Category: Warning

Solemnly Warn Them

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

DATE POSTED: Tuesday, June 20, 2023, and I was blessed to be at O’Brien, FL when God inspired me to prepare this devotional. My Footnote will tell you how to find, read or listen to any and all episodes that I have shared over the years.

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE FROM THE Amplified Bible (AMP) IS FOUND IN Luke 17:3-4

THE BIBLE TEXT IS: Pay attention and always be on guard [looking out for one another]! If your brother sins and disregards God’s precepts, solemnly warn him; and if he repents and changes, forgive him. Even if he sins against you seven times a day, and returns to you seven times and says, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him [that is, give up resentment and consider the offense recalled and annulled].”

MY INITIAL THOUGHTS: HELP!!!! For it seems like somewhere along the way, the world, or Satan, has changed the rules on us, and created in us a different plan to that ordered my God. Our Scripture today includes words spoken by Jesus Himself as he taught His disciples. Did this change somewhere along the way on how we are to correct one another today? Let’s have a look at this and see how to best apply the Word of God to our lives.

APPLICATION OF THE WORD: I believe that God, the One who created us in His image, and designed us to be like Him here on earth, He also has the right, privilege and design to point us in the right direction so that we may walk this earth, interact with others, and be a proper example of our Creator. Therefore, when I read this Scripture today, God drew my attention to these particular verses because, to obey this command, is probably one of the toughest things for mankind to act upon. Giving a pat-on-the-back to a pastor, church leaders or members seem to come somewhat naturally, even though very often we hesitate in doing so. But to discipline, or correct, is something that most Christians stay away from. Perhaps to avoid confrontation, or to avoid someone walking away from the church and either moving to another church, or just simply staying at home. Why, some really get their feelings hurt and stop giving to the Lord when they don’t get their own way at church. This may be caused because we have become a people so stuck in our own belief system, or in our own ways, that we truly don’t appreciate advice, or correction, from anyone else. No doubt Christians today have become so accustomed to, and try to practice wholeheartedly, the words of Jesus that we love one another with the love that Jesus loves us, that it just doesn’t seem right to correct someone. But try to apply that to parenting! Wouldn’t this world be in utter chaos if we chose not to correct and discipline our kids? I wonder, is that perhaps what might be going on in Christendom today with the lack of correction? By not correcting, or disciplining, or denouncing certain habits or behaviors, aren’t we perhaps endorsing them? Are we giving the ‘all-clear’ verdict from the church – God’s living organism on earth? Friends, we can all kid around about a time when we were disciplined by a parent, and they told us that their actions would hurt them more than it would us! We sometimes laugh about that, now that we are older, but has that not hardened us against disciplining others in the church now? I love the way that Jesus taught this principle. He directed us to discipline, and be ready to forgive, if we notice changes in their lives to show evidence of that correction, no matter how many times they come back to us and ask for forgiveness. What a lesson for us today. Way too often we expect military style turn around and repentance. Otherwise, we feel like our correction fell on deaf ears, or were simply rejected, leaving us with no alternative but to turn our backs on them. Friends, we discipline because we love that person ignoring the teaching and example of Jesus Christ, and we want to see them correct their ways. Let’s do all within our power to help other children of God overcome evil and live in accordance with God’s commands. Our aim should always be that we walk through the gates of heaven arm in arm as we prepare ourselves for the voice of Jesus in complimenting us for our obedience to His call and message.

BLESSINGS WORTH NOTING: We warn someone because we love them, and we want to see them benefit from obedience, and be blessed of God.

PRAYER BECAUSE OF THE IMPACT OF TODAY’S SCRIPTURE: Thank You precious Lord for loving me enough to accept me as I was, and teaching me to correct my inadequacies and wrong doings each day. I apologize that this is such an ongoing necessity, for I’m sure You must have hoped that I would be self-sufficient and fully obedient to Your commands by now. Thank You Lord for Your patience and Your ongoing guidance to steer me aright. Please show me opportunities to help others along the way, even if that involves warning them at times. Lord, please help me to do that with a heart patterned after Your heart and filled with the same love that drove You to the cross to express Your love for mankind. For the church to be the church, I believe that we, Your servants, must learn to follow Your example and fully obey all Your commands. There is absolutely no time for being conflicted about our beliefs, as this will leave gaps for Satan to enter and destroy us. AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: There’s another page on my website, entitled ‘To Know Jesus’. If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading or listening to this devotional, please go to this page, or speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. Please allow someone to pray with you and give you help and/or encouragement as you begin or continue your walk with Jesus. If you would like to read more of my devotionals, or subscribe for a daily email containing each new devotional, please go online to NuggetsFromGodsWord.org. For my podcast, go online to Apple Podcasts or, using the Apple Podcast app, simply search for Nuggets From God’s Word to hear more episodes, or click ‘Follow’ to be notified of Podcast updates. Friends, please allow me to encourage you to find a church home near by your home and attend as frequently as you could. Get to know God and allow His people to encourage and strengthen you in your Christian walk, while making every effort to be a blessing to them. God is at work among His people! Please consider growing in your faith, as you worship with fellow believers!

Unless You Turn To God – WARNING

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

DATE POSTED: Thursday, 2023-04-06
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Luke 13:1-5
TRANSLATION: GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)

BIBLE TEXT: 1 At that time some people reported to Jesus about some Galileans whom Pilate had executed while they were sacrificing animals. 2 Jesus replied to them, “Do you think that this happened to them because they were more sinful than other people from Galilee? 3 No! I can guarantee that they weren’t. But if you don’t turn to God and change the way you think and act, then you, too, will all die. 4 What about those 18 people who died when the tower at Siloam fell on them? Do you think that they were more sinful than other people living in Jerusalem? 5 No! I can guarantee that they weren’t. But if you don’t turn to God and change the way you think and act, then you, too, will all die.”

OBSERVATION: The ministry of our churches is in vain if you attend and don’t hear the gospel of Jesus Christ taught and preached. This means, telling the whole story of the Bible, not just the parts that speak encouragement into our hearts. We can be the best people in the world when it comes to helping the poor, or the disaster stricken, but unless we are redeemed by the blood of the Lamb, Jesus is teaching that we could be in an equally disastrous situation when life here on earth is over. Open your heart’s door to hear the Word of God today!

APPLICATION: I believe that statistics will show that good news books are read much more than doom and gloom books. Easter is a time of celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It thrills our heart to know that we serve a living and powerful God who raised His Son, Jesus, from the grave. But this couldn’t happen without His death and burial. There are inspirational speakers and pastors who will preach the Good News of Jesus Christ while avoiding that there were some very tough and challenging times that led up to the resurrection of Jesus Christ; the raising of Lazarus from the dead; the healing of blind Bartimaeus; and the transition of the Israelites from Egypt to the Promised Land. Without the challenges, there would be no success story, or happy ending. In today’s Scripture, notice how the crowd was anxious to see what Jesus would do or say in response to the news that Pilate had killed some who went to the temple to sacrifice. Perhaps they were expecting Jesus to miraculously strike down Pilate and his men. On a personal example, it seemed like when my wife and I raised our daughter, she would pop challenging news or questions on us just to see how we would react! I’m not sure whether her eyes were opened to the way we handled ourselves in responding, but I’m pretty sure that the people sitting under Jesus’ teaching did not expect the answer that Jesus gave. But, I am convinced that Jesus gave them the right answer, and the one that they needed to be challenged with at this particular time in their life. Jesus could have stayed very positive and upbeat by going on to emphasize how wrong Pilate was, and how awful his guards were to kill worshippers. Jesus could also have told the people how the awful ending of those worshippers would compensate for the sinful things they did while alive. And the people would have rejoiced and frequently repeated the awesome things that Jesus told them, but would the people have benefited regarding their eternity? As for us, we must find a place we could go to worship our Savior and Lord. A place where we could freely lift up holy hands as we sing praises to our risen King! But unless we come away from our worship services with a renewed sense of oneness with our Lord, and unless we were challenged on the wicked things we’ve said; the awful thoughts that filled our minds; the grudging attitude of forgiveness we rendered to those who despitefully used us; and the new or renewed knowledge of God’s Word regarding life in general, then we may have just missed the value in attending church. Pastors, I know you don’t want to ‘beat up’ on your church attenders every week, but because Jesus found it important to tell His audience about the importance of making their heart right with God, then your attenders may wind up leaving your services without being reminded of their eternal doom without Jesus. Please consider reminding us every week that our lives are doomed for Hell unless we surrender our all to the Lord Jesus Christ – the Savior of the world. If your challenge saved some from Hell and helped them ensure a sure way to Heaven, then that represents the best news you could possibly share with them! please do cheat your parishioners of the opportunity to ensure Heaven is their home, Jesus is their Lord, and God is their everlasting hope.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Praise God that I turned to Him and gave Him control of my life in 1976!

PRAYER: In spite of the warnings given in Your Word dear Lord, I am eternally thankful that You made a way and encouraged me to surrender my life to You and accept Your call on my life. Many are taking Your warnings way to casually because they are not seeing the consequences of their decision this side of heaven. Please teach us to trust in You and to take You at Your word. We know there is a heaven and a hell, and we know from Your Word that those who have not accepted You as Lord are destined for hell. Lord, I am thankful that my destiny is in heaven with You. Please teach me to live in light of my destiny and in line with Your instructions for life here on earth. I would also be eternally thankful if You would soften the hearts of the unsaved readers and/or listeners to this blog, and all my family and friends, so that they may also find You and live with heaven on their mind and You as their Solid Rock and Redeemer. 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!

Warnings Apply Right Up To The End of Time

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, End Times, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Warning, Warning Signs, Worship2 Comments

DATE POSTED Thursday, 2022-05-26
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: 1 Corinthians 10:6-11
TRANSLATION: Good News Translation (GNT)

BIBLE TEXT: 6 Now, all of this is an example for us, to warn us not to desire evil things, as they did, 7 nor to worship idols, as some of them did. As the scripture says, “The people sat down to a feast which turned into an orgy of drinking and sex.” 8 We must not be guilty of sexual immorality, as some of them were—and in one day twenty-three thousand of them fell dead. 9 We must not put the Lord to the test, as some of them did—and they were killed by snakes. 10 We must not complain, as some of them did—and they were destroyed by the Angel of Death.
11 All these things happened to them as examples for others, and they were written down as a warning for us. For we live at a time when the end is about to come.

APPLICATION: I pray that today your eyes will be opened to a few things:
1. That the Bible is so alive and applicable to us, even in these current days;
2. That we should try to apply the truth of the Bible in every aspect of our current-day life;
3. Learn to thank God for His warnings, and not just feel sorry for what our ancestors went through;
4. Know that the God who dealt with the Israelites, is the same God we pray to today; the same God who provides for us today; and the same God who is still capable of disciplining or punishing us today for our stubbornness and disobedience;
5. That the same God who provided a ’Promised Land’ for the Israelites, is the same God who has promised us a new world also – Heaven!
In acknowledging that the Bible is alive and how It speak to us, let me share with you that I have read the Bible in it’s entirety a few times, and yet today as I read this Scripture, it was anew and spoke very pointedly to me as if for the very first time I was reading it. In reading the Old Testament, we could easily get the impression that it’s a storybook and, after reading the New Testament and seeing all that God did for us through His Son Jesus, we may tend to feel like there is no way that God would deal with us like He did with the Israelites. But then today’s Scripture comes into view, and we see where God wants us to know that He is still God, and that He will not tolerate sin any better in our day than He did with the Israelites. Now before you share how you feel like we don’t do the sort of things like the Israelites did, such as making idols, let me remind you that an idol is ‘an image or representation of a god used as an object of worship’, or ‘a person or thing that is greatly admired, loved, or revered’. Friends, many churches are dying and some have even closed their doors, because too many of their members have found other objects to worship, and their admiration of persons or things have taken priority in their lives. It seems to me that Covid came along to test the sincerity of the hearts of our people. It worked, in that people had an excuse not to attend church. While out of touch with God (because so many use their church service as their only time to learn about God), our people have substituted that time with other personal ‘idols’ and therefore cannot get back into the habit of attending church, at least until another tragedy or scare hits them. I know, you have probably decided by now that I am way too opinionated, but let me be the first to say that my simple purpose is to point my readers and listeners to Christ through reminding them of His Word. If you discern anything other than that, then I would ask that you forgive me if I have misled you, and I would instead suggest that you personally dig into the Word of God and seek the will of God for your life. We are reminded right at the very end of today’s Scripture that the end is near. This is a reminder that you can only seek God and His righteousness while you’re alive. God said that there will come a time when He will end the world, as we know it today. The warnings for what we must do now, is evident in God’s Word. Please let me implore you to accept these warnings and redirect your life to live as Jesus desires of you through His written instructions. For the one who does this will enjoy eternity in heaven with God and His Son, Jesus. The one who chooses not to bother with this, will unfortunately endure the punishment of Hell and its Chief – Satan, for all eternity. I believe the choice is clear, but you must decide for yourself. Now it’s up to you dear friend!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: God rescued His people, the Israelites, and gave them freedom to live in a new place He had in store for them. God has offered to do the exact thing for us, if we permit Him to. Praise God for His offer of salvation!

PRAYER: Thank You Father for ministering to us today through Your servant Paul. What a true awakening and what an opportunity for us today. Lord, may each reader and/or listener make the right decision today and reaffirm their relationship with You, or come to know You as Lord for the very first time. In knowing You, may we all decide wholeheartedly to obey You and give You full control of our lives until You call us home to enjoy our long-term benefits – the likes of heaven with You for all eternity! Touch hearts today precious Lord, I pray that You will have no need for another warning directed at us. AMEN!

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

Listen To the Warnings

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Warning, Warning Signs, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Tuesday, 2021-03-20
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: Matthew 24:27; 30-31
TRANSLATION: New Living Translation (NLT)

BIBLE TEXT: 27 For as the lightning flashes in the east and shines to the west, so it will be when the Son of Man[e] comes…..
30 And then at last, the sign that the Son of Man is coming will appear in the heavens, and there will be deep mourning among all the peoples of the earth. And they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.[h] 31 And he will send out his angels with the mighty blast of a trumpet, and they will gather his chosen ones from all over the world[i]—from the farthest ends of the earth and heaven.

OBSERVATION: I recall a bad storm that hit western Florida and the press was badly criticized for not giving fair warning to residents. What would the residents have done differently? Some may have done a little more to protect their homes from the violent waves that battered them. But some may have done nothing until they saw proof of a bad storm approaching. As we meditate on the Scripture today, perhaps we will analyze how the above example displays our actions each weekend as we hear the warnings of Christ’s return. God’s chosen, or those who chose God, will be removed from the scene by His angels. Will you be included in that number?

APPLICATION: In a bad lightening storm, many are terrified because of stories they may have heard about death, or very serious injuries that folk may have sustained from lightening strikes. However, you can also appreciate that you can look into the skies and see lightening flashing hundreds of miles away. I believe that Jesus used this example to help us understand that it will be no secret that Jesus is returning to take His church home to glory. In this same chapter, we are also told that our people will be partying and having a ball, just as in the days of Noah. Today, it is very easy to listen to the news reports of large parties where police find it almost impossible to disburse the crowd and retain peace for communities. So could the return of Jesus really happen any day now? The Word declares that there will be ‘deep mourning’, and some versions say ‘people will weep’. Friends, for the child of God, I believe that we will be rejoicing with the angels that our Savior has come and to rescue us to a peaceful, happy home where we may worship God endlessly and without interference, or any type of hindrance. No more sorrow, no more loss of loved ones, but peace and contentment for evermore around the throne of God! But wait a minute, what about those who were unconcerned about the Lord and found many excuses not to give up the world and accept Jesus as Lord? Unfortunately their eternal outcome has also been decided by them, for they have chosen to give Satan control of their lives here on earth and throughout eternity. Will things get worse for them? Unfortunately I believe that the Word is true for them also, for it tells of a place of torment; of fire and brimstone; of anguish worse than anything ever experienced before. Friends, there are stark contrasts between day and night, and so is the case between heaven and hell. Does one choose to go to Hell? Yes they do – whenever they reject the invitation of Jesus Christ to be Lord and Savior of their life, they have just responded positively to Satan and to joining him in Hell when life here on earth is over. The good news about all of this is that at this very moment, you know without a doubt where you will spend eternity, for the Bible tells you so. I pray that there will not be one reader who has not made a deliberate decision to accept Jesus as Lord. I look forward to knowing each of you personally as we glorify Jesus and His father personally around the throne. Please don’t disappoint me. If there is any doubt in your mind, please read my ‘Footnote’ carefully and allow God to convince you through His Word.

PRAYER: Because You have promised to blast a trumpet ordering Your angels to collect us from earth and join You in heaven, I believe that You are more than fair in extending Your Word out to all parts of the earth, even through the medium of daily blogs that extend worldwide through the World Wide Web. Your message is clear and it touches all mankind. Your children (believers) will be lifted up and will join You in heaven, praise the wonderful name of Jesus my Lord! Saying no to You, is saying yes to Satan, and unfortunately some have chosen to do that. Please touch the hearts of all my readers today so that they may catch a glimpse of heaven and my wonderful, amazing and awesome Savior, and that the choice will be clear and deliberate for them today: Yes to Jesus, and no way to Satan and his burning Hell. Be glorified today dear Lord as your children heed the warnings and accept You as 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!

Keep Looking Up!

On By Ed AlgreenIn Listen, Listen to the Word of God, Warning, Warning SignsLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Wednesday, 2020-03-11
WRITTEN AT: Paul B Johnson State Park, Hattiesburg, MS

Bible Reference: Acts 27:21-22
Translation: The Message (MSG)

Bible Text: With our appetite for both food and life long gone, Paul took his place in our midst and said, “Friends, you really should have listened to me back in Crete. We could have avoided all this trouble and trial. But there’s no need to dwell on that now. From now on, things are looking up! I can assure you that there’ll not be a single drowning among us, although I can’t say as much for the ship—the ship itself is doomed.

OBSERVATION: Many of us face challenges in this life, either personally or through the lives of family and/or friends very near and dear to us. We sometimes worry about whether there is any hope or good expectation that might come out of the situations that concern us. Until we open the Word of God and are suddenly reminded that things are looking up for the child of God who places his/her faith in the Creator of this universe. He’s still in charge and because He owns it all, He knows exactly what will occur next. That’s our God!

APPLICATION:  Paul and his friends faced a very serious scenario out on the ship on which they were traveling. Their ship had traveled that course many times in the past, but they never faced the challenges like they faced on that fateful night detailed in our Scripture. However, one other thing was different also, they had a passenger who knew the Master of the sea and of the wind and the waves. In fact, he stepped forward to encourage the sailors with a word that he received from an angel during the night. Now I want you to stop and compare this story with the challenges that you face. You too will also face challenges that are unheard of, and you also receive warnings, that also compare to those that Paul offered the boat captain before they set sail. Think about it, we are challenged by our pastor, Sunday School teacher, Christian friends, and even family members, to set aside our life of sin and surrender to the Lordship of Jesus Christ, the only One who could rescue us from the trenches of everyday sin, and keep us safe through the toils of life and the temptations of this world. But what do we do with these challenges? Way too often we continue our independence, our selfish and often obnoxious attitudes, and we snarl at anything shared with us to the contrary. This is precisely what the ship’s crew did, they had no desire to change their plans because of one man’s warnings. Unfortunately, we often face obstacles along the way, much like Paul’s hardened audience faced, and unfortunately these obstacles can sometimes be catastrophic. Sometime we may survive the catastrophes and are able to hear the warnings once again, as we are given a second chance. Notice how Paul finally got the attention of the boat crew after they had tried everything they knew to do? It is so unfortunate that some folk are only open to God after they have tried everything else. Too often our idea of having time to try ‘one more thing’ has very little surety, just as the ship could have easily been destroyed prior to Paul having another opportunity to speak with the sailors. Our take away on this story is that we should never delay responding to God. I have had young friends who have been called from this life very unexpectedly – in the prime of their lives, where it was really important for them to properly raise their young families. I’m sure they never dreamed that they would not have time for one more prayer before their lives were taken. Not all of us can count on the second chance that these sailors were blessed with. Are you ready to meet Your Maker? How will you answer the question “Why should you be accepted into God’s heaven”? Because you are reading this devotional, it means that you have been given another opportunity to surrender your life to Jesus and give Him control of your life. But friend, the warning is clear throughout God’s Word that you have no assurance of your next minute or hour. Therefore, I am very motivated to encourage you into making a decision to invite Jesus into your life, right now. Today is the day of salvation, friend. The sailors paid no attention to Paul’s warnings and almost lost their lives without Christ. Please learn a lesson from this story and delay your decision no longer.

PRAYER: Dear God, I am so thankful that You send messengers into our lives, like You did with Paul to those sailors. This story is a warning to those of us who read it, that we must listen and obey the warnings You send our way. Please help us to see the need to open our hearts and allow You to govern our lives, our desires, our wants and our future. You loved us enough to sacrifice Your very own Son so that we might enjoy eternal life with You. Lord, may we love You enough to live our lives in obedience to Your commands. I pray that my unsaved/uncommitted friends that may meditate on this devotional, may catch a glimpse of Your love and subsequently make a decision to invite You as Lord and Savior of their lives this very day. Jesus, this is an awesome task that can only be accomplished by You, so I ask this in Your most worthy, and all powerful name, AMEN!

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

How Will We Know?

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Warning, Warning Signs, WorshipLeave a comment

Monday, 2019-05-27

Bible Reference: Mark 13:5-8
Translation: New Living Translation (NLT)

Bible Text: 5 Jesus replied, “Don’t let anyone mislead you, 6 for many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah.’ They will deceive many. 7 And you will hear of wars and threats of wars, but don’t panic. Yes, these things must take place, but the end won’t follow immediately. 8 Nation will go to war against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in many parts of the world, as well as famines. But this is only the first of the birth pains, with more to come.

OBSERVATION: The disciples took advantage of their time with Jesus to ask Him about the end times. I found it especially interesting to be reminded of what Jesus said, because in His caution I could see that end-time evangelists today still use the same signs that Jesus warned us not to get caught up in. Wars, earthquakes, famine, etc. Jesus warned that these are all part of what we could expect here on this earth, but as for His return…..

APPLICATION: It appears like mankind has this thing about waiting for the last minute to do anything at all. In the area where I live, hurricanes is a great threat. We are warned about the beginning of the typical season, and that we should prepare our food pantry and our window shutters in order to be best prepared when a storm comes our way. Weather forecasters warn us in lots of time when it appears like a storm is tracking towards us. However, most residents will not get themselves into gear until the panic warning is given that the hurricane will hit within 24 hours. In the spiritual realm, we have many churches and even more evangelists that deliver the message of Jesus Christ each and every day, yet we hear of many death-bed conversions. Clearly in our Scripture today we are told that we expect these things in the normal course of everyday life. Yes, they are early warning signs, but notice that Jesus still didn’t tell them when the BIG day would occur? That’s because Jesus never made it a practice to speak out of both sides of His mouth. In earlier Scripture, Jesus made it clear that no one knows the day or the hour, not even He, for His Father alone makes that decision. So let’s get back to the title of our devotional. How will we know? I believe that throughout the Word of God, we are warned that we have no idea when the King will come to take us home, although it could be today! Yes my friend, Jesus never said that He will wait for you to finish your project, or complete your plans to marry your best friend, or to make the amount of money that you always dreamed about. So wait no longer to make your heart right with God, do it now. Should He return today to take us all up to heaven with He and His Father, let there be no doubt that He will find a people who are ready to go with Him! I pray that everyone reading this devotional will waste no time in readying themselves for that day. Read my ‘Footnote’ if you are unsure of what to do. Drop me a note and allow me to pray with you about your decision dear friend.

PRAYER: Precious Lord, You not only prepared a home in glory for us, but You provided the means for dirty sinners like us to receive forgiveness of our sin, and to be acceptable in Your sight. Thank You for the warnings You placed in Your Word today to help us see and understand the deceivers that will come our way. Please help us simply to be obedient and ready for Your return, even if it is today. We want to see You Lord, and we want to be where You are. Oh that this might be the day! AMEN!

Warning, Prepare For…

On By Ed AlgreenIn Faith, Rewards, Salvation, Saved, Surrender, Trust, Warning, Warning SignsLeave a comment

Wednesday, 2019-03-20

Bible Reference: Matthew 24:42-44
Translation: The Passion Translation (TPT)

Bible Text: 42 This is why you must stay alert: because no one knows the day your Lord will come. 43 “But realize this: If a homeowner had known what time of night the burglar would come to rob his house, he would have been alert and ready, and not let his house be robbed. 44 So always be ready, alert, and prepared, because at an hour when you’re not expecting him, the Son of Man will come.”

OBSERVATION: In our Scripture today we are receiving yet another warning of something that will impact all mankind. Now it’s up to mankind to take that warning seriously and prepare themselves for the impending, pronounced occurrence, or do nothing, and be prepared for the dangerous, life-threatening results. I will expand on this in the ‘Application’, and I pray that you are concerned enough to continue reading, as this will impact you and your loved ones.

APPLICATION: Through analysis of past weather systems, men are able to predict how many hurricanes we might expect in a given year, and even the impact they may have on certain areas of the world. Meteorologists are therefore able to alert residents of what a storm is currently doing, and what its predictive direction and velocity might be in future hours and days. It’s not uncommon to see some residents begin to evacuate, based on the warnings, while some feel like other things are more important, or they could very well take care of themselves, even if their area is hit with unusually high winds, twisters, etc. Some of these brave men and women survive these horrific weather systems, while others don’t. In our Scripture today, we are being warned of the unannounced, non-predictive, return of Jesus Christ. Notice that no-one knows the day or the hour of His return. It’s not on the radar for our meteorologists to sound the warning, and even if it was, I believe that mankind would be even more stubborn about listening to and doing anything about the warnings, than they do with the hurricanes, or winter storm warnings. I am not all that pessimistic, I’m just sharing what I see each and every Saturday/Sunday morning when church doors open, and teachers and pastors look into the ‘radar’ God prepared for them, the Bible, and they share the warnings and readiness steps with a very small percentage of residents concerned enough to care about their eternal future. Friends, this is not just another warning, like a storm that may dissipate or just turn a different direction. Jesus didn’t say that He may come back, but instead said that He will return to earth to take His children home to glory. If I knew a bad storm was headed my way and could possible endanger all those within the sound of my voice, I would find every avenue possible to get the word out to my family, friends, neighbors and fellow residents. This devotional is an avenue that I have chosen to warn everyone, that Jesus told me in His precious Word, that He would be coming soon to collect His children before the rest of the world is released to Satan and the awful damnation of Hell itself. My prayer, and my sincere wish, is that ALL will be saved and join me around the throne in Heaven. I pray that you will heed the warning given and that you will surrender your life to the lordship of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Please don’t wait, His return could actually occur before you complete your reading of this devotional. Accept Jesus now, won’t you, dear friend? Please see my ‘Footnote’ for tips on accepting Jesus Christ as your Savior.

PRAYER: Lord, I have no reason to doubt Your Word, because so much of it has been proven, or Your predictions have already come true. It frightens me about Your warnings, but I appreciate Your patience, because so many remain undecided as to what they will do with the only One who loves them unconditionally, and has sacrificed His very own Son for their salvation. Lord, as many teachers and pastors try to do every week, I ask today that You might tender the hardened hearts of those that might read this devotional and do not claim You as Lord. May this be the day of salvation for many, is my heartfelt prayer, oh Lord – my Rock and my Redeemer. AMEN!

WARNING – So That You Will Know

On By Ed AlgreenIn Warning, Warning SignsLeave a comment

Post Date:

 Saturday, 2017-11-25
SCRIPTURE

From:

 John 16:1-3 (ERV)

Text:

 1 “I have told you all this so that you won’t lose your faith when you face troubles. 2 People will tell you to leave their synagogues and never come back. In fact, the time will come when they will think that killing you would be doing service for God. 3 They will do this because they have not known the Father, and they have not known me.
OBSERVATION:
Jesus warned His followers and He is also warning us today, that bad things will come our way, especially by those who refuse to accept His lordship. This will include up to abandonment from the church and even death. Thankfully, Jesus also explained where this evil mindset will come from, and the reason for it, so that we might better understand….
APPLICATION:
In today’s society we can clearly see where the things that Jesus warned about, is already happening. For we have seen for a long time how Satan has tried to disrupt the work of the Lord and make a failure of church gatherings. We read, or see on television, stories of the awful mass killings in our churches, and dismembering or decapitating of, especially Christians. In fact, sometimes it appears like Satan is pulling out all of the stops, in his attempt to silence the church or stunt it’s growth. To our advantage, Jesus went on to explain the reason for these actions of individuals and groups. He said that there are still folk that have willingly refused to accept Him as Lord, and therefore do not know God. Therefore they act and react on circumstances based on their own evil minds, and thus the actions of their leader, Satan. Friends, I believe that this highlights the extreme importance of our efforts to minister to the lost in our communities and the world, so that they might know and believe on the saving grace of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Satan is destroying the hearts and minds of as many who disbelieve and/or have ungrounded faith in Jesus Christ. I would like to ask all who believe on the Lord Jesus as King and Messiah, to emphasize on the mission given to us by Jesus, and that we become grounded in and through a daily relationship with our Lord and Savior, so that the world might know who leads us, who directs our paths and who hold us in the center of His hands. Jesus was born into this world to show us the meaning of pure, unconditional love, and to save us so that we may one day be with He and His Father, God. Satan came to distract Christians and prevent those who have a true desire to know Jesus from getting anywhere close to the cross. Which path are you on today, and who’s holding the keys to your destiny? While you are alive, you decide on those two questions. I pray that I have given you enough to think about and that it may invoke a decision from your heart to know Jesus. Please read my Footnote for ways that you might know that you are on the right track.
PRAYER:
Father, please forgive us for sitting idly by while all of the above is taking place in our world around us. We have in our hearts the engine that stops the evil train, yet we sit and watch the train pass us by. Lord, please invoke in Christians the urgency of the hour so that we may be busy about Your work. We could easily be the next family, or church, or state to be impacted by Satan’s cohorts, unless they learn of You and accept Your unconditional love. We’re tired of the crimes against Your church Lord Jesus, please help us to get serious about ministering to change that horrible course that the evil one has chosen against us. AMEN!
FOOTNOTE:
There are two more pages on my blog that will provide you with additional information, one of them being ‘To Know Jesus’.  If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please click on the above page, or speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. Please allow someone to pray with you and give you help and/or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Words underlined in my blog 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!

Heeding The Warnings

On By Ed AlgreenIn Eternity, Sin, Warning, Warning SignsLeave a comment

Post Date:

 Thursday, 2017-09-07
SCRIPTURE

From:

 Luke 21:34-36 (TLB)

Text:

  34-35 “Watch out! Don’t let my sudden coming catch you unawares; don’t let me find you living in careless ease, carousing and drinking, and occupied with the problems of this life, like all the rest of the world. 36 Keep a constant watch. And pray that if possible you may arrive in my presence without having to experience these horrors.”
OBSERVATION:
In the preceding verses Jesus shared some of the signs that He will give us as indicators announcing His return to earth. However, I believe that Jesus knew beforehand how distracted and over-committed we would become here on earth. There are songs written by great Christian writers that remind us to ‘Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus’; ‘It Is Well With My Soul’ and many more. The bottom line, is that we know Jesus is coming back to take His church on home to glory. We know that He will give us indicators of His return, and we know that only those who are ready to meet Him, will actually be caught up in the air together with Him. Let’s look closer into how seriously we take all of this….
APPLICATION:
I’m sure that most of us can recall times that we were so engrossed in something that we totally missed an appointment, or perhaps never heard our loved one talking to us. Often times, devices are now taking more of our time than face-to-face conversations, so we are getting worse at ignoring others when they are talking to us. In our Scripture today, we are being reminded by Jesus that His Word is true and it is super accurate, so we are to listen to it and enjoy it’s benefits, or bear the brunt of disobeying the commands of God through His Word. Some of my readers will be in a similar position as I am right now, where we are being told about a large hurricane that will pass pretty close to us. We could be careless and do nothing, or we could take the warnings seriously and protect our lives from the possible onslaught of this huge, powerful hurricane. Our Scripture today gives us the warning signs to look for that will indicate the return of Jesus. Let me encourage you to be sure now that your life is under the control of our Savior and Lord. This will not only give you a desire to help others along the way, but it will give you a sweet sense of anticipation about the return of Jesus, when we hear and see the signs happening. You have a choice friends. You may not have seen the signs spoken of in the Word of God, but God has already made the provisions for us to secure our eternity with Him. Just like shopping for special occasions, often we will procrastinate until the very last moment, however in the case of Jesus’ return, He told us in His Word that not even He knows the day or the hour when that will happen. I didn’t want to take the chance of Jesus returning unexpectedly and find me unprepared, so I surrendered my life to Him back in 1976. Since that time I have enjoyed learning more about Him; experiencing His rich blessings; and sharing the joy that fills my heart, with others! I’m ready to leave this world and be with Him, whenever He makes that call! Friends, if Jesus returns and you are still in procrastination mode, the Word of God declares that your decision will place you in the pit of hell where you will suffer anguish and damnation with your leader, Satan, throughout eternity. If you have money, you probably have it safely secured and invested. Your soul is much more important, why not know that you know where you will spend eternity right now? Carefully read my Footnote and look at the Scriptures recommended for reading, through the link ‘To Know Jesus’. Perhaps the Holy Spirit will either give you that assurance of your salvation, or lead you to the throne of grace to settle your account with Jesus – TODAY!
PRAYER:
Precious Savior, Jesus my Lord! Thank You for loving us enough to sacrifice Your own life as a token of our salvation. Lord thank You for not giving up on us, but instead giving us warnings to help us know the way that You would have us to go and the decisions that are super important to us. You did that for me in the years leading up to 1976, I pray that You will mightily use these words shared in this blog to encourage someone who needs You in their life. We are heeding hurricane warnings at this time, but I truly believe that heeding the warnings from You about decisions that will have an eternal impact, is way more important. May today be the day of decision for all who will read this blog and still unsure of their heavenly position. I earnest pray and ask these things in the name of Jesus, the Christ, 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!

A Warning Sign

On By Ed AlgreenIn Accept Jesus NOW, Acceptance, Rejection, Road signs, signs, Warning, Warning SignsLeave a comment

Post Date:

 Wednesday, 2017-06-21
SCRIPTURE

From:

 Luke 2:33-35 (CEV)

Text:

 33 Jesus’ parents were surprised at what Simeon had said. 34 Then he blessed them and told Mary, “This child of yours will cause many people in Israel to fall and others to stand. The child will be like a warning sign. Many people will reject him, 35 and you, Mary, will suffer as though you had been stabbed by a dagger. But all this will show what people are really thinking.”
OBSERVATION:
Mary and Joseph had been forewarned that the child born of Mary would be the Son of God, but they were still astonished by what Simeon shared with them. The awe of a newborn baby sometimes put the parents into a dreamsicle world, where all they could think of is the awesome child this will turn out to be, and the pride that will fill the hearts of the parents! But to hear so early in the process that Jesus could lead to the fall of many, hurt like a dagger through the heart of Mary. This was all very shocking to both Mary and Joseph. We will examine how this is still very real in our world today.
APPLICATION:
Simeon said that the presence and ministry of Jesus would be as a ‘warning sign’ to the people. Think about warning signs that we see today and how we react to them. Take for instance the school zone warning signs: some are very respectable of those signs and they slow right down to the designated speed limit while watching diligently for children trying to get to school, that may themselves walk dangerously across the street in their rush to be on time. Other drivers are on a mission to catch up for lost time at home, while still trying to get to work on time. However while rejecting the posted warnings, flashing lights and reduced speed limits, they may be brought to their senses and corrected for their actions by a cop monitoring the area. Unfortunately there are members of our family, our team mates at work and our circle of friends and possibly even at our churches, that make every effort to ignore the warning signs and Biblical teachings of Jesus’ return. This hurts those of us that care, because we know the outcome on the day that they meet Jesus face-to-face. For it saddens us to think that because they never knew Him here on earth, He will disown them when they arise from the dead, and then point them to their home of eternal damnation – Hell. This hurts a mother’s heart, a friend’s heart and all those who knows someone who refuses to listen and honor the sacrifice made for their eternal hope and salvation, yet they make a deliberate choice to do life their own way in spite of the consequences. What has been your personal choice to the ‘Warning Signs’ presented by Jesus? A choice to concede to the Master and follow His commands results in a glorious life in Heaven for all eternity with Jesus and His Father – God. Selfish desires, disobedience and rejection of Jesus Christ means that you would prefer to take your punishment and spend your eternity in Hell with Satan and all of his demons. If you have never made either of these choices, then by default you are assigned to the latter, because accepting Jesus is a deliberate, personal act that you must make for yourself. So it’s up to you friend. My wish for all who will read this devotional is that you have surrendered your life to Jesus and that there is assurance that we will meet in Heaven’s portals one day! If not 100% assured of that, please follow the tips in my Footnote. This is way too important to ignore or delay.
PRAYER:
Dear God, thank You for loving us enough that You provided the WAY and the means for us to be assured of our time in heaven with You one day! You also provided Warning Signs for us to know that we need a Savior. Lord, there are many who are still living dangerously through those Warning Signs and taking the risk of consequences, including Hell. Please touch each one reading this devotional, each family member, and each friend or acquaintance, that they would meet with You and clarify their position with You. This is way too important to ignore, friend. May God be glorified today, because You listened to and followed His Warning Signs, 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!