Category: Wisdom

How To Acquire Wisdom

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, Wisdom, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED: Thursday, June 1, 2023, and I was blessed to be at O’Brien, FL when God inspired me to write this blog post. 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 The Passion Translation (TPT) IS FOUND IN Proverbs 9:10-12

THE BIBLE TEXT IS: The starting point for acquiring wisdom is to be consumed with awe as you worship Yahweh. To receive the revelation of the Holy One, you must come to the one who has living-understanding. Wisdom will extend your life, making every year more fruitful than the one before. So it is to your advantage to be wise. But to ignore the counsel of wisdom is to invite trouble into your life.

MY INITIAL THOUGHTS: What is wisdom? As a child I often heard my parents speak of ‘that wise old man down the street’. But what did that mean? Unfortunately, I always assumed that if there was ever anything I wanted to know, I should go to ‘that wise old man down the street’! But Solomon was the wisest man on earth, while Jesus was the wisest man who ever lived. However, the Bible teaches us that God is still interested in teaching us how to acquire wisdom, and its benefits, once acquired. Let’s examine this today.

APPLICATION OF THE WORD: One of my favorite Bible commentators teaches that wisdom is: ‘the ability to understand the divine perspective and apply it to life, comes from God. He’s the only source. If you’re going to become wise, you have to get to know God through his Word and take him seriously.‘ Many Bible versions tell us that wisdom begins with the fear, or deep respect of, God. When we stand in the presence of our Holy God and humble ourselves; pay our respect to Him; and honor Him with our praise, worship and adoration, then we are truly recognizing His unique power and lordship over us. We acknowledge that God is supreme, and just like a baby bird would wait with an open mouth to receive food from its mother, we too stand before the Almighty waiting to be fed by His teaching and instruction. In verses 7 – 9, Solomon teaches us why some will not subscribe to such a feeding from the Creator of this earth, therefore we can better understand why our churches are no longer filled with folk looking to be fed by God. But let’s try to concentrate on the subject today – how to acquire wisdom. Notice it’s not through a better high school, a foreign based college, or the degrees we might gain through further education. Wisdom begins as we recognize God and humble ourselves to believe in and accept the awesome power and wisdom of our Creator. Remember, He was always here, He created us and the beauty of everything around us, He provided the only source of salvation for us to achieve Heaven and to be with God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. God protects, loves and guides His children through every walk of life. He is God, when we stand on the mountain tops and shout praises to Him, and He is still God, when we slump into depressive times in the valleys of our life. If He was a school pal with all these attributes, we would trust them completely with our lives and our belongings, and we would sing accolades to the awesome person that they are. Yet, God not only does all that, but He also has prepared a place for us to live eternally with Him, so He is the God of our beginning, our ongoing life on earth, and the eternal God who will care for us forever. Shouldn’t we all the more stand before Him in awe and appreciation for who He is and for all that He has promised to do for us. Friends, as God fills us with this kind of wisdom, He will open our eyes to see Him for who He truly is. Please consider joining me, as together we bow at the feet of Jesus and worship Him, and as we open His Word each day and allow Him to fill us with wisdom from on high. There is no greater love and no greater wisdom my friends. Husbands tend to tell wives that they could conquer the world with them by his side. I believe we can say without a doubt that we, the children of Almighty God, can not only conquer earth and its daily challenges, but we are given cause for endless worship in knowing that our future is secure in heaven! Praise to our ever-living God!

BLESSINGS WORTH NOTING: Verses 11 & 12 read: Wisdom will extend your life, making every year more fruitful than the one before. So it is to your advantage to be wise.

PRAYER BECAUSE OF THE IMPACT OF TODAY’S SCRIPTURE: To seek after wisdom is a personal choice, so Jesus, my wonderful Savior and Lord, please incent me to always seek after the wisdom that is only possible from You. Being reminded of the rewards for seeking more wisdom and persistently seeking to become wiser, I pray that we will all take full advantage of meeting regularly with the great wisdom-giver, our only wise and holy God. Please help us to learn, understand and follow Your ways oh Lord, so that others may see You in us and want to know You personally. Thank you for Your words of wisdom through Solomon in verses 7-9 where You showed us who would appreciate the wisdom we offer to them. Please help each reader or listener to join me in being faithful to sharing the wisdom from on high, without looking for any personal acolades. 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. 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. 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!

Wisdom for Men

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, Wisdom, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED: Sunday, 2023-05-14
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL
PODCAST: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/edward-algreen/episodes/Wisdom-for-Men-e241plm

SCRIPTURE FROM: Proverbs 5:1-4
TRANSLATION: Easy-to-Read Version (ERV)

BIBLE TEXT: Son, listen to this piece of wisdom from me. Pay attention to what I know to be true. Remember to live wisely, and what you learn will keep your lips from saying the wrong thing. Now, another man’s wife might be very charming, and the words from her lips so sweet and inviting. But in the end, she will bring only bitterness and pain. It will be like bitter poison and a sharp sword.

OBSERVATION: For obtaining great fishing advice, one might run to the most successful and long-term fishermen that they know, and not to the casual weekend beach lubber living next door. When listening to a banker explaining the best way to take advantage of the best banking options, one interested in saving or investing money will tend to draw closer to them to not miss a word of advice being given, instead of listening to the drunk at the local pub who tries to tell you how to save or invest. Solomon had a record 1000 wives and concubines, so can’t you imagine that the words of wisdom shared in our Bible verses today really got the attention of his sons? These words of wisdom were carefully chosen to share with men throughout the ages, don’t you think that we should draw close to God while meditating on these wise words of Solomon?

APPLICATION: Surely Solomon, with so many wives and concubines, saw massive opportunities to share his wisdom learned over the years. But being a man of God, Solomon was led to not only share his advice with his sons, but to share this with all other men who are tempted into unpleasant, illegitimate, and/or sinful relationships. I believe we must realize that gaining great advice and/or permitting change in our lives, is more than having a good mentor or example. We all have our own sense of reasoning and a free will to accept good advice or reject it. As a father myself, I have learned that all we can do is to share advice and personal experiences with our children, but they are the ultimate ones who will decide to accept or reject the advice. Let’s be honest, there are some parts of our lives that we would prefer not seeing repeated, for we now realize that we had fallen away from God and allowed Satan to promote his evil ways in and through us at certain times. But the difference is, that in our example before us today, God is saying like many Facebook users say, ‘Do this‘! For you see, God used a worthy and acceptable individual in the sight of God to share this valuable information. Think about it, Solomon was the son of David, who was a man after God’s own heart; Solomon determined in himself to be obedient to God and His perfect will; Solomon was known throughout his kingdom as a very rich and wise king, and who wouldn’t want to learn as much as they could from a known wise man? Solomon was a loving man, and as such, he wanted the very best for his beloved sons. In fact, Solomon imitates our God in many ways. For God so love the world that He not only gave awesome advice personally and in written form to His children, but He also saw the need for us to have a clear understanding of what we must do to eventually wind up in heaven with Him. So God sent His Son Jesus into the world, and although Jesus made excellent use of His time while here on earth, yet God had a greater purpose in mind for Him and for us. For God to meet that purpose, He allowed Jesus to be captured, sentenced by an earthly king, humiliated in the streets and crucified on a cruel cross. Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice for the sin of all who would believe on Him and accept His sacrifice. But God ensured that His Son would not remain in a tomb, because mankind would hesitate even more in serving a Savior who is dead. So after just three days in the tomb, God raised His Son from the dead – glory to God in the highest heavens! So the wisdom in all that Solomon shared with his sons, sounds amazing and so very helpful, but to think of a Savior who did even more than this for us, is beyond anything we could think, imagine or comprehend. Our wise God loves you dear friend, and He would like nothing better than to share His love and wisdom with you, for the best life you can imagine and enjoy here on earth. Give Him a chance to do this, won’t you?

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Live wisely and enjoy life under the plans and direction of your loving God!

PRAYER: Lord, I can’t imagine what good I could ever do to deserve the sacrifice made by Your own, precious Son. Solomon gave very wise advice to his sons, some of which are included in Your precious Word. But Your Word is filled with the wisdom You shared with us to enjoy life at its fullest. Please forgive us for showing our ungratefulness more often than our deepest appreciation for You and all mankind. Oh that we may look to You for all things precious Lord. With so many unanswered questions in life, may we be consistent in looking to You for the wisdom we need to live according to Your will. Open our eyes precious Lord, so we may see You in All of Your glory! 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 Mystery of Wisdom

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, Wisdom, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED: Saturday, 2023-04-15
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Proverbs 2:1-5
TRANSLATION: Good News Translation (GNT)

BIBLE TEXT: 1 My child, learn what I teach you and never forget what I tell you to do. 2 Listen to what is wise and try to understand it. 3 Yes, beg for knowledge; plead for insight. 4 Look for it as hard as you would for silver or some hidden treasure. 5 If you do, you will know what it means to fear the Lord and you will succeed in learning about God. 

OBSERVATION: It seems to me that the Creator of the universe is working though the wisest man on earth to help other individuals recognize that ‘if it’s to be, it is up to me’! In other words, we can find wisdom – if we desire it. We can know more about our Creator – if we desire it, put our desires into action, and pursue the necessary wisdom. Join me for the rest of this devotional as we try to discover how we could become wiser, and desirous of a deeper relationship with God.

APPLICATION: When we think of wisdom, or being wise, we may think of one’s level of education. But during my career I often joined with others in recognizing that the smartest person, scholastically, may not be the most practical person for the job, nor have the ability to show wisdom on the job. I love the description given by the dictionary for wise: ‘having or showing experience, knowledge, and good judgment’. I believe this is where the wisdom of an individual comes into practical use, no matter what type of job they are entrusted with. But how does one earn this wisdom? There is one Bible version that explains verse 3 as ‘crying after wisdom and crying for understanding’. We tend to do this when we are convinced that we must have something in order to move on in life. So in our desire to become wiser about God, His teachings, and His will for our lives, how might we achieve this, and what might we do to become wiser? Let’s take a minute to address the opposite. If a person did absolutely nothing, or if they settled for what they picked up naturally through interaction with other believers, do you foresee them becoming wiser about the things of God? Perhaps a little, but what they are really acknowledging is that they will only learn what falls into their lap. This may have some value if you go the extra mile to spend extra time with children of God willing to show their experience with God, share their knowledge of God, and uses all learned wisdom through good judgment calls. I believe that when one is crying out for wisdom, and they are in a Bible study, they will refuse to accept just the blunders of the teacher, but are instead, determined to understand and apply the Word of God in its simplest form. Attending church is an excellent way to worship God corporately, and to hear, understand and follow along with all the preacher is sharing with congregants. But what if you need clarification, or just need an additional example to help you better understand the Word of God and how you might apply it to your life? Some churches have ‘Sunday School’ while others have ‘Small Groups’. If your church is diligent about providing sound Biblical teaching to those interested in learning more of Jesus, then I would suspect that your knowledge of God will be expanded and you will be granted more opportunities to use your wisdom in helping another beggar find Jesus. If you don’t feel like you are receiving this at your church, then accept the invitation from friends to visit their small group. You can do this and still stay joined with your home church. Remember, in heaven there won’t be denominations, but simply ‘children of God’! As you become wiser about God’s Word, and you embed its truths into your life, then you might become like Solomon and share that wisdom with others who are crying out for wisdom. In Matthews 5:6 Jesus continued with the same teaching that we see in Proverbs: Jesus said it is when we hunger and thirst for righteousness that we are filled! And when we cry for understanding that it will be found!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Those who cry out for wisdom and follow the teachings of the Almighty will understand what it means to respect and to know the Lord God!

PRAYER: Lord, I believe that You have built into the heart of mankind to always search after knowing You better and in a more fulfilling way. Those with varying degrees of education could do this, as well as those with just minimal education. You created us all, and I am thankful that each of us can seek to know our Master personally and become wise in sharing our experience with others. Please forgive us Lord when we allow Satan to distract us and we grow weary in seeking more understanding of You and Your Word. Please Lord, strengthen our determination to know You better and to learn all we can about Your Word and its intent for us. We love You Lord and seek to know you better with each and every passing day. 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!

How To Become Wise

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, Wisdom, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED: Tuesday, 2023-04-11
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Proverb 1:7-9
TRANSLATION: Living Bible (TLB)

BIBLE TEXT: 7-9 How does a man become wise? The first step is to trust and reverence the Lord! Only fools refuse to be taught. Listen to your father and mother. What you learn from them will stand you in good stead; it will gain you many honors.

OBSERVATION: Ever looked back on life and wished you had made better choices about a certain faction of your life? But this would only have been possible if you were wiser, or if you had realized sooner that you could use the help of others in those decisions. The queen of Sheba traveled to try and discern what Solomon was doing to make himself so successful in life, and she discovered that he was in a class of his own in being extremely wise. Now in the book of Proverbs Solomon is sharing with us how we might become wise, so I believe we should ask God to open our eyes of understanding and listen for the tips on becoming wiser.

APPLICATION: I am intrigued by infants who quickly use their natural instincts to do what they want, and make sure that everyone else around them do what they want! I’m not so sure that we ever grow out of that, but it is evident that God has built into us a desire to want our own way while also realizing that we could do way more than we are capable of, by learning to lean on the support of those who love us and want to see us succeed. Let’s examine the sources of help that Solomon teaches us to lean and depend on:

  • Trust and Reverence the Lord – If God made us and designed a world for us to live in, I believe it is critically important that we trust His correction, follow His commands and respect Him as our Lord. If He sent us His Son, so that we might have forgiveness of sin when we invite Him into our life, then I believe it is evident that God’s end goal is for us to return to Him after our time here on earth is over. Good parents remain parents for their whole life! Sure, a spouse will most lightly enter into the lives of most adults, but there is absolutely no substitute for mom and dad! Why then do we feel like we can take over from the authority of God and lead a life that we design and plan to achieve? If He had the beginning in mind in our birth, and He has the end in mind, our eternity in heaven, wouldn’t it make sense that He has special plans in mind for us while we battle with Satan and his army here on earth? Trust in the Lord your God, with all your heart, soul and mind. Remember, He is God, and beside Him, there is no other. Reverence Him, not only as your God, but also as the God of the universe!
  • Only fools choose not to be taught – Ever received a good grade because of the effort you put into resolving a challenging question? You may be rebellious in school, but I hope that you will always use the good sense given to you by God and learn something new each and every day! Be on the lookout for Jesus and be amazed by the wonderful God that He is!
  • Listen to you mom and dad – Even at 68 years of age, I still reflect on the things taught to me by my dad, and I stand amazed at his wisdom that he so freely passed on to me. Remember, our parents have a vested interest in our wellbeing, and they want to see us succeed. Learn from their successes and also from their failures, There is no reason to repeat their mistakes.

Solomon didn’t just offer up wisdom and tell us to obey his tidbits because He said so, but rather, he shared the value and benefits of obedience to God, and to those who nurture us. He assured us that the values we assume from others willing to teach us, lead us in, and support us through, will stick with us our whole lives. Friends, think about all those who have impacted your lives. They may have walked alongside you in your struggles, they may have taught you in school or at home, or they may have shared amazing successes with you while teaching you to reach for the stars, like they did.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: While there may be some out to destroy us, there are many willing to share the love of Jesus with us as they interact with, and care for, us each day. To enhance our wisdom, let’s depend on God; listen, love and appreciate those He sends our way.

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, I am amazed at how You care for us. Just when we think we know it all, You send someone our way to open the doors of heaven and show us how we need You, and also our fellow man. Your Holy Book is filled with information to guide us in the way we should go and to keep Your way holy and set apart with a rich and meaningful life here on earth. Even more importantly, You show us daily that others also need us, and never should we be selfish enough to stick to ourselves and let them do their own thing. I believe that You’ve placed us here to worship and honor You, and to share Your love, care and protection towards all people. Please continue to bless us as we go our way and may we always share Your love with others, especially those in need of a Savior. 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!

For A Heart Of Understanding and Wisdom

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Understanding, Wisdom, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Saturday, 2022-10-01
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: 1 Kings 3:7-9
TRANSLATION: New Living Translation (NLT)

BIBLE TEXT: 7 “Now, O Lord my God, you have made me king instead of my father, David, but I am like a little child who doesn’t know his way around. 8 And here I am in the midst of your own chosen people, a nation so great and numerous they cannot be counted! 9 Give me an understanding heart so that I can govern your people well and know the difference between right and wrong. For who by himself is able to govern this great people of yours?”

OBSERVATION: I believe that God might speak to you about several things in today’s Scripture, much like He did with me. In the New Testament, Jesus taught that ‘unless you come to me as a child….’. When we enter into a new challenge of leadership or management, wouldn’t it be better if we sought wisdom and understanding from God, rather than jumping in like a bull in a china shop? King Solomon acknowledged he needed help. Oh that we would do this more frequently, rather than forcing our personal ideas on a global situation that would affect so many.

APPLICATION: Here’s a man who sat under the teaching and experienced the successful traits of one of the greatest kings ever lived – David. Yet when he was anointed king by Almighty God, he saw that the world around him was so large, so varied, so complex and so needy, that he quickly crawled back into reality and acknowledged that without God, nothing would be possible. In fact, Solomon felt like a small flea in a whole big world. Of course, he had another choice – he could have faked it until he made it through these complexities and experiences through trial and error. But when it comes to the lives of precious individuals, Solomon knew that, albeit his young age, and in spite of his youth and inexperience, he could not experiment with these people. Solomon could have gone to his top officials in his government, and perhaps he would have received good advice. But Solomon knew of One who would stick closer than a brother, One who knew the hearts and minds of the people, One who had a plan for his nation and who would ensure his success as their leader, if he surrendered his will to the tender hand and leadership of his Master and Lord. Notice that Solomon didn’t pray for help in being the best king, or to be the richest king ever lived, or to win over ever country around him, but it was his deep and sincere desire to grow in knowledge and understanding so that he could be a fair, honest, and great leader to his people. Friends, submitting yourself to the ways and means of those around you will lead to more of the same. Submitting yourself to the will and commands of Almighty God, allows you to walk uprightly in His way and with His leadership, so that you may win the battles of temptation, backbiting, hatred, murder and discouragement. God breathes new life into those who seek Him and surrender their will to His, for He has a plan and a purpose for them and will lead them to succeed in their personal and work relationships so that He might be glorified. Do you feel unfilled and unsuccessful in life, my friend? Look to Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith. Be God’s humble servant today, and submit your all to Him, so that He may work out His plan in your life. As He does, you will use that renewed spirit to lead others in a way that is pleasing to God and your leadership over others will meet with His approval. As others around you are blessed because of your leadership, you will be acknowledged by Almighty God for making the most of everything that He gives to you to bless others.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Feeling as a little child, allowed Solomon the humbleness of heart to place God on the throne of his life and be led by Him so that He would be glorified in every decision of leadership! Let’s be careful to pass the praises on to God for anything we might receive accolades on.

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, I am reminded that as Your children, we must come to the Fountain of Life as empty vessels willing to be filled by Your awesome power, knowledge, wisdom, love, and indeed all traits of Jesus that are so badly needed in our interactions with others. Solomon needed these things to be a great king. I believe that my readers, listeners and I need this for our everyday imprint on the lives of those we come into contact with. As one faithful pastor reminded himself on a sticker every time he stood in the pulpit to preach – he had written ‘Let Them See Jesus’. Oh, if that would be the heart-cry of every believer each and every day we rise up from our pillows until the time we go to bed – Let them see Jesus, both in words and in my actions. Perhaps then, more will believe in the existence, power, love and awesome impact that our God has in the lives of His children. 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!

Pray For Godly Wisdom

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Wisdom, Worship2 Comments

DATE POSTED Monday, 2022-09-26
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Ephesians 1:15-17
TRANSLATION: Good News Translation (GNT)

BIBLE TEXT: 15 For this reason, ever since I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all of God’s people, 16 I have not stopped giving thanks to God for you. I remember you in my prayers 17 and ask the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, to give you the Spirit, who will make you wise and reveal God to you, so that you will know him. 

APPLICATION: As I read this Scripture today, I couldn’t help but think how different Paul’s teaching was, compared to what we hear at most of our churches today. I cringe when I hear preachers put down another pastor or a certain denomination. I despise that when I hear politicians do it in their political ads, and I especially dislike it when I hear it from our pulpits. Like Paul taught in this Scripture today, let the people hear of your faith and how well you are doing in following the example of Jesus Christ, not how well you do at bashing others who chose not to attend your church. Wouldn’t it be awesome for us to just preach and teach the Word of God and the awesome power that it has to save lives from the pit of Hell? You might remember what God said about His Word – it’s sharper than any two-edged sword and it will cut through the sin, mire and stubbornness that has congested the life of the sinner. It doesn’t need us pulling down the opponent so we could rise about their false teachings, pride and evil works. Wouldn’t it be a pleasing change for us to hear a pastor brag on, and rejoice in, the awesome work of his partner in the ministry just down the road from your church? Perhaps their faith is extremely great, or perhaps their love for their community is a pure example of the life and works of Jesus Christ; perhaps their giving for the work of Christ stands out in all of Christendom. Yes, I know that we are very divided in what other denominations believe, and teach about their understanding of the Bible, but did God put us in charge of pulling them down and trying to get them straight? Like Paul teaches us in today’s Scripture, let’s learn to lift up and encourage them in what they are doing well, based on their outward actions and the word on the streets about their teachings. Befriend that pastor, and try to discuss your differences as your relationship and trust develops, but bathe that in prayer so that your powerful God can help each of you to sharpen each other’s skills just like iron sharpens iron. Pray for godly wisdom for your pastor friend, and for yourself, so that you both will remain strong in the faith of our Lord Jesus, and not be swayed by denominational differences, accusations and resentment built up over the years. My desire is that all churches will work towards one goal, promoting the lordship of Jesus Christ, exposing sin as the enemy, and Jesus as the Victor – the only One that can save us from our sin and ready us for the glories of heaven. The reason why I despise pastor for criticizing other pastors, denomination and/or believers, is that it gives the appearance that we are opposed to the power of Jesus to do His job, so we jump in to do it for Him. Jesus gave us the job of winning the lost and challenging the saved, so they could go and win more souls. That’s a fulltime job for us, so let’s seek personal Godly wisdom and stick to the task at hand, God being our helper!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Never stop giving thanks for the work of Jesus Christ – in our church, and in the churches around us. It’s all about God, not about pulling down another church to make us look good, or better.

PRAYER: Dear Jesus, thank You for giving Paul the wisdom to challenge us on an area that has crept into many ministries by Satan. We deal with it way too often at work, for we practice pulling down the opponent to make us look better. This has no place in Your church. Can you imagine the shock and surprised an unsaved person would have if they walked into a church and heard the pastor giving thanks for the ministry of the church down the road. I believe their eyes of doubt and questioning would be opened immediately, because they would know that this must be linked to this love of God that they’ve heard so much about, and now seeing in action. Lord God, I am keenly aware that this is not only a problem with pastors, for way too often we practice this individually, even at the disappointment of the sinner looking for the grace of God in us. Have Your will and way in our lives today Lord, may the world see You in everything that we do or say, and may they look to You and accept You in deepest sincerity, for all eternity. 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!

Our God – Filled With Wisdom and Power

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Power, Power of God, Praise, Recognize God, Wisdom, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Thursday, 2020-11-12
WRITTEN AT: Ormond Beach, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: Daniel 2:20-22
TRANSLATION: New Century Version (NCV)

BIBLE TEXT: 20 Daniel said: “Praise God forever and ever, because he has wisdom and power. 21 He changes the times and seasons of the year. He takes away the power of kings and gives their power to new kings. He gives wisdom to those who are wise and knowledge to those who understand. 22 He makes known secrets that are deep and hidden; he knows what is hidden in darkness, and light is all around him.

OBSERVATION: God can do even what mankind finds to be impossible. Daniel needed to know what the king dreamed and what it meant. There was no earthly person that Daniel could have arranged to visit for such wisdom. On being given the answer to his dilemma, Daniel acknowledged that God placed the king there in the first place, so of course He knew his very thoughts and his dreams. Wait a minute, God put the king there? Does He still do that even today? Let’s search the heart of God for His wisdom on this today.

APPLICATION: There are so many things that we can look at, and so many miracles that we see almost daily that reminds us of the power of our awesome God. Daniel had this kind of relationship with God, so He knew that he could call on Him for the ultimatum that the king had placed on he and his friends. But notice with me a few things about Daniel’s praise items:
1. God changes the times and seasons of the year – If any readers took this for granted and feel like anyone could change up the calendar, I would suggest that you try and change the proof of seasons also. In other words, have cold either in June and July or hot weather in December and January. Only God can do this, my friend;
2. He chooses the kings/presidents/prime ministers – We might ask why might God get involved in politics? But please be reminded that many times God will use earthly vessels to change the course of life for a nation. Look back on Scripture and be reminded how some kings were in total opposition to what God wanted to do, and God allowed many Christians to be killed and many places of worship to be destroyed, while all the while they promoted the things of Satan. It is often times like that when people of God will cry out to Him for mercy and will recognize His mighty works among them. We very easily take for granted the wondrous works of God, when everything is rosy and going our way. God may place leaders in place to lead us towards Him, or He may place them for our punishment, if needed. Yes, He is more than willing to guide us towards voting for His leader, but the Word of God is clear, that God will place His leader in charge of nations, and we (Christians) are to pray for our leaders so that they might be open to the leadership of their King – King Jesus!
3. God gives wisdom and knowledge to those who can handle it – Wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who understand;
4. He makes known those secrets that are deep and hidden – Often we will stop and ponder why certain things occur, or how some things come about. Daniel praised God for giving us peace about these uncertainties. Knowing that our God is in control of all things and that He may reveal answers to us, is something worth waiting for.
Friends, these are just a few examples of things that Daniel gave praise to God for. How many can you come up with? As children of the Most High God, we have many things we can praise Him for instead of whining and complaining about the things that we have no control over. Sing that old hymn ‘Praise God from whom all blessings flow’, and be reminded that blessings are not happen-chance, they come from God, so we are to praise Him for all our blessings, even those that we didn’t give our approval on!

PRAYER: Thank You Lord, for Your blessings on me. Blessings that I may not see right now, and blessings for the things that I would have done very differently in my ignorance. Lord You are good, and Your mercies endure forever. Thank You for placing our government leaders in place for Your purpose. May we learn to be thankful and patiently ask for Your guidance and direction, so that we may surrender our will in obedience to the laws enacted by our governments. Please bless our leaders and humble their hearts to seek Your face and obey Your commands. 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!

True Wisdom

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

DATE WRITTEN: Saturday, 2020-10-24
WRITTEN AT: Lillian, AL

BIBLE REFERENCE: James 3:16-18
TRANSLATION: Contemporary English Version (CEV)

BIBLE TEXT: 16 Whenever people are jealous or selfish, they cause trouble and do all sorts of cruel things. 17 But the wisdom that comes from above leads us to be pure, friendly, gentle, sensible, kind, helpful, genuine, and sincere. 18 When peacemakers plant seeds of peace, they will harvest justice.

OBSERVATION: Like me, you may have heard it said multiple times over, in your lifetime, when your parent may have run out of the right words to say, or the correct action to take, and they said something like ‘If I only had the wisdom of Solomon’! But today in our Scripture we can find where God taught us through His servant James what true godly wisdom looks like. This is well worth your time to ponder my friend, as it teaches us how to exemplify Christ in us to a sinful world. Join me as we look deeper and learn about true wisdom.

APPLICATION: I love it when we not only hear about what we are doing wrong, but when we are also educated, or shown the correct way of doing something. God used James to point out to us that in and of our own selfish ways, we are apt to allow our jealousy and selfish desires to react wrongly and do immense harm to someone when we try to get back at them for not appeasing us. I’m sure that the court docket could reveal case after case on this problem, for we tend to get caught by the authorities for living out our troubled minds. For example, lying, stealing, cursing, fighting, and even murder. The Word of God says that these sorts of things are often caused by jealousy, selfishness and envy. Unfortunately these things still happen today – even to those of us that have asked God to rule and reign in our lives. But here’s another plug for daily communication with God – prayer and Bible Study, for then we are reminded of those things that might cause us to destroy our witness and our love for others. Today we are told to draw close to God, plead with Him for His kind of wisdom in all aspects of our life, and then watch as He showers upon us His gracious blessings/gifts, such that leads us to be pure, friendly, gentle, sensible, kind, helpful, genuine, and sincere. Friends, do you suppose that we would see a better world, if God’s people would humble themselves and pray and seek God’s face for more of His qualities in our ways? I believe that the Word confirms in various places that this would result. I would like to begin by asking God to magnify Himself in and through me, and I pray that each reader might do the same today. The world needs to see more of Jesus and less of us for us to see any change brought about in them. Imagine how we will impact our families, our workplaces, our churches, our social clubs and especially our friends when we surrender full control over to God in our lives. Will you commit to allowing God to begin a new work in you today?

PRAYER: Oh for the wisdom of Almighty God today as we deal with so many aspects of life – so many things that could otherwise trigger strife, hatred, envy, jealousy and revenge. So Lord, we humbly ask that You take away our urge to do our own thing, and instead depend one hundred percent on Your power to overcome the world. May we learn to live lives that are pleasing to You and exemplifies You in every way. Please help us to stand strong in our commitment to You and to allow Your wisdom and Your guidance to direct our lips and our walk today. May the world see Jesus, because we commit to having You rule and reign in every aspect of our lives. 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!

Wisdom For Your Journey

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Wisdom, Worry no more, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Sunday, 2020-10-18
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: James 1:5-7
TRANSLATION: The Voice (VOICE)

BIBLE TEXT: 5 If you don’t have all the wisdom needed for this journey, then all you have to do is ask God for it; and God will grant all that you need. He gives lavishly and never scolds you for asking. 6 The key is that your request be anchored by your single-minded commitment to God. Those who depend only on their own judgment are like those lost on the seas, carried away by any wave or picked up by any wind. 7 Those adrift on their own wisdom shouldn’t assume the Lord will rescue them or bring them anything.

OBSERVATION: After returning home from work a few days and reflecting on the serious challenges that presented themselves that day, I quickly realized that it could only have been God that prepared me for each challenge. Did I know about the problems that would occur before I left home? No! Did I have time to escape to a corner to pray before responding to the challenges? No! However, whenever I asked God to direct my path and give me wisdom for the issues each day, He honored His Word and responded accordingly for His child at every opportunity. Join me as we consider the words of James, as inspired by God.

APPLICATION: Wisdom, as James explains it, is the ability to live life well and make good decisions. Wisdom doesn’t come from old age or hard knocks. Wisdom begins with knowing and depending absolutely on God, who is never stingy when it comes to wisdom for those who seek it. He supplies all the wisdom we need when we ask. But when we try to go it alone—without God—trouble is around the corner. Praise God that He is so different to us. Have you ever stood and waited for a companion to ask you for help in understanding or how to resolve a matter? You knew the answer, but you wanted to wait and watch the companion grovel in their lack of knowledge before volunteering to help. I know, you are not that mean, nor do you know anyone quite that mean, right? I was overjoyed to hear James say that God would not scold us for asking, for that’s our greatest fear in acknowledging our lack of knowledge, or need for help. We are often afraid of the other person laughing at us, or scolding us for not having such simple wisdom. But notice that we are to approach God with confidence and without waivering in our faith, and in confidence that our God is still able to do anything we might ask. Think about it, He created the universe, so what is there in the universe that might stomp Him now? But God wants us to approach Him in full confidence, without doubt, and without leaving Him as a last alternative, or wondering what else we will need to do in addition to God’s response to our need. God wants His children to be sold out on Him. Fully committed, and fully confident that He could do anything that we ask in faith believing. To approach God in doubt, or questioning His abilities, is like approaching our doctor who may, or may not know the exact reason for our illness. God’s not like our doctor, for He knows all things and He could react to our situation or our need, knowing full well that all things will work for the best for those who love and trust God. So let’s reflect on our current situation where we wish that we had more wisdom, and let’s praise God for His great mercies, His knowledge and His saving grace. Think on these things: COVID 19 – There is no COVID 19 in God’s heaven, for there will be no sickness there, but in spite of all world scientists having no idea about a cure yet, don’t you know that our God is in full control and will hear our every cry to Him for help? Will He immediately cure the world of this disease? That is totally in His hands, but I can assure you that He could do it. World Peace – could He bring world leaders together and be at peace with each other? That’s totally up to God, but it will be in His time and for His glory. National Elections – No I don’t get into politics in my devotional, but friends I want to remind you that God has already ordained in His Word that no ruler will govern a nation unless He approves of it. Of course, I know that each party have reasons why their party leader will be best for the country (USA), but that’s not what the Good Book says. God will place the leader to cause His kingdom work to be fulfilled. So why worry our heads over elections? Let God’s work be accomplished, even through our leaders that we may, or may not approve of, for our own selfish reasons. Friends, unless our minds and hearts are steadfastly fixed on Jesus alone, then our commitment is divided. Please let’s fix our minds on Jesus and be ready to praise Him for everything He brings to past for His own glory. For those who have not already placed their total faith and trust in Jesus, please consider reading my Footnote below, especially the Scripture behind the links included. For my readers who know Christ personally, please consider your level of faith, trust and wisdom, and the level of confidence you place in Jesus about life as a whole. Through you unwavering and undivided faith, you can live in peace knowing that the God of all wisdom and power is in total control of everything that affects you and I here on earth!

PRAYER: To the God of this universe, the God who created everything under the sun, the God of all wisdom, thank You precious Lord for loving me and taking such good care of me every day. Thank You for preparing me for every day, and thank You for directing my path and not only showing me the way, but also guiding me through every circumstance of life. Lord I praise You and I give You glory for Your amazing grace. Please humble the hearts of those who will read this devotional and cannot identify with the assurance given by James, nor in what I had to share, because they have chosen to leave You out of their lives. Please touch them today and encourage them to seek the Almighty before it is eternally too late. May they learn to trust You and depend on Your wisdom for each and every day. For thine is the power, and the glory, for ever and forever, 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!

Seek God’s Wisdom to Live Like He Desires

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

DATE WRITTEN: Wednesday, 2020-08-12
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: Colossians 4:5-6
TRANSLATION: The Passion Translation (TPT)

BIBLE TEXT: 5 Walk in the wisdom of God as you live before the unbelievers,[b] and make it your duty[c] to make him known. 6 Let every word you speak be drenched with grace[d] and tempered with truth and clarity.[e] For then you will be prepared to give a respectful answer to anyone who asks about your faith.

OBSERVATION: Often we tend to look with regret at something we said or did, but wouldn’t it be awesome to recognize the error of our ways before it comes out of our mouth? Unfortunately we tend to speak, or act, based on the content of our heart. But as we meditate today, let us pay careful attention to the Word of God on how we should walk and talk in order to reflect Christ.

APPLICATION: Don’t you tire of hearing some people apologize over and over, often for the same mistakes, hurts and cruel words that caused a rift between you in a previous encounter? Ever stopped to think about what causes such careless and hurtful things coming from the same mouth that is ready to sing God’s praises on Sunday morning? Friends, let me start by saying that I sincerely believe that we speak and act from the bounty of what our heart is filled with. If we fill our hearts with the Word of God, and we allow it to penetrate our hearts so that our hearts will be impacted by God Himself, then I believe that our lips will be filled with the grace, mercy, love, forgiveness and wisdom of the One in whom we believe, and aspire to imitate in our lives. I know, you go to church at least once per week, so having completed your religious obligation, you should be in good shape, right? Well, since a lot of people will tend to think that way, let me present you with a comparison so you could honestly answer that question for yourself: God has blessed us with 168 hours each week. Allowing for an average of 8 hours per night sleep, you are left with 112 hours. If you minus off the 1-2 hours you spend at church, that leaves you with 110 hours each week that you fill your hearts and minds with TV; Family time; Work time; Meal times; etc. When you react to a tense situation, or someone cursing at you, is it any wonder why you will respond based on something you gained during the 110 hours? If your marriage were to survive from a 1-hour per week encounter, will you have enough going your way to avoid divorce? I don’t believe these examples are any different for us than Paul knew of in his church back at Colossae, and that led him to seek God’s heart for these words. Our lesson for today is that we diligently seek God’s face, and ask for wisdom to live each day totally in line with His example, His teachings, His commands and His will. As we do this, it seems obvious that we will talk about the One with whom we are meditating on each day. In fact, I believe we will be so overfilled with God’s presence, and that His Holy Spirit would be granted such authority in our lives, that we will want the world to know about our Savior! Oh that our words will be drenched with grace – God’s wonderful grace; and may each word be tempered with God’s truth and clarity. Perhaps then, others will want to hear of the answers we might give to their many questions about our God! For the reader who will question what this is all about, and the importance of what Paul taught in our verses today, please allow me to guide you towards the One who died so that you might live eternally in heaven. Knowing Christ will cause you to draw closer to Him so that you would reflect Him in every aspect of life!

PRAYER: Thank You for Your Word Lord, and thank You for Your servant who shared His heart even from behind the bars of jail. I pray that each believer who reads this blog today will gain the same desire as Paul, to desire a church and friends that should be attracted to You enough to live like You and then to share that with everyone they come into contact with, especially unbelievers who are searching for truth, and for ’real’ Christians who live like their Master. As Your children, Lord may we always seek to look like You in every aspect of our lives, so that others will desire to know You, and that You will be glorified here on earth. 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!