Category: Appreciation

The Joy of Gaining God’s Favor

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

DATE POSTED Thursday, 2022-03-16
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Leviticus 26:3-4; 9-12;
TRANSLATION: New Living Translation (NLT)

BIBLE TEXT: 3 “If you follow my decrees and are careful to obey my commands, 4 I will ……
9 “I will look favorably upon you, making you fertile and multiplying your people. And I will fulfill my covenant with you. 10 You will have such a surplus of crops that you will need to clear out the old grain to make room for the new harvest! 11 I will live among you, and I will not despise you. 12 I will walk among you; I will be your God, and you will be my people.

APPLICATION: When someone is very special to us, and we feel indebted to them, we will do almost anything to show our gratitude and love to them. However, in the case of the Israelites, God saw that they were weak and set in their ways, so He was extremely patient with them, because they were His chosen people. Think of your own child. When they turn from the ways that you taught them during their childhood, you do everything in your power to encourage them. Perhaps giving them a hand-up, instead of a hand-out that they seem to always want from parents! When they ‘come to their senses’ they pour on the love, for they then realize that it could only have been love that provoked our positive response to their totally selfish and sometimes evil ways/words. So if God gave us the strength and wisdom to deal with our children so well, don’t you know that He was even more forgiving, patient and loving in dealing with the Israelites? Don’t you know that He’s still the same God that will redirect our path and steer us aright again, even though we may feel like no one could ever put up with our rotten attitudes? God instructed the Israelites: ‘look, all I want you to do is follow my laws and obey my commandments’, and this simple condition was followed in the next several verses with a list of things that God promised He would do. Friends, God would never allow more on us than we could handle. His laws and His commandments were given to us so that we would know what pleases Him, and to help us walk a path that imitates Him while here on earth. The more we ‘rub shoulders’ with the enemy, the more we listen to his lies and then we start feeling like perhaps God’s laws were intended for the guy next door, or that very evil person who ….. It behooves us to listen to God and His teachings, and to follow the path He has set before us. I would encourage you to join me in making every effort to draw close to God, so that He may draw close to us. When we love someone sincerely, we will seek to please them in every way. Let’s commune with God each day; seek to know Him better; and obey His laws and commands because of our dedication and love towards Him. He promised a lot to the Israelites in return for their obedience. I can’t even imagine what else He has in store for us, because His daily blessings already seem more than enough.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: No greater and encouraging words that those of our God: ‘I will be you God, and you will be my people’! What a blessing to be reassured that we are children of the Most High God!

PRAYER: Dear Lord Jesus, please teach us to pray; encourage us to read Your Word; and to always call on You for everything we desire here on earth. As we learn from Your Word and receive direction from You, may our heart be willing to live by Your law and obey Your commandments. May we always seek to do Your will, and not follow our own inclinations, because we want others to see Jesus, not anything that might give us credit for. Lord, Your promises are true and we can depend on your Word. Teach us to obedient servants who always honor and worship our King. AMEN!

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

What Will It Take For God To Heal Our Hearts?

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

DATE WRITTEN: Wednesday, 2022-03-16
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: Acts 28:25-27
TRANSLATION: The Passion Translation (TPT)

BIBLE TEXT: 25 …. “The Holy Spirit stated it well when he spoke to your ancestors through the prophet Isaiah:,
26 ‘I send you to this people to say to them, “You will keep learning, but not understanding. You will keep staring at truth but not perceiving it. 27 For your hearts are hard and insensitive to me—you must be hard of hearing! For you’ve closed your eyes so that you won’t be troubled by the truth, and you’ve covered your ears so that you won’t have to listen and be pierced by what I say. For then you would have to respond and repent, so that I could heal your hearts.”’

APPLICATION: Isaiah was a prophet sent and directed by God. When he prophesied under the inspiration of God, the people listened. However there came a time when God recognized that some of the folk were just not listening. Paul came across this same phenomenon in his days of ministry, so he shared this with his Jewish listeners who were challenged to believe the Word of God. I found this extremely revealing, because still today our pastors can preach the same sermon in our churches, as it is quite apparent that we’re present in the service, but from the blank stares and lack of participation, it is obvious that we are miles away. Think about it: we have folk that attend church who hear the Word of God, but they are convinced that it is for the person behind them. Their ears are shut to the application of the Word to their personal lives. However the most hurtful thing to me, are the ones that just refuse to listen and believe. It saddens me deeply how God has to send a disaster to awaken the hardened hearts of His people. Our churches were filled for a few Sunday’s after 9-11 and after our major hurricanes in Florida, as folk found the need for God to protect them and help them through that time of disaster. Then, as soon as they felt they had regained control, life went back to ‘normal’ for them. God is not trying to impose Himself on anyone, He just wants to heal us and give us the very best He has in store for us. Isn’t that a good thing that we should always desire? Friends, God has blessed us with so much, yet we use these gifts to oppose the very One who has blessed us. We have great knowledge, yet we reason away on why we are blessed, or not blessed, instead of giving all praise to God. We have great eyesight, yet like the prophet Isaiah said, we screw our eyes shut to the things of God and therefore preclude His healing and amazing blessings on us. Our hearing is perfect, yet we allow Satan to interfere and tell us that the Word of God is intended for that neighbor of ours who is much worse than us. The very last phrase of the quote from Isaiah really touched me: we have shut out everything about God because we don’t want to deal with our Maker, yet if only we would change this, He would heal our hearts! I believe this healing is one of not just our physical sickness, but also our disappointments, our brokenness, our loneliness, our defeats and ultimately, our sin. Friends, I serve a God just as I have described, and I would love to introduce you to Him. He will make your day brighter and so much more meaningful and purposeful. Please contact me if I can pray with you or help you in any way with this important decision. This could be the first of many days of joy in the security of my Lord! For those of you that know Him, please act like you do. Sing that song ‘Just a closer walk with thee’, then open the precious Word of God that He left just for us, and see what it is that He is ordering you to change or correct in your walk with Him. Open your eyes to the hurts and needs of those around you, and pray, pray, pray that God will intervene and heal His people today. They have tried the world and all it has to offer, but they are still lacking in so many ways. They need Jesus, my friend. I believe that one of His servants can help them redirect their lives today. Let it be you, dear follower of Christ!

PRAYER: Dear Lord, in spite of Your gracious hand upon Your people, and Your outstanding blessings poured out on us, yet You must be saddened by seeing us exclude You from our decision making, exclude Your active role in our lives when praise is directed towards us, and especially ignore You when You speak to us about the lost condition of our lives. I clearly got the picture in this scripture today, You want to heal our heart, yet we say ‘No thank You’. Father I thank You for softening my heart and giving me the boldness to accept You as my Lord and Savior back in 1976. I have many family and friends who are still hardened and refuse to make the necessary commitment to accept You as their Lord. Please humble them and soften their hardened hearts again today so that they may commit the rest of their lives to You and allow You full control, and ultimate healing of their sin problem. Dear God, there are important decisions we make every day, but none as important as the one that decides our eternal fate. My sincere prayer is that this will become very evident to my lost relatives today, 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!

The Purpose of Bad Things Happening To Good People

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Challenges, Needs, Peace, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Tuesday, 2022-03-15
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Acts 28:3-6
TRANSLATION: Living Bible (TLB)

BIBLE TEXT: 3 As Paul gathered an armful of sticks to lay on the fire, a poisonous snake, driven out by the heat, fastened itself onto his hand! 4 The people of the island saw it hanging there and said to each other, “A murderer, no doubt! Though he escaped the sea, justice will not permit him to live!”
5 But Paul shook off the snake into the fire and was unharmed. 6 The people waited for him to begin swelling or suddenly fall dead; but when they had waited a long time and no harm came to him, they changed their minds and decided he was a god.

APPLICATION: Being in Malta at the time of this incident, you could only imagine the awe of the people as they observed Paul. For they knew about these snakes and how venomous they were. They had watched their families and loved ones succumb to their poison. Now, right in front of their very eyes, they were about to see how Paul would handle the power, the danger, and the pain of the snake’s venom.
But let’s stop for a moment and consider how we tend to do when difficulties, or unexpected news come to us. The doctor may approach us with the diagnose “It’s inoperable.” Friends, no matter how you name it and claim it, this may be the Lord’s plan for you to navigate that pain and ‘venom’ in such a way that the barbarians around you, who are also losing their loved ones to cancer, will change their minds about who God is as a result.
Remember in the Scriptures, Jesus didn’t say to Thomas, “Watch this miracle or listen to this sermon.” He said, “Touch My wounds.” We put a lot of emphasis on inviting our friends to church, and I agree it is one of the most important times of fellowship, worship and discipleship that we could possibly invite a friend to, but how are they seeing Jesus, in light of the way you walk and talk? I find it ionteresting how the world is rarely impacted and drawn to Jesus Christ through the sight of Christians prospering. No, it’s through seeing believers suffering and not giving up that the barbarians change their minds. Suffering and still praising the Lord for His goodness, for they see just the opposite in the world. Now it is obvious that we have no control over when this will occur, just like Paul had no idea of when the snake would sink his fangs into him. But, from the content of the heart, we react. It may be that we would immediately call out on God; or totally turn from God for allowing such a disease to come our way; or we might become more aware of difficulties others bear on a daily bases. Whatever our reaction is, I believe it could be one of the most important ministries we will ever have, for people will then see how we react to the pain they go through all of the time. Difficulty is the agent that often allows people an opportunity to see the reality of Jesus Christ most clearly. The impact of our witness will depend on how we react to our difficulties.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Based on Paul’s reaction to his snake bite, the people concluded that he was a god. Placing our faith and trust in Jesus can give us the confidence to handle life’s challenges like Jesus would!

PRAYER: Precious Lord, I thank You for the way You have comforted so many over recent years to handle very challenging life-situations. For widows have found courage and strength to go on in life without the confidence of having their husband next to them. While miracles have occurred, there are situations where we are challenged to understand Your ways, however we stand firm on the promise that You will never leave us nor forsake us, and that ‘all things work together for good – for those who love the Lord’. You are merciful Lord, and we praise You for Your goodness. Please prepare us to always represent You well, especially when life becomes more challenging than we ever expected. The world still needs You Lord, may they find You evident in every aspect of our lives, especially when the same challenges come upon us that they face on a regular basis. 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!

No Crown Without The Cross

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

DATE POSTED Sunday, 2022-03-13
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Matthew 20:20-22
TRANSLATION: Amplified Bible (AMP)

BIBLE TEXT: 20 Then [Salome] the mother of Zebedee’s children [James and John] came up to Jesus with her sons and, kneeling down [in respect], asked a favor of Him. 21 And He said to her, “What do you wish?” She answered Him, “Command that in Your kingdom these two sons of mine may sit [in positions of honor and authority] one on Your right and one on Your left.” 22 But Jesus replied, “You do not realize what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup [of suffering] that I am about to drink?”…

APPLICATION: I have heard so many parents say that they have sacrificed so much, so that their children might be blessed with a life that’s not bogged down by poverty, lack of proper schooling, and lack of opportunity. On the flip side, I hear many adults pass comments about our young people and how spoiled they are; how they hate hard work; how they act like the world owes them everything. Considering the comments from all the adults, I wonder if all that parents did for their kids led to the results that employers are seeing today? In the working field, I witnessed some who started at the bottom of the ladder and worked themselves up through every position in the company. But I also witnessed some employees who were friends of the owner, or they had lots of educational degrees, so they were placed right at the top, since they are so smart. I’m sure that it is easy to see the advantages in both these scenarios. It is easy for the longtime worker to supervise, because from experience they know ever job task that they are supervising. So they could help their workers through problems, and they could best monitor expectations because they did the same job at one point. For the new, ‘smart’ person coming in, they may have learned the professional way of managing their staff, as long as they don’t ask for help. When Salome went before Jesus demanding top positions for her boys, I’m sure she could give witness to how good, loyal, smart and committed they had been up to that point, but I believe that Jesus wanted her, and us, to know that unless we know and participate in every phase of ministry; been through the ups and downs of living in glass houses; prepared to be punished in the public square and hung on a cross for doing good, then we may not be ready for the crown that the Master will place on our head. I’ve been witness to pastors and church leaders who have faced the unloving, revengeful and wrongful acts of those they served – kind’a like the cross that Jesus carried and hung on. Yet those leaders kept on serving, and didn’t sit back in a sense of achievement, or felt deserving of a crown of glory for their work and sacrifice. Friends, I believe that Jesus loves us so much that He stands ready to take us into His care and to celebrate before the Father when one merely accepts Him as Lord. But I also believe that in much the same way that some soldier of the cross may have helped us see the light of Jesus, He may be glorifying God as He sees us do all we can, with all that He has blessed us with, while we remain here on earth. While I believe we should keep our eyes fixed on eternity, and our crown, I also believe that Jesus might say to us like He may have felt with James and John – be about your Master’s work while you are on the field and see the need. Encourage the unbelievers, so that you may bring one, or two, or three or more with you when God calls you home to glory! Where do you stand on this dear friends?

BLESSING(S) NOTED: The fields are white, but the workers are few. Don’t look for the glory while there is still work to be done. A reward awaits us that is ‘out of this world’!

PRAYER: Thank You Lord for preparing us for heaven! Thank You for directing us to the unsaved who need Jesus. Please prepare us to always be on mission, for as long as You leave us here on earth. May we never be satisfied in seeing people live, or die, without knowing full well where their destiny will take them. Help us to not miss opportunities to share Christ with everyone we meet, for the more we accomplish for the kingdom while here on earth, the more we will feel deserving of the crown that awaits. Please help us to be stedfast about our Father’s work, all for Your glory, honor and praise! 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!

Live By God’s Standards

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

DATE POSTED Saturday, 2022-03-12
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Leviticus 18:1-5
TRANSLATION: GOD’S WORD® Translation (GW)

BIBLE TEXT: 1 The LORD spoke to Moses, 2 “Tell the Israelites: I am the LORD your God. 3 You used to live in Egypt. Don’t live the way the Egyptians do. I am bringing you to Canaan. Don’t live the way the Canaanites do. Never live by their standards. 4 Follow my rules, and live by my standards. I am the LORD your God. 5 Live by my standards, and obey my rules. You will have life through them. I am the LORD.

APPLICATION: This message from God made me think of how God must feel when we move from one phase in life to another; one geographical location to another; and perhaps even in the case of a new Christian. In the case of the later, we welcome a new Christian into the faith, or perhaps into our church membership, but can we truly identify with them? It may be challenging for more mature Christians to remember what it was like as an unbeliever, so I become concerned whether we are careful enough to truly hold the hand of that new Christian and help them through the transition. If we don’t, then what will their guide be to help them truly assume the standards of God? Based on what God told the Israelites, I believe He is says to a new Christian: ‘look, I have called you out of that life given to sin and the things of the world’s leader (Satan), and I have called you to be my child. I want you to be holy, just as I am holy. In doing that, you will no longer characterize the way that unbelievers live, but rather in accordance with all that I have exampled for you’. But here is the challenge that should speak to each Christian meditating on this blog today: Which Christian man or woman would you think God would consider suitable for leading this new convert into the ways of God; loving the way that God loves; treating others the way that God does – regardless of race, color or creed? Let’s never forget that making a complete turnaround in the difference one once lived, to now live a totally changed life in the ways that God designed, and demands His children to live, is anything but easy or automatic. Having a mentor who can show the new Christian how it’s done, and to answer any questions that might arise in their mind, is something that might help both parties better honor the commands of God and follow His standards. God didn’t want the Israelites bringing the rotten ways of the Egyptians with them, nor did He want them picking up the bad habits and sin of the Canaanites. He wanted them to start anew in following Him – the God who brought them out of bondage and into the new land He had prepared for them. I’m sure that He has a similar message for all Christians today – don’t pick up the bad habits of those you hung around, but instead obey my commands and be true to my standards. God being my helper, I will seek to live in a way pleasing to Him. I pray that each reader and listener will be touched by God and determine in themselves do the same. May our lives be a true example of who Christ is.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: God had blessed the Israelites; freed them from slavery by the Egyptians; prepared a new land for them that was rich in great food and other provisions; and He also blesses them during their transition from Egypt. Awesome to see that God wants His very best for us, in spite of all that He had already done for His people. He insisted that they shake off the bad habits and practices of the Egyptians, don’t plan on adopting any of the habits of the Canaanites, but instead live a life that’s pure in His sight. I believe He wants the same for us – to be like Him!

PRAYER: Thank You Lord for wanting Your very best for us. Thank You for steering us away from the bad habits of yesterday – before we knew you, and also from the danger that lies ahead where we might be tempted to follow the bad habits of our new habitation. There is no one like You Lord! Thank You for teaching us to be more like You in all that we are. May we be an awesome example of Your love wherever we go and with whomever we come into contact with. Oh that they will see Jesus, and yearn to know You personally. 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!

Open Their Eyes

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

DATE POSTED Friday, 2022-03-11
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Acts 26:17-20
TRANSLATION: Contemporary English Version (CEV)

BIBLE TEXT: 17 The Lord also said, “I will protect you from the Jews and from the Gentiles that I am sending you to. 18 I want you to open their eyes, so they will turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God. Then their sins will be forgiven, and by faith in me they will become part of God’s holy people.”
19 King Agrippa, I obeyed this vision from heaven. 20 First I preached to the people in Damascus, and then I went to Jerusalem and all over Judea. Finally, I went to the Gentiles and said, “Stop sinning and turn to God! Then prove what you have done by the way you live.”

APPLICATION: As I write this blog today, I am receiving notifications about an approaching thunderstorm. On radar it looks serious enough for me to go out and warn the neighbors. Summer time in Florida is always a time for residents to stay tuned to weather reports for possible hurricane developments. We not only go out of our way to tell neighbors of approaching hurricanes, but we jump in to help them secure their property from the ravishes of these dangerous weather systems. Break-ins sometimes happen no matter where we are located. No matter if it’s neighborhood watch teams or just neighbors who hear about this awful crime, we make sure that everyone knows and are best prepared to fend off the criminal, should they approach our home. We do each of these things without giving a second thought to being rejected or cursed out by our neighbors. Yet so many Christians will surrender to accepting this call of God because they fear rejection. Paul didn’t stop his efforts even while in prison, and even when he stood before the king. In fact, he was so bold that further down in verse 28 Agrippa was forced to ask Paul if he was trying to save him also! So what do you suppose might be your greatest fear in doing exactly what God ordered Paul to do? Fear of rejection might definitely play a vital part in your decision to remain silent about the love of God, but it definitely had no role in sharing the above news for the protection of property and people. Might it be that we are too ashamed of the job we have done in living out our salvation, and that we are afraid of embarrassing ourselves with a message that still hasn’t truly affected us yet? Friends, I believe that God will hold us, Christians, accountable for the way that we have hidden His grace, His forgiveness and His many blessings given to us. Deep inside, we seem to have hardened ourselves from boldly telling the world who we belong to, and how badly they need Jesus. How else will we open their eyes? If we know it, if we live it, and if we have a daily relationship with the One who gave it to us, then nothing should be capable of stopping us. Would you be bold enough to drop me a note and share with me what it is that stops you in your mission? Perhaps we can pray one for another in this effort. Perhaps if we could be brave enough to tell another Christian, we will find it easy to share with an unbeliever who Jesus is to us.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: The answer to today’s wars, hatred and envy is Jesus! Let’s be convinced that we know Him, and that those we come into contact with also know Him!

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, we are often frustrated and very afraid of the evil results of Satan’s interference in the lives of our loved ones. Yet we have the answer to this dilemma and we act afraid of sharing the Good News. Please forgive us Lord. Please also fill us with a deeper desire to know You better, and to live in a real and right relationship with You. As this improves, I believe that Your love will overflow from us and we will have a new strength and boldness to share Your love with others. People need the Lord, and I pray that You will help each reader/listener and I to never be a stumbling block in preventing the outflow of Jesus’ love for them. 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!

Godly Answers For Our Earthly Questions

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

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

SCRIPTURE FROM: Matthew 19:3; 7; 10;
TRANSLATION: Contemporary English Version (CEV)

BIBLE TEXT: 3 Some Pharisees wanted to test Jesus. They came up to him and asked, “Is it right for a man to divorce his wife for just any reason?”
7 The Pharisees asked Jesus, “Why did Moses say a man could write out divorce papers and send his wife away?”
10 The disciples said, “If that’s how it is between a man and a woman, it’s better not to get married.”

APPLICATION: In their attempt to test Jesus, the one in whom they had very little respect or confidence, the Pharisees thought to ask Him controversial questions – probably on subjects that they struggled with themselves. This story made me think of a personal example – I remember my wife questioning an elderly relative about why she was asking questions for which she already knew the answers. Her response was enlightening – ‘I am pretending to be ignorant, in order to gain wisdom’!! I wonder if this is what the Pharisees were trying to do? Surely they had an answer to these questions, but perhaps they wanted to see if Jesus’ line of thinking was any different to theirs! However, putting all of the above aside, I believe that today we may look at this story and wish that we had such wisdom available to us today. And friends, this is what I feel like God wants to address through this Scripture today. You see, in all His wisdom, God knew that we would be no different to the Pharisees or anyone else that sought Him out while His Son, Jesus, walked this earth. So God left two important helps for us:

  1. His Holy Spirit: Jesus referred to this important part of the trinity as ‘The Comforter’, but I believe we can easily see throughout the Word of God that He is also our Director; our Guide; our Wisdom and our closest Friend. He lives inside of us, so of course we could call on Him with any puzzling question we may have, no matter where we are at. Will He know the answer to all of life’s challenging questions? Why of course, for He is also God. For the unbeliever who may read this and wonder how you could tap into this miraculous wonder: God sent us His very precious Son so that anyone who believes in Him might be saved. With this salvation, comes the awesome gift from God the Father – His divine Holy Spirit. Being ‘plugged in’ to this Triune Godhead is something that every Christian can claim! Accept Jesus as Your savior today and receive your heavenly Helper today, my unbelieving friends!
  2. His Holy Word: Perhaps you were surprised to read today’s Scripture and see that ‘divorce’ was covered in the Bible. I am convinced that everything else is also covered in this invaluable resource given to us by our Father in Heaven. A Google search is very powerful, but it’s nothing compared to the official Word of God that He left for us. Yes, your pastor, elder, deacon or friend could do your homework for you and give you the answers to your many questions, but why not look for yourself? There is something uniquely rewarding to meeting with God each day as you open His Word! There is so much that we could learn, and so much value in building an intimate relationship with our Creator!

But to top this whole message off, Jesus gave His disciples a few conditions that would generate supreme trust in the Almighty God. I went with a group of missionaries from my church to Mexico for a week. Other than finances, the next greatest challenge was in packing minimally as space would be limited on flights and in the vans used for ground transportation. So can you imagine trying to ‘GO’ under the restrictions ordered by Jesus in (1) noted above in our Scripture? Homes were opened to accommodate the missionaries, as there were no provisions for commercial accommodations, if any existed. This has become a huge problem today, as most church members will refuse to have a missionary or visiting preacher in for a meal, much less opening their home to one. I trust that you can appreciate the difference. Most of us will do everything possible to be accepted by the townspeople in which we minister. But what do you do if you are not accepted? Jesus knew this would happen and probably disappoint His disciples, just as it would impact us, so He prepared us in advance in (3) above for such an unfortunate event. Bible scholars will tell you that Jesus didn’t just tell His disciples to go some foreign place and, when you get – tell and heal. But instead, He told them in their language that as they GO, tell and heal. It is so important that we represent God and tell the Good News everywhere we find ourselves, not just at one specific building, street corner, country or city. As you go each day, brothers and sisters, in every way possible, tell the story of Jesus and His love for everyone you meet, God being your helper and guide.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Jesus has the answers to all of life’s questions, and He holds the key to Eternal Life.

PRAYER: Blessed be the name of the Lord! For Jesus is faithful and true and will forgive us of our sin, while also answering all of our questions each and every day. Without Jesus, we are merely wandering around this earth without an eternal plan, and without a proper Guide, Protector and Trusted Friend. Lord, teach us to use the brains that You have blessed us with, and to accept the gift offered to us by our amazing God. For those of us who have already bent the knee in humility and surrendered our lives to You, please teach us every day, for we have so many questions. Also help us to be a giving and sharing people, willing to share You – our source of help, with all those we come into contact with. You are Lord, and besides You, there is no other. You created us, and You have answers to all of our questions. Please teach us to surrender our will to Your almighty hand and guidance. 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!

Just as You Abandoned God, He will Abandon You

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

DATE WRITTEN: Wednesday, 2022-03-09
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: 2 Chronicles 24:18-20
TRANSLATION: Good News Translation (GNT)

BIBLE TEXT: 18 …. the people stopped worshiping in the Temple of the LORD, the God of their ancestors, and began to worship idols and the images of the goddess Asherah. Their guilt for these sins brought the LORD’s anger on Judah and Jerusalem. 19 The LORD sent prophets to warn them to return to him, but the people refused to listen. 20 Then the spirit of God took control of Zechariah son of Jehoiada the priest. He stood where the people could see him and called out, “The LORD God asks why you have disobeyed his commands and are bringing disaster on yourselves! You abandoned him, so he has abandoned you!”

APPLICATION: Let’s think about critical times that we look forward to God being by our side, and how He intervenes on our behalf; then let us consider what we would do if He was not available to us:
a) When we are sick or injured and doctors don’t seem to know where to turn for answers – Christians turn to God in prayer, knowing that the same power He used to heal the blind man and to cleanse the leper, He could also make that healing available to us. But if God was not available to us we might become disheartened and disillusioned as the pain or discomfort from our illness worsens;
b) When we lose our job and the bills keep mounting up – Christians look to God for His invincible hand and ask Him to open doors to help us meet our financial responsibilities, just like He provided for the widow with just a morsel of food left in her jar. But if He is no longer available, we may be forced into begging on the street, or perhaps selling what little we might own in material possessions in order to buy food;
c) When our kids are in trouble – either financially, with health issues or perhaps losing a child – Christians turn to God in prayers of desperation, for if we were able, we would give up our last penny or our best shirt, if we thought it would provide their need, or answer their dilemma. But we pray because we know that ALL things are possible to the God that we love, know and adore. What if God was not available to the cry of His children, I can’t imagine what we would do.
Lest we take for granted the power of our God, and the presence of our God, and the love of our God for His precious children, we might struggle to identify with the people that Zechariah was tasked to deliver this horrifying message. However, in spite of their persistent disobedience, even after being forewarned by God, they continued along the evil path they were traveling. Friends, our pastors stand in our church pulpits each and every week, and they warn us of what lies ahead for those who reject Jesus, and for those who have hardened their hearts to His instructions. Are you paying attention? Are you following through in obedience to the invitation of your pastor and the commands of God? I trust that you will connect with God and begin by readying your heart for a holy God; then I pray that you will join me as we seek His guidance, wisdom and power to overcome the temptations of this world and to be obedient children of the King. Believe me, the last thing we need in this world is to ever search for God, and find that He has abandoned us because of our unfaithfulness. We absolutely don’t want to go there.

PRAYER: Dear Lord, I am thankful for You providing a way for us, even when we were traveling down a dark world of sin and disobedience. While still here in this world we struggle to separate ourselves and live according to Your Word. Please give us determined minds, and strengthen us to follow Your commands that You have put in place to help us live according to Your will and example. Thank You Jesus for accepting us as we are, and presenting us to the Father cleansed by Your precious blood. We need You every hour of every day, Lord. May Your will be done as we await Your kingdom some day soon! Please continue to bless us with Your Your presence, power, and Your precious love. 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!

Then and Now

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

DATE POSTED Tuesday, 2022-03-08
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Leviticus 8:4-5
TRANSLATION: Good News Translation (GNT)

BIBLE TEXT:  4 Moses did as the LORD had commanded, and when the community had assembled, 5 he said to them, “What I am now about to do is what the LORD has commanded.”

APPLICATION: I remember at one stage in my life as a church leader, I chose to challenge someone complaining about the differences in today’s worship music selections compared to the ‘old days’. But in reading today’s Scripture, I was forced to reflect on the differences in today’s acts of obedience to that which God has demanded, especially when compared to the Biblical account of Moses. Having been blessed to serve in leadership positions in the local church, I can tell you first hand that if our story is ever relayed to future generations, it will look quite different to that of Moses. Having said that, I can assure you that I have no doubt that the God we serve today is no different than the God Moses feared and served. However, it seems like today we have so many influences that tend to distract our thought process and our communion with God, that I’m not so sure that our decisions are as pure as that of Moses. For example, distractions might include prominent church members who stop their giving when the leaders don’t lead the church in the direction they dictate. I’ve participated in church study groups where the leaders seem to try diligently to find a different meaning from what it appears like God intended for us in the Bible. It seems like current-day church leaders decide that it’s time for larger and more updated (fancy) facilities, so they start their search and then beg for God’s buy-in. But Moses showed us that God said it, and he immediately found a way to implement what God demanded, no questions asked. I believe that our first excuse today might be that we don’t hear God speak verbally to us, as it appears like He spoke to Moses. Dear friends, we are children of the Almighty God and we heard Him loud and clear when He called us to His saving grace. We heard Him and we obeyed His call. Many of us have found companions that we are convinced that God directed us to. Do you for a moment believe that His communication to us is limited to just those things? Do you suppose that He is dead and therefore never communicates with us anymore? I am convinced that my God will direct my paths for as long as He leaves me here on earth. I am His child, and He actually died voluntarily on the cross of Calvary so that I might find new life in Him, which will lead me to life eternally in heaven one day. If you have connected with God, then you have that same assurance. If so, then you are fully aware that He still talks to us today and guides us through every decision of life, especially the work of His bride – the church. I believe that where the difference comes, is the many distractions we allow to interfere and draw our attention from the purity of God’s voice. I believe that, we try so hard to be politically correct in what we say, and in every effort to please everyone, until we tend to hear only those things that we know will please those on our favorites’ list. Can we honestly be like Moses in our witness, our decisions, our preaching and our teaching and still have the same friends that we bend over backwards to please? I believe there will be many conflicts in our spirit to do that. It is evident that Moses obeyed God wholeheartedly, and ‘the chips fell where they may’ for everyone else that witnessed Moses in action. I pray that we might become more like Moses today. Tell it like God intended, not how we might ensure that our popularity continues among our people. God being our Helper and our Guide!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Moses didn’t ask God for His buy-in on something he felt necessary, instead He listened to God’s instructions and followed them!

PRAYER: Lord, please teach us to not run ahead of You. We want to be obedient servants, not ones who ask you to bless what we decide is best for us. You hold the key for our life today, and for whatever time You will allow us to remain here on earth. You created us in Your image, and You promised never to leave us alone, so I am convinced that You have a perfect plan for us while we’re here. Please teach us to wait on the Lord, and to be willing and ready to obey Your every command, without allowing any distractions that may cause us to soften Your message or obey Your every command. May we clearly hear the commands of our Father, and may our churches hear and act on the same. 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!

Don’t Be Paralyzed by Fear, Let Go and Let God Have His Way

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

DATE WRITTEN: Monday, 2022-03-07
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

Bible Reference: 2 Chronicles 20:15
Translation: Living Bible (TLB)

Bible Text: 15 “Listen to me, all you people of Judah and Jerusalem, and you, O king Jehoshaphat!” he exclaimed. “The Lord says, ‘Don’t be afraid! Don’t be paralyzed by this mighty army! For the battle is not yours, but God’s!

OBSERVATION: Jehoshaphat feared the large, complex army that was facing he and his nation for which he had responsibility. Today we may be facing similar battles. Perhaps a debilitating decease; perhaps losing a loved one; or perhaps facing the battle of divorce or separation. National leaders may still be facing the challenges of Covid, while also keeping a close eye on the war and intention of Russia. If we’re not careful, we might throw our hands up as we ponder ‘What shall we do?’ Hopefully we could be reminded from our Scripture today that our peace, our hope and our rescue from all of life’s challenges lies in the powerful hands of our King, the King of all kings!

APPLICATION: Several lessons are in store for us today as we meditate on this story of king Jehoshaphat. We have more than enough challenges for each day that we open our eyes. What if we could learn to release the battles that our not ours to worry about? I believe that you, my readers, are no different to me, so I encourage you to read the whole chapter of 2 Chronicles 20 by clicking on the Bible reference link above. Here are some things that God drew to my attention:
~ The king acknowledged that he had a problem that was way over his head and beyond his capability;
~ The king was not ashamed of his inabilities. He not only went before God personally, but he called his people together and ordered a fast, so that together they might seek God’s face over this problem. The problem was bigger than the king, and he was prepared to seek someone greater who could help;
~ The king’s meeting with his people was not a time to plan their attack, but to humble themselves before Almighty God, seek His face, and ask for His direction and His powerful hand of protection;
~ In spite of the king being the main character in this story, God chose to respond through ‘just a man standing in the crowd’ as described by some commentaries. The king didn’t just pick up his toys and run on home with a disgruntled attitude about God not reporting back to him for his guided fast and his desperate prayer. A good reminder that we don’t control God, and that He uses the simple to confound the proud and the intelligent. It is always obvious that a response came from God, and not from the knowledge, abilities or self-worth of the king and/or his people;
~ There was no response back to the orders from God, other than full obedience! There was no need for the king to feel like he needed to have the last word. This was a ‘God’ thing, and nothing at all for which the king needed recognition from his people.
King Jehoshaphat was faced with a battle of proportions greater than anything he could handle. What kind of battles are you facing in your life dear friend? Do you know the God of king Jehoshaphat intimately? Are you at a place in your life where you could simply bow at His feet and lay your battles, or burdens there, being confident that He is still Lord of all and Master over all things that might impact us? Are you strong enough to ask of God, knowing that His response may not be your first choice? By asking, we know that there could be positive answers in store for us, or perhaps challenging answers that we were not expecting. Be willing to add to your prayer requests today: ‘Not my will, but Yours oh Lord – so long as You are glorified in everything today’.

PRAYER: Oh Lord, You are well aware of the battles we take on, especially those that we should totally surrender to You. We make ourselves sick mentally, and otherwise, because we assume lordship over these type issues. Please forgive us Lord, and strengthen us daily so that we may surrender our all to You and allow You to continue as God – the One in charge of all creation and the events surrounding every aspect of Your creation. Thank You for creating us to care about those that we connect with, but we need daily power to place them at Your feet and allow You to be God – in them, through them and over them. I praise You God for who You are, I surrender my all to You, knowing that Your love will sustain me as You work out every material indifference I may see all around me. Have Your will oh Lord, my King, my Redeemer and my Savior. Humble the hearts of all my readers and listeners. Draw them to the foot of the cross where they may look up – into Your wonderful face, and acknowledge Your awesome power. 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!