Category: Eternal Life

Everyone Eligible For Life Eternal

On By Ed AlgreenIn A Lamp unto My Path, Adoration, Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Awesome God, Beyond Description, Blessing, Celebrate God, Eternal Life, Needs, Praise, Praise-worthy, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED: Thursday, 2023-04-13
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: 1 Timothy 1:15-16
TRANSLATION: New Living Translation (NLT)

BIBLE TEXT: 15 This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”—and I am the worst of them all. 16 But God had mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of his great patience with even the worst sinners. Then others will realize that they, too, can believe in him and receive eternal life.

OBSERVATION: Credit Card companies will advertise using words similar to my title today, for they want everyone to apply for their credit card, and they know that some will feel like they couldn’t possibly qualify. When invited to know Jesus, most individuals will respond that they are so unworthy of acceptance by the King of all kings and Lord of all lords. But God knew this would be the case, so He arranged an example in and through the life of Paul to help us understand that His grace is sufficient and reaches to every child created by Almighty God. Stay tuned to be reminded of how important you are to God!

APPLICATION: Although not referenced in today’s Scripture, Paul’s former name was Saul. When Paul makes reference to him being one of the worst sinners, he was referring to the days of Saul, when he was known as a persecutor of the church and of Christians as a whole. Today we sometimes hear of a church being burned down, or burglarized, or riddled with gunshots, but I don’t know of any crimes that could be compared to the evil done by Saul. However, God met up with Saul, convicted him of his sin, saved him, changed his name to Paul, and sent him on to do the work of the Lord instead. So, when you drum up excuses of why you can’t attend church, or why a Christian shouldn’t waste their time worry about why they couldn’t lead you to Christ because of your evil deeds, please try to remember the story of the former Saul, and the new Paul who went on to reach the unchurched and place churches where there was no presence of godly teaching. If God could deal with such a terror as Saul, could He not also challenge you on your sin? If God could start life anew in Paul, and put aside all the bad he had done, could He not turn your life around. Please try to remember from all Bible accounts that speak of God changing a man. Never does it say that God went after the worst sinners, or the one with just a little sin. A person who sins, disobeys God. There is no such thing as a minor sin or a major sin. God sent His Son, Jesus, to save mankind from their sin – period. ‘Minor’ sins may not even get the attention of the authorities today, for governments have come to accept many things that God might consider ‘sin’. But, please don’t forget that ‘sin’ occurs when one disobeys the laws of God. Authors in the Bible went to a great extent to help us understand what God established as His law for mankind. Satan first tempted Eve about how insignificant he felt the laws of God was, and of course Satan has intensified his pressure on mankind today with this misguidance to make sure that God won’t win us over. Dear friends, I am a firm believer that ‘greater is He (God) that is inside of the child of God, than he (Satan) that is in the world. You have a fairly straightforward decision to make. Are you prepared to accept Jesus, the Creator of the universe; the One sacrificed on Calvary’s hill for the redemption of our sin; the One who sits at the right hand of the Father interceding for us; the One waiting to receive us into His eternal kingdom (heaven) for all eternity? Unless you make a decision, you are doomed for eternity in the fires of hell with its leader, Satan. I feel like the decisions is obvious, but Satan may be pounding it into your head like he did with Saul, that his way is the only reasonable and fun way. Friend of God, Trust in the Lord your God with all your heart, soul and mind, and lean not on your own understanding. Today is the day of salvation. Seek the Lord while He may be found!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: It is very possible that others will see Jesus evident in us and desire to accept Him as Lord of their life also! It will be worth it all!

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, please open our eyes to the truth of Your Word. Paul identified reasons why You saved him, and he glorified You for using him in spite of his past. Please develop with us a sense of why You saved us, and the purpose for which You’ve still allowed us to stick around. Each man faces a decision of where they will spend eternity. Thank You Lord for opening my blinded, sinful eyes and allowing me to see the love of Jesus. Please open the eyes of our relatives, friends and all who have yet to make a decision regarding their eternal destiny. As they are reminded of the change You made in the life of Saul, may they also be reminded that You can do the same for them, if only they will allow You to bless them and save them from eternity in Hell. 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!

Eternal Life in Heaven – How?

On By Ed AlgreenIn A Lamp unto My Path, Adoration, Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Awesome God, Beyond Description, Blessing, Celebrate God, Eternal Life, Eternity, Needs, Praise, Praise-worthy, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED: Friday, 2023-02-24
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Luke 10:25-29
TRANSLATION: Amplified Bible (AMP)

BIBLE TEXT: 25 And a certain lawyer [an expert in Mosaic Law] stood up to test Him, saying, “Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 26 Jesus said to him, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?” 27 And he replied, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.” 28 Jesus said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this habitually and you will live.” 29 But he, wishing to justify and vindicate himself, asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

OBSERVATION: Perhaps one of the most well-known verses in the Bible is John 3:16! One of the principal lines included is ‘whosever believes on the Son of God will have eternal life’. There may be many who will question Jesus like the lawyer did in today’s Scripture, because they want to ensure that in their life here on earth, they have prepared themselves for life eternally in heaven. So, let’s get our response from this important Scripture where Jesus addresses this exact question.

APPLICATION: Isn’t it interesting how, when we devote our time to certain lifestyles and we study certain subjects, we try to find our answers to life’s toughest questions in those things? In today’s Scripture our lawyer/friend, who was an expert in Mosaic law, felt like he had the right answer to this question that was impacting his mind, but since he had opportunity to speak directly with the One who had answers to all of life’s questions, he went ahead and tried to make sure that the answer was nothing more than what he discovered in the laws handed down by his ancestor, Moses. In John 3:16, Jesus said that ‘whosoever believes on Him, will have eternal life’. However, the lawyer didn’t want to trust just the laws of Moses with such an important question. He had to make sure that he had the most accurate answer possible, so that he could make sure of his eternal destiny after this life here on earth. I believe his reasoning may have been similar to what we still struggle with today, for it is obvious from the answer given by Jesus that something else will result for those who choose not to ‘love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.’ Many have chosen to ignore the question of what happens after life here on earth, because they feel like the Maker and Designer of all mankind will not punish that which He has created. Friends, you are precisely right in your assumption should God have created us to be robots and do only what He tells us to. However, He created us in His own image, and gave us the option to choose what we will do about our eternity. For those who acknowledge His lordship and do as the Scripture says today, they will one day be rewarded with the likes of heaven where they will spend eternity with the Father (God), the Son (Jesus) and the Holy Spirit (the 3rd arm of the Trinity). For the rebels who want to do life their way and ignore the very One who created them in His likeness, then our loving Father will sadly watch as they gain their reward – eternity in Hell with the master they chose – Satan. You might quickly retort that you never ‘chose Satan’. But dear friend, the way that this works is that unless you specifically chose to believe in Jesus and love Him with all your heart, soul and mind, and love your neighbor as yourself, then you will never change the trajectory of your life – eternity with the Evil One – Satan. My greatest aim with Nuggets From God’s Word, is to allow God to speak through my thoughts and prayers to impact the hearts of His kids. I pray that today will be no exception, and that the Holy Spirit will provoke your curiosity, just as He did with the lawyer in our Bible story, so that you may also seek after answers that will impact you for all eternity. This is one of those things that you can settle today – where will you spend eternity? In Heaven, or in Hell? It’s your choice, and your decision today will settle the issue for you for all eternity! Let me encourage you to choose Heaven, because I really want to meet each of you there, but most of all, I want us to celebrate Jesus as we bow in homage to Him for all eternity!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: The secret to eternal life in heaven, is to habitually love the Lord our God with all our heart, and with all our soul, and with all our strength, and with all our mind; and our neighbor as ourself!

PRAYER: Thank You Lord Jesus for the blessed hope we have of one day being in Heaven with You and our Father. Lord, I pray that everyone who will take time to read this devotional today may not only be excited about the prospect of seeing You and worshipping at Your feet, but they will make sure that they are indeed ready for the day when life here on earth is ended. A day that every human will face, if the trumpet is not sounded first. We work hard at readying ourselves for a good job, a high-profile banquet, or the arrival of our child, please lord, help us to be sure that our election is sure, and that our soul is secure so that when we close our eyes in death here on earth, we will open our eyes in eternity with You. Also, Lord. just as we would quickly do all within our power to help a friend prepare for an oncoming storm, help us to also make it a priority to challenge them and help them to be in a state of readiness for the day when You call them home to glory. Be glorified in all we do and say today, Lord, for Your kingdom’s sake. 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!

Your Choice – Life or Death?

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Choice, Death, Eternal Life, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Monday, 2022-11-21
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Philippians 1:21-24
TRANSLATION: Amplified Bible (AMP)

BIBLE TEXT: 21 For to me, to live is Christ [He is my source of joy, my reason to live] and to die is gain [for I will be with Him in eternity]. 22 If, however, it is to be life here and I am to go on living, this will mean useful and productive service for me; so I do not know which to choose [if I am given that choice]. 23 But I am hard-pressed between the two. I have the desire to leave [this world] and be with Christ, for that is far, far better; 24 yet to remain in my body is more necessary and essential for your sake.

APPLICATION: Having buried two relatives recently, I have become more keenly aware of life, as we know it today, and death, given the foreknowledge about our eternal destiny. Because of this, and in talking more freely about life, and life after death, I had a close relative tell me to get off the subject of death, for, he thought that I have way too much to look forward to in life! Of course, that advice probably came from a selfish thought about my relative’s future in life without me being present here on earth! Friends, today I want to remind you that even if we ignore life after death, so we could enjoy our life as we know it today, that doesn’t make our future float off into oblivion. Paul met the challenge of leaving a free life of ministry, family and friends, when he was admitted to prison. However, God showed him that ministry for the Kingdom of God exists wherever we find mankind in need of a Savior. I believe this made Paul think even more about other transitions, such as the one from life to eternity after death. The reason I believe it is so vital that my readers and listeners think about this today, is that very much like travelling domestically or internationally, our trip will be disastrous, and our life will be miserable, if we arrive at our destination without having made any plans for it before we left home. In fact, we may have even travelled to the wrong destination! And so it is with our transition, or travel, from planet earth as we know it today. Although the two relatives I mentioned were over 90 – an age that we might ‘expect’ someone to die, let me tell you that I have good friends who have recently also lost teenagers, young adults, and relatives that they least expected. My point is, do not wait to think about your transition from earth until later in life when people tend to die. Your pronouncement could be aligned with your reading of this devotional, you have no control over that. But what you do have control of, is your state of readiness to leave this world at any given moment. I want you to live as a current day traveler would live if they knew they would be traveling soon, their bags would be packed and probably waiting at the front door. Although you may not have given it any thought, let me remind you that for those without Jesus Christ, their bags are already packed, for they have assurance that their eternal destiny is with Satan and his many demons in Hell, for they have said ‘no thanks’ to the invitation from Jesus on more than one occasion. To change that destination, it really is very easy, for Jesus is holding His hand out inviting each reader/listener to accept His love, His compassion, His sacrifice, and the eternal hope He offers to be with He and His Father in Heaven when life here on earth is over. Friends, your ticket to Hell is by default because of your sinful state. Please consider upgrading your ticket to Heaven by accepting the free gift of salvation offered through the awesome sacrifice of Jesus Christ at Calvary. Jesus offered up His life, so that our lives can be acceptable for a transition into the glories of heaven. It’s you move, dear friend. Will it be Heaven, or Hell?

BLESSING(S) NOTED: I can barely think of the overwhelming joy that is ours, whether we remain on earth, or are taken up to glory to live eternally with our ternal Father and His Son Jesus! There is no greater joy!

PRAYER: What joy it is to rejoice together with Paul in glorifying You Lord Jesus, and for the assurance of being with You in glory some day! That makes living here on earth more tolerable, in spite of the many doubts, fears, disappointments, losses and strife of dealing with the sin that is so prevalent here. Lord, thank You for encouraging us through Your servant, Paul. This brings us eternal hope and a satisfying tomorrow. Please teach us to share that joy with those who have made no better plans than to accept their eternal destiny in Hell. We love our family and friends, and we want to see the very best for them. Please help us to be so overjoyed in our relationship with You that they will want nothing less. Use us Lord as Your instrument of love and encouragement while 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!

A Lifestyle Change

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Eternal Life, Fruit of the Spirit, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Victorious Life, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Wednesday, 2022-06-22
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Luke 3:7-9 
TRANSLATION: The Voice (VOICE)

BIBLE TEXT: John the Baptist: You bunch of venomous snakes! Who told you that you could escape God’s coming wrath? 8 Don’t just talk of turning to God; you’d better bear the authentic fruit of a changed life. Don’t take pride in your religious heritage, saying, “We have Abraham for our father!” Listen—God could turn these rocks into children of Abraham! 9 God wants you to bear fruit! If you don’t produce good fruit, then you’ll be chopped down like a fruitless tree and made into firewood. God’s ax is taking aim and ready to swing!

APPLICATION: Have you ever been in a store, or at work, or at the mall, and found yourself near enough to overhear an individual tearing another employee apart verbally? Then, as you drew near enough to the heated conversation, you saw that it was someone from your church? I know, church attendees are human, and they could still become agitated, frustrated, unhappy and upset over certain circumstances just like everyone else, right? So why then do you suppose that John addressed this problem, and why would God have instilled this in the heart of Dr. Luke to present this as part of the Gospel? I believe it all goes back to a phrase that became very popular some years ago ‘what would Jesus do’ (WWJD). For circumstances will present itself as a test so the world could see what we are made of. In this teaching today, we could see that Luke used a similar tactic to that of Jesus, where he demonstrated a truth to the religious leaders through a parable. He likened their lives to that of a tree that bears fruit. For a farmer will cut down a tree that bears no fruit, so that the fruit bearing trees might flourish. But how would this apply to people, you might ask. I believe that you would be upset if a child for whom you paid years and years of tuition fees to gain their medical degree, finished school, and did nothing more than hang around the house without a desire to work in his/her profession. They may have a medical degree, but if they refuse to work in that profession and keep up with their trade, are they really a doctor? The same example holds true when looking at a married person who refuses to sleep at home, take care of their spouse, and continue to flirt with everyone walking into a nightclub. So what about one who felt a nudge from the Master, and surrenders their life to the lordship of Jesus Christ? The Bible says that the Holy Spirit then resides inside that individual and leads them in a life dedicated to God’s commands, His teachings, His example as told in the Bible, and they will therefore operate in accordance with God’s will, and His direction for their life. When all of this is in place and the individual decides to ignore the Holy Spirit’s leadership and do his/her own thing, how do you think God must feel? Don’t you know that these Pharisee Leaders showed up for no other reason but to trap John, poke fun of his teaching and baptism, and retain the allegiance of their people? Don’t you think that John was probably spot on with his accusation of them being a brood of vipers? Friends, I believe that our take away today is that we must be true to what we claim as our life’s influencer. If this is Jesus Christ, then others will see ‘fruit’ in our actions, our priorities, our words of encouragement, our prayers, the books we read, the places we frequent, and the results of all these things will impact our outlook on life and the love we show towards others. At the time of conversion to our new Master, we will learn to stay in tune with Him through reading His Word; communicating with Him through conversation (prayer); and through a solid commitment to honor Him through our words and actions. If there is no lifestyle change, can we truly prove to Jesus and to our family and friends that there has been a change in our lives? These new changes are displayed as proof, or ‘fruit’, of our lifestyle change. In our new relationship with Jesus Christ, we have chosen to imitate Him! When this happens, the world will know that we are authentic in our Christianity, and John sensed that this was not the case with the Pharisees. If God is your Lord, your Savior, and your Master my friend, seek His help and He will also be your Guide and your Deliverer in every circumstance of life! And there is nothing, absolutely nothing, that you and God can’t do!

PRAYER: Precious Lord, please touch Your children today and help us to never take for granted all that You did so that we might have life everlasting. Oh that we may take our commitment seriously to give you FULL control of our lives, and that we may be obedient in every way to Your Word – Your Book of Instructions for the Christian. As we follow You, I believe that our lives will reflect the very image of Jesus – fruit (evidence) that the world will see, know and appreciate in our lifestyle change. But we need You to do this in our lives Lord, for in and of ourselves we are helpless in overcoming the evil that’s all around us. I know You can, and I believe You will, so I thank You in advance dear Jesus. Be glorified today because of Your committed children being obedient to You, Your Word and the Holy Spirit.  AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: There are two more pages on my blog that will provide you with additional information, one of them being ‘To Know Jesus’. If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please click on the above page, or speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. Please allow someone to pray with you and give you help and/or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Words underlined in my blog 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!

Life or Death? Your Choice

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Choices, Death, Eternal Life, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Tuesday, 2022-04-19
WRITTEN AT: Citra, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Deuteronomy 30:19-20
TRANSLATION: New Living Translation (NLT)

BIBLE TEXT: 19 “Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live! 20 You can make this choice by loving the Lord your God, obeying him, and committing yourself firmly to him. This is the key to your life. And if you love and obey the Lord, you will live long…..

APPLICATION: I remember the warnings given by my dad when I left home for high school in another city. There wasn’t much room for negotiation, for my dad gave me more of an ultimatum. If you get in any kind of trouble, you’re coming back home son! For those who are curious, I succeeded in graduating High School!! I’m of the impression that Moses also gave the Israelites an ultimatum, for he clearly gave them the conditions necessary for a life filled with God’s blessing, vs a life destined for Hell and destruction. I have no doubt that no one would chose the latter, for we all want the very best out of life, and we want to leave a legacy for those who will follow in our footsteps. I believe that God continues to care for us in the same way, and under the same conditions that He did with the Israelites. In vs 16 God said through His servant Moses: if you love the Lord your God and keep his commands, decrees, and regulations by walking in his ways, then His people would live a great life. I believe that means that God would love, protect, guide and keep us as long as we remain on earth but, since He has also prepared a place for us to spend eternity, then I believe that we can live expecting heaven on earth, and for all eternity! But God didn’t just leave it up to the unsaved to assume what might happen to them, for He told the Israelites in vs 17 that if their heart turns away and you refuse to listen, and if you are drawn away to serve and worship other gods, then I warn you now that you will certainly be destroyed. You will not live a long, good life. Friends, I believe that God is similarly saying to the one who has chosen to live their life without the Savior, that you can’t live like the devil and expect to be treated like a child of God. It just don’t work that way! So to all my readers and listeners, I believe that you are faced with the same decision as the Israelites – heaven, or hell? What’s your choice? If you refuse the call of God on your life, then you are destined for a life of hell here on earth, and eternal damnation after life here below. I wouldn’t wish that on my worst enemy, so may I encourage you to please choose ‘life’, my friend? To my Christian Brothers and Sisters, let me implore you to be steadfast in prayer for, and encouragement to, your unsaved family and friends, for I believe that Jesus will return at any time now to take His bride home to glory, and we all want to be ready for that day!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: We’ve been given a present – today! So let’s ready ourselves, and encourage our friends, for that great Judgment Day. A final verdict will be announced on that day – heaven, or hell. Oh that we all will be prepared and ready for eternity with Jesus and His Father.

PRAYER: Through Your servant Moses, You made it clear to Your people the benefits of following Your commands and obeying Your Word. You also warned them of the dire consequences if they failed to obey You. I am convinced that You had this particular warning placed in Your Word to also get our attention today, for the same logic applies to us. Lord, I pray that we’ll all be ready. That we’ll all choose ‘life’ over eternal death and damnation. Please encourage many to read this devotional today, Lord, and open their hearts and minds to fully comprehend the consequences of the decisions they make today. May they commit fully to Your saving grace, and may they follow through in accepting You as Lord of their life – TODAY. 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!

Choose Life!

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

DATE POSTED Saturday, 2021-08-14
WRITTEN AT: Hattiesburg, MS

SCRIPTURE FROM: Deuteronomy 30:19-20
TRANSLATION: New Living Translation (NLT)

BIBLE TEXT: 19 “Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live! 20 You can make this choice by loving the Lord your God, obeying him, and committing yourself firmly to him. This is the key to your life. And if you love and obey the Lord, you will live long….

APPLICATION: Some may take my subject for today’s devotional as a pro-life theme, while others may ask ‘who wouldn’t want to choose life over death?’ But I would encourage you to look beyond your assumptions today and consider the message that Moses gave to his people. He not only gave them the choice of life over death, but he clearly showed them what they needed to do in order to have life, and have life more abundantly. Since these things still apply to us today, I believe that it is worth our while to spend some time to understand them and to seek ways that we might apply them in our lives:
——> Loving the Lord – In other Scriptures, Jesus admonishes us that if we love Him: We will serve Him; We will worship Him; We will tell others about Him; We will desire to be with Him. These words are not strange to us, for our spouse will frequently tell us that if we love them, we would…. You see, there is always evidence of our love for God, and for each other. So love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul and all your mind, and all these things will be given to you!
——> Obeying the Lord – To disobey your God, your spouse, your boss or your friend, shows that you have no respect for them or their authority over you. To obey what they ask or tell you to do, shows that you love, respect and honor them, so you will do whatever they ask. So show you love for the Lord by obeying His commands!
——> Committing yourself firmly to the Lord – To whom do you belong? If it’s God, then firmly commit to Him in every aspect of life. I don’t know that it’s possible to say that you love the Lord and you obey the Lord, but you have not fully committed your life to Him. Show me an uncommitted ‘Christian’ and I believe you will show someone who follows Jesus when it is convenient, otherwise it’s all about him or herself. I always got a kick out of politicians who showed up at community groups right before election time. At other times of the year they were no where to be found. They showed up when they needed the people, not when the people really needed them to serve!
Moses told his people, and I believe the Scripture supports a very similar promise for those who put their faith and trust in Jesus Christ – do these things and you are choosing life eternal – in heaven. Continue your selfish desires and ignore the commands of Jesus, and you will receive your heart’s desire – curses and damnation in a place especially designed for folk like you – Hell. Just as Moses did in our Scripture, let me repeat the same plea ‘Choose life’ my dear friends!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: We can escape the damnation of eternity in Hell, by loving the Lord our God, obeying Him, and committing ourselves firmly to Him. By doing these things we are promised eternity in heaven with the Father and His precious Son!

PRAYER: Thank You precious Lord for calling me to Yourself many years ago, and for granting me peace to obediently follow You today and every day until You call me home to glory. Please touch the hearts of each reader/listener with Your Word today and may every word shared by Your faithful servant be acceptable in Your sight and in the hearts of every reader or listener. May we enjoy Your blessings today and every day, until You call us home for even more intimacy with You and the Father. Please draw the unbeliever to You very powerfully today, as this may very well be the last day we have 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!

My Only Hope Is….

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Eternal Life, Hope, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Wednesday, 2021-07-14
WRITTEN AT: Casa Grande, AZ

SCRIPTURE FROM: Psalm 39:6-7
TRANSLATION: The Passion Translation (TPT)

BIBLE TEXT: 6 We live our lives like those living in shadows.
    All our activities and energies are spent for things that pass away.
    We gather, we hoard, we cling to our things,
    only to leave them all behind for who knows who.
7 And now, God, I’m left with one conclusion:
    my only hope is to hope in you alone!

APPLICATION: There was a gentleman who had his casket built, and it was stored in the room next to him at his home! Children dreaded visiting this gentleman with their parents because they were afraid of the idea of a casket being in the home! Now compare that to the dozens of people you know that fit the description given by David in verse 6. Many of us work ourselves into an early grave, as we strive to make the next hundred to save in our retirement, or purchase the newest gadget for our spouse or child. But what happens when their hopes are dashed by an accident that suddenly shortens the lifespan of that individual? I love the heart, and the writings of David in the Psalms. In the preceding verses he was rehearsing with God how much longer he would live. And I believe that we all think about that at times, but oh how I wish that we would come to the same conclusion that David did in verse 7: Regardless of all else, praise God I realize that my only hope is in the risen Lord, Jesus my Savior! Friends, we all want to leave for our children more than our parents left for us, but let me suggest to you something that matters most when an individual leaves this world: that someone was touched by your walk, or your talk, or your time with them, while you were alive here on earth, and that person found Jesus because of their association with you! Friend of God, I pray that your hope is in God – the same God that David referred to in our Scripture today. Where is your hope? What is your hope based on? Unless your hope is based on Jesus Christ, nothing you achieve will be of value to those you hope will benefit from your estate.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Our hope is in Jesus our Lord, the Creator of the earth, sun, stars, you and I. Anything else is temporal and may never be appreciated by those left behind.

PRAYER: Thank You dear Lord for the reminder that all you created will be taken care of here on earth and in the new heaven that You created just for us. Everything else is temporal and matters very little when we stand before You on Judgment Day. Please Lord, speak to the hearts of the unsaved and speak to each reader/listener of this devotional. May we all plan to be with You on that great resurrection morning! Please help us to fix our eyes on this very important part of life while here below, so that when our time comes for meeting you in the skies, we might sing with the angels: Oh That Will Be Glory For Me! 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!

With A Heart For Jesus

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

DATE WRITTEN: Sunday, 2021-04-04
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: Matthew 25:45-46
TRANSLATION: The Voice (VOICE)

BIBLE TEXT: 45 I tell you this: whenever you saw a brother hungry or cold, when you saw a sister weak and without friends, when you saw the least of these and ignored their suffering, so you ignored Me.
46 So these, the goats, will go off to everlasting punishment. But the beloved, the sheep (the righteous), will go into everlasting life.

OBSERVATION: As you ponder the above Scripture today, perhaps you will be forced to think of the attributes one might possess to be helpful to, and considerate of, those less fortunate than ourselves. Hopefully you will quickly conclude that not everyone that gives money, or donates food, or give in any other material way is doing that because of their love for God. When our hearts are molded by God and led by His Holy Spirit, we do things out of love and compassion. Remember, Jesus knows our ‘heart’!

APPLICATION: Not every man who shows lust after a woman, nor every woman that gives in to a man, are necessarily married. So it is with those who give to the needy. Some do it for public recognition; some for savings on their tax bill; while some will give of material goods out of excess. Are they a child of the King because they do this? God is their judge and He will deal with that one-on-one with them. In the Bible we are told about a woman who gave of her last few pennies. Jesus said that she had given more than the richest man ever gave, because she had a heart filled with the love and compassion of God. Jesus recognized His children, and the manner and heart in which they gave. He called them His beloved and considered them as His sheep. He shared with His disciples that these individuals will go on into everlasting life, for they saw like Him and acted just as He would have. From deep inside their hearts, they saw needs, and they did something about that. Imagine as a father, you saw your kids responding to needs – just as you had hoped that they were watching and learning from your actions in life? Wouldn’t you heart swell with pride and cause you to praise the Father above? Jesus was not afraid to also tell the naked truth about pride, arrogance and selfishness to those who act like they are the reason for their success in life while here on earth. Jesus was probably hurt as He witnessed them ignore the needs, even though they had plenty to share. He could tell that they not only ignored Him and His unconditional love for them, but they had none to share with those in desperate need of their help. Jesus had something to give these folk as well, but it was not a heavenly reward, but instead it was eternal punishment by the evil one. Friends, although I am convinced that our Lord is generous in blessing His children today, let me be quick to say that I believe Jesus still hates sin, the mean hearted, and those who have ignored what He sacrificed on Calvary. In fact, so much so that Jesus said in verse 46 that they will go off the everlasting punishment. Many of us will say after a very difficult day here on earth, that we had a day from Hell, but I don’t believe that we have heard or seen anything yet that compares to what Satan has in store for those who have given him full reign of their lives. I know, you have not committed ‘I do’ to Satan. But my dear friends, the Word of God says that unless you surrender your life to the Lord Jesus Christ, then you have given full authority to Satan, because you are headed for a sinner’s domain – Hell. There is no such thing as Satan’s domain, God’s domain and your domain. You either make a firm commitment to accept and follow Jesus, or you continue on your path to Hell. There’s no better time than this Easter Sunday for you to surrender to our Risen Lord! Do it today precious one, and prepare for His gift of eternal life.

PRAYER: Thank You Lord that we are able to celebrate our Risen Savior today! Thank You for Your Word, and the reminder given to us in the Scripture today. Because I know that You are alive, and especially alive in my heart, I am looking forward to being included among the righteous that will go on into everlasting life in glory, with You and the Father. But Lord, I hurt for so many who have yet to accept You as Lord, including many of my family and friends. Please melt the hearts of my readers today, and make Your gift very visible in their eyes. Lord I am so anxious to be at Your feet in Heaven one day, and I want so bad to have all of my family and friends kneeling next to me as we celebrate our Risen Lord. Use me Lord as an instrument of Your grace to encourage the lost. and those who are discouraged, so that they may seek Your face. Oh that You may be glorified today because of the number of people who will accept Your Gift – Your precious Gift – Jesus. AMEN!

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

A Safe Place

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Eternal Life, Gift, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Salvation, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Wednesday, 2020-12-16
WRITTEN AT: Paul B Johnson State Park, Hattiesburg, MS

BIBLE REFERENCE: Nahum 1:7-8
TRANSLATION: Easy-to-Read Version (ERV)

BIBLE TEXT: 7 The Lord is good. He is a safe place to go to in times of trouble. He takes care of those who trust him.
8 But he will completely destroy his enemies.….

OBSERVATION: I believe that few will need reminding that God is our ‘go-to’ in times of trouble, for we tend to feel helpless, and we know that we must refer the matter to One that can handle all matters considered impossible by us. This often forces the Christian and the unbeliever to call on God, for we know that He could do ALL things. But notice how Nahum made a distinction between how God might treat His own, vs those that distance themselves from Him. So I encourage all readers to take note of what you could expect from God, depending on your acceptance of our King.

APPLICATION: Wouldn’t it make sense that for those who refuse the gift of eternal life from God, and choose to try and prove to the world that they could make it without Him, that they would also refuse to call on Him when life seems to be totally out of control? I would think so, but we know that’s not the way that life works. When disaster strikes, Christians are often called on by unbelievers to pray for them, or their loved one, who may be hurt or dying from some rare disease. How exactly might we pray? Our Scripture reminds us that Nahum was addressing the residents of Nineveh, the capital city of Assyria, and God revealed to him that there were some who would find it safe to anchor themselves in the shelter and protection of the Almighty, but there were some who would be totally destroyed because of their distant and hateful relationship with Him. Friends, we serve a God who is filled with love – more than we could ever imagine or understand, and while He will listen to the cry for salvation from those who despise Him, there will come a day when He would remove His hand a protection from them and allow death and destruction to take its course, unless they surrender their lives to Him. Do you think for a moment that in today’s society God will react in a different way? He has always hated sin, and I believe that He always will. I don’t know about you, but there are times that I must turn the television off, especially when I see reports of crime, vagrancy, and hatred against each other. Friends, sin abounds and individuals act in such evil ways, that God must wonder how could He possibly have been involved in their birth and upbringing. As you evaluate your life today, you should see where you will fit into one of two categories before God: 1). You’ve been washed by the blood of His precious Son and you are looked upon by God as being ’white as snow’. In fact, He sees Jesus’ perfect sinless life when He looks at you, and you are considered a son, or friend of the most High God; or 2). You have shown little concern about your sinful condition and have therefore rejected the invitation from Jesus Christ on many occasions. Because you have neglected God’s gift – His own precious Son, you have treated Him as your enemy. In verse 8 of today’s Scripture, you will note that God will destroy His enemies. To transition from group (2) over to group (1), you simply need to recognize the unconditional love that God has for His children – for you. Then accept His Son and begin celebrating the assurance of life eternally with the Master for ever! Nahum was merely reminding the Ninevehites of their plight. I feel like I have done just that for all who will read this devotional. May God grant you peace, wisdom and direction as you consider your eternity today, AMEN!

PRAYER: Thank You Lord for saving my soul. Thank You Lord for making me whole. Thank You Lord for giving to me, Thy great salvation so rich and free! Words from an old song that remains as true today as when I first accepted You as Lord and Savior of my life! Now oh Lord, I come before You on behalf of many family members and friends who have taken You for granted. They’ve decided to make a go at this life, all alone. Please Lord, soften their hearts and help them see very clearly that their segregation for You makes it clear that they are rejecting Your free gift of eternal life. In our Scripture today, and throughout Your Word, You have declared that You will destroy Your enemies. It saddens me that they would reject the most precious gift available to them today and remain enemies of Yours. Lord, instead of Your plan for eternal damnation for Your enemies, may I beg You to speak softly to all who will read this devotional today and remind them once again about Your love, and Your gift. May today be the day of Salvation for many, please oh Lord. 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!

A Gift – Just For You!

On By Ed AlgreenIn Biblical Decisions, Choice, Choices, Decisions, Eternal Life, Jesus led decisionsLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Saturday, 2020-10-03
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

Bible Reference: John 3:16-18
Translation: The Message (MSG)

Bible Text: 16-18 “This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life. God didn’t go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again. Anyone who trusts in him is acquitted; anyone who refuses to trust him has long since been under the death sentence without knowing it. And why? Because of that person’s failure to believe in the one-of-a-kind Son of God when introduced to him.

OBSERVATION: Most people who have heard the Bible taught or preached, could probably recite verse 16! But the verses that follow go on to explain why God sent His Son, and how this whole gift has to do with our eternal destiny. This is of super importance to each of us, because it helps us to understand the whole purpose of the gospel, and how it relates to each of us. So seek God’s face as we take time to understand this clearly today!

APPLICATION: If a gift was given to everyone at church, you would find where some would cherish it and recognize the value of it. They would appreciate it and cherish it for everything it’s worth. Others may take the gift home, but they may stash it away in a drawer, somewhere so it is not tarnished or broken. However there are some who will leave it in the seat at church, or throw it in the back seat of the car, because the gift is of little value to them, nor do they care to understands the necessity of the gift. Now compare this to the gift that God gave to us in verse 16. Many have accepted the gift, and perhaps you might be one of those. But what have you done with that gift? Anything? In the verses following, we are told that God saw that the sacrificial practices of the Old Testament, for the forgiveness of sin, were just not working. But God chose to give us a very valuable gift, even though it was extremely costly to Him. But God wanted to make this one-time sacrifice something that we could identify with, so that we might accept the gift that would clear the way for a right relationship between us and the Father. This Scripture is very simple, and It is extremely clear enough to us, because now we could know today where we will spend eternity. In vs 17 and 18 we are told that if we accept the gift of Jesus as our personal Savior, then we are acquitted of our sin. This qualifies us to stand before the Father as a righteous person, or a saint! Can’t you begin to see the miraculous value of this gift? However, this Scripture goes on to say that unless we take this important step, then we have personally placed ourselves under a death sentence, meaning that we will not live eternally in the beauty of life with Jesus and His Father, but instead we are condemned to death, where our eternity will be with Satan and his demons for all eternity. The choice is very clear dear friends, but it puts us in charge of our own destiny. Accepted the free gift of salvation – the precious gift of God’s Son given for all who call on His name, to be saved? Or, without making a deliberate decision, then we have personally decided to take the option of Hell and damnation. Dear friend, I write these blogs every morning hoping that no one who reads them would ever make a decision like the latter one I just explained, for I am so looking forward to rejoicing with each of you in glory one day! Because of the fact that you are reading this blog, this means that you still have a choice. However, today is the day of salvation, for you may not have the next minute or hour to make a change in your decision about where you will spend eternity. Make that decision right now, won’t you? I included help in my Footnote hoping that you would decide to make the right decision. Please contact a local pastor, or email me for help or prayer over this matter.

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, the Scripture is very clear. The stage has been set for us, and it is up to us to make sensible and responsible decisions, especially those that involve our lives after spending our last moments here on earth. You have made things abundantly clear. May each reader make a responsible decision today about their post earthly life – their destiny. I want them to join me in heaven with You, Lord, but I can’t make that decision for them. Tender their hearts today to Your Word, and encourage them to accept the precious gift that You gave to us, Your precious Son, Jesus. 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!