The Rewards for Trust

On 2020-09-052020-09-04 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Salvation, Worship2 Comments

DATE WRITTEN: Saturday, 2020-09-05
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: Jeremiah 39:16-18
TRANSLATION: Living Bible (TLB)

BIBLE TEXT: ¹⁶….The Lord, the God of Israel, says: I will do to this city everything I threatened; I will destroy it before your eyes, ¹⁷but I will deliver you. You shall not be killed by those you fear so much. ¹⁸As a reward for trusting me, I will preserve your life and keep you safe.”

OBSERVATION: There are certain things that frighten us and cause us to ‘shake in our boots’! However we often have opportunity to do something about the problem and either prevent the thing that frightens us, or deal with the fear of it. But what motivates us to accept help or protection? Based on what God did for the Ethiopian, Ebed-melech, I believe that God assures His children today that we too can avoid the fright of receiving due punishment for our sins on Judgment Day, if we place our faith and trust in Him, like Ebed-melech did. What’s your excuse, or reason, for refusing this assurance? Are you not sufficiently afraid yet, or do you feel like you have control over the time you have left?

APPLICATION: If we are afraid of sharks, then we will choose to swim only in safe waters, and we will stay safely ashore or in the middle of a boat to prevent someone from pushing us overboard! The same is true with snakes – we will stay out of the woods, or look intently while walking through the woods, in order to prevent an encounter with a possible venomous snake! To avoid being injured, or possibly killed, we will stay clear of a fight or serious argument. But we’ve been told about the God who loves us beyond imagination, yet we live reckless lives, and not afraid of sin or its temptation. We know already that we could only avoid the pit of hell, by knowing Jesus personally and holding on to His nail-scared hand daily. Yet we choose to follow a path where sin is rampant, and temptation extends out to the weak and unguarded. Do you really not care about the effects of a burning hell dear friend? Notice that our friend, Ebed-melech did not wait until a moment of threat, but instead he was ready when God warned he and the Israelites about their impending destruction. That’s similar to how it will be on Judgment Day, for no one knows the day or the hour when Jesus will return to take His chosen ones home to glory. But Jesus is coming for those who are called by His name – those who have the blood of Jesus sprinkled on their heads, for they have accepted the crucified One, and they are now awaiting the risen Lord, as He breaks through the clouds to take His children home. His coming will not need our prior approval, for God is in charge of the return of His Son. Today we know how to ready ourselves for that glorious day and we know that one day soon, Jesus will return. Friends, God saved Ebed-melech because he had already secured his salvation. God has also promised to save us from eternal condemnation if we have made things right through accepting Jesus as our Lord and Savior. Do you feel secure in your salvation, dear one? Or are you destined for hell? It’s your choice, and I pray in all earnest that you will make your decision today, for there is no assurance about tomorrow.

PRAYER: Dear Jesus, please touch the lives of Your children today. I sincerely plead with my readers to seek the Lord while He may be found, and to surrender your lives to the Master while you still have life and breath to do so. Lord, You have promised us life eternal for those who have been washed in the blood of Jesus Christ. Thank You for my salvation Lord Jesus, now please touch the heart of each one who reads this devotional and help them to seek You while You may be found. In the name of Jesus, I ask all this. 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!

The Things That Distract Us

On 2020-09-042020-09-03 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Dedication, Distractions, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Friday, 2020-09-04
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: 1 Timothy 6:9-11
TRANSLATION: Contemporary English Version (CEV)

BIBLE TEXT: ⁹People who want to be rich fall into all sorts of temptations and traps. They are caught by foolish and harmful desires that drag them down and destroy them. ¹⁰The love of money causes all kinds of trouble. Some people want money so much that they have given up their faith and caused themselves a lot of pain.
¹¹Timothy, you belong to God, so keep away from all these evil things. Try your best to please God and to be like him. Be faithful, loving, dependable, and gentle.

OBSERVATION: As I meditated on this chapter, my mind went on to ponder what type things distract us today from our walk with the Lord. What tends to distract us from the work of the Lord? How does this leave the people who Give in to these distractions? Are they still good witnesses for the Lord, and dependable workers for the church? Many of these things that distract God’s people are ‘evil’, as Paul referred to them in verse 11. Meditate with me as we delve into the Scriptures!

APPLICATION: Thank God for messengers such as Paul, who saw the complexity of things that his new son in the ministry would be faced with, and then went on to coach him on staying righteous, even when the situation around him was tough. Seasoned pastors would be challenged when faced with these issues, but Paul had gone through a lot with the churches that he started and also in dealing with many of the individuals in those churches. Why do you suppose Paul forged ahead with giving this difficult advice to Timothy? Often times these problems will fester and create a monster problem real quick, unless the issue is dealt with timely. As with many of our churches today, there were at least a few of the folk who were rich, or at least distracted by the idea of getting rich. This becomes a huge issue for pastors today, for soon these folk feel like they sent their money, so they don’t need to be there every time the doors open. Often these same ones will withhold tithes and offering until the church leadership becomes attuned to their likes and dislikes. This creates jealousy, envy and strife among the membership of the church, because they soon see favoritism, and the workers work harder to fill the gap for those who can’t be bothered to attend. As Paul taught this to Timothy, I’m so happy that he also went a step further to tell him what he should do differently, and this is still very applicable to us today. You’re a man of God Timothy, so stay away from these evil things. In other words, yes the church could really benefit from the finances of the rich, but you should never allow their influence to cause you to depend on them instead of God. Know that the ministry is about winning souls for Christ and edifying the saved among you, so that together you may lift up holy hands in worship to the King of all kings. Remember that if He (God) be lifted up, He will draw all men unto Himself. Never allow anything to hinder your praise to the Almighty. Paul reminded us of godly characteristics that are super important as we strive to represent Christ. These are the important qualities we should concentrate on, as opposed to the things that really distract our dedication to, and love for, the Lord. Today I’m sure that our distractions are numerous, but the truth remains – be faithful, loving, dependable, and gentle. Most of all dear friends, love God more than anything else in this world, and seek to show Him your love with every fiber of your being.

PRAYER: Dear Lord Jesus, thank You for giving Your very life on Calvary so that we might have life eternal. Please help us to never hesitate giving of ourselves as we dedicate ourselves to You and as we seek to share our witness with a broken and lost world. Please give us boldness to withstand the distractions that come our way, so that we may represent You well. Please soften the hearts of those who feel like it’s enough to give financially to Your work, or to just have financial worth and filled with worldly advantages. There is nothing more important that serving You and showing our love for You. We need You every hour of every day Lord, to be by our side and fill us with more of Your love. AMEN!

Principles Of Interpersonal Relationships

On 2020-09-01 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Godly example, Godly lives, Honest Relationship, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Relationships, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Tuesday, 2020-09-01
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: 1 Timothy 5:1-3
TRANSLATION: New Living Translation (NLT)

BIBLE TEXT: ¹Never speak harshly to an older man,^[a] but appeal to him respectfully as you would to your own father. Talk to younger men as you would to your own brothers. ²Treat older women as you would your mother, and treat younger women with all purity as you would your own sisters. ³Take care of^[b] any widow who has no one else to care for her.

OBSERVATION: A common theme used when raising children is: ‘It takes a town’! This is no different in the church, for it takes all leaders and workers to help disciple and mature the saints, and minister to the unsaved. This becomes extra important when there is trouble brewing among the members. Paul wanted to prepare Timothy spiritually for the challenges he would face. As we meditate, let’s examine, and reassure ourselves of whose we are, and be sure that we are building relationships like God intended.

APPLICATION: At a point in my working career, I became keenly aware that instead of getting upset at my younger staff for not doing things right, that it was vitally important that I do my part in coaching them along in life. For example: it was against bank rules for a staff member’s account to be overdrawn. Instead of getting upset at a younger member of my staff, I found it necessary to help them balance their checkbook to prevent overwriting their account balance. In all areas of life, we need to look at relationships in this way, for way too often others will not respond the way we were expecting, or complete a project in the way we wanted it done. Instead of becoming agitated or upset, it then becomes necessary to train them in the way you want to see the project completed. Paul knew that as Timothy began his ministry, he would encounter different people in different cultures that would prove to be quite challenging for him. Doing this correctly and as God intended, is best when it’s done right the first time. So Paul warned Timothy, and admonishes us today, to earn the respect of others and represent God well, with all people types. Her are some tips that Paul gives: Older Men – Don’t speak harshly or angrily to them, but treat them as you would your dad. With respect, and in a calm and mild-mannered way. As if you were looking to earn their respect. Yes, you may have one up on them educationally, or you may be in a higher paid job, but they will treat you respectfully for all your advantages, if you show respect to them. Younger Men – Think about your younger brothers. How would you treat them? Hope you can do a lot better than the many horror stories I hear about today where siblings have not seen each other in years, and they rarely talk via telephone. Older Women – Think about your mother – how would you treat her. My wife was told that she should look at the way her prospective husband treated his mom, for he will probably treat her the same way. Younger Women – Think purity, like you would tend to think about your younger sisters. Be respectful of young ladies, for they may become your daughter-in-law! Widows – Imagine that you lost your dad. How would you want young men to treat your mom? Some take advantage of them, don’t they? Know that all due respect is owed to ladies having to suffer the loss of their husband. No doubt they are helpless in many areas in which their husbands filled the leadership role. They need lots of hand-holding by people they could trust, in order to get through the new challenges they are presented with. So what does this all serve to do for the man who follows Paul’s instructions? I believe that you will find better church leaders, better work leaders for their employers, men who law enforcement never have to chase or worry about, and men who respect their community and its people. If this is not taught in our homes, supported by our teachers and reinforced by our church leaders, then we may understand why we have such a high crime rate and lack of respect for authority and our elderly today. May God grant us mercy to see this turned around in our lifetime, because adults like you and I chose to stand firm on the Word of God and insist that our younger generation do the same.

PRAYER: Oh Lord God, You see the mess that we have on our hands today. Please forgive us for waiting so long to teach our younger folk about Your principles and Your direction in relationships. I pray that as relationships are bonded, that You will be in the midst of them and that Your Word will be opened and obeyed so that solid relationship will develop by trustworthy individuals. This could all begin by each person committing to do their part in their circle of influence. Please speak intently to each reader as this blog is read and meditated on. May we all rededicate ourselves to the work of the good Lord, so that our relationships will be cemented in Your truths, and therefore bonds will develop where respect will shine across our land. Oh that You may once again be glorified in each land represented in my readership, so that lost folk will see and believe that You still rule and reign among Your people and their relationships. AMEN!

In Training

On 2020-08-31 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Monday, 2020-08-31
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: 1 Timothy 4:7-10
TRANSLATION: New Living Translation (NLT)

BIBLE TEXT: ⁷Do not waste time arguing over godless ideas and old wives’ tales. Instead, train yourself to be godly. ⁸“Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come.” ⁹This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it. ¹⁰This is why we work hard and continue to struggle,^[d] for our hope is in the living God, who is the Savior of all people and particularly of all believers.

OBSERVATION: Paul was a mentor to Timothy, and he tried to help him become a good pastor to the churches he went to serve in – churches that were in trouble. We can relate to this, because churches tend to change their pastor an average of every 18 months. Regardless of what might be going on at your church, I believe that Paul’s advise to this young pastor is spot on. So let us examine Paul’s advice and see how we might apply this in our individual areas of ministry.

APPLICATION: I believe there is good reason why Paul drew a parallel to physical training, for we all try to condition ourselves to help with many areas of our health. I remember an older lady that was in top shape physically, and following her Unfortunate surgery, she quickly recovered and was back on her feet. She said from the very beginning the doctor knew that she would do well and recover quickly, because her body was well conditioned. But let us just stop and think what constitutes sufficient physical fitness for our bodies to thrive, and for healing to be effective after surgery or an injury. Most doctors will suggest a minimum of a brisk 20-minute walk at least 3 or 4 days per week. So if this will keep our physical bodies in shape, what might it take for us to keep our spiritual bodies in close communion with God, and therefore ready for the battles of Christian life (yes, we still have battles in our new life) and in the spiritual warfare that we will face from Satan and his legion? It is important for you to think about this friends, for Satan comes after laypeople as a way of getting to a pastor and/or destroying a church. Wouldn’t you think that too little spiritual fitness will leave us vulnerable, gullible, and therefore easy targets for the evil one? Paul issued a very real warning to Timothy when he told him to be persistent in avoiding idle chatter, or fables, or just stories. I want you to think about this and reflect on a Sunday School class or a Bible Study where someone derailed the teacher from his/her awesome lesson. After 10 minutes you, or the teacher, realized that your lesson is totally off track and that you will be lucky to get back to the lesson and see it achieve the desired effects that the teacher felt like God led him to teach. You might then leave that class more confused than when you entered, and totally unprepared for the challenges of the week ahead. What if our pastors got into this kind of environment during the week when they would normally study and prepare their sermon? What will happen during the sermon time that Sunday? How might God use him to speak His truth to His hungry children who came searching for spiritual food? Friends, please notice that Paul saw a troubled church, and he saw a young man about to enter the lions den to deal with the issues of their day. Paul said then, what I believe that God would have us discern today: there is no greater training for us than to train ourselves into being good students of the Word of God. All the answers are in The Book for all of life’s challenges. But unless we saturate our lives with the Word, our preaching/teaching/witnessing will be in vain. Is the Word of God oozing out of every aspect of your character, your witness, your teaching, and your preaching, if you happen to be gifted to preach? This is the medicine needed for our hurting world. Let’s be sure that we train, and fill ourselves with the Word of God without it being diluted and/or distracted by Satan and his agents.

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, although it is unfortunate that today we still face challenges in our churches like Paul saw in his letter to Timothy, and in spite of all that Paul taught. Please Lord, let the church be the church – Your church that is in place to reach the lost and speak tenderly to needs of the saved. Let us represent You well and let the world see Jesus in every aspect of our lives. Help us to be drawn to Your Word and be entrenched into Your teachings so that our lives may be impacted by the Master of the universe, and may it be obvious through every aspect of our lives. Let us be willing to train regularly and consistently so that You would prepare us fully for all that may come our way. Bless Your church and it’s workers Lord, so that You may be lifted up and rule in our churches. AMEN!

Just Do It, Won’t You?

On 2020-08-28 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Obedience, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Friday, 2020-08-28
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: Jeremiah 32:24-27
TRANSLATION: Contemporary English Version (CEV)

BIBLE TEXT: ²⁴Jerusalem is under attack, and we suffer from hunger and disease. The Babylonians have already built dirt ramps up to the city walls, and you can see that Jerusalem will be captured just as you said. ²⁵So why did you tell me to get some witnesses and buy a field with my silver, when Jerusalem is about to be captured by the Babylonians?
²⁶The Lord explained: ²⁷Jeremiah, I am the Lord God. I rule the world, and I can do anything!

OBSERVATION: It is difficult for us to just do something we are told, without questioning the if, the why and the how! Then to do it without adding our own opinion is a whole different thing, isn’t it? But what about when God tells us to do something? I know, you are perfect and you therefore always do as you are told! Well, Jeremiah was stumped on an order he was given by God. Let’s see if we would do any better than he did.

APPLICATION: As you read this story you could see that God went to extra lengths to help Jeremiah know that the instructions came from Him to purchase the property. And it would almost appear like Jeremiah was actually praising the Lord for His awesome direction and power. However, read more closely and you will see that Jeremiah was just like us, for he was blown away about why God would have him use his personal money to purchase property in a city that He was really upset at, and would probably soon destroy. Yes, Jeremiah had followed God’s instructions and purchased the property, but he was obviously reluctant, as a lot of thoughts were still boiling up inside of him. I don’t know that we could conclude that God was upset at Jeremiah for questioning, but it seems obvious that He put His servant in his place. I may have said it something like this: ‘now look here Jeremiah, I am God and you are not. In fact, I created this world and all that is in it, and I rule the whole thing. Would you not think that if I told you to purchase a certain piece of property, that I knew what I was doing and exactly how I intended to use it? You see, my thoughts are not your thoughts and my ways are unlike your ways. Just be obedient to my commands and I will allow you to see how this all comes together for my glory. I will not tolerate the attitudes of those who curse me and work against my will, so I will take care of that bunch (the Babylonians and the disobedient Israelites who were exiled there). Praise God that you are a part of a very large picture that includes my directed plan.’ Friends, God don’t need our help in saying exactly what He wanted Jeremiah to know! However, let us all be reminded that our God will not stand for a defiant people who insist on doing their own thing, in their own time, in ways that seem right to them. If you know God, then trust in Him and be ready to obey His commands, whether they make sense to us or not. He is eternal, so His works are divine, holy and right. As His kids, we want to be aligned with His will, even if it takes us in a different direction to what we had planned. It’s God that deserves the praise. We are just servants who do as we are told. He knows what He’s doing, where we need to go, and how we will get there. Unless we follow His will and His commands, we will run astray in trying to reach our ultimate destination. Just do what He says, won’t you?

PRAYER: Precious Lord, take my hand, lead me on and let me stand. For I want to do Your will and follow Your perfect commands, so that You might be lifted up in all that is accomplished from my time here on earth. Like Jeremiah, I may be willing to obey – reluctantly, but Lord I want to trust You in every aspect of my life, so that others may witness Jesus at work in my life. My readers and I are weaklings who need a Savior to help us through life, and especially to help guide us to ultimate obedience to the one true God and His precious Word. Help us to be Your hands, feet and mouthpiece here on earth, without questioning the path that You will send us down. Please reach out and touch those that we touch each day in some fashion. May they find Christ before it is too late. AMEN!

Who Is Your God?

On 2020-08-27 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Thursday, 2020-08-27
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: Jeremiah 31:35-36
TRANSLATION: New Living Translation (NLT)

BIBLE TEXT: ³⁵It is the Lord who provides the sun to light the day and the moon and stars to light the night, and who stirs the sea into roaring waves. His name is the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, and this is what he says: ³⁶“I am as likely to reject my people Israel as I am to abolish the laws of nature!”

OBSERVATION: When deciding who to vote for, it always helps to know something about the person and their accomplishments. When trying to convince others about the power or love of your God, try telling them about His attributes and the accomplishments you know of first hand. They’re more apt to pay attention when they know that you have experienced Him personally.

APPLICATION: Try convincing a stranger to believe in your dad, and only share his name with them. Do you suppose that you will get their attention? However, try sharing some first hand accomplishments of your dad with them, and suddenly you will see the lights turn on in their eyes, because they will begin to understand why you feel so strongly about his unselfish abilities. So why don’t we do that when we try to assure friends that God will be their powerful defender and/or healer in their earthly struggle? Way too often we quickly respond to Christians or unbelievers in much the same way: ‘may God be your comfort during this time’, or ‘I will pray for your Mom’. Now I want you to imagine what the unbeliever might be thinking at the time of hearing your well wishes. Can’t you see that if you gave them a personal experience about this awesome God that you are referencing, it would help convince them that since you are speaking from a current, personal experience, they too might expect to believe that this same God could also help them in their time of need? Notice what Jeremiah did in our Scripture today: he spoke of the power of God in causing the sun to shine by day and the moon by night; He causes the oceans to tumble and roar; and He is the Lord of Heaven’s armies! Friends, with that type of reference, would you believe that He could keep your country safe, like He did for the Israelites? I believe so! But let me suggest that you not use this as a reference point when trying to assure your family or friends today. Yes, this could possibly help, but what will help more is a personal, current experience. When they know that the God you are referring to was just actively involved in your life last week, then obviously He is still available to help them today. I believe it is also important that you share your relationship with this miraculous God also. You see, while it is urgently important for them to depend on God for a matter that is at hand, you want them to know that they can place their full faith and trust in God for today, tomorrow and through all eternity. Often God will allow these friends to call on you, so that you could help them see that a personal relationship with Him is vitally important. Don’t disappoint them, nor God who sent them to you. So how do you describe God? I pray that it will be in a very intimate and relational way. He sacrificed a lot for you, so don’t be timid about sharing His worth to anyone where the opportunity presents itself.

PRAYER: A song comes to mind as I meditate in this today: ’I don’t know about tomorrow, but I know who holds my hand’. (The words are underlined allowing you to click and listen to this old hymn.) Lord, I truly believe that our friends will need that kind of assurance when we try to convince them of Your power and Your love for them. Praise You God for speaking through Your servant Jeremiah to assure the Israelites. More than ever, we need You to kindly do the same for Your servants today. We will be eternally thankful! AMEN!

So That….

On 2020-08-26 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Wednesday, 2020-08-26
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: 1 Timothy 1:15-16
TRANSLATION: New Living Translation (NLT)

BIBLE TEXT: ¹⁵This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”—and I am the worst of them all. ¹⁶But God had mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of his great patience with even the worst sinners. Then others will realize that they, too, can believe in him and receive eternal life.

OBSERVATION: Things often happen in life so that…. As we meditate on this Scripture today and really become reacquainted with the conversion of the greatest of sinners, the apostle Paul, I believe this will cause you to reflect on scenarios in your own life where strange things happened for unknown reasons. Perhaps you might be enlightened to the reasons God really had in mind at the time that major change came your way!

APPLICATION: People often question ‘Why do bad things happen to good people?’, while others may question ‘How Could something so wonderful happen to such an evil person’. These are questions you may often ponder as you look around you each day, but the story of Paul is a very interesting turn of events that we learn from the Bible. For Paul was known as the chiefest of sinners in his day. His mission was to destroy the Christians and stop the work of the Lord in his region. Wait a minute, you might say, isn’t this the same Paul that wrote most of the New Testament? And the answer to that question is a resounding ‘Yes’. Can’t you see that we are reminded once again why there is a God, rather than us doing the judging and sentencing, based on our personal opinion? I’m sure that Paul wouldn’t have stood a chance with us, but God – so rich in mercy, and full of grace, He saw great purpose in saving Paul and using Him in the very ministry that he was determined to destroy. But notice Paul’s take on this in our Scripture today. God didn’t save him so that he could increase his bank account, nor to save him from harm throughout the communities where he would continue to work, nor to keep him safe from the authorities, but in Paul’s words, Jesus saved even him, even in his sinful state – a persecutor of God’s children, so that others might see this and know that if God did such for Paul, there was still a chance that they too might be forgiven and accepted by the Master. In applying this Scripture, I want to share a story about a cousin who fell to his death from an electric pole, and he died. I’m not sure of his age, but I would guess that he was in his early 30’s. A definite tragedy for the whole family. However, the day following this tragedy, my dad went to his farm, as usual, but on that day God met him in a very real and personal way. Upon returning to our hometown, my dad didn’t stop by our home, but went straight to the church and met with a lay leader, who shared Christ with Dad, and he walked out of that church that day as a born again Christian. Some 50 years later and I still remember the family meeting that dad called that night, as he wanted to share his story with all of us. Dad was a Christian leader in his home, and a leader in his church. Most of his children accepted the Lord, and one has been heavily involved in leadership in his church. Only God can say if He took my cousin’s life so that my dad could accept Jesus as Lord, but praise God that through that tragedy my dad’s life was saved, and consequently most of his children. So should we question God when bad things happen to ‘good’ people? I’m sure that God will understand our sorrow, disappointment and our distraught, but we must always look for the good that will come from circumstances in our lives. We must not dare question the God of this universe, for what He does is well done. We will probably never praise Him for our loss, but hopefully we could praise Him day and night for touching the lives of our loved ones, through our loss. It is also imperative that we recognize that the miraculous transformation in Paul’s life, showed many others that it was not too late for them. They too could seek the Master and ask for His forgiveness of their sin. Our unsaved loved ones may have heard about Jesus, but often it is not until they see Jesus in action, that they are convinced that He could just as easily save them as He did for Paul and other family members. So please don’t keep your salvation buried inside. Let the whole world know, as you ask God to work on the unsaved who are looking for proof.

PRAYER: Thank You Lord for looking down in total grace and saving our Brother Paul. We could see clearly that his salvation experience helped to save many others who felt hopeless from the sin that held them back. Praise God, You also saved many of us as well, and people all around us still need the Lord. Oh that they may see proof that Jesus exists, because they see ongoing evidence in our lives. Please strengthen the witness of my readers and I as we seek to represent You well, and share Your love for us with all those that we come into contact with – until the whole world knows! AMEN!

The Plans I Have For You

On 2020-08-25 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, The Plan, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Tuesday, 2020-08-25
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: Jeremiah 29:10-14
TRANSLATION: New Living Translation (NLT)

BIBLE TEXT: ¹⁰This is what the Lord says: “You will be in Babylon for seventy years. But then I will come and do for you all the good things I have promised, and I will bring you home again. ¹¹For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. ¹²In those days when you pray, I will listen. ¹³If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. ¹⁴I will be found by you,” says the Lord. “I will end your captivity and restore your fortunes. I will gather you out of the nations where I sent you and will bring you home again to your own land.”

OBSERVATION: Included in our verses today are some phrases that are quoted often in the Christian arena, but I believe it would be enlightening to read these words in their context and really understand how special this must have been to the Israelites. I have no doubt that God wants us to gather some real truth from His words to the Israelites, and He wants us to be encouraged by what He assured the Israelites with, as we could just as easily be imprisoned in our spiritual battles today, and desperately in need of our awesome God.

APPLICATION: In our former years, when parents obeyed the laws of God without fear of earthly arrest by the authorities, we might remember being spanked and at the same time being assured by our parent that it was for our own good, and because they loved us so much! Somehow those two things never seemed like they should have occurred at the same time!! But, with the help of the Holy Spirit, take a close look at what happened to the Israelites. They were given over to the Babylonians almost as a punishment for the evil they had done. God shows up, and I’m sure this brought great hope to the Israelites as they were so sure that He had come to their rescue. But in verse 10 above, we see where God told them that they had 70 years left of their sentence under the Babylonians. I realize that people lived much longer than us in those days, but 70 years is a long time by any time clock! However, God went on to assure them that He would be back around to get them at that point, because He had some awesome things in store for them upon their release. As I already said, 70 years is an eternity when you are stuck under the arrest of wicked leaders, but don’t you think that given these promises by God, perhaps they felt awesome in knowing that God still loved them, and therefore a great hope in knowing that there was light at the end of their long, dark tunnel? I have a good friend who went to prison for 20+ years. Without the hope of his family and in knowing that God was by his side whether in prison or out, don’t you see how hopeless he would have felt as he entered the doors of that prison? Perhaps you have recently lost a loved one, or you have a loved one in hospital with this dreaded COVID 19, or perhaps your son or daughter has been caught up in riots and/or civil unrest, and you just don’t know how you will make it through life Without your loved ones. Can’t you imagine God whispering to you like He did to the Israelites – that He has plans for you, and it’s not plans for disaster, but to give you a future filled with great hope? My friends, we serve this same God who made these words known to us through the Scriptures. He was there for the Israelites, and He has promised that He will be there for us also. Others won’t understand how you’re able to keep your chin up, but deep inside you’re in love with the One whose hand is extended to you telling you to come unto Him all that are weary and heavy burdened. You are looking forward to the plans He has for you, and the assurance that you will be able to call on Him and He will answer. That’s our awesome God folks! Do you know Him? Please take time to read carefully through my Footnote, and especially through the Scriptures noted in the link ‘To Know Jesus’. I believe that He is anxious to have you surrender your life to Him, so please don’t delay that decision.

PRAYER: Thank You for the assurances given in Your Word today Lord! There’s so much going on that we have absolutely no experience in. There are hurts that loved ones never thought possible. Yet today, You have given us assurance that although our time of trouble may not be over yet, joy comes in the morning. Father, You are waiting on the other side, and I believe You just want to bless us beyond anything we could imagine. So Lord, please take us as we are, and shower Your blessings on us at just the right moment. Please hold our hand and help us through to the Promised Land, for we want to see You and we want to worship You around the throne for all eternity. Bless us Lord, so that we could bless others, all for Your praise and glory. AMEN!

Tips To Help You Avoid Trouble in Your Lives

On 2020-08-24 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Monday, 2020-08-24
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: 2 Thessalonians 3:11-13
TRANSLATION: New Living Translation (NLT)

BIBLE TEXT: ¹¹Yet we hear that some of you are living idle lives, refusing to work and meddling in other people’s business. ¹²We command such people and urge them in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and work to earn their own living. ¹³As for the rest of you, dear brothers and sisters, never get tired of doing good.

OBSERVATION: It is often said that when we find instructions repeated in the Bible, that we should pay close attention to the instructions. In Galatians 6:9 Paul warned that fellow Christians should not tire of doing good. As you can see in verse 13 above, he repeated these instructions for the Thessalonian church. Let’s carefully examine what prompted Paul to give the above instructions, and try to understand why God would have us apply these instructions today.

APPLICATION: I’m not sure how many of you walk into your churches and assume that everything is ‘honkey dorey’ (I hope that others use that terminology at times also!!!), meaning that trouble may exist in the church down the road, but you are very sure that everyone adores your pastor and leadership, and they love their brothers and sisters in your church just as if you were already in heaven! Friends, I would encourage you to pray hard that you are correct in your wishful thinking, and I would suggest that you warn your friends to stay away, because you surely don’t want anyone else coming there to disrupt that love and good order! Unfortunately I have seen disharmony in my family at times; among my friends frequently; backbiting against the pastor and also his leadership team; and members walking away from the church because of being hurt by another member. No, I have not looked for such churches, but this occurs in most places where people, like you and I, work, worship, socialize, or just hang out. And this is not new, for these verses we are studying is just a clip of the letter Paul wrote to his membership who were dealing with trouble in their midst. It is very unfortunate that after all these years we have still not learned from these things that Paul taught under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, for churches are still splitting, arguing over trivial things, and even dying because of internal challenges. Paul and his missionary teams always sought to support themselves financially while working with the churches he helped to start and maintain. So his first piece of advice in these verses is that brothers and sisters should keep themselves busy in supporting themselves, as this will give them a reason to arise each morning and keep their minds busy, instead of finding it their job to meddle in the affairs of others. I believe this also goes a long ways in helping to prevent them from criticizing others for their efforts, as they will see for themselves that they can’t do the same job as well as the incumbent, so there’s no need to criticize them. I’ve heard others say repeatedly ‘I don’t envy that person for the job they are trying to do, because I’ve been there and tried to do it myself’. Furthermore, Jesus Christ demonstrated love for us even while we were unlovable and full of sin, because He was crucified so that we might seek forgiveness of our sin and live eternally in heaven. If Jesus Christ has such love for us, why don’t we, as His representatives here on earth, seek to love others and pray for the job they are trying to do for the Kingdom? I believe they will improve their on-the-job performance knowing that God is pouring out His blessings because of our prayers! But as we look at ‘doing good’ – let us pray for one another; love one another, even if the other person is unlovable; lift up one another; volunteer to help each other, for that shows your love in tangible ways. As Paul said ‘NEVER TIRE OF DOING GOOD’ my Brother and Sister in the Lord, for this will help eliminate a ton of trouble in your lives, and help you demonstrate what it is like to be a child of the King!

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, thank You for ‘setting the bar’ in doing good for each of your children here on earth, in spite of whether we deserved it or not. Our aim while here is to be more like You, and to represent You well among fellow Christians, and especially when trying to show unbelievers that we care, and love them. May we always be busy about Your work, and may our lives be influenced in every way by all that You taught us personally, and through your servant, Paul. May we allow You to help us build the mindset of helping and loving others, and never tire of doing good, so that You may be glorified through Your precious children! AMEN!

Enjoying Evil vs Believing Truth?

On 2020-08-23 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Evil, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Truth, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Saturday, 2020-08-22
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12
TRANSLATION: New Living Translation (NLT)

BIBLE TEXT: ⁹This man will come to do the work of Satan with counterfeit power and signs and miracles. ¹⁰He will use every kind of evil deception to fool those on their way to destruction, because they refuse to love and accept the truth that would save them. ¹¹So God will cause them to be greatly deceived, and they will believe these lies. ¹²Then they will be condemned for enjoying evil rather than believing the truth.

OBSERVATION: Tell me who would say no to a good party? Is that not a common theme when one is planning a party? Of course it is, because we all love to have fun – both Christians and non-Christians. So we must be careful how we interpret what Paul is telling the Thessalonian church today through our above Scripture. Please examine Paul’s words closely, because we can’t afford to miss the point. I believe that today we must have more ‘evil’ going on than anytime in past history. Stick with me as we consider God’s Word for the hour!

APPLICATION: I could bore you with examples of what I consider ‘evil’, but I believe the best place for you to see first hand what Paul might be referencing, is to Sit and listen to the evening news. Like me, I’m sure that you will stop and wonder ‘what could possibly be next’, for it is sad to hear of the evil occurring in each reader’s country that you would never have thought possible. Now, let’s hone in closer to what Paul was dealing with, for your see, he wrote this letter to the church. Yes, God’s people – those who are called by His name. I am convinced that God wanted this included in His Word for the church of today, because He was sure that this same type of behavior would still be prevalent in your church and mine. I know you might be shocked, but please recognize that everyone that walks through our church doors are not Truth followers. Therefore, their minds are not fixed on Jesus and their hearts are not filled with the Word of God. However, I believe that instead of pointing fingers, it would be best that we devote our time to recognizing our own strengths and weaknesses, and to acknowledge if we might be considered by God as loving His Word, accepting His Word, and obedient to His Word. If we are unable to affirm a definite ‘yes’ to each of these things, then I would dare say that we are probably easily swayed by the things of this world, and therefore respond to challenges based on what we have learned from the world. Paul referred to these folk as: being fooled into the way of destruction (the way of Hell); easily deceived; believe lies and will be condemned, because they are ignoring the Truth/the Word/the Bible. It is easy to see dear friends, that God gave us His Book of Instruction to be our guide through life. It teaches us the wonderful laws of life that He has set out just for us, so that we might be like Him and show Him off to a lost world. If we ignore that Book, then we are saying ‘yes’ to Satan and following his evil practices. Also, without the Truth embedded deep into our souls, we will listen to, and be swayed by, any false teachers that find their way into our churches. And friends, this is where church struggles really take root. Let’s do our part child of God! If you know Jesus Christ as Lord, then follow Him, obey His Word, and practice the Truth, as taught to us through the Scriptures. This will allow Jesus to shine through us, and keep evil practices out.

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, we could find lots of excuses why we sin, why we are disobedient, why we don’t prioritize Your Word in our lives, and why we do like everyone else around us in following the evil one. But You know us better than we know ourselves. You gave us the same number of hours as everyone else, so we allocate those hours for the desires of our heart. Dear Lord, please teach us, Your children who are called by Your name, to prioritize our time with You, so that our hearts might become like Your heart, so that our lives might look more like Your life demonstrated in so many ways while here on earth. Please draw us close to You, Lord. We want to see You, and we want our lives to be so filled with You that we will immediately identify false teachers, and those who try to win us over to the world. May we live to be more like You in every aspect of our lives, and may there be no other priority like the one we establish, with Your help, to live holy and righteous lives that look just like You, and that prepares us to fight off the evil one when he comes knocking. People need You, Lord, so may they not be distracted by anything in our lives that may create doubt, fear or unbelief in their minds. Oh that Your power, Your love and Your peace be at work in our hearts and in our minds every minute of every day! AMEN!

Nuggets From God's Word

Category: Praise