This Makes God and Your Parents Happy

On 2024-01-31 By Ed AlgreenIn A Lamp unto My Path, Adoration, Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Awesome God, Beyond Description, Blessing, Celebrate God, Needs, Praise, Praise-worthy, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED: Wednesday, January 31, 2024, and I was blessed to be at Advent Christian Village, Dowling Park, FL 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 Voice (VOICE) IS FOUND IN Proverbs 23:22; 24-26

THE BIBLE TEXT IS: Pay attention to your father—after all, he gave you life and don’t ignore your mother in her old age.
The parents of the right-living will celebrate; yes, parents of children who make wise choices are happy.
So make your parents happy; delight your mother—after all, she brought you into this world.
My son, devote yourself to me fully. Observe my ways, and follow my directions:

APPLICATION OF THE WORD: You might hesitate to think about times that you were totally agitated at how your parents acted around you when you were in ‘your element’, and how you almost wanted to disclaim them! Remember, when you were so proud of yourself, yet they were pounding on you about how you could do better! But there might be some in the audience who have been blessed to reach a fair age, and you might realize that some of the things you say or do really agitate your children today also! I tend to kid around a lot, so I am at the stage in life where I pray that God will help me to keep my mouth shut when I need to, so that I don’t lose the respect of my child! However, through the prophet Isaiah, God has a word for us all, for we all have parents, and many of us are blessed to have children, and God wants us to open our eyes to what pleases Him and our parents. For those who are estranged from their parents, or parents who are estranged from their children, I believe that our Father in Heaven has so much to help us open our eyes to what He desires of us. Even while hanging on the cross, Jesus was still concerned about His mother and wanted to make sure she was taken care of in His absence. In our focal passage of Scripture, God demands that we obey our parents, or as this translation puts it: pay attention to your earthly father and strive to delight your mother. To my male cohorts out there, a lot hangs on the latter charge, for daughters are told that when choosing a guy, watch for how they treat their mother, for it is highly likely that they will treat you in the same way. But why do you suppose that God saw this as important instructions, even for us today? Well, so often we hear today how much smarter kids are today than we could recall in our earlier days. It just seems that we are taught at a very early age to develop a stand on something, and then ‘stick to our guns’ on the matter. In this way, no unsuspecting person could win us over from what we know we believe in. While this might be a correct stand to take, I believe that godly wisdom teaches us to always listen to the advice and teachings of a person who has been there and done that. They are teaching from experience, and often they don’t want us to make the same mistakes as they did. Parents always want their children to be so much more that themselves. This can only happen when we humble ourselves and listen to the advice of our fathers and other older men and women. To not delight, or respect your mother, is clear evidence that you are unappreciative of what she did for you in raising you. Mothers are the first to eat bread and drink water, so that her children could splurge in the finer things at the table, and in life. To disrespect, or not do as much for her as she did for you, is basically saying that God messed up in providing the mother that He did to raise you. There is faithful saying that says we are an adult only once, but twice a child. Be very careful how you treat your father, and delight your mother, for in your second childhood, you children will have opportunity to practice just that on you! When you do what is right, and pleasing to God, for your parents, you can use that same experience in pleasing God in just the same way, for He calls for that in the very last verse today. Devote yourself to God, observe and honor His instructions and His ways, so that you might follow His directions. You can do this my friends, just accept Him as Lord of your life, and commit yourself to honor Him in all that you do and say. You will learn about Him from His Word, not by looking at, and following, what others say or do.

PRAYER BECAUSE OF THE IMPACT OF TODAY’S SCRIPTURE: Thank You Lord for saving my soul, thank You Lord for making me whole, thank You Lord for giving to me, thy great salvation so rich and free! You saved me from my sin and showed me the path in which to live my new, changed, and dedicated life. Because I still live in this world, I sincerely and respectfully ask that You protect me from the teaching and practices of this world and its leader, Satan. Many that I know still need a Savior, so please help me to reflect You in every word and action, so that they may be convinced that You are still alive and active in the lives of Your children. Please teach us to always honor our parents in a way that You would approve of and help us to show our love and appreciation to them for putting up with us during those years that we ourselves were incapable and/or unwilling to be different to the ways promoted and urged by the evil one. It hurts me to see, or hear, children who has nothing to do with their parents, or parents who have pushed away unruly, disrespectful, children, for it becomes obvious that they are dishonoring You, Lord. Please teach us to be examples of how you lived, loved, and directed us to live. May the world see evidence of Jesus in my readers and myself as we strive to live more like You each day, so that You may be glorified in all aspects of our life. 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!

His Promise is TRUE

On 2024-01-19 By Ed AlgreenIn A Lamp unto My Path, Adoration, Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Awesome God, Beyond Description, Blessing, Celebrate God, Needs, Praise, Praise-worthy, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED: Friday, January 19, 2024, and I was blessed to be at Advent Christian Village, Dowling Park, FL 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 New Living Translation (NLT) IS FOUND IN Hebrews 6:16-19

THE BIBLE TEXT IS: Now when people take an oath, they call on someone greater than themselves to hold them to it. And without any question that oath is binding. God also bound himself with an oath, so that those who received the promise could be perfectly sure that he would never change his mind. So God has given both his promise and his oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us. This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls….

APPLICATION OF THE WORD: Some are challenged to sleep on Christmas night due to the buildup of anxiety about what they expect to see around the tree next morning! I believe we all love gifts! There are many who also do their best to take people at their word. This sometimes lead to disappointment, but at other times their hope in humanity is restored as they see commitments kept and promises fulfilled! I believe that today’s Scripture restores hope to the Christian, for we are reminded that ‘it is impossible for God to lie’! This should also give assurance to the unbeliever who is doubting and questioning whether God really does what the Bible says He would do. Less we forget, there were some huge promises made in the Bible – promises that unbelievers might find impossible to believe. Like when He told a woman who had been unable to get pregnant that she and her husband would have a child. A promise to Sarah that fulfilled a promise made to Abraham when he was 75 years old. Isaac was born when Abraham was 100 and Sarah was 90! God never lies! Through Moses, God led a multitude of people through the wilderness, while at first being chased by the Egyptian army. On approaching the Red Sea, many doubted that God could ever hold true to His promise to carry them through to the Promised Land. However, God parted the Red Sea so the Israelites could cross over to the other side on dry land, while using the opposite action to drown the chasing army! He fed the Israelites with miraculous manna when there was no human sign of food! He brought forth water when the thirsty Israelites could only see a rock! Later, God gave us the promised Messiah through a miraculous situation that only He could satisfy. A virgin bore a son – Jesus, the Christ. Friends, as I meditated on these verses, I couldn’t help but wonder at the awesome God that I serve, for I know that He is still God and that He could still fulfill everything that He promises. He can’t lie! So when He tells me that He will love me forever and forever, I have no reason to doubt and feel alone or forsaken, for God can’t lie! Because He told me that He has prepared a home for me to live with He and the Father in heaven for evermore, I can start celebrating my eternal destiny now, for my God can’t lie! For those reading this devotional and you are still uncommitted to the resurrected Christ, please let me encourage you to believe with all your heart soul and mind that Jesus died because of His love for you, and in obedience to His Father. However, He rose again as living proof that just as He now lives, we too will arise and live forever with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit for all eternity. Remember, He can’t lie. So you can take this promise ‘to the bank’, for it is genuine truth! To do nothing at all in light of this truth, you are settling for the lies of Satan and, according to God’s Holy Word, you will have an eternal destiny with Satan in the pit of Hell. Cruel? Perhaps, but it is TRUTH, precious friend. You are responsible for your destiny, please make the best decision in light of the truth shared with you today.

PRAYER INSPIRED BY TODAY’S SCRIPTURE: What an awesome reminder dear Lord, that You cannot lie! This means that what You promised throughout Your Word, You will bring to pass! Praise the Lord! I thank You Lord for the promise of Salvation, and the gift You so aptly provided on the cross at Calvary. Today I can rejoice in the prospects of heaven, because I know that You cannot lie! I humbly pray that You will once again touch the hearts of those who have not changed their destiny to Heaven. Some of these are relatives, loved ones and coworkers, so they are very special to me. Please use these humble words to wake my readers out of a careless sleep that may be affecting their decision making. Draw them to Yourself, Lord and invoke a time of decision making today that will impact their eternal destination. I ask these things in the wonderful name of Jesus, AMEN!

Follow Jesus in Habitual Prayer

On 2024-01-18 By Ed AlgreenIn A Lamp unto My Path, Adoration, Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Awesome God, Beyond Description, Blessing, Celebrate God, Needs, Praise, Praise-worthy, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED: Thursday, January 18, 2024, and I was blessed to be at Advent Christian Village, Dowling Park, FL 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 Amplified Bible (AMP) IS FOUND IN Luke 22:39-41

THE BIBLE TEXT IS: And He came out and went, as was His habit, to the Mount of Olives; and the disciples followed Him. When He arrived at the place [called Gethsemane], He said to them, “Pray continually that you may not fall into temptation.” And He withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed…

APPLICATION OF THE WORD: One of the awesome things about a ministry such as mine, is that the Word of God must speak to the heart of the teacher before they could share its effectiveness with their audience. Praise God! I believe that this Scripture today is intended directly for me, but because there are others just like me, I believe that this message might also speak to you and challenge you in the adequacy of your prayer life. The Holy spirit spoke to me on a few matters while meditating on this Scripture:
– Jesus left the Upper Room and went to His ‘usual’ hangout (the Mount of Olives) where He could speak with the Father. I would be hard-pressed to answer a curious youngster who might ask me where my usual place is to pray. Do you have a quick, honest answer for that question? For those who followed Jesus and heard Him teach, they were reminded first-hand that this Teacher did as He taught. Remember how Jesus had said earlier that He only said and did as instructed by His Father? So, what do you suppose created the urgency for Jesus to seek private prayer? I believe that nowhere in Scripture will you find where Jesus ever taught that we wait until urgent needs arise before we seek the Father’s face. For you see, we were created for communion with our Creator and Father. Yet prayer is probably one of the weakest habits of a Christian, and therefore of the church. If we find it unimportant to stay in communion with the Father, what might He say when we just use this vehicle of communication during those times of urgent prayer? What would you say to such a person who does that to you? Probably one of the worst results of our absent prayer life is that those who are watching and following in our footsteps are led to do the same thing. Unfortunately, this leads to a church of tomorrow where prayer has been placed in the corner ‘for urgent needs only’. I believe that our ministries fail when we are basing our output strictly on the input received from seminary teachings; last week’s sermon; the deacon’s counsel; etc. For it is only what’s said for Jesus will last or impact the lives of others.
– Pray continually that you don’t fall into temptation – For those of us who fail, or refuse to pray, we might very well fall into the same trap as the unsaved where we are overcome by temptation and any other sin that Satan places before us, because we are unprepared and unconcerned about our Protector helping us defend against our known primary enemy. In our Scripture, Jesus knew full well what His disciples would face over the next few days as He was arrested, tried, convicted and crucified. Because we serve the same all-knowing Master, I am convinced that God also knows what lies ahead for each of us, and I can only believe that He is saying the same thing to us today – pray continually that you are not tempted. Notice He didn’t say ‘now as soon as you’ve followed through on everything you are tempted on, get with me right away’. Every time you are tempted, stop and question yourself as to whether you have been faithful in your prayer life. For it sounds to me that Jesus could also have said this same phrase in a slightly different way: ‘If you don’t pray continually, you may very well be tempted by the evil one – more than you could ever handle personally’.
For those reading this devotional who have not surrendered lordship of your life to Jesus Christ, please ponder what your defense is when you are tempted. Jesus wants to be Lord and everlasting Savior of your life. Will you please consider accepting His offer? You are invited to read my Footnote for tips on how this might be accomplished.

PRAYER BECAUSE OF THE IMPACT OF TODAY’S SCRIPTURE: Thank You for Your Word, oh Lord. It is food for my soul and is a guide to my feet. Thank You for prompting me to salvation and giving me the necessary boldness and determination to surrender lordship of my life to an all-knowing, all-loving and all-powerful God. I can only imagine that some will read this devotional and be puzzled by Your command to Your disciples, and to us, that we pray continually to avoid temptation. But Lord, I believe. Please deliver me from my lack of commitment to regular prayer and embed these words into my mind – that I must pray continually so that I do not fall into temptation. Just as I want to see You in every aspect of life, I believe that unbelievers are also seeking you out in the lives of those who claim to be under Your lordship. Oh Lord, may they see Jesus in me today, and be convinced of their need for a Savior. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the kingdom, and the glory, forever. AMEN!

Recognize and Honor The Power of God

On 2024-01-16 By Ed AlgreenIn A Lamp unto My Path, Adoration, Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Awesome God, Beyond Description, Blessing, Celebrate God, Needs, Praise, Praise-worthy, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED: Tuesday, January 16, 2024, and I was blessed to be at Advent Christian Village, Dowling Park, FL 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 25:1-3

THE BIBLE TEXT IS: O Lord, I will honor and praise your name, for you are my God; you do such wonderful things! You planned them long ago, and now you have accomplished them, just as you said! You turn mighty cities into heaps of ruins. The strongest forts are turned to rubble. Beautiful palaces in distant lands disappear and will never be rebuilt. Therefore strong nations will shake with fear before you; ruthless nations will obey and glorify your name.

APPLICATION OF THE WORD: God, the One who is creator of human life, and the guiding hand behind all good things that honor Him. He placed the world in place and everything that inhabits each part of this world. Don’t you know, dear friends, that He who created it all, can also erase unnecessary and unappreciated parts of it at will? But God is not like worldly dictators who hold life over the heads of their subjects, for our God not only created us in His likeness, but He also provided a Savior, His Son, to open the channel for access into His glorious heaven. Yet He has given us the option of choice to decide if we really want to live in this world and follow its leader, or if we will believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior to redeem us of our sin and make us righteous in God’s sight. Many created ones have accepted this free gift of salvation and, like the nations mentioned in the very last verse of today’s Scripture, we shake in fear before this righteous, powerful, yet loving God and we glorify Him for who He is! It is unfortunate that many, even some who will happen across this devotional, still reject the Savior and the love shown for them on Calvary, for you are confident that you are in control of this thing called ‘life’. Friends, please carefully think this through: if you think you are in charge, then that applies to life, and in death. The Bible teaches that a place is also available for those who reject Jesus. But since sin cannot enter into heaven, you will be assigned to your earthly leader, Satan, and his eternal home – Hell/The lake of fire/Eternal damnation – a place where things will only worsen and magnify over what you experience here on earth. As one who has experienced the love and lordship of Jesus Christ, I feel an obligation to remind each reader that you fit into one of the nations mentioned in today’s Scripture. By default, you are assigned to the nations under the control of Satan, for you have lived on earth and been tainted by sin. However, many have opened their eyes and humbled themselves to the lordship of Jesus Christ, and we are assured the glories of heaven while basting in the glory of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost forever. We have a graduation day to look forward to, and not a Hell to fear. Not because we are favorites, but because of the choices we have made regarding our eternal destiny. This same assurance can be yours today dear friend. Please read my Footnote, especially the information behind the link ‘To know Jesus’. You have control over where you could be on Resurrection Day, but the choice must be made while you’re alive. Know Jesus today and know about the peace of which I have taught in this lesson! Be with the ‘nation’ who will obey and glorify Jesus as Lord!

PRAYER BECAUSE OF THE IMPACT OF TODAY’S SCRIPTURE: Lord, I believe that You have designed us to make smart decisions, such as readying ourselves and our family for natural disasters that we are warned about ahead of time. Every person alive will naturally face death, for in Hebrews 9:27 we are told that we all die once, then face the judgment of Almighty God. Oh Lord God, I humbly pray that every reader of this devotional will face that promised judgment with confidence, and in much anticipation of hearing You say, as You welcome them in for all eternity, ‘Well done good and faithful servant’! Knowing that calamity could come at any moment, home and auto buyers purchase insurance at the closing of their purchase. May these same ones, knowing that death could occur at any moment, not delay in making this very important decision about their eternal destiny. Nations who are ready for Your return, stand ready to praise and worship our King as we see salvation decisions made today! AMEN!

Reflect On God’s Miracles

On 2024-01-01 By Ed AlgreenIn A Lamp unto My Path, Adoration, Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Awesome God, Beyond Description, Blessing, Celebrate God, Needs, Praise, Praise-worthy, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED: Monday, January 1, 2024, 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 Passion Translation (TPT) IS FOUND IN Luke 22:35

THE BIBLE TEXT IS: Then he said to all of them, “When I sent you out empty-handed, did you lack anything?”
“Not a thing,” they answered. “God provided all we needed.”…..

APPLICATION OF THE WORD: During my 47 year career in the workplace, I remember that my employer would reflect on, and try to improve on, what has worked for the company in the past, or what may have worked well for others in the same field in the past, as we look to develop new opportunities. Can you think of any better way of approaching a brand New Year, than to reflect on the ways that God has blessed us in 2023, or even in our lives up to this point? I had a good buddy who told me how diligent he would pray over his misplaced car keys when he was trying so hard to get to work on time. I looked at him puzzled as to why he would bother God with something so trivial, to which he quickly added, that in those times of answered prayer over simple things, he gained reference and confidence in the times he felt more desperate in his prayers. Those simple words and testimony have always stuck with me. But then I read the words in our focal verse today, and saw where Jesus reminded His disciples to also reflect on a time when they probably thought that He had lost all sense of reasoning. For He told them to go out and preach the Word, but don’t take anything with them – no extra sandals, no travel bag and no money. They were reminded that in spite of what they initially thought, they had need of nothing while carrying out God’s instructions. We’ve just come through a year where we may have enjoyed times of celebration, but there may also have been challenging times. I believe that God would have us reflect on whether He was ‘BIG’ enough for us in every circumstance of this past year. For you see, only He knows what this new Year will bring. I believe He is reminding us that the God of the mountain – our victories of 2023, is also the God of the valleys – the One who didn’t leave us in our lows, but delivered us from the pit of despair, and brought us up close and personal to see His wonderful face, to remind us of His precious love for us, and His all-powerful hand that is capable of victory in every circumstance of life. Yes, we don’t know what 2024 holds for us. But for the child of God, we know who holds the future and who can help us overcome every challenge that may be in store for us, and to continue in strength, encouragement and victory with our hand in the hand of the One who rules from heaven on high. Let me encourage you to look at the faith of one elderly missionary who had retired from the field and shared with my men’s group. When he initially felt his call to missions, he was so confident that God would take care of his workers as they go in His name and under His banner, that we sold his home here in the US. Now, here comes this man’s amazing faith – he gave all the profit of this sale to his home church! We were flabbergasted as we thought he had lost his mind. What on earth would he do when he returned home? But he assured us that he never went hungry, nor wanting. As a confirmation of this, I overheard him asking another man of God to join him in helping a needy church in the country where he served on the mission field. And although a retired missionary, on what I can only imagine to be on a very limited income, yet he was chipping in thousands of dollars to help a church on the other side of the world in need. How dare we squabble over paying our tithe to the local church as God instructs us to? Wow, that story of current-day faith has never left my vivid memory. If only I could imagine that kind of faith, what challenges might I fear in 2024? I might say like the disciples responded to Jesus – we lacked nothing while living in absolute faith during our ministry. How is it with you precious friend? Do you know this Jesus of mine? I have tips in my Footnote that will help you know and understand Him better, but don’t approach this year as a loaner – invite God to be a part of it with you. Place you faith and trust in Him and invite Him to be Lord of your life. He is very capable!

PRAYER BECAUSE OF THE IMPACT OF TODAY’S SCRIPTURE: Precious Lord, we have seen where You turned water into wine, and You made dry land in the middle of a body of water. You made the lame to walk again and the blind to see, and You brought life back into a man who had already died. Thankfully, we are reminded that You also helped Your ministers to go and share the Gospel while, in total faith, depending on You for everything. Like my friend mentioned above whom You helped in finding his keys, we also have a lot to base our faith on. So as we face the unknowns of 2024, we KNOW that we can face it with a tried and proven God who could lead us through safely; deliver us from all evil; and bring to fruition the gift of eternal life that you designed, prepared and readied for those who surrender their life to You. Lord, may Your kingdom come and Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. We anxiously await Your return. AMEN!

Examine The Heart from Which You Give

On 2023-11-162023-11-16 By Ed AlgreenIn A Lamp unto My Path, Adoration, Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Awesome God, Beyond Description, Blessing, Celebrate God, Needs, Praise, Praise-worthy, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED: Thursday, November 16, 2023, and I was blessed to be at Royal Floridian Resort, Ormond Beach, FL 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 Luke 21:1-4

THE BIBLE TEXT IS: As he stood in the Temple, he was watching the rich tossing their gifts into the collection box. Then a poor widow came by and dropped in two small copper coins. “Really,” he remarked, “this poor widow has given more than all the rest of them combined. For they have given a little of what they didn’t need, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she has.”

APPLICATION OF THE WORD: Normally this Scripture will upset the masses today, because they are so sure that the gospel preacher or teacher is about to beg for more money from them! Fortunately, there is no need to set up your defenses, for that is not an issue for me, since I am a layperson just like most of my readers and/or listeners. Friends, I believe that as you take time to meditate on this devotional, and the Word of God in particular, you will see pass financial giving or tithing to the church, even though it is necessary, needed, and commanded by God to continue the ministry of the Gospel. But I want to encourage you to particularly look at the heart of each one mentioned in this story relayed by Jesus, and try to identify thge attitude of your heart, for it will be evident as we look at this together.
** For the rich who gave: can you see what may have been hearts filled with: obligation; regret; reservation; promoting self; and/or advertising their generosity?
** For the poor old lady who gave: Perhaps we could see a heart filled with: love; generosity; reciprocal giving; and/or a desire and determination to give, regardless how her remaining obligations might be met?
Now, I would encourage you to consider the person whose heart emulates:
-*- The rich in our story – As a church leader, can you call on this group to serve with you in ministry? Don’t you suppose they might wonder what’s in it for them? Will their business be recognized in newsletters or in the pulpit? Will their donation be tax deductible? Could they mention their religious giving through their advertising so the public might know how generous they are? But for…
-*- The poor old lady who hardly had enough to get by – I believe she was one that only considered her net income after tithing, even if it meant not having enough to meet her personal needs without God’s intervention. I believe she was ever so aware of her endless blessings from God, regardless of how great or small they were. I believe that she was just as generous with her time as she was in her giving. I believe she probably looked for the needs in others, while others may have concentrated on ways to gouge them for additional profits. I believe that she was a praying lady, for she realized that her needs were met by God alone, and not because of any good thing that she might do. I believe that if there was a way for her to give privately without anyone seeing her, she would have chosen that method of giving, for she knew that God saw her generosity, even though others may have ignorantly looked down on her minimal gift.
Friends, I further believe that God smiles as He sees us giving from a heart of love, sincerity, honesty and obedience to His Word and not just out of obligation or for public recognition, praise and admiration. I believe that the same heart that gives in this manner will also look deeply into God’s Word and make every effort to love Him in other ways – such as sharing His love with others and telling them about His sacrifice made so that they might also have eternal life. Let’s always remember that it’s from the heart that we freely give, love unconditionally, and choose to live like our Lord so that others might be drawn to Him.

PRAYER BECAUSE OF THE IMPACT OF TODAY’S SCRIPTURE: Lord Jesus, I don’t believe that You did anything grudgingly or for selfish reasons, but instead for our good and the glory of the Father. The attitude that we adopt and practice each day determines how much of You that we’ve allowed in, and how much our lives are impacted by You. While the world has no reason to know or understand our motivating factors, I pray wholeheartedly that they will see a picture of You and know that Your Holy Spirit truly lives inside of us to guide and direct our every decision, and the path that we travel. Please Lord, touch the hearts and lives of those that will meditate on this devotional today, so that they may go and be a blessing to others. AMEN!

Faith – Protect It From The Adversary

On 2023-02-142023-02-14 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Faith, Faith in Action, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED: Tuesday, 2023-02-14
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Matthew 14:29-33
TRANSLATION: The Passion Translation (TPT)

BIBLE TEXT: ²⁹“Come and join me,” Jesus replied. So Peter stepped out onto the water and began to walk toward Jesus. ³⁰But when he realized how high the waves were, he became frightened and started to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he cried out. ³¹Jesus immediately stretched out his hand and lifted him up and said, “What little faith you have! Why would you let doubt win?” ³²And the very moment they both stepped into the boat, the raging wind ceased. ³³Then all the disciples crouched down before him and worshiped Jesus. They said in adoration, “You are truly the Son of God!”

APPLICATION: There are so many things we could learn from this story of Peter. I believe that most of us will share the reflection that this story shows us the faith of a man as he attempted something that defies nature, and that he had never thought possible before. Of his own power, perhaps the disciples expected Peter to jump out of the boat in the middle of the sea, as he prepared himself for the intake of water through his nose and mouth, or if he could swim, perhaps he would quickly assume the swimming position! However, things were a bit different with Peter, for: a). He had already experienced the power of the Almighty, and he knew that it would be this same power that would help him do even the very thing that seemed impossible in the eyes of the world; b). He paid attention to what Jesus was doing, and knew that if Jesus could walk on the water, He had power and authority to empower him (Peter) to do the same; and c). Peter heard the command by Jesus, and in spite of the yelling he could hear from his fellow disciples, he was compelled to obey His Lord. So what happened? Why does Peter’s effort seemed to have failed? I am convinced that Jesus already knew how quickly Peter would become cocky about being given this privilege/miracle, so Jesus seemed to have made it a point to teach Peter, and us, that faith requires that we keep our eyes fixed on the source of all power, the author of our faith – Jesus our Lord. You see, we have no power over such things in the universe, only God does. We have nothing to brag about besides God. I had a friend dying of cancer, and she traveled hundreds of miles to be prayed over by a TV evangelist who showed on public television that he had powers to heal. It just doesn’t work that way. Friends, as demonstrated in this story with Peter, and as we already know about our healing powers – we are reminded that it is God, through His Son Jesus that spoke the word for Peter to walk on the water, and it was Jesus who rescued him as he began to sink; it is God alone who heals a body that He created from dust, and who has the power to restore it to perfect health – so that He may be glorified. Our responsibility is to look to God for all things and keep our eyes fixed on the author and creator of life itself, knowing that through His power, lives might be healed, souls might be restored to the Kingdom, and the unsaved may recognize the grace and power of our God. It’s all about ‘God’, my friend. We are just instruments of His love and servants of our majestic King. The Master deserves all the praise for all that He does, for nothing of our own is merited, or worthy of praise, but only what He has done. Please be careful of the distractions that Satan will place before us. For Peter, it was the wind, the rough waters and perhaps self-confidence, that caused him to take his eyes off the Master. For us, unfortunately we live in a world that is totally filled with distractions that Satan places before us. Remember, our distractions are often those forces that draw us away from God, who is our primary power source. Don’t let Satan win over you my friend. In verse 31 we are reminded to not let ‘doubt’ win in our battle to ‘believe’. Trust in God, and all of this, plus a whole lot more could be yours, child of God!

PRAYER: Oh Lord, You are my God! The same God that created this wonderful world, and also created all of creation. I acknowledge again today that there is nothing that You can’t do. Please forgive me for my doubt and my lack of faith. Thank You for the reminder in today’s Scripture that You had the power to walk on water to get over to Your disciples. I wonder what You must travel over, or through, at times to get to my readers and I, and the trouble we find ourselves in at times. But I am assured that just as we saw where the water didn’t stop You from getting to Your followers, we need not let anything hinder our requests today, for many things will appear to be impossible to us, but with renewed assurance today, we KNOW that we can come before the throne of God and plead our case before an all-knowing, all-powerful, forever-loving God who says that ALL things are possible with God! You are our King, and we adore You and worship You today oh Lord, not just for what You can do for us, but for who You are! 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!

Your Level of Faith

On 2023-01-022023-01-02 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Faith, Healing, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Monday, 2023-01-02
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Luke 7:6-7; 9-10;
TRANSLATION: The Voice (VOICE)

BIBLE TEXT: ⁶So Jesus accompanied them. When they approached the Centurion’s home, the Centurion sent out some friends to bring a message to Jesus.
Message of the Centurion: Lord, don’t go to the trouble of coming inside. I am not worthy to have You come under my roof. ⁷That’s why I sent others with my request. Just say the word, and that will be enough to heal my servant.
⁹Jesus was deeply impressed when He heard this. He turned to the crowd that followed Him.
Jesus: Listen, everyone. This outsider, this Roman, has more faith than I have found even among our own Jewish people.
¹⁰The friends of the Centurion returned home, and they found the slave was completely healed.

APPLICATION: Unless we focus on the main lesson in today’s Scripture, we may drift off into wondering why the Centurion didn’t go to Jesus himself. Or why didn’t Jesus pronounce the healing as soon as He received word from the Centurion, for surely, He knew how dire the situation was. But let’s not forget to place ourselves in the shoes of the Centurion. Who are we that we would send friends to the highest religious order of our day and ask that he drop what he’s doing and rush on over to our house? What type of palace do we live in, that we would open the door and invite the Lord Jesus in? Inside our home, is everything in place to impress Jesus with our religious stand? Of all the people in the world who need help from Jesus, who are we that He would consider listening, or responding, to us? Friends, regardless of your answers to these questions, or even if this prompted more questions from you, notice that the Centurion still took action. Many will sit, waiting for their ship to come in, but if you didn’t send one out, why should you expect one to come in? Perhaps the Centurion felt unworthy, just as he said, but he may have also wanted to stay close to his servant, just in case the situation worsened. So many questions, and so many excuses we could conjure up to excuse our inaction, but the Centurion moved into action and asked his respected leaders to make the journey and ask Jesus, on his behalf. Of particular interest is the fact that even though Centurions were looked down on by the Jews, yet Jesus responded to the request of this Centurion when He first received the request, and again when the second message arrived asking Jesus to heal the servant remotely. My primary take-away in this story is that Jesus openly shared how amazed He was at the faith of this humble, caring man. In fact, He gave him the designation of being so filled with faith, that he put it into action for someone else. I believe that many of my readers and listeners are regular church attendees. Let me encourage you to meditate on this Scripture long enough to do a self-evaluation of your faith. Knowing that you can do nothing to impress Jesus, what do you suppose He would say about your level of faith? Do you suppose that your faith is strong enough that you would have attempted something like the Centurion did? If not, what do you suppose you need to help you grow in your faith? Jesus is not out of reach, dear friends. He loved you enough to hang on a cross and die for your sins. He loves you enough that He said that He has gone to be with the Father to prepare a place in Heaven for us, so that where He is, we may be also. Surely, He is more than ready to hear our cry for help, and also willing to heal – even from a distance, like He did for the Centurion’s servant. Trust Him, and call on Him, for He cares for you!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: The Jews looked down on the Centurions, but Jesus listened to the cry from His precious child and answered his request. Others may look down on us, but we are number one in the eyes of our Master and Lord!

PRAYER: Lord, we are amazed by Your respect for all Your children, and Your willingness to accept all of Your creation, even those we may turn our noses up at. Thank You for hearing my plea and accepting me as Your child. Just as the Centurion found peace in getting a message to You about His dire need, my readers, listeners and myself know that each and every day will bring new challenges that we will need to call on You for. None on earth are truly righteous, but Lord I pray that You will continue to teach us to call on You for each and every need, or concern of our lives. Some on earth may dismiss us because we are not rich enough, or the partying kind, or we go to church too much, but I truly believe that when You forgave our sin, and accepted us into Your kingdom, we became true sons and daughters of the Most High God. Forgive us Lord when we listen to Satan and cower in our corner. Please give us the confidence so deserving of Your child and the boldness to call on You for the little and impossible things of life. You are God, and besides You there is no other. We acknowledge that today and wait for the time when You will call us home to glory! AMEN!

On Following Instructions

On 2022-11-192022-11-19 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Obedience, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Saturday, 2022-11-19
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: 2 Kings 5:10-12
TRANSLATION: The Message (MSG)

BIBLE TEXT: ¹⁰Elisha sent out a servant to meet him with this message: “Go to the River Jordan and immerse yourself seven times. Your skin will be healed and you’ll be as good as new.” ^11-12Naaman lost his temper. He spun around saying, “I thought he’d personally come out and meet me, call on the name of God, wave his hand over the diseased spot, and get rid of the disease. The Damascus rivers, Abana and Pharpar, are cleaner by far than any of the rivers in Israel. Why not bathe in them? I’d at least get clean.” He stomped off, mad as a hornet.

APPLICATION: Throughout the Bible we are told of many things God did – that the people impacted, could never have thought of. Having never rained before, God had Noah build a boat to preserve the life of those God chose to save from drowning. Who would have thought? During their Wilderness travail, The Israelites were brought to a point where they couldn’t turn back without being eliminated by the Egyptian army, yet on ahead they faced the Red Sea. But God’s mighty hand made a way where there was no way for His people to cross on dry land, and the same miracle served to eliminate the Egyptian army that was in hot pursuit. Who would have thought? Word had gotten out about the miracles brought about through the prophet Elisha, so Naaman didn’t hesitate to travel in order to present himself to Elisha for healing. However, as indicated in the first two examples, God has the advantage of seeing what we need not just for the moment, but something that will draw us to Himself for as long as we are left on earth. Faith means that you would are willing to believe in something just because God says so, and not based on any previous experience or knowledge. Noah and his people had never seen rain before, but Noah was obedient to God’s command anyway. The Israelites had never heard of bodies of water being separated before, yet they chose to believe that the same God who showed them the parting of the waters, He would also keep them back while they obediently followed His command through Moses to cross over to the other side. Naaman felt like he was special, and as such, Elisha would methodically perform a personalized miracle on him in grand form. But notice in Naaman’s explanation of his disappointment that he was still referring to ‘his God’, meaning Naaman’s God. Wouldn’t you think that if you were going to travel a distance to see a prophet of God, for healing from God, that you would want to know that God actually thinks enough of you to heal you? Doesn’t it sound like perhaps Naaman should have met the Master, before asking someone to lean on Him on your behalf? Isn’t that how we tend to do it today though? Friends will demand that we have our pastor come to the hospital and pray for Susie’s healing – Susie, the one who has been a terror all her life and wants nothing to do with God. But doesn’t it sound like your friend, Susie, and Naaman must feel like God’s puppet will do whatever you demand of them? But wait, where is the healing coming from? Without God in the mix, let me assure you that Elisha, nor your pastor who is being demanded by your friend, could heal anyone. It is God, and God alone who heals. Both Naaman and Susie need Jesus. Yes, He may choose to heal their physical bodies, but what Jesus is really after is their heart, soul and mind, for then He could save them for all eternity and present them to the Father in heaven as a blood washed child of the one true God. Let’s show by example that we could follow God’s instructions exactly. Perhaps others will then see the love and mighty works of God in our lives and want to know Him also.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Naaman was brought to his senses and realized that God knew what He was doing through the instruction given through Elisha. Oh, that we may also acknowledge that Jesus is Lord – Lord of all lords.

PRAYER: Thank You Jesus for not giving up on us, even in our stubbornness, disobedience, and especially when we feel like we know it all, like Naaman. Please forgive us and help us to always respect Your commands, Your healing and Your love. Help us to never stand in the way of God working through us to touch the lives of others following in our footsteps. Your ways are not our ways and Your thought are different to our thoughts, so help us to always follow in obedience instead of looking for evidence or past experience to support Your mighty work. AMEN!

Reasons Why We Can’t Heal

On 2022-07-012022-07-02 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Faith, Healing, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Friday, 2022-07-01
WRITTEN AT: O Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Mark 9:18-19; 28-29;
TRANSLATION: New Life Version (NLV)

BIBLE TEXT: ¹⁸Wherever the demon takes him, it throws him down. Spit runs from his mouth. He grinds his teeth. He is getting weaker. I asked Your followers to put the demon out but they could not.”
¹⁹He said, “You people of this day have no faith. How long must I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring the boy to Me.”
²⁸When Jesus went into the house, His followers asked Him when He was alone, “Why could we not put out the demon?” ²⁹He said to them, “The only way this kind of demon is put out is by prayer and by going without food so you can pray better.”

APPLICATION: It would be enlightening to see the results of a survey answered by first time visitors to our church services. Think about how you might answer such questions as: 1). Why did you chose this church today?; 2). Did the pastor show an interest in you, or your needs today?; 3). Did a regular church attendee show an interest in you, or your needs today?; 4). What brought you out to church today?; 5). Based on what you heard today, do you have a clear understanding of how you might know, or draw closer to God?; and 6). Do you feel like your needs were met at this church today? | Based on our Biblical story today, I feel like we could probably answer the above questions for the dad who brought his son for healing. The bottom line is, that up until his encounter with Jesus, his needs were unfulfilled. BUT Jesus issues a compassionate invitation when He says, “Bring the child to Me.” The father had come seeking help from the disciples, but the disciples were unable to help. But isn’t that like us a lot of times? Perhaps we might bring a child, a friend, a co-worker to church or Sunday School, but they were not helped. However, we should be comforted that we brought them to where the disciples of Jesus are, and guess who shows up sooner or later? Jesus Himself! Through a testimony shared, a study given, a story told, a song sung—something will happen! Jesus will come! “Bring your child to Me,” Jesus said. But often we are so filled with doubt and fear, that we will quickly respond: ‘But how?’ Morning by morning in our devotional time with Jesus; teaching him what you’re learning from the Word as you do errands together; making sure he’s growing through fellowship with other believers; showing love and compassion like Jesus showed to us; etc. The cause of evil and destruction in this world is Satan. The cure is Jesus. The question is: Will you bring your friends and family to Him? For the disciples (followers of Jesus Christ), you might find the excuse that there was no time to fast and pray when a situation suddenly presented itself to you. Friends, we must maintain a life of prayer and fasting, because when the demonized boy is before you, it’s too late to start. Often something exceedingly important could take place, but we feel impotent and powerless because we haven’t been praying, fasting, reading the Word, or seeking the Lord. Let me encourage you by saying that: As a father, I have no other recourse than to maintain a life of prayer and fasting because I never know when the Enemy will strike my child – For he has, he does; and he will; As a believer, I have no other choice but to maintain a close walk with God because I never know the next conversation that will open up before me at work, the grocery store or in the park with a neighbor, and Jesus may speak through me with words that will impact them for eternity. We MUST be ready dear friends! Always ready!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Jesus is compassionate about our needs, just as He was about the boy brought to Him by his dad. As representatives of the King of all kings, we must be filled with faith, ready, available and willing to speak truth and power in Jesus’ name, so that the Devil will flee and never impede us or our friends ever again.

PRAYER: Thank You Lord Jesus for being patient with us, although we are reminded from Your response to Your disciples, that You become frustrated by our lack of faith and our willingness to open up and let You have Your will and way in the lives we touch each day. Please Lord, help us to be ready on every occasion to represent You and be used of You for healing, salvation or just encouragement to help others go on in the faith. Just as You touched the little boy that You called to You, I pray that You will powerfully touch the lives of those who place their faith and trust in You today, for this world needs Jesus more today than ever before. AMEN!

Nuggets From God's Word

Tag: faith