Category: Genuine example of Jesus

How Will You & Your Church Be Known?

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

DATE POSTED Tuesday, 2023-02-07
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: 1 Thessalonians 1:2-5
TRANSLATION: The Voice (VOICE)

BIBLE TEXT: 2 We always thank God for all of you in our prayers. 3 Your actions on behalf of the true faith, your tireless toil of love, and your unfailing, unwavering, unending hope in our Lord Jesus the Anointed before God our Father have put you consistently at the forefront of our thoughts. 4 O brothers and sisters loved by God, we know He has chosen you. 5 And here is why: what you experienced in the good news we brought you was more than words channeling down your ears; it came to you as a life-empowering, Spirit-infused message that offers complete hope and assurance! We lived transparently before you so that you would know what sort of people we truly are.

APPLICATION: Although I dreaded to see the time come for performance appraisals, or the ones I completed on my staff, I was always tickled to see how the ones who were serious about their job, rated themselves in their self-appraisal, compared to the ratings given by myself, their supervisor. At a church I attended at one time, there was a group who came to town and interviewed residents in the neighborhood surrounding our church. It was AMAZING to hear the number of people in that close proximity who never heard about our church, and some who never recalled ever seeing the building before, even though the church took up about 65% of a city block in that small neighborhood! What must have been going on in the church at Thessalonica for Paul to hear about it? Unfortunately, no matter how much we love our church, and how successful we think it is in meeting our spiritual needs, unless it reaches the ears of the community and provides life to them, they will see little value in what we do. If we don’t meet the spiritual needs that exist in our town, then we must question if we are truly following Jesus’ example. Let’s take a deeper dive into the qualities that Paul saw in this church of his day and compare those to our individual ministries, or those by the church we have settled into for cooperate ministry:

  • Although not a quality, let your pastor and your church know that they could count on you to pray for them and their ministry. If you can seriously follow thru, then this will encourage them to a deeper and more committed ministry than anything they have done before!
  • When it is obvious that your work is totally prompted, performed and promoted by your faith;
  • When your labor is always prompted by love – find a believer passionate about the needs of individuals or communities, and they will wear themselves out trying to meet their needs!
  • Endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ – in other words, your actions are inspired by our Lord, and you could care less about your actions benefiting you, your church or your finances. Endurance – keep on plugging away until Christ returns! Don’t let the world discourage you or cause you to give up. Christ didn’t give up on us, so let us imitate Him in not giving up!
  • Chosen by God. Others will recognize your faith by your works! If Christ is in you, He will shine through you and others will soon discern that you were chosen by God for a time and place such as this.

I often wonder, if the world can’t see it, is it truly there? You know what I’m talking about – can Jesus be in you, and it not be evident to those you come into contact with? Are you trying to please the world, or are you obedient to, and totally open to the Master speaking and acting through you to meet the needs of those you come into contact with? My prayer is that this would become more evident each day, and in every word or action, for it’s all about Him – my Master, and not anything prompted by me.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Praise God, Paul was able to see the fruit of his labor and his prayers in the church at Thessalonica. He ministered, but God produced an awesome return in the work there as He went on to bless others who needed it.

PRAYER: Dear Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, You placed us in this world, sent Your Holy Spirit to rescue us from our sin and an unsaved world who needs exactly what we have. We acknowledge that Satan interferes way too often by distracting us from the mission we dedicated to you, so we need you more and more each day to help us stay on track for the duration of time You have given to us here on earth. Oh Lord, may the meditation of our hearts, the words we speak, and the actions needed in obedience to Your will, be acceptable to You, my eternal Savior and Rock of my salvation. May others see, and believe today because of Your work channeled through me, my readers and my listeners. AMEN!

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

What You Genuinely Care About

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Genuine, Genuine example of Jesus, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Worship1 Comment

DATE POSTED Saturday, 2022-12-03
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Philippians 2:20-21
TRANSLATION: New Living Translation (NLT)

BIBLE TEXT: 20 I have no one else like Timothy, who genuinely cares about your welfare. 21 All the others care only for themselves and not for what matters to Jesus Christ. 

APPLICATION: Over the years I have served on many Pastor Search Committees, where we searched high and low, far and wide, in what seemed like, ‘a needle in a haystack’, for the next pastor to serve at our church. Also served on church Nominating Committees, where we looked over the church membership role to find qualified persons to fill the internal ministry needs of our church. I don’t recall this Scripture ever coming up in either of the above committees, but I wonder if, unconsciously, we weren’t led by God, like He did with Paul, to choose the candidates who were serious about the needs and work of the Lord, His people, and His church. I sincerely hope, in retrospect, that God turned our stomachs on the applicants who were after their own personal interests and just needed income to complete His mission here on earth. Nominating Committees always seemed so judgmental, because we based our decision on what we saw the individuals do in and around the church. Seldom do churches visit the homes of church families anymore, and seldom do leaders even call to check on their members. Covid? Perhaps! Busyness? Perhaps! Selfish and/or personal agendas? Perhaps! But how do you suppose that Paul knew the very heart of the men available to him for ministry? My gut feeling is that he spent some quality time with them. No devices to distract him. Keeping quiet enough to hear the heart of the individual he was visiting. Praying for each prospect in a very non-judgmental way, but always open to the voice of God on who His chosen workers will be. Friends, I believe you will say like many church leaders today will use for an excuse – ‘but these men and women who serve on our committees are just human’. Fortunately, that’s the correct answer! However, it gives them even more reason to seek the heart of the One they are serving. God has a plan for each of us, and for His ministry here on earth. We must present ourselves to Him as living sacrifices, meaning that we must approach him without a personal agenda, and sincerely make ourselves available to Him. We must surrender our will to His, and be willing to do whatever He commands, without excuses, that ultimately comes from fear and self examination. I want to challenge each reader, along with myself, to consider: if our church looked at us individually to serve in ministry, would they see someone interested in the ways, commands, and wishes of Almighty God, or just individuals centered on selfish desires and personal agendas. Just as Paul saw these awesome and trustworthy qualities in Timothy, I pray that our similar qualities are shinning brightly for God and everyone else to see, God being our helper and awesome Miracle Worker!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: May it be obvious to others what God already knows about us, and may it all be pleasing to God, and for His glory only.

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, You are worthy of all our praise. Please forgive us for not always acting in ways that would pleases and honor You, but way too often seeking after our own will and benefit. Paul needed someone who had a heart for the people he served and ministered to. Our pastors, and our churches still need folk like that today. Please humble our hearts Lord, so that we may always seek to serve You and represent You in all that we do, so that all the glory will be attributed to You alone. Please humble the hearts of those who need You today, and open their eyes to all that You are doing in their world, and possible even through us. Be glorified in us today, oh Lord. 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!

May The Christ In You Be Evident To Others Around You

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Attitude, Example of Christ, Genuine example of Jesus, Godly example, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Worship1 Comment

DATE POSTED Saturday, 2022-11-26
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Philippians 2:1-4
TRANSLATION: The Message (MSG)

BIBLE TEXT: 1-4 If you’ve gotten anything at all out of following Christ, if his love has made any difference in your life, if being in a community of the Spirit means anything to you, if you have a heart, if you care—then do me a favor: Agree with each other, love each other, be deep-spirited friends. Don’t push your way to the front; don’t sweet-talk your way to the top. Put yourself aside, and help others get ahead. Don’t be obsessed with getting your own advantage. Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand.

APPLICATION: I attended an English high school, where I also boarded under English house parents. The principles and influence of my teachers and house parents have impacted my whole life – timeliness and eating very proper at the table are two of them!!! Having worked at a Canadian bank for over 15 years, I picked up a few things that have followed me right up until now – pretty cool ‘eh’?!!!! So, when your pastor preaches on the subject of being more like Jesus, he may be influenced by the teaching of the apostle Paul to the Philippian church. You see, Paul started this church after seeing many converted to Jesus as His followers. So, if Jesus was impacting their lives, then there should be clear evidence of principles that Jesus followed during His short life here on earth. Before looking closer at the things that were of particular interest to Paul, let me encourage you to first read the principles that were evident in the life of Jesus – found in verses 5-8. Simply click on the Scripture reference above and you will be presented with the full chapter. Paul therefore felt like just how Jesus was uniquely impacted by His Father, that the Philippian church, and Christians today should be impacted by our Master and Lord, Jesus Christ. Notice that the things brought out by Paul, are still things that ‘Christians’ struggle with today. Paul, back then, and Pastors today still struggle why, if Christians love Jesus and is blessed by Him, why are we not following in His footsteps and imitating His Character. Of course, they are assuming that each of us are constantly reminded of the life of Jesus, because we read our Bibles and learn of His character and His teachings. But look at the wish list by Paul:
*~* Agree with each other – You don’t need to prove that you are right all the time. Surely you remember how Jesus just kept silent when he was falsely accused before Pilate. There’s nothing wrong with a friend having their opinion, even if it’s different to yours.
*~* Love each other – Think about God loving you enough that despite your sin and ugly attitude, yet He sent His one and only Son to die a sacrificial life, so that you may live eternally with Him. No greater, unselfish and unconditional love than that.
*~* Be deep-spirited friends – of course they may not think like you, like the same things you like, or frequent the same places that you do, but they are your brother/sister with the same Father. Be good friends with those who need you in their lives.
*~* Others first – Paul said: ‘Don’t push your way to the front; don’t sweet-talk your way to the top. Put yourself aside, and help others get ahead. Don’t be obsessed with getting your own advantage. Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand.‘
I thought it was really a blessing how Paul even told us how to accomplish these things: a). Through all that we have learned, gained and attained from following Christ; b). Through the lasting impression made on our lives by the love of Christ; c). Through being as one with our community – no reference to what ‘they’ are doing, but always what ‘we’ are doing as a community; and d). Through the love and caring attitude of our heart – God made us this way!
Notice that none of these things teach us to depend on what the other person thinks, does, says, or how they act towards us. This is a message to us personally. God will also deal with the other person, but when you stand before Him, it will all depend on what you did with what was given to you. Friends, the lost in our world need Jesus – our Savior and Lord. Oh, that they will especially see Him in our lives!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: As already evidenced by our Lord and Savior, let us also share compassion, unconditional love and the caring attitude of our Savior with all that we come into contact with. Let them look right through us and yet see ONLY JESUS!

PRAYER: Oh Lord, our lives were very much like the world we still experience every day while here on earth. We all need more of You and no longer be dulled or negatively impacted by the sin, strife and hatred of this world. Thank You for teaching through Your servant Paul so that we might again be reminded of the pitfalls we easily fall into when all we ingest each day is more of the world in which we live. Teach us Lord to always find the joy of our salvation and to aim at pleasing You every day because of what we learn from Your Word, and practice in our earthly travails. Your love, Your awesome gift of eternal life in glory with You and the Father are rewards that all Your saints long for. May the unsaved catch a glimpse of this and desire to know 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!

Test Your Christianity

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Christian, Christianity, Example, Example of Christ, Genuine example of Jesus, Godly example, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Worship1 Comment

DATE POSTED Saturday, 2022-08-20
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: 2 Corinthians 13:5
TRANSLATION: Living Bible (TLB)

BIBLE TEXT: 5 Check up on yourselves. Are you really Christians? Do you pass the test? Do you feel Christ’s presence and power more and more within you? Or are you just pretending to be Christians when actually you aren’t at all?

APPLICATION: Paul had a purpose in asking this question of the Corinthian church. Some evangelists might ask this to invoke a spirit of personal examination into our spiritual condition, to see if there is a need for revival of a life dulled by the things of this world. But Paul was actually being accused of not doing the work the people felt like God sent him there to do. This still goes on in churches today, for church leaders are quick to blame the pastor when things are less than booming in church growth, in financial giving, and in satisfying to desires of the congregation. Wouldn’t it be interesting for our Father to sharpen the minds of the people to first examine themselves? Wouldn’t it be challenging for the church leaders to first examine themselves and their lack of sharing the love of Christ with everyone they meet? We should realize that Paul wanted the people to examine themselves and prove that they were worthy of the Kingdom of God. If they were, then credit should be given to the one(s) that shared Christ with them (Paul)! And not to tear him down for not doing everything they expected of him. Friends, I hope that Paul’s congregation accepted his challenge as an opportunity for self-examination before a holy and righteous God. But seeing that God included this in His Book of Instruction (the Bible), then we must assume that He wanted us to also perform a self-examination before God, and here lies the challenge. Why, we’ve been getting away with pulling the wool over the eyes of our Pastor, our Sunday School Teacher and church leaders for years. For we attend church regularly and we have the lingo down pat. But should we be forced to reconcile any difference in opinion with God, that might really present a problem. Here are some things that might help us self-examine our own Christianity: a). Are we truly in the faith or are we simply attending church with hopes that everyone will assume we are? b). Do we honestly have an intimate, daily and active relationship with Jesus? c). Do we have a love for holiness, or does it tend to interfere with our social life? d). Do we abhor, or hate, sin, or does that seem too hypocritical to us? e). Do we practice righteousness by loving the brethren, or does it still depend on who they are? f). Can a new Christian follow in our example – our righteousness? g). Have we truly separated ourselves from the world and the things of this world? h). Do we look and sound so much like Jesus, that the world often mistakes us for the Master? I believe that through His servant Paul, God is teaching us to evaluate ourselves on a regular basis, especially before we attempt to point fingers at another beggar who is also looking for the Bread of Heaven. Our Christian walk is not meant to impress others, it is intended to help others who are seeking Christ to find Him at work in us. Oh that we would never be a stumbling blook to some poor sinner looking for the Master. ‘May they see Jesus’, should be our persistent prayer!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: One beggar helping another beggar find bread! That should be the aim of every believer through their actions and their speech. If Christ resides inside of us, He will shine through in everything we do or say!

PRAYER: Lord, I thank You that You lived and died for our sakes. You created us to live as an example of all that You taught through Your wonderful Word. Others expect that and look for that when they want to know who You are. May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable to You Oh Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer. Please Lord, draw us close to You, and encourage us to be Your church, Your followers and Your light in this dark world of sin. Let others see and experience You today as they encounter us in our normal walk of life. AMEN!

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

Follow My Example

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Guilty Of Following Christ’s Example

On By Ed AlgreenIn Character, Characteristics, Christ-Like, Example of Christ, Genuine example of Jesus, Godly example, Like JesusLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Monday, 2022-03-21
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

Bible Reference: Romans 2:21-24
Translation: Living Bible (TLB)

Bible Text: 21 … you teach others—then why don’t you teach yourselves? You tell others not to steal—do you steal? 22 You say it is wrong to commit adultery—do you do it? You say “Don’t pray to idols” and then make money your god instead. 23 You are so proud of knowing God’s laws, but you dishonor him by breaking them. 24 No wonder the Scriptures say that the world speaks evil of God because of you.

APPLICATION: I cringe when I hear folks say things like “your actions speak so loudly that I can’t hear what you are saying”. Because, unfortunately these folk are often right in saying these things. It hurts me deeply when I hear of church leaders caught in certain acts of sin, because they often have such a large following who is looking to them as a role model. No matter how often we tell folk that they should model their lives after Christ, not man, yet we see more fall out from church members when a pastor leaves, or a church leader is caught in an act of sin. The bottom line is that we all should be guilty of following Christ’s example so closely that people around us would see no difference between our actions and those they expect from Christ. When we surrender Lordship of our lives to Jesus, we ask Him to guide our footsteps every day so that we may walk like Him; guide our tongues each day so that we may talk like Him, and care so much for us each day that we may, in turn, love others like He would. Without Jesus Christ, it is virtually impossible to follow His ways each day in this world we live in, however, rest assured that in Christ, ALL things are possible. If friends of yours never read the first thing about the Bible, but they trust you enough to follow in your footsteps and obey your verbal instructions to them, who would they look like, Jesus Christ or the world? Remember, we are to be little ‘Christ’s’, so our friends following us could ultimately look the same! How are you doing? Do you have portions of your life still left to surrender to God, or are you comfortable that your life is in line with Jesus Christ? Please don’t let Jesus say to you on Judgment Day what Paul said to his fellow Jews, that people are cursing Christ because of you. As a parent we gloat at the times when others praise our children, because we feel a sense of pride in the job that we did in parenting. Let’s live our Christian lives following the same formula, so that Jesus may one day say “Well done good and faithful servant, when these children of Mine followed you, it was the same as them following Me, receive now the crowns I have prepared for you”! Let’s live with the end in mind friend!

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, I respectfully ask that I not be a stumbling block to anyone here on this earth. I pray that others may see enough of You in me that they will not be disappointed over their expectations of You. Lord, may I always represent You in ways that might lead others towards You. Please gently speak to my friends that may meditate on this devotional today, and lead them into a time of soul-searching and revival in their personal lives. Lord, it’s You that we live for. May that be evident in our words and actions today, is my humble prayer that I ask in Your very precious and holy name, 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!

Shall They Follow The God Evident In Your Life?

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Example of Christ, Genuine example of Jesus, Godly example, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Worship2 Comments

DATE POSTED Thursday, 2021-11-18
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Daniel 6:26-27
TRANSLATION: The Voice Translation (Voice)

BIBLE TEXT: 26 I decree that all people everywhere who live under my sovereign rule ought to tremble before and fear the God of Daniel. For He is the living God, and He will endure forever. His kingdom will never be overthrown; His reign will know no end. 27 He saves and rescues those who fear Him, performing signs and wonders in heaven and on earth; For He has rescued His servant Daniel from the power of the lions.

APPLICATION: Isn’t it interesting how we look at the characteristics and mannerisms of a family member and we commit to never repeat much of what we see? As young teenagers, we tend to be especially critical of our parents and the things they do that embarrass us! ‘Never will we do that’ is what we say about their mannerisms, for we clearly see the flaws!! But isn’t it interesting to look back in our maturing age and see how we are so much like our parents?!! In our Scripture today we see an example of a hardened king whose heart was changed because of the faithfulness of a true, earnest and faithful son of the Almighty. Like many of us, the king was accustomed to telling his subjects what they should must do, and if they disobeyed, or took too long getting it done, their life was abruptly ended. However, when Daniel was brought into the picture, King Darius noticed something different about him, much like I would hope that others notice with true followers of Christ today. For Daniel came with his life already under the command of one King, and he was so faithful to that King that he was not about to be redirected against those principles, even to the point, and threat, of death, when commanded by an earthly king. Friends, this man’s faith caused a hardened king to not only recognize the power of the King of all kings to whom Daniel answered, but he went as far as using that experience to command his kingdom to also respect and honor the King/God of Daniel. This stopped me in my tracks, and caused me to question what someone might say at the end of a day that they may have spent around me. What about you friend? Would there be some traits that your friend(s) might consider adopting? Do you suppose that they saw Jesus at all that day? Would they be drawn towards the God you serve, or would they try with all their power to go in the opposite direction? To each one reading this devotional, may I suggest that you consider this today in the things that you say and in the things you do? Seek God as you start your day and ask Him to give you opportunities to let your light so shine, that others might catch a glimpse of your Master. It’s all about Him, my faithful friend! Let others see Jesus in everything you do, say or think. People still need the Lord! May their hardened hearts be turned towards your God because they saw evidence of Him in you!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Others are watching you, not for any good qualities of your own, but hoping to see the influence Jesus made in you!

PRAYER: Dearest Lord Jesus, may Your light so shine through my readers and I today, that those to whom we come into contact with, will react much like King Darius did in observing Daniel. May others desire a relationship with our King and want to adopt Your commands and characteristics. I believe that as they do, and prove You faithful, they will feel compelled to draw close to You and give You full reign in their lives. May You be recognized and glorified through us today dear Lord, 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!

In Preparation For Your Mission

On By Ed AlgreenIn Example of Christ, Genuine example of Jesus, Godly example, Personal Witness, True witnesses, WitnessingLeave a comment

SCRIPTURE  FROM:   2 Timothy 2:14-17 (VOICE)

TEXT:  14 …... Warn them before God to stop their useless bickering over words. After all, splitting hairs does no good; it only ruins those forced to listen to their meritless arguments. 15 Timothy, do everything you can to present yourself to God as a man who is fully genuine, a worker unashamed of your mission, a guide capable of leading others along the correct path defined by the word of truth. 16 Stay away from ungodly babbling because it will only lead deeper into a godless lifestyle. 17 Once these empty voices start to speak, Timothy, they infect and spread; and soon the body is consumed with its cancer….

APPLICATION:   I’m not sure how many of us will ever be blessed to have the honor of mentoring someone entering into a ministry role, like Paul did, but we are often part of a church where new workers are called into ministry each year, and some of us may also be blessed to be part of a commissioning service for a new minister of the gospel, like Timothy was. This advice given by Paul is great for us to consider as we look into our own lives. Hopefully as we live these out personally, we will be in a much better position to say like Paul did in one of his other teachings: “now follow me, as you try to live a godly life” or as you endeavor to serve in your new assignment. You see, it is hypocritical to suggest that a new minister, teacher, worker, do some of these things, if we are personally doing an awful job at these things ourselves. For example, how can we suggest that they not get in arguments over words, or split hairs over individual interpretations, if we are so bad at doing that ourselves? Or that they should be genuine in their walk, if we are personally accused of living a double life? Or to not be ashamed of the gospel, if we are often embarrassed to have others know that we are involved in the ministry of our local church? So friends, I would encourage you to not brush this off by thinking that we now have some good advice to give ministers and/or workers entering into the ministry of Jesus Christ, but instead that we live out these principles ourselves so that we might give sound advice as we suggest that they follow, just as we follow Christ. I believe that only then, will the church of Jesus Christ see effective workers in the local church, and well prepared ministers and/or missionaries that we send out from our local churches. Lost people are anxious to see genuine Christians. Just as we aim to be exactly that, will we be effective and genuine in sending others out, just like us.

PRAYER:   Lord, please have Your perfect will and way in the hearts of each one that will meditate on this devotional today. May the words of our mouth and the meditation of our hearts be acceptable in Your sight oh Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer. May Your kingdom become richer as a result of us sharing our genuineness with others who will be impacted today, with the character and form of the One true God. 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!

Others Will See, Will They Believe?

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Example, Genuine example of Jesus, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Worship1 Comment

DATE WRITTEN: Saturday, 2021-07-17
WRITTEN AT: Deming, NM

SCRIPTURE FROM: Psalm 40:1-3
TRANSLATION: New Living Translation (NLT)

BIBLE TEXT: 1 I waited patiently for the Lord to help me, and he turned to me and heard my cry. 2 He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire. He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along. 3 He has given me a new song to sing, a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see what he has done and be amazed. They will put their trust in the Lord.

APPLICATION: Life can sometimes be compared to the television show ‘Truth or Consequences’. You want others to believe you, but they could tell from a mile away that you are either pretending, or lying! In the Bible, we see many times where others tried to tempt and test Jesus, because they couldn’t believe He was who He said He was. There are times that I will deal with a store clerk, and I will walk away commenting to my wife: ‘did you gather that they were probably a child of the King?’ In those circumstances, I believe that David’s words come through as reality. In other shopping experiences one might encounter a very rude or obnoxious clerk, and guess what, you and I will evaluate them also. Generally we will probably comment that we wish they knew our Lord. But, what if they are a Christian and they are just having a bad day, or perhaps their relationship with the Lord is not where it should be? We might say ‘shame on them’, but what happens to us when we’re down and out; having a bad day; in a lot of pain; been hit with very disappointing news; etc. Are we still able to reflect Jesus? Friends, from one imperfect person to another, let me suggest that we take a hint from David: stay in communion with God; accept His refreshment each morning as you open His Word and take a mental and spiritual note of the new song He wants to place in your heart. Lay your burdens at His feet and ask for His guidance that day. Ask Him to work in you so that He will always be reflected in your attitude; your wisdom; your smile; your dealings with challenging customers; your sadness; your joy; and with those who are out to persecute you. A previous pastor had a note pasted on his pulpit at our church ‘Oh that they will see Jesus’. He tried to preach with that in mind. What if we tried to live with that in mind? It might make a difference in the life of an unbeliever! Always remember dear friends, others will see us, and they will draw their conclusions about us. Let’s be persistent in keeping Jesus at the forefront so that they will meet our Savior!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Many will see what God has done in our lives, and some may put their trust in the God we serve! Be persistent in your relationship with God. Let Him shine through everything that you do.

PRAYER:Lord Jesus, let me acknowledge that when others have a relationship with me, they see just another human being just like them. When they see the difference that You have made in my life, and how You impart Your truth through me every day life, they begin to see the effects of knowing Jesus as Lord and Savior. May others always see You Lord, even if they’re looking at plain old me. For knowing You personally will refresh their spirit and give them a new song to sing each day. It’s all about You Lord. If others see anything else than You, we are wasting our time and space here on earth. Only You can save a soul and lead them into the Kingdom of Heaven for all eternity. Please don’t ever let me mess that up for anyone. 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 Test For The Genuine Spirit of God

On By Ed AlgreenIn Dedicated, Example of Christ, Genuine example of Jesus, Genuine Faith, Right SpiritLeave a comment

Tuesday, 2021-03-16

Bible Reference: 1 John 4:2–3
Translation: The Message (MSG)

Bible Text: Here’s how you test for the genuine Spirit of God. Everyone who confesses openly his faith in Jesus Christ—the Son of God, who came as an actual flesh-and-blood person—comes from God and belongs to God. And everyone who refuses to confess faith in Jesus has nothing in common with God.

OBSERVATION: Ever been questioned, or have you ever questioned  whether a Brother is genuine, or a Sister is sincere in her faith and teaching? I was in awe this morning as I read the Word, for John gives us pointers about this very matter.

APPLICATION: Not only will this help us identify the Spirit of God in others, but I believe this also helps us to examine ourselves and the kind of witness we portray to others. Some of the key points we are to consider and/or portray to determine, or prove, the genuine Spirit of God are: (1) Confesses openly about his/her/my faith in Jesus Christ; (2) Acknowledges that Jesus is the genuine, only Son of God; (3) Believes and declares that Jesus came to this earth in human form; (4) Believes that Jesus Comes from God; Belongs to God; And, as verified in other scriptures, He is also God. Friends, we are well aware of the awful feelings we have when we discover that we’ve been given a fake check, or a fake currency note, or perhaps encounter a person claiming to be someone they truly are not. The latter is comparable to us bringing damnation on ourselves when we claim to be a messenger, or witness, or representative of God, without having a first-hand experience with His Son Jesus. Friends, others will see straight through our fake-ness. Our Christianity is evidenced on the outside from a heart experience on the inside. Have you given Your heart to Jesus? Has He been allowed to control Your innermost emotions, convictions and decisions? Have you invited Jesus to take charge and to speak and work through you wholeheartedly? Can others see and feel the Spirit of God working in and through you on the outside and confirm the points suggested by John? Will they know you are a child of the King, or do you need to tell them? Will you commit to speak to God about this? He deserves genuine believers, because He showed His genuine love for us on Calvary in that He offered Himself, in obedience to His Father, to be a sacrifice for those who despised and hated Him. He showed real, genuine, love beyond anything mankind has ever experienced. He loved us with wide, outstretched arms! Do you love and appreciate my Lord enough today to be bold in your witness and tell others of His great love, even if you are certain that they will make a mockery of you? Will they recognize the spirit of God residing inside of you?

PRAYER: Dear God, I am amazed at the genuine love shown for me on Calvary’s cross. You were miraculously born into this world, lived among men and in spite of Your love for them, they crucified You. This is the unfortunate evidence of Your human experience here on earth. Thank You for continuing to accept humans into Your kingdom, and I especially thank You for accepting me. Please forgive us when we allow our peers to distract our walk with You. Lord, I am seeking Your help to make me more like You in every way while here on earth, so that others will not be distracted by a sense of false identity. I desire for them to see the hands and feet of Jesus, so that they may be drawn to You oh Lord. Please deal deeply in the hearts of those who will meditate on this devotional today, so that we might not only know You as Lord and Savior, but that we may follow Your example in everything we say and do. To God be the glory, for all that our surrendered, and fully dedicated lives might yield for the Kingdom of God. 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!