Category: Appreciation

Live A Life Worthy Of God’s Child

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Worship, WorthyLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Wednesday, 2022-10-19
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Ephesians 4:1-3
TRANSLATION: New Living Translation (NLT)

BIBLE TEXT: 1 Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God. 2 Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. 3 Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace.

APPLICATION: We live in a world where we often feel a tug-of-war battling in our minds and in our decision making. If we don’t recognize this, then we had best draw close to God so that our minds might be influenced by Him and His teachings. If we recognize the tug-of-war, then I believe that we must quickly discern the voice of God and follow His commands. Paul gave a similar reminder to the church he started in Ephesus, and the Holy Spirit spoke very vividly to me on this today. Think about this example: what sense does it make to those we come into contact with, if we say that we are married, yet they find us at a party or a dance or a club by ourselves, and we are hot on the trail of the opposite sex? We are acting more like a single person than someone who vowed at the altar to dedicate ourselves wholeheartedly to our spouse. When we soak in the intent of Paul’s plea to his church members, it is plain to see that he had very similar concerns. When we remove the cobwebs of our worldly influences, we could also plainly see that our churches today face very similar challenges and could use someone like ‘Paul’ to be open and honest with them about their actual condition, versus their taught principles. Here are some characteristics that Paul pleaded with his church members about, and that I believe will help open our eyes to our current condition, while steering us towards Christlikeness:
-*- Be Humble ~ Let’s remember that it’s not all about us. It’s God that we serve and aim to uplift, promote and serve.
-*- Be Gentle ~ Jesus was so gentle that He was thought to be dumb, since He chose to not speak while under fire by the authorities. We don’t need to have the last say on everything.
-*- Be Patient ~ Fellow church members may not get the message as quickly as we do, and even if they do, they may not act on it as quickly as we do. There are times that we must learn to be patient and let God’s word penetrate the hearts of His people.
-*- Stay United ~ I see this as an end goal. If we concentrate on this while fulfilling the work of the Master, we will always hear His commands, see His love and goodwill fulfilled and we will always endeavor to walk in His footsteps.
Paul taught that as we strive for the above, we will improve our efforts to live a life worthy of the calling of our Master and Lord. Oh that He would find moldable saints that He could work with and use for His glory!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: In verse 3, ‘Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit’. Lord, in as much as it depends on me, may I always live to reflect the love, hope and peace of Jesus in everything that I believe, do and speak.

PRAYER: Thank You Lord for allowing Your word to speak wisdom into our minds and hearts, and for directing us to live like a child of the King that we belong to. Paul dealt with this back in the Ephesian church, and yet today it seems like this principle is still very much needed in our churches today. It’s not that we are uneducated or dumb, but rather it’s the voice of Satan that works on us to disrupt any good work that we might do in Your name and for Your sake. Thankfully You are still dealing in the lives of Your children today, so Lord, I pray that it would be evident to the world who sits, looking in on Your saints, that You are very much alive and especially active in the life of Your church. Please tear down every act of Satan to disrupt Your work among us. May our lives be so much like that of Jesus, that the unsaved will reach out and accept Him as Lord and Savior before it is eternally too late. Bless Your people once again Lord and accomplish Your work through Your church. 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!

Why Is The Lord Blessing you?

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

DATE POSTED Tuesday, 2022-10-18
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: 1 Kings 10:6-7; 9
TRANSLATION: Living Bible (TLB)

BIBLE TEXT: 6 She exclaimed to him, “Everything I heard in my own country about your wisdom and about the wonderful things going on here is all true. 7 I didn’t believe it until I came, but now I have seen it for myself! And really! The half had not been told me! Your wisdom and prosperity are far greater than anything I’ve ever heard of! 
9 Blessed be the Lord your God who chose you and set you on the throne of Israel. How the Lord must love Israel—for he gave you to them as their king! And you give your people a just, good government!”

APPLICATION: Queen Sheba heard of all the good things happening to King Solomon and how successful his reign was. However, she didn’t look for ways to seek to harm him or pull him down so that she might look greater than he was. Instead, she chose to go a see for herself, perhaps hoping that Solomon could give her a few words of good advice. But the main thing I appreciated about her visit, can be found in our focal verses. Notice that the queen probably didn’t find the king gloating in his riches, or too busy trying to hoard additional riches, but instead her eyes were opened to the fact that God didn’t just bless the king to be the richest king in all the world, as he was, but that God wanted His chosen people, who Solomon reigned over, to have the best. That made me think about life today. We visit a church today and we immediately think of the rich folk that must attend church there, because it is evident that the leadership spared no expense in erecting the best building and filling it with nothing but the best in fixtures and material goods. If visiting from a small, average income community, we may feel intimidated by all the lush furnishings, the lavish outfitting of all rooms, etc. But what if we did like Sheba and met with the leadership of that church, do you suppose that we may find out that perhaps God does have a purpose in providing the very best for that community? Friends, I believe that when unbelievers are used to going to the lavish stores, restaurants, and theaters in their community, and we invite them to come and worship with us in a dilapidated building where we meet for church, might they not resort to picturing God as one who does nothing to help His people who meet in His name to worship Him? I visited a Christian-based theme park once, and I was almost thrown off by the lavish gold, or gold-plated bathroom fixtures, the outstanding costumes worn by the actors and the buildings erected. But then, it was like God spoke to me and asked, ‘why not?’. If we visited a worldly king, like Sheba did, and found old, outdated buildings and fixtures, we would think that country must be in bad shape financially and about to fold. So, as we think of a place that we meet with the King of all kings, the God of this whole universe, shouldn’t we expect to meet His royalty in a place fit for a King? Surely, we don’t want to be embarrassed if an earthly king entered our sanctuary. How much more should we want to be proud of opening the doors for our heavenly King? Queen Sheba was convinced that God was blessing King Solomon because of His love for the people that he served, protected and judged. Should we expect anything less today? We must get our sights off self and everything we could do, and instead set our sights on meeting the needs of our community as we introduce them to the Great I Am. Construction is super expensive today, so let me encourage you to give from the very bottom of your heart as you seek to do your part, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, to minister to your respective communities. They need the Lord, perhaps worse than anyone sitting in your church on a regular basis.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: We will often look inward for reasons why God should bless or has been blessing our efforts. But I was reminded that God has a much bigger picture in mind when He blesses His church. There’s a community of unchurched people out there that are in desperate need of a Savior.

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, I was reminded that Your ways are much greater than our ways, and that Your purpose is always to win the heart of Your people – even those who we may feel are not worth our time. We may boast of our multimillion-dollar church buildings, but Lord, I pray that You would open our eyes so that we may catch a glimpse of the souls that will be touched in our community through the services from these church buildings. Please help us to realize very early in life many of the things that we claim as ours, are actually designed for Your glory and to benefit Your Kingdom. Teach us Lord to not claim ownership of anything that we dedicate to You. Solomon spent many years building the temple, but in the end, He surrendered it all for your service only. May we learn to do the same Lord, for only what’s don’t for Jesus will last and have eternal benefit. Be glorified Lord in everything that we do, and in anything that we take part in, so that others may see Jesus and be filled with Your glory for all eternity. 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!

Be Filled With The Nature of God

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, God's Nature, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, The Mind of Christ, Worship2 Comments

DATE POSTED Monday, 2022-10-17
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Ephesians 3:16-19
TRANSLATION: Good News Translation (GNT)

BIBLE TEXT: 16 I ask God from the wealth of his glory to give you power through his Spirit to be strong in your inner selves, 17 and I pray that Christ will make his home in your hearts through faith. I pray that you may have your roots and foundation in love, 18 so that you, together with all God’s people, may have the power to understand how broad and long, how high and deep, is Christ’s love. 19 Yes, may you come to know his love—although it can never be fully known—and so be completely filled with the very nature of God.

APPLICATION: I was deeply moved by Paul’s prayer for the Ephesian church. What do you suppose would happen if our pastors today had such a deep commitment to their churches, that they would pray that each member or attendee might be filled with the nature of God. Can you imagine the impact this would have on a community, to encounter family, neighbors, friends, and coworkers that not only say they are Christian, but whose nature reflects the Christ that they claim to belong to? At a previous church that I attended, there was a group study that I missed because of work obligations. It was entitled ‘The Mind of Christ’. If we were impacted by Paul’s prayer, or if we tried to imitate the life and teachings of our Lord, can you imagine the difference we would find in our homes, workplaces, local stores, the customer support associates that we deal with over the phone, and yes, even our fellow church members? Friends let’s remember that it’s not just Paul, or our pastors that should pray for such acts of God among His people, it’s folk like you and I that should pray for a move of God first and foremost in our own lives, then in the hearts and lives of those we know. Additionally, if we are committed to be more like our Master and Lord, then we would make it a priority each day to study His Book of Instruction – His Holy Word. For that is where the Holy Spirit inspires us to seek the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, so that all these things will be given to us. Let me encourage you to make it your personal goal to be filled with the nature of God, and aim at having the mind of Christ in all that you think, do and say. Set the example for others to follow. Let them see Jesus in you, so that they too may desire a walk that exemplifies Jesus Christ. Unbelievers often need to see this practiced before they could believe something preached to them, or that they may even read for themselves. Let them see and experience Jesus when they meet you, my friend.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Trees and plants thrive and are productive when their roots are embedded in soil that is rich in nutrients. I believe that our lives will become much more productive for the Kingdom, when our lives are completely filled with the nature and mind of Jesus Christ!

PRAYER: Lord, please have Your perfect will and way in the lives of Your children today. For I believe that if we stop interfering with your work, perhaps more family and friends will see You at work in us and want a personal relationship with You also. You placed us here on earth to facilitate Your work, not to obstruct its effectiveness to the unsaved. Lord, for those who have surrendered our hearts to You, please give us a burning desire to be just like You while allowed to remain on earth. Please fill us with Your precious nature and Your heart, so that we might represent You in ways that others will desire in order to know and accept You as Lord. AMEN!

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

Will others Be Impacted by God Because of Their Encounter with You

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Encounter with God, Impacted by the Word, Lives Impacted, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Friday, 2022-10-14
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: 1 Kings 8:59-61
TRANSLATION: The Voice (VOICE)

BIBLE TEXT: 59 May my words and everything I have requested of the Eternal our God be close to His heart continuously, both day and night, so that He will support His servant and His people Israel according to the needs of each day as it is today. 60 Then all the people of the world will understand for themselves that He is the only True God. 61 Give your entire heart to the Eternal our God. Walk the path He has intended for us, and keep His laws as you do today.

APPLICATION: I believe that everyone has a picture of God in their minds. For some, it might be that He is so perfect that they know that they should just stay clear, as they could never be good enough. For others, it might be the God of the Sabbath – Saturday. Although others might be convinced that we must worship the resurrected Lord on the day He arose – Sunday. Now, there are some who might also feel like He is just one of many gods. But friends, while I know that this short list is not all inclusive, I hope that it may be enough to open your minds to think about ‘who God really is’ to you. What impact does the God you have on your life, affect your life? Any impact at all? Now, the reason I write these devotionals is to help my readers and listeners attach themselves to the Creator God, the One who has all power over earth, all the elements, and even heaven. The only One who sent His Son, Jesus, to save us from our sin – the one thing that we cannot do for ourselves, yet the one thing that will keep us out of heaven. So as we consider the God that impacts our lives, let’s make sure that we are talking about the one, true, God. And as we consider how God is impacting our lives, let us consider if it’s enough for others to see Jesus in us, or do they see just the same old sinful self who strives for personal attention and selfish desires. We tend to live out who we are and the impact that others have on our character. If it’s Jesus impacting our lives, then others will see things like peace, love, joy, forgiveness, meekness, and all those things that we see in Jesus whenever we encounter Him in the Bible, or through our everyday lives. King Solomon prayed a very unselfish prayer for he and his people. Not only that God would have an everlasting impact on the people, but even if they sinned and got themselves in trouble, that God would hear their cry of repentance and accept their plea to return into His good graces. Solomon wanted that impact to be so drastic, that other nations would stand in awe and wonder what got into these people, or rather, who it is that is impacting their lives. The Christian walk is very different to the ways of this world. Others will notice and be impacted by it. Oh that they will see Jesus and want to know Him more intimately and in a very personal way. It’s your turn now dear reader and listener. Make your life count for Jesus by allowing Him to impact your life and minister through you.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: When others are blessed by God because of His grace being evident in us, it’s just like a gift that keeps on giving and blessing others. Only God can have this kind of impact though, and only if we open our hearts and lives to allow Him access, so He could bless others.

PRAYER: To run alongside a brother or a sister, we might encourage them to know that we care. But Lord, when You live inside of us, and You reach out and encourage that brother or sister, while giving them strength for every step, encouragement through all the storms of life, wisdom for how to best deal with situations that lie ahead, and love to warm their hearts in knowing that someone truly cares, then we will see lives being impacted for the Kingdom. It’s only because of You Lord. Please bless now all those who will read or listen to this devotional. May they feel your touch and know that You are near. Impact the lives of those that we touch, in Jesus’ precious name and for Your sake alone. 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!

Your Life Work

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Praise, Preaching, Reaching the Lost, Recognize God, Worship1 Comment

DATE POSTED Thursday, 2022-10-13
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Ephesians 3:7-9
TRANSLATION: The Message (MSG)

BIBLE TEXT: 7-8 This is my life work: helping people understand and respond to this Message. It came as a sheer gift to me, a real surprise, God handling all the details. When it came to presenting the Message to people who had no background in God’s way, I was the least qualified of any of the available Christians. God saw to it that I was equipped, but you can be sure that it had nothing to do with my natural abilities. 9 And so here I am, preaching and writing about things that are way over my head, the inexhaustible riches and generosity of Christ.

APPLICATION: Given the opportunity, we will tell of good news and all the good fortunes that come our way, even when we feel like God was instrumental in blessing us with those good things. However, we are often tempted to withdraw and keep that good news to ourselves, especially when we have heard so much about how critical friends and family are, when it comes to the things of God. In his former state, Saul (the birth name of Paul) had persecuted Christians and the work of the church. Imagine how long we tend to expect someone to prove to us that they have truly changed their ways. How long would we require testing them before seeing them involved in ministry? But thank God, Paul paid little attention to what people thought, He was dedicated, and busy about the Lord’s work, because of his new-found faith, and the unbelievable grace of God. It is evident that Paul didn’t see the need for seminary, nor numerous years understudying and training under a leading priest/pastor/bishop, etc. Paul had surrendered himself under the lordship of Jesus Christ, and he moved into ministry knowing that the Holy Spirit was more than adequate to lead him and direct his path. At that time, the Jews felt like the Gospel was designed for God’s chosen people and no one else. However, God led Paul into a ministry to the Gentiles, as they were very much a part of the world for whom Jesus died and rose again. I wonder, who do we tend to exclude from the Gospel? Is it intended just for us and our church? Is it for people we tend to put on our blacklist of individuals unworthy of redemption, or those whom we feel are unreachable? Friends, I believe if you look deep inside of self, you will find that there are people we place in such categories because of our personal judgment. Isn’t it amazing that God was able to look beyond the atrocities of Saul, and our sin, our condemnation, our curse upon Christians? Under his new name, God gave Paul a ministry to those that everyone else, all fellow Jews, rejected. Without any human training or without being attached to a certain denomination, God gave Paul the boldness and wisdom to preach, teach, witness and encourage the Ephesian church. I have no doubt that God still sees folk that might otherwise appear as impossible to win over to Christendom. I have no reason to doubt that God places folk like that right in our face at times. He may have already prepared us for our life work of winning such people to Him. Have you prayed diligently enough to the Father to accept whatever He places before you? Many of you have not been to seminary, and many may not have even attended the latest evangelism training classes, but are you bold enough to simply let God do His work through you, like He did in the life of Paul? People still need the Lord, and I believe that God still wants workers to attend to the needs of His flock. We won’t put our pastor out of work, for each of us have been given the command of Matthew 28:18-20 – Go now into the world and preach the Gospel to all people.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: If God could fill the heart and mind of a man with Paul’s background, I am convinced that He can also ready us for His ministry and service to the very unlikely people that we come into contact with! Let’s remember, He is looking for our availability, for He provides the ability!

PRAYER: Precious Lord, take my hand, lead me on, and into the ministry for which You have prepared for me. Many readers will probably flick this devotional over their shoulder so it could be directed to those whom they feel are qualified. But Lord, after once again being reminded of the powerful work You performed through the apostle Paul, in spite of his awful background, I have no doubt that You can use other humans like me, and my readers who are fully committed to You. Lord, may Your will be done in and through us today, is my humble plea, regardless of who we might come into contact with. 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!

About God’s Undeserved Favor

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Forgiveness, Grace, Mercy, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Salvation, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Monday, 2022-10-03
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Ephesians 2:4-9
TRANSLATION: GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)

BIBLE TEXT: 4 But God is rich in mercy because of his great love for us. 5 We were dead because of our failures, but he made us alive together with Christ. (It is God’s kindness that saved you.) 6 God has brought us back to life together with Christ Jesus and has given us a position in heaven with him. 7 He did this through Christ Jesus out of his generosity to us in order to show his extremely rich kindness in the world to come. 8 God saved you through faith as an act of kindness. You had nothing to do with it. Being saved is a gift from God. 9 It’s not the result of anything you’ve done, so no one can brag about it.

APPLICATION: Please allow me to open your eyes of reasoning today. Think about the reason God made us. The Bible is clear that we were made in the image of God – perfect in every way and designed to live lives patterned after the example of Jesus Christ. However, we were privileged to have been given our own free will to decide if we will follow the commands of God and the example of Jesus Christ. Because of the tug that Satan has on residents of planet earth, he makes it a very tough decision for humans, because he wants the privilege of eternal torture in hell for as many as he could sway. But get this, dear friend, God not only showed us how to overcome Satan’s sway and avoid sin – disobedience to the commands of God, but He sent us His Son, Jesus, to be our Savior, or rescuer from sin, to all who ask for forgiveness and show a renewed desire to go to heaven. This was a gift that we didn’t deserve, but in His love for His creation, God provided this solitary, simple but sacrificial channel of forgiveness for those who ask for it. Isn’t that pretty much the type of grace that God shows to us every day? He is all-powerful and all-seeing, so He knows when we choose to ignore His goodness, His provisions and His perfect design for us. However, He still has such an undying, unbelievable love for us, that He puts His all into helping us remain pure and righteous, just as He is. Paul was challenged when he found the Ephesian church so far away from the design God had in mind for them. But today we have not learned from what Jesus taught us in His Word, nor from the experiences relayed in in His Word. We still insist on doing things ‘our way’, without any regard for what God dictated in His Word for our guidance. Do we have room to question God when we encounter disaster after disaster and see every appearance of being forgotten by a holy and righteous God? Friends let’s always remember that unless we invite Jesus to be our Savior and Lord, we have turned our heads away from His commands and His love for us. When we do this, we are saying ‘no thanks’ to the goodness of God and choosing to ‘wing it’ on our own, and at the pleasure of the Evil One. If you remember nothing else from my devotional today, please remember that God still wants you to know that He cares for you and will accept your request for salvation, if you are given the opportunity while alive. I had a 19-year-old friend found dead in her bed over the weekend, so that ‘IF‘ is bolded for your very special and urgent attention. Don’t delay precious friend, ask Jesus to come into your heart today, before it is eternally too late.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: I am forever thankful for the words ‘But God’, for it reassures me that God will do everything possible to move me beyond the sin of this world and the disappointments that arise every day because of sin.

PRAYER: Thank You heavenly Father for going the extra mile so that I could be saved from the ravishes of sin. Thank You for providing and sacrificing Your very own Son to settle the debt for my stubborn and sinful life. I pray that my readers and listeners will open their hearts and lives to accepting Your offer of salvation and forgiveness of their sin. Stir the hearts of the unsaved today, Lord. May they happen across this devotional and understand its intent as foretold by Paul to the church at Ephesus. Soften their hearts to accept Your call on their lives, for I’m sure that You are saddened by their rejection every day that goes by. May this be the day of salvation for many, I pray. 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!

Empowered By The Holy Spirit

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Empowered, Holy Spirit, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Sunday, 2022-10-02
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Luke 1:40-43
TRANSLATION: Amplified Bible (AMP)

BIBLE TEXT: 40 …. she entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, her baby leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and empowered by Him. 42 And she exclaimed loudly, “Blessed [worthy to be praised] are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! 43 And how has it happened to me, that the mother of my Lord would come to me? 

APPLICATION: I’m sure by the time you arrive at this point in my devotional, you are probably wondering if I am way too anxious to bring on the Christmas story! For this is a clip from the all too familiar Christmas story that we hear read over and over every December in our churches. Fortunately, God’s Word is available for everyone to read, and God will reveal Himself to us as we read it, no matter what time of year it is, so that we may be drawn to Him. I follow a reading plan that takes me through the entire Bible at my own pace, so I will come across Scriptures that cover subjects like this, at almost any time during the year. Over and repeatedly, I’ve heard the story of Mary and Elizabeth’s meeting, and the joyous greeting mentioned in today’s Scripture. But I’ve never stopped to ponder how Elizabeth knew her cousin was pregnant. As I researched this, I realized that we will often say things to someone and later reflect on ‘where did that thought come from?’ In the case of Elizabeth, the answer is very prominent in the Scriptures, even though this particular translation actually spells it out best. I always focused in on the loving attitude in what Elizabeth said to her dear cousin, but never on where this revelation came from. Friends, I am reminded that when revelations like this come to us, we need not just focus on the attitude with which something was shared, who it comes from, nor the foreknowledge of the individual saying it, but rather be ready to thank God for revealing truth to someone we encountered that day; and for reaffirming something that we suspected from our own personal encounter with God. Often, God must challenge us because of our stubborn, hardened, hearts, otherwise we become satisfied with the status quo. We need each other, dear friends, and because of that, God may choose to work through others to get important updates to us. Therefore, let us not be weary in well doing; in loving one another just as Christ demonstrated for us; in sharing the teachings of Christ that God will impress upon us; and always allowing the Holy Spirit to complete His work through us. Remember, others are looking for God and many need God. May they always see what the Holy Spirit is doing in and through us, just as He did through Elizabeth in helping confirm the message given to Mary. May this affirmation be enough to draw them to the foot of the cross of Jesus Christ.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: May we learn to open our hearts and our mouths to what the Holy Spirit has to say, so that others may be drawn to the Lord Jesus Christ!

PRAYER: Lord, we can only come to You as empty vessels waiting to be filled with Your glory, Your wisdom, Your unselfish and unconditional love. Of ourselves, we are way too much like the world in which we live, and undesirable to the best and worst of the unsaved. Our advice to others are mere worldly opinions filled with doubt and despair, but with Jesus as our Savior, and the power of the Holy Spirit that resides inside of us as our comforter and helper, we too can be channels for Him to work through, just as He did for Elizabeth. There are many who need the Lord, oh that they may feel Your very presence knocking on their heart’s door, and may they recognize You in and through Your precious children here on earth. Draw them to You Lord, and please continue to work on us to be usable vessels through which You can minister to the unsaved. 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!

For A Heart Of Understanding and Wisdom

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Understanding, Wisdom, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Saturday, 2022-10-01
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: 1 Kings 3:7-9
TRANSLATION: New Living Translation (NLT)

BIBLE TEXT: 7 “Now, O Lord my God, you have made me king instead of my father, David, but I am like a little child who doesn’t know his way around. 8 And here I am in the midst of your own chosen people, a nation so great and numerous they cannot be counted! 9 Give me an understanding heart so that I can govern your people well and know the difference between right and wrong. For who by himself is able to govern this great people of yours?”

OBSERVATION: I believe that God might speak to you about several things in today’s Scripture, much like He did with me. In the New Testament, Jesus taught that ‘unless you come to me as a child….’. When we enter into a new challenge of leadership or management, wouldn’t it be better if we sought wisdom and understanding from God, rather than jumping in like a bull in a china shop? King Solomon acknowledged he needed help. Oh that we would do this more frequently, rather than forcing our personal ideas on a global situation that would affect so many.

APPLICATION: Here’s a man who sat under the teaching and experienced the successful traits of one of the greatest kings ever lived – David. Yet when he was anointed king by Almighty God, he saw that the world around him was so large, so varied, so complex and so needy, that he quickly crawled back into reality and acknowledged that without God, nothing would be possible. In fact, Solomon felt like a small flea in a whole big world. Of course, he had another choice – he could have faked it until he made it through these complexities and experiences through trial and error. But when it comes to the lives of precious individuals, Solomon knew that, albeit his young age, and in spite of his youth and inexperience, he could not experiment with these people. Solomon could have gone to his top officials in his government, and perhaps he would have received good advice. But Solomon knew of One who would stick closer than a brother, One who knew the hearts and minds of the people, One who had a plan for his nation and who would ensure his success as their leader, if he surrendered his will to the tender hand and leadership of his Master and Lord. Notice that Solomon didn’t pray for help in being the best king, or to be the richest king ever lived, or to win over ever country around him, but it was his deep and sincere desire to grow in knowledge and understanding so that he could be a fair, honest, and great leader to his people. Friends, submitting yourself to the ways and means of those around you will lead to more of the same. Submitting yourself to the will and commands of Almighty God, allows you to walk uprightly in His way and with His leadership, so that you may win the battles of temptation, backbiting, hatred, murder and discouragement. God breathes new life into those who seek Him and surrender their will to His, for He has a plan and a purpose for them and will lead them to succeed in their personal and work relationships so that He might be glorified. Do you feel unfilled and unsuccessful in life, my friend? Look to Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith. Be God’s humble servant today, and submit your all to Him, so that He may work out His plan in your life. As He does, you will use that renewed spirit to lead others in a way that is pleasing to God and your leadership over others will meet with His approval. As others around you are blessed because of your leadership, you will be acknowledged by Almighty God for making the most of everything that He gives to you to bless others.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Feeling as a little child, allowed Solomon the humbleness of heart to place God on the throne of his life and be led by Him so that He would be glorified in every decision of leadership! Let’s be careful to pass the praises on to God for anything we might receive accolades on.

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, I am reminded that as Your children, we must come to the Fountain of Life as empty vessels willing to be filled by Your awesome power, knowledge, wisdom, love, and indeed all traits of Jesus that are so badly needed in our interactions with others. Solomon needed these things to be a great king. I believe that my readers, listeners and I need this for our everyday imprint on the lives of those we come into contact with. As one faithful pastor reminded himself on a sticker every time he stood in the pulpit to preach – he had written ‘Let Them See Jesus’. Oh, if that would be the heart-cry of every believer each and every day we rise up from our pillows until the time we go to bed – Let them see Jesus, both in words and in my actions. Perhaps then, more will believe in the existence, power, love and awesome impact that our God has in the lives of His children. AMEN!

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

How To Remain Pure Before God

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Praise, Pure, Purity, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Tuesday, 2022-09-27
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Psalm 119:9-11
TRANSLATION: Amplified Bible (AMP)

BIBLE TEXT: 9 How can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping watch [on himself] according to Your word [conforming his life to Your precepts].
10  With all my heart I have sought You, [inquiring of You and longing for You]; Do not let me wander from Your commandments [neither through ignorance nor by willful disobedience].
11 Your word I have treasured and stored in my heart, that I may not sin against You.

APPLICATION: I believe when we think of ‘purity’ we tend to think of how a young girl manages to keep herself ‘pure’ before marriage. That may seem like such an ‘old-school’ philosophy to many today, but you might remember that God chose the mother for His divine Son, because she (Mary) was ‘pure’ and undefiled. Purity in the light of a female, or in the case of the one referred to by the Psalmist, refers to one who has remained fully dedicated to God and unscathed by sin. You see, when we enter into this world and are raised by godly parents, they teach us to distance ourselves from the temptations and teachings of this world, so that our minds will remain fixed on Jesus and open to all His teachings. Fortunately, for those who have not surrendered their lives to Jesus Christ, God sent Him into the world so that those who have become stained with sin, might seek His forgiveness and obtain His powerful help to discontinue imitating the world. God wants to redirect from a life of sin, to instead pattern our lives after the perfect life of Jesus Christ. Christians call that a process of being ‘saved’ – saved from the pit of Hell – the place where folk are sent when they refuse to accept the gift, the love, and the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. I believe that one of the most impactful Bible studies I ever taken part in, was ‘Guardrails’. The principles taught in that study are similar to what David is teaching us in the Psalm today – keep watch over yourself; be deliberate in guarding yourself against the evil things of this world that will derail your walk with Jesus; there are things that will tempt you into returning to the free will and undefined ways of this wicked world; there are things that will impress upon you the pride of self-worth and personal riches vs the ways of God as taught to us in His Holy Word. Friends, I am presenting this study today as one living in this world, just as you are; facing daily struggles, just as you are; dealing with attractive offers by the evil one and his army of naysayers, just as you are. But because of the strength I find in Jesus Christ each day to open His Word, spend time with Him, be reminded of His teachings, and welcome His perfect will to guard my path each day, I feel like I am more than a conqueror in overcoming Satan, and I am guided down a path pleasing to my Lord! But so can you my dear friend. The power is in the all-powerful name and person of Jesus Christ. Unhitch from your personal desires and seek to honor Him in all things, and He will deliver you. There is good reason to surrender your will to the will of our Lord and Master, for He is the only perfect Son of God. And because He is perfect, we too can let go of sin, in full confidence that as we do, God will make our way clear for us to follow Him and live in His example. This, dear friends, is my sincere recommendation to all readers and listeners today.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: A life fully surrendered to the lordship of Jesus Christ can be directed down a righteous path that imitates the one and only perfect God! May we seek to follow God’s perfection in our lives today and every day!

PRAYER: To live in such a cruel, sinful world, it would seem like ‘purity’ might be the last result we could expect to see in men and women on this earth. But just as we were reminded by the Psalmist in today’s Scripture, we are just human beings, but praise God, we serve an almighty, all-powerful God who is holy, righteous and perfect in every way. Besides that, You are very capable of hearing the prayers of Your people and blessing them with the sincere desires of their heart. You did it for me, Lord, and I know You will do it again for those who choose to accept Your offer of forgiveness, and for strength to endure and overcome every temptation that may come our way. May the ‘imperfect’ seek help, forgiveness and guidance from the only ‘perfect One’ today! 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!

Pray For Godly Wisdom

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Wisdom, Worship2 Comments

DATE POSTED Monday, 2022-09-26
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Ephesians 1:15-17
TRANSLATION: Good News Translation (GNT)

BIBLE TEXT: 15 For this reason, ever since I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all of God’s people, 16 I have not stopped giving thanks to God for you. I remember you in my prayers 17 and ask the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, to give you the Spirit, who will make you wise and reveal God to you, so that you will know him. 

APPLICATION: As I read this Scripture today, I couldn’t help but think how different Paul’s teaching was, compared to what we hear at most of our churches today. I cringe when I hear preachers put down another pastor or a certain denomination. I despise that when I hear politicians do it in their political ads, and I especially dislike it when I hear it from our pulpits. Like Paul taught in this Scripture today, let the people hear of your faith and how well you are doing in following the example of Jesus Christ, not how well you do at bashing others who chose not to attend your church. Wouldn’t it be awesome for us to just preach and teach the Word of God and the awesome power that it has to save lives from the pit of Hell? You might remember what God said about His Word – it’s sharper than any two-edged sword and it will cut through the sin, mire and stubbornness that has congested the life of the sinner. It doesn’t need us pulling down the opponent so we could rise about their false teachings, pride and evil works. Wouldn’t it be a pleasing change for us to hear a pastor brag on, and rejoice in, the awesome work of his partner in the ministry just down the road from your church? Perhaps their faith is extremely great, or perhaps their love for their community is a pure example of the life and works of Jesus Christ; perhaps their giving for the work of Christ stands out in all of Christendom. Yes, I know that we are very divided in what other denominations believe, and teach about their understanding of the Bible, but did God put us in charge of pulling them down and trying to get them straight? Like Paul teaches us in today’s Scripture, let’s learn to lift up and encourage them in what they are doing well, based on their outward actions and the word on the streets about their teachings. Befriend that pastor, and try to discuss your differences as your relationship and trust develops, but bathe that in prayer so that your powerful God can help each of you to sharpen each other’s skills just like iron sharpens iron. Pray for godly wisdom for your pastor friend, and for yourself, so that you both will remain strong in the faith of our Lord Jesus, and not be swayed by denominational differences, accusations and resentment built up over the years. My desire is that all churches will work towards one goal, promoting the lordship of Jesus Christ, exposing sin as the enemy, and Jesus as the Victor – the only One that can save us from our sin and ready us for the glories of heaven. The reason why I despise pastor for criticizing other pastors, denomination and/or believers, is that it gives the appearance that we are opposed to the power of Jesus to do His job, so we jump in to do it for Him. Jesus gave us the job of winning the lost and challenging the saved, so they could go and win more souls. That’s a fulltime job for us, so let’s seek personal Godly wisdom and stick to the task at hand, God being our helper!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Never stop giving thanks for the work of Jesus Christ – in our church, and in the churches around us. It’s all about God, not about pulling down another church to make us look good, or better.

PRAYER: Dear Jesus, thank You for giving Paul the wisdom to challenge us on an area that has crept into many ministries by Satan. We deal with it way too often at work, for we practice pulling down the opponent to make us look better. This has no place in Your church. Can you imagine the shock and surprised an unsaved person would have if they walked into a church and heard the pastor giving thanks for the ministry of the church down the road. I believe their eyes of doubt and questioning would be opened immediately, because they would know that this must be linked to this love of God that they’ve heard so much about, and now seeing in action. Lord God, I am keenly aware that this is not only a problem with pastors, for way too often we practice this individually, even at the disappointment of the sinner looking for the grace of God in us. Have Your will and way in our lives today Lord, may the world see You in everything that we do or say, and may they look to You and accept You in deepest sincerity, for all eternity. 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!