Month: October 2016

Know and Do What God Commands

On By Ed AlgreenIn Accept Jesus NOW, ObedienceLeave a comment

Wednesday, 2016-10-05

Scripture

Bible Reference: Romans 3:19–20

Bible Text:  19 Obviously, the law applies to those to whom it was given, for its purpose is to keep people from having excuses, and to show that the entire world is guilty before God. 20 For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are.

Bible Translation: New Living Translation (NLT)

My Take

I believe that we all have heard it at one time or another from a friend, that they, or perhaps a loved one, would never be subjected to hell because of how good and honest they have been all of their lives. First of all, that statement is not biblical, because we can see from God’s Word today that living by man’s law will only help us recognize that we are sinful, because we are constantly breaking the law. So if we approach the real dilemma in my first statement about our going to heaven because we obeyed the law, I believe we will quickly see that our world’s lawmakers really have nothing to do with who enters heaven and under what conditions. That decision is strictly up to God, who controls heaven. Friends, it is super important that we obey man’s laws, because God expects us to be good, law abiding citizens of this earth. However, when it comes to matters of heaven, we must look to the ‘rule-book’ of heaven, and God has ordained it through various writers and we call it the Bible. This has peaked the curiosity of millions around the world, because the Bible is the greatest seller in the world. May I encourage you to read it and understand that God went to great pains to make it as easy as possible for us to enter heaven. In pain and agony, He had to watch His very own Son, Jesus Christ, suffer through the pain of death on a cruel cross. However, because of the blood shed by Jesus, God demonstrated to us that if only we would give up self and surrender our lives to the will of God, by accepting His risen Son, then His blood would wash away our sin and we would be acceptable to Him (God), and in turn, be accepted into His heaven. Notice that the latter statement had nothing to do with any law concocted by man. So friends, I believe that these verses are intended to help us clearly separate what the laws of our land will do, versus what the forgiveness of Jesus Christ will do. Once we could get that straight in our minds, hopefully we can go on to help others that struggle with this same dilemma everyday. There’s only One Way to enter heaven friend, and being good or obeying the laws of our land, do not form a part of that One Way. But Jesus Christ is THE Way! Won’t you trust Him today with your whole being? According to God’s Word, you too can be assured of Heaven, if you accept Jesus as Lord.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, You have made it clear in Your Word how we are to surrender our lives to You for our eternal salvation, as nothing else will secure our path to heaven or our eternity with You and the Father. Please touch the heart of each one that will read this devotional today and fill them with a renewed understanding of Your will for their lives.The words of a gospel song comes to mind: “nothing good have I done, to deserve God’s own Son”. Father, may the eyes of all who have not surrendered to You, be opened to the things of God today, and may they surrender to Your will and Your way, for their eternal salvation. I ask these things through the powerful and awesome 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. Allow someone to pray with you and give you help and/or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Words underlined in my blog could 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 www.nuggetsfromgodsword.org and read more, or you may freely to 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, located at 3750 Hammock Rd, Sebring, FL 33872! 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!

Helping Others

On By Ed AlgreenIn Bless Others, Help, Helper, Love others, Needs of others, Others firstLeave a comment

Tuesday, 2016-10-04

Scripture

Bible Reference: Ephesians 2:9-10

Bible Text:  9 Salvation is not a reward for the good we have done, so none of us can take any credit for it. 10 It is God himself who has made us what we are and given us new lives from Christ Jesus; and long ages ago he planned that we should spend these lives in helping others.

Bible Translation: The Living Bible (TLB)

My Take

After reading this scripture today, I feel like we should carefully examine whether we are living as God intended – helping one another. It’s almost frightening to think how greedy, and self-engrossed we have become with living our days to get as much as possible out of life for self. It seems like we are always expecting the needed help for our friends or family to come from someone else. Friends, I believe that it goes with saying, that if God sent His Son, Jesus, through the miraculous means of a virgin birth, and then He followed years later with a cruel death on the cross and a supernatural resurrection, so that our sins might be forgiven and therefore attain brand new lives, that He must have had intentions far greater than anything we could imagine. Yes, I believe that part of this plan was to make it possible for us to attain assurance of our salvation and an eternal home with our Maker, but what do you suppose he meant for us to do until the day He calls us home? Our scripture today tells us that it was God’s intent from the very beginning that we use these ‘new’ lives to help others. Think about it friend, you can tell some folk how to receive eternal life, but for others you have to show them. If we are truly Jesus’ kids, then we will act just like Him and display the same characteristics that He did. He was loving and kind even to those who were against Him and despised Him. How are you doing friend? Are you being mistaken for just about any other ‘Joe Blow’ on the street, or is it evident that You have walked and talked with Jesus and living according to His purpose? Only what’s done for Jesus will last, friend! Make it count today!

Prayer

Dear God, we have become so self-centered and greedy for all that we can personally benefit from, that we truly needed this reminder from Your Word today. Praise God that You saved us from our sin! Now Lord, please use us for the purpose You intended right from the beginning, that we help others. You placed us here on earth as brothers and sisters, not as enemies and not as one to lord over another, but in humility that we might help each other. Please open our eyes to the opportunities available to us today, and may we make You proud as we pick up the banner and help others along the way. Thank You Lord for saving my soul, and thank You for touching the hearts of so many others out there. 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. Allow someone to pray with you and give you help and/or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Words underlined in my blog could 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 www.nuggetsfromgodsword.org and read more, or you may freely to 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, located at 3750 Hammock Rd, Sebring, FL 33872! 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 Wants You To Turn To Him

On By Ed AlgreenIn Jesus Loves you, Surrender, What The Lord WantsLeave a comment

Monday, 2016-10-03

Scripture

Bible Reference: Romans 2:3–4

Bible Text:  1 Some of you accuse others of doing wrong. But there is no excuse for what you do. When you judge others, you condemn yourselves, because you are guilty of doing the very same things. 2 We know that God is right to judge everyone who behaves in this way. 3 Do you really think God won’t punish you, when you behave exactly like the people you accuse? 4 You surely don’t think much of God’s wonderful goodness or of his patience and willingness to put up with you. Don’t you know that the reason God is good to you is because he wants you to turn to him?

Bible Translation: The Contemporary English Version (CEV)

My Take

Years ago in the United States, there was a commercial that read “I Want You”, and this was used in the recruiting program of the US Army. Of course, there’s also a number of songs by this title with men singing to their girl, or girls singing to their man. In the case of the US Army, there are stringent requirements of all applicants. In our scripture today we are challenged to be thoughtful of how patient God is with us, in spite of how we tend to ignore His warnings. In fact, Paul is challenging us to be careful that we live like God demands, for many of us tend to live like the very ones we accuse of evil doing. Friends, we must always remind ourselves when we point a finger at someone else, that there are several that are pointing right back at ourselves. Oh that we may use the evil that we see in others, as a reminder of the weak condition that we ourselves are in, and how susceptible we are to the same sin that we see our brother or sister weakened by. May our recognition of their sin be a reminder of the even stronger need of prayer for ourselves. Friends, our desire should always be that we become as strong, loving, caring and sinless as Jesus, and not as weak or weaker than our brother or sister who may be suffering from the result of their sin. In verse 4, we are reminded of the immeasurable goodness of Jesus to us, and this is not only because He loves us more than we could ever imagine, but also because He wants to attract us to Himself. From our very earliest days, we have probably heard that Jesus loves us. In these verses today we are reminded again that Jesus loves us and wants us to accept Him as Lord over everything in our lives. Have you responded to His call yet friend? Please be reminded that today is the day of decision, for we have no assurance that we will be around tomorrow. May I encourage you to read my Footnote, and seek the face of Jesus for yourself?

Prayer

Lord, You are good and Your mercies endure forever! Thank You Lord for being so good to us. Thank You for opening our eyes to the sin of others. May we use these opportunities to seek Your face and clean up our act, instead of beating up on the brother or sister who may be weakened by the temptation of sin. Thank You for desiring to have us in Your family and kingdom. Please help us to keep that foremost in our minds as we face the challenges of this day. May we always resolve to follow You, instead of the temptations of this world. In deepest love and appreciation I ask these things heavenly Father, 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. Allow someone to pray with you and give you help and/or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Words underlined in my blog could 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 www.nuggetsfromgodsword.org and read more, or you may freely to 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, located at 3750 Hammock Rd, Sebring, FL 33872! 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!

Encourage One Another

On By Ed AlgreenIn Encourage, encouragement, EncouragerLeave a comment

Saturday, 2016-10-01

Scripture

Bible Reference: Romans 1:11-12

Bible Text:   11-12 For I long to visit you so that I can impart to you the faith that will help your church grow strong in the Lord. Then, too, I need your help, for I want not only to share my faith with you but to be encouraged by yours: Each of us will be a blessing to the other.

Bible Translation: The Living Bible (TLB)

My Take

I believe that way too often we ignore the needs of the person who comes to our rescue and helps us through life’s hardest challenges. Like any good pastor today, Paul was anxious to go and deliver the Word to the Roman church, because he wanted to encourage them in their faith and their ongoing ministry. To ensure that we get the right picture, let me suggest that this may mean our local pastors being so fired up about the Word God has given them to share with us in weekend services, that they can hardly wait for the moment that they stand in our pulpit to preach the Word. Now back to the story – Paul told the people that in spite of the spiritual gift he had for them, he was expecting to also be blessed by their spiritual gift to him. Friends, for the man standing in our pulpit, preaching his heart out and speaking exactly what he feels led by God to share with us, have you ever thought about how you might minister back to him? I believe that after many corporate services, we are in so much of a rush to get to the local restaurant that we never stop to think about patting the pastor on the back to encourage him, or ask him how you might pray for him, or share with him how God is blessing you, and your hope that God would do the same for your pastor. There may be some who show little concern for their pastor, because you look at him as a paid employee who is simply doing what he is paid to do. Friends, I believe that a pastor’s job is very similar to that of a teacher, where it’s more of a heart-for-the-job attitude, than any amount of money they may be paid to do the job. I believe that pastors spend limitless hours ministering to the needs of the sheep, that most parishioners never have a clue about. I believe that most pastors are so underpaid, that they face financial challenges far worst than most of their parishioners. I believe that God is speaking to us through these verses today by simply encouraging us to not settle for what we might receive from His servants, but be constantly thinking about what we might give, or how we may encourage God’s servants – our pastors. This weekend, let’s remember what Paul was asking for, and be encouraged to respond to our pastors with encouragement before they have to ask us for it. I believe that God will especially bless us for encouraging His messengers/servants to continue on in the teaching and preaching of His Word!

Prayer

Thank You Lord Jesus for Your grace, and for Your mercy on even us. Thank You for blessing us with shepherds who have chosen to serve You by serving us and encouraging us. Lord, please touch each and every church attendee this weekend with a spirit of encouragement for our pastors. As they pour their hearts out to us, may we in turn be grateful and encourage them in return. Lord, we want to please You in every thing we do. I believe that by placing Paul’s desire for encouragement in Your Word, You wanted to remind us of the human needs of our pastors also. May we be alert to their needs, so that together we may receive every blessing that You have in store for us. May You be glorified in all that Your churches attempt to achieve this weekend, for I ask these things in the precious 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. Allow someone to pray with you and give you help and/or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Words underlined in my blog could 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 www.nuggetsfromgodsword.org and read more, or you may freely to 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, located at 3750 Hammock Rd, Sebring, FL 33872! 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!