Category: Acceptance

Lives Acceptable To God

On By Ed AlgreenIn Acceptance, Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Surrender, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Sunday, 2022-04-17
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Romans 14:12-13; 17-19;
TRANSLATION: Amplified Bible (AMP)

BIBLE TEXT: 12 So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God. 13 Then let us not criticize one another anymore, but rather determine this—not to put an obstacle or a stumbling block or a source of temptation in another believer’s way.
17 for the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking [what one likes], but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. 18 For the one who serves Christ in this way [recognizing that food choice is secondary] is acceptable to God and is approved by men. 19 So then, let us pursue [with enthusiasm] the things which make for peace and the building up of one another [things which lead to spiritual growth].

APPLICATION: Some may not be aware, but in certain occupations, an employer will demand that employees be on their best behavior in, and outside of, the business, as the public judges the business through its employees. In reading today’s Scripture, I am reminded of those employment expectations. For no matter how awful we may feel like we were before surrendering to the lordship of Jesus Christ, anything we do or say after that awesome day reflects on His image to those we come into contact with. In the working world, we may receive extra monetary incentives for representing the company outside in the public. As a child of God, He offers us a lot more than the incentive of heavenly rewards, for He has also given us the Holy Spirit to help guide us and direct us in the ways of Christ while living in the world, and facing the temptations of the evil one. I believe that many of the challenges we face in trying to be an obedient child of God in our working years, is that seldom will we find an employer who will send us off into the mission field while representing the company well. It just doesn’t seem to work that way. Perhaps join a non-profit organization where we could try to win the membership elites over to our company, yes. Perhaps attend the parties of major customers, so our company will show our support, yes. Perhaps volunteer in our communities, so that our company name may be shown as being a part of the local community, yes. But how often are we asked to spread the name of Jesus wherever we go? Unfortunately, that’s where the line is drawn between Christ and the workplace. However, for the Christian who pays close attention to today’s Scripture, we must aim to always represent the only One who sacrificed His very life for us, so that we may accept Him; seek His forgiveness; lift Him up high above the world in our praise and adoration; and represent Him – through living out His teachings and commands. When we act like Jesus would among our business associates and friends, only then will many of them see Jesus in His splendor. I believe that when we stand before our Lord, He will cause us to reflect on the times that we were strong and determined to reflect Him, even when everyone else around us were indulging in the pleasures of this world. Dear friends, for those who raise up kids to be responsible and successful adults. We teach them to live out their upbringing in the presence of everyone they come into contact with. Not just the pastor, or family friends, but also while at work and in every other aspect of life. So it is with our representation of Jesus Christ. We might never know how many are impacted for the Kingdom through our contact with them, or the compassion we show in dealing with them, or through the Biblical truths that we live out in every circumstance of life, BUT I am convinced that when Jesus saved us, He intended for us to always be His representative, not just at times when we don’t feel intimidated. The world will never be challenged to make a change in their lives, if they see no difference in ours. With Jesus in control of our lives, His love, His teachings, and His eternal hope for mankind, will shine through us and convince a lost and dying world of their need to also know our Lord. How are you doing with that my friend? Are you ready for your day of accountability before God?

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Although Jesus has the power and will to touch a man’s heart, I believe that He also wants to touch people through proper representation by His children. Our actions and our words will reflect the One we serve.

PRAYER: Precious Lord, it is mind boggling to think that the Son of the most High God would sacrifice His life on a cruel cross, so that we could enjoy the benefits of heaven. This is more marvelous than anything we could ever imagine, because we find it impossible to duplicate that kind of sacrifice. Thank You for blessing us so much more than we could ever imagine or ask for. Please continue to impress upon us the importance of always imitating Your characteristics in everything we do and say, for we never know how You might use us to impact the life of an unbeliever. Oh lord, may we surrender ourselves fully to Your will and Your desire for us, so that the world might see Jesus, accept Jesus and know Jesus in a miraculous way. AMEN!

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

In Desperation, We All Need Jesus

On By Ed AlgreenIn Acceptance, Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Healing, Judgment, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Thursday, 2021-08-12
WRITTEN AT: Hattiesburg, MS

SCRIPTURE FROM: Luke 8:41-42
TRANSLATION: The Passion Translation (TPT)

BIBLE TEXT: 41–42 Just then, a man named Jairus, the leader of the local Jewish congregation, fell before Jesus’ feet. He desperately begged him to come and heal his twelve-year-old daughter, his only child, because she was at the point of death.

APPLICATION: We are way more judgmental than God ever intended us to be! We believe we know what a person is thinking, and we seem to have the answers on why they would refuse to listen to us! So for those gathered around Jesus, what do you suppose they must have thought when Jairus showed up, and when he knelt before the Master? Shocked? Afraid that Jairus was up to no good? Perhaps they stood ready to protect Jesus, if Jairus tried any funny stuff? But for just a moment today, stop and think about what brings people to Jesus. Although this man was a Jew and even stood in leadership with the Jewish people, yet in his time of desperate need he went to Jesus. That tells me that regardless of how strongly he spoke about Jesus not being the Messiah, as his fellow Jews believe, yet Jairus knew deep inside that Jesus was the Son of God and could therefore heal all man’s diseases. Isn’t it interesting how Jesus never questioned Jairus about why he would now seek Him out? I believe this is one more story that shows the love and concern of Jesus for His children, no matter how confused they are about who the world thinks Jesus truly is. I’m afraid that we have tried to become so ‘politically correct’ that we try to accept the misguided beliefs of another person, even when we know without a doubt what the Word of God says. Don’t your friends deserve to hear the truth, and then they could decide if the world is right, or if they could trust ‘thus says the Word of God’? Pray for me, while I lift each of you up in prayer, that we will love our family and friends enough to share the truth with them while laying aside any assumption we have about what they would accept from us. I heard a story last Sunday that reminds me of why Jairus may have sought out Jesus. You see, if Jesus is trying to get us from a place in our lives, that we will call Point ‘A’, to a better place in life, that we will call Point ‘B’; He knows that we will not willingly collect our things and move to Point ‘B’ if everything is going just fine at Point ‘A’. Often He will start placing obstacles in our path around Point ‘A’ and opportunities around His path at Point ‘B’, so that our minds will be redirected. Do you suppose that Jesus knew what it would take to win the heart of Jairus? Being a leader of the Jews, do you suppose that in Jairus becoming a changed man, other Jews might also be drawn to Jesus? Seek the Lord while He may be found dear friends. He will give you the desires of your heart, plus a whole lot more. Perhaps your friends are watching what you will do with Jesus, before they decide. Let me encourage you to turn your eyes upon Jesus today. Don’t wait for a disaster to help you make up your mind. Read my Footnote, especially the Scriptures noted in the link ‘To Know Jesus’. Know Him today, and know real peace!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Jesus listened to the cry of Jairus and followed through in healing his daughter, regardless of what Jairus taught in the Jewish temple. No one is beyond the love of Jesus, if they call on Him!

PRAYER: Lord, I believe that You saw desperation in the heart of Jairus as He approached You on behalf of his daughter. You saw His need and You met His need. Many of us meditating on this devotional are burdened with needs. Oh that we will be impressed to seek You out as being the only One who could meet our needs. Covid is rampant all around us, and many of our family and/or friends are bedridden with this dreaded disease. May our hearts be so burdened, that we will remember who is able to heal and restore health and strength back to our loved ones. Please forgive us for judging others. In Your example in today’s Scripture, You simply met Jairus at his point of need – no questions asked and no level of judgment noted. Teach us Lord to be more like You in every way, every day, so that others will know of You, and believe in You. AMEN!

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

What Will You Do With Jesus?

On By Ed AlgreenIn Acceptance, Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Rejection, Worship1 Comment

DATE WRITTEN: Wednesday, 2021-02-17
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: Matthew 13:54-57
TRANSLATION: Easy-to-Read Version (ERV)

BIBLE TEXT: 54 He went to the town where he grew up. He taught the people in the synagogue, and they were amazed. They said, “Where did this man get such wisdom and this power to do miracles? 55 Isn’t he just the son of the carpenter we know? Isn’t his mother’s name Mary, and aren’t his brothers James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas? 56 And don’t all his sisters still live here in town? How is he able to do these things?” 57 So they had a problem accepting him.
But Jesus said to them, “People everywhere give honor to a prophet, but in his own town or in his own home a prophet does not get any honor.”

OBSERVATION: Have you ever gone to a concert, to a church, or to watch a movie, and was shocked by what the star, or church leader looked like? He just was not what you had pictured in your mind. In fact, there was such a difference that you found it difficult accepting what he had to say, or sing. As we meditate on the Scripture today, we will see an example of where something very similar happened to Jesus in His hometown. The people had to choose whether they would accept His ministry, or not, for He was just a boy from their little town. Nobody really special.

APPLICATION: I believe that in our day, many churches thrive when the preacher is charismatic, the praise and worship team reminds attendees of a rock band, and the congregation could attend the services without ever being pestered about working hours and hours in helping the work of the ministry move forward. Unfortunately, many of these attendees may have been ‘burnt’ in some previous church/ministry, and they are looking for a place to worship without ever placing themselves at risk to be hurt again. But our Scripture today highlights the importance of setting aside any preconceived ideas about an individual, and accepting God’s messenger who brings God’s message to change the minds of sinners about the kingdom of God. I have served on many committees tasked with the job of finding a new pastor for a church. It is amazing what input we received from our respective congregations about what they wanted to see in a new pastor. Occasionally there was a congregant who may have desired the new prospect to be an excellent teacher of the Word of God, but way too often they wanted the needs of their own families met by someone who cared. Friends, I believe that when God sends a church leader or teacher to our church, He may deliberately send us someone who may not fit the mold we have in mind, because He wants our undivided attention. There was a pastor that I served under, who had a note on the pulpit to remind him every time he stood there, and the note read ‘Oh that they may see Jesus’. What a testimony of an honest man who wanted to be used by the Master in His ministry to the local church. I believe that in today’s Scripture we are challenged to walk into our places of worship with the intent to worship the great God of this universe and to hear how the proclamation of the Word may challenge our wicked hearts, so that we may be shaped into better soldiers of the cross that would enable others to see the image and works of the Holy Spirit – even in and through our lives as we go about our average day at work, in social clubs, in our families and especially when among unsaved friends. I believe that when we beg God to help us enjoy this type of relationship with Him, we would not be tempted to tear down our pastors or church leaders, who are still a work in process, by God. For we will quickly be reminded of that old spiritual ‘It’s me, it’s me oh Lord, standing in the need of prayer’, not just that old, dull preacher. In conclusion, please allow me to remind you that verse 58 reads: Jesus did not do many miracles there, because the people did not believe in him. Please don’t be guilty of shooing away the work of the Master in your life, in the life of your church, or in any other area of life in which you are involved. Look and listen to the work of God through His messengers, whoever they may be. To reject them, is like rejecting God who sent them.

PRAYER: Dear Lord Jesus, it’s sad to see that Your own townspeople rejected You in Your ministry among them. Too often we are saddened by the way our local pastors are treated, for we acknowledge that they are still human and will make mistakes as long as they are here on earth. Sadly, we are also reminded that You didn’t stick around to help your town’s people, since they showed no interest in listening to Your teaching nor in the miracles that You wrought in their midst. Unfortunately, I don’t believe that our people have learnt a lot from Your reaction to rejection, so I beg of You today Lord to touch our hardened, prideful, condemning hearts and cause us to reflect on the gift of personal sacrifice You offered for us, while we were yet filthy, dirty, sinners. Please help us to accept You and Your precious love for us, even when it makes no sense to us, or even if it is not packaged the way we may expect. Thank You again for making our way clear for a personal relationship with the Master of this universe, and entry into Your heaven. AMEN!

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

Rejection By God? Really?

On By Ed AlgreenIn Acceptance, Living with purpose, Love, Love God, Love others, Reflective of Jesus Christ, RejectionLeave a comment

Saturday, 2019-09-28

Bible Reference: Jeremiah 14:10
Translation: The Contemporary English Version (CEV)

Bible Text:  My people, you love to wander away; you don’t even try to stay close to me. So now I will reject you and punish you for your sins. I, the Lord, have spoken.

OBSERVATION: I believe that we hear so much about how much God loves us, that it might be challenging for us to imagine that He will tire of our attitude and our rejection of Him. Perhaps this verse is an eye-opener for those who may feel like they could do anything they want, because God will still love them. As we meditate on this one verse today, I pray that our eyes might be opened to God’s true identity and character!

APPLICATION:  Unless we know the full extent of our God, we may otherwise assume that He is much like a puppet that our kids play with – He is placed in the corner until we call for Him. It’s interesting that God pointed me to this verse today, because in another Scripture reading today, in 1 Samuel 4-6, the Philistines found out that God was quite capable of showing His power all on His own, and without their commands or intervention! It is so easy to see how God became angry with the Philistines for their disrespect of the Ark of the Covenant, and with the Israelites for their disobedience, and the sons of Eli assuming roles that represented God, but yet they operated in total darkness. However, I believe that God wanted to remind us today that He is still God and that He has, or will tire of our sin and total disregard of Him – the One who sacrificed it all, His only Son, on the cross at Calvary, so that we may live in full hope of eternity with Him. He did not want us to use the excuses of those gone on before us and live in fear of the many laws of Moses, or for that to be a roadblock for us to enter heaven’s gates. The awful thing that I believe that God sees today though, is probably worse than what He saw in His people back in the days of Jeremiah, or Moses, or Eli. For in spite of the extra effort, and tremendous outpouring of His love, yet what God sees today must truly break His heart …….. perhaps even to the point of lifting His hand off us and rejecting our plea before Him. So often we should be praising God in thanksgiving for His divine intervention in our decision making, yet so often we permit the selfish ways of man to influence us, and we step out on that merit instead of faith in God, the creator of this universe. Why has God not given up on us a long time ago? Friends, I don’t believe that I need to spell out the evil that is prevalent in our world today, for we have it happening in our own backyards, and we hear about it every time we watch the evening news. We have many churches that are closing down because of poor attendance. I believe that we have more folk who’s only Christian activity, might be attending a church service over the weekend, if they could fit it into their busy schedules. Imagine if you only ate physical food once per week? Imagine if the only communication you had with your spouse or parents was once per week? There wouldn’t be much of an influence in your life from either of these sources, nor would you have reason to brag on either of these, because they would play such a minimal role in the remaining days and hours of the week. Yet I’m afraid that we have ‘Christians’ who do exactly this, and expecting their lives to be changed by God. Friends, be realistic – one hour per week with God and 167 hours in the heat of evil and the works of Satan. Which do you think will influence our lives more? Who then are we pleasing? Who then are we more apt to reflect in our attitudes and actions? It is extremely frightening to think about rejection by God or the possible fatal judgment of God, because He saw how we totally rejected and ignored Him – His love, His direction, and His awesome gift given for us. On the other hand, we have lots of verses that tell us things like: Draw near to God and He will draw near to us; If my people who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray, I will hear from heaven and….. Friends, know that God loves you very much today. Please don’t reject Him. Please don’t take your relationship with Him lightly. We want to see His eternal blessing on us, and not His rejection and punishment.

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, You loved me so much that You gave Your very own Son so that I may have eternal life in Your presence. Please forgive me for the times that I take Your love for granted. Please speak to the hearts of my readers so that they too might examine their lives to ensure that they are in close communion with You, and not letting the vile of this old world take prominence in their lives. Please help us all that we may spend the necessary time with You for a happy and healthy relationship with You. Lord, we want to live more like You every day, and we realize that this only comes from spending more time with You than we do with this old world and its master, Satan. I pray that today it may be evident to those that we come into contact with that we have been with the Lord, and their lives might be impacted in such a way that they would either draw closer to You in relationship, or come to accept You as Lord of their life. Have Your way in our lives today Lord, and lead us towards You, for this is my humble prayer that I ask in the name of Jesus Christ, AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: There are two more pages on my blog that will provide you with additional information, one of them being ‘To Know Jesus’. If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please click on the above page, or speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. Please allow someone to pray with you and give you help and/or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Words underlined in my blog might indicate a link to a song that came to mind as I wrote the devotional. Feel free to click on the link and listen as you continue to read or pray. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to Nuggets From God’s Word and read more, or you may freely subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. If you are anywhere near the Sebring, Florida area and do not have a church home, I would be thrilled to welcome you at Bible Fellowship Church, located at 3750 Hammock Rd, Sebring, FL 33872! Click the link to check out service times and/or other special activities. God is at work among us! Please consider coming to worship with us!

The Events of This Weekend Impacts Your Eternity

On By Ed AlgreenIn Acceptance, Forgiveness, Sacrifice3 Comments

Thursday, 2019-04-18

Bible Reference: John 19:4-6
Translation: New Living Translation (NLT)

Bible Text: 4 Pilate went outside again and said to the people, “I am going to bring him out to you now, but understand clearly that I find him not guilty.” 5 Then Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. And Pilate said, “Look, here is the man!” 6 When they saw him, the leading priests and Temple guards began shouting, “Crucify him! Crucify him!” “Take him yourselves and crucify him,” Pilate said. “I find him not guilty.”

OBSERVATION: On Easter Sunday, I believe you will be faced with a similar question to the one Herod posed to his audience: “Here’s the Son of God, what will you do with Him?”. I trust that you will begin thinking and praying about how you will respond to this life changing question in a way that will be pleasing to the God who loves you beyond all measure.

APPLICATION: Pilate presented Jesus to the crowd and asked what would they have him do with Jesus? Each weekend most churches/pastors will present the gospel and ask their congregations to respond to a similar question. Most of us leave our churches having said something very similar to that of the crowd before Pilate. Perhaps by our unresponsive action we are saying: hey, you may as well crucify Him, for we have this ‘life’ thing under control. I don’t need this Jesus interfering and telling me what to do or how I should act, or highlighting my wrongs. Perhaps we totally ignore the message, and the idea that Jesus is in control of us and all of life’s happenings. Perhaps we conclude that since Jesus is available, we could easily and quickly call on Him, if and when, we need Him. Friends, in and of our natural selves we have no desire for godly things. If we ARE alerted to the things of Christ, we are actually being personally admonished by GOD Himself. We NEED to listen and obey, not aim to crucify Him. We are about to enter into another weekend of church services. What will you do with Jesus? He loved you so much that He gave himself up on the cross of Calvary as a sacrifice for your sin, so that you might have the means of forgiveness of your sin, and the joy of entering heaven’s gates. How will you respond to that? Some in Herod’s crowd eventually responded ‘surely this was the Son of God’, but others joined with their friends in responding ‘crucify Him’. Please pray that God will speak to you individually about how you should respond this Sunday. The whole purpose of God sending His Son Jesus, is to save His people – you and I, and to give us the opportunity of living and dying in hope, and to be with our Creator throughout eternity!

PRAYER: Lord God, thank You for loving us so much that You showed evidence of that love when You allowed Your precious Son to suffer the disgrace of the people that insisted on His death. Lord, we are not a whole lot better, for we stand by and watch our family and friends ‘spit in Your Son’s face’ in our world today. They are convicted by You, yet they turn away in rejection as if to say that they would rather reject Your unbelievable love and accept the horror and disgrace of the Evil One. They would never be so evil to an earthly friend who blesses them today, by turning their face and rejecting them in spite of their sacrificial giving to them. Dear God, please don’t give up on my family members, friends and coworkers who have chosen to follow this unfortunate pattern. Please, Heavenly Father, bear with them a little longer. Please tender their hearts yet again to the fact that You showed Your love in very obvious and sacrificial ways. Their acceptance of that gracious gift is so valuable that it contains the keys to Heaven and an audience for eternity with the creator of this entire universe. We are truly a blessed people, to have such a loving God. Thank You dear Lord, and hear my plea yet again for those I love. For I ask this in the wonderful name of Jesus – the crucified, sacrificial lamb of God, AMEN!

Always Be Ready To Share

On By Ed AlgreenIn Acceptance, Accountability, Acknowledge God, Allegiance to the Lamb, Answered Prayer, Awesome God, Faith, HopeLeave a comment

Wednesday, 2018-12-05

Bible Reference: 1 Peter 3:14-16
Translation: Easy-To-Read Version (ERV)

Bible Text: 14 But you may suffer for doing right. If that happens, you have God’s blessing. “Don’t be afraid of the people who make you suffer; don’t be worried.”[a]15 But keep the Lord Christ holy in your hearts. Always be ready to answer everyone who asks you to explain about the hope you have.16 But answer them in a gentle way with respect. Keep your conscience clear. Then people will see the good way you live as followers of Christ, and those who say bad things about you will be ashamed of what they said.

OBSERVATION: Peter wanted to be sure that followers of Jesus Christ be prepared for the questions that folk will ask of us, especially when they see us acting and speaking differently to the majority of individuals they will come into contact with. In other words, if someone special resides inside of us, then His character will be revealed through us. Nothing to be ashamed of, and it should be nothing for us to brag about, but when we are asked ‘why?’, we should always be prepared to answer them about the hope that is ours, who know Jesus as Lord and Savior!

APPLICATION: Over and over I’ve seen friends whip out their wallet, or their phone, to show a photo of the latest thing that brought joy to their life – perhaps a baby boy, or a granddaughter, or a son-in-law! I have a coworker who always responds to a greeting with the words “I love my job”. He has a response that make me smile, and makes me proud of him everytime we greet each other. I wonder how willing, or prepared, or quick, Christians might be to respond truthfully about the root cause of happiness; joy; expectation or hope that is being expressed through them? I would challenge those of us who know Jesus as Lord to ensure that each day we have a fresh encounter with our God. Talk with Him – through prayer; Listen to Him – through His Word; Be guided by Him – as we ask for His direction in all decisions known and unknown that we will face today; and Praise Him – through expressing gratitude and honor for all that He has done for us. Please be careful to recognize Jesus as the healer, deliverer, guide and everlasting Father that He is. It will be so easy to follow the way of the world and attribute your ‘blessings’ to luck, or medical staff, or good friends, or the knowledge of man, and while these are awesome in their own way, our faith and our hope lies in the One to whom we belong. Friends, let’s be willing and ready to give an answer to anyone about the hope that we have. In fact, let’s be careful to give the same answer to our friends as we would give to God about our hope!

PRAYER: Merciful Father and all powerful God, thank You for choosing to work in my life. Oh though so unworthy, still I’m a child of the King! Lord, help me to not only sing that song to myself, but freely and willingly share that with others that may ask about the hope that I have. Oh that You might be glorified in and through all saints that allow You access, and ask for Your help today oh Lord, AMEN!

How Evil People are Made Right

On By Ed AlgreenIn Acceptance, Forgiveness, RighteousnessLeave a comment

SCRIPTURE  FROM:   Romans 4:5-8 (ERV)

TEXT:  5 …. people cannot do any work that will make them right with God. So they must trust in him. Then he accepts their faith, and that makes them right with him. He is the one who makes even evil people right. 6 David said the same thing when he was talking about the blessing people have when God accepts them as good without looking at what they have done:

7 “It is a great blessing when people are forgiven for the wrongs they have done, when their sins are erased!
8 It is a great blessing when the Lord accepts people as if they are without sin!”

OBSERVATION:   Paul addressed the church as if they were looking down their noses at people who were not just like them, especially those known for their evil deeds, or who were not Jews. He reminded them that there is nothing good that can be done to excuse the sins of mankind, but there is ONE who can forgive them of their sin and make them right with God! I believe that we could probably do with Paul preaching that sermon in some of our churches today, because it is still very easy for us to think that we belong to an exclusive club and others are just too evil to ever make it in. Let’s look closer at this…

APPLICATION:   I believe that it’s Scripture like this that causes us to do a system-wide check-up! I really don’t believe in coincidences when it comes to God’s Holy Word. For if He took us to this Scripture, and He causes a Brother to share his heart on the matter, then God probably wants us to stop, listen, meditate, analyze our current situation personally and as a church, and act on what God is teaching or instructing us to do. You see, there are huge percentages of people in our own cities – family, neighbors, friends or acquaintances, that do not attend church. Did we look down our noses one too many times that they felt intimated by, or unwanted in, our cliques at church? Or perhaps unministered to because they are not the same color or race as us, or live their lives differently to what we consider acceptable? May I just remind those who know the Lord, about the clear facts of what our condition was before we met Jesus? I want you to reflect back to your condition before Christ, and compare that to the holy Son of God, not to those friends who are not attending church. Now, do you see any reason why God should have accepted you into His kingdom? Then why do we find it impossible to minister to those I referenced above from our communities? Friends, Jesus is coming again, and I believe that it will be soon. What will you say to Him when asked about the absence of your circle of family, friends, coworkers and loved ones?

PRAYER:   Lord Jesus, we are such a blessed people. When we think of the love You poured out for us, when You took into account all the sin of this world, and still You went to the cross anyway, so that we might have the opportunity of becoming right with the Father. Thank You, thank You Heavenly Father for sacrificing Your only Son to prove Your love for us. Please help us to show our love for You and our circle of influence, by sharing Your Word with them so that they also may come to know You in a very personal way. Oh that I may make Psalm 32:2 a daily part of my celebration: ‘It is a great blessing when the Lord accepts people as if they are without sin!’. Thank You Jesus! AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: There are two more pages on my blog that will provide you with additional information, one of them being ‘To Know Jesus’.  If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please click on the above page, or speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. Please allow someone to pray with you and give you help and/or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Words underlined in my blog could indicate a link to a song that came to mind as I wrote the devotional. Feel free to click on the link and listen as you continue to read or pray. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to Nuggets From God’s Word and read more, or you may freely to subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. If you are anywhere near the Sebring, Florida area and do not have a church home, I would be thrilled to welcome you at Bible Fellowship Church, located at 3750 Hammock Rd, Sebring, FL 33872! Click the link to check out service times and/or other special activities. God is at work among us! Please consider coming to worship with us!

 

A Warning Sign

On By Ed AlgreenIn Accept Jesus NOW, Acceptance, Rejection, Road signs, signs, Warning, Warning SignsLeave a comment

Post Date:

 Wednesday, 2017-06-21
SCRIPTURE

From:

 Luke 2:33-35 (CEV)

Text:

 33 Jesus’ parents were surprised at what Simeon had said. 34 Then he blessed them and told Mary, “This child of yours will cause many people in Israel to fall and others to stand. The child will be like a warning sign. Many people will reject him, 35 and you, Mary, will suffer as though you had been stabbed by a dagger. But all this will show what people are really thinking.”
OBSERVATION:
Mary and Joseph had been forewarned that the child born of Mary would be the Son of God, but they were still astonished by what Simeon shared with them. The awe of a newborn baby sometimes put the parents into a dreamsicle world, where all they could think of is the awesome child this will turn out to be, and the pride that will fill the hearts of the parents! But to hear so early in the process that Jesus could lead to the fall of many, hurt like a dagger through the heart of Mary. This was all very shocking to both Mary and Joseph. We will examine how this is still very real in our world today.
APPLICATION:
Simeon said that the presence and ministry of Jesus would be as a ‘warning sign’ to the people. Think about warning signs that we see today and how we react to them. Take for instance the school zone warning signs: some are very respectable of those signs and they slow right down to the designated speed limit while watching diligently for children trying to get to school, that may themselves walk dangerously across the street in their rush to be on time. Other drivers are on a mission to catch up for lost time at home, while still trying to get to work on time. However while rejecting the posted warnings, flashing lights and reduced speed limits, they may be brought to their senses and corrected for their actions by a cop monitoring the area. Unfortunately there are members of our family, our team mates at work and our circle of friends and possibly even at our churches, that make every effort to ignore the warning signs and Biblical teachings of Jesus’ return. This hurts those of us that care, because we know the outcome on the day that they meet Jesus face-to-face. For it saddens us to think that because they never knew Him here on earth, He will disown them when they arise from the dead, and then point them to their home of eternal damnation – Hell. This hurts a mother’s heart, a friend’s heart and all those who knows someone who refuses to listen and honor the sacrifice made for their eternal hope and salvation, yet they make a deliberate choice to do life their own way in spite of the consequences. What has been your personal choice to the ‘Warning Signs’ presented by Jesus? A choice to concede to the Master and follow His commands results in a glorious life in Heaven for all eternity with Jesus and His Father – God. Selfish desires, disobedience and rejection of Jesus Christ means that you would prefer to take your punishment and spend your eternity in Hell with Satan and all of his demons. If you have never made either of these choices, then by default you are assigned to the latter, because accepting Jesus is a deliberate, personal act that you must make for yourself. So it’s up to you friend. My wish for all who will read this devotional is that you have surrendered your life to Jesus and that there is assurance that we will meet in Heaven’s portals one day! If not 100% assured of that, please follow the tips in my Footnote. This is way too important to ignore or delay.
PRAYER:
Dear God, thank You for loving us enough that You provided the WAY and the means for us to be assured of our time in heaven with You one day! You also provided Warning Signs for us to know that we need a Savior. Lord, there are many who are still living dangerously through those Warning Signs and taking the risk of consequences, including Hell. Please touch each one reading this devotional, each family member, and each friend or acquaintance, that they would meet with You and clarify their position with You. This is way too important to ignore, friend. May God be glorified today, because You listened to and followed His Warning Signs, AMEN! 
FOOTNOTE:
There are two more pages on my blog that will provide you with additional information, one of them being ‘To Know Jesus’.  If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please click on the above page, or speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. Please allow someone to pray with you and give you help and/or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Words underlined in my blog could indicate a link to a song that came to mind as I wrote the devotional. Feel free to click on the link and listen as you continue to read or pray. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to Nuggets From God’s Word and read more, or you may freely to subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. If you are anywhere near the Highlands County, Florida area and do not have a church home, I would be thrilled to welcome you at Bible Fellowship Church, located at 3750 Hammock Rd, Sebring, FL 33872! Click the link to check out service times and/or other special activities. God is at work among us! Please consider coming to worship with us!

Yet I Will Rejoice

On By Ed AlgreenIn Acceptance, Acknowledge GodLeave a comment

Friday, 2016-07-01

Scripture

Bible Reference: Habakkuk 3:17–19
Bible Text:  17 Even though the fig trees are all destroyed, and there is neither blossom left nor fruit; though the olive crops all fail, and the fields lie barren; even if the flocks die in the fields and the cattle barns are empty, 18 yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will be happy in the God of my salvation. 19 The Lord God is my strength; he will give me the speed of a deer and bring me safely over the mountains.
Bible Translation: The Living Bible (TLB)

My Take

What does it take to break your will to rejoice in the Lord? Habakkuk had seen a lot going on in his day, yet he vowed to  stay firm in his faith; recognize the strength that comes from God alone, remembering that God, and God alone offers salvation. Friends, I’m afraid that we play into the hands of Satan way too easily by caving in to our circumstances, and looking inward in self-pity. Think about it, when funds are low and we can’t do everything that our friends tend to do very easily, do we resort to thinking that God just doesn’t love us as much as He loves our friends, or are we able to rejoice in the Lord anyway? When we lose a loved one, do we remain strong in our faith, or do we tend to cave in and feel like God must have forsaken us? If only we can stay strong enough in our faith to recognize that no matter what our circumstances are, our God remains faithful, and He is still the one who provided salvation for us. What I find most praiseworthy, is that even through there are circumstances that really seem to hurt me individually, yet I reflect back on the time and see where God used the occasion for His glory. Perhaps a family member got saved, even though we may have lost a relative and went through a very sad time. I hope that we can learn to never accuse God, or blame him for things that happen in our lives in a slightly different way to what we would have ordered. Let’s remind each other that God’s ways are perfect and, just as a parent would tell us about their love for us, be reminded that no matter what happens – know that God loves us beyond anything we could think or imagine. No circumstance or life-happening could change that. Let’s be like Habakkuk and say that no matter what happens in this life, I will stay strong in my relationship with God, and will always praise Him in all of life’s circumstances.

Prayer

It is not always easy to shake the circumstances and lift our hands and hearts in praise to You dear Lord. So thank You for this reminder today. Please help us to always separate the circumstances in this life from the undeserving and limitless love that You have for us. Lord, You are good, and Your mercies are unending. Praise Your most worthy name! Should there be one who reads this devotional and is challenged to understand Your love, I pray that You will tender their heart and draw them to Yourself. May this be the day of salvation for that person today. All this I ask in the precious and loving name of Jesus, my Savior and Lord, AMEN!

Footnote

If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. Allow someone to pray with you and give you help and/or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Words underlined in my blog could indicate a link to a song that came to mind as I wrote the devotional. Feel free to click on the link and listen as you continue to read or pray. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to www.nuggetsfromgodsword.org and read more, or you may freely to subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. If you are anywhere near the Highlands County, Florida area and do not have a church home, I would be thrilled to welcome you at Bible Fellowship Church, located at 3750 Hammock Rd, Sebring, FL 33872! Click the link to check out service times and/or other special activities. God is at work among us! Please consider coming to worship with us!

What will you do with Jesus?

On By Ed AlgreenIn Acceptance, Forgiveness, SacrificeLeave a comment

THE HOLY BIBLE – John 19:4-6 – New Living Translation (NLT): 4 Pilate went outside again and said to the people, “I am going to bring him out to you now, but understand clearly that I find him not guilty.” 5 Then Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. And Pilate said, “Look, here is the man!” 6 When they saw him, the leading priests and Temple guards began shouting, “Crucify him! Crucify him!” “Take him yourselves and crucify him,” Pilate said. “I find him not guilty.”

THOUGHTS: Pilate presented Jesus to the crowd and asked them what they wanted him to do with Him. Each weekend most churches/pastors will present the gospel and ask their congregations to respond to a similar question. Most of us leave our churches having said something very similar to that of the crowd before Pilate. Perhaps by our unresponsive action we are saying: hey, you may as well crucify Him, for we have this ‘life’ thing under control. I don’t need this Jesus interfering and telling me what to do or how I should act, or highlighting my wrongs. Perhaps we totally ignore the message, and the idea that Jesus is in control of us and all of life’s happenings. Perhaps we conclude that since Jesus is available, we could easily and quickly call on Him if, and when, we need Him. Friends, in and of our natural selves we have no desire for godly things. If we ARE alerted to the things of Christ, we are actually being personally admonished by GOD Himself. We NEED to listen and obey, not aim to crucify Him. We are about to enter into another weekend of church services. What will you do with Jesus? He loved you so much that He gave himself upon the cross of Calvary as a sacrifice for your sin, so that you might have the means of getting into heaven and the forgiveness of your sin. How will you respond to that?

PRAYER: Lord God, thank You for loving us so much that You showed evidence of that love when You allowed Your precious Son to suffer the disgrace of the people that insisted on His death. Lord, we are not a whole lot better, for we stand by and watch our family and friends ‘spit in Your Son’s face’ still today, when they are convicted by You, yet they turn away in rejection as if to say that they would rather reject Your unbelievable love and accept the horror and disgrace of the Evil One. They would never be so evil to an earthly friend who blesses them today, by turning their face and rejecting them in spite of their sacrificial giving to them. Dear God, please don’t give up on my family members, friends and coworkers who have chosen to follow the pattern of the cruel, unappreciative, jealous, unloving crowd mentioned in the scripture today. Please, Heavenly Father, bear with them a little longer. Please tender their hearts yet again to the fact that You showed Your love in very obvious and sacrificial ways. Their acceptance of that gracious gift is so valuable that it contains the keys to Heaven and an audience for eternity with the creator of this entire universe. We are truly a blessed people, to have such a loving God. Thank You dear Lord, and hear my plea yet again for those I love. For I ask this in the wonderful name of Jesus – the crucified, sacrificial lamb of God, AMEN!

 

FOOTNOTE: If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please speak with a local Bible Teaching pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com so that we can pray with you and give you help and or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Any words underlined above will indicate a link to a song that came to mind as I wrote the devotional. Feel free to click on the link and listen as you continue to read or pray. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to blogger.nuggetsfromgodsword.org and read more, or you may freely subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. If you are anywhere near the Highlands County, Florida area and do not have a church home, I would be thrilled to welcome you at Bible Fellowship Church, Sebring, FL! Click the link to check out service times and/or other special activities. God is at work among us! Please consider coming to worship with us!