Tag: Consistent living

Run Towards The Goal

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Focused on the Goal, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

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

SCRIPTURE FROM: Philippians 3:12-14; 16;
TRANSLATION: Contemporary English Version (CEV)

BIBLE TEXT: 12 I have not yet reached my goal, and I am not perfect. But Christ has taken hold of me. So I keep on running and struggling to take hold of the prize. 13 My friends, I don’t feel I have already arrived. But I forget what is behind, and I struggle for what is ahead. 14 I run toward the goal, so I can win the prize of being called to heaven. This is the prize God offers because of what Christ Jesus has done. 
16 … we must keep going in the direction that we are now headed.

APPLICATION: No doubt you are very much like me, where we go on a trip for specific reasons, and our spouse was either not allowed, or we couldn’t afford to take them, or they had no interest in going. Even if our trip lasts only a very short time, we become anxious and excited about our reunion when it’s time to travel back to our home. In his former life, then known as Saul, the writer of today’s Scripture was an awful man. Most good citizens were afraid of him, and most wanted to stay far enough away from him. His main crime was persecuting Christians and the church. But one day, Jesus got through to Saul and, after convicting him of his sin, He then invited Saul, under his brand-new identity, Paul, to join Him in ministering to the very folk he was formerly out to entrap and kill. Doesn’t this sound very similar to your story? You may not have intentionally set out to destroy believers, but through various actions, it was probably evident to God that you hated them and was possibly envious of the hope that they had. Yet just like He did with Saul, He spoke into your life through the Holy Spirit, and called you to Himself. But Paul knew that this Christian life is way more than a one-time decision or experience, but a life dedicated to pleasing the One who saved us and is waiting to welcome us to our eternal home. So, it’s like a marathon runner who is chosen to represent his/her country in the Olympics. They don’t just take that invitation and post it on their bedroom wall and gloat over it, but they set a goal for which they can work towards in order to win the gold (the prize). Fortunately for the Christian, there is no rigorous physical exercise each day to strengthen the right muscle group, but instead our mission is to develop our relationship with the Master, and to share the joy of knowing Him with everyone we come into contact with. At our midweek service last night, we studied how God saved the Gentiles, so that the Jewish people might come to their senses and accept the Savior that God gave to the world. For each reader and/or listener who has accepted Jesus as Savior, I believe God wants us to be His representative in our world, where many have chosen to ignore the Gospel and/or accept Jesus into their lives. Is it evident to the unsaved that there’s something different about you? If not, how will they see and how will they know? Oh, that the church will be the church – every day and in every way, for the sake of the Kingdom.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Without looking back and gloating about past successes, may we set the same goal that Paul spoke of and run the course in a way that the world will know whose we are.

PRAYER: Lord, I am convinced that You didn’t save us to soak and sour. There are many that we come into contact with who are much like the Jews that Paul spoke of in our Scripture text today. They know of the ‘man upstairs’, or the ‘greater power’, or the ‘man in charge’, but because of their lack of commitment and personal relationship, there is no evidence that others will see in them. My sincere prayer is that we might always remember Paul in his desire to keep on striving towards the goal each and every day. I believe that means: live like the man you claim to be in Christ; Stand up for the things taught and commanded by God; Love unconditionally and respond with a compassionate heart just like Jesus did. Many still need Jesus. I pray that the remnant that God has established through His children still here on earth, will be attractive to the lost so they will be reminded of the King of all kings and Lord of all lords – the Savior of the world. AMEN!

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

Who Do You Think You’re Fooling?

On By Ed AlgreenIn Representation of the Master, Representative of Christ, Sacrifice, WitnessLeave a comment

Monday, 2019-09-09

Bible Reference: Matthew 12:33-37
Translation: The Contemporary English Version (CEV)

Bible Text:  33 A good tree produces only good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit. You can tell what a tree is like by the fruit it produces. 34 You are a bunch of evil snakes, so how can you say anything good? Your words show what is in your hearts. 35 Good people bring good things out of their hearts, but evil people bring evil things out of their hearts. 36 I promise you that on the Day of Judgment, everyone will have to account for every careless word they have spoken. 37 On that day they will be told that they are either innocent or guilty because of the things they have said.

OBSERVATION: It happens all too often. Our actions, and the foolishness coming from our lips, has such an impact on those that we associate with each day, that people are confused and uncertain about where we will spend eternity. For what they are seeing is the fruit of what has been produced from ones filled with love, blessings, and a Christ-like character, or they are hearing the same from you as any other non-believer. As we meditate on this today, let’s concentrate on what the world sees in us.

APPLICATION:  I am intrigued by the different ways that people act, depending on the audience, and in some cases the location. Think about the church member who acts prim and proper while on church property, yet so different in another setting that their friends hardly recognize them. Far-fetched you might say? Recently I saw an individual who was advertising their faith through the words on the tee shirt they were wearing, yet their actions were those of an unbeliever. It was embarrassing to me, so I can’t imagine what it must have been to God, for He said in His Word that He wants us to be holy, just as He is holy. In fact, He is expecting us to imitate His Son, who came to earth and lived among mankind. Friends I believe that often we must remind ourselves that at one point in our lives we may have done certain actions, or spoken in certain ways, but now that we have God’s Holy Spirit dwelling inside of us, and now that we know about what God expects from us through His written Word, we just don’t live like that anymore. Jesus basically told the Pharisees that what’s inside, is bound to be exposed through the things we say and in the ways that we act. Don’t you know that people we come into contact with are bound to be confused when we proclaim our faith in Christ, yet our actions reflect anything but the love of our Savior? Friends, living life according to God’s instructions in a world led and controlled by Satan, is almost impossible for us to do on our own. We need Jesus each and every day to guide our path and protect our thoughts and words, if we are going to be like Him. At the beginning of each day, consider asking for God’s guidance, direction and power to help you be more like Him during the day, while being so exposed to the things of this world. Then at the end of each day as you reflect on your day, be sure to analyze whether friends may have witnessed enough evidence to find you guilty of being a Christ follower. No one to fool in this evaluation, because God sees and knows all things and He could help you honestly evaluate, and help you rediscover His love and His power to help you live life pleasing to Him. To the unbeliever who would like to partake in this God-directed life, please read the information in my ‘Footnote’ for help in finding Jesus. Alternately, I would be thrilled to tell you more about my Savior, so feel free to contact me.

PRAYER: Dear God, thank You for the freedoms that You give us. These often get us in trouble, because we often do our own thing instead of begging You for power, grace and mercy to live in a ‘foreign’ land as saints of Your awesome kingdom. We can only succeed in our Christian walk by depending heavily on You to guide us, protect us, and strengthen our will to be more inclined to Your ways. We need You each and every day to help us in this daunting task oh Lord. Please touch the lives of those who may not know you, yet they may stop by to read this devotional. Please draw them unto yourself. I ask all this in the strong and holy name of Jesus, AMEN!

How to Avoid Relapses

On By Ed AlgreenIn Cleansing, Healing, Persistence, SinLeave a comment

THE HOLY BIBLE (The New Living Translation – John 5:11-14): 11 But he replied, “The man who healed me told me, ‘Pick up your mat and walk.’ ” 12 “Who said such a thing as that?” they demanded. 13 The man didn’t know, for Jesus had disappeared into the crowd. 14 But afterward Jesus found him in the Temple and told him, “Now you are well; so stop sinning, or something even worse may happen to you.”

THOUGHTS: The casual reader of this passage of scripture might cringe at the thought that Jesus would threaten the healed man that if he didn’t ‘stand up and fly right’ that something worse would come to him. The way that God spoke to me in this is that I was once healed from the awful disease of sin. However, if I keep playing with sin and giving in to temptation, then I will quickly relapse back into the world of sinful things. Often when this happens, the individual will sink deeper into sin than they ever were before. I feel compelled to challenge myself and my readers with this question: Who in their right minds would want to stand idly by and see a relapse of a decease such as cancer or aids (for example) and not want to do everything possible to hinder the relapse? Often a relapse will result into a deepening of the decease and could often lead to death, unless the individual takes the situation in hand and makes every effort to once again contain the decease. In the case of the man in this Bible story, he had been sick for almost 40 years. Although Jesus knew his need, he asked him what kind of help he needed. Jesus healed him of the effects of sin on his life, but He wanted to make sure that the man’s heart was right, so that his life would not become re-infected again. I believe it is evident from this story that doctors may treat us, and Jesus could even cure us of our deceases, but unless we do our part in obeying the same command Jesus gave to the man who was healed in this story, then we are subject to seeing even worse things happen to us. Let us therefore invite Jesus into our hearts and lives, so that by His power, we might be overcomers of sin. Perhaps then we might be healthy enough to actually help those who were once in ‘our shoe’, impacted by sin and seeing no hope of a cure to this world’s burden of sin and its effects on their lives.

PRAYER: ‘Jesus Messiah, name above all name, blessed Redeemer, Emanuel, the rescue for sinners…‘ Thank You Lord for rescuing me from my sin. Thank You for touching the lives of many who will read this devotional today in a very similar way. Thank You for caring about those who are careless and have no desire to invite You into their lives. May this be a day that each reader may examine themselves closely. May they be made aware of the impact of sin on their lives, and may they develop a desire to allow You into their lives and help them overcome the sin and temptations that this old world will quickly impose upon them. Lord, may eyes be opened today as to the effects of sin and the overwhelming impact that it has on our lives. May this prompt us to draw close to You, the only One with power to help us be overcomers. None of us would opt to live a life of sin, or return to a life of sin that we had recovered from. Please fill us with so much of Yourself that Your thoughts might become our thoughts, may Your desire for the lost of this world be our burden so that we might dedicate ourselves to drawing all men unto You. In appreciation, love and concern for my spiritual welfare and that of my readers, I ask all this in the powerful and strong name of Jesus, with thanksgiving, 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 read through Biblical truths on How To Know Jesus, 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 www.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! 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!

Who Do You Think You’re Fooling?

On By Ed AlgreenIn Sacrifice, WitnessLeave a comment

THE HOLY BIBLE (The Contemporary English Version – Matthew 12:33-37): 33 A good tree produces only good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit. You can tell what a tree is like by the fruit it produces. 34 You are a bunch of evil snakes, so how can you say anything good? Your words show what is in your hearts. 35 Good people bring good things out of their hearts, but evil people bring evil things out of their hearts. 36 I promise you that on the Day of Judgment, everyone will have to account for every careless word they have spoken. 37 On that day they will be told that they are either innocent or guilty because of the things they have said.

THOUGHTS: I am intrigued by the different ways that people act in one environment versus when in a different setting altogether. Think about the church member who acts prim and proper while on church property, yet so different in another setting that their friends hardly recognize them. Farfetched you might say? I witnessed a situation recently where an individual was advertising their faith through the words on a tee shirt, yet acting in way indicative of the world. It embarrassed me, so I can’t imagine what it must have done to God who expects so much more out of us – seeing that we are to imitate His Son. Friends I believe that often we must remind ourselves that at one point in our lives we may have done certain actions or said certain things, but now that we have God’s Holy Spirit dwelling inside of us, and now that we know about what God expects from us through His written Word, we just don’t live like that anymore. Jesus basically told the Pharisees that what’s inside, is bound to be exposed through the things we say and the way we act. Don’t you know that people we come into contact with are bound to be confused when we boldly proclaim our faith in Christ, yet our actions declare the prevalence of Satan leading and directing our path? Friends, living life according to God’s instructions in a world led and controlled by Satan, is almost impossible for us to do on our own. We need Jesus each and every day to guide our path and protect our thoughts and words, if we are going to be like Him. At the beginning of each day, consider asking for God’s guidance, direction and power to help you be more like Him during the day while exposed to so much of Satan. Then at the end of each day, reflect on the day and question yourself as to whether friends may have witnessed enough evidence to find you guilty of being a Christ follower. No one to fool in this evaluation, because God sees and knows all things and He could help you honestly evaluate, and help you rediscover His love and His power to help you live life pleasing to Him. To the unbeliever who would like to partake in this God-directed life, please read the information in my ‘Footnote’ for help in finding Jesus. I would be thrilled to tell you more, so feel free to contact me.

PRAYER: Dear God, thank You for the freedoms that You give us. These often get us in trouble, because we often do our own thing instead of begging You for power, grace and mercy to live in a ‘foreign’ land as saints of Your wonderful kingdom. We can only succeed in our Christian walk by depending heavily on You to guide us, protect us, and strengthen our will to be more inclined to Your ways. We need You each and every day to help us in this daunting task oh Lord. I ask this in the strong and holy 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 read through Biblical truths on How To Know Jesus, 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 www.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! 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!