I Called On The Lord

On 2021-05-022021-05-02 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Merciful Savior, Mercy, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Sunday, 2021-05-02
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: Psalm 18:1-3
TRANSLATION: New Living Translation (NLT)

BIBLE TEXT: ¹I love you, Lord;
    you are my strength.
²The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my savior;
    my God is my rock, in whom I find protection.
He is my shield, the power that saves me,
    and my place of safety.
³I called on the Lord, who is worthy of praise,
    and he saved me from my enemies.

APPLICATION: As I meditated on these verses today, my heart immediately started to sing ‘I love You Lord, and Your mercies never fail me’. I included the link so that you might let that play in the background as you meditate on the Scripture and possibly this devotional. What a comfort to know that no matter whether we will enter a day on a ‘high note’ where we enjoy only the blessings of God, or whether its a day where we struggle to enjoy the blessings because of the challenges of life we are facing, yet we KNOW that our Lord never fails us, for He is always faithful to His own. You may feel like you’re in the struggle alone, but if you read the Scripture verses again, you will see that David – a man after God’s own heart, endured some very real struggles where his life was on the line and there seemed like no way out. Unlike us, where we might turn to the internet or the airways for a nice song that will comfort us, or call our pastor to pray with us, or drive down to the church which has always been a place of refuge for us, but David was often in the wilderness by himself, or in a place where he didn’t know if he could trust anyone else to help him. You see, David seemed to have often been in circumstances like we are when laid on our backs unable to move, we have no choice but to look up. Because of David’s relationship with God, and the faith he had developed in God over his life, he confidently called on the Lord to rescue him from Saul, to protect him in the cliff of the mountain where Saul himself came searching, and when faced with Saul’s elite army. Friends, David had gone through a lifetime of trust in God for all his needs, and especially depended on God to protect him, therefore at critical times he knew in whom He believed and in whom he could place his trust. Can you do the same dear Brother and/or Sister. This is the only real way of handling life’s challenges, for few of us can call in an army, or rush to the hospital, or order in the servants to help us. It’s all about Jesus my friend! He alone can rescue us from the tyranny of evil in this life and the forces of Satan that will constantly bombard the believer in Jesus Christ. For those who may not know my Savior, let me encourage you today to meet my Him, and be drawn into an intimate relationship with Him. Only He can save you from your sins; love you unconditionally; protect you from every temptation and struggle in life; and have a home prepared for you in heaven after your life here on earth is over. Thank You Lord Jesus, that Your mercies never fail me!

PRAYER: Dearest Lord Jesus, may I always sing of Your goodness and Your mercies that You faithfully bless me with each day of my life. Please draw my readers and I to You, and find peace and contentment in knowing You, so that even when we encounter times of trouble and distress, we will be reminded of Your love, Your faithfulness, Your goodness, and Your never ending mercies to us. Lord, we have family, neighbors and friends who desperately need You as Lord of their lives. In Your goodness today, please encourage these and draw them to Yourself so that they may find joy in the strength of the Lord. Have Your way in our lives today Lord, and may Your unending mercies always be our comfort. 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!

Make Your Church Attractive to Your Community

On 2021-05-012021-05-01 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Saturday, 2021-05-01
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: Mark 3:7-8
TRANSLATION: Easy-to-Read Version (ERV)

BIBLE TEXT: ⁷Jesus went away with his followers to the lake. A large crowd of people from Galilee followed them. ⁸Many also came from Judea, from Jerusalem, from Idumea, from the area across the Jordan River, and from the area around Tyre and Sidon. These people came because they heard about all that Jesus was doing.

OBSERVATION: I believe that every reader will have a short list about why they chose the church they are attending. If asked by a friend about why you like your church, I’m sure you will be quick to tell them about the great praise and worship team, or perhaps the preaching, or even other things that you like about your church. But what do you think will attract the unbeliever? Spend time in the Word with me as we note the reason crowds were drawn to Jesus. Perhaps this will help us better respond to questions about our church!

APPLICATION: When we think that a friend likes great music, we will promote the great band that our church has, and the exciting Worship Leader who lends energy to our services each week. For the friend who likes to read, we may tell them about the emphasis our church has on studying the Bible. For the friend going through a rough time, you may tell them about the emphasis your church has on prayer. Of course, we all may have heard people brag about the love and care of the church members/attendees, and how they rallied around them on so many occasions of distress and heartache. But although many of these examples represent things that Jesus may have influenced in the lives of believers, isn’t it strange how seldom we give Him credit for all that He is doing in the church? Notice how, in our story today, that the people came from areas all around because of what they had heard about Jesus. Yes, this could mean that they came because of what others shared in their efforts to get them to meet their Savior, but friends, I believe that some of the first words from our mouth, when asked about our church, our ministries, our pastor, or our worship leader, is that Jesus is still the same today, as He was yesterday and the day before, and that we look forward to meeting with Him every time we go to church. Share how He healed the sick, restored sight to the blind, encouraged the down-trodden and gave hope and life to those who were discouraged and ready to give up. In fact, it is very evident that He meets with us each week as we open His Word, for our minds are made to understand; in prayer we speak with Him as One who is right there in our presence and we are encouraged to go on, knowing that the King of all kings still reigns, still loves and still cares for us like no one else could. Friends, this is not just words that we should speak, but rather experiences that we should share. In fact, this becomes reality as we leave our homes where Jesus has been present each and every day through our times of devotion, through our ups and downs of life, and through the answers to prayer for the sick and discouraged of our family. Then as we head to church to lift up His name and sing praise to our wonderful Lord, we are prepared to welcome Him in our midst and ready our hearts for a time of communion with our Lord – the Master and all gracious God. I believe that we have become way too dependent on entertainment, on things that bring us good feelings, on people who give money or things to us, and we go to church for more of the same. Please consider an intimate relationship with this great God of ours. Please consider going to church to lift up His holy name and bless others who need encouragement, and not for the selfish sake of getting your fill of blessings, although that will come when you do the things mentioned. Friends, this same God who created us and provides sunshine and food for us each day, loves us passionately and has a brand new home prepared for us, where we will enjoy His presence in band new bodies without pain and heartaches. Let’s learn to brag on Him more, and for all that He does through His humble servants at our respective churches. May He be glorified in and through us today, and every day.

PRAYER: Dear Lord, You are so good to me. You bless me beyond anything I can imagine. You even gave up Your life so that I might live eternally in Heaven. Please touch the hearts and souls of Your people today oh Lord. May we all be able to rejoice because of the Savior who loved us more than life itself; because of the Prince of Peace that calms us when life turns our world upside down; because You hear our cry for help and You answer our prayers with more than we could ever imagine or ask for. We just serve an awesome God, and we are forever thankful for knowing You as King and Lord of our lives. May all this cause an outflow of love and blessings to others that we come into contact with oh God. Be magnified in and through us, is my humble prayer. AMEN!

Prayer – A Plea To God

On 2021-04-302021-04-29 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Praise, Prayer, Recognize God, Worship1 Comment

DATE WRITTEN: Friday, 2021-04-30
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: Psalm 27:7-9
TRANSLATION: New Living Translation (NLT)

BIBLE TEXT: ⁷Hear me as I pray, O Lord. Be merciful and answer me!
⁸My heart has heard you say, “Come and talk with me.” And my heart responds, “Lord, I am coming.”
⁹Do not turn your back on me. Do not reject your servant in anger. You have always been my helper. Don’t leave me now; don’t abandon me, O God of my salvation!

OBSERVATION: Often in our prayers we will thank God for our food, thank Him for His blessings on us, ask Him to bless our family, etc. But there are times of desperation where we plead with God about circumstances beyond our control that often bear heavy on our heart. As we meditate on this passage I pray that we will be reminded of the love of our Savior in our good times, where it seems like blessings abound, and in our most challenging times when we desperately need Him.

APPLICATION: Most people remember God and they remember to pray to Him when they see no way out in the critical circumstances of life. Imagine leading up to a a car wreck, all passengers are drinking and having the time of their life. The driver falls asleep and the inevitable occurs – a head on collision with a tree. At least one passenger has life-threatening injuries. What do you suppose is the first thing the remaining occupants will do? I agree, probably pray. I’m not qualified to say whether God hears their prayer, and answers their pleas, but the Bible has many instances where we are warned that no one knows the day or the hour where our life here on earth will end, and that we should be ready to meet our Maker at all times. David faced many challenges in his short life, but he had a very intimate relationship with his Maker. Because of his relationship with God, he mentioned how he heard in his heart that God wanted him to pour out his heartfelt needs to Him. Like us, David was afraid that God was not hearing him, and even worse, he was afraid that God would reject him. Don’t try to knock David down for his feelings, because while we could read a lot from the Bible about David, and it all seems honorable and it makes David look very good, we must remember that only David knew what was going on in his life. He was able to open his heart to God, because he knew that God knew all too well about the good, bad and indifferent in David. This is important for us to take note of, for we might try to pull the wool over the eyes of our parents, our spouse, or our good friends, but we can’t do that with God. For God not only knows everything about us, but He also sees everything we do, He hears every word we say, and even more frightening – He knows our very thoughts. So there is no need to beat around the bush when conversing with God, but instead be honest and hold nothing back. He is waiting to see if you will be honest with Him. Also, when you go before God in prayer, remember He is the Master and you are the servant. You are asking Him for whatever needs are impacting your life, so don’t tell Him how to do His job. Respect Him as God of the universe, and speak to Him as One who knows all about what your needs are. He has the power to forgive, and He alone can heal and forgive us of our sins. Listen carefully for His answer, as it may not align with your desired response. He’s better than that, and He will answer in a way that far exceeds anything we could ask or expect. Let me encourage you to cast your cares upon the Lord, and expect His supernatural response.

PRAYER: Although we are afraid to tell our friends everything that bothers us, Lord we realize how You already know about our good times, our wishes, our desires, and our wants. Please speak intently to us so that we may not ask astray. We are thankful that You know what’s best for us ahead, and You know the perfect timing for those things. Please humble our hearts to talk with You in all honesty, and to be patient as we wait for Your response and direction. Thank You for the life of David, and thank You for his honesty in speaking with You during his intimate times with You. We have no one to impress, so help us to just be ourselves as we come before You in prayer. Please continue to bless us, and bless those that we pray for, so that You may be glorified here on earth, as You are in Heaven. AMEN!

Your Best Place To Be A Witness

On 2021-04-292021-04-29 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Witness, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Thursday, 2021-04-29
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: Mark 2:15-17
TRANSLATION: New Living Translation (NLT)

BIBLE TEXT: ¹⁵Later, Levi invited Jesus and his disciples to his home as dinner guests, along with many tax collectors and other disreputable sinners. (There were many people of this kind among Jesus’ followers.) ¹⁶But when the teachers of religious law who were Phariseessaw him eating with tax collectors and other sinners, they asked his disciples, “Why does he eat with such scum?”
¹⁷When Jesus heard this, he told them, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do. I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.”

OBSERVATION: While I admire believers who feel like they should always be in church, I often wonder what impact the church really has on its local community. Of course, the church is not a building where we meet to worship, it is totally comprised of the people that come together to worship the one and only Lord of the universe. However, after being reminded in this Scripture again today, I wonder if God looks any more favorable on church attendance, or on what the church does outside of the 4 walls where we meet. Please reread the Scripture and meditate with me, as God ministers to you and I.

APPLICATION: I found it very interesting how Jesus chose unlikely people to follow Him – fishermen; tax collector; etc. Then there was also another surprise when He sat at the home of Levi, a tax collector, to dine with friends and associates of Levi. In fact, the Pharisees openly showed their dismay over seeing Jesus dine with such people. But let’s examine why this appears as a surprise to us. First of all, and probably the most likely cause, is that the Pharisees hung out with other Pharisees and did not associate with the Gentiles. They considered themselves above the normal citizen, because of their knowledge, power and position. Now moving to current-day Christians, why might this story surprise us? Well, in the world of Christendom, we are ‘supposed’ to hang with other Christians. We were taught that to hang with unbelievers, we might soon assume their worldly view of anything goes, no respect or love for others, among many other things. We are taught by the church that we are to attend every possible service held at the church. We are quickly scolded if we are seen in places where ‘Christians don’t go’! Anything wrong with this picture so far? Probably not, but will we have opportunity to witness to the unsaved in any of these ‘likely’ places? Probably not. But think about this: did Jesus sin by sitting and eating with the group at dinner that night? Is it a sin if we sat and ate with a room full of business executives who never attend church? I believe the answer is clearly ‘No’, for there were no commands of God that were dishonored or disobeyed. In fact, the opposite might be true. There were opportunities to be a witness to the unsaved, and wide-opened opportunities to share the love of Christ, and the Good News with a number of people eating with you. At a cocktail party for local businesses I remember coming across the head elder from my church. He had his glass in hand, just like the rest of us, but it was filled with refreshing Coca Cola. You see, he was ‘in the world’ through the normal course of business, but he was not ‘of the world’ by participating in the drinking of alcohol, per his personal beliefs. So in our Scripture today, I believe that God may be calling out to say ‘follow the example of my Son’, don’t set so many rules that you are crippled in being a living witness for our Lord to those who have not chosen to follow Him yet. Of course this comes with many cautions. If you are a recovering alcoholic, please don’t place yourself right smack in the middle of a party where alcohol is served. If you have been the subject of human smuggling and/or human slavery, don’t place yourself in the middle of a group that will refresh those fears and hurts. I believe that God would have us use common sense about how far to go, and to find the right opportunities for meeting with folk that He is actively working on already. Seek God first, and all this will come to you by His Holy Spirit. We may often come across to the world as Mr or Mrs ‘Goodie Too Shoes’ if we feel we are too good to join a friend in certain activities at certain places other than the church, but when you are guided by the Holy Spirit, His work will be accomplished through you – even in those places.

PRAYER: Precious Lord, You know first hand how trapped we are in this wicked world. We receive emails and texts, but we have to first discern if they are legitimate or if they are merely traps to sabotage our electronic world. Satan is actively trying to trap us also in our daily lives, and we must always have our guard up. Please Lord, give us the wisdom to know the things You would have us do, and the places You would have us visit, for the meetings You have scheduled for us to influence an unbeliever for the Kingdom. Please help us to always be open to the direction ordered by the Holy Spirit and help us to always stay strong in our faith, so that the world will see Jesus, and not the weakness and failures of our own selves. May our mission always be about the One that we love, adore and serve, and may Your work be accomplished through us so that mankind may be drawn to You, and where You may be glorified. AMEN!

Saints on Vacation

On 2021-04-252021-04-25 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Sunday, 2021-04-25
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: Mark 1:21-24
TRANSLATION: Living Bible (TLB)

BIBLE TEXT: ²¹Jesus and his companions now arrived at the town of Capernaum and on Saturday morning went into the Jewish place of worship—the synagogue—where he preached. ²²The congregation was surprised at his sermon because he spoke as an authority and didn’t try to prove his points by quoting others—quite unlike what they were used to hearing!
²³A man possessed by a demon was present and began shouting, ²⁴“Why are you bothering us, Jesus of Nazareth—have you come to destroy us demons? I know who you are—the holy Son of God!”

OBSERVATION: I once heard a sermon entitled ‘Saints on Vacation’. It was an awesome reminder that while we may need a vacation to rest our minds and our bodies from the normal routines of life, we don’t need a vacation from God, although many find that necessary. Notice that Jesus and His disciples came into Capernaum and He immediately sought out a place to worship. Seeing that Christians are committed to following in Jesus’ example, I thought we might allow the Word to speak to us today about our commitment to worshipping God with other believers, no matter where we are geographically.

APPLICATION: Blessed is he that attains the age of retirement, and who actually takes advantage of that wonderful option! Praise God, I have been such a blessed individual! One of the things my wife and I enjoyed while working and taking a vacation, and that we totally enjoy now that we are privileged to visit other states/cities, is to visit the local church. What a blessing to study the Word together with other Christians across the nation, many miles away from our home church, and to sit in their places of worship and sing praises to our One God, our only God – the same God we worship at our home church! We have come to look forward to these special times of worship! Unfortunately, many folk will use circumstances such as I mentioned, to remain in their hotel rooms, or visit the beach, as there is finally no one to call and ask about their whereabouts! Even more unfortunate was the onset of COVID last year where houses of worship were forced to close down. Today many of our family and friends have used this excuse to still stay away from worshipping our awesome God with other believers. Friends, if Jesus saw this as important, and he exampled this before His disciples, shouldn’t we (His followers) also do the same? If we are not especially careful, we will end up with a generation of children who saw their parents sleep in, or do any number of things during church times, instead of getting themselves together and making their way to the house of God to thank Him for His many, many blessings throughout the week, and praise Him for His goodness and unconditional love towards us- even us. Children of God, as our kids follow in our footsteps, may they always recognize the Almighty God, and may they be eternally thankful for His many mercies. Let’s not wait until something awful takes hold of our kids, in much the same way as the demon possessed man in our Scripture, before we awaken from our Satan induced spell and get on about our Father’s work. We are well enough and protected enough to go to work and do almost every thing else during the week, let’s be careful that we don’t allow Satan to fill our minds too much longer with his lies about why we should not go to church. Remember, Jesus loves us unconditionally and He would do anything for us – including His acceptance of a death sentence on a criminal’s cross so that we might have access to life eternally in Heaven. How it must grieve His heart to see us find excuse after excuse why He is not worth our sacrifice of a few hours on Sunday, or Saturday, to worship Him with other believers. He may very well have wonderful miracles in mind for you, just like He did for the demon possessed man, but you’re missing out my friend. Satan and his demons have no place in the life of one filled with God’s Holy Spirit. Denounce Satan and take your place at the foot of the cross of Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit will cause you to be hungry for God’s Word, and to associate once again with His people.

PRAYER: Thank You for directing my thoughts today precious Lord. I’m not perfect, so I beg for Your forgiveness when I fail You, and fail to honor You in my life. Lord, I pray that You will speak to the hearts of Your people who have become lax in attending church, Bible study and corporate prayer. I pray that You will touch the lives of those who have allowed Satan to draw them away from You, and I pray that You might touch them miraculously today so that they may be drawn back to You. Little ones are following in our example as we lead them astray, although You have warned us about not allowing anything to distract them or pull them away from You. Forgive us Lord for allowing Satan and the things of this world to come between us. Please empower us to be more like You each and every day, and help us to stand strong in our faith so that others may be encouraged and ministered to for Your name’s sake. AMEN!

It’s Time

On 2021-04-242021-04-24 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Saturday, 2021-04-24
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: Mark 1:14-15
TRANSLATION: The Passion Translation (TPT)

BIBLE TEXT: ¹⁴Later on, after John the Baptizer was arrested, Jesus went back into the region of Galilee and preached the wonderful gospel of God’s kingdom. ¹⁵His message was this: “At last the fulfillment of the age has come! It is time for God’s kingdom to be experienced in its fullness! Turn your lives back to God and put your trust in the hope-filled gospel!”

OBSERVATION: When one prepares for major surgery, there are many things to consider. Doctors and nurses try to help prepare you for what must be done, as you may be incapacitated for a while. The better you prepare, the better you and your affairs are attended to during your down-time. In today’s study, we are encouraged to turn our lives towards God, as the fulfillment of His kingdom is at hand. How well are you prepared, should Jesus return today?

APPLICATION: There’s a lot in the Bible that warns us about the time leading up to the return of Jesus, and there are many warnings as to what will occur if you are prepared for that historic event. It is a known fact that many will refuse to believe in the return of Christ; and God, in His infinite wisdom, knew that would happen, so He gave insight into what will happen to those who refuse to listen, believe and accept Jesus as Lord. Friends, please know that our Scripture today applies to everyone, not just those who believe in their Creator and have accepted His free gift of Eternal Life. Just as in most areas of our lives, many are skeptical, Jesus knew that regardless of what was done in a manger in Bethlehem many years ago, and no matter how much pain He endured on a rugged old cross at Calvary, yet some will doubt, while many will procrastinate as if they know the day and the hour that Christ will return. But I feel a responsibility to warn you today, that just as the prophets foretold the birth, crucifixion, death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus, they also foretold exactly what Jesus returned to Galilee to tell the people there. If you visited a website where a financial guru told you where to invest your money, because He felt certain of later success and profitability in certain areas of the market, you would jump to invest every extra dime you could put your hands on. Yet the Creator of this universe, and of you and I, says in His Word that He loves you enough to sacrifice His very life for you, because He wants you to be ready when the trumpet of God is sounded. But some have opted to accept eternal damnation in Hell instead. What’s with that dear friends? To my reader who remains skeptical about my Lord, please let me remind you that there is no greater love than for a man to lay down His own life for you, like my Jesus did. Please be careful as you observe the free will He has given to you. Unless you accept Him as Lord and Savior of your life, you are destined for a sinner’s Hell. To those who have accepted Him and believes on the Lord Jesus Christ, there is a place prepared for you, together with all the saints, in glory, where we may rejoice with the Father and the Son forevermore! The choice is easy my friend, but you must make that choice. Make it today, while you still have breath to do so.

PRAYER: Precious Lord, take my hand, lead me home… Thank You Lord for saving my soul and thank You for the promised rewards of Heaven. Oh that Your Word might penetrate the heart of the unsaved one that reads this devotional. May they choose life – life eternal with You and the Father in Heaven. We long to be where You are dear Lord. May Your kingdom come soon. AMEN!

I Will Always Remember My Children

On 2021-04-092021-04-09 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Remember, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Friday, 2021-04-09
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: Exodus 28:9-12; 29
TRANSLATION: Contemporary English Version (CEV)

BIBLE TEXT: ^9-12Put two onyx stones in gold settings, then attach one to each of the shoulder straps. On one of these stones engrave the names of Israel’s first six sons in the order of their birth. And do the same with his remaining six sons on the other stone. In this way Aaron will always carry the names of the tribes of Israel when he enters the holy place, and I will never forget my people.
²⁹In this way Aaron will have the names of the twelve tribes of Israel written on his heart each time he enters the holy place, and I will never forget my people.

OBSERVATION: No doubt you are much like me where there are times that I just need reminding that God is still there, watching out for me and loving me unconditionally. Today as I read this Scripture I was totally reminded of the love of our awesome God. He not only wanted to make sure that Aaron, the priest, always remembered his people each time he went before God, but God wanted to know that He was blessing His people at every opportunity. As we meditate, let’s remember that God feels the same way about us!

APPLICATION: I am reminded that way too often we get too caught up in our selfish wants and seek after all that we feel God should bless us with, rather than praying diligently for God’s workers, the unsaved and for our opportunities to be of service to the people of God. It becomes very evident that the Israelites were very much the apple of God’s eye, and they were extremely special to Him, even as a growing nation. But notice that God wanted this to become an important part of Aaron’s routine also, for God didn’t need reminding. So what would you think is important to God in your family, in your church, in your community, in your country or even in the world? Don’t you think that He would want that foremost in your minds and in your prayers as you come before Him? In other words, God’s priority should be our priority. What God loves and cares about should be the things that we get our attention also. Many of us wear a symbol of an empty cross on our jewelry as a reminder that our Savior who once hung on a cross, no longer hangs there, but He has risen and lives forevermore enthroned next to the Father. Aaron wore a vest and a breastplate with jewels that had the names of the 12 tribes of Israel on them, so that each time he went into the Holy Place, those names went with him, as a reminder before God. I am ashamed that no matter how many people I tell that I will pray for them, that promise hardly ever go further than the instant that I tell them and pray for them. However, if I take time to add them to my ongoing prayer list, I remember them each time I review my list. I pray that God will touch our hearts today and cause us to seek ways to remember in prayer all those that we promised we would pray for, and all those that God cares intimately about. I believe its time for God’s people to become serious about the people God seriously loves and cares about, and also those who are near to our heart. Perhaps then we might see God’s hand move like never before in the areas that God cares about.

PRAYER: I am so glad that Jesus loves me, Jesus loves me, Jesus loves me. I am so glad that Jesus loves, me, Jesus loves even me! Thank You Lord Jesus for loving even me! However, I have been reminded today that I must learn to love those people that You love also, and I must remember them in prayer as often as I bow my head. This life is not all about me, so Lord I need lots of help focusing on the things that matter most to You. Please direct my thoughts and my innermost desires, so that I may please You in all aspects of my life. Touch the heart of each reader today. Fill them with Your Holy Spirit and draw them unto yourself, so that they may know and experience Your heart’s desire for them. Be glorified in us today oh Lord. AMEN!

The Key To Life!

On 2021-04-062021-04-06 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Tuesday, 2021-04-06
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: Proverbs 4:10-13
TRANSLATION: New Living Translation (NLT)

BIBLE TEXT: ¹⁰My child, listen to me and do as I say, and you will have a long, good life.
¹¹I will teach you wisdom’s ways and lead you in straight paths.
¹²When you walk, you won’t be held back; when you run, you won’t stumble.
¹³Take hold of my instructions; don’t let them go. Guard them, for they are the key to life.

OBSERVATION: We all have life, but we all strive daily for more happiness, more success, better health, to always do what is right, etc, etc. God tells us in today’s Scripture that all this is found in His Book of Instructions. So let me encourage you as you begin today, and every day, look to His Book for the key to right living, and then be consciously aware of how He guides and directs you. Know why this is important, by staying with me for my full devotional today.

APPLICATION: In my home as a child, mom and dad taught me the right way to live, based on all they had learned in their upbringing and based on the Word of God. For these were things that would make my life better in our home, and more respected in our community. As I entered school, I was taught everything about respect for my teacher and other students and good habits to enhance my learning, so that I would get the most from my education and prepare for a better life ahead. As I entered the workforce, I was taught the principles my boss wanted to achieve and therefore expected from his employees. I was taught how to also please our customers and better earn their respect. This helped me achieve a 47-year successful career in life. As a member, and also as a leader in my local church, I learned with others what God demands of us as His followers, so that we might be used as His instruments in our community to help lead the lost to Him. God brings to my attention each day various truths that God provided in His Word to lead me towards a better life – a life destined for the glories of Heaven some day soon. In today’s Scripture you and I are taught that God’s instructions, as recorded in the Bible for our benefit, are really the key to life. Because God is eternal, I believe that God intended this word ‘life’ to be life eternally with Him, for it is the only way of seeing life that is true and meaningful. I believe that everyone is taught the basics of Christian life, for our laws have adopted some of these laws into it’s system of right and wrong. However, there are many, many principles of God that never make it into the world’s system of laws, because they don’t please everyone and their liberal, worldly way of thinking and living. It is therefore incumbent upon each of us to read God’s Word for ourselves, as God will speak to us individually about what He wants to draw to our attention. If we depend on God, listen to Him as we read His Word, and follow in obedience to what God tells us, then we will have the keys to life, and life more abundantly under the lordship of Jesus Christ when we accept Him as Lord. Friends, the Bible is a best seller because of it’s ultimate power. There are so many fictional novels we can read to make us feel good, feel more loved, or encouraged to love others more. But the Bible is God’s holy word to each of us. Within It’s pages God has words of encouragement, words of wisdom, words of power, words of love and words of direction to lead us in the path of righteousness. Let me encourage you to read the Word of God, meditate on what God is saying to you and follow His will in total obedience, for His name’s sake. It will lead you to life, and life more abundantly! No other book has that kind of assurance and promise.

PRAYER: Thank You Lord for Your Word – Your Word of truth and perfect direction for our lives. You asked that we strive to be more like You each and every day, and we are thankful that You have provided the Book that will train us towards that end. Thank You for Your Holy Spirit that makes those words ‘pop’ off the page so that even in our simple minds we could be drawn to Your awesome word for us. Thank You for those who share Your Word with us, but oh God, I thank You so much for the sincerity of every word that You embed in our minds that we specifically need to be more like You. The words of life are so important in helping us live life to its fullest as Your children who should be encouraging others towards heaven. Please fill us with your Word, Your power, Your wisdom and Your perfect direction for our lives, so that others may see Jesus in His fullness, even through those that we come into contact with each day. Be honored and praised today because of Your impact on us. For I ask these things believing and expecting today! AMEN!

Where The Power Comes From

On 2021-03-272021-03-27 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Miracles, Miraculous, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Saturday, 2021-03-27
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: Exodus 17:14-16
TRANSLATION: Easy-to-Read Version (ERV)

BIBLE TEXT: ¹⁴Then the Lord said to Moses, “Write about this battle. Write these things in a book so that people will remember what happened here. And be sure to tell Joshua that I will completely destroy the Amalekites from the earth.”
¹⁵Then Moses built an altar and named it, “The Lord is My Flag.” ¹⁶Moses said, “I lifted my hands toward the Lord’s throne. So the Lord fought against the Amalekites, as he always has.”

OBSERVATION: We seem to get so hurt and defensive if we don’t receive all the credit for things that we are involved in. Joshua and his men (the Israelites) put their lives on the line to fight the army of Amalekites, and I’m sure that Moses was appreciative of that, but when he erected an altar to celebrate winning the battle, he gave credit and praise to the all-powerful God who truly won the battle. As we pause in the Word of God today, be reminded that we cannot depend on mankind, but on the power of God to win our battles.

APPLICATION: In today’s society we hear a lot about the ‘luck’ of an individual who survives a fiery car crash, or the smart, quick thinking of a dad who directed his family into the basement before a tornado hit and destroyed their home. But how often do we hear about the prayers that went up for protection while traveling, or the hand of God that protected a family who served God with all their heart, soul and mind? Yes, I know that the media would never print such miraculous news or show it on the TV waves, but as an individual, are you truly giving God the credit for His mercies on you and your family? In our biblical account today, Moses knew that He was acting on God’s instructions when he sent Joshua to lead his people into battle. Through mere lack of physical strength, Moses also saw how his army started losing ground in the battle when his arms grew weary and started to fall, but as long as he kept his arms raised in dependence on God and praise to the almighty, his people showed consistent ability to win the battle. You see, Moses realized that it was not by might or any power of the people, nor through any great leadership of Joshua, that the battle belonged to them, but it was solely based on the power and might of the Lord God Almighty to whom he (Moses) lifted his arms. Notice how Moses was not concerned about what the Amalekites thought about his actions in giving God praise, nor if Joshua got his feelings hurt for not being recognized as a fearless leader. It was a recognized fact that it was God, and God alone, who deserved the praise. Join me in applying this principle, and Moses’ reaction to our lives and our challenging situations. The Bible says that the prayers of a righteous man availeth much. Righteous means ‘right with God’. If you are ‘right with God’ and you have a consistent daily commune with Him, who else would you consider giving praise to when you witness miraculous works being accomplished in your life, or in your presence, or in your company? Worry not about what the world will say about you, give praise to the only One who can! Furthermore, don’t let that miracle be so temporary that tomorrow no one will recall what happened. Place a monument, or a marker at the place so that you, your family, your friends and all those around you will stop and recognize that ‘holy ground’ when they pass by. Be ready to take your little ones to that place and explain what happened. Be an instrumental part in their lives, so that they will know, even as a child, that the same God who turned seas into highways, is the same God who working a miracle in your life right at that very spot. These miracles are actions that only God can do, and they give us confidence that we can go to Him over and over again with the challenges of life that we face. If you are reading this devotional and don’t know this Jesus/God that I am referring to, then all of this will sound very mysterious. You can do something about that by surrendering your life to the lordship of Jesus Christ, then He will confirm His power, show His love and warm your heart with the overwhelming love of God. Information in my Footnote may help you in your new mission to know my Lord. Please seek Him today, while you are still able to.

PRAYER: Lord, You are amazing and so much higher than us. Through Your power You won the battle for the Israelites. Perhaps only a few of us might be facing military battles today, but most of us are facing challenges of one kind today that far exceeds our abilities, our power, and in some cases perhaps even our will to want the battles won. Lord, we are Your children and we are to love just like You loved us. Please touch our hearts today and everyday to help us live like You taught us to. Our biggest battles can be solved with just one word from You, so please help us to fight pour battles on our knees, and not rearing up like those who do not know You. Please draw us close to You and help us to stay focused on You in every walk of life. Humble us to give You control of our battles so that we don’t make fools of ourselves and fight like children of the evil one. Please fill our hearts with thankfulness, humility and love, so that we may represent You well and stay dependent on You for even the small things in life. Oh that You would be honored and praised by Your children today! AMEN!

Then You Will Know That I Am Lord

On 2021-03-182021-03-18 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Wait on the Lord, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Thursday, 2021-03-18
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: Exodus 10:1-2
TRANSLATION: Contemporary English Version (CEV)

BIBLE TEXT: ¹ The Lord said to Moses: Go back to the king.^[a] I have made him and his officials stubborn, so that I could work these miracles. ²I did this because I want you to tell your children and your grandchildren about my miracles and about my harsh treatment of the Egyptians. Then all of you will know that I am the Lord.

OBSERVATION: Such a familiar story, but it seems like we only hear about the plagues and all the bad things that came to the Egyptians. But God opened my eyes to a key point in this whole story, and it made me personally look back over time to remember how God revealed Himself to me in miraculous ways, refreshing my mind to once again realize that He indeed is Lord of all. Think of the same experience in your life as we meditate on the Word today together.

APPLICATION: About 3-6 months before my wife and I moved to the United States, I sat down to break the news to my parents. My dad was visibly upset and said just a few words: ‘Now that your mom and I are getting older, you are really moving further away from us?’. Those words stung like a bee, but I was convinced that God had heard our prayer for direction in the move, so I felt like He had a plan in place for us. Within 8 months of assuming residency in the USA, I received word that my dad was not well, and my siblings were not convinced that doctors had properly diagnosed his problem, nor treating him with a prescription that would help him. In all of God’s wisdom, and in His awesome power working in me, I was able to get an uninsured foreigner into a local doctor. Into a prime hospital, have a heart stint placed, treated for the loss a kidney due to blood clots and half of his huge medical bill satisfied by a local hospital fund. Weeks after the hospital stay, my dad gave a loud sigh and told me that ‘Now I understand what God was doing in getting you over here’. Based on our Scripture for today, I believe my dad was saying ‘I have again been reminded that Jesus is Lord’. Friends, I believe that as we read through the Word of God, we must remember that it is not a fairy tale, for the same God who did miraculous things like illustrated in our Scripture today, is the same God who works in our lives today. The reason He does these things is made clear to us in our Scripture: He wants us, and our children, to know that, or be reminded that, He is Lord! He is not a fairy tale that performs miracles on everyone else except us. If you have accepted Him as Lord of your life, then you must be reminded that He is Lord of everything in your life; He will take care of you; He will guide and protect you; and He is preparing a place for us in Heaven where we will be victoriously positioned with Him! He is Lord, dear friend, and He has a plan for each of us. Know Him today dear friend, and be ready to watch His plan unfold in your life, for His glory!

PRAYER: I am reminded of the words of an old hymn: ‘Oh what a wonder it is that Jesus loves even me’. I thank You Lord for creating me in Your image, being a constant part of my life over the years, and for promising a place called Heaven where all believers will spend eternity with You and the Father. The Egyptians used and abused the Egyptian people living in their country, but I believe that You would have freely forgiven them if either plague had brought them to their knees in pleading forgiveness of You. We have much to read and share with others about Your miraculous works in Bible days. But Lord, I know that You are still very much alive and actively working in the lives of Your children today, so please help us to share these blessings with others – especially our children, so that they may know You and believe in You for their salvation. Lord, we believe You are Lord. Please help us to open our hearts to allowing You to display Yourself through us each day. 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!

Nuggets From God's Word

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