Man-Made vs God’s Laws

On 2021-02-212021-02-20 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Teacher, Teachings, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Sunday, 2021-02-21
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: Matthew 15:5-9
TRANSLATION: Living Bible (TLB)

BIBLE TEXT: ^5-6But you say, ‘Even if your parents are in need, you may give their support money to the church^[a] instead.’ And so, by your man-made rule, you nullify the direct command of God to honor and care for your parents. ⁷You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, ⁸‘These people say they honor me, but their hearts are far away. ⁹Their worship is worthless, for they teach their man-made laws instead of those from God.’^[b]”

OBSERVATION: I try very hard to share commentary on Scripture where God has spoken to me first. Perhaps God will also use this devotional to draw your attention to what He wants to share with you today. Try clicking on my Scripture link so that you could read all of chapter 15, just to make sure you don’t take my chosen verses out of context. Let God minister to you today through His Word.

APPLICATION: Over time, mankind has honed in on certain Scriptures that various leaders ‘hang their hat on’, and because of differences of opinion, these leaders split off and started respective denominations. I Have no doubt that there are numerous great preachers out there, and perhaps we should permit them to use their God-given gifts to teach and preach the gospel of Jesus Christ In whatever setting they see fit. However, for the poor sinner who might be trying to decide on which church to become a part of, it must be extremely challenging for them to decide, based on the various beliefs out there, and the tone of the various worship services. I’m not here to promote either one in particular, nor am I here to denounce any. However, I would implore you to examine the teachings of any church you are looking to attend, and be sure that they are aligned with the Word of God. In our Scripture today Jesus found a case where some were giving to the church in accordance with their teaching, however this was at the expense of not adhering to the teachings of God to rightfully care for their loved ones. Friends, it is important that you get into a personal study of the Bible, for It is God’s word to you about His commands that He wants you to follow, and His character that He wants you to imitate. When we try to accomplish each of these things, God will give us wisdom to identify teachings that may tend to misguide us. I know, you are just a simple individual with limited education and the Bible seems so complex to understand. I will agree with that statement, especially when you approach the study and understanding of the Word on your own wisdom and abilities. Let me suggest: try using a translation that is easy for you to understand; seek God before you study, and ask Him to give you wisdom to see and understand what He has in store for you to learn; Ask God to soften your heart so that you may apply the Word to you first. Way too often we could easily see how badly others need correction, while all the while overlooking how badly God needs to work in our life. I sincerely pray that you will not become more confused in hearing my advice to check out the belief’s of your church, or one you are looking to attend. But Brothers and Sisters you must understand that the Preachers, Teachers and leaders running your church, are fellow human beings, and while many will painfully seek God’s wisdom on what He would have them do and say, there are many who do not. You have an obligation to the Master to understand His Word correctly so that you may obediently follow in the path He has set out before you. Have your Bible with you in Bible study and in church services, so that you may validate what the Word says about a subject and not jut be gullible to what the preacher says. Jesus found that His people were allowing their loved ones to perish for lack of financial means, while being obedient to their local churches in providing for their means. There is a fine line here with the subject of tithing, so please seek the face of God for direction on what changes you should make, if any, in your giving to the work of the Lord.

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, I’m afraid that we have become so accustomed to instant service through fast food drive-thrus; through microwaves; and through prepackaged meals, that we hardly want to take the time to study the Bible for ourselves, so that we might receive direction from you. We may tend to think that it is so much quicker to let someone else teach us the Word. Please help us to always remember that You took no shortcuts for us, for You suffered beatings, scorn from the crowds and total humiliation when You hung on the cross at Calvary. If we are sincere in our commitment to give You rule over our lives and to honor and praise You always – whether here on earth and in eternity in heaven, then the most important thing we could do is to devote ourselves to reading Your Word and waiting patiently for Your still small voice. Please Lord, assume Your rightful place in our hearts and direct our lives as You see fit. 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!

Overwhelmed By The Power of Jesus

On 2021-02-202021-02-19 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, God's Power, Miracles, Needs, Power of God, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Saturday, 2021-02-20
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: Matthew 14:32-33
TRANSLATION: The Passion Translation (TPT)

BIBLE TEXT: 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.^[j] They said in adoration, “You are truly the Son of God!”

OBSERVATION: Think about a time in your life where you witnessed the awesome power, love and/or grace of the Master. As you do, I believe you will better identify with the disciples who had just witnessed the miracles of: walking on the water; saving a distracted disciple and calming the rough and troubled waters around them. Perhaps you also will be refreshed in your spirit and led to the feet of the Master where you will simply and sincerely worship Him, because you are reminded of the true Son of God!

APPLICATION: What might your ‘rough waters’ look like today? You know, the ones that may be causing you to feel all alone – even by the Master? These might be: Perhaps sickness – for we have sure heard about more complex, no cure type sicknesses lately; Perhaps loss of loved ones – for this COVID virus has been responsible for many deaths, including some of our very closest relatives; Perhaps rough financial waters – for many have been unemployed over the past year while businesses closed to help ward off the spread of the deadly COVID virus. Whatever it is, we just hurt, and we feel so alone – in fact, we sometimes feel like Jesus must have passed right on by us. As we reflect on this Biblical story, I believe that Jesus must be amused at times with His children! I’m sure that when the storms arose on the lake that night, the disciples must have been crying out to God for help? Yet when Jesus approached, the disciples were afraid that it was a ghost! Were they not expecting God to respond to their cries for help? What about us, don’t we seem just as shocked and surprised when we see help coming our way? In fact, don’t we tend to immediately think that we have fallen into ‘good luck’? Oh for the faith of Peter once he received confirmation that it was Jesus approaching the boat, for Peter asked Jesus if he could also walk on water towards Him. Yes, he asked Jesus to perform a miracle by having him do the impossible in man’s eyes – walk on water. There are a lot of sermons preached around the idea of this miracle and all that took place, but I would rather have us apply this scenario to our own personal situations where we cry out to Jesus in our times of need. How often are we willing to ‘step out of the boat’ (a secure place) and trust God to do all that He is capable of doing? My mind goes to a kidney donor who knows that they could save the life of a loved one or friend if they donate their kidney to them, but how many are willing to risk their own lives in the bold effort to donate and extend life for a loved one? There are some neat examples of the power of our awesome God in this story that might give us confidence: The disciples had been rowing all night (it was about 4am when Jesus met up with them) yet Jesus got to them just in time to help save them. He may have walked the whole way from the edge of the lake, or He may have just appeared a short ways from the boat. Nonetheless, He miraculously caught up with them without a boat. These men had never before seen anyone walk on water, as they were always of the understanding that was impossible, yet Jesus did it, and He authorized Peter to do it. This was no ordinary man! As Jesus and Peter entered the boat, the rough waters subsided. God made the waters, and only He could manage their actions, so the men immediately knew that Jesus was indeed God. So what about us? Do we need a personal miracle like Peter and the disciples witnessed? Or can we, in faith, believe that the same Jesus who walked on water, had Peter walk on water, and calmed the waters of the lake, is the same Jesus who we call on for our respective needs today? Friends, our Father is very capable of still performing miracle after miracle even for us. There’s no problem or difficulty that God can’t handle, and we know that He loves us immeasurably, so we must have faith to believe that He will ‘walk on water’ or take whatever steps necessary to help us in our time of need, hurt and/or difficulty. Like the disciples who witnessed all that took place that night, imagine how we also will bend our knees before the Father and worship Him from the overflow of blessings, healing and love poured out on us. Friends, we serve an awesome, all-powerful God who is able to not only meet our needs, but to exceed our wildest expectations. Let us worship Him from the very depths of our heart for all His goodness today and every day.

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, I have no doubt that You are well aware of the ‘rough waters’ my friends and I are facing these days here on earth. Thank You for reminding us about the way You arrived on the scene of trouble for Peter and his fellow disciples at just the right time. Many times we feel like we are in a state of urgency and need You here with us at your earliest convenience. What a comfort to know that our Father is all-powerful and very capable of handling our ‘rough waters’ when we call on You. Please continue to guide us, protect us and reassure us of Your love, and that You will once again walk on water, if need be, to meet with us and handle our emergency. We love You Lord, and look forward to being in Your presence where we might worship You endlessly. While here on earth, please use us for Your glory, to encourage others who need You. AMEN!

God Will Supply Our Needs

On 2021-02-19 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, God our Provider, Needs, Praise, Provider, Recognize God, Worship1 Comment

DATE WRITTEN: Friday, 2021-02-19
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: Matthew 14:19-21
TRANSLATION: The Passion Translation (TPT)

BIBLE TEXT: ¹⁹Then he had everyone sit down on the grass as he took the five loaves and two fish. He looked up into heaven, gave thanks to God, and broke the bread into pieces. He then gave it to his disciples, who in turn gave it to the crowds. ²⁰And everyone ate until they were satisfied, for the food was multiplied in front of their eyes!^[f] They picked up the leftovers and filled up twelve baskets full! ²¹There were about five thousand men who were fed, in addition to many women and children!

OBSERVATION: The crowd followed Jesus with hopes of seeing miracles performed, but little did they know that He was also capable of meeting their physical needs – like food. We are such a peculiar people, for we seek Jesus for our specific hurts and ailments while He knows so much more about what lies just ahead, that may impact us tomorrow. Perhaps today we will be reminded that He is God and that He knows what we need, in spite of our human limitations.

APPLICATION: After foot surgery, I remember returning to my Podiatrist and complaining of continued pain. He assessed the problem and remarked that had he known that I also had issues with another part of my foot, he could have also taken care of that while in surgery the first time. The crowd, mentioned in today’s Scripture, followed Jesus because they had similar ailments to those He had already healed, so they were hoping that they might be next in line. Of course they had also heard that Jesus was the promised Messiah, so they wanted to evaluate His ministry and determine for themselves if He truly was, who He said He was. The disciples had been with Jesus for a while now, and they had witnessed many miracles, yet they were still ‘worry warts’. They wanted the approval of Jesus to shoo the crowds away so that they could feed themselves, but just as in our world today, there is little chance that a crowd of 10,000 to 20,000 people would go down a hillside, walk into their homes and prepare supper, for many were probably from miles away. Besides that, what would the crowd think if the ‘miracle worker’ sent them away because He wasn’t capable of feeding them, or didn’t care about their hunger? Friends, Jesus knew all about the thoughts, actions and worries of the crowd, and He knew what worried His disciples. The Scriptrue declares that ALL things are possible with God, so of course Jesus knew how He could deal with the situation at hand. His disciples needed one more mighty act of God to strengthen their belief in their walk with Jesus. They needed reminding that instead of defaulting to a belief that something is impossible, they should run to the Master and seek His direction, or ask for His awesome mighty works. Does that sound a little like how you feel when life hits you head on with overwhelming challenges? Are you more apt to whine, complain and seek pity from your family and friends, or are you strong enough in your faith that you run to Jesus and seek His power over your situation? In our story today, Jesus didn’t stand for the crowd to go hungry – He loved them too much for that. Jesus saw the weakness and lack of faith in His disciples, and He wouldn’t stand for that. So He took charge and told the disciples and the crowd what to do, as He performed yet another miracle in their midst. This was a display of compassion, and a reenforcement of courage and faith for His disciples. I sincerely believe that today God knows what each of our needs are, and I am convinced that He is still all-powerful, all-loving and all-caring, and He will never leave us alone. He wants us to recognize Him as Father, Almighty God, Healer, Forgiver of our sins and our Eternal Father. Let’s me encourage you to place your faith and trust in God first, before you ever begin to worry or fret about life’s circumstances. He loves you dear friend!

PRAYER: Thank You for loving us enough, that You gave the very best available to You – Your one and only Son. Thank You for caring enough that You fed the thousands of people on that hillside in our story today. Thank You for the promises of Your Word in declaring that You will never leave us alone nor forsake us, for You came to rescue us from the evil of this world so that we may assume our rightful place next to You in heaven. Lord, we are overwhelmed with Your goodness and we are sorry that we ever resort to worry over the various challenges here on earth. Please help us to recognize the acts of provision and healing and encouragement that You place inside of us at just the right moments when we need it. Oh that others might see Jesus alive and active inside of us each and every day, so that they too might desire to know You personally. AMEN!

Your Sins Will Find You Out

On 2021-02-182021-02-17 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Forgiven, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Worship1 Comment

DATE WRITTEN: Thursday, 2021-02-18
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: Genesis 38:24-26
TRANSLATION: Contemporary English Version (CEV)

BIBLE TEXT: ²⁴About three months later someone told Judah, “Your daughter-in-law Tamar has behaved like a prostitute, and now she’s pregnant!”
“Drag her out of town and burn her to death!” Judah shouted.
²⁵As Tamar was being dragged off, she sent someone to tell her father-in-law, “The man who gave me this ring, this cord, and this walking stick is the one who got me pregnant.”
²⁶“Those are mine!” Judah admitted. “She’s a better person than I am, because I broke my promise to let her marry my son Shelah.”…..

OBSERVATION: As a youngster you may have told mom that it wasn’t you who stole from the peanut butter jar, while all the while showing evidence all around your mouth! Perhaps you’ve been holding on to sin, while hoping that you have done a good job covering up the instigator of such behavior. Judah thought that he had done a good job covering up for his sin, but it didn’t work out like he had planned. How much are you covering up?

APPLICATION: Isn’t it amazing how smart we think we are? Even if no one else agrees with us, we know that we are smarter than almost anyone else around us! Ha! How we blind ourselves to things that others obviously see in the open! Judah thought that his one night stand with a supposed prostitute would remain just between them two and that no one else noticed. Moses had a similar incident when he slaughtered an Egyptian. He also thought that no one witnessed the altercation and therefore it would just be an unfortunate incident in the course of his life. In both cases, each of the individuals were identified after the incidents occurred. But I felt led to ponder this today with you, because there may be some who are hanging on to mishaps, or sins, that you feel no one will ever find out about. The good news is that you are right, no one here on earth may ever know about your wicked deeds of the past, or your sin that you committed in very private situations. However, I believe that for the child of God, we must be extremely careful not to underestimate the power of the God of this universe, for He is omniscient- knows everything about everything; He is omnipresent- meaning that He is always present in every situation; and He is omnipotent – meaning that He is all powerful. So what is it that you are convinced that only you know about? Have you given thought to what you might say when God questions you about those private, embarrassing, sinful moments that you hoped no one else would know about? Friends, I don’t believe that God wants us to stand before the world and proclaim our sins, but I do believe that He expects His children who are called by His name and claim His righteousness, to be truthful, honest and totally transparent before Him. Of course this means that if we are questioned about these things here on earth, we should be truthful, for He is also there during the questioning. Imagine, if we lie to our fellow Brothers and Sisters about our sins. Do you suppose they will receive the truth from us when we tell them about our Savior? At conversion, we asked God for forgiveness of our sin, and I am confident that He forgave us and washed us white as snow. In God’s eyes then, we are sinless. However to to world, they know about the sins we committed. That never goes away. We can only pray that God will allow them to see Jesus when they look at us, and not the sin that we ignorantly committed before our relationship with Christ. If we lie about it, the world may really question if there really was a change in our lives. Let me encourage all my readers to join me in being transparent to the world, while being totally honest and committed to the King of all kings and Lord of all lords. Some day soon, we will see Jesus face-to-face, I pray that we will have no regrets.

PRAYER: Precious Lord Jesus, our only perfect and righteous God. Thank you for looking, even in Your perfection, and forgiving us of our sins and failures. You created us, and therefore knew that we would give in to the sin of this world. But praise to our wonderful Lord, I am convinced that You also honored our request for forgiveness, and You cleansed us of all our sin. Please help us to always be conscious of whose we are, and may we be determined to live a perfect life, even as You are perfect in every way. Please help us to never feel like we could hide anything from You, for we know that as we honor You, we will stay true to Your commands. Please forgive us when we fail Lord, help us in our weakness to remain focused on You, so that others will see Jesus, and not our weak and mortal lives. AMEN!

What Will You Do With Jesus?

On 2021-02-172021-02-16 By Ed AlgreenIn Acceptance, Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Rejection, Worship1 Comment

DATE WRITTEN: Wednesday, 2021-02-17
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: Matthew 13:54-57
TRANSLATION: Easy-to-Read Version (ERV)

BIBLE TEXT: ⁵⁴He went to the town where he grew up. He taught the people in the synagogue, and they were amazed. They said, “Where did this man get such wisdom and this power to do miracles? ⁵⁵Isn’t he just the son of the carpenter we know? Isn’t his mother’s name Mary, and aren’t his brothers James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas? ⁵⁶And don’t all his sisters still live here in town? How is he able to do these things?” ⁵⁷So they had a problem accepting him.
But Jesus said to them, “People everywhere give honor to a prophet, but in his own town or in his own home a prophet does not get any honor.”

OBSERVATION: Have you ever gone to a concert, to a church, or to watch a movie, and was shocked by what the star, or church leader looked like? He just was not what you had pictured in your mind. In fact, there was such a difference that you found it difficult accepting what he had to say, or sing. As we meditate on the Scripture today, we will see an example of where something very similar happened to Jesus in His hometown. The people had to choose whether they would accept His ministry, or not, for He was just a boy from their little town. Nobody really special.

APPLICATION: I believe that in our day, many churches thrive when the preacher is charismatic, the praise and worship team reminds attendees of a rock band, and the congregation could attend the services without ever being pestered about working hours and hours in helping the work of the ministry move forward. Unfortunately, many of these attendees may have been ‘burnt’ in some previous church/ministry, and they are looking for a place to worship without ever placing themselves at risk to be hurt again. But our Scripture today highlights the importance of setting aside any preconceived ideas about an individual, and accepting God’s messenger who brings God’s message to change the minds of sinners about the kingdom of God. I have served on many committees tasked with the job of finding a new pastor for a church. It is amazing what input we received from our respective congregations about what they wanted to see in a new pastor. Occasionally there was a congregant who may have desired the new prospect to be an excellent teacher of the Word of God, but way too often they wanted the needs of their own families met by someone who cared. Friends, I believe that when God sends a church leader or teacher to our church, He may deliberately send us someone who may not fit the mold we have in mind, because He wants our undivided attention. There was a pastor that I served under, who had a note on the pulpit to remind him every time he stood there, and the note read ‘Oh that they may see Jesus’. What a testimony of an honest man who wanted to be used by the Master in His ministry to the local church. I believe that in today’s Scripture we are challenged to walk into our places of worship with the intent to worship the great God of this universe and to hear how the proclamation of the Word may challenge our wicked hearts, so that we may be shaped into better soldiers of the cross that would enable others to see the image and works of the Holy Spirit – even in and through our lives as we go about our average day at work, in social clubs, in our families and especially when among unsaved friends. I believe that when we beg God to help us enjoy this type of relationship with Him, we would not be tempted to tear down our pastors or church leaders, who are still a work in process, by God. For we will quickly be reminded of that old spiritual ‘It’s me, it’s me oh Lord, standing in the need of prayer’, not just that old, dull preacher. In conclusion, please allow me to remind you that verse 58 reads: Jesus did not do many miracles there, because the people did not believe in him. Please don’t be guilty of shooing away the work of the Master in your life, in the life of your church, or in any other area of life in which you are involved. Look and listen to the work of God through His messengers, whoever they may be. To reject them, is like rejecting God who sent them.

PRAYER: Dear Lord Jesus, it’s sad to see that Your own townspeople rejected You in Your ministry among them. Too often we are saddened by the way our local pastors are treated, for we acknowledge that they are still human and will make mistakes as long as they are here on earth. Sadly, we are also reminded that You didn’t stick around to help your town’s people, since they showed no interest in listening to Your teaching nor in the miracles that You wrought in their midst. Unfortunately, I don’t believe that our people have learnt a lot from Your reaction to rejection, so I beg of You today Lord to touch our hardened, prideful, condemning hearts and cause us to reflect on the gift of personal sacrifice You offered for us, while we were yet filthy, dirty, sinners. Please help us to accept You and Your precious love for us, even when it makes no sense to us, or even if it is not packaged the way we may expect. Thank You again for making our way clear for a personal relationship with the Master of this universe, and entry into Your heaven. AMEN!

It’s Time To Respond

On 2021-02-162021-02-15 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Salvation, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Tuesday, 2021-02-16
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: Matthew 13:41-43

TRANSLATION: The Passion Translation (TPT)

BIBLE TEXT: ⁴¹The Son of Man will send his messengers, and they will uproot everything out of his kingdom. All the lawless ones and everything that causes sin will be removed. ⁴²And they will throw them into the fiery furnace, where they will experience great sorrow, pain, and anguish.^[v] ⁴³Then the godly ones will shine like the brightness of the sun^[w] in their Father’s kingdom realm. If you’re able to understand this, then you’d better respond!”

OBSERVATION: The wicked ones, or the ungodly, or the unbelievers will be given over to their leader – Satan. While the believers, or the Christians, or those who claim Jesus Christ as Lord, will shine brightly in heaven with their Master and Lord. This doesn’t work like the lottery, but rather by the decision that you make today while you are still alive. Try sharing with one another today which of these options will be your declaration. Perhaps saying it aloud will help you make sure that you are satisfied with the decision you have made.

APPLICATION: Praise God He does not decide on our eternal destiny based on our looks, our attitude, the color of our skin, the country where we were born nor the parents who took part in our birth. The Scripture is very clear that God made us smart enough that He was comfortable we would be capable of making our own decisions. In the Book He gave to us as our guide, He reminded us that:
> We were created to worship, adore and serve our risen Lord;
> God gave us free will to make our own decisions while here on earth, and He has agreed to honor our decision, even though it would sadden Him to see us make very bad decisions;
> God sent His only Son as our Savior to save us from the sin that He was sure we would give in to;
> God knew that some would accept His gift of salvation, and some won’t. So He made it very clear what the impact would be as a result of our own choices;
> God is a fair and righteous Judge, and He will not waiver in His judgment, especially where He knows our every thought and action. He never plays favorites;
Friends, the above points are not what the writer thinks, or points that I devised to make judgment on you. Each of these things can be supported by Scripture, and God never lied. We serve a very fair, honest and righteous God. And I am convinced that He will do what He said He would do. The decision is therefore yours to make, about what will be your eternal destiny after you close your eyes in death. However, know that you only have this life to make that decision. From the point of death and for all eternity, your days will be spent enduring the decisions you made while alive on earth. The answers given in today’s Scripture makes it clear what will be your outcome should you be called out from the world at the moment of reading this devotional. You are not promised a given date for your departure. Some die at ripe old ages, while many die while they are still young. Let me beg you to make a good decision right now on where you stand in your relationship with God. Know Him today my friend, and have that peace of mind that should He take you out today, you are satisfied with the choice you have made for all eternity. God created you, and He wants you to be with Him forever. Don’t disappoint Him.

PRAYER: Lord, we are often ecstatic when we go for a test after just being given the cheat-sheet to study the answers. You have done exactly that. You gave us Your precious Word, and You outlined exactly what will result from the decisions we make today. All those who stumble across this devotional will be smart enough to understand the Scripture quoted above. Please soften hearts that we will not again read the consequences of our decisions and still go on doing what we’ve always done. Your Word is a lamp unto our path. May we follow in the light and rejoice with the angels as we look into Your wonderful face one day soon when You call us home to glory! AMEN!

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!

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!

The Difference Between Wheat and Weeds

On 2021-02-132021-02-12 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Saturday, 2021-02-13
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: Matthew 13:24-26
TRANSLATION: New Century Version (NCV)

BIBLE TEXT: ²⁴Then Jesus told them another story: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who planted good seed in his field. ²⁵That night, when everyone was asleep, his enemy came and planted weeds among the wheat and then left. ²⁶Later, the wheat sprouted and the heads of grain grew, but the weeds also grew.

OBSERVATION: When in the presence of fishermen, it is best to speak in terms of their profession. The same applies to farmers, and Jesus was well aware of this when He shared the story of planting seeds. You may not be a farmer, but I’m hoping that we all will be reminded of the challenges we face as Christians – even in the church, when ‘weeds’ suddenly appear.

APPLICATION: The problem with following the example of a friend or neighbor, is that you may not know the full reason for what they are doing. You might see them coming home in the wee hours of the morning and assume that they are finally coming home from the nightclub, and this may be the case. However, I remember coming home at 4am after completing a volunteer schedule at a 24hr Prayer Room. A far cry from what you may have assumed! In the illustration of the weeds growing among the wheat, you will notice that the farmer didn’t want the weeds pulled up, because in many cases the wheat may have also been pulled up. So how do we handle situations in our church where we were sure that Christians found respite and thrived in a place filled with righteous Christians, but to our surprise ‘weeds’ seem to be taking over since many started following a popular guy that just joined the church? Why do things like that happen? Do you suppose that guy is exactly who he claimed to be? Do you suppose he is as close to Jesus as he led on to be? What if Satan planted him plum in the middle of our church to test us and see what we truly believe individually? Do you feel close enough to God, and on a sure footing in His Word? Will you hear God nudging you to be careful and to grow personally in your relationship with your Father every day? Or are you so comfortable with what the teacher shares with you and his class, that you wait and soak up his words in class once per week? Notice that the farmer couldn’t identify the wheat from the weeds until the wheat plants bore fruit. I wonder what fruit the Master will identify in us? I’m afraid that some of the weeds we see in our churches that might stunt the fruit of believers are: false teaching to an audience ignorant of the Word; many forms of gossip; tearing another brother or sister down; falsely accusing; snitching on someone without all the facts; no interest in helping another weaker brother or sister; overlooking needs that exist among members, neighbors or even family. Friends, I feel like our object should always be to enrich our relationship with the Master, for with Him shining brightly in and through every action and/or word, others will see Him and not the parts that we pretend to be in and of our own selves. May our relationship be so strong with Jesus that He will choke out the weeds and/or evil that tries to take root right in our churches, families and/or neighborhoods where we find ourselves involved. Remember, wheat will provide food, strength, and good things for all who partake of it, while weeds are a nuisance and will only choke out the good that could be achieved for the Kingdom of God.

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, we often seem astonished that the church is not growing, and we ponder what might be the problem, or who might be responsible for stunting the growth. In this teaching I believe that You are pointing us to look inward and sure up our relationship with You, so that the weeds that have begun to grow right next to us will not prevail. Lord we need You each and every day to keep us strong and keep us focused on You, so that weeds will find no nourishment from our weaknesses. Please keep us near the cross oh Lord, and keep us strong in our faith so that You may work through us to strengthen those around is with the fruit that we will bear. May You be honored, praised and lifted up, oh Lord, my Rock and my Salvation. AMEN!

Analyzing For entry into God’s Kingdom

On 2021-02-122021-02-12 By Ed AlgreenIn Faith, Rewards, TrustLeave a comment

Friday, 2021-02-12

Bible Reference: Matthew 13:41-43
Translation: Contemporary English Version (CEV)

Bible Text: ⁴¹The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will gather from his kingdom everyone who does wrong or causes others to sin. ⁴²Then he will throw them into a flaming furnace, where people will cry and grit their teeth in pain. ⁴³But everyone who has done right will shine like the sun in their Father’s kingdom. If you have ears, pay attention!

OBSERVATION: The Holy Spirit impacted me as I read through these verses today and caused something to really pop out to get my attention. Jesus said in verse 41 that His angels will gather from HIS kingdom – meaning HIS children, in other words – those who claimed to belong to the Master, and they would be taken out and thrown into the flaming furnace. I believe it is important for us to really meditate on, and understand, this Scripture lesson today.

APPLICATION: To read that there are thorns among the wheat, and that these thorns will stunt the growth of the wheat, if left there during the growing period, is mind boggling. Yet we are told that the thorns should remain there. What do we make of this? I believe we would understand it very clearly if the Scripture said that those thorn bushes must be removed and burned, so that the wheat would mature without hindrance from the weeds. But that’s not exactly what Jesus said, is it? In my studies, I found out that back in verse 24 and following, Jesus told His audience that these weeds were planted to look just like the wheat, as they grew together. But let us consider this idea in its proper context. For example, in our beautiful, plush and proper churches today. Wouldn’t it be extremely challenging to look out over our congregation, or even rub shoulders with many of them, and try to imagine that some will produce fruit (wheat) during their lifetime, while others are uncommitted and are their as decoys (known as ‘weeds’ in this Scripture). However, Jesus reminds us that because everyone walking through our doors are dressed just like us, look just like us, sing just like us, and may even give to the ministry just like us, we must not conclude that they are children of the kingdom. In Psalm 1:5, we are told that “sinners will have no place among the saved” on Judgment Day. Therefore let us pay close attention to what Jesus is teaching here. Friends, I believe that way too often we look at what our coworker is succeeding at, or how happy that new Sunday School member seems to be in their life, and we start emulating their lifestyle, or we join them in the things that seem to successfully bring joy in their life. But Jesus is teaching us today that we have only one role model, only one Savior and only one Lord. He tells us throughout His Word how we are to seek His righteousness, and the things of this world will grow strangely dim. I believe that when we start desiring what another person has – whether it’s happiness, a great spouse, wonderful children, a healthy lifestyle, an expensive car, etc., then we are permitting ourselves to seek our happiness and pleasure in another person (wheat or thorns), rather than in the joy, peace and wisdom of our almighty God, who proved His love for us on Calvary. In our times of meeting at church, or any gathering, with fellow believers, or those we assume are fellow believers, we tend to lift up and encourage each other. But let us always remember that we are there for one purpose only – to corporately lift up the name of Jesus and worship Him from the very depths of our heart. It’s a given fact that some fellow church members may have more knowledge than us about the teachings of God, and some may even have experienced miracles from God, but if you miss your one-on-one encounter with your Maker, and if you confuse His direction that He has planned for your life, by following the lead of your fellow worshipper, then you are missing out on the importance of corporate worship. Remember, He has laid out a plan for you, and that plan will involve experiences that you may totally miss, if you receive your guidance and leadership from a friend. We all must accept Jesus individually, and we all must seek His perfect will for our individual lives, if we are to live the perfect life He has in store for us. How are you doing with this dear friend? Do you have a really intimate relationship with Jesus, and listening to His every command for your life? If not, let me encourage you to seek Him while He may be found. Draw near to Him, my friend, and He will draw near to you. You are the apple of His eye. He loves You and would like nothing better than to welcome you through the gates of Heaven when He calls you out of this world. Sure things up today, won’t you?

PRAYER: A challenging parable, but a much needed message for each of us today, dear God. Thank You for speaking to us in such unexpected, but important ways throughout Your Word. Thank You for drawing our attention to the real source of revival in our land. It’s not my brother, or my sister, but it’s me oh Lord, standing in the need of prayer and needing to draw even closer to You. Please speak to the hearts and souls of Your people today. Draw us to yourself, so that all doubt will be removed whether we are Yours – redeemed by the blood of the Lamb. Lord, may those who are considered ‘weeds’ in our midst be reminded of the One in whose name they’re are known. Encourage them to grow in their relationship with You and cement their decision to follow You until Your return. People still need the Lord – yes especially those who feel comfortable in church, even without ever having experiencing You in their lives. May today be the day that they are introduced to the Master, and may they surrender their whole being to You and to Your will for their life. AMEN!

The Heart of a Godly Man

On 2021-02-112021-02-10 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Clean Heart, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Thursday, 2021-02-11
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: Genesis 33:5; 10-11; 20 ;
TRANSLATION: Contemporary English Version (CEV)

BIBLE TEXT: ⁵…. “Whose children are these?” – Jacob answered, “These are the ones the Lord has been kind enough to give to me, your servant.”
¹⁰….. When you welcomed me and I saw your face, it was like seeing the face of God. ¹¹Please accept these gifts I brought to you. God has been good to me, and I have everything I need.”Jacob kept insisting until Esau accepted the gifts.
²⁰then he set up his tents and built an altar there to honor the God of Israel.

OBSERVATION: In my time of meditation in the Word today, I was overwhelmed by the heart of Jacob. So I want to share my thoughts with you in hopes that you too might be reenergized to serve God and be more at peace with Him, like Jacob was.

APPLICATION: When two individuals reunite after a long absence, what do you suppose might help them to trust each other on where they stand today? We tend to remember each other in looks and in all other aspects, based on the last time we spent time together. But what if they may have done criminal acts and possibly been punished through imprisonment, during the interim time? Do you suppose you might be more careful with what areas of your life you allow them into? The last time that Jacob saw Essau, was the awful time where Essau changed his identity to that of his brother (Jacob) in order to receive a blessing from their father, and the birthright left by their father at death. Jacob had to leave so that he wouldn’t have created a crime against his brother. Being left as the son in charge of the father’s estate, must have created great fear in Jacob as he approached his brother, Essau. But he was convinced that God had ordered him to return to his home place. I used the ‘BOLD’ option to show the phrases that touched me, but let me expand:
~ These are the ones the Lord has been kind enough to give to me, your servant – No bragging by Jacob, but simply giving God the praise for the children given to him. I wish that I could be that humble to respond like Jacob!
~ it was like seeing the face of God – Hopefully we all have taken time to think about what God might look like, and how He might react when He sees us. Excited or hesitant? Overjoyed or a bit disappointed at the time we wasted here on earth? Jacob didn’t say that his brother appeared just like he expected, or that he looked in a much better frame of mind than he expected, but he likened him to what he expects to see on Judgment Day. Wow!!
~ God has been good to me, and I have everything I need – Can you think of a man who every said that he had enough, and that he would now gladly share his worth with the rich or the poor? Jacob begged Essau to receive the gift he was giving to him, because God had been so good to bless him with everything he would ever need. I truly believe that God will bless us with so much more, if only we had the heart of Jacob and gave freely to others!
~ built an altar there to honor the God of Israel – Shown as a top priority by Jacob, he built an altar to honor God immediately after settling on the new property that he bought for him and his family. Friends, when we bless God, I believe He will bless us all the more. Oh that we might yearn to worship the God who blesses us – immeasurably each and every day. Let’s not wait until the Sabbath to worship Him, for He doesn’t wait until then to bless us.
I believe that you could see where Jacob was truly motivated and blessed by God, and this exuded from him through his speech and his actions. If it’s in us, it will come out of us. Look for the ways that God cares and loves us, then worship Him in spirit and in truth as often as you are reminded. Others will get to know what God looks like through His children who are closely attuned to Him.

PRAYER: Thank You Lord, for Your blessings on me. Thank you also for Your ministry through Jacob and Essau. Though they started out rough in their relationship as brothers, yet they were able to reunite in peace and in love. Please Lord, touch Your people once again. May we be willing and ready to worship You and give You credit for all the things that take place that bless us, or teaches us a new truth, or challenges us to be better warriors here on earth. People need the Lord. Oh that they may see Jesus in us through every contact that they have with us. AMEN!

Nuggets From God's Word

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