Category: Worry no more

Be Carefree in The Care of God!

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

DATE POSTED Wednesday, 2021-09-01
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Luke 12:22-26
TRANSLATION: The Passion Translation (TPT)

BIBLE TEXT: 22 Jesus taught his disciples, saying, “Listen to me. Never let anxiety enter your hearts. Never worry about any of your needs, such as food or clothing. 23 For your life is infinitely more than just the food you eat or the clothing you wear. 24 Take the carefree birds as your example. Do you ever see them worry? They neither grow their own food nor put it in a storehouse for later. Yet God takes care of every one of them, feeding each of them out of the abundance of his love and goodness. Isn’t your life more precious to God than a bird? Be carefree in the care of God! 25 “Does worry add anything to your life? Can it add one more year, or even one day? 26 So if worrying adds nothing, but actually subtracts from your life, why would you worry about God’s care of you?

APPLICATION: Often we worry, because we can’t see what’s ahead, nor the outcome we could expect from our current circumstances. However, the Word of God says that God is our provider and He will care for us even better than He does for the beautiful birds of the air. The awesome encouragement in this is that God not only knows our current needs, but in providing for us, He takes into consideration everything that could possibly cross our paths in the future. Allow me to share a personal experience. There are two families in this story, a father and his son. The father had reached an age where his heart was beginning to give him trouble, but he was retired and since he had 5 children, I believe he felt relieved that he and his wife would be cared for. He was a Christian, so he also depended on God to watch over him and care for his every need. However, in the life of his oldest son, God began working on a plan to move him far away and continue his career in that foreign land. But his heart was broken when he told his dad about this move, because the dad felt like this would destroy his support system and separate his children, especially now as he was becoming older. Because of the direction felt from God, the son moved, just as he felt led by God. Within the first 18 months of being in his new home, his dad was rushed to medical professionals and hospitals very near to the son’s new location, where they saved his life from a heart attack that was misdiagnosed in the dad’s home country. Friends, I am the son in this story, and my dad sat down in tears after arriving home from the hospital and told me ‘now I could see what God was doing for me, when He opened doors for you to move’. You see, we absolutely cannot outdo God. He loved my dad, and was preparing a path for him to get the help that he needed when the time came. I felt like I was just blessed of God in how smoothly my move went, but God had a greater plan in mind for my dad, praise the wonderful name of Jesus! Please know that I may be blind to the very real challenges that you may feel pressed upon you at this time, but let me assure you that our God is greater than all our troubles and worries, and He has His children’s best interest in mind as they allow Him access. Be at peace my friend, that our hand rests in the hand of the creator of all things and He will never fail us. Trust in Him today and give Him access to the very intimate parts of your life. He cares for you!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Worry is a sign of the non-Christian. Trust in God with all your heart, soul and mind, and He will take care of you – guaranteed!

PRAYER: Lord God, it is humbling to say that I am amazed by You. Thank You for taking care of my dad, and thank you for touching the lives of so many that will read or listen to this devotional. Please open the eyes of those who tend to worry, because they don’t know the God who can do I all things. Please soften their hearts and cause them to surrender their life to You before it is eternally too late. Please embolden us with the strength and wisdom to live life without worry, knowing that there is nothing impossible with You. 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!

Don’t Worry!

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

DATE WRITTEN: Thursday, 2021-07-15
WRITTEN AT: Deming, NM

SCRIPTURE FROM: Deuteronomy 1:29-31
TRANSLATION: Contemporary English Version (CEV)

BIBLE TEXT: 29 Then I (Moses) said, “Don’t worry! 30 The Lord our God will lead the way. He will fight on our side, just as he did when we saw him do all those things to the Egyptians. 31 And you know that the Lord has taken care of us the whole time we’ve been in the desert, just as you might carry one of your children.”

APPLICATION: If you haven’t ridden a bike in over 10 years, then you are suddenly presented with a bike to ride, do you suppose this might trigger a panic attack? In our Scripture today the Israelites are presented with challenges that seem very minor compared to the challenges and needs met by God on their behalf up to this point. Consider this: God worked miracle after miracle to get them out of Egypt and away from slavery; God provided food and water for them – almost a million of them, from the time they left Egypt; God protected them against the army that came after them; God turned ocean beds into hi-ways for them to cross to the other side; and on and on. Yet when they arrived at the place where they would be setting up their new home sites, they panicked and started to fret. So much so that Moses had to have a father-like talk with them and remind them of the proven power of their God. What does it take for us get over our fears and worries, dear friends? There is a long track record that easily proves to us the awesome power of our Almighty God. There are prayers that have been gloriously answered for us over the years, and we know without a shadow of doubt that our God lives, because we have seen the evidence in our lives, and in the lives of our family and friends. Yet we worry! Is it that we are looking for pity from others? Is it that we feel inferior to others that God have miraculously worked in their lives? Surely we don’t believe that God has lost his divine power? Or is it that we are afraid God might answer our prayers in a different way to that which we have instructed Him? Friends, please stop to reassure yourself of the living God that we serve, and the awesome power that is His today, tomorrow and until He calls us home to glory. The same power that we saw demonstrated in the Bible, is the same God who helped the Israelites and many others as relayed in the Bible. He’s still God and He is still available to us today dear friends. Learn to trust Him more, and stop the worrying. He can, and will, do what He promised in His Word. Let us keep our eyes fixed on Him, for He has gone to prepare a place for us. Our time here on earth is limited, but our time in heaven will be endless as we take up our new home and sing endless praises to our King! Don’t worry, God’s got this, my friend!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: The same God who has proven Himself over and over again, is still the God that we serve today. There is nothing He can’t do for us. Just trust and believe, but never worry!

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, I pray that just as we confidently jump into our vehicles each day knowing that we will be at work, or at church on time, we will also have that kind of confidence that our risen Lord is on the throne and ready to work miraculously all around us, for our benefit and His glory. May we always trust in You and have the faith to know that You will never leave us alone, or not take good care of us. Unfortunately, worry equals doubt. Please teach us to always keep our eyes fixed on You and not on the troubles that surround us, or on the mountains ahead. I know without a shadow of doubt that You’ve got this – us and our circumstances. Thank You loving Father for always caring for Your kids. 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!

No Need To Worry About What To Say

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

DATE WRITTEN: Tuesday, 2021-06-15
WRITTEN AT: Florence, IN

SCRIPTURE FROM: Mark 13:9-11
TRANSLATION: New Living Translation (NLT)

BIBLE TEXT: 9 “When these things begin to happen, watch out! You will be handed over to the local councils and beaten in the synagogues. You will stand trial before governors and kings because you are my followers. But this will be your opportunity to tell them about me. 10 For the Good News must first be preached to all nations. 11 But when you are arrested and stand trial, don’t worry in advance about what to say. Just say what God tells you at that time, for it is not you who will be speaking, but the Holy Spirit.

APPLICATION: As children, we were reassured by our parents that there’s no need to worry about what we would say when meeting with strangers, or the authorities, for we will simply fall back on our upbringing and tell the truth. However, in reading the account of Jesus appearing before Pilate and His ensuing beatings, crucifixion, etc, we might read this warning from Jesus as something to fear and become intimidated over. I don’t know that anyone will question your fear of these things, but the purpose of this devotional today is to bring hope to those who fear speaking with the authorities under normal circumstances, and in the very likely event of the end times when Jesus’ words will materialize. Friends, Christians must be encouraged and always remember that at the time of our acceptance of the gift of Eternal Life, the Holy Spirit came to dwell in our hearts to comfort us; to encourage us; to guide us; and to keep us true to our commitment made to God. Scripture is very clear that greater is He that is in us (The Holy Spirit), than he that is in the world (Satan). We are to rest assured that this awesome privilege was invoked on us by the God of the universe, because He knew that we needed Him (the Holy Spirit), and that as long as we are left on this earth, Satan will be after us to trip us up and cause us to wander away from God. With the Holy Spirit inside of us, we could see Satan coming from a mile away! As a child of the King, we are guided into the ways of Jesus and encouraged to reach out to Jesus for His awesome power, healing and encouragement. Fellow Christians will tell you how often they have looked back on their words and sat in wonder as to where those words must have come from. It’s not happen-chance, or good luck, or the smarts received from a good seminary, it is Jesus Christ speaking through His counterpart, the Holy Spirit! Call on Him my friend, and be ready to open your mouth as He speaks to you, and through you. It is His power and His words that will save the sinner. Don’t mess things up by trying to override that which God has established. Submit to, and depend on, the Holy Spirit completing His work through the likes of simple mankind – even you and me!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: God has provided His Holy Spirit to guide us, especially during the times that will come, when we are questioned about our faith! Know Jesus today and have that confidence that comes from God above! He will never fail you!

PRAYER: Thank You Lord Jesus for being our guide before we know ourselves that we need Your help. Your warnings will not go unheeded, so we depend on You and the Holy Spirit who dwells within to be our guide and our stay when the world does it’s best to trip us up. We need Your guidance today and everyday Heavenly Father, so that we might represent You well here on earth. Based on what You’ve told us, we know that the time is coming when we will be questioned about our faith. Praise God, You have also told us in advance where our help comes from – our help comes from the Lord, who knows all things. Praise Your holy name! 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!

Don’t Worry, God Will Take Care of You

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

DATE WRITTEN: Sunday, 2021-01-17
WRITTEN AT: Paul B Johnson State Park, Hattiesburg, MS

BIBLE REFERENCE: Matthew 6:31-33
TRANSLATION: Good News Translation (GNT)

BIBLE TEXT: 31 “So do not start worrying: ‘Where will my food come from? or my drink? or my clothes?’ 32 (These are the things the pagans are always concerned about.) Your Father in heaven knows that you need all these things. 33 Instead, be concerned above everything else with the Kingdom of God and with what he requires of you, and he will provide you with all these other things. 

OBSERVATION: We are reminded of words often used in our society today: ‘Don’t worry, God will take care of you’. However, let us meditate on this Scripture and make sure that we do not take the last few words of verse 33 out of context, without the relationship and obedience parts by the believer.

APPLICATION: Jesus chose to teach His disciples, and us, the importance of not worrying, and also the comfort of knowing that our Heavenly Father will provide for those who place their trust in Him, seek after Kingdom things and are obedient to the the teachings of our Lord Jesus. Is this help available to everyone? Of course it is. However, some have simply declined the offer of Jesus Christ and have chosen to handle life on their own. I believe that our Lord is a perfect gentleman and will honor the request of those who push Him away and decline His invitation. Therefore, I believe that telling these very independent people not to worry because God will take care of them, may not meet with warm acceptance. For those who have accepted Jesus as Lord, I believe that we are loved, and teachable by the Holy Spirit and through the words of God in His special book – The Bible. Telling them not to worry because God will take care of them, acts as a great reminder that their Creator has not forgotten them, and that in His Book, He promised that He would never forsake them or leave them alone. The reminder will be of tremendous encouragement to them. In our verses today, Jesus taught us not to be like the unsaved and worry about such things as food, drink or clothing, for our Heavenly Father knows exactly what we need. Instead we should be concentrating on the Kingdom of God – His work among the unsaved; His plan through His servants; His will for the world; etc, and take heed to all that God requires of us. This Scripture made me think of other Scripture from the Word that says we are to clothe ourselves in the righteousness of Jesus Christ – in other words, learn, obey and apply the teachings of Jesus Christ in such a way that we could easily be mistaken for Jesus. Unfortunately we all tend to worry – some more than others! But of what help is worry when you’re sick? It probably deteriorates your health even more with the added stress of worry. Of what help is worry when you are financially burdened? It probably worsens the situation, because you can’t think straight, or positively about anything due to mind-blocks caused by worry. In 1 Peter 5:2 we are reminded that God knows exactly where we are and what we are going through. In fact, He knows us by name! In Psalm 139 we are reminded that God searched us out, and He knows us by name. In Matthew 10:39 God told us that He knows even the number of hairs on our head, so I know that there is no reason to worry, for I know that He’s got this! Lord, we may be small and insignificant here on earth, but having You as our Lord and Savior makes us the greatest and most blessed people on earth. There is no need to worry, for to be absent from this world because of earthly challenges that may come our way, is to be present with the Lord. There is nothing any better than that. Praise You God for Your assurance of love and eternal security!

PRAYER: For the amazing hope that lies ahead for the child of God, I give You thanks oh God! For the love of our Savior who cared enough to allow a criminal death on a cross, so that my Brothers and Sisters in Christ and I could know that our sins have been forgiven and we are destined for a glorious heaven with the Father and His precious Son, I say thank You Heavenly Father. There is no need to worry because of whose we are! Thank You Jesus for loving us and caring enough for us that we could enjoy the peace and foreknowledge of knowing that we are children of the King awaiting a time very shortly when we could see You face to face and bow at Your feet in worship and thanksgiving for all eternity. Lord, please soften the hearts of those who have chosen to stand in their own strength, without hope, and destined for an awful time in Hell with Satan and his demons. Please encourage them to surrender their lives to You before it is eternally too late. 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!

Don’t Worry, Trust God

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

DATE WRITTEN: Friday, 2020-08-14
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: Jeremiah 17:7-8
TRANSLATION: Easy-to-Read Version (ERV)

BIBLE TEXT: 7 “But those who trust in the Lord will be blessed.
    They know that the Lord will do what he says.
8 They will be strong like trees planted near a stream
    that send out roots to the water.
They have nothing to fear when the days get hot.
    Their leaves are always green.
They never worry, even in a year that has no rain.
    They always produce fruit.

OBSERVATION: Upon being reminded and reassured by Scripture that those who trust in Jesus, know that He can and will do what He has promised, I believe we should perhaps ponder ‘then why do Christians worry?’. Let’s examine the awesome power of our God and then the condition of our own heart to see where the gap is that causes us not to trust Him in every circumstance of life.

APPLICATION: The story is told of a daring acrobat that walked across a tight cable that stretched across the Niagara Falls. After successfully walking across, he overheard some of his audience speaking of his abilities, especially after he announced that he would be pushing a wheelbarrow across next. This encouraged him to ask one of those bragging from the audience to voluntarily jump into the wheelbarrow that he would push across. But this was met with rejection as they became very frightened to put their life on the line. Is this what happens to Christians who brag on the power of God, and they boast on their faith in this awesome God, but are unwilling to trust wholeheartedly in God at critical times in their life? Friends, if we truly believe and trust in God, then I believe that we should trust in Him to: 1). Save us from our sin; 2). Deliver us from the evils of this world; 3). Protect us from harm by the evil one; 4). Guide us into all truth, according to His Word, every day; 5) Keep us strong, even when the world seems to be crashing in around us; 6) Calm our every fear to know that the King of all kings and Lord of all lords is in charge of every little, and big, thing around us; and 7) Give us a confident assurance that He is with us and guiding us through every situation, every day. Friends, I know this sounds like a long list, but I also know that it is not exhaustive. The bottom line is that we have every reason to trust God with every aspect of our lives, and to rest assured that He will be our ‘comfort and stay’ through this life and the next! Make a comparison to the trees mentioned in our Scripture today. You will be assured that when you plant your faith and trust deeply in the God that you adore, your strength will come from Him when life seems to be throwing more at you than you feel you could handle. Your peace will come from Him as you reassure yourself that no matter what the world around you is dealing with, you have a God who created the whole world and everything in it, so you know without a doubt that He could calm the stormy seas and the rioting and the hatred that seems rampant in our world. Your strength and reassurance will come from the Source to your roots, so there is no need to worry about who will be president of the U.S. after November, and who will be impacted by this pandemic, for you know who holds tomorrow and you know who holds your hand. Friends, we serve an awesome, all-powerful God. Just as Jeremiah demonstrated with the tree roots, we have no need to worry, for we shall reign victoriously here in earth, or better still, in heaven with Jesus as we bow and worship Him throughout eternity. For the unbeliever who will come across this devotional and may not feel adequate peace, like I’ve just described, please know that you too could have that same assurance. Surrender your life thru the forgiveness of sin offered by my Lord Jesus. The angels in heaven rejoice in heaven when a sinner is saved, and so will I. For help on this big decision, please read through my Footnote, and especially read the Scripture behind the link ‘To Know Jesus’. Feel free to contact me if I could be of help to you. God loves you my friend, and so do I!

PRAYER: Oh Lord, these are days that we need You more than ever before. A worldwide pandemic for which there has been no manmade cure yet, but oh how we rejoice that Christians worship and adore a God who can do all things, including healing of the afflicted. A critical election of world leaders awaits, such as the president of the United States. But in Your wisdom, You have assured Your children that only leaders approved by You who will lead so that Your will is accomplished, only those will be elected. So we have no reason to worry, and no reason to be caught up in the ugliness of politics, You are in control! Thank You for the reassurance You gave to Jeremiah to share with us – we need not worry, for You will accomplish Your will, for Your purpose, and to invoke praise and glory from Your people. We therefore rest in that assurance and thank You in advance for all that You will do in living up to Your Word! AMEN!

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

How To Transform Worry Into Praise

On By Ed AlgreenIn Praise, Prayer, Surrender, Worry, Worry no more2 Comments

Thursday, 2019-08-29

Bible Reference: Philippians 4:6-7
Translation: The Message (MSG)

Bible Text: 6-7 Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.

OBSERVATION: I believe that God knew full well how His children would worry, when we take our eyes off Him, so He was sure to include these verses today just for us! Let us ponder today over the many times that Jesus touched a life to help restore faith in Him, and to show His awesome love for mankind. Let’s learn to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, then we will have less to worry about. What a glorious thought to meditate on today!

APPLICATION: I believe there is one thing that we do extremely well, and that is ‘worry’. For we worry about what was said to us, or perhaps what wasn’t said to us. We worry about the look someone gave us, and even worse, if they don’t look at us at all! We worry about what we should say, but we worry even more if we say too much. When our minds are so busy worrying about every little thing in life, we tend to start building our own case about why the world hates us and wants nothing to do with us. I hope that as you meditate on this scripture with me today you will catch a glimpse, or be reminded, of the awesome God that we serve. You see, I am convinced that our God loves us enough that He will patiently wait for us to unload all of our concerns (worries) on Him in prayer. But what I am even more convinced of, is that God loves us enough that He sacrificed His one and only Son, so that He could provide the answer for our forgiveness of sin and our means of entering the gates of heaven to spend eternity with Him. Friends, there are so many things that we are so blessed with, that we should learn to fix our minds on those things, rather than the worries of all that this world will burden us down with. So how do we move from where we are, to where we should be? We are taught in these verses that it’s a matter of prayer and praise. Let’s make it our aim to take our concerns to the Lord in prayer, and let’s look for ways to praise Him for all that we see Him doing in our lives. In doing these things, we are told that we will find relief for those times that we would otherwise just worry, worry, worry. God loves us way too much to see us succumb to the sickness caused by worry.

PRAYER: Dear God, thank You for Your endless blessings on us. Thank You for the provisions You made for us and the future that is ours, who have placed our faith and trust in You. It’s a daily thing for us to overlook the temptations Satan will send our way to pull us down emotionally, and make us worry about things that we have no control over. Thank You for the direction You have given to us today in Your Word. Oh that we may be found faithful and true to You dear Lord. Oh that we may learn to worship You and praise You for who You are, even when our personal circumstances seem bleak. We’re Yours dear Lord. Please continue to teach us the right path to truth, hope, love and encouragement, so that we may savor in Your presence all of our days. I ask these things in and through the name of Jesus, my Savior, AMEN!

Biblical Response To Worries and Stress

On By Ed AlgreenIn Worry, Worry no moreLeave a comment

SCRIPTURE  FROM:   1 Peter 5:6-7 (TPT)

TEXT:  6 If you bow low in God’s awesome presence, he will eventually exalt you as you leave the timing in his hands. 7 Pour out all your worries and stress upon him and leave them there, for he always tenderly cares for you.

OBSERVATION:   This chapter begins with Peter giving godly advice to church elders, but I am convinced that these two verses apply to all Christians. Let us meditate on these words for a few moments today!

APPLICATION:   In an effort to understand the Scripture best, I sometimes will think of the passage in a ‘what if’ scenario. So take these verses for example: what if we were to stand proud and not develop a deep, sweet relationship with the Master? Would this not mean that we would have no one to turn to when our troubles and trials become more than we could bear alone? Would this not mean that we are asking God to keep His hands off, because we will fight our battles alone? Friends, I want to remind you that there is absolutely nothing more important than us having a close, one-on-one relationship with our Master – the Creator of all humans, and this earth on which we live. There is no greater peace, or cause for humility, than to approach the throne of grace, knowing that we are not only going all the way to the top of all power sources, but also in knowing that we are approaching the One who loves us beyond anything that we could humanly comprehend. For He sacrificed His only Son so that we (sinners) might have the means of going to heaven. Wow! Oh what a love is that? So as we approach the throne, don’t you know that Jesus is there with outstretched arms to welcome His child and patiently listen to our worries and concerns? Also, like any good father, don’t you know that He is anxiously awaiting to settle our minds in knowing that He now has control, and there is nothing more for us to worry about? This is enough to send the child of God over the top in excitement and in peace! But to those who might read this devotional and not have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, I must warn you that our Savior is not a heavenly Santa Claus. He really wants you to first acknowledge Him as Lord, by accepting Him as your Savior. He is quite the gentleman, and will stay His distance until you invite Him into your life. So what are you waiting for my friend? Please read my Footnote and understand how easy it is to find Jesus, and to accept Him as your Lord and Savior. He cares for you, and is patiently waiting for you to invite Him in. Make it today, won’t you?

PRAYER:   Lord I pray that someone will read this devotional today and receive a clear understanding of accepting You as their Lord and Savior. Please open the hearts of those who are searching for more in this life, and for hope in the future. May today be the day of salvation for them. Thank You Lord for the peace of knowing You personally, and for the comfort in knowing that there is a God who cares about us and loves us beyond human understanding. May the glory be all Yours today as eyes are opened to the gospel, is my humble prayer oh Lord, AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: There are two more pages on my blog that will provide you with additional information, one of them being ‘To Know Jesus’.  If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please click on the above page, or speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. Please allow someone to pray with you and give you help and/or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Words underlined in my blog could indicate a link to a song that came to mind as I wrote the devotional. Feel free to click on the link and listen as you continue to read or pray. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to Nuggets From God’s Word and read more, or you may freely to subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. If you are anywhere near the Sebring, Florida area and do not have a church home, I would be thrilled to welcome you at Bible Fellowship Church, located at 3750 Hammock Rd, Sebring, FL 33872! Click the link to check out service times and/or other special activities. God is at work among us! Please consider coming to worship with us!

Learn to Praise God, Even In The Storms of Life!

On By Ed AlgreenIn Praise, Praise-worthy, Worry no moreLeave a comment

Post Date:

 Saturday, 2017-09-09
SCRIPTURE

From:

 Psalm 57:5 (CEV)

Text:

 4 I live among lions, who gobble down people! They have spears and arrows instead of teeth, and they have sharp swords instead of tongues.
5 May you, my God, be honored above the heavens; may your glory be seen everywhere on earth.
6 Enemies set traps for my feet and struck me down. They dug a pit in my path, but fell in it themselves.
OBSERVATION:
Even among his troubles David took time to recognize God and to offer up a sacrifice of praise right in the middle of his challenges. We face challenges all the time, so let’s see how this might help us…. 
APPLICATION:
I want you to particularly notice that we are very much like David was, in that he suffered insecurities, and that he felt like his enemies were out to get him at every turn. In verse 4, some translations use the word ‘enemies’ in lieu of ‘lions’. In verse 6 David continues to emphasize how much his enemies are out to get him. Yet right in between these two verses, David stopped to give honor to God! I believe that we can conclude that David was sharing his heart with God about how he really felt in this world in verses 4 and 6, but he wanted God to know that in spite of his challenges and the way that he felt others were treating him, he wanted to praise God anyway. I believe that God placed these verses before me today for a special reason, for in verse 4 I could easily share about my concerns about hurricane Irma that is approaching us from the south, and there is so much concern about safety, security and survival because of the awesome strength that this hurricane brings and all of the tornados that will spawn from it. In verse 6 I can easily worry myself silly over what life my look like after this storm. But I believe that God wanted me to recognize that in the middle of all these worries, I need to stop and remember who’s in charge; who created us; who causes the winds to blow; and who will guide this storm and keep a watchful eye over his children. When I think about all of this and take a reality check on who also guides me through the storms of life every day, I am reminded that I serve a risen Savior who watches, protects and loves me, every day, so there is nothing to worry about! I want His will to be accomplished in and through my life every day, whether in the heat of the summer, or the coldest winter, or on the mildest day of summer enjoying the beauty of the beach or the mountains, or even through vicious storms, such as the approaching hurricane. Friends, let’s learn to praise our God in all phases of life – on the good days or the days that we feel could be better. Then when the storms come, we will look for the works of our Master and find reasons to praise Him even then. Of course I want you to be safe during the storms of life that will come your way, but let me also encourage you to always praise God in the good times and in the challenging times of life. Remember, He’s still God and He will watch over you in every circumstance of life!
PRAYER:
Lord, please help us to be more like David and praise you in the midst of the storms of life that seem gigantic to us. Oh to be reminded that You are creator over all things and watch over us on the good days and on those days that seem hopeless to us. We are but a spec of dirt in the overall master plan of this earth, but yet we serve a God who considers us heirs, and sons and daughters of His! What a mighty God we serve! Please help us to keep our head up; look to the Master of this universe for all things, and give thanks in all circumstances of life, AMEN!
FOOTNOTE:
There are two more pages on my blog that will provide you with additional information, one of them being ‘To Know Jesus’.  If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please click on the above page, or speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. Please allow someone to pray with you and give you help and/or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Words underlined in my blog could indicate a link to a song that came to mind as I wrote the devotional. Feel free to click on the link and listen as you continue to read or pray. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to Nuggets From God’s Word and read more, or you may freely to subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. If you are anywhere near the Highlands County, Florida area and do not have a church home, I would be thrilled to welcome you at Bible Fellowship Church, located at 3750 Hammock Rd, Sebring, FL 33872! Click the link to check out service times and/or other special activities. God is at work among us! Please consider coming to worship with us!

How To Transform Worry Into Praise

On By Ed AlgreenIn Praise, Prayer, Surrender, Worry, Worry no moreLeave a comment

May I encourage you to get your spiritual ‘Nuggets’ to start your day off right? Pretty amazing that our awesome God would consider feeding even us with His Word! May I encourage you to read the whole devotional, and look for a blessing, friend!………

Today’s Bible Reference: Philippians 4:6-7
Today’s Bible Text: 6-7 Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.
The Bible Translation: The Message (MSG)

My Take Away: I believe there is one thing that we do extremely well, and that is ‘worry’. For we worry about what was said to us, or perhaps what wasn’t said to us. We worry about the look someone gave us, and even worse if they don’t look at us at all! We worry about what we should say, but we worry even more if we say too much. When our minds are so busy worrying about every little thing in life, we tend to start building our own case about why the world hates us and wants nothing to do with us. I hope that as you meditate on this scripture with me today you will catch a glimpse, or be reminded of the awesome God that we serve. You see, I am convinced that our God loves us enough that He will patiently wait for us to unload all of our concerns (worries) on Him in prayer. But what I am even more convinced of, is that God loves us enough that He sacrificed His one and only Son to die a cruel death, so that He could provide the answer for our forgiveness of sin and our means of entering the gates of heaven to spend eternity with Him. Friends, there are so many things that we are so blessed with, that we should learn to fix our minds on those things, rather than the worries of all that this world will burden us down with. So how do we move from where we are at to where we should be? We are taught in these verses that it’s a matter of prayer and praise. Let’s make it our aim to take our concerns to the Lord in prayer, and let’s look for ways to praise Him for all that we see Him doing in our lives. In doing these things, I believe we will find relief for those times that we would otherwise take on the concern ourselves and just worry, worry, worry. God loves us way too much to see us succumb to the sickness caused by worry.

Prayer: Dear God, thank You for Your endless blessings on us. Thank You for the provisions You made for us and the future that is ours, who have placed our faith and trust in You. It’s a daily thing for us to overlook the temptations Satan will send our way to pull us down emotionally, and make us worry about things that we have no control over. Thank You for the direction You have given to us today in Your Word. Oh that we may be found faithful and true to You dear Lord. Oh that we may learn to worship You and praise You for who You are, even when our personal circumstances seem bleak. We’re Yours dear Lord. Please continue to teach us the right path to truth, hope, love and encouragement, so that we may savor in Your presence all of our days. I ask these things in and through the name of Jesus, my Savior, AMEN!

Footnote: If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. Allow someone to pray with you and give you help and/or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Words underlined in my blog could indicate a link to a song that came to mind as I wrote the devotional. Feel free to click on the link and listen as you continue to read or pray. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to www.nuggetsfromgodsword.org and read more, or you may freely to subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. If you are anywhere near the Highlands County, Florida area and do not have a church home, I would be thrilled to welcome you at Bible Fellowship Church, located at 3750 Hammock Rd, Sebring, FL 33872! Click the link to check out service times and/or other special activities. God is at work among us! Please consider coming to worship with us!

2016