Category: God Cares For Us

God Can … and Will …

On By Ed AlgreenIn God Can Do It Again, God Cares For Us, God's WillLeave a comment

Monday, 2016-08-29

Scripture

Bible Reference: Proverbs 3:5-10

Bible Text: Trust the Lord completely; don’t ever trust yourself. 6 In everything you do, put God first, and he will direct you and crown your efforts with success.

7-8 Don’t be conceited, sure of your own wisdom. Instead, trust and reverence the Lord, and turn your back on evil; when you do that, then you will be given renewed health and vitality.

9-10 Honor the Lord by giving him the first part of all your income, and he will fill your barns with wheat and barley and overflow your wine vats with the finest wines.

Bible Translation: The Living Bible (TLB)

My Take

I would imagine that you might be similar to me, in that, throughout your day there are times when you are overwhelmed as to how you will ever accomplish everything on your agenda, and that you wish you knew what would happen in coming days, weeks and years so that you could make good choices today. Friends, I believe that God has placed the answer to this dilemma right at our fingertips, in these verses today. For I believe that you will see clearly that although we may not have all of the answers, there is a God who does – praise His name for ever and ever! As you read the first two verses, let me remind you of Moses, who had millions of people following him, as God’s messenger and leader. Because He trusted completely in God, when he brought all these folk to the edge of the Jordan River, his ulcers didn’t explode from the stress of what to do next, for he was convinced that if God brought him to this crossroad, then obviously God would see him through, or across the river. These verses declare that when we place our faith and trust in Jesus, He will direct us into right paths and make our journey, or actions successful. Notice that this is not something we need to understand how or when success or answers will come, we are to just trust God and He will… Notice in verses 7-10, there are certain expectation from us, such as: 

  • Trust and reverence God;
  • Turn our backs on evil – of course the positive equivalent to this is to obey God’s commands;
  • Honor God by giving Him the first of our income;

Friends, know that God is all powerful and He could bless our health and give us vitality without us feeling like we had anything to do with the formula, but by demanding that we participate through the above simple actions, we learn that God’s goodness is for those who have an interest – those who want it. Similarly with our finances – God could very easily bestow great riches on everyone, but don’t you know that we always abuse anything that is given to us without us have some ‘skin’ in the game? When we give the first of our income, we are not only showing obedience to God, but we are acknowledging that there is nothing more important in our life. It also helps us to recognize that because we are blessed by God to be able to work and provide for our family, the least we could do is give back to Him unconditionally from our financial earnings. In true form to the goodness of our God, He foreknew the temptation of money, so He still threw in a blessing for those that obey this commandment to give. I believe that God’s Word is clear that we will be blessed financially in proportion to what we give. Are you ‘blessed’ financially? Check your giving, perhaps it needs adjusting!

Prayer

Lord God, You have proven Yourself to us in so many ways, yet we often feel like we could handle this thing called ‘life’ all by ourselves. Please forgive us for our littleness Lord. You are Creator; Master; Lord and the Savior of this world. Thank You for giving us clear instruction of what is expected of us to receive optimal results from You. Please touch our stubborn hearts today and convince us of the need for obedience and faithfulness to You. Lord, we want to benefit from all the great things You have promised to us, but more than that, we are anxious to one day be with You in glory, where we could worship You endlessly. Bless us this day with Your grace and your mercy. Please lead us into total obedience to Your Word, for I ask these things in the gracious and loving name of Jesus, AMEN!

Footnote

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

Lest We Drift Away

On By Ed AlgreenIn Born Again, Commitment, Eternal Life, God Cares For UsLeave a comment

THE HOLY BIBLE (The Contemporary English Version – Hebrews 2:1): We must give our full attention to what we were told, so that we won’t drift away

THOUGHTS: Lest we miss the meaning of the words “drift away”, I want to take the liberty of reflecting on what it means when a boat ‘drifts away’. Normally after a day at work in a boat, it is properly secured to a mooring and extra anchors, so that it would stay secure until the next day when its owner is again ready to take it out fishing. Here’s what it means to secure a boat, and these terms will also apply to our spiritual lives:

  A boat must be properly secured to avoid it drifting away, so a mooring is put in place for that purpose. Our ‘mooring’ is the security of our faith in Jesus Christ. Both the boat, and Christians will drift away without their anchor/lives being fully secure. Only boats tied to their mooring have the security of that heavy, but secure hold. Only those who have placed their faith and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ have the security of His strong grip on us and His protective hand upon us to keep us from drifting away. Unfortunately there has to be a mooring in place for a boat to use it. For us, we must have a commitment to Jesus in place and a relationship with Him, so that our anchor is secure in Him.

  In the case of a boat, a secondary anchor is always used to support the effort of the mooring. For the Christian, it is vital that we surround ourselves with fellow Christians for support, uplifting, encouragement and correction. We need each other while still here on this earth;

  Drifting away often results in a boat being lost forever, as it might sink, or perhaps is stolen while drifting in a vast ocean. However it sometimes drifts into the rocks and is either battered so badly that if it is found by the owner, they may decide to just leave it, or if not they may choose to return it home and with some TLC restore it to its original condition. For the person who is not secure in Jesus Christ, you will tend to drift away from the Truth, from the love of a Savior who gave His very life for your eternal salvation, and from Christian Brothers and Sisters who keep you accountable. A boat can often be restored if found by its owner. People who find or return to Jesus can always be repaired of sin and quickly made whole by our loving Lord!

So where are you at in life today friend? Are you secure, or are you drifting and want to be secure? Jesus loves you a whole lot friend, and He wants to see you secure in His keeping. Please read the tips in my Footnote on what you might do to know this Savior of mine, or how you might return to His watchful and protective care. He’s our anchor/mooring that keeps us secure until the day that our Father calls us home to be with Him! 

PRAYER: Father, we read in Your Word where there were times that You really had to deal seriously with folk who refused to accept Your help. Lord, I don’t want to see that happen in my life, nor in the lives of those that I love and care about. Please use Your Word today as a reminder to help folk deal with the sin in their life, as I believe that this is one of the biggest things that destroys their relationship with You and causes them to drift away from the safety and security of the one true Rock, Jesus. Please touch the lives of Christians who should be striving to stay secure in that ‘Rock’. May this be a daily commitment for us as we strive to love and keep You foremost in our lives. Thank You for hearing my prayer and giving me hope and security in the Savior of this world, Jesus my Lord, for I’m asking all this in His name, AMEN! 

FOOTNOTE: If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please speak with a local Bible Teaching pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com so that we can pray with you and give you help and or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Any words underlined above will 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 blogger.nuggetsfromgodsword.org and read more, or you may freely subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. If you are anywhere near the Highlands County, Florida area and do not have a church home, I would be thrilled to welcome you at Bible Fellowship Church, Sebring, FL! Click the link to check out service times and/or other special activities. God is at work among us! Please consider coming to worship with us!

You Are Royalty!

On By Ed AlgreenIn Celebrate God, God Cares For Us, Listen to the Word of God, SurrenderLeave a comment

God’s Holy Word – Good News Translation
1 Corinthians 5:1-2

1 And now I want to remind you, my brothers and sisters, of the Good News which I preached to you, which you received, and on which your faith stands firm. 2 That is the gospel, the message that I preached to you. You are saved by the gospel if you hold firmly to it—unless it was for nothing that you believed.

Thoughts:
As I meditated on this I thought about all that a palace subject must encounter in any given day. I don’t imagine for a moment they ever arise, go to school or work and forget they are a prince/princess, or a child of the queen. I don’t imagine for a moment they ever doubt if they are protected and secure in their position. I bet that they are extremely careful to protect the sovereignty of their parent’s kingdom. Wouldn’t you imagine that they are ambassadors for the kingdom over which their parent rules, and therefore talk it up with everyone that they come in contact with? So friend, what’s the difference with any of the above thoughts and our position as children of the King of all kings? When we accept Jesus as Lord, we become His protected ones, as Satan nor the world has any hold on us anymore. We can proudly wear our breastplate of righteousness and feel adequately protected in our royal position. So why then do we find ourselves so often in the doldrums of this world’s trials and tribulations and feel so distraught and beaten up? After meditating on Paul’s message to the Corinthian church, I am convinced that we need reminding constantly that we might be in this world, but we are not of this world as we are looking to a much bigger Savior that didn’t just rescue us when we first believed, but is there each and every day to take our hand a lift us up, comfort, protect and love on us as His special and chosen children. Friend, stay in the Word every day, stay in communion with God often so that you might be reminded of His love and special care over us. Refresh yourself on the gospel, so that it may be your guide and encouragement, constantly pointing you to the One who not only died for you, but still watches over you every day. Assume your royal position friend. Remember, God sees you as His very own child, why should you see yourself as anything less!

Prayer:
Father, Daddy, Jesus, my Lord and Savior, thank You for Your gracious love for me. Thank You for the ultimate sacrifice You made for me. Thank You for adopting me as Your very own royal prince. I am truly blessed. Please help me to daily assume my royal position and represent You well. Please strengthen me to always allow Your love and character to shine through me in everything that I do or say, so that others might recognize You and want to know you as their Lord and Savior. For my friends meditating on this devotional today, please allow the words of Paul in this scripture to remind you of your royalty and your position as God’s very own. LLord, may Your children arise and be Your faithful followers today so that Your Word may come alive to the unsaved, is my humble pray that I ask in the name of Jesus, AMEN!

Footnote:
If you have read this devotional and do not know this wonderful Savior of whom I have spoken, may I encourage you to speak with a Bible teaching pastor or church leader today? If you know of none, I would welcome an email from you with information on how I may be of help to you, or how I might pray with, and/or for, you. You may reach me at nuggetsfromgodsword@outlook.com. If you are in the Highlands County area of Florida and do not have a church home, may I recommend my church home to you, Bible Fellowship Church? Let me know if you plan to attend and I will personally welcome you and help you feel at home with God’s people as we worship and learn more about His love for us!

How To Know You Are A Child of the King

On By Ed AlgreenIn All have sinned, Ask and Receive, Born Again, Christian, God Cares For Us, Grace, Heaven, Holy Spirit, Hope, Knowing Christ, Listen to the Word of God, Repentance, Righteousness, Victorious LifeLeave a comment

The Bible – The Good news Translation

1 Corinthians 6:9–11

9 Surely you know that the wicked will not possess God’s Kingdom. Do not fool yourselves; people who are immoral or who worship idols or are adulterers or homosexual perverts 10 or who steal or are greedy or are drunkards or who slander others or are thieves—none of these will possess God’s Kingdom. 11 Some of you were like that. But you have been purified from sin; you have been dedicated to God; you have been put right with God by the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

Thoughts:

Do you ever stop and ponder if you are truly saved and destined for heaven’s portals one day to be with Jesus? Perhaps your parents reminds you of a time that you made a public profession, or was baptized, but questions have arisen in your mind about your salvation because you, personally, don’t recall making a decision to accept Jesus as Lord of your life? Friends, I want to help you clarify that in your mind today in light of these highlighted verses. First of all, do you recall the day you graduated from high school? What about the day you got married? I bet by now you are wondering if I am being ridiculous with you, because these are important dates that everyone remembers. But that’s my point, these important dates are remembered because there was a specific time that your life changed. Friends, neither of these dates are anywhere near as important as the day that you may have said no to this world and its evil ways, and yes to Jesus and all the glories of heaven. This is a decision where your life changes forever, because through the power of the Holy Spirit that takes up residence in your life at the time of salvation, you leave behind the sins of this world, such as those mentioned in these verses by Paul to the Corinthian church, and you march to a different Master, a righteous Leader and Lord, who changes you from the inside out and leads you in the path of righteousness – right living according to God’s terms in His Word. Secondly, I want to draw the attention of those who may have accepted Jesus as Lord of your life, yet in reading these verses this morning you are guilty of some of these sins. Friends, this is not an all-inclusive list of sins, these are just the ones Paul saw happening among the Corinthian church members. But think of it this way, all unrighteousness is sin; every actual sin, committed with design, and not repented of, shuts out the kingdom of heaven, for no sin is allowed there. We cannot hope to sow to the flesh, and reap everlasting life. Only the blood of Christ, and our desire to cleanse ourselves of sin, can take away all guilt. All who are made righteous in the sight of God, are made holy by the grace of God. If you are still struggling with the idea of whether you are secure in the kingdom of God, please use the information in the footnote to seek help. This is important enough that One Man gave His life to help you secure your eternal destiny, so please don’t delay!

Prayer:

Lord, I acknowledge that Your Word is very timely, appropriate and pointed – because only You know what we need, when we need it and why we need it. I believe that this is needed to help us recognize our sin, cleanse us of our sin, and redirect our more righteous lives to serving You as clean, strong, non-hypocritical servants before our lost family and friends. We just can’t be effective if we live just like them, accept the same sinful actions as they do and share in the same gossip rings that they participate in. We must represent You in spite of what appears to be acceptable to them, for we are a ‘New’ and a ‘Holy’ creation serving an awesome and sinless God. As You have opened our eyes in Scripture today, please tender our hearts to right decisions to seek Your forgiveness of our sin and to lives our lives acceptable to You and usable by You. Thank You for speaking to my heart today Lord, may Your perfect will also be accomplished in the lives of my readers today, is my humble and sincere prayer that I ask in Your name alone, dear Jesus, AMEN!

 

FOOTNOTE: If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please speak with a local Bible Teaching pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com so that we can pray with you and give you help and or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Any words underlined above will 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.

Reasons To Worship

On By Ed AlgreenIn Bible Believing, Born Again, Celebrate God, Christian, Faith, God Cares For Us, Heaven, Pleasing to God, Praise, WorshipLeave a comment

The Bible – New Living Translation

Psalm 95:6–7

6 Come, let us worship and bow down.

Let us kneel before the Lord our maker,

7 for he is our God.

We are the people he watches over,

the flock under his care.

If only you would listen to his voice today!

Thoughts:

As a child, we normally question ‘Why?’ as we learn new things or when people ask us something, or tell us to do something. Is it any different as adults? We tend to question a lot also, and we tend to object when we don’t understand why we are being asked to do something. In these focused verses from Psalm 95, David encouraged us to come, and let us worship God, let us bow down, and let us kneel before the Lord. Now, let’s look at our lives today and consider why we would want to follow this idea, or command, of David’s. After all, there is no way that we would do something like this without understanding why we are doing it! Here are some reasons I discerned from David’s command:

  • God is our maker – think about this, parents play an important role in ‘making’ their children. While they don’t demand their children to worship them, they do demand respect, honor and obedience. So when we consider God as our ‘maker’ should we not worship Him as part of our respect, honor, obedience and praise? In fact, these attributes are forms of worship!
  • He is our God – Sometimes I believe that we would sooner listen to the weatherman about Mother-Nature giving us a beautiful day, and offer up thanks to ‘Mother-Nature’ for blessing us with a great day! Friends, there is no ‘Mother-Nature’, there is God! He is the one that put this world together and created you and me to populate this earth. He is the One that created rain, the sun and all other things needed for us, and plant life, to live. He is the One who deserves our praise for the awesome days; good health; food on our tables; loving families, etc!
  • He watches over us – oh how thankful we are when sitters take such good care of our children for us. I know, we don’t worship them, but I do know that we are very thankful to them and honor them for their faithfulness to our kids. These are forms of ‘worship’ friends! If you came to church with these attributes towards God, you will be offering up praise to Him and could very easily be led into worship of Him.
  • He cares for us – I’ve been physically down a bit recently while recovering from surgery, and had to depend more on my wife, child, sister and church leaders than probably any other time in my life. Am I thankful to these individuals, and appreciate their unselfish acts in helping me when I can’t help myself? You bet I am! Do you see how this is the same way that God cares for us every day? Do you see how our hearts should be filled to overflowing with praise and thanksgiving to God when we come together to corporately worship Him?

Friends, based on the above, do you see any reason why we would need help in worshiping our God? Do you see any reason why our churches are not filled with the praises of God’s children when there are planned worship services? It begins with each of us friends, for we are the church. We are the ones that must draw close to God, so that He might draw close to us. We are the ones that must ready ourselves for corporate worship each week so that we can offer honest and heartfelt worship to our God. When the world sees this, they will be drawn to God. They must see something different than what they see in their everyday life on the streets or in secular jobs.

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, thank You for being my God. Thank You for loving me enough that You gave, so that I might have an entryway into Heaven. Thank you for watching over me and caring for me. Lord, please help me, and those that I worship with each week, to stop our busy minds, leave behind the concerns of this world, concentrate on You and worship You. Lord, this is very personal, so I believe each of us must purpose in our own hearts to give all of us to all of You, so that You may be lifted up, worshiped and praised in a manner pleasing to You. May You hear a sweet, sweet sound of personal worship from us daily, and especially when we come together for corporate worship. Thank You for hearing my prayer, oh Lord, for I am asking all this in Your precious and holy name, AMEN!

 

NOTE: If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please speak with a local Bible Teaching pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com so that we can pray with you and give you help and or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Any words underlined above will 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.

24/7/365 Availability!

On By Ed AlgreenIn Ask and Receive, Bible Believing, Christian, Encourage, Faith, God Cares For Us, Hears Us, Sees UsLeave a comment

The Bible – New Century Version

Psalm 94:8–11

8               You stupid ones among the people, pay attention. You fools, when will you understand?

9               Can’t the creator of ears hear? Can’t the maker of eyes see?

10             Won’t the one who corrects nations punish you? Doesn’t the teacher of people know everything?

11             The Lord knows what people think. He knows their thoughts are just a puff of wind.

Thoughts:

When we pray hard about a situation, especially one that we are very close to, we have our desired wishes in mind about how the situation should be handled, and I believe that we tend to pray towards that end. Often God will show us who is in charge, and who knows best, by answering our prayers in accordance with His perfect will and design. That answer may be exactly along the lines of what we had pleaded for, or it may be even better in the long run for the subject of our prayer. I believe that we sometime may question why God chose to respond in a particular way, and sometimes I believe we may feel like He may not have heard us at all, or perhaps we may question if He can’t see for Himself what is going on around us. These verses served to remind me that my Creator definitely hears me, otherwise why would He have given me ears! He definitely sees what’s going on around us, especially those things that really impact the lives of His dear children, otherwise why would He have given us eyes. If God is without ears or eyes, surely he would not have seen the need to create us with these extra tools! So friend, stand with me and be reminded that our God is all powerful, all knowing, sees everything and hears everything. He showed His power to calm even the rough seas, raise the dead, gave the blind back their sight and allowed the lame to walk again. What did you say your ‘major’ problem is, especially in light of these miracles wrought by His hands? Remember friend, He is there all the time for us. Let us learn to reach out to Him, love Him and depend on Him more so that we might see His mighty works, and reap the results of His awesome love!

Prayer:

Dear Lord, please teach us to pray in faith believing on the Son of God and the power and might of His perfect will, and that ALL things are possible with the touch of Your mighty hand, or the simple word from Your mouth. Please help us to get off our soap boxes of thinking that we can tell You what to do. You are the Master, Designer, Creator, Almighty God, and we are merely Your humble servants bowed before You with outstretched arms fully dependent on You. Thank You for giving us ears and eyes that enables us to do Your works here below. But more than that, thank You for the reminder that we are to continue reaching out to You knowing that You can hear our heart’s plea, and You can see the wickedness that we encounter around us every day. Thank You for loving us and caring for us, even in our human weaknesses and frailness. Hopefully we can be more focused on You today and the power available to us by our Father who loves us way too much to see us fail or fall. Please be our guide today. For it is in Your precious and holy name that I ask all this dear Savior, AMEN!

 

NOTE: If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please speak with a local Bible Teaching pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com so that we can pray with you and give you help and or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Any words underlined above will 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.

Teach Me Lord!

On By Ed AlgreenIn Bible Believing, Christian, God Cares For Us, Humility, Imitator of Christ, Obedience, Pleasing to God, Reflecting Christ, The Book of LifeLeave a comment

The Bible – Good News Translation

Psalm 86:11

Teach me, Lord, what you want me to do,
and I will obey you faithfully; teach me to serve you with complete devotion.

Thoughts:

Friends this is pretty basic stuff today. In fact, so basic that I reflect back on what my wife and I tried to accomplish when our child was an child. We didn’t just leave her to do whatever she wanted to do or say, we guided her and taught her to be someone we could be proud of, but also someone who could get a job and be liked and honored on her job. Although there were many challenging times, yet she looked forward to the benefits of obeying her parents. In other words, like the Psalmist said in this verse, she did everything with complete devotion to us. Friends, as we look around us in astonishment at the crimes and unbelievable behavior of our general population, we no longer need to ask the reason why, because in this passage we are reminded that folk will act according to what they have been taught to do. In other words, those that have no regard for life or other humans, or the good of the land, were never taught by God the expected behavior of His children. So for those who know Christ, how might one be taught what to do? Friends, please begin by finding yourself a good Bible teaching church, and this is not for the purpose of getting your name on the church membership role, this is for the purpose of understanding your book of life instructions better (the Bible). You see, some pastors will go to great lengths, and is supported by church leaders who will go to great lengths, to pray for church members and visitors, and ensure that they understand what the Bible says about all aspects of life. In other words, they go to great lengths to help you understand what The Lord would have you do with your life, and how to live in harmony and obedience with the Word of God. Although you might learn a lot from a casual visit on an occasional Sunday morning, it is much like you found with your child, discipline and teaching was a daily thing. So yes, attend church so that you might learn more about what God wants you to do, based on His Word, but also take time each day to open the Word and read a few verses, with a mind to learn more about what God would have you understand from His Word, and how you might apply it in your life that day. I like to journal my thoughts. This is not required, but it helps me to better share my thoughts and prayers and hopefully better apply what I just read. As you learn various Godly principles and apply them to your life, you will be helping the cause of Christ by being faithful to what you feel He wants from you. We can change this world for the better one day at a time, and through one learned and applied principle at a time. We are the hands and feet of Jesus on the ground, let’s show the world that He exists and that He is evident in and through us.

Prayer:

Lord, I’m sorry that I have allowed so much of the world to impact my life. I am reminded that to serve You more faithfully, I must learn from Your Word daily and commit to serving You with all my heart. Please speak to Your servant and give me the wisdom and fortitude to do Your will and be obedient to Your commands. This old sinful world needs You. May they find enough of You in Your servants today that their lives may be impacted and lead to change in very positive and meaningful ways, is my humble prayer, in the precious name of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, AMEN!

NOTE: If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please speak with a local Bible Teaching pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com so that we can pray with you and give you help and or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Any words underlined above will 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.

Blow A Trumpet For God!

On By Ed AlgreenIn Bible Believing, Celebrate God, Chosen by God, Christian, Faith, God Cares For Us, Heaven, Our Help comes from God, Praise, Stregth, Surrender, Testify, Thank You Jesus, Trust, WorshipLeave a comment

The Bible – The Message

1 Corinthians 1:27–31

Isn’t it obvious that God deliberately chose men and women that the culture overlooks and exploits and abuses, chose these “nobodies” to expose the hollow pretensions of the “somebodies”? That makes it quite clear that none of you can get by with blowing your own horn before God. Everything that we have—right thinking and right living, a clean slate and a fresh start—comes from God by way of Jesus Christ. That’s why we have the saying, “If you’re going to blow a horn, blow a trumpet for God.”

Thoughts:

God is nothing less than amazing! Do I hear an AMEN?!! Just when we are about to throw in the towel, or just when we think we are only a speck of dust in God’s overall kingdom, our eyes are opened with scripture like this that reminds us that we are royalty – children of the King of kings. We are also reminded that as in the case of an earthly king where the country men are subjects of the king, we too are subjects or servants of our King. Also, as in the case of a country being recognized for its valor and earthly production where the king is primarily recognized because of his leadership and his provisions that made the country what it is, so it is with our heavenly King. For it is only through the provision of the King’s Son, Jesus, that we are saved from our sin and accepted into His glorious kingdom where we will reign with Him forever. It is only through the power of this Jesus, that blind men regained their sight, the crippled began to walk again and the dead was brought back to life again. It is only through our faith in Jesus, that we are blessed with miracles even today. But friends, all these blessings come with somewhat of a warning, for we are told that although we may be the servant praying for the sick to be healed, or praying for an unsaved loved one, we can boast of no personal accomplishment in any turnaround seen in any of these cases, for we are only the beggar, the servant, asking for a favor from God Almighty. God is the healer, He sacrificed so that salvation might be available to us, our family and our friends. So as we see God’s hand at work, let’s intensify the praise and worship to our Lord, for it is He who is responsible for the miracles wrought! To Him be all glory and praise! Lift Him up before the people around You so that they too might be introduced to our Savior and Lord! Why not use your weekly worship services to especially praise the Father for His goodness? He is worthy, and deserves a lot more praise than what He hears in our labeled, ‘praise and worship’ services!

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, who am I that You would send Your Son to die sacrificially so that I might easily find my way to You? Who am I that You would heal my body, or bless me with a job, a family, and a comfortable place to live? Lord, I realize that I will never understand the sincerity and depth of Your love, but thank You for opening my eyes, and reminding me of my obligation to offer constant praise and worship to You for all that You do for me. You are all powerful, but thankfully You are all loving also, because You forgave me of my sin and accepted me as Your son. Thank You Lord Jesus for being my King, my Savior and my deliverer. May I always be mindful of Your awesome presence and love for me, and therefore never beat up on myself when I feel like things are not going my way. The provision for life eternally with You has already been made, so anything that happens on this earth is really very minor and possibly even irrelevant. Please forgive me for missed opportunities to praise You and lift You up before my family, friends and coworkers. May they be  encouraged to look to You because of the evidence of Your love in and through my every action and/or word. To You be all glory, honor and praise, for I honor You and ask all this in Your precious name, Lord Jesus, AMEN!

NOTE: If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please speak with a local Bible Teaching pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com so that we can pray with you and give you help and or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Any words underlined above will 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.

Reflecting on the Past Gives Confidence for the Future

On By Ed AlgreenIn A Lamp unto My Path, Christian, Encourage, God Cares For Us, God our Helper, God our Provider, Our Help comes from God, Thank You JesusLeave a comment

The Bible – The Good news Translation

Psalm 77:11–12

11              I will remember your great deeds, Lord;

I will recall the wonders you did in the past.

12              I will think about all that you have done;

I will meditate on all your mighty acts.

Thoughts:

Although faith is a powerful thing, we have a lot to increase our confidence and our faith, especially when we reflect on the past. Example in point, is the hard physical work I’ve seen from my dad that helps me to stay focused, and press on, especially when I attempt physical tasks myself. I know that the hard work only made him a tough, persistent, determined man who cared for his family, so instead of me looking at the trends of today, I gain my strength from looking at my dad’s past accomplishments that stemmed from his hard work. So it is in our Christian walk. We have the option of listening to the critics that we must base our faith on the things that can be seen, but reflecting on the mighty hand of God in so many Biblical stories, gives us the faith and confidence to know that He can do it again! What’s even more exciting is that God doesn’t have to do it the same way again! He once parted the waters for His people to safely cross over and avoid massacre by the army behind them – don’t you think that He could also free us from our oppressors in even more exciting ways today if He thought there was a need to? He raised Lazarus from the dead, don’t you know that He could also speak the dreaded decease of cancer out of a child of His, if only we plead with Him for healing? Furthermore, God has promised to watch over us, care for us and love us through to the end. Whom then shall we fear? Why then should we worry ourselves sick when we face challenges beyond our human control? Friends, remember that we have a Savior who is very capable of blessing His children, and just as capable of seeing us through our challenges, that otherwise seem hopeless to us. However, let me be quick to remind you friend that our God is a God of relationship, not a ‘Jeanine-in-a-bottle’. He hears the prayers of those who know Him, not those who just need a temporary relief in a situation. Asking a stranger for a favor is just about hopeless, but calling on family (real family that live as, and love like, family) in our time of need, is two totally opposites in our expectations. To build that relationship you must have invited Him into your life, have you done that friend? Please use the contact information below to allow me to pray with you about this very important decision you need to make. God is the only One that can, and will, help you in and through life’s circumstances, so yes, this is a ‘needed‘ decision you should make!

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, thank You for the record You have left in Your Word to comfort us and reenergize us into making good, solid decisions. May Your kids who meditate on this devotional today be humbled about their need for a Savior, the Savior of this world, the One who loved them enough to die on a cruel cross so that they would have the means of entering heaven’s gates and one day sitting by Your side in Your kingdom. Thank You Father for loving us this much. Thanks for keeping Your record book (the Bible) alive so that we might see from Your past record how truly powerful and loving You are. This gives us confidence that You can do these things and more in our day, if they become necessary! What a might God we serve! Thank You Lord for Your blessings on me! Father, the evil of this world is way more than I can handle alone, so I commit myself to You again, with the confidence that You can see me through every circumstance! I ask all this in Your precious, powerful and loving name, Jesus my Lord, AMEN!

 

NOTE: If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please speak with a local Bible Teaching pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com so that we can pray with you and give you help and or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Any words underlined above will 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.

Trust In God at All Times

On By Ed AlgreenIn Ask and Receive, Bible Believing, Faith, Follow Jesus, God Cares For Us, God our Helper, God our Provider, Helper, Our Help comes from God, Protector, Thank You Jesus, The enemy, Trust, Truth, Victorious Life, Worry no moreLeave a comment

The Bible – The Good News Translation

 Psalm 62:5-8

 5 Let all that I am wait quietly before God, for my hope is in him.

6 He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will not be shaken.

7 My victory and honor come from God alone. He is my refuge, a rock where no enemy can reach me.

8 O my people, trust in him at all times. Pour out your heart to him, for God is our refuge.

Thoughts:

When we think about the life of David we remember that from the time he was just a young boy he placed his faith and strength in the hands of the Lord – remember when he went to battle with the giant Philistine? David faced many battles as Israel’s king, and he was able to place the battles before God, seek His direction and in following God’s commands, David lead many armies into successful battles. Many of the Psalms were written either in preparation for battles, or in celebration and thanksgiving for successes in battles. Now for those who are still trying to follow my line of thinking here, you are probably saying under your breath that you are not a king, and you have no armies to lead. But where God got my attention on this is that we almost daily face battles of one type or another. For some, it may be jobs and unreasonable supervisors, for others it might be family members, friends, co-workers or just about anyone that Satan could send our way to test our faith in the Lord. The big question, or challenge, for us to consider is: will these ‘battles’ result in the world seeing that we are just like them, in that we caved in to jealousy, revenge, hatred or an attitude just like theirs, or will they see in return: forgiveness; love; turning the other cheek; understanding and a God-like attitude? You see, for us to truly be ‘little Christ’s’ (Christians) then we must respond like Jesus would. If we say during the good times of life that God is our Refuge and Strength, do we maintain that same truth when under pressure or tested by Satan’s tactics, and our enemies are attacking from all sides? Please re-read vs 8 and be reminded that God is saying through His servant David, “Trust in the Lord at all times, for He (God) is our refuge (our safe harbor) and our strength”, and we have nothing to fear!

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, it is easy for us to trust in You when we are on a mountain top looking down on our ‘enemies’ or looking down on the completed battle, but the challenge is for us to place our faith and trust in You before we go to ‘battle’, or during the ‘battle’. Lord, we are reminded in Your Word again today that You alone is God, yes over our good times, and the bad and the challenging times. Please help Your weak-at-heart children to always place our faith in You and to look to You for our guidance and victories. Way too often we try to take the wheel back from You and drive this life-ship ourselves. Please forgive us, for we should never forget that You are our Strength and our Refuge, a present help in times of trouble and in need. Lord, my unsaved loved ones will not experience this great Strength and Defender unless they have accepted You as their Lord and Savior. Please, may it be so, even today? I humbly ask all this in Your precious and all powerful name, Lord Jesus, AMEN!

 

NOTE: If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please speak with a local Bible Teaching pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com so that we can pray with you and give you help and or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Any words underlined above will 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.