Category: Power of Prayer

Make Good Use of Your Time

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

DATE POSTED Tuesday, 2023-01-31
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Colossians 4:2-6
TRANSLATION: Good News Translation (GNT)

BIBLE TEXT: 2 Be persistent in prayer, and keep alert as you pray, giving thanks to God. 3 At the same time pray also for us, so that God will give us a good opportunity to preach his message about the secret of Christ. For that is why I am now in prison. 4 Pray, then, that I may speak, as I should, in such a way as to make it clear.
5 Be wise in the way you act toward those who are not believers, making good use of every opportunity you have. 6 Your speech should always be pleasant and interesting, and you should know how to give the right answer to everyone.

APPLICATION: Paul was a born again, bold, dedicated man of God. His life was transformed from that of a persecutor of Christians, to that of loving Christians so much that he would take time to speak truth into their lives, even from prison. It was for the very reason that Paul was in prison, that he rose up to share with believers, even while still being punished. My heart was touched by Paul’s declaration to Christians, for I could see that individuals and their churches could rise up and be a mighty force for the Kingdom, if only we would take Paul’s instructions to heart. Let’s look deeper into how effective we have become in following the commands of Paul:

  • Be Persistent in Prayer while Giving Thanks. And Stay Alert (vs 2-4) – There’s probably two words in this one command that challenges the church of God today. For it is challenging to find workers who are persistent in their commitment and in their lifestyles. Many, but not all, who claim to be ‘Christian’ will find their way out to church on Sunday mornings, if there’s nothing better going one, or if the weather is not good for beaching or other activities. To pursue the godly needs of our community, we cannot disappoint a Sunday School classes by not having a teacher show up because this was not their priority that day. The second challenging word in the command is ‘Prayer’. There was an elderly gentleman who threatened the pastor, at a church I attended, that he would not return to midweek services if all he was going to do was ‘Pray’ at our ‘Prayer’ meetings! Many times, I wonder if that is the mindset of many church members, because Prayer meetings are the worst attended service, and the one that forces attendees into a withdrawn corner of their world. They can’t pray in public, is the frequent excuse. Do you suppose that one who doesn’t pray in private might be one who is challenged to pray among other believers? But isn’t the value of prayer seen throughout the Bible? Remember what happened on the day of Pentecost? Always give thanks for what God has already done in response to your prayers, and always stay alert to what others are praying for, for those are their needs and their cry for fellow believers to pray with them for those concerns. Just as Paul asked his church to pray for him and his ministry, I am convinced that our own pastors flourish in their calling when the Holy Spirit responds to our prayers for our pastors and their respective ministries. I had a pastor who said that he tried very hard to use the KISS method in his preaching. Keep It Simple Silly! In the secular world we were encouraged to make our correspondence readable by a 6th grade level student. For if we wrote something very professional, spent postage for mailing the letter, only for the recipient to struggle in understanding what we wrote, then we have truly wasted our employer’s money, and failed to get our purpose across in writing the letter. Paul knew that time was short, so he asked that the people pray for him to keep his message clear and simple. I am convinced that our pastors still need that same prayer on their behalf today. Keep it simple Pastor! Dummy that message down so that even the illiterate could understand!
  • Be Wise how you Act towards the Unsaved (vs 5-6) – Some say that you must not visit the local theater, or pub, or…. anywhere else that non-Christians hang out. While I understand why proponents of that statement feel that way, I’m not so sure that principle has not taught believers to avoid non-Christians. I believe that Paul is proposing that we show the love of Jesus to everyone, especially the unsaved. Don’t shrug off questions by the unsaved, but instead try to encourage them through the love and inspiration of the Holy Spirit that dwells within us. Be ready to speak to what it is that inspires, blesses, heals, and fills you to overflowing each and every day, and how you are anxiously awaiting the day when Jesus will call you home to glory!

Friends, as we read our Bible each day, the Holy Spirit will open our eyes to what we need, and how we should use what we have. It worked for me today, and I pray that in my sharing, it will help you catch a glimpse of the glory of knowing Jesus as your Lord and Savior!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Imagine God using you to represent Him, or be an ambassador for Him, to all that you come into contact with today!

PRAYER: Who are we that a King should live and die for? Yet You loved us so much that the very purpose of Your life became evident when You hung on the cross at Calvary, and rose again, so that we might enjoy our final destiny – our heavenly home with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit! Thank You Jesus that You saw such value in a sinner such as I, that You saved me and handed me the keys to Heaven! My readers, listeners and I are forever grateful for the hope of eternal life. But while allowed to remain on earth a little longer, please use us for Your glory to encourage the unsaved and point them to the empty grave and their hope for eternity in heaven. Give us boldness to stay as strong as Paul was and give us a deep desire to adhere to Paul’s instructions to the church, plus Your commands and teachings. Oh, that they might see Jesus, is my humble plea for all that we will make contact with today! AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: There are two more pages on my blog that will provide you with additional information, one of them being ‘To Know Jesus’. If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please click on the above page, or speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. Please allow someone to pray with you and give you help and/or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Words underlined in my blog 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!

Pray ‘In The Spirit’

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Leadership of the Holy Spirit, Needs, Power of Prayer, Praise, Prayer, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Saturday, 2022-11-12
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Ephesians 6:18
TRANSLATION: New Century Version (NCV)

BIBLE TEXT: 18 Pray in the Spirit at all times with all kinds of prayers, asking for everything you need. To do this you must always be ready and never give up. Always pray for all God’s people.

APPLICATION: It seems pretty obvious that most of us tend to think, love, speak, and pray from a very selfish perspective. I attended a party one time, where the icebreaker was a challenge to avoid the first-person pronoun in your conversation for the first 15 minutes. Suddenly, the normal challenges of remembering names of people you meet; introducing yourself to strangers; and avoiding cliques of people you know; all became very easy compared to this new challenge! If presented with this challenge, be prepared to quickly acknowledge how dependent you are in sharing ‘all about you’ to others. Try it, write out a small paragraph about your last party, without using the first-person pronouns! I believe this alone will help us to quickly understand the importance of making every effort to ‘Pray in the Spirit’, because instead of the usual ‘gimme, gimme’ prayers, we will suddenly find ourselves praying about things that the Spirit provokes. We all know that no one else in the room of people you are with have greater pain and misery than you have! No one else hurts from disappointments and unfulfilled dreams like you do. But when we seek to ‘pray in the Spirit’, He will direct our minds to the person who has only one leg, so that we don’t whine and complain all evening about the knee-ache we’ve had since we woke up that morning. Friends, I am convinced that when we pray for others more than ourselves, God in His infinite mercy, causes us to lose sight of our minor aches and problems. When Paul demands that we ‘stay alert’, I believe he is suggesting that we ask God for eyes to really see the needs of others. Isn’t it amazing how we enter a room where many needs are represented, but we quickly bring our own needs to the forefront, even though they are insignificant, compared to others? While theologians have a lot to say about their knowledge on this topic, I believe that God is merely saying ‘follow in my ways and in what I found to be important. Enough about self’. Churches often hurt from their members who attend looking for a word of encouragement and strength for the week ahead, yet they leave without ever being talked to, loved on, or shown appreciation for. Perhaps ‘praying in the Spirit’, is just the beginning of a Spirit-filled believer who should also ‘live in the Spirit’, ‘encourage in the Spirit’ and ‘bless as the Spirit would’. Be reminded that at church, it’s not all up to the pastor to meet every need. God placed each of us among fellow believers so that we might imitate ‘iron sharpens iron’. We need each other, especially those who are living, acting and portraying one who ‘lives in the Spirit’. Try being the hands and feet of Jesus to someone else today, dear friends.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Just as we ‘pray in the Spirit’ and ‘live in the Spirit’ and allow the Spirit to live out His blessings through us, we too can expect to be blessed as other believers do the same!

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, it just seems natural for us to act out our selfish desires, wants, like and dislikes. But as Your faithful servants seeking to follow in Your footsteps, please help us to persistently seek to ‘pray in the Spirit’ and live out all the ways of our Master. Others may not read their Bible, but may they see Your children as thorough images of our Master and Lord, and may this cause an ongoing desire to seek the Lord while You may be found. thanks for drawing us to the cross of Calvary and showing us the road to eternal life. As we live in the Spirit, may others also see that wonderful image portrayed in and causing them to have a growing desire to know You as their personal Savior. 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!

Faith – Pray and Receive

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Ask and Receive, Empowered, Faith, Faith, Faith in Action, God's Power, Miracles, Needs, Power of Prayer, Praise, Prayer, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Wednesday, 2022-07-27
WRITTEN AT: O Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Mark 11:22-25
TRANSLATION: GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)

BIBLE TEXT: 22 Jesus said to them, “Have faith in God! 23 I can guarantee this truth: This is what will be done for someone who doesn’t doubt but believes what he says will happen: He can say to this mountain, ‘Be uprooted and thrown into the sea,’ and it will be done for him. 24 That’s why I tell you to have faith that you have already received whatever you pray for, and it will be yours. 25 Whenever you pray, forgive anything you have against anyone. Then your Father in heaven will forgive your failures.”

APPLICATION: In following a ‘get rich’ scheme, often you are required to follow in the footsteps of something already proven by a person who is enjoying a very rich lifestyle, that may have resulted from certain actions and methods used by them. The idea of becoming rich sounds impossible to the poor, hardworking individual, but many are willing to look at their lifestyle and follow a proven plan, that supposedly got a man rich. For the child of God, we depend on the Word of God as our guide and direction to point us towards a lifestyle that would mirror the life and character of our Master and Lord. However in pursuing this ‘perfect’ lifestyle, we also come across tips from Jesus that teaches us how we might gain some of the actual power and authority of our Master. Today is one of these examples. Jesus had just cursed a fig tree that He had created, but it was not performing like Jesus intended for such trees. In spite of the many miracles the disciples had already witnessed, they were still astonished that Jesus actually had powers over the Fig Tree. The problem with following the schemes of the rich and famous, is that their tips lead to only one thing – financial gain. In this life, we encounter new challenges every day and the challenges are as varied as the days are. In this story Jesus teaches us how we might become aligned with God’s will and receive our miracle, no matter how varied the circumstances that seem to surround the challenge. Jesus teaches that miracles will happen for those who:
*~* Don’t doubt – do you have friends who always see the glass as half empty, instead of almost full? They find the slightest problem that might be possible in a scenario, instead of celebrating the positive possibilities of an otherwise impossible situation;
*~* Believe that what you say, will happen – No ifs, ands or buts! If you say it, then believe it, and watch as it happens? When you have that kind of faith in the God who supports your every word and action, then you will see miracles, touched by God, happen!
*~* Forgive, and you will be forgiven by God – What on earth does this have to do with miracles? To be right with God, you must not be holding a grudge against anyone. Jesus said that He will forgive you, and make you right in His eyes, at the same level that you have forgiven others. Imagine Jesus standing holy before His Father because He has forgiven you for all your sin. In trying to mirror Jesus, He will expect the same level of forgiveness from you. Don’t expect God to approve your actions, such as miracles, if you are retaining sin in your heart. Forgive, and God will forgive you at that same level.
Friends, Jesus is teaching us just as He taught His disciples. Don’t doubt, but believe in the awesome power of the God of this universe. Believe in His power just as you believe He had the power to create you, me, and this whole wide world. And most importantly, forgive others just as Jesus forgave you when you petitioned Him for salvation. Miracles will happen when you approach God with these things properly aligned in your life. Trust Him dear friend, and expect your miracle today! He said it, and you can believe it!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Have faith that you have already received the thing you are asking for, and you will receive it. Present yourself holy before a righteous and holy God, and all these things will be granted to you, child of God!

PRAYER: Lord, we need You more today than anytime in our prior history. Unresolvable diseases are rampant; crime is off the chart; medical issues are challenging doctors every day; young and old alike are dying at alarming rates; the homeless population is increasing and mankind does not have the answers. Our faith is in You, as we believe that God alone has the answers to the dilemmas of this world. Lord, we believe in You, please help us in our areas of unbelief and/or doubt, so that we could benefit from all that You make available to us. I believe that You have given us the power, just as described in our Scripture today. Please open our eyes, so that we may work on our hearts and our relationship with You. We long to move the mountains in our lives so that no obstruction exists between us. Help us so that others may see You and Your awesome and miraculous power at work. 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!

A Prayer of David

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

DATE POSTED Saturday, 2022-02-12
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Psalm 25:4-8
TRANSLATION: Contemporary English Version (CEV)

BIBLE TEXT: 4 Show me your paths and teach me to follow;
5     guide me by your truth and instruct me.
You keep me safe, and I always trust you.
6 Please, Lord, remember, you have always been patient and kind.
7 Forget each wrong I did when I was young.
Show how truly kind you are and remember me.
8 You are honest and merciful, and you teach sinners how to follow your path.

APPLICATION: So often we find ourselves in places where we question ‘how on earth did I ever get to this point?’ There are times that we long to get closer to a situation so that we might share God’s love with the person, but it just seems like we are destined to stay at a distance. So I could see why David would ask God to direct His paths, and most of all, teach him to follow the path of Christ, no matter where it leads. David knew that God’s instruction will come from His Word, so he was reminded of the importance of meditating on the Word of God. Does this seem strange or impossible to you? Perhaps you are not a daily reader of God’s Word? Can’t find an extra 15 minutes in your already busy day to check in on what God has in store for you each day? An old Brother in Christ told me that I just wasn’t making it a priority! Try telling God at the end of your day that you didn’t have time for Him, no, instead say that He was not a priority to you! Do you still feel like He should make it a priority to guide you in the right path that day? As we continue with David’s prayer, notice that he probably didn’t talk too much about having the best luck, because he was saved from danger in his day. He thanked God for keeping Him safe. Recent news reports tell of innocent drivers being killed because of the carelessness of other drivers. We NEED God’s guidance and protection each and every day. Ask Him for it, and depend on Him to guide you aright in order to keep you safe. Further, it seems like when we stand before God in prayer, Satan does his best to keep our memories fresh, on the evil things we did in our youth. After asking God to forgive you of your sin, He separates that sin from you as far as the east is from the west. Why shouldn’t you do the same. Rebuke Satan and tell him his place in your life. Friends, I was reminded that when we bow before the God of this universe, it’s not a fixed or permanent fixture in a building, but I am chatting with my Creator. He knows all things, sees all things, and loves me more than I could ever imagine. He wants His very best for my life, and He wants the world to know that I belong to Him. If they want to know what He’s like, just look at me in true perfection. It’s a personal relationship! David taught us to commune with God as our very best friend and One who loves us beyond description. Listen to His instruction and follow in obedience so that we might be led along the path of righteousness for His name’s sake.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Created by God to live in the image of God so that the world will see God in and through us. God blessed David for placing his faith and trust in Him, and God will do the same for us when our priorities are in order.

PRAYER: Precious Lord, thank You for the reminder of how You respond to Your children when they honestly and reverently seek Your face and desire to live in the light of Your goodness and grace. We need You each and every day oh Lord, please patiently work with us to get our priorities straight and to seek You each day for Your direction. Thank You for loving even us! As David said, our past is most undesirable, but with You leading the way, our future could be filled with lessons for others on how to connect with our Father – the King of all kings; the Creator and Master of this universe! 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 Prayer of One Man

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Power of Prayer, Praise, Prayer, Recognize God, Worship1 Comment

DATE POSTED Friday, 2021-08-27
WRITTEN AT: Hattiesburg, MS

SCRIPTURE FROM: Joshua 10:13-14
TRANSLATION: Living Bible (TLB)

BIBLE TEXT:  13 ….So the sun stopped in the heavens and stayed there for almost twenty-four hours! 14 There had never been such a day before, and there has never been another since, when the Lord stopped the sun and moon—all because of the prayer of one man. But the Lord was fighting for Israel. 

APPLICATION: There are some folk that we talk to and it seems like they have the weight of the world on their shoulders. They can’t accept your invitation to the beach, because they have ‘this’ to do, and ‘that place’ to go, and ‘this person’ to see, or preparations to make for a planned meeting later that day. I was almost this bad one day, and I said to my fellow deacons that I just could not make enough time available to also read my Bible or visit the shut-ins. A quick suggestion from one of the deacons burned into my heart and changed my perspective forever: ‘you just haven’t made it a priority’. Although this means the same as my excuse, I would sooner tell God I didn’t have time, before I could possibly tell Him ‘It just was not a priority’. Have you also gotten yourselves so busy, that it has become a very minor priority to pray for the very important people in your life? Family and friends are dying every day, and some may even be going to Hell because we didn’t make it a priority to share the love of our Lord with them. I believe that Joshua was a man on his knees, because I could see that God was especially keen to hear his cries and respond to his needs. I would encourage you to click on today’s Scripture reference and read the whole chapter. You will see that true to God’s promise to Joshua, He was delivering on winning the battle against 5 kings and their armies. Joshua was so into the battle that he didn’t want the day to end, so he asked for additional daylight so he and the Israelites could continue in battle. God immediately heard his cry and stopped the sun and moon from moving. Yes, this gave Joshua more time in battle, but I was overjoyed to read how God was coming through on His promises, for more were being killed from God’s actions than Joshua and his army of Israelites. Friends, we can’t outdo God. When we ask Him to be in charge, we can count on Him like no other. Let me also remind you that Our God not only sees our needs and knows what really hurts our heart, but I believe that He is all to ready to jump in and help ease our pain and our heartfelt concern for our loved ones. Let me encourage you dear friend, to make it a priority to pray for every concern that you might have. Remember that from the prayers of one man, God stopped the sun and moon in motion. Imagine how much more He will do in response to your prayers!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Nothing is impossible with God! Joshua received a positive response to his request, that would seem impossible to any man. Doctors may give up on our family and friends in hospital, but with God, ALL things are possible!

PRAYER: Lord, please teach us to have such a relationship with You, that we can ask anything in Your name and it shall be done. God,You proved this through Your response to Joshua’s impassioned plea, and we are confident that You could do this again and again for those who place their faith and trust in the Almighty. Lord, we stand in desperate need, for our family and friends are dying from this Covid disease, and from unusual crime and war. Please give our medical teams wisdom from on high so they could stem the spread of this disease, and teach us Lord how to best protect ourselves to help in this dilemma. I know that nothing, absolutely nothing is impossible with You Lord, so I ask this in faith, on behalf of many who are hurting today. Please complete Your work among us and make us well. Draw the unsaved to Yourself so that they may know and believe in the God of this universe. May Your name be praised and lifted up today. AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: There are two more pages on my blog that will provide you with additional information, one of them being ‘To Know Jesus’. If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please click on the above page, or speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. Please allow someone to pray with you and give you help and/or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Words underlined in my blog 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 Temple – A Place Of Prayer

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

DATE WRITTEN: Monday, 2021-07-12
WRITTEN AT: Kingman, AZ

SCRIPTURE FROM: Matthew 21:12-13
TRANSLATION: Easy-to-Read Version (ERV)

BIBLE TEXT: 12 Jesus went into the Temple area. He threw out all those who were selling and buying things there. He turned over the tables that belonged to those who were exchanging different kinds of money. And he turned over the benches of those who were selling doves.13 Jesus said to them, “The Scriptures say, ‘My Temple will be called a house of prayer.’ But you are changing it into a ‘hiding place for thieves.’”

APPLICATION: While I sincerely believe that Jesus walked into a sanctuary, or at least the courtyard that led into the sanctuary, upon reading this my mind also went on something else referred to in the Bible as ‘The Temple of God – where the Holy Spirit resides’ – our bodies. In the case of what we call the sanctuary, or the church today, how many of us can say that prayer plays a crucial part in our ministries? In churches that I have attended, we could hardly keep the doors opened on a prayer meeting night, for only the very few faithful ones would show for that meeting. In fact, one elder member told the pastor of one church that he would stop attending on Wednesday nights if he turned it into a night of prayer alone, for he wanted to hear the pastor teach on that night. Friends, when at home we receive instant gratification from turning on the television. If we don’t get the kind of entertainment we want, we simply change the channel. Doesn’t that sound like the same scenario as the real-life example I just shared with you? Many just can’t be bothered to ‘make the sacrifice’ to attend one additional service each week. Oh dear friends, imagine us feeling like we are making ‘a sacrifice’ to join with other believers to praise God, and to thank Him for His goodness towards us? If we were not included in the blessing, one could possible understand the refusal to go and thank God, but no matter how much we want, and how badly we see the need for certain things, yet there is so much that Almighty God has blessed us with. I remember being admitted into my workplace one morning and asked how I was doing after my long drive to work. With a smile. I responded how thankful I was about the awesome day that God had given to us, and for the job He blessed me with! I was quickly shut down, because they were expecting complaints about having to come to work! Here’s a thought to consider: If you added the following words after your church name outside of your church ‘A House of Prayer’, would you be the mockery of the town, or would that attract many others to stop and worship with you? On another note, what if Jesus was referring to ‘the Temple’ as our bodies? Surely our own personal prayer life is well oiled and happens like clock-work, right? Although Jesus could easily see the challenges with the church, He knows how well we do in our personal prayer life, right? Friends, let me be the first to remind you today, that the church/temple prayer meetings suffer because of the lack of prayer in our personal lives/temple. Only a renewed personal/individual relationship with the Creator could solve both problems. Won’t you be the first to do that today? If for no other reason, show your appreciation for all that God has blessed you with. That alone is sufficient to praise Him in the morning, at noontime and evening!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: God’s ‘TEMPLE’ = House of Prayer (Isaiah 56:7).

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, thank You for giving of Your very life so that I may live eternally. Thank You for blessing me with good health each and every day so that I might enjoy everything You have provided for Your children here on earth. Please Lord, help my readers and listeners to never think much of bowing the knee in thanksgiving to our Provider of every good gift from above. Please be a motivator for us to leave everything behind and find ourselves in group prayer meetings so that iron might sharpen iron – we might encourage one another in all that You have done for us. Please help us to be a grateful people who are always ready to join hearts and hands in thanksgiving to our generous God! AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: There are two more pages on my blog that will provide you with additional information, one of them being ‘To Know Jesus’. If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please click on the above page, or speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. Please allow someone to pray with you and give you help and/or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Words underlined in my blog 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!

Hearts and Lips Filled With Praise

On By Ed AlgreenIn Power of Prayer, Praise, Praise-worthy, Prayer, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Thursday, 2020-10-01
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

Bible Reference: Psalm 63:2-4
Translation: The Voice (VOICE)

Bible Text:  2 I have seen You in Your sanctuary
    and have been awed by Your power and glory.
3 Your steadfast love is better than life itself,
    so my lips will give You all my praise.
4 I will bless You with every breath of my life;
    I will lift up my hands in praise to Your name.

OBSERVATION: David was in the wilderness at the time that he wrote this Psalm. In spite of his loneliness, David was still filled with praise and still looked to God in awe and with thanksgiving. I believe that we have a great lesson to learn from this experience…..

APPLICATION: Generally if the atmosphere is right, the musicians top notch and the praise team in complete harmony, most church attendees would consider that they have been led to worship God. David may have been alone, but he was reflecting on his times with God – in the temple/sanctuary and in his times of prayer and praise. Without the distraction of all this world throws at us, I believe that David had uninterrupted time to reflect on the God of the universe that he was enjoying. Friends, I believe that we have to constantly be reminded that God is everywhere, and our minds could never contain all that we can praise Him for. Don’t you see that God’s people who are filled with worship and praise throughout the week, they will explode into praise by the time their weekend services rolls around? I believe that we must also learn that we don’t need to wait before praising God for His miraculous work in our lives. His Word declares that we are assured only the very moment that we find ourselves in, and nothing more. Furthermore, if someone blesses us in some way, wouldn’t we very quickly thank them and praise them for their kindness? Why then should God be any different? I believe that a sobering thought for us to consider, is that if we need any of the people or things I first mentioned above, to lead us into worship to our Father, then we should ponder if we are we truly worshiping God out of personal appreciation, and recognizing God for who He is to us personally, or are we simply being obedient to the worship leader, or ‘turned on’ by the music? Let’s remember that we have a heavenly Father who loves us more than anything that we could even comprehend (Ephesians 3:19). Can you imagine this means that in spite of our weaknesses or sin or lack of praise, He still loves us any way? Knowing this, and knowing that He has prepared a place for us to spend eternity with Him in glory, why on earth would we be bashful about praising Him for the miracles we see in our own lives and all around us. Wouldn’t it be neat for us to arrive at church early and find someone there praising the Lord – long before the service begins, because their heart is so overfilled with gratefulness? Would it have an influence on friends and coworkers if they knew us for our praise and thankfulness that we express to God everyday? They might begin to think that there is something real about this God we sometime talk about! They might begin to believe that we have a true and intimate relationship with our Lord!

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, thank You for Your faithfulness, and thank You for the hope that we have in You. Please open our hearts and minds to be fully connected to You, so that we will be faithful in our worship and praise of our Savior and Lord! May others be impacted by this and desire to know You personally. May our hearts be so filled with praise and worship that we easily burst forth in praise even at the mention of Your name. 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!

The Results of Half-Hearted Commitment

On By Ed AlgreenIn Bible Believing, Christian, Commitment, Committed, Defeated foe, Pleasing to God, Power of PrayerLeave a comment

Saturday, 2019-09-07

Bible Reference: Joshua 13:13 ; 15:63
Translation: New Living Translation (NLT)

Bible Text:  Joshua 13:13 But the Israelites failed to drive out the people of Geshur and Maacah, so they continue to live among the Israelites to this day.
Joshua 15:63 But the tribe of Judah could not drive out the Jebusites, who lived in the city of Jerusalem, so the Jebusites live there among the people of Judah to this day.

OBSERVATION: There are consequences for lack of commitment, whether in our homes, our jobs, or in our decision to wholeheartedly follow Jesus Christ. Join me as we meditate on a few examples of this and how God totally used a man who was sold out in his commitment to Him.

APPLICATION:  Over the past chapters we read where Joshua and/or Moses were, with the help and direction of God, successful in overcoming a number of territories and their respective kings. I found it odd to read the two verses above where the Israelites were unsuccessful, or perhaps failed, in driving out the Jebusites and the people of Geshur and Maacah. Surely the God they served, and of course the same God that we serve today, is very capable of overcoming all obstacles. In my further study I found where these same people that failed to fully conquer, were the same ones that caused unending difficulties for the Israelites, as recorded in the book of Judges. This sounds like there may have been personal reasons that the Israelites just didn’t push hard enough to really oust these people. This reminds me of ourselves, for there are times that we refuse to seek God’s forgiveness of certain things that we like to hang on to, or His power to truly rid ourselves of certain sins that are either profitable for us, or meaningful to us. Often these little sins that we hold dear to our selfish little hearts are the very same things that come back to bite us and cause us extreme difficulties. I believe that like in the case of Joshua, God is still looking for folk that are totally sold out to Him. Folk that have totally surrendered everything to Him. Folk that have set aside the sinful things of this world, committed themselves, and surrendered themselves to the unadulterated Word of God and have sought to serve Him unconditionally. In fact, the Word of God goes on to substantiate this, for in Joshua 14:9 we are told that Caleb was given special favor with God because he ‘wholeheartedly‘ followed God’s commands. Because God gave up everything for me, yes His one and only Son, so that I might have life eternally and more abundantly, then the least I can do in return is to surrender ALL sin to Him – yes everything that does not align with God’s Word, His will, and His commands. I commit myself anew to serve my King unconditionally, and without compromise. I pray that my readers who are serious about the Lord will consider this same commitment today. For those who have not yet met my Lord personally, I pray that you will read my Footnote carefully, including the hyperlinked Scriptures, and invite Jesus into your heart today. He loves you and He wants to rule and reign in your life today! Friends, there is no room for halfheartedness – oh that we may all be totally sold out to Jesus! There is nothing that this world can offer that compares to Him!

PRAYER: There is only one way that I can be a totally true, unselfish, child of God and overcome daily temptations and sin, and that is to seek Your help O God and look to You in all humility for strength and guidance to live as You would have me live – so that You can truly have a usable vessel through which You can touch others. May others come to know You as Lord, and surrender their all to You. Many need the Lord, and I pray that You will be able to use all of us meditating on this devotional today as we fully place our trust in You. Please forgive me where I have been deliberately selfish and weak and given in to sin. This is unbecoming of a child of Yours and I need Your forgiveness and strength to overcome. May my readers and I live our lives in total surrender and commitment to our Lord, is my humble prayer O Lord! Amen!

Surrendering Our Whole Life in Prayer

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

Saturday, 2019-06-29

Bible Reference: Psalm 41:4
Translation: The Passion Translation (TPT)

Bible Text: So in my sickness I say to you,
“Lord, be my kind healer.
Heal my body and soul; heal me, God!
For I have confessed my sins to you.”

OBSERVATION: How often do we stop to consider in praying to God, that He knows all about our whole body, our soul and our everyday life? As we meditate today, let us think about how it must sound to God when we (albeit unintentionally) come before Him pleading for a specific need, but ignoring the other aspects of our relationship with Him. Are we trying to sweep those other things under the rug, hoping that God will overlook them and just meet the need that concerns us at that very moment?

APPLICATION: David, a man after God’s own heart, wanted to make sure that God healed him from the inside out, not just the illness that was at hand – the urgent need. Perhaps we are so used to speaking with our doctors and giving them just the information we feel they need to know, because we know they are often in a rush to listen quickly, diagnose, prescribe, and exit the room! Do you suppose that we go to God with that same mentality? I would be willing to suggest that we have gotten ourselves into trouble from self-diagnosing our own medical issues, and from sharing with our doctors only what we feel they need to know. But I don’t believe this differs a lot from what we do in communion with our Savior. He knows all about our ugly attitudes at work, about our missed opportunities to share Christ with a coworker, and the evil things that we pondered that day, yet we go before Him each evening, thanking Him for a good day, and asking for a safe, good night’s rest. Also, there are times that we may have had a very similar day of temptation and trials, yet we snap into a prayer to God and ask for relief from our painful back, but never think to ask Him for a purified mind in which we might allow the Holy Spirit to have the liberty of miraculously moving us towards a friend who needs the Lord. Friends, I pray that we might take note of the prayer from David and develop a similar practice of conversing/praying about the whole person – our entire life’s challenges, and not just our aches and pains. I believe God wants to use us for His awesome kingdom work, but I also believe that He wants us pure, holy, available and willing to represent Him under His terms and not for our own selfish gain. God will reveal His purpose to us, when He sees that we are serious in our relationship with Him.

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, thank You for accepting us as Your children and for using even us to be a witness for You. Please deal in our hearts so that we may be so much like You that others will feel the love of Christ, see the works of Your hand, and witness what it means to be forgiven by the Maker of heaven and earth, our almighty God. Oh that You may be glorified in all things because of our willingness to allow You to work in our whole life. Please speak to those who will read this devotional but have not allowed You full reign of their lives. May this be a day of reconciliation for them, I pray. AMEN!