Tag: Blessings

A Bonus From God

On By Ed AlgreenIn Acknowledge God, Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Ask and Receive, Awesome God, Believe, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED: Sunday, 2023-02-19
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: 2 Chronicles 1:11-12
TRANSLATION: New Living Translation (NLT)

BIBLE TEXT: 11 God said to Solomon, “Because your greatest desire is to help your people, and you did not ask for wealth, riches, fame, or even the death of your enemies or a long life, but rather you asked for wisdom and knowledge to properly govern my people— 12 I will certainly give you the wisdom and knowledge you requested. But I will also give you wealth, riches, and fame such as no other king has had before you or will ever have in the future!”

APPLICATION: I would imagine that it would probably depend on what we are going through at the time, as to what we might tell God is at the top of our ‘Wish List’, or is our greatest desire. If we are wanting to get married, then we would probably ask God to help us find the best suited mate available. If we are attending college, then perhaps we might ask God to help us achieve the best test scores possible, whether we have, or have not, spent adequate time studying as we should have! If the bills are mounting and there just don’t seem to be enough income to go around, we might ask God to wave His magic wand and make the bills go away for us. BUT, I’m hoping that many of my readers and/or listeners are in close fellowship with God, spends adequate time with Him each day studying His Word and praying for His divine direction in your lives. What would you ask for? My attention was drawn when the young, new king, Solomon, made it his very first move to take his leaders with him up to the temple. He didn’t say what he was going for, and Scripture doesn’t record, that his leaders asked any questions about where they were going or the reason why. This large group arrived at the temple and Solomon led the pack in proceeding to the bronze altar and sacrificing 1,000 burnt offerings to the Lord. Isn’t it amazing how this very powerful young king didn’t recline back and order his servant leaders to handle the burnt offerings? Notice how Solomon didn’t make the offerings with any type of condition to God, or use them as any bargaining tool for what he wanted from God that day? But of particular notice is that God knew the heart of the dad who had prayed for his son to assume kingship over Israel, and how he wanted him to keep God first in everything he did. God also knew that in-spite of everything that Solomon had going for him, he found no greater priority than to gather his leaders and first go to the temple to seek the face of God, before any other task that required their attention. Notice in verse 11 how God’s heart was touched by Solomon not doing like most, who would ask for personal success and riches, but instead asked for help in being the best possible leader for a people he had been given the honor to lead. Although knowing his very heart, yet God wanted us to notice that He will bless abundantly more than we could comprehend, when His people will humble themselves, seek His face, and beg for help in meeting the needs of His people over whom we have influence. God blessed Solomon with the things he requested, but then as a bonus, God also blessed him with those things that he could have asked for! Friends, I don’t believe there is any greater ‘wow’ moment than to see the Great I Am do more for us than we ask or deserve! I wonder, when last have we sacrificed time at work or play or family, to call a few Christian brothers and sisters and invite them to meet you at the altar of your church? Assuming that some will show up, would they be surprised that nothing is personally wrong with you or your immediate family, but that you wanted to pray for a neighbor who needs Jesus, or for your Sunday School class that you will teach the following day, or the congregation that you feel truly needs to see Jesus in services the next day? Do you suppose that people are not being blessed, or saved today because of our laxity and lack of dedication to the God we are meant to represent and lead our people to in our respective ministries? At the very ending of verse 12, God promised to bless Solomon more than any king before or after him ever thought possible. What would happen in your family, or your Sunday School class or your church congregation if God chose to bless in this way because of your faithfulness? Could our city contain itself if it saw churches being blessed in response to their humbleness, their dedication, their teaching and their preaching? Why, it will become evident that the God we worship and adore really does exist, because the might works of God reveals itself through His church! Are you truly doing anything to invoke the blessings of Almighty God on His people and His church? Oh Lord, may we always facilitate Your blessing, and never stand as a stumbling block to all You want for Your people.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: God was merciful to Solomon and blessed Him with what he asked for, plus, as a bonus, also blessed him with the things that he could have asked for! What an awesome, giving, and ever-blessing God we serve!

PRAYER: Glory to God in the highest for who You are and for all that You do for Your children – especially for the blessings that we may not even asked for! Oh that Your people will recognize Your greatness today and have a deep desire to worship You and seek Your ongoing goodness for all those we love and cross paths with each day. Your blessings are way greater than anything we could imagine or ask for, and I pray that we would realize once again that You just want our availability to serve, and Your blessings will overflow through us to bless others. May each one that walks through the doors of Your church today come with a new desire to worship You for who You are, and not just for what You could give them. Please Lord, help us to seek Your throne on behalf of others today, and not just for what You can do for us. May Your kingdom come, on earth, as it is in heaven. For thine is the glory, the honor and praise. AMEN!

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

Blessed By God’s Standards

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

DATE POSTED Sunday, 2022-12-11
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Luke 6:20-23
TRANSLATION: New Century Version (NCV)

BIBLE TEXT: 20 Jesus looked at his followers and said,
“You people who are poor are blessed, because the kingdom of God belongs to you. 21 You people who are now hungry are blessed, because you will be satisfied. You people who are now crying are blessed, because you will laugh with joy.
22 “People will hate you, shut you out, insult you, and say you are evil because you follow the Son of Man. But when they do, you will be blessed. 23 Be full of joy at that time, because you have a great reward in heaven. Their ancestors did the same things to the prophets.

APPLICATION: Many of you are probably familiar with ‘The Beatitudes’. However, some refer to these as godly standards by which we should live. When Jesus returned to the plains from His all-night prayer time with His Father, He delivered what is considered by many as the greatest sermon ever taught. This is due in part because the sermon is a repeat of one previously taught by Jesus on the mountain to a similar crowd. Because the sermon is recorded in the Bible, all of us who claim Jesus as Savior of our lives, also receive this sermon every time we read the Scriptures. So what shall we do with these challenging words of Jesus? I recommend that you refresh yourself on the content of this full chapter in Luke – the whole sermon. But I feel compelled to share a prayer written by one of my favorite commentaries on the Bible, Jon Courson. This will be posted under my ‘Prayer’ section of this devotional. Take it to heart friends and be blessed of God!

PRAYER: Let’s pray.…
“The standards, Lord, of Your kingdom—of giving, blessing, forgiving—are qualities I lack in and of myself. Therefore, I need forgiveness, and I embrace You as my Saviour. I bask, Lord, in Your grace. I plead Your blood. I invite You to come into my heart again, Lord. And in so doing, to allow my life to more completely display these qualities. Strip from me, Lord, hypocrisy. Take from me, Lord, attitudes of judgment or condemnation. Keep me, Lord, from being one who hears the Word, but doesn’t build my life thereon. I pray that my life might truly be built upon the Rock, that as the storms come, I might stand in that day. So, by the Spirit, and in the Spirit, I absorb these teachings, this message, and pray that I might do unto others as I would that they would do unto me. Make me like You, Jesus. Allow me to be one who is more concerned about compassion than tradition. Allow me to be one who responds to Your commandments rather than argue why they can’t be done. I pause in Your presence, asking You to do Your work in my life. Set me free, Lord, to be a liberator and lover of others as I look to and love You.” AMEN!

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

Blessings – Gifts To Those Whose God is the Lord

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

DATE WRITTEN: Friday, 2022-12-09
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, Florida

BIBLE REFERENCE: Psalm 144:15
TRANSLATION: Amplified Bible (AMP)

BIBLE TEXT: 15 …. How blessed [fortunate, prosperous, and favored] are the people whose God is the Lord!

APPLICATION: I grew up in just a small town, but there were some kids that had it all, some that barely had the necessities, and others that wished they had parents that just loved them. If you can identify with similar scenarios from your childhood, then you too might reflect on how you felt when you spent time around each child. You may have felt envious about some, while feeling sorry for others. In verses 12 – 14 of this chapter, David listed some things that he felt would make the lives of he and his fellow citizens a lot more bearable. This sounds a lot like us, for we make our lists for Christmas; for the store; and perhaps even a wish list for our spouse! However, David was quick to say that as children of the heavenly King, we are blessed beyond measure all the time. Often, we just need to get our envious minds out of the way and concentrate on our needs instead of our ever-growing list of wants! Based on a Scripture verse that I read one morning, I created a Facebook group, hoping to encourage my friends to join me in encouraging others by mentioning daily points of blessing and thanksgiving. Friends, if we believe this Scripture, then there should never be an awkward moment where we cannot share a blessing with someone. Let me encourage you to go before God anytime you can’t think of what you are thankful for. I believe God will open your mind and your eyes to so much, that you will be bubbling over to share your blessings with someone. What about you, my friend? If you removed the words ‘luck’ or ‘happen-chance’ from your vocabulary and really concentrated on the things that only God could have provided for you, can’t you see where you would quickly come into agreement with David, that as a child of the King, we are filled with blessings from our loving Lord – our Heavenly Father, E V E R Y day? Keeping the blessings confined to your internal satisfaction is like saying that you deserved those blessings and that they are yours and yours alone. Let’s learn to be appreciative of our blessings, dear friends, and let’s celebrate those blessings with others, for they need encouragement that our God is still alive, and He is still watching out for, and blessing His children beyond more than they could ever imagine or ask for! Count your blessing dear friend and see what your mighty God has done and will do!

PRAYER: Dear Lord, we are thankful for life itself and we are especially thankful for Your precious love for us. Lord, thank You for showing us love in so many different ways and for consistently loving us through all of life’s good and challenging times. Please continue to bless so that we may be a blessing to others. Oh that You may be lifted up and exalted through even us. Please touch lives through our actions so the unsaved may be drawn unto Yourself. AMEN!

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

What Happens To Unholy People

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Holiness, Holy Living, Leadership of the Holy Spirit, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Thursday, 2022-04-28
WRITTEN AT: Citra, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Joshua 7:6-7; 10-11; 13;
TRANSLATION: New Living Translation (NLT)

BIBLE TEXT: 6 Joshua and the elders of Israel tore their clothing in dismay, threw dust on their heads, and bowed face down to the ground before the Ark of the Lord until evening. 7 Then Joshua cried out, “Oh, Sovereign Lord, why did you bring us across the Jordan River if you are going to let the Amorites kill us?…
10 But the Lord said to Joshua, “Get up! Why are you lying on your face like this? 11 Israel has sinned and broken my covenant!…
13 “Get up! Command the people to purify themselves in preparation for tomorrow. For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: Hidden among you, O Israel, are things set apart for the Lord. You will never defeat your enemies until you remove these things from among you.

APPLICATION: Things had been going extremely well for the Israelites. God had protected and taken exceptional care of the estimated 3 million people for 40 years, both in getting them away from Pharaoh/Egypt; through the harsh desert in providing food, water and protection from every source of danger; and in clearing the way for them to assume residency in the land promised to them. So of course the leaders and their people got a little sideways in being punished in defeat against the men of Ai. They had become a bit spoiled with the various miracles performed for their benefit. But here’s the difference between God and man: Joshua and the elders went into a time of serious prayer and mourning before God, for they had no idea why their small army was defeated. However, God knew that there was disobedience involved in handling the capture of Jericho. From’s man’s standpoint: the walls fell as God told them they would; the Israelites successfully slaughtered all living things, just as God told them to do; all gold, silver and precious jewels were retrieved just as God ordered them to do; and as far as the leaders knew, everything was taken to the temple as ordered by God. But God knew that the covenant agreement He made with the Israelites had been broken. Unfortunately this happens all too often in our lives also. God agrees to save us from our sin, but don’t we return to sin whenever the circumstances warrant? In our marriage relationships, God provides us an awesome spouse and we make a covenant agreement with God and our mate that we would love, provide for them, and keep them til death do us part, but isn’t it unfortunate how many change their minds after they get what they want from the relationship? In the case of the Israelites, God withdrew His hand of protection and His mighty power to win the battles that His people sought after because they broke their covenant agreement with Him. What if God was that tough on us, and our churches today when we break our covenant relationship with Him and with each other? God was not willing to work with the unholy Israelites, He ordered that they purify themselves. Do you suppose He is waiting for us to do the same before He resumes His blessings on us? Talk to the Father my friend, see if there be any wicked way in you that is causing Him to distance Himself from you. Seek His purification over your life my friend.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: God was willing to resume His blessings on the Israelites if they cleaned up their act and made themselves right before God, again. We serve such a forgiving, loving God!

PRAYER: Precious Lord, please take our hand and lead us on to a glorious life where You are our focus, and You are so prevalent in our life, that others are attracted to a relationship with You also. We feel so inadequate at times that I’m not sure how we would make it through life without You guiding us, protecting us and loving us. Please teach us to maintain an honest, right relationship with You. We need You Lord Jesus, for we are afraid to walk without You holding our hand. Our battles are real every day, just as the battle the Israelites attempted on their own, but i feel like we need You even more that they did. Thank You for the reminder that You will withhold Your promises if we choose to do life without You. Lord, we need You every hour, please stay by our side and gently guide us through every aspect of life. The glory belongs to You for everything accomplished in and through our lives, may You have full reign to reach others, and if necessary, use us to accomplish Your work. AMEN!

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

If You Obey, I Will… Otherwise I will ….

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

DATE WRITTEN: Friday, 2021-05-28
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Leviticus 26:3-16
TRANSLATION: Contemporary English Version (CEV)

BIBLE TEXT: 3 Faithfully obey my laws, 4 and I will send rain to make your crops grow and your trees produce fruit.
6 I will bless your country with peace, and you will rest without fear.
7 You will chase and destroy your enemies, 8 even if there are only five of you and a hundred of them, or only a hundred of you and ten thousand of them.
14-15 If you disobey me and my laws, and if you break our agreement, 16 I will punish you terribly, and you will be ruined. You will be struck with incurable diseases and with fever that leads to blindness and depression……

APPLICATION: God provided freedom to His people, the Israelites, who were enslaved in Egypt. To make the transition, I’m sure God had to lead them in every walk of freedom, including those things that trigger His gifts and generosity. Often as we tune in to the evening news and hear of everything that is creating havoc for our respective families and country, we may be forced to ponder what on earth have we done to deserve all the bad things that occur every day. For the sake of brevity, I only included highlights from Leviticus 26. Let me encourage each reader to click on the Scripture reference above and read the whole chapter. There are things promised by God that I’m sure we would wish to enjoy and flourish in today. However, there are also warnings that God gave about His reaction to our disobedience, and we could only stand back in shock about how real these are even in our current day situation. Notice that God warned about incurable diseases that He will allow to affect us – perhaps cancer, COVID, or other such diseases. Weather conditions that will impact growth of our natural food items. And these forms of punishment will be multiplied as we continue our stubborn and disobedient streak. Friends, I found this extremely interesting as I read this today. Yes, this related how God spoke to the Israelites. But I believe it was placed in His Book of Instruction, so that we might know how He operates. Simply put, I believe God is saying to us that if we recognize Him as our Creator/God and we obey His commands, He will bless us beyond our ability to comprehend. However, beginning in verse 14, God is telling us that if we choose to go our own way, ignore the Almighty God who created us, and live according to the world’s standards and beliefs, then He will release His fury on us. No doubt we will ponder why on earth will anyone choose to be punished. Ever since the very beginning of time, Satan has misled mankind into thinking that they know better than the God who created them. Unfortunately, Satan is still whispering words of deceit to many today, for until some are challenged with unusual or burdensome things that serve to destroy them or their families, they usually opt to continue their rejection of the Great I Am. I believe that it is extremely obvious as to God’s intentions, and His positive reaction to our obedience. But He is strongly against our disobedience, so if it’s up to you, then why would you choose death over life; or evil over goodness; or damnation over the goodness of a loving and caring God? Friends, God has made His decision on the outcome, it’s up to you now to choose your ultimate destination and whether it will be blessings in store for you, or curses. I know you are smart and that you will make the right decision, God being your helper and provider.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: In spite of accepting us in a very sinful state, God saved us from the pit of Hell and, as promised to the Israelites in today’s Scripture, He has many, many blessings in store for His children. We serve such an awesome God!

PRAYER: Thank You Lord for saving my soul…. Thank You also for Your promises of ongoing blessings just like You promised the wicked Israelites who stubbornly worshiped idols, even while You provided their food and passage to a new and wonderful, free land. Please Lord, touch Your people once again today so that our eyes might be opened and our hearts refreshed to Your many blessings. Please give us boldness to stay in Your Word and apply it to our lives every day. May the source of our strength and our divine guide be obvious to all those around us, so that they may also seek after You. AMEN!

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

At Least 2 Benefits of Your Giving

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

DATE WRITTEN: Wednesday, 2020-06-24
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: 2 Corinthians 9:11-14
TRANSLATION: Living Bible (TLB)

BIBLE TEXT: 11 Yes, God will give you much so that you can give away much, and when we take your gifts to those who need them they will break out into thanksgiving and praise to God for your help. 12 So two good things happen as a result of your gifts—those in need are helped, and they overflow with thanks to God. 13 Those you help will be glad not only because of your generous gifts to themselves and to others, but they will praise God for this proof that your deeds are as good as your doctrine. 14 And they will pray for you with deep fervor and feeling because of the wonderful grace of God shown through you.

OBSERVATION: As a child you may have been given a quarter to through in the offering plate, and that may have increased as time went along, depending on the financial success of your parents. Hopefully as you matured, this idea of giving became more of a partnership with God, and obedience to God. For His Word gives adequate guidance on tithes and offerings. But as we meditate on the Scriptures today, I want us to be reminded that God has promised that He will be even more generous to us, so that we might be more generous to the needs of His ministry here on earth. Let’s anticipate catching on to the generosity of our awesome God, and consequently imitate our God by giving even more through our tithes and offerings.

APPLICATION: Perhaps we should dispel a few myths that Christians in our generation tend to hang on to in their giving: a). I disagree with church leaders about supporting a certain cause, and since I never attend a business meeting to have my say on the matter, I will just stop giving. Perhaps then they will not have enough money to continue supporting that cause; b). The church is sitting on way more money than I have in the bank, so I will ease up on my giving and force them to use some of their own funds to fund the operating account for a while; c). I have found a needy friend that I will give my tithes to, until further notice. It’s a godly purpose, for God wants us to care for the needy; d). Unfortunately, I have run up a lot of debt and don’t have enough free cash remaining to support my church – tithes and offering; e). I have never given the church more than $99.99 at one time, so there is no way that I will fork over a check for $1,000 for that recent gift left in my dad’s will for me. I may give $100, but no more. Friends, I have a few questions for us to consider: 1). Is there anything in the Scriptures about any of the above examples? 2). Might we be ok doing any of the above and find a good explanation for God to support our actions? And 3). Do you suppose that God will still give you more for you to do more of the same that you’ve been doing? A great reminder for us every day is that we can’t out-give God! However, to know that two great blessings result from our giving, is super exciting: 1). Those in need are helped, and 2). Those who receive will sing great praises to their King for His goodness. You see, God never expects us to give because of the praise we might receive from our giving. Instead, recipients will sing praises to the King of glory! So let me encourage you today dear friend, to give from a heart that has been blessed already by the bountiful gifts of our Maker. Know that you are giving to the work of the Lord, not for the use, or abuse of church leaders. Your church leaders are answerable to God, because they were put in place by Him (according to Scripture). You do your part, and allow them to do theirs, for you both will answer to God for your faithfulness to the tasks assigned to you here on earth. Lastly, let me suggest that you place priority on things that you will use your income for. God is my priority, so I choose daily to give Him the first fruits of my income, knowing that He will meet my needs in the other areas of my budget as I place my faith and trust in Him. If you are not already doing something similar, please consider making God first in all aspects of your life, especially in your finances. Others who are blessed will praise God for all that you gave!

PRAYER: Thank You Lord for giving to me, thy great salvation so rich and free! Thank You also for blessing me financially! I am far from rich in the eyes of mankind, but You have given me more than enough to meet my daily obligations and to give of my tithes and offerings for the work of Your church and the needs of our community. Thank You for being such a generous God. Please touch the hearts of my readers as they evaluate their status on giving, and their true relationship with You. May we all place You first in all aspects of our lives, especially in the area of our finances, so that You may be lifted up by all mankind as they seek to know You personally and receive the free gift of eternal life. AMEN!

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

We Have Enough!

On By Ed AlgreenIn Gift, Giving, Obedience, Offering, TitheLeave a comment

Tuesday, 2019-10-22

Bible Reference: Exodus 36:4-7
Translation: New Living Translation (NLT)

Bible Text:  4 Finally the craftsmen who were working on the sanctuary left their work. 5 They went to Moses and reported, “The people have given more than enough materials to complete the job the Lord has commanded us to do!” 6 So Moses gave the command, and this message was sent throughout the camp: “Men and women, don’t prepare any more gifts for the sanctuary. We have enough!” So the people stopped bringing their sacred offerings. 7 Their contributions were more than enough to complete the whole project.

OBSERVATION: In your minds, I would like for you to imagine that you are looking at your neighbor in church when the pastor announces that he wants the congregation to STOP GIVING, because the building fund is fully funded and there is no need for additional funds! Can you imagine the shock? Yet in our time together today we will see where Moses did exactly that – he told the people that there was no need of additional gifts, for there was enough given already! Let’s dig in to learn more about this strange idea!!

APPLICATION:  I wonder why things may have changed? Whether we talk to an individual or a well established church, there always seems to be a cry for help in their financial needs. First of all in our Scripture today, it is clear that not all of the people freely gave to the cause. In 2:21 we are told that those whose hearts were stirred by the message from God through Moses, responded to the plea for help in providing material for the building project. This sounds pretty much like our churches today, don’t you think? As a result of surveys, we are told that less than 20% of the people do more than 80% of the giving! So why have the others ignored the plea? Friends, I believe that the Word of God is clear on this. Just as the Word tells us that if we humble ourselves and pray, then God would save our nation, I believe that many of us need to humble ourselves to recognize that we have nothing personally to brag about. It is because of God’s grace that we have the health to work, the job to go to, and the income to survive. If we truly acknowledge that fact, why would we withhold giving to God in proportion to what He has blessed us with? The Word gives us guidance – at least 10%. Because there are other biblical references to ‘first fruits’, I believe that the guidance actually refers to 10% of your gross income. Now because our relationship is one built around love, I don’t believe that we would dare use this as a legalistic demand. People ‘in love’ will generally give freely, and way more than might be expected of them. In a love relationship, there is no such thing as excuses why we can’t give 110% of ourselves to our mate. Should there be an excuse, or a reason, when it comes to giving to our Lord and His earthly work? Don’t you know that if each person in our congregations gave like this, that our pastors would frequently be faced with an overflow of income, where pastors and church leaders could decide to expand the ministry after meeting all the needs that they are aware of? We are told that more than 70% of our county have no church affiliation, or relationship with Jesus Christ, so is there a need to to expand our ministries? God may hold us accountable for not giving as we should to reach the lost. Furthermore, I believe that the stress level on our pastors will be drastically reduced, when they don’t have to worry about funding the projects that God has shown them might be necessary to grow the ministry. When we receive our paycheck, there is no negotiating on amounts taken out for government taxes, why should there be constant decision making on how much to give towards God’s work? Determine in your own heart how much you will give and stick to the plan Brother and Sister. We are promised that we will receive more than we could ever imagine or expect. Furthermore, we will receive in proportion to what we have given. May I encourage you to always expect more from God, knowing that you have given in abundance towards His work? Furthermore, rejoice, knowing your loving and all powerful God will abundantly bless you and meet your needs!

PRAYER: Father, it is exciting to see how You work. We give to bless others, yet You wind up also blessing us in return! There just isn’t a way that we can out-give You! Thank You for being so generous, loving and kind to us! I would say that we are so undeserving, but then I am reminded that even while we were undeserving, You sent Your only Son as a sacrifice for us, so that we might have a chance at eternal life in heaven with You. Thank You Father! Thank You Jesus, Son of God! Lord may we learn to give in similar fashion – regardless of whether we feel the receiver or the project is worthy of our love, may we react in obedience to Your will for us. Please bless us as we give, so that our own needs may be met each and every day. May souls be touched for You because of our obedience in giving. I ask these things humbly, although undeserving, but in the powerful name of our all-giving Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, AMEN!

How To Transform Worry Into Praise

On By Ed AlgreenIn Praise, Prayer, Surrender, Worry, Worry no more2 Comments

Thursday, 2019-08-29

Bible Reference: Philippians 4:6-7
Translation: The Message (MSG)

Bible Text: 6-7 Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.

OBSERVATION: I believe that God knew full well how His children would worry, when we take our eyes off Him, so He was sure to include these verses today just for us! Let us ponder today over the many times that Jesus touched a life to help restore faith in Him, and to show His awesome love for mankind. Let’s learn to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, then we will have less to worry about. What a glorious thought to meditate on today!

APPLICATION: I believe there is one thing that we do extremely well, and that is ‘worry’. For we worry about what was said to us, or perhaps what wasn’t said to us. We worry about the look someone gave us, and even worse, if they don’t look at us at all! We worry about what we should say, but we worry even more if we say too much. When our minds are so busy worrying about every little thing in life, we tend to start building our own case about why the world hates us and wants nothing to do with us. I hope that as you meditate on this scripture with me today you will catch a glimpse, or be reminded, of the awesome God that we serve. You see, I am convinced that our God loves us enough that He will patiently wait for us to unload all of our concerns (worries) on Him in prayer. But what I am even more convinced of, is that God loves us enough that He sacrificed His one and only Son, so that He could provide the answer for our forgiveness of sin and our means of entering the gates of heaven to spend eternity with Him. Friends, there are so many things that we are so blessed with, that we should learn to fix our minds on those things, rather than the worries of all that this world will burden us down with. So how do we move from where we are, to where we should be? We are taught in these verses that it’s a matter of prayer and praise. Let’s make it our aim to take our concerns to the Lord in prayer, and let’s look for ways to praise Him for all that we see Him doing in our lives. In doing these things, we are told that we will find relief for those times that we would otherwise just worry, worry, worry. God loves us way too much to see us succumb to the sickness caused by worry.

PRAYER: Dear God, thank You for Your endless blessings on us. Thank You for the provisions You made for us and the future that is ours, who have placed our faith and trust in You. It’s a daily thing for us to overlook the temptations Satan will send our way to pull us down emotionally, and make us worry about things that we have no control over. Thank You for the direction You have given to us today in Your Word. Oh that we may be found faithful and true to You dear Lord. Oh that we may learn to worship You and praise You for who You are, even when our personal circumstances seem bleak. We’re Yours dear Lord. Please continue to teach us the right path to truth, hope, love and encouragement, so that we may savor in Your presence all of our days. I ask these things in and through the name of Jesus, my Savior, AMEN!

Savor The Goodness of God

On By Ed AlgreenIn God's Goodness, ThankfulLeave a comment

Thursday, 2019-01-31

Bible Reference: Psalm 73:1-5
Translation: The Contemporary English Version (CEV)

Bible Text:  No doubt about it! God is good – good to good people, good to the good-hearted. But I nearly missed it, missed seeing his goodness. I was looking the other way, looking up to the people at the top, envying the wicked who have it made, Who have nothing to worry about, not a care in the whole wide world.

OBSERVATION: I’m sure it happens all too often, that we fall into the trap of David, where we are so caught up in coveting what the neighbor, or coworker, or friend, or employer has, that we totally miss the simple, but profound blessings that God showers on each of us every day. Shouldn’t God look at us with disappointment over the fact that we easily overlooked our customized blessings, that He specifically designed for, and deliberately delivered to us?

APPLICATION:  I find life so interesting sometimes, for those who have – wish they had more, and they may even say that THEN they would be happier. For those who don’t have, they may look at those who seem to have material things as ones who are ‘blessed of God’. We have to be careful that we don’t get hung up on this friends, because when we do, we may very easily overlook what God has truly blessed us with. The Psalmist was caught in this trap, for he was looking at the blessings of others and feeling sorry for himself, like he was not blessed at all, just because he didn’t have what they had. It is truly amazing how spoiled we have become! If it rains, we have fewer people in church. Can you think about how blessed we are to have an automobile that can take us to church – dry from the outdoor weather! Can you imagine what our ancestors did who either walked or rode a horse to church, if they were blessed enough to have a horse? Think about us cancelling a church service because the air-conditioning may not be working! Would anyone show up if we planned a tent meeting? Friends, we must never place ourselves in the shoes of another man or woman, for we are rich in God’s blessings just as we are. Unless we center our thoughts on God, and recognize Him as the author of all things around us, we could very easily walk around in this world feeling deprived of God’s goodness – His blessings. Consider the air that you breathed in this morning, the ability to stand up and walk, the ability to see what you are doing, the love of family and friends that surround you, the comfort of your home – even if it is not as palatial as the mansion bragged about by a friend at work. Friends, without any worldly belongings, still we are blessed of God. Can we learn to praise Him for His awesome goodness to us, no matter what state we may find ourselves in? Let’s not overlook the goodness of God to us individually – in spite of what we see going on around us. Let’s remember that God’s customized blessings for us, would not fit the neighbor, and vice versa. So let’s learn to praise God even in our challenging times, for He is preparing us for eternity with He and His Father! If you have accepted Jesus as Lord of your life, then because He is King of all kings and Lord of all lords, that makes you an heir to His throne – you are a prince or princess – royalty! It just don’t get any better than that, and it all happens without even qualifying for a bank account!! Trust in the Lord friend, with all your heart, soul and mind, and prepare yourselves for the royal treatment! Read my ‘Footnote’ below if you have yet to surrender your life to Jesus. He is waiting and longing to hear from you!

Prayer: Lord, You are good and Your mercy endureth forever! How can we say thanks in enough ways to show our appreciation and gratitude to You for all that You do everyday for us? Please forgive those that You have created, those that You have blessed, those that You watch over and provide for everyday, for the times that we whine and complain because it may appear to us that a Brother or a Sister may show evidence of being blessed more than us. Wow, what an ungrateful bunch we are oh God. Please be patient with us while we come to our senses and recognize all of Your goodness towards us. May we seek and find reasons to praise You everyday for Your goodness oh Lord. May we truly recognize the Potter and how good You are to those You have molded in Your image. With a grateful heart, I give You thanks dear God. May You be praised today by a multitude of thankful people who recognize your goodness, AMEN!

Footnote: If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. Allow someone to pray with you and give you help and/or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Words underlined in my blog could indicate a link to a song that came to mind as I wrote the devotional. Feel free to click on the link and listen as you continue to read or pray. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to www.nuggetsfromgodsword.org and read more, or you may freely to subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. If you are anywhere near the Highlands County, Florida area and do not have a church home, I would be thrilled to welcome you at Bible Fellowship Church, located at 3750 Hammock Rd, Sebring, FL 33872! Click the link to check out service times and/or other special activities. God is at work among us! Please consider coming to worship with us!

2016

Enjoy Your Work

On By Ed AlgreenIn God's Work, Teamwork, Work, Work Til Jesus Comes, WorkplaceLeave a comment

Post Date:

 Tuesday, 2017-04-25
SCRIPTURE

From:

 Ecclesiastes 9:9-10 (ERV)

Text:

 9 …. Enjoy every day of your short life. God has given you this short life on earth—and it is all you have. So enjoy the work you have to do in this life. 10 Every time you find work to do, do it the best you can.…
OBSERVATION:
Our attention is drawn to the fact that God has given us the ability to provide for ourselves – the strength, knowledge, pride and desire. We are encouraged to take advantage of that and not look at it as punishment, but rather a blessing. Wow, if only we could find employees who enjoy coming to work every day because they consider it a God-given privilege and joy! Perhaps we should lead the way, right?
APPLICATION:
For the child of God, we find verses like these that God uses to spur us on to be the best we can be in our work places and to show that we actually enjoy our jobs. We often use phrases like ‘TGIF’ or ‘Hump Day’ that indicates to the world that we are glad to see this chore, called ‘work’ nearing an end. For the unbeliever, there might be a variety of feelings, including feeling unappreciated, underpaid or perhaps overworked. Isn’t it amazing how unimportant all of these things become when we hear of our competition closing their doors, and many dear friends or family losing their jobs? Or perhaps we apply for a job elsewhere and see that we are not worth anywhere near what we thought we are worth monetarily? Friends, I believe that the Scripture is telling us to appreciate the gifts that God has given to us; the blessings that God has poured out on us to have a good job; the interesting challenges that we face on our jobs that come to stretch our minds and give us the ability to grow in knowledge and understanding; the awakening of being faced with a menial task sometimes, so that we could appreciate what subordinates face each day; the occasional walk through a hospital, assisted living facility or a prison so that our eyes might be opened to the fact that but for grace of God, it could very easily have been one of us in that facility. I truly believe that the person who sits idle and unappreciative of work, is the one who says to God ‘thanks, but no thanks’! Friend, God has blessed you with gifts, abilities and a desire to provide for yourself and your family. Is he proud of what you are doing with all that He has given to you? Can you praise Him and thank Him even today for the work that you do? I pray that you will not be ashamed to stand before the throne and thank God for all your accomplishments resulting from all that He blessed you with!
PRAYER:
Lord, with my hands; my mind and the many gifts that You have blessed me with, I lift them to You in praise and thanksgiving. I pray that You will help each of us today to use our talents to provide for ourselves and our families, and that we will never hide them under a bushel because we feel like someone else is much more capable than us. I pray that our eyes will be opened to the gifts You have specifically blessed us with, and that we will see the purpose for which You have placed us where we are at for such a time as this. You have never made a mistake Lord Jesus, please help us to stop finding excuses for why we can’t…. but instead look for all the blessings You have given to us that allows us the abilities to accomplish great things! AMEN!
FOOTNOTE:
There are two more pages on my blog that will provide you with additional information, one of them being ‘To Know Jesus’.  If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please click on the above page, or speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. Please allow someone to pray with you and give you help and/or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Words underlined in my blog could indicate a link to a song that came to mind as I wrote the devotional. Feel free to click on the link and listen as you continue to read or pray. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to Nuggets From God’s Word and read more, or you may freely to subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. If you are anywhere near the Highlands County, Florida area and do not have a church home, I would be thrilled to welcome you at Bible Fellowship Church, located at 3750 Hammock Rd, Sebring, FL 33872! Click the link to check out service times and/or other special activities. God is at work among us! Please consider coming to worship with us!