Category: Success

Divine Blessings in Successful Marriages, etc.

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Love, Marriage, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Success, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Wednesday, 2023-01-18.
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Psalm 127:1-3
TRANSLATION: GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)

BIBLE TEXT: 1 If the Lord does not build the house, it is useless for the builders to work on it.
If the Lord does not protect a city, it is useless for the guard to stay alert.
2 It is useless to work hard for the food you eat by getting up early and going to bed late. The Lord gives ⌞food⌟ to those he loves while they sleep.
3 Children are an inheritance from the Lord. They are a reward from him.

APPLICATION: Solomon, known as the wisest man on earth, was also the richest man of his time and he was looked up to by leaders of neighboring countries because of his success. Solomon was also known as a man of God – obedient to God’s commands, and he honored his God in ways that man had never before witnessed such devotion and tribute. Why then do we see such division in our marriages, home life, and even in our children today? It seems a rarity to meet a couple who is still married to the spouse of their youth. In America, the records show that over 50% of first-time marriages fail. Unfortunately, Christians make up a good portion of that number. It is evident that even if you are walking close to the Lord, you will experience attack and assault on your marriage. It truly irks me to hear a young man respond, ‘I know she is another man’s wife, but I love her any way’. Unfortunately, this goes both ways, for women do the same thing, because they are intrigued by another man’s attention. In the Bible, we are told that in the same manner that God loves the church, that’s how He has enabled a man to love his wife. So as a man demonstrates that love, Satan is angered and tries his best to destroy that love. But Christians, we also know that greater is He (God) that is in us, than he (Satan) that is in the world. So, if we asked God to forgive us of our sins, and have trusted Him to do so, then we must learn to surrender our decisions to His will, and for His purpose. This includes our lifelong mate, our children – should we be blessed with one or more, our jobs and our everyday challenges. Can you see where this would really agitate Satan? God would force him to keep his hands off that which belongs to Him. That’s why we encounter conflicts, for Satan is constantly looking for our weak points. Friends, when we belong to Jesus Christ, we should take Matthew 6:33 very seriously, ‘Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and ultimately, all these other things will be added to you’. Now, as we enjoy marriage, God may bless us with little ones who could learn to be just like us. Children are a blessing from the Lord (vs 3), not an inconvenience, nor obstacles to our success in life. Because our spouse and our children are blessings from God, we should devote our attention to their happiness and give them our undivided attention. That’s a challenge for us folk! Electronic devices, old friends, hobbies, and a greed for more, more, more, is the norm for most families today. Yet in verse 2, God comforts and assures us that there is no need to labor night and day, or even long hours each day, for He is our Provider! Oh, that God would give each reader and listener the reassurance today that our priorities might be in order to achieve the success that God wants for us: God first, family second, church third and work, friends, hobbies and greedy desires to follow. To those considering marriage, let me encourage you to consider the priority I listed above for a long, happy and contented marriage. When you start off with dating, if God is first, then you will find in His Word that He wants you to wait until marriage before you give into sex with your partner. Living together is intended for a couple already joined in marriage. When you start off on the right track, with the right leader in charge of your life and willing to bless you beyond your wildest expectations, then your marriage will follow in like manner. But no matter where you are today, seek the face of the Master and ask Him to direct your path and help you get on a holy tract following His commands and living in righteousness like He exampled before you. I believe God will hear your heart’s cry and help you press that ‘reset button’ to walk in His ways until He calls you home to glory.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: I was blessed to catch a glimpse of how God will bless us, if we stop our selfish and greedy drive for success and allow Him first place in our lives. Just imagine, God is waiting to bless us, if we will let Him. I don’t believe we will find anyone else on earth that could take His place in His unselfish, unconditional desire to bless us! Oh, what a Savior!

PRAYER: Thank You, Lord for creating us and showing us how to love others, just as You have loved us. Thank You for family – spouse, children and relatives who will love us in spite of who we are. But in the Scripture today, You reminded us of what it takes to be the child, as you designed; the spouse, as You have blessed us with in our marriages; the dad and mom, in response to the child(ren) You have blessed us with; and the citizens at work, with friends, and in all relationships where we aim to example You. It is often said that we are not perfect in any of these ways, but in knowing the only Perfect One, I believe today that we can call on You to help us do a better job of portraying You to a lost and dying world. Live through us, work through us and love through us, Lord, so that the world will be reminded of the One we call Master, Lord, and Savior of the world. Help us Lord, to help others in their walk, and in their desire to be more like 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!

Everything You Do Will Succeed

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

DATE POSTED Tuesday, 2022-06-21
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Psalm 1:1-3
TRANSLATION: New Century Version (NCV)

BIBLE TEXT:  1 Happy are those who don’t listen to the wicked, who don’t go where sinners go, who don’t do what evil people do. 2 They love the Lord’s teachings, and they think about those teachings day and night. 3 They are strong, like a tree planted by a river. The tree produces fruit in season, and its leaves don’t die. Everything they do will succeed.

APPLICATION: In the Word of God, we are told that God himself called David a man after His own heart. In other words, David’s life imitated what God expected from His creation. I believe this should be every Believer’s goal, for we know that when we follow God’s commands and His teachings, then it must be pleasing to God! In this very first Psalm, David gives us some attributes, or indicators of a blessed and successful person, and I wanted to draw attention to these qualities so that today we may strive to achieve these qualities ourselves:
1).  They don’t listen to the wicked – this might happen when we listen to what the world is directing us to do for happiness. Unfortunately, every time we turn on the TV, we are given these options;
2).  They don’t go where sinners go – they don’t go to a place where you might be embarrassed to take Jesus with you. Remember, you invited Him into your heart. Remember He lives and reigns in us, through His Holy Spirit. Will you really take Him into a questionable place?
3).  They don’t do what evil people do – the ’evil people’ are those who don’t know Jesus nor are they concerned about Jesus in the things that they do. Our actions are to be compared to what Jesus did, and what He taught us to do. Pilots and doctors follow their text book for obvious reasons. We should be doing the same thing – those things that God has taught us to do or that His Holy Spirit is directing us to do. These will be totally opposite to what the evil person might lead us to do;
4).  They meditate on the Word of God, love His teachings and continually think about them – God’s Word is our textbook. It is our guide to living like Jesus expects of us. To keep it fresh in our minds and to follow its directives, we must make it a priority to read it and meditate on it regularly. When we prepare for a test, we study the text book thoroughly and consistently. In this life, we are tested every day. Making the Bible a part of our mental abilities, we will tend to use its advice whenever we are tested by the world.
So often we tend to feel like it all depends on what we say to a person that may convince them of the Truth of God’s Word. Notice that David only emphasized actions? Isn’t it yet another reminder that people will watch our actions more intently than our words? David said that when we follow the above, we become strong in our faith and committed to God’s commands – successful servants of God. We will not be easily eroded away like a tree beside the water’s edge, but we will stand firm so that others might catch a glimpse of what Jesus actually looks like, and how, through faith, our lives are living examples to the unsaved.
Let me encourage you to reflect back on your life over the past few days, who have you imitated? Does your life reflect the ways of Christ, or just the general public (this world)? Did your life show enough of the qualities of Jesus that you were accused of being a ‘Christian’? Friend, you shouldn’t have to tell someone you are a Christian, they should know you are by your actions, and your demeanor. Let us all commit to live our lives with the teachings of the Psalmist very prominent in our character and our actions. Then, perhaps, others will see Jesus and want to also know Him personally.

PRAYER: Lord, we your children need You. We need You desperately to help us live in this world, yet to not live like the world. Living in Your example is like swimming upstream here on earth, for it’s like doing just the opposite of what the rest of the world does. And this has become quite a challenge for us. Please mold us into the person that You need here and now to touch the hearts of the folk that are still in need of you. We need the same power that You gave David. The characteristics to be called a man after Your own heart. You also gave Moses the fortitude to stand firm for You, even when his people were plotting to kill him. I know that You can still give that kind of strength and fortitude to each reader and listener, so I ask for Your grace to help us stand firm against the evil of this world. Please have Your will and way in our lives today, I humbly plead in Your precious and holy 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 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!

Remind Us Of Your Goodness, Lord

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, God's Goodness, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Success, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Thursday, 2022-06-15
WRITTEN AT: Jensen Beach, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Psalm 90:14-17
TRANSLATION: New Living Translation (NLT)

BIBLE TEXT: 14 Satisfy us each morning with your unfailing love,
    so we may sing for joy to the end of our lives.
15 Give us gladness in proportion to our former misery!
    Replace the evil years with good.
16 Let us, your servants, see you work again;
    let our children see your glory.
17 And may the Lord our God show us his approval
    and make our efforts successful.
    Yes, make our efforts successful!

APPLICATION: Moses may have heard a lot of stories about how God blessed his ancestors. But more importantly, Moses experienced some pretty miraculous things in his own lifetime. Often the overwhelming pain and disappointments of failures and/or hard times might be enough to create a very cautious outlook on life, for we know how bad things could get. But what might cause a good and honest man of God to concentrate on the good in a day, vs the many bad things that could occur? Friends, when we have a close and intimate relationship with our God, and we remind ourselves of His authority and power over all things, then we are more apt to reflect back over the apparent bad things that occurred and see very clearly how God accomplished super important things through those challenging times. Alternately, we could give in to the mockery of Satan and believe that he could make things even worse for us, so our hope sinks to a new low. Notice how Moses cried out to God to just please ‘do it again’! In other words, just as You provided manna for us to eat yesterday and allowed me to strike a rock, from which You permitted water to flow for Your people, then please Lord, do that again. We currently have many examples of ‘hard times’ that could easily provoke us to whine and complain while expecting more of the same. Crime, inflation, fuel costs and health challenges are all at extremely high levels, and the pessimist, or unbeliever, has every reason to think that these things will only worsen. But for those of us who have walked in the same shoes as Moses, we know that God moved waters aside and provided a dry road for His people to walk across open waterways; He created and made available manna for His people – millions of them, to eat each day; He impregnated a young virgin girl with His precious Son, knowing that we needed a way out of our sin and our horrifying destination – Hell; He healed the sick, made the blind to see again and the lame to pick up his bed and walk again – lots of evidence that our God is a miracle working God who provides for His children in ways that we could hardly imagine or ask for. So when we ask God to see us through our current problems and to prepare us for our reunion with He and His Son, don’t you know that we could easily arise each morning in much the same light as Moses prayed for – knowing that God has control, and He is more than willing to prepare us for the wonderful and blessed day He has prepared for us? My dear, dear friends, only God can heal the bodies of those who are still suffering from Covid; only God can provide for those of us who might look at the declining stock markets and remind us that He will supply ALL our needs; only God can mend the broken hearts of those who have lost dearest loved ones over recent months and years from the very unexpected effects of Covid; only God can encourage the increasing numbers of homeless souls who each day awaken to their new lifestyle and apparent hopelessness, into an exciting hope that He has a glorious home prepared for each of them that will outshine the best and most extravagant homes that we could walk by and dream of here on earth. Please Lord, show us Your goodness once again today so that we may start our day in bright hope of all that You have planned for us today, and throughout eternity!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: In spite of dismal current events and projections, believers in Jesus Christ has a hope that outshines everything this world can dish out to us. For our hope and future is in the hands of our Creator, who is also our Finisher and Preparer of a much brighter tomorrow!

PRAYER: Precious Lord, we stand amazed in the presence of Jesus our Lord, knowing that all we see facing us today is temporal and, even worse, the evil work of the adversary. Please encourage us with the boldness to always stand in Your presence knowing that we have a hope – a hope for a bright tomorrow, whether here on earth, or in the glories of heaven! Moses saw first-hand the many miracles You performed to deliver he and his people. Today we are blessed with an array of ancestors who have shared the miraculous stories of all You did in their lives. This, in addition to all that You have done in our own lives, convinces us of Your amazing power to heal, bless and encourage us towards a future filled with Your goodness and a hope that we need so badly today. Come quickly Lord Jesus, for we need You more today than ever before. 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 for Success

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, God's Guidance, Guidance, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Success, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Sunday, 2020-09-06
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: 2 Timothy 2:3-7
TRANSLATION: Living Bible (TLB)

BIBLE TEXT: 3 Take your share of suffering as a good soldier of Jesus Christ, just as I do; 4 and as Christ’s soldier, do not let yourself become tied up in worldly affairs, for then you cannot satisfy the one who has enlisted you in his army. 5 Follow the Lord’s rules for doing his work, just as an athlete either follows the rules or is disqualified and wins no prize. 6 Work hard like a farmer who gets paid well if he raises a large crop. 7 Think over these three illustrations, and may the Lord help you to understand how they apply to you.

OBSERVATION: Paul told his son in the ministry, Timothy, that He should consider three different professions to help him grasp the importance of his ministry, because each have impressive drives that could teach him the values of hard work and dedication that will serve to enhance his aspirations. I believe that our time spent meditating this direction from Paul might also help us, even today.

APPLICATION: One of the things that my younger sisters dreaded while growing up, was to hear my mom tell them how she wished they would pay attention to the character and habits of their older brother! They were no different than most of us, for we tend to assume we are being told that what we are currently doing counts for nothing. But friends, notice that Paul was merely using these three professions because of the qualities that normally come forth from those who chose to follow these paths. Let’s look at each individually:
~ A Soldier – Although I have never been in the military, I am told that the first thing military leaders/trainers try to achieve, is to convince new recruits that they now belong to the military and they should therefore forget all other allegiance and everything else. When in battle, soldiers know that they are to follow the orders of their commanders and no one else. They are trained to have a one-track mind. As workers in God’s army, we must also have a one-track mind, for we are to listen carefully to His commands; and follow His orders only. Anything else will result in a half-hearted soldier who can be swayed by every distraction that Satan sends our way;
~ An Athlete – In the days that our Scripture was written, if athletes trained less than 9 months, they were disqualified from competition. Imagine if churches were to ordain leaders and pastors with very basic training and experience? Paul wanted Timothy to be fully trained and very aware of the extreme stress on himself while striving to win the battle of snatching souls from the pit of hell. Satan is very real, but our God is so much more! Strive to win and not settle for anything less, when it comes to winning the lost;
~ A Farmer – My dad was a farmer, so I know how much he dreamed about the end result when he slowly cleared the ground, planted the small seeds, and tenderly and patiently nurtured the plants through to maturity and reaping. I also remember the days of harvest, for he celebrated in seeing, reaping and selling the beautiful crop. Isn’t it very obvious to see the various levels of church work in everything I just described in farming? Paul knew that Timothy would be very familiar with farming, and would therefore apply its concepts to his ministry. This is a great reminder for us as we endeavor to share our hearts and lives in the ministry of Jesus Christ!
Friends, we each have a desire to succeed in life, but what are we prepared to do in order to win? Others have shown us through their various professions, And often all we need to do is to apply the same principles that they used, and most of all, listen closely to our Chief as we head out to do His work. To sit at the feet of Jesus and look around to see all those that we touched in some way with our lives and/or our ministry, is worth every minute of every hour that we spend here on earth in training, in executing and in celebrating successes. Oh that God may be glorified through all of our efforts, is my greatest desire!

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, we thank You for all that You are to us. We thank You for softly speaking to our hearts and guiding us into accepting You as Lord, and then helping us to share that love with others. But Lord, the times seem to get rougher each and every day, so I beg You to help us remember the one-track mind and dedication of a soldier; the training and aim to win, that athletes strive for, as we strive to win the lost for the Kingdom; and also help us to remember the patience and nurturing by our farmers as they wait in anticipation for the joy that comes with harvest time. Our work seems endless and often so unrewarding, but when we allow you to guide us and work miraculously in the lives of those we touch, we are confident about the joy that will come in the morning! Oh that You may be glorified today dear Lord, and oh that You may use us powerfully in Your kingdom work here on earth. This is my humble plea today for all my readers and myself! 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!

How to Obtain Success for Yourself and Your Children!

On By Ed AlgreenIn Bible Believing, Christian, Fear, Obedience, Respect, SuccessLeave a comment

Post Date:

 Thursday, 2017-01-12
SCRIPTURE

From:

 Deuteronomy 5:29 (CEV)

Text:

 29 I wish they would always worship me with fear and trembling and be this willing to obey me! Then they and their children would always enjoy a successful life.
OBSERVATION:
The Israelites went to their leader, Moses, after hearing the voice of God coming from the mountain, and asked him to go and speak to God again on their behalf. This time with a message – that they would be obedient to whatever commands God conveys to Moses for the people to do. Our merciful God didn’t respond with a whole list of commands that would enslave the people until their death, but instead simply responded that He would desire that they respectfully honor, or fear Him from a heart of respect – to the degree that they would come before Him trembling, and that they would always seek to be obedient to Him. Knowing how much humans like to be rewarded, God promised that if the Israelites honored these things and strived to live in this way, He would see to it that they, and their children would live and enjoy a successful life! Wow, what an awesome God we serve!
APPLICATION:
There are probably more books written, and more seminars offered, on the subject of ‘How to be more successful in life’, than perhaps any other subject that one could think of. Yet, in the Bible, God gave the answer to Moses for the Israelites, and He had this unique formula included in the best-selling book of all times, ‘The Bible’, because He wanted us to know about this also. Friends, it is very simple to understand, for we can research reasons why God created us in the first place, and we will learn that it was to worship and honor Him as Lord and creator of all mankind. Like the Israelites who found more attraction to making their own gods, and then chose to worship those idols, rather than the God of this universe, we too have chosen to travel down every other path for success, rather than looking to the original plan that God designed. Notice that God didn’t tell Moses that the people would be more successful in His temple, or in His temple work, although I’m sure this was all included in His promise, but He simply said that they and their children would enjoy a successful life, period. Friends, this is one of the basics of life – meaning that this simple command from God is a prerequisite to all other things in life that we might attempt to do. So check this simple command out: ‘Worship God’ – recognize Him for who He is and give praises to Him for all that He has done, is doing and has promised to do for us. This is not just a church-type worship thing, but a mindset for the individual; Do this ‘With fear and trembling’ – know that your God is a holy and righteous God and above all other powers of this world, therefore come into His presence to worship Him with respect and honor, recognizing Him for who He is. When we do this, we will learn very quickly that He controls our destiny, so we learn to chat with Him about those things that are on our mind – both concerns, and our ideas/desires for the future, and we will therefore ask Him to direct our path so that we might always honor and praise Him. God’s promise to the Israelites, and to His children at large, is that He will bless us with success personally, and even bless our offspring. What is it that you would not do in order to see success for your children? God has made it easy for us to do just that. Trust Him friend, and be obedient to worship Him in fear and trembling, for He will give you and your children success!
PRAYER:
Father, You are more precious than silver or gold, and we worship You Almighty God, for there is none like You! Thank You for making life so simple for us, and please forgive us for making it so complex and stressed. There is much to praise You for, because You have been so good to us. We respect You heavenly Father, for You are our righteousness and our Protector and our Deliverer from all evil. Lord, may we wrap our minds around this and be obedient to You in every way. Yes, we want success for ourselves, and especially for our kids, but more than anything else, may we be ever mindful of Your love and Your sacrifice that You were kind enough to make for our eternal salvation. Lord, You are so deserving of our worship, our respect and our hearts that should always be humbled to trembling. We love You Lord and we long to be with You in glory, but while here on this earth, may our minds be so directed towards You that Your joy will overflow through every act of love that we express towards others, so that 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 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!

Biblical Keys to Success and Prosperity

On By Ed AlgreenIn Faith, Obedience, Prosperity, SuccessLeave a comment

May I encourage you to get your spiritual ‘Nuggets’ to start your day off right? Pretty amazing that our awesome God would consider even us, to use His Word to nourish us for His glory! Read on and be blessed!………

The Bible Translation: New Living Translation (NLT)
The Bible Reference: Joshua 1:8-9
The Bible Text: 8 Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do. 9 This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”

My Take Away: Many are starting off this year with new goals of improving themselves in various aspects of their life. Some are beginning diets to help control their weight problem; some are starting gym memberships to try and keep their physical bodies in shape; while there are still others who have vowed to draw closer to God in 2016. In this passage of scripture today we read about how God tipped the Israelites for success in their new land that He had promised them. Now , stop for a moment and ponder why else would this be included in the Book, if not to give us direction on what to do as we march into the new areas of our life that the good Lord has given to us? I felt like a prime example would be applying this principle to our lives as we enter the gift of a New Year. We are told that if we want to prosper and succeed in everything we do this year, we must:

  • Study our Book of Instruction (the Bible) continually – this means that you not allow dust to gather on its covers. That you not wait for the sermon next weekend to hear the Word read, but that you deliberately setup a reading plan. May I suggest that you visit www.biblegateway.com for suggested plans;
  • Meditate on our Book of Instruction day and night – don’t just skim over the verses on the page. Highlight those words where God really catches your attention. Think them over, and how you might apply them to your own life. Please don’t try to apply them to anyone else, except yourself;
  • Obey everything in our Book of Instruction – Allow the Word of God to minister to you, and then follow, or obey its teachings. Consider it your roadmap for each day of your life;
  • Be strong and courageous, and
  • Do not be discouraged – Satan will challenge you at every opportunity. Be strong and courageous by applying the proven abilities of God to your current day situations and/or challenges. He’s a great big God and He will do great things for His children who He cares so much about.

Friends, I don’t know about you, but I have wished many friends every success, and prosperity in this New Year in which we now reside, but I now wish that I could have shared with them the success plan detailed by God. I pray that each one meditating on this devotional today will take note of these principles for success and prosperity in the remaining portion of 2016.

Prayer: Praise God that You are not just a God of the rich and famous, nor just for the Christian believer. In fact, I would begin by praying for the non-believer, because for them to avail themselves of the benefits, they must first belong to God. This means starting off the New Year in a new relationship – with the Savior of this World, Jesus Christ. Only then will the playing field be leveled, to allow you the same benefits as Christians who will benefit from following the Godly principles mentioned above for success and prosperity. Please God, soften hearts today for life commitments to be made, and for Christian hearts to be anxious about wanting to do Your will. You are my God, and I praise You for accepting me as Your very own child, with all of the benefits of heaven, and for success and prosperity here on earth. Please tender the hearts of those who do not currently know You personally, and provoke them to a decision to accept the gift of Your precious Son today, please? I ask these things in faith and believing in Your great power, 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!

2016

The Secret To Success

On By Ed AlgreenIn Success, Trust, WisdomLeave a comment

THE HOLY BIBLE (New Century Version – Proverbs 2:6; 3:5-6): 6Only the Lord gives wisdom; he gives knowledge and understanding. | 5  Trust the Lord with all your heart, and don’t depend on your own understanding. 6 Remember the Lord in all you do, and he will give you success.

THOUGHTS: I bet that there have been many books written and quickly sold, with titles such as the one chosen to describe this study today! However, many of the books probably led to ‘get-rich quick’ schemes and promises. Friends, in these verses I believe it is evident that we discern the source of true wisdom in the first place, and 2:6 plainly and adequately describes that source. So immediately we need to humble ourselves and accept the Truth that it all starts with God. In 3:5-6 we are told that when we realize that God is the source of wisdom, and when we learn to depend on Him, instead of thinking that our wisdom could be attributed to something we did, or some college that we attended, then we will have true wisdom available to us and manifesting itself in us. Friends, thinks about it: what good is there in depending on our own wisdom when we have no idea what the next moment holds for us. Not only will God bless us with the wisdom needed, but through His knowledge of all that will come, He can and will lead us into using His wisdom, His knowledge and His direction to lead us in a path that can be successful in every way. Have you attained the self-will to let go and let God have His way in your life? Only then will you find lasting success and peace of mind! Of course, this wisdom and awesome peace is only available to those who have place their faith and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, so as in anything in this life, please take care of the preliminaries first, so that you will know, and be acquainted with the source of all wisdom and truth. Notes in my ‘Footnote’ below will help you in drawing close to God, so that He can draw close to you. Do it while you still can, friend

PRAYER: Thank You dear Father for the love, knowledge and wisdom that You offer to Your children. We badly need Your wisdom dear God, because we have no idea what the next moment holds in store for us. However, I praise You today, because as Your special, chosen child, I know who holds the future and I know who has all wisdom, and that You are willing to share it with me, if only I would humble myself and let you. Thank You for loving me enough to not only be my King, but to lead me and direct my path for ultimate success. May You always receive honor and praise from all that is achieved through Your children! Please bless those that don’t know You and therefore have no idea of all that You can offer. May they be drawn to You today and be humbled into making the most important decision in their lives. May this be the day of salvation for someone touched by this devotion today, and may You receive all the praise, because I ask all this in the wonderful name of Jesus, AMEN!

 

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