Category: Know Jesus

But Then God…

On By Ed AlgreenIn Know Jesus, Salvation, SurrenderLeave a comment

SCRIPTURE  FROM:   Galatians 1:15-17 (TPT)

TEXT:  15 But then God called me by his grace; and in love, he chose me from my birth to be his. 16 God’s grace unveiled his Son in me so that I would proclaim him to the non-Jewish people of the world. After I had this encounter I kept it a secret for some time, sharing it with no one. 17 And I chose not to run to Jerusalem to try to impress those who had become apostles before me. Instead, I went away into the Arabian Desert for a season until I returned to Damascus, where I had first encountered Jesus.

OBSERVATION:   Much like we should do at every possible opportunity, Paul shared with the Galatians his testimony. An opportunity where you talk about where your life was headed before you met Jesus, then the experience with Jesus that made a difference in your life, and how your life was then changed when Jesus became a vital part of your life. This really opens the door of transparency in the eyes of those to whom you are mingling with, ministering to or praying for. Let’s look into this more deeply….

APPLICATION:   Have you ever stop and wondered how easy it would be for you to change your life, if only you had been born into the circumstances of your pastor, or perhaps another church leader who shared their testimony? Have you ever felt so convicted of your sin, yet thought about your home life growing up, or even your married life, and convinced yourself that this Jesus that you’ve heard people talk about surely couldn’t be the Savior for people like you? I thought you may have given that some consideration, because at one time or another we all may have felt that way. But let’s consider the life of Paul for a minute. This man was so strongly in favor of living like his Jewish forefathers, that he felt like that must include ridicule and possibly even harassment and even killing of the Christians, if necessary. So picture for a moment what you may have felt like when Paul walked into the town that you once felt was safe, secure and possibly even ‘Christian’. Now fast forward to a period five years later, and you overheard that Paul was coming to visit your town again, but this time he is a very ‘changed’ man. How would you feel? What would convince you that he is a different man? Paul explained that the difference made in his life was all because of Jesus, for He was responsible for a 180 degree turn in his life (a turn in the complete opposite direction). What he (Saul) was once opposing and persecuting and destroying, he (Paul) is now promoting, celebrating and encouraging others to become a part of. How would you describe your conversion to an unbeliever friends? For Jesus to make a vital change in your life and help you make a complete 180 degree turn in your life, He must first be invited into your heart/life, and then given total control to do whatever is necessary to help you live a life totally devoted to Him. Only then can He change those evil thoughts into good ones, those evil desires to kill and destroy, into a life dedicated to Kingdom work. Paul was following in a very destructible way, a sinful direction, BUT JESUS took control and made a total change in his life. Ed was the same way, BUT JESUS make a huge change in my life. What about you friend? No matter how tough things might be for you or how evil you are, my JESUS can make the difference for you also. Please read my Footnote for tips on how to overcome your current circumstances and find hope and everlasting joy! 

PRAYER:   Lord Jesus, my Savior and my King, thank You for reaching down in love and accepting my plea for salvation, in spite of the life that I used to live. I often think of the song, ‘I though so unworthy, still I’m a child of the King..’. But today I come before You Master, to have Your perfect will in the lives of my readers, my family and my friends that have not yet accepted You as Lord. Busy though they may be going about their daily lives, I sincerely pray that You, dear Jesus would melt their stubborn hearts and draw them unto Yourself. May this be the day of salvation for many who reads this devotional today, I pray. To those who may read this and already know Jesus as Lord, may I encourage you to send this to at least 3 friends and pray earnestly for their salvation today? May God’s work be done today because you gave of your time and effort, AMEN!

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

 

Importance of The Father and The Son

On By Ed AlgreenIn Know Jesus, Sacrifice, Share, Share God’s WordLeave a comment

Post Date:

 Tuesday, 2017-10-31
SCRIPTURE

From:

 John 8:19-20 (TLB)

Text:

 19 “Where is your father?” they asked.

Jesus answered, “You don’t know who I am, so you don’t know who my Father is. If you knew me, then you would know him too.”

20 Jesus made these statements while in the section of the Temple known as the Treasury. But he was not arrested, for his time had not yet run out.
OBSERVATION:
It is difficult to see the truth or know the man when you don’t trust him or spend time with him. This is what happened to the Pharisees when they were looking for ways to arrest Jesus. They were so intent in looking for the worst in Jesus, and for possible reasons to arrest Him, that their eyes were blinded to the fact that the God of this universe was actually one with His Son, Jesus. I believe that God still wants His children to seek after His Son. Let’s develop an appropriate application for this Scripture….
APPLICATION:
Often when a person is in trouble, their first instinct is to call on God. This will often include non-Christians and saints. I believe that one of the messages included in this Scripture today is that you are to know Jesus, if you truly want to know the Master of this universe, God. We will hear friends and loved ones asking for our prayers when there is trouble going on in their lives or in the lives of their loved ones. Who is this ‘God’ to them? One who stands ready to save the lives of those who crucify Him again and again each day through mocking and despising His Son? Friends, when there is One who loves you so much that He was born with a specific purpose in mind – His Father wanted to provide a means for us to make it to heaven. He saw where the sacrifice of animals was just not cutting it, so He miraculously sent His Son through a human mother, so that we could see and understand that He was just like us – born of a woman. The Bible records many miracles so that we could see that Jesus was also God. However, just as recorded by the prophets of old, Jesus also died a very cruel death at the hands of mankind who despised Him and didn’t want Him around. We tend to practice a type of crucifixion ourselves when we want to do our own thing, without the accountability of God – the One who loves us beyond anything we could ever imagine. To my readers, some of whom might be my own blood relatives, I want to plead with you to reconsider this Jesus who showed ultimate love for us, through His death on the cross at Calvary, so that we might enjoy life abundantly with He and His Father in heaven for all eternity. If you have yet to surrender your life to Jesus and receive this ultimate gift of love, please do that today. Our time here on earth is not assured beyond the very moment that you read this blog, so please don’t procrastinate, bow your head and invite Jesus into your heart right now and ask Him to forgive you of your sin.
PRAYER:
Lord Jesus, thank You for providing the means for us to spend eternity with You and Your Father, God. A sacrifice that we will probably never fully understand. However, for those of us that have accepted that free gift of love, we are eternally grateful to You and we look forward to the day that we can look full into Your wonderful face and enjoy the sweet communion with You and our Father, God. Please give us wisdom on ways that we could help to touch the hearts and lives of those that have yet to make this decision, for we want to see all of our family, friends, coworkers and acquaintances joining with us in celebration around the throne on that great homecoming 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 could indicate a link to a song that came to mind as I wrote the devotional. Feel free to click on the link and listen as you continue to read or pray. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to Nuggets From God’s Word and read more, or you may freely to subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. If you are anywhere near the Highlands County, Florida area and do not have a church home, I would be thrilled to welcome you at Bible Fellowship Church, located at 3750 Hammock Rd, Sebring, FL 33872! Click the link to check out service times and/or other special activities. God is at work among us! Please consider coming to worship with us!

To Know That He Is God!

On By Ed AlgreenIn First Hand Experience, Know Jesus, Knowing ChristLeave a comment

Post Date:

 Wednesday, 2017-07-12
SCRIPTURE

From:

 Luke 7:22-23 (ERV)

Text:

 22 Then he said to John’s followers, “Go tell John what you have seen and heard: The blind can see. The crippled can walk. People with leprosy are healed. The deaf can hear. The dead are brought back to life. And the Good News is being told to the poor.23 Great blessings belong to those who don’t have a problem accepting me.”
OBSERVATION:
The prophets foretold the coming of John the Baptist, and the people followed his teachings. However, John knew that one was coming who was much greater than he was, so when questioned by his followers about the teachings of Jesus, John sent them to inquire. Our Scripture today is Jesus’ response to John’s followers. But how do we determine for ourselves who Jesus is?
APPLICATION:
At some time in our lives we are faced with the question about who God is, and then there’s the importance of evaluating what our relationship is with this awesome God. John knew from Scripture that Jesus was coming and when he heard about all that Jesus was doing, he was anxious to know if this was really the Christ. I truly believe that almost everyone in the world has probably heard about Jesus, but like you and I, they have to find out for themselves whether He truly exists, and then decide what they will do with Him. I thought that Jesus’ response was outstanding! He didn’t send the disciples to study what the prophets had foretold, nor did He quote Scripture for them. He simply told them to share with John all they had seen and experienced. Friends, if I told you about a news report I saw of an earthquake in Africa, and another friend told you of a time they were visiting California and an earthquake came in the middle of the night, which story do you suppose might be more convincing and interesting? I believe we will all agree that for those of us that not only have accepted Jesus as Lord, but have truly developed a personal relationship with Him, we can speak of Him from the heart. John’s followers experienced the awesome power of Jesus, so can you even imagine how excited and convincing they were when they returned to John? Do you suppose that he doubted for a moment whether they were telling him the truth? Friends, I believe that God is teaching us in this Scripture today, that we can attend church every day of the week, and hear the very best of preachers, but until we have developed our own personal experience with Jesus Christ, our witnessing will consist more of storytelling, than it would of a personal experience. Each man, woman and child must decide for themselves who Jesus is to them; develop and maintain a personal relationship with Him; and then let the joy that comes from that relationship overflow to all those that we come into contact with. We all need Jesus. Once you have confirmed that personal relationship, reach out to a friend that also needs Him and share your story. That’s real, personal evangelism!
PRAYER:
Lord Jesus, thank You for loving us enough to sacrifice Yourself on the cross so that we might have the means of one day seeing You and the Father. Please forgive us for the times that we have kept that joy of knowing You bottled up inside. Lord, may our cups overflow so that the world will know that that You are very much alive, because they see evidence of it in us! We love You Lord, and again thank You for providing a way for us! AMEN!
FOOTNOTE:
There are two more pages on my blog that will provide you with additional information, one of them being ‘To Know Jesus’.  If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please click on the above page, or speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. Please allow someone to pray with you and give you help and/or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Words underlined in my blog could indicate a link to a song that came to mind as I wrote the devotional. Feel free to click on the link and listen as you continue to read or pray. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to Nuggets From God’s Word and read more, or you may freely to subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. If you are anywhere near the Highlands County, Florida area and do not have a church home, I would be thrilled to welcome you at Bible Fellowship Church, located at 3750 Hammock Rd, Sebring, FL 33872! Click the link to check out service times and/or other special activities. God is at work among us! Please consider coming to worship with us!

A Changed Heart

On By Ed AlgreenIn Acknowledge God, Changed, Heart Knowledge, Know and Believe, Know Jesus, Knowing ChristLeave a comment

Post Date:

 Thursday, 2017-06-29
SCRIPTURE

From:

 Luke 3:7-9 (MSG)

Text:

 7-9 When crowds of people came out for baptism because it was the popular thing to do, John exploded: “Brood of snakes! What do you think you’re doing slithering down here to the river? Do you think a little water on your snakeskins is going to deflect God’s judgment? It’s your life that must change, not your skin. And don’t think you can pull rank by claiming Abraham as ‘father.’ Being a child of Abraham is neither here nor there—children of Abraham are a dime a dozen. God can make children from stones if he wants. What counts is your life. Is it green and blossoming? Because if it’s deadwood, it goes on the fire.”
OBSERVATION:
It was becoming quite a popular thing for people to go down to the river and be baptized by John the Baptist, and John quickly recognized that it was becoming quite the popular thing for folk to do in following the crowd. John felt an obligation to Jesus Christ to make sure that this was not becoming a popularity thing but rather one that followed the teachings of Jesus. We will explore how applicable this is to us today….
APPLICATION:
As a very young child, my daughter saw a friend baptized, and for weeks afterwards she tried to convince her mom and I on why she should be baptized. I believe that there may be lots of younger people that want the attention of parents, Bible School teachers and  friends, or they may run to the pastor without fully understanding the purpose of baptism. There are others that are willing to take this step as a way to get mom, spouse, or perhaps a friend who had been witnessing to them, off their back. In our Scripture reading today we can see how John addressed this, and I’m sure we could follow his example on how to handle similar questions by others. However, we must feel comfortable sharing this in our own words. May I encourage you to click on the Scripture link above and read what Paul taught on this? The main emphasis is that the prospective candidate can clearly tell you how they were Spiritually saved, and also how Jesus has changed their way of living, because now they are about to show witness to the church at large and the world, that there has been a mega change in their life since inviting Jesus to be their Lord and Savior. The candidate must know clearly that baptism has no saving grace, but is scriptural because it demonstrates to the world an inward decision that you made at some point in your life. Friends, in following the commands of Jesus, I pray that you will demonstrate a full understanding of what He demands of you in His Word and not just follow the crowd as the popular thing to do, otherwise God may send another ‘John’ to rebuke you, like he did in this scripture. I encourage you to be brave in declaring to the world that you are a child of the King and that you don’t mind anyone knowing that. Being ashamed of the Lord here on earth might be reason for Jesus to disclaim you before His Father, according to His words in Scripture. If you haven’t surrendered your life to Jesus, then baptism is a mockery to the church and you are telling the world a lie. However, baptism is encouraged for those who have sincerely surrendered their heart and life to Jesus. 
PRAYER:
Lord Jesus, You know how much we love baptismal services, because as a church, we celebrate with the candidates the decisions that have been made, and the miraculous change that God has made in their lives! It re-enforces the necessity for the church and personal evangelism. It confirms Your work dear Lord, because only You could truly touch and change broken and sinful lives. May we continue to be about Your work oh Lord, and may You continue to touch the hearts of those that are in need of a Savior. We long to celebrate baptism often as a means of celebrating the wondrous works of our Lord. To You we give hearts filled with glory, honor and praise for all that You do in the center of our family, friends and loved ones. AMEN!
FOOTNOTE:
There are two more pages on my blog that will provide you with additional information, one of them being ‘To Know Jesus’.  If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please click on the above page, or speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. Please allow someone to pray with you and give you help and/or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Words underlined in my blog could indicate a link to a song that came to mind as I wrote the devotional. Feel free to click on the link and listen as you continue to read or pray. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to Nuggets From God’s Word and read more, or you may freely to subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. If you are anywhere near the Highlands County, Florida area and do not have a church home, I would be thrilled to welcome you at Bible Fellowship Church, located at 3750 Hammock Rd, Sebring, FL 33872! Click the link to check out service times and/or other special activities. God is at work among us! Please consider coming to worship with us!

Answers to Life’s Dilemmas

On By Ed AlgreenIn Acknowledge God, Eternal Life, Heaven, Know and Believe, Know Jesus, Salvation, SecurityLeave a comment

Post Date:

 Tuesday, 2017-05-09
SCRIPTURE

From:

 Psalm 32:6-8 (TLB)

Text:

 6 Now I say that each believer should confess his sins to God when he is aware of them, while there is time to be forgiven. Judgment will not touch him if he does.

7 You are my hiding place from every storm of life; you even keep me from getting into trouble! You surround me with songs of victory. 8 I will instruct you (says the Lord) and guide you along the best pathway for your life; I will advise you and watch your progress.
OBSERVATION:
Clicking on the Scripture reference above will give you all of the verses in chapter 6. You will see that before David went into telling his readers what they should do, he shared his own personal experience. David knew from first hand experience that a life fully surrendered to God is one that rests peacefully in the arms of Jesus, blessed by, and enjoying His love and protection both here in this life and in the next.
APPLICATION:
The words of many preachers ring in our ears, “if ever we needed a Savior like the one described by David, it is now”. I believe we hear those words and quickly brush them off our shoulders convinced that they are meant for the person behind us or besides us, because of all the issues they currently have. However, I have also heard saints of God rejoice in the fact that they are ever so thankful that they had a loving and caring God by their side as they went through various aspects of life that might otherwise have taken some people under. Friends, because of my relationship with my Savior, I can safely say that it is well with my soul. My sins have been forgiven, and I am not only a child of the King of all kings, but He has given to me His very own Protector and Guide, through the Holy Spirit that has taken up residence within me. I am destined for a perfect place with a perfect God, and regardless of anything that might come my way here on this earth, nothing can change my eternal destination nor my Master and Lord. With that kind of peace and eternal security, I am constantly concerned for those in my family and circle of friends who have decided to do this life on their own. I can therefore identify with David in verse 6. For I too am concerned about all that are outside of the fold, without hope, without security and without relationship with the Savior of the world.  Friends, know God and be convinced about who’s in charge of your life today and throughout eternity. Without God, your suffering and complexities of life are only beginning, for there is no mercy, no love and nothing to look forward to under Satan’s control.
PRAYER:
Thank You Father for making provisions for us to find peace in this world through Your Son Jesus. Thank You also for the bright hope that we have in tomorrow when we have a personal relationship with Your Son. Please touch the hardened hearts of family and friends who have yet to accept You as their Savior and Lord. Please don’t give up on them for, like David, it is my desire to see them overcome the tug of Satan on their lives and to see them give total control to You. Lord, please find ways to once again speak to them today. May this be the day of salvation for all in need of You, who will read this and need the hope of eternity. May they find peace in knowing You, AMEN!
FOOTNOTE:
There are two more pages on my blog that will provide you with additional information, one of them being ‘To Know Jesus’.  If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please click on the above page, or speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. Please allow someone to pray with you and give you help and/or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Words underlined in my blog could indicate a link to a song that came to mind as I wrote the devotional. Feel free to click on the link and listen as you continue to read or pray. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to Nuggets From God’s Word and read more, or you may freely to subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. If you are anywhere near the Highlands County, Florida area and do not have a church home, I would be thrilled to welcome you at Bible Fellowship Church, located at 3750 Hammock Rd, Sebring, FL 33872! Click the link to check out service times and/or other special activities. God is at work among us! Please consider coming to worship with us!

My Protector

On By Ed AlgreenIn Accept Jesus NOW, Jesus, Know Jesus, Peace, SalvationLeave a comment

Post Date:

 Monday, 2017-04-17
SCRIPTURE

From:

 Psalm 27:1 (Voice)

Text:

 1 The Eternal is my light amidst my darkness
    and my rescue in times of trouble.
    So whom shall I fear?
He surrounds me with a fortress of protection.
    So nothing should cause me alarm.
OBSERVATION:
David had ‘been there and done that’, as we would say today, when speaking from personal experience. When sharing this gained experience with others, as David did in this Psalm, we help them to gain confidence to trust God with the circumstances that they are facing. I wonder how well we are doing with that?
APPLICATION:
When whining and complaining about every little thing that don’t go our way, it is impossible to share a sense of confidence with a friend about how ‘good’ God is to you! For if God truly is ‘good’ to you, He will stop you from traveling a path where He knows that trouble lies ahead for you, or where temptation might be too great for you to handle. Friends, there are stories in our Book of Instruction (the Bible) that tells us of battles that God won without His led army ever raising their swords. Stories where earthly leaders went to battle with numbers they felt necessary to fight an army, and God ordered a reduction by 97% because He knew that He could be more effective than the full army of men. There are stories where His ministering saints were simply unchained during the night without ever calling for bolt cutters or hacksaws. Of course there are multitudes of other miracles told in the Word of God, so why should we lack the faith to trust in this awesome God with our situations today? Friends, if God is for us, who can you ever think of, that could be against us? Who can be more powerful? Who will love you and look our for your best interest, like He would? Do you know Him friend? It is repeated time and time again in the Bible, that God will take care of His own, and since He is totally honest, He will also bring punishment to those who have chosen to disregard Him and not accept Him as Lord. You see, it’s like an open book test. You know what the results will be, so it is entirely up to you to choose which results are dished out to you. Accepting Jesus as Lord, results in eternal life with Jesus and an eternity in Heaven with He and the Father (God). Ignoring the call of God on your life, will result in eternity with Satan and his deceiving legion. One brings you the confidence that David shared in our Psalm today, while the other gives you a deep sense of hopelessness that our world deals with today. With the end result in mind, the choice is yours dear friend. My wish is that I will see you in glory. I pray that you will make that decision today, while you still have breath to invite Jesus as your Lord and Savior.
PRAYER:
Lord Jesus I believe that presented with the facts again today, many may be at a crossroads in their life where they need to make a decision about their eternity. The decision seems simple/obvious to me and very easy to make, however, I know that Satan will be doing everything to keep my family, friends and readers from leaving his evil domain. With the same power that You brought Lazarus back to life, and that put You back together after Your death and burial, I pray that You will use Your awesome power to touch the lives of those that mentioned above, and convince them of their need for the Savior. Lord, please tender their hardened hearts once again today. May this be the day of salvation for many today, is my humble and desperate plea, AMEN!
FOOTNOTE:
There are two more pages on my blog that will provide you with additional information, one of them being ‘To Know Jesus’.  If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please click on the above page, or speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. Please allow someone to pray with you and give you help and/or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Words underlined in my blog could indicate a link to a song that came to mind as I wrote the devotional. Feel free to click on the link and listen as you continue to read or pray. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to Nuggets From God’s Word and read more, or you may freely to subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. If you are anywhere near the Highlands County, Florida area and do not have a church home, I would be thrilled to welcome you at Bible Fellowship Church, located at 3750 Hammock Rd, Sebring, FL 33872! Click the link to check out service times and/or other special activities. God is at work among us! Please consider coming to worship with us!

A Test of your Belief System

On By Ed AlgreenIn Believe, Bible Believing, Know and Believe, Know Jesus, WitnessLeave a comment

Post Date:

 Monday, 2017-04-10
SCRIPTURE

From:

 Matthew 28:7-8 (NLT)

Text:
7 And now, go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and he is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there. Remember what I have told you.”
8 The women ran quickly from the tomb. They were very frightened but also filled with great joy, and they rushed to give the disciples the angel’s message.
OBSERVATION:
The women referred to in verse 8 witnessed a second earthquake in just 3 days, for they were at the cross when Jesus died and the first one occurred, now as they arrived at the tomb to check on the body of Jesus, another earthquake occurred as He arose from the dead. Ordinarily this would put folk in a panic, but these ladies waited for the message from the angel, then ran to give the message to the disciples!
APPLICATION:
There were three types of hearers in this resurrection story:

  • Believers – The women heard what the angel said, and quickly obeyed the command to go and tell the disciples. Most of the disciples believed the women, even though they weren’t present to witness the angel or his message. This group are like Christians today who believe on the Son of God, even though they have never seen Him in person;
  • Doubters – Some of the disciples heard the women, but doubted that Jesus could be alive. The chief priest and leaders doubted what the guards told them, but yet they put a plan in place to have the guards lie about what really happened, and instead tell a lie to cover up the miracle that happened before their very eyes. This group reminds me of those today who hear a very convicting testimony, but choose to ignore the call of Christ on their life without a personal experience or miracle;
  • Unbelievers – There were some who heard and didn’t believe. They didn’t want to believe, because they had rejected who Jesus was when He was alive, and they wanted to continue rejecting Him even after hearing that He was alive. This group were much like those who refuse to hear the Word of God today. They are close minded even when presented with facts from eyewitnesses.

Friends, as you celebrate this Easter season, I pray that in all honesty, your eyes will be opened to placing yourself in one of these categories. My prayer is that God will convict you to move up the above list in your belief and conviction system, and that you will be open to the gospel message one more time. Although Jesus arose from the grave many years ago, I pray that He will truly come alive in your life this year!
PRAYER:
Lord Jesus, the Bible speaks very clearly about Your death and resurrection, and from eyewitnesses, the evidence is clear that You are alive! Thank You Father for the evidence of Your mighty works in my life – clear evidence of a heavenly Father who loves me and, through Your precious Son, prepared a way for me to approach You as my Father! Lord, may my experience with You be such that others may see You and have a greater desire to know You better, and this is my prayer in deepest sincerity, AMEN!
FOOTNOTE:
There are two more pages on my blog that will provide you with additional information, one of them being ‘To Know Jesus’.  If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please click on the above page, or speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. Please allow someone to pray with you and give you help and/or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Words underlined in my blog could indicate a link to a song that came to mind as I wrote the devotional. Feel free to click on the link and listen as you continue to read or pray. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to Nuggets From God’s Word and read more, or you may freely to subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. If you are anywhere near the Highlands County, Florida area and do not have a church home, I would be thrilled to welcome you at Bible Fellowship Church, located at 3750 Hammock Rd, Sebring, FL 33872! Click the link to check out service times and/or other special activities. God is at work among us! Please consider coming to worship with us!

On Recognizing Jesus

On By Ed AlgreenIn Decisions, Know Jesus, SalvationLeave a comment

Post Date:

 Friday, 2017-04-07
SCRIPTURE

From:

 Matthew 27:54 (AMP)

Text:

 54 Now the centurion, and those who were with him keeping guard over Jesus, when they saw the earthquake and the things that were happening, they were terribly frightened and filled with awe, and said, “Truly this was the Son of God!”
OBSERVATION:
Scripture mentions a few of the people on the scene at Calvary where Jesus was crucified. Of course there were guards on hand to make sure that Jesus, who some thought was a criminal, would not escape from His destiny, to die on that Roman cross. The guards saw the heart of God in His Son throughout this whole ordeal, especially as Jesus died, for at that very moment, they concluded that, surely, ‘this truly was the Son of God’.
APPLICATION:
There comes a time in our lives that Jesus becomes ‘real’ to us. For some, it might be through the proclamation of His Word in a church service, but for others it might be through something in nature, or a miracle that you witnessed in response to earnest prayer by a saint of God. Some folk respond to these first experiences with Jesus by bending of the knee, seeking His face in prayer, asking for forgiveness of their sin and surrendering leadership of their remaining life to Him. Others become distracted by trying to apply some other phenomenon that may have contributed to the miracle they just witnessed. Friends, for all of us there will come a time that, through the power of the Holy Spirit, we will recognize God for who He is. We will immediately respond to that experience in one of several ways: Try to ignore it; Try to reject it; Try to reason it away from our minds; or stand in awe of the presence of the holy Son of the living God because of His awesome and powerful Holy Spirit convicting us of our need for a Savior. You may have done one or more of these things already in your life, and you are still remaining with us here on this earth for another opportunity. Just yesterday I heard of two men who went into eternity very unexpectedly. In fact, so quickly that they would not have had time to ask for acceptance by Jesus. If at some point in their lives they stopped making excuses and accepted the tug of Jesus on their heart, then their spirits united with Jesus yesterday, otherwise they are facing the damnation of Hell for all eternity. The choice is exactly the same for you today, friend. Your decision today affects where you will spend eternity. If you have read this blog, then you are making a decision again today. If you have never accepted Jesus as Lord, and you do not invite Jesus into your heart today, then you have made the decision to spend eternity in Hell. I would not wish that on anyone, especially you my friend. Know Jesus today and know eternal peace, won’t you?
PRAYER:
Father, You created us to love, honor and follow Your commands as Your loving children. I pray that hearts will be softened and reopened to the truth of Your Word today as this blog goes out to the world. Please allow those who need a Savior to happen across this blog, and may Your all powerful Word return fruit as it is read and understood. Please allow the excuses to cease and acceptance and commitment to prevail. I ask these things solely for Your glory oh Lord, AMEN!
FOOTNOTE:
There are two more pages on my blog that will provide you with additional information, one of them being ‘To Know Jesus’.  If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please click on the above page, or speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. Please allow someone to pray with you and give you help and/or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Words underlined in my blog could indicate a link to a song that came to mind as I wrote the devotional. Feel free to click on the link and listen as you continue to read or pray. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to Nuggets From God’s Word and read more, or you may freely to subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. If you are anywhere near the Highlands County, Florida area and do not have a church home, I would be thrilled to welcome you at Bible Fellowship Church, located at 3750 Hammock Rd, Sebring, FL 33872! Click the link to check out service times and/or other special activities. God is at work among us! Please consider coming to worship with us!

Our Promised Healer

On By Ed AlgreenIn Healing, Know and Believe, Know Jesus, Obedience, ObedientLeave a comment

Post Date:

 Tuesday, 2017-03-14
SCRIPTURE

From:

 Exodus 15:26 (MSG)

Text:

 God said, “If you listen, listen obediently to how God tells you to live in his presence, obeying his commandments and keeping all his laws, then I won’t strike you with all the diseases that I inflicted on the Egyptians; I am God your healer.”
OBSERVATION:
God had performed miracle after miracle in the process of getting His people out of Egypt and through the wilderness, yet as soon as they felt like their crisis was over, the Israelites would return to their false gods and their sinful ways. So God made them a conditional promise, that I believe holds true even today. Let’s look at this closely, as I believe it could reap benefits for the child of God even now.
APPLICATION:
I want you to be the judge in a scenario I will explain. The cops are called to a scene where trouble was reported. There are two young men at the scene. One (dressed in jogging pants) reports that he was passing by on his daily walk, and was beat up and robbed by the other man. The second man reports that the first man cursed at him and hurled insults at him while he was passing by, and provoked him to protect his ‘good name’. Fortunately, the police have never seen the first man before, whereas the second one had many encounters with the law over the past year. Who would you assume to be the guilty party among the two? As in this illustration, I believe that God was reminding the Israelites that if they live in obedience to the commands that He had laid out for them, then He will know they are serious about their commitment to Him, and for that He will spare them of the plagues and sicknesses that He was forced to send on the Egyptians to get their attention. In fact, He promised that He would be their healer. And this is where my introductory story fits in, for if you are living like the devil, why would you want, or expect God to step in and heal you or help you through a difficult time? In His Word, God is clear that He will punish the wicked but joyfully bless and heal the righteous. Based on your lifestyle, your commitment, and your obedience to God, will He recognize your cry, as one of His, when you cry for help? If not friend, may I encourage you to surrender your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ, and learn to live in obedience to His Word, so that you may become one with He and His Father – God? Then we can claim the promise given to us in this verse today, that He is our Healer!
PRAYER:
Dear God, You have already given so much for us. Thank You from the very bottom of my heart for loving each of us so much that You gave everything – for our ultimate good! After reading through the Israelites plight through the wilderness, and seeing Your willingness to still accept them and promise to be their Healer, I believe that Your children today who might meditate on this blog still stands a chance also. I don’t believe the rules have changed, for I believe that You still want to see us be obedient to Your commands that You lovingly put in place to help us be more like You. Please provoke us towards being Your obedient children willing to honor and serve You in every way possible, every 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 could indicate a link to a song that came to mind as I wrote the devotional. Feel free to click on the link and listen as you continue to read or pray. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to Nuggets From God’s Word and read more, or you may freely to subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. If you are anywhere near the Highlands County, Florida area and do not have a church home, I would be thrilled to welcome you at Bible Fellowship Church, located at 3750 Hammock Rd, Sebring, FL 33872! Click the link to check out service times and/or other special activities. God is at work among us! Please consider coming to worship with us!

Know Jesus So You May Obey Him

On By Ed AlgreenIn Know and Believe, Know Jesus, Knowing Christ, Obedience, Obedient, Salvation, WitnessLeave a comment

Post Date:

 Friday, 2017-03-03
SCRIPTURE

From:

 Exodus 5:1-2 (TLB)

Text:

 1 … Moses and Aaron went to see Pharaoh. They told him, “We bring you a message from Jehovah, the God of Israel. He says, ‘Let my people go, for they must make a holy pilgrimage out into the wilderness, for a religious feast, to worship me there.’”2 “Is that so?” retorted Pharaoh. “And who is Jehovah, that I should listen to him, and let Israel go? I don’t know Jehovah and I will not let Israel go.”
OBSERVATION:
Pharaoh challenged Moses and Aaron as to why should he obey the commands that their God sent them to convey to him. In not knowing the same God that Moses and Aaron knew, loved and worshipped, Pharaoh refused to obey what the two brothers relayed to him from their God. After all, why should an unbeliever obey a god that they don’t know, and that we feel is genuine?
APPLICATION:
To tell someone that I met for the first time, that I have the best wife in the whole world, they may look at me and admire how well programmed I am to say those words to even a stranger. To tell that stranger that my wife said that they must not eat certain foods because it will destroy their bodies, they may look at me like I’ve really lost my mind, or perhaps ask me to get out of their face. However, if my healthy looking wife walked into the room and became acquainted with them and answered their questions about nutrition and how she attributes her great health to certain diet restrictions that she follows every day, the stranger may become more apt to accept what she says – listen and obey. As I read this Scripture this morning it was like God stopped me and made me ponder for a while that aren’t Christians doing the same thing as Moses and Aaron> Think about it, we become very spiritually fed during our weekend services and as we enter our weekday we try to share, or some may even demand some of the scriptural commands on those we work with, or come across during our day. If they don’t know God, why would they listen to us or consider obeying what we try to convince them that God said? I am very convinced that the most important thing Christians can do for unbelievers is to live life in total obedience to God, so that we can convince them that God is impacting our life. Secondly, don’t ‘beat around the bush’ about why we act the way we do, or why we attend church, or why we don’t care about their crude jokes, or why God is so important in every decision we make. When a person’s heart is touched by the Lord, THEN and only THEN will they want to hear what God has to say to them. Let’s remember, we are not in the sales business, we simply bear witness to the Truth, and He will do the convincing. Remember, He intricately designed the heart, and He knows exactly what it takes to reach that heart with the love and acceptance of Jesus Christ. When we go over and above what God intended, or leads us towards, we actually cause walls to be erected by the unbeliever. Are you meeting many folk like Pharaoh? How’s your witness for our Lord, convincing to the unbeliever? Remember, God is the One who does the convincing and the saving, we are merely the earthly vessels that He might use to help in that process. Let’s not get the order messed up and confuse the unbeliever as to who brings salvation into their lives!  
PRAYER:
Lord, You’ve shown us through the story of Pharaoh how challenging it is to obey Your commands if we don’t know the Commander personally. Please forgive us for often reversing that order and expecting our friends to like the things we like or go the places we go, when their hearts are often polluted with so much of the world. Please continue to work on believers so that we may simply desire to be conduits through which You can share Your love, Your salvation message, and Your grace, so that others may see and believe. I am anxious to be used by You through circumstance yet unknown today. May Your will be done, oh Lord, my Rock and my salvation, AMEN!
FOOTNOTE:
There are two more pages on my blog that will provide you with additional information, one of them being ‘To Know Jesus’.  If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please click on the above page, or speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. Please allow someone to pray with you and give you help and/or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Words underlined in my blog could indicate a link to a song that came to mind as I wrote the devotional. Feel free to click on the link and listen as you continue to read or pray. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to Nuggets From God’s Word and read more, or you may freely to subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. If you are anywhere near the Highlands County, Florida area and do not have a church home, I would be thrilled to welcome you at Bible Fellowship Church, located at 3750 Hammock Rd, Sebring, FL 33872! Click the link to check out service times and/or other special activities. God is at work among us! Please consider coming to worship with us!