In A State of Readiness

On 2021-03-312021-03-31 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Christ's Return, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, The Return of Jesus, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Wednesday, 2021-03-31
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: Matthew 24:42=44
TRANSLATION: The Voice (VOICE)

BIBLE TEXT: ⁴²So keep watch. You don’t know when your Lord will come. ⁴³But you should know this: If the owner of a house had known his house was about to be broken into, he would have stayed up all night, vigilantly. He would have kept watch, and he would have thwarted the thief. ⁴⁴So you must be ready because you know the Son of Man will come, but you can’t know precisely when.

OBSERVATION: Weather apps are awesome, because they prepare us for what’s ahead in weather conditions. So imagine receiving an alert in very dangerous weather that will affect our conditions tomorrow and present very high risk to the safety of people, homes and objects, but you decide to simply ignore the warnings. No worries about what others will say, because that’s exactly what many do on weekends after hearing the Word proclaimed in our churches. What’s wrong?

APPLICATION: As I read the Word today, I was reminded how relaxed we become when we lower our guard on great dangers and the corresponding warnings given to us ahead of that potential danger. If we don’t get a hurricane for a few years, we relax our guard. After a ‘big one’ hits, we raise our guards as our senses have been rekindled to the inherent danger, then we react to warnings when a hurricane is still hundreds of miles out at sea. Jesus knew that the disciples by His side were going through the motions of servanthood, but He wanted to remind them to always be prepared for the inevitable – the return of the Master to take His bride, the church, home to glory. Many of you might attend church, and you might casually mention around the lunch table the urgency you felt in your pastor’s words that morning at church. You may have been reminded of how everything is being aligned for the return of Christ, just as the Bible says, but somehow you feel like its just not time to ‘bother’ family members and neighbors of the urgency of the hour. Or is it that you are not convinced yourself? Notice how Jesus told the disciples that although they must know of Christ’s return, they will not know precisely when the return of the Master will take place. In my Old Testament reading Moses invited the Israelites to come closer to the mountain so they could see God. As God came closer to them, the mountain shook from the thunderous sound of God speaking to them. Will you wait for the thunder before you get serious about His return? Jesus taught us to be ready at all times, just like a homeowner who would wait up all night with a readied defense against a robber who planned to rob him that night. No doubt you are equally as concerned about impending danger to your kids, causing you to almost panic as you warn them about certain aspects of life that you know would bring harm to them and their family. Friends, no matter how much love you feel towards your kids, and how careful you are in warning them of things that might hurt them, or how strongly you encourage them towards the benefits in store for them, know that we serve a God who far exceeds your expectations in doing the same for you! He created you in His own image and He poured out His love for you in ways that you would never think or imagine. He is taking care of us here on earth, but yet He has already prepared us a place for the time when we will unite with Him around His throne in glory. Let me encourage you to fully surrender to our Lord today my friend, for He cares for you, and He has a plan for your life! You are precious in His sight!

PRAYER: Thank You Lord Jesus for thinking so much of me as to warn me about being ready for Your eminent return. You warned that only the Father knows the day and the hour of Your return, so seeing that could mean perhaps even before I conclude my devotional, I must stand ready even now to look full into Your wonderful face and sing endless praises to the King of all kings and Lord of all lords, who died so that I might live forever in glory by Your side. Lord, I am most concerned that I have truly reminded my readers of the urgency of the hour, just as You did with Your disciples. These are Your precious children also dear God, so please allow Your urgent Word to penetrate their hearts so that they might ready themselves urgently for Your return. Lord, we know You are coming, and we know that You could come at any time, so with ready hearts, we invite You to come Lord Jesus come! Take us to be where You are! AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: There are two more pages on my blog that will provide you with additional information, one of them being ‘To Know Jesus’. If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please click on the above page, or speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. Please allow someone to pray with you and give you help and/or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Words underlined in my blog might indicate a link to a song that came to mind as I wrote the devotional. Feel free to click on the link and listen as you continue to read or pray. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to Nuggets From God’s Word and read more, or you may freely subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. You may also visit me on Spotify and listen to Nuggets while you’re out and about. 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 To the Warnings

On 2021-03-302021-03-30 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Warning, Warning Signs, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Tuesday, 2021-03-20
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: Matthew 24:27; 30-31
TRANSLATION: New Living Translation (NLT)

BIBLE TEXT: ²⁷For as the lightning flashes in the east and shines to the west, so it will be when the Son of Man^[e] comes…..
³⁰And then at last, the sign that the Son of Man is coming will appear in the heavens, and there will be deep mourning among all the peoples of the earth. And they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.^[h] ³¹And he will send out his angels with the mighty blast of a trumpet, and they will gather his chosen ones from all over the world^[i]—from the farthest ends of the earth and heaven.

OBSERVATION: I recall a bad storm that hit western Florida and the press was badly criticized for not giving fair warning to residents. What would the residents have done differently? Some may have done a little more to protect their homes from the violent waves that battered them. But some may have done nothing until they saw proof of a bad storm approaching. As we meditate on the Scripture today, perhaps we will analyze how the above example displays our actions each weekend as we hear the warnings of Christ’s return. God’s chosen, or those who chose God, will be removed from the scene by His angels. Will you be included in that number?

APPLICATION: In a bad lightening storm, many are terrified because of stories they may have heard about death, or very serious injuries that folk may have sustained from lightening strikes. However, you can also appreciate that you can look into the skies and see lightening flashing hundreds of miles away. I believe that Jesus used this example to help us understand that it will be no secret that Jesus is returning to take His church home to glory. In this same chapter, we are also told that our people will be partying and having a ball, just as in the days of Noah. Today, it is very easy to listen to the news reports of large parties where police find it almost impossible to disburse the crowd and retain peace for communities. So could the return of Jesus really happen any day now? The Word declares that there will be ‘deep mourning’, and some versions say ‘people will weep’. Friends, for the child of God, I believe that we will be rejoicing with the angels that our Savior has come and to rescue us to a peaceful, happy home where we may worship God endlessly and without interference, or any type of hindrance. No more sorrow, no more loss of loved ones, but peace and contentment for evermore around the throne of God! But wait a minute, what about those who were unconcerned about the Lord and found many excuses not to give up the world and accept Jesus as Lord? Unfortunately their eternal outcome has also been decided by them, for they have chosen to give Satan control of their lives here on earth and throughout eternity. Will things get worse for them? Unfortunately I believe that the Word is true for them also, for it tells of a place of torment; of fire and brimstone; of anguish worse than anything ever experienced before. Friends, there are stark contrasts between day and night, and so is the case between heaven and hell. Does one choose to go to Hell? Yes they do – whenever they reject the invitation of Jesus Christ to be Lord and Savior of their life, they have just responded positively to Satan and to joining him in Hell when life here on earth is over. The good news about all of this is that at this very moment, you know without a doubt where you will spend eternity, for the Bible tells you so. I pray that there will not be one reader who has not made a deliberate decision to accept Jesus as Lord. I look forward to knowing each of you personally as we glorify Jesus and His father personally around the throne. Please don’t disappoint me. If there is any doubt in your mind, please read my ‘Footnote’ carefully and allow God to convince you through His Word.

PRAYER: Because You have promised to blast a trumpet ordering Your angels to collect us from earth and join You in heaven, I believe that You are more than fair in extending Your Word out to all parts of the earth, even through the medium of daily blogs that extend worldwide through the World Wide Web. Your message is clear and it touches all mankind. Your children (believers) will be lifted up and will join You in heaven, praise the wonderful name of Jesus my Lord! Saying no to You, is saying yes to Satan, and unfortunately some have chosen to do that. Please touch the hearts of all my readers today so that they may catch a glimpse of heaven and my wonderful, amazing and awesome Savior, and that the choice will be clear and deliberate for them today: Yes to Jesus, and no way to Satan and his burning Hell. Be glorified today dear Lord as your children heed the warnings and accept You as Lord. AMEN!

About Your Teacher

On 2021-03-292021-03-29 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Teacher, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Monday, 2021-03-29
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: Matthew 23:10-12
TRANSLATION: New Living Translation (NLT)

BIBLE TEXT: ¹⁰… don’t let anyone call you ‘Teacher,’ for you have only one teacher, the Messiah. ¹¹The greatest among you must be a servant.¹²But those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.

OBSERVATION: Who is your teacher? If a child, then I’m sure you thought of your school teacher. But what about adults, who is that person who came to mind when you saw the subject of this devotional? Really, today is all about titles and what they do For those who give them, and for those called by those titles. Jesus was referred to as ‘Teacher’, and no one else is deserving of that title, nor are they any match for Jesus. Stay tuned!

APPLICATION: This is really just one of the titles referred to by Jesus as He spoke to the Pharisees about how they were making way too much over titles and self recognition than anything they could possibly accomplish for the Kingdom. But have we learned anything from that? In verse 8 of chapter 23, Jesus clarified this teaching by saying that we are all brothers and sisters, or equal to each other, and not one standing in authority, or above another. I have always compared Christianity to marriage, so once again I will do that. In a marriage, the Bible refers to the husband as the leader of the home. Does that make him better than his wife – no, for she is also a daughter of the same Father. Does that cause Him to require worship from his wife or to be exalted by his wife? Of course not, for she is an equal partner in the marriage. Similarly in the life of a believer, one might be blessed with the gift of explaining the Word of God and clarifying any mystifying parts of the Word, but because his students also have gifts in other areas that he is not blessed in, the point of superiority is automatically null and void. So why give that person a title? Friends, God placed us all here on earth as His children. Just as in your earthly family there are no favorites or superiority among siblings, it is perfected even more so in God’s family. We are all equal in His eyes. But to an even greater extent, we can see from this Scripture today that Jesus was concerned that the Pharisees were being called by titles that many referred to Him as. Jesus knew that this would soon lead to the Pharisees trying to assume the rightful place of God’s Holy Son among the people that they were in charge of. Please be careful friends to not even think about calling someone by a name that you may have heard given to Jesus or to the Father in the Bible. For there is only one God – our great God – God Almighty. There is only one Son of God – Jesus Christ. Any alternate titles given to these supreme beings are forever assigned to them and refers to them, so never find the need to call any man, or woman, by any of those names. Often we do it as a means of exalting that person for the awesome job they are doing in teaching/preaching/witnessing or just doing good work in the name of the Father. Because they are your Brother or Sister, you can simply refer to them in deepest respect as you would to your natural sibling. You diminish the value of our Lord, when you start calling mankind by any name attributed to Him at any time. Always acknowledge Jesus as Lord, for there is no other under the sun that takes His place. There are great pastors, teachers or workers for the Kingdom, but they are men and women just like you. Never make them anything more through a title you may give them. Intentionally thank God for them and ask Him to bless them richly for their efforts.

PRAYER: Lord God, You alone are holy, and You alone are God. Please help us to never attribute that authority to any man or woman, whether through title or through any other means. You have created great men and women of God who may often sacrifice their entire lives to Your ministry and to share the Good News with the world. Please help us to never feel the need to escalate their title or their worth beyond anything greater than a fellow Brother or Sister blessed of God. We may appreciate their value in knowledge, in giving or in education, but may we always show our appreciation as a sibling of the Most High God and nothing more. We want you to be honored and lifted up above all men, for You alone are God and You alone deserve our praise. We glory in Your name while we are here on earth, and we are anxious to bow at your feet and sing eternal praises when You call us home to glory. Until that time, please bless us with qualities that we can share with others that might help lead them to You. AMEN!

Too Much

On 2021-03-282021-03-28 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Effective Ministry, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Servants of God, Serve, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Sunday, 2021-03-28
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: Exodus 18:14-18
TRANSLATION: Contemporary English Version (CEV)

BIBLE TEXT: ¹⁴Jethro saw how much Moses had to do for the people, and he asked, “Why are you the only judge? Why do you let these people crowd around you from morning till evening?”
¹⁵Moses answered, “Because they come here to find out what God wants them to do. ¹⁶They bring their complaints to me, and I make decisions on the basis of God’s laws.”
¹⁷Jethro replied: That isn’t the best way to do it. ¹⁸You and the people who come to you will soon be worn out. The job is too much for one person; you can’t do it alone.

OBSERVATION: There are varying opinions about what a pastor’s job description should look like. As we meditate on the Scripture today, we’ll see where Moses filled a similar position as God’s leader, and how he had placed himself in quite a predicament as the fearless leader of the Israelites. Perhaps we could learn when, or how our pastor does ‘too much’.

APPLICATION: Some will pass judgment on a pastor and attribute his pastorate as a scapegoat for a hardworking manual labor job. Some will insist that the pastor do all the work of ministry around the church, since he is being paid for that. Others who know the hours labored by a pastor will wonder how they ever save their marriage, or spend any quality time with their children. Moses was ordered by God to do some important things that way exceeded the ability of any man. For example: go before the king and demand release of the Israelites; follow the instructions of God through various actions with his shepherd’s staff; provide food and water for over a million people – out in the desert; find a way of escape for the people when there was water ahead and an oncoming army approaching from the rear; deal with all the attitudes, grumbling and complaining from such a large following; etc. So of course, Moses found a very real need to be judge and jury for the people when disagreements arose. This in itself was enough for many judges, but Moses felt a responsibility to God and his countrymen to fill the gap of being a spokesman for God to satisfy all disagreements. As an innocent outsider, Jethro quickly saw that his son-in-law was headed for disaster in being overworked and under constant demand by his people. It was unfair to the people, and was way too much on Moses as a lone judge. Friends, in my Observation I used our pastors as an example, but I believe there is more of this in us individually than we might care to acknowledge, for we could each be accused at times for trying to do it all. I have spent time in leadership of a smaller church, where pastors only stayed there for a limited number of years. Had the leadership of lay persons not been trained in ministry and willing to jump in and share in the ministry of God in that church, one could easily see where many parishioners would have gone unattended to. I believe that God is showing us through this example of Jethro helping Moses, that it is vitally important to not do ministry, or the work of God alone. Share the blessings with others by letting them serve alongside you, for we must always remember that we are about God’s work, and He always provides workers for His ministry. Sure it’s important that we are willing to do the work, and sure it is important that we are always busy about God’s work, but I believe that we should never do any of this exclusive of other workers who are ready and willing to serve. Yes, I believe that God wants you in His Service, but I also believe that He wants you to bring along as many as you can to help you accomplish the ministry fully and effectively.

PRAYER: Precious Lord, there’s a lot to be done in Your vineyard here on earth, and it often seems like there are never enough workers to accomplish the work. Please help us to assume the job of Jethro, when needed, for it seems like many tend to be lone rangers who feel like Your ministry will collapse without them. Please teach them to share the joy of helping others along in leadership, so that they won’t simply encounter a lost person and only invite them to church. Often if we fail to share Your story with a lost person, they may expire before ever making it to ‘church’ to hear the good news. Teach us Lord to listen closely to Your voice and to be ready and willing to serve, so that our pastors and other leaders would see growth in leaders who always help them to reach the lost and minister to the saints. It’s Your ministry Lord Jesus, and as saints of God, we are all workers in Your vineyard, until Jesus comes again to take His church home to heaven. AMEN!

Where The Power Comes From

On 2021-03-272021-03-27 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Miracles, Miraculous, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Saturday, 2021-03-27
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: Exodus 17:14-16
TRANSLATION: Easy-to-Read Version (ERV)

BIBLE TEXT: ¹⁴Then the Lord said to Moses, “Write about this battle. Write these things in a book so that people will remember what happened here. And be sure to tell Joshua that I will completely destroy the Amalekites from the earth.”
¹⁵Then Moses built an altar and named it, “The Lord is My Flag.” ¹⁶Moses said, “I lifted my hands toward the Lord’s throne. So the Lord fought against the Amalekites, as he always has.”

OBSERVATION: We seem to get so hurt and defensive if we don’t receive all the credit for things that we are involved in. Joshua and his men (the Israelites) put their lives on the line to fight the army of Amalekites, and I’m sure that Moses was appreciative of that, but when he erected an altar to celebrate winning the battle, he gave credit and praise to the all-powerful God who truly won the battle. As we pause in the Word of God today, be reminded that we cannot depend on mankind, but on the power of God to win our battles.

APPLICATION: In today’s society we hear a lot about the ‘luck’ of an individual who survives a fiery car crash, or the smart, quick thinking of a dad who directed his family into the basement before a tornado hit and destroyed their home. But how often do we hear about the prayers that went up for protection while traveling, or the hand of God that protected a family who served God with all their heart, soul and mind? Yes, I know that the media would never print such miraculous news or show it on the TV waves, but as an individual, are you truly giving God the credit for His mercies on you and your family? In our biblical account today, Moses knew that He was acting on God’s instructions when he sent Joshua to lead his people into battle. Through mere lack of physical strength, Moses also saw how his army started losing ground in the battle when his arms grew weary and started to fall, but as long as he kept his arms raised in dependence on God and praise to the almighty, his people showed consistent ability to win the battle. You see, Moses realized that it was not by might or any power of the people, nor through any great leadership of Joshua, that the battle belonged to them, but it was solely based on the power and might of the Lord God Almighty to whom he (Moses) lifted his arms. Notice how Moses was not concerned about what the Amalekites thought about his actions in giving God praise, nor if Joshua got his feelings hurt for not being recognized as a fearless leader. It was a recognized fact that it was God, and God alone, who deserved the praise. Join me in applying this principle, and Moses’ reaction to our lives and our challenging situations. The Bible says that the prayers of a righteous man availeth much. Righteous means ‘right with God’. If you are ‘right with God’ and you have a consistent daily commune with Him, who else would you consider giving praise to when you witness miraculous works being accomplished in your life, or in your presence, or in your company? Worry not about what the world will say about you, give praise to the only One who can! Furthermore, don’t let that miracle be so temporary that tomorrow no one will recall what happened. Place a monument, or a marker at the place so that you, your family, your friends and all those around you will stop and recognize that ‘holy ground’ when they pass by. Be ready to take your little ones to that place and explain what happened. Be an instrumental part in their lives, so that they will know, even as a child, that the same God who turned seas into highways, is the same God who working a miracle in your life right at that very spot. These miracles are actions that only God can do, and they give us confidence that we can go to Him over and over again with the challenges of life that we face. If you are reading this devotional and don’t know this Jesus/God that I am referring to, then all of this will sound very mysterious. You can do something about that by surrendering your life to the lordship of Jesus Christ, then He will confirm His power, show His love and warm your heart with the overwhelming love of God. Information in my Footnote may help you in your new mission to know my Lord. Please seek Him today, while you are still able to.

PRAYER: Lord, You are amazing and so much higher than us. Through Your power You won the battle for the Israelites. Perhaps only a few of us might be facing military battles today, but most of us are facing challenges of one kind today that far exceeds our abilities, our power, and in some cases perhaps even our will to want the battles won. Lord, we are Your children and we are to love just like You loved us. Please touch our hearts today and everyday to help us live like You taught us to. Our biggest battles can be solved with just one word from You, so please help us to fight pour battles on our knees, and not rearing up like those who do not know You. Please draw us close to You and help us to stay focused on You in every walk of life. Humble us to give You control of our battles so that we don’t make fools of ourselves and fight like children of the evil one. Please fill our hearts with thankfulness, humility and love, so that we may represent You well and stay dependent on You for even the small things in life. Oh that You would be honored and praised by Your children today! AMEN!

Following God’s Instructions

On 2021-03-262021-03-26 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Obedience, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Friday, 2021-03-26
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: Exodus 16:4-5
TRANSLATION: New Living Translation (NLT)

BIBLE TEXT: ⁴Then the Lord said to Moses, “Look, I’m going to rain down food from heaven for you. Each day the people can go out and pick up as much food as they need for that day. I will test them in this to see whether or not they will follow my instructions. ⁵On the sixth day they will gather food, and when they prepare it, there will be twice as much as usual.”

OBSERVATION: It is said that men are so stubborn that they will only follow instructions as a last resort! God had fought for the Israelites, He had performed miracles to get them away from their slavery, and He had provided for them each day in every way. Yet God felt like the people were still not obedient and loyal to Him, so He tested their obedience to His instructions. As we meditate on the Scripture today, let us examine ourselves and decide if we feel God is pleased with our obedience. Does He test us still to prove to whom we belong? Will we pass the testing?

APPLICATION: Ever wonder how God has tested you, or perhaps is testing you? There seem to have been lots of tests over my lifetime, although I never considered them ‘tests’ from God at the time. A boating accident; Unsuccessful in conceiving a child of our own; Helping my dad and sister-in-law who seemed destined for immediate death without proper professional medical help; Leaving my job of 15 years to seek employment internationally; Leaving parents, family and friends to move to a foreign country; etc, etc. Not only were these challenges, or ‘tests’ overwhelming at the time, but they each seemed much bigger than anything I could handle on my own. But before you start feeling sorry for me, I want you to know that each of these challenges brought opportunity to praise God in one way or another for His miraculous intervention, wisdom and healing. Know also that if I were to list my blessings received from God, they would exceed my ‘Tests’ multiple times over. I have been so blessed in studying God’s Word – especially the book of Exodus so far in my journey to read through the Bible again. I have seen/been reminded of the many ways in which God ‘went to bat’ for His people (the Israelites). Miracle after miracle, so that they would know for sure that the great God of the Universe is for them; that He would fight for them, if needed; and that they were so safe in being under His care and protection, that trouble could come to their Egyptian friends and masters, but they, being under the protection of God Almighty, were not impacted; That in being rescued from slavery, they were not just going to a land of freedom, but a land filled with milk and honey! That’s just to name a few of the blessings and proofs offered to the Israelites. Yet we see in our Scripture today that the God who knows our thoughts, words and actions, knew full well that there were still many who wanted to have life their way and not have one imposed on them by God. Are we really that stubborn also? I believe that God is encouraging us to look at our blessings today, just like He gave to the Israelites their blessings of food, and I believe He is saying to us: ‘Now will you just follow me in obedience, knowing that I am your God who provides for you each and every day, and I have already prepared a new home for you in glory, where You will live eternally with my Father and I?’ Will you consider responding affirmatively today my friend? Please accept the offer from our King today and not leave Him with any doubt. Just as mom told me when she had to dish out discipline to me as a child, I believe it hurts God to think about having to discipline us again and again. He loves us way too much for that.

PRAYER: Thank You Lord Jesus for loving me, caring for me, providing for me and giving to me thy great salvation so rich and free! I have no doubt that You love me, in spite of who I am and what I might do or say that may disappoint you at times. But Lord, I want to live my life here on earth as a perfect example of the Christ who died for me, rose again, and lives victoriously at the right hand of the Father in heaven. Please Lord, may each day give me opportunity to better prepare myself for the kingdom, with Your help. You know what I need and You know what’s needed to help me achieve a life dedicated fully and whole heartedly to You. Please touch the lives of each reader so that they may glory in the Father, and sing praises to You without reservation. May others be drawn to You as a result of being encouraged by at least one believer in Jesus Christ today. AMEN!

Your Song Of Praise

On 2021-03-252021-03-25 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Thankful, Thankfulness, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Thursday, 2021-03-25
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: Exodus 15:2, 11
TRANSLATION: Contemporary English Version (CEV)

BIBLE TEXT: ²The Lord is my strength,
the reason for my song,
    because he has saved me.
I praise and honor the Lord—
he is my God and the God of my ancestors.
¹¹Our Lord, no other gods
compare with you—
    Majestic and holy! Fearsome and glorious!
    Miracle worker!

OBSERVATION: Included in our Scripture today is two verses of a song that originated in the heart of Moses and his people after they witnessed God’s miraculous, saving power from the Egyptian army. What might your song look like? It doesn’t matter if you could sing, or not, but how is your heart impacted after seeing God at work? First of all, sing it out to the Lord from a sincere heart, and secondly let me suggest that you write it down so you could later reflect on His blessings to you at this point in your life!

APPLICATION: I’m sure that when you fell in love, there were words of affirmation and praise that easily flowed from your heart for the most beautiful/handsome person that you had ever laid eyes on, right? That’s a pretty natural reaction from men and women whose heart has been moved by a wonderful person of the opposite sex. Moses and his people, the Israelites, had just encountered the greatest scare of their lives, when an army of trained men on horses moving at highest speeds, headed their way with swords drawn, and determined in their minds to change the direction of the multitude following Moses and Aaron. Moses was convinced that the same God who carefully engineered a plan to get them out of Egypt, would again take care of this oncoming army. However, God chose to do this while the Israelites looked back and watched in amazement. Imagine how their hearts sang for joy as they watched the impossible (at least in man’s eyes) transpire, and the battle being won for them as they simply stood still and watched the miraculous hand of God! This whole episode created a song in their hearts that had to come out as they sang praises to the Most Holy God. Now stop for a moment and bring this message home, as you apply this to your own life. You’ve read about how God has worked miracle after miracle in the lives of His people. You’ve sat and heard saints of God talk about how God miraculously protected them and cared for them. You may have stopped one day and realized that it was because of your prayers that God protected your spouse, healed your child, or restored your parent’s life to full health, so you too have become exposed to the miracles of a God that listens to the cry of His children. Would you share with the world what words sprang forth from your heart as you watched in amazement? As you felt healing in your body? As you saw that sick child or hurting parent jump to their feet without pain, and with limbs that moved as good as yours? I believe that God made our hearts to feel compassion, and appreciate His wondrous works. If only we will seek His face and ask Him to give us a clear view of Himself so that we might fight off the hindrances of Satan that causes us to muffle His praises and restrain our love for the Almighty.

PRAYER: Lord, we know you’re in and around us. Please humble our hearts to see Your face and to watch Your hand move in marvelous ways among our family and for our good. Moses and his people could never have thought to demand that You work against the Egyptian army as You did, so I am convinced that we are to simply place our burdens and our concerns at Your feet and ask for a miracle. Oh that we would be amazed in all that You do, and may our song of praise and thanksgiving be a natural reaction to Your works, without restraint of any kind by us or the advisory. Lord, we believe in the power of our awesome God. Please renew our strength when we grow weak in unbelief and unconcern. You are our Mighty God, and we praise You with all of our heart, soul and mind. 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!

God Will Fight For You

On 2021-03-242021-03-24 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Wednesday, 2021-03-24
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: Exodus 14:13-14
TRANSLATION: The Voice (VOICE)

BIBLE TEXT: ¹³Don’t be afraid! Stand your ground and witness how the Eternal will rescue you today. Take a good look at the Egyptians, for after today you will never see them again. ¹⁴The Eternal will fight on your behalf while you watch in silence.

OBSERVATION: How many times have you looked at life’s circumstances and raised your hands in anguish, worried about how you will deal with such a challenge? I believe that as we meditate on the Scripture today we will have renewed assurance that as a child of the King, there is nothing that will happen to us without God’s approval. As in the case of the Israelites, we will not find reasons why God would love us enough to take such care of us, but I believe we will be reassured that He does!

APPLICATION: In the verses preceding the ones in my blog today, the Israelites had just finished a spell of whining and complaining to Moses (and to God), for their death seemed eminent as the large Egyptian army headed towards them. They shared their wish that they would have never been rescued from slavery and just left in their suffering in Egypt, instead of being massacred out in the wilderness unprotected. I am amazed at the calm assurance that Moses had as he tried to calm the fears of his people. Surely Satan must have flashed Moses’ life in front of him for a quick moment as he watched helplessly. But God in His infinite wisdom and mercy knew that He had brought them too far to turn His back on them. In fact, I am more and more convinced that God will never turn His back on His children, for He loves us way too much for that. Why He sacrificed the life of His only Son for us, while we were still deep in sin and undeserving of His mercy. I love the picture painted for us in this story! No matter if we stand helpless, overwhelmed and hopeless, without a plan and without resources to deal with extreme circumstances we face here on earth, Moses would say to us: ‘It’s ok Brothers and Sisters, you serve a powerful God who knew about this very situation long before you were born. He has proven over and over that all things are possible for those whose God is the Lord, and that He could satisfy every circumstance that may seem impossible to you. Allow Him to move miraculously in your circumstances while you cheer Him on and praise Him with every fiber of your being.’ Friends, be reminded today that these stories we read in the Bible are not just for our reading pleasure, but they remind us of the kind of God that we serve even today. What He did in those stories can be repeated or multiplied many times over to meet the needs of His children still today. That’s the kind of God we serve my friends! Do you have any reason to doubt Him or His abilities today? If you truly know Him, I don’t believe you would doubt for a minute.

PRAYER: What a mighty God we serve! The Creator of this universe, and of all mankind. He has proven Himself in circumstances told in the Bible, and many on earth could also vouch for His goodness and His awesome power. Please dear Lord, strengthen us today that we may never lose hope in the God that we serve. The Israelites would never have thought to ask You to do what You did, because Your ways are so different to our ways. So please teach us to merely seek Your face and Your way in our lives, so that You, in all of Your wisdom, may do what’s best in our circumstances, for Your ultimate glory. Lord we praise You for loving us and caring for us in ways that we would never think to ask. You are our God and besides You there is no other. AMEN!

Explain To Your Children Why You Celebrate

On 2021-03-232021-03-23 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Tuesday, 2021-03-22
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: Exodus 13:8-9
TRANSLATION: Living Bible (TLB)

BIBLE TEXT: ⁸“During those celebration days each year you must explain to your children why you are celebrating—it is a celebration of what the Lord did for you when you left Egypt. ⁹This annual memorial week will brand you as his own unique people, just as though he had branded his mark of ownership upon your hands or your forehead.

OBSERVATION: Twice in this chapter it is reiterated that the Israelites are to explain to their children why they are celebrating their exodus from Egypt, so I consider that pretty important. While most non-Jews do not celebrate this annual event, there are still some religious celebrations that many of us take part in. How well are you doing in explaining why you are celebrating, or perhaps why you are not? Unfortunately if you don’t share this with your children, someone else will, and it may not explain why or how you personally celebrate!

APPLICATION: Most readers will probably not celebrate the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt during this March/April timeframe. However, Easter is a pretty popular celebration on the Christian calendar, and most of you probably have been invited to Easter Egg hunts, or to a Sunrise service, or even a celebration of new life where the resurrection of our Lord is celebrated. Children are really curious, so they will draw their own conclusions as to why you took them to church this Easter, or perhaps why was there a Egg hunt at this time and no other time of the year. What if you sat your child down and explained why you are planning to attend the events at your church this Easter? Might it not help solidify in them that you are a believer in Jesus Christ, and that you actually believe in the death, burial and resurrection of our Lord? Yes, I know the preacher will explain why Easter is so important, and I know that Sunday School teachers do an extraordinary job of show-‘n-tell with your kids about the risen Lord, but imagine the impact your story would have in your children? Try telling it like God told the Israelites to tell their story: Tell what the Lord did for you when….. Don’t you know that months later that child could be telling their friends what their dad told them about Easter, vs what they are hearing the kids discuss about Easter? Friends, Easter is not a fairy tale for those who believe in Jesus Christ. When you tell others what Easter means to you personally, it will carry a strong sense of personal appreciation to what was done at Calvary for even you. It will reflect the joy that you feel inside from knowing that Jesus arose and stands ready to accept you into His glorious heaven. I would never underestimate the power of preaching from our church pulpits, but I do believe that there is nothing greater than a child knowing where their parents stand on matters usually spoken from our pulpits. Most children will feel the love of their parents for them, but if they are considering accepting Jesus as Lord, the impact of knowing that their parents also know Jesus personally, is immeasurable. Perhaps God blessed you with children of your own. God wanted the Israelites to teach their children the reason why, and the importance of, celebrating their exodus from Egypt. I strongly believe that God also wants us to share with our kids the importance of our Christian celebrations today. Try doing your part dear friend, with God’s help. Let them know that this same Jesus that they are learning about is of key importance to you also!

PRAYER: Thank You Lord for the child You graciously placed in my life. May I always be obedient to Your instructions, and to Your commands. For her to know how I personally feel about our Christian holidays is way more important than her hearing it from a preacher or a friend. The difference is very personal, and I believe that it draws a smile to her in knowing that I am committed to You and very much called by You to share Your Word and Your love with others. Please open the hearts of my audience to Your Word, precious Lord. May their hearts overflow with love and appreciation for the One who gave it all so that they may spend life eternally with the God of this universe. AMEN!

The Greatest Commandment

On 2021-03-212021-03-21 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Love, Love God, Love your Neighbor, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Unconditional love, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Sunday, 2021-03-21
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: Matthew 22:36-40
TRANSLATION: The Voice (VOICE)

BIBLE TEXT:
Pharisees: ³⁶Teacher, of all the laws, which commandment is the greatest?Jesus (quoting Scripture): ³⁷“Love the Eternal One your God with all your heart and all your soul and all your mind.”^[c] ³⁸This is the first and greatest commandment. ³⁹And the second is nearly as important, “Love your neighbor as yourself.”^[d] ⁴⁰The rest of the law, and all the teachings of the prophets, are but variations on these themes.

OBSERVATION: Although the Pharisees were trying to test Jesus, they asked a very logical question. Jesus’ response is still applicable to us today, so let’s see how we’re doing with the two commandments Jesus considered most important.

APPLICATION: It seems natural for us to worry more about the most important laws, or the most critical infractions we want to avoid. Take speeding for example: In the US we know that we could get away with doing no more than 5 miles over the speed limit, so we will often break the law, but by no more than 5mph, so we don’t get a ticket. Isn’t it the same with God’s laws? It seems ok to take a few pencils or paperclips home from work, but not $100, even though both are stealing. It seems OK to tell a lie, but we wouldn’t ever consider murder, although both are sins. Notice how Jesus set an example for us in quoting Scripture when responding to questions from those trying to test us. He did it to Satan when tempted by him in the desert, and he responds similarly now to the Pharisees. Why is that? Personal opinions are dime a dozen, for everyone has at least one! However, when we quote ‘thus says the Lord’, we are allowing God’s Word to answer why we believe the way we do. I found it interesting that Jesus chose not only the two commandments that epitomize God’s love and His wish for His children, but also the two commandments that all others are based on. In other words, if we get these two right, and if we exceed expectations in response to these two, then no one should have reason to judge us of missing the mark with the other commandments. To love the Lord: With all our heart – is to devote the very core of our being (our heart) to loving our Creator and our Lord; With all our soul – is to love God from the deepest parts of our being, knowing that no one deserves our love more than He does; With all our mind – is to know that our love for God is unconditional, meaning that we will love Him no matter what is going on in life, because our mind is fixed on Him. On the second most important commandment, Jesus tells us that it is equally important as the first, for a child of God who loves His Maker, will also love all that He made. To dislike our neighbor is like saying that God messed up in creating them. Of course they will be different to us in many ways, but in loving them, we soon learn to love the variety of people and things that God created. This widens our spectrum of appreciation for our Creative God. As we love our (different) neighbor, we become better prepared to approach nonbelievers who need Jesus. Remember, God made them, so we should love them! Please note that this is not just a nice story about God getting on to the Pharisees. I believe that He is still saying the same thing to you and I today: Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul and mind – and your neighbor as you love yourself; for this is God’s greatest wish for you today!

PRAYER: Each day that I read Your Word, I am looking for what’s most important for me that day, from my gracious God. Thank You Lord, for making it plain to me today that I am to love You above everything else, and that I am to love my friends, my relatives and my neighbors as much as I love myself. Lord, please teach my readers and I to love like You love us each and every day. For others need to see Jesus – Your love, Your mercy and Your gracious concern for everyone. They need to see You, and not the wickedness of our earthly beings. May others see You and believe. AMEN!

Nuggets From God's Word

Month: March 2021