Wisdom For Today

On 2023-09-20 By Ed AlgreenIn A Lamp unto My Path, Adoration, Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Awesome God, Beyond Description, Blessing, Celebrate God, Needs, Praise, Praise-worthy, Recognize God, Righteousness, Wisdom, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED: Wednesday, September 20, 2023, and I was blessed to be at Dowling Park, FL when God inspired me to prepare this devotional. My Footnote will tell you how to find, read or listen to any and all episodes that I have shared over the years.

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE FROM THE Amplified Bible (AMP) IS FOUND IN Proverbs 14:29-31;34;

THE BIBLE TEXT IS: ²⁹ He who is slow to anger has great understanding [and profits from his self-control],
But he who is quick-tempered exposes and exalts his foolishness [for all to see].
³⁰ A calm and peaceful and tranquil heart is life and health to the body,
But passion and envy are like rottenness to the bones.
³¹ He who oppresses the poor taunts and insults his Maker,
But he who is kind and merciful and gracious to the needy honors Him.
³⁴ Righteousness [moral and spiritual integrity and virtuous character] exalts a nation,
But sin is a disgrace to any people.

MY INITIAL THOUGHTS: Many turn to horoscopes, while some depend on positive thoughts of uplifting words from well-known speakers in their inbox to help inspire them to have a positive impact on others each day. But for the child of God, our Creator gave us a Book of Instruction to meet our every need in life. Few pastors and teachers tend to share the Proverbs, which leads me to think that many may tend to feel they are unimportant. But in providing His Word, I believe that God had us front and foremost in His mind for complete encouragement, healing and the kind of wisdom that only our Maker could give us as and when needed. Think on the Words inspired by our Master as we study these few verses from Proverbs today!

APPLICATION OF THE WORD: How often have you heard, or been guilty of saying, ‘where did he get that anger from’? Or perhaps you have gone on to liken a foolish or angry person to a relative who was also short-tempered, because you knew them to also act foolishly in stressful times! Some Bible translations used the word ‘stupid’ instead of ‘foolish’ in verse 29, but in either case I believe we can see more clearly why, when someone acts so irrational, they have allowed their anger to get the best of them. Friends, to correct this and help prevent this, I believe it would benefit us to stop and think about the source of peace in our lives. Surely it doesn’t come from the local bar, nor the crowds that hang out there. Nor does it come from the television where we tend to sit and ‘relax’ in front of at the end of our day, for it is obvious that movie producers are convinced that they must add violence, sex or sinful acts to a movie in order for it to be successful. Why even news channels seem to succeed from the hatred they spark from their one-sided reporting and repeating it constantly throughout the day by every reporter who has his/her own twist on what authorities must have intended by what they said or did. Verses 29 and 30 speak to the individual who has peace in their heart and is therefore able to control their emotions and reactions to life events. As already indicated, that peace comes from knowing God; being regularly reminded of how blessed we are to be a child of the King of all kings; and reenacting the love shown by Jesus when He willingly sacrificed His own life for our sin to enable our eternal destination in Heaven because of our submission to Him as Lord and Savior of our lives. After reading verse 31 in several translations, I better understood how the Holy Spirit is reminding us through Solomon that God created ALL mankind, so unless we treat EVERYONE like our Master’s son or daughter, we are insulting our Master. So many parents get hurt, angry, and are ready to fight if you say anything bad about their child – someone God created through them. Aren’t we really upsetting God when we push aside, ignore, and refuse to help one of His little ones in need of a hand-up? Friends, I am well aware of the abuse by many in trying to beg their way through life on a street corner, but let’s not use that for a crutch. There are many legitimate cases where people are suffering because of certain circumstances that have devoured their lifesavings and they just need help to make it through one more day. As a child of God, let us see the poor man or woman that God caused our path to cross with, also as a child created by our God. I believe I would be spot on if I predicted how most who meditate on this devotional today would respond to an individual who questioned us about the sinful state of our country. Wouldn’t we fault the bad politicians; or those with addictive drug or alcohol abuse; or those who commit other sinful acts, as the cause of our country’s downfall? But I believe the question I would end with today may sum up the last verse above: If every ‘Christian’ we know was to live as righteous as God expects of us, wouldn’t our country be exalted, just as the proverb says? Let’s not point fingers dear friends, until the one whose finger is pointed back at them, is truly living a noble and obedient life that is pleasing to Almighty God.

BLESSINGS WORTH NOTING: There’s no need to purchase another inspirational book, or join another Bible study, or change churches in order to hear the Word preached more clearly. It’s all in the Book – God’s Word – the Bible; let’s just increase our desire to know Him better, and through meditating on His Word more regularly, let’s make every effort to draw closer to God, so that He would draw even closer to us. Let’s aim at mirroring all that our Master did so that we might look and sound like Him to a lost world!

PRAYER BECAUSE OF THE IMPACT OF TODAY’S SCRIPTURE: Lord, I am thankful that You created me, died and rose again for my sin, and gave me Your Word to guide me while here on earth being bombarded by Satan and his court. Please give me the desire to make a daily diet of delving into Your Word so that I might behold all that You would say to me for correction, encouragement and for living a life that is pleasing to You. Thank You for placing me where I’m at, and meeting everyone that I do, even with their needs and quirks that may seem challenging to me. I accept this as my mission and ask that You work powerfully through me to bless others and help them see You more vividly each day. May my audience also be touched by Your Word, not just what I had to say. I ask that You draw us close to You Lord, so that our land might become more righteous, especially when Your children reveal their righteousness before those in need of a Savior. AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: There’s another page on my website, entitled ‘To Know Jesus’. If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading or listening to this devotional, please go to this 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 you would like to read more of my devotionals, or subscribe for a daily email containing each new devotional, please go online to NuggetsFromGodsWord.org. For my podcast, go online to Apple Podcasts or, using the Apple Podcast app, simply search for Nuggets From God’s Word to hear more episodes, or click ‘Follow’ to be notified of Podcast updates. Friends, please allow me to encourage you to find a church home nearby 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’s Blocking Your View?

On 2023-09-17 By Ed AlgreenIn A Lamp unto My Path, Adoration, Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Awesome God, Beyond Description, Blessing, Celebrate God, Needs, Praise, Praise-worthy, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED: Sunday, September 17, 2023, and I was blessed to be at Dowling Park, FL when God inspired me to prepare this devotional. My Footnote will tell you how to find, read or listen to any and all episodes that I have shared over the years.

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE FROM THE Living Bible (TLB) IS FOUND IN Luke 19:1-5

THE BIBLE TEXT IS: As Jesus was passing through Jericho, a man named Zacchaeus, one of the most influential Jews in the Roman tax-collecting business (and, of course, a very rich man), tried to get a look at Jesus, but he was too short to see over the crowds. So he ran ahead and climbed into a sycamore tree beside the road, to watch from there.
When Jesus came by, he looked up at Zacchaeus and called him by name! “Zacchaeus!” he said. “Quick! Come down! For I am going to be a guest in your home today!”

MY INITIAL THOUGHTS: I find it interesting the number of excuses we could come up with for getting out of our comfortable beds and homes to attend church, or to be with fellow believers, or to spend time with the Lord. This may change some if a well-known evangelist is visiting our town, or a popular spokesman who claims the gift of healing will be present. However, today’s Scripture tells of a most unlikely man who overcame all odds to see Jesus as He was marching along the streets of his town.

APPLICATION OF THE WORD: I tend to repeat something I once heard a preacher say: If God made us half as sick as we sometimes tell the preacher when asked about church attendance, we might really be in trouble. Or if God made us half as poor as we claim to be financially when we tithe, we would be on the government’s poverty list. But do you suppose we might act differently if we know that Jesus is coming to our state, or our city, or our neighborhood, or our church? What might be our excuses about the things that could possibly interfere with our attendance, or our visibility? As I get older there seems to be a lot more excuses, but since I am teased a lot about my height, it might be a very possible excuse since I could attend and still struggle to see Jesus over the heads of the crowd! But doesn’t it seem like these excuses are only used when visiting a spiritual event? But let’s think about our Sunday morning excuses: often sports will be a major blocker for many in attending church, and often this would extend to very special moments at church. I often believe that this might even distract some from going to see and experience Jesus in person? Slight aches and pains seem to stop us and so does sneezing that might indicate a cold is coming on! But what would have happened to the crippled man if he didn’t insist on his friends taking him on his bed into the presence of Jesus? Or the blind man who sat by the wayside where Jesus was passing along, if he didn’t speak up and shout out to Jesus? We tend to worry a lot about what others think of us, and I’m sure that Zacchaeus was no exception. Imagine, a tax collector who was known by everyone as a very rich and prominent man in the community, even though much of his gain came from cheating the people. But, praise God, Zacchaeus knew that, like everyone else, he personally needed Jesus – to see Him, experience Him, and to know that he was in the presence of God’s precious Son. Friends, I’m sure that you are in much the same boat as I am, and many others around you. We fall into our routine of sleeping in – especially on Sunday mornings; we convince ourselves that Sunday is the only day for the beach; we can’t hardly move for the pain in our back, (which don’t seem to bother us on a workday or stop us from getting out to the stores), we just can’t make it out to church. Plus, we foresee how painful it will be for us to sit for an hour in church. We just need to sit in our comfortable chair at home until our pain pills kick in!! Perhaps through my examples, you saw how many excuses we find to possibly block our view of Jesus. Please allow me to encourage you to adopt reasoning like Zacchaeus, let’s make it happen and place our priorities in order, allowing nothing to block our view of our wonderful Savior who died and rose again for our benefit – so that we might have the best possible life here on earth, and eternity with the King of all kings and Lord of all lords in heaven.

BLESSINGS WORTH NOTING: Zacchaeus did his part – he climbed high enough to see Jesus even over the large crowd. Jesus did His part, as He always does, He recognized the need of Zacchaeus and met his needs as only Jesus could, for salvation comes from Jesus alone!

PRAYER BECAUSE OF THE IMPACT OF TODAY’S SCRIPTURE: Lord Jesus, I believe that many are probably deciding at that moment why they can’t attend worship services today to sing praises to the King of all kings. Some may have calculated reasons many hours before today, and I’m sure that it must have hurt You, knowing that You went to the extreme of death for each of us, so that we might have life here on earth, and life more abundantly in heaven with You and the Father. Zacchaeus overcame one of his biggest challenges and he saw and experienced You in all of Your glory. Please remind us of this every time we allow Satan to fill our minds with excuses not to assemble ourselves together with other believers to worship You. This was important enough for You to place this command in Your Word. Please help us to not try and rewrite the Book, for in Revelations You warned us of such. You deserve our eternal praise. Please help us to never find excuses why we would deliberately allow anything to come between us and our time together in worship to you. For doing this, would generally indicate that we will allow Satan to interfere in our decision making during the week also. Times where we must stand up for You, and all that You have taught us. AMEN!

He’s All I Need

On 2023-09-12 By Ed AlgreenIn A Lamp unto My Path, Adoration, Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Awesome God, Beyond Description, Blessing, Celebrate God, Needs, Praise, Praise-worthy, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED: Tuesday, September 12, 2023, and I was blessed to be at Dowling Park, FL when God inspired me to prepare this devotional. My Footnote will tell you how to find, read or listen to any and all episodes that I have shared over the years.

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE FROM THE Contemporary English Version (CEV) IS FOUND IN Lamentations 3:21-24

THE BIBLE TEXT IS: Then I remember something that fills me with hope. The Lord’s kindness never fails! If He had not been merciful, we would have been destroyed.
The Lord can always be trusted to show mercy each morning.
Deep in my heart I say, “The Lord is all I need; I can depend on Him!”

MY INITIAL THOUGHTS: On Sunday I joined with others as we sat in a sanctuary untouched by recent events, although our community all around it was severely impacted. This was a place of calm and reassuring peace where, in spite of the terror over the past 2 weeks from hurricane Idalia, we were personally unmarred by the danger and fury of the strong winds and tornadoes. God drew my attention to the fact that no matter what the storms of life may bring each day, there is a place of refuge for the Christian who place their trust in God over the wild and burdensome times we face. Perhaps as we meditate on this Scripture today, we will be reminded that our God is able, and that He is all we need in life here on earth.

APPLICATION OF THE WORD: In the first part of this chapter from which our verses are taken, we can reaffirm that we are not ‘odd balls’ for being angry about our circumstances, or upset with the masses because of the appearance of them picking on us, because Jeremiah was also very upset with how his life was going. But when Jeremiah came to his senses, he showed us how, regardless of what goes on in this world, as children of the one, true, and living God, we have one encouraging fact to hold high – our God is faithful and we could rest assured that His loving kindness never fails! Friends, He can always be trusted to show us His mercies anew ever morning and we could depend on Him, no matter how many around us may fail or disappoint us. Therefore, HE IS ALL WE NEED! Child of God, when we bring this to mind each day, we walk around with a smile on our faces, because we know that in spite of any circumstances that will come our way that day, our God will never fail us, and He is always on our side. I recall walking by someone who opened the door for me at work on a Monday morning. As usual, I greeted them with a smile and gave them a kind and encouraging word. When questioned how I could sport a smile on a Monday morning, I was able to share how fortunate I was to be alive; report to a job and not the unemployment line; the promise of coworkers who would normally be kind to me; and a loving family who prays for me while away from them. It wasn’t a sermon, but I merely shared my heart in response to their question. Although I am far from perfect, I serve a God who is perfect in every way. Although I face challenges just like everyone else who heads out to a world filled with the evil ways of Satan, I have a choice to represent my loving and caring Lord or follow the crowd into monopolizing every misfortune that could possibly come my way when I do life on my own. As a child of the King of all kings, I am part of His royal family, protected by Almighty God; loved and encouraged by His Holy Spirit; and reminded of my worth by the extreme lengths Jesus went to, for me to have access to Heaven with my Lord and Savior forever and forever! You see, others are watching you and me. They will know to whom we belong by the calm assurance we reflect about our eternal home and our earthly master. A thought to ponder, based on your words and actions yesterday, what do you suppose they concluded? What is it that you suppose you need the help of God’s Son to overcome so that the world – your world, might see and believe that there is a God? Remember, they will see the evidence all over us? At one time I was in a gas station about 50 miles away from my home town. The attendant shouted out asking how was Cloide’s son today? To my surprise, the young man recognized my dad in my looks and my actions. I wonder how often in a day someone recognizes our heavenly Father in us? Dear friends, in every circumstance of life, let’s be reminded each day through our relationship with Him, that our God is all we need. He will be faithful throughout the ages, and we could count on Him to be our Guide, our Healer, our Savior, our Guide and our everlasting Father both now, and forevermore.

BLESSINGS WORTH NOTING: God’s loving kindness never fails! He is all we need in life, and He will love on us and care for us throughout all eternity!

PRAYER BECAUSE OF THE IMPACT OF TODAY’S SCRIPTURE: Dearest Lord Jesus, thank You for life here on earth, and life more abundant that I can look forward to in heaven with You. Seldom are we looked upon as royalty here on earth, yet I am reminded once again that I am a child of the King of all kings. I was also reminded that the world still needs Jesus, and often it’s the kind words of Your children that will convince them of the existence and availability of our awesome King. Please Lord, use us, Your royal line, to show who it is that lives and reigns inside of us, so that the unsaved might be reassured of the importance of knowing You personally. You are all we need Lord. Thank You for your faithfulness Lord, great and mighty is the Lord our God today and forevermore.. AMEN!

Why Are We Here?

On 2023-09-08 By Ed AlgreenIn A Lamp unto My Path, Adoration, Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Awesome God, Beyond Description, Blessing, Celebrate God, Needs, Praise, Praise-worthy, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED: Friday, September 8, 2023, and I was blessed to be at Ashford, AL when God inspired me to prepare this devotional. My Footnote will tell you how to find, read or listen to any and all episodes that I have shared over the years.

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE FROM THE GOD’S WORD Translation (GW) IS FOUND IN Titus 1:1-3

THE BIBLE TEXT IS: From Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ. I was sent to lead God’s chosen people to faith and to the knowledge of the truth that leads to a godly life. My message is based on the confidence of eternal life. God, who never lies, promised this eternal life before the world began. God has revealed this in every era by spreading his word. I was entrusted with this word by the command of God our Savior.

MY INITIAL THOUGHTS: The Holy Spirit directed Paul to acknowledge who he was in relation to Christ. Some in the position of Titus may have challenged Paul to ‘state your position, then talk to me’. Paul didn’t just answer that question, but he also clarified why Christ sent him, or why he was in such a position to challenge Titus. I challenge you to consider the question posed in my subject today, as you meditate with me on this devotional, ‘Why am I here’? Also be sure to consider ‘Why might God have me here’?

APPLICATION OF THE WORD: I borrowed this title from a pastor/friend of mine who posted just these words in a recent Facebook post. It caught my attention and caused me to search the Scriptures for the reasons why God placed me here, and then to consider how much of that am I adhering to. Titus knew the heart of the man he had joined forces with, to spread the Good News, but for the readers of God’s Word thousands of years later, we might certainly want to know why Paul felt at liberty to fill the position of: mentor to Titus; servant of the Lord God; and evangelist; to Titus, and also to us. If you walked around your town’s public square and found a man preaching, the first thing you might ask is: who is this man? or what church does he represent? For you need to know if this man is a legitimate representative of Jesus Christ, and whether it’s worth your while to stop and listen to him. To fully appreciate why Paul found it necessary to qualify himself at the very beginning of this book, we must be reminded who Paul was – a persecutor of Christians. I believe it might be extra challenging for us if God would reveal, based on our actions and our words, who we are: to our spouse; to our children; in our homes; at our workplace; in a restaurant – in and out of town; in our home church or at a visiting church; etc. Imagine replaying a video recording of your encounters in any of the above-mentioned scenarios on your good days and also on those days when you’ve felt under pressure? I am always challenged by the determination of Paul to bear witness to the truth of God’s promise of eternal life. But if we pay close attention, we will see where Paul told Titus the reason why he shares the Good News. Friends, it was true back then, and it is still true today, it’s the Word of God that will expose sin and challenge mankind to surrender their life to the lordship of Jesus Christ in order to be saved from Hell. No amount of church attendance, giving to the poor, or any other kind word or deed will do the trick. I love the way this translation reads that Paul challenged Titus to this teaching to help people live a godly life. Paul said that was his mission. In all honesty, don’t we know without a doubt that the world today is badly in need of help to truly live a godly life? Based on our mission, our actions and our words, I wonder if we could honestly declare that we are on mission to lead the lost to Christ, and/or show them the way to live a godly life? If our heart is right with God, and our minds set on getting as many as possible into heaven with us, then perhaps we will have a stronger determination to make every moment count. Have a little talk with Jesus, my friends, and let Him convince you and help you stand ready to make a difference in this world for Him.

BLESSINGS WORTH NOTING: God placed us here to be His witness and to do His will. There should never be a question as to why we are here. Just obey the Father who placed us here.

PRAYER BECAUSE OF THE IMPACT OF TODAY’S SCRIPTURE: Based on how we spend our time each day, or the things we spend our money on, it may be obvious that our minds are fixed on earning maximum income for our own selfish use, or on promoting self at work, church or in our community. But Lord, I believe You are showing us through Your servant, Paul, today that there is only one thing that will make a meaningful difference in the lives of the folk following in our footsteps, and that’s the love of Jesus and the expression of words and actions that exemplify what You taught to us and exampled before us. Please Lord, help us that our time here on earth will not be in vain, but for anyone who imitates us, will actually be imitating You and Your teachings. People still need the Lord, perhaps more today than ever before, may our lives be worthy of Your kingdom, Lord, and for leading others to their eternal home in glory also. AMEN!

No One Cares For Me Like Jesus

On 2023-08-30 By Ed AlgreenIn A Lamp unto My Path, Adoration, Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Awesome God, Beyond Description, Blessing, Celebrate God, God Cares For Us, Needs, Praise, Praise-worthy, Recognize God, Worship2 Comments

DATE POSTED: Wednesday, August 30, 2023, and I was blessed to be at Ashford, AL when God inspired me to prepare this devotional. My Footnote will tell you how to find, read or listen to any and all episodes that I have shared over the years.

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE FROM THE New Living Translation (NLT) IS FOUND IN Luke 18:35-43

THE BIBLE TEXT IS: As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind beggar was sitting beside the road. When he heard the noise of a crowd going past, he asked what was happening. They told him that Jesus the Nazarene was going by. So he began shouting, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” “Be quiet!” the people in front yelled at him. But he only shouted louder, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” When Jesus heard him, he stopped and ordered that the man be brought to him. As the man came near, Jesus asked him, “What do you want me to do for you?” “Lord,” he said, “I want to see!” And Jesus said, “All right, receive your sight! Your faith has healed you.” Instantly the man could see, and he followed Jesus, praising God. And all who saw it praised God, too.

MY INITIAL THOUGHTS: In the Bible text, I bolded and underlined the text showing the attitude of the crowd and the leaders of the group that led Jesus in His march. The other bolded areas show the caring attitude and warm words of Jesus towards the man that many despised. I believe this is a great example of what still happens today, for Jesus still cares for His own and He will stop the parade at work, at church or at home so that He might attend to our most urgent needs. Throughout our study today, be reminded of the love and caring attitude of the One we call our Lord and Savior!

APPLICATION OF THE WORD: I’m afraid that the Word of God has made little impact on Christians today, because there is such little proof of whose we are. In the Bible, there is such drastic measures to show that Jesus was crucified out of pure and honest love for us; so many miracles to show the awesome compassion, love and power of our awesome King, yet way too often Christians today still look, sound and act so much like the leaders of that crowd that paved the way for Jesus to march into Jerusalem. For us, it’s still challenging to accept someone who may not fit the description of what, we have determined in our minds, that a child of God should look like. I have always said that I have so many challenges of my own, and so many things to concentrate on in looking more like Jesus, that I just don’t know how I could possibly look at the problems others have. But I believe that the Holy Spirit is quite capable of directing me to be the hands and feet of Jesus. Friends, here’s what we tend to do:
– The crowd saw a blind man who made a pest of himself begging for food.
——-BUT Jesus saw a man who couldn’t help himself recover from blindness, and mow, the Master Healer who is forever capable of healing him is passing by.
– The crowd saw a man who couldn’t do anything for himself nor earn a living.
——-BUT Jesus saw a man that His glory and His power could shine through and offer restoration and hope to all those who felt they couldn’t do……
– The crowd saw a man who couldn’t join them in the march, nor stand and sing praises to the lone Son of God who was passing by.
——-BUT Jesus saw a man who was born in His likeness and needed physical healing, that could very easily have also led him to spiritual wholeness, with a brand-new life as a child of the King!
In my introduction, I shared how I wondered how much the Gospel and all the examples of God’s wondrous power in times past has truly helped us today to be more understanding of those who need the Lord and/or those who need a touch from God. I wonder, how many ushers lead the poor and battered all the way to the front row seats of your church? How many ushers try to squeeze the nicely dressed individual(s)in expensive clothes, into the back seats of your church? How many pastors rush from the pulpit after his sermon to catch up with the poorly dressed and possibly unbathed guy that kept mumbling during the service? If we’re not careful, we might be quick to take sides with the leaders of the march, and overlook the compassion, love and concern Jesus had for the most unlikely person along the road – a poor, blind man. You know, each of us were on that same level as that poor man at one time. We may have had money, but we were poor in spirit and so deep in sin that we wanted nothing to do with Jesus or the elite crowd that tend to follow Him. But regardless of our state at the time, Jesus saw us in the distance and the need that was written right across our faces, and He called out to us with the same compassion and love as He did to the blind man. As followers of Christ, we must pay attention to what Jesus was drawn to, because that’s what He expects of us dear ones. I love that song that has the same title as the one I chose for today’s devotional – ‘No One Ever Cared for me, like Jesus‘. Listen to it, for its lyrics, together with God’s Word, and my above thoughts, might help to convince you that Jesus cares for you, even when it feels like everyone else is pushing you away or would rather see you sit by the wayside begging for bread.

BLESSINGS WORTH NOTING: Jesus heard the blind man’s cry for help and in spite of the leaders who accompanied Him rejecting the poor man’s plea, Jesus healed his blindness and blessed him. I believe He does the same thing today for His children. He knows our needs and He hears our cry. I believe He is anxious to heal us into His likeness.

PRAYER BECAUSE OF THE IMPACT OF TODAY’S SCRIPTURE: Instead of just healing the blind man’s sight, You asked him what You could do for him. You care enough for us that You don’t take anything for granted, but You verify with us what it is that would make us happy. Thank You Jesus for being a very intimate and personal God. It is obvious that we matter to You. It is also obvious that Your decisions are not influenced by the feelings, wishes or words of others. Thank You Jesus that we personally matter to You. In our weak attempt to follow Your example, please remind us how important it is that we do not think and make decisions like other humans, but that we look to You for decisions while making every effort to follow Your example in our decision-making. I believe it is especially important that the unsaved see Jesus in us, and not the mean and selfish decisions of our earthly mentors. Lord, may You be glorified in every aspect of my life and those who will read and/or listen to this devotional. AMEN!

Show That You Care

On 2023-08-29 By Ed AlgreenIn A Lamp unto My Path, Adoration, Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Awesome God, Beyond Description, Blessing, Celebrate God, God Cares For Us, Needs, Praise, Praise-worthy, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED: Tuesday, August 29, 2023, and I was blessed to be at Dothan, AL when God inspired me to prepare this devotional. My Footnote will tell you how to find, read or listen to any and all episodes that I have shared over the years.

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE FROM THE New Living Translation (NLT) IS FOUND IN Luke 9:18-20

THE BIBLE TEXT IS: One day Jesus left the crowds to pray alone. Only his disciples were with him, and he asked them, “Who do people say I am?”
“Well,” they replied, “some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say you are one of the other ancient prophets risen from the dead.”
Then he asked them, “But who do you say I am?”
Peter replied, “You are the Messiah sent from God!”

MY INITIAL THOUGHTS: A very familiar passage of Scripture where God’s messengers would normally point out the important question You challenged Your disciples with: “But who do you say I am”. While this is a key point for anyone to consider, I couldn’t help but think about the mindset of Jesus when asking this very important question. As we meditate, let me encourage you to ask God to help you see the message intended for you personally. It may not be the usual and obvious question that most tend to emphasize on. He may have a dedicated message to you for this very time and place.

APPLICATION OF THE WORD: This past Sunday, our pastor chose to speak from this very familiar Scripture. His emphasis was on the Transfiguration, and how God made known His precious Son to the disciples. Although listening closely to our pastor, I believe that God was speaking even louder to me, for I heard Him telling me to care for others like Jesus did. Let me explain. There are many times that we visit with people and we casually ask the normal and expected questions. How are you? It is inevitable that we respond ‘oh, good!’ And then we prepare to ask our next question, even if the response to our first question was ‘awful’ or ‘I hurt all over’ or ‘I would much prefer being anywhere but here’. Wait a minute, why did we visit? Just to say that we did so, and ask the questions we were trained to ask when visiting the sick and/or hospitalized? Isn’t it time that we seek training on great listening skills, and ways to respond to the words from our sick loved ones? Notice carefully how Jesus was careful to train His disciples on things they might talk about with the people they would minister to. Who do they say that I am? This indicates that Jesus expected that the disciples would have sought out this same question from those following Him. I don’t believe this is the same as Jesus asking, who do you think they are saying that I am? Often when we visit someone, we are told about what the people are saying about the pastor, or about the church. Perhaps a good follow-up question might be for us to ask, but who do you say that the pastor is, or how has the church ministered to you? I believe that the worst nightmare would be for us to leave a hospital room without asking about the individual’s personal experience with Jesus, only to later hear that you were the last person to visit with them while alive. To ask them about Jesus shows that you care about them. However, remember that you cannot save them. So be ready to stand down, even if you leave the question with them to ponder. Not long after Jesus asked these challenging questions of His disciples, He was taken up to heaven in the Transfiguration. It was like, He wanted to make sure that He challenged His disciples with these questions to ponder long after He had left them. Friends, know today that this life, not even this Christian life, is about how often you attend church, or how much you give to the church, or even how often you give the pastor a pat on the back about his sermon. While all of these things are great gestures and encouraging for your pastor to know that you care about him, what will matter on the day you meet with Jesus in glory is: Who was Jesus to you? Did He impact your life so that you could, in turn, impact the lives of those you came into contact with each day while given the opportunity here on earth? You see, I would like to know that I have my life in order before trying to help others straighten out their life. If not, I will give them the same bad advice that I have fed myself over the years. Think about joining me in this endeavor, dear friend.

BLESSINGS WORTH NOTING: Jesus showed us that He cared enough about His disciples that He wanted to know their intimate, personal feelings about His impact on them. Oh how I wish that I could be that caring with the folk I come into contact with each day, and that my readers and listeners would do the same.

PRAYER BECAUSE OF THE IMPACT OF TODAY’S SCRIPTURE: Precious Lord, I thank You for reminding me one more time about Your love for Your children, and that our priorities are in order in our relationship with You, so that others would, in turn, be impacted by us. Please forgive us when we casually walk about each day without considering the needs of others, and especially their need for You. Thank You for showing us how to love and care about our fellow mankind and knowing that their very thoughts and feelings are geared towards sharing Your love with everyone they encounter here on earth. We are Your instruments Lord, please lead us in ways that You may be glorified in everything we say or do for others, so that they may seek and experience new life through Jesus our Lord. AMEN!

On Becoming Wise and Loving Enough To Discipline

On 2023-08-26 By Ed AlgreenIn A Lamp unto My Path, Adoration, Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Awesome God, Beyond Description, Blessing, Celebrate God, Needs, Praise, Praise-worthy, Recognize God, Wisdom, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED: Saturday, August 26, 2023, and I was blessed to be at Dowling Park, FL when God inspired me to prepare this devotional. My Footnote will tell you how to find, read or listen to any and all episodes that I have shared over the years.

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE FROM THE New Living Translation (NLT) IS FOUND IN Proverbs 13:20; 24;

THE BIBLE TEXT IS: Walk with the wise and become wise; associate with fools and get in trouble.
Those who spare the rod of discipline hate their children. Those who love their children care enough to discipline them.

MY INITIAL THOUGHTS: The book of Proverbs is filled with wisdom to help guide God’s people along and make wise decisions in the things they practice or do every day. I can’t imagine anyone who wouldn’t prefer to walk and talk in a way that not only pleases God, but that may help others. So, the wisdom of Solomon is shared with us to help us do just that. It is often said that having children comes with no handbook on how to properly raise them. I believe that today’s Scripture gives wisdom and direction in this matter. Meditate with me on the Word of God!

APPLICATION OF THE WORD: I recall the wisdom of my mom when I was being raised, and I just couldn’t understand why she made some decisions that seemed to ‘punish’ me and keep me apart from my peers. However, now that I’m reading the Bible for myself and seeking God’s direction and wisdom to lead me in His intended way for life, it makes all the sense in the world what my mom and dad did in raising me. There were times that I heard things like ‘I just don’t want you hanging around with that crowd’; and ‘I want you to do your best in life’, etc. I now wonder if it wasn’t the Word of God she was practicing and quoting to me. For I see where Solomon gave the same advice in verse 20 today. To those who are not versed in the Scriptures, you may have various opinions about the wisdom shared by Solomon. After all, following in the steps of those who pay no attention to the direction of the God who created us and the creation that we enjoy, could only mean that we are resolute in allowing the evil one to direct us in his wicked and sinful ways. Friends, our direction in life should be one that, deep inside, causes us to do better than the wisest person that we know. OR if we allow Satan to have his way, it will cause us to do worse than the most evil person we know. In the former statement, we aim to please God by being the best He has to offer to this world. In the latter statement, we settle for promoting Satan’s message of evil and destruction of all that God has created or aims to promote. As long as we have breath, God can help us turn from evil to good; sin to glory; Satan to Eternal Life with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Please allow me to encourage you to examine your life and decide today whom you will follow. If you conclude that it’s Jesus you want to follow, then call on Him in sincerity and accept the sacrifice that He made for you on Calvary. Believe on the name of Jesus and you will be saved. Seek His forgiveness of your sin and ask for His power to follow the wisdom of His Word and those who He are saved already here on earth.
For those who have struggled through the circumstances such as described above, and you have not sought help to turn that around, you may also struggle with raising a child to follow in the wisdom of Almighty God. For those who have accepted Jesus and then become blessed with the opportunity to raise a child. Please remember that God shared through Solomon how we must all raise our children in the love and admonition of the Lord. A good place to begin this process is to stay firm in sharing your beliefs and remain committed to direct that child in the way of the Lord. That ‘directing’ works exactly like a ‘rod of correction’. Each will help to steer a child in the way they should go. A child is similar to a ship, each will wonder along being steered by the wind. In the case of the ship – actual wind as we know it, might blow from the port side of the ship and will steer the ship too far right, if not corrected by the rudder controlled by the ship’s captain. In the case of a child, the circumstance of life will steer that child unless corrected and kept on course by a parent who has God’s leadership and wisdom to overcome and/or avoid evil. Notice how I included the words ‘God’s leadership’. An unbeliever following the ways of Satan cannot direct a child in the ways of God. You can share what you have, not what you’ve heard about and don’t practice yourself.

BLESSINGS WORTH NOTING: God loves us enough to tell us, shows us, and help us do what is right in His sight, and to share that with others who need a ‘rudder’ or good godly wisdom to overcome evil.

PRAYER BECAUSE OF THE IMPACT OF TODAY’S SCRIPTURE: Dear Lord Jesus, what a reminder! From the time we are born here on earth, until the time we are called out of this world, there are steering currents that impact our lives. Some contribute to our godly delinquency, and others steer us aright to obedience and correctness in the ways of God. As long as we are steeped in the ways of the world, with Satan as its leader, we will have little chance of correcting our ways and changing our allegiance. Praise God, You taught us in Your Word that all things are possible with God, and You have shown us examples of ways that you have turned hardened sinners into faithful and true saints of God. While some of us may have lots of education, some may have had very little. But I believe that since You made us in Your image, You have given us the ‘smarts’ to listen and obey You and to follow the direction You have laid out for our lives. Please Lord, besides giving me strength and direction each day, please also touch the lives of those who will read or listen to this devotional. May each one choose life – eternal life with You in glory. AMEN!

The Ministry God Has Given You

On 2023-08-23 By Ed AlgreenIn A Lamp unto My Path, Adoration, Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Awesome God, Beyond Description, Blessing, Celebrate God, Effective Ministry, Needs, Praise, Praise-worthy, Recognize God, Worship1 Comment

DATE POSTED: Wednesday, August 23, 2023, and I was blessed to be at Dowling Park, FL when God inspired me to prepare this devotional. My Footnote will tell you how to find, read or listen to any and all episodes that I have shared over the years.

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE FROM THE New Living Translation (NLT) IS FOUND IN 2 Timothy 4:2-5

THE BIBLE TEXT IS: Preach the word of God. Be prepared, whether the time is favorable or not. Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching. For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear. They will reject the truth and chase after myths. But you should keep a clear mind in every situation. Don’t be afraid of suffering for the Lord. Work at telling others the Good News, and fully carry out the ministry God has given you.

MY INITIAL THOUGHTS: As I meditated on this Scripture today, I couldn’t help but think that Paul may have said in person to me ‘For the time has come…..’, in lieu of the words underlined in the Scripture, for it seems that our people are already restless for entertainment and wanting more from the pulpit than just the plain old Gospel message that the man of God has been assigned to share. However, Paul is addressing his student and encouraging him to be careful to carry out the message and ministry God has given to him. Read this Scripture and meditate on what God might be saying to you through His Word.

APPLICATION OF THE WORD: It is so easy to shrug off the preaching of God’s Word on to the person sitting beside you, because you feel they might be in much worse spiritual shape that you are. It is even easier to accuse the pastor or preacher of misinterpreting the Word of God, since you understand it to mean very differently to what they explained. However, I pray that God will bless us today by helping us to apply His Word to our lives personally. Yes, I know, you are not a pastor, and you just don’t know if you could clearly understand the Word of God, but I want to remind you that God sent us the Holy Spirit to be our guide and to draw us to our Master and Lord. Let’s stop what we’re doing, and stop complaining long enough, to look inward at the opportunities God has given to us since accepting Jesus as your Lord and Savior. Timothy was off to carry out the ministry he felt led of God to perform. He was blessed with an awesome mentor who had come a long way since his days of being a persecutor of Christians. In fact, under the inspiration and help of the Holy Spirit, Paul had turned from persecution to evangelizing. His heart had changed from seeking to destroy Christians, to being a light and inspiration to Christians seeking to know and serve God. With a heart like that, don’t you know that Timothy was all ears and ready to follow the direction and encouraging words of Paul? In a time, similar to ours, Paul knew that his student, Timothy would face a cruel world. In fact, Paul advised that Timothy might find where people he would meet no longer want to listen to wholesome, accurate and the unchangeable Word of God. But think about this – the Bible is the Living Word of God, so I believe we can easily understand how Paul’s teaching is also applicable to us today. Friends, the more we visit churches, and the more we try to witness to unbelievers, it is very plain to see that many have their own agenda and therefore not interested in hearing what the preacher at mom’s old church down the road has to say. In fact, if it wasn’t for the changes noted in the new church started down the road where they accept everyone and their way of living that has no grounds in Biblical truth, they may not go to ‘church’ at all. Personally, I love the pastors who preach and teach that the Word of God is unchanged. We may have newer translations that try to clarify the way that older ones tell us what God wants, but the principles are unchanged. I believe that Paul might be telling us that we must learn to stay true to the living Word of God also, and that we tell it like it is, regardless of our audience or the location in which we are asked for our opinion on something. Christians, and especially pastors, are not to turn into politicians when asked for their stand on certain principles. There is no time to try and improve on what God said, in order to please the crowd. Yes, it will cause some to disagree, and some will get upset at us for disagreeing with their way of life, but God said that His Word is ‘LIGHT’. To me, that means that God’s Word will reveal the untruths of this dark and evil world, if we remain faithful and tell the world what the Word says. Paul told Timothy, and I will conclude my thoughts with the same words…. ‘Work at telling others the Good News, and fully carry out the ministry God has given you.’

BLESSINGS WORTH NOTING: Praise God for placing mentors in our lives. Ones that are not ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and they love us enough that they desire to see us be obedient and willing servants of the Most High God.

PRAYER BECAUSE OF THE IMPACT OF TODAY’S SCRIPTURE: Lord, I feel like there are two parts to this message today. One is that I might be willing to listen and follow the admonition of my mentors, and secondly that I might be willing to find a student who needs admonition from me, and then share with that student everything You lay on my heart. Please continue to shower me with boldness to share Your Word in every circumstance of life (in season), regardless of whether I happen to be in church or at a public venue where one might least expect to hear about the Lord (out of season). May I always be obedient to Your Word and Your Holy Spirit that You sent to guide and direct me through all walks of life. Lord may each reader and/or listener be willing to do the same so that Your name might be lifted high and that the eyes of the unsaved be opened to Your call on their lives. AMEN!

One Thing Lacking

On 2023-08-21 By Ed AlgreenIn A Lamp unto My Path, Adoration, Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Awesome God, Beyond Description, Blessing, Celebrate God, Needs, Praise, Praise-worthy, Recognize God, Worship1 Comment

DATE POSTED: Monday, August 21, 2023, and I was blessed to be at Dowling Park, FL when God inspired me to prepare this devotional. My Footnote will tell you how to find, read or listen to any and all episodes that I have shared over the years.

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE FROM THE Living Bible (TLB) IS FOUND IN Luke 18:18-23

Once a Jewish religious leader asked him this question: “Good sir, what shall I do to get to heaven?”
“Do you realize what you are saying when you call me ‘good’?” Jesus asked him. “Only God is truly good, and no one else. “But as to your question, you know what the Ten Commandments say—don’t commit adultery, don’t murder, don’t steal, don’t lie, honor your parents, and so on.”
The man replied, “I’ve obeyed every one of these laws since I was a small child.”
“There is still one thing you lack,” Jesus said. “Sell all you have and give the money to the poor—it will become treasure for you in heaven—and come, follow me.”
But when the man heard this he went sadly away, for he was very rich.

MY INITIAL THOUGHTS: I believe that some may sit and gloat over the idea that we have our house in order and we could accept the fact that Jesus may return at any moment. But much like the case of the rich young ruler, I wonder what God might draw to our attention as that ‘one more thing’ or ‘just one thing lacking’. Let me encourage you to get totally honest with yourself as you examine your life against the Word of God in our study these verses today.

APPLICATION OF THE WORD: As a teenager, I pressured my mom to let me return to school one day early from lunch, because I knew there would be lots of guys my age waiting to play games right up to the time for the afternoon school bell. Reluctantly mom let me go early, but not too long into our fun time racing after each other, I fell and cut my arm on a piece of glass. I knew I would never hear the end of it if I went home to be doctored, so I went to a nearby aunt. When I returned home that afternoon after school, I walked in the house with my arm swinging behind me, hoping that mom wouldn’t notice the large bandage around my arm! Although almost comical, I was faced with a lot of ridicule from a loving and caring mother! Some of you might hold ‘secrets’ from your spouse, while others may hold secrets from your teacher and/or pastor, or the tax man. Why some may even think that they are hiding things from God. But this fits the same category as my scenario when I thought I was hiding my bandaged arm from my mother! Often, we sit on the edge of our seat when judgment is occurring about our wrongdoings, because way too often we did a lot worse than what others see. But guess what? The Bible reveals that God even knows our thoughts, so not only is He aware of our wrongdoings, but He also knows about what we thought about doing or saying. I believe that one of the most embarrassing things that could occur, is for us to lay all our ‘cards’ on the table, only to be corrected about the ones we thought we would hold back on. Jesus knew how stingy the ruler was with his finances, so He was quick to remind the young man about getting his whole house in order, and not just obeying the commandments that were easy to follow, or easy for others to recognize in his actions. Perhaps Jesus is drawing your attention to an area of your life in which you are lacking. Deep inside you know what that is, because Jesus is pricking your conscience. I would recommend that, like the rich young ruler, start with examining your giving. God will hold us accountable for the times we withhold our gifts because we are upset with the preacher, or because no one came to visit us, or because of the way the church is wasting money, or because 1/10th of our CD interest, sale of assets, or estate gift, would amount to way more than the $10 we have always placed in the offering plate. Dear friends, when we consider giving back to God for His kingdom work and for His ultimate glory, is there anything too good, or any amount too great, to not give to His local church? Jesus told the young man much like I believe He is telling you and I today: Get your priorities in order with your finances and in following God obediently – then come and be my follower and a true representative of mine. I know you are not perfect, but are you on track for following the Master today? What is that ‘one more thing’ that you lack?

BLESSINGS WORTH NOTING: Praise God for His continued love for us, even through our stubbornness. Praise God for His patience with us, even when our hearts are undetermined about following His commands. May we determine in our hearts to be obedient in every way to our Master and Lord.

PRAYER BECAUSE OF THE IMPACT OF TODAY’S SCRIPTURE: Lord Jesus, You are most loving and gracious to us. Yet we try to convince ourselves that we can withhold in our finances, and in the details of our wickedness and lack of commitment to Your will and way. I am convinced that nothing is hidden from your eyes and ears, so I respectfully ask that You please continue to work in me so that I might become more and more like You every day. You bless us with the good health and opportunity to enjoy good jobs with good income, yet we hang on to our income like we deserve it plus a whole lot more. Forgive us Lord for our greed and selfishness. Lord may our lives be like an open book before You and may we be so obedient that there will be nothing lacking in what else we must do to be obedient. To be Your representatives and Your ambassadors here on earth, we must look, give, sound and love just like You. Please grant this to us, all for Your ultimate glory! AMEN!

The Mindset of the People

On 2023-08-16 By Ed AlgreenIn A Lamp unto My Path, Adoration, Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Awesome God, Beyond Description, Blessing, Celebrate God, Commitment, Needs, Praise, Praise-worthy, Recognize God, The Mind of Christ, Worship1 Comment

DATE POSTED: ^day, August ^, 2023, and I was blessed to be at Dowling Park, FL when God inspired me to prepare this devotional. My Footnote will tell you how to find, read or listen to any and all episodes that I have shared over the years.

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE FROM THE Living Bible (TLB) IS FOUND IN Nehemiah 10:28

THE BIBLE TEXT IS: These men signed on behalf of the entire nation—for the common people, the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the choir members, the Temple servants, and all the rest who, with their wives and sons and daughters who were old enough to understand, had separated themselves from the heathen people of the land in order to serve God.

MY INITIAL THOUGHTS: Like me, you may have heard about a church committee, where there were at least as many ideas as there were people sitting on the committee! Sounds nonproductive, but there could be effective committees, if its members are open to seeking the decision and approval of the Head of the Church – God Almighty. Members must also bear in mind the mindset of the people over which they have charge, for some will lead at such a level that, should they look back, no one might be following them. I just love the mindset of the people in our Scripture today, so let me encourage you to seek the face of God, and the mind of Christ, as we look together at our own mindset today.

APPLICATION OF THE WORD: Right at the outset, I believe that it is important for us to ponder the awesome responsibility that is ours to carry on the work of Jesus Christ in the form that He dictates in His Word, if we are serious about the choice that we made in being called a child of the King. Casually, one might brag about being a part of the heavenly royal family, and we might assume that because we occasionally attend church, that we are living up to our sonship role here on earth. But let’s remind ourselves of the seriousness offered up by the people of Jeremiah’s day in their commitment to obedience and following the teachings of the Almighty God. Friends, it is very easy to attend church, hear a spirit-led sermon and leave under the assumption that everything is done at that church in a God-honoring way. I am not naive enough to believe that some churches don’t make every effort to live up to God’s ordained plan for them. However, while still here in this world, we will individually and corporately face challenges from the evil one, especially if there is evidence that God is working miraculously through us. Over the years of being involved in church leadership, I could give you a long list of ways that Satan steps into the middle of the work we endeavor to do for Jesus through the local church. But I believe that our lesson today should concentrate more on what we might do going forward in order to be more dedicated and committed to the work of the Master in our families, our churches and our communities. My heart was touched as I read in our Scripture how the people had separated themselves from the heathen/the unsaved/the pagans/the known sinners of the day, so that they might dedicated themselves wholeheartedly to the will of God and obedience to His commands. Some who have never been involved in church leadership, or those who are new in attending church, may wonder why such a drastic step would be necessary, and whether this is something we should consider doing today. Friends, there are times that we must become detached from those who tend to cause us to have evil thoughts; see the worse in people; disregard the needs of people; lose sight of the need for sinners to be saved; ignore the needs of others; tear down good and honorable men of God; and to truly set ourselves apart to openly acknowledge that Jesus Christ is indeed Lord over all aspects of our life. When our ‘old’ friends think that we are getting ‘too godly’ they will try to tear down our newly learned beliefs and those we now hold in higher regard than them. I know, you don’t have friends like that, but let me assure you that the closer you get to God, the more upset you will make Satan, and he will begin his attack on you and your beliefs like you never imagined. Let me encourage you to do a reset on everything you have believed about being a Christian and then restart with drawing close to God. Enter into a deep and satisfying relationship with Jesus Christ. Talk to Him regularly in prayer and as you go about your day. Take time to listen to what He says to you through His Word, and allow Him to guide your thoughts, your words and your actions. This will be especially useful for the Kingdom if you carry these things with you should you ever be asked to help in church leadership, for God wants wholly dedicated leaders who would listen to Him and follow His commands, rather than those of the heathen outside and inside your church. Let Jesus be prominent in your personal life, your home life, your work life, your church life, and in all roles where you are called on to help in leadership in either of these avenues of life. Remember, it’s God that you want on the throne of your life, for if your life is influenced by any others, you will definitely be a liability and hindrance to God’s ongoing work.

BLESSINGS WORTH NOTING: Successful marriages are built around each partner separating themselves from their personal likes and dislikes and dedicating themselves wholeheartedly to one another. Our Scripture shows us that in as much as it depends on us, our personal commitments and our professional decisions will succeed if we dedicate ourselves and our decisions to honor Jesus Christ and all that He commands.

PRAYER BECAUSE OF THE IMPACT OF TODAY’S SCRIPTURE: Lord Jesus, thank You for the sacrifice You made on Calvary for the forgiveness of my sin. Thank you for loving, caring and watching out for me, for my good, each and every day. Lord, You are good and Your mercies endure forever and forever. On being reminded of what the people or Nehemiah’s day did to ensure their purity in thought and commitment of service to You, I am reminded of how easily we allow the world to dilute our thoughts and our unending commitment to You. Please Lord, open the eyes of all who call on You as Lord and teach us to commit ourselves to You fully and wholeheartedly so that You may work through us to reach the lost and unrepentant that we come into contact with each day. Oh, that You may be lifted up, honored and praised in and through our words, actions and commitment today! AMEN!

Nuggets From God's Word

Category: Appreciation