Category: Seek God First

Leaders Needed Who Will Seek God

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Seek God First, Seek God's Face, Seeking God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Wednesday, 2023-01-25
WRITTEN AT: Live Oak, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: 1 Chronicles 14:9-11; 13-14;
TRANSLATION: New Living Translation (NLT)

BIBLE TEXT: 9 The Philistines arrived and made a raid in the valley of Rephaim. 10 So David asked God, “Should I go out to fight the Philistines? Will you hand them over to me?” The Lord replied, “Yes, go ahead. I will hand them over to you.” 11 So David and his troops went up to Baal-perazim and defeated the Philistines there. “God did it!” David exclaimed. “He used me to burst through my enemies like a raging flood!” ….  13 … after a while the Philistines returned and raided the valley again. 14 And once again David asked God what to do. “Do not attack them straight on,” God replied. “Instead, circle around behind and attack them near the poplar trees.

APPLICATION: I found it interesting that within just a few verses, God chose to show us that there are times when He will agree with our decisions, but also times when He will not – due to circumcisions beyond our ability to know or understand. What then is our responsibility in these scenarios? I believe it is important for us to first of all remind ourselves why we seek the face of God in the first place. If we know what needs to be done, and we feel empowered to carry out the necessary actions, then why seek God’s approval? Fortunately, our scenarios fall into the same category as our tomorrows, and a song was written to help remind us exactly who knows about tomorrow. Listen to that song while you meditate on the remainder of this devotional – I don’t know about tomorrow! If we know there will be a ‘tomorrow’, and if we know what will transpire tomorrow, then we can say precisely what we will do tomorrow. If we knew that, unlike this story of David, God would always agree with our decisions, then we could feel safe and secure in proceeding into tomorrow as we decide to. If we knew that there was no one, or anything out there bigger or more powerful than us, then we would feel honored to tell our servants, armies or helpers to proceed with the actions we command. But the mentioned ‘if statements’ are huge, and something we will never know for certain. You see, David knew that no matter how close he was to God, he still couldn’t take God’s place in knowing whether he and his army could win over the Philistines or whether this was the right time to enter into battle against them. He remembered that it was from the Philistines that the giant came and held back a whole army of men. David was also smart enough to know that because God agreed for him to fight the Philistines, and win the battle at Baal-perazim, that God didn’t also give him approval to go into battle in the Valley at a later date, knowing that the same approval was still good for that battle. God gives permission for us to proceed with a request at the time, and for the purpose of our request, only. For we could never handle knowing what tomorrow will bring. At work, new circumstances will require new approval under the current circumstances. So, it is with God. I believe it is evident that David was under no pressure or worrying himself to death, when he sought God’s approval to battle with the Philistines. And while this could speak volumes to our daily decisions, my heart became burdened for our leaders as I read this account. Not just political leaders, but think of parents, teachers, pastors, youth leaders, local government officials and yes, parliamentary and national government leaders. What if we elected leaders who would study the effect of David’s practices and follow his lead in seeking the face of God, before making decisions – many of which are being made blindly, with no idea of what impact the decisions would have on their subjects. Perhaps this is why the Word of God states ‘Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you’. What if we had that phrase as our national motto that all leaders and subjects will follow? I bet we will gain the respect of all other nations, for they will recognize that our leader is God Almighty! But let’s start at the very beginning – who is your personal leader? Our national leaders will only practice what they believed and practiced in their prime years of life, If God was their leader in their youth, then they will lightly look to Him as an adult and as a leader of many.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Take it to the Lord in prayer. As we do, we can relax and expect His decision to guide us into all truth and every success of life!

PRAYER: At the dawn of another day, we approach Your throne knowing that we want to accomplish a lot today, but in our own power we know that ‘man plans and God laughs’, because we have no idea what today or tomorrow holds. So Lord, I believe that my readers and listeners will gladly join with me in asking that You guide us in the path You would have us go today where the greatest impact may occur for Your kingdom’s sake. Without Christ, we are no different to all other men. But in the power, wisdom and truth of our Lord and Savior, we can proceed knowing that greater is He that is in our hearts than he that is in the world. You’ve got the whole world in Your hands, please help us to enter into that world knowing that you’re in control and that we must follow Your commands and Your directions so that we might accomplish Your will. As we pray for our leaders, may our families, churches, cities and our nation become stronger as a result of allowing You to guide and direct, and may Your people live in peace until You call us home to our final home with You and the Father! 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!

Who Is In First Place?

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

DATE POSTED Monday, 2023-01-09
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Colossians 1:15; 17-19
TRANSLATION: Living Bible (TLB)

BIBLE TEXT: 15 Christ is the exact likeness of the unseen God. He existed before God made anything at all,….
17 He was before all else began and it is his power that holds everything together. 18 He is the Head of the body made up of his people—that is, his Church—which he began; and he is the Leader of all those who arise from the dead, so that he is first in everything; 19 for God wanted all of himself to be in his Son.

APPLICATION: When churches are hurting financially, you might hear a pastor share a challenge where congregants are challenged to examine their checkbooks and determine where their priorities lie. New pastors coming into a church will do the same thing, they will examine the budget of a church and look for the priorities of that church. In reflecting over the past year, this past Sunday, or at the end of each day, what do you suppose that God would see as your priority in life? Perhaps for a great self-evaluation, it may be a great idea to do this every day! When things are not going as well as you had hoped, it may be best to do some inner reflection to discern whether you have taken the wheel of life from God and trying to do things on your own. While I believe that our Scripture is drawing us to an understanding that Jesus was first to experience everything, and His rightful place is to be first in everything we encounter in life, I believe God also wants us to be sure to place Jesus first in our lives, first in our marriages, first in our children, first in our finances, first in our church, first in our jobs and first in our friendships. When this happens, we are more apt to show the world that before all else, Jesus was! As for our personal lives, the world will only be impacted when the see what type of Christian we are and they experience the evidence that Jesus was, is, and will be first in everything we do and speak. In other words, if you expect to be around me, you will see and hear that Jesus is first. But while this will come with rejoicing at times, this commitment and display of godly behavior will come with many challenges, for this will upset Satan, and he will set his followers in motion to destroy us and challenge our faith. Remember, Jesus responded to Satan with the Scriptures, so arm yourself with the same, and you face Satan head on today.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: God wanted all of Himself to be in His Son (vs 19), and I believe that Jesus wants all of Himself to be in us. Is He welcome, and will He find a holy space in which to reside?

PRAYER: Thank You Lord Jesus for creating us in Your image, sending Your Son so that we could enter the portals of heaven, and for Your precious Word to show us Your will for our lives. You knew the struggle we would face here on earth, so You allowed Your Son to experience many of the challenges that we face. However, we now have an advocate who sits at Your right hand in glory petitioning for us. Jesus set the stage for us, and He left us His example as our guide. Please continue to impress upon us the importance of allowing Jesus to be first in our lives. May Your Word always be first and a priority in our daily lives so that we could hear Your voice and receive Your guidance in this life. Lord, be glorified in and through me today. Let others see Jesus when they interact with me, so that their eyes may be turned towards You as they seek Your face. Touch the lives of unbelievers today, especially those in our realm of family and friends, and also the same for my readers and listeners. 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!

Find Strength In The Lord Your God

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Seek God First, Strength, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Wednesday, 2021-11-10
WRITTEN AT: Ormond Beach, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: 1 Samuel 30:6-8
TRANSLATION: Contemporary English Version (CEV)

BIBLE TEXT: 6 David was desperate. His soldiers were so upset over what had happened to their sons and daughters that they were thinking about stoning David to death. But he felt the Lord God giving him strength, 7 and he said to the priest, “Abiathar, let’s ask God what to do.”Abiathar brought everything he needed to get answers from God, and he went over to David. 
8 Then David asked the Lord, “Should I go after the people who raided our town? Can I catch up with them?”
“Go after them,” the Lord answered. “You will catch up with them, and you will rescue your families.”

APPLICATION: In times of desperation, I believe that we tend to respond in ways that our audience at the time expects. If we are around church, we may implore the prayers of our pastor or perhaps an elder of the church, for we tend to feel like they have an intimate connection with God. Often at work we will huddle in the corner with close associates who may have gone through a similar challenge as you are facing. They may offer to take you out for a drink, or if they know the Lord, they may agree to remember you in prayer. If around family or very close friends, I believe that battle quickly becomes personal and vendettas are immediately engineered for you to take revenge. If you are alone, and if you have, or ever had, a relationship with God, then I believe you may look up and ask God for help. Now let’s look at David’s reaction: Perhaps you are similar to me in that while we are away from home, we tend to think of what we will say to our loved ones when we return, and how we will hug them tight and just love on them for a very long time. But, upon returning to their hometown, David and his men found that their town had been burned and that their wives and children had been taken from them. Notice that no one was exempt, for David lost both of his wives also. His men were expectedly upset and in their hurt and anger for revenge and resolution, they started planning to turn to David for revenge. They were planning to stone him. But here is our lesson from this unfortunate incident: Because of David’s intimate relationship with God, and based on his recurring and repeated answers from God in past circumstances, David knew that there was only one to turn to in this desperate and critical time. Where and who do you tend to turn to my friend? Notice how clearly and confidently God gave instructions to David? Notice how God didn’t mislead David or show any doubt about the necessary actions, nor the expected results? Notice how David never asked for revenge or payback, nor for any personal favors because his wives were captured? David wanted only God’s perfect plan to be fulfilled and for the benefit of all who were hurting. He could have asked God to help him escape from his angry men for his personal safety, but that was never a consideration. Let me recommend to all who will read or listen to this devotional: please click on the Scripture reference above and read this short chapter. I was totally amazed at how David not only sought God in the heat of his desperation, but also how he maintained such a calm and giving spirit, even after everything had been taken away from him personally. Let’s try not to ‘lose it’ when we feel like the world is against us, instead look with humble hearts to the God who can do ALL things, and praise Him for all that He blesses us with!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Even when it seems like the world is against us, God is always for us, and nothing catches Him by surprise. Make Him your primary ‘go-to’ for all of life’s worries and concerns!

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, Jesus my Lord, thank You for the reassurance given to us through your servant David. I am confident that what You did for David, You can and will do the same for those of us who depend on You as our primary ‘go-to’ for every concern of this life. Some days it seems like we have way too many worries to bother You with, but I believe You were sincere when You told us to bring all of our cares to You – the only One who truly cares about us and can do anything at all about our concerns. Many days life seems overwhelming for us, but praise God I know that this is just a very small part of the puzzle You have permitted us to encounter, and to generate growth, in our walk with You. Lord, many are watching us like we watched what David did. May others see the hand of God in everything we do or say, so they may be drawn to 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!

Why Panic – Seek God

On By Ed AlgreenIn All-powerful, Answered Prayer, Appreciation, God's Power, Needs, Power of God, Praise, Recognize God, Seek God First, Seek God's Face, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Wednesday, 2021-11-03
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: 1 Samuel 23:2-4; 10
TRANSLATION: The Message (MSG)

BIBLE TEXT: 2 David went in prayer to God: “Should I go after these Philistines and teach them a lesson?”
God said, “Go. Attack the Philistines and save Keilah.”
3 But David’s men said, “We live in fear of our lives right here in Judah. How can you think of going to Keilah in the thick of the Philistines?”
4 So David went back to God in prayer. God said, “Get going. Head for Keilah. I’m placing the Philistines in your hands.”
10  Then David prayed to God: “God of Israel, I’ve just heard that Saul plans to come to Keilah and destroy the city because of me. 

APPLICATION: I was so impressed with the actions of David in our Scripture today. Everyone was excited and concerned about the Philistines creating havoc in the neighboring city of Keilah, but it seems like only one was interested in truly seeing the right resolution to the problem – David. For David knew that no matter the size of the army, unless God ordered the attack, the battle would be in vain. But just as in our challenges today where God may give us peace about our battles, others around us may not have the same peace. David had the same challenge when he shared with his men the orders from God. They felt like their local issues were challenging enough, and they could not imagine stepping out to battle the Philistines. They were sufficiently disturbed about this that David went back before God to make sure he had received the right message. God reassured David, just as I believe He still does for us today, ‘just do as I say, and leave the battle, or the challenge, or the thing that is disturbing you most, or the thing you fear most, up to the only One who can do ALL things’. Friends, isn’t it rewarding to be reminded that all God wants from us is to be obedient to Him? God already knows that we are not capable of doing the impossible, but He is very confident that ALL things are possible for the one who places their faith and trust in Him. For He specializes in things thought impossible by mortal man. Friends, I know that many of you are dealing with situations in life that seem mountainous to you, they are problems you never even thought possible, so how could you possible be ready to deal with these things? I believe God is telling us today just what He assured David of in the battle against the Philistines – they may appear like giants to you and your army, but remember – I made them. I allowed them to occupy the territory where they’re at because I wanted you to be reminded of how BIG your God truly is. Perhaps when you see with your own eyes how I orchestrate victory for you, perhaps then you will know that I alone am God and besides me, there is no other. Perhaps next time you will run to Me first – before you panic about things that seem impossible. Oh that we will be reminded of the awesome power of the God we serve. Nothing is impossible to Him! But take note of David’s experience – he didn’t tell God how to handle the situation. He merely took his concerns to God, listened to His response, and obeyed His commands. We should be doing that every day. If we do, then we will become accustomed to running to God with our every concern. We will be comfortable to let go and let God handle the situation in His way and in His time, knowing that all things will work best for those who place their faith and trust in the Lord their God.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Let us place our faith and trust in God alone, knowing that He alone can do ALL things for His ultimate glory, for our peace of mind and to invigorate our praises to God alone!

PRAYER: Lord God, it seems like our struggle each and every day becomes more complex, more demanding, and creates so many more questions for us. In David’s case, he was met with the surprise of the Philistines in a neighboring city. He immediately recognized that their army was much bigger than he and his men could approach with any amount of success. But just as David found peace, success and confidence to overcome the Philistines, I believe You are encouraging us to take note and follow in David’s example. Our problems seem new to us and to all mankind, and we all are at a loss for answers. Praise God that You deal in things that appear impossible to us, and You are the only One who can handle ALL situations in this life, for You placed us here and You are anxiously awaiting our arrival in heaven to be with You and the Father for ever and for ever. Thank You for peace of mind and ease of panic while we are challenged each day. May we always place our hands in the hand of the only One who knows about our challenges and could do anything at all about them! To God be the glory today and always! 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!

Guidance on Asking, Seeking and Knocking

On By Ed AlgreenIn Ask and Receive, Righteous, Seek God First, Seek God's Face, Seeking GodLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Monday, 2020-11-23
WRITTEN AT: Paul B Johnson State Park, Hattiesburg, MS

Bible Reference: Matthew 7:7–8
Translation: New Living Translation (NLT)

Bible Text: 7 “Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.

OBSERVATION: I believe that these verses must be looked at in light of all that Jesus covered in the earlier part of His sermon. In 6:33 Jesus taught that we are to seek the Kingdom of God above everything else, and live righteously, then God will give us what we need. So with that in mind, what do you suppose we would ask for, knowing our inadequacies and shortcomings? What will we seek after, knowing the wide expanse that separates us from the perfection of Christ, and why would we be knocking, but to enter into the presence of the Holy Son of God?

APPLICATION: We have just observed what God might be saying to us in this Scripture today, but how do we apply this to our everyday life? First of all, are we consistent in our asking? Do we even find time to pray, other than when we are in crisis mode? Our method of asking, or petitioning God is through ‘prayer’, yet most churches will tell you that it’s one of the worst attended services. I much prefer hearing people ask me to pray with them, than for them. For I am assured that they have some ‘skin in the game’ and have merely asked me to join them in prayer. Otherwise if they want me to pray for them, I might think that they don’t have time to pray, even though they know they need prayer, and have therefore asked me to pray for them. Jesus is telling us to ‘ask’, not to have someone ask for us. Jesus is also asking us to keep on asking, keep on seeking and keep on knocking. This tells me that we are to be persistent in doing these things. I once met a young person working at a prominent restaurant, and I asked how they landed the job. Persistence was the word, for they showed restaurant management that they were so interested in the job that they would keep on visiting the establishment, keep on asking for a job, etc. Guess what? He landed the job and looked extremely happy in his job. Now in the teachings of Jesus I believe that we have no doubt as to what we are to ask for or seek after, for we are to be a people who seeks after righteousness and have a deep desire to live like children of the King, therefore we will ask in line with our righteous desires and within the scope of God’s will. When you keep on knocking, you are acknowledging to God that you are once again at His feet pleading His perfect will for your life, with a deep desire to serve Him in complete righteousness. Jesus said that when we do these things, that He will not only hear our prayers, but He will meet our needs. Friends, we have so much that we ask God for, let’s aim at making those requests known to Him for the single purpose of making us, or the person we are praying for, more righteous in God’s sight, and that they, or you, may be drawn closer to God and His kingdom.

PRAYER: Lord, please continue to humble us to always and continuously seek Your face; ask for Your holy and generous hand of mercy and generosity upon our lives, so that we may be worked on and made right with You in every way. Lord, may we be consistent in knocking to ask for an audience with You on a frequent basis. May we be bold enough to join others in prayer so that we may encourage them and help them in their walk with You. Lord, please renew a great work in us today so that we may be more like You in every way, and may this attract the unsaved to desire intimacy with You. We must ask in full alignment with Your will dear Lord, because we acknowledge Your Lordship and Your sovereignty. Thank You precious Lord for accepting me as Your child. May I always live like a child of the King! 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!

God Speaks

On By Ed AlgreenIn Listen, Listen to the Word of God, Obedience, Obedient, Seek God First, Seek God's Face, Seeking GodLeave a comment

SCRIPTURE  FROM:   Job 33:15-19 (GNT)

TEXT:  15 At night when people are asleep,
    God speaks in dreams and visions.
16 He makes them listen to what he says,
    and they are frightened at his warnings.
17 God speaks to make them stop their sinning
    and to save them from becoming proud.
18 He will not let them be destroyed;
    he saves them from death itself.
19 God corrects us by sending sickness
    and filling our bodies with pain.

OBSERVATION:   Like many of us, Job was feeling down trodden, and like God may not be on his side throughout this ordeal of total loss. In fact, Job shared that he felt God had removed Himself from him. Now because everything gave the appearance that Job could have ‘thrown in the towel’ at any given moment, a few friends who felt they could help Job, came with words of advice. Fortunately, these words of advice are also helpful to us today, so we will look into a time of meditation about the ways that God speaks to us.

APPLICATION:   When we are in the middle of despair, it is challenging for us to talk to God and seek the positive He is trying to achieve through our despair. When we are praying for the next big thing in our life, it is extremely challenging to think positive about that, when suddenly things start going wrong, or at least totally opposite to what we had envisioned. Job was a very godly man, but he was still very much human just like us. Granted, he was stronger than most of us, because when his wife had about as much as she could take, she suggested to Job that he should just curse God and move on with his life. However, there were friends who came along, perhaps accountability partners, and tried to help Job face this crisis in his life with a view on God. Friends, when we are praying in one direction asking for a specific thing to happen or take place for us, don’t we tend to brush off the other answers or direction that we obviously receive from God as our ‘not hearing from God’? Shouldn’t we stop at times and accept the answer as ‘No’, instead of pressing on with begging God because we feel like obviously God is silent on our request? I heard a pastor say at one time that he felt called by God to our church, and he felt obligated to remain there until he felt the call to go elsewhere, not because he got a better offer from the church down the road. Often we pray because of a better offer Satan is prodding us along with, but when we ask God for His direction, it means that we know that the answer could be ‘Yes’, but it could be a challenging ‘No’ also. Oh that God would teach His children to not come before Him to ratify their decision, but instead to seek His perfect will for their life, and seek His direction on how to accomplish His will in a way pleasing to Him. Job’s friend, Elihu, gave Job and us, an excellent reminder of some of the ways that God might choose to speak to us. Are you listening friend? And are you ready and willing to obey the Master wholeheartedly, regardless of anything else that may happen all around you? Let’s seek God with all our heart, and be willing to obey Him with all our mind, soul and being.

PRAYER:   Oh that more of us will pray as young Samuel once prayed, ‘Speak Lord, for thy servant heareth’. For many of us pray to You oh Lord, and we tell You what we want and how we want it, and unless You knock us up alongside our head, we walk away assuming that we have Your blessing on our newest project that we came up with. Lord, if we are truly going to listen to You, I feel like we need to come before You like empty vessels waiting to be filled and directed by You. Please Lord, teach us to pray aright. Help us to come before You with no personal agendas and listen carefully to what You would have us to say, to do, to be, and to reflect in the eyes and minds of others. Your will is what we desire Lord, please teach us how to accomplish that. 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!

 

When We Seek God

On By Ed AlgreenIn Seek God First, Seeking GodLeave a comment

SCRIPTURE  FROM:   2 Chronicles 31:20-21 (NLT)

TEXT:  20 In this way, King Hezekiah handled the distribution throughout all Judah, doing what was pleasing and good in the sight of the Lord his God. 21 In all that he did in the service of the Temple of God and in his efforts to follow God’s laws and commands, Hezekiah sought his God wholeheartedly. As a result, he was very successful.

OBSERVATION:   King Hezekiah may not have had the best army, and he may not have been highly regarded by the leaders of his neighboring countries, but I believe that God saw one of His children who was first of all ‘a child of the King’ and then a king of his country. He saw a man who put God first in everything and who shared his personal concerns with God for the best resolution. I wonder how our world would change if we sought God first in everything, and we waited for His response and direction!

APPLICATION:   As we read the Scripture that leads up to our chosen verses, we see quite a contrast between King Hezekiah and his neighboring kings reigning at that same time. There was evidence of self pride, selfishness, mockery of God, and a display of selfish power, compared to a humble heart, a serving spirit and an obedient servant. There was self dependence and lots of soldiers, compared to a man that sought the power and leadership of His God. I love the way the verses are translated in the New Living Translation, for it indicates that because of Hezekiah’s wholehearted dedication to God, he was very successful. This tells me that because Hezekiah dedicating his life to; having total faith in; and trusting wholeheartedly in the King that he served, God made him successful in all that he did. So where do we fail in similar scenarios to those that Hezekiah faced? Friends, I believe that it begins with making the God, who gave His only Son to die on a cross for our sin, a top priority in our lives. This means that if we get nothing else done in our day, we make time to be alone with God – to praise Him for all that He does for us, and to place our concerns at His feet asking to take charge of those things. Further, that you calendar out all meetings that you feel will draw you closer to God, and manage all other invitations as secondary – after all who is your priority? Seek God for all small life decisions, but also the huge decisions. Allow God to be your God, and ready yourself to worship and praise Him as you see Him actively involved in your life. Look at the Scripture again: because of Hezekiah’s wholehearted devotion to God, He made him very successful. Let me encourage you to repeat this statement frequently: ‘because of ____________ (your name) devotion to God, I know that He will meet my needs and make me successful.’ Praise the precious name of Jesus!

PRAYER:   Lord, please touch the hearts of Your children and make us wholly devoted to You. Help us to understand true devotion, and that it’s not measured by the number of times that we attend church in a week, but by our total devotion , trust and obedience in You. May we be children of the Book, and may it be evident whose we are, through the things that we say, do and think. I ask these things in the strong name of Jesus, 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!

 

What Can Jesus Do For You?

On By Ed AlgreenIn Faith, Genuine Faith, Healing, Miracles, Seek God FirstLeave a comment

Post Date:

 Monday, 2017-03-06
SCRIPTURE

From:

 Matthew 20:31-34 (NLT)

Text:
31 “Be quiet!” the crowd yelled at them. But they only shouted louder, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!”
32 When Jesus heard them, he stopped and called, “What do you want me to do for you?”
33 “Lord,” they said, “we want to see!” 34 Jesus felt sorry for them and touched their eyes. Instantly they could see! Then they followed him.
OBSERVATION:
In this story we see a few things: First is the determination of the blind men to get Jesus’ attention. Although told by the disciples to be quiet, they shouted all the louder; Secondly, I am always shocked how Jesus would ask two blind men what he could do for them! He didn’t assume that they were there to have their sight restored, for they may have had much deeper needs that only the Master could resolve for them. And thirdly, their miracle led to them becoming followers of Christ!
APPLICATION:
Throughout the gospels we can read story after story about the extremes that some folk went to in order to see, touch, or plead with Jesus about their situation. I am saddened by our current day believers who either wait until their very last option to seek Jesus and ask Him for help in their respective scenario, or because they have listened to Satan and the world, and have chosen to not follow Christ, they therefore might opt to not ‘bother’ Him in their time of need. Notice that the blind men did not let pride get in their way of getting close to Jesus and asking Him for a miracle. They weren’t concerned about friends trying to turn them away because they never wanted anything to do with Jesus. I want you to also notice that although these men were not follower of Christ, He stopped, listened to their plea, and delivered them from their blindness. Friends, this is another reminder of how deep the love of God is for His children. Notice also that Jesus teaches us to never assume what the needs of another person might be. Wouldn’t you have thought that two blind men waiting to see Jesus, were probably there to ask for restoration of their sight? However, Jesus still asked what they wanted of Him. Friends, let’s learn from this that we are to be specific in our asking of God. So I believe the important question that Jesus might have for you today is: What is your greatest need that you would have me attend to for you? This should be the item that you are daily pleading to God for, and is first and foremost on your mind. Be determined as the two blind guys, knowing that the same Jesus that they called out to for mercy and healing, is still available, able and ready to also hear our cry for help.
PRAYER:
Dear Lord, we serve the awesome Creator of this world, and You have proven yourself over and over again, yet You are often the very last person that we call on in our times of trouble and despair. As we were reminded by this Scripture today, please teach us to be persistent in asking, knowing that You are ruler over all things and that Your awesome power is just as prevalent today as it was when You gave the command to restore eyesight to the two blind men. Lord, please touch the hearts and lives of all who might read this devotional today, and please especially touch the lives of my family at this time so that we all might be reminded of the King of all kings and Lord of all lords, and Your awesome love and power. For I ask these things in Your wonderful and matchless name, 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!

Persistent in Asking, Seeking and Knocking

On By Ed AlgreenIn Ask and Receive, Righteous, Seek God First, Seek God's Face, Seeking GodLeave a comment

Post Date:

 Wednesday, 2017-01-18
SCRIPTURE

From:

 Matthew 7:7–8 (NLT)

Text:
7 “Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.
OBSERVATION:
I believe that these verses must be looked at in light of all that Jesus covered in the earlier part of His sermon. In 6:33 Jesus taught that we are to seek the Kingdom of God above everything else, and live righteously, then God will give us what we need. So with that in mind, what do you suppose we would ask for, knowing our inadequacies and shortcomings? What will we seek after, knowing the wide expanse that separates us from the perfection of Christ, and why would we be knocking, but to enter into the presence of the Holy Son of God?
APPLICATION:
We have just observed what God might be saying to us in this Scripture today, but how do we apply this to our everyday life? First of all, are we consistent in our asking? Do we even find time to pray, other than when we are in crisis mode? Our method of asking, or petitioning God is through ‘prayer’, yet most churches will tell you that it’s one of the worst attended services offered by churches. I much prefer hearing people ask me to pray with them, than for them. In one case I am assured that they have some ‘skin in the game’ and have merely asked me to join them in prayer. The other means that they don’t have time to pray, however they know they need prayer, and have asked me to pray for them. Jesus is telling us to ‘ask’, not to have someone ask for us. Jesus is also asking us to keep on asking, keep on seeking and keep on knocking. This tells me that we are to be persistent in doing these things. I once met a young person working at a prominent restaurant, and asked how they landed the job. Persistence was the word, for they showed restaurant management that they were so interested in the job that they would keep on visiting the establishment, keep on asking for a job, etc. Guess what? He landed the job and looked extremely happy in his job. Now in the teachings of Jesus I believe that we have no doubt as to what we are to ask for or seek after, for if we are to be a people who seeks after righteousness and have a deep desire to live like children of the King, then we will ask in line with those desires. When you keep on knocking, you are acknowledging to God that you are once again at His feet pleading His perfect will for your life, with a deep desire to serve Him in complete righteousness. Jesus said that when we do these things, that He will not only hear our prayers, but He will meet our needs. Friends, we have so much that we ask God for, let’s aim at making those requests known to Him for the single purpose of making us, or the person we are praying for, more righteous in God’s sight, and that they, or you, may be drawn closer to God and His kingdom.
PRAYER:
Lord, please continue to humble us to always and continuously seek Your face; ask for Your holy and generous hand of mercy and generosity upon our lives, so that we may be worked on and made right with You in every way. Lord, may we be consistent in knocking to ask for an audience with You on a frequent basis. May we be bold enough to join others in prayer so that we may encourage them and help them in their walk with You. Lord, please renew a great work in us today so that we may be more like You in every way, and may this attract the unsaved to desire intimacy with You. We must ask in full alignment with Your will dear Lord, because we acknowledge Your Lordship and Your sovereignty. Thank You precious Lord for accepting me as Your child. May I live like a child of the King! 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!

The Only Way Out

On By Ed AlgreenIn Faith, Salvation, Seek God First, Seek God's FaceLeave a comment

Wednesday, 2016-09-14

Scripture

Bible Reference: Galatians 3:21-22

Bible Text:  …. If we could be saved by his laws, then God would not have had to give us a different way to get out of the grip of sin—for the Scriptures insist we are all its prisoners. The only way out is through faith in Jesus Christ; the way of escape is open to all who believe him.

Bible Translation: The Living Bible (TLB)

My Take

I believe that often we will try the easiest way out. The way that is least embarrassing to us, or least obvious to others that we have or had a problem and really needed help. So for many, this may be through trying to obey the Word of God on our own. I once had a coworker tell me that he knew the good Lord would not allow his dad to go to Hell, because he was such a good man, and that no one could really point a finger at him for his wrong. This coworker later came to know the Lord himself and then understood exactly what Paul was clarifying here for the Galatian church. Friends, we must remember that God saw that the human race was incapable of helping ourselves by simply obeying His law, so out of His deep love for us, He miraculously sent His Son, Jesus, to be our Savior. Too often we look at the law like, what’s the least I can do to keep out of trouble with the law makers, and seldom do we stop and ask God to help us obey every letter of the law in the way it was intended when written, so that others may recognize the sincerity of Jesus in us. So friends, this scripture today is good news for those who have heard the voice and direction of God, and want to surrender your life to Him so that He may direct your path and lead you in a righteous and upright life for His glory. Getting from where you are – steeped in sin and unrighteousness, can only be accomplished one way. ‘There is only one way out’, the scripture proclaims, and that is through seeking the face and person of Jesus Christ, God’s Son. Surrender your life totally and completely to Him, so that He can accomplish His miraculous work through You. Friends, Hell is not a place where you would make it a point to go, but the ONLY way you will redirect your destination is by doing what I have already described to you  believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved. When you truly believe on Jesus, you will submit to His will and obey His commands – indicating that He is in total control of your life. One other tip friends: Jesus has promised to return to earth to take His children (His bride) up to glory to be with He and His Father. But the timing of this event is unknown even to Jesus. Therefore, may I encourage you to make certain of your eternal destination urgently, for Jesus’ return could happen even today!

Prayer

Thank You Heavenly Father for yet another reminder of what must be done to gain eternal life. Our works are but filthy rags in Your sight, because we build those around our goodness instead of Yours. Please forgive us Lord for our littleness and open our eyes instead to Your wonderful, loving, caring, miraculous provisions that You have designed for us. Please help us to step aside and allow You to be God in our life, and in the lives of our family and friends. Lord, please touch lives today with the gospel and show Your love in such wonderful ways that many will come to accept You and surrender their lives wholeheartedly to You. There is so much to be done Father, but I am convinced of Your awesome power and desire to see our lost ones saved. Please work through me today so that I may be a genuine witness for You. I ask these things in faith, and for Your glory, 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!