Eternal Life – Where Do You Stand?

On 2025-10-30 By Ed AlgreenIn Accept Jesus NOW, Acknowledge God, All have sinned, Awesome God, Eternal Life, Eternity, God Cares For Us, God’s WordLeave a comment

DATE POSTED
Thursday, October 30, 2025, and I was blessed to be at Branson, MO when God inspired me to prepare this devotional. My Footnote will tell you how to find and read any and all episodes that I have shared over the years.

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
Read John 5:24 in your Bible or click on it to read it online in the The Voice (VOICE).

APPLICATION – as inspired by the Holy Spirit
I hope you’ve taken a moment to read the verse referenced above, as it will help you better grasp the context of this devotional.I believe we can all agree that if there is One who created this world and everything in it, then there must also be a purpose behind that creation. For those of us who trust in the inspired Word of God—the Bible—we believe that God made us in His image so that we could know Him, represent Him, and live in a way that reflects His love. Those who accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior can live with the joy of knowing that when this earthly life ends, we will be welcomed into the presence of God—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit—for all eternity. This is what Scripture calls eternal life, and our focal verse today reminds us and confirms this beautiful truth.

Still, we know that not everyone shares this belief. Some have chosen to follow knowledge and ideas apart from God’s Word, trusting in human reasoning rather than divine truth. But when we do that, we risk living separated from the very One who created us and longs to draw us close to Himself. God’s desire is that no one would be lost but that everyone would come to know Him personally.

More than fifty years ago, I accepted Jesus as my Savior and Lord. Looking back, I’m more certain now than ever before that:

There is only one true and living God.
God created me in His image so I could know Him and reflect Him here on earth.
God exists as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—three in one.
God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, born of a virgin, so that all who believe in Him would be forgiven and made new.
As a child of the King, and through the truth of His Word, prayer, and worship, we can walk daily in the assurance that our sins are forgiven and that our God is greater than anything or anyone this world could ever offer.

Friends, each of us must make that decision for ourselves. We can’t rely on anyone else’s faith—not our parents, not our spouse, not even the most faithful friend. No good deeds or generosity can replace a heart that has personally surrendered to Jesus.

So today, I encourage you to pause and ask: Have I accepted Jesus as my Savior? If not, He is waiting with open arms. My prayer is that you will make that choice and experience the peace and joy that comes from knowing Jesus.

One day, I hope to kneel beside you at the feet of Jesus, worshiping together for all eternity. That’s not a selfish wish—it’s the overflow of God’s love in me, a love that wants His very best for you.

The choice is yours, dear friends. Choose Jesus today—and make God’s heart glad.

PRAYER
Lord You are good to me, so, so, good! I thank You for Your goodness and for looking out for my fellow believers and I, especially while dealing with the challenges we face here on earth. In being reminded through this verse today about the eternal benefits of knowing You as Lord, I am excited to share this awesome news with everyone, especially those who have yet to accept this wonderful truth. Please Lord, soften the hearts of all who read this devotional and allow the spirit of God to minister to them. May this be a day of decision for many who are reminded of Your love and Your provision of eternal life in heaven for Your children. AMEN!

FOOTNOTE
If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please take advantage of the information provided on my page ‘To Know Jesus’. Alternatively, consider speaking with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. I pray that one of God’s servants will pray with you and offer help and encouragement as you begin, or continue, your walk with Jesus. If you would like to read more of my devotionals, please visit NuggetsFromGodsWord.org, or if you choose, subscribe to receive a daily email containing each new devotional, as you will also find that option on this page. Friends, I encourage you to find a Bible teaching church home near your residence and attend as frequently as possible. Get to know God and allow His people to encourage and strengthen you in your Christian Walk while you invite God to work through you to bless them. God is at work among His people! Please consider being a part of that while also growing in your faith as you worship with fellow believers!

Living Your Faith: Practical Applications of James’ Teachings

On 2025-01-26 By Ed AlgreenIn Accept Jesus NOW, Acknowledge God, All have sinned, Awesome God, Eternal Life, Eternity, God Cares For Us, God’s WordLeave a comment

DATE POSTED
Sunday, January 26, 2025, and I was blessed to be in Kyle, TX when God inspired me to prepare this devotional. My Footnote will tell you how to find and read any and all episodes that I have shared over the years.

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
Quoted from the Good News Translation (GNT) and found in James 2:14-26 (Click to open and read)

APPLICATION – as inspired by the Holy Spirit
I maintain that the Word of God is all sufficient and covers every aspect of life for which we need help, comfort or direction. It is amazing, dear friends! But less we become confused, or should we totally misunderstand what James is teaching us here, perhaps we should look at a few real-life examples. Such as: If a man and woman marries and the man continues his life-long hobbies with his buddies, leaving very little time to spend with his new wife, will that marriage survive? I doubt it! Plus, if family and friends never see the couple together, or either of them showing affection towards each other, or lovingly doing things for each other, will others ever believe that they are married? I doubt it. If your friends heard that you are a fisherman, but they notice that you don’t own a boat, or you never go out fishing, or never sell seafood, will they ever believe you are a fisherman? I doubt it. So it is with Christianity my friends, and I believe that this is what James wanted to draw our attention to. Christian loved ones will probably drive us to attend church with them, and we may get caught up in the charisma and excitement of the preaching or the exceptional worship team, and we may walk the isle to impress our friends and/or the pastor. An elder may pray over us, but what difference does it make in our lives on Monday morning? In God’s Word we are told that we are to leave behind the things of this world and follow Christ. That tells me that we are to make a 180 degree turn from the things we once did, for the things, and teachings, of Jesus Christ is always opposite to that the world, or its leader, Satan, would lead us to do. When this change is not noticed by those who know you, then James is teaching us to go back to square one and make sure that we are saved. When we surrender lordship of our lives to Jesus Christ, we become a band new man, or woman, for our lifestyle changes, our vocabulary changes, we become a helpful person who loves God’s children and want to lead them to the Savior we love. These things are quite the opposite to the old ridiculing, persecuting, selfish, greedy, hateful personal we once were. But unless we totally miss the point, we must pay close attention to verses 23-24 where James uses the example of Abraham. For many will look at the self-controlled man that Abraham was when he followed the instructions of God to take his son with him up to the place of sacrifice, then build a fire, and then place his very son on the wood altar as a sacrifice. Friends, that took guts, so we may tend to believe that anyone who is so strong, they must be a born again Christian. But for those of us who look to the Bible for it’s full instruction, we will remember that in Genesis 15:6 the Word tells us that ‘Abram believed the LORD, and the LORD counted him as righteous because of his faith’. So I believe the Bible is clear in presenting you with a million dollar question today: ‘Have you believed in the Son of God?’. If you haven’t, then I believe James is teaching us to recognize that we are only spinning our wheels with our church attendance, giving generously to the work of the church, being kind to the widow down the street who always respects you, etc. Instead, dear friends, take the Word of God seriously and believe that Jesus died and rose again for all mankind, knowing that those who believe in Him will not perish, but will enjoy eternal life in glory with He and the Father! Believe, commit, enjoy and obey the Word of God dear friends, and your actions and intents will be known to God and those around you. He has prepared a place for you in heaven, but you must prepare for that gift of eternal life today, while here on earth. Be sure that you take the Bible seriously dear friends and be obedient to its teachings.

PRAYER
Thank you precious Lord for Your sacrifice and the gift that You offer to those who believe in You. Every time we listen in to the news we hear nothing but trouble and strife, and these are not from You. James reminded us today that Abraham believe in God and he was saved – gifted with eternal life in heaven. Please help us to be obedient children and believe on the name of Jesus to receive the gift of eternal life, as the Bible teaches in John 3:16. James helps us to reflect on the seriousness of our commitment to You by honestly reviewing our actions for the proof of who has lordship over us. God knows all things – even to our innermost thoughts, so He knows where we stand. Oh that He may invoke to us a strong sense of where we are spiritually, so that we can sing praises to You or strengthen our petitions before You today, God being our Helper and Guide. AMEN!

FOOTNOTE
If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please take advantage of information provided on my page ‘To Know Jesus’. I would also suggest that you speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com and share your good news! Perhaps one of God’s servants will pray with you and give you help and/or encouragement as you begin, or continue, your walk with Jesus. If you would like to read more of my devotionals, or subscribe for a daily email containing each new devotional, please go online to NuggetsFromGodsWord.org. Friends, please allow me to encourage you to find a church home nearby your home and attend as frequently as you could. Get to know God and allow His people to encourage and strengthen you in your Christian walk, while making every effort to be a blessing to them. God is at work among His people! Please consider being a part of that, while also growing in your faith, as you worship with fellow believers!

Finding Peace: Understanding God’s Timing in Life

On 2025-01-14 By Ed AlgreenIn Accept Jesus NOW, Acknowledge God, All have sinned, Awesome God, Death, Eternity, God Cares For Us, God’s WordLeave a comment

DATE POSTED
Tuesday, January 14, 2025, and I was blessed to be at Mariposa at Hunter Road, San Marcos, TX when God inspired me to prepare this devotional. My Footnote will tell you how to find and read any and all episodes that I have shared over the years.

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
Quoted from the Good News Translation (GNT) and found in Ecclesiastes 3:1-2; 11-14;

THE SCRIPTURE READS
¹Everything that happens in this world happens at the time God chooses. ²He sets the time for birth and the time for death,….
¹¹He has set the right time for everything. He has given us a desire to know the future, but never gives us the satisfaction of fully understanding what he does. ¹²So I realized that all we can do is be happy and do the best we can while we are still alive. ¹³All of us should eat and drink and enjoy what we have worked for. It is God’s gift. ¹⁴I know that everything God does will last forever. You can’t add anything to it or take anything away from it. And one thing God does is to make us stand in awe of him.

APPLICATION – as inspired by the Holy Spirit
I’ve heard this Scripture read over and over at funerals, but today I feel like God really spoke to me in a very personal way about this. From the moment that one is born, there is one thing we know for certain – they will eventually die, if God doesn’t send Jesus back for us before that time. However, we all gamble every day with the decisions we make and the opportunities we miss, knowing full well that we may never live to see that day concluded here on earth. I love the way that the GNT states these verses, for the same God who blessed our parents with the miracle of our birth, also has a planned time for our departure. This is not meant to be a morbid message, for it is a fact that we all know, and a part of life that will happen to us all. Casinos thrive from people who place a dollar in one of their machines, hoping to see many dollars returned to them at the end of their gamble. Would it be safe to say that Satan thrives from mankind facing a day knowing that it could be their last opportunity to invite Jesus into their heart, but he (Satan) wins when death becomes a reality to the undecided in the course of their life that day? I am a fairly big note-taker, especially in my Bible studies and during the preaching and teaching of God’s Word. I found the following notes that I had taken on this subject, and because I realize that some might complain that they don’t know what it means to be ready for death, I thought to share it with you, my readership: Here’s how to be ready for that day:

Set your mind on things above – Col 3:1 – we tend to think a lot on things that do not matter. Job – they will find someone else! Money – it’s of no use for eternity.
Meditate on those who have gone on ahead of us. – Hebrews 4:8 – imitate their faith.
Pray for yourself – 2 Peter 4:10 – salvation. You must be born again. You will then live like you’ve been born again. Pray without ceasing.
Be Diligent In: Bible Study; Church attendance; sharing the Gospel;
Let your light shine before men. Live like you’re a child of the King and like you’ve been with Jesus today.
Know that final day is coming for all of us. Be ready, for it will come without notice. Suddenly.

Think about it friends. If you awoke today knowing that there’s a good chance a storm will hit your area today, most of you will be motivated to do most of the things mentioned above to help protect, and ready yourself for the impending danger. Throughout the Bible, and especially here in our Scripture verses today, we are told that death is coming to us all and today could very well be your turn. Are you ready to meet Jesus, knowing that your eternity is secured in having accepted Him as Lord of your life, and also knowing that any negative response to this will result in eternity in Hell with Satan and his demons? It’s totally your decision my friend.

PRAYER
Thank You Jesus for provoking us to make vital decisions each day – do we stay in bed, or do we get up; do we get dressed and become active today, or just lounge around lazily; is there anything we need to do to face any and all things that might come our way today? On the latter, we easily prepare for the earthly things that may or may not occur. But today – at this very moment, we know without a shadow of doubt that today could very well be the day that we face eternity. Thank You for allowing us to make our informed choices. I appreciate You giving us Your Word to help us know and understand what today will bring whether we live, or whether we die. My choice is to spend eternity with the One in whom I have entrusted my life and given my service to, and I thank You for that assurance precious Lord. Please provoke the thoughts and minds of my readers to make informed decisions today, for their eternal destiny. Teach me Lord to show Your love and mercy through every aspect of my life and help me to share Your Word so that others may know and believe in You. AMEN!

Eternal Life in Heaven – How?

On 2023-02-242023-02-24 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: ²⁵And a certain lawyer [an expert in Mosaic Law] stood up to test Him, saying, “Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” ²⁶Jesus said to him, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?” ²⁷And 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.” ²⁸Jesus said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this habitually and you will live.” ²⁹But 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!

A Brand New Body!

On 2022-06-242022-06-24 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Eternity, Good News, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Friday, 2022-06-24
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: 1 Corinthians 15:42-44
TRANSLATION: New Living Translation (NLT)

BIBLE TEXT: ⁴²It is the same way with the resurrection of the dead. Our earthly bodies are planted in the ground when we die, but they will be raised to live forever. ⁴³Our bodies are buried in brokenness, but they will be raised in glory. They are buried in weakness, but they will be raised in strength. ⁴⁴They are buried as natural human bodies, but they will be raised as spiritual bodies. For just as there are natural bodies, there are also spiritual bodies.

APPLICATION: Isn’t it interesting how, in our unique human form and intelligence, we decide when it’s time to go see a doctor or rush to the hospital to receive help, or a cure for our ailments? Some may also build a home, and before construction ever starts, they call their insurance company to make sure that their investment is protected. Yet, each of us have relatives and friends who are mentally alert and generally make fairly good decisions in life, yet they are unconcerned about their eternal welfare. Some might give the excuse that this whole Christian life seems like too much of a sacrifice for them to decide to assume while they have so much time left here on earth. Some might say that this is something that might become appealing to them when they enter the hospital for the very last time. While others will go as far as saying ‘let the chips fall where they may’, if they go to Hell, there will be many of their friends already there. Friends, I am desperately hoping that each ready or listener will have a conversation with our Lord today and ask Him to help us identify those in our circle of influence who are not prepared for Heaven, so that we might intensify our prayer life to include a humbling in their spirit that will cause them to look towards the Master and petition before Him in earnest for our loved ones. In our Scripture today, notice that Paul used no ‘if’ statements, for just as we are born, so we will also die. For those who die without having accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior, they are promised an eternity in Hell with it’s evil master – Satan. However, for those who have accepted the lordship of Jesus, their bodies will assume immortality so that they might live forever in Glory with the Father (God), the Son (Jesus) and all the saints who have gone on ahead of us. So to my unsaved friends who might come across this devotional, let me just challenge you for a moment: if you believe in your heart that something could happen – just out of the blue, to your home, or to your car, that caused you to purchase insurance to protect your investment, isn’t it much more important to protect your soul and ensure your eternity? The former things are just that – ‘things’, but the latter is your very soul – body, mind and spirit. Convince yourself which is more important. Please don’t wait for what might be your last hospital stay, for many never made it to the hospital to die near doctors and nurses. Age is of no significance to death, for children and adults are buried every day of varying ages. Please know that anytime while in your sinful body you think of eternity, that’s the voice of Jesus speaking intently to you about the decisions you have made about securing your future after this life. You are important to God, and loved by Him, because He wants a relationship with you, so of course your decisions are important and concerning to Him. Being my friend, you are also important to me. So with all the love in my heart, let me encourage you today to accept and follow Jesus, just as I did almost 50 years ago. I look forward to having you kneel with me around the throne in heaven!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Enough of this old battered and ailing body, my next body will be fit for eternity with my Lord and Master – Jesus Christ! Praise the Lord forever!

PRAYER: Lord, I am anxiously awaiting my heavenly body, and the opportunity to join all the saints around Your throne! Thank You for this assurance, and thank You for this reminder today. Oh that this may penetrate the hearts and minds of readers or listeners who have yet to decide on their eternal fate. Thank You God for considering us when You sent Your Son into this world for our redemption. We await Your call and are ready for our new body and our new home, but most of all we want to see You in all Your glory and majesty! To God be the glory, for all You have done! AMEN!

Will God Identify You as His?

On 2020-12-132020-12-12 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Eternity, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Sunday, 2020-12-13
WRITTEN AT: Paul B Johnson State Park, Hattiesburg, MS

BIBLE REFERENCE: Micah 4:5
TRANSLATION: New American Standard Bible (NASB)

BIBLE TEXT: Though all the peoples walk,
Each in the name of his god,
As for us, we will walk
In the name of the Lord our God forever and ever.

OBSERVATION: I love how the prophet Micah declared that Israel would stand firm for the living God, no matter how other countries around them may continue to trust in their own god. As we meditate today, I would like for us to personalize this thought. Will God identify you as a child of the Almighty God because of your daily lives here on earth? Will you declare today that Jesus is Lord and King of your life?

APPLICATION: My wife’s grandmother developed Alzheimers in her latter years. Like most people who realize someone has been impacted by this dreaded disease, we would normally ask multiple times during our visits ‘Do you know who I am?’. I always loved her response: ‘I can’t call your name, but I know you’re one of mine!’. We always chuckled when she responded like that, but I believe she recognized our facial expressions, our mannerisms and our love for her, for she came to recognize some of the traits that she taught her children and grandchildren over the years. Fortunately, God not only created us and placed us here on earth to develop whatever mannerisms we want, and to worship whatever gods or objects that comes natural to man, but He inspired His chosen prophets to write down His teachings, and He even gave some the gift of prophecy to foretell what will come to pass. Unlike parents who often wish that hospitals would give them a book of instructions when they hand them their newborn baby, God did exactly this for us! So as we grow up, we have a choice of either learning and following the instructions given to us by God, or whether we would just assimilate ourselves into our friendship and community groups that often tend to follow what feels best to them, or makes them look like the most elite in society. Based on the Word of God, I believe that God identifies His own by their commitments, their loyalties and their actions. For if we commit to the lordship of Jesus Christ, our loyalties, commitments and choices would look more like what is taught in God’s Word. If we make no changes in our lives, then we will naturally follow the desires of the flesh and try to please our fellow man. Our loyalties might then look more like one who is totally engrossed in our job, with no time for family, friends, God or the church. Or we may become so caught up in worldly fun and games, that we lose sight of the God who placed us here and continues to provide all the basics of life for us every day. Or we develop an attitude that we are untouchable by the world or its problems, and we couldn’t care less about the needs of others. Of course nothing of this is out of sight by God, for He knows our thoughts and our actions. So friends, I wonder what God might look at us and say when we stand before Him? Will congratulations be in order, and the red carpet laid out for the prince or princess to walk through to heaven? After all, as a child of the King of all kings, we would be considered a prince/princess! But for the one who had no need or time for God while here on earth, surely they wouldn’t want a part of Him on Judgment Day, right? Unfortunately there is a second place prepared for those not interested in Heaven, it is a place of eternal damnation and fire, one that is led by Satan and his demons. Sounds way too cruel? But friends, as I indicated in all that I’ve said already, you make this crucial decision while here on earth. Please be reminded that decisions could only be made by you with a sober mind while you are alive. How long will you be alive? God answered that in His Word, when He said that no one knows the day or the hour that the Master will come. This means that you are free to make a decision now, but there are no assurances that you you will be here in five minutes to make decisions then. Now is the accepted time of salvation my friend, and it is available to all that would ask! My prayer is that everyone that may read one of my devotionals will make the right decision about their eternity at the time of reading it, and immediately speak with God. Please contact me if I could be of help to you.

PRAYER: Thank You Heavenly Father for loving me enough to provide the means for my salvation. As the prophet Micah reminded us today, some may worship their respective idols today, and until You question them on Judgment Day, but Lord I promise to serve You faithfully today and every day until You return to take me home. Please touch hearts today who may read this devotional and may not have clarified their position with You yet. Remind them of the importance of making that decision today, before it is eternally too late. May Your Word, and this short devotional, not fall on deaf ears, but on hearts that are willing to establish today where they will spend eternity. 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 From God

On 2020-07-15 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Eternal Life, Eternity, Gift, Jesus, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Tuesday, 2020-07-14
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: Ephesians 2:8-10
TRANSLATION: Easy-to-Read Version (ERV)

BIBLE TEXT: ⁸I mean that you have been saved by grace because you believed. You did not save yourselves; it was a gift from God. ⁹You are not saved by the things you have done, so there is nothing to boast about. ¹⁰God has made us what we are. In Christ Jesus, God made us new people so that we would spend our lives doing the good things he had already planned for us to do.

OBSERVATION: In addition to the awesome news in our focal Scripture verse today, my Old Testament reading took me into Isaiah 43:25 (NLT): “I—yes, I alone—will blot out your sins for my own sake and will never think of them again. Wow, to hear a message in the OT and then again in the NT, wouldn’t you say that God is truly getting His message across to us, that He is the One who saves, and He saves us because of His love, His ownership (sons/daughters), His grace (unmerited favor), and for His glory! This is about as good as it gets, so let’s spend some time meditating on how we could be so fortunate to be a part of this blessing!

APPLICATION: I have two friends Who, in response to the question ‘How are you today’, will often respond ‘Better than I deserve’. I thought of that today as I studied God’s Word, for it truly felt from God’s promises that we are blessed to receive way more, and way better, than anything we could possibly have said, done or asked for in this life. God showed the Israelites, that regardless of what sins their forefathers had committed in the Wilderness, that He would blot out their sins because of who He is. You see, God wanted the Israelites to know, and for us to know, that there is no religion we could follow, or any principles we could adhere to, that we could ever become good enough, or sanctified enough to warrant His acceptance of our dirty selves into His kingdom. God is determined to show us that there is only one reason that He allowed His precious Son to die on Calvary, and that is for the redemption of our sin. You see, He created us to worship Him and to magnify His name in all the earth. When you consider the multitudes who have chosen to deny Jesus Christ and to ignore the love that He showed for us, don’t you see that they are the ones who commit awful crimes against mankind and try every trick in the book to derail the one trying to center their lives on Christ? They work in opposition to what God had planned for them to do. They are not the ones who will recognize the awesome love and concern of a God who sacrificed His Son for us, even while we were yet sinners. I believe that it is also very obvious that it is only the grace of God that will actually speak to the heart of a rebellious child. It is He who will melt that hardened heart and draw that child away from the spoil of this earth, and remind them of the only One who loves them in spite of all that they have done. In fact, I believe that God calls us out of this world and into His wonderful kingdom. This will require obedience from a softened heart, acknowledging that you are powerless to change anything about your life in and of your own power. This requires a heart set on claiming Jesus as Lord! Are you ready to turn the corner on your life my friend? If so, God has promised that His grace is sufficient, and that only because of His grace, He will extend to you the gift of eternal life. Please read my Footnote and be prepared to accept Jesus as Lord today.

PRAYER: Physical gifts that we receive here on earth is nothing compared to the wonderful gift You gave to us when You allowed the death of Your Son, Jesus, on the cross for our sin. Thank You, Thank You, Thank You Lord Jesus! Please touch our lives to never forsake the One who sacrificed for our sin, the One who gave Himself as a gift to us, so that we may not have to suffer for our sin, filth and disobedience to our Master. Lord, I am forever thankful, and look forward in great anticipation to worship You in person, in glory. Please forgive my readers and I for the times that we cave in to temptation and sin. We humbly ask that You fill us with power and wisdom so that we may stay faithful and true to You. Please soften the hearts of those who totally ignore all that You have to offer, and all that You did for them. Oh that they may desire to know You personally, and commit fully to Your precious gift – the joy of knowing Jesus as Lord and personal Savior. AMEN!

When You Reject the Message of Eternal Life

On 2020-02-04 By Ed AlgreenIn Eternal Life, Eternity, SurrenderLeave a comment

Tuesday, 2020-02-04

Bible Reference: Acts 13:46
Translation: New Living Translation (NLT)

Bible Text: Then Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly and declared, “It was necessary that we first preach the word of God to you Jews. But since you have rejected it and judged yourselves unworthy of eternal life, we will offer it to the Gentiles.

OBSERVATION: Unless we become very familiar with God’s Word, and understand the full Gospel of Jesus Christ, we may easily become distracted and side tracked into believing that we know it all. As a follower of Christ, we should be closely listening to what He has to share with us, especially through His Word. As we meditate on our Scripture today, we might see where the Jews thought that they had every detail under control and that God would have nothing more to share with them through mere humans. Do we tend to border on this same feeling when His messengers stand before us each week and share His message? Do you suppose that God may eventually tire in trying to get through to us?

APPLICATION: I’ve been in situations before where a parent or another adult may have said “well you don’t deserve that anyway”! Perhaps out of anger that I failed an exam, or didn’t listen to a lecture as closely as they thought I should have. But the words chosen by Paul and Barnabas were especially interesting in this particular verse. Paul and his partner had been preaching their hearts out to the Jews gathered, and while some may have listened, it was obvious that most were satisfied with the same message they had been taught all along, and had no interest in hearing about this new ‘miracle worker’ (Jesus) who had just entered their scene. Paul and Barnabas felt the roadblocks they were facing, and tried to not force their message on the Jews, so they told them how they had just considered themselves unworthy of the prize (the Messiah, the Christ, the Savior of the world). Consequently, they would go on to preach the Good News to the Gentiles who, in the eyes of the Jews, were nobodies who were unworthy of anything worthwhile. I wonder how many of our friends have entered our church doors, listened to the message of the cross and left thinking that they are so unworthy of this awesome gift of love that God sent to earth for us? I wonder how many reading this devotional sometime feel like the message of the cross is for those who are good; those from good families; those who have attended church all their lives; but certainly would never redeem them of their sin. Friends, let me be quick to remind you that God has no favorites, other than the children that He created – and that includes us all. He died so that everyone (whosoever will) may ask for forgiveness of sin and accept the prize available to us through the Lord Jesus Christ. ‘All’ means that no one is excluded! ‘All’ means even you and I may receive that awesome gift of love, dear friend! Please do not be influenced by the Jews. Know that Jesus died for your sin, and that He has made the way for you to enter Heaven’s gates and join He and the Father at the throne. Please be sure to read my Footnote and know without a doubt that you are on your way to Heaven. I want to see you there my friend!

PRAYER: Father, thank You for not only creating my friends and I in Your image, but for also sending Your Son so that we might have the means of entering Your kingdom to personally be with You throughout eternity. Please touch the hearts of Your people today with the assurance that You made this sacrifice so that we all may know, believe, and be assured of our eternal salvation. Many will hear the gospel message this week, may this loving message resonate throughout all of our churches so that Your people may hear and know that they are loved and accepted by their Creator, and therefore surrender their lives to His precious Son, Jesus. We love You Lord! AMEN!

It’s Time To Go!

On 2018-11-23 By Ed AlgreenIn Accept Jesus NOW, Believers, Christ's Return, EternityLeave a comment

Friday, 2018-11-23

Bible Reference: Revelation 1:7
Translation: Amplified Bible (AMP)

Bible Text: ⁷Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes (nations) of the earth will mourn over Him [realizing their sin and guilt, and anticipating the coming wrath]. ^[kSo it is to be. Amen.

OBSERVATION: In the first 6 verses, time is spent introducing the legitimacy of how John became authorized to share these revelations with us. It is obvious that these words came from God, through Jesus, to John. It is also obvious that our soon coming God will be for ALL people that ever existed and who exist at the time of His coming. No need for an earthly judge to say who His coming applies to, or don’t apply to. Seeing that this will apply to all reading this devotional, it is really important that we meditate on this for just a while today.

APPLICATION: At an airport, a plane will leave only with those ticketed for that flight, regardless of how many travelers are in the airport. Unlike the airport scenario, the God who created us, also provided an alternative to the flight ticket, by sending His only Son as our means of getting from earth to heaven. For those who have accepted the gift of God’s Son, we will have a much better outlook than most, on the day that the whole world looks up and sees Jesus bursting through the clouds. Notice a few things about this truth from the very beginning of the book of Revelation: (1) Airline flights are contingent on so many things, like weather; availability of fuel; an operational airport in which to pick up its passengers, etc. However, in our verses today, we are told that Jesus IS COMING – period. In other words, there is nothing that will stop Him (praise the name of Jesus!); (2) ‘Everyone’ will see Jesus when He comes for us. Stop to think that also includes the person that you tried to witness to, and they thought you were from another planet! Also the person that follows a cult, and absolutely scorns the name of our Jesus; (3) Notice that John was told that the glorious return of Jesus will not be a time of rejoicing by all who see Him coming back to earth. My mind went on to think of what it would be like for any of us to hear of our national leader coming to our town. Some will protest, and some will rejoice and party. The Bible says that it will be much the same when Jesus returns. Some of us will rejoice endlessly that our Savior has finally come to take us home – that’s the group I will be in, because I have accepted the Gift of God’s Son – the only One, the only thing that opens the doors of heaven for an earthly sinner to claim righteousness and redemption of sin. However friends, the Bible says that some will be extremely sad, because they will finally realize that their rejection of Jesus Christ, and their disbelief in the one true God, was a BIG mistake. But the huge warning for all that may happen across this devotional today, is that, when that day occurs – and it could be today, tomorrow or even next week, but on that day, it will be a point of no turning back, or changing of minds, for it will be the day of judgment. A day set aside to judge the entire population of the world. Only you will know the verdict that will be passed down to you by God, friend. No attorney will help convince the Judge, for He already knows every little detail about every one of His creation, including the condition of our heart and to whom we belong. I’m ready to go friend, are you?

PRAYER: Come Lord Jesus come! 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! For Your love, forgiveness, and eternal provisions, I give You sincere thanks dear Lord. Please be an instrument of love in the hearts and lives of all who will read this devotional today. May they be inclined to get into Your Word and learn more about their Creator and their heavenly King. Lord, may no one who is reminded of Your awesome grace be in the sad, weeping crowd on the day who will look towards heaven and see You coming in the clouds. Oh Lord of heaven, may the hearts of the unsaved be softened today and drawn to You, so that they may joyously await Your return. 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 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!

When Our Faith Is Put to the Test

On 2017-11-102017-11-10 By Ed AlgreenIn Eternal Life, Eternity, Heaven, Resurrection Day, Victorious LifeLeave a comment

Post Date:	Friday, 2017-11-10
SCRIPTURE
From:	John 11:23-26a (TLB)
Text:	²³Jesus told her, “Your brother will come back to life again.” ²⁴“Yes,” Martha said, “when everyone else does, on Resurrection Day.” ²⁵Jesus told her, “I am the one who raises the dead and gives them life again. Anyone who believes in me, even though he dies like anyone else, shall live again. ²⁶He is given eternal life for believing in me and shall never perish….
OBSERVATION:
Jesus was a friend of Mary and Martha’s, yet when He came a couple days after Lazarus died, they struggled to believe that anything more could be done – even by Jesus. However Jesus reminded Martha that He is not only in charge of life here on earth, but for the believer in Jesus Christ, He is also the One who will raise those who have fallen asleep – died temporarily to earthly challenges and sin. For He will then usher them into life eternally with He and His Father in glory!
APPLICATION:
I believe with all my heart, that Martha was very much like her contemporaries today. For most Christians surrender their lives to the Lord Jesus with a very strong belief that one day He will take us on to heaven to be with Him. While on earth, I believe that most of us will pray to God, through our Lord and Savior, just like Mary and Martha did when they saw their brother’s health diminishing drastically. Because of miracles relayed in the Bible, or even ones we may have heard about around our church, we may even believe that extreme faith in Jesus, might even trigger His healing touch upon our family. And yes, we have seen tremendous victories through these types of prayer meetings. In fact I heard a story recently that reminded me of how casually we pray for the needs of a friend that asked for prayer for one of her kids with leukemia, versus us going before God in desperate prayer for our own daughter with leukemia. There comes a whole new level of serious and sincere prayer when the object of our prayer is personal and dear to our heart. I wonder if it would make a difference in our prayer life if we reminded ourselves of what Jesus consoled Martha with, that He, who is Lord on earth, will also be Lord in Heaven, because He is the Resurrection and the Life! Friends, I firmly believe that when we invite Jesus to be our Lord and Savior here on earth, it will be a joy to reunite with Him as we enter heaven’s portals. Please note that just like Mary and Martha didn’t know ahead of time when their brother Lazarus would depart from this earth in death, so it is with each of us today. We must be very much like our military, ready at all times for the moment that we are called on. The benefits for believers in Jesus Christ are ‘out of this world’!
PRAYER:
Thank you Lord for the wonderful, powerful name of Jesus, the One that came to save us from our sin and paved the way to heaven so that we may live eternally with You. Oh what a Savior! Please help us Lord that we would never put You in a ‘box’ of limited possibilities, for we are reminded in this Scripture today that we not only serve a master who cares for us here on this earth but that You are also the Resurrection and the Life for all who believe in You. We enjoy this wonderful earth that You provided for us, but Lord, we live in anticipation of heaven, where there will be no more pain or heartaches. ‘Oh that will be, glory for me, glory for me, glory for me, when by His grace I shall look on His face, that will be glory, be glory for me’! AMEN and 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 Highlands County, 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!

Nuggets From God's Word

Category: Eternity