Month: February 2025

Enjoying Life: Insights from Ecclesiastes

On By Ed AlgreenIn Accept Jesus NOW, Acknowledge God, All have sinned, Awesome God, God Cares For Us, God’s WordLeave a comment

DATE POSTED
Friday, February 21, 2025, and I was blessed to be at Mariposa at Hunter Road, San Marcos, TX when God inspired me to prepare this devotional. My Footnote will tell you how to find and read any and all episodes that I have shared over the years.

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
Read it in your Bible or click Ecclesiastes 5 to read it in the New Living Translation (NLT).

APPLICATION – as inspired by the Holy Spirit
Praise God that His Word is completely true and can be trusted for direction, encouragement and most of all blessings. Without meditating on the Word daily, we go about our day like a man, or woman, without daily nourishment/food. I say all that to particularly draw your attention to today’s Scripture that captured my full attention. In just the 20 short verses of Ecclesiastes chapter 5, there are several areas of life that are addressed, and if adhered to, will give us peace and direction for our lives. Please click on the above reference so you can read the whole chapter, but here are the things that caught my attention:
–> Things we should gain from going to church (vs 1-2) – As we enter, let us always remember who owns the church/temple in which we enter. If we knew that the President of the United States, or the King of England, or any other national leader was there, we would make special preparation to insure we are dressed our very best, we would be on our best behavior, displaying our best manners, and we would listen way more than we speak. Although no where as important as God, we would give the authoritative figure our full attention, and would never question them, but probably vow to obey what they told us. If you agree with this, then perhaps you might get a better picture of what Solomon is telling us to do as it concerns the God of this universe when we enter His house.
–> Follow through on the promises you make to God (vs 4-6) – We are told that God considers a man/woman who makes vain and/or unkept promises, a fool. While you may punch me for calling you a ‘fool’, I hope that you would ask God to help you always stay true to your promises. I had a pastor who promised God in the middle of battle, that if He would save him, he would serve Him the rest of his life. This Brother recently retired from a lifetime of blessed and successful ministry! May we all keep our promises made to God as we seek His favor.
–> Our financial success – Riches (Vs 4-11) – Many of us might believe that riches bring us happiness. Solomon assures us that this is meaningless, as we constantly battle for more riches. Furthermore, when our mother presents us to the world for the very first time, we are penniless, no matter how rich our parents were. When our loved ones present us to God by laying us in our earthly grave, again we are penniless. Why again are we so concerned about riches??
–> How we should enjoy life (Vs 18-20) – We all enjoy a good meal, and most of us also enjoy being around family and friends. Solomon brings to our attention that for most of us, we are so busy with all of the above, that we can’t find time to spend with family, or around the table, without electronic devices, where we might enjoy quality time together.
Friends, I believe that two things become very clear in this short chapter of the Bible. Make every effort to spend your life/time with God and your family – the ones who make life possible for you, and who are deeply concerned about your happiness, joy and eternal destiny. While the rest of life may seem important, they are meaningless without God and family. As you’ve read this devotional, I pray that you have also completed a thorough analysis of your life against the instructions in God’s Word. Is there a proper balance, and do you exemplify a value pleasing to God in each of these areas of your life? God can help you be honest in your evaluation and with the realignment, if you let Him!

PRAYER
Thank You Lord for challenging me in my walk with You. It is so easy to compare ourselves to the world and assume that we must be doing fine. But You are our perfect God, and You not only set the bar for us, but You sent Your Son to show us how we could live more like You. As followers of Christ, please help us to be transparent in our thoughts, actions and words, so that others will experience the love, teachings, behavior and obedience of Your followers and they will desire a relationship with You, the One who gives us the strength, direction and desire. Be glorified in and through us, oh Lord. AMEN!

FOOTNOTE
If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please take advantage of the information provided on my page ‘To Know Jesus’. Alternatively, consider speaking with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. One of God’s servants will pray with you and offer help and encouragement as you begin or continue your walk with Jesus. If you would like to read more of my devotionals or subscribe to receive a daily email containing each new devotional, please visit NuggetsFromGodsWord.org. Friends, I encourage you to find a church home near your residence and attend as frequently as possible. Get to know God and allow His people to encourage and strengthen you in your Christian walk while you make every effort to be a blessing to them. God is at work among His people! Please consider being a part of that while also growing in your faith as you worship with fellow believers!

Understanding Godly vs Worldly Wisdom

On By Ed AlgreenIn Accept Jesus NOW, Acknowledge God, All have sinned, Awesome God, God Cares For Us, God’s Word, WisdomLeave a comment

DATE POSTED
Thursday, February 20, 2025, and I was blessed to be at Mariposa at Hunter Road, San Marcos, TX when God inspired me to prepare this devotional. My Footnote will tell you how to find and read any and all episodes that I have shared over the years.

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
Read it in your Bible or click James 3:13-18 to read it in the New Century Version (NCV).

APPLICATION – as inspired by the Holy Spirit
God will judge us for all unforgiven sin, even if we sinned due to bad worldly advice. I was reminded how God not only gave us the ability to discern godly wisdom vs worldly wisdom, but He laid out the differences clearly in His Word. So why is this important? I’m sure you are very similar to me in that we don’t know everything, so we often find the need to seek help and/or advice from someone else. Advice given will often lead us through challenging situations and towards what we hope to be a new, or better direction. For medical issues, we tend to connect with a medical doctor or expert in a specific field of medicine for their advice and/or prescription for renewed, or improved health. For legal matters we go in search of an attorney to advise us and lead us through. But for the Christian, do we always look to the Chief Advisor, the One who gives wisdom to everyone, and has all knowledge about all things? Ever stop to consider whether the advisors we use are being led of God, or if they are leading us to seek the wisdom of God in our time of frustration and our many needs? In this Scripture, God tells us, through His servant, James, how we might discern godly vs worldly wisdom. Follow the Scripture with me as we look at this list:
—> Godly wisdom – The individual will be living right and doing good things with a gentleness that comes from wisdom. It will be evident that they have sought the wisdom that comes from God, for it is first of all pure, then peaceful, gentle, and easy to please the child of God. This wisdom is always ready to help those who are troubled, and to do good for others. It is always fair and honest. People who work for peace in a peaceful way plant a good crop of right-living.
—> Worldly wisdom – The individual will show a selfish spirit and have bitter jealousy in their hearts. They may display arrogance and lie or brag against the truth. They may create an evil spirit that leads to disorder.
In comparing these two, I believe it is important to take note of what might result in your life when you see a selfish spirit, bitter jealousy and a bragging spirit developing. It’s a good indicator that you may be getting too much of the world inside of you. Friends, let us seek God first, every day, in every way. And in our effort to live under His plan, His teachings, His example, I believe we will begin to see Him bless us with godly wisdom, so that we may help others who are struggling. The world is in desperate need of godly wisdom, and they will only find that in godly individuals seeking to promote God, and not themselves.

PRAYER
We seem to be in a world where it is becoming more and more concerning over who to trust and from whom we should seek advice, Lord Jesus. Although we arm ourselves with what You have told us through Your Word, please help us to be more dependent on Your wisdom and direction every day of our lives. Please be our constant guide and always remind us of the source of all godly wisdom. In Psalm 121 You are clear in stating the source of all godly wisdom, for when the Psalmist looked to the hills with concern over his strength and wisdom, You were clear in reminding Him, and us, that our help comes from the One who created us, and this earth, in the first place. Man has extended his reach to artificial intelligence with hopes of answering all of man’s dilemmas, but we are constantly reminded that there is only one source for our wisdom – the One we call Lord and Master – God Himself. Nothing has changed, You have always been, and will always be, our God – the Designer and Maker of all things. May we remind ourselves of this every day and stay focused on the promises You have laid out in Your Word, and the wisdom You displayed in everything You did, until the day we see You face-to-face and worship You for all eternity at Your feet of mercy. AMEN!

FOOTNOTE
If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please take advantage of the information provided on my page ‘To Know Jesus’. Alternatively, consider speaking with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. One of God’s servants will pray with you and offer help and encouragement as you begin or continue your walk with Jesus. If you would like to read more of my devotionals or subscribe to receive a daily email containing each new devotional, please visit NuggetsFromGodsWord.org. Friends, I encourage you to find a church home near your residence and attend as frequently as possible. Get to know God and allow His people to encourage and strengthen you in your Christian walk while you make every effort to be a blessing to them. God is at work among His people! Please consider being a part of that while also growing in your faith as you worship with fellow believers!

Respect and Honor the Temple of God

On By Ed AlgreenIn Accept Jesus NOW, Acknowledge God, All have sinned, Awesome God, God Cares For Us, God’s Word, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED
Tuesday, February 18, 2025, and I was blessed to be at Mariposa at Hunter Road, San Marcos, TX when God inspired me to prepare this devotional. My Footnote will tell you how to find and read any and all episodes that I have shared over the years.

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
Read it in your Bible or click John 2:13-17 to read it in the New Living Translation (NLT).

APPLICATION – as inspired by the Holy Spirit
In reading this Scripture today, I believe the Holy Spirit caused me to reflect on what I, and others, might expect when we go to church. I remember back in the day when many went to be inspired by the new clothing and hairstyles, but today many churches have since changed to an atmosphere of ‘come as you are’ to encourage those who don’t have, or don’t like to dress up in order to worship the Lord corporately. In our Scripture, seeing that this was the Temple (of God), I believe that Jesus may have hoped to see many things that represent the holiness and kingship of the His Father. But instead, Jesus found a full-fledged marketplace going on, with greed and disrespect being very evident. But notice, dear friends, that in spite of His disappointment, Jesus didn’t turn around and leave, nor did he seek social avenues to share His frustrations about what He found. Instead, He – the One who was born in a stable, the one who ministered to the lowliest of people, He became indignant when faced with this disappointing disrespect to His Father. But how does this relate to our respective churches today? Would our church be know more as a commercial center? A place of worship? A holy place where God awaits the praises of His people? A salvation station where we are not only entertained, but encouraged to join in worship to our King, the Word of God taught without fear of retribution, and where sin is highlighted while teaching us to seek God’s forgiveness and His strength to overcome our sin? But it gets a whole lot more personal – in 1 Corinthians 3:16 we are told that ‘we are the temple of God’. To all believers reading this devotional, I wonder what kind of response we would see from Jesus if He inspected His temple in us? You know, our lifestyle, our commitment to Him, our obedience to His Word, or our following in His example. Perhaps we should ask our loving Lord to go through our life, overturn the tables, and drive out the cattle so we won’t be ripped off from what He wants to do in and through us. For the unbeliever, or unsaved reader, I pray that you will see from today’s Scripture that although Jesus was firm in responding to what He saw at the temple, yet He was in control and dealt with the dove owners quite differently, not wanting to bring harm to the living creatures. The God we serve is still loving and caring in the same way, and despite the disappointment He may endure by seeing His created ones choosing Satan over Him, I am convinced that He will receive as at any given moment that we surrender our all to Him. Remember, He is holy, and He designed us to be like Himself. Listen to that still small voice that gives you guilt feelings about your sin and disobedience. Turn your life around my friend and seek God’s cleansing of His temple inside of you. Be holy, as your Master and Lord is also holy!

PRAYER
Lord, there are many of us who become disappointed when our children follow in paths unbecoming of what they were taught in our home, and in the church we took them to, so we have an idea of what You must feel when You see us going on in life in our own way, or following the path Satan pushes on this world. Please forgive us Lord and continue to upset our ‘applecart’ of sin and disobedience. Continue to teach us the path we should follow to be more like You, and continue to prick our conscience when we stray. Oh that our commitment may remain strong, and may our desire increase daily to follow in Your footsteps, so that others may be encouraged to know You and live according to Your will for their lives. AMEN!

FOOTNOTE
If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please take advantage of the information provided on my page ‘To Know Jesus’. Alternatively, consider speaking with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. One of God’s servants will pray with you and offer help and encouragement as you begin or continue your walk with Jesus. If you would like to read more of my devotionals or subscribe to receive a daily email containing each new devotional, please visit NuggetsFromGodsWord.org. Friends, I encourage you to find a church home near your residence and attend as frequently as possible. Get to know God and allow His people to encourage and strengthen you in your Christian walk while you make every effort to be a blessing to them. God is at work among His people! Please consider being a part of that while also growing in your faith as you worship with fellow believers!

Understanding God’s Desire for Intimacy with Us

On By Ed AlgreenIn Accept Jesus NOW, Acknowledge God, All have sinned, Awesome God, God Cares For Us, God’s Word, Intimacy with God2 Comments

DATE POSTED
Friday, February 14, 2025, and I was blessed to be at Mariposa at Hunter Road, San Marcos, TX when God inspired me to prepare this devotional. My Footnote will tell you how to find and read any and all episodes that I have shared over the years.

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
Read it in your Bible or click Jeremiah 13:1-11 to read it in The Voice (VOICE).

APPLICATION – as inspired by the Holy Spirit
Especially after reading the opening verses of Jeremiah 13 and seeing how God used a very vivid illustration to show Jeremiah how close He wanted to be to His people, verse 11 became very special to me. That’s where God said to His servant: Just as the undergarment clings to a person’s waist, so did I, the Eternal One, make Israel and Judah to cling tightly to Me. They were to be My people, known by all, bringing honor and glory to My name. That was My plan for them, but they did not listen. This reminded me that God created us, and just as He wanted to be close to His people, Israel, so He also desires a close and intimate relationship with us. My wife and I desire a close relationship with our only daughter, so it is very easy to understand how God would desire this of His children. It hurts me to hear family speak of it being years since they visited with parents or siblings. For, as part of the same family, we are born and raised in the same home, and we experienced their love through the highs and lows of family life together. When we separate and go our own way, which is very normal, it’s like a piece of ourselves had been severed away. God illustrated to Jeremiah through an undergarment, or a loin cloth. how close and intimate he intended for His children to be to Him. However, when separated, disregarded, and stashed away to themselves, God showed how the Israelites would rot, or deteriorate, just like the undergarment did. Although these are the real facts taught be God in this illustration, I believe that the positive spin for those of us who know Jesus as Savior and Lord, is that when we stay in close, intimate relationship with God and His children who also follow in the same intimacy, we will thrive in His kingdom work and in the glories of His heavenly home when we were called from this earth. Friends, I believe that you are very similar to me in that when we know that someone loves us enough to want us close and spend intimate and close time with them, I am encouraged because I know I am valued, loved, wanted, and blessed beyond anything I could imagine. I tend to thrive in such scenarios, and I believe you will also, no matter how hardened you may be through peer pressure. This whole Scripture also reminded me of another story in the New Testament, when Jesus wept over Israel because of the destruction He saw coming to them. We can identify with that, because we never want to see bad things come to those we love, and desire relationship with. How do you envision God reacting to your lifestyle, your commitment, and your response to His desire to have you close to Him? Is He rejoicing with the angels in heaven, or is He weeping like He did in Luke 19:41-44 when He wept over Jerusalem? Discipline came to the Israelites because of their disregard for their Creator. Do you foresee that in your future, or are you willing to seek forgiveness from God through His Son, Jesus, and seek His help and guidance to live going forward in a manner pleasing to our Savior?

PRAYER
It is so easy to love You, Lord Jesus, because You demonstrated Your love for me while I was but a sinner, undeserving of such love. I can hardly imagine the anguish as You watched while the Israelites rejected You in Herod’s court and at Calvary. They disregard Your love for them. It is beyond comprehension how those that You were about to be crucified for, could arrest, beat and disrespect You in such awful ways. I can’t begin to imagine how I would feel if my wife, or anyone that I love dearly, was to treat me in such a deplorable way, yet You went to the cross anyway, You bore our sin anyway, and You were crushed to the state of death anyway. But praise to my living and victorious God, You raised Jesus from the dead so that we could experience heaven and spend eternity with You! Some have chosen to ignore this remarkable gift though, so I plead with You to continue speaking to them through the Scriptures, just as You enlightened me today. Oh, that the lost will search and find a Savior, and may the saved be constantly reminded of the sweet relationship that You desire of those You created, died for, and prepared a place for in heaven. We are indeed a blessed and loved people, dear Lord, thank You, and AMEN!!

FOOTNOTE
If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please take advantage of the information provided on my page ‘To Know Jesus’. Alternatively, consider speaking with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. One of God’s servants will pray with you and offer help and encouragement as you begin or continue your walk with Jesus. If you would like to read more of my devotionals or subscribe to receive a daily email containing each new devotional, please visit NuggetsFromGodsWord.org. Friends, I encourage you to find a church home near your residence and attend as frequently as possible. Get to know God and allow His people to encourage and strengthen you in your Christian walk while you make every effort to be a blessing to them. God is at work among His people! Please consider being a part of that while also growing in your faith as you worship with fellow believers!

The Role of the Holy Spirit in Christian Teaching

On By Ed AlgreenIn Accept Jesus NOW, Acknowledge God, All have sinned, Awesome God, God Cares For Us, God’s Word, TeacherLeave a comment

DATE POSTED
Thursday, February 13, 2025, and I was blessed to be at Mariposa at Hunter Road, San Marcos, TX when God inspired me to prepare this devotional. My Footnote will tell you how to find and read any and all episodes that I have shared over the years.

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
Read it in your Bible or click James 3:1-10 to read it in The Message (MSG).

APPLICATION – as inspired by the Holy Spirit
As you read the Scripture today, some might remember a Christian Nursery song that had lyrics something like ‘Oh, be careful little eyes what you see’, and also added verses like ‘Oh, be careful little tongue what you say’! But for today, I believe that the Holy Spirit is challenging us as adults, through James, to apply this principle to all aspects of our lives, especially in what we say and teach. Since our Scripture today makes reference to Christian teachers, I must share my curiosity in knowing the reasons why some accept the invitation to teach, especially in church? In my past church leadership, I am guilty of accepting an invitation to teach a Sunday School (SS) class because the SS Superintendent put me on a guilt trip about them having to shut a class down if they didn’t find a teacher for the current year! I know, that sounds almost comical, but I have no hesitation in also saying that God has blessed me tremendously in teaching SS over the years. I felt so inadequate at times, for I knew there would be former pastors, elders, deacons and/or others in my class who have been in the Word much longer than me. But let’s get to the point of our lesson from James. I believe that we are being challenged to think ahead about opening our mouths without the leadership of the Holy Spirit. As a teacher, we stand before students who may be challenged in life in many different ways. To open our mouths without the power of the Holy Spirit, we will:
—> Spoil a lesson, or message, with way too much of self, and everything we are about personally.
—> Respond to honest and heartfelt questions from students only from personal experiences and knowledge, rather than from a Biblical, or Holy Spirit inspired perspective.
In each of the above cases, I believe we would be a better servant of God if we were to use His Word to respond with. For a few years in my working career, I was an auditor/examiner. My lead examiner would insist that his team members never criticize a branch or employee without quoting the exact location of the rule, or standard, they defiled. Wouldn’t it be awesome to also do the same when responding on God’s behalf to a student hungry for the wisdom of God on how they could live their life pleasing to God? Now, unless we jump to the conclusion that James was discouraging one from teaching or preaching, let me be quick to remind you that many of us would still be unsaved, had it not been for a good Bible teacher or preacher. So, I firmly believe that James is instead warning us to not try and teach God’s Word without Him being front and foremost in our lives, our Bible Study, our lesson preparation and in our classroom. You see, we must always remember that God is the author of a book He gave to us, The Bible, for encouragement, correction, direction and answers to all life’s quandaries. Because He is God, we must only promote His instructions, and not try to change them, nor minimize their effectiveness nor exaggerate their meaning with hopes of convincing our unsaved friends. Furthermore, let’s be careful to live the godly life that we are teaching others to live. They will tend to follow our actions much more than our teachings, and we would never want God’s discipline for the hypocrisy in our teaching if we are disobedient to the very things that we teach. If we know it, let’s live it!

PRAYER
Lord Jesus, You set a perfect example for us, by living in full obedience to the Father’s will and instruction. But as we try to duplicate that example here on earth, it is extremely challenging, for our sin and selfish desires kick in while also trying to please others with what we respond. Please direct our thoughts, actions and especially the words that spew from our lips, sometimes without thought, and often without seeking Your direction. Shame on us for using the same tongue that we sing out praises to You with, to also put down our neighbor or totally turn one off from knowing You personally. We desperately need Your help dear Lord. May the words from our mouth and the meditation of our heart be acceptable in Your sight at all times dear Lord, and may our output be incentive for others to praise You today and always. AMEN!

FOOTNOTE
If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please take advantage of the information provided on my page ‘To Know Jesus’. Alternatively, consider speaking with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. One of God’s servants will pray with you and offer help and encouragement as you begin or continue your walk with Jesus. If you would like to read more of my devotionals or subscribe to receive a daily email containing each new devotional, please visit NuggetsFromGodsWord.org. Friends, I encourage you to find a church home near your residence and attend as frequently as possible. Get to know God and allow His people to encourage and strengthen you in your Christian walk while you make every effort to be a blessing to them. God is at work among His people! Please consider being a part of that while also growing in your faith as you worship with fellow believers!

Understanding Jesus’ First Sign: Lessons in Faith

On By Ed AlgreenIn Accept Jesus NOW, Acknowledge God, All have sinned, Awesome God, God Cares For Us, God’s Word, Miracles, signsLeave a comment

DATE POSTED
Wednesday, February 12, 2025, and I was blessed to be at Mariposa at Hunter Road, San Marcos, TX when God inspired me to prepare this devotional. My Footnote will tell you how to find and read any and all episodes that I have shared over the years.

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
Read it in your Bible or click John 2:1-11 to read it in the Amplified Bible (AMP).

APPLICATION – as inspired by the Holy Spirit
For those of us that have been around Bible teachings and sermons for a while, we could easily say what the first miracle of Jesus was, but look closely at the words of today’s Scripture and you will note that several versions of the Bible are clear that this was the first sign offered by Jesus, and it spoke volumes to the people who witnessed this ‘superhuman’ act that had an awesome, spiritual, meaning and impact. This miracle was the first of many that were designed to show that Jesus was indeed the Son of God. By performing this sign, He showed His relationship with God and where His power came from. He revealed to men that He was indeed God – manifest (revealed) in the flesh. Let’s think of the ways, and then we will remind ourselves how this is still so relevant today.

  • Verse 11 declares that the disciples were so impacted by this sign that they were convinced of the power of the One they chose to follow. In a Bible Study last night, I was reminded that the people may listen to what my pastor, church leaders, or I have to say, but when they experience, through our daily living, that we live out what we preach or teach, they are more impacted and often make a decision to know the God in whom we trust, serve and share with others. This was evident in the experience of the disciples with this first miracle/sign by their spiritual leader – Jesus!
  • Jesus chose to perform this first miracle at a wedding. Coincidence? Friends, Jesus knows every hair on our head and He knows our very thoughts that lead us either closer or Him or deeper into sin. So, I have no question that this miracle was very much in line with the Father’s plan for all those who were privileged to experienced it. Think about these in attendance:
    • The bride and groom – When the head waiter tasted the new wine, he immediately called the bridegroom. Now, in a wedding, please stop for a moment and think how miraculous it is for a man of one culture and background to join heart, soul and mind with a woman – different gender, culture and background. But what an amazing eye-opening experience it must have been for this groom to hear of the parallel with this first miracle of Jesus. If one’s soul is emptied of all contaminants (sin), totally cleansed, sterilized and refilled with the very basic elements of life, blessed by the Son of God, and that love shared with all those who came to witness your union, don’t you think that you might be better prepared, internally at least, for what might lie ahead in your new married life?
    • The disciples – already willing followers of Jesus, and they probably already witnessed how He lived each day quite differently to anything they were used to, yet to now witness something they had never before seen, this must have been an awesome point of reaffirmation for them. In fact, verse 11 states that the disciples believed [confidently] in Him [as the Messiah—they adhered to, trusted in, and relied on Him]. As a follower of Jesus Christ, or one considering His invitation, what might it take for you to reach this stage in your life?
    • The invited guests – in the skeptical world in which we live, and the individuals that we encounter who first appear so suspicious, can you imagine the gossip that went around that wedding reception that day? After all, who is this man? By whose authority or power is He able to do something so miraculous? Why in a crowd where Jews or other unbelievers are? Isn’t he afraid of provoking their anger? Is He for real?

Friends, this Jesus of whom we have looked at closely today – He is alive today, and He has promised through the Word of God that where two or three are gathered in His name, He will be right there in our midst. His power is still intact. I am convinced that He will be at our Wednesday night service tonight, and He will be in our midst on Sunday at all services where we meet to worship He and the Father. Please make it a point to be at church and prepare yourself for any miracles Jesus may choose to perform this week. He already knows your needs, just be there and be vigilant about His powerful work that He may choose to perform. Be a part of this, my friends! He has a special ‘sign’ to convince you of who He is!

PRAYER
Lord, for many of us, we may be at a point in life where we say with our lips ‘Lord, I believe’, but it may take a miracle such as we were reminded about today, to convince our innermost person that You are indeed ‘The Christ’. In some circles we may call that person a ‘doubting Thomas’, but it took Your first sign/miracle to truly convince Your first disciples to completely trust in You. For some of us, we’ve experienced miracles personally or perhaps been exposed to Your power in the lives of others. Whether it’s for the first time believer, or for the longtime believer who just needs a jolt from their lackadaisical faith that has grown cold, I just pray that You will hear our cry for more of You and place us right in the middle of Your miracles to show us Your power that is always expressed lovingly to those who need it.

FOOTNOTE
If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please take advantage of the information provided on my page ‘To Know Jesus’. Alternatively, consider speaking with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. One of God’s servants will pray with you and offer help and encouragement as you begin or continue your walk with Jesus. If you would like to read more of my devotionals or subscribe to receive a daily email containing each new devotional, please visit NuggetsFromGodsWord.org. Friends, I encourage you to find a church home near your residence and attend as frequently as possible. Get to know God and allow His people to encourage and strengthen you in your Christian walk while you make every effort to be a blessing to them. God is at work among His people! Please consider being a part of that while also growing in your faith as you worship with fellow believers!

Aligning Life with God’s Word Through Insights from Jeremiah

On By Ed AlgreenIn Accept Jesus NOW, Acknowledge God, All have sinned, Awesome God, Commitment, God Cares For Us, God’s WordLeave a comment

DATE POSTED
Tuesday, February 11, 2025, and I was blessed to be at Mariposa at Hunter Road, San Marcos, TX when God inspired me to prepare this devotional. My Footnote will tell you how to find and read any and all episodes that I have shared over the years.

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
Read it in your Bible or click Jeremiah 10 to read it in the New Living Translation (NLT).

APPLICATION – as inspired by the Holy Spirit
Some of us older folk will remember how challenging it was to live in the home of Pastors, Church leaders, Bible Scholars, and godly parents, for there may have been some very strict rules. These types were different, especially back in the day! But wait, isn’t that what the Word of God teaches us? I found an online document that makes it easy for us to see how we are doing, compared to what the Bible teaches about God’s people living like He intended. Take a moment to look over this list, perhaps you will be reminded of why you were brought up under certain rules, if you lived in a Christian home. But as for today’s devotional, let’s remember that Jeremiah was known as the ‘Weeping Prophet’, because He was so concerned about the spiritual condition of his people, compared to what He knew that God had taught through His Word. Also remember that Jeremiah saw that his fellow Israelites came back from Egypt as a very changed people. He heard about the ones that didn’t complete the journey because of their sin during their rescue journey. He saw that many were still worshipping idols, in spite of the awesome blessings God had extended to these people in releasing them from slavery, protection them and providing for their daily needs during their journey and making them very aware of the blessings He had prepared for them after they completed their journey. Now unless we overlook our current journey in life and pounce on the Israelites by calling them ungrateful and disrespectful of God, we should quickly look inward and answer very challenging questions such as ‘Are we doing any better after learning from our Israelite ancestors and our parents, who tried with everything at their disposal to ensure that we were taught God’s Word for life, direction and eternity?’. What might be your answer today dear friends? Perhaps you are following in Jeremiah’s steps by weeping for your family, your friends, your church and your country. It’s always sad to read the statistics and see how little difference there is in Christian based families and churches, compared to the world, when it comes to sin that leads to crime, out of wedlock pregnancies, divorces, back-biting, hating our neighbor, etc, etc, Can’t we all the more identify with the sad heart of Jeremiah for his people? Wouldn’t God still find reason to accuse us of following, what we believe to be, more successful countries, churches and families, regardless of their obedience to the teachings of Jesus Christ and the Word of God? How many of us would conclude that we are following what our parents and grandparents taught us and exampled before us? Yes, they were not perfect, but some of us can really brag about these ancestors who took the Word of God seriously and did their very best to follow in what they understood God intended for us in His Word. Perhaps start, or be encouraged in, your journey to better align your life with the Word of God, by attending a church that teaches the full Word of God. I am overjoyed that our pastor teaches verse-by-verse from the Bible, and not just basing his sermons on the unusual happenings in the world over recent days. God released the Israelites from slavery, and He led them towards a place He had prepared for them. If you have allowed Jesus to be Lord of your life, God has released you from your sin and He will lead you towards a place He has prepared for you. I pray that I will meet every reader of these devotionals in Heaven one day, because you were reminded once again to accept Jesus as Lord, then follow His teachings and His commands even while still here on earth amidst the increasing pressures of sin. Jesus loves you my friend, love Him back through your commitment and obedience to His Word.

PRAYER
The Israelites demonstrated how challenging it was to return thanks through obedience to You, even though You rescued them from a horrible situation – Egypt’s slavery. Unfortunately, this is still often the case with believers today, oh God, and it saddens us to read this account in Jeremiah, knowing full well that many of us are still following in their ungrateful and hypocritical footsteps. Please forgive us and grant us an extra dose of strength and determination to show our appreciation for salvation by honoring the One who suffered and died for our salvation. In surrendering our lives to You, we committed to turning away from the sin of this world, but too often we find that Satan has kept on our heels, and he continues to pressure us into hanging on to his ways while saying that we are Your forgiven children. Lord we are Yours and Yours alone, please help us to live like that, so that the world will overlook our weakness and know who You are and how powerful You are. AMEN!

FOOTNOTE
If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please take advantage of the information provided on my page ‘To Know Jesus’. Alternatively, consider speaking with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. One of God’s servants will pray with you and offer help and encouragement as you begin or continue your walk with Jesus. If you would like to read more of my devotionals or subscribe to receive a daily email containing each new devotional, please visit NuggetsFromGodsWord.org. Friends, I encourage you to find a church home near your residence and attend as frequently as possible. Get to know God and allow His people to encourage and strengthen you in your Christian walk while you make every effort to be a blessing to them. God is at work among His people! Please consider being a part of that while also growing in your faith as you worship with fellow believers!

Living Your Faith Boldly: A Devotional Reflection

On By Ed AlgreenIn Accept Jesus NOW, Acknowledge God, All have sinned, Awesome God, Boldness, God Cares For Us, God’s Word, True witnessesLeave a comment

DATE POSTED
Friday, February 7, 2025, and I was blessed to be at Mariposa at Hunter Road, San Marcos, TX when God inspired me to prepare this devotional. My Footnote will tell you how to find and read any and all episodes that I have shared over the years.

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
Read it in your Bible or click Acts 4:5-17 to read it in the Good News Translation (GNT).

APPLICATION – as inspired by the Holy Spirit
I find it interesting how differently we speak about a subject in private with the Lord, vs with a very close family member; with a close Christian friend; with our pastor/church family; with our work family; with those opposed to Christianity; or with government authorities. I believe that we have become way too interested in pleasing our audience and protecting their image or knowledge of us, rather than sharing our thoughts honestly with those we communicate with. It was refreshing to be reminded how Peter and John didn’t hold back what the Holy Spirit wanted them to share with the Jewish Leaders, who had demanded their presence for questioning about a healing that took place the day before. Just as God spoke to me through this interview, I believe it is filled with lessons for Christians, and for those who stand by and watch for our mistakes or misgivings about our faith. What, or in whom do you believe, dear reader? No, it doesn’t matter who’s asking, for I would rather hear how you would respond to Jesus on this question. Yes, I know you could be in a restaurant, or public place filled with people of different religions and some who may have no religion at all, when this question is asked of you. Please remember that God knows what you think in your heart about questions regarding your spiritual condition, but I believe He is anxiously waiting for you to enlighten your company with your innermost feelings about Him – your Creator, and the God of this whole universe. Sure, you may be ridiculed or even questioned some more about your faith, but notice in the Scripture today how Peter responded, knowing full well that the Jewish leaders could easily have taken him into custody or possibly even had him killed. Do you suppose that you would ever fear that type of retribution from your audience? Then what is holding you back? I once took part in a challenge from a former pastor where participants were asked to carry a small wooden cross, about 8″ long, with us for a week – everywhere we went. To work, on to business meetings and even to restaurants for lunch. Can you imagine the looks we received?? However, in the Bible Jesus said that we are to pick up our cross and follow Him daily. Can onlookers see your (spiritual) cross in every part of your life-walk? Normally we wouldn’t carry a physical cross, but can others see that we have accepted the One who hung on the cross for the forgiveness of our sin? You say that you belong to Jesus, but how closely do you follow His commands, obey His teachings and imitate Him while you’re out in your mission field? Wouldn’t it be ‘cool’ to have someone ask you to explain who’s affecting your life and character? That would be a whole lot more impactful than any sermon they may hear or any form of evangelism your church might ask you to participate in. People desire truth through action, not just verbal claims of truth from the Bible.

PRAYER
Thank You, Jesus, for submitting to the cross so that the work of the Father might be accomplished even through Your sacrifice. Because of what You did, my readers and I who have acknowledged You as Lord of our lives, can look forward to life eternally in heaven! We understand from Your Word that this is THE ONLY WAY TO HEAVEN, and praise God, I accepted Your invitation. My deep, sincere prayer is that every reader will be encouraged to listen closely for Your invitation, and they will accept You as Lord of their life. I further pray that we will be so filled with Your goodness, and Your character, based on everything You shared in Your Word, that it will overflow through us in our words, actions and thoughts, regardless of our company or audience. Be glorified in us oh Lord – everything we are and everything we become, so that this may encourage others to seek You out personally. AMEN!

FOOTNOTE
If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please take advantage of the information provided on my page ‘To Know Jesus’. Alternatively, consider speaking with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. One of God’s servants will pray with you and offer help and encouragement as you begin or continue your walk with Jesus. If you would like to read more of my devotionals or subscribe to receive a daily email containing each new devotional, please visit NuggetsFromGodsWord.org. Friends, I encourage you to find a church home near your residence and attend as frequently as possible. Get to know God and allow His people to encourage and strengthen you in your Christian walk while you make every effort to be a blessing to them. God is at work among His people! Please consider being a part of that while also growing in your faith as you worship with fellow believers!