Category: Dedication

Prepare For Your Kingdom Work

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Dedicated, Dedication, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Saturday, 2023-02-11
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: 1 Chronicles 28:9-10
TRANSLATION: Amplified Bible (AMP)

BIBLE TEXT: 9 “As for you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father [have personal knowledge of Him, be acquainted with, and understand Him; appreciate, heed, and cherish Him] and serve Him with a blameless heart and a willing mind; for the Lord searches all hearts and minds, and understands every intent and inclination of the thoughts. If you seek Him [inquiring for and of Him and requiring Him as your first and vital necessity] He will let you find Him; but if you abandon (turn away from) Him, He will reject you forever. 10 Consider this carefully, ….. Be courageous and strong and do it.”

APPLICATION: I had a boss that told me at least annually that my job was only successful if I had someone trained to continue it in my absence. The first once or twice this was said to me, I didn’t quite get it, but this is really a key point to the continued success of the ministry for which God has called us. David enjoyed a strong relationship with the God who created him and placed him in leadership of His chosen people, the Israelites. Imagine if the success of his leadership served only for a single lifetime. It would probably be fairly self-centered and would not be attractive to future generations to look back on in awe at what God did during the reign of king David. But this is the way it is in the ongoing work of the church today. It serves little purpose in us reflecting on years ago when the ministry of our church was booming and the worship services were filled to capacity, if today we struggle to keep the doors of the church opened. God’s ‘CHURCH’ has a bright and promising future – eternity in heaven with the Father, Son and The Holy Spirit, together with all the saints who have gone on before us. Can you even imagine that God would want His earthly church to be any different? But doesn’t it appear like we operate many of our churches today just for the current time, with the existing team of leaders and workers? When last asked by a church leader to serve in ministry at your church, did they use any of the things that David said to his son, Solomon? I have found that in most cases, we are needed to help out of desperation, or because no one else will do it, or because the particular ministry will shut down if we don’t find adequate workers to man it. What if we were approached by a leader with the heart that seeks to imitate David when he spoke to Solomon? Wouldn’t that help to show us that the task ahead is God honoring, God inspired, God powered, and being given to us by a Holy Spirit infused child of God with a desire to see the kingdom grow in numbers and/or maturity? Wouldn’t it seem that because the spiritual leader approaching you as so much already vested in the kingdom work at your church, that they are encouraging you to join in and celebrate with them as you serve? I believe that the advice David gave to Solomon in verse 10 is still very appropriate for kingdom workers today – consider the request to serve carefully. And if you feel God giving you the nudge to serve – be courageous, strong, and give it all you have, knowing that your efforts will be to glorify God as you introduce Him to others.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Serve my God, knowing that He knows everything about you, your thoughts and your actions. Be committed and courageous in every endeavor, knowing that it’s all for the glory of God!

PRAYER: Lord, in our own commitment, may we learn to lead others into a life of commitment to serving You with all their heart, soul and mind. May it all be for Your glory alone and for the sake of Your kingdom. It doesn’t matter what the numbers look like, or whether we are accredited for our church leading in baptisms or Sunday School attendance, but Lord, we simply want to see lives changed for Your purpose and for Your good. Teach us Lord to commit ourselves wholeheartedly to Your kingdom work here on earth, so that when we join You in glory, we will rejoice around Your throne with all who benefited from one solitary life fully devoted to our Master and Lord. 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 Results of Unfaithfulness and Disobedience

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

DATE POSTED Saturday, 2023-01-21
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: 1 Chronicles 10:13-14
TRANSLATION: Contemporary English Version (CEV)

BIBLE TEXT: 13  Saul died because he was unfaithful and disobeyed the Lord. He even asked advice from a woman who talked to spirits of the dead, 14 instead of asking the Lord. So the Lord had Saul killed and gave his kingdom to David, the son of Jesse.

APPLICATION: Isn’t it interesting how we’ve come to believe that being good enough, or attending church regularly, or standing out as an obedient and upright citizen, could all lead to eternity in heaven? In fact, we may even skip over Scripture verses such as the one today, because we personally feel like we serve such a God of love, that He would never beat up on us or destroy us. Saul, the first king of Israel, was approved for the position by God. He was successful in many ways during his reign, but we also know that he was pretty headstrong in many things, particularly in his actions towards David as his jealousy constantly increased against him. However, one thing that is evident in this story today, is that our God – our Creator and Sustainer of life, is a jealous God, and He will not stand for open disobedience and mockery to His holy and righteous name. Children are often excused from accidental actions that a peer may have encouraged them into, or they may have innocently tried because they didn’t realize that it would offend their parents, friends or even God. But parents would become irate over actions that children have been warned against, taught right from wrong in, and practiced before them consistently. For parents could clearly see that such actions were done in spite of what the children were taught. As we fast forward into adulthood, we find ourselves still wanting to do those things that we know displease God, but we do them anyway. Why? Dear friends, the enemy is still on the prowl and working diligently to steer us away from God. Satan is the one that makes you so busy in the mornings that you ‘can’t find time to read God’s Word’. Let me encourage you to reword that phrase just slightly as you are tempted to give that excuse in the future. Say this instead: ‘It was just not a priority for me to read God’s Word this morning’. The end result is the same, but the latter excuse better explains why you didn’t read God’s Word! Satan loads you up with lots of excuses why you don’t need to attend church services, and I’m sure that as you reflect back on the excuses given over recent weeks, you will clearly see that it was just not a priority for you and your family to be in church, learning more about God, blessing others, taking in the encouragement and blessings from others, and strengthening your walk with the Lord. Corporate prayer meetings are one of least attended services held by a church. If folk were praying regularly to God, would they not desire to share in that experience with fellow believers who are also seeking God’s face with the celebrations of praise, and petitioning for their needs, their family, their church, their employer, their unsaved friends and all who are hurting? How do you suppose Satan is trying to destroy your time in talking with God? I pray that God will open your eyes to see how these very weaknesses I just mentioned, are some of the very things that weaken our stand for the Lord. When one is weak, they become confused about who can help them, so they may turn to witchcraft for help in solving problems or seeing into the future, just like Saul did. When one is weak in their position with God, they tend to fall prey to their own selfish thoughts and practices, most of which may have nothing to do with God’s design for their life. It seems to me that God particularly placed this account of Saul’s death very boldly in our faces through this account in Scripture. Now that we have been reminded of how God will treat unfaithful and disobedient children, I believe He is offering the challenge to us today: What will you do about this in your life? Do you have changes to make in your priorities? Please don’t look at God’s Word as a threat to your life’s performance. God designed us, brought us into this world, and is patiently waiting for us to worship Him, accept Him as Lord and King of our lives, understand His Word and live obediently without looking for excuses. It’s your call my friend! What will you do with this lesson today?

BLESSING(S) NOTED: We are reminded of the unfortunate circumstances surrounding the death of Saul. Praise God that we know the rest of the story! God sent His Son, Jesus, so that all those who acknowledge Him as Lord, will be saved. In acknowledging your Lord, I believe you will live a fully dedicated life to Him where you will follow in obedience and seek only Him in all of life’s decisions.

PRAYER: Lord, I surrender, again, – all of me, to all of You. Teach me Your ways and help me in my priorities to always place You first and foremost in what I fill my heart with each day. May I be so filled with You, that Your goodness, mercy, love and commitment will be indicative of You in every way. After such awesome wins in battle, and in being such a great first leader of Israel, it all seems like such a waste when Saul life ended in such an unfortunate way. I believe this is eye-opening to my readers and I today, for we can’t continue to do the same as Saul and expect different results. Open our eyes each day Lord, so that we may see Your glory, and desire to live in obedience and dedication to our Father all of our days. Use us Lord to touch the lives of those who need You. 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!

You Belong to God, So….

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Dedication, Distractions, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Sunday, 2022-09-04
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: 1 Timothy 6:9-11
TRANSLATION: Contemporary English Version (CEV)

BIBLE TEXT: 9 People who want to be rich fall into all sorts of temptations and traps. They are caught by foolish and harmful desires that drag them down and destroy them. 10 The love of money causes all kinds of trouble. Some people want money so much that they have given up their faith and caused themselves a lot of pain.
11 Timothy, you belong to God, so keep away from all these evil things. Try your best to please God and to be like him. Be faithful, loving, dependable, and gentle. 

APPLICATION: Thank God for His messengers, such as Paul, who saw the complexity of things that his new son in the ministry would be faced with, and then went on to coach him on staying righteous, even when the situation around him was tough. Seasoned pastors would be challenged when faced with these issues, but Paul had gone through a lot with the churches that he started and also in dealing with many of the individuals in those churches. Why do you suppose Paul forged ahead with giving this difficult advice to Timothy? Often times these problems will fester and create a monster problem, unless the issue is dealt with timely. As with many of our churches today, there were at least a few of the folk who were rich, or at least distracted by the idea of getting rich. This becomes a huge issue for pastors today, for soon these folk tend to feel like they’ve sent their money, so they don’t need to be there every time the doors open. But some churches find that too frequently these same folk will withhold tithes and offering until the church leadership becomes attuned to their likes and dislikes. This creates jealousy, envy and strife among the membership of the church, because they soon witness favoritism and cliques, while their faithful workers are overburdened to work harder to fill the gap for those who can’t be bothered to attend. As Paul taught this to Timothy, I’m so happy that he also went a step further to tell him what he should do differently, and this is still very applicable to us today. You’re a man of God Timothy, so stay clear of these evil things. In other words, yes, the church could really benefit from the finances of the rich, but you should never allow their influence to cause you to depend on them instead of God. Know that the ministry is about winning souls for Christ and edifying the saved among you, so that together you may lift up holy hands and hearts in worship to the King of all kings. Remember that if He (God) be lifted up, He will draw all men unto Himself. Never allow anything to hinder your praise to the Almighty. Paul reminded us of godly characteristics that are super important as we strive to represent Christ. These are the important qualities we should concentrate on, as opposed to the things that really distract our dedication to, and love for, the Lord. Today I’m sure that our distractions are numerous, but the truth remains – be faithful, loving, dependable, and gentle. Most of all dear friends, love God more than anything else in this world, and seek to show Him your love with every fiber of your being. I believe if this was taught to prospective and/or new members, they would develop a different start in unifying themselves with a local body of believers. We meet for no other reason but to lift up the name of Jesus and to learn so much about Him that we will make it our aim to look and sound just like Him!

PRAYER: Dear Lord Jesus, thank You for giving Your very life on Calvary so that we might have life eternal. Please help us to never hesitate to give of ourselves as we dedicate ourselves to You and as we seek to share our witness with a broken and lost world. Please give us boldness to withstand the distractions that come our way, so that we may always strive to represent You best. Please soften the hearts of those who feel like it’s enough to give financially to Your work, or to just have financial worth and filled with worldly advantages. There is nothing more important than serving You and showing our love for You. We need You every hour of everyday Lord, to be by our side and fill us with more of Your love. May lost ones be encouraged to see and believe that God is alive and well! 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 Holy Spirit Spoke in Response To Their Dedication

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Dedication, Fasting, Needs, Praise, Prayer, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Sunday, 2022-02-06
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Acts 13:1-3
TRANSLATION: New Living Translation (NLT)

BIBLE TEXT:  1 Among the prophets and teachers of the church at Antioch of Syria were Barnabas, Simeon (called “the black man”), Lucius (from Cyrene), Manaen (the childhood companion of King Herod Antipas), and Saul. 2 One day as these men were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Appoint Barnabas and Saul for the special work to which I have called them.” 3 So after more fasting and prayer, the men laid their hands on them and sent them on their way.

APPLICATION: Often, while at local restaurants or, perhaps at town parties, we will see Pastor’s and church leaders entertaining, what appears to be, the rich and important people of the town. At times we might also see local pastors enjoying a meal together, and it overjoys our heart to see stressed out pastors take time to enjoy fellowship with their peers. Church leaders are often asked to join in partnership with other church leaders to stand firm against local and national leaders on certain controversial matters, and we are so happy to see that our leaders could actually sit at the table with other church leaders and talk things over. So which of the aforementioned scenarios remind you of what was taking place in the meeting of the Antioch leadership? As I meditated on this scripture, I was overcome with thoughts as I recalled the number of times church leaders questioned their pastor about his minimal time in the office; or his lack of administrative time and qualities; or the large budget that he asks for each year; or demanded to know what was he doing to save their dying church. Friends, we demand so much from our pastors that has so very little to do with the quality, and quantity, of time they spend seeking God’s face for His church. What if our mission was to see them imitate the teachers and prophets mentioned in today’s Scripture? What might we aim to point our pastors and church leaders towards? How might we pray for them and encourage them? I have always said that the results of what we see in our pulpits, come from the extent of our prayers for our pastors. We might criticize them in the pulpit, but how well are they really doing in response to our prayers for Almighty God to fill them; bless them; and use them for His glory? To our pastors, teachers and church leaders: please don’t think for a moment that it’s all the fault of your congregation. If you were to break down your day into quadrants of time, which quadrant might receive the most time? Might it be prayer? Meditation on the Word of God? Ministering to a church member? Encouraging, praying for and blessing another worker of the Gospel? Don’t you know that Satan will send many distractions your way, especially when you don’t have a dedicated and committed schedule for your day? Are you really spending sufficient uninterrupted; quiet; prayerful time together with God that He might minister to, and through, you with a feeling like: He is interfering in your worldly schedule for the day? Let me assure pastors, teachers, church leaders and most of all, myself, that our God’s not dead; nor does He sleep; nor is He blind to the needs in our lives and the life of His bride (the church). He is still looking for workers, because the fields are still white, and the harvest is still great, if only He could find the dedicated leaders and followers who want more of Him and all that He has to offer through us. For every friend that you might speak with today, know that there are hundreds of other lost and uncommitted friends who are looking for answers to this world’s dilemmas and overwhelming challenges in their life. God, working through His powerful Holy Spirit in you, can have such an awesome impact on these individuals for the Kingdom of God, if only we will submit, and commit to His cause. Will you let go, and let God have His way in you today dear pastor, teacher, church leader, and/or child of God? Are you truly ready, and willing, to accept the next BIG project that He has planned for you? Most leaders in our society not only work hard each day, but they are responsible for extracurricular things like: attending conferences; networking with peers who handle very similar issues that they are faced with daily. these things keep their minds fresh, active and reaching for new and/or innovative ways that might add to the success of their job. They don’t just sit and wait for gold to drop into their laps. So it is with Christian ministry. We must be willing to reach out to others so that together we might not only seek God and His righteousness, but also be encouraged to continue pressing for the mark with full faith and trust in the God who can do all things through His servants that are willing to let Him.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: The results of Paul and Barnabas being chosen, became extraordinary as God completed His work through His servants. He is still God, and can do the same for us today!

PRAYER: Dearest Lord Jesus, we can all see the need for Jesus in our world today, as everything seems totally out of man’s control. Please humble our hearts to standby and be willing to accept Your blessing and Your challenge, knowing that nothing is too difficult for You. Please keep us humble and always praying for our church leaders, knowing that You will complete a good work in them, and also in us as we commit to Your service. Thank You Father for Your Word. May we always choose to live according to Your plan, so that Your Kingdom might increase, and friends will no longer avoid Your call on their life. 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!

Dedicate It Back To God

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

DATE POSTED Friday, 2021-10-08
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: 1 Samuel 1:25-28
TRANSLATION: Living Bible (TLB)

BIBLE TEXT: 25 After the sacrifice they took the child to Eli.
26 “Sir, do you remember me?” Hannah asked him. “I am the woman who stood here that time praying to the Lord! 27 I asked him to give me this child, and he has given me my request; 28 and now I am giving him to the Lord for as long as he lives.” So she left him there at the Tabernacle for the Lord to use.

APPLICATION: How many times has Satan caused you to look at your tithe check and question yourself about all that you could use that extra money on? Don’t be pious, for I know it happens. It’s the same way with non-tithers who Satan convinces that they own it all and there is no reason for them to give it up for those at the church to use and/or abuse. However, this application today really impacted me deeply. We tend to pray and pray about something that we want, or think that we must have. Often God will bless us with our request, but then life just goes on – as normal – without us returning to the altar in thanksgiving to God, much less returning the gift/blessing, or a portion thereof to God. Hannah was mocked and poked fun at for being childless for so many years. But when visiting the temple, she became so engrossed in intense prayer about the matter, that the temple priest, Eli, thought she must have been drunk to just kneel at the altar with her lips moving. Hannah cleared up the matter with Eli, and respectfully thanked him for his concern. Hannah made a promise to God that she would dedicate her son to the work of the Lord, if she could be blessed to give birth to one. Within two years Hannah had given birth to a son and felt like Samuel was ready to be left with Eli. She and her husband dedicated their only child to the Lord, and left him at the temple, as promised. It’s at this point that we should stop and ponder how we would have felt parting from our only child at such a tender age. But friends, we must also consider what could possibly have given cause for us to reconsider what we promised to the Lord. Any other reason, would have given cause for us to tell God that we were only kidding and didn’t really mean what we promised, or stand boldly before God and say ‘no matter what I promised back when I was desperate, I cannot proceed with my promise.’ I believe this Scripture should inspire us to give unto God all that we ever promised, and all that the Bible teaches we should give to Him. There is nothing too good for God, and we serve such an awesome God that He is constantly looking for ways to bless us tenfold for our commitment to give to Him sacrificially, gladly and with a humble heart. Please remember that God gives us everything we have, so giving back to Him is just offering some of His own gifts right back to Him. Samuel grew into a very powerful and good judge, and Hannah was blessed with more kids to take the place of the one she gave back to God. Don’t you know that God will also bless you immensely in return for your giving to Him?

BLESSING(S) NOTED: A promise was made, and a promise was kept, even though it resulted in a couple surrendering their only child up to the Lord at under 2 years of age. The child, Samson, and his parents, Hannah and Elkanah were each blessed for their sacrifice. You can’t out-give God!

PRAYER: Lord, may my readers and I be blessed with giving hearts like Hannah and Elkanah. We are quick to ask you for every little thing, but I pray that we will never forget to follow through on our promises, and that we will always give generously to You in return for all that we are blessed to receive. Thank You for giving, up to and including, Your very own Son to save us from our sin. May we always be an appreciative people who gives back to You out of our sincere love. 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!

Great Leaders Do This

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Church Leaders, Dedicated, Government Leaders, Leader, Needs, Obedient, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Saturday, 2021-07-31
WRITTEN AT: Hattiesburg, MS

SCRIPTURE FROM: Deuteronomy 17:18-20
TRANSLATION:Contemporary English Version (CEV)

BIBLE TEXT: 18 The official copy of God’s laws will be kept by the priests of the Levi tribe. So, as soon as anyone becomes king, he must go to the priests and write out a copy of these laws while they watch. 19 Each day the king must read and obey these laws, so that he will learn to worship the Lord with fear and trembling 20 and not think that he’s better than everyone else.…

APPLICATION: Especially since I started using the computer for almost everything that I do, I despise having to write anything out. I’m sure you are much more disciplined than that! But I believe that in writing something out, you tend to remember the content much better than just reading the text from already printed material. The first thing that caught my attention was the fact that the incoming king would have to sit down in front of the priests and write out for himself a copy of God’s laws. I would like for us to think for a moment how effective it would be today in the following cases:
~ A Husband – Imagine if a new husband had to only write out the laws surrounding being a godly husband. Wouldn’t he tend to be more careful how he loves, provides, protects, cares for, lead by example, teaches his new wife the ways of the Lord, etc? Wouldn’t he be an excellent choice when you vote in deacons or elders in your church the next time?
~ A Dad – Don’t you know that we would have much less crime and delinquency in our world today if dad’s got their training from the Word of God, instead of the local bar, or from their hunting/fishing buddies, or from the company executive who could only handle being home on weekends? Imagine, they will know how to train up a child in the way they should go, and when they enter adulthood they will also honor the ways of the Lord!
~ A Pastor and/or Church Leader – These individuals come into leadership depending on their training from outgoing leaders, or the ones that remain. Imagine, being trained by men who may, or may not have the above disciplines in their personal lives? What might be the result? The same mistakes that have always occurred! Imagine the great leader who takes time to study and understand God’s Word every day!
~ Political Leaders – It seems very evident that as long as leaders outdo the opposition, or make them look as badly as possible in man’s eyes, then they receive a great rating from their constituents. What if they were required to spend weeks, or months, reading the constitution for themselves and writing down what God instructed in His Word? Can’t you imagine that they will be less apt to go after the opposition, or seek revenge, all of which is at the expense of the constituents, but instead they will rule in accordance with the laws you have given them, and the commands of our ultimate ruler, Almighty God?
Oh, and whatever else they may, or may not, find time to do in their day, the above individuals must always read the law every day so that they will be sure to obey it consistently. What kind of home, church and country leaders might we wind up having, dear friends? Would you want to live in their country? My friend, God has the plans in place for our leaders and ourselves to be successful, if only we will honor Him, honor His Word, and live to please Him alone. Before you point fingers at anyone else, consider the degree to which you are living by God’s laws.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: In return for obeying God’s commands, He will make us successful and honor us with a long, happy and healthy life. God being our helper, may each reader and listener commit to this today!

PRAYER: Dear Lord, we admit that we are well aware why You felt the need for these commands for the Israelites. However, we have continued their bad habits, and in many cases we have become more entrenched in sin and evil. Please forgive us of our sin, and impress upon each one again today, the importance of living and ruling in accordance with the commands You have given to us. Things have gone so far, that it is virtually impossible for us to imagine a world like You first designed, and for which Your laws were designed. Lord, we need You in every part of our lives more today than ever before. Please invoke Your presence in our everyday lives so that the world might still see You at work 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!

I’m Yours, Lord

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Believe, Dedicated, Know and Believe, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Worship2 Comments

DATE WRITTEN: Sunday, 2021-07-04
WRITTEN AT: Gallup, NM

SCRIPTURE FROM: Luke 1:36-38
TRANSLATION: The Message (MSG)

BIBLE TEXT: 36-38 “And did you know that your cousin Elizabeth conceived a son, old as she is? Everyone called her barren, and here she is six months pregnant! Nothing, you see, is impossible with God.”
And Mary said, Yes, I see it all now: I’m the Lord’s maid, ready to serve. Let it be with me just as you say….

APPLICATION: I believe that we all find it easy to accept and possibly even follow God’s commands in His Word, because we have heard about them since childhood, and we are somewhat comfortable about them, seeing that almost everyone on earth knows about them. But at the time of Mary’s orders from God, this was unproven territory. A young lady who had never had relations with a man, yet God would send an angel to her and caused her to ponder:
1. That she is the one that God chose to miraculously give birth to His Son. Wouldn’t it have crossed Mary’s mind, just like it would ours, that such an honor may be awarded to the matron of the church who has meticulously served God and His people for years and years?
2. Why would God choose an unmarried lady to be His Son’s mother? Wouldn’t God choose a married lady, so that the world would not suspect Jesus being born into, what appears to be, a sinful situation (His mother possibly having had relations with a man other than the one she was engaged to)?
3. Why me? What have I done to deserve such honor from the God of the Universe? Could this possibly be ‘for real’?
4. For assurance, that Elizabeth, whose husband had served God faithfully in the temple, is also receiving a miracle at the same time! And by the way, the angel reminded her that ‘Nothing is impossible with God’, so perhaps this is all a part of God’s mighty plan, and He has chosen to use just a simple young lady like herself!
You see, right from the very beginning – long before you and I, God chose to complete His work in mysterious ways. So why do we still doubt when we feel God calling on our life? We have been blessed with lots of recorded evidence of all that God does. In fact, we have every reason imaginable to believe what the angel told Mary: Nothing is impossible with God! May God grant us the faith to believe in the One who has control of it all – including all of our troubles, trials, and also the One who has all of our joys and blessings mapped out for us! That’s our God, my friend! Accept Him today, will you? Trust Him today dear Christian, for He cares for you!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: That which sounds impossible to us, is very possible with God! Like Mary, may we always trust in Him through every circumstance of life.

PRAYER: I’m Yours Lord, everything I have, everything I am, everything I’m not. Lord, I am completely Yours. Please prepare me to handle whatever You send my way and wherever You may lead me to. Mary was an awesome inspiration for Your followers today. May her words echo in our minds every time we doubt, every time we fear and every time we need confidence to believe in what may sound impossible to us. I am Your servant Lord, fulfill Your Word in and through me so that You may be glorified in everything I do or say. Please touch my readers and listeners with Your Word today as You prepare them to hear from You also. 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!

How To Test For The Genuine Spirit of God

On By Ed AlgreenIn Dedicated, Example of Christ, Genuine example of Jesus, Genuine Faith, Right SpiritLeave a comment

Tuesday, 2021-03-16

Bible Reference: 1 John 4:2–3
Translation: The Message (MSG)

Bible Text: Here’s how you test for the genuine Spirit of God. Everyone who confesses openly his faith in Jesus Christ—the Son of God, who came as an actual flesh-and-blood person—comes from God and belongs to God. And everyone who refuses to confess faith in Jesus has nothing in common with God.

OBSERVATION: Ever been questioned, or have you ever questioned  whether a Brother is genuine, or a Sister is sincere in her faith and teaching? I was in awe this morning as I read the Word, for John gives us pointers about this very matter.

APPLICATION: Not only will this help us identify the Spirit of God in others, but I believe this also helps us to examine ourselves and the kind of witness we portray to others. Some of the key points we are to consider and/or portray to determine, or prove, the genuine Spirit of God are: (1) Confesses openly about his/her/my faith in Jesus Christ; (2) Acknowledges that Jesus is the genuine, only Son of God; (3) Believes and declares that Jesus came to this earth in human form; (4) Believes that Jesus Comes from God; Belongs to God; And, as verified in other scriptures, He is also God. Friends, we are well aware of the awful feelings we have when we discover that we’ve been given a fake check, or a fake currency note, or perhaps encounter a person claiming to be someone they truly are not. The latter is comparable to us bringing damnation on ourselves when we claim to be a messenger, or witness, or representative of God, without having a first-hand experience with His Son Jesus. Friends, others will see straight through our fake-ness. Our Christianity is evidenced on the outside from a heart experience on the inside. Have you given Your heart to Jesus? Has He been allowed to control Your innermost emotions, convictions and decisions? Have you invited Jesus to take charge and to speak and work through you wholeheartedly? Can others see and feel the Spirit of God working in and through you on the outside and confirm the points suggested by John? Will they know you are a child of the King, or do you need to tell them? Will you commit to speak to God about this? He deserves genuine believers, because He showed His genuine love for us on Calvary in that He offered Himself, in obedience to His Father, to be a sacrifice for those who despised and hated Him. He showed real, genuine, love beyond anything mankind has ever experienced. He loved us with wide, outstretched arms! Do you love and appreciate my Lord enough today to be bold in your witness and tell others of His great love, even if you are certain that they will make a mockery of you? Will they recognize the spirit of God residing inside of you?

PRAYER: Dear God, I am amazed at the genuine love shown for me on Calvary’s cross. You were miraculously born into this world, lived among men and in spite of Your love for them, they crucified You. This is the unfortunate evidence of Your human experience here on earth. Thank You for continuing to accept humans into Your kingdom, and I especially thank You for accepting me. Please forgive us when we allow our peers to distract our walk with You. Lord, I am seeking Your help to make me more like You in every way while here on earth, so that others will not be distracted by a sense of false identity. I desire for them to see the hands and feet of Jesus, so that they may be drawn to You oh Lord. Please deal deeply in the hearts of those who will meditate on this devotional today, so that we might not only know You as Lord and Savior, but that we may follow Your example in everything we say and do. To God be the glory, for all that our surrendered, and fully dedicated lives might yield for the Kingdom of God. 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!

For Christ or Against Him?

On By Ed AlgreenIn Dedication, Determination, Faith, For His Glory, Rewards, TrustLeave a comment

Tuesday, 2021-02-06

Bible Reference: Matthew 12:30
Translation: The Voice (VOICE)

Bible Text: 30 ……he who is not with Me is against Me, and he who is not doing the Father’s work of gathering up the flock may as well be scattering the flock.

OBSERVATION: This verse is taken from a section of the New Testament where Jesus was clarifying for the Pharisees that His miracles were not of the devil. However, Jesus challenged them to consider their actions and attitudes as something that might be tearing down the Kingdom, not building it up. Let’s apply this valuation to our lives today, are we doing something to build up the Kingdom, or are we causing deterioration in Kingdom strength in our families and in our churches? Unfortunately, it is very evident to our Lord, and to our lost community.

APPLICATION: A piece of advice given by my wife and I several times over the years is ‘be careful, blood is thicker than water’. This applied to situations where the individual was talking to a family member about one of their relatives. That family member might be upset with their relative, and they may gossip about it to another relative, but they refuse to hear an outsider say something derogatory about them! Jesus witnessed the spiritual leaders of the day (the Pharisees) looking for every opportunity to entrap Him and/or imprison Him. He heard them speak evil about the good that He was doing in their community, yet they walked around pretending to be more holy than anyone else. Aren’t you glad that with our advanced education system, and our many computers and smart people, that we have learned to overcome this weakness in the church today? Ha, hopefully I received no ‘Amens’ to that statement, because it was really meant to highlight that even after all these years; after having the Word of God to show us the errors of our past generations, yet churches today are torn apart by the same wickedness. Imagine with me for a moment what might happen if Jesus walked down the isles of our churches next weekend and pointed out the folk who are promoting Kingdom growth, and then asked those to leave who were destroying His work here on earth. How’s your confidence level on whether you will be allowed to stay and continue your work for the Kingdom? Will the church grow after such a separation, or will it dwindle in numbers? Friends, please allow me to remind each one reading this blog, that when God is working inside of us and using us for His purpose and the good of His kingdom, then no matter what position we hold in church, or in our community, we would work together with other believers to promote the awesome love, power, wisdom and saving grace of the one true God – our Lord, and our Savior. When you are for Him, you will pray for those who open their mouths to speak for Him; you will lift up and encourage those who sing His praises; you will renounce evil and promote the goodness of God. There will be no need to look around to see who’s nearby when you speak of, or to your neighbor, because your words will be intended to lift up, and not tear down. Friends, there are many in my community who need the Lord, and I bet your community is very similar. They may be looking at the proof of God’s work in our midst, before they listen to our teaching or our preaching, or even watch for the sincerity of our walk, before they show interest in knowing Christ personally. They are probably tired of hearing the talk, but not seeing the walk of a child of the Kingdom. I believe that our takeaway today is that if we are for God, then let’s be extremely dedicated to living like He taught us, and like He exampled for us while here on earth. Jesus made it clear that we live out our beliefs, because when we don’t, it becomes clear that we are against Him. Talk with God today and allow Him to open your spiritual eyes to discern whose side you’re really on, both in words and in your actions.

PRAYER: Lord, may others see so much of Jesus in my speech and in my actions, that there will be no reason to question who guides me, who teaches me, who directs my path, and the direction in which I am headed for eternity! May all those meditating on this blog today be of the same mind and spirit, and may our dedication and commitment to you be contagious for all to see and subsequently follow. May we say like Paul did, if you want to see Jesus, follow me! 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!

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!