Finding Peace and Healing Through Prayer

On 2025-03-05 By Ed AlgreenIn Accept Jesus NOW, Acknowledge God, All have sinned, Awesome God, God Cares For Us, God’s Word, Righteous Living, Righteousness, SinLeave a comment

DATE POSTED
Wednesday, March 5, 2025, and I was blessed to be at Mariposa at Hunter Road, San Marcos, TX when God inspired me to prepare this devotional. My Footnote will tell you how to find and read any and all episodes that I have shared over the years.

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
Read it in your Bible or click Jeremiah 14:19-22 to read it in the New Living Translation (NLT).

APPLICATION – as inspired by the Holy Spirit
As I read this Scripture today, I was shaken by the parallel I see in our world today. We seem to have one disaster after the other and we quickly go in search of things that must have provoked such an occurrence. There’s often a lot of name throwing for who may have caused it, and there’s a lot of physical attributes we look for that may have contributed to the issue. But how often do we stop and seek the face of God in deep regret for our sin, and the sin of our forefathers? Do we see our churches calling members together in prayer to humble themselves before almighty God, asking for His forgiveness for our sin? Fellow believers, we must remember that God is probably angrier at His saved children for their ongoing submission to sin and the evil of our land, than He is at non-believers who have yet to learn about Him and His teachings. There’s no time for us to throw blame on anyone, or anything. When we look into the face of a holy, righteous and sinless God, is it not easy to realize where we have fallen short? We live in a sinful world among sinful people, so we know we have not been perfect, as only God can do. Notice that Jeremiah and his people were expecting peace and healing, because after all, they and us – we serve a God who can do all of that. But when no peace or healing came, they looked inward, and I believe that this is where many of us are challenged, for we reach our hands out expecting a lot from God. But are we worthy of those gifts, or even a second look from God? Notice how Jeremiah remembered to include his ancestors in his prayer. Have you ever stopped to think about the attributes of your life that you acquired from hanging out with your parents, grandparent and possibly those before them? Praise God some of those attributes are godly in nature, and many times have help to lead us in the right way, but we cannot fool ourselves, there are things that have served to lead us astray from the will of God also. Let’s be transparent with God, for He already knows the very hairs on our head, He knows our very thoughts, so He truly knows the sources of our sin and sin nature. I loved the though by Jeremiah in vs 21 where he pleaded with God to purify and bless him and his people for His own sake, if for no other reason. Think about that friends, God may think the whole world of us as His children, but when we sin, we disappoint Him. So, we could only imagine that He might not see enough value in blessing us because of our wayward thinking and actions, but as we consider who made us, and who set this world in motion for us to enjoy, we might easily allude to the fact that His name would be lifted up if others saw His blessings outpoured through us. Why not join me in praying at all times that God might be glorified in everything that we say or do, for whatever we do it will only matter if it’s all about Him, dear ones! May someone see and accept Jesus today because of some word or action they see in and through us.

PRAYER
Precious Lord, thanks for the reminder of how important it is to look internally before ever raising a finger to blame others for our consequences. Jeremiah seemed to have quickly identified that it was the sin of his ancestors and those of he and his people that were the blame for the critical times they were in. Today we seem to blame our neighbor, our boss, the church, the country, our president and anyone else that we are upset with at the time, for the misfortunes that impact us or stand in our way to success and happiness. But Lord God, although You delivered your people out of Egypt into a land flowing with milk and honey that You promised to them, it is obvious in our Scripture today that they were still disciplined because of their sin. This is a reminder to us as we seek your righteousness, and as we plead humbly that You show us Your perfect will for our lives. Please nudge us along to live righteously and holy, so that the world will see and know to whom we belong. Be glorified in us, because we are your obedient and righteous children, oh Lord. AMEN!

FOOTNOTE
If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please take advantage of the information provided on my page ‘To Know Jesus’. Alternatively, consider speaking with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. One of God’s servants will pray with you and offer help and encouragement as you begin or continue your walk with Jesus. If you would like to read more of my devotionals or subscribe to receive a daily email containing each new devotional, please visit NuggetsFromGodsWord.org. Friends, I encourage you to find a church home near your residence and attend as frequently as possible. Get to know God and allow His people to encourage and strengthen you in your Christian walk while you make every effort to be a blessing to them. God is at work among His people! Please consider being a part of that while also growing in your faith as you worship with fellow believers!

Finding Joy in Hardship: Embracing Life’s Challenges

On 2024-11-26 By Ed AlgreenIn A Lamp unto My Path, Accept Jesus NOW, Acknowledge God, Assurance, Awesome God, Believers, Biblical Decisions, Blinded by Sin, Chosen by God, Christ-Like, Christianity, Faith, Refocus, Relationship, RighteousnessLeave a comment

DATE POSTED
Tuesday, November 26, 2024, and I was blessed to be at Mariposa at Hunter Road, San Marcos, TX when God inspired me to prepare this devotional. My Footnote will tell you how to find and read any and all episodes that I have shared over the years.

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
Quoted from The Voice (VOICE) and found in James 1:2-4

THE SCRIPTURE READS
^2-4Don’t run from tests and hardships, brothers and sisters. As difficult as they are, you will ultimately find joy in them; if you embrace them, your faith will blossom under pressure and teach you true patience as you endure. And true patience brought on by endurance will equip you to complete the long journey and cross the finish line—mature, complete, and wanting nothing.

APPLICATION – as inspired by the Holy Spirit
Hardships and tests of any kind are sure to put some of us under, so everyone avoids anything that will stress us out and cause us to be wanting in any way. After all, we tend to think that we are special in God’s sight, and He would protect us from these types of challenges. Yet, many who will read this devotional today will acknowledge that they are either going through a tough time or have gone through some very tough times in their lifetime. Yes, even to dedicated Christians. So, as we meditate on this Scripture, we must remind ourselves that the Word of God, is God-breathed. In other words, the writers were deeply inspired by the Holy Spirit, to the extent that these words are exactly what God intended for His children to look to for knowledge, direction in life, and to abide by in every circumstance of life. Now, is it possible to run from these challenges? Of course, some will turn to drugs and or alcohol to help them through the tough times in life. This is very similar to marriage – a union where at least one partner doesn’t give their all to show and experience love or they are willing to deal with differences, instead of fighting them, or running away from them. So, frequently you will see a couple seek human government’s help to escape that marital obligation. James is telling us today that we must always remember that God is in charge of a believer’s direction in life. As such, we will find joy in all our many blessings, but we must also seek the face of Jesus when things take off in a different direction to anything we expect. Friends, this is not to boast, but there was a time that my dad looked sadly at me and said how disappointed he was that I was moving further away from him as he matured in age. However, it wasn’t long afterwards when my dad looked happily at me as he celebrated God’s amazing grace in providing medical attention for him, made possible because of my move. His words: ‘Now I understand what God was doing when He prepared the way for you to move away’! I believe that James is suggesting that each of us do the same, try to accept what God is doing, especially if we have asked Him to take charge and be Lord of our lives. This growth in our relationship with Jesus Christ help us to understand and endure the proven ways of our Lord, and it is then that we gain wisdom and patience in trusting Him. A deterioration, or break, in relationship with Jesus will only weaken our faith and send us reeling to the temporary, unstable, and erratic things of this world. I’m sure that you are in the same boat as I am, searching for ways to maintain a solid relationship with our Savior, and reaching out for patience to endure the circumstances of life while impacted by them here on earth. James has given us the solution to this dilemma, draw close to God; build an ironclad relationship with His Son, Jesus Christ, and be determined to stay firm in our faith, with the help of the Master, in every circumstance of life. Just as a son or daughter can come alongside their earthly father and build a solid relationship with him and trust him in the intimate parts of our heart, so it is with our heavenly Father. Know Him today, dear friends, and know that peace which passes all human understanding or expectation.

PRAYER
Lord Jesus, I believe that you designed and created us to be just like You. However, sin has distracted us from our mission to stay on task with Your mission for our lives. I am reminded of that beautiful hymn ‘Turn your eyes upon Jesus’, for the lyrics remind us that when we turn our eyes, our focus, and our deliberate thoughts, upon the One who loves us enough to have given His very life for us, THEN the things of this world will grow strangely dim. Without You we are helpless in this earthly mission, but with You as our Guide, our Master and our Lord, ALL things are possible. Thank you for the reminder through Your servant, James, today, that a fully surrendered life is one that will be blessed with a blossoming faith and impacted by the only One who can draw us to Your side, even through the most challenging times here on earth. Humbly at Your feet today, we seek Your face, depend on Your power, and want to be guided by Your wisdom, dear Lord. Please take charge and use us here on earth, for Your kingdom’s sake. AMEN!

FOOTNOTE
If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please take advantage of information provided on my page ‘To Know Jesus’. I would also suggest that you speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com and share your good news! Perhaps one of God’s servants will 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. 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 being a part of that, while also growing in your faith, as you worship with fellow believers!

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!

The Righteous vs The Unrighteous

On 2023-08-14 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, Worship1 Comment

DATE POSTED: Monday, August 14, 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 13:6; 13

THE BIBLE TEXT IS: Righteousness (being in right standing with God) guards the one whose way is blameless, but wickedness undermines and overthrows the sinner.
Whoever despises the word and counsel [of God] brings destruction upon himself, but he who [reverently] fears and respects the commandment [of God] will be rewarded.

MY INITIAL THOUGHTS: Every time we turn on the television to catch up on the news, many of us are bothered by the evil, crime and wickedness that takes over the headlines. Some of us grow weary from this news, because we have read the Book and we know why these things are happening. But this is not new to our era, for Solomon also dealt with this back in his day. Being the wisest man on earth, and a close study of the righteousness of God, I believe we can find answers to our present-day dilemmas directly from God’s Word. Ask God to open your eyes of wisdom and understanding as you join hearts with me in understanding the words, He gave to His servant Solomon.

APPLICATION OF THE WORD: I watched a movie recently where a local City Commission reacted to certain crimes in their city by implementing very stringent laws to guard against the possibility of such crimes recurring. Soon, the town was pretty much on lockdown because of the various new laws implemented, and many of the town residents soon became extremely unhappy. I believe that may be representative of many of our cities, and possibly even our churches. But Solomon teaches us how to search for the root of our problems. What does God’s Word say about these things? Are we living in full obedience to God’s Word and His instructions? Recently I have been so busy with earthly challenges, that my heavenly relationship has been hindered. I found where nothing seemed to have been going right. Until one day God opened my eyes to see how my priorities have become skewed by the challenges of this world. Nothing bad, dear friends, but yet I could see where my priorities were out of order. This is not the way exampled by God in the very beginning. He created everything that we might need to eat and enjoy, then He created man. As if everything evolved around mankind, that He made in His own image. It sure seems to me that we try everything else, do everything else, enjoy all the world has to offer, THEN if anything goes wrong, we run to the only One who could do ALL things – Almighty God. I believe that our Scripture verses today are showing us that if we try to turn things around and trust God first, call on Him first, praise God for who He is and for what He can do – first and foremost each and every day, allow God to be our Savior and Lord who will direct our every word and action, THEN He will direct our path – our righteous path, so that we may live worthy of the Kingdom and His righteousness. Friends, don’t be fooled by this world. Unholy and unrighteous people will do unrighteous things. That’s where the evil, crime and wickedness comes from that I mentioned in my introduction. Our verses indicate that righteousness will guard the life of the blameless (those who are right with God). Please allow me to suggest that should you ever find where things are going south, or you see where sinfulness is creeping in, that you immediately go back to the beginning and reacquaint yourself with the Lord Jesus Christ and ask Him to resume leadership in your life so that you may once again walk the walk and talk the talk that He intended for your good. Let’s all try daily to call on the name of Jesus as we strive to live righteous and fearless lives that represent our Lord Jesus in every way. If you aim for perfection and to be the image of God, while asking Him to be your strength, guide and everlasting Lord, He will direct your path to avoid the pitfall of Satan’s wicked plans that are intended to destroy and tear apart every relationship that you seek after. Be ready to say like Paul did, ‘follow me, as I follow Christ’!

BLESSINGS WORTH NOTING: Solomon was careful to help us understand that the blessings for the righteous stands in stark contrast to the hands-off-by-God evil that comes to the wicked. I am rejoicing once again at being reminded that I am a child of the King of all kings and Lord of all lords!

PRAYER BECAUSE OF THE IMPACT OF TODAY’S SCRIPTURE: Too often we stand surprised by the unusual cruelty and punishment that comes to those who show no interest in following the ways of our Lord, but thank You Lord for opening our eyes once again today to see how You permit the unsaved to live unholy and disobedient lives as they wish, while blessing and preparing a path of righteousness for those who know, love and serve You. It is clear that You give us what we desire, even when it must hurt You deeply to see Your creation follow a path of unrighteousness and evil. Lord, I pray that for as long as You permit us to live in this world, that You will direct our path and give us boldness to represent You in everything we do or say. Please continue to teach us to not only say we are your children, but to especially live out the truths of Your Word each and every day. AMEN!

If You will…, God will…

On 2023-02-262023-02-26 By Ed AlgreenIn A Lamp unto My Path, Adoration, Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Awesome God, Beyond Description, Blessing, Celebrate God, Healing, Needs, Praise, Praise-worthy, Recognize God, Righteousness, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED: Sunday, 2023-02-26
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: 2 Chronicles 7:12-15
TRANSLATION: New Living Translation (NLT)

BIBLE TEXT: ¹² …. one night the Lord appeared to Solomon and said, “I have heard your prayer and have chosen this Temple as the place for making sacrifices. ¹³At times I might shut up the heavens so that no rain falls, or command grasshoppers to devour your crops, or send plagues among you. ¹⁴Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land. ¹⁵My eyes will be open and my ears attentive to every prayer made in this place.

OBSERVATION: Excitement builds as we construct a new church building, a workplace, a restaurant or anywhere that we frequent, and the temple built by Solomon was no exception. However, the grand opening was not just an opportunity for Solomon and his people to celebrate, but also the occasion gave opportunity for God to give Solomon a message for the people about their future plans to worship Almighty God. Meditate with me as we look into this Scripture that happens to include a very popular verse (vs 14).

APPLICATION: Christmas and Easter are two popular times on the church calendar when people will attend church, even if they don’t normally attend throughout the rest of the year. However, excitement still builds around the grand opening of a new sanctuary/worship center, so large crowds come to see what church leaders have to offer in the new, and often, larger facility. Earlier in this chapter we see where Solomon not only built the new, massive, facility, but he was not bashful in personally leading the crowd into worship and sacrifice at the new temple. That’s a bit unusual for current-day leaders of our respective country. At times we might hear of a president, or king, or queen, or prime minister attending a special church service, but seldom do they own any part in its construction or in the ministries that will take place there. However, Solomon didn’t just lead the pack in constructing the new temple, but he also led the dedication service of the new home of the Ark of the Covenant, and also in rededication of the people to Almighty God. For us today, news media might show up for the dedication of a grand, new building in town, and they will certainly show up if government leaders attend. But seldom will we hear highlights from the sermon, and we would hardly ever hear what God may have said to the temple leader, even if it’s a challenging message for the congregation. However, one of the beautiful advantages of having access to God’s Holy Word, is that we will often find interactive conversations between God and His church leaders. I discerned that God wanted Solomon to know that yes, He was enthused by the townspeople who showed up for the opening of the temple, but He also wanted them to know that there may come a time where He might find it necessary to get their attention again. This might happen through a drought, or it may happen through pestilences that will destroy their crops. He might also send plagues on them again, and they were very familiar with that during their last days in Egypt. That’s pretty tough stuff for these people who were just blessed immensely by the opening of the temple. But look at the message this sent to them, and to us as we read God’s Word and are reminded of the relationship between us and our God. Celebrations are awesome, and many will come to help us celebrate. But I believe that God wants us to know that He is particularly interested in a relationship with us. One that will celebrate in the good things that God does for us each day; in the needs that He meets each day, even when we don’t deserve or ask for it; in the challenging times that will come our way, for we know that we serve a God who specializes in things thought impossible by us; and in the times that we just worship and adore our King for who He is. Friends, let’s remember that we live in a world where sin abounds, and while we are in these mortal bodies we are susceptible to giving in to sin, so God made it clear that we must not only recognize who He is and what He can do for us, but approach Him in a state of holiness – humble ourselves and pray, seek His face and turn from our wicked ways. I believe it is important that we not approach God in a trifling manner, but with due honor and respect, while being totally transparent (honest). Remember that saying – you can fool some of the people some of the time, but never all of the people all of the time. Well, I believe that God fits in the latter case, for you will never fool our all-knowing God. So, God might be saying to us today, as He did to Solomon. He is thankful and blessed for our praises and our worship, but in every circumstance, always remember that He is still God. When things seem off a bit, there’s nothing wrong with God, instead humble yourselves, pray, seek the face of God, and turn from your wicked ways. It’s at that point that God will hear from heaven and heal our land. Every week will then become a celebration that our townspeople will want to come and witness!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: God stands ready to heal our land if those who are called by His name will humble themselves, pray, seek His face and turn from their wicked ways. Let’s do our part and be ready to celebrate as God does His part!

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, I’m sure it must seem like we say those things that will help us to get our ticket stamped for entry into heaven, even though we tend to live pretty much like we’ve always lived. My heart was touched once again as I read the words You shared with Solomon for his people, for I believe these are still things we need to perfect in our lives still today. When an unholy people meet with a holy and righteous God, there is much to do in the cleanup of our lives. Please Lord, work diligently in our lives, so that we might have strength to work towards Your righteousness and live holy lives before a lost and dying world. As we meet to worship You today, please meet the needs of your people and heal the evil in our land, will causing the lost to find Jesus. 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!

Rewards For Seeking Righteousness and Purity

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

How To Be Considered ‘Righteous’ By God

On 2022-03-252022-03-26 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Righteous, Righteousness, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Friday, 2022-03-25
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Romans 4:20-25
TRANSLATION: New Living Translation (NLT)

BIBLE TEXT: ²⁰Abraham never wavered in believing God’s promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God. ²¹He was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever he promises. ²²And because of Abraham’s faith, God counted him as righteous. ²³And when God counted him as righteous, it wasn’t just for Abraham’s benefit. It was recorded ²⁴for our benefit, too, assuring us that God will also count us as righteous if we believe in him, the one who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. ²⁵He was handed over to die because of our sins, and he was raised to life to make us right with God.

APPLICATION: On the basis of our Scripture, if you believe Jesus was raised from the dead, you are exercising the same quality of faith as did Abraham—a hero of faith. Think about that – at age 86, Abraham was informed by God that he would have a child later in life! Sounds almost like a joke to us today, right? But like Mary did when she was told she would be the mother of Jesus, Abraham just pondered these things in his mind. My friends, if God says it, we could believe it! Think about the pressure you might be under at this time, or the problems you might be facing, they’re nothing in comparison to the incredible faith you have already demonstrated in and through the precious name of Jesus Christ. Once a believer grasps the fact that he’s already done the hard stuff—that his belief in the Resurrection sets him apart as a hero of faith—then any other pressure or problem is a piece of cake, minute in comparison to the fact that he has already embraced the victories of the impossible. Now, if you’re a believer, your faith and salvation are based upon the Resurrection. You didn’t see it visually. You haven’t touched Jesus physically. You haven’t heard His voice audibly—but somehow you believe it. And, even though our culture mocks it, science disputes it, people doubt it—because God has graced you with faith to believe what the world doesn’t understand—anything else you’re struggling with is easy and stress-free. Compared to believing in the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, it is nothing to believe in victory over whatever giant is before you, or whatever pressure is upon you! God knew from the very beginning of time, how challenging it would be for us to wrap our tiny brains around the idea of being righteous, like Abraham was righteous, and like Jesus was righteous. He gave us these two as mentors in the faith, but He also gave us His Word so that we might consider all things, to help remind us of His power, and the grace that He bestows on us each and every day. Jesus was the righteous Son of God. Abraham was considered righteous because of his faith, and so can we follow in Abraham’s footsteps because of our faith. How are you doing with that dear reader and/or listener?

BLESSING(S) NOTED: That mere man can be found ‘righteous’ before a holy and righteous God.

PRAYER: Who are we that a King would live and die for? Who are we that a Savior would consider ‘righteous’ while here on earth? What a blessed people we are, that God sent His one and only Son to die, so that we who believe on Him might live righteously as we anxiously await our heavenly home! Lord You are good, and Your mercies endures forever and forever! You worked miraculously in Abraham’s life, and You have been so gracious to us also. Thank You dear Lord! Please continue Your hand upon us so that others may see Jesus and want to know You personally. AMEN!

Your Appointment WILL Result in a Decision

On 2022-02-222022-02-25 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Decisions, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Righteousness, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Tuesday, 2022-02-22
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Matthew 13:40-43
TRANSLATION: Amplified Bible (AMP)

BIBLE TEXT: ⁴⁰So just as the weeds are gathered up and burned in the fire, so will it be at the end of the age. ⁴¹The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend [those things by which people are led into sin], and all who practice evil [leading others into sin], ⁴²and will throw them into the furnace of fire; in that place there will be weeping [over sorrow and pain] and grinding of teeth [over distress and anger]. ⁴³Then the righteous [those who seek the will of God] will shine forth [radiating the new life] like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears [to hear], let him hear and heed My words.

APPLICATION: Although God is working on each of us every day, and working in us as we permit Him to guide our steps, yet there will come a day for every person when we will leave, or die to, this world and we will stand before the Judge of all judges, who will determine our final destination. The Bible is very clear, and particularly in today’s Scripture, we are reminded that each of us will face the God who created us. The Bible is also clear that it will not be an embarrassing moment for your pastor, or your parents, or your spouse, for we will each stand before God individually. Today’s Scripture is very clear on how that meeting will go, so I encourage you to read it carefully and soberly so that God’s intentions will be clear to you individually. I hope that some will read this devotional who never before saw the need, or had the desire to enter a church, much less worship the God who created them. For each of us must be reminded that regardless of what our life is like here on earth, we WILL face God one day. For some, this will be a joyous time of finally getting to see the King that they adored, worshipped and served here on earth. For I believe that God will acknowledge their righteousness and welcome them to their eternal home in glory with He, and His Son (Jesus) for all eternity! For some, God will say somethings very similar to what they said to Him while here on earth – away from me, for I never knew you. I believe they will be tagged as the ‘unrighteous’, and they will finally be assigned their eternal home with Satan – a place of fire, brimstone, and agony – a place Satan has prepared for all those who lived here on earth without ever recognizing the Creator, nor His beloved Son, Jesus, but lived life like it was theirs to destroy. But I believe the saddest time will be for those who love God, for they will see the disappointment on the face of their Master, and the sadness that will come over Him as He is forced to send a child that He carefully and wonderfully made, a child that He sent His Son to save, from their attraction to sin, and rejection of Him. They deliberately chose to continue their selfish desires that brought them anything but happiness. Friends, today each of us are traveling one of the paths that I described above. In the Word of God, He is clear on the outcome for the righteous and the unrighteous, and they are totally opposite. I have family and friends who are dying at an alarming rate, so let me remind you, dear friend, that you moment for making the decision to ask God for His righteousness is not assured beyond the very moment that you are reading this text. I have included information in my Footnote that can help you change the trajectory of your life right now. I would invite you to email me so that I might pray for you as you seek God’s face. Otherwise, let me encourage you to get with a local Bible teaching pastor or Christian leader to pray with you in person. God created you; He loves you; and He will welcome your decision to change the direction of your sin-sick life. Speak to Him while imagining how much He loves you and wants you by His side. No worries about being in a specific place with a specific person while saying specific words. Just talk to God, right now, dear one.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: My decision to serve the King of all kings was affirmed in early 1975. Praise God, I am filled with anticipation as I am reminded of His ‘Welcome Home’ greeting some day soon! While I wait for that, my desire is to encourage others to give up on sin, and accept my Lord as their Savior.

PRAYER: It won’t be long now! I believe those are the words You are declaring to my readers and I today as we study this Scripture from the book of Matthew. Thank You Lord for saving my soul. Thank You Lord for awesome family and friends. Please remind them of Your love for them once again today, and how Your invitation is still open to them. Oh that they will be sobered into reality and know that their time here on earth may very well end today. May they make the necessary steps to accept You today, is my humble prayer, even though they may be convinced of the joy this old world offers that leads them deeper into unrighteousness. You alone are God, so I am encouraged that You have the power to soften even the hardest and most stubborn hearts. They’re Your children Lord – designed and created by only You. Please draw them back to Yourself today. AMEN!

Your Righteousness in God’s Sight

On 2021-12-272021-12-26 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Righteous, Righteousness, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Monday, 2021-12-27
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: 2 Samuel 22:21-25
TRANSLATION: New International Version (NIV)

BIBLE TEXT: ²¹“The Lord has dealt with me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands he has rewarded me.
²²For I have kept the ways of the Lord; I am not guilty of turning from my God.
²³All his laws are before me; I have not turned away from his decrees.
²⁴I have been blameless before him and have kept myself from sin.
²⁵The Lord has rewarded me according to my righteousness, according to my cleanness in his sight.

APPLICATION: I remember as a teenager I went home for lunch, and wanted to return to school early, so that I could play with the other kids before school resumed for the afternoon session. Mom reluctantly allowed me to return early, provided that I assured her of my good behavior until the official start of afternoon school. Saying ‘yes’ to mom allowed me to get I wanted, so I ran to school. After much hard playing, I fell and cut my arm open on a broken bottle. Right away I concluded that I could not go home to mom, who didn’t want me to return to school early anyway, so I went to a favorite aunt who patched me up. Upon arriving home after school that afternoon, it was comical to see how I tried to hide my arm behind my back so mom wouldn’t see my mishap!! Doesn’t that remind us how it will be when we walk before the King of all kings? But I was amazed by David in our Scripture today, for he knew that he was guiltless and could therefore approach God boldly, and he would be considered righteous before God. Of course this made me ponder how the guilty, and the non-guilty would do in their approach with God, for you see – He not only knows about those things we fell like the world knows, but He also knows about those things we thought were hidden from everyone else, plus God knows our very thoughts and ill feelings that we harbor against our neighbors/friends. So, surely God would not have us live in such misery and die in shame, would He? It is clear from all that God did for us that He would rather do just the opposite. We just celebrated the birth of God’s precious Son that He miraculously sent to earth to save us from our sin and the guilt associated with our sin. This gift was not just made available to the best of mankind – those who try to obey every law and be gracious to every neighbor. But God’s gift, Jesus, is available to ALL who believe on Him. In John 3:16 we are told that ALL who believe on Jesus, will have everlasting, or eternal, life! For the one who accepts this gift, and the promise of the Father associated with this gift, we become righteous just as He is. We then become just like David, where we could praise God every day for the freedom we have in standing before Him as a righteous son or daughter. Friends, it is possible, but only through the wonderful work of Jesus. Without accepting the gift of God, we are unrighteous, and deserve the only alternative destination – Hell. What’s your destiny – heaven, or hell? It depends on whether you are righteous (because of Jesus), or if you are unrighteous? You determine, my friend!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: David was convinced that God saw him blameless because he had kept himself from sin, and that He consequently had rewarded him for his righteousness. Wow, we too could be that confident and assured before God!

PRAYER: Lord, I believe that You designed us with our own guilt meter! For we know full well when we decidedly disobey Your commands and Your will for our lives. This has sometimes led to our hearts being hardened, and our minds being buried in total guilt. Please Lord, direct us to Your Word daily, and help us to stay focused on what You would have us do each day. For I believe that this is what leads us into ministering to others and encouraging them to look towards the Kingdom, where only You could cleanse us of our sin and make us righteous in Your sight. The lost is looking for Your followers who exemplify You in every way. May we be true to our calling and allow You to have Your will and way in our lives everyday, so that Your ministry might be fulfilled even through humble men and women who love and serve You. AMEN!

Here’s What Distracts Our True Worship

On 2021-02-232021-02-22 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Distractions, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Righteousness, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Tuesday, 2021-02-23
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: Matthew 15:15-20
TRANSLATION: Contemporary English Version (CEV)

BIBLE TEXT: ¹⁶Jesus then said: …. ¹⁷Don’t you know that the food you put into your mouth goes into your stomach and then out of your body? ¹⁸But the words that come out of your mouth come from your heart. And they are what make you unfit to worship God. ¹⁹Out of your heart come evil thoughts, murder, unfaithfulness in marriage, vulgar deeds, stealing, telling lies, and insulting others. ²⁰These are what make you unclean. Eating without washing your hands will not make you unfit to worship God.

OBSERVATION: Isn’t it interesting how Satan distracts us from worship to our God by placing small petty things in our way to get our attention? The Pharisees, who were the leaders of the church in Jesus’ day, were keenly aware of the disciples not washing their hands before meals, but they were blinded to the sins that kept them from a right relationship with God. Unfortunately this may apply to us still today, more than we would care to recognize. Oh that the Word of God might open our eyes today as we meditate on our Lord.

APPLICATION: As a teenager, I remember a situation where two sons of a prominent church member came to worship services one Sunday. One of the ushers immediately ridiculed the young men about their dress code not being appropriate for God’s house. There’s no telling how long parents and friends had prayed for these young men to return to church, but the ridicule pushed them further away from the church than they ever were before. How on earth would dress code prevent a person from hearing the Gospel or worshiping their Lord? If you have relatives who live by certain dietary restrictions, especially if they feel there are Biblical reasons, then you have probably been preached at for sinfully eating the wrong things. No doubt there are many other examples where people are considered ruthless sinners because they do not adhere to all of the church rules created for their ‘guidance’. Jesus found the opportunity to speak to religious leaders over an issue very similar to what we experience today. As a child I was trained to always wash my hands before coming to the table to eat, but the Pharisees took this to the extreme by making it a sin if you didn’t wash before eating. But just as in the case of the Pharisees, Jesus is very aware of what the real sin is in our lives also. Furthermore, He is teaching us in the Scriptures today, that sin against God has a serious adverse effect on our worship to the only holy and righteous God. But where does sin originate? As I read this teaching by Jesus, my mind immediately went on to think about what a person does when his heart is continually topped off with anger over certain things that he feels strongly about. I believe it would be virtually impossible for that person to respond in love, in happiness, in kindness and in a spirit of helpfulness. An angry heart invokes angry actions. You will note that Jesus used several other descriptors to help remind us that we will speak or react based on the mode of our heart. Unless we fill our hearts with the attitude and character of Jesus Christ, then we cannot except to respond like He would. Take ‘love’ for example – Jesus went willingly to the cross for you and me, even while we were still steeped in sin. When we love like Jesus did, we can do it regardless of the circumstances around us, or on what may have impacted us up to that very moment. To worship God in spirit and in truth, means that we can stand honestly before the King with no regrets, or worries, about what may have provoked us into temptation. The Psalmist asked God to create in me a clean and upright heart. Perhaps we should seek God’s face in similar fashion so that we may stand before Him in all honesty and truth, with a clean and contrite heart.

PRAYER: I believe that the only heart that is clean when it comes into the presence of our Holy God, is a heart that has been cleansed by the blood of the Lamb, and one that has sought the face of Jesus for a renewed cleansing from the battle scars of this old world. So Lord, I beg of You to cleanse my heart and renew within me a right spirit, so that I may stand before You in worship without the distractions of this sinful world. Please also touch the heart of my readers so that they also might find peace in knowing You, and may they desire a renewed cleansing that would present them faultless before the King of all kings. Forgive us Lord for trying to worship You through our distractions and our sin. May we not only come face-to-face with You in holiness, but may our lives be more usable by You when clothed in Your righteousness. AMEN!

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

Nuggets From God's Word

Category: Righteousness