Month: April 2023

Biblical Qualities of a Church Leader

On By Ed AlgreenIn A Lamp unto My Path, Adoration, Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Awesome God, Beyond Description, Blessing, Celebrate God, Leadership, Leadership qualifications, Needs, Praise, Praise-worthy, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED: Sunday, 2023-04-30
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

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

BIBLE TEXT: This is a true saying: If a man is eager to be a church leader, he desires an excellent work. 2 A church leader must be without fault; he must have only one wife, be sober, self-controlled, and orderly; he must welcome strangers in his home; he must be able to teach; 3 he must not be a drunkard or a violent man, but gentle and peaceful; he must not love money;

OBSERVATION: Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Paul had important advice for Timothy as he searched for and indoctrinated leaders into churches he started and/or while ministering at some that Paul had already started. Surely God has not relaxed His qualifications because of the times we are in today, for the ‘times we are in’ churches seem to have merely relaxed their demands because of Satan’s push for less stringent rules. So, let’s not skip this aspect of the Scripture that we will come across as we commit to read, understand, and obey, the full Word of God.

APPLICATION: I would suggest that you click on the Bible reference above and read the full chapter, as I chose only a few verses to introduce the subject and remind you of the importance of obeying God and His teachings in this important aspect of His church. Let me say right at the very beginning of this study that every child of God has a place of ministry as they give witness to the God who saved them from a life of sin and eternal damnation. However, for those who will lead God’s church, He had Paul instruct how important it is that we get it right, at the very top of the chain of command. Having served for 47 years in the banking industry, I can assure you that the bank would not hire less than perfect individuals to serve in leadership positions in the bank. After all, can you imagine how thousands of bank customers would react if they became aware of an unworthy, unqualified, known criminal who was making leadership decisions over their hard-earned savings at the bank? Would it not be even more important that we make similar precautions when it comes to the leadership God’s church here on earth? Sure, we live in an imperfect world, but I had a pastor once say that he would choose to recommend that the church elect no deacons at all, if they couldn’t find biblically qualified deacons. Friends, we will be answerable to God if we choose leaders based on popularity, or their known financial worth, or a pushy individual who can demand quick decisions from a church. I have always heard of this Scripture, as it referred to Pastors, and in some cases, elders. However, one commentator said: ‘Because the words “bishop,” “pastor,” and “elder” are used interchangeably throughout the New Testament, Paul’s instructions concerning bishops apply to anyone who wants to be used by the Lord’. This makes more sense to me, because in most churches church leaders other than the pastor, give advice and/or direction to the pastor. It would therefore be important that such ‘leaders’ be faithful, biblically minded men of God. I’m sure you are probably nodding your head that this is really key information for church leaders, but wondering why God would have everyone learn this, and become liable for obeying this. In most churches you, the church membership, elect your church leaders. I believe that Paul, and especially God, are very interested in you choosing your church leaders in line with God’s instruction. In the same way that I go off and research the autobiography, records and references of political leaders I plan to vote for, I would highly recommend that you do the same when it comes to voting for your church leaders. If this is done at a regular church business meeting, then it is incumbent upon you to be at the business meeting and elect to vote your God-given conscience. This is also a good place to ask questions of the leaders you are being asked to vote for. If they are not present, perhaps that’s your first indication of the lack of dependability by the official running for office. Friends, it takes obedient, practicing, godly men to lead a godly church. If you are one asked to serve, please be sure that you are in full obedience to the Word of God. If you are one asked to vote for such men, do the same – make sure they are qualified, proven and ready to serve with all their might! We must all ensure that visitors to our church will find no reason to reject the call by God on their life. I pray that they will never be distracted by seeing men serving on my church’s leadership that are questionable in the community.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: God showed us the way to have our churches led by holy and righteous saints, now may we do our part as a congregation to insist on the same.

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, we thank You for preserving holy men to lead our churches. Please help us to always choose to ignore Satan when encouraging us to choose otherwise. It is so pleasing to most congregations to choose the most popular, the richest, the longest attending and the most likable, without checking off all those who do not meet the qualifications mentioned by You. Lord, may we be found faithful in all that we do to preserve the holiness of Your church, so that we would never be a ‘turn-off’ for those seeking to worship with an honest and God-honoring body of believers. 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 Lesson In Humility

On By Ed AlgreenIn A Lamp unto My Path, Adoration, Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Awesome God, Beyond Description, Blessing, Celebrate God, Humble, Humbleness, Needs, Praise, Praise-worthy, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED: Saturday, 2023-04-29
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Luke 14:7; 10-11;
TRANSLATION: Easy-to-Read Version (ERV)

BIBLE TEXT: 7 Then Jesus noticed that some of the guests were choosing the best places to sit. So he told this story: 
10 “So when someone invites you, go sit in the seat that is not important. Then they will come to you and say, ‘Friend, move up here to this better place!’ What an honor this will be for you in front of all the other guests. 11 Everyone who makes themselves important will be made humble. But everyone who makes themselves humble will be made important.”

OBSERVATION: With as much as we learn, it sometimes becomes quite challenging in deciding our best move in certain circumstances. For example, some taught that if we don’t promote ourselves, no one else will. Others taught that we assume our rightful place when among others who consider themselves influential. However, for the child of God, we are to always follow in the example of our Master and Lord. Having learned His teachings, we become appreciative of His life-lessons and easier for us to follow in His example. Meditate with me as together we look deeper into this lesson today.

APPLICATION: Let’s take a moment to reflect on a few of the ways that Jesus showed Himself humble. Riding into Jerusalem while being escorted by his disciples and followers, Jesus was comfortable riding on the lowliest of animals – a donkey. Notice how unimportant that particular piece of information was to Jesus. He didn’t need a long processional, nor the protection of the town’s security forces, yet the people waved palm branches and sang songs as Jesus proceeded through the crowd, for He was their King! He ate at the table of the Tax Collectors, a group ridiculed by their own people for their dishonest dealings with the people. However, Jesus was more concerned with their heart’s condition and their readiness for heaven. Don’t we tend to stay away from such people as we are afraid the church might consider us one of them, or that we agree with their dishonest practices, if we mix with them? In our lesson today, Jesus saw how everyone was scrambling to be near the seat of honor. In today’s world and in a similar situation, we may say that they were trying for a photo op that would show them in close proximity to the host of the party! One of the best lessons taught by my parents, and shown by their example, is to take the back seat so that we do not show off our pride in being invited to such an event. Friends, if we did anything worthy of mention by the host, they would recognize us, no matter where we sit. But is there really something that forces us to be puffed up about, or smear in the faces of those who chose to sit near the back? In another part of the Scriptures, Jesus said that unless we humble ourselves as a little child, we would not be accepted into heaven. Think about the differences in what you find in a child vs an adult. They tend to listen closely to those in authority, and obey what they are told; they are very trusting of people they know, and willing to trust their lives into the hands of these people; They accept what adults tell them, assuming it to be the truth; they tend to tell the truth, even if they know it might get them into trouble; etc. Friends, when we humble ourselves like a child, we become moldable by our Father; We take Him at His word and trust Him to heal us when He tells us to trust in Him for all our cares and worries; We give credit to God for His kind and gentle touch that He promised, because He said in His Word that He cares for us and will meet our needs. If we are humble ourselves before the King of all kings, I believe that it would be natural for us to be humble before others. Proverbs 3:5-6 says: Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek His will in all you do, and He will show you which path to take.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Everyone who makes themselves humble will be made important.

PRAYER: Lord, You know how this world teaches us to focus on self as number one. Often through selfies, social media posts where we could promote ourselves. Unfortunately, we sometimes take this into the church, where we spend more time promoting self than we do in teaching the Word. Please forgive us Lord, for You are the One that we adore, and without You we are nothing. But because we are so self-centered, it becomes more challenging to truly become humble, and instead lift up Your holy name. This tends to flow over into our life that others see also, whether it’s in leadership, or even while serving You. Thank You for this reminder today on the importance of being humble, just as You were humble. Lord, we want the world to see Jesus, so please impress upon us the wrong in prideful acts. They want to see Jesus, so please help us to step aside and let Your light shine brightly through us so that the world will see 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!

How To Live a Long and Satisfying Life

On By Ed AlgreenIn A Lamp unto My Path, Adoration, Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Awesome God, Beyond Description, Blessing, Celebrate God, Needs, Obedience, Praise, Praise-worthy, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED: Thursday, 2023-04-27
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Proverbs 3:1-6
TRANSLATION: Living Bible (TLB)

BIBLE TEXT: 1-2 My son, never forget the things I’ve taught you. If you want a long and satisfying life, closely follow my instructions. 3 Never tire of loyalty and kindness. Hold these virtues tightly. Write them deep within your heart. 4-5 If you want favor with both God and man, and a reputation for good judgment and common sense, then trust the Lord completely; don’t ever trust yourself. 6 In everything you do, put God first, and he will direct you and crown your efforts with success.

OBSERVATION: Do you suppose that we would have a better world today if every father took his child aside before leaving his home and shared such wisdom with them as Solomon did with his son, as detailed in our Scripture today? I bet we would have a much better world! Therefore, let us meditate on a few of the things that Solomon shared, as they are very similar to what God teaches throughout His Book for us to follow.

APPLICATION: I have found that it was not until certain circumstances started occurring in my adult life that I heard the teachings and advice given to me by my dad during my days of training and working by his side. Perhaps that’s how God intended it! However, these lessons by Solomon, to his son, were so important in the ongoing ministry of the Holy Spirit, that God permitted it to be included in His Word. Let’s delve into the lessons as we ask God to embed His Word into our minds, for our good, and for His glory:

  • Never Forget – As time goes on, don’t we tend to brush aside old habits and lessons, thinking that we should live more in line with the times? But Solomon saw fit to make this one of his very first instructions in this lesson today. Just as these instructions of Solomon are reinforced by God himself, we too are also called to never forget the instructions taught to us by important people God placed in our life – our parents.
  • Hold fast to the Virtues taught – The dictionary shows the meaning of ‘Virtues’ as: ‘behavior showing high moral standards‘. God wanted us to know that these virtues given by Solomon will go a long way for us today also. From a very young age, our parents try to embed awesome virtues into their children. Often, we might think they are pre-historic and only suited for the very early stages of creation when they were born! But let’s hold tight to what God is telling us in His Word. These are things we must take seriously.
  • Closely follow his instruction – I sometime wonder whether God will hold us accountable for knowing His Word, yet adding our own little twist on what we assume He must have meant. We do the same with man’s laws. The speed limit may clearly show 45 mph, yet we become upset with the Highway Patrolman who tickets us for doing 48 mph, because we stayed under the assumed limit suggested by our friends! I had a relative who changed recipe ingredients to suit her liking, but she complained when the finished product didn’t taste like the first one she tasted! No doubt Solomon knew that his son would try to make his own adjustments, but if he expected to achieve the end result of knowing that God would bless him with a long and satisfying life, then he had to following his dad’s instructions closely, and so should we learn to do the same with God’s instructions.
  • Loyalty & Kindness – I love one translation that reads that his son was to never tire of living a life of integrity. To live a life of kindness, is to meet the needs of people who cross your path, instead of making every effort to avoid them. The world will turn their heads to avoid a person with needs, but since God met our greatest need by sending His one and only Son so that we could live eternally with Him, then as His imitator we must be willing to do the same.
  • Trust God completely – Our minds, our thoughts and our actions are often marred by the world in which we live. It is critical that we avoid our own distorted minds, will and thoughts, and trust God completely. He created us, He sent His Son so that we might live eternally with Him, so He has our best interest at heart and will direct our path in a way that would enhance His kingdom through His children.

Perhaps God is trying to let you know what you must do to have eternal life, and also how to live a long and satisfying life. His Word is of super importance, as it contains His instructions for life. Listen carefully and commit yourself to follow His instructions, and you will surely be blessed with a long and satisfying life.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Our Father gave us His full instruction for life, just as Solomon did for his son. Praise God we, who have accepted Him as Lord, can live a long and satisfying life knowing that our eternal home will be even greater than any joy we might have here on earth!

PRAYER: Dear Lord, I’m sure You are well aware of the struggles we face every day and the challenges that meet us in every walk of life. Praise God we serve such an awesome Lord! In spite of our sin, You sent Your Son to die on a cross at Calvary, so that we could choose to accept Him for the forgiveness of our sin and enjoy the surety of our eternity. Please open our eyes and our understanding to Your instructions and give us boldness to follow with integrity the instruction and example of Your Son. Please give us purpose in living this life and the determination to follow Your instructions faithfully. 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!

Dress and Attitude of Worshippers

On By Ed AlgreenIn A Lamp unto My Path, Adoration, Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Attitude, Awesome God, Beyond Description, Blessing, Celebrate God, Needs, Praise, Praise-worthy, Prayer, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED: Monday, 2023-04-24
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: 1 Timothy 2:8-11
TRANSLATION: The Voice (VOICE)

BIBLE TEXT: 8 …. Men, pray wherever you are. Reach your holy hands to heaven—without rage or conflict—completely open. 9 Women, the same goes for you: dress properly, modestly, and appropriately. Don’t get carried away in grooming your hair or seek beauty in glittering gold, pearls, or expensive clothes. 10 Instead, as is fitting, let good works decorate your true beauty and show that you are a woman who claims reverence for God. 11 It’s best if a woman learns quietly and orderly in complete submission.

OBSERVATION: While most of us go to the Bible to learn about God, I wonder if God doesn’t often teach us more about ourselves than we would care to know, particularly what we should look like and act like as His child, or His representative. These verses should open our eyes and show us more about how we may tend to abuse our act of worship before the One who deserves all worship, praise and honor from us, His children.

APPLICATION: I don’t believe that our God ever shows disrespect, or dishonors us, as His children – His creation. So, let’s remove any and all ‘chips’ from our shoulders as we meditate on His Word today, knowing that God spoke through His servant Paul, for our good and for His glory, out of a heart of love. It is so easy for us to read Scripture and discern exactly who God must have ordained that Scripture for! 99% of the time, we see the faults in others, but only good in ourselves. I want to break down my thoughts in two areas today, since the verses seem to address men and women, and what is expected of each. While meditating with me, please remember that all churches are not necessarily ‘perfect’ like your church! So, if the lesson seems pointed at others and not you or your church, then perhaps you should relax and just ask God to open your eyes, mind and heart to truly understand the issue. Some translations indicate that Paul is addressing issues at Prayer meetings, while others seem to indicate that these are issues are with worshippers, period:

  • MEN – When you pray, and remember this should be everywhere – pray in our prayer closets, pray in your families, pray at your meals, pray when you are on business trips and vacations, and pray in the solemn assemblies (church), whether in public or in private. You are kneeling before a righteous and holy God – the Creator of heaven, earth and all living beings. So don’t come brashly and arrogantly, but instead honor the One to whom you are praying. Although Paul didn’t highlight this, I feel compelled to bow my head before royalty, and especially before the King of all kings. We should lift up holy hands as an indication that we are releasing self and lifting up ourselves to the only, righteous and holy God. Because God knows our words, actions, thoughts and past history of wickedness, we should approach Him only after having begged for the forgiveness of our sin and recognizing His righteousness. We must never approach God in a rage over something that has happened in our lives, nor while we are in a rage of conflict with one another. Friends, for us to be completely open in our time with God, we must have nothing bearing on our mind, nor any kind of guilt, because He deserves our undivided, sincere, truthful and honest attention.
  • WOMEN – You must also pray in like form to the men, but there are some distinctive instructions given to women by Paul: Dress modestly, for Godly character is to be reflected outwardly in godly apparel. This doesn’t mean women are to wear ugly rags. It means they must not let the world determine their fashion preferences. Worldly standards are often unacceptable—and this is sometimes true when it comes to clothing choices. Do not dress in a way that brings inappropriate attention to yourself by either underdressing or overdressing! Very important – Paul is not forbidding women to wear nice clothes; he’s saying that nice clothes are not what Christian women should be known for. Women who profess to worship God should be known more for their decency, their good sense, and their good works than they are known for their expensive apparel. If you claim to be a Christ follower, proof should show up in your actions. So walk in godliness, dress with godliness, and be worthy of respect.

I acknowledge that these topics are very sensitive in nature but are probably necessary because of men and women pridefully trying to ignore proper training from God, while making every effort to outdo their neighbor, or fellow church member. Friends, we must decide in our heart that God is the ultimate, and most important aspect of our lives. He should be the focus of our lives, the One we live to please, the One whose instruction we live to obey and follow, knowing that praise will be lifted to Him and not to ourselves. Dear friend, you fall into one of the above categories, so it should be clear to you if there are any aspects of your life that God may want to see changed. Honor God today by surrendering your sin and bad indentations to Him while asking for His guidance and strength to overcome the world so that you may totally fix your eyes on Jesus and determined to follow His commands, no matter how sensitive they are! The world will notice Jesus in your life, but they really become confused when they hear you speak of Jesus but live like the world.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Determining to follow Christ in full obedience means totally committing our prayer life to Him, and also dressing in a way that will help others keep their eyes focused on Jesus, and not us.

PRAYER: Lord, it is so interesting to read Your Word and acknowledge how all aspects of our life must be surrendered to You. Unless we do this, there will be parts of our life that may indicate worldly action, fashion, or impurity, while our mouths speak Your Word and the things You expect of us. Forgive us Lord, especially the many times that we claim You as our Lord but live like the world. Please help us to come out from the world and be so in love with You that our words, actions and thoughts will reflect You, the very One that we accepted, and strive to live for. 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’s Desire – All Saved and Know the Truth

On By Ed AlgreenIn A Lamp unto My Path, Adoration, Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Awesome God, Beyond Description, Blessing, Celebrate God, Needs, Obedience, Praise, Praise-worthy, Recognize God, Salvation, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED: Saturday, 2023-04-22
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: 1 Timothy 2:1-4
TRANSLATION: The Voice (VOICE)

BIBLE TEXT: 1 So, first and foremost, I urge God’s people to pray. They should make their requests, petitions, and thanksgivings on behalf of all humanity. 2 Teach them to pray for kings (or anyone in high places for that matter) so that we can lead quiet, peaceful lives—reverent, godly, and holy— 3 all of which is good and acceptable before the eyes of God our Savior 4 who desires for everyone to be saved and know the truth.

OBSERVATION: I wonder if our churches will look differently, and there will be fewer splits or closures, if we placed our focus on Paul’s instruction to Timothy. If our focus was on ‘Desiring that everyone be saved and know the truth’, don’t you see where many things would be changed in our current-day churches? I believe we can all agree that our churches exist for the same reason Paul gave in these instructions to Timothy, but have we succeeded in following the teaching God ordained through Paul in our Scripture today? Let’s examine this in more detail.

APPLICATION: The church of Jesus Christ thinks big today, as they try to reach a much larger area of the world population than just those in our local communities. I realize this is good when trying to be obedient to Matthew 29:19 where Jesus taught us to go and preach the Gospel to all nations. But after being reminded today in our Scripture of the things that God is passionate about, it may be best if we filter all our personal plans, and insist that the goals of our respective churches will also be tested through the lens of what God desires for His church. For example, there may be a proposal from a prominent couple of your church to have a get together at their home once monthly in the name of the church. The church leaders should analyze whether this (and all plans) will lead the unsaved to the Lord, or will the activity be an avenue for believers to learn more about the love of Jesus. That may seem a very trivial example, but dear friends, many times you will find things going on at church, or in the name of the church, that’s nothing more than an avenue to share gossip between groups of similarly minded people who try to hide under the disguise of the church. Unfortunately, for most churches, I believe that their priority has become maximizing the size of their congregation in order to see their debt paid off. Altar calls, visitation, phone calls and just genuine follow-up has become a past event that has outlived its usefulness in current day churches. Yes, filling our churches with people will expose more people to the preaching of the Word, but how do you suppose your church does in challenging attendees to make a 180 degree turn in the way they act and speak to others throughout the rest of the week, or challenge each one to strive for a heart like Jesus and desire, above all else, to see every family member and everyone in your circle of friends saved? Are you committed to daily Bible Study and strive to attend a group Bible Study so that you would be challenged in, and well-versed in the Word of God? Please decide to never invite a friend to Bible Study if you are not committed to being there whenever that person arrives. Unfortunately, the world is out to soften and even defraud the name and teachings of Jesus Christ, so in an effort to help those closest to you to know the truth of the Gospel and its main character – Jesus Christ, it will be necessary for you to show how important this is to you, through your example. Also, I implore you to take note of the very first thing that Paul taught on in the chapter – prayer. With less than 5% of church congregations finding it unimportant to take time out for daily prayer with their Father in heaven, or attend corporate prayer meetings, is there any wonder why Paul found it necessary to encourage those to whom he preached, to give priority to intercessory prayer with their Master? But in spite of Paul, Timothy, and our own pastor’s preaching and teaching, yet this remains a weak point in our churches today. Why? Is prayer important enough to be a priority to you? Without this important practice in your life, can you truly say that either of Jesus’ other two practices – a). A desire to see friends and loved ones saved; and b). A desire to see them learn more of the things God demands of them; are important to you?

BLESSING(S) NOTED: I love when we are not just given instruction in God’s Word, but how we also learn why His teaching is important. Notice in today’s Scripture where we are told: ‘so that we can lead quiet, peaceful lives—reverent, godly, and holy‘! Imagine how our families and our cities will improve if God’s people led in these characteristics!

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, I pray that we will learn to live in full obedience to Your Word, Your teachings, Your example and Your desire for us. May the world be a better place because of You, and Your precious love for Your children who will follow Your teachings and Your example. May each reader and/or listener commit to a deeper personal relationship with you, so that the world will see Jesus in us and not our mistakes and failures that make us no better than they are. Please give reason for others to see enough of Jesus in us, that they will desire a real and personal relationship with You. AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: There are two more pages on my blog that will provide you with additional information, one of them being ‘To Know Jesus’. If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please click on the above page, or speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. Please allow someone to pray with you and give you help and/or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Words underlined in my blog might indicate a link to a song that came to mind as I wrote the devotional. Feel free to click on the link and listen as you continue to read or pray. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to Nuggets From God’s Word and read more, or you may freely subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. You may also visit me on Spotify and listen to Nuggets while you’re out and about. I would encourage you to find a church home near by your home, and attend as frequently as you could. Get to know God, and allow His people to encourage and strengthen you in your Christian walk, while making every effort to be a blessing to them. God is at work among His people! Please consider growing in your faith, as you worship with fellow believers!

The Horror of Being Locked Out

On By Ed AlgreenIn A Lamp unto My Path, Adoration, Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Awesome God, Beyond Description, Blessing, Celebrate God, Needs, Praise, Praise-worthy, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED: Monday, 2023-04-17
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Luke 13:23-25
TRANSLATION: Amplified Bible (AMP)

BIBLE TEXT: 23 And someone asked Him, “Lord, will only a few be saved [from the penalties of the last judgment]?” And He said to them, 24 “Strive to enter through the narrow door [force aside unbelief and the attractions of sin]; for many, I tell you, will try to enter [by their own works] and will not be able. 25 Once the head of the house gets up and closes the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock on the door [again and again], saying, ‘Lord, open to us!’ then He will answer you, ‘I do not know where you are from [for you are not of My household].’

OBSERVATION: There are many reasons that folk are locked out and can’t enter into a property. Normally when we think of heaven, we might tend to think that it’s a place for everyone. Why, look at the regular church attendee; or that philanthropist who tends to give generously to the poor; or that lady who has welcomed many unwanted kids into her home; or that young man who feeds the poor religiously every day. But Jesus said ‘many’ will try but fail. Let’s make sure that we understand this fully.

APPLICATION: In Ephesians 1:4-5 Paul explained to the Ephesian church that God chose us. I’m afraid that far too often we assume that our salvation is solely something we do, give, or become. For example, if we attend church, or if we read our Bible, or if we are good enough. Friends, I hate to burst your bubble, but none of these things will save you, even though saved individuals love to do each of these things. Again, in John 15:16, Jesus said to His disciples ‘You didn’t choose me, I chose you’. Now is there any reason why Jesus wouldn’t have said in His illustration that although many will knock on the door to heaven, a lot of them won’t be accepted, for they are trying to enter based on their own terms? I love the way the Amplified Bible says it in verse 25 above – ‘for you are not a part of my household’. Friends, it is sad to think this way, but I believe that there are many who think they have done enough to be saved, and accepted into God’s holy and righteous heaven, but I’m not so sure that they have truly accepted the call on their life by Jesus, and that they have surrendered their sin and truly encountering a daily relationship with their Master and Lord. I believe it is evident when Jesus touches a person and invites him/her to enjoy relationship with Him. You see, of our own selves, we tend to live a very sinful and selfish life. When Jesus assumes lordship of our life, we make a 180 degree turn and leave our selfish and sinful lives behind, to follow Him – His invitation, His rules, and His heaven for the redeemed to enter. God ordered through His Word how we are to be saved from our life of sin and how we should be accepting to our Master in heaven. We can read where, in the Old Testament, God permitted the sacrifice of animals for the forgiveness of sin. However, God designed a new and lasting redemption plan for us. He sent His Son through miraculous means, so that all who simply, but honestly, accept Him as Lord will enjoy the peace of forgiveness of their sin by Almighty God. Friends, God never designed a multiple-choice list in the ways that mankind might choose for their salvation. In fact, in our focal passage of Scripture today, God is opening the basic truth of His Word by showing us that unless we accept Jesus as Lord, then we are considered outsiders, not a part of His household, and will not enter the gates of heaven. So, any other system devised by man will only serve to offer false hope to one trying to change from their evil way. ‘Calling on the name of Jesus’ means that you are acknowledging that He is the only way to eternal life in Heaven with Almighty God, His Son Jesus, and the Holy Spirit, and that you are asking for Jesus to forgive you of your sin, because you have decided to live in total conformity and obedience to the Word of God. Satan will no longer have a hold on you, although he will make every attempt to distract your walk with Jesus for as long as you remain on earth. However, you can know with full assurance and the guarantee of Almighty God, that greater is He that is now in you, than he that is in the world, the one biting at your heals to tempt you into ongoing sin and defiance to your new Master, Jesus Christ. Dear friends, please join me in having great peace in knowing Jesus as Lord, and in the full assurance that we are now a part of His household awaiting the day that we will approach the gates of Heaven and hear the words ‘enter my son/daughter – welcome home!’ As this Scripture reminds us, many will never hear these words, because they have decided to continue the path Satan has tempted them to follow here on earth. It hurts my heart to think that any family member or friend would ever be rejected by their Creator because of their unthoughtful choice to live in a different household. Oh that Jesus would continue to soften hearts and encourage them to call on His name, before it’s a day too late.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: I can glorify God today in thinking about the welcome into heaven I will receive as a child of the King! Jesus said that He has gone to prepare a home for fellow believers and I, and I long to rejoice in His presence whenever He calls me home! Fortunately, this is just the opposite to what Jesus spoke of in verse 25 today!

PRAYER: I love that song that reminds me of seeing Jesus face to face in all of His glory! I long for that day! But oh, what a sad day that will be for those who choose to ignore the love of Jesus poured out at Calvary for their benefit. Jesus, I thank You for convicting me of my sin and saving me from the pit of Hell. I pray that every reader or listener who takes time to digest this devotional today will be saved and therefore avoid the rejection for not being a part of Your family. It is hard for me to understand the reasons for their rejection of a Savior who loved them enough to sacrifice life itself for our benefit. Please forgive us Lord when we’ve given more credit to Satan who has also built a kingdom for those who reject You, butthis is in total opposition to Your kingdom, Satan is preparing for their life of suffering and the fires of Hell that will torment them forever. Please Lord, humble their hearts once again today. Cause our family and friends to turn to You and accept Your love that was freely poured out for them. Today could be the day that these loved ones are called out of this earth, may they all be ready dear Lord. 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 Mystery of Wisdom

On By Ed AlgreenIn A Lamp unto My Path, Adoration, Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Awesome God, Beyond Description, Blessing, Celebrate God, Needs, Praise, Praise-worthy, Recognize God, Wisdom, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED: Saturday, 2023-04-15
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Proverbs 2:1-5
TRANSLATION: Good News Translation (GNT)

BIBLE TEXT: 1 My child, learn what I teach you and never forget what I tell you to do. 2 Listen to what is wise and try to understand it. 3 Yes, beg for knowledge; plead for insight. 4 Look for it as hard as you would for silver or some hidden treasure. 5 If you do, you will know what it means to fear the Lord and you will succeed in learning about God. 

OBSERVATION: It seems to me that the Creator of the universe is working though the wisest man on earth to help other individuals recognize that ‘if it’s to be, it is up to me’! In other words, we can find wisdom – if we desire it. We can know more about our Creator – if we desire it, put our desires into action, and pursue the necessary wisdom. Join me for the rest of this devotional as we try to discover how we could become wiser, and desirous of a deeper relationship with God.

APPLICATION: When we think of wisdom, or being wise, we may think of one’s level of education. But during my career I often joined with others in recognizing that the smartest person, scholastically, may not be the most practical person for the job, nor have the ability to show wisdom on the job. I love the description given by the dictionary for wise: ‘having or showing experience, knowledge, and good judgment’. I believe this is where the wisdom of an individual comes into practical use, no matter what type of job they are entrusted with. But how does one earn this wisdom? There is one Bible version that explains verse 3 as ‘crying after wisdom and crying for understanding’. We tend to do this when we are convinced that we must have something in order to move on in life. So in our desire to become wiser about God, His teachings, and His will for our lives, how might we achieve this, and what might we do to become wiser? Let’s take a minute to address the opposite. If a person did absolutely nothing, or if they settled for what they picked up naturally through interaction with other believers, do you foresee them becoming wiser about the things of God? Perhaps a little, but what they are really acknowledging is that they will only learn what falls into their lap. This may have some value if you go the extra mile to spend extra time with children of God willing to show their experience with God, share their knowledge of God, and uses all learned wisdom through good judgment calls. I believe that when one is crying out for wisdom, and they are in a Bible study, they will refuse to accept just the blunders of the teacher, but are instead, determined to understand and apply the Word of God in its simplest form. Attending church is an excellent way to worship God corporately, and to hear, understand and follow along with all the preacher is sharing with congregants. But what if you need clarification, or just need an additional example to help you better understand the Word of God and how you might apply it to your life? Some churches have ‘Sunday School’ while others have ‘Small Groups’. If your church is diligent about providing sound Biblical teaching to those interested in learning more of Jesus, then I would suspect that your knowledge of God will be expanded and you will be granted more opportunities to use your wisdom in helping another beggar find Jesus. If you don’t feel like you are receiving this at your church, then accept the invitation from friends to visit their small group. You can do this and still stay joined with your home church. Remember, in heaven there won’t be denominations, but simply ‘children of God’! As you become wiser about God’s Word, and you embed its truths into your life, then you might become like Solomon and share that wisdom with others who are crying out for wisdom. In Matthews 5:6 Jesus continued with the same teaching that we see in Proverbs: Jesus said it is when we hunger and thirst for righteousness that we are filled! And when we cry for understanding that it will be found!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Those who cry out for wisdom and follow the teachings of the Almighty will understand what it means to respect and to know the Lord God!

PRAYER: Lord, I believe that You have built into the heart of mankind to always search after knowing You better and in a more fulfilling way. Those with varying degrees of education could do this, as well as those with just minimal education. You created us all, and I am thankful that each of us can seek to know our Master personally and become wise in sharing our experience with others. Please forgive us Lord when we allow Satan to distract us and we grow weary in seeking more understanding of You and Your Word. Please Lord, strengthen our determination to know You better and to learn all we can about Your Word and its intent for us. We love You Lord and seek to know you better with each and every passing day. 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!

Everyone Eligible For Life Eternal

On By Ed AlgreenIn A Lamp unto My Path, Adoration, Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Awesome God, Beyond Description, Blessing, Celebrate God, Eternal Life, Needs, Praise, Praise-worthy, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED: Thursday, 2023-04-13
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: 1 Timothy 1:15-16
TRANSLATION: New Living Translation (NLT)

BIBLE TEXT: 15 This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”—and I am the worst of them all. 16 But God had mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of his great patience with even the worst sinners. Then others will realize that they, too, can believe in him and receive eternal life.

OBSERVATION: Credit Card companies will advertise using words similar to my title today, for they want everyone to apply for their credit card, and they know that some will feel like they couldn’t possibly qualify. When invited to know Jesus, most individuals will respond that they are so unworthy of acceptance by the King of all kings and Lord of all lords. But God knew this would be the case, so He arranged an example in and through the life of Paul to help us understand that His grace is sufficient and reaches to every child created by Almighty God. Stay tuned to be reminded of how important you are to God!

APPLICATION: Although not referenced in today’s Scripture, Paul’s former name was Saul. When Paul makes reference to him being one of the worst sinners, he was referring to the days of Saul, when he was known as a persecutor of the church and of Christians as a whole. Today we sometimes hear of a church being burned down, or burglarized, or riddled with gunshots, but I don’t know of any crimes that could be compared to the evil done by Saul. However, God met up with Saul, convicted him of his sin, saved him, changed his name to Paul, and sent him on to do the work of the Lord instead. So, when you drum up excuses of why you can’t attend church, or why a Christian shouldn’t waste their time worry about why they couldn’t lead you to Christ because of your evil deeds, please try to remember the story of the former Saul, and the new Paul who went on to reach the unchurched and place churches where there was no presence of godly teaching. If God could deal with such a terror as Saul, could He not also challenge you on your sin? If God could start life anew in Paul, and put aside all the bad he had done, could He not turn your life around. Please try to remember from all Bible accounts that speak of God changing a man. Never does it say that God went after the worst sinners, or the one with just a little sin. A person who sins, disobeys God. There is no such thing as a minor sin or a major sin. God sent His Son, Jesus, to save mankind from their sin – period. ‘Minor’ sins may not even get the attention of the authorities today, for governments have come to accept many things that God might consider ‘sin’. But, please don’t forget that ‘sin’ occurs when one disobeys the laws of God. Authors in the Bible went to a great extent to help us understand what God established as His law for mankind. Satan first tempted Eve about how insignificant he felt the laws of God was, and of course Satan has intensified his pressure on mankind today with this misguidance to make sure that God won’t win us over. Dear friends, I am a firm believer that ‘greater is He (God) that is inside of the child of God, than he (Satan) that is in the world. You have a fairly straightforward decision to make. Are you prepared to accept Jesus, the Creator of the universe; the One sacrificed on Calvary’s hill for the redemption of our sin; the One who sits at the right hand of the Father interceding for us; the One waiting to receive us into His eternal kingdom (heaven) for all eternity? Unless you make a decision, you are doomed for eternity in the fires of hell with its leader, Satan. I feel like the decisions is obvious, but Satan may be pounding it into your head like he did with Saul, that his way is the only reasonable and fun way. Friend of God, Trust in the Lord your God with all your heart, soul and mind, and lean not on your own understanding. Today is the day of salvation. Seek the Lord while He may be found!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: It is very possible that others will see Jesus evident in us and desire to accept Him as Lord of their life also! It will be worth it all!

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, please open our eyes to the truth of Your Word. Paul identified reasons why You saved him, and he glorified You for using him in spite of his past. Please develop with us a sense of why You saved us, and the purpose for which You’ve still allowed us to stick around. Each man faces a decision of where they will spend eternity. Thank You Lord for opening my blinded, sinful eyes and allowing me to see the love of Jesus. Please open the eyes of our relatives, friends and all who have yet to make a decision regarding their eternal destiny. As they are reminded of the change You made in the life of Saul, may they also be reminded that You can do the same for them, if only they will allow You to bless them and save them from eternity in Hell. 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!

Does Jesus Fit In Your Box?

On By Ed AlgreenIn A Lamp unto My Path, Adoration, Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Awesome God, Beyond Description, Blessing, Celebrate God, Needs, Praise, Praise-worthy, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED: Wednesday, 2023-04-12
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Luke 13:13-17
TRANSLATION: The Voice (VOICE)

BIBLE TEXT: 13 Jesus placed His hands on her and suddenly she could stand straight again. She started praising God, 14 but the synagogue official was indignant because Jesus had not kept their Sabbath regulations by performing this healing.
Synagogue Official: Look, there are six other days when it’s appropriate to get work done. Come on those days to be healed, not on the Sabbath!
Jesus: 15 You religious leaders are such hypocrites! Every single one of you unties his ox or donkey from its manger every single Sabbath Day, and then you lead it out to get a drink of water, right? 16 Do you care more about your farm animals than you care about this woman, one of Abraham’s daughters, oppressed by Satan for 18 years? Can’t we untie her from her oppression on the Sabbath?
17 As the impact of His words settled in, His critics were humiliated, but everyone else loved what Jesus said and celebrated everything He was doing.

OBSERVATION: What do you suppose your Pharisees (church leaders) would say about a demon possessed woman walking into your church? Now think good, she may disrupt the service with loud or weird sounds; she may smell from not having a bath for several weeks; she may not know how to use the pew Bible or sing from the hymnal; she may not know how to act from all the eyes centered on her with obvious signs of people looking down their noses at her; and she may even go forward when the pastor makes an altar call. Not your typical attendee, but can you compose yourself if something like this happened at your church?

APPLICATION: For some reason, we seem to find it challenging to identify with, and accept, someone if they speak different to us, come from a different country, dress differently to us or perhaps look different to us. Similarly, we are challenged to accept fellow Christians if they worship on a different day to us; baptize differently; more, or less, charismatic than we are; use a different version of the Bible than we do; or dress differently to us, especially while attending church. In other words, we have built a ‘box’ into which all Christians must fit into and adhere to. But wait a minute, what if God had placed sinners into a box and He would only accept you if you fit that mold? Would your parents, relatives or yourself have been accepted by Jesus? I believe that Jesus specializes in the needs of men and women that He created. Yes, God rested on the 7th day, and He commanded that we also do the same throughout our day of worship. Do needs cease on our day of worship? Why then do you suppose that the Jewish leaders have such a problem with God meeting the needs of this woman on the Sabbath? This was outside their ‘box’, or their rules for the Sabbath day. Still today we will find where church leaders become humiliated and upset when things do not follow the ‘box’ they have built for church members and/or worshippers. I firmly believe that when one comes into the presence of Almighty God, and they connect with Him in a very personal way, no other earthly rules or efforts tend to matter. Remember the blind man that laid wait for Jesus along the road He was about to travel? In spite of the commands from the disciples who tried to keep the roadway clear, the man knew that Jesus was within hearing distance of his cries, so he shouted all the more. Of particular notice, is that in spite of this man looking different to all the rest, and the needs that he had were great, yet Jesus commanded that the man be brought closer to Him. Jesus was concerned about the needs of the man. Please join me in asking God to help us see the spiritual needs of someone before we ever decide to ridicule or reject them for their attire, their lack of hygiene, or even their language. We must always remember that one seeking the hand of Jesus, may not be one concerned about our handouts or even our rules. Let’s be sure that we never stand in the way of someone finding Jesus, or asking for His touch.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Just as the crowd rejoiced in what Jesus said (vs 17), perhaps we too should rejoice and praise God for all that He has taught us in His Word, and for His wisdom shared with us daily as we communicate together.

PRAYER: Just as some (the religious leaders) were upset over Jesus’ actions in healing the woman, we can see how others praised God for the awesome power in restoring this ladies issue. The church today still encounters situations that could result in disagreement, arguments and possibly even division, yet some will be blessed in seeing the strong hand of God in their life and the lives of the church. When rules are broken, it becomes challenging to see the good in the work of God even under extenuating circumstances. Oh that we would learn to look for the hand of God at work among us, knowing that this could be through negative or positive responses in the lives of His people. Let us learn to say ‘blessed be the name of the Lord’ when we see answers that we expect, AND if God chooses alternate ways to answer in the power of His will, for His honor, and for the benefit of the affected one. God is in charge of everything, let us honor and worship Him with that truth in mind! 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!

How To Become Wise

On By Ed AlgreenIn A Lamp unto My Path, Adoration, Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Awesome God, Beyond Description, Blessing, Celebrate God, Needs, Praise, Praise-worthy, Recognize God, Wisdom, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED: Tuesday, 2023-04-11
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Proverb 1:7-9
TRANSLATION: Living Bible (TLB)

BIBLE TEXT: 7-9 How does a man become wise? The first step is to trust and reverence the Lord! Only fools refuse to be taught. Listen to your father and mother. What you learn from them will stand you in good stead; it will gain you many honors.

OBSERVATION: Ever looked back on life and wished you had made better choices about a certain faction of your life? But this would only have been possible if you were wiser, or if you had realized sooner that you could use the help of others in those decisions. The queen of Sheba traveled to try and discern what Solomon was doing to make himself so successful in life, and she discovered that he was in a class of his own in being extremely wise. Now in the book of Proverbs Solomon is sharing with us how we might become wise, so I believe we should ask God to open our eyes of understanding and listen for the tips on becoming wiser.

APPLICATION: I am intrigued by infants who quickly use their natural instincts to do what they want, and make sure that everyone else around them do what they want! I’m not so sure that we ever grow out of that, but it is evident that God has built into us a desire to want our own way while also realizing that we could do way more than we are capable of, by learning to lean on the support of those who love us and want to see us succeed. Let’s examine the sources of help that Solomon teaches us to lean and depend on:

  • Trust and Reverence the Lord – If God made us and designed a world for us to live in, I believe it is critically important that we trust His correction, follow His commands and respect Him as our Lord. If He sent us His Son, so that we might have forgiveness of sin when we invite Him into our life, then I believe it is evident that God’s end goal is for us to return to Him after our time here on earth is over. Good parents remain parents for their whole life! Sure, a spouse will most lightly enter into the lives of most adults, but there is absolutely no substitute for mom and dad! Why then do we feel like we can take over from the authority of God and lead a life that we design and plan to achieve? If He had the beginning in mind in our birth, and He has the end in mind, our eternity in heaven, wouldn’t it make sense that He has special plans in mind for us while we battle with Satan and his army here on earth? Trust in the Lord your God, with all your heart, soul and mind. Remember, He is God, and beside Him, there is no other. Reverence Him, not only as your God, but also as the God of the universe!
  • Only fools choose not to be taught – Ever received a good grade because of the effort you put into resolving a challenging question? You may be rebellious in school, but I hope that you will always use the good sense given to you by God and learn something new each and every day! Be on the lookout for Jesus and be amazed by the wonderful God that He is!
  • Listen to you mom and dad – Even at 68 years of age, I still reflect on the things taught to me by my dad, and I stand amazed at his wisdom that he so freely passed on to me. Remember, our parents have a vested interest in our wellbeing, and they want to see us succeed. Learn from their successes and also from their failures, There is no reason to repeat their mistakes.

Solomon didn’t just offer up wisdom and tell us to obey his tidbits because He said so, but rather, he shared the value and benefits of obedience to God, and to those who nurture us. He assured us that the values we assume from others willing to teach us, lead us in, and support us through, will stick with us our whole lives. Friends, think about all those who have impacted your lives. They may have walked alongside you in your struggles, they may have taught you in school or at home, or they may have shared amazing successes with you while teaching you to reach for the stars, like they did.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: While there may be some out to destroy us, there are many willing to share the love of Jesus with us as they interact with, and care for, us each day. To enhance our wisdom, let’s depend on God; listen, love and appreciate those He sends our way.

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, I am amazed at how You care for us. Just when we think we know it all, You send someone our way to open the doors of heaven and show us how we need You, and also our fellow man. Your Holy Book is filled with information to guide us in the way we should go and to keep Your way holy and set apart with a rich and meaningful life here on earth. Even more importantly, You show us daily that others also need us, and never should we be selfish enough to stick to ourselves and let them do their own thing. I believe that You’ve placed us here to worship and honor You, and to share Your love, care and protection towards all people. Please continue to bless us as we go our way and may we always share Your love with others, especially those in need of a 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!