Excuses, Excuses….

On By Ed AlgreenIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

Scripture: Luke 13-14.  

OBSERVATION
(What is God saying here?)

Luke 14:16-20 (NLT)

16 Jesus replied with this story: “A man prepared a great feast and sent out many invitations. 17 When the banquet was ready, he sent his servant to tell the guests, ‘Come, the banquet is ready.’ 18 But they all began making excuses. One said, ‘I have just bought a field and must inspect it. Please excuse me.’

19 Another said, ‘I have just bought five pairs of oxen, and I want to try them out. Please excuse me.’ 20 Another said, ‘I now have a wife, so I can’t come.’

APPLICATION
(How Can I apply what God is saying here to my circumstances today?)

I wonder what God must think of us sometimes when we come up with so many excuses as to:

  • Why we are not ready to surrender our lives totally over to Him – perhaps because we feel like we have so much to enjoy in this old world before we could make such a commitment;
  • Why we can’t attend church – perhaps because that is the only morning we have to sleep in, or that is the only day we have for family time, or because there are too many hypocrites at the church (and we don’t want to add one more!!!);
  • Why we can’t find time to get into God’s Word – because we are too busy, or there are just not enough hours in a day, or…..
  • Why we don’t witness to our neighbor – because we don’t want to lose their friendship, or because we are afraid we wouldn’t have the right words, or they might ask us a Bible question that we couldn’t answer;

Friends, I believe that you will agree with me that these are really excuses to keep us from doing the work of the Lord. Often our excuses revolve around finding time to do things. I had a friend tell me one time when I said this, that there are still the same number of hours and minutes in a day as there has always been, we just have replaced some things with something that we felt had a higher priority. Ouch! That hurts when you think about things in that way, but it is so very true. The next time that we are tempted to say that we just didn’t have the time to do something, try saying that the very thing you are referencing was just not a priority to you! Realistically, this will be the ultimate truth, but what this does is helps us to acknowledge which things we have allowed to be a priority in our ‘awake’ hours. Many times we will be ashamed to repeat to anyone what really is a priority in our day! In Jesus’ story He said the man holding the banquet then basically said, “well, let them be and invite anyone interested”. Wouldn’t it be awful for us to hear Jesus say “well, I just wouldn’t be with ??? today, because he was not interested enough to find time for me today”? Oh my, I would be crushed to hear those words from my Lord, and I believe that you would be too. Then let’s put the excuses aside and make God a priority in our day and in our lives. He deserves it!

PRAYER
(With God’s help, what am I going to do differently today because He said it?)

Father, this has really spoken to me today, because I can find time for just about everything in my day, and often I make those things a priority over time I need to spend with You, or doing Your will for my life. There were no excuses when You gave Your only Son to die on Calvary so that I may have a means to enter Your heaven. I am ashamed of the excuses that I make at times, please forgive me and teach me Your ways, Your priorities for my life, Your direction for my life, and teach me to be more like You each and every day. In Jesus name I pray, Amen!

 

àWords underlined may be a hyperlink to a song that God laid on my heart while sharing this devotional this morning. Click it and be blessed by the song, like I was when I listened to it! …… I would be overjoyed to have the opportunity to pray with you about a need in your life that may, or may not have been highlighted by this Nugget today. Why not drop me a note and tell me about it? You may email me at:
nuggetsfromgodsword@yahoo.com.
ß

The Results of Half-Hearted Cleansing

On By Ed AlgreenIn Bible Believing, Christian, Defeated foe, Pleasing to God, Power of PrayerLeave a comment

Scripture: Joshua 12-15.  

OBSERVATION
(What is God saying here?)

Joshua 13:13 (NLT)

13 But the Israelites failed to drive out the people of Geshur and Maacah, so they continue to live among the Israelites to this day.

Joshua 15:63 (NLT)

63 But the tribe of Judah could not drive out the Jebusites, who lived in the city of Jerusalem, so the Jebusites live there among the people of Judah to this day.

APPLICATION
(How Can I apply what God is saying here to my circumstances today?)

Over the past chapters we read where Joshua and/or Moses were, with the help and direction of God, successful in overcoming a number of countries and their respective kings. I found it odd to read the two verses above where the Israelites were unsuccessful, or perhaps failed, in driving out the Jebusites and the people of Geshur and Maacah, because I know that the God they served, and of course the same God that I serve today, is very capable of overcoming all obstacles. In my further study I found where these same people that failed to fully conquer, were the same ones that caused unending difficulties for the Israelites, as recorded in the book of Judges. This sounds like there may have been personal reasons that the Israelites just didn’t push hard enough to really oust these people, and it reminds me of us when we fail to seek God’s power to really rid ourselves of certain sins. Often these little sins that we hold dear to our selfish little hearts are the very same things that come back to bite us and cause us extreme difficulties. I believe that God is always looking for folk that he can use who are totally sold out to Him, where we have surrendered everything to Him and cleansed ourselves of all sinful things. In fact, to substantiate my belief on this, please refer to chapter 14 vs 9 where we read that Caleb was given special favor with God because he ‘wholeheartedly‘ followed God’s commands. I believe that seeing where God gave up everything for me, yes His one and only Son, so that I might have life eternally and more abundantly, then the least I can do in return is to surrender ALL sin – yes everything that does not align with God’s Word, His will and commands for me. There is no room for half-heartedness – may we all be totally sold out to Jesus!

PRAYER
(With God’s help, what am I going to do differently today because He said it?)

There is only way that I can be the totally true, unselfish, child of God and overcome daily temptations and sin, and that is to seek Your help O God and look to You in all humility for strength and guidance to live as You would have me live – so that You can receive full benefit (ministry) in and through me. May I be a vessel usable by You – a holy and just God. May others come to know You as Lord, as you find the freedom to use this unadulterated child of Yours. Please forgive me where I have been deliberately selfish and weak and given in to sin. This is unbecoming of a child of Yours and I need Your forgiveness and strength to overcome and live a life totally sold out to You.

 

àWords underlined may be a hyperlink to a song that God laid on my heart while sharing this devotional this morning. Click it and be blessed by the song, like I was when I listened to it! …… I would be overjoyed to have the opportunity to pray with you about a need in your life that may, or may not have been highlighted by this Nugget today. Why not drop me a note and tell me about it? You may email me at:
nuggetsfromgodsword@yahoo.com.
ß

Are You Ready?

On By Ed AlgreenIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

Scripture: Luke 12.  

OBSERVATION
(What is God saying here?)

Luke 12:39-40 (NLT)

39 “Understand this: If a homeowner knew exactly when a burglar was coming, he would not permit his house to be broken into. 40 You also must be ready all the time, for the Son of Man will come when least expected.”

APPLICATION
(How Can I apply what God is saying here to my circumstances today?)

Summer is here and many will be planning vacation trips, perhaps making hotel, airline or rental car reservations, making sure the suitcases are ready for packing, etc. All of these things are important when planning a successful vacation. Similarly we are very careful to plan each day so that we may be successful and efficient in what we do. Yet many of us never stop to make sure that we take care of ourselves, and to insure that we personally are prepared for life itself. Jesus reminds us in this passage that it is even more important that we be fully prepared for His return and/or our end of life as we know it here on earth. Throughout this passage Jesus carefully told us a few things that would help us know that we are ready, because He shared qualities of a person who is ready. He taught us in:

  • Verse 1: That we should not be hypocritical – knowing, believing and teaching the right thing, but un-thoughtfully reacting and disobeying what we know and teach (not sincere);
  • Verse 4-9: That we not be fearful, but always ready to witness;
  • Verse 25-26: That we not be worried, but always trusting in the power and might of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ;
  • Verse 34: That we not be greedy, but always generous, both with our financial blessings, our God-given talents, our time and our energies;
  • Verse 37: That we not be lazy, but always diligent and ready to do the Father’s will and work;

May we strive to be more like Christ every day, so that when He comes, we will be ready to greet Him – joyfully!

PRAYER
(With God’s help, what am I going to do differently today because He said it?)

Father, I acknowledge that I want to be more like You every day and in every way, but I know that I need Your almighty hand to guide me, mold me and strengthen me so that others will see the love of Jesus in all that I do and say. Most of all, so that You will see one of Your children totally dedicated to You and Your teachings, without hypocrisy. Thank You for showing me the way through the teachings of Your Word, and thank You for providing Your Holy Spirit to lead me every day. May You find me faithful in all things.

 

àWords underlined may be a hyperlink to a song that God laid on my heart while sharing this devotional this morning. Click it and be blessed by the song, like I was when I listened to it! …… I would be overjoyed to have the opportunity to pray with you about a need in your life that may, or may not have been highlighted by this Nugget today. Why not drop me a note and tell me about it? You may email me at:
nuggetsfromgodsword@yahoo.com.
ß

Nothing is Too Big For God!

On By Ed AlgreenIn Ask and Receive, Bible Believing, Celebrate God, Christian, Listen to the Word of God, Victorious LifeLeave a comment

Scripture: Joshua 9-11.  

OBSERVATION
(What is God saying here?)

Joshua 11:19-20 (NLT)

19 No one in this region made peace with the Israelites except the Hivites of Gibeon. All the others were defeated. 20
For the Lord hardened their hearts and caused them to fight the Israelites. So they were completely destroyed without mercy, as the Lord had commanded Moses.

APPLICATION
(How Can I apply what God is saying here to my circumstances today?)

This passage reminds me that nothing, absolutely nothing, is too big or impossible for God! Praise the name of the Lord! I feel like so often in our lives today we limit God and our requests to Him by what we can see as a possibility. In this passage this morning I saw where kings for several nations joined together to fight and try to keep the Israelites out of their territory, but as noted in these two verses, God was preparing the land that He had promised to the Israelites when they left Egypt, and these folk had to go. God hardened their hearts and caused them, or provoked them, to fight the Israelites, and no matter the size of the joint army, God had already won the battle for the Israelites. This tells me that in today’s society where there are folk that are so hardened and don’t want to hear about the Lord, and when we, as Christians or children of God, decide that those folk are unreachable or untouchable, we are truly limiting the power of God. We know what the book says – God will be victorious over Satan and all of his forces, and I have a pretty good idea that it will not be because of what we do to help Him! We serve an awesome, powerful God. Let’s not limit Him in our prayers, in our families, in our churches, in our workplace nor in our towns. He will overcome this world! He will be victorious! Let’s not stand in His way. Instead, let us be steadfast in prayer, obedient to His Word, and follow His every direction – for He holds the keys to winning our church, our town, our state and our nation. Let’s be ready to join the victory party in heaven, instead of sitting on the sidelines and doubting if our God can overcome the people and the evil things that we see going on around us – for Nothing Is Too Big for our God!

PRAYER
(With God’s help, what am I going to do differently today because He said it?)

Father I pray that I can see through Your eyes and not be obstructed by the limitations of my eyes. Please help me to set aside my personal agendas, my limiting expectations and my projection of what I can accomplish, and instead fill me with the awesome realization that I serve a God that knows all things and can do all things. As I sit aside and see Your awesome power at work, may I be the greatest cheerleader and servant to follow Your every command. You deserve all my praise and adoration for the awesome power that You portrayed to my forefathers, and for the power yet to be displayed as You win the victories over sin and death that I see all around me. Praise God that I am on the winning side!

 

àWords underlined may be a hyperlink to a song that God laid on my heart while sharing this devotional this morning. Click it and be blessed by the song, like I was when I listened to it! …… I would be overjoyed to have the opportunity to pray with you about a need in your life that may, or may not have been highlighted by this Nugget today. Why not drop me a note and tell me about it? You may email me at:
nuggetsfromgodsword@yahoo.com.
ß

Are You Clean Before God?

On By Ed AlgreenIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

SCRIPTURE: Exodus 4.  

OBSERVATION
(What is God saying here?)

24 On the way to Egypt, at a place where Moses and his family had stopped for the night, the Lord confronted him and was about to kill him. Ex 4:24 (NLT)

APPLICATION
(How Can I apply what God is saying here to my circumstances today?)

This verse really caused me to stop and ponder a while. God had elected Moses to set His people free and to lead them on an awesome journey, to a country where both milk and honey flowed, according to the Word of God. However, in sending him from one place to another to make final arrangements for the journey, God took advantage of a time that Moses and his entourage stopped for the night to confront Moses about a situation, and this was confrontational to the extent that He was about to kill Moses. Bottom line is that Moses had not followed one of the God-based laws of that day, to circumcise his own son. I believe that regardless of what sin it was, God did not want a man leading His people out of Egypt when there was sin in his life. This then opened up my eyes to remind me that just because we may be leading a ministry, or perhaps teaching others about Jesus’ love, and even thought we may feel very much led of God to do that, I was reminded that God wants to use clean vessels to perform His work. Yes, I know that none of us are perfect, but I feel like this passage was appropriately placed to show us that we must not only make a onetime clean-up in our lives, but that we are to be ‘clean’ as Jesus is ‘clean’ if we are to represent Him before His people.

PRAYER
(With God’s help, what am I going to do differently today because He said it?)

Lord, I pray that as You have spoken to my heart this morning that You will also open up my spiritual eyes so that I may clearly see any sin that separates me from You, yes any sin that would prevent the effectiveness of Your ministry through using me as Your vessel here on this earth. I pray that You would forgive me where I have failed in this, and instead open my eyes clearly to Your ways, Your attitudes and Your commands. May You find a clean, contrite heart ready and willing to serve You wherever and whenever You issue the call.

Don’t Expect God to Work Where Sin Resides

On By Ed AlgreenIn All have sinned, Humility, Listen to the Word of God, Our Help comes from God, Reaching the Lost, Reflecting ChristLeave a comment

Scripture: Joshua 7-8.  

OBSERVATION
(What is God saying here?)

Joshua 7:12-13 (NLT)

12 That is why the Israelites are running from their enemies in defeat. For now Israel itself has been set apart for destruction. I will not remain with you any longer unless you destroy the things among you that were set apart for destruction.

13 “Get up! Command the people to purify themselves in preparation for tomorrow. For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: Hidden among you, O Israel, are things set apart for the Lord. You will never defeat your enemies until you remove these things from among you.

APPLICATION
(How Can I apply what God is saying here to my circumstances today?)

Instructions were given to Joshua about what to not remove from the city of Ai, because the things actually belonged to God. Like us many times, Achan saw something he liked so he took it, and knowing that it was wrong he hid it (buried it under his tent). This sounds so much like us when we do something that we know is not pleasing to God. We cover it up, or hide it from other smart humans! Evidently no one in Joshua’s camp knew about Achan’s sin, because God had to single him out when everyone was presented before the Lord. Bottom line is that innocent people were killed, an army defeated, leaders totally discouraged (because they thought that they had failed in God’s command for their direction), all because of the sin of one man in their camp. Friends, we see individuals struggle in life and we sometimes wonder why Lord. We see families go through more than we could ever imagine and we wonder why are they so unlucky Lord. We see churches – yes churches, fail and are often defeated in their mission to win the lost and disciple the saved, and we question what God must be saying to the church. After meditating on this passage this morning and being reminded that God expects us to be obedient to Him and His commands, He expects us to be holy as He is holy and He expects us to look just like Him if we consider ourselves to be ‘Christian’. When we’re not, then I believe that we should expect no better than what God did to Joshua and the Israelites, for He will withdraw from us and He will destroy us. In verse 12 God said that He would not remain with them unless they rid themselves of the sin in their midst. In verse 13 God told the Israelites that they would never be victorious until they remove the sin from their midst. In our world today I believe that God is still saying to us that He will not work among us until we come clean before Him – get rid of the sin from our personal lives, our families, our churches and our towns. God desires a clean and contrite heart in which to live and work through. Let’s seek His forgiveness today. Let’s rid ourselves of those sins that we think no one else knows about and let’s pray that God will return His favor on us to reach our lost family members, neighbors, church members, coworkers and acquaintances.

PRAYER
(With God’s help, what am I going to do differently today because He said it?)

Father, You know my inmost thoughts, my desires and my every action. Thank You for reminding me of this this morning so that I may be sensitive to following Your commands and being transparent before a God that knows it all. As I worshipped through the song “Change My Heart oh God” I am also reminded that You are the One who could unlock the hardened heart of sin, You alone can reveal the sin that prevents me from being a clean and holy vessel in Your service. Today Lord, please change my heart and make it ever true – pure as snow, so that I may be blessed into perfect service for You, and that I may not be a hindrance to Your work that You would like to do through me, my family, my church or my town.

 

àWords underlined may be a hyperlink to a song that God laid on my heart while sharing this devotional this morning. Click it and be blessed by the song, like I was when I listened to it! …… I would be overjoyed to have the opportunity to pray with you about a need in your life that may, or may not have been highlighted by this Nugget today. Why not drop me a note and tell me about it? You may email me at:
nuggetsfromgodsword@yahoo.com.
ß

Whose Side Are You On?

On By Ed AlgreenIn Eternal Life, Evangelism, God Cares For Us, God our Provider, Obedience, SurrenderLeave a comment

Scripture: Luke 11.  

OBSERVATION
(What is God saying here?)

Luke 11:23 (NLT)

23 “Anyone who isn’t with me opposes me, and anyone who isn’t working with me is actually working against me.

APPLICATION
(How Can I apply what God is saying here to my circumstances today?)

In chapter 9 vs 50 Jesus said something similar, when he told His disciples that if someone is casting out demons they are on the same side as them. In this passage Jesus is actually illustrating how there is no middle ground. A person, you or I, are either committed to and actually serving God daily/on the Lord’s side, or we are on Satan’s side and living a life separated from God. Ouch! God has already won the battle, so why would anyone opt for the losing side? I don’t think that anyone in their right mind would do such a thing, but friend, we must not straddle the fence. We are either totally sold out, practicing our faith, and following God’s commands, or if we are not, then we are children of Satan. Is it clear whose side you are on, friend? We might fool some of the people some of the time, but God knows ALL things – we can’t fool Him. If we are not actively serving Christ, then we are against Him. I not only prefer always being on the winning side, but I am one who is dedicated to the one that I love and have committed my life to. Jesus laid His life down for me, I will do all within me to serve Him faithfully until the day He calls me home to be with Him. How about you? Please contact me if I can pray with You for strength and commitment to serve Christ daily, of if you don’t know the One who I love, adore and am committed to. Please allow me to introduce you to Him. He’s the best friend you will ever have, and He will never leave you alone. He loves you unconditionally!

PRAYER
(With God’s help, what am I going to do differently today because He said it?)

Lord Jesus, my King, my Savior and my Lord, thank You for giving Your life so that I may live eternally with You. Thank You for being by my side day in and day out. I pray that You will continue to give me strength for life’s daily journey, to overcome Satan’s darts, temptations and distractions, for my desire is to serve You faithfully each and every day. I want it to be evident to You and to this world, whose I am, and who it is that I serve. May that evidence lead to someone coming to know You today. May I represent You in such a way that others will want to know the source of joy that exudes from me!

 

àWords underlined may be a hyperlink to a song that God laid on my heart while sharing this devotional this morning. Click it and be blessed by the song, like I was when I listened to it! …… I would be overjoyed to have the opportunity to pray with you about a need in your life that may, or may not have been highlighted by this Nugget today. Why not drop me a note and tell me about it? You may email me at:
nuggetsfromgodsword@yahoo.com.
ß

Where’s Your Memorial?

On By Ed AlgreenIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

Scripture: Joshua 4.  

OBSERVATION
(What is God saying here?)

Joshua 4:19-24 (NLT)

19 The people crossed the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month. Then they camped at Gilgal, just east of Jericho. 20 It was there at Gilgal that Joshua piled up the twelve stones taken from the Jordan River.

21 Then Joshua said to the Israelites, “In the future your children will ask, ‘What do these stones mean?’ 22 Then you can tell them, ‘This is where the Israelites crossed the Jordan on dry ground.’ 23 For the Lord your God dried up the river right before your eyes, and he kept it dry until you were all across, just as he did at the Red Sea when he dried it up until we had all crossed over.

24 He did this so all the nations of the earth might know that the Lord’s hand is powerful, and so you might fear the Lord your God forever.”

APPLICATION
(How Can I apply what God is saying here to my circumstances today?)

I pray that one day someone will be blessed by reading these devotionals, as they tell a little about how God may have touched my life through the reading of His Word. These may be held as a memorial of these special moments in my life that I had with God. There are other special times in our Christian walk, and in the life of our church, that I wish could be recorded so that our ancestors could reflect back on and see how the mighty hand of God was active in our lives. Joshua saw the need for this and erected memorials to be used as a reminder to future generations. The memorial didn’t consist of anything very expensive, but yet it served a purpose. Thank God that we don’t have a lot of arguing in the business meetings at our church, but I bet that if these were meetings where we celebrated the victories in the various areas of our ministry, then not only might our meeting be better attended, but the minutes from these meetings may serve as a memorial to our next generation to reflect back on the work of Christ in His church. God is actively working among His people every day, oh that we may give Him full credit for all that is accomplished and not be so self-centered to think that we, individually, had the power to accomplish anything in and of own selves. I love the words of that popular old hymn, “To GOD be the glory, for the great things He has done“!

PRAYER
(With God’s help, what am I going to do differently today because He said it?)

Father it is You that deserves the praise for all that is accomplished in our lives, especially in the lives of all that have placed our faith and trust in You and have allowed You to work in and through us. May we never fall short of celebrating and offering thanks for all that You have done. Lord may I also be like Joshua and find ways to set up memorials that would remind me to tell over and over again to those that will follow behind me, how awesome my God has been in my life. May these memorials also serve as grounds for celebration by my ancestors as they look back and reflect on how You had worked so mightily in the life of Your servant. Oh Lord, may I and Your people with whom I worship and associate, always find ways to celebrate Your mighty works and in turn, give You all the glory for the great things You have done! You are God alone, and there is none beside You. May the lost see this clearly in the way that we live and worship!

 

àWords underlined may be a hyperlink to a song that God laid on my heart while sharing this devotional this morning. Click it and be blessed by the song, like I was when I listened to it! …… I would be overjoyed to have the opportunity to pray with you about a need in your life that may, or may not have been highlighted by this Nugget today. Why not drop me a note and tell me about it? You may email me at:
nuggetsfromgodsword@yahoo.com.
ß

Busy Work?

On By Ed AlgreenIn A Lamp unto My Path, Imitator of Christ, Reflecting Christ, WorshipLeave a comment

Scripture: Luke 10.  

OBSERVATION
(What is God saying here?)

Luke 10:38-42 (NLT)

38 As Jesus and the disciples continued on their way to Jerusalem, they came to a certain village where a woman named Martha welcomed them into her home. 39 Her sister, Mary, sat at the Lord’s feet, listening to what he taught. 40 But Martha was distracted by the big dinner she was preparing. She came to Jesus and said, “Lord, doesn’t it seem unfair to you that my sister just sits here while I do all the work? Tell her to come and help me.” 41 But the Lord said to her, “My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details! 42 There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.”

APPLICATION
(How Can I apply what God is saying here to my circumstances today?)

There is such a fine line between not doing enough for the kingdom, and on the flip side, doing so much that we don’t have time to really concentrate on worship or time alone with God or slowing down enough to let God minister to us. Many of us are like Martha, where it is our nature to serve, and unless we are serving/working/slaving over all the things that must be done, then we are not happy with ourselves or feel like we have accomplished anything for the Lord. I believe that the difference here is that anytime we are doing things to make ourselves feel better, look better, because no one else will do the work, or feel like what we do is to impress God or others, then we are doing too much, because we are doing busy work. When we truly make time to be with the Lord in prayer and in His Word and in worship to Him, then we will see needs like He saw and we will work like He teaches us – to be a loving servant, because we represent the greatest servant of all times, we will do it because of the needs of others and not for any self-fulfillment. I believe that anytime we get to the stage that we look around us and feel like we are the only one doing anything, then we should stop and ponder why are we doing it – why are we alone? Let us never neglect our time with the Lord. Let us never neglect the time to look at the needs of others and ponder what would Jesus do to help them, and what could we then do to help them. Sometimes it is merely listening to them, while sometimes it is just showing them that we care, or sometimes just a visit to lift them up. The very one that we sit at their feet and spend time with, might be like Jesus where Mary just sat at His feet and just listened. Taking time to listen to someone shows that there is nothing more important to you at the time, than what they have to say. That makes them feel pretty important! Let’s be busy about the work that Jesus would do, not what we feel we must do for recognition, or obligated to do. As we look deep into His wonderful face, the things of this earth will grow strangely dim.

PRAYER
(With God’s help, what am I going to do differently today because He said it?)

Father, this passage has ministered to me in an awesome way this morning, because I often make myself so busy that I don’t know that I truly take time to stop and listen, or worship You from the stillness of my heart, and be quiet enough to truly listen to Your voice and learn Your will for my life. I seem to have a lot of ‘busy-work’. Please forgive me, and show me daily what to do where I might best represent You, and how to do things so that I might not only show my love and devotion to You, but that I may reflect Your love to others in all that I do or say. It’s all about You, Lord. Please help me to never lose sight of that.

 

àWords underlined may be a hyperlink to a song that God laid on my heart while sharing this devotional this morning. Click it and be blessed by the song, like I was when I listened to it! …… I would be overjoyed to have the opportunity to pray with you about a need in your life that may, or may not have been highlighted by this Nugget today. Why not drop me a note and tell me about it? You may email me at:
nuggetsfromgodsword@yahoo.com.
ß

What’s Expected to Know God is With Us

On By Ed AlgreenIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

Scripture: Deuteronomy 34; Joshua 1.  

OBSERVATION
(What is God saying here?)

Joshua 1:8-9 (NLT)

8 Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do. 9 This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

APPLICATION
(How Can I apply what God is saying here to my circumstances today?)

I believe that if we read just these verses we would deduce that this is referring to God’s Holy Book, the Bible as we know it today. I believe that we would be right on, because it appears that God was saying to Joshua that he needed to follow every word taught to him by Moses and to follow God’s book of instruction. Bottom line is that I believe that reading God’s Word and following its instruction is the only way for us know with confidence that God is with us wherever we go, and for us to:

  1. Prosper in all we do – even among a greedy and crooked people that we deal with and live amongst here on this earth;
  2. Succeed in all we do – even when others will seek to fight us every step of the way when they feel like their success or livelihood is threatened;
  3. Be strong – even when we feel like the world is against us and the odds are so overpowering;
  4. Be courageous – especially when we feel like we could never win the battles of wickedness, health issues, evil ones, selfish ones of others that could and will oppose us;
  5. Not be afraid – especially when we feel alone and not a part of the popular group, or when it seems like this old world is crashing in on us;
  6. Not be discouraged – for God is with us through those times that we feel victorious and especially those times when we place our total faith and trust in Him to see us through circumstances for which we feel so inadequate.

The last sentence gives us assurance that for those who follow the commands of our Father, He will be with us wherever we go! Praise be to God for that assurance!

PRAYER
(With God’s help, what am I going to do differently today because He said it?)

Father God, thank You for giving us Your Book of Instructions that teaches us about holiness, right living, right relationships and unconditional love. How comforting it is to know that You will be with me wherever I go, if I follow Your commands. Please continue to give me guidance, courage and strength every day to follow You in all that I do and say. May You rule over all that I am so that I may be the very best that You intended me to be for You.

 

àWords underlined may be a hyperlink to a song that God laid on my heart while sharing this devotional this morning. Click it and be blessed by the song, like I was when I listened to it! …… I would be overjoyed to have the opportunity to pray with you about a need in your life that may, or may not have been highlighted by this Nugget today. Why not drop me a note and tell me about it? You may email me at:
nuggetsfromgodsword@yahoo.com.
ß