Category: Rewards

The Reason Jesus Came

On By Ed AlgreenIn Faith, Rewards, TrustLeave a comment

Thursday, 2019-01-24

Bible Reference: Matthew 9:11-13
Translation: The Message (MSG)

Bible Text:  11 When the Pharisees saw him keeping this kind of company, they had a fit, and lit into Jesus’ followers. “What kind of example is this from your Teacher, acting cozy with crooks and riffraff?” 12-13 Jesus, overhearing, shot back, “Who needs a doctor: the healthy or the sick? Go figure out what this Scripture means: ‘I’m after mercy, not religion.’ I’m here to invite outsiders, not coddle insiders.”

OBSERVATION: Imagine God sacrificing His precious Son so that saved folk might receive Jesus and be saved. Would that really make any sense? Without even digging into the scriptures, would it not make more sense that Jesus came to save those who are unsaved? So what about Christians, and churches today, do we exist to promote, pat on the back and lead the Christians in our community? Food for thought, isn’t it?

APPLICATION: Jesus knew that He would get the attention of the Pharisees, who were out to ‘get Him’ through every word that He spoke or every action that they saw, so He chose to include a reference to one of His prophets from their past, Hosea. In verse 13 Jesus referenced the words of Hosea 6:6, to give His critical hearers some reference to something familiar. It is sad to reflect on, but I believe that Jesus might be just as critical of Christians today. Not that we are necessarily looking for ways to find fault with Jesus and His miracles, but if our pastors and church leaders were to truly place a strong emphasis on the unsaved of our communities, what might our ‘prim and proper’ saints have to say when our attention turns away from them? Assume for a moment that every time you saw your pastor, he was either having lunch with, or sitting down with a rebel, or a known sinner. What might satan start putting in your head? What if you came to church this weekend and your seat was taken by someone you’ve never seen before, dressed in ragged clothes and looking very out of place? A good friend visiting my church with me was once asked by a lady to move, as that was her seat. Don’t you know that if something similar happened to a visitor without Christ, they may just walk straight on out the back door? You see, I believe that when we invite a member of the community to come and worship with us, they might very well assume that everyone is equal at the Master’s feet, and therefore gives them the privilege of sitting on the front roe or the back. Although feeling unworthy, or out of class with the other attendees, they may actually feel like Christians might be happy to see them finally come to church, rather than making them feel like rejects or out of place, or perhaps in their way by sitting in their favorite seat. Friends, I believe that Christians have become so accustomed to attending church with their same family members and friends, that it may even bother them to have some ‘strangers’ pop in and actually sit near by them. Don’t you see that this might also prevent us from inviting folk who really need the Lord, from attending, and hopefully find our Master, and accept him as Lord? Can’t you see from our Scripture today, that Jesus came so that we might be saved from the pit of hell? Don’t you know that means more than just you and your closely knit friends and family? May I encourage each reader, together with myself, to first of all examine our own heart, make sure that personally we are a follower of the King, patiently waiting for His return. And while we wait, let us place every effort into sharing with all those that we come into contact with each day. I truly believe that Jesus has ordained His kids to be His ambassadors here on earth with a mission to tell of His love, His mercy and His saving grace for all who would place their trust in Him. Whenever you see someone who needs the Lord, let that remind you how that’s the whole reason Jesus came, and it may very well be the whole reason God left you here on earth – to share His love with them and their need for the Lord.

PRAYER: Thank You Lord for saving my soul, thank You Lord for making me whole, thank You Lord for giving to me, Thy great salvation, so rich and free. Lord, may I not be a holding tank of that precious gift, but merely a channel that enables You to share that gift to all those that I come into contact with. There are many who need You in our communities Lord, may my readers and I be usable instruments through which Your love and Your message could reach the unsaved today, and every day until You return. AMEN!

What Might Be The Limits of your Testing?

On By Ed AlgreenIn Faith, Rewards, Tested, TrustLeave a comment

Tuesday, 2019-01-22

Bible Reference: Genesis 22:1-3; 12
Translation: Living Bible (TLB)

Bible Text: 1 Later on, God tested Abraham’s faith and obedience.[a]“Abraham!” God called. “Yes, Lord?” he replied. 2 “Take with you your only son—yes, Isaac whom you love so much—and go to the land of Moriah and sacrifice him there as a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I’ll point out to you!” 3 The next morning Abraham got up early, chopped wood for a fire upon the altar, saddled his donkey, and took with him his son Isaac and two young men who were his servants, and started off to the place where God had told him to go……. 12 “Lay down the knife; don’t hurt the lad in any way,” the Angel said, “for I know that God is first in your life—you have not withheld even your beloved son from me.”

OBSERVATION: ‘I believe that I’ve been tested to my ultimate limit’. Was that something you’ve said, or at least felt before? Don’t we tend to feel like we have achieved our limit in trials and challenges at times? How often have you credited those challenges to God getting your attention? Let’s meditate on this idea of ‘testing’ today and consider how prepared we are to deal with the testing God may send our way when He is trying to get our attention.

APPLICATION: I believe that I can easily look to God and say, “Lord, did You show me this Scripture today to help me ponder how far I could be pushed before I cave in on being obedient to You?”. In sharing my thoughts with those that may faithfully meditate on this devotional, I believe that God is also asking you to consider whether you are prepared to be another Abraham, especially in obedience to the voice of God. When you consider what might be the ultimate test of all time, put yourself in the place of Abraham for just a few moments today. Let’s assume that God vividly spoke to you and challenged you to consider surrendering to Him the very thing, or person, nearest to you. Do you feel like you could do like Abraham? God said it, and he did it. But look at what God asked of him – to take his son to the mountain and sacrifice him. I wonder what our response would be to such a command? Abraham took no time to look for excuses or to tell God why that would be an impossible task to follow, but instead made preparation for the journey and obediently followed every detail. Friends, for Abraham it was something very near and dear to him that God tested him with. I wonder what He might find to be testing ground for us? Is there anything you hold near and dear that might result in the ultimate test from God, if you were asked to sacrifice it? As you evaluate self, is there anything, or anyone, that is more important than God? The quick, expected response is ‘of course not’, but let me encourage you, as I stop to consider this myself, to look deep inside and answer this question knowing that God already knows the answer, and I believe He would love for us to honestly and openly answer that question for ourselves. We were so important to God that He sacrificed His only Son so that we might have life eternally with He and His Father. How important is God to you, my friend?

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, what a blessed people we are! Born into a world, where the Savior of the world is available to us as our saving grace from sin and the pitfalls of Satan, yet we are given the choice to have it our way, or surrender to the call and love of our Savior. There is no hope in anything this world has to offer, so please touch the hearts of those that are willing to stop and listen oh Lord. Please draw them to Yourself, and tender their hearts to the love and sacrifice made for them on Calvary. Lord, may we be prepared for the tests that You may send our way from time to time. May our hearts be so filled with You, and our commitment so sure in whom we believe, so that our choice will be untouched by things of this world. To God be all the glory for all things we are blessed with each day! AMEN!

Just Say The Word, Lord

On By Ed AlgreenIn Faith, Rewards, TrustLeave a comment

Monday, 2019-01-21

Bible Reference: Matthew 8:7-10
Translation: The Passion Translation (TPT)

Bible Text:7 Jesus responded, “I will go with you and heal him.” 8–9 But the Roman officer interjected, “Lord, who am I to have you come into my house? I understand your authority, for I too am a man who walks under authority and have authority over soldiers who serve under me. I can tell one to go and he’ll go, and another to come and he’ll come. I order my servants and they’ll do whatever I ask. So I know that all you need to do is to stand here and command healing over my son and he will be instantly healed.” 10 Jesus was astonished when he heard this and said to those who were following him, “He has greater faith than anyone I’ve encountered in Israel! 

OBSERVATION: The Roman officer had heard of the awesome power of Jesus, how He healed the sick and raised the dead, therefore as he asked Jesus to come and heal his son (or servant), he had faith to believe that Jesus could do this in person, or by merely speaking the word. Jesus had never witnessed such faith during His time on earth. I wonder if He has seen such faith in my life. How about yours, my friend? Let’s meditate on this Scripture today, and allow God to open our eyes of faith.

APPLICATION: just in case you may be thinking right from the start that you could never have the kind of faith that the disciples had, or like Bible characters had, let me remind you that we are not alone in this. You might recall that Peter needed some help with believing that Jesus was alive, yet I’m sure that he and his fellow disciples prayed very hard for themselves and their Savior who had been crucified. While Peter had begun his miraculous walk on the water, yet his inept faith soon kicked in, causing Peter to begin sinking into the water. I find myself guilty of asking God to rest His hand of healing upon someone that I may be praying for, but I am reminded in the Scripture today that God could just as easy speak the word, and this body that He meticulously put together in the first place, could once again be healed and put back together by its Creator. So what about you my friend? How’s your faith? We practice it every day in worldly actions – driving over a bridge; driving through a tunnel; trusting that a shot of liquid medicine by our doctor would heal our serious ailments; trusting that our fuel gauge is accurately measuring the amount of fuel in our vehicle tanks; etc. So why do we find it so challenging to believe in a God who created the universe, you and me, and have taken exceptional care of us ever since? I believe that we must start with knowing God very intimately. Start by reading His Word that was provided for our edification and benefit. As we know Him, believe in Him, understand His limitless and unconditional love for His children, then perhaps we would easily believe in all that we read. Add to this a degree of trust in His answer to our prayers concerning needs that some may fell are fairly insignificant. A good friend of mind told me about the times that he was in a rush to leave his home, but couldn’t find his car, and house keys, and how he would stop and ask God for His help. Sounds insignificant, right? However, my friend felt very comfortable in placing much larger needs at the feet of Jesus, as they arose, because He knew already that he could trust God to answer his urgent prayer needs. I live hundreds of miles away from most of my family, yet I know that my simple prayer of faith could invoke the attention of my God to touch a family member, because He heard my prayer. Now, before our naysayers chime in with the times their prayers were not answered, let me remind you that as Christians, we are to seek the best answer that God sees fit for us. I may ask in my prayer that God take me to another country, but I arrive at the airport and find that the plane has mechanical problems, so I can’t travel until the following day. Did God answer my prayer? Of course He did my friend, for He kept me safe from whatever accident or disaster that would have happened with our plane in the air. Remember, we ask God, we don’t tell Him what He should or would do. The Bible says that if we ask, we will receive. Ask in faith my friend, and believe that the God who loves you immeasurably, is waiting to hear from you, and will answer your prayer.

PRAYER: Lord God, thank You for loving me unconditionally, and for listening to my, often, petty requests. Please forgive me for the lack of faith that usually holds me back from basking in your goodness. Lord, I believe that many of my readers are very similar to myself in wanting to trust you more. I would plead for the faith of Moses when He stood at the shores of the Red Sea with thousands of followers behind him, and in faith and obedience to Your commands, he follwed through with Your orders and watched in amazement as You parted the waters, for their safe travel through to the other side. Oh how small our challenges are compared to that. May we be true to Your Word and obedient to Your commands, for in faith we could believe and receive Your awesome miracles, even in the lives of our family, friends and ourselves. Thank You for Your amazing grace and Your awesome power oh God. AMEN!

Our Assumptions May Seriously Impact our Actions

On By Ed AlgreenIn Faith, Rewards, TrustLeave a comment

Saturday, 2019-01-19

Bible Reference: Genesis 20:10-11
Translation: Amplified Bible (AMP)

Bible Text: 10 And Abimelech said to Abraham, “What have you encountered or seen [in us or our customs], that you have done this [unjust] thing?” 11 Abraham said, “Because I thought, ‘Surely there is no fear or reverence of God in this place, and they will kill me because of my wife.’ 

OBSERVATION: Realizing that God knows all things, even the heart of man, I wonder how often He must shake His head in disappointment, and shock, at what we say at times, and what we do in response to our inner conclusions and assumptions! I believe we have a similar situation in our Scripture today to ponder on…

APPLICATION: Can you think of a scenario where you reacted to a situation based on your assumptions about what was going on, what might happen, and possibly the intentions of the person who may be involved? I believe this occurs way more often than we could ever imagine, and I believe this creates more challenges for friends and family than anyone ever intended. But let’s consider the challenge in this story of Abraham and Abimelech. It starts out with Abraham being blessed with a beautiful wife – his half sister. Because of Sarah’s beauty, and Abraham’s self consciousness of his own physical protection, for the second time he tells the townspeople that Sarah is his sister. Fortunately, this is a truthful statement, because of Sarah being his half-sister, but he chose to share that relationship with them over their marital relationship. Notice that Abraham did this because he thought that the Abimelech clan was immoral and would easily turn on him, if need be. We could see from the story that this almost concluded in death to Abimelech. What sort of issues have arisen in our personal relationships, in our churches and in our communities because of our actions that resulted from our assumptions, and conclusions based upon what we thought was happening behind our backs, or what would happen based on things for which we would have no control? Friends, because of our DNA, others will detect from our actions, our decisions and our reactions, who we are related to on earth. Let’s remember that this is also a baramoter of whose we are. Children of the King will act like Him, speak like Him and react from a heart of love like He does. Are we deserving of any of the gifts that we are consciously aware of, and recognize as being awesome gifts from on high? Yet He blesses us anyway. Do our friends or family deserve to be loved, treated like royalty, forgiven and blessed by us? They may not always be deserving, but if we, who are called sons and daughters of the Almighty God, blessed by Him in every way, and seeking to imitate Him in every way, then shouldn’t we look for ways to bless, love and serve them, without allowing the deceit of Abraham to penetrate our hearts and hurt the other party, just to protect ourselves? Friends, God looked at you and me, and in spite of our sin, our disobedience, our deceit and our ugly attitudes, yet in love He said ‘but I love you anyway’ and He therefore proved that love by sending His own precious Son to be born among us; suffer at the hands of the people; beaten, mocked, scorned and crucified like a criminal; while all the while saying ‘it’s all for YOU my child, so that YOU might have the only means of righteousness, that leads to eternal life with my Father and I’. Friends, I believe that with this same ‘righteousness’ given to us by Jesus, not only are we assured of heaven, but I truly believe that it also helps us to be more like Him while here on this earth also. Abraham needed that kind of righteousness, and I’m sure that you and I need it. If you are not under the authority of this one, true God, the giver of all righteousness, may I encourage you to stop and take time to read through my footnote, and the linked page entitled ‘To Know Jesus’? Your life could be eternally changed my friend!

PRAYER: Lord, as we studied your Word in Genesis 20 today, it is evident that mankind has struggled in many ways right from the very beginning. However, throughout Your Word, You also make it very clear that You are the answer to all of life’s struggles by mankind, so we look to You in all of our need and insufficiencies of life. Please help us to remain focused on Your awesome power, Your love and the everlasting hope that awaits the believer in Your Son, Jesus. AMEN!

Fasting and Prayer

On By Ed AlgreenIn Faith, Fasting, Fasting, Rewards, TrustLeave a comment

Thursday, 2019-01-17

Bible Reference: Matthew 6:16-18
Translation: The Passion Translation (TPT)

Bible Text: 16 “When you fast, don’t look like those who pretend to be spiritual. They want everyone to know they’re fasting, so they appear in public looking miserable, gloomy, and disheveled.[o]Believe me, they’ve already received their reward in full.17–18 When you fast, don’t let it be obvious, but instead, wash your face[p]and groom yourself and realize that your Father in the secret place is the one who is watching all that you do in secret and will continue to reward you openly.”

OBSERVATION: The Word of God is clear that if we publicize that we are fasting, our reward will be nothing more than what we hear back from our audience. That defeats the whole purpose of fasting, for we are dedicating ourselves to petition God for a specific need that we have personally, or corporately. Today, let us consider why we should fast, how should we fast, and what do we expect from a fast.

APPLICATION: I believe that when you look at an entrepreneur starting out in business – one that is pictured in their mind as a unique opportunity to fulfill a specific need for consumers, or industry, or intense profitability, you will hardly see them in their usual places of worship, at events with their family, or just having casual fun. For they are 100% engrossed in making that business succeed, and to be all that they pictured in their minds. So what about the Christian who is desperately seeking God to intervene in their lives personally, or in their family unit, or in their church, or even in their workplace? Does it seem natural to just ask someone else to pray, or casually commit those specific needs in corporate prayer, or even in your personal prayer time, when you tend to cover a wide spectrum of things, and of life itself, before God? I would say yes in all cases, but I would go a step further by sharing what I believe the Bible teaches on fasting and praying. You see, the businessperson spoken of above, will skip meals, miss family events, and more, just to totally dedicate themselves to their new business opportunity. In the life of a Christian, we might casually pray about the weather, or our child in school, etc, but consider how much more intense our prayers become when a loved one is barely hanging on to life, and the doctors are uncertain if they will possibly survive the medical issues they are having. The latter is more of the mindset of a believer when they fast, and dedicate time in prayer over a specific request. For they are willing to forego one or more meals, or perhaps give up caffeine or Facebook, or something that they feel could be sacrificed for dedicated time to plead in prayer before their Maker on a matter of prime importance to them. Think about if friend, what is the most important thing in your life right now? What do you feel is the most critical need in your life, or in the lives of those you care about, and for which you would be willing to do ANYTHING, in order to turn things around in those circumstances? Would you be willing to give up something important to you, just so that you could spend intimate and intense time talking to God about that? The Scripture tells us today that should you consider a fast, it is something that you decide together with God. There is no need to send a note to the local newspapers, or your pastor, or anyone else. For the pat-on-the-back you receive from those around you is the only reward you could expect. A one-on-one, intimate and private relationship with the Creator of the universe, the Savior of the world, our soon coming King, a commitment to commune with Him alone, and a mindset that you are willing to do anything as you seek God about a specific need, is the key to fasting and praying. It’s between you and God – no one else need be involved. Do you have a need of that importance to you today? Are you willing to do whatever it takes to dedicate the time in prayer before God Almighty over that need? What takes place in privacy between you and God, will be rewarded publicly by the King of all kings, according to His promises in His Word!

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, it just rolls off our lips without effort or thought, that we will pray for someone. Oh that we may become a people of sincerity, especially in the matters of prayer. When asked to complete chores at home, we don’t look for excuses or distractions, but we seek to serve one another faithfully as we try to please each other in actions and words. The privilege of spending time with You, Almighty God, is beyond our wildest imagination, for who are we that our Creator, who put us together for His glory, should look on us in tender mercy and listen to our petitions. Please forgive us for our littleness, and our insincerity, and our lack of commitment. Lord, we need You every hour of every day, and often a lot more frequently. Please teach us to pray, and help us to see the urgency of prayer before the only One who could make a difference in our lives. May we be willing to give up the world to meet with You, Heavenly Father. You are the only one who could answer our prayers. May we commit to pray, and in times of our deepest need, may we never hesitate to fast and pray. AMEN!

Kingdom Giving

On By Ed AlgreenIn Give it up, Giving, Rewards, SacrificeLeave a comment

Monday, 2019-01-14

Bible Reference: Matthew 6:3-4
Translation: Easy-to-Read Version (ERV)

Bible Text:  3 So when you give to the poor, don’t let anyone know what you are doing.[a 4 Your giving should be done in private. Your Father can see what is done in private, and he will reward you.

OBSERVATION: I find it fascinating that the Bible gives us direction from our Father on every aspect of life. However, we often hear people say that they don’t want to be told about their giving, because what they give ‘is their business alone’. God is very thorough in His Word though, for he tells us what we should do, even in our giving. Let’s meditate today on this very sensitive aspect of every person’s life.

APPLICATION: This is probably one of the most sensitive matters that a pastor can preach on, as parishioners often allow this subject to not only challenge their hearts, but they tend to start comparing what they give to what they believe others are giving, with hopes that they could feel better about themselves. In the business world, giving to any need in the community is a marketing opportunity, because the business owner wants you to know that they are giving back to the community from all that they make off you, in profits. Of course, this is done to help you feel good about such a company, and therefore spend even more money with them! For individuals, we might often see a case of public display, because some feel good about the public praise they receive wherever they go. So what about the Christian, for that’s what most readers of this blog will look for. I believe there are two aspects that we need to seek God’s guidance on. First of all, how much do we give to the church? I believe it is clear in God’s Word that we should joyously give at least 10% of our gross earthly income, and that it should be given to your local church, with no strings attached. I was once told by an attorney that in my will, I was trying to control well beyond the grave!!! Unfortunately, we tend to think a lot like that when it comes to church finances, for we find fault with how the offerings/funds are being used and, of course, since we have all the right answers (from a distance), we feel like we should designate our giving to make sure it is spent in an area that we feel good about. Friends, giving unconditionally, or to undesignated funds, is the 10% tithe that’s directed in God’s Word. Secondly, we may want to give to a ‘Designated Fund’ such as missions, or any other fund, but that’s over and above your tithe. But why can’t I give my tithe so that ‘Suzi’ could put a roof on her house, you might ask? Why, is there a trust issue with your church’s financial team? Please don’t forget who that team answers to – the same God that you will answer to on Judgment Day. These types of designated giving, or to any other special need that God may place on your heart, these are freewill offerings that you are free to do at will. However, our Scripture today warns us about giving for personal gain, or personal recognition/praise/glory. As a child of God, the only glory that should really matter to us, is the reward mentioned in verse 4 today. No one on earth may ever know what you may have given to various needy people or projects, but to hear the Master tell us how He saw all that we gave, and how proud He was, and is of us, will be worth it all. So when we give my friend, let’s learn to give as unto the Lord. Sure, it may help an earthly need, but only God needs to know that it was us who gave as a result of all that He blessed us with.

PRAYER: For the awesome gifts that You have blessed us with oh Lord, we say thank You. Often we feel so undeserving Oh Lord, but to be able to share those gifts with others in need, is so rewarding. Please speak to my readers, and reemphasize in my life, the importance of helping the needy and giving a committed amount back to You, in return for the 100% earnings that You made possible for me/us. Please continue to bless in the same amazing ways that we can already attest to from past experience. You are our good, good God, to whom we owe our total selves and every blessing that You send our way. Lord, may we follow in Your example and bless others beyond all measure. AMEN!

The Rewards of Faith In God

On By Ed AlgreenIn Faith, Rewards, TrustLeave a comment

Saturday, 2019-01-12

Bible Reference: Genesis 13:1-5
Translation: Living Bible (TLB)

Bible Text: 1-2 So they left Egypt and traveled north into the Negeb—Abram with his wife, and Lot, and all that they owned, for Abram was very rich in livestock, silver, and gold. 3-4 Then they continued northward toward Bethel where he had camped before, between Bethel and Ai—to the place where he had built the altar. And there he again worshiped the Lord. 5 Lot too was very wealthy, with sheep and cattle and many servants.

OBSERVATION: In reading the whole chapter of Genesis 13, I glorified God for all that He rewarded Abram with in verses 14-16, and I would encourage you to read down to at least those verses. You see, in verse 4, Abram had stopped to worship the Lord, in spite of being without a place to call ‘home’ for he and his family. Let’s meditate on our ability, or inability, to worship God in all circumstances of life, especially in those times where it seems like things are not going well for us. How well do we do at that?

APPLICATION: Let’s stop to consider this scenario for a few moments today. Let’s try to place ourselves in Abram’s role and try to imagine what we would’ve done, or perhaps would do, in our current relationship state with God. Abram had just been kicked out of town by Pharoah, and now, with the responsibility of leading his precious family, Abram must find a place to call ‘home’. There is no indication that Abram had any remorse about the situation he found himself in, but he knew that he needed God. But notice the one thing that the Scripture made clear – Abram was very rich in livestock, gold and silver. I live and work in agriculturally rich towns, but I hear repeatedly of people facing similar challenging times in life, regardless of their monetary worth. Friends, we were designed by an awesome God, and if you go back to the beginning chapters of the Bible, you will note that He loved us so much that He provided everything for us to survive, enjoy and be in awe about. We should therefore always remember that, no matter how inflated our bank accounts are, or how big our farms are, we must remember from whence we came, and who exactly gave us the opportunities and blessings of becoming earthly ‘rich’. Often when hard times of health degradation or losing a loved one comes our way, there is no degree of earthly richness that will satisfy our souls. But also be reminded of how awesome our God is, for He saw the faithfulness of Abram; He saw the trust that Abram placed in Him even after he had attained much earthly wealth; He saw the humbleness in Abram, that even though he was the senior member of the family, yet he gave Lot the option of choosing his area of land first, and leaving Abram to settle in the remainder. I feel like often God looks at our choices in circumstances when we think no one is watching, to truly bless us, for He then sees the ‘heart’ of man. Notice in verses 14-16 how God, having recognized the ‘heart’ of Abram, blessed him beyond all measure. Notice that this blessing came even though Abram was not pleading with God for more, more, more. Friends, let us be consistent and persistent in our relationship with God, especially in those times that we can’t see what lies ahead for us. Be reminded that you are a child of the most high God, He loves His children, and He gives His very best for us, just as He did at Calvary. If you have never surrendered Your life to the Lordship of Jesus Christ, may I encourage you to consider that today? It is the one critical means of bringing you into the sonship of the Almighty God. Please don’t delay that decision my friend. Let this be the best day of your life here on earth, as you prepare for eternity!

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, please have Your will and way in the lives of each one reading this devotional today. Just as You presented Abram with unlimited blessings, I believe that You are prepared to bless us with unlimited time with You and the Father. It just doesn’t get any better than that! May You be glorified today in all decisions made for true relationship with You. AMEN!

A Rewarding Faith

On By Ed AlgreenIn Boldness, Faith, Faith in Action, Genuine Faith, RewardsLeave a comment

SCRIPTURE  FROM:   Hebrews 11:6 (TPT)

TEXT:  6 And without faith living within us it would be impossible to please God.[e] For we come to God in faith[f] knowing that he is real and that he rewards the faith of those who give all their passion and strength into seeking him

OBSERVATION:   It is obvious through the list of faith warriors mentioned in this chapter that their faith in God was rewarded in many wonderful and miraculous ways. Wouldn’t it be a great witness for the believer today, who might say to a friend that a miracle occurred in their life, because of their faith in God? Nothing to say lightly, but if you are convinced that it was your faith in God that took you to Him, and it was only because of His touch that you witnessed a miracle in your life, then I feel like it would be quite an experience to especially share with the one who might doubt the existence of God.

APPLICATION:   Ever noticed how exciting it is to someone when their baseball team is playing, or even more so when that team wins? They are ready to tell the world, or at least anyone that will give them three minutes to listen to them! Notice also that they have no problem in telling anyone – even those who might hate baseball, or who might be opposed to the millions of dollars that the players earn! Be sure to also notice how they know the team members so well, that they are willing to bet about how good they will play, or how badly they will beat their opponents they are about to play! Please know that I have nothing against baseball, or the fans that are so faithful to the game, but I want to use that scenario in comparison to a friend who has been touched by God, or who knows the power of God, as evidenced through answered prayer. You see, our Scripture today reminds us that it is a matter of ‘faith’ for us to believe in God, because we have never seen Him in human form. However, we know that God is alive and that He works in and through the lives of those who believe in Him, for they have ‘faith’ to believe that He exists. But meditate for just a minute on the last part of this verse, for the Scripture reminds us that God rewards the one whose passion and strength is devoted to seeking and following Christ. Friends, I believe that others around you will know it, if your passion is to follow Christ, for all they will hear about from you is Christ. I also believe that if you shared with me about the source of your strength to overcome life’s challenges; deal with disappointments; feeling totally loved at times when others feel so alone and abandoned; you will truly get my attention. Why then do we fail so miserably at this? Could it be that we are ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ? Could it be that we are afraid of being condemned by our friends who may not feel the same way that we do? What’s the difference between sharing a personal experience like your relationship with the King of all kings, and in sharing about a baseball team that you have never seen, or shared an experience with? Are we involved enough with God to be rewarded for our faith? I believe that God is waiting for us to truly know and experience Him. I believe that through that experience we will learn to trust Him fully, and that our faith in Him will become richer and fuller. In this chapter of Hebrews, we are all encouraged by the faith seen in our ancestors, and it draws us to a deeper faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. Oh that others will look at us, and to our degree of faith, and be blessed, encouraged and drawn closer to a deeper faith in their Savior! For the believer reading this devotional today, may it be evident to others where our passion is!

PRAYER:   Dearest Lord Jesus, please touch the hearts of those that claim You as Lord and Savior. May we develop a deep passion for You in character, commitment, love for others, service, faith and witness. Lord, may others be drawn to You as a result of our passion, and Your holy presence in our lives. 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 could 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 to subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. If you are anywhere near the Sebring, Florida area and do not have a church home, I would be thrilled to welcome you at Bible Fellowship Church, located at 3750 Hammock Rd, Sebring, FL 33872! 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!

Our Rewards For Doing Good

On By Ed AlgreenIn Commitment, Committed, Rewards, Totally committed, Unconditional commitmentLeave a comment

Post Date:

 Wednesday, 2017-09-20
SCRIPTURE

From:

 Galatians 6:9-10 (GNT)

Text:

 9 So let us not become tired of doing good; for if we do not give up, the time will come when we will reap the harvest. 10 So then, as often as we have the chance, we should do good to everyone, and especially to those who belong to our family in the faith.
OBSERVATION:
Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Paul recognized that the followers at Galatia had become very self-minded, in spite of the dire needs all around them. Paul taught them how serving self,  led to spiritual death, versus helping the needy would please the Spirit and bless them personally with a great harvest. I believe that God wanted this in His Word because He knew that one day we would be very much the same. Let’s dig in….
APPLICATION:
I believe that Satan is just as prevalent today as he has always been, in trying to distract Christians from their personal time with the Lord, and also their corporate time in worship to God, and fellowship with other believers. What this results in, is folk who are either overindulged and/or over over-committed at work, and therefore causes folk to look inward for respite on the weekends. This means that many will only find time for their personal favorite pastimes over the weekend, or who use any excuse at all to avoid outside obligations on their ‘personal time’. That’s when we start using excuses like: Well that’s my only day off, so I had to…..; or that’s my only morning to sleep in, so…..; or I have cheated my spouse and kids of time all week, now it’s their turn. Friends, these sound like reasonable excuses to us, but what do you suppose Jesus might say in response? What if Jesus used excuses like these when he was being led to Calvary to ultimately rescue us from our sin? What if we missed an opportunity to hold the hand of a friend at church and lead them to the altar of salvation? Do you suppose these excuses come from devout Christians who opened the Word each day, and dropped to their knees in prayer before a holy and righteous God before leaving for their busy day? Friends, may I suggest that you look deeply into your heart and your personal relationship with God when you start using excuses to meet with Him, or to help others. Natural disasters such as hurricanes or earthquake really bring people together, and extreme love is shown towards those who were impacted. Churches are often filled when folk feel incapable of helping themselves. Folk call out to God like faithful followers when they feel helpless. Oh that we will always call out to Him each and every day, so that our relationship might grow in Him and be filled with the same characteristics that He displayed while on earth. May that inward excitement overwhelm us and push us towards corporate worship so that we might encourage others and help lead the unsaved to Jesus. May we develop an inward drive to help others, like Jesus did. When we stand before the throne on Judgment Day, may God recognize us as a true and faithful follower who helped many along the way.
PRAYER:
For all You have done for us dear Lord, may we be more diligent and dedicated in our time with You and in displaying Your love through helping others here on earth, for thine is the kingdom, the honor and the glory, 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 could 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 to 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, located at 3750 Hammock Rd, Sebring, FL 33872! 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!

Godly Results from Obedience

On By Ed AlgreenIn Actions, Obedience, RewardsLeave a comment

Monday, August 27, 2017

Scripture

Bible Reference: Proverbs 3:1–4

Bible Text: 1 My child, never forget the things I have taught you. Store my commands in your heart. 2 If you do this, you will live many years, and your life will be satisfying. 3 Never let loyalty and kindness leave you! Tie them around your neck as a reminder. Write them deep within your heart. 4 Then you will find favor with both God and people, and you will earn a good reputation.

Bible Translation: New Living Translation (NLT)

My Take

In our scripture today we are given some pointers on how we might be blessed by God. Let me share these things in a very simple format so that we might easily get the point and begin to align our lives for blessings from our awesome God:

  • ACTION: Never forget the things taught to you by your parents; your Bible School teachers; your Pastors; the Bible. In fact, store those things deep in your heart so that your words, and your actions will reflect what you have stored, and not what the world teaches or expects from you.
    • REWARD: You will live many years, and your life will be satisfying. So many people live in misery, because they have no hope, or because they have caved in to every whim of this world. Let me encourage you to be obedient to the above ‘Action’, and live in expectation of your rewards from God. 
  • ACTION: Be loyal and kind. Some translations also use the characteristic ‘love’. These are so important, that God instructed us through the writer to tie these around our neck and write them deep into our heart. I find that the easiest way for me to do this with a Bible verse, is to type it out and place it on my computer screen, the refrigerator door, or somewhere that will catch my attention throughout my day. To embed these things into our heart is best done through memorization or reading the words repeatedly throughout your day. 
    • REWARD: You will find favor with God and those that you hang around. Your character will then earn you a good reputation by those who know you. I don’t believe there is anything that a Christian would desire more, than to know that our lives are pleasing to God. Re-read the above ‘Action’ and practice it every day friends!

Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank You for giving us Your Word so that we might catch a glimpse of Your heart for us. It is evident that you want so bad for us to succeed in our Christian walk that You have given us everything we need to know about what pleases You. Lord, we long to live in total obedience to You. Please touch our hearts and help us to be strong and determined to shun Satan and to live our lives in total obedience to You. May these commands today impact us so that we might willingly live totally obedient lives to Your will and way. Forgive us Lord for our inadequacies and unwillingness of the past. 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. 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 could 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 www.nuggetsfromgodsword.org and read more, or you may freely to 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, located at 3750 Hammock Rd, Sebring, FL 33872! 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!