Tag: Bible Fellowship Church

A Father’s Love

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

Tuesday, 2019-11-12

Bible Reference: 2 Samuel 18:5
Translation: Living Bible (TLB)

Bible Text: 5 And the king commanded Joab, Abishai, and Ittai, “For my sake, deal gently with young Absalom.” And all the troops heard the king give them this charge.

OBSERVATION: A son – adored at birth, loved and trained through adulthood – yet a father is not assured of the son’s love in return, nor is that dependent on the amount of love a father has for his son. That’s the situation that David found himself in with regards to his son Absalom. Are you faced with similar challenges with your child? Meditate with me as we learn from David in our Scripture today.

APPLICATION: It is often said that we could love, teach and advise our children while they are in our home, but, especially in their independence, they take on their own character. I believe that any parent will agree with me that our kids sometimes do things differently than we would wish for them, but often they are very successful in life, in spite of our differences. I believe that David recognized that his son, Absalom, had become a good king. However, it was extremely challenging for David to understand why Absalom was so determined to kill him. So to protect his own citizens, David found himself in a position where he had to defend against the angry king Absalom. But notice how the heart of David comes through. He sent his army out to fight Absalom, but with caution to his generals to be ever so cautious. Now remember, Absalom tried to kill David, his father, and of course, he was willing to kill any military personnel that tried to interfere with his plot. So this army was asked to go out and fight Absalom and his army, so that the Israelites might be protected, but they were being cautioned to go easy on their leader. Those two things are in total opposition, aren’t they? But friends, I believe there are two messages in this Scripture for us: 1). For all the families who are out there fighting within, please notice that God has built into us a very strong and intimate knit to our family members. David, a man after God’s own heart, never lost sight of the love for his son, no matter what actions he undertook – even to the point of trying to kill him (David). I believe that God wants us to note that the world will make every effort to destroy that which He has erected as evidence of His kinship with us. There is nothing Satan likes better, than to see family members tear each other apart – for it helps Satan feel a sense of accomplishment. For family members who do this and claim Jesus as their Savior, I believe that family division and infighting, not only tears apart the family structure God designed, but when Christianity is brought into the picture and infighting continues, it also affects the church. As members of His bride (the Church), we are His representatives to a lost and dying world. Will others truly see Jesus when they see Satan working so wickedly in our holy lives? Also, 2) The persona of Jesus Christ is seen in David. For Jesus willingly went to the cross for the sake of all who would, at some point in their lives, accept Him as Lord. This means that at the time of His crucifixion, there were many who hated Him, many who disregarded Him as their King, many who raised a hand to help in His crucifixion. Yet He went to the cross as sheep to the slaughter. My friend, David showed love that often we will only read about, for we could easily conclude that we could never love like that. But Jesus paid the ultimate sacrifice for us, even while we had no regard for Him. Please note that David showed from a human perspective that we can love, in spite of the objective of others to hurt us. Jesus showed love because He wanted us to have God’s perfect gift of love, so that we could see the likes of Heaven. Please look deep inside and, if you have never surrendered your heart to the love of the Lord Jesus, make time to do that today – please? I believe that it is with that perfect gift of love, that we will have the love necessary to love others – especially those that may tend to persecute us. I am convinced from the Word of God, that when we invite the perfect love of God into our hearts, His love overflows from us and impacts all those that we come into contact with. We may feel unequipped to love those who persecute and despise us, but God’s perfect love working through us will love the best Christian and the most hateful sinner.

PRAYER: Precious Lord, You are love and You proved it by loving even me. Thank You for the sacrifice You made at Calvary just for me. Please oh God, may Your love shine so brightly through me that others may feel a certain warmth in every encounter with me. Oh that they may see Jesus, is my humble plea today! Please speak to the hearts of those readers who are struggling to imitate David, and the ultimate love shown by You. May they seek to know You more, and to let go of self, so that You may assume full reign over their life today. AMEN!

To See The Glory Of God!

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, God's Not Dead, God-honoring, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

Monday, 2019-11-11

Bible Reference: John 11:39-42
Translation: The Voice (VOICE)

Bible Text:
Martha: Lord, he has been dead four days; the stench will be unbearable.
Jesus: 40 Remember, I told you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God.
41 They removed the stone, and Jesus lifted His eyes toward heaven.
Jesus: Father, I am grateful that You have heard Me. 42 I know that You are always listening, but I proclaim it loudly so that everyone here will believe You have sent Me.

OBSERVATION: “If you believe, you will see the glory of God!” That’s a quote from what Jesus said to Martha as she tried to save Jesus from having the grave of her deceased brother opened. As we meditate on this Scripture today, I want us to think of our own life experiences where Jesus may have whispered this to us also. Just believe and watch for the glory of God to manifest itself.

APPLICATION: There are many circumstances in life where the end result is better than we expect, and there are some situations that end much worse than we desire. There was a situation just yesterday in my circle of friends, where a dad heard of an accident involving his young son. I’m sure that with every bit of faith he had, that Christian dad must have prayed that everything would turn out miraculously. In this case, it didn’t turn out quite like the story of Lazarus, but friend of God, we can only stand alongside this dad and comfort Him, for we know that all things accomplished by our God, is well done and for His ultimate glory. Now, placing ourselves in the boots of that dad, we may struggle with that. But often as we reflect back and see where God used this tragedy to witness to one or more of this young man’s friends about their relationship with their Master, we may see where God used this very unfortunate situation to win the hearts of many. In another example, through the tragic death of a nephew, my dad’s heart of sin was melted, and resulted in his full surrender to the King of all kings. I may never know the lives that were touch through the salvation of my dad, but I long to see them rejoice at the feet of Jesus as they offer praises to Him for a series of events that led to their salvation. Friends, I sincerely believe that God didn’t direct me to this Scripture to fill your day with morbid stories, but I hope that this might trigger a thought or two when you sit by the bedside of a loved one struggling in hospital, so that you might hear the echo of God’s Word as He says to you: Just believe, and you will witness my glory! Perhaps there will be other circumstances in life that seem helpless to you – listen to the words of Christ as He whispers ‘Be still my child and know that I am God. Just believe and watch for the glory of God to be revealed’! We serve such an awesome God, and we could have such awesome peace, if only we will place our hand in His, believe, and patiently watch for His glory in all that He does. Oh that God may grant us His patience to wait, and His peace as we wait today!

PRAYER: Lord, You warned us that Your ways are not our ways. So it becomes very challenging for us to know what glory You might receive from, what appears to be, our unfortunate circumstances. Please remind us daily that You’re in control of all of life’s circumstances, and not only do we not have the knowledge or power to do anything about so many of life’s challenges, but that we have access to the One who does. Lord, please teach us to wait. Please teach us to trust in You more and more every day, and please remind us frequently, that all things will work together for good, to those who love the Lord. Draw us close to Your side precious Lord. AMEN!

Another Opportunity To See Jesus!

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

Friday, 2019-11-08

Bible Reference: John 11:14-16
Translation: The Passion Translation (TPT)

Bible Text: 14 Then Jesus made it plain to them, “Lazarus is dead. 15 And for your sake, I’m glad I wasn’t there, because now you have another opportunity to see who I am so that you will learn to trust in me. Come, let’s go and see him.”
16 So Thomas, nicknamed the Twin, remarked to the other disciples, “Let’s go so that we can die with him.”

OBSERVATION: Although somewhat of an unusual account of Jesus and his disciples, yet it is filled with applications for our lives. Just as the disciples could not fathom what was going on, you may also struggle with the intent of Jesus and how this might apply today. Let’s ask Jesus to open our eyes of understanding so that we may clearly see Him, and His message for us today.

APPLICATION: No doubt, we all have a favorite miracle of Jesus, and perhaps each one speaks miraculously to us in their own way. For some, it may be the very first miracle recorded where Jesus turned the water into wine, but for others it may be when He walked on the Sea of Galilee towards the boat filled with His disciples, and with a very calm tone of voice, He calmed the rough waters. But in our Scripture today we see for the first time that Jesus ignored the request of His very good friends, Mary and Martha, in order to achieve an ultimate goal He had in store for His disciples. He wanted them to catch a fresh glimpse of the power and glory of their risen Savior! Adding to the mystery of Jesus’ actions in not responding immediately to the request of Mary and Martha, is the fact that Jesus told His disciples that He was glad that He was not there when Lazarus died. That really seems callous, doesn’t it? But ponder with me for a few minutes how many may have been saved, or in this case recognize the power of God, if Jesus would have instantly healed Lazarus when He got word 4 days earlier, that he was sick to the point of death? I have a situation in my family where it was the result of the death of a nephew, that my dad came to know Jesus as Lord. Was it a good thing that the nephew died? Absolutely not. But the Bible teaches us that the angels in heaven rejoice when they welcome one soul surrendered to the call of God on their lives. Furthermore, God had many years to work in and through my dad to touch other souls that rubbed up against. As mere earthly mortals, we are devastated when we lose a loved one, whether it’s due to old age, or what we often feel is prematurely. But would it make us feel any better if, when we get to heaven, Jesus reveals to us how many entered into a personal relationship with Jesus because of our unfortunate loss? Notice that Peter struggled with the whole scene, because He thought that following Jesus, into the city where He was so sought after, would lead to certain death for them. We have no record of Peter or his fellow disciples rejoicing over this move by Jesus to go and visit the grave of Lazarus. But, like the disciples, we must learn to trust and follow Jesus where He leads us. I believe that still today He is seeking after His children to trust Him more; worship Him more; have more faith in Him; know that He’s with us when we have a witnessing opportunity; know that His Word will not return void, especially when we stand in front of a class or on the podium of a sanctuary to share the plain Word of God with folk that came to learn more about Him. God never mentioned about us being capable, or any other attribute that folk tend to look for in a first-class preacher or teacher. I believe that if He was able to use uneducated fishermen, tax collectors, doctors and more, to start the whole Christian movement, then how much more can He use you and I who can often stand and talk on any subject that comes our way. Let’s learn to trust Him Brothers and Sisters. Perhaps if we empty ourselves of ‘self’ and ask God to fill us afresh with His love, His power and His boldness, then perhaps others will see Jesus instead of the wicked men and women that we are. Just like Peter and His companions, let us learn to trust God more – in every circumstance of life.

PRAYER: Dear God, as others look on us today may they see Jesus. Please help us to stop acting like spoiled children, for we are called to service, so may our lives be fully spent on Jesus. As Jesus went to see Lazarus, there was no doubt, and there was no hesitancy. Others saw the awesome works of the Almighty God. May that be the case with all those that we come into contact with today. There is probably nothing about ourselves individually for others to like, or care about. If there is, then perhaps they will see that thing, instead of the awesome God that we seek to serve, and be seen through us. Lord, may any personal, likable, thing become invisible to the eyes of the one that need to see You in us. Please have Your will and way in and through us today, for there may be one that we encounter who may need to be awaken from the death of sin and self destruction. They may see no true value in life. Oh may the joy of the Lord be evident in us, and through us today. This is my humble and desperate plea of my almighty King – Jesus my Lord! AMEN!

Known as a ‘Christ-Follower’?

On By Ed AlgreenIn Christ-Like, Christian, Committed, Imitate Jesus, Take a standLeave a comment

Thursday, 2019-11-07

Bible Reference: 1 Peter 4:12-16
Translation: Easy-To-Read Version (ERV)

Bible Text:  12 My friends, don’t be surprised at the painful things that you are now suffering, which are testing your faith. Don’t think that something strange is happening to you. 13 But you should be happy that you are sharing in Christ’s sufferings. You will be happy and full of joy when Christ shows his glory. 14 When people say bad things to you because you follow Christ, consider it a blessing. When that happens, it shows that God’s Spirit, the Spirit of glory, is with you. 15 You may suffer, but don’t let it be because you murder, steal, make trouble, or try to control other people’s lives. 16 But if you suffer because you are a “Christ-follower,” don’t be ashamed. You should praise God for that name.

OBSERVATION: Suffering for something that we’re in trouble for, is very understandable. But when we suffer because we believe differently to the rest of the world, and we act more loving, kind, respectful, and truly love the God and Creator of this universe, we tend to feel like our world is very wrong. However, our Scripture today, forewarns us about impending punishment and ridicule from this world’s rulers. As we meditate, let us evaluate whether the authorities will see sufficient evidence of our being a Christ-Follower to arrest us.

APPLICATION:  I believe that when we accept Jesus as Lord, we tend to think more about what the benefits might be, than thinking about what additional controversy our decision might create, or what additional persecution might arise in our lives. Think about it, when folk are really struggling, we tend to convince them that they need Jesus. What if we told them that what they are presently going through is only a ‘drop-in-the-bucket’ compared to what will be brought on them after conversion? Do you suppose that anyone would agree to surrender their lives to Christ? However friends, we must be honest in evaluating what happened to Jesus, for He healed the sick, raised the dead and caused the blind to see, yet He was sought after like a criminal. This same Jesus is to be our role model. I feel like what we are taught here is that we are to do good, and be a shining example of Jesus, even if we know that controversy will arise. On the way to a business party one time I was asked by an executive why Christians abstain from drinking alcohol. I believe that it was asked to embarrass me because it was asked in a jeering way hoping to get laughter from the other executives present. I responded honestly as I believe God would have me do, and although I waited for the repercussion, it seemed like my honest response was well accepted. I recently heard a request for prayer about persecution on the job at a local company. It really surprised me, but after reading this scripture this morning, I am convinced that although we are not expected to go out and be deliberate rebels in our workplace or at local diners, or any other place that we go, we are expected to let our lights shine for Jesus and not hide that light for the sake of popularity or because of possible persecution. In fact, I love the suggested attitude in verse 14 – when we feel persecuted, or picked on, or laughed at, or made fun of, because of our faith, it is a great time to praise God knowing that others are impacted by the Christian stance we just took on a matter or the Christ-likeness that our audience just witnessed. It’s not a show-off thing, it’s our every-day Christian life being displayed in all aspects of our life. Is this always easy for us? Absolutely not, but when done in sincerity and under the direction and power of the Holy Spirit, we will see great things accomplished for God. In fact, I would go as far as saying that if we feel forced into making a stand, then we need to question if it truly is a ‘God thing’, or are we doing it to impress someone about us and our strengths and abilities.

PRAYER: Dear God, You gave everything You had so that we might have eternal life in glory with You and Your Son. Thank You Lord for Your goodness to me and Your invaluable gift! Lord, I pray that Your children who will meditate on this devotional today, might catch a glimpse, as I did, to the value of living our faith and making our witness known to all mankind, so that they might be convinced of our relationship with You. This witness will sometimes convince mankind of their need for a Savior, but it will sometimes offend those who are led by Satan and his demons. May we be strong in all circumstances, so that the world might know to whom we belong, and that we might be convinced in our heart that we are truly Yours, without a shadow of doubt. Lord, please have Your will and way in our lives today, and may Your glory shine through us as we stand firm in our faith in You. I ask these things in the powerful and awesome name of Jesus, and for your sake, AMEN!

Sheep Who Listen and Follow Are Protected

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

Wednesday, 2019-11-06

Bible Reference: John 10:25-29
Translation: The Passion Translation (TPT)

Bible Text: 25 ……. “I have told you the truth already and you did not believe me. The proof of who I am is revealed by all the miracles that I do in the name of my Father. 26 Yet, you stubbornly refuse to follow me, because you are not my sheep. As I’ve told you before: 27 My own sheep will hear my voice and I know each one, and they will follow me. 28 I give to them the gift of eternal life and they will never be lost and no one has the power to snatch them out of my hands. 29 My Father, who has given them to me as his gift, is the mightiest of all, and no one has the power to snatch them from my Father’s care. 

OBSERVATION: The Jews looked for every possible way to discredit Jesus, because He was really sharing a simple truth that revealed the ugliness of all they were doing as the spiritual leaders of that day. But Jesus had one simple indicator for them to focus on – watch for His works. For through His awesome works, God will be revealed through the Son. Meditate with me today as we consider the lights, sights and sounds of each day that we are blessed to walk into. I believe these things might help us to draw one conclusion – Only God!

APPLICATION: As a worker of over 47 years, I am blessed to enjoy one last week of vacation before I retire at the end of the year. Standing at the door of my vacation unit, I could see the rising sun, and I believe that God got my attention to compare that to His Son, who was sent to show us the love of the Father, and to provide the means of our eternal salvation from this wicked world. As I peered into the bright sun, I was reminded that it outshines everything else in view. My Savior – the Son of God, said in these verses this morning that His works will outshine anything else the Jews could imagine, and that’s how the people would know that He is indeed the Son of God; The glory of God; The power of God; The very image of God. Jesus also said that His sheep will not only see His power and His glory, but that they will move into action by accepting the only One who provides salvation to mankind. Each day as we recognize the power and beauty of our awesome God, we have the choice of brushing these things off to good luck; happen-chance; a strange phenomenon; or to something powerful that is created by man. I believe that as we recognize them as coming from the hand of God alone, we will have an increased desire to know Him better and to follow Him more intimately. Whatever you do, please don’t overlook the words of Jesus in regards to this. He assured us that those who accept Him, and the wonderful gift of redemption that He offers, will be secure, for no one will snatch them from His all-powerful hand. Friends, in a world where everything is so unsure, and where the rules are changing all the time, is it not reassuring that our Father assures us of the security that we have in His care? God created us to be His worshipers and His faithful followers. In return, He has assured us that He cares for His sheep (children/followers) and that He will protect us until the day we are with He and His Father in heaven. Yes, for all eternity. So whether it’s the sun that rises in majesty each day, or whether its some other act of God that opens your eyes to the wonders of God, please recognize the works of God, and know that He is the One that awaits your response to His power so that He may also use you for His glory in helping others see Him. We protect our properties with physical security; our computers with data security; and our finances with insurance; I believe it is vitally important that we seek a relationship with the Almighty for peace of mind today and the security of our eternal destiny. Please be sure to read through my Footnote, and especially click on the hyperlink, ‘To Know Jesus’, so that you might see what the Word says about the need for the Savior. I believe that He is standing with outstretched arms waiting for you my friend! Do it today, won’t you!

PRAYER: Lord, we are a people looking to secure our earthly belongings, no matter how minimal they are. Thank You for reminding us in Your Word today how important it is to also surrender ourselves to You and allow You to secure our heavenly future. Please soften the hearts of all who will read this devotional today, and even more importantly, please speak to the hearts of those who have not given their allegiance to You a second thought. It is clear in Your Word, that we have no assurances of when You will return. It could be today! However, Your Word is clear that only those who have accepted Your Son, Jesus Christ, will see the glories of heaven. That’s something we all can do while we are still alive. May this be the day for many, I pray. AMEN!

The Results of Disrespecting God

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Personal Witness, Praise, Recognize God, Reflection of Christ, Representation of the Master, Representative of Christ, Witness, WorshipLeave a comment

Tuesday, 2019-11-05

Bible Reference: 2 Samuel 12:13-14
Translation: Easy-to-Read Version (ERV)

Bible Text: 13 Then David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” Nathan said to David, “The Lord will forgive you, even for this sin. You will not die. 14 But you did things that made the Lord’s enemies lose their respect for him, so your new baby son will die.”

OBSERVATION: This is probably a subject that many readers will ignore, because in your own minds you are confident that you never disrespect God! However, just for the challenge, let us pause for a few moments today and see what God may have to say to us through His Word.

APPLICATION: Unless we truly meditate on what Nathan said to David, we could each jump on our high horses and dismiss this warning from God, by convincing ourselves that we never disrespect God. One Bible version states that David gave cause for the enemies of God to mock Him, while yet another version said that he gave reason for the enemies of God to blaspheme God. For those who may not be familiar with this story, we are told that although David used all kinds of secrecy tactics to hide his murder of Uriah, because of his sin with Uriah’s wife. Yet, much to David’s surprise, God directed Nathan to confront David about his sin and to detail the consequences for his sin. But notice that the emphasis of Nathan’s confrontation was not on how much David must have hurt Uriah’s family, or how selfish it was for David – a king who could have gotten anything, or anyone he wanted in the country under his reign – yet he stole Uriah’s wife. Notice how most people in the country probably had no clue that David and Bathsheba had an affair, for David never went to her home – but God knew. Notice how David used his army general to have Uriah killed in battle, and no one would probably have ever known that David was behind the murder – but God knew. But I want you to particularly notice that Nathan’s emphasis in his whole encounter with David was on the point of how his actions affected the image of the God – the very God that David served. Friends, I believe that many things happen in our lives and we do quite well at keeping it hidden from family, friends and the rest of the world. But when we stand in God’s presence and claim that we are what God expects of us, while deep inside there are lingering guilt about actions we have done that is totally opposed to God’s perfect will, should we not ponder what God must be thinking of us? Often, much to our surprise, when our sin occurred, there were probably some who looked on and pondered, ‘so is this what Jesus would do?’ For as a representative of God, our words and our actions remind people of God, or do they? The Word of God says that David’s sin caused those who were enemies of God to disrespect Him even more than they did before. Do you want to stand before God on Judgment Day and be guilty of something like that? Do you want to walk around knowing that you can’t face God each day in all honesty, because you are living in sin? Do you sometimes feel like a wolf in sheep’s clothing? The Word says that those who know my voice will obey my commands. Is that you my friend? Or do you know His voice and still act just like you want to? Please join me in committing to stop disrespecting our Father, and instead, learn to obey His voice and His teaching so that others will see Jesus very clearly in all that we are.

PRAYER: Loving Father, please touch the hearts of Your children today. If we say that we belong to You, please give us the boldness to live like we do. We are as a transparent glass in the the eyes of the world. They need, and they are often looking for the Savior of the world. Oh that they may have to look no further than us, as they share in our lives and watch our character every day. Oh that they may see Christ in me, is my ultimate plea today oh God. Please touch the hearts of each one reading this devotional today that they may also commit afresh to being a bold witness for You dear God. AMEN!

In Overwhelming Appreciation to God

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

Friday, 2019-11-01

Bible Reference: 2 Samuel 7:18-22
Translation: Living Bible (TLB)

Bible Text: 18 Then David went into the Tabernacle and sat before the Lord and prayed, “O Lord God, why have you showered your blessings on such an insignificant person as I am? 19 And now, in addition to everything else, you speak of giving me an eternal dynasty! Such generosity is far beyond any human standard! O Lord God! 20 What can I say? For you know what I am like! 21 You are doing all these things just because you promised to and because you want to! 22 How great you are, Lord God! We have never heard of any other God like you. And there is no other God.

OBSERVATION: David, a king who had won many victories in battle, helped many who could not help themselves, yet He stood before God Almighty as One who could make him or break him, bless him or curse him. David stood there in awe recognizing that God is no respecter of persons, and that He alone is God. Oh that we might recognize Jesus today because He makes Himself evident in our presence and through our life.

APPLICATION: It is a very humbling experience whenever we are recognized by a person in authority over us, or if we found favor in their eyes because of something we did or said. Think of your boss, for example. Imagine if you were at a staff meeting at work and was recognized for something that you may have done – something that you considered as part of your normal job description. And imagine if the owner of the company stood to present the recognition personally? Can you see how David may have felt? Perhaps unworthy, because he only did what he felt instructed by God to do; perhaps humbled, because God could have chosen any other deserving priest or temple worker to bless in awesome ways; perhaps overwhelmed, because God had already blessed him immeasurably in so many unbelievable ways. Friends, I believe that a huge takeaway that should bless our souls in this story today, is that God sees, and He knows our actions, our words, our intent and our very hearts, and He will not let us get away with sin, nor will He fail to recognize and bless us for our faithful obedience to Him. David was a great warrior, but he was also obedient to God and depended on God for all decisions. What about you fellow follower of Christ? Is God convinced that you’re on His side, dependent on His directions, and led by His almighty hand? Have you surrendered your family to Him? Notice where David was also in awe about God’s promise to rule over his family in future generations also? Like David said in verse 22, there is no God like His God. I am convinced of the same, there is no God like my God! How about you, friend? Do you know Him intimately and commune with Him daily? Is God at liberty to live in your life and work through you in every phase of life?

PRAYER: Lord God, who am I that a King should love me enough to die for me, and open the doors of heaven for me? Unworthy though I may feel that I am, praise God that You love me as Your very own son! For no praise of my own, I pray that Your greatness may be seen and recognized through everything that I do or say today and every day until You call me home to glory with You. Please tender the hearts of all those who will read this devotional, so that they too may catch a glimpse of Heaven; their glorious and wonderful Savior; and our soon coming King. You are more wonderful than anything we could ever imagine. May this also be evident through Your precious children today! AMEN!

Light For Your Path

On By Ed AlgreenIn Light, Truth, WayLeave a comment

Thursday, 2019-10-31

Bible Reference: John 8:12
Translation: Contemporary English Version (CEV)

Bible Text:  12 Once again Jesus spoke to the people. This time he said, “I am the light for the world! Follow me, and you won’t be walking in the dark. You will have the light that gives life.”

OBSERVATION: When stumbling down a dark path, we would welcome light to help prevent us from tripping and falling. The time ahead of us is dark, because we cannot see what’s ahead. However, God’s Word brings hope to us in this area, for it tells us that Jesus is the light of the world, and those who accept Him as Lord and Savior will be led into the glories of heaven. Let’s consider what it might be like having that Light available to us today!

APPLICATION:  After surgery a few years ago, the doctor was emphatic about making sure there was adequate light at night to make sure I didn’t trip on anything. Earlier this week I was working on a project that involved using a screwdriver. Once it got dark enough I could not continue, because without light I just could not find the screw-head. I believe that you are probably getting the point, that without sufficient light you just cannot do a whole lot. But what about in other aspects of life where we don’t necessarily depend on natural light, nor become despondent about the absence of light? There are times when we need to make decisions, and we feel totally blinded because we just don’t know what impact our decision will have on us. For example, retirement. We may want to begin retirement at age 50, so we could enjoy our dream vacations and destinations while we still have fairly good health. However, we worry about there being enough money in our retirement fund to keep us out of poverty, because who knows how long we will live into retirement? There seems to always be a part of decision making that is impacted by the unknown, so we stumble around in the dark, hoping that we will make good decisions, or trusting God to do the right thing. For those who read their Bibles, we know that there are two final destinations that awaits us after death from this world. If we have accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior, then Jesus has shown us His light, and showed us what our eternal kingdom will look like, and who will be in charge there. God created this universe, so we know He is there, and His Son, Jesus, is already there waiting for us. For those who have not made a decision like this, then the Bible is also clear about your final destination, and who will be in charge there, for Satan and his angels await those who have deliberately chosen to walk in darkness. Unfortunately folk, if you are like many that you know, you may have already had your share of earthly sufferings. But please allow me to gently break the bad news to you: ‘You ain’t seen nothing yet’. Friends, I would like to invite you to consider being obedient to the Light of this world – today, friend! Jesus suffered, even to the point of dying on a cruel cross, just to prove His love for us. He wants us to have the keys to heaven, or know the pathway to heaven, and there is no earthly means that would help us to achieve that. But He has provided light to the dark path that we are traveling, for He is the Light of the world. Why go on blindly as if in total darkness, when we know who the Light is? Jesus loves us way too much to see us plunder around in darkness and lose our battle to Satan, but He loved us enough to provide the means of us seeing He and the Father one day in Heaven. We are left with the choice of whether we will invite Light into our dark pathway of life. The choice seems plain, and obvious to me. Will you please consider making the most important decisions of your life – the right choice? Although not considered selfish by my friends, I am extremely selfish in asking God to tender the hearts of all my family and friends. I truly believe that Jesus heard my prayer, and that He is already working on each of you. Listen to His voice my friend, and surrender your life to Him today, won’t you?

PRAYER: The picture is clear dear God, for You have provided the Light that this world needs. Not only to prevent our stumbling around in the dark here on earth, but also for providing a clear, lighted path to heaven, where we are told that no light will be necessary there for You are the light. Praise God forever and forever! Please touch the lives of the unsaved today dear God. Please light their path so brightly that they will recognize their need for the Savior. Thank You for so adequately providing the Light of the world Heavenly Father, to be my Savior from Hell and damnation. My deepest desire is to see my family and friends do the same, so I am humbly placing this request at Your feet, praying that Your perfect will might be accomplished today. I ask these things in the precious name of Jesus, THE Light, THE Truth and THE Way, AMEN!

Here’s Why One May not Listen To God

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

Tuesday, 2019-10-29

Bible Reference: John 8:44-47
Translation: Good News Translation (GNT)

Bible Text: 44 You are the children of your father, the Devil, and you want to follow your father’s desires. From the very beginning he was a murderer and has never been on the side of truth, because there is no truth in him. When he tells a lie, he is only doing what is natural to him, because he is a liar and the father of all lies. 45 But I tell the truth, and that is why you do not believe me. 46 Which one of you can prove that I am guilty of sin? If I tell the truth, then why do you not believe me? 47 He who comes from God listens to God’s words. You, however, are not from God, and that is why you will not listen.”

OBSERVATION: Jesus explains why one may sit under His teaching and not understand what is being said. I believe the same scenario is true with those who attend church and say that they got nothing from the service. Notice in the last verse above, Jesus said that if one is not of God, they will not listen to Him. I hope that you will read all the way to the end of today’s devotional as we allow God’s Word to take root in our lives and clear the cobwebs from our eyes of sin and the world, today.

APPLICATION: If I had a talk on hunting, and you were not into sports, or if your parents never liked hunting, you would probably have no interest in attending my talk. Plus, if you got stuck in the room where I had my lecture, you would probably argue with almost everything I said. In our society today, we have parents who have no connection to God, so He is not spoken of around the house, nor do they make any attempt to take their children to church. But what if Jesus came to your town, and what if He was speaking at a local church, don’t you think that many people from your town would make a special effort to go out and see Him? They may want to settle their curiosity that this Jesus, that their coworker or neighbor is always talking about, and that He really does exists. But how do you think they would react when He speaks on matters that really hits close to home? Why Jesus may even say the same thing to our people as He said to the Jewish leaders – you are challenged to believe me, and to visit your local church, because your personal leader does everything he could to discourage you from learning about Jesus, and to hear His message of love, faith, peace and forgiveness. Friends, as you read today’s verses, you may assume that this does not apply to you because you never gave Satan control of your life. Please allow me to clear that up for you. When you are born into this world you are a natural being controlled by the leader of the natural world. And it’s not until you are introduced to Jesus, that you ever know that there is another, and a better leader. But the path to Jesus is one where each individual has to make a personal decision to accept the gift of salvation that He offers. So if a pastor, or as in our story today, Jesus, was there speaking, and He called you a child of Satan, it’s because He knows that you have not accepted Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior yet. But I’m sure that you may be full of questions as to what difference does it make. The difference is huge, for if you maintain your natural stance and keep Satan as your ruler, you wind up spending eternity in the place he has prepared for you – hell, with all of its terror and total damnation. Conversely, Jesus has also given us a glimpse of what His eternal home looks like, and it is detailed in His very own written Word – the Bible. There we learn that His home is free from sorrow, heartache, pain and disappointment, and filled with the glorious light of His Father (God), which prompts endless praise and rejoicing from His people (us). So my dear friend, I pray that you will make the best decision, based on what I have shared with you. I pray that you will listen to the voice of God as He calls your name, and that you will surrender your life to Him. As this occurs, you will clearly understand what Jesus meant in the last verse above – now you will hear His voice and obey His commands, for you are His! If you have not made the decision I mentioned above, please read on to my Footnote below and click on the links referenced. You will receive more Biblical help on making that very important decision.

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, please hear our cry today for we are Your children looking forward to spending eternity with You. Some may read this devotional today and are undecided about changing their allegiance from Satan, to you. Please tender their hearts today and draw them unto yourself, so that they may tear down the barriers that are preventing their decision. Oh that they will know You today, is my humble plea. Thank You Jesus for loving us enough to pave the way for our eternal peace with the Father. AMEN!

True Followers of Christ

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

Monday, 2019-10-28

Bible Reference: John 8:31
Translation: The Passion Translation (TPT)

Bible Text: 31 Jesus said to those Jews who believed in him, “When you continue to embrace all that I teach, you prove that you are my true followers. 

OBSERVATION: I’m sure that you can easily deduce that if Jesus considered certain individuals to be His ‘True’ followers, then obviously there must be certain conditions that would cause Him to consider some to be unfaithful, uncommitted or even false followers. Let’s pray that God will lead us into the right understanding of what He said to the Jewish followers that day, and that we may always strive to be ‘True’ followers of our Lord and Savior.

APPLICATION: Jesus made it clear that when we embrace ALL that He taught us, and continue to teach us each day, we are considered His true followers. I believe that right from the very beginning, many did not live up to all that came through their lips, and of course today is no better. In ever country represented in my readership, I believe that you could easily acknowledge that there are a multitude of denominations represented in the ‘religious’ communities of each country. This came about primarily because of two reasons: (1) There are differences of opinion about the interpretation of God’s Word; and (2) In every team setting, there are multiple individuals who feel like they could lead better than the person currently leading, so troubles arise and a split off results, so that leaders could have their way. But, based on the first point, how could followers possibly think that they are willing to follow ALL that God teaches in His Word, when there are so many variances on how these things are interpreted? Among the community of churches there are known differences in things such as: the day selected for worship services; divorcees serving in leadership roles in the church; those with gender uncertainties serving in the church; etc, etc. But how can we honestly say that we (all followers collectively) are following ALL that Jesus teaches? Some believers may be looked on as ‘Christian fanatics’ when we become very stringent in following the teachings of our Lord, because there becomes such a divide between their belief and that of the world at large. friends, I would recommend that we closely examine ourselves to see where we stand with Jesus. Would He consider us a ‘True Follower’? To the world, it might seem acceptable based on how often we attend church; or how much we give to the church; or like many might say about their love for their spouse: I told you when I married you that I loved you and unless that changes, please know that I love you! Is that what we apply to our relationship with our Lord also? I believe that Jesus is telling us today that He agreed to follow through with the crucifixion because He loved and respected His father enough to obey ALL of His commands, even if it led to the cross. As followers of this same awesome Savior, why would we decide to do anything short of that same ideal? Are you bold enough to ask Jesus if you are considered a True Follower of His? Perhaps an accountability partner might help you tear down the doors of fake; false; and make-believe, so that you may honestly stand before the King of kings and Lord of lords with one simple song: ‘Just as I Am Without One Plea‘, knowing that in and of ourselves we are nothing worthy of the love of Jesus Christ. Where do you stand today dear one?

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, You are my strength when I am weak. When trials come and life itself seems to overwhelm me, I need You more than ever to be my deliverer, my peace and my strength. Lord, living in this sinful world is challenging at best, so it is very easy for us to feel like we are not where we need to be in our walk with You. Thank You Lord for sacrificing Your very life, so that I might have forgiveness of my sin and peace about my future with You. Oh that my readers and I might be in such communion with You each and every day, that our lives will exemplify You in every way. May someone experience Jesus today in conversation with Your children and through our expressions of love in all that we do. AMEN!