No One Cares For Me Like Jesus

On 2023-08-30 By Ed AlgreenIn A Lamp unto My Path, Adoration, Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Awesome God, Beyond Description, Blessing, Celebrate God, God Cares For Us, Needs, Praise, Praise-worthy, Recognize God, Worship2 Comments

DATE POSTED: Wednesday, August 30, 2023, and I was blessed to be at Ashford, AL when God inspired me to prepare this devotional. My Footnote will tell you how to find, read or listen to any and all episodes that I have shared over the years.

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE FROM THE New Living Translation (NLT) IS FOUND IN Luke 18:35-43

THE BIBLE TEXT IS: As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind beggar was sitting beside the road. When he heard the noise of a crowd going past, he asked what was happening. They told him that Jesus the Nazarene was going by. So he began shouting, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” “Be quiet!” the people in front yelled at him. But he only shouted louder, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” When Jesus heard him, he stopped and ordered that the man be brought to him. As the man came near, Jesus asked him, “What do you want me to do for you?” “Lord,” he said, “I want to see!” And Jesus said, “All right, receive your sight! Your faith has healed you.” Instantly the man could see, and he followed Jesus, praising God. And all who saw it praised God, too.

MY INITIAL THOUGHTS: In the Bible text, I bolded and underlined the text showing the attitude of the crowd and the leaders of the group that led Jesus in His march. The other bolded areas show the caring attitude and warm words of Jesus towards the man that many despised. I believe this is a great example of what still happens today, for Jesus still cares for His own and He will stop the parade at work, at church or at home so that He might attend to our most urgent needs. Throughout our study today, be reminded of the love and caring attitude of the One we call our Lord and Savior!

APPLICATION OF THE WORD: I’m afraid that the Word of God has made little impact on Christians today, because there is such little proof of whose we are. In the Bible, there is such drastic measures to show that Jesus was crucified out of pure and honest love for us; so many miracles to show the awesome compassion, love and power of our awesome King, yet way too often Christians today still look, sound and act so much like the leaders of that crowd that paved the way for Jesus to march into Jerusalem. For us, it’s still challenging to accept someone who may not fit the description of what, we have determined in our minds, that a child of God should look like. I have always said that I have so many challenges of my own, and so many things to concentrate on in looking more like Jesus, that I just don’t know how I could possibly look at the problems others have. But I believe that the Holy Spirit is quite capable of directing me to be the hands and feet of Jesus. Friends, here’s what we tend to do:
– The crowd saw a blind man who made a pest of himself begging for food.
——-BUT Jesus saw a man who couldn’t help himself recover from blindness, and mow, the Master Healer who is forever capable of healing him is passing by.
– The crowd saw a man who couldn’t do anything for himself nor earn a living.
——-BUT Jesus saw a man that His glory and His power could shine through and offer restoration and hope to all those who felt they couldn’t do……
– The crowd saw a man who couldn’t join them in the march, nor stand and sing praises to the lone Son of God who was passing by.
——-BUT Jesus saw a man who was born in His likeness and needed physical healing, that could very easily have also led him to spiritual wholeness, with a brand-new life as a child of the King!
In my introduction, I shared how I wondered how much the Gospel and all the examples of God’s wondrous power in times past has truly helped us today to be more understanding of those who need the Lord and/or those who need a touch from God. I wonder, how many ushers lead the poor and battered all the way to the front row seats of your church? How many ushers try to squeeze the nicely dressed individual(s)in expensive clothes, into the back seats of your church? How many pastors rush from the pulpit after his sermon to catch up with the poorly dressed and possibly unbathed guy that kept mumbling during the service? If we’re not careful, we might be quick to take sides with the leaders of the march, and overlook the compassion, love and concern Jesus had for the most unlikely person along the road – a poor, blind man. You know, each of us were on that same level as that poor man at one time. We may have had money, but we were poor in spirit and so deep in sin that we wanted nothing to do with Jesus or the elite crowd that tend to follow Him. But regardless of our state at the time, Jesus saw us in the distance and the need that was written right across our faces, and He called out to us with the same compassion and love as He did to the blind man. As followers of Christ, we must pay attention to what Jesus was drawn to, because that’s what He expects of us dear ones. I love that song that has the same title as the one I chose for today’s devotional – ‘No One Ever Cared for me, like Jesus‘. Listen to it, for its lyrics, together with God’s Word, and my above thoughts, might help to convince you that Jesus cares for you, even when it feels like everyone else is pushing you away or would rather see you sit by the wayside begging for bread.

BLESSINGS WORTH NOTING: Jesus heard the blind man’s cry for help and in spite of the leaders who accompanied Him rejecting the poor man’s plea, Jesus healed his blindness and blessed him. I believe He does the same thing today for His children. He knows our needs and He hears our cry. I believe He is anxious to heal us into His likeness.

PRAYER BECAUSE OF THE IMPACT OF TODAY’S SCRIPTURE: Instead of just healing the blind man’s sight, You asked him what You could do for him. You care enough for us that You don’t take anything for granted, but You verify with us what it is that would make us happy. Thank You Jesus for being a very intimate and personal God. It is obvious that we matter to You. It is also obvious that Your decisions are not influenced by the feelings, wishes or words of others. Thank You Jesus that we personally matter to You. In our weak attempt to follow Your example, please remind us how important it is that we do not think and make decisions like other humans, but that we look to You for decisions while making every effort to follow Your example in our decision-making. I believe it is especially important that the unsaved see Jesus in us, and not the mean and selfish decisions of our earthly mentors. Lord, may You be glorified in every aspect of my life and those who will read and/or listen to this devotional. AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: There’s another page on my website, entitled ‘To Know Jesus’. If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading or listening to this devotional, please go to this page, or speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. Please allow someone to pray with you and give you help and/or encouragement as you begin or continue your walk with Jesus. If you would like to read more of my devotionals, or subscribe for a daily email containing each new devotional, please go online to NuggetsFromGodsWord.org. For my podcast, go online to Apple Podcasts or, using the Apple Podcast app, simply search for Nuggets From God’s Word to hear more episodes, or click ‘Follow’ to be notified of Podcast updates. Friends, please allow me to encourage you to find a church home nearby 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!

Show That You Care

On 2023-08-29 By Ed AlgreenIn A Lamp unto My Path, Adoration, Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Awesome God, Beyond Description, Blessing, Celebrate God, God Cares For Us, Needs, Praise, Praise-worthy, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED: Tuesday, August 29, 2023, and I was blessed to be at Dothan, AL when God inspired me to prepare this devotional. My Footnote will tell you how to find, read or listen to any and all episodes that I have shared over the years.

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE FROM THE New Living Translation (NLT) IS FOUND IN Luke 9:18-20

THE BIBLE TEXT IS: One day Jesus left the crowds to pray alone. Only his disciples were with him, and he asked them, “Who do people say I am?”
“Well,” they replied, “some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say you are one of the other ancient prophets risen from the dead.”
Then he asked them, “But who do you say I am?”
Peter replied, “You are the Messiah sent from God!”

MY INITIAL THOUGHTS: A very familiar passage of Scripture where God’s messengers would normally point out the important question You challenged Your disciples with: “But who do you say I am”. While this is a key point for anyone to consider, I couldn’t help but think about the mindset of Jesus when asking this very important question. As we meditate, let me encourage you to ask God to help you see the message intended for you personally. It may not be the usual and obvious question that most tend to emphasize on. He may have a dedicated message to you for this very time and place.

APPLICATION OF THE WORD: This past Sunday, our pastor chose to speak from this very familiar Scripture. His emphasis was on the Transfiguration, and how God made known His precious Son to the disciples. Although listening closely to our pastor, I believe that God was speaking even louder to me, for I heard Him telling me to care for others like Jesus did. Let me explain. There are many times that we visit with people and we casually ask the normal and expected questions. How are you? It is inevitable that we respond ‘oh, good!’ And then we prepare to ask our next question, even if the response to our first question was ‘awful’ or ‘I hurt all over’ or ‘I would much prefer being anywhere but here’. Wait a minute, why did we visit? Just to say that we did so, and ask the questions we were trained to ask when visiting the sick and/or hospitalized? Isn’t it time that we seek training on great listening skills, and ways to respond to the words from our sick loved ones? Notice carefully how Jesus was careful to train His disciples on things they might talk about with the people they would minister to. Who do they say that I am? This indicates that Jesus expected that the disciples would have sought out this same question from those following Him. I don’t believe this is the same as Jesus asking, who do you think they are saying that I am? Often when we visit someone, we are told about what the people are saying about the pastor, or about the church. Perhaps a good follow-up question might be for us to ask, but who do you say that the pastor is, or how has the church ministered to you? I believe that the worst nightmare would be for us to leave a hospital room without asking about the individual’s personal experience with Jesus, only to later hear that you were the last person to visit with them while alive. To ask them about Jesus shows that you care about them. However, remember that you cannot save them. So be ready to stand down, even if you leave the question with them to ponder. Not long after Jesus asked these challenging questions of His disciples, He was taken up to heaven in the Transfiguration. It was like, He wanted to make sure that He challenged His disciples with these questions to ponder long after He had left them. Friends, know today that this life, not even this Christian life, is about how often you attend church, or how much you give to the church, or even how often you give the pastor a pat on the back about his sermon. While all of these things are great gestures and encouraging for your pastor to know that you care about him, what will matter on the day you meet with Jesus in glory is: Who was Jesus to you? Did He impact your life so that you could, in turn, impact the lives of those you came into contact with each day while given the opportunity here on earth? You see, I would like to know that I have my life in order before trying to help others straighten out their life. If not, I will give them the same bad advice that I have fed myself over the years. Think about joining me in this endeavor, dear friend.

BLESSINGS WORTH NOTING: Jesus showed us that He cared enough about His disciples that He wanted to know their intimate, personal feelings about His impact on them. Oh how I wish that I could be that caring with the folk I come into contact with each day, and that my readers and listeners would do the same.

PRAYER BECAUSE OF THE IMPACT OF TODAY’S SCRIPTURE: Precious Lord, I thank You for reminding me one more time about Your love for Your children, and that our priorities are in order in our relationship with You, so that others would, in turn, be impacted by us. Please forgive us when we casually walk about each day without considering the needs of others, and especially their need for You. Thank You for showing us how to love and care about our fellow mankind and knowing that their very thoughts and feelings are geared towards sharing Your love with everyone they encounter here on earth. We are Your instruments Lord, please lead us in ways that You may be glorified in everything we say or do for others, so that they may seek and experience new life through Jesus our Lord. AMEN!

On Becoming Wise and Loving Enough To Discipline

On 2023-08-26 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, August 26, 2023, and I was blessed to be at Dowling Park, FL when God inspired me to prepare this devotional. My Footnote will tell you how to find, read or listen to any and all episodes that I have shared over the years.

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE FROM THE New Living Translation (NLT) IS FOUND IN Proverbs 13:20; 24;

THE BIBLE TEXT IS: Walk with the wise and become wise; associate with fools and get in trouble.
Those who spare the rod of discipline hate their children. Those who love their children care enough to discipline them.

MY INITIAL THOUGHTS: The book of Proverbs is filled with wisdom to help guide God’s people along and make wise decisions in the things they practice or do every day. I can’t imagine anyone who wouldn’t prefer to walk and talk in a way that not only pleases God, but that may help others. So, the wisdom of Solomon is shared with us to help us do just that. It is often said that having children comes with no handbook on how to properly raise them. I believe that today’s Scripture gives wisdom and direction in this matter. Meditate with me on the Word of God!

APPLICATION OF THE WORD: I recall the wisdom of my mom when I was being raised, and I just couldn’t understand why she made some decisions that seemed to ‘punish’ me and keep me apart from my peers. However, now that I’m reading the Bible for myself and seeking God’s direction and wisdom to lead me in His intended way for life, it makes all the sense in the world what my mom and dad did in raising me. There were times that I heard things like ‘I just don’t want you hanging around with that crowd’; and ‘I want you to do your best in life’, etc. I now wonder if it wasn’t the Word of God she was practicing and quoting to me. For I see where Solomon gave the same advice in verse 20 today. To those who are not versed in the Scriptures, you may have various opinions about the wisdom shared by Solomon. After all, following in the steps of those who pay no attention to the direction of the God who created us and the creation that we enjoy, could only mean that we are resolute in allowing the evil one to direct us in his wicked and sinful ways. Friends, our direction in life should be one that, deep inside, causes us to do better than the wisest person that we know. OR if we allow Satan to have his way, it will cause us to do worse than the most evil person we know. In the former statement, we aim to please God by being the best He has to offer to this world. In the latter statement, we settle for promoting Satan’s message of evil and destruction of all that God has created or aims to promote. As long as we have breath, God can help us turn from evil to good; sin to glory; Satan to Eternal Life with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Please allow me to encourage you to examine your life and decide today whom you will follow. If you conclude that it’s Jesus you want to follow, then call on Him in sincerity and accept the sacrifice that He made for you on Calvary. Believe on the name of Jesus and you will be saved. Seek His forgiveness of your sin and ask for His power to follow the wisdom of His Word and those who He are saved already here on earth.
For those who have struggled through the circumstances such as described above, and you have not sought help to turn that around, you may also struggle with raising a child to follow in the wisdom of Almighty God. For those who have accepted Jesus and then become blessed with the opportunity to raise a child. Please remember that God shared through Solomon how we must all raise our children in the love and admonition of the Lord. A good place to begin this process is to stay firm in sharing your beliefs and remain committed to direct that child in the way of the Lord. That ‘directing’ works exactly like a ‘rod of correction’. Each will help to steer a child in the way they should go. A child is similar to a ship, each will wonder along being steered by the wind. In the case of the ship – actual wind as we know it, might blow from the port side of the ship and will steer the ship too far right, if not corrected by the rudder controlled by the ship’s captain. In the case of a child, the circumstance of life will steer that child unless corrected and kept on course by a parent who has God’s leadership and wisdom to overcome and/or avoid evil. Notice how I included the words ‘God’s leadership’. An unbeliever following the ways of Satan cannot direct a child in the ways of God. You can share what you have, not what you’ve heard about and don’t practice yourself.

BLESSINGS WORTH NOTING: God loves us enough to tell us, shows us, and help us do what is right in His sight, and to share that with others who need a ‘rudder’ or good godly wisdom to overcome evil.

PRAYER BECAUSE OF THE IMPACT OF TODAY’S SCRIPTURE: Dear Lord Jesus, what a reminder! From the time we are born here on earth, until the time we are called out of this world, there are steering currents that impact our lives. Some contribute to our godly delinquency, and others steer us aright to obedience and correctness in the ways of God. As long as we are steeped in the ways of the world, with Satan as its leader, we will have little chance of correcting our ways and changing our allegiance. Praise God, You taught us in Your Word that all things are possible with God, and You have shown us examples of ways that you have turned hardened sinners into faithful and true saints of God. While some of us may have lots of education, some may have had very little. But I believe that since You made us in Your image, You have given us the ‘smarts’ to listen and obey You and to follow the direction You have laid out for our lives. Please Lord, besides giving me strength and direction each day, please also touch the lives of those who will read or listen to this devotional. May each one choose life – eternal life with You in glory. AMEN!

The Ministry God Has Given You

On 2023-08-23 By Ed AlgreenIn A Lamp unto My Path, Adoration, Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Awesome God, Beyond Description, Blessing, Celebrate God, Effective Ministry, Needs, Praise, Praise-worthy, Recognize God, Worship1 Comment

DATE POSTED: Wednesday, August 23, 2023, and I was blessed to be at Dowling Park, FL when God inspired me to prepare this devotional. My Footnote will tell you how to find, read or listen to any and all episodes that I have shared over the years.

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE FROM THE New Living Translation (NLT) IS FOUND IN 2 Timothy 4:2-5

THE BIBLE TEXT IS: Preach the word of God. Be prepared, whether the time is favorable or not. Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching. For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear. They will reject the truth and chase after myths. But you should keep a clear mind in every situation. Don’t be afraid of suffering for the Lord. Work at telling others the Good News, and fully carry out the ministry God has given you.

MY INITIAL THOUGHTS: As I meditated on this Scripture today, I couldn’t help but think that Paul may have said in person to me ‘For the time has come…..’, in lieu of the words underlined in the Scripture, for it seems that our people are already restless for entertainment and wanting more from the pulpit than just the plain old Gospel message that the man of God has been assigned to share. However, Paul is addressing his student and encouraging him to be careful to carry out the message and ministry God has given to him. Read this Scripture and meditate on what God might be saying to you through His Word.

APPLICATION OF THE WORD: It is so easy to shrug off the preaching of God’s Word on to the person sitting beside you, because you feel they might be in much worse spiritual shape that you are. It is even easier to accuse the pastor or preacher of misinterpreting the Word of God, since you understand it to mean very differently to what they explained. However, I pray that God will bless us today by helping us to apply His Word to our lives personally. Yes, I know, you are not a pastor, and you just don’t know if you could clearly understand the Word of God, but I want to remind you that God sent us the Holy Spirit to be our guide and to draw us to our Master and Lord. Let’s stop what we’re doing, and stop complaining long enough, to look inward at the opportunities God has given to us since accepting Jesus as your Lord and Savior. Timothy was off to carry out the ministry he felt led of God to perform. He was blessed with an awesome mentor who had come a long way since his days of being a persecutor of Christians. In fact, under the inspiration and help of the Holy Spirit, Paul had turned from persecution to evangelizing. His heart had changed from seeking to destroy Christians, to being a light and inspiration to Christians seeking to know and serve God. With a heart like that, don’t you know that Timothy was all ears and ready to follow the direction and encouraging words of Paul? In a time, similar to ours, Paul knew that his student, Timothy would face a cruel world. In fact, Paul advised that Timothy might find where people he would meet no longer want to listen to wholesome, accurate and the unchangeable Word of God. But think about this – the Bible is the Living Word of God, so I believe we can easily understand how Paul’s teaching is also applicable to us today. Friends, the more we visit churches, and the more we try to witness to unbelievers, it is very plain to see that many have their own agenda and therefore not interested in hearing what the preacher at mom’s old church down the road has to say. In fact, if it wasn’t for the changes noted in the new church started down the road where they accept everyone and their way of living that has no grounds in Biblical truth, they may not go to ‘church’ at all. Personally, I love the pastors who preach and teach that the Word of God is unchanged. We may have newer translations that try to clarify the way that older ones tell us what God wants, but the principles are unchanged. I believe that Paul might be telling us that we must learn to stay true to the living Word of God also, and that we tell it like it is, regardless of our audience or the location in which we are asked for our opinion on something. Christians, and especially pastors, are not to turn into politicians when asked for their stand on certain principles. There is no time to try and improve on what God said, in order to please the crowd. Yes, it will cause some to disagree, and some will get upset at us for disagreeing with their way of life, but God said that His Word is ‘LIGHT’. To me, that means that God’s Word will reveal the untruths of this dark and evil world, if we remain faithful and tell the world what the Word says. Paul told Timothy, and I will conclude my thoughts with the same words…. ‘Work at telling others the Good News, and fully carry out the ministry God has given you.’

BLESSINGS WORTH NOTING: Praise God for placing mentors in our lives. Ones that are not ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and they love us enough that they desire to see us be obedient and willing servants of the Most High God.

PRAYER BECAUSE OF THE IMPACT OF TODAY’S SCRIPTURE: Lord, I feel like there are two parts to this message today. One is that I might be willing to listen and follow the admonition of my mentors, and secondly that I might be willing to find a student who needs admonition from me, and then share with that student everything You lay on my heart. Please continue to shower me with boldness to share Your Word in every circumstance of life (in season), regardless of whether I happen to be in church or at a public venue where one might least expect to hear about the Lord (out of season). May I always be obedient to Your Word and Your Holy Spirit that You sent to guide and direct me through all walks of life. Lord may each reader and/or listener be willing to do the same so that Your name might be lifted high and that the eyes of the unsaved be opened to Your call on their lives. AMEN!

One Thing Lacking

On 2023-08-21 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, Worship1 Comment

DATE POSTED: Monday, August 21, 2023, and I was blessed to be at Dowling Park, FL when God inspired me to prepare this devotional. My Footnote will tell you how to find, read or listen to any and all episodes that I have shared over the years.

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE FROM THE Living Bible (TLB) IS FOUND IN Luke 18:18-23

Once a Jewish religious leader asked him this question: “Good sir, what shall I do to get to heaven?”
“Do you realize what you are saying when you call me ‘good’?” Jesus asked him. “Only God is truly good, and no one else. “But as to your question, you know what the Ten Commandments say—don’t commit adultery, don’t murder, don’t steal, don’t lie, honor your parents, and so on.”
The man replied, “I’ve obeyed every one of these laws since I was a small child.”
“There is still one thing you lack,” Jesus said. “Sell all you have and give the money to the poor—it will become treasure for you in heaven—and come, follow me.”
But when the man heard this he went sadly away, for he was very rich.

MY INITIAL THOUGHTS: I believe that some may sit and gloat over the idea that we have our house in order and we could accept the fact that Jesus may return at any moment. But much like the case of the rich young ruler, I wonder what God might draw to our attention as that ‘one more thing’ or ‘just one thing lacking’. Let me encourage you to get totally honest with yourself as you examine your life against the Word of God in our study these verses today.

APPLICATION OF THE WORD: As a teenager, I pressured my mom to let me return to school one day early from lunch, because I knew there would be lots of guys my age waiting to play games right up to the time for the afternoon school bell. Reluctantly mom let me go early, but not too long into our fun time racing after each other, I fell and cut my arm on a piece of glass. I knew I would never hear the end of it if I went home to be doctored, so I went to a nearby aunt. When I returned home that afternoon after school, I walked in the house with my arm swinging behind me, hoping that mom wouldn’t notice the large bandage around my arm! Although almost comical, I was faced with a lot of ridicule from a loving and caring mother! Some of you might hold ‘secrets’ from your spouse, while others may hold secrets from your teacher and/or pastor, or the tax man. Why some may even think that they are hiding things from God. But this fits the same category as my scenario when I thought I was hiding my bandaged arm from my mother! Often, we sit on the edge of our seat when judgment is occurring about our wrongdoings, because way too often we did a lot worse than what others see. But guess what? The Bible reveals that God even knows our thoughts, so not only is He aware of our wrongdoings, but He also knows about what we thought about doing or saying. I believe that one of the most embarrassing things that could occur, is for us to lay all our ‘cards’ on the table, only to be corrected about the ones we thought we would hold back on. Jesus knew how stingy the ruler was with his finances, so He was quick to remind the young man about getting his whole house in order, and not just obeying the commandments that were easy to follow, or easy for others to recognize in his actions. Perhaps Jesus is drawing your attention to an area of your life in which you are lacking. Deep inside you know what that is, because Jesus is pricking your conscience. I would recommend that, like the rich young ruler, start with examining your giving. God will hold us accountable for the times we withhold our gifts because we are upset with the preacher, or because no one came to visit us, or because of the way the church is wasting money, or because 1/10th of our CD interest, sale of assets, or estate gift, would amount to way more than the $10 we have always placed in the offering plate. Dear friends, when we consider giving back to God for His kingdom work and for His ultimate glory, is there anything too good, or any amount too great, to not give to His local church? Jesus told the young man much like I believe He is telling you and I today: Get your priorities in order with your finances and in following God obediently – then come and be my follower and a true representative of mine. I know you are not perfect, but are you on track for following the Master today? What is that ‘one more thing’ that you lack?

BLESSINGS WORTH NOTING: Praise God for His continued love for us, even through our stubbornness. Praise God for His patience with us, even when our hearts are undetermined about following His commands. May we determine in our hearts to be obedient in every way to our Master and Lord.

PRAYER BECAUSE OF THE IMPACT OF TODAY’S SCRIPTURE: Lord Jesus, You are most loving and gracious to us. Yet we try to convince ourselves that we can withhold in our finances, and in the details of our wickedness and lack of commitment to Your will and way. I am convinced that nothing is hidden from your eyes and ears, so I respectfully ask that You please continue to work in me so that I might become more and more like You every day. You bless us with the good health and opportunity to enjoy good jobs with good income, yet we hang on to our income like we deserve it plus a whole lot more. Forgive us Lord for our greed and selfishness. Lord may our lives be like an open book before You and may we be so obedient that there will be nothing lacking in what else we must do to be obedient. To be Your representatives and Your ambassadors here on earth, we must look, give, sound and love just like You. Please grant this to us, all for Your ultimate glory! AMEN!

The Mindset of the People

On 2023-08-16 By Ed AlgreenIn A Lamp unto My Path, Adoration, Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Awesome God, Beyond Description, Blessing, Celebrate God, Commitment, Needs, Praise, Praise-worthy, Recognize God, The Mind of Christ, Worship1 Comment

DATE POSTED: ^day, August ^, 2023, and I was blessed to be at Dowling Park, FL when God inspired me to prepare this devotional. My Footnote will tell you how to find, read or listen to any and all episodes that I have shared over the years.

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE FROM THE Living Bible (TLB) IS FOUND IN Nehemiah 10:28

THE BIBLE TEXT IS: These men signed on behalf of the entire nation—for the common people, the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the choir members, the Temple servants, and all the rest who, with their wives and sons and daughters who were old enough to understand, had separated themselves from the heathen people of the land in order to serve God.

MY INITIAL THOUGHTS: Like me, you may have heard about a church committee, where there were at least as many ideas as there were people sitting on the committee! Sounds nonproductive, but there could be effective committees, if its members are open to seeking the decision and approval of the Head of the Church – God Almighty. Members must also bear in mind the mindset of the people over which they have charge, for some will lead at such a level that, should they look back, no one might be following them. I just love the mindset of the people in our Scripture today, so let me encourage you to seek the face of God, and the mind of Christ, as we look together at our own mindset today.

APPLICATION OF THE WORD: Right at the outset, I believe that it is important for us to ponder the awesome responsibility that is ours to carry on the work of Jesus Christ in the form that He dictates in His Word, if we are serious about the choice that we made in being called a child of the King. Casually, one might brag about being a part of the heavenly royal family, and we might assume that because we occasionally attend church, that we are living up to our sonship role here on earth. But let’s remind ourselves of the seriousness offered up by the people of Jeremiah’s day in their commitment to obedience and following the teachings of the Almighty God. Friends, it is very easy to attend church, hear a spirit-led sermon and leave under the assumption that everything is done at that church in a God-honoring way. I am not naive enough to believe that some churches don’t make every effort to live up to God’s ordained plan for them. However, while still here in this world, we will individually and corporately face challenges from the evil one, especially if there is evidence that God is working miraculously through us. Over the years of being involved in church leadership, I could give you a long list of ways that Satan steps into the middle of the work we endeavor to do for Jesus through the local church. But I believe that our lesson today should concentrate more on what we might do going forward in order to be more dedicated and committed to the work of the Master in our families, our churches and our communities. My heart was touched as I read in our Scripture how the people had separated themselves from the heathen/the unsaved/the pagans/the known sinners of the day, so that they might dedicated themselves wholeheartedly to the will of God and obedience to His commands. Some who have never been involved in church leadership, or those who are new in attending church, may wonder why such a drastic step would be necessary, and whether this is something we should consider doing today. Friends, there are times that we must become detached from those who tend to cause us to have evil thoughts; see the worse in people; disregard the needs of people; lose sight of the need for sinners to be saved; ignore the needs of others; tear down good and honorable men of God; and to truly set ourselves apart to openly acknowledge that Jesus Christ is indeed Lord over all aspects of our life. When our ‘old’ friends think that we are getting ‘too godly’ they will try to tear down our newly learned beliefs and those we now hold in higher regard than them. I know, you don’t have friends like that, but let me assure you that the closer you get to God, the more upset you will make Satan, and he will begin his attack on you and your beliefs like you never imagined. Let me encourage you to do a reset on everything you have believed about being a Christian and then restart with drawing close to God. Enter into a deep and satisfying relationship with Jesus Christ. Talk to Him regularly in prayer and as you go about your day. Take time to listen to what He says to you through His Word, and allow Him to guide your thoughts, your words and your actions. This will be especially useful for the Kingdom if you carry these things with you should you ever be asked to help in church leadership, for God wants wholly dedicated leaders who would listen to Him and follow His commands, rather than those of the heathen outside and inside your church. Let Jesus be prominent in your personal life, your home life, your work life, your church life, and in all roles where you are called on to help in leadership in either of these avenues of life. Remember, it’s God that you want on the throne of your life, for if your life is influenced by any others, you will definitely be a liability and hindrance to God’s ongoing work.

BLESSINGS WORTH NOTING: Successful marriages are built around each partner separating themselves from their personal likes and dislikes and dedicating themselves wholeheartedly to one another. Our Scripture shows us that in as much as it depends on us, our personal commitments and our professional decisions will succeed if we dedicate ourselves and our decisions to honor Jesus Christ and all that He commands.

PRAYER BECAUSE OF THE IMPACT OF TODAY’S SCRIPTURE: Lord Jesus, thank You for the sacrifice You made on Calvary for the forgiveness of my sin. Thank you for loving, caring and watching out for me, for my good, each and every day. Lord, You are good and Your mercies endure forever and forever. On being reminded of what the people or Nehemiah’s day did to ensure their purity in thought and commitment of service to You, I am reminded of how easily we allow the world to dilute our thoughts and our unending commitment to You. Please Lord, open the eyes of all who call on You as Lord and teach us to commit ourselves to You fully and wholeheartedly so that You may work through us to reach the lost and unrepentant that we come into contact with each day. Oh, that You may be lifted up, honored and praised in and through our words, actions and commitment today! AMEN!

The Righteous vs The Unrighteous

On 2023-08-14 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, Righteousness, Worship1 Comment

DATE POSTED: Monday, August 14, 2023, and I was blessed to be at Dowling Park, FL when God inspired me to prepare this devotional. My Footnote will tell you how to find, read or listen to any and all episodes that I have shared over the years.

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE FROM THE Amplified Bible (AMP) IS FOUND IN Proverbs 13:6; 13

THE BIBLE TEXT IS: Righteousness (being in right standing with God) guards the one whose way is blameless, but wickedness undermines and overthrows the sinner.
Whoever despises the word and counsel [of God] brings destruction upon himself, but he who [reverently] fears and respects the commandment [of God] will be rewarded.

MY INITIAL THOUGHTS: Every time we turn on the television to catch up on the news, many of us are bothered by the evil, crime and wickedness that takes over the headlines. Some of us grow weary from this news, because we have read the Book and we know why these things are happening. But this is not new to our era, for Solomon also dealt with this back in his day. Being the wisest man on earth, and a close study of the righteousness of God, I believe we can find answers to our present-day dilemmas directly from God’s Word. Ask God to open your eyes of wisdom and understanding as you join hearts with me in understanding the words, He gave to His servant Solomon.

APPLICATION OF THE WORD: I watched a movie recently where a local City Commission reacted to certain crimes in their city by implementing very stringent laws to guard against the possibility of such crimes recurring. Soon, the town was pretty much on lockdown because of the various new laws implemented, and many of the town residents soon became extremely unhappy. I believe that may be representative of many of our cities, and possibly even our churches. But Solomon teaches us how to search for the root of our problems. What does God’s Word say about these things? Are we living in full obedience to God’s Word and His instructions? Recently I have been so busy with earthly challenges, that my heavenly relationship has been hindered. I found where nothing seemed to have been going right. Until one day God opened my eyes to see how my priorities have become skewed by the challenges of this world. Nothing bad, dear friends, but yet I could see where my priorities were out of order. This is not the way exampled by God in the very beginning. He created everything that we might need to eat and enjoy, then He created man. As if everything evolved around mankind, that He made in His own image. It sure seems to me that we try everything else, do everything else, enjoy all the world has to offer, THEN if anything goes wrong, we run to the only One who could do ALL things – Almighty God. I believe that our Scripture verses today are showing us that if we try to turn things around and trust God first, call on Him first, praise God for who He is and for what He can do – first and foremost each and every day, allow God to be our Savior and Lord who will direct our every word and action, THEN He will direct our path – our righteous path, so that we may live worthy of the Kingdom and His righteousness. Friends, don’t be fooled by this world. Unholy and unrighteous people will do unrighteous things. That’s where the evil, crime and wickedness comes from that I mentioned in my introduction. Our verses indicate that righteousness will guard the life of the blameless (those who are right with God). Please allow me to suggest that should you ever find where things are going south, or you see where sinfulness is creeping in, that you immediately go back to the beginning and reacquaint yourself with the Lord Jesus Christ and ask Him to resume leadership in your life so that you may once again walk the walk and talk the talk that He intended for your good. Let’s all try daily to call on the name of Jesus as we strive to live righteous and fearless lives that represent our Lord Jesus in every way. If you aim for perfection and to be the image of God, while asking Him to be your strength, guide and everlasting Lord, He will direct your path to avoid the pitfall of Satan’s wicked plans that are intended to destroy and tear apart every relationship that you seek after. Be ready to say like Paul did, ‘follow me, as I follow Christ’!

BLESSINGS WORTH NOTING: Solomon was careful to help us understand that the blessings for the righteous stands in stark contrast to the hands-off-by-God evil that comes to the wicked. I am rejoicing once again at being reminded that I am a child of the King of all kings and Lord of all lords!

PRAYER BECAUSE OF THE IMPACT OF TODAY’S SCRIPTURE: Too often we stand surprised by the unusual cruelty and punishment that comes to those who show no interest in following the ways of our Lord, but thank You Lord for opening our eyes once again today to see how You permit the unsaved to live unholy and disobedient lives as they wish, while blessing and preparing a path of righteousness for those who know, love and serve You. It is clear that You give us what we desire, even when it must hurt You deeply to see Your creation follow a path of unrighteousness and evil. Lord, I pray that for as long as You permit us to live in this world, that You will direct our path and give us boldness to represent You in everything we do or say. Please continue to teach us to not only say we are your children, but to especially live out the truths of Your Word each and every day. AMEN!

The Purpose of The Bible

On 2023-08-13 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, Worship1 Comment

DATE POSTED: Sunday, August 13, 2023, and I was blessed to be at Dowling Park, FL when God inspired me to prepare this devotional. My Footnote will tell you how to find, read or listen to any and all episodes that I have shared over the years.

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE FROM THE Living Bible (TLB) IS FOUND IN 2 Timothy 3:16-17

THE BIBLE TEXT IS: The whole Bible was given to us by inspiration from God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives; it straightens us out and helps us do what is right.It is God’s way of making us well prepared at every point, fully equipped to do good to everyone.

MY INITIAL THOUGHTS: In a world where anything goes, and where mankind chooses to do their own thing at their convenience and for their own good, it becomes increasingly challenging for one to truly settle on the Word of God being their primary guide and God being their one and only resource for decisions. However, for the ones looking at eternity and where they will spend it, I believe that the complete resources and direction from the Creator and the God of this universe offers the only hope and promise to us. Our verses today help us to understand 1). Why the Bible, and 2). What the obedient believer could expect when they take direction from our Creator. Stay with me on this!

APPLICATION OF THE WORD: I believe the easiest way for us to look at this, and to realize its impact, is to remind ourselves of what brings us to the feet of Jesus for acceptance, forgiveness, and relationship. In this world, it doesn’t take very long to realize it has nothing to offer outside of the partying, heartaches, family division, pay backs, ill will towards each other, revenge, wickedness and the hopeless destination of hell. However, the Bible gives us a whole list of things similar to the ones I just outlined – see Galatians 5:19-21 and it assures us that those following this lifestyle will never see the eyes of our Holy God. But friends, God has chosen not to give up on His creation, so there will come a time when He reminds the unsaved of the righteousness of a holy God – their Creator. This will be through intervention by the Holy Spirit. It may be a word or action of a pastor, a family member, a good friend, a casual acquaintance, or it may be through His living Word – the Bible. While God will not pressure us into making a decision against our will, He will reveal Himself to us and remind us of all that He did for us so that we may become children of God. For my dad, it was the unfortunate death of a nephew that opened his eyes to the God of this universe that he had never personally accepted. For myself, it was through a family friend who encouraged me and walked with me to the altar where I surrendered my life to God personally, after a touching sermon. Paul knew what Timothy would face as a young minister of the Gospel so, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Paul pointed Timothy towards the Book what would provide him the confidence to preach, and the encouragement to continue in, the work of the Lord through the toughest of times. This awesome Book is still available to the child of God today. Whether it’s the pastor who stands before a mega church of individuals from all walks of life, who needs direction, encouragement and direction to find the one way that leads to eternal life, or if it’s the young, simple, inexperienced new Christian who will interact with a friend or acquaintance who needs the Lord during his normal daily walk of life. Let’s never forget that God is all knowing and all powerful, so He could also speak directly to the needs of an unsaved individual who needs Him. I have heard of individuals who, in the quiet and solitude of an overnight hotel stay, found the Bible that was stored in the top drawer of that hotel room nightstand, opened its pages and began reading, only to find the words necessary for drawing him/her to the forgiving and saving grace of Jesus Christ. Let’s never forget, only God can save a person headed for a wicked Hell. Although He may use us to experience new life through our 2 cents that we may lend to an individual, only God can redirect a lost and sinful heart. Let’s try applying the Word of God to our own lives on a regular basis, then perhaps, we will also speak words of wisdom from God Himself as we minister and care for others.

BLESSINGS WORTH NOTING: We often need someone to ‘straighten us out’! Praise God for His Word, a true and meaningful way of God speaking to us and redirecting our path towards the holiness of God.

PRAYER BECAUSE OF THE IMPACT OF TODAY’S SCRIPTURE: Lord Jesus, I thank You for the cross. A place where You suffered and died for the redemption of our sin. In our Scripture today, I am also reminded of the invaluable tool You left for us to hear from You and receive instruction from You. Please remind all readers and listeners to dust off the covers of this important book on their shelves, and to desire a daily encounter with You through the words You left for us to follow and better understand Your mercy and Your grace. A tradesman who follows manufacturer’s instructions will often succeed in returning something to its original perfection. Your Word is even more powerful and effective in reaching the heart of its readers and drawing us closer to the source of that great Book, God Almighty. Please help us to never lose sight of You, by becoming active in reading Your Word each and every day. May others see more of Christ, because we have drawn closer to, and following what You have desired of us in Your Word. AMEN!

In Prayer, Recognize Who God Is

On 2023-08-05 By Ed AlgreenIn A Lamp unto My Path, Adoration, Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Awesome God, Beyond Description, Blessing, Celebrate God, Needs, Praise, Praise-worthy, Prayer, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED: Saturday, August 5th, 2023, and I was blessed to be at Dowling Park, FL when God inspired me to prepare this devotional. My Footnote will tell you how to find, read or listen to any and all episodes that I have shared over the years.

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE FROM THE New Living Translation (NLT) IS FOUND IN Luke 18:10-14

THE BIBLE TEXT IS: “Two men went to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a despised tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer: ‘I thank you, God, that I am not like other people—cheaters, sinners, adulterers. I’m certainly not like that tax collector! I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income.’ “But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, ‘O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.’
I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God…..

MY INITIAL THOUGHTS: At times we become so entrenched in our current situation, that we often forget from whence we came or overlook the awesomeness of the one we now owe our allegiance to. Case in point – our spouse. When we first met them, we treated them like royalty, and we looked at every opportunity for ways to express our love to them. Then, through ongoing familiarity, they seem to have become just like everyone else in what we are prepared to do for them. Another case in point is the Lord Jesus. Think about your first 30 days of being a Christian and compare that with your mindset about your Savior now. Examine yourself before pointing fingers at the Pharisee or the sinner in today’s Scripture.

APPLICATION OF THE WORD: Although a very familiar story for those who have attended church very long or studied their Bibles for very long. Yet, we can’t help but see some stark, eye-opening, differences between these two characters that may cause us to look upwards and acknowledge to God that you might be that Pharisee, or possibly the Publican identified in this word picture. I have relatives who went home the night they surrendered their hearts to Christ and burned magazines they knew might be offensive to Jesus, or they poured remaining liquor from previously bad habits down the drain. For they were serious about their commitment to the only One who had never sinned, and the only One who is holy, and the only One whose bloodline related directly with the God who created this universe and everyone in it. In recognizing that, they realized that they had quite a gap to close in trying to align themselves with the Master. I wonder if there was a malignment in the life of the Pharisee in recognizing Jesus, and the power of His Almighty Father? Perhaps the Pharisee may have lost sight of whose presence he had entered into. How is it with you? Using the first 30 days mentioned above as an example, I wonder how many of those first days that you neglected to pray or open the Word of God to learn more about what God is demanding of you. Probably not many, right? But compare that to the last 30 days. Are you still in love with Jesus and expressing that love in multiple ways each day? If not, I wonder if you might not be just as liable to pray like the Pharisee in our story today. Please don’t throw stones at me, if this message is really stepping on your toes. I don’t claim to be perfect either, but in sharing this with you, I believe that the Holy Spirit is dealing in my life even more harshly as I pen these words for you to consider. Friends, we must be so careful in remembering who God is, so that we don’t join the ranks of the Pharisee in self-righteousness and pride. You see, when the Pharisee compared himself to others, he was acknowledging his self-righteousness. God’s grace extends to the humble, for the proud will not inherit eternal life (James 4:6). Jesus said that He only said the words given to Him by His Father, so He acknowledged that He was subordinate to His Father’s will. Do you feel the same way about your relationship with the Father? If we are to be Christ-like or imitate Jesus in every walk of life and in our speech, then we will need His strength and His support. Reading His Word on a daily basis will keep our minds freshly tuned to what He said and did, and therefore guide us to how we are to respond in circumstances throughout our day. Always keep Jesus lifted high and seek to follow in His footsteps every day. He alone is worthy of our praise and our obedience!

BLESSINGS WORTH NOTING: Jesus was able to think outside of the box that we tend to build around what we call ‘religion’. Jesus saw the heart of the sinner, even though we tend to brush them aside as unworthy. Trust in the Lord your God with all your heart, soul and mind, and He will direct your path – today and every day!

PRAYER BECAUSE OF THE IMPACT OF TODAY’S SCRIPTURE: Lord, who am I that I might be privileged to stand before the King of all kings and Lord of all lords with my petitions? Yet I know that You died and rose again so that I might become Your precious son, as I live in anticipation of life eternally with You in glory. Thank You Jesus for accepting my cry for forgiveness and mercy! However, in this Scripture today, I believe that You are warning us that we have no room to boast like the Pharisee, but instead we must approach You like the Publican who knew that his every move, his every recovery from illness, his every ability to face another day, and his only hope of eternity in Heaven with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit is dependent upon a right relationship with You dear Jesus. Please Lord, remind me of this should I tend to boast, or feel superior to the sinner that I come into contact with. At the foot of the cross, and kneeling before You in prayer for forgiveness, we are all equal – sinners, whether saved by grace, or sinners seeking Your grace. Please teach us Lord to live as sinners forgiven by the grace of a holy God, and never, ever, assume that it is anything good thing we have done to deserve Your grace and Your forgiveness. May Your grace abound in my life, and may it be a source of inspiration for the sinner seeking to know You as Savior, please oh Lord, I ask this only for Your honor and Your glory, AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: There’s another page on my website, entitled ‘To Know Jesus’. If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading or listening to this devotional, please go to this page, or speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. Please allow someone to pray with you and give you help and/or encouragement as you begin or continue your walk with Jesus. If you would like to read more of my devotionals, or subscribe for a daily email containing each new devotional, please go online to NuggetsFromGodsWord.org. For my podcast, go online to Apple Podcasts or, using the Apple Podcast app, simply search for Nuggets From God’s Word to hear more episodes, or click ‘Follow’ to be notified of Podcast updates. Friends, please allow me to 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!

Nuggets From God's Word

Month: August 2023