Month: January 2018

Our Response To Miracles

On By Ed AlgreenIn Give thanks, Miracles, Power of Prayer, Prayer, Thank You Jesus, Thankful, Thankfulness, ThanksgivingLeave a comment

SCRIPTURE  FROM:   Psalm 79:13 (MSG)

TEXT:   Then we, your people, the ones you love and care for, will thank you over and over and over.
We’ll tell everyone we meet how wonderful you are, how praiseworthy you are!

OBSERVATION:   In this Psalm by Asaph, he and his people had pleaded with God for several things that they felt very strongly about. These things were mostly in regards to abuse of the temple, so they felt really bad about the disrespect being shown towards God and His holy temple. However, after going through all this, and in confidence of God’s mighty hand, they immediately started praising the Lord! I wonder, does the church of God (that’s you and I) here on earth remember to return thanks?

APPLICATION:   At one time I was a part of Wednesday Night Prayer meetings, where the very first thing that we did was to celebrate things for which we should praise God. It was interesting in that we could verbalize the items fairly good, however when it came time to praise God for them in prayer, it became very challenging to just praise God, celebrate and rejoice in our gifts without slipping in our petitions. Mind you, there was always time later to take our petitions before the Lord! It was very challenging to JUST praise the Lord and give thanks. You know, in corporate prayer, some of our challenge today might be because we rush into our prayers, say very quickly what we feel others want to hear, then we finish so that others might have time. This verse that we are meditating on today seems like it may be showing us that we should savor our time with the Lord. Can you imagine sitting around in a circle, knowing that God is in our midst, and start with the words of this verse before naming a few of the things that each of us are thankful for? Imagine if we could do that without watching our clocks and feeling the need to rush through our time with the Lord. Wow, I could see us turning that time together into a great time of praise and thanksgiving, in the very presence of our Lord and Savior. Furthermore, I believe that by the time we have finished praising God for His gifts and blessings to us, our needs that we felt so burdened with when we first came into that Prayer Meeting would be minimized and not worth mentioning anymore. Friends, those of us that have an awesome relationship with our Savior already take advantage of these times with Jesus. Attending corporate prayer meetings allow us to share that celebration with others who may be slipping in their relationship with their Lord. Together, we could help each other draw closer to God. Are you attending your church prayer meetings? Others need you, and you may need strength from the experiences of others. Check out the designated time for your church Prayer Meetings, and be there!

PRAYER:   Lord Jesus, for those who have accepted You as Lord, we thank You for accepting us as Your precious children, and Your blessings in so many ways. How could I but praise you, my Savior and my Lord? Thank You for reminding us of this area of our lives that we are probably the weakest in. Please help us to always remember the source of our help and to always be in a state of Thanksgiving. Lord, we love You and we praise You for being so good to us! AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: There are two more pages on my blog that will provide you with additional information, one of them being ‘To Know Jesus’.  If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please click on the above page, or speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. Please 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 Nuggets From God’s Word 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 Sebring, 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!

 

With Praise and Honor to God

On By Ed AlgreenIn Forgiven, Forgiveness, God our Helper, Help, Honor, Our Help comes from God, SavedLeave a comment

SCRIPTURE  FROM:   Psalm 79:9 (NCV)

TEXT:   God our Savior, help us
so people will praise you.
Save us and forgive our sins
so people will honor you.

OBSERVATION:   Asaph, the writer of Psalm 79, felt like God was punishing the nation of Israel for all their past sins. So in his petitions to God, he included this verse while pleading with God to save his nation. Oh that we may be so concerned about the sins of our respective nations where we live, and so deeply moved to write a similar verse to God asking Him to use us as instruments of change, instead of us adding fuel to the already hot fire of sin. 

APPLICATION:   I believe it is evident from everything we see, hear and do, that Satan has turned up the heat on our young people and on our adult population. Unfortunately, the church – members and attendees, have become so lukewarm, selfish, segregated and standoffish that the church has lost its impact on our society. More and more laws and rules have been implemented because Christians have not been active before the throne in prayer. Why would children of God ever settle in their faith knowing that their leaders have approved and are ok with the killing of unborn babies. Why would we ever settle in our faith knowing that the drugs that have either killed loved ones or totally destroyed their minds, are now becoming mainstream, and approved drugs? First approved for apparent medical use, but in many states of America quickly being followed with approval for recreational use. Friends, when are we ever going to follow the example of 2 Chronicles 7:14. When are we ever going to surrender to God as Asaph did in our focal Scripture today? Oh friends, where does our help come from? We do not resort to crime against the criminals, we have a Savior that loves them just like He loves us. Fortunately He can also touch their hearts and convince them of their sin. Our part is to encourage those who are slaves to the sins of this world, and to follow the example of 2 Chronicles 7:14. To do this, we can plead with God like the Psalmist did: Help us Lord, so that the people (those that we pray with, and for) will praise You. Save us from our own weaknesses and desire to sin so that the people may honor You. Notice that in both Scriptures that I referenced, that prayer is more than going before God for our own selfish desires. We can all look around us and see things that are happening that really hurts our soul. What are we doing about it? I know, we are so small in the whole scope of things, and that there is very little that we can do, right? Please friends, don’t let Satan pull that one on you, because we serve the God that put this whole world together. He created the complex bodies that we live in, and He loves us enough that He willingly went to the cross, knowing that it would be through His shed blood that we could have eternal life in glory. He brought the dead back to life, and He intervened in battles and saved very small armies from very large opposers. Don’t you think that we can trust Him with the issues that we face today? You better believe it! I don’t believe that there is anything bearing on our hearts that God won’t listen to, care about, and seek to answer if appropriate.   

PRAYER:   Thank You Lord for caring about Your children and all that we are concerned about. We are so sorry for the mess that is evident in our world today. As I read the Old Testament and see the awful things that You dealt with there, I am astonished….. until I reflect on the awful things that You are still dealing with today – even in my country, state and city. Lord, please impress the seriousness of the hour to all ‘Christians’. Please impress upon us the need to clarify and commit our own lives fully to You and Your service, so that when ‘Your people’ decides to humble themselves and pray, You will hear our prayer. As the Psalmist said, may all glory be Yours in whatever is accomplished. AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: There are two more pages on my blog that will provide you with additional information, one of them being ‘To Know Jesus’.  If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please click on the above page, or speak with a local Bible Teaching, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. Please 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 Nuggets From God’s Word 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 Sebring, 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!

 

But Lord?

On By Ed AlgreenIn Excuses, God's Will, Obedience, ObedientLeave a comment

SCRIPTURE  FROM:   Acts 9:11-16 (MSG)

TEXT:  11-12 “Get up and go over to Straight Avenue. Ask at the house of Judas for a man from Tarsus. His name is Saul. He’s there praying. He has just had a dream in which he saw a man named Ananias enter the house and lay hands on him so he could see again.”

13-14 Ananias protested, “Master, you can’t be serious. Everybody’s talking about this man and the terrible things he’s been doing, his reign of terror against your people in Jerusalem! And now he’s shown up here with papers from the Chief Priest that give him license to do the same to us.”

15-16 But the Master said, “Don’t argue. Go! I have picked him as my personal representative to non-Jews and kings and Jews. And now I’m about to show him what he’s in for—the hard suffering that goes with this job.”

OBSERVATION:   Interesting how God shocks His servants with challenges, that they feel, are so outlandish! Moses was shocked, and found excuses when asked to take charge of the Israelites. Having never seen or heard of rain, Noah was shocked to receive orders to build a huge boat up on dry land. In our Scripture today, Ananias is being asked to go and minister to a murderer of Christians. One who had always fought Christianity and all that it stood for. Although God was the one telling Ananias to ‘Go’, Ananias was sure there must be some mistake, and he had to be sure that was cleared up before he agreed to do anything. Aren’t we just as quick in coming up with excuses why we can’t or shouldn’t do certain parts of ministry today?

APPLICATION:   Do you remember the anxiety the first time that you were asked to read a few verses of Scripture, or pray aloud in public? Did the fear of that happening, keep you from attending certain services, or from sitting near the front? Did that fear worsen when you were asked to go and visit a shut-in or a hospitalized member of the church? Ever felt led of God to visit a friend who was not a believer, hoping that you would find the opportunity to witness to that person, but at the last minute you got ‘cold feet’ and started to find multiple excuses why you couldn’t go? If any of these things bring back vivid memories, then you may have had a mild Ananias experience. I say ‘mild’, because in the case of Ananias, he was being asked to go and lay hands on one of the biggest threats in his time. We would hate to think about being near to a mass murderer, even if given the opportunity to witness to them, but it was a well known fact that Saul was out to eliminate those who might minister for the Lord Jesus, and Ananias was one of those. Wouldn’t that be the same as placing the ‘bait’ right at the feet of the ‘lion’? Friends, I believe that this Scripture shows us several facets of God’s amazing plan. Who else would be more effective in speaking to the folk that opposed God, than one of their own? Who else would show the power of God to save even the vilest of sinners, as in the case of Saul? Who else could better show a life transformed by the blood of Jesus, like Paul did? In listening to the news every day of our lives, we hear of so many forms of evil that, in most cases, we cringe at it happening very close to many of our home towns. God has called us to proclaim His Word and to be His witnesses at home and abroad. Stop finding excuses and saying “But Lord…..”, for He knows the plans He has for you. Don’t disappoint Him by trying to correct or remind the King of all kings and Lord of all lords, that you may know something that He may have overlooked. Let me remind you again what He said back to Ananias, ‘Just GO’. Let’s learn to be more obedient friend.

PRAYER:   Unfortunately, I believe that we are just as doubtful today, even after seeing the after results of Your demands on several unsuspecting servants in Your Word. There is no doubt that You hold the world in Your hands and that it moves at Your command. The same is true for the individuals that You alone created. Lord, please have mercy on us and continue to strengthen us with the help of the Holy Spirit, to obediently follow Your commands and Your will for us, especially in using us to touch the lives of others, especially those who seem so unlikely to us. Lord, may Your perfect will be achieved in and through Your saints today, even me Lord. AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: There are two more pages on my blog that will provide you with additional information, one of them being ‘To Know Jesus’.  If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please click on the above page, or speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. Please 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 Nuggets From God’s Word 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 Sebring, 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!

 

Persecutors of the Church?

On By Ed AlgreenIn Overcomer, Overcomers, Persecution, Praise, Praise-worthyLeave a comment

SCRIPTURE  FROM:   Acts 9:3-5 (GNT)

TEXT:  3 As Saul was coming near the city of Damascus, suddenly a light from the sky flashed around him. 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul! Why do you persecute me?”

5 “Who are you, Lord?” he asked.

“I am Jesus, whom you persecute,” the voice said.

OBSERVATION:   I would suggest that you click on the Scripture reference and read the context in which our Scripture comes from today. You will find that the above verses are actually displaying a miracle in the life of Saul, one who was out to murder and/or arrest every Christian and worshiper of Christ. In fact, when God intervened, Saul was on his way to the synagogues at Damascus to disrupt the Christians by arresting them and taking them back to Jerusalem. Although we see God make a total change in the life of Saul, we are also reminded of persecutors of the church – perhaps even today?

APPLICATION:   Did you click on this devotional hoping that I would give you a list of the persecutors of God’s church today? You might be disappointed, because what I believe that God wants to challenge us on today, is to make sure that we have no indicators of being persecutors ourselves. Oh Brother Ed, you have really gone overboard now, for we are workers in the church, so we would never persecute the church. Friends, here are some subtle ways that I believe we persecute the work of Christ today:

  • Supporting the Pastors of your church – these men, and possibly women, battle with the same time constraints that the rest of us do. They receive more criticism in one month than we probably receive in a lifetime. They are often expected to stretch each dollar further than mankind has ever been able to do it. They are on duty 24/7, yet expected to be fresh and at their best every time they stand before us. If you are to be a true supporter of God’s servants – pray for them and their families; support them through constant encouragement; listen close enough to their sermons that you may want to question them on a point raised during their delivery; Lift them up before your friends instead of tearing them down. These things might be more like promoting God’s work, instead of tearing down or persecuting; by finding fault complaining; not attending church; not tithing so that God’s work might go on; etc.
  • Volunteer – if you are supporting the work of Christ, volunteer to help get more done each day in the ministry. Offer to help around the church office or property; offer to call shut-ins or visit the sick or hospitalized. Idle hands will lead to ridicule, or persecution, way quicker than building up a greater desire to promote the ministry of Christ;
  • Be an encourager – Let the pastors and lay leaders know that you are praying for them. This builds up. This gives you something positive to do instead of leaning to ridicule or persecution. Send notes of encouragement. Specifically pray for someone hurting, working for the Lord, or needing encouragement, then tell them that you prayed for them.

Friends, we can either be a worker, supporter or encourager in the world, or we could be a persecutor, ready to tear down everything and anything God puts together for good. Where do you fit?

PRAYER:   Lord, I believe our default character tends to be more of a complainer or discourager. To tear down and destroy. Yet Lord, when we stop and consider that the Son of God came to earth and humbled Himself through death on the cross at Calvary, for the benefit of undeserving sinners such as I am, and you are friend. How can I but love You, my Savior and my Lord? Oh that the love of God may shine through His humble servants this day and every day, so that others may see every indication of Jesus, and never an indication of persecution of His master plan for us while here on this earth. AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: There are two more pages on my blog that will provide you with additional information, one of them being ‘To Know Jesus’.  If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please click on the above page, or speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. Please 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 Nuggets From God’s Word 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 Sebring, 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!

 

Sincerity of the Heart in Prayer

On By Ed AlgreenIn Dedication, Power of Prayer, Prayer, Sincere, SincerityLeave a comment

SCRIPTURE  FROM:   2 Kings 20:1-6 (ERV)

TEXT: 1 …. “The Lord says, ‘You will die soon, so you should tell your family what they should do when you die. You will not get well.’”

2 Hezekiah turned his face to the wall that faced the Temple and began praying to the Lord. 3 “Lord, remember that I have sincerely served you with all my heart. I have done what you say is good.” Then Hezekiah cried very hard.

4 Before Isaiah had left the middle courtyard, he received this message from the Lord, 5 “Go back and speak to Hezekiah, the leader of my people. Tell him, ‘This is what the Lord, the God of your ancestor David, says: I heard your prayer and I saw your tears, so I will heal you. On the third day you will go up to the Temple of the Lord. 6 I will add 15 years to your life….

OBSERVATION:   Hezekiah had been very diligent in serving God faithfully as he ruled over Judah, so the news of his impending death came as a quick, shortened life, decision to him. In fact, he was so determined to carry out more of his plans, that he quickly turned to God in very earnest prayer, to ask for more time. God gave him 15 more years, but take note in vs 5 that God not only heard his wish for more time, but He saw his tears. You may pray in secret to the Father, but always remember that He knows the innermost thoughts of each one who approaches His throne of grace.

APPLICATION:   Often we will allow anything to roll from our lips that we feel like the audience might expect to hear from us, or that we think they really need to hear at that moment. Unfortunately I believe that corporate prayer pulls that sort of prayer from saints. Friends, I believe that if we could go before the Master with all walls broken down, and in total openness and transparency, then God will hear the cry of our hearts without all the frills. In fact, I would dare say that we would be willing to share the ‘un-edited’ version of our prayers! Notice also that in a public setting, we may not be willing to allow our emotions to show. In our Scripture, the king (Hezekiah) prayed so sincerely that he ‘cried very hard’. This sounds like a prayer filled with emotion, and I believe that we will do the same when we pray to the Father in a private setting, just as we might do when discussing intimate things with our spouse. In other words, I believe that we would be more apt to be ‘real’ when in private and desperate prayer with our Father. Now friends, please know that I am not condemning corporate prayer, for it is times like that, where you will realize that God is still answering prayer, that He still hears the prayers of His children, and the sweetness in hearing someone else lifting up your prayer need before the Master and ultimate Healer. These are the times that young Christians learn to pray; they will also gain encouragement from hearing your prayer and knowing that they too can ask God for their own wishes. I heard someone say at one time, that we should pray for needs as if it was our son or daughter in need of prayer! Do you see how we might get more sincere,serious, and urgent about a prayer like that? I believe that it was that kind of deep sincerity that king Hezekiah went before God with.

PRAYER:   Lord Jesus, there are many needs that we may come before You with, and we will often keep them in such general form that I’m sure You must wonder how serious we are. I pray in deepest earnest that You may touch the hearts of each church member in my city, county, state and nation. If we were playing church, then we would become a member and continue doing what we’ve always done. While this may, unfortunately, be exactly what many have done, I want to plead with You from the bottom of my heart that the church will be ‘the church’ – ‘Your church’. Others will have no desire to know You, if they see us pretending, or uncommitted, or pleasing the crowd instead of preaching,  teaching and praying Your Word. Please touch the hearts of Your children today, and help us to seriously petition the throne of grace for the unsaved and the uncommitted, and may Your church catch fire from the revival that will result! I ask these things believing in the power of the Almighty, AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: There are two more pages on my blog that will provide you with additional information, one of them being ‘To Know Jesus’.  If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please click on the above page, or speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. Please 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 Nuggets From God’s Word 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 Sebring, 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!

 

What ya gonna do when they come for you?

On By Ed AlgreenIn Dedicated, DedicationLeave a comment

SCRIPTURE  FROM:   Acts 8:4-6 (VOICE)

TEXT:  4 All those who had been scattered by the persecution moved from place to place; and wherever they went, they weren’t afraid or silent. Instead, they spread the message of Jesus. 5 Philip, for example, headed north to the city of Samaria, and he told them the news of the Anointed One. 6 The crowds were united in their desire to understand Philip’s message. They not only listened with their ears, but they witnessed miraculous signs with their eyes.

OBSERVATION:   The Scripture today continues after we were told how believers were persecuted. One of the disciples, Stephen, had just been stoned to death after a sermon he delivered. Saul, known for persecuting Christians, was coming into town, and the church at Jerusalem just scattered in an effort to save their own lives. Would our church today be any different in trying to protect our lives?

APPLICATION:   I believe that the question for us today is: ‘How firm is our faith?’; ‘How committed are we to serving God?’; What will it take to disrupt our dedication and commitment to our Lord? For many today, they are not impacted by persecution such as stoning or maiming or murder, it’s simply some of these things: too rainy; don’t like the pastor anymore; don’t like the small room they’ve placed our class in; can’t handle the new music; The only day I have to go to the beach; the only day I have to sleep in; etc. So putting aside the excuses that we use in attending worship services or doing work for the Lord, can you even imagine having to leave a town because of persecution, then go to the town right next to you and start right away with the same ministry that you were just persecuted for? Notice that the Word says nothing about how much Philip and his companions were blessed or enriched by what they did, but rather how lost people were being saved and touched by the gospel. Friends, I truly believe that the things we unselfishly do for the Lord will have meaningful results for the Lord, and they will not go unnoticed by Him. When our aim in ministry is solely for the purpose of lifting up the name of Jesus, then He will receive glory. When we are trying to use the gospel for selfish reasons to show our neighbor up about their actions, or to see ourselves lifted up, then God nor us receive blessings from that type of action. Its all about Jesus, friends. It’s Jesus that saved us; Jesus that maintains us; and therefore Jesus that should be praised for all things that we become involved in. In closing, let me challenge you with a few questions: When persecutors are hot on your trail, and looking for ways to destroy you, what will you wind up doing? Will you stay strong in the faith or will you run and hide? Who gets more praise out of your ministry, you or God?

PRAYER:   Father, we are humbled by what Philip and his helpers did, even under extenuating circumstances. Please impress upon us the importance of staying true to Your work and ministry even when it may appear like our world is closing in on us. I believe it is evident that Satan will use every tactic to disrupt Your work. Please help us to keep our eyes fixed on You and depend on You every day for our every need, and for direction. Our people need the Lord, and only You can touch their heart Lord, so we wait, we wait on You, Lord. Have thine own way and may the glory be Yours for all that’s achieved through us, Your humble servants. AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: There are two more pages on my blog that will provide you with additional information, one of them being ‘To Know Jesus’.  If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please click on the above page, or speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. Please 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 Nuggets From God’s Word 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 Sebring, 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!

 

Our Place of Worship

On By Ed AlgreenIn Heaven, Personal, Personal testimony, Salvation, WorshipLeave a comment

SCRIPTURE  FROM:   Acts 7:48-50 (TLB)

TEXT:   48-49 …..God doesn’t live in temples made by human hands. ‘The heaven is my throne,’ says the Lord through his prophets, ‘and earth is my footstool. What kind of home could you build?’ asks the Lord. ‘Would I stay in it? 50 Didn’t I make both heaven and earth?’

OBSERVATION:   Back in the day when Acts was written, and particularly during the period that today’s Scripture refers, there was a lot of emphasis placed on the Ark of the Covenant. Then people, like David came along, and with a sincere heart for God, he really wanted to build a super worship center where God might be found and worshiped. While this was admirable of David, God wanted to then, just as He wants to now, remind us that He is not contained in a box that can be carried around by mankind, nor in a very beautiful Cathedral, where you will only find Him while inside that Cathedral. In fact He takes us back to the basics in reminding us that He made heaven and earth, so we are encouraged to meet with Him any where, any time and any place. Let’s learn to worship Him in His holiness from grateful hearts, and not wait to be in a particular place where we may not even recognize the ‘Great I Am’.

APPLICATION:   I would imagine that a first time visitor to church might become very confused, when they hear a testimony of God being in a Hospice room as their loved one died. Then they hear another believer speak of how real God’s presence was when they needed him while in the Operating Waiting Room desperately waiting to receive an update on their loved one. And while pondering all this, the Praise Team begins singing ‘He is Here, Hallelujah’. Friends, we hear stories of God being so real to people out in the fiercest storms, and we hear of God being so very near to a friend, or to us in the most quiet room. Some might wonder why then is it necessary to attend church to meet God? Not only does the Bible teach us to ‘assemble ourselves together with other believers’, but it also teaches that we allow ‘iron to sharpen iron’ – with an understanding that other believers encourage us, while we also encourage them. You might quickly respond that you have nothing to offer, or encourage anyone with, and I would totally believe you. However, if one little bit of Jesus might shine through you as you love on, and encourage others, then God has accomplished His work through you. Please try not to ‘box God in’. Not in your mind, as to limiting His capabilities; or in a certain place where He may be found, as He is here – hallelujah; or for certain people who is good enough, as He came for everyone who would come to Him and invite Him into their lives. In case you haven’t picked up on my drift yet, let me assure you that I serve an awesome God! He’s my Savior, Lord, soon coming King and Eternal Master! And the best news yet, is that He can be yours also! Please read over my Footnote for help in meeting my Lord. I’m convinced that He wants You in His eternal kingdom, if you would have Him be a part of your life today!

PRAYER:   Precious Lord and eternal Father, thank You for loving me enough to sacrifice Your very own Son to open the doors of heaven to all who would believe and accept You as Lord. I am overjoyed that this ‘Gift’ is still available to those who have procrastinated for so long. Now Lord, please open the minds of those You have created, and instill within them the wisdom of knowing the Prince of Peace, the Everlasting Lord, and the King of all kings both now and forevermore. AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: There are two more pages on my blog that will provide you with additional information, one of them being ‘To Know Jesus’.  If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please click on the above page, or speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. Please 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 Nuggets From God’s Word 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 Sebring, 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!

 

How to Find Much Needed Rest

On By Ed AlgreenIn ObedienceLeave a comment

SCRIPTURE  F0R REFLECTION:   Matthew 11:28-30 (ERV)

TEXT:  28 “Come to me all of you who are tired from the heavy burden you have been forced to carry. I will give you rest. 29 Accept my teaching. Learn from me. I am gentle and humble in spirit. And you will be able to get some rest. 30 Yes, the teaching that I ask you to accept is easy. The load I give you to carry is light.”

OBSERVATION:   I’m sure that Jesus saw how busy everyone around Him was, and He also knew how much worse that would probably get with each generation to come. Jesus knew the importance of taking time to rest the body, soul and mind, but He also knew that He had provided for it in His Word and His teachings, so He had to really get to the hearts and minds of mankind, who was starting to find more value in busyness than in regenerating himself through peace, relaxation and renewal. There should never be a time in our lives that we feel there is way too much for us to do, to stop and rest for a whole day. Let’s look closer at the Word of God on this matter.

APPLICATION:   This will either be a very challenging devotion to write or it will be a welcoming reminder to me as I write what I felt on my heart as I read this Scripture. Way back in Exodus 23:12 after God had just created the earth and mankind, He knew that man just could not hold up to working 7 days per week, so He ordered that one of those days be considered a day of rest and worship – a Sabbath. Notice that this was a command and not a suggestion, because the God who created us, knew what our mortal bodies need in order to function properly. A friend once told me of two axe-men working in the forest, One was so busy and dedicated to his work that he would just swing that axe all day. His partner would stop every other hour and sharpen his axe while taking a much needed rest. At the end of the day, who do you suppose cut down the most trees? In the Exodus story, the Israelites who violated the Sabbath law, paid for their sin with his or her life. Did you know that today the death penalty is still in effect, however it’s a gradual death that comes from overwork, stress and anxiety? To observe a Sabbath day of rest is to announce, “God knows what I need more than I do. If He says to rest, I will rest.” And as we do, our bodies and minds will be refreshed. In a book written by Max Lucado entitled ‘Less Fret, More Faith’ he offers the following suggestions to refresh our body, soul and mind:

  • Don’t overdo it. Understand your limits. If you think you have no limits, then you have more than most people.
  • Once you have reached your limits, stop. Don’t work until you drop. Find a pace of life that works for you, and stick to it.
  • Maintain regular breaks during the day. Naps are biblical.
  • Give your mind a rest from technology. Turn off, unplug, detach from social media, news, and all the tech toys that deplete energy.
  • Learn to relax. To relax is to disengage and let go. An hour or daylong Sabbath is not the time to catch up with your work. It is a time to entrust your work to God. After all, He worked for six days and then rested. The world didn’t fall apart. It won’t for you either.

Friends, our churches are falling apart because folk are attending out of habit, but they are so tired that they sit there and either fall asleep or they are in ‘lala’ land because of the many things on their mind. Let me encourage you at the very beginning of a promising new year, to make it a year that you manage your time better. Be sure that there is time for God, for your spouse, your children and most importantly, time for yourself. Aim at putting some balance into your life, so that we may spend more quality time with Christ and find sweet rest for our souls. We will become much more productive in life, and hopefully conform better with the design God has intended for our lives!

PRAYER:   Lord Jesus, You designed us to rest, to worship You, and to be children of the King, who would share that joy with others. We have realized how impossible this is when we are always tired beyond words. Thank You for Your precious Word today that reminds us of the importance of keeping a good time balance in our lives. Lord may we be obedient to all You have directed, and may we be found faithful to all you have commanded of us. Please help us to realize the importance of being obedient to You, vs working ourselves to pieces in order to try and impress others. Rest comes only in You, while more and more stress and endless work, comes from trying to impress others. Use us today to touch the lives of others, even in the area of prioritizing our time of rest. AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: There are two more pages on my blog that will provide you with additional information, one of them being ‘To Know Jesus’.  If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please click on the above page, or speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. Please 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 Nuggets From God’s Word 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 Sebring, 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!

 

It Takes Faith!

On By Ed AlgreenIn Faith, Faith in Action, Faithful, Faithfulness, Genuine FaithLeave a comment

SCRIPTURE  FROM:   Hebrews 11:6-7 (ERV)

TEXT:  6 Without faith no one can please God. Whoever comes to God must believe that he is real and that he rewards those who sincerely try to find him.

7 Noah was warned by God about things that he could not yet see. But he had faith and respect for God, so he built a large boat to save his family. With his faith, Noah showed that the world was wrong. And he became one of those who are made right with God through faith.

OBSERVATION:   In this chapter of Hebrews we see where faith in God brought new life, new concepts and new miracles to all who believed in Him. In the example shown in verse 7, Noah had faith to believe God that He would send something to the earth for the very first time – ‘rain’. In fact he went further by believing that God would send so much rain that the whole earth would be flooded, so he set out to build a boat to protect the lives of he and his family. Soon God wanted Noah to build that boat much bigger to also include two of every living species. Can you imagine the mockery that Noah experienced during this construction? Yet his faith remained strong! How’s your faith?

APPLICATION:   There are many that God has sent us to minister to, who will tell us that we must be nuts to believe that Jesus died, and actually arose from the dead. Yet they will ask us to pray when their loved one is sick or possibly dying. What kind of faith are they expressing in each of those cases? In some home countries of my readers, non-believing leaders have closed the door to prayer in our schools, yet for the next exam they encourage their kids to pray hard for good grades!! Faith – what is it to some folk? They will say they have no faith in God, because they can’t see Him. Yet they fill their gas tanks in their cars, and although they never see the gas or the tank, some gauge inside tells them how much is in their tank, and they have faith to believe that! Friends, God has proven Himself in many ways to us in 2017, and for those who will trust Him, because they have faith in His existence; His promises; and His all powerful hand; we can look forward to all that He will have in store for us in 2018. Faith means that things are not necessarily all planned ahead for us, although God has the foreknowledge and power to do that, but as we place our faith and trust in the One who loved us enough to sacrifice His life for us, and as we place our faith in the One who promised to never leave us alone, and faith in the One who promised that He has prepared a place for us, so that we may rule and reign with Him while worshiping our blessed Lord, then we will know that 2018 will be filled with anticipation of all that God has in store for us, to bless us, to love on us, and to provide encouragement for us to continue living for Him until He returns to take us home! Praise the wonderful name of Jesus!

PRAYER:   Lord Jesus, we have no reason to doubt Your love and Your almighty power towards Your children. Knowing that You can do ALL things, just as you have already proven to us, gives us faith to place our full trust in You. Please help our unbelief and touch the lives of those that have chosen to ignore the mighty works of our King. Lord, I’m sure that we will need you more in 2018 than we’ve ever need You before. Please help us to stay strong in our faith, and to always stay connected to You in everything. You are a awesome God – one that we can place full faith, trust and deliverance in. AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: There are two more pages on my blog that will provide you with additional information, one of them being ‘To Know Jesus’.  If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please click on the above page, or speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. Please 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 Nuggets From God’s Word 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 Sebring, 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!