Category: Prayer

Principles of Prayer

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

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

SCRIPTURE FROM: Luke 11:2-4; 9-10;
TRANSLATION: Contemporary English Version (CEV)

BIBLE TEXT: 2 So Jesus told them, “Pray in this way: ‘Father, help us to honor your name. Come and set up your kingdom.
3 Give us each day the food we need. 4 Forgive our sins, as we forgive everyone who has done wrong to us. And keep us from being tempted.’ ”
9 So I tell you to ask and you will receive, search and you will find, knock and the door will be opened for you. 10 Everyone who asks will receive, everyone who searches will find, and the door will be opened for everyone who knocks.

OBSERVATION: I find it intriguing when a young child asks for an adult to ‘dumb down’ their response to a question, or to better explain their advice or information. They need help in a certain area, and unless they receive clear and understandable information, they still won’t be able to do what’s needed or expected of them. Imagine a young Christian, they too need clear, concise and understandable direction. Jesus knew that, like His disciples, young Christians need direction on how to pray, and seasoned Christians need a refresher every so often. As applicable to you, so let today’s Scripture apply.

APPLICATION: When we are hungry, often we have been without food for a while, but we know where to go to satisfy that hunger. The disciples felt they were missing out on the benefits of prayer (communication with God), so they went to Jesus and asked how they might accomplish that. You may be approached by a new believer asking the same question, or you might benefit from the tips that Jesus gave to His disciples, to help you in your journey of communicating with God. Here are some key points that I found helpful:

  • Honor the name of Jesus – to address a judge of our court system, he will insist that you recognize his position and approach him as ‘your honor’. Therefore, we must not just barge in on Jesus with your demands, but instead recognize Him for who He is and for all He has done. Give Him honor and glory and praise for who He is.
  • Acknowledge His kingdom rule – He is King of all kings and Lord of all lords. He has charge of everything He created, and although God allows earthly men and women to rule here on earth, it’s only until He returns to take His bride (the born-again church) home to the Father. After experiencing so much turmoil here on earth, no matter what country you’re in, aren’t you ready to have the Prince of Peace assume His sovereign reign here on earth, as He is doing already in heaven? In your prayers. let Jesus know how you feel about that. You will not only reassure Him of your desire to see Him rule and reign eternally, but it will also give you opportunity to acknowledge your state of readiness for His rule, His return and His reign.
  • Forgive us, as we forgive others – Interesting how Jesus uses the same concept as He used about our giving. He said He would give us in the spirit that we give. Both in our giving and in our request for forgiveness, we must always be reminded that God’s Word declares that He will treat us like we treat others. Our actions set the stage for God’s reaction.
  • Temptation – I believe that Satan considers it his full-time job to temp humans – especially believers in Jesus Christ. While we hate our reaction to temptation, it does act as a test if our commitment to our Lord and our dependence on Him is at a level where it should be.

I especially included verses 9&10 so that we might rejoice in the blessings promised to those of us who sincerely communicate with, and honors God for, His promised blessings. Everything God does, and everything He asks of us, is from a heart of love, as He strives to make us the best children possible for Him to work through.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Praise God that He cares for us! In spite of knowing our wicked heart, yet He calls us to Himself, loves us, and desires to see us be usable vessels for His glory!

PRAYER: Praises to our wonderful, all-powerful and awesome God, who knows us, yet He loves us anyway and will always be ready to accept us into His kingdom, if we so desire and acknowledge Him as Lord. Thank You Father for teaching us the basic principles of prayer. We realize that it is open and unfiltered communication with You, but in following Your principles, we have a better idea of what you expect when You hear from us. please forgive us Lord if we have ever been too trivial in our prayers to You. We have been reminded that You deserve our utmost respect and honor as we seek Your face in worship and prayer. Please keep our hearts and minds fixed on You and may Your commands always come to mind when we communicate with You. Please speak to the hearts of those who need You as Lord and Savior, and may Your words be made clear for them to follow You in a spirit of holiness. Please continue to bless us Lord, as only You can. 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!

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!

How To Pray for Other Churches

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

DATE POSTED Wednesday, 2023-01-04
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Colossians 1:9-12
TRANSLATION: Living Bible (TLB)

BIBLE TEXT: 9 … ever since we first heard about you we have kept on praying and asking God to help you understand what he wants you to do; asking him to make you wise about spiritual things; 10 and asking that the way you live will always please the Lord and honor him, so that you will always be doing good, kind things for others, while all the time you are learning to know God better and better. 11 We are praying, too, that you will be filled with his mighty, glorious strength so that you can keep going no matter what happens—always full of the joy of the Lord, 12 and always thankful to the Father who has made us fit to share all the wonderful things that belong to those who live in the Kingdom of light. 

APPLICATION: Not sure about you, but I am very uncomfortable when pastors and/or teachers and/or church members choose to beat up on another church, in order to promote how good, they are. God allowed Paul to share with us how we are to think of others who are on the same team as us. Think about it, children of God have the same Father, and in using the same Bible, we are all working towards achieving the same goals with the same end in mind. We all want to please our Father in every way that we could, as we each want the rewards promised to us at the end of this life here on earth. Because believers in Jesus Christ live by the same Book of Instruction (the Bible), then I believe that we could settle on the fact that every word included in that precious Book is God-inspired, and serves the specific purpose of directing our path under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. So, let’s look into today’s Scripture with these precepts in mind. I want to draw your attention to the following:
=> Notice the group that was addressed – Throughout the books written by Paul, we could see his heart especially for the churches he was instrumental in starting. But in this case, Paul is addressing a church that he never visited. For those of you that attend your church’s Prayer Meetings, how many churches are you praising and giving thanks for, that you never heard about? Imagine telling your church, or your prayer group that you are praising God for the work of a group that is shaking the world and community all around them. Don’t you think that your group will probably look at you and question, ‘but what about us’?
=> Notice the items Paul prayed for: 1). That God would help the church understand what He wants from them. Verses 3-6 are filled with descriptions of the great qualities of the group. I believe that when God sees His children willing and ready to bless their neighborhoods and bring them to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, then He will not hold back the gifts for them to use, nor the opportunities for them to bless others. 2). That God would make them wise about Spiritual things. When the people sees that it’s them you are wanting to bless and encourage, and not that you are just in ministry for personal gain, or reasons, then I have no doubt that they would accept you and begin to trust you. 3). That the way you live will always demonstrate the God that you serve. To do this, Paul promised to pray that God will fill them with wisdom to seek Him out and to grow in His love and favor so much that it would overflow into the hearts and lives of those they were ministering to. 4). That they would always be filled with God’s mighty and glorious strength that would enable them to love others and minister to them from a heart filled with joy and peace, not of tiredness and a feeling of being overly exhausted. 5). That he (Paul) and his co-laborers would be thankful and excited about God using the church at Colossae to spread His joy. Paul probably knew that when a people show God their availability, He would give them miraculous abilities to spread the Good News to all in their families, church body, town, region and indeed all the world.
I believe that the bottom line to Paul’s encouraging letter is to remind us that it takes all of our churches to reach all of the people for Jesus Christ. And that we are to consider that church down the road, or on the other side of town, as co-laborers working together in one common goal. It’s not a competition, nor is it a work for just the rich and the elite. This ministry is a ‘God thing’ and only His children – all of His children working together, that will touch the hearts of all people. At work you wouldn’t think twice about have a meeting to encourage one another, cheer on the teams from every department, and encourage them towards the common goal of success of our business. Let’s vow to do the same thing in the family of God, whether they are at our church, or just in the global ‘CHURCH’ serving and ministering on the other side of the world.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: I believe that God sees His work as something we do because of our love for Him, not because of who our pastor us, how we interpret the written Word of God, how big our church is, nor how much extra money we need each week to meet our budget. It’s about God, and we all are His workers in the field as one beggar trying to share a morsel of food with another beggar. Let’s get over ourselves and see God magnified, people saved, and the body of Christ on fire for the growth of His kingdom!

PRAYER: Lord, there is such joy when we kneel beside a fellow believer from a totally different community, church or body of Christ! Such a rejoicing when we can stand and worship You as one people when we attend a Christian concert and meet with believers from every faith, city, or nation! I believe these things are evident because it gives us a glimpse into what heaven will be like! Thank You Lord for the life and work of Paul, and for the ministry he left behind through his written words. As Your children read these encouraging words of Paul, may we place them in our hearts, and may our spirit be so uplifted and encouraged, that we will determine in our own hearts to celebrate with co-laborers in the ministry all over the world. Please lead us to a body of believer who need encouraging and who must be reminded of their worth in the work of the global church everywhere man is found. 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!

Ask, And God Will Give It To You

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

DATE POSTED Wednesday, 2022-11-30
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: 1 Kings 3:3-5
TRANSLATION: Contemporary English Version (CEV)

BIBLE TEXT: 3 Solomon loved the Lord and followed his father David’s instructions, but Solomon also offered sacrifices and burned incense at the shrines. 4 The most important shrine was in Gibeon, and Solomon had offered more than a thousand sacrifices on that altar.
5 One night while Solomon was in Gibeon, the Lord God appeared to him in a dream and said, “Solomon, ask for anything you want, and I will give it to you.”

APPLICATION: So often we bow the head to pray, and the words are automatic. We’ve heard the pastor, Sunday School teacher and friends pray, and always wished that we could perfect our prayers like them, so we adopt certain points from their prayers so we might ‘sound legitimate’ in the ears of our peers. But wait a minute, who are we praying to? What are we praying for? Do we have faith in the One to whom we are praying? Do we have a personal relationship with the One to whom we are praying, and have confidence that our deepest thoughts, expressions and requests will be safe in His hands? Do we know that He could accomplish everything that may be bearing on my heart? Friends, I believe that when the God of all creation reaches down in love and shares His interest in us and simply asks us to share openly our needs with the only One who could do anything about them, suddenly our minds will turn away from memorized, written, or repetitious prayers, and the words from our heavy heart, or our joyous heart, or our pleading heart, will bubble forth from a heart longing for God to hear us, and meet our needs. Suddenly we realize that we are in the presence of the One who created us, the One who loved us even when we were so unlovable, the One who raised Lazarus from the dead, made the blind man see again and the crippled man walk for the first time – the only One who has the compassion to put up with our worry, heal our loved ones, encourage the broken heart, get the attention of the lost, and fulfill His promise of welcoming us home to glory when that day comes! Praise the Lord, Without the fear of retribution, we could freely, openly, and in all honesty tell our Father exactly what we need and what we want. He is in control, and He knows before we do, what the best course of action is for our lives! Solomon was blessed with much more than he asked for, even though he was in Gibeon to offer sacrifices to a false god. There is no telling what God has in store for us – His precious children! Oh that we will recognize Him the next time that we bow our heads in prayer, and may we always be prepared to answer Him when He asks the same question of us that He did of Solomon, ‘ask Me for anything you want’.

PRAYER: Lord my prayer today is that others might see Jesus, and that they may hear the whisper of their Creator when He tells them ‘Ask for whatever you want, and I will give it to you’. What have we possibly done to deserve this oh Lord? May You see hearts that are filled with gratitude for all that You have already done for us, and may we have the faith to ask, in faith, for everything You approve of. Oh, that Jesus will always be our greatest desire. 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!

My Prayer For You

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

DATE POSTED Tuesday, 2022-11-15
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Philippians 1:9-11
TRANSLATION: Living Bible (TLB)

BIBLE TEXT: 9 My prayer for you is that you will overflow more and more with love for others, and at the same time keep on growing in spiritual knowledge and insight, 10 for I want you always to see clearly the difference between right and wrong, and to be inwardly clean, no one being able to criticize you from now until our Lord returns. 11 May you always be doing those good, kind things that show you are a child of God, for this will bring much praise and glory to the Lord.

APPLICATION: This gives a good opportunity for us to not only renew our faith in our Creator, but also to renew a right relationship with Him, so that we can talk to Him about our reasons to celebrate His goodness; our desire for our children; our concern for the needs of our neighbors; and our heart-cry for the lost in our circle of friends who badly need the blood of Jesus washed over them. My friends, let me ask you to try one thing at this time: Stop and share your feelings with Jesus about each of the people that I mentioned. Tell Him what you are concerned about. Humbly pray for a right spirit within them so that they may be drawn closer to the Lord. Enough with the backbiting and the faultfinding, love those very special people enough to pray regularly for them. I’m afraid that we have such a long laundry list for ourselves, that we may not always make it before the throne of God on behalf of our family and friends. Paul was instrumental in starting the church at Philippi, so to leave them was probably like leaving a part of his heart there. Of course he missed them, of course he wanted to see God’s very best for them. It makes me question how vested I am in the folk around me. I’m still on the prayer list from two previous churches, so I am reminded of the needs that exist there, and I pray for the needs as they show up in my inbox. Are you still praying for the church families that you left behind when you moved residences, or when you moved to a different church? Hopefully these people have become a part of your heart and you might even remember the many times that they blessed you. Think on them during your times of fellowship with your Master and Lord. The enemy is out to get the church dear friends, so let us commit to such a good relationship with our Lord, that we will also lift up a name from our past before Him. God knows them, and He knows the very struggles they are facing right now. Let Him know that you care about Him blessing them right now. let’s learn to take our eyes off self and concentrate on the needs of those that are close to us now, or with whom we may have crossed paths in the past. Paul exampled this before us, now let us follow in his example and obey the Word of God in praying one for another. Remember, we are the church, so let the church be the church – especially here on earth where Satan is rampant and trying to distract the lost of any good thing in Jesus, our Lord, and His chosen children.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Oh, to imagine what our world, our churches and our families would look like if we did as Paul instructed – that we would overflow with love for each other and in our spiritual growth and knowledge. Perhaps then the unchurched will believe that God really does exist.

PRAYER: Thank You Lord for blessing Paul to encourage his followers to overflow in love and in the knowledge of You. Satan seems to be doing exactly the opposite, and we truly can’t handle any more of his wickedness. You showed us loved in its most extreme way – You were willing to lay down Your life for us – even while we were yet sinners. Please Lord, teach us to follow in Your footsteps, and to be obedient to Your commands. Please strengthen us to make every effort to follow the instructions You gave to Paul for us. Let the world see what true Christian love is, when they hang around us. Help us Lord to understand Your Word sufficiently and be willing to share that knowledge with others who are searching for the real love of Jesus Christ. 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!

Overwhelming Blessings!

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Blessing, Needs, Obedience, Praise, Prayer, Recognize God, Worship1 Comment

DATE POSTED Monday, 2022-08-22
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: 2 Samuel 7:18-21
TRANSLATION: The Message (MSG)

BIBLE TEXT: 18-21 King David went in, took his place before God, and prayed: “Who am I, my Master God, and what is my family, that you have brought me to this place in life? But that’s nothing compared to what’s coming, for you’ve also spoken of my family far into the future, given me a glimpse into tomorrow, my Master God! What can I possibly say in the face of all this? You know me, Master God, just as I am. You’ve done all this not because of who I am but because of who you are—out of your very heart! – but you’ve let me in on it.

APPLICATION: Based on the Word of God, I believe that we would easily discern that there was good reason for God to consider David ‘a man after my own heart’! For God not only saw the works of David, but He also knew the heart of a man, He created, that loved Him in return, and who was persistent in following the commands of God honestly and without reservation. It is so unfortunate that many in our day will try to attend church – if there’s nothing better on television, or no favorite stars performing nearby, or inclement weather for beaching or boating. In other ways, some will work on deals and relationships that are totally private to their bank, their pastor, their friends, and especially their family, so of course they think that God would never know about what goes on behind closed and private doors. Pastors and church leaders have lost their ministries when these things come to light, and church members who looked up to them, often leave churches while vowing never to entrust such a person again. Yet we wonder why such ‘honorable’ ministers are not receiving God’s rich blessings? I have noticed in reading up to this place in the Scriptures that David sinned, because of frailties in his human qualities. However, David persistently displayed a humble heart dependent on God for his position as a servant of the king; as the captain of his armies; as a father to his children; as a king to the largest nation of his time; and to everything ordered of God. In the prayer included in today’s Scripture, David acknowledged to God that he was so surprised over His goodness, because he knew that nothing was hid from God – none of his sins were unknown to Almighty God. Friends, when we know the will of God, and still commit our sinful deeds – especially those we think are in private, we can expect God’s wrath while trying to correct us, redirect us and still love us enough to see us return to Him. When we experience otherwise from God, like David did: loving on us; blessing us with good health; showing us what He has planned for our future; and giving us more than we could possibly handle; then we are forced into the humble position David found himself in when he sat before the Lord and prayed this appreciative, celebrative, yet humble prayer. Let’s be reminded today that there is nothing we can do to demand God’s forgiveness or His goodness, even if we attend church every time the doors open, of demand total honesty and transparency in our businesses. In the words of David, God will bless us because of who He is, not because of anything we have done or said in His name. We are no different to our ancestor, David, so God is looking for more men and women who are willing to live out the heart of God like David did. Has God discovered your attributes yet? Do you suppose that He sees His righteousness displayed though everything that you are in the eyes of the public here on earth? How’s your heart? Can it be likened to a heart after God’s very likeness? Not sure about you dear friends, but it seems like I have need to stay on my knees before God so I would quit acting out the heart of ‘man’, and start acting, speaking and loving like a man after God’s own heart, God being my helper. Pour out your heart to God today, my friend!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: God blesses us because of who He is, not because of anything we have done to deserve His goodness!

PRAYER: Dear Lord Jesus, in deepest humility I dare pray to You, because I am reminded that You know my heart, You are well aware of my thoughts, and You know my intentions and prejudices. Thank You Lord for including me when considering the sacrifice needed at Calvary. Nothing, absolutely nothing can wash away my sin, but the blood and sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Lord, as my readers, listeners and I approach Your throne today, we come like David, knowing that You will bless because of who You are, because there is nothing, we can do that would be worthy of such mercy by the King of all kings. Thank You for Your mercy, Your forgiveness and Your everlasting love that transcends all human love. We worship and adore You Lord Jesus for who You are, and for all that You have done, presently doing, and promised to continue doing for us! AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: There are two more pages on my blog that will provide you with additional information, one of them being ‘To Know Jesus’. If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please click on the above page, or speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. Please allow someone to pray with you and give you help and/or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Words underlined in my blog might indicate a link to a song that came to mind as I wrote the devotional. Feel free to click on the link and listen as you continue to read or pray. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to Nuggets From God’s Word and read more, or you may freely subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. You may also visit me on Spotify and listen to Nuggets while you’re out and about. I would encourage you to find a church home near by your home, and attend as frequently as you could. Get to know God, and allow His people to encourage and strengthen you in your Christian walk, while making every effort to be a blessing to them. God is at work among His people! Please consider growing in your faith, as you worship with fellow believers!

The Results Of Giving

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

DATE POSTED Wednesday, 2022-08-10
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: 2 Corinthians 9:7-8; 11-13;
TRANSLATION: Good News Translation (GNT)

BIBLE TEXT: 7 You should each give, then, as you have decided, not with regret or out of a sense of duty; for God loves the one who gives gladly. 8 And God is able to give you more than you need, so that you will always have all you need for yourselves and more than enough for every good cause. 
11 He will always make you rich enough to be generous at all times, so that many will thank God for your gifts …. 12 For this service you perform not only meets the needs of God’s people, but also produces an outpouring of gratitude to God. 13 And because of the proof which this service of yours brings, many will give glory to God for your loyalty to the gospel of Christ, which you profess, and for your generosity in sharing with them and everyone else. 

APPLICATION: There are many negative ideas out there about giving to the church. So, let’s remind ourselves that ‘the church’ is considered ‘the Bride of Christ’, as referred to in Scripture. Churches are made up of sinners saved by grace, just like you, if you claim Jesus as your Lord and Savior. Just as you find yourself doing or saying things that may not be pleasing to God, you will also find that church members, and even church leaders, sometimes fall into that same trap as well. So, remember to look at the four fingers pointing back at you when you cast judgment on the unfortunate actions or words of your fellow church members or leaders. Satan will tempt you to find excuses on why you shouldn’t give to the local church, because his job is to kill, steal and destroy the work of our Lord, especially through the local church. Be reminded that in our Scripture verses today, there were no filters offered by God on why, when or how you should refuse to give to His work. But there is a promise – if you do your part and give freely to the work of God in His church, He will bless you in your earnings and He will pour out even more blessings for you to share! Know that God has a promised accountability for His children. Scripture records how: He will crown those who have accepted Him and live according to Word; He will judge us all and will give us what we deserve; etc. He will judge those who: have disobeyed His Word; stole from His treasury; been a stumbling block to those seeking to Know Jesus; gave to His church as instructed by God; grudgingly give to the church; refuse to give to the church; meet the needs of those who need a hand up. etc. So, let’s try to get away from trying to do God’s work for Him, for He is more than adequate to be our Judge, Jury and Sentencer. We have more than enough to worry about in our own lives, much more than trying to be God in sentencing our pastor, elders, deacons, church, etc. Dear friends, each of us will appear before God to give an account of our own lives, not as a witness or tell-tale of those we’ve been watching here on earth. In giving a gift, we often prefer to have guidance on how much to give. This is also covered in the Bible – 10% of your income, is our guide. Some may ask: ‘Of my gross or net salary?’. Notice that the Bible to specifically check our conscience. This is where the Holy Spirit resides, and He will guide us to the Scriptures for our answers. The Bible tells us make our gift to God from the ‘first fruits’. In farming, that equates to the first 10% of your harvest. In a paycheck, I can only share with you what I felt God nudging me to do – 10% of the first fruits – the amount before anyone else gets anything from my income, or the gross amount of my check. Let me challenge you dear friend in reminding you that we cannot outgive God. If He said that He will multiply our harvest so that we could give even more, then He will do that, whether we give 10, 20, 30% or even more. In the Scriptures, we are told to try Him and see if He won’t bless us with more than we could handle! If my suggestion sounds outrageous, let me suggest that you have a little talk with Jesus and share with Him what your reservations are in obeying any of my above guidance. A heart dedicated to God, caring about His work in our lives and in the lives of those around us, will give willingly, freely and exceedingly. Where do you stand if you had to explain to God what’s impacting Your heart to give freely in return for all He has blessed you with? I believe that’s where our giving originates, is from a heart filled with love for God and appreciation for all He has blessed us with. As covered already, the excuses and reasons that interfere with our giving is prompted by Satan – as it opposes what is taught in God’s Word.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: God will always make you rich enough to be generous at all times, so that many will thank God for your gifts! What an awesome inducement to give even more to God’s work, including to His children in need! Praise and thanksgiving will go up for us as others are blessed! Wow, no wonder we get unexpected raises!

PRAYER: Lord, we realize that there is no way that we could repay You for the many wonderful gifts that You make available to us, especially the gift of Your precious Son given for our eternal salvation. Please help us to always give thanks for the ways that You bless us, and to always share of those gifts with others in our circle of friends and family. What a joy to be reminded by Your servant, Paul, that recipients of our earthly gifts find reason to praise You, and to ask for Your continued gifts to the giver. Praise You Father, Son and Holy Spirit for invoking in us a heart of giving, in recognition of, and in celebration of the many ways that You bless us. As vessels of Your love, please teach us to be open to the ways we can give to bless your children in need, and the ongoing work of Your church. 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!