Category: Greatest Need

Our Daily Need For God

On By Ed AlgreenIn A Lamp unto My Path, Adoration, Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Awesome God, Beyond Description, Blessing, Celebrate God, Greatest Need, Needs, Praise, Praise-worthy, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED: Wednesday, 2023-03-08
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Psalm 143:6-8
TRANSLATION: New Living Translation (NLT)

BIBLE TEXT: 6 I lift my hands to you in prayer. I thirst for you as parched land thirsts for rain. Interlude
7 Come quickly, Lord, and answer me, for my depression deepens. Don’t turn away from me, or I will die.
8 Let me hear of your unfailing love each morning, for I am trusting you. Show me where to walk, for I give myself to you.

OBSERVATION: Although David’s issue may have been different to what any of my readers or listeners might face today, yet David served the same God that we do today, and He knew where to turn to when things were beyond his control. In his prayer, or conversation with God, we can be reminded of some key elements that we need each day to help us make it through. So, take a few moments to meditate on the Word of God with me, as we seek His face and His favor.

APPLICATION: When we are hurting in our bodies and our health seems questionable, we turn to our Primary Care Physician, or our family doctor. However, there are days that we just need a friend to talk to, with hopes of lifting our spirits and gaining more hope about the challenges we expect to face that day. Some turn to the daily horoscope, some to palm readers and some confide in friends or family who may have faced similar challenges in the past. But David had a proven track record with the Master – the Lord God Almighty, so I believe this was his first stop for help. In today’s world of social media, we read where some will demand certain actions of God, for they feel empowered to do this from certain Scriptures that they have interpreted a little differently to most of us. Personally, I tend to follow in similar footsteps to what David did. I believe David had such respect for God, that he probably bowed before Him in deep respect, or he may have even laid prostrate before a holy, righteous and upright God. David didn’t ‘beat around the bush’, as we sometimes tend to do. He openly acknowledged that it was not just happenchance that he chose to approach the throne of God, but he chose to approach God from a very desperate point in his life. He used a neat description to help explain how desperately he needed God and his help. So he went before God in prayer with lifted hands – declaring honor and praise to the King of all kings. When our land is parched from lack of rain, the ground cracks open ready to receive the blessing of rain when God determines the time is right. That’s how David felt in his need for God to rescue him in his desperation. That reminds me of mankind when we’ve tried every possible solution, then we finally turn to God in one final, desperate attempt to find answers. Notice that David was no different to us, in that this heavy burden was having an impact on his mental condition, for he was depressed, and he could even feel it worsening. However, our main lesson comes in verse 8, for David must have felt like something had come between he and God, for he asked that God fill him and place him on a right track each and every morning. Earlier I alluded to the fact that we tend to turn to God when all personal efforts have failed. What if we face each day with a prerequisite: I will make it a priority to seek the face of God – the One who created this day for me, and after much praise and honor to Him, I will open His Word to seek His will for me this day, and to ask Him to be my guide and help in every circumstance that comes my way today. Do you suppose that God will hear our prayer, see us turn from our wicked and selfish ways, and He will direct our paths towards opportunities that will promote the kingdom of God and remind every contact that Jesus is alive and well, because of the evidence they see in you and me? It worked for David, my friend, and I am convinced that it will work for you and me, because our God is still the same today as He was yesterday. I believe He anxiously awaits hearing from us each morning, so that He could bless us and send us on our way to be a blessing. Let’s not disappoint Him.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: I am trusting you, Lord. Show me where to walk, for I give myself to you.

PRAYER: Thank You Lord for another day. I know You created this day, and You created me and all those I will make contact with today. I believe that You have a divine appointment for me today, so I place myself at Your disposal. Please clean me up really good. Forgive me of my sin and make me whole again and a usable vessel through which You could complete Your work. Please place me in the right situations today where you can accomplish Your work through me. Please help me approach today’s challenges in the right way and through Your help, may I have the right words and actions to show someone my Master. Please touch the lives of each reader and/or listener and help them see You in some form today so that they might be reenergized to display Your works and honor Your will for their lives. Please speak to the hearts of the unsaved again today. Help them see You in real and meaningful ways so they will surrender themselves to 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 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!

Workers Needed

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Discipline, Greatest Need, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Recognize Needs, Salvation, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Sunday, 2023-01-29
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: 1 Chronicles 16:39; 41;
TRANSLATION: New Living Translation (NLT)

BIBLE TEXT: 39 Meanwhile, David stationed Zadok the priest and his fellow priests at the Tabernacle of the Lord at the place of worship in Gibeon, where they continued to minister before the Lord. 
41 David also appointed Heman, Jeduthun, and the others chosen by name to give thanks to the Lord, for “his faithful love endures forever.” 

APPLICATION: To give you a little insight into what I saw as I read this Scripture, imagine a new pastor beginning at your church, and in his first meeting with the leadership, he requests a fairly large number of workers to see that the ministry he feels led of God to carry out, is effective. He envisions lots of young families to attend, so there will be a need for adequate childcare; children’s ministry; married couple’s ministry; mom’s day out ministry; then there’s discipleship offered by older men to young men, and the same for the women; ministry to the elderly and shut-ins; prayer and evangelism workers who will work with church attendees who respond to the Gospel message; at least a 12-hour presence in the sanctuary ever day of the week to pray with folk that may walk in; outreach to the lost in the community; visitation and prayer with the hospitalized; and more – as God directs. What do you suppose this leadership team will do with this pastor? Or do you suppose this will acknowledge his vision and do everything they could for this pastor and his vision? I bet you may never have thought of all these ministries taking place in your church, especially since you only tend to attend the Sunday morning service! I find it interesting to stop and consider the needs of a church when I attend. Last Sunday, my wife and I attended Sunday School. It occurred 1 hour before the regular morning worship service. I was well aware that visitors were not expected. There was no one to greet us, even though we saw several attending to the various doors when it was about for the Worship Service to begin. There were no signs pointing visitors to a class, and some members that we asked wasn’t even sure where they should send us. I did something similar another time, when I attended the Wednesday night prayer and bible study of a different church. I wasn’t sure which door to enter, and once inside, I could not figure out where the adults were meeting. No one thought to welcome me, nor ask why I was there. Finally, after some questioning, one lady spoke up and offered to take me to the mixed group that she was attending. Now, in spite of all said, I was so impressed with the teaching that night that I made that my new church home. But what if your church wanted to introduce one or more ministries, and they wanted each ministry to have the same, or similar, workers as available on Sunday morning throughout their sanctuary? I believe each of you will agree that we shouldn’t expect anything less, right? After all, each time we meet we expect God to move. And because of this, we want the unsaved to attend. And we don’t want a recurrence of what I experienced at the midweek service or at Sunday School. Now we might be tempted to say that David had a lot more folk available to him to man the Tabernacle, but I really think that we should look inward and see what we could do to fill the gaps, instead of looking for ways to complain of the inadequacies and gaps at our church. There’s a saying that ‘it takes a village to raise a child’. I like that, but I also feel like it takes all of us to do our part in making our church a welcoming place, and one that truly does what it’s mission should be all about – disciplining (teaching and growing) the saved; evangelizing (a call to salvation in Jesus Christ) the unsaved attendees; and outreach to members of our community. I believe that God would say that it takes the church ‘village’ to accomplish this mission, not just the Pastor or his elders and/or deacons. Also, consider stragglers walking along our streets who suddenly feel the need to meet with Jesus, or a call on their life for salvation. Will they find help at your church? Almost all of our churches are barred up, due to crime, while members sit at home watching television or joining in on the community gossip channel! How will they find Jesus if we neglect doing our part to teach and show them the Jesus that lives inside of us?

BLESSING(S) NOTED: God’s faithful love endures forever!

PRAYER: Thank You Lord Jesus for blessing me with a good church home, awesome fellow believers and teachers, and a heart that wants to learn more and more about you and Your Kingdom. I’m still far from perfect, so I really need Your touch on my life and a renewed desire to do everything I can for the good of Your Kingdom. Please speak to my readers and listeners, and help us all to stop assigning visitation, evangelism, outreach, welcoming and everything else to our Pastor. I believe Your Word is clear that the ‘church’ must be the ‘church’ – Your arm of ministry to touch the hearts of the lost in our community. People we know, love, and come across every day, need the Lord – the same Lord that we boast of having inside of us. Teach us Lord to willingly share Your love and ministry with others who also need You. David showed us that for ministry to take place, he had to assign various aspects of it to his people. Help us Lord to share the various aspects of ministry today with all who would join hands with us in sharing Your love with others. Have Your will and way in Your church, and in the lives of all who call You Savior and Lord. The lost needs what we have, please teach us to be generous in sharing and giving Your love to them. 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!

The Lord Needs It?

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Greatest Need, Needs, Needs of others, Praise, Recognize God, Recognize Needs, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Friday, 2022-07-22
WRITTEN AT: Orlando, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Mark 11:2-3
TRANSLATION: The Voice (VOICE)

BIBLE TEXT: 2 Go to that village over there. As soon as you get into the town, you’ll see a young colt tied that nobody has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it back to Me. 3 If anybody stops you and asks what you’re doing, just say, “The Lord needs it, and He will send it back right after He’s done.”

APPLICATION: The Lord has need? Why would the Creator of all things have need of anything? Remember He also had reason for a borrowed manger, a boat, a donkey, an upper room, and a tomb. He who was rich, for our sakes became poor (2 Corinthians 8:9). Why? He chose to place Himself in a position where He would need to partner with us in order to see His will worked out through us. Isn’t this is incredible! God didn’t have to go that route. But He chose to place Himself in a position where He will not do what He desires to do in our families, communities, workplaces, marriages, or schools without our partnering with Him. Why? Could it be that He’s getting us ready for the next billion years when we will be ruling and reigning with Him? Let me encourage you to regularly pray, study the Word, worship and fellowship with other believers? Somehow, it seems like in God’s economy, His blessings and His moving in this world are linked to our participation. I wonder if one of the mind-blowing moments in heaven might not be when we see what could have happened in the lives of our relatives, friends, and communities had we taken seriously the possibility of partnering with God instead of acting as if the Lord didn’t need us. Way too often we tend to sit back and expect others to teach, or witness, or befriend the needy, but God has placed us here for a purpose. Yes, God can touch the hearts of those He created, but He also created intelligent humans like you and I, and throughout Scripture He insists that we go out and preach the Gospel, and to be the hands and feet of Jesus right where we are. I firmly believe that God places us where we are for a purpose, and He wants to bless us with the abilities and opportunities to bless others and encourage them to a close and intimate walk with the Creator. Let’s never be found guilty of failing to share that which God has blessed us with. May He always be glorified and lifted up through us, and His desire for our earthly ministry be fulfilled to His complete satisfaction.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: We may often sing that old hymn ‘I need Thee every hour’, but with today’s reminder, may we always seek to follow the commands of our Father and meet His needs!

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, You are always faithful to us. May we strive for perfection in Your eyes and honor Your every command. Make us strong, bold and committed to do Your will naturally, as part of our everyday life, so that others will not be confused about what You look like, love like and are committed to. People need the Lord. May they always see you in every action and/or word from Your humble servants. 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!

Illustrate Your Current Need for the Lord

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Everything We Need, Greatest Need, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Wednesday, 2021-07-28
WRITTEN AT: Hattiesburg, MS

SCRIPTURE FROM: Psalm 42:1-2
TRANSLATION: Contemporary English Version (CEV)

BIBLE TEXT: 1 As a deer gets thirsty for streams of water, I truly am thirsty for you, my God. 2 In my heart, I am thirsty for you, the living God.…

APPLICATION: God created us with great purpose, and with a built-in desire to recognize and worship the God of this universe. No matter how much we struggle with various worldly concerns, we can look around us and hear the rustling brook and the chirping birds that are as happy as they could possible be. Regardless of our commitment in life regarding salvation, we all know deep inside that there is a God and that He loves us unconditionally – beyond anyone, or anything that we could possibly understand. For the person struggling with believing in God, that quickly changes when they are faced with a challenge bigger than anything they have witnessed here on earth in their lifetime. David had struggled with a lot, and every time he felt like he was safe, another of King Saul’s men would search him out. I believe that are representative of David, when we feel like we are going through a spell of quiet from God. We might often feel like God has retired, or just ignoring us. But it could very well be that God is creating such a thirst inside of us, that we will be forced to evaluate our inner soul and not only find the things that are keeping us away from a closer relationship with God, but also helping us to more deeply desire our Creator. Friends, I believe that Satan’s number one priority is to pull us away from God, whereas God’s priority is to love us and comfort us into a peace that surpasses all understanding. This develops a desire in our soul to want more of our Master, and to draw close to Him so that He may bless, and bless our every desire and move. In your mind today, who has control? Is Satan winning the battle, or are you in much the same mode as David where you are longing for more of our God? Satan is bound to continue leading you along the path to Hell and eternal damnation, while God loves His creation and wants your soul to desire more of Him and eternity in heaven with He and His precious Son. For as much as lies within you dear friend, whom do you think will win your soul? My faithful and heartfelt desire is that you will be by my side around the throne of God in Heaven. I pray that your soul will burn deep inside for more of Jesus Christ and to know Him intimately. Whenever you are feeling far from God, try running a test by evaluating what your soul is panting for. If the answer is not Jesus Christ, then let me encourage you to refresh your commitment to Him, read His Word faithfully and reach out to Him in prayer. He will hear your heart’s cry and fill you with more of Himself.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Just as a deer pants for water in a dry and thirsty land, so will we desperately desire God when we have drifted away from Him, or need more of Him.

PRAYER: Praise You Lord, there is something about our King that our hearts burn for. We are reminded daily that we can’t handle this old wicked and cruel world, so we reach out to You, Lord, in desperation, knowing that You can supply all our needs and encourage us beyond anything that this old world throws at us. Please give us the assurance to go on, knowing that the King of all kings and Lord of all lords has our hand and will keep us until that day we are called home to glory! Oh, What a day that will be! 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!

Determined To Be With Jesus

On By Ed AlgreenIn Cross, Determined, Easter, Good News, Greatest Need, Healing, Needs, Persistence, SalvationLeave a comment

Tuesday, 2019-04-16

Bible Reference: Mark 2:2-5
Translation: New Living Translation (NLT)

Bible Text: 2  ….While he was preaching God’s word to them, 3 four men arrived carrying a paralyzed man on a mat. 4 They couldn’t bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, so they dug a hole through the roof above his head. Then they lowered the man on his mat, right down in front of Jesus. 5 Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, “My child, your sins are forgiven.”

OBSERVATION: The determination of these men carrying the paraplegic is to be admired. They didn’t let the crowds stop them, nor the leaders that were probably there helping with crowd control. They didn’t let the walls of the building stop them, for they got up on the roof with the man on the stretcher. The roof was no hindrance, for they dug a hole through it that was large enough to fit a stretcher through it – probably 80″ by 30″ or more. They had a determination to get their friend before Jesus, no matter what obstacles stood in their way.

APPLICATION: I wonder how disappointed the men were after going through all that they did, yet when Jesus saw the young man He didn’t immediately address the issue of paralysis, but rather attended to the condition of his heart and his readiness to meet God. I wonder how much this story parallels our earnest prayers to God, where we are concerned for our family and friends’ welfare or health, but seldom show deep concern for the salvation of their soul for eternity? Would we ‘go to bat’ over their salvation as much as we would for other things in their life that we feel might impact their normal living here on earth? How often do we forget that the things of this earth are temporal and could very easily be gone today or tomorrow? Yet the condition of their soul will determine their eternity. Should we be concerned for the physical, financial and personal welfare of our friends? If we didn’t then one would question if they are truly our friends, but I believe Jesus showed the Pharisees, and is showing us, that there is one concern that trumps all other concerns in life, and that is the spiritual condition of the individual. When you know that your friend is ready to meet their Savior and Lord, and that they are living daily to be more like Him here on earth, then all other needs will fall into place, for God cares intimately for His children and He will not bring anything on us beyond what we can bear, nor will He burden us with anything that will not bring glory to Himself. So friends, let me encourage you this Easter weekend, to look just a little differently at those you love and will spend time with this weekend. Look beyond their physical and material needs and pray with them about their spiritual needs, should there be a need to do that. Our greatest need in life is to be the individual that God designed us to be – one that will worship Him and bring glory to Him, in everything we do, until Jesus returns to take us all home to heaven to spend eternity with He and His Father. I’m ready for that reunion friends, and I want each of you, and all of my family and friends to also be ready to join me for that meeting at the foot of the cross! Oh ‘What a Day That will Be’!

PRAYER: Than You Jesus for all that You willingly did that very first ‘Good Friday’ and the glory of that first ‘Easter’ morning! As we celebrate the events of that occasion again this year, I pray that although we will be touched by the drama of all that You went through, yet we will never lose sight of the fact that You did it all for us. Thank You Lord Jesus! I am eternally grateful Heavenly Father! In much the same way that You were willing to do whatever it took to save Your children from the awful stain of sin and damnation, I pray that each of us will commit to being so concerned about our family and friends that we would recommit to sharing Your love with them and allowing them to see the meaning of the cross and the possibilities of their eternity with You. There was nothing more important to You Lord Jesus. I pray that we would be very much the same in our concern for others. May You be glorified and lifted up this weekend, for I ask these things in the precious name of the crucified, yet risen Lord Jesus, AMEN!

Walk a Day In My Shoes

On By Ed AlgreenIn Everything We Need, Greatest Need, Know and Believe, Know God's Heart, Needs of others, Recognize NeedsLeave a comment

SCRIPTURE  FROM:   1 Corinthians 9:22-23 (ERV)

TEXT:   22 To those who are weak, I became weak so that I could help save them. I have become all things to all people. I did this so that I could save people in any way possible. 23 I do all this to make the Good News known. I do it so that I can share in the blessings of the Good News.

OBSERVATION:   Paul realized that he could share the Good News of Jesus Christ with every Christian gathering and they would totally get it, but should he walk down the street or around the corner, folk might wonder if he was from a different planet! I don’t believe that has changed, for we sometimes speak a totally foreign language, compared to the ordinary person on the street or the executive who has his nose in the financial books most of his life. Let’s see what we could glean from this scripture and how we might apply it….

APPLICATION:   First of all, let me emphasize that I firmly believe Jesus came to save all  people groups of the world, no matter your education status; your skin color; your culture; your financial status; the sin you have committed; etc, etc. Paul saw a challenge, that I believe still exists today – who will tell them? There’s an old proverb that says ‘Birds of a feather flock together’. There may be many applications for that proverb, but I believe the primary fault with it, is that we tend to become a very exclusive group of folk that either worship together, or play together, or visit one another. I almost left out the last option, because so few of us visit one another anymore. So what does this all boil down to? Well, unfortunately, I believe that it points to the idea that we quickly form little groups of like minded, like cultured, like financially,  type people. These are the folk that we worship with, visit and feel closest to. However, we also know that God came to seek and to save ALL that are lost, all that are hurting and need a Savior. So if we are His missionaries and His hands and feet on the ground, what will we find to respond when asked about serving or ministering to the unlikely person stuck with living under that nearby bridge, or sleeps outside of the liquor store for the convenience of being there when it opens next morning? How do you suppose you would think about these scenarios if you were to follow Paul’s example? How do you feel like you could reach these unlikely folk for Jesus? Will you have a satisfactory response for Jesus when He questions you about your work on earth, including ministering to all people in need? Please know that our response to God concerning that man we pay a salary to at church to do all of this, will probably not be what God is looking for. We are all called to ‘go into all the world and proclaim the name of Jesus Christ as the only saving grace from our sins’. If you truly want to understand that person from another culture, ask if you could join him for a day, so that you might walk in his shoes and understand the challenges that he faces each day.

PRAYER:   Heavenly Father, thank You for Jesus, our Redeemer, Savior and Friend. Thank You for His demonstration of humility in meeting the needs of people from all walks of life. I’m not sure how we got separated from that and have formed such exclusive groups that often do not include all of society, but Lord You have opened my eyes and reminded me of the need to reach the whole world for Your kingdom’s sake. Please give us wisdom and boldness to tear down those walls of division and rejection. You are known for Your love; encouragement; humbleness; caring; and everlasting hope, among many other attributes. Please help us to be imitators of You, and spread these same attributes to all people, without any walls, so that the world might know You and see You lived out in our lives every day. Thank You Lord Jesus! 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!

 

Tell Everyone What Jesus Did For You

On By Ed AlgreenIn Greatest Need, Personal testimony, Salvation, Share, Share God’s Word, TestimonyLeave a comment

Post Date:

 Thursday, 2018-04-26
SCRIPTURE

From:

 Mark 5:18-20 (TLB)

Text:

 18 So he got back into the boat. The man who had been possessed by the demons begged Jesus to let him go along. 19 But Jesus said no. “Go home to your friends,” he told him, “and tell them what wonderful things God has done for you; and how merciful he has been.”20 So the man started off to visit the Ten Towns of that region and began to tell everyone about the great things Jesus had done for him; and they were awestruck by his story.
OBSERVATION:
The appointment that Jesus had with the demon possessed man led to a total change in his life. He knew that he would benefit from being around Jesus even more, so he pleaded with Him to allow him to travel with Him. That would have been safe, secure and perhaps filled with ongoing miracles, but Jesus had a much bigger mission in mind for this man – to share his miracle of ‘new life’ with others, so that they too might see and believe – just like our personal witnessing/ministry today!
APPLICATION:
Imagine how small Christendom would be if, when folk went into a place like a church, they found Jesus, accepted Him as Lord and personal Savior, and never came back outside. Not only would the outside world never hear their gripping story, but they would think the worst of what must have become of them. Friends, it is one thing for the world to hear about some of the things that go on inside places of worship, but it is a totally more convincing fact for them to witness what happened in a life that was totally torn by sin, but have since seen a 180 degree change in their conviction, their lifestyle and in their demeanor. So often we hear the saying ‘what’s inside will come out’, and we see that materialize through the various ones that we encounter each day, but I must also share with you that if a change occurred inside of you, and you are not living out that change, then one might question if anything ever truly changed in you. Let’s consider briefly an example – a frequent visitor to the local pub, who most evenings have to be driven home because he would get too intoxicated to walk straight or drive home. This gentleman was introduced to Jesus and he accepted Jesus as Lord of his life. While a total change came about in his life, and he had no more desire to hang out in places where the Holy Spirit would not feel comfortable, he comes across his bar-hoping buddies from time to time. Much like the demon-freed man, this new convert made it a point to get in the way of his buddies, and he openly shared his story with them. Friends, this gentleman didn’t automatically become a preacher, but he had a story about how his life was changed. Sharing your story with others is often more powerful than reading the scriptures to your friends. Imagine, you are sharing a personal experience you had with God, not just about a prophet or healing that took place thousands of years ago that Bible writers told you about. Please don’t misunderstand, the Bible is the Holy Word of God and it always has the power to save and draw people to Christ. However, when you have bathed yourself in the Word, your personal story will be especially important to share with folk who need to know that our Savior lives, and He is active in our lives even today!
PRAYER:
Heavenly Father, thank You for Your grace that saved a wretch like me, who was steeped in sin and had no hope of eternity. Much like the demon possessed man in our story, You accepted my plea for salvation and forgave me of my sin. I am eternally grateful for that dear Jesus. Much like our subject today, I am most comfortable around Your people who think much the same way as I do. But praise be to God, You allow me opportunities to ‘go back home’ and share the Good News of my Savior. Many of you reading this blog may fit into a similar mold as described. Let us pray that as we are taken outside of our comfort zone, that God would provide the opportunities to share Christ and to bring Light into the darkest lives of those who need a change. Out story is super important, please help us to ensure that it becomes very evident to the hearer that it is You who influence our lives each day, and You who saved us from a life destined for Hell and transformed us into a child of the King! Lord, may this be the day that ‘our story’ will lead someone to knowing more about 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 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!

Jesus’ Definition of ‘Greatness’

On By Ed AlgreenIn Children, Greatest Need, Humble, Our Great BIG GodLeave a comment

Post Date:

 Sunday, 2017-07-23
SCRIPTURE

From:

 Luke 9:46-48 (TLB)

Text:

  46 Now came an argument among them as to which of them would be greatest in the coming Kingdom! 47 But Jesus knew their thoughts, so he stood a little child beside him 48 and said to them, “Anyone who takes care of a little child like this is caring for me! And whoever cares for me is caring for God who sent me. Your care for others is the measure of your greatness.”
OBSERVATION:
It seems like Jesus’ definition of ‘greatness’ is quite different to ours. So we will look at this a little deeper today to make sure that we are not only getting the meaning of this word from Webster or some other English dictionary, but also to make sure that we are following God’s desire for our ‘greatness’ in this world.
APPLICATION:
In this world, and even in dictionaries, we learn that ‘greatness’ is considered: superior; or possess a natural ability to be better than most; illustrious; important; famous; etc. However, from everything we know of Jesus, He never showed any of these characteristics. He was born in a lowly manger in a cattle stall, and for the rest of His life there is no talk of Him living, or desiring to live anywhere near a palace. He simply obeyed His Father and served all mankind with sincere love and admiration. Yet He was the greatest man that ever lived! In our Scripture today Jesus is teaching His disciples that for them to evaluate who among them is the greatest in the kingdom of God, they must consider who is the greatest servant, for simply looking through worldly eyes at what they each might be famous for, will only impact what the world thinks of them and expects from ‘great’ people, in their terms. Let me suggest that we stop and consider how concerned, helpful and caring we would be towards a little child as they go helplessly down a river. Now think about the child, they are totally dependent upon you to keep their heads above water and from the harm of all rocks or debris, plus keep them warm once they are ready to exit the water. I believe Jesus wants us to care for everyone here on earth in much the same way as we would for that child in the river. This includes those who are very close to us, those that we think are above us in status and especially those that we know society always look down their noses at.  ALL are precious in His sight. Jesus also wants us to be like the child going down the river: fully dependent on Him; begging for His helping hand to guide, protect and keep us; and willing to accept help from anyone that stretches out ther hand to help us. At the end of life’s road when we meet Jesus, we will all be considered children of God, or not. There will be no ‘greatness’ that will get us there, only the simple invitation of Jesus into our lives. What’s your position today friends? Do you know my Jesus personally? Are you serving Him faithfully in all phases of your life and with whomever you come into contact with? If so you may one day stand to hear: ‘Welcome my child, you have been faithful over many things on earth, now come and dine with me and my Father as we rejoice together  throughout eternity!
PRAYER:
Lord, thank You for all that You have demonstrated through Your example, and from all that You have taught us through Your precious Word. We will meet many that are different in many ways from us. Please teach us to always welcome one another with the same grace that You welcome us. It is unimaginable that a King would willingly sacrifice His life for my sin, and my opportunity to spend eternity in heaven. Yet You did just that. Thank You Lord Jesus! Now may I, and all my readers be prepared to act in similar fashion and accept even those who persecute us; who have more money than us; who may live in mansions; and who may live under bridges. All are precious in Your sight, and so should they be in ours. For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, for ever, AMEN!
FOOTNOTE:
There are two more pages on my blog that will provide you with additional information, one of them being ‘To Know Jesus’.  If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please click on the above page, or speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. Please allow someone to pray with you and give you help and/or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Words underlined in my blog could indicate a link to a song that came to mind as I wrote the devotional. Feel free to click on the link and listen as you continue to read or pray. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to Nuggets From God’s Word and read more, or you may freely to subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. If you are anywhere near the Highlands County, Florida area and do not have a church home, I would be thrilled to welcome you at Bible Fellowship Church, located at 3750 Hammock Rd, Sebring, FL 33872! Click the link to check out service times and/or other special activities. God is at work among us! Please consider coming to worship with us!

Our Greatest Need

On By Ed AlgreenIn Faith, Faith in Action, Genuine Faith, Greatest Need, Healing, Needs, Needs of others, Recognize NeedsLeave a comment

Post Date:

 Monday, 2017-07-03
SCRIPTURE

From:

 Luke 5:18-20 (TLB)

Text:

 18-19 Then—look! Some men came carrying a paralyzed man on a sleeping mat. They tried to push through the crowd to Jesus but couldn’t reach him. So they went up on the roof above him, took off some tiles, and lowered the sick man down into the crowd, still on his sleeping mat, right in front of Jesus.

20 Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the man, “My friend, your sins are forgiven!”
OBSERVATION:
There are a few powerful lessons here in this Scripture, beginning with the audacity of the paralyzed man’s friends to get their friend in front of Jesus in spite of any obstacles that might present itself. The second thing is to notice that Jesus’ first priority was to meet the man’s greatest need – forgiveness of his sin. Let’s apply this to our challenges of today….
APPLICATION:
I am very convinced that Jesus is the same today as He was yesterday. I am therefore convinced that when we are called on to pray for someone’s health; someone’s battle with evil; or someone’s battle with finding a job. In fact, no matter what the request is for prayer, we who know the Lord personally, must take the example of Jesus and seek to know the spiritual condition of the individual first and approach God for their greatest need(s) before any other physical need they could possibly have. Although given the facts in this Scripture today, let me encourage you to think this through in a logical manner also. What would it profit a man to be healed, if his soul is destined for eternal damnation in Hell. Miracles happen so that the Son of God might be glorified. What glory might God receive for an unbeliever to be healed and then attribute his ‘miracle’ to happen-chance,  or some other good luck charm, or ‘positive thoughts’ from a friend? Would this not be making a mockery of our Lord Jesus? What impact would healing have on a person whose soul is destined for Hell? Jesus immediately recognized that this paralyzed man wanted to be seen by Him, because the man allowed, or possibly even asked his friends to place him at the feet of Jesus. But Jesus also knew that the man’s greatest need was to have his sins forgiven so that he might be assured of his eternal destination, whether lying on a mat or walking about like you and I. Friends, many folk may present their needs to us today in hopes that we would pray for them. Unless you know about their spiritual relationship with God, may I suggest that you pray for that most urgently, then possibly for their physical needs? I believe that will fall more in line with what we were taught in the Scripture here today. In closing, let me suggest that we remember the determination of these friends to get the paralyzed man at the feet of Jesus. The didn’t let things like: his weight, their back issues, the crowd, possible security at the entrance of the meeting place, or even a means of how to get onto the roof interfere with their far-out alternate plan. Remembering this determination might help us the next time we are looking for excuses not to attend church and worship the Lord corporately, or going to the hospital to pray with a friend. We come up with lots of excuses that may sound OK to a friend, but let me assure you that God knows your heart, and the very thoughts that run through your mind! Make Him priority in your life, if He truly is your King!
PRAYER:
Lord God, thank You for Your faithfulness to us. Thank You for Your healing power displayed to the paralyzed man in this Scripture today. I am confident that the same love and power shown to this man, is only a glimpse into what You can actually do for us. Please help us to daily recognize Your amazing grace and miraculous works in our lives. Please help us to also be much more mindful about what others truly need first and foremost in their lives, in spite of what they may have called us to do for them, or pray with them about. Thank You Lord for saving my soul, and thank You for Your miraculous touch in my life through many circumstances way beyond anything I or the doctors could do for me. Lord, may You continue to amaze me with Your power and invincible hand, for I ask these things in and through the precious name of Jesus, my Lord, AMEN!
FOOTNOTE:
There are two more pages on my blog that will provide you with additional information, one of them being ‘To Know Jesus’.  If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please click on the above page, or speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. Please allow someone to pray with you and give you help and/or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Words underlined in my blog could indicate a link to a song that came to mind as I wrote the devotional. Feel free to click on the link and listen as you continue to read or pray. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to Nuggets From God’s Word and read more, or you may freely to subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. If you are anywhere near the Highlands County, Florida area and do not have a church home, I would be thrilled to welcome you at Bible Fellowship Church, located at 3750 Hammock Rd, Sebring, FL 33872! Click the link to check out service times and/or other special activities. God is at work among us! Please consider coming to worship with us!

Share The Good News

On By Ed AlgreenIn Greatest Need, Personal testimony, Salvation, Share, Share God’s Word, TestimonyLeave a comment

Post Date:

 Wednesday, 2017-04-26
SCRIPTURE

From:

 Mark 5:18-20 (TLB)

Text:

 18 So he got back into the boat. The man who had been possessed by the demons begged Jesus to let him go along. 19 But Jesus said no. “Go home to your friends,” he told him, “and tell them what wonderful things God has done for you; and how merciful he has been.”20 So the man started off to visit the Ten Towns of that region and began to tell everyone about the great things Jesus had done for him; and they were awestruck by his story.
OBSERVATION:
The appointment that Jesus had with the demon possessed man led to a total change in his life. He knew that he would benefit from being around Jesus even more, so he pleaded with Him to allow him to travel with Him. That would have been safe, secure and perhaps filled with ongoing miracles, but Jesus had a much bigger mission in mind for this man – to share his miracle of ‘new life’ with others, so that they too might see and believe – just like our personal witnessing/ministry today!
APPLICATION:
Imagine how small Christendom would be if, when folk went into a place like a church, they found Jesus, accepted Him as Lord and personal Savior, and never came back outside. Not only would the outside world never hear their gripping story, but they would think the worst of what must have become of them. Friends, it is one thing for the world to hear about some of the things that go on inside places of worship, but it is a totally more convincing fact for them to witness what happened in a life that was totally torn by sin, but have since seen a 180 degree change in their conviction, their lifestyle and in their demeanor. So often we hear the saying ‘what’s inside will come out’, and we see that materialize through the various ones that we encounter each day, but I must also share with you that if a change occurred inside of you, and you are not living out that change, then one might question if anything ever truly changed in you. Let’s consider briefly an example – a frequent visitor to the local pub, who most evenings have to be driven home because he would get too intoxicated to walk straight or drive home. This gentleman was introduced to Jesus and he accepted Jesus as Lord of his life. While a total change came about in his life, and he had no more desire to hang out in places where the Holy Spirit would not feel comfortable, he comes across his bar-hoping buddies from time to time. Much like the demon-freed man, this new convert made it a point to get in the way of his buddies, and he openly shared his story with them. Friends, this gentleman didn’t automatically become a preacher, but he had a story about how his life was changed. Sharing your story with others is often more powerful than reading the scriptures to your friends. Imagine, you are sharing a personal experience you had with God, not just about a prophet or healing that took place thousands of years ago that Bible writers told you about. Please don’t misunderstand, the Bible is the Holy Word of God and it always has the power to save and draw people to Christ. However, when you have bathed yourself in the Word, your personal story will be especially important to share with folk who need to know that our Savior lives, and He is active in our lives even today!
PRAYER:
Heavenly Father, thank You for Your grace that saved a wretch like me, who was steeped in sin and had no hope of eternity. Much like the demon possessed man in our story, You accepted my plea for salvation and forgave me of my sin. I am eternally grateful for that dear Jesus. Much like our subject today, I am most comfortable around Your people who think much the same way as I do. But praise be to God, You allow me opportunities to ‘go back home’ and share the Good News of my Savior. Many of you reading this blog may fit into a similar mold as described. Let us pray that as we are taken outside of our comfort zone, that God would provide the opportunities to share Christ and to bring Light into the darkest lives of those who need a change. Out story is super important, please help us to ensure that it becomes very evident to the hearer that it is You who influence our lives each day, and You who saved us from a life destined for Hell and transformed us into a child of the King! Lord, may this be the day that ‘our story’ will lead someone to knowing more about 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 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!