Tag: Christ

A Glimpse of Heaven!

On By Ed AlgreenIn HeavenLeave a comment

The Holy Bible

Compared to what’s coming, living conditions around here seem like a stopover in an unfurnished shack, and we’re tired of it! We’ve been given a glimpse of the real thing, our true home, our resurrection bodies! The Spirit of God whets our appetite by giving us a taste of what’s ahead. He puts a little of heaven in our hearts so that we’ll never settle for less.

(Bible Translation and Location: The Message – 2 Corinthians 5:2-5)

Thoughts:

I believe that as folk get nearer to retirement age here on earth, they begin to think about, they dream, and they start planning towards the day that they won’t have to wake up early every day to go to work, but more than that, to the good life ahead! I’m getting there, so I can tell you first hand!! Often when we visit Christians who are physically sick, they will share how praiseworthy it is to think about heaven with no main pain, heartaches or sickness. At farewell services for our loved ones, we often hear about the beauty of heaven and how Jesus is there to welcome His children home. In these verses today Paul is reflecting on his heavenly body and his eternal home. However compared to the real thing, our understanding from God’s Word mixed with our imagination and expectation of being with our Lord and Savior, is only like whetting our appetite! As I write this I am overly excited about the prospect of seeing my Savior, my Lord, my King and spending eternity with Him, how about you friend? So is this a place you can look forward to going, is the big question? In America, we will soon be voting to decide who will be our local leaders in government, and it is our combined vote that decides our future leaders. Very important stuff, because we could stand to see an improved government, or not. The deciding factor for which home we will find ourselves in at the end of this life here on earth is equally as precise, but much more important. Compared to one vote today politically, is the one deciding factor that determines whether you will see the glories of heaven, the face of our Savior and rejoice with the angels around the throne of God forever! The Bible tells us that we if make no decision (like not voting), then being born a sinner, we will unfortunately live, and deal with Satan, the deceiver, the evil on, the destroyer, forever in the pits of hell. However, if we decide to listen to that still, small voice, that speaks calmly to our soul about our spiritual condition, and we make a decision to accept the King of the universe, the Savior of this world, the Son of God, Jesus my Savior into your life and ask Him to forgive you of your sin, then you too will receive eternal life and can begin dreaming about and looking forward to one day retiring from this world into His kingdom with Him! This excites me friend! I hope that your life will be impacted enough to make a decision for Jesus TODAY, if you don’t already know Him in a personal way. Please use the footnote to receive help in your decision today. I would be overjoyed to help you and/or welcome you into the family of God, as we daily walk together towards the portals of heaven! How beautiful heaven must be!

Prayer:

Thank You dear Lord for this glimpse of heaven that I received as I meditated on Your Word this morning, and as I listened to the song hyperlinked. Thank you for not only sacrificing Your life so that I may have access to this wonderful place called heaven, but thank You for building that desire within my heart to accept You as my Lord and Savior. Thank You for blessing me with many family and friends who already know You as Lord, and thank You for the opportunities in also blessing me with family and friends that have not yet made this important decision. May I humbly ask that You bless me with the necessary love, boldness, words and actions to bless these ones with, that might encourage them towards making this vital decision. Here on earth we can make many plans and decisions for retirement, but we have no assurances of ever seeing it. You have assured us of our eternal home, based on our decisions today. Thank You Jesus! May we be smart, humble and obedient to You, is my humble prayer that I ask in Your holy and wonderful name, AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please speak with a local Bible Teaching pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com so that we can pray with you and give you help and or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Any words underlined above will 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 blogger.nuggetsfromgodsword.org and read more, or you may freely subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day‘s devotional. If you are anywhere near the Highlands County, Florida area and do not have a church home, I would be thrilled to welcome you at Bible Fellowship Church, Sebring, FL!

How’s Your Eyesight? Blinded?

On By Ed AlgreenIn Blinded, Heaven, HellLeave a comment

The Holy Bible

4 Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.

(Bible Translation and Location: New Living Translation – 2 Corinthians 4:4)

Thoughts:

I believe that God has directed me to share this verse this morning for two reasons:

  1. To my friends who do exactly as this verse says – you struggle with believing in God. A God you can’t see, hear, feel or touch. Paul is telling you in plain words here, that the power of Satan is so strong in your life that he is actually blinding your spiritual eyes. In other words, he controls your mind and your heart so strongly that you have made the choice to dishonor the God of this universe, the One who created you, me and the whole world from the bottom up. In addition to just sharing this verse with you today, I want to share what might be a secret to you. There is another verse in the Bible that contains God’s Holy Word through its authors, and this verse actually says that God is no respecter of persons. He actually loves you as much as He loves myself and others I will address in point #2. You see in John 3:16, God had recorded in His Word that He loves everyone who will call on His name to be saved, and that they will actually receive eternal life with Him in heaven. Friend, in the earlier days of creation, there was a lot of sacrificing that was necessary to be accepted by God and to live a Godly life. God saw that this was an obstacle to many, so He ordained a young virgin woman (Mary) to be the mother of a Son (Jesus), so he later miraculously made her pregnant. This Son (Jesus) later became the sacrifice for us, and it is through Him that we have access to the Father (God). Friend that is unconditional and sacrificial love demonstrated in the purest form ever. Love in its most desperate form to win the heart of God’s children that He designed, protected and loves immensely. He desires a relationship with you friend. He loves you way too much to see you controlled by the Evil one and sorely distracted from the best thing that could very happen to you. Our communication with Jesus is through prayer (an open conversation with the very Son of God). Won’t you do me a favor and at least have a conversation with Him? Pour your heart out to Him. Let Him know how you feel, and what you would prefer to see with your life regarding your eternal destination. It’s either Heaven or Hell friend. Do nothing and know that you will one day join Satan and his demons in Hell. Instead, I plead with you to trust what I’ve shared with you and ask Jesus into your heart so that You might be one with Him, and look forward to a glorious time in heaven with Jesus, me and lots of other folk who have already made this important decision. By the way, Jesus will also be with you every day while here on earth, through every trial, temptation and even the very best of times. He wants to be with you and available to you at all times!
  2. To my friends who have accepted Jesus as your Master and Lord, please pray earnestly for your friends who you thought of as you read this verse. I’m sure that you are aware that the time remaining on this earth is drawing to an end. Meaning that your friends will not have much longer to make this very important decision of accepting Jesus. The Bible is clear, that without this reformation, they will not enter heaven. So your prayers are more desperately needed now than ever before. Remember, it is not sacrilegious to pray over and over for these lost ones. I want to see God’s very best for my loved ones, and I’m sure you feel the same. Let us therefore pray without ceasing, that God might break that hold of Satan on their lives, tender their hearts and give them the desperation needed to surrender unconditionally to Jesus. Like me, I’m sure that you are anxious to walk through the gates of heaven and see all of our family and friends there! Let us pray, friends, let’s use this primary tool in communicating with God about our heart’s desire.

Friend, if you would like to discuss how this devotional has impacted your life, or if you would like a prayer partner to help you make this important decision, please use the information in the footnote. Myself or any other Bible believing child of God would be ecstatic to pray with you or chat with you regarding your questions!

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, thank You for loving me so much! Thank You for humbling me, melting my wicked heart, convicting me of the hold that Satan had on my life that was keeping me away from You, and for loving me into a decision to accept You as my eternal King! What a glorious day! I believe that it is because of my happiness in You, and my love for my unsaved family and friends, that I am so moved in this reminder this morning. Please keep me very alert and praying for my friends that need to know You. Please keep them evident in my mind so that I may continually pray for them. Thank You Lord for saving my soul! Thank You for a place called Heaven, where I will one day join You around the throne of our Father! What a Day that will be! Jesus, my prayers are humbly placed at You feet asking that You honor my requests to day, for I ask it in Your precious name, AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please speak with a local Bible Teaching pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com so that we can pray with you and give you help and or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Any words underlined above will 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 blogger.nuggetsfromgodsword.org and read more, or you may freely subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day‘s devotional. If you are anywhere near the Highlands County, Florida area and do not have a church home, I would be thrilled to welcome you at Bible Fellowship Church, Sebring, FL!

WARNING! – Seven things that God Hates

On By Ed AlgreenIn Obedience, Peace, ReconciliationLeave a comment

The Holy Bible

Here are six things God hates, and one more that he loathes with a passion:

    • eyes that are arrogant,
    • a tongue that lies,
    • hands that murder the innocent,
    • a heart that hatches evil plots,
    • feet that race down a wicked track,
    • a mouth that lies under oath,
    • a troublemaker in the family.

(Bible Translation and Location: The Message – Proverbs 6:16-19)

Thoughts:

As a young child, we learn that obedience to our parents results in their happiness with us, and often brings rewards. On the other hand, disobedience make them unhappy with us, disappointed in us, and often brings punishment. We also quickly learn that their instruction is filled with the wisdom of years of experience filled with tested and proven actions. They lovingly try to help us avoid and repeat the same mistakes that they made. God’s Word is also filled with experience after experience that teach us what is pleasing to God and what is not. In the highlighted verses today we can clearly see that there are some obvious things that God hates, with one of them being one that He hates with a passion. These seven practices deal with attitude (pride); thought (a heart that plots evil), speech (lying), action (murder, crime), and influence (a person that sows discord in his family). In learning and/or being reminded of these things, I believe there are at least a couple things that we need to be aware of: 1). When we (Christians) reflect on our day and find ourselves guilty of any of these actions, we should humble ourselves like a child, and go to our Father in repentance, asking for His forgiveness, and for His strength to correct our ways to avoid repeating the same sin; 2). When we see others committing these offenses, we should not be silent. For we can either help the Christian (in love) to see their weakness, or in the case of the non-Christian, love them into a relationship with our Savior who can eradicate their sin and guide them in the right path, as Solomon is doing in this scripture. I would especially like to point our attention to the one sin that God hates with a passion: the troublemaker in the family. Friends, I believe this is referring to our blood family and our church family. Over recent months I believe that I have heard more about family hurts than ever before. Family members not talking to each other, in some cases for years. Church splits because of hurt between ‘Christian’ families. Wow, Brothers and Sisters, this is awful because the end result is that God’s work is minimized at a time when we know that His second coming is near. Like any good family member would feel, we are devastated that some will be left behind, and in many cases this means some of our very family members. Perhaps a day of mourning and fasting is due so that we may deeply concentrate and present ourselves to God as living sacrifices for the betterment of His children – our families. Let’s stop pointing fingers at the ones we feel are at fault. We have a lot to do ourselves. Love will bring us together with a common goal of better connecting with God and obeying His commands. Let us seek His face and present ourselves to Him for correction, and a clearer mind on what we can do to enhance the work of the Lord in our blood families and in our churches. Jesus is coming soon friends, let’s not be ashamed of the effort we have given to obedience and to loving our families!

Prayer:

Dear Father in heaven. This morning I personally come before you ashamed of all the disharmony that I am aware of in my extended family, and in church families that I know of. Please give me a new boldness to do my part in reconciliation. Please help me to help others that need reconciliation, by being a God-like mentor to them. Other than the opportunities You might give me to help and/or minister to them, please help me to stay clear of any deceiver out to destroy an individual or a family. I’m sorry that I am a part of a family that is torn apart by things You taught through Your wise servant, Solomon. I’m also sorry for not being bold in my witness, that might ultimately lead to unity among Your believing children. I know that we must be united and looking more like You, before we can be a witness to an unbeliever. So Father, I ask that You pour out a sweet spirit of love and revival among Your believers. Help us to mend our ways and our relationships from inside our homes, and inside our churches, so that we can be the witnesses that You would proudly allow to represent You among our non-believing family, friends, neighbors and community. I humbly ask all this believing that Your children are in need of revival so that we might be reacquainted with Your power and love for us, and for the unsaved. I also ask that You might challenge the heart of any that might meditate on this devotional today, to deeply consider their relationship with You and their families, and to also seek Your face for ways they might be better witnesses for You, while there is still time. I ask this in the name of the only One with power to bring this about, Jesus my wonderful Savior. Amen!

FOOTNOTE: If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please speak with a local Bible Teaching pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com so that we can pray with you and give you help and or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Any words underlined above will 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 blogger.nuggetsfromgodsword.org and read more, or you may freely subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day‘s devotional. If you are anywhere near the Highlands County, Florida area and do not have a church home, I would be thrilled to welcome you at Bible Fellowship Church, Sebring, FL!

Love The One You Got!

On By Ed AlgreenIn Love, Marriage, Surrender1 Comment

The Holy Bible

18So be happy with your wife and find your joy with the woman you married- 19pretty and graceful as a deer. Let her charms keep you happy; let her surround you with her love. 20Why should you give your love to another woman, my son? Why should you prefer the charms of another man’s wife? 21The Lord sees everything you do. Wherever you go, he is watching.

(Bible Translation and Location: Good News Translation – Proverbs 5:18-21)

Thoughts:

There’s an old hip-hop song with the same title I gave to our devotional today, because as I meditated on these verses this song came to mind, so I didn’t intentionally use bad English!!! However, God not only spoke to a man that He made to be the wisest man on earth, but He also inspired him to write down these wise words to share with folk that came along after he (Solomon) died. God, in His wisdom, knew that you and I should be told from His Word how to truly live holy and happy lives, even when it concerns our lives with our spouses. Now friends, there are a few things in here that really step on the toes of some that have supposedly convinced themselves of what God should have included in His Word, so they may become offended, but I would encourage them to politely and respectfully pray to God about those things. These verses follow verse 15 where Solomon gave us these words of wisdom: “Be faithful to your own wife and give your love to her alone”, so I believe that what God is drawing to our attention in order to have happy marriages, is that:

  1. Men must be the husband of one wife and find your joy with her – Notice the verse didn’t indicate “one of your wives” or “one of your women”. Also note that the verse didn’t say that you will find joy waiting for you, but rather you will “find joy”. That gives me the impression that we must seek after it, or work at it. If you sow in happiness, you will reap joy! Please note that to find joy with your wife, you cannot have other women trying to win your affection, otherwise you could never give your wife the attention and love that she, and you, deserve;
  2. Pretty and graceful as a deer – I’m sure that no one ever married a woman because she just wasn’t pretty in your eyes. So if she was pretty when you married her, and you have tried in every way to find joy with her every step along the way, why might she not be pretty now? I am reminded of something an elderly gentlemen told me at one time when I was finding fault with a vehicle I owned. He said, it is so interesting the fault we will find with our current vehicle when we have our minds set on a new one we want to buy! Funny, but very true words that also apply to our view of our wives! They are very pretty until we set our eyes on someone else that we are becoming attracted to. One word of advice to husbands and wives, don’t look elsewhere because you feel your spouse has lost their beauty, you are also growing old at the same rate of your spouse, and you may not be getting any more handsome either!!
  3. God is watching – God not only hears the words we speak, but He also knows our thoughts. You absolutely cannot straighten Him out with the poor excuses you give your spouse, so live upright, honest, loving and happy lives like God intended for you.

Friends, I am not a Marriage Counselor, but I am a Christian and would be happy to rejoice with you on any happy stories this devotional may have reminded you of, or if there is an area that you are struggling with, I would be happy to pray with you. So I encourage you to use the information in the footnote to contact me and allow me to pray with you about your marriage or your relationship with the Lord.

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, unlike anything we can see, or ever imagine, about the condition of marriages and Christian life in general today, I am convinced that You see and know every little detail. I humbly ask that You help us to overcome our carnal minds and worldly desires. Please help us to keep our minds fixed on You, and make decisions inspired by You and for Your glory. Happy marriages will result in happy couples who will have happy children. This is not the case today, even from our eyes dear Lord, so we know that You see the weaknesses evident in Your children who claim You, especially when it is convenient or needed. Please touch the hearts and minds of Your children today, beginning with me. I believe that as we draw close to You and refocus our desire to please You in all walks of our lives, then we will live according to Your Word, without It becoming burdensome to us. Our marriages and our families are in trouble Lord. We need You more today than ever before, to heal our land, revive Your very own children, and to melt the hearts of those spouses that do not know You as Lord. Marriage is instituted and blessed by You, and I question how this could be possible if a spouse raises the stop sign to not allow You in. We need You Lord! I know that You have this under control, please give me peace to leave You at Your job, knowing that You are the Master of all things! I love You Lord, and I ask all of these things believing, and in the precious name of Jesus, Amen!

FOOTNOTE: If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please speak with a local Bible Teaching pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com so that we can pray with you and give you help and or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Any words underlined above will 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 blogger.nuggetsfromgodsword.org and read more, or you may freely subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day‘s devotional. If you are anywhere near the Highlands County, Florida area and do not have a church home, I would be thrilled to welcome you at Bible Fellowship Church, Sebring, FL!

A Sweet Fragrance To God

On By Ed AlgreenIn Allegiance to the LambLeave a comment

The Holy Bible

15 Our lives are a Christ-like fragrance rising up to God. But this fragrance is perceived differently by those who are being saved and by those who are perishing. 16 To those who are perishing, we are a dreadful smell of death and doom. But to those who are being saved, we are a life-giving perfume. And who is adequate for such a task as this?

(Bible Translation and Location: New Living Translation – 2 Corinthians 2:15-16)

Thoughts:

Paul shared that their (his and Timothy’s) lives were a sweet fragrance to God and to the Christians they came into contact with, however to the non-Christians, their lives were as the dreadful smell of death and doom. In applying this scripture today, I want you to look beyond the many books written by Paul, and the many churches he started, and remember that Paul had no advantage over us, and our ability to be the same sweet fragrance for God today. When God looks below the surface, does He still smell the sweet fragrance of holiness in our lives? Is God standing tall and proud when we find ourselves in a tight spot, knowing that we will still represent him well – exude the sweet fragrance of His Holy Spirit, in spite of the circumstances or who we might be with? Are we bold enough, and firm enough in our faith, that God is proud of us even in the presence of non-Christians, or do we meld into the audience and try to be their buddy? Of course, the words “a sweet fragrance” were only used as a metaphor and really could, or should, be substituted for the words “very pleasing to”. The bottom line friends, is that when we claim to have accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we are to live our lives very pleasing to God, or our actions and words are to be like a sweet aroma to God. As you reflect on the opposite to these, I believe you will get an even better picture, as you will quickly realize that in no way do we want to be a repugnant odor to our God, especially after having received His forgiveness of our sins, and our celebration of the great sacrifice He paid so that we could be saved in the first place. Friends, we have a choice. What will it be for you? Be reflective of whose you are (Christians), or to my non-Christian friends, accept Jesus as Lord and be loyal to His cause, creating a sweet aroma back up to Him? Or are you more inclined to refuse Him and stifle Him with the stench of sin, unbelief and/or disobedience?

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, what a challenge these verses present for us today, because there are so many circumstances where we are totally engulfed in the world and its demands through our friends and coworkers. However, I believe that Paul also found it impossible to be holy, especially without Your powerful hand upon his life. Therefore please remind us often of our power source that enable us to be good examples of Yours and to act Godly, even under extreme circumstances and opposition. Thank You for being available to us, and willing to work through such weak vessels. May we always be mold-able and usable by You, is my sincere plea today. For the non-Christians who might be led to this devotional today, may they recognize their need for You in their lives, surrender their lives to You, and find peace in knowing You, is my humble prayer today that I ask in the precious name of Jesus, my Lord, AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please speak with a local Bible Teaching pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com so that we can pray with you and give you help and or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Any words underlined above will 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 blogger.nuggetsfromgodsword.org and read more, or you may freely subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day‘s devotional. If you are anywhere near the Highlands County, Florida area and do not have a church home, I would be thrilled to welcome you at Bible Fellowship Church, Sebring, FL!

Being Brought To Our Senses

On By Ed AlgreenIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

The Holy Bible

8 …… We were crushed and overwhelmed beyond our ability to endure, and we thought we would never live through it. 9 In fact, we expected to die. But as a result, we stopped relying on ourselves and learned to rely only on God, who raises the dead. 10 And he did rescue us from mortal danger, and he will rescue us again. We have placed our confidence in him, and he will continue to rescue us. 11 And you are helping us by praying for us. Then many people will give thanks because God has graciously answered so many prayers for our safety.

12 We can say with confidence and a clear conscience that we have lived with a God-given holiness (honesty) and sincerity in all our dealings. We have depended on God’s grace, not on our own human wisdom. That is how we have conducted ourselves before the world, and especially toward you.

(Bible Translation and Location: New Living Translation – 2 Corinthians 1:8-12)

Thoughts:

I believe that what Paul was really saying at the beginning of these verses is something that we struggle with more often than we might care to acknowledge. It seems like many times we wait to seek God’s favor, help and/or direction until we have given up all hope of trying to handle the situation ourselves. The great apostle Paul was guilty of the same thing, because he declared in verse 9 that basically when they had exhausted all effort and hope for survival, then they stopped relying on self and turned the matter over to God. Friends I believe that stories like this were intentionally placed in the Bible under God’s leadership, because He knew that there would be another set of Christians just like Paul, who would follow the same stubborn path. Why is this? I believe that there may be several reasons: 1). It may be due to lack of communion with God. I have found that when my wife and I go through times of extreme busyness and don’t take time to communicate like we should, often there are things that I forget to share with her. You and I have allowed our lives to become so busy because of over committing ourselves and lack of priority, that the thing that screams most at us, gets our attention; 2). It may be due to us not wanting to bug God for every little thing, so we wait until items are totally out of our control (like Paul and Timothy did). Perhaps this study will serve to remind us that we build confidence in God through talking with Him and seeing answers to the little stuff and, that major items never grow into such. And 3). It may be that God intentionally uses times like these to wake us up from our sleepiness and distractions that interfere in our relationship with Him, and while He has our attention, perhaps deals with us about other spiritual/Godly things that require attention. Please also look closely at verse 10, for Paul tells us that this experience gave them confidence to know that God will rescue them in the future, because of the miraculous rescue and answer to prayer in the current application. Like Paul said in verse 12, having experienced God’s wonderful power, we must learn to depend on God’s grace at all times, and not our own wisdom. When the world sees that, then they will know whose we are! Lord, may they always see Jesus when they look at His kids!

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, thank You for being my God, my Deliverer, my Healer, my Friend and Savior. May I be very open in my relationship with You, yet very dedicated to time with You, so that we may communicate at all times. Thank You for bringing Paul and Timothy to their senses, opening their eyes to Truth and reminding them of who’s in charge. Thank You for leading me to this passage this morning, because I desperately need Your guidance and overwhelming power in my life even today, I am guilty of trying to settle/handle the little things myself. Please keep me awake and willing to share with You every little life experience and challenge, so that You may show Your power, before the ‘big’ things ever develop. Lord, this will be very foreign to those that may read this without a close relationship with You. Please open their spiritual eyes to the Truth, Your Word that should direct our path every day. I love You Lord! Thank You for who You are, and for claiming me as Your very own Son! I celebrate Your goodness, and plead for Your ongoing grace, in the wonderful name of Your Sin, Jesus. AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please speak with a local Bible Teaching pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com so that we can pray with you and give you help and or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Any words underlined above will 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 blogger.nuggetsfromgodsword.org and read more, or you may freely subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. If you are anywhere near the Highlands County, Florida area and do not have a church home, I would be thrilled to welcome you at Bible Fellowship Church, Sebring, FL!

A Benefit of our Troubles

On By Ed AlgreenIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

The Holy Bible

All praise to the God and Father of our Master, Jesus the Messiah! Father of all mercy! God of all healing counsel! He comes alongside us when we go through hard times, and before you know it, he brings us alongside someone else who is going through hard times so that we can be there for that person just as God was there for us.

(Bible Translation and Location: The Message – 2 Corinthians 1:3-4)

Thoughts:

I was reading a book recently and the writer shared that others don’t pay near as much attention to what we say, as to when they see us acting according to the advice we are freely giving to others! Similarly, when needing advice on fixing your car, don’t you suppose that you would be more apt to listen to a mechanic, than the smartest professor who read a book about your car, and even about the engine? This is very much like our Christian walk. Personally, I try to be careful in using the words “I know how you feel” unless I have experienced the same symptoms as the other person is encountering, and even then their scenario could be way more severe than I ever had. It is so much more helpful to listen and gain an understanding on how you might pray for someone’s needs, rather than minimizing their issue with your past experiences. Paul and Timothy are warning the Corinthian church, and God is using this experience to teach us, that no matter what we might encounter in our health, there will be others who go through very similar situations. Therefore, believe in God through the good times and through the challenging times, knowing that He can use your experience for you to personally help others. Look for/recognize His hand at work in your situation and be ready to give Him praise for His specific help, and we are to do this believing that God will grow us to use our circumstance in order to help another Brother or Sister who might develop a similar issue and who really needs someone to talk to who can identify with them. Don’t you know that in the case of the mechanic mentioned above, only he can share with you the little particulars and the bumps and bruises that you can expect when doing certain repairs, because of his years of experience? Friends, when you find hope, be ready to share hope with those who are hopeless. When you experience healing, go out of your way to share that with someone who is very concerned about their medical issues. When you suffer the loss of a loved one, be ready to come alongside that mourning friend who is now experiencing loss. Don’t you know that only then you can truly say “I know something about what you might be feeling, because I lost my __?___ and God worked powerfully in my life and comforted me every day – or whatever you might have experienced? God will point you to the individual(s) where He can use you. Remember, you are just a recovering sinner accepting God’s help so that you might come alongside another child of His that could use your experience to help them confirm their decision and/or direction. Just let go, and let God!

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, just how You have highlighted these verses to me this morning, I believe that there are many who You have brought through life experiences who could very easily come alongside a hurting, troubled friend today. Lord, I also believe that as we show obedience in doing this, that You will give us the strength and guidance that we need to either be quiet and listen, or to share how wonderful You have been to us. The neat thing that I respect in You dear Lord, is that You know what a person is feeling, what they’ve been through, how much pain they are in right now, and the words they need to really refocus their life on You, in spite of their circumstance. Please keep us humble Oh Lord, so that we may be this witness and encouragement, all because of You, and nothing of ourselves. May we take this action because of what You want to see, and to encourage our friend to look to You and praise You in their storm. Lord, thank You for being my God, my Savior and soon coming King. May I learn to be a better witness of, and for, You every day in every way, and I ask this knowing that only You have power to respond to any of these requests. For I ask this in the name of Jesus, my Savior and Lord, AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please speak with a local Bible Teaching pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com so that we can pray with you and give you help and or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Any words underlined above will 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 blogger.nuggetsfromgodsword.org and read more, or you may freely subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day‘s devotional. If you are anywhere near the Highlands County, Florida area and do not have a church home, I would be thrilled to welcome you at Bible Fellowship Church, Sebring, FL!

Our Legacy

On By Ed AlgreenIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

The Holy Bible

13 Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous (brave). Be strong. 14 And do everything with love.

(Bible Translation and Location: New Living Translation – 1 Corinthians 16:13-14)

Thoughts:

I believe that most of us have a desire to leave a legacy of some sort. Yes, but I can also assure you that the way we live our lives today will be remembered by those who know us long after we leave this world, whether we specifically aim towards a planned ‘legacy’ or not. Sounds scary, but consider that thought carefully! If we are prone to do good, we will be referred to, in comparison, when someone else also does good to our loved ones. Unfortunately, the reverse also happens. After reading Paul’s admonition to his fellow Christians at Corinth during his farewell wishes, God really spoke to me through these two verses. You see, to me, each of the short phrases in these verses carry a very important message. Let me explain:

  • Be on guard: Always be ready. We are often told that we should never go to bed mad at our spouse. How much more powerful are these words when it comes to our relationship with Jesus? Always be ready to defend your beliefs. Always be in such close communion with God that You are ready (without regrets) whenever He calls you home. I was reminded last night of a friend who was watching TV and fell asleep. He woke up in heaven. There was no time to clarify and/or correct any misgivings. We must be on guard, for the Bible says that Jesus will come in an instant for us! Be ready, and stay finely tuned with the Master!
  • Stand firm: Know what you believe and stand firm in that. There are numerous agents of Satan that will attempt to lead us away from the Truth. It may even look and sound like the Christian faith, but without full knowledge and a close relationship with the Master, we might be easily misled.
  • Be courageous and strong: Those with opposing views to yours, will try to trip you up, ‘beat you up’ and try to force their point of view upon you. Don’t lose hope brothers and sisters. Let God be your guide. Be brave and proud that you are standing on the Word of God and representing the King of all kings! You are royalty, because your Father is THE KING!
  • Do everything in love: I find it very interesting how one person can say something and it creates havoc in a whole audience, while someone else can say the same thing in a different tone of voice, in love, and convince the audience of their need for change. Friends, we have the wonderful love of Jesus living inside of us. We represent the One who loved us enough to sacrifice His only Son so that we might live eternally with Him. When we surrender our hearts to Him, He sends His Holy Spirit to live inside of us. Think about the agony He must feel when we allow sin to govern us, instead of the One living inside of us. When we can’t figure out how to say something loving, ask the Holy Spirit to guide you and give you the words. He’s as close as the whisper of His name. Friends, we must truly imitate Jesus if we stand a chance of impacting this world for Him!

If you are reading this and wondering how you might accept this Jesus of mine, so that His Holy Spirit lives within you, please read the footnote and allow a Christian Brother or Sister to help you. I would be honored to help!

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, You told us in Your Word that You did nothing without the direction of Your father, God. May we be Your faithful follower and do the same. Thank You for loving us enough for providing the means by which salvation is available. Thank You for assuring us of Your power and strength that can guide us lovingly through this life, yes even life today that is so filled with a multitude of sins that temp and bombard us in every walk of life. Your very nature is ‘LOVE’ and because You reside inside of us through Your Holy Spirit, we too can be loving in all we do and say. Please give us the boldness to do exactly that. May we be faithful examples of our Father and His Son, Jesus, because of whose we are! I ask this believing and trusting, in the name of Jesus, AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please speak with a local Bible Teaching pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com so that we can pray with you and give you help and or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Any words underlined above will 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 blogger.nuggetsfromgodsword.org and read more, or you may freely subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day‘s devotional. If you are anywhere near the Highlands County, Florida area and do not have a church home, I would be thrilled to welcome you at Bible Fellowship Church, Sebring, FL!

Depend on God

On By Ed AlgreenIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

The Holy Bible

Who fills the sky with clouds,

    preparing rain for the earth,

    Then turning the mountains green with grass,

    feeding both cattle and crows.

    He’s not impressed with horsepower;

    the size of our muscles means little to him.

    Those who fear God get God’s attention;

    they can depend on his strength.

(The Message – Psalm 147:8-11)

Thoughts:

When we depend on God, several things occur:

  • We gain faith in Him: Imagine as a child you not would invite a friend over nor take something out of the refrigerator without first asking your parent(s). So it is with God. If we would learn to depend on God for His provision, and for His direction, and for His wisdom, can you imagine the faith that we would truly develop in Him? The truth is, God provides everything for us already, we just need to stop and recognize His goodness and His provision.
  • We learn to depend on Him: I have heard stories of missionaries who went overseas to teach folk how to farm, because they learned that as long as their church/group continued sending food, the people would sit and wait for the food to arrive. However when they taught them to farm, they actually taught them to depend on God for rain, mentioned in the first part of this passage, and to wait on God instead for His provision. Imagine if we would learn to depend on God for the simple things in life? I’m not advocating that we not try to help ourselves, but we should always acknowledge the role that God plays in our everyday necessities (the very air that we breathe, the good health to rise and care for our families, the precious love of Jesus when we feel so alone, etc).
  • We learn to fear God: Fear is another word for respect, or stand in awe of God. What if a farmer stopped being blessed with rain from above? What if we stopped being blessed with the daily provisions of God? When we depend on Him and recognize that we can do nothing without His powerful, strong hand upon us, then we grow to honor Him, stand in awe of His majesty, stand amazed in His love for even us, and respect Him for His very nature, for He is a loving and caring God to such an unloving world. I am overwhelmed by His love for me!

Friends, I stand amazed in the presence of Jesus, my Lord. His ways are not my ways, but always the best way! I honor Him, respect and fear Him and I have developed a great faith in Him. Please allow Him to work in your life, to love you, care for you and always provide for you. He truly deserves our praise!

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, You breathed life into mankind and each and every day provide the very things that we need to survive. Thank You for being such a loving and caring God. There is so much that I can praise You for each day. So much that can really serve to open my eyes to Your awesome presence and willingness to care for me. Lord, I pray that should one of Your children read this devotional today, who has not recognized the truth of Your goodness because they really don’t know You personally, that You will work in their hearts and make them curious enough that they might follow my tips in the footnote as they personally seek You and come to know You in a very personal way. I love You Lord! You are so good to me! I praise You and ask these favors in the wonderful name of Jesus, AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please speak with a local Bible Teaching pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com so that we can pray with you and give you help and or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Any words underlined above will 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 you are anywhere near the Highlands County, Florida area and do not have a church home, I would be thrilled to welcome you at Bible Fellowship Church, Sebring, FL!

Be Steadfast

On By Ed AlgreenIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

The Holy Bible

56 For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power. 57 But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ.

58 So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.

(New Living Translation – I Corinthians 15:56-58)

Thoughts:

Earlier in this chapter Paul had taught the Corinthian church, and us, about death and what it means to the Christian. In his conclusion here Paul is reminding us that only those without Christ need worry about death, because the Word says that the sting of death is sin. However, for those who have accepted Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord of their life, be assured that He has taken the sting out of death because He made atonement for our sins. We may think calmly on the horrors of the grave; assured that our bodies will be asleep there, and in the meantime our souls will be present with the Redeemer! Death is terrible to the unbeliever, and the thought of it to the remaining loved ones. However, although death may appear real for a believer, it cannot hold him in its power. In light of this glorious truth, in verse (58), we (believers) are taught and encouraged to be steadfast, strong and immovable in the truth of God’s Word and in the promise of what will come! Imagine, being raised incorruptible (without sin) and immortal (able to live eternally with Christ). We are also encouraged to be steady and consistent in the work of the Lord, always serving the Lord, and obeying the Lord’s commands. Friends, may Christ give us even more faith, so that we may not only be secure and safe in our faith, but also live joyfully and triumphantly here on this earth as we prepare for an even better life afterwards. You can be assured of this future life friend, if you do not already know and serve the Lord faithfully! Use the information in the footnote to seek help today.

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, what a glorious future is ours that know You as Lord and personal Savior! We worry so much about death because we worry about the loved ones left behind, but the glory for the Christian who has passed on from this mortal and corruptible life in which we currently live, to the one promised with You is nothing short of glorious and filled with joy and expectation! Thank You for prodding me enough times that I surrendered my life over to you in 1976, and in spite of a few struggling times in between, overall You have kept me strong and steadfast in my faith, and I sincerely thank and praise You for that dear Lord. Verse 58 has challenged me to keep on ‘trucking’ in my walk with You here on this earth, because there are so many that I would like to be reassured of their standing with You so that I may see them again in glory. I ask that You continue to give me strength, wisdom and boldness to not only work steadfastly for You, but to share the truths of Your gospel with all that You may place in my path of life. Please touch the lives of those that need You today, humble them to understand their need for the Savior before it is eternally too late. I love You Lord, and I lift my voice to worship You, oh my soul rejoice! Take joy my King in what You hear, may it be a sweet, sweet sound in Your ear! This is my song of rejoicing today, and my sincere prayer that I’m asking all this in the name of Jesus, my Lord, AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please speak with a local Bible Teaching pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com so that we can pray with you and give you help and or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Any words underlined above will 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 you are anywhere near the Highlands County, Florida area and do not have a church home, I would be thrilled to welcome you at Bible Fellowship Church, Sebring, FL!