Tag: Bible Fellowship Church of Sebring FL

Evidence of Attachment or Detachment

On By Ed AlgreenIn Branches, In Christ, Reflecting Christ, VineLeave a comment

THE HOLY BIBLE – John 15:15-8 – The Message (MSG):     “I am the Vine, you are the branches. When you’re joined with me and I with you, the relation intimate and organic, the harvest is sure to be abundant. Separated, you can’t produce a thing. Anyone who separates from me is deadwood, gathered up and thrown on the bonfire. But if you make yourselves at home with me and my words are at home in you, you can be sure that whatever you ask will be listened to and acted upon. This is how my Father shows who he is—when you produce grapes, when you mature as my disciples.

THOUGHTS: Throughout Jesus’ ministry He made it very clear that He only spoke what was given to Him by His Father, and He only did what was instructed Him by God also. Because of this it was virtually impossible to separate the character and work of Jesus from that of God. Now friends, let me be quick to say that in no way am I minimizing the work and uniqueness of the Trinity, for we could never explain the awesome work and power of that unity. But another way of relaying my point is that, if Jesus had acted differently from the Father, and went off on His own saying anything that came to His mind, would we truly look at Him as being inseparable from the Father? Would it be clear to us that He was on the same mission as His Father, or would we perhaps think that He had a totally different ministry to that of God? As ‘children of the King’, do you suppose that friends see us as being on mission for Jesus, or a rebel on a selfish or self-seeking mission, off doing our own thing, and attributing our connection to the Father when we find it necessary to try and validate our work? Friends, there is life, and power, and vitality in staying connected to our Savior, for when we do, we will not need to prove whose we are, it will be very obvious because of our obedience – and in spite of controversy, there will be miraculous results that can only be attributed to the power of God. We are merely instruments of God – servants in the work He has assigned to us. But remember friends, when we are detached from that power source, we are merely human pretenders who are so disjointed from God, that it will quickly become evident that we are total fakes, or ‘deadwood’, fit only for the bonfire. For those readers who have accepted Jesus as Lord, I hope that You will join me in seeking the face of Jesus and attaching ourselves so effectively to Him, that no storm or hardship will sever our graft to the Vine, and that our daily strength, protection and guidance will truly come from the Vine – the Christian’s true source of life, so that we may be worthy branches suitable for bearing fruit for the kingdom. If we are truly His, let’s commit ourselves wholeheartedly so that we may be of value to our Lord.

PRAYER: Dear Lord, I am so thankful that I serve a Savior who was obedient to our Father, that His words and His actions were those of the Father. Thank You for teaching us through Your humility; Your honesty; Your obedience; and Your love for Your Father, that You would never want to hurt Him by disobeying Him or trying to be independent of Him. Through accepting us as Your faithful servants; Your children; and Your followers, I believe that You have a strong desire for us to follow in Your footsteps and strive for obedience and total surrender to You, the ‘Vine’, so that You may nourish us (the branches) into usable vessels, worthy of being used to reach others for You (bearing fruit). Lord, it is very obvious that this sinful world in which we live, is in dire need of servants (branches) worthy of being used by You. Please inject us with a renewed desire to serve You wholeheartedly and to be so attached to You that Your love and power may flow freely through us. For those readers who will come across this and have not been introduced to the true ‘Vine’ yet, I pray that You will use this devotional to strongly impact them today. I humble ask all this in the precious name of Jesus, my true ‘Vine’ who brings everlasting peace, love and forgiveness to me daily, AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please speak with a local Bible Teaching pastor, or read through Biblical truths on How To Know Jesus, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com so that we can pray with you and give you help and or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Any words underlined above will 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 www.nuggetsfromgodsword.org and read more, or you may freely subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. If you are anywhere near the Highlands County, Florida area and do not have a church home, I would be thrilled to welcome you at Bible Fellowship Church, Sebring, FL! Click the link to check out service times and/or other special activities. God is at work among us! Please consider coming to worship with us!

Who Do You Think You Are?

On By Ed AlgreenIn Example, Humility, Mortals, RulersLeave a comment

THE HOLY BIBLE – Psalm 8:3-6 – The Good News Translation (GNT): 3 When I look at the sky, which you have made, at the moon and the stars, which you set in their places – what are human beings, that you think of them; mere mortals, that you care for them? 5 Yet you made them inferior only to yourself; you crowned them with glory and honor. You appointed them rulers over everything you made; you placed them over all creation:

THOUGHTS: I believe that most people who tend to be humble, would probably respond to the question “Who do you think you are?” by saying “Nobody”, because we tend to compare ourselves to many who seem to have their act together; or who are popular with the masses; or who are successful in their jobs; or who have, what appears to be, ‘perfect’ families – especially compared to ours. However, if we can get our noses out of Social Media, or out of computer screens or personal wireless devices, and take a good look at everything that God has created around us, then perhaps we might appreciate why David looked into the heavens and questioned God as to why would He think so much of mankind who, compared to everything else that God made, seem so imperfect and so easily distracted by evil, and who fail so often to follow God’s commands and desires. Friends, David did just this, for he records having looked into the glories of the sky long enough to admire its expanse, beauty and glory. He also recognized the moon and the stars – their perfection, their significance and of course, to just see them suspended in space. Yet our awesome, powerful and all-knowing God, created us – mankind, to be like Him and to be in charge of everything that He created. Can you even imagine how we could be rated so highly in God’s eyes? I wonder if the positive side of all this is just that God wanted folk, just like Him, to represent Him here on planet earth? To do the very things that He commanded, and follow the example that He set for us, so that like Him, we too might minister to the needs of others and lead them towards the knowledge and love of the Savior who died for them. I don’t know about you friend, but when I stop and consider how poorly I do in following Christ like He has commanded in His Word, I can hardly raise my eyes towards the heavens, for I am so ashamed of the ways that I must let my God down. In fact, if it was not for His love, and His promise of forgiveness, I wonder if I would even feel at ease approaching His throne. Friends, our God created us with an awesome purpose in mind. Let’s keep this foremost in our minds, and like Paul, let us set our eyes on the things before us, praise God for the awesome love that surrounds us, and let us press on daily to depend on Him more – with the goal of being more like Him in every way. Who are we? We are children of the King! We are very special and super loved by the Master of this universe! He’s our King! To God be all glory and honor, forever, AMEN!

PRAYER: Lord God, I thank You for creating me in Your image. There is so much to be done here on this earth so that no one will be left behind, for each one was made in Your image. I pray that my readers and I will draw closer to You today, so that we might be usable vessels here on this earth. We touch a lot of lives, so I humbly ask that You might anoint us to be worthy representatives that might impact lives for You. May we be more like You each day is my humble prayer that I ask in the name of Jesus, AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please speak with a local Bible Teaching pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com so that we can pray with you and give you help and or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Any words underlined above will 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 blogger.nuggetsfromgodsword.org and read more, or you may freely subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. If you are anywhere near the Highlands County, Florida area and do not have a church home, I would be thrilled to welcome you at Bible Fellowship Church, Sebring, FL! Click the link to check out service times and/or other special activities. God is at work among us! Please consider coming to worship with us!

How To Prove You Are A Follower of Christ

On By Ed AlgreenIn Follower of Christ, SincereLeave a comment

THE HOLY BIBLE John 13:34-35 – New Living Translation (NLT): 34 So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. 35 Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”

THOUGHTS: When you walk into a doctor’s office you will often see the walls plastered with a wide range of certifications they received, and the doctorate degree they earned upon graduating med school. Jesus knew that just as His authority was questioned while here on earth, His followers would also be questioned. So He prepared us for this by telling us how to prove we are His follower. First of all, unlike a doctor’s office where there are signs posted over the office door, we will not be recognized as a follower based on a name badge showing our title, nor a badge across our forehead. However, I believe that it will be evident from our outlook on life, for we will have such an appreciation for the Savior who gave His life so that we could expect life eternally with Him. Just as natural born children inherit the qualities of their parents, I believe that the more Christians learn about their heavenly Father and His teachings on how we should live, and follow the example that Jesus demonstrated while here on earth, then the more that we would be apt to follow in His teachings and example. For example, Jesus loved us enough that He gave His all for us. It is that kind of love that we are expected to demonstrate one for another. When we do, we will prove whose we are, to a world that is so self-centered and looking out for number one. In fact, the ‘Jesus’ kind of love demonstrated by us will be so different to that of the ordinary citizen of this world, that it will be immediately evident that something is different about us. How is it with you friend? Based on your God-like love for your fellow man, is it evident that Jesus is playing a major role in your life? If we only love those who show love to us, how does that make us any different to our friends of this world? If we only give because of what we expect to receive in return, does that make us any different to the average citizen of this world? When we think of ‘love’, we think of Jesus, for the Word of God says that “Jesus is LOVE”. Can the same be said of you and I Christian Brother and Sister? If not, we make it impossible for others to know that we are a follower of Christ, and why would they listen to our testimony or our witness, if we need preaching to ourselves?

PRAYER: Father it often seems like we are losing the battle to win the lost to You. Yet when we read passages like this one today, I believe You are telling us to make sure that those of us who claim You as Lord actually live like You demonstrated for us, and taught us throughout Your Word. In other words, I believe You are telling us to live out the talk, and to let our actions be reflective of Your actions and Your teachings. Then, perhaps, others might recognize that we are children of the King, and worthy of their attention. We can only do this with Your help and through Your power, oh Lord. Please hear our prayer and our heart’s desire, then fill us with Your power so that we may be true imitators of You. I ask all this in the precious name of Jesus, my Lord and Savior, AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please speak with a local Bible Teaching pastor, or read through Biblical truths on How To Know Jesus, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com so that we can pray with you and give you help and or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Any words underlined above will 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 www.nuggetsfromgodsword.org and read more, or you may freely subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. If you are anywhere near the Highlands County, Florida area and do not have a church home, I would be thrilled to welcome you at Bible Fellowship Church, Sebring, FL! Click the link to check out service times and/or other special activities. God is at work among us! Please consider coming to worship with us!

Do You Really Belong To Jesus?

On By Ed AlgreenIn Commitment, Salvation, SurrenderLeave a comment

THE HOLY BIBLE – John 13:6-10 – The Contemporary English Version (CEV): 6 But when he came to Simon Peter, that disciple asked, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” 7 Jesus answered, “You don’t really know what I am doing, but later you will understand.” 8 “You will never wash my feet!” Peter replied. “If I don’t wash you,” Jesus told him, “you don’t really belong to me.” 9 Peter said, “Lord, don’t wash just my feet. Wash my hands and my head.” 10 Jesus answered, “People who have bathed and are clean all over need to wash just their feet. And you, my disciples, are clean, except for one of you.”

THOUGHTS: There’s a lovely old hymn entitled ‘Are You Washed In the Blood of The Lamb‘, and unless we grasp the full understanding of those lyrics, we may miss the whole point of the song, and this scripture that we are looking at today. Friends, even in the case of the disciples, Jesus saw where it was necessary to challenge them into surrendering themselves fully. Way too often, I’m afraid that we make a decision to accept the Lord because of outside pressures – perhaps it was mom who prayed endlessly for us and provoked us at every opportunity to surrender to the call of Jesus. Perhaps it’s a spouse who is threatening to leave us, unless we give ourselves to the lordship of Jesus Christ. Or perhaps that old preacher who ‘bugs the tar out of us’ every time he sees us. Often when we do something for the sake of others, we tend to get them off our back, but nothing has really impacted our heart. For a moment, consider a decision made under one of the scenarios I just gave, and compare this to a case where God truly got a hold of your heart and caused you to personally, willingly, and not under any outside pressures, provoked you to personally decide that today is the day of salvation. In other words, you are personally seeking the face of Jesus. Which one would you suspect might have the longest lasting impact? Let’s remember, Jesus knew the heart of each disciple, so as He knelt before them to wash their feet He really knew and understood what the motives were behind their being there, and what was going on in their minds at the time. But friends, nothing has changed in the power of God to know and understand our hearts and our minds today. He knows how committed we truly are to Him. He knows whether our walk is sincere, or whether our words are the same around church as they are out in the field where we interact with abrasive coworkers. He knows if we claim Him as Lord on church day, but put Him ‘on a shelf’ until we need Him or find ourselves around church folk again. Friends, like Jesus told Peter, unless He washes every piece of our being with His cleansing power – His blood that was shed on Calvary for the cleansing of our sin, then our lives will be a farce, and we will always pretend that we are something that we really are not in our hearts. You know, this Christianity thing – this salvation thing – is all relational, it’s not a game, or a thing that is dependent on who could act this thing out the best. Is it truly evident from the way you live, that Jesus has truly gotten hold of your life, washed away the old selfish life of sin, and given you a brand new life where it is evident that you are not the ‘pilot’, but instead, you are led by the Savior of this world – the God of this universe, and the King of all kings? If not, may I encourage you to read God’s Word daily to seek His perfect will for your life? May I also encourage you to chat daily with our Lord? This opens the doors of communication with Him, and this is vital to every relationship – especially the one you should develop with Jesus Christ.

PRAYER: Father, I am concerned that many may be in the same boat as Peter, where they feel like they have everything under control – their control. Your Word is very clear that unless You wash us clean of all our sin, we are not really Yours. Please open the eyes of those pretending today, so that they may fully understand Your call on their lives. Please open eyes and soften hearts so that each reader will closely examine themselves and see the need for a thorough cleansing by You. Full surrender is a must, and I pray that no one will miss that point to consider seriously today. May You be very active in each of our lives today, is my humble and sincere prayer that I ask in the strong name of Jesus, AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please speak with a local Bible Teaching pastor, or read through Biblical truths on How To Know Jesus, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com so that we can pray with you and give you help and or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Any words underlined above will 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 www.nuggetsfromgodsword.org and read more, or you may freely subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. If you are anywhere near the Highlands County, Florida area and do not have a church home, I would be thrilled to welcome you at Bible Fellowship Church, Sebring, FL! Click the link to check out service times and/or other special activities. God is at work among us! Please consider coming to worship with us!

Lord, Lead Me

On By Ed AlgreenIn Guide me, Lead me, Mold meLeave a comment

THE HOLY BIBLE – Psalm 5:7-8 – Amplified Bible (AMP): 7 But as for me, I will enter Your house through the abundance of Your steadfast love and tender mercy; At Your holy temple I will bow [obediently] in reverence for You. 8 O Lord, lead me in Your righteousness because of my enemies; Make Your way straight (direct, right) before me.

THOUGHTS: I believe that there comes a time in each of our lives that we wake up one day and question ourselves as to why did we do, or say certain things the day before. For some, this may mean that you are now thinking with a sober mind about the occurrences while you were under the influence. For some, this may mean that because you were under the influence of the Holy Spirit, you remember words coming from your mouth over which you may recall not personally having any control or influence at all. I feel like David (the Psalmist) is reminding us here that it is only because of the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ that we could ever be worthy enough to enter into His presence and reverently seek His face. Let’s take a moment and consider the righteousness of Jesus Christ – He’s the One who was divinely sent by His Father through the miraculous virgin birth; He’s the One who mentioned over and over again in scripture that His words and His actions were those dictated by His Father (God); He’s the One through whom God chose to heal, and even raise the dead to life again; He’s the One who sacrificed His life on Calvary for our eternal salvation, but whom God brought back to life again on the third day. This, friends, is the Holy Son of God that we bow before in prayer. Who are we, to stand before such a holy, loving, miraculous God? Yet, as David discovered and recognized in verse 7, through the abundance of His steadfast love and tender mercy, He entertains our presence and listens to our prayers. Are you feeling humbled yet friend? I certainly am! So let us not come before our Lord and Savior flippantly, or irreverently, or with any pretense of authority over Him, but let us enter His presence humbly, reverently and with utmost respect for the God who He truly is, and the littleness and meekness of the creatures that we are. It is only in this humble attitude that we can ask God to lead us into the path of His righteousness, to give up our earthly desire to be like the best human we could think of, and to follow in His footsteps, obey His commands, and to walk a path and lifestyle that imitates Him in every way. I sincerely believe that it is only then that our friends will discern that there is a God and that He is alive, because they see evidence of that in our lives. Friends, when we put all the earthly stuff aside, we can more clearly see the path that Christ has exampled before us, and the greater our desire will be to follow that path as our Savior leads us to, God being our helper.

PRAYER: Oh God, You are our God, our Designer, our Provider, and You have not only placed this world into existence, but allowed us to live here, knowing that our very life depends on You and the guidance of Your Son. Lord, it is very apparent that if we are to ever expect to live with You in glory, then we need to be obedient to You here on this earth and follow Your path designed for our holiness and our witness to others. Thank You for your patience with us. Please continue to mold us to be more like You in every way, so that Your work may be accomplished through us, and that our lives might be better attuned to You even while still here on this earth. Lord, lead me so that I might imitate You today, and that I might be one step closer to the path You have prepared for me to follow. May others see Jesus in me and through the words that I speak today, and may this be evident in all those who meditate on this devotional today, for this my humble and sincere prayer that I ask in the precious name of Jesus, AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please speak with a local Bible Teaching pastor, or read through Biblical truths on How To Know Jesus, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com so that we can pray with you and give you help and or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Any words underlined above will 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 www.nuggetsfromgodsword.org and read more, or you may freely subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. If you are anywhere near the Highlands County, Florida area and do not have a church home, I would be thrilled to welcome you at Bible Fellowship Church, Sebring, FL! Click the link to check out service times and/or other special activities. God is at work among us! Please consider coming to worship with us!

Your Destiny – Per Your Choice Today

On By Ed AlgreenIn Heaven, Hell, SurrenderLeave a comment

THE HOLY BIBLE Psalm 1:5-6 – The Contemporary English Version (CEV): 5 Sinners won’t have an excuse on the Day of Judgment, and they won’t have a place with the people of God. 6 The Lord protects everyone who follows him, but the wicked follow a road that leads to ruin.

THOUGHTS: As I read this Psalm this morning I remembered a time when a few cities in Florida received a lot of damage from an un-named storm some years ago that had a devastating effect on them. There was a lot of blame thrown on broadcasters and on weathermen because these folk felt like there just wasn’t enough warning given for them to protect their homes and belongings. I believe that we often try to find someone to blame for disasters that come our way and destroy those ‘things’ that we love. Does it not seem appropriate then that we should be constantly in the Word of God, since we know that the Good Book contains so much information on what our final destiny holds for us? May I encourage you to take close note of what the two verses noted above has to say to each of us reading this devotional today? Think about this friends:

  • To the unsaved (those without a commitment or relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ): – You are reminded that there will be no excuses allowed on that Day, for your life will be analyzed or judged based on the choices made today, or the excuses that you try to use today that result in such poor choices;
  • To the saved (those who have accepted Jesus Christ as their personal Savior while here on earth): – The Day of Judgment will be like a homecoming celebration, for Jesus will welcome His children home! The protection referenced in verse (6) gives me the picture of a hen gathering her flock under her wings. I could only imagine how precious it will be for our Savior to welcome His children home to be with Him and His Father throughout eternity! What a glorious day that will be friends!

The challenge I have for those reading this devotional today, is that unless you know without a doubt that you fit into the second group referenced above, then I have a responsibility to warn you with all sincerity, that you are living ‘on the edge’ by not clarifying your position with God today. Yes, God has gifted us with the ‘present’, but not for any second after this, for you could be standing in the presence of the Almighty receiving your reward, or being convicted to damnation in the pits of Hell with the deceiver, Satan. The choice seems simple friend, but only you can make it, and the time to do that is today. Please contact me if there is anything I can do to help you deal with this friend. Your future hinges on your decision today!

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, You have provided such hope for those who know You. Please touch the hearts of all who read this devotional today and awaken their hearts to the importance of making right decisions today, while the opportunity is still available. I pray that there will not be one who reads these words who will choose to reject Your offer and continue following the road that leads to ruin, as indicated in vs 6 above. Your power can change lives, and I thank You for hearing my heart’s cry today and touching the hearts of Your precious ones. I ask all this in faith, and in the all-powerful name of Jesus, AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please speak with a local Bible Teaching pastor, or read through Biblical truths on How To Know Jesus, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com so that we can pray with you and give you help and or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Any words underlined above will 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 www.nuggetsfromgodsword.org and read more, or you may freely subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. If you are anywhere near the Highlands County, Florida area and do not have a church home, I would be thrilled to welcome you at Bible Fellowship Church, Sebring, FL! Click the link to check out service times and/or other special activities. God is at work among us! Please consider coming to worship with us!

How To Know Who Jesus Is

On By Ed AlgreenIn Faith, Know and BelieveLeave a comment

THE HOLY BIBLE – John 10:24-30 – New Living Translation (NLT): 24 The people surrounded him and asked, “How long are you going to keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.” 25 Jesus replied, “I have already told you, and you don’t believe me. The proof is the work I do in my Father’s name. 26 But you don’t believe me because you are not my sheep. 27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me, 29 for my Father has given them to me, and he is more powerful than anyone else. No one can snatch them from the Father’s hand. 30 The Father and I are one.”

THOUGHTS: In the highlighted scripture today, Jesus told the people following Him, that it was obvious that their eyes were open, but they were choosing to ignore the work that His Father had performed through Him. These mighty works were actual confirmation, or proof, that He truly is the Messiah, but unbelief had blinded them from seeing the mighty works of God. This made me think of our churches today and our, so called ‘Christians’ today. For I believe that if most of us were questioned on Sunday afternoon about the church services we attended that morning, we would probably respond about how ‘out of it’ our Worship Leader was today, or how boring our preacher was, or how disrespectful the teen agers were. Should we not use that invitation to celebrate that the Savior who gave His very life for us, actually met us there and blessed our time together? Or perhaps, we were reassured of His power and His might, and that His sweet Holy Spirit that is so available to us every day, was perfectly evidenced in our services. Or how sweet it was in singing praises to God and realizing that He was right there, receiving our praises and smiling at the worship of His children who recognized His mighty works that week. Perhaps reassure the person asking that it was worth every bit of effort extended for us to get out of bed on our day off, and to head on over to the house of God to worship God and to hear from Him through the reading and preaching of His Word. Friends, I wish that we would deliberately attend worship services, and deliberately expect to see God there, deliberately lift up holy hands to Him and worship His holy name, and be ready to give an account to the world of how real our God is to us. Let’s not be distracted by everything else we see around us, that we totally miss the purpose of why we go to church altogether. Jesus said in verse 27 and beyond, that His sheep (you and I) – those who know Him personally and consider Him as their heavenly Father, that we will listen to what He has to say – yes even through our earthly pastors and teachers. Furthermore, He reassures us that He will know us. That’s a very personal and intimate thing friends, for that shows me that when I lift up praise and worship to Him, He will know us, expect us, and receive our worship unto Himself. What a glorious personal experience that could be! So friends, if you are missing this intimacy with your Father, may I recommend that You ask Him to help you re-examine your life and identify any wicked way or sin that may be hindering you. Remember, He knows You and is expecting you. Please don’t disappoint Him friend!

PRAYER: Father, thank You for constantly revealing Yourself to us. Please forgive us for distancing ourselves from You through the distractions of sin. If we ever expect our family and friends to receive You as their Lord and Savior, surely it is incumbent upon us to show them that we have proof of who You are. With this ‘proof’ our lives will glow with the evidence of whose we are. Lord, may this be the case in the lives of myself and all those reading this devotional today, for I sincerely believe that there will clearly be outward evidence of the inward experience that we enjoy with You, our Father, our Savior and our Lord. I ask these things in the precious name of Jesus, the risen, ‘proven’ Son of God and Savior of this world, AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please speak with a local Bible Teaching pastor, or read through Biblical truths on How To Know Jesus, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com so that we can pray with you and give you help and or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Any words underlined above will 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 www.nuggetsfromgodsword.org and read more, or you may freely subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. If you are anywhere near the Highlands County, Florida area and do not have a church home, I would be thrilled to welcome you at Bible Fellowship Church, Sebring, FL! Click the link to check out service times and/or other special activities. God is at work among us! Please consider coming to worship with us!

Find Yourself

On By Ed AlgreenIn Good Shepherd, Obedience, SheepLeave a comment

THE HOLY BIBLE – John 10:10-13
– Contemporary English Version (CEV): 10 A thief comes only to rob, kill, and destroy. I came so that everyone would have life, and have it in its fullest. 11 I am the good shepherd, and the good shepherd gives up his life for his sheep. 12 Hired workers are not like the shepherd. They don’t own the sheep, and when they see a wolf coming, they run off and leave the sheep. Then the wolf attacks and scatters the flock. 13 Hired workers run away because they don’t care about the sheep.

THOUGHTS: In this scripture I recognized several characters that Jesus chose to use in this parable, and I believe it was intentional, because each of us would recognize the qualities of the characters and position ourselves as one of these as applicable. Here are the characters:

  • A Thief – This is an individual controlled by Satan, and comes into a person’s life, or into a church with the intent of robbing us of our joy, our peace and our security. They are so determined in their mission that their ultimate goal is to kill and/or destroy the fellowship that we have with Jesus Christ. This person comes in the form of a gossiper; a teacher of false doctrines; a distractor when one is determined to draw closer to God and/or determined to understand and obey His Word. I believe we are challenged to be on guard for such ‘thieves’, but more importantly to open our eyes so that we might not get caught in the trap of being a ‘thief’;
  • Hired Worker – I believe this could be a leader that sees the need to teach a lesson, but they really got nothing out of the lesson themselves. I am very touched when it becomes evident that a teacher, or a preacher visited the ‘wood shed’ before teaching a same principle or lesson to an audience. For then the lesson comes from the heart, or from personal application first, and not from an obligation to teach, or because one is paid to do so. This also becomes very apparent in the extent that the teacher feels a heart-felt responsibility for their audience, rather than a casual sharing because of given responsibility. Satan can easily distract our pastors and teachers, so let us continually pray for their spiritual welfare as they seek, in obedience, to be used by God to impact our spiritual welfare;
  • Sheep – I believe it is very important that we get the picture about the relationship between the sheep and the shepherd. Sheep are very dependent on the shepherd, but they are extremely blessed by their shepherd, for he protects them, leads them to green pastures for great nutritional value, and also to streams of water that satisfies their quench. Sheep are so obedient that the shepherd can walk ahead of them and they will follow. No need for whips and sheep dogs to keep them corralled together. We are often likened to sheep in the Bible. Don’t these characteristics speak volumes as to what God expects of us as His ‘sheep’?
  • Wolf – A wolf is known for attacking, scattering and destroying. This happens in many congregations, and could easily happen in our own lives, where a ‘wolf’ could sneak in and totally destroy our fellowship, or our individual walk with the Lord. Let’s be careful that Satan has no leverage in our lives that may cause us to act like a ‘wolf’ among God’s people. Let’s be leery of wolves that may be standing by to attack us. Staying strong in the Lord and His might, is our primary defense. May God be so strong in our lives that wolves will be kept at bay;
  • Shepherd – The importance of a ‘shepherd’ is highlighted throughout my above thoughts. Jesus is our ‘Shepherd’, and in Him we should take our stand. He will not lead us astray, and only He can protect us from the harm and potential danger of Satan’s wolves that wait to destroy us each and every day. It is incumbent upon us to stay closely attuned to our Shepherd. Follow in His footsteps. Obey His commands and love Him because of the love He shows for us every day. Our Good Shepherd is the only defender capable of standing up to Satan. Let’s stay connected and confident in our Good Shepherd, for He has already sacrificed His life for our safety from the awful wolves of Satan and the peace, tranquility and security of Heaven – our heavenly home!

PRAYER: Dear God, thank You for sacrificing Your Son as our Savior, our Lord, our redeemer and our Shepherd. May we be careful to take our appropriate role today as Your humble and obedient sheep. Our witness to this will affirm to the sinner that there is a God and a Good Shepherd that they need in their lives also. Happy, obedient sheep will attract more sheep, especially those who are not secure in Your good graces. Use each of your servants who meditate on this devotional today to be the kind of sheep that You desire, and can use to reach out to other sheep. For I ask these things in the name of Jesus, our obedient Good Shepherd, AMEN!

.

FOOTNOTE: If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please speak with a local Bible Teaching pastor, or read through Biblical truths on How To Know Jesus, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com so that we can pray with you and give you help and or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Any words underlined above will 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 www.nuggetsfromgodsword.org and read more, or you may freely subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. If you are anywhere near the Highlands County, Florida area and do not have a church home, I would be thrilled to welcome you at Bible Fellowship Church, Sebring, FL! Click the link to check out service times and/or other special activities. God is at work among us! Please consider coming to worship with us!

Jesus Can Help Even If Blinded By Sin

On By Ed AlgreenIn Blinded by Sin, Hardened Hearts, SalvationLeave a comment

THE HOLY BIBLE – John 9:39-41 The Voice (VOICE):

Jesus: 39 I have entered this world to announce a verdict that changes everything. Now those without sight may begin to see, and those who see may become blind.

Some Pharisees (who overheard Jesus): 40 Surely we are not blind, are we?

Jesus: 41 If you were blind, you would be without sin. But because you claim you can see, your sin is ever present.

THOUGHTS: Ever noticed how easy it is, and how prone we are, to assume that the preacher is talking to the guy behind us, or perhaps right beside us? You know, the message just seems to fit the other person so well! In fact, you couldn’t have said it any better yourself, right? This is so unfortunate, and really very scary, because if we are not careful we can walk away from a sermon, or read a devotional like this one, and never be personally impacted by the Word of God, because these lessons must have been intended for ‘the other person’. So having said this up front, may I encourage you to take a moment and speak to God? Ask Him to melt, and humble your heart, so that you might be open and attentive to His Word today, and apply it very squarely to your life. Let’s try to put this in perspective friends. I would imagine that if you met a group of friends at church and decided to go out and do some door-to-door evangelism, you would probably choose to visit those homes where no one attends your church. Why? Because we are caught into a trap like the Pharisees, where we assume that all church attendees are saved. Let me suggest another view on this. Let’s assume that an investigator approached you for help in finding a criminal who has been tormenting the neighborhood. How many church attendees would you suggest that the investigator visit and question? Friends, this scripture is a great eye-opener for us, because Jesus is saying to us that because we say we are saved, then anything that we do contrary to His teaching, is sin. In other words, the day we asked Jesus into our hearts, there was an awesome Helper assigned to us, because we were given a new ‘plumb line’ (standard) to live by – God’s Word and His teachings. When we deliberately reject the guidance and help of the Holy Spirit and live any which way we want to, then we become like those Pharisees that Jesus spoke to in these verses. We know the right way, or God’s way, yet we have chosen to disobey and do our own thing. This is blatant sin, friend! For non-Christians reading this today, please don’t think that you are off the hook, because your whole life has not been reconciled with God yet. Your responsibility lies with working out your own salvation. God Loves you so much that He gave His precious, and only, Son to die on a cruel cross so that you might have a means of seeking forgiveness of your sin. To my Christian friends, please be reminded that accepting Jesus as Lord was the first and primary step in knowing Him as Lord. If you were sincere in that decision, then your life will reflect that by the way you live. If you are His child, you will live like Him. Thinking that you are His child and reflecting no change in your lifestyle may be a case of you having repeated a few words suggested by a pastor or friend. A true commitment to Jesus, creates a relationship with Him. Success in any relationship comes through knowing more about the other person and doing everything possible to please them. Are you there yet in your relationship with Jesus?

PRAYER: Dear God, please forgive us for assuming that we have this thing called ‘life’ all worked out. So often we are induced into making decisions in order to please parents, spouses or friends, but without taking personal responsibility to live according to the commitment we made. Unfortunately our commitment to You is much like that, for we enjoy the security of Your love, Your protection and Your eternal security, but we go on to live our lives without the full impact of change that is necessary to be obedient to You and Your commands. This causes us to get caught in a trap of hardened sin in our lives, that makes it challenging for You to pierce our hearts and get our attention. Distancing ourselves from You makes it challenging for us to recognize sin in our lives. Please soften hardened hearts today oh Lord, beginning with me. May we be sensitive to the work of You Holy Spirit so that we may be more like You before a lost and dying world. We need You Heavenly Father, and I ask that You break down walls today so that we might recognize You and go on to be more obedient children, for this is my humble plea that I ask in the name of Jesus, AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please speak with a local Bible Teaching pastor, or read through Biblical truths on How To Know Jesus, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com so that we can pray with you and give you help and or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Any words underlined above will 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 www.nuggetsfromgodsword.org and read more, or you may freely subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. If you are anywhere near the Highlands County, Florida area and do not have a church home, I would be thrilled to welcome you at Bible Fellowship Church, Sebring, FL! Click the link to check out service times and/or other special activities. God is at work among us! Please consider coming to worship with us!

Who Is Jesus To You?

On By Ed AlgreenIn Decisions, Forgiveness, SalvationLeave a comment

THE HOLY BIBLE (The Living Bible – John 7:40-43): 40 When the crowds heard him say this, some of them declared, “This man surely is the prophet who will come just before the Messiah.” 41-42 Others said, “He is the Messiah.” Still others, “But he can’t be! Will the Messiah come from Galilee? For the Scriptures clearly state that the Messiah will be born of the royal line of David, in Bethlehem, the village where David was born.” 43 So the crowd was divided about him. 

THOUGHTS: Individually we have our own ideas of who Jesus is. So much so that I would imagine if we polled an audience of 50 people, we would probably get 50 slightly different responses. In our pastor’s sermon last week we heard of someone whose life has been radically changed, and how this is so evident in writings or correspondence from this individual, because now it is very evident that words/expressions are coming from very deep in this individual’s heart, compared to his previous educated mind and intelligence. I believe this is representative of what we might hear from an audience as well, but the BIG question today is “who is Jesus to you“? Someone reading this devotional may have only heard about Jesus through curse words used by those with no regard for my Lord. Some may have heard their mom or grandmother talk about this Jesus that they seemed to have known. Some may have accepted Jesus as Lord in their earlier days and have found no room for Him in their adult life, because they have managed to survive on their own and really don’t need Jesus. However, some are passionate about their Lord, because they live and breathe the Word of God daily. They have an intimate relationship with Jesus that incorporates daily talks with Him (prayer), and daily hearing from God as they are faithful to read His Word on at least a daily basis. My Savior might be known as ‘Healer’; ‘Deliverer’; ‘Comforter’; ‘Encourager’; ‘Confidant’ or even as ‘Soon Coming King’ to saints who have a personal, living and vibrant relationship with Jesus Christ. Yes, the crowd is still divided, as the responses are still so varied. However, Jesus is still the same today as He was yesterday and the day before. My God’s Not Dead, for He is very much alive in me each and every day. Please allow me to ask again, who is Jesus to you? May I remind you that there will be a reckoning day soon for each of us, where the answer to this very question will be the determining factor on whether you are allowed into the glories of heaven, or whether your earthly decisions on heavenly questions were unimportant to you, and therefore your destination is predetermined by you to the place of eternal damnation – Hell. Friends, our decision today determines our eternal destination. Our God is not mean and out to get you, He is in fact a perfect gentleman and allows you to decide for yourself where you would rather spend eternity. Being smart enough to read this devotional, also qualifies you to make sensible decisions. Ones that you can live with today, and after you pass from this world into the next. Listen to your heart friend. Invite Jesus in and commit your life to the One who holds the future – your future. I’m waiting for the day when I see the smile of the face of my Lord, and I pray that each of you are ready for the same, God being your helper.

PRAYER: Lord God, this world has taken its toll on mankind and influenced mankind to become so independent, yet terribly influenced by sin and the devil. Your Word is clear, that this leads one to Hell itself and eternal damnation without further access to God. You have given us time up to this very moment to make wise decisions that could lead us to our eternal home in glory with You and Your son Jesus. Unfortunately many have not taken time to make wise decisions, and I am very sad, because many of these are my friends and family, and ones that I would never want to see any harm come to them. Lord, I pray that today will be the day of salvation for them. Please tender their hearts once again, convince them of their sin and remind them of Your love that is available to them. I love You Lord, and ask all these things in the name of Jesus Christ, and for His glory, AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please speak with a local Bible Teaching pastor, or read through Biblical truths on How To Know Jesus, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com so that we can pray with you and give you help and or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Any words underlined above will 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 www.nuggetsfromgodsword.org and read more, or you may freely subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. If you are anywhere near the Highlands County, Florida area and do not have a church home, I would be thrilled to welcome you at Bible Fellowship Church, Sebring, FL! Click the link to check out service times and/or other special activities. God is at work among us! Please consider coming to worship with us!