Category: Commitment

The Purity of Faith: Trials and Triumphs for Believers

On By Ed AlgreenIn Accept Jesus NOW, Acknowledge God, All have sinned, Awesome God, Commitment, Faith, God Cares For Us, God’s WordLeave a comment

DATE POSTED
Monday, June 30, 2025, and I was blessed to be at Westgate Vacation Villas, Kissimmee, FL 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 1 Peter 1:6-9 in your Bible or click on it to read it online in the Living Bible (TLB).

APPLICATION – as inspired by the Holy Spirit
There may be multiple misconceptions out there about Christians and their safety, security, joy, and total exemption from the evils of this wicked world and its leader, Satan. However, after you read today’s Scripture verses, you might be confused, because under the inspiration of the holy Spirit, Peter is telling us that testing, and trials, will continue while we remain here on earth.
So, we should look at this, in hopes of better understanding why God would expose even His own children to such earthly heartaches and stress. After all, God is known as our Father of love, care, and protection. Our Father for all eternity. The Bible use gold as a comparison. Probably the most precious metal, yet it is placed through fire and pounded to prove its purity and genuine aspects. We must always remember, when we place our trust in Jesus Christ, we are saved for eternity. Our Heavenly Father watches out for His own and we could got to bed in peace knowing that we are His, and He is ours. We can awake each morning with great assuredness, knowing that our time in God’s Word will reaffirm the greatness of our Father, who will be leading us through every circumstance of life that day. Fellow believers, remember, our faith, protection and overlook are anchored in the powerful hands of the Creator of this universe today! While still here in this world, we are not exempt from trials and temptations. In fact, these may become more intense as the world places us in the fire to prove our commitment to our Lord. Some may very well pound on us to test God in protecting His dear children.
I sincerely believe that today’s Scripture encourages us to embrace true faith in Jesus Christ. Some turn to Him for the promise of Heaven, while others see Him as a backup for life’s toughest moments. However, those who fully surrender to the Lordship of Jesus Christ find peace in knowing that God equips them to live according to His guidance, through studying His Word, praying regularly, and entrusting every aspect of life to Him. Surrendering to Jesus means giving Him control over your decisions, direction, and worries. Holding onto even a small part of these means you haven’t fully surrendered. Each evening, reflect on your day and compare it to gold—just as gold is tested and proven genuine, can God see your life as genuine at the end of the day? In verse 9, Peter reassures us that enduring the trials of life leads to true salvation, showing the world who we belong to.

PRAYER
Lord, I thank You this morning for the reassurance of knowing You as my Lord and Savior! Life on earth often feels filled with endless trials and challenges, but through the Holy Spirit, I am reminded of who is in control of my life, watching over me and guiding my steps in every situation. You understand our doubts and how we falter under Satan’s attacks and influences. Lord, my fellow believers and I need You every moment. With empty hands, we come before You, asking to be filled with Your everlasting goodness. Reassure us constantly of Your wisdom, presence, and unending love. As You bless us, may we also share Your grace with others who are in need of a Savior today. 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 Bible teaching 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!

How to Discern True Messengers of God

On By Ed AlgreenIn Accept Jesus NOW, Acknowledge God, All have sinned, Awesome God, Commitment, God Cares For Us, God’s Word, Totally committedLeave a comment

DATE POSTED
Tuesday, May 20, 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 Jeremiah 23:28-40 in your Bible or click on it to read it online in the New Living Translation (NLT).

APPLICATION – as inspired by the Holy Spirit
I can hardly imagine how much the hearts of the prophets must have been impacted by the messages given by God for them to deliver. Think about it, if you were given a message for a small group of friends, I feel pretty sure that you wouldn’t think twice about delivering that message. For your home church, that may be just as easy for you to deliver that message. But how about giving that same message before a crowd where other denominational leaders may be present, as well as many political leaders from your state? Might be a bit more challenging, right? But in our Scripture referenced today, God issued a word for Jeremiah to deliver to ‘prophets’. Now, Jeremiah was also a prophet, so he would be delivering this message to his contemporaries, and God wants them to be aware that He will not stand for false prophets any longer. No doubt, Jeremiah did some soul searching and questioning of God to make sure that no fingers were being pointed at him, before ever hitting the road to deliver this critical message from God! However, I feel like this is a moving example for those of us that move to a new area, and we begin searching for a new church, or while on vacation and we look for a church to visit. Unfortunately, our world has not learned a whole lot from what God said in His Word, for there are still pastors and churches who meld in much too much of the world’s ideals so they could, presumably, attract more of the world’s population. But can’t the people simply go to a movie theater or live show somewhere to get that kind of wishy-washy environment? When the Holy Spirit is tapping on the heart of a sinner to know Christ, or a believer to return to Him, don’t you think that they will opt to attend a local church instead of places like I gave in my example above? But how then will they know a legitimate, Holy Spirit empowered, and Bible teaching church? Is it the quiet one down the street, or perhaps the popular one on the other side of town, or should they travel to the next town where you’ve heard a lot about the good life groups and lots of programs they have? In addition to asking the Holy to guide you to a church where He knows you will grow in your faith, I believe that you can also use some of the principles from our Scripture today:
Vs 28 – God insisted that His ‘True Messengers preach every Word that He declares’. Try attending a church that preaches through every verse in the Bible. You will find some messages that will take you to another level of joy, and some that may really mash your toes because of truths that you need to adopt into your Christian lifestyle. They might even apply these principles to current day events to help you discern right from wrong in a biblical and Godly sense, rather than a political and worldly view;
Vs 35 – Take your tools to church with you. It is important that you have your Bible in your lap and that you follow along with what is being taught. The pastor in front of that church is human just like you, and some have been known to fail, just like you do at times. A good orator could make everything they say sound very believable, but when you are holding them accountable by reading the same Scriptures they are preaching from, you stand a better chance of ensuring that the reference in vs 28 is a reality – that they are True Messengers of the God you went there to worship and learn about.
As you leave that place of worship, examine the message in light of vs 35: What is the Lord’s answer delivered through the Word that day. And/or What is the Lord saying to you through the Word preached that day. If you struggle with this, contact that pastor and ask for clarification, or contact another pastor in whom you have already developed a good confidence level, and discuss the matter with him. Think about this dear friend: While on the internet, you do everything possible to make sure you are on a legitimate site and not a fake site developed under false pretenses in order to steal your confidential information. Emails you receive are much the same – legitimate or are they spam or junk? Why should you do anything less in selecting a church, or attending one, or in listening to the teaching/preaching of God’s Word from that church?

PRAYER
Dear Lord Jesus, You have taught us everything we need to know for salvation, righteousness and for living in obedience with Your Word. Yet we have allowed the world to soften our grip on obedience and the boldness to stand firm in spite of any worldly repercussion. We need more of You in every walk of life while here on earth Lord. Please continue to work on us and develop us into the children You would have represent You here on earth. Whether its false prophets or uncommitted Christians, I believe Your Word would indicate that both are tasteless in Your mouth and You would spit us out. Just as we could be good, committed, longtime employees, help us to be even more committed to our stance with You. Others need to see Jesus in us, otherwise we look more like the False Prophets You spoke of through Jeremiah. Please have Your will and way in my life, and also in the lives of those who recommit themselves to you after this reminder today. 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 Bible teaching 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!

Aligning Life with God’s Word Through Insights from Jeremiah

On By Ed AlgreenIn Accept Jesus NOW, Acknowledge God, All have sinned, Awesome God, Commitment, God Cares For Us, God’s WordLeave a comment

DATE POSTED
Tuesday, February 11, 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 10 to read it in the New Living Translation (NLT).

APPLICATION – as inspired by the Holy Spirit
Some of us older folk will remember how challenging it was to live in the home of Pastors, Church leaders, Bible Scholars, and godly parents, for there may have been some very strict rules. These types were different, especially back in the day! But wait, isn’t that what the Word of God teaches us? I found an online document that makes it easy for us to see how we are doing, compared to what the Bible teaches about God’s people living like He intended. Take a moment to look over this list, perhaps you will be reminded of why you were brought up under certain rules, if you lived in a Christian home. But as for today’s devotional, let’s remember that Jeremiah was known as the ‘Weeping Prophet’, because He was so concerned about the spiritual condition of his people, compared to what He knew that God had taught through His Word. Also remember that Jeremiah saw that his fellow Israelites came back from Egypt as a very changed people. He heard about the ones that didn’t complete the journey because of their sin during their rescue journey. He saw that many were still worshipping idols, in spite of the awesome blessings God had extended to these people in releasing them from slavery, protection them and providing for their daily needs during their journey and making them very aware of the blessings He had prepared for them after they completed their journey. Now unless we overlook our current journey in life and pounce on the Israelites by calling them ungrateful and disrespectful of God, we should quickly look inward and answer very challenging questions such as ‘Are we doing any better after learning from our Israelite ancestors and our parents, who tried with everything at their disposal to ensure that we were taught God’s Word for life, direction and eternity?’. What might be your answer today dear friends? Perhaps you are following in Jeremiah’s steps by weeping for your family, your friends, your church and your country. It’s always sad to read the statistics and see how little difference there is in Christian based families and churches, compared to the world, when it comes to sin that leads to crime, out of wedlock pregnancies, divorces, back-biting, hating our neighbor, etc, etc, Can’t we all the more identify with the sad heart of Jeremiah for his people? Wouldn’t God still find reason to accuse us of following, what we believe to be, more successful countries, churches and families, regardless of their obedience to the teachings of Jesus Christ and the Word of God? How many of us would conclude that we are following what our parents and grandparents taught us and exampled before us? Yes, they were not perfect, but some of us can really brag about these ancestors who took the Word of God seriously and did their very best to follow in what they understood God intended for us in His Word. Perhaps start, or be encouraged in, your journey to better align your life with the Word of God, by attending a church that teaches the full Word of God. I am overjoyed that our pastor teaches verse-by-verse from the Bible, and not just basing his sermons on the unusual happenings in the world over recent days. God released the Israelites from slavery, and He led them towards a place He had prepared for them. If you have allowed Jesus to be Lord of your life, God has released you from your sin and He will lead you towards a place He has prepared for you. I pray that I will meet every reader of these devotionals in Heaven one day, because you were reminded once again to accept Jesus as Lord, then follow His teachings and His commands even while still here on earth amidst the increasing pressures of sin. Jesus loves you my friend, love Him back through your commitment and obedience to His Word.

PRAYER
The Israelites demonstrated how challenging it was to return thanks through obedience to You, even though You rescued them from a horrible situation – Egypt’s slavery. Unfortunately, this is still often the case with believers today, oh God, and it saddens us to read this account in Jeremiah, knowing full well that many of us are still following in their ungrateful and hypocritical footsteps. Please forgive us and grant us an extra dose of strength and determination to show our appreciation for salvation by honoring the One who suffered and died for our salvation. In surrendering our lives to You, we committed to turning away from the sin of this world, but too often we find that Satan has kept on our heels, and he continues to pressure us into hanging on to his ways while saying that we are Your forgiven children. Lord we are Yours and Yours alone, please help us to live like that, so that the world will overlook our weakness and know who You are and how powerful You are. 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!

Faith Today: The Promise of Eternal Life Through Jesus

On By Ed AlgreenIn Accept Jesus NOW, Allegiance to the Lamb, Ask and Receive, Believe, Believers, Biblical Decisions, Blood of Jesus, Born Again, Christ's Representative, Christian, Christianity, Cleanse me Oh God, Commitment, Convinced of the gospel, Decisions, Know and Believe, Know Jesus, Surrender, The love of God, The Plan, The WordLeave a comment

DATE POSTED
Friday, November 22, 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 devotionals that I have shared over the years.

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
Quoted from the Living Bible (TLB) and found in John 1:1-4; 11-13

THE SCRIPTURE READS
 1-2 Before anything else existed, there was Christ, with God. He has always been alive and is himself God. 3 He created everything there is—nothing exists that he didn’t make. 4 Eternal life is in him, and this life gives light to all mankind. 
11-12 Even in his own land and among his own people, the Jews, he was not accepted. Only a few would welcome and receive him. But to all who received him, he gave the right to become children of God. All they needed to do was to trust him to save them. 13 All those who believe this are reborn! – not a physical rebirth resulting from human passion or plan – but from the will of God.

APPLICATION – as inspired by the Holy Spirit
Just as John saw fit to declare the name, power and authority of the Christ in whom he believed, and who inspired him to write the Gospel of John, I believe it is important for us to understand this when we look at the instruction from this book, the Bible. Interpreters have labored over translating the Bible as accurately as they possibly could, but some words – like ‘Logos’ in the original language, actually translates to God; Christ; or the Word. Therefore, many Bibles show ‘the Word’ in their translation of John chapter one. The version I quoted here is not incorrect, the writers just used a word that we relate to more, to help us understand the intent.
BUT, after establishing the person of Christ and His relationship to God, John impressed even more upon me as I got down to verse 11, and I hope that God will also impress upon you, the importance of these words. John wanted God’s chosen people, the Jews, to know that he was aware of the ones who rejected Jesus as the Christ – the Son of God, but more importantly, John wanted them to know that for those who heard the voice of God and accepted Jesus as Lord, they were awarded the right to become children of God. And we all long for a sense of belonging to someone. For the casual reader, no doubt you are excited that the Jews read John’s words, listened to, and obeyed his invitation, and they could now rest easy knowing their eternity is secure in the fact that they will be with God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit forever. However, to my readers today I must share that God also wanted this chapter included in His Word to us today, so that we could know that His Word is still the same powerful force today; His love is even more expansive that we may have first thought, because this Good News also applies to us today. The promises of God are just as true today for us as it was for the Jews: ‘to all who receive him, he gives the right to become children of God‘. To those who really read into this, you owe it to yourself to ask ‘but what about those who don’t receive Jesus?’ It is a good reminder for us that there are only two places available to us after life here on this earth: Eternity in Heaven for those who have invited and received Jesus into their life and given Him authority to be Lord of their life, OR Eternity in Hell where Satan will torment you way worse than anything you have experienced while here on earth. Friends, God created us in His own image, and He wants us to stay especially close to Him as our Creator and Father, why would we allow Satan to tempt us into thinking anything else? Please allow the Lord to open your heart, mind and soul today and impress upon you any adjustments necessary for your impending eternity.

PRAYER
Dearest Lord Jesus, You are indeed my Creator; my King; my Savior; My Lord and my eternal Father. I thank You Lord for that assurance and I am renewed in my resolve after reading the words You impressed upon John the apostle. I earnestly pray that You will impress upon the hearts of my readers the importance of not only hearing about You, but in accepting You as Lord of their lives. This life, as we know it today, will conclude here on earth, but it is clear that our souls will go on to a place made possible by the choices we make here on earth. I long to be with You in Heaven one day soon, and I would love to convince my audience to prepare for that day also. Please impress upon them the importance of making that decision, and doing something about it TODAY. In just my small circle of family and friends, several have been called out unexpectedly recently, and possibly without knowing You personally. To all those reading this devotional, please be reminded that you can make the decision today to right your final destination, for tomorrow may be too late. Have Your will and way in our lives today, Lord, and may You be glorified by the decisions we make and the stances we take to be honest and true representatives of Yours everywhere we find ourselves today. 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!

The Mindset of the People

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 Makeup of Our Churches

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Commitment, Needs, Obedience, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

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

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

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

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

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

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

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!

Commit to Peace and Unity!

On By Ed AlgreenIn Commitment, Dedicated, Dedication, Live in peace, Peace, Surrender, UnityLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Monday, 2020-10-26
WRITTEN AT: Lillian, AL

SCRIPTURE  FROM:   2 Corinthians 13:11-12 (TPT)

TEXT:  11 ….. beloved friends, be cheerful! Repair whatever is broken among you, as your hearts are being knit together in perfect unity. Live continually in peace, and God, the source of love and peace, will mingle with you. 12 Greet and embrace one another with the sacred kiss.

OBSERVATION:   Paul, who went through a miraculous conversion into Christendom, had spent quality time with his friends at Corinth. He had also written several letters to them in between trips, just to encourage the new converts and help them stay strong in their faith, with their new-found Savior. At the conclusion of his letter, Paul gave some excellent advice, that I believe not only helped those believers in Corinth, but because churches today are still facing very similar challenges, I believe that this advice is still very applicable to us today.  

APPLICATION:   So often we look for Christian advice in the Bible, but then question every other resource for ways to do better in our family, friends and work life. I believe that you will find this Scripture helpful to you in general, so listen closely to the word of God. In earlier days of the church, some Might recall days, and sometimes weeks of revival services and/or evangelistic services, where there was a strong emphasis on reviving the saints and evangelizing the lost of the community. Because of the strong emphasis on prayer leading up to and during the times of these special services, there was usually a very strong presence of the Holy Spirit and many lives were impacted. Often at the end of the services, there was a sense of sadness to see the services end, so at the parting service there would be very similar sentiments, and challenges offered like these that Paul shared with his followers. Why was revival services needed? I believe that the answer is summed up in a phrase that I heard an old pastor say: “because, as Christians, we tend to leak!” Friends, it is very challenging to keep a good healthy church surviving as such, for there are many personalities working together – or at times against one another. There are so many who feel like they have all the right answers and therefore they should be the boss in most areas of the church. There are so many with chips on their shoulder, and if you only look at them seriously they may become very upset and threaten to leave the church, because they figured out exactly what that look meant! Aren’t most of these things very, very silly? Think about the one true God, whose Son we endeavor to exemplify. Jesus came into an imperfect world, as the perfect Son of God, filled with godly wisdom, and with love for everyone, as only God Himself could do. And this perfect Savior, He taught among the elite of society, as well as carefully and lovingly attending to those in need along the street and in the crowds that followed Him. He healed those that we may have considered ‘worthy’ and some who we tend to disassociate with, because they may not be ‘just like us’. He ate with sinners, and He chose some to follow Him that many would have turned up their noses at. However, for those of us that have accepted Jesus as Lord, and are committed to His teachings and commands, we strive to be just like Him. Why then do we tend to be so much unlike Him in so many ways? Are we still that needy, or is it that we have not totally turned away from our earthly master yet? In verse 11 of today’s Scripture, Paul warns us that we should repair whatever is broken among us. I believe this starts with our relationship with our Lord, for if we have a healthy relationship with Him, He will direct our paths, if we let Him, and that includes relationships with one another. Friends, here’s how important I believe this is: If we expect to be instrumental in our family and friends’ lives, to encourage them into a relationship with our Lord, then we must be living like Jesus. We could ‘tell’ them all we want, but unless they see it evident in our lives, they won’t listen to, or follow us. How much is a soul worth to you? There is absolutely nothing more important to me than to see my family and friends make a decision to follow Christ. When they, and me, leave this world, I want us all to be ready to meet Jesus in the air! I hope that you feel the same way!

PRAYER:   Lord Jesus, we need You more today than ever before. I believe that Paul realized how much impact Satan was having on Your children in his day, and I’m sure Satan is still impacting the lives of our people today. Lord, I know that You are such a strong and awesome God and that there is nothing that You can’t handle, so I beg You to work miracles in the lives of Your children – embolden us to be more like you in our character, our words and our actions. Humble the hearts of the proud into total surrender to You. I know that we don’t have a perfect world, but I am convinced that we have a perfect God, so I beg with You to work on us imperfect beings, all for benefit of Your kingdom, 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!

Make Room For God

On By Ed AlgreenIn Commitment, Dedication, Idols, Totally committed, Unconditional commitmentLeave a comment

Monday, 2020-02-17

Bible Reference: Jeremiah 4:1-3
Translation: The Contemporary English Version (CEV)

Bible Text: The Lord said: Israel, if you really want to come back to me, get rid of those disgusting idols.     2 Make promises only in my name, and do what you promise! Then all nations will praise me, and I will bless them. 3 People of Jerusalem and Judah, don’t be so stubborn! Your hearts have become hard, like unplowed ground where thornbushes grow.

OBSERVATION: While I believe there was a lot of value in these verses for Israel and the people of Jerusalem and Judah, I believe that this passage of scripture was included in God’s Word to us for self-application also.

APPLICATION:  I believe that God spoke to me as I read this, and had me substitute ‘Israel’ with the family and friends that I am praying for. At times when I feel distant from God, I believe that this passage also applies to me. Friends, I want you to read this carefully to make sure that you too understand that when God seems far away from you, it may be time to examine your lives and see what idols (priorities; things) you may have allowed to step in the way of your open communication and dependence on God. The kinds of things that get in our way might be:
* Work – for we can become so absorbed in our job that we have no quality time to spend with God;
* Church – yes, even church. We can become a slave to the work of the church and exclude our study and worship time with the Lord, for whom we are presumably working;
* Family – even though this item is of super importance, if we’re not careful, Satan can use this as a tool to keep us away from God. Let’s learn to take our family to church, instead of feeling an obligation to spend quality time with them on our Sabbath. After all, we had other opportunities during the week to spend time with them, but with Satan’s help, we chose not to. Men/dads this is our responsibility as God’s leader in our homes;
* Activities – we all know that the beach is always better on our Sabbath day than any other day of the week, right? But does it fit with God’s command of what we should be doing on our Sabbath?!!;
* Sports – why would we consider giving our time to sports on our Sabbath day rather than assembling ourselves together to worship God and to encourage one another?;
* Weariness – the toils of the week have left us so worn out that giving one hour of our time to refuel spiritually, and to give God thanks for our jobs, and the good health to do our jobs, seems to be challenging for us – at least until we lose our job or some other crisis comes up;

Friends, I’m not judging, for that is God’s job. I merely listed a few things that may cause us to think about the possible idols that stand in our way of communion with God. May I encourage you to examine your own life and see if there is anything that distracts you in your walk with the Lord? Be honest with God as you consider this, for He knows your heart and your very circumstances, and He is willing to help you tear down those idols, so that you may be drawn closer to Him. Remember, sin must be removed from our heart, before our hearts will be opened for God’s mighty hand. The good news with this whole thing is that others will follow us, and God will bless us! Read verse 2 again! Imagine, your actions might actually revolutionize the world!!

PRAYER: Father, You know our hearts and You know our thoughts and our schemes. It is so unfortunate that in spite of Your goodness to us, we allow Satan to feed our thoughts, that often leads us to scheme and find reasons to not find time in the Word, in prayer and even church attendance. Please forgive us for our ingratitude and our unfaithfulness. You sacrificed Your very Son for our salvation, yet we find it challenging to make time to spend with You and/or Your people in corporate worship. Often this is just not a priority in our lives. Please forgive us oh Lord. Please touch the hearts of Your children who will read this devotional today, may they also be made aware of ‘idols’ that have become obstacles in their walk with You. Lord Jesus, we respect You and all that You stand for, however if we are to be true and honest representatives of Yours, we too must imitate you in every aspect of our lives. We can only do this with Your help, direction and wisdom oh Lord, and we humbly seek that today. For this is my humble and gracious plea before You oh God, in the name of Your Son 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. If you are anywhere near the Sebring, Florida area and do not have a church home, I would highly recommend to you 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!

Our Mission

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Commitment, Committed, Needs, Praise, Priorities, Priority, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

Tuesday, 2019-12-10

Bible Reference: John 20:21-23
Translation: The Passion Translation (TPT)

Bible Text: 21 Jesus repeated his greeting, “Peace to you!” And he told them, “Just as the Father has sent me, I’m now sending you.” 22 Then, taking a deep breath, he blew[l] on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.[m] 23 I send you to preach the forgiveness[n] of sins—and people’s sins will be forgiven. But if you don’t proclaim the forgiveness of their sins, they will remain guilty.”[o]

OBSERVATION: Multiple times we see where Jesus emphasized to His disciples what their ongoing mission would be, but in our Scripture today we see where Jesus wanted them, and us, to know that our mission would be the same as His was. So one might ask: ’Well, would you kindly encapsulate that for me?’ As we meditate on these verses today, let us consider what our mission here on earth might be.

APPLICATION: I am often recognized as a son of my earthly father, because of the things that I do, or the corny jokes that I tell, or just the things that I say in general. Jesus reminds us in today’s Scripture that just as He was sent by His father, spoke only those things ordered by His Father and did only those things directed by His Father, His followers should also follow His (Jesus’) pattern in life while He was here on earth with us. I believe that establishes our direction, or mission for life, so let us seriously look into what this might be. I believe that it is important to notice right at the very beginning that the New Testament is filled with the words, actions and directions of our Savior, and the Old Testament is filled with prophecies of what would be expected of us. So the best way for us to learn, or be reminded of certain actions of our Lord, is to deliberately spend intimate, quiet, God-directed time seeking the will and direction of God each day, by studying His Word. I know, you really don’t have time to sit and read large chunks of the Bible every day – right? I understand dear friend, but please allow me to suggest to you that when you get in conversation with God again, consider replacing the words ‘I didn’t have time’ with something like this: ‘Dear God, please listen to your son/daughter who didn’t make it a priority to seek Your direction from Your Word today…..’ I bet by now you are ready to close this devotional because you feel like I am trying to lead you on a guilt trip, but friend of God, may I suggest that the ‘lack of priority’ words I used, really explains why there was not time to study God’s Word and seek His direction for your life that day? For we found it a priority to: Spend extra time in preparing ourselves for work; Spend time watching the morning news so we could be on top of our game while speaking with business leaders each day; And spend time at the local coffee bar to be encouraged by true leaders that meet there each morning. However, it was not a priority to seek the will of the Creator of this world, the One who ordains everything that will occur today, the One who could guide us to success here on earth AND to our heavenly kingdom that He has especially prepared for those who know Him. Many years ago I was prompted to accept the love and direction of my Savior. In a very deliberate act of maturity in my relationship with Jesus, I was prompted, and I followed in obedience, to make it a priority to spend time in God’s Word each day. To do this, and still leave home in time for work, I had to get up earlier. In being led to also make Nuggets From God’s Word available to the world, I deliberately awoke 2 hours earlier so that my commitment would be a priority. This information was not intended to brag to you dear friend, but instead to help you see how you might make time alone with God a priority in your busy life’s schedule. If it’s important to you, I believe that you will make it a priority. Reading God’s Word each day will lead you to pattern your life after His Son that was sent for this purpose. In our verses today, Jesus told us that He did what His Father told Him to do. As you learn from God’s Word what you should be doing each day, you will one day say like Paul: ‘follow me as I follow Christ’! Please consider making this a priority in your life precious child of God!

PRAYER: Dear Lord, You have shown us in Your Word that there was nothing more important than you giving up Your life in order that we might have life eternally in heaven one day with You and Your Father. You have also taught us many things that should be a priority in our lives so that we might pattern our after Yours. As You observe our lack of priority to spend time alone with You, but yet a glimpse of our desire to reflect You in all aspects of our life, please open our hearts to be willing to make the main Thing the main thing. In every walk of life here on earth, our lives are pulled towards every lust and material obsession that our neighbor or coworker might desire or boast of. Please help us to be leaders, by making You a priority in our life – something that will draw others towards a similar commitment and a firm desire to be a child of the King in every aspect of life. YOU are our King! May it be evident in the choices we make and the way we spend our time. AMEN!

Because of Our Personal Faithfulness, God will….

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Commitment, Committed, Needs, Pleasing to God, Praise, Recognize God, Totally committed, Unconditional commitment, WorshipLeave a comment

Monday, 2019-12-08

Bible Reference: 1 Kings 15:1-5
Translation: New Century Version (NCV)

Bible Text: Abijam became king of Judah during the eighteenth year Jeroboam son of Nebat was king of Israel. 2 Abijam ruled in Jerusalem for three years. His mother was Maacah daughter of Abishalom. 3 He did all the same sins his father before him had done. Abijam was not faithful to the Lord his God as David, his great-grandfather, had been. 4 Because the Lord loved David, the Lord gave him a kingdom in Jerusalem and allowed him to have a son to be king after him. The Lord also kept Jerusalem safe. 5 David always did what the Lord said was right and obeyed his commands all his life, except the one time when David sinned against Uriah the Hittite.

OBSERVATION: Some of us may stand proud before God and brag about our faithfulness, while others will stand at a distance with heads lowered in shame because of our lack of commitment and faithfulness to our God. Our Scripture today tells of God’s faithfulness to David and his ancestors that followed, because of David’s commitment and loyalty to His God. Let us reflect on what we anticipate hearing from God, because of our own faithfulness, or lack thereof.

APPLICATION: Isn’t it interesting to consider the excuses that we make for missing the mark that we know God has established for us? It might be in the words we speak, where we quickly adapt to the ways and wishes of the crowd, but find it so impossible to try and speak words of Truth taught to us in the Word of God? I will be the first to tell you that I am not good in remembering Bible verses. However. In my grandmother’s last years of life here on earth when her sight diminished, she completed her daily devotional time with God by sharing back with Him, Bible verses that she had memorized over her lifetime. So can we memorize God’s Word? Of course we can! Consider also the things that we memorize from the world. How many jokes can you sit and tell at once time? How many stories from you childhood can you still share with friends? How often do you sit and share what you heard from friends (gossip)! So is it a matter of remembering God’s Word, or is it due to the lack of time that we spend in the Word, compared to the time spent around the television or with the unsaved? And what about our actions? When last have you stood firm for what you learned from God, while you attended a party or a work social? Do friends recognize whose you are, based on your actions inside the four walls of your church AND at all events they might find you at? Remember, just as God knew David’s heart and that David was diligent to obey all of God’s commands in every circumstance of life, except in the case of Bathsheba and Uriah, He also know our every move and the vain words that we frequently utter. David earned the title given by God as ‘a man after God’s own heart’, is that one of the titles God might give to you dear friend? A true reality check is that only God truly knows you (your heart). For you can fool those around you, seeing that they only see your ‘public’ life, but God sees you without any filters being applied. Oh that our God may be able to bless others because of our faithfulness; because of our telling the truth; because of our love for others; because we gave honestly of our income to God and His work; because our actions towards others are a result of all that God blessed us with and not because of selfish reasons or in an effort to attain recognition. God loved us because of who He is. Oh that we may do the same, love others because of who God is! Lay your cares before God today dear friend, and allow Him to have His way in and through you, so that You may serve Him with every good intention that He has in mind for you.

PRAYER: Precious Lord, please help us to do your will and be obedient to Your every command. You laid out a perfect plan for us to follow so that we could look like You, talk like You, love like You and give freely of the gifts that You bless us with so bountifully. May the Words of our mouth, and the meditation of our hearts, be acceptable in Your sight and be a pleasing aroma in Your nostrils precious Lord, so that You may be glorified in all the earth. May others see Jesus today, and not us in all of our weakness and selfish desires. AMEN!