Category: Righteous

Embrace Humility: God’s Promise to the Humble

On By Ed AlgreenIn Blinded by Sin, Contrite, Humble, Obedience, Promise, Rewards, Righteous, SinLeave a comment

DATE POSTED
Saturday, November 16, 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 New Living Translation (NLT) and found in Isaiah 66:2-3

THE SCRIPTURE READS
2 My hands have made both heaven and earth; they and everything in them are mine. I, the Lord, have spoken! “I will bless those who have humble and contrite hearts, who tremble at my word.
3 But those who choose their own ways – delighting in their detestable sins – will not have their offerings accepted…..

APPLICATION – as inspired by the Holy Spirit
In our family homes we not only learn what is acceptable behavior to parents, but if they are godly parents, you will also learn what is acceptable to God. Now, over the years I have learned that even the best parents bring along traditions and beliefs from their respective families as well, so I have found that there is no substitute for us to individually build a personal relationship with God so that we could listen to His instructions directly as we meditate on His Word each day. In our Scripture today we can see that God clearly promised the Israelites a reward for their obedience, but a warning to those who chose to ignore His instruction. Let’s look at God’s specific instruction to each of the following positions:
a). Those who have humble and contrite hearts, and tremble at His Word – An individual with a humble heart, will come to the Master empty of any self importance or knowledge, knowing that God is totally supreme, all knowing, and loving. This makes one hungry for what God will instruct them, knowing that it is something they can trust, and that it will be for their own good. One with a contrite heart offers no excuses, and shifts no blame. Remember an old excuse used in our court system by criminals on trial ‘the devil made me do it’! Friends, don’t look around when you approach the throne of God, but rather quickly recognize that you are personally standing before the Creator of all mankind, the earth, and everything in it. This is a time that you want God to see you for who you truly are, not who you wish you could be, or for who you are at work, in your social club, or in this world. Remember, God goes straight for the heart, not for the fluff that everyone else might see or appreciate about you. In my family home, we loved and respected mom, but when dad walked in, we realized that he was the leader of our home and my siblings and I wanted to make sure that he found no fault with our behavior or actions that day. We didn’t literally ‘tremble’ when dad entered, but I believe it is just as God intended in this Scripture: learn to respect, understand, obey and honor the Word of our living God that He made available to us, for knowledge, understanding and guidance all the days of our lives. Many of our national laws were created and implemented, based on the teachings of the Bible, can’t you see the importance of us individually doing the same? THE REWARD: God promised that He would bless Israel if they did the above, and I honestly believe that He will bless us also as we adopt this principles into our lives. Let us strive towards holiness dear friends, and this is fed and achieved through obedience to God and His commands.
b). Those who choose their own ways and delight in their detestable sins – In short, I believe that God is saying that if the Israelites chose to do their own thing and disregard their Creator, then they obviously would see nothing wrong with the sins they had committed, or would commit, and would gloat over their actions before those they governed or came into contact with. There are many we will come into contact with who live out the same lifestyle that God is warning against here. We hear the results of this – ‘if you don’t like my attitude or my ways then move to a different part of town, or to a different job, or even a different church’. They are satisfied with who they have become and they don’t want you, or God, telling them otherwise. BUT, God said that He would not accept their offerings. In the Old Testament this may very well have applied to the many sacrifices/offerings made at the temple for various reasons or sins. Our sacrifices today tend to be the time we sacrifice to attend church occasionally, or the money that we write off against our taxes for giving to a non-profit organization, or even the money that we have our secretary send that big church in town every other month. However, when we do these things with a heart that doesn’t meet the standards mentioned in (a) above, God said that He would not accept them. Ever give someone a gift, and later found that they left it on their desk for anyone to pickup and assume, or they threw it in the trash can? If so, you may have just caught a glimpse of how God feels when we throw material things at Him instead of our heart, mind and soul.
I pray that you will conclude from the above what it is that God is looking for and expecting from you, then ask Him to help you overcome the constraints of the Evil one so that He could pour out His blessings on you. I offer good avenues for help in my below Footnote, should you require help in achieving my suggestion and plea.

PRAYER
Thank You, Lord Jesus, for creating us in Your own image. Although You created us with a specific purpose in mind, yet we have strayed to our own liking and subjected ourselves to the Evil one and his wicked and perverse ways, and they are contrary to Your ways. When our kids do this, we quickly conclude that they must have a ‘devil’ in them, yet it is almost impossible for us to discern the distance we have allowed ourselves to stray from the design and likeness of You, our Maker. Please forgive us Lord and constantly challenge us with our weaknesses so that we may search out the One in whom we can place our faith and trust for strength and power in overcoming our sin and disregard each and every day. You reminded the Israelites of what You require of them, and I’m sure that many will look at that and conclude how awful it was for those evil people to ignore the plea of God, without ever performing a self-examination and seeing our own many faults. I acknowledge that I have strayed from You in many ways on many occasions, so I ask that You begin a new work in me to help me identify those things that separate us and bring contention between us. My readers are much the same, I believe, so I ask that you complete a great work in the lives of ever nationality group reading this devotional, just as You did with the Israelites. Draw us close dear Lord, so that we may present ourselves daily with a humble and contrite heart as we read, respect, acknowledge and obey Your Word. Also, may we, every day, analyze our relationship and renew a right relationship with us, as necessary, so You may be glorified in every way through us. 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!

The Righteous vs The Wicked

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

DATE POSTED: Monday, July 17, 2023, and I was blessed to be at O’Brien, FL when God inspired me to prepare this devotional. My Footnote will tell you how to find, read or listen to any and all episodes that I have shared over the years.

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE FROM THE Amplified Bible (AMP) IS FOUND IN Proverbs 11:18-20

THE BIBLE TEXT IS: The wicked man earns deceptive wages, but he who sows righteousness and lives his life with integrity will have a true reward [that is both permanent and satisfying]. He who is steadfast in righteousness attains life, but he who pursues evil attains his own death. The perverse in heart are repulsive and shamefully vile to the Lord, but those who are blameless and above reproach in their walk are His delight!

MY INITIAL THOUGHTS: If you are anything like me, you might tend to dig deeply for the blessings of the righteous, and that is admirable, I believe. However, I have found that being reminded of the ways of the wicked tend to help me identify any unfavorable traits that may have crept in on me. Let’s invite the Holy Spirit to open our minds to what He would have us learn from today’s Scripture.

APPLICATION OF THE WORD: It is so challenging to see and accept our own failures and mistakes, so I thank God for His Word, where He presents such Scriptures to us as the one spoken through His servant Solomon in the Proverbs. On the surface I see a message in this Scripture for the child of God, and also for those who have chosen to ignore the Almighty God and do life on their own and as they wish. However, in each case these groups of people can look at the opposing alternative and either choose to work towards achieving a holiness that would please God, or a wickedness that they strongly detest and will do everything to avoid. I don’t know that you will find anything new in today’s Scripture, for we all know that the just, or the righteous, the saved, or the child of God will endeavor to live by faith and strive towards obedience to God and a lifetime of righteousness until their Master calls us home to Glory. Our reward for this will be eternity with our Father, His Son and the Holy Spirit. For those who choose to ignore the wonderful love of God and live life in whatever form they choose, they too will face eternity, but with their master – the evil one, Satan, the devil – in Hell. Our Scripture today is a reminder of this, and it adds some indicators that will serve to open our eyes to which eternal destination we are choosing for ourselves. The choice seems way too obvious and amazingly clear to anyone who has a clear and understanding mind about themselves, yet in spite of God’s daily reminders, many choose to follow the wicked way of the evil one. I started this blog, and continue to minister through it each week, so that I might share the impact of the Gospel on my life as I open the pages of the Bible each day. The reason I do this, is because I would rather tell you – my family, friends, coworkers, church attenders and/or those who have deliberately chosen to continue a life of sin, how important it is that you choose life eternal with God, versus the only other alternative. You see, this decision is something that you can change only when you’re alive. I can’t jog your memory after your life comes to a screeching halt here on earth, nor can you decide at that time that you would not like to remain in Hell. Perhaps this one more reminder will impact you in such a way, that may confirm the nagging and persistent words your pastor shared the last time you attended church. Most of us live to achieve more success, more happiness, and more joy in the life we are blessed with. Be reminded dear friend that this desire of yours will be ultimately achieved when you see the face of Jesus and you are welcomed into your eternal home of rest and peace with your Master and Lord. Whatever you do, don’t let the grip of Satan continue in your life, make a decision today to allow Jesus control, so that your future will be secure in the glories of heaven forevermore.

BLESSINGS WORTH NOTING: A life surrendered to the lordship of Jesus Christ brings joy and happiness to the believer on earth and assures them of a future that is ‘out of this world’!

PRAYER BECAUSE OF THE IMPACT OF TODAY’S SCRIPTURE: Thank You Lord Jesus for loving us enough to provide an alternate life to the one we seem to be satisfied in allowing the enemy to control. Lord, we are sick and tired of the actions of the evil one and his cohorts, and we are ready and waiting anxiously for the sweet aromas of heaven and the blessed hope of worshipping you throughout all eternity. For those who can’t be bothered to bring about change in their walk here on earth, please Lord, soften their stubborn hearts once again today, and send a messenger to witness to them so they may be challenged with the ultimate eternity – with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Please touch Your children anew today and help us to love, respect, honor and represent You like we should, even amidst a world filled with the stench of Satan. Lord, we are desperate to see our family and friends reach for the same ending as we are promised in being Your child. Please help us to do a better job in witnessing and acting like You, so that they would see Jesus through Your saints, and then have a growing desire to adopt the same change in their own life. For Yours is the kingdom, the power and the glory for ever and ever, AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: There’s another page on my website, entitled ‘To Know Jesus’. If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading or listening to this devotional, please go to this page, or speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. Please allow someone to pray with you and give you help and/or encouragement as you begin or continue your walk with Jesus. If 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. For my podcast, go online to Apple Podcasts or, using the Apple Podcast app, simply search for Nuggets From God’s Word to hear more episodes, or click ‘Follow’ to be notified of Podcast updates. Friends, please allow me to 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!

Rewards For The Righteous

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

DATE POSTED: Saturday, June 10, 2023, and I was blessed to be at O’Brien, FL when God inspired me to prepare this devotional. My Footnote will tell you how to find, read or listen to any and all episodes that I have shared over the years.

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE FROM THE Amplified Bible (AMP) IS FOUND IN Proverbs 10:30-32

THE BIBLE TEXT IS: The [consistently] righteous will never be shaken, But the wicked will not inhabit the earth. The mouth of the righteous flows with [skillful and godly] wisdom, But the perverted tongue will be cut out. The lips of the righteous know (speak) what is acceptable, But the mouth of the wicked knows (speaks) what is perverted (twisted).

MY INITIAL THOUGHTS: God caught my attention today as I studied in the NLT where ‘The righteous’ was referred to as ‘The godly’. As I prepare my notes for publishing my thoughts, I often think about what a non-believer must think who happens across my Nuggets from the Word of God. So I spent some time studying and thinking about what the Bible means when it refers to ‘The godly’, or as the Amplified and several other versions refer to this cross-section of people as – ‘The righteous’. I believe that God might challenge you today as you meditate on the remainder of this devotional with me.

APPLICATION OF THE WORD: The NLT (New Living Translation) refers to ‘the godly’, and I was amazed to discover a meaning of: ‘someone or something as having a religious character, being devout, and conforming to the laws and wishes of God. It can also refer to something that comes from God or is divine. Godliness is more than just external behaviors; it is an inward devotion to God that is outwardly displayed‘. The AMP version that I used above refers to ‘The righteous person’, and I believe that the above description also describes the person who has placed their life under the complete lordship of Jesus Christ, and who strives daily to live a life that is ‘right with God’, and living in obedience to the life and teachings of Jesus Christ, as detailed in His Word. Because of the struggles that Christians sometime feel like they are going through, I believe there exists a certain amount of doubt about the true value of being a Christian, or a godly person, or ‘righteous’ in God’s view. However, if you would take a few minutes to read this short chapter in Proverbs, I believe your eyes might be opened to the 11 times that Solomon explained how he felt the godly, or righteous person is benefited, or blessed by Almighty God. From our finances, to our nutritional needs, to the value of the words we speak, to our earnings, etc. This wise man of God also compared in each example how the children of Satan would struggle in each area that God’s children are blessed. I believe that today we should be consciously looking closer at the many ways that Christians are blessed in so many areas, compared to their worldly, unsaved, evil counterparts. Friends, we are children of the Creator of this universe; the One who offered salvation for even sinners who are so undeserving of such wondrous blessings; the King who rules above all kings and lords. We are a blessed people, and the best is yet to come, for when we leave this world behind, we are welcomed into the glories of heaven. What about you dear Christian friend, are you living today as one who has this kind of assurance and a future that is out of this world? What about you, dear one who has chosen death over life; Hell over Heaven; Satan over Father, Son and Holy Spirit? As long as you have life, you can still choose ‘life’ over death and Jesus over Satan. It’s up to you precious friend. Live today with the security of your future being in Jesus Christ! There are helpful tips in my Footnote to guide you in changing the trajectory of your life! Please do the smart thing today!

BLESSINGS WORTH NOTING: Having a mouth filled with wisdom, tells me that the world is watching and listening to the child of God. Let’s be so attuned to the Word of God that we will never disappoint the world in hearing true wisdom, as if directly from God.

PRAYER BECAUSE OF THE IMPACT OF TODAY’S SCRIPTURE: Thank You Lord Jesus for blessing us way more than we could ever imagine, or deserve. Please work in us and keep us near the cross where your mercies and grace will always fill our hearts and impact our lives. May the meditation of my heart, and the words from my mouth be used by those who hear them, better know and accept You as Lord and Savior. Please continue to bless us, and always use us for Your glory. AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: There’s another page on my website, entitled ‘To Know Jesus’. If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading or listening to this devotional, please go to this page, or speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. Please allow someone to pray with you and give you help and/or encouragement as you begin or continue your walk with Jesus. If 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. For my podcast, go online to Apple Podcasts or, using the Apple Podcast app, simply search for Nuggets From God’s Word to hear more episodes, or click ‘Follow’ to be notified of Podcast updates. Friends, please allow me to 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!

Personal Righteousness

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

DATE POSTED: Wednesday, 2023-03-01
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Psalm 141:3-4
TRANSLATION: The Voice (VOICE)

BIBLE TEXT: 3 Guard my mouth, O Eternal One; control what I say. Keep a careful watch on every word I speak.
4 Don’t allow my deepest desires to steer me toward doing what is wrong or associating with wicked people or joining in their wicked works or tasting any of their pleasures.

OBSERVATION: Although you could never be God, I wonder what you would want to see differently in me, or others around you! What kind of list might I create for self-correction! In being reminded of the holy and righteous God that we serve, I wonder what our list would be to better align ourselves with His righteousness? Obviously, David found himself in an environment where he could speak to God about his inadequacies. As you meditate on this today, think about where, when and how you will find peace and quiet for your time with God, so that you could truly hear Him.

APPLICATION: Not sure about you, but when considering my strengths and weaknesses, I sometimes wonder how on earth a holy and righteous God would ever consider having a relationship with me. I’ve never been to prison, or even hauled down to the Police station for questioning, but when I look at my list of things that I fall short on, it becomes frightening to think that I could ever be worthy of a perfect God’s love. I believe the difference between David and myself is that David spoke to God as one who knew every little detail about his character and his heart. It’s when we approach God about our sin, while thinking that our actions are a surprise to Him, or a disappointment that may cause Him to turn away from us. In other words, we may feel like there is something that we’ve hidden from Him, until that very moment. Is it any wonder that we shy away from wanting to be in His presence and seek His forgiveness? But somehow, I believe that David was very much at ease in speaking with God on almost any occasion and no matter where he was at. Paul exemplified similar behavior in the relationship he enjoyed with the Master, remember in prison? But notice how David zoned in on the most important parts of his body that tend to get all of us in trouble – the mouth and the heart – our desires. These things will kill the spirit in a church, cause pastors to give up their ministry out of despair, thinking that Satan is just too busy and active among the members. Unfortunately, even though church leadership may feel like the arguments and internal fighting happens behind closed doors, it is very obvious to the visitor who is spiritually led and dependent on the Holy Spirit. David had many who were out to get him as a leader. I believe that in his humble spirit, he was asking God to help him be an imitator of his Creator to even those out to break his spirit and his will. I believe it is a built-in reaction for us to snap back and say inappropriate things when others try to destroy us. Oh, for the heart of David to ask God for power to respond like He would – in love, compassion and after God’s own heart – even towards those whom Satan is leading to destroy us.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Having a heart pleasing to God, is one that is filled with His righteousness and a humbleness – a heart willing to ask for that help and strength from God. May it be so today for the one who knows Jesus as Lord and seeking to live in His righteousness. And for the one who is led by Satan, may the tug on their heart overwhelm their decision to follow Jesus, as Lord and King of their life.

PRAYER: Precious Lord, only You truly know our heart and the pull of Satan in trying to destroy Your soldiers of the cross while trying to live on this earth. I believe You designed us to be dependent on You, Lord, so please give us extra strength each day, and place within us a desire to seek Your face and Your guiding hand to help us through this life while promoting Your kingdom in every way possible. Satan has tugged at the unsaved and kept them walking down a path that’s far away from the way of the cross. It’s a heart matter for those who choose to follow in an opposite path to that which leads to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, so please consider touching the hearts of those we love and care about yet distracted by Satan. May this be the day that they sing out their need for a Savior, and may they turn from their sin and follow you with all their heart, soul and mind. 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!

Rewards For Seeking Righteousness and Purity

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Praise, Purity, Recognize God, Righteous, Righteous Living, Righteousness, Worship1 Comment

DATE POSTED Monday, 2022-09-12
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: 2 Samuel 22:21-25
TRANSLATION: The Voice (VOICE)

BIBLE TEXT: 21     The Eternal One rewarded me because I sought righteousness;
        He rewarded me because I kept my hands clean.
22     He rewarded me because I kept the ways of the Eternal
        and have not walked away from my True God in wickedness.
23     For all His laws were there before me,
        and I did not push His statutes away.
24     I made myself blameless before Him;
        I kept myself from guilt and shame.
25     That’s why the Eternal has rewarded me for seeking righteousness;
        He’s rewarded me because He sees I have remained pure.

APPLICATION: Standing before the righteous God of this universe and presenting yourself as innocent, pure and righteous is a bold step. For God knows: every word we speak, and the underlying thoughts while saying those words; every action we perform and the, often, ulterior motives we sometimes have for our actions; and every thought that we have, whether acted upon or not. Many of us have pretty much perfected the way that we present ourselves to the public, for we have a certain image that we want them to see in us, but God knows our heart, soul and mind. In fact, the closer we get to God, the more we become aware of how far we have drifted away from Him; how our attitudes suck; how many of our actions are probably frowned upon by God. But Satan is good at promoting these reasons right in our face whenever we even think we are righteous, innocent or pure in the sight of God. This is where we could then do like Jesus did on the mountain when tempted by Satan, we could quote 2 Corinthians 5:21 or Revelation 12:10, that assures us that we are righteous because of Jesus Christ, our Savior, who was perfect in every way. Friends, I don’t believe that we could ever be used wholeheartedly by God in this world until we have developed a deep relationship with God and acknowledge that it is only because of the righteousness of Jesus Christ that we could ever be righteous. So whenever you are questioned about your claim to righteousness, say what David taught us in verse 22 above: Praise God, I have not walked away from the true righteousness of God! I believe it is more important today than ever before that we determine in our hearts who we will follow for the rest of our days on earth, then seek the help of God to carry out our desire to serve Him faithfully throughout all eternity. As stated above, God knows all about us, but of equal importance is that others here on earth are watching. Your actions will help them decide their course of action for their lives. I pray that they will see enough of Jesus in you, and they will determine in their heart to surrender lordship of their life to Jesus and seek to serve Him until the end of time here.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: It is only because of Jesus that we could ever be considered righteous in the sight of God! Praise God for getting my attention and drawing me to His Son for forgiveness of my sin! Praise God, I’m redeemed, saved and considered righteous by Him!

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, You opened the doors of heaven for us, and we are forever thankful for that. We praise You for such awesome examples as David, to whom You portrayed Yourself powerfully. Like David, I pray that we will stop for a few minutes of our busy lives each day to commune with You, through intake from Bible study, and through output in prayer and communication with You. We have so much to praise You for Lord, but living in this world gives us urgency of need, encouragement, reassurance, wisdom and love from You each and every day. Lord, we want to be just like You in our speech, attitude, thought and actions, and we can only do that by fully acknowledging the source of our power and righteousness on a regular basis. We humble ourselves at Your feet, Lord, and we stand ready and willing to accept Your direction, so that the lost will see Jesus in action every time they make contact with 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 Righteous Person

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

DATE POSTED Saturday, 2022-06-11
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Psalm 37:30-31
TRANSLATION: GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)

BIBLE TEXT: 30 The mouth of the righteous person reflects on wisdom. His tongue speaks what is fair. 31 The teachings of his God are in his heart. His feet do not slip.

APPLICATION: I wonder if, in the eyes of a stranger, they would know who our Master is? Who or what drives us and influences our decisions. If they met us for the first time while we were stressed to the limit, would they recognize who is influencing our defiance, or our calm spirit, even in the midst of our ‘storm’? The Psalmist reminds us that our mouth will reflect the wisdom of the One we claim as our Master; our tongue will speak out of fairness if we claim the only true and fair God as our Lord and Savior. He goes on to give us the reason why these good things gloriously occur in our lives – because of the teachings of our God that we have allowed to indwell our hearts and control our very lives. David declared that when we allow such an influence in our lives, we stand on a solid footing and our lives will reflect the God in whom we place our faith and our trust. Friends, our lives will reflect the One in whom we place our faith and our trust. The decisions that we make and the words that we speak will be a reflection of the teachings that we have permitted to dwell deep within our hearts and souls. If we fill ourselves with evil and the things of this world, then we will make decisions based on those bad ideas and evil principles. If, however, we have filled our lives with the things of Christ, His words, His example and His character will influence the decisions we make and the words we speak. Please allow me to be the first to tell you today that the world is carefully watching you, and they are ready to jump on you with great judgment when they see you acting contrary to what they expect from a Christian. So I believe our challenge is, that when we react to a situation, we must ensure that our words and actions are aligned with Christ. This will convince the unsaved who may want to know the Source of our wisdom, our good judgment, our love for others, and our careful use of words, that the Holy Spirit resides inside of us and directs us to be good representatives of our Master. That’s the only way that we will fulfill His purpose, and help the unsaved to know Jesus. Preaching to them, or at them, will have minimal impact on them, compared to what they experience from our words and through our actions. i believe another way of saying what David shared is: Because of our sure footing in the Lord Jesus Christ, we stand firm in the will and ways of the One we serve. To see and hear us, is to see and hear Jesus! God being our helper in every situation of life!

PRAYER: Dearest Lord Jesus, please help us to be more like You in every phase of our life. We know that Your ways are perfect, and that we will only reflect the attitude and character of the One that we love, adore and serve. Please inspire the lives of my readers and myself, so that others will see Jesus in everything we do or say. It’s all about You dear Lord, Oh that we may be a living example of You in every day and in every way. 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 Be Considered ‘Righteous’ By God

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

DATE POSTED Friday, 2022-03-25
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Romans 4:20-25
TRANSLATION: New Living Translation (NLT)

BIBLE TEXT: 20 Abraham never wavered in believing God’s promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God. 21 He was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever he promises. 22 And because of Abraham’s faith, God counted him as righteous. 23 And when God counted him as righteous, it wasn’t just for Abraham’s benefit. It was recorded 24 for our benefit, too, assuring us that God will also count us as righteous if we believe in him, the one who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. 25 He was handed over to die because of our sins, and he was raised to life to make us right with God.

APPLICATION: On the basis of our Scripture, if you believe Jesus was raised from the dead, you are exercising the same quality of faith as did Abraham—a hero of faith. Think about that – at age 86, Abraham was informed by God that he would have a child later in life! Sounds almost like a joke to us today, right? But like Mary did when she was told she would be the mother of Jesus, Abraham just pondered these things in his mind. My friends, if God says it, we could believe it! Think about the pressure you might be under at this time, or the problems you might be facing, they’re nothing in comparison to the incredible faith you have already demonstrated in and through the precious name of Jesus Christ. Once a believer grasps the fact that he’s already done the hard stuff—that his belief in the Resurrection sets him apart as a hero of faith—then any other pressure or problem is a piece of cake, minute in comparison to the fact that he has already embraced the victories of the impossible. Now, if you’re a believer, your faith and salvation are based upon the Resurrection. You didn’t see it visually. You haven’t touched Jesus physically. You haven’t heard His voice audibly—but somehow you believe it. And, even though our culture mocks it, science disputes it, people doubt it—because God has graced you with faith to believe what the world doesn’t understand—anything else you’re struggling with is easy and stress-free. Compared to believing in the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, it is nothing to believe in victory over whatever giant is before you, or whatever pressure is upon you! God knew from the very beginning of time, how challenging it would be for us to wrap our tiny brains around the idea of being righteous, like Abraham was righteous, and like Jesus was righteous. He gave us these two as mentors in the faith, but He also gave us His Word so that we might consider all things, to help remind us of His power, and the grace that He bestows on us each and every day. Jesus was the righteous Son of God. Abraham was considered righteous because of his faith, and so can we follow in Abraham’s footsteps because of our faith. How are you doing with that dear reader and/or listener?

BLESSING(S) NOTED: That mere man can be found ‘righteous’ before a holy and righteous God.

PRAYER: Who are we that a King would live and die for? Who are we that a Savior would consider ‘righteous’ while here on earth? What a blessed people we are, that God sent His one and only Son to die, so that we who believe on Him might live righteously as we anxiously await our heavenly home! Lord You are good, and Your mercies endures forever and forever! You worked miraculously in Abraham’s life, and You have been so gracious to us also. Thank You dear Lord! Please continue Your hand upon us so that others may see Jesus and want to know You personally. 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!

Your Righteousness in God’s Sight

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

DATE POSTED Monday, 2021-12-27
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: 2 Samuel 22:21-25
TRANSLATION: New International Version (NIV)

BIBLE TEXT: 21 “The Lord has dealt with me according to my righteousness;  according to the cleanness of my hands he has rewarded me.
22 For I have kept the ways of the Lord; I am not guilty of turning from my God.
23 All his laws are before me; I have not turned away from his decrees.
24 I have been blameless before him and have kept myself from sin.
25 The Lord has rewarded me according to my righteousness, according to my cleanness in his sight.

APPLICATION: I remember as a teenager I went home for lunch, and wanted to return to school early, so that I could play with the other kids before school resumed for the afternoon session. Mom reluctantly allowed me to return early, provided that I assured her of my good behavior until the official start of afternoon school. Saying ‘yes’ to mom allowed me to get I wanted, so I ran to school. After much hard playing, I fell and cut my arm open on a broken bottle. Right away I concluded that I could not go home to mom, who didn’t want me to return to school early anyway, so I went to a favorite aunt who patched me up. Upon arriving home after school that afternoon, it was comical to see how I tried to hide my arm behind my back so mom wouldn’t see my mishap!! Doesn’t that remind us how it will be when we walk before the King of all kings? But I was amazed by David in our Scripture today, for he knew that he was guiltless and could therefore approach God boldly, and he would be considered righteous before God. Of course this made me ponder how the guilty, and the non-guilty would do in their approach with God, for you see – He not only knows about those things we fell like the world knows, but He also knows about those things we thought were hidden from everyone else, plus God knows our very thoughts and ill feelings that we harbor against our neighbors/friends. So, surely God would not have us live in such misery and die in shame, would He? It is clear from all that God did for us that He would rather do just the opposite. We just celebrated the birth of God’s precious Son that He miraculously sent to earth to save us from our sin and the guilt associated with our sin. This gift was not just made available to the best of mankind – those who try to obey every law and be gracious to every neighbor. But God’s gift, Jesus, is available to ALL who believe on Him. In John 3:16 we are told that ALL who believe on Jesus, will have everlasting, or eternal, life! For the one who accepts this gift, and the promise of the Father associated with this gift, we become righteous just as He is. We then become just like David, where we could praise God every day for the freedom we have in standing before Him as a righteous son or daughter. Friends, it is possible, but only through the wonderful work of Jesus. Without accepting the gift of God, we are unrighteous, and deserve the only alternative destination – Hell. What’s your destiny – heaven, or hell? It depends on whether you are righteous (because of Jesus), or if you are unrighteous? You determine, my friend!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: David was convinced that God saw him blameless because he had kept himself from sin, and that He consequently had rewarded him for his righteousness. Wow, we too could be that confident and assured before God!

PRAYER: Lord, I believe that You designed us with our own guilt meter! For we know full well when we decidedly disobey Your commands and Your will for our lives. This has sometimes led to our hearts being hardened, and our minds being buried in total guilt. Please Lord, direct us to Your Word daily, and help us to stay focused on what You would have us do each day. For I believe that this is what leads us into ministering to others and encouraging them to look towards the Kingdom, where only You could cleanse us of our sin and make us righteous in Your sight. The lost is looking for Your followers who exemplify You in every way. May we be true to our calling and allow You to have Your will and way in our lives everyday, so that Your ministry might be fulfilled even through humble men and women who love and serve You. 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!

No One Likes Separation

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Righteous, Separation, Worship2 Comments

DATE WRITTEN: Friday, 2021-07-02
WRITTEN AT: Gallup, NM

SCRIPTURE FROM: Matthew 13:47-50
TRANSLATION: The Voice (VOICE)

BIBLE TEXT: 47 Or think of it this way: the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was cast into the sea, a net that caught a world of flickering fish. 48 When the net was full, the fishermen hauled it to shore. They separated the good fish from the bad, placing the good fish in a bucket and throwing out the inedible fish. 49 That is what the end of time will be like. The heavenly messengers will separate the good from the bad, the righteous from the wicked, the repentant from the prideful, the faithful from the hard-hearted. 50 The bad, the wicked, the prideful, and the hard-hearted will be thrown into the fiery furnace where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth.

APPLICATION: In preparing for a fun time of volleyball, we ache when the team captains pick their teams, and we are the last to be chosen. We feel like there is something about us that didn’t catch the fancy of the team captains. But what if we were rejected? Imagine neither team captain wanting us on their team? I believe that everyone knows that the world was created by God, and that He also created each of us. So why then might God accept one into His Kingdom when we leave this world, but not accept another? There’s no need for guessing, my friend, God kept nothing secret from us. He inspired great writers/saints to record His teachings and His commands, so that we will not be caught off guard or claim that we didn’t know. Our Scripture today is very clear when It says that at a time known only by God Himself, the angels will be instructed by God to separate the righteous from those who have chosen to reject Jesus. I know, you immediately shouted back as you read this or heard this in my podcast, that you never rejected Christ. Please allow me to clarify this dilemma for you. In God’s Word, He acknowledged creating you, but He said that when you come to an age of understanding, you will learn that God sent His Son, Jesus, for the purpose of saving mankind from their sin, and for those who accept Him as Lord and Savior, they will assume the righteousness of Christ. So if you have not seen the need to make that step, you are considered to be living under the power of sin, and sin is not permitted in Heaven. There will come a day when you will meet God, but there will not be an opportunity to explain your decision, or have your attorney represent you before God. You see, God knows everything about us – even our thoughts, so He knows that you are not washed in the blood of His Son, Jesus. There is no holding place. You will either be ushered into heaven, or directed to the Evil Place – Hell. Notice that Jesus helped the unsaved understand what to expect in Hell. He used such words as: fiery place; furnace; weeping; grinding/gnashing of teeth; etc. In other words, Hell is not a place you would choose for your next vacation, so why settle for spending eternity there? Friends, please consider never being rejected again. Ready yourself for heaven, with the One who created you. If interested in doing that today, please read my Footnote, especially the Scripture included in the link ‘To Know Jesus’. You may also want to speak with a local Bible teaching pastor, and/or contacting me by email. I would love to introduce you to my Savior, and pray with you about this most important decision.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: God has a place prepared for those who have accepted His Son Jesus, and I believe He is longing to welcome us home! Because I believe that Judgment Day is very near, I believe that God has blessed you with one more opportunity to accept Jesus – TODAY! Please?

PRAYER: We go to extremes in preparing for a special day, and we are so very excited for that day to arrive. Lord, I want to always be that excited on the day you take me out of this world to spend eternity with You! I am so troubled over my friends who have chosen to accept the pitfalls of Hell and the awful snares of the Evil One. Please Lord, place such an urgency in my heart for my family and friends that I would do my part to encourage their decision. I would also ask that You do the same for all of my readers who share this concern today. Lord, be glorified in us today, and touch all those that we come into 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!

Don’t Cheat

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

DATE WRITTEN: Thursday, 2020-12-31
WRITTEN AT: Paul B Johnson State Park, Hattiesburg, MS

BIBLE REFERENCE: Malachi 2:13-16
TRANSLATION: The Message (MSG)

BIBLE TEXT: 13-15 And here’s a second offense: You fill the place of worship with your whining and sniveling because you don’t get what you want from God. Do you know why? Simple. Because God was there as a witness when you spoke your marriage vows to your young bride, and now you’ve broken those vows, broken the faith-bond with your vowed companion, your covenant wife. God, not you, made marriage. His Spirit inhabits even the smallest details of marriage. And what does he want from marriage? Children of God, that’s what. So guard the spirit of marriage within you. Don’t cheat on your spouse.
16 “I hate divorce,” says the God of Israel. God-of-the-Angel-Armies says, “I hate the violent dismembering of the ‘one flesh’ of marriage.” So watch yourselves. Don’t let your guard down. Don’t cheat.

OBSERVATION: I believe that God blessed me with the best wife, when we made our vows before Him on November 7, 1975. I believe that God has also blessed our work for Him over the years, and in the daughter He blessed us with. But little did I realize the full extent of this Scripture, until today. Please know that I am not here to criticize anyone whose marriage fell by the wayside, but I thought it important that we see what the Word of God says about this important aspect of two lives becoming one in holy matrimony.

APPLICATION: I don’t believe that things have changed very much at all. Malachi dealt with the whining and complaining of the Jews on why they were feeling so empty in their worship to God. Malachi, in speaking the word of the Lord, immediately recognized that something was blocking the communion of the saints with their Father as they worshipped. Isn’t it interesting how still today we could go through the motions, but yet feel very empty inside, as if we never truly worshipped? You see, we might take off the dirty filthy clothes worn all week and we may put on our very best clothes, but will that truly bring us close to God? We might attend the biggest and best rated church in town, or we may decide to visit a small, quaint, secluded church that claims to have the best pastor, but in either case we could very easily leave as empty as when we walked in, even though we were convinced that God was just not there. We may decide to get involved at our church – singing in the choir, helping in a Bible Study class, or working with the children, but yet we might drown in our sorrows, feeling like we have not connected with God. Obviously we must know that God never reneges on His Word. He said that He would be with us through every stage of life and be there to accept us as we leave this world, so what might trick our brains into thinking that we have a disconnect between us and God? Friends, God made it clear in His word that He will not reside where sin is, and He will not approve of sin in any form, for He has never sinned, nor will He ever sin, seeing that He is the righteous Son of God. We may immediately think of sin, like we see in our neighbor or our friend, but in our example today of how sin could separate us from God, Malachi dealt with divorce – breaking the covenant agreement made between a man and a woman in the presence of the Almighty. Friends, our fleshly minds will tell us that everything we did was legal, and furthermore we even had a Notary pronounce our wedding vows. I’m sure that makes you feel that your actions are therefore more legitimate because of that, but because we are talking about a right relationship with God, I believe it behooves us to think about how our relationship was injured when we totally ignored the covenant we made with Him and our spouse. Why do you suppose this is important to God? He became a party to our vows and He blessed our union with our spouse, so that we could produce godly children. So through divorce, we not only broke our covenant agreement with God, but we also made it impossible to give Him what He desired from us – godly children. Without looking down my nose in the slightest at any divorcee, let me just say that God’s Word is exactly that – it’s His Word, and not mine. I am merely the messenger reminding you of what the Word has to say about everything – today being about marriage. Please read the Word of God and endeavor to live by it, God being your helper. Take your petitions before God and seek His forgiveness, guidance and His perfect will for your life.

PRAYER: Precious Lord, thank You for making us in Your own image. We were placed here on earth being weak and fully susceptible to sin. You are the only One without sin, and You are the only One to whom we must give an account of what we have done with all You have blessed us with. Unfortunately we have messed up a lot, and it is so challenging to approach Your throne in such an ugly, sinful manner. But praise be to the Father, You are the only One capable of forgiving us of our sin and making us right with You and the Father. Please renew within us a right spirit and a righteous and holy respect for You in every phase of life – one that You could use to bless others who need an example to follow. Oh that You may be lifted up, magnified and praised today because someone may have realized their need for a Savior. AMEN!

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