Tag: Hell

Your Choice – Life or Death?

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Choice, Death, Eternal Life, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Monday, 2022-11-21
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Philippians 1:21-24
TRANSLATION: Amplified Bible (AMP)

BIBLE TEXT: 21 For to me, to live is Christ [He is my source of joy, my reason to live] and to die is gain [for I will be with Him in eternity]. 22 If, however, it is to be life here and I am to go on living, this will mean useful and productive service for me; so I do not know which to choose [if I am given that choice]. 23 But I am hard-pressed between the two. I have the desire to leave [this world] and be with Christ, for that is far, far better; 24 yet to remain in my body is more necessary and essential for your sake.

APPLICATION: Having buried two relatives recently, I have become more keenly aware of life, as we know it today, and death, given the foreknowledge about our eternal destiny. Because of this, and in talking more freely about life, and life after death, I had a close relative tell me to get off the subject of death, for, he thought that I have way too much to look forward to in life! Of course, that advice probably came from a selfish thought about my relative’s future in life without me being present here on earth! Friends, today I want to remind you that even if we ignore life after death, so we could enjoy our life as we know it today, that doesn’t make our future float off into oblivion. Paul met the challenge of leaving a free life of ministry, family and friends, when he was admitted to prison. However, God showed him that ministry for the Kingdom of God exists wherever we find mankind in need of a Savior. I believe this made Paul think even more about other transitions, such as the one from life to eternity after death. The reason I believe it is so vital that my readers and listeners think about this today, is that very much like travelling domestically or internationally, our trip will be disastrous, and our life will be miserable, if we arrive at our destination without having made any plans for it before we left home. In fact, we may have even travelled to the wrong destination! And so it is with our transition, or travel, from planet earth as we know it today. Although the two relatives I mentioned were over 90 – an age that we might ‘expect’ someone to die, let me tell you that I have good friends who have recently also lost teenagers, young adults, and relatives that they least expected. My point is, do not wait to think about your transition from earth until later in life when people tend to die. Your pronouncement could be aligned with your reading of this devotional, you have no control over that. But what you do have control of, is your state of readiness to leave this world at any given moment. I want you to live as a current day traveler would live if they knew they would be traveling soon, their bags would be packed and probably waiting at the front door. Although you may not have given it any thought, let me remind you that for those without Jesus Christ, their bags are already packed, for they have assurance that their eternal destiny is with Satan and his many demons in Hell, for they have said ‘no thanks’ to the invitation from Jesus on more than one occasion. To change that destination, it really is very easy, for Jesus is holding His hand out inviting each reader/listener to accept His love, His compassion, His sacrifice, and the eternal hope He offers to be with He and His Father in Heaven when life here on earth is over. Friends, your ticket to Hell is by default because of your sinful state. Please consider upgrading your ticket to Heaven by accepting the free gift of salvation offered through the awesome sacrifice of Jesus Christ at Calvary. Jesus offered up His life, so that our lives can be acceptable for a transition into the glories of heaven. It’s you move, dear friend. Will it be Heaven, or Hell?

BLESSING(S) NOTED: I can barely think of the overwhelming joy that is ours, whether we remain on earth, or are taken up to glory to live eternally with our ternal Father and His Son Jesus! There is no greater joy!

PRAYER: What joy it is to rejoice together with Paul in glorifying You Lord Jesus, and for the assurance of being with You in glory some day! That makes living here on earth more tolerable, in spite of the many doubts, fears, disappointments, losses and strife of dealing with the sin that is so prevalent here. Lord, thank You for encouraging us through Your servant, Paul. This brings us eternal hope and a satisfying tomorrow. Please teach us to share that joy with those who have made no better plans than to accept their eternal destiny in Hell. We love our family and friends, and we want to see the very best for them. Please help us to be so overjoyed in our relationship with You that they will want nothing less. Use us Lord as Your instrument of love and encouragement while 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!

Some Listen To God and Some Don’t. Here’s Why?

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Salvation, Satisfaction, Worship1 Comment

Sunday, 2021-10-31

Bible Reference: John 8:44-47
Translation: Good News Translation (GNT)

Bible Text: 44 You are the children of your father, the Devil, and you want to follow your father’s desires. From the very beginning he was a murderer and has never been on the side of truth, because there is no truth in him. When he tells a lie, he is only doing what is natural to him, because he is a liar and the father of all lies. 45 But I tell the truth, and that is why you do not believe me. 46 Which one of you can prove that I am guilty of sin? If I tell the truth, then why do you not believe me? 47 He who comes from God listens to God’s words. You, however, are not from God, and that is why you will not listen.”

APPLICATION: If I had a talk on hunting, and you were not into sports, or if your parents never liked hunting, you would probably have no interest in attending my talk. Plus, if you got stuck in the room where I had my lecture, you would probably argue with almost everything I said. In our society today, we have parents who have no connection to God, so He is not spoken of around the house, nor do they make any attempt to take their children to church. But what if Jesus came to your town, and what if He was speaking at a local church, don’t you think that many people from your town would make a special effort to go out and see Him? They may want to settle their curiosity that this Jesus, the One who has always been the talk of your neighbors and friends – that He really does exists. But how do you think they would react when He speaks on matters that really hits close to home? Why Jesus may even say the same thing to our people as He said to the Jewish leaders – you are challenged to believe in me, and to visit your local church, because you have your sights centered on this world and it’s leader. You are being pulled down by your friends, causing you to be discouraged and with no desire to learn about Jesus. Remember dear one, that the message of Jesus is that of love, faith, peace and forgiveness. Friends, as you read today’s verses, you may assume that this does not apply to you because you never gave Satan control of your life. Please allow me to clear that up for you. When you are born into this world you are a natural being controlled by the leader of the natural world. And it’s not until you are introduced to Jesus, that you ever know that there is another, and a better leader. But the path to Jesus is one where each individual has to make a personal decision to accept the gift of salvation that He offers. So if a pastor, or as in our story today, Jesus, was there speaking, and He called you a child of Satan, it’s because He knows that you have not accepted Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior yet. I’m sure that you may be filled with questions as to what difference this all makes. The difference is huge, for if you maintain your natural stance and keep Satan as your ruler, you wind up spending eternity in the place he has prepared for you – hell, with all of its terror and total damnation. Conversely, Jesus has also given us a glimpse of what His eternal home looks like, and it is detailed in His very own written Word – the Bible. There we learn that His home is free from sorrow, heartache, pain and disappointment, and filled with the glorious light of His Father (God), which prompts endless praise and rejoicing from His people (us). So my dear friend, I pray that you will make the best decision, based on what I have shared with you. I pray that you will listen to the voice of God as He calls your name, and that you will surrender your life to Him. As this occurs, you will clearly understand what Jesus meant in the last verse above – you will then hear His voice and obey His commands, for you are His! If you have not made the decision I mentioned above, please read on to my Footnote and click on the links included. You will receive more Biblical help on making that very important decision.

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, please hear our cry today for we are Your children looking forward to spending eternity with You. Some may read this devotional today and are undecided about changing their allegiance from Satan, to you. Please tender their hearts today and draw them unto yourself, so that they may tear down the barriers that are preventing their decision. Oh that they will know You today, is my humble plea. Thank You Jesus for loving us enough to pave the way for our eternal peace with the Father. 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!

No One Likes Separation

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Righteous, Separation, Worship2 Comments

DATE WRITTEN: Friday, 2021-07-02
WRITTEN AT: Gallup, NM

SCRIPTURE FROM: Matthew 13:47-50
TRANSLATION: The Voice (VOICE)

BIBLE TEXT: 47 Or think of it this way: the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was cast into the sea, a net that caught a world of flickering fish. 48 When the net was full, the fishermen hauled it to shore. They separated the good fish from the bad, placing the good fish in a bucket and throwing out the inedible fish. 49 That is what the end of time will be like. The heavenly messengers will separate the good from the bad, the righteous from the wicked, the repentant from the prideful, the faithful from the hard-hearted. 50 The bad, the wicked, the prideful, and the hard-hearted will be thrown into the fiery furnace where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth.

APPLICATION: In preparing for a fun time of volleyball, we ache when the team captains pick their teams, and we are the last to be chosen. We feel like there is something about us that didn’t catch the fancy of the team captains. But what if we were rejected? Imagine neither team captain wanting us on their team? I believe that everyone knows that the world was created by God, and that He also created each of us. So why then might God accept one into His Kingdom when we leave this world, but not accept another? There’s no need for guessing, my friend, God kept nothing secret from us. He inspired great writers/saints to record His teachings and His commands, so that we will not be caught off guard or claim that we didn’t know. Our Scripture today is very clear when It says that at a time known only by God Himself, the angels will be instructed by God to separate the righteous from those who have chosen to reject Jesus. I know, you immediately shouted back as you read this or heard this in my podcast, that you never rejected Christ. Please allow me to clarify this dilemma for you. In God’s Word, He acknowledged creating you, but He said that when you come to an age of understanding, you will learn that God sent His Son, Jesus, for the purpose of saving mankind from their sin, and for those who accept Him as Lord and Savior, they will assume the righteousness of Christ. So if you have not seen the need to make that step, you are considered to be living under the power of sin, and sin is not permitted in Heaven. There will come a day when you will meet God, but there will not be an opportunity to explain your decision, or have your attorney represent you before God. You see, God knows everything about us – even our thoughts, so He knows that you are not washed in the blood of His Son, Jesus. There is no holding place. You will either be ushered into heaven, or directed to the Evil Place – Hell. Notice that Jesus helped the unsaved understand what to expect in Hell. He used such words as: fiery place; furnace; weeping; grinding/gnashing of teeth; etc. In other words, Hell is not a place you would choose for your next vacation, so why settle for spending eternity there? Friends, please consider never being rejected again. Ready yourself for heaven, with the One who created you. If interested in doing that today, please read my Footnote, especially the Scripture included in the link ‘To Know Jesus’. You may also want to speak with a local Bible teaching pastor, and/or contacting me by email. I would love to introduce you to my Savior, and pray with you about this most important decision.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: God has a place prepared for those who have accepted His Son Jesus, and I believe He is longing to welcome us home! Because I believe that Judgment Day is very near, I believe that God has blessed you with one more opportunity to accept Jesus – TODAY! Please?

PRAYER: We go to extremes in preparing for a special day, and we are so very excited for that day to arrive. Lord, I want to always be that excited on the day you take me out of this world to spend eternity with You! I am so troubled over my friends who have chosen to accept the pitfalls of Hell and the awful snares of the Evil One. Please Lord, place such an urgency in my heart for my family and friends that I would do my part to encourage their decision. I would also ask that You do the same for all of my readers who share this concern today. Lord, be glorified in us today, and touch all those that we come into contact with 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!

A Gift – Just For You!

On By Ed AlgreenIn Biblical Decisions, Choice, Choices, Decisions, Eternal Life, Jesus led decisionsLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Saturday, 2020-10-03
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

Bible Reference: John 3:16-18
Translation: The Message (MSG)

Bible Text: 16-18 “This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life. God didn’t go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again. Anyone who trusts in him is acquitted; anyone who refuses to trust him has long since been under the death sentence without knowing it. And why? Because of that person’s failure to believe in the one-of-a-kind Son of God when introduced to him.

OBSERVATION: Most people who have heard the Bible taught or preached, could probably recite verse 16! But the verses that follow go on to explain why God sent His Son, and how this whole gift has to do with our eternal destiny. This is of super importance to each of us, because it helps us to understand the whole purpose of the gospel, and how it relates to each of us. So seek God’s face as we take time to understand this clearly today!

APPLICATION: If a gift was given to everyone at church, you would find where some would cherish it and recognize the value of it. They would appreciate it and cherish it for everything it’s worth. Others may take the gift home, but they may stash it away in a drawer, somewhere so it is not tarnished or broken. However there are some who will leave it in the seat at church, or throw it in the back seat of the car, because the gift is of little value to them, nor do they care to understands the necessity of the gift. Now compare this to the gift that God gave to us in verse 16. Many have accepted the gift, and perhaps you might be one of those. But what have you done with that gift? Anything? In the verses following, we are told that God saw that the sacrificial practices of the Old Testament, for the forgiveness of sin, were just not working. But God chose to give us a very valuable gift, even though it was extremely costly to Him. But God wanted to make this one-time sacrifice something that we could identify with, so that we might accept the gift that would clear the way for a right relationship between us and the Father. This Scripture is very simple, and It is extremely clear enough to us, because now we could know today where we will spend eternity. In vs 17 and 18 we are told that if we accept the gift of Jesus as our personal Savior, then we are acquitted of our sin. This qualifies us to stand before the Father as a righteous person, or a saint! Can’t you begin to see the miraculous value of this gift? However, this Scripture goes on to say that unless we take this important step, then we have personally placed ourselves under a death sentence, meaning that we will not live eternally in the beauty of life with Jesus and His Father, but instead we are condemned to death, where our eternity will be with Satan and his demons for all eternity. The choice is very clear dear friends, but it puts us in charge of our own destiny. Accepted the free gift of salvation – the precious gift of God’s Son given for all who call on His name, to be saved? Or, without making a deliberate decision, then we have personally decided to take the option of Hell and damnation. Dear friend, I write these blogs every morning hoping that no one who reads them would ever make a decision like the latter one I just explained, for I am so looking forward to rejoicing with each of you in glory one day! Because of the fact that you are reading this blog, this means that you still have a choice. However, today is the day of salvation, for you may not have the next minute or hour to make a change in your decision about where you will spend eternity. Make that decision right now, won’t you? I included help in my Footnote hoping that you would decide to make the right decision. Please contact a local pastor, or email me for help or prayer over this matter.

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, the Scripture is very clear. The stage has been set for us, and it is up to us to make sensible and responsible decisions, especially those that involve our lives after spending our last moments here on earth. You have made things abundantly clear. May each reader make a responsible decision today about their post earthly life – their destiny. I want them to join me in heaven with You, Lord, but I can’t make that decision for them. Tender their hearts today to Your Word, and encourage them to accept the precious gift that You gave to us, Your precious Son, 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!

Here’s Why One May not Listen To God

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

Tuesday, 2019-10-29

Bible Reference: John 8:44-47
Translation: Good News Translation (GNT)

Bible Text: 44 You are the children of your father, the Devil, and you want to follow your father’s desires. From the very beginning he was a murderer and has never been on the side of truth, because there is no truth in him. When he tells a lie, he is only doing what is natural to him, because he is a liar and the father of all lies. 45 But I tell the truth, and that is why you do not believe me. 46 Which one of you can prove that I am guilty of sin? If I tell the truth, then why do you not believe me? 47 He who comes from God listens to God’s words. You, however, are not from God, and that is why you will not listen.”

OBSERVATION: Jesus explains why one may sit under His teaching and not understand what is being said. I believe the same scenario is true with those who attend church and say that they got nothing from the service. Notice in the last verse above, Jesus said that if one is not of God, they will not listen to Him. I hope that you will read all the way to the end of today’s devotional as we allow God’s Word to take root in our lives and clear the cobwebs from our eyes of sin and the world, today.

APPLICATION: If I had a talk on hunting, and you were not into sports, or if your parents never liked hunting, you would probably have no interest in attending my talk. Plus, if you got stuck in the room where I had my lecture, you would probably argue with almost everything I said. In our society today, we have parents who have no connection to God, so He is not spoken of around the house, nor do they make any attempt to take their children to church. But what if Jesus came to your town, and what if He was speaking at a local church, don’t you think that many people from your town would make a special effort to go out and see Him? They may want to settle their curiosity that this Jesus, that their coworker or neighbor is always talking about, and that He really does exists. But how do you think they would react when He speaks on matters that really hits close to home? Why Jesus may even say the same thing to our people as He said to the Jewish leaders – you are challenged to believe me, and to visit your local church, because your personal leader does everything he could to discourage you from learning about Jesus, and to hear His message of love, faith, peace and forgiveness. Friends, as you read today’s verses, you may assume that this does not apply to you because you never gave Satan control of your life. Please allow me to clear that up for you. When you are born into this world you are a natural being controlled by the leader of the natural world. And it’s not until you are introduced to Jesus, that you ever know that there is another, and a better leader. But the path to Jesus is one where each individual has to make a personal decision to accept the gift of salvation that He offers. So if a pastor, or as in our story today, Jesus, was there speaking, and He called you a child of Satan, it’s because He knows that you have not accepted Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior yet. But I’m sure that you may be full of questions as to what difference does it make. The difference is huge, for if you maintain your natural stance and keep Satan as your ruler, you wind up spending eternity in the place he has prepared for you – hell, with all of its terror and total damnation. Conversely, Jesus has also given us a glimpse of what His eternal home looks like, and it is detailed in His very own written Word – the Bible. There we learn that His home is free from sorrow, heartache, pain and disappointment, and filled with the glorious light of His Father (God), which prompts endless praise and rejoicing from His people (us). So my dear friend, I pray that you will make the best decision, based on what I have shared with you. I pray that you will listen to the voice of God as He calls your name, and that you will surrender your life to Him. As this occurs, you will clearly understand what Jesus meant in the last verse above – now you will hear His voice and obey His commands, for you are His! If you have not made the decision I mentioned above, please read on to my Footnote below and click on the links referenced. You will receive more Biblical help on making that very important decision.

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, please hear our cry today for we are Your children looking forward to spending eternity with You. Some may read this devotional today and are undecided about changing their allegiance from Satan, to you. Please tender their hearts today and draw them unto yourself, so that they may tear down the barriers that are preventing their decision. Oh that they will know You today, is my humble plea. Thank You Jesus for loving us enough to pave the way for our eternal peace with the Father. AMEN!

Guilty? Or Acquitted?

On By Ed AlgreenIn Biblical Decisions, Choice, Choices, Decisions, Eternal Life, Jesus led decisionsLeave a comment

Post Date:

 Tuesday, 2017-10-03
SCRIPTURE

From:

 John 3:16-18 (MSG)

Text:

  16-18 “This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life. God didn’t go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again. Anyone who trusts in him is acquitted; anyone who refuses to trust him has long since been under the death sentence without knowing it. And why? Because of that person’s failure to believe in the one-of-a-kind Son of God when introduced to him.
OBSERVATION:
Most people who have heard the Bible taught or preached, could probably recite verse 16! But the following verses go on to explain why God sent His Son, and what this whole gift has to do with our eternal destiny. This is of super importance to each of us, because it helps us to understand the whole purpose of the gospel, and how it relates to each of us. So let’s make sure we understand this clearly…..
APPLICATION:
If a gift was given to everyone at church, you would find where some would cherish it and recognize the value in it. They would appreciate it and cherish it for everything it’s worth. Others may take the gift home, but they may stash it away in a drawer, somewhere so it is not tarnished or broken. However there are some who will leave it in the seat at church, or throw it in the back seat of the car, because they see no value in the gift at all, nor understands why the church would have spent money to give a gift to everyone. Now compare this to the gift that God gave to us in verse 16. What have you done with that gift, anything? In the verses following, we are told that God saw that the sacrificial practices of the Old Testament were just not working, and He wanted to give His children a gift that was extremely costly to Him, but easy for us to accept as our sacrificial gift back to the Master. This Scripture is clear enough that we could know today where we will spend eternity, for we are told in vs 17 and 18 that if we accept the gift of Jesus as our personal Savior, that we are acquitted of our sin and we appear before the Master as a righteous saint of God. Now it also states that unless that step has been taken, we have personally placed ourselves under a death sentence, meaning that we will not live eternally in the beauty of life with Jesus, but instead condemned to death, where our eternity will be with Satan and his demons for eternity. There is only one decision for you today friend, have you truly accepted the free gift of salvation – the precious gift of God’s Son given for all who call on His name to be saved? If the answer is ‘no’, then you have personally decided to take the option of Hell and damnation. Dear friend, I write these blogs every morning hoping that no one who reads them would ever make a decision like the latter one I just explained, for I am so looking forward to rejoicing with each of you in glory one day! Because of the fact that you are reading this blog, this means that you still have a choice. However, today is the day of salvation, for you may not have the next minute or hour to make a change in your decision where you will spend eternity.
PRAYER:
Lord Jesus, the Scripture is very clear. The stage has been set for us, and it is up to us to make sensible decisions, especially those that involve our lives after spending our last moments on earth. You have made things abundantly clear. May each reader, and loved one of mine, make a responsible decision today about their post life on earth destiny. I want them to join me in heaven with You, Lord, but I can’t make the decision for them. Tender their hearts today to Your Word and the precious gift that You gave to us. 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 could indicate a link to a song that came to mind as I wrote the devotional. Feel free to click on the link and listen as you continue to read or pray. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to Nuggets From God’s Word and read more, or you may freely to subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. If you are anywhere near the Highlands County, Florida area and do not have a church home, I would be thrilled to welcome you at Bible Fellowship Church, located at 3750 Hammock Rd, Sebring, FL 33872! Click the link to check out service times and/or other special activities. God is at work among us! Please consider coming to worship with us!

Your Response To God

On By Ed AlgreenIn Faithful, SurrenderLeave a comment

Post Date:

 Wednesday, 2017-08-02
SCRIPTURE

From:

 Deuteronomy 32:3-6 (CEV)

Text:

 3 Join with me in praising the wonderful name of the Lord our God. 4 The Lord is a mighty rock, and he never does wrong. God can always be trusted to bring justice. 5 But you lie and cheat and are unfaithful to him. You have disgraced yourselves and are no longer worthy to be his children. 6  ….the Lord is your Father, the one who created you, but you repaid him by being foolish.
OBSERVATION:
 Moses recognized that people respond differently to circumstances. In these verses we see where some will honor the truth and show their thanksgiving for all God has done for them, while some will still lie, cheat and be unfaithful to Him, no matter how much He does for them. This causes me to think that not a whole lot has changed since the day of Moses, so we will explore this in our application today.
APPLICATION:
Often we hear, or see where people will lift up high those who do things for them, or has helped them at some point in their past. Why there are even holidays that recognize the efforts of others towards mankind, and in some cases statues, or monuments have been carved or erected so that the special efforts of some might be remembered. In fact, in our Scripture where the matter of recognizing God for all He has done, Moses encouraged us to join him in worshipping God and lifting up His name on high. Would you agree that today fewer and fewer people will stop to visit the church of God to corporately thank Him for His goodness and recognize Him for His love and faithfulness towards us? Moses concluded that there are those who will recognize God for His goodness, and those who are unfaithful and have disgraced themselves beyond recognition as God’s children. Fortunately it is not our job to judge who is, and who is not a child of God. However, there is no doubt that each of us know individually whether we have sought the face of God, sought His forgiveness of our sin and committed our lifelong dedication to serve Him faithfully. If you have never made that decision for yourself friend, then according to Scripture you’re in the latter list and not worthy to be called His child. Please read my Footnote carefully and seriously consider surrendering your life to Jesus. There is nothing I would love more than to know that I will unite with all of my readers when we meet around the throne before our Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
PRAYER:
Lord, decisions were made by each reader today. They either know You as Lord, and agreed to continue that walk with You, or they don’t know You and have agreed to surrender their life to Jesus, or they have recklessly decided to continue their life of sin and living for the evil one. Lord, I pray that You would soften hearts today and create a deep desire in the unsaved to know You personally. I pray that You would touch my life and help me to be totally committed to You in every way, so that others may witness my speech and actions and seek Your face. 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 could indicate a link to a song that came to mind as I wrote the devotional. Feel free to click on the link and listen as you continue to read or pray. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to Nuggets From God’s Word and read more, or you may freely to subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. If you are anywhere near the Highlands County, Florida area and do not have a church home, I would be thrilled to welcome you at Bible Fellowship Church, located at 3750 Hammock Rd, Sebring, FL 33872! Click the link to check out service times and/or other special activities. God is at work among us! Please consider coming to worship with us!

Prepared To Go?

On By Ed AlgreenIn Prepared, Salvation, The Father's Love, The love of God, Unconditional love, Warning, Warning SignsLeave a comment

Post Date:

 Saturday, 2017-03-18
SCRIPTURE

From:

 Matthew 24:9-14 (ERV)

Text:

 9 ….People all over the world will hate you because you believe in me. 10 During that time many believers will lose their faith. They will turn against each other and hate each other. 11 Many false prophets will come and cause many people to believe things that are wrong. 12 There will be so much more evil in the world that the love of most believers will grow cold. 13 But the one who remains faithful to the end will be saved. 14 And the Good News I have shared about God’s kingdom will be told throughout the world….
OBSERVATION:
Jesus was asked to explain when the end of time will come. He responded with several signs, and in the link to our scripture reference you will find the whole chapter that details it all. However, in these verses we will look at reasons why we should be prepared even before the signs materialize.
APPLICATION:
I Find it interesting how some folk may not react to warnings but rather to certain actions that confirm the warnings, whereas some are proactive and prepare ahead of time for what is predicted. In my part of the world we particularly see this with hurricanes. In Christianity we try to teach that because God loved us so much, He gave us His very own Son to live among us, experience our challenges, then die a cruel death to make our hope a reality and our future in eternal life assured. Based on that love, many accept that offer of salvation through our Lord and Savior who died for us. However, some gamble with their very lives by thinking they could wait until the end of their life and, when given no other choice, then try Jesus. Unfortunately for the ‘gamblers’, these end of time signs include no clues as to when they will occur, and to be realistic, we are seeing many of these things quickly falling into place even now.  I hope that for any of us meditating on this devotional today, our minds would become more focused on the Savior who loved us enough that He provided a ‘sign’ to us in the shape of a cross on which He was crucified, just to prove His love for us. In being reminded of, and refocused on that, won’t you show your appreciation and reciprocal love to Jesus by accepting that gift of love He produced for all who would accept it? Please don’t wait for the signs told of in the Scripture today, for many will never live to see these materialize, and you could be one of them. At the time of reading this blog you are assured of life here on earth, however the very next moment you could be facing death, with no further chance to change your mind about this loving Jesus of whom I witness and share with you about. The Bible is clear about what happens to the ones who reject the gift of Jesus also, and it is not good friend. For those who reject Jesus, or have never accepted His gift of eternal life, their eyes will be opened in the pit of Hell under the reign of Satan himself. Only you can make the above choices friend, and unless you make a deliberate choice to allow Jesus access and Kingship over your life, then your destination is determined to be under the lordship of Satan. My obvious desire is to see all of my family, friends and readers of this blog at the feet of Jesus in glory. Please don’t disappoint me, make the choice today to accept Jesus as Lord and follow Him.
PRAYER:
Thank You Lord Jesus for loving us enough to pay the ultimate price for our sins, giving us the hope of eternity in heaven with You, Your Father, and all of our loved ones gone on before us who claimed You as their Savior. I am flabbergasted that the King of Glory would love me enough to do this even if I was the only one needing a Savior! Wow! Lord, I pray Your emense blessings on Your Word as it is shared today and tomorrow through this blog, through pulpits in various churches, and in neighborhoods where Christians will share their testimony of the Christ who saved them from Hell. May Your Word bring forth much fruit today, and may those who have never given ear to the truth of Your love for them, hear, believe and accept the love You freely poured out for them. I love You Lord. May You receive honor and praise in many ways this weekend! 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 could indicate a link to a song that came to mind as I wrote the devotional. Feel free to click on the link and listen as you continue to read or pray. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to Nuggets From God’s Word and read more, or you may freely to subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. If you are anywhere near the Highlands County, Florida area and do not have a church home, I would be thrilled to welcome you at Bible Fellowship Church, located at 3750 Hammock Rd, Sebring, FL 33872! Click the link to check out service times and/or other special activities. God is at work among us! Please consider coming to worship with us!

Join Me on a Trip to Paradise!

On By Ed AlgreenIn Heaven, Hell, SalvationLeave a comment

Post Date:

 Thursday, 2017-03-09
SCRIPTURE

From:

 Luke 23:43 (Voice)

Text:

 Jesus: 43 I promise you that this very day you will be with Me in paradise.
OBSERVATION:
Two criminals faced certain death at the same time as Jesus. One was rebellious right to the end, the other was humbled and asked Jesus to remember him when He arose in glory. Jesus instantly accepted him and assured him of his final destination – ‘Paradise’!
APPLICATION:
If you are one of those who are quickly offended when we talk about death, because you are still among the living, then you may want to click away from this blog entry now. However, if you are unsure about where you will spend eternity, or if you would much rather hear about the option of ‘Paradise’ versus where you know you are destined to spend eternity in your current spiritual condition, then stay tuned. In the story of the crucifixion there were two criminals. One was rebellious right to the end, and the other realized his sinfulness and wanted to do something about it, even though he was very near the end of his life. Friends, there are three words that I underlined in this short verse, and I want to speak with you about their importance. The two criminals in this story had a planned appointment for their death, where a decision would be made about their eternity. However, that is not the normal case for us. A dear friend lost a 49 year old son to a severe stroke recently. There was no time for a last minute decision. A coworker was reading a local paper about a man who was run over by his own truck in a church parking lot this past weekend. There was no time for a last minute decision. I want you to see that Jesus didn’t question the criminal of every little bad thing that he ever did, He simply accepted him based on his sincere request. May I suggest that you order Satan away from your mind about you being way too bad for God to ever accept? A very popular Bible verse reminds us that Jesus is very clear that He died for all, and that anyone who calls on Him and believes in Him, will be saved. That includes YOU friend! In my ‘Footnote’ you will find information to help you cement this decision today, for we have no promise of tomorrow. Today is the day of salvation! If you decide to do nothing, like the rebellious criminal, then Satan has also prepared a place for you. Unfortunately, from everything we know about that place it’s just the opposite to Heaven. You make these two choices every day friend. My prayer and my hope is that I will see you in glory with our Heavenly Father, singing praises at His feet!
PRAYER:
Lord Jesus, we have been reminded that there is only one way to prepare ourselves for an eternity in ‘Paradise’ with You, and that’s to accept You as our Lord and Savior. For it was Your sacrifice that would redeem us of our sin and make us worthy to enter heaven’s gates. I believe that daily You touch the hearts of many who are unbelievers to convince them of their need for a Savior. I gave two examples above of how their time of prompting ended, and now they are either with You, or in the pit of Hell. Lord I sincerely pray that this warning will not fall on deaf ears today, but that decisions will be made where necessary to ensure our eternity with You. Thank You for Your willingness to accept even me, a sinner saved only by Your grace. 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 could indicate a link to a song that came to mind as I wrote the devotional. Feel free to click on the link and listen as you continue to read or pray. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to Nuggets From God’s Word and read more, or you may freely to subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. If you are anywhere near the Highlands County, Florida area and do not have a church home, I would be thrilled to welcome you at Bible Fellowship Church, located at 3750 Hammock Rd, Sebring, FL 33872! Click the link to check out service times and/or other special activities. God is at work among us! Please consider coming to worship with us!

Do You Believe?

On By Ed AlgreenIn Choices, Eternity, Salvation, Saved, SurrenderLeave a comment

THE HOLY BIBLE (New Living Translation – John 1:10-12): 10 He came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognize him. 11 He came to his own people, and even they rejected him. 12 But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God.

THOUGHTS: Some of us tell stories about meeting our spouses, and those stories could sometimes sound somewhat like this passage. We struggled to get along with the person when we first met them, then they gained our confidence and we began trusting them. This followed with actually falling in love with that wonderful person and we wound up marrying them! With God, we tend to look at all the beauty around us; we hear of all the miracles He has performed, and sometimes we hear of the miracles performed in the lives of our loved ones even today. We come across folk who hate Him, yet we come across some who are crazy in love with Him. We just can’t escape knowing that God exist because of all the reasons mentioned but yet something still confuses us about wanting to fully accept Him for who people claim Him to be. Friends, may I tell you bluntly that Satan will do everything possible to distract you from trusting in his opponent, for when you believe in; trust in; and surrender to the Lordship of Jesus Christ, Satan loses. However, let me draw to your attention the truth of verse 12. The verse speaks to the glory of becoming a child of God, if you believe in Jesus Christ and accept Him as Lord of your life. But let’s really look at this from a perspective of what happens if you do not believe in Him and accept Him. Doesn’t that mean that Satan wins? Doesn’t that mean that you have chosen instead to follow the ways of Satan and agree that you would rather go to the pits of hell with him to be punished eternally? In life, smart folk don’t make those kinds of choices deliberately, friend. Why would you knowingly settle for that? In religious based movies we hear of people facing death by an evil person if they say they are a Christian. Please hear your friend carefully today when I tell you that there is no known punishment that you can think of that will compare to the pain, anguish and punishment that will be for those who stand before the Lord and say that they have chosen the evil one. The Bible tells us this friend. Granted, you would never deliberately surrender to Satan, right? I bring bad news friend, unless you surrender your life to Jesus Christ, you have decided to accept the alternative, and Satan will do with you what comes natural to him – punish you throughout eternity. Only you can change your destiny friend, and God will help you, if you let Him. He loves you that much!

PRAYER: Lord God, this short passage can be a treacherous one to think about today, or we can chose to see it as a bright and glorious opportunity we have in being called Children of God, because we have surrendered our life to You, through Your Son Jesus. May our choice be a wise one today as we meditate on Your Word? Many will quickly say that they never deliberately make bad choices. Please open their eyes of understanding Lord, so that they may realize that anything less than making a choice to accept You as Lord of their lives, is deliberately making a choice to allow Satan to control their lives. We need You oh Lord, for we have family and friends who still don’t understand the impact of the choice they have made up to this point in their lives. Because they have not been promised anything beyond the present time, I sincerely pray that their eyes of faith will be opened and their hearts softened to allow them to surrender to You before it is eternally too late. I ask all this in the name of Jesus, and because I know that You are the only One who can truly have a positive impact on lives, even today. All glory to You oh Lord, my Savior, AMEN!

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