Month: August 2018

Be Spiritually Fit

On By Ed AlgreenIn Dependence on God, Spiritual FitnessLeave a comment

SCRIPTURE  FROM:   1 Timothy 4:7-8 (TLB)

TEXT:  7 Don’t waste time arguing over foolish ideas and silly myths and legends. Spend your time and energy in the exercise of keeping spiritually fit. 8 Bodily exercise is all right, but spiritual exercise is much more important and is a tonic for all you do. So exercise yourself spiritually, and practice being a better Christian because that will help you not only now in this life, but in the next life too.

OBSERVATION:   I find it amazing how Paul found ways to explain his points, and how they fit so good with what is going on around us – even today! Staying fit – most people will tell you that they are going to the gym, or they have an exercise regiment, or they are on some sort of diet, so that they could try and stay physically fit. With that in mind, wouldn’t it also make sense for us to seek ways to stay spiritually fit? Let’s study this some more as we look into this Scripture today……

APPLICATION:   I believe we all may have given some thought as to why we want to stay physically fit. For some, it may ease certain aches and pains; For some it may help their breathing; For some it may help avoid certain medications by keeping the heart healthy; For some, it prepares them for a huge competition that’s coming up; and a plethora of other reasons, I’m sure. So then, why do you suppose that God, through His servant Paul, found it necessary to have us realize that we should also stay spiritually fit? Let’s first look at the pitfalls when we are not spiritually fit. I believe that this is where we are easily provoked into sin, for we have no real, current, depth and/or communication with the Master. There are really two parts to this, first of all we must know what to do and what’s expected of us. This means that we have to learn what’s expected of us by our Heavenly Lord. As in the business world, this means that we not only learn the Word, but we also keep on learning and refreshing our knowledge of the Word. Secondly, we must put into action all that we learn. Imagine in the business world that you tell an auditor that your books, practices and overall processes are in order because you read about what’s required? That will absolutely not protect you against exceptions, since your auditor will compare what you are actually doing, against what your regulations say that you must be doing. Our Christianity is much the same. God has set forth a wonderful book that details His commands, and it shows us how our Savior lived while here on earth and perfectly followed those same commands of His Father. To know those commands, we should be in the Bible daily, so that our minds might be spiritually fit for battle against the Evil One at every opportunity that he aims to challenge us. To practice what we learn, we must work diligently, with the Master’s help, to display what we learn from the Word, in every word and in every action. Really, if we are to be perfect in our ways, then we should be mistaken frequently for the One that we are imitating. Has that happened to you recently? Friends, when we are hit with a hammer, the immediate response will often result from whatever is inside of us. Likewise, when we are hit with life’s challenges and the temptations of Satan, our immediate response will dictate how close we are to the Savior, and how fit we are spiritually. How are you doing friend? Seek the Lord while He may be found, and allow Him to guide your steps, your actions and your speech. May others see Jesus in you!

PRAYER:   This is a very challenging passage of Scripture Lord Jesus. One in which we are reminded that we desperately need You in every aspect of our lives. We are reminded that without You we can truly do nothing of value for the Kingdom. Please open our hearts and draw us to a closer walk with You and a life truly dependent on the power of Your sweet Holy Spirit. Lord, You know all too well how weak we are, but thank God You also know that You created us to be like You. So Lord, again today we beg with You to forgive us for those things that we do and the awkward things that we say – our spiritual weaknesses. Please draw us close to You and depend wholeheartedly on You in all walks of life, so that You may be glorified in every aspect of our lives. 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!

 

To Win The Lost

On By Ed AlgreenIn Evangelism, Evangelize, Reaching the LostLeave a comment

SCRIPTURE  FROM:   1 Timothy 2:7-10 (MSG)

TEXT:  7 This and this only has been my appointed work: getting this news to those who have never heard of God, and explaining how it works by simple faith and plain truth.
8-10 Since prayer is at the bottom of all this, what I want mostly is for men to pray—not shaking angry fists at enemies but raising holy hands to God. And I want women to get in there with the men in humility before God, not primping before a mirror or chasing the latest fashions but doing something beautiful for God and becoming beautiful doing it.

OBSERVATION:   For the one who has yet to find God, accept Him as Lord of all, and acknowledge Him as ruler of their life, that person is ‘lost’. Paul was serious about praying for, witnessing to, and winning the ‘lost’ to Jesus Christ. I believe that God is still very serious about His work for His church today, so He had this admonition included in His precious Word for us to take note of and follow today. So let’s meditate on these words for a while….

APPLICATION:   I believe that there are some principles involved in these verses that require our close attention:

  1. Reaching the lost – Paul said that this principle, and only this, was his appointed work. Wouldn’t we be strides ahead of where we are today if Christian men took this as their primary goal today? Why, even if churches made this their primary concern for their existence today?
  2. Prayer – It is obvious that Paul saw prayer as the engine behind winning the lost to Christ. In fact, Paul taught us to pray inwardly first, before we ever attempt to pray publicly before the church, for he taught us to have a clear conscience; a calm spirit; a loving, godly consideration for our enemies (those that despitefully abuse us); and a right relationship with God, that would cause us to stand before a holy God humbly and submissive to Him;
  3. Individual Responsibility – I belonged to a service club that centered around males serving in our community. In our last vote to decide whether to allow females to serve with us, one gentleman objected – for the reason that he was afraid that the men wound just sit back and allow the women to do all of the work. Paul was very bold in his list of responsibilities for both males and females. Unfortunately, in many churches today, it is extremely challenging to find enough qualified males around to actually fill responsible positions in the church. With all due respect to our female counterparts, God mysteriously works His plan in the family, the church, workplaces and in many other places, when men step up to the plate and take their personal responsibilities seriously. This has nothing to do with pastors, leaders or myself being male chauvinists, but it’s the Word of God, my friend.

Let me just add that there is building evidence that we are individually failing in our responsibilities as men and women of God. We have allowed way too much of this world to enter into, and block the powerful work of our Lord, among His warriors that He has placed to do His work in our churches and communities. In reading through the Old Testament, we see one disaster after another because of individuals and leaders who decided to do things their own way. The Word is clear, that God can and will do that again, unless His people will humble themselves, turn from their wicked ways and  pray. May I encourage you, Mr. or Mrs. reader, to begin this examination, and this process with yourself, and not investigate your church leaders for what they may be doing wrong?

PRAYER:   Precious Lord, unless You forgive us of our sin, hear our humble cry for help, and empower us to overcome the evil around us and the sin that is so prevalent in every aspect of our lives, we will be doomed for failure in properly presenting You to a lost and dying world. Please Lord, start a mighty work in me. Clean up my mess and allow me to serve You in much the same way that Paul described. Please also speak to the hearts of those that will read this devotional today. Encourage them to present themselves faultless before Your throne, so that You may work powerfully through them to reach the ‘lost’ who rub shoulders with us every day in our communities, our workplaces and even in our churches. People need the Lord! Oh that we may be Your holy instruments that You may use to win one today! 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!

 

God’s Plans For Us

On By Ed AlgreenIn Heaven, Salvation, The Plan1 Comment

SCRIPTURE  FROM:   Jeremiah 29:11-13 (VOICE)

TEXT:  11 For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Eternal, “plans for peace, not evil, to give you a future and hope—never forget that. 12 At that time, you will call out for Me, and I will hear. You will pray, and I will listen. 13 You will look for Me intently, and you will find Me.

OBSERVATION:   No doubt the people of Israel must have questioned in their minds what could God possibly be up to, in having them fall under the reign of Nebuchadnezzar in Babylon. However, God wanted them to know that this was all a part of His long-range plan… for their ultimate good. Knowing that we each have questioned God at some point in our lives, perhaps we should meditate on this for a while today.

APPLICATION:   As I read this Scripture, my mind went on a good old song written by Bill Gaither, entitled ‘Joy Comes In The Morning’. I’m sure that everyone that might come across this devotional could easily remember the times when you’ve felt so alone and where total darkness seemed to have filled your life. Knowing that Jesus promised that He would never leave us or forsake us, I hope that you called out to Him in desperation during those times, knowing that God gave us ‘hope’ for our future, ‘joy’ when the morning comes, and great expectation as we look towards the future that He has prepared for us in heaven where we will spend eternity with He and His Father! Friends, if you know God and have accepted Him personally into your life, then you can enjoy the benefits of the plans that God has for His very own! For the people of Israel, they were going through, what must have felt like, the extreme, worst times of their lives. Try putting yourself in their shoes and think about what might bring you hope, or joy for the moment. Like us today, I’m sure that the people of Israel knew that they were making a mockery of God, by their actions, their worship of idols, their words of hatred and disregard, yes, ‘sin’ right in the face of a holy God who warned them over and over again about the things He despised. Notice that I aligned the sin of the Jews with what is going on in our world today. We also have been warned about sin, plus we have been shown the consequences of sin, and still we give in to sin every day. Will God be any less angry at us dear friends? None of us could ever imagine how a holy God, could love us enough to send His only Son as a sacrifice for us, so that we may one day join Him in heaven. It blows our mind to imagine how this kind of God could also say to us, like He did to the people of Israel, ‘but I have great plans for you my child!” I truly believe that our hearts would be a lot more content, if we learn to seek the face of our Savior each and every day. Including myself, how could we ever expect to be happy, and feel secure in the love of our Savior, when we deliberately sin in His very presence. We need Jesus friends!

PRAYER:   Lord Jesus, You are all loving and all sufficient for our every need and our extreme weaknesses. Please hear our cry of desperation for strength to overcome, and guidance for right decisions, so that we might remain in the center of your perfect will for the plans that You have aligned for us. We absolutely need You Lord! We acknowledge that we are weak and need You in every aspect of our lives. Please help us to be more like You in every way, every day. May others see so much of Jesus in us, that they would seek You as their personal Savior as well. We absolutely stand amazed at all that You have planned for even 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!

 

God’s Ultimate Authority

On By Ed AlgreenIn All-powerful, Authority, Power, Power of God, Powerful, Salvation, The power of GodLeave a comment

SCRIPTURE  FROM:   Jeremiah 27:4-7 (NLT)

TEXT:  4 …. ‘This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says: 5 With my great strength and powerful arm I made the earth and all its people and every animal. I can give these things of mine to anyone I choose. 6 Now I will give your countries to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, who is my servant. I have put everything, even the wild animals, under his control.7 All the nations will serve him, his son, and his grandson until his time is up…..

OBSERVATION:   God spoke with authority to kings of neighboring countries who came to visit the new king of Judah, Zedekiah. He gave a warning to them of what he had planned for their countries under the reign of His ambassador, King Nebuchadnezzar, and God shared with them where His authority was coming from. Our God is still in ultimate control today, so being reminded of His authority is a good reminder for us also. Let’s meditate on the full impact this has in our lives… 

APPLICATION:   As children, no matter how good we were, we had a time of testing the authorities in our lives to see who we seriously had to pay attention to, and be obedient to. If you are honest with yourselves, I’m sure that you remember running to mom, when dad said ‘no’ on something. And of course making mom feel sorry for you, when dad said absolutely ‘no’ to something. What happened when you surrendered your life to Jesus and knew that you owed your allegiance to Him? Did you have any difficulty understanding why this was necessary, or what possibly gave him the authority to tell you what to do, or not do? As I read these verses today, God got my attention to the authoritative manner in which God had Jeremiah speak to these kings. Unless you lose sight of what authority kings had in those days, let me remind you of a story I recently read about Esther. After asking her to speak with the king, Esther reminded Mordecai that she was not allowed to go before the king but once in 30 days, unless he summoned her. Being the wife of the king, I would say that was a lot of power! Yet God sent his servant Jeremiah before these kings and, in verse 5, He reminded them that He is the one who made the earth, the people and every animal. And  because He owns them, He could give them to whomever He pleases. Now occasionally we hear that type of talk in reference to material things, or we may even say something similar about our kids, but have you ever heard this type thing said in reference to a whole country? Friends, with our finite minds, we are so limited to even imagine the scope of power that our God truly has. Is there any wonder when we see things happening today, that we sit and wonder in amazement why things happen the way they do, and for what reason certain things must have happened? Our God has all authority in heaven and on earth, and as we acknowledge that He owns, rules and reigns over it all, doesn’t He have the right to do what He pleases, when He pleases and for whatever reason He sees fit? May I encourage you friend to place your faith and trust in Jesus, God’s precious Son. For God has warned us that He will come again to take His children home to be with His Father. He will know ‘His’ children by name, because they sought His forgiveness and surrendered their hearts to the resurrected Christ. As in the case of the countries spoken of in verse 5 above, God has a predetermined plan for His children, and a very unfortunate plan for those who have chosen to reject Him. Knowing the rules ahead of time, where will you spend eternity my friend?

PRAYER:   Thank You Lord Jesus for the sacrifice You made, so that I may know where I will spend eternity! All authority is in Your hands Heavenly Father, but I thank You for also setting the ground rules ahead of time, so that we could be prepared for Your coming, and Your final judgment. Thank You for calling me to You, even in the noise of this sinful world. Thank You for already speaking very loudly to my readers, and I thank You for the decisions that have already been made to accept You as Lord. I especially pray for those who have made the decision to accept eternal damnation in hell, rather than accept Your love and forgiveness. As long as there’s breath in their bodies I know that You could still perform miracles in their life, so please draw these ones to You blessed 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!

 

Rejecting God?

On By Ed AlgreenIn Commitment, Committed, Totally committed, Unconditional commitmentLeave a comment

SCRIPTURE  FROM:   1 Thessalonians 4:7-8 (NLT)

TEXT:  7 God has called us to live holy lives, not impure lives. 8 Therefore, anyone who refuses to live by these rules is not disobeying human teaching but is rejecting God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.

OBSERVATION:   Paul felt the need to address the sexual abuse and sin that was going on among the people of Thessalonica. In the first six verses Paul had addressed the issues, and then he laid the root of the issue before his followers. Are we any different friends? Let’s meditate on this for a moment in today’s blog….

APPLICATION:   Ever thought of your life as being one of rejecting God? I bet we would never, never set out to reject God in any way, but as you read these verses by Paul don’t you see where there is always a tug on our lives to steer us away from our Heavenly King? Remember, as we become accountable in life we acquire the desires of the world that is controlled by the evil one. Satan is very upset when he sees that God is butting in on his territory, so he tries even harder to retain us. Can you begin to imagine how jealous Satan is when he sees us surrender our lives to Christ? Don’t you know that he then tries even harder to distract us back to himself? Failing in our walk with the Lord, is one of the first achievements by Satan that encourages him to keep trying to get us. Friends, we have an adversary, and he is very real. He is jealous about having us back under his control, so he will try every attack and every evil thing to reclaim us. When we commit our lives to Jesus Christ, He sends His Holy Spirit to live inside of us to guide us, direct us, encourage us, and to help us stay on track with our commitment to the Holy One. God, in His wisdom, gave us various commands and directions for life that would prove to the world whose we are. His Son, Jesus, set an example for us so that we would know it’s possible to live a holy life and one that is totally in submission to the Father. If we find ourselves doing something, or saying something, or even thinking something that is contrary to God’s Word, or His life’s example, then we should take that as a direct warning that Satan is messing with us and he is especially after regaining our allegiance to himself.  When we give in to that, the above scripture says that we are rejecting God. I know, you or I would never admit that today we rejected God, but we are reminded by God, through Paul, that this is what happens when we sin. We know it’s of the devil, but we do it anyway. We basically demand that God step aside so we could do our own thing – an act of the evil one. Draw me close dear God, never let me go. Control my innermost emotions and desires so that I may desire nothing more than to serve You faithfully until the day You call me home to glory!

PRAYER:   Dear Jesus, thank you for loving me, for caring for me, for showing me the way to heaven, for showing me how to live in a way that pleases You and leads others to the Savior. It’s all about You Lord, please help me to always take my humble place so that You may be able to work through a holy and righteous vessel. Lord, may this be the cry, the prayer, of everyone that reads this devotional today, so that You may be glorified in and through this effort. 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!

 

Overcoming Stagnant Ministry

On By Ed AlgreenIn Dependable, Dependence on God, Effective Ministry, HumilityLeave a comment

SCRIPTURE  FROM:   Jeremiah 15:19-20 (NET)

TEXT: 19 Because of this, the Lord said,

“You must repent of such words and thoughts!
If you do, I will restore you to the privilege of serving me.
If you say what is worthwhile instead of what is worthless,
I will again allow you to be my spokesman.
They must become as you have been.
You must not become like them.
20 I will make you as strong as a wall to these people,
a fortified wall of bronze…..

 

OBSERVATION:   I believe that there are times that we all face what seems to appear like stagnancy in our respective ministries. Of course, we question God as to why He left us ‘hanging’, or why have those we minister to become so arrogant and hateful to us, but how often do we imitate Jeremiah and actually seek God out to help us see inside of our sinful selves for the actual problem? Let’s look closer at this…..

APPLICATION:   I understand that studies will show that more ministers of the gospel resign on a Monday than any other day of the week. Primarily because of their inside view of failure the day before in the pulpit, or in what was communicated between themselves and a parishioner. This is very indicative of what Jeremiah did, for he felt like he was in a ‘dead zone’ with no positive results outwardly or inwardly. Based on what God had to say to Jeremiah, it is apparent that Jeremiah was communicating negatively and portraying a negative attitude about the God who rescued him from a burning hell and promoted him to the heights of glory. I know, you would NEVER do anything like that, right? Unfortunately, it seems like we easily degrade ourselves into grumbling about things that didn’t go just like we had planned, or at least projected. We are quick to find fault, when we are just as vulnerable to sin and failure as the other person. Unlike the case of Jeremiah, we have one more thing that we would try today when trying to ‘fix’ everyone else, or every situation, for we have ‘Google’ where we could research the problem, and find hundreds of ideas on corrective measures! Friends, I trust that we will learn from Jeremiah, for when he came to his wits end, he went to God and asked for help and understanding for the situations at hand, especially the challenge of him feeling like God had forsaken him. I believe it would behoove us to ofen do a reality check with God, asking Him to open our eyes, our hearts, our emotions and our innermost feelings, so that we could receive an answer from the only One that we trust as having all of the answers. There is a saying that we use a lot in Christian circles: ‘we are sinners saved by grace’. Please let’s remind ourselves that the order of what is said in that clause remains true. We ARE sinners who sin. Praise God, many of us have surrendered our hearts to Jesus, and we are saved by His marvelous grace, but as long as we remain here on this earth, we will cave in to sin. Let’s be quick to seek the face of Jesus so that He might hear our regrets and disappointments about our sin and, in turn, help us to overcome our weaknesses so that we might glory in the cross of Jesus. Like in the case of Jeremiah, when God has cleaned us up and returned us to His glory, then He is able to use us again for His ultimate glory. Be encouraged friend, for when it seems like our ministry has become stagnant, we need to look no further than inside our own heart as we seek the face of the only One who could help us to overcome the challenges of this world and assume our rightful place with the Master.

PRAYER:   Lord Jesus, we come humbly at Your feet and seek Your holy presence in our lives. We need You to direct our every thought, word and deed, and we need Your constant reminder to always come to the cross when things seem out of control all around us. We need You, because we want to see You worshipped and adored by everyone all around us, and we personally tend to mess that up way too often. Please be our guide, our strength and our provider, so that You may be glorified in everything we do or say. 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!

 

The Meaning of ‘Salvation’

On By Ed AlgreenIn Accept Jesus NOW, Follow Jesus, Know Jesus, SalvationLeave a comment

SCRIPTURE  FROM:   Colossians 2:13-15 (TLB)

TEXT:  13 You were dead in sins, and your sinful desires were not yet cut away. Then he gave you a share in the very life of Christ, for he forgave all your sins, 14 and blotted out the charges proved against you, the list of his commandments which you had not obeyed. He took this list of sins and destroyed it by nailing it to Christ’s cross. 15 In this way God took away Satan’s power to accuse you of sin, and God openly displayed to the whole world Christ’s triumph at the cross where your sins were all taken away.

OBSERVATION:   We are taught in God’s Word that who ever surrenders his/her life to Jesus Christ and ask for the forgiveness of their sin, WILL BE SAVED. But what does that truly mean? In our Scripture today, Paul explains this for us. Let’s understand this fully, so that our hearts might be overjoyed, and therefore happy because of the transformation, or change that occurs in our life when we commit ourselves to the lordship of Jesus Christ.

APPLICATION:   I’m pretty sure that for those who have surrendered their lives to Jesus Christ, we knew that it was for the purpose of obedience to God’s call on our life, and also in accordance with God’s precious Word. But please reread the chosen Scripture for today again and be reminded that there were some deliberate acts by Jesus when we made our commitment: He made us a very integral part of His life; He forgave us of our sin (meaning that our sins are no longer remembered by Him); He wiped out all charges against us for our sin and disobedience of His commands; His sacrifice on the cross was not in vain, for Satan now sees that sacrifice when he looks for the sin in our lives. Friends, we, who know Jesus and have accepted Him as our Lord and Savior, we are a privileged people. We have a brand new start in life – a new life where Jesus stands in front of us and protects us as His very own! Will we still encounter problems and challenges? Yes we will, for as long as we tarry here on this earth, however we have our Protector, our Guide, our Stronghold, our Warrior, our comforter – the living God, the Creator of this world, standing front and center as He looks out for His own. We are indeed a privileged people. Children of the King of all kings! Do you fit into this description friend? Would you like to be included? Please read the tips I have provided in my Footnote and follow the simple steps to salvation in Jesus Christ. Life will never be the same for you!

PRAYER:   Heavenly Father, thank You for the gift of salvation, given as a sacrifice through Your very own son, Jesus Christ. Thank You for accepting even me to be Your beloved son. Thank You for accepting my relatives and friends as they sought salvation. Thank You for being available, and willing to accept those who have rejected You and showed no sign of needing or wanting help. Lord, I pray that You may use my words today to touch the hearts of those who will read this blog. If they have never surrendered their lives to You and invited You to be Lord of their lives, may this be the day of salvation for them. The day they will realize the importance of having You front, center and in ultimate control of their lives. Only You can satisfy our deepest emotions and needs, and only You can save us from the critical sentence for our sins. Please speak to Your children again today Lord, especially those that I hold near and dear in my life, and those who will read this blog. 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!

 

The Reason We Preach and Teach

On By Ed AlgreenIn Preach, Preaching, Teach, TeacherLeave a comment

SCRIPTURE  FROM:   Colossians 1:27-29 (TPT)

TEXT: 27 Living within you is the Christ who floods you with the expectation of glory! This mystery of Christ, embedded within us, becomes a heavenly treasure chest of hope filled with the riches of glory for his people, and God wants everyone to know it!  28–29 Christ is our message! We preach to awaken hearts and bring every person into the full understanding of truth. It has become my inspiration and passion in ministry to labor with a tireless intensity, with his power flowing through me, to present to every believer the revelation of being his perfect one in Jesus Christ.

OBSERVATION:   Some do it for money, some for prestige, and others do it because of their ancestors being in the ministry, but the Word of God clearly tells us what God expects from our preaching and our teaching. We will look more fully into this, but I wonder if we are wasting our time if we preach or teach for any other reason? Think about this as you study this scripture and speak with God about it, will you?

APPLICATION:   In schools, I believe that we teach with expectations of seeing our kids graduate with best possible grades, and therefore able to obtain good jobs to support themselves and their families, plus make this world a better place to live in. Paul gave us the reason that we preach and teach, so that we ensure that we keep our whole ministry focused on the ultimate goal. Friends, this advice will apply to each and every believer, for whether we carry the title of ‘preacher’ or ‘teacher’, we are reminded of what we should be looking for in a church, in a teaching class, or better still – portraying in our lives. In verse 28 we are told that Christ is the reason and the message that we preach/teach. However, for this to have its fullest impact on others, notice that Paul shared that this whole purpose has become his inspiration and his passion. In other words, if its inside of you to start with, then it will be revealed and evident in everything that you preach or teach. Notice also that Paul wanted to teach with intensity and such purpose that believers would desire a closer and more intimate walk with their Master. In other words, Paul was not looking for a name for himself, although that’s exactly what happened, but he spent his life ministering so that others might see Jesus and be drawn to Him, so that God would be glorified through His people as they surrendered their lives to Him. I believe that ministry requires the most unselfish person to declare its benefits, otherwise we may tend to leave the impression that its because of us, or something we said, or we could do, that would lead them to the Savior. I believe the best that we could do is to obediently lead the lost to Christ and leave them at His feet, for it is He that will save them, and His Word that will direct their paths and mature them to a point where they also will preach and teach Jesus! So in recap, let us conclude that we are merely a messenger, a servant, a sinner saved only by God’s grace, and all we could do is to share His glory with our friends. Keep self out of the equation as we try to connect unbelievers with the only One who could save them and deliver them from Satan’s doom. Let’s learn to let go, and let God have His way with His children, for their good and His glory!

PRAYER:   Lord Jesus, Your Word declares that we are to live as You lived, and today we are reminded that we are to preach and/or teach in a way that would help others to see Jesus and know Him personally. Please help us to remove self out of the way, so that there are no hindrances for the child that Jesus is drawing to Himself. We are Your instruments Lord, use us for Your work that leads to Your glory. May Your kingdom come on earth, as it is in heaven. 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 Stand Against Satan

On By Ed AlgreenIn direction, God's Guidance, Guidance, Love, Love of God, The Father's Love, The love of GodLeave a comment

SCRIPTURE  FROM:   Ephesians 6:10-12 (TLB)

TEXT:  10 Last of all I want to remind you that your strength must come from the Lord’s mighty power within you. 11 Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand safe against all strategies and tricks of Satan. 12 For we are not fighting against people made of flesh and blood, but against persons without bodies—the evil rulers of the unseen world, those mighty satanic beings and great evil princes of darkness who rule this world; and against huge numbers of wicked spirits in the spirit world.

OBSERVATION:   Facing the same issue as we face today, Paul had some great advice on how to stand against, and overcome the strategies and tricks of Satan. This is still a very real problem today, so I would like for us to spend some time looking at this, knowing that there is help available to us.

APPLICATION:   In verse 10 we are reminded of the source of our power to overcome Satan and his attacks. First of all, we must acknowledge that we do not personally have the strength to overcome Satan’s attacks, and that there is only One who does – Jesus Christ. We must therefore approach the throne in response to these attacks, and not to make things worse by adding our own worldly efforts to fight against the ‘evil one’. So as we place our faith in the Lord and ask Him for power to overcome, let us also put on the armor of God, as detailed beginning in Ephesians 6:10, and per God’s Holy Word, we will stand safe against the strategies and tricks of Satan. Friends this sounds like a storybook resolution to our challenges from the ‘evil one’, but may I encourage you to place your faith in our Lord Jesus. Not only will He save us from our sins and award us life eternal in Heaven with He and His Father, but this same Savior also has the power to heal, the wisdom to  guide us through every challenge that may face us each day, but He also has all power over the ‘evil one’. Why would God do this for us? I believe, based on the Word of God, that we are the ‘apple of His eye’; we are His child; He demonstrated His love for sinners, like you and I, who stood by and watched Him being brutalized on the cross, yet He followed through on His sacrifice to show His love for us. This is the God who also promised us that He would deliver us from the ‘evil one’, and give us power to stand firm against the fierce arrows of all that he might send our way. Friends, this is the God that I present to you as the only One to help us overcome Satan. Do you know Him? Have you placed your faith and trust in Him? Have you trusted Him with your life, and therefore have the necessary confidence to believe that you could stand firm against Satan? Please reassess your belief system, and your faith. Be sure that you are anchored safe in the arms of Jesus.

PRAYER:   Heavenly Father; Glorious Son of God; our Lord and Savior; thank You for watching over Your kids and being willing to listen to our frequent cries, often for the silliest things and perhaps things that may appear so insignificant to many. Lord, we have faith to believe that if something is important and concerning to us, then You make it a priority in helping us to overcome our concerns. Lord, we lift Your name on high, and we acknowledge that we can do nothing without Your power and direction in our lives. Thank You Jesus, that we have a Savior who loves us so! 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!

 

Benefits of Peace with God

On By Ed AlgreenIn Control, Dedication, Live in peace, Peace, RelationshipLeave a comment

SCRIPTURE  FROM:   Philippians 4:5-7 (VOICE)

TEXT:  5 Keep your gentle nature so that all people will know what it looks like to walk in His footsteps. The Lord is ever present with us. 6 Don’t be anxious about things; instead, pray. Pray about everything. He longs to hear your requests, so talk to God about your needs and be thankful for what has come. 7 And know that the peace of God (a peace that is beyond any and all of our human understanding) will stand watch over your hearts and minds in Jesus, the Anointed One.

OBSERVATION:   Paul, a coworker and friend had worked alongside the Philippians, and had seen their struggles, weaknesses, and their needs and wants. Paul also heard from God that for his Philippian followers, or any of us today, to succeed in staying close to the Savior, of whom he preached and wrote about, we need to be reminded that it all begins, endures and ends with the relationship we develop with God. Let’s look into where and how this may help us today…

APPLICATION:   Based on our distractions today, and our selfish desire for more personal time, things and belongings, I believe that we could identify with where the Philippians may have been in their life-standards. So placing ourselves squarely at Jesus’ feet, and listening intently to His precious Word that He provided for our growth and benefit, how might we grow from this scripture today? Friends, I believe that although we may frequent our respective churches and the many services and programs they have developed in order to enrich our lives here on earth, yet we tend to become engulfed in the wants and desires of this world. We tend to constantly want more, go more places and be the kind of person that our society looks on as ‘successful’. However, as a child of God, we surrendered our lives to the Savior so that His goodness, mercy and grace may be evident in our daily walk. So as we meditate on this scripture, I believe we must look deeply into all that Paul is teaching us, so that we may look more like Christ than anything this world has to offer. First of all, I believe that Paul is teaching about the importance of having a gentle spirit, so that people around us would know what a true son/daughter of God really looks like. Now as you meditate on that, you may ponder what do you need to change in your life. Friends, if you change something, it will most lightly be a change from one bad habit or character flaw, to another much like it. I believe that what Paul is teaching here, is that we surrender our will to that of our heavenly Father, and allow Him to change us from the inside out. It is only then that the world begins to see God in us. Notice some of the other things that we are to concentrate on: a). Don’t be anxious about anything – after all, if we allow God to take control, then we must depend on Him, and accept the good and the bad – all as part of His perfect will. And if that be the case, what’s the need in worrying? Let’s learn to let go, and let God! b). Pray about everything – When dealing with a child, we want them to run everything by us so we could be sure they make decisions and do things that align with our principles. If we truly want God to have full control of our lives, then we will follow the same principles that we expect of our children. Communicating with God is through prayer. Let’s make it commonplace in our lives. c). Thankfulness – It’s good to ask God for direction and help, but even better to celebrate in return, through expressing our thankfulness to Him and making it evident in our actions with others, that we are a thankful people. Friends, there is one huge thing that results from living a life dedicated to Jesus Christ – He fills us with a peace way beyond our wildest expectations. And Paul declares that our Savior watches over our hearts and minds – in other words: He controls the gateway, or the origination of our words and actions! I need this peace each and every day friends, how about you? It takes surrender to the Master, for we can’t do our own thing and expect Him to do His thing through us also.

PRAYER:   Lord Jesus, we are your masterpiece, for we were created in the image of God. I believe that you intended that to especially be in word and deed. We have lots that we could blame our failures on in these areas, but I believe it is more important that we cut to the chase and seek Your face so that we may be better aligned with Your will for our lives. Lord, please resume control of our lives, both for our peace and for Your glory. May this world be drawn to You because of what they see in us, and may they never be hindered in their walk with You, because of our weaknesses. 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!