Panic-Stricken That Jesus May Be Asleep

On 2022-02-032022-02-03 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Miraculous, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Thursday, 2022-02-03
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Matthew 8:23-27
TRANSLATION: New Living Translation (NLT)

BIBLE TEXT: ²³…. Jesus got into the boat and started across the lake with his disciples. ²⁴Suddenly, a fierce storm struck the lake, with waves breaking into the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. ²⁵The disciples went and woke him up, shouting, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!”
²⁶Jesus responded, “Why are you afraid? You have so little faith!” Then he got up and rebuked the wind and waves, and suddenly there was a great calm.
²⁷The disciples were amazed. “Who is this man?” they asked. “Even the winds and waves obey him!”

APPLICATION: I‘m not sure that there is anyway to prepare our emotions and our minds in advance of a disaster, because no matter what type of recovery plan we may prepare for ourselves for, our plan will become very fluid when disaster actually hits. Hopefully by now you may have thought about a scenario that occurred in your life when you felt alone, and hopeless about how to best handle life after that scenario. I remember receiving a phone call from a very calm and confident person on the other end of the line, but the news was anything but calming. My wife and daughter had been involved in a car accident and were on their way to the hospital. I excused myself from a meeting and arrived at the hospital about 19 miles away, before my wife and daughter could arrive from the scene of the accident approximately 2 miles away. Not sure that my presence made any difference to the promptness of care received, but in my mind, and in the mind of my family, we were all reassured in having the whole family together during this time of crisis. Lots of prayers for the wellbeing of my family, but it was challenging to not see God act as fast as I wished for. In our Scripture, the disciples were most afraid that their boat would sink, and many of them would drown. But they became very frustrated that Jesus remained asleep while all of this was going on. Now, look at the response from Jesus: He accused them of having too little faith. In other words, the disciples had just seen Him restore health to Peter’s mother, and He healed a leper. So why would they even think that the waves were out of His control? In fact, as His disciples, why were they not following Jesus’ example and calling on the power of God to calm the waters that threatened their existence? Friends, way too often we are just like the disciples. We need the pastor to pray over our situation. Good idea, but haven’t we already personally prayed for our situation? We want our family and friends to visit church, and what a wonderful place to have them join you. But have you personally witnessed to your family members and told them about Jesus? What if storms arise and that family member never makes it to your church service to hear the Gospel. How would you explain to God why they died without hearing about Jesus? Let’s be quick to remember that we don’t control God. He is not a puppet waiting for our next command. Be in close communion with Him on a daily basis, and through calling on Him for little, and big things. No doubt He wants to grow your faith and your assurance in all that He is capable of, including responding to our prayers when we are calm and when we are in panic-mode. Isaiah 24:6 says that we are to trust the Lord our God, for He is a mighty Rock. Know what He is capable of, then trust Him to perform His mighty works in all things, even if the answer looks a little different to what we would prefer to see. He’s not asleep my friends!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: We serve a God who not only brings new life into a very sick woman; restoration of a person’s skin that has been destroyed by leprosy; but He is also King over the waters He created and will calm the storms of our life, no matter what they are. That’s our God!

PRAYER: Thank You Lord that we serve such an awesome, all-powerful God! So many days we feel overwhelmed by the storms of life that seem to bombard us, and we are helpless to overcome them, but praise God we serve a God who can do exceedingly more than we could imagine! You simply spoke the word and the winds subsided, resulting in the tumultuous waves being calmed. Oh that we would learn to bring those things before You that seem so huge to us, in fact appears like they are much bigger than anything we could handle. Thank You Lord for being such a powerful influence in our lives, yet One who is able to handle every problem that comes our way. Teach us Lord to always place our faith and trust in You through every storm, each and 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 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!

Who Can Stand Against Our God?

On 2021-10-262021-10-25 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Miracles, Miraculous, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Stand Firm, Stand in awe, Take a stand, Worship1 Comment

DATE POSTED Tuesday, 2021-10-26
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: 1 Samuel 17:26
TRANSLATION: New Living Translation (NLT)

BIBLE TEXT: ²⁶David asked the soldiers standing nearby, “What will a man get for killing this Philistine and ending his defiance of Israel? Who is this pagan Philistine anyway, that he is allowed to defy the armies of the living God?”

APPLICATION: As a young, innocent child, we tend to stand up for our tall, handsome, strong dad as we’ve seen him overcome many obstacles and provide for our family in amazing ways. Through good Sunday School teachers, VBS (Vacation Bible School) teachers, and young-at-heart pastors, we may learn very early in life that there is One even more powerful, more loving, more caring, more giving and even more outstanding than our dad. Some of us go on to accept this Jesus as our Lord, and give Him full access to our lives and our energies, while others tend to shrug off the idea of Christianity so that they could enjoy all that the world offers. As I read today’s Scripture again, I believe the Holy Spirit made me analyze whether I fit in better with Saul’s army, or with young David. The army saw a huge giant in front of them. In fact, something much larger than the whole Philistine army that surrounded them. They were paralyzed by this giant of a man. For the non-Christian, they can only see the giant, because they have rejected God and would prefer that He leave them alone. But for the Christian, what do we see when obstacles appear? Are we as confident as young David, and able to say in the presence of our senior officials and church leaders: but wait a minute, that thing, or that disease, or that financial burden, or that huge question mark, they are just minor obstacles to our awesome and almighty God. As a church leader, are you willing to listen to your young innocent Christians who have not been struck by doubt and fear, and still strongly believe that our God is one who stands ready to move mountains for us, and able to handle all of our obstacles, even if they appear like ‘giants’ to us? As a young Christian, please be encouraged to stand firm in your faith, and while I strongly believe that you should respect your elders, I want you to always remember that no one outshines or overpowers Almighty God. Friends, the body of Christ consists of men like those who made up Saul’s army. They tried to run David off to go and attend his small flock of sheep, and leave the big job to the big guys. But praise God, He also sends along young men like David, whose faith has not been dampened by the doubt of unbelievers and sometimes, older Christians. In fact, they are still young and innocent enough to believe that God will make a way, even when there seems to be no way – at least in the eyes of men. Romans 8:31-39 assures us that there is nothing that could separate us from the love of God. Because of that connectedness to God, I firmly believe that neither will anything prove bigger than our God, or more powerful than our God. Trust in the Lord your God, and ALL these things will be granted to you! David trusted God, and gained his confidence in God through His relationship and proven miracles from God. As a child of God, we too can have that same assurance today!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Who or what can defy the army of God? David assured us that nothing is bigger or more powerful! Let us therefore trust in our God for ALL things!

PRAYER: Thank You heavenly Father for the confidence we can have in You! David showed us that there was no room for fear, but instead, we should look at the obstacles in life through the lens of our awesome God. Oftentimes there are life-challenges that will seem like giants standing before us and blocking our path to victory, but Lord it is especially these times that we need to hear Your still small voice reassuring us of Your might and Your power over EVERYTHING You created. Please calm our nerves today and help us to see You, the maker and ruler of all things created. Please use these stories of reassurance to draw the lost unto Yourself. May today present opportunities for lost family and friends to find Christ. Use us Lord to be Your hands, feet and lips here on earth. Draw all men unto Yourself, for Your ultimate honor, glory and praise! AMEN!

Do You Still Not See or Understand?

On 2021-08-042021-08-04 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Miracles, Miraculous, Needs, Praise, Prayer, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Wednesday, 2021-08-04
WRITTEN AT: Hattiesburg, MS

SCRIPTURE FROM: Mark 8:17-19
TRANSLATION: The Passion Translation (TPT)

BIBLE TEXT: ¹⁷Knowing what they were thinking, Jesus said to them, “Why all this fussing over forgetting to bring bread? Do you still not see or understand what I say to you? Are your hearts still hard? ¹⁸You have good eyes, yet you still don’t see, and you have good ears, yet you still don’t hear, neither do you remember. ¹⁹When I multiplied the bread to feed more than five thousand people, how many baskets full of leftovers did you gather afterward?”…

APPLICATION: The disciples had heard about the various miracles of God from their forefathers, and they themselves had witnessed miracle after miracle by Jesus since they started following Him. Yet in their time of need they totally overlooked being in the presence of this same Jesus as they pondered where they would get provisions (food) from as they travelled back over the lake. How does this compare to you? I tried to evaluate my life and my belief system as I meditated on this Scripture. I have read about the miracles God performed in the Old Testament, especially the miracles performed for Moses and the Israelites. I have read, and heard in Sunday School many times about the miracles of Jesus in the New Testament. In my lifetime: I have heard how Jesus healed a young girl’s ear because of the sincere prayers of her pastor and her prevailing faith. She found the proof on her pillow the very next morning where the poisons and abscess had oozed from her ear; I have heard of how Jesus healed a dedicated Christian lady who, in faith, pleaded with Him for healing after suffering a stroke, and how her body regained strength in record time. Her healing was expedited by the Master!; I heard how, in faith, a couple prayed during a hurricane for their safety, and how they were prompted to move out of their home, only to turn around and watch it be demolished from strong winds and water; I have personally experienced God at work miraculously as my wife and I petitioned Him for a major direction in moving from the Bahamas to the United States of America. When we told my dad of our decision, he was in shock that we would do such a thing, seeing that he and my mom were getting much older. Within a year of our move, my dad sat next to me while he was recovering from doctors help here in the US with his heart and said ‘Now I could see what God was doing in getting you over here’! Praise the Lord! But friends, I’m no different to you, nor the disciples, for despite all of the above reinforcement of my faith, I still tend to try everything in my power, before running to God. I still tend to think that miracles may be possible for the other person, but I’m on my own when needing one of my own. No doubt you have overcome this weakness my friend, so let me encourage you to share your faith in Christ with everyone you come into contact with. Celebrate your victories with everyone that you know, so that they might be encouraged to approach the throne for themselves, and their faith may be strengthened because of your witness. I am hoping that today Jesus might look at you and I and say like He did to the woman with the issue of blood: ‘Because of your faith, you are healed’. Oh that our faith will be increased every day so that Jesus will not question why we have followed in the steps of the disciples in feeling like His miraculous touch is for everyone else, except us. May it become very clear to us that because of our faith, OUR GOD CAN DO ALL THINGS!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: God stands ready to hear the prayers of His faithful servants, and to respond with immediate action. Praise the Lord!

PRAYER: ‘It’s not my brother or my sister, but it’s me oh Lord, standing in the need of prayer’. For I approach the throne way too often with the same mindset as the disciples. I know You did it for others, but will You even consider also listening to my prayer concerns? Oh dear Lord, please refresh my soul with power from on high, and help me to come boldly before the throne knowing that as Your precious child, there is nothing You wouldn’t do in response to my heart’s cry. Perhaps many of my readers and listeners are also burdened with this issue. Please also touch their hearts and boost their faith levels to peak performance today. Based on all that we know You have done, may we always approach Your throne knowing that You could do it again – for us! Praise to the Lord our God! AMEN!

Your Miraculous Sign

On 2021-07-062021-07-06 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Miraculous, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Without doubt, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Tuesday, 2021-07-6
WRITTEN AT: Williams, AZ

SCRIPTURE FROM: Matthew 16:1-4
TRANSLATION: New Living Translation (NLT)

BIBLE TEXT: ¹One day the Pharisees and Sadducees came to test Jesus, demanding that he show them a miraculous sign from heaven to prove his authority. ²He replied, … You know how to interpret the weather signs in the sky, but you don’t know how to interpret the signs of the times! ⁴Only an evil, adulterous generation would demand a miraculous sign……

APPLICATION: If I was at work, and was called in by the president, who built me up for a great programming project he/she had for me, but they wanted me to do a sample first, I wonder how I might feel? Perhaps like the president wasn’t sure that he/she could trust my qualifications for the job they had in mind? Perhaps they still can’t believe that I single-handedly completed other projects that they saw around the shop that had been credited to me. Or to think positively, perhaps the president just wasn’t sure what they truly wanted, and they were asking for a sample so they could tweak and build on my first output. The Pharisees were very smart scholars, but they were beginning to feel like Jesus was encroaching on their territory. The crowd was beginning to cling on to this man claiming that He was the Son of God, for He was healing their sick and performing amazing miracles in their midst. In my younger years I remember hearing young adults say to someone challenging them: ‘you think you bad, do this, or do that’! It was a dare, as they hoped to bring that person down from the lofty perception of others. I believe that Jesus went about healing and performing many other miracles out of a heart of compassion for His children that He saw hurting and in trouble. For Him to obey the Pharisees, He would then be placed in a position of a magician who could do almost anything on demand. Friends, we must always remember that God is ‘love’, so anything that He did through His Son is done out of ‘love’, not as a result of being told to do it from some earthly leader. So let me suggest that perhaps the next time we are tempted to ask God for a sign, that instead, we look for ways to express love, worship and praise to our Father. Although He already knows what we need, try asking Him to show you the way to live according to His will and in a way that is pleasing to Him. Share with Him the dilemma you have of knowing what to do in a situation, and ask Him for His guidance. Share with Him about your concern for the health of your loved one and ask Him to help you accept whatever His will is for that individual. Share your hearts desire for the dire situation of a loved one, but try saying what Jesus did in the garden as He prayed to the Father to remove the cup of suffering from Him ‘Not my will, but thine be done’. Friends, our God is able to do way more than anything we could think or imagine. There is no need to ask Him for a sign, He could do it. Trust in Him with all your heart, soul and mind, and all these things will be given to you, child of God!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: No need for a sign, we know without a shadow of doubt that our our God can do all things through Christ in whom we place our faith and trust.

PRAYER: Dear Lord, we say we believe, yet we question Your abilities and Your awesome power. Please forgive us when we doubt and when we question Your ability. Please give us the desire to spend more and more time in Your Word, as You have filled it with great truth and amazing wonders of our Creator. There is no greater book for us to read, and our instructions from our Almighty God is very evident throughout it’s pages. Lord, we need You every minute of every day. Please draw us unto Yourself so that You might work miraculously through us. Lord we believe, please help us in our unbelief and doubt. AMEN!

Where The Power Comes From

On 2021-03-272021-03-27 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Miracles, Miraculous, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Saturday, 2021-03-27
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: Exodus 17:14-16
TRANSLATION: Easy-to-Read Version (ERV)

BIBLE TEXT: ¹⁴Then the Lord said to Moses, “Write about this battle. Write these things in a book so that people will remember what happened here. And be sure to tell Joshua that I will completely destroy the Amalekites from the earth.”
¹⁵Then Moses built an altar and named it, “The Lord is My Flag.” ¹⁶Moses said, “I lifted my hands toward the Lord’s throne. So the Lord fought against the Amalekites, as he always has.”

OBSERVATION: We seem to get so hurt and defensive if we don’t receive all the credit for things that we are involved in. Joshua and his men (the Israelites) put their lives on the line to fight the army of Amalekites, and I’m sure that Moses was appreciative of that, but when he erected an altar to celebrate winning the battle, he gave credit and praise to the all-powerful God who truly won the battle. As we pause in the Word of God today, be reminded that we cannot depend on mankind, but on the power of God to win our battles.

APPLICATION: In today’s society we hear a lot about the ‘luck’ of an individual who survives a fiery car crash, or the smart, quick thinking of a dad who directed his family into the basement before a tornado hit and destroyed their home. But how often do we hear about the prayers that went up for protection while traveling, or the hand of God that protected a family who served God with all their heart, soul and mind? Yes, I know that the media would never print such miraculous news or show it on the TV waves, but as an individual, are you truly giving God the credit for His mercies on you and your family? In our biblical account today, Moses knew that He was acting on God’s instructions when he sent Joshua to lead his people into battle. Through mere lack of physical strength, Moses also saw how his army started losing ground in the battle when his arms grew weary and started to fall, but as long as he kept his arms raised in dependence on God and praise to the almighty, his people showed consistent ability to win the battle. You see, Moses realized that it was not by might or any power of the people, nor through any great leadership of Joshua, that the battle belonged to them, but it was solely based on the power and might of the Lord God Almighty to whom he (Moses) lifted his arms. Notice how Moses was not concerned about what the Amalekites thought about his actions in giving God praise, nor if Joshua got his feelings hurt for not being recognized as a fearless leader. It was a recognized fact that it was God, and God alone, who deserved the praise. Join me in applying this principle, and Moses’ reaction to our lives and our challenging situations. The Bible says that the prayers of a righteous man availeth much. Righteous means ‘right with God’. If you are ‘right with God’ and you have a consistent daily commune with Him, who else would you consider giving praise to when you witness miraculous works being accomplished in your life, or in your presence, or in your company? Worry not about what the world will say about you, give praise to the only One who can! Furthermore, don’t let that miracle be so temporary that tomorrow no one will recall what happened. Place a monument, or a marker at the place so that you, your family, your friends and all those around you will stop and recognize that ‘holy ground’ when they pass by. Be ready to take your little ones to that place and explain what happened. Be an instrumental part in their lives, so that they will know, even as a child, that the same God who turned seas into highways, is the same God who working a miracle in your life right at that very spot. These miracles are actions that only God can do, and they give us confidence that we can go to Him over and over again with the challenges of life that we face. If you are reading this devotional and don’t know this Jesus/God that I am referring to, then all of this will sound very mysterious. You can do something about that by surrendering your life to the lordship of Jesus Christ, then He will confirm His power, show His love and warm your heart with the overwhelming love of God. Information in my Footnote may help you in your new mission to know my Lord. Please seek Him today, while you are still able to.

PRAYER: Lord, You are amazing and so much higher than us. Through Your power You won the battle for the Israelites. Perhaps only a few of us might be facing military battles today, but most of us are facing challenges of one kind today that far exceeds our abilities, our power, and in some cases perhaps even our will to want the battles won. Lord, we are Your children and we are to love just like You loved us. Please touch our hearts today and everyday to help us live like You taught us to. Our biggest battles can be solved with just one word from You, so please help us to fight pour battles on our knees, and not rearing up like those who do not know You. Please draw us close to You and help us to stay focused on You in every walk of life. Humble us to give You control of our battles so that we don’t make fools of ourselves and fight like children of the evil one. Please fill our hearts with thankfulness, humility and love, so that we may represent You well and stay dependent on You for even the small things in life. Oh that You would be honored and praised by Your children today! AMEN!

The Miraculous Good News!

On 2020-11-162020-11-15 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Miraculous, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Witness, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Monday, 2020-11-15
WRITTEN AT: Paul B Johnson State Park, Hattiesburg, MS

BIBLE REFERENCE: Daniel 4:1-3
TRANSLATION: The Voice (VOICE)

BIBLE TEXT: ¹….May peace and prosperity be yours! ²I am pleased to be able to tell you about all the signs and miracles the Most High God has done for me. ³ How great are His signs; how powerful are His miracles! His kingdom will endure forever; His reign will last from generation to generation.

OBSERVATION: This message was addressed to all world leaders that reported to the him, from a king who could not get a handle on the power of God Almighty. King Nebuchadnezzar had a disturbing dream, but after trying every other source available to him for an interpretation of his dream, and only upon hearing from a stubborn young man (Daniel) that he had imprisoned, but who trusted and believed in God for his wisdom, did the king clearly receive an interpretation of his dream – a miracle in his eyes! The news was worthy of sharing with everyone!

APPLICATION: It was very clear that it was God who gave the king the interpretation, for Daniel was just a humble man imprisoned by King Nebuchadnezzar for refusing to obey his orders, and instead standing firm in his faith. Before I challenge us to look inward and compare our witness with that of Daniel, let’s first look at the initial encounter the king had with Daniel. The king had ordered all the strong, wise and promising men be brought into his palace for indoctrination into the riches of royalty, but for the sake of servant leadership. The food, the lifestyle, the workouts and of course the ways of the king. Daniel was chosen as one of the special men fitting the kings description, but the first thing Daniel had to deal with was the food, for it was quite different from the diet he was directed by Scripture to follow. There is an old proverb ‘when in Rome, do as the Romans do’, but Daniel was not willing to compromise his walk with God – even in his diet. Surely most individuals would have been afraid to speak up about the rich food being offered to them in the king’s palace, but under the inspiration of the God that he served, Daniel asked for a compromise by the guards. I wonder if right from the very start, the king may have been impressed by this young man with principles that he was not willing to compromise? What do we do? All within our power to save our lives and promote ourselves in our jobs or in the environment in which we find ourselves, correct? You know, it may please the boss for a moment, when we compromise our ‘stand’ on a subject to agree with him or her, but imagine what must really be going through the mind of the boss? Perhaps something like: he/she really has no firm principles. They will surrender to my will as soon as I speak, or especially after I throw a few dollar signs in front of them. But what does this type of behavior say to God about your relationship with Him? You often count on God, especially when times are rough. But can He depend on you, and especially on the commitment you made to Him? In Daniel we see similar behavior to that of Joseph, who also interpreted dreams. Neither were push-overs. What might you be considered in the eyes of those who have authority over you? Can they proudly tell the world about a man, or a woman, who is truly faithful to their Lord and, although respectful, will not cross over that fine line of what they believe to be their God-given responsibility and choice?

PRAYER: Dear God, thank You for all that You did, and continue to do for me. Lord I am so ashamed that I am not as bold in my witness and testimony as I should be in sonship. I pray that just as Nebuchadnezzar came to his senses and saw the power of God through his humble servant Daniel, that I too might be awakened to Your awesome power and Your mighty works all around me. Please Lord, speak to each reader. May your Word become alive in our lives, and may others know that Jesus Christ is alive and well because they see His wondrous works in and through us. AMEN!

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

To Appreciate God’s Power

On 2020-05-13 By Ed AlgreenIn All-powerful, Almighty, Appreciation, Awesome God, Miraculous, Wonderful Savior2 Comments

DATE WRITTEN: Wednesday, 2020-05-13
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

Bible Reference: Job 26:7&14
Translation: New Century Version (NCV)

Bible Text: ⁷God stretches the northern sky out over empty space and hangs the earth on nothing.
¹⁴And these are only a small part of God’s works. We only hear a small whisper of him. Who could understand God’s thundering power?

OBSERVATION: As we meditate on these verses, I want to remind you that this is Job speaking to one of his encouragers! For he had been beaten up on and robbed of everything by Satan, yet he knew deep inside that no matter what happened to the flesh, his God still loved him and cared for him! Wow! In fact, although I only chose to show two verses, the whole chapter of 14 verses are filled with the many praises of Job! He showed us that no matter what earthly trials come our way, let us never lose sight of the mighty hand of God, whose love constantly abides within us and is available to us.

APPLICATION: Wow, what an example for those of us that whine and complain our whole day. We just have to look outside of our personal problems, many of which we have brought on ourselves. We have to look for the ways that God has provided for us, especially when we see so many in need around us. We have to thank God for the good health we enjoy, especially when we look at the number in our hospitals and the numerous sick people who are much worse off than we are. We must remind ourselves of the serious need for diet in our lives, while we reflect on the number of persons that go to bed hungry worldwide. We have so much to be thankful for that it would take much more than 14 verses to truly reflect our praises. So much to be thankful for, that we should never have time to complain! We should express so much praise from our thankful hearts that others who truly have needs would be encouraged by just listening to our praises, and there would be ample proof to those praying for desperate needs in their life that they would pray in renewed confidence, knowing that they are praying to a God who cares and loves them, seeing how much we are constantly bragging about Him. God is truly, amazingly and wonderfully amazing to us friend! Let the whole world know to whom you belong!

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, I praise You this morning for who you are! Not just someone I have read about, although I have read the praises of Job, but I too can testify of Your love and goodness towards me! Not just for the love that I read about, or that the pastor preached about, but for the genuine love that I feel deep inside when reminded of the sacrifice that You made for mankind (especially myself) when You hung on that cruel cross at Calvary, with all the power to totally reverse the scene, but yet You chose to show Your love towards all mankind, by suffering under the hands of those You were dying for. Please forgive me Lord for my ungrateful spirit. Please help me to always look for the ways You have blessed, and still are blessing, so that I might exalt You for Your active role in all these things. You have created us with a free choice, please always remind us that we have a choice to praise You or to complain. I pray that we will always make the right choice to praise You in our storms of life, and let You control and help us to overcome the difficulties. I ask all this in Your loving and wonderful name Lord Jesus, AMEN!

A Test Of Your Faith

On 2019-10-14 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Faith, Faith in Action, Miracles, Miraculous, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Testing, WorshipLeave a comment

Monday, 2019-10-14

Bible Reference: John 6:5-9
Translation: Easy-to-Read Version (ERV)

Bible Text: ⁵Jesus looked up and saw a crowd of people coming toward him. He said to Philip, “Where can we buy enough bread for all these people to eat?” ⁶He asked Philip this question to test him. Jesus already knew what he planned to do.
⁷Philip answered, “We would all have to work a month to buy enough bread for each person here to have only a little piece!”
⁸Another follower there was Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter. Andrew said, ⁹“Here is a boy with five loaves of barley bread and two little fish. But that is not enough for so many people.”

OBSERVATION: When faced with challenges that are far greater than we could humanly see the answers to, what do you do? Are you more apt to do like Philip and start the wheels turning as you try to resolve the matter through financial means? Or are you more like Andrew and will start in earnest to see what material goods might be available to help solve the challenge? Or will you do like Jesus and not worry about how it will be resolved, but rather, as you see the need, know that God will resolve and meet the needs in His time? Meditate with me as we ponder our response to the tests of our faith. Take time to study these verses together with me.

APPLICATION: I can share a very real scenario with you, as we delve into this study today. I know a church who became overwhelmed by the influx of young people that God placed in their laps to learn about He and His precious Son. Their leadership felt the call by God to begin the search for property as He needed to see the church reach even more of the unsaved of their community. In the initial stages, the leadership was challenged much like Phillip was. For there was a lot to consider – the beautiful building that they currently occupy; the perfect location they are in, surrounded by a great neighborhood; and of course, money, money, money – for it is so expensive to purchase commercial property in a location near enough to meet the spiritual needs of their (mostly) lost community; it is also unbelievably expensive to build a sanctuary and supportive buildings to meet the growing needs of the ministry; etc, etc. This must have been very much like Andrew thought, for this church was also looking at the means they have, or could possible acquire, in order to make this humongous project possible. They truly felt a lot like Andrew was feeling, for there is just no way they could make this happen. Fortunately friends, it is not until we have exhausted all of our efforts, and our thinking process, that we lay ourselves before our Master and admit that it will have to be Him feed the 5,000+ crowd. It would have to be God who will find a suitable property for this church and build a ministry center to reach the lost of their community. Praise God, it is evident from our written text, that Jesus did that which seemed impossible in the eyes of his disciples, for He fed over 5,000 people multiplying just a morsel of food, so that it was more than enough to feed them. These folk came to hear Jesus teach and perform miracles, but I really wonder if their imaginations ever stretched enough to think that one of Jesus’ miracles would be performed on them? For this church that I referenced, I am very close to it so I know that God has pointed their leadership towards a property of the same size they felt led to look for; in an area that is surrounded on three sides by homes where families might be reached for the Lord; near enough to many other locations in the city where many other ministry opportunities exist; and a purchase amount where they will be able to purchase the property from funds already provided by God! Now, will they find the money to build a modern Ministry Center? Let’s just say that it was not a question in feeding the 5,000 and I am happy to join with the church in believing that He will miraculously provide the means for extending God’s work in the manner in which the leadership was first led. Friends, we can’t out-give God, and we could never imagine how He will work in our midst over the needs that we have, and the needs that He leads us to. I don’t believe that God will ever lead us to a place of ministry, where He will not also lead us through every circumstance in getting to the final destination of which He has called us. I have every reason to believe that some of you reading this devotional today may be at a crossroads in your life where you feel called to do more for the Lord, but you may be struggling in your spirit as to how, and why. Please be encouraged that the same God who tested Philip and Andrew about their faith, is the same God that may be testing you. Please remember how He provided for the 5,000, and know that He is still God, and that He is still very capable of providing for you. Trust Him my friend, for He loves you more than you could ever imagine. I believe that He wants to hold your hand and help you through whatever you feel might be an impossible next move in your ministry! Only God can do that.

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, You looked at the awesome crowd and You saw their need. There is no indication that anyone was falling down from weakness due to starvation, nor that the people were begging You for food or a miracle. However You knew their need and You provided what they needed. Thank You Lord for convincing us today of the awesome God that we serve. We go to great extent to try and analyze what we feel like we need, and how far we could stretch the dollars that we’ve saved. But as we consider the miracles already performed by You, I am convinced that You have all this already figured out. Please help us to simply place our faith in You; surrender self to You; and allow You to control our destiny in the way that You have designed for us, knowing that You will lead us through all that You have called us to. Please rule and reign in full authority over us precious Lord. AMEN!

Nothing Is Impossible With God

On 2019-09-05 By Ed AlgreenIn All-powerful, Miraculous, Possibilities, Righteousness, StrengthLeave a comment

Thursday, 2019-09-05

Bible Reference: Genesis 15:4-6
Translation: New Living Translation (NLT)

Bible Text: ⁴ Then the Lord said to him, “No, your servant will not be your heir, for you will have a son of your own who will be your heir.” ⁵ Then the Lord took Abram outside and said to him, “Look up into the sky and count the stars if you can. That’s how many descendants you will have!” ⁶ And Abram believed the Lord, and the Lord counted him as righteous because of his faith.

OBSERVATION: I’m sure that like me, you are challenged daily with things you don’t know; things you have no power over; and circumstance you simply don’t understand. But imagine being told that a childless couple just received word from God that they would have enough children to start up another nation? I believe that as you meditate with me today, you will be reminded that we serve a great big, limitless God. Don’t you feel like you need Him every day?

APPLICATION: In spite of all the special skills given to man, there are still times that we throw our hands up and surrender to the fact that a problem is beyond our God-given abilities, or out of our reach. Yet very early in the pages of this awesome book that God has inspired to be our guide through life, we have already learned that God took a mass of darkness and formed this world – earth, water, stars, etc.; He created man, followed by a help mate – woman; He took a couple who was childless, and promised to make a great nation from their offspring. In this passage today I was also encouraged to note that no matter how much power is revealed to us by God, yet He is always still so very mindful of us, and desiring our sincerity and obedience so that we may draw close to Him. In fact, Abram believed that God would do what appeared impossible to him, and this resulted in God considering him ‘righteous’ (right with God). To gain what I believe is the best meaning of a phrase, I like to consider its impact if the opposite were true. So in this case, if Abram would have laughed at God or showed doubt about what God would do, then perhaps God would have considered Abram ‘unrighteous’? How often would God consider us ‘unrighteous’ because of our unbelief and doubt? Friends, unbelievers may laugh at our faith, because they simply have not been around this awesome God of ours, to build faith in His abilities and to understand His unlimited and awesome love for us. But for those of you that know Jesus, what’s your excuse? Can God consider you ‘righteous’ because of your overwhelming faith in Him? Do you truly believe in Him? If not, may I introduce you to this Savior that I know, love and adore? Remember, only those who are right with God (righteous) will be allowed into heaven. May I count on seeing you there friend? I have provided a guide for you in my ‘Footnote’, and would be thrilled to personally help guide you towards meeting my Lord in a very personal and intimate way. Please make this choice a priority today, it truly is that important!

PRAYER: Father God, Your ways are so much greater than our ways, yet You have sacrificially provided the means for us to overcome sin and one day join You in heaven. Please forgive us when we doubt, and use those incidences as stepping stones to lead us into a deeper faith that will draw us even closer to You. Lord You are good and Your mercies endureth forever and forever. Please keep our ‘faith’ tank filled and energized to trust in You in all circumstances of our lives. You have proven that things that seem impossible to us are handled with just a spoken word by You. Again today I am reminded that Nothing is Impossible when I place my faith and trust in You. Please touch the heart and life of each one that will meditate on this devotional today. May we all draw strength from being reminded of the awesomeness of our mighty God again today, and may we use this to help us confidently spread the joy of our salvation with all those we come into contact with. I ask in the wonderful, powerful and loving name of my King, the King of all kings, Jesus the Christ, AMEN!

Only God Can

On 2019-06-28 By Ed AlgreenIn All-powerful, Answered Prayer, Appreciation, God's Power, Important, Miracles, Miraculous, Needs, Power of God, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

Friday, 2019-06-28

Bible Reference: Isaiah 40:31; 41:10,13
Translation: The Voice (VOICE)

Bible Text: 40:³⁰     But those who trust in the Eternal One will regain their strength. They will soar on wings as eagles. They will run—never winded, never weary. They will walk—never tired, never faint.
41:¹⁰    So don’t be afraid. I am here, with you; don’t be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, help you. I am here with My right hand to make right and to hold you up.
41:¹³    After all, it is I, the Eternal One your God, who has hold of your right hand, Who whispers in your ear, “Don’t be afraid. I will help you.”

OBSERVATION: Three separate verses, but each pointing to the source of our help, the source of our strength, and the source of our protection. In our troubled world, most of us face the fear of increasing crime and subsequent harm to ourselves or our loved ones. Meditate on the words, and reassurance given in these three verses today, and be comforted that our God is able to adequately care for His children!

APPLICATION: Often troubled times will face us and, we will automatically respond in certain ways, based on past experiences. However, all too often there will be a certain twist to our current dilemma that was never a part of our past experience. It seems to me that we respond, or react, based on information that we have fed to our brain over the years. I wish for you, my friend, what I would desire for myself, that there would be so much of God fed into my lives through the Scriptures, such as the verses we are meditating on today, that we would respond to life’s circumstances in a way that is pleasing to God, and very dependent on His all powerful hand. It is so easy for us to assume the position of knowing it all, and that we only need God for those decisions that we are stumped on, but over the years we have developed a faith in God; a trust in His powerful and all-knowing capabilities; and we have read verses like the ones we have today where God has promised to care for us, protect us and direct us along the right path. Let us therefore be encouraged to consult with our God, and be willing to obey what He leads us to. If it’s from Scripture we already know, then I believe He will quickly bring it back to active memory. If it’s a new revelation, then I believe He will direct. Let me encourage you to read over the above verses again, and allow God to saturate your minds with the assurance of His love, His wisdom and His direction for your life. He’s got this! All we need to do is to tap into His goodness and allow Him to be our Master and our God.

PRAYER: Praise God that we serve a God that can do the things that are impossible in man’s eyes! Not only am I convinced of the truth of Your Word in the above verses Lord, but I was also reminded of this in my New Testament reading today where You healed the sick, cast out demons and quieted their mouths. Praise God, You truly are a God who can do miraculous things, even those things that we think might seem impossible to us. Lord, with that confidence, please allow me to ask for You to touch the hearts of the unsaved in my community. Please open their hearts and minds to the message of Your Word, convince them of their sin, and create a desire within them to know You personally. Please convict the hearts of the saved. May we never be ashamed of the Gospel, and may we always be such examples of our Savior that the unsaved will see You and want to accept and serve You. Oh that You may be glorified through Your children today, and may the power of our awesome God be evident in all that we do and say. AMEN!

Nuggets From God's Word

Category: Miraculous