How To Get Everything You Need!

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

DATE POSTED Thursday, 2022-01-27
WRITTEN AT: Gainsville, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Matthew 6:31-34
TRANSLATION: New Living Translation (NLT)

BIBLE TEXT: 31 “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ 32 These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. 33 Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. 34 “So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.

APPLICATION: One may wonder if at times we seem like ‘worry warts’ because of our persistence in worrying about every little thing. But Jesus gave us a title for that: ‘Imitators of unbelievers/unsaved’. Ouch, definitely not a compliment for the Christian who knows the Master of the seas; the Creator of mankind; the One who turned seas into hiways; Water into wine and who returned life again into a body He had once created. If we trust Him for daily life, air to breathe and sunlight to brighten our path, why is it that we tend to worry when the food supply seems short or money insufficient to purchase all we want? Is He not the same God spoken of in each of the cases above? Where is our faith? I remember an old grandmother sharing a testimony about a time when she wasn’t sure where she would find food for her children. While still on her knees begging God for mercy and grace to provide the necessary nourishment for her family, a knock came on the door. As she went to the door, there was her pastor with a box of food items that he felt impressed to bring to her. Our God WILL supply our needs dear friends, we just need to petition Him for our needs and be patient to His perfect timing. Most of us have gotten used to having not just what we need, but an excess of items that we ever wanted also. In our Scripture today, we are reminded that our faith and trust must be placed in the God of this universe, the One who created us and cares for us like no other. Jesus had just taught how we must learn to trust in Him with our finances, and in our faithful prayers. Then He goes on to teach us that He is our go-to for all things – even for our food for today. Notice how He reminded us how well He cares for the birds, so how much more would He care for those whom He made in His own image and for His own satisfaction? Friends, I believe that Jesus is even more protective and caring for us than we ever were able to accomplish with our own kids. Did you ever allow your kids to starve, or go without? How much more then would the Savior of the world care for us and provide for our needs? He went to the cross to prove His love for us, can’t you imagine how much further He would go to make sure we are taken care of while living among the likes of this earth? Now, for us to plug-in to those provisions and accept that wonderful love, we must be one who is willing to surrender ourselves and accept the love of God. You can do that, right? Just let go and say ‘Yes’ to Jesus, today – please?

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Visiting the food stores these days is proof enough that we can’t depend on the ‘food chain’ as we did in earlier days. Hearing of all the crime in our neighborhoods, it reminds us that we can’t always depend on law enforcement to know when crime will occur so they could be there to protect us. However, our Scripture reminds us that our God can, and will, supply all our needs, if we go to Him, place our trust in Him, and be willing to receive His loving care and His unending provisions! What an awesome God we serve!

PRAYER: Lord, we need You more today than we have ever acknowledged before. Please open our eyes, soften our hearts and hear our cry as we stop and acknowledge that we just can’t do this alone anymore. The unsaved are watching to see if Your kids are in any better shape than they are. Please remind us daily of the importance in letting go of selfish pride and looking to You for our daily needs. Only You can mend a broken heart and only You can save a sinner from the pit of Hell. May we be willing to say ’yes’ to You and acknowledge Your power and Your awesome love in providing our every need. Worrying is an action indicative of our past. Opening our hearts and accepting Your gifts each day for everything we need, shows the world the importance of knowing Jesus personally, and accepting His unending help and provisions. I’m Your’s Lord, please: touch me; heal me; revive me and fill me anew with Your unending love, so that I may be of better service in Your kingdom work here on earth.. AMEN!

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

A Safe Place For Your Treasure

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Giving, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Tithe, Tithing, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Wednesday, 2022-01-26
WRITTEN AT: Gainsville, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Matthew 6:19-21
TRANSLATION: The Message (MSG)

BIBLE TEXT: 19-21 “Don’t hoard treasure down here where it gets eaten by moths and corroded by rust or—worse!—stolen by burglars. Stockpile treasure in heaven, where it’s safe from moth and rust and burglars. It’s obvious, isn’t it? The place where your treasure is, is the place you will most want to be, and end up being.

APPLICATION: Some people keep their money in a bag under their bed, or somewhere in their home, while some may just bury it nearby, because they know it will be safe if it’s near enough for them to personally protect it! Some people would rather seek help from neighbors, family, friends or the government, instead of spending their own hard-earned money, as they want to have something to pass along to their children who may remain after their passing! All of the above exists, plus a whole lot more that we would not have time to expand on, while all the while many churches are having to close their doors as attendance is low, and finances are almost nonexistent. It seems that many have found new excuses for not attending church – they claim that they are present in the virtual environment. Perhaps many are truthful in their choice of staying safe from Covid infections, but I wonder what excuse others will find to make when questioned by Jesus about their place and time of worship as commanded by God in His Word. Don’t forsake the assembling of yourselves together, is what God commanded us, for the Creator knew how necessary it is for His children to encourage and bless each other in a physical environment. But in the teaching by Jesus today, He ordered us to be very mindful of our eternal life, not just the moment in which we live. I believe Jesus wants us to remember our Creator, and to bless Him daily with our praises for all that He continues to bless us with. Many of us have been blessed with good jobs that have paid us enough to not only meet our daily needs, but also allowed us to save a few dollars for future needs. I believe that Jesus will bless us every day for being good stewards, but I believe that He is teaching us today that there are other things in life that should also be a vital part of our plan. We are taught in the Bible that we should tithe a portion of our income consistently to the local church. While I realize that many don’t attend church regular enough to understand the financial needs and uses of church funds, we must always remember that God didn’t order us to audit the church before giving to it. He is in charge of church leadership and will hold them accountable for their use and abuse of funds placed at their disposal for the ongoing spread of the gospel message. I believe that Jesus is also teaching us that our obedience to His command to tithe, is dependent on our mindset. If we have our hearts and minds fixed on the coming of the Lord Jesus, and reflect frequently on the eternal destiny of our family, friends and coworkers, then we will be more apt to obey His command to give freely to the work of the local church. If, however, we are more determined to grow our bank account, see our business thrive above all others in the business world; and if we must give to the work of the church, it will have to be a very minor part of profits, as no obvious return is seen from that type of spending; then it becomes obvious where our focus is and where we will place our emphasis when it comes to charitable giving. In the middle of revival services, an evangelist touched on the importance of Jesus’ command here in this Scripture. He asked that we take our wallets or checkbooks out, and that we offer our finances up to the God who helps us earn each dollar. It was suggested that we ask for God’s direction on our giving to His work. I walked away from that time of prayer convinced that God ordered me to start giving based on my gross income and not my net income, like I had used previously. This was at a time when my wife and I struggled to comfortably meet all of our general expenses. But if I expected God to help me with my budget, I had to make sure that I was obedient to what He ordered me to do. Friends, God has always taken exceptional care of my needs as I obediently followed His commands. May I suggest that you have a little talk with Jesus and see if He has any changes that might help you fully trust Him and obey His commands? Remember, God blesses us with the jobs we have, and He gives us the strength and stamina to do a great job for our employer. Shouldn’t we be willing to follow His commands so that He might continue to bless us, use us, and provide for us? Seek first the kingdom of God, and all these other things will be given to you!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Recently we studied how God will forgive us, if we are obedient and willing to forgive others. In our Scripture today, I believe that God is saying that He will provide for our needs, if we are faithful and just to pass along those blessings to others in need around us, and especially seek after growing His kingdom.

PRAYER: Lord, if we were to analyze our monthly budget, I believe it will amaze us to see where our income is going. Our attention and our focus seem to rest in the area where we spend our money. If the largest part of our budget goes to a car payment, then we will clearly see that our car is always protected, clean and admired because it’s our ‘earthly baby’! If we give consistently and sufficiently to your work, then we will align our lives around all that You would seek of us. It will become evident to everyone who knows us that we belong to Jesus and He owns our finances. Thank You Father, for providing food on our tables, when so many go to bed hungry; light in our homes, while many are in darkness; a warm and comfortable church building where we could meet to worship and witness new birth to those we invite to church with us each week. Yes, it matters a lot to us what happens in our business and that we have finances to do what we want to do, but may it always be a priority to see Your kingdom come, and that it is blessed through mature growth each week. May we always give to the cause of Your work, and may our giving be a pleasing aroma in Your nostrils as You see Your work being accomplished. AMEN!

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

The Importance of Prayer

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Forgiveness, Needs, Praise, Prayer, Recognize God, Worship4 Comments

DATE POSTED Monday, 2022-01-24
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Matthew 6:6-8; 14-15
TRANSLATION: The Message (MSG)

BIBLE TEXT: 6 “Here’s what I want you to do: Find a quiet, secluded place so you won’t be tempted to role-play before God. Just be there as simply and honestly as you can manage. The focus will shift from you to God, and you will begin to sense his grace.
7-13 “The world is full of so-called prayer warriors who are prayer-ignorant. They’re full of formulas and programs and advice, peddling techniques for getting what you want from God. Don’t fall for that nonsense. This is your Father you are dealing with, and he knows better than you what you need. With a God like this loving you, you can pray very simply.
14-15 “In prayer there is a connection between what God does and what you do. You can’t get forgiveness from God, for instance, without also forgiving others. If you refuse to do your part, you cut yourself off from God’s part.

APPLICATION: Don’t know about you, but I find it almost impossible to think straight and write, type, or anything else while also trying to listen to one or more people talk about their challenges and opportunities from their day. Both deserve your undivided attention, but I found it interesting that Jesus chose this as the first suggestion to enhance our prayer life! Find a secluded place to pray. The importance of this was confirmed for me when I volunteered for a time of secluded prayer during a 24-hr prayer chain promoted by a group of local churches. This placed me in a very small room with just a Bible, a few Bible verses posted on the walls and a kneeling bench where I could bow before and converse with the Lord. Notice that I wasn’t praying while I rushed around getting ready for work, nor while I drove down busy streets with unlimited cars buzzing all around me. It was just God and me in a dimly lit room without windows. This gave me a whole new perspective on ‘time alone with God’. Let me suggest that you try following what I experienced some time. It will also help you achieve the first guideline given by Jesus. Additionally, try praying for more than just a minute or two. Although you may have lots of people to pray for, you will quickly run out of words, probably because of your history of quick, instant, mini prayers. Try having a conversation with God. Begin by praising Him for who He is and for what He has done for you, your family and your friends. Try to recall a few examples of how He directed you, and thank Him in a very personal way for that. Pray the Scriptures back to Him, especially the one that you are meditating on that day. Tell Him about your plans for the day and seek His guidance in doing the right thing at the right time and place with the right folk. Remember, you are His ambassador here on earth, so you want to do and say things His way, so that others might be reminded of Jesus and desire to know Him personally. Please try not to follow preplanned prayer verbiage by some great theologian. Yes, I know make it sound so perfect, but since you don’t need something like that for conversation with your spouse, then I can assure you that you will not need that to converse with your Creator who knows everything about you. Just be yourself and converse with God in an unhurried or structured way. Leave time for God to envelope your heart and mind and fill your innermost thoughts with His direction and His character and demeanor. The world is sick of the selfishness and greed of mankind. They are constantly on guard for what you might want from them. Allowing God to work in your life and speak through you, will open the eyes and heart of your hearers in ways they, nor you, may have ever experienced before. The experience of reflecting back on your day and standing in awe about where certain words or actions came from, will totally overwhelm you. Allow God to be in control, dear friend! In the last two verses, note that Jesus wants us to know that unless we willingly forgive others, we shouldn’t expect God to forgive us. We must be willing to practice what we preach, not just apply those teachings to everyone else besides us. Communication is key to our personal relationships with family and friends. It is also the key that opens the door to a personal relationship with our Master. Talk/pray to God on a regular basis. Hearing from Him is key to a life patterned after, and directed by Him.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Jesus will pour into you as much as , or more than, you pour into your relationship with Him! Begin to enhance that relationship with your Savior through prayer, dear friend.

PRAYER: Lord You are so good to us. Please help us to be more like You in every aspect of life, so that others might know that You are alive and working actively in Your children’s lives. Please help us to dedicate ourselves to more quality time with You, especially in prayer. In our Scripture today, we are reminded of some important qualities that would enhance our prayer life – a key to our relationship. Please direct us to plan time for meeting with You, and to clear the path of every distraction as we do that. Quality time with our family and friends bring unity and increases the love we feel towards each other. Time alone with You is also super important as we seek to know You better, love You more and gain even more trust in You. Draw us close to you dear Lord, so that we may be usable by You to grow Your kingdom. 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!

Love Like God Loves

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Love others, Love your Neighbor, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, The love of God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Sunday, 2022-01-23
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Matthew 5:43-48
TRANSLATION: Contemporary English Version (CEV)

BIBLE TEXT: 43 You have heard people say, “Love your neighbors and hate your enemies.” 44 But I tell you to love your enemies and pray for anyone who mistreats you. 45 Then you will be acting like your Father in heaven. He makes the sun rise on both good and bad people. And he sends rain for the ones who do right and for the ones who do wrong. 46 If you love only those people who love you, will God reward you for that? Even tax collectors love their friends. 47 If you greet only your friends, what’s so great about that? Don’t even unbelievers do that? 48 But you must always act like your Father in heaven.

APPLICATION: Hopefully we recognized the truth in what Jesus said in His explanation of how humans tend to love others. This requires us setting aside the ideals of how we know we should love others, compared to what we actually do. It is very challenging for us to think of loving the one who hurt us, or mistreated us in some obvious way, or who may have even deliberately hurt us. I know of a real-life story of two workers who, in spite of working on many projects together, they often felt differently about certain subjects, and although they often accomplished the same tasks differently, yet they enjoyed the success of completing tasks accurately. During one of their disagreements on a subject, one of them brought the company president in to understand why they felt the other was wrong. The boss didn’t fire the one accused of doing their job inaccurately, but this appeared to have deepened the rift between the two workers. However, just as this Scripture might do to you as a reader searching for God’s will for your life, the individual who felt wronged, was touched by a sermon one Sunday and God impressed this Scripture upon them. Pray for the individual you feel wronged you, even though you feel they may have done it to cause you harm. Each day there was sincere prayer for the other party and for their success in the company. Apparently the two went on to be great friends and compassionate coworkers! It is virtually impossible to hate someone that you earnestly pray for in a positive manner! I believe that Jesus wants us to be the kind of people where others might look on in wonder and question how we could do what seems impossible to the ordinary person. Hopefully their minds will turn towards Jesus and they will praise Him for working through His children to achieve that which seems impossible to mankind of their own accord, desires and abilities. Friends, I hope that as you meditated on this with me today, you may have gotten a glimpse of how Jesus not only set the example for us in what He said and did while here on earth, but also how He is still able to work in His children to help them achieve all that He did. As the world sees the difference in us, may they recognize that it is Jesus at work in us that helps us reach for new heights and imitate our Father which is in heaven.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: It takes Jesus and us to love those who hate us or despise us or who aim to destroy us. But in loving even them, we allow them to catch a glimpse of our Master working miraculously through us!

PRAYER: Dear Lord, thank You for recognizing how challenging it is for us to love those who love and respect us, and especially those who make it impossible to love them of our own accord. Only You Lord can save us from our sins, and only You can give us the power, strength and wisdom to overcome the evil of this world that is often out to pull us down and separate us from the blessings You have in store for us. Draw us to Yourself each and every day Lord and as You prepare our day, may we be humble and willing to seek Your face as You work out Your perfect will for us. Oh that others may see, acknowledge and receive You as Lord of their life, especially after seeing You at work in us. 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!

To God, Anger is…

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

DATE POSTED Saturday, 2022-01-22
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Matthew 5:21-22
TRANSLATION: Living Bible (TLB)

BIBLE TEXT: 21 “Under the laws of Moses the rule was, ‘If you murder, you must die.’ 22 But I have added to that rule and tell you that if you are only angry, even in your own home, you are in danger of judgment! If you call your friend an idiot, you are in danger of being brought before the court. And if you curse him, you are in danger of the fires of hell.

APPLICATION: I heard a story of a man who walked an extra block on his way home from the bus station. When questioned about this, he shared about his addiction to alcoholism earlier in life, and the main bar that he frequented was on his direct, shortest route home from the bus station. He felt like avoiding that bar would help him in his determination to remain sober. AA members are similar in their commitment to remain sober. Wouldn’t it be great if we gained such a determination in life to help us avoid repeating previous sins, or known weaknesses? In the teachings by Jesus following the beatitudes, He looked very intently at the heart. In our Scripture today, Jesus shared that the same attributes of a heart that would take the life of another, also tends to agitate a person’s anger. This could have detrimental effects at home, and we hear a lot about spousal abuse and/or child battery. When we get so angry that we spout off cruel and/or nasty names at someone, our heart has just become much like that of the person who would release their anger through murder. So what then might we do to be more like our Master? Scripture records one time that Jesus became visibly upset. He was very disturbed that the people had turned the holy temple into a den patterned by that of thieves. However, Jesus showed throughout His lifetime that His whole intent in life was to reflect love, peace and goodness. I believe this was important, because Jesus showed us that when we place our hand in His, and we we trust that He will care for our every need willingly and lovingly, then there is no need to worry, become anxious, or show remorse when life does not go in our favor, or in the direction we might anticipate. While I am not a physiological expert that could say exactly what the medical experts have determined might cause anger, I am convinced that it is agitated when things are not going our way, or as we anticipate. However, as a child of the Most High God, who has every phase of life under His control, we must learn to rest comfortably in His care and under His control. When this occurs, we learn to relax in His charge and know that there’s no need to worry. Friends, I am just simple enough to believe that this kind of contentment would help me to stay calm and not give in to emotions that would cause undue stress or to respond based on emotions. A heart totally dedicated to the Lord and experiencing prayer for His full direction, will help us to desire responses consistent with that of Jesus Himself. For others desire to see Jesus, even in us.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: In our own strength we tend to either fall apart or react to life-situations erratically. However, under the love and control of the God of this universe, we can overcome the stresses of this cruel world and instead live under the peace and direction of the Master!

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, You know all too well how easily we come unglued and respond to life-situations in ways that are not representative of Your character and teachings. Please Lord, help us to stay focused on the only One who can help us through the ups and downs of life, rather than responding to situations more like the world. To respond with a heart of peace and contentment, regardless of the pressures of this cruel mad world, can only be done with Your help and Your peace. We depend on You Lord. Please grant us strength and determination to always seek Your will and Your help for every aspect 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 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!

Allow God To Be Exposed Through You

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

DATE POSTED Friday, 2022-01-21
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Matthew 5:13-16
TRANSLATION: The Message (MSG)

BIBLE TEXT: 13 “Let me tell you why you are here. You’re here to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavors of this earth. If you lose your saltiness, how will people taste godliness? You’ve lost your usefulness and will end up in the garbage.
14-16 “Here’s another way to put it: You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We’re going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don’t think I’m going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I’m putting you on a light stand. Now that I’ve put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you’ll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven.

APPLICATION: Many Bible students may not be happy that I chose a very plain speaking, simple translation, but as I looked for the right version to share the Good News from today, this stood out more that any other! When I think of hiding our light, I think of a time that I was boating and very much dependent on a beacon light to help me find the dock at the other end of the bay in the dark of night. For the nights that the light was not working, it was a real plunder to find the dock when you could see no more than a hundred feet ahead of you. When our men and women awake each day and question whether the only path for them to go that day is a repeat of what they did yesterday, it must be very dismal and discouraging for them. When they look to role models who boasts of having the blood of Jesus washed over them, I pray that they will see the same light that I was looking for in my pitch dark night. I needed hope, direction and assurance that I was on the right course. Our unsaved friends and family need that same assurance. It’s not something we have to study for, practice or prepare for, it’s a natural outlet for the light of Jesus to shine through us. But why do you suppose Jesus had to teach about some hiding that light? Isn’t it a shame that even today some still hide their light? Perhaps embarrassed to let their boss or friend know that they are different, and guided by different principles than most are? But think of the consequences if we are a follower of Christ and refuse to let our light shine. Jesus taught that we would appear lukewarm to Him and He would spit us out of His mouth. Way too often our actions far outweigh anything that might come from our mouth. As Jesus stated in our Scripture, when others see us freely place ourselves in very open situations and state our position with God, we will encourage those who sit on the fence about knowing God more intimately. Don’t you know how nerve wrecking it is to make a move in hesitation, or out of fear? Others are depending on us dear friends, let’s be who we say we are, so that they will welcome the opportunity to become a part of our ‘family’!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: With Jesus as our Savior, our Light, our Standard, it is important that the world is invited to partake of His goodness! Let’s invite them to join us!

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, what an awesome day when You invited, encouraged me and let You into my heart! You have made such a difference in my life and I am eternally thankful for all that You are to me. Although I have nothing to brag about in self, I am higher than the clouds when I consider the difference You have made in my life. Please Lord, keep me humble, so that You might shine brightly in all that is accomplished through me. The world needs Jesus. May they see the peace that You have given to me and want to also meet and know You personally, so that on that day that we are called home to glory, we can all rejoice before Your throne. Please give me a new boldness each and every day and the wisdom to encourage others who need You. May You be glorified because of my surrender. AMEN!

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

Your Heavenly Reward

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

DATE POSTED Thursday, 2022-01-20
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Matthew 5:11-12
TRANSLATION: The Passion Translation (TPT)

BIBLE TEXT: 11 “How blessed you are when people insult and persecute you and speak all kinds of cruel lies about you because of your love for me! 12 So leap for joy—since your heavenly reward is great. For you are being rejected the same way the prophets were before you.

APPLICATION: This Scripture was also referenced in Ps. 119:85–87. While I love to look at commentaries to help me better understand the Scriptures, I was totally blessed and excited when I read this comment by one on this passage: We are to live in such a way that people have to lie when they speak evil of a believer in Christ! Wow!! If only we could live in such a way that this commentator’s statement would always be true of us. Interesting that Jesus had just listed a number of contributors to a life of blessing (the beatitudes), then He followed that with this eyeopening statement – warning us that we will be hated for looking, sounding and acting like Him. In fact our friends, family and peers will even lie to accuse us falsely of not doing what we preach. This generally happens when one is envious of our lifestyle, or they wish that they could acquire some of the characteristics they see in us. What seems so opposite in this, is that our kids seem to look for the most popular peers to follow after. Most often this leads to serious trouble, as they are coerced into doing things quite different to those things taught in the home by their family. Our natural instincts would lead us to depression when others are mean to us, or show jealousy towards us. But Jesus wanted us to be encouraged when we see these things as a Christian, because it is evidence that our Christ-like behavior is having an impression upon our peers. When this happens, Jesus assured us that it is then that we should be encouraged, and rejoice, because it is a moment when we should realize that it is more than us shining through, because greater is He that is in us, than He that is in the world. And although the world may seem to jeer at folk who seem different than they are, yet we should be reminded that Jesus working through us will save the lost, encourage the downtrodden and lift up the broken-hearted. Friends, if all that our friends see is plain old ‘us’, then there’s nothing to change their heart. Oh that their eyes would be opened to the love and example of Jesus in every word we speak, and every unexpected action that we take, for it is only Jesus who can make a difference in our world.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Jesus in us and evident through us, can change a sinful and troublesome world. Let’s learn to step aside and let God have His perfect will in and through us, for His glory alone!

PRAYER: Precious Lord, take my hand and lead me through this troubled world. There are many that I will come into contact with who will need a lot more than I could ever do for them – for they need You. Please use me as an instrument through which Your light will shine, and Your love will be evident, to even the unlovable. People are looking for something better than what they find in the attention grabbing actions that they take every day. They want to make a difference in someone’s life, and that’s where You kick in, for it is only You who can change a sinful heart and a life filled with worldly desires and evil. Oh that You will create peace in the hearts of many today as you touch lives and make a difference in them for the Kingdom. May I be one of the first to be impacted positively for You and may I make a difference where there seems to be no hope. 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!

Jesus Demonstrated Effective Ministry

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Healing, Needs, Praise, Preaching, Recognize God, Teachings, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Wednesday, 2022-01-19
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Matthew 4:23-25
TRANSLATION: Living Bible (TLB)

BIBLE TEXT: 23 Jesus traveled all through Galilee teaching in the Jewish synagogues, everywhere preaching the Good News about the Kingdom of Heaven. And he healed every kind of sickness and disease. 24 The report of his miracles spread far beyond the borders of Galilee so that sick folk were soon coming to be healed from as far away as Syria. And whatever their illness and pain, or if they were possessed by demons, or were insane, or paralyzed—he healed them all. 25 Enormous crowds followed him wherever he went….

APPLICATION: Some of you may have served in church leadership, or on a committee charged with organizing events designed to entertain different age groups in your church’s community. If your experiences were similar to those in which I participated, then you will agree with me that church leaders spend many, many hours behind closed doors in planning and organizational responsibilities. I’m not sure that we could ever succeed in ministering of the Gospel just through planning, but what if we concentrated on the proven methods of Jesus? Let’s examine the three main parts of His ministry, as mentioned in our Scripture:
—> TEACHING – We send our children to school to learn everything they need to survive in a workplace and in life overall. So, because they are lacking in these areas, we find help for them by well learned teachers. Most of us will pick up the Bible and try to read it, but we are quickly stumped by everything written. I would dare say that just as in Jesus’ day, many of us could benefit from the teaching of God’s Word. Our churches are blessed to have good teachers who do a fair job in teaching through Sunday School, Bible Study and small groups. But it is becoming more and more challenging to encourage attendees of the need to join others in this important learning experience;
—> PREACHING – I found it interesting that some translations said that Jesus ‘announced’ the Kingdom. Research shows that this means He preached about the kingdom of God. I believe this helps us to better understand why most churches still preach the Word of God. Please remember that for the preaching to be most effective to you individually, it is just as vital that you pray for your pastor or preacher, as it is to pray that God would open your heart’s door to accept what He has to say to you that day. You see, God’s Word is designed for us individually and God will speak to us personally and very directed as we tune our hearts to hear Him.
—> HEALING – I believe this is the area that you will tune into most intently, because you have seen so much fraud and false teachings/actions in this regard. I’m with you, because only God can heal, and I detest the idea of men or women proclaiming healing power of their own. However, I believe what the church needs most today is the man/woman of God who acknowledges the sole power of God in healing, and the love of God who sees the need for physical, mental and personal healing in everyone who crosses their path. For there are so many who are hurting in so many different ways, and they are hoping that the church will not only accept them as they are, but also empathize with them over their challenges in life. Especially since Covid, it seems that there is less connection between church leaders and their members who are in desperate need. Many times healing will come to hurting people just from someone who shows that they care. Leave the computer. Close the office. Call someone without worrying if you are disturbing them. People need the Lord, and their first step in that path towards the Master, is through knowing that His helpers and supporters care about, and love each other, especially in their times of need.
As I stated in my introduction, if churches spent as much time in ministering as they do in planning events, the Word of God will quickly extend to all ends of the earth, and the world will know who Jesus is, and that He cares for them, because they could see it in His representatives.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Jesus’ ministry was effective and fruitful because He mastered three of the same areas that we try to perform today. Perhaps today we could emphasize even more on Teaching, Preaching and Healing of the whole person for even more effective ministry.

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, thank You for caring enough for mankind that You were pliable in the hands of Your Father and followed through with being captured, crucified and buried so that we might know perfect love. I am in awe about Your resurrection and I praise God for such a miracle, because we are left with a risen Lord who still loves and cares for us. Forgive us Lord when we think it too much to sacrifice time to check on, and/or visit one another when there is a known need. How else will we prove Godly love for our Brothers and Sisters? You taught us how to love, and the extreme that one could go through to show love. You showed us how to minister effectively and You have blessed us with great churches, awesome ministers/pastors and also wonderful congregations who need to know about Your love for them, and see it practiced in reality every day. Please forgive us where we fail in this Lord. Help us to follow in Your footsteps for effective ministry to Your children we are blessed to associate with. 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!

Those Impacted By Your Lies

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Impacted by the Word, Lives Impacted, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Sunday, 2022-01-17
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Acts 5:3-4, 9
TRANSLATION: The Voice (VOICE)

BIBLE TEXT: 3 Ananias, have you allowed Satan to influence your lies to the Holy Spirit and hold back some of the money? 4 Look, it was your property before you sold it, and the money was all yours after you sold it. Why have you concocted this scheme in your heart? You weren’t just lying to us; you were lying to God.
9 Why did the two of you conspire to test the Spirit of the Lord?…. 

APPLICATION: Kids start at a very young age to lie in order to avoid consequences of their sin. Don’t you remember: mumbling through a mouth-full of cookies that it wasn’t you who stole from the cookie-jar?!!! Getting into your despised math class late, and trying to make up an excuse (lie) to avoid being marked ‘late’ yet again for the week? It worked a few times for you, so you may have felt like it was worth trying, but what if you heard God audibly ask why are you hurting Him again by lying? Don’t you realize and remember that He knows everything possible about you? I wonder if it would help if, when we ask for forgiveness of someone, that we also ask forgiveness of God at the same time? I truly believe that our consciences have become so hardened to lying, and to sin in general, that our lies just roll off our lips naturally and we go on about our day as usual without addressing those who may have been impacted. For the instigator of lies, I am always surprised that they think their friends are so gullible that they never even realized they were lied to. Unfortunately, we lose trust in the person who lies, for we have proven the untruth over and over again, and now we expect to question every thing they say. Let’s have a look into the scenario with Ananias and his wife. They reminded me of what we do from time to time. I have relatives in the Bahamas, and there are import duties for almost everything you take into that country. So at the airport the Customs Officer will ask the value of gifts or non-personal items you are bringing in. Unfortunately, it seems like the amount we give them, depends on the amount we believe we could make the Officer believe. In the US we file annual Tax Returns. Tax is ultimately calculated based on annual income. For regular employers, they are required to report to Internal Revenue how much they paid you, and that should match with the amount you report. However, cash payments for tips, bonuses or even salary in some cases, are not reported to IRS, as it is not recorded in the employer’s record books. It seems like Ananias felt like he was in a similar situation. After all, who would know how much he was paid for the property he sold? Surely he should be allowed to withhold some portion of that payment for all that he did to maintain and/or improve that property over the years! Friends, what do you suppose God must think of His children that He not only created in His own image, but He also provided a Book of Instruction to guide and direct us. God also sent His very own Son to be our advocate and forgive us of our sin, yet we overlook that fact and just continue on sinning. What must He think when we just can’t be honest in our speech? In all my years of reading the Bible, I have never doubted, or mistrusted, anything that Jesus said. If I am to be His follower and His earthly representative, shouldn’t others be able to trust me in exactly the same way? Ananias and Sapphira were not allowed to live because of their sin. How many around us would die today because of their sin before the Almighty? I’m sure that it would not be a pretty scene. Do your part dear friend, be honest before God and everyone you come into contact with.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: God will forgive and protect those who seek forgiveness for their sin. Let’s learn to listen carefully to our conscience and recall the teachings of our Master, especially when we sin. Unforgiven, deliberate sin is an abomination before God.

PRAYER: Lord, may we never become comfortable telling a lie, nor sinning in any other form. You created us to be holy, just as You are holy; righteous, just as You are righteous; and to be Christ-followers and imitators so that the world will see Jesus instead of our prideful selves. Please forgive us where we fail in this, and give us a mind like that of Jesus, so that we may aim for holiness and righteousness at all times. Only the blood of Jesus will save a sinner, but the stained blood of sin and unbelief will distract a sinner from ever seeing Jesus. Please help us to facilitate the cleansing blood of Jesus, and never be a stumbling block to anyone who needs You. May it be obvious to everyone we come into contact with, who rules and reigns inside of us, and may they seek to know You personally, dear 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 might indicate a link to a song that came to mind as I wrote the devotional. Feel free to click on the link and listen as you continue to read or pray. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to Nuggets From God’s Word and read more, or you may freely subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. You may also visit me on Spotify and listen to Nuggets while you’re out and about. I would encourage you to find a church home near by your home, and attend as frequently as you could. Get to know God, and allow His people to encourage and strengthen you in your Christian walk, while making every effort to be a blessing to them. God is at work among His people! Please consider growing in your faith, as you worship with fellow believers!

The Results of What Just Happened

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Disciple, Evangelism, Evangelize, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Worship1 Comment

DATE POSTED Saturday, 2022-01-15
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Acts 4:27-30
TRANSLATION: The Voice (VOICE)

BIBLE TEXT: 27 … The foreign ruler Pontius Pilate and the Jewish ruler Herod, along with their respective peoples, have assembled in opposition to Your holy servant Jesus, the One You chose. 28 They have done whatever Your hand and plan predetermined should happen. 29 And now, Lord, take note of their intimidations intended to silence us. Grant us, Your servants, the courageous confidence we need to go ahead and proclaim Your message 30 while You reach out Your hand to heal people, enabling us to perform signs and wonders through the name of Your holy servant Jesus.

APPLICATION: Based on your level of boldness, what do you suppose you would have done in Peter and John’s position? They had just been jailed and reprimanded for teaching about Jesus, and told to leave the jail knowing that they are not allowed to do that anymore. Peter and John ‘pulled no punches’ with the leaders, because they knew that what was inside could only come out! They knew that everyone in the towns they visited needed Jesus, and since they had firsthand knowledge of Him, they had an obligation to share the simple truth with everyone they met. So if you feel like you could have been bold enough to take the same stand that Peter and John took, I want you to now consider what you would have done after being released. Perhaps you would consider warning other believers to quiet down on their preaching, teaching and witnessing? Perhaps set up a private ‘home’ church where you could minister to attendees without being out in the public for the leaders to see you continuing the ministry? Perhaps leave the ministry and return to regular workplaces where you could hopefully witness to others privately? Could you in your wildest imagination consider immediately meeting up with your fellow ministers to rev up the work and reach even more people? Many churches closed their doors when Covid became such a scare, and some have not found alternate ways of ministry yet – their doors are still shut. Because of this threat, many have stayed at home, and have become very comfortable to have the TV on while they sit in front of the TV in their PJs with other devices in hand while the service plays on via TV. Many will probably never return to the church building again. Peter and John had the perfect excuse – the threat on their lives, to hang up their ministry and return to their old job of fishing, which threatened no one. However, and this is especially the part we need to take note of, they had such a passion for their Lord and for what He did for them in providing salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ, that they were willing to put their lives on the line in order to get together with God’s people and worship their Lord together in one place. Friends, we have family and loved ones who are still dying every day, and they are destined for Hell unless someone shares the secret to Eternal Life with them. Nothing stopped Peter and John, not even the threat on their lives. Will you decide today to actively pursue spreading the love and work of our Savior to all who would hear you, regardless of the threat on your life through disease and/or hardship and/or danger? Remember, you were saved because of the love and concern of others who prayed and/or ministered to you. Please consider passing along that same love and concern to others.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Peter and John continued to minister, in spite of the threat on their lives. Oh that we would do the same today. Our friends are so worth it!

PRAYER: Thank You Lord for our warriors who served as disciples to our Lord Jesus, and for all they they exampled before us when they continued ministering even in the threat upon their lives after being jailed. We still have threats today, even though most are very minor compared to our forefathers. Please give us a renewed boldness to minister in good weather and in the midst of storms that seem to threaten our existence. Our jobs here are incomplete until the day You call us home to glory, so please be our Guide, and strengthen us every day for the task at hand – sharing the Good News of our Savior! AMEN!

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