Just Believe

On 2023-01-262023-01-26 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Believe, Evidence of Faith, Faith, Faith in Action, Know and Believe, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Worship3 Comments

DATE POSTED Thursday, 2023-01-26
WRITTEN AT: Live Oak, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Luke 8:47-50
TRANSLATION: New Century Version (NCV)

BIBLE TEXT: ⁴⁷When the woman saw she could not hide, she came forward, shaking, and fell down before Jesus. While all the people listened, she told why she had touched him and how she had been instantly healed. ⁴⁸Jesus said to her, “Dear woman, you are made well because you believed. Go in peace.”
⁴⁹While Jesus was still speaking, someone came from the house of the synagogue leader and said to him, “Your daughter is dead. Don’t bother the teacher anymore.” ⁵⁰When Jesus heard this, he said to Jairus, “Don’t be afraid. Just believe, and your daughter will be well.”

APPLICATION: I believe that too often we may tend to think that God only has time for the more serious issues of life. We may also tend to feel like we don’t need to bother Jesus, in His busyness with just the little concerns of life, so we try to resolve these things ourselves. Both miracles referenced in today’s Scripture were very serious. The woman who had an issue of bleeding for 7 years straight, is unbelievable for any child of God to think about. A child who lies on her bed with every indication that her sickness would lead to death – this is an atrocity for any parent to witness, and almost impossible to stand idly by and watch. Hearing that the ultimate Healer of all man’s diseases was passing through town, the sick woman mentioned above fought through the crowds knowing that she would probably never gain an audience with Jesus, but if she merely touched a piece of His (holy) clothing, she would be healed. This was a display of faith that is hardly ever heard of, but she believed in the power of the Great Healer and she had to get in His presence, for her own wellbeing. Her faith, or her belief in the power of the Almighty, led her to complete healing by Him. In the case of the synagogue leader, he sat helplessly at home watching his daughter fade away from this life. But having heard of this Healer sent by God, he knew that if he could get Jesus to swing by and just touch his daughter, that she would be healed. Notice how Jesus was in no hurry to drop what He was doing and run on over to the home of Jairus. Friends, this was in no way an indication of refusal, nor a lack of caring by Jesus, for He knew the situation with this child long before her dad ever set out to find Jesus. But the message is clear for us, just as it was for Jairus. Jesus will make all things new, in His time and for His purpose. He first of all told Jairus to not worry about the news he just received about his daughter’s death, for Jesus would still carry out His plan just as He promised prior to the arrival of the news. Let’s pay close attention to this, dear friends, we must not give up on Jesus, even when situations seem hopeless to us. If you believe, don’t allow anything sent your way by Satan to distract you in your walk with the Lord, or in your belief of Him. Now, I’m sure there are readers and/or listeners who will read this and retort ‘but you don’t know my situation, dear Brother, for God seems deaf to my cries for help’. Well guess what, there is no respecter of persons in God’s eyes when it comes to salvation, or forgiveness of your sin. And unless you have a relationship with God, you wouldn’t go to Him with your concerns anyway, right? After all, unless you have sought the face of Jesus, then in your sin, you are asking that He stay His distance from You so that You can live life as you please. Fortunately for many, Jesus is a perfect gentleman, and He will allow you to live life as you please. But for those who have joined with me in asking Jesus to be our Savior and Lord, not only do we have a sweet relationship with Him every day, but His hands are extended to help us in every circumstance of life, especially those concerns that seem to burden us down. When we reach for His hand, He is there. When we try to touch the hem of His garment, His healing is passed on to us and satisfies our every longing. When life hands us lemons, Jesus opens our eyes to the possibilities of lemonade, lemon meringue pie, etc. etc.! When our enemies try to discourage us and hurt us, Jesus helps us to feel His loving arms around us and He gives us a hand up, that brings us renewed hope. For Jairus, Jesus carried out His plan for his daughter, just as He promised when petitioned by Jairus. Jesus didn’t go back on His word because of changing circumstances, and I believe that He will do the same for us – if we trust in Him, if we have faith in Him, and if we allow Him to be God no matter our humanly circumstances.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Throughout the Bible we read about how faith is important to the child of God. It’s how we came to be a child of God. If only we can learn to develop our trust in Jesus – our faith, so that instead of becoming worry warts, we instead become heroes of the faith!

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, we came to You ‘By Faith’, now teach us to continue in our faith to worship and serve You each and every day. How can we encourage others to draw close to You in faith, if we struggle to surrender our all to You – in faith? In Your Word, You showed us that having just a little faith – an amount that may only be the size of a mustard seed, that we could move very large mountains. Our problems are small compared to the mountain You referred to, but I believe that we very easily allow the evil of this world to drag us down and cause us to doubt. As a child, my daughter had faith enough in her dad that she would jump from any height, knowing that I would do everything possible to catch her. May we have the faith of a child, so that we may feel secure in the arms of an Almighty and loving God. May our faith be so strong that it will be evident to the unsaved person who is seeking the faith to accept you as Lord and Savior. 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!

I Want To Know, Who Is Jesus?

On 2022-05-092022-05-09 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Know and Believe, Know Jesus, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Monday, 2022-05-09
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Mark 8:27-29
TRANSLATION: The Message (MSG)

BIBLE TEXT: ²⁷Jesus and his disciples headed out for the villages around Caesarea Philippi. As they walked, he asked, “Who do the people say I am?” ²⁸“Some say ‘John the Baptizer,’” they said. “Others say ‘Elijah.’ Still others say ‘one of the prophets.’” ²⁹He then asked, “And you—what are you saying about me? Who am I?” Peter gave the answer: “You are the Christ, the Messiah.”

APPLICATION: We tend to be more guarded in what we say outside of the home; more general when in the presence of work associates; and we tend to use more church, or Bible, lingo when at church. But think for a moment with me today as we ponder what we might say in response to a question posed to us by the One who knows our innermost thoughts; has seen our every action/deed; and who not only knows every intricate detail about us, but is also responsible for designing and putting us altogether. To respond to this question today, I would suggest that we not respond with what the Bible says about Jesus, or what our pastor said about Jesus, or what we heard our mentor – Christian Brother or Sister say about Jesus, but to actually respond directly, personally, and intimately about who is Jesus to you. For those who are married, think about how you would respond if asked a similar question about your spouse! How would you respond if asked about your parents? Friends, I believe that this question by Jesus really boils down to the kind of relationship that you have with Him. Your response changes from who ‘they’ say Jesus is, to who is my Savior to me! As a husband, I love to hear my wife say who she feels like I am. Don’t you think that Jesus would consider it praiseworthy to hear us openly express our feelings about the value of who He truly is to us? I’ve always been taught that it is right to praise and adore Jesus for who He is to me, before asking Him for any needs that may exist in my life. I don’t know that I do enough of that, do you? Will you consider joining me in committing to take every opportunity to praise God for who He is to us, and to never be bashful in sharing with everyone who knows us, the awesome news about who Jesus is to us?

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Jesus Is All The Word To Me!

PRAYER: Lord, You are my Creator and therefore You know every little thing about me. Thank you for putting me together, placing me with a wonderful wife, blessing me with an awesome daughter, providing me the best employment opportunity for 32 years of my life, challenging me with ministry opportunities in and through my church, and deliberately placing friends in my life that love, care and pray for me on a regular basis. I am totally blessed, and I thank You from the very bottom of my heart. You are amazing, and beyond comprehension in Your ability to love sinners – even me. Thank You for claiming me as Your son! Please challenge my readers with an inward look at who You are to them. No matter what they might read in this devotional, what they may have heard from the Bible, or what their pastor may have drilled into them, may they walk away today having shared with You about Your place in their heart. May this be evident to everyone we come into contact with each day, precious Lord. AMEN!

So That All Will Know

On 2022-04-262022-04-26 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Know and Believe, Know Jesus, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Tuesday, 2022-04-26
WRITTEN AT: Citra, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Joshua 4:21-24
TRANSLATION: New International Version (NIV)

BIBLE TEXT: ²¹He (Joshua) said to the Israelites, “In the future when your descendants ask their parents, ‘What do these stones mean?’ ²²tell them, ‘Israel crossed the Jordan on dry ground.’ ²³For the Lord your God dried up the Jordan before you until you had crossed over. The Lord your God did to the Jordan what he had done to the Red Sea when he dried it up before us until we had crossed over. ²⁴He did this so that all the peoples of the earth might know that the hand of the Lord is powerful and so that you might always fear the Lordyour God.”

APPLICATION: It seems like any time Satan makes his way into the local church and manages to distract a godly leader, the town’s gossip ring becomes alive to inform the masses that the church is not ‘perfect’ after all, and therefore should not be trusted. It is unfortunate that in doing the good that Jesus’ ministry always demands, that will hardly ever invoke a positive response out of the community. Unless the ministry efforts impact an individual personally, the ministry goes unnoticed by the community. Think about some of the ways your family, friends and coworkers are helped through the ministry of the church: They continually make every effort to help folk struggling in poverty and hard times; Sinners are often led from darkness (sin, and the things displeasing to God) into light (a life of righteousness dedicated to God); People who would normally never involved in community affairs, are often encouraged by God to actively become involved in His service and thru His church; People who would often turn to drugs, alcohol or crime are often encouraged by a pastor or church leader who loves on them and shows them that they care about them. And these are just a few ways God’s family shows His love to others! Friends, I often wonder if the church has not become so ‘politically correct’ that they have become much less effective in telling the world about: The Christ who died for them; The Savior of the world who arose, so that we might have forgiveness of our sin and live eternal in heaven; The healing power of Jesus Christ as evidenced first-hand in our own lives; The love of God that envelopes us and makes it bearable to stay in this world and help others to also experience salvation! God had His servant Joshua command the people to leave a memorial at the place where He performed a monumental miracle experienced by millions of people. In Joshua 5:1 we could read where the kings west of the Jordan became extremely fearful after learning about the awesome work of the Almighty, for they knew that if such a powerful God planned to also lead these people into their lands, they would not stand a chance. Do you suppose there’s anything about our churches that our community leaders fear? Do you hear them accusing God for the work He is doing in our churches, or are they convinced that church leaders are just caught up in greed and tax-free opportunities, at the expense of the town’s good people? If you were questioned as a church member, who would you say is in charge of your church? The pastor; The elders; The few with money; or is God truly in charge of His church – your church? Can you offer a few testimonies about God’s handiwork in your church? Does the church building stand as a testimony of repeated times that you encountered Jesus Christ and His miraculous works? What’s the simple answer you would give to your child’s questions about the church and why they are being taught and encouraged to attend? Do you suppose that the world sees sufficient evidence that God is all-powerful and that He is at work in your church? In applying the same questions to your personal life, do you suppose that the world sees enough evidence to believe that God is alive, well, and still as miraculous today as He was for Joshua and the Israelites? If not, why not? If not Christ, who then do you give your allegiance to? Please allow me to recommend Jesus Christ, for He is the same yesterday, today and always, just as He was for Joshua and the Israelites.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: God is alive and working in our lives, and in the life of your church. He still wants the world to know and experience His love, His power and the everlasting hope that we enjoy in knowing that Jesus will return one day to take His church with Him – to heaven with the Father, for ever!

PRAYER: Thank You Lord Jesus for Your sacrifice on the cross of Calvary, so that we may have the opportunity to experience the joys of heaven for all eternity! Please open the eyes and hearts of those we come into contact with, so that they may see the miracle of new life that You have lovingly blessed us with. I believe that You not only performed miracles so that the kings in our story today would fear, respect and honor You, but that You have also blessed Your children today with the love of Jesus and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, so that the folk we meet and become involved with would also see Jesus. Please help each and every reader or listener to have an attentive ear, and eye, to experience the many blessings that You shower on us daily. Lord, may Christians be so convinced of Your power, that those who touch us in some way will also experience Jesus in us, and surrender their lives to You. Oh that we would decrease, so that You may increase, is my sincere prayer today. AMEN!

A Proper Introduction

On 2021-11-062021-11-05 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Know and Believe, Know Jesus, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Worship4 Comments

DATE POSTED Saturday, 2021-11-06
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: John 3:16-18
TRANSLATION: The Message (MSG)

BIBLE TEXT: ^16-18“This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life. God didn’t go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again. Anyone who trusts in him is acquitted; anyone who refuses to trust him has long since been under the death sentence without knowing it. And why? Because of that person’s failure to believe in the one-of-a-kind Son of God when introduced to him.

APPLICATION: A new pastor presented an excellent sermon on his first Sunday at his new church. The leaders were convinced that they had chosen the right man to lead them spiritually. However, on the next 2 or 3 Sundays the pastor repeated the same sermon. This caused the leaders to question him about his repertoire of sermons, to which the new pastor responded: ‘Once I am convinced that the congregation has received and applied the Word to their hearts and lives, I will then move on to my next sermon!!’ That sounds a lot like John 3:16, for it is probably one of the most quoted verses of the Bible, but I wonder how many simple know the words, but haven’t really applied them! I would like for you to carefully read this popular verse in the contemporary translation I chose to present the Scripture today. Perhaps hearing it afresh in simpler terms, may draw your attention and cause you to question God, like Nicodemus did, on what must you do to be saved. You see, unless you make this bold step and present yourself humbly before God, you are still under the death sentence mentioned in our Scripture. Why is that? Well, the Bible says that unless you accept this free gift given to us by God, and believe on His one and only Son, Jesus, then you are under a death sentence – eternity with Satan and his army of fallen angels in Hell where you will receive eternal punishment through fire and brimstone. Friends, this is not just vain religious threats to have you join a church, these are facts presented by the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Out of perfect love for His children that He created, God sent His Son miraculously into this world, to bring hope and the means of us one day making our way back to heaven to be with God the Father and His precious Son, Jesus. If we receive the Son, by inviting Him to be Lord and Master of our lives, then we will be accepted into Heaven when we cease to live here on earth. If we don’t, then God has warned us that there is only one other place – Hell. Besides this Scripture today, I have also provided Scripture references through the link ’To Know Jesus’, referenced in my Footnote. Please consider the open invitation from God, through His Word. I have, and I would love to have every reader and listener join me around the throne of God in heaven. The choice is yours dear friend, please make the obvious, right, choice today – before it’s eternally too late.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Although we may deserve eternal damnation from Satan, yet God loved us so much that He has given us the opportunity to live in n His ‘palace’ – the portals of heaven, where He and His Son lives and reigns forevermore!

PRAYER: Normally we have to work extremely hard to have a home here on earth, but Lord I thank You for Your love and Your mercy in providing the means for our entry into Heaven, plus the assurance of eternity with You and the Father. Thank You for Your Word, Your promises, and for the place You have prepared for those who love You and allow You to rule and reign in their lives. Please use Your Word to touch the hearts of many who will read this devotional today. May they immediately fall to their knees and seek Your face as they ask You to rule and reign in their lives. Be glorified today in knowing that others will recognize You as Lord, and that they will accept You as Lord today! AMEN!

I’m Yours, Lord

On 2021-07-042021-07-04 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Believe, Dedicated, Know and Believe, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Worship2 Comments

DATE WRITTEN: Sunday, 2021-07-04
WRITTEN AT: Gallup, NM

SCRIPTURE FROM: Luke 1:36-38
TRANSLATION: The Message (MSG)

BIBLE TEXT: ^36-38“And did you know that your cousin Elizabeth conceived a son, old as she is? Everyone called her barren, and here she is six months pregnant! Nothing, you see, is impossible with God.”
And Mary said, Yes, I see it all now: I’m the Lord’s maid, ready to serve. Let it be with me just as you say….

APPLICATION: I believe that we all find it easy to accept and possibly even follow God’s commands in His Word, because we have heard about them since childhood, and we are somewhat comfortable about them, seeing that almost everyone on earth knows about them. But at the time of Mary’s orders from God, this was unproven territory. A young lady who had never had relations with a man, yet God would send an angel to her and caused her to ponder:
1. That she is the one that God chose to miraculously give birth to His Son. Wouldn’t it have crossed Mary’s mind, just like it would ours, that such an honor may be awarded to the matron of the church who has meticulously served God and His people for years and years?
2. Why would God choose an unmarried lady to be His Son’s mother? Wouldn’t God choose a married lady, so that the world would not suspect Jesus being born into, what appears to be, a sinful situation (His mother possibly having had relations with a man other than the one she was engaged to)?
3. Why me? What have I done to deserve such honor from the God of the Universe? Could this possibly be ‘for real’?
4. For assurance, that Elizabeth, whose husband had served God faithfully in the temple, is also receiving a miracle at the same time! And by the way, the angel reminded her that ‘Nothing is impossible with God’, so perhaps this is all a part of God’s mighty plan, and He has chosen to use just a simple young lady like herself!
You see, right from the very beginning – long before you and I, God chose to complete His work in mysterious ways. So why do we still doubt when we feel God calling on our life? We have been blessed with lots of recorded evidence of all that God does. In fact, we have every reason imaginable to believe what the angel told Mary: Nothing is impossible with God! May God grant us the faith to believe in the One who has control of it all – including all of our troubles, trials, and also the One who has all of our joys and blessings mapped out for us! That’s our God, my friend! Accept Him today, will you? Trust Him today dear Christian, for He cares for you!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: That which sounds impossible to us, is very possible with God! Like Mary, may we always trust in Him through every circumstance of life.

PRAYER: I’m Yours Lord, everything I have, everything I am, everything I’m not. Lord, I am completely Yours. Please prepare me to handle whatever You send my way and wherever You may lead me to. Mary was an awesome inspiration for Your followers today. May her words echo in our minds every time we doubt, every time we fear and every time we need confidence to believe in what may sound impossible to us. I am Your servant Lord, fulfill Your Word in and through me so that You may be glorified in everything I do or say. Please touch my readers and listeners with Your Word today as You prepare them to hear from You also. AMEN!

Ask In Faith, Believing, and Receive

On 2021-03-142021-03-14 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Ask and Receive, Believe, Faith, Know and Believe, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Sunday, 2021-03-14
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: Matthew 21:21-22
TRANSLATION: Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC)

BIBLE TEXT: ²¹And Jesus answered them (His disciples), Truly I say to you, if you have faith (a ^[n]firm relying trust) and do not doubt, you will not only do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, Be taken up and cast into the sea, it will be done. ²²And whatever you ask for in prayer, having faith and [really] believing, you will receive.

OBSERVATION: I’ve been told that when Jesus says something repeatedly, it’s because He wants us to really pay attention. For my regular followers, you will remember seeing several devotionals on ‘Faith’ over recent weeks. Hopefully as we meditate on the Word today, we will really allow God to penetrate our hearts on the subject of ‘FAITH’, for it is the crux of our believing in the Lord Jesus Christ – One whom we have never physically seen.

APPLICATION: As I read these verses this morning, I was sure that this was a repeat of something I had read earlier, and actually shared with you via Nuggets. In fact, I had to go back and review previous devotionals to make sure that I wouldn’t duplicate! I was reminded of a preacher who repeated the same sermon for a few Sundays, until an old lady came and reminded him. He responded that he just wasn’t sure that the congregation really understood and believed in what he had shared, so he thought to say it again! I have bolded the words that I feel God really drew to my attention. I believe that most of us pray. In fact, some of us even take time to attend corporate prayer meetings, and we may even join hearts with other believers to pray about things that impact us corporately as a church. What are we really doing when we stop all activity and pray to our Father? As a child, we were probably taught certain prayer lyrics that would eventually be replaced with internal words from our own heart. In a general sense, we know that prayer is a conversation we have with God. Why would one do that if it has the appearance of our words just disappearing into a black hole? Somewhere along the way, hopefully we may have heard about ‘faith’. You know: the kind of faith that caused a woman to fight the crowds so she could just touch the hem of His garment, and instantly she was healed; the kind of faith that caused a man to hop out of a very safe boat and at the command of Jesus, walk on water towards His Master; the kind of faith that caused a man to tell Jesus to raise his son from the dead, even from a long distance away; and perhaps even a current day healing that each of you may have witnessed or heard about. So I believe that Jesus is saying to His followers (disciples) in today’s Scripture, and to His followers today that if we have ‘faith’, and if we truly believe that we serve an all-powerful God who miraculously sent His one and only Son (Jesus) as our Savior, then we should pray as one who believes, and our requests will not only be heard, but also granted. Friends, what if you bowed your head at night with that kind of faith? What if you joined in corporate prayer with that kind of faith? What change might you see in your life of worship to our King, if you celebrated answers to your prayers each and every day? I don’t believe that God expects us to have a special place to meet with Him in prayer, or that we need to work up an attitude of prayer, or a special prophet leading us in prayer. The Word of God says that: if we have faith; and if we believe in our all-powerful God; then we may ask anything of Him and we will receive. Note that God loves us way too much to give us things that He knows will destroy us and our witness for Him, so He may direct us to pray in certain ways that He may approve of! Hebrews 11:1 tells us “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Oh that we may ask of God without having a clue as to what the right answer is, or how He might handle the situation. We just need to ask, and depend on God to Do what He knows best to do!

PRAYER: Lord, I thank You for Your mercies and I thank You for Your all-sufficient hand. Thank You for this reminder on faith, and how we are to ask of You in faith, believing on the power of the Almighty God. This is so real to us today, because things are happening all around us that we have no answers for, and we often struggle with why You would allow them to happen. But Lord, we acknowledge that we are mere man, and because of that, our minds cannot fathom the power, or the ways of an almighty God. But Lord, we know that You love us, and we know that You are sitting at the right hand of the Father petitioning for us. Lord, we believe. Please help us in our areas of unbelief. In faith, I want to ask for You to touch the heart of any reader who has yet to ask You into their heart. May this be the day of salvation for them, I pray. 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!

To Know, Realize and Understand ‘He Is God’

On 2020-09-292020-09-28 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Know and Believe, Knowledge, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Tuesday, 2020-09-28
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: Ezekiel 6:9-10
TRANSLATION: New Living Translation (NLT)

BIBLE TEXT: ⁹….. They will recognize how hurt I am by their unfaithful hearts and lustful eyes that long for their idols. Then at last they will hate themselves for all their detestable sins. ¹⁰They will know that I alone am the Lord and that I was serious when I said I would bring this calamity on them.

OBSERVATION: Some will say that there is no God, while others will oppose that view because they believe there is a God. But like a child might ask, how do you know that God exists? I believe much like the majority of humans believe, that there is a God, but don’t we often act as if He is merely a God of convenience? The Israelites seemed to have avoided God’s instructions, and acted as though He dished out vain threats. God shared through the prophet Ezekiel that his actions will prove to His people that He indeed exists. As we put our minds on the Almighty God for a moment today, let’s consider how we might answer the above question.

APPLICATION: Often when something is repeated in the Bible, it behooves us to look closely at that and understand why it was so important to reemphasize that fact. I was especially impacted by the AMP translation of verse 10 that reads: ‘And they shall know, understand, and realize that I am the Lord….’. I would highly recommend that you read the entire chapter of Ezekiel 6, as you will find this phrase repeated 4 times throughout the chapter. God saw the importance of this statement and repeated it. I wonder how often He says those same words to us! Think about the 9-11 tragedy. Many souls were tragically lost, but people were lined up for city blocks to get inside churches to truly seek God’s face and examine their own souls. Was this a time that you too stopped and had an extraordinary awareness of God? Did you suddenly realize that He was the One who was mighty to save and that your best place of refuge was at His feet in humility? Did you understand that no matter how good you had it in life, there was only one way to heaven, and it was super important that you examine your soul before the King of all kings? Since that time, there have also been: out of control fires; monster hurricanes; super destructive earthquakes; and of course, COVID-19. Many have been drawn to God through these international phenomenons. And because they acquired a new knowledge of God, they understood His power and His saving abilities, and they realized that only God could truly save you from those unheard of disasters. He got your attention, didn’t He? But, unfortunately, the same character that resulted in thousands of deaths for the Israelites, reared its ugly head among our people, for churches gradually returned to its normal minimal number of worshippers; families continued to struggle because of divorces, abortion and in-fighting. There no longer seemed to be a real need for God anymore, because our people returned to a life of sin, like they had become accustomed to prior to the international reminders from God. So let me ask this very important question: have you come to realize that there is a God who loves you, and who has made a provision for your eternal salvation? If so, have you accepted my Lord and asked Him to direct your life each and every day until He calls you home to glory? God prepared awful tragedies to show the Israelites that He was, who He said He was. How much more must He do to get your attention, dear friend? God sent His Son to save ALL who would call on His name. That includes you … yes you, so no more excuses, please? Please be sure to read my Footnote, especially the information behind my link ‘To Know Jesus’. Contact me if I might be of help to you, and to allow me to pray along with you about this life changing step you would like to make.

PRAYER: Precious Lord, You went to an extreme that was so unlike Your character, You destroyed Your people because of their stubbornness. Thankfully, You placed this whole scenario in Your Word for us to learn from this. Please Lord, soften the hearts of all those who will read this devotional and be reminded of a God who does what He say He will do. Way too often we use this characteristic to remind ourselves that You will do good for us, but I believe that since our world is filled with so much sin today, You could use this same tactic on our stubborn generation to help convince them of their sin and their need for a Savior. May the lost be reminded of Your seriousness to do what You said You would do, and may they come boldly before Your throne for grace and mercy, yes even today, Lord. Oh that You might be glorified today because of the large number that will stop to ponder Your truths. AMEN!

Until The Whole World Knows

On 2020-05-11 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Believe, Know and Believe, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Monday, 2020-05-11
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: Psalm 105:2-4
TRANSLATION: Easy-to-Read Version (ERV)

BIBLE TEXT: ²Sing to him; sing praises to him.
    Tell about the amazing things he has done.
³Be proud of his holy name.
    You followers of the Lord, be happy!
⁴Depend on the Lord for strength.
    Always go to him for help.

OBSERVATION: It’s a given, that if you ask a grandmother about her grandkids, she could easily, and quickly, pull out a wallet filled with photos of her grandkids! Let a grandmother see a baby, and she is immediately drawn to it, as she is reminded of her own grandbabies. But what about little Christs (Christians)? Were your unsaved family and friends drawn to Jesus because they spent time with you over the weekend? I love that song ‘Until the Whole World Hears‘, as it really came to mind as I read these verses from the Psalmist today. Meditate with me as we think about what the world will hear and know as a result of being in our presence today!

APPLICATION: There are times where we will leave someone and we comment about what we observed in their character. We might comment to our spouse things like: ‘What a sweet person’; or ‘You could tell that person loves the Lord; or you might even say something like: ‘What an obnoxious person!’; or ‘Sure glad that I married you and don’t have to live with that every day!’. Yes, others can see right through us, even though we strive to hide our ‘bad side’ while with them! I believe that you might see some things in these verses that perhaps I may miss, because God may have one thing to say to you, while dealing with other challenges in me. But as I read these verses, I not only saw these things as requirements suggested by David, but also I saw these as characteristics that will overflow from the life of someone whose eyes are fixed on Jesus and whose life displays the character of the One who lives inside of them. In other words, I am reminded of yet another song ‘When Jesus is my portion. A constant friend is he. His eye is on the sparrow. And I know he watches over me‘. Friends, when you know that One is closer to you than the mention of His name, won’t others see and experience that peace that overwhelms your soul? When you’re humming His praises all day long, or singing of His love at every opportunity, don’t you think that others will know as the Psalmist said in verse 3, that you are happy and proud to sing of the mercies of your Lord? When others are in a panic about things like Covid 19, or about approaching hurricanes, or earthquakes, etc., yet you are calm, as you are reminded of the words of Paul where he told us that for me to live is gain, but to die is even better as you will be with the One in whom you have trusted, face-to-face! Friends, your life is an open book to those around you. I pray that you will insure that your relationship with Jesus is strongly in tact so that the word might know, and follow the One in whom you have placed your faith and your trust. Seek God today, find Him while He is near and allow Him to rule and reign with you through every circumstance of your life.

PRAYER: Dear God, You created us in Your image, and designed us to worship and adore You. As a child of the King, no doubt we will act like the King, and be happy in everything that He sends our way each and every day. Please mold us to be just like You precious Lord., for people are watching and, in some cases, making decisions based on what they see us doing. If we’re happy and we know it; if we love You and we know it; if we invite You to be our constant guide and loyal friend each and every day, then the world will know it and be inclined to seek after that type of relationship for themselves. Work through us Lord! Love through us Lord! May You be alive and active in us through everything we say of do, so that the world might know and believe! AMEN!

Sharing Your Experience Could Change The World

On 2019-10-07 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Know and Believe, Knowing Christ, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Salvation, Share God’s Word, WorshipLeave a comment

Monday, 2019-10-07

Bible Reference: John 4:39-42
Translation: The Voice (VOICE)

Bible Text: ³⁹Meanwhile, because one woman shared with her neighbors how Jesus exposed her past and present, the village of Sychar was transformed—many Samaritans heard and believed. ⁴⁰The Samaritans approached Jesus and repeatedly invited Him to stay with them, so He lingered there for two days on their account. ⁴¹With the words that came from His mouth, there were many more believing Samaritans. ⁴²They began their faith journey because of the testimony of the woman beside the well; but when they heard for themselves, they were convinced the One they were hearing was and is God’s Anointed, the Liberating King, sent to rescue the entire world.

OBSERVATION: There’s a new song out that my pastor loves, and it contains the lyrics ‘I’m just a nobody, trying to tell everybody, about somebody, who saved my soul‘. Perhaps you might want to listen to the song while reading this devotional, because it declares exactly what this Samaritan woman did after her encounter with Jesus at the well. Meditate with me as we ponder the actions of this woman who was considered a ‘nobody’ by the society of that day, yet how sharing her story impacted ‘everybody’ in her town.

APPLICATION: I was told at a conference by a Disney World official that Disney is considered one of the cleanest parks to visit, because it is expected of every employee that they pick up litter, no matter where they are on the property. Is that the way it is in the Christian arena? Do we all have it in our Christian job description that we are to ‘share with everybody about the somebody who saved our soul‘? The unfortunate thing is that society as a whole have their own preconceived ideas about whose job it is to share Christ with them. And unless they hear that ‘word’ from a qualified and recognized pastor, they will really test and retest what is being shared with them. But regardless of that, let us think about our Bible verses so we could remember the setting. The disciples were convinced that Jesus was the Son of God, and although they may not have realized the full impact of all that meant, they had their preconceived ideas about who He should be hanging around with. However, having left Him alone for just a few minutes, they returned to find Him chatting up and drinking water from a ‘nobody’ – a Samaritan, and Samaritans were generally despised, and considered ‘nobodies’ by the Jews. Additionally, this was a Samaritan ‘woman’, a gender that was always considered only as behind-the-scenes helpers. But to Jesus, this was just a ‘somebody’ who needed to meet and know the great High Priest who could save her soul. This was so mind-blowing for the woman, that Jesus showed His power to help her know that He truly was the Son of God. Now comes the time that the Scripture really draws us in, to more closely examine ourselves. I believe from the very beginning, we could see that we are very much like the Samaritan woman, for we would often say to someone who we know needs the Lord – wait just a minute, let me call my pastor so he could chat with you about my best friend, who I’m sure could help you through your situation. Excuse me dear one, but who do you call on to tell your neighbor about your spouse, or your child? Do you really need to call in the authority to tell someone about the One who saved your soul? The One who assured you that He is the very Son of God? The One who told you that He has prepared a place for you, that when your time here on earth has expired, you will join Him and His Father in your new home in heaven, where you will live in an attitude of praise for ever and for ever? Does it really need someone else to tell that glorious truth for you? The Samaritan woman needed no help, for the words just bubbled forth from her mouth – and many were impacted for the Lord! I believe that you are probably a Brother or a Sister of that dear Samaritan woman, and I believe that she would quickly join me in encouraging you to ‘tell everybody about somebody who saved your soul‘. Dear fiend, there are many around you that are hurting today, and who needs a word of encouragement to help them know that there is hope in knowing that somebody loves them and will welcome them into His kingdom, just like He did for you. Tell somebody today, won’t you?

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, thank You for this reminder today! You have bless many of my readers and myself with the reassurance of Your love; of the reassurance of our salvation; of the boldness that we need to share Your grace with everybody that we come into contact with today. Please help us to love each other like You fist loved us, and how You continue to love us every day. Please embolden us to help save ‘somebody’ from the destination of Hell into the wonderful light and glory of heaven. Please keep it forefront in our minds that we should make every effort to rescue all those we know and meet, so that no one will be left behind. Heaven is for everyone who believes in the Lord Jesus and accept Him as their precious and loving Savior. That includes everyone we will meet today. May we be busy about Your work loving Lord. AMEN!

Our Miraculous God

On 2019-06-12 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Awesome God, Believe, Know and Believe, Miracles, Miraculous, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Trust, WorshipLeave a comment

Wednesday, 2019-06-12

Bible Reference: Luke 1:18-20
Translation: The Passion Translation (TPT)

Bible Text: ¹⁸Zechariah asked the angel, “How do you expect me to believe this? I’m an old man and my wife is too old to give me a child. What sign can you give me to prove this will happen?” ¹⁹Then the angel said, “I am Gabriel. I stand beside God himself. He has sent me to announce to you this good news. ²⁰But now, since you did not believe my words, you will be stricken silent and unable to speak until the day my words have been fulfilled at their appointed time and a child is born to you. That will be your sign!”

OBSERVATION: Way too often we pray for God’s wisdom; His healing; His direction; and His protection, yet when God is on the move we tend to find explanations on why certain activity is occurring, or we may even attribute the turn in events to ‘good luck’. Oh my, where is our faith truly at? Who is our God? I have two similar Biblical characters to consider today that reacted surprisingly to God’s orders/miracles. Let’s examine our own hearts as we look at this.

APPLICATION: In my Old Testament reading today, there was the story of Balaam. He spoke to God about whether he should visit with king Balak. God directed him not to go. However, Balak was persistent and he sent back a different team of messengers to plead with Balaam to change his mind. Although having been given a Word by God, Balaam went before God each time that Balak’s team of men asked. I can’t imagine God changing His mind, neither telling Balaam that He had made a bad call in His first response. But eventually God saw the need to teach Balaam a lesson by letting him go with the messengers. Then I turned to my New Testament study and found this story of Zechariah, who encountered a similar discipline to that received by Balaam. I’m sure it is easy for us to look down our noses at both of these servants of God and in shock wonder how on earth could they possibly respond in the way that they did. But are we truly any different in our response to God and/or His miraculous work? I don’t think so, for I believe we are equally as bad, or perhaps even worse. Now think about this: we have learned from Balaam, we have learned from Zechariah, and I’m sure there are many other similar examples throughout God’s Word, but way too often we place God in a box only as big as our vision and our capacity. How often do we go beyond those borders? I have a very personal experience, I can share with you from my church: our leaders are stretching and testing their faith in trying to solve a challenge of overcrowding. Through faith in our all-powerful and fully capable God, they are led of God to find property to relocate, or expand our ministries to meet the needs of adequately ministering to the people He is sending our way, and will send our way over the foreseeable future. To approach our God for something like this – something that is several times larger than what we have; something that will meet the needs of ongoing ministries way beyond our ability to imagine – this requires a persistent faith that is strong and immovable. Please consider praying with BFC, Sebring, FL about this need. We want to see Jesus lifted up and glorified, even through our humble efforts. We are convinced that God has blessed us with the crowds He has sent our way, even in spite of a community that is largely unchurched. However, we take the Scripture very seriously, and He has encouraged us with the words, that if I am lifted up, I will draw the people unto myself. We are in a continual mode of lifting up the name of Jesus in all that we do. As for you, may I suggest that you stand in awe of who God is, and all that He has done, plus all that He has the power to do again. Try looking beyond things that your natural eyes can see, and try trusting God in the small and in the great things. Try listening to what God wills, and allow Him to stretch your vision and your faith so that you will openly allow His work to be done for His glory alone.

PRAYER: Thank You Lord Jesus for saving a sinner such as I. It is hard to imagine that a miraculous working God like You, who has the power to do all things, and see all things that are yet to come, yet You loved me enough to use even me in Your mighty work. Lord, my readers and I stand in awe of You. We want to experience your awesome work, and we want to participate in the many blessings that You shower on us each day. Please teach us to pray. Please strengthen our faith to believe and deepen our trust in You for all things. May Your kingdom come, and Your will be done, so that You may be glorified in all things. Thank You Heavenly Father for loving even us. AMEN!

Nuggets From God's Word

Category: Know and Believe