God’s Message About Your Country

On 2023-12-31 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: Sunday, December 31, 2023, and I was blessed to be at Kyle, Texas 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 Isaiah 22:1; 11; 13;

THE BIBLE TEXT IS: This message came to me concerning Babylon—the desert by the sea: Disaster is roaring down on you from the desert, like a whirlwind sweeping in from the Negev.
This message came to me concerning Edom: Someone from Edom keeps calling to me….
This message came to me concerning Arabia…..

APPLICATION OF THE WORD: God used one of His major prophets to warn many nations of the things that need some attention to better align them with His commands, teachings and will for them. I bolded just three from the Bible passage I studied today, but the theme was the same, and it provoked enormous thought in my mind about the things that God might impress upon our hearts about our respective countries. We can’t change the world, and we definitely can’t personally bring about change in our country. But as children of the King, I believe God would have us yearn for a heart like His. I believe that God is concerned enough about the disobedience, disrespect, and disloyal attitudes of our people that He wants us to make this a priority in our prayer lives, and that we try in every way to teach everyone in our circle of influence what it is that God wants from them and us. We are faced with the beginning of a brand new year, thankfully. What better time to make new commitments to be the face and image of Jesus in everything we say or do. To ensure that you don’t accept this idea in a blanket fashion without thought and direct concern, I would suggest that you take a few moments to think about the variances you see in your own life, your home, your church, your workplace, your city, state and country, from what God commands in His Word. This is not intended to bring a judgmental attitude on yourself, but rather, to show you at minimum, the things that God would have you pray for. You won’t see everything, because God knows our hearts, our very thoughts, and the things done in hiding, but I believe you will assimilate a list long enough to lead you into endless prayer for this new year. I trust that you will consider joining me in this challenge dear friends. Plead for a heart like Jesus who is concerned about the unsaved who are heading into eternity without being convinced of a living Savior who prepared a way for them to make Heaven their eternal home.

PRAYER BECAUSE OF THE IMPACT OF TODAY’S SCRIPTURE: It is so easy for us to throw our hands up in despair because of everything we see as evil, or in total disobedience to God’s Word. But Lord, I thank You for declaring through Your prophet Isaiah how harshly You will deal with those who refuse to accept You. You saved us, especially when we’re so unworthy. Thank You Lord Jesus for loving us. I respectfully ask now that You give us a heart like Yours and not give up on those in our circle who need You. May we be Your hands and feet in every aspect of our life, til You come and take us home to be with You. 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!

Follow Jesus’ Example on Prayer

On 2023-12-30 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: Saturday, December 30, 2023, and I was blessed to be at Kyle, Texas 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 Hebrews 5:7-8

THE BIBLE TEXT IS: While Jesus was here on earth, he offered prayers and pleadings, with a loud cry and tears, to the one who could rescue him from death. And God heard his prayers because of his deep reverence for God. Even though Jesus was God’s Son, he learned obedience from the things he suffered.

APPLICATION OF THE WORD: I believe that it is always best to follow in someone’s example who we fully trust, and who proved successful in what they did. We may tend to overlook a close example of Jesus on the subject of prayer, because we may feel like we are offering our prayers to He and the Father every time we pray anyway. If you are leaning to agree with me in that last statement, then please allow me to suggest that we look to Him for direction in this important communication tool with He and the Father. In parenting we may have learned that children do a whole lot better with what we show them, rather than what we tell them to do. Knowing that the Bible is God’s inspired Word to those who penned its words, I found it extremely interesting to see that God wanted us to know that Jesus was not exempt from some of the same things that we struggle with, and may have questioned about the holy Son of God. Here are a few points that I feel like God particularly caught my attention on:
*~* Respect for the Father (God) – Jesus prayed to ‘the One who rescued Him from death’. Some commentators believe this meant premature death. But in acknowledging that His Father protected Him from death, shows that He knew that His Father was the only One who could do that. Jesus respected God’s authority, power, wisdom and love to save Him from any harm that mere man could conjure up against Him. Notice that nothing was said about Jesus resorting to dependence on God – after trying every other possible solution. Isn’t that what we most frequently do? Knowing that His Father was all-powerful, Jesus humbled Himself to ‘pleading’; ‘loud cries’; and ‘tears’. If Jesus was touched by the Father in such a way, do we have any right demanding things of God, as if we’re in charge? Perhaps we should reimagine who God is in 2024, recognizing that we are but a particle of dust, compared to His majesty and awesome power. Let’s make it a point to pray to God with the kind of respect Jesus showed, every time we approach His throne.
*~* Reverence for God – ‘God heard Jesus’ prayers because of His deep reverence for God’. What do you think? Will God answer your prayer because of He recognizes and acknowledges your reverence and respect for the Creator of heaven and earth; for the Healer who not only cured unimaginable diseases, but He also restored sight to the blind, made the lame to walk again, and even raised the dead back to life? Can you honestly acknowledge that God is not just there for your convenience – to call on in your time of need, but that you KNOW that He wants an intimate relationship with you at all times?
*~* Obedience as a result of suffering – ‘Even though Jesus was God’s Son, He learned obedience from all that He suffered’. In 1 Peter 3:18 we are told that Christ suffered, not because He sinned, but because of the sins of sinners. In our focal verses today we are told that Jesus learned obedience from His suffering. Won’t it be awesome if we could look at our suffering as a learning tool, rather than cursing God for ignoring our cry for mercy? In a Bible study I took part in many years ago, we were encouraged to look outside of our personal circumstances and try to see what God is doing, then join Him in His work. In principle, that is an awesome and admirable piece of advice, but I believe everyone will agree that it’s never easy trying to rejoice while living out circumstances that seem to drown us in pity, depression, hopelessness and despair. I truly believe that way too often we try to pull ‘God’ out of a deep box where we throw unimportant things (to us) that are placed there in case we ever need them. Friends, if we are to imitate Jesus, then we would call on the God who opens our eyes each morning; through the Holy Spirit, guides us through His Word, then to open communication with Him on a regular basis through prayer, so that we may better deal with our daily circumstances. When we trust wholeheartedly in God, we are reminded each day that His love never changes for us, even when we face unfortunate circumstances. His love is unconditional, and He displayed that on the cross when He accepted public disgrace, embarrassment and death, because He knew that it was all necessary for our eternal destiny with He and the Father. Dear friends, that same love is still very much in place during every circumstance of life today. Experiencing this daily, helps us to deal with even the most challenging circumstances, and helps us realize that God is indeed still with us at all times.

PRAYER BECAUSE OF THE IMPACT OF TODAY’S SCRIPTURE: Oh dear Lord, please continue to work in the hearts of Your children to develop relationships with You, and not just think of You in urgent times of need. Thanks also for the reminder that since Jesus suffered, we also may suffer, and that we should look for the learning opportunities in that suffering, instead of assuming that You turned Your head to our needs. Thankfully, You set the example for us in recognizing the importance of prayer, and the qualities to insure our dependence on, and trust in, You. Please continue to be merciful and patient with us Lord, we know that we need Jesus more than anything, but we still allow the world to influence us too much. As we trust in You, we can better share the importance of knowing You with others. AMEN!

Who is The Greatest?

On 2023-12-28 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: Thursday, December 28, 2023, and I was blessed to be at Kyle, TX 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 22:24-27

THE BIBLE TEXT IS: And they began to argue among themselves as to who would have the highest rank in the coming Kingdom. Jesus told them, “In this world the kings and great men order their slaves around, and the slaves have no choice but to like it! But among you, the one who serves you best will be your leader. Out in the world the master sits at the table and is served by his servants. But not here! For I am your servant.

APPLICATION OF THE WORD: I have always been taught that we can turn to God’s Word for any and everything we want to know God’s teaching on. This is vital, especially after reading the above Bible text and understanding the stark difference in how the world views this subject vs God. I also found it interesting how Jesus spoke many years ago on the world’s view on greatness, and it is precisely on target for what we still see occurring today. Current-day bosses will engage the rudest, most abrupt, condesending person in their employment to gain what they want from a vendor, or what they want presented to a customer on the extent they are prepared to go in order to keep their business. But does this align with the concept of leadership described by Jesus? Most worldly leaders demand servants who will do what they’re told, without any sense of personal conscience. Jesus had just demonstrated servanthood that matched His teaching – He washed the feet of His disciples, those He was training to carry on His ministry here on earth. I heard of an employer near my home who would hand out his company’s paychecks each week, because he wanted to personally interact with his employees at least once per week. That may not sound a lot like servanthood, but I could only imagine that employees must have appreciated his deliberate effort to personally interact with them. Churches are really not a whole lot different, for some pastors and/or elders feel they are above ‘getting their hands dirty’ with issues of the poor and lowly in their congregation. I believe that our challenge with this Scripture today might be that we look inward and, with God’s help, determine what changes we must make so that our lives would be better aligned with the teaching and example of our Master and King. If Jesus is to be ‘Lord’ of our lives, then we must ensure that we are living and acting in ways that are pleasing and directed by our Lord. Perhaps this is a good thing to keep in mind when we see our attitudes declining or our actions imitating the world. For us to share Christ with the world, we must reflect Him in our words, actions and attitudes. Conflicting attitudes will cause the world to question our intentions and who it is that we truly represent.

PRAYER BECAUSE OF THE IMPACT OF TODAY’S SCRIPTURE: Oh dear Lord, who are we to talk about greatness? As our Creator, Sustainer, Healer and Savior, You alone are great. Yet You chose to serve Your disciples by washing their feet. You provided the means for our eternity in Heaven, because of Your love for us and Your desire to see us remain faithful to You right to the very end. Please forgive us Lord in trying to place ourselves over others here on earth, for You alone are worthy of such honor. Please help us to remain humble and serve others, much like You demonstrated to us. May others see Jesus in everything we do or say, and not the pride and self promotion that we try to achieve. You’ve told us that these actions are of the world, and not representative of You. AMEN!

Only What’s Done For Jesus Will Last

On 2023-12-27 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: Wednesday, December 27, 2023, and I was blessed to be at Kyle, Texas 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 Isaiah 17:9-11

THE BIBLE TEXT IS: Their largest cities will be as deserted as the distant wooded hills and mountaintops and become like the abandoned cities of the Amorites, deserted when the Israelites approached (so long ago). Why? Because you have turned from the God who can save you—the Rock who can hide you; therefore, even though you plant a wonderful, rare crop of greatest value, and though it grows so well that it will blossom on the very morning that you plant it, yet you will never harvest it—your only harvest will be a pile of grief and incurable pain.

APPLICATION OF THE WORD: Isn’t it interesting that we tend to put God aside when we think that we have everything under control and life is going our way? But I was awakened to the fact that we serve a just, fair, and honest God who will do what He told us He would do. Nothing has really changed, for today we still act like since we are smart enough to do what’s needed in our lives, so why bother God with those types of decisions. Unfortunately this goes on when we are faced with decisions every day, so we get into the trap of doing ‘life’ under our own power and without the guidance and power of Almighty God. Friends, I am convinced that God loved the Israelites with all His heart, just like He loves His children today. But it is clear that God gave the Israelites free rein to use the information and help at their disposal to guide them into right decisions. But then they allowed worldly desires, and tried to win worldly approval to influence their decisions which, in turn, told God ‘No thanks, we can do this alone’. But one thing they didn’t factor into their decisions were the consequences God warned them about, if they disobeyed Him. Friends, we also have been warned of God. Yes, He is a God of love and mercy. But that means that if we confess our sin, and acknowledge that we want to do life God’s way, instead of our own earthly desires, then in His perfect love, He will show mercy and grace by wiping our slate clean, forgiving our sin – in full, and welcome us into His Kingdom as a righteous child of God. The Bible tells us that God will do the same today as He did with the Israelites – remember the rich man who awoke in Hell and cried out to God for mercy? Just like the case of the Israelites, it was too late for the rich man. God has warned us that we too are destined for Hell, just like the rich man in the Bible, if we refuse to believe on the name of Jesus and surrender lordship of our lives to Him. God never changes my friends. Because He said it, we could ‘go to the bank with that’. So we find ourselves in much the same state at the Israelites. We have a loving Savior who sacrificed His very own Son for the redemption of our sin. Why settle for anything less than the glories of heaven with an eternity of praise and worship to our Creator, Master and King? God has already completed His side of that covenant agreement with mankind. It’s up to us now to say ‘no’ to the world, and accept His gift – His endless love, protection, mercy and grace.

PRAYER BECAUSE OF THE IMPACT OF TODAY’S SCRIPTURE: Lord, You are so good to us! You created us in Your image, perfect in every way. You gave us the satisfaction of making our own decisions, and I’m sure You must be saddened by the decisions we make and especially how we try to neglect You in our lives. I realize that this is no different to the Israelites, even though we have the option of learning from their mistakes, and we are reminded of your firmness in responding to us in exactly the way that You promised. Lord, we may live to enjoy a new year, so we humbly ask that You renew a right spirit within us and help us to stay committed to You in every way. May the words of our mouth and the meditation of our heart be acceptable to you, precious Lord. AMEN!

Christmas – A Time to Give??

On 2023-12-24 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: Sunday, December 24, 2023, and I was blessed to be at Kyle, Texas 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 Good News Translation (GNT) IS FOUND IN Proverbs 21:13; 25-26;

THE BIBLE TEXT IS: If you refuse to listen to the cry of the poor, your own cry for help will not be heard.
Lazy people who refuse to work are only killing themselves; all they do is think about what they would like to have. The righteous, however, can give, and give generously.

APPLICATION OF THE WORD: Please, please, don’t be upset over the subject I chose for this devotional, especially where this particular Scripture does not mention Christmas, or the birth of Christ. But since this is the time of year that we tend to think of RECEIVING gifts, this Scripture reminded me of how much more we should concentrate on GIVING. I truly believe that Satan has been working overtime in getting God’s people thinking just the opposite of what God demands. In verse 13, we are told to be conscious of the poor. This sounds like sound advice for any unselfish person, especially one who aims to imitate the love and concern of Jesus, our Lord. But I would be surprised to hear of many who would read this Scripture and not feel a certain amount of guilt. Unfortunately, many Christians have gotten into the excuses of the world, and decide: not to help a poor beggar, because they will only take the money and buy booze or drugs. Or b). Not to help a poor country of people, because they have bad leaders who often fight against our country. Or c). Can’t help those people down the road, for they have never appreciated our church and our ministry. But friends, what if we gave anyway, because we believe what God said in His Word – that we may very well find ourselves in need one day and not receive help, because of our earlier decisions to withhold help to the poor, when we were truly able to help? Further in the same chapter as the above Proverb, I found it interesting that for those those who could find employment and earn money for their personal needs, God would tell them what appears obvious. Don’t sit by waiting for your ‘ship to come in’, especially when you could load that ship yourself if only you would choose to work. And although we could easily add a few additions to God’s advice, I believe that the child of God must be reminded that this scenario exists, so that they could try and help those better understand the truth of what they are doing. Plus, we are also told that the righteous will give, give and give some more of what God has blessed them with. Friends, there is no room in the Kingdom for those who choose to use their money as a bargaining tool in Kingdom work here on earth. Some may not give because of a pastor who preaches straight from the Bible, regardless if the Word will ‘step on the toes’ of the rich, poor or indifferent. Some will withhold tithes until the church hears their demands to get a new pastor, or fire an elder, or whatever their selfish demands are. When we give from a heart and life that has been blessed by God over and abundantly, we will give until we know that God is pleased, and not until our selfish demands are met. But we are just hours away from Christmas. Are you anxiously awaiting the moment to see the face of someone you gave a precious gift to, or are you more concerned with what else is under the tree for you? Remember, God gave to us more than anyone ever saw fit to do. We will celebrate the gift of Jesus, given to us by our Father, God. There is absolutely nothing we can reciprocate in giving back to God for this awesome gift, unless we finally get the BIG picture and give ourselves to Him while acknowledging that we can’t do life without Him. Are you ‘all in’ with this type of giving this Christmas? I sure hope so, dear friend!

PRAYER BECAUSE OF THE IMPACT OF TODAY’S SCRIPTURE: Lord Jesus, we are indeed a blessed people. We’ve been blessed by our earthly parents, and we’ve been especially blessed by You, in providing the One who came to save us from our sin. Many of us may be surprised by a gift given this Christmas, because it was given in spite of the giver knowing our inability to reciprocate. But none of us ever expected the Creator of heaven and earth to give His only, holy, and special Son for our eternal life in heaven. Thank You Father God for Your precious gift, thank You Jesus for Your sacrifice so that our sins would be forgiven and our promised home in glory become a reality. Thank You Holy Spirit for being with us each and everyday to help us keep focused on our heavenly goal. With so much being sacrificed and given to me, Lord I beg You to show me how I might give to bless others in much the same way as You demonstrated Your love for me. AMEN!

The Book – Our Accountability

On 2023-12-22 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: Friday, December 22, 2023, and I was blessed to be at The Landing at Seven Coves, Willis, TX 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 Good News Translation (GNT) IS FOUND IN Hebrews 4:12-13

THE BIBLE TEXT IS: The word of God is alive and active, sharper than any double-edged sword. It cuts all the way through, to where soul and spirit meet, to where joints and marrow come together. It judges the desires and thoughts of the heart. There is nothing that can be hid from God; everything in all creation is exposed and lies open before his eyes. And it is to him that we must all give an account of ourselves.

APPLICATION OF THE WORD: Married couples tend to wear a wedding ring, perhaps not so much as a reminder of that special day they joined hearts and lives together before God, but often as a means of telling the opposite sex that they are set aside for another man/woman, so they are not available for courting or dating. In very open and trusting marriages, a couple can talk about their day, including anyone that tried to impose on their marital commitment. This develops trust and stronger relationships because of their openness. In our Christian walk, we tend to attend church, and hopefully a small group class, to learn more about Jesus and how others are impacted in the world, just like we are, and how they choose to deal with their challenges. Joining with a group will also help you stay accountable to them in very positive ways. Ever notice how one might get sick, and absolutely no one knows about it, unless you don’t show up to work the next day? In a group setting, we tend to look out for each other. However, in addition to interpersonal relationships, it is even more important that we stay accountable to the One who gave up His life, out of pure love for us, so that we might have eternal life in glory with God – the Father; Jesus – God’s Son; and the Holy Spirit – sent to us as the Comforter, when Jesus ascended into heaven. Yes, God knows everything about us, but how does that help us? In our Scripture today, we are reminded of one other aspect of the Triune God. For God left His precious Word – the Bible, as our guide book to not only show us the way to live, but also to teach us the ways and teachings of God. So now this all fits together, and makes a lot of sense. Accountability to God means that since He left His Word for our benefit, learning and direction, there will be no excuse for us to offer about not knowing what God expects of His children. I know many of you probably go to church, and you may even hear the Word of God preached, so you’re learning more about what God desires of you. As mentioned, Small Groups give yet another opportunity to learn more about God and how fellow members are applying the Word to their lives. But I believe that there was meaningful purpose in God providing His instructions in writing for us. It is said that men will tend to read instructions after their personal efforts fail to complete an assembly project!! But I believe that God wants us to look at His Word as an important part of our communion with Him each day. Prayer is available anywhere, and at anytime. But in addition to telling God about our thanksgiving, praises and needs, it is equally important for us to hear back from Him. And since the Bible is the ‘Living Word of God’, then it is vitally important that we hear from Him each day. However, our Scripture today warns us that as we read the Bible, we will receive a lot more than a pat on the back, but God will use His Word to open our hearts and clearly hear truth from Him. Some of what God says to us, will send us ‘over the moon’ with joy and happiness over the blessings that are ours in being a child of the King. However, since we are not perfect, we will also receive instruction for correction – both in our relationship with God and with each other. I highlighted a few words in our Bible text that helps to remind us how powerful and effective the Word of God is. Notice that we are not told how God’s response to us is based on His emotional state, like we often find in our spouse or close relatives. Nor is the Word vindictive, based on what we could have done better. I believe that suffice it to say, the Word of God is alive, active, and pointed in correcting us as needed in every aspect of our lives. Please consider joining me in reading this Book especially written for us by our Creator, Sustainer and soon coming King!

PRAYER BECAUSE OF THE IMPACT OF TODAY’S SCRIPTURE: Reading instructions offered to us by a loved one will tend to lead us into doing the things that help them feel better about us. But while this may be true in our earthy relationships, we will find that God went an even greater step in helping us correct our wrongs, and live according to His teachings, even if that doesn’t align with earthly beliefs and living. Thank You Lord for opening our eyes from a very important step – the heart and desire of our Creator and our Master who is preparing a home for us to spend eternity – in heaven, and without the distractions of earthly desires to please the world. At the time of our salvation, we promised to leave the ills of this world behind, and instead strive towards following You, obeying Your commands, reading Your Word and sharing Your love with a wicked and dying world. You teach us how to do all these things in Your Word, so please humble us to be reminded of small nuggets from Your Word every day. Please forgive us Lord when we transgress into letting the world lead Your child, for that obviously destroys our accountability to You. Please Lord, open our eyes so that we may see all that You have in store for us, and pierce our hearts so that we might become more focused on You, and not the world that we have brushed aside to better serve You. Others need to see Jesus, in order to change their living. Uncommitted believers will not do, for that allows too much of the world into the equation. AMEN!

An Accurate Look into our Motives and Actions

On 2023-12-20 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, December 19, 2023, and I was blessed to be at The Landing at Seven Coves, Willis, TX 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 21:2-3; 13;

THE BIBLE TEXT IS: People may be right in their own eyes, but the Lord examines their heart.
The Lord is more pleased when we do what is right and just than when we offer him sacrifices.
Those who shut their ears to the cries of the poor will be ignored in their own time of need.

APPLICATION OF THE WORD: When trying to weigh in on our neighbors disputes they are sharing with us, we must always remember that there’s at least 3 conditions we must examine: His story; Her Story; and the Right story! Why is that? Because we all make our own decisions sound as good as we possibly can. However, we will make our spouse’s story sound as bad as possible, to help warrant why we are complaining and whining! But isn’t that the way it is when we stand before God in prayer also? Often we know the right thing we should say or do, and we probably know what the Bible wants us to say or do, so we really do know what pleases God. But why do we still choose to do what displeases our spouse, family and God? Friends, I would dare say that we are such people pleasers that we feel like we must say and do everything that will look right to those looking on, or sounds right when we tell our story. But for today, we are reminded what God said through His servant Solomon: ‘The Lord examines our heart, and our motives’. So shouldn’t we, as children of God, aim to please our Master and Lord at all times, seeing that it is He that we surrendered our lives to when we vowed to turn from this world and follow Him? Isn’t it Him that we aim to please, regardless of what the world thinks of us? In fact, we are further told in verse 3, that God is more concerned with our righteousness, honesty, and god-like attributes, than He is in the amount of time we spend at church, or the amount we give to the church and/or towards His earthly work. Notice the Scripture didn’t say that we stop giving and just act right! For the child of God, in right standing with Him, will also give, at a minimum, the percentage given as a guide in His Word. For we give from a heart of love and obedience to our God. But when we give from hearts that are not right with God, how can we possibly please Him and give according to the intent of His Word where He wants us to give freely and happily from hearts filled with God’s love and appreciation for all that He has given to us. When we do this, we will give without strings attached for what the church, or pastor, or leaders could do for us, we will give because of our love and appreciation for our God. Notice that we are also taught to help others, especially the poor. Of particular interest is that God doesn’t say that we help them only after we’ve checked out their intent to gain illegitimately from us. For God is our judge, and theirs. Friends, I was touched by the verse that reminded me that I will be treated much like how I treat others. No matter how much money we have, or don’t have, we will be treated much in the same way that we treat others. When we find excuses and apply man made logic to give, or not give to others, the same may apply to us at some stage down the road. Notice that God didn’t apply this to just those above a certain pay grade or with a minimum of ‘X’ number of dollars in the bank. If someone is begging for bread, give them half of yours. In that way, you won’t starve and nor would they! Friends, we may often wonder why our prayers are not answered. I believe that we have some great examples included in today’s Scripture that might cause us to wonder why God would help, especially if we act like He indicated in these verses today.

PRAYER BECAUSE OF THE IMPACT OF TODAY’S SCRIPTURE: Lord Jesus, I am reminded that here on earth, we can fool some of the people some of the time, but never all of the people all of the time! It’s unfortunate we fall back into our old ways more times than we care to remember, but thank You for reminding us that we absolutely can’t fool You, for You not only know our words and our deeds, but You know our very thoughts, and our motives behind why we do and say what we do. Your Word is clear on what You demand of us, and in the lessons taught to us today, we’ve been reminded that we can hide nothing from You. Lord, we want to be transparent in our actions and our intent. We know that we can hide nothing from You, now please teach us to never feel the need to hide our intentions from anyone else, and may there never be a reason why You can’t be glorified through us nor in our actions and speech. AMEN!

Some Will Enter, While Others Won’t

On 2023-12-18 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, December 18, 2023, and I was blessed to be at The Landing at Seven Coves, Willis, TX 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 Hebrews 4:1-3

THE BIBLE TEXT IS: Although God’s promise still stands—his promise that all may enter his place of rest—we ought to tremble with fear because some of you may be on the verge of failing to get there after all. For this wonderful news—the message that God wants to save us—has been given to us just as it was to those who lived in the time of Moses. But it didn’t do them any good because they didn’t believe it. They didn’t mix it with faith. For only we who believe God can enter into his place of rest. He has said, “I have sworn in my anger that those who don’t believe me will never get in,” even though he has been ready and waiting for them since the world began.

APPLICATION OF THE WORD: In the New Living Translation, and several others, my attention was drawn to the way that the writer wanted us to focus on being at rest. I believe the best way for us to understand that is to think about a time in our lives when we were at ‘unrest’. I recall my mom sharing a time when she and my dad were caught in their home battling a large (tidal like) wave that came ashore in a monster hurricane. Their home was being battered, while also being filled with water. Both my mom and dad fought for their lives while seeing everything they owned being destroyed, and also while fighting for their own personal survival. At their first safe opportunity, they escaped and ran to the shelter of relatives who lived on higher, and safer, ground. Although still extremely concerned about their home and belongings, their minds were ‘at rest’ in being in a safe place, loved and cared for by relatives. In the Bible, and in these verses in particular, reference is made to the rescue of the Israelites from Egypt, where they were slaves in a foreign land. These were God’s chosen people, so when the time was right, He coordinated a safe and miraculous passage for their escape, into a land He promised to them. This ‘land’ was no ordinary place, for it was referred to as: a place of land and honey; a place that was lucious green and where its current residents seemed like giants. Although I would imagine that no one reading this devotional ever served as a slave, I believe that like me, you too can imagine the sigh of relief by the Israelites when they finally saw hope for their rescue from slavery drawing near. But, regardless of the miracles, upon miracles, that took place while millions of people made their way through the desert with minimal provisions, yet we know from the account that: some continued to wish they were back in Egypt; some cursed Moses for leading them into very rough times; many denounced the power of God, even after witnessing His miraculous actions to save them, feed them, and guide them on to a new country. In fact, some were so strongly opposed to God and His actions, that God lost His patience with them and refused to let them enter the land He had prepared for them. Interesting story, isn’t it? But is it any different to what we do today? God also prepared a place for you and I to dwell, after our time here on earth. With our permission, He wantsto take us out of our slavery to sin and this wicked world. He is performing miracles all around us, so that we could be reminded of His existence and His power. He left for us His Book of Instruction (the Bible) so that we could know more about Him, be guided in how He wants us to live, and most importantly – to introduce us to His very special gift – His only Son, Jesus. If we believe on Him and accept Him, then God promised us a land also – a forever home called Heaven. However, the same warning that He gave to the Israelites, He also gives to us. This new home, Heaven, is only available if we believe on Jesus and accept Him as Lord of our life. If we choose not to believe, then we will receive the same judgment as the Israelites – we will not enter into the land promised by God, for Heaven is a place for the saints of God to join with their Master/King/Lord where we will live eternally with him. Where does that put you, my friend. The conditions for acceptance is clear. No excuses will pardon your disobedience of the Master. God said it, we must believe it, for Him to accept us into Heaven. Leave no doubt in this my friend. This is a decision you must make while you’re alive, for your course in eternity to be just as God promised. If you choose to opt out in your decision making, your eternity will be more intense misery, pain and abuse by the evil one in hell. Please read my Footnote carefully, and follow through with the greatest decision you could make this side of Heaven. Your eternity depends on it.

PRAYER BECAUSE OF THE IMPACT OF TODAY’S SCRIPTURE: Lord Jesus, I believe that You have built into us an overwhelming desire to make decisions that could mean endless happiness! Likewise, I am equally convinced that You have built into us a desire to question, and kick against the norm. A decision that, unfortunately, may lead to total destruction and/or misery, and/or eternal hopelessness. In making such important choices, it seems like our decisions would be easy. However, Satan is allowed to woo us towards his corner so we often choose to dishonor You, oh Lord. Although, I am reminded over and over again in Your Word that we are made in Your likeness, and if we would only seek You as our earthly Guide in these important decisions that affect our eternity, You will draw us to Yourself. Because of Your proven love and concern for us, Your precious children, I believe You are deeply saddened to see us set You aside, and instead accept the evil and hatred that the evil one is known for. Please forgive us Lord, and make us more determined to see and accept You and Your amazing attributes that will lead us to the joys of eternity in Heaven with You. AMEN!

Why Worry, When God can Do This

On 2023-12-16 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: Saturday, December 16, 2023, and I was blessed to be at Kyle, Texas 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 22:8-13

THE BIBLE TEXT IS: …. “Go and prepare the Passover meal, so we can eat it together.”
“Where do you want us to prepare it?” they asked Him.
He replied, “As soon as you enter Jerusalem, a man carrying a pitcher of water will meet you. Follow him. At the house he enters, say to the owner, ‘The Teacher asks: Where is the guest room where I can eat the Passover meal with my disciples?’ He will take you upstairs to a large room that is already set up. That is where you should prepare our meal.”
They went off to the city and found everything just as Jesus had said, and they prepared the Passover meal there.

APPLICATION OF THE WORD: Most of us will worry ourselves sick over the unexpected, the unknown and/or how we will possibly deal with every scenario that comes our way. For example, a wife might share her fear over how she will possibly handle life itself should her husband pass on before her. A business owner might be especially concerned over how they will handle payroll at the end of the week if sales don’t pick up a lot. Health challenges are probably the worse, as it seems like things could turn from bad to worse in no time at all while totally out of our control, and often on surprise to the medical staff that may be responsible for our care. No doubt, you’re no different to me, and the examples I gave are just the ‘tip of the iceberg’ when it comes to our reasons for worry, and illnesses that result from too much worry. Some who know the Lord intimately, may respond that these types of worries only apply to the unsaved, but I believe that every child of God who meditates on this devotional today will acknowledge that we all suffer from worry and these factors that I suggested in this devotional. On reading the above Scripture today, I must suggest that we may worry unnecessarily if we have committed our lives to the same Jesus who gave such intricate instructions to Peter and John about who they will meet and the place where they should prepare for the Last Supper. Dear friends, there were no details left out, and I dare say that Jesus is still alive, well, and very knowledgeable about what we will face every moment after the current second that you read this devotional. I must humbly say that I am the first to petition the throne of God for total submission to Him, instead of pretending that I could do it all myself; the boldness to ask God, instead of worrying about things that I have absolutely no control over; the peace to just settle down, knowing that without a doubt, I serve the awesome God who created me, loved me enough to provide the means of my future in heaven, and demonstrated over and over again how, based on His past experiences in unbelievable circumstances, how He could handle every situation that I could possibly face. I would encourage you to join with me in believing that we serve an awesome God who has proven Himself over and over again. Now, if we could just set aside the false hope that we have developed in this world and its weak and incapable efforts to help us, provide for us, and secure our future, then we might be able to celebrate with the two disciples who reflected on their assignment and how every detail occurred just how Jesus had commanded. Can I be considered a child totally in need of daily guidance by the Master? Yes, and I believe that this side of Heaven, all of you are the same. However, through the experience Peter and John encountered and celebrated, we too must be more than conquerors knowing that we serve a God who is greater than all our troubles, questions and concerns. Let’s learn to place our faith and trust in Him for ALL things, knowing that He is ALL-powerful; ALL-knowing; EVER-loving and ALWAYS caring for His children.

PRAYER BECAUSE OF THE IMPACT OF TODAY’S SCRIPTURE: Thank You Heavenly Father for loving us so much that You provided for our eternal future with You in heaven. We are amazed by the accuracy of the minute details You gave to your disciples in the Scripture today, and we are once again reminded that we can place our faith and trust in You, the Author and Finisher of our faith. Please Lord, humble us to always seek Your face before looking to anyone, or anything else, and help us to make You our first turn-to option, and not our fall-out option after everything else has failed. You have demonstrated Your love for us in endless ways, and You proved Your love for us through Your ultimate sacrifice on the cross. Please help us to simply believe and have confidence in our Savior, Lord and forever King. AMEN!

An Intimate Relationship With Jesus Keeps Satan at Bay

On 2023-12-13 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, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED: ^day, December ^, 2023, and I was blessed to be at Florida Hunting Adventures, Okeechobee, 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 22:2-5

THE BIBLE TEXT IS: The chief priests and other religious leaders were actively plotting Jesus’ murder, trying to find a way to kill him without starting a riot—a possibility they greatly feared.
Then Satan entered into Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve disciples, and he went over to the chief priests and captains of the Temple guards to discuss the best way to betray Jesus to them. They were, of course, delighted to know that he was ready to help them and promised him a reward.

APPLICATION OF THE WORD: As a child, I remember hearing adults comment ‘now you know that’s the devil’. especially when their attempts to do good seem to not go off as they intended. And a mischievous child may have been referred to as being ‘full of the devil’! We can all smile at these sayings, because we may feel like these are sayings from our past. However, in our Scripture today we can see where Satan was also involved in the people ministering with Jesus, and those that opposed His ministry. The ‘religious’ leaders were jealous of the effect that Jesus was having on their community through His ministry, and although God advises that we approach such individuals and seek to know them better, these leaders instead sought to find ways to eliminate Jesus. A sure act of Satan. Judas was a disciple of Jesus, having worked alongside Him, seen His miracles, and felt His love for His disciples and those they came across that may not even deserve the love of Jesus – at least from the perspective of His disciples. So how do you suppose that Judas went from a follower of Jesus, to one who offered himself up as a traitor? Something, or someone, got into Judas’ head and poured enough hatred and misery into him, that he chose to make a move quite contrary to the love taught by Jesus. So, do you suppose that this same behavior reveals itself today? I lived in a small, quiet, town where a young man walked into a bank office and deliberately shot each of the six staff members to death – execution style. Do you suppose that he had just finished reading his Bible that morning and reminded himself of the love and sacrifice of Jesus for his sin, and that a new place is being prepared for him in heaven? Friends, what comes out of our heart is simply a result of what we placed into our hearts. I know individuals who are impacted well into the following day, from a movie they watched the night before. It seems like every time we turn on the evening news, we are bombarded with the various acts of violence that individuals, who we may never suspect, has turned to violence and committed unreal, unforgettable, and astonishing crimes. We tend to cringe at such crimes, but surely, we must recognize that the criminals probably filled their heads with such things as the religious leaders and Judas did. They allowed Satan to take control of their lives, so they did things that no child of God would even consider. Some are opposed to Jesus – His teachings, standards and love for all mankind. But some who choose to totally ignore Jesus and freely welcome the evil one into their lives, will often say and do things that seem totally out of place, wrong and criminal to the One who loved us enough to sacrifice His life on Calvary for our eternal salvation. What do you permit to fill your mind, soul and being with each day? If it’s not Jesus, then it’s Satan and/or his demons who are out to destroy you eternally. To fill yourself with Jesus, means that With God’s help, you have forced all evil and hatred out of you, because Jesus will not co-exist with evil.

PRAYER BECAUSE OF THE IMPACT OF TODAY’S SCRIPTURE: There are many things that we are reminded of as we reflect on this Scripture today, oh. Lord. We are lost without You in our lives, and we stand to stumble and fall without You leading our lives in the way that only You can. This is not just for the new Christian as they might still be figuring out the ups and downs of Christianity, but we see where the religious leaders and an actual disciple of Christ, are the ones conniving in a way to irradiate Jesus. Lord, I believe this shows us that each and every Christian might struggle with these types of temptations if they wander away from You or dismiss Your leadership. We are helpless and useless when trying to do life alone, and especially without You as our Leader, Director, Advisor, Savior and Friend. Please Lord, help us to stay focused on You and help us to meet with You at least daily, so that we might fill our hearts with more of You, and fix our eyes on You alone. Our desire is to keep Satan away from us, but this can only be done with You at the helm of our lives, so we trust in You and surrender our lives to You afresh. AMEN!

Nuggets From God's Word

Month: December 2023