Category: Healing

If You will…, God will…

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

DATE POSTED: Sunday, 2023-02-26
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: 2 Chronicles 7:12-15
TRANSLATION: New Living Translation (NLT)

BIBLE TEXT: 12  …. one night the Lord appeared to Solomon and said, “I have heard your prayer and have chosen this Temple as the place for making sacrifices. 13 At times I might shut up the heavens so that no rain falls, or command grasshoppers to devour your crops, or send plagues among you. 14 Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land. 15 My eyes will be open and my ears attentive to every prayer made in this place.

OBSERVATION: Excitement builds as we construct a new church building, a workplace, a restaurant or anywhere that we frequent, and the temple built by Solomon was no exception. However, the grand opening was not just an opportunity for Solomon and his people to celebrate, but also the occasion gave opportunity for God to give Solomon a message for the people about their future plans to worship Almighty God. Meditate with me as we look into this Scripture that happens to include a very popular verse (vs 14).

APPLICATION: Christmas and Easter are two popular times on the church calendar when people will attend church, even if they don’t normally attend throughout the rest of the year. However, excitement still builds around the grand opening of a new sanctuary/worship center, so large crowds come to see what church leaders have to offer in the new, and often, larger facility. Earlier in this chapter we see where Solomon not only built the new, massive, facility, but he was not bashful in personally leading the crowd into worship and sacrifice at the new temple. That’s a bit unusual for current-day leaders of our respective country. At times we might hear of a president, or king, or queen, or prime minister attending a special church service, but seldom do they own any part in its construction or in the ministries that will take place there. However, Solomon didn’t just lead the pack in constructing the new temple, but he also led the dedication service of the new home of the Ark of the Covenant, and also in rededication of the people to Almighty God. For us today, news media might show up for the dedication of a grand, new building in town, and they will certainly show up if government leaders attend. But seldom will we hear highlights from the sermon, and we would hardly ever hear what God may have said to the temple leader, even if it’s a challenging message for the congregation. However, one of the beautiful advantages of having access to God’s Holy Word, is that we will often find interactive conversations between God and His church leaders. I discerned that God wanted Solomon to know that yes, He was enthused by the townspeople who showed up for the opening of the temple, but He also wanted them to know that there may come a time where He might find it necessary to get their attention again. This might happen through a drought, or it may happen through pestilences that will destroy their crops. He might also send plagues on them again, and they were very familiar with that during their last days in Egypt. That’s pretty tough stuff for these people who were just blessed immensely by the opening of the temple. But look at the message this sent to them, and to us as we read God’s Word and are reminded of the relationship between us and our God. Celebrations are awesome, and many will come to help us celebrate. But I believe that God wants us to know that He is particularly interested in a relationship with us. One that will celebrate in the good things that God does for us each day; in the needs that He meets each day, even when we don’t deserve or ask for it; in the challenging times that will come our way, for we know that we serve a God who specializes in things thought impossible by us; and in the times that we just worship and adore our King for who He is. Friends, let’s remember that we live in a world where sin abounds, and while we are in these mortal bodies we are susceptible to giving in to sin, so God made it clear that we must not only recognize who He is and what He can do for us, but approach Him in a state of holiness – humble ourselves and pray, seek His face and turn from our wicked ways. I believe it is important that we not approach God in a trifling manner, but with due honor and respect, while being totally transparent (honest). Remember that saying – you can fool some of the people some of the time, but never all of the people all of the time. Well, I believe that God fits in the latter case, for you will never fool our all-knowing God. So, God might be saying to us today, as He did to Solomon. He is thankful and blessed for our praises and our worship, but in every circumstance, always remember that He is still God. When things seem off a bit, there’s nothing wrong with God, instead humble yourselves, pray, seek the face of God, and turn from your wicked ways. It’s at that point that God will hear from heaven and heal our land. Every week will then become a celebration that our townspeople will want to come and witness!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: God stands ready to heal our land if those who are called by His name will humble themselves, pray, seek His face and turn from their wicked ways. Let’s do our part and be ready to celebrate as God does His part!

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, I’m sure it must seem like we say those things that will help us to get our ticket stamped for entry into heaven, even though we tend to live pretty much like we’ve always lived. My heart was touched once again as I read the words You shared with Solomon for his people, for I believe these are still things we need to perfect in our lives still today. When an unholy people meet with a holy and righteous God, there is much to do in the cleanup of our lives. Please Lord, work diligently in our lives, so that we might have strength to work towards Your righteousness and live holy lives before a lost and dying world. As we meet to worship You today, please meet the needs of your people and heal the evil in our land, will causing the lost to find 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 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!

Awe at the Display of God’s Power

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Awe, Healing, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Stand in awe, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Thursday, 2023-02-09
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Luke 9:38-43
TRANSLATION: Living Bible (TLB)

BIBLE TEXT: 38  … a man in the crowd called out to him, “Teacher, this boy here is my only son, 39 and a demon keeps seizing him, making him scream; and it throws him into convulsions so that he foams at the mouth; it is always hitting him and hardly ever leaves him alone. 40 I begged your disciples to cast the demon out, but they couldn’t.”
41 “O you stubborn faithless people,” Jesus said to his disciples, “how long should I put up with you? Bring him here.”
42 As the boy was coming the demon knocked him to the ground and threw him into a violent convulsion. But Jesus ordered the demon to come out, and healed the boy and handed him over to his father.
43 Awe gripped the people as they saw this display of the power of God.

APPLICATION: Back in the beginning of this chapter, Jesus gave His disciples power to go out and preach the Good News and cast out demons. Don’t you know that the crowd was no different then, than we are today, and they just flocked in to see how Jesus would respond to this father who reported that His disciples were unable to cast the demon out of his son? Were they given the power, and now lost it? Did they run out of that supernatural power? But wait, that was covered in Romans 11:29 where it reads that God’s power would never be withdrawn from those He gifted. However, this may be a good time for us to review the origin of our gifts – for it is a gift of God. Divine followers of Jesus Christ may be blessed with a gift of God and they may have power from on high to heal, to counsel others, to teach others, or even have evangelistic gifts, and there may come a time when they find those gifts weaning away from them. Why?? Well, Jesus covered this for us in the Scriptures also, for in Mark 9:29 Jesus said: “This kind [of unclean spirit] cannot come out by anything but prayer [to the Father].” God forbid if we ever take it on ourselves to think that ‘we’ have any healing power. Only through the power, and the blood of Jesus Christ alone, might we ever be honored with Him using us to lay hands on anyone so that He can bring about healing. No matter how gifted we feel that we are, we might have even been one of the most gifted witnesses in the whole country, we will be ineffective today if we have not been maintaining that gift by prayer and fasting, by spending time in the presence of God. Now, being in the presence of Jesus, of course He was able to heal the young boy of the demons that impacted him on a frequent basis. But notice the crowd when they witnessed this healing – they were struck with awe and wonder! They witnessed for themselves the love, compassion and healing power of this man they had heard so much about. One Bible version says that they had a time of clapping and praising God. Do you recall the last time that you were struck with awe at the miracles by God in the life of someone at your church? Hopefully this is not just a private affair that takes place at the altar after a sermon, and not shared with the congregation to celebrate this power of God released in response to the faith of a believer. Friends, we must never forget that the God we serve today, is the same God that we read about in the Bible, learn about in Sunday School and hear from our pulpits when our pastor shares what God has laid on his heart for His people. This is not ‘pie in the sky’, but this is true power from our all-powerful God! Worship Him, my friend. Call on Him for your needs, and call on the pastors and elders of your church to pray over you in faith, believing in the power of Almighty God. Let the church come alive with times of awe and celebration! It will rejuvenate us to go on in victory to win the unsaved and heal the sick – in Jesus’ Name!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: The crowd was struck with awe at the power of Almighty God! I believe that will bring revival to a church that sees this happening on a regular basis!

PRAYER: Praise the Lord God Almighty, our God’s not dead, but very much alive because we see Him at work in our own lives and in the lives of His church! He healed the young man in our story today, and He still has the power to heal today, if only we will give Him the opportunity to use His power in our lives. Thank You Jesus! You are our mighty and awesome God, and we humble ourselves before You like this hurting father did for His demon-struck boy. Needs are numerous in my life, in the life of my family and also in my church, oh God. Please move in miraculous and mysterious ways in these needs so that Your church might be revived and renewed in their mission. I pray that every reader and listener of this devotional will catch a glimpse of the powerful God that we serve and call Father. 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!

Commissioned to Go, Tell and Heal

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Evangelize, Healing, Missions, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Monday, 2023-01-30
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Luke 9:1-5
TRANSLATION: The Voice (VOICE)

BIBLE TEXT: 1 Jesus convened a gathering of the twelve. He gave them power and authority to free people from all demonic spirits and to heal them of diseases. 2 He sent them out to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. 3-5 These were His instructions:

  1. Travel light on your journey: don’t take a staff, backpack, bread, money, or even an extra change of clothes.
  2. When you enter a house, stay there until you leave that city.
  3. If a town rejects you, shake the dust from your feet as you leave as a witness against them

APPLICATION: There is at least one other place recorded in Scripture where Jesus gave His disciples the necessary power and ordered them to go and tell the Good News (Matthew 28). In our Scripture today, Luke records that Jesus, called His disciples in to Him, gave them the necessary power that they would need, then instructed them to go, tell and heal as necessary. There’s a few things that caught my attention:

  • a). Jesus had been the One doing all the healing, but now, in what appears to be a delegation of power, He gave His disciples the power to meet the needs of the sick that they would come into contact with. Throughout the New Testament there are references to various gifts that are given to believers. But I wonder when, and under what circumstances Jesus still passes this power to heal on to believers today.
  • b). No matter how established the church may have been at that time, Jesus ‘SENT’ the disciples out. In other words, don’t wait for the people to get the urge to attend church, go to where they’re at. I believe this command is just as applicable to the church today as it was for these first disciples.
  • c). Tell them the Good News of Jesus and what He could do for them. I believe He wanted them to also tell the people what Jesus had done for them personally. For you see, they would rather hear how God is working today, rather than what He did for Moses when he led over a million people to a point where there was water ahead and an oncoming army approaching from the rear, or for Noah when God was about to flood the earth. Because of Jesus, and what He has done for us, we still have an awesome message to tell. Let’s go and tell the Good News fellow believers. This is too good to keep bottled up inside when we know of folk dying each day without any hope of eternity in Heaven.
  • d). Heal the sick – whether this refers to those that were physically sick without any hope of recovery, or those who were sin-sick without any hope for eternity, Jesus is the answer to all of man’s deficiencies. As a child of the Great Healer, let’s seek His power and pray, while laying holy hands on the sick. With a touch from God for their physical condition, many will also seek God’s face for healing of their spiritual condition. While this is not something we can boast of, we must be sure to extend the power of our God as He sees fit to bless us with that anointing.

But to top this whole message off, Jesus gave His disciples a few conditions that would generate supreme trust in the Almighty God. I went with a group of missionaries from my church to Mexico for a week. Other than finances, the next greatest challenge was in packing minimally as space would be limited on flights and in the vans used for ground transportation. So can you imagine trying to ‘GO’ under the restrictions ordered by Jesus in (1) noted above in our Scripture? Homes were opened to accommodate the missionaries, as there were no provisions for commercial accommodations, if any existed. This has become a huge problem today, as most church members will refuse to have a missionary or visiting preacher in for a meal, much less opening their home to one. I trust that you can appreciate the difference. Most of us will do everything possible to be accepted by the townspeople in which we minister. But what do you do if you are not accepted? Jesus knew this would happen and probably disappoint His disciples, just as it would impact us, so He prepared us in advance in (3) above for such an unfortunate event. Bible scholars will tell you that Jesus didn’t just tell His disciples to go some foreign place and, when you get – tell and heal. But instead, He told them in their language that as they GO, tell and heal. It is so important that we represent God and tell the Good News everywhere we find ourselves, not just at one specific building, street corner, country or city. As you go each day, brothers and sisters, in every way possible, tell the story of Jesus and His love for everyone you meet, God being your helper and guide.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: You now have the power, go, tell, and heal in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit!

PRAYER: Thank You Lord Jesus for entrusting Your disciples with the power to heal the sick as they ministered along the way that they were directed by You. I believe that if anything changed in the methods You used, as applied to us, You would have told us so. But that leaves us with a deep and awesome responsibility as your disciples. We need You Lord Jesus to endow upon us the power to represent You in every phase of ministry as we promote the Savior that we accepted as Lord of our lives. Teach us Lord to trust in you each and every day, and in carrying You with us, may we be sure to depend on You for every word we speak and for every action that opens itself to us. Have Your will and way in the lives of my readers, listeners and myself, so that Your mighty works might be revealed through our efforts. 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!

Your Level of Faith

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Faith, Healing, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Monday, 2023-01-02
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Luke 7:6-7; 9-10;
TRANSLATION: The Voice (VOICE)

BIBLE TEXT: 6 So Jesus accompanied them. When they approached the Centurion’s home, the Centurion sent out some friends to bring a message to Jesus.
Message of the Centurion: Lord, don’t go to the trouble of coming inside. I am not worthy to have You come under my roof. 7 That’s why I sent others with my request. Just say the word, and that will be enough to heal my servant.
9 Jesus was deeply impressed when He heard this. He turned to the crowd that followed Him.
Jesus: Listen, everyone. This outsider, this Roman, has more faith than I have found even among our own Jewish people.
10 The friends of the Centurion returned home, and they found the slave was completely healed.

APPLICATION: Unless we focus on the main lesson in today’s Scripture, we may drift off into wondering why the Centurion didn’t go to Jesus himself. Or why didn’t Jesus pronounce the healing as soon as He received word from the Centurion, for surely, He knew how dire the situation was. But let’s not forget to place ourselves in the shoes of the Centurion. Who are we that we would send friends to the highest religious order of our day and ask that he drop what he’s doing and rush on over to our house? What type of palace do we live in, that we would open the door and invite the Lord Jesus in? Inside our home, is everything in place to impress Jesus with our religious stand? Of all the people in the world who need help from Jesus, who are we that He would consider listening, or responding, to us? Friends, regardless of your answers to these questions, or even if this prompted more questions from you, notice that the Centurion still took action. Many will sit, waiting for their ship to come in, but if you didn’t send one out, why should you expect one to come in? Perhaps the Centurion felt unworthy, just as he said, but he may have also wanted to stay close to his servant, just in case the situation worsened. So many questions, and so many excuses we could conjure up to excuse our inaction, but the Centurion moved into action and asked his respected leaders to make the journey and ask Jesus, on his behalf. Of particular interest is the fact that even though Centurions were looked down on by the Jews, yet Jesus responded to the request of this Centurion when He first received the request, and again when the second message arrived asking Jesus to heal the servant remotely. My primary take-away in this story is that Jesus openly shared how amazed He was at the faith of this humble, caring man. In fact, He gave him the designation of being so filled with faith, that he put it into action for someone else. I believe that many of my readers and listeners are regular church attendees. Let me encourage you to meditate on this Scripture long enough to do a self-evaluation of your faith. Knowing that you can do nothing to impress Jesus, what do you suppose He would say about your level of faith? Do you suppose that your faith is strong enough that you would have attempted something like the Centurion did? If not, what do you suppose you need to help you grow in your faith? Jesus is not out of reach, dear friends. He loved you enough to hang on a cross and die for your sins. He loves you enough that He said that He has gone to be with the Father to prepare a place in Heaven for us, so that where He is, we may be also. Surely, He is more than ready to hear our cry for help, and also willing to heal – even from a distance, like He did for the Centurion’s servant. Trust Him, and call on Him, for He cares for you!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: The Jews looked down on the Centurions, but Jesus listened to the cry from His precious child and answered his request. Others may look down on us, but we are number one in the eyes of our Master and Lord!

PRAYER: Lord, we are amazed by Your respect for all Your children, and Your willingness to accept all of Your creation, even those we may turn our noses up at. Thank You for hearing my plea and accepting me as Your child. Just as the Centurion found peace in getting a message to You about His dire need, my readers, listeners and myself know that each and every day will bring new challenges that we will need to call on You for. None on earth are truly righteous, but Lord I pray that You will continue to teach us to call on You for each and every need, or concern of our lives. Some on earth may dismiss us because we are not rich enough, or the partying kind, or we go to church too much, but I truly believe that when You forgave our sin, and accepted us into Your kingdom, we became true sons and daughters of the Most High God. Forgive us Lord when we listen to Satan and cower in our corner. Please give us the confidence so deserving of Your child and the boldness to call on You for the little and impossible things of life. You are God, and besides You there is no other. We acknowledge that today and wait for the time when You will call us home to glory! 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!

Just Minister – The Needs Exist

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Effective Ministry, Healing, Needs, Needs of others, Praise, Recognize God, Recognize Needs, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Saturday, 2022-12-10
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Luke 6:17-19
TRANSLATION: Amplified Bible (AMP)

BIBLE TEXT: 17 Then Jesus came down with them and stood on a level place; and there was a large crowd of His disciples, and a vast multitude of people from all over Judea and Jerusalem and the coastal region of Tyre and Sidon, 18 who had come to listen to Him and to be healed of their diseases. Even those who were troubled by unclean spirits (demons) were being healed. 19 All the people were trying to touch Him, because [healing] power was coming from Him and healing them all.

APPLICATION: No doubt, if you’ve been around churches very long, you may have heard pastors say things like: ‘There’s no retirement in Kingdom work’, or ‘I plan to be about my Father’s work for as long as I have breath’, or ‘My work is finished at that church’ or ‘It’s time for the younger generation to take over’. There are many more sayings that pastor’s make known to their church leadership, hoping that they would prepare themselves for electing another pastor to resume the work of ministering to their congregation. Pastors become disheartened, discouraged and downright tired, especially when they feel like the Holy Spirit has stopped working in the hearts of their congregants. But what if Jesus had taken that stand in today’s story? I was at a church where the youth would normally attend Disney’s ‘Night of Joy’ – an evening where this huge park was transformed into one large Christian event with gospel music echoed throughout the park until midnight on a Saturday. Our church leaders insisted in just one condition, attend, enjoy and be blessed, but church attendance is required on Sunday morning! The preceding verses tell us that Jesus had spent the whole night in prayer before His Father, but at the time that He arrived back in the plains with His disciples, there was a crowd gathered who needed a touch from the Master, and Jesus wasn’t about to let anything affect His impact on them. What if we served in our capacity as servants of the Most High God with the passion of the One we chose to imitate? What if we asked God to give us the strength and willingness to serve, based on the need of the people He sends to us? I never felt that I served in a selfish capacity or for what I might accomplish, or receive from the Master personally, but I’m not so sure that I always served from my heart and tired body, based on the needs of those whose stomachs, spirits, souls and minds depended on the encouragement they would receive from my ministry. I would imagine that I may be alone in feeling this way, but I believe that God wants us to think carefully about that today. Do we minister as to the Lord, and with every intent to please Him with what comes from our mouth, and through our actions? Do we minister with the heart soul and mind of the hearers in mind, and with every intent to help them draw closer to Jesus Christ? Sharing the gospel is like one beggar sharing what bread they have with another beggar. Both are in need of what is given to them, but they eagerly share what they receive with others. I believe that Jesus intimately knew the heart, soul and mind of each one that came to hear Him and be touched by Him. Perhaps if we made it a point to KNOW each hearer in such an intimate way, the Holy Spirit will help us minister to them more appropriately, rather than just checking the box that we gave another sermon, taught another Sunday School lesson, wrote another devotional, etc. etc. When something is given from the heart, it means more to the receiver and the giver!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: The crowd gathered were being healed and walking away whole again, because they were in the presence of Jesus. We are told that Jesus would be with us when two or three gather in His name. Perhaps when we go to church and meet together with others to enter in the presence of Jesus, He will also ensure that mighty works are fulfilled in our presence also!

PRAYER: Dearest Lord Jesus, thank You for the reminder that meeting with You and having a relationship with You, has a lasting effect on us, our ministry and our hope for tomorrow. Please teach us to be more like You in ministering with the needs of the people in mind, and not for any personal satisfaction we might receive. Teach us also to be like the people who came from miles around just to be in Your presence, to hear Your teaching, receive Your healing touch, and to be filled again with Your awesome power. Oh, that You may work so powerfully in our lives, that others will be impacted and drawn to the one source of receiving eternal life. AMEN!

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

Reasons Why We Can’t Heal

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Faith, Healing, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Friday, 2022-07-01
WRITTEN AT: O Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Mark 9:18-19; 28-29;
TRANSLATION: New Life Version (NLV)

BIBLE TEXT: 18 Wherever the demon takes him, it throws him down. Spit runs from his mouth. He grinds his teeth. He is getting weaker. I asked Your followers to put the demon out but they could not.”
19 He said, “You people of this day have no faith. How long must I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring the boy to Me.”
28 When Jesus went into the house, His followers asked Him when He was alone, “Why could we not put out the demon?” 29 He said to them, “The only way this kind of demon is put out is by prayer and by going without food so you can pray better.”

APPLICATION: It would be enlightening to see the results of a survey answered by first time visitors to our church services. Think about how you might answer such questions as: 1). Why did you chose this church today?; 2). Did the pastor show an interest in you, or your needs today?; 3). Did a regular church attendee show an interest in you, or your needs today?; 4). What brought you out to church today?; 5). Based on what you heard today, do you have a clear understanding of how you might know, or draw closer to God?; and 6). Do you feel like your needs were met at this church today? | Based on our Biblical story today, I feel like we could probably answer the above questions for the dad who brought his son for healing. The bottom line is, that up until his encounter with Jesus, his needs were unfulfilled. BUT Jesus issues a compassionate invitation when He says, “Bring the child to Me.” The father had come seeking help from the disciples, but the disciples were unable to help. But isn’t that like us a lot of times? Perhaps we might bring a child, a friend, a co-worker to church or Sunday School, but they were not helped. However, we should be comforted that we brought them to where the disciples of Jesus are, and guess who shows up sooner or later? Jesus Himself! Through a testimony shared, a study given, a story told, a song sung—something will happen! Jesus will come! “Bring your child to Me,” Jesus said. But often we are so filled with doubt and fear, that we will quickly respond: ‘But how?’ Morning by morning in our devotional time with Jesus; teaching him what you’re learning from the Word as you do errands together; making sure he’s growing through fellowship with other believers; showing love and compassion like Jesus showed to us; etc. The cause of evil and destruction in this world is Satan. The cure is Jesus. The question is: Will you bring your friends and family to Him? For the disciples (followers of Jesus Christ), you might find the excuse that there was no time to fast and pray when a situation suddenly presented itself to you. Friends, we must maintain a life of prayer and fasting, because when the demonized boy is before you, it’s too late to start. Often something exceedingly important could take place, but we feel impotent and powerless because we haven’t been praying, fasting, reading the Word, or seeking the Lord. Let me encourage you by saying that: As a father, I have no other recourse than to maintain a life of prayer and fasting because I never know when the Enemy will strike my child – For he has, he does; and he will; As a believer, I have no other choice but to maintain a close walk with God because I never know the next conversation that will open up before me at work, the grocery store or in the park with a neighbor, and Jesus may speak through me with words that will impact them for eternity. We MUST be ready dear friends! Always ready!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Jesus is compassionate about our needs, just as He was about the boy brought to Him by his dad. As representatives of the King of all kings, we must be filled with faith, ready, available and willing to speak truth and power in Jesus’ name, so that the Devil will flee and never impede us or our friends ever again.

PRAYER: Thank You Lord Jesus for being patient with us, although we are reminded from Your response to Your disciples, that You become frustrated by our lack of faith and our willingness to open up and let You have Your will and way in the lives we touch each day. Please Lord, help us to be ready on every occasion to represent You and be used of You for healing, salvation or just encouragement to help others go on in the faith. Just as You touched the little boy that You called to You, I pray that You will powerfully touch the lives of those who place their faith and trust in You today, for this world needs Jesus more today than ever before. 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!

We Are Equals At The Feet of Jesus

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

DATE POSTED Wednesday, 2022-05-25
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Mark 5:22-23; 27-28;
TRANSLATION: Amplified Bible (AMP)

BIBLE TEXT: 22 One of the synagogue officials named Jairus came up; and seeing Him, fell at His feet 23 and begged anxiously with Him, saying, “My little daughter is at the point of death; [please] come and lay Your hands on her, so that she will be healed and live.”
27 She had heard [reports] about Jesus, and she came up behind Him in the crowd and touched His outer robe. 28 For she thought, “If I just touch His clothing, I will get well.” 

APPLICATION: Some will say that most individuals will not look up to Jesus, until they are flat on their back without any other choice but to look up. I’ve heard of many who have traveled hundreds of miles to get the best possible doctor for their loved one, while many have also traveled equally as far to be prayed over by a purported evangelical ‘healer’. In our Scripture today, we have an official of the local synagogue with a need. Surely he had seen many walk through the doors of the synagogue in search of healing, or in need of a touch from God, much like believers today do when they have run out of earthly solutions. However, the petition of Jairus before Jesus was a little different. For you see, this was not just a matter of tradition or routine, like we tend to do on church days, but instead, Jairus had a desperate need that He was convinced in his heart could only be resolved by the Great Healer, Jesus Christ. There was no need for fanfare, or flowery prayers, or recognition for what he did in the synagogue, Jairus was there because he had a desperate need, and he was convinced in his heart about the only one who could satisfy that need. Unlike some current-day evangelists, Jairus didn’t demand that Jesus heal his daughter, but instead he took a position of humility as he pleaded with Jesus to please heal his daughter. Notice also that Jairus was persistent in his request of Jesus. Despite the news that came to him that his daughter had died, he did not turn away and run home as a defeated warrior. Jesus encouraged him to maintain his faith, because he alone held the keys to his daughter’s life. I wonder, how many of us would have hung around if we received such discouraging news from home while you are still out seeking answers? I believe that because Jesus said He would go with Jairus and heal his daughter, nothing – absolutely nothing would cause Jesus to go back on His word to this hurting father.
Notice in the second story, the lady held no religious position, but she too had a need that she was convinced could only be resolved by the King of kings. She had tried earthly experts and they sucked her dry of every penny she had. She too had heard of the Great Healer and she was convinced that even if she couldn’t earn His attention to speak with her, if only she could touch any part of Him or His clothing, healing would be imparted to her. How much faith did you say you have dear friend? Anywhere near as much as this lady displayed? Notice that her suspicions were correct, for it took just a touch of the Master’s clothing! But Jesus made sure that she didn’t go unnoticed, for there were many people there who could benefit from the awesome faith of this woman. I believe that many who will meditate on this devotional today may also benefit from this reminder that there is only one Creator, one Lord, one Healer, one Savior and one King who will return one day soon to take His children on to glory to spend eternity with He and His Father. Today, I believe that Jesus wants us to be reminded of His awesome power to heal, and also to check our state of readiness for His eminent return. I am looking forward to His return, and I want to check around and see each reader or listener right along side me as we are taken to our final home! What a day that will be!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Jesus was mindful of the needs brought to Him by the two individuals in our Scripture. Because of additional Scripture, I am convinced that Jesus also cares about us, and about our eternal destination. I am ready and anxious to go and be with He and the Father in heaven, and I hope that each reader/listener feels the same way!

PRAYER: Thank You Lord Jesus for this awesome reminder today. Healing comes from You alone, and You are never too busy to attend to our needs. Lord, I believe that there are many friends known to each reader and listener today who are unprepared to meet You, and even worse, they lack the faith to approach you about their needs. You created us; You lived and died for us; and You have a wonderful place prepared for us when life here on earth is over. Thank You Lord for loving us so much in so many wonderful ways. Please continue to impress upon the hearts of our unsaved loved ones the need for a Savior, and may we always glorify You for all Your wondrous works each day. AMEN!

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

What Will It Take For God To Heal Our Hearts?

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Healing, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Worship2 Comments

DATE WRITTEN: Wednesday, 2022-03-16
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: Acts 28:25-27
TRANSLATION: The Passion Translation (TPT)

BIBLE TEXT: 25 …. “The Holy Spirit stated it well when he spoke to your ancestors through the prophet Isaiah:,
26 ‘I send you to this people to say to them, “You will keep learning, but not understanding. You will keep staring at truth but not perceiving it. 27 For your hearts are hard and insensitive to me—you must be hard of hearing! For you’ve closed your eyes so that you won’t be troubled by the truth, and you’ve covered your ears so that you won’t have to listen and be pierced by what I say. For then you would have to respond and repent, so that I could heal your hearts.”’

APPLICATION: Isaiah was a prophet sent and directed by God. When he prophesied under the inspiration of God, the people listened. However there came a time when God recognized that some of the folk were just not listening. Paul came across this same phenomenon in his days of ministry, so he shared this with his Jewish listeners who were challenged to believe the Word of God. I found this extremely revealing, because still today our pastors can preach the same sermon in our churches, as it is quite apparent that we’re present in the service, but from the blank stares and lack of participation, it is obvious that we are miles away. Think about it: we have folk that attend church who hear the Word of God, but they are convinced that it is for the person behind them. Their ears are shut to the application of the Word to their personal lives. However the most hurtful thing to me, are the ones that just refuse to listen and believe. It saddens me deeply how God has to send a disaster to awaken the hardened hearts of His people. Our churches were filled for a few Sunday’s after 9-11 and after our major hurricanes in Florida, as folk found the need for God to protect them and help them through that time of disaster. Then, as soon as they felt they had regained control, life went back to ‘normal’ for them. God is not trying to impose Himself on anyone, He just wants to heal us and give us the very best He has in store for us. Isn’t that a good thing that we should always desire? Friends, God has blessed us with so much, yet we use these gifts to oppose the very One who has blessed us. We have great knowledge, yet we reason away on why we are blessed, or not blessed, instead of giving all praise to God. We have great eyesight, yet like the prophet Isaiah said, we screw our eyes shut to the things of God and therefore preclude His healing and amazing blessings on us. Our hearing is perfect, yet we allow Satan to interfere and tell us that the Word of God is intended for that neighbor of ours who is much worse than us. The very last phrase of the quote from Isaiah really touched me: we have shut out everything about God because we don’t want to deal with our Maker, yet if only we would change this, He would heal our hearts! I believe this healing is one of not just our physical sickness, but also our disappointments, our brokenness, our loneliness, our defeats and ultimately, our sin. Friends, I serve a God just as I have described, and I would love to introduce you to Him. He will make your day brighter and so much more meaningful and purposeful. Please contact me if I can pray with you or help you in any way with this important decision. This could be the first of many days of joy in the security of my Lord! For those of you that know Him, please act like you do. Sing that song ‘Just a closer walk with thee’, then open the precious Word of God that He left just for us, and see what it is that He is ordering you to change or correct in your walk with Him. Open your eyes to the hurts and needs of those around you, and pray, pray, pray that God will intervene and heal His people today. They have tried the world and all it has to offer, but they are still lacking in so many ways. They need Jesus, my friend. I believe that one of His servants can help them redirect their lives today. Let it be you, dear follower of Christ!

PRAYER: Dear Lord, in spite of Your gracious hand upon Your people, and Your outstanding blessings poured out on us, yet You must be saddened by seeing us exclude You from our decision making, exclude Your active role in our lives when praise is directed towards us, and especially ignore You when You speak to us about the lost condition of our lives. I clearly got the picture in this scripture today, You want to heal our heart, yet we say ‘No thank You’. Father I thank You for softening my heart and giving me the boldness to accept You as my Lord and Savior back in 1976. I have many family and friends who are still hardened and refuse to make the necessary commitment to accept You as their Lord. Please humble them and soften their hardened hearts again today so that they may commit the rest of their lives to You and allow You full control, and ultimate healing of their sin problem. Dear God, there are important decisions we make every day, but none as important as the one that decides our eternal fate. My sincere prayer is that this will become very evident to my lost relatives today, AMEN!

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

Because Of Your Faith

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Faith, Healing, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Tuesday, 2022-02-01
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Matthew 8:2-3; 10; 13;
TRANSLATION: The Passion Translation (TPT)

BIBLE TEXT: 2 Suddenly, a leper walked up to Jesus and threw himself down before him in worship and said, “Lord, you have the power to heal me . . . if you really want to.”. 3 Jesus reached out his hand and touched the leper and said, “Of course I want to heal you—be healed!”…
10 Jesus was astonished when he heard this and said to those who were following him, “He has greater faith than anyone I’ve encountered in Israel!
13 Then Jesus turned to the Roman officer and said, “Go home. All that you have believed for will be done for you!” And his son was healed at that very moment.

APPLICATION: Here are key points about each individual in the two stories related in today’s Scripture:
—> In the first story, a Leper found his way from isolation (for his disease) into the presence of Jesus. Unheard of for a Leper. Jesus showed no signs of being afraid of having the Leper standing in front of Him, but instead Jesus was impressed at the faith of this man to battle all odds to make his way straight to the Savior of the world. I thought his statement by the Leper was rather peculiar – ‘You have the power to, and can heal me, if you want to’. Looking at the response from Jesus was also very interesting, especially in light of what we see in our hospitals today as nurses and doctors try to protect themselves from Covid infections. For Jesus actually ‘touched’ the man as He pronounced healing. It’s like the Leper knew that the dreaded disease was of no consequence to the Maker of all mankind; and as if Jesus felt no fear in dealing with the Leper, no matter what was wrong with him. I believe that Jesus is always more interested in our soul than he is about any earthly or body sickness.
—> In the second instance, Jesus was amazed by the faith of the Roman Officer, for he came before Jesus asking for healing of his son who did not accompany him on his journey. Based on his experience with his workers, he was confident that Jesus could speak healing to his son remotely and it would be done. Just say the word! Jesus was amazed by the faith of this official and granted him his request. The story confirms that the son was healed at that instant.
Hopefully you may have considered whether these two examples sounded like something you would do when you present yourself before Jesus. If you have reason to question your degree of faith compared to these gentlemen, then I would encourage you to draw closer to God in your prayer life, in your devotional time, in reading and understanding the Word of God. Friends, as your relationship with God deepens, I believe your faith will follow the same pattern. A child develops enough faith in their dad to actually jump from a high wall, knowing that they would be caught and cuddled by their dad, instead of the severe consequences if they fell to the ground. It’s that kind of faith that will help you to trust God with your life, or that of a relative you may approach God about. It may be because of your faith that God responds in awesome power to your request!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: There are many examples of the power of God to heal, or work miraculously through your circumstances. We know that God is still all-powerful and can do all things. Show Him your faith and see His almighty hand work miracles in your life!

PRAYER: Lord, I pray that no reader crawled into a corner and heard you say ’Oh ye of little faith’. Please help us to develop such an intimate relationship with You that Your power will be very evident and our asking very much in order. It seems like daily we are hearing about friends and loved one who need a healing touch from You. Many are afflicted, and many are dying much younger than anyone might expect. I have no doubt that You are still very much in control of my life, the lives of my family and friends, and that Your healing power is still available to us today. May our faith be so strong that we will boldly come before Your throne and ask for Your miraculous touch on those around us, just like you did with the Leper and the Roman Officer’s son. Time is running out for many. May they see Jesus today as they enjoy encounters with Your servants here on earth. May Jesus become alive to all my readers/listeners today, please Lord! AMEN!

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

Jesus Demonstrated Effective Ministry

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Healing, Needs, Praise, Preaching, Recognize God, Teachings, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Wednesday, 2022-01-19
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Matthew 4:23-25
TRANSLATION: Living Bible (TLB)

BIBLE TEXT: 23 Jesus traveled all through Galilee teaching in the Jewish synagogues, everywhere preaching the Good News about the Kingdom of Heaven. And he healed every kind of sickness and disease. 24 The report of his miracles spread far beyond the borders of Galilee so that sick folk were soon coming to be healed from as far away as Syria. And whatever their illness and pain, or if they were possessed by demons, or were insane, or paralyzed—he healed them all. 25 Enormous crowds followed him wherever he went….

APPLICATION: Some of you may have served in church leadership, or on a committee charged with organizing events designed to entertain different age groups in your church’s community. If your experiences were similar to those in which I participated, then you will agree with me that church leaders spend many, many hours behind closed doors in planning and organizational responsibilities. I’m not sure that we could ever succeed in ministering of the Gospel just through planning, but what if we concentrated on the proven methods of Jesus? Let’s examine the three main parts of His ministry, as mentioned in our Scripture:
—> TEACHING – We send our children to school to learn everything they need to survive in a workplace and in life overall. So, because they are lacking in these areas, we find help for them by well learned teachers. Most of us will pick up the Bible and try to read it, but we are quickly stumped by everything written. I would dare say that just as in Jesus’ day, many of us could benefit from the teaching of God’s Word. Our churches are blessed to have good teachers who do a fair job in teaching through Sunday School, Bible Study and small groups. But it is becoming more and more challenging to encourage attendees of the need to join others in this important learning experience;
—> PREACHING – I found it interesting that some translations said that Jesus ‘announced’ the Kingdom. Research shows that this means He preached about the kingdom of God. I believe this helps us to better understand why most churches still preach the Word of God. Please remember that for the preaching to be most effective to you individually, it is just as vital that you pray for your pastor or preacher, as it is to pray that God would open your heart’s door to accept what He has to say to you that day. You see, God’s Word is designed for us individually and God will speak to us personally and very directed as we tune our hearts to hear Him.
—> HEALING – I believe this is the area that you will tune into most intently, because you have seen so much fraud and false teachings/actions in this regard. I’m with you, because only God can heal, and I detest the idea of men or women proclaiming healing power of their own. However, I believe what the church needs most today is the man/woman of God who acknowledges the sole power of God in healing, and the love of God who sees the need for physical, mental and personal healing in everyone who crosses their path. For there are so many who are hurting in so many different ways, and they are hoping that the church will not only accept them as they are, but also empathize with them over their challenges in life. Especially since Covid, it seems that there is less connection between church leaders and their members who are in desperate need. Many times healing will come to hurting people just from someone who shows that they care. Leave the computer. Close the office. Call someone without worrying if you are disturbing them. People need the Lord, and their first step in that path towards the Master, is through knowing that His helpers and supporters care about, and love each other, especially in their times of need.
As I stated in my introduction, if churches spent as much time in ministering as they do in planning events, the Word of God will quickly extend to all ends of the earth, and the world will know who Jesus is, and that He cares for them, because they could see it in His representatives.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Jesus’ ministry was effective and fruitful because He mastered three of the same areas that we try to perform today. Perhaps today we could emphasize even more on Teaching, Preaching and Healing of the whole person for even more effective ministry.

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, thank You for caring enough for mankind that You were pliable in the hands of Your Father and followed through with being captured, crucified and buried so that we might know perfect love. I am in awe about Your resurrection and I praise God for such a miracle, because we are left with a risen Lord who still loves and cares for us. Forgive us Lord when we think it too much to sacrifice time to check on, and/or visit one another when there is a known need. How else will we prove Godly love for our Brothers and Sisters? You taught us how to love, and the extreme that one could go through to show love. You showed us how to minister effectively and You have blessed us with great churches, awesome ministers/pastors and also wonderful congregations who need to know about Your love for them, and see it practiced in reality every day. Please forgive us where we fail in this Lord. Help us to follow in Your footsteps for effective ministry to Your children we are blessed to associate with. 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!