Simple Instructions For ‘Right’ Living

On 2016-06-272016-06-27 By Ed AlgreenIn Example, Example of Christ, Genuine example of Jesus, Godly example, ObedienceLeave a comment

Monday, 2016-06-27

Scripture

Bible Reference: Micah 6:8

Bible Text: 8 No, O people, the LORD has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.

Bible Translation: New Living Translation (NLT)

My Take

In this scripture today, we can see where God is yet again addressing the question of many who are wanting to please God, but yet live like the world. I know, that’s not you, but before your give up on this devotional today, let me encourage you to be patient with me as I draw some parallels. There are three commands given to the Jews, and I believe these are still very applicable to us today:

Do what is right – sounds like a very simple command, but let’s examine where this comes from. In verses 6 and 7 we see where the people were asking what is it that God would like for them to bring, or sacrifice, in order to please Him. Please recognize that they could have sacrificed half of their livestock holdings and still be very ungodly in their attitudes and their actions towards others. In today’s society, we hear a lot at funerals and at social events about individuals are are great financial providers, or perhaps heads of state. One would walk away thinking that they must be God’s top person on earth as they are ‘good’ in every way – according to the speaker! Additionally, we are continually trying to convince ourselves of how pleasing we must be to God after attending at least one church service this month, or because we gave a satisfactory amount in the offering. In each case, we may have missed the point if we haven’t daily lived doing what is right in God’s sight. Are we truly following His ways and doing what He commands?
Love mercy – In each of the above self-righteous actions, have we truly shown mercy to everyone that God has placed in our presence? Jesus showed mercy to everyone – especially those that society rejected and shoved aside. Do we practice enough mercy, or are we a part of the crowd who will push the poor and unfortunate aside? When last have you been identified as an agent of Jesus – even to the dejected?
Walk humbly with God – I see this as being one who is fully committed and obedient to God. I believe this is the individual who moves from a life of doing our own thing to please self, and moves to an obedient life responding to every command of Jesus. Friends, as we study God’s Word and strive to follow in His footsteps, we will look and sound more like Jesus. We may even be mistaken for Jesus to a world that is in sore need of Him. Walking humbly with God means that you are willing to walk behind Him and let Him guide you and therefore take all the credit for anything you might accomplish. After all, you would be showing the world that everything is given to you by Him and for His glory – only.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, You demonstrated an obedient spirit, filled with mercy, as You walked this earth. You reminded us many times that You only spoke the words that were given to You by Your Father, and that You did only those things that pleased Your Father. As Your children, trying to follow Your will and Your desire for our lives, we realize that we must learn to live just like You. Please touch us today with Your power and Your guidance so that we might desire to walk like You and talk like You, especially before our friends who are looking for Godly examples here on earth. If You are in us, then Your character, Your love and Your example will pour forth from us. So please fill us to overflowing today Lord, so that others may see and believe. May You receive glory from all that is accomplished through Your children today, 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!

Give It Up, Friend!

On 2016-03-122016-03-12 By Ed AlgreenIn Evidence of Faith, Faith, Faith in Action, SurrenderLeave a comment

May I encourage you to get your spiritual ‘Nuggets’ to start your day off right? Pretty amazing that our awesome God would consider feeding even us with His Word! May I encourage you to read the whole devotional, and look for a blessing, friend!………

Today’s Bible Reference: 1 John 3:16-18

Today’s Bible Text: We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us. So we also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters. If someone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need but shows no compassion—how can God’s love be in that person? Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions.

The Bible Translation: New Living Translation

My Take Away: I’m sure that I am slower than most, therefore the reason that I overlooked exactly the point that God was trying to get across to us in this passage today! So I wanted to share with you how I feel like God revealed Himself to me, and the instructions He made clear to me. The first part of verse 16 is a given, in that we have always been taught that what Jesus did on the cross was not a win for the king and his people that ordered the crucifixion of our Lord, but Jesus went to the cross in total obedience to His Father, in total love for us. John 3:16 is probably the best known verse in the Bible, because it explains the love of Jesus in dying for every sinner, and the everlasting hope offered as a result of that sacrifice. Now, back to verses 17 & 18 of our highlighted verses today, we (Christ’s followers) are challenged to do the same thing for our fellow man. Go to the cross for another, you might ask? No, although we may not be forced to give up our life, we certainly might be called on to volunteer our time to help someone who is incapable of helping themselves. OR, someone that might be hungry when we have more than enough to sacrifice our next meal to give it to them. OR, perhaps another nation is unable or unwilling to fully care for their orphans, and even though we may not be able to feed them all for a week, perhaps we could join or support a local missions group who will go and work around the orphanage so that monies given to the orphanage can be used to better feed or clothe the orphans. OR, if called on to give financially to those in need, perhaps we can give of our excess, or sacrifice the money we would ordinarily spend on items we could easily do without. Think about it friend, when we consider our ‘life’ we generally consider all those things that make it worthwhile for us to get up each morning, or to keep on slaving away at work each day. How much of that are you willing to give up for the sake of a person in need? I believe we had best be very careful to not find excuses when God asks us to be His hands and His feet, and to minister in His name. Let us always remember that He gave it all so that we might have life eternally in heaven. Anything we are challenged with should be in the light of that sacrifice, and done with the love of that sacrifice. Only then will an unbeliever truly understand the love of our Savior that we might tell them about.

Prayer: Lord, please help us to keep our eyes fixed on You and not on our circumstances. Please help us to give, because You first sacrificed everything as You gave it all for us. Please help us to stop thinking so selfishly about the benefits of our greed and finding so many excuses about all that we could give to others, if only we would deal with our selfishness and give up the wants of self gratification. Forgive us Lord for being inconsiderate of the needs of others, especially while we gloat in the excess blessings that You have showered on us. Please teach us to follow Your ways, even when it causes us to sacrifice. Your love oh Lord, reaches to the heavens. May Your love be evident in everything we do or say, so that You may be glorified here on earth. I ask these things in the precious, holy, sacrificial name of Jesus, my Lord and 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 http://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!

Building A Better Generation

On 2016-02-052016-02-05 By Ed AlgreenIn Generational Responsibilities, Obedience, TeachLeave a comment

Today’s Bible Reference: Psalm 78:6-8
Today’s Bible Text: [Teach] So that the coming generation would know them [His holy laws] by heart, even the children who are not yet born, So that they might one day stand up and teach them to their children, tell them to put their confidence and hope in God, and never forget the wondrous things He has done. They should obey His commandments always and avoid following in the footsteps of their parents, a hard-headed and rebellious generation – A generation of uncultivated hearts, whose spirits were unfaithful to God.
The Bible Translation: The Voice (Voice)

My Take Away: I’m sure by now you have read the scripture today and concluded that the Psalmist was referring to the Israelites, right? Are you wondering yet how this might impact you and I today? Friends, with very few exceptions, I believe that churches you know, have either closed over recent years, or seriously declined and in fear of possibly closing their doors. This is critical to consider, because I would question how many homes have parents who are committed seriously to God – to the degree that they teach God’s Word in their homes and/or practice the truths of God before their kids. At my church, we have more kids at our mid-week Children’s Ministry than we do on Sunday, yet we have only a very small group of adults who actually stay at church for an adult prayer or Bible study class. This tells me that although God demanded our ancestors to teach their children the Word of God, and that the children learn to also teach their children, somewhere along the way that process didn’t transition over properly. Does this mean then that each generation will do better or worse, in regards to standing firm on the Word of God? I believe the answer to that is evident. Today we see and/or hear about some of the most horrendous crimes imaginable, and yet we question if there is no God. If our children continue to drift away from God, what do you suppose the future will look like? Will we be charged with failing to pass along/teach the Word to our children? I believe the challenge to each of us today is to get before God and ask if we are doing all that He expects of us. We often talk about having a balanced diet, may I suggest that living life without being true to your Creator and the Savior who gave His life for you, is like living with a key ingredient of life missing – unbalanced. Please consider drawing closer to God, and ask for His help in disseminating His truths to your children – His precious kids.

Prayer: Oh Lord Jesus, how sorry we are for dropping the ‘ball’ – our responsibility to learn Your Word and to pass it on to our children. We have failed You miserably in this, and we are seeing the consequences of this in an awful way everyday and in all aspects of our lives. Please teach us again to pray – so that we might recognize our Master, and our weaknesses. Please teach us again the importance of studying our ‘rule book’ – our Bible, each and every day so that we might clearly follow the path You intended for us to follow. Please continue to remind us of our responsibility to teach and lead our children – our generation, about the God who loves them, who cares for them, and who wants to be their Father, and the One who will help them through this challenging life. May we be found faithful oh God. I humbly ask this in the name of Jesus, AMEN!

Footnote: If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. 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!

2016

Your Wish For The Church

On 2016-01-162016-01-16 By Ed AlgreenIn Church, Testify, TestimonyLeave a comment

The Bible Reference: 2 Corinthians 13:11-14

The Bible Text: And that’s about it, friends. Be cheerful. Keep things in good repair. Keep your spirits up. Think in harmony. Be agreeable. Do all that, and the God of love and peace will be with you for sure. Greet one another with a holy embrace……… The amazing grace of the Master, Jesus Christ, the extravagant love of God, the intimate friendship of the Holy Spirit, be with all of you.
The Bible Translation: The Message (MSG)

My Take Away: I generally provide, what I believe to be, provocative thoughts for you from my Bible studies, hoping that as God had touched my heart while in His Word, my sharing might provoke you to search the heart of God for what He would say to you through the scriptures. Meditating on the closing wishes of Paul, in the highlighted verses, for his friends at Corinth, led me to think about something that may sound a little morbid to some, and it may sound like homework to some. However, Paul shared with his readers what was on his heart for them, especially now that he was closing his current communication with them. I want to encourage you to take a moment and write your responses to the following ideas, and if you’re really feeling bold, share these with your pastor. I believe it would be neat for your pastor to read these words at a service that celebrates your life on earth and your departing wishes for your fellow family and church members:

My life has been enriched by ________ (hopefully God) in the following ways: ____________________
Friends, I believe that for you to grow closer to God and to each other, you should: _________________________
Please do away with: _______________________________ and
Allow God to: _________________________________
I have prayed for you in these ways: _________________________ and,
Wish: ______________________ for you, until we meet again on the other side, God being your helper!

Try copying this into a word processor and completing the blanks, friends. What a testimony this would present of your time on earth and your heart-challenge for those you may leave behind!

Prayer: Lord God, You created us for a purpose, and You have placed us here on this earth with a purpose in mind. May we seek You and accept You as our Creator, and as our Savior and Lord, then may we seek to worship, love, adore and obey You all of our days here on earth. May our God-following lives impact others that we come into contact with, because of the clear evidence of whom we belong to, and from whom our speech and actions derive. It’s all about You Lord! It’s You that we strive to live for and strive to live with after our life is finished here on plant earth. Please mold our lives so that we may be usable by You to impact those who You are reaching out to from the inside out. With much love and affection I glorify You and seek Your face today and everyday oh Lord. Please impact the lives of all who will read this devotional today, so that You may impact the world through us. I ask these things in the strong and wonderful name of Jesus, My Lord and soon coming King, AMEN!

2016

How To Prove You Are A Follower of Christ

On 2015-11-132015-11-13 By Ed AlgreenIn Follower of Christ, SincereLeave a comment

THE HOLY BIBLE John 13:34-35 – New Living Translation (NLT): ³⁴ So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. ³⁵ Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”

THOUGHTS: When you walk into a doctor’s office you will often see the walls plastered with a wide range of certifications they received, and the doctorate degree they earned upon graduating med school. Jesus knew that just as His authority was questioned while here on earth, His followers would also be questioned. So He prepared us for this by telling us how to prove we are His follower. First of all, unlike a doctor’s office where there are signs posted over the office door, we will not be recognized as a follower based on a name badge showing our title, nor a badge across our forehead. However, I believe that it will be evident from our outlook on life, for we will have such an appreciation for the Savior who gave His life so that we could expect life eternally with Him. Just as natural born children inherit the qualities of their parents, I believe that the more Christians learn about their heavenly Father and His teachings on how we should live, and follow the example that Jesus demonstrated while here on earth, then the more that we would be apt to follow in His teachings and example. For example, Jesus loved us enough that He gave His all for us. It is that kind of love that we are expected to demonstrate one for another. When we do, we will prove whose we are, to a world that is so self-centered and looking out for number one. In fact, the ‘Jesus’ kind of love demonstrated by us will be so different to that of the ordinary citizen of this world, that it will be immediately evident that something is different about us. How is it with you friend? Based on your God-like love for your fellow man, is it evident that Jesus is playing a major role in your life? If we only love those who show love to us, how does that make us any different to our friends of this world? If we only give because of what we expect to receive in return, does that make us any different to the average citizen of this world? When we think of ‘love’, we think of Jesus, for the Word of God says that “Jesus is LOVE”. Can the same be said of you and I Christian Brother and Sister? If not, we make it impossible for others to know that we are a follower of Christ, and why would they listen to our testimony or our witness, if we need preaching to ourselves?

PRAYER: Father it often seems like we are losing the battle to win the lost to You. Yet when we read passages like this one today, I believe You are telling us to make sure that those of us who claim You as Lord actually live like You demonstrated for us, and taught us throughout Your Word. In other words, I believe You are telling us to live out the talk, and to let our actions be reflective of Your actions and Your teachings. Then, perhaps, others might recognize that we are children of the King, and worthy of their attention. We can only do this with Your help and through Your power, oh Lord. Please hear our prayer and our heart’s desire, then fill us with Your power so that we may be true imitators of You. I ask all this in the precious name of Jesus, my Lord and 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 read through Biblical truths on How To Know Jesus, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com so that we can pray with you and give you help and or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Any words underlined above will indicate a link to a song that came to mind as I wrote the devotional. Feel free to click on the link and listen as you continue to read or pray. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to www.nuggetsfromgodsword.org and read more, or you may freely subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. If you are anywhere near the Highlands County, Florida area and do not have a church home, I would be thrilled to welcome you at Bible Fellowship Church, Sebring, FL! Click the link to check out service times and/or other special activities. God is at work among us! Please consider coming to worship with us!

The Value In Experiencing God

On 2015-11-032015-11-03 By Ed AlgreenIn Honest, Sincerity, True, WitnessLeave a comment

THE HOLY BIBLE (The New Living Translation – John 9:24-25): ²⁴ So for the second time they called in the man who had been blind and told him, “God should get the glory for this, because we know this man Jesus is a sinner.” ²⁵ “I don’t know whether he is a sinner,” the man replied. “But I know this: I was blind, and now I can see!”

THOUGHTS: Try asking me what it was like to land on the moon the very first time, and I would have to look to the internet and/or the local library to find information on the first landing. No doubt I would share some of the personal feelings of those first pioneers as they landed and as they walked around on the surface of the moon. Now, think about the difference in that story versus the response I might write to the question: “what is it like to live in the Bahamas?” You see, I am originally from the Bahamas, having lived the first 33 years of my life there. So I don’t need to do research in order to share a valid response with you. In my response to the first question I would share feelings and facts from the hearts of the first adventurers that landed on the moon. In response to the second question, you would hear about those things I personally experienced, and more about the physical descriptions of the beautiful waters and beaches. You will quickly discern the passion in my response, because my life was, and always will be, impacted by the people and places of the country where I was raised. In our Bible verses today, we see where a man who was once blind, is passionate about Jesus who impacted his life forever. For through His majestic touch, this man could now see for the first time in his life. In fact, the man is getting very frustrated because the Jewish leaders are trying to convince him that the healer is a fraud and that there must be something erroneous about his experience. Friends, this is representative of what happens in Christianity. To those of us who have surrendered our lives to the lordship of Jesus Christ, we have experienced His saving power; His love that was poured out for us on Calvary, in spite of our sin and evil ways; and the eternal hope that is ours to one day unite with Him around the throne of grace in heaven. Anyone carrying the title without the personal experience or interaction with their Master and Lord, can tell you about a Savior they read about or heard testimony of, but they can be easily swayed and distracted to another story that may sound more convincing. A personal experience is embedded in us and will help us to stay firm in the faith and true to our commitment until the day we are called away to be with the Lord in glory! As in any relationship, this experience will only happen as we dedicate ourselves to true and honest servanthood to the One we have surrendered our lives to. I pray that each of you reading this devotional will stop the pretense and seek a personal relationship/experience with a very personal, yet powerful God, through His Son Jesus Christ. Please use information in the ‘Footnote’ to contact me with any questions this may have aroused for you. It is super important that we each seek and experience a ‘personal’ relationship with Jesus. Today can be the day for you, friend!

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, thank You for reaching down from the glories of heaven to touch my life in such miraculous ways that I can declare today that I know my Redeemer Lives, because He is Alive in me. Lord, may this be evident in every aspect of my life so that others will experience the risen Lord, and not just hear about an event that may have impacted my life. Although I know that You are our main defense against the enemy, I believe that our personal and intimate relationship with You brings peace, solidarity and a witness that will stand firm against the attacks of Satan and his earthly cohorts. May others look to us with a hope today, and not consider us just another hypocrite. I thank You for saving my soul Lord Jesus. May my life exemplify You so vividly today that others will be convicted of their sin and want to know you personally. I ask these things in the strong name of Jesus, my Savior and Lord, AMEN!

Oneness – So The World Might Know

On 2015-07-172015-07-17 By Ed AlgreenIn Disciple, Oneness, UnityLeave a comment

THE HOLY BIBLE (God’s Word Translation – John 17:20-23): ²⁰ “I’m not praying only for them. I’m also praying for those who will believe in me through their message. ²¹ I pray that all of these people continue to have unity in the way that you, Father, are in me and I am in you. I pray that they may be united with us so that the world will believe that you have sent me. ²² I have given them the glory that you gave me. I did this so that they are united in the same way we are. ²³ I am in them, and you are in me. So they are completely united. In this way the world knows that you have sent me and that you have loved them in the same way you have loved me.

THOUGHTS: In this chapter Jesus prayed to His Father for His disciples and the church at large. In these verses He prayed in all sincerity that those who know Him (Christians) would be in such unity that the people to whom they speak (the unsaved world) would believe in Him and accept Him as the Savior of the world sent by God the Father. Friends, I often reflect on what the opposite effect might be if the will of the Father is not accomplished. That leads me into considering what happens to the ministry of Jesus Christ when children of God can’t agree – when they fight and bicker among themselves so much that the unsaved world wants no part of the confused mess they see occurring in and among churches. Is it any wonder sometime why we stop and ponder why our ministries are ineffective? It seems like even among ‘friendly’ denominations, we go out to minister in Jesus’ name, and wind up putting down another denomination. Oh my, friend, that is not a sign of ‘oneness’. When our job description dictates that we spread the love of God, and our lives reflect the joy of the Lord living inside of us, doesn’t that mean that we should be so busy praising and bragging on our Lord that there will be very little time or desire to reflect on the beliefs of some that we may not agree with? In fact, when I reflect on this prayer of Jesus and really gain the breadth and depth of His heart as He prays to His father, I see where He really wants us to reflect the ‘oneness’ that He portrays with His Father. There is no where in scripture that Jesus puts down His Father or speaks evil against Him or disagrees with Him. Instead, it is just the very opposite, for He respects the role of the Father in ultimately making decisions (especially about the second coming of Jesus), and He speaks as one and the same when conveying the truth and love of the gospel. So where do we get off at in being His follower, imitating Him in every way, yet being critical of fellow disciples who are working towards the same goal of spreading the Good News of Jesus Christ? This type behavior or ministry will not serve the ultimate wish of Jesus in verse 21 when He prayed that we will go out and minister in such unity that the world (the unsaved) would know that God truly sent the One in whom we believe, and the One we are spreading Good News about. ‘Oneness’ points to us truly representing Jesus, who was sent and is representing His Father. Anything else tears down the ministry of Jesus Christ and promotes the intent and heart of Satan. I believe we all know what we should be busy doing today and every day of our life. Let’s get to work – unified in the Spirit and in the name of Jesus Christ!

PRAYER: Father, please forgive us for our weakness in allowing so much of this world to indwell us and interfere in the ministry that You have aligned for us, and as these verses today reflect, that You have actually prayed for. Our lack of success in ministry is directly impacted by our disobedience to You and Your Word, and our selfish desire to tear down another while trying to promote our selfish goals. Reading these verses today causes me to seriously consider keeping these pinned in an obvious place for daily inflection, and as a guide towards my daily goal. Lord, I need Your power to overcome the desire to tear another down in order to promote self. May I ask that You grant me strength to overcome this weakness, but also to touch the heart of Your followers today and embed a deep desire within them to also do the same. Please strengthen and guide us towards ‘Oneness’ – the kind that You exampled before us in being ‘One’ with the Father. I ask this knowing that Your desire is that through our ‘Oneness’ the world will know that You were sent by the Father to save them. May this be accomplished today in and through your earthly representatives, for this is my pray that I ask in the name of Jesus, AMEN!

PLEASE NOTE: I will be out of town on a mission trip to be of service to our friends in Mexico during the week of July 19^th. I will not be able to publish these devotionals during that time. Please pray that God will use His servants, our group of 30, so that His children in this foreign land might be encouraged and drawn to Him through our honest and sincere representation of our Savior. May God be glorified in all things through our witness! I expect to resume these devotionals on Monday, July 27^th.

Perseverance Pays Off

On 2015-07-162015-07-16 By Ed AlgreenIn Obedience, PerseveranceLeave a comment

THE HOLY BIBLE (New International Version – James 1:12): ¹²Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.

THOUGHTS: We hear about ‘fair weather’ Christians, where we find it very easy to praise God when we feel like everything is going our way. We also hear about ‘hard times’ Christians, for it is only then that many of us look up to God and truly seek His face. Friends, as I read this verse this morning I felt like God was saying that He will truly bless us and/or reward us if we stick with Him while He is blessing us with riches and good fortunes, or testing our faith through very tough times. There’s a song that has lyrics similar to this “if I never have a burden, how would I know that God can truly pull me through“. I believe that ‘to persevere’ is to be consistent and/or dedicated in spite of our circumstances. Imagine taking a road trip from one location to another. You don’t turn around and head back home if your car has a flat tire, instead you have your problem repaired and then you travel on to your destination. On those trips when you’ve travelled hundreds of miles and arrive without incident, hopefully you then take time to thank the Lord for safety and protection on the road. These types of scenarios are similar to those that we face each and every day, and indicative of our walk with the Lord. If you are not already a praising person, may I encourage you to learn to ask God to bless you each day! Ask Him to use you as His faithful witness here on planet earth and to bring glory to Him in all things. Don’t place any conditions on that, such as “if things go my way” or “if there’s no setbacks”. Learn to praise God (persevere) in all circumstances and look for the lessons that He is teaching you, or how He uses those circumstances to redirect you into His perfect will. Oh that we may learn to let go of self and let God have His perfect will in our lives. Let’s commit to honor God, worship Him, serve Him and follow Him in spite of our circumstances. Obeying God in every circumstance, no matter where He leads, is an important way of showing our love towards God for His rich blessings, protection, guidance and leadership. This scripture assures us that when we do this, we are sure to receive a crown that God has promised to all who love Him.

PRAYER: Father in heaven, thank You for Your love and Your assurance of being our Guide, our Protector and our Provider each and every day. Please give us strength and fortitude to let go of our selfish desires and self-will to do ‘our own thing’ instead of leaning on the everlasting arms of the One who created us and who knows what lies ahead for us and the ones we need to help. Lord, may we learn to be as instruments in Your hands so that You may accomplish Your will through us in every circumstance of life. We are appreciative of our promised reward, but Lord, may we be content in knowing that we are obedient followers of the One who has this whole world in His hands and under His control. We are Your children Lord. We love You and long to be obedient in following Your plan for our lives. I ask these things in faith and in the precious and all-powerful, all-knowing and all-loving name of Jesus, AMEN!

The Impact Our Life Has On God

On 2015-07-142015-07-14 By Ed AlgreenIn The Church, WitnessLeave a comment

THE HOLY BIBLE (The Message – Revelation 3:15-17): “I know you inside and out, and find little to my liking. You’re not cold, you’re not hot—far better to be either cold or hot! You’re stale. You’re stagnant. You make me want to vomit. You brag, ‘I’m rich, I’ve got it made, I need nothing from anyone,’ oblivious that in fact you’re a pitiful, blind beggar, threadbare and homeless.

THOUGHTS: The church at Laodicea was one that appeared perfect to the world around them. They were a wealthy church, no doubt able to pay their bills and perhaps even help the poor. We have many churches like that today, and we thank God for their ability to chip in and help, especially when many of the smaller churches are struggling to make it financially. However, in these verses, it is clear that God was unhappy with this church at Laodicea, for it was so concentrated on its riches and good fortune that it’s people provided to the church, that they lost sight of who blessed them with such things as: salvation; healing; promises of a place called ‘heaven’; the Master of the universe who was with them ALWAYS; good health; a good mind and multiple other attributes that originate from God alone. In fact, there was every indication that the general membership may have felt that if God totally separated Himself from them, they would still be OK. But wait a moment, could we still have churches (people) that still act like this today? Do we still have ‘Laodicean’ churches in our towns even now? What are some of the indicators we must be careful of, or watchful for, so as not to make God sick to His stomach with our church? It was spelled out for us in this same scripture:

Bragging about what we have – let us never lose sight that whatever we are blessed with as a collective body of believers, it was provided by God, and for His ultimate glory. I believe that if we brag or boast about our riches, we tend to believe that we had something to do with us having it, and/or we are anxiously waiting to see how we might spend our riches in a way to personally receive maximum glory;
We lose sight of whose we are and from whence we came – God knows that in and of ourselves, we are as pitiful as a blind beggar, without clothes to cover our nakedness.

So unless we leave this devotional feeling like there is little hope, or that all ‘Godly’ churches can only be poor and needy, I want to remind you that ‘the church’ consists of individuals, so the change of heart must happen in our personal lives. Remember, God created us; He provides air for us to breathe every day; income opportunities for us; family and other believers to comfort and cheer us every day and a promise that even when all the joys of this earth are over, still He has prepared an even more glorious home for us to spend eternity with Him, where we might worship Him endlessly. Money can’t buy any of these things, so let us continually lift up our Lord and Savior who provides ultimate joy and happiness for us in this world and in His kingdom that will soon be our new home.

PRAYER: Dear Lord, what an eye opener this morning, for You have shown me how careful we must be to glorify You in all things. You may choose to bless us with riches, so that we may pass those riches on through helping others in need of a Savior, or so that we might clearly recognize Your awesome power and blessings through even us. Lord You are good and Your mercies endureth forever. Please help us to remain humble, and never attribute blessings to anything that might bring recognition or praise to us. You alone are our King and our Provider, we glory in all that You are and all that You do for us each day. Our ultimate goal is that we be found worthy in Your eyes, when You call us home to be with You. Use us for Your glory while we remain here. Be blessed in all that we say or do, is my humble prayer that I ask in the strong and everlasting name of Jesus, AMEN!

PLEASE NOTE: I will be out of town on a mission trip to be of service to our friends in Mexico during the week of July 19^th. I will not be able to publish these devotionals during that time. Please pray that God might use His servants, our group of 30, so that His children in this foreign land might be encouraged and drawn to Him through our honest and sincere representation of our Savior. May God be glorified in all things through our witness! I expect to resume these devotionals on Monday, July 27^th.

Evidence Of Whose We Are

On 2015-06-192015-06-19 By Ed AlgreenIn Believers, Honesty, Righteousness, SinLeave a comment

THE HOLY BIBLE (New Living Translation – 1 John 3:9-10): ⁹ Those who have been born into God’s family do not make a practice of sinning, because God’s life is in them. So they can’t keep on sinning, because they are children of God. ¹⁰ So now we can tell who are children of God and who are children of the devil. Anyone who does not live righteously and does not love other believers does not belong to God.

THOUGHTS: I remember at one point in my life I was at a gas station pumping gas, when suddenly someone called me by my dad’s name. My head quickly popped up to see who knew my family. Apparently there was enough facial resemblance, or actions, to remind the person of something he had seen in my dad! I find it exciting when I walk away from a sales clerk knowing that they must be a brother or sister, because their actions, their concern, their unselfish care for me as a customer, were all indicators that they must share the same faith that I do, and have the same Father that I have learned about over the years from His handbook, the Bible. Friends there are a few tests in these verses today that I would encourage you to use as a self-examination tool:

Do not make a practice of sinning – When we invite Jesus into our hearts and lives as our Savior and Lord, not only does He forgive us of our sin, but He shows us a new way to live – like Him. Through His example, we are guided and encouraged to live holy lives, even as He is holy. To depend on the power within (the Holy Spirit) to prevent us from performing the same sin that we may have committed without thought, prior to our conversion;
Do not keep on sinning – Very similar to the above, but the difference is that once we have been prompted by the Holy Spirit to stop doing something that He considers sin, we are to make every effort to not repeat that sin. We must not let it rule us. God’s Holy Spirit cannot reside where sin abides!
Live righteously – Live our lives ‘right with God’. We are shown throughout the Bible what God expects of us – what is right and what is wrong. With the awesome power of the Holy Spirit, we are to live our lives ‘right with God’!
Love other believers – We are to live life expressing our love and concern for each other, even if they don’t love us back, or show any appreciation for what we do for them. Sadly there is a saying that “Christians in particular, tend to shoot their wounded”. We are taught in this scripture that when the world sees us loving each other, they will know that we are different and controlled by a greater power. Selfishness and Satan-led malice, jealousy or envy will eat up our desire to love like Jesus did. The power of the Holy Spirit within us will help us to love even those who despitefully use us.

Friends, living like I described above will help us to internalize whether we truly did commit to accepting, loving, serving and practicing the love of God. It will also help confirm to the world that we are who we say we are. However, please remember that God knows our heart, so He knows whether we honestly dedicated our lives to Him. I believe He is ashamed when we act up, but our outward actions only influences the world, they’re not needed to prove anything to God.

PRAYER: Dear God, please help us to be a people who acts, responds and loves like the people we say we are. ‘Hypocritical’ is a word often used when we don’t. Furthermore, folk tend to mistrust us when they feel we are hypocritical, and this destroys our possibility to honestly witness to them. Please help us to live consistent, open lives that will represent You well. Beginning with me Lord, may Your children rededicate themselves to being transparent to those that we come into contact with. May they see Jesus in and through our words and actions so that they may be influenced to follow You, and so that Your kingdom might be glorified even now, here on this earth. Your love is amazing, and Your rich blessings are beyond compare, and more than anything that we can imagine. Please forgive us for the times we fail, and grant us strength and a quick rebound so that we might get back on track without causing damage to our witness of You. I need You every hour of every day, please continue to work on me oh Lord, so that I might be all that You need me to be for the ministry/witness You have in store for me. Bless my readers today with similar grace, so that You may be lifted up more than ever before, for I ask all this in the precious name of Jesus, my Lord, AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please speak with a local Bible Teaching pastor, or read through Biblical truths on How To Know Jesus, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com so that we can pray with you and give you help and or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Any words underlined above will indicate a link to a song that came to mind as I wrote the devotional. Feel free to click on the link and listen as you continue to read or pray. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to nuggetsfromgodsword.org and read more, or you may freely subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. If you are anywhere near the Highlands County, Florida area and do not have a church home, I would be thrilled to welcome you at Bible Fellowship Church, Sebring, FL! Click the link to check out service times and/or other special activities. God is at work among us! Please consider coming to worship with us!

Nuggets From God's Word

Tag: Example