Tag: God

Our Promise Keeper

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

DATE POSTED Saturday, 2021-09-04
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Joshua 21:43-45
TRANSLATION: Easy-to-Read Version (ERV)

BIBLE TEXT: 43 So the Lord kept the promise that he had made to the Israelites and gave the people all the land that he had promised. The people took the land and lived there. 44 And the Lord allowed them to have peace on all sides of their land, just as he had promised their ancestors. None of their enemies defeated them. The Lord allowed the Israelites to defeat every enemy. 45 The Lord kept every promise that he made to the Israelites. There were no promises that he failed to keep. Every promise came true.

APPLICATION: God made a promise to His people that He would take them out of slavery and the ugly reign of the Egyptians and that He had a wonderful land prepared just for them. Although they never made it to that Promised Land personally, their successors were the recipients of the promises God made to their forefathers. As I read the verses that followed I thought of a parent’s love for their children, for I could clearly see how God loved His children enough to not only provide a country they could call ‘home’, but then He also gave them the necessary wisdom and protection against their neighboring countries. Doesn’t this remind you of a parent rising up against the enemy that crosses paths with their child, or children? Don’t you know that even today God is watching over us with deepest concern over all that we are facing? I truly believe that there has never been a time that so many were impacted by a dreaded decease that killed so many of their family and loved ones, like this Covid 19. Hospitals are filled, so I’m sure that loved ones are also dying because of their inability to receive proper medical treatment. Added to that, we then see hurricanes impacting areas where residents lose material things like their home and auto. Many leave their homes and become wanderers in search of a home, much like the Israelites must have been like in the Wilderness. But friends, I want us to be content in what we read in the very last verse today. For just as God fulfilled every promise that He made to the Israelites, I believe He also stands ready to help us, His children, today. Just because God is way more powerful and knowledgeable than us, we may see where He accomplishes His work differently to what we might expect. But for those who place their faith and trust in Jesus Christ, we must remember that He is for us, and not against us. He loves us way too much to place obstacles in our way, but instead He opens doors for us that we may never think are possible. Let’s be careful to trust in Jesus with all our heart, soul and mind. Then lets be ready to celebrate as we watch His promises come true for us. What promises? The Bible is filled with over 5,000 promises, so let me suggest that you join me in reading the Book each and every day, and as we do, let us be encouraged by the promises of God as we wait for His mighty work to be accomplished in His perfect timing.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: God fulfilled every promise made to the Israelites, and I believe that He stands ready to fulfill every promise made to us in His Word. Let’s be aligned with the King of Glory so that we might stand ready for His blessings!

PRAYER: In so many ways the world stands with open arms to receive every gift offered by their governments and by the Almighty, even though they may lack in commitment to each of these. Lord, as we have willingly accepted You as our Lord and Savior, we are once again assured that You will fulfill all of Your promises when the time is right. Please touch the hearts of my readers and listeners whose heart may not be standing in a state of readiness. You alone are God. May we be truly aligned with You each and every day as You seek to bless us in many different ways. May unbelievers see, and believe in the Son of God for the forgiveness of their sin. 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 Sure and Choose Wisely

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, What The Lord Wants, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Friday, 2021-09-03
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Luke 12:51-53
TRANSLATION: Contemporary English Version (CEV)

BIBLE TEXT: 51 Do you think that I came to bring peace to earth? No indeed! I came to make people choose sides. 52 A family of five will be divided, with two of them against the other three. 53 Fathers and sons will turn against one another, and mothers and daughters will do the same. Mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law will also turn against each other.

APPLICATION: When our daughter was growing up, her mom would often ask who she loved the most. Invariably, she would respond ‘both of you’! We always chuckled, but isn’t that so true in life today? Christians are called to decide on what we will do with groups and individuals who operate in total disobedience to the Word of God. More often than not, we choose to accept their beliefs, rather than standing firm on the Word given by God for us to live by. Jesus told His disciples that there was reason He had given them certain commands and guides for living, even though many of His instructions might seem totally opposite to what the world around them were doing. You might recall that some disciples were called from various occupations – tax collector; fishermen; etc, and invited to become a follower of Christ. There were many obstacles for these brothers to transition from their daily jobs to follow a man despised by the Pharisees and government leaders, so Jesus needed to do a lot of teaching and retraining. But isn’t it interesting how Jesus chose to complete this training so bluntly? It seems like today we try to pretty up the Gospel and suggest such a glorious life in accepting and serving Jesus Christ, that one might think that it is only second to working at the palace. But friends, Jesus is still calling us to choose. Will we go with the crowds; please our greedy, angry politicians; or work diligently to becoming the popular guy/girl among our peers; or will we truly accept the call to serve only our God and obey His commands that He issued for our good? We may often go a direction with Jesus that our family, friends or boss disagrees with, and we will be forced to make a decision whether we will truly follow Christ, or whether the cost is too high. Unlike us, where we stand on the fence with many choices of man, Jesus wants us to follow His example in calling a spade a spade, even if it leads us to a cross like He endured. Where do you take your stand, dear friends? Are you for God, or against Him? There’s no in-between. If His Word teaches against something, then we are called to teach/preach/witness/stand against it, even if it cost us friends, family, coworkers, job, church, etc. Are you truly on the Lord’s side?

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Heaven is promised for those who place their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and are willing to obey His commands, in spite of opposition and/or persecution.

PRAYER: Lord, I think of a hymn I sang as a child: ‘Who is on the Lord’s side’, never realizing that I would one day study these words of Yours to Your disciples and applying them to my life. What an eye opener today. We tend to think of You as the God of love, unity and One who creates nothing but peace and love among Your children. But as in all areas of life, we will create division when we stand firm on a point of view. Please teach us to be loyal to You in every aspect of our life and to always be obedient to Your commands, even if it causes division among those who disagree or sit on the fence of decision. I believe that You would have us love others, even through our disagreements, so please work miraculously through us as we dedicate our lives to You and live as You commanded. May all things still be done for Your ultimate glory. 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!

Always Trust In The Lord Our God

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

Thursday, 2021-09-02

Bible Reference: Psalm 56:9-11
Translation: The Passion Translation (TPT)

Bible Text: …This one thing I know: God is on my side!
10 I trust in the Lord. And I praise him!
I trust in the Word of God. And I praise him!
11 What harm could man do to me?
With God on my side I will not be afraid of what comes.
My heart overflows with praise to God and for his promises.
I will always trust in him.

APPLICATION: So often we face challenges that we would rather happen to anyone else but us, because often trial and struggles will come our way and impacted us in life altering ways. No one in Louisiana was expecting such a powerful hurricane, after just being impacted a year ago by Laura. So could you even imagine the residents raising their hands in praise and thanksgiving to our Lord? I have family and friends who have been battling Covid. Some have lost a spouse, a coworker, a great friend, etc, but I can’t even imagine them standing in praise to the Master? Perhaps you know of friends who have suffered loss of jobs, or perhaps going through a divorce, or some other life-changing event. What would you do or say if they asked you to join them in praise to our King? Wouldn’t that amaze you? I believe that God wants to remind us today that regardless of our circumstances, He’s still God! I believe that He wants us to know that whether we are celebrating a mountain top experience, or whether we are going through the deepest ‘waters’ of our lives, He’s still God. We tend to fret and moan over the loss of material gain, but dear friends, let us always be reminded that the One who gives life; the One who guides us through every circumstance of life; the One who comforts us like no other, Our God – Our One and Only God – He’s still our very best friend; He’s still our Deliverer; He still loves us in spite of our failures or circumstances. Let us always remember that God loves us so much that He orchestrated the crucifixion of His Son so that we won’t have to face Hell and the grave because of our sin. So He knows what it’s like to see loved one perish or suffer. Most of all my friends, Jesus has gone to prepare a place for us, where we will dwell eternally with Him in glory! That’s our God my friend! We have nothing to fear or fret about. Just know that He cares for us and He is waiting for us to join Him around the throne when this challenging life here on earth is over! Yes, He’s still God – He is our loving and eternal God! Let’s learn to praise Him today in spite of our circumstances!

PRAYER: Oh Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder, consider all thy hands have made! It’s all Yours Lord. Thank You for allowing us to occupy a small part of this old earth. Thank You for surrounding us with family and friends who love us. Please dear Lord, take hold of our hearts today and remind us that we are enjoying temporary quarters here on earth, so until we unite with You, many things will come our way that tend to dissapoint and perhaps even sadden us, but we have a hope! We have a promise! We have a Savior that awaits our departure from this earth, so that we could live eternally with Him. Oh Lord, I stand in awe of You and patiently await Your return! Please speak to those who might meditate on this blog and struggle with the things of this world. Only what’s done for Jesus will last! May we be found busy about Your work oh Lord, until You take us home to be with You! 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!

Be Carefree in The Care of God!

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Worry, Worry no more, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Wednesday, 2021-09-01
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Luke 12:22-26
TRANSLATION: The Passion Translation (TPT)

BIBLE TEXT: 22 Jesus taught his disciples, saying, “Listen to me. Never let anxiety enter your hearts. Never worry about any of your needs, such as food or clothing. 23 For your life is infinitely more than just the food you eat or the clothing you wear. 24 Take the carefree birds as your example. Do you ever see them worry? They neither grow their own food nor put it in a storehouse for later. Yet God takes care of every one of them, feeding each of them out of the abundance of his love and goodness. Isn’t your life more precious to God than a bird? Be carefree in the care of God! 25 “Does worry add anything to your life? Can it add one more year, or even one day? 26 So if worrying adds nothing, but actually subtracts from your life, why would you worry about God’s care of you?

APPLICATION: Often we worry, because we can’t see what’s ahead, nor the outcome we could expect from our current circumstances. However, the Word of God says that God is our provider and He will care for us even better than He does for the beautiful birds of the air. The awesome encouragement in this is that God not only knows our current needs, but in providing for us, He takes into consideration everything that could possibly cross our paths in the future. Allow me to share a personal experience. There are two families in this story, a father and his son. The father had reached an age where his heart was beginning to give him trouble, but he was retired and since he had 5 children, I believe he felt relieved that he and his wife would be cared for. He was a Christian, so he also depended on God to watch over him and care for his every need. However, in the life of his oldest son, God began working on a plan to move him far away and continue his career in that foreign land. But his heart was broken when he told his dad about this move, because the dad felt like this would destroy his support system and separate his children, especially now as he was becoming older. Because of the direction felt from God, the son moved, just as he felt led by God. Within the first 18 months of being in his new home, his dad was rushed to medical professionals and hospitals very near to the son’s new location, where they saved his life from a heart attack that was misdiagnosed in the dad’s home country. Friends, I am the son in this story, and my dad sat down in tears after arriving home from the hospital and told me ‘now I could see what God was doing for me, when He opened doors for you to move’. You see, we absolutely cannot outdo God. He loved my dad, and was preparing a path for him to get the help that he needed when the time came. I felt like I was just blessed of God in how smoothly my move went, but God had a greater plan in mind for my dad, praise the wonderful name of Jesus! Please know that I may be blind to the very real challenges that you may feel pressed upon you at this time, but let me assure you that our God is greater than all our troubles and worries, and He has His children’s best interest in mind as they allow Him access. Be at peace my friend, that our hand rests in the hand of the creator of all things and He will never fail us. Trust in Him today and give Him access to the very intimate parts of your life. He cares for you!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Worry is a sign of the non-Christian. Trust in God with all your heart, soul and mind, and He will take care of you – guaranteed!

PRAYER: Lord God, it is humbling to say that I am amazed by You. Thank You for taking care of my dad, and thank you for touching the lives of so many that will read or listen to this devotional. Please open the eyes of those who tend to worry, because they don’t know the God who can do I all things. Please soften their hearts and cause them to surrender their life to You before it is eternally too late. Please embolden us with the strength and wisdom to live life without worry, knowing that there is nothing impossible with 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!

Guard Your Heart From Greed and Covetousness

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

DATE POSTED Tuesday, 2021-08-31
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Luke 12:13-15
TRANSLATION: The Passion Translation (TPT)

BIBLE TEXT: 13 Just then someone spoke up from the crowd and said, “Master, you should compel my older brother to divide the family inheritance and give me my fair share!”
14 Jesus answered, “My friend, who made me a judge or arbitrator over you?”
15 Speaking to the people, Jesus continued, “Be alert and guard your heart from greed and from always wishing for what you don’t have. For your life can never be measured by the amount of things you possess.”

APPLICATION: The reading of wills, and the content of a will dictated by a father, has probably caused more family divisions than anything else in the world! For a dad writing his will, he probably looks for a way to right the wrongs committed towards he and his wife, or the bitterness, meanness and hatred that may have developed between siblings. In our story, Jesus was teaching a crowd, but a young man in the crowd had a personal vendetta that he wanted Jesus to resolve for him, and he wanted the crowd to hear exactly how Jesus intended to resolve the issue. We have seen over time how Jesus found it very helpful to use parables/examples to help others better identify with His message or response. Jesus again uses an example that the people could identify with, in order to help this young man. You see, when you find yourself in a crowd, your questions should be such that the crowd might be helped, and leave personal scenarios for your one-on-one discussions with the leader. So Jesus responded with an example that might help all hearers. Often our greed will result in overfilling our barns, before we would agree for a neighbor to have some of the excess to just feed his cattle. The excess will often cause spoilage for us, but actually meet a very critical need for our neighbor. Jesus teaches in this parable today that greed and covetousness will do us no good, as it has no impact on our time left on earth to enjoy the excess. However, when we allow a neighbor to win the battle in order to feed his family and/or animals, we are actually showing love towards him, and we show understanding of his circumstances, without first overfilling our own barn. Friends, we witness many who fill their barns to overflowing, then comes the time for them to leave this world. The excessively filled barns are then left for selfish kids to fight over and continue the vicious selfish cycle. When the deceased stands before Jesus, He totally ignores all that the person has amassed and He looks simply at the heart and goodwill of the man. Did He know Jesus as Lord of his life, and was He obedient to the commands of Jesus? That’s what matters dear one. If you know Jesus and obey His commands, you still may die a rich man, but in following the commands of Jesus, you would ensure that no one around you is in need. May we draw close to God so that He may work miraculously in us, for His ultimate glory!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: When committed to Jesus, we will be led by the Holy Spirit to live like He intends. He will be glorified when His children are drawn to Him!

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, please have Your will and way in our lives. May Your children be such imitators of all that you demonstrated to us and all that You teach us each day, that the unsaved will experience Jesus and be drawn to Him. There is nothing in this world that could meet the basic need for Jesus that our soul yearns for. Oh Lord Jesus, please help us to stay focused on the miraculous works of the Holy Spirit in every aspect of our life. May Jesus be glorified today because of our submission to His will, and through our obedience to Him as we experience life with others. 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!

Identify Yourself With Your Master

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Christian, Christian Living, Christianity, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Monday, 2021-08-30
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Luke 12:8-9
TRANSLATION: The Voice (VOICE)

BIBLE TEXT: 8 That’s why I keep telling you not to be intimidated. If you identify unashamedly with Me before others, I, the Son of Man, will affirm you before God and all the heavenly messengers. 9 But if you deny Me before others, you will be denied before God and all the heavenly messengers.

APPLICATION: Some may wonder why Jesus felt that it is important to identify yourself as a child of the King or not. What happens to good men who refuses to tell females that he is married? Is he not placing himself in a position of being solicited by unmarried women? Remember how Peter responded when put on the spot about his relationship with the Lord Jesus? ‘I never knew Him’ was one of the responses. Would that be your response if an aggressive member of management sought to rid his company of all ‘Christians’? The Holy Spirit really invoked a deep concern when I read this Scripture, for I am quick to stand in church and say that I’m a child of the King, but in reading the last sentence by Jesus in our Scripture, I wonder whether I am bold enough in my faith to stand before terrorists and give the same testimony as I would in church. Jesus said that if we reject the idea of identifying with Him before this world, then He would reject us before the father and His angels in heaven. Friends, I believe that just as we are proud to say that we are married, and name the one we are married to, we should be just as honest about saying who we identify with in the heavenly realm. If we feel like we will be happy to hug Jesus and greet Him with great anticipation when we enter the gates of heaven, then we should be just as free to acknowledge Him before our family, friends, coworkers and this world as well. Will this bring unwanted opposition from our circle of influence? I believe it might, but will that cause us to change our mind about who’s in charge of our life and our destiny? Dear friend, Jesus is the one who gave up His life for our heavenly benefit. He loved us enough, and went to that degree, so that He might identify with those who would have Him. Won’t you accept Jesus as your Lord and everlasting King and let Him rule in your heart every day here on earth and when we enter His presence in Glory? Let me suggest that we all ask Jesus for greater faith and greater boldness to proclaim our relationship with Him to everyone here on earth. I am convinced that Jesus will protect us from harm, and bless us for our boldness and commitment to Him.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Jesus will identify with us before God and the angels, when we identify with Him! I can only imagine that He finds reason every day to be proud of us before the Father!

PRAYER: Precious Lord, please forgive us for being such cowards to disown You before our counterparts here on earth when it seems like they may be a threat to us. Perhaps they are testing us to make sure that we are who we say we are. Please give us strength and a real boldness to overcome the evil one and stand firm in our faith. May we trust You enough to proclaim our identity with You, and may You be lifted up and praise by everyone that we come into contact with. May others be impressed by our stand, and may they be reaffirmed in their faith, so that You will be praised all the more here on earth. 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!

Made Right With God Through Faith

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Faith, Faithful, Faithfulness, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Trust, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Sunday, 2021-08-29
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Hebrews 11:6-7
TRANSLATION: Easy-To-Read Version (ERV)

BIBLE TEXT: 6 Without faith no one can please God. Whoever comes to God must believe that he is real and that he rewards those who sincerely try to find him.
7 Noah was warned by God about things that he could not yet see. But he had faith and respect for God, so he built a large boat to save his family. With his faith, Noah showed that the world was wrong. And he became one of those who are made right with God through faith.

OBSERVATION: Can you imagine the mockery that Noah experienced during construction of the ark? Even more so when he boarded animals of all sorts, and his family, on the ark while it was high and dry in the middle of the land? Yet his faith remained strong! God still directs His people today, and we must have faith to trust Him as He sets our agenda, taking into consideration all that’s ahead for us. How’s your faith? Will you trust Him today, even if you’re mocked by others?

APPLICATION: In this chapter of Hebrews we see where faith in God brought new life, new concepts and new miracles to all who believed in Him. In the example shown in verse 7, Noah had faith to believe God that He would send something to the earth for the very first time – ‘rain’. In fact he went further by believing that God would send so much rain that the whole earth would be flooded, so he set out to build a boat that would protect the lives of he, his family, and all types of animals. There are many that God has sent us to minister to, but they be challenge us by saying that we must be nuts to believe that Jesus died, and actually arose from the dead. While others may actually want us to pray when their loved one is sick or possibly dying. The faith expressed in each case may vary widely, yet you are expected to stand firm in your faith, while God works on those you meet. Faith – what is it to some folk? They will say they have no faith in God, because they can’t see Him. Yet they fill their gas tanks in their cars, and although they never see the gas or the tank, some gauge inside tells them how much is in their tank, and they have faith to believe that! Friends, God proves Himself to us in many ways, and for those who will trust Him, because they have faith in His existence; His promises; and His all powerful hand; we all can look forward to all that He has in store each and every day. Faith means that we are to believe in the God who has everything planned out for us, and although we cannot see these things, we are to believe that God is working all things out for our good. As we place our faith and trust in the One who loved us enough to sacrifice His life for us, and as we place our faith in the One who promised to never leave us alone, and faith in the One who promised that He has prepared a place for us, so that we may rule and reign with Him while worshiping our blessed Lord, then we will know that each day will be filled with anticipation of all that God has in store for us, to bless us, to love on us, and to provide encouragement for us to continue living for Him until He returns to take us home! God has so much in store for His precious children! Through faith we can rest assured in knowing that we are in good and faithful hands! Praise the wonderful name of Jesus!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Although limited by natural sight, we must rest confidently in our faith, knowing that God has everything under His perfect control!

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, we have no reason to doubt Your love for, and Your almighty power towards, Your children. Knowing that You can do ALL things, just as you have already proven to us, gives us faith to place our full trust in You. Please strengthen is when there is unbelief and doubt. Please touch the lives of those that have chosen to ignore the mighty works of our King. Lord, I’m sure that each day will bring its challenges and that we will need you more each and every day Please help us to stay strong in our faith, and to always stay connected to You in everything. You are our awesome God – One that we can place full faith, trust and deliverance in. 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!

Our God Will …

On By Ed AlgreenIn God Can Do It Again, God Cares For Us, God's WillLeave a comment

Saturday, 2021-08-28

Bible Reference: Proverbs 3:5-10
Translation: The Living Bible (TLB)

Scripture

Bible Text:  Trust the Lord completely; don’t ever trust yourself. 6 In everything you do, put God first, and he will direct you and crown your efforts with success.
7-8 Don’t be conceited, sure of your own wisdom. Instead, trust and reverence the Lord, and turn your back on evil; when you do that, then you will be given renewed health and vitality.
9-10 Honor the Lord by giving him the first part of all your income, and he will fill your barns with wheat and barley and overflow your wine vats with the finest wines.

APPLICATION:  Like me, I would imagine that, throughout your day there are times when you are overwhelmed as to how you will ever accomplish everything on your agenda, and that you wish you knew what might be happening in the coming days, weeks and years, so that you could make good choices today. Friends, I believe that God has placed the answer to this dilemma right at our fingertips – in these verses today. For I believe that you will see clearly that although we may not have all of the answers, there is a God who does – praise His name for ever and ever! As you read the first two verses of our Scripture today, let me remind you of Moses, God’s messenger and leader who had millions of people following him. Because He trusted completely in God, when he brought all these folk to the edge of the Jordan River, his ulcers didn’t explode from the stress of what to do next, for he was convinced that if God brought him to this crossroad, then obviously God would see him through, or across the river. These verses declare that when we place our faith and trust in Jesus, He will direct us into right paths and make our journey, or actions successful. Notice that this is not something we need to understand how or when success or answers will come, we are to just trust God and He will… Notice in verses 7-10, there are certain expectation from us, such as: 
* Trust and reverence God;
* Turn our backs on evil – of course the positive equivalent to this is to obey God’s commands;
* Honor God by giving Him the first of our income;
Just remember that God is all powerful and He could bless our health and give us vitality without us feeling like we had anything to do with the formula, but by demanding that we participate in the above simple actions, we learn that God’s goodness is for those who have an interest – those who want it. Similarly with our finances – God could very easily bestow great riches on everyone, but don’t you know that we always abuse anything that is given to us without us have some ‘skin’ in the game? When we give the first of our income, we are not only showing obedience to God, but we are acknowledging that there is nothing more important in our life. It also helps us to recognize that because we are blessed by God to be able to work and provide for our family, the least we could do is give back to Him unconditionally from our financial earnings. In true form to the goodness of our God, He foreknew the temptation of money, so He still threw in a blessing for those that obey this commandment to give. I believe that God’s Word is clear that we will be blessed financially in proportion to what we give. Are you ‘blessed’ financially? Check your giving, perhaps it needs adjusting!

PRAYER: Lord God, You have proven Yourself to us in so many ways, yet we often feel like we could handle this thing called ‘life’ all by ourselves. Please forgive us for our littleness Lord. You are Creator; Master; Lord and the Savior of this world. Thank You for giving us clear instruction of what is expected of us to receive optimal results from You. Please touch our stubborn hearts today and convince us of the need for obedience and faithfulness to You. Lord, we want to benefit from all the great things You have promised to us, but more than that, we are anxious to one day be with You in glory, where we could worship You endlessly. Bless us this day with Your grace and your mercy. Please lead us into total obedience to Your Word, for I ask these things in the gracious and loving 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!

The Prayer of One Man

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Power of Prayer, Praise, Prayer, Recognize God, Worship1 Comment

DATE POSTED Friday, 2021-08-27
WRITTEN AT: Hattiesburg, MS

SCRIPTURE FROM: Joshua 10:13-14
TRANSLATION: Living Bible (TLB)

BIBLE TEXT:  13 ….So the sun stopped in the heavens and stayed there for almost twenty-four hours! 14 There had never been such a day before, and there has never been another since, when the Lord stopped the sun and moon—all because of the prayer of one man. But the Lord was fighting for Israel. 

APPLICATION: There are some folk that we talk to and it seems like they have the weight of the world on their shoulders. They can’t accept your invitation to the beach, because they have ‘this’ to do, and ‘that place’ to go, and ‘this person’ to see, or preparations to make for a planned meeting later that day. I was almost this bad one day, and I said to my fellow deacons that I just could not make enough time available to also read my Bible or visit the shut-ins. A quick suggestion from one of the deacons burned into my heart and changed my perspective forever: ‘you just haven’t made it a priority’. Although this means the same as my excuse, I would sooner tell God I didn’t have time, before I could possibly tell Him ‘It just was not a priority’. Have you also gotten yourselves so busy, that it has become a very minor priority to pray for the very important people in your life? Family and friends are dying every day, and some may even be going to Hell because we didn’t make it a priority to share the love of our Lord with them. I believe that Joshua was a man on his knees, because I could see that God was especially keen to hear his cries and respond to his needs. I would encourage you to click on today’s Scripture reference and read the whole chapter. You will see that true to God’s promise to Joshua, He was delivering on winning the battle against 5 kings and their armies. Joshua was so into the battle that he didn’t want the day to end, so he asked for additional daylight so he and the Israelites could continue in battle. God immediately heard his cry and stopped the sun and moon from moving. Yes, this gave Joshua more time in battle, but I was overjoyed to read how God was coming through on His promises, for more were being killed from God’s actions than Joshua and his army of Israelites. Friends, we can’t outdo God. When we ask Him to be in charge, we can count on Him like no other. Let me also remind you that Our God not only sees our needs and knows what really hurts our heart, but I believe that He is all to ready to jump in and help ease our pain and our heartfelt concern for our loved ones. Let me encourage you dear friend, to make it a priority to pray for every concern that you might have. Remember that from the prayers of one man, God stopped the sun and moon in motion. Imagine how much more He will do in response to your prayers!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Nothing is impossible with God! Joshua received a positive response to his request, that would seem impossible to any man. Doctors may give up on our family and friends in hospital, but with God, ALL things are possible!

PRAYER: Lord, please teach us to have such a relationship with You, that we can ask anything in Your name and it shall be done. God,You proved this through Your response to Joshua’s impassioned plea, and we are confident that You could do this again and again for those who place their faith and trust in the Almighty. Lord, we stand in desperate need, for our family and friends are dying from this Covid disease, and from unusual crime and war. Please give our medical teams wisdom from on high so they could stem the spread of this disease, and teach us Lord how to best protect ourselves to help in this dilemma. I know that nothing, absolutely nothing is impossible with You Lord, so I ask this in faith, on behalf of many who are hurting today. Please complete Your work among us and make us well. Draw the unsaved to Yourself so that they may know and believe in the God of this universe. May Your name be praised and lifted up today. 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!

Need A Blessing?

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

DATE POSTED Thursday, 2021-08-26
WRITTEN AT: Hattiesburg, MS

SCRIPTURE FROM: Luke 11:28
TRANSLATION: Living Bible (TLB)

BIBLE TEXT: 28 He replied, “Yes, but even more blessed are all who hear the Word of God and put it into practice.”

APPLICATION: I believe if we were to follow the idea of the woman from the crowd that Jesus was in, we would probably point out some very important people that we consider blessed, and that is sure to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. We would probably be quick to point out the pastors; evangelists; priests; church elders; millionaires who are very generous in helping the poor; most of our church members; etc. But stop and think for a moment why you would choose them. Is it because of the position they hold? Is it because of what they have taught you from the Bible? Or is it because of what they have given to you? But then we read Scripture like our verse today and we ponder if our judgment in the previous sentence is justified, based on what the Bible says about how one is supposed to qualify for acceptance into the Kingdom? In this verse today, Jesus shows us what really qualifies a person for being blessed by Him? Think about the suggestion before Jesus, that His own mother is a great example of who will be blessed of God. He set all agendas aside and told the woman, and the crowd, that blessings are in store for those who:
– -> Not only hears the Word of God – and I believe this not only includes hearing what is taught, what is preached, and what a child of God shares with you from the Word, but also when you pick up the Word each day to see what God has to instruct you on;
– -> Applies the Word to your own life and practice it daily – It is so easy to see the needs of others, but I believe God wants us to base our daily decisions, actions and words to our own lives first, then we could share with others what God has taught us to do. Without this basis, we are merely sharing our personal failures with them. Not good!
Reading the Word, learning the Word, and understanding the Word, are all good, but unless you apply it to your walk and to your talk, your intake of very important life-changing information is just sitting idol in your ‘do-nothing box’! I believe that Jesus is saying in His Word that if we use what we learn from Him and His instructions, we will be blessed beyond anything we could imagine. That’s my goal today! Won’t you join me!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Blessings are in store for the one who not only hears the Word of God, but also applies it to his daily life so that he might look and sound more like Jesus.

PRAYER: Lord, we read a lot, and we listen a lot to the preaching and teaching of Your Word, but having been reminded of the importance of applying the principles we learned to our everyday life, I beg of You to open our eyes and our understanding to all that we read and hear. May this cause us to live noble lives patterned after Your perfect life here on earth. Oh that You may be glorified in every aspect of our lives. Lord, we need Your blessing, for everything else seems empty and void of great value. Touch the lives of those we love and care for today, and use us for Your ultimate glory. 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!