Guidance on Giving

On 2021-08-082021-08-08 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Giving, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Tithe, Tithing, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Sunday, 2021-08-08
WRITTEN AT: Hattiesburg, MS

SCRIPTURE FROM: Deuteronomy 26:10-12
TRANSLATION: The Voice (VOICE)

BIBLE TEXT: ¹⁰And now I’ve brought the very first produce from the ground that You, the Eternal, have given to me.” Then present the basket to the Eternal your God, and bow down before Him, ¹¹and celebrate all the good things He has given to you and your household. Be sure to invite the Levites and the foreigners who live in your town to the feast.
¹²When you’ve gathered a tenth of your produce at the end of the third year, the year for local tithing, give it to the Levites, the foreigners, the orphans, and the widows who live in your town. Let them come and take as much as they want to eat for as long as these supplies last.

APPLICATION: I have read many Scriptures in my day, but this particular chapter had a deep impression on my mind. Moses shared God’s commands with the Israelites as they were about to set out on living in freedom. In the first part of the chapter, the farmers are told to give their first fruits to God. They are to gather them in a basket then take them to the temple. Moses gave them guidance on a prayer they are to say before God; followed by a meal with their family and temple leaders while at the temple; culminating with a time of praise and thanksgiving before the Master. Perhaps farmers do this today and I am just unaware of their private actions, but I believe this would be a far reaching testimony to the church leadership, to farm laborers, and to the family members who join in. In fact, I believe that when God sees that He comes before the bank loan, before the utility companies and before equipment leasing companies, then He will know without a doubt where our heart is. I believe that each of us are well aware of the increasing number of widows, orphans, and church workers who receive little or no income who live in our communities, and we wish we could help them all. But notice in verse 12 that every 3rd year, the first fruits are to be made available to these individuals. Today churches are hesitant to help those in need because they have been ‘burned’ so often through abuse, but wouldn’t it be awesome if others were doing their part, like our local farmers? Now imagine for a moment how a widow would be blessed to hear about a farmer who has fruit that he’s giving away. They arrive at his place of business and just stammer in awe as they try to determine why he is GIVING freely to them. Imagine how they will tell the world how awesome that man of God is! Imagine how his business will flourish because of his obedience to God! Friends, I believe that Satan places so many excuses in our minds that we tend to assume we know better than to follow God at His word. Notice that there were no conditions for the farmer to use in who benefits on that third year, other than their class. We tend to place conditions on who we will tithe to, when our income has reach a level to which we could start tithing, when we will stop tithing, etc, etc. Friends, if not for the grace of God, would we even have an income? Since He blessed us first, shouldn’t we go on blessing Him? God said that we are to give of our first fruits, may I suggest that in obedience to God, that we give freely from our income before doing anything with the remaining 90%. Remember, you can’t out-give God!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Give, and it shall be given to you!

PRAYER: Lord, I’m sure the excuses that we give, must make You sick. To hear a child say ‘Not my hard-earned money’, must really confirm that your blessings have been unappreciated and received vainly. Lord, please remind us each day how You’ve blessed us so that that our hearts may always be filled with praise to our Maker. It’s You oh Lord who have blessed, and who has given everything for our benefit. May we give freely as You have given to us, and may our hearts be filled with praise continually. May our giving be so representative of You that others will see the heart of God as we give, and may they be drawn to You. AMEN!

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

The Makeup of Our Churches

On 2021-08-072021-08-07 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Commitment, Needs, Obedience, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Saturday, 2021-08-07
WRITTEN AT: Hattiesburg, MS

SCRIPTURE FROM: Luke 8:5-8
TRANSLATION: Easy-to-Read Version (ERV)

BIBLE TEXT: ⁵“A farmer went out to sow seed. While he was scattering the seed, some of it fell beside the road. People walked on the seed, and the birds ate it all. ⁶Other seed fell on rock. It began to grow but then died because it had no water. ⁷Some other seed fell among thorny weeds. This seed grew, but later the weeds stopped the plants from growing. ⁸The rest of the seed fell on good ground. This seed grew and made 100 times more grain.”….

APPLICATION: Ever notice how much easier you remember the pastor’s illustrations than you do with the simple reading of God’s Word? I remember a pastor who once started up a gas chain saw on the stage at our church and proceeded to cut a perfectly good chair in half. On another occasion the same pastor came through the back door with bags of garbage, and he dropped a bag sporadically along his path to the pulpit. On yet another occasion he hit an anvil that he had placed on the stage, and the sound echoed in my wife’s ear so badly that it made a lasting impression on her, and each of us, to this present day! These examples came to mind as I meditated on the reason Jesus gave for preaching in parables. He knew that His hearers would very easily understand His analogy and could apply the examples to their own lives. On occasion, the disciples would ask Jesus to clarify – to make sure they knew where He was coming from and the point He was trying to make sure that they understood and applied to their lives. I was intrigued by this particular parable, because Jesus explained Himself in good detail further down in the chapter, beginning in verse 14. To apply this to today’s church, I believe we should examine our hearts, and determine what it is that we look to in deciding which church to attend. We place a lot of emphasis on the music, and on the charisma of the pastor, but Jesus is teaching us today that these things matter very little when our own heart are not where it should be, or if we are ready to hear from the Lord. I have experienced repeatedly where someone may share how boring the service was and how little they received from the service that day. Then, in listening to a time of Christian testimonies, I hear how blessed people were in that same service and how tenderly God spoke to their heart from His Word. Jesus said that His Word will not return void. Think about this, pastors and teachers labor over God’s Word every week and they seek His face for what He would have them share with us. Yet many of us leave home without our tools (our Bible), and we head out to church, as if going to a concert, (no prayer in seeking out God’s answers to your life’s dilemmas, or praying for the wisdom for the messenger). So with that in mind, how do you suppose the Word will be received by you that day, perhaps like a seed that fell on rocky ground? Furthermore, some will head out to church with the weight of the world on their shoulders, and their minds will be so distracted with their worries, that their presence at church will in no way reflect how much they will receive from the Word of God. Much like seed falling among thorns, where the Word is simply overshadowed by everything else that is going on. Friends, let’s be reminded that the charisma of a pastor will show us how good they are at getting our attention. The spoken Word of God will show us how good God is, and how well He has taken on the weight of this world so that we might know how much He loves us, cares for us, and provides for us here on earth and in the heights of heaven when we leave this world. Let me suggest that when we check to see if we have everything when we head out the door for church, let’s make sure that we carefully check our heart and see that we are ready to receive instruction and blessing from our Master, God Almighty!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: With our minds fixed on Jesus, we are usually ready to hear from Him. Let us therefore set aside all stresses, doubt and fear and just listen to the Word with minds and hearts that are ready to obey!

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, please forgive us for the times that we come to Your house and our minds are anywhere but there in Your presence. I believe that when we do that, we reject the very presence of the One who: loves us unconditionally; and is out to provide the very best for us, Your children. Our hearts need refreshment from You and our minds need refocusing on You, instead instead of our situations and problems. But Lord, we need Your strength to overcome. Please give us Your power and Your wisdom to see Your perfect will for us. Lord this old world is filled with evil and needs You more today than ever before. Please help us to be Your light on a hill for the world to see hope, love and refreshment. Let them see Jesus in us, so that they may be drawn to You. Lord, may Your kingdom come on earth, as it is in heaven. AMEN!

An Attitude of Appreciation

On 2021-08-062021-08-06 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Attitude, Love, Love God, Love your Neighbor, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Unconditional love, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Friday, 2021-08-06
WRITTEN AT: Hattiesburg, MS

SCRIPTURE FROM: Luke 7:44-47
TRANSLATION: New Living Translation (NLT)

BIBLE TEXT: ⁴⁴Then he turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Look at this woman kneeling here. When I entered your home, you didn’t offer me water to wash the dust from my feet, but she has washed them with her tears and wiped them with her hair.⁴⁵You didn’t greet me with a kiss, but from the time I first came in, she has not stopped kissing my feet. ⁴⁶You neglected the courtesy of olive oil to anoint my head, but she has anointed my feet with rare perfume.
⁴⁷“I tell you, her sins—and they are many—have been forgiven, so she has shown me much love….

APPLICATION: Although our Scripture seems longer than normal, it is packed with a challenge from our Savior about what He sees as appreciation from His children. I believe that each week when we meet in church services, we always make sure that we’re dressed properly, we have our Bible with us, and that our favorite preacher will be in the pulpit that day at church. We arrive at church and we carefully examine all the new fashions on display by attendees, and we pay close attention to who will come over and greet us. Most of the time we will participate in the worship songs, if they are appealing to our ears, and we anxiously wait for the preacher’s ‘entertainment’. We are the first out, so we could avoid the traffic in exiting the property, and it also allows us first dibs at the local restaurant. If the pastor requests a visit to our home, it must be cleared in advance to allow us time to make our home presentable. Sounds pretty typical, right? But how well will you handle variances? What if the local drunk barges in while the pastor is visiting? What if a known prostitute walks right up to a front row seat in your sanctuary? Will you need help staying composed? How do you suppose Jesus would handle either of the aforementioned examples? Friends, these are scenarios that we could possibly face any, or every day. Our response will be based on what’s in our heart. If Simon’s heart was overflowing with the love of God, I believe He would have welcomed anyone who came to worship his Lord, or wash His feet, instead of being critical of who the person is, or from what background they may have come from. She’s a sinner, but so was Simon before He found Jesus. Well guess what? That’s exactly the same case with you and I. God sacrificed His only Son for us – even while we were still sinners, so what are we willing to endure? How appreciative should we be to a generous and sacrificial God? My friend, we don’t have time to look around and judge others, we have a full time job getting ourselves ready for the Kingdom and staying in a shape of readiness each and every day. When we call ourselves ‘Christian’ or a ‘follower of Christ’, it means that we vow to live here on earth just like He did. We will obey His commands and follow His example, so that we may look just like Him. Jesus accepted the prostitute just as she was, doesn’t that mean that we should do the same? In other Scriptures, Jesus said that He came to minister to, and save, the broken and the vilest sinner. If we are truly determined to follow His example, then we too must be willing to accept the vilest sinner. When our hearts are humbled to this degree, I believe that we will then live in appreciation of all that our Lord has become to us, and we will then look forward to personal worship to our King, and for His love and appreciation for us as a church. Search deep inside my friend, and reexamine the reasons for seeking God out each day. Recognize His goodness, then you will praise Him in all honesty for His goodness. Allow me to encourage you to especially love those who seek after our Lord, for they are our Brothers and our Sisters!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Jesus lovingly welcomed the prostitute and accepted her gifts of worship. We must be willing to do the same to sinners of all professions. All are equal in the eyes of the One who created them!

PRAYER: Dear Lord, I’m ashamed to say today, but as I look over the roster of my church, I would place certain members at the top, some at the middle and others at the very bottom of my list of ‘great’ members. But I believe that You showed us in our Scripture today that You created all of us, and You love each of us equally. Please help us to be as neutral as You are in loving all Your children, and please help us to welcome sinners into our midst with open arms as we sing praises to the One who created them. Help us to look at our times of worship with one purpose in mind – to glorify our King! I believe that when we concentrate on You, our eyes are distracted from others around us that we tend to criticize and pull down. Please help us to love others like You did, and to be more like You in every way, every day! AMEN!

Concessions

On 2021-08-052021-08-05 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Discern Truth, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Truth, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Thursday, 2021-08-05
WRITTEN AT: Hattiesburg, MS

SCRIPTURE FROM: Mark 10:2-6
TRANSLATION: Living Bible (TLB)

BIBLE TEXT: ²Some Pharisees came and asked him, “Do you permit divorce?” Of course they were trying to trap him.
³“What did Moses say about divorce?” Jesus asked them.
⁴“He said it was all right,” they replied. “He said that all a man has to do is write his wife a letter of dismissal.”
⁵“And why did he say that?” Jesus asked. “I’ll tell you why—it was a concession to your hardhearted wickedness. ⁶But it certainly isn’t God’s way…

APPLICATION: Having been involved in church leadership at several churches, this story from Jesus about a concession that Moses made, caused me to stop and meditate on any concessions that I may have agreed to while in leadership. No, I will not discuss any concessions we may have made, but I want us to be reminded that we must carefully look to God’s Word when we are faced with decisions that put into question what Jesus may have written in His Word. This might be in our personal lives, as well as groups in which we participate or have responsibility for. We must remember that Satan is still very much at work in our midst, and he will try every trick in the book to distract us from the Word of God. These attacks will come in various forms and will sometimes look very legitimate. There are many differences today, compared to the rules and practices I grew up with. Some of these rules were drenched in tradition of older denominations. But as changes are made in the life of a follower of Christ, we must be careful to review, agree to, and approve of those changes – IF they conform with the Word of God. In the earlier part of my career, I was an auditor for a short while. If I found discrepancy in a practice being performed, and I wrote the individual up for not completing their job in conformance with operational rules and regulation, then I had to support that write-up with the exact reference in the company rules or the government regulation. This is exactly what we should do if we are asked to personally change, or agree for our church to change a formal practice.- Does the Scripture support that change? Divorce is a hot topic for most churches, and Jesus tells us in today’s Scripture what God intended. Whether you are a divorcee or a church member deciding how to handle divorce overall, we must refer to God’s Word and see what He says. As His follower, we must be obedient to what He tells us to do. But unless we become distracted with just this topic, let’s not forget that there are many other similar items that will test us in our commitment to follow God’s commands and do His perfect will. I pray that each reader and listener will seek God’s face and ask for His direction as they strive to be His example here on earth.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: We will be challenged with worldly practices that may not align with the Word of God. As a follower of Christ, it behooves us to always search the Word of God for direction and be obedient to God’s commands.

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, You have gone to great length to provide leadership for all decisions we will make here on this earth. As we commit to be Your follower and make every effort to be obedient to Your teachings, please give us strength, wisdom and a boldness to stand firm on the Word of God. You have established us as a light on a hill, please help us to shine brightly so that the world may see Jesus in the flesh through Your servants. May they have a greater desire to know You and then follow in accepting You as their Savior. AMEN!

Do You Still Not See or Understand?

On 2021-08-042021-08-04 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Miracles, Miraculous, Needs, Praise, Prayer, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Wednesday, 2021-08-04
WRITTEN AT: Hattiesburg, MS

SCRIPTURE FROM: Mark 8:17-19
TRANSLATION: The Passion Translation (TPT)

BIBLE TEXT: ¹⁷Knowing what they were thinking, Jesus said to them, “Why all this fussing over forgetting to bring bread? Do you still not see or understand what I say to you? Are your hearts still hard? ¹⁸You have good eyes, yet you still don’t see, and you have good ears, yet you still don’t hear, neither do you remember. ¹⁹When I multiplied the bread to feed more than five thousand people, how many baskets full of leftovers did you gather afterward?”…

APPLICATION: The disciples had heard about the various miracles of God from their forefathers, and they themselves had witnessed miracle after miracle by Jesus since they started following Him. Yet in their time of need they totally overlooked being in the presence of this same Jesus as they pondered where they would get provisions (food) from as they travelled back over the lake. How does this compare to you? I tried to evaluate my life and my belief system as I meditated on this Scripture. I have read about the miracles God performed in the Old Testament, especially the miracles performed for Moses and the Israelites. I have read, and heard in Sunday School many times about the miracles of Jesus in the New Testament. In my lifetime: I have heard how Jesus healed a young girl’s ear because of the sincere prayers of her pastor and her prevailing faith. She found the proof on her pillow the very next morning where the poisons and abscess had oozed from her ear; I have heard of how Jesus healed a dedicated Christian lady who, in faith, pleaded with Him for healing after suffering a stroke, and how her body regained strength in record time. Her healing was expedited by the Master!; I heard how, in faith, a couple prayed during a hurricane for their safety, and how they were prompted to move out of their home, only to turn around and watch it be demolished from strong winds and water; I have personally experienced God at work miraculously as my wife and I petitioned Him for a major direction in moving from the Bahamas to the United States of America. When we told my dad of our decision, he was in shock that we would do such a thing, seeing that he and my mom were getting much older. Within a year of our move, my dad sat next to me while he was recovering from doctors help here in the US with his heart and said ‘Now I could see what God was doing in getting you over here’! Praise the Lord! But friends, I’m no different to you, nor the disciples, for despite all of the above reinforcement of my faith, I still tend to try everything in my power, before running to God. I still tend to think that miracles may be possible for the other person, but I’m on my own when needing one of my own. No doubt you have overcome this weakness my friend, so let me encourage you to share your faith in Christ with everyone you come into contact with. Celebrate your victories with everyone that you know, so that they might be encouraged to approach the throne for themselves, and their faith may be strengthened because of your witness. I am hoping that today Jesus might look at you and I and say like He did to the woman with the issue of blood: ‘Because of your faith, you are healed’. Oh that our faith will be increased every day so that Jesus will not question why we have followed in the steps of the disciples in feeling like His miraculous touch is for everyone else, except us. May it become very clear to us that because of our faith, OUR GOD CAN DO ALL THINGS!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: God stands ready to hear the prayers of His faithful servants, and to respond with immediate action. Praise the Lord!

PRAYER: ‘It’s not my brother or my sister, but it’s me oh Lord, standing in the need of prayer’. For I approach the throne way too often with the same mindset as the disciples. I know You did it for others, but will You even consider also listening to my prayer concerns? Oh dear Lord, please refresh my soul with power from on high, and help me to come boldly before the throne knowing that as Your precious child, there is nothing You wouldn’t do in response to my heart’s cry. Perhaps many of my readers and listeners are also burdened with this issue. Please also touch their hearts and boost their faith levels to peak performance today. Based on all that we know You have done, may we always approach Your throne knowing that You could do it again – for us! Praise to the Lord our God! AMEN!

The Path To God’s Response Is Clear

On 2021-08-032021-08-03 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Honest, Honest Relationship, Needs, Obedience, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Tuesday, 2021-08-03
WRITTEN AT: Hattiesburg, MS

SCRIPTURE FROM: Deuteronomy 19:8-9
TRANSLATION: Contemporary English Version (CEV)

BIBLE TEXT: ^8-9… the Lord your God has promised that if you obey his laws and teachings I’m giving you, and if you always love him, then he will give you the land he promised your ancestors…..

APPLICATION: So let us address the end result that the Israelites wanted, and that we often cry out for. Our ancestors had tarried in the wilderness for over 40 years, and they were repeatedly told that they were headed towards a wonderful land that was promised to their ancestors. However, the criteria upon which they could wind up with the promised land, is that they would have to be obedient to God and His laws, and they would be required to love the Lord their God. You know, I believe that God still expects these same demands of us today. Think about it, why would a God like our God seek to provide anything for a people who wants nothing to do with His commands, and there is no love in their hearts for Him. Why that’s a clear indication that they have life all figured out, and their path established in just the way they feel is perfect. They see no reason to honor God’s commands, nor to love and respect Him. Friends, although our God is known for His love and for His provisions, I believe that I can tell you with very good assurance, that He will not impose His goodness on you. In fact, God even gave us the liberty to make our own choice about our eternity. A very interesting thing about ‘if.. then..’ evaluation statements, is that there is always a result for those who do not fit in the ‘if’ statement. In other words, I believe that in the statement shared by Moses, we can conclude that if the Israelites did not obey God’s commands or if they did not love Him, then God will not honor His commitment to their ancestors for those particular rebels. How then might this apply to you and I today? Over and repeatedly in His Word, God said that He will love us and that He is preparing a place for us to spend eternity. I believe we all love that promise, and we often are encouraged by that statement, especially when we apply it at the funeral of a loved one. However, based on other things that God repeats throughout His word, I believe that we could build our ‘if.. then..’ statement as follows: If my people who are called by my name will obey my commands and love me unconditionally, then I will receive them gladly on the day that they cease to exist on earth’. I would suggest that you look at the following words as active verbs: ‘obey’ – keep on obeying; ‘love me’ – keep on loving me until we meet in glory. I believe that God might surprise ‘Christians’: who are called by His name (because they accepted Jesus as their Savior), but go on living as they always did before Christ. When one accepts Jesus, they vow to turn from their evil, or worldly, ways and follow Jesus (obey His commands and love Him unconditionally). It is impossible to honestly do the latter and still act like the former ‘you’. You can fool your friends by using ‘churchy’ words, and you may even fool them into thinking that you are right with God, but God not only knows your heart, He also knows your very thoughts. Friends, the prize belongs to those who honestly obey God (whether in the light of God’s presence, or in the darkest place), and who love God unconditionally. God deliberately made the criteria simple and the end result amazing, so that we could achieve and look forward to His awesome presence and the place He has prepared for us.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: A grand prize awaits those who obey God’s commands and love Him unconditionally! Are you ready?

PRAYER: What a shocking revelation for the Israelites to know that all of them may not enter the Promised Land. But Lord, You set the criteria in lots of time so that they could change their evil ways and finally recognize You for Your love and goodness towards them. You have also established criteria for us, and Your Word is clear on what will result if we obey Your commands and love You with all our heart, soul and mind, and what will result if we don’t. Lord, I pray that You will speak intently to every reader and/or listener and that You will convince them of their sinful state, and remind them of the result of disobedience. I pray not only for my family and friends, but also for every one who has ever read one of these devotionals where the love of Jesus was made very clear. Thank You Lord for loving us and for preparing a home in glory for us. ‘Oh I want to see Him, look upon His face, there to sing for ever of His saving grace…’ AMEN!

For Increased Strength and Stamina

On 2021-08-012021-08-01 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Strength, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Sunday, 2021-08-01
WRITTEN AT: Hattiesburg, MS

SCRIPTURE FROM: Luke 6:46-49
TRANSLATION: New Living Translation (NLT)

BIBLE TEXT: ⁴⁶“So why do you keep calling me ‘Lord, Lord!’ when you don’t do what I say? ⁴⁷I will show you what it’s like when someone comes to me, listens to my teaching, and then follows it. ⁴⁸It is like a person building a house who digs deep and lays the foundation on solid rock. When the floodwaters rise and break against that house, it stands firm because it is well built. ⁴⁹But anyone who hears and doesn’t obey is like a person who builds a house right on the ground, without a foundation. When the floods sweep down against that house, it will collapse into a heap of ruins.”

APPLICATION: Whether we are faced with family challenges; our work environment; our friend relationships; or the gossip, hatred, backbiting or jealousy that Satan forces on his followers that attend our churches; we all look up at times and ask God for guidance and/or help to overcome. But Jesus teaches us today that we are not to only seek Him arbitrarily when we have problems to resolve. He is looking for His children to stand firm against the earthly battles, trial and temptations everyday, because of their firm footing in Him. He likened this ‘firm footing’ to a house that is well grounded and well constructed, for it can withstand the storms that are bound to come its way. You see, we can build a house that looks perfect – just as beautiful inside and outside as the house next door. But if the construction is superficial, the beautiful house will not withstand the weather. Jesus was illustrating that when you build a relationship with God, through His Son Jesus, and mature it to the extent that you are confident of God’s love, His wisdom, His direction and His consistent answers to your prayers, then you can rest assured that He is there in the good times – those mountaintop experiences, and in the tough times, when you feel like you are going through the deepest valleys of your life. However, God knows our pretense all too well. So if we turn to Him during those times of dire need, BUT turn our face to His commands and His teachings at all other times in our life, then Jesus likened us to a house built on an insecure base, like sand. I believe that Jesus is teaching us to stay connected to Him. Read His Word (His teachings, His commands and all about His example while here on earth); Call on Him every morning, whether you are experiencing the mountaintop experiences that we love, or whether we feel at the end of our rope in life-challenges. Friends, when we are ‘connected’ and obeying our Lord’s commands every day, we are much like the house on solid ground – for we have a firm footing and we KNOW in whom we believe, serve and obey. When Jesus is just a God of convenience and need to you, you will approach the throne much differently – in guilt and knowing that you have disappointed our Lord. Our stress level is not relieved very much, for like the unbeliever, you hope that God will hear your cry and smile on you. Where do you stand today? Do you know without a shadow of doubt in whom you believe? Or are you approaching the throne of a God you want to keep at a distance, and just available if you need Him? There’s a huge difference my friends! Let me recommend that you take full advantage of being in an honest, real and close relationship with our Master and Lord.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: The difference in having a ‘real’ and honest relationship with the Lord, versus one under false pretenses, will determine the outcome of your battles.

PRAYER: Dear Lord, I know that we all fail from time to time, but please remind us every day that You are a God who knows all about us, whether we disclose our hidden secrets, or not. Please help us to live in an open and honest relationship with You, so that whether we praise You, or beg You for our deepest need, there will be nothing that stands between us. I believe You are well aware that as long as we remain on earth, we will be tempted to sin, but I know that You have promised to be with us every step of every day, through our good times and through our struggles. May we keep our eyes fixed on You and our relationship open and honest in every way. Thank You for loving us in spite of our weaknesses. May Your strength and power be evident in every step we take, so that others may experience the love of our Savior. AMEN!

Great Leaders Do This

On 2021-07-312021-07-31 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Church Leaders, Dedicated, Government Leaders, Leader, Needs, Obedient, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Saturday, 2021-07-31
WRITTEN AT: Hattiesburg, MS

SCRIPTURE FROM: Deuteronomy 17:18-20
TRANSLATION:Contemporary English Version (CEV)

BIBLE TEXT: ¹⁸The official copy of God’s laws will be kept by the priests of the Levi tribe. So, as soon as anyone becomes king, he must go to the priests and write out a copy of these laws while they watch. ¹⁹Each day the king must read and obey these laws, so that he will learn to worship the Lord with fear and trembling ²⁰and not think that he’s better than everyone else.…

APPLICATION: Especially since I started using the computer for almost everything that I do, I despise having to write anything out. I’m sure you are much more disciplined than that! But I believe that in writing something out, you tend to remember the content much better than just reading the text from already printed material. The first thing that caught my attention was the fact that the incoming king would have to sit down in front of the priests and write out for himself a copy of God’s laws. I would like for us to think for a moment how effective it would be today in the following cases:
~ A Husband – Imagine if a new husband had to only write out the laws surrounding being a godly husband. Wouldn’t he tend to be more careful how he loves, provides, protects, cares for, lead by example, teaches his new wife the ways of the Lord, etc? Wouldn’t he be an excellent choice when you vote in deacons or elders in your church the next time?
~ A Dad – Don’t you know that we would have much less crime and delinquency in our world today if dad’s got their training from the Word of God, instead of the local bar, or from their hunting/fishing buddies, or from the company executive who could only handle being home on weekends? Imagine, they will know how to train up a child in the way they should go, and when they enter adulthood they will also honor the ways of the Lord!
~ A Pastor and/or Church Leader – These individuals come into leadership depending on their training from outgoing leaders, or the ones that remain. Imagine, being trained by men who may, or may not have the above disciplines in their personal lives? What might be the result? The same mistakes that have always occurred! Imagine the great leader who takes time to study and understand God’s Word every day!
~ Political Leaders – It seems very evident that as long as leaders outdo the opposition, or make them look as badly as possible in man’s eyes, then they receive a great rating from their constituents. What if they were required to spend weeks, or months, reading the constitution for themselves and writing down what God instructed in His Word? Can’t you imagine that they will be less apt to go after the opposition, or seek revenge, all of which is at the expense of the constituents, but instead they will rule in accordance with the laws you have given them, and the commands of our ultimate ruler, Almighty God?
Oh, and whatever else they may, or may not, find time to do in their day, the above individuals must always read the law every day so that they will be sure to obey it consistently. What kind of home, church and country leaders might we wind up having, dear friends? Would you want to live in their country? My friend, God has the plans in place for our leaders and ourselves to be successful, if only we will honor Him, honor His Word, and live to please Him alone. Before you point fingers at anyone else, consider the degree to which you are living by God’s laws.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: In return for obeying God’s commands, He will make us successful and honor us with a long, happy and healthy life. God being our helper, may each reader and listener commit to this today!

PRAYER: Dear Lord, we admit that we are well aware why You felt the need for these commands for the Israelites. However, we have continued their bad habits, and in many cases we have become more entrenched in sin and evil. Please forgive us of our sin, and impress upon each one again today, the importance of living and ruling in accordance with the commands You have given to us. Things have gone so far, that it is virtually impossible for us to imagine a world like You first designed, and for which Your laws were designed. Lord, we need You in every part of our lives more today than ever before. Please invoke Your presence in our everyday lives so that the world might still see You at work here on earth. AMEN!

Give To The Poor And Be Blessed

On 2021-07-302021-07-30 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Thankful, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Friday, 2021-07-30
WRITTEN AT: Hattiesburg, MS

SCRIPTURE FROM: Deuteronomy 15:10-11
TRANSLATION: The Message (MSG)

BIBLE TEXT: ^10-11Give freely and spontaneously. Don’t have a stingy heart. The way you handle matters like this triggers God, your God’s, blessing in everything you do, all your work and ventures. There are always going to be poor and needy people among you. So I command you: Always be generous, open purse and hands, give to your neighbors in trouble, your poor and hurting neighbors.

APPLICATION: I’m sure that all readers and/or listeners will agree with me in saying that we are always thankful for what others give to us. Hopefully most of you can say as I can, thank God that I have never been ‘needy or poor’. I believe this may challenge many of us, because it becomes very challenging to truly empathize with the poor and needy, if you can’t identify with them. But God, in His infinite mercy has blessed us with good health, good jobs and a regular income. Additionally, He has blessed us with good minds to properly budget our income so that we could pay our bills as they come due. Sure, we mess up at times and get ourselves way overloaded in debt and that makes it way more challenging to satisfy our budget than what God expects of us. However, from the very beginning of our receiving a paycheck, we make decisions on how that money will be spent. I had a prospective pastor ask our search committee for a copy of the church budget. He said that he could tell from that where the heart of the church leadership stood. That’s the same with our personal budgets, review it and determine where your heart is. If you’re a child of the King, then I believe that you look at only 90% of your paycheck to establish your budget, for you practice what God has ordained through His Word, that you should give the first 10% of your income to God’s work through your local church. What was that, you can’t afford to tithe? I beg your pardon, because Gods said that if we obey Him He will bless us. Don’t you know that God will help you meet so much more in your expenses with the remaining 90% than you could ever accomplish on your own with 100%? But challenging the use of your income even more, God said through Moses in our Scripture that when we help the poor and needy, He will bless us richly in everything we do. So are you feeling victorious today? Could it be that you are helping others, but with a resentful attitude? Could it be that you often tell God to not bless you as much so that you don’t have to help the poor? I know you have lots of tips to help that poor person, but God said in this same chapter that you are not to give grudgingly, but with a spirit of the One who blessed you in the first place. Think about it, what have we done to deserve the love of the God who created us and looks out for us each day? Just do what He says, and know that He will always keep His promises. Bless someone today and be ready for a blessing from God!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Bless others, and prepare for a blessing from God!

PRAYER: I may not be as rich as my neighbor, as handsome as the successful businessman, or as blessed as my pastor, but oh Lord, You have blessed me with more than I could ever desire or ask for, and I thank You from the bottom of my heart. Please continue Your work in my readers/listeners and myself so that we may see the needs of others, and feel compassionate enough to help them because of Your love and Your commands. Lord, may You be blessed today because we helped someone in need. AMEN!

Seeing Your Potential

On 2021-07-292021-07-29 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Evangelize, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Servants of God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Thursday, 2021-07-29
WRITTEN AT: Hattiesburg, MS

SCRIPTURE FROM: Mark 1:16-20
TRANSLATION: Contemporary English Version (CEV)

BIBLE TEXT: ¹⁶As Jesus was walking along the shore of Lake Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew. They were fishermen and were casting their nets into the lake. ¹⁷Jesus said to them, “Come with me! I will teach you how to bring in people instead of fish.” ¹⁸Right then the two brothers dropped their nets and went with him.
¹⁹Jesus walked on and soon saw James and John, the sons of Zebedee. They were in a boat, mending their nets. ²⁰At once Jesus asked them to come with him. They left their father in the boat with the hired workers and went with him.

APPLICATION: I believe that many of us can reflect on our younger days and stand in amazement at the occupation we ended up doing as adults, compared to our initial thoughts about our career as a teenager! Perhaps you’re a Pastor today, but never saw yourself as anything greater than a farmer when you were being raised on a farm. Instead of being a store clerk, you may have wound up being a teacher. Having always wished for a job where you would handle money, you may have wound up being manager of a security business. Many other examples, but as you can clearly see, often we will wind up spending a career in doing something quite different to that which we dreamed about as a child. Way too often though, we will find someone doing a job, where they feel like they would never qualify for anything more challenging. But in our Scripture today we are reminded that Jesus never looked for seminary graduates, or Sundays School teachers or pastors to be His disciples. He chose very unlikely people. In our examples today, Jesus chose 4 fishermen for a life changing career in following Him. Were there some characteristics of a fisherman that might qualify them for ministry? Perhaps, but what I saw in this was that Jesus sees potential in us that no one else may ever dream as possible. Just imagine, we were created by the same God who formed this earth. He created land to form a habitat for mankind, then He created mankind to live there. Not Just Adam and Eve, but He also created all the necessary chemistry to create you and I. Do you suppose that our Creator ever made anything that He called ‘Junk’? I’d be willing to assure you that He did not. So when He went looking for assistants, or disciples, to teach His ministry to and prepare them for the work that would continue long after He left this earth, don’t you know that He was able to remove all filters and just choose men who stood to be blessed because they would faithfully serve Him? I remember serving on Pastor Search committees, and we had filters that filled pages and pages of our questionnaire used to make sure that a prospect would check all of the boxes. Friends, I learned over the years that if God had a search committee ask me to serve in a local church, I would never use the excuse that I was unqualified for that. Because of that, God has used me in fields where others may have smiled because of my efforts, but I believe that God smiled because He knew that it was through His power and His strength that I could even stand up there and try. Always remember that God created you with a purpose in mind for your life, because He knew your potential, and what He could accomplish through you. Please don’t be a stumbling block to His will and His purpose for your life.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: We are God’s children, created in His image, for His purpose. He sees great potential in us. Let go of your pride, fear and lack of confidence and let Him lead you to the full extent of your potential, with God at your very core.

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, this is just one of Your precious jewels that You made in Your likeness for Your glory! You’ve placed me here on earth to specifically lift up Your name on high and glorify our Father in heaven. Your work is extensive, but fishermen did it, and so did tax collectors, so I have no reason to doubt that You can work miraculously through the lives of my readers/listeners and myself, so that the Good News can be shared with everyone that we touch or rub shoulders with. Use us as Your instrument to fulfill Your mission oh Lord. Many are still unsaved, so my friends and I are still in high demand. May we bow at Your feet and accept the challenge You have for us today. AMEN!

Nuggets From God's Word

Category: Appreciation