Category: Victorious Life

A Lifestyle Change

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Eternal Life, Fruit of the Spirit, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Victorious Life, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Wednesday, 2022-06-22
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Luke 3:7-9 
TRANSLATION: The Voice (VOICE)

BIBLE TEXT: John the Baptist: You bunch of venomous snakes! Who told you that you could escape God’s coming wrath? 8 Don’t just talk of turning to God; you’d better bear the authentic fruit of a changed life. Don’t take pride in your religious heritage, saying, “We have Abraham for our father!” Listen—God could turn these rocks into children of Abraham! 9 God wants you to bear fruit! If you don’t produce good fruit, then you’ll be chopped down like a fruitless tree and made into firewood. God’s ax is taking aim and ready to swing!

APPLICATION: Have you ever been in a store, or at work, or at the mall, and found yourself near enough to overhear an individual tearing another employee apart verbally? Then, as you drew near enough to the heated conversation, you saw that it was someone from your church? I know, church attendees are human, and they could still become agitated, frustrated, unhappy and upset over certain circumstances just like everyone else, right? So why then do you suppose that John addressed this problem, and why would God have instilled this in the heart of Dr. Luke to present this as part of the Gospel? I believe it all goes back to a phrase that became very popular some years ago ‘what would Jesus do’ (WWJD). For circumstances will present itself as a test so the world could see what we are made of. In this teaching today, we could see that Luke used a similar tactic to that of Jesus, where he demonstrated a truth to the religious leaders through a parable. He likened their lives to that of a tree that bears fruit. For a farmer will cut down a tree that bears no fruit, so that the fruit bearing trees might flourish. But how would this apply to people, you might ask. I believe that you would be upset if a child for whom you paid years and years of tuition fees to gain their medical degree, finished school, and did nothing more than hang around the house without a desire to work in his/her profession. They may have a medical degree, but if they refuse to work in that profession and keep up with their trade, are they really a doctor? The same example holds true when looking at a married person who refuses to sleep at home, take care of their spouse, and continue to flirt with everyone walking into a nightclub. So what about one who felt a nudge from the Master, and surrenders their life to the lordship of Jesus Christ? The Bible says that the Holy Spirit then resides inside that individual and leads them in a life dedicated to God’s commands, His teachings, His example as told in the Bible, and they will therefore operate in accordance with God’s will, and His direction for their life. When all of this is in place and the individual decides to ignore the Holy Spirit’s leadership and do his/her own thing, how do you think God must feel? Don’t you know that these Pharisee Leaders showed up for no other reason but to trap John, poke fun of his teaching and baptism, and retain the allegiance of their people? Don’t you think that John was probably spot on with his accusation of them being a brood of vipers? Friends, I believe that our take away today is that we must be true to what we claim as our life’s influencer. If this is Jesus Christ, then others will see ‘fruit’ in our actions, our priorities, our words of encouragement, our prayers, the books we read, the places we frequent, and the results of all these things will impact our outlook on life and the love we show towards others. At the time of conversion to our new Master, we will learn to stay in tune with Him through reading His Word; communicating with Him through conversation (prayer); and through a solid commitment to honor Him through our words and actions. If there is no lifestyle change, can we truly prove to Jesus and to our family and friends that there has been a change in our lives? These new changes are displayed as proof, or ‘fruit’, of our lifestyle change. In our new relationship with Jesus Christ, we have chosen to imitate Him! When this happens, the world will know that we are authentic in our Christianity, and John sensed that this was not the case with the Pharisees. If God is your Lord, your Savior, and your Master my friend, seek His help and He will also be your Guide and your Deliverer in every circumstance of life! And there is nothing, absolutely nothing, that you and God can’t do!

PRAYER: Precious Lord, please touch Your children today and help us to never take for granted all that You did so that we might have life everlasting. Oh that we may take our commitment seriously to give you FULL control of our lives, and that we may be obedient in every way to Your Word – Your Book of Instructions for the Christian. As we follow You, I believe that our lives will reflect the very image of Jesus – fruit (evidence) that the world will see, know and appreciate in our lifestyle change. But we need You to do this in our lives Lord, for in and of ourselves we are helpless in overcoming the evil that’s all around us. I know You can, and I believe You will, so I thank You in advance dear Jesus. Be glorified today because of Your committed children being obedient to You, Your Word and the Holy Spirit.  AMEN!

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

The Secret To A Long, Good Life

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Peace, Praise, Recognize God, Victorious Life, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Friday, 2022-05-20
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Psalm 34:12-14
TRANSLATION: The Passion Translation (TPT)

BIBLE TEXT: 12–13 Do you want to live a long, good life, enjoying the beauty that fills each day? Then never speak a lie or allow wicked words to come from your mouth.
14 Keep turning your back on every sin, and make “peace” your life motto. Practice being at peace with everyone.

APPLICATION: God created us, and placed us here on this earth so that we might be a blessing to Him, and in turn bless each other. Unfortunately Satan wiggled his way into this world, and found how he could upset the applecart prepared for us by God, as he knew that we would then strive to destroy the lives of families, friends, coworkers, churches and communities, so that they would never again be happy. However, for the child of God who vowed to please God; honor and obey His Word; follow in God’s example, and live according to His teachings, we are reminded that God encouraged us with the words: ‘greater is He that is in us, than he that is in the world’! Additional Scripture reminds us to practice being at peace with everyone. This tells me that we must put effort into it, and be intentional about turning our back on sin, and look out for the peace and happiness of those that we encounter each day. Friends, I believe that if the love of God is truly inside of us, we can’t help but seeing it exude from us in every act, in every word, and in every deliberate step that we take. So how do we get there? Please allow me to remind you that Satan is much bigger than we are, and he is much more powerful than we are, so may we quickly be reminded that there is only One more powerful – God Himself. Let us therefore surrender our all before God, and let us seek His guidance, His power and His peace. Let’s allow Him to guide us into a life that is so filled with Jesus and His love, that His character and His peace will overflow into every action we take and every word that we speak. We live in a very troubled world, and we should do everything possible to be a light to the rest of the world, and not add to the darkness that already exists. Let us therefore seek the fullness of God and seek to always be His humble representatives while afforded the opportunity to remain here on earth. May we be so filled with love and compassion for one another, and may the wonderful character of Jesus be so evident in our lives that it will be easy for others to notice and accept. I believe it was with this intent that God said through David that we would then be blessed with a long, happy life!

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, I come humbly before You today seeking Your power and Your grace. I would sincerely ask that You touch my life, and the lives of those who will read or listen to this devotional, so that we, in turn, may bless others. Please fill us with Your love, give us the power to overcome, and give us the peace that surpasses all human understanding, so that we might practice being at peace with everyone.  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!

Press On – God Is Victorious!

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Victorious Life, Victory, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Saturday, 2022-04-30
WRITTEN AT: Citra, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Joshua 8:1-2
TRANSLATION: Contemporary English Version (CEV)

BIBLE TEXT: 1-2 The Lord told Joshua: Don’t be afraid, and don’t be discouraged by what happened at the town of Ai. Take the army and attack again. But first, order part of the army to set up an ambush on the other side of the town. I will help you defeat the king of Ai and his army, and you will capture the town and the land around it. Destroy Ai and kill its king as you did at Jericho. But you may keep the livestock and everything else you want.

APPLICATION: We can grieve the Spirit by sin. We can quench the Spirit when we fail to wait on the Lord to receive direction. But the Lord never gives up on us! God exposed Achan’s sin as the reason Joshua and his army met with failure, but at just the right time, God said to Joshua: “Don’t be dismayed. I will now give you the victory!” Praise God, He doesn’t give up on us either, even when we were careless in following His orders, or not at all. Dear friend, the successful person in life is the one who gets up one more time than he or she is knocked down. Too many Christians, when they are dealt a blow, lay in the dust day after day and don’t get up. But Paul dealt with this when he addressed the church at Philippi. He told them: “Forgetting the things which lie behind, I press toward the mark of the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus”! Among all the people in the world, how could Paul possibly accomplish what he did? By forgetting that which was behind him, and looking ahead, instead. Fortunately God does not judge quite like we do. He didn’t set Paul aside and give up on him, instead God had a great work prepared for Paul. Just as Joshua learned a very humbling lesson from his first attempt at conquering the king and people of Ai, Paul also learned that God could use even a persecutor of Christians to forgive and use in His service. Doesn’t it seem well within reason for God to also use you and I in His service here on earth? You see, only wicked man will look at our lives before Christ became a part of it, for in their eyes we could never become holy enough to represent the God of all righteousness and hope. But God yes, BUT GOD, in all His mercy and grace, sent His only Son to die for folk like us, so that our old, disgusting life of sin could be cleansed, made white as snow, purified, in the eyes of our Creator. So if we are ‘right’ in the eyes of God, of course we could be used by Him to reach folk that may doubt and fear the possibility of restoration, renewal, or even salvation in the holy name of Jesus. Joshua didn’t stay down, but God was able to teach him a lesson and give him the opportunity to try it again, this time letting God take the lead and give him the winning instructions. Perhaps we need to surrender ourselves to the King of all kings as well, and allow Him to work in, and through us, to do all that He has planned for us in the work of growing His Kingdom here on earth.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: God used the same man who forged ahead into battle without God, to send back into battle, but this time insuring that he would let God be in control. When our battle belongs to God, we win!!

PRAYER: Lord, we normally plead for help with our forgetfulness, but in accordance with the words You gave to Paul for us, please help us to forget what is behind us, so that we may stay focused on all that You have in store ahead for us. Our battle belongs to You Lord. Please teach us as we proceed ahead, and give us victories that will glorify You in every way. Many are struggling, and even more are holding back in committing themselves fully to You, please show them vividly how mighty and awesome You are, so that they may be drawn to You. Use us completely in every way for Your glory oh Lord. AMEN!

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

The Lord Makes Us Victorious

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Victorious Life, Victory, Worship2 Comments

DATE POSTED Wednesday, 2021-12-01
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: 2 Samuel 8:6
TRANSLATION: New Living Translation (NLT)

BIBLE TEXT: ……So the Lord made David victorious wherever he went.

APPLICATION: Here are some reasons why I believe David was so special to God, and possible reasons why He gave victory to David wherever he went. We could read where David sought God’s approval in all that he did, and always before he did it. There were occasions where David felt like he should proceed into battle, but before he would commit to move forward, he always sought God’s approval first. I believe that we all can agree that the most challenging thing to do once our minds are fixed on doing something, is to sit and wait. But if we would only follow David’s example, we would quickly see that he waited for God to give the word on whether to move into action, or wait. We also see many cases where God went before His servant and prepared the way for David’s success. Friends, what do you suppose would be the outcome if we were to seek the face of God, and wait for His command to move, before attempting some of the very challenging things that face us? Remember how God gave victory to David in killing the giant Philistine, while a whole army of adult men just sat around frightened to death? Remember how, through obedience to God, David again overcame the Philistine army, against all odds? In this story, the Arameans came to help king Hadadezer overcome the dreaded warrior, David. But by the time David and his awesome commander, God, got finished with that army, the Arameans had not only surrendered to David, but were actually paying tribute money to him. I believe that David became very respected, and perhaps fearful to many nations, but the only thing special about this man was the God he served, and that he allowed to rule and command his every move. So what do you suppose might be the difference with us today? We serve the same God, and He remains just as powerful as He has always been. I wonder if it’s because we have chosen to only call on God in times of dire need? I wonder if it’s because we have lost sight of a daily, intimate relationship with the God who created us and provides for our every need? I wonder if it’s because of our tendency to look in greed at what something holds in store for us, versus seeking God’s permission and His perfect will for whether we go after something because of His will for His loving children? Friends, we serve the same awesome God who gave David victory in all that he attempted, and God can do it again for us. David had an intimate relationship with God, and he wanted to make sure he pleased Him and got His approval for every decision in life. That’s the same with us! When we pull away and do what we please, I believe God waits for us to return and ask Him to fix that which we have created and/or messed up. Let’s make every effort to seek the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, and mind. Then we could prepare to praise Him for our victories, as He performs His mighty works!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: God blessed David and gave him victory in all aspects of life, and He could do the same for us, if we ask, and allow Him to.

PRAYER: Oh Lord Jesus, please forgive us for our hardness of heart and will. Way too often we approach the challenges of life alone and feel like we could probably handle what we could manage to see with mere human eyes. After being reminded of David’s successes through allowing Your leadership and Your awesome power to rule and lead him, I am convinced that we should be more determined than ever to allow You to lead the way for us in every aspect of life. Each day we begin with seeing only what we have planned to do. With our hand in Yours, I am convinced that we could handle that and every other challenge that comes our way. Please direct us in the path that You would have us to follow, so that You might be lifed up on earth, just as You are in heaven. We need You every minute of every day Lord. Please direct us and uphold us through every circumstance of life. No matter how off-guard we may be at some occurrences, nothing catches You by surprise. Please guide us into all righteousness, for Your name’s sake. 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!

God Will Give The Victory

On By Ed AlgreenIn Overcomer, Prayer, Victorious Life, VictoryLeave a comment

Tuesday, 2019-04-30

Bible Reference: 2 Chronicles 20:15–17
Translation: Good News Translation (GNT)

Bible Text:  Jahaziel said, “Your Majesty and all you people of Judah and Jerusalem, the LORD says that you must not be discouraged or be afraid to face this large army. The battle depends on God, not on you. Attack them tomorrow as they come up the pass at Ziz. You will meet them at the end of the valley that leads to the wild country near Jeruel. You will not have to fight this battle. Just take up your positions and wait; you will see the LORD give you victory. People of Judah and Jerusalem, do not hesitate or be afraid. Go out to battle, and the LORD will be with you!”

OBSERVATION: King Jehoshaphat faced an overwhelming issue – he was about to face a huge army. Often our issues seem unreal to us also, because we see, what appears to be, an overwhelming challenge ahead of us. But the reassuring thing for us, is that the same God who promised victory to the king, is the same God that we serve today! And I believe that He is just as concerned about our victory as He was about the king’s challenge! Meditate with me on this friends!

APPLICATION: King Jehoshaphat faced the reality of an approaching army that was superior to his and overwhelmingly outnumbered his army. He was accustomed to prayer, leadership by God, and the awesome power of God. But he didn’t take this for granted, he gathered his people in the temple courtyard and he personally led the prayer to God on behalf of his people. After bragging on the known accomplishments of God, in vs 7 and again in vs 12 the king acknowledged that “You are our God”, meaning that You are the proven One that we depend on; You are the One that is powerful enough to bring us victory! In response to this intense, yet humble time of prayer, God spoke through an unknown prophet in their midst, Jahaziel, who shared with the king and his people that they are not to be afraid or discouraged, the battle depends on God, not on them! Wow, what an awesome reality when we face our battles today. When we have placed the battle in God’s hands, we can rest peacefully knowing that the battle is then His, not ours! What an awesome God we serve fellow Christian! Take time to give Him praise, adoration and glory today! If you are facing a battle today, I encourage you to read this whole chapter (30 verses), and be encourage to surrender that battle over to God. Imagine the peace of knowing that He now has that issue that has been troubling you and that the battle is His, and no longer yours! Just do it friend! He is our God!

PRAYER: Lord God, You know the mountains that we need to cross, and I believe that You know the challenges that seem overwhelming to us. Please comfort the hearts of Your children tuned in to this devotional today, and give us the reassurance that we need to help us face today, and tomorrow, knowing that You are still God and that our ‘mountains’ are very crossable with You as our Guide and our Deliverer. Praise be to God for the assurance of whom we serve, and for Your awesome power to overcome. May we place our faith and trust in You at all times, for all things. AMEN!

God’s Loving Response To Obedience

On By Ed AlgreenIn Humble, Humbleness, Humility, Obedience, Obedient, Victorious LifeLeave a comment

SCRIPTURE  FROM:   Psalm 81:11-14 (ERV)

TEXT:   11 “But my people did not listen to me.
    Israel did not obey me.
12 So I let them go their own stubborn way
    and do whatever they wanted.
13 If my people would listen to me
    and would live the way I want,
14 then I would defeat their enemies.
    I would punish those who cause them trouble.

OBSERVATION:   In this Psalm, you can hear the hurt from God, that no matter how hard He tries, yet His children refuses to listen, and insists on doing their own thing. This often results in pain and heartache to His precious children. This is probably very real to many parents, as they remember what they went through with a son or daughter. In fact, I bet it also gives many parents a pretty good idea about how much pain it must bring to God when He looks upon us in love, and reflects on all that He did at the cross for us, yet to see us turn our backs on Him or totally disregard the love of our Savior in every aspect of our lives.

APPLICATION:   We often talk about the unconditional love of Jesus, and I have no doubt about the truth in that statement, for He willingly went to the cross, even while we were yet sinners, and freely gave up His life to prove the extent of His love. This loving act brought about the means of purification for our sins so that we may present ourselves clean and sinless before the Father. Compare this to the love that parents have for a child born to them – of their own flesh and blood. Parents love their children, and nourish them through childhood days as they prepare them for life, with its full potential. In fact they begin college plans for them and have dreams of them taking over local businesses when they graduate. However somewhere along the way, those dreams and plans might change, as that child takes on a will of their own, which could sometimes be contrary to the dreams of the parents. This often brings serious tension between parents and children. Feeling the disappointment in the scenario I just gave you, may help you feel some of the hurt and disappointment that God must experience when His children also ignores all that He has in store for them, yet they decide to peel away and do their own thing? In fact, the Psalmist says that God has many plans to prosper His children, yet they chose to leave and accept much less. Can you even imagine the hurt of our heavenly Father? On a very positive note: these verses remind me so much of 2 Chronicles 7:14, because both indicate that if we will do our part and draw close to God, in response to the love He demonstrated for us, and if we will seek His face and listen to His instruction, then He will hear our prayer, hear from heaven, heal our land and magnify our faith in the One who loves us unconditionally, but also deliberately. This wonderful Savior can be your Lord and Savior today, friend! Please have a look at my Footnote for directions.

PRAYER:   Precious Lord, please take the hand of your children today and lead us through this tough world that is out to block the works of the One who created us, and loved us enough to be crucified, so that we may live eternally in heaven with You and the Father. Lord, in these verses today, and in the verse I quoted above, You promised that You would basically change our world, if only we would humble ourselves and seek after You. Lord, may today be the beginning of something new for us. May we obey Your Word and seek Your face as we wait for You to do Your miraculous work in each of our lives. I believe the world needs to see Jesus in order to believe in Him. May they see Jesus in us today! AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: There are two more pages on my blog that will provide you with additional information, one of them being ‘To Know Jesus’.  If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please click on the above page, or speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. Please allow someone to pray with you and give you help and/or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Words underlined in my blog 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 Our Faith Is Put to the Test

On By Ed AlgreenIn Eternal Life, Eternity, Heaven, Resurrection Day, Victorious LifeLeave a comment

Post Date:

 Friday, 2017-11-10
SCRIPTURE

From:

 John 11:23-26a (TLB)

Text:

 23 Jesus told her, “Your brother will come back to life again.”

24 “Yes,” Martha said, “when everyone else does, on Resurrection Day.”

25 Jesus told her, “I am the one who raises the dead and gives them life again. Anyone who believes in me, even though he dies like anyone else, shall live again. 26 He is given eternal life for believing in me and shall never perish….
OBSERVATION:
Jesus was a friend of Mary and Martha’s, yet when He came a couple days after Lazarus died, they struggled to believe that anything more could be done – even by Jesus. However Jesus reminded Martha that He is not only in charge of life here on earth, but for the believer in Jesus Christ, He is also the One who will raise those who have fallen asleep – died temporarily to earthly challenges and sin. For He will then usher them into life eternally with He and His Father in glory!
APPLICATION:
I believe with all my heart, that Martha was very much like her contemporaries today. For most Christians surrender their lives to the Lord Jesus with a very strong belief that one day He will take us on to heaven to be with Him. While on earth, I believe that most of us will pray to God, through our Lord and Savior, just like Mary and Martha did when they saw their brother’s health diminishing drastically. Because of miracles relayed in the Bible, or even ones we may have heard about around our church, we may even believe that extreme faith in Jesus, might even trigger His healing touch upon our family. And yes, we have seen tremendous victories through these types of prayer meetings. In fact I heard a story recently that reminded me of how casually we pray for the needs of a friend that asked for prayer for one of her kids with leukemia, versus us going before God in desperate prayer for our own daughter with leukemia. There comes a whole new level of serious and sincere prayer when the object of our prayer is personal and dear to our heart. I wonder if it would make a difference in our prayer life if we reminded ourselves of what Jesus consoled Martha with, that He, who is Lord on earth, will also be Lord in Heaven, because He is the Resurrection and the Life! Friends, I firmly believe that when we invite Jesus to be our Lord and Savior here on earth, it will be a joy to reunite with Him as we enter heaven’s portals. Please note that just like Mary and Martha didn’t know ahead of time when their brother Lazarus would depart from this earth in death, so it is with each of us today. We must be very much like our military, ready at all times for the moment that we are called on. The benefits for believers in Jesus Christ are ‘out of this world’!
PRAYER:
Thank you Lord for the wonderful, powerful name of Jesus, the One that came to save us from our sin and paved the way to heaven so that we may live eternally with You. Oh what a Savior! Please help us Lord that we would never put You in a ‘box’ of limited possibilities, for we are reminded in this Scripture today that we not only serve a master who cares for us here on this earth but that You are also the Resurrection and the Life for all who believe in You. We enjoy this wonderful earth that You provided for us, but Lord, we live in anticipation of heaven, where there will be no more pain or heartaches. ‘Oh that will be, glory for me, glory for me, glory for me, when by His grace I shall look on His face, that will be glory, be glory for me’! AMEN and 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!

How To Know You Are A Child of the King

On By Ed AlgreenIn All have sinned, Ask and Receive, Born Again, Christian, God Cares For Us, Grace, Heaven, Holy Spirit, Hope, Knowing Christ, Listen to the Word of God, Repentance, Righteousness, Victorious LifeLeave a comment

The Bible – The Good news Translation

1 Corinthians 6:9–11

9 Surely you know that the wicked will not possess God’s Kingdom. Do not fool yourselves; people who are immoral or who worship idols or are adulterers or homosexual perverts 10 or who steal or are greedy or are drunkards or who slander others or are thieves—none of these will possess God’s Kingdom. 11 Some of you were like that. But you have been purified from sin; you have been dedicated to God; you have been put right with God by the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

Thoughts:

Do you ever stop and ponder if you are truly saved and destined for heaven’s portals one day to be with Jesus? Perhaps your parents reminds you of a time that you made a public profession, or was baptized, but questions have arisen in your mind about your salvation because you, personally, don’t recall making a decision to accept Jesus as Lord of your life? Friends, I want to help you clarify that in your mind today in light of these highlighted verses. First of all, do you recall the day you graduated from high school? What about the day you got married? I bet by now you are wondering if I am being ridiculous with you, because these are important dates that everyone remembers. But that’s my point, these important dates are remembered because there was a specific time that your life changed. Friends, neither of these dates are anywhere near as important as the day that you may have said no to this world and its evil ways, and yes to Jesus and all the glories of heaven. This is a decision where your life changes forever, because through the power of the Holy Spirit that takes up residence in your life at the time of salvation, you leave behind the sins of this world, such as those mentioned in these verses by Paul to the Corinthian church, and you march to a different Master, a righteous Leader and Lord, who changes you from the inside out and leads you in the path of righteousness – right living according to God’s terms in His Word. Secondly, I want to draw the attention of those who may have accepted Jesus as Lord of your life, yet in reading these verses this morning you are guilty of some of these sins. Friends, this is not an all-inclusive list of sins, these are just the ones Paul saw happening among the Corinthian church members. But think of it this way, all unrighteousness is sin; every actual sin, committed with design, and not repented of, shuts out the kingdom of heaven, for no sin is allowed there. We cannot hope to sow to the flesh, and reap everlasting life. Only the blood of Christ, and our desire to cleanse ourselves of sin, can take away all guilt. All who are made righteous in the sight of God, are made holy by the grace of God. If you are still struggling with the idea of whether you are secure in the kingdom of God, please use the information in the footnote to seek help. This is important enough that One Man gave His life to help you secure your eternal destiny, so please don’t delay!

Prayer:

Lord, I acknowledge that Your Word is very timely, appropriate and pointed – because only You know what we need, when we need it and why we need it. I believe that this is needed to help us recognize our sin, cleanse us of our sin, and redirect our more righteous lives to serving You as clean, strong, non-hypocritical servants before our lost family and friends. We just can’t be effective if we live just like them, accept the same sinful actions as they do and share in the same gossip rings that they participate in. We must represent You in spite of what appears to be acceptable to them, for we are a ‘New’ and a ‘Holy’ creation serving an awesome and sinless God. As You have opened our eyes in Scripture today, please tender our hearts to right decisions to seek Your forgiveness of our sin and to lives our lives acceptable to You and usable by You. Thank You for speaking to my heart today Lord, may Your perfect will also be accomplished in the lives of my readers today, is my humble and sincere prayer that I ask in Your name alone, dear 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 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.

You Have All That You Need

On By Ed AlgreenIn All have sinned, Bible Believing, Christian, Eternal Life, Faith, Follow Jesus, Fruit of the Spirit, God our Helper, God our Provider, Helper, Holy Spirit, Humility, Imitator of Christ, Listen to the Word of God, Love, Obedience, Our Help comes from God, Pleasing to God, Praise, Purity, Reflecting Christ, Righteousness, Trust, Truthful, Victorious LifeLeave a comment

The Bible – New Living Translation

1 Corinthians 1:7–9

7 Now you have every spiritual gift you need as you eagerly wait for the return of our Lord Jesus Christ. 8 He will keep you strong to the end so that you will be free from all blame on the day when our Lord Jesus Christ returns. 9 God will do this, for he is faithful to do what he says, and he has invited you into partnership with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Thoughts:

I was reminded of my working career where, from time to time, I go off to conferences or training seminars to sharpen my skills and make me a better employee. These verses made me think about this, because when we surrendered our lives to the lordship of our Lord Jesus, we were given everything that we need to succeed as a Christian. So why do we go to church? Much like I said in my career, we go to church to receive that ‘tune up’, that personal accountability where we allow God’s Word to challenge our lives and show us what we need to do differently in order to be best aligned with His will. Furthermore, Paul reminded the Corinthians of the importance to be blameless when Christ returns. This is vitally important for two reasons: 1). We don’t know the day or the hour when Jesus Christ will return, so we need to be ready and watching at all times, and this must be in a blameless fashion if we are to join Him when He returns; and 2). We need to be holy as Christ is holy, so that we can be the proper representation of Him to our lost family and friends, while we are still on this earth. If we are not blameless before them, we will be considered hypercritical and undesirable to anyone else. The reassurance in these verses can be found in verse 8, for Paul reminds us that God will keep us strong to the end! Praise God that He watches out for us and directs us as needed so that we may remain strong in Him. Now all we need to do is to free ourselves of any rebellion and allow Him to do His mighty work in us. May it be so, God being our helper!

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, it is so very interesting to see how your people are the same today as they were in Paul’s day. We still tend to rebel at times and pretend like we have everything under control. Unfortunately, we know full well that we can do nothing without Your strength and Your guidance. Thank You for our pastors and church leaders who teach us Your Word and gently guide us into the path of righteousness so that we may stay aligned with Your Word, accountable to You, and a bold, honest example to our lost family and friends. Lord, may Your perfect will be made whole in my life today, and may Your presence be so bold in the lives of those that may read this devotional, and in the lives of those that we come into contact with. As Paul reminds us in this scripture this morning, You are faithful to what You have said in Your Word, so I rest in the comfort of Your loving arms and depend on Your guidance and perfect will to be accomplished in all things that I may be involved in today. I serve an awesome God in whom I rejoice today! Praising Him and asking for ongoing guidance in the precious and loving name of Jesus, my Savior, AMEN!

 

NOTE: 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 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.

Trust In God at All Times

On By Ed AlgreenIn Ask and Receive, Bible Believing, Faith, Follow Jesus, God Cares For Us, God our Helper, God our Provider, Helper, Our Help comes from God, Protector, Thank You Jesus, The enemy, Trust, Truth, Victorious Life, Worry no moreLeave a comment

The Bible – The Good News Translation

 Psalm 62:5-8

 5 Let all that I am wait quietly before God, for my hope is in him.

6 He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will not be shaken.

7 My victory and honor come from God alone. He is my refuge, a rock where no enemy can reach me.

8 O my people, trust in him at all times. Pour out your heart to him, for God is our refuge.

Thoughts:

When we think about the life of David we remember that from the time he was just a young boy he placed his faith and strength in the hands of the Lord – remember when he went to battle with the giant Philistine? David faced many battles as Israel’s king, and he was able to place the battles before God, seek His direction and in following God’s commands, David lead many armies into successful battles. Many of the Psalms were written either in preparation for battles, or in celebration and thanksgiving for successes in battles. Now for those who are still trying to follow my line of thinking here, you are probably saying under your breath that you are not a king, and you have no armies to lead. But where God got my attention on this is that we almost daily face battles of one type or another. For some, it may be jobs and unreasonable supervisors, for others it might be family members, friends, co-workers or just about anyone that Satan could send our way to test our faith in the Lord. The big question, or challenge, for us to consider is: will these ‘battles’ result in the world seeing that we are just like them, in that we caved in to jealousy, revenge, hatred or an attitude just like theirs, or will they see in return: forgiveness; love; turning the other cheek; understanding and a God-like attitude? You see, for us to truly be ‘little Christ’s’ (Christians) then we must respond like Jesus would. If we say during the good times of life that God is our Refuge and Strength, do we maintain that same truth when under pressure or tested by Satan’s tactics, and our enemies are attacking from all sides? Please re-read vs 8 and be reminded that God is saying through His servant David, “Trust in the Lord at all times, for He (God) is our refuge (our safe harbor) and our strength”, and we have nothing to fear!

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, it is easy for us to trust in You when we are on a mountain top looking down on our ‘enemies’ or looking down on the completed battle, but the challenge is for us to place our faith and trust in You before we go to ‘battle’, or during the ‘battle’. Lord, we are reminded in Your Word again today that You alone is God, yes over our good times, and the bad and the challenging times. Please help Your weak-at-heart children to always place our faith in You and to look to You for our guidance and victories. Way too often we try to take the wheel back from You and drive this life-ship ourselves. Please forgive us, for we should never forget that You are our Strength and our Refuge, a present help in times of trouble and in need. Lord, my unsaved loved ones will not experience this great Strength and Defender unless they have accepted You as their Lord and Savior. Please, may it be so, even today? I humbly ask all this in Your precious and all powerful name, Lord Jesus, AMEN!

 

NOTE: 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 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.