Tag: Disobedience

The Blessings of Obedience vs. The Consequences of Disobedience

On By Ed AlgreenIn Accept Jesus NOW, Acknowledge God, All have sinned, Awesome God, God Cares For Us, God’s Word, Obedience1 Comment

DATE POSTED
Monday, January 27, 2025, and I was blessed to be at Mariposa at Hunter Road, San Marcos, TX when God inspired me to prepare this devotional. My Footnote will tell you how to find and read any and all episodes that I have shared over the years.

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
Read it in your Bible, or click Jeremiah 11:1-8 to read it in the New English Translation (NET)

APPLICATION – as inspired by the Holy Spirit
We are taught from a very early age that they are good things in store for our obedience, and sometimes displeasure, disappointment or even consequences that might result from our disobedience. If this was not the case, we would never learn the value of rewards, nor the importance of rules, promises/covenants, or laws. Just as God listens to our cry for forgiveness and salvation today, He also heard the cry for mercy from His people captured in Egypt. For us, God promised that anyone who believes on Jesus, the Son of God, we will be saved from the wrath of Hell and receive Eternal Life in heaven. But for all who reject His free gift, they would spend eternity in the depths of Hell with Satan and his cohorts. For the Israelites, God promised those who believed His covenant promise and lived in full obedience to His commands, they and their ancestors would transition from the heated fire of distress and mistreatment by the Egyptians to a fruitful, beautiful land that kings and queens could only long to live in or benefit from. However, this place of milk and honey was not intended for those who rejected the Word of God and disobeyed His commands. In fact, God told Jeremiah to warn the people that He would bring curses on the disobedient. Now, unless we casually think for a moment that we are reading a story about the history of our forefathers, I believe that we should consider how God provided His precious Word to trigger a celebration of praise when we are reminded of the many ways in which He blessed those before us, and how He promised to also bless those who accept Him as Lord today. But we must also realize that God would never leave the alternative open for discussion or second guessing. His complete Word is given to us, His obedient children, so that we could understand that since He is still the same today that He has always been, we too can expect the fertile ground that He promised the Israelites who obeyed His covenant with their forefathers. Likewise, I believe that God would also have us know that anytime we take things into our own hands and do life as we see fit, and not according to His commands or covenant with our forefathers, we too can expect His curse. You see, God didn’t want this unpleasant warning to go unnoticed or to never have an impact on His children today. We need the same reminder that God demanded His servant Jeremiah to share with the Israelites. When we obey God, we receive His blessings. When we ignore His promises and His precious gift of His Son Jesus, then we receive His curse and wind up getting our wish of being subjected to Satan’s unpleasant and horrific actions and domain. Based on your decisions to date, my friends, what have you done about Jesus? Is He your Lord and Savior? Or in rejecting His promises, are you satisfied in what Satan has to offer? Those are the only two options, my friends, and only you can make the decision or choice for your eternity.

PRAYER
Dear Lord Jesus, You have taught us the value of obedience, and You have warned us of the dangers and misfortunes of disobedience. Thank You for putting this into perspective through today’s Scripture and thank You for allowing Your servant Jeremiah the opportunity to warn Your people, instead of bringing down Hell and damnation on them without notice. Through this, I feel like You have also encouraged me and warned my contemporaries who have not heeded Your commands. Oh, that this may be a day of decision for many as this message is brought to light again, and may Your obedient children find reason to glorify You multiple times over. Be glorified through the truth of Your Word and in it being extended to the world through this devotional. AMEN!

FOOTNOTE
If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please take advantage of information provided on my page ‘To Know Jesus’. I would also suggest that you speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com and share your good news! Perhaps one of God’s servants will pray with you and give you help and/or encouragement as you begin, or continue, your walk with Jesus. If you would like to read more of my devotionals, or subscribe for a daily email containing each new devotional, please go online to NuggetsFromGodsWord.org. Friends, please allow me to encourage you to find a church home nearby 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 being a part of that, while also growing in your faith, as you worship with fellow believers!

Only What’s Done For Jesus Will Last

On By Ed AlgreenIn A Lamp unto My Path, Adoration, Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Awesome God, Beyond Description, Blessing, Celebrate God, Needs, Obedience, Praise, Praise-worthy, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED: Wednesday, December 27, 2023, and I was blessed to be at Kyle, Texas when God inspired me to prepare this devotional. My Footnote will tell you how to find, read or listen to any and all episodes that I have shared over the years.

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE FROM THE Living Bible (TLB) IS FOUND IN Isaiah 17:9-11

THE BIBLE TEXT IS: Their largest cities will be as deserted as the distant wooded hills and mountaintops and become like the abandoned cities of the Amorites, deserted when the Israelites approached (so long ago). Why? Because you have turned from the God who can save you—the Rock who can hide you; therefore, even though you plant a wonderful, rare crop of greatest value, and though it grows so well that it will blossom on the very morning that you plant it, yet you will never harvest it—your only harvest will be a pile of grief and incurable pain.

APPLICATION OF THE WORD: Isn’t it interesting that we tend to put God aside when we think that we have everything under control and life is going our way? But I was awakened to the fact that we serve a just, fair, and honest God who will do what He told us He would do. Nothing has really changed, for today we still act like since we are smart enough to do what’s needed in our lives, so why bother God with those types of decisions. Unfortunately this goes on when we are faced with decisions every day, so we get into the trap of doing ‘life’ under our own power and without the guidance and power of Almighty God. Friends, I am convinced that God loved the Israelites with all His heart, just like He loves His children today. But it is clear that God gave the Israelites free rein to use the information and help at their disposal to guide them into right decisions. But then they allowed worldly desires, and tried to win worldly approval to influence their decisions which, in turn, told God ‘No thanks, we can do this alone’. But one thing they didn’t factor into their decisions were the consequences God warned them about, if they disobeyed Him. Friends, we also have been warned of God. Yes, He is a God of love and mercy. But that means that if we confess our sin, and acknowledge that we want to do life God’s way, instead of our own earthly desires, then in His perfect love, He will show mercy and grace by wiping our slate clean, forgiving our sin – in full, and welcome us into His Kingdom as a righteous child of God. The Bible tells us that God will do the same today as He did with the Israelites – remember the rich man who awoke in Hell and cried out to God for mercy? Just like the case of the Israelites, it was too late for the rich man. God has warned us that we too are destined for Hell, just like the rich man in the Bible, if we refuse to believe on the name of Jesus and surrender lordship of our lives to Him. God never changes my friends. Because He said it, we could ‘go to the bank with that’. So we find ourselves in much the same state at the Israelites. We have a loving Savior who sacrificed His very own Son for the redemption of our sin. Why settle for anything less than the glories of heaven with an eternity of praise and worship to our Creator, Master and King? God has already completed His side of that covenant agreement with mankind. It’s up to us now to say ‘no’ to the world, and accept His gift – His endless love, protection, mercy and grace.

PRAYER BECAUSE OF THE IMPACT OF TODAY’S SCRIPTURE: Lord, You are so good to us! You created us in Your image, perfect in every way. You gave us the satisfaction of making our own decisions, and I’m sure You must be saddened by the decisions we make and especially how we try to neglect You in our lives. I realize that this is no different to the Israelites, even though we have the option of learning from their mistakes, and we are reminded of your firmness in responding to us in exactly the way that You promised. Lord, we may live to enjoy a new year, so we humbly ask that You renew a right spirit within us and help us to stay committed to You in every way. May the words of our mouth and the meditation of our heart be acceptable to you, precious Lord. AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: There’s another page on my website, entitled ‘To Know Jesus’. If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading or listening to this devotional, please go to this page, or speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. Please allow someone to pray with you and give you help and/or encouragement as you begin or continue your walk with Jesus. If you would like to read more of my devotionals, or subscribe for a daily email containing each new devotional, please go online to NuggetsFromGodsWord.org. For my podcast, go online to Apple Podcasts or, using the Apple Podcast app, simply search for Nuggets From God’s Word to hear more episodes, or click ‘Follow’ to be notified of Podcast updates. Friends, please allow me to encourage you to find a church home nearby 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!

The Cause and Cost Of Disobedience

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Obedience, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Monday, 2022-10-31
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: 1 Kings 13:7; 15;
TRANSLATION: Living Bible (TLB)

BIBLE TEXT: 7 Then the king said to the prophet, “Come to the palace with me and rest awhile and have some food; and I’ll give you a reward because you healed my arm.”
15 Then the old man said to the prophet, “Come home with me and eat.”

APPLICATION: We are looking at two different encounters with the same prophet who was given instructions by God on how to respond to such questions. In the first instance, the prophet followed God’s instructions completely, even though it was the king who invited him to his palace. The prophet was promised a good meal and a reward, but the prophet stayed true to the instructions given to him by God. Very admirable. However, word got around quickly what transpired at the palace, so an old ‘prophet’ in Bethel thought that he would try his persuasive powers to see if he could get the young prophet to follow him, instead of the strict instructions given to him by God. So, as the young prophet walked away from the king and started his journey back home, the old prophet started his conniving actions. No doubt the young prophet was hungrier by now, so the old prophet caught up with him, convinced him that he was also a prophet of God with instructions for him and offered him to come and dine with him, the young prophet gave in. So, what do you suppose caused the young prophet to disobey God? Based on my personal experience, I believe that it would have been extremely challenging for me to disbelieve an older gentleman, and even more challenging to disagree with a man representing himself as a prophet of God. So, I really don’t know if I would have acted any differently, had I been in the young prophet’s situation. For much of my working career, I was told that I only see black and white and am almost blinded to any grey areas and decisions. Perhaps this means that I would have stuck to my guns and stayed true to the word of the Lord. But based on hindsight in knowing the end of the story, we know that the prophet’s disobedience led to his death. Friends, each and every day we are faced with decisions like the one the young prophet had to make. We know what the Word of God says, yet we cave in to the pressures of those around us, or to the attraction of more advantages offered to us. I had an old preacher friend say that he had to stay at our church until God told him to move on. For it was God who sent him there, and he couldn’t move until God released him from that obligation. I believe that principle may have worked well for the young prophet, for he was given instructions and he was expected to follow those instructions unless told otherwise by God. In trusting the old ‘prophet’, it appears like the young prophet may have felt like God sent him with different instructions for him. But Satan comes at us in various forms. He will give us every excuse on why we shouldn’t follow the will of God. And we are left with deciding in whom we will place our faith and trust. Perhaps today you feel tossed around in many areas of your life. Please allow me to suggest that you seek God and be willing to follow His commands exclusive of all other options that may come your way. How will you know it’s God? Know that His Word is always aligned with His will. There is no coincidence in you coming across Scripture on a day you are looking for confirmation from God on a decision. If this is also confirmed by a true saint of God in some form or the other, then you are looking at multiple confirmations to the instructions you received from God. Learn from our Scripture today that when you are tasked with carrying out a mission, do it without allowing any interference by one just posing as a fellow Christian or even a ‘Christian’ leader. Satan can choose the most unsuspecting person to misdirect us into his path.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: God will always guide us aright. His ways are not our ways, so His will might be way more than we could ever expect to see, but we are to trust God and watch Him work miraculously in us, through us, and all around us.

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, You have given us the right path to follow and You have opened the doors of heaven to bless us way more than we deserve. Please Lord, strengthen and embolden us to be obedient servants, even when others try to distract us in ways that may even seem like they were sent by You. Help us to discern the way that is right and directed by You. I believe that when we follow You in obedience, You place us in the path of those who need Your help and Your guidance. Satan is very busy roaming around in search of all that he could devour. Lord, we want to be just like You and help to fulfill Your mission here on earth while we are able to. Please open the doors of heaven and bless us with all we need to represent You in perfect form so that those who are in need of the Savior will see you evident in our lives. Bless as only You can, heal as only you are capable and save as only You have the power to do so, In Jesus’ name, 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!

What Is Disobedience?

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Obedience, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Wednesday, 2021-12-08
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: 2 Samuel 12:13-14
TRANSLATION: Contemporary English Version (CEV)

BIBLE TEXT: 13-14 David said, “I have disobeyed the Lord.”
“Yes, you have!” Nathan answered. “You showed you didn’t care what the Lord wanted. He has forgiven you, and you won’t die. But your newborn son will.”

APPLICATION: I was once told that talking when someone else is still talking is showing that, in your opinion, what they have to say is totally unimportant. Because I believe in that statement it often irks me to hear an audience talking to each other while a speaker is presenting. Some may call that disrespect, but I believe the deeper meaning of what they are doing shows they think that what they have to say is more important. Beginning in verse 7 of 1 Samuel 12, Nathan shared an illustration with David to help him see more deeply how, what he did with Bathsheba, and to her husband, was in total contempt of what God would approve of. Of course this made David very sorry for his actions, and he begged of God to forgive him for his disobedience. Doesn’t that sound a lot like ourselves today? We really abuse the word ‘sorry’, thinking that it will smooth things over with the offender. But Nathan cleared this up for David by telling him ‘you just didn’t care about what God wanted’. OUCH! Friends, please don’t allow this to sound trite in your mind, for in other Bible translations, they say in this verse that ‘David gave the unsaved people around him reason to mock God’. Unfortunately this still happens today. Some will look at the sin of a pastor and smooth it over as ‘well, he’s just human’, but while he is indeed ‘human’, the enemy runs with this and mocks the work of the Father in the local church by His human messengers. David paid terribly for his sin/disobedience, and so do God’s messengers today. The press runs with the stories of disobedience, or a man fallen from God, but they never follow up in a few months to see how their lives have been impacted by their sin. They hurt more than we could ever imagine. So does this also impact the common laymen of the church? Friends, remember that titles are just something we feel necessary on earth. God sent His precious Son for the sin of all mankind, not just those we hold in high regard. So it hurts God when any of us sin, or show an uncaring attitude towards what God expects of us. Be careful dear friends to live in full obedience to God. Should you falter or fail, quickly run to God for your discipline, but also for His direction on how you might continue on in lifting up the name of Jesus and His mighty works. Whatever you do, don’t give the enemy reason to mock God for having such weaklings participate in His earthly work. As children of the King, we are robed in His righteousness!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: We serve a forgiving God, even though we may have to pay the earthly consequences for our sin.

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for being so patient, kind and loving to us, and for forgiving us of our sin when we seek Your face in total remorse for our disobedience. Thank You Lord for accepting David as he was – not perfect, but a man after God’s own heart. Please give us strength and desire to always seek to obey Your word, Your commands, and Your will for our lives. May we always strive for obedience, for what pleases You, and in what You desire of us. May others never find reason to mock You because of our disobedience, so that their desire to know You will not be interrupted. Lord, have Your will and way in our lives, for Your 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 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!

If You Obey, I Will… Otherwise I will ….

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Obedience, Obedient, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Friday, 2021-05-28
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Leviticus 26:3-16
TRANSLATION: Contemporary English Version (CEV)

BIBLE TEXT: 3 Faithfully obey my laws, 4 and I will send rain to make your crops grow and your trees produce fruit.
6 I will bless your country with peace, and you will rest without fear.
7 You will chase and destroy your enemies, 8 even if there are only five of you and a hundred of them, or only a hundred of you and ten thousand of them.
14-15 If you disobey me and my laws, and if you break our agreement, 16 I will punish you terribly, and you will be ruined. You will be struck with incurable diseases and with fever that leads to blindness and depression……

APPLICATION: God provided freedom to His people, the Israelites, who were enslaved in Egypt. To make the transition, I’m sure God had to lead them in every walk of freedom, including those things that trigger His gifts and generosity. Often as we tune in to the evening news and hear of everything that is creating havoc for our respective families and country, we may be forced to ponder what on earth have we done to deserve all the bad things that occur every day. For the sake of brevity, I only included highlights from Leviticus 26. Let me encourage each reader to click on the Scripture reference above and read the whole chapter. There are things promised by God that I’m sure we would wish to enjoy and flourish in today. However, there are also warnings that God gave about His reaction to our disobedience, and we could only stand back in shock about how real these are even in our current day situation. Notice that God warned about incurable diseases that He will allow to affect us – perhaps cancer, COVID, or other such diseases. Weather conditions that will impact growth of our natural food items. And these forms of punishment will be multiplied as we continue our stubborn and disobedient streak. Friends, I found this extremely interesting as I read this today. Yes, this related how God spoke to the Israelites. But I believe it was placed in His Book of Instruction, so that we might know how He operates. Simply put, I believe God is saying to us that if we recognize Him as our Creator/God and we obey His commands, He will bless us beyond our ability to comprehend. However, beginning in verse 14, God is telling us that if we choose to go our own way, ignore the Almighty God who created us, and live according to the world’s standards and beliefs, then He will release His fury on us. No doubt we will ponder why on earth will anyone choose to be punished. Ever since the very beginning of time, Satan has misled mankind into thinking that they know better than the God who created them. Unfortunately, Satan is still whispering words of deceit to many today, for until some are challenged with unusual or burdensome things that serve to destroy them or their families, they usually opt to continue their rejection of the Great I Am. I believe that it is extremely obvious as to God’s intentions, and His positive reaction to our obedience. But He is strongly against our disobedience, so if it’s up to you, then why would you choose death over life; or evil over goodness; or damnation over the goodness of a loving and caring God? Friends, God has made His decision on the outcome, it’s up to you now to choose your ultimate destination and whether it will be blessings in store for you, or curses. I know you are smart and that you will make the right decision, God being your helper and provider.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: In spite of accepting us in a very sinful state, God saved us from the pit of Hell and, as promised to the Israelites in today’s Scripture, He has many, many blessings in store for His children. We serve such an awesome God!

PRAYER: Thank You Lord for saving my soul…. Thank You also for Your promises of ongoing blessings just like You promised the wicked Israelites who stubbornly worshiped idols, even while You provided their food and passage to a new and wonderful, free land. Please Lord, touch Your people once again today so that our eyes might be opened and our hearts refreshed to Your many blessings. Please give us boldness to stay in Your Word and apply it to our lives every day. May the source of our strength and our divine guide be obvious to all those around us, so that they may also seek after You. 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!

The Cost of Disobedience

On By Ed AlgreenIn Obedience, ObedientLeave a comment

Post Date:

 Thursday, 2018-06-07
SCRIPTURE

From:

 Numbers 20:12 (ERV)

Text:

 12 But the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “You did not trust me enough to honor me and show the people that I am holy. You did not show the Israelites that the power to make the water came from me. So you will not lead the people into the land that I have given them.”
OBSERVATION:
The Israelites complained about there not being any water to drink, and that soon they and their animals would die of thirst. Moses and Aaron petitioned before God for relief to this problem, and they were given specific directions on how God would miraculously produce water from a huge rock. However, pride set in and Moses decided to add some theatrics to the miracle by smiting the stone with his rod. God still allowed water to spring from the stone, but He dealt severely with Moses and Aaron.
APPLICATION:
I wonder how guilty we are of praying for someone, seeing God answer our prayer, then allowing the individual to praise us beyond anything we deserve. As we read God’s Word, and encounter Him daily, we must always remember that He created us to worship Him and to lift Him up. God sent His own Son so that we may again recognize His love for us and have even more reason to praise Him endlessly. When friends ask why we are so happy – it’s because the King of this universe loves us and cares for us, not because we lost weight, or our wife had a baby, or you just got married, although each of those things would place you on cloud 9 and smiling throughout the day, however when you know Jesus as Lord, and you’ve been praying for each of these things, your happiness is not necessarily in the results, but in the Savior who heard your cry and answered your prayer. Moses could have used yet another opportunity to give God praise in the presence of his people, but instead he made himself and his rod to be his hero. We are given opportunities to share the love of Christ when God answers our prayers, let’s aim at giving Him the glory friends, for without Him we are totally helpless. Remember, He is God, and we are merely His humble servants doing what He says, and what He gives us power to do. To God be the glory for all that He does through even us!
PRAYER:
Thank You heavenly Father for working through even us to carry Your message to the lost and discouraged. Thank You for also using us when You see the need for physical hands or bodies to be present for some to believe. Have Your perfect will in our lives Lord Jesus and bless as only You can, so that all glory goes to You. May we learn to always stand behind the cross, so that the world will see 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!

Consequences From Disobedience

On By Ed AlgreenIn Obedience, ObedientLeave a comment

Post Date:

 Wednesday, 2017-06-07
SCRIPTURE

From:

 Numbers 20:12 (ERV)

Text:

 12 But the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “You did not trust me enough to honor me and show the people that I am holy. You did not show the Israelites that the power to make the water came from me. So you will not lead the people into the land that I have given them.”
OBSERVATION:
The Israelites complained about there not being any water to drink, and that soon they and their animals would die of thirst. Moses and Aaron petitioned before God for relief to this problem, and they were given specific directions on how God would miraculously produce water from a huge rock. However, pride set in and Moses decided to add some theatrics to the miracle by smiting the stone with his rod. God still allowed water to spring from the stone, but He dealt severely with Moses and Aaron.
APPLICATION:
I wonder how guilty we are of praying for someone, seeing God answer our prayer, then allowing the individual to praise us beyond anything we deserve. As we read God’s Word, and encounter Him daily, we must always remember that He created us to worship Him and to lift Him up. God sent His own Son so that we may again recognize His love for us and have even more reason to praise Him endlessly. When friends ask why we are so happy – it’s because the King of this universe loves us and cares for us, not because we lost weight, or our wife had a baby, or you just got married, although each of those things would place you on cloud 9 and smiling throughout the day, however when you know Jesus as Lord, and you’ve been praying for each of these things, your happiness is not necessarily in the results, but in the Savior who heard your cry and answered your prayer. Moses could have used yet another opportunity to give God praise in the presence of his people, but instead he made himself and his rod to be the hero. Also, we are given opportunities to share the love of Christ when God answers our prayers, let’s aim at giving Him the glory friends, for without Him we are totally helpless. Remember, He is God, and we are merely His humble servants doing what He says, and what He gives us power to do. To God be the glory for all that He does through even us!
PRAYER:
Thank You heavenly Father for working through even us to carry Your message to the lost and discouraged. Thank You for also using us when You see the need for physical hands or bodies to be present for some to believe. Have Your perfect will in our lives Lord Jesus and bless as only You can, so that all glory goes to You. May we learn to always stand behind the cross, so that the world will see 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!

Your Choice – Blessings or Curses

On By Ed AlgreenIn Blessings, Curses, TransformationLeave a comment

THE HOLY BIBLE – New Living Translation (NLT) ~ Deuteronomy 28:1-2 & 15 ~ 1 If you fully obey the Lord your God and carefully keep all his commands that I am giving -you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the world. 2 You will experience all these blessings if you obey the Lord your God: …. 15 “But if you refuse to listen to the Lord your God and do not obey all the commands and decrees I am giving you today, all these curses will come and overwhelm you: ….

THOUGHTS: I know, you looked at the title today and almost didn’t open this to read it, because you probably figured that this old man just lost his marbles (brains), otherwise why else would he possibly think that you would be interested in reading about ‘curses’? Of course you don’t want that, right? If you are one that is ‘fully obedient to the Lord’ and ‘carefully keeping His commands’, then I agree I am wasting your precious time by explain what you can expect in 2016 because of your disobedience. Oops, nothing is said in the text about 2016, right? But friend, why would God possibly bless us if we are disobedient? Do you suppose it was just the Israelites that He loved enough to discipline when they disobeyed? Perhaps I should remind you that it was us that God sent His only Son, Jesus, to the cross for our forgiveness, our salvation from sin, our peace about eternity with Him in glory. You see, through His servant Moses, God warned the Israelites that as they entered the Promised Land that He brought them to; that He cleared the path for; and that He prepared just for them; they had a choice to make. They could enter and choose: (1) To be obedient to God and keep His commands taught to them over the past 40 years – and this would result in blessings that it took the writer 13 verses to express to them. Otherwise, (2) To be disobedient and not keep the commands of God, and they could expect curses on every aspect of their lives. In fact, it took the writer the next 52 verses to detail all of the curses that would fall upon this chosen people. Friends, why would this be any different for us as we welcome another year in that God has led us to, and that He has prepared as a clean slate for us? In your wildest expectations, do you suppose that God would possibly bless a people that drag into a brand new year, all of the sin, disobedience and disregard that He absolutely deplores? If God tarries, we have at least a few days to think about this; to clean up our act; to spend time in prayer before the Father seeking His forgiveness and asking for His strength and boldness to obey under every circumstance of life. Without some obvious and intentional steps by us, and if God permits time to go on, we will enter 2016 under the same load of sin and punishment we have faced in 2015. I believe God is teaching us in this scripture today that it really doesn’t have to be that way. Our destiny can be changed, with God’s help, if we choose to be obedient children of God. Won’t you do that today friend? For the unbeliever reading this today, please know that God wants your heart first. Please read my ‘Footnote’ for tips on how to personally know my Savior. Only as His child, will He hear your cry for help, direction, and the promised blessings only He can offer you in 2016.

PRAYER: Lord God, thank You for providing the greatest gift ever, in the form of Your Precious Son – Jesus. You loved, protected and led the Israelites through 40 years of life-challenges, then You provided the wonders and the blessings of the Promised Land to them! You still love, protect and lead Your children today and You have promised an even greater Promised Land for those who truly know You personally. You had blessings in store for the Israelites who obeyed You and kept Your commands. I believe that 2016 can be a time period You are calling us into where blessings may abound for those who know and obey You, however You have promised us an even greater Promised Land – Heaven where we will meet with You and the Father eternally in worship, praise and adoration. Please bless us as we tarry on this old earth, so that one day soon we may advance to our ultimate Promised Land with You! Oh I long To See You, Look Upon Your Face, There to Sing forever of Your Saving Grace! Lord, please speak to the hearts of those needing discipline, even while still in 2015. May they receive a word from You today that will convince them of their sin and incent them to clean their act up and prepare to meet You in action in 2016 and be blessed by You in every way imaginable. May our blessings transform the lives of others as they gaze on Your goodness. I ask these things in faith, and in the strong name of Jesus, my 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. 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 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!