Faith – Protect It From The Adversary

On 2023-02-142023-02-14 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Faith, Faith in Action, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED: Tuesday, 2023-02-14
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Matthew 14:29-33
TRANSLATION: The Passion Translation (TPT)

BIBLE TEXT: ²⁹“Come and join me,” Jesus replied. So Peter stepped out onto the water and began to walk toward Jesus. ³⁰But when he realized how high the waves were, he became frightened and started to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he cried out. ³¹Jesus immediately stretched out his hand and lifted him up and said, “What little faith you have! Why would you let doubt win?” ³²And the very moment they both stepped into the boat, the raging wind ceased. ³³Then all the disciples crouched down before him and worshiped Jesus. They said in adoration, “You are truly the Son of God!”

APPLICATION: There are so many things we could learn from this story of Peter. I believe that most of us will share the reflection that this story shows us the faith of a man as he attempted something that defies nature, and that he had never thought possible before. Of his own power, perhaps the disciples expected Peter to jump out of the boat in the middle of the sea, as he prepared himself for the intake of water through his nose and mouth, or if he could swim, perhaps he would quickly assume the swimming position! However, things were a bit different with Peter, for: a). He had already experienced the power of the Almighty, and he knew that it would be this same power that would help him do even the very thing that seemed impossible in the eyes of the world; b). He paid attention to what Jesus was doing, and knew that if Jesus could walk on the water, He had power and authority to empower him (Peter) to do the same; and c). Peter heard the command by Jesus, and in spite of the yelling he could hear from his fellow disciples, he was compelled to obey His Lord. So what happened? Why does Peter’s effort seemed to have failed? I am convinced that Jesus already knew how quickly Peter would become cocky about being given this privilege/miracle, so Jesus seemed to have made it a point to teach Peter, and us, that faith requires that we keep our eyes fixed on the source of all power, the author of our faith – Jesus our Lord. You see, we have no power over such things in the universe, only God does. We have nothing to brag about besides God. I had a friend dying of cancer, and she traveled hundreds of miles to be prayed over by a TV evangelist who showed on public television that he had powers to heal. It just doesn’t work that way. Friends, as demonstrated in this story with Peter, and as we already know about our healing powers – we are reminded that it is God, through His Son Jesus that spoke the word for Peter to walk on the water, and it was Jesus who rescued him as he began to sink; it is God alone who heals a body that He created from dust, and who has the power to restore it to perfect health – so that He may be glorified. Our responsibility is to look to God for all things and keep our eyes fixed on the author and creator of life itself, knowing that through His power, lives might be healed, souls might be restored to the Kingdom, and the unsaved may recognize the grace and power of our God. It’s all about ‘God’, my friend. We are just instruments of His love and servants of our majestic King. The Master deserves all the praise for all that He does, for nothing of our own is merited, or worthy of praise, but only what He has done. Please be careful of the distractions that Satan will place before us. For Peter, it was the wind, the rough waters and perhaps self-confidence, that caused him to take his eyes off the Master. For us, unfortunately we live in a world that is totally filled with distractions that Satan places before us. Remember, our distractions are often those forces that draw us away from God, who is our primary power source. Don’t let Satan win over you my friend. In verse 31 we are reminded to not let ‘doubt’ win in our battle to ‘believe’. Trust in God, and all of this, plus a whole lot more could be yours, child of God!

PRAYER: Oh Lord, You are my God! The same God that created this wonderful world, and also created all of creation. I acknowledge again today that there is nothing that You can’t do. Please forgive me for my doubt and my lack of faith. Thank You for the reminder in today’s Scripture that You had the power to walk on water to get over to Your disciples. I wonder what You must travel over, or through, at times to get to my readers and I, and the trouble we find ourselves in at times. But I am assured that just as we saw where the water didn’t stop You from getting to Your followers, we need not let anything hinder our requests today, for many things will appear to be impossible to us, but with renewed assurance today, we KNOW that we can come before the throne of God and plead our case before an all-knowing, all-powerful, forever-loving God who says that ALL things are possible with God! You are our King, and we adore You and worship You today oh Lord, not just for what You can do for us, but for who You are! 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!

Because Of Your Faith

On 2022-02-092022-11-25 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Faith, Faith in Action, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Worship1 Comment

DATE POSTED Wednesday, 2022-02-09
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Matthew 9:2; 22; 29;
TRANSLATION: New Living Translation (NLT)

BIBLE TEXT: ²Some people brought to him a paralyzed man on a mat. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, “Be encouraged, my child! Your sins are forgiven.”
²²Jesus turned around, and when he saw her he said, “Daughter, be encouraged! Your faith has made you well.” And the woman was healed at that moment.
²⁹Then he touched their eyes and said, “Because of your faith, it will happen.”

APPLICATION: One might ask ‘but what is faith?’ There was a tight-rope acrobat who chose to show his skill by walking a tight-rope across the Niagara Falls. He did so well in his first trip across, that he asked how many in the audience felt like he could make the trip back across with a wheelbarrow. Many had seen the skills of this acrobat before, so they were convinced that he could succeed in making the return walk across with the wheelbarrow. But when asked by the acrobat which of his fans would volunteer to ride in the wheelbarrow, he could find no volunteers. Their faith in the acrobat was limited to his stunts that did not involve them personally in the stunt!! Is that how you tend to be with the abilities of Almighty God? You are faithful in reading His Word, and you are good at selling His abilities to others, but you just can’t strum up the faith to present yourself before Him for healing, power or renewed strength. After reading for the third time in our chapter today the words of Jesus ‘because of your faith’, I felt compelled to share with you that perhaps one of the greatest needs you and I might have, is to grow our faith in the Creator of this Universe; The Savior of the World; The King of all kings; The Lord of all lords; Our Master and our Lord. For it is through faith that we can look forward to all eternity in glory with the Father and the Son! But while here on earth, we must also have the boldness and faith to approach the throne of God for all things. In fact, let’s stop and consider what ‘F A I T H’ is, and how we might increase our faith. I believe that a simple, non-theological, explanation of faith might be: When you are confident deep inside that God has the power and ability to do something, even though you are powerless to do it yourself, and you know of no one else here on earth who could do it. Then it becomes incumbent upon us to trust that faith and believe in the One in whom we have faith in. Now, here’s how I might suggest that you increase that faith. I had a dear friend who shared with me that he chose to use his faith on what we might consider ‘the little things’ of life. In other words, when we come across things that we have no ability to remember, or to do, then ask the God who can do ALL things, for His help. In this way, you will gain confidence/faith to approach the throne when the ‘BIG’ things come your way, for you have a personal reference point to fall back on. God, I saw how you handled the little things, now I need you for this huge challenge that seems totally impossible to me. Remember, nothing is too BIG for our God. He created this beautiful world we live in from the void of nothing-ness. He created man from dust. Won’t He most certainly be able to heal our brokenness from disease and injury? In our story today Jesus said it for our assurance – ‘because of your faith….’ Show Him your faith, and I believe He will show you His power!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Our God not only knows our very thoughts, but He knows our needs. He is the one true God who created us, so let our faith in Him remain strong, so that His miracles may impact our lives. Let’s ask in faith, believing and knowing that He can do ALL things.

PRAYER: Dear Lord Jesus, thank You for Your willingness to meet the needs of those in our Scripture today and giving us extra assurance that we serve such a mighty God. Please help us to get over self and all that we think we could do. Teach us to deepen our faith and our relationship with You, so that You may show us Your power that is available to us. In our day there seems to be complexities that arise that stump world medical teams. We serve the awesome Creator of this universe and all mankind, so of course You know how to repair these bodies that You have created. Teach us Lord to turn to Jesus for our every need, having faith to believe that He could make all the difference in the world. What an awesome God we serve! Thank You Jesus! AMEN!

Why Worry, Where’s Your Faith?

On 2021-02-262021-02-25 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Believe, Faith, Miracles, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Friday, 2021-02-26
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: Matthew 16:8-10
TRANSLATION: Living Bible (TLB)

BIBLE TEXT: ⁸Jesus knew what they were thinking and told them, “O men of little faith! Why are you so worried about having no food? ⁹Won’t you ever understand? Don’t you remember at all the five thousand I fed with five loaves, and the basketfuls left over? ¹⁰Don’t you remember the four thousand I fed, and all that was left? ¹¹How could you even think I was talking about food? ….

OBSERVATION: People are often referred to as ‘worry warts’ because they worry about every little thing. But for the Christian, our Scripture today reminds us that there is no need to worry, for we serve a God who can do all things! May we find peace in the God we love, adore and serve, as we meditate today on the perfect Word of God!

APPLICATION: As we read this story, I’m sure we will look at the disciples as weak, and as awful doubters. After all, they had participated in two huge miracles over recent days, where Jesus multiplied the little food found in the crowd, and the disciples were able to feed thousands of men, women and children. But now that they find themselves in need of food, they are filled with worry about how, or what they will eat. Jesus addresses their concern in our verses today. But what might Jesus say to us when we grovel in doubt, fear and a feeling of desperation? After all, many who will read this devotional today have read, or been under the teaching of some who have told about the various miracles performed by Jesus – the same Jesus that we believe in, and say that we have faith in. We know that miracles were performed while Jesus was alive, and many of us have either been witness to, or heard from family and friends where miracles have occurred in their lifetime. So why do we fear? Why do we doubt? Why do we feel like God performed miracles on ‘them’ but poor old me, I must carry this malady to the grave? Friends, some may wish they were princes because of the luxury, attention and goodwill afforded to them. But as a Christian, we are a ‘prince’, for we are sons (and daughters) of the King of all kings and Lord of all Lords! Never before in the history of mankind have we heard of a man laying down his life so that his subjects could be freed. But Jesus did! He willingly went to the cross and suffered pain and agony, so that we might have life eternal with He and His Father in heaven. So as His blessed children, is there anything that He wouldn’t do for us? Would He perform miracles so that we would not suffer pain and heartache? Would He heal broken bodies with sick parts? He did it before my friend, and I have no doubt that He would do it again! If you have faith to believe in the Son of God, then I dare say that you can muster up the faith to believe that He will do what He has promised. He cares for us and He wants us in good health so that we may serve Him passionately. Have faith in God, for He will never leave us or forsake us!

PRAYER:My faith looks up to thee oh God! Thank You for reminding my readers and I of the miraculous God that we serve, and the One in whom we have placed our faith and trust. Our needs are many, so we ask that You open the flood gates of heaven and pour out a great miracle on us today. You know what we need and whether we should have all that we ask of You, so Lord we place our faith and trust in You and await Your powerful hand to work on us. May the unsaved be convinced of Your power and therefore seek to know You personally. Lord I believe in You, please help my unbelief at those times that I doubt. 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!

Easily Distracted

On 2021-02-142021-02-13 By Ed AlgreenIn Distraction, Distractions, Faith, Faithfulness, Rewards, TrustLeave a comment

Sunday, 2021-02-14

Bible Reference: Matthew 14:29-33
Translation: The Passion Translation (TPT)

Bible Text: ²⁹“Come and join me,” Jesus replied. So Peter stepped out onto the water and began to walk toward Jesus. ³⁰But when he realized how high the waves were, he became frightened and started to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he cried out. ³¹Jesus immediately stretched out his hand and lifted him up and said, “What little faith you have! Why would you let doubt win?” ³²And the very moment they both stepped into the boat, the raging wind ceased. ³³Then all the disciples crouched down before him and worshiped Jesus. They said in adoration, “You are truly the Son of God!”

OBSERVATION: In Hebrews 11:1 we are reminded that faith is confidence in what we hope for, and complete assurance of something that we cannot see. Perhaps with that in mind, we could better evaluate the faith that Peter had in jumping out of that boat, and also the faith that we have in taking our petitions before a holy and miraculously working God. May our faith increase today as we meditate on this story of ‘faith’ by Peter!

APPLICATION: There are so many things we could learn from this story of Peter. I believe that most of us will share the reflection that this story shows us the faith of a man as he attempted something that defies nature, and that he had never thought possible before. Of his own power, perhaps the disciples expected Peter to jump out of the boat in the middle of the sea, as he prepared himself for the intake of water through the nose and mouth, or if he could swim, perhaps he would quickly assume the swimming position! However, things were a bit different with Peter, for: a). He had already experienced the power of the Almighty, and he knew that Jesus had the same power to do even those things that are impossible in the eyes of the world; b). He paid attention to what Jesus was doing, and knew that if Jesus could walk on the water, He had power and authority to empower him (Peter) to do the same; and c). Peter heard the command by Jesus, and in spite of the yelling from his fellow disciples, he obeyed Jesus. So what happened? Why does Peter’s effort seemed to have failed? I am convinced that Jesus already knew how quickly Peter would become cocky about being given this special power, so Jesus demonstrated to Peter, and to us, that faith requires that we keep our eyes fixed on the author of our faith – Jesus, and His Father God, lest we fall into the trap of bragging about our own power. I had a friend dying of cancer, and she traveled hundreds of miles to be prayed over by a TV evangelist who showed on public television that he had powers to heal. WRONG. Stop right there. Friends, as demonstrated in this story with Peter, and as we already know about healing powers – it is God, through His Son Jesus that spoke the word for Peter to walk on water, and it was Jesus who rescued him as he began to sink; it is God alone who heals a body that He created from dust, and restores it to perfect health so that He may be glorified. Our responsibility is to look to Him for all things and keep our eyes fixed on the author and creator of life itself, knowing that through His power, lives might be healed, souls might be restored to the Kingdom, and that the unsaved may recognize the grace and power of our God. It’s all about ‘God’, my friend. We are just instruments of His love and servants of our majestic King. The Master deserves all the praise for all that He does, for nothing of our own is merited, or worthy of praise, but only what He has done. Please be careful of the distractions that Satan will place before us. For Peter, it was the wind, the rough waters and perhaps self-confidence, that caused him to take his eyes off the Master. For us, unfortunately we live in a world that is totally filled with distractions that Satan places before us. Think about our pride; trying to impress our peers; being called names (like Jesus freak, etc); believing in things that defy nature; eccentric for believing in someone we can note see, etc. Remember that our distractions are often forces that draw us away from God – our primary power source. Don’t let Satan win over you my friend. In verse 31 we are reminded to not let ‘doubt’ win in our battle to ‘believe’. Trust in God, and all of this, plus a whole lot more could be yours, child of God!

Faith Is….

On 2020-10-092020-10-08 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Faith, Faithful, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Thursday, 2020-10-08
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: Hebrews 11:1-3
TRANSLATION: Living Bible (TLB)

BIBLE TEXT: ¹What is faith? It is the confident assurance that something we want is going to happen. It is the certainty that what we hope for is waiting for us, even though we cannot see it up ahead. ²Men of God in days of old were famous for their faith. ³By faith—by believing God—we know that the world and the stars—in fact, all things—were made at God’s command; and that they were all made from things that can’t be seen.^[a]

OBSERVATION: Too often I believe we use the word ‘Faith’ without giving it a lot of thought. We might say to someone struggling financially: ‘just have faith my friend’. Do You know, or does your friend really know, what you meant by that? In our Scripture today we are not only reminded of what Faith is, but we are also given some awesome examples. Meditate with me!

APPLICATION: Although I love the example in verse 3 that you may have already read, further in chapter 11, we are reminded of the faith of Noah. He was blessed with a meeting with God and he was told that there would be a flood coming that will wipe out life on earth as it was known at that time. To help cement the idea, Noah was told the exact material he should use to build a huge boat – an ark. He was given the measurements and all of the finer detail. But here is where ‘faith’ came into the picture:
1. Rain was a brand new item for Noah and other inhabitants – So imagine Noah trying to wrap his mind around the idea of a flood! Imagine building a huge boat on dry land, and being confident that it would one day float out of that valley!
2. The jeering by the townspeople – Day after day Noah would work on the ark. Week after week, month after month and year after year Noah labored over building this huge boat, while sharing with his neighbors about this word given to him by God. Over a period of 120 years, some were born and actually died, while all the while hearing Noah talk about this flood that would hit them one day. My friends, Noah had a lot of faith to battle with the locals, while working endlessly to complete a very big boat, and keeping his mind focused on the idea of a strange phenomenon, ‘rain’ actually coming down in torrents one day;
3. His family, and a couple of every animal type would be saved – Can you imagine the questions you would have for God? Food; Water; Disposing of waste; Exercise for humans and animals; Will this boat even float? However, Noah’s faith never wavered!
Friends, God has given you and I unique information that requires our faith in action. I had a relative say to me: ‘As smart as you are, how could you possibly think that Jesus arose from the dead? That’s unheard of. For you to stay dedicated to the church, while expecting Jesus to return one day – are you for real?’ Now let’s go back to verse 1 in our Scripture for the meaning of faith: ‘It is the confident assurance that something we want is going to happen. It is the certainty that what we hope for is waiting for us, even though we cannot see it up ahead.’ Additionally, let’s consider why we believe that God exists, and if we can trust what He said in His Word. I believe with very high assurance, we can know without a doubt that God exists, and that He has already proven His Word to us, so there is no reason to start doubting it now. Do you have faith – just faith in general? Before you sit in a chair, do you try resting a heavy weight in the chair as a test first to make sure that it might hold your weight? I believe you have faith in many things, just like my simple example. I happen to believe that the Bible is true, and that God is faithful to His Word. He said that He will return again to take His bride (the church – those individuals who have accepted His Son Jesus) home. I have followed through in faith and accepted Jesus as my Savior so that one day I will be with Him in eternity. What has your faith done for you? It is clear that those who have not accepted Jesus, are destined for eternity in Hell. I hope that your faith is leading you to trust in Jesus, for my greatest desire is to worship at Jesus’ feet in Heaven with all those I have ministered to through ‘Nuggets’ surrounding me. Please don’t let me down.

PRAYER: Precious Lord, I am so thankful for who You are, and for all You have done to prepare me for that great day when I shall see You and the Father face to face! There is no greater joy in living each day than to keep my eyes fixed on You! Please humble the hearts of all those who will read this devotional today, and please encourage them to know You personally. Noah showed us faith in action. May our faith never waiver as we wait for the day that You will call us home to glory! What a glorious day that will be! Thank You Jesus! AMEN!

To Appreciate God’s Power

On 2020-05-13 By Ed AlgreenIn All-powerful, Almighty, Appreciation, Awesome God, Miraculous, Wonderful Savior2 Comments

DATE WRITTEN: Wednesday, 2020-05-13
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

Bible Reference: Job 26:7&14
Translation: New Century Version (NCV)

Bible Text: ⁷God stretches the northern sky out over empty space and hangs the earth on nothing.
¹⁴And these are only a small part of God’s works. We only hear a small whisper of him. Who could understand God’s thundering power?

OBSERVATION: As we meditate on these verses, I want to remind you that this is Job speaking to one of his encouragers! For he had been beaten up on and robbed of everything by Satan, yet he knew deep inside that no matter what happened to the flesh, his God still loved him and cared for him! Wow! In fact, although I only chose to show two verses, the whole chapter of 14 verses are filled with the many praises of Job! He showed us that no matter what earthly trials come our way, let us never lose sight of the mighty hand of God, whose love constantly abides within us and is available to us.

APPLICATION: Wow, what an example for those of us that whine and complain our whole day. We just have to look outside of our personal problems, many of which we have brought on ourselves. We have to look for the ways that God has provided for us, especially when we see so many in need around us. We have to thank God for the good health we enjoy, especially when we look at the number in our hospitals and the numerous sick people who are much worse off than we are. We must remind ourselves of the serious need for diet in our lives, while we reflect on the number of persons that go to bed hungry worldwide. We have so much to be thankful for that it would take much more than 14 verses to truly reflect our praises. So much to be thankful for, that we should never have time to complain! We should express so much praise from our thankful hearts that others who truly have needs would be encouraged by just listening to our praises, and there would be ample proof to those praying for desperate needs in their life that they would pray in renewed confidence, knowing that they are praying to a God who cares and loves them, seeing how much we are constantly bragging about Him. God is truly, amazingly and wonderfully amazing to us friend! Let the whole world know to whom you belong!

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, I praise You this morning for who you are! Not just someone I have read about, although I have read the praises of Job, but I too can testify of Your love and goodness towards me! Not just for the love that I read about, or that the pastor preached about, but for the genuine love that I feel deep inside when reminded of the sacrifice that You made for mankind (especially myself) when You hung on that cruel cross at Calvary, with all the power to totally reverse the scene, but yet You chose to show Your love towards all mankind, by suffering under the hands of those You were dying for. Please forgive me Lord for my ungrateful spirit. Please help me to always look for the ways You have blessed, and still are blessing, so that I might exalt You for Your active role in all these things. You have created us with a free choice, please always remind us that we have a choice to praise You or to complain. I pray that we will always make the right choice to praise You in our storms of life, and let You control and help us to overcome the difficulties. I ask all this in Your loving and wonderful name Lord Jesus, AMEN!

Until The Whole World Knows

On 2020-05-11 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Believe, Know and Believe, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Monday, 2020-05-11
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: Psalm 105:2-4
TRANSLATION: Easy-to-Read Version (ERV)

BIBLE TEXT: ²Sing to him; sing praises to him.
    Tell about the amazing things he has done.
³Be proud of his holy name.
    You followers of the Lord, be happy!
⁴Depend on the Lord for strength.
    Always go to him for help.

OBSERVATION: It’s a given, that if you ask a grandmother about her grandkids, she could easily, and quickly, pull out a wallet filled with photos of her grandkids! Let a grandmother see a baby, and she is immediately drawn to it, as she is reminded of her own grandbabies. But what about little Christs (Christians)? Were your unsaved family and friends drawn to Jesus because they spent time with you over the weekend? I love that song ‘Until the Whole World Hears‘, as it really came to mind as I read these verses from the Psalmist today. Meditate with me as we think about what the world will hear and know as a result of being in our presence today!

APPLICATION: There are times where we will leave someone and we comment about what we observed in their character. We might comment to our spouse things like: ‘What a sweet person’; or ‘You could tell that person loves the Lord; or you might even say something like: ‘What an obnoxious person!’; or ‘Sure glad that I married you and don’t have to live with that every day!’. Yes, others can see right through us, even though we strive to hide our ‘bad side’ while with them! I believe that you might see some things in these verses that perhaps I may miss, because God may have one thing to say to you, while dealing with other challenges in me. But as I read these verses, I not only saw these things as requirements suggested by David, but also I saw these as characteristics that will overflow from the life of someone whose eyes are fixed on Jesus and whose life displays the character of the One who lives inside of them. In other words, I am reminded of yet another song ‘When Jesus is my portion. A constant friend is he. His eye is on the sparrow. And I know he watches over me‘. Friends, when you know that One is closer to you than the mention of His name, won’t others see and experience that peace that overwhelms your soul? When you’re humming His praises all day long, or singing of His love at every opportunity, don’t you think that others will know as the Psalmist said in verse 3, that you are happy and proud to sing of the mercies of your Lord? When others are in a panic about things like Covid 19, or about approaching hurricanes, or earthquakes, etc., yet you are calm, as you are reminded of the words of Paul where he told us that for me to live is gain, but to die is even better as you will be with the One in whom you have trusted, face-to-face! Friends, your life is an open book to those around you. I pray that you will insure that your relationship with Jesus is strongly in tact so that the word might know, and follow the One in whom you have placed your faith and your trust. Seek God today, find Him while He is near and allow Him to rule and reign with you through every circumstance of your life.

PRAYER: Dear God, You created us in Your image, and designed us to worship and adore You. As a child of the King, no doubt we will act like the King, and be happy in everything that He sends our way each and every day. Please mold us to be just like You precious Lord., for people are watching and, in some cases, making decisions based on what they see us doing. If we’re happy and we know it; if we love You and we know it; if we invite You to be our constant guide and loyal friend each and every day, then the world will know it and be inclined to seek after that type of relationship for themselves. Work through us Lord! Love through us Lord! May You be alive and active in us through everything we say of do, so that the world might know and believe! AMEN!

The Distractions of Faith

On 2019-02-15 By Ed AlgreenIn Distraction, Distractions, Faith, Faithfulness, Rewards, TrustLeave a comment

Friday, 2019-02-15

Bible Reference: Matthew 14:29-33
Translation: The Passion Translation (TPT)

APPLICATION: There are so many things we could learn from this story of Peter. I believe that most of us will share the reflection that this story shows us the faith of a man to attempt something that defies nature, and that he had never thought possible before. To jump out of a boat in the middle of the sea, one could only prepare for the intake of water through the nose and mouth, unless they know how to swim! However, things were a bit different with Peter, for: a). He had already experienced the power of the Almighty, and he knew that Jesus had the same power to do even those things that are impossible in the eyes of the world; b). He paid attention to what Jesus was doing, and knew that if Jesus could walk on the water, He had power and authority to empower him (Peter) to do the same; and c). Peter heard the command by Jesus, and in spite of the yelling from his fellow disciples, he obeyed Jesus. So what happened? Why did Peter’s effort fail? I am convinced that Jesus already knows how quickly Peter would become cocky about being given this special power, so Jesus demonstrated to Peter and to us, that faith requires that we keep our eyes fixed on the author of our faith – Jesus, and His Father God, lest we fall into the trap of bragging about our powers. I had a friend dying of cancer, and she traveled hundreds of miles to be prayed over by a TV evangelist who showed on public television that he had powers to heal. WRONG. Stop right there. Friends, as demonstrated in this story with Peter, and as we already know about healing powers – it is God, through His Son Jesus that spoke the word for Jesus to walk on water and who rescued him as he began to sink; it is God alone who heals a body that He created from dust, and restores it to perfect health so that He may be glorified. Our responsibility is to look to Him for all things and keep our eyes fixed on the author and creator of life itself, knowing that through His power, lives might be healed, souls might be restored to the Kingdom, and that the unsaved may recognize the grace and power of our God. It’s all about ‘God’, my friend. We are just instruments of His love and servants of our majestic King. The Master deserves all the praise for all that He does, for nothing of our own is merited, or worthy of praise, for what He has done. Please be careful of the distractions that Satan will place before us. For Peter, it was the wind and the rough waters that caused him to take his eyes off the Master. For us, unfortunately we live in a world that is totally filled with distractions that Satan places before us. Remember that our distractions are forces that draw us away from God – our primary power source. Don’t let Satan win over you my friend. In verse 31 we are reminded to not let ‘doubt’ win in our battle to ‘believe’. Trust in God, and all of this shall come to pass, child of God!

PRAYER: Oh Lord, You are my God! The same God that created this wonderful world, and also created all of creation. I acknowledge again today that there is nothing that You can’t do. Please forgive me for my doubt and my lack of faith. Thank You for the reminder in today’s Scripture that You had the power to walk on water to get over to Your disciples. I wonder what You must travel over, or through, at times to get to my readers and I, and the trouble we find ourselves in at times. But one thing that I am assured of, is that just as we saw where the water didn’t stop You from getting to Your followers, we need not let anything hinder our requests today, for many things will appear to be impossible to us, but with renewed assurance today, we KNOW that we can come before the throne of God and plead our case for an all-knowing, all-powerful, forever-loving God who says that ALL things are possible with God! You are our King, and we adore You and worship You today oh Lord, not just for what You can do for us, but for who You are! AMEN!

It Takes Faith!

On 2018-01-01 By Ed AlgreenIn Faith, Faith in Action, Faithful, Faithfulness, Genuine FaithLeave a comment

SCRIPTURE FROM: Hebrews 11:6-7 (ERV)

TEXT: ⁶Without faith no one can please God. Whoever comes to God must believe that he is real and that he rewards those who sincerely try to find him.

⁷Noah was warned by God about things that he could not yet see. But he had faith and respect for God, so he built a large boat to save his family. With his faith, Noah showed that the world was wrong. And he became one of those who are made right with God through faith.

OBSERVATION: In this chapter of Hebrews we see where faith in God brought new life, new concepts and new miracles to all who believed in Him. In the example shown in verse 7, Noah had faith to believe God that He would send something to the earth for the very first time – ‘rain’. In fact he went further by believing that God would send so much rain that the whole earth would be flooded, so he set out to build a boat to protect the lives of he and his family. Soon God wanted Noah to build that boat much bigger to also include two of every living species. Can you imagine the mockery that Noah experienced during this construction? Yet his faith remained strong! How’s your faith?

APPLICATION: There are many that God has sent us to minister to, who will tell us that we must be nuts to believe that Jesus died, and actually arose from the dead. Yet they will ask us to pray when their loved one is sick or possibly dying. What kind of faith are they expressing in each of those cases? In some home countries of my readers, non-believing leaders have closed the door to prayer in our schools, yet for the next exam they encourage their kids to pray hard for good grades!! Faith – what is it to some folk? They will say they have no faith in God, because they can’t see Him. Yet they fill their gas tanks in their cars, and although they never see the gas or the tank, some gauge inside tells them how much is in their tank, and they have faith to believe that! Friends, God has proven Himself in many ways to us in 2017, and for those who will trust Him, because they have faith in His existence; His promises; and His all powerful hand; we can look forward to all that He will have in store for us in 2018. Faith means that things are not necessarily all planned ahead for us, although God has the foreknowledge and power to do that, but as we place our faith and trust in the One who loved us enough to sacrifice His life for us, and as we place our faith in the One who promised to never leave us alone, and faith in the One who promised that He has prepared a place for us, so that we may rule and reign with Him while worshiping our blessed Lord, then we will know that 2018 will be filled with anticipation of all that God has in store for us, to bless us, to love on us, and to provide encouragement for us to continue living for Him until He returns to take us home! Praise the wonderful name of Jesus!

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, we have no reason to doubt Your love and Your almighty power towards Your children. Knowing that You can do ALL things, just as you have already proven to us, gives us faith to place our full trust in You. Please help our unbelief and touch the lives of those that have chosen to ignore the mighty works of our King. Lord, I’m sure that we will need you more in 2018 than we’ve ever need You before. Please help us to stay strong in our faith, and to always stay connected to You in everything. You are a awesome God – one that we can place full faith, trust and deliverance in. AMEN!

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

Blessed Because You Believe

On 2017-06-15 By Ed AlgreenIn Believe, Blessing, Blessings, Obedience, ObedientLeave a comment

Post Date:	Thursday, 2017-06-15
SCRIPTURE
From:	Luke 1:45 (NCV)
Text:	⁴⁵You are blessed because you believed that what the Lord said to you would really happen.
OBSERVATION:
On Mary’s visit to her relative, Elizabeth, there were several events that confirmed that the child inside of Elizabeth and Mary were very special, miraculous gifts from God. In fact, from the very first announcement to these ladies, they accepted that God was using each of them in ways that would impact the whole world and bless them beyond anything they deserved or could imagine. Let’s look at how this might impact us….
APPLICATION:
In addition to being blessed immensely by the results of the two pregnancies of Mary and Elizabeth, I fell like there are tremendous lessons for us to learn from these two women of God, but I want to concentrate on a few of the very special reasons we can identify why Elizabeth was so true in what she said to Mary, and how this could be applied to us today: From a human perspective Mary wanted to understand how the pregnancy could occur since she had never been with a man. However, she never looked for excuses why she couldn’t or wouldn’t comply with the instructions from God. Aren’t we pros at finding excuses on why we won’t serve the Lord? Too busy; unqualified; family; don’t know enough scripture; etc. We should be able to see that with these excuses we are depending on the abilities of self to accomplish the work of the Lord. Friends, for God’s work, we need Him active in every aspect of the work He has commanded, or led us to do. It is evident that Mary had an intimate relationship with her Savior, otherwise she would have quickly dismissed the idea of an angel speaking with her, and she would never have accepted the thought of God using her in such an awesome way. We may sometimes grow jealous of ways that God uses others, while leaving us on the sidelines. Mary was blessed because she believed in the Master that she already knew intimately. How’s your relationship with Jesus? Do you know Him? Do you worship Him daily? Do you ask Him to use you in His work? One Bible study that I did, recommended that we look for where God is at work, and jump right in the middle of it with a heart to serve Him and be His hands and feet on planet earth! Friends, you too can be blessed through your relationship with Jesus Christ; your belief in His mighty power and kingship; in your obedience to His commands taught in the Bible; and in your obedience to His leading each and every day. Remember friend, it’s all about Jesus, not you.
PRAYER:
Lord, thank You for Your servant Mary and her relative Elizabeth, who accepted from You what seemed impossible to mankind. Lord, I believe that You are still seeking believers to have that kind of faith today, and to seek to follow Your guidance and will for their lives. The example was clear with these two ladies, and I truly believe that the same God who created those miracles for them, is the same God that I serve even today. Lord, may we commit again to give You full reign in our lives today. AMEN!
FOOTNOTE:
There are two more pages on my blog that will provide you with additional information, one of them being ‘To Know Jesus’. If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please click on the above page, or speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. Please allow someone to pray with you and give you help and/or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Words underlined in my blog could indicate a link to a song that came to mind as I wrote the devotional. Feel free to click on the link and listen as you continue to read or pray. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to Nuggets From God’s Word and read more, or you may freely to subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. If you are anywhere near the Highlands County, Florida area and do not have a church home, I would be thrilled to welcome you at Bible Fellowship Church, located at 3750 Hammock Rd, Sebring, FL 33872! Click the link to check out service times and/or other special activities. God is at work among us! Please consider coming to worship with us!

Nuggets From God's Word

Tag: Believe