Tag: God

Make It Right With God

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

DATE POSTED Tuesday, 2021-09-14
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Psalm 51:10-12
TRANSLATION: Easy-to-Read Version (ERV)

BIBLE TEXT: 10 God, create a pure heart in me, and make my spirit strong again.
11 Don’t push me away or take your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Your help made me so happy. Give me that joy again. Make my spirit strong and ready to obey you.

APPLICATION: God knows all about our sin, but Solomon showed us that it is important that when we approach God for forgiveness, that we acknowledge that we are all too aware of our wickedness and that we are coming to the only perfect One who is able to restore our relationship with Him. We must also seek forgiveness from the One whose Holy Spirit resides in the heart of a Christian. It is obvious that this sin committed by Solomon really wreaked havoc on his very spirit, for he asked God to strengthen his spirit again. I believe that there are times when we are so aware of our sin, and so ashamed of our weakness, than we find it tough to go on – especially in a way where we might once again feel innocent enough to share Christ with our circle of friends. You see, others must see Jesus in us and the impact that He is having on us, for them to really believe in whatever we are trying to evangelize. We can only ask like Solomon did, that God might restore a right spirit within us, and help us relive what we felt at the time we accepted Jesus as Lord. Solomon had committed serious sin, and just as he sought out his Master, I’m sure there are times that we feel much like him, as we tend to feel ashamed of ourselves and unworthy to again proclaim the Savior that we represent. I pray that today we might truly reflect on the actions that Solomon took, and take our concerns before the only one that could help us overcome the effects of sin on our life. Let’s be sure to ask God for an opportunity to start all over afresh, and restore the joy of our salvation.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: I believe that God does much like the father of the Prodical son, I believe that He stands with open arms waiting for us to ask His forgiveness and seek a renewed spirit.

PRAYER: Thank You Lord for giving us stories like this one about Solomon, for these examples help us to know that there is hope for all who will call on the name of Jesus, and ask for His forgiveness. Oh how we desire a right spirit within us, especially when we’ve messed up. Lord Jesus, please humble the hearts of Your children to let go of the sins that so easily beset us. We know the answer – it’s Jesus! Please help us to breakdown our pride and acknowledge our sin before You as we seek Your forgiveness and help to overcome the pain from our sin. We are truly hoping as we are renewed, You will once again place us in situations, and before the right folk that need to know more about You and accept Your leadership in their life. AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: There are two more pages on my blog that will provide you with additional information, one of them being ‘To Know Jesus’. If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please click on the above page, or speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. Please allow someone to pray with you and give you help and/or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Words underlined in my blog might indicate a link to a song that came to mind as I wrote the devotional. Feel free to click on the link and listen as you continue to read or pray. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to Nuggets From God’s Word and read more, or you may freely subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. You may also visit me on Spotify and listen to Nuggets while you’re out and about. I would encourage you to find a church home near by your home, and attend as frequently as you could. Get to know God, and allow His people to encourage and strengthen you in your Christian walk, while making every effort to be a blessing to them. God is at work among His people! Please consider growing in your faith, as you worship with fellow believers!

The Things We Long For

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Come Soon, Heaven, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Monday, 2021-09-13
WRITTEN AT: Naples FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Luke 2:25-28
TRANSLATION: Living Bible (TLB)

BIBLE TEXT: 25 That day a man named Simeon, a Jerusalem resident, was in the Temple. He was a good man, very devout, filled with the Holy Spirit and constantly expecting the Messiah to come soon. 26 For the Holy Spirit had revealed to him that he would not die until he had seen him—God’s anointed King. 27 The Holy Spirit had impelled him to go to the Temple that day; and so, when Mary and Joseph arrived to present the baby Jesus to the Lord in obedience to the law, 28 Simeon was there and took the child in his arms, praising God.

APPLICATION: I believe that our longings will have a lot to do with the content of our heart. For most teenage girls, they probably long to find a good husband. For middle-age men they probably long for evidence of their successful godly leadership in their home. For the casual church attender, I believe they endure the service and probably long for it’s conclusion! But for the child of God who has their heart truly set on the things of God, what might we tend to long for? Speaking from a personal perspective, I find that the more I study and meditate on the Word of God, the more excited I become about being in the presence of our Lord and Savior, while looking back on the heartaches and stress of this old world. Friends, I believe that we could easily become caught up in two ways that pull us towards God and being in His presence. The more we watch the news channels, we become so disgusted with this world and all the sin that mankind has either introduced, or is currently working towards, and we soon realize that we are longing for the day that God takes us out of this mess. Secondly, the more that we read God’s Word; talk with Him; and have fellowship with Him as we truly worship Him, we find ourselves longing for the day that we will be in His presence for all eternity. As we look at the story of Simeon, we should note that he had such a close relationship with God, that: he was given a prophecy about the Messiah that would come; and he was led by the Holy Spirit to visit the temple on the very day that Mary and Joseph took Jesus there to be dedicated. I believe that we should realize that a close walk with God is necessary to hear His voice and to enjoy time with Him every day. In doing this we begin to realize that He is the answer to our world’s many issues and the violence and hatred that is dividing our world and creating such havoc. We will also begin longing to be with Jesus, for He is love and He is the best answer to world peace. There is no diseases where Jesus is, so our anxious thoughts about Covid and any other disease that may stump the medical experts of this world, will all be left behind when we go to be with Jesus. Friends, I have only given you enough to whet your appetite and help you conclude that better is one day with God, than a lifetime here on this earth. You will be inclined to worship, love, adore and appreciate the things that you long for. I pray that you will be encouraged to accept and long for the things of Christ every day, versus anything this world could possibly offer you.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: The Holy Spirit impelled Simeon to visit the temple so that he could encounter the child Jesus – the One he had been longing to come and save his people! I pray that God will impel us to do those things that please Him each and every day so that He may be lifted up and honored!

PRAYER: Dear Lord, You have been so gracious to us and given us so much to look forward to here on earth, and especially when we join with You and the Father in heaven. May we become so overjoyed about our homecoming that others might be tempted to learn about and understand our anxious minds. I pray that they might become curious enough to want to know the Savior that my readers and I adore. Please Lord, continue to melt the hearts of those we love so that they might lose sight of the things of this world as they look heavenward. Thank You for providing the way for us to see You one day soon. We long for that day! 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!

Son, You’re Home Now!

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

DATE POSTED Sunday, 2021-09-12
WRITTEN AT: Naples FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Luke 15:20-21
TRANSLATION: The Passion Translation (TPT)

BIBLE TEXT: 20 “So the young son set off for home. From a long distance away, his father saw him coming, dressed as a beggar, and great compassion swelled up in his heart for his son who was returning home. The father raced out to meet him, swept him up in his arms, hugged him dearly, and kissed him over and over with tender love.
21 “Then the son said, ‘Father, I was wrong. I have sinned against you. I could never deserve to be called your son. Just let me be—’ “The father interrupted and said, ‘Son, you’re home now!’

APPLICATION: This is probably one of the most well known parables, and perhaps one that is most used in sermons. However, as I read this yet again today, I was reminded of all that Jesus may have been demonstrating to the Pharisees, and wanting us to understand. There are a few points that God spoke to my heart on:
– -> When he was at his lowest point, the Prodical son came to his senses. He realized that life could be so improved if only he would accept the love of his father and all that he had to offer. The grass, that seemed to be so much greener on the other side of the fence, is not always as pleasing as we anticipate. But most importantly the son remembered the love of his father that he left at home. Now, as we think about our decisions today, let’s remember that we also have the choice of accepting Jesus as our Savior and enjoy the peace of mind in knowing that our Heavenly Father – the creator of all things, has a place prepared for us that cannot compare to anything we know today. Unfortunately each of us have family and friends who have followed in the footsteps of the Prodical Son. They are enthused by all that the world has to offer, and they would rather wait until they no longer can enjoy planet earth before conceding to the love and concern that the Father has for His children. It hurts my soul dear friends, does it not have an impact on you?
-—> The love of the father in this story reminds me so much of our Heavenly Father. Remember how the angels rejoice in heaven whenever a lost one is found? Don’t you know that our precious Father also stands with opened arms to welcome all of His kids that have found their way to the foot of the cross? God showed His love for us, even while we were sinners, by sending and sacrificing His very own Son, so that we would have a clear avenue to heaven where He could love on us and care for us eternally.
Friends, the Prodical Son is a parable that should help us identify how we run away from those that love us; how we feel like something better is just around the corner for us, especially if we could separate from those who cling to and love us; How the Father is standing with opened arms to welcome us home, if only we will come to our senses and accept His love. I just love the welcoming words of the Prodical’s earthly father ‘Son you’re home’! Can’t you hear the excitement in his voice as he probably crumbles in total joy and happiness while welcoming his son back home? Can you even imagine the face of our Father in Heaven as He welcomes us home? Can you hear the angels singing as He declares ‘You’re home son!’

BLESSING(S) NOTED: I can think of no better words I would rather hear, than my Father in Heaven saying “Welcome home my son, you’re home now”. And no better sound than to hear the angel chorus singing Alleluias as I’m welcomed home!

PRAYER: Thank You Father for the assurance of knowing that my eternal home is awaiting my welcome by God the Father and His precious Son Jesus! Alleluia to the King of kings and Lord of lords! But Lord, I have so many that I am unsure about their final destination. Please humble the heart of my loved ones, and please give me strength and boldness to invite them to join me. Lord, I believe that You will return soon to take Your bride home to glory. I will glory in the empty cross as I wait for Your return, and I will never stop praying for the lost as long as You see fit to leave me here below. May You be glorified today as the unsaved surrender their hearts to You. AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: There are two more pages on my blog that will provide you with additional information, one of them being ‘To Know Jesus’. If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please click on the above page, or speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. Please allow someone to pray with you and give you help and/or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Words underlined in my blog might indicate a link to a song that came to mind as I wrote the devotional. Feel free to click on the link and listen as you continue to read or pray. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to Nuggets From God’s Word and read more, or you may freely subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. You may also visit me on Spotify and listen to Nuggets while you’re out and about. I would encourage you to find a church home near by your home, and attend as frequently as you could. Get to know God, and allow His people to encourage and strengthen you in your Christian walk, while making every effort to be a blessing to them. God is at work among His people! Please consider growing in your faith, as you worship with fellow believers!

Your Brother’s Keeper

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Imitate Jesus, Imitator of Christ, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Friday, 2021-09-10
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Judges 2:1-3
TRANSLATION: Living Bible (TLB)

BIBLE TEXT:  1 …. “I brought you out of Egypt into this land that I promised to your ancestors, and I said that I would never break my covenant with you, 2 if you, on your part, would make no peace treaties with the people living in this land; I told you to destroy their heathen altars. Why have you not obeyed? 3 And now since you have broken the contract, it is no longer in effect, and I no longer promise to destroy the nations living in your land; rather, they shall be thorns in your sides, and their gods will be a constant temptation to you.”

APPLICATION: Very early in the Bible, Cain was asked about his brother, Abel’s whereabouts. In Genesis 4:9 we can read where Cain responded to the Lord ‘Am I my brother’s keeper’? Of course we know the full story, for Cain was not ready to acknowledge to the Lord that he had killed his brother. This phrase is repeated still today when one is not wanting to be held accountable for a brother. But let’s look closely into our Scripture today. When your brother, neighbor, friend, or someone you know, does something that will impact your life, shouldn’t you be concerned about what they do? God made a covenant agreement with the Israelites very early on. This meant that he promised to do something for them, if they promised to do what he told them. Friends, unlike covenant agreements made at wedding ceremonies, that are often broken, God stands firmly by His covenant agreements. He promised that He would see that they and/or their successors will make it into a land flowing with milk and honey. Much different to the country of Egypt where they were enslaved and where they did exactly as they were ordered to do. At this point in our Scripture reading, God had brought the nation of Israel into this promised land, however it was very obvious that the Israelites had no intention of holding up their covenant agreement with God, for they did not totally destroy the idols and everyone in the new land they were about to occupy. So they were all about to receive God’s hand of judgment. Do you suppose that every individual was guilty of the sin God saw in them? Now look around you and think about the bad things that others see happening in your church, or in your school. Because you are a part of those entities, you are also determined guilty of the sin your neighbors think about when you tell them that you attend church there, or you went to school there. Friends, I believe that God showed me today that although He expects me to keep myself holy and in tuned with my maker, that I should also do all within my power to impact the lives of those around me. God was upset with the Israelites for not destroying the idols they found, because He knew they would soon turn and worship them. While we are tasked with the responsibility of witnessing to our neighbors, we must strive to win them over, otherwise their sinful acts might start to influence us. Be concerned about your neighbors my friend, if they are not for the Lord, then they stand a chance of distracting us from our course as we strive for righteousness through the power of the Almighty God. There’s no way of being classified as anything different to what the world sees in the majority of folk around us. Yes, God knows our individual hearts, and I thank Him for that. But let’s pray that the world will see our church as an extension of God’s grace and power. May they see our cities as filled with children of God waiting for the return or our Lord and Savior. May they become weak in their sin, so that their hearts may be attracted to the love and grace of our Father in heaven. Be concerned about your neighbor, may they know Jesus just like you do!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: God is holy, and He is looking for a holy people to occupy heaven with He, His Son, and His angels. May we look at our neighbors and be concerned about their lifestyle, if it does not imitate that of Jesus.

PRAYER: Lord, we may have been deprogrammed to turn our heads away from our neighbor’s business. But I believe that You are much more concerned about their heart than us interfering in their personal business. May we make it our business to know that they are a child of the King and that they are determined to live out their time on earth imitating Your walk among us and responding to Your desire to know them personally. May we, as a church, as a city, as a country, be known as followers of Jesus because of the way we live, love and act. 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 Reward From Above

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

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

SCRIPTURE FROM: Luke 14:12-14
TRANSLATION: The Passion Translation (TPT)

BIBLE TEXT: 12 Then Jesus turned to his host and said, “When you throw a banquet, don’t just invite your friends, relatives, or rich neighbors—for it is likely they will return the favor. 13–14 It is better to invite those who never get an invitation. If you invite the poor to your banquet, along with the outcast, the handicapped, and the blind—those who could never repay you the favor, then you will experience a great blessing in this life, and at the resurrection of the godly you will receive a full reward.”

APPLICATION: It seems like the days of mixing with friends and enjoying time together is becoming a rare thing. Partly due to Covid, but I truly believe that we have become such a spoiled and selfish people with our own entertainment – television, devices, etc. in our comfortable recliners, that we couldn’t care less about mixing with others. My wife and I are full-time RV’ers and way too often we visit a park and hardly see anyone, unless they go out to walk their dog. Camping used to be a time that everyone enjoyed the outdoors and the friendly campers that would pass by. Oh the comforts of home! But think about the parties you pitch, or the ones you attend. Don’t you find the same socio-economic type, and the same group of friends? Have you, or any of your well-off neighbors ever pitch a party for the homeless under the nearby bridge, or the beggars who stand at the corner every day? I know, life is just too fragile, and especially with crime at such a high level, you just don’t want to invite strangers into your home. But have you donated your time to the local food bank, or the kitchen that serves the hungry of your community? What if a few of us decided to volunteer at the kitchen on Thanksgiving day, instead of stuffing ourselves while enjoying yet another day of celebration with our family? I believe that as our eyes could be opened to the sobering thought that there are needy people out there who may have gone to the same school we attended, who used to attend the same church that we now call our home church, they have kids who challenge them just like ours do to us at times. I believe it is then that we might realize that there are people out there, just like us, but they need a hand up for just a short while. Perhaps their employment will return soon, or perhaps their retirement funds will be released soon, or their husband will be released from prison soon, with hopes of employment following very soon. In God’s Word Jesus said that in as much as you have done something helpful for the least of these, you have done it for Me. My friends, the needs are many, and often God will check our heart’s condition by placing a need right in front of us. Open your eyes dear friends, and encourage me to do the same. Jesus may be standing right in front of us wondering if we love Him enough to help Him. What will you do? I want to receive my full reward from Jesus when I see Him face-to-face, don’t you?

BLESSING(S) NOTED: A reward is coming, if only we will be the hands and feet of Jesus here on earth and meet the needs that are so obvious, and that are standing right before our eyes!

PRAYER: The needs are many, and You have placed them in very obvious places so that we will be faced with a decision to help, or just pretend that the need could be resolved by someone else. Lord, please open the eyes of each reader and listener, so that we may apply ourselves to the needs and follow your example intently. I am thankful that there are rewards in store for those who see and meet the needs, but Lord I pray that Your children will be so anxious to give in return for all that You did for us on Calvary, that we will do so without any concern for being rewarded again. Please let us be Your hands and feet on the ground, and may we will always be loving and willing servants. AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: There are two more pages on my blog that will provide you with additional information, one of them being ‘To Know Jesus’. If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please click on the above page, or speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. Please allow someone to pray with you and give you help and/or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Words underlined in my blog might indicate a link to a song that came to mind as I wrote the devotional. Feel free to click on the link and listen as you continue to read or pray. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to Nuggets From God’s Word and read more, or you may freely subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. You may also visit me on Spotify and listen to Nuggets while you’re out and about. I would encourage you to find a church home near by your home, and attend as frequently as you could. Get to know God, and allow His people to encourage and strengthen you in your Christian walk, while making every effort to be a blessing to them. God is at work among His people! Please consider growing in your faith, as you worship with fellow believers!

What Say Ye? Whom Will You Serve?

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Praise, Priorities, Priority, Recognize God, Serve, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Wednesday, 2021-09-08
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Joshua 24:19-23
TRANSLATION: New Century Version (NCV)

BIBLE TEXT: 19 Then Joshua said, “You are not able to serve the Lord, because he is a holy God and a jealous God. If you turn against him and sin, he will not forgive you. 20 If you leave the Lord and serve other gods, he will send you great trouble. The Lord may have been good to you, but if you turn against him, he will destroy you.”
21 But the people said to Joshua, “No! We will serve the Lord.”
22 Then Joshua said, “You are your own witnesses that you have chosen to serve the Lord.”
The people said, “Yes, we are.”
23 Then Joshua said, “Now throw away the gods that you have. Love the Lord, the God of Israel, with all your heart.”

APPLICATION: Do you tend to feel uneasy in the company of certain individuals? Perhaps they are very rich, compared to you. Or perhaps they are overly educated, compared to you. In some of Joshua’s final talks with the Israelites, he challenged them to consider their acts of worship to a holy and jealous God. How might you respond to that question? I for one, feel very uneasy if I flippantly miss attending corporate worship, or a daily reading of the Word of God, or daily communication with God in prayer. Some might quickly respond that I may be too legalistic about my relationship with God, but I could only evaluate my own feelings towards my holy and righteous God, and so should you. Notice that Joshua gave a reason why the Israelites may not be worthy of worshipping God – idols. I know, we don’t build idols for people to go and worship, but don’t we honestly allow certain things in life to interfere with our time alone, or corporately with God? Joshua knew that some Israelites collected idols from the countries they had captured, and they worshiped those idols at times. But Joshua felt such a love for his people that he wanted to warn them one last time that our Heavenly Father will not tolerate split allegiances. Why do you suppose? I believe we could look at a very familiar relationship, husband and wife, and understand why no one tolerates this. Imagine a cheating husband. Can a wife notice the difference in their relationship when a man is also having relations with another woman? Although she may not care to acknowledge why her husband is trying to please two women, she would really have to be blind in many ways to not feel and understand that someone else is in the picture. Our God sacrificed His only Son for our salvation, so He will become very jealous of one who shows only half-hearted praise and allegiance in return. I believe that when we split allegiance, we are saying that the primary party no longer meets our needs. Could we truly say that to God? But don’t we do exactly that when we consider other pleasures ahead of the pleasure of worshiping our Savior and Lord? There are many ‘excuses’ that we use to explain why we chose not to read our Bibles, or pray, or attend corporate worship. I find it very interesting when children start using the excuses of their parents when asked if they went to church. But isn’t that what we are doing when we tell our kids to watch closely and do what we do? Paul also said something like that, but he was referring to his walk with the Lord. Oh how I wish we could set aside all excuses (idols) and be so committed to God that we could say openly to those who know us, just follow me as I follow God. Wow, don’t you know that God will smile with pride for his kids who are so dedicated to Him?

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Joshua challenged the Israelites to always choose God and do away with idols. In one of their last promises to Joshua, the people assured him (vs 21): ‘we will serve the Lord’. God still blesses the nation that sets aside its idols and collectively say ‘we will serve the Lord’!

PRAYER: Lord, I pray that with our mouths we may say like the Israelites ‘We will serve the Lord’, and then set aside our idols and worship only You! To do this as a nation, we will have to set aside our petty differences between each other so that we could encourage each other to also set as their primary goal: Worship to the Father and to the Son, for as long as we all are left to wander on this earth. Please soften our hearts Lord and teach us to set our priorities straight. God comes first, even if it means less TV or less online activity, or less partying, or less beach time. Unfortunately, it seems like everything else is a priority, even though You gave it all for us. Please forgive us Lord, and please deal in our hearts to always keep You first in every aspect of our lives. AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: There are two more pages on my blog that will provide you with additional information, one of them being ‘To Know Jesus’. If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please click on the above page, or speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. Please allow someone to pray with you and give you help and/or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Words underlined in my blog might indicate a link to a song that came to mind as I wrote the devotional. Feel free to click on the link and listen as you continue to read or pray. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to Nuggets From God’s Word and read more, or you may freely subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. You may also visit me on Spotify and listen to Nuggets while you’re out and about. I would encourage you to find a church home near by your home, and attend as frequently as you could. Get to know God, and allow His people to encourage and strengthen you in your Christian walk, while making every effort to be a blessing to them. God is at work among His people! Please consider growing in your faith, as you worship with fellow believers!

The God Who Protects

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

DATE POSTED Tuesday, 2021-09-07
WRITTEN AT: Sebring, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Joshua 23:6-10
TRANSLATION: The Voice (VOICE)

BIBLE TEXT: 6 So be firm and unswerving, observing all that is written in the law of Moses without deviation. 7 That will ensure that you don’t start to blend in with the other nations around you or call upon their gods or worship them or serve them. 8 Just hold tightly to the Eternal One, your True God, as you always have, 9 for He has driven out great and powerful nations before you like leaves in the wind, and you know that no one has ever been able to stand against you. 10 One of you can pursue a thousand because it is He who fights for you, just as He promised.

APPLICATION: It seems like we have so much at our disposal to protect us in desperate times. We lock-down in our sanctuaries (our homes), sometimes protected by steel window bars, alarms and top-of-the-line locks, and we feel secure from the outside world. But then we look at countries that have been hit by earthquakes, hurricanes or war, and it leaves a degree of doubt in our minds as to our security. The Israelites had seen God work in miraculous ways to defeat nations much better prepared than they were, but then they lost their great leader (Moses), a man very near to the heart of God. Then Joshua was introduced as an awesome successor, and over time he proved through his relationship with God, that the Israelites were still under the protective hand of God. However, with evil nations still around them, and with Joshua telling them of his earthly departure, we could see where they would probably still be very concerned about their future. This reminds me of exactly where we are at today. We have read in the Bible of the mighty hand of God, and we have heard preachers explain the awesome power of God. Many may have even witnessed God’s miraculous hand at work in their own lives, or those of our relatives, or fellow church members, or even protection from great acts of God (earthquakes, hurricanes, wars by our enemies, etc) on our nation. But it seems like every day we hear of yet another challenging disease or disaster that strike us or our neighboring nations. I believe that God is prompting us today to consider exactly who it is that we could place our faith and trust in. It is very obvious that national leaders or health agencies do not have the answers, for in spite of their efforts, Covid is still spreading like wildfire. Earthquakes and hurricanes are still devastating countries and claiming the lives of many. How far are we willing to go in seeking protection for ourselves in what could very well hit us tomorrow? Please read the Scripture real good today and notice how Joshua was reminding his people to avoid all distractions and place their total faith and trust in God alone. I don’t believe that God would have us do anything different today. For only He has our very best in mind, and only He can protect us as we finish our journey here on earth. Accepting and serving Him will provide peace of mind while here on earth, and He will reserve a place for us at the feet of the Master as we enter Heaven for all eternity. The way seems clear to me and I pray that you will not only agree, but that you will follow through in accepting the love and person of Jesus Christ as He stands waiting with open arms to welcome and accept you.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Because of the power and love of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, He will not only love and protect us through every challenge here on earth, but He has gone to prepare a place for us in heaven where earthly challenges will disappear!

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, we stand in awe of You and for the power and majesty shown forth to our ancestors. Each day we seem to hear of one disaster or another, one disease or another, and yet an additional strain of what seems to be an incurable disease. Thank You Lord for reminded us again today that You hold the keys to the Kingdom, and that You are in charge of our lives here on earth, no matter what comes our way. Help us Lord to be willing to set aside our pride, our agenda, accept You as Lord and Master of our life, and allow You to guide, protect and see us through the remainder of our time here on earth. Lord, we are excited about the awesome beauty, tranquility and peace in Heaven, but most of all about the pleasure of being in Your presence. Please continue to guide and protect us here on earth until You are ready to call us home to glory – our eternal home! 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!

Be The Instigator of Joy in Heaven

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

DATE POSTED Saturday, 2021-09-11
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Luke 15:7; 10
TRANSLATION: Contemporary English Version (CEV)

BIBLE TEXT: 7 Jesus said, “In the same way there is more happiness in heaven because of one sinner who turns to God than over ninety-nine good people who don’t need to.”
10 Jesus said, “In the same way God’s angels are happy when even one person turns to him.”

APPLICATION: The Pharisees were going about their day as usual, looking for ways to aggravate Jesus and hoping to catch Him in a precarious way as He responded to their silly questions. However, Jesus responded to them with two simple stories and each had a very similar ending. First, Jesus knew that many of His audience were shepherds, so He told them the story about the happy culmination when a lost sheep is found. Jesus likened this happiness to heaven, and how the angels rejoice – not just when the saved on earth gather around the throne of God, but when the one who was lost, was hunted down by friends who cared about them, and now they are able to walk up to the throne just like the others who have been saved for years and years. Think about everything you’ve seen or heard about when the angels appeared before the shepherds singing and shouting about the birth of our Savior. Now imagine the angels singing and shouting around the throne, while at the same time you are rejoicing before your church and before Jesus, about using you to witness to your neighbor, who surrendered his life to the Lord! And that’s just one soul, dear friends! Now for the second story that Jesus shared, He used the example of a lost coin. I’m of the impression that this was one of only 10 coins that the lady had. So isn’t it easy to understand how she will move everything in sight to search for her lost coin. Upon finding the coin, can you even imagine the rejoicing? She invited her neighbors to help her rejoice! This, my friend, is only a glimpse of the celebration by the angels when one soul surrenders to the lordship of Jesus Christ, for that lost one is now found! Of course, by now you could probably see more clearly why I chose the subject for today’s devotional. I believe all readers/listeners have multiple individuals in their circle of friends and family who have chosen to ignore the call of Jesus on their life. We are now reminded that if we do what Jesus has called us to do, and if we care enough about those we love, then we will not only be reenergized to share the awesome news of Jesus Christ, but we could also share about our firsthand experience with Jesus. Why not invite them to know Jesus personally and join with you in daily communion with Him?

BLESSING(S) NOTED: The angels rejoice when a lost person accepts Jesus as Lord and Savior! Oh that we would love our family and friends enough to share the joy that is ours, each and every day! Perhaps we will then have a whole lot more rejoicing also!

PRAYER: Thank You Jesus for saving my soul, thank You Lord for making me whole, thank You Lord for giving to me, Your great salvation so rich and free! I am sure that there are many that my readers and listeners know, who are missing out on the joy we have in knowing You as Lord. So I would humbly ask that You empower us with the boldness and wisdom to show our love for these loved ones by introducing them to the Creator of this world. We all love a time of rejoicing and we are overjoyed at the excitement that it brings. Please nudge us to share that excitement with others, as we introduce You to them. 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!

In Preparation For Your Mission

On By Ed AlgreenIn Example of Christ, Genuine example of Jesus, Godly example, Personal Witness, True witnesses, WitnessingLeave a comment

SCRIPTURE  FROM:   2 Timothy 2:14-17 (VOICE)

TEXT:  14 …... Warn them before God to stop their useless bickering over words. After all, splitting hairs does no good; it only ruins those forced to listen to their meritless arguments. 15 Timothy, do everything you can to present yourself to God as a man who is fully genuine, a worker unashamed of your mission, a guide capable of leading others along the correct path defined by the word of truth. 16 Stay away from ungodly babbling because it will only lead deeper into a godless lifestyle. 17 Once these empty voices start to speak, Timothy, they infect and spread; and soon the body is consumed with its cancer….

APPLICATION:   I’m not sure how many of us will ever be blessed to have the honor of mentoring someone entering into a ministry role, like Paul did, but we are often part of a church where new workers are called into ministry each year, and some of us may also be blessed to be part of a commissioning service for a new minister of the gospel, like Timothy was. This advice given by Paul is great for us to consider as we look into our own lives. Hopefully as we live these out personally, we will be in a much better position to say like Paul did in one of his other teachings: “now follow me, as you try to live a godly life” or as you endeavor to serve in your new assignment. You see, it is hypocritical to suggest that a new minister, teacher, worker, do some of these things, if we are personally doing an awful job at these things ourselves. For example, how can we suggest that they not get in arguments over words, or split hairs over individual interpretations, if we are so bad at doing that ourselves? Or that they should be genuine in their walk, if we are personally accused of living a double life? Or to not be ashamed of the gospel, if we are often embarrassed to have others know that we are involved in the ministry of our local church? So friends, I would encourage you to not brush this off by thinking that we now have some good advice to give ministers and/or workers entering into the ministry of Jesus Christ, but instead that we live out these principles ourselves so that we might give sound advice as we suggest that they follow, just as we follow Christ. I believe that only then, will the church of Jesus Christ see effective workers in the local church, and well prepared ministers and/or missionaries that we send out from our local churches. Lost people are anxious to see genuine Christians. Just as we aim to be exactly that, will we be effective and genuine in sending others out, just like us.

PRAYER:   Lord, please have Your perfect will and way in the hearts of each one that will meditate on this devotional today. May the words of our mouth and the meditation of our hearts be acceptable in Your sight oh Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer. May Your kingdom become richer as a result of us sharing our genuineness with others who will be impacted today, with the character and form of the One true God. 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!

The Effects Of Your Sin

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Live in peace, Love, Love others, Love your Neighbor, Needs, Peace, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Sunday, 2021-09-05
WRITTEN AT: Sebring, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Joshua 22:16-18
TRANSLATION: Contemporary English Version (CEV)

BIBLE TEXT: 16 All of the Lord’s people have gathered together and have sent us to find out why you are unfaithful to our God. You have turned your backs on the Lord by building that altar. Why are you rebelling against him? 17 Wasn’t our people’s sin at Peor terrible enough for you? The Lord punished us by sending a horrible sickness that killed many of us, and we still suffer because of that sin. 18 Now you are turning your backs on the Lord again. If you don’t stop rebelling against the Lord right now, he will be angry at the whole nation. 

APPLICATION: When disaster strikes, the impact of that terrible time will often stick with us much longer than we care to even think about. In Peor, the Israelites saw many of their leaders killed, and also many of their own people – over 24,000 of them. Because of their unfaithfulness to God, that resulted in them creating idols and worshipping them, there was a time of desperation and mourning because of the loss of life and hurt throughout their camp, even though they were not necessarily a part of the evil they were doing. But just as we try to shy away from things that caused previous hurts, the hearts of the Israelites were immediately affected when they heard of some of their fellow tribes building another altar. They had already decided that they would go to war over this infraction, but before they did, they wanted to try and work out the problem in love first. So they sent a contingent of leaders to speak with the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and East Manasseh. There are a few lessons for us in this story: 1). The sin that we commit will often have a detrimental effect on others. Stay true to God and to each other by considering everyone before you go out and commit crimes that will affect them; 2). Nip the problem in the bud immediately. Don’t let it fester and allow you to build animosity against your neighbor. Remember, it is always good to consider the heart of an innocent Brother in a situation before forging forward with your own selfish desires. Loved ones can and will be impacted by your selfish and angry motives; 3). Always try to resolve matters diplomatically and in love before you start a war that you will soon regret.
Notice that the contingent not only satisfied their own minds about what they thought was a huge issue, but they were able to return to their own tribes and speak favorably about their neighboring tribes. It is always better to be the encourager and peacemaker, rather than the agitator who arouses the anger of those opposed to a situation to which they don’t have all the facts. I learned as a child that you will either through gas on a fire already inflamed, or you could through water to extinguish the fire. For as much as lies within you, be a peacemaker rather than one who creates a war that will impact many other innocent members of your group, family and/or friends.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: The Israelites were ready for war against their neighboring tribesmen, but they did all within their power to avoid war and death. Often our actions could create war, but by the grace of God, may we all strive for peace and goodwill in order to protect the innocent.

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, I believe that we were created to live in peace and with hearts filled with love, like our Maker. Please intervene when the evil one interferes and raises up anger in our hearts. Help us to always stand for what is right without ever building animosity for the one destined to do life by following their own inclination. May the lesson learned from the Israelites who tried to stop, what appeared to be evil in the making, be an ongoing example for Your children today. May the world see that Jesus is alive and well, because they see You at work in the lives of Your children. 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!