Biblical Qualities of a Church Leader

On 2023-04-302023-04-30 By Ed AlgreenIn A Lamp unto My Path, Adoration, Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Awesome God, Beyond Description, Blessing, Celebrate God, Leadership, Leadership qualifications, Needs, Praise, Praise-worthy, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED: Sunday, 2023-04-30
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: 1 Timothy 3:1-3
TRANSLATION: Good News Translation (GNT)

BIBLE TEXT: This is a true saying: If a man is eager to be a church leader, he desires an excellent work. ²A church leader must be without fault; he must have only one wife, be sober, self-controlled, and orderly; he must welcome strangers in his home; he must be able to teach; ³he must not be a drunkard or a violent man, but gentle and peaceful; he must not love money;

OBSERVATION: Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Paul had important advice for Timothy as he searched for and indoctrinated leaders into churches he started and/or while ministering at some that Paul had already started. Surely God has not relaxed His qualifications because of the times we are in today, for the ‘times we are in’ churches seem to have merely relaxed their demands because of Satan’s push for less stringent rules. So, let’s not skip this aspect of the Scripture that we will come across as we commit to read, understand, and obey, the full Word of God.

APPLICATION: I would suggest that you click on the Bible reference above and read the full chapter, as I chose only a few verses to introduce the subject and remind you of the importance of obeying God and His teachings in this important aspect of His church. Let me say right at the very beginning of this study that every child of God has a place of ministry as they give witness to the God who saved them from a life of sin and eternal damnation. However, for those who will lead God’s church, He had Paul instruct how important it is that we get it right, at the very top of the chain of command. Having served for 47 years in the banking industry, I can assure you that the bank would not hire less than perfect individuals to serve in leadership positions in the bank. After all, can you imagine how thousands of bank customers would react if they became aware of an unworthy, unqualified, known criminal who was making leadership decisions over their hard-earned savings at the bank? Would it not be even more important that we make similar precautions when it comes to the leadership God’s church here on earth? Sure, we live in an imperfect world, but I had a pastor once say that he would choose to recommend that the church elect no deacons at all, if they couldn’t find biblically qualified deacons. Friends, we will be answerable to God if we choose leaders based on popularity, or their known financial worth, or a pushy individual who can demand quick decisions from a church. I have always heard of this Scripture, as it referred to Pastors, and in some cases, elders. However, one commentator said: ‘Because the words “bishop,” “pastor,” and “elder” are used interchangeably throughout the New Testament, Paul’s instructions concerning bishops apply to anyone who wants to be used by the Lord’. This makes more sense to me, because in most churches church leaders other than the pastor, give advice and/or direction to the pastor. It would therefore be important that such ‘leaders’ be faithful, biblically minded men of God. I’m sure you are probably nodding your head that this is really key information for church leaders, but wondering why God would have everyone learn this, and become liable for obeying this. In most churches you, the church membership, elect your church leaders. I believe that Paul, and especially God, are very interested in you choosing your church leaders in line with God’s instruction. In the same way that I go off and research the autobiography, records and references of political leaders I plan to vote for, I would highly recommend that you do the same when it comes to voting for your church leaders. If this is done at a regular church business meeting, then it is incumbent upon you to be at the business meeting and elect to vote your God-given conscience. This is also a good place to ask questions of the leaders you are being asked to vote for. If they are not present, perhaps that’s your first indication of the lack of dependability by the official running for office. Friends, it takes obedient, practicing, godly men to lead a godly church. If you are one asked to serve, please be sure that you are in full obedience to the Word of God. If you are one asked to vote for such men, do the same – make sure they are qualified, proven and ready to serve with all their might! We must all ensure that visitors to our church will find no reason to reject the call by God on their life. I pray that they will never be distracted by seeing men serving on my church’s leadership that are questionable in the community.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: God showed us the way to have our churches led by holy and righteous saints, now may we do our part as a congregation to insist on the same.

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, we thank You for preserving holy men to lead our churches. Please help us to always choose to ignore Satan when encouraging us to choose otherwise. It is so pleasing to most congregations to choose the most popular, the richest, the longest attending and the most likable, without checking off all those who do not meet the qualifications mentioned by You. Lord, may we be found faithful in all that we do to preserve the holiness of Your church, so that we would never be a ‘turn-off’ for those seeking to worship with an honest and God-honoring body of believers. 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!

Good Servants Make Great Leaders

On 2022-07-192022-07-20 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Leadership, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Servants of God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Tuesday, 2022-07-19
WRITTEN AT: O Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Mark 10:43-45
TRANSLATION: The Living Bible (TLB)

BIBLE TEXT: ⁴³… among you it is different. Whoever wants to be great among you must be your servant. ⁴⁴And whoever wants to be greatest of all must be the slave of all. ⁴⁵For even I, the Messiah, am not here to be served, but to help others, and to give my life as a ransom for many.”

APPLICATION: Although not spelled out by Jesus that this Scripture pertained only to church leadership, I believe it can definitely be applied to the church. But Jesus was approached by two of His faithful disciples who wanted to go straight to the top of the list in popularity by Jesus in His eternal kingdom. I would suggest that we try to apply this principle to our life in general, for everything Jesus taught, was intended to help His children be more like Him in every aspect of life. Although I believe that it is imperative for others to see servanthood as part of our DNA, I also believe that we should frequently perform a self-evaluation. The easiest way to know if you’re a servant, is by how you react when people treat you like one. All too often, I’m afraid, our heart is, “Yes, Lord, I want to be a servant – as long as people realize I’m serving. I want to be a slave – as long as I become Slave of the Year.” But friends, if you’re gladly slaving in the nursery, in the kitchen, or in a Sunday-school class without being noticed, appreciated, or thanked – then, perhaps, yours is the heart of a true servant. Think about this, do you suppose that the Lord wants us to be slaves because He likes to see us grovel? I don’t think so, it’s probably because He’s preparing us for the kingdom – for all eternity – and He knows that the best exercise for strengthening your heart is stooping down to pick up someone else. Your employer may not acknowledge you as a good potential leader when he sees you willing to do anything at absolutely any level in the workplace. But instead of fretting over present rewards, we should instead look forward to the time when we move into the kingdom, and the Lord says, “Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of the Father!” Imagine how our hearts will well up within us, for He’s the One we’ve been living and working for! His words are all that will matter to us when we enter the portals of heaven. At that point, I don’t believe any of us will regret the times we weren’t applauded by people for serving the Lord. Instead, we may say, “Thank You, Father, for sparing me from getting my reward on earth where it passes away so quickly.” Friends, when we apply the teachings of Jesus to our life, we will make great leaders here on earth, but hopefully it will be obvious to those we serve, whose we are. Leadership classes will not teach you this principle, but let me emphasize that for the child of God, our responsibility is to obey God first. When we honor God by obeying His teachings, He will make us the leaders He needs us to be!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Jesus showed us that servanthood matters, and that it won’t hurt us to also serve our fellow man. Jesus demands us to serve, so that we could reflect true leadership when the opportunity presents itself. Join me as we obediently follow this command of Jesus.

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, thank you for teaching us the importance of serving before attempting to lead others. Please work on those areas of our life that will impact our leadership in a way that pleases you. As in all other areas of our life, please help us to bless others so that You may be honored and magnified. AMEN!

Remove The Evil One

On 2022-05-012022-05-01 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Church Leaders, Discipline, Forgiveness, Leadership, Leadership of the Holy Spirit, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Sunday, 2022-05-01
WRITTEN AT: Citra, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: 1 Corinthians 5:9-13
TRANSLATION: New Living Translation (NLT)

BIBLE TEXT: ⁹When I wrote to you before, I told you not to associate with people who indulge in sexual sin. ¹⁰But I wasn’t talking about unbelievers who indulge in sexual sin, or are greedy, or cheat people, or worship idols. You would have to leave this world to avoid people like that.¹¹I meant that you are not to associate with anyone who claims to be a believer yet indulges in sexual sin, or is greedy, or worships idols, or is abusive, or is a drunkard, or cheats people. Don’t even eat with such people.
¹²It isn’t my responsibility to judge outsiders, but it certainly is your responsibility to judge those inside the church who are sinning.¹³God will judge those on the outside; but as the Scriptures say, “You must remove the evil person from among you.”

APPLICATION: I was in conversation yesterday with a few apartment tenants in a large city, and I overheard them talking about the warnings of eviction that were threatened by their landlord, and I believe it seems like an appropriate illustration, just as in the case of our upbringing, as they both open the door to discuss how God’s holy people are set apart unto Him. It is evident that in the case of our parents, they wanted no bad thing to distract from what they were teaching us at home, for parents try to help their children learn to always aim for what is best in life for their own good. It also goes to say that parents want to teach us that if we see behavior that is opposite to what we aim to live, then we should force ourselves away from that person or persons who lead that lifestyle. Similarly, landlords aim at finding the best tenants who will pay their rent on time and treat their building and fellow tenants with due respect. When either of these things become questionable, the landlord seeks to evict that questionable tenant, with hopes of finding one that better suites the desires of the landlord. Now, when Jesus gets a hold of our heart and invites us to let Him in, He teaches us in His Word how it is that He wants us to live so that He might be best represented, so that other non-repentant sinners may be wooed into the Kingdom. So we start to spend a lot of time around church, and with fellow believers, so that we may grow from each other’s strength and encouragement. But what happens when a ‘bad apple’ finds their way into our fellowship? I believe that our Scripture perfectly supports the very old proverb that says ‘one bad apple spoils the whole bunch’! You see, Christians have become so accustomed to ‘loving like Jesus’, that we tend to forget that an important part of loving is to also discipline those who are about to ‘spoil the whole bunch’. In our parents home, if they don’t discipline bad behavior or otherwise breaking their rules, then our siblings quickly catch on to the fact that the rules set by our parents are not really intended to be followed seriously. All of a sudden we see children grow into maturity and expect to view the rules established by police and community leaders in much the same, lax way. Dear friends, I am convinced that there is nothing more serious than us trying to please our Heavenly Father. In Deuteronomy 17:7, the Israelites were told by God that when they discover ‘one bad apple’, they are to rid themselves of that evil. Paul quoted that Scripture to the church in Corinth as he taught them how to rid themselves of the evil that may come in their midst. I believe that for those who have been around for a while, we can look around and see where many standards have been lowered compared to what our ancestors understood from the Scriptures and tolerated in the church. I can only wonder what God might have to say to us on Judgment Day. Is He pleased with the way that we are interpreting His commands, and the little twists we are making to them in the name of politically correctness, or in the name of ‘love’? I believe that if we find reason to question our decision on some of these ‘evil’, controversial, or otherwise borderline things, then perhaps we need more time with God – on our knees and in His Word, until we are convinced that we are obedient to His will. When we question evil in someone else, the whole church may look back at us as also being imperfect. So let’s begin with getting ourselves better aligned with God’s perfect law, design, and will. If we are pleasing in God’s sight, then the same should carry over as we assume leadership in our churches and strive to rid them of evil.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: In obedience to God, we are often called to love one another. But at times, it also means disciplining, as needed. I believe that God will bless us when we do both of these things for His glory, and for no gain of our own.

PRAYER: Precious Lord, thank You for the love that You extend to all your children – even during the times that You love us enough to discipline us. Please teach us daily to: love like You first loved us; judge honestly and fairly like we expect from You; always seek out the best in everyone; and to always present ourselves and Your church as holy in Your eyes, just as You are holy. Lord, You know how badly we fail in life, but thanks for Your forgiveness and strength to go on. May the people see Jesus evident in every fiber of our being, and therefore no condemnation for our failures already covered by Your precious blood. AMEN!

Wisdom That Only God Can Give

On 2020-07-13 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Leadership, Needs, Obedience, Praise, Recognize God, Wisdom, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Monday, 2020-07-13
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: Ephesians 1:16-19
TRANSLATION: Living Bible (TLB)

BIBLE TEXT: ^16-17I have never stopped thanking God for you. I pray for you constantly, asking God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you wisdom to see clearly and really understand who Christ is and all that he has done for you. ¹⁸I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can see something of the future he has called you to share. I want you to realize that God has been made rich because we who are Christ’s have been given to him! ¹⁹I pray that you will begin to understand how incredibly great his power is to help those who believe him…

OBSERVATION: I bet that most of my readers will probably say that there are multiple things that they would ask God to give them wisdom to understand, or resolve. However, as we meditate on the Word today, I trust that we will understand why Paul’s plea for the Ephesian church was that ‘they would grow in wisdom to understand Christ more’.

APPLICATION: Some of the things that we might beg for wisdom in, might be things like: to understand my spouse better!; to find the right job; to make more money; to know how to help people who are struggling in life; to be able to lead the church better; to understand more about COVID 19 and how to best avoid it; etc, etc. I’m sure that you have probably thought of a ton of things that you could add to the list of needing more wisdom in, and I believe you would find that’s pretty normal. But I believe that as we examine Paul’s desire for the Ephesian church, you and I will understand better why desiring to know Christ more fully, might help us keep our priorities in order and our worries centered around what’s really important in life. Notice that Paul just praised the church for how well they were doing in getting along – a huge achievement then and now! But Paul went on to tell them what he is praying for. Friends, having served in church leadership, I can tell you that there are times that church leaders are absolutely stumped on how to deal with some of the circumstances that arise among its members, its finances, its future, its growth and especially to make sure that its ministry is aligned with God’s will for His church at that time. There is never a time that church leaders are not totally dependent on the leader of the church – Christ. I have no reason to believe that Paul just ignored those things in his mission to help the Ephesian church, but what Paul shared with them, could very easily be shared and adapted by our churches today. Further on in chapter 1 Paul teaches us that God placed Christ as head of the church, so whenever we think about, or begin to worry about, advice on how to help the church, isn’t it easy to see that what he was really saying is that you really need to understand, and draw close to Christ? After all, why look for ways to resolve issues in the church, until you seek God on how to draw the church closer to Him (Christ) as its leader? Why look at ministry growth opportunities, unless you ask God to first of all grow the church spiritually? The church will head towards disaster without Christ as its focus and without knowing that He has led you into accomplishing His will through ministering more effectively to your growing community. Why look at ways to fill your church, if its only to entertain them and make them feel good. If Christ is truly our leader, as the Word declares, then we should thank God for giving us increased ability to minister to the ones that He is bringing through our doors, so that He may rule and reign in their hearts. Friends, as a child of the King, and as a member of His church, unless you are striving to know Him better and follow His example inside the church and outside its doors, and unless you aim to share God’s love with any and all that may come through your church doors, then Paul’s prayer may be one that we repeat often. For unless we honor Christ – the head of our church, in all that we do, we are merely meeting for a social event hoping that we’ll feel better in just being together. I believe we can look at this in another way. We may be concerned about the condition of our marriage, and we might look at many, many different ways to correct the issues, but as a child of the most high God, unless we draw close to God, and invite Him to rule and reign in our personal lives and in our marriage, then we are doing no more than the unbeliever in trying to seek a godly resolution to our issues. We may love to see our church buildings filled to capacity, and we may dream of exquisite, new, multimillion dollar buildings that may house even more people, but unless we acknowledge Christ as the chief head of our church, and that our purpose for meeting is to win the lost and grow the saved, then the new building will be nothing more than any other group meeting place where folk show up for fun and/or entertainment. Let’s remember, Jesus Christ hung on a cross voluntarily, so that we might have the means of seeking forgiveness of our sin and therefore a chance to enter heaven’s gates. I am convinced that, as head of our church, Christ would prefer that we not waste one minute in pointing attendees to the cross, to the forgiveness of sin that only Christ could offer. When our churches fill up with folk who accept our mission and make decisions regularly towards changed lives, then I believe God will open the doors of heaven and grant us His grace to build bigger buildings to accommodate the flow of people interested in following through on what we preach and teach. If our church is not all about Christ, then we should question who we have permitted to take over leadership from the Lord Jesus Christ. With Christ in His proper role, and the rest of us as servants of the Most High, I believe that then we could watch the church flourish as kingdom work is achieved. This is what we really need wisdom to identify, act on, and insist upon, God being our Helper and constant Guide.

PRAYER: Dear God, please forgive us for not allowing You to maintain Your assigned leadership in our places of worship, in our personal lives, in our families and in our day-to-day relationships. We were reminded today that Christ is the head of the church – please may our respective churches be no exception, nor one to have ousted You and replaced You with one of our own. We can’t get this order messed up, if we expect You to flourish in Your assigned role. We are merely wasting our time and providing a social atmosphere for our members. Lord, we want our friends, family and members to know You intimately. We want them to surrender to Your leadership. Please fill us with wisdom for the things of God. We are Yours and want nothing more than to see others know You as well. May we follow in obedience and submission so that You may work in our midst, for Your glory and praise. 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!

Be Strong and Courageous – The Lord is with You

On 2019-08-06 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, direction, Lead me, Leadership, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

Tuesday, 2019-08-06

Bible Reference: Joshua 1:8-9
Translation: New Living Translation (NLT)

Bible Text: ⁸Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do. ⁹This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

OBSERVATION: I believe that often we are challenged with a BIG point of indecision, similar to what Joshua must have been facing in the story from which I chose these two verses today. It is so awesome to reflect on how God worked in the past and to know that He is still the same today as He was back then. Spend a few moments with me today as we meditate on this Scripture and apply it to our lives.

APPLICATION: At this point in the journey by the Israelites from slavery in Egypt to the Promised Land, they are just across the river from their final destination. However, Joshua is faced with a huge challenge, much like we might feel at certain times in our lives. I’m sure in his mind Joshua sees a river that is way too deep to ever cross over, and he can’t see enough of the other side to know if it’s something that he should even struggle to find a way to get over to it. You know those kinds of challenges, for you’ve had a few of those yourself during your short lifetime! For example, I’m faced with retirement – it will be the first time in my lifetime that I will enter such an awesome change in my life’s journey! I’ve dreamed about it, and I’ve asked God to help me attain it, especially after so many years of working relentless hours. But I needed these verses today to tell me how my future will be successful. Oh the comforting words whispered by God Himself, that I just need to stand tall and be courageous, for He will be with me, just like He was with my ancestors Moses and Joshua. So ‘HOW’ will my decision be successful? God said in His Word that if Joshua meditated on His Word day and night, and be sure to obey what is written in His Word then, and only then, will he succeed in what he does. I have every reason to believe that God demands the same thing of me as I ask Him to guide me successfully through the unknown that lies ahead in retirement. Further, I take great courage in the words that follow in today’s Scripture, for I believe that my God looks on me like He did with Joshua, and says ‘take courage my son, and be strong, for the Lord God Almighty is with you wherever you go’. The interesting thing is that there are several other huge decisions that I needed to be encouraged in through this promise today, and I sincerely thank God for drawing me to these verses today for this awesome encouragement. But for my dear readers, I believe that God led you to read this devotional today because you may have some possible mountains ahead that seem uncrossable to you also. Take courage my friend, be of good cheer, be strong in the knowledge and comfort of the One who loves you enough to give up His life as a sacrifice for you – HE will be by your side, HE will lead you through the fog of the unclear future you might see ahead of you. Let’s remember, HE is our Father and HE will see us through every walk of life as we head towards the Promised Land that He went on ahead to prepare for us in Heaven. Those that know Jesus as their Savior will have this wonderful assurance today. Those who have not accepted Jesus as Lord, will have no idea what I am joyfully referring to today, but I hope that I have peeked your interest enough to read my Footnote and the pages hyperlinked in my Footnote. Jesus wants you to surrender your all to Him also my friend. Do it today, for you have no promise of tomorrow.

PRAYER: Precious Lord, take my hand, lead me on to the end…. In the words of that old song Lord, I need You more than ever to take my hand and lead me on every day. Oh that my readers will take courage from Your promises in Your Word today that You will lead them on also, just as You promised Moses and Joshua. Oh that the unsaved who may stumble across this devotional today, oh that they may be in such a position of uncertainty in life, that they might be encouraged to reach out and accept you as their Lord, their Savior, their Director in life and their Encourager for making good decisions, in confidence, knowing that the King of kings and Lord of lords, is right by their side. Have Your will and way today oh Lord, as you lead and direct our paths. AMEN!

Church Leaders As Shepherds

On 2019-04-24 By Ed AlgreenIn Elders, Expectations, Leadership, PastorsLeave a comment

Wednesday, 2019-04-24

Bible Reference: 1 Peter 5:2–4
Translation: The Contemporary English Version (CEV)

Bible Text: Just as shepherds watch over their sheep, you must watch over everyone God has placed in your care. Do it willingly in order to please God, and not simply because you think you must. Let it be something you want to do, instead of something you do merely to make money. Don’t be bossy to those people who are in your care, but set an example for them. Then when Christ the Chief Shepherd returns, you will be given a crown that will never lose its glory.

OBSERVATION: If we hold a place of leadership in God’s church, then we have a responsibility to watch over those we lead with the same love and care that God has for us.

APPLICATION: We tend to expect a lot out of our pastors. In fact, we tend to think that they are invincible and not subject to the same sin and temptations that we encounter daily. Some translations tend to see this section of scripture addressed to elders, while some use more general terms of church leaders. I am not here to clarify either of these, but rather to remind us that if we hold a place of leadership in God’s church, then we have a responsibility to watch over those we lead with the same love and care that God has for us. We should not be in a place of leadership unless we could be a leader from a heart of love for the Lord and for His local church. We should have within us the desire to see the work of the Lord flourish – for His glory, therefore our work should be done unselfishly and with a heart to work for our master, not because of anything that we might personally gain from any position that we might hold. Most people learn better from what they are shown than from what they are told, therefore Peter warns that leaders are to lead by example rather than trying to throw around your authority. The super great news is that regardless whether we are ignored for our efforts in the work of the church here on earth, all we do for Jesus will be recognized by Him when we see Him face to face one day. In fact, Peter suggested that we would gain a crown that will never lose its glory! I could only imagine the smile on my Savior’s face as He welcomes me home and thanks me for returning the favor for what He did for me on Calvary, by all that I attempted to do to promote His kingdom while here on earth! Oh that will be, glory for me! Are you looking forward to this also friend? Please don’t shy away from the Lord’s work. There’s much to be done, and many to be reached with the gospel. Jesus used others to find us and bless us, now let’s make ourselves available for the work of the Lord. Yes, God can use even you and I for His glory!

PRAYER: Lord we work hard around our churches and sometimes we get discouraged because we feel unappreciated by church leaders and/or members. Thank You for using Your servant Peter to show us that our expectations are unimportant here on earth, for our efforts should always be directed towards pleasing the only One that we serve, our Lord and Savior! In fact I believe that most often when we expect glory here on earth, it could easily mean that we may not necessarily be doing kingdom work. May we be found faithful in all that we do for Your ultimate glory. May You be lifted higher when others recognize a benefit from our efforts here below. I ask these things in the name of the Lord that I adore, the Lord that I seek to please by all that I do here below, AMEN!

Struggling Churches Need This

On 2018-03-162018-03-16 By Ed AlgreenIn Godly lives, How to Live, Leadership, Leadership qualifications, Lives ImpactedLeave a comment

SCRIPTURE FROM: 2 Chronicles 35:17-18 (TLB)

TEXT: ¹⁷Everyone present in Jerusalem took part in the Passover observance, and this was followed by the Feast of Unleavened Bread for the next seven days. ¹⁸Never since the time of Samuel the prophet had there been such a Passover—not one of the kings of Israel could vie with King Josiah in this respect, involving so many of the priests, Levites, and people from Jerusalem and from all parts of Judah, and from Israel.

OBSERVATION: It is interesting to note in these 2 verses how, under good leadership, the Israelites came to their senses, listened to their king, and followed him in worshiping the God of the universe for seven days as they celebrated the Passover. Something was different, but it worked. It encouraged them enough to participate willingly and honestly. Let’s look closer into how this happened, because we could definitely use more of this attitude and corporation today!

APPLICATION: There are so many churches that are either struggling to survive, or have already given up and closed their doors. However, there are flourishing churches that continue to grow almost weekly. Throughout the chapters leading up this one, we read where there were lots of issues and corrections by God, because the ruling kings did things that were not pleasing to God. However, at the very beginning of chapter 35 we are told that Josiah was a different kind of king, because he did what was pleasing to God. Friends, the same is true in business, we see where people will follow a good leader who is trying to grow themselves in their field of expertise, and develop good workers who will do the same. This benefits the company, who in turn, can develop more leaders and even better employees. But how does this benefit Christendom? How do we encourage the growth of the kingdom? I believe that it starts at the top. If our leaders are ‘on fire for the Lord’, then there is a chance in rekindling a fire in the pews. If our leaders are deep into the Word, and they make it a principal upon which they base their daily character and decision making, then what do you suppose the people who are following them will do? So my challenge today is for everyone who takes a leadership role in their company, or in their church. Will your followers be led astray based on whether you are growing; or by what you are saying; or by what you are doing? Without having to preach a sermon, do they have a clue where you stand with Christ? Will Jesus find you faithful, if He returns today to take His children home to glory? When God interviews those who worked for you or with you, do you suppose they saw enough of Jesus in you that it led them to seek Him personally? Jesus died, so that we may live eternally. The Bible is filled with examples of how Jesus lived a perfect life on earth. He is our mentor and our example. Please don’t allow any leader to lead you along a path contrary to God’s teachings. Remember, others are following you, and they want to see Jesus!

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for Jesus – the perfect Son of God. Thank You for showing us the way to live in a way that’s pleasing to You and that might also lead an unbeliever to the cross – to salvation. Please continue to guide us and direct our path each and every day. Please make us keenly aware of our character, especially when we are about to mess up. We want to be just like You Lord, so that others might follow the ways of Christ when they follow us. In love, humbleness, and much gratification we ask these things dear 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 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!

The Impact of Sin by Our Leaders

On 2018-03-07 By Ed AlgreenIn Church Leaders, Government Leaders, Leadership, Power of Prayer, PrayerLeave a comment

SCRIPTURE FROM: 2 Chronicles 24:18 (NLT)

TEXT: 18 The king and these leaders stopped worshiping in the Temple of the LORD, the God of their ancestors. Instead, they began to worship the Asherah idols and other idols. Because they did wrong, God was angry with the people of Judah and Jerusalem.

OBSERVATION: It is terrifying for God’s people to sit and watch while their leaders worship idols and foreign gods, because we know that our God is a jealous God and that He deserves all of our praise. However it is an awful thing when our leaders ignore God’s warnings and continue in sin to the point that God demands the punishment of all people under their rule. In our Scripture today, God was very angry with the people under the reign of these leaders, and I believe that it’s because they sat idly by while the leaders took the whole country to Hell with them. Don’t we feel the same way even today? Let’s look to the Scriptures!

APPLICATION: Growing up we were warned about staying away from certain kids, because we are known in our community based on those we hang around with. There are many other things that parents wisely share with their children about our relationship with the wrong crowd: guilty by association; you will quickly become like those you hang around with; their evil intentions will rub off on you a lot quicker than your good intentions will impact them. So how then do we have any control over our leaders? Good question, right? Because we can disassociate from our friends, but we can’t as easily disassociate from our country, or our state, or city or church. Friends, I believe that it all comes back to the level of commitment we have with our Father. A ‘Christian’ who accepted Jesus because of peer or family pressure, will probably struggle with standing firm in their faith that they have supposedly committed their lives to. Compared to a saint that was called by God, and they accepted His call to be Master and Lord of their life. However friends, there are many times in the Bible where Jesus stood up for what was right, and publicly denounced what was wrong. Does congress have a clue that there are Christians out there that disagrees with a law they are about to enact? If your senator came to your city and stood on a street corner where there was open opposition to something you joined other believers in asking him/her to promote in congress, can you speak the truth in love at that public meeting? Because of the way our Scripture is worded, I really believe that God punished the two nations because they sat back and allowed these two leaders to do whatever they pleased, knowing full well that their actions would impact each citizen. When last have you prayed for the leaders of your respective country, state, city or church? If you haven’t, then God is answering your desire to care less about what these leaders do, or how it may impact you. If we don’t pray for our leaders, then we show that we don’t care about them or about how their actions may impact each of us. Friends, I believe it is clear that no matter how much we want to stay out of politics, we are obligated by Scripture to pray for those who rule over us. I believe it is also clear from today’s Scripture that there are consequences when we disobey God’s commands.

PRAYER: Lord, thank You again today for Your Word. May our minds always be opened to sharing our faith and praying for our leaders, so that the decisions they make may be influenced by You, and that they may ultimately serve to bless Your children while living here on earth. Give us boldness oh Lord. For I ask all this in the precious and strong name of Jesus, AMEN!

Great Advice for Great Leaders

On 2017-11-18 By Ed AlgreenIn Leader, Leadership, Leadership of the Holy Spirit, ObedienceLeave a comment

Post Date:	Saturday, 2017-11-18
SCRIPTURE
From:	1 Kings 2:2-4 (TLB)
Text:	²“I am going where every man on earth must some day go. I am counting on you to be a strong and worthy successor. ³Obey the laws of God and follow all his ways; keep each of his commands written in the law of Moses so that you will prosper in everything you do, wherever you turn. ⁴If you do this, then the Lord will fulfill the promise he gave me, that if my children and their descendants watch their step and are faithful to God, one of them shall always be the king of Israel—my dynasty will never end.
OBSERVATION:
David was at the conclusion of his reign as king, and also near death. One of his sons, Adonijah, had already ‘jumped the gun’ and made himself ‘king’, but David was reminded of a promise he had made to Bathsheba, that Solomon would become his successor. Regardless of what Adonijah had done for himself, David gave the official word to make Solomon his successor, as promised. Our Scripture today records the parting words/advice that David had for his son for a strong and substantive leadership. Advice that all great leaders could benefit from today!
APPLICATION:
Each one comes to the table with various strengths that God has blessed them with. Some might say right up front that all they ever want, is to be a follower, because they hate leadership. Others appear to be born as natural leaders. I believe that this last piece of advice that David gave to his son Solomon, is very Biblicaly based, and something that all good leaders who are striving to be the ‘best’ leader could benefit from. In fact, it is also true for every Christian, for as we follow this advice we become more Christ-like and more obedient to His will for our lives. Now friends, I really don’t believe that God will set aside the leadership skills that He has already given to you, but using the advice passed down by David, I believe God will say to us that we use those admirable skills in a setting where it is evident that we are God’s child while being a good leader. In other words, when using our leadership skills in a worldly fashion, we would be more apt to use the skills of the worldly leader, Satan, which will always result in chaos and undesired results for the people you lead. However, imagine the amazing success you can have when you use your God-given talent in a setting where you allow God to rule through your life and leadership? I believe that most business owners want us to rule with an iron fist and not consider the feelings of the employees we supervise. However, I believe that leading God’s way will earn the respect of your subordinates and allow us to become a more cohesive team to accomplish even greater things. I don’t believe our lesson for today revolves around doing what David said, but rather, to take the advise of David and grow our relationship with God to the degree that, as leaders, we would be sensitive to God’s commands and directions. This would help us to lead like God would desire of us, so that He might be glorified. Most often we expect obedience from those we lead, what if we led in obedience to our Master? Wouldn’t it be interesting to see the results from our subordinates? Try it friends, you might like it!!
PRAYER:
Father, I believe that You have taught us again today that our walk with You must be evident in all parts of our life, and not just when we are at church, or around Christian people, or when we are trying to impress our pastor. In leadership, normally we are bound to allegiance to the owner of our company, but Lord I pray that You will also give us the boldness to always pledge our allegiance to You first and foremost, and under the authority and boldness of the Holy Spirit, lead in ways that will not only please You, but also excite our owners. Lord, please grant us the wisdom and strength to always seek to find ways for others to not only see You in the midst of our leadership, but to also find reasons to praise You and give You the glory You deserve. Thank You for working through even Your humble servants here on earth! 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!

How To Become A Great Leader

On 2017-11-152017-11-15 By Ed AlgreenIn Church Leaders, Example of Christ, Genuine example of Jesus, Godly example, Government Leaders, Leader, Leadership, Leadership of the Holy SpiritLeave a comment

Post Date:	Wednesday, 2017-11-15
SCRIPTURE
From:	2 Samuel 23:3-4 (NIV)
Text:	³The God of Israel spoke, the Rock of Israel said to me: ‘When one rules over people in righteousness, when he rules in the fear of God, ⁴he is like the light of morning at sunrise on a cloudless morning, like the brightness after rain that brings grass from the earth.’
OBSERVATION:
God used David to declare to him, and through him to all of us, that when we rule over others in righteousness, or in a manner obedient and pleasing to God, then the result will be as satisfying, as peaceful and as beautiful as a clear cloudless morning. Does this affect all of us? You bet….
APPLICATION:
Many of you might have almost skipped reading the application today, because you concluded that you are not a leader or a ruler. This is exactly what caught my attention to this Scripture, for most of us are leaders in some sense, so we can really try to apply this. As an example, what would our workplaces look like, if there was no leadership in the homes of those that work for us? What would our county leaders do, or any other leaders of our nation for that matter, if they had no sense of righteousness or fear of God? I believe that this drills down to the fact that what comes out of us in speech or leadership, can only be based on what’s inside of us. If we have filled ourselves with hatred and ill will towards our neighbors and everyone else along our path to ‘success’, then we will lead with that same sort of attitude. It will become evident in the decisions we make and the choices we make. It will also reflect in any voting that we are a part of. So pastors, church leaders and fellow Christians, it is truly incumbent upon us to reach our families for Christ. We have to encourage righteousness right at the very beginning of a child’s development. For it’s only then that our young ones will become good leaders in their homes, workplaces, churches and in government. David was called a ‘man after God’s own heart’. With a heart like that, is it any wonder why he was also a great king/leader? We have a great example to follow in what Jesus taught, but we also have evidence that we can follow His teachings and become great leaders!
PRAYER:
Lord God, thank You for including so much direction in Your Word for us. There are so many leadership conferences we could attend, yet You have all of the direction for leaders that we could ever need or use. Thank You for raising up saints to prove that Your plan works, otherwise we would be so very skeptical. Please continue to work on us, so that Your light might shine through us, even in our leadership. May You have the victory in everything that we do and say today. 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!

Nuggets From God's Word

Category: Leadership