Month: November 2019

Jesus is the Answer!

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Light, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

Thursday, 2019-11-14

Bible Reference: John 12:35-36
Translation: The Passion Translation (TPT)

Bible Text: 35 Jesus replied, “You will have the light shining with you for only a little while longer. While you still have me, walk in the light, so that the darkness doesn’t overtake you. For when you walk in the dark you have no idea where you’re going. 36 So believe and cling to the light while I am with you, so that you will become children of light.”

OBSERVATION: In our world, filled with frustrations, crime, backbiting and envy, don’t you wish sometime that life was simpler and much less stressful? Don’t you feel sometime that you have the weight of the world on your shoulders bearing you down? Take a deep breath, and now re-read today’s Scripture! Isn’t it obvious that Jesus is the answer? Meditate with me as we reflect on this awesome truth today!

APPLICATION: In John 1:5 we are told that the same light referred to in our focal verses today, is actually ‘Jesus‘. God saw how far His precious children had gone off course, and away from the ideals He had first established for us to follow, so He sent His precious Son as a ‘LIGHT’ to remind us of the joy, refreshment, peace and hope that belong to those of us looking for a way out of the darkness that seem to overwhelm us everywhere that we turn here on earth. Yesterday I glanced at my Facebook account, and there was one plea after another for prayer and encouragement. In one case a dad and his relatives were mourning the sudden death of a 30+ year old son who was killed in a tragic accident; in another case close to home, a husband lost His precious wife who was his primary caregiver and support; in another case someone was very concerned for her family displaced by Hurricane Dorian; another friend is anxiously wanting to retire for relief from the stress of her job; and if I would have read on, I bet there would have been more friends feeling the results of the ‘darkness’ of this world, than those who were able to rejoice in the Light of all that God has blessed them with. Friends, I believe that most of you reading this devotional will identify with the struggles I mentioned, because we all are impacted by the ‘darkness’ of the world that we live in. HOWEVER, true to form, I went to the Word of God today to discover ways that I might be encouraged by the God of all hope! And I was reminded that we were created in the image of God so that we might return praise back to Him. So what have we gotten ourselves into that hinders that praise back to our Father? Do we have an open and honest relationship with His Son, and experience the freedom of chatting with Him about all these worldly things that tend to stress us out? Are we able to praise Him, even in the storms of life that come our way? Don’t you think that the child of God that praises Him in all circumstances of life, will truly be able to approach Him with every decision that must be made, and every challenge that we foresee with just our human heart and eyes? Oh dear friend, let us together learn to speak with our Lord every day of the week, and not just when called upon to do so while at church. Remember, our relationship is with Jesus, and while our church family will definitely encourage us and support us, there is no one that could ratify your relationship with the Master, but you. Our verses today remind us to do this while the Light (Jesus) is available to us. I would boldly remind us that we’ve had enough of the ‘darkness’. It is high time that children of the Light, look to the Light for His huge hand of protection; healing; mercy and encouragement each and every day, so that He might wipe out the effects of the darkness and all the misfortunes that it burdens us with. Learn to praise Him in your storms of life, and recognize Him for the all-powerful, almighty God that He is. Hard to imagine that He loves even us – wimps and weaklings – but He does. We are His creation that He put His life on the line for!

PRAYER: To the Light of the world, Jesus my Savior, I am honored and humbled to stand in Your presence and not only recognize You as my Lord and Savior, but as the Light that will extinguish all darkness and especially the impacts of the ills and darkness of this wicked world. These bad things impact us all every day dear Lord, but I ask that You help us to stay focused on You and keep our eyes fixed on the awesome God that You are. Please guide us daily out of the darkness and into the light, so that our hearts will be freed and ready to worship and praise You in every aspect of life. You alone are God. Please help us to respect Your position in life, and be reminded of our need for You – in all things. AMEN!

The Response of People Who Hear Good News

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Good News, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

Wednesday, 2019-11-13

Bible Reference: John 12-9-11
Translation: Living Bible (TLB)

Bible Text: 9 When the ordinary people of Jerusalem heard of his arrival, they flocked to see him and also to see Lazarus—the man who had come back to life again. 10 Then the chief priests decided to kill Lazarus too, 11 for it was because of him that many of the Jewish leaders had deserted and believed in Jesus as their Messiah.

OBSERVATION: It is often said that gossip travels like wild fire, but in our Scripture today we are told about how people reacted to hearing about Jesus coming to their town. As we meditate today, let us ponder why many in our town are not coming to see Jesus. Enter into the heart of the Scriptures with me today!

APPLICATION: I believe that if a church elder stood before a church congregation and told them about misappropriation of funds by church leaders, or an extramarital affair by the pastor, that news will spread over all the town before the end of that service. But isn’t it interesting how our pastor stands in that same pulpit each Sunday and declares the saving grace of Jesus Christ, and the simple steps necessary for the sinner who is headed to the pits of Hell, to otherwise be totally converted from a life of sin and be redirected instead to the Kingdom of God, where they will spend eternity with Jesus and His Father? Nothing about that is texted out to a friend about to enter eternity without Christ. Nothing about that is shared around the dinner table with unsaved family members. Our lips are sealed at work because we don’t want our coworkers to think that we’ve become a religious fanatic. And yet, we are OK entering Heaven’s gates and responding to God about why our family and friends are not with us? I wonder, what words we might have for those lost friends who may look up from the torment of Hell and question us about our silence? When a hurricane, or deathly storm, approaches, some of our friends decide not to evacuate, as ordered by the authorities. But what a sad affair when we choose not to tell our neighbor about an approaching deadly storm. Can’t you see that it’s the same plight for those of us that can’t be bothered to share the good news of Jesus Christ with our neighbors, our family, or with those in our towns and with those in authority? But unless I remain negative about this Scripture today, please refresh yourself on what the towns people and community leaders did in response to hearing about the visit of Jesus! They flocked to see Him! I remember at one time joining others in cottage prayer meetings to pray for our Christian friends to attend a series of revival services. What a joy it was to attend those services and watch the Lord deal in the hearts of those precious friends who showed up! Perhaps if we share the good news of Jesus with those we care about, they too will gladly come to church to hear more, and to rejoice with us in worship to our King! What are we waiting for? A serious, deadly storm is coming dear friends, it’s called Judgment Day. Are we content to seek shelter just for ourselves and not worry about those we love and care for? No matter how little we know the Bible, or how educated we are, simply share what Jesus has done for you and assure your friends that He will gladly do the same for them. They need to know your Savior, not necessarily what He did for Moses, or David or Paul, etc. As they know the God of the Bible, they will desire to know more about the God talked about in the Bible!

PRAYER: Oh dear God, please speak to the hearts of Your children today, and start with me. Make us keenly aware of all that You did for us, and all that You would gladly do for those who seek Your face. Please remind us of the love You have for us, and the love and response that would normally pour out of those filled with Your love. Embolden us to act upon Your Word and to share the love of Christ that is blessing us beyond anything we deserve. Oh that none will be left behind, as we share Your love and saving grace with all that we know and associate with. AMEN!

A Father’s Love

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Love, Love of God, Love others, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

Tuesday, 2019-11-12

Bible Reference: 2 Samuel 18:5
Translation: Living Bible (TLB)

Bible Text: 5 And the king commanded Joab, Abishai, and Ittai, “For my sake, deal gently with young Absalom.” And all the troops heard the king give them this charge.

OBSERVATION: A son – adored at birth, loved and trained through adulthood – yet a father is not assured of the son’s love in return, nor is that dependent on the amount of love a father has for his son. That’s the situation that David found himself in with regards to his son Absalom. Are you faced with similar challenges with your child? Meditate with me as we learn from David in our Scripture today.

APPLICATION: It is often said that we could love, teach and advise our children while they are in our home, but, especially in their independence, they take on their own character. I believe that any parent will agree with me that our kids sometimes do things differently than we would wish for them, but often they are very successful in life, in spite of our differences. I believe that David recognized that his son, Absalom, had become a good king. However, it was extremely challenging for David to understand why Absalom was so determined to kill him. So to protect his own citizens, David found himself in a position where he had to defend against the angry king Absalom. But notice how the heart of David comes through. He sent his army out to fight Absalom, but with caution to his generals to be ever so cautious. Now remember, Absalom tried to kill David, his father, and of course, he was willing to kill any military personnel that tried to interfere with his plot. So this army was asked to go out and fight Absalom and his army, so that the Israelites might be protected, but they were being cautioned to go easy on their leader. Those two things are in total opposition, aren’t they? But friends, I believe there are two messages in this Scripture for us: 1). For all the families who are out there fighting within, please notice that God has built into us a very strong and intimate knit to our family members. David, a man after God’s own heart, never lost sight of the love for his son, no matter what actions he undertook – even to the point of trying to kill him (David). I believe that God wants us to note that the world will make every effort to destroy that which He has erected as evidence of His kinship with us. There is nothing Satan likes better, than to see family members tear each other apart – for it helps Satan feel a sense of accomplishment. For family members who do this and claim Jesus as their Savior, I believe that family division and infighting, not only tears apart the family structure God designed, but when Christianity is brought into the picture and infighting continues, it also affects the church. As members of His bride (the Church), we are His representatives to a lost and dying world. Will others truly see Jesus when they see Satan working so wickedly in our holy lives? Also, 2) The persona of Jesus Christ is seen in David. For Jesus willingly went to the cross for the sake of all who would, at some point in their lives, accept Him as Lord. This means that at the time of His crucifixion, there were many who hated Him, many who disregarded Him as their King, many who raised a hand to help in His crucifixion. Yet He went to the cross as sheep to the slaughter. My friend, David showed love that often we will only read about, for we could easily conclude that we could never love like that. But Jesus paid the ultimate sacrifice for us, even while we had no regard for Him. Please note that David showed from a human perspective that we can love, in spite of the objective of others to hurt us. Jesus showed love because He wanted us to have God’s perfect gift of love, so that we could see the likes of Heaven. Please look deep inside and, if you have never surrendered your heart to the love of the Lord Jesus, make time to do that today – please? I believe that it is with that perfect gift of love, that we will have the love necessary to love others – especially those that may tend to persecute us. I am convinced from the Word of God, that when we invite the perfect love of God into our hearts, His love overflows from us and impacts all those that we come into contact with. We may feel unequipped to love those who persecute and despise us, but God’s perfect love working through us will love the best Christian and the most hateful sinner.

PRAYER: Precious Lord, You are love and You proved it by loving even me. Thank You for the sacrifice You made at Calvary just for me. Please oh God, may Your love shine so brightly through me that others may feel a certain warmth in every encounter with me. Oh that they may see Jesus, is my humble plea today! Please speak to the hearts of those readers who are struggling to imitate David, and the ultimate love shown by You. May they seek to know You more, and to let go of self, so that You may assume full reign over their life today. AMEN!

To See The Glory Of God!

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, God's Not Dead, God-honoring, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

Monday, 2019-11-11

Bible Reference: John 11:39-42
Translation: The Voice (VOICE)

Bible Text:
Martha: Lord, he has been dead four days; the stench will be unbearable.
Jesus: 40 Remember, I told you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God.
41 They removed the stone, and Jesus lifted His eyes toward heaven.
Jesus: Father, I am grateful that You have heard Me. 42 I know that You are always listening, but I proclaim it loudly so that everyone here will believe You have sent Me.

OBSERVATION: “If you believe, you will see the glory of God!” That’s a quote from what Jesus said to Martha as she tried to save Jesus from having the grave of her deceased brother opened. As we meditate on this Scripture today, I want us to think of our own life experiences where Jesus may have whispered this to us also. Just believe and watch for the glory of God to manifest itself.

APPLICATION: There are many circumstances in life where the end result is better than we expect, and there are some situations that end much worse than we desire. There was a situation just yesterday in my circle of friends, where a dad heard of an accident involving his young son. I’m sure that with every bit of faith he had, that Christian dad must have prayed that everything would turn out miraculously. In this case, it didn’t turn out quite like the story of Lazarus, but friend of God, we can only stand alongside this dad and comfort Him, for we know that all things accomplished by our God, is well done and for His ultimate glory. Now, placing ourselves in the boots of that dad, we may struggle with that. But often as we reflect back and see where God used this tragedy to witness to one or more of this young man’s friends about their relationship with their Master, we may see where God used this very unfortunate situation to win the hearts of many. In another example, through the tragic death of a nephew, my dad’s heart of sin was melted, and resulted in his full surrender to the King of all kings. I may never know the lives that were touch through the salvation of my dad, but I long to see them rejoice at the feet of Jesus as they offer praises to Him for a series of events that led to their salvation. Friends, I sincerely believe that God didn’t direct me to this Scripture to fill your day with morbid stories, but I hope that this might trigger a thought or two when you sit by the bedside of a loved one struggling in hospital, so that you might hear the echo of God’s Word as He says to you: Just believe, and you will witness my glory! Perhaps there will be other circumstances in life that seem helpless to you – listen to the words of Christ as He whispers ‘Be still my child and know that I am God. Just believe and watch for the glory of God to be revealed’! We serve such an awesome God, and we could have such awesome peace, if only we will place our hand in His, believe, and patiently watch for His glory in all that He does. Oh that God may grant us His patience to wait, and His peace as we wait today!

PRAYER: Lord, You warned us that Your ways are not our ways. So it becomes very challenging for us to know what glory You might receive from, what appears to be, our unfortunate circumstances. Please remind us daily that You’re in control of all of life’s circumstances, and not only do we not have the knowledge or power to do anything about so many of life’s challenges, but that we have access to the One who does. Lord, please teach us to wait. Please teach us to trust in You more and more every day, and please remind us frequently, that all things will work together for good, to those who love the Lord. Draw us close to Your side precious Lord. AMEN!

Another Opportunity To See Jesus!

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, See God, WorshipLeave a comment

Friday, 2019-11-08

Bible Reference: John 11:14-16
Translation: The Passion Translation (TPT)

Bible Text: 14 Then Jesus made it plain to them, “Lazarus is dead. 15 And for your sake, I’m glad I wasn’t there, because now you have another opportunity to see who I am so that you will learn to trust in me. Come, let’s go and see him.”
16 So Thomas, nicknamed the Twin, remarked to the other disciples, “Let’s go so that we can die with him.”

OBSERVATION: Although somewhat of an unusual account of Jesus and his disciples, yet it is filled with applications for our lives. Just as the disciples could not fathom what was going on, you may also struggle with the intent of Jesus and how this might apply today. Let’s ask Jesus to open our eyes of understanding so that we may clearly see Him, and His message for us today.

APPLICATION: No doubt, we all have a favorite miracle of Jesus, and perhaps each one speaks miraculously to us in their own way. For some, it may be the very first miracle recorded where Jesus turned the water into wine, but for others it may be when He walked on the Sea of Galilee towards the boat filled with His disciples, and with a very calm tone of voice, He calmed the rough waters. But in our Scripture today we see for the first time that Jesus ignored the request of His very good friends, Mary and Martha, in order to achieve an ultimate goal He had in store for His disciples. He wanted them to catch a fresh glimpse of the power and glory of their risen Savior! Adding to the mystery of Jesus’ actions in not responding immediately to the request of Mary and Martha, is the fact that Jesus told His disciples that He was glad that He was not there when Lazarus died. That really seems callous, doesn’t it? But ponder with me for a few minutes how many may have been saved, or in this case recognize the power of God, if Jesus would have instantly healed Lazarus when He got word 4 days earlier, that he was sick to the point of death? I have a situation in my family where it was the result of the death of a nephew, that my dad came to know Jesus as Lord. Was it a good thing that the nephew died? Absolutely not. But the Bible teaches us that the angels in heaven rejoice when they welcome one soul surrendered to the call of God on their lives. Furthermore, God had many years to work in and through my dad to touch other souls that rubbed up against. As mere earthly mortals, we are devastated when we lose a loved one, whether it’s due to old age, or what we often feel is prematurely. But would it make us feel any better if, when we get to heaven, Jesus reveals to us how many entered into a personal relationship with Jesus because of our unfortunate loss? Notice that Peter struggled with the whole scene, because He thought that following Jesus, into the city where He was so sought after, would lead to certain death for them. We have no record of Peter or his fellow disciples rejoicing over this move by Jesus to go and visit the grave of Lazarus. But, like the disciples, we must learn to trust and follow Jesus where He leads us. I believe that still today He is seeking after His children to trust Him more; worship Him more; have more faith in Him; know that He’s with us when we have a witnessing opportunity; know that His Word will not return void, especially when we stand in front of a class or on the podium of a sanctuary to share the plain Word of God with folk that came to learn more about Him. God never mentioned about us being capable, or any other attribute that folk tend to look for in a first-class preacher or teacher. I believe that if He was able to use uneducated fishermen, tax collectors, doctors and more, to start the whole Christian movement, then how much more can He use you and I who can often stand and talk on any subject that comes our way. Let’s learn to trust Him Brothers and Sisters. Perhaps if we empty ourselves of ‘self’ and ask God to fill us afresh with His love, His power and His boldness, then perhaps others will see Jesus instead of the wicked men and women that we are. Just like Peter and His companions, let us learn to trust God more – in every circumstance of life.

PRAYER: Dear God, as others look on us today may they see Jesus. Please help us to stop acting like spoiled children, for we are called to service, so may our lives be fully spent on Jesus. As Jesus went to see Lazarus, there was no doubt, and there was no hesitancy. Others saw the awesome works of the Almighty God. May that be the case with all those that we come into contact with today. There is probably nothing about ourselves individually for others to like, or care about. If there is, then perhaps they will see that thing, instead of the awesome God that we seek to serve, and be seen through us. Lord, may any personal, likable, thing become invisible to the eyes of the one that need to see You in us. Please have Your will and way in and through us today, for there may be one that we encounter who may need to be awaken from the death of sin and self destruction. They may see no true value in life. Oh may the joy of the Lord be evident in us, and through us today. This is my humble and desperate plea of my almighty King – Jesus my Lord! AMEN!

Known as a ‘Christ-Follower’?

On By Ed AlgreenIn Christ-Like, Christian, Committed, Imitate Jesus, Take a standLeave a comment

Thursday, 2019-11-07

Bible Reference: 1 Peter 4:12-16
Translation: Easy-To-Read Version (ERV)

Bible Text:  12 My friends, don’t be surprised at the painful things that you are now suffering, which are testing your faith. Don’t think that something strange is happening to you. 13 But you should be happy that you are sharing in Christ’s sufferings. You will be happy and full of joy when Christ shows his glory. 14 When people say bad things to you because you follow Christ, consider it a blessing. When that happens, it shows that God’s Spirit, the Spirit of glory, is with you. 15 You may suffer, but don’t let it be because you murder, steal, make trouble, or try to control other people’s lives. 16 But if you suffer because you are a “Christ-follower,” don’t be ashamed. You should praise God for that name.

OBSERVATION: Suffering for something that we’re in trouble for, is very understandable. But when we suffer because we believe differently to the rest of the world, and we act more loving, kind, respectful, and truly love the God and Creator of this universe, we tend to feel like our world is very wrong. However, our Scripture today, forewarns us about impending punishment and ridicule from this world’s rulers. As we meditate, let us evaluate whether the authorities will see sufficient evidence of our being a Christ-Follower to arrest us.

APPLICATION:  I believe that when we accept Jesus as Lord, we tend to think more about what the benefits might be, than thinking about what additional controversy our decision might create, or what additional persecution might arise in our lives. Think about it, when folk are really struggling, we tend to convince them that they need Jesus. What if we told them that what they are presently going through is only a ‘drop-in-the-bucket’ compared to what will be brought on them after conversion? Do you suppose that anyone would agree to surrender their lives to Christ? However friends, we must be honest in evaluating what happened to Jesus, for He healed the sick, raised the dead and caused the blind to see, yet He was sought after like a criminal. This same Jesus is to be our role model. I feel like what we are taught here is that we are to do good, and be a shining example of Jesus, even if we know that controversy will arise. On the way to a business party one time I was asked by an executive why Christians abstain from drinking alcohol. I believe that it was asked to embarrass me because it was asked in a jeering way hoping to get laughter from the other executives present. I responded honestly as I believe God would have me do, and although I waited for the repercussion, it seemed like my honest response was well accepted. I recently heard a request for prayer about persecution on the job at a local company. It really surprised me, but after reading this scripture this morning, I am convinced that although we are not expected to go out and be deliberate rebels in our workplace or at local diners, or any other place that we go, we are expected to let our lights shine for Jesus and not hide that light for the sake of popularity or because of possible persecution. In fact, I love the suggested attitude in verse 14 – when we feel persecuted, or picked on, or laughed at, or made fun of, because of our faith, it is a great time to praise God knowing that others are impacted by the Christian stance we just took on a matter or the Christ-likeness that our audience just witnessed. It’s not a show-off thing, it’s our every-day Christian life being displayed in all aspects of our life. Is this always easy for us? Absolutely not, but when done in sincerity and under the direction and power of the Holy Spirit, we will see great things accomplished for God. In fact, I would go as far as saying that if we feel forced into making a stand, then we need to question if it truly is a ‘God thing’, or are we doing it to impress someone about us and our strengths and abilities.

PRAYER: Dear God, You gave everything You had so that we might have eternal life in glory with You and Your Son. Thank You Lord for Your goodness to me and Your invaluable gift! Lord, I pray that Your children who will meditate on this devotional today, might catch a glimpse, as I did, to the value of living our faith and making our witness known to all mankind, so that they might be convinced of our relationship with You. This witness will sometimes convince mankind of their need for a Savior, but it will sometimes offend those who are led by Satan and his demons. May we be strong in all circumstances, so that the world might know to whom we belong, and that we might be convinced in our heart that we are truly Yours, without a shadow of doubt. Lord, please have Your will and way in our lives today, and may Your glory shine through us as we stand firm in our faith in You. I ask these things in the powerful and awesome name of Jesus, and for your sake, AMEN!

Sheep Who Listen and Follow Are Protected

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Surrender, WorshipLeave a comment

Wednesday, 2019-11-06

Bible Reference: John 10:25-29
Translation: The Passion Translation (TPT)

Bible Text: 25 ……. “I have told you the truth already and you did not believe me. The proof of who I am is revealed by all the miracles that I do in the name of my Father. 26 Yet, you stubbornly refuse to follow me, because you are not my sheep. As I’ve told you before: 27 My own sheep will hear my voice and I know each one, and they will follow me. 28 I give to them the gift of eternal life and they will never be lost and no one has the power to snatch them out of my hands. 29 My Father, who has given them to me as his gift, is the mightiest of all, and no one has the power to snatch them from my Father’s care. 

OBSERVATION: The Jews looked for every possible way to discredit Jesus, because He was really sharing a simple truth that revealed the ugliness of all they were doing as the spiritual leaders of that day. But Jesus had one simple indicator for them to focus on – watch for His works. For through His awesome works, God will be revealed through the Son. Meditate with me today as we consider the lights, sights and sounds of each day that we are blessed to walk into. I believe these things might help us to draw one conclusion – Only God!

APPLICATION: As a worker of over 47 years, I am blessed to enjoy one last week of vacation before I retire at the end of the year. Standing at the door of my vacation unit, I could see the rising sun, and I believe that God got my attention to compare that to His Son, who was sent to show us the love of the Father, and to provide the means of our eternal salvation from this wicked world. As I peered into the bright sun, I was reminded that it outshines everything else in view. My Savior – the Son of God, said in these verses this morning that His works will outshine anything else the Jews could imagine, and that’s how the people would know that He is indeed the Son of God; The glory of God; The power of God; The very image of God. Jesus also said that His sheep will not only see His power and His glory, but that they will move into action by accepting the only One who provides salvation to mankind. Each day as we recognize the power and beauty of our awesome God, we have the choice of brushing these things off to good luck; happen-chance; a strange phenomenon; or to something powerful that is created by man. I believe that as we recognize them as coming from the hand of God alone, we will have an increased desire to know Him better and to follow Him more intimately. Whatever you do, please don’t overlook the words of Jesus in regards to this. He assured us that those who accept Him, and the wonderful gift of redemption that He offers, will be secure, for no one will snatch them from His all-powerful hand. Friends, in a world where everything is so unsure, and where the rules are changing all the time, is it not reassuring that our Father assures us of the security that we have in His care? God created us to be His worshipers and His faithful followers. In return, He has assured us that He cares for His sheep (children/followers) and that He will protect us until the day we are with He and His Father in heaven. Yes, for all eternity. So whether it’s the sun that rises in majesty each day, or whether its some other act of God that opens your eyes to the wonders of God, please recognize the works of God, and know that He is the One that awaits your response to His power so that He may also use you for His glory in helping others see Him. We protect our properties with physical security; our computers with data security; and our finances with insurance; I believe it is vitally important that we seek a relationship with the Almighty for peace of mind today and the security of our eternal destiny. Please be sure to read through my Footnote, and especially click on the hyperlink, ‘To Know Jesus’, so that you might see what the Word says about the need for the Savior. I believe that He is standing with outstretched arms waiting for you my friend! Do it today, won’t you!

PRAYER: Lord, we are a people looking to secure our earthly belongings, no matter how minimal they are. Thank You for reminding us in Your Word today how important it is to also surrender ourselves to You and allow You to secure our heavenly future. Please soften the hearts of all who will read this devotional today, and even more importantly, please speak to the hearts of those who have not given their allegiance to You a second thought. It is clear in Your Word, that we have no assurances of when You will return. It could be today! However, Your Word is clear that only those who have accepted Your Son, Jesus Christ, will see the glories of heaven. That’s something we all can do while we are still alive. May this be the day for many, I pray. AMEN!

The Results of Disrespecting God

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Personal Witness, Praise, Recognize God, Reflection of Christ, Representation of the Master, Representative of Christ, Witness, WorshipLeave a comment

Tuesday, 2019-11-05

Bible Reference: 2 Samuel 12:13-14
Translation: Easy-to-Read Version (ERV)

Bible Text: 13 Then David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” Nathan said to David, “The Lord will forgive you, even for this sin. You will not die. 14 But you did things that made the Lord’s enemies lose their respect for him, so your new baby son will die.”

OBSERVATION: This is probably a subject that many readers will ignore, because in your own minds you are confident that you never disrespect God! However, just for the challenge, let us pause for a few moments today and see what God may have to say to us through His Word.

APPLICATION: Unless we truly meditate on what Nathan said to David, we could each jump on our high horses and dismiss this warning from God, by convincing ourselves that we never disrespect God. One Bible version states that David gave cause for the enemies of God to mock Him, while yet another version said that he gave reason for the enemies of God to blaspheme God. For those who may not be familiar with this story, we are told that although David used all kinds of secrecy tactics to hide his murder of Uriah, because of his sin with Uriah’s wife. Yet, much to David’s surprise, God directed Nathan to confront David about his sin and to detail the consequences for his sin. But notice that the emphasis of Nathan’s confrontation was not on how much David must have hurt Uriah’s family, or how selfish it was for David – a king who could have gotten anything, or anyone he wanted in the country under his reign – yet he stole Uriah’s wife. Notice how most people in the country probably had no clue that David and Bathsheba had an affair, for David never went to her home – but God knew. Notice how David used his army general to have Uriah killed in battle, and no one would probably have ever known that David was behind the murder – but God knew. But I want you to particularly notice that Nathan’s emphasis in his whole encounter with David was on the point of how his actions affected the image of the God – the very God that David served. Friends, I believe that many things happen in our lives and we do quite well at keeping it hidden from family, friends and the rest of the world. But when we stand in God’s presence and claim that we are what God expects of us, while deep inside there are lingering guilt about actions we have done that is totally opposed to God’s perfect will, should we not ponder what God must be thinking of us? Often, much to our surprise, when our sin occurred, there were probably some who looked on and pondered, ‘so is this what Jesus would do?’ For as a representative of God, our words and our actions remind people of God, or do they? The Word of God says that David’s sin caused those who were enemies of God to disrespect Him even more than they did before. Do you want to stand before God on Judgment Day and be guilty of something like that? Do you want to walk around knowing that you can’t face God each day in all honesty, because you are living in sin? Do you sometimes feel like a wolf in sheep’s clothing? The Word says that those who know my voice will obey my commands. Is that you my friend? Or do you know His voice and still act just like you want to? Please join me in committing to stop disrespecting our Father, and instead, learn to obey His voice and His teaching so that others will see Jesus very clearly in all that we are.

PRAYER: Loving Father, please touch the hearts of Your children today. If we say that we belong to You, please give us the boldness to live like we do. We are as a transparent glass in the the eyes of the world. They need, and they are often looking for the Savior of the world. Oh that they may have to look no further than us, as they share in our lives and watch our character every day. Oh that they may see Christ in me, is my ultimate plea today oh God. Please touch the hearts of each one reading this devotional today that they may also commit afresh to being a bold witness for You dear God. AMEN!

When God ‘Tunes In’ To You

On By Ed AlgreenIn Honor, Love, PraiseLeave a comment

Saturday, 2019-11-02

Bible Reference: John 9:1-3
Translation: New Life Version (NLV)

Bible Text:  1 As Jesus went on His way, He saw a man who had been born blind. 2 His followers asked Him, “Teacher, whose sin made this man to be born blind? Was it the sin of this man or the sin of his parents?” 3 Jesus answered, “The sin of this man or the sin of his parents did not make him to be born blind. He was born blind so the work of God would be seen in him.

OBSERVATION: There are many times that I feel like the song ‘Nobody‘ was written just for me. But imagine if you or I were waiting along an obscure parade route where dignitaries were about to pass, and upon drawing closer to where we were tucked away, the parade stopped and the top dignitary pointed to us and ordered an audience with us. In spite of feeling like our end had come, the dignitary probably had just the opposite in mind. Let’s look into what Jesus had in mind with the blind man in today’s Scripture.

APPLICATION:  There were two things that God really drew to my attention in these verses today, and I want to share them with you so that you might also be encouraged by the Word of God. First of all, I can only believe that there were lots of people watching along the parade route as Jesus and His disciples passed by. Imagine how word had gotten around that this miracle-working man, or prophet, was going to be within sight distance of the people. You will remember that one lady at one time felt like if she could only touched the hem of Jesus’ garment she would receive enough power to totally heal her of her decease, so don’t you know that everyone tried to make their way near to the route that they heard Jesus would travel? But more than all this, Jesus actually ‘tuned in‘ on one particular man who had been blind since birth. So why do I feel like Jesus was ‘tuned in‘ to this man? Let me give you a personal explanation. While at our last church service I saw hundreds of people, but there were some that I can tell you particular details about, because I ‘tuned in’ to them for one reason or another. I believe that it was obvious to the disciples that Jesus had ‘tuned in‘ to the blind man, because they started to ask Him questions without having to first explain who they were talking about. So why is this important? Friends, I don’t know about you, but I often question “Who am I Lord, that a King should bleed and die for“! Imagine the crowd, who was this blind man that it warranted the close attention of the Savior of the world that day? Now what really brought this home for me, is when I tie that thought together with the second phrase that spoke to me. Friends, we must realize that God not only sees us as His special jewel, but imagine that we are so special, in spite of what we may look at as natural imperfections, that Jesus would use us in accomplishing His will. I believe that this blind man was very special to Jesus, because Jesus declared that even through this man’s infirmity, the mighty works of God would be accomplished. In other words, others will see God and recognize His power and His might as He declares His handiwork through this (insignificant) blind man! Wow! What do you think, can God also accomplish His work through you or I? You bet! He designed us just the way we are, for a purpose. Are you ready to surrender your life to Him to be used for His glory in whichever way He sees fit today? This is what He is looking for friends! Let’s just be obedient to His call, and watch Him perform mighty works even through us, if He chooses to, so that He might be glorified!

PRAYER: Father, Just as You chose to use a blind man to display Your mighty works, I believe that You also have a plan for each one reading this devotional today. We are a masterpiece made by You, yet so often we allow Satan to defeat us by showing us everything that wicked men might look on as proof of success, or love, or worth. Please forgive us Lord for allowing our worldly eyes to take over and cause us to lose sight of the wonderful worth of being a child of the King of all kings. Lord, may Your perfect will be accomplished in and through the lives of my readers and myself this blessed day. Please rule in us, so that You may display Your mighty works through us, all for Your glory, Your honor and Your praise. To be considered as Your son is an honor worthy of my unending praise. Please use my readers and I for Your glory today, is my humble prayer that I ask in thanksgiving and through the precious and worthy name of Jesus, my Lord! AMEN!

In Overwhelming Appreciation to God

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, See God, Witness, WorshipLeave a comment

Friday, 2019-11-01

Bible Reference: 2 Samuel 7:18-22
Translation: Living Bible (TLB)

Bible Text: 18 Then David went into the Tabernacle and sat before the Lord and prayed, “O Lord God, why have you showered your blessings on such an insignificant person as I am? 19 And now, in addition to everything else, you speak of giving me an eternal dynasty! Such generosity is far beyond any human standard! O Lord God! 20 What can I say? For you know what I am like! 21 You are doing all these things just because you promised to and because you want to! 22 How great you are, Lord God! We have never heard of any other God like you. And there is no other God.

OBSERVATION: David, a king who had won many victories in battle, helped many who could not help themselves, yet He stood before God Almighty as One who could make him or break him, bless him or curse him. David stood there in awe recognizing that God is no respecter of persons, and that He alone is God. Oh that we might recognize Jesus today because He makes Himself evident in our presence and through our life.

APPLICATION: It is a very humbling experience whenever we are recognized by a person in authority over us, or if we found favor in their eyes because of something we did or said. Think of your boss, for example. Imagine if you were at a staff meeting at work and was recognized for something that you may have done – something that you considered as part of your normal job description. And imagine if the owner of the company stood to present the recognition personally? Can you see how David may have felt? Perhaps unworthy, because he only did what he felt instructed by God to do; perhaps humbled, because God could have chosen any other deserving priest or temple worker to bless in awesome ways; perhaps overwhelmed, because God had already blessed him immeasurably in so many unbelievable ways. Friends, I believe that a huge takeaway that should bless our souls in this story today, is that God sees, and He knows our actions, our words, our intent and our very hearts, and He will not let us get away with sin, nor will He fail to recognize and bless us for our faithful obedience to Him. David was a great warrior, but he was also obedient to God and depended on God for all decisions. What about you fellow follower of Christ? Is God convinced that you’re on His side, dependent on His directions, and led by His almighty hand? Have you surrendered your family to Him? Notice where David was also in awe about God’s promise to rule over his family in future generations also? Like David said in verse 22, there is no God like His God. I am convinced of the same, there is no God like my God! How about you, friend? Do you know Him intimately and commune with Him daily? Is God at liberty to live in your life and work through you in every phase of life?

PRAYER: Lord God, who am I that a King should love me enough to die for me, and open the doors of heaven for me? Unworthy though I may feel that I am, praise God that You love me as Your very own son! For no praise of my own, I pray that Your greatness may be seen and recognized through everything that I do or say today and every day until You call me home to glory with You. Please tender the hearts of all those who will read this devotional, so that they too may catch a glimpse of Heaven; their glorious and wonderful Savior; and our soon coming King. You are more wonderful than anything we could ever imagine. May this also be evident through Your precious children today! AMEN!