Tag: Deliverer

Ask for it

On By Ed AlgreenIn In Christ, Integrity, Miracles, Prayer, SubmissionLeave a comment

Monday, 2018-11-19

Scripture

Bible Reference: John 14:12-14

Bible Text: 12 I tell you the truth: whoever believes in Me will be able to do what I have done, but they will do even greater things, because I will return to be with the Father. 13 Whatever you ask for in My name, I will do it so that the Father will get glory from the Son. 14 Let Me say it again: if you ask for anything in My name, I will do it.

Bible Translation: The Voice Translation (Voice)

My Take

Ever noticed that your son may go and ask a friend of equal age to do something that both he and you feel is the best thing to do, but it may have little relevance to the friend, until he brings down the power by saying that my dad asked that we do this right away? Bringing the dad’s name into the equation always adds power to the instructions being given. Ever noticed also that as a son, you may tell your buddies to do something that sounds different to what they know your dad has always preached, and they will give you a funny look and wonder where are you coming from with those instructions? Jesus had just introduced the Comforter to His disciples as He (Jesus) prepared Himself to go and be with the Father. Jesus assured His disciples, as He still assures us today, that He will be sitting at the right hand of the Father interceding for us, and that He will receive glory from the Father as His children carries on His work here on earth with the help of the Comforter, or the Holy Spirit. Notice that great emphasis is directed to the fact that even though we stand to do things even greater than He (Jesus) did while here on earth, we must never lose sight of who we are representing, and whose power resides with us to enable the work. Remember that in Acts 19:13-16 there were some who went around trying to cast out demons in Jesus’ name, but even the demons recognized that they were not of Jesus and not speaking on His behalf. Friends, it is safe to say, based on the Word of God, that if any miraculous work is to be done, it will be the power, and the work of Jesus Christ portrayed through us to do the work, with the results being totally for His glory. I believe that there are two important things to remember about being blessed with the power of Jesus working through us: (1) That doing the work of the Lord, demonstrates our love for Him, and not what we might be able to brag on, or benefit from personally; and (2) Miracles are performed in order to bring people to a full knowledge of Jesus Christ. Not for any gain of ourselves, and not for the purpose of relieving our friends from some earthly burden, but that they might know Jesus as their Lord and personal Savior. Please note that there is nothing mentioned about the obedient servant who God uses to stand in His stead and allow His miracle to be transmitted through. But I can assure you that for those who will do this, we will be blessed beyond anything words can describe. To God be the glory for all the great things He can do through even us who believe in Him, and are willing to be used by Him!

Prayer

Lord Jesus, I believe that we, Your children, in our meager faith tend go from one extreme to another way too often. For I believe we recognize our powerlessness and know that we can do nothing miraculous by ourselves. However, I also believe that there are times that our ego steps in at times and we want so badly to see our friends overcome obstacles that we tend to jump in there and pray peace and/or healing over them so they could return to a sense of normalcy. I was recently reminded by a pastor when He said that we could very easily step in the way of You actually disciplining someone, by trying to humanly help them correct or overcome their situation. This scripture has once again opened my eyes to the fact that we must be so driven by the Spirit of God that the things we say and the things we do, are very much aligned with His will and His purpose. I also believe that if the Holy Spirit leads us to a miraculous scenario with our friends that will demonstrate the love of God for them and bring them to a full knowledge of Jesus Christ, then we must, in obedience, seek your leadership and carry out Your work, particularly among the unsaved. Lord, I am concerned that there are so many in each of our circle of friends that don’t know You as their Lord and personal Savior. If it takes a miracle to convince them of Your love and power today, I pray that Your will may be done. Please speak clearly to Your children today so that we may in obedience do Your perfect will. AMEN!

Footnote

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

Sin – An Object Of Cursing From God

On By Ed AlgreenIn Bible Believing, Christian, Curses, Faith, Humility, Obedience, Our Help comes from God, Righteousness, SurrenderLeave a comment

Wednesday, 2016-10-19

Scripture

Bible Reference: Jeremiah 44:22–23

Bible Text:  22 Today, your land is an object of cursing, a horror, a lifeless ruin because the Eternal could no longer stand your wickedness and the detestable things you did. 23 Take a good look at the disaster that has come upon you. It happened because you burned incense to other gods and sinned against the Eternal. It happened because you refused to obey His voice or follow His law and His decrees, because you ignored His warnings.

Bible Translation: The VOICE 

My Take

Just from the title you probably had no incentive or desire to open this devotional and read more. That’s pretty normal, because we are creatures of so much stress each day that the last thing we want to hear is another challenge or critical point of view. Sorry friends, but as followers of Christ we must be obedient to the Holy Spirit and stop to meditate on a passage of scripture such as this, when presented with it, because God could very well be getting our attention to warn us of what our own outcome may look like, if we continue in sin and disobedient to His commands. Based on scripture, I believe that God wants us to turn away from our sin (stop doing it and look at God’s plan for us), humble ourselves before the almighty God, seek His face and His heart’s desire for us, and pray for a revived spirit within us individually and, as a family, as a church, as a city and indeed as a nation. Friends, at this time of the year we become so caught up in politics, in Thanksgiving celebrations, and begin thinking about Christmas. If we’re not careful, I’m afraid that we could easily lose our passion for what is really critical in God’s eyes – that we know Him; honor Him; obey Him and seek sincerely to follow Him. In doing this friends, we will earn a deep, sincere, desire to see our family and friends also ‘make the cut’, or generate a desire to know the Savior that we love, adore and live in great expectation of uniting with one day! Friends, as we grow closer to God and live more like Him here on this earth, perhaps He may save our land from desolation and destruction. Most of us would desire that God bless our respective native country, so I sincerely believe that we would also truly regret it if God removed His hand of blessing from us and allowed our land to become an object of His cursing – just because of our neglect of God and His commands. God says in His Word that He puts our leaders in place for His purposes. Let us therefore be sure that we seek His face as we vote on our leaders, and more importantly, let us seek to know God better, understand His directions for us, and seek to follow His will and His way. I believe that this will please God and perhaps earn His blessing rather than His curse, as He did with the disobedient and rebellious Israelites.

Prayer

Lord, please forgive us for getting so caught up in our own agendas at the expense of our obedience to You and Your commands to us. I am convinced that You are far more interested in our heart, and the desires of our heart, than any earthly concern that we may have influence over. We love our respective home-country and would ask that You bless us immensely in every way. That’s a selfish request because we happen to live here, and whatever happens to our country, affects us. Lord, I also want to ask that You touch the hearts of Your children today so that we may be a vital Christian influence in our country that is representative of the Savior who loves and controls us. I realize that we don’t deserve this Lord, but I ask this so that Your work might be accomplished in our country, in spite of us. I pray that Your children will lift Your banner high so that the world might know the One who reigns over us! AMEN!

Footnote

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

The Meaning of ‘Salvation’

On By Ed AlgreenIn Accept Jesus NOW, Follow Jesus, Know Jesus, SalvationLeave a comment

SCRIPTURE  FROM:   Colossians 2:13-15 (TLB)

TEXT:  13 You were dead in sins, and your sinful desires were not yet cut away. Then he gave you a share in the very life of Christ, for he forgave all your sins, 14 and blotted out the charges proved against you, the list of his commandments which you had not obeyed. He took this list of sins and destroyed it by nailing it to Christ’s cross. 15 In this way God took away Satan’s power to accuse you of sin, and God openly displayed to the whole world Christ’s triumph at the cross where your sins were all taken away.

OBSERVATION:   We are taught in God’s Word that who ever surrenders his/her life to Jesus Christ and ask for the forgiveness of their sin, WILL BE SAVED. But what does that truly mean? In our Scripture today, Paul explains this for us. Let’s understand this fully, so that our hearts might be overjoyed, and therefore happy because of the transformation, or change that occurs in our life when we commit ourselves to the lordship of Jesus Christ.

APPLICATION:   I’m pretty sure that for those who have surrendered their lives to Jesus Christ, we knew that it was for the purpose of obedience to God’s call on our life, and also in accordance with God’s precious Word. But please reread the chosen Scripture for today again and be reminded that there were some deliberate acts by Jesus when we made our commitment: He made us a very integral part of His life; He forgave us of our sin (meaning that our sins are no longer remembered by Him); He wiped out all charges against us for our sin and disobedience of His commands; His sacrifice on the cross was not in vain, for Satan now sees that sacrifice when he looks for the sin in our lives. Friends, we, who know Jesus and have accepted Him as our Lord and Savior, we are a privileged people. We have a brand new start in life – a new life where Jesus stands in front of us and protects us as His very own! Will we still encounter problems and challenges? Yes we will, for as long as we tarry here on this earth, however we have our Protector, our Guide, our Stronghold, our Warrior, our comforter – the living God, the Creator of this world, standing front and center as He looks out for His own. We are indeed a privileged people. Children of the King of all kings! Do you fit into this description friend? Would you like to be included? Please read the tips I have provided in my Footnote and follow the simple steps to salvation in Jesus Christ. Life will never be the same for you!

PRAYER:   Heavenly Father, thank You for the gift of salvation, given as a sacrifice through Your very own son, Jesus Christ. Thank You for accepting even me to be Your beloved son. Thank You for accepting my relatives and friends as they sought salvation. Thank You for being available, and willing to accept those who have rejected You and showed no sign of needing or wanting help. Lord, I pray that You may use my words today to touch the hearts of those who will read this blog. If they have never surrendered their lives to You and invited You to be Lord of their lives, may this be the day of salvation for them. The day they will realize the importance of having You front, center and in ultimate control of their lives. Only You can satisfy our deepest emotions and needs, and only You can save us from the critical sentence for our sins. Please speak to Your children again today Lord, especially those that I hold near and dear in my life, and those who will read this blog. AMEN!

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

 

My Help Comes From The Lord! Really?

On By Ed AlgreenIn Healing, PraiseLeave a comment

SCRIPTURE  FROM:   2 Chronicles 16:9 (TLB)

TEXT:   9 For the eyes of the Lord search back and forth across the whole earth, looking for people whose hearts are perfect toward him, so that he can show his great power in helping them.

OBSERVATION:   When faced with the onslaught of the Cushites and the Libyans, who had large and powerful armies, King Asa sought God’s help, and God gave the two armies over to Asa. However, like Asa, we soon become self confident when our teams overcome the odds and win the overwhelming challenges ahead of them. So Asa thought that if only he had help from his friends, then he could also win the battle against Israel, so he sought the help of Ben-Hadad. It is very mind sobering to think about what the Lord spoke through Hanani, the leading priest/seer to King Asa about his plans. It is so applicable to us today.

APPLICATION:   I want you to assume that it was you who testified in church recently how God brought you safely through surgery and took care of you, but I also want you to carefully recall the ordeal you had in making sure that Dr. XYZ was the only doctor who would work on you, and that nurse Tee was directly in charge of getting the best nurses for you. Over and over you shared with visitors how your doctor saved you one time before, and how confident you were that he could do it again this time around. Friends, I believe that we are all guilty of this at times, but I hope that we are reminded today through this Scripture that when our hearts are perfect towards God, He looks for ways to show His great power through us. I heard a guy on television last night who seemed like he believed in God when telling his story about how cancer gripped his body, and especially his voice. However, when it came down to giving public glory, he stated that it was music that brought him through and healed his voice. Really? Wouldn’t we be filling hospital rooms with music, so that each patient might listen and be healed? Friends, let me implore you to join me in examining our hearts in the light of our awesome God, and when we recognize changes in our lives, be willing to give Him glory for what He is about to accomplish in and through His work in us. You see, we have nothing to boast about but God. When healing or any other miracle is brought about, it’s God that we glorify and lift up above all names. If we asked God to protect us and be with us through our dilemma, then let’s be careful to lift His name on high so that the world might know that He lives, and that He lives and works in our lives! So where does your help come from? My dear friends, if God found a pure heart in you in which He could perform a miracle, then please be careful to give Him the praise while still in the hospital, in your home, in the nearby cafe and in the church. Be sure that the world knows that God’s not dead, no, He’s still very much alive, because He performed a miracle in you!

PRAYER:   Thank You for this reminder today dear Lord. Like King Asa, we often feel so independent that we want to apply ourselves and take care of our situations our way. Yet we know deep inside that it’s You who holds the key to heaven, and only You who could save our souls and heal our bodies. As we come to You for help, please guide us to never forget where our help came from, instead help us to use that as a great opportunity to lift up your name on high, so that the world will know that you’re still alive and that You rule and reign in our lives. To God be all glory, honor and praise, AMEN!

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

 

A Well Orchestrated Plan!

On By Ed AlgreenIn Bible Believing, Christian, Faith, Humility, Love, Obedience, SurrenderLeave a comment

Monday, 2017-12-18

Scripture

Bible Reference: Micah 5:2-5

Bible Text: 2 The Lord says, “Bethlehem Ephrathah, you are one of the smallest towns in Judah, but out of you I will bring a ruler for Israel, whose family line goes back to ancient times.” 3 So the Lord will abandon his people to their enemies until the woman who is to give birth has her son. Then those Israelites who are in exile will be reunited with their own people. 4 When he comes, he will rule his people with the strength that comes from the Lord and with the majesty of the Lord God himself. His people will live in safety because people all over the earth will acknowledge his greatness, 5 and he will bring peace.

Bible Translation: Good News Translation (GNT)

My Take

Because I learned a few new things in my study today about this popular passage included in the story about the birth of Jesus, I wanted to share with you the fascination I found with how God coordinated this whole birth of His Holy One, the Lord Jesus Christ. For those of you that know all of these things, I ask that you bear with this humble child while I continue to learn the great truths of God’s Word. Look at these things with me:

  1. Bethlehem Ephrathah – It seems interesting why God chose the humility of one of the smallest  towns around for His Son to be born. His Son that would be born to rule and reign over all Israel and be the Savior of the whole world. But:
    • Did you know that in this small town, David was also born? Look at 1 Samuel 17:12 for this reference! Remember from New Testament scripture that Jesus would be of the lineage of David!
    • Did you know that God didn’t need the popularity of a large town, or the extra security of a major city for His Son to be born and recognized as a major leader of the world?
  2. The Lord abandoned His people – The Lord had worked so miraculously among the Israelites and carefully provided for them, yet time after time He sadly saw them return to their sin and idol worship. So in this passage we are told that He answered their requests to leave them alone, for He abandoned them. But He did this while also foretelling of One that He would send to love, rule, and reign over them with deep compassion. Friends, do you see where this whole miracle has changed us very much today? For it seems like we live in a world where idol worship is still very prevalent, and our merciful God is still mocked through the blatant sin and disregard of His precious Son. Note that ‘idol’ worship is something, or someone, other than God, who attracts  the attention of His people. What are those excuses again that folk use when they can’t, or won’t make it to corporate worship?

Friends, we can see from the very beginning that God had a well orchestrated plan to save His people from their sin, and I am convinced that this was not just for the people of Israel, but for all that He created to live on this earth. That includes both you and me. I have accepted Him as my Lord and Savior and therefore can boast of my eternal home in heaven. My whole purpose in sharing these blogs each day is not to help you feel better about yourself, or for you to see how guilty I feel about myself, but to encourage you to take God at His word. He orchestrated a plan for your salvation. Please consider accepting that gift today, by surrendering your life to the Lord Jesus Christ. You will see and feel Christmas in a way that you have never done before! Friends, know Him and know the peace that is often referred to each Christmas, won’t you?

Prayer

Dear God, I thank You for the everlasting gift of salvation, and for Your precious Son that You sent so that salvation might be possible. I am so afraid that our world has become as bad or worse than Israel when You removed Your hand from them. I am also afraid that we are still as stubborn about our sin and disregard even after Your special provision given through Your Son. Lord, please use this Christmas season to once again remind our people of the purpose of You sending Your Son, and the unique privilege that is ours to allow Your Prince of Peace, the Everlasting Savior, to rule and reign in our lives throughout the rest of our lives and even through eternity with You in glory. You’re my King, and I praise You Heavenly Father, AMEN!

Footnote

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

You Know One Is ‘Religious’ When….

On By Ed AlgreenIn Religious, SalvationLeave a comment

Friday, 2017-06-30

Scripture

Bible Reference: Acts 17:22–23

Bible Text:  22 So Paul, standing before the council, addressed them as follows: “Men of Athens, I notice that you are very religious in every way, 23 for as I was walking along I saw your many shrines. And one of your altars had this inscription on it: ‘To an Unknown God.’

Bible Translation: New Living Translation (NLT)

My Take

If you walked into a young man’s bedroom, and he had the walls plastered with large posters of young ladies, some dressed and some barely clothed in a swim suit, might you conclude that the young man is a true ladies’ man, or that he is a good, loyal, faithful husband? How about if this was a young man from your Sunday School class, would you be more, or less convinced that he is a religious person? If you met a store clerk who wore a cross on her chain and appeared to have a great attitude, might you conclude that she was a very religious young lady? How about when you walk into a church on the weekend and see hundreds of attendees, surely they are religious, right? Friends, Paul had to address this misconception of acting ‘religious’ as it could mislead someone into believing that they are a born-again Christian. I believe that the Holy Spirit prompted me to remind this audience that there is only one way by which you are saved, and the only way into heaven is when God is convinced that you are saved. The one way that you are saved is by getting before the Lord Jesus Christ, asking for His forgiveness of your sin, and inviting Him to take charge of your life – total surrender on your part. This is totally scriptural and can be supported by scripture, so it is gospel truth. Somehow, I believe you may have concluded that none of what I have described to you above, matches the biblical description of what a Christian is, or acts like. However, they may sound like the individuals may be ‘religions’, at least in the eyes of some, right? Friends, your connection to the Master of the Universe, and your personal relationship with Him, matters first of all to the Master, then you, then should be obvious to all those you come into contact with. Acting, or pretending to be religious, may very well come across to your friends as you trying to be something that you’re not. When your relationship with Christ is in order, there will be something about your life that others will immediately recognize, without you saying a word, or acting any differently. When the Holy Spirit resides inside of you and works in and through you, your whole demeanor will change and others will see and believe! Please don’t get me wrong friends. I am not saved to prove anything to my friends who truly love me, but because I am saved they can tell from the life I live and the hope that is evident in my character, that I have a hope, I have a future, and it is in heaven with my precious Lord and Savior. Would you please put your mind at ease, and the concern of your friends and family, by seeking out Jesus today? Enough with trying to be ‘religious’. Seek the face of Jesus, look full in to His wonderful eyes, and the things of this world will grow strangely dim!

Prayer

Father God, You are so awesome that You not only created us and gave us a very successful life to enjoy here on earth, but You went a step further by providing the means for us to be assured today about our future with You. Although not automatic, yet You knew that it was not something that we could attain on our own, so You provided Your Son as a living sacrifice for our sin. So that through Him, we might become sons and daughters of the most high! Thank You for loving me with such passion and grace! Thank You for assuring me that it’s OK to share this message with friends who can make the same decision as I did, so that they too might be assured of their salvation. Lord, may this be the day of decision for all who reads this devotional. AMEN!

Footnote

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

Means + Motive = True Generosity

On By Ed AlgreenIn Generosity, Generous, Giving, Heart, Tithe, TithingLeave a comment

Post Date:

 Friday, 2017-05-26
SCRIPTURE

From:

 Mark 12:41-44 (ERV)

Text:

 41 Jesus sat near the Temple collection box and watched as people put money into it. Many rich people put in a lot of money. 42 Then a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth less than a penny.

43 Jesus called his followers to him and said, “This poor widow put in only two small coins. But the truth is, she gave more than all those rich people. 44 They have plenty, and they gave only what they did not need. This woman is very poor, but she gave all she had. It was money she needed to live on.”
OBSERVATION:
Although Jesus had the advantage of knowing the heart and the intent of each person that gave that day, yet He saw a very obvious lesson in all this for His disciples, and consequently for you and I. Jesus was not dependent on the money that was given, for He proved over and over that He could do a lot with very little, or with nothing at all. He was more concerned about the heart of the giver.
APPLICATION:
I believe that one of the excuses most often used by those who don’t attend church, is that all the church or pastor is looking for is your money. It is very obvious that people find it very challenging, at best, to give charitably from their hard earned money, so let’s look closer at this in our study today. When you stop to consider the unemployed neighbor, or the hospitalized friend who has been out of work for six months, why do you suppose God saw, in His great mercy, to allow you the good health, and the job opportunity to earn a living for your family? So how much of that income can you give Him thanks for? So why again do you feel 100% of it belongs to you, with your choice about where to spend it? And why again do you feel like it is so unfair of God to even suggest that you give 10% of that income to His work? Friends, God has a plan for your life, and for His church. I am convinced that His work will be accomplished with, or without you or I, however I am also convinced that God would rather see nothing more than His children participate in His work and celebrate the blessings as He pours them on us. Don’t let Satan mess with your mind and try to convince you that $100 of that $1,000 bonus you just got is too much to put into the hands of your local church. Don’t believe Satan’s lies that the church is just greedy for your money, more than anything else. When you start looking at that, you have lost sight of the reason you are giving. If you withhold from, or lose the joy of giving, because of all the lies Satan will try to convince you of, will you also look to Satan in your time of need? May I suggest that you consider giving God ALL of you, then you will appreciate the 90% of your income that He allows you to manage your earthly affairs with. It’s all about your relationship with God, friend, and what God will do for you, and absolutely nothing at all about what you feel He wants to rob you of. God’s in the business of blessing His children, not robbing them. Give Him yourself, and watch His blessings flow into each area of your life, even in your finances. 
PRAYER:
Lord Jesus, You gave it all for us, even to Your very own life. Please open our eyes and remind us once again that it takes all of us to get all of You in return. Most of us really don’t like to do things half heartedly, so with Your help may we recommit ourselves to You in totality, especially in the one area of our life that seems to bug us most, our finances. Lord, we desire more of You in our lives and in our family and in our church. Please begin with us, even now. AMEN!
FOOTNOTE:
There are two more pages on my blog that will provide you with additional information, one of them being ‘To Know Jesus’.  If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please click on the above page, or speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. Please allow someone to pray with you and give you help and/or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Words underlined in my blog could indicate a link to a song that came to mind as I wrote the devotional. Feel free to click on the link and listen as you continue to read or pray. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to Nuggets From God’s Word and read more, or you may freely to subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. If you are anywhere near the Highlands County, Florida area and do not have a church home, I would be thrilled to welcome you at Bible Fellowship Church, located at 3750 Hammock Rd, Sebring, FL 33872! Click the link to check out service times and/or other special activities. God is at work among us! Please consider coming to worship with us!

Oh The Limitations We Place on Jesus!

On By Ed AlgreenIn Christ's Representative, Faith, Faith in Action, Genuine Faith, Representation of the Master, Representative of ChristLeave a comment

Post Date:

 Friday, 2017-04-28
SCRIPTURE

From:

 Mark 5:39-42 (Voice)

Text:

 39 Jesus and His three disciples went inside.

Jesus: Why are you making all this sorrowful noise? The child isn’t dead. She’s just sleeping.

40 The mourners laughed a horrible, bitter laugh and went back to their wailing. Jesus cleared the house so that only His three disciples, Jairus, and Jairus’s wife were left inside with Him. They all went to where the child lay. 41 Then He took the child’s hand.

Jesus: Little girl, it’s time to wake up.

42 Immediately the 12-year-old girl opened her eyes, arose, and began to walk. Her parents could not believe their eyes.
OBSERVATION:
It is obvious that after the daughter of Jairus closed her eyes in death, the visitors immediately gave up on the miracles of Jesus. Notice how they sent for Jesus while the child was alive but extremely ill. However, as soon as she died they sent word to Jairus that there was no further need for Jesus to come, as the child had died. Praise God that Jesus is not limited by the small ‘boxes’ we surmise about Him or build around ourselves and our circumstances!
APPLICATION:
It is so easy for us to look at these visitors to the home of Jairus and criticize them, but are they truly that much different to us – to what we would’ve done in that situation? We pray for friends who are sick; we tend to pray harder when they are forced into hospital; and we pray out of desperation when we hear that their condition is critical and possibly life threatening. But would we even allow a visitor in the room of the deceased? What if Jesus came by to visit with, and possibly raise our loved one from that death bed, would He be allowed anywhere near the room or the bedside? Notice in our Scripture how it speaks of the mom and dad being filled with amazement and awe, but said nothing of the disciples who accompanied Jesus? Could it be that they had seen these kinds of things already and that they never doubted for a moment that Jesus could raise that dead girl to new life? So what’s different with us? We read in the Holy Word of God that these miracles occurred. We believe that Jesus is alive and powerful in much the same way that He was when these Bible accounts occurred. So what stops us from calling on Him for miracles today? Are we limited by faith alone? Have we drawn a ‘box’ in our minds that Jesus can only do so much, and for whomever we fix in our minds on? Friends, may I remind you today that our Jesus loved us so much that He obediently went to the cross, having all the power necessary to destroy the whole bunch of His accusers, and He did that so that ‘whosever believeth on Him’ (John 3:16) would have clearance to the throne of grace and eternity in heaven with He and His Father! I don’t believe that He made that sacrifice in vain. I believe that His love for us is beyond anything we can comprehend, and that whatever hurts us, must also bear heavy on His heart. He wants us to communicate (pray) to Him about our hurts and disappointments, so that He could intervene as necessary to relieve our pain and bring glory to Himself. Hopefully our faith is large enough to allow God to accomplish His work in our lives and our situations.
PRAYER:
To the Creator of this universe; to the God of all, in heaven and on earth; to the Savior of the world; our Deliverer; our Healer and our everlasting Lord; we stand in awe of You today, recognizing that You are so much greater than we are; exceedingly more powerful that anything we can imagine with our earthly eyes, yet You are our King and our Heavenly Father! Oh how miniscule we are in comparison to how awesome You are! We are nothing to compare to Your great love and power, yet we often place You in a ‘box’ of limitations that extend only as far as we could see and understand. Please forgive us for our short-sightedness and lack of faith. Thank You for working a miracle in the home of Jairus thousands of years ago, so that we might be reminded today that there is no limitation to Your power and Your grace. Thank You for our inkling of faith, please continue to increase our faith so that we might properly represent You to a lost 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 could indicate a link to a song that came to mind as I wrote the devotional. Feel free to click on the link and listen as you continue to read or pray. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to Nuggets From God’s Word and read more, or you may freely to subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. If you are anywhere near the Highlands County, Florida area and do not have a church home, I would be thrilled to welcome you at Bible Fellowship Church, located at 3750 Hammock Rd, Sebring, FL 33872! Click the link to check out service times and/or other special activities. God is at work among us! Please consider coming to worship with us!

Faith Enough For Healing

On By Ed AlgreenIn Faith, Faith in Action, Genuine Faith, Healing, PersistenceLeave a comment

Post Date:

 Thursday, 2017-04-27
SCRIPTURE

From:

 Mark 5:25-29 (GNT)

Text:

 25 There was a woman who had suffered terribly from severe bleeding for twelve years, 26 even though she had been treated by many doctors. She had spent all her money, but instead of getting better she got worse all the time. 27 She had heard about Jesus, so she came in the crowd behind him, 28 saying to herself, “If I just touch his clothes, I will get well.”

29 She touched his cloak, and her bleeding stopped at once; and she had the feeling inside herself that she was healed of her trouble.
OBSERVATION:
Jesus was surrounded by a crowd, but it didn’t stop the persistence of a lady who had heard about Jesus and knew His power to heal even her disease that doctors had failed to stop or control. She was humble enough that she didn’t want any fanfare, however, she was convinced that if she could press through the crowd just enough to touch some part of Jesus’ garment, that would be enough for her to be healed. It turns out she was right on target, but she also unexpectedly got the attention of the Master!
APPLICATION:
There are various stories in the Bible about how different folk were healed in the days of Jesus’ earthly ministry. I’m sure that each one appeals to the various needs of folk even today who meditate on the Word of God and desire healing of some sort in their bodies. I noticed that the lady’s name was not even disclosed, so I don’t believe the intent of the writer was for us to lift her up as a great godly woman, although I’m sure she probably was. Instead, I believe that God would have us recognize in this story a few things that we might learn and apply to our lives today:

  1. Invitation. Someone loved and appreciated this lady enough that they told her about Jesus walking near enough that she could go out and see Him about her need. This sharing led to her meeting the Christ, and being healed. This should be a reminder to us to invite those we know, those we live nearby, and those we really care a lot about, to church with us.
  2. Excuses. It would have been easy for this lady to find excuses about the impossibilities of her getting through the crowd to get anywhere near to Jesus. Imagine the excuses that people use when we invite them to church with us. Let’s learn to take those excuses as incentive to cry out all the louder to our Lord on their behalf, as they could be missing their opportunity for their healing that day.
  3. Persistence. Many of us give up real easy, but this lady was persistent in ‘moving mountains’ to get to Jesus. The big, the tall, the small, the disabled, the rude and the smart-mouth people in the crowd didn’t stop this lady from getting to the front and within reach of Jesus. Isn’t it interesting how we will fight many storms to get to work, yet just a cloudy day will keep us from church? Can you imagine us saying that we could’ve been healed if we weren’t so lazy and stayed in our bed? However, that could be a reality many times.
  4. Faith. Notice that this lady’s healing was quite different than the others told about in the Bible? She didn’t wait by the healing waters for Jesus to come by and put spittle on her then follow with washing. She followed no previous stories, for she knew that the power came for Jesus, not in the actions of the individual. I believe that we must be so careful in following traditions, instead of following Jesus Christ. It’s through faith in Him that we are saved. Faith in Him that brings healing to our bodies. It’s Jesus!
  5. Humility. This lady didn’t seek to make a scene or look for any special recognition. She didn’t say who she was related to, or how long she may have served in the synagogue, it appears like she would have been fine just creeping up to Jesus and touching his robe ‘like a fly on the wall’ and not be seen or noticed by anyone. This was a personal encounter for her, and I don’t believe that she really cared about who else was represented in the crowd. Friends, God looks at your heart. He knows your intent before you open your mouth or show off any pride that might be evident. In all sincerity, go before Him with thanksgiving and praise as a one-on-one meeting with the Creator of all things! He wants to be your Redeemer; your Lord; your Deliverer; your Healer; your Friend and Your soon coming King! Won’t you accept Him today and learn to depend on Him for every need in your life, friend?
PRAYER:
Lord Jesus, we need You a whole lot more than we will ever stop to admit. Many reading this blog may not need healing, such as the lady in our story today, but their need may very well be more serious in nature and indeed desperate to them. Being reminded of Your power, and the faith of this lady, brings renewal to our souls Jesus. Please remind us each day of our need for the Savior, and the awesome power that’s always available to those in a relationship with You. Lord, You are awesome, and we are so proud of being Your humble servants. Please help us to be sincere witnesses for You today, so that the world might know that Jesus lives, and indeed You live in our hearts! AMEN!
FOOTNOTE:
There are two more pages on my blog that will provide you with additional information, one of them being ‘To Know Jesus’.  If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please click on the above page, or speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. Please allow someone to pray with you and give you help and/or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Words underlined in my blog could indicate a link to a song that came to mind as I wrote the devotional. Feel free to click on the link and listen as you continue to read or pray. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to Nuggets From God’s Word and read more, or you may freely to subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. If you are anywhere near the Highlands County, Florida area and do not have a church home, I would be thrilled to welcome you at Bible Fellowship Church, located at 3750 Hammock Rd, Sebring, FL 33872! Click the link to check out service times and/or other special activities. God is at work among us! Please consider coming to worship with us!

A Test of Your Faith

On By Ed AlgreenIn Commitment, Committed, PrayerLeave a comment

Post Date:

 Thursday, 2017-02-23
SCRIPTURE

From:

 Matthew 17:19-21 (Voice)

Text:

 19 Later, when they were away from the crowds, the disciples asked Jesus why they hadn’t been able to drive out the demon themselves.

Jesus: 20 Because you have so little faith. I tell you this: if you had even a faint spark of faith, even faith as tiny as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, “Move from here to there,” and because of your faith, the mountain would move. If you had just a sliver of faith, you would find nothing impossible. [21 But this kind is not realized except through much prayer and fasting.]
OBSERVATION:
One could only imagine the frustration that the disciples must have felt when they kept receiving hints from Jesus that they could do what He does, and yet they felt so powerless at times. This particular incident was one of those cases, for a man presented his epileptic son for healing, and the disciples were totally helpless. Let’s examine why…
APPLICATION:
There were so many things that Jesus did that might be compared to magic today. It may seem to some that they merely say the word and the lame will walk again and the blind will once again see like you and I. However, I believe that Jesus clears this up for us in these verses. If the power was truly given to us to bring about healing, why would one need Jesus, or to know about His Father? First of all, we must remember that as His children, we are merely messengers of the Almighty God. Meaning that God still does the healing, and not us. Often mankind is out to win the battle and claim the victory personally, and that is not the way that God works. I remember gathering with others to pray down God’s blessings on upcoming revival services, and that hearts that had become hardened, would be touched by God and drawn back to Him. By the time the revival services began, I remember looking down the aisle with expectation and anticipation of individuals walking the aisle who we had prayed diligently and desperately for.  The praise and rejoicing went to the Father as we saw results though, because we prayed to Him asking Him to move in their hearts. So to see ones walk the aisle meant that God had accomplished His work as a result of our prayers and His perfect will for the individuals we prayed for. In the verses we are looking at today, we are reminded that verse 21 was not included in some ancient manuscripts, but I believe it was inserted later to help us understand that miracles are still a work of the Almighty, and if we are sincere about our requests to Him, then we must be earnest in our prayers to Him about the individual or the situation. Friends, when we are willing to do more than just mere words. When we are deeply convicted and are ready to seek God’s face over a situation. When it becomes a priority to us, enough that we are willing to seek His face more than some other pleasure in life, then I believe Jesus recognizes the earnestness of our prayers and the deep desires of our heart. Are you ready to take a need before the Lord in such earnest today? If so, God assures us that it could be as big of a challenge as moving a mountain from one location to another, for nothing is impossible with God! Let’s get serious about the needs that we pray about, and be willing to commit more than just words to the need. Our God is able, if we are willing!
PRAYER:
Dear God, we have become so trivial with our promises to pray, that our promise to pray for a Brother or Sister just rolls off the tongue. Sometimes we make promises to pray, and then allow the busyness of life to take over, and overwhelm the promise we made to pray. At other times we are challenged to put our all into the request because of our lack of concern, or perhaps because of our lack of faith in the Father who can do ALL things. Please forgive us Lord, and fill us with hearts like Yours, where we are willing to sacrifice, or fast, and pray to the Father over the needs we might have. Thank You for the awesome powerful God that You are! Please give us renewed strength, boldness and power to pray as You did, Lord Jesus. AMEN!
FOOTNOTE:
There are two more pages on my blog that will provide you with additional information, one of them being ‘To Know Jesus’.  If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please click on the above page, or speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. Please allow someone to pray with you and give you help and/or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Words underlined in my blog could indicate a link to a song that came to mind as I wrote the devotional. Feel free to click on the link and listen as you continue to read or pray. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to Nuggets From God’s Word and read more, or you may freely to subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. If you are anywhere near the Highlands County, Florida area and do not have a church home, I would be thrilled to welcome you at Bible Fellowship Church, located at 3750 Hammock Rd, Sebring, FL 33872! Click the link to check out service times and/or other special activities. God is at work among us! Please consider coming to worship with us!