Who’s NOT Worthy Of Jesus?

On 2023-01-102023-01-10 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Forgiveness, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Salvation, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Tuesday, 2023-01-10
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Luke 7:36-39
TRANSLATION: The Passion Translation (TPT)

BIBLE TEXT: ³⁶ … Simeon, a Jewish religious leader, asked Jesus to his home for dinner. Jesus accepted the invitation. When he went to Simeon’s home, he took his place at the table.
³⁷ In the neighborhood there was an immoral woman of the streets, known to all to be a prostitute. When she heard that Jesus was at Simeon’s house, she took an exquisite flask made from alabaster, filled it with the most expensive perfume, went right into the home of the Jewish religious leader, and in front of all the guests, she knelt at the feet of Jesus. ³⁸ Broken and weeping, she covered his feet with the tears that fell from her face. She kept crying and drying his feet with her long hair. Over and over, she kissed Jesus’ feet. Then, as an act of worship, she opened her flask and anointed his feet with her costly perfume.
³⁹ When Simeon saw what was happening, he thought, “This man can’t be a true prophet. If he were really a prophet, he would know what kind of sinful woman is touching him.”

APPLICATION: While this is a very interesting story about a Jewish leader, a harlot, and about Jesus breaking the norm to eat at the home of a man who despised Him, yet there are some very challenging thoughts that might sober us in the way we think, especially when we think that it’s just our inner person involved. There are several places in the Bible where we are told that Jesus not only hears the words we speak, but He also knows our thoughts. Click on the Scripture reference above and you will be presented with the full chapter in Luke where today’s verses derived from. In the verses following my excerpt, you will be touched by the way Jesus dealt with the thoughts of Simeon mentioned in verse 39. Allow this to challenge you into the thoughts that come across your mind when a person walks down the isle of your church on a Sunday morning who: Is dressed differently to you and those around you; Just got out of prison; Is well known in the community for the shady work that they do; or is known from recent press reports to be of questionable character. Will you be the first one to walk alongside that individual to the altar where you could lead them to Christ? Will you be the one to warn the pastor about the risky character of this new church attendee? Will YOUR Jesus love, accept and save such a shady person, or will they have to clean up their act first? Also, in the verses that follow, you will find that Jesus was forced to tell Simeon about his shortcomings at this luncheon, and how this lady of questionable character filled all the gaps that he (Simeon) missed out on. Friends, the lesson that I believe God wants us to receive loud and clear, is that there is so much that we have to clean up in our own lives, how dare we overlook the plank in our own eye, to point out the splinter in another’s eye. Jesus is the only perfect One that walked this earth, and as long as we remain on earth, we will always be plagued by the sin that surrounds us every day. Let’s be diligent about seeking God’s forgiveness of the sin that impacts us each day, while we encourage others that we come into contact with, to do the same. As a beggar searching out the face of God for forgiveness, let us be diligent about sharing the blessings we receive with other beggars also looking for the same. God knows the condition of each heart, and He is capable of cleansing and forgiving the sin of the best man we know on earth, at the same time that Jesus hears the cry for forgiveness from a harlot or an axe murderer two doors down from us. Think of the mercies of God to a sinner like yourself, then it will be much easier to understand why He forgives and accepts the sinners we struggle to love and accept. Jesus died for us all – sinners unworthy of love and praise from anyone, yet they are precious in the eyes of Jesus who will forgive all sinners requesting mercy and forgiveness.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Jesus is no respecter of persons. Every man, woman and child living on earth is affected by the sin Satan brings to mankind. Therefore, a king and a harlot may be at the throne of grace at the same time seeking forgiveness. All are precious in His sight, for we are all His creation – His children! If all are accepted by Jesus, then we must learn to accept each other.

PRAYER: As a sinner saved by Your grace, oh Lord, please help me to be loving and accepting of others, especially those who are still seeking a Savior. Slaves may not even be accepted at their master’s table, but because our Master and Lord created everyone – even slaves, we all are welcomed at His throne, if we have humbled ourselves and invited Jesus to be Lord of our lives. Thank You Lord Jesus for accepting even us, sinners undeserving of a kingly crown. May the King of all kings forgive us of our sin and accept us as saints who will walk the streets of gold and dine with the Master Himself. Please impress upon us the importance of imitating You in everything we do, say and think. May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight oh Lord, my Rock and my Salvation. 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!

About God’s Undeserved Favor

On 2022-10-032022-10-03 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Forgiveness, Grace, Mercy, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Salvation, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Monday, 2022-10-03
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Ephesians 2:4-9
TRANSLATION: GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)

BIBLE TEXT: ⁴But God is rich in mercy because of his great love for us. ⁵We were dead because of our failures, but he made us alive together with Christ. (It is God’s kindness that saved you.) ⁶God has brought us back to life together with Christ Jesus and has given us a position in heaven with him. ⁷He did this through Christ Jesus out of his generosity to us in order to show his extremely rich kindness in the world to come. ⁸God saved you through faith as an act of kindness. You had nothing to do with it. Being saved is a gift from God. ⁹It’s not the result of anything you’ve done, so no one can brag about it.

APPLICATION: Please allow me to open your eyes of reasoning today. Think about the reason God made us. The Bible is clear that we were made in the image of God – perfect in every way and designed to live lives patterned after the example of Jesus Christ. However, we were privileged to have been given our own free will to decide if we will follow the commands of God and the example of Jesus Christ. Because of the tug that Satan has on residents of planet earth, he makes it a very tough decision for humans, because he wants the privilege of eternal torture in hell for as many as he could sway. But get this, dear friend, God not only showed us how to overcome Satan’s sway and avoid sin – disobedience to the commands of God, but He sent us His Son, Jesus, to be our Savior, or rescuer from sin, to all who ask for forgiveness and show a renewed desire to go to heaven. This was a gift that we didn’t deserve, but in His love for His creation, God provided this solitary, simple but sacrificial channel of forgiveness for those who ask for it. Isn’t that pretty much the type of grace that God shows to us every day? He is all-powerful and all-seeing, so He knows when we choose to ignore His goodness, His provisions and His perfect design for us. However, He still has such an undying, unbelievable love for us, that He puts His all into helping us remain pure and righteous, just as He is. Paul was challenged when he found the Ephesian church so far away from the design God had in mind for them. But today we have not learned from what Jesus taught us in His Word, nor from the experiences relayed in in His Word. We still insist on doing things ‘our way’, without any regard for what God dictated in His Word for our guidance. Do we have room to question God when we encounter disaster after disaster and see every appearance of being forgotten by a holy and righteous God? Friends let’s always remember that unless we invite Jesus to be our Savior and Lord, we have turned our heads away from His commands and His love for us. When we do this, we are saying ‘no thanks’ to the goodness of God and choosing to ‘wing it’ on our own, and at the pleasure of the Evil One. If you remember nothing else from my devotional today, please remember that God still wants you to know that He cares for you and will accept your request for salvation, if you are given the opportunity while alive. I had a 19-year-old friend found dead in her bed over the weekend, so that ‘IF‘ is bolded for your very special and urgent attention. Don’t delay precious friend, ask Jesus to come into your heart today, before it is eternally too late.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: I am forever thankful for the words ‘But God’, for it reassures me that God will do everything possible to move me beyond the sin of this world and the disappointments that arise every day because of sin.

PRAYER: Thank You heavenly Father for going the extra mile so that I could be saved from the ravishes of sin. Thank You for providing and sacrificing Your very own Son to settle the debt for my stubborn and sinful life. I pray that my readers and listeners will open their hearts and lives to accepting Your offer of salvation and forgiveness of their sin. Stir the hearts of the unsaved today, Lord. May they happen across this devotional and understand its intent as foretold by Paul to the church at Ephesus. Soften their hearts to accept Your call on their lives, for I’m sure that You are saddened by their rejection every day that goes by. May this be the day of salvation for many, I pray. AMEN!

David, Bathsheba, God and Us

On 2022-08-302022-08-30 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Forgiveness, Humility, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Worship1 Comment

DATE POSTED Tuesday, 2022-08-30
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: 2 Samuel 12:24-25
TRANSLATION: New Living Translation (NLT)

BIBLE TEXT: ²⁴Then David comforted Bathsheba, his wife, and slept with her. She became pregnant and gave birth to a son, and David named him Solomon. The Lord loved the child ²⁵and sent word through Nathan the prophet that they should name him Jedidiah (which means “beloved of the Lord”), as the Lord had commanded.

APPLICATION: Although the Bible does not record it this way, it appears that Satan entered into David when he saw Bathsheba taking her bath on the roof of her home. Despite the number of wives that David already had, yet his carnal mind became filled with lust for another man’s wife, and being the king, he knew that he could get whatever he desired. After committing the sin of adultery, David did what most of us do when we sin, he tried to cover it up. His guards and personal attendants knew that David had sent for Bathsheba, and they probably had a pretty good idea what went on behind the closed doors of his bedroom. Yet David’s sin led him to even more sin as he continued down a path to have his own way. Often, we will gather in our groups and discuss how terrible David was, but I firmly believe that God would desire that we examine our own heart and how we try to cover up our sin. Hopefully no reader or listener ever had someone killed to avoid being found out about his/her sin. But when we allow Satan a little leverage in our lives, he will push that to the limit as he mocks God through us. Way too often we follow in David’s footsteps in going after something that we really shouldn’t have, or that we know will displease God, but we do it anyway. Then comes a time of reckoning: men lose their good wives; children disown their mothers; pastors lose all respect and are asked to leave a church where they have flourished in ministry; elders bring disgrace on their church; we lose our job and spend time in prison; or like David, we may even lose a child. In our story, we know that David went through an awful time of mourning over the loss of his child, and we know that Bathsheba needed a time of consoling after David was able to do so. Think about what happens to churches left to deal with the effects of sin. Some never overcome its impact, and some lose many members because of it. Think about families faced with the effects of sin. Divorce; separation from God and from each other; infighting, children who disappear and never return. Friends, God showed us through David that He abhors sin and will just not stand for it. But to an even greater extent, God showed us through this story that He is a forgiving God, and while He will punish us for our sin, He is faithful to forgive us when He sees that we are sorry and want to overcome the sin that so easily grabs hold of our attention. This reminds me of what Jesus did on Calvary, for He could have called legions of angels to His rescue, but instead the Father showed His love for all mankind (whosoever will – according to John 3:16) that He prefers and desires to see us saved by His grace and mercy, than crucified because of our sin. But just as David humbled himself before God and sought forgiveness from the very depths of his heart, so we are to humble ourselves before the God who can – forgive us of our sin and still loves us knowing that our sin is totally washed away. So let me encourage you today dear friends: God loved David when He sought forgiveness, and He accepted Him with an open heart. That same God is still your God today and He will forgive you for our sin, if you ask Him to. Don’t put it off, for you are only promised the very moment in which you are at. Try going before the Master right now, ask His forgiveness and invite Him to be Lord, Ruler, and everlasting Father to you for the rest of your life here on earth. Just as He forgave David, He will also forgive you. No telling what He has in store for you as you look to Him for guidance and strength to face every temptation that comes your way.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: God forgives – even those that we feel don’t deserve it or are way too ugly in their ways and mannerisms. He is a loving and forgiving God even to those we might never consider letting back in to our circle of influence.

PRAYER: You know us all too good Lord, for You know our thoughts and our intentions. David’s sin is recorded for all to read about, but many of us may still be trying to hide our sin. Thank You for reminding us that nothing is hidden from You, so it behooves us to keep our relationship open and transparent at all times. Thanks for warning us about how our sin hurts the Father, who gave His very own Son as a sacrifice for our sin. Please forgive us Lord and strengthen us every day to keep our eyes focused on Your righteousness so that we might desire to live upright, and in a manner pleasing to You. Thank You for being with David, forgiving him, and giving him another chance to happiness through his son Solomon. Keep us close to You, Lord, and invoke a spirit within us that will help us to seek You in every step of this challenging life here on earth. May we live life pleasing to You Almighty Father, Son and Holy Spirit. AMEN!

Some Are Crying Out To God

On 2022-05-232022-05-24 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Forgiveness, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Sunday, 2022-05-22
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Judges 3:7-9
TRANSLATION: New Living Translation (NLT)

BIBLE TEXT: ⁷The Israelites did evil in the Lord’s sight. They forgot about the Lord their God, and they served the images of Baal and the Asherah poles. ⁸Then the Lord burned with anger against Israel, and he turned them over to King Cushan-rishathaim of Aram-naharaim. And the Israelites served Cushan-rishathaim for eight years.
⁹But when the people of Israel cried out to the Lord for help, the Lord raised up a rescuer to save them. His name was Othniel, the son of Caleb’s younger brother, Kenaz.

APPLICATION: A child will test their parents while trying to evaluate how far they could go in disobedience before being disciplined. But isn’t that what we continue to do as adults also? While driving our highways in the US, we strongly believe that State Troopers will not bother with us if we exceed the speed limit by no more than 5mph. So we look at the established speed limit, let’s say 55mph, and then we set our cruise control at 60mph. Are we breaking the law? Absolutely, for we are exceeding the established speed limit. At work we tend to consider it ‘OK’ to snitch a few paper clips or rubber bands, without considering it to be a sin. Or, perhaps, we may never feel it to be inappropriate to clock in and wander around chatting with our friends for a half hour before seriously getting down to work. But isn’t that ‘stealing’ from our employer? I find it so interesting that God thought to document His laws and His commands in His Book – the Bible. It was not enough for us to be taught His teachings at home, in Sunday School, or while around family members. So we can also read His Word and be reminded of every command issued by God, for our good! As we consider these things today, let us not be so quick to judge the Israelites, for we are very much like them. But what do we do about this? Well, God wound up punishing the Israelites for their disobedience, and he brought a 8-year sentence on them, under the rule of a foreign king. How do you suppose God has chosen to punish us? Is it Covid? Is it the threat of a nuclear war? Is it the ‘out of control’ desire and abuse of guns in every-day fights and squabbles? Some of the most outrageous crimes are being committed today – in total disobedience to God’s commands. From killing of babies, to selling humans into slavery, to killing other humans to reap their organs for sale on the open market. Our world has truly gotten out of hand, and because of the sin that abounds, it is extremely challenging for us to live in peace anymore. But the Israelites found peace when they pleaded with God for deliverance from their sin. This same God is still available to us today, if only we will turn from our sin, humble ourselves, and pray. He can also rescue us from the miseries of this old sinful world, and deliver us to complete peace and harmony through His Son, Jesus Christ. If you are reading this devotional and have not met Jesus and accepted Him as your personal Savior, let me encourage you to read my Footnote carefully. There’s a link to a page (To Know Jesus) that I would encourage you to visit and learn more about this.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Although God was very angry with the Israelites for their sin and disregard of His orders, yet He was quick to forgive and provide a Rescuer when they asked for help! What a forgiving, loving and awesome God that we serve!

PRAYER: Thank You Lord for being such an understanding Father, and forgiving us when we bow before You. In spite of the sins of the Israelites, yet You quickly provided them a way of escape and a means to live in peace. Praise God, You are still the same today as You’ve always been, so our minds are at peace in knowing to whom we belong! Please continue to bless us and provide peace to us through the ‘storms’ of life here on earth. May we always fix our eyes on You, the author and finisher of our faith! AMEN!

Oh What A Relief It Is

On 2022-05-042022-05-04 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Forgiven, Forgiveness, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Wednesday, 2022-05-04
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Psalm 32:1-5
TRANSLATION: Contemporary English Version (CEV)

BIBLE TEXT: ¹Our Lord, you bless everyone whose sins you forgive and wipe away. ²You bless them by saying, “You told me your sins, without trying to hide them, and now I forgive you.” ³Before I confessed my sins, my bones felt limp, and I groaned all day long. ⁴Night and day your hand weighed heavily on me, and my strength was gone as in the summer heat. ⁵So I confessed my sins and told them all to you. I said, “I’ll tell the Lord each one of my sins.” Then you forgave me and took away my guilt.

APPLICATION: I’m certainly not trained to deal professionally with how one should handle the stress in their lives (that’s my legal disclosure!!!!). However, I can share with you the best solution, based on a word from our Maker, Designer, Creator and Almighty God! For knowing full well how our generation would handle stress, God gave to His servant David resolution for his personal stresses, and inspired him to share that with us from his first-hand experience. David had his share of weaknesses, challenges, sin; forgiveness and happiness. Today David is challenging us to consider not doing the easiest thing by trying to cover up our sin and pretend it doesn’t exist. For it only makes us miserable when we go around pretending that all is well. Friends, I believe that is the first inhibitor for stress – when we know something is going on in our lives, but we pretend to those around us that all is well. Unfortunately I believe that we unconsciously show our pretense to God also, for we follow our own desires, knowing that these things are almost always contrary to the Word of God, and to what He desires of us. But we go on about our day pretending that all is well anyway. In my opinion this is the source of stress, for we are covering up something that we know should be done, said or acted upon differently. But praise be to God, the Psalmist showed us that there was excellent results for him when he followed the normal pattern designed by God. God has set this pattern for His children so that they might be pleasing to Him in every way. However, in all of our wisdom, we somehow figured that we could go our own way and do our own thing, and God would be just as happy with us. But God, in His wisdom, placed an uneasiness in us, that some may call ‘stress’, while others may call it a conscience, because He wanted us to know when we are doing something that isn’t right. Let me encourage you to re-read the last part of our focal verses today, and I believe that like me, you too might notice the loud sigh of relief by David when he concluded that God heard his cry for forgiveness and He forgave him. I pray that our goal today might be that we live as an open book before God – nothing to be worried about, holding nothing back, exposing everything to God that bothers us in the very least. Recognizing that God knows all about us and our inadequacies, and He knows what we may be covering up. But I believe that He longs to see us reconcile our faults before Him, and seek His forgiveness, so that we may be one with Him. Consider making this the day that you relieve yourself of the stress in your life. Seek God while He may be found. Expose your heart to Him, so that He might cleanse it and make you whole. Be one with your Maker my friend, and experience the relief He gives through forgiveness of your sin.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: I don’t know that we could find a story in the Bible where God did not forgive one of His children who sought His forgiveness. Praise God, He is still waiting, willing and ready to forgive us of our sins and shortcomings also!

PRAYER: Precious Lord Jesus, we approach You as Your loving children that are broken and filled with stress over trying to do ‘life’ on our own. Please speak directly to our innermost person today and help us to acknowledge our shortcomings, and our inability to handle this complex world on our own while thinking that we could still please You. Without You we are broken without any hope of repair. Please humble our hearts so that we might surrender our all to You and give You full reign in every aspect of our being, so that You may be honored and praised by all who we may encounter. AMEN!

Remove The Evil One

On 2022-05-012022-05-01 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Church Leaders, Discipline, Forgiveness, Leadership, Leadership of the Holy Spirit, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Sunday, 2022-05-01
WRITTEN AT: Citra, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: 1 Corinthians 5:9-13
TRANSLATION: New Living Translation (NLT)

BIBLE TEXT: ⁹When I wrote to you before, I told you not to associate with people who indulge in sexual sin. ¹⁰But I wasn’t talking about unbelievers who indulge in sexual sin, or are greedy, or cheat people, or worship idols. You would have to leave this world to avoid people like that.¹¹I meant that you are not to associate with anyone who claims to be a believer yet indulges in sexual sin, or is greedy, or worships idols, or is abusive, or is a drunkard, or cheats people. Don’t even eat with such people.
¹²It isn’t my responsibility to judge outsiders, but it certainly is your responsibility to judge those inside the church who are sinning.¹³God will judge those on the outside; but as the Scriptures say, “You must remove the evil person from among you.”

APPLICATION: I was in conversation yesterday with a few apartment tenants in a large city, and I overheard them talking about the warnings of eviction that were threatened by their landlord, and I believe it seems like an appropriate illustration, just as in the case of our upbringing, as they both open the door to discuss how God’s holy people are set apart unto Him. It is evident that in the case of our parents, they wanted no bad thing to distract from what they were teaching us at home, for parents try to help their children learn to always aim for what is best in life for their own good. It also goes to say that parents want to teach us that if we see behavior that is opposite to what we aim to live, then we should force ourselves away from that person or persons who lead that lifestyle. Similarly, landlords aim at finding the best tenants who will pay their rent on time and treat their building and fellow tenants with due respect. When either of these things become questionable, the landlord seeks to evict that questionable tenant, with hopes of finding one that better suites the desires of the landlord. Now, when Jesus gets a hold of our heart and invites us to let Him in, He teaches us in His Word how it is that He wants us to live so that He might be best represented, so that other non-repentant sinners may be wooed into the Kingdom. So we start to spend a lot of time around church, and with fellow believers, so that we may grow from each other’s strength and encouragement. But what happens when a ‘bad apple’ finds their way into our fellowship? I believe that our Scripture perfectly supports the very old proverb that says ‘one bad apple spoils the whole bunch’! You see, Christians have become so accustomed to ‘loving like Jesus’, that we tend to forget that an important part of loving is to also discipline those who are about to ‘spoil the whole bunch’. In our parents home, if they don’t discipline bad behavior or otherwise breaking their rules, then our siblings quickly catch on to the fact that the rules set by our parents are not really intended to be followed seriously. All of a sudden we see children grow into maturity and expect to view the rules established by police and community leaders in much the same, lax way. Dear friends, I am convinced that there is nothing more serious than us trying to please our Heavenly Father. In Deuteronomy 17:7, the Israelites were told by God that when they discover ‘one bad apple’, they are to rid themselves of that evil. Paul quoted that Scripture to the church in Corinth as he taught them how to rid themselves of the evil that may come in their midst. I believe that for those who have been around for a while, we can look around and see where many standards have been lowered compared to what our ancestors understood from the Scriptures and tolerated in the church. I can only wonder what God might have to say to us on Judgment Day. Is He pleased with the way that we are interpreting His commands, and the little twists we are making to them in the name of politically correctness, or in the name of ‘love’? I believe that if we find reason to question our decision on some of these ‘evil’, controversial, or otherwise borderline things, then perhaps we need more time with God – on our knees and in His Word, until we are convinced that we are obedient to His will. When we question evil in someone else, the whole church may look back at us as also being imperfect. So let’s begin with getting ourselves better aligned with God’s perfect law, design, and will. If we are pleasing in God’s sight, then the same should carry over as we assume leadership in our churches and strive to rid them of evil.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: In obedience to God, we are often called to love one another. But at times, it also means disciplining, as needed. I believe that God will bless us when we do both of these things for His glory, and for no gain of our own.

PRAYER: Precious Lord, thank You for the love that You extend to all your children – even during the times that You love us enough to discipline us. Please teach us daily to: love like You first loved us; judge honestly and fairly like we expect from You; always seek out the best in everyone; and to always present ourselves and Your church as holy in Your eyes, just as You are holy. Lord, You know how badly we fail in life, but thanks for Your forgiveness and strength to go on. May the people see Jesus evident in every fiber of our being, and therefore no condemnation for our failures already covered by Your precious blood. AMEN!

The Importance of Prayer

On 2022-01-242022-01-24 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Forgiveness, Needs, Praise, Prayer, Recognize God, Worship4 Comments

DATE POSTED Monday, 2022-01-24
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Matthew 6:6-8; 14-15
TRANSLATION: The Message (MSG)

BIBLE TEXT: ⁶“Here’s what I want you to do: Find a quiet, secluded place so you won’t be tempted to role-play before God. Just be there as simply and honestly as you can manage. The focus will shift from you to God, and you will begin to sense his grace.
^7-13“The world is full of so-called prayer warriors who are prayer-ignorant. They’re full of formulas and programs and advice, peddling techniques for getting what you want from God. Don’t fall for that nonsense. This is your Father you are dealing with, and he knows better than you what you need. With a God like this loving you, you can pray very simply.
^14-15“In prayer there is a connection between what God does and what you do. You can’t get forgiveness from God, for instance, without also forgiving others. If you refuse to do your part, you cut yourself off from God’s part.

APPLICATION: Don’t know about you, but I find it almost impossible to think straight and write, type, or anything else while also trying to listen to one or more people talk about their challenges and opportunities from their day. Both deserve your undivided attention, but I found it interesting that Jesus chose this as the first suggestion to enhance our prayer life! Find a secluded place to pray. The importance of this was confirmed for me when I volunteered for a time of secluded prayer during a 24-hr prayer chain promoted by a group of local churches. This placed me in a very small room with just a Bible, a few Bible verses posted on the walls and a kneeling bench where I could bow before and converse with the Lord. Notice that I wasn’t praying while I rushed around getting ready for work, nor while I drove down busy streets with unlimited cars buzzing all around me. It was just God and me in a dimly lit room without windows. This gave me a whole new perspective on ‘time alone with God’. Let me suggest that you try following what I experienced some time. It will also help you achieve the first guideline given by Jesus. Additionally, try praying for more than just a minute or two. Although you may have lots of people to pray for, you will quickly run out of words, probably because of your history of quick, instant, mini prayers. Try having a conversation with God. Begin by praising Him for who He is and for what He has done for you, your family and your friends. Try to recall a few examples of how He directed you, and thank Him in a very personal way for that. Pray the Scriptures back to Him, especially the one that you are meditating on that day. Tell Him about your plans for the day and seek His guidance in doing the right thing at the right time and place with the right folk. Remember, you are His ambassador here on earth, so you want to do and say things His way, so that others might be reminded of Jesus and desire to know Him personally. Please try not to follow preplanned prayer verbiage by some great theologian. Yes, I know make it sound so perfect, but since you don’t need something like that for conversation with your spouse, then I can assure you that you will not need that to converse with your Creator who knows everything about you. Just be yourself and converse with God in an unhurried or structured way. Leave time for God to envelope your heart and mind and fill your innermost thoughts with His direction and His character and demeanor. The world is sick of the selfishness and greed of mankind. They are constantly on guard for what you might want from them. Allowing God to work in your life and speak through you, will open the eyes and heart of your hearers in ways they, nor you, may have ever experienced before. The experience of reflecting back on your day and standing in awe about where certain words or actions came from, will totally overwhelm you. Allow God to be in control, dear friend! In the last two verses, note that Jesus wants us to know that unless we willingly forgive others, we shouldn’t expect God to forgive us. We must be willing to practice what we preach, not just apply those teachings to everyone else besides us. Communication is key to our personal relationships with family and friends. It is also the key that opens the door to a personal relationship with our Master. Talk/pray to God on a regular basis. Hearing from Him is key to a life patterned after, and directed by Him.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Jesus will pour into you as much as , or more than, you pour into your relationship with Him! Begin to enhance that relationship with your Savior through prayer, dear friend.

PRAYER: Lord You are so good to us. Please help us to be more like You in every aspect of life, so that others might know that You are alive and working actively in Your children’s lives. Please help us to dedicate ourselves to more quality time with You, especially in prayer. In our Scripture today, we are reminded of some important qualities that would enhance our prayer life – a key to our relationship. Please direct us to plan time for meeting with You, and to clear the path of every distraction as we do that. Quality time with our family and friends bring unity and increases the love we feel towards each other. Time alone with You is also super important as we seek to know You better, love You more and gain even more trust in You. Draw us close to you dear Lord, so that we may be usable by You to grow Your kingdom. AMEN!

Preparing For Baptism

On 2022-01-122022-01-12 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Forgiveness, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Wednesday, 2022-01-12
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Matthew 3:5-9
TRANSLATION: New Living Translation (NLT)

BIBLE TEXT: ⁵People from Jerusalem and from all of Judea and all over the Jordan Valley went out to see and hear John. ⁶And when they confessed their sins, he baptized them in the Jordan River. ⁷But when he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming to watch him baptize, he denounced them. “You brood of snakes!” he exclaimed. “Who warned you to flee the coming wrath? ⁸Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God. ⁹Don’t just say to each other, ‘We’re safe, for we are descendants of Abraham.’ That means nothing, for I tell you, God can create children of Abraham from these very stones.

APPLICATION: Ever noticed how some will dye their hair blue, if they see a friend or two doing the same thing, and getting attention over the strange practice? Ever noticed at an altar call in your church how challenging it is to get the first person to respond to the gospel message, and how much easier it is after the first person makes the walk down to the altar? We don’t want to be the first to make a move, but we are quick to follow the flow by our friends. People from the neighboring towns came to hear for themselves what all this ‘wild man’, John, was preaching about. His message touched their heart, so they confessed their sin and was ready to be baptized. This is still pretty customary in churches today, especially during revival or evangelistic services. But what would your church, or your pastor, do if at the baptismal service a number of people showed up for baptism who had never visited your church before? I believe we all can agree that at such special services, many might get in the spirit of what is occurring , and they may want to be baptized also. John recognized that the Pharisees and Sadducees who showed up and wanted to be baptized, felt like they were already good enough on their own reconnaissance and at least as good as the persons there who may have received forgiveness of their sin that day. However, John addressed this by drawing their attention to the change that occurs in a believer’s life. I believe John’s teaching on this is well worth our time to reflect on. Think about it – if we are a child of the King, then we will look like; sound like; and act like the King. It would be highly hypercritical of us to say that we are a child of the King, yet continue to behave like our old sinful selves. Who are we trying to fool? I also appreciate that John included the piece for his audience not to feel ‘saved’ because of them being from the seed of Abraham. You see, when we have grown up in the church, or if we happen to be a child of the pastor, deacon or elder, we may try to fool the world into thinking that because of our heritage, we too are saved. Notice what John taught here: we are each to approach the throne of God individually. Nothing done, said, or practiced by our ancestors could cleanse us of our sin and make us right with God. It is only through the shed blood of Jesus Christ that we are saved. That’s the sole purpose in God sending His Son, and He will have it no other way. We cannot slither our way into heaven through any other means. Be encouraged today Brothers and Sisters. We may not be a son or daughter of any earthly king or queen, but as a son of the Most Hight God – King Jesus, we are born again and ready to meet our Savior whenever He calls us home to glory. We are never too bad, or never too much of a pretender for God to accept us. Repent of your sins and ask God to become alive in You so that your words, actions and witness will be all about your heavenly Master.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Jesus can save the hardened criminal or even the one who feels like they’ve always been ‘good enough’ according to the word’s standards.He came to seek and save ALL that are lost. That includes you, me, our neighbor or the drunk down the road.

PRAYER: Father God, we are reminded that there is nothing we can do of our own selves to save ourselves from our sins and ready ourselves for the portals of Heaven. John was very blunt about this with the Pharisees and Sadducees, and he may have even found reason to preach at some of our churches today. Yes, we must be saved through the righteous sacrifice of Jesus alone. But our life will always reflect who takes center place in our lives. May that always be you, and you alone dear God. As the world see Jesus in us, they might become convinced of the power of the One who sacrificed His life for the remission of our sins. Please forgive us for trying to play the fool before You, like we so often try to get away with before our fellow man. You are the one, and the only one, that we must be honest before. Please deal in our hearts and our lives so that we may have an honest relationship with You, and the one who will naturally display to the world who controls every fiber of our being. We love You Lord and we want You to be evident in all that we are. AMEN!

Make It Right With God

On 2021-09-142021-09-13 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Forgiveness, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Tuesday, 2021-09-14
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Psalm 51:10-12
TRANSLATION: Easy-to-Read Version (ERV)

BIBLE TEXT:¹⁰God, create a pure heart in me, and make my spirit strong again.
¹¹Don’t push me away or take your Holy Spirit from me.
¹²Your help made me so happy. Give me that joy again. Make my spirit strong and ready to obey you.

APPLICATION: God knows all about our sin, but Solomon showed us that it is important that when we approach God for forgiveness, that we acknowledge that we are all too aware of our wickedness and that we are coming to the only perfect One who is able to restore our relationship with Him. We must also seek forgiveness from the One whose Holy Spirit resides in the heart of a Christian. It is obvious that this sin committed by Solomon really wreaked havoc on his very spirit, for he asked God to strengthen his spirit again. I believe that there are times when we are so aware of our sin, and so ashamed of our weakness, than we find it tough to go on – especially in a way where we might once again feel innocent enough to share Christ with our circle of friends. You see, others must see Jesus in us and the impact that He is having on us, for them to really believe in whatever we are trying to evangelize. We can only ask like Solomon did, that God might restore a right spirit within us, and help us relive what we felt at the time we accepted Jesus as Lord. Solomon had committed serious sin, and just as he sought out his Master, I’m sure there are times that we feel much like him, as we tend to feel ashamed of ourselves and unworthy to again proclaim the Savior that we represent. I pray that today we might truly reflect on the actions that Solomon took, and take our concerns before the only one that could help us overcome the effects of sin on our life. Let’s be sure to ask God for an opportunity to start all over afresh, and restore the joy of our salvation.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: I believe that God does much like the father of the Prodical son, I believe that He stands with open arms waiting for us to ask His forgiveness and seek a renewed spirit.

PRAYER: Thank You Lord for giving us stories like this one about Solomon, for these examples help us to know that there is hope for all who will call on the name of Jesus, and ask for His forgiveness. Oh how we desire a right spirit within us, especially when we’ve messed up. Lord Jesus, please humble the hearts of Your children to let go of the sins that so easily beset us. We know the answer – it’s Jesus! Please help us to breakdown our pride and acknowledge our sin before You as we seek Your forgiveness and help to overcome the pain from our sin. We are truly hoping as we are renewed, You will once again place us in situations, and before the right folk that need to know more about You and accept Your leadership in their life. AMEN!

Christmas Gift Ideas

On 2020-12-082020-12-07 By Ed AlgreenIn Christian love, Christmas, Forgiveness, gifts, Humble, Kindness, Love, PatienceLeave a comment

Friday, 2020-12-08

Bible Reference: Colossians 3:12-14
Translation: Easy-To-Read Version (ERV)

Bible Text: ¹²God has chosen you and made you his holy people. He loves you. So your new life should be like this: Show mercy to others. Be kind, humble, gentle, and patient. ¹³Don’t be angry with each other, but forgive each other. If you feel someone has wronged you, forgive them. Forgive others because the Lord forgave you. ¹⁴Together with these things, the most important part of your new life is to love each other. Love is what holds everything together in perfect unity.

OBSERVATION: At Christmas time we seem to easily find room in our hearts to be kind to others. In our verses today Paul reminds us of what all God did for us, and how that should lead us to do the same for others. So as we meditate on this today, may it stir up within us many ideas on how we might bless others at Christmas!

APPLICATION: Most children are probably looking forward to Christmas because of the gifts they have asked for, and expect to receive. As adults, Paul has reminded us of the gracious gifts that are ours, in being a child of the most high God! Here are some of the gifts mentioned by Paul: 1). God has made us His holy people – imagine that – steeped in sin and very much a part of Satan’s army, yet when we felt the call on our life by Jesus, and surrendered our life to Him, we were adopted into the sonship of the Most Holy God! That is beyond comprehension, and could only be imagined through faith in the truth of God’s Holy Word; 2). God loves us – ‘Love’ is an awesome word that we use, and even abuse in our lifetime, but it takes on such a special meaning when the holy Son of God loves a child that has been so blatant in sin, and asked for His forgiveness. Oh that we may find it in our hearts to love like that this Christmas! But because of all that God blessed us with, here are some gifts that we may give to others, knowing that He will continue pouring out His gracious love to us: Show mercy towards others; Be kind to others; Be humble towards others; Be gentle to others; Be patient with others; Don’t be angry with others; Forgive others; and LOVE others. Friends, the best news of all about these godly gifts, compared to our usual gift giving, is that there will be no increase in credit card bills whatsoever! So why not read over this devotional again as Christmas draws closer, and concentrate on all the gody gifts that you can extend to family and friends. Be instrumental in teaching them God’s ways and His teachings through your example this Christmas! Others just may see that you have a heart like that of Jesus, because you showed that you cared for them!

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, thank You for Christmas, and the precious gift of Your Son! Thank You for teaching us about the many precious gifts that You bless us with, and then through your servant Paul, teaching us how we might extend to others the many gifts that You have showered on us. Please help us to make someone’s Christmas special this year, simply by showering them with the character of Your Son, and the godly gifts mentioned in our Scripture today. 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!

Nuggets From God's Word

Category: Forgiveness