Category: Follow Christ

Doing What God Wants, Not What You Think

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Follow Christ, Follow Jesus, Follower of Christ, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Friday, 2023-02-03
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: 1 Chronicles 17:4-6
TRANSLATION: Contemporary English Version (CEV)

BIBLE TEXT: 4 … go to David and tell him: David, you are my servant, so listen carefully: You are not the one to build a temple for me. 5 I didn’t live in a temple when I brought my people out of Egypt, and I don’t live in one now. A tent has always been my home wherever I have gone with them. 6 I chose special leaders and told them to be like shepherds for my people Israel. But did I ever say anything to even one of them about building a cedar temple for me?

APPLICATION: Isn’t it interesting how we seem to have answers for most people that we interact with, no matter how challenged we are in our own personal agenda? In the example given in my introduction, we may be challenged to afford a reasonable place to stay in, but when we see people living in true poverty, we feel compelled to ‘fix’ their problem and permit them an opportunity for a ‘better life’. I wonder, how we would respond if a rich person approached us and asked what our greatest need is today! For some, it may be financial challenges, but for others it may surprise our rich friend that all they need is to find a better job; to understand the love of Jesus; or a deep concern for a neighbor who recently lost their spouse. This was no different to David’s day. God had been extremely helpful to David and provided for his needs as a leader of God’s beloved nation. God also protected David and his army from some of the toughest nations and armies on earth. Don’t you know that David must have felt indebted to God and wanted to do all within his power to repay Him for His awesome love and concern? Don’t we tend to get like that? Many of us either feel this way or go overboard in trying to repay a friend because of this mindset: ‘You have blessed my family and I, so I am eternally indebted to you’. But that’s not the reason God has blessed us all the days of our life, and often it may not be the reason that a good philanthropic gives their excess earnings to others. I believe that God so loved the world – His creation, that He gave us His very own Son so that we, who were made without sin, could overcome the weakness of the flesh and this world, and still become eligible for the glories of heaven when breath leaves this earthly body. This is what God taught us in John 3:16. God did this for us not because we worked hard around the church, or we preached to thousands over our lifetime, or we gave of our finances so that the work of Jesus Christ could be extended to all parts of the earth, but solely because of His love for us. God exampled before us how we should, in turn, show love to Him. It doesn’t matter how many times you gave to the church or missions, but did you give of yourself to help the cause of Christ? It doesn’t matter how many times you sent your kids and/or your spouse to church, but did you dedicate your life whole heartedly to Christ and allow Him to direct your path each and every day. You see, when you put self into the equation, you will be more lightly to recognize God for who He is, you will have a deep desire to love Him, support His work to reach all who would believe, and your priorities and speech will change to reflect the God who has changed you, and who lives inside of you. Sending your money to good causes, or your kids to a place where they will learn good morals and principles only shows that you have good intentions. But where is your heart? In some of the public places that you visit, you may find buildings named after the philanthropic who gave much of the money needed for the construction. Because he loved the organization who built the building, he wanted to give to them. So honorable, but I would challenge you to find Scripture to show that the eternal destiny of that person was changed because of his generosity. Please understand that many non-profit organizations will discontinue without the gifts of generous donors, but it’s not until you personally have an encounter with God that your destiny will change heavenward. God might be saying today that He would love for you to give to His cause, but I can assure you that He would much prefer that you do that from a heart dedicated to God and directed by Him. If you don’t recall ever personally committing your life to Jesus Christ and giving Him permission to rule and reign in your life, then I would encourage you to read my FOOTNOTE carefully, because I have offered biblical direction for you to surrender your life to Jesus today. God doesn’t need an earthly temple, He wants individuals who call Him Lord, to worship Him and love others through His earthly temple.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Jesus will be honored and glorified through your life and through your worship, not through your excess funds, especially those that may have been earned in questionable or dishonest fashion.

PRAYER: Lord God, You were so right in telling us that Your ways are different to our ways. This world teaches us to build bigger and more significant so that everyone can have evidence of how we are flourishing in our personal life, our families, our church and our nation. Yet Lord, You told David that you were quite content with where You were at – a mere token of a holding place for the God of this universe. I am reminded that I have nothing to show off, and it’s only a penitent heart that’s ready for the return of Your Son, Jesus, that brings a smile to Your face and comfort to Your heart. While I believe that David sincerely wanted the very best for his Lord, this whole conversation with David has opened our hearts and minds to know that a heart relationship with You is all that matters. As You bless us, and bless our finances, You may then direct us to grow our facilities so that we may extend out even more into our lost communities. Please bless Your people today dear Lord and bless the churches in which they truly lift up the name of Jesus. Help us all to know Your timing and Your ways, so that we may properly apply them in our lives and in the life of Your church. I believe that the ultimate goal of Your church is to reach the unsaved, while taking every opportunity to lift up Your name and glorify our Father who art in heaven. 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!

Following In Your Footsteps

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Faith in Action, Follow Christ, Follower of Christ, Needs, Praise, Promise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Saturday, 2022-11-05
WRITTEN AT: Ormond Beach, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: 1 Kings 15:3-5
TRANSLATION: Good News Translation (GNT)

BIBLE TEXT: 3 He committed the same sins as his father and was not completely loyal to the Lord his God, as his great-grandfather David had been. 4 But for David’s sake the Lord his God gave Abijah a son to rule after him in Jerusalem and to keep Jerusalem secure. 5 The Lord did this because David had done what pleased him and had never disobeyed any of his commands, except in the case of Uriah the Hittite. 

APPLICATION: There are several ‘wow’ moments in this Scripture today:
1. God kept His promise that He made to David, even though his great-grandson, king Abijah, din’t live up to the commitment God saw in David. Often we will be compared to our parents, but isn’t it amazing how Abijah’s judgment, his actions and his character is being compared to his great-grandfather? I believe the same applies to our influence in the lives of generations that will follow is. Is there anything we need to work on now – before it’s too late? Guide us Lord, so that You might shine through us in every word and action.
2. Even in today’s Scripture, it acknowledged David was not perfect. But we know that David had a heart after God’s very own heart, and he was committed to following the ways of God. But God made a promise to David, and he was not about to renounce his promise. Long after David died, God was still keeping His promise. We may become downhearted about letting our guard down and messing up on something we may have promised God, but what a reminder that even long after we have left this life, yet God will still maintain His promise to us!
3. For each of David’s relatives who became king, notice that the Scripture always compares them to the standards set by David. Future history will show that our children, or their children may be compared to us. Those we taught in Sunday School may be reminded of something we said in a lesson we taught. Our coworkers may be questioned about their principles, even after being taught more justly by us. I wonder, will we hang our heads in shame, or will we proudly rejoice before the Father when He questions those with whom we interacted?
Friends, we are guided along in this life by whatever enters our heart, mind and soul. And we act out, and speak, according to that which we have taken in. If we fill ourselves with hatred and bad worldly ideas, then it becomes virtually impossible to act and speak in love. Conversely, if we fill ourselves with the teachings of Jesus and the love expressed by Jesus in all that He did, and if we will seek to imitate Jesus in every way possible, then God will fulfill a good work in those who come after us, or that we minister to. Perhaps each day as we stop to communicate with God, we should analyze whether our words and actions of that day may have helped others live like Jesus, or the Devil. I trust that you would join with me in desiring that we live more like Jesus every day, and when others interact with us, they would feel like they’ve been with Jesus, or at least one of His messengers. Our world needs this, and so do we. Let’s make sure that our lives are worthy of following and that our time on earth was worth our being here. May God’s Kingdom be richer because of our involvement on His behalf here on earth.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Just as our Father continued to fulfill His promise to David even into the second and third generations, I believe He will do the same for us! We serve an awesome God!

PRAYER: There is no God like our God, praise the wonderful name of Jesus! What a reminder in seeing You bless even an unfaithful servant like Abijah. But Lord, I believe that You will do the same for us as we pass along Your good works to all who follow us. Abijah certainly didn’t deserved Your blessing, or the gifts You gave to him, but because of Your faithful promise to David, You blessed him. Lord, please work on us so that we may be worthy of our children following in our footsteps. May they see Jesus evident in our talk and in our walk. I believe that many of the unsaved are also looking for evidence of the Great ‘I Am’, and Lord I pray that they will catch a glimpse as they interact with us. Fill us with Your love and blessings each and every day Lord, and may we do the same with those we come into contact with also, 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!

Waiting on God

On By Ed AlgreenIn Follow Christ, Follower of Christ, Godly lives, Holy Living, How to Live, Righteous LivingLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Tuesday, 2022-05-10
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

Bible Reference: Psalm 25:4-5
Translation: The Voice (VOICE)

Bible Text: 
4 DEMONSTRATE Your ways, O Eternal One.
    Teach me to understand so I can follow.
5 EASE me down the path of Your truth.
    FEED me Your word
    because You are the True God who has saved me.
    I wait all day long, hoping, trusting in You.

APPLICATION: We could learn a lot from David, for we are so quick to beat up on ourselves, or seek help from every other source, before finally conceding to the One who could lead us to all truth, knowledge and understanding so that we could obediently follow the ways of our Lord and His written Word. There are a few keywords in these two verses that I wanted to expand on, hoping that we might better understand the heart of this humble servant of God. David knew that there was only One who could possibly help him, so he pleaded before his God:

  • Demonstrate – Lord, please help me to understand by showing me through real-life examples;
  • Teach – Assume that I know nothing and simply open up my mind to a full understanding of what You would have me to do, oh Lord;
  • Ease – Understanding my weaknesses and inadequacies, please go easy on me as I am slow to learn, but know that I sincerely desire to know more about Your ways and Your Word;
  • Feed – Pour knowledge and understanding into me like one would poor water into the beak of a very thirsty bird. Fill me with Your Word so that I may constantly live in obedience to all that You desire of me;
  • Wait – I am willing to wait for as long as You desire, Lord, for following Your will is just that important to me.

When all else fails, make it known to God that there is nothing more important than to obey His Word, and honor Him in everything that you do and say. Allow Him to work miraculously through you to reach the lost in your circle of influence for His glory. God referred to David as a man after His own heart, so I believe that as we apply this prayer of David’s in all sincerity, and follow the Master in all that He demands of us, we will begin to reflect the true image of God in our lives, so that we may become effect witnesses for Him. May this be your heart’s cry today precious friends, for God loves You more than you could ever comprehend!

PRAYER: Dear Lord, we want to be just like You! However we have so much that separates us in that quest. There is so much that we need to surrender to You so that we might be filled with Your Holy Spirit completely and therefore be led in total surrender to Your will and Your way for us. Lord, this wicked world needs to see more of You in those who claim You as Lord. Begin with me Lord. Allow me to be so filled with Your grace and Your mercy that those in my realm of influence might desire to know the One who influences my life every day. Thank You for the lessons taught through Your servant David, May all who read this blog be encouraged to follow in the steps of David – towards being recognized by You as a person after Your own heart. May You be glorified in and through Your precious children today, is my prayer, in deepest humility, AMEN!

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

About Following Jesus

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Follow Christ, Follow Jesus, Missions, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Submission, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Wednesday, 2022-02-02
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Matthew 8:18-22
TRANSLATION: The Passion Translation (TPT)

BIBLE TEXT: 18 At the sight of large crowds gathering around him, Jesus gave orders to his disciples to get ready to sail back over to the other side of the lake. 19 Just then, a religious scholar approached him and said, “Teacher, I’ll follow you wherever you go!”
20 Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens, birds have nests, but the Son of Man[n] has no true home in this world.”
21 Then another man spoke up and said, “Lord, I’ll follow you, but first I must take care of my aged father and bury him when he dies.”
22 But Jesus said to him, “Now is the time to follow me, and let those who are dead bury their own dead.”

APPLICATION: We once had a friend who would agree to go with us anywhere we invited them to go. However, when it was time to go, we found that something more attractive came up and that friend backed out on their commitment to us! In essence, that individual was saying yes to us, provided that nothing better comes up in the meantime! Perhaps you are also guilty of this, but today I want us to assume that we are a disciple of Jesus Christ, and I hope that many of you are exactly that. Let’s continue to assume that Jesus is about to leave our town and make His way to a nearby town. Initially I believe that many of us would agree to the initial invitation from Jesus to come along with Him. But supposing that you hear about the long walk to get there? Suppose you hear of the daily visiting with the town’s officials as you seek to challenge them on their pagan beliefs? Suppose you hear the whispers from group members about the sleeping conditions once you leave home? Suppose you hear that there are no organized meal times nor food items being taken along with you? Are you starting to look for excuses yet that might help you get out of the commitment you made at first? In our Scripture, the religious leader liked what he saw, and he was convinced that he wanted to go along, so he immediately agreed to go along/follow the Great Healer/Master/Deliverer. But Jesus warned that it won’t be pretty. You see, Jesus didn’t want this leader to assume that there would be lavish hotels along the way with scrumptious meals. It wasn’t like that at all. One who called themselves a disciple of Jesus, suddenly remembered that his ailing dad would have no one left to take care of him and bury him. But Jesus said to this disciple what I believe He says to each of us today: Enough with the excuses, these things will take care of themselves. My work is most urgent, because it involves saving souls. Nothing is more important. No excuse in delaying response to my calling. Perhaps to some of you reading this devotional, Jesus may be saying to you: today is the day of salvation, tomorrow will be too late; My work revolves around saving souls from the pit of Hell and from the evil one. Imagine looking into the eyes of one that you ‘didn’t have time’ to minister to, and see them fade away into eternity with Satan? Are you sure you have something more important to do right now than to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ? Perhaps your church is calling you to join them in ministry. Perhaps the Missions committee wants you to join them on a trip to share Jesus with a group living way out in the country. Will you go, or are you still searching for excuses?

BLESSING(S) NOTED: The rewards for following Jesus are ‘out of this world’! Praise God, Jesus loved us enough to forgive us of our sin and reveal Himself in all of His righteousness to us, so that we may desire to know Him personally and eternally! Oh what joy to trust in Jesus!

PRAYER: Thank You Lord for supplying every need to those of us that are in need. Thank You for considering to use us in Your service/ministry here on earth. We are no different to the Religious Scholar in today’s Scripture, nor the disciple who felt it more important to stay and take care of his dad, for we all search for excuses to avoid doing things we may presume will be uncomfortable for us. Please Lord, embed into our minds the importance of seeing a lost soul come to know the Lord Jesus. In agreeing to follow Jesus, we will be led to times that we may have to challenge someone about their lack of faith in Jesus. We will probably end up in very uncomfortable living conditions as we travel to, or stay over in their town. Please remind us as You did in today’s Word – TODAY is the day to follow Jesus – whether it’s across the waters to a new mission field, or whether it’s in the darkest neighborhood of unfriendly nations. We ALL need Jesus and to know Him personally, if we ever hope to join Him and the Father in heaven when we die to this world. Use us Lord in Your challenging service, so that others might see proof of one who knows You personally. 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!

Reminders To Follow God’s Commands

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

DATE WRITTEN: Friday, 2021-06-18
WRITTEN AT: Florence, IN

SCRIPTURE FROM: Numbers 15:37-41
TRANSLATION: Contemporary English Version (CEV)

BIBLE TEXT: 37 The Lord told Moses 38 to say to the people of Israel, “Sew tassels onto the bottom edge of your clothes and tie a purple string to each tassel. 39-40 These will remind you that you must obey my laws and teachings. And when you do, you will be dedicated to me and won’t follow your own sinful desires. 41 I am the Lord your God who led you out of Egypt.”

APPLICATION: It seems like the older one gets, the more likely they are to forget important tasks, or at least to perform those tasks in a timely fashion. Now, often mankind uses lack of memory as an excuse, because they really don’t want to perform a scheduled task! But it was evident to God that when the Israelites chose to ignore His commands, they often had a personal and preferred way of handling a situation to their own liking, and for their own benefit. Sounds an awful lot like us today, right? If we’re around fellow Christians, or if we are at church, we do a pretty good job of following God’s principles and His commands. But what about in personal situations where it’s only our evil and conniving neighbor who’s messing with our nerves again, or a customer at work whose breath wreaks of alcohol, and they’re using us as their target to vent and/or relieve stress? Are we usually able to respond kindly and calmly, as if God was standing before us? I know, you’re not one to take trash from a drunk, or anyone else who tries to test your nerves, so you are quick to respond hard at your first opportunity! But what if that was someone that God referred to you as a representative of His? You told the church (and God) that you had changed your evil ways and that you were determined to follow Christ, but are you doing that consistently and even in tough situations? God gave the Israelites a reminder so that they might always follow His commands and His example. What might be our reminder? As a child, our daughter watched Barney so many times that one day she was able to recite the whole alphabet to me! We study the handbook from the Department of Transport so many times that we could easily answer all the questions on our Drivers License test. Doesn’t it make sense that if we spend time in God’s Word daily, we will learn His commands, be reminded of His commands, make His commands a part of our daily life, and then live out what resides inside of us? Friends, unless we do this, we will follow our own evil, selfish desires that displays anything but God’s love, mercy and hope for eternal life. The reminder that God sets for us might be different to the one He set for the Israelites. The reminder He sets for you might be different to the one He sets for me. Regardless of the reminder set for us, I believe it would behoove us to determine in our own heart to serve the Lord with gladness, and seek to obey His commands so that our neighbor will not just see our lousy efforts, but they will see Jesus shining through in every good work and every encouraging word, God being our helper.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: The more we follow God’s commands, the less likely we are to follow our own selfish desires. Peace comes from being obedient to God’s commands and allowing Him to work in and through us!

PRAYER: Dear Lord Jesus, way too often we create a nightmare by following our own selfish desires and the devices of man. Please help us to be reminded of Your commands each day as we fill our minds with Your Word. Please begin a great work in me, and in the lives of my readers/listeners, so that we might live in peace with our fellow man. Showing mankind our loving and all-knowing God is far more important than anything else. Please be very real in our lives and allow us to represent You well to all that we come into contact with. Thank You Lord Jesus, be glorified in us today! AMEN!

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

How To Be Christ’s Disciple

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

DATE WRITTEN: Sunday, 2021-02-27
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: Matthew 16:24
TRANSLATION: Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC)

BIBLE TEXT: 24 Then Jesus said to His disciples, If anyone desires to be My disciple, let him deny himself [disregard, lose sight of, and forget himself and his own interests] and take up his cross and follow Me [[p]cleave steadfastly to Me, conform wholly to My example in living and, if need be, in dying, also].

OBSERVATION: Peter ridiculed Jesus for talking to His closest companions about His death. Peter had seen the miracles Jesus was capable of, and Peter just knew that there was no way that Jesus would be taken hostage and crucified by mere men. In our Scripture today, we can read how Jesus corrected Peter. I wonder, how are we doing with the direction given by Jesus to those who are interested in being His follower?

APPLICATION: In most Bible translations that we use today, we are told to deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow Jesus Christ. I believe many of my readers, like myself, would appreciate seeing that command in a much simpler form so that we could understand exactly what Jesus is teaching us. I found two translations that helped with this, one of them being the Amplified version that I am sharing with you today. Unfortunately I find where I need serious help from the Master to change my ways and truly follow Him, if I am to live by His commands. Perhaps many of you might also find this need to be true in your life. Let’s take our time and break this down so that it is clear what we need to plead with God for, since He commanded us to:
– Deny self:
> disregard self – As we meditate on this, we may surprise ourselves how selfish we truly are in what we do, what we say, where we go, and why we do these things. It’s all about ‘me’, whether we care to admit it or not;
> lose sight of selfish desires – In our own flesh, we will always desire things that are good for us. This may also be the reason why so many marriages fail, for we find it so challenging to please the other party. What if we had The strength to always please God when we make our plans, or respond to life’s various scenarios?
> forget about self and our personal interests – Can’t you hear a therapist telling you in marriage counseling: ‘Can you just forget about yourself for once, and think about what might make your spouse happy?’ I believe that’s what Jesus is telling us to do, for then we will love like He loved, and obey His other commandments;
– Take up our cross and follow Christ:
> cleave steadfastly to Jesus – You might cleave steadfastly to a life raft if your boat sank and there is no land in sight. That raft becomes the most important thing in life to you at that point. Don’t you know that ‘cleaving’ to Jesus is very much the same way? Like the life raft, Jesus is the only way to Heaven, the only healer of all our diseases, the One who loves us in spite of our wicked selves, the One who prepared a place for us to go when we pass from this world. Why not cleave to Jesus?
> wholly conform to the example of Jesus in our living, or even if circumstances dictate – in death – Many will question what this might mean. I believe that if we do all of the above, we will realize that we are conforming to the example and will of the Father, and not simply seeking after our own selfish desires. Life will look much different my friend, so brace yourself for being called such things as ‘Holy roller’, or Jesus freak, or you have gone nuts, etc, etc.
So why do you suppose that Jesus thought this was important for Peter, his fellow disciples, or ourselves? I believe that just as Peter surprised Jesus with his efforts to correct Jesus, we too might disappoint Jesus with the some of the things we say, or do, or the selfish attitudes we have about helping others, being kind to others, or loving even the unlovable. In trying to be a Jesus follower, surely we must make every effort to look, sound and act just like Him. Many are looking at us as an example of the One we say that we are following. Do you suppose they’re getting a fair assessment of Jesus? Try taking up your cross and follow Him in all things, and at all times. Perhaps then you may be seen as a true follower of Christ!

PRAYER: Dear Lord Jesus, thank You for doing Your part in saving us from our sin and preparing us for heaven. Please forgive us when we disappoint You like Peter did. We acknowledge that we are a sinful, selfish people who seek after our own likes, and shun from our dislikes, while always trying to promote self and please ourselves. I am convinced that only You can help us overcome this weakness and truly follow You in all sincerity, as You intended. Please give us the strength, boldness and wisdom to follow You in all aspects of our life. May others not be misled when the look at our example and our pattern for life. May they see Jesus in action through us and be drawn to You for all eternity. AMEN!

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

An Example For Those Who Follow

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

DATE WRITTEN: Sunday, 2021-01-31
WRITTEN AT: Paul B Johnson State Park, Hattiesburg, MS

BIBLE REFERENCE: Genesis 26:23-25
TRANSLATION: Living Bible (TLB)

BIBLE TEXT: 23 When he (Isaac) went to Beer-sheba, 24 Jehovah appeared to him on the night of his arrival. “I am the God of Abraham your father,” he said. “Fear not, for I am with you and will bless you, and will give you so many descendants that they will become a great nation—because of my promise to Abraham, who obeyed me.” 25 Then Isaac built an altar and worshiped Jehovah;….

OBSERVATION: It’s not Father’s Day, but yet a good time to remind our fathers that others are following in their footsteps. Perhaps a son, daughter, or even an employee under your supervision – they will do what you do and in the same manner that you do it. They will listen to you and respond like you would to life’s circumstances. Are you proud of what they might do or say? Let’s look at the example of Isaac and his father, Abraham, today as we meditate on our Scripture verses.

APPLICATION: I have a young relative who, I thought was not paying attention to what I was saying to the adults in the room, when I challenged the men to lead the way in taking their families to church. A few weeks later, there was a discussion in the car between this relative’s parents about whether they would attend church the next day. My nephew spoke up from the back and reminded them of what his uncle had said to them!! He was listening to what his uncle said!! I have a few other examples, and you probably have as well, so I believe we know that others are listening and watching what we say and do. But why do we sometimes still say and do things that we immediately wish that our younger audiences would ignore? Perhaps the same things that we wish God would also ignore! I was first shocked to be reminded in verse 7 that Isaac did the exact thing as his father by introducing his wife as his sister, so that the same king, Abimelech and his men would not kill him, in envy over his beautiful wife. His dad did it, so why should he not follow in his dad’s footsteps? But with that being a negative trait, I want to draw your attention to verse 24 above. Because of the obedience and faithfulness of the father (Abraham), God promised to bless the son (Isaac) with enough dependents to form a great nation! It’s unfortunate that we often feel like we are doing our very best to please our God, and hoping to influence our children, but feeling like no one ever notices our good deeds or our faithfulness. I believe that this is a day that we could be reassured that God sees and knows all things. Yes, the good and the bad. But what we do for Him will last for all eternity. Others look on us and follow our example. It is unfortunate that this sometimes include the things that we wish we had never said or done, but they tend to pick that up also. But friends, I can assure you that if we seek God’s face and His righteousness, and we obey His commands by meditating on His Word and doing what it says, then we can’t go wrong in feeding good to those who follow in our footsteps. It’s not too late dear friend. The good you do for Jesus Christ for the rest of your life, could very easily outweigh the unfortunate bad things that you did up to this point In your life. Seek God while you still have breath in your body, draw close to Him, and follow in all that He teaches you for the rest of your life. He could wind up blessing your ancestors because of your faithfulness! There is nothing I wouldn’t do in order to leave a good influence on my daughter, son-in-law, and others who watch me, how about you precious friend?

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, it was said in the New Testament that anything we do of our own accord is like ‘dirty rags’ in the Kingdom, but those things done under the influence of the Holy Spirit for the sake of the Kingdom, will last forever. It was also said that God even uses the ‘foolishness of preaching’ to win some. Praise God, I believe that anything we do for You, and under Your leadership, will not only leave a good influence for those that follow in our footsteps, but I believe You will honor Your obedient children, just as You honored Abraham. Oh that others may see Jesus in all that we say and do, and may they be drawn closer to the cross where they will come face-to-face with our risen Lord. AMEN!

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

Waiting, Hoping and Trusting in God

On By Ed AlgreenIn Follow Christ, Follower of Christ, Godly lives, Holy Living, How to Live, Righteous LivingLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Saturday, 2020-05-09
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

Bible Reference: Psalm 25:4-5
Translation: The Voice (VOICE)

Bible Text: 
4 DEMONSTRATE Your ways, O Eternal One.
    Teach me to understand so I can follow.
5 EASE me down the path of Your truth.
    FEED me Your word
    because You are the True God who has saved me.
    I wait all day long, hoping, trusting in You.

OBSERVATION: David had such a relationship with God that it seemed natural for him to speak his heart to God. David realized how much he had messed up, but He also knew where perfection came from, so he pleaded his case of need before the only Perfect One. Is that not us today?

APPLICATION: We could learn a lot from David, for we are so quick to beat up on ourselves, or seek help from every other source, before finally conceding to the One who could lead us to all truth, knowledge and understanding so that we could obediently follow the ways of our Lord and His written Word. There are a few keywords in these two verses that I wanted to expand on, that I believe will help us get to the bottom of David’s plea before his God:

Demonstrate – Lord, please help me to understand by showing me through real-life examples;

Teach – Assume that I know nothing and simply open up my mind to a full understanding of what You would have me to do, oh Lord;

Ease – Please go easy on me as I am slow to learn, but sincerely desire to know more about Your ways and Your Word;

Feed – Pour knowledge and understanding into me like we might poor water into the beak of a very thirsty bird. Fill me with Your Word so that I may constantly live in obedience to all that You desire of me;

Wait – I am willing to wait all day long to hear from You Lord, for following Your will is just that important to me.

When all is said and done, make it known to God that there is nothing more important in your life than to obey His Word. Honor Him in everything that you do and say, and  allow Him to work miraculously through you to reach the lost in your circle of influence for His glory. God referred to David as a man after His own heart, so I believe that as we follow this prayer of David’s in all sincerity, we would also show our desire to have a heart more like that of Christ. May it be so even today dear friends!

PRAYER: Dear Lord, we want to be just like You! However we have so much that separates us in that quest. There is so much that we need to surrender to You so that we might be filled with Your Holy Spirit completely and therefore be led in total surrender to Your will and Your way for us. Lord, this wicked world needs to see more of You in those who claim You as Lord. Begin with me Lord. Allow me to be so filled with Your grace and Your mercy that those in my realm of influence might desire to know the One who influences my life every day. Thank You for the lesson taught through Your servant David, may all who read this blog be encouraged to follow in the steps of David – towards being recognized by You as a person after Your own heart. May You be glorified in and through Your precious children today, is my prayer in deepest humility, AMEN!

Exposed To The All-Seeing Eyes of God

On By Ed AlgreenIn Christ's Representative, Follow Christ, Follow Jesus, Follower of ChristLeave a comment

SCRIPTURE  FROM:   Hebrews 4:12-13 (TLB)

TEXT:  12 For whatever God says to us is full of living power: it is sharper than the sharpest dagger, cutting swift and deep into our innermost thoughts and desires with all their parts, exposing us for what we really are. 13 He knows about everyone, everywhere. Everything about us is bare and wide open to the all-seeing eyes of our living God; nothing can be hidden from him to whom we must explain all that we have done.

OBSERVATION:   God took on the request of Moses and the Israelites who asked for freedom from the slavery of the Egyptian people. Did they deserve it? Did they make it to their final destination and get to enjoy its benefits and freedoms? We all know the story well. So the question might be today, that “if we agree to follow Christ, will we see heaven?” If we agree to follow Christ, will we still do stupid stuff? These are valid questions for those looking to get their ‘ticket punched for heaven’, so we should meditate on this for a bit.

APPLICATION:   There is one thing that totally sets me off, as a man trying to live according to God’s commands and in the center of His perfect will. It is when folk tell me to do something that will cause a circumstance to look differently, or say something that will make my scenario sound more convincing to someone. I am naive enough to believe that when I follow Jesus, I don’t need anyone else’s help in convincing others that my words or actions are right or wrong, for my responsibility to God is to be totally honest right from the start. So even if it might appear wrong to them, but I know full well that it is right in the sight of God, then I am convinced that I am on the right course. Friends, I would ask you to watch carefully for situations where you are convinced that an action appears wrong, or a statement may not sound right, because we were given a gift from God to detect these things. Now, I don’t believe for a minute, that God sent us here to call everyone a fake, or pronounce every word a falsehood. But I do believe that God has gifted His children with a sense of knowing the truth. Regarding heavenly matters, God has given us a very special Book for us to validate what is being said, so if it aligns with the Word of God, then we have no further reason to doubt. For other matters, if it aligns with the mind of Christ, or is supported by the principles taught in the Word, then we should generally feel OK about it. If, as a child of God, you are asked to say or do something outside of what your Spirit-filled mind is making you feel good about, then you have good reason to doubt, or even disregard. If you follow through with doing something, in spite of what you feel the Spirit of God is telling you not to do or say, then you are probably headed into sin of some sort. Friends, even if you put aside all that I have said so far, may I suggest that you go back to the top of this devotional and read again verse 31. Be reminded that God said that He is watching, and He knows everything about everyone, no matter where we are. So you may think that your falsehoods or variations of the truth will convince some, but we are reminded here that it only hurts the heart of the main One that it matters to most. Be reminded friends, that we are exposed to the all-seeing, all-knowing God, and also be reminded that if we do it right, we are exposed to the all-loving God who cares about our heart and our actions. And when our God sees us willingly loving Him in total obedience, can you imagine the love and the blessings that He naturally pours out on us? Oh my, I can only imagine that He is ever so thankful to the Father for touching our lives, ever so proud to call us His very own,  and ever so loving to continually blessing us, so that we could be even more like Him in all aspects of our lives. He’s my Father, and I am so proud of Him today! Do you know Him friend and strive to please Him in all aspects of your life?

PRAYER:   Thank You for blessing us with rich gifts from above, Heavenly Father! Thank You for loving us, like no one on earth is even capable of loving us! Thank You for guiding us daily so that we may live, love and talk just like You. Please help us to continually look for ways to humble ourselves before You, and to be submissive to Your perfect will for our lives. Please direct us so that our words, and our love and our every action will exemplify You in every way. Thank You for loving us enough to watch us and keep us accountable to You. Please help us to look for, and listen to You, especially when we tend to wander and do our own thing. We need You every day and in every way dear Lord – our Rock and our Redeemer! AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: There are two more pages on my blog that will provide you with additional information, one of them being ‘To Know Jesus’.  If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please click on the above page, or speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. Please allow someone to pray with you and give you help and/or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Words underlined in my blog could indicate a link to a song that came to mind as I wrote the devotional. Feel free to click on the link and listen as you continue to read or pray. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to Nuggets From God’s Word and read more, or you may freely to subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. If you are anywhere near the Sebring, Florida area and do not have a church home, I would be thrilled to welcome you at Bible Fellowship Church, located at 3750 Hammock Rd, Sebring, FL 33872! Click the link to check out service times and/or other special activities. God is at work among us! Please consider coming to worship with us!

 

Guard Your Heart, Sight and Walk

On By Ed AlgreenIn Clean Heart, Follow Christ, Follow Jesus, Follower of Christ, Heart, Know God's Heart, Obedience, ObedientLeave a comment

Post Date:

 Saturday, 2017-11-11
SCRIPTURE

From:

 Proverbs 4:23-27 (Voice)

Text:

 23 Above all else, watch over your heart; diligently guard it
    because from a sincere and pure heart come the good and noble things of life.
24 Do away with any talk that twists and distorts the truth;
    have nothing to do with any verbal trickery.
25 Keep your head up, your eyes straight ahead,
    and your focus fixed on what is in front of you.
26 Take care you don’t stray from the straight path, the way of truth,
    and you will safely reach the end of your road.
27 Do not veer off course to the right or the left;
    step away from evil, and leave it behind.
OBSERVATION:
Solomon devotes this whole chapter giving advice to dads on how to best raise their children – sons in particular. I believe as you really let these words sink in, you will find some biblical advice that first speaks to your heart, but then to many other aspects of your life.
APPLICATION:
I included more scripture than usual today, because I want you to read this passage over and over until it really impacts your life. Although this might be great for a son looking to his dad for advice and as an example, I believe this is also very applicable to all who call themselves ‘children of God’. Fellow Christians, like me, you may not have a son, but you definitely have a relative or friend who is reading the Bible through your words and actions. Know that the condition of your heart results in the words you say, your reaction to life’s circumstances, and the way that you act in life. Family, friends and coworkers are sometimes depending on you to understand the good and noble things of life, and which ones they should turn away from. Although they may not be a Christian, they are probably watching your reaction to life’s circumstances, as they have witnessed you being guided by your Savior in the past. Let me encourage you to read this Scripture thoroughly and use it as a base for your life – your heart; the truth from your lips; your eyes fixed on the eternal goal ahead (heaven); your feet to lead you in the way of truth and most of all, that you leave evil behind as you look towards the glories of heaven with your Master!
PRAYER:
Lord Jesus, You know how seriously we, Your children, need You involved in our lives each and every day, so that we might have the power to guard our hearts, guide our sight to protect against the things that might cause us to falter in our desire to be more like You, and to help us keep our feet on the straight path set out before us. Lord we want to be just like You in every way, every day. Please grant us the wisdom and strong desire to do this, so that You might 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 could indicate a link to a song that came to mind as I wrote the devotional. Feel free to click on the link and listen as you continue to read or pray. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to Nuggets From God’s Word and read more, or you may freely to subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. If you are anywhere near the Highlands County, Florida area and do not have a church home, I would be thrilled to welcome you at Bible Fellowship Church, located at 3750 Hammock Rd, Sebring, FL 33872! Click the link to check out service times and/or other special activities. God is at work among us! Please consider coming to worship with us!