Category: Refocus

Finding Joy in Hardship: Embracing Life’s Challenges

On By Ed AlgreenIn A Lamp unto My Path, Accept Jesus NOW, Acknowledge God, Assurance, Awesome God, Believers, Biblical Decisions, Blinded by Sin, Chosen by God, Christ-Like, Christianity, Faith, Refocus, Relationship, RighteousnessLeave a comment

DATE POSTED
Tuesday, November 26, 2024, and I was blessed to be at Mariposa at Hunter Road, San Marcos, TX when God inspired me to prepare this devotional. My Footnote will tell you how to find and read any and all episodes that I have shared over the years.

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
Quoted from The Voice (VOICE) and found in James 1:2-4

THE SCRIPTURE READS
2-4 Don’t run from tests and hardships, brothers and sisters. As difficult as they are, you will ultimately find joy in them; if you embrace them, your faith will blossom under pressure and teach you true patience as you endure. And true patience brought on by endurance will equip you to complete the long journey and cross the finish line—mature, complete, and wanting nothing. 

APPLICATION – as inspired by the Holy Spirit
Hardships and tests of any kind are sure to put some of us under, so everyone avoids anything that will stress us out and cause us to be wanting in any way. After all, we tend to think that we are special in God’s sight, and He would protect us from these types of challenges. Yet, many who will read this devotional today will acknowledge that they are either going through a tough time or have gone through some very tough times in their lifetime. Yes, even to dedicated Christians. So, as we meditate on this Scripture, we must remind ourselves that the Word of God, is God-breathed. In other words, the writers were deeply inspired by the Holy Spirit, to the extent that these words are exactly what God intended for His children to look to for knowledge, direction in life, and to abide by in every circumstance of life. Now, is it possible to run from these challenges? Of course, some will turn to drugs and or alcohol to help them through the tough times in life. This is very similar to marriage – a union where at least one partner doesn’t give their all to show and experience love or they are willing to deal with differences, instead of fighting them, or running away from them. So, frequently you will see a couple seek human government’s help to escape that marital obligation. James is telling us today that we must always remember that God is in charge of a believer’s direction in life. As such, we will find joy in all our many blessings, but we must also seek the face of Jesus when things take off in a different direction to anything we expect. Friends, this is not to boast, but there was a time that my dad looked sadly at me and said how disappointed he was that I was moving further away from him as he matured in age. However, it wasn’t long afterwards when my dad looked happily at me as he celebrated God’s amazing grace in providing medical attention for him, made possible because of my move. His words: ‘Now I understand what God was doing when He prepared the way for you to move away’! I believe that James is suggesting that each of us do the same, try to accept what God is doing, especially if we have asked Him to take charge and be Lord of our lives. This growth in our relationship with Jesus Christ help us to understand and endure the proven ways of our Lord, and it is then that we gain wisdom and patience in trusting Him. A deterioration, or break, in relationship with Jesus will only weaken our faith and send us reeling to the temporary, unstable, and erratic things of this world. I’m sure that you are in the same boat as I am, searching for ways to maintain a solid relationship with our Savior, and reaching out for patience to endure the circumstances of life while impacted by them here on earth. James has given us the solution to this dilemma, draw close to God; build an ironclad relationship with His Son, Jesus Christ, and be determined to stay firm in our faith, with the help of the Master, in every circumstance of life. Just as a son or daughter can come alongside their earthly father and build a solid relationship with him and trust him in the intimate parts of our heart, so it is with our heavenly Father. Know Him today, dear friends, and know that peace which passes all human understanding or expectation.

PRAYER
Lord Jesus, I believe that you designed and created us to be just like You. However, sin has distracted us from our mission to stay on task with Your mission for our lives. I am reminded of that beautiful hymn ‘Turn your eyes upon Jesus’, for the lyrics remind us that when we turn our eyes, our focus, and our deliberate thoughts, upon the One who loves us enough to have given His very life for us, THEN the things of this world will grow strangely dim. Without You we are helpless in this earthly mission, but with You as our Guide, our Master and our Lord, ALL things are possible. Thank you for the reminder through Your servant, James, today, that a fully surrendered life is one that will be blessed with a blossoming faith and impacted by the only One who can draw us to Your side, even through the most challenging times here on earth. Humbly at Your feet today, we seek Your face, depend on Your power, and want to be guided by Your wisdom, dear Lord. Please take charge and use us here on earth, for Your kingdom’s sake. AMEN!

FOOTNOTE
If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please take advantage of information provided on my page ‘To Know Jesus’. I would also suggest that you speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com and share your good news! Perhaps one of God’s servants will pray with you and give you help and/or encouragement as you begin, or continue, your walk with Jesus. If you would like to read more of my devotionals, or subscribe for a daily email containing each new devotional, please go online to NuggetsFromGodsWord.org. Friends, please allow me to encourage you to find a church home nearby 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 being a part of that, while also growing in your faith, as you worship with fellow believers!

Refocus May Be Necessary

On By Ed AlgreenIn God's Power, RefocusLeave a comment

THE HOLY BIBLE (New Living Translation – 2 Timothy 4:16-18): 16 The first time I was brought before the judge, no one came with me. Everyone abandoned me. May it not be counted against them. 17 But the Lord stood with me and gave me strength so that I might preach the Good News in its entirety for all the Gentiles to hear. And he rescued me from certain death. 18 Yes, and the Lord will deliver me from every evil attack and will bring me safely into his heavenly Kingdom. All glory to God forever and ever! Amen.

THOUGHTS: Ever stood your ground on something, then turned around and felt like you were the only one standing? That’s similar to what Paul must have felt when he stood before the judge mentioned in this passage. However, for those who trust in God and make a stand in obedience to His calling, I am comforted in knowing that the same God that stood with Paul, will also stand with us! This is something that we can stand confident in the Lord about! However, may I also draw our attention to the remainder of verse 17, for Paul tells us that the matter of God standing by him was not for the purpose of Paul being lifted up in the eyes of his oppressors, but instead to give him protection, deliverance and strength to return to the ministry for which God had called him in the first place. Wouldn’t it seem natural that following such a rescue, we would assume that God might be telling us to escape the area to prevent a recurrence of getting caught by the Romans again? But look at what Paul shares with us: God rescued him and gave him strength so that he might go on to preach the Good News in its entirety for all Gentiles to hear. In other words, that he might go on to finish the job for which he was called! Distractions in ministry often tend to beset the ministry, however when we see God at work even in the distractions, we must stay on track and allow Him to carry on without regard to the circumstances being slightly different to what we originally thought. I believe that there are also times where God might cause distractions to cause us to return to Him, or refocus on Him, or draw even more strength from Him, so that we might be reminded of the true Commander in charge of our mission. Therefore, when commissioned by God, we must never lose hope, but instead surrender our all to the Commander and be prepared to accept instructions from Him, in His time, as we are on mission for His purposes! Like Paul, we will quickly celebrate our victories as we stand in amazement to the mighty works of God!

PRAYER: Father I believe that there may be times that we change ministry direction or focus, when instead You are merely trying to strengthen us and help us refocus on You as our leader. Please help us to examine ourselves and regain our focus on the Leader of our mission and the purpose for which You have called us. Please show us Your power so that we will not succumb to the distractions that Satan will send our way, especially while dedicated to Your work and Your will for our lives. Please continue to show us Your will and open our eyes to Your power, that’s absolutely necessary to help us fulfill Your will, so that everyone that we might come into contact with might see Your mighty works evident in our lives, and they may be convinced of their need for a Savior. I ask all this in the precious name of Jesus, AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please speak with a local Bible Teaching pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com so that we can pray with you and give you help and or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Any words underlined above will 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 blogger.nuggetsfromgodsword.org and read more, or you may freely subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. If you are anywhere near the Highlands County, Florida area and do not have a church home, I would be thrilled to welcome you at Bible Fellowship Church, Sebring, FL! Click the link to check out service times and/or other special activities. God is at work among us! Please consider coming to worship with us!