Category: Clean Heart

Please The God Who Knows Your Heart & Thoughts

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

DATE POSTED Friday, 2023-02-10
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: 1 Thessalonians 2:4
TRANSLATION: Amplified Bible (AMP)

BIBLE TEXT: 4 But just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel [that tells the good news of salvation through faith in Christ], so we speak, not as [if we were trying] to please people [to gain power and popularity], but to please God who examines our hearts [expecting our best].

APPLICATION: In reading this letter from Paul, I am reminded that not many things and/or attitudes have changed a whole lot over the years, because we – members that make up ‘the church’, are still just as stuck in our ways as the early saints of Paul’s day. It is extremely disappointing to hear ‘saints of God’ say that they will withhold their tithes until that preacher stops preaching on this subject or holding to that belief. It is so sad that members will attend church services with a thirst for the Word of God, and a deep desire to hear of His message – the Gospel of Jesus Christ, only to hear the same biases and personal political beliefs of the teacher/preacher. Often the very One that the church is supposed to represent, receives the least attention. Although many controversial subjects are clearly defined in the Word of God, yet church leaders spend an inordinate amount of time trying to decide what their stand will be on the subject. Friends, I am a firm believer that when we preach the gospel that, as Paul said, was entrusted to us, God will touch our hearts and open our minds to the truth of His Word that dictates how we are to personally handle the worldly affairs that will be hurled at us. Whereas when we expose our personal views on a matter, we will only cause strife and division in the church. Story after story in the Bible will show that Government leaders of Bible times deliberately went after Gospel teachers and preachers. But remember, they (the world) serve a different ‘god’ than we do. The thoughts, plans and future mapped out by our God are much greater than anything they are capable of imagining, so if we stick to His Word, His direction and His example, we will tend to better follow in His footsteps. In the Wilderness, Jesus didn’t respond to Satan with worldly ideas, threats or correction, but instead, He quoted the Word of God to him. As children of the King, please… let us learn to follow in the ways of Jesus and stick to the Word of God. When we commit ourselves to the plan God has in store for us, there is nothing, absolutely nothing, that will upset our applecart, for we know the plans He has for us! I was torn on the translation that best presented this verse today, because I really like the translation that said in the very last sentence – to please the God who examines us and knows our very thoughts! What a sobering thought for us! Pastors and Teachers, please don’t allow Satan to influence you on what is off-limits in the Bible. I’m sure there are subjects that Satan would like for you to stay clear of, and there are probably some subjects that your members or audience may rather not be addressed from your pulpit. But I trust that since the whole Word of God was given to us for leading others to Christ, edifying the Savior of the world, and discipleship of the saints, then I would encourage you to always take God’s lead in what He would have you share with your flock. The very subjects you were threatened not to speak on, or the most controversial topics that tend to upset children of God, are probably the ones they need to hear once again through the living, Holy Spirit who wants their attention once again on that subject. Do it as unto the Lord, dear pastor, with no desire for praise or glory on how well you will tickle the ears of the believers in your listening audience. May God be pleased with your thoughts, and through your words shared for His glory!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: There is absolutely nothing more comforting than to stand in the presence of Almighty God with a clear conscience and hear Him say ‘Well Done Good and Faithful Servant, you were true to my Word in your thoughts and in the very depths of your heart. Come join me and the Father in heaven now, knowing that my Word fell on fertile ground.’

PRAYER: Thank You heavenly Father for making us accountable to our Creator. You placed us here on this earth with a purpose in mind for each of us. You know our hearts and even our thoughts. Please give us a boldness to speak in confidence all that You have taught us through Your Word, while never trying to dilute Your truth or soften its effect because of the company we’re in or with fear of retribution from them. Please help us to know that only You can mend a broken heart and only You can save one from eternity in Hell. So, help us to speak the Word, and allow You to imprint it on the hearts of our hearers where It would make a difference for all eternity. Please have Your will and way in our lives Lord, so that we may stay true to Your commands, and help us to always be ready for a time of celebration when You impact lives because of Your Word being proclaimed. Not my will, but thine oh Lord, be done on earth as it is in heaven. AMEN!

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

The Condition Of Your Heart When Praying

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

DATE POSTED Tuesday, 2021-11-23
WRITTEN AT: Sebring, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Psalm 66:17-20
TRANSLATION: Easy-to-Read Version (ERV)

BIBLE TEXT: 17-18 I cried out to him for help, and I praised him.
If I had been hiding sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened to me.
19 But God did listen to me; he heard my prayer.
20 Praise God! He did not turn away from me—he listened to my prayer.
He continues to show his love to me!

APPLICATION: Not in our wildest imagination would we think of approaching those in highest authority over our country without first seeking advice on what to wear and how to deal with the expected protocols of the office held. We wouldn’t dream of attending in our farm working clothes, or a pair of sandals, nor with a company cap on. We would want to be prepared to greet, and respond with utmost respect, and we would appreciate knowing when we are to keep quiet and whether to only speak when asked to, etc. So what about our approach with God? We must always remember that there is no one higher, none as holy, and we are oh so unworthy of His love and acceptance of us, mere sinners saved by grace. Why presidents, kings and queens must all bow to Him, and they must approach the throne of grace for salvation just like the poorest man on earth. So if we see the need for respect and honor of our country’s leaders, shouldn’t we all the more freely give honor, glory, and our foremost respect to our Lord – the One who created us and our leaders, the One who loves us all unconditionally, and the One who placed our leaders in authority over us? Notice that all these qualities I just mentioned have nothing to do with the dress code of our church nor the worship songs they choose to lead us in. Instead, it is a matter of what’s in our heart. Led by the Holy Spirit, David shared how he felt his prayers would not have been answered if he approached God with sin in his heart. Perhaps this is something we should look at deeply when we seek God in prayer, especially if it appears like He may be refusing to hear our cry for help. Friends, we may stand a chance fooling some of the people around us some of the time, but we could never fool God and get away with it. The Bible says that God not only hears every word we speak and sees every move we make, but He is well aware of even our deepest thoughts. So let me encourage you precious friends, make your heart right with God and stay so closely connected to Him, that the Holy Spirit will prompt you to seek forgiveness of sin that develops in your heart. God is righteous, and He expects us to communicate with Him from a righteous heart. I believe that, like David, God will hear the cries of His righteous children and He will encourage us to ask for what we need and He will grant it!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: God answers the prayers of those who approach His throne with a clean and contrite heart.

PRAYER: Living in this old sinful world, we are often stained with the sin that surrounds us. Lord, we beg You to forgive us of our sin and unrighteousness, for it is only with a clean heart free from sin that we could expect You to answer our prayers. Thank You for answering the cry of our ancestor, David, and for His words of wisdom to help us as we approach You. Those that we come into contact with will see us in our sin and it will hinder them from seeing the One that we are supposed to represent. Lord, please make us suitable for Your kingdom, and usable as Your representatives here on earth. AMEN!

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

What Does Your Heart Produce?

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Clean Heart, Heart, Heart Knowledge, Humbleness, Humility, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Worship1 Comment

DATE WRITTEN: Monday, 2021-07-05
WRITTEN AT: Gallup, NM

SCRIPTURE FROM: Matthew 15:17-20
TRANSLATION: Contemporary English Version (CEV)

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

APPLICATION: The Pharisees had overstepped their boundaries, as usual, and tried to test Jesus by reporting something they felt His disciples were overlooking. In this particular instance, they reported that, upon close observation, it appeared like the disciples were neglecting the customs of the Jews in washing their hands before eating a meal. Now we practice this little rule today, and we will get on to our children for not practicing good hygiene. But Jesus took this opportunity to teach the Pharisees, and us, that although this may be a good earthly practice to avoid spreading of germs, this is minuscule in the big picture, as it has nothing at all to do with godliness. So does this mean that the Christian must think only about godliness? Not necessarily, but when you follow through like the Pharisee in reporting a brother or sister for non-godly things, instead of praying that they might become more Christ-like, then there may be questions about your motives. Furthermore, I would hope that when you report someone for breaking man’s law, or God’s, I would hope that your life is in stellar condition. Much like the case of the Pharisees, I remember a time when I was gossiping with a coworker about certain staff members who, I thought, was less than perfect. To my surprise, and through a rude awakening, that coworker looked at me and said: ‘that’s funny, they say the same thing about you’. Shocking, but thank God for an honest and bold coworker, for it opened my eyes that I was too much like the Pharisees. Jesus went on to give examples of what results from a heart that is filled with the world’s trash. Think carefully about the Word of God and see if you could think of any Scripture that supports the following actions: evil thoughts, murder, unfaithfulness in marriage, vulgar deeds, stealing, telling lies, and insulting others. I believe you will find that the Bible/God teaches just the opposite to each of these wicked things. Being children created by God, I’m sure that He didn’t teach these things to us, so where do you suppose we came up with these? Friends, we live in an evil and conniving world that is out to set God’s children out of line with His powerful and godly teachings. It is very important that we fill our minds with the things of Christ. Jesus taught that if we fill ourselves with these two things – love God; and love one another; then we would easily follow all of His other commandments. As we practice these two commandments each day, we will fill our hearts and our minds with the things of God, and the world needs to see and witness more of this today, than perhaps any other time in history. We must guard our hearts, so that we take in the things of God, and not the things of this world that leads to more evil and disharmony. Show them Jesus, won’t you?

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Fill your heart, mind and soul with more of Jesus, and prepare to worship Him! the world needs more of Jesus, not more of itself.

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, I desire that my heart will produce the fruits that You speak of in Your Word. To accomplish this while still in a world filled with sin and imperfections, I will need You by my side every minute of every day. Please fill me with the will to obey Your commands and to replicate the many good things that You modeled while on earth. My friends who will read and/or listen to this devotional may have the same desire, so Lord I pray that You will touch Your children today in miraculous ways so that the world may know that Jesus lives, because they see You alive in us. Please humble hearts who need You today. Draw the lost to You and use us at every opportunity where You know that we won’t mess up. AMEN!

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

The Heart of a Godly Man

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

DATE WRITTEN: Thursday, 2021-02-11
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: Genesis 33:5; 10-11; 20;
TRANSLATION: Contemporary English Version (CEV)

BIBLE TEXT: 5 …. “Whose children are these?” – Jacob answered, “These are the ones the Lord has been kind enough to give to me, your servant.”
10 ….. When you welcomed me and I saw your face, it was like seeing the face of God. 11 Please accept these gifts I brought to you. God has been good to me, and I have everything I need.”Jacob kept insisting until Esau accepted the gifts.
20 then he set up his tents and built an altar there to honor the God of Israel.

OBSERVATION: In my time of meditation in the Word today, I was overwhelmed by the heart of Jacob. So I want to share my thoughts with you in hopes that you too might be reenergized to serve God and be more at peace with Him, like Jacob was.

APPLICATION: When two individuals reunite after a long absence, what do you suppose might help them to trust each other on where they stand today? We tend to remember each other in looks and in all other aspects, based on the last time we spent time together. But what if they may have done criminal acts and possibly been punished through imprisonment, during the interim time? Do you suppose you might be more careful with what areas of your life you allow them into? The last time that Jacob saw Essau, was the awful time where Essau changed his identity to that of his brother (Jacob) in order to receive a blessing from their father, and the birthright left by their father at death. Jacob had to leave so that he wouldn’t have created a crime against his brother. Being left as the son in charge of the father’s estate, must have created great fear in Jacob as he approached his brother, Essau. But he was convinced that God had ordered him to return to his home place. I used the ‘BOLD’ option to show the phrases that touched me, but let me expand:
~ These are the ones the Lord has been kind enough to give to me, your servant – No bragging by Jacob, but simply giving God the praise for the children given to him. I wish that I could be that humble to respond like Jacob!
~ it was like seeing the face of God – Hopefully we all have taken time to think about what God might look like, and how He might react when He sees us. Excited or hesitant? Overjoyed or a bit disappointed at the time we wasted here on earth? Jacob didn’t say that his brother appeared just like he expected, or that he looked in a much better frame of mind than he expected, but he likened him to what he expects to see on Judgment Day. Wow!!
~ God has been good to me, and I have everything I need – Can you think of a man who every said that he had enough, and that he would now gladly share his worth with the rich or the poor? Jacob begged Essau to receive the gift he was giving to him, because God had been so good to bless him with everything he would ever need. I truly believe that God will bless us with so much more, if only we had the heart of Jacob and gave freely to others!
~ built an altar there to honor the God of Israel – Shown as a top priority by Jacob, he built an altar to honor God immediately after settling on the new property that he bought for him and his family. Friends, when we bless God, I believe He will bless us all the more. Oh that we might yearn to worship the God who blesses us – immeasurably each and every day. Let’s not wait until the Sabbath to worship Him, for He doesn’t wait until then to bless us.
I believe that you could see where Jacob was truly motivated and blessed by God, and this exuded from him through his speech and his actions. If it’s in us, it will come out of us. Look for the ways that God cares and loves us, then worship Him in spirit and in truth as often as you are reminded. Others will get to know what God looks like through His children who are closely attuned to Him.

PRAYER: Thank You Lord, for Your blessings on me. Thank you also for Your ministry through Jacob and Essau. Though they started out rough in their relationship as brothers, yet they were able to reunite in peace and in love. Please Lord, touch Your people once again. May we be willing and ready to worship You and give You credit for all the things that take place that bless us, or teaches us a new truth, or challenges us to be better warriors here on earth. People need the Lord. Oh that they may see Jesus in us through every contact that they have with us. AMEN!

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

The Heart In Which To Perform Your Job

On By Ed AlgreenIn Christian love, Clean Heart, Know God's Heart, Love of God, Love others, The Father's Love, The love of God, Things God loves, Unconditional loveLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Wednesday, 2020-03-04
WRITTEN AT: Paul B Johnson State Park, Hattiesburg, MS

Bible Reference: 2 Chronicles 19:9
Translation: New Living Translation (NLT)

Bible Text: 9 These were his instructions to them: “You must always act in the fear of the Lord, with faithfulness and an undivided heart.

OBSERVATION: In our Scripture today we read, with keen interest, the instructions that King Jehoshaphat gave to the judges that he appointed. I wonder if similar words are found in today’s induction ceremonies of our judges? But more than this, my heart was touched to think about those who serve in places of leadership in our churches. What about you fellow believer and leader in your own church, do you, or would you take an oath to serve under similar instruction to that offered by King Jehoshaphat? Take time to meditate on this today dear friends.

APPLICATION: I often print out the content of verses where God speaks to my soul, and I would pin those verses at places where I’m bound to look on them several times a day. This is one of those verses that would be an ideal to have stuck to your home PC monitor and/or at work, as a constant reminder from God about how to best complete your job, while honoring Him in the process. Friends, with God directing us and leading the way for us, how can we go wrong? How can we not be in His perfect will? Will this always be easy? No, but in verse 11 the king instructed the Levites to ‘Take courage as you fulfill your duties, and may the Lord be with those who do what is right.’ I am convinced that when we do right and always seek God’s direction for our decisions, we can know that God is by our side, giving us full support, encouragement and ultimate confidence. My greatest desire is to see our church leaders always look to God, and seek His heart for the ministry to which He has called them. I believe that when church leaders make their decisions and perform their responsibilities, they will have a greater desire to do God’s work without hesitation, knowing that they are pleasing Him, and that they are in the center of His perfect will for His church. When we do that, I believe that individually we will be blessed beyond comprehension or anything we could imagine. Let’s always remember, it’s God’s work; it’s His kingdom that we aim to attain; and it’s His blessings that we desire more than anything else. So let us learn to seek Him, obey Him and always praise Him for His love and His perfect will for our lives and the life of His church. God being my helper, I will always do the best job that I can do in everything assigned or attempted, for His ultimate glory, honor and praise! Consider joining me in this vow, so the world can see what its like to have ‘real’ Christian leaders in authority over them, and consequently find every reason to praise God for it!

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for Your precious Word. Our world is so filled with hatred, greed and selfishness, that I believe Your followers want to see in their church leaders, those who are chosen by You, ordained by You and blessed by You to fulfill the honest work of Your kingdom, in the fear of the Lord. Oh that Your church might become the place where troubled souls run to for refuge, and where leaders are wholeheartedly seeking and following Your will. Please protect Your church from the harm of being a stumbling block to those feeling led to be Your follower. May it always be obvious that Your house is a place of prayer, a place of worship, and a place where love abounds. May this encourage attendees to want this type of characteristic in their own homes and families. AMEN!

Cleansed and Ready to Worship

On By Ed AlgreenIn Clean Heart, Cleanse me Oh God, Cleansing, Clear Conscience, Forgiven, Righteous, WorshipLeave a comment

Friday, 2019-10-04

Bible Reference: Hebrews 9:13-14
Translation: Easy-To-Read Version (ERV)

Bible Text:  13 The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a cow were sprinkled on those who were no longer pure enough to enter the place of worship. The blood and ashes made them pure again—but only their bodies. 14 So surely the blood sacrifice of Christ can do much more. Christ offered himself through the eternal Spirit as a perfect sacrifice to God. His blood will make us completely clean from the evil we have done. It will give us clear consciences so that we can worship the living God.

OBSERVATION: Too often we ‘attend’ a church service and then we tell everyone that we had been to ‘worship’. Really? Did you visit a place where others were worshiping, or did you really go there and worship with them? Try reading the Scripture for today and honestly evaluate if you were pure, or completely cleansed, from the evil and sin in your life, in order to stand in the presence of our holy God and ‘worship’ Him. According to our Scripture, it is only then that our consciences would be cleared so that we could honesty ‘worship’ the Master of this universe – our God.

APPLICATION:  I believe that every Bible Teacher or Pastor’s wish would be, that their hearers are getting as much from a lesson as they received when they studied the lesson being taught. I also believe that every Worship Pastor would love to know that the folk they are leading in a time of worship were participating from the deepest parts of their heart and receiving a blessing like they receive when leading us. Often we will go to our corporate worship services and while sometimes being totally blessed and pulled into the worship time through full participation, yet at other times we just attend but don’t feel a closeness to our Lord as we worship. These are the times we find fault with the person next to us or behind us, or with the worship leader, or perhaps the volume of the instrumentalists! But friend, if you especially read verse 14, you will notice that as long as we enter God’s house with stained consciences, there just may not be an opportunity for you to connect with God and His Holy Spirit that day in worship. You might remember from God’s Word that God will not be present where sin abounds. I believe that another way of understanding verse 14 might be in the following way: “One cannot worship the Living God without a clear conscience” or “Unless one has already settled with God concerning their sin, they cannot come face-to-face with God in a sacrifice of praise, or worship”. There’s a worship song that has been around for a long time “There’s A Sweet, Sweet Spirit in this Place“. After reading verse 14, I’m not so sure that we could experience that ‘Sweet Spirit’ and sincerely worship our Lord. Perhaps we should have a confession service first, then, perhaps, the Spirit of God might find clean hearts and consciences in which He is free to move and to bless. Let’s keep this in mind the next time that we go out of our way to ‘worship God’. Clean hearts will draw close to God, as it is the only way that He will draw close to you and I.

PRAYER: How dare us attempt to enter Your presence in sin, Oh God, especially thinking that we can block/hide the hindrances (our sin) while we attempt to worship You. It’s not enough for us to conjure up a time of ‘worship’ Lord Jesus, for we want to be where You are, and we want to worship You in sincerity of heart, soul and mind. Please forgive us for attempting to worship You, the One who never sinned, while we are yet burdened with sin in our hearts. Please cleanse me of all unrighteousness, so that as I might approach Your throne with a clear conscience and without sin. Please touch the hearts of my readers Lord, so that they too might be enlightened of any sin that not only separates them from You, but also blocks their true worship of You. Lord, may You rule and reign in every aspect of our lives and especially prepare us for frequent times of worship to You. I love you Lord, and I lift my voice and heart in worship to You alone. My prayer is offered in and through the precious name of Jesus, the only one is holy and worthy of our worship and praise, AMEN!

Reasons To Come To Jesus

On By Ed AlgreenIn Church, Clean Heart, WitnessLeave a comment

Wednesday, 2019-01-09

Bible Reference: Matthew 4:23-24
Translation: The Passion Translation (TPT)

Bible Text:  23 Jesus ministered from place to place throughout all of the province of Galilee. He taught[r] in the synagogues, preaching the hope of the kingdom realm[s] and healing every kind of sickness and disease among the people. 24 His fame spread everywhere![t] Many people who were in pain and suffering with every kind of illness were brought to Jesus for their healing—epileptics,[u] paralytics, and those tormented by demonic powers were all set free. Everyone who was brought to Jesus was healed!

OBSERVATION: People flocked to be in the presence of Jesus, because word got around about His teachings, His healings and the hope of this future home that He taught about. Let’s meditate on our current day situation and consider the things that draw people to Jesus today, and possibly the things that causes people to reject the idea of our Master.

APPLICATION: I once heard a story of a neighborhood kid standing besides the pastor of a church while firefighters fought a blazing fire that seemed destined to totally destroy the church building. The pastor turns to the young man and introduced himself while saying that he had never seen him around the church before. To which the young man gave this response ‘because I had never seen the church on fire before’. A simple, but profound answer, for how many in the neighborhood of our church buildings know that the church even exists there, and secondly, have they heard any results of happenings at the church, or from its services, such as what we read in our focal Scripture today? Is it evident to the attendees and the neighborhood that Jesus is present every time we meet? Will young men, such as the one at the fire (mentioned above), hear about the Holy Spirit convicting people of their sin, causing them to surrender their lives to the holy Son of God? Will the neighborhood hear about the ‘tongues of fire’ that moved in our church service, like it did in Acts 2, and how it convicted hundreds to turn from their sin and accept the love and security of knowing Jesus as Lord? My solemn prayer is that our neighborhoods will hear more of God moving in His church, than they do about the fights and church splits that plague so many churches today. Oh that they may hear about, and see a flourishing church, where people go to visit while steeped in the likes of their earthly leader, but leave as changed men and women, boys and girls. Friends, our churches must be busy about pointing people to Christ, for we could boast of the largest and prettiest buildings, or the expanse of our properties, but it’s not until our neighborhoods see lives being transformed into the likeness of everything they have heard about God, that they will know that the fire of the Holy Spirit is alive and well at our churches. Now, before leaving this thought today, let me quickly remind us that the ‘church’ is not the building where we attend services, nor is it the Pastor to whom we may pay to lead our church, but rather, it consists of each believer that meets corporately to worship God together. So in that context, I pray that we might be more careful to look for how God is at work in our worship services, and that we concentrate on Him wholeheartedly as we go to worship, not the many other people or things that distract us in and around our sanctuaries. In this way, our lives will shine with the glow from the Holy Spirit inside the church building and everywhere we are seen! It’s all about our God, friend!

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, thank You for all that You did on Calvary, so that we might gain access to our heavenly home. May our relationship with You be so intimate, so personal, so worshipful, and so sincere, that our time together in corporate worship might be magnified by the same Spirit that lives in the hearts and lives of every believer gathered. You and You alone deserve our praise and our worship. Please help us to forget about ourselves and the distractions around us, so that our minds are fixed on You. May our times together in such a setting be so impacted, that our lives outside the church will overflow and shine with the glory of God. May the unsaved see the ‘tongues of fire’ referred to in the early church, prevalent in our churches and in our neighborhoods as we scatter. To God be the glory for all that He will accomplish, even through us! AMEN!

God’s Discipline

On By Ed AlgreenIn Accountability, Actions, Believers, Born Again, Church attendance, Clean Heart, Cleanse me Oh God, Discipline, RighteousnessLeave a comment

Thursday, 2018-11-29

Bible Reference: Revelation 3:19
Translation: The Living Bible (TLB)

Bible Text: 19 I continually discipline and punish everyone I love; so I must punish you unless you turn from your indifference and become enthusiastic about the things of God.

OBSERVATION: I am reminded that discipline comes in many forms, and from almost every person in authority over us. Jesus (the Amen, as referenced in several translations) saw the need to say this to the church at Ladocia because they ‘sat on the fence’ – they were not hot, or cold. For they said they were servants of God, but they didn’t allow Him to be God in their own lives. Could God be bringing this to our attention today so that we may closely examine our own lives, and that of our own churches? 

APPLICATION: From a very early age, good parents will discipline their children, as a way of stopping wrong doing, and guiding children towards the right way to act and do things. As children mature, they go to school and teachers are forced to instill discipline in their lives also. As young adults, they then find the need to test the systems outside of the home and school systems. So law enforcement and the courts come into play. Then they enter the work environment, where supervisors or managers take responsibility for guiding them as adults, and holding them accountable for their actions. Imagine what a parent will do if the young man who just landed a job, went home one evening and ignored everything his parents asked him to do around the home? In fact, all that he learned in growing up seemed to have drained out of the young man, for he is also ignoring his manners, respect and chores that were assigned to him. So the parents are looking at their son from birth, yet his attitude has changed into something they just can’t identify with. They want to love him, because of his ‘sonship’, yet they don’t want to reward unappreciated, rotten  behavior with their precious love. In our Scripture, Jesus is looking at a church that He gave up His very life for, yet He is disappointed at their disregard for His teachings; their refusal to participate in a number of church meetings that were designed to grow Christians; their withdrawing from certain activities that particular families are a part of, because they just don’t like them. Imagine the lack of appreciation Jesus must feel, knowing that He loved the church so much that He freely gave up His life for their good, and for their victory in overcoming the world’s weaknesses, and living with the promise of eternal life in heaven with Jesus and His Father? Do you suppose that He would be tempted to spew them out of His mouth, and possibly start over with a new group that may show signs of hope? What kind of discipline do you feel might be most appropriate for a church such as I described? Do you feel that you would be one who is caught up in the worldly actions described, or one of the few that may be praying for God to help them clean up their mess and live righteously before a holy God? Friends, I would encourage you to look inward before criticizing the church at Laodicea, or trying to pin the actions I raised on certain individuals. Does Jesus see an individual with a clean and contrite heart, filled with His righteousness, and appreciative for all that Jesus did for the church, when He looks intently into your heart? Precious Lord, may it be so for myself, and for many who will read this devotional. Please teach us to alway seek the truths of Your Word, and to humbly obey Your teachings.

PRAYER: Dear Lord, thank You for giving wholeheartedly of Yourself so that we might be saved from the attractions of this world. Thank You for helping us to look with joy at the realization of heaven and the wonder of the King of all kings and Lord of all lords, welcoming us home as a ‘son’ or a ‘daughter’! Our hearts are overwhelmed with joy over the promise and expectation of this, as we patiently await Your return to take us home with You precious Lord. Please ‘jerk our chain’ as we lose sight of whose we are, so that we would never be tempted to stray away from the commands of our General – our Lord and Savior. Thank You Lord for loving us enough to bring us through this challenging world with our eyes fixed on You. Please help us to maintain ‘tunnel vision’, so that the things of this world will grow strangely dim, in the light of Your glory and grace! AMEN!

The Effects of our Heart’s Condition

On By Ed AlgreenIn Clean Heart, Know God's Heart, SecurityLeave a comment

SCRIPTURE  FROM:   Titus 1:15-16 (TLB)

TEXT:  15 A person who is pure of heart sees goodness and purity in everything; but a person whose own heart is evil and untrusting finds evil in everything, for his dirty mind and rebellious heart color all he sees and hears. 16 Such persons claim they know God, but from seeing the way they act, one knows they don’t. They are rotten and disobedient, worthless so far as doing anything good is concerned.

OBSERVATION:   From the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks! That’s a popular old saying, or proverb, that has been proven over the years. That seems to be what Paul is warning his Christian Brother and co-laborer about as he heads into ministering alongside Paul and other disciples at the time. It seems like Paul is saying: ‘You will hear lots of things coming from the mouths of the people you encounter, before you get upset with them, learn their heart’s condition first’. This is excellent advice for us today also, so let’s take time to meditate on Paul’s advice.

APPLICATION:   I’ve seen scenarios where a new pastor would be asked how would he handle cliques in the church, or gossip by leaders, or other things that strictly results from inside circumstances over time. These questions might come before the new pastor ever stands in the pulpit for the first time. Canned responses may be given to those types of questions, if the new pastor knows nothing about the circumstances that provoked the questions. In most cases, there is hurt built up inside the individuals that ask those questions, and they are hoping that the new pastor will save their world. However, where evil abounds, those types of questions might be more of a test to see how the new Pastor will react to circumstances that might arise. In other words, what might the people be able to get away with. These principles are also seen between church members, or just between people in general. Sometimes comments are made to see if a friend or neighbor will be provoked and respond badly. Sometimes we need to prove the character of someone where we may have predicted their doom. But how often do we say things from the heart to just lift up a Brother, or encourage a Sister, or help them draw closer to the Lord? Friends, I believe you will find it easy to sit and analyze what causes others to act just like Paul predicted to Titus, but I want to encourage you today to join me in striving to draw closer to God, whose character will provoke us to want the very best for our neighbors, coworkers, friends and co-laborers in Christ. Our primary responsibility is to get ourselves right with God. Let that Light that we boast of, be evident in everything fiber of our being. Others are looking at you and I, to see if this ‘Jesus’ that we have bragged about, is for real. Oh that they may see the ‘real’ thing in us today. May others brush up to Jesus as they encounter us today! God being our Helper, Guide, Protector and soon coming King.

PRAYER:   In our witness Lord, may others see Your goodness, Your mercy, Your loving kindness, Your forgiveness, Your love and Your unselfish desire to see the best in Your kids. Cleanse our hearts Lord, so that we may fill them with more of You. May the words of our mouths and the meditation of our hearts be acceptable in Your sight, oh Lord, our Rock and our Salvation. 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 could 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 to subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. If you are anywhere near the Sebring, Florida area and do not have a church home, I would be thrilled to welcome you at Bible Fellowship Church, located at 3750 Hammock Rd, Sebring, FL 33872! Click the link to check out service times and/or other special activities. God is at work among us! Please consider coming to worship with us!

 

Protect Your Heart

On By Ed AlgreenIn Clean Heart, Heart, Protection, SurrenderLeave a comment

SCRIPTURE  FROM:   Proverbs 4:23-27 (MSG)

TEXT:  23-27 Keep vigilant watch over your heart;
    that’s where life starts.
Don’t talk out of both sides of your mouth;
    avoid careless banter, white lies, and gossip.
Keep your eyes straight ahead;
    ignore all sideshow distractions.
Watch your step,
    and the road will stretch out smooth before you.
Look neither right nor left;
    leave evil in the dust.

OBSERVATION:   When we guard our heart, I believe that we are looking at our mind; thoughts; will; and our affections. For out of these things we will see the issues of life that lead to the effectual cause of all men’s actions. It is from our heart that others will see our spiritual condition; our happiness; our decisions that make us a good person in someone else’ eyes, or a bad person. On the contrary, others might also see our deceit; our evil actions; or our mean actions as well. Guarding, or protecting our heart, is leading us to filter what aspects of the above is welcomed into our heart to determine the type person that we want to be known as.

APPLICATION:   The subject sounds like something my cardiologist might say to me, for without a good functioning heart there would be little chance of my survival here on earth. He would therefore give me exercises, or a certain diet to help me stay heart-healthy. Got created our heart, even the one we are speaking of here today, and I believe it is super important to Him that we keep our heart in sweet communion with Him, so that we may worship and praise Him eternally – as He originally intended. Unfortunately, sin came into this world, and in the effort of humans to always look around the corner for whatever seems most enticing, this divided the hearts and minds of people like you and I. This will often result in a life filled with worldliness, or in many cases a life trying to live for Jesus but being pulled back by the things of this world that we fall in love with. Friends, it is important that we stay away from sin, if we expect to have a noble spiritual life, where the Father has His will and way with us (Isaiah 59:2).  For the natural man, I believe that our heart is susceptible to wanting the best things for us to enjoy here on earth. However when the Holy Spirit begins to work in our lives and draws us unto Himself, we have a decision to make – we either say yes to Jesus, which automatically results in us saying no the the world, or vice versa. There is no combo deal in the offer, it’s one or the other. A married couple will leave old boyfriends and girlfriends behind as they commit their lives unconditionally to each other. So it is with God, friends! When a spouse enters into marriage without having severed a relationship with an old ‘flame’, divorce will quickly follow, because there is mixed allegiance by that spouse. Similarly, our God is a jealous God and He will not settle for a ‘mixed allegiance’. Decide this day, my friend, whom you will serve, and then stay true to that commitment until death makes that commitment impossible. As a child of the King, I have heaven on my mind, and I want to live my life here on earth in total obedience to my Father, His Son and the Holy Spirit. My wish for the day, is that you will do the same Brother and/or Sister!

PRAYER:   Lord Jesus, thank You for making a way for us to one day see You in glory. Thank You for allowing us to enjoy Your presence while we wait here on earth, even among the many temptations of Satan. Please continue to protect our hearts dear Lord, so that we may stay true to You. Please touch hearts of those that may have made decisions just for grandma or grandpa, but never understood or totally committed their lives to You. These ones may think that they know You personally, but really have never personally sought Your face. Lord, we stand in awe of You, and we await Your return in deep anticipation! We want to see Jesus, the One who died for all! Glory to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, 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 could 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 to subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. If you are anywhere near the Sebring, Florida area and do not have a church home, I would be thrilled to welcome you at Bible Fellowship Church, located at 3750 Hammock Rd, Sebring, FL 33872! Click the link to check out service times and/or other special activities. God is at work among us! Please consider coming to worship with us!