Category: Encourage

Is there anything too hard for the lord?

On By Ed AlgreenIn Ask and Receive, Bible Believing, Bold Confidence, Christian, Encourage, Faith, God Cares For Us, God our Helper, God our Provider, Helper, Hope, Listen to the Word of God, Obedience, Our Help comes from God, Power of Prayer, Righteousness, Surrender, Victorious LifeLeave a comment

Scripture: Genesis 18

OBSERVATION (What is God saying here?)

13 Then the Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh? Why did she say, ‘Can an old woman like me have a baby?’14 Is anything too hard for the Lord? I will return about this time next year, and Sarah will have a son.” Gen 18:13-14 (NLT)

APPLICATION (How Can I apply what God is saying here to my circumstances today?)

In the everyday rush of life and circumstances we often face challenges that seem insurmountable to us. When our selfish wishes don’t come true, or if our prayers are not answered like we envision in our own minds, we tend to feel like God is not in control and/or that He does not hear our prayers. In this chapter we read where Abraham and Sarah has grown very old, yet God has seen fit to still bless them with another child. Sarah felt like the plan of God was so far out that she laughed, because the plan sounded so far out to her. I believe that today as we face life’s challenges we may not even go to God with our concerns because we feel like our problems are way too big. I believe that God is saying to me, and/or to us, O Ye of Little Faith! Is anything too hard for the Lord? Friends, we serve the creator and developer of this universe, the One who spoke all this into existence. Is there anything too hard for Him? I would dare say that He can do all things! He can handle every problem or challenge that seem so impossible to us. Today let’s let go, and let God be God!

PRAYER (With God’s help, what am I going to do differently today because He said it?)

Father I know that You must look at Your children and often say “O ye of little faith, have I not proven myself to you on numerous occasions? Why won’t you let me help you?”. Please help me to learn to place my trust in You and allow You to be God in all circumstances of my life. You are well aware of all that is troubling me today. I have no need to worry, because I need to just place everything into Your care and allow You to take control. Thank You for reminding me of Your power this morning. Thank You for reminding me that nothing is too hard for You! As I place myself into Your powerful hands again today, I pray that You will relieve me of every concern that tend to burden me. I need You each and every day through each and every situation. Please take control of every decision and every aspect of this life, and allow me to look through Your eyes when I am tempted to worry. Thank You for loving me so much!

A Covenant Relationship

On By Ed AlgreenIn All have sinned, Ask and Receive, Bible Believing, Bold Confidence, Born Again, Celebrate God, Chosen by God, Christian, Encourage, Eternal Life, Evangelism, Faith, Follow Jesus, God Cares For Us, God’s Word, Heaven, Hope, Humility, Imitator of Christ, Listen to the Word of God, Obedience, Pleasing to God, Reaching the Lost, Reflecting Christ, Repentance, Righteousness, Surrender, The Book of Life, Things Eternal, Victorious LifeLeave a comment

Scripture: Genesis 17

OBSERVATION (What is God saying here?)

1 When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, “I am El-Shaddai—‘God Almighty.’ Serve me faithfully and live a blameless life.2 I will make a covenant with you, by which I will guarantee to give you countless descendants.”3 At this, Abram fell face down on the ground. Then God said to him,4 “This is my covenant with you: I will make you the father of a multitude of nations!5 What’s more, I am changing your name. It will no longer be Abram. Instead, you will be called Abraham, for you will be the father of many nations.6 I will make you extremely fruitful. Your descendants will become many nations, and kings will be among them! Gen 17:1-6 (NLT)

APPLICATION (How Can I apply what God is saying here to my circumstances today?)

Much is said in God’s Work about covenant relationships. In this particular chapter there were several covenant relationships made with Abram (Abraham) and they all were similar in form. God made a covenant that He would do certain things and this was either preceded, or followed by, certain things that would be required by Abram and/or his people. In this particular covenant God told his servant who was once fatherless, that he would become the father of countless descendants and of many nations, and to mark this his name would be changed to reflect the new him, because Abraham actually means ‘Father of Many’. Now prior to all this being revealed, God demanded of Abram that he vow to serve Him faithfully and live a blameless life. Throughout God’s Word He makes many promises to us, the greatest of which was the gift of His Son Jesus. In this particular covenant, God sent His Son so that those of us that believe on, and accept Him as Lord of our life, would have eternal life. At Christmas time we celebrate the gift that was presented to us. I trust that for all who may read this devotional, You would truly accept this gift and complete the covenant presented by God, for I guarantee you that He will live up to His part of the covenant by opening heaven’s gates and receiving us into eternity with Him. Friend I pray that your eyes will be opened to this invitation, because the alternative is not very bright for those who refuse to accept Jesus. An eternal life of damnation and the unpleasentries of Hell is not anything that I can imagine anyone wanting to set as a goal in their life.

PRAYER (With God’s help, what am I going to do differently today because He said it?)

Father I thank You for the greatest gift ever given – Your Son. I thank You also for touching my life and encouraging me to accept Your gift some 35 years ago. I am concerned about the numerous number of family and/or friends and/or co-workers that have chosen to ignore Your gift and the covenant You have offered to us. I pray that this will be an important Christmas weekend in the lives of those that You have touched my life through, because I pray that You will once again overly sensitize their hearts so that they will understand how hopeless life is without You. May they experience the real meaning of the reason that we celebrate Christmas as they surrender and submit their lives to You this week.

Are You Christian, Enough To Be Found Guilty?

On By Ed AlgreenIn Bible Believing, Christian, Encourage, Forgiveness, Humility, Imitator of Christ1 Comment

SCRIPTURE

Studied: Acts 25; Acts 26 

OBSERVATION (What is God saying here?)

Acts 25:5-9 ~ This man has been found to be a real pest and troublemaker for Jews all over the world. He is also a leader of a group called Nazarenes. When he tried to disgrace the temple, we arrested him. If you question him, you will find out for yourself that our charges are true. The Jewish crowd spoke up and agreed with what Tertullus had said.

APPLICATION (How Can I apply what God is saying here to my circumstances today?)

Paul was taken before the governor, Felix because the Jews wanted to get rid of this thorn in their side. Paul had ‘stepped on their toes’ by his witness and through his preaching of the Gospel. It made me wonder – am I demonstrating enough of Christ in me that others would find sufficient evidence to take me before some figurehead and possibly place charges against me for being a follower/imitator of Christ? I pray daily that I would represent Christ in all that I say or do so that others may see Jesus in me. I wonder how far that effort really goes? This is something that each person will be required to answer for themselves. I don’t believe for a moment that God expects us to have a ‘holier than thou’ attitude, but when our actions reflect the ways of Christ taught to us through God’s Holy Word, and when the tone of our voice and the words that we speak be reflective of the character and love of Christ for His bride – the church (us), then others will see something that they want, or need – something that make them crave after the origin of that attitude. Having said all this, I believe that I should quickly follow this by saying that we should be careful not to lead anyone towards us, but rather towards the cross, towards the only One that can convict them of their sin and save them, so that He could love on them forever – yes, the rest of this life as we know it and throughout eternity. It should be clear to others whose we are! God will do His part to keep us humble, guided by His hand and protected from the enemy, for

Be One Who Fellowships with Believers

On By Ed AlgreenIn Bible Believing, Christian, Disciple, Encourage, Love, Motivate, WorksLeave a comment

A Quality of a Mature, Reproducing Disciple of Jesus Christ

 

SCRIPTURE

Studied: Hebrews 10:24–25, Ephesians 2:19-22

OBSERVATION (What is God saying here?)

  1. Hebrews 10:24-25 ~ Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.
  2. Ephesians 2:19-22 ~ That’s plain enough, isn’t it? You’re no longer wandering exiles. This kingdom of faith is now your home country. You’re no longer strangers or outsiders. You belong here, with as much right to the name Christian as anyone. God is building a home. He’s using us all—irrespective of how we got here—in what he is building. He used the apostles and prophets for the foundation. Now he’s using you, fitting you in brick by brick, stone by stone, with Christ Jesus as the cornerstone that holds all the parts together. We see it taking shape day after day—a holy temple built by God, all of us built into it, a temple in which God is quite at home.

APPLICATION (How Can I apply what God is saying here to my circumstances today?)

  1. I see two things in these two verses that speak to my heart this morning:
    1. Motivate One Another – Often we are so busy talking to our friends about someone that I find this idea of ‘Motivating One Another to Acts of Love and Good Works’ to be such an excellent, life-changing idea. Not only will that help me to do something positive and constructive, but it will be extremely difficult for me to backbite, or belittle someone that I am trying hard to motivate in the manner described here.
    2. Encourage One Another – If someone (another disciple) was to come alongside me and encourage/motivate me in a manner described above, especially when I was feeling down and out and out of touch with the body of Christ, I believe that it would get me back on the right track. I believe that one reason the writer chose to recognize the point about neglecting to meet together is because when we are out of fellowship with other Christians, we find it difficult to meet together with them for worship. Instead of us jumping to conclusions about why they are not in church, perhaps if we chose to encourage them and motivate them to a healthy relationship with God and His people then they might see that our hearts are in the right place and that we truly want to see them on fire for God.
  2. Some of us came to Christ from very different, sometimes very opposite backgrounds. In these verses we are taught that God is using us all in building the kingdom. Wow, this is so powerful! When we consider that God is using us, and He is using that brother or sister that we work alongside of in Sunday School, or at Fall Festival or at any function, to fit together into building His temple, why would we not do all within our power to get along with that person, and to motivate that person into love and good works? In our marriage we would do this in order to build a strong and stable marriage, all the more we should be doing this on a daily basis to build a strong and stable kingdom and to show a lost world that we are Christians by our love and good works.

PRAYER (With God’s help, what am I going to do differently today because He said it?)

Father, this idea of Fellowshipping with Believers (other brothers and sisters who have the same Father – Jesus Christ) has taken on a whole new perspective as I was reminded about the content of these scripture verses. Please help me to dedicate myself daily to motivate my brother and my sister to acts of love and good works, and to encourage them to never neglect the opportunities we have to meet together in Your name. Thank You for reminding me that Your kingdom is much bigger than just me, so it is extremely important that I fit together with all those that have this common purpose and commitment. I acknowledge that I often have a desire to fellowship with other believers, please help me to take that desire to a whole new level as I look more to their needs and to encourage them in their walk for Christ. Father, I want to be just like You, and You were often accused for fellowshipping with those that were sometimes frowned upon by the self proclaimed ‘righteous’ of that day. Please help me to fellowship with any who You would direct me to for love, motivation and encouragement. Please send other disciples to my side, as You often do, to help keep me strong and on the right track for being effective in Your ministry.