Category: Praise

Ready or Not Here He Comes

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

Friday, 2019-09-06

Bible Reference: Luke 21:34-36
Translation: The Passion Translation (TPT)

Bible Text: 34 “Be careful that you never allow your hearts to grow cold. Remain passionate[m] and free from anxiety and the worries of this life. Then you will not be caught off guard by what happens. Don’t let me come and find you drunk or careless in living like everyone else. 35 For that day will come as a shocking surprise to all, like a downpour[n] that drenches everyone, catching many unaware and un-prepared. 36 Keep a constant watch over your soul, and pray for the courage and grace to prevail over these things that are destined to occur and that you will stand before the presence of the Son of Man with a clear conscience.”

OBSERVATION: I am amazed that God gives us multiple early warnings before bringing eternal consequences on us. In our Scripture today we are warned about the times that will lead up to His return to take His bride (the church – the redeemed of Christ – those who have accepted Jesus as Lord of their life) home to glory with Him. No time frame was given, so you may never get to read this devotional today, because no matter how fast the internet is, He may choose to return before you ever have access to this. So please take this devotional seriously, as there may be decisions that you may need to make today.

APPLICATION: As a child we may have been warned not to touch certain things. Of course we had to test mom and dad so that we could see what would happen if we touched the item anyway! Often there were consequences if we ignored mom and dad and followed through on our quest! We were introduced to ‘choices’! As we grew into adulthood, this matter of obedience and control became even more prevalent. Speeding; stealing; lying; cheating; etc. But in every case we had a ‘choice’ to make about whether we would obey the rules, or not. Then most of us learned of Jesus Christ and what He did for us on Calvary. Similar to other life scenarios, we had a ‘choice’ to make. Do we place our trust in Jesus and ready ourselves for His return, or shall we take our chances that He’s not serious? Friends, these are decisions that every adult will make. Unless you accept Jesus as Lord of your life, you are destined for the pit of hell with Satan. Note: you have never actually been through ‘hell’ here on earth like you may have thought a few times, for Satan has a pit prepared for you that is worst than anything you ever imagined. However, if you decide to take Jesus at His word, and accept Him as your Lord and personal Savior, you are offered the assurance of living eternally in heaven with He and the Father. The destination experience is totally different. In the first case, you can look forward to more heat, hatred, evil and pain than you have ever experienced here on earth. In the second option, you will find a loving Savior awaiting your entrance with outstretched arms and a welcoming smile. He will look very familiar, because the Word of God says that He created us in His own image. I believe that the love that He will portray will be greater than anything we could ever imagined from His Word. Can you imagine how He will proudly introduce us to the Father? “Father, these are the ones who accepted the gift that we gave on Calvary, and they’re here to spend the rest of eternity with us”. So friends, let’s not forget the warning in our verses today – Jesus will return to take His body of believers/followers home to glory with Him. Know that this will happen on His timetable, and not yours. Know that you are destined for hell, and will not qualify to join the group that will accompany Jesus, unless you have first accepted Him as Lord and Savior while here on this earth. Jesus could very easily return today my friend. Are you ready to go with Him? It’s your call. There are details in my Footnote that could help you in making a change in your eternal destination. My humble plea is that you will be wise today.

PRAYER: Lord God, thank You for the promise of life eternally in heaven with You! What joy fills my heart today to even think of seeing Your wonderful face, bowing at your feet and worshiping You endlessly. Oh I want to see You, Look upon Your Face, There to sing forever, of Your saving grace! Thank You for the warning in our Scripture today Lord Jesus, but should You come today, I am ready to go! Praise Your wonderful name! Please use these words as encouragement for those who may stumble across this devotional and not know You as Lord. Soften their hearts and call them to Yourself, I pray. AMEN!

When God’s Power Takes Over

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

Wednesday, 2019-09-04

Bible Reference: Judges 6:34
Translation: Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC)

Bible Text: 34 But the Spirit of the Lord clothed Gideon with Himself and took possession of him, and he blew a trumpet, and [the clan of] Abiezer was gathered to him.

OBSERVATION: God sent an angel to meet with Gideon and give him instruction. Like us, Gideon needed proof that the messenger was sent from God. Later as the angel gave further instruction, Gideon asked for further identification or proof from the angel. However, in our focal verse we can see that when the angel was really ready to have Gideon move into action, we are told that God took special action. I believe that God has to take extra action with us many times, so let us meditate on this for a few moments today.

APPLICATION: I found it fascinating to see at the beginning of this encounter with Gideon, the call on his life for a great work by God. Isn’t it interesting to see that he was a man filled with doubts just like us, and that he needed reassurance, just like us? I was also fascinated at the contrasting difference in the Gideon that the angel first spoke to, and the Gideon that was totally enveloped by the awesome power of the Holy Spirit. The angel first ordered Gideon to simply pull down the idol of Baal and erect in its place an altar for God. I know, that wasn’t a totally simple thing, because Gideon was really setting himself up to be killed for such an act. However, in the next action we could see that the Abiezers went from a group that was about to mob Gideon, and probably kill him, to a group ready to follow him and listen to his commands. How did this happen? Notice in our focal verse that the Spirit of the living God enveloped Gideon! He clothed Gideon with a robe of righteousness and power that prepared him for the enormous work of the Almighty God. The Spirit took charge, or possession of Gideon! Imagine that Brothers and Sisters, can anything penetrate that shield that was erected around Gideon at that point? I can see clearly that it was no longer Gideon who was making the moves and blowing the trumpet, but God Almighty! Can you see that this is not only the awesome God that we serve, but this is the God that we could place our faith and trust in to see us through our challenges, and our ministry opportunities. Friends, there is no God like our God, and there is nothing that we should be overwhelmed with, when we allow the Holy Spirit to envelope us and protect us from the evil darts and attacks of Satan. So please allow me to encourage us to always seek God and welcome Him to protect us, lead us, and fight for us. For it is only then that we can win the daily attacks of Satan and his many cohorts here on planet earth. The One in whom we place our faith and trust today, is the One that we will spend eternity with. There is no intermediary. You will either spend eternity with God, because you trusted in His Son while you tarried here on earth, or you will spend eternity in Hell with the evil one, because you rejected Christ. I trust that you will read through my Footnote and the associated links, to help you decide today where your final destination will be. It’s your choice my friend.

PRAYER: Dear Lord, You were gracious to Your servant Gideon, and used Him in miraculous ways. Our world seems like it is way more evil than the days of Gideon, so I humbly ask that You would fill my readers and I, that know You as Lord, in a very special ministry to the lost and unconcerned people that we come into contact with on an almost daily basis. I believe that people today need the Lord more than any generation before us, and I believe that You have placed us where we’re at for a time such as this. Please envelope us with Your Holy Spirit and empower us to ‘blow the trumpet of God’ as we lift up Your name and be Your witnesses in our battle against the evil one. Oh that You may be honored and praised in all that we do and say today, is my humble pray oh God. AMEN!

To Praise God In All Circumstances of Life

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

Tuesday, 2019-09-03

Bible Reference: Psalm 56:9-11
Translation: The Passion Translation (TPT)

Bible Text: …This one thing I know: God is on my side!
10 I trust in the Lord. And I praise him!
I trust in the Word of God. And I praise him!
11 What harm could man do to me?
With God on my side I will not be afraid of what comes.
My heart overflows with praise to God and for his promises.
I will always trust in him.

OBSERVATION: David, the Psalmist, was able to praise His Lord in spite of the circumstances that he was under at the time, for he had been seized by the Philistines. I wonder, what I might do under similar circumstances? Looking at video footage from the Bahamas and all that they endured from hurricane Dorian over the past two days, I wonder if I could stand in waist deep water and praise the Lord? Let us stop and meditate on what might be stopping us from praising the Lord in every circumstance of life.

APPLICATION: So often we face challenges that we would rather not have touched our lives, for we may have been impacted in life altering ways. I have family and friends who were just hit by a very powerful hurricane and endured hours and hours of suffering. Can I even imagine them raising their hands in praise and thanksgiving to our Lord? I have friends who have lost a child, a spouse, a mom, etc, but can I even imagine them standing in praise to the Master? Perhaps you know of friends who have suffered loss of jobs, or perhaps going through a divorce, or some other life-changing event. What would you do or say if they asked you to join them in praise to our King? Wouldn’t that amaze you? I believe that God wants to remind us today that regardless of our circumstances, He’s still God! I believe that He wants us to know that whether we are celebrating a mountain top experience, or whether we are going through the deepest ‘waters’ of our lives, He’s still God. We tend to fret and moan over the loss of material gain, but dear friends, let us always be reminded that the One who gives life; the One who guides us through every circumstance of life; the One who comforts us like no other, Our God – Our One and Only God – He’s still our very best friend; He’s still our Deliverer; He still loves us in spite of our failures or circumstances. Let us always remember that He has gone to prepare a place for us, where we will dwell eternally with Him in glory! That’s our God my friend! We have nothing to fear or fret about with knowing whose we are, and where we will be after this wicked and challenging life here on earth is over! Yes, He’s still God – our God!

PRAYER: Oh Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder, consider all thy hands have made! It’s all Yours Lord. Thank You for allowing us to occupy a small part of this old earth. Thank You for surrounding us with family and friends who love us. Please dear Lord, take hold of our hearts today and remind us that we are enjoying temporary quarters here on earth, so until we unite with You, many things will come our way that tend to dissapoint and perhaps even sadden us, but we have a hope! We have a promise! We have a Savior that awaits our departure from this earth, so that we could live eternally with Him. Oh Lord, I stand in awe of You and patiently await Your return! Please speak to those who might meditate on this blog and struggle with the things of this world. Only what’s done for Jesus will last! May we be found busy about Your work oh Lord, until You take us home to be with You! AMEN!

How To Transform Worry Into Praise

On By Ed AlgreenIn Praise, Prayer, Surrender, Worry, Worry no more2 Comments

Thursday, 2019-08-29

Bible Reference: Philippians 4:6-7
Translation: The Message (MSG)

Bible Text: 6-7 Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.

OBSERVATION: I believe that God knew full well how His children would worry, when we take our eyes off Him, so He was sure to include these verses today just for us! Let us ponder today over the many times that Jesus touched a life to help restore faith in Him, and to show His awesome love for mankind. Let’s learn to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, then we will have less to worry about. What a glorious thought to meditate on today!

APPLICATION: I believe there is one thing that we do extremely well, and that is ‘worry’. For we worry about what was said to us, or perhaps what wasn’t said to us. We worry about the look someone gave us, and even worse, if they don’t look at us at all! We worry about what we should say, but we worry even more if we say too much. When our minds are so busy worrying about every little thing in life, we tend to start building our own case about why the world hates us and wants nothing to do with us. I hope that as you meditate on this scripture with me today you will catch a glimpse, or be reminded, of the awesome God that we serve. You see, I am convinced that our God loves us enough that He will patiently wait for us to unload all of our concerns (worries) on Him in prayer. But what I am even more convinced of, is that God loves us enough that He sacrificed His one and only Son, so that He could provide the answer for our forgiveness of sin and our means of entering the gates of heaven to spend eternity with Him. Friends, there are so many things that we are so blessed with, that we should learn to fix our minds on those things, rather than the worries of all that this world will burden us down with. So how do we move from where we are, to where we should be? We are taught in these verses that it’s a matter of prayer and praise. Let’s make it our aim to take our concerns to the Lord in prayer, and let’s look for ways to praise Him for all that we see Him doing in our lives. In doing these things, we are told that we will find relief for those times that we would otherwise just worry, worry, worry. God loves us way too much to see us succumb to the sickness caused by worry.

PRAYER: Dear God, thank You for Your endless blessings on us. Thank You for the provisions You made for us and the future that is ours, who have placed our faith and trust in You. It’s a daily thing for us to overlook the temptations Satan will send our way to pull us down emotionally, and make us worry about things that we have no control over. Thank You for the direction You have given to us today in Your Word. Oh that we may be found faithful and true to You dear Lord. Oh that we may learn to worship You and praise You for who You are, even when our personal circumstances seem bleak. We’re Yours dear Lord. Please continue to teach us the right path to truth, hope, love and encouragement, so that we may savor in Your presence all of our days. I ask these things in and through the name of Jesus, my Savior, AMEN!

Decide Today Whom You Will Serve

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Redemption, Salvation, Saved, WorshipLeave a comment

Wednesday, 2019-08-28

Bible Reference: Joshua 24:14-15
Translation: Good News Translation (GNT)

Bible Text: 14 “Now then,” Joshua continued, “honor the Lord and serve him sincerely and faithfully. Get rid of the gods which your ancestors used to worship in Mesopotamia and in Egypt, and serve only the Lord. 15 If you are not willing to serve him, decide today whom you will serve, the gods your ancestors worshiped in Mesopotamia or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are now living. As for my family and me, we will serve the Lord.”

OBSERVATION: In Joshua’s last discourse with the Israelite leaders, he brought them together and reminded them of where they came from (including their forefathers) and how they got to their current location in the position they were now in as land owners. He reminded them that it was only the love and power of God that brought them through the overwhelming challenges along their way. However, they still had a choice about whom they will worship/serve. We have the same choice to make, so let us meditate on the challenge given by Joshua and see how God might use it to help direct us today.

APPLICATION: About a year ago, on the anniversary of our church beginnings, we were reminded of how God moved mightily in so many ways as His people prayed, gave and worked together to build a sanctuary for worship to our King. Our hearths were stirred to consider how awesome it would be to see God do it again, now that we have run out of space at our current location. In our Scripture, Joshua reminded the Israelite leaders of all that God had brought them, and their ancestors through, in order to arrive at the current land of milk and honey. He showed them clearly that it was only because of God. Having heard about, and in many cases witnessed the miraculous hand of God, Joshua challenged them to now stop ‘riding the fence’ and make a decision today on whom they will choose to recognize as God of their lives and sincerely worship, for as long as they live. Does this remind you of a recent sermon you may have heard at your church? Or have you not heard of a good reason yet to attend church? Joshua made a few suggestions to the leaders on who they might choose as alternate gods, you know, the same types of options we still have available to us today, at least for a short while longer. Friend, perhaps you grew up in a home where your parents attended church, because it was their go-to place for worshipping corporately, the God that they served everyday, and that they promoted in your home. In your early teen years the cool kids from the neighborhood pulled you in to their group and you found satisfaction in the companionship, the fun and games and the things they were teaching you. Looking for them each day after school soon reminded you of your parents and their go-to place, for your friends became your go-to place. Until suddenly one day your precious mom became deathly sick, and your friends were way too busy to help you care for your mom, or give you any type of assurance about her recovery. Your ‘god’ seemed to be failing you. What on earth was happening to you? Friends, based on what Joshua told his leaders, I believe that we have a similar decision to make in our lives TODAY. Are we prepared to make a firm commitment to the god that we will follow/serve? If we choose the god of the ‘hood’ like our friend, we will find ourselves wanting, because they are incapable of fulfilling our needs like the God who created us and knows us intimately. But please don’t overlook the warning that Joshua gave, don’t say ‘yes’ to my God unless you are ready and serious about serving Him, because He could either bless you, or He could destroy you like the Amorites, for your pretense. Please allow me to guide you in this, by boldly repeating what Joshua said: regardless of what you decide, my family and I will serve the Lord and worship Him until He returns to take us home. Dear friends, my desire is that you would decide to do the same. If you don’t know my Lord intimately, please read my Footnote and be sure to follow the hyperlinks.

PRAYER: Precious Lord, You have been so good to us, yet we take Your blessings and Your gifts for granted. Please forgive us as we bow before you humbly today. Lord, we know that there is no one else like You, and that You deserve our faithfulness and total dedication. As encouraged by Your servant Joshua, may we become a people committed to serving and worshipping only You for ever and for ever. AMEN!

Lord, Have Mercy on Me!

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

Monday, 2019-08-26

Bible Reference: Luke 18:35-41
Translation: The Passion Translation (TPT)

Bible Text: 35 As Jesus and his followers arrived at Jericho, there was a blind beggar sitting on the roadside. 36 When he heard the crowd approaching, he asked, “What’s all this commotion about?”
37 “It’s Jesus!” they said. “Jesus the Nazarene is passing by.”
38 The blind beggar shouted, “Jesus, Son of David, have pity and show me mercy!”
39 Those who were in the front of the crowd scolded him and warned him to be quiet. But the blind beggar screamed out even louder, “Jesus, Son of David, show me mercy!”
40 Suddenly Jesus stopped. He told those nearby, “Bring the man over to me.” When they brought him before Jesus, he asked the man, 41 “What is it you want me to do for you?”
“Lord,” he said, “please, I want to see again.”

OBSERVATION: I’m sure that in most churches this past weekend, believers gathered together to praise God for His infinite mercies and grace, but I wonder, how many of you had anyone shouting out to Jesus for healing? Perhaps your weekend services are very organized, and follows a very detailed order of service, and nothing was programmed for such activity. Or was it in your midweek service where the blind come for healing? Do the blind even do this anymore, or have they been talked out of it? It seems appropriate that we should meditate on where the blind, the lame or the sick go to find Jesus these days. Join me as we meditate on this dear friend!

APPLICATION: Because many businesses open to the public on weekends, and because television, radio and podcasts of services are giving churches limited air space, church services are generally programmed to last for a very limited time. But I want us to try and place this story into the context of where we might expect the blind or lame or deaf to have an encounter with Jesus in our current times. As I reflect on this story, I could only imagine a scene where our Worship Pastor might arrive on a Sunday morning to prepare for our worship services, and immediately upon swinging the doors to the sanctuary open, what his reaction might be if he heard 2 or 3 blind persons sitting in the front row seats begging for mercy, or looking to him begging for food. This might seem so unusual to him, that he may quickly retrieve his cell phone and call for law enforcement. Alternately, during the morning service imagine if we had a few people sitting in wheelchairs down one of our isles, and suddenly during our pastoral prayer, they might begin to shout out to God for mercy and healing. What do you imagine the pastor would do? What advice might the elders give him as they stand in shock? Friends, I believe that God got my attention this morning as I meditated on this Scripture, and caused me to look intently at what our churches have turned into. Can you see where it has become a place for those who are well? I know, we should go to church so that we might praise God for all that He has done in our lives, but when last do you remember doing that? If the worship songs hit you the right way, you might praise God, or if the preacher is excitable and super interesting, you might be encouraged to raise your hand in thanksgiving to God. Notice in our story that the blind man paid no attention to the demands of the people to be quiet, he wanted healing and he shouted to get the attention of Jesus, specifically for the purpose of his healing. Are you willing to ignore the expectation of the crowd and communicate your needs boisterously to the Creator of this earth, and of your very own being? I believe that Jesus is waiting for us to work through the structure we have built for our worship to Him, and actually see us humbly bow at His feet to ask for exactly what we need. This might also include a time where you might boldly bow before Him in thanksgiving for miracles wrought in your life, or the lives of your relatives. Oh that God may give us the boldness and strength to approach His throne even today as we recognize Him passing by.

PRAYER: Precious Lord, thank You for stopping the march you were on that day to speak to the needs of a blind man in need of a touch from You. Please help us to never be a stumbling block to anyone seeking an audience with You. The blind still exist today, and others with similar maladies. Please help Your church to always be prepared to help those in need of a Savior. Whether it’s helping them get to the front of the crowd – by helping them get to church, or whether it’s helping them stand before Your throne of grace where they may seek Your face and beg for a hand up. You spoke it in Your Word that You came for the sick and needy and not for the well. Oh that we may seek out the needy and help them meet You wherever You are. AMEN!

Looking For Ultimate Satisfaction in Life?

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

Sunday, 2019-08-25

Bible Reference: Luke 18:18;20-22
Translation: Living Bible (TLB)

Bible Text: 18 Once a Jewish religious leader asked him this question: “Good sir, what shall I do to get to heaven?”
20 “But as to your question, you know what the Ten Commandments say—don’t commit adultery, don’t murder, don’t steal, don’t lie, honor your parents, and so on.” 21 The man replied, “I’ve obeyed every one of these laws since I was a small child.”
22 “There is still one thing you lack,” Jesus said. “Sell all you have and give the money to the poor—it will become treasure for you in heaven—and come, follow me.”

OBSERVATION: Consider the things the young man in our story had going for him. He was young; he was a Jewish leader; he was rich and he was a ‘good’ young man, as he told Jesus that he had obeyed godly commands every since he could remember. Yet something was missing in his life, and it wasn’t pretty women, more money or a better position in government. I wonder what things we tend to think is lacking in our lives? What else may bring greater satisfaction to us? What else might be lacking according to God’s standards? Let’s look for direction in this as we meditate on God’s Word today.

APPLICATION: We are often willing to sacrifice time with our family, and the time we spend in God’s work around His local church, so that we could work ungodly hours around work hoping to please our boss and possibly achieve a greater position at work, since that might lead to making more money. But at the end of our work-day, do we ever reflect on the satisfaction that extra commitment at work has brought to our family? Or do we use those awake hours at home to catch up on email and other tasks that we couldn’t get to during the day? At the end of the year, do we celebrate the extra money we made and saved from a year of hard work and dedication, or do we spend time celebrating our family, our church, and the growth in our relationship with our Creator and our Sustainer of life? Looking forward into the new year, do we reflect on how we might grow at work, grow our bank account, and excel in our job during the coming year, or do we look to God on how we might help our family grow closer to Him, and how we might sure up our relationship with Him as we prepare for our future home in Heaven with Him. I believe that the rich young ruler probably came to a crossroad in his life where he may have pondered scenarios similar to the above, because I could see some of the same traits in us today. As you meditate on this devotional, and hopefully click on the scripture link above, you will see in verse 17 of this same chapter, that Jesus taught that we are to assume an attitude and spirit like a child: humble; willing to accept what Jesus teaches us to do; and then follow in obedience to do what pleases the Father. He also taught us in verse 22 that there is nothing in this life that will bring us lasting happiness, or that adds to our assurance of a future in Heaven with our Lord and Savior. So should we not learn from this story of the rich young ruler, that the effort we place into our earthly plans and into pleasing mankind, only serves to lift up our boss, or our friends, or those that we tend to lift up on a pedestal, and does very little to please our Heavenly Father? Friends, I pray that we will be busy about our Father’s work, for I am convinced that He will return soon to take His bride home (His blood-bought church). What might be your response today, if asked why He should let you into His kingdom?

PRAYER: Precious Lord, thank You for loving me enough to sacrifice Your very Son on a cross so that I might enjoy eternity with You. I believe that many who will read this devotional today could join with me in sharing our appreciation of Your awesome love for us. You created us to show our love for others through our commitment to them and through the gifts that we give to them. Oh may that become our priority today and everyday towards the One who loves us more than life itself, and has prepared a home for us, where we will live for evermore with You and the Father! Please tender the hearts of Your children who have yet to accept You as Lord and Savior. May today be a time of celebration by the angels and many friends here on earth as they surrender their all to You! AMEN!

Persistent In Prayer

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

Friday, 2019-08-23

Bible Reference: Luke 18:6-8
Translation: The Passion Translation (TPT)

Bible Text: 6 The Lord continued, “Did you hear what the ungodly judge said—that he would answer her persistent request? 7 Don’t you know that God, the true judge, will grant justice to all of his chosen ones who cry out to him night and day? He will pour out his Spirit upon them. He will not delay to answer you and give you what you ask for. 8 God will give swift justice to those who don’t give up. So be ever praying, ever expecting, just like the widow was with the judge. Yet when the Son of Man comes back, will he find this kind of persistent faithfulness in his people?”

OBSERVATION: Jesus used an earthly example to explain a question that many of us might have. Do we keep on praying for God’s help? The answer is included in today’s study. However, Jesus also challenges us to think about a very deep question regarding our persistent relationship with Him. Meditate with me as we reflect on the words of Jesus and seek to apply them to our own lives.

APPLICATION: Some believe that we should ask God only once about an issue we may be having. Others believe that we must keep on praying until we hear from God. I believe that God knew that we would have these types of questions, so He included the answer in His Book of Instructions for life (the Bible). An earthly king who had no regard for God or His people, gave in to the persistent request of a needy widow. Jesus reminds us that our God is much more tolerable than that mean king, so we should be assured that He will surely answer our persistent prayers. But Jesus dropped a very honest challenge on us, by reminding us to be faithful and persistent in prayer and in our relationship with Him. Friends, I believe that this is where the persistence of His children comes in, for it is way too easy for us to drift away after we receive what we want. Notice how filled our churches are after an impactful disaster? Churches were filled after 911, and in Florida, churches impacted by hurricanes are filled following the disaster, even if there is no electricity. A family impacted by the sudden loss of a loved one will attend church faithfully, at least for a while. But in every case, these dependencies on God decreases as the pain lessens. In other words, it seems like we have a decreased need for God. Unfortunately the vast majority of people will soon feel like life has returned to normal and they could resume handling their day-to-day needs and concerns without having to ‘bother’ God. But let’s stop and think for a moment about how we feel when someone has stuck around and been extraordinarily friendly with us, as long as we had the money to treat them to dinner, or buy them things, or take them places. Then suddenly one day we awake to find that our money is becoming limited. Unfortunately, it’s not long before we notice that those ‘friends’ have wandered off, and they seldom call of visit anymore. Now I know that God is much bigger than the pettiness of mankind, but according to the ending of verse 8, He is very aware that we tend to do the same thing with Him. Shouldn’t we stop to remind ourselves that the reason we are not running to God pleading for healing, is because He has blessed us with a time of well being and good health? Shouldn’t we stop to thank God that our money hasn’t run out, so we are able to purchase food and necessities? I could go on dear one, but I believe that like me, you probably get the point that God is our Father all of the time, so let us never forget Him. Our method of communicating with Him is through prayer and thanksgiving. Prayer includes seeking His direction & His wisdom; Thanking Him, as well as making our petitions know. So is there ever a time that we will not want to communicate with our Heavenly Father? God never forgets us! I pray that we will never forget Him!

PRAYER: Dear Lord Jesus, thank You for loving us unconditionally! Thank You for creating us uniquely so that we may serve You, honor You, worship You and depend on You for every aspect of life. We can’t imagine, nor would we want to experience life without You. In much the same way that we expect You to always be there for us, please help us to always communicate with You and seek communion with You every day and frequently throughout the day. Thank You for being an amazing, life-giving, healing and all-loving God to each of Your children. May we in turn bless You with all of our heart, soul and mind at all times! AMEN!

Our Priorities – In Light of Eternity

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Praise, Priorities, Priority, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

Sunday, 2019-08-18

Bible Reference: Luke 16:27-31
Translation: Living Bible (TLB)

Bible Text: 27 “Then the rich man said, ‘O Father Abraham, then please send him to my father’s home— 28 for I have five brothers—to warn them about this place of torment lest they come here when they die.’
29 “But Abraham said, ‘The Scriptures have warned them again and again. Your brothers can read them any time they want to.’
30 “The rich man replied, ‘No, Father Abraham, they won’t bother to read them. But if someone is sent to them from the dead, then they will turn from their sins.’
31 “But Abraham said, ‘If they won’t listen to Moses and the prophets, they won’t listen even though someone rises from the dead.’”

OBSERVATION: To totally miss the boat (of Salvation) while here on earth, is a sad commentary about the priorities of a person while alive. Could it be that the friends they hung around distracted them from things that their heart is really burdened about? I’m sure that reaching a state of eternal damnation would suddenly bring more regrets than anything we could even imagine, but in our Scripture today, Jesus teaches how we might quickly reflect on our missed opportunities. If only I would have…. then perhaps I could have helped….. I hope that as we meditate on this Scripture today, our eyes will be opened to the opportunities presented to us each and every day, and on the things of life that we often control our priorities!

APPLICATION: At the end of any given day, we may reflect on missed opportunities, and we may often attribute those to lack of time. I am a firm believer that we should really call these what they are – lack of priority. Notice how, in our Scripture, the rich man saw the urgency of getting word to his siblings after he had passed on and experienced the results of his own damnation? Let us think about our own siblings – how often have we sat down and talked with our siblings about their salvation? Isn’t it easy for us to look on these scenarios as embarrassing moments, or times that we just couldn’t muster up the courage to say something to them? How might we deal with our inner feelings if we heard that one of our siblings died a very cruel, unexpected death, without us ever having the opportunity to speak seriously with them about the condition of their soul? The other important thing for us to learn from these verses is that the rich man was not exempt from reconciliation with the King of the Universe. He also was held accountable about the choices that he made while here on earth. Friends, please be reminded that regardless of our financial position, or our regularity of attending church, or how kind we are to those in need, yet there is one thing, and only one thing that God will look at on Judgment Day – the heart of the individual. What if the question was asked of you today: Is your heart right with God? Have you invited Jesus Christ to assume lordship of your life? What if you never made it pass the next hour here on earth and God asked you why should He let you into His kingdom? May I suggest that you set your priorities straight my friend, be ready for your encounter with God, for it may easily be today.

PRAYER: Dearest Lord Jesus, there is no greater priority than our meeting with You, for this life is worthless without the assurance of our future in heaven with You. Thank You that we could have the assurance of our salvation, so that we could know without a doubt, to whom we belong. May we, without hesitation or lack of words, confidently claim the One who died for us at Calvary and saved us from our sin as we boldly step before the throne of God one day! AMEN!

The Sacrifice God Wants

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

Friday, 2019-08-16

Bible Reference: Psalm 51:16-17
Translation: New Century Version (NCV)

Bible Text: 16 You are not pleased by sacrifices, or I would give them. You don’t want burnt offerings.
17 The sacrifice God wants is a broken spirit.
    God, you will not reject a heart that is broken and sorry for sin.

OBSERVATION: Throughout the Old Testament we see where there were sacrifices for almost any sin committed, and there were even some for praises to God. As we meditate on these verses today I hope that we will concentrate on those things that are a part of our relationship with God that may be considered ‘sacrifices’.

APPLICATION: I believe that a good explanation for the act of sacrificing might be when we offer up something as payment for an action performed by us that may not meet the requirements of the person, or God, who sets the rules. Another meaning might be that we are willing to give up something we love very much, so that someone else could benefit from that thing we are willing to give up. So let me mention a few things that I believe we ‘sacrifice’ in place of something near and dear to us: 1). Some may go to church to please someone bugging them to attend church. So they sacrifice time and go through the motions in order to make that person happy, or at least get them off their back! 2). Some may give to the church, or even to the work of God. So they may sacrifice monetarily with hopes that God might credit them for giving to His causes; 3). Some may ‘send’ missionaries to foreign countries. So they sacrifice monetarily, and give time in prayer for them so that the Great Commission (go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel) might be fulfilled. These are just examples of sacrifices that mankind makes, and in most cases these are fellow Christians. I also believe that in all the examples given, these sacrifices might be noble, and even recognized by God, if done in the spirit of sacrifice and holiness. But in the Psalm we are meditating on, David shares what he found to be noble and trustworthy in a life that is truly after pleasing God. In verse 17 David shared that we must have a broken spirit in order to arrive at the very depth of our heart. I believe this means that we must be at a state where we are willing to let go and let God have His will and way in our lives. But I believe a warning may come with that. For God may remind us of His many blessings and we may get up and attend church without being asked to, or regardless of the way someone looked at us last year when we attended! It may help us to openly declare that since God has blessed us with a good job and a fair income, we will be obedient to His Word and give at least 10% of our gross income, in thanksgiving for His goodness and out of an act of true obedience! We may decide to actually join a missions trip, instead of sending others! Our spirit might become one that is pliable by God. Friends, I believe it is only then that we will be open to hearing God’s voice and obedient to His commands – pleasing to Him. Are you willing to make this kind of sacrifice for the God who sacrificed His very own Son for us? Isn’t this the least that we could do?

PRAYER: Spirit of God, please descend upon us, Your children, and have Your perfect will and way in our lives today. Please direct our hearts and our minds towards Jesus, and may we be willing to sacrifice self, and become fully obedient to Your perfect will for our lives. Lord, our hearts are broken and desirous of everything You might require of us. Please use us in ways that will bring honor and glory to You oh Lord, our Rock and our Redeemer! AMEN!