Category: Evangelism

What Trophy Will You Present To God

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

DATE POSTED Monday, 2023-02-13
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: 1 Thessalonians 2:11-12; 19-20;
TRANSLATION: Living Bible (TLB)

BIBLE TEXT: 11 We talked to you as a father to his own children—don’t you remember? – pleading with you, encouraging you and even demanding 12 that your daily lives should not embarrass God but bring joy to him who invited you into his Kingdom to share his glory.
19 For what is it we live for, that gives us hope and joy and is our proud reward and crown? It is you! Yes, you will bring us much joy as we stand together before our Lord Jesus Christ when he comes back again. 20 For you are our trophy and joy.

APPLICATION: I have a relative that owns and operates a hunting preserve. While he offers many different hunts, there are a few that add the description, and elite title of ‘Trophy’. Many hunters will stretch to afford a ‘Trophy Hunt’. The animal might be the biggest, or the prettiest or in some way the one considered the most prized by the owner. The Bible refers to man as God’s prized possession. So when we, who are called by His name, see His prized possession straying away from Him, or showing little interest in heaven as their eternal home, don’t you know that God admires the times that we deliberately make an effort to help that one turn from their wickedness and turn to God? That seemed to have been Paul’s intent in today’s Scripture. It seems like Paul’s act of service, his ministry, was so important, and was so dear to his heart, that he considered it a ‘trophy’ to go after, win, and present it to His Master! I believe it was the same prayers, blood, sweat and tears that led to Paul’s imprisonment. It was like Paul poured his very heart into his effort to minister for our Lord. I wonder how many times in our church life have we been so committed to the work of the Lord, that we can honestly tell God that we have poured out our heart through our love, our prayers, our compassion and our deeds for the folk we were ministering to? Some might respond, but I didn’t minister, I just taught Sunday School, or I just helped in the youth group, or I just worked in the kitchen at church. Unfortunately, that may be the problem. If we teach Sunday School so that we can share the love and teachings of Jesus Christ, and not just to fill a position and read a lesson plan, then we subject our hearts to the work of Jesus in and through us. It’s called ‘ministry’. If we work in the kitchen, it’s not because we are unqualified to do anything else, but we want to be the hands and feet of Jesus through every cup of coffee we serve or every piece of bread that we place on a plate. I believe this has caused me to think about ‘what might be something that, throught my years of ministry work, I might kneel at Jesus’ feet and present to Him in token form, as the ‘token’ or grand prize of my ministry! How about you my friend? Are you, or have you been, performing a task that no one else would accept at church, or are you expending your whole heart into facilitating the love of Jesus through you? I don’t believe we have to wait. Why not join me in placing our ‘Token’ at the feet of Jesus today? Yes, there may still be another one coming before God calls you home, but what is your greatest token to date?

BLESSING(S) NOTED: It is so awesome to imagine that God would use simple old us to share His love and His ministry with others who need a Savior! It’s because of His mercy and His amazing love that we ourselves are more than conquerors, and able to extend ourselves to be used by Him in blessing others!

PRAYER: Lord, I admit that only You can save a soul that’s destined for Hell. Thank You Lord for calling me to Your throne of grace, and thank You for Your amazing grace. Lord, as You work through Your Holy Spirit to produce a great work within me and give me the urgency to share my story with others, I pray that You will open their hearts and cause them to also surrender to Your call. Have the mind to share Jesus with others is such an honor, yet You have given me the desire to see folk saved and avoid the pit of Hell at all cost. Please continue to do a good work in me, and in the lives of my readers and listeners so that we might be warriors that will go the extra mile in order to introduce someone to 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!

How We’ve Changed

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

DATE POSTED Friday, 2023-01-13
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Luke 8:1-3
TRANSLATION: Good News Translation (GNT)

BIBLE TEXT: 1 …. Jesus traveled through towns and villages, preaching the Good News about the Kingdom of God. The twelve disciples went with him, 2 and so did some women who had been healed of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (who was called Magdalene), from whom seven demons had been driven out; 3 Joanna, whose husband Chuza was an officer in Herod’s court; and Susanna, and many other women who used their own resources to help Jesus and his disciples.

APPLICATION: As a child, I remember evangelists coming to my small town, seemingly without prior notice. We would suddenly find them on our street corners celebrating their Savior and sharing the Word of God. Although they received an offering to help with their expenses and to fund future endeavors, finances didn’t seem to be the emphasis. Were they mocked and accused of sin even while representing God in those street services? Of course. But which of you can stand and say that your church leaders are not under close scrutiny by your members, and perhaps even accused many times of things that members tend to judge minister on? Notice that Jesus allowed some on the trip that everyone may have known to have committed certain sins or had been possessed by certain demons. What should that say to us when we look at certain church attendees who may be identified by the community to be of questionable character? Can God cleanse their hearts, make them brand new inside, and accept them as His humble servants? As for ministering in support positions, I once went on a mission’s trip to South Dakota with several men, mostly pastors. In our van that we travelled in, we found coolers filled with drinks and snacks for us. The love and support of our church ladies was felt throughout our trip and especially the many hours of driving time. In our story today, these ladies actually went along with Jesus and His disciples as a support arm. This was one aspect of the trip that these men would not be distracted from their mission for! I feel deeply that God looks on the support team for our ministers and missionaries, just as importantly as he does for the actual ministers. Another major part of this story is the reminder that Jesus led the way for He and His disciples to take the Good News of Jesus Christ outside the walls of the church and into the hi-ways and byways where folk may never bother themselves to hear the Gospel message inside a fancy church building. Oh, how that has changed. Are we really effective anymore in reaching the communities we live in, work in, and conduct our church services in? Some larger churches manage to attract people from deep within their communities because of the programs, exciting praise and worship segments of their services, and possibly the charisma of their pastor. But do our churches today truly prepare their congregants to go out spread the Gospel to everyone, like we are instructed in Matthew 28:19? I feel like Jesus took His disciples along so that He could ensure that they could carry the torch when He is no longer around in person. This would mean that they could make the next trip into the community on their own and train other new Christians following in their footsteps. Friends, ashamedly I believe we could easily see that churches today barely minister to the sick of their congregation, or small group, anymore. Christians are often afraid to offend anyone, so telling others the Good News that they may have never heard before, may provoke challenging Biblical questions and/or insult to our efforts. Let’s be challenged by the lesson taught to us by our Master – go into all the world and preach the Gospel – the Good News. Start by sharing that message with another church member, or a friend you can trust. Then challenge a coworker to hear the Good News that you have to share with them. These are all folk who would very willingly sit to hear you tell them about an approaching storm, or the newest movie you saw. If something has truly changed your life and continues to change you each day that You spend time communicating with God through prayer and Bible Study, then I would dare say that you have a personal, life changing message to share with them. Remember, our job is to share the Good News. It’s still God’s job to save them, if they accept the Good News brought by us!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Jesus set the example for His disciples, and for us, in ministering to the local communities and the many who have chosen to exclude God from their lives. I wonder how He will rate our efforts to follow in His footsteps.

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, You saw the need to minister to those in need of a Savior, and the need to teach spiritual leaders how they should follow in Your example. I don’t believe we are doing so well in this today, dear Lord. We hardly show compassion to believers who worship or study alongside us in the church, and we have occupied ourselves with everything but ministry. How will they know, unless we teach them or minister to them? (Romans 10:14) Please Lord, teach us to get over ourselves, and our church, and our business, and instead think of the souls of Your children, especially the unsaved and the hurting, in our community. Please show us ministry opportunities and fill our hearts with the words that You would have us share. New Christians are looking for real-life examples to follow, and leaders who will train them in the ways of the Lord. May we be among those who are willing to share the love of Christ that has saturated our lives through every circumstance of life. AMEN!

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

Invite Everyone To Know Your Jesus

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Evangelism, Needs, Obedient, Praise, Recognize God, Worship1 Comment

DATE POSTED Monday, 2022-11-28
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Luke 5:27-28; 31-32;
TRANSLATION: Living Bible (TLB)

BIBLE TEXT: 27 Later on as Jesus left the town he saw a tax collector—with the usual reputation for cheating—sitting at a tax collection booth. The man’s name was Levi. Jesus said to him, “Come and be one of my disciples!” 28 So Levi left everything, sprang up, and went with him.
31 Jesus answered them, “It is the sick who need a doctor, not those in good health. 32 My purpose is to invite sinners to turn from their sins, not to spend my time with those who think themselves already good enough.”

APPLICATION: If you hang around Christians long enough, you will find that many are like babies, they want the full, undivided attention of their pastor, and they want their own way in the decisions of church leadership. When they don’t get their own way, these ‘God-fearing, and wonderful’ people tend to search for the reasons why not. If this includes accusations against the pastor or church leadership, then so be it. Just in case you are wondering why I am coming down on my own Christian Brothers and Sisters, then I would suggest that you re-read our focal Bible verses for today. Jesus had the same problem. Jesus brought to the attention of His accusers that the whole reason He came, was to save the lost. Just as a medical doctor has no reason to setup shop in a gym, Jesus had no reason to try and continue saving the saved. I love the way this translation put verse 32 where Jesus spoke of the unnecessary job of preaching to those who consider themselves already good enough! Not only is much of our pastor’s sermon thrown right over our shoulders to the sinners in back of us, but especially the part where he shares the need for salvation. Unfortunately, those of us who tend to pass on the challenges presented by our pastors, are the hardest to accept the teaching and correction of our Lord. Many miss the word that God has for them when they meditate on the Word of God, because they continually try to apply the voice of God to someone else who is much worse than we are! Please, please dear friend, when you read the Bible, listen closely to what God is saying to you. Soften your heart so that God might speak truth into your life and get His message deep inside of you so that you might become more aligned with His ways and His teachings. When this happens, you will be more qualified to also speak truth into the life of that family member, friend, coworker, or the unsaved who is diligently looking for an image of Christ here on earth. Now, you might be confused and thinking that I feel like the pastor has no reason to preach to the church. Please know that each Christian needs daily communion with God. Bible Study, prayer and the opportunity to minister to the needs of others. Cooperate worship is something called for in the Bible, for it serves to help us recognize God through our prayers, worship and praise. We hear the Word preached so we could understand it better and apply it more fully to our own lives to be better prepared to share it with others. We must always go before God for ourselves first and foremost, for we are all sinners where our attitudes, actions and speech are all influenced by the people, ways and circumstances of the world in which we live. To share Christ with others, we must have Him living and operating in our own lives in such a way that the unsaved will see Jesus, and not the mere knowledge we have of Him. God is very qualified to speak into the hearts of Christians and unbelievers alike. Let’s let Him be God, while we strive to be His faithful servants in obedience to His commands, and in sharing His love with others so that they may have a growing desire for His lordship over their lives.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: When God calls, let’s be like Levi (Matthew), ready to drop everything, get up and follow Him. We tend to worry about the qualifications of an individual, but God seems more willing to work through those who are willing to answer His call. With the Holy Spirit residing inside of Christians, we are adequately able and qualified to answer the call of Christ in our lives.

PRAYER: Doubt arises when we listen to the wrong master. But Lord Jesus, we know that with You beside us, in front of us and inside of us, we can do all things commanded and demonstrated by You. Lord, You were questioned about the crowd that You chose to minister to, so we know that we can expect no less abuse. Please teach us and give us the boldness to always keep it foremost in our minds that our intentions, actions, thoughts and words are to always be geared towards the One we serve, and to introduce others to You. Oh that we could see You move today in the lives of those that we would least expect! For we all need You, 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!

Follow My Example

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Evangelism, Example, Example of Christ, Genuine example of Jesus, Godly example, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Salvation, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Wednesday, 2022-06-01
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: 1 Corinthians 10:31-32; 11:1
TRANSLATION: Easy-to-Read Version (ERV)

BIBLE TEXT: 31 So if you eat, or if you drink, or if you do anything, do it for the glory of God. 32 Never do anything that might make other people do wrong…..
11 1 Follow my example, just as I follow the example of Christ.

APPLICATION: The more prevalent phrases we hear today is ‘Don’t follow me, for I’m also lost’ or ‘Follow Christ, for He is the only perfect One’ or ‘I’m a sinner saved by grace, just like you. So don’t follow me, but God’ But what if we brought up our kids like that? Wouldn’t they soon learn that they could do whatever they want, as long as they say the right thing? This would also be the case with pastors and church leaders, if they stood in our pulpits each weekend and told us what the Word of God says, but include the disclosure that we obey the sermon, not follow after what they do when not occupying the pulpit. Friends, Jesus said that He would only say what His Father told Him to say, and He would only do what God told Him to do. In becoming a ‘Christian’, believers are expected to follow Jesus’ example and look to God for all things, including what we say and do. But how do we do that, shall we stop and ask before we speak or before every action? That would be a great idea, but God has also made a few provisions for us, in order to help us follow in His example: For the child of God, we have the Holy Spirit living inside of us as our Guide, our Wisdom, our Protector and as a constant reminder that the Love is our God; through prayer – where God hears the cries of our heart, if only we will stop and talk to Him about our challenges and our need for help; and God inspired writers to pen His words so that we might know His will for our lives, and He gave us the invitation to read His Word so that the Holy Spirit might point us to all truth, wisdom and direction for our existence and for every thing that we do or say. If we are unfaithful in these things, I can assure you that the world is seeing more itself acted out through us. For this to be a better world, and to enable others to see Christ here on earth, it is incumbent upon us to be the hands a feet of Jesus. I feel strongly that before we hold up our Christian flag to tell others to whom we belong, then we need to insure that we hold no other hold on this world. We must be sold out to Jesus in order to show the world who He is and what He is capable of achieving through His earthly servants. This may be a work in progress until Jesus returns, but please be careful to not let Jesus down by showing the world only a partial and incomplete picture of who He truly is and what He stands for. Perhaps we should consider telling our unsaved friends, come follow me as I endeavor to follow Jesus every day, God being my helper. I encourage you to look closely at the proof of whose I am, and in seeing the evidence, trust in Him, just as I have done. Ask God to help you never mislead anyone, but that you are depending heavily on Him to show the world Jesus.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: I believe that if we stake our hope in Jesus Christ as Lord of our lives, and we depend on Him to guide us in the path that points to Him, through obedience we will be instrumental in pointing others towards the cross, and we could therefore comfortably invite others to follow us, as we follow Christ!

PRAYER: I wonder what our purpose on earth is, dear Lord, unless we are firm in our faith and can comfortably show others the way to eternal life. Please keep us focused on the cross, and on all that You have done for us so that our sins would be forgiven and our destination secured. Please teach us to share our faith, and may our actions and words speak so strongly that our words will be few. It is only what done for Jesus that will last and will matter. May our lives be worth the living because others saw the light of Jesus in us. 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!

Personal Preference – Heaven or Earth?

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Evangelism, Evangelize, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Worship2 Comments

DATE POSTED Monday, 2022-02-14
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Philippians 1:20-24
TRANSLATION: The Living Bible (TLB)

BIBLE TEXT: 20 For I live in eager expectation and hope that I will never do anything that will cause me to be ashamed of myself but that I will always be ready to speak out boldly for Christ while I am going through all these trials here, just as I have in the past; and that I will always be an honor to Christ, whether I live or whether I must die. 21 For to me, living means opportunities for Christ, and dying—well, that’s better yet! 22 But if living will give me more opportunities to win people to Christ, then I really don’t know which is better, to live or die! 23 Sometimes I want to live, and at other times I don’t, for I long to go and be with Christ. How much happier for me than being here! 24 But the fact is that I can be of more help to you by staying!

APPLICATION: Of special note regarding this scripture: Paul is in prison at the time of this writing! So if Paul has the fortitude and determination to live so that He could do more of the Master’s work, even from within four prison walls, how much more those who are ‘free’ should be striving to do the Master’s work? Friends, we whine and we complain about so much, but do we should really have the heart of Jesus, or of Paul, in wanting to see as many won to the Lord as possible? In the above scripture, I bolded a few sentences that, I believe, is worthy of note:
* Living means opportunities for Christ – it is only while we have breath in our bodies that we can be witnesses for the Lord, or care about sinners. Let’s not wait any longer friends, we’re on the winning side and it is our privilege, our honor, and our responsibility to share the Good News of our Savior and Lord;
* Living will give more opportunities to win people to Christ – Often we will find that it’s the threat of impending death that gives us incentive to share the love of Christ that lives inside of us. Please allow me to awaken  you to the fact that we have no assurances about the next minute. The moment of opportunity is the present. Please share the love of Christ, who lives inside of you, with all that you care about and/or come into contact with today!
* I can be of more help to you by staying – Jesus Christ has a plan for each of us. He is allowing us to remain here on earth so that we can glorify Him and spread the Good News about the Savior who loved us enough to die for us. In a nutshell friend, this is our mission!
Friends, we remain on this earth to be shining examples of our Lord Jesus Christ.  It’s not about politics, gossip, sports, the lotto or any other purpose, so use every opportunity with everyone you know, to let them know that the reason you live is to represent Jesus, while evangelizing the lost, before it is eternally too late for them.

PRAYER: The reason that I live is …….. Lord, as we complete that sentence today in humility and prayer before You. I ask that You will take those completed sentences and correct any misgivings about our mission, compared to the one You have assigned to us. I am pretty convinced that our mission is similar in nature to what Paul shared with the Philippians, because throughout Your Word we are told the importance of surrendering our lives to You, so that we, in turn, may be a blessing to others and convince them of their need for our Savior. Please work on us today and guide us to do Your perfect will, for this is my sincere and humble plea. It’s in Your beautiful and bountiful name that I ask all this, dear 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!

The Results of What Just Happened

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Disciple, Evangelism, Evangelize, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Worship1 Comment

DATE POSTED Saturday, 2022-01-15
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Acts 4:27-30
TRANSLATION: The Voice (VOICE)

BIBLE TEXT: 27 … The foreign ruler Pontius Pilate and the Jewish ruler Herod, along with their respective peoples, have assembled in opposition to Your holy servant Jesus, the One You chose. 28 They have done whatever Your hand and plan predetermined should happen. 29 And now, Lord, take note of their intimidations intended to silence us. Grant us, Your servants, the courageous confidence we need to go ahead and proclaim Your message 30 while You reach out Your hand to heal people, enabling us to perform signs and wonders through the name of Your holy servant Jesus.

APPLICATION: Based on your level of boldness, what do you suppose you would have done in Peter and John’s position? They had just been jailed and reprimanded for teaching about Jesus, and told to leave the jail knowing that they are not allowed to do that anymore. Peter and John ‘pulled no punches’ with the leaders, because they knew that what was inside could only come out! They knew that everyone in the towns they visited needed Jesus, and since they had firsthand knowledge of Him, they had an obligation to share the simple truth with everyone they met. So if you feel like you could have been bold enough to take the same stand that Peter and John took, I want you to now consider what you would have done after being released. Perhaps you would consider warning other believers to quiet down on their preaching, teaching and witnessing? Perhaps set up a private ‘home’ church where you could minister to attendees without being out in the public for the leaders to see you continuing the ministry? Perhaps leave the ministry and return to regular workplaces where you could hopefully witness to others privately? Could you in your wildest imagination consider immediately meeting up with your fellow ministers to rev up the work and reach even more people? Many churches closed their doors when Covid became such a scare, and some have not found alternate ways of ministry yet – their doors are still shut. Because of this threat, many have stayed at home, and have become very comfortable to have the TV on while they sit in front of the TV in their PJs with other devices in hand while the service plays on via TV. Many will probably never return to the church building again. Peter and John had the perfect excuse – the threat on their lives, to hang up their ministry and return to their old job of fishing, which threatened no one. However, and this is especially the part we need to take note of, they had such a passion for their Lord and for what He did for them in providing salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ, that they were willing to put their lives on the line in order to get together with God’s people and worship their Lord together in one place. Friends, we have family and loved ones who are still dying every day, and they are destined for Hell unless someone shares the secret to Eternal Life with them. Nothing stopped Peter and John, not even the threat on their lives. Will you decide today to actively pursue spreading the love and work of our Savior to all who would hear you, regardless of the threat on your life through disease and/or hardship and/or danger? Remember, you were saved because of the love and concern of others who prayed and/or ministered to you. Please consider passing along that same love and concern to others.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Peter and John continued to minister, in spite of the threat on their lives. Oh that we would do the same today. Our friends are so worth it!

PRAYER: Thank You Lord for our warriors who served as disciples to our Lord Jesus, and for all they they exampled before us when they continued ministering even in the threat upon their lives after being jailed. We still have threats today, even though most are very minor compared to our forefathers. Please give us a renewed boldness to minister in good weather and in the midst of storms that seem to threaten our existence. Our jobs here are incomplete until the day You call us home to glory, so please be our Guide, and strengthen us every day for the task at hand – sharing the Good News of our Savior! 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!

Because Of Your Witness

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Evangelism, Evangelize, Needs, Personal Witness, Praise, Recognize God, Witness, Witnessing, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Saturday, 2021-11-13
WRITTEN AT: Ormond Beach, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: John 4:39-42
TRANSLATION: Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC)

BIBLE TEXT: 39 Now numerous Samaritans from that town believed in and trusted in Him because of what the woman said when she declared andtestified, He told me everything that I ever did.
40 So when the Samaritans arrived, they asked Him to remain with them, and He did stay there two days.
41 Then many more believed in and adhered to and relied on Him because of His personal message [what He Himself said].
42 And they told the woman, Now we no longer believe (trust, have faith) just because of what you said; for we have heard Him ourselves [personally], and we know that He truly is the Savior of the world, the Christ.

APPLICATION: Having worked in the public eye before, it was challenging to remember that interacting with my customers could have impacted them as much as I am reminded of today. I’ve heard stories of widows or widowers visiting their bank every day so they could associate with friendly employees. I’ve seen very angry people who tend to bury themselves in self-pity. But as a Christian, even though I’ve always heard about the importance of sharing Christ with others, I don’t believe I was ever impacted as much, as what God dealt with me on in meditating on this Scripture today. I remember journaling on this story before, but it suddenly hit me today that the Samaritan woman had a choice to make, based on several things about the message today: 1). She could have returned home quiet and subdued, perhaps embarrassed because she realized that the Master of this universe knew all about her marriages and about her current living conditions; 2). She could have gone about her business as usual without arising suspicion among the town about her sanity in thinking that a Jew would have anything to do with a Samaritan, much less a woman; 3). She could have adopted the new catch phrase that tends to pop up in today’s culture ‘Just asking for a friend’, and she could have pretended that she overheard someone speaking with a friend at the well whom she believed could have been Jesus; or 4). No restraints, just let go and share what you know happened to you at the well. Today, your friends could choose to believe you, or not. Friends, when something exciting or miraculous happens in our day, we want to share that with whomever will stop and listen. This is the option that this woman at the well chose to do, and praise God she did, because look at the immense impact it had on her townspeople! So as we meditate on our God today, I believe that it behooves us to evaluate whether we are diligent in sharing our encounters with God with those that we come into contact with. In today’s society, it seems like we are hesitant to mention the name of Jesus in our conversation anymore, because we don’t want to impose our religion on those we come into contact with. Notice how Jesus not only spoke to this woman at the well, but He asked for her assistance. He wanted communion with her. I am reminded that God knows us intimately. He knows our hurts; our worries; our friends; our sins; our weaknesses; and everything in between. I am convinced that when He blesses us, it could be for many more reasons that to just make us feel special or important. He could have touched our heart in last week’s church service because He wanted to fire us up to tell others about our awesome God and our encounter with Him. The very one(s) that we choose to share that with, could very easily be the one questioning if anyone cares about them, or perhaps wondering if God really does exist. Notice that in spite of the woman’s reputation, the townspeople believed what she shared with them, and they were convinced enough that they wanted a personal encounter with Jesus. The main thing that excited me about this story is that when the people had their personal, one-on-one encounter with Jesus, they thanked the woman for drawing them to this mighty man, but they were exuberant about claiming Jesus as their own personal Savior! Friends, that’s a precise example of what happens when we share Christ with our family and friends, and they finally decide to attend church with us. For it is there that many look at more than our story, but instead they look full into the face of Jesus and experience an intimate, personal relationship with Him. Join me in being challenged to just open up and share what Jesus has done for us. Seminary is not required, just share your personal experience with Jesus! It could make a life-changing difference for others, for all eternity!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Just as God miraculously reaches in and touches our life, we might help in encouraging others to also seek our God. He could change their eternal destiny, as they find Him and trust Him!

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, You are more precious than silver or anything else in this world, because You saw us in our sin and mire, and You accepted our plea for salvation anyway. We are concerned for family and friends who show evidence of not knowing You personally, please embolden us and direct us to these individuals with the right words to share with them. Lord, I believe Your return is imminent and that it will happen soon! We don’t want to see any left behind, but we need You to do the work and use us if it will help. The Samaritan woman did this, and I believe You can also help us to be a better witness. Use us in Your service 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!

What Is It That Satisfies Your Hunger?

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Evangelism, Evangelize, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Satisfaction, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Friday, 2021-11-12
WRITTEN AT: Ormond Beach, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: John 4:34-34
TRANSLATION: The Passion Translation (TPT)

BIBLE TEXT: 34 To clarify, Jesus spoke up and said, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and bring it to completion.”
35 As the crowds emerged from the village, Jesus said to his disciples, “Why would you say, ‘The harvest is another four months away’? Look at all the people coming—now is harvest time! Their hearts are like vast fields of ripened grain—ready for a harvest. 36 Everyone who reaps these souls for eternal life will receive a reward. Both those who plant spiritual seeds and those who reap the spiritual harvest will celebrate together with great joy! 37 And this confirms the saying, ‘One sows the seed and another reaps the harvest.’ 38 I have sent you out to harvest a field that you haven’t planted, where many others have labored long and hard before you. And now you are privileged to profit from their labors and reap the harvest.”

APPLICATION: I believe that over time we can see where humans tend to focus most on the things and people they have developed a drive to grow/expand/enrich. Take for example a mom’s favorite child who seems destined for ‘big’ things in life. That mom will give up her choice meat for that child; she will spend her last dollar to dress that child in the most current and stylish attire; she will challenge teachers who may appear to pick on that child in class; and she might even fight with a referee calling a game her child in playing in! Why is that? I believe it’s because that mom has developed a hunger for the success of that child and she only feels satisfied when that child is winning, smiling, happy, or at the top of their game – whether it’s scholastically or competitively in sports. In our Scripture, Jesus shared that He had a deep hunger for what He felt compelled to do for His Father – God. Just as we are driven to eat when we’re famished, Jesus showed us that He was driven to ensure that none of His children should perish, because there was so much more that the Father has in store for us. Imagine at the reading of our earthly father’s will we find out that he had banked thousands of dollars, hoping that long after his passing his kids would still be financially fit. Wouldn’t that be a sigh of relief for us, especially as we acknowledge how tough it is to survive these days? Well guess what, Jesus knew that His Father is a lot more generous than we could begin to imagine. Why in John 3:16 we are reminded that God made some very special arrangements for us, to make sure that His provisions were easily accessible to us. He sent His very own Son (Jesus) into the world, so that those who would welcome and accept Him, He would gladly open the gates of heaven for us to go in. Jesus not only personally felt the cruelty of mankind at Calvary, but He was motivated by His Father to make sure that we not miss the opportunity to receive all that God has provided for us to enjoy for all eternity. Jesus was ’hungry’ to get on with the work of His Father and to please Him unconditionally. For those of us that have accepted God’s special gift – Jesus Christ, we should have a hunger similar to that of God’s Son, for there are many in our circle of friends that still have not accepted God’s gift. I pray that every reader and/or listener will be as ‘hungry’ as Jesus was, to share the Good News of God’s special gift, for the gates of heaven are still being opened today for those who accept Jesus as Lord! Check your drive, your motivation, your desires and your will to advance the Kingdom of God! Make sure your heart is in the right place!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Jesus is still hungry for the souls of His children that He sacrificed His own life for. Heaven is still available to those who believe – personally believe, in the name of Jesus Christ!

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, in greatest humility, let me ask that You please make us ‘hungry’ for the same things that motivated You to save the world from sin and destruction. There are still many who refuse to listen, obey and accept the invitation `You offered in John 3:16, and that You specifically went to the cross for. Lord, I pray that we will not be able to cope in life until our desire is satisfied to see our loved ones saved from their destructive and unthoughtful resolution to just die without a Savior or the assurance of their heavenly destiny. Thank You for the assurance that You will still save souls, now if we could be about our Father’s work, perhaps our cravings will be satisfied and the angels in heaven will rejoice with us over one more soul who surrenders to the lordship of Jesus Christ. 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!

Are You Ready To Go?

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Evangelism, Evangelize, Needs, Praise, Readiness, Ready, Ready to Go, Recognize God, State of Readiness, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Tuesday, 2021-09-21
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Luke 17:26-27
TRANSLATION: Living Bible (TLB)

BIBLE TEXT: 26 “When I return the world will be as indifferent to the things of God as the people were in Noah’s day. 27 They ate and drank and married—everything just as usual right up to the day when Noah went into the ark and the Flood came and destroyed them all.

APPLICATION: For those who strive to evangelize the lost and guide them into a relationship with Jesus Christ, you will find yourselves much like the disciples, in that you will encourage the lost to accept Jesus today, as He could return anytime after the very moment that you share the Good News. But even in Bible stories, we read about the excuses that people quickly came up with when they are asked to accept the Lord, so I’m sure that the excuses will flow rapidly from the mouths of those that we set out to encourage. For the disciple’er I would suggest that you think back to the days when you tried to encourage your spouse to marry you. Although they may have initially had some doubt, you went through a long courtship to try and convince them that you two belonged together. So let me encourage you to do a little courting of your closest family members, or your dearest friends, so that you may gain their confidence to believe the urgency of the message you want to share with them. Also, let’s remember that Jesus warned His disciples, and us, about the uncertainty of the day and the hour, so getting the message out today could make the difference between eternal life, or eternity and damnation in Hell for that dear person. To the one who might be reading this and you have chosen to ‘wait and see’, I believe that there has never been a time in our history where we are reminded daily how death is knocking on the door of our family and friends almost daily, and without regard to age, gender, health condition, or anything else. Please realize dear friends that your time could be next. Please be ready for the day that Jesus comes back, even if it’s today. Just as airport officials only admit passenger who are ready to travel when the flight departs, so will Jesus have a similar decision when He returns to take us home. Are you ready to go?

BLESSING(S) NOTED: For those who are ready to go, Jesus can come today, tomorrow or anytime and you will be ready to join with the rest of His chosen children to accompany Him into heaven! No greater joy!

PRAYER: Lord, Your warning is clear, and for many we are ready to join with You and the angels in Heaven when You come to take us home. The urgency is also clear for our unsaved loved ones, so in all humility I ask that You bestow upon all Christians the importance of showing how much they care about loved ones, by showing them the only way to Heaven. Lord, with urgency evident to both the evangelist and the hearer, may we be busy about our Father’s work. We may say that we love and care about our family and friends, but may that be apparent by us showing them the way to Heaven. Please forgive us when we fail, or when we are timid, but Lord we depend on Your wisdom and Your strength to guide us every day. 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!

Where Do You Tend To Hang Out?

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Evangelism, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Repentance, Witnessing, Worship1 Comment

DATE WRITTEN: Tuesday, 2021-07-27
WRITTEN AT: Hattiesburg, MS

SCRIPTURE FROM: Luke 5:30-32
TRANSLATION: The Passion Translation (TPT)

BIBLE TEXT: 30 … “Why would you defile yourselves by eating and drinking with tax collectors and sinners? Doesn’t Jesus know it’s wrong to do that?”
31 Jesus overheard their complaining and said, “Who goes to the doctor for a cure? Those who are well or those who are sick? 32 I have not come to call the ‘righteous,’ but to call those who know they are sinners and bring them to repentance.”

APPLICATION: Part of the great divide between Christians and unbelievers might be caused by the cliques that are created, often unknowingly. Christians are taught to, and often feel most comfortable to, hang out with those of like faith. Sure, I believe that scenario will create great accountability partners, and there will probably be less room for argument, as we will seldom challenge each other on what we believe, or what we do. I see little difference in this practice when looking at the unsaved, for they tend to hang out in like groups and places. Because of this exclusivity, it seems like each group tends to look at the other group as pretenders and thinking of themselves as better than the other. To a certain extent, this may be true, especially if one fails to associate with member of the opposite group. But Jesus may have introduced us to a very unique thought in the Scriptures today. It we truly want to follow in Jesus’ footsteps and do the will of the Father, wouldn’t we want to spend some time around the people we are trying to share the Gospel with? After all, how many Christians will we aim to ‘save’, again? Sure, iron sharpens iron, and we need the strength, encouragement and love from our Christian brothers and sisters, but if we refuse to mix with non-Christians and understand their needs, how will we ever discern the difference that Jesus might make in their lives? Additionally, how else will your unsaved friends know Jesus’ way of living and treating one another if you don’t give them opportunity to spend time with you? I believe that one of the most interesting changes we must consider, is that instead of feeling compelled to stay away from unbelievers in fear of adopting their bad habits, we must instead desire to be around them and ask God to let them grow in Him by seeing God at work in us. Friends, people need the Lord – those are the unbelievers. Unless we spend time around them and teach them God’s ways, how else will they see God and come to know Him personally?

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Jesus hung out with sinners, because He wanted to bring them to repentance. We should do the same!

PRAYER: Lord, please teach us to live like You demonstrated to us in Your Word. We have picked up too many earthly practices to often be of any heavenly good to our neighbors. Please help us to stay centered on Your Word and practice all that You have taught us. Much of this will be quite different for us in contrast to what we have practiced so far, so please give us strength, give us wisdom, give us boldness and most of all, give us a heart like yours. Let others experience Your awesome love and goodness through our encounters with them, and convince them of their need for a Savior. 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!