Work At ‘Peace’ and ‘Holiness’

On 2021-10-042021-10-03 By Ed AlgreenIn Getting Along, Holiness, Love, Obedience, PeaceLeave a comment

Saturday, 2021-10-04

Bible Reference: Hebrews 12:14
Translation: The New Living Translation (NLT)

Bible Text: ¹⁴ Work at living in peace with everyone, and work at living a holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord.

APPLICATION: I saw a greeting card that read “Short on words, but loooong on best wishes!” I found this verse to be short on words, but packed with a powerful message for us today! God’s inspired Word is warning us that living at peace with everyone and living a holy life before our Lord, does not come easy or perhaps ‘natural’ to us, but are two things necessary for the follower of Christ. Our natural tendency is to sin, therefore it is challenging for anyone to get along with us, or for us to accept everyone the way they are, to love them, and live at peace with them. In this chapter of Hebrews we are being taught to listen to God. We have been shown in this New Testament book that our ancestors accomplished a lot in faith, believing in, and depending on, the power of God. We are therefore challenged to call on, listen to, and depend on God to help us accomplish everything that He has commanded of us. In this particular command, I would dare say that God has proven Himself powerful, and able, over and over. He proved His love for us in ways that we would never have to, for He sacrificed His life for us, while the world hated Him, mocked Him, spat on Him and crucified Him. So I believe you will agree that He definitely knows all about how challenging it will be for us to ‘love’ someone who despises us, or may even hate us. So friends, when we are commanded to ‘Work at It’, be comforted in knowing that we don’t have to do this alone. For Jesus promised us that He would never leave us or forsake us – that means that He is always there for us. Therefore part of our working on these commands, must include humbling ourselves before the Master and seeking His help. Furthermore, I am convinced that my loving Jesus would never command something of us that would be impossible for He and us to achieve. We gladly work at being our best in our jobs, in our families, in our marriages and in our relationships. As an obedient servant, we must also ‘Work at’ being holy in our lifestyle so that the world will know to whom we belong. Also, we must determine in our own hearts to live at peace with each other as children of the ‘Prince of Peace’. We must ‘Work at It’ with all of our being and with the help of the King, Jesus our Lord.

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, our time here on earth is short, and we can therefore not afford to procrastinate on ‘Working At’ being all that You demand of us in Your Word. Holiness begets holiness, so if we are truly a son of the Holy God, then we are to represent that holiness in our everyday life. For one to meet a son, there should be good enough representation that they would tell the world that they have truly known the Father. Lord, may it be so in my life today, and may You fill the hearts and lives of all my readers and listeners that are willing to live obedient lives in conformity with Your will. Shine through us today Lord Jesus, so that our friends might see Jesus. For I ask these things in and through the precious name of Jesus, AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: There are two more pages on my blog at https://NuggetsFromGodsWord.org 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 or listening to this devotional, please go to 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. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to Nuggets From God’s Word and see all of my posts, or you may freely subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. 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!

They’re Watching You

On 2021-10-032021-10-02 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Integrity, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Sunday, 2021-10-03
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Luke 20:20-22
TRANSLATION: New Century Version (NCV)

BIBLE TEXT: ²⁰So they watched Jesus and sent some spies who acted as if they were sincere. They wanted to trap Jesus in saying something wrong so they could hand him over to the authority and power of the governor. ²¹So the spies asked Jesus, “Teacher, we know that what you say and teach is true. You pay no attention to who people are, and you always teach the truth about God’s way. ²²Tell us, is it right for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?”

APPLICATION: I looked at our focal verses in several translations, and in every case, it was interesting to note that the wicked Pharisees knew about the integrity of Jesus. They knew that they would have to get quite creative to catch Him in something worth arresting Him for. Although churches only exist because of their congregations, yet they often receive very unfavorable reviews by the communities in which they exist. Does this mean that we, as members of our various churches, have lost respect in our communities? Although we can only work on ourselves (one person – self) and not the whole church and its leaders and members, we are faced with the dilemma of what might we do differently to regain the trust of those we come into contact with. I believe there are some things in our Scripture today that will help us. Notice the following things that the spies already knew about Jesus:
—> What you say is true – Will our community leaders say the same thing about us individually? I had a Christian Brother stand before a judge, and although I believe he was wrongly accused, there was nothing that this Brother or us, as his dear friends, could say to convince the court to the contrary of the wicked accusations. Will community leaders believe what we say, because we claim to be a child of the King? If not, then this is a vote against the integrity of the local ‘church’;
—> You treat everyone the same – Our Scripture quotes the spies as saying: You pay no attention to who people are. I wonder, do we treat the millionaire walking in our churches any different to the man in ragged clothes who may not have had a bath in the last day or two? Which one do we find the best seat for, and which one will we believe, if we asked each of them the same question? Perhaps spies are watching for us to show how much we truly care, to prove that we are who we say we are;
—> You always teach the truth about God’s way – This sounds like the spies may have encountered some preachers, evangelists or teachers who couldn’t be trusted in what they taught. Who might be the ‘spies’ in your church, or your Sunday School class, or sitting next to you at work? Might they approve of what they hear from you? Will it confirm their suspicions, or clarify their doubt?
Friends, all of the above contributed to the confidence the spies had gained in judging the integrity of Jesus. They seem to have known that He was who He said He was. They realized that they would have to try extremely hard to trip Him up on their laws, and not God’s law. We must remember that others will not listen to our witness, or our preaching, or our teaching, if they don’t see evidence of what we say in our own lives. A daily communion with God – through reading His Word; and through conversation (prayer) with Him; will help you to learn His ways, understand His expectations for His followers, and excite you about the prospects of heaven, for which Jesus promised that He has gone to prepare for us. We have no one to impress, just share Jesus with the world, and be ready to celebrate His kingdom growth as He works through our efforts.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Our integrity is developed as we live out who we say we are. Pretense leads to distruction.

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, Your Word is clear in directing us how to live – especially in a world that looks intently at everything we do or say. Please Lord, direct us at all times, so that our words and actions will support our commitment to You. May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart always be acceptable in Your sight, oh Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer. As others watch, whether judgmental or not, may they always see Jesus in and through me, and may He be glorified by those who recognize truth. 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!

Not Afraid!

On 2021-10-022021-10-01 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Saturday, 2021-10-02
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Psalm 56:2-4
TRANSLATION: The Passion Translation (TPT)

BIBLE TEXT: ²Not a day goes by without somebody harassing me. So many in their pride trample me under their feet.
³But in the day that I’m afraid, I lay all my fears before you and trust in you with all my heart.
⁴What harm could a man bring to me? With God on my side, I will not be afraid of what comes. The roaring praises of God fill my heart as I trust his promises.

APPLICATION: It seems to me that there are three distinct parts to our Scripture from Psalm 56, and it would be good for us to understand each of the three:
1). Recognize our stress points – David felt like king Saul and his men were harassing him, and there were many who just trampled him under their feet, in their pride and arrogance. For us, there may be things such as Covid, or its remedies, or the things imposed to help protect us from the disease. It may be our fellow employees who degrade us and make us feel inferior. It may just be a low self esteem. I believe it is important that we not act like everything is OK, if we are actually stressed to the limit over something in our lives;
2). Know where to turn when stress becomes overwhelming – David knew that in any given day when he was feeling overwhelmed, he could pull up alongside Jesus and everything would be alright. God was the one Solid Rock in his life that brought relief and contentment. For some of you, it may be alcohol or drugs. For some it may be overeating. For some, you have to deal with the anger that wells up inside of you when others pick at you. Know where you will run to when life is filled with overwhelming stress, and it seems like every one is picking on you;
3). Be confident when you run to your rescuer – David had no doubt that when he did his part in seeking out God, or drawing closer to Him in his time of trouble, that He alone could save and only He could mend a broken and stressed heart. Let me encourage you to be that confident in the one that you place your trust and faith in to help you through life.
I believe that it is extremely helpful to also plan a time of praise and thanksgiving when you realize that God resolved your issue. So often after pleading with God for a long time, we become involved in life after seeing our resolution, and don’t remember to even return thanks to the Almighty God for His goodness. With a humble heart you may ask God for help in resolving the issues at hand, but it is always with a thankful heart that you come back to the table and thank Him for His goodness and His miraculous touch. If you’re afraid, my friend, you may not have sufficient faith to trust in God for all your problems. Strive diligently to trust in God and call on Him as Your Master and Lord.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: With God on my side, I will not be afraid!

PRAYER: Lord, as You are well aware, we are faced with one stress right after another. And even though these may not necessary come from an individual trying to harm us, yet we struggle to overcome these things. You are our strength, You are our protection and You are our provider. Please remind us of Your presence and how You are standing with open arms to receive us unto Yourself, especially when we feel overwhelmed. You provided peace in the midst of the storm for Peter and his brothers; You provided comfort and contentment for David in his time of stress, and I am convinced that You stand ready and willing to bring us comfort and release when, and as, we need it. Oh that others may see You for who You are and for all that You can be in our lives. AMEN!

Oh For His Measureless Grace!

On 2021-10-012021-09-30 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Grace, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Friday, 2021-10-01
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Psalm 55:22
TRANSLATION: The Passion Translation (TPT)

BIBLE TEXT: ²²So here’s what I’ve learned through it all:
Leave all your cares and anxieties at the feet of the Lord,
and measureless grace will strengthen you.

APPLICATION: For the majority of humans, I believe that we have inherited a sense of urgency when life is not going perfectly at all times. For example: when we develop a pain or discomfort, we rush into the doctor’s office for a medicine that will help us overcome that. When our bank account dries up, we apply for another credit card or we run to our banker for a loan to get us over the hump. When situations develop in our family that impacts our home-life, we find a pastor who will try to help us deal with, or overcome the problem. We seem to search out ‘fixes’ for most of life’s issues, don’t we? But what do we do when we are told something we don’t want to hear, like a doctor who tells us that hospitalization and/or surgery might be the only fix for our medical issues? Or a pastor who advises that things will only get worse if we don’t make some very serious decisions that could negatively impact our family even more? For some of us, that’s when we turn to Jesus – as a last resort. It seems like the Psalmist might be supporting our normal trends, for he found grace at the foot of the cross, and he is advising us to do the same. But unless we take this bit of advise separate and apart from the rest of the Bible, we may forget that Jesus also told us that some suffering is a gift from Him. Say WHAT???? Let me suggest that you click on the following two Scripture verses so that you can see for yourself what Jesus said about this: Philippians 1:29 and John 18:11. Friends, I believe that God would have His children know that regardless of our challenges in life, we have a Father who cares for us and will see us through every circumstance of life. For some scenarios, we might experience healing, and for some we may be challenged by the way He chooses to handle it, but as His child we must always know that God loves us, and that His measureless grace is sufficient for all our anxiety and cares of this world. Let’s always keep the end goal in mind – Jesus has gone to prepare a place for us in heaven. As we journey towards that goal, we will need Him to hold our hand and gently lead us through situations that sometimes seem impossible, troublesome or even unsurmountable to us. He cares for us, He loves us, and He will guide us in ways that will bring Him glory and praise. Perhaps if we stop fighting to have our own way, we will see and appreciate the blessings He sends our way!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: God’s measureless grace is all sufficient for our every care and concern!

PRAYER: I am reminded of a chorus I learned as a child attending Sunday School: God is still on the throne, and He will remember His own, though trials may come and often beset us, yet He is still on the throne! Of course there are other songs that fit the intent of this verse today also: He never promised us a rose garden! But thank You Jesus, You did promise us that You will never leave us or forsake us, and that Your measureless grace is all sufficient for each and every child. May we find peace and contentment in knowing that we are a child of the King and that You have our best interest at heart, precious Lord. For the unsaved who will not experience this comfort and peace, I pray that You will speak intently to them today, Lord. AMEN!

Reason To Shout!

On 2021-09-302021-09-29 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Worship1 Comment

DATE POSTED Thursday, 2021-09-30
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Luke 19:37-40
TRANSLATION: Contemporary English Version (CEV)

BIBLE TEXT: ³⁷When Jesus was starting down the Mount of Olives, his large crowd of disciples were happy and praised God because of all the miracles they had seen. ³⁸They shouted, “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory to God.”
³⁹Some Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, make your disciples stop shouting!”
⁴⁰But Jesus answered, “If they keep quiet, these stones will start shouting.”

APPLICATION: I believe that the excuse modern day Christians give for their reserved praise and worship services is because they are accustomed to celebrating inwardly. Really? How much incentive do you acknowledge from the ‘inward’ praises of your parents/spouse/friends? As a youngster growing up in a very reserved community, I remember going by car to the nearby town where we sat and watched a charismatic congregation rejoice in songs of praise and through the preaching of the word, in ways that we hardly did on the baseball field sidelines! We never doubted that they were worshiping, but it seems like their habits never impacted our lives to worship in that manner. However, as an older adult, where my times with the Lord are super charged with the joy of knowing my Savior intimately; Where my life has been impacted by my Savior in miraculous ways over the years; Where the Word of God has become very personal to me and where I apply it’s truth to my life on an ongoing basis, it excites me to hear from God and to see Him at work miraculously in my life. But I believe that the question remains: does everyone who come into contact with me know that I am a Christ follower? Do I worship Him so boldly that my opposers are shaking in their boots and asking me to quiet down? When most of us received Christ, it was evident to everyone, for we didn’t care who was around when we lifted up the name of Jesus and sang praises to our new-found King. What happened? He’s still King, and as I already said, I draw closer to Him every day as I learn of His commands, and practice His teachings, so why am I not as outwardly excited? I believe that something happens inside of us every time that we recognize we are in the presence of Jesus, and I believe that we are especially thankful and extremely happy when we are aware of His mighty works in our lives. Perhaps we need to go by the words of another great old hymn: Count you blessings, name them one by one… Let’s stop attributing our blessings to another lucky day, or a ‘win for all’ where a certain good thing happened. Instead, let us draw close to God and be keenly aware of all that He does in our lives – things that bear no other earthly explanation. I believe we will all find reasons to ‘tick off our neighbors’ because of our continual celebrative lifestyle! Jesus deserves our praise, dear ones! We have a reason to shout!!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: So many, so often, and so loud will be our praises when we truly acknowledge the source of our daily blessings! Not just those that we expect every day, but particularly those personal ones with our name written all over them! Only Jesus, dear friends! Let’s learn to shout our praises to our well-deserving King!

PRAYER: As a recipient of all good things from on high, I feel like my expressions of joy, happiness and praise to my Maker is very underwhelming. I am reminded of a song ‘How Can I Say Thanks’, for I feel like that should be my heart’s cry every time I’m reminded of the goodness of my King. Thank You Lord for the miracles You have performed in my life and all around me. You are truly worthy of my every praise and endless expressions of thanksgiving. Lord, I pray that You will speak gently, but boldly to Your children who will be reminded of Your goodness today. May we all celebrate from a heart of thanksgiving to our Maker and our Eternal Father. Thank You Jesus for saving my soul, thank You Lord for making me whole. As a child of the King, I stand boldly in saying that You are so deserving of all my praise and also that of my readers and listeners. Be glorified today because of the opened hearts of Your children. AMEN!

What Should We Do?

On 2021-09-292021-09-28 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, direction, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Wednesday, 2021-09-29
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Luke 3:10-14
TRANSLATION: New Living Translation (NLT)

BIBLE TEXT: ¹⁰The crowds asked, “What should we do?”
¹¹John replied, “If you have two shirts, give one to the poor. If you have food, share it with those who are hungry.”
¹²Even corrupt tax collectors came to be baptized and asked, “Teacher, what should we do?”
¹³He replied, “Collect no more taxes than the government requires.”
¹⁴“What should we do?” asked some soldiers.
John replied, “Don’t extort money or make false accusations. And be content with your pay.”

APPLICATION: I believe that most will ask ‘Why should I change?’, for we are all convinced what we are doing is right and just. However, when presented with facts that challenge our beliefs or our practices, we must decide whether we want to continue doing the ‘norm’ or whether we should accept the change presented to us. After all, we all want to be the best man or woman possible while here on earth. As for what God expects of His creation, I believe that God created us with a very special purpose in mind. He proved His love for us in very special ways – the most important being the sacrifice of His own dear Son, so that we might have options/choices about escaping Hell’s fire and damnation. God also ordained messengers to reenforce that message to us, especially when we become so engrossed in the things of this world. John the Baptist was one of such messengers, and in Luke 3 we are blessed with a reminder of his ministry. The Word of God is still alive today, because we are able to apply it’s truths to our lives, and I believe that the challenge remains for the Christian: prove by the way you live, that you have repented of your sin and turned to God – as per verse 8. For the unbeliever, I believe that John would have you know that it really doesn’t matter what your parents do, in attending church regularly and giving generously to its cause. But instead, know that true life comes through Jesus Christ alone. Accept His free gift of eternal life and then do just as commanded above, per verse 8, live like you mean it. Jesus said in another instance of His walk here on earth: I wish you would be hot or cold, for I despise the hypocrite. In other words dear friends, don’t think that you could convince God you are saved by what you do, what you give, or by whom you are related to. If you know that you have followed God’s commands regarding salvation, then your life will reflect that change. Saying that you are a child of the King, but continuing to act as the world, makes you a hypocrite, and that makes God sick to His stomach. Many will ask ‘what shall I do?’, unless you are living like a true believer in Jesus Christ, you will be hard-pressed to honestly help them know what to do, and live the right way.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: True Children of Jesus Christ will live like children of Christ. As unbelievers analyze our lives, I trust that they will conclude whose we are.

PRAYER: Precious Lord, take my hand, lead me on and let me stand in awe of You. This world has nothing to offer, so please help my readers and listeners to join me in standing firm in the One whom we claim as King of kings and Lord of lords. As we do this, please help the world to see Jesus in us – our every word, action and deed. Draw the world to Yourself oh God, and if You can use us in that work, please make full use of us. Help us not to be stumbling blocks that only confuse the unsaved. They want Jesus, and not a fake misrepresentation of Him. Draw them close oh Lord, and please keep us close so that we could help show them what to do. AMEN!

Only God Can

On 2021-09-282021-09-27 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, God Can Do It Again, God Cares For Us, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Worship2 Comments

DATE POSTED Tuesday, 2021-09-28
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Judges 16:19-20
TRANSLATION: New Living Translation (NLT)

BIBLE TEXT: ¹⁹Delilah lulled Samson to sleep with his head in her lap, and then she called in a man to shave off the seven locks of his hair. In this way she began to bring him down, and his strength left him.
²⁰Then she cried out, “Samson! The Philistines have come to capture you!
When he woke up, he thought, “I will do as before and shake myself free.” But he didn’t realize the Lord had left him.

APPLICATION: It seems more and more prevalent for doctors to let us make our own choices on certain treatments available to us. They present the facts, and leave the decision up to us. God has always shown us that same freedom. He has a glorious eternity in mind for us, and He presents through His Word all the reasons why it would be beneficial for us to accept His Son, Jesus, but He leaves the actual decision up to us. God also had a very special life in store for Samson, as a judge over Israel. He gave him physical strength that any earthly man would be envious of, but God also gave Samson the freedom to make his own choices. There was a certain ‘weakness’ that Samson displayed towards the opposit sex, for he loved women, and they were attracted to him because of his physique. Unfortunately, we are a lot like Samson, in that we are generally warned about certain dangers, and we agree with those dangers, but we tend to think that everything will be alright, because we know how to protect ourselves against the evil plans of others. But as the Scripture tells us, Samson was not as independently strong as he felt he was, and he was therefore lulled into a game that threatened his very life. My friends, I believe God is still warning us today of the power and strength of the Evil One. I realize that many of you are very similar to me, and would quickly say ‘we’ve got this’, but let me remind you that just as we are no match for the Almighty God, neither are we any match for God’s greatest oponent, Satan. Remember, God loves us so much that He showed us at Calvary how deep that love ran, but if we insist on doing life ‘our way’, He is gentleman enough to let us. You will be warned over and over about the dangers and extreme risks, but if we keep shoving God away and grabbing the reigns for ourself, God will do for us what He did for Samson, He will let us face the battle all alone, and that will lead to complete failure. Fortunately for us, the opposite is still very true today. If we call on God, He is faithful and just, and He will forgive us of our sin, and He will stand by us to the very end of time here on earth. Receive your free gift today precious friend. Allow God to be God of your life and in all circumstances of life. God never fails!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Submission to God results in His love, protection and deliverance through all of earths pain, trials and temptations. Seek Him today, while He may be found, and let Him lead you in every circumstance of life.

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, You made us with great big egos, and way too often we feel like we could handle every challenge and difficulty presented to us here on earth. But Lord, You alone is the answer to all of life’s challenges, and we are reminded daily that we can’t do life without You. Please help us to learn from Samson and not become caught up in feeling like we could handle the Evil One, for only You can keep Satan at bay. Forgive us Lord when we try to assume Your position in our lives, we need You every moment of every day. Please reign us back in immediately when You see us wandering off to try and handle things on our own. We need You precious Father. Please work out Your will and way in our lives and impact others as You see the need evident in them. AMEN!

SEE Jesus and Worship Him

On 2021-09-272021-09-27 By Ed AlgreenIn Acknowledge God, Awesome God, Power of God, Powerful, Praise, Recognize God, See God, WorshipLeave a comment

Friday, 2021-09-27

Bible Reference: Matthew 28:16-17
Translation: New Living Translation (NIV)

Bible Text: ¹⁶ Then the eleven disciples left for Galilee, going to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. ¹⁷ When they saw him, they worshiped him—but some of them doubted!

APPLICATION: In our scripture reference today we see one of many instances where folk saw Jesus, and they bowed down and worshiped Him. I acknowledge that this particular instance is so miraculous that it would give reason for anyone to ‘worship’ the Master. But let’s be careful to note that Jesus was crucified, died, buried, and three days later He arose from the dead, and now He stand in the very presence of His disciples! But friends, I want us to stop and meditate on the many times that we stand in the presence of the Lord Jesus, but do we always stop and acknowledge Him and/or offer up our sacrifices of praise to Him? Matthew Henry in his commentary on this verse says “All that see the Lord Jesus with an eye of faith, will worship him.” I could almost imagine by now you are dumbfounded as to what I might be getting at here, because although the Lord Jesus stood in the presence of the disciples, you probably can’t remember the last time that He did that to you, right? Dear friends, we are presented with reminders of our Lord Jesus every day and we make personal choices as to what we do with that. If you pick up the precious Word of God and read it, you will be flooded with evidence and overwhelmed by the presence of God as you read about Him – but do you stop to worship Him and acknowledge His greatness? If you walk out of your home and stop complaining about the humidity, or the cold, or the heat long enough you will SEE the beauty of all that God has provided for you to enjoy, you might consider raising your hands in praise to Him for His miraculous touch on everything from the heights of the skies to the beautiful green grass and flowers that you see, to the cattle that produces dairy products and/or beef for your plate, to the beautiful waterfalls that make us wonder where is the water coming from so high up on a mountain, to the beautiful ocean that is filled with man’s best foods, etc. If you enter God’s house of worship and hear the stories of how God has miraculously healed and/or touched His children, you will SEE where God has been busy meeting the needs of His people, and you will worship Him knowing that there is still hope for Him to also miraculously help you through your challenges that seem insurmountable to you at times. Friends, it is time for us to stop whining and start praising. It is time for us to stop attributing God’s miracles that occur all around us every day, to happen-chance, or good luck, or any other worldly credit, and truly SEE God for who He is. It is then that we will worship Him in deep sincerity like the disciples exampled for us in this Scripture today. Jesus is still alive and He is looking for opportunities to bless you, so that you may SEE Him, if only you will let Him into your world. Won’t you do that today friend?

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, thank You for Your presence each and every day. Please forgive us for the times that we find every other reason in the world why something special occurred in our life, before we finally realize that it truly was the God of this universe that stepped in and blessed us. You have provided lots of evidence of your miraculous hand at work in our lives and all around us. Please open our spiritual eyes so that we may SEE Your goodness, Your miracles and Your love that You want so badly for us to accept and envelope. Lord, may we truly learn to worship You in every way, because of all that You place before us as evidence of Your presence. Please also open the eyes of the non-believer today so that they will realize that there is no other explanation for the miracles around them other than the awesome power and greatness of the Almighty God. Lord I pray that our worship and our praise will come naturally, as we recognize the originator of our blessings. Thank You for being so good to us! I ask these things in the gracious and blessed name of Jesus, AMEN!

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

How To See Jesus

On 2021-09-262021-09-25 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Humility, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Seeking God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Sunday, 2021-09-26
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Luke 19:5-7
TRANSLATION: The Passion Translation (TPT)

BIBLE TEXT: ⁵When Jesus got to that place, he looked up into the tree and said, “Zacchaeus, hurry on down, for I must stay at your house today!”
⁶So he scurried down the tree and found himself face-to-face with Jesus.
⁷As Jesus left to go with Zacchaeus, many in the crowd complained, “Look at this! Of all the people to have dinner with, he’s going to eat in the house of a crook.”

APPLICATION: Some may go to a church service at a very large church, and they will sit far in the back in, what they feel is, a very inconspicuous place, so that no one will identify them. They’re just curious about who Jesus is, and what this church attendance thing is all about. But here’s a thought for you to consider: in and of our own sinful selves, we want nothing to do with God or His places of worship; however when God is tugging at our sinful heart, we suddenly become interested in Him, His servants and His places. So let me remind you that when you show up to church, or when Zacchaeus climbed up that tree, God is already busy at work in your heart. yes, God may have used your parents to ‘bug’ you once again about going to church, but I encourage you to listen to what God is saying to you. Notice that Jesus needed no lookouts to point out those hiding in trees, nor did He need an introduction to the chiefest of sinners in their midst. Jesus simply looked up, confirmed His suspicions about a man being in a tree who needed Him, and He called Zacchaeus down, by name. Knowing his sinful condition, and knowing how he was frowned upon by his people, yet Jesus zoomed in on Zacchaeus and wanted to actually spend time with him. I love how this translation says that Zacchaeus came face-to-face with Jesus, because there was a day when I surrendered my heart to Jesus, and I came face-to-face with Him as He helped me make a total 180-degree turn from the sinful path I was on. I believe there are some who will read, or listen to, this devotional today and feel like Jesus is just looking over your head at the sinner behind you, because you are too far gone, and beyond the saving grace of Jesus Christ. Please allow me to remind you that Jesus is not surprised about any sin you might need to confess to Him. He also knows you by name, and He is willing to visit with you today, so that He might change your life into a usable vessel for His glory. You may feel like you have hidden real good from God and, perhaps, all of His messengers. Notice that Jesus found Zacchaeus, spent time with him, changed his life, and he and his whole household were saved. I believe that you may not be capable of imagining what all God might have in store for you! My friend, you are no less that the greatest preacher ever lived, you too could be a child of the King – the King of all kings, if only you will search for Jesus in all sincerity, and accept His call on your life. Please let this be the day you will always celebrate as your ‘new birth in Jesus Christ’! I want to see you in glory as we worship at the throne of the Almighty, but that will only happen if you surrender your life to Jesus, for He is the only way to heaven. Zacchaeus was bold enough to make this decision in spite of the riches he accrued from his crooked job, surely you can give up what you feel is important to you here on earth so that you might also accept Jesus and welcome Him into your house and family, God being your helper and guide.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: The current condition of Zacchaeus’ life had no impact on how Jesus looked at his need for salvation. He knew him by name and He knew all about his sin. Praise God, salvation is available to all!

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, I praise You for accepting us, even in our sinful condition, and You miraculously recondition us for the glorious meeting with the Father in Heaven some day! Thank You Jesus for identifying and saving our friend, Zacchaeus. Now Lord, I believe that there will be some who will read, or listen to, this devotional and they will realize that they are in a similar condition to that of Zacchaeus. Please soften their hearts, give them boldness and humility to seek Your presence and acknowledge You as Lord. May this be the day of salvation for many, I pray. AMEN!

Show Mercy

On 2021-09-252021-09-24 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Help, Mercy, Needs, Our Help comes from God, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Saturday, 2021-09-25
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Luke 18:38-39; 43
TRANSLATION: The Passion Translation (TPT)

BIBLE TEXT: ³⁸The blind beggar shouted, “Jesus, Son of David, have pity and show me mercy!”
³⁹Those in the front of the crowd scolded him and warned him to be quiet, but the blind beggar screamed out even louder, “Jesus, Son of David, show me mercy!”
⁴³Instantly he could see again. His eyes popped open, and he saw Jesus standing in front of him! He shouted loud praises to God and he followed Jesus. And when the crowd saw what happened, they too erupted with shouts of praise to God.

APPLICATION: Laws have been enacted to make sure that our disabled persons find somewhere handy to park near a business. Ramps have been built to facilitate wheelchair access, and many times brail is posted next to important signs. But how often do we see able persons taking the referenced parking spots for quick accessibility, and being discourteous in other ways that would disappoint and hurt our friends that are truly disabled? In our Scripture today, we have a picture of a blind man who found his way to the edge of the road along which Jesus was traveling. He could hear from the noise and excitability of the people that someone important was coming, so upon learning it was Jesus, he started to shout for the His attention. The abled-bodied people around him demanded silence, perhaps because they didn’t want Jesus to turn away from such a rowdy bunch. But why didn’t the people see the predicament of the blind man and instead be his spokesperson to draw Jesus over to him? Wouldn’t we have done that? Perhaps some would help, but in all practicality many would not. For those of my readers who have used a wheelchair before, for one reason or another, perhaps on a temporary basis, you may have noticed that people avoid eye contact with you. I’m sure its because they are just at a loss to what they would say to you, but we all must remember that for the person in that wheelchair, they are the same person that may ordinarily pass by and smile at you or ask to help you, if they were otherwise enabled to do so. Friends, I believe that this story is perfectly placed in the Word so that we could be reminded to have mercy on those who may not be as perfect as we are in every physical way, and not to look down on them as being less than us. Most importantly, we must always remember that we all need Jesus! It may not be for physical healing, but perhaps for our internal grievances towards pride, greed, envy and selfish desires. I believe the change of heart from shutting the communication of the blind beggar down, to vs 43 where the same folk rejoiced with the blind man over being healed of his sight, is an awesome contrast to how we feel when we’ve been blessed to see God’s hand at work on a daily basis. Let me encourage all my readers and listeners to have an eye out for the needy and be willing to chip in and do what you can to help them get to Jesus. The angels in heaven will rejoice with you when one soul is won to Jesus. Having a part in that process will also help you rejoice more!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Although the people rejoiced when the blind beggar was healed, I believe that all of heaven rejoiced as Jesus also gave the man ‘new life’ – something that we all need if we want to ‘see’ Jesus in heaven!

PRAYER: Thank You Jesus for not only restoring sight to the blind man, but for also giving him new life in Jesus! I pray that every reader and listener will be reminded of the need for salvation by all, not just those who are like them, or look like them, or act like them. We ALL need Jesus! Send us out again today to be Your instruments so that all those that we are exposed to will be drawn to You and receive You into their lives. May we also carry the torch of Jesus to the broken world that we are a part of. AMEN!

Nuggets From God's Word

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