Month: July 2011

Do You Truly Believe?

On By Ed AlgreenIn Bible Believing, Listen to the Word of GodLeave a comment

Scripture: Luke 24.  

OBSERVATION
(What is God saying here?)

Luke 24:25-26 (NLT)

25 Then Jesus said to them, “You foolish people! You find it so hard to believe all that the prophets wrote in the Scriptures. 26 Wasn’t it clearly predicted that the Messiah would have to suffer all these things before entering his glory?”

APPLICATION
(How Can I apply what God is saying here to my circumstances today?)

We read God’s Word, we attend church and hear God’s Word taught and preached, yet when things around us happen as foretold in the Bible, we look to everyone and analyze everything, trying to understand how or why the things are happening. Too often I believe we do things like attending church or Bible study out of tradition or because of parent or peer pressure, not because we are truly practicing the teachings of the Word, or truly studying to be approved or knowledgeable in the Word. The difference is that unless we truly place our heart into the Word and seek to understand what the Word, or God, is saying to us then we honor the Word and honor God by truly following what is understood, then are merely going through the motions. I am reminded of a child who will say “yes mom, or yes dad, I understand” but as soon as mom or dad leaves the room the child returns to the same disobedient act that they were doing before they were corrected. Their heart was not changed by what they heard and learned, so they will continue to do it their way. When we listen to God through reading His Word, through the preaching of His Word, through the teaching in Bible Study, and we take that to heart, believe and follow what we have been reminded of or taught, then we will become the children of God that He is pleased with. Jesus told us in another place in Scripture that we must be as open to Him and teachable and obedient as little children. Kids take us at our word knowing that we are doing everything for their good. We too must realize and believe that God wants the very best for His children.

PRAYER
(With God’s help, what am I going to do differently today because He said it?)

Father I must pray yet another Scripture, “I believe, but please help my unbelief!” I am filled with Your Word through study, teaching and preaching. Please help me to truly apply it to my walk and therefore obey Your perfect will for my life. When I am convinced that You have answered my prayer and pointing me in the right direction, please help me to never seek to find other reasons or explanations for things, but to attribute and accept the things that You lead me into as Your divine and perfect will. I know that You are still God, I know that You love me as my very Father and that You will direct me through times that may seem questionable to me, but that will ultimately bring praise to You and that will be in my best interest. I have committed my faith and trust in You, now please help me to practice that each and every day. Lead me Lord!

 

àWords underlined may be a hyperlink to a song that God laid on my heart while sharing this devotional this morning. Click it and be blessed by the song, like I was when I listened to it! …… I would be overjoyed to have the opportunity to pray with you about a need in your life that may, or may not have been highlighted by this Nugget today. Why not drop me a note and tell me about it? You may email me at:
nuggetsfromgodsword@yahoo.com.
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Are You Feeling Honored, or Despised?

On By Ed AlgreenIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

Scripture: 1 Samuel 1-2.  

OBSERVATION
(What is God saying here?)

1 Samuel 2:30-33 (NLT)

30 “Therefore, the Lord, the God of Israel, says: I promised that your branch of the tribe of Levi would always be my priests. But I will honor those who honor me, and I will despise those who think lightly of me. 31 The time is coming when I will put an end to your family, so it will no longer serve as my priests. All the members of your family will die before their time. None will reach old age. 32 You will watch with envy as I pour out prosperity on the people of Israel. But no members of your family will ever live out their days. 33 Those who survive will live in sadness and grief, and their children will die a violent death.

APPLICATION
(How Can I apply what God is saying here to my circumstances today?)

There is a saying today that “everyone’s rope will come to an end”, in other words – there will come a day when all that a man is doing will be brought to light and will be abruptly stopped. Eli held a place of honor as a high priest, and his two sons held similar positions as priests. However, even in those type positions, the sons were not living Godly and holy lives. They were acting very selfishly with the sacrificial meat offered, plus they were taking advantage of the women who served at the entrance of the Tabernacle. Because of their position (as priests) they may have felt like God would overlook their sin, as most of the temple worshippers probably were unaware of their evil deeds. However, not only was God aware of their evil, but their father became aware of it also. God gave Eli an opportunity to deal with the sin of his sons by sending another man of God to warn him, and Eli truly tried to counsel with his sons. The bottom line is that God was very aware of the sin going on, even though Eli’s sons may have felt like it was no one else’s business. God will not make a mockery of His house of worship, His people, nor those that represent Him before the world. As was told to Eli, I believe that God is saying the same thing to me, and any others who have accepted and/or those who are serving the Lord. We must know that our lives are an open book before an all-knowing God. There is nothing that we do that is hidden from God. Knowing this, I must constantly ask myself “will God honor me in what I am doing, or will He despise me?” I believe that this will put a whole new perspective on what I do and what I say for my desire is to always please God and always do His will. How about those of you reading this devotional, are you being honored, or despised by God for what you are saying and doing? Is He proud of you, and being blessed by all that you do and say?

PRAYER
(With God’s help, what am I going to do differently today because He said it?)

Father, I need Your strength and power each and every day to overcome the inward desire to do all that I can for personal gain or attention. It’s not about me. Please help me to be an ambassador of Yours, doing all that You would do and saying those things that You would say to those that I come into contact with. May I never do anything that would cause You to despise me or think less of me, but may I be so attuned to Your holy will that I will do those things that please You and say those things that will serve to lift You up. Please also speak to the hearts of those that read this devotional so that they too may be honorable before You. I know that we are blessed to live in the last days, may we make everything that we do count for Your glory and honor.

 

àWords underlined may be a hyperlink to a song that God laid on my heart while sharing this devotional this morning. Click it and be blessed by the song, like I was when I listened to it! …… I would be overjoyed to have the opportunity to pray with you about a need in your life that may, or may not have been highlighted by this Nugget today. Why not drop me a note and tell me about it? You may email me at:
nuggetsfromgodsword@yahoo.com.
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You Just Never Know What’s In Store For You!

On By Ed AlgreenIn Bible Believing, Christian, ObedienceLeave a comment

Scripture: Ruth 3-4.  

OBSERVATION
(What is God saying here?)

Ruth 4:13-17 (NLT)

13 So Boaz took Ruth into his home, and she became his wife. When he slept with her, the Lord enabled her to become pregnant, and she gave birth to a son.

14 Then the women of the town said to Naomi, “Praise the Lord, who has now provided a redeemer for your family! May this child be famous in Israel. 15 May he restore your youth and care for you in your old age. For he is the son of your daughter-in-law who loves you and has been better to you than seven sons!”

16 Naomi took the baby and cuddled him to her breast. And she cared for him as if he were her own.

17 The neighbor women said, “Now at last Naomi has a son again!” And they named him Obed. He became the father of Jesse and the grandfather of David.

APPLICATION
(How Can I apply what God is saying here to my circumstances today?)

The story of Ruth is such a heartwarming story showing, among other things, 1). How Naomi and Ruth stuck together after the death of their husbands; 2). How God responded to the prayer of Naomi and Ruth and provided work so that they could care for themselves; 3). How God provided a husband for Ruth, even though he was much older and 4). How God provided a child for this couple that would ultimately become a part of the lineage of David, who wrote the book of Psalms, and the lineage of Jesus, the Savior of the world. The names mentioned in this story book valued the decisions made in accordance with what they felt was God’s will for their lives, in spite of the worldly implications of all that may have been apparent. The point is that when we surrender our lives wholly and solely to God, we have no idea at the time of why He directs us in some of the paths that we go or the decisions that we make, but as in this story, I am convinced that we must first of all depend on God to direct us and lead us, secondly we must listen to His voice and obey Him – even if we don’t understand why He is permitting certain things or directing in certain ways. However, we must realize that ultimately these same God driven events and decisions could lead to things that will impact eternity for many. Therefore, I believe that we must realize the importance of listening closely to what God is saying, and we must follow His commands – as only He knows about those things beyond the very moment in which we breathe. We just never know the impact of what our decisions today will have eternally in the lives of others, so let’s be attentive to God’s direction and will for us.

PRAYER
(With God’s help, what am I going to do differently today because He said it?)

Father, so often I wonder what impact little old me could have on those that I come in contact with. I have been reminded that it’s not about me, but all about You, and because my decisions could have an eternal impact on my family, my church and/or those that I come into casual contact with, therefore it is ultimately important that I listen closely to Your voice, and follow Your instructions closely, so that Your perfect will may be accomplished in all that I do or say, and that ultimately souls will be impacted for the kingdom because of my obedience to You. Eternal implications result from decisions that I make today or things that I say today, so may I always be a good listener, obedient follower and careful but diligent example of You in everything today. Thank You Father for working in the lives of Naomi, Ruth and Boaz, and thank You for continuing to work in and through me.

 

àWords underlined may be a hyperlink to a song that God laid on my heart while sharing this devotional this morning. Click it and be blessed by the song, like I was when I listened to it! …… I would be overjoyed to have the opportunity to pray with you about a need in your life that may, or may not have been highlighted by this Nugget today. Why not drop me a note and tell me about it? You may email me at:
nuggetsfromgodsword@yahoo.com.
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God Is faithful and Just

On By Ed AlgreenIn God Cares For UsLeave a comment

Scripture: Ruth 1-2.  

OBSERVATION
(What is God saying here?)

Ruth 2:8-10 (NLT)

8 Boaz went over and said to Ruth, “Listen, my daughter. Stay right here with us when you gather grain; don’t go to any other fields. Stay right behind the young women working in my field. 9 See which part of the field they are harvesting, and then follow them. I have warned the young men not to treat you roughly. And when you are thirsty, help yourself to the water they have drawn from the well.”

10 Ruth fell at his feet and thanked him warmly. “What have I done to deserve such kindness?” she asked. “I am only a foreigner.”

APPLICATION
(How Can I apply what God is saying here to my circumstances today?)

After the death of her husband, Ruth could have easily left her mother-in-law Naomi to fend for herself, while she go and fend for herself – but she didn’t. When Naomi decided to return to her homeland, Ruth had every reason to stay in her own land and be near to her family and her place of worship – but she didn’t. Ruth felt a God-given responsibility to care for her mother-in-law, and God blessed her immensely for that. Did God owe her anything? No, not really. However, because of her kindness and deliberate attempts to extend the hand of God in this way, God showered blessings on her. For it was no coincidence that she wound up in the field of Boaz. It was very much God’s direction to Boaz in accepting this woman in his fields and then providing her need for food for her and Naomi. We have these same forms of blessings each and every day friends. It is unfortunate that we attribute this to good luck, or happen chance. Instead of doing like Ruth did to Boaz, that we bow at the feet of Jesus and give Him thanks for each and every thing that He does for us. God knows our heart and our intentions and He will reward us in due time. Let’s be on the lookout for those blessings and be very careful to give God the glory for His faithfulness to us.

PRAYER
(With God’s help, what am I going to do differently today because He said it?)

Father I could very easily see all that Ruth did to show her love for her mother-in-law, and how she deserved your love and reward in return. I would only ask that You open my eyes to the needs around me, and give me the wisdom of how to best show Your love to those in need so that You may receive honor and glory. Thank You for Your faithfulness towards me in so many ways. Like Ruth, I can very easily ask “What have I done to deserve such kindness?” However, in spite of my question, I must say thank You for all that You do for me and provide for me. You are indeed my faithful and just Master!

 

àWords underlined may be a hyperlink to a song that God laid on my heart while sharing this devotional this morning. Click it and be blessed by the song, like I was when I listened to it! …… I would be overjoyed to have the opportunity to pray with you about a need in your life that may, or may not have been highlighted by this Nugget today. Why not drop me a note and tell me about it? You may email me at:
nuggetsfromgodsword@yahoo.com.
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How Vulnerable Are You?

On By Ed AlgreenIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

Scripture: Luke 22.  

OBSERVATION
(What is God saying here?)

Luke 22:3-6 (NLT)

3
Then Satan entered into Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve disciples, 4 and he went to the leading priests and captains of the Temple guard to discuss the best way to betray Jesus to them.

5 They were delighted, and they promised to give him money.

6 So he agreed and began looking for an opportunity to betray Jesus so they could arrest him when the crowds weren’t around.

APPLICATION
(How Can I apply what God is saying here to my circumstances today?)

As I read this passage, I was again reminded of how important it is that we keep our relationship with God fresh, current, real, and always prayed up. When we ride the fence, or when we back off in our relationship with God, we leave ourselves vulnerable for Satan to attack and use us as instruments to do his dirty work. No doubt Judas had ulterior motives and perhaps he was disappointed in the way that he saw this whole Jesus movement going. In his eyes, no doubt it appeared like Jesus was throwing in the towel and giving up. Because of the blinders that Judas had put on, he could no longer see a future in this Jesus movement, so he thought that he could benefit from the exit strategy. How does this compare to us today? Often when a pastor leaves a church, many will either leave with him, or some will stay at home until they could see if the church will survive another transition, while some will just move to another church as it may appear like they currently have an active, flourishing ministry going on. Friends, I don’t know about you, but the choice of the other disciples were to remain true to their commitment, and that’s the type of commitment I have made, for it is in those times that the institution (church) may seem weakest, that I truly learn to lean on God and depend more heavily on Him. Similarly, I have seen too many cases of people becoming so vulnerable when they slack off from their commitment to the ministry, that they have difficulty rebounding and recovering to a state where they could once again be used of God. Judas was so vulnerable that Satan easily took up residence and was able to accomplish his work through Judas. How’s your stand today? Is there room for Satan to step in and take control, or are you so full of the Holy Spirit and so in touch with the Master, that Satan would not stand a chance? We need Jesus each and every hour to fight the vile of Satan and his attackers. Please commit to the Master your intent today and every day, let there be no doubt as to whose you are and to whom you belong.

PRAYER
(With God’s help, what am I going to do differently today because He said it?)

I need thee every hour oh Lord! Please stay by my side and protect me from the evil one. Please constantly be my guide so that my life will be a true and loyal example of You to all that I may come in contact with. Please be my protector against Satan and any of his cohorts that may attempt to temp me today.

 

àWords underlined may be a hyperlink to a song that God laid on my heart while sharing this devotional this morning. Click it and be blessed by the song, like I was when I listened to it! …… I would be overjoyed to have the opportunity to pray with you about a need in your life that may, or may not have been highlighted by this Nugget today. Why not drop me a note and tell me about it? You may email me at:
nuggetsfromgodsword@yahoo.com.
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Pray That You Might Be Strong

On By Ed AlgreenIn Christian, SurrenderLeave a comment

Scripture: Luke 21.  

OBSERVATION
(What is God saying here?)

Luke 21:34-36 (NLT)

34 “Watch out! Don’t let your hearts be dulled by carousing and drunkenness, and by the worries of this life. Don’t let that day catch you unaware, 35 like a trap. For that day will come upon everyone living on the earth. 36 Keep alert at all times. And pray that you might be strong enough to escape these coming horrors and stand before the Son of Man.”

APPLICATION
(How Can I apply what God is saying here to my circumstances today?)

In this passage Jesus is warning His disciples, and you and I that perilous times will come. Now I bet that with all the earthquakes and floods and hurricanes, we may have thought that this must be it – here comes the Lord as He had promised. I believe that all this might be true signs of God’s hand at work, both in the lives of His people and in the lives of those that would just not get off the fence and make a decision for the Lord. However, this passage indicates that as children of God, we must pray and be alert at all times. I believe that this is an important posture not only for the end times, but also to be in a state of preparedness to fight off the evil one and all of his tactics each and every day, for if we allow Satan in at every move in our daily walk, how prepared are we really to meet our Savior? I believe that praying will keep our communication lines open with God. Being quiet before God during part of our prayer time is also important because it allows Him to speak back to us – in other words, it creates a two-way communication between us and God. Reading God’s Word regularly also helps us to stay in tuned with the mind of Christ and the intent of His heart. If we are to be like Him – act like Him and speak like Him, then we need to be closely in tuned with Him. Friends, this will keep us alert each and every day, plus it will keep us on high alert for the time that He is ready to call us home to be with Him. Are you prayed up? Are you alert and ready? I hope so!

PRAYER
(With God’s help, what am I going to do differently today because He said it?)

Father, we go to great extents to be ready for a hurricane or any other natural disaster, when we hear the warnings. In this passage You have given the warning. I pray that You will help me to be so in tuned with You that I will always be prepared for Your second coming, and that I may be prepared to fight off all the darts of Satan that may be thrown at me each and every day. Just as I would be concerned about my friends and family being prepared and ready in the event of a natural disaster, I am also concerned and sincerely pray for their state of readiness for Your return. I pray that You will soften the hearts of those that I love and am concerned about this morning, and I pray that You will do the same for all that may meditate on this devotional this today. May Your kingdom come in due time, and may we be alert and ready is my heart cry this morning!

 

àWords underlined may be a hyperlink to a song that God laid on my heart while sharing this devotional this morning. Click it and be blessed by the song, like I was when I listened to it! …… I would be overjoyed to have the opportunity to pray with you about a need in your life that may, or may not have been highlighted by this Nugget today. Why not drop me a note and tell me about it? You may email me at:
nuggetsfromgodsword@yahoo.com.
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The Consequences of Ungodliness

On By Ed AlgreenIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

Scripture: Judges 17-19.  

OBSERVATION
(What is God saying here?)

Judges 19:30 (NLT)

30 Everyone who saw it said, “Such a horrible crime has not been committed in all the time since Israel left Egypt. Think about it! What are we going to do? Who’s going to speak up?”

APPLICATION
(How Can I apply what God is saying here to my circumstances today?)

This is not a pretty passage this morning, for as I read this passage I could not believe how awful people could really be. However, I had to stop and reflect on how it must feel to God when He looks on His people whom He created, living in a beautiful place that He created for us, enjoying the blessings of everyday things that He provides for us – such as sunshine, rain, beaches, water, good health, jobs, financial success, etc, etc., additionally when He reflects on the sacrifice He made on Calvary by sending His only Son to die for us so that we might have eternity to look forward to in the presence of our Savior, yet we sit back and claim our personal achievements, we are satisfied with just staying home and watching TV instead of assembling ourselves together with other believers, we take advantage of the days set aside for worship and either sleep in or go to the beach, or hunting or fishing. Wow, how are we different to what the Levite did when he created his own little god to worship right in his home. Yet we become distraught when we see evil come our way, or God becomes silent in our lives? Friends, I realized from this passage that it is a serious thing when God pulls His hand away from us, and I was reminded that for God to truly work in our lives and in our churches, we must make these areas places worthy of the most high, for He will not inhabit places of sin or ungodly habits. We have seen over and over again the consequences of a person turning away from God, a people allowing evil in their mix, a church that refuses to give God first place in all things. We really don’t want to go there, for the consequences are not pretty. If you are not convinced, go behind me and read these three chapters and be convinced of what can happen when we make a mockery of the true and living God. Let’s start with ourselves today. Let’s once again ask God to take His rightful place in our lives. Please don’t look at the fault in your neighbor. I would dare say that each of us have a lot to deal with in getting ourselves righteous and holy before God. If we all will humble ourselves and pray, clean our acts up, get right with God, give Him first place in our lives, in our workplace, in our families and in our churches, turn from our wicked, selfish, evil ways, then He will hear from heaven, forgive our sins and restore our land (2 Chronicles 7:14). Where are you at today in your walk with God?

PRAYER
(With God’s help, what am I going to do differently today because He said it?)

Father, I thank You for Your Word today. I thank You for reminding me once again how important it is that I not allow the evil of this world to slip in and interfere with my dedication and commitment to serve You. Please forgive me where I have allowed this in the past, and give me strength for each and every hour of this day to stand firm in my commitment to serving You. May it be evident to You, and those around me, to whom I belong and am committed to. May Your love, Your will and Your way shine through me in every way today.

 

àWords underlined may be a hyperlink to a song that God laid on my heart while sharing this devotional this morning. Click it and be blessed by the song, like I was when I listened to it! …… I would be overjoyed to have the opportunity to pray with you about a need in your life that may, or may not have been highlighted by this Nugget today. Why not drop me a note and tell me about it? You may email me at:
nuggetsfromgodsword@yahoo.com.
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Do you influence for good or evil?

On By Ed AlgreenIn Christian, God our Helper, Imitator of Christ, Our Help comes from God, Pleasing to God, Reflecting Christ2 Comments

Scripture: Judges 15-16.  

OBSERVATION
(What is God saying here?)

Judges 16:18-21 (NLT)

18 Delilah realized he had finally told her the truth, so she sent for the Philistine rulers. “Come back one more time,” she said, “for he has finally told me his secret.” So the Philistine rulers returned with the money in their hands.

19 Delilah lulled Samson to sleep with his head in her lap, and then she called in a man to shave off the seven locks of his hair. In this way she began to bring him down, and his strength left him. 20 Then she cried out, “Samson! The Philistines have come to capture you!” When he woke up, he thought, “I will do as before and shake myself free.” But he didn’t realize the Lord had left him.

21 So the Philistines captured him and gouged out his eyes. They took him to Gaza, where he was bound with bronze chains and forced to grind grain in the prison.

APPLICATION
(How Can I apply what God is saying here to my circumstances today?)

Delilah was a deceitful woman with honey on her lips and poison in her heart. Cold and calculating, she toyed with Samson, pretending to love him while looking for personal gain. How could Samson be so foolish? Four times Delilah took advantage of him. If he didn’t realize what was happening after the first or second experience, surely he should have understood the situation by the fourth time! We think Samson is foolish, but how many times do we allow ourselves to be deceived by flattery and give in to temptation and wrong beliefs? Avoid falling prey to deceit by asking God to help you distinguish between deception and truth.

A person’s greatest accomplishment may well be helping others accomplish great things. Likewise, a person’s greatest failure may be preventing others from achieving greatness. Delilah played a minor role in Samson’s life, but her effect was devastating, for she influenced him to betray his special calling from God. Motivated by greed, Delilah used her persistence to wear down Samson. His infatuation with her made Samson a vulnerable target. For all his physical strength, he was no match for her nagging, and he paid a great price for giving in to her. Delilah is never mentioned again in the Bible. Her unfaithfulness to Samson brought ruin to him and to her people.

Are people helped by knowing you? Do they find that knowing you challenges them to be the best they can be? Even more important, does knowing you help their relationship with God? What do your demands for their time and attention tell them about your real care for them? Are you willing to be God’s instrument in the lives of others?

PRAYER
(With God’s help, what am I going to do differently today because He said it?)

Father, You have placed me here on this earth for a specific reason. As I go about my daily walk, may I be so filled with Your Spirit that others will be influenced by those things that You have influenced me with in Your Word. May others see so much of Jesus in me that their eyes will be opened to the truths of Your Word and the nature of Your very character. I place my faith and trust in You oh Lord, praying that Your will may be accomplished in and through me each and every day. Please help me to stay strong, especially in every temptation, every trial and every circumstance of life where others may be out to deceive me or to bring dishonor to Your name. It’s You I live for oh Lord, every day!

 

àWords underlined may be a hyperlink to a song that God laid on my heart while sharing this devotional this morning. Click it and be blessed by the song, like I was when I listened to it! …… I would be overjoyed to have the opportunity to pray with you about a need in your life that may, or may not have been highlighted by this Nugget today. Why not drop me a note and tell me about it? You may email me at:
nuggetsfromgodsword@yahoo.com.
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First Place!

On By Ed AlgreenIn Christian, God Reigns, Humility, SurrenderLeave a comment

Scripture: Luke 20.  

OBSERVATION
(What is God saying here?)

Luke 20:45-47 (NLT)

45 Then, with the crowds listening, he turned to his disciples and said, 46 “Beware of these teachers of religious law! For they like to parade around in flowing robes and love to receive respectful greetings as they walk in the marketplaces. And how they love the seats of honor in the synagogues and the head table at banquets. 47 Yet they shamelessly cheat widows out of their property and then pretend to be pious by making long prayers in public. Because of this, they will be severely punished.”

APPLICATION
(How Can I apply what God is saying here to my circumstances today?)

God’s Word is clear that if we are blessed with any type of leadership role while serving here on this earth, we must be careful not to let it affect our witness of Him. It is so important that we humble ourselves and allow God to increase. It is so important that we stop often and realize that had it not been for the grace of God, we could very easily have been bound up in sin and bitter because of our unforgiving spirit. It is only through God’s grace, His power and His example, that we stop and realize how far we have come through His grace. Let us therefore look to His example and seek to serve Him wholeheartedly while never trying to take the controls away from Him, but allowing Him the place of honor, the place of leadership, the place of control and the place of God that He truly is. We must decrease, so that He might increase and take His rightful place in our lives.

PRAYER
(With God’s help, what am I going to do differently today because He said it?)

Thank You Father for assuming first place in my life some 36 years ago. I acknowledge that this is a daily job of surrendering control over to You, so please give me strength, wisdom, humility and power to daily commit myself as a servant of the most high. It’s You I live for and You that I serve. Please help me to never try to assume that position, but help me to practice my position so much that others may be blessed and see the example that You may give me strength for each day. You must increase and I must decrease!

 

àWords underlined may be a hyperlink to a song that God laid on my heart while sharing this devotional this morning. Click it and be blessed by the song, like I was when I listened to it! …… I would be overjoyed to have the opportunity to pray with you about a need in your life that may, or may not have been highlighted by this Nugget today. Why not drop me a note and tell me about it? You may email me at:
nuggetsfromgodsword@yahoo.com.
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Could It Be Too Late?

On By Ed AlgreenIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

Scripture: Judges 10-11.  

OBSERVATION
(What is God saying here?)

Judges 10:9-14 (NLT)

9 The Ammonites also crossed to the west side of the Jordan and attacked Judah, Benjamin, and Ephraim. The Israelites were in great distress. 10
Finally, they cried out to the Lord for help, saying, “We have sinned against you because we have abandoned you as our God and have served the images of Baal.”

11 The Lord replied, “Did I not rescue you from the Egyptians, the Amorites, the Ammonites, the Philistines, 12 the Sidonians, the Amalekites, and the Maonites? When they oppressed you, you cried out to me for help, and I rescued you. 13 Yet you have abandoned me and served other gods. So I will not rescue you anymore. 14 Go and cry out to the gods you have chosen! Let them rescue you in your hour of distress!”

APPLICATION
(How Can I apply what God is saying here to my circumstances today?)

We hear so much about death-bed conversions – that is, folk who do not want to make a decision while they are healthy and enjoying life, but when they know that there is no choice and they are indeed dying, then they ask to know and accept Jesus. Friends, I’m not saying that those decisions are necessarily hopeless, but there are at least two dangers:

  1. Who knows whether they will survive a fatal crash and have the ability, and possibly last opportunity, to accept Jesus before passing away from this world? We could be snatched from this world instantly and without further opportunity to accept Jesus.
  2. The Israelites in this Bible story, were blessed by God, protected, guided and loved dearly, but they were easily led by Satan to follow other gods. However, when they got into serious trouble and needed rescuing, they didn’t turn to these ‘little’ gods for help, but rather turned to the Almighty God. The good thing is that, like the prodigal son, they came to their senses and knew they needed something/someone greater – God. Words that I wish no one meditating on this would ever hear, “Go away for I never knew you” or “I will not accept you, because you rejected me and worked against me so much during your lifetime”. But the Israelites heard similar words because of their stubbornness and ungodly acts.

I would beg all that may meditate on this today, and especially all that I know and love, to not delay in surrendering your life to Jesus. Please know that He loves you, and loved you enough that He gave up life itself so that you may have life everlasting with Him in glory. That’s a gift offered to you today, but its only yours if you accept it. Please respond to this post if you would like to learn more about accepted the gift of eternal life with Jesus, I would be overjoyed to help you biblically with this.

PRAYER
(With God’s help, what am I going to do differently today because He said it?)

My prayer today is that I will always be steadfast in my faith and my commitment to Jesus. May He find me faithful. My prayer for family and friends who might be afraid of giving up a life of fun to accept Jesus, I pray that God would open your eyes and help you see that there is never as much fun when you are living in fear. Living life without the fear of hell and the fear of dying unprepared is a life of peace and assurance – a life worth living! Friend, know God and know peace!

 

àWords underlined may be a hyperlink to a song that God laid on my heart while sharing this devotional this morning. Click it and be blessed by the song, like I was when I listened to it! …… I would be overjoyed to have the opportunity to pray with you about a need in your life that may, or may not have been highlighted by this Nugget today. Why not drop me a note and tell me about it? You may email me at:
nuggetsfromgodsword@yahoo.com.
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