How To Test For The Genuine Spirit of God

On 2021-03-162021-03-16 By Ed AlgreenIn Dedicated, Example of Christ, Genuine example of Jesus, Genuine Faith, Right SpiritLeave a comment

Tuesday, 2021-03-16

Bible Reference: 1 John 4:2–3
Translation: The Message (MSG)

Bible Text: Here’s how you test for the genuine Spirit of God. Everyone who confesses openly his faith in Jesus Christ—the Son of God, who came as an actual flesh-and-blood person—comes from God and belongs to God. And everyone who refuses to confess faith in Jesus has nothing in common with God.

OBSERVATION: Ever been questioned, or have you ever questioned whether a Brother is genuine, or a Sister is sincere in her faith and teaching? I was in awe this morning as I read the Word, for John gives us pointers about this very matter.

APPLICATION: Not only will this help us identify the Spirit of God in others, but I believe this also helps us to examine ourselves and the kind of witness we portray to others. Some of the key points we are to consider and/or portray to determine, or prove, the genuine Spirit of God are: (1) Confesses openly about his/her/my faith in Jesus Christ; (2) Acknowledges that Jesus is the genuine, only Son of God; (3) Believes and declares that Jesus came to this earth in human form; (4) Believes that Jesus Comes from God; Belongs to God; And, as verified in other scriptures, He is also God. Friends, we are well aware of the awful feelings we have when we discover that we’ve been given a fake check, or a fake currency note, or perhaps encounter a person claiming to be someone they truly are not. The latter is comparable to us bringing damnation on ourselves when we claim to be a messenger, or witness, or representative of God, without having a first-hand experience with His Son Jesus. Friends, others will see straight through our fake-ness. Our Christianity is evidenced on the outside from a heart experience on the inside. Have you given Your heart to Jesus? Has He been allowed to control Your innermost emotions, convictions and decisions? Have you invited Jesus to take charge and to speak and work through you wholeheartedly? Can others see and feel the Spirit of God working in and through you on the outside and confirm the points suggested by John? Will they know you are a child of the King, or do you need to tell them? Will you commit to speak to God about this? He deserves genuine believers, because He showed His genuine love for us on Calvary in that He offered Himself, in obedience to His Father, to be a sacrifice for those who despised and hated Him. He showed real, genuine, love beyond anything mankind has ever experienced. He loved us with wide, outstretched arms! Do you love and appreciate my Lord enough today to be bold in your witness and tell others of His great love, even if you are certain that they will make a mockery of you? Will they recognize the spirit of God residing inside of you?

PRAYER: Dear God, I am amazed at the genuine love shown for me on Calvary’s cross. You were miraculously born into this world, lived among men and in spite of Your love for them, they crucified You. This is the unfortunate evidence of Your human experience here on earth. Thank You for continuing to accept humans into Your kingdom, and I especially thank You for accepting me. Please forgive us when we allow our peers to distract our walk with You. Lord, I am seeking Your help to make me more like You in every way while here on earth, so that others will not be distracted by a sense of false identity. I desire for them to see the hands and feet of Jesus, so that they may be drawn to You oh Lord. Please deal deeply in the hearts of those who will meditate on this devotional today, so that we might not only know You as Lord and Savior, but that we may follow Your example in everything we say and do. To God be the glory, for all that our surrendered, and fully dedicated lives might yield for the Kingdom of God. 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!

A Treasured People

On 2021-03-152021-03-15 By Ed AlgreenIn Faith, Love, Love of God, Rewards, TrustLeave a comment

Monday, 2021-03-15

Bible Reference: Exodus 19:5-6
Translation: The Voice (VOICE)

Bible Text: ⁵Now if you will hear My voice, obey what I say, and keep My covenant, then you—out of all the nations of the world—will be My treasured people. After all, the earth belongs to Me. ⁶You will be My kingdom of priests, a nation holy and set apart.”

OBSERVATION: Often we will ask God for things, and expect a whole lot from Him, but how often do we dig into His Word, learn about His commands and obediently follow His instructions? Let’s meditate on how this compares to God’s conditional promise to the Israelites that is detailed in Exodus 19:5.

APPLICATION: I wonder how many of us would pass up on a good deal, that we knew depended only on a few provisions that were within our ability to achieve? Here’s an example, or a scenario that some might quickly jump to: If you move from Florida to Georgia, you will become rich from working the soil there (farming) because of the natural minerals and nutrients, and you will enjoy much cooler weather in which to farm! Wouldn’t you think that some of our Floridians would pack up and begin the move to Georgia, to enjoy the new life that would include the riches of the land there? So let’s consider what we would do if God said to us something similar to what He told the Israelites: (a) ‘If you hear my voice’ and I believe this means that we would be required to not just say that we hear God’s voice, but that we would allow His words to penetrate our very being and have an impact on our lives; and (b) ‘If you obey what I say’ and I believe this means that we would be prepared to stop assuming that the Word is for our wicked neighbor, or for that unfriendly guy down the street, but rather that we, personally, would be prepared to respond to God’s Word by obeying what He tells us to do; and (c) ‘Keep my covenants’ – I believe that this means that we stop pretending that we are obedient to His written Word, but instead decide to truly obey His covenant that God set forth for us. All three of these things sound simple enough, but God added a reward for the Israelites, and I believe that He would do the same for us, if we truly follow His conditions – we would be His treasured people. Yes among all the people of the world, He would choose to honor and treasure us. Friends, this scenario is very much aligned with what God did for us on Calvary, by sacrificing His very own Son. He made such a sacrifice as a reward for us, if we accept His Son as Lord and Savior. The reward is that we would spend eternity with the Father and the Son in heaven, singing praises to the King of all kings and Lord of all lords For all eternity. This is not just a reward dear one, but in comparison to the alternative – eternal damnation under the leadership of Satan, our choice/offer by God is the only one that anyone of sound mind would deliberately choose. Friends, think about this and be blessed today. For those who will believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and surrender lordship of your life over to Him, you will be considered a ‘Treasured People’ by the Creator, and you will join with the angels around the throne singing sweet hallelujahs to the King forever and forever. My prayerful desire today is that all who will read or listen to this devotional today will be among those treasured by God. If you have not accepted Jesus as lord of your life yet, let me encourage you to read my Footnote carefully and follow the steps that will lead you to find Him and accept Him as Lord!

PRAYER: Thank You Lord for providing the means for us to find eternal peace, and eternal salvation through Your precious Son, Jesus. May all who read this devotional today be reminded of the importance of making peace with You so that Your eternal reward may fill their heart with joy and everlasting hope. Please soften the hearts of those who will read this, but have yet to agree to the simple plan of salvation. To know You is to have peace everlasting! AMEN!

Ask In Faith, Believing, and Receive

On 2021-03-142021-03-14 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Ask and Receive, Believe, Faith, Know and Believe, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Sunday, 2021-03-14
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: Matthew 21:21-22
TRANSLATION: Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC)

BIBLE TEXT: ²¹And Jesus answered them (His disciples), Truly I say to you, if you have faith (a ^[n]firm relying trust) and do not doubt, you will not only do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, Be taken up and cast into the sea, it will be done. ²²And whatever you ask for in prayer, having faith and [really] believing, you will receive.

OBSERVATION: I’ve been told that when Jesus says something repeatedly, it’s because He wants us to really pay attention. For my regular followers, you will remember seeing several devotionals on ‘Faith’ over recent weeks. Hopefully as we meditate on the Word today, we will really allow God to penetrate our hearts on the subject of ‘FAITH’, for it is the crux of our believing in the Lord Jesus Christ – One whom we have never physically seen.

APPLICATION: As I read these verses this morning, I was sure that this was a repeat of something I had read earlier, and actually shared with you via Nuggets. In fact, I had to go back and review previous devotionals to make sure that I wouldn’t duplicate! I was reminded of a preacher who repeated the same sermon for a few Sundays, until an old lady came and reminded him. He responded that he just wasn’t sure that the congregation really understood and believed in what he had shared, so he thought to say it again! I have bolded the words that I feel God really drew to my attention. I believe that most of us pray. In fact, some of us even take time to attend corporate prayer meetings, and we may even join hearts with other believers to pray about things that impact us corporately as a church. What are we really doing when we stop all activity and pray to our Father? As a child, we were probably taught certain prayer lyrics that would eventually be replaced with internal words from our own heart. In a general sense, we know that prayer is a conversation we have with God. Why would one do that if it has the appearance of our words just disappearing into a black hole? Somewhere along the way, hopefully we may have heard about ‘faith’. You know: the kind of faith that caused a woman to fight the crowds so she could just touch the hem of His garment, and instantly she was healed; the kind of faith that caused a man to hop out of a very safe boat and at the command of Jesus, walk on water towards His Master; the kind of faith that caused a man to tell Jesus to raise his son from the dead, even from a long distance away; and perhaps even a current day healing that each of you may have witnessed or heard about. So I believe that Jesus is saying to His followers (disciples) in today’s Scripture, and to His followers today that if we have ‘faith’, and if we truly believe that we serve an all-powerful God who miraculously sent His one and only Son (Jesus) as our Savior, then we should pray as one who believes, and our requests will not only be heard, but also granted. Friends, what if you bowed your head at night with that kind of faith? What if you joined in corporate prayer with that kind of faith? What change might you see in your life of worship to our King, if you celebrated answers to your prayers each and every day? I don’t believe that God expects us to have a special place to meet with Him in prayer, or that we need to work up an attitude of prayer, or a special prophet leading us in prayer. The Word of God says that: if we have faith; and if we believe in our all-powerful God; then we may ask anything of Him and we will receive. Note that God loves us way too much to give us things that He knows will destroy us and our witness for Him, so He may direct us to pray in certain ways that He may approve of! Hebrews 11:1 tells us “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Oh that we may ask of God without having a clue as to what the right answer is, or how He might handle the situation. We just need to ask, and depend on God to Do what He knows best to do!

PRAYER: Lord, I thank You for Your mercies and I thank You for Your all-sufficient hand. Thank You for this reminder on faith, and how we are to ask of You in faith, believing on the power of the Almighty God. This is so real to us today, because things are happening all around us that we have no answers for, and we often struggle with why You would allow them to happen. But Lord, we acknowledge that we are mere man, and because of that, our minds cannot fathom the power, or the ways of an almighty God. But Lord, we know that You love us, and we know that You are sitting at the right hand of the Father petitioning for us. Lord, we believe. Please help us in our areas of unbelief. In faith, I want to ask for You to touch the heart of any reader who has yet to ask You into their heart. May this be the day of salvation for them, I pray. AMEN!

Obey God. Don’t Try To Take His Place

On 2021-03-132021-03-13 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Obedience, Obedient, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Saturday, 2021-03-13
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: Exodus 6:28-30
TRANSLATION: Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC)

BIBLE TEXT: ²⁸On the day when the Lord spoke to Moses in Egypt, ²⁹The Lord said to Moses, I am the Lord; tell Pharaoh king of Egypt all that I say to you.
³⁰But Moses said to the Lord, Behold, I am of deficient and impeded speech; how then shall Pharaoh listen to me?

OBSERVATION: I was always tickled in the workplace when told that the CEO ordered that we do something, for that phrase was frequently used, and abused, to place creditability in doing what that individual wanted done! Siblings sometimes use that tactic in demanding that something be done, because mom or dad said so! In our Scripture today Moses was trying just the opposite tactic, as he was trying to wiggle out of God’s command to speak to the wicked king. As we meditate on the Word today, perhaps we should reassess our intentions when we try to share Jesus’ commands to the world.

APPLICATION: At times we try so hard for personal satisfaction and recognition, that we tend to overwhelm the audience we are trying to reach, or we may even under-whelm, or convince them. God – the Creator of the world, and the One who had already proven Himself to Moses and the Israelites, is now ordering Moses to go and speak with the Egyptian king. Notice the emphasis on who is ordering the king – I underlined it in the Scripture. So the orders are already written for Moses, from the highest authority. It was almost like Moses was off the hook, for he would just be the messenger. But instead of just doing what he was told to do, Moses quickly came up with excuses. Not that God didn’t know what He was telling him to do, but how useless he (Moses) was, and how ineffective he would be in speaking to the king. In applying this today, how many do you think would attend church if it was only an avenue for a preacher to share his personal success, or his achievements, or his desire for the people? We attend church for the sake of knowing that we will meet with God and hear what He has to say through His messenger who shares the Word of God for His people. Friends, no one can take the place of God, for He is all powerful, holy and righteous. It should always be the desire of a preacher, or every Christian, to seek the heart of God and share what He has to say through His powerful Word to each of us. It is always best that we seek God, put self aside, and share the unadulterated Word of God with others. God is powerful enough to stand firm on His own; to speak Truth and correction through His written Word; and to soften the hardened hearts of the sinner to hear His voice calling each one unto Himself. If God chooses to use a messenger (pastor, preacher, fellow Christian, etc) to do that, then we must know in advance that the effort is all about God, with no credit or praise expected for self. God called me to salvation many years ago, and only He can call you. I pray that God will use His followers to encourage sinners today to listen closely to His call and obey the call on their life. This is especially true for each of you that will read, or listen to this devotional today. Listen closely to the voice of God and be quick to obey Him.

PRAYER: It is so unfortunate that we put so much pressure on ourselves to say the right thing, instead of just sharing the Word of God as He designed it. There was nothing that Moses could have said to the powerful king of Egypt to cause him to change his mind. But thank You Father for convincing Moses to simply carry Your message to the King, and You did the rest. You knew how many attempts the king would make to try and discourage Moses, and You knew what would finally cause the king to stop and listen. You created the king and You knew all about him, just as it is with each of us. Please speak intently to us today so that we may listen, obey and follow Your commands just as You intended. Thank You for being patient with us, just as You were with Moses. We need You each and every day, dear Lord, and I believe that You will work with us. Thank You Heavenly Father! AMEN!

But God….

On 2021-03-102021-03-09 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Wednesday, 2021-03-10
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: Exodus 3:9-12
TRANSLATION: The Voice (VOICE)

BIBLE TEXT:
Eternal One: ⁹The plea of Israel’s children has come before Me, and I have observed the cruel treatment they have suffered by Egyptian hands. ¹⁰So go. I’m sending you back to Egypt as My messenger to the Pharaoh. I want you to gather My people—the children of Israel—and bring them out of Egypt.^[c]
Moses (to God): ¹¹Who am I to confront Pharaoh and lead Israel’s children out of Egypt?
Eternal One: ¹²Do not fear, Moses. I will be with you every step of the way, and this will be the sign to you that I am the One who has sent you……

OBSERVATION: Being around some young people recently and hearing their stories of challenges that kids are dealing with today, it reminded me how easily our minds are swayed by peers. It sounds like kids today are challenged with believing in God, because they are confused why God would do God-like things – such as hating sin; loving everyone – even sinners; disciplining those He loves – as any good father would do; etc. As we meditate on the encounter Moses had with God, and the God-sized task given to him, let’s carefully examine our own lives and especially the times that we question God.

APPLICATION: Allow me to share a few personal experiences that may help me better illustrate what I believe happened in the life of Moses when he encountered God on Mount Horeb. The job I held in the Bahamas took me to several Family Islands. At one of them, I found my way to the house of God on Sunday, as was my custom. I was told that there was no preacher for the following Sunday, so there would either be no church service, or Brother Ed (myself) could volunteer to lead us. Like Moses, I responded in awe and quickly told them that I was not a preacher. BUT GOD in His infinite wisdom, gave me a word to share with His people the following Sunday, and for several Sundays while I was employed on that island. At another island, there was a similar experience with leading the Youth Group at the church we attended. God convinced me to serve there, and He was consistently by my side as the young people were ministered to each week. At yet another island, there was a need in the radio broadcast from the church we attended. Absolutely no experience, BUT GOD led me to help in that work for the years I served on that island. Coming to the USA, there was first a need to teach a Sunday School class. Again, no experience with that, BUT GOD in His wisdom gave me the necessary skills to teach for about 25 years while at that church. Additionally, a need arose for a Music Director. I loved to sing, but had no clue about the different notes or timing or anything else about music, BUT GOD gave me the wisdom to not only lead the congregation, but also the choir, for a number of years. I could go on bragging on God, but I believe you may have gathered from my examples that God is merely looking for our availability and not our abilities. I felt a lot like Moses in that the people knew it had to be God doing the work, because Moses wasn’t qualified in what he was called to do, nor was I. It is natural for us to look at our qualifications and experience when called on to complete a job, but as children of God we must never forget that it’s God who should be credited for the job we do, as we are way too much like Moses – we’re not qualified; we’re just a nobody; the authorities probably have never even heard of us; etc. BUT GOD is infinite in knowledge, wisdom, mercy, and His great love for everyone that He created. I trust that as you meditate on this word today, you will reflect on all that God has proven, promised and completed already, and that you will be reassured that even though you have no personal qualifications for the work needed at your church and in your community, you serve an awesome God who can do all things in and through those who place their trust in Him. He’s a great BIG GOD who can do way more than we could think or imagine. Trust Him today dear friend. Know Him today dear sinner, and experience the love that surpasses all understanding!

PRAYER: From a burning bush You challenged Moses with a task that seemed totally impossible to him. He had no governmental experience nor any passes for the royal palace, yet You chose him to stand in Your stead before the king who was responsible for mistreating Your people. Most readers will probably feel like they would never be asked to take on such a challenge, however we were reminded of the power of our awesome God who used a simple messenger like Moses to not only deal with a wicked king, but also lead a multitude out of Egypt. What a mighty God we serve! AMEN!

Make This The Most Important Thing in Life

On 2021-03-082021-03-08 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

Monday, 2020-03-08

Bible Reference: Psalm 86:11-12
Translation: Easy-to-Read Version (ERV)

Bible Text: ¹¹Lord, teach me your ways,
    and I will live and obey your truths.
Help me make worshiping your name
    the most important thing in my life.
¹²My Lord God, I praise you with all my heart.
    I will honor your name forever!

OBSERVATION: Way too often we claim to know more than almost any other person around us, and we are not afraid to let everyone know that! David was a man after God’s own heart, yet in our Scripture today, he asked God to teach him His ways, and to help him center his heart towards praising His holy name. As we meditate on this Scripture today, let us consider what the most important things are in life that we might ask God for.

APPLICATION: Ask anyone what they see in you and you will receive multiple answers. Some may be afraid to ‘crush’ you with the truth, while some may not want to ‘swell your head’ by telling you how great you are, yet others will tell you what they think you want to hear in order to keep the peace! I got the impression from this Psalm that right in the middle of this sweet encounter with God, David may have simply emptied himself of everything one might recognize as a ‘David’ characteristic and instead he asked God to just teach him, fill him, and show him the right way. Friends, I doubt if you are very different to me, so if we are honest with ourselves, we tend to show so much of ourselves, and desire so much attention, that it probably becomes very challenging for anyone to really see where our inspiration, direction and help comes from. I looked at this passage in various translations, so the exact words may differ a little from the version that you have in front of you. Regardless, it is obvious that David acknowledged to God that he preferred knowing what God wanted, over anything that he felt like he already knew to say or do. I believe that a follower of Christ who allows the overflow of Jesus’ love and words to go forth from his/her lips, or through every action, results in family and friends seeing Jesus, instead of the old sinful man who is poisoned every day by the ugliness of this old world. Friends, unsaved people need Jesus, not more of you or me. Lord help us if the world becomes entrenched with more of us, for we are sinners saved only by the grace of God. David’s additional plea from God, was that He might help him to prioritize worshiping Him. Now we might quickly retort that this is not an issue for Christians today, right? Let me just add that I would disagree with you. For I believe that we should pray just like David, that God might instill a desire to make worshiping Him a priority in our lives. Notice I used the word ‘worship’ and not ‘church’. Lord, please help us if we only worship You on those occasions that we go to church. Some of us do that on occasion to satisfy a nagging mom or spouse. Some of us do that as a ritual or habit that we did since childhood. While some of us attend church because our friends, or our political constituents attend a certain church. I believe that when we pray the type prayer that David prayed, we might be asking God to help us recognize Him and worship Him as we start our day, for God gave us a comfortable place to lay our head, and He kept us safe throughout the night. We might worship Him for the food that He provided so that we might stay healthy. We might worship Him for blessing us with a job and a great bunch of people to work with. For all the beautiful sunsets, sunrises, and landscapes that we have always taken for granted, we may be encouraged by the Holy Spirit to give God thanks for these, and just one more reason to worship and praise His holy name. Friends, when we worship God throughout our daily lives, wouldn’t it be natural that we would have a super-charged worship service when we meet together each week with other believers who have made that a habit?

PRAYER: Precious Lord, how patient You must be with Your creation! I thank You for being patient with me. Considering that You created us, provided everything possible for us, and loved us enough that you showed evidence of that on the cross at Calvary, how shameful that we must now ask You in much the same way as David did, to help us make worshiping You a priority in our lives. Please Lord, open our eyes so that we could see the wonder of Your love. Please remove the scales from our eyes so that we might see Your handiwork and be reminded of Your goodness, so that we will have every reason to worship You in everything that we do or see. 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. If you are anywhere near the Sebring, Florida area and do not have a church home, I would encourage you to attend my home church. 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!

God’s Plan

On 2021-03-012021-03-01 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, The Plan, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Monday, 2021-03-01
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: Genesis 45:4-5; 7-8
TRANSLATION: Good News Translation (GNT)

BIBLE TEXT: ⁴…. “I am your brother Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. ⁵Now do not be upset or blame yourselves because you sold me here. It was really God who sent me ahead of you to save people’s lives.
⁷God sent me ahead of you to rescue you in this amazing way and to make sure that you and your descendants survive. ⁸So it was not really you who sent me here, but God…..

OBSERVATION: God built into us a conscience to help us recognize when we have done something that really hurts another person, especially mentally. I’m sure that the brothers of Joseph knew that their time had come when they realized that Joseph knew who they were, and he had the power to revenge himself. But God – full of mercy and love, melted the heart of Joseph and caused him to love his brothers more than anything else. Think of a time that God totally controlled your mind to act completely opposite to what the world would expect. This may help you fully grasp what God did in this reunion of Joseph and his brothers.

APPLICATION: Imagine facing someone, where you may have been responsible for the death of their spouse, child or very close relative. You biggest nightmare would be with them pulling a gun on you and getting even. But what if they acted totally opposite and greeted you in a loving and forgiving manner? You might worry that they have lost their mind, or totally don’t recognize you, right? Can you truly picture this: the brothers of Joseph approaching the King’s assistant (Joseph, the governor) in hopes that he would allow them to purchase food to help their family survive the drought. Surprisingly, Joseph asked way more questions about their family structure than they ever expected, but he seemed more than willing to sell them provisions. But what would you make of the governor then inviting them to his chambers for dinner, and then asked his attendants and guards to leave? Could it be that the Governor wants to eliminate these foreigners personally? But he seems emotionally attached to them, what’s with that? I could only imagine that the brothers were more on edge about the unknown than anyone could possibly understand. But the final blow comes when the governor tells them his true identity – their long lost, or presumed dead, brother? No doubt the brothers are sure of the repercussion they are about to face from Joseph, for they dropped him in a deep well to die of natural causes. They changed their minds and sold him to a passing group Of warriors. But friends, don’t you find it interesting that God used even the wickedness of Joseph’s brothers to fulfill His perfect will for Joseph, for the king, and for Egypt and the neighboring countries? Wouldn’t it have been awful for Joseph to hold a grudge and possibly kill his brothers who were a vital part of God’s ultimate plan for Joseph, his dad and his family? Remember how Joseph gave credence to God while in prison and in foretelling the meaning of dreams? Remember how Jospeh gave credit to God when he gave the meaning of the King’s dreams? Remember how God gave confidence to the king to trust Joseph with being governor at this critical time? Think of the times that you reflect back on your life and could now see clearly how God was clearing the path for the fulfillment of His will in your life. Isn’t it amazing how awesome our God is? For my readers who may have enjoyed this story, but due to lack of relationship with God, you may not be able to identify; let me encourage you to have a little talk with Jesus. Consider reading my Footnote below, especially the underlying scriptures behind the link ‘To Know Jesus’. I pray that you will be convinced of your need for submission to the King of this universe – Jesus, my Lord! He has a plan for your life also, just as He did in the life of Joseph.

PRAYER: Lord You are good, and Your mercies are never ending. You care for us, even in our stubbornness and disobedience. You love us unconditionally, like you did Joseph, and even in spite of who we are. Thank You Jesus! Please forgive us for being less than perfect, and give us more strength, wisdom and power to overcome our weaknesses. May today be a brand new day of seeing us imitating You and obeying Your commands. The world needs to see Jesus in us today. May they not be disappointed, Lord. AMEN!

It’s Time To Respond

On 2021-02-162021-02-15 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Salvation, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Tuesday, 2021-02-16
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: Matthew 13:41-43

TRANSLATION: The Passion Translation (TPT)

BIBLE TEXT: ⁴¹The Son of Man will send his messengers, and they will uproot everything out of his kingdom. All the lawless ones and everything that causes sin will be removed. ⁴²And they will throw them into the fiery furnace, where they will experience great sorrow, pain, and anguish.^[v] ⁴³Then the godly ones will shine like the brightness of the sun^[w] in their Father’s kingdom realm. If you’re able to understand this, then you’d better respond!”

OBSERVATION: The wicked ones, or the ungodly, or the unbelievers will be given over to their leader – Satan. While the believers, or the Christians, or those who claim Jesus Christ as Lord, will shine brightly in heaven with their Master and Lord. This doesn’t work like the lottery, but rather by the decision that you make today while you are still alive. Try sharing with one another today which of these options will be your declaration. Perhaps saying it aloud will help you make sure that you are satisfied with the decision you have made.

APPLICATION: Praise God He does not decide on our eternal destiny based on our looks, our attitude, the color of our skin, the country where we were born nor the parents who took part in our birth. The Scripture is very clear that God made us smart enough that He was comfortable we would be capable of making our own decisions. In the Book He gave to us as our guide, He reminded us that:
> We were created to worship, adore and serve our risen Lord;
> God gave us free will to make our own decisions while here on earth, and He has agreed to honor our decision, even though it would sadden Him to see us make very bad decisions;
> God sent His only Son as our Savior to save us from the sin that He was sure we would give in to;
> God knew that some would accept His gift of salvation, and some won’t. So He made it very clear what the impact would be as a result of our own choices;
> God is a fair and righteous Judge, and He will not waiver in His judgment, especially where He knows our every thought and action. He never plays favorites;
Friends, the above points are not what the writer thinks, or points that I devised to make judgment on you. Each of these things can be supported by Scripture, and God never lied. We serve a very fair, honest and righteous God. And I am convinced that He will do what He said He would do. The decision is therefore yours to make, about what will be your eternal destiny after you close your eyes in death. However, know that you only have this life to make that decision. From the point of death and for all eternity, your days will be spent enduring the decisions you made while alive on earth. The answers given in today’s Scripture makes it clear what will be your outcome should you be called out from the world at the moment of reading this devotional. You are not promised a given date for your departure. Some die at ripe old ages, while many die while they are still young. Let me beg you to make a good decision right now on where you stand in your relationship with God. Know Him today my friend, and have that peace of mind that should He take you out today, you are satisfied with the choice you have made for all eternity. God created you, and He wants you to be with Him forever. Don’t disappoint Him.

PRAYER: Lord, we are often ecstatic when we go for a test after just being given the cheat-sheet to study the answers. You have done exactly that. You gave us Your precious Word, and You outlined exactly what will result from the decisions we make today. All those who stumble across this devotional will be smart enough to understand the Scripture quoted above. Please soften hearts that we will not again read the consequences of our decisions and still go on doing what we’ve always done. Your Word is a lamp unto our path. May we follow in the light and rejoice with the angels as we look into Your wonderful face one day soon when You call us home to glory! AMEN!

Easily Distracted

On 2021-02-142021-02-13 By Ed AlgreenIn Distraction, Distractions, Faith, Faithfulness, Rewards, TrustLeave a comment

Sunday, 2021-02-14

Bible Reference: Matthew 14:29-33
Translation: The Passion Translation (TPT)

Bible Text: ²⁹“Come and join me,” Jesus replied. So Peter stepped out onto the water and began to walk toward Jesus. ³⁰But when he realized how high the waves were, he became frightened and started to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he cried out. ³¹Jesus immediately stretched out his hand and lifted him up and said, “What little faith you have! Why would you let doubt win?” ³²And the very moment they both stepped into the boat, the raging wind ceased. ³³Then all the disciples crouched down before him and worshiped Jesus. They said in adoration, “You are truly the Son of God!”

OBSERVATION: In Hebrews 11:1 we are reminded that faith is confidence in what we hope for, and complete assurance of something that we cannot see. Perhaps with that in mind, we could better evaluate the faith that Peter had in jumping out of that boat, and also the faith that we have in taking our petitions before a holy and miraculously working God. May our faith increase today as we meditate on this story of ‘faith’ by Peter!

APPLICATION: There are so many things we could learn from this story of Peter. I believe that most of us will share the reflection that this story shows us the faith of a man as he attempted something that defies nature, and that he had never thought possible before. Of his own power, perhaps the disciples expected Peter to jump out of the boat in the middle of the sea, as he prepared himself for the intake of water through the nose and mouth, or if he could swim, perhaps he would quickly assume the swimming position! However, things were a bit different with Peter, for: a). He had already experienced the power of the Almighty, and he knew that Jesus had the same power to do even those things that are impossible in the eyes of the world; b). He paid attention to what Jesus was doing, and knew that if Jesus could walk on the water, He had power and authority to empower him (Peter) to do the same; and c). Peter heard the command by Jesus, and in spite of the yelling from his fellow disciples, he obeyed Jesus. So what happened? Why does Peter’s effort seemed to have failed? I am convinced that Jesus already knew how quickly Peter would become cocky about being given this special power, so Jesus demonstrated to Peter, and to us, that faith requires that we keep our eyes fixed on the author of our faith – Jesus, and His Father God, lest we fall into the trap of bragging about our own power. I had a friend dying of cancer, and she traveled hundreds of miles to be prayed over by a TV evangelist who showed on public television that he had powers to heal. WRONG. Stop right there. Friends, as demonstrated in this story with Peter, and as we already know about healing powers – it is God, through His Son Jesus that spoke the word for Peter to walk on water, and it was Jesus who rescued him as he began to sink; it is God alone who heals a body that He created from dust, and restores it to perfect health so that He may be glorified. Our responsibility is to look to Him for all things and keep our eyes fixed on the author and creator of life itself, knowing that through His power, lives might be healed, souls might be restored to the Kingdom, and that the unsaved may recognize the grace and power of our God. It’s all about ‘God’, my friend. We are just instruments of His love and servants of our majestic King. The Master deserves all the praise for all that He does, for nothing of our own is merited, or worthy of praise, but only what He has done. Please be careful of the distractions that Satan will place before us. For Peter, it was the wind, the rough waters and perhaps self-confidence, that caused him to take his eyes off the Master. For us, unfortunately we live in a world that is totally filled with distractions that Satan places before us. Think about our pride; trying to impress our peers; being called names (like Jesus freak, etc); believing in things that defy nature; eccentric for believing in someone we can note see, etc. Remember that our distractions are often forces that draw us away from God – our primary power source. Don’t let Satan win over you my friend. In verse 31 we are reminded to not let ‘doubt’ win in our battle to ‘believe’. Trust in God, and all of this, plus a whole lot more could be yours, child of God!

PRAYER: Oh Lord, You are my God! The same God that created this wonderful world, and also created all of creation. I acknowledge again today that there is nothing that You can’t do. Please forgive me for my doubt and my lack of faith. Thank You for the reminder in today’s Scripture that You had the power to walk on water to get over to Your disciples. I wonder what You must travel over, or through, at times to get to my readers and I, and the trouble we find ourselves in at times. But I am assured that just as we saw where the water didn’t stop You from getting to Your followers, we need not let anything hinder our requests today, for many things will appear to be impossible to us, but with renewed assurance today, we KNOW that we can come before the throne of God and plead our case before an all-knowing, all-powerful, forever-loving God who says that ALL things are possible with God! You are our King, and we adore You and worship You today oh Lord, not just for what You can do for us, but for who You are! AMEN!

The Difference Between Wheat and Weeds

On 2021-02-132021-02-12 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Saturday, 2021-02-13
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: Matthew 13:24-26
TRANSLATION: New Century Version (NCV)

BIBLE TEXT: ²⁴Then Jesus told them another story: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who planted good seed in his field. ²⁵That night, when everyone was asleep, his enemy came and planted weeds among the wheat and then left. ²⁶Later, the wheat sprouted and the heads of grain grew, but the weeds also grew.

OBSERVATION: When in the presence of fishermen, it is best to speak in terms of their profession. The same applies to farmers, and Jesus was well aware of this when He shared the story of planting seeds. You may not be a farmer, but I’m hoping that we all will be reminded of the challenges we face as Christians – even in the church, when ‘weeds’ suddenly appear.

APPLICATION: The problem with following the example of a friend or neighbor, is that you may not know the full reason for what they are doing. You might see them coming home in the wee hours of the morning and assume that they are finally coming home from the nightclub, and this may be the case. However, I remember coming home at 4am after completing a volunteer schedule at a 24hr Prayer Room. A far cry from what you may have assumed! In the illustration of the weeds growing among the wheat, you will notice that the farmer didn’t want the weeds pulled up, because in many cases the wheat may have also been pulled up. So how do we handle situations in our church where we were sure that Christians found respite and thrived in a place filled with righteous Christians, but to our surprise ‘weeds’ seem to be taking over since many started following a popular guy that just joined the church? Why do things like that happen? Do you suppose that guy is exactly who he claimed to be? Do you suppose he is as close to Jesus as he led on to be? What if Satan planted him plum in the middle of our church to test us and see what we truly believe individually? Do you feel close enough to God, and on a sure footing in His Word? Will you hear God nudging you to be careful and to grow personally in your relationship with your Father every day? Or are you so comfortable with what the teacher shares with you and his class, that you wait and soak up his words in class once per week? Notice that the farmer couldn’t identify the wheat from the weeds until the wheat plants bore fruit. I wonder what fruit the Master will identify in us? I’m afraid that some of the weeds we see in our churches that might stunt the fruit of believers are: false teaching to an audience ignorant of the Word; many forms of gossip; tearing another brother or sister down; falsely accusing; snitching on someone without all the facts; no interest in helping another weaker brother or sister; overlooking needs that exist among members, neighbors or even family. Friends, I feel like our object should always be to enrich our relationship with the Master, for with Him shining brightly in and through every action and/or word, others will see Him and not the parts that we pretend to be in and of our own selves. May our relationship be so strong with Jesus that He will choke out the weeds and/or evil that tries to take root right in our churches, families and/or neighborhoods where we find ourselves involved. Remember, wheat will provide food, strength, and good things for all who partake of it, while weeds are a nuisance and will only choke out the good that could be achieved for the Kingdom of God.

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, we often seem astonished that the church is not growing, and we ponder what might be the problem, or who might be responsible for stunting the growth. In this teaching I believe that You are pointing us to look inward and sure up our relationship with You, so that the weeds that have begun to grow right next to us will not prevail. Lord we need You each and every day to keep us strong and keep us focused on You, so that weeds will find no nourishment from our weaknesses. Please keep us near the cross oh Lord, and keep us strong in our faith so that You may work through us to strengthen those around is with the fruit that we will bear. May You be honored, praised and lifted up, oh Lord, my Rock and my Salvation. AMEN!

Nuggets From God's Word

Tag: Calvary