Month: September 2021

Your Reward From Above

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

DATE POSTED: Thursday, 2021-09-09
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Luke 14:12-14
TRANSLATION: The Passion Translation (TPT)

BIBLE TEXT: 12 Then Jesus turned to his host and said, “When you throw a banquet, don’t just invite your friends, relatives, or rich neighbors—for it is likely they will return the favor. 13–14 It is better to invite those who never get an invitation. If you invite the poor to your banquet, along with the outcast, the handicapped, and the blind—those who could never repay you the favor, then you will experience a great blessing in this life, and at the resurrection of the godly you will receive a full reward.”

APPLICATION: It seems like the days of mixing with friends and enjoying time together is becoming a rare thing. Partly due to Covid, but I truly believe that we have become such a spoiled and selfish people with our own entertainment – television, devices, etc. in our comfortable recliners, that we couldn’t care less about mixing with others. My wife and I are full-time RV’ers and way too often we visit a park and hardly see anyone, unless they go out to walk their dog. Camping used to be a time that everyone enjoyed the outdoors and the friendly campers that would pass by. Oh the comforts of home! But think about the parties you pitch, or the ones you attend. Don’t you find the same socio-economic type, and the same group of friends? Have you, or any of your well-off neighbors ever pitch a party for the homeless under the nearby bridge, or the beggars who stand at the corner every day? I know, life is just too fragile, and especially with crime at such a high level, you just don’t want to invite strangers into your home. But have you donated your time to the local food bank, or the kitchen that serves the hungry of your community? What if a few of us decided to volunteer at the kitchen on Thanksgiving day, instead of stuffing ourselves while enjoying yet another day of celebration with our family? I believe that as our eyes could be opened to the sobering thought that there are needy people out there who may have gone to the same school we attended, who used to attend the same church that we now call our home church, they have kids who challenge them just like ours do to us at times. I believe it is then that we might realize that there are people out there, just like us, but they need a hand up for just a short while. Perhaps their employment will return soon, or perhaps their retirement funds will be released soon, or their husband will be released from prison soon, with hopes of employment following very soon. In God’s Word Jesus said that in as much as you have done something helpful for the least of these, you have done it for Me. My friends, the needs are many, and often God will check our heart’s condition by placing a need right in front of us. Open your eyes dear friends, and encourage me to do the same. Jesus may be standing right in front of us wondering if we love Him enough to help Him. What will you do? I want to receive my full reward from Jesus when I see Him face-to-face, don’t you?

BLESSING(S) NOTED: A reward is coming, if only we will be the hands and feet of Jesus here on earth and meet the needs that are so obvious, and that are standing right before our eyes!

PRAYER: The needs are many, and You have placed them in very obvious places so that we will be faced with a decision to help, or just pretend that the need could be resolved by someone else. Lord, please open the eyes of each reader and listener, so that we may apply ourselves to the needs and follow your example intently. I am thankful that there are rewards in store for those who see and meet the needs, but Lord I pray that Your children will be so anxious to give in return for all that You did for us on Calvary, that we will do so without any concern for being rewarded again. Please let us be Your hands and feet on the ground, and may we will always be loving and willing servants. 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!

What Say Ye? Whom Will You Serve?

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

DATE POSTED Wednesday, 2021-09-08
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Joshua 24:19-23
TRANSLATION: New Century Version (NCV)

BIBLE TEXT: 19 Then Joshua said, “You are not able to serve the Lord, because he is a holy God and a jealous God. If you turn against him and sin, he will not forgive you. 20 If you leave the Lord and serve other gods, he will send you great trouble. The Lord may have been good to you, but if you turn against him, he will destroy you.”
21 But the people said to Joshua, “No! We will serve the Lord.”
22 Then Joshua said, “You are your own witnesses that you have chosen to serve the Lord.”
The people said, “Yes, we are.”
23 Then Joshua said, “Now throw away the gods that you have. Love the Lord, the God of Israel, with all your heart.”

APPLICATION: Do you tend to feel uneasy in the company of certain individuals? Perhaps they are very rich, compared to you. Or perhaps they are overly educated, compared to you. In some of Joshua’s final talks with the Israelites, he challenged them to consider their acts of worship to a holy and jealous God. How might you respond to that question? I for one, feel very uneasy if I flippantly miss attending corporate worship, or a daily reading of the Word of God, or daily communication with God in prayer. Some might quickly respond that I may be too legalistic about my relationship with God, but I could only evaluate my own feelings towards my holy and righteous God, and so should you. Notice that Joshua gave a reason why the Israelites may not be worthy of worshipping God – idols. I know, we don’t build idols for people to go and worship, but don’t we honestly allow certain things in life to interfere with our time alone, or corporately with God? Joshua knew that some Israelites collected idols from the countries they had captured, and they worshiped those idols at times. But Joshua felt such a love for his people that he wanted to warn them one last time that our Heavenly Father will not tolerate split allegiances. Why do you suppose? I believe we could look at a very familiar relationship, husband and wife, and understand why no one tolerates this. Imagine a cheating husband. Can a wife notice the difference in their relationship when a man is also having relations with another woman? Although she may not care to acknowledge why her husband is trying to please two women, she would really have to be blind in many ways to not feel and understand that someone else is in the picture. Our God sacrificed His only Son for our salvation, so He will become very jealous of one who shows only half-hearted praise and allegiance in return. I believe that when we split allegiance, we are saying that the primary party no longer meets our needs. Could we truly say that to God? But don’t we do exactly that when we consider other pleasures ahead of the pleasure of worshiping our Savior and Lord? There are many ‘excuses’ that we use to explain why we chose not to read our Bibles, or pray, or attend corporate worship. I find it very interesting when children start using the excuses of their parents when asked if they went to church. But isn’t that what we are doing when we tell our kids to watch closely and do what we do? Paul also said something like that, but he was referring to his walk with the Lord. Oh how I wish we could set aside all excuses (idols) and be so committed to God that we could say openly to those who know us, just follow me as I follow God. Wow, don’t you know that God will smile with pride for his kids who are so dedicated to Him?

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Joshua challenged the Israelites to always choose God and do away with idols. In one of their last promises to Joshua, the people assured him (vs 21): ‘we will serve the Lord’. God still blesses the nation that sets aside its idols and collectively say ‘we will serve the Lord’!

PRAYER: Lord, I pray that with our mouths we may say like the Israelites ‘We will serve the Lord’, and then set aside our idols and worship only You! To do this as a nation, we will have to set aside our petty differences between each other so that we could encourage each other to also set as their primary goal: Worship to the Father and to the Son, for as long as we all are left to wander on this earth. Please soften our hearts Lord and teach us to set our priorities straight. God comes first, even if it means less TV or less online activity, or less partying, or less beach time. Unfortunately, it seems like everything else is a priority, even though You gave it all for us. Please forgive us Lord, and please deal in our hearts to always keep You first in every aspect of our lives. AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: There are two more pages on my blog that will provide you with additional information, one of them being ‘To Know Jesus’. If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please click on the above page, or speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. Please allow someone to pray with you and give you help and/or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Words underlined in my blog 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!

Be The Instigator of Joy in Heaven

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

DATE POSTED Saturday, 2021-09-11
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Luke 15:7; 10
TRANSLATION: Contemporary English Version (CEV)

BIBLE TEXT: 7 Jesus said, “In the same way there is more happiness in heaven because of one sinner who turns to God than over ninety-nine good people who don’t need to.”
10 Jesus said, “In the same way God’s angels are happy when even one person turns to him.”

APPLICATION: The Pharisees were going about their day as usual, looking for ways to aggravate Jesus and hoping to catch Him in a precarious way as He responded to their silly questions. However, Jesus responded to them with two simple stories and each had a very similar ending. First, Jesus knew that many of His audience were shepherds, so He told them the story about the happy culmination when a lost sheep is found. Jesus likened this happiness to heaven, and how the angels rejoice – not just when the saved on earth gather around the throne of God, but when the one who was lost, was hunted down by friends who cared about them, and now they are able to walk up to the throne just like the others who have been saved for years and years. Think about everything you’ve seen or heard about when the angels appeared before the shepherds singing and shouting about the birth of our Savior. Now imagine the angels singing and shouting around the throne, while at the same time you are rejoicing before your church and before Jesus, about using you to witness to your neighbor, who surrendered his life to the Lord! And that’s just one soul, dear friends! Now for the second story that Jesus shared, He used the example of a lost coin. I’m of the impression that this was one of only 10 coins that the lady had. So isn’t it easy to understand how she will move everything in sight to search for her lost coin. Upon finding the coin, can you even imagine the rejoicing? She invited her neighbors to help her rejoice! This, my friend, is only a glimpse of the celebration by the angels when one soul surrenders to the lordship of Jesus Christ, for that lost one is now found! Of course, by now you could probably see more clearly why I chose the subject for today’s devotional. I believe all readers/listeners have multiple individuals in their circle of friends and family who have chosen to ignore the call of Jesus on their life. We are now reminded that if we do what Jesus has called us to do, and if we care enough about those we love, then we will not only be reenergized to share the awesome news of Jesus Christ, but we could also share about our firsthand experience with Jesus. Why not invite them to know Jesus personally and join with you in daily communion with Him?

BLESSING(S) NOTED: The angels rejoice when a lost person accepts Jesus as Lord and Savior! Oh that we would love our family and friends enough to share the joy that is ours, each and every day! Perhaps we will then have a whole lot more rejoicing also!

PRAYER: Thank You Jesus for saving my soul, thank You Lord for making me whole, thank You Lord for giving to me, Your great salvation so rich and free! I am sure that there are many that my readers and listeners know, who are missing out on the joy we have in knowing You as Lord. So I would humbly ask that You empower us with the boldness and wisdom to show our love for these loved ones by introducing them to the Creator of this world. We all love a time of rejoicing and we are overjoyed at the excitement that it brings. Please nudge us to share that excitement with others, as we introduce You to them. 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!

The God Who Protects

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

DATE POSTED Tuesday, 2021-09-07
WRITTEN AT: Sebring, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Joshua 23:6-10
TRANSLATION: The Voice (VOICE)

BIBLE TEXT: 6 So be firm and unswerving, observing all that is written in the law of Moses without deviation. 7 That will ensure that you don’t start to blend in with the other nations around you or call upon their gods or worship them or serve them. 8 Just hold tightly to the Eternal One, your True God, as you always have, 9 for He has driven out great and powerful nations before you like leaves in the wind, and you know that no one has ever been able to stand against you. 10 One of you can pursue a thousand because it is He who fights for you, just as He promised.

APPLICATION: It seems like we have so much at our disposal to protect us in desperate times. We lock-down in our sanctuaries (our homes), sometimes protected by steel window bars, alarms and top-of-the-line locks, and we feel secure from the outside world. But then we look at countries that have been hit by earthquakes, hurricanes or war, and it leaves a degree of doubt in our minds as to our security. The Israelites had seen God work in miraculous ways to defeat nations much better prepared than they were, but then they lost their great leader (Moses), a man very near to the heart of God. Then Joshua was introduced as an awesome successor, and over time he proved through his relationship with God, that the Israelites were still under the protective hand of God. However, with evil nations still around them, and with Joshua telling them of his earthly departure, we could see where they would probably still be very concerned about their future. This reminds me of exactly where we are at today. We have read in the Bible of the mighty hand of God, and we have heard preachers explain the awesome power of God. Many may have even witnessed God’s miraculous hand at work in their own lives, or those of our relatives, or fellow church members, or even protection from great acts of God (earthquakes, hurricanes, wars by our enemies, etc) on our nation. But it seems like every day we hear of yet another challenging disease or disaster that strike us or our neighboring nations. I believe that God is prompting us today to consider exactly who it is that we could place our faith and trust in. It is very obvious that national leaders or health agencies do not have the answers, for in spite of their efforts, Covid is still spreading like wildfire. Earthquakes and hurricanes are still devastating countries and claiming the lives of many. How far are we willing to go in seeking protection for ourselves in what could very well hit us tomorrow? Please read the Scripture real good today and notice how Joshua was reminding his people to avoid all distractions and place their total faith and trust in God alone. I don’t believe that God would have us do anything different today. For only He has our very best in mind, and only He can protect us as we finish our journey here on earth. Accepting and serving Him will provide peace of mind while here on earth, and He will reserve a place for us at the feet of the Master as we enter Heaven for all eternity. The way seems clear to me and I pray that you will not only agree, but that you will follow through in accepting the love and person of Jesus Christ as He stands waiting with open arms to welcome and accept you.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Because of the power and love of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, He will not only love and protect us through every challenge here on earth, but He has gone to prepare a place for us in heaven where earthly challenges will disappear!

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, we stand in awe of You and for the power and majesty shown forth to our ancestors. Each day we seem to hear of one disaster or another, one disease or another, and yet an additional strain of what seems to be an incurable disease. Thank You Lord for reminded us again today that You hold the keys to the Kingdom, and that You are in charge of our lives here on earth, no matter what comes our way. Help us Lord to be willing to set aside our pride, our agenda, accept You as Lord and Master of our life, and allow You to guide, protect and see us through the remainder of our time here on earth. Lord, we are excited about the awesome beauty, tranquility and peace in Heaven, but most of all about the pleasure of being in Your presence. Please continue to guide and protect us here on earth until You are ready to call us home to glory – our eternal home! 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!

In Preparation For Your Mission

On By Ed AlgreenIn Example of Christ, Genuine example of Jesus, Godly example, Personal Witness, True witnesses, WitnessingLeave a comment

SCRIPTURE  FROM:   2 Timothy 2:14-17 (VOICE)

TEXT:  14 …... Warn them before God to stop their useless bickering over words. After all, splitting hairs does no good; it only ruins those forced to listen to their meritless arguments. 15 Timothy, do everything you can to present yourself to God as a man who is fully genuine, a worker unashamed of your mission, a guide capable of leading others along the correct path defined by the word of truth. 16 Stay away from ungodly babbling because it will only lead deeper into a godless lifestyle. 17 Once these empty voices start to speak, Timothy, they infect and spread; and soon the body is consumed with its cancer….

APPLICATION:   I’m not sure how many of us will ever be blessed to have the honor of mentoring someone entering into a ministry role, like Paul did, but we are often part of a church where new workers are called into ministry each year, and some of us may also be blessed to be part of a commissioning service for a new minister of the gospel, like Timothy was. This advice given by Paul is great for us to consider as we look into our own lives. Hopefully as we live these out personally, we will be in a much better position to say like Paul did in one of his other teachings: “now follow me, as you try to live a godly life” or as you endeavor to serve in your new assignment. You see, it is hypocritical to suggest that a new minister, teacher, worker, do some of these things, if we are personally doing an awful job at these things ourselves. For example, how can we suggest that they not get in arguments over words, or split hairs over individual interpretations, if we are so bad at doing that ourselves? Or that they should be genuine in their walk, if we are personally accused of living a double life? Or to not be ashamed of the gospel, if we are often embarrassed to have others know that we are involved in the ministry of our local church? So friends, I would encourage you to not brush this off by thinking that we now have some good advice to give ministers and/or workers entering into the ministry of Jesus Christ, but instead that we live out these principles ourselves so that we might give sound advice as we suggest that they follow, just as we follow Christ. I believe that only then, will the church of Jesus Christ see effective workers in the local church, and well prepared ministers and/or missionaries that we send out from our local churches. Lost people are anxious to see genuine Christians. Just as we aim to be exactly that, will we be effective and genuine in sending others out, just like us.

PRAYER:   Lord, please have Your perfect will and way in the hearts of each one that will meditate on this devotional today. May the words of our mouth and the meditation of our hearts be acceptable in Your sight oh Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer. May Your kingdom become richer as a result of us sharing our genuineness with others who will be impacted today, with the character and form of 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!

The Effects Of Your Sin

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Live in peace, Love, Love others, Love your Neighbor, Needs, Peace, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Sunday, 2021-09-05
WRITTEN AT: Sebring, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Joshua 22:16-18
TRANSLATION: Contemporary English Version (CEV)

BIBLE TEXT: 16 All of the Lord’s people have gathered together and have sent us to find out why you are unfaithful to our God. You have turned your backs on the Lord by building that altar. Why are you rebelling against him? 17 Wasn’t our people’s sin at Peor terrible enough for you? The Lord punished us by sending a horrible sickness that killed many of us, and we still suffer because of that sin. 18 Now you are turning your backs on the Lord again. If you don’t stop rebelling against the Lord right now, he will be angry at the whole nation. 

APPLICATION: When disaster strikes, the impact of that terrible time will often stick with us much longer than we care to even think about. In Peor, the Israelites saw many of their leaders killed, and also many of their own people – over 24,000 of them. Because of their unfaithfulness to God, that resulted in them creating idols and worshipping them, there was a time of desperation and mourning because of the loss of life and hurt throughout their camp, even though they were not necessarily a part of the evil they were doing. But just as we try to shy away from things that caused previous hurts, the hearts of the Israelites were immediately affected when they heard of some of their fellow tribes building another altar. They had already decided that they would go to war over this infraction, but before they did, they wanted to try and work out the problem in love first. So they sent a contingent of leaders to speak with the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and East Manasseh. There are a few lessons for us in this story: 1). The sin that we commit will often have a detrimental effect on others. Stay true to God and to each other by considering everyone before you go out and commit crimes that will affect them; 2). Nip the problem in the bud immediately. Don’t let it fester and allow you to build animosity against your neighbor. Remember, it is always good to consider the heart of an innocent Brother in a situation before forging forward with your own selfish desires. Loved ones can and will be impacted by your selfish and angry motives; 3). Always try to resolve matters diplomatically and in love before you start a war that you will soon regret.
Notice that the contingent not only satisfied their own minds about what they thought was a huge issue, but they were able to return to their own tribes and speak favorably about their neighboring tribes. It is always better to be the encourager and peacemaker, rather than the agitator who arouses the anger of those opposed to a situation to which they don’t have all the facts. I learned as a child that you will either through gas on a fire already inflamed, or you could through water to extinguish the fire. For as much as lies within you, be a peacemaker rather than one who creates a war that will impact many other innocent members of your group, family and/or friends.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: The Israelites were ready for war against their neighboring tribesmen, but they did all within their power to avoid war and death. Often our actions could create war, but by the grace of God, may we all strive for peace and goodwill in order to protect the innocent.

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, I believe that we were created to live in peace and with hearts filled with love, like our Maker. Please intervene when the evil one interferes and raises up anger in our hearts. Help us to always stand for what is right without ever building animosity for the one destined to do life by following their own inclination. May the lesson learned from the Israelites who tried to stop, what appeared to be evil in the making, be an ongoing example for Your children today. May the world see that Jesus is alive and well, because they see You at work in the lives of Your children. 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!

Our Promise Keeper

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

DATE POSTED Saturday, 2021-09-04
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Joshua 21:43-45
TRANSLATION: Easy-to-Read Version (ERV)

BIBLE TEXT: 43 So the Lord kept the promise that he had made to the Israelites and gave the people all the land that he had promised. The people took the land and lived there. 44 And the Lord allowed them to have peace on all sides of their land, just as he had promised their ancestors. None of their enemies defeated them. The Lord allowed the Israelites to defeat every enemy. 45 The Lord kept every promise that he made to the Israelites. There were no promises that he failed to keep. Every promise came true.

APPLICATION: God made a promise to His people that He would take them out of slavery and the ugly reign of the Egyptians and that He had a wonderful land prepared just for them. Although they never made it to that Promised Land personally, their successors were the recipients of the promises God made to their forefathers. As I read the verses that followed I thought of a parent’s love for their children, for I could clearly see how God loved His children enough to not only provide a country they could call ‘home’, but then He also gave them the necessary wisdom and protection against their neighboring countries. Doesn’t this remind you of a parent rising up against the enemy that crosses paths with their child, or children? Don’t you know that even today God is watching over us with deepest concern over all that we are facing? I truly believe that there has never been a time that so many were impacted by a dreaded decease that killed so many of their family and loved ones, like this Covid 19. Hospitals are filled, so I’m sure that loved ones are also dying because of their inability to receive proper medical treatment. Added to that, we then see hurricanes impacting areas where residents lose material things like their home and auto. Many leave their homes and become wanderers in search of a home, much like the Israelites must have been like in the Wilderness. But friends, I want us to be content in what we read in the very last verse today. For just as God fulfilled every promise that He made to the Israelites, I believe He also stands ready to help us, His children, today. Just because God is way more powerful and knowledgeable than us, we may see where He accomplishes His work differently to what we might expect. But for those who place their faith and trust in Jesus Christ, we must remember that He is for us, and not against us. He loves us way too much to place obstacles in our way, but instead He opens doors for us that we may never think are possible. Let’s be careful to trust in Jesus with all our heart, soul and mind. Then lets be ready to celebrate as we watch His promises come true for us. What promises? The Bible is filled with over 5,000 promises, so let me suggest that you join me in reading the Book each and every day, and as we do, let us be encouraged by the promises of God as we wait for His mighty work to be accomplished in His perfect timing.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: God fulfilled every promise made to the Israelites, and I believe that He stands ready to fulfill every promise made to us in His Word. Let’s be aligned with the King of Glory so that we might stand ready for His blessings!

PRAYER: In so many ways the world stands with open arms to receive every gift offered by their governments and by the Almighty, even though they may lack in commitment to each of these. Lord, as we have willingly accepted You as our Lord and Savior, we are once again assured that You will fulfill all of Your promises when the time is right. Please touch the hearts of my readers and listeners whose heart may not be standing in a state of readiness. You alone are God. May we be truly aligned with You each and every day as You seek to bless us in many different ways. May unbelievers see, and believe in the Son of God for the forgiveness of their sin. 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!

Be Sure and Choose Wisely

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, What The Lord Wants, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Friday, 2021-09-03
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Luke 12:51-53
TRANSLATION: Contemporary English Version (CEV)

BIBLE TEXT: 51 Do you think that I came to bring peace to earth? No indeed! I came to make people choose sides. 52 A family of five will be divided, with two of them against the other three. 53 Fathers and sons will turn against one another, and mothers and daughters will do the same. Mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law will also turn against each other.

APPLICATION: When our daughter was growing up, her mom would often ask who she loved the most. Invariably, she would respond ‘both of you’! We always chuckled, but isn’t that so true in life today? Christians are called to decide on what we will do with groups and individuals who operate in total disobedience to the Word of God. More often than not, we choose to accept their beliefs, rather than standing firm on the Word given by God for us to live by. Jesus told His disciples that there was reason He had given them certain commands and guides for living, even though many of His instructions might seem totally opposite to what the world around them were doing. You might recall that some disciples were called from various occupations – tax collector; fishermen; etc, and invited to become a follower of Christ. There were many obstacles for these brothers to transition from their daily jobs to follow a man despised by the Pharisees and government leaders, so Jesus needed to do a lot of teaching and retraining. But isn’t it interesting how Jesus chose to complete this training so bluntly? It seems like today we try to pretty up the Gospel and suggest such a glorious life in accepting and serving Jesus Christ, that one might think that it is only second to working at the palace. But friends, Jesus is still calling us to choose. Will we go with the crowds; please our greedy, angry politicians; or work diligently to becoming the popular guy/girl among our peers; or will we truly accept the call to serve only our God and obey His commands that He issued for our good? We may often go a direction with Jesus that our family, friends or boss disagrees with, and we will be forced to make a decision whether we will truly follow Christ, or whether the cost is too high. Unlike us, where we stand on the fence with many choices of man, Jesus wants us to follow His example in calling a spade a spade, even if it leads us to a cross like He endured. Where do you take your stand, dear friends? Are you for God, or against Him? There’s no in-between. If His Word teaches against something, then we are called to teach/preach/witness/stand against it, even if it cost us friends, family, coworkers, job, church, etc. Are you truly on the Lord’s side?

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Heaven is promised for those who place their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and are willing to obey His commands, in spite of opposition and/or persecution.

PRAYER: Lord, I think of a hymn I sang as a child: ‘Who is on the Lord’s side’, never realizing that I would one day study these words of Yours to Your disciples and applying them to my life. What an eye opener today. We tend to think of You as the God of love, unity and One who creates nothing but peace and love among Your children. But as in all areas of life, we will create division when we stand firm on a point of view. Please teach us to be loyal to You in every aspect of our life and to always be obedient to Your commands, even if it causes division among those who disagree or sit on the fence of decision. I believe that You would have us love others, even through our disagreements, so please work miraculously through us as we dedicate our lives to You and live as You commanded. May all things still be done for Your ultimate glory. 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!

Always Trust In The Lord Our God

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

Thursday, 2021-09-02

Bible Reference: Psalm 56:9-11
Translation: The Passion Translation (TPT)

Bible Text: …This one thing I know: God is on my side!
10 I trust in the Lord. And I praise him!
I trust in the Word of God. And I praise him!
11 What harm could man do to me?
With God on my side I will not be afraid of what comes.
My heart overflows with praise to God and for his promises.
I will always trust in him.

APPLICATION: So often we face challenges that we would rather happen to anyone else but us, because often trial and struggles will come our way and impacted us in life altering ways. No one in Louisiana was expecting such a powerful hurricane, after just being impacted a year ago by Laura. So could you even imagine the residents raising their hands in praise and thanksgiving to our Lord? I have family and friends who have been battling Covid. Some have lost a spouse, a coworker, a great friend, etc, but I can’t even imagine them standing in praise to the Master? Perhaps you know of friends who have suffered loss of jobs, or perhaps going through a divorce, or some other life-changing event. What would you do or say if they asked you to join them in praise to our King? Wouldn’t that amaze you? I believe that God wants to remind us today that regardless of our circumstances, He’s still God! I believe that He wants us to know that whether we are celebrating a mountain top experience, or whether we are going through the deepest ‘waters’ of our lives, He’s still God. We tend to fret and moan over the loss of material gain, but dear friends, let us always be reminded that the One who gives life; the One who guides us through every circumstance of life; the One who comforts us like no other, Our God – Our One and Only God – He’s still our very best friend; He’s still our Deliverer; He still loves us in spite of our failures or circumstances. Let us always remember that God loves us so much that He orchestrated the crucifixion of His Son so that we won’t have to face Hell and the grave because of our sin. So He knows what it’s like to see loved one perish or suffer. Most of all my friends, Jesus has gone to prepare a place for us, where we will dwell eternally with Him in glory! That’s our God my friend! We have nothing to fear or fret about. Just know that He cares for us and He is waiting for us to join Him around the throne when this challenging life here on earth is over! Yes, He’s still God – He is our loving and eternal God! Let’s learn to praise Him today in spite of our circumstances!

PRAYER: Oh Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder, consider all thy hands have made! It’s all Yours Lord. Thank You for allowing us to occupy a small part of this old earth. Thank You for surrounding us with family and friends who love us. Please dear Lord, take hold of our hearts today and remind us that we are enjoying temporary quarters here on earth, so until we unite with You, many things will come our way that tend to dissapoint and perhaps even sadden us, but we have a hope! We have a promise! We have a Savior that awaits our departure from this earth, so that we could live eternally with Him. Oh Lord, I stand in awe of You and patiently await Your return! Please speak to those who might meditate on this blog and struggle with the things of this world. Only what’s done for Jesus will last! May we be found busy about Your work oh Lord, until You take us home to be with You! 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!

Be Carefree in The Care of God!

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Worry, Worry no more, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Wednesday, 2021-09-01
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Luke 12:22-26
TRANSLATION: The Passion Translation (TPT)

BIBLE TEXT: 22 Jesus taught his disciples, saying, “Listen to me. Never let anxiety enter your hearts. Never worry about any of your needs, such as food or clothing. 23 For your life is infinitely more than just the food you eat or the clothing you wear. 24 Take the carefree birds as your example. Do you ever see them worry? They neither grow their own food nor put it in a storehouse for later. Yet God takes care of every one of them, feeding each of them out of the abundance of his love and goodness. Isn’t your life more precious to God than a bird? Be carefree in the care of God! 25 “Does worry add anything to your life? Can it add one more year, or even one day? 26 So if worrying adds nothing, but actually subtracts from your life, why would you worry about God’s care of you?

APPLICATION: Often we worry, because we can’t see what’s ahead, nor the outcome we could expect from our current circumstances. However, the Word of God says that God is our provider and He will care for us even better than He does for the beautiful birds of the air. The awesome encouragement in this is that God not only knows our current needs, but in providing for us, He takes into consideration everything that could possibly cross our paths in the future. Allow me to share a personal experience. There are two families in this story, a father and his son. The father had reached an age where his heart was beginning to give him trouble, but he was retired and since he had 5 children, I believe he felt relieved that he and his wife would be cared for. He was a Christian, so he also depended on God to watch over him and care for his every need. However, in the life of his oldest son, God began working on a plan to move him far away and continue his career in that foreign land. But his heart was broken when he told his dad about this move, because the dad felt like this would destroy his support system and separate his children, especially now as he was becoming older. Because of the direction felt from God, the son moved, just as he felt led by God. Within the first 18 months of being in his new home, his dad was rushed to medical professionals and hospitals very near to the son’s new location, where they saved his life from a heart attack that was misdiagnosed in the dad’s home country. Friends, I am the son in this story, and my dad sat down in tears after arriving home from the hospital and told me ‘now I could see what God was doing for me, when He opened doors for you to move’. You see, we absolutely cannot outdo God. He loved my dad, and was preparing a path for him to get the help that he needed when the time came. I felt like I was just blessed of God in how smoothly my move went, but God had a greater plan in mind for my dad, praise the wonderful name of Jesus! Please know that I may be blind to the very real challenges that you may feel pressed upon you at this time, but let me assure you that our God is greater than all our troubles and worries, and He has His children’s best interest in mind as they allow Him access. Be at peace my friend, that our hand rests in the hand of the creator of all things and He will never fail us. Trust in Him today and give Him access to the very intimate parts of your life. He cares for you!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Worry is a sign of the non-Christian. Trust in God with all your heart, soul and mind, and He will take care of you – guaranteed!

PRAYER: Lord God, it is humbling to say that I am amazed by You. Thank You for taking care of my dad, and thank you for touching the lives of so many that will read or listen to this devotional. Please open the eyes of those who tend to worry, because they don’t know the God who can do I all things. Please soften their hearts and cause them to surrender their life to You before it is eternally too late. Please embolden us with the strength and wisdom to live life without worry, knowing that there is nothing impossible with You. 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!