God’s Ways Are Unique To Him!

On 2021-10-182021-10-18 By Ed AlgreenIn All-powerful, Almighty, Always There, Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

Monday, 2021-10-18

Bible Reference: 1 Samuel 26:9-12
Translation: The Voice (VOICE)

Bible Text: David: ⁹No. Don’t kill him. Who can legitimately strike the Eternal’s anointed king without consequences? ¹⁰As the Eternal One lives, his time will come. The Eternal will strike him down; either he will die, or he will go into battle one day and be slain. ¹¹God forbid that I would be the one to harm the Eternal’s anointed king. But please, take his spear next to his head and that water jug, and let’s go.
¹²So David took the spear and the water jug from right beside Saul’s head and crept back through the camp. No one saw or knew they were there. No one woke up because the Eternal had caused the entire camp to fall into a deep sleep.

APPLICATION: To truly understand the depth of this study today, let me remind you that David attacked towns and totally wiped out its inhabitants, including men, women, children, and livestock in some cases. So he had no fear of human life when he knew that God had ordered total eradication. After just defeating a few towns, that Joshua spared when he first brought the Israelites into the Promised Land, we can see where David got the news of his primary adversary being nearby as Saul continued pursuit after David. So many times already David communicated with Saul that he had done nothing to harm the king, and that he could have killed him on several occasions, if he wanted to. I believe that David’s men could easily have concluded that David may have been afraid of Saul, or like we would say today, perhaps Saul was holding something over David that prevented him from killing Saul. But for those men who learned from David’s Godly obedience, surely they must have seen time after time that David always chose to do God’s will above his own. So yes, I believe that we could learn an awful lot from David about His faithfulness to God. But in our verses today, I want to particularly draw your attention to the words that I bolded, for there we are reminded that God will work miraculously for the good of His people. David was bold enough to take a volunteer from his camp with him, to enter right smack into the middle of Saul’s best 3,000 men who accompanied him for protection and/or battle. Many of us might conclude that the move was more of a ‘stupid’ one, versus a brave one, but I found it so amazing to read how God took David into this daring picture, and He took a very vital part in protecting Him while he was there. For He caused a deep sleep to come over this first-class army, so that David and his assistant could actually get right up to the head of Saul. I recently read about Jesus preparing to feed the 5,000 and He tested His disciples by asking him where would they find food enough to feed the crowd. Could God have been testing David to see if he would humanly go to the head of Saul and remove his sword, without using it on Saul? What about us, are we strong enough in our faith to truly trust God, even when situations are presented right at our fingertips where we could seemingly take care of the situation ourselves? However, imagine the testimony to Abishai when David trusted God as he chose peace and a Godly witness versus the murder of a man called by God to lead a nation. Now notice how God took care of David and his partner while in Saul’s camp – He caused a deep sleep to come over Saul and his soldiers so that they never even knew that David and Abishai entered into their midst! Wow! Perhaps you are facing ‘giants’ in your life today where the obvious solution, or the world’s way of doing things, are totally different to what you feel God would have you do. How will you respond? Doing it God’s way may sound almost foolish to the world’s way of thinking, but is your faith in God strong enough to believe that if He brought you to it, He will lead, and protect you through it? God’s ways are not our ways, so we will never understand why His ways are ordered so differently to our simple humanly thinking ways. Please be encouraged to always follow God, my friend, for He has promised to take care of us right to the very end. If you believe in God, trust in Him alone in every circumstance of life, no matter what others may say. Be boldly about His work dear one, for He cares for His own and will protect us to the end.

PRAYER: Precious Lord, we are mere mortals here in this land where men of God are looked down on, and discounted as nobodies. This turns out to be more truthful than any man will realize, for we are nothing, and we are powerless without our awesome God. Help us Lord to stand firm in our faith and to always look to You for all things. Oh that we may be so sold out to You, that others will see and hear nothing but Jesus when they look on us, or hear from us. May You be glorified in everything that we attempt to do in Your name, and may we always walk in faith knowing that You are all-powerful and all-knowing. AMEN!

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

Jesus Shows Up For Us When Life Seems Roughest

On 2021-10-172021-10-18 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Salvation, Saved, WorshipLeave a comment

Sunday, 2021-10-17

Bible Reference: John 6:16-21
Translation: New Living Translation (NLT)

Bible Text: ¹⁶That evening Jesus’ disciples went down to the shore to wait for him. ¹⁷But as darkness fell and Jesus still hadn’t come back, they got into the boat and headed across the lake toward Capernaum. ¹⁸Soon a gale swept down upon them, and the sea grew very rough. ¹⁹They had rowed three or four miles when suddenly they saw Jesus walking on the water toward the boat. They were terrified, ²⁰but he called out to them, “Don’t be afraid. I am here!” ²¹Then they were eager to let him in the boat, and immediately they arrived at their destination!

APPLICATION: Unless we take for granted what each believer goes through on a daily basis, let’s not imagine for a moment that our situation is any worse than our neighbor or our fellow believer, and let us never think that we are really more deserving of a hand-up with all that we are encountering. You see, some might be very sad at the loss of a spouse, or a parent, or a child, while others might be overwhelmed to the extent of being frantic, or have a nervous breakdown. In the case of the disciples – they were terrified at the fear of the rough waters and the possibility of loss of life. However, our Christian Brother of Sister may look on life, and the worse types of scenarios, and some might become frantic if things are not going exactly as they had planned. Friends, I believe that we are all aligned with the disciples in our fear of being out of control, especially when life’s circumstances are beyond anything we understand or could control, There are times that we may need emotional help after losing a job, or losing a girlfriend/boyfriend, or when traveling on a boat or a plane going through turbulence, for we are out of control. A brand new scenario is occurring as I prepare this devotional, a dad is faced with having to decide on withdrawing life support from a 16 yr old son. He is totally besides himself, as he can do nothing for his young son. But there are several lessons in this Scripture that I believe may serve to help us today:
1. Jesus knew His disciples were in trouble, so He went to miraculous means to get to them and to help them. Let me remind you dear friend that Jesus knows about your struggles also, and that He will move mountains just to be there for you, child of God!
2. Notice that the disciples welcomed Jesus into the boat. Did they have an option? Of course they did, they could have done like many of us do when we see someone in need – we wave at them and we may wish them well, or we may say that we will pray for them, but we don’t stop to truly understand their need and help them lovingly and compassionately. But that’s not how Jesus reacted with the disciples in their time of desperation, and it is not how He will respond to us in our times of feeling like we are all alone in walking through life’s most challenging times.
In the Scripture we are told that Jesus will be with us always! Praise God, He knows when we are hurting; when we are sad; when we are lonely; and when we feel like there is no hope. This same chapter of John reminds us that Jesus not only cares about today’s struggles, but that He has a home prepared for us to spend eternity with Him in heaven. So there is a long-term plan for those of us that have placed our faith and trust in Jesus, God’s only Son! Let me carefully show you one important thing in this 2nd point though: Jesus didn’t just place Himself in the boat amidst His disciples in their panic, for He wanted to make sure they wanted Him there with them. Notice that they invited Him into the boat. And that’s the way it is with us still today, we must invite Jesus into our hearts and right smack into the middle of our lives, our decisions, our aspirations and our long-term plans. Throughout the Bible we are told that God is preparing a glorious home for us in glory, for I believe that our King wants nothing but the best for His princes and princesses!
The ball is in your court dear friend. Take heed from the disciples and invite Jesus in – into your heart. Regardless of how well you behave, or how much you give to the church, this is a required step for you to enter heaven. Invite Jesus in – TODAY, my friend! Tomorrow may be too late, for death without Jesus places you in the pit of Hell with no mercy from Satan.

PRAYER: I can’t imagine life without options precious Lord, so I thank You for seeing the desperation in the need of the disciples. I am most appreciative of the mercy You showed for us as dear Lord, for You sacrificed Your very own Son so that we might escape the fury of Hell, and have the hope of eternal life in Paradise with You! Thank You Jesus for having mercy on those that choose to surrender their life to You and invite You into their heart. You have placed the ‘ball’ into our court now. Oh that all who read this devotional have a desire to invite you into their heart, and accept the Gift that You are offering us today. It is my desire to be with You Oh King, and I pray for that same desperate call by all who will read this devotional today. AMEN!

Want To Be Brand New

On 2021-10-162021-10-15 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, New beginnings, Praise, Recognize God, Renewal, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Saturday, 2021-10-16
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: 1 Samuel 10:9-12
TRANSLATION: The Message (MSG)

BIBLE TEXT: ⁹Saul turned and left Samuel. At that very moment God transformed him—made him a new person! And all the confirming signs took place the same day.
^10-12When Saul and his party got to Gibeah, there were the prophets, right in front of them! Before he knew it, the Spirit of God came on Saul and he was prophesying right along with them. When those who had previously known Saul saw him prophesying with the prophets, they were totally surprised. “What’s going on here? What’s come over the son of Kish? How on earth did Saul get to be a prophet?”…..

APPLICATION: There are times that we seem to think that we have reached our capacity in our abilities, and when that happens we become unusable for advancing technologies, improvements to processes and everything in between. I recently shared a devotional of how exciting it was to read about how God brought Samuel and Saul together, and how He gave Samuel step by step details about how he and Saul would meet, and what he was supposed to say and do to Saul. In our Scripture today we are seeing some of these things materialize. Saul couldn’t see the reason to chat with Samuel about his lost donkeys, but to his surprise there was a whole lot more going on than he could ever anticipate. Samuel not only knew about his donkeys, but he had already prepared food, knowing that Saul will be visiting with him, and dining with him. Like most of us before we meet Christ, we seem to wander around with our own agendas and unsure of what might be our next adventure. Saul seemed to have entered Samuel’s presence somewhat like that, but the Bible says that as he turned to obey what Samuel had told him, God got a hold of him and changed his heart. Just as a lost person coming to Christ makes a 180 degree change in direction, so did Saul. The people were in shock to hear Saul join with the priests and prophesy. Saul was just not known for that type of relationship with God. Friends, I believe that you could identify with Saul and the crowd who witnessed his change, especially if you have also made the monumental change of redirecting your life from an eternal destiny in Hell, to that of now headed to heaven, and eternity with the Father and the Son. If you are in shock about the change in Saul, then perhaps you have not asked Jesus Christ to enter your heart and place you on a brand new path. God created us to not only worship Him, as our Creator and Savior, but He longs for the day for us to live eternally in heaven with He and the Father. We could read about the change that transpired in Saul’s life. I pray that you will seek after a relationship with Jesus Christ, so that all those in your circle of influence will also witness the change that transpires in your life. God will also make you a brand new man/woman!

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, I thank You for not only making such an awesome change in Saul’s life, but for also doing the same in my life. I am blessed to be called Your child, and privileged to call on You when I am in need. Lord I adore You for who You are, and for all that You do in my life. Just as you made Saul a brand new man, I pray that You will help me to always seek Your face and the blessings You have in store for me, as You make me anew each day. I pray that You will speak gently with my readers and listeners and seek to make them anew as well. I pray that they will hear Your voice and accept Your call on their life. May they, in turn, be a blessing to all those around them, so that You might receive honor and glory from many. 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!

Trusting our Faithful God

On 2021-10-152021-10-14 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Faithful, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Trust, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Friday, 2021-10-15
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: 1 Samuel 9:17-20
TRANSLATION: Contemporary English Version (CEV)

BIBLE TEXT: ¹⁷Samuel looked at Saul, and the Lord told Samuel, “This is the man I told you about. He’s the one who will rule Israel.”
¹⁸Saul went over to Samuel in the gateway and said, “A man who can see visions lives here in town. Could you tell me the way to his house?”
¹⁹“I am the one who sees visions!” Samuel answered. “Go on up to the place of worship. You will eat with me today, and in the morning I’ll answer your questions. ²⁰Don’t worry about your donkeys that ran off three days ago. They’ve already been found…..

APPLICATION: This is an intriguing story of the power of our God, and His wisdom through mankind. So I encourage you to read the whole chapter as you look for the ways God spoke to, and used Samuel, and how He directed Saul in the path he should go so that God’s plan might materialize. I was totally blown away as I watched both sides of the plan unfold! I’m sure that reading this chapter while I am right in the middle of some very shocking news that could only unfold by the powerful touch of our miracle-working God, made a huge impact on me. But in sharing this, I believe that many of my readers may identify with, and be encouraged by, this story, knowing that they are heavily dependent on God at this time for a deep concern that only a miracle from God can resolve. Friends, anything that is bigger than us, or our abilities to resolve, is huge in our eyes, and seem impossible to us. However, for those who believe in God – the One who created the world and everything that’s alive in it. The One who parted the waters to form dry land for His people to escape an oncoming army. The One who made the blind man see again, the dead man to rise from the dead again and the crippled to walk again. That God! He is our Almighty God and He sent His very own Son, Jesus, to be our eternal Savior! Just as this God showed Samuel who would be the king of Israel, and just as He directed Saul into the presence of Samuel, He also gave our forefathers confidence to trust in His timeless and endless truth, and He has promised to be our God for all eternity! Knowing all this dear friends, can you think of any good reason why you shouldn’t place your full faith and trust in Him? Why worry when You can trust God in everything? Why the concern, when God knows what tomorrow will bring or if that son or daughter will survive the cruelty of all this world bombards them with? Won’t you join me in trusting God for ALL things today? He promised that He would never leave us alone, and I believe that with all my heart, soul and mind. But perhaps today a Brother or Sister might be seeing impossible roadblocks that makes them doubt that promise. We need strength and encouragement from each other when we are feeling weak. Let’s look for the opportunities that God is sending our way, and be bold in our faith. Let’s learn to trust in God and depend on His unending grace.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: All things work together for goo, to those who place their faith and trust in the God of this universe! He did it for Samuel and the Israelites, and He will do it for us. Nothing is impossible with God!

PRAYER: Those things that seem impossible in our eyes, can be changed by just a word from the Master of this universe. Thank You precious Lord for accepting me as a son of the Most Hight God! Praise God for all that you did for Samuel, and for guiding Saul so that he could fulfill his purpose. Many things in this old life here on earth seem impossible to us, but praise be to God, we are children of the God who specializes in the impossible! Lord, please renew our confidence in You each day, so that we might learn to trust You fully in all the things of earth. Please use us for Your great purpose oh Lord so that those we come into contact with might be drawn to You. AMEN!

Sacrifices of the Heart When Returning To God

On 2021-10-142021-10-14 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Idols, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Sacrifice, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Thursday, 2021-10-14
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: 1 Samuel 7:3
TRANSLATION: New Living Translation (NLT)

BIBLE TEXT: ³Then Samuel said to all the people of Israel, “If you want to return to the Lord with all your hearts, get rid of your foreign gods and your images of Ashtoreth. Turn your hearts to the Lord and obey him alone; then he will rescue you from the Philistines.”

APPLICATION: As in our story today, I was reminded that we may allow different things to intrude in our Christian lives that could very easily cause us pain and heartache. As our Heavenly Father, imagine how hurt God must be when He watches His children cave in to sin and the ungodly things of this world. But what do you suppose the average Christian suspects will happen when we come face to face with Jesus. Do we hope that God will just overlook these extracurricular things that hindered our relationship with Him? The bottom line is that I believe we are very much like the Israelites who were cautioned by Samuel, in that we must avoid taking our ‘trash’ before our Holy God and expect Him to bless it. First we must humble ourselves before God; Seek His forgiveness; and Willingly rid ourselves of the objects of sin that we have allowed to impede our relationship with Him. I believe we must pay close attention to our priorities, for we may have allowed several other things to take God’s place in our lives, and some we may not even realize. While I don’t know of a Bible verse to support this list of priorities for us to live by, I believe one could discern this priority list from reading God’s Word: 1). God; 2). Family; 3). Church; 4). Work; 5). Friends; 6). The world. Let me suggest trying to evaluate what happens when you swap around any of these things. Can you see where chaos could easily result? Can you see where one area loses proper focus when you concentrate more on a lesser important area more than you should? Often it is when our priorities are out of order when we start becoming attached to idols, when we start doing other things that distract our focus from our #1 priority, God. Friends, God created us to worship Him and bless His people. When we choose anything else above that, we are messing up. It’s a very simple process Samuel gave to the Israelites: 1). Get rid of your idols (other gods); 2). Turn your heart/soul/mind towards the Lord; and 3). Obey only the Lord God – read and obey His Word. Try this, dear friend, and I believe you will be lifted up, drawn closer to God, and protected against the evil one. This makes you better usable for kingdom work, and more attractive for the sinner to follow as they seek God. Remember, where the heart is, so will your soul mind and actions be.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Fix your heart on the things of this world and there your heart, soul and mind will be. Fix your heart on God and there your heart, soul and mind will be. God is worthy of our honor, praise and worship!

PRAYER: Lord, we praise You for who You are, and for all You mean to us. Unfortunately, that praise diminishes as our dedication to You diminishes. Please drive away the things that distract us from You, and set our minds on the things of Christ. Please help us to keep our priorities straight, so that it will be obvious to our lost world whose we are. The Israelites needed an adjustment made in their lives, and I believe that many Christians and our respective churches are in need of a similar adjustment today. Please gently tug on the hearts of your children today so that we may be drawn back to You and wholly dedicated to Your purpose and will. In Your presence is where the glory shines, and our world needs that glory more and more every day. May Your children/disciples be the channel that you will use to brighten this old sinful world and cause them to look towards our King! AMEN!

Do You Listen To and Care About Others?

On 2021-10-132021-10-13 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Caring, God Cares For Us, Listen, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Wednesday, 2021-10-13
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Luke 22:21-24
TRANSLATION: Contemporary English Version (CEV)

BIBLE TEXT: ²¹The one who will betray me is here at the table with me! ²²The Son of Man will die in the way that has been decided for him, but it will be terrible for the one who betrays him!” ²³Then the apostles started arguing about who would ever do such a thing.
²⁴The apostles got into an argument about which one of them was the greatest.

APPLICATION: There are times when we share from the heart, and instead of our friends showing how much they care, instead they immediately start up a new conversation, perhaps even with other people in our circle. Kind of like, totally changing the subject. It’s enough for us to throw our hands up as a sign of not even bothering to repeat our words or ask for help from our friends. So how should this impact us? I believe that we could expect to be treated, as we treat others. But if God directs us to share freely with those in our circle, we must strive to overlook them ignoring us. I get the impression that the disciples were acting like our friends mentioned in the above scenario. Think about it. Jesus was intimately sharing with them what He knew would be happening to Him over the coming days, and instead of compassion for their Lord, it seemed like they got in to arguing over different matters that they felt were important. First, over who of their bunch might be the one who would betray Jesus, and this could be somewhat related to what Jesus said, but secondly – who might be the greatest among them, which had absolutely nothing to do with Jesus’ betrayal, death and resurrection. Friends, it is so important that we listen to what others are saying, and also to what they may not be saying but trying to inform us about. I know the later part of what I just shared might sound confusing, but often friends who are considering suicide will speak in riddles to give us tips about what they are planning, but unless we are listening closely and looking straight at them to see the pain in their eyes, we may not receive their message and be able to help them overcome danger or hurt to themselves. A tender, compassionate heart that shows someone that you truly care, could possibly help a friend completely turn from destruction, to feeling cared for and loved. Hearing later that someone gave in to their temptation because they thought that no one cared, is an awful feeling to live with. I pray that you not only love people with your whole heart, but that they know you care, love and respect them. Don’t be distracted while a friend is talking, lean in and let them know that you care enough to listen and care about them. Be the eyes, hands and feet of Jesus while also having His heart – a heart for others who need Jesus. Our Lord said that He preferred that none would perish, but instead have eternal life. You could be a part of this great mission of our King!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Jesus loved and cared enough about His disciples that He didn’t want them to be caught unaware. Be sure that others know how much you care for them!

PRAYER: Lord, You not only showed us on the cross how much You love us, but You also show us every day that You care about us and especially about our soul’s condition. Please tender hearts today that they will find rest in knowing the love of our Savior who not only hears our cry for help, but also knows the pain we feel and the heart that cries out for love and attention. In our attempts to be just like Jesus, we must also show that caring attitude towards others, for often they are reaching out for help and comfort. Please forgive us Lord when our hearts are hardened and callous towards the needs of others. Because we are ‘tough’ and seasoned in life’s ups and downs, we often lose compassion for others who battle with the downside of these things and worry incessantly. Forgive us Lord when we drive others away, for we are often showing that that You don’t care. As a child of the King, may we always represent You well, and show the world how much You first loved us and that You continue to care about our eternal future. The truth is that ’but for the grace of God, we too could be hurting and in need of friends who truly love and care about us. It’s all about You Lord, and if we miss that while in the presence of our friends, we have just missed an opportunity to show them Jesus. AMEN!

You Are Not Exempt From God’s Judgement

On 2021-10-122021-10-11 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Day of Judgment, Judgment, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Tuesday, 2021-10-12
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: 1 Samuel 3:11-13
TRANSLATION: New Living Translation (NLT)

BIBLE TEXT: ¹¹Then the Lord said to Samuel, “I am about to do a shocking thing in Israel. ¹²I am going to carry out all my threats against Eli and his family, from beginning to end. ¹³I have warned him that judgment is coming upon his family forever, because his sons are blaspheming God and he hasn’t disciplined them.

APPLICATION: I am troubled at times by the freedoms some feel as a child of the King. I am OK in knowing that, for those who are justified by faith, no one can snatch them from the Father’s hand. However, as a child held close to God’s bosom, and having the Holy Spirit residing inside of us, I feel constrained, and I respect my Father way too much, to turn my head and continue doing the things of the world, because I am ‘free’. God made it very clear to Eli, the High Priest, that He was unhappy with the sins being committed at the temple by his two sons Hophni and Phinehas, and that there would be severe action if they continued in their sin. I’m not sure if Eli chose to ignore the threat from God because of his position at the temple, or if Eli may have felt like surely God would not bring harm to His very own servants in the temple, but at the point of our Scripture today, God was issuing one last warning to Eli. Having worked in church leadership for many years, this story triggered deep reminders of being challenged with church members and/or church leaders at various times. I believe it is a sobering thought to imagine that church leaders today have to deal with issues of the ‘Eli’s’ of this world today. No matter how neat and proper some churches appear, we must remember that wherever mere men are involved in leadership, there is a chance of Satan easing his way in through the hearts of men that may have relaxed in their walk with the Lord. However, I believe that one of the great things that we could appreciate about the Bible is that it is very ‘black and white’, without shades of grey to confuse what God intended. If God had declared that the Jews would be treated differently to the Gentiles, or if one nationality is exempt from His commands, then that would leave room for confusion or for men to interpret the Book in a way pleasing to their own viewpoint. The very important news of the gospel is that man is invited to participate in the goodness of God in salvation and eternal life, period, and without exception. However the challenging part of the Scripture is that when man becomes defiant and sticks his heel in the sand for what he will or will not do, the Bible tells us that God will treat them just like He did with Eli and his two sons. They are not allowed in the kingdom, and they may not live to enjoy a long life here on earth, period, and no exception to whose son or daughter you are, or how much money you have in the bank, or if you gave generously to the church. Jesus came to earth to save sinners, as God ordained that sin will not enter heaven. Yes, there is a place for sinners, but we must all know and be reminded today that their eternal destination is Hell, where they will be tormented and mistreated for all eternity. Hophni and Phinehas were obligated to represent God in His temple, but they chose to live their old sinful lifestyle. Eli had an opportunity to correct his sons, or expel them from service at the temple. They all were dealt with severely, and so will you if you continue to live without Christ. The choice is yours dear one. Let me encourage you to accept Jesus as your personal Savior and stand ready to enjoy the joys of heaven for all eternity with Jesus and the Father. Please read my Footnote for helpful tips on how to become a Christian. Of course, you are also encouraged to meet with a local Bible-teaching pastor or teacher, or email me as well. I want to see each reader in Heaven as together we worship our King. Please don’t disappoint me.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Eli and his sons had a choice, and so do we have a choice today. With Christ as our Savior we can live eternally in heaven. Without Him, Hell is the only other alternative. Choose life my friends!

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, thank You for the precious gift of salvation – an opportunity for Your children to live eternally in Heaven. Please tender the hearts of those who have stubbornly refused Your gift and opted for eternity with Satan and his demons in Hell. Please help Your children to stay in the Book, Your precious Word, so that we may follow Your teachings and obey Your commands that You put in place so that we may live aright. For those who acknowledge Jesus as Lord, may we live as children of the King and follow in the footsteps of our Master each and every day, so that we may be a bright and shining light to those who need Jesus. Be glorified in and through us oh Lord. AMEN!

Escape Condemnation and Prepare For Eternal Life!

On 2021-10-112021-10-11 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

Monday, 2021-10-11

Bible Reference: John 5:24
Translation: The Passion Translation (TPT)

Bible Text: ²⁴“I speak to you an eternal truth: if you embrace my message and believe in the One who sent me, you will never face condemnation, for in me, you have already passed from the realm of death into the realm of eternal life!”

APPLICATION: If I had a secret that I could share with you that will make you feel your best instantly, you probably would go to great extremes to implement whatever I told you! I recently had a doctor give me a shot, and he told me that it might give relief for up to 6 months, so I jumped to the thought of being pain-free for that long. But how often do we hear that someone has a permanent fix for all of our problems, both in this world and the next? Well, we have found such an eternal promise today in our Scripture verse, for Jesus promised us something that only He could fulfill. If you are one that might be having the time of your life, and you have no one in your family who is hurting or terribly sick at this time, then you might not see value in this promise. But I believe that finding someone like that might be very rare. Friends, we were created by God for the purpose of worshiping Him and lifting up His name here on earth. And that would be heaven on earth, had He not given us free will, and a choice to do whatever we choose to do. For Satan is still roaming free on planet earth, and he also is looking for followers and attracting worshipers of his own. Because we are born with a sinful nature, many have chosen to continue following Satan, without much thought to where they will spend eternity. Fortunately some have heard the call of Christ on their life, and many of us have chosen to share that good news with others, much like I try to do through Nuggets From God’s Word. My message to all those reading this devotional today is that my loving Savior loves you and He cared enough about you that He made an unheard-of sacrifice just for you, so that if you would humble yourself and accept that gift, you will never face condemnation for your sin. In fact, we are told in the Bible that God will separate our sin from us as far as the east is from the west! And because there is no order of superiority in His kingdom, you would become His child whom He would welcome and love in exactly the same way as He does for the best pastor, priest, preacher or evangelist you could think of. This might sound extremely hard to believe or understand dear friend, so let me encourage you to get with a Bible believing pastor, or a trusted Christian who might help you with any questions you might have about this. Of course, I would be elated in having the privilege of praying for you, or with you, or both. Fell free to reach out to me via email. But now that you know the Truth, don’t throw it out with the trash, but act on it and be comforted in this wonderful promise. Only you, and the precious blood of Jesus, could make it a reality!

PRAYER: Thank You Lord for loving my friends and I enough that You gave everything to show us how much You cared. Please soften our hearts so that we might humble ourselves and pray, and that we might surrender ourselves to Your perfect will for our lives. There is no one else like You, precious Lord! Please forgive us of our sin, and draw us unto Yourself, oh Lord. We want to be where You are, and we want to worship the One who cares and loves us unconditionally. We long for the day to be in Your presence, but please make us usable vessels for You while we remain on planet earth. AMEN!

Your Call To Ministry is Personal

On 2021-10-102021-10-10 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Effective Ministry, Needs, Obedience, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Sunday, 2021-10-10
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: 1 Samuel 3:8-11
TRANSLATION: New Century Version (NCV)

BIBLE TEXT: ⁸The Lord called Samuel for the third time. Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “I am here. You called me.”
Then Eli realized the Lord was calling the boy. ⁹So he told Samuel, “Go to bed. If he calls you again, say, ‘Speak, Lord. I am your servant and I am listening.’” So Samuel went and lay down in bed.
¹⁰The Lord came and stood there and called as he had before, “Samuel, Samuel!”
Samuel said, “Speak, Lord. I am your servant and I am listening.”
¹¹The Lord said to Samuel, “Watch, I am going to do something …..

APPLICATION: As a young boy I remember hearing a lot about ghosts, especially if a townsperson was buried that day! Often this would frighten kids enough to force them into refuge pretty close to mom and dad, especially for that night! Working around Eli, I’m sure that Samuel must have heard a lot about Eli’s encounters with God, so I wonder if, in the back of his mind, he didn’t suspect that it was God he was hearing from, and not a ghost, especially when he senses God standing over him. However, since this was a message about Eli, I could also believe that God wanted Eli to know that He was dealing with his student, Samuel. The interesting thing is, that Eli did not hear God speaking to Samuel, so he knew that God’s message was intended for Samuel and not for himself. Generally when we are speaking to just one person, it is a personal message intended just for them. By the third time God spoke to Samuel, he felt God standing over him, and just as earlier calls, God called him again. Based on advice from Eli, Samuel knew how to respond, and I am so impressed with the specific words used by Samuel. I believe that the application for us today, is that we must not shrug off the call of God on our life. For some this might be through signs and wonders; or through other children of God who will validate something that we suspected for a time, based on the work of the Holy Spirit in our life; yet for others it may be that God will point us to a specific passage of Scripture that affirms Your plan for us. Friends, God may choose to speak to us in a still small voice, like He did with Samuel, but to really get our attention, He may speak very boldly to us in a way that we will know that it is God Almighty. I have heard of stories where men have lived very miserable lives, because they chose to ignore the voice of God and the path He was leading them to. Let me encourage you today, that no matter what you have personally planned for tomorrow, be willing to set it all aside as naught if you receive a word from God. Listen to His voice; look for the confirmations throughout your day, and act on His instructions knowing that if God takes you to an assignment, He will surely help you through it. Remember the stories of Jesus sending His disciple out on mission? He told them to take nothing with them, yet He also told them to stay for as long as it takes. Jesus wanted them to learn to depend on Him for all good and necessary things that they needed in order to do His will. The disciples proved to us that it could be done, just be willing, like Samuel, to surrender your plans to follow the will of the Father. “I’m Your servant Lord, I’m listening and willing to obey whatever You would have me to do.” Saying those words to God will place you plum in the middle of God’s plan, and although He will change and remold you, I doubt if you will ever be bored again! Know that God could use anyone, so don’t assume that you misunderstood the call if He has other ministry opportunities for you that may, or may not include preaching, teaching or pastoring. ‘I’ll work til Jesus comes’ is the title of an old Sunday School chorus that was undoubtedly written by someone who surrendered it all to a call from Jesus on their life! Listen for God’s call, and be willing to obey His commands, dear child of God!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Eli was the priest, so Samuel could have assumed that God was talking to him, but He was not. Our call is personal and intended for only us, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit! Just listen, obey, and don’t find excuses to wiggly out of what God has in store for you.

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, please forgive us when we assume that there is nothing we can do in Your kingdom work here on earth. Moses tried to wiggly out of his call, yet he wound up leading a multitude of people across a desert land because of his faith in the power of God. That same power is available to those who accept Your call today, so I pray that You will change our hearts and minds from the inside out. When we accept Your call, it’s no longer us doing the work, but You. Many of us need that reassurance today Lord, not because we doubt Your power, but often we are bashful, or we might be perfectionists who must insure that everything is done to our perfection, or we feel totally inadequate for the job assignment. Please make Your will very clear to each reader today, and fill us with Your power to accept Your call and complete the mission as You carefully instruct us to do. Oh that Your kingdom will experience growth as You challenge us, and use us for Your glory. AMEN!

God’s Word To You Could Save You and Your Household

On 2021-10-092021-10-10 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Obedience, Obedient, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

Saturday, 2021-10-09

Bible Reference: John 4:50-53
Translation: Easy-to-Read Version (ERV)

Bible Text: ⁵⁰Jesus answered, “Go. Your son will live.”
The man believed what Jesus told him and went home. ⁵¹On the way home, the man’s servants came and met him. They said, “Your son is well.”
⁵²The man asked, “What time did my son begin to get well?”
They answered, “It was about one o’clock yesterday when the fever left him.”
⁵³The father knew that one o’clock was the same time that Jesus had said, “Your son will live.” So the man and everyone in his house believed in Jesus.

OBSERVATION: In his time of need, this official of the king knew of only one man that could make a difference in the life of his son, and it wasn’t the king’s best medical officer, nor the best magician of the king. However, the man had heard of Jesus, so he set out to find Him. Fortunately in our time of need, we do seek after Jesus. Sometimes this encounter makes an awesome change in our life, and even in the lives of those that we influence. As we meditate on the Word of God, let us seek to apply it to our lives. It may very well influence others.

APPLICATION: There are times of desperation and urgent need, when we reach out to whatever form of help that we could think of, to help find relief or healing. I have a relative whose wife was struggling for her life. Several suggestions were made about getting this dear lady to a certain hospital, where they may be able to help her. Without insurance, the hospital required $100,000 in cash before they would accept this patient. To this young man, this sounded like $1,000,000, because he didn’t have anything close to that, nor did he have a clue where he might get it in time to save his dearly beloved wife. However he still tried to find the money through various phone calls. This official in our story was in a similar position to that of my relative. He was helpless, and didn’t know where to turn to next for the required help. Having heard of Jesus, the official sought after him, and traveled almost 17 miles to a town where he heard Jesus may be headed to. Based on the response from Jesus, I believe that this man, or his king, may have been among those who at one time sought after Jesus for proof of who He was, or in the works He was capable of. However Jesus knew this man’s heart, much like He knows intimately about ours. For the official, his faith was tested like never before, for Jesus didn’t drop everything and follow the man home to his son, but he merely sent him home, telling him that his son will live. Wow, what would you have done with that? Can you imagine the pooched out lips and the sunken feeling deep onside in knowing that Jesus would not even consider coming with you to lay hands on your dying relative? But I believe that Jesus knew everything about this situation and so he arranged for this man’s servants to meet him on the way and cheer him up with the news that the healing hand of Jesus came over his son, just like he had asked, and just at the time Jesus told him his daughter was healed! Think with me today beyond the joy, and the celebration over this awesome news, and feel with me what this man must have felt. For all these years he had probably mocked Jesus, and may have even worked together with his king on how they might capture Jesus, but to imagine that Jesus would look beyond the sin, and past the history of this man, and to penetrate his heart with insight for the love of the Savior who would meet him in his time of need! This official was probably not recognized by the religious community, other than he was the one who was out to destroy them, yet Jesus knew, and met, his most intimate need. Oh my loving Savior, what awesome love and grace You have for all those who call on You! Through healing this man’s son, the official came to know Jesus personally – both he and his household. What about you my friend, are you listening, watching and reaching out to Jesus today for a need, whether related to your personal , health or spiritual afflictions? Something inside causes you to look towards Jesus in your time of need. Allow me to suggest that God sends His Spirit to work in you and draw you unto the Master. In and of our own sinful selves, you may never think of looking to God. So when you find yourself reaching out to God, please know that it is only because of the Spirit of God dealing in your life and drawing you to Himself. Thank God for loving even you and wanting a relationship with you! Are you deserving of that, probably not, but please answer that call while Jesus is working in you. I can assure you that you will never regret reaching out to Jesus. Try Him and prove me right, won’t you?

PRAYER: Thank You Lord for looking beyond my sin, seeing my need, and drawing me unto Yourself. I am very concerned about relatives and friends who have heard Your call, and continue to ignore You or refuse to answer Your call. In our story today we are told that this man and his whole household were saved because of his obedience in accepting Your call on his life. I wonder who in our families are being hindered by our disobedience and disregard of the call on our lives? Please help us Lord to be obedient to Your voice and Your call on our lives. Help us to never be a stumbling block to a child, a loved one or a friend who might be looking up to us and waiting for us to make our move. Please don’t become impatient with us Lord, but continue to soften hearts so that we may surrender to You before it’s a day too late. AMEN!