Category: Obedience

How Will They Know, If You Don’t Tell Them?

On By Ed AlgreenIn Accept Jesus NOW, Bible Believing, Christian, Faith, Imitator of Christ, Obedience, SurrenderLeave a comment

Tuesday, 2016-10-18

Scripture

Bible Reference: Romans 10:9–10; 13-14

Bible Text:  9 If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved…. 13 For “Everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved.” 14 But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them?

Bible Translation: New Living Translation (NLT)

My Take

Each of us have responsibilities in this world. A dad is obligated to take care of his family, and lead his family towards a life in Christ. Mothers share in that responsibility with dads to help ensure that kids are raised healthy in body through nutrition, and in soul through their manners and beliefs and practices. Work managers have a responsibility to the owners of their company to ensure that they develop the best employees that will lead the company to great success. There are lots of other examples I could give, but as I read this scripture today, I was reminded that in life, if we fail in our responsibilities, we see failure – sometimes devastating failures. For the believer in Jesus Christ who fails to share with others the path to success in achieving eternal life, or the expected results from disobedience to the Word of God, then we are probably most disappointing to God, and  I can only imagine that it will be very disappointing for us, and our friends, as we face God and acknowledge our shortcomings that resulted in the eyes of good friends never having been opened to the truth of God’s Word. Friends, I believe that it is challenging for Christians to share their faith, for various personal reasons. But may I remind each of us today that this scripture reminds us that unless we tell others about the joy of our salvation and how it is available to them also; unless we warn them of the consequences of their non-acceptance of this free gift, they may very well never hear the Good News of Jesus Christ. As you meditate on this devotional today you are in one of two positions: 1) You have accepted Jesus and are on your way to heaven, praise the Lord! or 2) You may or may not have heard the Good News of Jesus Christ, and you have yet to believe on Him and declare His glory to the world around you. Those in group (1) have a responsibility to God and to those in group (2) to share the Good News of Jesus Christ that leads one to acceptance, and ultimately to Eternal Life. Our friends in group (2) may never hear or understand, if we are disobedient in sharing. You may be taking all of your other responsibilities very seriously friend, but this is by the far the most important task for each of us in this life. Remember, we can’t save anyone, but we have a responsibility to share our story and the Word of God, so that He may speak to their heart and save them.

Prayer

Oh Lord, may we who know You, make it our primary focus today to share the Good News of the gospel with an unsaved loved one today. There is no reason that we could ever come up with, that would hinder us from being considerate of our friends and sharing the simple plan of salvation with them. No theological degree necessary, just simply share the gift that we were blessed to find, and that changed our lives for eternity. Embolden us heavenly Father, and help us to quit finding excuses and just share our story with a friend today, so that they too might have the information necessary to make a decision to accept You. You alone are God, and I praise You for Your all-gracious love, power and wisdom. I pray that You may use even me today in Your plan to reach my friends. Please touch the hearts of each one that will read this devotional today. May Your kingdom grow because of our concerted obedience to Your Word. AMEN!

Footnote

If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. 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!

How To Stay Encouraged In A Challenging World

On By Ed AlgreenIn Christian, Faith, Humility, Obedience, Our Help comes from God, SurrenderLeave a comment

Monday, 2016-10-17

Scripture

Bible Reference: Philippians 4:8-9

Bible Text:  8 Finally, my friends, keep your minds on whatever is true, pure, right, holy, friendly, and proper. Don’t ever stop thinking about what is truly worthwhile and worthy of praise. 9 You know the teachings I gave you, and you know what you heard me say and saw me do. So follow my example. And God, who gives peace, will be with you.

Bible Translation: Contemporary English Version (CEV)

My Take

Perhaps before you walk out of the door to your home this morning you already realized that there will be many challenges that you will deal with today. Perhaps there is overflow from the challenges you dealt with yesterday. There may even be unresolved contention that you know you must deal with today. You may be deliberating: why is it that you must awake from your ‘perfect’, ‘protected’, ‘uncomplicated’ dream of contentment and peace at home, and face the reality and cruelty of this wicked world. Friends, I want you to be encouraged with the words from God, through His messenger Paul, for I believe this can apply to all who are reading this devotional today:

  • First of all, to the believer in Jesus Christ, here are some tips on how to handle life under God’s leadership, strength, wisdom and guidance today:

    • Don’t allow your minds to be swayed by this world and it’s leader – Satan. Instead, aim towards being like Jesus, for He is true (so important in this world filled with lies, hatred and deception); pure (there is no ‘make-believe’ with Jesus Christ, for He is the real deal. He loved us when we were still steeped in sin, and He gave up His own life to provide the means of us living eternally with the Father in heaven); right; holy (remember Jesus is one with God, so He is holy just as God almighty is holy); friendly; and proper;
    • Think about everything that is truly worthwhile and worthy of praise – in other words, we are to seek God’s help to not be pulled into the gutter of gossip; hatred; and the evil deeds associated with Satan himself. In other words, if we find ourselves thinking about something that we cannot truly praise God for, then we are probably ‘off-track’ with what God is teaching us here. For we are to think on those things that are ‘worthy of praise‘ to our heavenly Father!
  • Secondly, I believe that there is help here for the non-Christian. Think about it friend: how can you possibly deal with life without the power of the Holy Spirit who is busy in the life of the believer? Without the power of Christ, Satan is free to beat up on you all he wants. Christians are not super beings with the capability of handling every aspect of life that is thrown at them. However, we are super excited about the promise that we can do ALL things through Christ, who strengthens us and guides us to all truth, through the awesome power and guidance of His Holy Spirit who controls us. I believe that your encouragement today is knowing that as long as you have life, there is hope in the option to also accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior. Know Jesus and know peace! That’s my recommendation to you today so that you may gain His everlasting joy and contentment in everyday living here on this earth.

Prayer

There are a few sayings that cross my mind dear Lord, “you are now entering your mission field” and “you are now entering the ‘real’ world”. I believe that most of us feel fairly secure and at peace in our own homes, and we fear the challenge of what this bitter world holds in store for us as we step into it today. Thank You for the encouragement given to us in this passage of scripture today. Lord, we believe in You, and we lift high the banner of truth contained in Your Word. We are more dependent on You today than ever before Savior, for we can only handle today’s challenges with You powerfully working inside of us, and helping us to be more like You. Lord, how will the world know about You if we don’t tell them? Oh that they may see everlasting hope and the love of Christ in all that we do or say today. For this is my humble prayer that I ask in and through the 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 contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. 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!

Wrong Doing Infuriates God

On By Ed AlgreenIn Obedience, Obedient, Pleasing to GodLeave a comment

Thursday, 2016-10-13

Scripture

Bible Reference: Jeremiah 32:26–31

Bible Text:  26 Then this message came to Jeremiah from the LORD: 27 “I am the LORD, the God of all the peoples of the world. Is anything too hard for me? 28 Therefore, this is what the LORD says: I will hand this city over to the Babylonians and to Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, and he will capture it. 29 The Babylonians outside the walls will come in and set fire to the city. They will burn down all these houses where the people provoked my anger by burning incense to Baal on the rooftops and by pouring out liquid offerings to other gods. 30 Israel and Judah have done nothing but wrong since their earliest days. They have infuriated me with all their evil deeds,” says the LORD. 31 “From the time this city was built until now, it has done nothing but anger me, so I am determined to get rid of it.

Bible Translation: New Living Translation (NLT)

My Take

I know that many would prefer to see the positive spin to scripture than the negative, so perhaps I could have titled this blog “Pleasing God invokes His blessings”! However, part of my study this morning took me into Romans 7 where Paul was pleading with God to help him overcome a very big problem that he had. Paul realized that he often did those things that he was determined not to do, and he always seem to do those things that he knew he shouldn’t do. So because of this same dilemma, which I am convinced that we still battle today, I felt like I should just present the challenge by Jeremiah in the light that it is presented in the Bible! Friends, I believe it is time that we stop and ‘call a spade a spade’. Let’s be honest with ourselves, how hard are we trying to please God in our personal lives, or in our families, among our friends, in our workplaces, our churches, cities, states, or countries? I know, our pet answer would probably be that we are doing better than our neighbor next door, or that our church doors are still opened and occasionally we see some numerical growth, so we assume that we must be on track. Friends, I would like for us to take a moment and look at our specific country from God’s perspective, and see if you can come up with a few things that you could brag on before God. Consider this: in His Word, God detailed the reason He made us and the reasons He would allow us to continue on as His children. He provided beautiful landscapes for us to enjoy and He provided food for our nourishment. Would you consider that most of the other things that we have brought into the equation, serve to enhance our worship of the Master, or to promote the ministry of the gospel to the lost and dying in our communities and the rest of the world? If God was to send in His forces to destroy our towns, which parts of the town might you be able to defend before Him as being holy and totally in place for the benefit of the gospel? Please don’t automatically go to the churches, for I am not convinced that they all serve the purpose for which they were intended. Furthermore, can we really present our churches as effective messengers of the gospel message? If they were, don’t you suppose that they would be more effective in attracting the lost and/or the un-churched? Friends, I believe that we are probably worse off than the Israelites were at the time that God declared (in verse 31) that He was so angry He would totally get rid of everything they built – everything that distracted them from the purity of their hearts and their worship of Him. In the case of the Israelites, this included total demolition of the city. Would our situation be any better off? We have so many personal idols and/or ideals and/or beliefs that it is often very challenging to remove the ‘cobwebs’ so that we could clearly see the face of God and know what He desires of us. Some who will read this devotional will be faced with country-wide general elections soon. May I remind us that while this is an important part of our earthly obligations to vote, it is secondary to all that I have shared with you this morning. God will not ask us if we voted, or who we may have voted for. He is more concerned with the purity of our heart and our everyday decisions, and how they align with His will for our lives. Let’s keep that part in order, then I am assured that God will direct us to the right candidate to vote for, so that He may be honored, praised and worshiped by His people.

Prayer

Father, thank You for being patient with us. Thank You for providing Your Word as direction for our daily path. Lord, please forgive us for allowing so many things to interfere and distract us from the actual path that You have set before us, especially our selfish and personal ideals. It’s not about us, so Lord may our lives be so in tuned with You that our decisions will be based on Your desires and Your heart. I admit that this may not always be the popular thing to do, but our desire is to please You oh Lord, and not the general public looking to feed their fancy. We need You every minute of every day Lord. Please touch Your children today in ways that we may recognize Your voice and be reminded of Your power. For I ask these things in and through the precious name of Jesus, my Rock, my redeemer and my soon coming King, AMEN!

Footnote

If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. 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!

God’s Plan For You

On By Ed AlgreenIn Obedience, Obedient, Tested, The PlanLeave a comment

Tuesday, 2016-10-11

Scripture

Bible Reference: Jeremiah 29:11–14

Bible Text:  11 I know what I’m doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for. 12  “When you call on me, when you come and pray to me, I’ll listen. 13–14  “When you come looking for me, you’ll find me. “Yes, when you get serious about finding me and want it more than anything else, I’ll make sure you won’t be disappointed.”

Bible Translation: The Message (MSG)

My Take

I believe that verse 11 above is probably one of the more popular verses used from the Bible, especially when we tend to look at how upside down our lives seem to be at times, so we grasp at every possibility of how God could rescue us and turn our lives around. We want to believe that He has good plans for us! But friends, I encourage you to look very carefully at the whole context of these verses, for they were directed at the obedient Israelites who trusted God, in spite of their strong disbelief and personal desires. God had them surrender to the Babylonians, whom they despised, but He knew that is was for reasons that would be for their long-term safety. Aren’t we the same friends?  Don’t we often go to God in a panic because it seems like we would have to surrender to the Babylonians? You know, to those things, those people, those places, those leaders that we want absolutely nothing to do with? In fact, we foresee nothing but heartaches in the way our lives, or our family, or our churches, or our city, state or country is headed, and we just know that God would rather take us out of this situation than to make these drastic changes in our lives that might include things we dislike, or that we feel are ungodly? Of course we do. In fact, some of us even get mad at God when He refuses to honor our demands of Him. Friends, let’s be reminded today that we are a chosen people, a loved people, a forgiven child because of the sacrificed blood of Jesus Christ. If He tells us to do something, don’t you know that it is for our own good, and not to harm us or to make us miserable or to disown us? I love words included in the last two sentences – First – “when you get serious about finding Me” – that tells me that God is talking about something a little more serious than us realizing there is a God when an urgent need arises. If we are serious about finding God, I believe we will want to know everything possible about Him through daily time in His Word (the Bible) each day; through talking with Him on a regular bases – that praying to Him at least daily, but often more frequently; and for spending time with other like believers to be encouraged by them or to encourage them because of God’s mighty work in your life – that’s church. Secondly – “I’ll make sure you are not disappointed” – wow, praise the name of Jesus! He will make sure that His kids receive every good and perfect gift that He has in store for us. I believe that this will be far more than we could ever think or imagine! Test Him friend, and prove His Word. I don’t believe you will be disappointed!

Prayer

Heavenly Father; Master; Savior and Friend; thank You for the assurances You give in Your Word about Your love for us and Your ultimate, long-term plan for our happiness and our future. Lord You are good and Your mercies endures forever. I love You Lord and I life my voice in awesome praise and thanksgiving for Your goodness towards me. Please be especially loving and kind to my readers today as they meditate on this devotional. May they encounter the love of our Savior in such awesome ways, that their lives will be full and running over. May this be apparent to all those they come into contact with today so that the lost might be curious and ask questions about the immeasurable love and hope that they see in them. Draw us all closer to the cross today, and as You fill us, may that overflow to the unsaved observers we will encounter – all for Your glory and Your honor. I ask this in the name of Jesus, my Lord and Savior, AMEN!

Footnote

If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. 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!

Know and Do What God Commands

On By Ed AlgreenIn Accept Jesus NOW, ObedienceLeave a comment

Wednesday, 2016-10-05

Scripture

Bible Reference: Romans 3:19–20

Bible Text:  19 Obviously, the law applies to those to whom it was given, for its purpose is to keep people from having excuses, and to show that the entire world is guilty before God. 20 For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are.

Bible Translation: New Living Translation (NLT)

My Take

I believe that we all have heard it at one time or another from a friend, that they, or perhaps a loved one, would never be subjected to hell because of how good and honest they have been all of their lives. First of all, that statement is not biblical, because we can see from God’s Word today that living by man’s law will only help us recognize that we are sinful, because we are constantly breaking the law. So if we approach the real dilemma in my first statement about our going to heaven because we obeyed the law, I believe we will quickly see that our world’s lawmakers really have nothing to do with who enters heaven and under what conditions. That decision is strictly up to God, who controls heaven. Friends, it is super important that we obey man’s laws, because God expects us to be good, law abiding citizens of this earth. However, when it comes to matters of heaven, we must look to the ‘rule-book’ of heaven, and God has ordained it through various writers and we call it the Bible. This has peaked the curiosity of millions around the world, because the Bible is the greatest seller in the world. May I encourage you to read it and understand that God went to great pains to make it as easy as possible for us to enter heaven. In pain and agony, He had to watch His very own Son, Jesus Christ, suffer through the pain of death on a cruel cross. However, because of the blood shed by Jesus, God demonstrated to us that if only we would give up self and surrender our lives to the will of God, by accepting His risen Son, then His blood would wash away our sin and we would be acceptable to Him (God), and in turn, be accepted into His heaven. Notice that the latter statement had nothing to do with any law concocted by man. So friends, I believe that these verses are intended to help us clearly separate what the laws of our land will do, versus what the forgiveness of Jesus Christ will do. Once we could get that straight in our minds, hopefully we can go on to help others that struggle with this same dilemma everyday. There’s only One Way to enter heaven friend, and being good or obeying the laws of our land, do not form a part of that One Way. But Jesus Christ is THE Way! Won’t you trust Him today with your whole being? According to God’s Word, you too can be assured of Heaven, if you accept Jesus as Lord.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, You have made it clear in Your Word how we are to surrender our lives to You for our eternal salvation, as nothing else will secure our path to heaven or our eternity with You and the Father. Please touch the heart of each one that will read this devotional today and fill them with a renewed understanding of Your will for their lives.The words of a gospel song comes to mind: “nothing good have I done, to deserve God’s own Son”. Father, may the eyes of all who have not surrendered to You, be opened to the things of God today, and may they surrender to Your will and Your way, for their eternal salvation. I ask these things through the powerful and awesome 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 contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. 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!

Christians in The Workplace

On By Ed AlgreenIn Obedience, Obedient, Representation of the MasterLeave a comment

Thursday, 2016-09-29

Scripture

Bible Reference: Colossians 3:23–25

Bible Text:  23 Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. 24 Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward, and that the Master you are serving is Christ. 25 But if you do what is wrong, you will be paid back for the wrong you have done. For God has no favorites.

Bible Translation: New Living Translation (NLT)

My Take

I wonder if our bosses can tell any difference in the work habits of their employees, and if they ever attribute it to the work of the Holy Spirit in those that ‘stand out’ as exemplary employees! What about you, can you tell the difference? If Jesus was our supervisor/boss, what would we do differently? I believe in these verses, God is warning us that we are to work as if we are working for Him, and that if we don’t, He will treat us just like any other sinner, for He has no favorites. What if we took this one step higher and have the bosses/business owners look at their business strategies and practices to ensure that each one pleases the Lord? We sure would have better workplaces, won’t we? At one of my career stops, I heard of a gentleman who owned a marina, and because he was a godly man trying to please God in everything he did, he would not work on Sundays – his Sabbath day, as he wanted nothing to interfere with his day of worship. He would advise his patrons the day before that if they departed the following day (Sunday), to just mail him a check, as the office would not be opened. It is told in that town, that this godly gentleman never lost a dime from a patron taking advantage of his practice, that he felt led of God to put in place. Where do you set your parameters with your business, or with your employees, or with your work ethics? I believe that if Christians worked in accordance with today’s scripture, employers would be ready to place a requirement on their job postings, that they are only hiring Christians. Friends, we needn’t flaunt our Christianity, we just need to be obedient servants of Jesus Christ and live and work as if we were reporting directly to the Master. There’s another verse of scripture that says that ‘by our fruit, we will be known’. Are your words, deeds and work ethics revealing that you are sincerely in love with Jesus Christ, and seeking every day, in every way to please Him? If not, why not? Isn’t He your Master?

Prayer

Lord Jesus, Master and King, thank You for being our guide to what is right. There is so much that hit us every day that, unless we stay continually in Your Word, we may very easily use worldly standards instead of Yours. I believe that this scripture is one more reminder that if we claim You as Lord in our quiet places, or in our church, we must also claim and represent You to the world through our speech, our work actions and in every walk of life. I don’t believe there is such a thing as a temporary Christian, for the love and principles of Jesus must be embedded inside of us so that Jesus spills our of our mouths; in all decisions that we make; and in every thing that we do. Lord, may it be so evident to the world who actually controls our very lives, that we will often be mistaken for Jesus. Folk that knew my dad, often identify me as his son. May this also be the case for those that know what to expect from a child of the King of all kings. I ask these things in all humbleness of heart and in deepest sincerity. I also wish nothing less for my readers today, for if there was ever a time that we need the world to see the ‘army’ of Jesus, it is today. Thank You Lord 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 contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. 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!

Be A Representative of The Lord

On By Ed AlgreenIn Christ's Representative, Obedience, Representation of the Master, Representative of ChristLeave a comment

Tuesday, 2016-09-27

Scripture

Bible Reference: Colossians 3:15–17

Bible Text: 15 And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful. 16 Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. 17 And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.

Bible Translation: New Living Translation (NLT)

My Take

I believe that if there is ever a time that we need to live as children of God; as representatives of the Lord Jesus; as children of the Light – that stamps out the darkness of sin; as examples of the Lord Jesus Christ; it is now. In my old testament reading (Jeremiah 7:21-29) God shared His displeasure with the Israelites that He brought out of Egypt, for in spite of all that He did for them, yet they never truly followed Him with all their heart, mind and soul. Because of this, they continually fought to follow their former way of living. Does this compare to the church at large today? No, I’m not referring to the way members act inside the four walls of our church at weekend meetings, but rather when they are on the battle lines of everyday life. Is it evident to those who cross our paths that we are children of the Most High King? Verse 17 encourages us to speak and act like a representative of the Lord Jesus, continually giving thanks through Him to God the Father. Will it be obvious to others who we are representing today? There’s a beautiful old hymn that has the words “In Christ alone, I take my stand, all other ground is (like) sinking sand”, In other words, no matter what other direction you follow, or whatever other source you may seek for strength or power today, nothing can compare to the awesome power of our Mighty God. Friends, we’ve tried long and hard, through various trials and hardships, to see our families overcome the challenges and circumstance of this old world; we’ve seen churches split and some even closed, because of Satan’s interference and distractions; and we have seen countries go to war over selfish gains and worldly desires, I believe it is time for us to humbly seek the face of God and ask Him to help us return to the Book – His Holy Word, His instructions for life that helps us to be His representatives here on earth. I believe that as we do that, nothing else will really matter or be of any worthwhile significance. Can we give that a try today friends? Let’s endeavor to put God first in everything and then celebrate at the end of the day how everything else approved and designed by Him fell into its proper place. It’s all about Him friend! We’re just the earthly instrument that He may choose to use so that others might recognize and subsequently accept and obey Him.

Prayer

Lord God, You created us, provided enormous beauty here on this earth for us to enjoy and even sacrificed Your very own Son for us so that our sin could be forgiven – leaving us at peace with, and pleasing to You. A perfect scenario, yet we have allowed Satan to intrude and tempt us with so much that we are hardly recognized as Your child at times. Please speak to Your children once again today, and help us to recommit ourselves to You. Please help us to seek Your face and Your power to keep our lives pure before You and before our fellow man. Use us as Your instruments oh Lord, to reach the hardened hearts of the lost. May You be glorified today because of our actions, from a clean heart and godly thoughts and words. I ask these things in and through the wonderful name of Jesus, my Lord and Savior, AMEN!

Footnote

If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. 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!

Consider the Way You Live

On By Ed AlgreenIn Attitude, Obedience, Our CharacterLeave a comment

Tuesday, 2016-09-20

Scripture

Bible Reference: Ephesians 4:21–24

Bible Text:  21 Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, 22 throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. 23 Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. 24 Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.

Bible Translation: New Living Translation (NLT)

My Take

I believe that no matter what this scripture says, many of us will look at ourselves and be convinced that, at conversion, we had indeed thrown off our old sinful selves, and have since allowed God’s Holy Spirit to lead our lives. Well, I want to challenge you on that today by presenting you with additional scripture to that above, with hopes that we will more honestly evaluate ourselves. In verses 30-32 of the same chapter, the Word of God says:

30 … do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption.
31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. 32 Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.
Friends, I want to encourage you to go through the attributes mentioned in verses 31 and 32 and determine which side of the fence are you on. Talk with God first, so that He could help you rid yourself of all self-bias and therefore look honestly at yourself. If you still feel like you have one or more attributes from verse 31, then you are probably still bringing sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit, as indicated in verse 30. The good news for each of us today is that there is help for us. God will still hear our prayer and help us to overcome our weaknesses, if we confess it and ask for His help. Please don’t be content in allowing the behavior attributes from verse 31 to continue, but instead bring joy to God’s Holy Spirit by living out the attributes of verse 32. Our desire should always be to live out the character of Jesus, and with His help, we can do exactly that every day, if we choose to, and if we ask for His help to do that.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, it’s a tall order to live in this world that is so drenched in every aspect of Satan’s evil and sinful attributes. However, being children of the most high God, we know that we can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens, guides, protects, loves and empowers us. Please help us to stop feeling helpless, and to place our faith and trust squarely at Your feet, and to depend on You daily to help us walk by faith, imitating Your character before a lost and dying world. How will they know the love of God, if we don’t show them. Yet we are so vulnerable and powerless to do that on our own. We need You in every aspect of our lives dear Jesus. Help us to be children who will humble ourselves, seek Your face, worship You, and prepare for the blessings You will shower upon us. I ask these things in the matchless 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 contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. 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!

God’s Choice of Messengers

On By Ed AlgreenIn God's Will, ObedienceLeave a comment

Monday, 2016-09-12

Scripture

Bible Reference: Mark 16:14–18

Bible Text: 14 Afterwards, Jesus appeared to his eleven disciples as they were eating. He scolded them because they were too stubborn to believe the ones who had seen him after he had been raised to life. 15 Then he told them: Go and preach the good news to everyone in the world. 16 Anyone who believes me and is baptized will be saved. But anyone who refuses to believe me will be condemned. 17 Everyone who believes me will be able to do wonderful things. By using my name they will force out demons, and they will speak new languages. 18 They will handle snakes and will drink poison and not be hurt. They will also heal sick people by placing their hands on them.

Bible Translation: The Contemporary English Version (CEV)

My Take

I found the action by Jesus in this scripture to be very confusing, yet enlightening. Confusing, because I just couldn’t understand why Jesus chose to use the very ones that struggled in their faithfulness at His death, and were very doubtful of the messengers who came to them and shared the joy of see Jesus alive again.What was extremely enlightening, was to be reminded that Jesus chooses whom He wills to be His messengers, not who seems most logical to us. I have seen the most uneducated become the best soul winners, yet the super educated individuals with some of the best degrees, be so displaced in ministry and unsuccessful in reaching the lost. Friends, I believe that this is very much an eye-opener for those of us who sit back with all of the excuses about not being capable of doing the work of the Lord, for I believe that the evidence is clear that our God can use the one who feels incapable of speaking in public, like He did with Moses; He could use adulterers to become men after His own heart, like He did with David; He could use ones who were totally dejected as a brother, to become lord over those same brothers and their countrymen, like He did with Joseph; and He could certainly use 11 humble men filled with doubt about His resurrection to begin the first real revival that started the first new testament church. So please tell me again why so many Christians sit back today because they feel so inadequate, or uneducated, or recovering from some awful sin in their life, and then to look in the face of Jesus and say that they ‘can’t’ do something that He may be knocking on their heart’s door to so? I’m sure that many of us have done this at one point or another in our lives, perhaps this ‘confusing’ passage of scripture today will open our eyes to the need for obedience, without the worry of our worldly abilities. May I encourage you to be open to the call of Christ on your life today friend? No ‘but’s’ please, just be available, listen and obey the call of Christ!

Prayer

Father, You have blessed us with abilities to fit into this world and into our jobs without too much stress. However, You have also blessed us with a Savior who loves us, cares for us, and will perform miracle after miracle through us, if only we will make ourselves available to You in total surrender to Your will. Please cause us to place our faith and trust in You so that we can be usable instruments for You. There are so many who need You as Savior and Lord, and many of those we touch on an almost daily basis through kinship, our work, or perhaps through our social lives. May You be allowed to shine so strongly through us that these ones may be touched, and may they be led to believe in you. We are so undeserving Lord, but with Your power, and for Your glory, I believe that mighty things can be fulfilled, even through us. Thank You merciful Savior, AMEN!

Footnote

If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. 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!

Satisfying Results from Obedience

On By Ed AlgreenIn Actions, Obedience, RewardsLeave a comment

Saturday, 2016-08-27

Scripture

Bible Reference: Proverbs 3:1–4

Bible Text: 1 My child, never forget the things I have taught you. Store my commands in your heart. 2 If you do this, you will live many years, and your life will be satisfying. 3 Never let loyalty and kindness leave you! Tie them around your neck as a reminder. Write them deep within your heart. 4 Then you will find favor with both God and people, and you will earn a good reputation.

Bible Translation: New Living Translation (NLT)

My Take

In our scripture today we are given some pointers on how we might be blessed by God. Let me share these things in a very simple format so that we might easily get the point and begin to align our lives for blessings from our awesome God:

  • ACTION: Never forget the things taught to you by your parents; your Bible School teachers; your Pastors; the Bible. In fact, store those things deep in your heart so that your words, and your actions will reflect what you have stored, and not what the world teaches or expects from you.
    • REWARD: You will live many years, and your life will be satisfying. So many people live in misery, because they have no hope, or because they have caved in to every whim of this world. Let me encourage you to be obedient to the above ‘Action’, and live in expectation of your rewards from God. 
  • ACTION: Be loyal and kind. Some translations also use the characteristic ‘love’. These are so important, that God instructed us through the writer to tie these around our neck and write them deep into our heart. I find that the easiest way for me to do this with a Bible verse, is to type it out and place it on my computer screen, the refrigerator door, or somewhere that will catch my attention throughout my day. To embed these things into our heart is best done through memorization or reading the words repeatedly throughout your day. 
    • REWARD: You will find favor with God and those that you hang around. Your character will then earn you a good reputation by those who know you. I don’t believe there is anything that a Christian would desire more, than to know that our lives are pleasing to God. Re-read the above ‘Action’ and practice it every day friends!

Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank You for giving us Your Word so that we might catch a glimpse of Your heart for us. It is evident that you want so bad for us to succeed in our Christian walk that You have given us everything we need to know about what pleases You. Lord, we long to live in total obedience to You. Please touch our hearts and help us to be strong and determined to shun Satan and to live our lives in total obedience to You. May these commands today impact us so that we might willingly live totally obedient lives to Your will and way. Forgive us Lord for our inadequacies and unwillingness of the past. AMEN!

Footnote

If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. 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!