Category: God our Provider

Refer Only What You Have Proven

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, God our Provider, Needs, Praise, Proven, Recognize God, Share, Testimony, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Wednesday, 2021-10-27
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Psalm 62:5-8
TRANSLATION: The Passion Translation (TPT)

BIBLE TEXT: 5 I am standing in absolute stillness, silent before the one I love, waiting as long as it takes for him to rescue me. Only God is my Savior, and he will not fail me. 6 For he alone is my safe place. His wraparound presence always protects me as my champion defender. There’s no risk of failure with God! So why would I let worry paralyze me, even when troubles multiply around me? 7 God’s glory is all around me! His wraparound presence is all I need, for the Lord is my Savior, my hero, and my life-giving strength.
8 Trust only in God every moment! Tell him all your troubles and pour out your heart-longings to him. Believe me when I tell you—he will help you!

APPLICATION: When we are at our wits end and feel like there is no where else to turn, we often look for advice from family and friends that we believe care about us. There are times that many Christians will only want to speak with a pastor, when times are especially stressful and seem out of control. Like David, I believe that it is vitally important for others to know that we have first-hand experience about the subject we are asked to counsel on and share a reference on. For example, our personal testimony about what the Lord has done for us, is way more important to a friend than any Bible story we might share, or any recent story shared by our church pastor or leader. The latter is a third party reference, and we may leave out certain details, or we may add to the story to make it sound believable. In telling our own story, or testimony, we may show the emotions of the moment that we are sharing, or we may throw in some very personal feelings into the story. I am always thrilled at the way that David shares from such a sweet personal relationship with God. He personalizes the story and speaks of His Father in the first party. I might say that he (David) stood in silence before his God, the One whom he loved very deeply. David instead spoke of standing in the presence of the One I love! You may find room for error, or questioning in my story, but in David’s story it was very personal. Because David had such a personal relationship with the Father, he was able to safely say to others, I could afford to tell you to trust in God, because I did so, and He created for me a clear, safe path, fit for a king. I am confident as I suggest that you share your troubles with this loving God of mine, because I did so and He calmed me and made me rest besides still, peaceful waters. It seems like David was sharing that ‘you could go to the bank with this – He will help you if you only ask and believe in His awesome power. Friends, let me encourage you to share a first-hand experience with those you are witnessing to. I believe that they would rather know that this is a proven formula you are giving them! When you tell someone to ‘give it to Jesus’, hopefully you can support that with an example of something you gave to Jesus and you witnessed His awesome love in response to your request. Sure I might have a good story you might find worth sharing with your friends, but there is absolutely nothing better than your own personal experience with your Savior and your Lord!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: If Jesus did it for me, I am convinced He can do the same for you, if you believe and trust in Him. Teach us Lord to share all that You have done for us so that others will be encouraged to also ask You for help in their situations of life.

PRAYER: Thank You Lord for the peace that passeth all understanding. Thank You for the love that surpasses all other love, and thank You Lord for the assurance of knowing that one day soon we will meet You and the Father in Heaven, where will will sing and shout with the angels about our finally being ‘home’! Lord, You have been so personal to us in taking care of us and watching out for our every dilemma. Help us Lord to share these blessings with others. It’s always good to share how You blessed others, but may we make it a point to follow David’s example in sharing our story, our relationship with You, and our many blessings that we have been recipients of. Often we will share about many other earthly trips we have taken, gifts given to us, and people we have met, but we seem to shy off from sharing about how You have blessed us, Lord. Others need to know about You. May those we know, hear about our Lord because of the many times that we share our story with them. Reach out and touch your people today Oh Lord, so that the unsaved will be drawn to You and the saved will be encouraged. AMEN!

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

God Will Supply Our Needs

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

DATE WRITTEN: Friday, 2021-02-19
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: Matthew 14:19-21
TRANSLATION: The Passion Translation (TPT)

BIBLE TEXT: 19 Then he had everyone sit down on the grass as he took the five loaves and two fish. He looked up into heaven, gave thanks to God, and broke the bread into pieces. He then gave it to his disciples, who in turn gave it to the crowds. 20 And everyone ate until they were satisfied, for the food was multiplied in front of their eyes![f] They picked up the leftovers and filled up twelve baskets full! 21 There were about five thousand men who were fed, in addition to many women and children!

OBSERVATION: The crowd followed Jesus with hopes of seeing miracles performed, but little did they know that He was also capable of meeting their physical needs – like food. We are such a peculiar people, for we seek Jesus for our specific hurts and ailments while He knows so much more about what lies just ahead, that may impact us tomorrow. Perhaps today we will be reminded that He is God and that He knows what we need, in spite of our human limitations.

APPLICATION: After foot surgery, I remember returning to my Podiatrist and complaining of continued pain. He assessed the problem and remarked that had he known that I also had issues with another part of my foot, he could have also taken care of that while in surgery the first time. The crowd, mentioned in today’s Scripture, followed Jesus because they had similar ailments to those He had already healed, so they were hoping that they might be next in line. Of course they had also heard that Jesus was the promised Messiah, so they wanted to evaluate His ministry and determine for themselves if He truly was, who He said He was. The disciples had been with Jesus for a while now, and they had witnessed many miracles, yet they were still ‘worry warts’. They wanted the approval of Jesus to shoo the crowds away so that they could feed themselves, but just as in our world today, there is little chance that a crowd of 10,000 to 20,000 people would go down a hillside, walk into their homes and prepare supper, for many were probably from miles away. Besides that, what would the crowd think if the ‘miracle worker’ sent them away because He wasn’t capable of feeding them, or didn’t care about their hunger? Friends, Jesus knew all about the thoughts, actions and worries of the crowd, and He knew what worried His disciples. The Scriptrue declares that ALL things are possible with God, so of course Jesus knew how He could deal with the situation at hand. His disciples needed one more mighty act of God to strengthen their belief in their walk with Jesus. They needed reminding that instead of defaulting to a belief that something is impossible, they should run to the Master and seek His direction, or ask for His awesome mighty works. Does that sound a little like how you feel when life hits you head on with overwhelming challenges? Are you more apt to whine, complain and seek pity from your family and friends, or are you strong enough in your faith that you run to Jesus and seek His power over your situation? In our story today, Jesus didn’t stand for the crowd to go hungry – He loved them too much for that. Jesus saw the weakness and lack of faith in His disciples, and He wouldn’t stand for that. So He took charge and told the disciples and the crowd what to do, as He performed yet another miracle in their midst. This was a display of compassion, and a reenforcement of courage and faith for His disciples. I sincerely believe that today God knows what each of our needs are, and I am convinced that He is still all-powerful, all-loving and all-caring, and He will never leave us alone. He wants us to recognize Him as Father, Almighty God, Healer, Forgiver of our sins and our Eternal Father. Let’s me encourage you to place your faith and trust in God first, before you ever begin to worry or fret about life’s circumstances. He loves you dear friend!

PRAYER: Thank You for loving us enough, that You gave the very best available to You – Your one and only Son. Thank You for caring enough that You fed the thousands of people on that hillside in our story today. Thank You for the promises of Your Word in declaring that You will never leave us alone nor forsake us, for You came to rescue us from the evil of this world so that we may assume our rightful place next to You in heaven. Lord, we are overwhelmed with Your goodness and we are sorry that we ever resort to worry over the various challenges here on earth. Please help us to recognize the acts of provision and healing and encouragement that You place inside of us at just the right moments when we need it. Oh that others might see Jesus alive and active inside of us each and every day, so that they too might desire to know You personally. 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!

God Will Provide

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

DATE WRITTEN: Tuesday, 2021-01-26
WRITTEN AT: Paul B Johnson State Park, Hattiesburg, MS

BIBLE REFERENCE: Genesis 22:7-8; 14
TRANSLATION: Contemporary English Version (CEV)

BIBLE TEXT: 7-8 Isaac said, “Father, we have the coals and the wood, but where is the lamb for the sacrifice?”
“My son,” Abraham answered, “God will provide the lamb.”
The two of them walked on…
14 Abraham named that place “The Lord Will Provide.” And even now people say, “On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided.”[a]

OBSERVATION: Abraham had his faith tested in many ways, but at the very beginning of chapter 22, we are told that God put Abraham to the ultimate test. As we meditate on the Word of God today, let us place ourselves into the shoes of Abraham And his son, Isaac. What if God wanted to prove how faithful we are to His promises and His powerful hand? How would we respond to our orders to sacrifice our only child? Are we convinced, without a shadow of doubt, that God will provide?

APPLICATION: In the days of Abraham, it was commonplace to sacrifice animals at the altar of God. Abraham was used to that, and so was Isaac already aware of the requirements and practice of sacrifice. But, neither of these men were accustomed to human sacrifice, and I am amazed at how little God was questioned by either of these men for such a command from God. I want you to think with me about a time in your life where you felt like God may have tested you. Granted, it probably won’t be to the extent of what He asked Abraham to do, but none-the-less you felt like it was a test of your faith and you were committing to honor God without knowing how you would possibly accomplish such a feat. Pretty tough just thinking about the impact of such an event in your life, right? Well, let’s try and place ourselves in Isaac’s shoes. Dad calls him to go to the altar of God, and as always, you quickly prepare to make that journey without question. But something seems strange about this particular journey. You help to carry the wood to burn, and you notice that your dad is carrying the hot coals to start the fire, but you keep looking around wondering where your dad will collect the animal from for the sacrifice. Friends, there is no mention of Abraham questioning God, and no mention of an objection of any kind, but instead he walked towards the altar, set up the fire and was ready for the sacrifice ordered by God. However, in verse 8, notice that Abraham told his son not to worry, for God would provide the sacrifice. Isn’t it awesome when we know our God so intimately that we know deep in our heart that God would not take us anywhere that He would not see us through? Abraham knew that He served a God of love who would love him and care for his needs through every circumstance of life, including the frightening thought of sacrificing his only child. Then we might also consider the faith of Isaac. He was told get up on the altar, and I believe that he did this with grumbling or whining about why it had to be him. I believe that most young men may have fired a blow or two at their dad, being convinced that he must have lost his sense of reasoning. But instead, Isaac went along with God’s plan just like a lamb being prepped for slaughter. I believe that Abraham convinced Isaac that they served a great big God who promised never to leave them nor forsake them, and if He ordered a sacrifice so precious, He must have a bigger plan ahead that any of them could have imagined. I know that most of you reading this devotional will say confidently that you know that God is holy, and that He has all power to see you through every circumstance of life, but I wonder where the line is drawn. Are you willing to do anything that God asks of you? Perhaps if we did a better job of obeying God’s commands while here on earth, we might be better equipped to respond in great faith if given the ultimate test by Almighty God. Let’s learn to trust in God with all of our might, with every fiber of our being, knowing that He cares for us, and that if He takes us to it, He will see us thru it.

PRAYER: I’m afraid that You could easily say to many of Your children today, just like You said to Your disciples ‘oh ye of little faith’, for we say we believe, but often our faith is very thin, and perhaps almost nonexistent at times. Please humble us to look full into Your wonderful face and be reminded of who You are. You created everything around us, so why can’t we believe that You can direct us through difficult waters, and still be there to help us cross over Jordan in perfect wholeness. I’m afraid that we look too much at our own weakness and insecurities, and just can’t imagine a God who is so much more. We need You precious Lord. Please bless us richly so that we may be a blessing to others. We know that you will provide. Please help us in our unbelief. 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!

The Source of all Help!

On By Ed AlgreenIn God our Helper, God our Provider, Helper, Our Help comes from God, ProviderLeave a comment

SCRIPTURE  FROM:   Psalm 121:1-2 (VOICE)

TEXT:  1 I look up at the vast size of the mountains — from where will my help come in times of trouble?
2 The Eternal Creator of heaven and earth and these mountains will send the help I need.

OBSERVATION:   David was a simple man, and many of his writings reflect the time that he spent reflecting on, and enjoying the natural beauty that God provides. Standing at the foot of a huge mountain, you could only imagine how awesome it is in size, compared to the stature of a mere man. Therefore some would go to that mountain and look for help. But David found someone much bigger and ever so much more powerful that He chose to worship Him and make his petitions before Him. Do you run to the main source of all power for help?

APPLICATION:   It may be challenging for many of us to identify with the people of David’s day, because we may not see folk bowing down to a huge mountain, or a very tall building, or a vast ocean, asking for their help during the individual’s most challenging times. So this Scripture may not be meant for us, right? Not so quick my friend! Let’s think about our process today – what do most of us do? For the sake of time, I will only concentrate my thoughts about ‘self’ today: When things start to go wrong with our health, do we talk to the manufacturer first or do we run to another human first, and ask for an evaluation and possibly a few pills to help correct the matter? When there are challenges in our family, do we surrender to the Developer of that family unit and seek His guidance on seeing the issues, and look for God-led ideas on how to correct the matter? Do we sing God’s praises when things are really smooth in our family, then cry out in our petitions before Him when we feel helpless in correcting an obvious obstacle? Do we thank Him daily for our jobs and seek to learn ways from Him on how we might excel in our jobs, or do we take the easy way out and gripe and complain about every little thing, including having to get up and go to work? Notice that David never thought of using Google to help him resolve his concerns, nor did he bow before the huge mountain that he could see ahead of him, but instead he went to the One whose presence he felt along the still waters that he spoke of in Psalm 23, and the One he was convinced had restored his very soul, as reflected in that same chapter. Why David knew that God had created the huge mountain that stood before him at the time, and with just a little bit of faith, he could even ask God to move that mountain. So with those thoughts in mind, what kind of problem might David have had that would have forced him to look any further? Friends, that’s the same with you and I. There ain’t no problem big enough that our God can’t handle, no mountain tall enough that He can’t help us climb over, no ocean deep enough that He can’t help us cross over, so why is it that we would turn to anything, or anyone else? Let’s learn to ask others to pray with us, not for us, for this shows that we are in touch with God already over our situation. An old chorus reminds us to praise Him in the morning, praise Him in the evening and praise Him all day long. Let’s practice that, for it will remind us from whence comes our help, and we will be reminded to whom shall we run when we feel inadequate in our health, happiness, finances, family situations and in every aspect of our lives. He’s our Savior, our Healer, our Redeemer and our soon coming King! Do you know Him friend? Otherwise, to whom will you run?

PRAYER:   Heavenly Father, King of all kings and Lord of all lords. Thank you for looking at mankind, standing alongside a huge mountain, and still loving us as Your very own sons and daughters. What a joy to know You as Lord and Savior! Please open our eyes daily to the truths of Your Word so that we might be like You in every way, especially to a lost and dying world. People need the Lord. Oh that You may use even us to speak, love and act just like You. AMEN!

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

 

God’s In Control

On By Ed AlgreenIn All-powerful, Awesome God, Celebrate God, Chosen by God, Control, God our Helper, God our Provider, God's Power, Power of GodLeave a comment

Thursday, 2016-07-21

Scripture

Bible Reference: Job 34:10–13

Bible Text:  10 If any of you are smart, you will listen and learn that God All-Powerful
does what is right. 11 God always treats everyone the way they deserve, 12 and he is never unfair. 13 From the very beginning, God has been in control of all the world.

Bible Translation: The Contemporary English Version (CEV)

My Take

If, at work, I’m at the controls and operating the computer during a demonstration in the presence of an audience, I tend to be a little tensed and nervous at times, hoping that I’ll click on the right link, or get us to the next screen quickly and accurately. Recently I was at someone else’s office and they were ‘driving’ (operating the computer), and they quickly told me how stressed they were! Let’s consider that illustration together with the Word of God in the above verses. Wouldn’t it be easy to deduce that we would be a whole less stressed if we allow God to be God, instead of us trying to take that role on by doing things and making decisions without Him? Friends, we must always remember that, without our help, God created the universe; hung the stars in space; handled all of the intricate programming for the earth to spin just right so that we would receive the right amount, and duration, of sunlight. Recently I saw a photo of a waterfall coming down from a very high mountain. How is that possible? We usually dig deep into the ground for a well of water, do you suppose that anyone ever thought to go and dig at the top of a mountain? This is one of those unexplained wonders of the miraculous hand of God! So friends, why do you suppose that we fall into the tricks of Satan by thinking that our aches, pains, finances or other circumstances are beyond the ability of God to help us place in order? For those of us who have given God control of our lives, we are super blessed to be His child/His chosen one! He has already shown enough love for us that He sent His Son to Calvary as proof of His love and to provide a means of us getting to join Him in heaven, Can you even imagine how much more He has in store for His children? While this is reviving and encouraging for the believer in Jesus Christ, this should also be an answer to many who are stressed to the limit and need the hope of One who is greater than all of their concerns! May I encourage you to read my ‘Footnote’ for tips on how to know this Jesus of mine, this Strong One who has been in control of this world from the very beginning? I can assure you that you will never regret it!

Prayer

Heavenly Father, Creator of this world and of every human being, thank You for accepting us as your children, and for allowing us access to Your throne. Please help us to place our faith and trust in You and Your awesome power. Our issues often appear very large and insurmountable to us, but when we consider the awesome works of Your hand, we can rest assured knowing that we’re in good hands.Thank You Father for loving us enough to care so much about us. Please help us to show our appreciation and respect of your power, by giving You full control of our lives. Lord, rule in us and show Your power through us as we share Your love with others. In the wonderful name of Jesus I ask these things, 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!

The Creation of My Awesome God!

On By Ed AlgreenIn Bible Believing, Christian, Disciple, God our Provider, PraiseLeave a comment

The Bible – The Good News Translation

Psalm 104:13–15

13             From the sky you send rain on the hills, and the earth is filled with your blessings.

14             You make grass grow for the cattle and plants for human beings to use, so that they can grow their crops

15             and produce wine to make them happy, olive oil to make them cheerful, and bread to give them strength.

Thoughts:

I am blessed to enjoy a short vacation this week, so as I meditate on this scripture I can hear the ocean waves beating against the shoreline, I can overlook the vastness of the ocean, the beauty of the land as it tapers off into the ocean waters (the beach), and the shrubbery that is specific to this area and tolerant of the salt sprays from the ocean. In addition to its beauty and the amazement of my wonderful God, I am overwhelmed by the stubbornness of man who is forced to obey government rules and regulations concerning our beaches and adjacent properties, and they are forced to cooperate with the rules of nature/God by planting the right kind of shrubs for the brutal salt sprays, yet we are challenged to convince these same men that there is a God who loves them even more than the waters and the earth. Isn’t it interesting that God is patient with these smart men in their ignorance and rejection, and He will forgive them at their request when coming to Him for salvation? David also recognized the awesomeness of all that surrounded him, so he expressed the inner joy and appreciation in the value of the rain, and the lush growth of plants around him. These plants were not just another pesky bush that he had to complain about trimming, but David recognized that had it not been for God providing these specific plants, he and others, like you and I, would be cheated from valuable things like wine, olive oil and bread. Friends it is not our responsibility to prove to non-believers that God exist, it is our duty to God to boast about the power of God that saved us from our sin, and that all the many things around them us were created and strategically placed because of the wonder, majesty, power and awesome love of our Provider, our maker, our Savior and our Lord. Please be reminded that we can save no one. We merely express what’s in our heart. God will use that little, to accomplish much for His ultimate glory. I am reminded in another scripture verse where Jesus said that if His disciples kept quiet the very stones will cry out/sing praise (Luke 19:40). We are not challenged to find words to praise our kids and grand-kids, why are we so challenged to sing the praises of our Creator? Could it be that our relationship with God is not where it needs to be? Draw close to God dear friend, so that He can draw near to you. He loves You and wants to be involved in your life.

Prayer:

Lord, I praise You for who You are, and for the beauty of all that You have provided for us to enjoy and benefit from. You not only made us in Your wonderful image, but You followed through by providing everything we need to survive, and even things to enhance our worship of You. You are awesome Mighty God! Thank You for being my Master and yet my friend. I honor You today and I thank You for providing everything around me to enjoy, both for peace of mind and rejuvenation but also for survival through the foods that I eat and the air that I breathe. As David reminds me, this earth is filled with Your blessings and Your awesome touch. Thank you for being my God, my Lord and my Savior. I adore You heavenly Father. May You be praised by every living soul this day, especially those that may meditate on this devotional. I praise You, and ask all this, in Your most holy and awesome 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.

You Have All That You Need

On By Ed AlgreenIn All have sinned, Bible Believing, Christian, Eternal Life, Faith, Follow Jesus, Fruit of the Spirit, God our Helper, God our Provider, Helper, Holy Spirit, Humility, Imitator of Christ, Listen to the Word of God, Love, Obedience, Our Help comes from God, Pleasing to God, Praise, Purity, Reflecting Christ, Righteousness, Trust, Truthful, Victorious LifeLeave a comment

The Bible – New Living Translation

1 Corinthians 1:7–9

7 Now you have every spiritual gift you need as you eagerly wait for the return of our Lord Jesus Christ. 8 He will keep you strong to the end so that you will be free from all blame on the day when our Lord Jesus Christ returns. 9 God will do this, for he is faithful to do what he says, and he has invited you into partnership with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Thoughts:

I was reminded of my working career where, from time to time, I go off to conferences or training seminars to sharpen my skills and make me a better employee. These verses made me think about this, because when we surrendered our lives to the lordship of our Lord Jesus, we were given everything that we need to succeed as a Christian. So why do we go to church? Much like I said in my career, we go to church to receive that ‘tune up’, that personal accountability where we allow God’s Word to challenge our lives and show us what we need to do differently in order to be best aligned with His will. Furthermore, Paul reminded the Corinthians of the importance to be blameless when Christ returns. This is vitally important for two reasons: 1). We don’t know the day or the hour when Jesus Christ will return, so we need to be ready and watching at all times, and this must be in a blameless fashion if we are to join Him when He returns; and 2). We need to be holy as Christ is holy, so that we can be the proper representation of Him to our lost family and friends, while we are still on this earth. If we are not blameless before them, we will be considered hypercritical and undesirable to anyone else. The reassurance in these verses can be found in verse 8, for Paul reminds us that God will keep us strong to the end! Praise God that He watches out for us and directs us as needed so that we may remain strong in Him. Now all we need to do is to free ourselves of any rebellion and allow Him to do His mighty work in us. May it be so, God being our helper!

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, it is so very interesting to see how your people are the same today as they were in Paul’s day. We still tend to rebel at times and pretend like we have everything under control. Unfortunately, we know full well that we can do nothing without Your strength and Your guidance. Thank You for our pastors and church leaders who teach us Your Word and gently guide us into the path of righteousness so that we may stay aligned with Your Word, accountable to You, and a bold, honest example to our lost family and friends. Lord, may Your perfect will be made whole in my life today, and may Your presence be so bold in the lives of those that may read this devotional, and in the lives of those that we come into contact with. As Paul reminds us in this scripture this morning, You are faithful to what You have said in Your Word, so I rest in the comfort of Your loving arms and depend on Your guidance and perfect will to be accomplished in all things that I may be involved in today. I serve an awesome God in whom I rejoice today! Praising Him and asking for ongoing guidance in the precious and loving name of Jesus, my 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.

Lip Service vs True Repentance

On By Ed AlgreenIn Bible Believing, Christian, Discerning, Encourage, Eternal Life, Faith, Follow Jesus, Forgiveness, God our Helper, God our Provider, Helper, Holy Spirit, Imitator of Christ, Sin, Things that make God angryLeave a comment

The Bible – New Living Translation

Psalm 78:36-39

36 But all they gave him was lip service; they lied to him with their tongues.

37 Their hearts were not loyal to him. They did not keep his covenant.

38 Yet he was merciful and forgave their sins and did not destroy them all. Many times he held back his anger and did not unleash his fury!

39 For he remembered that they were merely mortal, gone like a breath of wind that never returns.

Thoughts:

In this Psalm we are reminded of all the good that God did for the Israelites as they traveled through the wilderness for 40 years, and also all the bad or challenging things that God had to do in an effort to get the attention of the people and to see them return to Him, recognize Him as God and worship Him once again. It reminds me so much about our people today that I wanted to share these thoughts with you. You see, God blessed the Israelites in some very wonderful ways, including providing their daily food from heaven. Yes, in a way that they couldn’t help but recognize that it was from God. To the other extreme, He caused the death of their strongest men, hoping to get the attention of His people, but to no avail. He started taking the lives of those very close to them, and it got their attention, but it was only temporary. In fact these verses quoted above state that they only gave ‘lip service’ for their hearts were still hardened. Friends this reminds me so much of what I have seen over the years right here in our own country. Disasters have brought many to the church and many to the Lord, but it must have only been ‘lip service’ as they soon faded away and returned to their life of sin and rebellion. Could it be that we are putting way too much dependence in verses 38 and 39? Could it be that we are waiting for danger to strike very near to home before we kneel before the Father and plead for forgiveness of our sin and rebellion? An important note to us all is that Jesus knows even our inmost thoughts, so He knows when we make decisions under duress from family, friends or the preacher. Friends, God was so serious about His love for us, and so concerned about making provisions for us to enter heaven, that He allowed His one and only Son, Jesus, to die a cruel death on a cross, so that when we become serious about surrendering our life to Him we wouldn’t have to look for additional sacrifices, but merely talk to Jesus and accept His gift of love. Are you like the Israelites where you accepted the gift(s) of God (Jesus as Lord and Savior) at some point in your life, but have since returned to your old life of sin and disregard for the gospel? Please don’t wait for another disaster to occur, recommit your life to Jesus today and be reconciled with Him. He loves the repentant sinner and would welcome you back in a heartbeat. Please contact me if I might be of any help to you friend.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, thank You for loving me enough that You sacrificed Your only Son to die on Calvary’s cross so that I might have life eternal. You did this in spite of the sin in this world – an act of love in its purest form. Please forgive me for the times that I allow sin to enter my life and distract me from Your commands. Please touch the hearts of all those that may meditate on this devotional today, and help us to be so committed to You that our family and friends will also have a desire to recommit their lives to You and live as You intended and instructed. There is so much sin and evil around us Lord, that we need a fresh touch from You so that Your power will become very evident to us and that our personal desires would fade away as we welcome Your grace and Your power. In 1 Peter 1:22 we are reminded that obedience to Your Word will be evidence of the One to whom we belong. Lord, please grant Your servants a deep, sincere heart of obedience today, is my humble prayer that I ask in Your precious and wonderful 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.

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.

May We Rule In Righteousness

On By Ed AlgreenIn A Lamp unto My Path, Bold Confidence, Follow Jesus, God our Helper, God our Provider, Helper, Motivate, Obedience, Our Help comes from God, Pleasing to God, RighteousnessLeave a comment

The Bible – The Good News Translation

Psalm 72:1-5

1               Teach the king to judge with your righteousness, O God; share with him your own justice, 2   so that he will rule over your people with justice and govern the oppressed with righteousness.

3               May the land enjoy prosperity; may it experience righteousness.

4               May the king judge the poor fairly; may he help the needy and defeat their oppressors.

5               May your people worship you as long as the sun shines, as long as the moon gives light, for ages to come.

Thoughts:

As I read the Word this morning I was touched by David’s request. Not only that he, as the greatest king of his time, would humble himself to ask such a thing of God, but as in vs 5, that he would do it to enhance the worship of his people. I feel like that’s the same thing as me asking such a favor of God not so that I might be lifted up in the eyes of my management team, but in order for my staff to receive a bigger raise this year, or to give my staff reason to recognize God’s hand at work and that they would be prompted to attend church services if only to give God praise for His mighty work, even in the heart of their boss. Friends, if we had more Godly managers and business owners, we wouldn’t need half the laws introduced by our government leaders, because businesses would not be out to gouge their customers or steal from the government. Furthermore, our churches would be filled with worshipers anxious to praise God the Father for having such great places to work, and desiring to have a heart like their employers. Wouldn’t that totally be a turn in events that would set us on fire for the Lord? I can only imagine that we would awake each morning super anxious to go to work and to give our employers an honest day’s work, with great expectations of them being very successful in the marketplace! Business owners, managers, supervisors, seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be added unto you, just stand by and watch the hand of God work mightily in the success of your businesses and in happy employees anxious to offer up praises to God for their place of employment!

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, although I am not ruler over a kingdom like David was, I am responsible for employees, my family and other domestic employees that may work for me from time to time. Please work in the life of this son of yours and continue to give me guidance that I might manage and/or rule in a manner that is pleasing to You and that might bring glory to You by others under my supervision/management. It’s all about You Lord! To God be all glory, for I ask 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.