Month: September 2020

Look No Further For Help

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

DATE WRITTEN: Wednesday, 2020-09-30
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: Psalm 121
TRANSLATION: Living Bible (TLB)

BIBLE TEXT:  1 Shall I look to the mountain gods for help? 2 No! My help is from Jehovah who made the mountains! And the heavens too! 3-4 He will never let me stumble, slip, or fall. For he is always watching, never sleeping. 5 Jehovah himself is caring for you! He is your defender.[a] 6 He protects you day and night. 7 He keeps you from all evil and preserves your life. 8 He keeps his eye upon you as you come and go and always guards you.

OBSERVATION: My wife and I have a small dog who is deathly afraid of thunder, or any loud noise. The minute she hears a loud noise she immediately runs to an adult shaking uncontrollably, and looks for a way to get in the same seat and as close as she could get to one of us! I believe that humans are very similar and we run for cover and/or protection when frightened. I love the comparison David uses in this Psalm, for although he would be tempted to run to the mountains, or as some did, run to the mountain gods, but instead he knew the Almighty God who would welcome his cry for help. The God who made the mountains and the heavens! This help is also available to you!

APPLICATION: As I studied this Scripture today, I was made keenly aware that some look to family when frightened, or in trouble, or just need help. Others feel secure in their financial worth, others in their job, while others tend to feel secure in the nice home they own. However, I don’t believe that any of us would run to these mentioned here for help, since they tend to keep their distance from the needy, and they may have established limits on the degree that they would help others. Furthermore, should disaster come, all of these mentioned would be impacted just like we would, so they would be scrambling for safety or security in the moment also. But friends, I also realized that while those who know the God of this universe, will run to God for shelter in their time of storm, I don’t believe that those who have wanted nothing to do with God, or His Son Jesus, will call on His name. People realize that their rejection of God throughout their lifetime, has established a wedge between them, and they therefore refrain from seeking God when times are tough, when disaster comes, or when the battle is raging, because they just don’t have that type of relationship. So what do they do when they desperately need help? Friends, I know that if you are in the latter group that I mentioned, you may feel like God is there for everyone when times are tough. That may be the case, but why would you want God then, and not even recognize Him when everything is going well for you? Can’t you see where you can’t have your cake, and eat it too? Like David, I must remind you precious friends, that Jesus died so that ALL who believe on Him will be saved. If you insist on rejecting that offer then you really don’t know Him or His Father when you are backed into a corner and flooded with problems and issues. For those who, like David and myself, have invited Jesus to be Lord of our lives, then you have a personal Savior who loves you above all else, and He stands ready to be your God in times when you look to Him for mercy, help, protection, reassurance and everlasting love and hope. It’s yet another reminder that we should be in constant prayer and energized effort to introduce our friends to our Friend, Savior and Lord, for only He can save them from their sin, and only He has they power to be their help through every life-situation.

PRAYER: Oh Lord my God, how great You are? You made the mountains, the majesty of the prairies and the wide opened skies. There is no problem that You can’t handle and no giant that You can’t protect us from. So, like David, I ask that You shower my readers and I with your blessings, and Your hand of protection. We are constantly looking for protection and help in our unprecedented times, for You alone are God, and You alone have all the answers about what our tomorrows will consist of. Lord, we ask that You always protect us, always love us and always guide us through every step in this life. Please touch my unsaved family and friends who have refused to accept You as Lord. Oh that this may be another opportunity for them today as they hear Your call on their life. AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: There are two more pages on my blog at https://NuggetsFromGodsWord.org 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 or listening to this devotional, please go to 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. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to Nuggets From God’s Word and see all of my posts, or you may freely subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. I would encourage you to find a church home near by your home, and attend as frequently as you could. Get to know God, and allow His people to encourage and strengthen you in your Christian walk, while making every effort to be a blessing to them. God is at work among His people! Please consider growing in your faith, as you worship with fellow believers!

To Know, Realize and Understand ‘He Is God’

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Know and Believe, Knowledge, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Tuesday, 2020-09-28
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: Ezekiel 6:9-10
TRANSLATION: New Living Translation (NLT)

BIBLE TEXT: 9 ….. They will recognize how hurt I am by their unfaithful hearts and lustful eyes that long for their idols. Then at last they will hate themselves for all their detestable sins. 10 They will know that I alone am the Lord and that I was serious when I said I would bring this calamity on them.

OBSERVATION: Some will say that there is no God, while others will oppose that view because they believe there is a God. But like a child might ask, how do you know that God exists? I believe much like the majority of humans believe, that there is a God, but don’t we often act as if He is merely a God of convenience? The Israelites seemed to have avoided God’s instructions, and acted as though He dished out vain threats. God shared through the prophet Ezekiel that his actions will prove to His people that He indeed exists. As we put our minds on the Almighty God for a moment today, let’s consider how we might answer the above question.

APPLICATION: Often when something is repeated in the Bible, it behooves us to look closely at that and understand why it was so important to reemphasize that fact. I was especially impacted by the AMP translation of verse 10 that reads: ‘And they shall know, understand, and realize that I am the Lord….’. I would highly recommend that you read the entire chapter of Ezekiel 6, as you will find this phrase repeated 4 times throughout the chapter. God saw the importance of this statement and repeated it. I wonder how often He says those same words to us! Think about the 9-11 tragedy. Many souls were tragically lost, but people were lined up for city blocks to get inside churches to truly seek God’s face and examine their own souls. Was this a time that you too stopped and had an extraordinary awareness of God? Did you suddenly realize that He was the One who was mighty to save and that your best place of refuge was at His feet in humility? Did you understand that no matter how good you had it in life, there was only one way to heaven, and it was super important that you examine your soul before the King of all kings? Since that time, there have also been: out of control fires; monster hurricanes; super destructive earthquakes; and of course, COVID-19. Many have been drawn to God through these international phenomenons. And because they acquired a new knowledge of God, they understood His power and His saving abilities, and they realized that only God could truly save you from those unheard of disasters. He got your attention, didn’t He? But, unfortunately, the same character that resulted in thousands of deaths for the Israelites, reared its ugly head among our people, for churches gradually returned to its normal minimal number of worshippers; families continued to struggle because of divorces, abortion and in-fighting. There no longer seemed to be a real need for God anymore, because our people returned to a life of sin, like they had become accustomed to prior to the international reminders from God. So let me ask this very important question: have you come to realize that there is a God who loves you, and who has made a provision for your eternal salvation? If so, have you accepted my Lord and asked Him to direct your life each and every day until He calls you home to glory? God prepared awful tragedies to show the Israelites that He was, who He said He was. How much more must He do to get your attention, dear friend? God sent His Son to save ALL who would call on His name. That includes you … yes you, so no more excuses, please? Please be sure to read my Footnote, especially the information behind my link ‘To Know Jesus’. Contact me if I might be of help to you, and to allow me to pray along with you about this life changing step you would like to make.

PRAYER: Precious Lord, You went to an extreme that was so unlike Your character, You destroyed Your people because of their stubbornness. Thankfully, You placed this whole scenario in Your Word for us to learn from this. Please Lord, soften the hearts of all those who will read this devotional and be reminded of a God who does what He say He will do. Way too often we use this characteristic to remind ourselves that You will do good for us, but I believe that since our world is filled with so much sin today, You could use this same tactic on our stubborn generation to help convince them of their sin and their need for a Savior. May the lost be reminded of Your seriousness to do what You said You would do, and may they come boldly before Your throne for grace and mercy, yes even today, Lord. Oh that You might be glorified today because of the large number that will stop to ponder Your truths. AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: There are two more pages on my blog at https://NuggetsFromGodsWord.org 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 or listening to this devotional, please go to 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. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to Nuggets From God’s Word and see all of my posts, or you may freely subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. I would encourage you to find a church home near by your home, and attend as frequently as you could. Get to know God, and allow His people to encourage and strengthen you in your Christian walk, while making every effort to be a blessing to them. God is at work among His people! Please consider growing in your faith, as you worship with fellow believers!

No Greater Love

On By Ed AlgreenIn Love, Love of God, The Father's Love, The love of God, Unconditional loveLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Monday, 2020-09-28
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

Bible Reference: Ephesians 3:18-20
Translation: Easy To Read Version (ERV)

Bible Text: 18 … I pray that you and all God’s holy people will have the power to understand the greatness of Christ’s love—how wide, how long, how high, and how deep that love is. 19 Christ’s love is greater than anyone can ever know, but I pray that you will be able to know that love. Then you can be filled with everything God has for you. 20 With God’s power working in us, he can do much, much more than anything we can ask or think of.

OBSERVATION: In leaving his beloved Ephesians, Paul shared that in spite of everything he had dealt with throughout his letter, and while on site with them, he was really hoping that they would remember the sincere love of Jesus Christ that filled his heart before coming to visit with them, filled him while with them and even as he left them. Can’t you imagine that this sort of love will help you to overcome insults and ridicule, and to look at life’s circumstances in a much more meaningful way? Can you see how a love like this will make your life worth living?

APPLICATION: Like me, you may remember being spanked by your parents while being told that they were only doing that because they loved you!! That was extremely hard to understand as a child, because we thought that love equated to giving us everything good that we asked or hoped for!! Even as adults, I’m not so sure that we have really grasped the unconditional love of Jesus for us. What could you find to say to a mother that could convince her that God loves her unconditionally, even while she buries her son or daughter, or even a grandchild? What could a preacher find to say after preaching Hell and damnation to a congregation of believers, and then try to follow that by reassuring them that Jesus loves them more than anything else in this world? Consider a husband who has been struggling for years to find the right woman to make him happy, but in spite of all efforts, nothing ever materialized. Or a wife who seems to be fighting one relationship after another, but can’t seem to find love, or happiness, in anything she does, or anyone that she meets. Unfortunately, it seems like even if we start our day in God’s Word and assure ourselves of His precious love for us, it is extremely challenging for us to stay strong in the faith, especially after we are beat up on during the day. In fact, it often seems like the whole world is against us. However friends, let me encourage you to read the verses again, and particularly look for the conditions given for God’s amazing love. In finding none, I can only encourage you to stand firm in your faith and never doubt the love of God. Whether in very positive news, or very negative news – God still loves you! Whether you are on ‘cloud nine’ with very positive and encouraging things happening in your life, or quite to the contrary – remember that God still loves you! Whether things are going way better than you could ever have expected under today’s circumstances, or whether it feels like the bottom has fallen out and no one is in control today – know that God loves you unconditionally and that He is always in charge of His universe, especially you and I. Why sweat it friends? Know that God has every little thing under His complete control and that He will always look after His precious children and everything that affects us.

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, what a privilege to know that we serve a God who loves us in spite of who we are, and in spite of all the circumstances that may be impacting the world around us. The greatest love ever demonstrated was the sacrifice You made at Calvary so that we may have life eternally in heaven with You. Thank You Father, thank You Lord Jesus for loving us so much. May that assurance bring peace and contentment to each of Your children, in every circumstance of life. AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: There are two more pages on my blog at https://NuggetsFromGodsWord.org 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 or listening to this devotional, please go to 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. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to Nuggets From God’s Word and see all of my posts, or you may freely subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. I would encourage you to find a church home near by your home, and attend as frequently as you could. Get to know God, and allow His people to encourage and strengthen you in your Christian walk, while making every effort to be a blessing to them. God is at work among His people! Please consider growing in your faith, as you worship with fellow believers!

The Difference – Babies vs Adults

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Intimate with God, Mature, Maturity, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Worship1 Comment

DATE WRITTEN: Sunday, 2020-09-27
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: Hebrews 5:11-14
TRANSLATION: New Living Translation (NLT)

BIBLE TEXT: 11 There is much more we would like to say about this, but it is difficult to explain, especially since you are spiritually dull and don’t seem to listen. 12 You have been believers so long now that you ought to be teaching others. Instead, you need someone to teach you again the basic things about God’s word.[c] You are like babies who need milk and cannot eat solid food. 13 For someone who lives on milk is still an infant and doesn’t know how to do what is right.14 Solid food is for those who are mature, who through training have the skill to recognize the difference between right and wrong.

OBSERVATION: I hope that you won’t skip over meditating with me on this devotional, based on the subject that I chose! But Paul used this analogy to help explain the difference between Christ-Followers Right inside the churches that he started, and helped to grow. In fact, I believe that there is a lot we could meditate on regarding our own maturity as we study these verses today, so hang in there with me!

APPLICATION: It’s easy for us to look at other church members and evaluate how they are doing in their Christian walk, but in reading God’s Word, I believe He intended for us to look inward and evaluate our own weaknesses. When we do this, we could establish goals and timelines on when we hope to see a better realignment with God’s expectations for us. You see, we are very much aware of what God expects from us, for He left that for us on the pages of His Book – the Bible. The greatest challenge is to acknowledge that we have not attained, for I don’t believe that there are adults that will walk through your church doors with a pacifier in their mouth, because they want you to identify them still as an infant in their faith. However, I believe that one of the hardest things for an adult to do, is to acknowledge:
1. That they are ignorant about, or at least lacking in, their knowledge of the Word of God. Having worked in the business world, where my employer was under the close scrutiny of three or four government regulating bodies, I quickly found that it was not acceptable to tell an examiner/auditor that we just didn’t know about that law being referenced by them. Ignorance was no excuse for the law! But what will you say to God after years of knowing Him? Did you have a Bible? Can you read? Did you ask a Bible teacher or pastor to help you understand? Did you make it a priority to read the Bible regularly, and seek God constantly for wisdom to understand the Word?
2. That they are related to excellent Bible teachers, so they didn’t see the need for them to also be an expert in the Bible? Friends, if you know God, then you should personally desire to know Him more intimately. The Bible is a full account of God, and His Son Jesus. Study the Book and you will grow to know the God of the Book.
I am convinced that the more we know of God, the more excited we become about wanting to obey His commands, and follow His instructions like an obedient child. As you do this, the pastor and Sunday School teacher will pass over the basics (milk) and teach you more deeply about the Master. As His truth begins to bubble over in your life, others will want to know about your God, and it is then that you will begin to teach others. If you are to grow and mature in the Word of God, it will be up to you to commit and desire it.

PRAYER: Dear Lord, thank You for saving my soul and thank You for providing Your Word that is filled with all Truth and knowledge for the child of God. Please Lord, speak to Your church again today through this devotional, and again today as church doors open for regular worship services. Help Your children become serious about their relationship with You – serious enough that they will want to know everything You provided in Your precious Word for their good. Oh that we all may be reminded from this Scripture today, that saying ‘Yes’ to Jesus, begins a life of growing to be more like You. We mature in this as we learn more about You, and more about what You desire of us. This is all covered in the Bible, so may we commit afresh to dig into the Word daily and become more aware of what You left for us to learn. As we mature, fill us with a new joy to share our faithful Lord with everyone we know. Thine be the glory, for ever and forever. AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: There are two more pages on my blog at https://NuggetsFromGodsWord.org 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 or listening to this devotional, please go to 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. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to Nuggets From God’s Word and see all of my posts, or you may freely subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. I would encourage you to find a church home near by your home, and attend as frequently as you could. Get to know God, and allow His people to encourage and strengthen you in your Christian walk, while making every effort to be a blessing to them. God is at work among His people! Please consider growing in your faith, as you worship with fellow believers!

Where Can I God But To The Lord

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

DATE WRITTEN: Saturday, 2020-09-26
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: Hebrews 4 14-16
TRANSLATION: New Living Translation (NLT)

BIBLE TEXT: 14 So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe.15 This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. 16 So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.

OBSERVATION: Some may remember that old gospel song ‘Where Can I Go But To The Lord’, and no doubt you will hum it all day after listening to it again. But in spite of life’s frustrations and struggles, we are assured in our Scripture today that all we need do is to come boldly to the throne of God, where we will find mercy, grace and help. As we meditate on the Word, I believe that many things will come to mind that you could use help on today. Take it before the Lord in prayer dear one.

APPLICATION: I remember hearing my mom, after reaching a point of great frustration, she might say ‘Lord, where do I go now. Or What shall I do next’. Somehow I believe we all know that Jesus can solve all of our problems, but for some unfortunate reason we only use that option as a last alternative. I believe that for many who will read this devotional today, you might freely shout out that you are at the end of your rope on many aspects of life. Some are struggling with the stress of work; some have challenges with children; some are fearing bankruptcy because of financial issues; while others are dealing with family members or friends who have been affected by COVID. What seems most challenging is that your go-to person here on earth appears to be more overwhelmed than you are. For pastors have been dealing with many church families who are, like you, dealing with more than they could personally handle. As children of God, we are in a unique situation, for our Savior who, because of His time here on earth, could easily identify with us. However, because of Jesus’ return to glory and occupying His rightful place next to His Father, He is also our Great High Priest who we could call on in our time of need. Friends, why should we worry about life’s problems when we are blessed with such a High Priest, such a Savior, and such a Father? I love, love, love that very last sentence, for we are told that at the throne of our Master, we will receive His mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most. In our current situation, we might say that we need such grace, mercy and help each and every day! But doesn’t that remind us again that there is reason to seek the face of our Lord each and every day? Imagine the peace and comfort that is available to us as we approach the throne! Surely we’re not satisfied wallowing in stress and hardships. Have you sought out the Father today my friend?

PRAYER: Precious Lord, thank You for opening our eyes yet again about the wonderful grace that is available to Your children. Please Lord, give us strength and wisdom to look beyond our troubles and to always seek out the Master as our only hope. Oh that You may be lifted up and magnified by Your children, for the supreme hope that we have in you. Please use this devotional as a reminder to those who may read this and do not have a relationship with You. For them to know God, is to know peace. Unfortunately, the opposite is also very disappointing, but true. Thank You Heavenly Father for loving me enough to claim me as Your own. AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: There are two more pages on my blog at https://NuggetsFromGodsWord.org 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 or listening to this devotional, please go to 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. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to Nuggets From God’s Word and see all of my posts, or you may freely subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. I would encourage you to find a church home near by your home, and attend as frequently as you could. Get to know God, and allow His people to encourage and strengthen you in your Christian walk, while making every effort to be a blessing to them. God is at work among His people! Please consider growing in your faith, as you worship with fellow believers!

Listen and Obey

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Listen, Listen to the Word of God, Needs, Obedience, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Friday, 2020-09-25
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: Hebrews 4:12-13
TRANSLATION: The Message (MSG)

BIBLE TEXT: 12-13 God means what he says. What he says goes. His powerful Word is sharp as a surgeon’s scalpel, cutting through everything, whether doubt or defense, laying us open to listen and obey. Nothing and no one is impervious to God’s Word. We can’t get away from it—no matter what.

OBSERVATION: Workers are fired for disobeying company policy and rules. Parents become frustrated with kids who refuse to follow their instruction or their advice. So imagine how the God of this universe must feel after providing children, made after His own image, the opportunity to live in a perfect world, yet to later see them reject Him, run away from Him and do their own thing. Child of God, is there reason for us to deny God’s direction and to possibly think that our ways are better than His? God implored us through His servant Paul to listen to His commands and obey His teachings. Are you?

APPLICATION: Ever thought for a moment that your parents must have had eyes in the back of their head, because they seem to have known every little thing that you did? Ever notice how most people behave fairly good inside the church doors, and possibly while in the presence of their pastor, but if you place them in a real tight situation at work, or on the street, the real character of the person emerges? God caught my attention this morning through His Word when Paul explained how we are like sacrificial lambs before our King when we read His Word. In fact, Paul likened it to us being opened up and ministered to without any opposition on our end. This made me think of recent surgery that I went through. I was put to sleep at about 7:30am and I regained my awareness about 5pm that afternoon. During that gap, my neck was cut, parts of my vertebrae were removed, artificial parts were installed, bars screwed onto my remaining vertebrae and then I was sewn back up. I was totally at the graces of my surgeon, and he was free to do whatever he saw fit to do in his professional opinion. There was no objection by me during that time, and I was laid open for any corrections that the surgeon saw fit. Paul used a similar example in how submissive and obedient we should be when it comes to us living out the Word of God. How often do you surrender fully to the Word of God and stand ready to obey His commands without a fight or argument? How often do you take God at His word and obey His every command? Have you been laid bare before God and allowed Him to have His perfect will in your life? To repeat the words of the Bible: None of us are exempt from the Word of God. We can’t get away from what God intended for us to do all along, no matter how smart we may think we are, or who our contacts might be at the church, the courthouse, or anywhere else. God intended His instruction to be for us, and besides missing out on His blessings from unadulterated obedience, God will hold us accountable for living without making Him a part of our life and consequently obeying every other law besides His. Don’t waste any more time dear Friend. Trust God, listen to Him and obey His every command. It’s for our own good!

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, You showed us how important it was to obey every word from Your Father, and You told us how important it Is that we follow in Your footsteps. The love of the Father is greater than any other love that exists today. So please help us to love You in return, precious Lord, and what better way to do that than to commit ourselves to total obedience to Your commands. Please give us strength and determination for each day, and may You be glorified in everything we say or do, so that others may see and believe in the One True God. AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: There are two more pages on my blog at https://NuggetsFromGodsWord.org 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 or listening to this devotional, please go to 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. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to Nuggets From God’s Word and see all of my posts, or you may freely subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. I would encourage you to find a church home near by your home, and attend as frequently as you could. Get to know God, and allow His people to encourage and strengthen you in your Christian walk, while making every effort to be a blessing to them. God is at work among His people! Please consider growing in your faith, as you worship with fellow believers!

Only Believe

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Believe, Faith, Genuine Faith, MiraclesLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Thursday, 2020-09-24
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

Bible Reference: Luke 24:36-41
Translation: The Message (MSG)

Bible Text: 36-41 While they were saying all this, Jesus appeared to them and said, “Peace be with you.” They thought they were seeing a ghost and were scared half to death. He continued with them, “Don’t be upset, and don’t let all these doubting questions take over. Look at my hands; look at my feet—it’s really me. Touch me. Look me over from head to toe. A ghost doesn’t have muscle and bone like this.” As he said this, he showed them his hands and feet. They still couldn’t believe what they were seeing. It was too much; it seemed too good to be true.

OBSERVATION: Jesus had told His disciples ahead of time that He would suffer and die, but He would only be in the grave three days. Mary and her friends had already returned and said that the tomb was empty. Now some of disciples were telling about Jesus being alive, and chatting together while walking along the road to Emmaus. Yet when Jesus appears before the disciples, some were still filled with doubt and frightened about what was really happening before their own eyes. I wonder, how might we react today if Jesus appeared before us? After all we have even more information before us about our risen King!

APPLICATION: I believe that after reading this Scripture today, I can understand a little more clearly why we tend to doubt so much here on earth. Think about it, these disciples had been with Jesus all of His ministry life here on earth. They saw miracle after miracle, including Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead. The disciples were told that Jesus would be taken away, and He would return to earth again, yet they still could not believe their own eyes. But let’s stop for a moment, before we get too deep into criticizing the disciples, or coming down hard on them, and let’s see how we might do with this scenario today. Fortunately, we are blessed at having heard about all that Jesus did through the days of the Bible. We have been blessed by all that God has done in our own lives and through our relatives. We have virtually seen miracle after miracle occur all around us, yet when we ask God for something and we see it miraculously materialize, we use excuses like: I am one lucky man; or I have the best friends around; or why didn’t I think of that? Friends, when will we learn to raise our hands, and in all humility, give God praise and glory FIRST – before we even try to think of any other contributors to our miracle. Think about it, the God of this universe has looked down in love and answered our prayer! When we take our petitions before God, there is no more room for ‘luck’ or ‘happen-chance’. We take it before Him in faith and it’s just like He says in return: “it’s OK my child, you can rest assured that I’ve got this. You’ve got nothing else to worry about.” Our part then is to rest in faith believing in the power of our awesome God! It’s like us passIng the baton to our Maker Knowing that He will take control of our situation! What a peace that is to the one who believes in Jesus Christ! If you don’t know that kind of peace today dear friend, please read my footnote on ways that you can get help in knowing my Savior intimately.

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, thank You for loving even me. Thank You for caring enough of Your children to hear our heart’s cry and answer our prayers in ways that You know are perfect for us. Please give us faith to look towards You first; faith to rest our cares and concerns at Your feet; and faith to believe in Your glorious response to our prayers. You alone are God, and You alone can perform the miracles that we so often worry about. We love You Lord, and we lay ourselves before You, because we are such a needy people. Please hear our cry and answer according to Your perfect will. AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: There are two more pages on my blog at https://NuggetsFromGodsWord.org 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 or listening to this devotional, please go to 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. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to Nuggets From God’s Word and see all of my posts, or you may freely subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. I would encourage you to find a church home near by your home, and attend as frequently as you could. Get to know God, and allow His people to encourage and strengthen you in your Christian walk, while making every effort to be a blessing to them. God is at work among His people! Please consider growing in your faith, as you worship with fellow believers!

Too Hard To Change

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

DATE WRITTEN: Wednesday, 2020-09-23
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: Hebrews 3:12-14
TRANSLATION: Easy-to-Read Version (ERV)

BIBLE TEXT: 12 So, brothers and sisters, be careful that none of you has the evil thoughts that cause so much doubt that you stop following the living God. 13 But encourage each other every day, while you still have something called “today.[a]” Help each other so that none of you will be fooled by sin and become too hard to change. 14 We have the honor of sharing in all that Christ has if we continue until the end to have the sure faith we had in the beginning.

OBSERVATION: After reading the subject, you probably can’t imagine how I figured you out, right? You know, way too often you have heard people exclaim how stubborn you are and how challenging it would be to try and change you – because they are sure you are just way to hard to change! So what causes that? What brings that level of stubbornness into you? In our Scripture today we are warned about accepting the wrong kind of change in our lives, because it may just become too hard to change you back to the one true God. But there’s great advice on ways to help prevent this, so stay with me as we meditate on this together.

APPLICATION: No doubt most of my readers will remember how God worked miracle after miracle to change the heart of Pharaoh and have him agree to let the Israelites depart from his workforce in peace, for they were burned out on the demands of their slavery. Anyone not familiar with the story would definitely assume that the Israelites must have been a thankful bunch who would look for every opportunity to thank God for His goodness, especially after removing them from a harsh environment. However, the Bible is clear that this must have been the most ungrateful tribe ever created by God, for they never stopped whining and complaining with every little hiccup along the way From Egypt. In fact, it got so bad that God finally told them that they would continue their journey through the Wilderness until every one of the original tribe had passed away, because it became evident that they were unprepared to change their ways. Our Scripture is reminding us today that we should make every effort to never allow ourselves to get in that position. But don’t you sometime feel that you are stuck in a rut and it seems like no matter how hard you try, you just can’t shake the awful curse of sin in your life and the rotten attitude that comes with knowing you should do better than what you seem to be achieving? But look at how Paul suggested that we overcome our hopelessness – Encourage one another and try to help each other overcome their weakness. Wouldn’t you think that all you could accomplish with that is to share your misery with them? Friends, let me share an example with you that might open all of our eyes on why it is so important to try and help others. One of my wife’s best friends was given the final sentence on her cancer, since no doctor could seem to resolve her problem. My wife hesitated, and procrastinated for as long as possible, because she was at a loss for words that she would share to encourage her friend. After gaining the courage to call, it was amazing how my wife was the one to finish the call feeling refreshed in her spiritual life and closer to the Lord, because her friend was just so encouraging and uplifting! So although you may feel that you would only go through the motions in calling or visiting a friend who might be struggling spiritually, I believe that you might be the one who is uplifted in your spirit! But notice what else Paul advised us to do – follow through in doing what appears necessary to help a Brother or a Sister struggling in their faith, otherwise they may become hardened in that old culture of sin and strife, making it almost impossible to see them return refreshed in their Christian faith. Let me suggest that you put yourself in the shoes of that friend. Wouldn’t you be begging silently to have a Christian Brother or Sister pull up alongside of you and help you snap out of the deep pit you seemed to have fallen into? Friends, this brings us back to the comparison of the Israelites. We not only want to be included in that number that finishes the race successfully, but we want to be sure that our family and friends are right there with us. So let us encourage one another to love and good works, knowing that one day, and I believe that it will be very soon, we will rejoice at the feet of our Master and Lord for all eternity!

PRAYER: Dear Lord, You saved us from a life of sin and from the evil of this world, yet the struggles of this old world is still very prevalent and presents a strong opposition to our walk with You. Please give us strength daily so that we may stand strong in our faith. Please give us boldness so that we may overcome the power of the evil one, and give us a sincere heart for those who are running the same race as us, as we head towards the finish line where we will see You face-to-face and worship You forever. Please forgive us for not keeping our eyes fixed on You at all times. We need You each and every day to walk alongside of us and be our Guide, Protector and forever Friend. Praise God, You are Lord of all! AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: There are two more pages on my blog at https://NuggetsFromGodsWord.org 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 or listening to this devotional, please go to 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. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to Nuggets From God’s Word and see all of my posts, or you may freely subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. I would encourage you to find a church home near by your home, and attend as frequently as you could. Get to know God, and allow His people to encourage and strengthen you in your Christian walk, while making every effort to be a blessing to them. God is at work among His people! Please consider growing in your faith, as you worship with fellow believers!

Filled With Hope!

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

DATE WRITTEN: Tuesday, 2020-09-22
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: Lamentations 3:19-24
TRANSLATION: Contemporary English Version (CEV)

BIBLE TEXT: 19 Just thinking of my troubles and my lonely wandering makes me miserable. 20 That’s all I ever think about, and I am depressed.[b]
21 Then I remember something that fills me with hope. 22 The Lord’s kindness never fails! If he had not been merciful, we would have been destroyed.[c] 23 The Lord can always be trusted to show mercy each morning.
24 Deep in my heart I say, “The Lord is all I need; I can depend on him!”

OBSERVATION: If there was ever a time that friends and loved ones had a reason to be depressed, just reflect on 2020 and the answer will be evident. Jeremiah spent the first half of Lamentations chapter 3 telling us about all that troubled him as well. But praise God, in verse 21 his hope was restored as he reflected on the goodness of God! As we meditate today, let us reflect on the hope that is ours as children of the Almighty God! We can overcome our depressed and troubled state of mind, with God’s help, I assure you!

APPLICATION: My Old Testament reading today began at verse 1 of chapter 3, and as I read I became very concerned about how the writer must have turned from God, or had lost all hope. I went back to the beginning and found that it was Jeremiah who was so disheartened. Why, and how could this be? Then I reflected on the tough times in my life, and I realized that each of us have a limit to what we could take before becoming overwhelmed. But then I got down as far as verse 21 I was reassured of the hope that we have in knowing Jesus Christ as Lord of our lives! You see, we may have lost loved ones during Covid, but we can stand tall in knowing that God is still on the throne and still very much in control of what our next steps will be. We may have witnessed friends who became deathly sick, and endured great pain and discomfort, yet we must stop and ponder the miracles performed by our awesome God and how He must have been at work in their lives in response to a praying mother or a pleading church. We may still become sick in our minds just thinking of the thousands still being affected by this dreaded virus, but we who are alive and well, must stop and be ready to praise our God for His blessings each and every morning, for His mercy is beyond our understanding, and we must remind ourselves that we are in His mighty hand so whatever might come our way is of no surprise to Him. Friends, let’s all be reminded of the wonderful grace of our Father, and let’s keep foremost in our minds what Jeremiah shared right at the end of today’s verses ‘The Lord is all I need; I can depend on Him’. This is more confident than anything, or anyone else Here on earth. I recall a doctor responding to my wife when he was asked if her mother would live; and He responded ‘I’m not God, so I don’t know the answer to that’. Please remember that our God is supreme, and nothing comes as a surprise to Him, for He alone rules our universe, and He has all the right answers to today’s perplexities! Trust in Him today dear one, for He cares for you!

PRAYER: Thank You precious Lord for saving my soul and rescuing me from the pit of Hell. Thank You for watching over me each and every day, especially on those days when it seems like the worries of this world will overwhelm me. Your Word today brought a very timely reminder to my readers and I, for in spite of our confidence in You, we are still prone to worry. Praise God, we are refreshed in our spirits knowing that Your mercies are new every morning, and that there is no one more capable of handling our stress, our troubles, our trials and our heartaches than our wonderful, all powerful, loving God. Thank You Lord! AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: There are two more pages on my blog at https://NuggetsFromGodsWord.org 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 or listening to this devotional, please go to 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. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to Nuggets From God’s Word and see all of my posts, or you may freely subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. I would encourage you to find a church home near by your home, and attend as frequently as you could. Get to know God, and allow His people to encourage and strengthen you in your Christian walk, while making every effort to be a blessing to them. God is at work among His people! Please consider growing in your faith, as you worship with fellow believers!

Father and Son Relationship

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, The Father's Love, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Monday, 2020-09-21
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: Hebrews 1:2-3
TRANSLATION: New Living Translation (NLT)

BIBLE TEXT: 2 And now in these final days, he has spoken to us through his Son. God promised everything to the Son as an inheritance, and through the Son he created the universe.3 The Son radiates God’s own glory and expresses the very character of God, and he sustains everything by the mighty power of his command. When he had cleansed us from our sins, he sat down in the place of honor at the right hand of the majestic God in heaven.

OBSERVATION: Surely it must be the proudest moment in a father’s life, when he hears someone remark how much his son reminds them of him! Similarly most sons will probably beat on their chests in pride on hearing such a comparable, because they are proud of their wonderful dad! Perhaps the relationship between God and His Son Jesus, has such a lasting impression on us that we seek to follow is His example! Today’s Scripture is a good reminder, so let’s spend some time together meditating on it.

APPLICATION: Perhaps the first thing that we might consider after reading these verses is that, yes, we are comfortable that there is no better one to imitate than the God of this universe. For He is divine, the Creator of the universe, the Savior of the world, the beginning and the end, the plumb line for love – for He loved us while we were yet sinners. So for God to send His Son into this world, there is no one better to have Him imitate, than Himself. I love the way that this Bible translation described Jesus in verse 3! The love and character of Jesus was such that He radiates the glory of God, and expresses His character in every aspect of His life. Wow, suppose that your son was so proud of you, that he set out to imitate you in every aspect of his life? One might actually refer to you in a similar way as Paul did in the above verses – the love and character of your Dad radiates from you every day! Wouldn’t that be awesome? I realize that in many father and son relationships the pride of who dad is, just does not exist, for sons might be disappointed by some of the mistakes their dad made during thought times in their lives. That’s ‘water under the bridge’ as some might say, for little can be done to correct the past. But I believe there are a few things that we could learn from this Scripture today: 1). A dad who ‘came to himself’, found God, accepted His Son Jesus for the redemption of his sin, and then lived a noble life imitating the triune God, is one ‘big’, noble man that a son could be proud of! 2). You can’t do anything about your dad’s past mistakes, but you can invite Jesus into your heart and ask Him to assume lordship of your life, so that you may be the father that your son or daughter feels proud to follow. Hopefully your footsteps are worthy of being followed by all that you love. Furthermore, there is no better footsteps for you to follow than the perfect, Son of God!
Friends, when your life radiates the perfect Son of God, you will live to reflect the ideals of perfection, your love for others will become as perfect as the perfect love poured out on you by our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. In the end, I believe it is safe to say that our lives reflect the one(s) that we follow. What exactly might your son or daughter say about the way that you love, and the way that you live? Oh that we may be true reflections of our King, our Master, our Lord and our Savior, so that the world might see, experience and believe on Him.

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, You are my King! Praise God that He created You as one with Him, and that He gave You all authority in heaven and on earth. You demonstrated perfect love, like mankind has never seen before. Lord, I know that there is no one else that I should follow or imitate, for only You were created as part of the triune God. My readers and I look constantly for ways to be just like You so please fill us with wisdom, and with Your grace, so that we might look no further than all that You offer to us through the redemption of our sin, and everlasting life with the Father. May Your love be expressed through us in ways that others in our circle of friends and influence will be touched and drawn to obedience to all that You have taught to us, and demonstrated before us. May heads be turned towards the only true God, the one that we adore and worship. AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: There are two more pages on my blog at https://NuggetsFromGodsWord.org 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 or listening to this devotional, please go to 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. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to Nuggets From God’s Word and see all of my posts, or you may freely subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. I would encourage you to find a church home near by your home, and attend as frequently as you could. Get to know God, and allow His people to encourage and strengthen you in your Christian walk, while making every effort to be a blessing to them. God is at work among His people! Please consider growing in your faith, as you worship with fellow believers!