Divine Blessings in Successful Marriages, etc.

On 2023-01-182023-01-18 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Love, Marriage, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Success, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Wednesday, 2023-01-18.
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Psalm 127:1-3
TRANSLATION: GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)

BIBLE TEXT: ¹If the Lord does not build the house, it is useless for the builders to work on it.
If the Lord does not protect a city, it is useless for the guard to stay alert.
²It is useless to work hard for the food you eat by getting up early and going to bed late. The Lord gives ⌞food⌟ to those he loves while they sleep.
³Children are an inheritance from the Lord. They are a reward from him.

APPLICATION: Solomon, known as the wisest man on earth, was also the richest man of his time and he was looked up to by leaders of neighboring countries because of his success. Solomon was also known as a man of God – obedient to God’s commands, and he honored his God in ways that man had never before witnessed such devotion and tribute. Why then do we see such division in our marriages, home life, and even in our children today? It seems a rarity to meet a couple who is still married to the spouse of their youth. In America, the records show that over 50% of first-time marriages fail. Unfortunately, Christians make up a good portion of that number. It is evident that even if you are walking close to the Lord, you will experience attack and assault on your marriage. It truly irks me to hear a young man respond, ‘I know she is another man’s wife, but I love her any way’. Unfortunately, this goes both ways, for women do the same thing, because they are intrigued by another man’s attention. In the Bible, we are told that in the same manner that God loves the church, that’s how He has enabled a man to love his wife. So as a man demonstrates that love, Satan is angered and tries his best to destroy that love. But Christians, we also know that greater is He (God) that is in us, than he (Satan) that is in the world. So, if we asked God to forgive us of our sins, and have trusted Him to do so, then we must learn to surrender our decisions to His will, and for His purpose. This includes our lifelong mate, our children – should we be blessed with one or more, our jobs and our everyday challenges. Can you see where this would really agitate Satan? God would force him to keep his hands off that which belongs to Him. That’s why we encounter conflicts, for Satan is constantly looking for our weak points. Friends, when we belong to Jesus Christ, we should take Matthew 6:33 very seriously, ‘Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and ultimately, all these other things will be added to you’. Now, as we enjoy marriage, God may bless us with little ones who could learn to be just like us. Children are a blessing from the Lord (vs 3), not an inconvenience, nor obstacles to our success in life. Because our spouse and our children are blessings from God, we should devote our attention to their happiness and give them our undivided attention. That’s a challenge for us folk! Electronic devices, old friends, hobbies, and a greed for more, more, more, is the norm for most families today. Yet in verse 2, God comforts and assures us that there is no need to labor night and day, or even long hours each day, for He is our Provider! Oh, that God would give each reader and listener the reassurance today that our priorities might be in order to achieve the success that God wants for us: God first, family second, church third and work, friends, hobbies and greedy desires to follow. To those considering marriage, let me encourage you to consider the priority I listed above for a long, happy and contented marriage. When you start off with dating, if God is first, then you will find in His Word that He wants you to wait until marriage before you give into sex with your partner. Living together is intended for a couple already joined in marriage. When you start off on the right track, with the right leader in charge of your life and willing to bless you beyond your wildest expectations, then your marriage will follow in like manner. But no matter where you are today, seek the face of the Master and ask Him to direct your path and help you get on a holy tract following His commands and living in righteousness like He exampled before you. I believe God will hear your heart’s cry and help you press that ‘reset button’ to walk in His ways until He calls you home to glory.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: I was blessed to catch a glimpse of how God will bless us, if we stop our selfish and greedy drive for success and allow Him first place in our lives. Just imagine, God is waiting to bless us, if we will let Him. I don’t believe we will find anyone else on earth that could take His place in His unselfish, unconditional desire to bless us! Oh, what a Savior!

PRAYER: Thank You, Lord for creating us and showing us how to love others, just as You have loved us. Thank You for family – spouse, children and relatives who will love us in spite of who we are. But in the Scripture today, You reminded us of what it takes to be the child, as you designed; the spouse, as You have blessed us with in our marriages; the dad and mom, in response to the child(ren) You have blessed us with; and the citizens at work, with friends, and in all relationships where we aim to example You. It is often said that we are not perfect in any of these ways, but in knowing the only Perfect One, I believe today that we can call on You to help us do a better job of portraying You to a lost and dying world. Live through us, work through us and love through us, Lord, so that the world will be reminded of the One we call Master, Lord, and Savior of the world. Help us Lord, to help others in their walk, and in their desire to be more like 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!

A Spiritual Circumcision

On 2023-01-172023-01-17 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Tuesday, 2023-01-17.
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Colossians 2:11-12
TRANSLATION: New Living Translation (NLT)

BIBLE TEXT: ¹¹When you came to Christ, you were “circumcised,” but not by a physical procedure. Christ performed a spiritual circumcision—the cutting away of your sinful nature. ¹²For you were buried with Christ when you were baptized. And with him you were raised to new life because you trusted the mighty power of God, who raised Christ from the dead. ¹³You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins.

APPLICATION: Physical Circumcision is the removal of bodily flesh that, if left alone, could harbor germs and possibly spread disease. This ‘flesh’ is therefore removed very early in life for little boys. Paul uses this as an example of what happens when sin is allowed to originate, fester and spread to others. If it’s root cause is not corrected as soon as it is noticed, relationships will be damaged, and innocent lives might be impacted. Sin is the result of one not honoring and obeying the commands and teachings of their Creator, God. Where sin abounds, mankind will adapt to the evil ways of the enemy, Satan, and their sinful deeds go on to destroy the lives of others. I love the illustration of Paul, in helping the born-again Christian to visualize how the cleansing blood of Jesus Christ tears away the sin that has troubled us and caused us so much headache. We buried that old sin as one does in the illustration of baptism, and as cleansed followers of Jesus Christ, we rise up to live holy and noble lives in the presence of the holiest One, Jesus. For the non-believer reading this today, please know that Christians are no better than you are, and they are only holy because of the holiness of Jesus Christ. But the invitation to accept Jesus, is open to all who would believe on the name of Jesus Christ – that includes you, my friend. Jesus died for us all, and so His invitation is open to every child of His that would accept His offer of salvation. Jesus went to be with the Father, so that they might prepare a place for believers when we are removed from this world. If you have chosen to do nothing with the offer from Jesus, then you are destined for Hell and all its fury. Please consider the invitation from Jesus today. Accept Him as Lord of your life. Allow Him to pull back the attraction and the impact of sin on your life, so that you can join hands with all my Christian friends and I as we enter into eternal life around the glorious throne of the Creator of this universe, our Father who art in heaven!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: We’ve all heard of a spiritual transformation, now that we have been reminded of the spiritual circumcision performed on us at the time of accepting Jesus as Lord, let us stand firm in our faith and honor God with our lives each and every day!

PRAYER: Lord, You are good to us. Far greater than anything we could ever expect or deserve. Thank You for loving us like no other can or will – way more than we could expect or deserve. Thank You for forgiving us of our sin and preparing us for the likes of heaven with You and the Father. What a glorious reminder today of how You not only accepted us, but You pulled back the flesh – our sinful earthly self. You cleansed us and made us brand new – acceptable in Your eyes. Please help us to live like Your children so that others will see and believe in our soon coming King. Lord, we life Your name on high and sing praises to the holy One, Jesus our Lord. AMEN!

The Source of Your Growth in The Lord

On 2023-01-142023-01-14 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Saturday, 2023-01-14
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Colossians 2:7-10
TRANSLATION: Living Bible (TLB)

BIBLE TEXT: ⁷Let your roots grow down into him and draw up nourishment from him. See that you go on growing in the Lord, and become strong and vigorous in the truth you were taught. Let your lives overflow with joy and thanksgiving for all he has done. ⁸Don’t let others spoil your faith and joy with their philosophies, their wrong and shallow answers built on men’s thoughts and ideas, instead of on what Christ has said. ⁹For in Christ there is all of God in a human body; ¹⁰so you have everything when you have Christ, and you are filled with God through your union with Christ. He is the highest Ruler, with authority over every other power.

APPLICATION: I believe that many in the medical profession probably wish on many occasions that the internet never existed for their patients. For many of us tend to see what ‘Professor Google’ has to say about every little ache or pain that comes upon us. Therefore, when we visit our doctors, it’s just the matter of us telling them exactly what’s wrong, and how to best solve the problem for us! Funny, but wouldn’t it be awesome if Christians read their Bibles as frequently as they consulted with Google? You see, others will help to confirm our understanding of the Bible, and/or clear up any misunderstanding, but I believe that we must be a people of the Word of God. In my working career, I was frequently at seminars, training sessions and persistently studying written copies of government regulations to ensure that I obeyed their instructions as they related to my job. If I didn’t stay current, then government regulators would soon enough correct me by writing me up, and possibly fining my employer. Also, if I didn’t stay current, I would never detect if employee practices and false interpretation of the regulations would ever be caught. And so it is with Christians today. If we don’t stay in the Word of God on a regular basis, how would you affirm what your pastor says in his sermon? I know, you have the best pastor, and he would never intentionally mislead you with a falsehood. But, I had a pastor who was challenged by one of his congregants at the door as they filed by him giving their praises for his sermon just delivered. The challenger questioned something he said, as it differed from their understanding from the Word. Upon investigation, the pastor realized that the congregant was correct, so he re-preached the same sermon in order to correctly convey the truth to his church. Friends, let’s be reminded that teachers, preachers, elders, deacons, and other church leaders, are mere humans, just like us. While most will not intentionally misguide us, we are all subject to the same warning given by Paul in our Scripture today. At times, pastors and teachers may be over our heads in their highly educated teachings, or they may be so filled with news reports, and so opinionated about various earthly things, that they may not always be on target with what says the Word of God. Perhaps if church leaders left politics up to the politicians, and gave Christians a steady course of Biblical teaching, we might be better informed on the commands of Jesus Christ, and more apt to listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit as He leads us to all truth, even in our voting and our expectations of elected officials. The bottom line my friends, is that our spiritual growth will come from the Word of God. He inspired great men of God to include His commands, His teachings and His practices, so we could have a guide for practical Christian living here on earth. As we follow Christ, and live according to His teachings, not only will we grow in our faith, but the lost will see evidence of the living Christ who died for their sins and who desires to see them in heaven someday.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Christians are filled with Christ, just as Christ is filled with all the glory and wonder of God! My heart can only sing of His wonders and His grace, glory to God in the highest!

PRAYER: Dear Lord, thank You for this reminder today about Your expectation of Your children to be filled with You and Your glory! Please continue to impress upon us the need for daily growth in our understanding of, and appreciation for, Your amazing grace that transcends all earthly understanding. May we be so filled with the Holy Spirit, and of the written Word, that we will not only discern false teachings, but that we would always stand against that which takes away from the majesty and glory of our Almighty God, and instead stand firm with solid Biblical teaching. To be more filled with You and Your Word, is to be less filled with the evil sway of this world and its false doctrines. Oh, that Jesus might be seen in every fiber of our beings, so that the lost will recognize Jesus in us and seek salvation, and the saved might be encouraged and learn more of You for their ongoing edification and ministry. AMEN!

How We’ve Changed

On 2023-01-132023-01-13 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Evangelism, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Friday, 2023-01-13
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Luke 8:1-3
TRANSLATION: Good News Translation (GNT)

BIBLE TEXT: ¹…. Jesus traveled through towns and villages, preaching the Good News about the Kingdom of God. The twelve disciples went with him, ²and so did some women who had been healed of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (who was called Magdalene), from whom seven demons had been driven out; ³Joanna, whose husband Chuza was an officer in Herod’s court; and Susanna, and many other women who used their own resources to help Jesus and his disciples.

APPLICATION: As a child, I remember evangelists coming to my small town, seemingly without prior notice. We would suddenly find them on our street corners celebrating their Savior and sharing the Word of God. Although they received an offering to help with their expenses and to fund future endeavors, finances didn’t seem to be the emphasis. Were they mocked and accused of sin even while representing God in those street services? Of course. But which of you can stand and say that your church leaders are not under close scrutiny by your members, and perhaps even accused many times of things that members tend to judge minister on? Notice that Jesus allowed some on the trip that everyone may have known to have committed certain sins or had been possessed by certain demons. What should that say to us when we look at certain church attendees who may be identified by the community to be of questionable character? Can God cleanse their hearts, make them brand new inside, and accept them as His humble servants? As for ministering in support positions, I once went on a mission’s trip to South Dakota with several men, mostly pastors. In our van that we travelled in, we found coolers filled with drinks and snacks for us. The love and support of our church ladies was felt throughout our trip and especially the many hours of driving time. In our story today, these ladies actually went along with Jesus and His disciples as a support arm. This was one aspect of the trip that these men would not be distracted from their mission for! I feel deeply that God looks on the support team for our ministers and missionaries, just as importantly as he does for the actual ministers. Another major part of this story is the reminder that Jesus led the way for He and His disciples to take the Good News of Jesus Christ outside the walls of the church and into the hi-ways and byways where folk may never bother themselves to hear the Gospel message inside a fancy church building. Oh, how that has changed. Are we really effective anymore in reaching the communities we live in, work in, and conduct our church services in? Some larger churches manage to attract people from deep within their communities because of the programs, exciting praise and worship segments of their services, and possibly the charisma of their pastor. But do our churches today truly prepare their congregants to go out spread the Gospel to everyone, like we are instructed in Matthew 28:19? I feel like Jesus took His disciples along so that He could ensure that they could carry the torch when He is no longer around in person. This would mean that they could make the next trip into the community on their own and train other new Christians following in their footsteps. Friends, ashamedly I believe we could easily see that churches today barely minister to the sick of their congregation, or small group, anymore. Christians are often afraid to offend anyone, so telling others the Good News that they may have never heard before, may provoke challenging Biblical questions and/or insult to our efforts. Let’s be challenged by the lesson taught to us by our Master – go into all the world and preach the Gospel – the Good News. Start by sharing that message with another church member, or a friend you can trust. Then challenge a coworker to hear the Good News that you have to share with them. These are all folk who would very willingly sit to hear you tell them about an approaching storm, or the newest movie you saw. If something has truly changed your life and continues to change you each day that You spend time communicating with God through prayer and Bible Study, then I would dare say that you have a personal, life changing message to share with them. Remember, our job is to share the Good News. It’s still God’s job to save them, if they accept the Good News brought by us!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Jesus set the example for His disciples, and for us, in ministering to the local communities and the many who have chosen to exclude God from their lives. I wonder how He will rate our efforts to follow in His footsteps.

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, You saw the need to minister to those in need of a Savior, and the need to teach spiritual leaders how they should follow in Your example. I don’t believe we are doing so well in this today, dear Lord. We hardly show compassion to believers who worship or study alongside us in the church, and we have occupied ourselves with everything but ministry. How will they know, unless we teach them or minister to them? (Romans 10:14) Please Lord, teach us to get over ourselves, and our church, and our business, and instead think of the souls of Your children, especially the unsaved and the hurting, in our community. Please show us ministry opportunities and fill our hearts with the words that You would have us share. New Christians are looking for real-life examples to follow, and leaders who will train them in the ways of the Lord. May we be among those who are willing to share the love of Christ that has saturated our lives through every circumstance of life. AMEN!

Why Christians Lack Thanksgiving

On 2023-01-112023-01-11 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Thanksgiving, Worship2 Comments

DATE POSTED Wednesday, 2023-01-11
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Colossians 2:6-7
TRANSLATION: Living Bible (TLB)

BIBLE TEXT: ⁶And now just as you trusted Christ to save you, trust him, too, for each day’s problems; live in vital union with him. ⁷Let your roots grow down into him and draw up nourishment from him. See that you go on growing in the Lord, and become strong and vigorous in the truth you were taught. Let your lives overflow with joy and thanksgiving for all he has done. ⁸Don’t let others spoil your faith and joy with their philosophies, their wrong and shallow answers built on men’s thoughts and ideas, instead of on what Christ has said.

APPLICATION: Ever notice how we struggle to find things to share with the family at Thanksgiving, or perhaps we share just the same old, same old? Are we really overflowing with thanksgiving each day as we reflect on all the reasons we have for being a child of the King that day? How is it at your church when your group is asked to share what they are thankful for? Is the room filled with silence, or are you challenged to find an opportunity to get a word in because of the endless praises of thanksgiving being offered up by your group? I wonder if in many cases we are caught up in telling the pastor, or group leader what we think they want to hear, or perhaps trying to encourage a group member by saying what you feel they need to hear. What if that challenge was restated as ‘what would you tell God right now that you are thankful for in what He’s been doing in your life’? Please allow me to restate some of the things that Paul reminds us of that will influence our attitude of praise:
=> Trust God with each day’s problems – When we don’t do this, we tend to go into overload, as troubles tend to increase when we mess up in trying to solve them alone.
=> Live in vital union with Christ – I feel like ‘vital’ means that we shouldn’t dare to attempt life without seeking out our Lord Jesus in everything. Only Jesus knows what lies ahead for us, and only He knows the way to the Father. So, we must always incorporate Jesus in our plans, even after asking Him to guide and protect us on our journey of life.
=> Let your roots grow down deep in Him – I was nurtured as a baby, lived with my parents, listened to them, fed the best meals by them, seen their lifestyle, witnessed their success in life, and therefore became, what I believe to be, a reflection of them, because of my roots being embedded and nurtured by my parents. That what we can expect when we allow our lives to grow deep in Jesus also. When others try to discern where our strength, our beliefs, our principles, and our practices come from. I pray that they will easily discern the depth of our love and admiration of, and our obedience to our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ.
=> Grow in the ways of God – We learn the ways of God by reading about Him and His practices, throughout the pages of His Word. We grow in His ways by making every effort to obey His Word and all that He commanded us to do. We grew in the ways of our parents by obeying what they instructed, and in imitating what they did that resulted in a blessed and successful life. It’s no different in the formula to grow in the ways of God.
=> Be ready to defend your faith – Paul taught that when we fail to do the above things, we will accept whatever goes on around us, and taught by whomever comes our way. With Jesus as our Savior, and with our determination and godly principles in place, we can depend on God to help us defend our faith. Let me encourage you to reflect back on this anytime you feel like you have been gullible in listening to false teaching or failed to stand firm in your faith.
Friends, I believe we were designed to explode in excitement, joy and thanksgiving when we see good and glorious things happening in our lives because of our determination to be more like Jesus every day. So, what are we thankful for? Give me an hour as I share with you the love of my God for a servant such as I, and for His deliberate blessings poured out on me each day!! An old hymn was written about this end result ‘Count you many blessings, name them one by one, and it will surprise you what the Lord has done‘! And another ‘Thank You Lord, for Your blessings on me‘!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Praise and thanksgiving will come naturally when we’ve been with Jesus, and when we’ve taken particular note of how He’s been with us in all of life’s challenges and good times!

PRAYER: Lord, You are good and Your mercies endure forever and forever. I can’t imagine life without Your love, power, teachings and Your wonderful blessings each and every day. Thank You Lord for desiring a relationship with me – such an unworthy vessel – until I found You. Thank You for the reminder, through Paul, of the things that will enhance our relationship with You and fill us to overflowing with praises and thanksgiving to You each and every day. Oh Lord, please let this be something that attracts the unsaved person to You. Help them to know that it’s only because of You that we could smile in our storms of life, for we know the end of the story and all the blessings that await us in Heaven. Please Lord, allow this word today to encourage and strengthen the commitment of Christians, and use it to show the unsaved world all the difference that You make in our lives, so that they too may desire relationship with You. AMEN!

Who’s NOT Worthy Of Jesus?

On 2023-01-102023-01-10 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Forgiveness, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Salvation, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Tuesday, 2023-01-10
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Luke 7:36-39
TRANSLATION: The Passion Translation (TPT)

BIBLE TEXT: ³⁶ … Simeon, a Jewish religious leader, asked Jesus to his home for dinner. Jesus accepted the invitation. When he went to Simeon’s home, he took his place at the table.
³⁷ In the neighborhood there was an immoral woman of the streets, known to all to be a prostitute. When she heard that Jesus was at Simeon’s house, she took an exquisite flask made from alabaster, filled it with the most expensive perfume, went right into the home of the Jewish religious leader, and in front of all the guests, she knelt at the feet of Jesus. ³⁸ Broken and weeping, she covered his feet with the tears that fell from her face. She kept crying and drying his feet with her long hair. Over and over, she kissed Jesus’ feet. Then, as an act of worship, she opened her flask and anointed his feet with her costly perfume.
³⁹ When Simeon saw what was happening, he thought, “This man can’t be a true prophet. If he were really a prophet, he would know what kind of sinful woman is touching him.”

APPLICATION: While this is a very interesting story about a Jewish leader, a harlot, and about Jesus breaking the norm to eat at the home of a man who despised Him, yet there are some very challenging thoughts that might sober us in the way we think, especially when we think that it’s just our inner person involved. There are several places in the Bible where we are told that Jesus not only hears the words we speak, but He also knows our thoughts. Click on the Scripture reference above and you will be presented with the full chapter in Luke where today’s verses derived from. In the verses following my excerpt, you will be touched by the way Jesus dealt with the thoughts of Simeon mentioned in verse 39. Allow this to challenge you into the thoughts that come across your mind when a person walks down the isle of your church on a Sunday morning who: Is dressed differently to you and those around you; Just got out of prison; Is well known in the community for the shady work that they do; or is known from recent press reports to be of questionable character. Will you be the first one to walk alongside that individual to the altar where you could lead them to Christ? Will you be the one to warn the pastor about the risky character of this new church attendee? Will YOUR Jesus love, accept and save such a shady person, or will they have to clean up their act first? Also, in the verses that follow, you will find that Jesus was forced to tell Simeon about his shortcomings at this luncheon, and how this lady of questionable character filled all the gaps that he (Simeon) missed out on. Friends, the lesson that I believe God wants us to receive loud and clear, is that there is so much that we have to clean up in our own lives, how dare we overlook the plank in our own eye, to point out the splinter in another’s eye. Jesus is the only perfect One that walked this earth, and as long as we remain on earth, we will always be plagued by the sin that surrounds us every day. Let’s be diligent about seeking God’s forgiveness of the sin that impacts us each day, while we encourage others that we come into contact with, to do the same. As a beggar searching out the face of God for forgiveness, let us be diligent about sharing the blessings we receive with other beggars also looking for the same. God knows the condition of each heart, and He is capable of cleansing and forgiving the sin of the best man we know on earth, at the same time that Jesus hears the cry for forgiveness from a harlot or an axe murderer two doors down from us. Think of the mercies of God to a sinner like yourself, then it will be much easier to understand why He forgives and accepts the sinners we struggle to love and accept. Jesus died for us all – sinners unworthy of love and praise from anyone, yet they are precious in the eyes of Jesus who will forgive all sinners requesting mercy and forgiveness.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Jesus is no respecter of persons. Every man, woman and child living on earth is affected by the sin Satan brings to mankind. Therefore, a king and a harlot may be at the throne of grace at the same time seeking forgiveness. All are precious in His sight, for we are all His creation – His children! If all are accepted by Jesus, then we must learn to accept each other.

PRAYER: As a sinner saved by Your grace, oh Lord, please help me to be loving and accepting of others, especially those who are still seeking a Savior. Slaves may not even be accepted at their master’s table, but because our Master and Lord created everyone – even slaves, we all are welcomed at His throne, if we have humbled ourselves and invited Jesus to be Lord of our lives. Thank You Lord Jesus for accepting even us, sinners undeserving of a kingly crown. May the King of all kings forgive us of our sin and accept us as saints who will walk the streets of gold and dine with the Master Himself. Please impress upon us the importance of imitating You in everything we do, say and think. May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight oh Lord, my Rock and my Salvation. AMEN!

Who Is In First Place?

On 2023-01-092023-01-09 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Seek God First, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Monday, 2023-01-09
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Colossians 1:15; 17-19
TRANSLATION: Living Bible (TLB)

BIBLE TEXT: ¹⁵Christ is the exact likeness of the unseen God. He existed before God made anything at all,^….
¹⁷He was before all else began and it is his power that holds everything together. ¹⁸He is the Head of the body made up of his people—that is, his Church—which he began; and he is the Leader of all those who arise from the dead, so that he is first in everything; ¹⁹for God wanted all of himself to be in his Son.

APPLICATION: When churches are hurting financially, you might hear a pastor share a challenge where congregants are challenged to examine their checkbooks and determine where their priorities lie. New pastors coming into a church will do the same thing, they will examine the budget of a church and look for the priorities of that church. In reflecting over the past year, this past Sunday, or at the end of each day, what do you suppose that God would see as your priority in life? Perhaps for a great self-evaluation, it may be a great idea to do this every day! When things are not going as well as you had hoped, it may be best to do some inner reflection to discern whether you have taken the wheel of life from God and trying to do things on your own. While I believe that our Scripture is drawing us to an understanding that Jesus was first to experience everything, and His rightful place is to be first in everything we encounter in life, I believe God also wants us to be sure to place Jesus first in our lives, first in our marriages, first in our children, first in our finances, first in our church, first in our jobs and first in our friendships. When this happens, we are more apt to show the world that before all else, Jesus was! As for our personal lives, the world will only be impacted when the see what type of Christian we are and they experience the evidence that Jesus was, is, and will be first in everything we do and speak. In other words, if you expect to be around me, you will see and hear that Jesus is first. But while this will come with rejoicing at times, this commitment and display of godly behavior will come with many challenges, for this will upset Satan, and he will set his followers in motion to destroy us and challenge our faith. Remember, Jesus responded to Satan with the Scriptures, so arm yourself with the same, and you face Satan head on today.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: God wanted all of Himself to be in His Son (vs 19), and I believe that Jesus wants all of Himself to be in us. Is He welcome, and will He find a holy space in which to reside?

PRAYER: Thank You Lord Jesus for creating us in Your image, sending Your Son so that we could enter the portals of heaven, and for Your precious Word to show us Your will for our lives. You knew the struggle we would face here on earth, so You allowed Your Son to experience many of the challenges that we face. However, we now have an advocate who sits at Your right hand in glory petitioning for us. Jesus set the stage for us, and He left us His example as our guide. Please continue to impress upon us the importance of allowing Jesus to be first in our lives. May Your Word always be first and a priority in our daily lives so that we could hear Your voice and receive Your guidance in this life. Lord, be glorified in and through me today. Let others see Jesus when they interact with me, so that their eyes may be turned towards You as they seek Your face. Touch the lives of unbelievers today, especially those in our realm of family and friends, and also the same for my readers and listeners. AMEN!

What Are They Like?

On 2023-01-072023-01-07 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Imitate Jesus, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Saturday, 2023-01-07
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Luke 7:31; 33-35
TRANSLATION: New Century Version (NCV)

BIBLE TEXT: ³¹Then Jesus said, “What shall I say about the people of this time? What are they like?
³³John the Baptist came and did not eat bread or drink wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon in him.’ ³⁴The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Look at him! He eats too much and drinks too much wine, and he is a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ ³⁵But wisdom is proved to be right by what it does.”

APPLICATION: I remember a saying by my old mother. Perhaps you may have also heard this before, but I feel like it is so appropriate for this devotional today. Mom would say about my friends, ‘put them all in a pot, and I’m not sure who would jump out first’! Sounds mysterious, but she meant they were all alike, and she didn’t think any of them would stand up in honor of right principles or show proof of training in godly teachings. Jesus had a very similar scenario with the crowd He was addressing and, I feel, the way He dealt with them could serve to teach us about our behavior. A noted Bible commentator, John Courson, reminds us that ‘godly wisdom is seen in the transformation of people practically. Look at the children of the Lord, born-again believers, and you see people who were once strung out on drugs, hooked on pornography, or held captive by materialism; people with messed-up marriages, hurting families, and broken lives who are now in the process of being perfected. God’s wisdom is justified in changed lives. Let the Pharisees argue all they want. The irrefutable fact is that lives are changed‘. As for us, I believe that it is still God’s purpose to know the heart of His children and to ensure that their hearts are filled to capacity with His love, His teachings, and a clear understanding of all that He did for us, so that everything that pours out from our mouths and every action that we take, is all demonstrative of the life and works of the One we have chosen to be our Guide, and the one who provides us the much needed wisdom to live like Jesus, even among those who act like the Pharisees did. Let’s try to listen carefully to what our friends say about the church and about Christians as a whole. Don’t be so quick to argue with them, but rather listen to their criticism. Be ready to accept that they are describing what they see – who we are in their eyes, as children of the King, and what He looks like in our human form. Saying that we are Christian will never get us into heaven. Accepting Jesus as Lord of our lives is the only way. Jesus is teaching that if we surrender self, and give Him control, then our lives will look and sound like Him, in His eyes and to those in the world in which we live. But for just a moment, let us also look at opposite views, as it always helps me to either see myself, or notice that I may be on the right track. So, in looking at the opposite view, I believe we would see results that do not reflect the wisdom of Jesus, nor His teachings or His example. I know it is very clear to see this view in the ungodly, and those who have chosen to reject Jesus, but as we conclude today’s devotional, let’s be encouraged to daily look inward and see if there’s enough of Jesus in us, that’s evident to the world. Could they find us guilty of being a believer in Jesus Christ and a child of the King? The way to ensure a right relationship with God, is to regularly return to the foot of the cross and ask God to open our eyes and melt our hearts, so that we may see our wrongdoing and reflect on our shortcomings, knowing that only He could restore spiritual health to our souls. Only He could give us boldness to stand firm for Jesus, even under very challenging circumstances. People we love and know still need Jesus, my precious friend. Hopefully they will see enough of Jesus in our lives that they will also want to walk this road with us to await His return!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Godly wisdom is evident by what impact it makes in our lives!

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, it’s not so easy for us to frown on the Pharisees when we stop and apply the truth of Your Word to our own lives. For we see where we could easily join in the chorus written by our ancestors ‘It’s me, it’s me oh lord, standing in the need of prayer. I’s not my brother or my sister, but it’s me oh Lord, standing in the need of prayer‘. Lord, please help us to clear up the weaknesses, the disobedience, the lack of desire and unwillingness to change in our own lives first, before looking at the Pharisees, or those who call themselves righteous. Unfortunately, today we must test an email to ensure its legitimacy, answer a call and listen to at least a few words, to determine its legitimacy, ask for ID to prove the legitimacy of an individual, and way too often test the message from our friends to determine the validity of their stand with You. I believe this all derives from the lack of consistent proof about who’s feeding our soul and our mind. Please impress upon us the need to be consistent in our relationship with You, including keen listening to what You have to say back to us through Your written Word. May it be evident to those who come into contact with us, that greater is He that is in us, than he that is in this old, wicked world. Let’s show them Jesus each and every time they cross our paths, so that Jesus might be lifted up and glorified as He draw all men unto Yourself. AMEN!

Wait On the Lord and Worship Him

On 2023-01-062023-01-06 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Wait on the Lord, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Friday, 2023-01-06
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Psalm 123:1-2
TRANSLATION: The Voice (VOICE)

BIBLE TEXT: ¹I raise my eyes to fix my gaze on You, for Your throne resides in the heavens.
²Just as the eyes of servants closely watch the hand of their masters,
Just as a maid carefully observes the slightest gesture of her mistress,
In the same way we look to You, Eternal One, waiting for our God to pour out His mercy upon us.

APPLICATION: Ever noticed that the things of this world tend to tug on our hearts in such a way that we become engrossed in more, more, more of its evil ways? Take for example politics – the more we sit and watch the hatred spread by opposing members of our political leaders, the angrier we become, and the more vindictive we become with those who oppose our views? The more we watch television, the easier it is for us to keep waiting for the next movie about to come on. Those same types of unfortunate attractions seem to impact us when we hear of squabbles involving close relatives, or church members. But for those who put their trust in the Lord, I believe that David set an excellent example for us to follow, and throughout the Psalms, he offered many examples of why and how we could reflect God in our everyday lives. Let’s stop the busyness of this new year long enough to peak in on what is being shared through Pslam 123 today. I read where one pastor gave good advice that might help us really take note of the words from the Psalmist: “Here is a real secret for me: I have found that if I look inward, I’ll be depressed. If I look outward, I’ll be distressed. But if I look up and fix my eyes on the Lord, I’ll be strengthened“. I found this so true as I review life today. So, let’s add to that what else we feel God might reveal through the inspired words of David:
=> Fix Our Gaze on The Lord – Many inspired writers in the Bible make reference to how their strength comes from God, the maker of heaven and earth. But where does mankind tend to look for help in getting them through the end a challenging day at work? What about when the pressure of life is hitting hard, where do we tend to turn for help? Isn’t it sad that even Christians tend to try everywhere else, before they finally surrender to God and seek His help, His guidance and to soak in His love? Step aside from the ways of the world and the stress that Satan tends to create in us when he pushes us towards his vices and his sinful answers to life. Strive to gaze on the Lord, worship Him, and wait for His direction.
=> Watch for God’s every move – I love the way that a few translations compare this to a slave watching for the gestures of his/her master. I am often blessed beyond anything I deserve, when I reflect on the many ways that God has worked in my life! Going through situations of life, it sometimes seems like there is no hope, and perhaps not worth living, if tomorrow will only bring more of today’s troubles. However, for the child of God who knows where their strength comes from, it is vitally important that we study and obey God’s commands, and stay true to our commitment to Him, for He cares for us and will not lead us astray. Even when the next move seems impossible, or if questionable to us, keep trusting God and watch for His every move as He guides you through, what He knows to be, the very best for you.
=> Seek His mercy – Why? You might ask. When you have done everything that this evil world presents to you, even those things that you are convinced that God would not approve of, what do you suppose you deserve from God? My friend, it is only through the grace of God, and because of His tender mercies, that He still looks on us in love and draws us to Himself. His mercy is everlasting, and because He loves and cares for us, He will extend mercy to us when we seek His forgiveness and His power to overcome sin.
Let me remind you friend, that none of the three items that I elaborated today can be aided by our friends, nor would they be forgiving enough to try and help. Only the God who created us can see the true value in us and love us anyway. Only God will give us second chances to face the challenges of this world like His child and be the best representatives like He deserves. Show them the ways of God and express His love through everything you say or do. Let them see Jesus!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: We serve an awesome God who is willing to forgive us of our sin and instead empower us to walk in His ways. so that the world might know He lives and reigns on high!

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, I surrender all to You and worship You for the awesome God that You are. I want to be just like You, Lord, but I need Your strength and Your power to overcome the world. Please continue to bless and empower as only You can. Please forgive us in our lack of commitment and the failure of obedience that ensues every day. Teach us Lord to walk in Your footsteps every day, not just those days when we really need to hear from You on a problem that’s bugging us and is much bigger than anything we could handle alone. The sad eyeopener is that others are impacted by our responses to life’s encounters, but way too often our response has nothing to do with Your teachings or Your commands. I know that we were not saved to soak and sour, but rather to let our lights shine for the glory of God. Please Lord, guide us to be everything that You desire of us. May Your kingdom increase, and may it become a better place to live because of the hope that we have, and the part that we play in it in representing You. AMEN!

How To Pray for Other Churches

On 2023-01-042023-01-04 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Encourage, Needs, Praise, Prayer, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Wednesday, 2023-01-04
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Colossians 1:9-12
TRANSLATION: Living Bible (TLB)

BIBLE TEXT: ⁹… ever since we first heard about you we have kept on praying and asking God to help you understand what he wants you to do; asking him to make you wise about spiritual things; ¹⁰and asking that the way you live will always please the Lord and honor him, so that you will always be doing good, kind things for others, while all the time you are learning to know God better and better. ¹¹We are praying, too, that you will be filled with his mighty, glorious strength so that you can keep going no matter what happens—always full of the joy of the Lord, ¹²and always thankful to the Father who has made us fit to share all the wonderful things that belong to those who live in the Kingdom of light.

APPLICATION: Not sure about you, but I am very uncomfortable when pastors and/or teachers and/or church members choose to beat up on another church, in order to promote how good, they are. God allowed Paul to share with us how we are to think of others who are on the same team as us. Think about it, children of God have the same Father, and in using the same Bible, we are all working towards achieving the same goals with the same end in mind. We all want to please our Father in every way that we could, as we each want the rewards promised to us at the end of this life here on earth. Because believers in Jesus Christ live by the same Book of Instruction (the Bible), then I believe that we could settle on the fact that every word included in that precious Book is God-inspired, and serves the specific purpose of directing our path under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. So, let’s look into today’s Scripture with these precepts in mind. I want to draw your attention to the following:
=> Notice the group that was addressed – Throughout the books written by Paul, we could see his heart especially for the churches he was instrumental in starting. But in this case, Paul is addressing a church that he never visited. For those of you that attend your church’s Prayer Meetings, how many churches are you praising and giving thanks for, that you never heard about? Imagine telling your church, or your prayer group that you are praising God for the work of a group that is shaking the world and community all around them. Don’t you think that your group will probably look at you and question, ‘but what about us’?
=> Notice the items Paul prayed for: 1). That God would help the church understand what He wants from them. Verses 3-6 are filled with descriptions of the great qualities of the group. I believe that when God sees His children willing and ready to bless their neighborhoods and bring them to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, then He will not hold back the gifts for them to use, nor the opportunities for them to bless others. 2). That God would make them wise about Spiritual things. When the people sees that it’s them you are wanting to bless and encourage, and not that you are just in ministry for personal gain, or reasons, then I have no doubt that they would accept you and begin to trust you. 3). That the way you live will always demonstrate the God that you serve. To do this, Paul promised to pray that God will fill them with wisdom to seek Him out and to grow in His love and favor so much that it would overflow into the hearts and lives of those they were ministering to. 4). That they would always be filled with God’s mighty and glorious strength that would enable them to love others and minister to them from a heart filled with joy and peace, not of tiredness and a feeling of being overly exhausted. 5). That he (Paul) and his co-laborers would be thankful and excited about God using the church at Colossae to spread His joy. Paul probably knew that when a people show God their availability, He would give them miraculous abilities to spread the Good News to all in their families, church body, town, region and indeed all the world.
I believe that the bottom line to Paul’s encouraging letter is to remind us that it takes all of our churches to reach all of the people for Jesus Christ. And that we are to consider that church down the road, or on the other side of town, as co-laborers working together in one common goal. It’s not a competition, nor is it a work for just the rich and the elite. This ministry is a ‘God thing’ and only His children – all of His children working together, that will touch the hearts of all people. At work you wouldn’t think twice about have a meeting to encourage one another, cheer on the teams from every department, and encourage them towards the common goal of success of our business. Let’s vow to do the same thing in the family of God, whether they are at our church, or just in the global ‘CHURCH’ serving and ministering on the other side of the world.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: I believe that God sees His work as something we do because of our love for Him, not because of who our pastor us, how we interpret the written Word of God, how big our church is, nor how much extra money we need each week to meet our budget. It’s about God, and we all are His workers in the field as one beggar trying to share a morsel of food with another beggar. Let’s get over ourselves and see God magnified, people saved, and the body of Christ on fire for the growth of His kingdom!

PRAYER: Lord, there is such joy when we kneel beside a fellow believer from a totally different community, church or body of Christ! Such a rejoicing when we can stand and worship You as one people when we attend a Christian concert and meet with believers from every faith, city, or nation! I believe these things are evident because it gives us a glimpse into what heaven will be like! Thank You Lord for the life and work of Paul, and for the ministry he left behind through his written words. As Your children read these encouraging words of Paul, may we place them in our hearts, and may our spirit be so uplifted and encouraged, that we will determine in our own hearts to celebrate with co-laborers in the ministry all over the world. Please lead us to a body of believer who need encouraging and who must be reminded of their worth in the work of the global church everywhere man is found. AMEN!

Nuggets From God's Word

Month: January 2023