Month: December 2018

Who are You Dominated By?

On By Ed AlgreenIn Christmas, Commitment, Committed, CompassionLeave a comment

Monday, 2018-12-17

Bible Reference: Romans 8:7-9
Translation: The Passion Translation (TPT)

Bible Text: 7 In fact, the mind-set focused on the flesh fights God’s plan and refuses to submit to his direction,[f] because it cannot! 8 For no matter how hard they try, God finds no pleasure with those who are controlled by the flesh. 9 But when the Spirit of Christ empowers your life,[g] you are not dominated by the flesh but by the Spirit. And if you are not joined to the Spirit of the Anointed One, you are not of him.[h]

OBSERVATION: This Scripture is applicable all year long, but especially at Christmas we must ensure that our minds stay focused on the same Jesus that we worship and depend on all year long. Although we focus on celebrating His miraculous birth, He’s still the same Jesus that we glory in from birth, to the cross, to death, to His glorious resurrection, to His position of sitting on the right hand of the Father interceding on our behalf. He’s OUR KING friends! Let us shout with praise!

APPLICATION: It seems so unreal when we reflect back on Christmas and see how our minds revert back to the attraction of the world and to the attractions of: (a) Competing in gift giving – for we can’t let our friends or family member out-do us! or (b) Partying with friends – after all, it’s one of the most festive times of the year for work parties and family get-togethers! But what about the One whose birth brings about the occasion that we celebrate, what does He like? What would He appreciate from us? Have we even thought about the reason He came? I believe the Word of God is very clear in showing us that God sent His Son: born in the humility of a stable; to a poor, but pure young couple especially chosen by God; conceived miraculously; to show us that this was no ordinary child, but One ordained and in the very nature of God. Jesus was referred to as ‘Emmanuel’, meaning ‘God with us’, and throughout scripture we see time after time that our Savior is ever present with us, and looks out for us as His beloved children. Our Scripture today draws us to consider how focused we are on our loving Savior, and to what degree do we allow Him to dominate our lives. Let’s think about what happens when something dominates our minds, like work, or a girlfriend: We can’t sleep, for our minds are racing towards the parts of our job that needs more attention, or the things we might do to show more love to a girlfriend or boyfriend. Throughout the day, our minds are set on every action being geared towards improving that thing that is dominating our minds. So the BIG question then is: What is that thing, or person, that dominates our lives most? Our Scripture says that it reflects in our actions and our words. So, if less than 50% of our time, effort, priorities, words, etc. is spent on the things, and person of Jesus Christ, can you possibly presume that your life is dominated by Him? Think about it friends, who or what dominates you life?

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, time and experience has taught us that we will overflow with what’s inside of us. As we analyze who/what dominates us, may we make choices to fill ourselves with what we desire to see exude from us. Lord, my desire is that others will see so much of you in all aspects of my life that they will have a deep desire to know you personally. I pray that this devotional will cause many to think of what dominates them, and that they will seek Your help in making the necessary adjustments as You, and they, see fit. AMEN!

A Sign Chosen by God

On By Ed AlgreenIn Blessing, ChristmasLeave a comment

Monday, 2018-12-17

Bible Reference: Isaiah 7:13-16 
Translation: The Living Bible (TLB)

Bible Text: 13 Then Isaiah said: O House of David, you aren’t satisfied to exhaust my patience; you exhaust the Lord’s as well! 14 All right then, the Lord himself will choose the sign—a child shall be born to a virgin! And she shall call him Immanuel (meaning, “God is with us”). 15-16 By the time this child is weaned and knows right from wrong, the two kings you fear so much—the kings of Israel and Syria — will both be dead.

OBSERVATION: Isaiah prophesied, many years before the birth of Jesus, that God would send His Son, through miraculous means, and that He would be known as Immanuel, meaning God is With Us. In other words, this would be the same as God being with us. Not only is building the case for the coming King of all kings, but also in providing awesome peace in knowing that no matter how lonely one is, God’s Son would be with them!

APPLICATION: Probably one of the hardest things for anyone to handle is seeing someone without a home, or without food, or without family and friends. Destitute, lonely, forgotten, hungry, and living on the streets without anything at all. Compare that to those who appear to be happy and fulfilled because they have enough money to buy whatever they want. Without the Lordship of our Savior, Jesus Christ, they both will face God in the same condition – lost and destined for eternal damnation in the pit of Hell. Friends, this ‘Child’ referenced in verse 14 that Isaiah prophesied about, is the same Jesus that we celebrate each Christmas. He came so that we, who trust in Him completely, might be rewarded with life eternally with He and the Father. So may I suggest that as you approach this Christmas season, that you search your heart carefully, and be sure that you have at some time in your life personally surrendered your heart to Jesus, and asked Him to take control of your life. Without Jesus, it wouldn’t matter if you lived under a bridge, in a mansion or anywhere in between, you will be given the same verdict on Judgment Day – away from me, for I never knew you. Heaven is reserved for those who have surrendered their hearts to Jesus. The only other option is Hell, where all others will be sent for eternal damnation by Satan. The difference in destination is decided and committed to by you only, for yourself only. Because we are not assured of another day or moment, I would encourage you to make this very important decision right now friend.

PRAYER: Thank You for the gift of salvation dear Jesus. Please tender, and prepare the hearts of those that will read this devotional, so that they may make a right decision to follow You for the rest of their earthly lives. A personal decision with a very personal Lord. Lord Jesus, to You I offer my praise and thanks today for accepting my plea for salvation. May today be filled with decisions in time for a Christmas where we all may celebrate You as the main reason for the season! AMEN!

Why Trust In God

On By Ed AlgreenIn Priorities, Priority, Wonderful Savior, WorthyLeave a comment

Saturday, 2018-12-15

Bible Reference: Psalm 146:3-6
Translation: The Voice (VOICE)

Bible Text: 3 Do not put your trust in the rulers of this world—kings and princes. Do not expect any rescue from mortal men. 4 As soon as their breath leaves them, they return to the earth; on that day, all of them perish—their dreams, their plans, and their memories. 5 Blessed are those whose help comes from the God of Jacob, whose hope is centered in the Eternal their God — 6 Who created the heavens, the earth, the seas, and all that lives within them; Who stays true and remains faithful forever;

OBSERVATION: It is so important for us to be reminded that rulers and bosses and supervisors and workplaces are all temporary, just like we are. While we owe a large degree of allegiance to each of these, it is so important that we focus primarily on the BIG picture, on the eternal destination and benefits that lie ahead for us – those people and things that will always be there. Throughout the busyness of this season let’s ask for help in refocusing on the most important things in life! Today let’s consider what those things are….

APPLICATION: God’s Word is timeless, and beyond description in power and wisdom! Think about the reasons why some become disconnected in their faith, and please, I would ask that you not look at this as judging, but merely as an illustration, and possible reminder to look inward for signs of distraction in your own trust. I believe that way too often we lose that intimate connection with God for reasons such as: I am way too busy at work, and I need all the rest at home that I could get; I need my short evenings with my family, so I don’t have time for church meetings; Sundays are my only days to visit with family, and that’s more important than church; We pay our pastors to study the Word and feed it to us at church, so I see no value in personally reading the Bible; I have no time to read the Word of God, I’m a working man/woman… Friends, if you did not see your excuse listed, please understand that there are tons of excuses that we use from time to time about what constitutes a priority in our lives. I’m not being supercritical by looking at your reasons for failure as a non-priority, but please do me a favor and consider those things that you do accomplish – that they were a priority to you. Please do me another favor child of God: before you lay down each evening, reflect with God on your day’s activities. Give Him thanks for all those things that you achieved; then explain to Him why your time with Him in prayer (talking to Him), and Bible Study (receiving responses, wisdom and direction from Him) was not a priority to you. That sounds tough, but I believe that the popular excuse of ‘lack of time’ equates to ‘lack of priority’. It’s just much easier to give the excuse that ‘you didn’t have time’, instead of the fact that ‘it was not a priority to me today’. Friends, when our workplace is no longer in business, or we have retired, God is still there. When we make it a priority to read God’s Word, we receive wisdom and direction for our day that helps us handle situations better, and keeps our mind focused on the God who cares, loves and directs our every word and deed. The bottom line is, that there is no earthly thing that we could find comfort in, or depend on, that could ever take the place of our all-powerful God. May I recommend that you trust Him today in all things, and in all areas of your life?

PRAYER: Lord, You are worthy of our praise; dependable; trustworthy; and You are our everlasting Savior! Thank You for always being there for us in every way and throughout every day. Please help us to always be reminded of the truth and significance of that, so that we may keep our priorities straight. You are our Rock, and our everlasting Father, on whom we could place our full trust and hope, in every circumstance of life. Lord, we need You, and we want You in every part of our life. Please keep us in tuned with You and continually looking up – for Your return, AMEN!

A Gift You Should Give Your Children

On By Ed AlgreenIn Christmas, Gift, gifts, Humility, Love, Love others, Loving God, Unconditional loveLeave a comment

Friday, 2018-12-14

Bible Reference: Isaiah 38:18-19
Translation: Amplified Bible (AMP)

Bible Text: 18 “For Sheol cannot praise or thank You, Death cannot praise You and rejoice in You; Those who go down to the pit cannot hope for Your faithfulness. 19 “It is the living who give praise and thanks to You, as I do today; A father tells his sons about Your faithfulness.

OBSERVATION: Christmas seems to be all about gift giving, in remembrance of the greatest GIFT ever given for us – our Lord Jesus! But ‘gifts’ come in many forms, and today we want to meditate on the greatest gift that we could pass on to our children, or to those who know us. Come, meditate with me as we look into the Word of God.

APPLICATION: With Christmas quickly approaching, I believe that most of us are probably trying to narrow down what we will possibly give that child of ours, who seems to have everything already. No doubt there are others that we are just as concerned about getting just the right gift for as well, and we will often go into debt just to get the right gift that they might appreciate. But wait just a minute friend. Can you remember the best gift you ever received from a grandparent? How about a parent, or spouse or child of yours? I can think of certain acts of love; certain words of praise; certain very special family times, like the night dad told his kids about the call of God on his life that led to his salvation that day; certain family times of Bible reading; certain times that, as a family, we called on God for healing for each other, like when my dad was being treated for ulcers, when in fact he had experienced a heart attack. Friends, our Scripture is telling us that we may no longer hear about these things from grandma or grandpa, or dad, because just as declared in verse 18 above, they may have passed on from this world. So how then will our children know these things? Let me suggest that we make some family traditions of our own. I don’t believe that we would spoil the ‘fun’ times of what our kids have found in Christmas trees, gifts, santa claus, and the likes of a worldly Christmas, but in verse 19 we are being counseled to share our ‘God’ experiences with our children. I trust that we all will make time to share with each other during our Christmas celebrations this year.

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, You have been so gracious to us;  so loving; so kind; so forgiving; and such a provider of glorious gifts that creates a sense of anxious expectation about Your return to take us up to glory! Lord, please give us opportunity to share these gifts with our family this Christmas, and oh that we may have opportunities to also share Your love with others that we come into contact with. This may be the greatest gift we give this Christmas, and it may be more special to the recipient than anything they will find under the tree. Make us bold in our approach, but humble and loving as we remind ourselves of our unworthiness before such a righteous and awesome God. Blessed be the name of the Lord! AMEN!

For Those Who Lovingly and Seriously Call on God

On By Ed AlgreenIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

Wednesday, 2018-12-12

Bible Reference: Psalm 145:17-21
Translation: The Message (MSG)

Bible Text: 17 Everything God does is right— the trademark on all his works is love. 18 God’s there, listening for all who pray, for all who pray and mean it. 19 He does what’s best for those who fear him— hears them call out, and saves them. 20 God sticks by all who love him, but it’s all over for those who don’t. 21 My mouth is filled with God’s praise. Let everything living bless him, bless his holy name from now to eternity!

OBSERVATION: This is an awesome reminder, especially during this busy time of the year for most, that our God is faithful, and that He lovingly listens to those who seriously take their petitions before Him – their Savior and their Lord. Let praise fill our hearts and our mouths for who He is and for all He does for us!

APPLICATION: Although we consider it an honor to be God’s children, can you imagine if people could honestly say that we are just like our Father, in that everything we do and say portrays a spirit of ‘godly love’? The Message says this so eloquently – that the trademark of God’s work is love! Oh that our motto would be ‘love for all of God’s children’! What an amazing Savior is Jesus my Lord! Most versions included similar verbiage as the Message in saying that God lovingly listens to those who seriously seek His face. Think about that friends! ‘Lovingly’ says to me that God patiently waits for us to get over ourselves and earnestly seek Him. It tells me that God is able to look over our doubt and our selfish requests, but looks at the heart and sees a child in need and trying to ask Him, much like we do with our earthly fathers. He knows what we need before we asks, so I am convinced that He also knows when we ask arie, or ask for something that is absolutely not in His will for our lives. So now we will look at ‘seriously seeking God’. We offer so many prayers in habit form – such as blessing of our food, and other denominational prayers printed for our use. But for us to understand ‘serious’ as I see it here in these verses, I think of times that we are about to break, or a loved one is at a very critical point, or our church is about to close its doors. Can you see how our prayers at times like these are VERY serious? Why then do we ‘casually’ pray? Do we always realize that we are speaking to the Creator of our Universe, when we approach His throne? Do we really mean what we say when we ask Him to use us to enrich the souls of others? Friends, I believe that God is lovingly waiting for us with open arms, waiting for us to share our heart with Him and ask for His help to achieve ‘life’ in a form that’s both pleasing to Him, and that will glorify Him. We should have a deep desire to be filled with the same qualities that Jesus demonstrated while here on earth. He did and said those things that the Father led Him to, and so should we. Seeing God work in these ways through us, will cause us to join with the Psalmist as he did in verse 24, and glorify the King of kings and Lord of lords for all eternity!

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, thank You for first loving me! I pray that as my readers and I concentrate on that love, and seriously seek Your face, that we will ultimately praise You for all Your wondrous works. You are amazing oh God, and You took Your commitment to show ultimate love to us at Calvary. Oh that we may in turn love you sincerely, worship You intimately and always pray to You deeply and seriously. May we imitate our Father in every way oh Lord, especially at Christmas time! AMEN!

Trust That God is With Us This Christmas

On By Ed AlgreenIn Christmas, Trust, Truth2 Comments

Tuesday, 2018-12-11

Bible Reference: Isaiah 7:9-16
Translation: The Living Bible (TLB)

Bible Text: 9 Samaria is the capital of Ephraim alone, and King Pekah’s power will not increase. You don’t believe me? If you want me to protect you, you must learn to believe what I say.” 10 Not long after this, the Lord sent this further message to King Ahaz: 11 “Ask me for a sign, Ahaz, to prove that I will indeed crush your enemies as I have said. Ask anything you like, in heaven or on earth.” 12 But the king refused. “No,” he said, “I’ll not bother the Lord with anything like that.” 13 Then Isaiah said: O House of David, you aren’t satisfied to exhaust my patience; you exhaust the Lord’s as well! 14 All right then, the Lord himself will choose the sign—a child shall be born to a virgin! And she shall call him Immanuel (meaning, “God is with us”). 15-16 By the time this child is weaned and knows right from wrong, the two kings you fear so much—the kings of Israel and Syria – will both be dead.

OBSERVATION: We can’t expect God to bless us, protect us, heal us or provide for us, if we don’t trust Him or believe fully in Him! Let’s meditate on this today as we contend with the busyness of Christmas and prepare our hearts for the celebration of Christ’s birth!

APPLICATION: Verse 14 is a verse that we hear used a lot around Christmas time in Christian circles, but as represented in other recent devotionals, I believe it is so important for us individually to take time and read the whole context from which these popular verses are found. Today’s scripture is a wonderful example. Like us, King Ahaz thought that some things were just too trivial to bother God with, even though it was God Himself who told Ahaz to test Him. I love what the Lord said to Ahaz in the latter part of verse 9, and I know that it very much applies to me and very possibly also applies to you. In my own words, and based on my understanding, I believe that God said to Ahaz, and is saying to us: How do you expect me to protect you, or, how do you expect me to heal you or bless you, if you don’t learn to believe in, and trust me? Friends, there is so much truth in those powerful words by the Master! Will our child ever release themselves from a high wall and jump into our arms, if they have not learned to trust us? I don’t think so! In my hyperlink to today’s scripture, I included the whole chapter, because I want you to take time to read and understand that God had given Ahaz comfort in knowing that He would take care of the opposing leaders, and He even wanted to give him a timeline that it would occur. However, God knew that Ahaz doubted what he was told, so He told Ahaz to test Him just to gain trust in knowing that He is true to His word. The timing of this event then allowed God to elaborate on the miraculous birth of His Son, Jesus. Friends, once again we are assured that our Father has a plan for His children, just like He had for Ahaz. However, we must know Him so well that we are willing to trust Him and believe what He says to us through His Word; through visions; and through His mighty warriors who deliver His messages to us each week. Wouldn’t it be ‘MERRY’, if this Christmas this concept might ‘click’ in our minds and cause us to totally place our faith and our trust in our Savior? We can’t expect God to bless us and protect us if we don’t trust Him or believe fully in Him!

PRAYER: Your Word never ceases to amaze me Oh God! To read the context from which we have traditionally heard parts of the Christmas story, and still find new truths that really speak to our hearts, we can only say ‘Wow’ what a Savior! What an awesome God! Lord Jesus, we just want to worship You, praise You and honor Your blessed name for the key role You have played in our plan of salvation. God had a plan to comfort king Ahaz, and I am convinced that His plan to comfort, protect and save us, is even more awesome! Thank you Heavenly Father! Please continue to open our hearts and fill us with Your grace and Your awesome love that You have shown to us, so that we may, in turn, be a blessing to others in every way possible this Christmas season and throughout each day of the upcoming New Year. With every fiber of our being, we again say ‘thank You Father’ for Your amazing love to us in so many ways! AMEN!

Be A Follower of Christ

On By Ed AlgreenIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

Monday, 2018-12-10

Bible Reference: 1 Thessalonians 5:14-22
Translation: New Living Translation (NLT)

Bible Text: 14 Brothers and sisters, we urge you to warn those who are lazy. Encourage those who are timid. Take tender care of those who are weak. Be patient with everyone. 15 See that no one pays back evil for evil, but always try to do good to each other and to all people. 16 Always be joyful. 17 Never stop praying. 18 Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. 19 Do not stifle the Holy Spirit. 20 Do not scoff at prophecies, 21 but test everything that is said. Hold on to what is good. 22 Stay away from every kind of evil.

OBSERVATION: I wonder what type of characteristics we would come up with, if asked today to explain what a Follower of Christ should look like in character. There are some obvious character traits that we would list right off the top, but I believe we would immediately list the items that we feel we are doing OK in! But today we have the biblical account of those characteristics, so let’s pay close attention!

APPLICATION: As I read through these verses, I thought that it may only be necessary for me to show the scripture, as it would speak for itself. However, please allow me to list again the things that the Scripture say will identify those who follow Christ, or who are obedient to His will and His Word: 

  • Warn those who are lazy, or refuse to work, or take advantage of those who have;
  • Encourage those who are timid or afraid;
  • Take tender care of the weak – those who cannot care for themselves;
  • Be patient with everyone – knowing that we all act, behave and see things differently;
  • See that no one repays evil, or wrong, for evil – This tells me that we are to be like a referee, making sure that no one repays evil for evil, not even ourselves; 
  • Do good for each other and all people – this brings a new outlook for us, for we tend to do good to those who do good for us;
  • Don’t stop the work of the Holy Spirit – careful to not being a stumbling block to those being impacted, and spoken to, by the Holy Spirit;
  • Don’t scoff at prophecy, or treat it as unimportant – let us remember the revelation of prophecies in the Bible, and that we still sever the same God today who could give the gift of prophecy and the revelation of the same;
  • Test what is spoken to you from the Word of God (have your Bible and validate what is being spoken);
  • Hold tight to what is good – be ready to praise God for His good work among His people, and be ready to follow in their footsteps;
  • Stay away from evil – don’t play with it, thinking that you are stronger than the evil thing. Stay far enough away from it.

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, thank You for saving my soul! Thank You for giving my fellow believers and I guidance for everyday living. In and of our own sinful selves, we would not be led to do most of these things, nor do we have the power to do them in our own strength, so Lord I thank You from the bottom of my heart for this guidance today. My readers and I must depend on Your strength, Your guidance and Your wisdom to accomplish these things. Please have Your perfect will and way in our lives today. AMEN!

Reflect His Caring Heart

On By Ed AlgreenIn Christmas, Forgiveness, giftsLeave a comment

Friday, 2018-12-07

Bible Reference: Colossians 3:12-14
Translation: Easy-To-Read Version (ERV)

Bible Text: 12 God has chosen you and made you his holy people. He loves you. So your new life should be like this: Show mercy to others. Be kind, humble, gentle, and patient. 13 Don’t be angry with each other, but forgive each other. If you feel someone has wronged you, forgive them. Forgive others because the Lord forgave you. 14 Together with these things, the most important part of your new life is to love each other. Love is what holds everything together in perfect unity. 

OBSERVATION: At Christmas time we seem to easily find room in our hearts to be kind to others. In our verses today Paul reminds us of what all God did for us, and how that should lead us to do the same for others. So as we meditate on this today, may it stir up within us many ideas on how we might bless others at Christmas!

APPLICATION: Most children are probably looking forward to Christmas because of the gifts they have asked for, and expect to receive. As adults, Paul has reminded us of the gracious gifts that are ours, in being a child of the most high God! Here are some of the gifts mentioned by Paul: 1). God has made us His holy people – imagine that – steeped in sin and very much a part of Satan’s army, yet when we felt the call on our life by Jesus, and surrendered our life to Him, we were adopted into the sonship of the Most Holy God! That is beyond comprehension, and could only be imagined through faith in the truth of God’s Holy Word; 2). God loves us – ‘Love’ is an awesome word that we use, and even abuse in our lifetime, but it takes on such a special meaning when the holy Son of God loves a child that has been so blatant in sin, and asked for His forgiveness. Oh that we may find it in our hearts to love like that this Christmas! But here are some gifts that we may give to others, in return for His gracious love to us: Show mercy towards others; Be kind to others; Be humble towards others; Be gentle to others; Be patient with others; Don’t be angry with others; Forgive others; and LOVE others. Friends, the best news of all about these godly gifts, is that there will be no increase in credit card bills whatsoever!  So why not read over this devotional again as Christmas draws closer, and concentrate on all the gody gifts that you can extend to family and friends. Be instrumental in teaching them God’s ways and His teachings through your example this Christmas! Others may just see that you have a heart like that of Jesus, because you care for others!

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, thank You for Christmas! Thank You for teaching us about the many precious gifts that You bless us with, and through your servant Paul, teaching us how we might extend to others the many gifts that You have showered on us. Please help us to make someone’s Christmas special this year, by showering them with the character of Your Son, and the godly gifts mentioned above. AMEN!

Here’s Why Jesus Was Born

On By Ed AlgreenIn Caring, Celebrate God, Christian, Christian Principles, Christmas, FaithLeave a comment

Thursday, 2018-12-06

Bible Reference: John 18:37
Translation: Easy-To-Read Version (ERV)

Bible Text: ^37 Pilate said, “So you are a king.” Jesus answered, “You are right to say that I am a king. I was born for this: to tell people about the truth. That is why I came into the world. And everyone who belongs to the truth listens to me.”

OBSERVATION: Jesus taught us great lessons throughout His ministry. In this Scripture today, when Jesus was being tried by the authorities, He still showed His compassion; His calmness; and He declared His whole purpose for coming to this world. I wonder what we would say is our whole purpose on earth?

APPLICATION: At different stages of our lives we may have sat and declared what our purpose in life is. For example, the transition from high school or college into the working world, you may have committed to be a doctor or an accountant, etc. When you got married, you made have declared what kind of spouse you would be. When you got saved, you may have promised God a drastic change in your lifestyle or in your habits. But was there ever a time that you declared what your whole purpose in life is…..? You see, Jesus was known as ‘Truth’, and for that reason we can measure absolute ‘Truth’. I sincerely believe that the Truth that Jesus spoke of here is the absolute Truth that He represents in being God’s precious Son. In other words, looking at Jesus and hearing His words, were just like seeing and hearing His Father – God. With that in mind, what is the real truth that others experience in you? Do they experience with you, what they really hear from you? Do you have to tell them that you are a Christian, or do they see that in you, and hear that from the words that you speak? As ‘little Christs’, our aim here on earth should be much like that of Jesus – to represent Him completely; honestly and wholly, so that the world may know and believe in the One who saved us from our sin and condemnation. To the unbeliever reading this blog today, let me assure you that God loves you also, and He wants you to come to Him believing in His precious Son. Seek His forgiveness my friend and give Him control of your life. He would love for you to experience His love; His forgiveness; and His caring – just like a real loving father would do for that very favorite son or daughter.

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, I pray that Your love will shine so strongly through my life that it will be evident to the world that You are having an awesome impact in my life, then may You be glorified by all that I come into contact with. Thank God for the grace and power expressed through His gracious Son. Thank You Jesus for accepting me as Your gracious son. May I represent you as well, so that others may see and believe. AMEN

Always Be Ready To Share

On By Ed AlgreenIn Acceptance, Accountability, Acknowledge God, Allegiance to the Lamb, Answered Prayer, Awesome God, Faith, HopeLeave a comment

Wednesday, 2018-12-05

Bible Reference: 1 Peter 3:14-16
Translation: Easy-To-Read Version (ERV)

Bible Text: 14 But you may suffer for doing right. If that happens, you have God’s blessing. “Don’t be afraid of the people who make you suffer; don’t be worried.”[a]15 But keep the Lord Christ holy in your hearts. Always be ready to answer everyone who asks you to explain about the hope you have.16 But answer them in a gentle way with respect. Keep your conscience clear. Then people will see the good way you live as followers of Christ, and those who say bad things about you will be ashamed of what they said.

OBSERVATION: Peter wanted to be sure that followers of Jesus Christ be prepared for the questions that folk will ask of us, especially when they see us acting and speaking differently to the majority of individuals they will come into contact with. In other words, if someone special resides inside of us, then His character will be revealed through us. Nothing to be ashamed of, and it should be nothing for us to brag about, but when we are asked ‘why?’, we should always be prepared to answer them about the hope that is ours, who know Jesus as Lord and Savior!

APPLICATION: Over and over I’ve seen friends whip out their wallet, or their phone, to show a photo of the latest thing that brought joy to their life – perhaps a baby boy, or a granddaughter, or a son-in-law! I have a coworker who always responds to a greeting with the words “I love my job”. He has a response that make me smile, and makes me proud of him everytime we greet each other. I wonder how willing, or prepared, or quick, Christians might be to respond truthfully about the root cause of happiness; joy; expectation or hope that is being expressed through them? I would challenge those of us who know Jesus as Lord to ensure that each day we have a fresh encounter with our God. Talk with Him – through prayer; Listen to Him – through His Word; Be guided by Him – as we ask for His direction in all decisions known and unknown that we will face today; and Praise Him – through expressing gratitude and honor for all that He has done for us. Please be careful to recognize Jesus as the healer, deliverer, guide and everlasting Father that He is. It will be so easy to follow the way of the world and attribute your ‘blessings’ to luck, or medical staff, or good friends, or the knowledge of man, and while these are awesome in their own way, our faith and our hope lies in the One to whom we belong. Friends, let’s be willing and ready to give an answer to anyone about the hope that we have. In fact, let’s be careful to give the same answer to our friends as we would give to God about our hope!

PRAYER: Merciful Father and all powerful God, thank You for choosing to work in my life. Oh though so unworthy, still I’m a child of the King! Lord, help me to not only sing that song to myself, but freely and willingly share that with others that may ask about the hope that I have. Oh that You might be glorified in and through all saints that allow You access, and ask for Your help today oh Lord, AMEN!