Category: Bible Believing

Born Again?

On By Ed AlgreenIn Bible Believing, Born Again, Christian, Eternal Life, Faith, Heaven, Humility, RighteousnessLeave a comment

SCRIPTURE

Studied: John 3

OBSERVATION

John 3:3-7 ~ Jesus replied, “I tell you for certain that you must be born from above before you can see God’s kingdom!” Nicodemus asked, “How can a grown man ever be born a second time?” Jesus answered: I tell you for certain that before you can get into God’s kingdom, you must be born not only by water, but by the Spirit. Humans give life to their children. Yet only God’s Spirit can change you into a child of God. Don’t be surprised when I say that you must be born from above.

APPLICATION

We often hear the terminology “You must be born again” or “You must accept Jesus as Lord” in order to enter into heaven one day. To those that are unfamiliar with the Word of God, it must be difficult to understand this terminology, and it must sound to you like it did to Nicodemus in these verses. However, Jesus explained that just as in our natural birth we are born from the womb through water into a new birth – a true transformation, the second birth is from a natural sinful life through the Spirit of God that will give us a brand new birth in Christ, another transformation. It is as easy as A, B, C to do this. Be ready by ADMITting that you are a sinner in need of a Savior (Jesus). BELIEVE that Jesus is Lord and that only He can save you and give you access into heaven. Then CONFESS your sin to Jesus and ask His forgiveness. It’s as simple as that, Admit, Believe and Confess. Do this and you will be saved, friend! Go then and tell your friends about the change/transformation that has occurred in your life!

PRAYER

Father I thank You for saving me, and for forgiving me of my sin, and giving me life eternal. Please speak to anyone reading this today and convince them of any decisions that they need to make. Please tender the hearts of my family and loved ones that still need to surrender their lives to You. May this be a day of decision for them. May they go to bed tonight with the assurance of knowing that they have made the most important decision of their life and that it is a positive decision towards knowing You as their personal Savior. As this is read, decisions will be made. One decision will be to accept Jesus as Lord or the alternative is to continue a life without Christ that could be into eternal damnation (Hell) before the sun sets tonight. I love my family and friends too much to know that any of them will make the latter decision, so please soften their hearts even now dear Jesus.

A Mighty Rock In Whom I Am Secure

On By Ed AlgreenIn Bible Believing, Faith, Humility, RighteousnessLeave a comment

SCRIPTURE

Studied: Psalm 62

OBSERVATION

Psalm 62:1-2 ~ Only God can save me, and I calmly wait for him. God alone is the mighty rock that keeps me safe and the fortress where I am secure.

APPLICATION

“What a Mighty God We Serve“, “You Never Let Go – Whom Then Shall I Fear” are two songs that come readily to my mind as I read these verses, for the God that I serve is the only One that can save me, He is the only One that I consider as a ‘Mighty Rock’ on whom I can stand/depend or trust with the challenges that may come my way, for He is a fortress where I can be safe and secure. Savor these three songs that are hyperlinked as you meditate on this devotion and reflect on the awesome God that we know, love, serve and plan to spend eternity with!

PRAYER

Lord may I always be ready to thank You and praise You each and every day for being my strength and my guide and my rock on whom I can rest. “I love You Lord, and I Lift my voice, to worship You oh my Lord“.

The People God is Pleased With

On By Ed AlgreenIn Bible Believing, Faith, Heaven, Humility, Righteousness, WorksLeave a comment

SCRIPTURE

Studied: Isaiah 66

OBSERVATION

Isaiah 66:1-2 ~ This is what the Lord says: “Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. So do you think you can build a house for me? Do I need a place to rest? My hand made all things. All things are here because I made them,” says the Lord. “These are the people I am pleased with: those who are not proud or stubborn and who fear my word.

APPLICATION

The first part of these verses really caught my attention, because I feel like we are so busy having church, doing things for the church, keeping up the buildings and grounds, and doing, doing, doing, until we often leave out the time that is necessary to study God’s Word and draw close to Him in our personal relationship. While I love the verse in James that speak of faith without works, I believe that God reminded me through His prophet Isaiah in these verses that there is nothing more important than my personal relationship with Him and living my life in a manner that pleases Him. To put this in perspective, I believe that we should surrender our lives to Christ and allow Him to be Lord of our lives. We should then stay in God’s Word so that we may get to know Him better and seek after what it takes to please Him every day. God is the only one that did it right, for He lived a perfect life, therefore we should seek to model our lives after Him. As we come to know Him better, we will automatically be of service to and help others, like He did when He was here in human form. But I believe that we must be extra careful to not let our desire to help others overshadow our constant need for growing more like Jesus every day. His Word is filled with ‘nuggets’ that will show us our human weaknesses and teach us His ways.

PRAYER

Teach me Your ways oh God, so that I may live in harmony with Your will for my life. I pray that while here on this earth You will give me strength and wisdom to live my life in a manner pleasing to You. From Your Word this morning, I realize that I need to be certain that I am humble and therefore not proud or stubborn, and that I will live in the fear of God and in the knowledge and subsequent obedience to Your Word. You are my God, please help me to live like Your son.

My New Home

On By Ed AlgreenIn Bible Believing, Faith, Heaven, RighteousnessLeave a comment

SCRIPTURE

Studied: Isaiah 65

OBSERVATION

Isaiah 65:17-25 ~ “Look! I am creating new heavens and a new earth, and no one will even think about the old ones anymore. Be glad; rejoice forever in my creation! And look! I will create Jerusalem as a place of happiness. Her people will be a source of joy. I will rejoice over Jerusalem and delight in my people. And the sound of weeping and crying will be heard in it no more. “No longer will babies die when only a few days old. No longer will adults die before they have lived a full life. No longer will people be considered old at one hundred! Only the cursed will die that young! In those days people will live in the houses they build and eat the fruit of their own vineyards. Unlike the past, invaders will not take their houses and confiscate their vineyards. For my people will live as long as trees, and my chosen ones will have time to enjoy their hard-won gains. They will not work in vain, and their children will not be doomed to misfortune. For they are people blessed by the Lord, and their children, too, will be blessed. I will answer them before they even call to me. While they are still talking about their needs, I will go ahead and answer their prayers! The wolf and the lamb will feed together. The lion will eat hay like a cow. But the snakes will eat dust. In those days no one will be hurt or destroyed on my holy mountain. I, the Lord, have spoken!”

APPLICATION

Normally I wouldn’t use such a large chunk of scripture at one time, but this was so good until it was really too difficult choosing just a short piece of it. Anytime I read about, or think about or reflect on my new home in glory with my Savior, it gives me a super charge! This is so exciting! Here on this old earth I thank God for all that He blesses me with each day, for I truly feel blessed in so many ways. But there is sin here, and where there is sin the old Devil has freedom to rant and rave and use his warriors to interfere with the joy that I would otherwise have in enjoying the peace and comfort of all that God gives to me. In the new heaven that He has gone to prepare for me there will be no interfering by anyone, especially old Satan, for he will be banned from there, praise be to God! Another scripture says that we should think on these things, instead of all the evil around us. This is a wonderful thought that can compare to nothing on this old earth. What A Day That Will Be, When my Jesus I shall see, When I look upon His face……

PRAYER

Lord Jesus, thank You for preparing a home where, one day, I will be with You for evermore! What A Day That Will Be! While here on this old earth, may I be found worthy to share Your Word and the joy that You bring into my life each day. You have done so much for me and have done so much to prepare even my future that I want to serve You in any way that I can while here in this earth. I pray that You will guide me and lead me each day in the path that You would have me follow so that Your work may be accomplished. Oh I want to see Him, Look upon His face!

God, and God Alone!

On By Ed AlgreenIn Bible Believing, Christian, Faith, RighteousnessLeave a comment

SCRIPTURE

Studied: Isaiah 65

OBSERVATION

Isaiah 65:16 ~ I am God! I can be trusted. Your past troubles are gone; I no longer think of them. When you pray for someone to receive a blessing, or when you make a promise, you must do it in my name. I alone am the God who can be trusted.

APPLICATION

Several things in this short verse that just ‘rang my bell’ this morning:

  • Not only is He God, but that He can be trusted! I don’t remember ever doubting this, but to hear God say it is such an overwhelming reminder that we can place our trust in the living God and leave it there, knowing that He can be trusted to deal with our issues no matter how great or small, no matter whether it’s a ‘yes’ response or ‘no’, or ‘not now’. So often we get so hung up on our desired answer being the only answer we want to hear. But let’s also remember that if we place our faith and trust in God for the ‘right’ answer, then we have to accept the answer He provides. Remember, He can be trusted!
  • “Your past troubles are gone; I no longer think of them!” Then why should we carry around the weight of our past troubles? Why should we let them spoil our joy today? A good old song reads, “

Nuggets from God’s Word!

On By Ed AlgreenIn Bible Believing, ChristianLeave a comment

SCRIPTURE

Studied: 2 Chronicles 15 

OBSERVATION

  1. 2 Chronicles 15:2 ~ … The LORD will be with you and help you, as long as you obey and worship him. But if you disobey him, he will desert you.
  2. 2 Chronicles 15:7 ~ So you must be brave. Don’t give up! God will honor you for obeying him.

APPLICATION

  1. I believe that God is the same today as He was yesterday, not only for those areas that we truly want to trust Him, but also in areas like this. After all, the Word of God is ordained by Him and placed in the Book so that we may read, believe, follow and practice His commands. Therefore I believe that these Words would have meaning and application for me today. So I believe that God is saying to me that the Lord will be with me and my family and my church and help us, as long as we obey and worship Him. When we fail to do this, His Word says that He will desert us. I believe that the Spirit of God that dwells within Christians, tells us first hand when we sin and when we are not right with God. But most of all we should immediately miss the absence of God when He deserts us.
  2. This is neat! In verse 2 the Word tells us how important it is for us to obey and worship God. In this verse God confirms that He will honor us for obeying Him, so be brave and don’t give up on our efforts to honor and obey Him! This is confirmation to me that my efforts will not go unnoticed, praise be to God!

PRAYER

  1. What a mockery we make of God when we act the way we do sometimes. Father please give me the boldness to humble myself, seek Your face and ask forgiveness of my sin so that You can heal me of my sin and the after effects or scars that it leaves on Your child. Please help me to be totally sold out to You. To be so sensitive to Your direction for my life that I will always seek to serve You and represent You well in all that I do and say. Please help me to not be a stumbling block to any soul that You desire to touch through me, but rather give me the strength, boldness and sensitivity to be moldable and usable by You at all time.
  2. I know how hopeless it sometimes feel, especially when it appears that we are paddling upstream and facing so much worldly opposition. Thank You God for giving me assurance that I need to keep on keeping on and that You will honor me for obeying You. I can gladly sing the chorus of that old hymn:
    There is peace in the midst of my storm-tossed life
    Oh, there’s an anchor, there’s a rock to cast my faith upon
    Jesus rides in my vessel, so I’ll fear no alarm
    He gives me peace in the midst of my storm