Re: NUGGET Today's Devotional

Admin Tue 01 Sep 2020, 11:34 pm

NUGGET Today's Devotional - Page 11 Raw?appid=YMailNorrin&ymreqid=2e9d598e-399b-5e90-1c8f-44002001e200&token=zitEzqOML3j84e6ealFTT5U7-km5qEQF52lp7AcCuBbpSVmqVp7Mb1q_UYn7twkRB1-qIdDQsPsbO8JXArPhA02Acmnr9mgmTGCL79S-UbQGYHG5zZROOYeWZBW-NzAx

Modern medicine is wonderful, but there are some problems it cannot solve. Faith is altogether different. With faith, nothing is impossible! There are at least 5 problems modern medicine can't solve (that your Faith can!):

* Depression: In the past, depression was described as an overwhelming feeling of helplessness and hopelessness. Today, modern medicine views depression as a mental illness to be treated with drugs, often for the rest of a person's life.

In most cases, the old-fashioned description is accurate. Helplessness and hopelessness cannot be overcome by drugs. Faith is a much better "treatment." There is no better source of hope and help than your Higher Power! The Lord can do what modern medicine cannot! Instead of depression, you can have hope, gratitude, and happiness.

* Addiction: These days, people are told that addiction is a disease. We are led to believe that even abstinence will never result in full recovery. With this viewpoint, individuals are pressured to believe they are disabled for life.

When you turn your life over to God, though, you can recover! You can be free of the desire for drugs and alcohol, but there is much more to it. You no longer need to live the life of an alcoholic or addict, because faith can lead to amazing changes in your life. When you allow your faith to take over, you can have a life that is worth living.

* Relationships: Problems can exist in any relationship. There is nothing modern medicine can do, but much can be accomplished through faith.

Whether your problem is with your spouse, child, or employer, you will see God's love extends to that person as well as to yourself. You will realize how important the relationship is, and start to demonstrate more respect. You will be willing to communicate and resolve differences, instead of insisting on your own way. Even the most troubled relationships can be healed, and you can truly appreciate all the people in your life.

* Anxiety: Anxiety is often classified as a disorder, but it is usually based on fear. In most cases, these fears are irrational. Perhaps you have an attack of anxiety or panic in specific situations, or around certain people. These attacks can be overwhelming, and may even cause physical symptoms. Perhaps your anxiety is the result of too much stress and worry. Perhaps you are struggling with anxiety because you do not know what to expect in the future.

Whether rational or irrational, you do not need to live with anxiety. Fear and worry do not need to control your life. As the Bible says, "For God did not give us a spirit of fear, but of power and love and of a sound mind." (2 Tim. 1:7 NKJV). This statement alone can help you put your anxieties into perspective, and with faith they can disappear.

* Impossible Situations: You may be in a situation that seems to have no solution, no way out, and no chance of change. There may be people in your life who are encouraging you to give up altogether. Whether your situation is financial, a family matter, or health-related, you may be at the point of giving up.

This is when you must rely on your faith. The situation may not work out the way you wish, but it can work out. Not only can you dismiss loved ones who tell you it is impossible, your situation can work out despite the current facts. As an example, think of Abraham and Sarah. The facts were only temporary, but God's promise was what mattered in the end. As the Bible says, "For nothing will be impossible with God." (Luke 1:37 ESV). When you fill your heart and mind with faith, the impossible can indeed be possible!

The most important point to keep in mind: modern medicine is not perfect, but God is! Even the best doctors can fail. But faith will never let you down!

Amelia Evans

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Admin Sat 29 Aug 2020, 9:49 pm

Google translate got me into trouble yesterday. I typed in the word "Bengali", pulled out the response written in such beautiful shrift and pasted it into my document. It was to be the hyperlink to a document that a friend had painstakingly translated, and I was seeking the word that represents the language of Bengali. Of course, I could have asked my friend for the translation, but I figured that for such a small thing, I could just figure it out for myself....

Fortunately I did have the foresight to have my friend review the entire document before publishing it on the web. It came back with just one error: The word I looked up! Apparently in Bengali, the word for the Bengali people is slightly different from the word that represents the language, and Google translate had given me the people word, not the language word....

I'm not really kicking myself for making this error. How would I have known that the words for the people and the language would be different in Bengali? I am, however, kicking myself, because the whole thing could have been avoided if I had just asked....

This error is so typical of me. I prefer to try on my own instead of asking for help. The result? I slog through most of my life, making error after error, most of which could have been avoided if I had just humbled myself and relinquished control of the problem.

Perhaps the worst part of all this, however, is that the One I tend to turn to the least is the One who could help me the most: God Himself! Doesn't He tell us, "Ask and it will be given to you..." (Matt. 7:7a NIV)? Doesn't Jesus' brother say, "You do not have because you do not ask God..." (James 4:2b NIV)? Doesn't the Psalmist tell us, "Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken..." (Ps. 55:22 NIV)? Doesn't Jesus Himself tell us to: "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened." so that He can, "give you rest..." (Matt. 11:28 NIV)?

It's true that I did give the translation job to my friend, and I only tried to translate one tiny word; but it was that one word that got me into trouble. So often we do give our problems to God; but isn't it often the case that we still try to resolve them on our own?

Take, for example, the nights we beg God to help us sleep, but then we take a sleeping tablet. I've done this so many times, and it is 'funny' how those are the nights that sleeping tablet doesn't work at all....

Or maybe I've given the poor choices my kids make to God; but then I proceed to "lecture" them on the subject via text/email/phone call.... Guess what choices don't change?

Or perhaps I pray and ask God to provide me the time for all that needs to be done; but then I stay up late, get angry if anyone disturbs me, push people aside.... Guess what I don't end up having the time to do?

It's true that God sometimes uses people, medication, etc., to accomplish His purposes; but when we give something to God, we must be prepared to only act when He specifically tells us to. Otherwise, it's like me putting Bengali into Google translate. It comes out all wrong! Is it for nothing that the world's wisest man, under the influence of the Holy Spirit, penned these words? "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight." (Prov. 3:5-6 NIV)

Whatever it is you are concerned about, friends, don't turn to the "Google translates" of this world. Instead, seek the Problem-Fixer, your Heavenly Daddy who loves you beyond anything you can ever imagine, and leave the problem to Him!

In His love,
Lyn

Lynona Gordon Chaffart, Speech-Language Pathologist, mother of two, Author -- "Aboard God's Train -- A Journey With God Through the Valley of Cancer", Author and Moderator for The Nugget, a tri-weekly internet newsletter, and Scriptural Nuggets, a website devoted to Christian devotionals and inspirational poems, with Answers2Prayer Ministries. Follow Lyn on Twitter @lynchaffart.

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Are your own efforts at resolving your problems getting you nowhere? Why not turn them completely over to the One who can fix them all? Hand them to God in prayer!

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Admin Thu 27 Aug 2020, 9:38 pm

August 27, 2020

NUGGET Today's Devotional - Page 11 Raw?appid=YMailNorrin&ymreqid=2e9d598e-399b-5e90-1c1a-470001012500&token=zitEzqOML3j84e6ealFTT5U7-km5qEQF52lp7AcCuBbpSVmqVp7Mb1q_UYn7twkRB1-qIdDQsPsbO8JXArPhA02Acmnr9mgmTGCL79S-UbQGYHG5zZROOYeWZBW-NzAx

"Come near to God, and he will come near to you." (James 4:8 NIV)

Out of the mouths of babes! At the park, while watching Bubble Man move his apparatus so that the wind would blow hundreds of iridescent bubbles at a time, my great-granddaughter patted the grass, and said, "Come sit by me, Grammy." She and all young children love for us to be near them, to enjoy their activities, and to learn of them. When we spend quality time with them, we form wonderful relationships.

Scripture teaches us to draw near to God, and He will draw near to us. In the Bible, Mary sat at Jesus' feet to learn from Him. Then, she poured a very expensive perfume over His feet. In Jesus' day, the people loved His teaching; they loved who and how He was with them. He also wants us to sit with Him, to talk with Him, and to walk through our day with Him. Every moment is important. The more that we learn about Jesus, the closer that we get to Him. The most caring friendship that we can have is in relationship with Jesus. In essence, He says, "Come sit by Me."

I love the quiet times with Jesus. When I listen to His prompting, His wisdom guides me to opportunities to form friendships and family relationships within His will. We practice here on earth by showing love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control in our activities with one another. Sometimes, it isn't easy, but when we draw near to Christ and ask for the help of the Holy Spirit, we can do these things. In order to please God the Father with these behaviours, we must draw on the power of the risen Christ.

Prayer: Dear Lord Jesus, thank You for calling to say, "Come sit by Me." We pray that we will sit closely so that we can praise You, learn from You, and be comforted by You. Amen.

Karen Milam
Penn Valley, California, USA

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

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Admin Sat 22 Aug 2020, 6:11 pm

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In the concluding part of our series titled, "He is the first in everything." After having focused on how the Lord takes the lead in implanting love and faithfulness in us, today let's focus on how our Lord takes the first step forward in implanting hope in us...

Hope...

Comparing the Christian life to a building, if love is our foundation and faith is our pillar, then hope is the equivalent of the roof of a building. Hey, whenever we speak of the "roof" when inside a room, are we not naturally inclined to look skywards? Yes, it is indeed every Christian's "Blessed hope" to one do be taken to Heaven ("while we look forward with hope to that wonderful day when the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, will be revealed." Titus 2:13 NLT). We will either be "defying" the laws of grave, from which there is normally no "exit" once one has "entered" in, or we will defy gravity by being translated from the land of the living to Heaven!

But how did this "blessed hope" take birth in us? Let the tell-tale Scripture take over at this stage:

(And notice the reference to "first" again...) "...Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep..." (1 Cor 15:20 ESV)

Candidly put, minus the "first" Easter where there was no human hand in Jesus' resurrection, there would be no "blessed hope" in or for us.

So Dear Friends, in conclusion let me say that in response to His love, faithfulness and engendered hope in us, let us at all times love the Lord passionately (see Rev. 2:4), follow Him faithfully, for we have been called and chosen (See Rev. 17:14), and earnestly look ahead in anticapation of our eventual trip to Heaven (See 2 Tim. 4:8). All glory to Him! Amen and Amen!!!

Yours in His service,

Suresh Manoharan
An unworthy servant
J and SM Ministries

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This is the last part of the "He is the First in Everything" mini-series. If you have missed any parts of this series, you can access them by clicking here. Otherwise, feel free to email me and I can forward them to you.

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Admin Thu 20 Aug 2020, 8:07 pm

In the second part of our series titled, "He is the first in everything" today we we shall focus on the faith aspect of our spiritual walk...

Faith...

Coming to the "pillar", as it were of Christian faith, first things first here please! The meaning of the word "faith" all through the Scriptures has been not only that which comes from hearing the Gospel and leads to salvation (See Rom. 10:17), but also one which keeps the saved soul on the straight and narrow path until the end. The Hebrew and Greek words for faith, "Emunah" and "Pistis", employed respectively in Hebrew and Greek Bibles and meaning faithfulness or loyalty, better capture essence of the word faith (See Hab. 2:4/Heb. 10:37) rather than its regular use in Anglican churches.

A cursory glance of the heroes of faith enlisted in the Faith Chapter in Hebrews 11, people such as Abraham, Moses or David, would bring to the fore a common unifying factor: None of them, after their calling by God, went back to their "old lives". If we pose the question of who called them faithfully in the first place and then faithfully stood by them, the answer would be unequivocally -- the faithful God (See Psalm 33:4/Gen. 12:1-3/Ex. 3:1-10/1 Sam. 16:1-13)! Ditto with every Christian (See Eph. 1:3-5)! A honest recapitulation of the events leading to salvation would convince us of this truth: A faithful God followed us right from conception onwards before saving us at the right time!

Just to underscore my point about God's faithfulness, I am bringing in the significance of the word "Covenant" and comparing it with the word "Contract". The two notable differences between these very similar words are as such: A contract is always between two parties of equal stature (eg: a land owner and a building contractor); A covenant is always between a higher party and a lower party (eg: the will of an experienced father to his not-so-experienced progeny -- See Job 42:15). Also we need to remember that while a contract stands broken if either of the two contracting parties violate the terms of agreement, a covenant remains intact, with the higher party always fulfilling the terms of the agreement even if the lower party violates them. One need not go beyond the story of a faithful husband, Hosea, and his faithful demeanor towards his faithless wife, Gomer, to better comprehend the meaning and nuances of the word "covenant" (See Hosea 3:1-3).

To substantiate the above point even whilst emphasizing the key word "first" of this message, I want to bring before my readership the following examples...

"First" Parents...

"But like Adam they transgressed the covenant; there they dealt faithlessly with me." (Hos. 6:7 ESV). Yes, Adam and Eve transgressed their covenant with their Father and dealt faithlessly with Him, but their Divine benefactor would not go back in the matter of helping them in various ways, beginning with:

a) Provision of clothes ("And the Lord God made clothing from animal skins for Adam and his wife." Gen 3:21 NLT),

b) Protection from wild animals. After the fall, the "wild" animal -- tigers, bears, elephants -- would all become hostile to our "First Parents", making the famous story of Daniel in the lion's den dwarf in comparison.

c) ensuring safe delivery during child-birth at a time where there were no midwives (See Gen 35:17) let alone maternity hospitals...etc...etc...

"First" Church...

Contrary to popular belief that the word "church" is used for the first time to describe only "an assembly of Christian believers" in the New Testament, it may surprise some when I say that the word "church" has also been used to describe the nation of Israel ("This is he, that was in the church in the wilderness with the angel which spake to him in the mount Sina, and with our fathers: who received the lively oracles to give unto us" Acts 7:38 KJV). Did not our Creator God have a crelationship with the Jews long before the church as we know was "born on the Day of Pentecost" (See Acts 2:37-46)?

Though the obedience graph of the Jews would show wild swings right from their wilderness journey, the Almighty remained faithful to them, providing for them despite their rebellion therein many a time. Though they brought upon themselves the curse a longer stay in the Desert, none of them died of hunger or thirst in their 40 years journey: "For forty years I led you through the wilderness, yet your clothes and sandals did not wear out." (Deut. 29:5 NLT). Later on, in the Promised Land and outside of it too, even though they continued to bring upon themselves the curse of exile due to willful idol-worship, the faithful God would continue to care for and provide for them (See Jeremiah 29:1-11), protecting them from all kinds of dangers including a planned, horrific genocide (The book of Esther stands as a testament to this truth). Now the same faithful One has given an assurance that all Jews, though they despise Christ now, will soon be led to a Christ-oriented salvation: "Then I will pour out a spirit of grace and prayer on the family of David and on the people of Jerusalem. They will look on me whom they have pierced and mourn for him as for an only son. They will grieve bitterly for him as for a firstborn son who has died." (Zech 12:10 NLT; See also Rom 11:26-27).

How true is the Apostle Paul's declaration about our Heavenly Father's faithfulness, in regards to Christians too...

"if we are faithless, he remains faithful--for he cannot deny himself" (2 Tim 2:13 ESV)

Prayer: Father, we are awed by Thy faithfulness. As we prayerfully depend upon you, enable us to be faithful to Thee at all times. In Jesus' Name. Amen

Suresh Manoharan
An unworthy servant
J and SM Ministries

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Please join us on Saturday for "He is the FIRST in EVERYTHING! Part 3" to see what Jesus has to teach us about faith!

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Admin Tue 18 Aug 2020, 9:44 pm

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"...He is first in everything..." (Col 1:18 TLB)

Speaking about the pre-eminence of worship in a Christian's life, a Biblical scholar put it wisely: "If prayer and praise are a preoccupation about our needs and blessings respectively, then worship is a preoccupation with God's glory alone (read God's goodness -- See Ex. 33:18-19).

In this series of 3 parts, my aim is to glorify our Heavenly Sire, Saviour and Sustainer by focusing on His unique attribute of being the originator of love, faith and hope in us. Oh yes, though it is generally believed that love, faith and hope are the foundation, the pillar and the roof of our Christian lives, respectively, in order to sustain that life in Christ (See 1 Cor. 13:13), a closer scrutiny of the Almighty's working in our lives, in conformity with the Scriptures, would reveal that He is actually the Creator of this "awesome threesome" in our lives -- lest we try to take any credit for birthing them within ourselves!

Love...

"So you see, our love for him comes as a result of his loving us first..." (1 John 4:19 TLB)

Firstly, on the "foundation" of the Christian life is love! It is often portrayed either in the mythological or the movie world that a hero is usually born to rule and kill villains. On the other hand, the first advent of Christ, the only hero in a Christian's life (See Heb 12:1-2), was all about love-inspired serving and dying for sinners, of whom we would be the chief (Matt 20:28/John 3:16/Romans 5:10/1 Tim 1:16). The realization of the truth that we are loved not because of virtues but in spite of vices at the point of regeneration is what fills a Christian with gratitude. This, in turn, gives birth to unalloyed, Spirit-empowered love, which would be evident subsequently in many an act of reverence and charity towards the Saviour and our fellow-Christians respectively (See Luke 7:47/Luke 19:8/Acts 2:44-45/Acts 11:27-30/Rom 5:5/1 John 3:14-16).

Let's resolve to always retain that "first love" ("first" again eh?) at all times and show it by way of selfless acts of love towards our Heavenly Father and our fellow brethren. As love is mostly an offshoot of gratitude, a Christian needs to daily renew his gratitude for his Saviour by prayerfully (with Holy Spirit's help -- See Rom 8:26-27) remembering all the benefits he has received from His Divine Benefactor's hands, not only from the point of salvation onwards, but right from his physical birth onwards. Now this is one spiritual exercise (See 1 Tim. 4:8) which is guaranteed to ensure that the embers of our "First love" are stoked time and again!

Prayer: Father we love Thee because You out of your infinite love have loved us first. We pray that as we prayerfully depend upon You that our love for Thee gets renewed mightily every day. In Jesus' Name. Amen

Suresh Manoharan
An unworthy servant
J and SM Ministries

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Join us on Thursday for Part 2 of "He is the First in EVERYTHING!"

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Admin Thu 04 Jun 2020, 10:21 pm

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(Our apologies for the sending error on Tuesday that caused some of you to not receive Part 4 of this series. If you did not receive it, please let us know by clicking here and we'll send it to you.)

In the concluding part of our series revolving around the ongoing Global crisis, let’s glean some conclusive lessons on the topic “A Disease far deadlier than Corona Virus”...

Caution and Chance...

Ideally none in the medical field would like to risk their lives whilst treating the Corona virus patients but hats off to them that they are responding to a "higher call". They are trying their best to treat the sick and dying ones in the hospitals even while taking as much care (read by wearing "protective gear") as possible to ward off the possible infections to themselves.

How very much in consonance with the higher Scriptural call to the Christians who normally would avoid all sin (2 Cor 6:17-18) but are exhorted to take "calculated risks of the spiritual kind" for a greater purpose...

Save some by snatching them as from the very flames of hell itself. And as for others, help them to find the Lord by being kind to them, but be careful that you yourselves aren't pulled along into their sins. "Hate every trace of their sin while being merciful to them as sinners" (Jude 1:23 TLB)

Charity and Conciliation...

At a time Corona virus is on a rampage, even as we keep a constant vigil for the Second Coming, let us also be consistent in both our Charity and also Intercessory Prayers for our neighborhood, towns, cities and Countries.

This Pandemic provides us with a golden opportunity to demonstrate the fact that Christian love goes beyond mere mouthing of concern over the financial woes/needs of many (James 2:14-17). Is it not a fact that some daily wage earners are unable to go for work nowadays? Are not the underprivileged pastors in rural areas finding it tough to make ends meet? Also remember that government needs to manufacture medicines and protective gear for "medical front liners" on a mass scale, a contingency for which it may not have budgeted previously. This indeed is the time to dig deep into our pockets and render help in cash and kind to those in need or those agencies that are supporting them in the manner of a "Good Samaritan", going the extra mile. The "Good Samaritan" one would remember had no qualms in investing his "time, talent and treasures" on a needy person who in all probability would not help in return (See Prov. 19:27, Matt 25:40, Luke 9:25-37).

Also this is the time to hold fast to the Biblical promises and intercede for Divine deliverance cum protection over our villages/towns/cities and Nations...

"For the sake of ten, I will not destroy [the city]." (Gen. 18:32 NIV)

"When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command the locust to devour the land, or send pestilence among my people, if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land." (2 Chro 7:13-14 ESV)

Readers, remember that the Lord yearns to see intercessory prayer warriors (Ezekiel 22:30). Be inspired now to join me in this conciliatory prayer (in fact it was articulated by one of the respected Christians of India)...

Almighty God, We come to You with broken hearts over what’s happening all over the world by the spread of Corona virus. Even though it is a shock to us, it is no surprise to You because, as God Omniscient, You know everything from beginning to end, and the end from the beginning. We fall prostrate before You confessing our utter helplessness and misery.

We worship You as the God of Love.
We worship You as the God of Mercy.
We worship You as the God of Grace.

We pray for Your intervention at this critical hour.

Forgive us for worshiping science and technology instead of You our Creator.

Forgive us our idols of greed and lust. Forgive us our self-centred life.

Forgive us our evil thoughts, unkind words and corrupt deeds.

Forgive us our ungodly systems which allow the rich become richer but let the poor become poorer.

Forgive us our neglect of charity and our stinginess in giving to the havenots.

Forgive us our lack of brotherly love towards our fellowmen.

Forgive us our pride, haughtiness and rebellious attitude.

Forgive us for allowing cultural differences to divide us.

Forgive us our better-than-thou attitude.

Have mercy on us, O God.

We know that You are generous in forgiveness.

Be with the medical personnel who treat these patients. Send Your healing virtue to flow as a stream into our communities. Have mercy on the innocent children and the weak elderly who are vulnerable to such diseases.

Dear Lord, we pray for the bereaved families and friends of thousands who became victims to this virus. Their loss is unbearable and their sorrow inextinguishable.

You are the God of All Comfort. We remember how Jesus wept when His friend Lazarus died, even though He had known that He would resurrect him.

Dear Father, speak peace to the hearts and homes of these dear families.

Only Your presence can fill the vacuum in their lives, O God.

Father God, we read in the Bible how You stopped plagues when people cried to You with tears of repentance. Help all of us, Indians and non-Indians, to turn to You the only true and living God at this hour. Let our cities and towns get rid of liquor shops, brothels, gambling centres and the like. Forgive us who underpay the labourers and exploit their helplessness. May be their cries have reached Your ears! You are the God of the Poor. As a nation we are sinning against You. As a world we are disobeying Your commandments. Our cup of iniquity is overflowing. We have mistaken Your patience. Please, Lord, do not punish us according to our sins. We beg You to turn away Your anger from us.

Forgive us, Christians, who have failed to be the light in the society.
Forgive us and heal our Land, O God!
Forgive our children and youngsters who disobey the parents and rebel against the elders. We pray that You soften their hearts towards submission lest they come under Your curse.

Having started in Wuhan, China, probably from mid-December, as of the day this was written, (March 28th, 2020), the death toll approximately due to Corona virus outbreak is 27,300 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2019%E2%80%9320_coronavirus_pandemic), over a period of approximately 105 days. Take heart. Deadly plagues of far bigger intensity could kill 14,700 people or 70,000 people in a matter of only a few hours or 3 days respectively, were stopped by the gracious, merciful, unchanging, omnipotent Heavenly Father, when His sincere, penitent servants interceded fervently and passionately for the people (Numbers 16:41-50, 2 Sam 24:15-25, Psa 102:27, Heb 13:8). So what chance this relatively petite Corona virus stands in the face of the fervent, passionate prayers of His sincere prayer warriors? So intercessors, keep at it in faith (Isa 62:6-7)!

Prayer: Father, what chance this petite virus has against thy healing powers. Even as this crisis has brought the World to its knees in humble repentance, please abolish it from our Land and equip this contrite generation to walk faithfully and humbly pleasing Thee at all times. In Jesus' Name.

Suresh Manoharan
Hyderabad-India
J and SM Ministries

Announcements

The is the Conclusion of the "A Virus Deadlier Than the Corona Virus" mini-series. If you have missed any of the series, you may access the entire series online by clicking here. Or alternatively, I can send it to you if you email me.

Admin Thu 07 May 2020, 10:05 pm

NUGGET Today's Devotional - Page 11 Raw?appid=YMailNorrin&ymreqid=2e9d598e-399b-5e90-1cff-e800e101dc00&token=zitEzqOML3j84e6ealFTT5U7-km5qEQF52lp7AcCuBbpSVmqVp7Mb1q_UYn7twkRB1-qIdDQsPsbO8JXArPhA02Acmnr9mgmTGCL79S-UbQGYHG5zZROOYeWZBW-NzAx

St. Pierre: The Pearl of the Caribbean, the "Little Paris", the commercial and cultural capital of the island of Martinique. The city, built on the Caribbean coast at the foot of Mt. Pelee, boasted 26,000 inhabitants, the busiest harbour in Martinique, and the first theatre in the Caribbean.

Despite the fact that Mt. Pelee was an active volcano, the city felt safe. After all, they were seven kilometers from the peak, and between them lie several river valleys. The only dangers identified with volcanic eruptions in those days came from the lava flows and mud slides, and it was logical to believe that any lava or mud would simply flow down one of the numerous valleys to the sea and completely bypassing St. Pierre. As a result, when the mountain "woke up" in 1902, hundreds of people from outlying areas flocked to the city for safety.

Unfortunately, the phenomenon of pyroclastic flow -- a dense, destructive mass of very hot ash, lava fragments and gases -- was not yet understood. As a result, on May 8, 1902, when Mt. Pelee sent a pyroclastic flow directly onto St. Pierre, over 28,000 people died in a matter of 69 seconds.

If those people who flocked to St. Pierre for safety had just stayed home, they would have more than likely survived the eruption...

This reminds me of forgiveness. When someone hurts us, we get angry. We stay angry. We don't forgive. It's the logical thing, right? After all, we didn't do anything wrong. We don't deserve to be treated that way!

Unfortunately, this "logical" thing can be deadly. Unforgiveness doesn't actually hurt the one you are angry at; rather, it hurts you, yourself, along with anyone around you.

We've all experienced how someone who is angry strikes out for no reason. We've seen how unforgiveness kills relationships. John Hopkins medicine reports that unforgiveness actually causes serious health problems. Being angry all the time puts your body in a constant fight-or-flight mode, which can result in changes to blood pressure and heart rate, and even to our immune systems. This then will increase our risk of depression, heart disease, and even diabetes. So when someone hurts us and we do the logical thing by breaking up the relationship and not forgiving, it's as deadly to us as running to St. Pierre was to those poor people on May 8, 1902...

But that's not the end of the story. You see, there were some who didn't feel St. Pierre was as safe as they were told it would be; and these left town on ferries and chartered boats.

We can praise God for not leaving us in the clutches of unforgiveness. When we desire to escape, He makes a way: "But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it." (1 Cor. 10:13b NIV)

A few people in St. Pierre tried to persuade the government to order a complete evacuation of the city, but government officials declared them mad. After all, evacuation was insane. Without the network of roads in modern Martinique, how could evacuation even be done? Where would people go? And just think of the interruption to commerce!

We must understand that the moment we begin to contemplate the need to forgive, the devil will send in all of his strongest forces to keep us bound up in our inability to forgive. He will make us believe we are crazy, that we have the right to be angry. He will remind us of the grave injustice we have suffered. He will convince us that if we forgive, the person will just hurt someone else, etc. But just like the many who were discourage from leaving St. Pierre would soon die in the volcanic eruption, we, too, will not survive if we listen to the devil and his "logic".

But why would the devil care?

We can understand this better by looking at just one more page from the history of St. Pierre...

It was election time in Martinique. The residing officials were afraid that if all their supporters left the city, they would lose the election. It is said that actual road blocks were set up to discourage people from fleeing. The governor of Martinique even made a trip to St. Pierre to console the people and convince them to stay in their "safe haven". It is reported that he brought his wife with him in order to "show" the people that they were perfectly safe in the city. Unfortunately, both the governor and his wife were numbered among the dead that fateful morning...

In the same way, the devil has ulterior motives to keep us from forgiving. He hates God, and he desires to hurt what God loves -- You and me! He knows that if he can get and keep us entrapped in unforgiveness, the door is open for depression, anxiety, fear and other physical and mental health problems. He knows that our unforgiveness will kill our earthly relationships and divide our families. He knows that not forgiving will make us sick. It is to his advantage that we do not forgive!

Let's stop listening to the "logic" of this world. Let's recognize that the "facts" that keep us from forgiveness are simply there to keep us enchained. Let's remember that the devil has strong hidden motives for keeping us enslaved. Let's remember that it's better to flee unforgiveness immediately and completely by forgiving those who have hurt us. Otherwise, when the "volcano" erupts, we may still be in danger of...death!

Is it for naught that Jesus taught, "For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins." (Matt. 6:14-15 NIV)?

In His love
Lyn

Lynona Gordon Chaffart, Speech-Language Pathologist, mother of two, Author -- "Aboard God's Train -- A Journey With God Through the Valley of Cancer", Author and Moderator for The Nugget, a tri-weekly internet newsletter, and Scriptural Nuggets, a website devoted to Christian devotionals and inspirational poems, with Answers2Prayer Ministries. Follow Lyn on Twitter @lynchaffart.

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Forgiving isn't easy; but don't forget: God will never ask you to do anything that He is not ready to help you with! Take your anger to Him, talk to Him about it, let Him begin the healing process. If you need help with this, please feel free to email me. May God bless you as you work through unforgiveness to freedom in Christ!

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Admin Wed 06 May 2020, 1:17 pm

NUGGET Today's Devotional - Page 11 Raw?appid=YMailNorrin&ymreqid=2e9d598e-399b-5e90-1c4a-5a0001016900&token=zitEzqOML3j84e6ealFTT5U7-km5qEQF52lp7AcCuBbpSVmqVp7Mb1q_UYn7twkRB1-qIdDQsPsbO8JXArPhA02Acmnr9mgmTGCL79S-UbQGYHG5zZROOYeWZBW-NzAx

If you've ever owned a backpack, then you know how useful they can be for storing and transporting items. For a student, they carry books, maybe a computer, pencils and paper. For a hiker, they hold provisions and outdoor necessities. My wife wears a small backpack instead of a purse. And I can attest to the fact that she has more doodads inside than Mary Poppins ever had.

I don't own a backpack, at least not one you can touch, see and wear. But I do own an invisible backpack, one that I unintentionally stuff with worry, fear, and other daily issues that ransack my thinking. I have even taken on things that don't belong to me, so I even further clutter my backpack. Perhaps your invisible backpack is full with concerns over work or lack thereof, worries over loved ones, financial or health issues.

As believers in Jesus, he teaches us, "Don't worry about anything, but pray about everything. With thankful hearts offer up your prayers and requests to God." (Philippians 4:6 CEV)

It's not always easy to empty our virtual backpacks at the feet of Jesus. But we must do just that, every single day. How? It's simple. We unzip our chock-full backpacks and lay at the foot of the cross all the rubbish we cram inside. We pray and ask our Savior to carry it all.

When my daughter attended University, her real backpack was typically stuffed full with textbooks, so much so that I worried about the toll it could have on her petite frame. Often times I wished I could have lightened her load and help carry some of her burden. Where am I going with this you might ask?

This is what Jesus wants to do for us! He wants to remove all the junk we have in our virtual backpacks if we'll only let him. He loves sending us on our way with lighter hearts and a song of praise on our lips. So here's what to do...

Before you crawl into bed each night, ask Jesus to empty your backpack.

"Give your burdens to the Lord, and he will take care of you. He will not permit the Godly to slip and fall." (Psalms 55:22 NLT)

Then sleep peacefully my friend, because Jesus is carrying your load!

Paul Smyth

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Admin Sat 02 May 2020, 3:15 pm

NUGGET Today's Devotional - Page 11 Raw?appid=YMailNorrin&ymreqid=2e9d598e-399b-5e90-1c19-2d0067013d00&token=zitEzqOML3j84e6ealFTT5U7-km5qEQF52lp7AcCuBbpSVmqVp7Mb1q_UYn7twkRB1-qIdDQsPsbO8JXArPhA02Acmnr9mgmTGCL79S-UbQGYHG5zZROOYeWZBW-NzAx

John the Baptist: The one called as a herald to the Messiah: "'I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me...' says the LORD Almighty." (Malachi 3:1 NIV); "A voice of one calling: 'In the wilderness prepare the way for the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.'" (Isaiah 40:3 NIV).

John the Baptist: The one who first recognized Jesus as the Messiah, the one who baptised Jesus: "John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, 'Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!'...Then John gave this testimony: 'I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him...I have seen and I testify that this is God's Chosen One." (John 1:29, 32-34 NIV)

John the Baptist: The one who would later doubt that Jesus was the Messiah...: "John's disciples told him about all these things. Calling two of them, he sent them to the Lord to ask, 'Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?'" (Luke 7:18-19 NIV)

Tell me: Just how can one go from heralding someone as the Messiah to asking "Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?"

It baffles me to think of this. John actually saw the Spirit of God come down as a dove and remain upon Jesus; yet he went on to doubt.

I don't know about you, but I take comfort in this story. You see, God has revealed Truth to me many times and has confirmed His Word and my understanding. Yet in a weak moment, I still find myself thinking, "Did God actually say that???"

Take, for example, the recent sale of our house. We asked God to confirm that we should put it on the market, and He did, through His Word. So we put the house on the market. Two weeks later, there hadn't been even a single showing. I was about as discouraged as I could be, and I had a John-the-Baptist moment. I cried out to God: "Lord, if you really want us to sell the house, give us a sign! May there be even the tiniest show of interest in the sale of our house!"

I repented immediately of my doubt. I remembered that God had told us to sell, and I withdrew my request...

Does God punish us for our doubt? Does He get impatient with us? Does He withdraw His promises and His blessings?

When John the Baptist's messengers left, Jesus turned to the crowd and said, "What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swayed by the wind? If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No, those who wear expensive clothes and indulge in luxury are in palaces. But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet." (Luke 7: 4-26 NIV).

No, Jesus understands our weaknesses, and He does not punish us for our doubt; rather, He invites us to come to Him with our doubt, and He is ever ready to help us through them.

I also find it very interesting that when the disciples of John the Baptist came to Jesus asking if He was truly the Messiah, it was a "yes/no" question; yet Jesus did not give them a "yes-no" answer. Instead, He began doing things that only the Messiah could do: "At that very time Jesus cured many who had diseases, sicknesses and evil spirits, and gave sight to many who were blind. So he replied to the messengers, 'Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor.'" (Luke 7:21-22 NIV).

Sometimes I wish God would simply tell us "yes" or "no". It would be so much simpler! But God knows something we don't always realize: A "yes" or a "no" might not actually be enough for our doubting natures!

This is what God did for me as well. He didn't tell me, "Yes, Lyn, I do want you to sell your house!" Instead, He did something of a miraculous nature that gave us encouragement. Later that same day, after my weak moment when I asked for a sign, despite the fact that I repented of my doubt and withdrew my request, we received a text requesting a showing of our house that afternoon. 30 minutes later, the request was canceled, and our agent was texting us to apologize, saying that this hardly ever happens, but the people changed their minds. He said, "I really don't know what that was about!" But none of that mattered at all to me. God had given me my sign, and it was something out of the ordinary. As a result, I had no doubts that it was, indeed, His will for us to sell the house. When I later told our agent the whole story, his faith was strengthened as well.

God wants us to believe in Him, yes; but He does not punish us for our doubt. Instead, with everlasting love and kindness, He invites us to come to Him with our doubts, so that He can guide us into all faith. What an amazing God we serve!

Is your faith weak? Tell God about it. Give Him your doubts. Be perfectly honest with Him. He knows your heart anyway, so why hide what is there? Then be prepared for Him to--Strengthen your faith!

In His love,
Lyn

Lynona Gordon Chaffart, Speech-Language Pathologist, mother of two, Author -- "Aboard God's Train -- A Journey With God Through the Valley of Cancer", Author and Moderator for The Nugget, a tri-weekly internet newsletter, and Scriptural Nuggets, a website devoted to Christian devotionals and inspirational poems, with Answers2Prayer Ministries. Follow Lyn on Twitter @lynchaffart.

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Does your faith need a boost? Why not check out the Mini-Series, Faith!, a study based on Hebrews 11.

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Admin Sat 25 Apr 2020, 9:36 pm

"Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again--rejoice!" (Phil. 4:4 NLT).

After spending three weeks in the beautiful island of Grenada, my body still hadn't completely adjusted to the heat. It doesn't matter what island paradise you find yourself in, 30 C (86 F) plus humidity is just plain...hot!

And so I complained...

My body had adjusted somewhat to the climate however, as I would discover that morning, after a rainstorm, when the temperature dipped all the way down to 23 C (73 F). When I went out for a little walk, I actually felt...cold!

Because I had been "complaining" about the heat to everyone back home, I quickly composed a text for all of my family back home: "23 degrees C. this morning! I'm cold!"

Meanwhile, while I was fussing that I was "cold" at 23 C., the family back home were suffering under deep-freeze conditions. With the wind-chill factor, temps were dipping down to -30 C., and there was up to 30 cm of fresh snow in parts of the country where my family live. I guess my "problem" got classified as "A Caribbean" problem, unworthy of sympathy; for needless to say, I didn't get any...

It doesn't matter where we find ourselves in life, problems always seem to abound. We complain about being too busy at work, about having to clean the bathroom, that we haven't gotten away in months, that our car is too old, that we don't have the latest computer or cell phone, that our church is too big/unfriendly/loud/boring, that we don't have the latest parallel Bible. Meanwhile, others don't even have a job, some have never, ever left their home villages, many in this world don't have indoor plumbing, thousands have only their feet for transportation, there are those who don't have access to education, and an accelerating number of Christians around the world are persecuted for their faith, many can't attend church, and it is illegal to own a Bible...

The point is, whatever it is we complain about, there are those who have it far worse than we do. I once read an allegory about a man who was complaining about the "cross" he had to bear. An angel took him to a warehouse full of "crosses" and invited him to exchange his "cross" for any of the ones in the storehouse. The man went in, looked around, found the absolute smallest "cross", and came outside bearing it. He would then learn that it was the exact same "cross" he had been carrying all along...

It's so true! If we could see the full picture, then when asked if we wish to "exchange" our problems for those that others have, we would more than likely pick our own!

When faced with adversity, no matter how big or small, we always have two options: We grumble and complain about what we don't have, or we rejoice in what we do.

After contemplating this truth, I repented of my complaint that the temperatures dipped down to 23 C. Instead, I rejoiced that I was blessed enough to be in the Caribbean and to be avoiding the deep-freeze back home.

It's amazing how I began to truly enjoy what I had after that...

Something else happened as well. When I wasn't so focussed on my own comfort--or lack thereof--I began to empathize with those who truly did have it worse off than I did. Instead of complaining to them for a "problem" that was far smaller than theirs, I began to be supportive and encouraging. It's amazing how a tiny bit of empathy goes such a long ways towards helping someone! And that, in and of itself, is so much more rewarding to us, ourselves, then constantly trying to one-up them.

The Bible tells us, "Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again--rejoice!" (Phil. 4:4 NLT). It also teaches that, "This is the day the LORD has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it." (Psalm 118:24 NLT). We would do well to remember that, "This is the day" refers to...everyday! And the more we "rejoice and be glad in it", the happier we will feel, and the more we can be a blessing to those who are hurting around us.

Too ______ (you fill in the blank) where you are? Remember: That's a "Caribbean problem"! There are others who have it far worse. Why not choose to rejoice in what we do have instead of complaining about what we don't? When we do, we will begin to lift others up instead of bringing them down with our own troubles!

In His love,
Lyn

Lynona Gordon Chaffart, Speech-Language Pathologist, mother of two, Author -- "Aboard God's Train -- A Journey With God Through the Valley of Cancer", Author and Moderator for The Nugget, a tri-weekly internet newsletter, and Scriptural Nuggets, a website devoted to Christian devotionals and inspirational poems, with Answers2Prayer Ministries. Follow Lyn on Twitter @lynchaffart.

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"And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work." (2 Cor. 9:8)

Wait a minute: If God promises abundance, then why do I have all this need? Click here to find out!
https://scripturalnuggets.org/category/mini-series/god-of-abundance/

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Admin Thu 23 Apr 2020, 11:53 pm

We all want to look our best. And we do our best to achieve it.

And if you're like me, you've tried various products, hoping that the promise on the bottle will prove true.

The latest one I tried had this instruction: "The best time to apply skin care products is when you are fresh out of a warm shower or bath. Not only is your skin clean, but it is also thoroughly moist and will better absorb anything you apply to it."

I followed this instruction. But blushing a bit, I confess I failed to do the same when it comes to my life. When spots of insecurities appeared, when blotches of worry and blemishes of resentment, past sin, guilt and unfulfilled dreams remained, life wasn't pretty.

A clean-up job was begging. But instead, I covered it with the busyness of life. Hoping no one would notice the blemishes that stained inside.

But God noticed.

He had the washcloth of His unconditional love and the lotion of His grace to wipe away any unsightly blemish in my heart, all the dirty of past mistakes, the nagging regrets and the self-doubt.

And when in front of the mirror, I saw it all. I took a deep breath, drew in courage and confessed to Him, "I'm in Your presence as I acknowledge all I see. I will be still for you to clean all that keeps my heart, my attitude, and my thoughts from radiating the beauty You know I should have."

One by one He wiped away, leaving my heart fresh and free. And He added the perfume of His instruction:

"Flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart" (2 Timothy 2:22 NIV).

Let's Pray: Father, it's a pure heart I pursue and it's a clean life I long for. Help me to be still as You use Your supernatural cleanser that I still need. In Jesus' name, amen.

What needs to be removed to make your life beautiful again?

Janet Eckles

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

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Saturday, April 25, is ANZAC Day for our many friends in the southern Hemisphere, and although this isn't celebrated in most of the norther Hemisphere, we would all do well to stop more often to honor the lives that have been slain in the defense of freedom. Please be blessed by the following ANZAC Day address, written by Nugget author, Elizabeth Price:

ANZAC DAY BETHANGA 2020

We come together with deep love to commemorate the ANZACS but we also gather with deep love to commemorate the fire fighters and the volunteers, and all others, who also fought and died to save others.

Jesus said 'you must love one another as I have loved you,' and He gave his life to save us.
So we say the Lord's prayer regularly because Jesus taught us to do so but this morning I want us to think about our prayer. Firstly we begin with our Father which art in heaven because we acknowledge the Lord's residence.

Then we say 'hallowed be thy name,' and to hallow a name means to make it a holy name, or to venerate it or consecrate it. Yet how often we hear it used almost like a swear word or merely as a common exclamation.

Next we make a claim that we want our Father's kingdom to come but again I question our reality when we say so. Ask yourself: Do I really, truly want to live in a world where there is total peace, total commitment to the Lord, and no more greed or grabbing opportunities, or self-aggrandisement?

Then we claim we really want everything done in the world as in heaven. We claim we want to give ourselves and our desires entirely into His care and keeping. And we follow it by asking only for the day's necessities to be given to us. Just what we actually need, not what we want, just our necessities. Is that what you ask for? Or do you give the Lord a list of your wants?

What do you ask forgiveness for? Are we in debt to God? We are all in deep debt to Jesus for His forgiveness of ALL our wrong doings and for ALL our sinfulness. In other words, I know I am a total mess and yet God forgives me because Jesus has put His arm around me. Is that how you feel too? I pray it is.

Then we ask not to be led into places that will tempt us to do wrong, but to be delivered from such places. I cannot count how many times over the years I have been kept safe in spite of myself. Over and over, I have been 'delivered from evil.' Why? Because I, in my humble and trite way, give my world to Him because His is the power and the glory. I am the thief on the cross who said to Jesus, 'Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.' And His reply was, 'thou shalt be with me in paradise.'

So now let us say together --

Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen

Elizabeth Price
Australia

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Admin Tue 21 Apr 2020, 11:27 pm

As of right now, most of the world finds themselves in lockdown due to the COVID-19 crisis. This made me ask myself: What does “lockdown” mean to someone who is a child of God? The following devotional is God’s answer to me:

L = Live by Faith: "For we live by faith, not by sight." (2 Corinthians 5:7 NIV); "For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed -- a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: 'The righteous will live by faith.'" (Romans 1:17 NIV). See also Galatians 3:11 and Hebrews 10:38.

O = Obey the voice of the LORD your GOD: "Now therefore amend your ways and your deeds and obey the voice of the LORD your God; and the LORD will change His mind about the misfortune which He has pronounced against you." (Jeremiah 26:13 NIV)

C = Confession: "Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much." (James 5:16 NIV). See also Romans 10:9.

K = Know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells IN YOU: "Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?" (1 Corinthians 3:16 NIV). See also Col. 1:10.

D = Deliverance: "You are my hiding place; You preserve me from trouble; You surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah." (Psalm 32:7 NIV). See also Luke 21:28.

O = Obey Jesus Christ: "...according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with His blood: May grace and peace be yours in the fullest measure." (1 Peter 1:2 NIV)

W = Worship God: "All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the LORD, And all the families of the nations will worship before You." (Psalm 22:27 NIV). See also 1 Cor. 14:25.

N = Nothing can separate you from God: "For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:38-39 NIV)

Let's remember in these times the story of Paul in prison. The story is found in Acts 16:25-30, and we see that even though he was in the innermost dungeon, he wasn't complaining: Rather, He was...Singing praises to God! "About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them..." (vs. 25 NIV). As you read on through the passage, you see that the rescue and deliverance happened while they were praising God: "Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose." (vs. 26 NIV).

Our present day enemies don't want us to bind together in praise and worship any more than the demons who stood against the early church. How should we react in our lockdown situations? Why not us join in the Spirit and worship Our Heavenly Father with praise!

But wait. Who feels like being joyful in lockdown?

As Christians we have plenty of reason to praise God in any situation. Here are a few from Ps. 85, all taken from the NIV:

1. "You, Lord, showed favor to Your land; You restored the fortunes of Jacob." (Vs. 1)

2. "You forgave the iniquity of your people and covered all their sins." (Vs. 2)

3. "You set aside all Your wrath and turned from Your fierce anger." (Vs. 3)

4. God will not be angry with us forever: "Will you be angry with us forever? will you prolong your anger through all generations?" (Vs. 5)

5. "Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you?" (Vs. 6)

6. "Show us Your unfailing love, Lord, and grant us Your salvation." (Vs. 7)

7. "...he promises peace to his people, his faithful servants -- but let them not turn to folly." (Vs. 8)

8. "Surely his salvation is near those who fear him, that his glory may dwell in our land." (Vs. 9)

9. "Love and faithfulness meet together; righteousness and peace kiss each other. Faithfulness springs forth from the earth, and righteousness looks down from heaven." (Vs 10-11)

10. "The Lord will indeed give what is good, and our land will yield its harvest." (Vs 12)

11. "Righteousness goes before him and prepares the way for his steps." (Vs. 13)

"May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord show you his kindness and have mercy on you. May the Lord watch over you and give you peace." (Numb. 6:24-26 NIV)

Sophie Chun Ngeth

"So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, 'We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.'" (Luke 17:10 NIV)

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Getting tired of lockdown? Why not spend some time praising God today?

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Admin Sat 18 Apr 2020, 8:57 pm

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Are we always aware of temptation? Are we always aware of the risks in our everyday world? Or do we just dismiss them as normal, never bothering to be on our guard?

Upon retirement, my husband and I began seeking ways to have more sunshine and warmth during the long months of Canadian winter. This past winter found me going for long morning walks out onto the deserts of the American Southwest.

Unfortunately, it would appear that these same deserts have become trash dumps where you can find anything from automobiles to baby bottles. They have apparently also become home to thousands of homeless....

Neither of these things bothered me, however. I walked around the trash and keep my distance from the homeless... Until that one morning...

As I made my way up a dry canyon, I came upon a huge trash pile. As it was too wide to circumvent, I picked my way through and continued on up the trail. After threading my way through the trash on my way back, however, I heard a noise. Expecting a coyote or some other kind of wild animal, I turned to look; but what I saw caused my heart to race even faster than the thought of a wild animal: A man rose up from a spot on the desert floor, just a few feet from where I had passed! I had inadvertently walked right through the "home" of one of the desert's many homeless!

I turned and ran, and I vowed to never go up that particular canyon again. But how could I have prevented this? That trash pile looked no different from any of the others I had passed...

Temptation is the same. Oh, we can try and avoid places where temptations abode, but the Bible says, "...the devil...prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour." (1 Peter 5:8b NLT). Just as I had no idea there was a homeless man living in that trash dump, we often have no idea the devil is stalking us! This is why we are told in the same passage: "Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy..." (1 Peter 5:8b NLT)

In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, we are all on the alert for potential transmission and infection. Besides social distancing and lockdowns, we wear protective equipment when we have to go out. In addition to avoiding temptation hubs, wouldn't it be nice if we also had protective equipment against the devil?

But there are no devil-proof masks!

Or are there?

Interestingly, before and after warning us about the sneakiness of the devil, Peter gives us some practical devil-proof protective equipment: "So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor. Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you." (1 Peter 5:6 NLT)

1.        Our pride acts as a stepping stone, a stronghold for the devil; and when we humble ourselves before God, we are, in essence, donning a devil-proof mask!

2.        The devil also uses our worries as a stronghold to get to us; but when we give all our worries to God, it is like we are donning devil-proof gloves!

Peter also gives us more "protective equipment" vs. 9: "Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your family of believers all over the world is going through the same kind of suffering you are." 1 Peter 5:9 NLT).

3.        Doubt is another of the strongholds the devil can use to get to us; but when we are strong in our faith, we are donning that devil-proof "gown"!

4.        The devil also loves to use self-pity against us; but when we remember we aren't alone, when we turn our minds away from ourselves, we are, in essence, donning that "eye-shield"!

In addition to all this, there is also a HAZMAD suit against the devil! Jesus outlined this that infamous night in the Garden of Gethsemane when He returned from an hour of prayer to find his disciples asleep. His words to them? "Couldn't you watch with me even one hour? Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak!" (Matt. 26:40b-41 NLT)

5.        Notice that Jesus says to watch and pray, "so that you will not give in to temptation"! Our HAZMAD suit is...Prayer! When we DON'T pray for God's help against temptation, we are much more likely to fall into the devil's traps when they come our way! And Jesus isn't calling for reactionary prayer, here, either. He's calling for preventive prayer!

Is there protective equipment against the traps of the devil? Absolutely! We have the "mask" of humility, the "gloves" of being worry-free, the "gown" of faith, the "eye shield" of selflessness, and we have the HAZMAD suit of prayer!

Let's all protect ourselves from the raging devil by humbling ourselves, giving our worries to God, being strong in our faith, doing away with self-pity, and, perhaps most importantly, let's all follow Jesus' command: "Watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation"!

Oh, and I was a lot more careful on my desert walks after that incident...I stayed out of the canyons, in the open desert, and I gave wide berth to any junk piles!

In His love,
Lyn

Lynona Gordon Chaffart, Speech-Language Pathologist, mother of two, Author -- "Aboard God's Train -- A Journey With God Through the Valley of Cancer", Author and Moderator for The Nugget, a tri-weekly internet newsletter, and Scriptural Nuggets, a website devoted to Christian devotionals and inspirational poems, with Answers2Prayer Ministries. Follow Lyn on Twitter @lynchaffart.

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The Bible also gives us other protective equipment. Are you donning it daily? Check out: God's Armor: A mini-series.

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Admin Thu 16 Apr 2020, 11:41 pm

NUGGET Today's Devotional - Page 11 Raw?appid=YMailNorrin&ymreqid=2e9d598e-399b-5e90-1c4b-48001201d500&token=zitEzqOML3j84e6ealFTT5U7-km5qEQF52lp7AcCuBbpSVmqVp7Mb1q_UYn7twkRB1-qIdDQsPsbO8JXArPhA02Acmnr9mgmTGCL79S-UbQGYHG5zZROOYeWZBW-NzAx

"But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called "Today," so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin." (Hebrews 3:13 NASB)

I turned off the morning news after eating breakfast this morning. In spite of a few hopeful stories the tidal wave of bad news from the Caronavirus was drowning me in a sea of helplessness. Over and over I asked myself, “What can I do?” but had no answer.

Instead I walked outside, stood on my back porch, and breathed in the clean April air. I heard dozens of different birdsongs blending together to welcome the rising sun while two Woodpeckers provided the drumbeat. I looked at the rapidly greening and growing grass and wondered how long before I would have to mow it. I saw the first flowers peeking out of the soil too. A bumble bee tumbled through the air by my face and a delicate butterfly followed behind it. I saw Robins building nests in the trees and the buds beginning to turn into green leaves on their branches. A rabbit hopped along the fence line, turned to look at me, and then bounced away without a care. All around me the Earth was coming alive while I was stuck in my fear. I walked out into the yard, felt the warmth of the rising sun on my face, and thanked God for the day. It was at that moment that an answer to my question came to me in a quiet corner of my soul. "Share your Spring!", it said.

If you are asking yourself what you can do during this difficult time my answer to you is to share the Spring within you. Every letter you write, text you send, phone call you make, e-mail you share, picture you post, or video you send out is a gift. Fill them all with your light.

Fill them all with your love. Fill them all with your Spring. Use them to lift your spirits and the spirits of everyone you can. The greatest gift God gives us is the gift of Love. No fear can stand against it. No problem can outlast it. Give your love freely then in every way you can. And always share your Spring!

Joseph J. Mazzella

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What can you do today to "share your spring"?

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Admin Tue 14 Apr 2020, 4:45 pm

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Finally, we come to the concluding section of the 6-parts series titled "Easter and the Identity crisis" and that is...

Identifying the times, we are living in...

An end-time prophecy is recorded in Daniel 12:4: "But you, Daniel, keep this prophecy a secret; seal up the book until the time of the end, when many will rush here and there, and knowledge will increase." (NLT). These words would always resonate in the minds of all discerning Bible students, for they identify the time we are living in as the end time. Like no other period in human history, this cyber age with its global business tours catalyzed by technology revolution, has become more commonplace, and knowledge has grown even more exponentially. Latest inventions are the order of the day, so much so that it is news only when a new discovery in the field of science is not been made in a 24-hour span.

Also it would be foolhardy to ignore other 'signs', such as the earthquakes, famines and wars, which Jesus announced would precede His second coming (See Luke 21:10-11). Aren't newspapers littered with stories of earthquakes ravaging several countries, famines stalking various parts of the World and wars being fought within and between nations?

As though to refute a rationalist who would attribute the afore-mentioned 'signs' to common occurrences of the past centuries, the good Lord sent yet another irrefutable proof on the 26th of Dec, 2004 and in March 2011, respectively, in perfect fulfillment of His prophecy in Luke 21:25b: "And here on earth the nations will be in turmoil, perplexed by the roaring seas and strange tides." If an earth-shaking event of the magnitude of the tsunami, the very definition of a strange tide, that hit several coastal cities in Dec 2004 and Japan in March 2011, doesn't convince us that His second coming is on the anvil, then nothing else will. Yes, our hearts go out to the victims. Let's remember that secrets behind some sovereign acts can only be understood in eternity (See Deut. 29:29).

Have we identified the fact that we are living very close to the zero hour? Are we ready to meet our Master? Oh may we all rejoice in seeing His radiant countenance soon, even while hearing His words of commendation: "Well done, my faithful servant"!

Prayer: Father, even as we Your Children are identifying the fact that we are very close to the end times, enable us not only to be alert but also to lovingly and passionately alert others. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

Suresh Manoharan
An unworthy servant
J and SM Ministries

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This is the final part to the "Of Easter and Identity Crisis" Mini-Series. To access the entire series, please click here.

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Admin Sat 11 Apr 2020, 9:09 pm

Of Easter and Identity, Part 4: The Blessed Hope

April 11, 2020

NUGGET Today's Devotional - Page 11 Raw?appid=YMailNorrin&ymreqid=2e9d598e-399b-5e90-1ce6-d70001010500&token=zitEzqOML3j84e6ealFTT5U7-km5qEQF52lp7AcCuBbpSVmqVp7Mb1q_UYn7twkRB1-qIdDQsPsbO8JXArPhA02Acmnr9mgmTGCL79S-UbQGYHG5zZROOYeWZBW-NzAx

On Thursday, we identified ourselves with the Resurrection Power and with the completion of Jesus' work on Earth. Remembering that our Lord faced a severe "identity crisis" on that first Easter and the days following His resurrection, we will focus today, on identifying the blessed hope...

Identifying the "Blessed hope" borne of "Resurrection" in believers by Unbelievers...

As I mentioned earlier in this series, souls are won-over by Scripture-backed, Spirit-filled sermons. I am recalling once again the response of those of who heard a soul-stirring sermon of Apostle Peter on the "Day of Pentecost" ....

"...Brothers, what should we do?" (Acts 2:37 TLB).

We can well imagine a repentant, convicted prostrate spirit behind it all!

Now the decisive question is: Can the Blessed hope borne out of the Lord's Resurrection in us, empowering us to stay pure (see 1 John 3:2-3) in addition to helping us cope with adversities, arouse the curiosity of an unbeliever in the manner a powerful spirit-filled sermon does? The answer is an emphatic yes!

One doesn't have to go beyond the story of Acts 16:16-30 to arrive at this conclusion. There we see a Philippian jailer witnessing two Christian missionaries being the very definition of the word "stoic", even while being unjustly whipped. Historians state that at the time of receiving whip lashes, the pain is so intense that obscene language unconsciously flows out of the mouth of those at the receiving end of it all. Later on, even while being dumped into an unhygienic cell and having their feet cruelly fastened into stocks, the jailer observed that these two men were all grace and poise in the manner of their Master at the Cross.

More dramatic events symbolizing the thankful demeanor in times of trouble of this dynamic duo were to unfold before the Jailer: Their whole-hearted praising of God, by way of passionate singing, the earthquake, and an utterly selfless disposition of not wanting to capitalize on the opportunity of escaping which would have sealed the fate of the jailer at the hands of his superiors (as per the Roman Law... Every jailor was made responsible for his prisoner, under the same penalty to which the prisoner himself was exposed). The end result of it all? A similar conviction was wrought by the Holy Spirit and a consequent similar response was elicited like the one we saw as an offshoot of powerful preaching in Acts 2:37. If at that time it was "Brothers, what must we do (to be saved)?" (See Acts 2:37), then now it was... "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" (Acts 16:30 NLT)

Do I need to say more? Did Paul and Silas preach? Or did they perform miracles to draw the attention of the jailer? No way! The thankful way they demonstrated the blessed hope in them, even in the midst of severe, unjust suffering, aroused the curiosity of an unbeliever, and eventually won not only him but also his family members to the Lord (See Acts 16:33-34).

Mind you Christian, it is indeed a severe "Identity problem" with capital "I" so to speak, if the unbelievers who see you often have still not "identified" the "blessed hope" in you, which ought to influence all of your conduct!

Prayer: Father, enable me during my tough times to cast my anchor on the Blessed hope of eternal life which all Christians have because of the First Easter. Enable me thereby to be a shining witness to the unbelievers. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

Please join us on Tuesday for the final part of this mini-series: "Of Easter and Identity Crisis, Part 5: Identifying the Times we are Living in..."

Suresh Manoharan
An unworthy servant
J and SM Ministries

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We invite you to join us on Tuesday for "Of Easter and Identity Crisis, Part 5: Identifying the Times we are Living in..." To access the entire "Of Easter and Identity Crisis" Mini-Series, please click here.

Admin Thu 09 Apr 2020, 11:56 pm

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On Tuesday, we identified Jesus' purpose on Earth, as well as how to identify ourselves with His purpose. Remembering that our Lord faced a severe "identity crisis" on that first Easter and the days following His resurrection, we will focus today, in the penultimate section of this 6 part series, on casting the spotlight on two more related subjects...

Identifying ourselves with the Resurrection power...

It would serve us well to introspect as to whether "resurrection power" is playing a pivotal roles in the following areas of our lives... Jesus' resurrection power:

a) Saves... Dear Friend, if you have "identified" your sinful condition but are unable to liberate yourselves from the clutches of sin, the resurrection power of the Holy Spirit is for you to avail and break free from the grasp of sin (See Eph. 2:1-6) by making Jesus your personal Saviour: "The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you." (Rom. 8:11 NLT)

b) Sustains... Our Lord is called the "Saviour" not only because He infuses "life" into our "dead" spirits at the point of regeneration, but also because He empowers us from within to lead a God-pleasing life at all times (throughout the Christian's journey till reaching Heaven)... Even in the most adverse of circumstances: "But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world." (1 John 4:4 NLT; See also Acts 16:25/Phil. 3:10). For instance, overcoming hate while being at the receiving end of injustice is but one manifestation of resurrection power in sustaining a Christian's life.

c) Spurs... Post Easter, the Resurrection power of the Holy Spirit (See Romans 8:11) was now the Disciples to appropriate and advance the Kingdom. If on Easter Sunday, the Resurrection power emptied the grave and brought the Son of God out, fifty days later on the Day of the Pentecost it filled the Disciples, emboldening them mightily: "...they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. Then they preached the word of God with boldness." (Acts 4:31 NLT; See also Acts 2). From that day onwards the same men who fled from the Master on the night of His capture in the Garden of Gethsemane were "capturing men in the net of the Gospel" for the remainder of their lives. Ever wonder from where the Early Church got its highest compliment (albeit unwittingly), "these men have turned the world upside down" (Acts 17:6 NLT)? Not from its friends, but from its enemies! Talk of a Republican Presidential candidate giving his Democrat counterpart a Thumbs up or vice-versa.... That's Resurrection power for you, and because, "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever..." (Heb. 13:8 NLT), its available even today for us to use. Say Christian, are you boldly witnessing (See Acts 4:31) for your Saviour wherever the Lord in His infinite wisdom has placed you?

d) Salvages... The same Resurrection power which opened the grave of the Saviour on the first Easter will on the day the last Trumpet is blown (See 1 Thess. 4:13-17) open the grave of every "resting" Christian too, for, "Christ...is the first of a great harvest of all who have died." (1 Cor. 15:20 NLT).

Identifying the Completion of Salvation work...

While the sixth epochal utterance on the Cross, "It is finished", on that first Good Friday signified the completion of the atoning work from the Saviour's side, the Resurrection of our Lord on the First Easter signified its acceptance by our Heavenly Father: "And when God counted him as righteous, it wasn't just for Abraham's benefit. It was recorded for our benefit, too, assuring us that God will also count us as righteous if we believe in him, the one who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. He was handed over to die because of our sins, and he was raised to life to make us right with God. Therefore, since we have been made right in God's sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us." (Romans 4:23-25,5:1 NLT). It is this complete acceptance and appropriation of both the atoning work and resurrection of the Saviour by a sinner in his/her life that justifies him/her before the Judge of the Universe (See Rom. 10:8-9).

Consider this: The High Priest, on the Day of atonement, carrying the sacrificial, atoning blood, "disappears" into the Holy Place of the Temple from the eyes of the viewing public to sprinkle the same on the mercy seat of the Ark of the Covenant (in the Most Holy place), and then to appear before the viewing public with the words "Shalom" so as to proclaim "God's acceptance of the atoning sacrifice". In the same way, Jesus, too, who had "disappeared" into the grave on First Good Friday, reappeared on the First Easter morning to both practically and virtually proclaim "Shalom (read God's acceptance of His sacrifice)" to one and all (See Matt. 28:8-9 CJB; Heb 9:11-12 TLB).

Prayer: Father, we glorify Thee for the Resurrection of the Saviour, whereby we are guaranteed of the fact that His great atoning sacrifice on the first Good Friday has been accepted by Thee. Enable us to share this Good News with others too with joy borne out of gratitude. In Jesus' Name. Amen

There is still more. Not only must we identify ourselves with Jesus' resurrection power, we must also identify ourselves with the "blessed hope" borne of "resurrection". Please join us on Saturday for "Of Easter and Identity Crisis, Part 4: The Blessed Hope"!

Suresh Manoharan
An unworthy servant
J and SM Ministries

Admin Wed 08 Apr 2020, 10:17 pm

NUGGET Today's Devotional - Page 11 Raw?appid=YMailNorrin&ymreqid=2e9d598e-399b-5e90-1c79-550001015700&token=zitEzqOML3j84e6ealFTT5U7-km5qEQF52lp7AcCuBbpSVmqVp7Mb1q_UYn7twkRB1-qIdDQsPsbO8JXArPhA02Acmnr9mgmTGCL79S-UbQGYHG5zZROOYeWZBW-NzAx

On Saturday, we saw that the Saviour's resurrection was well foretold in scripture. Remembering that our Lord faced a severe "identity crisis" on that first Easter and the days following His resurrection, we will today focus on identifying His purpose and how we can identify ourselves with that purpose...

Identifying the Messiah's purpose...

Post resurrection, not only were Jesus' disciples and his followers guilty of failing to identify their blessed resurrected Lord, they were also guilty of still not identifying their Master's purpose for coming into this world. And that purpose was to be: "a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel." (Luke 2:32 ESV). Despite being with Him all those years and listening to His countless sermons proclaiming Himself to be the Saviour of the whole world, His disciples were still trying to come to terms with the original purpose behind Jesus' first coming. So much so that we see them posing a witless question in Acts 1:6: "Lord, has the time come for you to free Israel and restore our kingdom?" (NLT). Oh how much it must have pained the Saviour that they were yet to fully comprehend His agenda for His first coming! It had nothing to with anything political, but everything to with all things spiritual! More than occupying any earthly throne, Jesus had always been keen on occupying the thrones in the hearts of men!

Come Lord Jesus to reign in our hearts!

Identifying ourselves with the Messiah's cause...

It is one thing to identify the Messiah's cause, and quite another to identify oneself with the same. The disciples, to whom His cause was revealed, were called to identify themselves with their Master's cause by being his witnesses in "in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth" (Acts 1:9 NLT). In the same way, His followers through the ages, to whom His cause has also been revealed, have also been called to don the same role.

Witnessing for Jesus, stripped of all its fanciful trappings, is as simple as telling everyone what Jesus has done in your life. With all the excitement that a terminally ill cancer patient who is operated upon and healed by a Doctor would tell others of his/her Doctor's wondrous surgical skills, we are called to tell our story. Then again, just as a patient who had a brush with death would do this passionately, starting with family members and then relaying this news in ever-widening circles, we, too, who have tasted His redemptive love and have been saved from far worse 'eternal death', are called to testify in a centrifugal manner about our 'experience'. We should also begin with our family members. Note that Jesus, in the above-captioned scripture portion (Acts 1:9), put Jerusalem first. This signified that his disciples were to start the work of relaying the Good news of Jesus' saving power right at the place of their stay, and from there, they were to proceed onto other places... Yes ... 'even to the ends of the world'. That we are reading this piece, most probably in a place far away from Jerusalem, is proof enough of the fact that Jesus' disciples did a commendable job when it came to identifying themselves with their Master's cause!

How are we faring on this front?

Prayer: Father, make me a witness for Thy glory to the viewing public at all times-through my lips and lifestyle. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

But there is more. Not only must we identify ourselves with Jesus' purpose, we must identify ourselves with His resurrection power and with the completion of His Resurrection work. Join us on Thursday for "Of Easter and Identity Crisis, Part 3: The Resurrection Power"!

Suresh Manoharan
An unworthy servant
J and SM Ministries

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We invite you to join us on Thursday for "Of Easter and Identity Crisis, Part 3: The Resurrection Power..." To access the entire "Of Easter and Identity Crisis" Mini-Series, please click here.To access the entire "Of Easter and Identity Crisis" Mini-Series, please click here.

Admin Tue 24 Mar 2020, 11:32 pm

Welcome to the Nugget

March 24, 2020

The Best or the Worst

By Answers2PrayerSubscribeUnsubscribeDevotionalsContact us "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." (Rom. 8:28 NIV)

It was the first day of Spring here but it didn't feel like it. The Coronavirus Pandemic was sweeping the globe and everywhere there were feelings of uncertainty, fear, loneliness and even despair. "Social Distancing" had become the new norm. Here the schools had been closed, the restaurant dining rooms shut, and people had been told to work from home whenever they could. Even the sheltered workshop where my oldest son worked had been closed until further notice. People had made a run on the stores and large areas of the shelves were bare. On the news the numbers of sick and dead continued to rise. It felt like there was a weight on the souls of everyone in the world.

My own family was staying at home as much as possible and as I looked out my window I wondered how long this crisis would last. It was then, however, that I saw something that lifted that weight off of my soul, made my face smile, and made my heart feel happy again. On the street below my house there was an old friend of mine from high school who was a teacher there now. With him was my younger son's former aide from the high school as well. They were delivering the school lunches door to door to the hungry children who were stuck at home.

Watching them made me think of something everyone's childhood television neighbor, Mr. Roger's once said: "In the bad times. Always look for the helpers."

I have no doubt this crisis will pass as all the crisis before it have. But it is our choice on whether it brings out the best in us or the worst in us. Let it bring out the best in you. Use it to strengthen your faith. Use it to free yourself from fear. Use it to grow kinder, more giving, and more loving. Become a helper to all those in need and you will be doing God's work today and in all the days to come.

Joseph J. Mazzella
Announcement:
Everything is doom and gloom...But God is the master of bringing good out of bad situations (See Romans 8:28). Check out this Dr. Suess-like poem written by a child:

The buildings were big and people would smile,
And travel they would mile by mile.
But sick they become, in numbers it grew
Businesses worried, communities too.
Things stopped for a bit, the world slowed its roll
The virus had certainly taken its toll.
But what they then saw from slowing things down.
Is in fact they now had less reasons to frown.
Families now gathered, what game shall we play?
Pass me the blue crayon, give mommy the gray.
Dad's home guys! He'll read us a book
then all of us together will cook.
The lungs of the planet caught a small break
Less travel meant less pollution to make.
People did realize they'd all be ok
They don't need so much to get through the day.
Maybe this virus that caused so much stress
Showed the whole world that more can mean less...
Writen by XXXXXX
Inspired by Dr. Seuss

Admin Sat 21 Mar 2020, 9:49 pm

Welcome to the Nugget

March 21, 2020

The Speck

By Answers2PrayerSubscribeUnsubscribeDevotionalsContact us I gave away my peace this morning.

It was a crazy thing, really. I was upset because someone I care very much about was not acting in the way I wanted this person to act. It hurt me. I was sure it was because this person didn't care about me at all...I don't get to see this person very much, and I actually found myself wishing the visit, as rare as it was, were over...

Silly, isn't it?

I knew it was wrong, I knew I was picking at a "speck" in this person's perverbial eye. I even tried some spiritual warfare. But all that gave me was a few moments of peace before the harassing demons returned full-scale. Finally I cried out to my Heavenly Father: "God, You promised that I would never be tempted more than I can bear; but You will always give me a...way out (See 1 Cor. 10:13). God, I'm at my breaking point! I don't want to feel this way. But I can't...seem...to break free...God, help me!"

At that point it was time for church. As I entered into worship, I began to hear God speaking to me through my mind. I heard Him tell me that being so upset at this person was actually completely ruining the few moments of time I had to spend with this person...

I gave the person -- along with that person's perceived "incorrigible" traits -- into God's hands.

I was filled with God's peace.

When we arrived back home from church and I was brought face to face with this person once again, I was again tempted to be angry. I was sorely tempted to get upset. But I didn't. I didn't give away my peace. And the next few moments between us were precious. No, the person hadn't changed; but in allowing God's peace back into my heart, I suddenly began to see this person differently. I began to appreciate this person for who he/she was instead of trying to change this person...

But why shouldn't I accept others the way they are? Why should I try and change them? The Bible teaches: "Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged. And why worry about a speck in your friend's eye when you have a log in your own? How can you think of saying to your friend, 'Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,' when you can't see past the log in your own eye? Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend's eye." (Matt. 7:1-5 NLT)

Let's remember that even our worst enemy is a creation of our Heavenly Father in the same way we am...True enough, not all of God's creations (and I'm sorry say, me included) always follow His ways...But God loves us the same. He doesn't push us away. In fact, He longs for us to come before Him, "warts" and all. He reaches out His loving hand and beacons us to Him: "'Come now, let's settle this,' says the LORD. 'Though your sins are like scarlet, I will make them as white as snow. Though they are red like crimson, I will make them as white as wool." (Isaiah 1:18 NLT).

Shouldn't we be as gracious to others around us?

As I determined in my heart to love this person the way he/she was, I also determined to pray for this person and let God do any changing that needed to be done. After all, isn't the changing of hearts the work of -- the Holy Spirit (see John 16:8)? It's not my work at all! And when I try to change others, I am actually stepping in and trying to do what God is far better equipped to do. I actually stand -- in His way! Yikes!

Isn't it funny that I was so upset that I couldn't change this person...And all the while, it was me who needed to change...

Thank You, Lord, for changing our hearts and bringing them in line with Yours. Help us to be as gracious to those around us. Help us to accept and love others the way they are, help us to commit any behaviours that need changing to the One who is the best at the joy, to Your Holy Spirit. In the precious name of Jesus, Amen!

In His love,
Lyn

Lynona Gordon Chaffart, Speech-Language Pathologist, mother of two, Author -- "Aboard God's Train -- A Journey With God Through the Valley of Cancer", Author and Moderator for The Nugget, a tri-weekly internet newsletter, and Scriptural Nuggets, a website devoted to Christian devotionals and inspirational poems, with Answers2Prayer Ministries. Follow Lyn on Twitter @lynchaffart.
Announcement:
In the Midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is pretty hard to not give our peace away for a different, very real reason! Remember: Jesus said, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest"! (Matt. 11:28 NIV) This doesn't mean COVID-19 will immediately disappear. It means that we can trust Jesus for the outcome. Why worry, when the God of the universe is holding us in the palm of His hand?

Admin Thu 19 Mar 2020, 11:11 pm

Welcome to the Nugget

March 19, 2020

Rest...

By Answers2PrayerSubscribeUnsubscribeDevotionalsContact us "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." (Matthew 11:28-30 NIV)

When I read Matt 11:28-30, I couldn't help but think not only my own experiences with receiving God's rest, but also the story of the Canaanite woman...

"Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, 'Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is demon-possessed and suffering terribly.' Jesus did not answer a word. So his disciples came to him and urged him, 'Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us.' He answered, 'I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.' The woman came and knelt before him. 'Lord, help me!' she said. He replied, 'It is not right to take the children's bread and toss it to the dogs.' 'Yes it is, Lord,' she said. 'Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master's table.' Then Jesus said to her, 'Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.' And her daughter was healed at that moment." (Matthew15:21-28 NIV)

This woman, when saying, "Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is demon-possessed and suffering terribly", was asking Jesus Christ to give her -- REST!

Sometimes when we ask God for rest, He reveals His Word through our own mouths, through the written Word, or even through someone else, perhaps even our worst enemies (Remember that God used Saul - AKA Paul - one of the worst enemies of the newly-founded church, one of the key persecutors of new believers in Jesus Christ (See Acts 2:22-39), to reveal His Word!). As a result, when God does reveal His will, we may not even recognize it.

How about you and I, are we finding rest for our souls?

How many times have we gone to God, begging for His mercy? Remember the Canaanite woman? "The woman came and knelt before him. 'Lord, help me!' she said." Sometime, our recent dilemmas are still very much present in our lives when others show up on our plate. We look to the left and to the right for solutions. The woman, on the other hand, went straight to Jesus and refused to be discouraged. She refused to walk away.

This reminds me of God's Word: "If our hearts condemn us, we know that God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God and receive from him anything we ask, because we keep his commands and do what pleases him. And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us." (1 John 3:20-24 (NIV). This woman's heart did not condemn her. She had confidence before God. Instead of turning away, she said, "Yes it is, Lord...Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master's table." (Matt. 15:27 NIV)

How would you respond in her situation? What would my own response be?

I pray that I will respond to God like the woman: "Yes, Heavenly Father, I am an undeserving woman, a refugees, an orphan; I am unskillful and alone. May I receive compassion, mercy, grace, forgiveness and love from the Creator Heaven and earth!"

Prayer: Lord, I want to be find rest for my soul. I want to be anointed to Your call, according to Your will. In the name of Jesus Christ, the name above all names, Amen.

How about you? Will you pray this prayer with me?

Sophie Chun Ngeth
San Bernardino, CA
Announcement:
It's a SCARY world out there right now.

Brother Rob and I just got back home today. We were wintering in warmer spaces in the southern part of the US without a care in the world...You know, it happens to other people, not to us! And then...News flash! All Canadians are advised to come home! Wait. That can't be us! We're not "abroad"! And besides, we're not sick! After prayer for guidance, we packed up, hopped in the car and beelined for home. Four long days of driving, and we receive the news: The US/Canadian border is...closed!

God is good, we, along with a gazillion other Canadians who were presumably also wintering in warmer parts, were the only ones at the border. We were allowed in, but we are all in mandatory isolation for the next two weeks...

Am I telling you this for sympathy? Not at all! True enough, we probably wouldn't feel good for awhile if we were infected, but the virus probably wouldn't kill us as we're healthy and -- relatively -- young! But here's the lesson I hope each of you will hear today: It isn't about us! It's about the vulnerable ones we could unknowningly infect during the incubation period of this monsterous virus. Social distancing is the only weapon that we have, humanly speaking. Social distancing protects us, but perhaps more importantly, it protects the vulnerable ones around us. It protects grandma. It protects Uncle Scott who is Chemotherapy. It protects your neighbor, Steve, who has an autoimmune disorder. It protects us all!

Is this said in a spirit of fear? Not at all. It is said in a spirit of love. God is still on His throne. Miracles still happen. But God also still asks us to love our neighbours as ourselves. We must also do our part!

I emplore each of you: Isolate yourself as much as you can. Wear a mask and gloves when you are in public (and yes, this means even those of you who live in unaffected places!), wash your hands often, and don't touch your face. Yes, even when your nose itches! Change your clothes once back home, and only go out when absolutely necessary.

The rest, we leave to our Almighty Father in Heaven. Let's remember: "Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up..." (John 3:14 NIV). Praise God, the Son of Man has ALREADY been lifted up, and if ever there is a time when we need to look up to Jesus, it's now!

God bless all of you! Stay safe, keep others safe by isolating yoruself, even if you're young and healthy, and mostly, look up to the Son of Man who has made a way!

In His love,
Lyn Chaffar
Moderate, The Nugget

Admin Tue 17 Mar 2020, 10:22 pm

Welcome to the Nugget

March 17, 2020

How Long do I Wait for God's Answers?

By Answers2PrayerSubscribeUnsubscribeDevotionalsContact us It grows and grows, doesn't it? The love for our grandkids, that is. It brings out the silly side in us. And also creates the loveliest of memories.

Back when my granddaughter was 18 months old, our family spent the weekend in a condo on the beach.

She had woken up from her afternoon nap and was letting us know.

I volunteered to get her. Bad move. Although the condo was lovely, I was unfamiliar with the layout of the rooms.

So, I did what any blind Nana does. I followed the sound of her voice as my guide.

When I reached her crib, I scooped her up. "Nana is here."

I kissed her cheek, rocked her a bit to calm her down. Then with her in my arms, I proceeded to make my way out of the room. I took a few steps to my right. I ran into the bed. I stepped to the left only to find a wall with a window. Holding her in one arm, with the other I reached out to "feel" my way out. Although I was going around in circles, I was determined to get out on my own. But my efforts were futile.

"Hey, sweet thing," I whispered into her little ear, "you get us out of this room."

I put her down on the floor. I took her by her tiny hand. Trusting her, I followed her and with ease, she led me out.

We do the same in life. Our own stubborn nature takes over. Blindly, we go around and around, groping for answers. Looking for the solution. We try to "feel" the way out of painful situations. And when no results appear, we still count on our futile efforts.

What if, instead, stretching out our hand toward Him, we allowed God to take it? Once secure, we can declare out loud the words in Psalm 119:105: "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path." (NIV)

Here's what we need.

We need His lamp to know what the next step will be. And we count on His light to guide us in the dark room of adversity. We follow His wisdom to take us from heartache to healing.

And unlike my granddaughter who didn't ask me to trust her, God is asking us to trust in Him. But the trust can't be a wimpy kind of trust, or half-hearted, superficial.

Instead the Bible instructs: "Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight." (Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV).

Are you heading in a crooked path of frustration? God knows. He's aware of our human blindness that keeps us from seeing what only He can. And He offers the answer to guide us on a direct path. And when pure trust overflows, peace comes back, security reigns and our heart becomes still.

Let's Pray: Father, how often I lived frustrated by going in circles. But now I know that trusting in You is the direct way to answers and the only way to freedom. In Jesus' name, amen.

Whose hand are you holding on to for guidance?

Janet Eckles

If this message resonated with you, please visit Janet's cyberspace home for more inspiration.
Announcement:
Spring is almost here in the Northern Hemisphere, and the north rejoices to see the snows disappear and the flowers begin to grow, soon summer will be here...But while the north rejoices, the southern hemisphere is headed into autumn, and although autumn has its ultimate beauty, winter is just around the corner. What season of your life do you find yourself in? If you find yourself entering a spring/summer (read: trouble free!) time of year, we rejoice with you. But realize that while things are looking up for you, there are many who are entering the autumn/winter (read: troubles abound!) times of life. Let's commit to praying for those who are going through troubled times! And for a bit of encouragement for everyone going through troubles, why not click here?

Admin Mon 16 Mar 2020, 1:11 am

Welcome to the Nugget

March 14, 2020

Dirt...

By Answers2PrayerSubscribeUnsubscribeDevotionalsContact us (Written Mid-May)

Spring is finally here.

I'm not a big gardener, but I do like to plant spring flowers to decorate the front of my house. And so today I began to dig into the dirt and plant the pretty annuals that I bought. The longer I dug and sifted and mixed that healthy black soil, the filthier my hands got. The blacker my fingernails became, the more I began to think about dirt. What's in it, anyway? Just what was it that was lodged under my nails?

The dirt I was using was primarily top soil. A quick search on Google reveals that top soil is primarily organic matter and microorganisms*.

Wait. What? Isn't organic matter a nice term for rotting leaves? Animal waste? Decomposing insects, worms and other animal matter?

It only took about two seconds for me to connect the dots: I had decomposing worms and what the dog leaves in the yard under my nails! Yuk!

There truly is no way to do a good job of gardening, however, without getting your hands dirty. It's the nature of the thing. Plants need the organic matter to grow. The minerals in the decomposing plants and animals are what feeds the plants; and the plants, in turn, give us oxygen, food and visual pleasure. It's the way it is: No yukky stuff, no pretty plants!

It truly is nature's jewel of an example of what the bible means when it says that, "God has made everything beautiful for its own time." (Eccl. 3:11 NLT). It also helps us to understand why the Word of God says, "...God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them." (Rom. 8:28 NLT).

Not connecting the dots here?

Let me help: If God created the earth in such a way that it actually requires animal waste and decomposing plant and animal matter to ensure that plants grow, then we can be certain that whatever "dirt" we are going through right now is going to be used by God for His glory. And not only that, but we can be sure that when that "dirt" of our trials gets up under our fingernails, so to speak, we can trust Him to cleanse us emotionally, physically and spiritually. We can be convinced that in the end, we will understand why the Bible says, "We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation." (Romans 5:3-4 NLT)

Whatever it is you are going through right now...Remember that without dirtying your hands, beautiful flowers, vegetables and fruit can never grow. God has this. He will make everything beautiful, in His time!

In His love,
Lyn

Lynona Gordon Chaffart, Speech-Language Pathologist, mother of two, Author -- "Aboard God's Train -- A Journey With God Through the Valley of Cancer", Author and Moderator for The Nugget, a tri-weekly internet newsletter, and Scriptural Nuggets, a website devoted to Christian devotionals and inspirational poems, with Answers2Prayer Ministries. Follow Lyn on Twitter @lynchaffart.

*https://www.doityourself.com/stry/topsoil-facts-what-its-made-of
Announcement:
Ever wonder about the decorations of Solomon's Temple? Check out "A All the Way!" A Mini-Series by Suresh Manoharan.

Admin Fri 13 Mar 2020, 12:34 am

Welcome to the Nugget
bible
March 12, 2020

Wind-Bent Trees
bible
By Answers2PrayerSubscribeUnsubscribeDevotionalsContact us

I don't know for sure why the tops of all the trees in the Northern-most corner of the island of Guadeloupe are all pointing west. I am sure, however, that somehow or another, it is related to wind. Maybe this happened as a result of the last hurricane to strike the island paradise; or maybe the prevailing winds in this area blow from east to west. I truly don't know, and though I'm sure I could find out, it didn't interest me enough to put forth the effort.

What did interest me, however, was that the leaves atop those bent-over branches all pointed...up! Whatever harsh winds those trees had to endure, nothing stopped them from looking up to the sky.

Now in my simplistic way of thinking, those leaves could very well have just grown the same way as the branches they clung to: bent over, as if carrying the weight of the world on their shoulders. But they don't. They don't let themselves be influenced by the harsh winds that caused their branches to grow horizontally instead of upright. Instead, they use those wind-bent trees as a platform to grow--upwards!

Why?

Because they are looking towards the sun. The sun is the source of their life. In fact, all life needs sunlight, and without it, there is no life on Earth. Specifically, however, plants need sunlight for the process of photosynthesis--the process by which they synthesize foods from carbon dioxide and water to produce glucose. The plant then either uses the glucose itself, or is eaten by animal life and thus provides energy for all life. And since oxygen production is a by-product of photosynthesis, and we need oxygen to live...Well, you get the picture!

With all of that in mind, it is a bit easier to understand why those leaves on those horizontal, wind-bent branches all grow up towards the sun!

I don't know about you, but I often feel like those wind-bent trees. The trials of life, the problems, the circumstances, most of which are outside of my control, leave me beaten down, helpless and hopeless; and I believe most of you can relate to what I'm saying. So is there a lesson for us in all of this?

I think there is. Remember that those leaves have the choice of growing horizontally with their wind-blown branches but instead, they choose to use those same branches as a platform to point up to the sunlight they so desperately need. We, in the face of our circumstances, have a similar choice: We can allow life's burdens to beat us down and leave us hopeless and helpless, or we can use them as a stepping stone to launch us into a brighter future.

And to take the analogy a step farther, let's remember that the reason those leaves grow upright is because they are seeking the sunlight they so desperately need; and that sunlight causes them to grow and receive the energy they need, not only for themselves, but in order for them to fulfill their role in the circle of life. We also desperately need the "Son". Let's remember that Jesus is the: "...light of the world..." (John 8:12 NIV) and "In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it." (John 1:4-5 NIV) The "Son-light" that shines upon us when we seek Jesusis what we need to grow, to be nourished, and also it is what we need to be able to care for others!

The "winds" of problems, trials, negative circumstances, etc., are guaranteed to blow, and they may very well leave you beaten down, helpless and without hope. What will you do? Will you allow yourself to remain beaten? Or will you learn an important lesson from the leaves of those wind-bent trees on the northern tip of Guadeloupe? Will you look up, towards the Son? Will you allow your negative circumstances to be a stepping stone, a tool so-to-speak, that will draw you closer to the Jesus Christ? Will you draw from His "Son-light" so that you can grow above your circumstances? So that you can have the energy to go on? So that you can have what you need in order to be there for others?

Think about it!

In His love,
Lyn

Lynona Gordon Chaffart, Speech-Language Pathologist, mother of two, Author -- "Aboard God's Train -- A Journey With God Through the Valley of Cancer", Author and Moderator for The Nugget, a tri-weekly internet newsletter, and Scriptural Nuggets, a website devoted to Christian devotionals and inspirational poems, with Answers2Prayer Ministries. Follow Lyn on Twitter @lynchaffart.
Announcement:
How SHOULD we react when faced with the trial of life? Check out the Scriptural Nuggets website for come clues...

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