Category: True

Avoiding Denial

On By Ed AlgreenIn Desertion, Faithful, True1 Comment

Tuesday, 2019-09-24

Bible Reference: Matthew 26:33-35
Translation: The New Living Translation (NLT)

Bible Text:  33 Peter declared, “Even if everyone else deserts you, I will never desert you.” 34 Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, Peter—this very night, before the rooster crows, you will deny three times that you even know me.” 35 “No!” Peter insisted. “Even if I have to die with you, I will never deny you!” And all the other disciples vowed the same.

OBSERVATION: Peter did exactly what he swore he would not do – he denied his Lord. I’m sure that Christians reading this blog today will join with me in swearing up and down that we would never do that, but I hope that as we meditate on the Word today, perhaps we will be challenged to realign some priorities in our life to help avoid following in Peter’s footsteps. Take a few moments to meditate with me on this.

APPLICATION:  Imagine for a moment the feeling of walking into a room with your subordinate staff and hearing them put you down to an indescribable degree – imagine how you will feel. Then imagine that there is a dangerous situation at hand, and all of your closest friends come and look on, but choose not to get involved, so they just move on and leave you to suffer through it. That’s how Jesus must have felt when Peter and his peers did exactly as I described, even after talking about the subject in advance. Now take a moment and think about how Peter must have felt. He swore up and down that he would never forsake his Lord, yet he did. By now you are probably anxious to see how this might apply to you and I, right? May I suggest to you that in the heat of our conversion, we all probably swore up and down that our decision and commitment was an eternal one and that we would live the rest of our days standing up and promoting Jesus – yep, right until the day He calls us together in heaven. So let’s look at what might have been important to us right after we made such an awesome commitment: Probably things like Bible study, so we could learn as much about the Lord and His commands for our lives? Perhaps attending every church service possible, so we could learn from, and be encouraged by those who are also striving for the same goals as we are. Praising God together, and being uplifted as we share about the ways that God is alive and working in their lives? Probably to be a model Christian to any and all of our coworkers, friends or family, so they could look at us and see Jesus, or hear from, and be encouraged that we are speaking with the wisdom and faith of one who is walking the talk? So what happened dear friend? Have you been, and are you still faithful to these things? Please don’t try to convince yourself that these things are no longer relevant, for God’s Word will prove you wrong in that. Desertion immediately hurts the one you are deserting, so please don’t hurt my Lord today. Desertion also hurts the one doing the deserting, so please don’t put yourself in that position today. All of the actions I suggested were probably important to you as a new Christian, but they are still just as relevant to you today. Seek God’s help, then concentrate on these things to help cement a solid, ongoing relationship with your Lord. He has promised never to leave or forsake you, please don’t even think about doing just that to Him. He loves you way too much to deserve that kind of treatment. To the unbeliever reading this devotional, may I remind you that your continued disowning and separation from God will lead you through much ‘hell’ here on earth, but to an even worst place when you leave this world. Jesus loved us just as we were when He went to the cross for us. He still loves you enough to forgive you of your sin and direct you through the Christian life that I have described, but He wants you to ask for it. May I encourage you to read the tips I have included in my ‘Footnote’ and make this very important, life-changing decision today? Followers of Christ, don’t forget your First Love. Draw close to Him everyday. Love Him, worship Him, talk with Him and be His best friend. He has prepared a place for His sons and daughters, and I believe He is standing at the door waiting for us! Let us live in anticipation of that every day friends!

PRAYER: Dear God, please forgive us for often falling into the same path of Peter and his peers. We understand that the flesh is weak, even when the intent of our hearts are in the right place. This is evidence that we can’t do this alone. We need You, Heavenly Father, to fill our hearts with Your love and Your priorities, but most of all with obedience and faithfulness to Your powerful Word. Please use this devotional to stir the hearts of the saved, and provoke a renewed desire within the hearts of the unbelievers, so that today might be the day of salvation for them. We never want to be guilty of desertion. So help us to be faithful and true to You and strengthen the bond that must exist between us in order to fight off the evil one and fully serve You for the rest of our lives. Only You can intervene and help us achieve this kind of perfection Father, so I ask this in and through the precious name of Jesus, AMEN!

Be Faithful in Following Jesus

On By Ed AlgreenIn Commitment, Committed, Faithful, Sold out, True, Unwavering1 Comment

Friday, 2019-09-13

Bible Reference: Matthew 4:18-22
Translation: New Living Translation (NLT)

Bible Text:  18 One day as Jesus was walking along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers—Simon, also called Peter, and Andrew—throwing a net into the water, for they fished for a living. 19 Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!” 20 And they left their nets at once and followed him. 21 A little farther up the shore he saw two other brothers, James and John, sitting in a boat with their father, Zebedee, repairing their nets. And he called them to come, too. 22 They immediately followed him, leaving the boat and their father behind.

OBSERVATION: Accepting Jesus because mom pressured you to do so, or because your prospective father-in-law only wants his daughter to marry a believer, would receive a totally different commitment from you, than a personal encounter with God, where He called you to repentance for the way that you have totally ignored His gift of salvation. In our example today from the Scripture, God had a personal encounter with the disciples. I believe that you should also listen closely for the call of God on your life, and that you should quickly respond.

APPLICATION:  Imagine for a moment if Peter and Andrew had concluded after meeting Jesus that He was a good man and would make a wonderful Savior for many people, especially for those who had time to follow Him around and observe His marvelous works. Imagine how little impact Jesus would have had on these two men if they chose to continue making a living and left Jesus alone to go and impact the brothers up the road who had nothing better to do. James and John had similar choices to make in verses 21 and 22, but like Peter and Andrew, these guys immediately dropped what they were doing and followed Jesus. Friends these stories were included in the Word to show us the impact of total surrender. I don’t believe for a moment that God intends for every Christian to give up our jobs to be obedient followers of His. However, I do believe that God is showing us that it is important for us to take a 180 degree turn from what we did as a sinner, so that we might prove to whom we now belong. We don’t need to prove it to God, for He knows our very inmost thoughts and desires, but we need to convince ourselves that we have seriously redirected our lives to following the Savior, the King of all kings, Jesus Christ. We need to prove it to our friends. We can’t continue doing the things of this world (Satan approved things) and still expect our friends to see a difference in our lives. Think about everyday scenarios: what do you do when you go on a diet? You can’t lose weight eating the same junk food and sweets that brought you to your obese state in the first place. What do you do when you get married? You can’t hang out with your buddies until the wee hours of the morning and expect to go home and find your new spouse happily waiting for you. So what about the Christian walk? I would dare say that you can’t live like the Devil and say that you are a Christian. We have to leave the garbage behind, much like the disciples left their nets and their boats behind, and choose to give God our all – our undying allegiance, our unwavering love and dedication. Show Him that You are serious about the decision you made to follow Him – perhaps He will use you like He did in the case of the disciples mentioned! Won’t that be awesome!

PRAYER: Gracious Lord, thank You for being patient with us. I’m afraid that too often we tend to try and continue doing what we’ve always done, yet expect different results, or worse still – try to convince ourselves that our allegiance has changed. Lord, I believe that these four disciples were so sold out to you that they gave up their fishing careers to become ‘fishers of men’ in your kingdom work. I am convinced that we need more folk like this today Lord, so that the world might know without a doubt who rules in our lives. Please work on us today and convict us of any shortfall You see in our lives and our commitment to You. May we be usable instruments in Your hands to reach the lost. I ask this in the strong and unwavering name of Jesus, AMEN!

About Your Priorities

On By Ed AlgreenIn Honest, Honesty, Priorities, Priority, True, True to the WordLeave a comment

Post Date:

 Monday, 2017-08-14
SCRIPTURE

From:

 Luke 14:16-20 (TLB)

Text:

  16 Jesus replied with this illustration: “A man prepared a great feast and sent out many invitations. 17 When all was ready, he sent his servant around to notify the guests that it was time for them to arrive. 18 But they all began making excuses. One said he had just bought a field and wanted to inspect it, and asked to be excused. 19 Another said he had just bought five pair of oxen and wanted to try them out. 20 Another had just been married and for that reason couldn’t come.
OBSERVATION:
One of the disciples sitting with Jesus was reflecting on the joy that would be theirs as they are welcomed into the kingdom. Jesus demonstrated how easy it is for the non-committed to find excuses, because of other things that suddenly consume their time. This still happens today, so this teaches a valuable lesson to us.
APPLICATION:
Throughout life we hear it over and over about how busy we’ve become and how we need to cancel some of our plans because of other more important things that have since developed. Our most common excuse for not doing certain things for God, or for the church, or for the pastor, is we just don’t have the time. To help you get your priorities straight, may I suggest that in lieu of not having time, that you always respond “that was not a priority for me”. Think about it, the meaning is the same, but I believe it more accurately reflects what we allowed to happen in our lives. Suppose God directed me to visit someone in hospital, to encourage them and pray with them. However before my visit I received a call from a friend who wanted me to take a leisurely ride in a beautiful boat near by. Realizing how badly I need some relaxation in my life, I accept the ride in the boat. I can truly say to the friend in hospital that I really didn’t have time to visit yesterday, or I can more accurately say to him that I didn’t make my visit a priority and it got missed. It would really hurt to say the latter, but we do that all the time with things that we promise to God. It’s almost like we promise something to God under the premise that it will be done, if nothing more important comes up. But, standing before God on Judgment Day, do you feel like you could honestly tell the King of all kings and Lord of all lords; the Creator of this universe and you and me; the one who knows ever deed and thought we ever had; that He was always top priority in our lives? Think about it friends. The example in our Scripture was over attending a dinner. Would we have responded any differently if the Savior was inviting us to dine with Him?
PRAYER:
Lord Jesus, please let our yea be yea and our nah be nah. May You always be top priority in our lives, and may we earn the respect of those that we mix with as being a child of the King in every aspect of our lives. Thank You Lord Jesus for making us Your top priority in everything Your did, including Your sacrificial death on the cross. Lord, we are looking forward to dining with You one day in glory! Come soon Lord 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 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!

Establish A Memorial Pillar

On By Ed AlgreenIn Commitment, covenant, Faithful, True, True to the WordLeave a comment

Post Date:

 Saturday, 2017-02-04
SCRIPTURE

From:

 Genesis 31:44-45 (AMP)

Text:

 44 So come now, let us make a covenant, you and I, and let it serve as a witness between you and me.” 45 So Jacob took a stone and set it up as a [memorial] pillar.
OBSERVATION:
There’s a few keywords that we should pay attention to in this scripture today. ‘Covenant‘ – meaning that a firm agreement has been established between two or more people that is firmly rooted and cannot be undone. Secondly, ‘Memorial Pillar‘ or monument, as some translations calls it. These are generally put in place as a reminder of the covenant made, and will generally help the parties return to recognition of, and obedience to, the original covenant.
APPLICATION:
I find it interesting that today we still practice some of the same principles taught to us by our ancestors in scripture, such as we are looking at today. It just appears like we have relaxed the idea behind these principles. Let’s consider: (1) Covenant – on our wedding day, we make a covenant with our spouse in God’s presence, inviting Him to be a part of our partnership. However we hear of divorces in as early as three months after making that serious covenant. (2) Memorial/Pillar/Monument – sticking with the marriage idea, let’s recognize the wedding ring as a memorial, or pillar, or monument, that we put in place to remind us of the covenant we agreed to on our wedding day. Don’t couples choose to pitch the ring if another Mr. Right or Ms. Perfect comes along? How about our relationship with the Lord? Don’t we sometimes tend to do the same thing with God as we do with our other commitments (covenants)? Isn’t the easiest thing to do when someone ignores us at church, is to abandon our covenant with God? Friends, Laban and Jacob had some very precious jewels that would be impacted if there was a division between the two of them, so it was incumbent upon them to find a resolution, and set some parameters and markers to remind them, should they ever be tempted to make snap decisions in the future. This is a good reminder for us, for when we break covenants, or when we ignore parameters and/or monuments that were erected to protect us, we are also impacting other innocent Brothers and Sisters. After all, what impact might there be for a pastor or a Bible teacher to break the confidence of a congregation or a class by openly displaying a breach of covenant they once made with a spouse, or a church or a body of believers? It is often devastating. May I remind you that the same thing happens in the lives of any believer, for we never know who is following in our footsteps or are encouraged by our ministry or our walk with the Lord. Our challenge here today is to continue making covenants, continue including God in the mix, as our helper, protector and guide, and to stay true to our covenant. Establish markers or monuments or pillars to remind us, and help keep us accountable to the covenant we once made, God being our helper.
PRAYER:
Lord, You are our example. You loved us enough that You came to this world to live among us and see the struggles that we face every day. You died for us, so that we would have no excuse or hindrance in surrendering our lives to You. In everything You kept Your word and showed us the importance of doing the same. Please forgive us for the many times that we mess up on our commitments. Lord, we realize more every day how much we need You to hold our hand and help us along in our weakness. May You find us faithful Lord, and may we always live up to our covenant to be Your follower and to be a witness here on earth, right up to the time that You are ready to call us home with You. Thank You Lord Jesus for setting the example for us. May we strive daily to live in Your footsteps. 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!

Prove It

On By Ed AlgreenIn Committed, Proof-positive, TrueLeave a comment

May I encourage you to get your spiritual ‘Nuggets’ to start your day off right? In our lesson today we are reminded that if we claim Jesus as Lord, our lives will reflect it in everything we do or say. We will prove it – daily!

Today’s Bible Reference: 2 Peter 1:10-11
Today’s Bible Text: 10 My brothers and sisters, God called you and chose you to be his. Do your best to live in a way that shows you really are God’s called and chosen people. If you do all this, you will never fall. 11 And you will be given a very great welcome into the kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, a kingdom that never ends.
The Bible Translation: Easy-To-Read Version (ERV)

My Take Away: I believe my readers will agree with me that there is nothing worse than a person saying that they are something but yet you never see evidence of that in the way they actually live. I believe there are two reasons God is indicating through Peter that we live out our testimony:

  1. So that others could be convinced of our changed lives – imagine if we announce to the church and the community that we have accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior, but yet they see no change in our lives. For example the very next night we are at the same bar and with yet a different woman, while our wife and kids are at home worried about us? Would that convince those we told about our conversion that this is something they really would want to seek after?
  2. Accountability to ourselves to live the life we claim to have in Christ Jesus – Think about it friends: if we tell our friends that we got married over the weekend, they will want to see our spouse, and they would hope to not see you hanging around the streets looking for a different lady every night. In fact, you should feel really guilty if those friends saw you chatting intimately with a different lady at a nearby club. That guilty feeling is ‘accountability’ kicking in. So then, what would be the difference if you say that you had a life changing event happen over the weekend, where Jesus actually transformed your life, and you were convicted of your sin, and impressed upon you a need to give the Savior of the world total control of your life? Can you imagine what would happen, if on Monday morning you are back to the challenges of the work week, and you automatically put your ‘worldly’ hat back on to deal with the various challenging circumstances? Do you suppose anyone would believe that you changed? Friends, please allow your friends to help keep you accountable – Christian and non-Christian friends alike. Tell them about your new life in Christ, and live the life taught by the Bible, not the old life you were taught by the world. Live so that they never see you say or do something that would be contrary to Biblical teachings. Allow them to keep you accountable to the commitment you told them that you made. Some friends will try hard to pull you back into the sinful things of this world, but quickly recognize Satan’s pull for your life and know that greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world!

Friends, there are real rewards awaiting those of us who stay true to God, verse 11 says that God will welcome us warmly into His heaven, a kingdom that lasts forever and that has no temptation or weakness like we find at work each day. Won’t that be a glorious day fellow Christian? I long for that day, and I long to see you there!

Prayer: Thank You heavenly Father for providing a way for us to one day be with You in glory! Oh, what a day that will be when my Jesus I shall see, when I look upon His face, the One who saved me by His wonderful grace! Thank You for loving me that much dear God. Thank You for touching my life and reminding me of the importance of living the life I claim to possess. Please also impact my readers with Your Word today, so that Your army might hit the road of life in good standing and stay true to the commitment we have made with You. We want to aid Your kingdom today oh Lord, and not be a hindrance in any way. Have Your way in our lives, I pray, 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

Will God Find You Faithful?

On By Ed AlgreenIn Faithful, Pure, TrueLeave 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 feeding even us with His Word! Read on and be blessed friend!………

The Bible Text: 20 For I am afraid that when I come I won’t like what I find, and you won’t like my response. I am afraid that I will find quarreling, jealousy, anger, selfishness, slander, gossip, arrogance, and disorderly behavior. 21 Yes, I am afraid that when I come again, God will humble me in your presence. And I will be grieved because many of you have not given up your old sins. You have not repented of your impurity, sexual immorality, and eagerness for lustful pleasure.
The Bible Reference: 2 Corinthians 12:20–21
The Bible Translation: New Living Translation (NLT)

My Take Away: If someone catches us doing something we shouldn’t be doing, we tend to get embarrassed because of our guilt. However, there are times that we could be fired for being caught doing something that we shouldn’t be doing. Ever got downright angry at a child, or maybe even an adult, when you caught them doing something that you specifically told them not to do? Our scripture reading today illustrates how Paul shared with the Corinthians about his fears in what he would find when he returned to them. Friends, I believe this was placed in the Book to not only show us the heart of Paul, but also help us understand how God might feel if He returned to gather His church together today. For some, I believe we would really wish that God would come right after our devotional time in the mornings, or perhaps right after church on the weekend. The reality is, that God could return to get His church at anytime He chooses to, for He’s in control of that. Paul listed a number of qualities he was afraid he would find when he returned. What would you be embarrassed to have God return and find you doing today friend? What character qualities are you ashamed of, especially when backed up against a wall? Which of your relationships are less than pleasing to God? Paul may have asked that some be excommunicated from the church. However, God may cause you to question if you ever really gave Him control of your life. Remember, He is either Lord of all, or not Lord at all to you. He could return to take you home even today friend, won’t it be joy to hear the words from our Father, “Well done good and faithful servant, enter now into the eternal glory of heaven with my Father and I”. May I encourage you to either make a decision to accept Jesus as your Savior today, or to renew and refresh Your relationship with Him if you are already a child of the King? May I also encourage you to seek the face of God and ask for forgiveness of the sin in your life, and for strength, guidance, and wisdom to overcome the temptations of this old world, so that you may remain faithful to Him until He calls you home? We need to be ready at all times friend!

Prayer: Lord God, thank You for loving us enough to provide the means for our forgiveness of sin. Thank You for providing Your living Word to show us the way to live here on earth, while pleasing You who art in heaven.  Please forgive me for allowing the things of the world into my life that distract me and cause me to stumble along my path of trying to please You. Please touch the hearts of Your children today and help us to be reminded of the urgency in which You can easily come to take Your church home to be with You. Please help us to live holy lives, even as You are holy. Please help us to stay so connected to You and Your Word that we can know right from wrong, and that we may gain strength to go on without giving in to the temptations of this world and its master, Satan. Your love is amazing dear God, may our love for You in return be evident by the way that we choose to live. For I ask these things in the strong and 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 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 Value In Experiencing God

On By Ed AlgreenIn Honest, Sincerity, True, WitnessLeave a comment

THE HOLY BIBLE (The New Living Translation – John 9:24-25): 24 So for the second time they called in the man who had been blind and told him, “God should get the glory for this, because we know this man Jesus is a sinner.” 25 “I don’t know whether he is a sinner,” the man replied. “But I know this: I was blind, and now I can see!”

THOUGHTS: Try asking me what it was like to land on the moon the very first time, and I would have to look to the internet and/or the local library to find information on the first landing. No doubt I would share some of the personal feelings of those first pioneers as they landed and as they walked around on the surface of the moon. Now, think about the difference in that story versus the response I might write to the question: “what is it like to live in the Bahamas?” You see, I am originally from the Bahamas, having lived the first 33 years of my life there. So I don’t need to do research in order to share a valid response with you. In my response to the first question I would share feelings and facts from the hearts of the first adventurers that landed on the moon. In response to the second question, you would hear about those things I personally experienced, and more about the physical descriptions of the beautiful waters and beaches. You will quickly discern the passion in my response, because my life was, and always will be, impacted by the people and places of the country where I was raised. In our Bible verses today, we see where a man who was once blind, is passionate about Jesus who impacted his life forever. For through His majestic touch, this man could now see for the first time in his life. In fact, the man is getting very frustrated because the Jewish leaders are trying to convince him that the healer is a fraud and that there must be something erroneous about his experience. Friends, this is representative of what happens in Christianity. To those of us who have surrendered our lives to the lordship of Jesus Christ, we have experienced His saving power; His love that was poured out for us on Calvary, in spite of our sin and evil ways; and the eternal hope that is ours to one day unite with Him around the throne of grace in heaven. Anyone carrying the title without the personal experience or interaction with their Master and Lord, can tell you about a Savior they read about or heard testimony of, but they can be easily swayed and distracted to another story that may sound more convincing. A personal experience is embedded in us and will help us to stay firm in the faith and true to our commitment until the day we are called away to be with the Lord in glory! As in any relationship, this experience will only happen as we dedicate ourselves to true and honest servanthood to the One we have surrendered our lives to. I pray that each of you reading this devotional will stop the pretense and seek a personal relationship/experience with a very personal, yet powerful God, through His Son Jesus Christ. Please use information in the ‘Footnote’ to contact me with any questions this may have aroused for you. It is super important that we each seek and experience a ‘personal’ relationship with Jesus. Today can be the day for you, friend!

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, thank You for reaching down from the glories of heaven to touch my life in such miraculous ways that I can declare today that I know my Redeemer Lives, because He is Alive in me. Lord, may this be evident in every aspect of my life so that others will experience the risen Lord, and not just hear about an event that may have impacted my life. Although I know that You are our main defense against the enemy, I believe that our personal and intimate relationship with You brings peace, solidarity and a witness that will stand firm against the attacks of Satan and his earthly cohorts. May others look to us with a hope today, and not consider us just another hypocrite. I thank You for saving my soul Lord Jesus. May my life exemplify You so vividly today that others will be convicted of their sin and want to know you personally. I ask these things in the strong name of Jesus, my Savior and Lord, 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 www.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!

No Turning Back

On By Ed AlgreenIn Faithful, Renounce, TrueLeave a comment

THE HOLY BIBLE (The Voice – Hebrews 6:4-8): 4-6 It is impossible to restore the changed heart of the one who has fallen from faith—who has already been enlightened, has tasted the gift of new life from God, has shared in the power of the Holy Spirit, and has known the goodness of God’s revelation and the powers of the coming age. If such a person falls away, it’s as though that one were crucifying the Son of God all over again and holding Him up to ridicule. 7 You see, God blesses the ground that drinks of the rain and then produces a bountiful crop for those who cultivate it. 8 But land that produces nothing but thorns and brambles? That land is worthless and in danger of being cursed, burned to the bare earth.

THOUGHTS: I believe that the same types of problems that were being dealt with in the early church, are very evident in our churches and our world today. I believe the hardest part of this scripture is to imagine that one might be turned away at the cross. However, after closer study of this, I concluded that this is definitely referring to one who had given their heart to the Lord, enjoyed His blessings and His goodness, then went in a totally different direction that led to a very strong falling away from the faith. I don’t believe that there is a discussion as to whether the person is saved or not, but rather more about restoration of the heart. When one drifts away it is as if they are ignoring, or perhaps even denouncing the God in whom they claimed to have enjoyed a relationship. In fact, in this passage of scripture it suggests that this person is then very similar to the one that would have participated in the crucifixion of Christ, for they are literally denouncing the truth of what transpired in their life, and in the life that God provides to those who believe in Him. In fact, I believe that this deceiving action is the same as denouncing the Holy Spirit – the one unforgivable sin. Therefore I question if that’s not partially the reason why the writer felt like “it is impossible to restore the heart of one” such as described. I’m sure we’ll know when we sit at the feet of Jesus and can discuss all these questions in detail for a few hundred years!! However friends, the main thing I want to challenge you with today is that we should make every effort to not fall into the trap of falling away. When we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, His part of that covenant is to keep us secure in His hand throughout eternity. Why should we mean anything different? My greatest desire is that we will not fall into the trap of some who make a decision to do something, and that decision stands – until something better comes up. We expect God to keep His end of the covenant, I would encourage you to mean nothing less on your end of the same covenant.

PRAYER: Dear God, You have been so faithful to us, and I thank You very deeply for Your love in remaining faithful, even when I know that we have disappointed You. Please strengthen us with Your love and Your guidance today so that we may remain strong in the faith and totally committed to serving You all the days of our life. We tend to think of those who have chosen to step away from the faith, especially when we study scripture like the one today. However, if not for the grace of God, this could easily be us. So loving Jesus, please give us strength to be overcomers and totally committed to the everlasting covenant that we agreed to in accepting You, our everlasting Savior with whom we plan to spend eternity. I ask these things in the wonderful and blessed 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 www.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!

Preparing For Desertion

On By Ed AlgreenIn Desertion, Faithful, TrueLeave a comment

THE HOLY BIBLE (The New Living Translation – Matthew 26:33-35): 33 Peter declared, “Even if everyone else deserts you, I will never desert you.” 34 Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, Peter—this very night, before the rooster crows, you will deny three times that you even know me.” 35 “No!” Peter insisted. “Even if I have to die with you, I will never deny you!” And all the other disciples vowed the same.

THOUGHTS: Imagine for a moment the feeling of walking into a room with your subordinate staff and hearing them put you down to an indescribable degree – imagine how you will feel. Then imagine that there is a dangerous situation at hand, and all of your closest friends come and look on, but choose not to get involved, so they just move on and leave you to suffer through it. That’s how Jesus must have felt when Peter and his peers did exactly as I described, even after talking about the subject in advance. Now take a moment and think about how Peter must have felt. He swore up and down that he would never forsake his Lord, yet he did. By now you are probably anxious to see how this might apply to you and I, right? May I suggest to you that in the heat of our conversion, we all probably swore up and down that our decision and commitment was an eternal one and that we would live the rest of our days standing up and promoting Jesus, until the day He calls us together in heaven. So let’s look at what might have been important to us at the time we made such an awesome commitment: Probably things like Bible study, so we could learn as much about the Lord and His commands for our lives? Perhaps attending every church service possible, so we could learn from those who are also striving for the same direction as we are, and encouragement from the ways that God is alive and working in their lives? Probably to be a model Christian to any and all of our coworkers, friends or family, so they could look at us and see Jesus, or hear from, and be encouraged that we are speaking with the wisdom and faith of one who is walking the talk? So what has happened friend? Have you been, and are you still faithful to these things? Please don’t try to convince yourself that these things are no longer relevant, for God’s Word will prove you wrong in that. Desertion immediately hurts the one you are deserting, so please don’t hurt my Lord today. Desertion also hurts the one doing the deserting, so please don’t put yourself in that position today. All of the actions I suggested were probably important to you as a new Christian, but they are still just as relevant to you today. Seek God’s help, then concentrate on these things to help cement a solid relationship with your Lord today. He has promised never to leave or forsake you, please don’t even think about doing just that to Him. He loves you way too much to deserve that kind of treatment. To the unbeliever reading this devotional, may I remind you that your ongoing desertion will lead you through much ‘hell’ here on earth, but to an even worst place when you leave this world. Jesus loved us just as we were when He went to the cross for us. He still loves you enough to forgive you of your sin and direct you through the Christian life that I have described, but He wants you to ask for it. May I encourage you to read the tips I have included in my ‘Footnote’ and make this very important, life-changing decision today?

PRAYER: Dear God, please forgive us for often falling into the same path of Peter and his peers. We understand that the flesh is weak, even when the intent of our hearts are in the right place. This is evidence that we can’t do this alone. We need You, Heavenly Father, to fill our hearts with Your love and Your priorities, but most of all with obedience and faithfulness to Your powerful Word. Please use this devotional to stir the hearts of the saved, and provoke a renewed desire within the hearts of the unbelievers, so that today might be the day of salvation for them. We never want to be guilty of desertion. So help us to be faithful and true to You and strengthen the bond that must exist between us in order to fight off the evil one and fully serve You for the rest of our lives. Only You can intervene and help us achieve this kind of perfection Father, so I ask this in and through the precious name of Jesus, AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please speak with a local Bible Teaching pastor, or 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 www.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!

Don’t Miss The Boat

On By Ed AlgreenIn Faithful, Obedient, TrueLeave a comment

THE HOLY BIBLE (The Message – Matthew 7:21-23): “Knowing the correct password—saying ‘Master, Master,’ for instance—isn’t going to get you anywhere with me. What is required is serious obedience—doing what my Father wills. I can see it now—at the Final Judgment thousands strutting up to me and saying, ‘Master, we preached the Message, we bashed the demons, our God-sponsored projects had everyone talking.’ And do you know what I am going to say? ‘You missed the boat. All you did was use me to make yourselves important. You don’t impress me one bit. You’re out of here.’

THOUGHTS: To take a ride on some boats or ships you need to have purchased a ticket. On others you need to book your passage and be there on time. On smaller boats, in particular parts of the world, you may be required to wear a life jacket (vest) and remain seated throughout the ride, for your own protection. Jesus warns us that merely saying that Jesus is Lord, or hopping on to the boat without having first-hand knowledge of the Captain and accepted His invitation, will not provide you safe passage on the boat to its final destination. Of course Jesus was talking about heaven, and His point here is that if we have truly accepted Him as Lord and Savior of our lives, then we would be obedient to Him. Our instructions come from the Word (the Bible). Friends, the whole idea behind ‘Nuggets From God’s Word’ is to share with you how the writer feels God has touched him during the reading of His Word. You see, we can read and re-read a passage of scripture, and if God needs to get a word of wisdom, or direction or encouragement across to us, He could even use something in a familiar passage to reveal the Truth to us, if we remain open to Him and willing to be obedient to Him. It is very clear in this scripture this morning that God wants more than lip service, He wants obedient children. Don’t just call on the name of Jesus when it’s convenient or when you feel it is necessary, but live life in total obedience to what we understand He demands in His Word. Let that understanding come from personal Bible study and time with the Lord, not just what I might share with you, or what you might learn from your pastor or Bible school teacher. As God speaks to you, highlight it in your Bible, or make notes of what you heard from God. The next time you read that passage you will not only receive a current word from the Lord, but you will be reminded of what He said to you when you last read that same passage of scripture. Remember, we don’t impress God. He loves us just the way we are, and He wants our total dedication and obedience to all that He commands of us. The rules are clear as to what will see us safely on to the glorious ‘boat’ to glory. Please don’t miss the boat!

PRAYER: Lord God, we are so spoiled in getting our own way when we know someone in charge. In fact, we sometime lean on folk like that to get us on board, even if we have not met all of the rules and conditions. In this passage of scripture You have warned us not to expect this from You, but instead You are looking for our obedience to all that You have taught us. Lord, this is very challenging for us, because often this involves us having to do just the opposite to what our friends, or the crowd is doing. Please help us to stop, listen and decide this day whom we will serve. If it’s You Lord, then help us to commit to that and depend on You to direct us towards total obedience. A great part of our survival here on earth, is the expectation of one day being in Your presence and hearing the words “Well done good and faithful servant”. This will result from our obedience to You while here on earth. Please help us to be totally committed to You and faithful to obey all that You command of us in Your Word. Please protect us from the evil one while remaining here on this old earth. I ask these things in the strong 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 www.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!