Month: July 2022

How To Exchange Your Body For A New One

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

DATE POSTED Sunday, 2022-07-31
WRITTEN AT: O Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: 2 Corinthians 5:1; 4-5;
TRANSLATION: New Life Version (NLV)

BIBLE TEXT: 1 Our body is like a house we live in here on earth. When it is destroyed, we know that God has another body for us in heaven. The new one will not be made by human hands as a house is made. This body will last forever. …
4 While we are in this body, we cry inside ourselves because things are hard for us. It is not that we want to die. Instead, we want to live in our new bodies. We want this dying body to be changed into a living body that lasts forever. 5 It is God Who has made us ready for this change. He has given us His Spirit to show us what He has for us.

APPLICATION: It has been a while since I became so excited about a passage of Scripture, as I did with the first 10 verses of 2 Corinthians 5. In general, the Word of God is exciting, because it’s God’s direction; His comfort; His encouragement and His wisdom given to us. As a child of God, there are times when His Word speaks precisely to our heart, soul and mind, because it meets our need right where we are, at that time. This is one of those cases. I’m sure that I’m not alone in seeing: the brevity of life here on earth; the fragile bodies in which we live and how easily they are affected by diseases like Covid, Alzheimer’s, Arthritis, and many other new diseases that seem to surface these days. No doubt you have lost loved ones, at what seems like extremely immature ages, and you might also be burdened by the pain of seeing loved ones suffer uncontrollably without good medical help, or even good answers in sight. But isn’t it super encouraging to hear the Holy Spirit remind us through Paul, that God will ditch this old, malfunctioning body and give us a brand new one? Friends, you might remember that whenever you traded in your old car for a new one, there were no more breakdowns; no more worn out tires; no more doubt about making it to your long distance location safely; for the old, worn out car was left with the dealer and all things are now new! That’s what I am excited to be reminded of today when I think of my God and the place He has prepared for me in Heaven! I trust that as you are reminded of this Scripture, and as you reflect on the idea of having a total replacement – made perfectly in God’s image, you will look deep inside and examine your state of readiness. For you see, God is quite the gentleman. If you chose to ignore Him here on earth, I believe you are aware that God will continue to, sadly, honor that in death. Seeing that you still have breath and the mental ability to read this devotional, please consider surrendering your life to Jesus immediately. Friends I know many who have died way sooner that the world seems to recognize as a ‘full life’. But be reminded that the world played no part in your creation, nor will they have a say in your resurrection. God alone is responsible for both acts. Enjoy the love, forgiveness and power of our Lord Jesus today and have peace about where you will spend eternity. No decision to know Jesus, leads to eternity in Hell with Satan and his demons. Eternal salvation through Jesus Christ results in the peace of eternity in heaven with Jesus and the Father (God).

BLESSING(S) NOTED: We’ve been promised a new body made and perfected by God that will last for all eternity. To know Jesus personally is our assurance of receiving this new body and the home prepared for us in heaven. Praise to our ever-living and glorious Savior, Jesus Christ!

PRAYER: Lord, You alone are God. You created this world, You created us, and You have created heaven for those of us that have accepted Your Son as Lord and Savior. Search me Lord, and know my heart. Please speak gently, but firmly, to the hearts of those who will read this devotional and continue to postpone their decision to accept You as Lord. Please create in them a new heart and a strong desire to make their heart right with You TODAY, before it is eternally too late. Draw them to Yourself more deliberately than You have ever done before. May today be a day of salvation for many, oh Lord. For those who know You personally, may we life up our hearts in glorious song as we worship and adore You today as Lord, King, Master and as Everlasting Father! 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!

Faith – Pray and Receive

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Ask and Receive, Empowered, Faith, Faith, Faith in Action, God's Power, Miracles, Needs, Power of Prayer, Praise, Prayer, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Wednesday, 2022-07-27
WRITTEN AT: O Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Mark 11:22-25
TRANSLATION: GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)

BIBLE TEXT: 22 Jesus said to them, “Have faith in God! 23 I can guarantee this truth: This is what will be done for someone who doesn’t doubt but believes what he says will happen: He can say to this mountain, ‘Be uprooted and thrown into the sea,’ and it will be done for him. 24 That’s why I tell you to have faith that you have already received whatever you pray for, and it will be yours. 25 Whenever you pray, forgive anything you have against anyone. Then your Father in heaven will forgive your failures.”

APPLICATION: In following a ‘get rich’ scheme, often you are required to follow in the footsteps of something already proven by a person who is enjoying a very rich lifestyle, that may have resulted from certain actions and methods used by them. The idea of becoming rich sounds impossible to the poor, hardworking individual, but many are willing to look at their lifestyle and follow a proven plan, that supposedly got a man rich. For the child of God, we depend on the Word of God as our guide and direction to point us towards a lifestyle that would mirror the life and character of our Master and Lord. However in pursuing this ‘perfect’ lifestyle, we also come across tips from Jesus that teaches us how we might gain some of the actual power and authority of our Master. Today is one of these examples. Jesus had just cursed a fig tree that He had created, but it was not performing like Jesus intended for such trees. In spite of the many miracles the disciples had already witnessed, they were still astonished that Jesus actually had powers over the Fig Tree. The problem with following the schemes of the rich and famous, is that their tips lead to only one thing – financial gain. In this life, we encounter new challenges every day and the challenges are as varied as the days are. In this story Jesus teaches us how we might become aligned with God’s will and receive our miracle, no matter how varied the circumstances that seem to surround the challenge. Jesus teaches that miracles will happen for those who:
*~* Don’t doubt – do you have friends who always see the glass as half empty, instead of almost full? They find the slightest problem that might be possible in a scenario, instead of celebrating the positive possibilities of an otherwise impossible situation;
*~* Believe that what you say, will happen – No ifs, ands or buts! If you say it, then believe it, and watch as it happens? When you have that kind of faith in the God who supports your every word and action, then you will see miracles, touched by God, happen!
*~* Forgive, and you will be forgiven by God – What on earth does this have to do with miracles? To be right with God, you must not be holding a grudge against anyone. Jesus said that He will forgive you, and make you right in His eyes, at the same level that you have forgiven others. Imagine Jesus standing holy before His Father because He has forgiven you for all your sin. In trying to mirror Jesus, He will expect the same level of forgiveness from you. Don’t expect God to approve your actions, such as miracles, if you are retaining sin in your heart. Forgive, and God will forgive you at that same level.
Friends, Jesus is teaching us just as He taught His disciples. Don’t doubt, but believe in the awesome power of the God of this universe. Believe in His power just as you believe He had the power to create you, me, and this whole wide world. And most importantly, forgive others just as Jesus forgave you when you petitioned Him for salvation. Miracles will happen when you approach God with these things properly aligned in your life. Trust Him dear friend, and expect your miracle today! He said it, and you can believe it!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Have faith that you have already received the thing you are asking for, and you will receive it. Present yourself holy before a righteous and holy God, and all these things will be granted to you, child of God!

PRAYER: Lord, we need You more today than anytime in our prior history. Unresolvable diseases are rampant; crime is off the chart; medical issues are challenging doctors every day; young and old alike are dying at alarming rates; the homeless population is increasing and mankind does not have the answers. Our faith is in You, as we believe that God alone has the answers to the dilemmas of this world. Lord, we believe in You, please help us in our areas of unbelief and/or doubt, so that we could benefit from all that You make available to us. I believe that You have given us the power, just as described in our Scripture today. Please open our eyes, so that we may work on our hearts and our relationship with You. We long to move the mountains in our lives so that no obstruction exists between us. Help us so that others may see You and Your awesome and miraculous power at work. 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!

Keep Serving The Lord

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

DATE POSTED Monday, 2022-07-25
WRITTEN AT: Orlando, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: 1 Samuel 12:20-22
TRANSLATION: New Century Version (NCV)

BIBLE TEXT: 20 Samuel answered, “Don’t be afraid. It’s true that you did wrong, but don’t turn away from the Lord. Serve the Lord with all your heart. 21 Idols are of no use, so don’t worship them. They can’t help you or save you. They are useless! 22 For his own sake, the Lord won’t leave his people. Instead, he was pleased to make you his own people.

APPLICATION: Some may think that they have been way too bad, or done way too many evil things for a loving and holy God to ever love them or desire to accept and bless them. We are reminded in the words of Samuel, to a king who disobeyed the commands of God, that we are loved in spite of our weaknesses, our evil minds and our determination to follow the ways of the world. In the heart of man, we might choose to hold the hurt by others in our heart and try to seek revenge, but God wanted Saul, and us, to know that we are to be firm in our commitment to serve and honor our God. If we concentrate on our sin, and allow it to pull us down, we will only sink further into sin. However, if we choose to honor God and seek His face, then I believe that He will draw our attention to our disobedience and our selfish desires to do everything that our heart desires. He will draw us back to our source of all strength and love. In Christ, we will have all we need to fight our battles; deflect the sin that so rampantly surrounds us every day; and encourage us to seek and depend on the Lord while He is near and can be found. Friends, sin will draw us into more sin, but through the power of God we can be more than conquerors and therefore overcome the evil that Satan throws at us. Notice that Samuel encouraged Saul and his men to continue worshipping God. Yes they sinned, but in placing themselves before a righteous and holy God, He will tender their hearts to seek forgiveness and turn away from that sin. Let’s always remember that although our God is holy and has never sinned, He is well aware of our weak nature and our attraction to sin. As our Father, He is standing with arms wide opened to accept us, forgive us, and strengthen us for His service. But He wants our willingness to desire a better life – less of me and more of Him.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: What a mighty God we serve! In spite of our weaknesses yetHe desires that we would come before Him; serve Him and obey His every commands.

PRAYER: Thank You Lord Jesus for being such a reasonable, loving and accepting Father! You’ve seen our faults, our weaknesses and our lack of commitment, yet You love to us anyway. You are our God and we are deeply moved by Your compassion, forgiveness and unconditional love. Please don’t give up on us, for we feel like a constant work in progress, and we need you more and more each day. Please direct us to our areas of service so that others may see and experience Jesus through us. 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 Reason They Preach

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Praise, Preach, Preaching, Recognize God, Teach, Teacher, Teachings, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Saturday, 2022-07-23
WRITTEN AT: Orlando, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: 2 Corinthians 4:13-16
TRANSLATION: New Living Translation (NLT)

BIBLE TEXT: 13 But we continue to preach because we have the same kind of faith the psalmist had when he said, “I believed in God, so I spoke.” 14 We know that God, who raised the Lord Jesus, will also raise us with Jesus and present us to himself together with you. 15 All of this is for your benefit. And as God’s grace reaches more and more people, there will be great thanksgiving, and God will receive more and more glory.
16 That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day.

APPLICATION: Paul realized that there were many in the church who attended in bodily form, but must have left their mind and spirit at home, because they appeared blinded to the truth he was preaching. In verse 4 of the same chapter we are looking at today, Paul shared that Satan, the earth’s ruler and instigator of all evil works and attitudes, deliberately blinded the eyes of his army and dulled their minds from hearing and accepting the truth of God’s Word. Friends, you may nod your head in agreement to that statement, but this is a truth that still impacts the world today, and it is the most discouraging thing for pastors and teachers of the Gospel to understand, accept and deal with as they make every effort to share the Word of God. Paul tried to clear up any misconceptions behind his reason to preach God’s Word. Today is no different, for we hear jokes and/or jeering about why God’s messengers do what God has ordained them to do. I was touched by this Scripture today, because it reminded me of why others, together with myself, feel inspired by God to share His Word. I believe that a clearer understanding of this will help each reader and listener to gain a new perspective on the preaching, teaching and sharing of God’s Word. One would think that pastors must tire of rejection and failure in reaching the people of their community. But under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Paul identifies the reason, and exactly what it is that pastors are up against. The minds of the people are shut tight by the Evil One so that the truth is ignored, rejected and unclear. Yes, I am talking about people who we invite to join us in church, and also many who sit in our churches each week. Look around you this weekend while attending church, and pray that the Holy Spirit will impact each and every person present; that He will clear their minds from the celebrations of the previous night; cause their minds to not wander, but to listen closely to what God is saying through His messenger; stop judging the man in the pulpit, for he will stand before God and be held accountable even more than we will; pray for God’s messenger so that he will set aside any personal agendas and stick to what God is directing Him to share from His Word; Stop comparing self to anyone else here on earth, and allow God to help you compare your life-decisions to the instructions carefully written in His Word. Friends, the adversary is deliberate in shutting your mind and eyes to the things of God. He’s more powerful than you are, but not near as powerful as our God is, so ask God to protect you and guide you as you aim to learn and apply more of Him and His Word to your life. Please consider praying for the above even before you go to church. Don’t allow Satan to have his way. In verse 13, Paul likened himself to the Psalmist who said in Psalm 116, that because he believes in the almighty, all-powerful God of this universe, he therefore speaks on His behalf. Our pastors can only survive with this kind of determination, for all of the above things that I mentioned surely comes to mind as they stand before us and look at the blank steers and the lack of attention. Pray that your pastor will assume the determination of Paul who in vs 16, said that he will not give up, for although his outer body is deteriorating, yet his mind and soul is strengthened and encouraged every day by the Master. Friends, I believe that the reason they preach, is to follow the voice of the Master in trying to save the lost in our churches and communities. They will look into God’s eyes one day, just like you will. I pray that because they know how much God knows about them, they will say without doubt or question that they have done their best and preached the Word as It was given to them by the Holy Spirit. Pray for your pastor, and pray that God will draw you closer to Himself every time you’re under the teaching and conviction of the Holy Spirit through your pastor.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Never give up! Our spirits are being renewed every day!

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, on behalf of those who stand to teach and preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ, please allow me to give thanks for their commitment and for their fight against the Evil One who is constantly trying to shut them down. Please Lord, touch the hearts of those who come unprepared to try and worship you together with other believers. Open their eyes to the need to draw close to You and receive Your power to prevent the forces of evil from consuming their hearts and minds. May they find strength from Almighty God because of their submission and closeness to You, and may their dependence on You create a heart that depends on You in all things. 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 Lord Needs It?

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

DATE POSTED Friday, 2022-07-22
WRITTEN AT: Orlando, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Mark 11:2-3
TRANSLATION: The Voice (VOICE)

BIBLE TEXT: 2 Go to that village over there. As soon as you get into the town, you’ll see a young colt tied that nobody has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it back to Me. 3 If anybody stops you and asks what you’re doing, just say, “The Lord needs it, and He will send it back right after He’s done.”

APPLICATION: The Lord has need? Why would the Creator of all things have need of anything? Remember He also had reason for a borrowed manger, a boat, a donkey, an upper room, and a tomb. He who was rich, for our sakes became poor (2 Corinthians 8:9). Why? He chose to place Himself in a position where He would need to partner with us in order to see His will worked out through us. Isn’t this is incredible! God didn’t have to go that route. But He chose to place Himself in a position where He will not do what He desires to do in our families, communities, workplaces, marriages, or schools without our partnering with Him. Why? Could it be that He’s getting us ready for the next billion years when we will be ruling and reigning with Him? Let me encourage you to regularly pray, study the Word, worship and fellowship with other believers? Somehow, it seems like in God’s economy, His blessings and His moving in this world are linked to our participation. I wonder if one of the mind-blowing moments in heaven might not be when we see what could have happened in the lives of our relatives, friends, and communities had we taken seriously the possibility of partnering with God instead of acting as if the Lord didn’t need us. Way too often we tend to sit back and expect others to teach, or witness, or befriend the needy, but God has placed us here for a purpose. Yes, God can touch the hearts of those He created, but He also created intelligent humans like you and I, and throughout Scripture He insists that we go out and preach the Gospel, and to be the hands and feet of Jesus right where we are. I firmly believe that God places us where we are for a purpose, and He wants to bless us with the abilities and opportunities to bless others and encourage them to a close and intimate walk with the Creator. Let’s never be found guilty of failing to share that which God has blessed us with. May He always be glorified and lifted up through us, and His desire for our earthly ministry be fulfilled to His complete satisfaction.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: We may often sing that old hymn ‘I need Thee every hour’, but with today’s reminder, may we always seek to follow the commands of our Father and meet His needs!

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, You are always faithful to us. May we strive for perfection in Your eyes and honor Your every command. Make us strong, bold and committed to do Your will naturally, as part of our everyday life, so that others will not be confused about what You look like, love like and are committed to. People need the Lord. May they always see you in every action and/or word from Your humble 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!

God Responds To Our Obedience

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Obedience, Obedient, Praise, Recognize God, Worship1 Comment

DATE POSTED Thursday, 2022-07-21
WRITTEN AT: O Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: 1 Samuel 10:6, 9,
TRANSLATION: New Living Translation (NLT)

BIBLE TEXT: 6 At that time the Spirit of the Lord will come powerfully upon you, and you will prophesy with them. You will be changed into a different person. 
 9 As Saul turned and started to leave, God gave him a new heart, and all Samuel’s signs were fulfilled that day. 

APPLICATION: Somehow I believe that many of us postpone doing what we feel God has ordered for us. We tend to wait for confirmation from other trusted sources, and we tend to wait until the very last minute, just in case we’re not sure it was truly God speaking to us. Where is our faith? Compare this story of Saul to that of a situation that we may hear is going on at our church. Saul was appointed king by the prophet Samuel. One of Saul’s first assignments involved an encounter with a band of Philistine prophets while visiting Gibeah. Samuel convinced Saul that he would also begin to prophecy with these men, because the power of God will come upon him. Ok, so what would you and I do in response to an old priest telling us such a far-out story? Having just been appointed king, don’t you think that our minds would be racing with ideas on what we would want to accomplish as king? We may hear about these extreme predictions by the older priests of our community, often we will try to respectfully dismiss what he is suggesting. After all, we can hardly believe they think that are about to prophecy?? Yeah, right! But friends, remember what I said earlier – God knows our very thoughts. Based on what we read in these verses, Saul had no reservation about doing what Samuel ordered him to do. He had no reason to question the actions of the priests he would meet, nor the matter of God’s powerful hand in his own life. Saul had faith to believe that if God’s messenger said it, he could believe it and proceed with the necessary orders given to him. Notice that God didn’t wait until Saul arrived at the well, or when he would be greeted the prophesying priests. God knew Saul’s heart and intent, and He changed Saul’s life when he turned and began to obey his orders. I believe that God might search our hearts today and examine our faith, to see if this story of His ministry to and through Saul might have an effect on us. Whether it would enhance our level of obedience without a bunch of questions. What do you suppose God would find? Would He be as quick to empower us because of the evidence of faith that He sees in us?

BLESSING(S) NOTED: God performed His awesome work in Saul because He saw the immediate response to all that Samuel ordered of him!

PRAYER: Precious Lord, thank You for keeping us accountable for all that You demand through Your Word and through Your servants. Please forgive us for the times that we doubt and insist on doing things ‘our way’. Lord, may we always look to you for all things necessary for life here on this earth. We want to obediently follow Your commands, and to be Your hands and feet while allowed to remain here. Please continue to work through us so that the world will know You and witness Your good works. Humble us to be Your servants and Your likeness to a lost and hurting world. 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!

Good Servants Make Great Leaders

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

DATE POSTED Tuesday, 2022-07-19
WRITTEN AT: O Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Mark 10:43-45
TRANSLATION: The Living Bible (TLB)

BIBLE TEXT: 43 … among you it is different. Whoever wants to be great among you must be your servant. 44 And whoever wants to be greatest of all must be the slave of all. 45 For even I, the Messiah, am not here to be served, but to help others, and to give my life as a ransom for many.”

APPLICATION: Although not spelled out by Jesus that this Scripture pertained only to church leadership, I believe it can definitely be applied to the church. But Jesus was approached by two of His faithful disciples who wanted to go straight to the top of the list in popularity by Jesus in His eternal kingdom. I would suggest that we try to apply this principle to our life in general, for everything Jesus taught, was intended to help His children be more like Him in every aspect of life. Although I believe that it is imperative for others to see servanthood as part of our DNA, I also believe that we should frequently perform a self-evaluation. The easiest way to know if you’re a servant, is by how you react when people treat you like one. All too often, I’m afraid, our heart is, “Yes, Lord, I want to be a servant – as long as people realize I’m serving. I want to be a slave – as long as I become Slave of the Year.” But friends, if you’re gladly slaving in the nursery, in the kitchen, or in a Sunday-school class without being noticed, appreciated, or thanked – then, perhaps, yours is the heart of a true servant. Think about this, do you suppose that the Lord wants us to be slaves because He likes to see us grovel? I don’t think so, it’s probably because He’s preparing us for the kingdom – for all eternity – and He knows that the best exercise for strengthening your heart is stooping down to pick up someone else. Your employer may not acknowledge you as a good potential leader when he sees you willing to do anything at absolutely any level in the workplace. But instead of fretting over present rewards, we should instead look forward to the time when we move into the kingdom, and the Lord says, “Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of the Father!” Imagine how our hearts will well up within us, for He’s the One we’ve been living and working for! His words are all that will matter to us when we enter the portals of heaven. At that point, I don’t believe any of us will regret the times we weren’t applauded by people for serving the Lord. Instead, we may say, “Thank You, Father, for sparing me from getting my reward on earth where it passes away so quickly.” Friends, when we apply the teachings of Jesus to our life, we will make great leaders here on earth, but hopefully it will be obvious to those we serve, whose we are. Leadership classes will not teach you this principle, but let me emphasize that for the child of God, our responsibility is to obey God first. When we honor God by obeying His teachings, He will make us the leaders He needs us to be!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Jesus showed us that servanthood matters, and that it won’t hurt us to also serve our fellow man. Jesus demands us to serve, so that we could reflect true leadership when the opportunity presents itself. Join me as we obediently follow this command of Jesus.

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, thank you for teaching us the importance of serving before attempting to lead others. Please work on those areas of our life that will impact our leadership in a way that pleases you. As in all other areas of our life, please help us to bless others so that You may be honored and magnified. 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!

Blessed Are The Godly

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Godly actions, Godly example, Godly lives, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Worship2 Comments

DATE POSTED Monday, 2022-07-18
WRITTEN AT: O Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Psalm 97:10-12
TRANSLATION: New Living Translation (NLT)

BIBLE TEXT: 10 You who love the Lord, hate evil! He protects the lives of his godly people and rescues them from the power of the wicked.
11 Light shines on the godly, and joy on those whose hearts are right.
12 May all who are godly rejoice in the Lord and praise his holy name!

APPLICATION: Some of you reading this devotional today may not have made any spiritual decisions yet in your life. The bible teaches that you are an unbeliever, because you have chosen to ignore the teachings of Jesus Christ. It is impossible for you to fit the description of the righteous mentioned in our Scripture, because you have chosen to say no to the invitation by God to know Him and to live according to His example and His teachings. You cannot be right-with-God, or righteous, without a personal relationship with Him. Let me encourage you to continue reading my blog each day, because my whole purpose is to teach you about the Lord I love and adore, with hopes that you will one day hear His call on your life. Now to apply the actual teaching for today, I believe that the Holy Spirit, through the Psalmist, is convincing those of us that have accepted the Lord Jesus, and are striving to live a life patterned after His character and teachings, a few things worthy of our attention:
1. Hate evil – Evil is just the opposite to everything else that we read in the Bible, for we know full well that Jesus is LOVE and He teaches repeatedly that we are to love others, just as He has loved us. But I believe that God is saying that we should not live a double life. In other words, don’t say that you love God and everything He stands for, yet sit idly by and accept the evil that impacts our lives by the unrighteous. Furthermore, don’t promote the evil of the unrighteous by supporting their products and their habits. For example, the righteous may never consider entering into a prostitution house, but they will sit in the privacy of their own home and purchase, or watch a movie that promotes that lifestyle. If we are to hate evil, I believe that refers to evil in any form, not just that which we might be embarrassed for our friends to see us entering into;
2. God is our Protector and Rescuer – I love those movies where the super cops swoop in and rescues the good people caught under protest by the evil thuds! This is kind ‘a what I think of in this teaching by the Psalmist. I can only imagine a loving Father looking in on a situation where one of His children are being taken advantage of, abused, mistreated, cheated, or harmed by an evil man/woman. I could easily see God becoming a lot more protective than the most loving dad would do if he saw someone about to mistreat his daughter;
3. Our reward for living righteously – Light shines on the godly and joy is awarded in their hearts! Do you suppose that ‘light’ might be the light of the SON? Darkness brings despair and disappointment. Light brings joy, peace and everlasting hope. Our everlasting hope is in knowing that because of our relationship with the Lord Jesus, we will one day be with Him and the Father in heaven for all of eternity! Glory be to God forever and forever!
4. Our expectation in return – Praise God from whom all blessings flow! Let’s stop burying ourselves in disappointment like those without hope. Instead, let’s learn to praise God above all the heavenly hosts, praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Amen!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: God rewards those who accept Him and are faithful in following His example and His teachings. Like our Father, God, let’s determine in ourselves to always hate evil.

PRAYER: Lord You are so good to us. From creation, to salvation, to eternal life with You and the Father in heaven, believers are blessed beyond our wildest imagination as to everything You have in store for us! Thank You loving Savior for watching over, protecting and keeping us until You return to take us home to glory. Please speak intently to the hearts of those who have shown no interest in knowing or accepting their Lord and Savior. May today be the day that they will hear Your voice and harken to Your call. Be glorified in everything accomplished by Your children today. May we always hate evil and promote our righteous Savior. 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!

God Uses Us To Tell Others About Him

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

DATE POSTED Sunday, 2022-07-17
WRITTEN AT: O Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: 2 Corinthians 2:14-16
TRANSLATION: The Living Bible (TLB)

BIBLE TEXT: 14 But thanks be to God! For through what Christ has done, he has triumphed over us so that now wherever we go he uses us to tell others about the Lord and to spread the Gospel like a sweet perfume. 15 As far as God is concerned there is a sweet, wholesome fragrance in our lives. It is the fragrance of Christ within us, an aroma to both the saved and the unsaved all around us. 16 To those who are not being saved, we seem a fearful smell of death and doom, while to those who know Christ we are a life-giving perfume.…

APPLICATION: At a party, men may try to connect with ladies not wearing a wedding band, or who may not be with their husbands. In others words, they look for obvious signs to determine their availability. Yesterday I walked into a pharmacy – it was clean, well staffed, had Christian music piping over its house speakers, had signs of being closed on Sunday and although there was no aroma to smell, yet my spirit detected an aroma of Jesus Christ. When we walk into a room of people that we may not know, they tend to look, smell, listen and feel for the aroma we exude. Sometimes they detect pride, bashfulness, prejudice and perhaps, bitterness. And often these conclusions are met because of things we do, say, pretend or portray. But how would they detect the character and likeness of Jesus in us? Friends, there are some who meditate on the Word of God, and they know about the heart and character of God. But there are others who have in their minds what they think Jesus and/or His representatives should look and act like. The latter will quickly judge us and place us in a virtual box they created. I believe that Paul is teaching us to stop pretending. If Jesus is inside of us, He will shine through in every word we say, in every helpful and unselfish deed we perform, in our warm and friendly smile, and in our unashamed glorification of our Master. To say it in yet another form, it will be evident that Jesus is at work in us and not we ourselves spending every effort to promote self. In verse 17 Paul went on to ask who might fit the qualification, or character, of Jesus? I can only believe that this is something that each of us must answer individually. May God create a humbleness in us that will seek to overstep our selfish desires and instead promote the love, sacrifice and God-like character of our Savior and Lord. No matter how much we try to preach, teach or evangelize the goodness of God, our lifestyle, character and words will always override in the mind of the unsaved we are trying to witness to.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Our love, character and words that exemplify our Master, will be a sweet aroma to those searching for Jesus!

PRAYER: What an honor to have You live in, and bless us, each and every day, precious Lord! So undeserving, yet You opened our eyes and allowed us to see Your sacrifice and experience Your love. Thank You dear Lord for loving us and treating us as our very own child. May it be obvious to those that we mingle with that Jesus is present, because of Your amazing gift of the Holy Spirit that lives inside of us. Oh Lord, may the words from my mouth, and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to You, and may I be a living witness to the lost and unsaved. Be glorified in me today dear Lord, and also in the lives of those I will interface with. May the lost see life – eternal through their experience with believers today, and may You be glorified. 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 or Who Are You Trusting In

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Salvation, Trust, Worship1 Comment

DATE POSTED Saturday, 2022-07-16
WRITTEN AT: O Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Mark 10:17; 24-25;
TRANSLATION: The Living Bible (TLB)

BIBLE TEXT: 17 As he was starting out on a trip, a man came running to him and knelt down and asked, “Good Teacher, what must I do to get to heaven?”
24 This amazed them. So Jesus said it again: “Dear children, how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter the Kingdom of God. 25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God.”

APPLICATION: It’s interesting to notice how certain things, and certain lifestyles might be considered acceptable by us and how we may even see open doors for acceptance into heaven. For us, it may not necessarily be riches that we may have placed our faith in, although many consider that as an open door for gaining access to any person. But we may feel like our position in church, or our giving to the church, may gain us access into heaven, as God may seek to reward us for our good works and giving spirit. It could be that our willingness to accept everyone at face value and not judge them for actions that are opposed to our personal beliefs and values in life; or our commitment to avoid cursing; drinking; or doing drugs; that may force us to feel safe and accepted by God. But friends, if it was as easy to enter heaven’s portals as our earthly minds would lead us to think, why do you suppose God saw the need to send His only Son into the world and contend with all the evil and sinful acts that we are well aware of? Why would God have seen the necessity to sorrowfully permit His Son to be beaten, abused, cursed, and hung on a cross, for the redemption of our sin? Are you naïve enough to believe that God went through all of the above to simply offer a suggestion to men who couldn’t find their own way into heaven? The rich young ruler probably had everything he needed to get into every place on earth; mix with everyone, no matter what their position was on earth; associate with the richest of men or the poorest and most unfortunate on earth; but his eyes were opened to the fact that there was nothing in his arsenal of assets that would get him into heaven or live eternally with the King of all kings. Jesus’ instruction to the young man is something that applies to everyone in search of eternity in heaven, or the endless joy and happiness of being in the presence of the Creator for ever and ever: “redirect your trust”. You obviously know that monetary; nor youthfulness; nor earthly leadership; nor even obeying the commandments will get you into heaven. There is only one way, and it is spelled out by Jesus in John 3:16 – ‘Whoever believes in Jesus – will be saved and receive eternal life’. Notice that ‘Whoever’ clears it all up on who qualifies to believe in Jesus: Rich or poor; Young or old; world leader or slave; church leader or new member; living in a palace or a hut; Baptists of Methodists. Friends, I believe you will see from the aforementioned that because God made us all, He also accepts all who will place their trust in Him. No respecter of persons. If you are ready and willing to accept Jesus as Lord today, let me encourage you to view my Footnote and dive in to the Biblical references available when you click ‘To Know Jesus’. Speak with a Bible teaching pastor, or believer today and allow them to lead you, walk with you and encourage you on this new walk of life!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Those who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ will be saved from their sin, and look forward to eternity in Heaven!

PRAYER: Thank You Lord Jesus for making salvation available to ALL, and thank You for guiding the rich, young, ruler from our Bible story today into a walk that led to Eternity in heaven. Lord, I pray that this devotional and Bible lesson will catch the attention of many who are yet to be saved. Please soften their hearts and show them Jesus, the One who died and rose again for the salvation of their sin. Convince them of their need for Jesus and give them the strength and boldness to make this important step in their life today. Be glorified because of sinners being saved through Your grace and because of Your sacrifice. 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!