Category: Last Days

In The Last Days

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

DATE POSTED: Wednesday, July 26, 2023, and I was blessed to be at Orlando, FL when God inspired me to prepare this devotional. My Footnote will tell you how to find, read or listen to any and all episodes that I have shared over the years.

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE FROM THE New Living Translation (NLT) IS FOUND IN 2 Timothy 3:1-2; 5;

THE BIBLE TEXT IS: ….. in the last days there will be very difficult times. For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred.
They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that!

MY INITIAL THOUGHTS: Much like Paul issued a warning to his ‘son’ in the ministry, Timothy, I was reminded of the warnings given to us when a natural disaster, such as a hurricane, is approaching. Many heed the warnings, but some decide that they know better than the authorities and stay put. God felt like Paul’s warning was important to help His children after Timothy to also be on guard, and ready for the return of Christ. Since that includes all my readers, listeners and myself, I believe that it is important that we remind ourselves of this warning once again today.

APPLICATION OF THE WORD: Throughout our lifetime there are numerous warnings that come our way, and most of them come with repercussions if we choose to disregard the warning. But the warnings from God seem to go unheeded, or so it seems, by many in our world today. Our Scripture refers to ‘the last days’ so we should know what that means. Paul is writing to Timothy who is ministering to many of the churches that Paul started, and Paul wants Timothy to know that in the days just before the return of Christ, this is what he could expect. Since Timothy was setting out to minister to the church, this means that he could expect church people to be acting this way. Now, after you close your jaw from the shock of what I just said, I believe that this may cause you to consider the church today, and whether the behaviors indicated by Paul in all the first 5 verses of this chapter continues. Unfortunately, the answer to that last thought is ‘yes, this behavior is still prevalent’. So, why do you suppose that Paul’s warnings, that were inspired by God Himself, are still disrupting life in the church, destroying the witness of ‘Christians’ to an unsaved world, and causing closed doors for those who honestly want to share the love of Christ? Paul helps us with that dilemma in verses 2 thru 4:, and I will quote that from the Amplified Version, since it goes a little deeper “They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God.” Of course this is in addition to the clues given in the verses included above. Although I trust that everyone reading or listening, constantly seek the face of Jesus asking for deliverance from these worldly attitudes and sinful actions, I believe that there are many still bound by Satan that walk through our church doors, and/or challenge us each day in areas of our life that we find most challenging to surrender or align with the perfect will of God. But friends, be on guard and constantly aware that, unfortunately, Satan is alive and well in our world, and the Bible reminds us that he is roaming about seeking whom he may capture and devour. But I pray that for the child of God, that you will daily remind yourself that greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world. There is no temptation greater than that which God can help you overcome. We are more than victors when we stand bold in the victory of Jesus Christ! Paul was afraid of Timothy walking into a den of thieves and lions. We still do that each day, but all the more reason why we need not go single handed, but instead go with Jesus by our side and His guardian angel going before us. Unless we do this, our human strength is usually unwilling and unable to overcome the evil one. If you have invited Jesus to be Lord of your life, let me encourage you to approach His throne each morning and ask Him to be Lord throughout that day – your stronghold; your deliverer; your Lord of all lords and King of all kings. Yours is the victory when you stand under the Lordship of Jesus our Lord! To the unsaved, please invite Jesus into your heart and allow Him to be Lord. You will not be able to deal with Him, if you have no relation with Him. He is a God of relationship, not of convenience or a Santa Claus to your every wish or whim.

BLESSINGS WORTH NOTING: Ours is the victory for those who place their faith and trust in the holy Son of God, Jesus Christ!

PRAYER BECAUSE OF THE IMPACT OF TODAY’S SCRIPTURE: Lord Jesus, thank You for the cross, and for the assurance of salvation given to those who surrender their lives to You as Lord and Savior. Each and every day we walk into a world that is much like Timothy found himself in ministry. I can only imagine how Your heart aches for us, much like Paul, especially if we enter our day on our own and with no concern for allowing You to be our guide and our stay. Lord, for those who try to do life without You, may they be reminded of reasons to do otherwise through this devotional today. For those who claim You as Lord, may each one be reminded of seeking Your guidance, protection and comfort each day while seeking Your strength to witness to and encourage at least one lost soul that day. Please Lord, may we be conscious of whose we are and may we always represent You perfectly each day so that You may continue to touch souls much like You did with me. Be glorified through us today oh Lord, our Rock and our Redeemer, AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: There’s another page on my website, entitled ‘To Know Jesus’. If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading or listening to this devotional, please go to this 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 you would like to read more of my devotionals, or subscribe for a daily email containing each new devotional, please go online to NuggetsFromGodsWord.org. For my podcast, go online to Apple Podcasts or, using the Apple Podcast app, simply search for Nuggets From God’s Word to hear more episodes, or click ‘Follow’ to be notified of Podcast updates. Friends, please allow me to 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!

How To Recognize the Last Days

On By Ed AlgreenIn Christ's Return, Come Soon, Heaven, Last DaysLeave a comment

THE HOLY BIBLE (The New Living Translation – 2 Timothy 3:1-5): 1 You should know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times. 2 For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. 3 They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. 4 They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. 5 They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that!

THOUGHTS: As I meditated on this, I realized that some will stumble across this and won’t have a clue what this is all about, because unless they have heard something about the second coming of Jesus Christ, they live each day without regard to their state of readiness. To some, this might be a reminder that they have a few ‘clean-up’ items to attend to before the return of Jesus. To Christians, we are to be reminded that our work and our witness has never been as urgent as it is today. Scripture tells us that the day of Jesus’ return is known only to God, so no one else really knows. However, the Bible tells us that only the prepared (those who have accepted Jesus Christ as their personal Savior) will be accepted into heaven. Because of their commitment, Christians are to always be prepared to leave this old world and join with the millions who have also made a similar life-decision, to meet at the feet of Jesus and worship Him. We are also to be busy convincing those whom we love, and who we want to join us around the throne. For those who have not made it a priority to surrender your lives to Jesus, I believe that you will see from the warning signs in the scripture today, that we are living in the last days. Jesus could return before you complete the reading of this devotional. I have an obligation to also remind you that when Jesus returns to take His bride (believers in Jesus Christ) home with Him, it will not just be business as usual for those of you that are not ready. For the Bible says that you will be cast into a hot, burning, hell with Satan and his angels where you will spend a miserable eternity, without further opportunity to redeem yourself. On my phone I have a weather app that warns me of approaching danger – perhaps a tornado, or other such dangerous weather. This app was programmed to recognize these dangers based on certain conditions in the atmosphere and weather patterns. Please consider this scripture as a Biblical warning about the impending end of life as we know it today. Christians have read about heaven in the Bible, sung about it, dreamed about it and anxiously await the transition day. May I suggest to all not fitting in that category that you should consider this as a warning from God that His return is near. We are living in the last days, and He could come at any time. There will not be a shelter in which you can hide until He returns again. There are no plans for a third return. It will be heaven or hell. Where will you open your eyes in eternity? If there is the slightest doubt that it will be in heaven, may I encourage you to follow the steps outlined in my ‘Footnote’? Friend, Jesus loves you more than you can imagine and not only do I want to see you accept Him as Lord and be in the group going to heaven, but my whole idea of sharing these devotionals online, is my hope that you might be touched and prompted to join my band of fellow Christians as we await the coming of Jesus! Do it today friend! Be ready should He return before your very next hour!

PRAYER: Dear Father in heaven, thank You for providing a place for us to look forward to after our time here on this earth! In meditating on the signs in this scripture today, I am convinced that the return of Your Son to take His children home is very near, and I believe that many fellow Christians will join me in singing “Come Soon Lord Jesus“, for the stresses and heartaches resulting from these signs are hard on us. Please hear my cry today to speak to the hearts of my family and friends who have yet to accept You as Lord. They are playing such a dangerous game of procrastination. I humbly ask that You tender their hearts today, open their eyes of understanding and lead them to the truth contained in Your Word. Please, may this be the day of salvation for them? I pray that Christian friends reading this devotional today will also catch a glimpse of the urgency of which I speak, and that we may be busy about the work of the Lord today. Yes, many of us have jobs to attend today, but Lord, I believe that we are Your hands and feet on the ground, so may our lives portray Your unconditional love, and may our actions be proof of whose we are, for I believe non-believers must see living proof of a living Savior to convince them of their need. Use us oh Lord, and may Your kingdom come, for thine is the glory, for ever and ever, AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please speak with a local Bible Teaching pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com so that we can pray with you and give you help and or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Any words underlined above will indicate a link to a song that came to mind as I wrote the devotional. Feel free to click on the link and listen as you continue to read or pray. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to blogger.nuggetsfromgodsword.org and read more, or you may freely 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, Sebring, FL! 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!