Category: Power of God

Don’t Underestimate The Power Of God

On By Ed AlgreenIn A Lamp unto My Path, Adoration, All-powerful, Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Awesome God, Beyond Description, Blessing, Celebrate God, God's Power, Needs, Power, Power of God, Praise, Praise-worthy, Recognize God, Victory, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED: Friday, 2023-03-24
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: 2 Chronicles 25:7-9
TRANSLATION: Good News Translation (GNT)

BIBLE TEXT:  7 … a prophet went to the king and said to him, “Don’t take these Israelite soldiers with you. The Lord is not with these people from the Northern Kingdom. 8 You may think that they will make you stronger in battle, but it is God who has the power to give victory or defeat, and he will let your enemies defeat you.”
9 Amaziah asked the prophet, “But what about all that silver I have already paid for them?”
The prophet replied, “The Lord can give you back more than that!”

OBSERVATION: In verse 2 of 2 Chronicles 25, we are told that Amaziah was a king who did what was pleasing to God, but he did it reluctantly. No, you read my words correctly, I said this was Amaziah, not you! Although we do seem to act that way in our display of obedience to God, don’t we? But let’s tune into what happens when we follow the will of God – especially in the major decisions of life.

APPLICATION: Think about a time when you lit a fire in the woods, perhaps to roast marshmallows. Let’s assume the fire got away from you. What might be your first instinct on how to stop the spread of that fire? Now assume that you live in a close community and your house caught on fire. What might be your first reaction to control the fire from spreading to your neighbor’s house? Now assume the same thing happened at church. What might you do? I seriously doubt if anyone responded that they would call a group prayer meeting to seek God’s direction. But isn’t that what we practice when troubles arise, or when a serious response is needed for a complex issue? Snap decisions! Don’t you gather that this is exactly what King Amaziah did when he decided that he would go to war against Edom? Isn’t that what we tend to do instinctively when we know that trouble is brewing, and our attention is needed? So, let’s look into the consequences of Amaziah’s snap decisions. a). He felt like he needed more military men, if he was going to bring down Edom, so he chose to pay a large sum of silver for leasing additional men. b). He had to decide if to trust the word from an unnamed prophet and that he actually received a word from God. If Azaiah didn’t have faith enough in God to ask for His opinion about Edom, why would he listen to a prophet that the Scriptures did not even name? c). I wonder if Amaziah knew anything about God not being with the northern kingdom at the time. The Scripture does not clarify, but would the king have been so bold as to work out a deal with them for fighting on his side, if he knew that God was against them? d). Although Amaziah hired the extra men in hopes of winning the battle from sheer numbers, I wonder if he was shocked when the prophet told him that regardless of the numbers, if God was not on his side, he would probably lose the battle? Friends, I’m not sure about you, but I don’t believe I ever gave a thought to the fact that God could either help us win our battles or lose them. I’ve always been a firm believer in telling folk who seem disappointed that God had not heard their cry, that I feel pretty sure God heard them, He just didn’t give the ‘puppet’ response we insisted on Him giving to us. But if we ask a question, it should be that we are looking for a good response. With God, that could be yes, or it could be no. Are you willing to accept the ‘No’ responses as easily as you do with the ‘Yes’ responses that you really want? Can you thank God, and praise Him for the responses that you would rather not hear, because they are the right ones and come with God’s support as you seek His guidance? We serve an awesome, all-powerful God my friend. His responses are always right, and they are right on time. The reason we ask God questions is because we want to make sure that we have the right answer. Be willing to listen and obey. Never question His power. The only reason He might want numbers on the ground is to help the unbelieving public. If He said He will do something, start spending your time preparing instead of questioning His decision!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: God has the power to give victory or defeat!

PRAYER: Through the weakness and stubbornness of Amaziah, we gain wisdom on how to best approach Your throne, and also the importance of accepting Your direction and Your promise to be with us always. We are such a hard-headed bunch dear Lord, please draw us close to You and continue to teach us the importance of always looking to You rather than making our own careless and uneducated decisions. You are all-knowing and all-powerful dear God, please help us to not mess up by going off on our own with silly ideas like Amaziah did. May we be so attuned to Your Word, and in such close relationship with You, that the Holy Spirit will easily drive us towards Your truth and Your will. Please open the eyes of the unsaved and draw them to Yourself. May they see You in Your greatness and desire a close and intimate relationship with You. Please help us to not be a stumbling block in the path of Your ministry to others. 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!

God Gives The Power to Rule

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Power, Power of God, Praise, Recognize God, Ruler, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Wednesday, 2022-04-13
WRITTEN AT: Astatula, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Romans 13:1-4
TRANSLATION: New Century Version (NCV)

BIBLE TEXT: 1 All of you must yield to the government rulers. No one rules unless God has given him the power to rule, and no one rules now without that power from God. 2 So those who are against the government are really against what God has commanded. And they will bring punishment on themselves. 3 Those who do right do not have to fear the rulers; only those who do wrong fear them. Do you want to be unafraid of the rulers? Then do what is right, and they will praise you. 4 The ruler is God’s servant to help you. But if you do wrong, then be afraid. He has the power to punish; he is God’s servant to punish those who do wrong.

APPLICATION: In our everyday circle of life, we can hardly place much faith in someone’s opinion about our government leaders, or leaders of another country, because they have their opinions and I’m sure they will stick to them. I have no intention of turning my blog into a political forum, but today I want us to see what God’s Word has to say, and I will try to lead you into how we might understand and obey God’s commands, leadership and will for us, even through our government leaders. I believe you might find this little story amusing, but this particular Scripture came up for study one Sunday when I was teaching Sunday School, and it just happened that it was the day after our presidential elections here in the US. A new president was elected who was not favored by most of the class members! At the very least I can tell you that we had a very interesting Sunday School lesson that day!! It seems like we really struggle with overcoming our own preferences, like and dislikes, even if presented with Scripture such as this! So today, I feel like we should stop and think carefully about who it is that we seek to serve while here on earth. We know that our gracious God loves us; He cares for us; He protects us; He hears our cry for help; He heals our diseases and He is there for us when we seek His all-knowing guidance. But what about when He opens our eyes to the truth of His Word? Doesn’t it seem like we need a convincing touch, or an explanation, to help us do something with the truth that we learn about God, and from Him? In the case of our government leaders, we can easily see the corruption, although we receive information about that through our newscasters and other politicians, who are probably involved in more corruption than the accused! But yet it is challenging for us to take God at His word that He is directing ‘the ship’ that the accused leader is captain of! Why is that? It seems like we get more satisfaction from our own opinions, even though they are tainted by the world and its leader. We can say with our mouth that ‘God is good’; ’His mercies are new every morning’; ‘He restoreth my soul’; ‘His love endures all earthly trials and temptations’; ‘He has a place prepared for me’; BUT I know I am right about that government leader, and I cannot be convinced that God is involved in anything that he does, says or enacts? Under his leadership our country is headed for doom and gloom! In other words, God falls short when it comes to His promises about guiding and using earthly government leaders? So who needs the most help from God for mistrust; lack of faith; disobedience; and belief in God, especially when He does things and directs our leaders in paths that don’t meet with our agenda or personal feelings? Dear friends, after many years of meeting with God on a daily basis, I can assuredly tell you that our ways and thoughts are not God’s ways and thoughts. In no way does God need to convince us about His truth, but I am convinced that we need Him every day to soften our hearts, and increase our faith and obedience to believe in Him; trust Him; and obediently follow His commands and His guidance, so that we might become the people of God in a world who badly need visible proof that He exists and is still alive in and through His people. Government leaders are temporarily in power, and they battle many forces that impact their decisions. Instead of becoming totally engrossed in them and their attributes, let’s learn to trust God and believe in HIM, because His Word IS true, and His intent is for all to accept His Son as Savior and Lord, so that one day soon we will all rejoice around his throne in heaven for all eternity. I believe our tasks is to pray for our leaders as God does His thing in guiding them, for our good! God can do that without our help, so let’s stick to our personal assignments!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: God is on His throne and very much in control of everything we encounter in this life. May we learn to accept that each and every day, so that we don’t place our faith in mankind, especially our politicians.

PRAYER: Dearest Lord Jesus, thank You for Your amazing grace and for salvation that became possible through the blood You shed on Calvary. Please help Your children to believe fully in You, and not just those parts of Your Word that sound possible, or aligned with our likes and wants. In Your Word today You have convinced us that You have a purpose even in our government leaders, and way too often we tend to think that could never happen with such an unlikely bunch. Some may look on us in the same way, how could a holy and righteous God accept such sinners as us? Why would He love any of us, after the sin and disobedience that filled our lives before Christ. You loved us anyways, and today we are reminded that You have used, and will use, even our politicians – ones that we think are so corrupt, disobedient, greedy and undeserving of love by a righteous God. Praise God these leaders are answerable to You, and not to those of us who consider ourselves ‘better than the rest’. I am convinced that You will return soon to take away Your beloved children. While we still remain here for the time being, please melt our hearts and convince our minds to humble ourselves before You and to love others unconditionally, just like You demonstrated for us. 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!

The Power of Our Awesome God

On By Ed AlgreenIn All-powerful, Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Power of God, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Saturday, 2022-02-26
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Psalm 33:6-9
TRANSLATION: New Living Translation (NLT)

BIBLE TEXT: 6 The Lord merely spoke, and the heavens were created.
He breathed the word, and all the stars were born.
7 He assigned the sea its boundaries and locked the oceans in vast reservoirs.
8 Let the whole world fear the Lord, and let everyone stand in awe of him.
9 For when he spoke, the world began! It appeared at his command.

APPLICATION: Don’t we hear it all the time? Haven’t we been there at one time or another in our life? Where we sour in the thought of our problems and we see no hope for anything, or anyone who could help us overcome the pain that we are facing? We are resigned to accepting death as our only victor. But isn’t that how David must have felt? He moved into the shelter and isolation of the mountains, and he could hardly sleep because his ears were so attuned to every little sound – which caused him to automatically assume that one more enemy member was closing in on him. Would life ever return to normal? Will there ever be a safe place for him to live again among family and friends? For us it might be that awful disease that we never want to hear the doctors pronounce on us – cancer. But then, many have died from Covid and from other ‘less talked about’ ailments. Dear friends, I am convinced that the same God who spoke this world, and each of us, into existence, is the same God that got David’s attention and caused him to stop and think outside of his own issues, and find the One who is greater than all of his problems. I also believe that this same God is still very much alive, well, and ready to work with His other sons and daughters today, whom He loves just as much as He cared for David! Be reminded my friend that this is not just another doctor, whose qualifications are limited to a specific area of our body. Be reminded that this is not just another priest or pastor, whose powers are limited to earnest prayer before their Creator on our behalf. Be reminded that this is the King of all kings; the Lord of all lords; the One who healed the sick, restored sight, hearing and mobility to those who traveled many miles by foot, but were convinced that if only they could touch the hem of His garment! It’s the same God who David acknowledged in our Scripture today. The same One who turned waterways into roads for a million of His chosen children to walk safely through as they faced the barrier of water in the Red Sea! Please tell me again, what is it that you think He is incapable of doing?!! We have reason for complete faith in this God of ours, just follow David’s example and stop to think on His many miracles. Of course He can!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: We have the answers to our problems right at our fingertips! Our God – the One who created everything from nothing at all, He’s available to us to still perform miracle after miracle for the one who places their faith and trust in Him! What a mighty God is this God – our God!

PRAYER: Precious Lord, You did it before, and I believe You can do it again! Unfortunately we look at our problems, particularly our many ailments, and we give up to the fear of our end quickly approaching. As Your precious children, may we be as bold as David and give You permission to help us outside of our box – the one filled with doubt, fear and limitations. May we look fully into the face of our awesome God who had the power to create everything around us, and may we be reminded that You still have that same power to manage, heal and overcome every limitation that Your created ones face today. Praise God, I serve a God who can do all things! May my faith be increased to believe and trust in You to allow that to include every issues I face each day as well! 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!

Why Panic – Seek God

On By Ed AlgreenIn All-powerful, Answered Prayer, Appreciation, God's Power, Needs, Power of God, Praise, Recognize God, Seek God First, Seek God's Face, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Wednesday, 2021-11-03
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: 1 Samuel 23:2-4; 10
TRANSLATION: The Message (MSG)

BIBLE TEXT: 2 David went in prayer to God: “Should I go after these Philistines and teach them a lesson?”
God said, “Go. Attack the Philistines and save Keilah.”
3 But David’s men said, “We live in fear of our lives right here in Judah. How can you think of going to Keilah in the thick of the Philistines?”
4 So David went back to God in prayer. God said, “Get going. Head for Keilah. I’m placing the Philistines in your hands.”
10  Then David prayed to God: “God of Israel, I’ve just heard that Saul plans to come to Keilah and destroy the city because of me. 

APPLICATION: I was so impressed with the actions of David in our Scripture today. Everyone was excited and concerned about the Philistines creating havoc in the neighboring city of Keilah, but it seems like only one was interested in truly seeing the right resolution to the problem – David. For David knew that no matter the size of the army, unless God ordered the attack, the battle would be in vain. But just as in our challenges today where God may give us peace about our battles, others around us may not have the same peace. David had the same challenge when he shared with his men the orders from God. They felt like their local issues were challenging enough, and they could not imagine stepping out to battle the Philistines. They were sufficiently disturbed about this that David went back before God to make sure he had received the right message. God reassured David, just as I believe He still does for us today, ‘just do as I say, and leave the battle, or the challenge, or the thing that is disturbing you most, or the thing you fear most, up to the only One who can do ALL things’. Friends, isn’t it rewarding to be reminded that all God wants from us is to be obedient to Him? God already knows that we are not capable of doing the impossible, but He is very confident that ALL things are possible for the one who places their faith and trust in Him. For He specializes in things thought impossible by mortal man. Friends, I know that many of you are dealing with situations in life that seem mountainous to you, they are problems you never even thought possible, so how could you possible be ready to deal with these things? I believe God is telling us today just what He assured David of in the battle against the Philistines – they may appear like giants to you and your army, but remember – I made them. I allowed them to occupy the territory where they’re at because I wanted you to be reminded of how BIG your God truly is. Perhaps when you see with your own eyes how I orchestrate victory for you, perhaps then you will know that I alone am God and besides me, there is no other. Perhaps next time you will run to Me first – before you panic about things that seem impossible. Oh that we will be reminded of the awesome power of the God we serve. Nothing is impossible to Him! But take note of David’s experience – he didn’t tell God how to handle the situation. He merely took his concerns to God, listened to His response, and obeyed His commands. We should be doing that every day. If we do, then we will become accustomed to running to God with our every concern. We will be comfortable to let go and let God handle the situation in His way and in His time, knowing that all things will work best for those who place their faith and trust in the Lord their God.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Let us place our faith and trust in God alone, knowing that He alone can do ALL things for His ultimate glory, for our peace of mind and to invigorate our praises to God alone!

PRAYER: Lord God, it seems like our struggle each and every day becomes more complex, more demanding, and creates so many more questions for us. In David’s case, he was met with the surprise of the Philistines in a neighboring city. He immediately recognized that their army was much bigger than he and his men could approach with any amount of success. But just as David found peace, success and confidence to overcome the Philistines, I believe You are encouraging us to take note and follow in David’s example. Our problems seem new to us and to all mankind, and we all are at a loss for answers. Praise God that You deal in things that appear impossible to us, and You are the only One who can handle ALL situations in this life, for You placed us here and You are anxiously awaiting our arrival in heaven to be with You and the Father for ever and for ever. Thank You for peace of mind and ease of panic while we are challenged each day. May we always place our hands in the hand of the only One who knows about our challenges and could do anything at all about them! To God be the glory today and always! 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!

SEE Jesus and Worship Him

On By Ed AlgreenIn Acknowledge God, Awesome God, Power of God, Powerful, Praise, Recognize God, See God, WorshipLeave a comment

Friday, 2021-09-27

Bible Reference: Matthew 28:16-17
Translation: New Living Translation (NIV)

Bible Text:  16 Then the eleven disciples left for Galilee, going to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him—but some of them doubted!

APPLICATION: In our scripture reference today we see one of many instances where folk saw Jesus, and they bowed down and worshiped Him. I acknowledge that this particular instance is so miraculous that it would give reason for anyone to ‘worship’ the Master. But let’s be careful to note that Jesus was crucified, died, buried, and three days later He arose from the dead, and now He stand in the very presence of His disciples! But friends, I want us to stop and meditate on the many times that we stand in the presence of the Lord Jesus, but do we always stop and acknowledge Him and/or offer up our sacrifices of praise to Him? Matthew Henry in his commentary on this verse says “All that see the Lord Jesus with an eye of faith, will worship him.” I could almost imagine by now you are dumbfounded as to what I might be getting at here, because although the Lord Jesus stood in the presence of the disciples, you probably can’t remember the last time that He did that to you, right? Dear friends, we are presented with reminders of our Lord Jesus every day and we make personal choices as to what we do with that. If you pick up the precious Word of God and read it, you will be flooded with evidence and overwhelmed by the presence of God as you read about Him – but do you stop to worship Him and acknowledge His greatness? If you walk out of your home and stop complaining about the humidity, or the cold, or the heat long enough you will SEE the beauty of all that God has provided for you to enjoy, you might consider raising your hands in praise to Him for His miraculous touch on everything from the heights of the skies to the beautiful green grass and flowers that you see, to the cattle that produces dairy products and/or beef for your plate, to the beautiful waterfalls that make us wonder where is the water coming from so high up on a mountain, to the beautiful ocean that is filled with man’s best foods, etc. If you enter God’s house of worship and hear the stories of how God has miraculously healed and/or touched His children, you will SEE where God has been busy meeting the needs of His people, and you will worship Him knowing that there is still hope for Him to also miraculously help you through your challenges that seem insurmountable to you at times. Friends, it is time for us to stop whining and start praising. It is time for us to stop attributing God’s miracles that occur all around us every day, to happen-chance, or good luck, or any other worldly credit, and truly SEE God for who He is. It is then that we will worship Him in deep sincerity like the disciples exampled for us in this Scripture today. Jesus is still alive and He is looking for opportunities to bless you, so that you may SEE Him, if only you will let Him into your world. Won’t you do that today friend?

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, thank You for Your presence each and every day. Please forgive us for the times that we find every other reason in the world why something special occurred in our life, before we finally realize that it truly was the God of this universe that stepped in and blessed us. You have provided lots of evidence of your miraculous hand at work in our lives and all around us. Please open our spiritual eyes so that we may SEE Your goodness, Your miracles and Your love that You want so badly for us to accept and envelope. Lord, may we truly learn to worship You in every way, because of all that You place before us as evidence of Your presence. Please also open the eyes of the non-believer today so that they will realize that there is no other explanation for the miracles around them other than the awesome power and greatness of the Almighty God. Lord I pray that our worship and our praise will come naturally, as we recognize the originator of our blessings. Thank You for being so good to us! I ask these things in the gracious and blessed name of Jesus, 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. 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!

Don’t Limit The Power of God

On By Ed AlgreenIn All-powerful, Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Power, Power of God, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: May 2, 2019
WRITTEN AT: Sebring, FL

Bible Reference: Numbers 11:21-23
Translation: Easy-to-Read Version (ERV)

Bible Text: 21 Moses said, “There are 600,000 soldiers here, and you say, ‘I will give them enough meat to eat for a whole month!’ 22 If we were to kill all the sheep and cattle, that would still not be enough to feed this many people for a month. And if we caught all the fish in the sea, it would not be enough for them!”
23 But the Lord said to Moses, “Don’t limit my power! You will see that I can do what I say I can do.”

But to top this whole message off, Jesus gave His disciples a few conditions that would generate supreme trust in the Almighty God. I went with a group of missionaries from my church to Mexico for a week. Other than finances, the next greatest challenge was in packing minimally as space would be limited on flights and in the vans used for ground transportation. So can you imagine trying to ‘GO’ under the restrictions ordered by Jesus in (1) noted above in our Scripture? Homes were opened to accommodate the missionaries, as there were no provisions for commercial accommodations, if any existed. This has become a huge problem today, as most church members will refuse to have a missionary or visiting preacher in for a meal, much less opening their home to one. I trust that you can appreciate the difference. Most of us will do everything possible to be accepted by the townspeople in which we minister. But what do you do if you are not accepted? Jesus knew this would happen and probably disappoint His disciples, just as it would impact us, so He prepared us in advance in (3) above for such an unfortunate event. Bible scholars will tell you that Jesus didn’t just tell His disciples to go some foreign place and, when you get – tell and heal. But instead, He told them in their language that as they GO, tell and heal. It is so important that we represent God and tell the Good News everywhere we find ourselves, not just at one specific building, street corner, country or city. As you go each day, brothers and sisters, in every way possible, tell the story of Jesus and His love for everyone you meet, God being your helper and guide.

PRAYER: ^! 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!

Overwhelmed By The Power of Jesus

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, God's Power, Miracles, Needs, Power of God, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Saturday, 2021-02-20
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: Matthew 14:32-33
TRANSLATION: The Passion Translation (TPT)

BIBLE TEXT: 32 And the very moment they both stepped into the boat, the raging wind ceased. 33 Then all the disciples crouched down before him and worshiped Jesus.[j] They said in adoration, “You are truly the Son of God!”

OBSERVATION: Think about a time in your life where you witnessed the awesome power, love and/or grace of the Master. As you do, I believe you will better identify with the disciples who had just witnessed the miracles of: walking on the water; saving a distracted disciple and calming the rough and troubled waters around them. Perhaps you also will be refreshed in your spirit and led to the feet of the Master where you will simply and sincerely worship Him, because you are reminded of the true Son of God!

APPLICATION: What might your ‘rough waters’ look like today? You know, the ones that may be causing you to feel all alone – even by the Master? These might be: Perhaps sickness – for we have sure heard about more complex, no cure type sicknesses lately; Perhaps loss of loved ones – for this COVID virus has been responsible for many deaths, including some of our very closest relatives; Perhaps rough financial waters – for many have been unemployed over the past year while businesses closed to help ward off the spread of the deadly COVID virus. Whatever it is, we just hurt, and we feel so alone – in fact, we sometimes feel like Jesus must have passed right on by us. As we reflect on this Biblical story, I believe that Jesus must be amused at times with His children! I’m sure that when the storms arose on the lake that night, the disciples must have been crying out to God for help? Yet when Jesus approached, the disciples were afraid that it was a ghost! Were they not expecting God to respond to their cries for help? What about us, don’t we seem just as shocked and surprised when we see help coming our way? In fact, don’t we tend to immediately think that we have fallen into ‘good luck’? Oh for the faith of Peter once he received confirmation that it was Jesus approaching the boat, for Peter asked Jesus if he could also walk on water towards Him. Yes, he asked Jesus to perform a miracle by having him do the impossible in man’s eyes – walk on water. There are a lot of sermons preached around the idea of this miracle and all that took place, but I would rather have us apply this scenario to our own personal situations where we cry out to Jesus in our times of need. How often are we willing to ‘step out of the boat’ (a secure place) and trust God to do all that He is capable of doing? My mind goes to a kidney donor who knows that they could save the life of a loved one or friend if they donate their kidney to them, but how many are willing to risk their own lives in the bold effort to donate and extend life for a loved one? There are some neat examples of the power of our awesome God in this story that might give us confidence: The disciples had been rowing all night (it was about 4am when Jesus met up with them) yet Jesus got to them just in time to help save them. He may have walked the whole way from the edge of the lake, or He may have just appeared a short ways from the boat. Nonetheless, He miraculously caught up with them without a boat. These men had never before seen anyone walk on water, as they were always of the understanding that was impossible, yet Jesus did it, and He authorized Peter to do it. This was no ordinary man! As Jesus and Peter entered the boat, the rough waters subsided. God made the waters, and only He could manage their actions, so the men immediately knew that Jesus was indeed God. So what about us? Do we need a personal miracle like Peter and the disciples witnessed? Or can we, in faith, believe that the same Jesus who walked on water, had Peter walk on water, and calmed the waters of the lake, is the same Jesus who we call on for our respective needs today? Friends, our Father is very capable of still performing miracle after miracle even for us. There’s no problem or difficulty that God can’t handle, and we know that He loves us immeasurably, so we must have faith to believe that He will ‘walk on water’ or take whatever steps necessary to help us in our time of need, hurt and/or difficulty. Like the disciples who witnessed all that took place that night, imagine how we also will bend our knees before the Father and worship Him from the overflow of blessings, healing and love poured out on us. Friends, we serve an awesome, all-powerful God who is able to not only meet our needs, but to exceed our wildest expectations. Let us worship Him from the very depths of our heart for all His goodness today and every day.

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, I have no doubt that You are well aware of the ‘rough waters’ my friends and I are facing these days here on earth. Thank You for reminding us about the way You arrived on the scene of trouble for Peter and his fellow disciples at just the right time. Many times we feel like we are in a state of urgency and need You here with us at your earliest convenience. What a comfort to know that our Father is all-powerful and very capable of handling our ‘rough waters’ when we call on You. Please continue to guide us, protect us and reassure us of Your love, and that You will once again walk on water, if need be, to meet with us and handle our emergency. We love You Lord, and look forward to being in Your presence where we might worship You endlessly. While here on earth, please use us for Your glory, to encourage others who need You. 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!

Our God – Filled With Wisdom and Power

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Power, Power of God, Praise, Recognize God, Wisdom, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Thursday, 2020-11-12
WRITTEN AT: Ormond Beach, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: Daniel 2:20-22
TRANSLATION: New Century Version (NCV)

BIBLE TEXT: 20 Daniel said: “Praise God forever and ever, because he has wisdom and power. 21 He changes the times and seasons of the year. He takes away the power of kings and gives their power to new kings. He gives wisdom to those who are wise and knowledge to those who understand. 22 He makes known secrets that are deep and hidden; he knows what is hidden in darkness, and light is all around him.

OBSERVATION: God can do even what mankind finds to be impossible. Daniel needed to know what the king dreamed and what it meant. There was no earthly person that Daniel could have arranged to visit for such wisdom. On being given the answer to his dilemma, Daniel acknowledged that God placed the king there in the first place, so of course He knew his very thoughts and his dreams. Wait a minute, God put the king there? Does He still do that even today? Let’s search the heart of God for His wisdom on this today.

APPLICATION: There are so many things that we can look at, and so many miracles that we see almost daily that reminds us of the power of our awesome God. Daniel had this kind of relationship with God, so He knew that he could call on Him for the ultimatum that the king had placed on he and his friends. But notice with me a few things about Daniel’s praise items:
1. God changes the times and seasons of the year – If any readers took this for granted and feel like anyone could change up the calendar, I would suggest that you try and change the proof of seasons also. In other words, have cold either in June and July or hot weather in December and January. Only God can do this, my friend;
2. He chooses the kings/presidents/prime ministers – We might ask why might God get involved in politics? But please be reminded that many times God will use earthly vessels to change the course of life for a nation. Look back on Scripture and be reminded how some kings were in total opposition to what God wanted to do, and God allowed many Christians to be killed and many places of worship to be destroyed, while all the while they promoted the things of Satan. It is often times like that when people of God will cry out to Him for mercy and will recognize His mighty works among them. We very easily take for granted the wondrous works of God, when everything is rosy and going our way. God may place leaders in place to lead us towards Him, or He may place them for our punishment, if needed. Yes, He is more than willing to guide us towards voting for His leader, but the Word of God is clear, that God will place His leader in charge of nations, and we (Christians) are to pray for our leaders so that they might be open to the leadership of their King – King Jesus!
3. God gives wisdom and knowledge to those who can handle it – Wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who understand;
4. He makes known those secrets that are deep and hidden – Often we will stop and ponder why certain things occur, or how some things come about. Daniel praised God for giving us peace about these uncertainties. Knowing that our God is in control of all things and that He may reveal answers to us, is something worth waiting for.
Friends, these are just a few examples of things that Daniel gave praise to God for. How many can you come up with? As children of the Most High God, we have many things we can praise Him for instead of whining and complaining about the things that we have no control over. Sing that old hymn ‘Praise God from whom all blessings flow’, and be reminded that blessings are not happen-chance, they come from God, so we are to praise Him for all our blessings, even those that we didn’t give our approval on!

PRAYER: Thank You Lord, for Your blessings on me. Blessings that I may not see right now, and blessings for the things that I would have done very differently in my ignorance. Lord You are good, and Your mercies endure forever. Thank You for placing our government leaders in place for Your purpose. May we learn to be thankful and patiently ask for Your guidance and direction, so that we may surrender our will in obedience to the laws enacted by our governments. Please bless our leaders and humble their hearts to seek Your face and obey Your commands. 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!

Recognizing God’s Awesome Power!

On By Ed AlgreenIn All-powerful, Love, Love of God, Power of God, PowerfulLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Monday, 2020-06-25
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

Bible Reference: Job 38:4-9
Translation: The Message (MSG)

Bible Text: Where were you when I created the earth? Tell me, since you know so much! Who decided on its size? Certainly you’ll know that! Who came up with the blueprints and measurements? How was its foundation poured, and who set the cornerstone, While the morning stars sang in chorus and all the angels shouted praise? And who took charge of the ocean when it gushed forth like a baby from the womb? That was me! I wrapped it in soft clouds, and tucked it in safely at night.

OBSERVATION: Anytime we feel like God has abandoned us, the book of Job would be a good book to reflect on. Further, if there was ever a time when you may have felt like you really had this ‘life’ thing figured out, I believe that this particular chapter, and conversation God had with Job, would be a great reminder of how you need to get a grip on yourself, open your heart and mind to what God has to say and make every effort to surrender control of your life back to God.

APPLICATION: I believe that Job felt like God and everyone around him had withdrawn their love and relationship from him, so for several chapters Job had really been criticizing God and blaming Him for wrongful punishment. His friends had made attempts to love on, and correct Job, but it seems like he was really having a hard time snapping out of it. God finally had enough and decided to give Job some perspective on who He really is. Friends, I believe that We have excellent reminders here of how God carefully, intricately and powerfully put this planet together, then He created us to enjoy its many blessings. If He loves us that much, won’t He all the more take care of our problems, concerns and difficulties while we live here, if we would only humble ourselves and ask Him to? Friends, I was reminded in a recent sermon from Isaiah 40:7-12 that although this earth is made up of two thirds water, yet God said that the oceans and its water is held in the cup of His hand. The earth’s dimensions are measured across the span of His fingertips! Whom, or what then shall we fear? When old Satan tries to distract us with untruths we need to remind ourselves and Satan that our God is so much bigger than our largest problem or concern. I believe also that His love is greater than anything we could ever imagine. So with all this in mind, why would we ever follow in Job’s footsteps and worry about our problems, or blame God for our circumstances. It is so important that we learn to worship God before we ever start to ask Him for anything or complain about anything. When we praise Him, we remind ourselves of His awesome love and power. Don’t you suppose that our problems become less of an issue or worry to us when we remind ourselves of the awesomeness of our beautiful, wonderful, matchless, all-powerful God? I certainly believe so!

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, please forgive me for often trying to take the reins of life from You. It is very obvious that You created me and all that is around me, so please forgive me when I whine and complain. I am but Your humble servant, You are the Potter, and I am but the clay that is moldable and usable by You. As I recognize You and allow you control of my life, I can actually be at peace, and my problems then would seem to disappear. Lord, I believe this is vital to our witness, for if the unsaved world see us worrying as much about the concerns of this life as they do, we are showing them that we are as lost and uncared for as they are. This is very wrong, so I ask forgiveness, and I ask for added strength every day to stay focused on You and Your wondrous love for me. For my friends that might meditate on this devotional today, please fill their hearts with Your peace, and the determination to overcome evil, and worldly problems with the love and dedication that only You can provide. Thank You Jesus for loving us this much! All this I therefore ask, in the matchless name of Jesus, my Lord, 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!

How Strong is Your Faith?

On By Ed AlgreenIn All-powerful, God's Power, Humility, Power of God, Power of Prayer, Prayer1 Comment

Monday, 2020-02-03

Bible Reference: Acts 12:15-16
Translation: The Message (MSG)

Bible Text: 15-16 But they wouldn’t believe her, dismissing her, dismissing her report. “You’re crazy,” they said. She stuck by her story, insisting. They still wouldn’t believe her and said, “It must be his angel.” All this time poor Peter was standing out in the street, knocking away.

OBSERVATION: There are times that church leadership will call a special prayer meeting, as they sense the need for dedicated prayer over a particular, urgent need. What if, during that prayer meeting these prayer warriors see proof of answered prayer? Will they be able to handle this awesome power of their holy, and all powerful God? As we meditate on our Scripture today we will learn that the disciples encountered a very similar example to that which I described. I wonder where our faith really is, when we pray to the Creator of all things? Of course He could…..

APPLICATION: Think about your prayer life. There are times that you call your pastor, or an elder, or a friend, to pray with you about a certain need, because you are so burdened for someone, or a certain need that you feel extra passionate about. However, many times, and I hope that is daily, you will pray over certain needs that God has laid on your heart, or you really desire a special touch from God over, and I pray that we could learn to pray in full release to the will of a perfect God. How often have you seen those prayers answered, resulting in a glorious praise and worship time with your Master for hearing your prayer and answering the cry of your heart? Allow me to share two experiences – the first one involves a time where Jesus told a desperate father to return home, for the son that he sought after Jesus for healing, he had been healed. When the father met a jubilant crowd coming towards him, he was told that the child awoke and raised up at the same time that Jesus told him to return home! Instant healing, my friend! The second story involves a precious old lady who was known for her fervent prayer. After telling me that she was going to pray for my shoulder, the next time that she met me she was astonished that the shoulder was still hurting some, because she had prayed for God to heal that shoulder for me! Oh the fervent, effectual pray of a righteous person availeth much, my friend! In our Scripture today, you will observe that the disciples were still skeptical, even though they had spent a lot of time praying over the protection of their Brother, and his release from prison. Dear friend, I believe that when we pray to God, we must pray that His will be done in every situation that we pray about. This should place us in the position where we know that His response might be exactly like we asked for, but at times, He might show us that He has a better way in the circumstances for which we are praying for. We might pray for the life of a family member suffering from a bad disease or health issue. Selfishly, we want that relative to return to perfect health so that we may resume our normal lifestyles. However, when God responds according to His design, He knows what is best for that individual. I believe that God will strengthen us to accept His perfect will, even if it may not align with our wishes. Knowing that a loved one is happy with the Lord, is much better than the very best day they could enjoy on this earth. So when we pray, fellow believers, do we pray believing in the all-powerful work of the Master, or do we present our wish list and hope for the best? I would ask that God might touch the hearts of each believer today, beginning with me, and that we might never be shocked when God answers our prayers – whether instantly, or in His perfect timing. Let’s remember we ask in faith for the will of God. We don’t like ‘Yes’ men here on earth, and we definitely don’t want to pray to a God who will answer our requests like we think they should be answered. May Your perfect will be done dear God in Your perfect timing, for all that we seek from You today!

PRAYER: Precious Lord, Your creation is in need of it’s Creator. We acknowledge that we are ignorant of things that will happen, or to what is best for us. Our wants often outweigh our needs, and so we often ask amiss. Please forgive us dear Lord, for we need a special touch from You. I believe that You have a special work assigned for us to do here on earth, and unless we get out of the way and allow Your will to be done, we might hinder that work. Please help us to always ask expecting the miraculous to happen, because we are asking of the only true, all-powerful God of the universe. Thank you for hearing our cry oh Lord. May we ready ourselves for rejoicing in Your handiwork, as we see You respond to the prayers and cries of Your people. May Your perfect will be done in my life and through my prayers, precious Lord. AMEN!