Category: Witness

What Ya Gonna Do When They Come for You?

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

DATE POSTED Friday, 2022-04-01
WRITTEN AT: Astatula, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Psalm 56:3-4; 9-11;
TRANSLATION: Good News Translation (GNT)

BIBLE TEXT: 3 When I am afraid, O Lord Almighty, I put my trust in you.
4 I trust in God and am not afraid; I praise him for what he has promised. What can a mere human being do to me?
9 The day I call to you, my enemies will be turned back. I know this: God is on my side— 10     the Lord, whose promises I praise. 11 In him I trust, and I will not be afraid. What can a mere human being do to me?

APPLICATION: Certain movies will cause us to think that there is someone lurking at every window, or around every corner to jump out on us and steal our joy. So I believe that many of us can identify with how David may have felt when Saul sent the best of his detectives and guards in search of him, to kill him. However, an awesome lesson reveals itself in David’s reaction: he was on such a solid footing with his Lord and Savior, that he merely looked at his trials here on earth as being minute and very insignificant. ‘Who is man that I should be mindful of what he could do to me, when I am a child of the King, and cared for by His army of angels that will protect me?’ I believe that was the jest of what David said. Wouldn’t it be awesome if we could have the faith to respond in like form to that of David? Often we are consumed with how we might seek revenge on a person, or group, who seems out to ‘get us’. ‘Revenge is mine’ says the Lord, and I am convinced that He don’t need our help! Doesn’t this all come together to help us better understand other scripture so well, such as ‘turn the other cheek’? But friends, let us not just look at this as an awesome illustration, although it is. We still face many challenges that sometimes make us wonder why would the world hate us so much as to tell lies on us; seek revenge on us, even though our belief system is just opposite to what they seem to believe or are trying to achieve? Steal from us, even though we worked diligently for years to build up our farms or our business? Shut us down, even though we earned our income honestly and was able to save a few dollars because of many sacrifices? Let us always remember dear ones that what God has given to us, no one can take away. As David said it ‘what on earth can mere man do to us?’. Let’s remember the words of Paul in the New Testament – for me to live is Christ, (meaning that he would continue to spread the good news of Jesus Christ) but to die is gain (meaning that should Jesus call him home to glory, what an amazing joy that will be for he would be in the presence of his Savior and the Father Himself. My friends, that’s what the Christian considers ‘gain’! Some may say I don’t just get even with my enemies, I get ahead. I want to say like David intimated: I have nothing to fear knowing that God is on my side – the challenges of mere man is nothing to worry about!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: I trust in God and I am not afraid!

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, thank You for saving my soul and for making me whole through Your precious blood that You shed on Calvary. Because I am Yours and You are mine, I have nothing to fear because of any threat by mere man. Please continue to open my heart and mind to Your truths and assurances, for I always want to sing ‘On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand’! Praise God You are my Rock! So there is nothing to fear from mere man! May others be encouraged to also seek an intimate relationship with You because of the proof they may have seen in me. 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!

Always Share About The Jesus You Have Seen and Heard

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

DATE POSTED Thursday, 2022-01-13
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Acts 4:13-14; 18-20
TRANSLATION: The Message (MSG)

BIBLE TEXT: 13-14 They couldn’t take their eyes off them—Peter and John standing there so confident, so sure of themselves! Their fascination deepened when they realized these two were laymen with no training in Scripture or formal education. They recognized them as companions of Jesus, but with the man right before them, seeing him standing there so upright—so healed!—what could they say against that?
18-20 They called them back and warned them that they were on no account ever again to speak or teach in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John spoke right back, “Whether it’s right in God’s eyes to listen to you rather than to God, you decide. As for us, there’s no question—we can’t keep quiet about what we’ve seen and heard.”

APPLICATION: I believe that most will agree that too many Christians assume regular church attendance satisfies the God who saved them, and that they serve such an understanding God, He is Ok with how much, or how little they do for the Kingdom. Why is that? Do you suppose it may be that their church attendance is very similar to their habitual watching of Television, where they just sit and relax while being entertained? Let’s look at what the religious leaders faced with Peter and John, and perhaps this might open our eyes for clarity on this matter. Somehow, they were not overly threatened when they realized that these two disciples were unlearned in the Scriptures, for they had not taken extended studies on the Bible like the church leaders of their day did. While I believe that seminary serves an important role in educating the religious leaders of our day, I can find no place in Scripture where this is given as a prerequisite to sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ. So I would encourage every reader to not sit back and leave all witnessing and outreach to your pastor, but to always do your part in sharing what Jesus has done for you. I don’t believe God ever intended for you to share what you think the Pastor will share. Instead, God wants you to share your personal experience with your Lord. Peter and John were simple fishermen, yet they not only got the attention of their hearers, but also of the town leaders. I am convinced that people respond better to our true and honest experience with the Lord, than they would to any story we might share with them. Of course using Bible stories, miracles and any other Biblical experiences only support what Jesus also did in your life, but your friends will identify better with your personal experience. I included the latter verses in our focal Scripture today, because I wanted to remind you how personal our relationship could get. Peter and John told the leaders that even if God wants them to respect their worldly leaders, there is nothing that can take away from their personal, one-on-one, intimate relationship with their Savior. Friends, I strive for that type of relationship! How about you? I believe the joy of that will just overflow through everything we share with others!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: We are quick to brag on our spouse, our kids and our extended family. Why wouldn’t we also do the same for the relationship experiences with our Savior? I believe it will be a natural thing to do!

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, You willingly went to the cross for us, and I believe you would do it again, if it became necessary. You were never ashamed of Your Father, and Your love for us was always evident. May we never be ashamed of the One who rescued us from a life of sin, headed for eternal damnation. May this be such a part of our life that it will be evident to the lost world around us, and may our actions and words always confirm who our Master is. Forgive us Lord when we allow the distractions of this world to take priority in our witness. Please strengthen and embolden us to always be Your best witness and ambassador while allowed to remain here on earth. 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!

Because Of Your Witness

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Evangelism, Evangelize, Needs, Personal Witness, Praise, Recognize God, Witness, Witnessing, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Saturday, 2021-11-13
WRITTEN AT: Ormond Beach, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: John 4:39-42
TRANSLATION: Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC)

BIBLE TEXT: 39 Now numerous Samaritans from that town believed in and trusted in Him because of what the woman said when she declared andtestified, He told me everything that I ever did.
40 So when the Samaritans arrived, they asked Him to remain with them, and He did stay there two days.
41 Then many more believed in and adhered to and relied on Him because of His personal message [what He Himself said].
42 And they told the woman, Now we no longer believe (trust, have faith) just because of what you said; for we have heard Him ourselves [personally], and we know that He truly is the Savior of the world, the Christ.

APPLICATION: Having worked in the public eye before, it was challenging to remember that interacting with my customers could have impacted them as much as I am reminded of today. I’ve heard stories of widows or widowers visiting their bank every day so they could associate with friendly employees. I’ve seen very angry people who tend to bury themselves in self-pity. But as a Christian, even though I’ve always heard about the importance of sharing Christ with others, I don’t believe I was ever impacted as much, as what God dealt with me on in meditating on this Scripture today. I remember journaling on this story before, but it suddenly hit me today that the Samaritan woman had a choice to make, based on several things about the message today: 1). She could have returned home quiet and subdued, perhaps embarrassed because she realized that the Master of this universe knew all about her marriages and about her current living conditions; 2). She could have gone about her business as usual without arising suspicion among the town about her sanity in thinking that a Jew would have anything to do with a Samaritan, much less a woman; 3). She could have adopted the new catch phrase that tends to pop up in today’s culture ‘Just asking for a friend’, and she could have pretended that she overheard someone speaking with a friend at the well whom she believed could have been Jesus; or 4). No restraints, just let go and share what you know happened to you at the well. Today, your friends could choose to believe you, or not. Friends, when something exciting or miraculous happens in our day, we want to share that with whomever will stop and listen. This is the option that this woman at the well chose to do, and praise God she did, because look at the immense impact it had on her townspeople! So as we meditate on our God today, I believe that it behooves us to evaluate whether we are diligent in sharing our encounters with God with those that we come into contact with. In today’s society, it seems like we are hesitant to mention the name of Jesus in our conversation anymore, because we don’t want to impose our religion on those we come into contact with. Notice how Jesus not only spoke to this woman at the well, but He asked for her assistance. He wanted communion with her. I am reminded that God knows us intimately. He knows our hurts; our worries; our friends; our sins; our weaknesses; and everything in between. I am convinced that when He blesses us, it could be for many more reasons that to just make us feel special or important. He could have touched our heart in last week’s church service because He wanted to fire us up to tell others about our awesome God and our encounter with Him. The very one(s) that we choose to share that with, could very easily be the one questioning if anyone cares about them, or perhaps wondering if God really does exist. Notice that in spite of the woman’s reputation, the townspeople believed what she shared with them, and they were convinced enough that they wanted a personal encounter with Jesus. The main thing that excited me about this story is that when the people had their personal, one-on-one encounter with Jesus, they thanked the woman for drawing them to this mighty man, but they were exuberant about claiming Jesus as their own personal Savior! Friends, that’s a precise example of what happens when we share Christ with our family and friends, and they finally decide to attend church with us. For it is there that many look at more than our story, but instead they look full into the face of Jesus and experience an intimate, personal relationship with Him. Join me in being challenged to just open up and share what Jesus has done for us. Seminary is not required, just share your personal experience with Jesus! It could make a life-changing difference for others, for all eternity!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Just as God miraculously reaches in and touches our life, we might help in encouraging others to also seek our God. He could change their eternal destiny, as they find Him and trust Him!

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, You are more precious than silver or anything else in this world, because You saw us in our sin and mire, and You accepted our plea for salvation anyway. We are concerned for family and friends who show evidence of not knowing You personally, please embolden us and direct us to these individuals with the right words to share with them. Lord, I believe Your return is imminent and that it will happen soon! We don’t want to see any left behind, but we need You to do the work and use us if it will help. The Samaritan woman did this, and I believe You can also help us to be a better witness. Use us in Your service Lord, for Your kingdom’s sake. AMEN!

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

How Great You Are Lord God!

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

Monday, 2021-11-01

Bible Reference: 2 Samuel 7:18-22
Translation: Living Bible (TLB)

Bible Text: 18 Then David went into the Tabernacle and sat before the Lord and prayed, “O Lord God, why have you showered your blessings on such an insignificant person as I am? 19 And now, in addition to everything else, you speak of giving me an eternal dynasty! Such generosity is far beyond any human standard! O Lord God! 20 What can I say? For you know what I am like! 21 You are doing all these things just because you promised to and because you want to! 22 How great you are, Lord God! We have never heard of any other God like you. And there is no other God.

APPLICATION: It is a very humbling experience whenever we are recognized by a person in authority over us, or if we found favor in their eyes because of something we did or said. Think of your boss, for example. Imagine if you were at a staff meeting at work and was recognized for something that you may have done – something that you considered as part of your normal job description. And imagine if the owner of the company stood to present the recognition personally? Can you see how David may have felt? Perhaps unworthy, because he only did what he felt instructed by God to do; perhaps humbled, because God could have chosen any other deserving priest or temple worker to bless in awesome ways; perhaps overwhelmed, because God had already blessed him immeasurably in so many unbelievable ways. Friends, I believe that a huge takeaway that should bless our souls in this story today, is that God sees, and He knows our actions, our words, our intent and our very hearts, and He will not let us get away with sin, nor will He fail to recognize and bless us for our faithful obedience to Him. David was a great warrior, but he was also obedient to God and depended on God for all decisions. What about you fellow follower of Christ? Is God convinced that you’re on His side, dependent on His directions, and led by His almighty hand? Have you surrendered your family to Him? Notice where David was also in awe about God’s promise to rule over his family in future generations? Like David said in verse 22, there is no God like His God. I am convinced of the same, there is no God like my God! How about you, friend? Do you know Him intimately and commune with Him daily? Is God at liberty to live in your life and work through you in every phase of life? If we are faithful and true to our L0rd, one of these days we will hear those words ‘well done good and faithful servant’! I don’t know about you dear friend, but I can sing with that old hymn writer ‘Oh I want to see Him, look upon His face! There to sing forever of His saving grace….’! Glory to God in the highest!

PRAYER: Lord God, who am I that a King should love me enough to die for me, and open the doors of heaven for me? Unworthy though I may feel that I am, praise God that You love me as Your very own son! For no praise of my own, I pray that Your greatness may be seen and recognized through everything that I do or say today and every day until You call me home to glory to be with You. Please tender the hearts of all those who will read this devotional, so that they too may catch a glimpse of Heaven; their glorious and wonderful Savior; and our soon coming King. You are more wonderful than anything we could ever imagine. May this also be evident through Your precious children today! 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!

Be The Instigator of Joy in Heaven

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

DATE POSTED Saturday, 2021-09-11
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Luke 15:7; 10
TRANSLATION: Contemporary English Version (CEV)

BIBLE TEXT: 7 Jesus said, “In the same way there is more happiness in heaven because of one sinner who turns to God than over ninety-nine good people who don’t need to.”
10 Jesus said, “In the same way God’s angels are happy when even one person turns to him.”

APPLICATION: The Pharisees were going about their day as usual, looking for ways to aggravate Jesus and hoping to catch Him in a precarious way as He responded to their silly questions. However, Jesus responded to them with two simple stories and each had a very similar ending. First, Jesus knew that many of His audience were shepherds, so He told them the story about the happy culmination when a lost sheep is found. Jesus likened this happiness to heaven, and how the angels rejoice – not just when the saved on earth gather around the throne of God, but when the one who was lost, was hunted down by friends who cared about them, and now they are able to walk up to the throne just like the others who have been saved for years and years. Think about everything you’ve seen or heard about when the angels appeared before the shepherds singing and shouting about the birth of our Savior. Now imagine the angels singing and shouting around the throne, while at the same time you are rejoicing before your church and before Jesus, about using you to witness to your neighbor, who surrendered his life to the Lord! And that’s just one soul, dear friends! Now for the second story that Jesus shared, He used the example of a lost coin. I’m of the impression that this was one of only 10 coins that the lady had. So isn’t it easy to understand how she will move everything in sight to search for her lost coin. Upon finding the coin, can you even imagine the rejoicing? She invited her neighbors to help her rejoice! This, my friend, is only a glimpse of the celebration by the angels when one soul surrenders to the lordship of Jesus Christ, for that lost one is now found! Of course, by now you could probably see more clearly why I chose the subject for today’s devotional. I believe all readers/listeners have multiple individuals in their circle of friends and family who have chosen to ignore the call of Jesus on their life. We are now reminded that if we do what Jesus has called us to do, and if we care enough about those we love, then we will not only be reenergized to share the awesome news of Jesus Christ, but we could also share about our firsthand experience with Jesus. Why not invite them to know Jesus personally and join with you in daily communion with Him?

BLESSING(S) NOTED: The angels rejoice when a lost person accepts Jesus as Lord and Savior! Oh that we would love our family and friends enough to share the joy that is ours, each and every day! Perhaps we will then have a whole lot more rejoicing also!

PRAYER: Thank You Jesus for saving my soul, thank You Lord for making me whole, thank You Lord for giving to me, Your great salvation so rich and free! I am sure that there are many that my readers and listeners know, who are missing out on the joy we have in knowing You as Lord. So I would humbly ask that You empower us with the boldness and wisdom to show our love for these loved ones by introducing them to the Creator of this world. We all love a time of rejoicing and we are overjoyed at the excitement that it brings. Please nudge us to share that excitement with others, as we introduce You to them. 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!

In Preparation For Your Mission

On By Ed AlgreenIn Example of Christ, Genuine example of Jesus, Godly example, Personal Witness, True witnesses, WitnessingLeave a comment

SCRIPTURE  FROM:   2 Timothy 2:14-17 (VOICE)

TEXT:  14 …... Warn them before God to stop their useless bickering over words. After all, splitting hairs does no good; it only ruins those forced to listen to their meritless arguments. 15 Timothy, do everything you can to present yourself to God as a man who is fully genuine, a worker unashamed of your mission, a guide capable of leading others along the correct path defined by the word of truth. 16 Stay away from ungodly babbling because it will only lead deeper into a godless lifestyle. 17 Once these empty voices start to speak, Timothy, they infect and spread; and soon the body is consumed with its cancer….

APPLICATION:   I’m not sure how many of us will ever be blessed to have the honor of mentoring someone entering into a ministry role, like Paul did, but we are often part of a church where new workers are called into ministry each year, and some of us may also be blessed to be part of a commissioning service for a new minister of the gospel, like Timothy was. This advice given by Paul is great for us to consider as we look into our own lives. Hopefully as we live these out personally, we will be in a much better position to say like Paul did in one of his other teachings: “now follow me, as you try to live a godly life” or as you endeavor to serve in your new assignment. You see, it is hypocritical to suggest that a new minister, teacher, worker, do some of these things, if we are personally doing an awful job at these things ourselves. For example, how can we suggest that they not get in arguments over words, or split hairs over individual interpretations, if we are so bad at doing that ourselves? Or that they should be genuine in their walk, if we are personally accused of living a double life? Or to not be ashamed of the gospel, if we are often embarrassed to have others know that we are involved in the ministry of our local church? So friends, I would encourage you to not brush this off by thinking that we now have some good advice to give ministers and/or workers entering into the ministry of Jesus Christ, but instead that we live out these principles ourselves so that we might give sound advice as we suggest that they follow, just as we follow Christ. I believe that only then, will the church of Jesus Christ see effective workers in the local church, and well prepared ministers and/or missionaries that we send out from our local churches. Lost people are anxious to see genuine Christians. Just as we aim to be exactly that, will we be effective and genuine in sending others out, just like us.

PRAYER:   Lord, please have Your perfect will and way in the hearts of each one that will meditate on this devotional today. May the words of our mouth and the meditation of our hearts be acceptable in Your sight oh Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer. May Your kingdom become richer as a result of us sharing our genuineness with others who will be impacted today, with the character and form of the One true God. 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!

Evangelism Under Pressure

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Witness, Worship1 Comment

DATE POSTED: Tuesday, 2021-08-10
WRITTEN AT: Hattiesburg, MS

SCRIPTURE FROM: MARK 13:9-11
TRANSLATION: The Passion Translation (TPT)

BIBLE TEXT: 9 “Be on your guard! For they will hand you over to the ruling councils, and you will be beaten in public gatherings. And you will stand trial before kings and high-ranking governmental leaders as an opportunity to testify to them on my behalf. 10 But prior to the end of the age, the hope of the gospel must first be preached to all nations.
11 “So when they put you under arrest and hand you over for trial, don’t even give one thought about what you will say. Simply speak what the Holy Spirit gives you at that very moment. And realize that it won’t be you speaking but the Holy Spirit speaking through you.

APPLICATION: I believe there are real fears, even in the hearts of Christians to share their faith. Perhaps fear of rejection; perhaps afraid that you won’t be able to answer all the questions asked of you in response to your attempt to evangelize; Or perhaps afraid that your target audience will poke fun of your beliefs? There are many reasons why Christians just don’t talk about their Savior. Jesus invited some men to join Him in ministry. They received on-the-job training, as they followed Jesus through the many walks of life where He traveled and with whom He ministered to while here on earth. Jesus knew what His destiny would be, and He knew how He would suffer before leaving this earth, so He wanted to prepare those who would continue His ministry. Please don’t quit reading or listening, because you might assume that this devotional just jumped tracks and is now targeting pastors, missionaries and Christian workers. Let me encourage you to remember that Jesus instructed His children to go into all the world and share His gospel truth, so that could include you dear one. You see, Jesus knew that just as He was arrested, beaten, mocked and crucified, His look-a’likes will also be picked on by those who want to go on living in sin without hearing about the One who spoke boldly about sin, and who died to provide forgiveness of sin/redemption as they finish up life here on earth. I love the way that Jesus encouraged us to not fear or worry of being arrested for our faith, for we will be given a new audience to share our faith with. And oh, don’t worry about what you would say under these extenuating circumstances, for the Holy Spirit who has taken up residence inside of you, will speak freely through you with just the right words for your courtroom audience. Remember I said earlier that many Christians fear having the right words to share? Isn’t that interesting how Jesus thought to calm our fears in that area? Praise the Lord! So friends, I wish that you will join me in being reassured of the One who sacrificed everything for us, the One who encouraged confidence in promoting confidence to share His name in any circumstance of life? He deserves our praise, and our willingness to tell the world who our great God is. Let’s go for it with all that we have in us!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: No worries, use any arrests or courtroom appearances as opportunities to evangelize – promote the gospel of Jesus Christ!

PRAYER: Lord, I thank You for directing me to Your Word at just the right time and place to be encouraged and confident in sharing my faith with all that I come into contact with today. Hopefully this will not include a courtroom setting, but this has given me confidence to share Christ with any and all audiences, for the Holy Spirit who lives inside of me will speak through me, to promote my Savior! My readers/listeners and I stand in awe, and we thank You Lord Jesus for seeing our weakest points and encouraging us to overcome, through Your power and Your strength. Oh that others will see, hear, and witness the love and truth of Jesus today through each of His disciples (each Christian)! 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!

Awestruck By Your Story

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Miracles, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Witness, Witnessing, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Sunday, 2021-05-09
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Mark 5:17-20
TRANSLATION: Living Bible (TLB)

BIBLE TEXT: 17 … the crowd began pleading with Jesus to go away and leave them alone! 18 So he got back into the boat. The man who had been possessed by the demons begged Jesus to let him go along. 19 But Jesus said no. “Go home to your friends,” he told him, “and tell them what wonderful things God has done for you; and how merciful he has been.”
20 So the man started off to visit the Ten Towns[a] of that region and began to tell everyone about the great things Jesus had done for him; and they were awestruck by his story.

APPLICATION: Jesus performed a miracle by freeing a man from the demons that possessed him. He was haunted and terrorized by the demons, but Jesus made the demons come out of him. Word of this miracle quickly got back to the neighboring towns, causing curiosity seekers to rush to the area to see what could possibly be going on. This upset the Pharisees, as this one act drew more attention than their years of teaching from the Scriptures, so they asked Jesus to leave. I know, you’ve heard stories just like this about a local church near you, right? Unfortunately, in this world we are led to believe that we must be the center of attraction, and that our acts of giving, teaching or preaching is enough to draw unbelievers to church. But notice in our story, the people were drawn to the works of the Creator – God. Perhaps for some, it was just their curiosity, but I believe that for others, it may have been because they had certain personal issues that they wished the Master would also remove from their lives. This reminds me so much about our churches and our groups of Believers today, for we seem to be very inward focused in our ministries and our witness to others. But friends, I believe that Jesus is saying to us, like He did to the healed man, don’t just hang around Me and the comfortable things of life, go to your family and friends and tell them what the Lord has done for you. Did you ever stop to think about how many lives could be touched by our ‘story of salvation’, compared to the endless sermons on various parts of the Bible? Sermons tend to show Believers the truth of God’s Word and help us know our Savior more intimately. Sharing our story with an unsaved friend helps them confirm that Jesus is real and that the same Jesus that touched our life and healed our illnesses and our sin, would definitely also listen to them. You see, we feel so comfortable around other believers because they are our brothers and sisters. But when an unbeliever tries to look at our group, can’t you see how they may feel inferior, imperfect or too impacted by sin for a Holy God to even consider touching their life? We can help them break down those walls by sharing our ‘story’ with them. For even though we may not have murdered anyone, or robbed a bank, yet we were steeped in sin when Jesus found us and saved us from all our iniquities. We were, just as they are now, and if Jesus saved us, we know that He could also save them. Who knows, your friends might be just as awestruck hearing how Jesus saved you, as the friends of the demoniac was when they heard his ‘story’!

PRAYER: Thank You Jesus for looking beyond our faults, our disobedience, our sin, our disrespect and our lack of love for our family and friends, and You acted on our cry for salvation. Only a God like You will go that far. But God, I pray that You will make such a change in our lives that unbelievers will stop and listen to our story of meeting, and being accepted by, the Creator of our universe. Thank You Lord for our pastors, church leaders and Sunday School teachers, but please touch the lives of every believer who reads this devotional today and impress upon each one the importance of them also sharing their personal story of faith in God, dependence on Him and His response to their prayers. May sharing this story bring positive reactions from unbelievers and cause them to look closer at the living Christ who can do ALL things. May Your kingdom come today as we be about Your work. 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!

Your Best Place To Be A Witness

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

DATE WRITTEN: Thursday, 2021-04-29
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: Mark 2:15-17
TRANSLATION: New Living Translation (NLT)

BIBLE TEXT: 15 Later, Levi invited Jesus and his disciples to his home as dinner guests, along with many tax collectors and other disreputable sinners. (There were many people of this kind among Jesus’ followers.) 16 But when the teachers of religious law who were Pharisees saw him eating with tax collectors and other sinners, they asked his disciples, “Why does he eat with such scum?”
17 When Jesus heard this, he told them, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do. I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.”

OBSERVATION: While I admire believers who feel like they should always be in church, I often wonder what impact the church really has on its local community. Of course, the church is not a building where we meet to worship, it is totally comprised of the people that come together to worship the one and only Lord of the universe. However, after being reminded in this Scripture again today, I wonder if God looks any more favorable on church attendance, or on what the church does outside of the 4 walls where we meet. Please reread the Scripture and meditate with me, as God ministers to you and I.

APPLICATION: I found it very interesting how Jesus chose unlikely people to follow Him – fishermen; tax collector; etc. Then there was also another surprise when He sat at the home of Levi, a tax collector, to dine with friends and associates of Levi. In fact, the Pharisees openly showed their dismay over seeing Jesus dine with such people. But let’s examine why this appears as a surprise to us. First of all, and probably the most likely cause, is that the Pharisees hung out with other Pharisees and did not associate with the Gentiles. They considered themselves above the normal citizen, because of their knowledge, power and position. Now moving to current-day Christians, why might this story surprise us? Well, in the world of Christendom, we are ‘supposed’ to hang with other Christians. We were taught that to hang with unbelievers, we might soon assume their worldly view of anything goes, no respect or love for others, among many other things. We are taught by the church that we are to attend every possible service held at the church. We are quickly scolded if we are seen in places where ‘Christians don’t go’! Anything wrong with this picture so far? Probably not, but will we have opportunity to witness to the unsaved in any of these ‘likely’ places? Probably not. But think about this: did Jesus sin by sitting and eating with the group at dinner that night? Is it a sin if we sat and ate with a room full of business executives who never attend church? I believe the answer is clearly ‘No’, for there were no commands of God that were dishonored or disobeyed. In fact, the opposite might be true. There were opportunities to be a witness to the unsaved, and wide-opened opportunities to share the love of Christ, and the Good News with a number of people eating with you. At a cocktail party for local businesses I remember coming across the head elder from my church. He had his glass in hand, just like the rest of us, but it was filled with refreshing Coca Cola. You see, he was ‘in the world’ through the normal course of business, but he was not ‘of the world’ by participating in the drinking of alcohol, per his personal beliefs. So in our Scripture today, I believe that God may be calling out to say ‘follow the example of my Son’, don’t set so many rules that you are crippled in being a living witness for our Lord to those who have not chosen to follow Him yet. Of course this comes with many cautions. If you are a recovering alcoholic, please don’t place yourself right smack in the middle of a party where alcohol is served. If you have been the subject of human smuggling and/or human slavery, don’t place yourself in the middle of a group that will refresh those fears and hurts. I believe that God would have us use common sense about how far to go, and to find the right opportunities for meeting with folk that He is actively working on already. Seek God first, and all this will come to you by His Holy Spirit. We may often come across to the world as Mr or Mrs ‘Goodie Too Shoes’ if we feel we are too good to join a friend in certain activities at certain places other than the church, but when you are guided by the Holy Spirit, His work will be accomplished through you – even in those places.

PRAYER: Precious Lord, You know first hand how trapped we are in this wicked world. We receive emails and texts, but we have to first discern if they are legitimate or if they are merely traps to sabotage our electronic world. Satan is actively trying to trap us also in our daily lives, and we must always have our guard up. Please Lord, give us the wisdom to know the things You would have us do, and the places You would have us visit, for the meetings You have scheduled for us to influence an unbeliever for the Kingdom. Please help us to always be open to the direction ordered by the Holy Spirit and help us to always stay strong in our faith, so that the world will see Jesus, and not the weakness and failures of our own selves. May our mission always be about the One that we love, adore and serve, and may Your work be accomplished through us so that mankind may be drawn to You, and where You may be glorified. 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!

Wasted Opportunities

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

DATE WRITTEN: Saturday, 2021-04-03
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: Matthew 25:23; 26; 30
TRANSLATION: New Living Translation (NLT)

BIBLE TEXT: 23 “The master said, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’
26 “But the master replied, ‘You wicked and lazy servant!…..
30 Now throw this useless servant into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

OBSERVATION: God has gifted us in so many wonderful ways! Yes, even those who feel like they have no talent to offer for His glory, or perhaps no money to give towards His ministries, or no encouragement to pass along to another hurting soul. But have you stopped to consider that God may have given you precisely what you need for the circumstances in which you will find yourself? Let’s consider the Word today and remind ourselves of what we are doing with what we have been gifted with. Consider your gifts as an investment from God, use them diligently to bring great returns for Him and His kingdom!

APPLICATION: After reading the theme of today’s devotional, what did your mind go on? Was it a missed opportunity at work? Or perhaps something at church? Or even something with one of your kids, or your spouse? Hopefully as you read the Scripture, you smiled with pride as you recalled hearing similar words as those used by Jesus in verse 23. No doubt there would have been a gut-wrenching feeling if you ever heard similar words as those used by Jesus in verse 26. No matter what your first thoughts were, I am hoping that the Word of God will remind us today that God has showered many gifts upon His children, and I believe that He wants to see us all reach a stage in life where He might encourage us with the same words that we read in verse 23. For you see, we are His creation, and He never created ’junk’. We are made in His likeness, and He is totally perfect in every way. God has a place already prepared for us in Heaven, so I believe that He would dread ever having to tell us (His created ones made just like Himself) ‘go away, for you have been a useless servant’. So what then shall our role be in properly responding to all that God has given us? I believe we should start with being very careful with the excuses we come up with. Notice that the last servant had many excuses as to why he didn’t properly invest the money/talent given to him, and notice in verses 24 and 25 that all of the excuses pertained to someone else – the master. I have served on Pastor Search Committees, as well as Nominating Committees. In each case our teams have totally bathed the volunteer or pastoral needs of the church in many moments of prayer, so when we began asking individuals, we felt like God was lead us to that individual to fill a particular position. While some were anxious to use their talents, many found excuse after excuse why they couldn’t, especially in the area of ability. Friends I have learned over the years that God is desperately looking for our availability, so that He might work miraculously through us to fulfill the needs of His ministry. The power of the almighty working through us is way more valuable to the kingdom than anything we could do of our own wisdom or learning from mankind. For only God can touch hearts and change lives from the hold of Satan, to one that is lead by the Holy Spirit. We must simply be willing to see God, through His transforming power, change individuals For His glory. I believe that my responsibility today is to encourage you to listen closely to the Master. He has gifted you to do things that are not suited for me, and He is waiting for you to tell Him when you are ready to proceed with the work He has prepared for you. Each of us have a choice, and most of us are tempted by the evil one to always look at the work of the Lord negatively. Please don’t let Satan win you over. You have a God who loves you and who wants to see you rejoice in His accomplishments because of our usefulness here on earth.

PRAYER: Thank You Lord Jesus for Your mercies on me! Thank You Father that one of your obedient servants knelt by my side at an altar and showed me the way to heaven. There are many that I may come into contact with today that may have that same need. Please help me to never develop excuses for anything You might direct of me, for You can do ALL things. Thank You for investing in me the talents and desire to serve others with a view of accepting You as their Savior. May I always give in to Your direction and allow Your words to be delivered through my lips, so that Your personalized message for Your children will be accurately delivered in the spirit that You desire. Lord, please also anoint my readers so that these words that I share from You might bring forth fruit for the kingdom. For it’s in Your name alone that I ask these things. 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!