it reminded him that in times of trouble we need to look up to Jesus!

As I looked around the small gathering, it occurred to me that one of the things that comes to mind when I think of Christmas is the warm, close times together as family. And that reminded me of how much God wishes to have intimate time with us, and how that relationship would not be possible, if it hadn't been for what we celebrate at Christmas! 

Friends, I reiterate, I do not feel it is wrong for Christians to celebrate Christmas. I feel that we must simply allow each of the symbols around us during Christmas to actually point us to Jesus and His unimaginable gift: "Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!" (2Cor 9:15, NKJV)

But what about the gifts that we give at Christmas? Overspending has become a huge problem in North American at Christmas time, with some families raking in hundreds of dollars of debt all in the name of gift-giving. And for the most part, the people we give gifts to aren't exactly needy! Is the giving of gifts at Christmas simply feeding our materialistic natures? Should this be a part of Christmas? 

Join us next Thursday for Should Christians Celebrate Christmas, Part 3: The Giving of Gifts!

In His love, 
Lyn
Lyn Chaffart, Speech-Language Pathologist, mother of two teens, Author and Moderator for The Nugget, a tri-weekly internet newsletter, and Scriptural Nuggets, a website devoted to Christian devotionals and inspirational poems, with Answers2Prayer Ministries. 
 
Announcement:
There are many types of crowns mentioned in the Bible. Why are there so many? Check out "The Crowning Glory" miniseries at www.scripturalnuggets.org/folder10/crowning_glory.htm
©Copyright 2011 Answers2Prayer | Matt 10:8 "Freely you have received, freely give."
Admin
Admin
Admin

Posts : 81232
Join date : 2008-10-25
Age : 78
Location : Wales UK

https://worldwidechristians.forumotion.com

Back to top Go down

NUGGET Today's Devotional - Page 19 Empty Re: NUGGET Today's Devotional

Post  Admin Wed 20 Nov 2013, 11:34 pm

Welcome to the Nugget
November 19, 2013
The Lord's Prayer, Part 12
bible
By Answers2Prayer
Today we come to the end of our series on The Lord's Prayer. This will be our surrender to our King. We will denounce any praise that comes our way as we point to the one true God as the author of all good things and deserving of any and all honor and glory and praise. 

"For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen." (Matthew 6:13b NASB)

Some Bible translations do not include this part of verse 13, because not all ancient manuscripts included this doxology (doxology is verbally expressing praise to God). However, to leave it off the end of The Lord's Prayer seems to render it somehow incomplete. If the verses before are the framework on which to hang our prayers, this surely is the foundation upon which all the others rest. It is our privilege and honor to do the Lord's will and to further His Kingdom, and if we would concentrate on this, then all other things will fall into place.

It is a fitting end to this prayer that our dear Lord Jesus taught in the Sermon on the Mount, to show that we recognize and give honor to the only One worthy of praise - God Almighty. His is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever.

In this brief sentence is the summation of our recognition of who God is and our abdication of all claim to any glory. Anything we accomplish, anything we have, any honors that are bestowed upon us come solely from God the Father, Who graciously provides all that we need and more. To Him be the Glory. Amen. 

Father God, we often seek to glorify our selves, rather than to acknowledge that from you all things flow. Forgive us when we fail you, as we often do. Deliver us from evil. Make us worthy to bear the name of Jesus. In His mighty name we pray. Amen

My prayer for you is that my words, inspired by Almighty God will help you remember the simple honesty and power of this prayer, not, as I have said, a formula for approaching God for our wants, but as a guide to entering into an honest dialog with God. This prayer is the beginning and the ending of our time with God and all other things flow from this source.

Yours in Christ,
Sonya Richards

Announcement:

The book of John takes us through many deep discussions that Jesus gave at various times in His ministry. Please click here for Study #1 -- JESUS AND NICODEMUS; Study #2 -- THE WOMAN AT THE WELL; Study #3 -- AT THE POOL OF BETHESDA; and Study #4 -- THE BREAD OF LIFE.  The fifth study in this series will be appearing in the Saturday Nuggets in the month of November.  Please join us on Saturdays in November for The Shepherd and His Flock: A series focusing on the discourse in John 9!
©Copyright 2011 Answers2Prayer | Matt 10:8 "Freely you have received, freely give."
Admin
Admin
Admin

Posts : 81232
Join date : 2008-10-25
Age : 78
Location : Wales UK

https://worldwidechristians.forumotion.com

Back to top Go down

NUGGET Today's Devotional - Page 19 Empty Re: NUGGET Today's Devotional

Post  Admin Sun 17 Nov 2013, 10:55 pm

Welcome to the Nugget
November 16, 2013
The Shepherd and His Flock -- Lessons on Salvation by Faith, Part 3:
Understanding the Sheep Pen

By Answers2Prayer 
 
Last week, in The Shepherd and His Flock, Part 2, we learned that Jesus was reproaching the Pharisees of being spiritually blind. Why? Because when brought face to face with Truth, they chose to hang on to their pet beliefs. And for this Jesus said, "but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains." (John 9: 41b NIV) The beautiful lesson for us is that there is nothing we can do to be saved. Jesus has already done it all. None of our pet prayers, our favorite translations of the Bible, our routines or our rituals can save us. We are saved by grace. Period. 

But the Pharisees dont get it, and so Jesus goes on to give us the beautiful analogy of the Shepherd and His Sheep: "I tell you the truth, the man who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. The man who enters by the gate is the shepherd of his sheep. The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice." (John 10:1-5 NIV)

But wait. Wasn't this teaching given so that we can better understand Salvation by faith? Then why does Jesus use such obscure imagery? 

Because Jesus' imagery was not obscure to the people of His day! In order for us to fully understand, however, we first must know a few things about the sheep pen of Jesus' day.

First of all, the sheep pen was a walled enclosure with just an opening for a doorway. It was usually made of stone, and sometimes there was a layer of thorn bushes along the top. It was open to the elements, and its main purpose was to provide protection from night-time predators. 

Now I, personally, found it interesting that there would be no door in the structure. If it was meant to provide protection from predators, then what good is it if there is nothing across the only opening? There is nothing to keep the wild animals and thieves from entering in! 

But this was actually by design. In Bible times, there was no door in the structure because the shepherd himself would lie down across the opening to the sheep pen, and he would sleep there. If anything tried to enter in, it would first have to contend with the shepherd. Thus, there was no legitimate access to the sheep pen accept through the shepherd, and anyone who tried to enter any other way was up to no good. 

As you can imagine, being the "gate" to the sheep pen put the shepherd at high risk, sometimes requiring his very life.

The second image we need to understand is that of the "watchman". Sheep pens sometimes held more than one flock of sheep, and in these cases, a guard or "watchman" was sometimes hired to be "the door". 

When this was the case, the shepherd's first task of the morning would have to separate his own sheep from the others in the pen. 

Fortunately, in that day and age, sheep were trained to only respond to the voice of their own shepherd. Therefore all the shepherd had to do was call. 

Finally, in order to fully understand Jesus' imagery, we must remember that God describes Himself as a Shepherd many times in Scripture. Consider the following texts: 

a) "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want." (Psalm 23:1)
b) "He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young." (Isaiah 40:11)
c) "He who scattered Israel will gather them and will watch over his flock like a shepherd." (Jeremiah 31:10)

There are many more, but let's remember here that Jesus is speaking to the Pharisees, the teachers of His day, those who spent their lives in pursuit of studying the Scriptures. They would not have been ignorant to Jesus' analogy. With Jesus' words, they would have immediately recognized His claim as the Son of God. 

So Jesus is using imagery that is very familiar to the people of His day, and He is also making reference to the fact that God calls Himself our Shepherd. This is a very pointed lesson, friends! One that is packed full of meaning, not just for the people for whom this imagery was familiar, but for us as well! 

The final three parts to this series will be taking a closer look at just what the symbols of "the gate", "the flock", and "the shepherd" have to teach us about Salvation. Please join us next Saturday for The Shepherd and His Flock, Part 4: I am the Gate. 

In His love, 
Lyn


Lyn Chaffart, Speech-Language Pathologist, mother of two teens, Author and Moderator for The Nugget, a tri-weekly internet newsletter, and Scriptural Nuggets, a website devoted to Christian devotionals and inspirational poems, with Answers2Prayer Ministries. 
Announcement:Christmas is coming soon.  The stores are all decked out in Santas and Reindeer, and as we go into this season of the year an important question must be addressed:  With all the commercialism that surrounds the Holidays, should Christians even celebrate Christmas?  Join us on Thursdays for Should Christians Celebrate Christmas? -- A mini-series by Lyn Chaffart.

©Copyright 2011 Answers2Prayer | Matt 10:8 "Freely you have received, freely give."
Admin
Admin
Admin

Posts : 81232
Join date : 2008-10-25
Age : 78
Location : Wales UK

https://worldwidechristians.forumotion.com

Back to top Go down

NUGGET Today's Devotional - Page 19 Empty Re: NUGGET Today's Devotional

Post  Admin Thu 14 Nov 2013, 12:36 am

Welcome to the Nugge
November 12, 2013
The Lord's Prayer, Part 11
bible
By Answers2Prayer 
Last time we talked about forgiveness and the Lord's expectations of us in this matter. Today we move on into an area that challenges all Christians everywhere, and that is temptation. We are all tempted, as was Jesus Christ Himself, but God does make a way for us to resist temptation. 

"And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one." (Matthew 6:13a NIV)

God's Word says that God cannot be tempted; neither does He tempt anyone. (James 1:13) So, what does Jesus mean when He says, "lead us not into temptation?" The New Living Translation renders this as, "don't let us yield to temptation." making this read more as, help me resist the Devil, rather than don't make me sin. 

The Bible says that God is "an ever present help in time of need" (Psalm 46:1). And those that earnestly seek Him will find Him (Proverbs 8:17). Temptations besiege us every day. In the day and time we live in every evil thing is abundantly available. Things that would have shocked people even fifty years ago, and certainly would never been talked about in public, are aired on television talk shows and even in the mainstream media. 

While it is true that "there is nothing new under the sun" (Ecclesiastes 1:9), society is becoming increasingly accepting of alternative lifestyles, and airing our dirty laundry is big business. Amongst all this acceptance and calling evil good and good evil, Christians are more challenged than ever in trying to maintain a holy lifestyle. Many things we avoid for the sake of the name of Jesus that we bear earn us some not-so-flattering labels -- narrow minded, a prude, Bible thumpers, etc. When the abnormal becomes the norm, we need God more than ever. The arguments are convincing -- we are not hurting anyone so how can this be wrong? -- and it seems at times that more are against God than for God. 

These are the times we call out to our God, "don't let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one." I think Paul gives excellent advice in Ephesians 6:13-14 saying, "having done all to stand, stand therefore." And in Romans 14:4 he said, " shall stand: for God is able to make stand." (Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition -- DRA)

There is no doubt that we can withstand the attacks of the enemy. God gave us the promise in His Word, saying "If God is for us, who can be against us?" (Romans 8:31).  Indeed. 

Lord, Satan has perverted everything in this world that You have created, but we are not blind to his tactics. Reveal his schemes to us God and protect us. Oh God, hide us in the shadow of your wings; guide us and keep us until Jesus returns or You call us home. Amen.

Part Twelve will be our last journey on the path of understanding The Lord's Prayer as we commit to Him the glory that befits our King.  

Yours in Christ,
Sonya Richards

Announcement:
The book of John takes us through many deep discussions that Jesus gave at various times in His ministry. Please click here for Study #1 -- JESUS AND NICODEMUS; Study #2 -- THE WOMAN AT THE WELL; Study #3 -- AT THE POOL OF BETHESDA; and Study #4 -- THE BREAD OF LIFE.  The fifth study in this series will be appearing in the Saturday Nuggets in the month of November.  Please join us on Saturdays in November for The Shepherd and His Flock: A series focusing on the discourse in John 9!
©Copyright 2011 Answers2Prayer | Matt 10:8 "Freely you have received, freely give."
Admin
Admin
Admin

Posts : 81232
Join date : 2008-10-25
Age : 78
Location : Wales UK

https://worldwidechristians.forumotion.com

Back to top Go down

NUGGET Today's Devotional - Page 19 Empty Re: NUGGET Today's Devotional

Post  Admin Sun 10 Nov 2013, 10:38 pm

Welcome to the Nugget

November 9, 2013
The Shepherd and His Flock -- Lessons on Salvation by Faith, Part 2:
Not by Works...
By Answers2Prayer 
 
Last week, in The Shepherd and His Flock, Part 1, we saw that Jesus' teaching on the Shepherd and His flock is preceded by a powerful miracle: The healing of the blind man. But the man, after his healing find himself excommunicated from the synagogue by the Pharisees!

Just who is the real blind man here? 

Jesus, in His love, seeks after this excommunicated former blind man with an offer: "Do you believe in the Son of God?" (John 9:35) 

Jesus is simply asking the man to believe in Him! And the blind man answered Him: "'Who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?' And Jesus said to him, 'You have both seen Him and it is He who is talking with you.'" (John 9:35b-37). 

Let's remember that this man lives in an era where religion is very much based on works. What Jesus is teaching here is preposterous! But the man sees the Truth that the learned teachers of the day do not see, and he reaches out and accepts what Jesus has to offer: "Then he said, 'Lord, I believe!' And he worshiped Him." (John 9:38)

Is it possible that Jesus opened more than the man's physical eyes? Is it possible He opened his spiritual eyes as well? Through this miracle, is He teaching that spiritual blindness is even worse than physical blindness? 

It would seem so, for He immediately turns to the Pharisees and makes a very pointed statement: "For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind." (John 9:39 NIV)

The Pharisees understand, for they turn to Him, appalled: "What? Are we blind too?" (John 9:40B NIV)

Jesus responds: "If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains." (John 9:41 NIV)

Wait a minute! That's a bit harsh, isn't it? 

Not at all. Not knowing Truth is not an unpardonable sin. The sin comes when we come face to face with Truth, and we refuse to accept it! 

It is true that many of our beautiful brothers and sisters in the world have never had the opportunity to know about Jesus, and they are, thus, living in sin. But it is a sin of ignorance, and God will do everything to open the doors of Truth to them. But what if, once Truth has been revealed, we refuse to accept it? Or worse, we accept it in word, but not in action? Then we are just as guilty as the Pharisees! 

Friends, when we rigidly stick to what we have been taught as Truth, without allowing ourselves to even consider that what we've been taught may not be 100% Truth, then like the Pharisees of old, we claim we can see, but our guilt remains!

I know that some of you may be feeling a bit smug at the moment. After all, you have already accepted Truth. You are a follower of Christ, right? But remember, the Pharisees felt smug too! Some serious soul-searching is necessary here! Though we claim to understand that we are saved by faith, we must look to see that we are not clinging to something, afraid to let go, just in case it could possibly play a role in our Salvation! 

Do we feel, for example, that we can't be saved if we don't go to church? If we do or don't eat a certain type of food? If we do or don't pray to saints or the Holy Virgin? If we do or don't read from a certain version of the Bible? If we do or don't worship on a specific day of the week? If we do or don't pray the right prayers? Sing the right songs? Watch the right movies? Read the right books?

Please forgive me if I'm being harsh, but in my own self-examination, I am ashamed to admit that I often am just like the Pharisees of old! Truth of Salvation by Faith in Jesus Christ has been revealed to me, yet the fruit of my life continues to show that there is something I must "do" to be saved! But this is nothing but a lie! Truth says there is nothing I must "do" to be saved. In fact, there isn't anything I can do to be saved! Jesus has already done it all! "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast." (Eph 2:8-10 NKJV)

That is the gospel, friends! Plain and simple! And if we don't accept it, we are as guilty as the Pharisees of old! If we aren't willing to search our basis of Truth, then we, like the Pharisees, are too proud to search for Truth. Let's instead, be like the blind man: Unashamed to admit our blindness, willing to let the Lord of the Universe open our blind eyes to Truth! 

But wait. Does it all seem too simple? Too different from what you've been brought up believing? 

The Pharisee's had this problem too, and Jesus has the answer for all of us. The teaching of the shepherd and His flock was given to help open blind spiritual eyes, to bring those of us who cling to works into a complete understanding of the gospel message! 

But is the image of a shepherd and his flock too foreign for us to understand? Join us next week, for The Shepherd and His Flock, Part 3: Understanding the Sheep Pen. 

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

Wondering how to improve your "prayer closet" experience?  Join us on Tuesdays for The Lord's Prayer, a mini-series by Sonya Richards.
©Copyright 2011 Answers2Prayer | Matt 10:8 "Freely you have received, freely give."
Admin
Admin
Admin

Posts : 81232
Join date : 2008-10-25
Age : 78
Location : Wales UK

https://worldwidechristians.forumotion.com

Back to top Go down

NUGGET Today's Devotional - Page 19 Empty Re: NUGGET Today's Devotional

Post  Admin Fri 08 Nov 2013, 3:57 pm

Welcome to the Nugget
November 7 2013
Watch the Road

By Answers2Prayer
Those who taught us to drive warned us all the time to "watch the road". Even though the road into the area is good, wide enough for two-way traffic and fully sealed, there are hills and valleys to negotiate with care. There are adjoining roads that look more attractive and you need to be alert to know when not to take the wrong turn.

Then of course, there are a couple of blind corners where you need to take special care and at night there may be wild life anywhere along the road that could cause a serious accident. You are constantly reminded of the old advice to "watch the road" all the time.

Nevertheless, it is a comfortably all-purpose road for anyone used to travelling country roads and to the older generation who were taught to drive on dirt roads, it is quite luxurious. They particularly still know to "watch the road."

There is one place to the side of our road and when friends visit, they need to spin sharply off the main road into a gate and on to a single track. Nearly everybody misses the turn off. 

It is amazing the number of visitors who know the road and have been there before, who miss the turn into the narrow road and gateway. They continue on down the wide road and finally discover it has led them to the wrong address and they have finished up in the wrong place. 

It reminds me of when I was young and learning what life is about. Like the "watch the road" advice, I was taught there are undeniable rules of being on the right spiritual road. I was reminded often, on a sort of Scriptural "watch the road" basis, that I must be careful and diligent to understand and follow directions.

So my early teaching tells me to heed what Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount. He warned me against deviating from the law of "watching the road", "Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." (Matthew 7:14). 

Elizabeth Price
 Announcement:
Christmas is coming soon.  The stores are all decked out in Santas and Reindeer, and as we go into this season of the year an important question must be addressed:  With all the commercialism that surrounds the Holidays, should Christians even celebrate Christmas?  Join us on Thursdays for Should Christians Celebrate Christmas? -- A mini-series by Lyn Chaffart.  
©Copyright 2011 Answers2Prayer | Matt 10:8 "Freely you have received, freely give."
Admin
Admin
Admin

Posts : 81232
Join date : 2008-10-25
Age : 78
Location : Wales UK

https://worldwidechristians.forumotion.com

Back to top Go down

NUGGET Today's Devotional - Page 19 Empty Re: NUGGET Today's Devotional

Post  Admin Wed 06 Nov 2013, 8:53 pm

Welcome to the Nugget
November 5, 2013
The Lord's Prayer, Part 10
bible
By Answers2Prayer
The Lord is our Provider. We learned this last time in Part Nine. Today's lesson is a hard one and the basis of the series as it was first given to me, a bitter pill indeed but necessary to our lives as Christians: 

"And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors." (Matthew 6:12 NIV)

Here is the verse that smacked me in the face and sparked my decision to write a series about The Lord's Prayer. As part of my daily prayer, I often include parts of The Lord's Prayer. One particular day I used this phrase, forgive my debts, as I forgive my debtors. 

I don't imagine my experience is very different from most people except I might be a bit more stubborn and require God to go to greater lengths to get my attention. Sometimes He is gentle with me and sometimes, like in this case, He hits me with something that really opens my eyes and brings home the fact that I am not on the right track; I just think I am. 

I have head knowledge of what this verse means, a passing acquaintance, if you will, but understanding is sometimes slow to catch up. However, this day as I said these words the meaning suddenly became clear -- forgive my debts in the same proportion that I forgive my debtors. 

This caused me some anguish, I have to say! This had big implications for me. I either have to be more forgiving or expect less forgiveness. Moreover, to please God, which I want to do, the answer really was that I had to become more forgiving and forgive in the manner that I expect to be forgiven, which is completely. 

Lord, forgive us our debts and enable us to forgive our debtors completely. Amen.

Temptations we face are sometimes very great. In Part Eleven we will discuss this very issue of temptation and how to get victory. 

Yours in Christ,
Sonya Richards
Announcement:
The book of John takes us through many deep discussions that Jesus gave at various times in His ministry. Please click here for Study #1 -- JESUS AND NICODEMUS; Study #2 -- THE WOMAN AT THE WELL; Study #3 -- AT THE POOL OF BETHESDA; and Study #4 -- THE BREAD OF LIFE.  The fifth study in this series will be appearing in the Saturday Nuggets in the month of November.  Please join us on Saturdays in November for The Shepherd and His Flock: A series focusing on the discourse in John 9!
©Copyright 2011 Answers2Prayer | Matt 10:8 "Freely you have received, freely give."
Admin
Admin
Admin

Posts : 81232
Join date : 2008-10-25
Age : 78
Location : Wales UK

https://worldwidechristians.forumotion.com

Back to top Go down

NUGGET Today's Devotional - Page 19 Empty Re: NUGGET Today's Devotional

Post  Admin Sun 03 Nov 2013, 8:48 pm

Welcome to the Nugget
November 2, 2013
The Shepherd and His Flock -- 
Lessons on Salvation by Faith, Part 1:
The Healing of the Blind Man

By Answers2Prayer 
 
Chapters 9 and 10 of John record yet another of Jesus' powerful discourses: The Shepherd and His Flock. In order to completely understand the discourse itself, however, we must first take a look at the miracle that preceded it: The healing of a blind man (See John 9:1-34), and that will be the subject of today's lessons.

It is interesting that the first we hear of this particular blind man is through a question from the disciples: "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" (John 9:2). They didn't have compassion on the man and say, "Here Rabbi, heal this blind man!" Rather, he was simply the object of their curiosity! 

The question itself also seems strange to us as well, but it wasn't strange for people to think this way in Jesus' day. The rabbis of the era taught that if a person suffered from a physical ailment from birth, this must have been either because the person's parents or grandparents had committed sin, or because the sick person sinned before birth. 

Sound like strange theology? It comes straight from the Bible, from the second commandment: "...visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the children's children to the third and the fourth generation." (Ex 30:5 NKJV)! It's the Word of God! Sin has consequences, sometimes into the third and fourth generation! 

But the rabbis didn't have a complete interpretation of this passage, and Jesus wants us to understand completely. His response?

"Neither this man nor his parents sinned...but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life." (John 9:3 NIV)

Wait a minute. Isn't what Jesus is saying here in direct contradiction to Exodus 20:5?

Not at all. Our sin does affect our children and grandchildren! Take alcohol addictions, for example. Our alcohol addictions emotionally mar our families, often leading, by example, to ongoing addictions in our children. And on a more physical level, we pass on our addictive personalities to our children and grandchildren. 

But not all sin is caused by our parents. Some sin just happens. When my grandfather died of lung cancer, it wasn't because his parents had taught him to smoke or given him the genetic pattern for addiction. It was because all his life he had worked with chemicals that carried the same warning as cigarettes, without using proper safety precautions! 

Science now teaches that about 50% of the cases of congenital blindness are related to a genetic predisposition for blindness. But the other 50% are related to things like congenital infections, cataracts or glaucoma, or may be caused by damage to the brain as a result of lack of oxygen during birth. All of these things are indirectly a response to sin in the world, but they aren't specifically a result of the sin of the parent. 

Jesus' beautiful response to His disciples in this passage helps us to fully understand the reason why there is suffering in the world. In a world where sin has so clouded our vision that many don't even believe in God, much less in His healing power, God is able to use the consequences of sin to reveal Himself to us, for Jesus then proceeded to heal the blind man. 

Unfortunately, the fact that it was Sabbath gave the Pharisees what they considered just grounds to go after Jesus. They asked the man, and then his parents, who had healed him. Still not getting the answer they desired, they accused the formerly-blind man of lying: "Give glory to God...We know this man is a sinner." (John 9:24 NIV)

The healed man's response is beautiful: "Whether he is a sinner or not, I don't know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!" (John 9:25 NIV) 

Friends, Jesus doesn't need us to justify His actions! His miracles speak for themselves! 

Naturally, the Pharisees become even more angry: "You are this fellow's disciple! We are disciples of Moses! We know that God spoke to Moses, but as for this fellow, we don't even know where He comes from." (John 9:28,29 NIV)

And in the response of the healed man, we can learn our second lesson of the day: "We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly man who does His will. Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing." (John 9:31-33 NIV)

The man was taking a risk. He knew full well that a "bad" response would result in excommunication from the synagogue. Since the synagogue was the centre for Jewish community life, excommunication meant he would be cut off from many social relationships. But he didn't care. The man risked all to stand up for Jesus, and in the end, his reward was to be thrown out of the synogogue (see John 9:34). 

But the story doesn't end here, and what transpires next is perhaps one of the most beautiful things in Scripture: "Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when He found him...Do you believe in the Son of Man?" (John 9:35 NIV). 

Jesus went looking for the man who was so severely punished for standing up for what was right, and then He personally offered Him a chance to believe! 

Friends, we don't need to be afraid of what the world can do to us. This man so much more than being allowed into the synagogue! When we are forced to lose things for the sake of Christ, we can take heart! Jesus will be there for us! And what He has to offer is so much more worthy than what the world has to offer! 

And this is the backdrop for Jesus' beautiful discourse: The Shepherd and His Flock.  Join us next week for Part 2: Not by Works. 

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

Wondering how to improve your "prayer closet" experience?  Join us on Tuesdays for The Lord's Prayer, a mini-series by Sonya Richards.
©Copyright 2011 Answers2Prayer | Matt 10:8 "Freely you have received, freely give."
Head of All Principality and Power
Admin
Admin
Admin

Posts : 81232
Join date : 2008-10-25
Age : 78
Location : Wales UK

https://worldwidechristians.forumotion.com

Back to top Go down

NUGGET Today's Devotional - Page 19 Empty Re: NUGGET Today's Devotional

Post  Admin Fri 01 Nov 2013, 1:07 am

Welcome to the Nugget
October 31, 2013
Two Faces
By Answers2Prayer 
I got my second picture of the little girl that I sponsor overseas the other day. It made me smile from ear to ear when I saw it. Over the years I have sponsored several children through the organization, Children International, and I have always been amazed at the difference between the first picture I get and the second. 

In the first picture I am always shocked by what I see. There is a gauntness in their cheeks that speaks of too many nights going to bed with not enough to eat. There is a hollowness in their eyes that reflects days spent in sickness and misery. There is no smile on their lips because there is no smile in their hearts. Instead their faces are full of fear and hopelessness. It is like their lives are over before they have even begun. When I get the second picture, though, my heart always leaps for joy in my chest when I see how they have changed. Their cheeks are full and well fed. Their eyes sparkle with joy and laughter. Their smiles are huge because their hearts are full of happiness and love. Their faces look so beautiful because the fear has fled and been replaced by hope. It like their lives have begun anew.

I remember once after I gave a few dollars to a homeless person, a skeptical friend asking me if it was really worth the effort. "Yes it is!" I said. "It is always worth it!" Now as I look down on those two faces of my little sponsor child my answer is the same. It is always worth it to give. 

It is always worth it to love. It is always worth it to help another person. The smallest smile, the tiniest gift, the littlest act of kindness can change another's life forever. 

Don't pass up an opportunity to change a life. Don't pass up a chance to make this world a better place. Give your time. Give your talents. Give your love. Give of yourself and make another smile. Give from your heart and let God smile through you.

"And the king will answer them, 'I tell you the truth, just as you did it for one of the least of these brothers or sisters of mine, you did it for me.'" (Matt 25:40, NET)

Joe Mazzella
 Announcement:
The book of John takes us through many deep discussions that Jesus gave at various times in His ministry. Please click here for Study #1 -- JESUS AND NICODEMUS; Study #2 -- THE WOMAN AT THE WELL; Study #3 -- AT THE POOL OF BETHESDA; and Study #4 -- THE BREAD OF LIFE.  The fifth study in this series will be appearing in the Saturday Nuggets in the month of November.  Please join us on Saturday in November for The Shepherd and His Flock: A series focusing on the discourse in John 9!
©Copyright 2011 Answers2Prayer | Matt 10:8 "Freely you have received, freely give."
Admin
Admin
Admin

Posts : 81232
Join date : 2008-10-25
Age : 78
Location : Wales UK

https://worldwidechristians.forumotion.com

Back to top Go down

NUGGET Today's Devotional - Page 19 Empty Re: NUGGET Today's Devotional

Post  Admin Thu 31 Oct 2013, 12:54 am

Welcome to the Nugget

October 29, 2013
The Lord's Prayer, Part 9
bible
By Answers2Prayer 
We last talked about God's will for our lives. Now we will learn why we do not need to worry about lives and our provisions day by day, although we do. It is definitely part of our humanity due to the fall of man that caused us to have to work hard for our living, but even in the punishment of having to work the ground as it brings forth thistles and thorns, God watches over us. 

"Give us today our daily bread." (Matthew 6:11 NIV)

"God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being." (Genesis 2:7, KJV) I picture that breath as the Holy Spirit of God and without that breath, Adam would not be alive, nor would we without breath. God gives us all we need to survive, the basics of life, and from this branch of The Lord's Prayer framework, we will hang our requirements only for today. We "do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." (Matthew 6:34)

I usually think I require much more than I actually require, but if we are honest, we can admit we can get by on much less. God fed the Children of Israel manna (bread from Heaven that came down every night with the dew) in the desert and if He had not, they would have starved. Instructions for gathering included not gathering more than was needed for the day, and those who did found it spoiled in the morning anyway. That is a picture of what this part of The Lord's Prayer is saying; provide our needs for today, God. When we pray this we are also admitting that we need God to provide for us, and that we trust Him to do so.

This lays the groundwork for a much deeper relationship with The Lord. Imagine if we could pray this every day and leave on the floor of our prayer closet any worries about how we will manage physically, emotionally and/or financially that day. If we would really obey God and trust Him, He will not only be pleased with us, our lives would be much easier as well. Who doesn't want that? 

Lord, provide for us today all that we need. Hold us in Your loving arms and help us to remember where our help comes from. Give us today our daily bread and may we trust in Your provision as enough for us. May we remember Your love and faithfulness, even when it seems what You provide is not enough. Your judgments are sure and Your love is unfailing. Thank You for all You do for me and forgive me for my sometimes selfish and ungrateful attitude. In Jesus' name, amen.

Next time we will dive deeper into God's Word. Just as it hurts to dig out a splinter deep in your finger, we will see in Part Ten that sometimes digging out of our flesh the things that hinder our walk with God is painful, but once the hard work is done we will obtain the relief found when what is harmful is removed, be it a splinter or sin! 

Yours in Christ,
Sonya Richards

Announcement:
Are you ever tempted to think that your sin has no consequence? After all, Jesus forgave ALL our sins! Even that one little time when we knew better, but it anyway! What could be the harm? Check out "Lessons From David's Fall," a mini-series designed to help us understand that EACH and EVERY ONE of our actions have a profound affect, not only on our own lives, but on the lives of thousands of others around us http://scripturalnuggets.org/Folder11/lessons_from_davids_fall.htm
©Copyright 2011 Answers2Prayer | Matt 10:8 "Freely you have received, freely give."
Admin
Admin
Admin

Posts : 81232
Join date : 2008-10-25
Age : 78
Location : Wales UK

https://worldwidechristians.forumotion.com

Back to top Go down

NUGGET Today's Devotional - Page 19 Empty Re: NUGGET Today's Devotional

Post  Admin Sun 27 Oct 2013, 4:36 pm

Welcome to the Nugget
October 26, 2013
Living Each Day as Your Last
By Answers2Prayer 
 
"Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming." (Matt 25:13 NKJV)

My husband's voice sounded strained over the speaker of my cell phone: "We need to live every day as if it's the last one before we leave for Europe." 

I knew what he was talking about. Just that morning we had spoken to the nurses at the home where my mother-in-law lives. "It's not good," was the unwelcome comment of the charge nurse. "She has bronchitis, without a fever, and she doesn't have any reserves left!" When my husband later tried to talk to her on the phone, her voice was weak and raspy, her breathing shallow and noisy, and she couldn't respond to him coherently. We both knew what this meant: She wasn't expected to live through this infection. 

Ever since we were fortunate enough to spend 10 beautiful days with her last summer, her health had been on a roller coaster. Praise be to God, each time her health went down, it had bounced back again. The only problem was, her health never bounced back to the level it had been before. Would she make it through this particular infection? Only God knew. But my husband's advice was good: We needed to be ready at any moment to drop everything for an emergency flight to Europe. 

This statement should have induced stress in me, but honestly, it didn't. In fact, it brought about a sense of relief. It seemed to give me permission to let my number one priority be my mother-in-law. 

As I thought about all of this, a Bible story came to mind: The story of 10 ladies who were bridesmaids at a wedding. 

You can find the story recorded in Matthew 25. These ladies all awaited the arrival of the bridegroom, and all 10 of them grew weary from the wait and went to sleep. When the shout sounded that the bridegroom was finally on his way, all of their lamps had gone out, and only 5 of those 10 ladies had reserve oil for their lamps. 

These "foolish" five ladies went out to try to buy some more oil, but while they were gone, the bridegroom came, went in to the wedding feast, and shut the door behind him. When the five oil-seeking ladies returned with their lamps once again brightly lit, the door was shut: "Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you." (Matt 25:12 NKJV) 

That is when Jesus makes the famous wise statement: "Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming." (Matt 25:13 NKJV)

So what does this story have to do with my mother-in-law? 

Just this: We do not know what day or hour will be her last on this earth, all we know is that as soon as we hear the word, we will drop everything and fly to Europe. We are ready. We know which airline has the best rates and flights, we know how to get a last minute ride on the airbus to the airport, we have a plan for caring for our animals, our home, our son, and we have our passports out and dusted off, ready for a quick departure. 

And believe me, it's a huge burden off of our shoulders to live this way!

Jesus tells us that this is how we should live every day, always expecting His return at any time. As the signs of the times become more and more numerous and frequent, it is important for each of us to examine our lives. Are we living as if this is our last day on Earth? If not, then perhaps we don't have our priorities in the right places! 

Is it for no reason that Jesus tells us to stay alert? To watch attentively?

And could it be possible that living like this might even reduce the stresses we have in life? 

Friends, are YOU living each day as if it were your last? If not, why not spend some time with Jesus? Let Him set your priorities in order!

Oh, and my mother-in-law did pull through the infection, and she is still with us, God be praised!

In His love,
Lyn

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

The book of John takes us through many deep discussions that Jesus gave at various times in His ministry. Please click here for Study #1 -- JESUS AND NICODEMUS; Study #2 -- THE WOMAN AT THE WELL; Study #3 -- AT THE POOL OF BETHESDA; and Study #4 -- THE BREAD OF LIFE.  The fifth study in this series will be appearing in the Saturday Nuggets in the month of November.  Please join us on Saturday in November for The Shepherd and His Flock: A series focusing on the discourse in John 9!
©Copyright 2011 Answers2Prayer | Matt 10:8 "Freely you have received, freely give."
Admin
Admin
Admin

Posts : 81232
Join date : 2008-10-25
Age : 78
Location : Wales UK

https://worldwidechristians.forumotion.com

Back to top Go down

NUGGET Today's Devotional - Page 19 Empty Re: NUGGET Today's Devotional

Post  Admin Fri 25 Oct 2013, 7:58 pm

Welcome to the Nugget
October 24, 2013
Safety Straps

By Answers2Prayer 
 
Sometimes we hear of someone on a construction job that was not wearing his safety strap. Then he falls from a height to either hurt himself badly or be killed.

Jude, the brother of Jesus, wrote a letter that is included in the New Testament. He was writing to a church that was having problems and was close to splitting. He gave them a "to do" list which are like safety straps to keep them together. These are also good safety straps for each of us Christians in our daily lives.

"But you, beloved, build yourselves up on your most holy faith..." (Jude 20 NRSV)

The main way we build ourselves up in the faith is to read the Bible from cover to cover. God is the same God from Genesis to Revelation. We can't just read our favorite verses or skip parts we don't understand to fully understand God.

"...pray in the Holy Spirit..." (Jude 20 NRSV)

Along with reading the Bible another safety strap is praying as led by the Holy Spirit. If the Holy Spirit leads our prayers we won't pray selfishly.

"...keep yourselves in the love of God..." (Jude 21 NRSV)

The third safety strap is love. If we realize the love God has shown for us then we will show His love to all we come in contact with.

"...look forward to the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life." (Jude 21 NRSV)

With this strap we look forward to the time when we will meet Jesus Christ face to face in Glory. We must realize it is nothing we have done that gets us there but only through the mercy of God. Then as we realize the mercy God continually shows us we will show mercy to others.

These four safety straps are things that we must do so we don't fall. But Jude reminds us that the main safety strap has nothing to do with what we do. Read what he wrote in his benediction:

"Now to him who is able to keep you from falling, and to make you stand without blemish in the presence of his glory with rejoicing, to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, power, and authority, before all time and now and forever.  Amen." (Jude 24-25 NRSV)

By Dean W. Masters
Owner of the Master's List.
 Announcement:
Wondering how to improve your "prayer closet" experience?  Join us on Tuesdays for The Lord's Prayer, a mini-series by Sonya Richards.
©Copyright 2011 Answers2Prayer | Matt 10:8 "Freely you have received, freely give."
Admin
Admin
Admin

Posts : 81232
Join date : 2008-10-25
Age : 78
Location : Wales UK

https://worldwidechristians.forumotion.com

Back to top Go down

NUGGET Today's Devotional - Page 19 Empty Re: NUGGET Today's Devotional

Post  Admin Wed 23 Oct 2013, 10:28 pm

Welcome to the Nugget
October 22, 2013
The Lord's Prayer, Part 8
bible
By Answers2Prayer 
In Part Seven of our series on The Lord's Prayer we learned what the Lord expects from us to further His Kingdom. Today we will learn more about finding God's will for our lives. 

"your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven." (Matthew 6:10b NIV)

We pray to the Lord for His will to be done, but how sincere are we? This is no goodbye kiss you fling over your shoulder as you run out the door. This is more of a conference room moment. Let's have a meeting, and discuss and ponder what we are agreeing to as we thoughtlessly pray "Your will be done," (And what I mean by thoughtless is rote repetition, heart disengaged, brain in neutral). 

What if His will includes sickness, trials, or losses we are not prepared to take? I have heard many prayers, in and out of church, for God to heal or bless or provide, but I have never heard anyone actually say, "Your will be done" in these petitions. We prefer to claim the promises of blessing, but do we neglect the promises of suffering? Because the Bible does promise suffering, and no matter how much we would like to jump over that fact, realistically we cannot, and I am sure it does more harm than good to avoid pondering the pains and sorrows that God said we would endure and thereby render ourselves unprepared. 

"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." (John 16:33 NIV) 

"More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us." (Romans 5:3-5 ESV)

"Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you." (1 Peter 4:1 ESV)

But in every trial God has promised to be with us. 

"When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you." (Isaiah 43:2 ESV)

And God with us will never fail to outshine our lives without Him, even if His will means suffering for a short while until we reach the shores of Home.

Lord, help us to be patient in affliction, knowing that You have promised joy unspeakable on the other side of this life. May the promise of Glory lift us above any storm in our lives. Help us to trust You more and more, even in the midst of suffering. May Your will be done, Father, on earth as it is in Heaven. Amen.

Next we will explore God's abundant provision for us in the moment and why we needn't worry about how we will get along tomorrow.

Yours in Christ,
Sonya Richards
Announcement:
Ever wonder about the Priestly roll of the Lord, Jesus Christ? What is its importance, and how does it compare to the Levitical priesthood? Check out the mini-series, "Of Indy, Community and the Almighty"! 
©Copyright 2011 Answers2Prayer | Matt 10:8 "Freely you have received, freely give."
Admin
Admin
Admin

Posts : 81232
Join date : 2008-10-25
Age : 78
Location : Wales UK

https://worldwidechristians.forumotion.com

Back to top Go down

NUGGET Today's Devotional - Page 19 Empty Re: NUGGET Today's Devotional

Post  Sponsored content


Sponsored content


Back to top Go down

Page 19 of 40 Previous  1 ... 11 ... 18, 19, 20 ... 29 ... 40  Next

Back to top

- Similar topics

 
Permissions in this forum:
You cannot reply to topics in this forum