Tag: BFC

Only One Thing Matters

On By Ed AlgreenIn A Lamp unto My Path, Adoration, Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Awesome God, Beyond Description, Blessing, Celebrate God, Needs, Praise, Praise-worthy, Priorities, Priority, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED: Monday, 2023-02-27
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Luke 10:38-42
TRANSLATION: The Voice (VOICE)

BIBLE TEXT: 38 Jesus continued from there toward Jerusalem and came to another village. Martha, a resident of that village, welcomed Jesus into her home. 39 Her sister, Mary, went and sat at Jesus’ feet, listening to Him teach. 40 Meanwhile Martha was anxious about all the hospitality arrangements.
Martha (interrupting Jesus): Lord, why don’t You care that my sister is leaving me to do all the work by myself? Tell her to get over here and help me.
Jesus: 41 Oh Martha, Martha, you are so anxious and concerned about a million details, 42 but really, only one thing matters. Mary has chosen that one thing, and I won’t take it away from her.

OBSERVATION: If asked by a peer what the most important thing of your day might be, I hope that the Christian’s response might differ between that of the one without Christ. However, I hope that today’s Scripture will cause us to think about what is most important in our busy lives, vs what should be most important. Let me encourage you to take time to reflect on this, because it might help to show you what your priorities are, and give you incentive to make any changes you feel God is leading you to.

APPLICATION: It is said that a pastor should look for the busiest person in his church to get something done properly that he is looking at! Unfortunate, isn’t it? For there are many who will slip in the backdoor for a worship service and never get involved in the ministry to reach the unsaved of the community. However, as we look at the main two characters in today’s story, we can see some qualities we wish we had, and some that we might be misplaced. There are several examples in Paul’s letters to the churches he started, where Paul asks for help with living accommodations for his coworkers/missionaries planning to visit and minister. In today’s churches, that’s not a problem, because we tend to book a hotel for them, so we don’t upset our homes with a stranger hanging around all day and sitting at our tables. This is most unfortunate, I feel, for we miss opportunities to minister to these workers who have sacrificed so much time with their families in order to be with us and share in our ministry. It appears like Martha welcomed Jesus into her home and became excessively busy to make sure that everything was just right for His visit. But here’s where we see the difference, and here’s where God might speak to many workers in today’s churches. Martha was so worked up in everything she wanted to get done around the house for her special guest, that she started looking around to see who else had different goals to hers. I believe that Mary realized that meals were important, and that a clean and comfortable place for the house guest was important, but I am convinced that she felt more of a need for time at the feet of Jesus, than anything else that could possibly need doing. What if we applied this same urgency of Mary’s to our own lives? Might we find that we are allowing every obstacle to pull us away from our time alone with God each morning? You know the stuff – can’t get out of bed early enough; television news casters are way more interesting that anything you could read for yourself, even if it is the Bible; You have unfinished homework, on a project at work that you need to prepare for; Physical exercise is of super importance to you, and you only have time for it; the kids need to eat before heading out the door, so surely God understands that feeding them takes priority over everything else; etc. etc. Unfortunately, churches suffer from the same thing. So many programs and ministries, and so few to see them administered properly. Workers busy themselves ‘doing ministry’, but often leave out time to draw close to God so that He could work through them. Perhaps you might benefit from something that a fellow church leader told me when I went on with my excuses on why I wasn’t having quality time alone with God. He said, “it’s because you have not chosen to make that a priority in your life”. That stung, but God soon helped me to realize that I was given the answer to my dilemma. So, I evaluated my schedule, and not seeing anything that I could eliminate or change, God helped me to get up 90 minutes earlier so I could make my time alone with Him a priority. Not everyone needs, or could handle, 90 minutes in devotional time with God, but because of my desire to continue ‘Nuggets’, I wanted 90 minutes. Friends, this may not be your solution, but I am convinced that God will direct you to the answer for your particular situation, whether it’s daily devotional time; prayer; church attendance; setting an example for your children; being a godly leader in your home; etc. As you work towards these goals, Satan will be upset, and he will do everything possible to upset your applecart. I’m not sure if Martha was jealous of the time Mary spent with Jesus, but she definitely wanted to make sure that Jesus got on her case about helping her sister! But notice how diplomatically Jesus dealt with Martha – it seems like Jesus responded from a heart of love for this well-meaning lady. In my words, Jesus said ‘Martha, you are letting the little, or insignificant things impair your judgment. There is nothing more important than spending one-on-one time with the Master. I was hoping you would consider joining Mary and I, instead of trying to break up our fellowship and ministry’. Now friends, please, please note that I cannot impose priorities on you. But let me remind you that there is One who will help you decide on what should be important in your life, and how to prioritize the things that you should accomplish each day, vs the things that could wait for more available time. I trust that you will never face the challenge of apologizing to God at the end of your day for not making Him a priority in your life that day, while seeing Him in agony on the cross for the forgiveness of your sin. Jesus told Martha that her sister chose the ‘one thing that really matters‘. What about you, my friend?

BLESSING(S) NOTED: There was undoubtedly many things more pleasant that Jesus could have done, instead of allowing the soldiers to beat Him and lead Him to Calvary, but He chose to satisfy the will of His Father as a demonstration of the priority He knew we needed to ever get to heaven. Will you join with me in making our time alone with God the greatest priority of our day?

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, You had two wonderful ladies that wanted to serve You in their own way. However, You saw the distractions that would affect one, and You showed us that the other one sought after the most important thing – time with You. I am convinced that this is still ‘the most important thing’ that we could do today also, but like Martha, there are many things that will distract the mind of one who is not fully committed and always determined to get alone in prayer, Bible study and meditation with You. We therefore need Your help big time, both in our heart, so that we might be totally devoted to You, and in our setting of priorities. Always remind us of what You saw as a priority when You accepted the cruelty of the cross at Calvary, even though You could have called thousands of angels to rescue You from evil men. I am convinced that only that ‘one thing’, mentioned in today’s scripture, should still be our top priority. For those reading this devotional who may not know You personally, please convince them of their top priority – a need to know the Savior of the world who died for them. 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!

If You will…, God will…

On By Ed AlgreenIn A Lamp unto My Path, Adoration, Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Awesome God, Beyond Description, Blessing, Celebrate God, Healing, Needs, Praise, Praise-worthy, Recognize God, Righteousness, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED: Sunday, 2023-02-26
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: 2 Chronicles 7:12-15
TRANSLATION: New Living Translation (NLT)

BIBLE TEXT: 12  …. one night the Lord appeared to Solomon and said, “I have heard your prayer and have chosen this Temple as the place for making sacrifices. 13 At times I might shut up the heavens so that no rain falls, or command grasshoppers to devour your crops, or send plagues among you. 14 Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land. 15 My eyes will be open and my ears attentive to every prayer made in this place.

OBSERVATION: Excitement builds as we construct a new church building, a workplace, a restaurant or anywhere that we frequent, and the temple built by Solomon was no exception. However, the grand opening was not just an opportunity for Solomon and his people to celebrate, but also the occasion gave opportunity for God to give Solomon a message for the people about their future plans to worship Almighty God. Meditate with me as we look into this Scripture that happens to include a very popular verse (vs 14).

APPLICATION: Christmas and Easter are two popular times on the church calendar when people will attend church, even if they don’t normally attend throughout the rest of the year. However, excitement still builds around the grand opening of a new sanctuary/worship center, so large crowds come to see what church leaders have to offer in the new, and often, larger facility. Earlier in this chapter we see where Solomon not only built the new, massive, facility, but he was not bashful in personally leading the crowd into worship and sacrifice at the new temple. That’s a bit unusual for current-day leaders of our respective country. At times we might hear of a president, or king, or queen, or prime minister attending a special church service, but seldom do they own any part in its construction or in the ministries that will take place there. However, Solomon didn’t just lead the pack in constructing the new temple, but he also led the dedication service of the new home of the Ark of the Covenant, and also in rededication of the people to Almighty God. For us today, news media might show up for the dedication of a grand, new building in town, and they will certainly show up if government leaders attend. But seldom will we hear highlights from the sermon, and we would hardly ever hear what God may have said to the temple leader, even if it’s a challenging message for the congregation. However, one of the beautiful advantages of having access to God’s Holy Word, is that we will often find interactive conversations between God and His church leaders. I discerned that God wanted Solomon to know that yes, He was enthused by the townspeople who showed up for the opening of the temple, but He also wanted them to know that there may come a time where He might find it necessary to get their attention again. This might happen through a drought, or it may happen through pestilences that will destroy their crops. He might also send plagues on them again, and they were very familiar with that during their last days in Egypt. That’s pretty tough stuff for these people who were just blessed immensely by the opening of the temple. But look at the message this sent to them, and to us as we read God’s Word and are reminded of the relationship between us and our God. Celebrations are awesome, and many will come to help us celebrate. But I believe that God wants us to know that He is particularly interested in a relationship with us. One that will celebrate in the good things that God does for us each day; in the needs that He meets each day, even when we don’t deserve or ask for it; in the challenging times that will come our way, for we know that we serve a God who specializes in things thought impossible by us; and in the times that we just worship and adore our King for who He is. Friends, let’s remember that we live in a world where sin abounds, and while we are in these mortal bodies we are susceptible to giving in to sin, so God made it clear that we must not only recognize who He is and what He can do for us, but approach Him in a state of holiness – humble ourselves and pray, seek His face and turn from our wicked ways. I believe it is important that we not approach God in a trifling manner, but with due honor and respect, while being totally transparent (honest). Remember that saying – you can fool some of the people some of the time, but never all of the people all of the time. Well, I believe that God fits in the latter case, for you will never fool our all-knowing God. So, God might be saying to us today, as He did to Solomon. He is thankful and blessed for our praises and our worship, but in every circumstance, always remember that He is still God. When things seem off a bit, there’s nothing wrong with God, instead humble yourselves, pray, seek the face of God, and turn from your wicked ways. It’s at that point that God will hear from heaven and heal our land. Every week will then become a celebration that our townspeople will want to come and witness!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: God stands ready to heal our land if those who are called by His name will humble themselves, pray, seek His face and turn from their wicked ways. Let’s do our part and be ready to celebrate as God does His part!

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, I’m sure it must seem like we say those things that will help us to get our ticket stamped for entry into heaven, even though we tend to live pretty much like we’ve always lived. My heart was touched once again as I read the words You shared with Solomon for his people, for I believe these are still things we need to perfect in our lives still today. When an unholy people meet with a holy and righteous God, there is much to do in the cleanup of our lives. Please Lord, work diligently in our lives, so that we might have strength to work towards Your righteousness and live holy lives before a lost and dying world. As we meet to worship You today, please meet the needs of your people and heal the evil in our land, will causing the lost to find Jesus. 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!

Not Impurity, But Holiness

On By Ed AlgreenIn A Lamp unto My Path, Adoration, Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Awesome God, Beyond Description, Blessing, Celebrate God, Holiness, Needs, Praise, Praise-worthy, Purity, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED: Saturday, 2023-02-25
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: 1 Thessalonians 4:7-8
TRANSLATION: Amplified Bible (AMP)

BIBLE TEXT: 7 For God has not called us to impurity, but to holiness [to be dedicated, and set apart by behavior that pleases Him, whether in public or in private]. 8 So whoever rejects and disregards this is not [merely] rejecting man but the God who gives His Holy Spirit to you [to dwell in you and empower you to overcome temptation].

OBSERVATION: It is an awesome reminder for Christians today to be reminded of something that God led Paul to preach to the church at Thessalonica back in his day. I am convinced that the reason God wanted this in His Book (the Bible), is because He knew this would be an ongoing challenge for Christians today. Let us open our hearts and allow God to correct us, as necessary, today, dear friends.

APPLICATION: After reading my above ‘Observation’, you might question whether I know something about church members that you don’t. Hopefully you will quickly realize that I don’t, but God knows all about the inner man and everything about our words, actions and thoughts. Friends, we needn’t fool ourselves into thinking that everyone who sits in our church pews in our weekend services are ‘pure’ – holy in God’s sight and without sin. As long as we remain on this earth, Satan will attack and attempt to lead us astray. Some Christians have chosen to turn off television sets in their homes permanently, because sin is promoted in shows, advertisements and innuendos of every sort while the set is on. But does that solve the challenge of wandering eyes, distracted minds and lust? I believe that God wants us to know through this sermon by Paul, that He (God) is looking for saints who will want no other god but Him; Willing to search out, understand and obey the teachings and practices of Jesus Christ; Willing to stand up for the God of this universe; Willing to see others as sinners in need of the Savior of the world; and will always acknowledge having no other god but the one true and living God who created us all. I believe that God wants saints who will devote themselves to loving others like God does, and to always remember that God loved us so much that He gave – He gave His one and only Son, Jesus, to die on a cruel cross, rose again on the 3rd day, all to demonstrate His love for mankind and how He decided to make Jesus the only living sacrifice that will permit mankind into heaven. I realize that while we are in this world there will be temptations of every sort imaginable that will pressure us into sinning. But I also hope and pray that for the child of God who invited Jesus to rule and reign in their lives, they have invited the Holy Spirit to guide their every step. This member of the trinity lives in, rules in and reigns inside of us, convicting us of sin and showing us right from wrong. Are we daring enough, and gripped by sin, to an extent that we don’t mind imposing such sin on our Holy Lord Jesus? Often, we might feel embarrassed and feel sorry for our sin committed in the presence or knowledge of our pastor, but Paul reminds us that this sin is not against man, but against God – the One who placed His Holy Spirit inside of us. He gave us the Holy Spirit to help us, and instead of showing due respect and honor to Him, instead we allow sin in as a disappointment to, and in conflict to the holiness of God. Friends, to repeat what Paul teaches in these verses, God has not called us to impurity, but to holiness, and He gave us the Holy Spirit to help us live in such a holy state.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: We serve a Holy God, and through the power of the Holy Spirit, we too can be holy, and pleasing to our Holy God.

PRAYER: Thank you Father for the Holy God that saved us, lives inside of us, and guides us through every day. I am embarrassed to think of the conditions I must impose on You Holy Spirit. Please renew a right spirit within me and guide me into the way that You desire of me. Unbelievers are watching and hoping that they could see God at work in His people so they might be reassured of Your power and Your invincible presence in our world today. Please make us usable vessels in which You might work to encourage the unsaved. May You receive honor and glory today because of all that You accomplish in our world, and for the hearts that will be changed and directed to Your kingdom. Glory to God in the highest for all that You have done, will do, and always will be. 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!

Eternal Life in Heaven – How?

On By Ed AlgreenIn A Lamp unto My Path, Adoration, Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Awesome God, Beyond Description, Blessing, Celebrate God, Eternal Life, Eternity, Needs, Praise, Praise-worthy, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED: Friday, 2023-02-24
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Luke 10:25-29
TRANSLATION: Amplified Bible (AMP)

BIBLE TEXT: 25 And a certain lawyer [an expert in Mosaic Law] stood up to test Him, saying, “Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 26 Jesus said to him, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?” 27 And he replied, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.” 28 Jesus said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this habitually and you will live.” 29 But he, wishing to justify and vindicate himself, asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

OBSERVATION: Perhaps one of the most well-known verses in the Bible is John 3:16! One of the principal lines included is ‘whosever believes on the Son of God will have eternal life’. There may be many who will question Jesus like the lawyer did in today’s Scripture, because they want to ensure that in their life here on earth, they have prepared themselves for life eternally in heaven. So, let’s get our response from this important Scripture where Jesus addresses this exact question.

APPLICATION: Isn’t it interesting how, when we devote our time to certain lifestyles and we study certain subjects, we try to find our answers to life’s toughest questions in those things? In today’s Scripture our lawyer/friend, who was an expert in Mosaic law, felt like he had the right answer to this question that was impacting his mind, but since he had opportunity to speak directly with the One who had answers to all of life’s questions, he went ahead and tried to make sure that the answer was nothing more than what he discovered in the laws handed down by his ancestor, Moses. In John 3:16, Jesus said that ‘whosoever believes on Him, will have eternal life’. However, the lawyer didn’t want to trust just the laws of Moses with such an important question. He had to make sure that he had the most accurate answer possible, so that he could make sure of his eternal destiny after this life here on earth. I believe his reasoning may have been similar to what we still struggle with today, for it is obvious from the answer given by Jesus that something else will result for those who choose not to ‘love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.’ Many have chosen to ignore the question of what happens after life here on earth, because they feel like the Maker and Designer of all mankind will not punish that which He has created. Friends, you are precisely right in your assumption should God have created us to be robots and do only what He tells us to. However, He created us in His own image, and gave us the option to choose what we will do about our eternity. For those who acknowledge His lordship and do as the Scripture says today, they will one day be rewarded with the likes of heaven where they will spend eternity with the Father (God), the Son (Jesus) and the Holy Spirit (the 3rd arm of the Trinity). For the rebels who want to do life their way and ignore the very One who created them in His likeness, then our loving Father will sadly watch as they gain their reward – eternity in Hell with the master they chose – Satan. You might quickly retort that you never ‘chose Satan’. But dear friend, the way that this works is that unless you specifically chose to believe in Jesus and love Him with all your heart, soul and mind, and love your neighbor as yourself, then you will never change the trajectory of your life – eternity with the Evil One – Satan. My greatest aim with Nuggets From God’s Word, is to allow God to speak through my thoughts and prayers to impact the hearts of His kids. I pray that today will be no exception, and that the Holy Spirit will provoke your curiosity, just as He did with the lawyer in our Bible story, so that you may also seek after answers that will impact you for all eternity. This is one of those things that you can settle today – where will you spend eternity? In Heaven, or in Hell? It’s your choice, and your decision today will settle the issue for you for all eternity! Let me encourage you to choose Heaven, because I really want to meet each of you there, but most of all, I want us to celebrate Jesus as we bow in homage to Him for all eternity!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: The secret to eternal life in heaven, is to habitually love the Lord our God with all our heart, and with all our soul, and with all our strength, and with all our mind; and our neighbor as ourself!

PRAYER: Thank You Lord Jesus for the blessed hope we have of one day being in Heaven with You and our Father. Lord, I pray that everyone who will take time to read this devotional today may not only be excited about the prospect of seeing You and worshipping at Your feet, but they will make sure that they are indeed ready for the day when life here on earth is ended. A day that every human will face, if the trumpet is not sounded first. We work hard at readying ourselves for a good job, a high-profile banquet, or the arrival of our child, please lord, help us to be sure that our election is sure, and that our soul is secure so that when we close our eyes in death here on earth, we will open our eyes in eternity with You. Also, Lord. just as we would quickly do all within our power to help a friend prepare for an oncoming storm, help us to also make it a priority to challenge them and help them to be in a state of readiness for the day when You call them home to glory. Be glorified in all we do and say today, Lord, for Your kingdom’s sake. AMEN!

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

The Temple of The Lord

On By Ed AlgreenIn A Lamp unto My Path, Adoration, Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Awesome God, Beyond Description, Blessing, Celebrate God, Praise, Praise-worthy, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED: Wednesday, 2023-02-22
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: 2 Chronicles 5:13-14
TRANSLATION: New Living Translation (NLT)

BIBLE TEXT: 13 The trumpeters and singers performed together in unison to praise and give thanks to the Lord. Accompanied by trumpets, cymbals, and other instruments, they raised their voices and praised the Lord with these words: “He is good! His faithful love endures forever!” At that moment a thick cloud filled the Temple of the Lord. 14 The priests could not continue their service because of the cloud, for the glorious presence of the Lord filled the Temple of God.

OBSERVATION: Although we seldom refer to the House of God today as ‘The Temple of God’, yet I feel like we could deduce from today’s Scripture that this ‘Temple’ must be comparable, at least in some ways, to our current day churches and/or sanctuaries and/or worship centers. Of course, we no longer go through the animal sacrifices as the early believers did, because we have Jesus as our one and only sacrifice for the sin of those who have sought Him and accepted His sacrifice. However, I feel like we should look closer at some of the things taught to us by our ancestors that have been lost, and no longer considered important in today’s worship centers.

APPLICATION: As we begin this study, I would encourage you perform an internet search for ‘Church Names’. In an effort to appease the unsaved, it would appear that more and more churches are trying to avoid the names of Jesus, God, Church, Temple, House of God, Bible, and/or Worship from their name. Could it possibly be that these might be keywords that the unsaved will try to avoid. I will leave the conclusion on that up to you, but I don’t believe this is something that our ancestors would have passed down to us. Rather, it seems more of a marketing trick to get people in the door. I would think that if we want to present something better/different or even unique to the unsaved, it would be in our worship of God and the trinity that is unique to our Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Should the world want change, then let it begin with the name of our meeting place. I acknowledge that the aforesaid is totally off, from what I first felt when I read this Scripture, so I can only assume that the Holy Spirit wanted that said. In the Old Testament, we hear a lot about the gruesome sacrifices made by the people of God as they sought forgiveness of sin, healing, etc. But God wanted us to know about the extent that David went to in trying to build an awesome temple for the Ark of the Covenant; how God told David to hold off on his effort because this was something He had planned for Solomon to do; and now in this chapter, how Solomon gave this effort everything he had. Although the architecture was ‘out of this world’, I love the following about the first Worship experience in the new Temple. Notice:

  • No expense spared – To walk in some rooms located at some of today’s churches, you might assume that the original builders sought after the cheapest material and had only one thing in mind: ‘how cheaply can we build this place?’. I will immediately ask forgiveness of those who fought hard to at least erect their own house of worship without borrowing money, or at least trying to meet an established budget. But Solomon went to a great extent to seek help in order to build the very best right at the outset. Having said this, yet I must share that having walked into a religious based theme park and seeing gold (looking) fixtures in the bathroom, made me uneasy about extravagant spending in light of world needs. Unfortunately, I don’t know where we would draw the line, but I do know the One who could guide us!
  • Many instrumentalists joined the already large choir and musicians – try taking a survey about the number of folk learning to play an instrument these days, and especially for the purpose of playing them in a church. I wouldn’t be at all surprised if the hundreds of musicians who played at Solomon’s Temple of God didn’t spend hours learning their instruments especially for the purpose of playing for the honor of God.
  • The presence of the Lord was obvious – It seems like God responded in a very powerful way when His temple was filled with people who took particular interest in knowing His heart, seeing His face, and desiring to know His perfect will for their lives. I trust that today’s church leaders will also seek to know God, see Him work through them to reach the hearts of His people and teach them His truth. Professionals can assemble a great order of service, as they were taught by seminarians, and attendees will marvel at the good order and how it met every standard they ever saw in a church service, but unless the power of God is permitted to permeate the hearts of God’s people, they will be disappointed that they only attended another meeting, and so might God also feel that way, while wishing that His children had instead met to seek His face and know Him better.

Friends, I was a Worship Leader in a small church for a number of years, and I am still convicted on whether I depended on God enough to lead His people into praise and worship through me – His servant. So, although it may seem that I am centered on our dedicated worship leaders today, please know that while God may be challenging them on their leadership, I believe that the Holy Spirit may be especially challenging each of us on the job we do in preparing for worship, and on educating ourselves to take an active role on helping to lead our respective churches into true and meaningful worship. I pray that one day, our worship services will be so filled with the presence of God that He will take control of our meeting while leaders, instrumentalists and all others assume their rightful role in worshipping and pleasing Almighty God with our worship.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: God responded to the worship of His people in a way that only God could. We might use smoke machines, but I don’t believe it could ever trick folk into thinking that it represents God’s holy presence. It seems reassuring to me that God WILL show up, when His people seek to worship Him and not just get caught up in a moment created by professional worship leaders.

PRAYER: Oh Lord, our Lord, how majestic is Your name in all the earth! When we recognize the awesome God that You are, I believe we will truly worship You when we seek You and submit ourselves to You, even when there may be a Worship Leader present. Thankfully You made it evident to Your saints gathered in Your Temple that Solomon built. Because we still seek to worship You, we can only believe that You will be present for us also when we meet with purpose in our hearts and a mind dedicated to worshipping and serving You, oh Lord. But please Lord, help us to do our part in preparation for meeting with the King of all kings and Lord of all lords. May You find us faithful each and every day, so that our hearts will always be filled with Your glory, and our worship of You evident in times alone with You, for I believe that a heart that praises its Master, will be best prepared to also praise You when we meet corporately with other believers. You are Lord, and You are King over everything on earth and in Heaven. Oh, that Your children will honor and worship You as we sing Your praises each day. Please help us to be an incentive for the lost to also seek Your face and honor Your name. AMEN!

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

The Knowledge of Our God

On By Ed AlgreenIn A Lamp unto My Path, Adoration, Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Awesome God, Beyond Description, Blessing, Celebrate God, Needs, Praise, Praise-worthy, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Tuesday, 2023-02-21
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Psalm 139:1-6
TRANSLATION: Easy-To-Read Version (ERV)

BIBLE TEXT: 1 Lord, you have tested me, so you know all about me.
2 You know when I sit down and when I get up. You know my thoughts from far away.
3 You know where I go and where I lie down. You know everything I do.
4 Lord, you know what I want to say, even before the words leave my mouth.
5 You are all around me—in front of me and behind me. I feel your hand on my shoulder.
6 I am amazed at what you know; it is too much for me to understand.

OBSERVATION: When we know that someone knows us intimately, we may tend to shy away from them, or perhaps be on our best behavior when around them. But knowing that God’s has full knowledge of us should give us full assurance that nothing will happen to us without first being filtered through His lens and meeting with His approval. I believe the Psalmist was very comforted in this, for he even felt assured that God was with him in every circumstance of life.

APPLICATION: For those of you who are married, I believe you will agree with me that going through life with someone by our side is so comforting and reassuring. In fact, it brings peace to us when the challenges of life are raging all around us. We tend to be braver in frightening circumstance, because we have someone right beside us to cheer us on, lighten the burden, and face almost any situation knowing that it’s not just one who will fight the battle, but rather a team of two. I could only imagine that David may have felt something like this as he sat, looked upon the stars and reflected on all that Almighty God had done for him, and is continuing to do. You see, David had been blessed with some pretty intimate times with God. There were no distractions like we know it today. No sirens blazing, no phones ringing, no internet that would call for David’s undivided attention to news, gossip, emails, social media or the like. Yes, Satan was already active in the world, and although this would have given rise to David’s close attention and rapid defense, I believe that David was secure in his relationship with One much greater than Satan, for he was loved by God, protected by Him, encouraged by Him, and lifted up on those days that David felt the world was against him. You see, I don’t believe that David was anything like Sanford (of the Sanford and Son television show), so he didn’t sit around waiting for the ‘big one’, knowing that he would have no choice but to call on God at that time. No, I believe that throughout the Bible, and especially in the Psalms, it is evident that David had an active, daily, productive life where God was integral in every part of it. In our lives, we each could probably recall relationships, or personal experiences, where a dire emergency brought one to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, or brought us humbly before the throne, where we were forced to bend the knee and plead forgiveness for the laxity we allowed in our relationship with our Master. We needed God to intervene on our behalf at that point, so we had little choice but to clean up our act and beg for God’s all-powerful hand to heal, restore life, or give hope where non existed. Friends, when we enjoy a daily life with the Master like David enjoyed, then perhaps we might start reflecting on the blessed hope that we have, the all-powerful God that we could meet with as often as we desire or see the need to. That type of relationship doesn’t come from attending corporate worship on special occassions, or even every weekend. That type of relationships comes from intimacy with our loving God on a regular basis. It may be driving down the street and seeing His handiwork out in the pastures, or the spectacular sunrise, or the peaceful sunset, or sitting with an elderly saint and hearing them brag on how Jesus met their needs when there was no food in the house, or when the doctor would not return to their area for another month. David replayed for us how amazing it was to stop and think of the amazing knowledge of God, in fact, it was greater than anything he could humanly imagine. Praise God that He still cares for us, just as He did for David. Because of His knowledge, we needn’t worry about remembering too tell Him about our rough times, for He already knows. Let us then spend time sharing our love and appreciation for His Son, Jesus, and thanking God for saving our life in the challenges of that day. He might just do like He did for Solomon – because we didn’t waste a lot of time whining and complaining, perhaps He will go ahead and bless us with even more than we need the following day! When this kind of intimacy, relationship and appreciation for our God wells up inside of us, others will be amazed and want to also know Him!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: From a heart filled with love, appreciation and praise, we will sing praises to our King from the overflow! It’s hard to do this when we’ve filled our hearts with the evil ways of Satan all day and all week.

PRAYER: Thank You Father for praise and worship leaders like David. He experienced an intimate relationship with You, and He was in close communication with You throughout his day. Praise God, this was always reflected in his songs to You, and in the Psalms he wrote. I am forced to ponder what it is that reflects our praise to You. Do we need the beat from the drums, the strumming of th guitars or the tickling of the ivory keys on the piano? Will that cause us to worship You? Please forgive us Lord for thinking that external music or entertainment will stir our hearts. Yes, we will sing along, but is there true and intimate personal worship in anything we sing? Lord teach us to reflect on Your goodness, Your mercy and Your grace each and every day, for I am convinced that You are with us 24/7/365. Please open our eyes, our hearts and our minds to acknowledge You in all the ways You bless us. May the words of our hearts be expressed through song, worship and intimate conversation (prayer) with You. And may Your children be encouraged to see You in all that we do or say. 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!

Just Bragging on My Lord!

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

DATE POSTED Thursday, 2023-02-16
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Psalm 138:6-8
TRANSLATION: The Passion Translation (TPT)

BIBLE TEXT: 6 For though you are lofty and exalted, you stoop to embrace the lowly. Yet you keep your distance from those filled with pride. 7 By your mighty power I can walk through any devastation, and you will keep me alive, reviving me. Your power set me free from the hatred of my enemies. 8 You keep every promise you’ve ever made to me! Since your love for me is constant and endless, I ask you, Lord, to finish every good thing that you’ve begun in me!

APPLICATION: Listening to a couple share their blessings of love, gratitude and companionship, might restore faith in marriage to those who have heard about, but struggle to believe in its value. For those who are already married and struggling to experience or enjoy the marriage relationship the way that God designed, they may be encouraged to know that it really does work for many couples. But for today, I would like to see us consider what might happen if children of God who have a right relationship with their Master might start bragging on Him, His goodness, and His love – experienced in multiple ways in our lives. Think about it. What does the world normally hear from Christians? The ‘hot’ news is usually how a pastor, or a church leader failed in their Christian walk, or how they behaved so rudely to you in a recent experience. Perhaps one Christian seeking revenge against another Christian brother or sister or posting jeers at their spat of unfortunate circumstances. Friends, I found it revitalizing how David spent time blessing God and sharing with us how much he was touched by God who lifted his spirit. You see, we all know God’s unlimited power, but let’s never forget to share how God’s power revealed itself in our circumstances of life. Let’s share that from a heart of love but always from our personal experience with Jesus Christ. It is so easy to ‘like’ a good post on social media, or repost something said by someone else many years ago. But how has your God been involved in your life? We can talk about the miracles at the Red Sea when Moses came to a mass of water with over 1 million people, and how God made a highway where Moses clearly saw the waters filling its basin. That was one of the greatest miracles of all times, and it speaks volumes of our all-powerful God. But when you share what God did in your life yesterday, or in your family over the past month, or how He is saving folk at every service at your church, I believe you will see your friends stop, listen, believe and want to experience this same God that you love and adore. When they know that you are comforted in knowing that the presence of the Lord is with you, and through His power, He is lifting you up in your times of trouble, sadness and despair, then they will take note of the awesome God who not only provided a way for Moses and his people but is still saving souls and blessing His children today. Sharing about the faith of our forefathers may help to show friends that our God has been at work ever since the beginning of time. Sharing with them what God is still doing today convinces them of who God is today, how He understands and identifies with our problems, and how He is still able to do that which is greater than anything we could think or imagine! Now, before you get cocky about how special you are to God, please take particular note of the very last verse where David pleaded with God to finish the work, He had started in him. Wouldn’t you have thought that David was quite the accomplished believer? I believe this was deliberately placed in God’s Word for our good. We will always be dependent on the God who never fails. Our work and our abilities may be limited, but we serve a God whose power and might is everlasting. We will always need His touch on our lives, especially if we are to ever have the strength to fight off the evil one who is on attack each and every day.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Lord, please finish every good thing that you’ve begun in me!

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, You are the Rock on which I stand, all other ground is sinking sand. You rescued me from a world of sin and destruction, into the light of Your wonderful grace. Thank You for loving me and saving me. Thank You for Your ongoing love and miraculous touch each and every day. Please Lord, continue to guide me, direct my every path, and help me to be a witness to the lost each and every day. Please continue to complete Your handiwork in my life each day until I reach satisfaction in Your eyes. I’m sure that will be when You welcome me into Your eternal home, but I plead your ongoing persistence to direct my path, so that others will never be misled. 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!

What To Expect

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

DATE POSTED Wednesday, 2023-02-15
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Luke 10:8-11; 16;
TRANSLATION: Living Bible (TLB)

BIBLE TEXT: 8-9 “If a town welcomes you, follow these two rules:
(1) Eat whatever is set before you.
(2) Heal the sick; and as you heal them, say, ‘The Kingdom of God is very near you now.’
10 “But if a town refuses you, go out into its streets and say, 11 ‘We wipe the dust of your town from our feet as a public announcement of your doom. Never forget how close you were to the Kingdom of God!’ 
16 Then he said to the disciples, “Those who welcome you are welcoming me. And those who reject you are rejecting me. And those who reject me are rejecting God who sent me.”

APPLICATION: When going on a trip, we anxiously try to ensure that we have everything packed, all traveling and hotel documents in order, and research on the points of interest we want to visit. For the 70 who were called by Jesus, their travel assignment started out quite differently, and I wonder how we would have accepted the advanced warnings handed to us by Jesus! Here are some interesting points that were quite different for the disciples, than anything we may have ever experienced:
1. I’m sending you out as lambs among wolves – Quite the opposite to what we try to plan for on our trips, right? There are public websites now that will tell you the safe countries to visit, but how many of us would go, if we knew that we were being sent into a country of ‘wolves’ or terrorists, or criminals, or gangs?
2. Take no money, or a beggar’s bag, or shoes, with you – I wonder if any in the civilized world would even consider leaving home for another country without any money?
3. Living accommodations – no hotels or inns, but to strictly live with families who will welcome in strangers. First of all, today it is virtually impossible to find anyone who would have a stranger come and live with them, not even church members or leaders. But there’s more – eat what they offer you and stay there for the duration of your trip. Can’t you hear the questions running through our mind about such an arrangement?
4. Accepted vs Unaccepted – Of course we will worry about whether the townspeople will accept us and our message. We don’t want to get caught in a bad situation. But Jesus knew this would be a worry to His disciples, so He paved the way – the minds and attitudes of the people, and He was therefore able to tell the disciples what to do, depending on how the people would react.
Friends, I believe that Jesus wanted to make sure His disciples knew that they were just messengers. Just follow the Master’s instructions and be ready to share His message of love and hope; heal the sick; live among the people; and tell them of their plight if they reject you and your message. Does that not ease the burden on us individually if we know that Jesus is in control; only He could speak directly to the hearts of the people; He is the great Healer, and He will heal as He sees fit; There’s no burden He can’t lift, and no heart too hard that He can’t soften, so just let Him be God. That’s not our role, and we must never try to assume the God position when it comes to meeting the needs of His people. I am convinced that things are no different today, so why are churches lacking in volunteers to serve around the ministries of the church? Why is there such a scare when missions trips are planned. Oh that we would learn to be like the disciples in our Scripture today – go in Jesus’ name, knowing that we don’t need to be Him, just listen to His voice, obey His call, and allow Him to be God – even through our simplicity and trust.

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, thank You for being so considerate as to explain everything in such detail for the 70 disciples as they were commissioned to go, tell, heal and show Jesus to the people. Our mission today sounds so familiar, and since we serve the same God, I am convinced that, since you are the same today as You were in Bible days, then You will calm our minds to understand how You are still in control and will guide, protect and provide for those who go in Your name. Perhaps a reader or listener is dealing with a decision to let go and let God have His way in their ministry and/or mission. I pray that You will speak through these simple devotional thoughts to encourage them and help them make decisions that will be pleasing to You. Use us Lord for Your kingdom work as You see fit. 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!

Faith – Protect It From The Adversary

On 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. 30 But when he realized how high the waves were, he became frightened and started to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he cried out. 31 Jesus immediately stretched out his hand and lifted him up and said, “What little faith you have! Why would you let doubt win?” 32 And the very moment they both stepped into the boat, the raging wind ceased. 33 Then 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!

What Trophy Will You Present To God

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

DATE POSTED Monday, 2023-02-13
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: 1 Thessalonians 2:11-12; 19-20;
TRANSLATION: Living Bible (TLB)

BIBLE TEXT: 11 We talked to you as a father to his own children—don’t you remember? – pleading with you, encouraging you and even demanding 12 that your daily lives should not embarrass God but bring joy to him who invited you into his Kingdom to share his glory.
19 For what is it we live for, that gives us hope and joy and is our proud reward and crown? It is you! Yes, you will bring us much joy as we stand together before our Lord Jesus Christ when he comes back again. 20 For you are our trophy and joy.

APPLICATION: I have a relative that owns and operates a hunting preserve. While he offers many different hunts, there are a few that add the description, and elite title of ‘Trophy’. Many hunters will stretch to afford a ‘Trophy Hunt’. The animal might be the biggest, or the prettiest or in some way the one considered the most prized by the owner. The Bible refers to man as God’s prized possession. So when we, who are called by His name, see His prized possession straying away from Him, or showing little interest in heaven as their eternal home, don’t you know that God admires the times that we deliberately make an effort to help that one turn from their wickedness and turn to God? That seemed to have been Paul’s intent in today’s Scripture. It seems like Paul’s act of service, his ministry, was so important, and was so dear to his heart, that he considered it a ‘trophy’ to go after, win, and present it to His Master! I believe it was the same prayers, blood, sweat and tears that led to Paul’s imprisonment. It was like Paul poured his very heart into his effort to minister for our Lord. I wonder how many times in our church life have we been so committed to the work of the Lord, that we can honestly tell God that we have poured out our heart through our love, our prayers, our compassion and our deeds for the folk we were ministering to? Some might respond, but I didn’t minister, I just taught Sunday School, or I just helped in the youth group, or I just worked in the kitchen at church. Unfortunately, that may be the problem. If we teach Sunday School so that we can share the love and teachings of Jesus Christ, and not just to fill a position and read a lesson plan, then we subject our hearts to the work of Jesus in and through us. It’s called ‘ministry’. If we work in the kitchen, it’s not because we are unqualified to do anything else, but we want to be the hands and feet of Jesus through every cup of coffee we serve or every piece of bread that we place on a plate. I believe this has caused me to think about ‘what might be something that, throught my years of ministry work, I might kneel at Jesus’ feet and present to Him in token form, as the ‘token’ or grand prize of my ministry! How about you my friend? Are you, or have you been, performing a task that no one else would accept at church, or are you expending your whole heart into facilitating the love of Jesus through you? I don’t believe we have to wait. Why not join me in placing our ‘Token’ at the feet of Jesus today? Yes, there may still be another one coming before God calls you home, but what is your greatest token to date?

BLESSING(S) NOTED: It is so awesome to imagine that God would use simple old us to share His love and His ministry with others who need a Savior! It’s because of His mercy and His amazing love that we ourselves are more than conquerors, and able to extend ourselves to be used by Him in blessing others!

PRAYER: Lord, I admit that only You can save a soul that’s destined for Hell. Thank You Lord for calling me to Your throne of grace, and thank You for Your amazing grace. Lord, as You work through Your Holy Spirit to produce a great work within me and give me the urgency to share my story with others, I pray that You will open their hearts and cause them to also surrender to Your call. Have the mind to share Jesus with others is such an honor, yet You have given me the desire to see folk saved and avoid the pit of Hell at all cost. Please continue to do a good work in me, and in the lives of my readers and listeners so that we might be warriors that will go the extra mile in order to introduce someone to Jesus. 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!