Experience Persistent Satisfaction

On 2022-09-202022-09-20 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Persistence, Praise, Recognize God, Satisfaction, Worship1 Comment

DATE POSTED Tuesday, 2022-09-20
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Pslam 119:1-8
TRANSLATION: Living Bible (TLB)

BIBLE TEXT: ¹Happy are all who perfectly follow the laws of God. ²Happy are all who search for God and always do his will, ³rejecting compromise with evil and walking only in his paths. ⁴You have given us your laws to obey— ⁵oh, how I want to follow them consistently. ⁶Then I will not be disgraced, for I will have a clean record. ⁷After you have corrected me, I will thank you by living as I should! ⁸I will obey! Oh, don’t forsake me and let me slip back into sin again.

APPLICATION: From the time a child is born, we start teaching them right from wrong, we reward them for good behavior, and we frown upon unsatisfactory behavior. Primarily because we know, from experience, that a life of integrity where we try to do that which is acceptable, will result in a less stressful and much happier life. Frequently we must intervene and help our children recognize their wrong doings, or disobedience, and remind them of the joy that will come from living a life of obedience, goodwill, integrity towards the things and teachings of Almighty God, and praising Him for all that He showers on those who live according to His plan. I feel it is important to discern very early in life, and for its duration, that although we were not given a handbook on the right way to live, God went to great extremes in making sure that everything is included in His Word, the Bible, to help us live as men/women of integrity towards God and our fellow man. The neatest things is, that unlike a college professor might stand before us and bore us with unlimited facts, God revealed His truths through the life and times of His prophets and men/women of integrity who learned from His teachings. Many today are probably saying to Christians, ‘don’t tell me what to do and how to live, just SHOW me the difference God has made in your life’. Are you living that kind of life dear follower of Christ? We are so much like the Psalmist, where we awaken each day and run to the Word of God for correction on the things we did and said yesterday, while pleading for new and fresh revelations on how we can do it better today. Friends, each day brings its own challenges, for Satan will attack from every angle as he does his job to tear down, discourage, and destroy the child of God. Have you spent time in the Word today, so that God might strengthen and guide you through the wicked path that Satan is preparing for you today? Without this, my friend, you will follow the path of least resistance, and that will bring such sadness to our Master and Lord. Think about the Scripture today and try to understand the words I have shared with you. Pray that you will be blessed to live a live dedicated to God, a life of integrity, both in the church and in the world.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Don’t forsake me Lord, I’m still a work in progress, under the perfect hand of Almighty God!

PRAYER: Too often, we stand before You, Jesus, and we commit to following Your perfect way and to live like You demonstrated for us, but then we face the world around us and we are quicky distracted to think and act like our old selves. Lord, we can only do this life in full obedience to Your will and way, in and through Your power, and when guided by You. We humbly ask that You guide our thoughts; soften our tongue to only speak in love and when guided by Your Spirit, so that the world will encounter You in every dealing with us. Draw our family and friends to You precious Lord, and use us in every way possible, is my humble plea 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!

Stop, Reflect and Rest

On 2022-09-172022-09-17 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Saturday, 2022-09-17
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: 2 Timothy 4:6-8
TRANSLATION: Living Bible (TLB)

BIBLE TEXT: ⁶I say this because I won’t be around to help you very much longer. My time has almost run out. Very soon now I will be on my way to heaven. ⁷I have fought long and hard for my Lord, and through it all I have kept true to him. And now the time has come for me to stop fighting and rest. ⁸In heaven a crown is waiting for me, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on that great day of his return. And not just to me but to all those whose lives show that they are eagerly looking forward to his coming back again.

APPLICATION: A few years ago, I retired after spending 47 years of my life in the banking industry. There were many times that I reflected over my job, and then at retirement my coworkers and supervisors celebrated with me, and we rejoiced over such things as my achievements and my devotion to my various bosses over the years. Wouldn’t it be great if we had such a time of reflection in our Christian walk about every 10 years, and take time to reflect and evaluate how effective we feel our time was in God’s work? Please note up front that our work in and of itself is worth nothing, but very often we will see that based on the condition of our heart, and the determination of our spirit, we will gladly get involved in the work of Christ in our family and in our community – especially our church family. In fact, this would help facilitate our reflection as we stand before God and respond to the question ‘why should I permit you to enter my heaven?’. These times of reflection here on earth help to remind us of where we were, how far we have come in our Christian walk, and seek God’s face on directing us to where we need to go, or what we need to do next. Have you advanced in the knowledge of God and His Word? Are you more at ease sharing the Gospel and your walk with the Lord, than you were 10 years ago? Do others tend to look at your Christian walk, and desire to be just like you? Do you feel like it is evident to the world who your Master is? Often, we are so busy about church work, that I’m afraid we don’t stop to reflect on where we are at personally in our walk with the Lord. Unfortunately, the two things are not synonymous, for one could busy themselves in church work, without spending time alone with God to enhance their own relationship with Him. You see, it is vitally important that church leaders reflect so much of Christ in their lives, that others will pay little attention to their leadership qualities or positions, but rather to their spiritual condition. When one sets a goal in life, the idea is that they will look towards that goal, and not the everyday hiccups that tend to knock us around while heading towards that goal. Paul’s goal was set on ultimately being in the presence of his Lord. What’s yours? Keeping your eye on your goal will help direct how you spend your days and hours reaching for that goal!

PRAYER: Precious Lord, take my hand, Lead me on, let me stand I am tired, I’m weak, I am worn, Through the storm, through the night, Lead me on to the light, Take my hand, precious Lord, Lead me home. My eyes are fixed on You dear Lord. While here on earth, please guide me on, so that I may represent You well and be an influence to others in search of You. For each reader today, please draw them close, take their hand and lead them on to draw closer to You. May our goal always be to reflect on You and to worship endlessly at Your feet in glory. 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!

How God Attracts Our Attention

On 2022-09-162022-09-16 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, direction, Guidance, Guide, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Worship1 Comment

DATE POSTED Friday, 2022-09-16
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: 2 Samuel 24:1-3
TRANSLATION: GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)

BIBLE TEXT: ¹The Lord became angry with Israel again, so he provoked David to turn against Israel. He said, “Go, count Israel and Judah.”
²King David said to Joab, the commander of the army who was with him, “Go throughout the tribes of Israel from Dan to Beersheba and count the people. That way I will know how many there are.”
³Joab responded to the king, “May the Lord your God multiply the people a hundred times over, and may Your Majesty ⌞live⌟ to see it. But why does Your Majesty wish to do this?”

APPLICATION: In the last few years my eyes of understanding have been enlightened to imagine how hurricanes, or weather systems are steered. We hear the meteorologists talk about the direction a hurricane is traveling and when it is expected to arrive at certain points. It sounds almost like the system has engines and a rudder to make it move forward and steer it in the path we see on our weather apps! But I was enlightened by God to see these systems as a floating ball of cotton that will move only when forced by the surrounding winds. Through computers and a long history of weather patterns, meteorologists are aided in predicting the speed and direction in which a hurricane should travel. So, in seeing the hand of God at work in weather systems, don’t you sometime wonder how God must direct our path each day? We know He does, because many of you have done like me and surrendered our will over to Him for His leading and His ministry through us. In today’s Scripture it looks like God may have led David into a path intended to harm his nation. But let me draw your attention to another Scripture that speaks to this story. In 1 Chronicles 21 you will see where this whole idea of taking a census actually came from Satan. Notice that our Scripture says that ‘he’ (lowercase ‘h’ – meaning Satan) provoked David…. God saw David once again take his eyes off Him, and the promise He made to David about giving him a nation of people – more than the number of stars he could see at night! God also saw how David allowed his past personal achievements to impact him in his future successes. David evaluated the number of military men available to him, rather than the unlimited awesome power of Almighty God. But isn’t that so much like our story today? As long as we feel like we could personally handle something, we eliminate the need for God, and pursue our battles alone. Friends, God became very angry with David and gave him three choices for his punishment, each of which were drastic in nature. God may still steer us into making choices for our punishment, but can you imagine the feeling of irresponsibility in making our Creator, God Almighty, upset or mad with us? Isn’t it horrible that we do that almost every day of our lives when, as children of God, we know His commands, understand His will for us, and yet we still do our own thing anyway? Friend of God, it is so very clear from the Bible that God loves us more than we could comprehend. Under conviction, we are humbled by the love of the God of this universe who, in spite of our sin, yet He sent His own Son to facilitate our eternity in Heaven with Him. Please consider surrendering your evil mind that invites Satan to have his way in your life, and instead allow the love of God to indwell, mold and lead you into His will and way, God being your helper.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: That we might be fully dedicated and sold out to the lordship of Jesus Christ. Satan is constantly on the prowl for whomever he might devour and/or mislead. Only the power of God can fight the forces of evil that strives to pull us down!

PRAYER: Dear Lord Jesus, the Father saw the challenge we were having to overcome sin, so He sent You to save those willing to surrender their all to You. We are forever grateful for your mercy and Your love towards us, and we sincerely pray that You will direct us towards being awesome representatives of Yours before a lost and dying world. Thank You Lord for your Holy Word and for using it to steer our walk in this life, for Your kingdom’s sake. Sheild us from the evil one and lead us into the path You would have us take each day. AMEN!

Never Tire of Doing Good

On 2022-09-152022-09-15 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Help, Helper, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Worship1 Comment

DATE POSTED Thursday, 2022-09-15
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Galatians 6:9-10
TRANSLATION: Amplified Bible (AMP)

BIBLE TEXT: ⁹Let us not grow weary or become discouraged in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap, if we do not give in. ¹⁰So then, while we [as individual believers] have the opportunity, let us do good to all people [not only being helpful, but also doing that which promotes their spiritual well-being], and especially [be a blessing] to those of the household of faith (born-again believers).

APPLICATION: It has become so much of a satisfaction to give financially to missions, to outreach groups, to evangelists, and to neighborhood help groups. But I’m not so sure that Paul would agree with you that your rewards will be based on the amount you give to these groups. To test this for yourself, let me suggest that you try going on a mission’s trip, instead of just giving financially to the group that goes. Instead of giving so much advice, or giving food to neighbor outreach groups, try going with them, if only for one day, and hand out food, or pray with those in need. If you do this, I believe you will quickly develop a whole new sense of how blessed you truly are, and how desperate the needs are in our community. I love this Bible translation and how it promotes not just handing out stuff to those in need, but also encouraging them spiritually. Yes, you can pay a minister of the Gospel to go with your mission’s group and help in the spiritual needs of those recipients your group is aiming at, but what impact will that have on your soul, your conscience, your mind? Compare that to returning from a trip feeling overwhelmed by the needs and seeing repeatedly the faces of those that you encouraged while you were with them. You saw them, you spoke with them, you felt their need. You could never achieve that through simply handing the Mission’s Team member a $50 bill. Friends, when we witness first-hand how God returns to us one hundred-fold for all that we do in His name, we will then fix our minds on the soul of men instead of fighting inflation and trying to maximize our bank account. Paul challenged the church, you and I, to be cognizant of the needs right in our very own churches. Strangers walk into our doors not to see how we are blessed by the God that we worship and adore, but to see how real our God truly is, and how He reflects His love and His power through you and I. What do you suppose they walk away thinking after their encounter with you? Did they truly see God’s amazing work, and His love and concern for mankind? Hopefully they didn’t see our selfish desires, or our pride still very prevalent in our words and actions. If they did, then perhaps they will walk into the church down the road to continue their search for ‘real’ Christians/followers of Christ. When Jesus rode along the road on a donkey and heard a blind man shouting out for help, Jesus didn’t hold his hand out from the 100′ mark and heal the man, instead He went over to this ‘reject of society’, asked him of his need, and healed Him. May this stir our minds to ‘jump in there’ and personally help in the needs of those in our church, along the path we travel each day, or buried deep in the trenches of our community. Paul said, let us not grow weary in doing this.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: There is no greater satisfaction than standing in the presence of Almighty God with a clear conscience because you have done all that He has asked of you. This includes being His hands extended to the poor and destitute that we come into contact with on a daily basis.

PRAYER: Precious Lord, please help us to see what You see. You know exactly what we need, yet You respect us and ask us to verbalize our needs before You. Too often we tend to see the needs and then try to find ways to brush off the urgency of the need or the reasons why we shouldn’t help. Please Lord, help us to always see people and their needs in much the same way as You first saw our need and then helped us arrive at a state where we sought Your help, forgiveness and love. People still need the Lord. Additionally, people have needs that the world would rather leave for the government to satisfy, but I pray that You will help us Lord to reach out and touch those in need. May our love and Your forgiveness be more than enough to help those we come into contact with. As they see Jesus at work in the lives of those they recognize as Christians, may they also reach out to You Lord to assume control of their lives. AMEN!

Miracles In Return For Unhindered Determination

On 2022-09-132022-09-13 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Committed, Determined, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Worship3 Comments

DATE POSTED Tuesday, 2022-09-13
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Mark 16:1-5
TRANSLATION: New Living Translation (NLT)

BIBLE TEXT: ¹Saturday evening, when the Sabbath ended, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome went out and purchased burial spices so they could anoint Jesus’ body. ²Very early on Sunday morning, just at sunrise, they went to the tomb. ³On the way they were asking each other, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?” ⁴But as they arrived, they looked up and saw that the stone, which was very large, had already been rolled aside. ⁵When they entered the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a white robe sitting on the right side….

APPLICATION: I felt a strong sense of God speaking to me about the excuses we make for not visiting with Him more often, both personally and corporately. Look with me at a few things mentioned in this Scripture:
-*- Vs 1 – ‘…The women went out to purchase burial spices….‘ – This tells me that they had determined in their minds that they were going to visit the gravesite of their Lord and spend some time there. In buying the spices, I believe this showed that nothing, nor anyone would stop their planned visit. What if every Saturday night we were just as determined to be with Jesus and His people the next day, and that nothing, nor anyone would stop that visit?
-*- Vs 2 – ‘very early on Sunday morning….‘ – No distractions that might come their way would hinder their trip to the tomb. Top priority items are first and foremost for these ladies. Notice there were no excuses like we hear today – ‘but that’s my only day to sleep in’, or ‘That’s the only day I have to take my family to the beach (if you live near the beach)’, or ‘I’m not a morning person, so unless the church service starts after 10:30am will you expect to see me there’, and on and on.
-*- Vs 3 – ‘On the way they were asking each other, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?‘ – Notice that this huge stone was not a consideration or hindrance in preparing for the trip or leaving home on the trip. It may have been a huge stone, but these ladies seemed to have considered this to be a small problem considering who they were going to worship and make burial preparation for. I believe I am very diligent in attending worship services, but this point hit me hard, for time and time again we let so many little things become ‘huge stones’ that stand as an impassable obstacle for us to worship with fellow believers.
-*- Vs 4 – ‘…the stone, which was very large, had already been rolled aside…‘ Can’t you see the glee on the faces of the women as they rejoiced over the way that even in the death of His Son, yet God moved ‘mountains’ so they could attend to His precious Son? This reminded me that when I surrender whatever obstacles may be in the way of me attending corporate worship, it is with such joy, and so praiseworthy, to later look back and see how God took care of the obstacles or ‘mountains’ because I was determined to not let them hinder me!
-*- Vs 5 – ‘When they entered the tomb, they saw a young man…‘ Later in the story this young man was referred to as an angel. I felt like God had even thought to provide a welcoming party for these ladies to feel at ease and comfortable while visiting with their deceased Master. I really don’t want to miss the angel that God has waiting for me at our worship service next Sunday, do you?
Some will read this passage of Scripture and become satisfied that they have read their Scripture for today. Praise God, He used this to open up some real-life challenges and experiences that we face today, and He showed me that if these three women had the tenacity to meet their challenges head-on, then I could also. I pray that God spoke to you in a very special way today, and that this will always be a reminder to you anytime Satan tries to help you find excuses to stay at a distance to your Lord and/or His people.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Be as determined as these three women were in going to the grave of Jesus, and be ready to rejoice every step along the way as I see God at work, for my good and for His glory!

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, I am thankful that because You died; was buried; and rose again; I can be assured that my sin has been forgiven and buried because of Your forgiveness. Praise God, I can stand boldly in righteousness before your throne. Thank You Lord for opening my heart and my eyes as I read this familiar story today. To be reminded of the commitment by these dear women, helps me to stand firm in my faith and be committed to stand for Christ in every circumstance of life. It is way too easy to find excuses. You have provided the way for us to live eternally with You, and I thank You for that. Lord Jesus. Please remind us daily to walk in the way You have set before us and to always be determined to fulfill all that we set out to do for Your kingdom’s sake. AMEN!

Rewards For Seeking Righteousness and Purity

On 2022-09-122022-09-12 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Praise, Purity, Recognize God, Righteous, Righteous Living, Righteousness, Worship1 Comment

DATE POSTED Monday, 2022-09-12
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: 2 Samuel 22:21-25
TRANSLATION: The Voice (VOICE)

BIBLE TEXT: ²¹    The Eternal One rewarded me because I sought righteousness;
        He rewarded me because I kept my hands clean.
²²    He rewarded me because I kept the ways of the Eternal
        and have not walked away from my True God in wickedness.
²³    For all His laws were there before me,
        and I did not push His statutes away.
²⁴    I made myself blameless before Him;
        I kept myself from guilt and shame.
²⁵    That’s why the Eternal has rewarded me for seeking righteousness;
        He’s rewarded me because He sees I have remained pure.

APPLICATION: Standing before the righteous God of this universe and presenting yourself as innocent, pure and righteous is a bold step. For God knows: every word we speak, and the underlying thoughts while saying those words; every action we perform and the, often, ulterior motives we sometimes have for our actions; and every thought that we have, whether acted upon or not. Many of us have pretty much perfected the way that we present ourselves to the public, for we have a certain image that we want them to see in us, but God knows our heart, soul and mind. In fact, the closer we get to God, the more we become aware of how far we have drifted away from Him; how our attitudes suck; how many of our actions are probably frowned upon by God. But Satan is good at promoting these reasons right in our face whenever we even think we are righteous, innocent or pure in the sight of God. This is where we could then do like Jesus did on the mountain when tempted by Satan, we could quote 2 Corinthians 5:21 or Revelation 12:10, that assures us that we are righteous because of Jesus Christ, our Savior, who was perfect in every way. Friends, I don’t believe that we could ever be used wholeheartedly by God in this world until we have developed a deep relationship with God and acknowledge that it is only because of the righteousness of Jesus Christ that we could ever be righteous. So whenever you are questioned about your claim to righteousness, say what David taught us in verse 22 above: Praise God, I have not walked away from the true righteousness of God! I believe it is more important today than ever before that we determine in our hearts who we will follow for the rest of our days on earth, then seek the help of God to carry out our desire to serve Him faithfully throughout all eternity. As stated above, God knows all about us, but of equal importance is that others here on earth are watching. Your actions will help them decide their course of action for their lives. I pray that they will see enough of Jesus in you, and they will determine in their heart to surrender lordship of their life to Jesus and seek to serve Him until the end of time here.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: It is only because of Jesus that we could ever be considered righteous in the sight of God! Praise God for getting my attention and drawing me to His Son for forgiveness of my sin! Praise God, I’m redeemed, saved and considered righteous by Him!

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, You opened the doors of heaven for us, and we are forever thankful for that. We praise You for such awesome examples as David, to whom You portrayed Yourself powerfully. Like David, I pray that we will stop for a few minutes of our busy lives each day to commune with You, through intake from Bible study, and through output in prayer and communication with You. We have so much to praise You for Lord, but living in this world gives us urgency of need, encouragement, reassurance, wisdom and love from You each and every day. Lord, we want to be just like You in our speech, attitude, thought and actions, and we can only do that by fully acknowledging the source of our power and righteousness on a regular basis. We humble ourselves at Your feet, Lord, and we stand ready and willing to accept Your direction, so that the lost will see Jesus in action every time they make contact with us. AMEN!

Your Character Will Reflect Who Controls Your Life

On 2022-09-102022-09-10 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Character, Characteristics, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Worship2 Comments

DATE POSTED Saturday, 2022-09-10
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Galatians 5:24-26
TRANSLATION: New Living Translation (NLT)

BIBLE TEXT: ²⁴Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. ²⁵Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives. ²⁶Let us not become conceited, or provoke one another, or be jealous of one another.

APPLICATION: It appears like Paul was one who sought to simplify the message of God so that his audience would have no excuse to continue their old life. The Pharisees taught things to promote themselves and the Jewish law, so learning about Jesus and the characteristics taught by Paul, was a real challenge by the Galatian church. I’m sure that many will ponder why I don’t use just one version/translation of the Bible in my blog. Friends, I spend a lot of time making sure that I find the version that best explains a teaching of Christ in its simplest form. I aim at sharing the Word so that most readers could finally rejoice in saying ‘yes, I finally understand what that Scripture means’! In this particular chapter, Paul goes into depth to help the Galatians understand how they could identify their master, and because I believe that God inspired this author to pen these words, I also believe that He wanted these words printed so that those who follow – you and I, would have access to the same teaching that God inspired Paul to do. In the above verses, Paul shows a distinction between the character of one, before they invite Jesus into their lives, and then what everyone should look for in the Character of one who claims they are led by the Holy Spirit. In verse 23 Paul basically apologized for repeating this teaching, but because it served the important purpose of helping one live according to the life they have personally committed to, then he was at ease in repeating his teaching. By now, you are probably anxious to know what the Bible, or Paul in particular, teaches that would help us identify who controls our life. I will gladly share this with you:
Those who follow the sinful nature will reflect these characteristics, according to earlier verses: ¹⁹When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, ²⁰idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, ²¹envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. In other words, before one comes under the leadership of the Holy Spirit, their lives are uncontrolled, and they therefore feel like they could do anything they want, even if they break the teachings of God. Paul warned that these folk will not inherit eternal life in Heaven but will spend eternity with their chosen master – Satan.
Those who are led by the Holy Spirit will reflect these characteristics of God as they characterize this teaching: ²²But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³gentleness, and self-control. Paul taught that there is no law against these things, so one would never need to worry about the worldly legal system, but instead live expecting the warm and loving greeting of their Master when they graduate from this world to heaven.
Christians, I encourage you to keep a close eye on the list in vs 19-22. Anytime you see an inclination of those characteristics sneaking into your life, it’s time to draw closer to God and ask for His powerful hand to redirect you to His good graces as He draws you closer to Him.
Unbelievers, please allow me to encourage you to allow God to direct your path so that you could be all that He intended for you. Don’t settle for the ordinary and feel helpless to do any better. As a child of the King – my King, He is longing to love on you, bless you with His character, and guide you into being all that He needs you to be, so that He may be glorified through you. Yes, there is more to life than the natural tendency to act like Paul described in vs 19-21, but you must recognize that you are a sinner, and invite Jesus to be Lord of your life instead. A local Bible-teaching pastor will gladly help you in this quest, or you may email me, and I will be happy to help.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: With God’s help and through His power, we could live as He commands in His Word. I believe the world needs more truly committed and devoted saints today!

PRAYER: Lord, I pray that every man, woman and child who may read this devotional today will be touched by You. Please infused them with such a strong conviction, that they will strive to get over their natural tendencies that are pushed by Satan and his contemporaries, and instead place their faith and trust in You, Jesus, for a new and rewarding life that leads to eternity in Heaven. For every saint that will read or listen to this devotional, I pray the Lord will encourage you to watch your behavior and your characteristics closely to ensure that He is shining through you in every act and word. There is only one way into heaven, and I am thankful dear God that You sent us Your Son to provide that means. Please direct our path and instill in us the characteristics that will show the world what Jesus really looks like. We are anxious for Your return Lord Jesus, please have Your will and way in our lives while we serve and represent You here on earth. AMEN!

Has God Turned Away?

On 2022-09-092022-09-10 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Friday, 2022-09-09
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: Jeremiah 44:21-23
TRANSLATION: Living Bible (TLB)

BIBLE TEXT: ²¹“Do you think the Lord didn’t know that you and your fathers, your kings and princes, and all the people were burning incense to idols in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem? ²²It was because he could no longer bear all the evil things you were doing that he made your land desolate, an incredible ruin, cursed, without an inhabitant, as it is today. ²³The very reason all these terrible things have befallen you is because you have burned incense and sinned against the Lord and refused to obey him.”

APPLICATION: If your teenage daughter, who may be traveling abroad, had to call you from the Atlanta airport and say that her flight stopped there for 2 hours and will continue at that time, if the weather subsides, you would probably be besides yourself with worry, and you would be on the phone endlessly as you give her warning upon warning about the huge airport, getting lost, and making sure that she returns to the gate in lots of time for her next flight! As I read this Scripture today, my heart sank as I considered that God gave us His very special Book – the Bible, that contains everything about how He created the world, and mankind in His very own image, yet He dreadfully watches each day as mankind chooses to go his own way and commit crimes against His commands, and even worse crimes against the laws of the land. Griends, our God loves us so much that He shared with us how upset He got with our ancestors, and how it caused Him to retaliate exceedingly. You see, I firmly believe that God ordained it for all this to be included in His Book in order to warn us that the same thing could happen to us, if we sin like our ancestors. Well guess what, it seems like the sin being committed in our cities, and in our states, and in our country as well as other countries around the world, far exceeds anything our ancestors could possibly have done. Additionally, look at the number of churches we have today, where pastors are standing several times a week to simplify what the Bible says, so that we could never claim that we didn’t know. Sadly, I would dare say that our county is no different to others in this world, for it is estimated that mankind has become so proud of his own accomplishments, that the see little reason for God. Why, statistics have revealed that less than 10% of our population attends church each week, and this was recorded prior to COVID. So basically, our people have either refused to read the Bible, or otherwise chosen to totally ignore the warnings, and they won’t attend church because they consider it antiquated, and not appealing to them. Dear friends, I’m not meaning to paint a picture of doom and gloom, but just like in the example of the mother, who warned her child who was traveling, I feel compelled to share these warnings from God with you, because I don’t want anyone to be left behind. Obviously God is seeing how He has been rejected, and how awful His servants are being treated by so many that refuses to hear or obey their warnings, and the wonderful news of God’s love. Please don’t wait any longer to make a decision for Jesus Christ, the Bible is clear that no one knows the day or the hour, but God could decide to call His church home to glory before you ever finish reading this devotional. There are many things in the Bible that tell us about the return of Jesus for His church. Many, if not most, of these things have already been put in place. If you have not taken time to accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior, may I encourage you to not wait, but instead seek Him now, while He may be found. Please take time to read my Footnote below, especially the information you will find by clicking on ‘To Know Jesus’. Alternately, stop by and see a local pastor, or drop me a note, we will be overjoyed to help you with your decision!

PRAYER: Loving Savior, thank You for making a way for us, and thank You for speaking to the hearts of each one about accepting You as Lord. Lord, I’m ashamed at all that is occurring in our world today. It seems worse than anything we have every read or heard about in Bible days, or in our past history, and it seems to only be getting worse. Please Lord, use simple things like our churches, your ministers, and even these types of devotionals, to help people see and understand the need for the Savior of the world. Please Lord, don’t give up on us yet, but I kindly ask that You melt the hearts of those who need You. Draw them close Lord, and cause them to seek Your face while You may be found. You wiped out the cities of Jeremiah’s time, and it may take that to get the attention of some today, but I plead with You to once again speak gently to the souls of my family, friends, listeners and readers. AMEN!

September Reasons To Praise God!

On 2022-09-072022-09-07 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Wednesday, 2022-09-07
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Pslam 116:7-9
TRANSLATION: The Voice (VOICE)

BIBLE TEXT: ⁷…. the Eternal has showered you with His favor. ⁸God, You alone rescued my soul from the grips of death, my eyes from weeping, and my feet from slipping. ⁹I will come before the Eternal as long as I journey in the land of the living.

APPLICATION: There are days when things just don’t seem to be going right for us, and it becomes challenging to find reasons to praise the One who created us and who sustains us each and every day. But like David, perhaps if we chose to look back over a larger period of time, we will remember:
-*- The many times that God rescued us from our troubles. In fact, we saw no way out of some situations, and we realized that we couldn’t survive too long under the strain and pressure of the existing stress. There was no one but God who could open the floodgates of heaven and permit the angels of God to envelope us, encourage us and guide us to a place where we could see the hand of God at work through our situation!
-*- How God protected us from premature death and the many vices of the evil one. For in the heat of the moment, we thought that we had everything under control. And it wasn’t until God pulled us aside and opened our eyes to the real danger of the moment, that we realized it was God’s protective hand that snatched us out of danger and death. He was our Savior – yet again!
-*- How He dried up our tears of dismay, sorrow and hopelessness, for in our time of trouble, we were convinced that there was no hope. But God came to our rescue and showed us His precious love for us and reminded us of the hope that is ours in knowing where we will spend eternity! Instead of tears and sadness, we became children of hope and expectation, and therefore rejoiced even under our current situation!
-*- How God kept us from slipping, our car from crashing, our children from the dangers that targeted them. Our prayers of protection were answered, and God took control, praise His holy name!
As we reflected, it was plain to see, and awesome to reflect on, the greatness of our God! It was for me that He died, for me that He rose again on the 3rd day, and for me that He sits at the right hand of the Father interceding for me. My heart can only sing of His goodness, though it may seem to others that I am going through the worst of times. Dear friends, we are reminded by David that the Father has showered His favor on us. If you are not attuned to His goodness, allow me to recommend that you draw closer to the source of all love, goodness and mercy, our Lord, Jesus Christ. He has a personal, vested interest in You, for He died a cruel death so that you might gain heaven as your eternal home and see He and His Father at very close range. Come, worship the Lord in complete joy and in the holiness of His very presence. Recognize His favor poured out on you over the years, and forever stand in praise of the Almighty for His goodness and mercy on even you.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me, all the days of my life, and I shall live in the house of the Lord forever! Praise to my ever-loving and everlasting Lord!

PRAYER: Oh Lord, great is Thy faithfulness, for You show Your love for us in so many ways, and You shower Your favor on us even though we are so undeserving. Forgive us Lord for our ungratefulness and for assuming that its only through our good works or our efforts that would make us deserving of Your love. You created us in Your image, and You sacrificed Your very own life for us. Your love is evident, in spite of who we are and what we have become. Please direct us Lord to pull up alongside of You and just savor Your goodness and relax our minds about what the future holds. All that matters is that we will be with You when You call us away from this earthly walk. Thank You for protecting Your servant, David, and thank You for drawing our attention once again today to your favor, so richly poured out for us. Please help us to show our gratefulness and to gloat on the mercies of our Master and Lord. May others see, hear, and believe. AMEN!

Live Out Your Faith Through Love

On 2022-09-052022-09-05 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Evidence of Faith, Faith, Faithful, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Monday, 2022-09-05
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Galatians 5:1-2; 5-6;
TRANSLATION: The Passion Translation (TPT)

BIBLE TEXT: ¹ At last we have freedom, for Christ has set us free! We must always cherish this truth and firmly refuse to go back into the bondage of our past. ² I, Paul, tell you: If you think there is benefit in circumcision and Jewish regulations, then you’re acting as though Christ is not enough.
⁵ But we have the true hope that comes from being made right with God, and by the Spirit we wait eagerly for this hope. ⁶ When you’re joined to the Anointed One, circumcision and religious obligations can benefit you nothing. All that matters now is living in the faith that works and expresses itself through love.

APPLICATION: I believe that many Christians who, when they find Jesus and accept Him as Lord, are guided into the path of righteousness by church members to help them live according to the teachings and practice of Jesus. Hopefully these new Christians receive Biblical instruction on why these things are recommended and why the church adopted these practices as part of their teachings. Otherwise, new believers could wind up telling their friends that these additional practices are required in order to secure their position with Christ. One of the things in particular that Paul found in his church was that, through tradition, Jews still insisted on the need for circumcision. While that particular medical procedure is still practiced today, it is performed for medical, or hygiene purposes, but in most Christian churches it is not mentioned in their by-laws or beliefs as a requirement by the church. Paul warns us that we must be careful not to attach any church or theological practices that are man-made or man-designed, as something additional that is required for one to believe on the Lord Jesus. The grace of Jesus is enough – all-sufficient for saving mankind from sin. Please always remember that Jesus came, died, and rose again, so that in our believing on Him, we might demonstrate His death on the cross – by us dying to our sin. And rise again in newness of life in Jesus, just as He did in His resurrection! We could never do enough good or be good enough of on our own accord to enter the gates of heaven – it is through the grace (undeserved favor) of God that we simply call on Jesus and tell Him how we believe He is the Son of God who died for our sin. He is enough dear friends! He has done the work already! He said He would accept us and forgive us of our sin, and we could go to the bank with that. So, I believe that it behooves Christians to really be careful in what we tell others about their obtaining eternal life. Just as we could never be good enough, let’s be careful to not burden those that need Jesus with a list of prerequisites. They can’t clean up their lives first, because they don’t have a Savior who will help them clean up the mess. Your church may require baptism for membership, but it is not a prerequisite for salvation. There is nothing, or no one else in whom we can be saved – only through accepting the gift or eternal life from Jesus alone and all that He did at Calvary for the forgiveness of our sin. I love the way that Paul described life after accepting Jesus – it will be evident through our love for others that Jesus is Lord of our life, and that the Holy Spirit who lives within the believer, is promoting love at every opportunity! I wonder – does the world see a child of God when they look at us? May our output be obvious proof of the love we received when we invited Jesus into our life!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Our input – the genuine acceptance of the love of Jesus as our Savior, will produce the output that God is looking for in His children- love for one another!

PRAYER: Thank You Lord Jesus for this reminder today! I pray that each reader and listener will join me, as together we look into the eyes of Jesus and thank Him for the opportunities given to us every day where we have the choice to love one another. It is so easy to complain about the sin of others and their failures in life, but it’s only through the grace of God that we overcome that weakness each day. God’s grace is greater than all our sin, our actions and even our bad language. But Lord, as a child of the King, we have every confidence that You will be our shield and protector against the evil of this world, as You work through Your holy Spirit in guiding us to all truth, happiness and joy in the Lord. You are our Lord and we adore You, faithful Lord. May that be obvious to the world as we strive to imitate You each and every day. AMEN!

Nuggets From God's Word

Category: Appreciation