Tag: Helping Others

Overcoming Life’s Trials Through Prayer

On By Ed AlgreenIn Accept Jesus NOW, Acknowledge God, All have sinned, Awesome God, God Cares For Us, God’s Word, Power of Prayer, PrayerLeave a comment

DATE POSTED
Monday, June 9, 2025, and I was blessed to be at Mariposa at Hunter Road, San Marcos, TX when God inspired me to prepare this devotional. My Footnote will tell you how to find and read any and all episodes that I have shared over the years.

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
Read James 5:13-18 in your Bible or click on it to read it online in the New Living Translation (NLT).

APPLICATION – as inspired by the Holy Spirit
It seems like troubles abound in the lives of our friends, family, and yes, even in our own lives as well. It seems extremely frustrating at times, for just when we thought we have heard of the greatest challenge a person could possibly reach; a friend will approach us with a challenge unlike any other we may have heard before. Of course, if we listen to the media, we will possibly hear THE worst, but media hype seems unreal at times! As believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, whom the Bible assures us never faces something that surprises Him, we must rest assured that All Things are possible with God. Unfortunately, many times I believe we enjoy sharing the challenging times with friends, for it really produces shockingly interesting conversations as we watch for their mouth to open wide and jaws drop to all-time lows! Thankfully, I believe that believers often possess such confidence in the power of God that we naturally alleviate the frustrations and disappointments of those with no hope, for we know a Man who can, as referenced in the old gospel song. Friends, we know the Creator of this world and of all mankind. We know the Healer of all diseases affecting His created ones, for the Bible tells us of the lame man who walked again, the ruler’s son whom the people had declared dead, yet Jesus raised him up, and the leper whose skin became perfectly pure with just one touch of the Master. But in our focal verses today, James, a servant of Jesus Christ, reminds us through several points and their corresponding answers, to help us face the uncertainties of life. Let me spell them out again, with hopes that these things will stick with us, especially when trouble comes:

  • Are you suffering hardships? You should pray.
  • Are you happy? You should sing praises. 
  • Are you sick? You should call for the elders of the church to come and pray over you, anointing you with oil in the name of the Lord. Such a prayer offered in faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will make you well. And if you have committed any sins, you will be forgiven.

Verses 16 thru 18 goes on to remind us of a few other tips that will help us decide to step out in faith:

  • Share with believers, what may seem like, the ugly sin, or faults, that you feel guilty of. For this brings healing to your burdened soul!
  • Pray for one another, especially those who are struggling with the challenges of sin and life as a whole. For this produces wonderful results!
  • Think on past answers to prayer, where God showed His power and grace to His children, such as the example James offered about Elijah and his prayer for the rain to stop and start back up again. This helps to instill confidence in following the commands of God, even in challenging times. Start by first reflecting on past answers to your prayers – even the small ones, for this will remind you that if God did it before, we know He is quite capable of doing it again!

For the unbeliever, God wants you to listen and obey the voice of the Holy Spirit as He calls you to repentance. As an unbeliever, you can try to follow all of the above, but it will be superficial, unless you know the One to whom you are praying. Know Jesus today and know that peace of which I have explained above. However, for the fellow believer reading this devotional today, I trust that this devotional will serve as a reminder that there is great power in knowing Jesus Christ, and believing that He loves and cares for you, especially in those areas of life where you may question if you could possibly overcome the tactics of Satan. As for Your Lord, please consider allowing Him to have His will and way in your life and in all of life’s circumstances. He will never lead you astray, but rather in the center of His will for you. As you study His Word you will find the peace of God and be led by the Holy Spirit to all truth and the perfect will of God.

PRAYER
Lord, thank You for saving my soul and leaving me here on earth to share that miracle with others in search of hope and a future for eternity. Thank You also for Your servant, James, and for him sharing the wisdom needed for us to best look at challenging circumstances and to help others who may call on us for that kind of wisdom. Lord, I pray that we will be faithful and dedicated to You in all areas of life here on earth, for as we display our confidence in You, I pray that it will serve to lift others up and draw them to the foot of the cross to seek salvation in You alone. For the unbeliever who may happen upon this devotional, I pray that they may be drawn to You and develop a desire to know You personally. Please encourage fellow believers to look to You for all things we face every day and help us to gain strength through Your Word as we meditate on it. You deserve our praise, honor and worship. Be lifted up because we are fixing our eyes on things eternal and the only One who can open the doors of heaven for our journey. You are lord, and we seek Your face, oh Lord. AMEN!

FOOTNOTE
If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please take advantage of the information provided on my page ‘To Know Jesus’. Alternatively, consider speaking with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. One of God’s servants will pray with you and offer help and encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. If you would like to read more of my devotionals or subscribe to receive a daily email containing each new devotional, please visit NuggetsFromGodsWord.org. Friends, I encourage you to find a Bible teaching church home near your residence and attend as frequently as possible. Get to know God and allow His people to encourage and strengthen you in your Christian walk while you make every effort to be a blessing to them. God is at work among His people! Please consider being a part of that while also growing in your faith as you worship with fellow believers!

What Other Children of God Need from Us

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

DATE POSTED: Thursday, May 25, 2023, and I was blessed to be at O’Brien, FL when God inspired me to write this blog post. In my Footnote, I explain how you might read or listen to this devotional, or any past devotionals.

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE FROM THE Living Bible (TLB) IS FOUND IN 1 Timothy 5:1-3

THE BIBLE TEXT IS: Never speak sharply to an older man, but plead with him respectfully just as though he were your own father. Talk to the younger men as you would to much-loved brothers. Treat the older women as mothers, and the girls as your sisters, thinking only pure thoughts about them. The church should take loving care of women whose husbands have died if they don’t have anyone else to help them.

MY INITIAL THOUGHTS: To avoid decisions based on personal emotions alone, as God’s child, we must look to God’s Word for direction, or verification on whether His Word confirms our intentions. Timothy was a young pastor, so rather than picking up bad habits from those he would minister to, Paul gave him directions, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. In today’s lesson Paul helps Timothy, and us, discover how to please God when dealing with other individuals. Stay tuned, as this will benefit us all!

APPLICATION OF THE WORD: As a Christian, most of us will probably feel like we must be good to others, because that’s what Jesus did. We might also feel compelled to give to the poor, destitute and widows until we no longer have anything to give, for Jesus loved and cared for others, even those whom others despised. Add to these feelings that you are about to embark on a journey of inviting the lost to be saved, and to disciple and lead the saved to a deeper faith in Jesus Christ. Can you see how easily we might let our personal feelings and emotions control our decision making? Praise God, we have One who gives us direction in all walks of life, and as we strive to please Him and follow in His footsteps, we have a resource that was left for us that contains the heart and mind of Christ, the Bible. Private letters are great, but God wanted this letter from Paul to Timothy made available to all generations for a reason. We are quick to grumble, and we may even share perfect solutions through our ingenious ideas! But when we look to the Word of God for direction, we will find what God knows is best for us and He will guide us into ensuring that the world sees Jesus in what we’re doing. We hear in the news about thugs beating up on old, poorly dressed, and battered looking homeless men and women on the streets of our larger cities, and we feel angered at the thugs and sorry for the elderly. But do we follow God’s commands in meeting their needs where they’re at, or even when they walk through our church doors? For those who regularly attend church, do we stop to listen to their story, hear what their needs are and try to do all within us to meet their needs? Don’t we tend to brush the older men aside assuming their thoughts and ideas are antiquated and not of any value to the church today? Do we try to treat these older men like we did our own father, or are we truly challenged to meet the direction given by Paul to his ‘son in the ministry’, Timothy? I can’t be sure about you, but I often feel out classed by our younger men leading our churches today, and that I may be a bother to them, so it becomes increasingly challenging to offer advice to them. Imagine if we could do something like Paul commanded of Timothy, and partner up with these younger men so we could share our lifelong experience with them. Brothers stand alongside each other and seek out the best for one another, shouldn’t we continue that into our senior years as we pray for, and simply share our experiences with younger men? Before I married my wife, she was told to watch for how her boyfriend or fiancée treated his mom, as it was a good indication of how he will treat his wife. Paul seems to indicate that children of God should also treat older women in much the same way. Those who are perfect in these actions highlighted above have nothing to fear, nor work on, but I believe the majority of us must be reminded of what God’s Word says in how we are to treat others. Because this is commanded of us, I believe that God will judge us on this. ‘Thinking of younger girls as sisters’ could apply to older women, or all men. ‘With pure thoughts’ will apply to the men. When you treat that younger lady like you would your sister, then you will understand how important it is to treat that lady with utmost respect, and help her though her concerns, prayer and needed advice, to complete her mission in life that God has ordained for her to do. I was intrigued by the advice to widows. I thank God for the woman He has placed in my life, but I dread to think about how she might survive on her own, should God take me out of here before her. Can I rest in peace knowing that my church will take care of her like they would take care of their own mothers? But Paul also addressed how this young pastor should treat younger widows. I believe that the church is so attuned to feeling sorry for younger widows, that they may fall prey to correction in these words from Paul. No two scenarios are the same, so good church leaders should carefully understand the needs and either help, or extend godly advice, to younger widows in obedience to their understanding of God’s Word and His direction, God being their helper and advisor.

BLESSINGS WORTH NOTING: Too often we search for ways that God, and the church can help us. But through today’s lesson our eyes are opened to ways that we can treat, and help others, no matter their age, or circumstances of life, God being our helper.

PRAYER BECAUSE OF THE IMPACT OF TODAY’S SCRIPTURE: Lord Jesus, I am reminded of an older couple that I attended church with, in my younger days. One was almost blind, and one was crippled. But together they were able to help other seniors by doing their shopping for them. Unfortunately, I believe that too often we feel we are incapable of helping others, because of various circumstances in our life. But dear Lord, most of us can pray, or pick up the phone and call to encourage a shut-in or even our pastor who may struggle to make it through various burdens laid upon him each day. When we’re not doing something helpful, it’s like we declare Your good works in us is meaningless, and perhaps like You may have made something less than perfect. Just as was said about Esther’s purpose in the palace, I strongly believe that You have placed us where we’re at for such a time and place as this. Everyone needs Jesus, and everyone needs to know that they are loved and appreciated for who they are. Please teach us to do our part, while we wait for You to bring us into Your greater glory – in heaven with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: There’s another page on my website, entitled ‘To Know Jesus’. If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading or listening to this devotional, please go to this page, or speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. Please allow someone to pray with you and give you help and/or encouragement as you begin or continue your walk with Jesus. If you would like to see or hear more of my devotionals, please go to NuggetsFromGodsWord.org and read more, or go to Apple Podcasts and search for Nuggets From Gods Word to listen to more podcasts. You can also choose to freely subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s written devotional, or on the Apple Podcast app, simply search for Nuggets From God’s Word and click ‘Follow’ to be notified of Podcast updates. Please allow me to 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!

Show Mercy

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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!

Devote Yourself To Doing Good

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, God our Helper, Needs, Our Help comes from God, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Thursday, 2020-09-17
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: Titus 3:8
TRANSLATION: New Living Translation (NLT)

BIBLE TEXT: 8 This is a trustworthy saying, and I want you to insist on these teachings so that all who trust in God will devote themselves to doing good. These teachings are good and beneficial for everyone.

OBSERVATION: Paul had just used the first 7 verses of this Scripture asking Titus to remind the church from whence they came, and to never forget how much God did for them. This applies to us today, and I believe that grateful men and women will always want to give back when they are appreciating the blessings they are endowed with from above. Could it be that our good works is a measurement of how grateful we are for what God has done in our lives?

APPLICATION: Paul addressed this same message in Ephesians 2:8-10, and so did James over in James 2, so I believe that this is worth being reminded about again today. Let’s ponder for a moment how appreciative we are of our parents for their sacrifice and love during the first part of our lives. Many of us will now sacrifice our last dollar in order to care for our parents who may be running into hard times near the end of their lives. Another example of this might be our spouse, for many good spouses will sacrifice in order to please their partner, whether through food, or perhaps in their time devoted to caring for us. I wonder if it would impact us more if Paul had said this in a slightly different way? What if he said ‘apparently these people are not very grateful to God for all that He did for them at Calvary. Look, outsiders are coming in to help their elderly, widowed and sick. They refuse to even help each other through rough times’. I believe that way too often we take on the role of God, and decide not to help a Brother because of all the sin that we see in their lives, or the laziness, or the way they treat their spouse. What if God looked at us in such a critical way, do you suppose that He would have ever sacrificed His only Son for our salvation? Could He possibly have loved us through the sin that He saw in us? He sure did! Friends, we need to stop analyzing like we feel God does. We need to be busy about the work of the Lord. I believe that if God saw us really busy helping others and doing good wherever we go, then He would know that there is something, or someone, special inside of us that makes us different to the rest of the world. If we were to set out each day determined to help others and allow God to work mightily through us, then no one will be able to stop us. In fact, wouldn’t it be awesome to have folk question if we are children of the King, because they noticed us helping others who can’t help themselves? I sincerely believe that others will want to know our King, when they see evidence that He made such a difference in our lives. When friends see no difference in us, compared to what they and their worldly friends say and do, what change would they need to make? Would they truly have a reason to believe that there is a God, if they don’t see Him at work in His own children? It is so important for us to be obedient children, dear ones. Let’s begin afresh today by following the Scripture and devote ourselves to doing good. Jesus did so, and so should we, as His devoted children.

PRAYER: Dear Lord, thank You for looking at sinners such as my readers and I, hearing our cry for forgiveness and acceptance, and yet You looked on us through loving, forgiving eyes, saw our need, forgave our sins, and considered us as saints in Your wonderful eyes. So unworthy, yet You loved us anyway. Thank You Jesus! In appreciation for Your precious Word, please humble us today to seek out ways to serve You through helping others that we will come into contact with. You did it while here on earth, so please give us boldness, stamina and determination to follow Your example and be of godly, loving service, as evidence of the awesome God that lives inside of us. 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!

Our Rewards For Doing Good

On By Ed AlgreenIn Commitment, Committed, Rewards, Totally committed, Unconditional commitmentLeave a comment

Post Date:

 Wednesday, 2017-09-20
SCRIPTURE

From:

 Galatians 6:9-10 (GNT)

Text:

 9 So let us not become tired of doing good; for if we do not give up, the time will come when we will reap the harvest. 10 So then, as often as we have the chance, we should do good to everyone, and especially to those who belong to our family in the faith.
OBSERVATION:
Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Paul recognized that the followers at Galatia had become very self-minded, in spite of the dire needs all around them. Paul taught them how serving self,  led to spiritual death, versus helping the needy would please the Spirit and bless them personally with a great harvest. I believe that God wanted this in His Word because He knew that one day we would be very much the same. Let’s dig in….
APPLICATION:
I believe that Satan is just as prevalent today as he has always been, in trying to distract Christians from their personal time with the Lord, and also their corporate time in worship to God, and fellowship with other believers. What this results in, is folk who are either overindulged and/or over over-committed at work, and therefore causes folk to look inward for respite on the weekends. This means that many will only find time for their personal favorite pastimes over the weekend, or who use any excuse at all to avoid outside obligations on their ‘personal time’. That’s when we start using excuses like: Well that’s my only day off, so I had to…..; or that’s my only morning to sleep in, so…..; or I have cheated my spouse and kids of time all week, now it’s their turn. Friends, these sound like reasonable excuses to us, but what do you suppose Jesus might say in response? What if Jesus used excuses like these when he was being led to Calvary to ultimately rescue us from our sin? What if we missed an opportunity to hold the hand of a friend at church and lead them to the altar of salvation? Do you suppose these excuses come from devout Christians who opened the Word each day, and dropped to their knees in prayer before a holy and righteous God before leaving for their busy day? Friends, may I suggest that you look deeply into your heart and your personal relationship with God when you start using excuses to meet with Him, or to help others. Natural disasters such as hurricanes or earthquake really bring people together, and extreme love is shown towards those who were impacted. Churches are often filled when folk feel incapable of helping themselves. Folk call out to God like faithful followers when they feel helpless. Oh that we will always call out to Him each and every day, so that our relationship might grow in Him and be filled with the same characteristics that He displayed while on earth. May that inward excitement overwhelm us and push us towards corporate worship so that we might encourage others and help lead the unsaved to Jesus. May we develop an inward drive to help others, like Jesus did. When we stand before the throne on Judgment Day, may God recognize us as a true and faithful follower who helped many along the way.
PRAYER:
For all You have done for us dear Lord, may we be more diligent and dedicated in our time with You and in displaying Your love through helping others here on earth, for thine is the kingdom, the honor and the 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 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!

Helping Others

On By Ed AlgreenIn Bless Others, Help, Helper, Love others, Needs of others, Others firstLeave a comment

Tuesday, 2016-10-04

Scripture

Bible Reference: Ephesians 2:9-10

Bible Text:  9 Salvation is not a reward for the good we have done, so none of us can take any credit for it. 10 It is God himself who has made us what we are and given us new lives from Christ Jesus; and long ages ago he planned that we should spend these lives in helping others.

Bible Translation: The Living Bible (TLB)

My Take

After reading this scripture today, I feel like we should carefully examine whether we are living as God intended – helping one another. It’s almost frightening to think how greedy, and self-engrossed we have become with living our days to get as much as possible out of life for self. It seems like we are always expecting the needed help for our friends or family to come from someone else. Friends, I believe that it goes with saying, that if God sent His Son, Jesus, through the miraculous means of a virgin birth, and then He followed years later with a cruel death on the cross and a supernatural resurrection, so that our sins might be forgiven and therefore attain brand new lives, that He must have had intentions far greater than anything we could imagine. Yes, I believe that part of this plan was to make it possible for us to attain assurance of our salvation and an eternal home with our Maker, but what do you suppose he meant for us to do until the day He calls us home? Our scripture today tells us that it was God’s intent from the very beginning that we use these ‘new’ lives to help others. Think about it friend, you can tell some folk how to receive eternal life, but for others you have to show them. If we are truly Jesus’ kids, then we will act just like Him and display the same characteristics that He did. He was loving and kind even to those who were against Him and despised Him. How are you doing friend? Are you being mistaken for just about any other ‘Joe Blow’ on the street, or is it evident that You have walked and talked with Jesus and living according to His purpose? Only what’s done for Jesus will last, friend! Make it count today!

Prayer

Dear God, we have become so self-centered and greedy for all that we can personally benefit from, that we truly needed this reminder from Your Word today. Praise God that You saved us from our sin! Now Lord, please use us for the purpose You intended right from the beginning, that we help others. You placed us here on earth as brothers and sisters, not as enemies and not as one to lord over another, but in humility that we might help each other. Please open our eyes to the opportunities available to us today, and may we make You proud as we pick up the banner and help others along the way. Thank You Lord for saving my soul, and thank You for touching the hearts of so many others out there. 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 contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. 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 www.nuggetsfromgodsword.org 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!

A Benefit of our Troubles

On By Ed AlgreenIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

The Holy Bible

All praise to the God and Father of our Master, Jesus the Messiah! Father of all mercy! God of all healing counsel! He comes alongside us when we go through hard times, and before you know it, he brings us alongside someone else who is going through hard times so that we can be there for that person just as God was there for us.

(Bible Translation and Location: The Message – 2 Corinthians 1:3-4)

Thoughts:

I was reading a book recently and the writer shared that others don’t pay near as much attention to what we say, as to when they see us acting according to the advice we are freely giving to others! Similarly, when needing advice on fixing your car, don’t you suppose that you would be more apt to listen to a mechanic, than the smartest professor who read a book about your car, and even about the engine? This is very much like our Christian walk. Personally, I try to be careful in using the words “I know how you feel” unless I have experienced the same symptoms as the other person is encountering, and even then their scenario could be way more severe than I ever had. It is so much more helpful to listen and gain an understanding on how you might pray for someone’s needs, rather than minimizing their issue with your past experiences. Paul and Timothy are warning the Corinthian church, and God is using this experience to teach us, that no matter what we might encounter in our health, there will be others who go through very similar situations. Therefore, believe in God through the good times and through the challenging times, knowing that He can use your experience for you to personally help others. Look for/recognize His hand at work in your situation and be ready to give Him praise for His specific help, and we are to do this believing that God will grow us to use our circumstance in order to help another Brother or Sister who might develop a similar issue and who really needs someone to talk to who can identify with them. Don’t you know that in the case of the mechanic mentioned above, only he can share with you the little particulars and the bumps and bruises that you can expect when doing certain repairs, because of his years of experience? Friends, when you find hope, be ready to share hope with those who are hopeless. When you experience healing, go out of your way to share that with someone who is very concerned about their medical issues. When you suffer the loss of a loved one, be ready to come alongside that mourning friend who is now experiencing loss. Don’t you know that only then you can truly say “I know something about what you might be feeling, because I lost my __?___ and God worked powerfully in my life and comforted me every day – or whatever you might have experienced? God will point you to the individual(s) where He can use you. Remember, you are just a recovering sinner accepting God’s help so that you might come alongside another child of His that could use your experience to help them confirm their decision and/or direction. Just let go, and let God!

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, just how You have highlighted these verses to me this morning, I believe that there are many who You have brought through life experiences who could very easily come alongside a hurting, troubled friend today. Lord, I also believe that as we show obedience in doing this, that You will give us the strength and guidance that we need to either be quiet and listen, or to share how wonderful You have been to us. The neat thing that I respect in You dear Lord, is that You know what a person is feeling, what they’ve been through, how much pain they are in right now, and the words they need to really refocus their life on You, in spite of their circumstance. Please keep us humble Oh Lord, so that we may be this witness and encouragement, all because of You, and nothing of ourselves. May we take this action because of what You want to see, and to encourage our friend to look to You and praise You in their storm. Lord, thank You for being my God, my Savior and soon coming King. May I learn to be a better witness of, and for, You every day in every way, and I ask this knowing that only You have power to respond to any of these requests. For I ask this in the name of Jesus, my Savior and Lord, 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 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 blogger.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!

Overcoming the World

On By Ed AlgreenIn Bible Believing, Christian, Love, Obedience, RighteousnessLeave a comment

SCRIPTURE

Studied: 1 John 5

 

OBSERVATION

1 John 5:1-5 – If we believe that Jesus is truly Christ, we are God’s children. Everyone who loves the Father will also love his children. If we love and obey God, we know that we will love his children. We show our love for God by obeying his commandments, and they are not hard to follow. Every child of God can defeat the world, and our faith is what gives us this victory. No one can defeat the world without having faith in Jesus as the Son of God.

APPLICATION

These are very powerful verses and reveal several truths to remind me of what a child of God, Christians, should look like and how we should act:

  1. The reassurance for us, in order to comprehend verses 2-5, is that for those of us that believe that Jesus is truly the Christ, we are children of the Almighty, the King of all kings, the Lord of all lords, the Master of the universe. We are royalty! Words from a popular old hymn, “…I, though so unworthy, Still am a child of his care, For his word teaches me …”;
  2. If we love the Father, then we will also love His children. – How then can we say that we hate a Christian brother or sister?
  3. If we love and obey God, then we will love His children. – Slightly different to #2, because this point says that not only if we love but also if we obey God, then we will love His children;
  4. A major way that we show that we love God, is by obeying His commands. Read and/or listen to the Word, and obey what God says to us. Prove that we love God by obeying Him;
  5. Exercising our faith in God is what gives us victory over this world. We become so depressed when things of this world really burden us, yet through Christ, we are reminded that we are more than conquerors. Let’s place our hand, our faith, our trust in the hand of the only One that has power to overcome all the sick, violent, evil, hateful things of this world, for He has the power and the wisdom to overcome it all!

Why do we whine when the world seems to be against us, for we don’t serve the world. We are not servants of the world, for Jesus is our master. Our stress levels would be much improved if we place our faith where it belongs, in the only One who sacrificed it all for us.

 

PRAYER

Lord Jesus, please help us, Your children to get our act together, get our priorities in order, help us to just simply obey Your Word and allow You to be God, to be our Master over everything, especially the challenges of this old world, for there is power in the name of Jesus. I love You Father, and need to frequently remember who is in charge so that I can direct my energies towards obeying and serving You, and to loving Your children. Thank You for challenging me with this today!

Faith under Fire

On By Ed AlgreenIn Bible Believing, Christian, Faith, Humility, Obedience, RighteousnessLeave a comment

SCRIPTURE

Studied: John 18 

OBSERVATION

John 18:25 ~ Meanwhile, as Simon Peter was standing by the fire warming himself, they asked him again, “You’re not one of his disciples, are you?” He denied it, saying, “No, I am not.”

APPLICATION

It might be very easy for us to read this chapter and comment about the coward that Peter was. The truth is that we do this almost every day of our lives, for we act differently and/or speak differently when we are under pressure. A few examples are:

  • The ease we have in lifting up holy hands and worshipping God inside church, vs the challenge we have in doing the same when a fellow Christian tells us in front of coworkers about a miracle that occurred in their life or the life of a loved one. Sometimes the motionless way that we may respond might lead coworkers to question whether we are of the same faith at all;
  • We might easily openly pray in Church, but we don’t want to appear ‘holy’ by praying in public over our food or for a friend in need;
  • We will sit and not only laugh at dirty jokes, but not even acknowledge in actions that our ‘holy’ ears were just poisoned or stained by ungodly or unholy garbage;
  • We will quickly fill our glass with alcohol at a function so we could look/act like our buddies, even though we just said a loud ‘amen’ to the preacher that spoke so openly about ‘the sin of defiling the body’ the day before.

In the above examples I feel like our faith is being tested. Someone is watching to see if we would act the same way on Monday that they saw us pretending to be on Sunday. The sad thing is that we have not only just given them the opportunity to point a finger at our inconsistency, but we have shown that when our faith is under fire, we will act just like Peter and deny Christ. What the world needs most, is to see followers of Christ that they could see enough consistency in their walk and talk that they will freely ask questions about God’s grace, and particularly what it takes to draw closer to God in a personal relationship. The best sermon spoken to a friend is the one that shows by our actions who, and whose we truly are.

PRAYER

  1. Father, in the same way that I seek your face daily for many needs in my life, may I also be careful to not be hypocritical and act as a stranger to You when in the presence of my friends, acquaintances, coworkers, business associates, etc. Perhaps today I can be such an example to someone that they will welcome hearing from me about the Christ that I know, worship, adore and live for each day of my life. Please grant me the strength and boldness to be Your witness today dear Lord. Make me a blessing to someone today!

Benefits of Worship and Obedience

On By Ed AlgreenIn Bible Believing, Christian, Faith, Forgiveness, Humility, Obedience, Righteousness, WorksLeave a comment

SCRIPTURE

Studied: Psalm 112

OBSERVATION

Psalm 112:1-9 ~ … The LORD blesses everyone who worships him and gladly obeys his teachings. Their descendants will have great power in the land, because the LORD blesses all who do right. They will get rich and prosper and will always be remembered for their fairness. They will be so kind and merciful and good, that they will be a light in the dark for others who do the right thing. Life will go well for those who freely lend and are honest in business. They won’t ever be troubled, and the kind things they do will never be forgotten. Bad news won’t bother them; they have decided to trust the LORD. They are dependable and not afraid, and they will live to see their enemies defeated. They will always be remembered and greatly praised, because they were kind and freely gave to the poor.

APPLICATION

I have included a lot more scripture verses than usual today because I was so touched by it. God is so moved and blessed by our worship and obedience to Him that He used David to show us that there are many benefits to us:

  • Our children will be given great power, because God blesses all who do right;
  • We will get rich and will prosper and will always be remembered, because of our fairness;
  • We will be so kind, merciful and good, that we will be an example or role model for those who endeavor to do the right thing;
  • As we freely lend and be honest in business, we will see life go well for us;
  • We won’t ever be troubled;
  • The kind things that we do will never be forgotten;
  • Bad news won’t bother us, because we are so determined to trust the Lord in all things;
  • We are dependable (so we should be some of the best employees!);
  • We will not be afraid;
  • We will live to see our enemies defeated (although I hope that we will never have enemies!);
  • We will always be remembered and greatly praised, because we were kind and always freely gave to the poor.

Wow, wow, wow! What more can we ask for? What more can we expect? If you are like me I believe that we will say, “But I just want to worship my Lord and obey His Word”, and we will have the best goal in life, but these verses are placed to let us know that there are definite benefits to doing just that! Now put that in perspective and ask why we would deserve this kind of love and I believe that, like me, you will conclude that it is the grace of God that saves us, not anything that we might do, otherwise we might selfishly boast. God is awesome, let’s devote ourselves to worshipping Him and obeying His commands, and in turn be blessed by Him beyond all that we could imagine or expect!

PRAYER

Father, I am committed to worshipping You and obeying Your Word. I acknowledge that this will require much devotion and commitment from me and much help from You to help me keep my focus and devotion to what You teach in Your Word. I know that I will have to depend on You daily, thank You for being there for me. I am so appreciative that You would love even me to the extent of blessing me in all these ways if only I will do what I am suppose to do. Thank You Jesus!