Live In The Fresh Newness of Life

On 2022-12-082022-12-08 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, New beginnings, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Thursday, 2022-12-08
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Philippians 3:7-9; 11
TRANSLATION: Living Bible (TLB)

BIBLE TEXT: ⁷But all these things that I once thought very worthwhile—now I’ve thrown them all away so that I can put my trust and hope in Christ alone. ⁸Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the priceless gain of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. I have put aside all else, counting it worth less than nothing, in order that I can have Christ, ⁹and become one with him, no longer counting on being saved by being good enough or by obeying God’s laws, but by trusting Christ to save me; for God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith—counting on Christ alone.
¹¹So whatever it takes, I will be one who lives in the fresh newness of life of those who are alive from the dead.

APPLICATION: Although I mentioned several examples in my introduction to this devotional, I believe we all can agree that in order to find a new, fresh perspective on life, we must be willing to surrender those things that we’ve always done and have found no real peace, renewal, or freshness in our lives. Coming from a life of importance, where he was feared by many, especially the church of Jesus Christ, Paul was able to share with the church at Philippi that he realized how worthless those things were. Notice that he didn’t just acknowledge the error of his ways before accepting Jesus Christ, but that he realized that this was an ongoing thing to ensure a fresh relationship with the King of all kings each and every day. In humor, a man might say that he told his wife that he loved her at the wedding, and unless anything changes, that love continues every day without the need for him to keep repeating himself!! We all know that principle doesn’t work very well. Counselors have told us that a child will not thrive if they are not loved on, encouraged and instead, just left alone to survive on their own. I would dare say that a relationship with Jesus Christ will not thrive if you choose to only feed it 2 or 3 times per year on special religious holidays. Also, just as your spouse will not be happy if you constantly bring up the good times you and your old boyfriend/girlfriend enjoyed together, I must warn you that God is not happy unless you give Him your full, and undivided attention. Notice that Paul found worldly success in his previous life, but with Christ, he found true happiness. Doing the same old thing and expecting different results, is a demonstration of ignorance. Based on his own experience, Paul teaches us to set aside the old way of life, and with God’s help, endeavor to know God more intimately – through daily communion with Him; Communicate with Him regularly, so that He could hear you acknowledge your frivolous attitude. Your dependence on, and acknowledgment of, the vital role He plays in your life creates a oneness that Satan cannot separate. Learn from your past, live the present in anticipation of Christ’s unannounced, but promised return, and look forward to the joy that awaits you in heaven someday soon when Jesus calls you home.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Follow Paul’s example and live in newness of life with Jesus Christ as our help and stay.

PRAYER: Lord, You know how we tend to lean on our past successes for our future prospect. Please teach us to live in harmony with You each and every day, for a fresh, new word from You that will complete us for today and prepare us for tomorrow. Regardless of our past, please help us to stay closely connected to our source of hope, strength, light and direction, which can only be found in Jesus Christ. Please open the eyes of those blinded by sin and the evil of this world, and bear on us the need to give our full, undivided, daily attention to You alone. 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!

How To Exchange Your Body For A New One

On 2022-07-312022-07-31 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, New beginnings, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Sunday, 2022-07-31
WRITTEN AT: O Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: 2 Corinthians 5:1; 4-5;
TRANSLATION: New Life Version (NLV)

BIBLE TEXT: ¹Our body is like a house we live in here on earth. When it is destroyed, we know that God has another body for us in heaven. The new one will not be made by human hands as a house is made. This body will last forever. …
⁴While we are in this body, we cry inside ourselves because things are hard for us. It is not that we want to die. Instead, we want to live in our new bodies. We want this dying body to be changed into a living body that lasts forever. ⁵It is God Who has made us ready for this change. He has given us His Spirit to show us what He has for us.

APPLICATION: It has been a while since I became so excited about a passage of Scripture, as I did with the first 10 verses of 2 Corinthians 5. In general, the Word of God is exciting, because it’s God’s direction; His comfort; His encouragement and His wisdom given to us. As a child of God, there are times when His Word speaks precisely to our heart, soul and mind, because it meets our need right where we are, at that time. This is one of those cases. I’m sure that I’m not alone in seeing: the brevity of life here on earth; the fragile bodies in which we live and how easily they are affected by diseases like Covid, Alzheimer’s, Arthritis, and many other new diseases that seem to surface these days. No doubt you have lost loved ones, at what seems like extremely immature ages, and you might also be burdened by the pain of seeing loved ones suffer uncontrollably without good medical help, or even good answers in sight. But isn’t it super encouraging to hear the Holy Spirit remind us through Paul, that God will ditch this old, malfunctioning body and give us a brand new one? Friends, you might remember that whenever you traded in your old car for a new one, there were no more breakdowns; no more worn out tires; no more doubt about making it to your long distance location safely; for the old, worn out car was left with the dealer and all things are now new! That’s what I am excited to be reminded of today when I think of my God and the place He has prepared for me in Heaven! I trust that as you are reminded of this Scripture, and as you reflect on the idea of having a total replacement – made perfectly in God’s image, you will look deep inside and examine your state of readiness. For you see, God is quite the gentleman. If you chose to ignore Him here on earth, I believe you are aware that God will continue to, sadly, honor that in death. Seeing that you still have breath and the mental ability to read this devotional, please consider surrendering your life to Jesus immediately. Friends I know many who have died way sooner that the world seems to recognize as a ‘full life’. But be reminded that the world played no part in your creation, nor will they have a say in your resurrection. God alone is responsible for both acts. Enjoy the love, forgiveness and power of our Lord Jesus today and have peace about where you will spend eternity. No decision to know Jesus, leads to eternity in Hell with Satan and his demons. Eternal salvation through Jesus Christ results in the peace of eternity in heaven with Jesus and the Father (God).

BLESSING(S) NOTED: We’ve been promised a new body made and perfected by God that will last for all eternity. To know Jesus personally is our assurance of receiving this new body and the home prepared for us in heaven. Praise to our ever-living and glorious Savior, Jesus Christ!

PRAYER: Lord, You alone are God. You created this world, You created us, and You have created heaven for those of us that have accepted Your Son as Lord and Savior. Search me Lord, and know my heart. Please speak gently, but firmly, to the hearts of those who will read this devotional and continue to postpone their decision to accept You as Lord. Please create in them a new heart and a strong desire to make their heart right with You TODAY, before it is eternally too late. Draw them to Yourself more deliberately than You have ever done before. May today be a day of salvation for many, oh Lord. For those who know You personally, may we life up our hearts in glorious song as we worship and adore You today as Lord, King, Master and as Everlasting Father! AMEN!

Want To Be Brand New

On 2021-10-162021-10-15 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, New beginnings, Praise, Recognize God, Renewal, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Saturday, 2021-10-16
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: 1 Samuel 10:9-12
TRANSLATION: The Message (MSG)

BIBLE TEXT: ⁹Saul turned and left Samuel. At that very moment God transformed him—made him a new person! And all the confirming signs took place the same day.
^10-12When Saul and his party got to Gibeah, there were the prophets, right in front of them! Before he knew it, the Spirit of God came on Saul and he was prophesying right along with them. When those who had previously known Saul saw him prophesying with the prophets, they were totally surprised. “What’s going on here? What’s come over the son of Kish? How on earth did Saul get to be a prophet?”…..

APPLICATION: There are times that we seem to think that we have reached our capacity in our abilities, and when that happens we become unusable for advancing technologies, improvements to processes and everything in between. I recently shared a devotional of how exciting it was to read about how God brought Samuel and Saul together, and how He gave Samuel step by step details about how he and Saul would meet, and what he was supposed to say and do to Saul. In our Scripture today we are seeing some of these things materialize. Saul couldn’t see the reason to chat with Samuel about his lost donkeys, but to his surprise there was a whole lot more going on than he could ever anticipate. Samuel not only knew about his donkeys, but he had already prepared food, knowing that Saul will be visiting with him, and dining with him. Like most of us before we meet Christ, we seem to wander around with our own agendas and unsure of what might be our next adventure. Saul seemed to have entered Samuel’s presence somewhat like that, but the Bible says that as he turned to obey what Samuel had told him, God got a hold of him and changed his heart. Just as a lost person coming to Christ makes a 180 degree change in direction, so did Saul. The people were in shock to hear Saul join with the priests and prophesy. Saul was just not known for that type of relationship with God. Friends, I believe that you could identify with Saul and the crowd who witnessed his change, especially if you have also made the monumental change of redirecting your life from an eternal destiny in Hell, to that of now headed to heaven, and eternity with the Father and the Son. If you are in shock about the change in Saul, then perhaps you have not asked Jesus Christ to enter your heart and place you on a brand new path. God created us to not only worship Him, as our Creator and Savior, but He longs for the day for us to live eternally in heaven with He and the Father. We could read about the change that transpired in Saul’s life. I pray that you will seek after a relationship with Jesus Christ, so that all those in your circle of influence will also witness the change that transpires in your life. God will also make you a brand new man/woman!

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, I thank You for not only making such an awesome change in Saul’s life, but for also doing the same in my life. I am blessed to be called Your child, and privileged to call on You when I am in need. Lord I adore You for who You are, and for all that You do in my life. Just as you made Saul a brand new man, I pray that You will help me to always seek Your face and the blessings You have in store for me, as You make me anew each day. I pray that You will speak gently with my readers and listeners and seek to make them anew as well. I pray that they will hear Your voice and accept Your call on their life. May they, in turn, be a blessing to all those around them, so that You might receive honor and glory from many. AMEN!

A New Life Has Begun!

On 2020-06-19 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, New beginnings, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Friday, 2020-06-19
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: 2 Corinthians 5:16-17
TRANSLATION: Living Bible (TLB)

BIBLE TEXT: ¹⁶So stop evaluating Christians by what the world thinks about them or by what they seem to be like on the outside. Once I mistakenly thought of Christ that way, merely as a human being like myself. How differently I feel now! ¹⁷When someone becomes a Christian, he becomes a brand new person inside. He is not the same anymore. A new life has begun!

OBSERVATION: Ever heard someone referred to as ‘one whose life has been totally changed from the inside out’? What about ‘a leopard who could never change their spots’? Or perhaps ‘that young man has a demon inside of him and I don’t know that anyone could get through to his heart’? I am inviting you to meditate with me today on the Scriptures, where Paul is telling his church at Corinth, and God is subsequently telling us, that when His Holy Spirit entrees into the heart of man, ‘A New Life Begins’! This is exciting, and something each of us would want to see in some of our friends who seem so hard to reach for Jesus.

APPLICATION: I love to sit and watch the TV show ‘Fixer Upper’! It seems about impossible, the transformation that an old house that could easily be chosen by many to knock down and destroy, yet the hosts of the show will catch a glimpse of what they could do to transform that old house into a very desirable and valuable home for a new owner! But what about you and I? With all of our imperfections and sin, yet when we stand before the God of this universe, who is perfect in every way, yet He is able to reach out His hand and, soften our hardened hearts and call us to Himself! Friends, when you think about our God, I would strongly encourage you to lay aside such words as: a). Coincidence – for our God is best at strategizing our appointment with Him. This might be through you bumping into an old pastor unexpectedly in the grocery store without realizing that he had been praying for you through recent trials in your life; b). Good luck – you know, the kind where we attribute the recent gift to be just out of mere luck, while mom saw your need and was praying hard that God would meet that need for you! Or c). A hardened heart was melted – you had gotten so hardened about God after you felt like He took your spouse away from you at a time when your children needed their parent most. Yet recent circumstances have been very obvious that God had sought you out and been calling you to Himself very loud and clear. Friends, from the very beginning, when God created us in His own image, He wanted us to be just like Him, and He wanted us to center our lives and our worship around the One who created us. By placing us on this earth, we quickly adopted its sinful ways. But this didn’t catch God by surprise, He already had a plan in place to redeem us of our sin, if we sought after it. This redemption, or salvation, is meant to cleanse us of our sin and return us to ‘like new’ condition. In fact, people would look at us and wonder if it’s the same person. The process would also cleanse our heart in such a way that we would no longer love the things of that would lead us into temptation, nor to lie in order to get our own way. In fact, our contacts may become confused between us and the Savior of the Word that they had heard so much about. Friends, I believe the Scripture is telling us that God did not create us to make us comfortable in the ‘old skin’ of sin and shame. Instead He has already prepared a home for those of us that listen to God, seek His forgiveness and allow Him to make us ’like new’! I made that decision many years ago, and my aim every day is to imitate Jesus in every way. For those who haven’t surrendered to this truth yet, please know that you have no assurance as to the day God will take you out of this world. To know Him intimately will assure you a place in heaven. To do nothing is accept the ongoing kingship of the world – Satan – And his domain is a place called Hell. The decision is yours my friend. My prayer is that I will see each of you in Heaven at the throne of my Savior and Lord!

PRAYER: Dearest Lord Jesus, thank You for Your wondrous love for each of us. You have opened the doors to heaven, and You have shown us the necessary steps to accept Your precious gift and walk through those doors. Although many who will read this devotional have made this most important decision to accept You as Lord and Savior, I know that many have procrastinated or have made many other excuses to explain the unimportance of this. Please speak through Your Word today. Please use this blog to open the minds and hearts of many that will happen across this. Please soften hardened hearts so that right decisions will be made, even today. Thank You Lord for saving my soul. May my life be an inspirations to others that will serve to open blinded eyes and soften hearts towards the truth of Your Word. 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!

A Transformation

On 2018-06-29 By Ed AlgreenIn New beginnings, Renewal, Transformation, TransformedLeave a comment

SCRIPTURE FROM: Romans 12:1-2 (TPT)

TEXT: ¹Beloved friends, what should be our proper response to God’s marvelous mercies? I encourage you to surrender yourselves to God to be his sacred, living sacrifices. And live in holiness, experiencing all that delights his heart. For this becomes your genuine expression of worship. ²Stop imitating the ideals and opinions of the culture around you, but be inwardly transformed by the Holy Spirit through a total reformation of how you think. This will empower you to discern God’s will as you live a beautiful life, satisfying and perfect in his eyes.

OBSERVATION: Two things really stand out in these verses that ultimately pleases God: (1) Paul addresses the subject of genuine worship; and (2) How we should be doing what pleases Christ, and not necessarily what the world is doing around us. Let’s open these two things up and see how they could be applied to our scenarios today.

APPLICATION: As we delve into this, I want to acknowledge that each of our lives are based on the things that are available to us, and to the culture of where we live. So I found it interesting that Paul warned us about our cultural demands. Here’s a case in point: I am a banker by trade, and the area in which I live and the one where I work, are all attracted primarily to traditional brick & mortar banking, even though many are becoming accustomed to digital banking in various ways. However, less than 2 hours away, there are certain communities that have accepted, and indeed flourish, with totally staff-less bank branches. Culture, median age of the customer-base in a specific city or area, will help drive banks to decide what type of branch to offer. I believe that we tend to think along similar lines when considering the type of church we want to attend, because we have a certain mindset about what we believe should happen at church, and what type of worship will soothe our souls. So do me a favor, if you agree with me so far, read the two verses again very slowly and deliberately. Did you notice that there was no reference to pleasing yourself, but rather that you worship in a manner that pleases God. Now think about your typical worship service. How prepared are you when you walk in the doors of a church? Before you sing the first word, pray the first prayer or open your Bible for the first time in the past week, did you stop to consider that you are standing in awe of the King of all kings and Lord of all lords? Have you considered the awesome gifts and blessings that He passed on to you since you last worshipped Him? Are you truly prepared to worship the Majestic King of the ages, the One who gave His very life to satisfy your sins? In your prior life you may have paid close attention to what friends, or the rich and famous do, but in accepting Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior to Scripture says that Jesus will direct your paths, and that He will transform your life into something new. I believe that means more humble than ever before, more loving, more kind, more forgiving and more identifiable with Jesus, than with anyone or anything in this world. Friends, this is the type Christian that will get the attention of our lost world. For they are looking for someone who looks, sounds and acts like Jesus and not imitators of anything this world has to offer. This type of life is not something you learn at college, or you see on the street, or you study about at home. A Jesus-filled life happens because of your relationship with Jesus. He directs your heart, your ways, your thoughts and your inner person, and from this you express yourself to others. How are you doing on that friend?

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for Your timely reminders on how we are to worship You and to also be conscious about how we represent You in our daily lives. Lord, I believe that if You’re in us, then You will come out of us through our speech, our actions, our desire to win the lost and our care and concern for others. Please work in our lives today dear Lord, and may we do our part in offering ourselves as living sacrifices for Your glory, 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!

Basic Truths of the Faith

On 2017-12-232017-12-23 By Ed AlgreenIn Good News, New beginnings, True witnesses, WitnessLeave a comment

Post Date:	Saturday, 2017-12-23
SCRIPTURE
From:	Acts 4:12-14 (MSG)
Text:	¹² Salvation comes no other way; no other name has been or will be given to us by which we can be saved, only this one (Jesus).” ^13-14They (the Jewish leaders) couldn’t take their eyes off them—Peter and John standing there so confident, so sure of themselves! Their fascination deepened when they realized these two were laymen with no training in Scripture or formal education. They recognized them as companions of Jesus, but with the man right before them, seeing him standing there so upright—so healed!—what could they say against that?
OBSERVATION:
Peter and John were used by God in the healing of a lame man. Fortunately this happened in sight of the Jewish leaders who had put no relevance in the Lord Jesus Christ. In today’s Scripture I bolded some of the basic truths of the Christian faith: Salvation is only possible through faith in Jesus Christ; For those who have received Jesus Christ as their Savior. Their bragging about Him, and encouraging the lost to be saved, is just as effective as the smartest preacher of the largest church on earth. The Jews were amazed by the effectiveness of these simple, uneducated, laymen! Each one of us live right in the middle of this discussion, let’s look closer at how we might apply ourselves…..
APPLICATION:
I believe that way too often we (Christians) give in to the ways and wishes of the world. At Christmas-time we have gotten used to their wish to not have ‘Christ’ included in the word, so it has become Happy Holidays, or Fall Break, instead of Christmas. When everyone is convinced that God is involved in an activity, it becomes ‘the man upstairs’ instead of giving credit to the God of this whole universe. The God who lovingly created the very one trying to ignore His precious name. In our Scripture today, it is refreshing to be reminded that Peter and John were simple ‘laymen’, a title given to those who try to share God’s Word without having been educated in theology or ordained as a pastor or preacher. That explains the title for many of us that will meditate on this devotional today. So pray tell why so many of us cower up and leave the telling of Jesus to the pastor, or the Sunday School teacher? There is a lot of difference in me telling my friends that Jesus touched me and healed me last Sunday while at church, than the pastor telling those same friends that God moved powerfully in our service last Sunday and Ed was healed. My story would be personal, whereas the Pastor’s story would be a third party story that he would relay for me. Our responsibility is to share what God has, and is doing in our lives. Sure we can say what else God is doing in our church, but the thing that will impact our friends is what happened in the first person – to us! The other thing that will impact our witness, is for others to see what God has done for us. If we say that we are saved, friends should see what we are saved from. If from Satan, then they should see God in everything we say or do – every aspect of our character. If from the sin of this world, then they should see us saying ‘No’ to many of the things that we did when controlled by Satan. The Jewish leaders saw that Peter and John had been with Jesus. Can our friends say the same thing about you and I? We shouldn’t have to tell them, they should see it in our ways, our thoughts and our deeds. Evidence of our experience with Jesus will be the same as the healed man standing there between Peter and John – proof positive!
PRAYER:
At this time on our earthly calendar, we celebrate Your birth Lord Jesus. Thank You for the miracles that surrounded your birth, and thank You for the miracle of new birth every time a sinner surrenders their life to Your Lordship. Lord we adore You and worship You with our whole being. May the world see enough of Your love and Your character in us that they would like to also know You personally. There were angels singing and wise me seeking You to worship you. May we hear the angels sing again today and every day as loved ones and friends find You in us and give their lives to You for eternity. AMEN!
FOOTNOTE:
There are two more pages on my blog that will provide you with additional information, one of them being ‘To Know Jesus’. If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please click on the above page, or speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. Please allow someone to pray with you and give you help and/or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Words underlined in my blog could indicate a link to a song that came to mind as I wrote the devotional. Feel free to click on the link and listen as you continue to read or pray. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to Nuggets From God’s Word and read more, or you may freely to subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. If you are anywhere near the Highlands County, Florida area and do not have a church home, I would be thrilled to welcome you at Bible Fellowship Church, located at 3750 Hammock Rd, Sebring, FL 33872! Click the link to check out service times and/or other special activities. God is at work among us! Please consider coming to worship with us!

A Refreshing From God!

On 2017-07-052017-07-05 By Ed AlgreenIn New beginnings, Renewal, RevivalLeave a comment

Post Date:	Wednesday, 2017-07-05
SCRIPTURE
From:	Psalm 42:1-3 (Voice)
Text:	¹My soul is dry and thirsts for You, True God, as a deer thirsts for water. ²I long for the True God who lives. When can I stand before Him and feel His comfort? ³Right now I’m overwhelmed by my sorrow and pain; I can’t stop feasting on my tears. People crowd around me and say, “Where is your True God whom you claim will save?”
OBSERVATION:
It seems like the Psalmist had come to a time in his life where he may have plateaued in his relationship with God. I don’t feel like he had lost faith in Him, but things were just not as fresh, or alive, or active as it used to be. In fact, it seems like his contemporaries had even noticed that he was not on fire for the Lord as he once were. Let’s analyze whether these times come to Christians today….
APPLICATION:
It seems like at the moment that a Brother or Sister accepts the Lord, they are so on fire for the Lord that it may appear like they are definitely the saint who will save the world. Then, like I heard one preacher say, older Christians rub off on them and they lose their enthusiasm! Why do you suppose this happens? I believe that new Christians have just been transformed from a life of sin, to a life on fire for the Lord. They realize the total opposite impact on life compared to their life before Christ when they were simply led by the crowd, beat up by the world, and felt no sense of accomplishment nor hope for heaven. Christians who are out of touch with Jesus Christ, could feel just as helpless and unfulfilled, for they are back to their previous life of self fulfilment and self satisfaction. Fellow Christians, just as the Psalmist shared in verse three, it is amazing how quickly your friends will notice the void or lacking element in your life. They might quickly question if you have lost touch with God or had a massive interruption in your relationship with your God. So I bet you might be asking how might we overcome this or avoid this disconnect. I firmly believe that when you accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior, He sticks to His promises 100%. So guess where the disconnect comes in? It’s you and I friends. You cannot stay close to God and stand on His promises when you live out the promises of this world and are constantly suffering the consequences of that lifestyle. There must come a time when, like the Psalmist, you have such a desire to refresh your relationship with your God, that your whole being feels like it is suffering from an unquenchable thirst for Him. Like a deer that pants for water, you may even feel like your whole body is panting for more of God. Once that thirst is satisfied, an animal settles down, breathes much easier, and is much more amicable towards others. I believe you will do the same friends. But this begins with recognizing your need, seeking the face of Jesus to receive the help you need, and actually stepping in there to make it happen. I trust that might be the sincere desire of those who have drifted away from God or feel the need of refreshment from God so that you might be more effective in your ministry for the kingdom of God.
PRAYER:
Precious Lord, we feel dry, parched and thirsty for You, when we realize that we have lost touch with You and have become ineffective in our witness for You. Please be a constant reminder to us that You will never leave nor forsake us, and that we should set a daily goal to do the same. Help us to pray in the good times, as well as the times of need and distress. Help us to habitually get into Your Word, so that we might hear words of affirmation, love and promises to encourage us and draw us closer to you each day. Our relationship is not one where we do nothing and You constantly cram blessings and words of wisdom into our life. It’s about relationship! Please help us to be alert to, and actively pursue, actions that will draw us closer to You each day, so that You might be glorified even by those that we witness to each day. I ask these things in all hope and honesty, all for Your glory alone dear God, 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!

The Old vs The New

On 2016-12-31 By Ed AlgreenIn Bible Believing, Christian, Faith, New beginnings, Righteousness, SurrenderLeave a comment

Saturday, 2016-12-31

Scripture

Bible Reference: John 19:28-30

Bible Text: ²⁸Jesus knew that everything was now finished, and to fulfill the Scriptures said, “I’m thirsty.” ²⁹A jar of sour wine was sitting there, so a sponge was soaked in it and put on a hyssop branch and held up to his lips. ³⁰When Jesus had tasted it, he said, “It is finished,” and bowed his head and dismissed his spirit.

Bible Translation: The Living Bible (TLB)

My Take

This passage of scripture is generally heard around Easter time, when we hear about the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. In considering what happened around that time, we might consider what the followers of Jesus were thinking as they saw their Master crucified. This was a crossroads for them on what the future might hold. Similarly, today is a crossroads for each of us, for many things will change, if God allows us to welcome a New Year in tomorrow. Putting aside the obvious changes such as government leadership; increased taxes; new church leadership; new benefit packages at work, etc., I want us to center our thoughts around the purpose of my blog – to help us stop and think spiritually about how God may have been involved in the old vs how we will permit Him to be involved in the new. Stop for a few minutes and consider some of the key events of the current year that is quickly drawing to a close. What would you tell an unbeliever may have been the most exciting time of your Christian walk this year? Think about a time that God may have been so real to you that you felt there was only one thing better, and that was to be at His side in glory! Think about a time when you thought God was not listening and had no interest in your prayer request, only to find out later that He was there all the while answering your prayer in ways that you weren’t expecting, but that you later discovered was the best thing for you. Take a moment and praise Him for all these things and acknowledge His presence with you in so many unbelievable ways. Jesus’ situation was much more dire, but in verse 30 He realized that all Scripture had been fulfilled, and in accordance with the will of the Father, His time had come to give up His earthly ministry and prepare for what was ahead. Today you will not only give thanks for the many ways that God accomplished His work through You, but I believe many of us will also have regrets for the times that we took the reigns of life and ‘did it our way’, only to find out later that things didn’t always turn out right. May I suggest that you use this as an opportunity to speak to God about your regrets, and possibly ask Him to help you seek Him first and His righteousness as you approach this brand new year? In preparing for a long road trip, you may easily remember the gas, water, snacks, head rests, GPS, etc, but in facing a New Year you will be taking this trip without knowing about the bumps in the road, the crazy drivers on the road, road construction, etc. However, I am here to remind you and/or enlighten you to the fact that for those who have place their faith and trust in Jesus Christ, we serve the One who knows exactly what lies ahead for us – the good, the bad and the ugly. The fascinating, and encouraging part for the Christian is that we know the creator of life and death and of each person. He has already proved His love for us in very extreme ways, so we have no doubt that He will be watching every step that we take, and help us over every hurdle that we will meet. Our part is to stay loyal to the Director of it all – worship Him when everything seems perfect to us, and when we wish things were different, but in ALL things, knowing that our Savior leads the way for our good and for His glory! So while the THINGS of this earth seems so uncertain for many, the ONE who holds the whole earth together is the One who holds our hand and guides us along to the end of all time! That’s the One I have placed my faith and trust in friend. Have you? If not, please, please read my Footnote and take advantage of the help offered to you.

Prayer

Father, as we reflect on the blessings and the undeserved grace that You have showered on us throughout this year that is ending, may we also gain strength and confidence in knowing that You are still so very faithful, so very loving, so very kind and that You will be our friend and guide even until the very end of time. Lord, we have no idea what tomorrow holds, but I praise You for knowing the One who not only holds tomorrow, but who knows what every day in this New Year will hold for each child that meditates on this devotional today. So Lord, I praise You for everything that You are, and for all that You will do in my life and in the lives of those that I love and care for. You are forever faithful and true, and in You I can assure my readers that we must place our faith and our trust. You were faithful to the very end in fulfilling the word of Your Father, may we be found faithful to You in all aspects of our lives this coming year, for this is my humble plea for Your help to achieve all this, 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 www.nuggetsfromgodsword.org 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!

Starting Over

On 2015-09-152015-09-15 By Ed AlgreenIn Children, Humility, New beginningsLeave a comment

THE HOLY BIBLE (The Message – Matthew 18:1-5): ¹At about the same time, the disciples came to Jesus asking, “Who gets the highest rank in God’s kingdom?” ^2–5 For an answer Jesus called over a child, whom he stood in the middle of the room, and said, “I’m telling you, once and for all, that unless you return to square one and start over like children, you’re not even going to get a look at the kingdom, let alone get in. Whoever becomes simple and elemental again, like this child, will rank high in God’s kingdom.

THOUGHTS: After growing up through childhood, many might find it challenging to understand why Jesus would declare that we become like that again if we desire to enter the kingdom of heaven. So I wanted to share a few things that might help us understand how Jesus may have been thinking. When children are very young, they are very trusting and gullible. They couldn’t care less who is in charge, as long as they get fed and cleaned up. Outward distinctions mean nothing to them, as long as they feel loved and cared for. They are free from malice, even when they don’t get their own way. They are teachable, and are willingly dependent on their parents. It is true that they soon begin to show other dispositions, and other ideas are taught them at an early age; but these are all marks of a maturing child. I believe that it is this type of character that Jesus is teaching us that would render us as lowly and ready to accept His love and His care. In other words, just as explained about a newborn child, that’s how Jesus teaches we are to be as a newborn Christian. There is no room for pride, or self-will or boasting, we are to be wholly and solely dependent on the Holy Spirit that takes control of us when we surrender. In fact, we are to continually, and daily, renew the spirit of our minds, that we may become simple and humble, as little children, and willing to be the least of all. Let us daily study this subject, and examine our own spirits. I have found that should I ever get stuck in a project and can’t seem to break through my frustrations, if I would simply start over I will usually avoid my original roadblocks and go on to victory. Perhaps we need to consider allowing Jesus to give us a fresh start also. As His precious child, receiving His special care, I know that we will be more than conquerors in the long run.

PRAYER: Starting over, sounds a lot like ‘born again’ – almost impossible. But Father, I know that our own self-will and our personal desires and knowledge presents roadblocks for us here in this tough life on earth. Please give us the strength to surrender to Your will for our lives. May we become so desirous of Your perfect will and Your powerful hand in our lives that we will be willing to surrender self and become obedient like a small child would be to a parent. Perhaps at that point we will be more apt to listen and obey. Lord, may we be usable instruments in Your perfect and all powerful hands, willing to be used of You to accomplish Your work. I ask these things humbly and in the precious and all powerful name of Jesus, AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please speak with a local Bible Teaching pastor, or read through Biblical truths on How To Know Jesus, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com so that we can pray with you and give you help and or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Any words underlined above will indicate a link to a song that came to mind as I wrote the devotional. Feel free to click on the link and listen as you continue to read or pray. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to www.nuggetsfromgodsword.org and read more, or you may freely subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. If you are anywhere near the Highlands County, Florida area and do not have a church home, I would be thrilled to welcome you at Bible Fellowship Church, Sebring, FL! Click the link to check out service times and/or other special activities. God is at work among us! Please consider coming to worship with us!

New Birth!

On 2013-10-042019-04-30 By Ed AlgreenIn Born Again, New beginningsLeave a comment

Scripture: John 1.

OBSERVATION
(Key verses)

John 1:10-13 (NLT)

10 He came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognize him.

11 He came to his own people, and even they rejected him.

12
But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God.

13 They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God.

APPLICATION
(How Can I apply what God is saying here to my life today?)

All who welcome Jesus Christ as Lord of their lives are reborn spiritually, receiving new life from God. Through faith in Christ, this new birth changes us from the inside out—rearranging our attitudes, desires, and motives. Being born makes you physically alive and places you in your parents’ family. Being born of God makes you spiritually alive and puts you in God’s family. Have you asked Christ to make you a new person? This fresh start in life is available to all who believe in Christ. If you would like for me to pray with you, please contact me using the email link below. This new birth is available to you today!

PRAYER
(What I will ask of God, in order for me to properly apply His Word to my life)

Lord Jesus, I thank you for the new birth I experienced when I surrendered my life to You. I know there are friends who will read this devotional who are in need of a Savior, a ‘New Birth’. Lord, I pray that there will be decisions made even today by my friends to welcome You into their lives and allow You full reign. I know the time is drawing nigh for Your return. Please soften the hearts of my friends and family so that they may realize and accept You as their Lord and Savior today. Thank You Jesus!

**Words underlined may be a hyperlink to a song that God laid on my heart while sharing this devotional this morning. Click it and be blessed by the song, like I was when I listened to it! …… I would be overjoyed to have the opportunity to pray with you about a need in your life that may, or may not have been highlighted by this Nugget today. Why not drop me a note and tell me about it? You may email me at:
nuggetsfromgodsword@yahoo.com
**

Nuggets From God's Word

Category: New beginnings