Category: Evangelize

Finding Compassion: Reflecting on Jeremiah’s Message

On By Ed AlgreenIn Accept Jesus NOW, Acknowledge God, All have sinned, Awesome God, Compassion, Evangelize, God Cares For Us, God’s Word, Love2 Comments

DATE POSTED
Tuesday, January 21, 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 Message (MSG) and found in Jeremiah 9:1-2

THE SCRIPTURE READS
1-2 I wish my head were a well of water and my eyes fountains of tears So I could weep day and night for casualties among my dear, dear people.
At times I wish I had a wilderness hut, a backwoods cabin, Where I could get away from my people and never see them again. They’re a faithless, feckless bunch, a congregation of degenerates.

APPLICATION – as inspired by the Holy Spirit
Unless you are aware that Jeremiah is known as ‘The Weeping Prophet’, it may be challenging for you to understand where he is coming from in these first two verses of chapter 9 in the book he wrote, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Although I must be the first to say that I have not been led to tears over the sins of my fellow believers, I have often pondered if pastors ever get to this stage after seeing their parishioners continue to live in sin, in spite of the heartfelt, Holy Spirt-led teaching and preaching they do each week. I believe that we all can identify to some extent when we think about our children who continue in rebellion regardless of the lessons we have taught them and the life-examples we have lived out before them. As for these devotionals, I was once asked where do I find these on the internet so that I could share these through Nuggets From God’s Word. For those who read these carefully, you already know that these are from my heart as inspired by the Holy Spirit who lives inside of me. However, in my study on these verses, I was so touched by one of the commentators that I refer to often, that I feel compelled to share his teaching with you on these verses. John Courson explains: ‘Jeremiah didn’t deliver his prophecies condemningly, with fingers pointing. He delivered them from a broken heart and with tear-filled eyes. That’s why God chose him. Some people come into our lives and say, “Woe is you,” as they condemn and point their fingers. Not Jeremiah. He shared the message of God accurately, but not without weeping compassionately. I believe we have no right to judge any other person or situation if we’re not brokenhearted about it. If I don’t feel compassion and tenderness, brokenness and love, I need to keep my mouth shut. I don’t have any right to point out the dirt on another’s feet unless I’m willing to do what Jesus did—to get down and start washing. If I’m not willing to get involved in restoring, loving, weeping, and caring, I’m missing the mark entirely.‘ Friends, there are some principles in this, that if our church followed them, we might be as close as we could get on earth to having a righteous, God-loving, holy and caring church. One that the unsaved would feel more compelled to join, and learn together with us about the God that we serve. If they got the slightest inkling that God is impacting our lives in such a way, they would be so excited about also accepting His Son, Jesus, as their Savior and allowing Him to be Lord of their life. So why don’t we mourn over the sin and its effects on our family, neighbors and fellow church members? Could it be that we don’t care about them? Or that we’re afraid of how they might respond to us? Or, could it be that we are so on and off in our own relationship with God because we don’t have a living, daily, intimate relationship with the Savior who died for us so that we might have the chance of eternity in Heaven? Is the sin in your own life causing you to cry out before a holy and righteous God? Is your relationship with Jesus fueled only by the Pastor’s sermons whenever you attend church, or do you enjoy a daily, regular, intimate time with the Lord each and every day? Have you been accused by a friend of being Christ-like, or is that reserved only for your time inside the church walls? I believe we were designed to cry, or shed tears, for things that truly hurt us deeply. When we do all we can to lead someone to the Lord, it will hurt us to even look at them and see them continue in sin. This might very well trigger a flood of tears from the hurt we feel inside. Perhaps we should petition the Father to cause us to hurt for the things that bring Him reason to hurt. This might incent us to seek God’s help to fulfill His purpose in reaching the lost for Christ.

PRAYER
Precious Lord Jesus, thank You for creating us to hurt for the things You hurt for. I can only imagine how it must hurt You deeply when we allow Satan to intervene and take away our God-likeness, and harden our hearts to either gossip about our struggling neighbors or to put them down, instead of following Your example to love us, sacrifice for us and lift us up from our life of sin. Praise God for showing, and promising us the glories of Heaven, that’s fit for a child of the King. Please Lord, teach us to desire a living, daily, personal relationship with You, so that we may desire and aim for the same for those in our inner circle of family and friends. Jeremiah was known as the ‘weeping prophet’ because of his deep desire to see people know His God and live like His children. Please touch our hearts to desire the same thing You want for Your children who need a Savior and a close relationship with You. 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!

Preparing for Jesus’ Return: Lessons from John 1

On By Ed AlgreenIn Accept Jesus NOW, Acknowledge God, All have sinned, Awesome God, Evangelize, God Cares For Us, God’s WordLeave a comment

DATE POSTED
Tuesday, December 17, 2024, 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 Living Bible (TLB) and found in John 1:22-23

THE SCRIPTURE READS
22 “Then who are you? Tell us, so we can give an answer to those who sent us. What do you have to say for yourself?”
23 He replied, “I am a voice from the barren wilderness, shouting as Isaiah prophesied, ‘Get ready for the coming of the Lord!’”

APPLICATION – as inspired by the Holy Spirit
In my earlier years of ministry, I recall leaving the bedside of a church member I had visited and prayed for, and as I departed, I recall her family member asking her whether I was her pastor. Although overwhelmed that I had left that kind of impression with the family member, I knew that I was merely a servant of the most high God who visited the sick and shut-ins as a means of reminding them that someone still loved them, even while they laid on a bed of affliction wishing that they could be at church encouraging others. John the Baptist showed us in today’s Scripture how to respond to a question like the one asked of my friend. You see, there will be times that you are anxious to share about your Lord with those you come into contact with, and they will question, who do you think you are to come and share your religion with them. It’s a fair question, for they are a sinner, but so are you, it’s just that you have been saved by the wonderful grace and awesome forgiveness of the Savior of this world, in response to your asking. I believe a good way for us to think about our redemption from sin, and our desire to share that with others we come into contact with, is to compare the scenario to an approaching storm. If I heard about a hurricane, or a very bad winter storm approaching my area, and it gripped my heart to prepare as best I good in order to protect myself and my property, I would also want to quickly tell my neighbors and others in my neighborhood, regardless of how crazy they may think about my desperation and move to protect everything and everyone around me. For the believer in Jesus Christ, we know and believe what the Bible teaches, that Jesus will return one day, and/or we will be called out of this temporary body and sinful world one day, to be with our Lord and Master, Jesus Christ and His Father, God. So, we prepare for this inevitable fact by asking Jesus into our heart, since He is the ONLY WAY into heaven. But then, our unselfish thoughts, and our love for our neighbor, kicks in, and we find ourselves desiring to ensure that our friends are also prepared, by knowing how to ready themselves for this glorious event. In this latter event, we become very much like John the Baptist – a messenger crying out in this wilderness of sin here on earth, telling others of the impending return of Jesus and how He will determine who goes with Him. This should impress upon believers to help our friends see and understand the only way to ready themselves for heaven. I believe it is evident that God wanted us to see what John the Baptist went through and how he handled his situation, for God knew that we too would be faced with the identical situation in our earthly lives. For us to reject God’s plan for us as believers, would be the same as if John would have raced the Jewish leaders and priests away without a care for their eternal destiny. Praise God, John didn’t take the latter stand, for he cared for his neighbors, even if they meant evil for him and his ministry. So should we make it our business to make sure our neighbors, family and friends are ready for the return of Jesus Christ? Unfortunately, the alternative is way more desperate and concerning, for we would hate to see them enter into the hands of the evil one where they would receive eternal damnation and punishment by Satan and his evil ones for all eternity. So, the choice is clear, follow in John’s example and share Christ in every aspect of our lives, even if it may turn to mockery, scorn, or question for us.

PRAYER
The urgency of the hour is beyond anything we can comprehend today, for we tend to put off for tomorrow anything we don’t feel like dealing with today. But Lord, I pray that You would constantly remind us of the tips You left for us in Your Word, that no one knows the day or the hour of Your return when You will take Your children home to glory. Therefore, it behooves us to not only ready ourselves for Your imminent return, but to also assume that it could be today. John the Baptist felt this urgency, so he went about his work of sharing Christ with everyone, even those that he knew were out to have him killed. Please Lord, help us to stop worrying about what our family, co-workers, friends, or acquaintances will think or say about us, but to always share the good news of Jesus Christ, the One who will return at any moment to take those who are ready, on to heaven to be with He, the Father and the Holy Spirit. By glorified in us, oh Lord, and allow unbelievers to see Jesus in person in their interaction with us. 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!

A Worthwhile Mission

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

DATE POSTED: Saturday, July 22, 2023, and I was blessed to be at Orlando, FL when God inspired me to prepare this devotional. My Footnote will tell you how to find, read or listen to any and all devotionals that I have shared over the years.

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE FROM THE The Voice (VOICE) IS FOUND IN 2 Timothy 2:15

THE BIBLE TEXT IS: …. do everything you can to present yourself to God as a man who is fully genuine, a worker unashamed of your mission, a guide capable of leading others along the correct path defined by the word of truth.

MY INITIAL THOUGHTS: In a world filled with wickedness and evil, it doesn’t come natural for us to live a saintly life that might always be pleasing to God. Paul knew that his ambassador, Timothy, would face challenging times as he tried to fulfill his missionary efforts, so he offered words such as found in this Scripture today to coach him into practicing life each day in a way pleasing to God. But God did better than that, for He knew that His followers who would follow after Paul’s death would need these words of coaching and encouragement also. Let’s pursue this today!

APPLICATION OF THE WORD: First of all, let me say how badly I wish that we had more ‘Pauls’ in today’s churches. Imagine, Paul sitting in prison seeking every opportunity to share Christ with prison guards and prisoners alike, yet his mind is still wrapped around all that his co-laborers/trainees/fellow ministers might come across while continuing the work of Christ on their own. Doesn’t it seem like church leaders today are more after filling positions in their church, rather than equipping, praying for, and encouraging those who try to apply themselves in ministry under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit? God got my attention in this Scripture when one version of the Bible started this verse off by commanding that we work hard to present ourselves to God in a pleasing manner. Many evangelicals will quickly jump all over the words ‘work hard’ in any sentence that involves our relationship with God. And while I could understand and appreciate their efforts to never lose sight of the grace of God in saving us, yet I discovered more meaning into what Paul may have been saying to us. Generally, if a man is raise in a wealthy home, they have no issue in wanting to be wealthy themselves. In the world of Christianity, we leave the sacred and safe doors of our churches to enter a world where we rub shoulders with sinners, criminals and ungodly people with not desire for knowing Christ. I am convinced that what goes into our minds will saturate our hearts and it will impact what we say and do. This makes it tough to live like Jesus while living each day around such pressure where Satan tries desperately to attract our attention and drive us toward sinning. With this in mind, I believe Paul was coaching Timothy, and us, into being conscious of this evil pull by the enemy, so that we might work hard at being dependent on God every minute, of every hour, of every day, so that we might be unashamed of messing up, but determined to live a holy life that would be pleasing to God. But notice how Paul also emphasized like importance in passing along what we learn from God, His Word, and through His messengers. When at work, we are required to train our employees in the beliefs and principles of our employer, not our personal feelings that might seem easier for the employee. So it is in our Christian walk, we must learn to share what Jesus has taught and exampled before us. In doing this, we will stay true to the Word of God and stop pushing our own agenda and personal beliefs. So how do we do this? Well, let me encourage you to read the surrounding verses of this chapter, for Paul goes on to tell us how we are to stay away from gossip or just plain babbling that only tend to lead one into a more sinful life; arguing or bickering over useless things that only bring division; youthful desires and lust; conversations that lead to arguments or strong opposition; and instead strive to direct our passion to chasing after righteousness, faithfulness, love, and peace, along with those who call upon the Lord with pure hearts. Friends, I’m sure that you have noticed how challenging it is to thrive in the world of those prone to negativity, destruction, revenge, etc. May our hearts be so filled with the love of Christ that others will know and feel the presence of Christ when we’re in their midst. Jesus is coming back soon to collect His church – the saved, the redeemed, those who strive daily to know Him better and live more like Him and are not fraid to teach and/or share His truth unashamedly with others. I pray that includes you, dear friend!

BLESSINGS WORTH NOTING: One of the things that people hate, is to encounter a hypercritical person. Let’s strive to know Jesus, learn and understand His Word, so that we might share truth with those we come into contact with. Knowing Christ and living like the devil is, unfortunately, bad for everyone.

PRAYER BECAUSE OF THE IMPACT OF TODAY’S SCRIPTURE: Dear Lord, You are so merciful and filled with grace! Who am I that a King would die and live for? Praise God, I am blessed with the promise of eternity in heaven with You and the Father? Thank You Lord for using Your servant Paul to coach and encourage Timothy, and those of us determined to live like You, and present a true witness of You to others that we come into contact with. Lord, I ask that You please lead many of the millions that will go online today, to this devotional and that my words are clear enough that they would be encouraged to live out the truths of Your Word as explained, or desired by You. Others, such as a pastor or Bible teacher, can’t create relationship with You, for us; we must determine in our own heart to know You better every day and fill our hearts with so much of Your teachings, that others will see Jesus and believe in the sacrifice You made for us on Calvary. Lord, I believe. Help my areas of doubt and unbelief so that I might become stronger in the faith and better able to share that with someone who needs you today. AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: There’s another page on my website, entitled ‘To Know Jesus’. If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading or listening to this devotional, please go to this 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 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. For my podcast, go online to Apple Podcasts or, using the Apple Podcast app, simply search for Nuggets From God’s Word to hear more episodes, or click ‘Follow’ to be notified of Podcast updates. Friends, please allow me to 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!

Commissioned to Go, Tell and Heal

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

DATE POSTED Monday, 2023-01-30
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Luke 9:1-5
TRANSLATION: The Voice (VOICE)

BIBLE TEXT: 1 Jesus convened a gathering of the twelve. He gave them power and authority to free people from all demonic spirits and to heal them of diseases. 2 He sent them out to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. 3-5 These were His instructions:

  1. Travel light on your journey: don’t take a staff, backpack, bread, money, or even an extra change of clothes.
  2. When you enter a house, stay there until you leave that city.
  3. If a town rejects you, shake the dust from your feet as you leave as a witness against them

APPLICATION: There is at least one other place recorded in Scripture where Jesus gave His disciples the necessary power and ordered them to go and tell the Good News (Matthew 28). In our Scripture today, Luke records that Jesus, called His disciples in to Him, gave them the necessary power that they would need, then instructed them to go, tell and heal as necessary. There’s a few things that caught my attention:

  • a). Jesus had been the One doing all the healing, but now, in what appears to be a delegation of power, He gave His disciples the power to meet the needs of the sick that they would come into contact with. Throughout the New Testament there are references to various gifts that are given to believers. But I wonder when, and under what circumstances Jesus still passes this power to heal on to believers today.
  • b). No matter how established the church may have been at that time, Jesus ‘SENT’ the disciples out. In other words, don’t wait for the people to get the urge to attend church, go to where they’re at. I believe this command is just as applicable to the church today as it was for these first disciples.
  • c). Tell them the Good News of Jesus and what He could do for them. I believe He wanted them to also tell the people what Jesus had done for them personally. For you see, they would rather hear how God is working today, rather than what He did for Moses when he led over a million people to a point where there was water ahead and an oncoming army approaching from the rear, or for Noah when God was about to flood the earth. Because of Jesus, and what He has done for us, we still have an awesome message to tell. Let’s go and tell the Good News fellow believers. This is too good to keep bottled up inside when we know of folk dying each day without any hope of eternity in Heaven.
  • d). Heal the sick – whether this refers to those that were physically sick without any hope of recovery, or those who were sin-sick without any hope for eternity, Jesus is the answer to all of man’s deficiencies. As a child of the Great Healer, let’s seek His power and pray, while laying holy hands on the sick. With a touch from God for their physical condition, many will also seek God’s face for healing of their spiritual condition. While this is not something we can boast of, we must be sure to extend the power of our God as He sees fit to bless us with that anointing.

But to top this whole message off, Jesus gave His disciples a few conditions that would generate supreme trust in the Almighty God. I went with a group of missionaries from my church to Mexico for a week. Other than finances, the next greatest challenge was in packing minimally as space would be limited on flights and in the vans used for ground transportation. So can you imagine trying to ‘GO’ under the restrictions ordered by Jesus in (1) noted above in our Scripture? Homes were opened to accommodate the missionaries, as there were no provisions for commercial accommodations, if any existed. This has become a huge problem today, as most church members will refuse to have a missionary or visiting preacher in for a meal, much less opening their home to one. I trust that you can appreciate the difference. Most of us will do everything possible to be accepted by the townspeople in which we minister. But what do you do if you are not accepted? Jesus knew this would happen and probably disappoint His disciples, just as it would impact us, so He prepared us in advance in (3) above for such an unfortunate event. Bible scholars will tell you that Jesus didn’t just tell His disciples to go some foreign place and, when you get – tell and heal. But instead, He told them in their language that as they GO, tell and heal. It is so important that we represent God and tell the Good News everywhere we find ourselves, not just at one specific building, street corner, country or city. As you go each day, brothers and sisters, in every way possible, tell the story of Jesus and His love for everyone you meet, God being your helper and guide.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: You now have the power, go, tell, and heal in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit!

PRAYER: Thank You Lord Jesus for entrusting Your disciples with the power to heal the sick as they ministered along the way that they were directed by You. I believe that if anything changed in the methods You used, as applied to us, You would have told us so. But that leaves us with a deep and awesome responsibility as your disciples. We need You Lord Jesus to endow upon us the power to represent You in every phase of ministry as we promote the Savior that we accepted as Lord of our lives. Teach us Lord to trust in you each and every day, and in carrying You with us, may we be sure to depend on You for every word we speak and for every action that opens itself to us. Have Your will and way in the lives of my readers, listeners and myself, so that Your mighty works might be revealed through our efforts. 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!

God Uses Us To Tell Others About Him

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

DATE POSTED Sunday, 2022-07-17
WRITTEN AT: O Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: 2 Corinthians 2:14-16
TRANSLATION: The Living Bible (TLB)

BIBLE TEXT: 14 But thanks be to God! For through what Christ has done, he has triumphed over us so that now wherever we go he uses us to tell others about the Lord and to spread the Gospel like a sweet perfume. 15 As far as God is concerned there is a sweet, wholesome fragrance in our lives. It is the fragrance of Christ within us, an aroma to both the saved and the unsaved all around us. 16 To those who are not being saved, we seem a fearful smell of death and doom, while to those who know Christ we are a life-giving perfume.…

APPLICATION: At a party, men may try to connect with ladies not wearing a wedding band, or who may not be with their husbands. In others words, they look for obvious signs to determine their availability. Yesterday I walked into a pharmacy – it was clean, well staffed, had Christian music piping over its house speakers, had signs of being closed on Sunday and although there was no aroma to smell, yet my spirit detected an aroma of Jesus Christ. When we walk into a room of people that we may not know, they tend to look, smell, listen and feel for the aroma we exude. Sometimes they detect pride, bashfulness, prejudice and perhaps, bitterness. And often these conclusions are met because of things we do, say, pretend or portray. But how would they detect the character and likeness of Jesus in us? Friends, there are some who meditate on the Word of God, and they know about the heart and character of God. But there are others who have in their minds what they think Jesus and/or His representatives should look and act like. The latter will quickly judge us and place us in a virtual box they created. I believe that Paul is teaching us to stop pretending. If Jesus is inside of us, He will shine through in every word we say, in every helpful and unselfish deed we perform, in our warm and friendly smile, and in our unashamed glorification of our Master. To say it in yet another form, it will be evident that Jesus is at work in us and not we ourselves spending every effort to promote self. In verse 17 Paul went on to ask who might fit the qualification, or character, of Jesus? I can only believe that this is something that each of us must answer individually. May God create a humbleness in us that will seek to overstep our selfish desires and instead promote the love, sacrifice and God-like character of our Savior and Lord. No matter how much we try to preach, teach or evangelize the goodness of God, our lifestyle, character and words will always override in the mind of the unsaved we are trying to witness to.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Our love, character and words that exemplify our Master, will be a sweet aroma to those searching for Jesus!

PRAYER: What an honor to have You live in, and bless us, each and every day, precious Lord! So undeserving, yet You opened our eyes and allowed us to see Your sacrifice and experience Your love. Thank You dear Lord for loving us and treating us as our very own child. May it be obvious to those that we mingle with that Jesus is present, because of Your amazing gift of the Holy Spirit that lives inside of us. Oh Lord, may the words from my mouth, and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to You, and may I be a living witness to the lost and unsaved. Be glorified in me today dear Lord, and also in the lives of those I will interface with. May the lost see life – eternal through their experience with believers today, and may You be glorified. 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!

Open Their Eyes

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

DATE POSTED Friday, 2022-03-11
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Acts 26:17-20
TRANSLATION: Contemporary English Version (CEV)

BIBLE TEXT: 17 The Lord also said, “I will protect you from the Jews and from the Gentiles that I am sending you to. 18 I want you to open their eyes, so they will turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God. Then their sins will be forgiven, and by faith in me they will become part of God’s holy people.”
19 King Agrippa, I obeyed this vision from heaven. 20 First I preached to the people in Damascus, and then I went to Jerusalem and all over Judea. Finally, I went to the Gentiles and said, “Stop sinning and turn to God! Then prove what you have done by the way you live.”

APPLICATION: As I write this blog today, I am receiving notifications about an approaching thunderstorm. On radar it looks serious enough for me to go out and warn the neighbors. Summer time in Florida is always a time for residents to stay tuned to weather reports for possible hurricane developments. We not only go out of our way to tell neighbors of approaching hurricanes, but we jump in to help them secure their property from the ravishes of these dangerous weather systems. Break-ins sometimes happen no matter where we are located. No matter if it’s neighborhood watch teams or just neighbors who hear about this awful crime, we make sure that everyone knows and are best prepared to fend off the criminal, should they approach our home. We do each of these things without giving a second thought to being rejected or cursed out by our neighbors. Yet so many Christians will surrender to accepting this call of God because they fear rejection. Paul didn’t stop his efforts even while in prison, and even when he stood before the king. In fact, he was so bold that further down in verse 28 Agrippa was forced to ask Paul if he was trying to save him also! So what do you suppose might be your greatest fear in doing exactly what God ordered Paul to do? Fear of rejection might definitely play a vital part in your decision to remain silent about the love of God, but it definitely had no role in sharing the above news for the protection of property and people. Might it be that we are too ashamed of the job we have done in living out our salvation, and that we are afraid of embarrassing ourselves with a message that still hasn’t truly affected us yet? Friends, I believe that God will hold us, Christians, accountable for the way that we have hidden His grace, His forgiveness and His many blessings given to us. Deep inside, we seem to have hardened ourselves from boldly telling the world who we belong to, and how badly they need Jesus. How else will we open their eyes? If we know it, if we live it, and if we have a daily relationship with the One who gave it to us, then nothing should be capable of stopping us. Would you be bold enough to drop me a note and share with me what it is that stops you in your mission? Perhaps we can pray one for another in this effort. Perhaps if we could be brave enough to tell another Christian, we will find it easy to share with an unbeliever who Jesus is to us.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: The answer to today’s wars, hatred and envy is Jesus! Let’s be convinced that we know Him, and that those we come into contact with also know Him!

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, we are often frustrated and very afraid of the evil results of Satan’s interference in the lives of our loved ones. Yet we have the answer to this dilemma and we act afraid of sharing the Good News. Please forgive us Lord. Please also fill us with a deeper desire to know You better, and to live in a real and right relationship with You. As this improves, I believe that Your love will overflow from us and we will have a new strength and boldness to share Your love with others. People need the Lord, and I pray that You will help each reader/listener and I to never be a stumbling block in preventing the outflow of Jesus’ love for them. 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!