Tag: Bible

Faith Today: The Promise of Eternal Life Through Jesus

On By Ed AlgreenIn Accept Jesus NOW, Allegiance to the Lamb, Ask and Receive, Believe, Believers, Biblical Decisions, Blood of Jesus, Born Again, Christ's Representative, Christian, Christianity, Cleanse me Oh God, Commitment, Convinced of the gospel, Decisions, Know and Believe, Know Jesus, Surrender, The love of God, The Plan, The WordLeave a comment

DATE POSTED
Friday, November 22, 2024, and I was blessed to be at Mariposa at Hunter Road, San Marcos, TX when God inspired me to prepare this devotional. My Footnote will tell you how to find and read any and all devotionals that I have shared over the years.

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
Quoted from the Living Bible (TLB) and found in John 1:1-4; 11-13

THE SCRIPTURE READS
 1-2 Before anything else existed, there was Christ, with God. He has always been alive and is himself God. 3 He created everything there is—nothing exists that he didn’t make. 4 Eternal life is in him, and this life gives light to all mankind. 
11-12 Even in his own land and among his own people, the Jews, he was not accepted. Only a few would welcome and receive him. But to all who received him, he gave the right to become children of God. All they needed to do was to trust him to save them. 13 All those who believe this are reborn! – not a physical rebirth resulting from human passion or plan – but from the will of God.

APPLICATION – as inspired by the Holy Spirit
Just as John saw fit to declare the name, power and authority of the Christ in whom he believed, and who inspired him to write the Gospel of John, I believe it is important for us to understand this when we look at the instruction from this book, the Bible. Interpreters have labored over translating the Bible as accurately as they possibly could, but some words – like ‘Logos’ in the original language, actually translates to God; Christ; or the Word. Therefore, many Bibles show ‘the Word’ in their translation of John chapter one. The version I quoted here is not incorrect, the writers just used a word that we relate to more, to help us understand the intent.
BUT, after establishing the person of Christ and His relationship to God, John impressed even more upon me as I got down to verse 11, and I hope that God will also impress upon you, the importance of these words. John wanted God’s chosen people, the Jews, to know that he was aware of the ones who rejected Jesus as the Christ – the Son of God, but more importantly, John wanted them to know that for those who heard the voice of God and accepted Jesus as Lord, they were awarded the right to become children of God. And we all long for a sense of belonging to someone. For the casual reader, no doubt you are excited that the Jews read John’s words, listened to, and obeyed his invitation, and they could now rest easy knowing their eternity is secure in the fact that they will be with God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit forever. However, to my readers today I must share that God also wanted this chapter included in His Word to us today, so that we could know that His Word is still the same powerful force today; His love is even more expansive that we may have first thought, because this Good News also applies to us today. The promises of God are just as true today for us as it was for the Jews: ‘to all who receive him, he gives the right to become children of God‘. To those who really read into this, you owe it to yourself to ask ‘but what about those who don’t receive Jesus?’ It is a good reminder for us that there are only two places available to us after life here on this earth: Eternity in Heaven for those who have invited and received Jesus into their life and given Him authority to be Lord of their life, OR Eternity in Hell where Satan will torment you way worse than anything you have experienced while here on earth. Friends, God created us in His own image, and He wants us to stay especially close to Him as our Creator and Father, why would we allow Satan to tempt us into thinking anything else? Please allow the Lord to open your heart, mind and soul today and impress upon you any adjustments necessary for your impending eternity.

PRAYER
Dearest Lord Jesus, You are indeed my Creator; my King; my Savior; My Lord and my eternal Father. I thank You Lord for that assurance and I am renewed in my resolve after reading the words You impressed upon John the apostle. I earnestly pray that You will impress upon the hearts of my readers the importance of not only hearing about You, but in accepting You as Lord of their lives. This life, as we know it today, will conclude here on earth, but it is clear that our souls will go on to a place made possible by the choices we make here on earth. I long to be with You in Heaven one day soon, and I would love to convince my audience to prepare for that day also. Please impress upon them the importance of making that decision, and doing something about it TODAY. In just my small circle of family and friends, several have been called out unexpectedly recently, and possibly without knowing You personally. To all those reading this devotional, please be reminded that you can make the decision today to right your final destination, for tomorrow may be too late. Have Your will and way in our lives today, Lord, and may You be glorified by the decisions we make and the stances we take to be honest and true representatives of Yours everywhere we find ourselves today. AMEN!

FOOTNOTE
If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please take advantage of information provided on my page ‘To Know Jesus’. I would also suggest that you speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com and share your good news! Perhaps one of God’s servants will pray with you and give you help and/or encouragement as you begin, or continue, your walk with Jesus. If you would like to read more of my devotionals, or subscribe for a daily email containing each new devotional, please go online to NuggetsFromGodsWord.org. Friends, please allow me to encourage you to find a church home nearby your home and attend as frequently as you could. Get to know God and allow His people to encourage and strengthen you in your Christian walk, while making every effort to be a blessing to them. God is at work among His people! Please consider being a part of that, while also growing in your faith, as you worship with fellow believers!

Embrace Humility: God’s Promise to the Humble

On By Ed AlgreenIn Blinded by Sin, Contrite, Humble, Obedience, Promise, Rewards, Righteous, SinLeave a comment

DATE POSTED
Saturday, November 16, 2024, and I was blessed to be at Mariposa at Hunter Road, San Marcos, TX when God inspired me to prepare this devotional. My Footnote will tell you how to find and read any and all episodes that I have shared over the years.

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
Quoted from the New Living Translation (NLT) and found in Isaiah 66:2-3

THE SCRIPTURE READS
2 My hands have made both heaven and earth; they and everything in them are mine. I, the Lord, have spoken! “I will bless those who have humble and contrite hearts, who tremble at my word.
3 But those who choose their own ways – delighting in their detestable sins – will not have their offerings accepted…..

APPLICATION – as inspired by the Holy Spirit
In our family homes we not only learn what is acceptable behavior to parents, but if they are godly parents, you will also learn what is acceptable to God. Now, over the years I have learned that even the best parents bring along traditions and beliefs from their respective families as well, so I have found that there is no substitute for us to individually build a personal relationship with God so that we could listen to His instructions directly as we meditate on His Word each day. In our Scripture today we can see that God clearly promised the Israelites a reward for their obedience, but a warning to those who chose to ignore His instruction. Let’s look at God’s specific instruction to each of the following positions:
a). Those who have humble and contrite hearts, and tremble at His Word – An individual with a humble heart, will come to the Master empty of any self importance or knowledge, knowing that God is totally supreme, all knowing, and loving. This makes one hungry for what God will instruct them, knowing that it is something they can trust, and that it will be for their own good. One with a contrite heart offers no excuses, and shifts no blame. Remember an old excuse used in our court system by criminals on trial ‘the devil made me do it’! Friends, don’t look around when you approach the throne of God, but rather quickly recognize that you are personally standing before the Creator of all mankind, the earth, and everything in it. This is a time that you want God to see you for who you truly are, not who you wish you could be, or for who you are at work, in your social club, or in this world. Remember, God goes straight for the heart, not for the fluff that everyone else might see or appreciate about you. In my family home, we loved and respected mom, but when dad walked in, we realized that he was the leader of our home and my siblings and I wanted to make sure that he found no fault with our behavior or actions that day. We didn’t literally ‘tremble’ when dad entered, but I believe it is just as God intended in this Scripture: learn to respect, understand, obey and honor the Word of our living God that He made available to us, for knowledge, understanding and guidance all the days of our lives. Many of our national laws were created and implemented, based on the teachings of the Bible, can’t you see the importance of us individually doing the same? THE REWARD: God promised that He would bless Israel if they did the above, and I honestly believe that He will bless us also as we adopt this principles into our lives. Let us strive towards holiness dear friends, and this is fed and achieved through obedience to God and His commands.
b). Those who choose their own ways and delight in their detestable sins – In short, I believe that God is saying that if the Israelites chose to do their own thing and disregard their Creator, then they obviously would see nothing wrong with the sins they had committed, or would commit, and would gloat over their actions before those they governed or came into contact with. There are many we will come into contact with who live out the same lifestyle that God is warning against here. We hear the results of this – ‘if you don’t like my attitude or my ways then move to a different part of town, or to a different job, or even a different church’. They are satisfied with who they have become and they don’t want you, or God, telling them otherwise. BUT, God said that He would not accept their offerings. In the Old Testament this may very well have applied to the many sacrifices/offerings made at the temple for various reasons or sins. Our sacrifices today tend to be the time we sacrifice to attend church occasionally, or the money that we write off against our taxes for giving to a non-profit organization, or even the money that we have our secretary send that big church in town every other month. However, when we do these things with a heart that doesn’t meet the standards mentioned in (a) above, God said that He would not accept them. Ever give someone a gift, and later found that they left it on their desk for anyone to pickup and assume, or they threw it in the trash can? If so, you may have just caught a glimpse of how God feels when we throw material things at Him instead of our heart, mind and soul.
I pray that you will conclude from the above what it is that God is looking for and expecting from you, then ask Him to help you overcome the constraints of the Evil one so that He could pour out His blessings on you. I offer good avenues for help in my below Footnote, should you require help in achieving my suggestion and plea.

PRAYER
Thank You, Lord Jesus, for creating us in Your own image. Although You created us with a specific purpose in mind, yet we have strayed to our own liking and subjected ourselves to the Evil one and his wicked and perverse ways, and they are contrary to Your ways. When our kids do this, we quickly conclude that they must have a ‘devil’ in them, yet it is almost impossible for us to discern the distance we have allowed ourselves to stray from the design and likeness of You, our Maker. Please forgive us Lord and constantly challenge us with our weaknesses so that we may search out the One in whom we can place our faith and trust for strength and power in overcoming our sin and disregard each and every day. You reminded the Israelites of what You require of them, and I’m sure that many will look at that and conclude how awful it was for those evil people to ignore the plea of God, without ever performing a self-examination and seeing our own many faults. I acknowledge that I have strayed from You in many ways on many occasions, so I ask that You begin a new work in me to help me identify those things that separate us and bring contention between us. My readers are much the same, I believe, so I ask that you complete a great work in the lives of ever nationality group reading this devotional, just as You did with the Israelites. Draw us close dear Lord, so that we may present ourselves daily with a humble and contrite heart as we read, respect, acknowledge and obey Your Word. Also, may we, every day, analyze our relationship and renew a right relationship with us, as necessary, so You may be glorified in every way through us. Amen!

FOOTNOTE
If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please take advantage of information provided on my page ‘To Know Jesus’. I would also suggest that you speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com and share your good news! Perhaps one of God’s servants will pray with you and give you help and/or encouragement as you begin, or continue, your walk with Jesus. If you would like to read more of my devotionals, or subscribe for a daily email containing each new devotional, please go online to NuggetsFromGodsWord.org. Friends, please allow me to encourage you to find a church home nearby your home and attend as frequently as you could. Get to know God and allow His people to encourage and strengthen you in your Christian walk, while making every effort to be a blessing to them. God is at work among His people! Please consider being a part of that, while also growing in your faith, as you worship with fellow believers!

Overcoming Distractions: Prioritizing God in Your Life

On By Ed AlgreenIn Acknowledge God, All-powerful, Allegiance, Allegiance to the Lamb, Always There, Ask and Receive, Awesome God, Blessings, Bold Confidence, Challenges, Choice, Church attendance, Cleanse me Oh God, Daily communion with God, Devoted, Distractions, Draw Me Close to You, Eternal Life, Everything We Need, Faith, Follow Jesus, God our Provider, God's Guidance, God's Power, Leadership of the Holy SpiritLeave a comment

DATE POSTED
Tuesday, November 12, 2024, and I was blessed to be at Mariposa at Hunter Road, San Marcos, TX when God inspired me to prepare this devotional. My Footnote will tell you how to find and read any and all episodes that I have shared over the years.

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
Quoted from the Good News Translation (GNT) and found in Isaiah 65:1-3

THE SCRIPTURE READS
1 The Lord said, “I was ready to answer my people’s prayers, but they did not pray. I was ready for them to find me, but they did not even try. The nation did not pray to me, even though I was always ready to answer, ‘Here I am; I will help you.’ 2 I have always been ready to welcome my people, who stubbornly do what is wrong and go their own way. 3 They shamelessly keep on making me angry. They offer pagan sacrifices at sacred gardens and burn incense on pagan altars. 

APPLICATION – as inspired by the Holy Spirit
Perhaps you have better control over your emotions on being trapped in an impatient situation, but it seems like as I age, I am becoming way more intolerant over waiting for someone that I expected to make the next step in a process, only to find out they either misunderstood their role, or had no intention in following through on something expected of them. As I meditated on this Scripture today, I held my head down in shame, because I was reminded that God must be exceptionally tolerant of me as He waits for me each morning after blessing me with a very safe, warm, comfortable, restful night, yet I fail to thank Him as I awaken and approach another beautiful day. At evening time, after all day preparing the way for me, directing my path while opening doors that would otherwise be shut tight, yet I lay my head down without saying ‘Thank You’ to my Provider, my Protector, my Savior and my Lord. Friends, try re-reading today’s Scripture and allow it to challenge you about your similarities to the nation of Israel that God spoke to through His servant, Isaiah. We are quickly approaching a time of the year that many set aside as a special day each year to offer up thanks to Almighty God for His amazing hand of mercy and blessings throughout the year. Let us pray that this will not just prove to be a day of overindulging in turkey and whatever other food items might fill our tables that day, for just as our God is reminding us in this Scripture, He stands ready to continue blessing us in the year ahead, if only we would recognize our source of each and every blessing. He stands ready to hear our prayers and petitions as we share our concerns with Him in prayer, for in Isaiah 59:1 we are reminded that God’s arm is not too short to save us or hear our cry for mercy, or want or salvation. Please, dear friends, be reminded that God is still on the throne and He sees the gods that we have chosen to worship. Yes, especially those gods that are outside of His temple where we expect Him to be present. For the Israelites, He saw the gods they worshipped in their gardens. For us, it is any thing, or any one that we allow to take precedence over our time with Almighty God. Let me suggest that we start with, and particularly look at, what we choose to do during the times that our church worship services are going on. Examples might be the beach, boating, sports, shopping, hunting, work, etc. Are these the things that you give thanks to at Thanksgiving for your survival over the past year? Are these the things that you go to, or call on, in times of trouble, disappointment or illnesses? I believe that if these things take priority, and/or take up the time you would otherwise spend with God, then God may be jealous to the extent that He considers you spending more time with other gods rather than Him. May God direct us to keep our hearts and minds fixed on Him, our Creator and Savior, and allow nothing else to distract from our time with Him.

PRAYER
Lord Jesus, thank you for Your unconditional and persistent love for us – Your creation and Your children. You created us in Your image, yet we’ve strayed to our own vices and found other ‘gods’ more attractive, necessary and important to us. You bless, protect and guide us to be more like You every day, yet we choose to ‘do it our way’ like the songwriter wrote about. Please Lord, forgive us of our twisted priorities and our misguided allegiance. Please continue to work on us and open our eyes to see You as You are, our Savior and Lord – our everlasting King – the God of this universe for today and for evermore. In the busyness of life we often complain about not having time for everything that should be important to us. Please help us to use the words that something, or someone was not a priority to us, if we chose other things to consume our time. We want You to be our top priority in all walks of life. Please help us to give priority to You above all else. Amen!

FOOTNOTE
If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please take advantage of information provided on my page ‘To Know Jesus’. I would also suggest that you speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com and share your good news! Perhaps one of God’s servants will pray with you and give you help and/or encouragement as you begin, or continue, your walk with Jesus. If you would like to read more of my devotionals, or subscribe for a daily email containing each new devotional, please go online to NuggetsFromGodsWord.org. Friends, please allow me to encourage you to find a church home nearby your home and attend as frequently as you could. Get to know God and allow His people to encourage and strengthen you in your Christian walk, while making every effort to be a blessing to them. God is at work among His people! Please consider being a part of that, while also growing in your faith, as you worship with fellow believers!

Share/Preach What You Have Seen and Heard

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

DATE POSTED: Friday, September 13, 2024, and I was blessed to be at Destin, FL when God inspired me to prepare this devotional. My Footnote will tell you how to find, read or listen to any and all episodes that I have shared over the years.

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE FROM THE New International Version (NIV) IS FOUND IN Luke 24:45-48

THE BIBLE TEXT IS: 45 Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. 46 He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, 47 and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 I am going to send you what my Father has promised….

APPLICATION OF THE WORD: Ever notice that when you share someone else’s story it’s not as impactful as telling something that is near and dear to your own heart, because of your first-hand experience? In our Scripture today, Jesus share the Gospel with His disciples, but then He reminded them ‘but you are witnesses to these things’. Think about it: If you are married, like I am, then it is easy to share with someone seeking to unite in marriage; If you have been through a hurricane, like I have, then it is easy, but with a sense of urgency, to warn others that may be threatened with an oncoming hurricane; Likewise, if you have experienced the love of God – the One in whom you have placed your faith and trust, and surrendered your total lordship to Him, then you have a story to tell. I once heard an old preacher describe it as a beggar telling, and showing, another beggar where to find bread. I wonder if Satan doesn’t trip us up into believing that we must be ready to preach, or quote any and all verses in the Bible, before opening our mouths to share with someone else! In Ephesians 4:11 we are taught that some are given the gift of apostle, some teaching, some preaching, and so on. Not everyone in the church will be a preacher, otherwise there would be no skills for music or administration or otherwise. But the Bible specifically tells us that we each have been given a gift from God, and although that gift may not be evangelizing the lost, we each are prone to share our personal experiences, for it’s something that happened to us, or something that we have experienced. I was reminded of two additional things as I meditated on these verses:
1. Notice that Jesus opened the minds of the disciples so they could understand His teaching? When we go to church or Bible Study, try asking God to open your mind to what He has to teach you through His Word that day. We can walk through the doors of the church, sit in one of the comfortable seats, and although very capable of hearing and understanding, if our minds are hundreds of miles away, or wandering around the auditorium, then it may be challenging, if not impossible, to hear, understand and apply the teaching of God’s Word.
2. Jesus told His disciples what to concentrate on teaching and preaching, and I believe this holds true for His disciples, you and I, today. Repentance and forgiveness is to be the main principles of our sharing, and demonstrated through our lifestyle. Repentance is when you turn away from what you were doing, and turn to what you are taught to do through God’s Word. You were in sin, and you were living like the world, following Satan’s evil desire for your life. On surrendering to the rule and reign of Jesus Christ in your life, you accepted His gift of eternal life and you are on a road in life that leads to eternity with He and the Father in heaven. Follow His example and His teachings so that the world will know, and want to change in a similar way. Forgiveness is an acknowledgment that you are very capable of doing wrong, so don’t be so judgmental of everyone else. Be willing to forgive them, just as Christ forgave you.
Friends, we serve an awesome, loving and perfect God. Seek Him while He may be found, and allow Him to work in and through your life so that others may see, know, and also believe in the one true God.

PRAYER BECAUSE OF THE IMPACT OF TODAY’S SCRIPTURE: Lord Jesus, please continue to open our minds to truly hear, understand and believe what You say to us through Your Word and through circumstances in our lives. We are the clay and You are the Potter. Teach us to be moldable, especially here on this earth where there are so many side currents and acts of Satan that presses upon us every day. This old world needs Jesus, I pray that as they see and experience us, there will be a huge reminder of Your goodness, Your love, Your forgiveness, and Your salvation, that they too will want to know You personally. Please teach us to seek after and obey Your will for our lives each day. AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: There’s another page on my website, entitled ‘To Know Jesus’. If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading or listening to this devotional, please go to this page, or speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. Please allow someone to pray with you and give you help and/or encouragement as you begin or continue your walk with Jesus. If you would like to read more of my devotionals, or subscribe for a daily email containing each new devotional, please go online to NuggetsFromGodsWord.org. For my podcast, go online to Apple Podcasts or, using the Apple Podcast app, simply search for Nuggets From God’s Word to hear more episodes, or click ‘Follow’ to be notified of Podcast updates. Friends, please allow me to encourage you to find a church home nearby your home and attend as frequently as you could. Get to know God and allow His people to encourage and strengthen you in your Christian walk, while making every effort to be a blessing to them. God is at work among His people! Please consider growing in your faith, as you worship with fellow believers!

Eternal Life Promise: Isaiah 64:8-9 Prayer and Reflection

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

DATE POSTED: Thursday, September 12, 2024, and I was blessed to be at Destin, FL when God inspired me to prepare this devotional. My Footnote will tell you how to find, read or listen to any and all episodes that I have shared over the years.

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE FROM THE The Voice (VOICE) IS FOUND IN Isaiah 64:8-9

THE BIBLE TEXT IS: Still, Eternal One, You are our Father. We are just clay, and You are the potter.
We are the product of Your creative action, shaped and formed into something of worth. Don’t be so angry anymore, O Eternal; don’t always remember our wrongs. Please, look around and see that we are all Your people.

APPLICATION OF THE WORD: I’m not so sure that children today still fear the discipline of their parents, but there was a time when children may have feared returning home after a school teacher discipline, for they knew that there was additional discipline they could expect from their parents. As declared in verse 5, the Israelites acknowledged that they had continued in their sin for a very long time, but they came to their senses and realized that their sacrificial, forgiving and loving God was their only hope. Friends, as I read this I believe the Holy Spirit caused me to reflect on myself, my family, my church, my community and my country, for it’s difficult to turn on the evening news without hearing about the atrocious sins committed that day. It’s sad to attend church and look around at the empty seats, while later reading on Social Media about the other priorities and ways in which our friends chose to spend their Sunday. It pains us to see where their priorities were on a day that Christians choose to lift up the name of Jesus and encourage those who need a Savior. It is frightening and difficult to hear the family of a deceased loved one trying to console themselves by assuming that ‘absent from the body is to be present with the Lord’, especially when that loved one, while alive, wanted nothing to do with the Lord, or with anyone claiming Him as Lord. Friends, according to the Word of God, the day of salvation is at hand – now, today, without delay. God says in His Word that there will be a day of reckoning, and some will hear the sad words of the Master say ‘away from me, for I never knew you’. This means that the individual chose to follow their own way, as they wanted nothing to do with Jesus. Imagine how insulting that would be to the individual to hear Jesus claim them when you told Him ‘no’ all of your life. Notice in our verses today, the Israelites came to their senses – they are still alive and able to consciously make decisions to effect their present and future life situation. They pleaded with God to remember who they were and to give them what He promised. I believe that most importantly, they once again recognized who God was. When you approach those in authority over you, there is a sense of trying to honor them, please them, and place yourself into proper perspective. This often leads to you pleading your change of heart before them, for you now need them. It is so easy for us to look at the attributes of God like love, forgiveness, understanding and welcoming us home to glory. But let’s never forget that He is most importantly God – the one who knows our every action, word and thought, and because He will always honor His word, it is up to us to first recognize Him as God, and to honor Him by submitting lordship of our lives to Him, for He has awesome plans for each of us. Where do you stand dear one? When you claim Him as your God, He will claim you as His child for all eternity. If you choose otherwise, Satan is walking about like a roaring lion waiting for those without Christ. The later option leads to eternal damnation and tormenting. Don’t you get enough of that here on earth each day? Why not surrender to Jesus for eternal life with He and the Father in heaven?

PRAYER BECAUSE OF THE IMPACT OF TODAY’S SCRIPTURE: Thank You Lord Jesus for the promise of eternal life! Please teach us to not only plan our tomorrows here on earth, but to also secure our future in heaven with You and the Father. There is only one way, through the relationship we have with Jesus as Lord and Savior of our lives. Please help us to never assume relationship if we have never sought You out and accepted You as Lord of our lives. You set the path for eternal life from the very beginning of time, and You cemented that plan into the pages of Your precious Word. Just as we are reminded daily, there is no set time for our departure, so we must latch on to You today, before it is eternally too late. Please speak intently to the hearts of every reader and remind them of the decision they need to make, for salvation is not something that grows on them, or filtered into them because of their earthly behavior. Your Word is a light unto our path, may we make it a part of our daily habit so that we might be reminded of You and Your promises. AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: There’s another page on my website, entitled ‘To Know Jesus’. If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading or listening to this devotional, please go to this page, or speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. Please allow someone to pray with you and give you help and/or encouragement as you begin or continue your walk with Jesus. If you would like to read more of my devotionals, or subscribe for a daily email containing each new devotional, please go online to NuggetsFromGodsWord.org. For my podcast, go online to Apple Podcasts or, using the Apple Podcast app, simply search for Nuggets From God’s Word to hear more episodes, or click ‘Follow’ to be notified of Podcast updates. Friends, please allow me to encourage you to find a church home nearby your home and attend as frequently as you could. Get to know God and allow His people to encourage and strengthen you in your Christian walk, while making every effort to be a blessing to them. God is at work among His people! Please consider growing in your faith, as you worship with fellow believers!

Making Godly Choices in Politics and Leadership

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

DATE POSTED: Thursday, August 29, 2024, and I was blessed to be at San Marcos River Resort, Fentress, TX when God inspired me to prepare this devotional. My Footnote will tell you how to find, read or listen to any and all episodes that I have shared over the years.

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE FROM The Voice (VOICE) IS FOUND IN Isaiah 62:2-3

THE BIBLE TEXT IS: Jerusalem, the nations of the world will witness your righteousness, the most powerful world leaders will see your brilliance, And you will be called something new, something brand new, a name given by none other than the Eternal One. And you will be the crowning glory of the Eternal’s power, a royal crown cradled in His palm and held aloft by your God for all to see.

APPLICATION OF THE WORD: I heard of a church that struggled at one point because the ‘controlling’ members began withholding tithes until the church leadership listened to, and followed, their instructions. These instructions could have led to controlling who was the pastor, or how the tithes and offerings were used. Awful, isn’t it? But as I meditated on this Scripture today, my spirit was moved because I see the same thing happening in our politics, and in the decisions made by our government leaders regarding world leaders. Think about it – we have the power, so why not use that ‘power’ to control what others do? We have the money, so why not use that ‘money’ to control what others do? We have the arms, so why not use that ‘threat of withholding arms’ to control what others do? However, despite us giving the impression to the world that we are power-hungry and all controlling, they still may choose to listen, and follow, what they discern their Father in Heaven telling them to do. However, should we possibly feel compelled to seek God first in our decisions like the above-mentioned, wouldn’t there be many other decision areas that require change in order to comply with the instructions laid out for us by God in His Word? Why we’ve accepted the choice of some leaders to openly set up clinics to destroy the lives of the innocent, the helpless, the speechless as spoken of in Jeremiah 19:4. We’ve willingly opened our borders to freely facilitate the heart-breaking sin of human smuggling and other atrocious sins that seriously impact our citizens. Friends, I try very hard to stick to the Word of God and simply have my say in politics at the polls, but as I read this Scripture, I realized that we are making a mockery of God by visiting His temple regularly to ‘supposedly’ satisfy our religious obligations, but at the same time we are guilty of promoting and/or permitting these horrible sins in our lives and in our country. I don’t believe we could ever think that God would only bring condemnation on Israel for its sin, and not on the respective home countries of my readers for committing the same sins. I strongly believe that if God would have first place in our lives, then our decisions and lifestyles would be changed to reflect His leadership. This would not only lead to better husbands, fathers, church leaders and/or government leaders, but this change will be reflected in every decision we make – especially those decisions that impact the lives of others. At one time I stopped shopping at a certain, national store, because I learned they were careless with their investments and/or advertising dollars. I am fortunate to live in a country where the election of our leaders is up to voters like me. I feel like it is incumbent upon everyone to learn about the candidates and vote to reflect our personal Biblical beliefs and the teachings we have at our fingertips in the Holy Bible. Let’s pay close attention dear ones, for there’s a country that God holds in the palm of His hand, because of how meaningful it is to Him, and the closeness of its people to His heart. I believe we are called upon to make sure that we also love, respect, promote, encourage and support that country and uphold them in high regard before our Father, for we are to love what He loves, and denounce those sins in our lives that He hates.

PRAYER BECAUSE OF THE IMPACT OF TODAY’S SCRIPTURE: Father in heaven, You have warned us in Your Word that Your people should let their yes be ‘yes’, and their no be ‘no’, as Your Word is clear on what is required of us. You’ve also taught us that we are not to dilute our faith by those that promote and/or live in evil/sin/disrespect to our Heavenly Father and Your precious Word. Thank You for allowing us to live in a democratic country where we can vote our conscience, while looking to You for guidance into electing those that best follow Your commands and Your teachings. I believe that Your ways and decisions are intentional, and that no leader is elected without Your approval, for they will rule over Your people, and their decisions may impact Your nation and people mentioned in today’s Scripture. Please continue to impress upon us the lifelong decision to live, honor, promote, and vote in a way pleasing to You and Your plan for our world while we are allowed to exist here on earth. May this all be an important way in which we stand up for You, as our King, and display our obedience to what You direct, so that the unsaved may recognize the One we love, adore and obey. Heaven is our eternal home, please help us to live on earth with eternity in mind! AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: There’s another page on my website, entitled ‘To Know Jesus’. If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading or listening to this devotional, please go to this page, or speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. Please allow someone to pray with you and give you help and/or encouragement as you begin or continue your walk with Jesus. If you would like to read more of my devotionals, or subscribe for a daily email containing each new devotional, please go online to NuggetsFromGodsWord.org. For my podcast, go online to Apple Podcasts or, using the Apple Podcast app, simply search for Nuggets From God’s Word to hear more episodes, or click ‘Follow’ to be notified of Podcast updates. Friends, please allow me to encourage you to find a church home nearby your home and attend as frequently as you could. Get to know God and allow His people to encourage and strengthen you in your Christian walk, while making every effort to be a blessing to them. God is at work among His people! Please consider growing in your faith, as you worship with fellow believers!

Maintaining Integrity and Contentment

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

DATE POSTED: Monday, August 26, 2024, and I was blessed to be at San Marcos River Resort, Fentress, TX when God inspired me to prepare this devotional. My Footnote will tell you how to find, read or listen to any and all episodes that I have shared over the years.

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE FROM THE Voice (VOICE) IS FOUND IN Proverbs 30:7-9

THE BIBLE TEXT IS: Two things I ask, O God. Sometime before I die, grant these humble requests:
Eliminate any hint of worthless and deceitful words from my lips.
Do not make me poor or rich, but give me each day what I need;
For if I have too much, I might forget You are the One who provides, saying, “Who is the Eternal One?” Or if I do not have enough, I might become hungry and turn to stealing and thus dishonor the good name of my God.

APPLICATION OF THE WORD: To protect one’s integrity, they might exaggerate on the truth in order to protect their standing, or position on something. This might be something they said, did, or are being accused of. As a child, I remember my dad being leery of his takeaways from a certain individual, for that person was known to exaggerate about things or add their own twists to a story to make it more dramatic. As I read this plea from Agur, my eyes were opened to the sad state of affairs that many of us still find ourselves in today, for we still ‘stretch the truth’ in order to emphasize our point or make us look better in certain circumstances. But remember the example I opened with? My dad took anything said by his friend with a ‘grain of salt’, for he knew that there could be some truth in his story, but he also knew that much of it was probably constructed with ulterior motives. If we are truly meant to share our God stories with others, and if we are meant to evangelize the unbelievers, and if we are meant to be true representatives of our Lord Jesus Christ, shouldn’t we be clear, truthful and always unquestionable in the honesty of our speech to others at all times? If our words are tainted by untruth, what will we tell them about Jesus, since He is obviously not having an impact on our own behavior? The second request is similarly very interesting and challenging. ‘Teach me Lord to be content with what I have’, might be the proper label for this. For if I have too much, I might get cocky and think that I must have done something right in life and I am being rewarded for how good I truly am! Oh my, shouldn’t we wake up and realize that without Jesus Christ, we are nothing at all? While this is a frequent comment by Christians, I believe it is worth clarifying that no matter what the unbeliever achieves in life, or how much money they pile into their bank accounts, they will find themselves: very alone; with no one greater to call on or be challenged by; and no hope or expectation of a future life in heaven with the Creator of this universe. This sounds like a very lonely, disappointing and uneventful climax to a life on earth where one may have thought they were ‘on top of the world’ because of their personal achievements and success. But the second part of this request is that God would help Agur not be too poor, for he then might be tempted to steal or seek dishonest means in order to survive. Friends, I believe that an honest recap or evaluation of this entire request of Agur is that God would remove any distraction that might cause him to stray from his walk with God. Way too often we ask God to give, give, give, for we want to get as good as, or as rich as, or as favorable as, the richer person. I believe that this writer has shown us that we must recognize one thing only – our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. If He blesses us with riches, then we use that for His glory and for expanding the Kingdom of God here on earth. If He blesses us with just enough to get by, then let’s be quick to bend the knee each and every day as we beg for one more morsal of food or finances to see us through another day. In ALL THINGS let us learn to be thankful to God for ALL His mercies and blessings. May the unsaved, and the world in general, always see and experience God in every form of association with us, every day.

PRAYER BECAUSE OF THE IMPACT OF TODAY’S SCRIPTURE: Lord, You are good to us and Your mercies are remarkable, and beyond anything we could ever imagine or ask for. Please Lord, help us to be satisfied in what You have done for us, and what You continue to do for us each and every day. You paid the ultimate price for simple people like us who want to achieve eternal life in heaven with You and the Father. Help us Lord to simply recognize our limitations and inadequacies and teach us to live in the light of eternity, while recognizing Your power and Your handiwork in everything we might accomplish here on earth. Without You, we can do nothing. Please walk with us every day and direct our path to live worthy of the King who gave himself up for our sin. Give us a strong desire to be honest in all we say and do, and to always recognize our all-sufficient Lord and Savior! AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: There’s another page on my website, entitled ‘To Know Jesus’. If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading or listening to this devotional, please go to this page, or speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. Please allow someone to pray with you and give you help and/or encouragement as you begin or continue your walk with Jesus. If you would like to read more of my devotionals, or subscribe for a daily email containing each new devotional, please go online to NuggetsFromGodsWord.org. For my podcast, go online to Apple Podcasts or, using the Apple Podcast app, simply search for Nuggets From God’s Word to hear more episodes, or click ‘Follow’ to be notified of Podcast updates. Friends, please allow me to encourage you to find a church home nearby your home and attend as frequently as you could. Get to know God and allow His people to encourage and strengthen you in your Christian walk, while making every effort to be a blessing to them. God is at work among His people! Please consider growing in your faith, as you worship with fellow believers!

Following God’s Values: Living a Holy Life Despite Worldly Influences

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

DATE POSTED: Friday, August 16, 2024, and I was blessed to be at San Marcos River Resort, Fentress, TX when God inspired me to prepare this devotional. My Footnote will tell you how to find, read or listen to any and all episodes that I have shared over the years.

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE FROM THE Amplified Bible (AMP) IS FOUND IN Hebrews 13:5-6

THE BIBLE TEXT IS: Let your character [your moral essence, your inner nature] be free from the love of money [shun greed—be financially ethical], being content with what you have; for He has said, “I will never [under any circumstances] desert you [nor give you up nor leave you without support, nor will I in any degree leave you helpless], nor will I forsake or let you down or relax My hold on you [assuredly not]!” So we take comfort and are encouraged and confidently say, “The Lord is my Helper [in time of need], I will not be afraid. What will man do to me?”

APPLICATION OF THE WORD: Something that I believe most of us truly care about, is our character. We will go to great lengths to protect against what others might think or say about our character. I therefore found the opening words of these verses very sobering, as God says through His messenger, the writer of Hebrews, protect your character so that others don’t find you offensive, or greedy, or money hungry. But why is this important? I believe that the minute someone evaluates you as greedy or hungry after money, their ears become deaf to the words you might share or the testimony you endeavor to expose to them through your lifestyle. It appears to me that many today have adopted the beliefs and character of the world, rather than staying true to the Word of the Lord, that God made available to us to teach us His values and His lifestyle, while Jesus was on earth among us. I am reminded that God knew that a major character flaw we might have, is our desire for more: money, things, friends, time doing worldly things, etc. I love it when pastors, teachers and yes, the Word of God, uses Scripture to support the point they are making. In our focal verses today, notice where the Spirit-controlled writer of Hebrews supported his message in reminding us of what God had said (bold print)? Check out Deuteronomy 31:6&8 and Psalm 118:5-8! Wouldn’t this be an awesome lesson for us to adopt and follow? Imagine when asked what our opinion is about a popular situation today, that instead of giving our tainted opinion, or the opinion of a tainted politician or public figure, that instead we respond with thus says the Lord, God Almighty! Friends, when we do this, we are much like a humble Pastor/servant I heard teach his church this week. He merely taught us what the Word of God says about abortion, not what his personal views are, or those of today’s politicians, or what doctors fear most, but instead ‘here is what the Word of God says in Proverbs 6:17 about God hating the sin of hands that shed innocent blood’ and in Prov 31:8 where God warns us that we are to open our mouths for the defenseless and speechless’. It is so easy for a poor person to rain down curses on a rich person and how their riches resulted from their greed. But when we share the unashamed Word of God with anyone who may have attained riches in ways displeasing to God, the battle becomes personal between that person and God. Friends, if you are anything like me, it becomes increasingly challenging to quote Scripture at the spur of the moment, but I am convinced that if God leads us to it, He will give us the boldness and the words to carry us through it. For only God changes lives, not you or me. Today you may be touched by the Holy Spirit to examine yourself for signs of your love for money. Please be open to what the Spirit says, and what He directs you to do to better align yourself with the teachings and example of Jesus Christ. If we spend adequate time on this, I believe that the natural desire for more money, or self-worth will diminish as we recognize the desire for holiness and becoming more like our Creator and Lord becomes more prevalent in us.

PRAYER BECAUSE OF THE IMPACT OF TODAY’S SCRIPTURE: Dear Lord Jesus, thank You for leading the way in showing us how to live like our Creator, God. He designed us, and He has a plan for us, if only we will subject ourselves to His teachings and to the life You lived while here on earth. Forgive us Lord for cheapening ourselves to accept and follow the ways of this wicked world instead. Please embolden us and show us the way to not only surrender our lives to Jesus, but to commit to imitating Him in everything we do and say in every circumstance of life. Our world has become so hypocritical that we struggle to accept anything said by our peers. We humbly ask that You evaluate us daily and deliberately show us our misguided actions. Precious Lord may each of my readers join me in admitting that we can only live like You, if we surrender our lives totally and wholeheartedly to You. Please Lord, may our surrendered lives look more like You each day, and may the unsaved be drawn to You because of our determination and commitment. AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: There’s another page on my website, entitled ‘To Know Jesus’. If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading or listening to this devotional, please go to this page, or speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. Please allow someone to pray with you and give you help and/or encouragement as you begin or continue your walk with Jesus. If you would like to read more of my devotionals, or subscribe for a daily email containing each new devotional, please go online to NuggetsFromGodsWord.org. For my podcast, go online to Apple Podcasts or, using the Apple Podcast app, simply search for Nuggets From God’s Word to hear more episodes, or click ‘Follow’ to be notified of Podcast updates. Friends, please allow me to encourage you to find a church home nearby your home and attend as frequently as you could. Get to know God and allow His people to encourage and strengthen you in your Christian walk, while making every effort to be a blessing to them. God is at work among His people! Please consider growing in your faith, as you worship with fellow believers!

A Testimony Resulting From the Presence of Jesus

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

DATE POSTED: Monday, August 12, 2024, and I was blessed to be at San Marcos River RV Resort when God inspired me to prepare this devotional. My Footnote will tell you how to find, read or listen to any and all episodes that I have shared over the years.

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE FROM THE New Living Translation (NLT) IS FOUND IN Luke 24:35-36

THE BIBLE TEXT IS: Then the two from Emmaus told their story of how Jesus had appeared to them as they were walking along the road, and how they had recognized him as he was breaking the bread. And just as they were telling about it, Jesus himself was suddenly standing there among them. “Peace be with you,” he said. 

APPLICATION OF THE WORD: Some reading this devotional today probably have heard about Jesus for most of your lives, and many of you have experienced answered prayer and perhaps even felt God’s presence with you during some of your happy life-experiences, or even in the loss of loved ones. If this is your situation, I bet you are dying with anticipation at the thought of being with Jesus someday soon when God is ready for you to leave this earth and join Him in heaven – a day that all Christians look forward to! But today I want us to try and place ourselves in the shoes of the two disciples that Jesus appeared to while they were walking along the Emmaus Road. They were discussing the impact the Last Supper had on them. When we re-live life-experiences like this, we tend to melt away into the very moment that we are recalling. So, I would imagine that they recalled the love, the compassion, the concern Jesus seemed to have shown for their future and His upcoming arrest and crucifixion. And before any of us dare question their faith in this particular scenario, let’s remember that these men undoubtedly saw Jesus being arrested and perhaps even saw Him on the cross, followed by watching the soldiers seal the tomb of Jesus. Friends, if you were one of these men, what do you suppose you would have done if someone suddenly appeared in your small group and began talking to you? Let’s bring this thought a little closer to home – many of us attend church each week and we sing praises to God, and we do our best to stay awake while the Word of God is expounded. Do you suppose that we would pay closer attention if we look towards the front of the church, and we see Jesus standing there with outstretched hands, inviting us to surrender our lives totally to Him? Will our altars fill up a little quicker at the end of our services rather than the emptiness we see when God’s messenger invites us to respond to the Gospel message? When we pray, do we do it in such earnest that we know we are kneeling in the presence of Jesus, and we expect and or anticipate His miraculous response? When our world is falling apart – perhaps in the death of a very young relative, or if we lost our job, or if our spouse walks away from our marriage, and we are feeling very alone and like we’ve lost everything of value in our lives, does the refreshing Spirit of God fill our hearts and remind us of His undying love, and that He will be with us until the very end? In circumstances like these, we tend to be bitter, and although we cry out to God, we tend to do so with the wrong attitude. What if God made Himself so real in our lives, and so concerned about our circumstances, that we found a place to be alone with God and just allowed Him to love on us, counsel us about where to go from here, and reassure us that His promise is still true that He will be with us until the very end of time and that He is working out His plan in our lives, for our good? Can we handle that? Will you consider asking God to do just that for you? Let’s try to remember that our mission may not change at all, in spite of our earthly circumstances, so let’s learn to lean on Jesus so that He may work out His perfect plan in our lives. This will result in an effective, continued ministry of representing the kingdom of God, to whom we belong, for His eternal good.

PRAYER BECAUSE OF THE IMPACT OF TODAY’S SCRIPTURE: Thank You Lord God for the presence and effectiveness of Your Holy Spirit that is always with us, as believers in Your Son, Jesus. Just as in the case of the disciples in our Scripture today, there are times that You pull up alongside of us to reassure us of Your power, Your love, Your ongoing plan for us, and the home that You have prepared for us when we leave this earth. Please help us to keep our eyes fixed on You, and not to be distracted with the circumstances that may hit us hard while still living here on this earth. Just as it is almost impossible for us to know the comfort of a spouse walking through life with us if we’re not committed, and married to one, so it is with knowing how good You are, oh Lord, without a living, dedicated, relational experience with You on a daily basis. Please help us to not wait until the ‘bottom’ falls out in our lives to look for the God of this universe, but instead help us to dedicate ourselves to You today and live a daily devoted life in sweet communion with You. In that kind of relationship, we know that You are with us on the ‘mountain tops’ and in the ‘valleys’ of life. We can then celebrate You in the good times, and when You pull up alongside of us in our most dismal times of life. You are our God, and You will be with us through every circumstance of life, if only we will let You. Today is the day dear Lord, please teach us to accept, and then expect You throughout every circumstance of life. AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: There’s another page on my website, entitled ‘To Know Jesus’. If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading or listening to this devotional, please go to this page, or speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. Please allow someone to pray with you and give you help and/or encouragement as you begin or continue your walk with Jesus. If you would like to read more of my devotionals, or subscribe for a daily email containing each new devotional, please go online to NuggetsFromGodsWord.org. For my podcast, go online to Apple Podcasts or, using the Apple Podcast app, simply search for Nuggets From God’s Word to hear more episodes, or click ‘Follow’ to be notified of Podcast updates. Friends, please allow me to encourage you to find a church home nearby your home and attend as frequently as you could. Get to know God and allow His people to encourage and strengthen you in your Christian walk, while making every effort to be a blessing to them. God is at work among His people! Please consider growing in your faith, as you worship with fellow believers!

A Roadblock To Answered Prayer

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

DATE POSTED: Monday, July 22, 2024, and I was blessed to be at Advent Christian Village when God inspired me to prepare this devotional. My Footnote will tell you how to find, read or listen to any and all episodes that I have shared over the years.

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE FROM THE Contemporary English Version IS FOUND IN Isaiah 59:1-2

THE BIBLE TEXT IS: The Lord hasn’t lost his powerful strength; He can still hear and answer prayers.
Your sins are the roadblock between you and your God. That’s why He doesn’t answer your prayers or let you see his face.

APPLICATION OF THE WORD: In a day when the people of Judah felt forsaken by God because of the challenging invasion of the Babylonians, I believe that we too can learn a lesson from what God explained to them through the prophet Isaiah. Many of us have heard such things as ‘it felt like my prayers were going no higher than the ceiling’, or ‘it feels like my prayers are hitting a brick wall’, or ‘is God really there for me?’ Throughout the Bible we are taught: that God will not tolerate sin; God will not be present where sin resides; There is no room in God’s presence for unconfessed sin; etc. But do we ever stop to consider these things when we are intimately and sincerely begging for God’s miraculous touch, and our prayers appear blocked? There are times that a child can merely look into the face of a parent and feel relieved by their love, or feel denounced by their correction or displeasure. Yet, God told His people, and us, that He hides His face from us when sin is blocking an open, sincere, honest and righteous presence with our Holy God. Although I am one of the millions who claim a personal relationship with our Lord, I still stop and often reflect on why a holy God would stop to listen to our cry for bodily healing, or safety for our children, or Godly direction in major decisions, or blessings to overcome life’s desperate challenges, when we are living in open sin – disregard for the teachings of our Lord and His written Word. Perhaps it would be good for us to have these focal verses on the inside of the door to our homes, so that it is the last thing we see before leaving to face the world each day. For, although it is easy to live like God in our ‘safe’ places, like home, or church, or Christian based events, but it becomes a whole lot more challenging to live like that in our workplaces or other worldly events without God’s miraculous intervention in our lives. Yes, we need more prayer and help from God in the latter circumstances, but we must learn to live, walk, talk and act like God in every aspect of life, if we are truly determined to follow in His ways every day. So friend, where do you turn to when your prayers seem unanswered or not reaching the throne of God? I am reminded that I am to look inward first and determine what sin is preventing God’s involvement. May I encourage you to do the same? If you don’t have a personal relationship with Jesus, my Savior, please know that it is a first step in your need for prayer. Asking dad for help with something, is altogether different to asking a stranger on the street for that same help. Yes, Jesus loves you, but He wants to know that you love Him, have accepted Him as Lord, and that you are serious about following His commands every day – both when things are going perfectly for you, and when you’re in need of His help.

PRAYER BECAUSE OF THE IMPACT OF TODAY’S SCRIPTURE: Lord Jesus, I thank You for a Savior to who I can turn to when I’m thankful for answered prayer, and also when life is overwhelming and I need a powerhouse to help me overcome. As a child of Yours, and knowing You personally and intimately, You are my Rock to whom I can turn. I wouldn’t dare say that I never get impatient and frustrated when my prayers are either not answered, or as instructed, but Lord I thank You for teaching me through Your Word today, how critical it is that my spiritual condition be in order. Please dear Lord, teach me to always look inward and clear up any sin that may prevent me from seeing Your face or hearing Your response to my prayers. I don’t believe that I am any different to many who will read this devotional today, so I ask that You please open their spiritual eyes today and help them to understand the truth of Your Word. Yes, this Scripture was directed to Judah, but I am convinced that You are the same, righteous and holy God today, and when we are not, we should never be surprised that You are separated because of our sin. Forgive us Lord when we try to bring our worldly lessons and practices into the mix of our times with You. We are to be holy, just as You are holy! AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: There’s another page on my website, entitled ‘To Know Jesus’. If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading or listening to this devotional, please go to this page, or speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. Please allow someone to pray with you and give you help and/or encouragement as you begin or continue your walk with Jesus. If you would like to read more of my devotionals, or subscribe for a daily email containing each new devotional, please go online to NuggetsFromGodsWord.org. For my podcast, go online to Apple Podcasts or, using the Apple Podcast app, simply search for Nuggets From God’s Word to hear more episodes, or click ‘Follow’ to be notified of Podcast updates. Friends, please allow me to encourage you to find a church home nearby your home and attend as frequently as you could. Get to know God and allow His people to encourage and strengthen you in your Christian walk, while making every effort to be a blessing to them. God is at work among His people! Please consider growing in your faith, as you worship with fellow believers!