How Vulnerable Are You?

On By Ed AlgreenIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

Scripture: Luke 22.  

OBSERVATION
(What is God saying here?)

Luke 22:3-6 (NLT)

3
Then Satan entered into Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve disciples, 4 and he went to the leading priests and captains of the Temple guard to discuss the best way to betray Jesus to them.

5 They were delighted, and they promised to give him money.

6 So he agreed and began looking for an opportunity to betray Jesus so they could arrest him when the crowds weren’t around.

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

As I read this passage, I was again reminded of how important it is that we keep our relationship with God fresh, current, real, and always prayed up. When we ride the fence, or when we back off in our relationship with God, we leave ourselves vulnerable for Satan to attack and use us as instruments to do his dirty work. No doubt Judas had ulterior motives and perhaps he was disappointed in the way that he saw this whole Jesus movement going. In his eyes, no doubt it appeared like Jesus was throwing in the towel and giving up. Because of the blinders that Judas had put on, he could no longer see a future in this Jesus movement, so he thought that he could benefit from the exit strategy. How does this compare to us today? Often when a pastor leaves a church, many will either leave with him, or some will stay at home until they could see if the church will survive another transition, while some will just move to another church as it may appear like they currently have an active, flourishing ministry going on. Friends, I don’t know about you, but the choice of the other disciples were to remain true to their commitment, and that’s the type of commitment I have made, for it is in those times that the institution (church) may seem weakest, that I truly learn to lean on God and depend more heavily on Him. Similarly, I have seen too many cases of people becoming so vulnerable when they slack off from their commitment to the ministry, that they have difficulty rebounding and recovering to a state where they could once again be used of God. Judas was so vulnerable that Satan easily took up residence and was able to accomplish his work through Judas. How’s your stand today? Is there room for Satan to step in and take control, or are you so full of the Holy Spirit and so in touch with the Master, that Satan would not stand a chance? We need Jesus each and every hour to fight the vile of Satan and his attackers. Please commit to the Master your intent today and every day, let there be no doubt as to whose you are and to whom you belong.

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

I need thee every hour oh Lord! Please stay by my side and protect me from the evil one. Please constantly be my guide so that my life will be a true and loyal example of You to all that I may come in contact with. Please be my protector against Satan and any of his cohorts that may attempt to temp me today.

 

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.
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Pray That You Might Be Strong

On By Ed AlgreenIn Christian, SurrenderLeave a comment

Scripture: Luke 21.  

OBSERVATION
(What is God saying here?)

Luke 21:34-36 (NLT)

34 “Watch out! Don’t let your hearts be dulled by carousing and drunkenness, and by the worries of this life. Don’t let that day catch you unaware, 35 like a trap. For that day will come upon everyone living on the earth. 36 Keep alert at all times. And pray that you might be strong enough to escape these coming horrors and stand before the Son of Man.”

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

In this passage Jesus is warning His disciples, and you and I that perilous times will come. Now I bet that with all the earthquakes and floods and hurricanes, we may have thought that this must be it – here comes the Lord as He had promised. I believe that all this might be true signs of God’s hand at work, both in the lives of His people and in the lives of those that would just not get off the fence and make a decision for the Lord. However, this passage indicates that as children of God, we must pray and be alert at all times. I believe that this is an important posture not only for the end times, but also to be in a state of preparedness to fight off the evil one and all of his tactics each and every day, for if we allow Satan in at every move in our daily walk, how prepared are we really to meet our Savior? I believe that praying will keep our communication lines open with God. Being quiet before God during part of our prayer time is also important because it allows Him to speak back to us – in other words, it creates a two-way communication between us and God. Reading God’s Word regularly also helps us to stay in tuned with the mind of Christ and the intent of His heart. If we are to be like Him – act like Him and speak like Him, then we need to be closely in tuned with Him. Friends, this will keep us alert each and every day, plus it will keep us on high alert for the time that He is ready to call us home to be with Him. Are you prayed up? Are you alert and ready? I hope so!

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

Father, we go to great extents to be ready for a hurricane or any other natural disaster, when we hear the warnings. In this passage You have given the warning. I pray that You will help me to be so in tuned with You that I will always be prepared for Your second coming, and that I may be prepared to fight off all the darts of Satan that may be thrown at me each and every day. Just as I would be concerned about my friends and family being prepared and ready in the event of a natural disaster, I am also concerned and sincerely pray for their state of readiness for Your return. I pray that You will soften the hearts of those that I love and am concerned about this morning, and I pray that You will do the same for all that may meditate on this devotional this today. May Your kingdom come in due time, and may we be alert and ready is my heart cry this morning!

 

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.
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The Consequences of Ungodliness

On By Ed AlgreenIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

Scripture: Judges 17-19.  

OBSERVATION
(What is God saying here?)

Judges 19:30 (NLT)

30 Everyone who saw it said, “Such a horrible crime has not been committed in all the time since Israel left Egypt. Think about it! What are we going to do? Who’s going to speak up?”

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

This is not a pretty passage this morning, for as I read this passage I could not believe how awful people could really be. However, I had to stop and reflect on how it must feel to God when He looks on His people whom He created, living in a beautiful place that He created for us, enjoying the blessings of everyday things that He provides for us – such as sunshine, rain, beaches, water, good health, jobs, financial success, etc, etc., additionally when He reflects on the sacrifice He made on Calvary by sending His only Son to die for us so that we might have eternity to look forward to in the presence of our Savior, yet we sit back and claim our personal achievements, we are satisfied with just staying home and watching TV instead of assembling ourselves together with other believers, we take advantage of the days set aside for worship and either sleep in or go to the beach, or hunting or fishing. Wow, how are we different to what the Levite did when he created his own little god to worship right in his home. Yet we become distraught when we see evil come our way, or God becomes silent in our lives? Friends, I realized from this passage that it is a serious thing when God pulls His hand away from us, and I was reminded that for God to truly work in our lives and in our churches, we must make these areas places worthy of the most high, for He will not inhabit places of sin or ungodly habits. We have seen over and over again the consequences of a person turning away from God, a people allowing evil in their mix, a church that refuses to give God first place in all things. We really don’t want to go there, for the consequences are not pretty. If you are not convinced, go behind me and read these three chapters and be convinced of what can happen when we make a mockery of the true and living God. Let’s start with ourselves today. Let’s once again ask God to take His rightful place in our lives. Please don’t look at the fault in your neighbor. I would dare say that each of us have a lot to deal with in getting ourselves righteous and holy before God. If we all will humble ourselves and pray, clean our acts up, get right with God, give Him first place in our lives, in our workplace, in our families and in our churches, turn from our wicked, selfish, evil ways, then He will hear from heaven, forgive our sins and restore our land (2 Chronicles 7:14). Where are you at today in your walk with God?

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

Father, I thank You for Your Word today. I thank You for reminding me once again how important it is that I not allow the evil of this world to slip in and interfere with my dedication and commitment to serve You. Please forgive me where I have allowed this in the past, and give me strength for each and every hour of this day to stand firm in my commitment to serving You. May it be evident to You, and those around me, to whom I belong and am committed to. May Your love, Your will and Your way shine through me in every way today.

 

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.
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Do you influence for good or evil?

On By Ed AlgreenIn Christian, God our Helper, Imitator of Christ, Our Help comes from God, Pleasing to God, Reflecting Christ2 Comments

Scripture: Judges 15-16.  

OBSERVATION
(What is God saying here?)

Judges 16:18-21 (NLT)

18 Delilah realized he had finally told her the truth, so she sent for the Philistine rulers. “Come back one more time,” she said, “for he has finally told me his secret.” So the Philistine rulers returned with the money in their hands.

19 Delilah lulled Samson to sleep with his head in her lap, and then she called in a man to shave off the seven locks of his hair. In this way she began to bring him down, and his strength left him. 20 Then she cried out, “Samson! The Philistines have come to capture you!” When he woke up, he thought, “I will do as before and shake myself free.” But he didn’t realize the Lord had left him.

21 So the Philistines captured him and gouged out his eyes. They took him to Gaza, where he was bound with bronze chains and forced to grind grain in the prison.

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

Delilah was a deceitful woman with honey on her lips and poison in her heart. Cold and calculating, she toyed with Samson, pretending to love him while looking for personal gain. How could Samson be so foolish? Four times Delilah took advantage of him. If he didn’t realize what was happening after the first or second experience, surely he should have understood the situation by the fourth time! We think Samson is foolish, but how many times do we allow ourselves to be deceived by flattery and give in to temptation and wrong beliefs? Avoid falling prey to deceit by asking God to help you distinguish between deception and truth.

A person’s greatest accomplishment may well be helping others accomplish great things. Likewise, a person’s greatest failure may be preventing others from achieving greatness. Delilah played a minor role in Samson’s life, but her effect was devastating, for she influenced him to betray his special calling from God. Motivated by greed, Delilah used her persistence to wear down Samson. His infatuation with her made Samson a vulnerable target. For all his physical strength, he was no match for her nagging, and he paid a great price for giving in to her. Delilah is never mentioned again in the Bible. Her unfaithfulness to Samson brought ruin to him and to her people.

Are people helped by knowing you? Do they find that knowing you challenges them to be the best they can be? Even more important, does knowing you help their relationship with God? What do your demands for their time and attention tell them about your real care for them? Are you willing to be God’s instrument in the lives of others?

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

Father, You have placed me here on this earth for a specific reason. As I go about my daily walk, may I be so filled with Your Spirit that others will be influenced by those things that You have influenced me with in Your Word. May others see so much of Jesus in me that their eyes will be opened to the truths of Your Word and the nature of Your very character. I place my faith and trust in You oh Lord, praying that Your will may be accomplished in and through me each and every day. Please help me to stay strong, especially in every temptation, every trial and every circumstance of life where others may be out to deceive me or to bring dishonor to Your name. It’s You I live for oh Lord, every day!

 

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.
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First Place!

On By Ed AlgreenIn Christian, God Reigns, Humility, SurrenderLeave a comment

Scripture: Luke 20.  

OBSERVATION
(What is God saying here?)

Luke 20:45-47 (NLT)

45 Then, with the crowds listening, he turned to his disciples and said, 46 “Beware of these teachers of religious law! For they like to parade around in flowing robes and love to receive respectful greetings as they walk in the marketplaces. And how they love the seats of honor in the synagogues and the head table at banquets. 47 Yet they shamelessly cheat widows out of their property and then pretend to be pious by making long prayers in public. Because of this, they will be severely punished.”

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

God’s Word is clear that if we are blessed with any type of leadership role while serving here on this earth, we must be careful not to let it affect our witness of Him. It is so important that we humble ourselves and allow God to increase. It is so important that we stop often and realize that had it not been for the grace of God, we could very easily have been bound up in sin and bitter because of our unforgiving spirit. It is only through God’s grace, His power and His example, that we stop and realize how far we have come through His grace. Let us therefore look to His example and seek to serve Him wholeheartedly while never trying to take the controls away from Him, but allowing Him the place of honor, the place of leadership, the place of control and the place of God that He truly is. We must decrease, so that He might increase and take His rightful place in our lives.

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

Thank You Father for assuming first place in my life some 36 years ago. I acknowledge that this is a daily job of surrendering control over to You, so please give me strength, wisdom, humility and power to daily commit myself as a servant of the most high. It’s You I live for and You that I serve. Please help me to never try to assume that position, but help me to practice my position so much that others may be blessed and see the example that You may give me strength for each day. You must increase and I must decrease!

 

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.
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Could It Be Too Late?

On By Ed AlgreenIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

Scripture: Judges 10-11.  

OBSERVATION
(What is God saying here?)

Judges 10:9-14 (NLT)

9 The Ammonites also crossed to the west side of the Jordan and attacked Judah, Benjamin, and Ephraim. The Israelites were in great distress. 10
Finally, they cried out to the Lord for help, saying, “We have sinned against you because we have abandoned you as our God and have served the images of Baal.”

11 The Lord replied, “Did I not rescue you from the Egyptians, the Amorites, the Ammonites, the Philistines, 12 the Sidonians, the Amalekites, and the Maonites? When they oppressed you, you cried out to me for help, and I rescued you. 13 Yet you have abandoned me and served other gods. So I will not rescue you anymore. 14 Go and cry out to the gods you have chosen! Let them rescue you in your hour of distress!”

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

We hear so much about death-bed conversions – that is, folk who do not want to make a decision while they are healthy and enjoying life, but when they know that there is no choice and they are indeed dying, then they ask to know and accept Jesus. Friends, I’m not saying that those decisions are necessarily hopeless, but there are at least two dangers:

  1. Who knows whether they will survive a fatal crash and have the ability, and possibly last opportunity, to accept Jesus before passing away from this world? We could be snatched from this world instantly and without further opportunity to accept Jesus.
  2. The Israelites in this Bible story, were blessed by God, protected, guided and loved dearly, but they were easily led by Satan to follow other gods. However, when they got into serious trouble and needed rescuing, they didn’t turn to these ‘little’ gods for help, but rather turned to the Almighty God. The good thing is that, like the prodigal son, they came to their senses and knew they needed something/someone greater – God. Words that I wish no one meditating on this would ever hear, “Go away for I never knew you” or “I will not accept you, because you rejected me and worked against me so much during your lifetime”. But the Israelites heard similar words because of their stubbornness and ungodly acts.

I would beg all that may meditate on this today, and especially all that I know and love, to not delay in surrendering your life to Jesus. Please know that He loves you, and loved you enough that He gave up life itself so that you may have life everlasting with Him in glory. That’s a gift offered to you today, but its only yours if you accept it. Please respond to this post if you would like to learn more about accepted the gift of eternal life with Jesus, I would be overjoyed to help you biblically with this.

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

My prayer today is that I will always be steadfast in my faith and my commitment to Jesus. May He find me faithful. My prayer for family and friends who might be afraid of giving up a life of fun to accept Jesus, I pray that God would open your eyes and help you see that there is never as much fun when you are living in fear. Living life without the fear of hell and the fear of dying unprepared is a life of peace and assurance – a life worth living! Friend, know God and know peace!

 

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.
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What should I do to inherit eternal life?

On By Ed AlgreenIn Born Again, Christian, Eternal Life, Faith, Follow Jesus, Forgiveness, Listen to the Word of GodLeave a comment

Scripture: Luke 18.  

OBSERVATION
(What is God saying here?)

Luke 18:18-22 (NLT)

18 Once a religious leader asked Jesus this question: “Good Teacher, what should I do to inherit eternal life?”

19 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus asked him. “Only God is truly good. 20 But to answer your question, you know the commandments: ‘You must not commit adultery. You must not murder. You must not steal. You must not testify falsely. Honor your father and mother.'”

21 The man replied, “I’ve carefully obeyed all these commandments since I was young.”

22 When Jesus heard his answer, he said, “There is still one thing you haven’t done. Sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

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

Just like the religious leader in this biblical story, many today may ask “what does it take for me to have a better life?” or “to have eternal life?” or “to know Jesus, the One who can give me eternal security?” or “to know the only One who rescues me from the this world of hate, backbiting, sin, evil, etc. and gives me hope for a new life in knowing Jesus?”. I’m glad you asked! In the beginning of this chapter Jesus spoke to the people about how important it is to be humble, and to lay aside the pride of self-importance and in fact, be more like a child in our total surrender to God. In this particular passage, Jesus tells this rich man that for him to truly trust God, he must release his dependence of his riches. This is true with so many that are ‘comfortable’ with where they are at in life. To some, they may feel like they have everything this life could offer and seeing that they are faring so much better than most, they just don’t need anything else, especially this religious stuff that so many argue over and become entwined in. Friend, Jesus didn’t tell this rich man to become involved in organized religion, although He later spoke of the importance of worshipping together with other believers. He didn’t tell this man how important it was that he start acting more like the religious leaders of that day, for Jesus knew of their shortcomings. Instead, Jesus told this man that he needed to unleash himself from the thing that he had placed so much faith in, and then when he could commit himself wholeheartedly to Jesus and trust only in Him, then come and be His follower. Unfortunately this could lead to procrastination for many, as some will definitely say that they are waiting for the day where they could be solely dependent on God. I don’t believe that any of us awake one morning and decide in and of our own desire, that we will accept Jesus that day, for I believe that it is God himself that woos us to place our faith and trust in Him. In the case of this rich leader, I believe that it was God working in his life that caused him to ask these questions of Jesus. Therefore, if we awake one morning and decide that today is the day we will surrender our lives to God, then I believe that the same God that began a good work in you and prompted you to accept Him as Lord, will also help you to lay aside those things that might stand in your way. So please don’t procrastinate until you feel you are ready and/or worthy of approaching God, but instead, answer His call on your life and allow Him to help you redirect your allegiance, your faith and your trust. This is one of the most important decisions in your life, for it has eternal implications. Please feel free to respond to this post if there is anything I can pray with you about or help you with, as you ponder this vital decision.

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

Although still far from perfect, I thank you Father for speaking to me some 35 years ago and convincing me of the need for a Savior. I also thank You for being patient with me over the years and giving me strength to stand firm in my faith and live my life in accordance with Your Word. I know that this is a daily challenge, and again today I want to ask for Your strength and power to overcome the evil things of this world and to become so entrenched in Your Word that I will always lean towards the character and will of my Savior. Please touch the lives of those that will read this and need to make decisions in their lives. Please tender their hearts to surrender their lives to You, and to lay aside things in their lives that are only temporary, but yet things that they currently place their faith in. O What a Savior, is Jesus my Lord! May many others come to know You today, is my prayer.

 

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.
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Enough with the Excuses, Trust God!

On By Ed AlgreenIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

Scripture: Judges 5-6.  

OBSERVATION
(What is God saying here?)

Judges 6:13-16 (NLT)

13 “Sir,” Gideon replied, “if the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us? And where are all the miracles our ancestors told us about? Didn’t they say, ‘The Lord brought us up out of Egypt’? But now the Lord has abandoned us and handed us over to the Midianites.”

14 Then the Lord turned to him and said, “Go with the strength you have, and rescue Israel from the Midianites. I am sending you!”

15 “But Lord,” Gideon replied, “how can I rescue Israel? My clan is the weakest in the whole tribe of Manasseh, and I am the least in my entire family!”

16 The Lord said to him, “I will be with you. And you will destroy the Midianites as if you were fighting against one man.”

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

I know that it is very easy for us to beat up on ourselves when we feel like our faith is so weak, but as I read the Word I can see where this is an issue that God has dealt with all along. I know that this is partly due to the fact that we are only human, and compared to the awesome power of the Almighty, we just can’t fathom how some things could actually occur the way that God may tell us it will. Gideon was this way, for he needed proof that this was truly God telling him to do such an impossible task (using as small clan such as his to save the nation of Israel). I believe that deep inside Gideon was convinced that this was an angel of God, because he followed the commands that seemed possible in his own eyes and heart, then as he built his confidence he continued with the command that seemed only possible in God’s eye. I believe that so often we sell short the mighty hand of God. So often we limit what He wants to do, to only what we think He can do. For example, if I felt impressed by God that He would send us a new family for our church to minister to, I would go out early to open the doors and welcome that family in. If, on the other hand, I heard God say that He will be using our little church to minister to and win the whole town of Avon Park, I would question my hearing, or my understanding of what God really meant. Like Gideon, I still have so little faith when it comes to seeing beyond the realm of my possibilities, and this comes even after studying what God did through Moses, Joshua, Gideon and many other prophets and warriors of the Bible. It is no wonder God declared in His Word later on, “O ye of little faith”. He is God alone, and we have every reason to listen to and obey His every command!

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

Father, I thank You for Your patience with me, for You have been good to me in spite of my weaknesses and lack of faith, especially when it comes to the awesome things that You could accomplish through even me, or even through a church body that I consider small when compared to many around. You alone can do the things that seem impossible to me, but please touch my life and help me to overcome my doubt and fear. Please help me instead to truly believe that You are God alone and that ALL things are possible in and through You. In anticipation of You choosing to use even me to accomplish things in Your name, I pray that I will first be blessed with the faith to believe so strongly in You that I will willingly obey Your commands, even those that seem impossible to me. Please use me, and use Your church as instruments to grow Your kingdom here in this city and here on this earth. Thank You for using weak vessels such as us to reveal Your kingdom work, and thanks for considering even us for You to work through to accomplish that work!

 

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.
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In Appreciation

On By Ed AlgreenIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

Scripture: Luke 17.  

OBSERVATION
(What is God saying here?)

Luke 17:17-19 (NLT)

17 Jesus asked, “Didn’t I heal ten men? Where are the other nine? 18 Has no one returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?” 19 And Jesus said to the man, “Stand up and go. Your faith has healed you.”

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

So often we take things for granted without a second thought. It’s almost like we expect certain things to happen to us, and for us. It’s almost like we feel that God is indebted to us. Friends, everyday should be a day of thanksgiving for all that God does in our lives. While we may not necessarily experience miraculous healing, as in the case of the lepers, still God is so awesome and has provided, and still provides, so much for us each and every day. For instance, we arose this morning from a comfortable bed, where others may be struggling to get some sleep in an uncomfortable cardboard box. We were able to arise to a vertical position, where others are confined to a hospital bed. We have family to talk with, where others are alone and wish they had someone nearby to talk with. I believe that we must, as appreciative children of a loving and kind God, always give thanks in all things, for God’s Word declares that as children of the light, be grateful and thankful in all things. We have no reason to be down in the mouth, we are a blessed people, loved by an awesome God who watches over us and provides for us daily. Let’s show our appreciation instead of complaining today. Let’s be like the one leper that returns to say thank You Jesus for all that You do in our lives! Most of all let us rejoice daily for the sacrifice Jesus made on Calvary so that we may have life, and have it more abundantly. Thank You Jesus!

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

Thank You Lord for Your blessings on me! I appreciate all that You do each and every day for me, even though I feel like times are tough and things could be so much better, I know that this is just my selfish desire to want to be more like my neighbor or a friend that may be rich by this word’s standards, but Jesus I can truly say thank you today for having a loving, caring Savior that loved me so much that You gave – You gave everything so that I may live eternally with You in heaven. Thank You Father!

 

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.
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The Unfortunate Results of Disobedience

On By Ed AlgreenIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

Scripture: Judges 1-2.  

OBSERVATION
(What is God saying here?)

Judges 2:1-3 (NLT)

1 The angel of the Lord went up from Gilgal to Bokim and said to the Israelites, “I brought you out of Egypt into this land that I swore to give your ancestors, and I said I would never break my covenant with you. 2 For your part, you were not to make any covenants with the people living in this land; instead, you were to destroy their altars. But you disobeyed my command. Why did you do this? 3 So now I declare that I will no longer drive out the people living in your land. They will be thorns in your sides, and their gods will be a constant temptation to you.”

Judges 2:15 (NLT)

15 Every time Israel went out to battle, the Lord fought against them, causing them to be defeated, just as he had warned. And the people were in great distress.

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

Over the past number of chapters it has been so uplifting to read how God protected, fought for, cleared the way and directed His chosen people, and of course it was encouraging to read how consistently obedient the Israelites were to God and his leaders Moses and later to Joshua. What is extremely unfortunate in this passage is to see how gradual and unsuspecting sin started to enter the camp. God had given specific instructions to the Israelites about totally cleaning out the land of all of its inhabitants and sinful gods so that they would not be tempted to sin. These chapters show is that the people did what they thought best, instead of following God’s commands precisely. Without even reading the rest of the chapter, we can tell what the results of these selfish, sinful acts were.

Fortunately for some today, and unfortunate for many today, God is still God. His commands were not given as a guide, but as commands for His children to follow so that we may live a long and prosperous life, filled with hope and the expectation of a wonderful home in heaven with Him. When disaster comes, and defeat is experienced, we must look at verses like Judges 2:15 and realize that we could cause God to actually turn against us because of our sin and disregard for His commands. When we accepted Jesus as Lord of our lives, we accepted Him and all of His commands that were issued in love so that we may stay on track as a follower of His. When someone visits my home, they are expected to live by my house rules. When someone goes to school, they are expected to honor the rules of the school system. When someone comes to work at my place of employment, they must follow the rules of the company if they want to remain employed. Why then would we possibly feel like we can accept Jesus and then live any way that we feel like? We must follow His ways, and His will, so that He might reside in us, protecting us, guiding us, loving us, and preparing a home for us in heaven. Just like any good parent would want to raise obedient children, God also wants obedient children. He paid a great price for us, let’s show our love and appreciation by being obedient children each and every day!

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

Father You know better than us, that this old world presents many obstacles in our daily path that tend to take us off track in our walk to faithful obedience to You. However, as I have seen in so much of Your Word, You are all powerful and therefore can help us overcome every obstacle, every temptation to sin, every habit that may ultimately harm us or cause us to sin or interfere in our witness of Yourself. Please touch my life again today and help me to overcome the distractions of this world that seem to beckon my attention. Please help me to stay so in tuned with Your Word that I may be filled with Your Holy Spirit who in turn, will give me strength for every moment and power to stay the course in being the child of Yours that You intended me to be. May I not only be clean and obedient in Your sight, but may this reflect in my words and actions each and every day so that others may recognize, and also want to know more about the Savior and Lord to whom I belong. I’m Yours Lord!

 

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.
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