Has God Turned Away?

On 2022-09-092022-09-10 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Friday, 2022-09-09
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: Jeremiah 44:21-23
TRANSLATION: Living Bible (TLB)

BIBLE TEXT: ²¹“Do you think the Lord didn’t know that you and your fathers, your kings and princes, and all the people were burning incense to idols in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem? ²²It was because he could no longer bear all the evil things you were doing that he made your land desolate, an incredible ruin, cursed, without an inhabitant, as it is today. ²³The very reason all these terrible things have befallen you is because you have burned incense and sinned against the Lord and refused to obey him.”

APPLICATION: If your teenage daughter, who may be traveling abroad, had to call you from the Atlanta airport and say that her flight stopped there for 2 hours and will continue at that time, if the weather subsides, you would probably be besides yourself with worry, and you would be on the phone endlessly as you give her warning upon warning about the huge airport, getting lost, and making sure that she returns to the gate in lots of time for her next flight! As I read this Scripture today, my heart sank as I considered that God gave us His very special Book – the Bible, that contains everything about how He created the world, and mankind in His very own image, yet He dreadfully watches each day as mankind chooses to go his own way and commit crimes against His commands, and even worse crimes against the laws of the land. Griends, our God loves us so much that He shared with us how upset He got with our ancestors, and how it caused Him to retaliate exceedingly. You see, I firmly believe that God ordained it for all this to be included in His Book in order to warn us that the same thing could happen to us, if we sin like our ancestors. Well guess what, it seems like the sin being committed in our cities, and in our states, and in our country as well as other countries around the world, far exceeds anything our ancestors could possibly have done. Additionally, look at the number of churches we have today, where pastors are standing several times a week to simplify what the Bible says, so that we could never claim that we didn’t know. Sadly, I would dare say that our county is no different to others in this world, for it is estimated that mankind has become so proud of his own accomplishments, that the see little reason for God. Why, statistics have revealed that less than 10% of our population attends church each week, and this was recorded prior to COVID. So basically, our people have either refused to read the Bible, or otherwise chosen to totally ignore the warnings, and they won’t attend church because they consider it antiquated, and not appealing to them. Dear friends, I’m not meaning to paint a picture of doom and gloom, but just like in the example of the mother, who warned her child who was traveling, I feel compelled to share these warnings from God with you, because I don’t want anyone to be left behind. Obviously God is seeing how He has been rejected, and how awful His servants are being treated by so many that refuses to hear or obey their warnings, and the wonderful news of God’s love. Please don’t wait any longer to make a decision for Jesus Christ, the Bible is clear that no one knows the day or the hour, but God could decide to call His church home to glory before you ever finish reading this devotional. There are many things in the Bible that tell us about the return of Jesus for His church. Many, if not most, of these things have already been put in place. If you have not taken time to accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior, may I encourage you to not wait, but instead seek Him now, while He may be found. Please take time to read my Footnote below, especially the information you will find by clicking on ‘To Know Jesus’. Alternately, stop by and see a local pastor, or drop me a note, we will be overjoyed to help you with your decision!

PRAYER: Loving Savior, thank You for making a way for us, and thank You for speaking to the hearts of each one about accepting You as Lord. Lord, I’m ashamed at all that is occurring in our world today. It seems worse than anything we have every read or heard about in Bible days, or in our past history, and it seems to only be getting worse. Please Lord, use simple things like our churches, your ministers, and even these types of devotionals, to help people see and understand the need for the Savior of the world. Please Lord, don’t give up on us yet, but I kindly ask that You melt the hearts of those who need You. Draw them close Lord, and cause them to seek Your face while You may be found. You wiped out the cities of Jeremiah’s time, and it may take that to get the attention of some today, but I plead with You to once again speak gently to the souls of my family, friends, listeners and readers. 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!

September Reasons To Praise God!

On 2022-09-072022-09-07 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Wednesday, 2022-09-07
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Pslam 116:7-9
TRANSLATION: The Voice (VOICE)

BIBLE TEXT: ⁷…. the Eternal has showered you with His favor. ⁸God, You alone rescued my soul from the grips of death, my eyes from weeping, and my feet from slipping. ⁹I will come before the Eternal as long as I journey in the land of the living.

APPLICATION: There are days when things just don’t seem to be going right for us, and it becomes challenging to find reasons to praise the One who created us and who sustains us each and every day. But like David, perhaps if we chose to look back over a larger period of time, we will remember:
-*- The many times that God rescued us from our troubles. In fact, we saw no way out of some situations, and we realized that we couldn’t survive too long under the strain and pressure of the existing stress. There was no one but God who could open the floodgates of heaven and permit the angels of God to envelope us, encourage us and guide us to a place where we could see the hand of God at work through our situation!
-*- How God protected us from premature death and the many vices of the evil one. For in the heat of the moment, we thought that we had everything under control. And it wasn’t until God pulled us aside and opened our eyes to the real danger of the moment, that we realized it was God’s protective hand that snatched us out of danger and death. He was our Savior – yet again!
-*- How He dried up our tears of dismay, sorrow and hopelessness, for in our time of trouble, we were convinced that there was no hope. But God came to our rescue and showed us His precious love for us and reminded us of the hope that is ours in knowing where we will spend eternity! Instead of tears and sadness, we became children of hope and expectation, and therefore rejoiced even under our current situation!
-*- How God kept us from slipping, our car from crashing, our children from the dangers that targeted them. Our prayers of protection were answered, and God took control, praise His holy name!
As we reflected, it was plain to see, and awesome to reflect on, the greatness of our God! It was for me that He died, for me that He rose again on the 3rd day, and for me that He sits at the right hand of the Father interceding for me. My heart can only sing of His goodness, though it may seem to others that I am going through the worst of times. Dear friends, we are reminded by David that the Father has showered His favor on us. If you are not attuned to His goodness, allow me to recommend that you draw closer to the source of all love, goodness and mercy, our Lord, Jesus Christ. He has a personal, vested interest in You, for He died a cruel death so that you might gain heaven as your eternal home and see He and His Father at very close range. Come, worship the Lord in complete joy and in the holiness of His very presence. Recognize His favor poured out on you over the years, and forever stand in praise of the Almighty for His goodness and mercy on even you.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me, all the days of my life, and I shall live in the house of the Lord forever! Praise to my ever-loving and everlasting Lord!

PRAYER: Oh Lord, great is Thy faithfulness, for You show Your love for us in so many ways, and You shower Your favor on us even though we are so undeserving. Forgive us Lord for our ungratefulness and for assuming that its only through our good works or our efforts that would make us deserving of Your love. You created us in Your image, and You sacrificed Your very own life for us. Your love is evident, in spite of who we are and what we have become. Please direct us Lord to pull up alongside of You and just savor Your goodness and relax our minds about what the future holds. All that matters is that we will be with You when You call us away from this earthly walk. Thank You for protecting Your servant, David, and thank You for drawing our attention once again today to your favor, so richly poured out for us. Please help us to show our gratefulness and to gloat on the mercies of our Master and Lord. May others see, hear, and believe. 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!

Live Out Your Faith Through Love

On 2022-09-052022-09-05 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Evidence of Faith, Faith, Faithful, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Monday, 2022-09-05
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Galatians 5:1-2; 5-6;
TRANSLATION: The Passion Translation (TPT)

BIBLE TEXT: ¹ At last we have freedom, for Christ has set us free! We must always cherish this truth and firmly refuse to go back into the bondage of our past. ² I, Paul, tell you: If you think there is benefit in circumcision and Jewish regulations, then you’re acting as though Christ is not enough.
⁵ But we have the true hope that comes from being made right with God, and by the Spirit we wait eagerly for this hope. ⁶ When you’re joined to the Anointed One, circumcision and religious obligations can benefit you nothing. All that matters now is living in the faith that works and expresses itself through love.

APPLICATION: I believe that many Christians who, when they find Jesus and accept Him as Lord, are guided into the path of righteousness by church members to help them live according to the teachings and practice of Jesus. Hopefully these new Christians receive Biblical instruction on why these things are recommended and why the church adopted these practices as part of their teachings. Otherwise, new believers could wind up telling their friends that these additional practices are required in order to secure their position with Christ. One of the things in particular that Paul found in his church was that, through tradition, Jews still insisted on the need for circumcision. While that particular medical procedure is still practiced today, it is performed for medical, or hygiene purposes, but in most Christian churches it is not mentioned in their by-laws or beliefs as a requirement by the church. Paul warns us that we must be careful not to attach any church or theological practices that are man-made or man-designed, as something additional that is required for one to believe on the Lord Jesus. The grace of Jesus is enough – all-sufficient for saving mankind from sin. Please always remember that Jesus came, died, and rose again, so that in our believing on Him, we might demonstrate His death on the cross – by us dying to our sin. And rise again in newness of life in Jesus, just as He did in His resurrection! We could never do enough good or be good enough of on our own accord to enter the gates of heaven – it is through the grace (undeserved favor) of God that we simply call on Jesus and tell Him how we believe He is the Son of God who died for our sin. He is enough dear friends! He has done the work already! He said He would accept us and forgive us of our sin, and we could go to the bank with that. So, I believe that it behooves Christians to really be careful in what we tell others about their obtaining eternal life. Just as we could never be good enough, let’s be careful to not burden those that need Jesus with a list of prerequisites. They can’t clean up their lives first, because they don’t have a Savior who will help them clean up the mess. Your church may require baptism for membership, but it is not a prerequisite for salvation. There is nothing, or no one else in whom we can be saved – only through accepting the gift or eternal life from Jesus alone and all that He did at Calvary for the forgiveness of our sin. I love the way that Paul described life after accepting Jesus – it will be evident through our love for others that Jesus is Lord of our life, and that the Holy Spirit who lives within the believer, is promoting love at every opportunity! I wonder – does the world see a child of God when they look at us? May our output be obvious proof of the love we received when we invited Jesus into our life!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Our input – the genuine acceptance of the love of Jesus as our Savior, will produce the output that God is looking for in His children- love for one another!

PRAYER: Thank You Lord Jesus for this reminder today! I pray that each reader and listener will join me, as together we look into the eyes of Jesus and thank Him for the opportunities given to us every day where we have the choice to love one another. It is so easy to complain about the sin of others and their failures in life, but it’s only through the grace of God that we overcome that weakness each day. God’s grace is greater than all our sin, our actions and even our bad language. But Lord, as a child of the King, we have every confidence that You will be our shield and protector against the evil of this world, as You work through Your holy Spirit in guiding us to all truth, happiness and joy in the Lord. You are our Lord and we adore You, faithful Lord. May that be obvious to the world as we strive to imitate You each and every day. AMEN!

You Belong to God, So….

On 2022-09-042022-09-04 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Dedication, Distractions, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Sunday, 2022-09-04
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: 1 Timothy 6:9-11
TRANSLATION: Contemporary English Version (CEV)

BIBLE TEXT: ⁹People who want to be rich fall into all sorts of temptations and traps. They are caught by foolish and harmful desires that drag them down and destroy them. ¹⁰The love of money causes all kinds of trouble. Some people want money so much that they have given up their faith and caused themselves a lot of pain.
¹¹Timothy, you belong to God, so keep away from all these evil things. Try your best to please God and to be like him. Be faithful, loving, dependable, and gentle.

APPLICATION: Thank God for His messengers, such as Paul, who saw the complexity of things that his new son in the ministry would be faced with, and then went on to coach him on staying righteous, even when the situation around him was tough. Seasoned pastors would be challenged when faced with these issues, but Paul had gone through a lot with the churches that he started and also in dealing with many of the individuals in those churches. Why do you suppose Paul forged ahead with giving this difficult advice to Timothy? Often times these problems will fester and create a monster problem, unless the issue is dealt with timely. As with many of our churches today, there were at least a few of the folk who were rich, or at least distracted by the idea of getting rich. This becomes a huge issue for pastors today, for soon these folk tend to feel like they’ve sent their money, so they don’t need to be there every time the doors open. But some churches find that too frequently these same folk will withhold tithes and offering until the church leadership becomes attuned to their likes and dislikes. This creates jealousy, envy and strife among the membership of the church, because they soon witness favoritism and cliques, while their faithful workers are overburdened to work harder to fill the gap for those who can’t be bothered to attend. As Paul taught this to Timothy, I’m so happy that he also went a step further to tell him what he should do differently, and this is still very applicable to us today. You’re a man of God Timothy, so stay clear of these evil things. In other words, yes, the church could really benefit from the finances of the rich, but you should never allow their influence to cause you to depend on them instead of God. Know that the ministry is about winning souls for Christ and edifying the saved among you, so that together you may lift up holy hands and hearts in worship to the King of all kings. Remember that if He (God) be lifted up, He will draw all men unto Himself. Never allow anything to hinder your praise to the Almighty. Paul reminded us of godly characteristics that are super important as we strive to represent Christ. These are the important qualities we should concentrate on, as opposed to the things that really distract our dedication to, and love for, the Lord. Today I’m sure that our distractions are numerous, but the truth remains – be faithful, loving, dependable, and gentle. Most of all dear friends, love God more than anything else in this world, and seek to show Him your love with every fiber of your being. I believe if this was taught to prospective and/or new members, they would develop a different start in unifying themselves with a local body of believers. We meet for no other reason but to lift up the name of Jesus and to learn so much about Him that we will make it our aim to look and sound just like Him!

PRAYER: Dear Lord Jesus, thank You for giving Your very life on Calvary so that we might have life eternal. Please help us to never hesitate to give of ourselves as we dedicate ourselves to You and as we seek to share our witness with a broken and lost world. Please give us boldness to withstand the distractions that come our way, so that we may always strive to represent You best. Please soften the hearts of those who feel like it’s enough to give financially to Your work, or to just have financial worth and filled with worldly advantages. There is nothing more important than serving You and showing our love for You. We need You every hour of everyday Lord, to be by our side and fill us with more of Your love. May lost ones be encouraged to see and believe that God is alive and well! AMEN!

My Help When Fear & Troubles Come

On 2022-09-032022-09-03 By Ed AlgreenIn Defense against the enemy, Fear, Fortress, Rock, SalvationLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Saturday, 2022-09-03
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

Bible Reference: Psalm 62:1-2
Translation: The Living Bible (TLB)

Bible Text: ¹ I stand silently before the Lord, waiting for him to rescue me. For salvation comes from him alone. ²Yes, he alone is my Rock, my rescuer, defense and fortress. Why then should I be tense with fear when troubles come?

APPLICATION: Based on our personal experiences with God, I wonder what words we might use to describe our God. Let’s look deeper at the adjectives used by David as he tried to describe his awesome God. Perhaps we could decide whether we have witnessed any of these same characteristics of God in our lives, and the value we attribute to those qualities:
~ Our salvation: Can you thank God for the salvation you found through the precious gift of Jesus – your Savior and your Redeemer? There is no other way into heaven than through the shed blood of Jesus, my friend. How often do you thank Him for that precious gift, and brag on it before others, as David did in these verses?
~ Our Rock: Solid; impenetrable; immovable; dependable; will not give in or crumble under extreme weight or pressure – these are some of the words that can be used to describe a rock. David described God as his ‘Rock’ because he had seen many of these characteristics and strengths in his relationship with God.
~ Our Rescuer: This makes me think of times that one has been in deep trouble and have been noticeably rescued from that trouble because of prayers asked of God to pull you to safety. Having a personal relationship with the God of this universe, means that He can and will rescue you even when it may seem hopeless in your own eyes. Remember, He’s the one who walked on water; He’s the one who parted the Red Sea for His people to walk safely through; and he’s the one who performed miracle after miracle in Biblical accounts and in the lives of those we know and love today. Yes, dear friend, He could certainly rescue you from your situation today if you place your faith and trust in Him!
~ Our Defender: I tend to think of someone who will defend against those intending to harm their loved ones. Our primary worry here on earth is Satan, for his intentions are simply to kill, steal and destroy us, while leading us away from God. In knowing Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we can agree with David on this, that because we serve the supreme God of this universe, He will defend us from the evil one, especially when we pray as He taught us: ‘lead us not into temptation and deliver us from evil’. Ask Jesus to do this, child of God. Then be ready to brag on Him as your Defender, just like David did!
~ Our Fortress: In the Bahamas, and here in Florida, there are forts that were built to help our ancestors defend against invaders. The walls are several feet thick in some places, and were built to keep our soldiers safe from an incoming cannon ball. So, when the enemy was approaching, they all went to their ‘fortress’ for safety and protection. I believe that’s about how David felt, and I believe that’s about how we should feel. In our case, the enemy is waiting to attack every time we turn around, so being safely inside our ‘fortress’ means that we know the Head of Heaven’s Army and He knows us! He will reassure us of the safety and security of His loving arms. I trust that today you are very confident in knowing that you can run to the security of your ‘Fortress’, safe in the arms of our Lord and Savior. Jesus Christ! A stranger knocking on the door of the fortress in the height of battle will not be allowed in, for they personally chose to reject that security. Let that not be your case friend. Look full into the eyes of Jesus today and accept His offer to be your Lord and Savior – your Fortress in every circumstance of life.
Can you add to this list of attributes, friends? Would you remove any of the attributes mentioned by David, because you have not experienced them in your relationship with God, yet?

PRAYER: Thank You Father for sending us Your Son to be our Salvation; our Rock; our Rescuer; our Defender; and our Fortress! Lord, I pray that today many will come to the foot of the cross and accept You as Lord and Savior, for all the reasons already mentioned in this devotional. I am proud to know that You accepted my plea for forgiveness and acceptance into Your kingdom, and I thank You from the bottom of my heart for being all of these things mentioned, and much, much more. Lord, I look forward to being with You in glory some sweet day, but while allowed to remain here on earth, I ask that You continue to watch over me and lead me to help another beggar looking for bread – the Bread of Life! AMEN!

Nuggets From God's Word

Month: September 2022