Month: January 2015

Deeply Rooted and Firm in Our Faith

On By Ed AlgreenIn Deeply Rooted, FirmLeave a comment

The Holy Bible (Contemporary English Bible – Colossians 1:21-23): 21 You used to be far from God. Your thoughts made you his enemies, and you did evil things. 22 But his Son became a human and died. So God made peace with you, and now he lets you stand in his presence as people who are holy and faultless and innocent. 23 But you must stay deeply rooted and firm in your faith. You must not give up the hope you received when you heard the good news.

Thoughts:Paul was reminding believers that all of us were created by Christ, but we have strayed far away from Him. So God sent His Son to die on Calvary so that all of us might be reunited with Him and live in harmony with Him once again. However for those of us that have accepted Him as our Lord and Savior and became reunited with Christ, we must learn to live in this old world of sin and strife, but with our eyes fixed on Christ. In fact, living our new, holy, faultless and innocent lives requires our ongoing commitment, as God is key to helping us accomplish that type of life. I liken it to marriage, where couples need to constantly work on their life together. It is not like the older gentleman responded to a question about how often does he tell his wife that he loves her, and he responded “I told her once at the altar, and if anything changes I’ll tell her at that time”!! Friends, I believe that the Holy Spirit is teaching us through the words of Paul, that we are to put on our spiritual armor every day to fight the temptation and evil of the devil. That we are to recognize the powers of God and His righteousness and be ready to use this as our defense as the evil one comes against us. In doing this, we are not only protecting ourselves from the evil one, but we are expressing to the unsaved world how precious the gift is that we claim in Jesus, that we would build a defense against outside erosion factors. Friends Jesus loves us enough that He died sacrificially on a cross for our sins and our future with He and His Father. Is it really too much to ask for us to be loyal, defensive and awesome witnesses of His great love? Satan will tempt us to think that way, but let me remind you: “greater is He that is in us, than he that is in the world”! If you are reading this today and cannot identify with the love, sacrifice and provision that I speak about here, please allow me the honor to introduce you to my Savior! Please read the ‘Footnote’ for instructions. This could be the best day of your life!

Prayer: Lord Jesus, staying deeply rooted and firm in my faith does not happen automatically, for I believe that You expect me to re energize my mind with the things I can learn from Your Word, and from Your character exampled for us throughout the pages of Your Word. This not only requires faith, but also a desire to personally do our part to grow in our faith and to keep our eyes and minds fixed on You. Please teach us to pray like never before, and please help us to be so much like You that our unsaved loved ones will want to know You also. Help us to put on our spiritual armor every day so that we can fight off the temptations and leadership of Satan that he will try to impose upon us. Please speak gently, but firmly to the unsaved or uncommitted friend who will read this devotional today. May this be the day of salvation for them. Drawing nearer to You means filling ourselves with more of You. May we be very guilty of this act, is my sincere prayer that I ask in the name of Jesus, with thanksgiving, AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please speak with a local Bible Teaching pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com so that we can pray with you and give you help and or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Any words underlined above will indicate a link to a song that came to mind as I wrote the devotional. Feel free to click on the link and listen as you continue to read or pray. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to blogger.nuggetsfromgodsword.org and read more, or you may freely subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. If you are anywhere near the Highlands County, Florida area and do not have a church home, I would be thrilled to welcome you at Bible Fellowship Church, Sebring, FL! Click the link to check out service times and/or other special activities. God is at work among us! Please consider coming to worship with us!

God’s Plan – Our Purpose

On By Ed AlgreenIn Purpose, WorshipLeave a comment

The Holy Bible (The Message – Colossians 1:15-18): We look at this Son and see the God who cannot be seen. We look at this Son and see God’s original purpose in everything created. For everything, absolutely everything, above and below, visible and invisible, rank after rank after rank of angels—everything got started in him and finds its purpose in him. He was there before any of it came into existence and holds it all together right up to this moment. And when it comes to the church, he organizes and holds it together, like a head does a body.

Thoughts: At times we might purchase something, use it for whatever we intended, or had in mind when we purchased it. After seeing it break down and fail so often, we might pull out the instruction book and discover that there were some important steps we were neglecting, that could easily have caused a failure in the expected life of the item. Now, re-read the scripture verses and see if it doesn’t spell out for us why we fail individually, and especially why our churches are failing to reach the masses. Friends, it is obvious that all things were created by God and for Him. Being made by his power, we were made according to His pleasure, and for His praise and glory. He not only created us, but it is by the word of His power that we are sustained or upheld. Christ as Mediator is also Head of the body of believers, the church; all grace and strength are from him; and the church is His body. So who are we to interfere with God’s plan – His purpose for us? I want to challenge you today to look inward at yourself (not your sister or your brother) and ask God to examine you and highlight the parts of your life that you have not totally surrendered to your Maker and Designer. There may be good reason why you are struggling with worshiping God or representing Him fully to your unsaved loved ones. If you truly belong to God, then according to these verses, I believe that you should be a miserable person anytime you are doing something other than worshiping or serving God. He made you to worship Him. Your very existence is purposed in Christ. The last part of these verses speak to unity in the church (the body of believers in Christ). Friends, if you are upside down in your relationship with God, don’t you know that you will also have the same negative impact on anything that you take part in, even church leadership? Always remember and respect who the head of the church is. The last thing you want to be guilty of is having a negative impact on the work of God’s church to reach, minister and glorify Him, through the ministry of Christ, to the folk that He died for. So I believe that the message in these verses today is that we reevaluate our relationship with the Lord. Are we glorifying Him in everything we do in or out of the church? Do we recognize the local church as God’s body of believers that He put in place to glorify Him? Be sure not to place self in the middle of that friend!

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for placing me here on this earth with such honorable purpose. Please reveal to me areas of my life that I must seek Your help on. Areas that I must reevaluate and allow You to change so that I might glorify You more completely. Please forgive me if I have allowed self to step in the way of Your work in and through Your local church. I beg Your guidance so that I might give glory to You for being head of any church that I become a part of and through which I seek to serve You. I know that You are head of the church, and I must therefore always seek Your will and Your guidance to be a part of it and it’s ministry to my community. Thank You for the church in which I now serve! Thank You for all the churches represented by readers of this devotional. May we all take our rightful places and honor You with our praise and worship so that You might receive glory from us individual and corporately. For I believe it is then that You will have freedom to reach into our families and minister to the unsaved. I am seeking Your favor oh God, through asking all this in the precious name of Jesus, with thanksgiving, AMEN

FOOTNOTE: If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please speak with a local Bible Teaching pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com so that we can pray with you and give you help and or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Any words underlined above will indicate a link to a song that came to mind as I wrote the devotional. Feel free to click on the link and listen as you continue to read or pray. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to blogger.nuggetsfromgodsword.org and read more, or you may freely subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. If you are anywhere near the Highlands County, Florida area and do not have a church home, I would be thrilled to welcome you at my church home, Bible Fellowship Church, Sebring, FL! Click the link to check out service times and/or other special activities. God is at work among us! Please consider coming to worship with us!

How To Handle Life Challenges

On By Ed AlgreenIn FaithLeave a comment

The Holy Bible (Good News Translation – Isaiah 37:16-17): 16 “Almighty Lord, God of Israel, enthroned above the winged creatures, you alone are God, ruling all the kingdoms of the world. You created the earth and the sky. 17Now, Lord, hear us and look at what is happening to us. Listen to all the things that Sennacherib is saying to insult you, the living God.

(Contemporary English Version – Isaiah 37:18-20) 18 It is true, our Lord, that Assyrian kings have turned nations into deserts. 19 They destroyed the idols of wood and stone that the people of those nations had made and worshiped. 20 But you are our Lord and our God! We ask you to keep us safe from the Assyrian king. Then everyone in every kingdom on earth will know that you are the only Lord.

Thoughts: So many times we are faced with circumstances where we realize that we have allowed our walk with the Lord to fall into second place. Notice that I said ‘we’ allow, instead of indicating that God leaves us and moves on. Friends, I believe that when we sense a distance between God and us, we needn’t wonder whose fault it is, for our God is always the same – He loves us, cares for us and will remain with us to the very end. Way too often we beat up on ourselves so badly that we convince ourselves that there is no way that God could love us in our sorry state. I’m here to tell you that anytime you sense a distance between you and God, please search your heart and His will for what He would have you do. Notice in verse 16 that King Hezekiah recognized God for who He is – ‘You alone are God’. That’s a very powerful acknowledgment that each of us must recognize, especially when we are feeling isolated, alone and powerless. However, it will be challenging for you to recognize this fact when you’re in need, if you didn’t also acknowledge Him as God when everything was going well for you. The way that God got my attention in the second set of verses is that the king acknowledged that in spite of the overwhelming circumstances, he knew that the balance (final say) remained in God’s hands. Friends, this is an awful lot like us when we face very challenging circumstances, for in faith we must say that: in spite of what the doctors say, or in spite of what my check book says, or in spite of all odds ‘You are our Lord and our God’ and it is in You that I place my faith, believing that all things work for best, for those who love and serve God! King Hezekiah went before God in great confidence. We serve the sane God and we can go before Him in the same faith and confidence that the king did! Anything stopping you friend?

Prayer: Dear Jesus, we are weak, but You are so strong. Please help me/us to place our faith and trust totally in Your hands and depend on You in every walk of life and through every circumstance, especially those times when we realize that things are way out of our hands and/or abilities. As indicated above, I realize that such trust can only be achieved through our faith in You during the ‘good’ times also, for if we only come to You in trouble, how would we know to trust You. So Lord, I plead with You to touch my heart, guide me and lead me in the path of righteousness. Teach me Your ways and help me to live so that my life will glorify You. May I learn to trust in Your ways and allow You control of my circumstances, even when the way seems dark and impossible to me. May Your Word touch some soul today who may be facing circumstances such as this, for I ask this in the precious and holy name of Jesus, AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please speak with a local Bible Teaching pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com so that we can pray with you and give you help and or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Any words underlined above will indicate a link to a song that came to mind as I wrote the devotional. Feel free to click on the link and listen as you continue to read or pray. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to blogger.nuggetsfromgodsword.org and read more, or you may freely subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. If you are anywhere near the Highlands County, Florida area and do not have a church home, I would be thrilled to welcome you at Bible Fellowship Church, Sebring, FL! Click the link to check out service times and/or other special activities. God is at work among us! Please consider coming to worship with us!

A Sacred Highway

On By Ed AlgreenIn SalvationLeave a comment

The Holy Bible
(Contemporary English Bible – Isaiah 35:8-10): 8 A good road will be there, and it will be named “God’s Sacred Highway.” It will be for God’s people; no one unfit to worship God will walk on that road. And no fools can travel on that highway. 9 No lions or other wild animals will come near that road; only those the Lord has saved will travel there. 10 The people the Lord has rescued will come back singing as they enter Zion. Happiness will be a crown they will always wear. They will celebrate and shout because all sorrows and worries will be gone far away.

Thoughts: The prophet Isaiah was gifted and led by God to give us a glimpse of what children of God could expect when we leave this world. I am so tired of all the crime, the hurts, the acts of Satan at every turn, that I’m afraid will only get worse for us while still here on this old earth. However, we know that God is preparing a place for us, those who have accepted Him as Lord and King of our lives, to spend eternity with Him in heaven. Throughout the book of Revelation, we see additional insights on what we might expect, but in reading this passage in Isaiah, I was overjoyed to see that God had really been giving us a ‘visual’ quite a long time ago. I was also fascinated to note the amazing agreement by God’s messengers, for Isaiah’s prophecy is very much along the lines of what we read and understand from other parts of the Bible!

Here are some points that excited me:

  • God’s Sacred Highway – the highway name alone reminds me that God is preparing a neat place for His children to travel. To think of a highway for His kids makes me feel like I am so special to Him that He wants to roll out the red carpet for my arrival – a special road just for us!!
  • Exclusively for Christians – All the preaching and evangelizing we have ever heard comes to reality in the exclusivity mentioned here, for we are constantly reminded here on earth that only those who have surrendered their hearts and lives to Jesus will be saved. This confirms the words of our pastors, preachers and evangelists who has our best interest at heart each week as they stand in front of us an preach the gospel!
  • No fools allowed – I don’t believe that God is finding bad names to give those who don’t necessarily see everything as He does, however I believe that there are many who try to fool family, friends, pastors and even God into believing that they are saved – by their giving, or their church attendance or by the way that they take care of ones they love. I believe that God sees such folk as ‘fools’ because nothing is hid from Him. He knows our heart – the very core of mankind. Yes, even ‘fools’ will be surfaced on that day and rejected by God, as He will do with all who never claimed Him as Lord.
  • No threats – We see and hear about a lot of threats to Christians today, with some being murdered for their persistent faith in God. In vs 9 we are reminded that God’s Sacred Highway will be safe from dangers that frighten and/or hurt us!
  • Pure happiness and joy – I get excited just thinking about it, but Isaiah tells us that we will wear a crown of happiness and celebrate endlessly because all sorrows and worries will be gone forever! Praise the name of the Lord!!

When we think of traveling, we get anxious about visiting beautiful places, then we immediately start asking when, and how quickly can we begin traveling. For those that fear the arrival of this important day, you may worry how much longer do you have before you need to make a decision. Friends, the Bible is clear in saying that no man knows the hour or the day. That tells me that this could occur before you ever get to read this devotional, or it may be any number of days away. When I’m about to take a trip, I start early to make preparations. I would urge you to do the same, otherwise you may never get the opportunity to. Please see the information in my ‘Footnote’ below to help you prepare.

Prayer: Lord, You know how badly some of us live to just see retirement from regular work here on earth, so I’m sure You are well aware of the excitement that builds in the heart of a Christian when we are reminded, and think about our retirement from this earth, to graduate on to glory to be with You! This scripture given through the prophet Isaiah has done just that dear Lord, and I thank You for not only the reminder, but also for the provision You have made for me! Oh, What a Savior, Oh Hallelujah! Thank You Lord for Your mercies on me! Dear Jesus, I pray that You might use this reminder to speak to the hearts of the undecided or the procrastinators. May this be the day of decision and commitment for them. Please use Your servant today in ways that might help an unsaved person to make this most important decision in their life. You are God alone, and only You can touch the heart of a person, may this be a productive day for You in the hearts of my unsaved family and friends and for all who You will cause to stumble across this devotional on the world wide web. All glory and honor to You oh King! Thank You for hearing my prayer that I ask in Your precious and holy name, AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please speak with a local Bible Teaching pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com so that we can pray with you and give you help and or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Any words underlined above will indicate a link to a song that came to mind as I wrote the devotional. Feel free to click on the link and listen as you continue to read or pray. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to blogger.nuggetsfromgodsword.org and read more, or you may freely subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. If you are anywhere near the Highlands County, Florida area and do not have a church home, I would be thrilled to welcome you at Bible Fellowship Church, Sebring, FL! Click the link to check out service times and/or other special activities. God is at work among us! Please consider coming to worship with us!

Contented

On By Ed AlgreenIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

The Holy Bible (Contemporary English Version – Philippians 4:11-13): 11 I am not complaining about having too little. I have learned to be satisfied with whatever I have. 12 I know what it is to be poor or to have plenty, and I have lived under all kinds of conditions. I know what it means to be full or to be hungry, to have too much or too little. 13 Christ gives me the strength to face anything.

Thoughts: I would imagine that if someone asked us today what they might give us to enhance our happiness and contentment, we would have a long laundry list, right? Now for a moment, take time to consider what Paul said in verse ‘4’ of this chapter and what he followed up on in the verses referenced above and decide, then let us conclude which of the times in Paul’s life was he happiest. Doesn’t it seem like Paul was indicating that he could care less about the material things of this earth but that it was the deep spiritual contentment of God that truly made all the difference for him? It would appear that he gained his independence from his dependence on God! You might recall that even under the circumstances of imprisonment Paul was still content/happy. In fact, the very guards who had responsibility for his imprisonment were converted as a result of Paul’s preaching and his witness to them. Friends, I believe that we must come to a maturity level in our relationship with God that we can honestly say as Paul did in the very last verse above, it is Christ who gives me strength each day. It is He who saved me and He who protects, guards, loves and directs me daily, enabling me to face anything that comes my way. Enough of the pity party that many of us resort to. It is Christ who gives us strength and a deep happiness in knowing that He will be with us until the end – through the good and bad of this life. We are children of the King! What more can we ask for? Let’s learn to place our total faith and total trust in our Savior, the One who died on Calvary’s cross especially for our eternal happiness! If you are not experiencing this outstanding happiness today, please allow me to refer you to the ‘Footnote’ below for directions on obtaining this assurance.

Prayer: With the assurance given to us in Your Word, oh Lord, we should have no reason to be discontent. Most of us cannot identify with the serious ups and downs that Paul experienced, because You have been so merciful to us. Please forgive us for whining anyway. May we truly dig into Your Word, may we truly let Your Word minister to us, so that we may catch a glimpse, or be reminded of the many ways that You have expressed Your love for us, and how You continue to look out for us each and every day. May we learn to be content in all things, because of our relationship with You, as You are of greater importance than the sum total of everything else that we might consider as aids for our happiness. Thank You Lord for all You have done and provided for me. May I be faithful in my love and servitude, giving You praise and thanksgiving always. Please speak to all reading this devotional today. May they be drawn to You, or into a closer walk with You. For I ask all this in faith, and in the name of Jesus Christ, my king, my Lord and my Savior, AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please speak with a local Bible Teaching pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com so that we can pray with you and give you help and or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Any words underlined above will indicate a link to a song that came to mind as I wrote the devotional. Feel free to click on the link and listen as you continue to read or pray. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to blogger.nuggetsfromgodsword.org and read more, or you may freely subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. If you are anywhere near the Highlands County, Florida area and do not have a church home, I would be thrilled to welcome you at Bible Fellowship Church, Sebring, FL! Click the link to check out service times and/or other special activities. God is at work among us! Please consider coming to worship with us!

How to Live

On By Ed AlgreenIn Holy LivingLeave a comment

The Holy Bible (Contemporary English Version – Philippians 4:5-8): 5 Always be gentle with others. The Lord will soon be here. 6 Don’t worry about anything, but pray about everything. With thankful hearts offer up your prayers and requests to God. 7 Then, because you belong to Christ Jesus, God will bless you with peace that no one can completely understand. And this peace will control the way you think and feel. 8 Finally, my friends, keep your minds on whatever is true, pure, right, holy, friendly, and proper. Don’t ever stop thinking about what is truly worthwhile and worthy of praise.

Thoughts: From time to time I will come across a ‘Nugget’, as evident in these verses, and I will print it out and tape it to my monitor at work as a constant reminder. This would be a great example, as Satan constantly attempts to throw us off track in our Christian walk each day and destroy our witness in any way possible. Paul is giving us some tips on godly living that has helped him, for he said that we can follow his example. So although this might seem repetitious, I want to expound briefly on the tips given by Paul:

  • Always be gentle, or patient with others – Be willing and ready to set aside your agenda for the good of others, as this will better display the message of the gospel to them. Don’t let them find you as selfish and impatient as everyone else they come across. Show them the love of Jesus;
  • Don’t worry – The Christian has the awesome resource of Jesus Christ at hand, so if we trust Him to save us, and if we trust him enough to pray to Him, then why would one worry? If we truly believe in Him, we must trust Him for all things and in every circumstance;
  • Pray from a thankful heart – Someone once said, don’t whine over the one broken arm when you can be thanking God for the proper use of the other arm! As we look around us, we often see others who are much worse off than we are. Furthermore, we are really undeserving of anything from God, after all, who caused the death of His precious Son on the cross? Let us therefore always be thankful and appreciative for all things, for our God is SO GOOD to us!
  • Keep our minds filled with the character of Jesus – Everything that is true, pure, right, holy, friendly and proper;
  • Never stop thinking about these true and worthwhile things – For they lead to joy, praise and thanksgiving.

Friends, don’t you know that this wicked world will look strangely at us when we follow Paul’s teaching/tips? However the bottom line is that they will know that there is something different about us. Some supernatural power within us that helps us, and drives us to think differently and act just the opposite from the evil and wicked minds of the unsaved. They will want to know more about the One who controls and leads us!

Now, for my friend reading this devotional who might wonder if we belong to a ‘closed’ or ‘exclusive’ club, I will refer you to John 3:16 that plainly tells us that Jesus came so that whosoever believes on Him will be saved. This means that you too can join the redeemed of the Lord, receive power to live like explained above, and live with the joy of knowing that one day soon you too will rejoice around the throne of God with all the saved of this world. It is very important that you don’t delay your request for salvation friend, for none of us know the day or the hour that Jesus will call us home, or that He might return to gather up His saints and take us on home to be with Him. Therefore, may I urge you to be prepared at all times, even today! Please review my tips in the ‘Footnote’ to help you with this very important decision.

Prayer: I am constantly amazed by the awesome love You showed on Calvary dear Lord, so that my sins might be forgiven and therefore receive the promise of eternal life with You in glory one day! Thank You, thank You, thank You! I am also appreciative of Your Word and all that You led saints, such as Paul, to write for our encouragement and direction so that we might live holy lives that lead others to the foot of the cross where we surrendered ourselves to You as our Savior. Living in this manner requires greater strength than we can muster up oh Lord, so I beg You to provide the strength, the power, the boldness and the direction so that we might be like You in every aspect of our lives. May others see, hear and feel the love of Jesus when they are around us. May we represent You unashamedly and with great pleasure, is my humble plea that I ask in the holy and wonderful name of Jesus, my King, AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please speak with a local Bible Teaching pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com so that we can pray with you and give you help and or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Any words underlined above will indicate a link to a song that came to mind as I wrote the devotional. Feel free to click on the link and listen as you continue to read or pray. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to blogger.nuggetsfromgodsword.org and read more, or you may freely subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. If you are anywhere near the Highlands County, Florida area and do not have a church home, I would be thrilled to welcome you at Bible Fellowship Church, Sebring, FL! Click the link to check out service times and/or other special activities. God is at work among us! Please consider coming to worship with us!

God’s Spirit Makes The Difference

On By Ed AlgreenIn Peace, SalvationLeave a comment

The Holy Bible (Contemporary English Version – Isaiah 32:15-20): 15 When the Spirit is given to us from heaven, deserts will become orchards thick as fertile forests. 16 Honesty and justice will prosper there, 17 and justice will produce lasting peace and security. 18 You, the Lord’s people, will live in peace, calm and secure, 19 even if hailstones flatten forests and cities. 20 You will have God’s blessing, as you plant your crops beside streams, while your donkeys and cattle roam freely about.

Thoughts: I believe that almost anywhere in this world that you live right now, there is a certain fear for your safety. Don’t you stop and ponder why this is all happening and where might you go to find peace and security? God knew that this would be the case, so He spoke through Isaiah the prophet to tell us how this will all be resolved for us. Friends, please allow me to remind you that we can find the answers to all of life’s concerns and/or questions as we read the Word of God. Please also allow me to remind you that there is peace in knowing the Creator of this universe personally, and in surrendering your life to His control. It is very clear to see that we were designed and created by a wonderful Creator. He designed a beautiful world for us to enjoy and gave us lots of folk to communicate with and love. The challenge for us, is that He also gave us freedom to make our own choices on what we would do with all that He created, and how we would handle our relationship with our designer. (Sounds a whole lot like parenting – especially when we talk about ‘cutting the apron string’ and allowing our children to make their own choices, right?) It seems like we wander so far away from God that we see our world collapsing around us, then we come to our senses (sometimes) and wonder where God must be. Friends, God’s Holy Spirit was the key to making a difference in this world mentioned by Isaiah, and He is also key to making all the difference in our lives today. To get us from the point of disappointments, despair and a feeling of total collapse or failure in our personal world, I must challenge you with a couple questions:

  1. Do you know Jesus? – this is a personal decision that you would have personally made of your own free will. One where you did something along the following lines:
    1. Admitted before God that you are a sinner;
    2. Believed on the Lord Jesus Christ – that He died, was buried and arose again so that you might have eternal life in heaven one day with He and the Father (God); and
    3. Confessed your sin before Him and asked Him to come into your heart, control it, and direct you to live a life following His example as detailed in the Word of God.
  2. Are you living the life referenced in (c) above? It’s not too late. Go back to the foot of the cross, ask forgiveness and ask God to give you the strength and self-will to live a life dedicated to serving Him and as a living sacrifice to Him.

Friends, let me remind you that we cannot fathom the depth of God’s love for us! Think about the kind of love you have for your child, or a loved one. Now multiply that by millions and you will begin to slightly imagine the depth of God’s love for you! Just open your life to His Holy Spirit today friend. Not only will your lives be changed, but you too can be a light in this very dark world!

Prayer: Father God, thank You for planning this whole thing called ‘life’ out to the very finest detail. Thank You for creating us, and everything around us that makes us happy, comfortable and fed. Lord Jesus, thank You for the sacrifice You made so that we can join You in heaven as we worship and praise You forever and ever. While still on this earth, with all of it’s ills and challenges, please help us to stay focused on You and our eternal home, for this gives us hope and light at the end of the tunnel that we now find ourselves in. Please soften the heart of one that might be searching for answers to their life’s challenges today. Convince them of their need for a Savior, the Savior of all mankind. May this be the day of salvation for someone today after being reminded of the eternal peace that comes from knowing You. I ask this in the matchless name of Jesus, AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please speak with a local Bible Teaching pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com so that we can pray with you and give you help and or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Any words underlined above will indicate a link to a song that came to mind as I wrote the devotional. Feel free to click on the link and listen as you continue to read or pray. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to blogger.nuggetsfromgodsword.org and read more, or you may freely subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. If you are anywhere near the Highlands County, Florida area and do not have a church home, I would be thrilled to welcome you at Bible Fellowship Church, Sebring, FL! Click the link to check out service times and/or other special activities. God is at work among us! Please consider coming to worship with us!

Living ‘Garbage Free’ Lives

On By Ed AlgreenIn Garbage, Overcomer, SinLeave a comment

The Holy Bible (Contemporary English Version – Philippians 3:8-10): 8 Nothing is as wonderful as knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. I have given up everything else and count it all as garbage. All I want is Christ 9 and to know that I belong to him. I could not make myself acceptable to God by obeying the Law of Moses. God accepted me simply because of my faith in Christ. 10 All I want is to know Christ and the power that raised him to life.

Thoughts: Some of us are living ‘on top of the world’ – having the time of our lives with great jobs, awesome friends, lots of ‘things’ for entertainment and/or enjoyment. However, there are some who are struggling to make it each day because of just the opposite. At the foot of the cross, both types of individuals come with the same problem if they have yet to accept Jesus as Lord, for they come to the cross laden in sin. Believe it or not, Paul (aka Saul) was the chiefest of sinners in his day, yet God uses him to show us through this scripture that just as Paul surrendered, or gave up everything to follow Him, so will we have to give up the sin in our lives. Often this involves the things that have always led us to sin, or distracted us from knowing God. This challenged me, and I am sharing this with you so that you may be challenged, to think about this also. What is there in our lives that hinders our relationship with God? Is it time to throw out the ‘garbage’ so that our minds and our lives might be freed of the pull of sin? This could be hindering your acceptance of the Lord, or if we know Him already, this could be distracting and/or hindering our intimacy with Him. For a moment, I want you to commit with me, as Paul did in verse 10. Now this means that starting from your current place in life, your goal is to reach the finish line in life at a point where you will stand before God without any fear of rejection or penalty from Him. Those distractions that you will face from point ‘A’ to point ‘B’ are the sins that we have to watch out for, and avoid, each day. Will you join me in going before Jesus each and every day to ask for His strength, His guidance and His power to overcome the ‘garbage’ that will try to trip us up each day? For we want to see Jesus! We want to know Him and the awesome power that raised Him to life! Let us therefore run this race of life with God at the center of all we do. Let us lean on His awesome power to help us stay ‘garbage free’ and strive to serve Him faithfully each and every day!

Prayer: Lord You have allowed us to stay on this earth so that we might represent You to others who need Jesus. You know all about the ‘garbage’ that we have allowed to enter our lives that really stinks and repels the sinner from wanting to know You. We are ashamed that we have been so weak and ineffective. I was convinced in Your Word today that others, in the heart of a ‘garbage’ pile, really don’t want more ‘garbage’, for they are looking for a way out, a cleansing, a new and better life. Lord Jesus, You are the Way, the Truth and the Life for those looking for a new life. Thank You for opening my eyes to this truth over 30 years ago. Please help me to keep my eyes and my life fixed on You and determined to avoid the ‘garbage’ that will easily and quickly pollute my life. Please touch the lives of my readers with a renewed desire to know You and to live for You in a closer and more dedicated way. May Christians today truly represent the God of their Christianity and fight off the distractions of the ‘garbage’ that will try to trip them up and distract their walk with You. Please touch the hearts of those that do not know You with a softened heart and a strong determination to dump the ‘garbage’ in their lives and refill it with Your holiness, love and compassion. I ask all this in faith, believing in the Son of God, for it is only He that can help us be all that He desires of us. AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please speak with a local Bible Teaching pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com so that we can pray with you and give you help and or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Any words underlined above will indicate a link to a song that came to mind as I wrote the devotional. Feel free to click on the link and listen as you continue to read or pray. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to blogger.nuggetsfromgodsword.org and read more, or you may freely subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. If you are anywhere near the Highlands County, Florida area and do not have a church home, I would be thrilled to welcome you at Bible Fellowship Church, Sebring, FL! Click the link to check out service times and/or other special activities. God is at work among us! Please consider coming to worship with us!

He’s Still God!

On By Ed AlgreenIn Commitment, Compassion, SurrenderLeave a comment

The Holy Bible (The Good News Translation – Isaiah 30:19-21): The Lord is compassionate, and when you cry to him for help, he will answer you. 20The Lord will make you go through hard times, but he himself will be there to teach you, and you will not have to search for him any more. 21If you wander off the road to the right or the left, you will hear his voice behind you saying, “Here is the road. Follow it.”

Thoughts: Friends, I am a firm believer that our God never changes, and that He is the same today as He was yesterday and He will be same until He calls us home to be with Him in glory. I also believe that God inspired His written Word, the Bible, so that we might be drawn to Him, grow in Him, encouraged in Him and be counseled and/or corrected by Him to enable a consistent walk with Him. I therefore believe that just as these highlighted verses were prophesied by Isaiah to challenge the people of Israel who had strayed from Him, that God is also encouraging us today to keep our heads up, to return to Him, and to be encouraged in knowing that no matter what struggles and discouragements and challenges we face, that He’s still God, that His love for us is everlasting, and that we can come to Him, or return to Him, in confidence knowing that He is compassionate and that He will answer our cry for help. Please be reminded that God is not a yo-yo, or a puppet, but instead He loves you enough that He will answer your prayers in ways according to His will for You, and that would best satisfy your needs. In other words, if you ask Him for a new Cadillac and He knows that you will remain humble, and could afford a Toyota Corolla better, then you may receive transportation (answer to prayer), just not the car you asked for, because it would increase your struggles and not help your situation. Some reading this devotional today may also feel like they, or a loved one, is ‘at the end of their rope’, because life seems so impossible. May I encourage you to look to God, place your faith and trust in Him, and surrender your life totally to Him? As you do this friend, You will:

  • Have peace in knowing the ‘hand-off’ has taken place!
  • Find peace in your circumstances, knowing that the God of this universe is working on your behalf! Remember, He is a great big God, who has this world in His hands, so He can easily handle your circumstances;
  • Be encouraged in knowing that God loved you, even as a sinner, enough to sacrifice His only Son so that you may have life, and have it more abundantly in and through Him. And it is that type of deep love that is your today as you trust in Him!

Because He’s still God, I must remind you that He loves you today friend! I believe that His love is even more intense, but He will not force Himself on you. He wants you to take the first step, by surrendering your will to Him and allowing Him to do all that I have shared above. If you have never made a personal commitment to Jesus and invited Him to rule and reign in your life, then I would encourage you to make this most important decision today. Perhaps there is one meditating on this devotional who has previously invited Jesus into your life, but has strayed far away from Him. Friend, you will see from these verses that Israel had strayed far away, yet God was ready to welcome them back and love them with the intense love possible only by God. He’ll do the same for you, if you recommit to Him! I have included helps for you in the ‘Footnote’ below. Please make this the first day of ‘real’, ‘committed’, life in Christ today!

Prayer: Thank You Jesus for the reminder in these verses today of Your awesome love for us, and how You are so ready and willing to accept us, Your children, when we call upon Your name in humility and forgiveness. Many of my friends are hurting and filled with one disappointment after another because of worldly circumstances or possibly bad choices by them. Please use Your Word, and possibly this devotional to encourage them, to soften their hearts to the point of surrender, and a new life in You. This my humble prayer that I ask in faith, and in the name of Jesus my Lord, AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please speak with a local Bible Teaching pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com so that we can pray with you and give you help and or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Any words underlined above will indicate a link to a song that came to mind as I wrote the devotional. Feel free to click on the link and listen as you continue to read or pray. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to blogger.nuggetsfromgodsword.org and read more, or you may freely subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. If you are anywhere near the Highlands County, Florida area and do not have a church home, I would be thrilled to welcome you at Bible Fellowship Church, Sebring, FL! Click the link to check out service times and/or other special activities. God is at work among us! Please consider coming to worship with us!

Genuine Worship

On By Ed AlgreenIn Worship1 Comment

The Holy Bible (New Century Version – Isaiah 29:13-14): 13 The Lord says: “These people worship me with their mouths, and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship is based on nothing but human rules. 14 So I will continue to amaze these people by doing more and more miracles. Their wise men will lose their wisdom; their wise men will not be able to understand.”

Thoughts: I believe that it is worthy of note when a scripture is referenced in several areas of the Bible, so not only did God get my attention as I read this passage of scripture, I noticed where vs 13 was referenced and reemphasized by Jesus himself in Matthew 15:8-9 and Mark 7:6-7. Then in vs 14, the words of Isaiah was also referenced in 1 Corinthians 1:19. Friends, this may be controversial to many who may read this devotional today, but I believe that this scripture is still something that should awaken people today. For I believe that way too many people attend church services today so they can satisfy the ‘something’ that is missing in their lives; or perhaps the traditions from their upbringing; or perhaps the pressure from friends and/or family members who might influence or invite them. However, although we might receive encouragement from time spent with other believers in corporate worship, I believe that our most sincere worship comes from those times that we are awaken by something in God’s Word; or perhaps an answer to a personal prayer that you have been burdened about; or perhaps the glory of God shown to you through His marvelous handiwork, healing or call to salvation for a hardened sinner friend that you have been earnestly praying for. For it is times such as these that you realize that there is a personal connection you have with the God of this universe, the Savior of this world, the Jesus who loved us enough to die on a cruel cross just so that we might live eternally with Him. These things create an atmosphere of personal worship in our lives that cannot be explained, and was not urged on by anyone or anything other than your personal relationship with God. Friends, let me encourage you to connect with God before you get dressed for church and worship Him personally there in your home. Then take that spirit of worship with you and allow the Holy Spirit to work in and through you as you continue to worship God through corporate worship. Let’s learn to concentrate on God, not the pretty dress or suit ahead of us, or the fallacies of the preacher as he does his best to share the Word with you. Let’s look for God in our worship services, and let’s plan to worship Him personally, even if no one else is led to expressions of worship. Our worship depends on our relationship with the King of all kings, not the atmosphere or the music or even the preaching, for if it did, we would worship for the wrong reasons. Speak with God about your attitude of worship today and seek to know if you are where He wants you to be in your worship time with Him. I believe that there is no greater joy than to know that you have worshiped God in various circumstances of your life and in every walk of your life!

Prayer: Lord, the reasons why we worship You are endless, for You are beyond description in all that You have created for us to enjoy, and for all that You spare us from each and every day, and for all that You bless us with personally. You have given us Your precious Holy Spirit to guide us, protect us and lead us unto all Truth. Yes we ache, and we have our humanly/earthly issues, but these are so minor compared to the love and peace that we enjoy from knowing You and experiencing You personally. Please Lord, help us to keep our eyes fixed on You, and not the many interruptions and interference that Satan sends our way to distract us in our relationship with You. It’s You that I live for, and You that I worship dear Lord. May my praise offering be acceptable to You oh King. Please forgive me where I fail at doing this wholeheartedly at times, I ask that You touch my life and return my attention to You whenever this occurs. Please touch the hearts of those You encourage to read this devotional today. May they find peace in their worship of You, or be reminded of its importance today, is my humble and respectful prayer that I ask in the precious name of Jesus, my Lord, AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please speak with a local Bible Teaching pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com so that we can pray with you and give you help and or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Any words underlined above will indicate a link to a song that came to mind as I wrote the devotional. Feel free to click on the link and listen as you continue to read or pray. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to blogger.nuggetsfromgodsword.org and read more, or you may freely subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. If you are anywhere near the Highlands County, Florida area and do not have a church home, I would be thrilled to welcome you at Bible Fellowship Church, Sebring, FL! Click the link to check out service times and/or other special activities. God is at work among us! Please consider coming to worship with us!