Tag: Honest

Finding Hope Through God’s Chastening Love

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

DATE POSTED
Saturday, March 8, 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 it in your Bible or click Jeremiah 15 to read it in the New Living Translation (NLT).

APPLICATION – as inspired by the Holy Spirit
Some religions are so confident that we serve a loving and kind God, that they struggle to believe that He would discipline His children or refuse them into His Heaven. The Bible demonstrated over and over again how the God we know, love and serve is a loving and forgiving God. But for the student of God’s Word, interested in reading and understanding all the attributes of God, it becomes evident that love often requires discipline in order to change the sinful hearts of mankind. I would encourage each reader of this devotional to click on the Scripture reference above and read this short chapter of 21 verses. Like me, I believe your eyes will be opened to the just and fair hand of God as He deals with His people. We can see how Jeremiah was challenged to the extent that he questioned in vs 19 what might happen to him, Gods chosen vessel. Please allow me to point out a few verses where the Holy Spirit really got my undivided attention:
—> Vs 1: In response to the pleading of Jeremiah, God responded that even if Moses and Samuel came before Him, He would not change His mind about the harm that would come to the Israelites that sinned against Him. Don’t we frequently practice calling in the pastor, or the bishop or someone we honor in Christian leadership to call on God on our behalf because, we feel, He has refused to answer our prayers? So often we forget that ‘no’ is just as much of an answer as ‘yes’! After all, why ask God, if you have the expected answer already? Friends, the God who created heaven and earth, you and me, and holds this earth together, He knows what’s going on, and what will happen, so He knows the right answer for the right time, and He will not lead us astray.
—> Vs 2-3: I found it interesting that nothing was mentioned of the saved in the bunch of disobedient folks that God was dealing with! I was so impressed with what one commentator offered on this: (Courson’s Application Commentary (3 Vols.)) It’s important for us to understand that sometimes the Lord has to take us through hard times. We think it’s oh, so cruel, but in reality, it’s loving because He’s freeing us from certain tendencies, habits, and problems to which we’re in bondage. The Lord deals with us, chastens us, and breaks us that He might ultimately free us, bless us, and build us.
—> Vs 6-7: God is tired of giving us another chance. In these verses God chose to destroy His own people because they continued in sin after being warned repeatedly by Him. Don’t forget to recheck your opinion about our God being a ‘Just’ God. Remember, that works for the good, and also for the bad. In the New Testament we are reminded to not grieve the Holy Spirit by continuing to sin. Also, that God’s Spirit will not always thrive in us if we continue to ignore His Sprit. God is totally opposed to sin, for He has never sinned. If we strive to follow in the steps of our Master, then we also will seek His guidance to avoid sin.
—> Vs 15-19: In vs 15 Jeremiah applies this whole Scripture to himself, just like we do today when the Word of God is taught, preached and studied. The challenge that God gives to Jeremiah in vs 19 is something that I believe we should strive to live out daily, with the help of Almighty God. If we return to God, He will restore us so that we can continue to serve and represent Him before sinners. If we speak good words rather than worthless ones, we will be His spokesman. We must influence them and not let them influence us! All this is possible if we make it our priority to please God, and if we submit to His power, guidance and ultimate direction in this life here on earth. The ways of this world are totally opposite and different to God’s ways, so it will take His awesome power to redirect us and show us the way, the truth and the life – eternal life. With God, all things are possible.

PRAYER
Lord Jesus, thank You for your love and for being fair in everything You do. We love the times that You bless us with good news, good things, and hope for an awesome future with You and the Father in heaven. But we consider it challenging when, out of total love for us, You work on our attitudes, our bad choices and our desires to please those in this world, rather than in total obedience and commitment to You. Please help us today to stop and meditate on Your words, and the deep concern shown through Your teachings. Without correction or challenge, we might question whether You love us. So Lord, please help us to listen closely to Your voice, Your correction, and Your teachings so that we can follow in Your footsteps, for Your people need to hear from You, not from sinful folk like us. May we recommit ourselves to following You and living like You Lord. May You be glorified in everything we do and say. 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 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!

Honest In Business Dealings

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

DATE POSTED: Thursday, June 29, 2023, and I was blessed to be at Houston, TX when God inspired me to prepare this devotional. My Footnote will tell you how to find, read or listen to any and all episodes that I have shared over the years.

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE FROM THE Amplified Bible (AMP) IS FOUND IN Proverbs 11:1

THE BIBLE TEXT IS: A false balance and dishonest business practices are extremely offensive to the Lord,
But an accurate scale is His delight.

MY INITIAL THOUGHTS: Can everyone consider your words accurate and honest, without any hidden agendas on your behalf? God reported through Solomon in this Proverb today, that He is pleased when we report what is right, just and honest, but it truly disturbs Him when we use dishonest means and report part-truths. This may hurt, but stay with me as we look into fully understanding this Proverb today.

APPLICATION OF THE WORD: I try to always look at the available commentaries to make sure that there is not something in the Scripture that should be shared with you, that I have not fully understood or looked at from every angle. For those who are young, you may not know about the ‘scales’ mentioned in this Scripture today, but instead of digital, these were once manual, where you placed weights on one end, so that when weighing something on the other end, you would know how much it weighs. This description will help you better understand where Solomon was coming from when speaking of honesty in your scales, and also in the following illustration. One of my favorite commentators gave this story to lend understanding to the meaning of this verse: ‘Every day, the farmer delivered a pound of butter to the baker. But the baker began to notice that the pound of butter was becoming smaller and smaller and smaller. “My goodness,” he thought, “I’m being systematically cheated.” So he reported it to the town constable. The baker and the constable went to the farmer’s farm, where the farmer was accused of shortchanging the baker. “But the butter I give him weighs one pound,” the farmer insisted. “What are you using for a weight?” the constable asked. “The baker’s one-pound loaf of bread,” the farmer replied. Thus, the baker was caught in his own trap.’ Unfortunately, this principle can be applied to more than the butcher, farmer or grocer, for having worked in the financial sector all of my working life, I know that many businesses would present a ‘real’ P&L (Profit and Loss) sheet to the bank for a loan application, instead of the one filed with the Internal Revenue Service. I believe that if businesses were as ‘poor’ as the case presented to the Internal Revenue Service, then many would fail. Furthermore, I know that individuals dread the idea of the Internal Revenue Service auditing their personal tax returns as well. I wonder why! If we are truly honest, why do you suppose any of the above might be the case? But doesn’t this sound like manipulating the records for the individual’s, or business’ own profit? God knows the truth of that, and He will be the judge over those decisions. But I believe that manipulation is an abomination to God in all aspects of our lives, including our spiritual affairs. Church attendance and looking prim and proper is not proof that we will enter Heaven’s gates. Being good when around certain people is not considered good enough to enter Heaven’s gates, for it is only through surrendering one’s life to the lordship of Jesus Christ for His will and purpose, that one is truly saved. There was an old proverb that my parents taught during my youth, ‘you can change some of the people some of the time, but never all of the people all of the time’. So why then do we try to sway others towards such impression of us, even if it is a false impression? Let’s try to remember, God knows every little detail about us and our business dealings, so why would we possibly see the need to try and fool others into thinking otherwise? I believe that God is more concerned about our honesty, even when we realize that we have messed up, because He wants us to present ourselves as we are known to God, so that the people will know God and see Him in His children.

BLESSINGS WORTH NOTING: Praise God that He sees us just as we are. I’m sure that He must be disappointed how we try so hard to mask who and what we are to everyone else. Let’s remember, God never created junk, so there’s nothing wrong with us presenting ourselves as God sees us!

PRAYER BECAUSE OF THE IMPACT OF TODAY’S SCRIPTURE: Praise the Lord God Almighty for creating even me in His perfect will. I may not be as tall as some, nor rich as others. I may not see or hear perfectly, but knowing that I was made by the Creator of this whole world, loved by Him so much that He was willing to sacrifice the life of His very own Son, and that He has prepared the most wonderful place ever imagined for my eternal home with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, why on earth would I feel it necessary to try and impress others to see me other than a child of that same King? Lord, please help us to be proud of our heritage and our relation to us. Please keep us honest and never see the need to fool others, or falsely report on things that You are obviously very aware of. Let others see Jesus in us, and not the obvious falsehoods that we try to introduce into our lives to please others. Your way is perfect. Please help us to replicate that perfection so that others will see and desire a relationship with You. 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 read more of my devotionals, or subscribe for a daily email containing each new devotional, please go online to NuggetsFromGodsWord.org. For my podcast, go online to Apple Podcasts or, using the Apple Podcast app, simply search for Nuggets From God’s Word to hear more episodes, or click ‘Follow’ to be notified of Podcast updates. Friends, 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!

May God Bless Our Employers, Because of Us

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

DATE POSTED Monday, 2022-01-31
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Genesis 39:5-6
TRANSLATION: New Living Translation (NLT)

BIBLE TEXT: 5 From the day Joseph was put in charge of his master’s household and property, the Lord began to bless Potiphar’s household for Joseph’s sake. All his household affairs ran smoothly, and his crops and livestock flourished. 6 So Potiphar gave Joseph complete administrative responsibility over everything he owned. With Joseph there, he didn’t worry about a thing—except what kind of food to eat!

APPLICATION: The obvious question is perhaps: how could I possibly make a difference to the success of my employer? I believe that qualities that our employer, and God, might be looking for in a child of the King are:
-*- HONESTY – I believe that any employer will tell you that the money they lose from dishonest employees is mind-boggling. The dishonest may tend to work the clock to make sure they give no extra time to the boss, however, the time wasted on the job is never considered cheating by them. I trust that the Christian worker will always be looked upon as honest and trustworthy in every way.
-*- PRAYER – I believe the Bible teaches us to pray for those in authority over us. Suppose we prayed for the success of our boss and that the company product would flourish in its market. Sure, that will inflate their pockets, but it also increases the chance of us continuing to have a job. Perhaps as profits increase, our working conditions will improve and the opportunity for raises become more possible. Pray for the soul of the boss, for they need Jesus just as we and other coworkers do. I bet it would be such an honor to work for a Christian boss!
-*- TRUST – I once knew a boss who bragged on one of his Christian employees and added that he would have a great company, if he only had a half dozen other employees as trustworthy and dedicated to their job. Oh that every boss will be able to say something similar because of Christian workers in their employment.
Our Scripture today says that God blessed the home and assets of Potiphar for the sake of Joseph. It sounds to me that God was so pleased with having an awesome representative working for Potiphar that He knew that in blessing Potiphar, His servant Joseph will also be blessed. I wish that would be the case for every believer who meditates on this devotional today, God being your strength and your Helper.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Our dedication to God and our representation of Him and His good works, will cause God to bless everyone and everything in which we actively participate!

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, please help us to be Your hands and feet in our workplaces. May we always choose to represent You well and without always pushing the envelope for more money, better positions and greater recognition. May our boss just simply see us as an extension of the One True God, and may they and their businesses be blessed because of our employment. Thank You Lord for Your provisions and always showering us with Your blessings. May we be willing to just pass along the blessings so that others will see Jesus in action, and want to also know Him personally. Lord, we are a blessed people. Please help us to also bless others in return, and may we always praise You for Your kindness and Your faithfulness 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 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!

Prayer – A Plea To God

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

DATE WRITTEN: Friday, 2021-04-30
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: Psalm 27:7-9
TRANSLATION: New Living Translation (NLT)

BIBLE TEXT: 7 Hear me as I pray, O Lord. Be merciful and answer me!
8 My heart has heard you say, “Come and talk with me.” And my heart responds, “Lord, I am coming.”
9 Do not turn your back on me. Do not reject your servant in anger. You have always been my helper. Don’t leave me now; don’t abandon me, O God of my salvation!

OBSERVATION: Often in our prayers we will thank God for our food, thank Him for His blessings on us, ask Him to bless our family, etc. But there are times of desperation where we plead with God about circumstances beyond our control that often bear heavy on our heart. As we meditate on this passage I pray that we will be reminded of the love of our Savior in our good times, where it seems like blessings abound, and in our most challenging times when we desperately need Him.

APPLICATION: Most people remember God and they remember to pray to Him when they see no way out in the critical circumstances of life. Imagine leading up to a a car wreck, all passengers are drinking and having the time of their life. The driver falls asleep and the inevitable occurs – a head on collision with a tree. At least one passenger has life-threatening injuries. What do you suppose is the first thing the remaining occupants will do? I agree, probably pray. I’m not qualified to say whether God hears their prayer, and answers their pleas, but the Bible has many instances where we are warned that no one knows the day or the hour where our life here on earth will end, and that we should be ready to meet our Maker at all times. David faced many challenges in his short life, but he had a very intimate relationship with his Maker. Because of his relationship with God, he mentioned how he heard in his heart that God wanted him to pour out his heartfelt needs to Him. Like us, David was afraid that God was not hearing him, and even worse, he was afraid that God would reject him. Don’t try to knock David down for his feelings, because while we could read a lot from the Bible about David, and it all seems honorable and it makes David look very good, we must remember that only David knew what was going on in his life. He was able to open his heart to God, because he knew that God knew all too well about the good, bad and indifferent in David. This is important for us to take note of, for we might try to pull the wool over the eyes of our parents, our spouse, or our good friends, but we can’t do that with God. For God not only knows everything about us, but He also sees everything we do, He hears every word we say, and even more frightening – He knows our very thoughts. So there is no need to beat around the bush when conversing with God, but instead be honest and hold nothing back. He is waiting to see if you will be honest with Him. Also, when you go before God in prayer, remember He is the Master and you are the servant. You are asking Him for whatever needs are impacting your life, so don’t tell Him how to do His job. Respect Him as God of the universe, and speak to Him as One who knows all about what your needs are. He has the power to forgive, and He alone can heal and forgive us of our sins. Listen carefully for His answer, as it may not align with your desired response. He’s better than that, and He will answer in a way that far exceeds anything we could ask or expect. Let me encourage you to cast your cares upon the Lord, and expect His supernatural response.

PRAYER: Although we are afraid to tell our friends everything that bothers us, Lord we realize how You already know about our good times, our wishes, our desires, and our wants. Please speak intently to us so that we may not ask astray. We are thankful that You know what’s best for us ahead, and You know the perfect timing for those things. Please humble our hearts to talk with You in all honesty, and to be patient as we wait for Your response and direction. Thank You for the life of David, and thank You for his honesty in speaking with You during his intimate times with You. We have no one to impress, so help us to just be ourselves as we come before You in prayer. Please continue to bless us, and bless those that we pray for, so that You may be glorified here on earth, as You are in Heaven. 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!

Avoiding Denial

On By Ed AlgreenIn Desertion, Faithful, True1 Comment

Tuesday, 2019-09-24

Bible Reference: Matthew 26:33-35
Translation: The New Living Translation (NLT)

Bible Text:  33 Peter declared, “Even if everyone else deserts you, I will never desert you.” 34 Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, Peter—this very night, before the rooster crows, you will deny three times that you even know me.” 35 “No!” Peter insisted. “Even if I have to die with you, I will never deny you!” And all the other disciples vowed the same.

OBSERVATION: Peter did exactly what he swore he would not do – he denied his Lord. I’m sure that Christians reading this blog today will join with me in swearing up and down that we would never do that, but I hope that as we meditate on the Word today, perhaps we will be challenged to realign some priorities in our life to help avoid following in Peter’s footsteps. Take a few moments to meditate with me on this.

APPLICATION:  Imagine for a moment the feeling of walking into a room with your subordinate staff and hearing them put you down to an indescribable degree – imagine how you will feel. Then imagine that there is a dangerous situation at hand, and all of your closest friends come and look on, but choose not to get involved, so they just move on and leave you to suffer through it. That’s how Jesus must have felt when Peter and his peers did exactly as I described, even after talking about the subject in advance. Now take a moment and think about how Peter must have felt. He swore up and down that he would never forsake his Lord, yet he did. By now you are probably anxious to see how this might apply to you and I, right? May I suggest to you that in the heat of our conversion, we all probably swore up and down that our decision and commitment was an eternal one and that we would live the rest of our days standing up and promoting Jesus – yep, right until the day He calls us together in heaven. So let’s look at what might have been important to us right after we made such an awesome commitment: Probably things like Bible study, so we could learn as much about the Lord and His commands for our lives? Perhaps attending every church service possible, so we could learn from, and be encouraged by those who are also striving for the same goals as we are. Praising God together, and being uplifted as we share about the ways that God is alive and working in their lives? Probably to be a model Christian to any and all of our coworkers, friends or family, so they could look at us and see Jesus, or hear from, and be encouraged that we are speaking with the wisdom and faith of one who is walking the talk? So what happened dear friend? Have you been, and are you still faithful to these things? Please don’t try to convince yourself that these things are no longer relevant, for God’s Word will prove you wrong in that. Desertion immediately hurts the one you are deserting, so please don’t hurt my Lord today. Desertion also hurts the one doing the deserting, so please don’t put yourself in that position today. All of the actions I suggested were probably important to you as a new Christian, but they are still just as relevant to you today. Seek God’s help, then concentrate on these things to help cement a solid, ongoing relationship with your Lord. He has promised never to leave or forsake you, please don’t even think about doing just that to Him. He loves you way too much to deserve that kind of treatment. To the unbeliever reading this devotional, may I remind you that your continued disowning and separation from God will lead you through much ‘hell’ here on earth, but to an even worst place when you leave this world. Jesus loved us just as we were when He went to the cross for us. He still loves you enough to forgive you of your sin and direct you through the Christian life that I have described, but He wants you to ask for it. May I encourage you to read the tips I have included in my ‘Footnote’ and make this very important, life-changing decision today? Followers of Christ, don’t forget your First Love. Draw close to Him everyday. Love Him, worship Him, talk with Him and be His best friend. He has prepared a place for His sons and daughters, and I believe He is standing at the door waiting for us! Let us live in anticipation of that every day friends!

PRAYER: Dear God, please forgive us for often falling into the same path of Peter and his peers. We understand that the flesh is weak, even when the intent of our hearts are in the right place. This is evidence that we can’t do this alone. We need You, Heavenly Father, to fill our hearts with Your love and Your priorities, but most of all with obedience and faithfulness to Your powerful Word. Please use this devotional to stir the hearts of the saved, and provoke a renewed desire within the hearts of the unbelievers, so that today might be the day of salvation for them. We never want to be guilty of desertion. So help us to be faithful and true to You and strengthen the bond that must exist between us in order to fight off the evil one and fully serve You for the rest of our lives. Only You can intervene and help us achieve this kind of perfection Father, so I ask this in and through the precious name of Jesus, AMEN!

Who Are You Lying To?

On By Ed AlgreenIn Moment of Truth, Salvation, Saved, True to the WordLeave a comment

Post Date:

 Wednesday, 2017-12-27
SCRIPTURE

From:

 Acts 5:3-4 (MSG)

Text:

 3-4 Peter said, “Ananias, how did Satan get you to lie to the Holy Spirit and secretly keep back part of the price of the field? Before you sold it, it was all yours, and after you sold it, the money was yours to do with as you wished. So what got into you to pull a trick like this? You didn’t lie to men but to God.”
OBSERVATION:
In chapter 4, we were told about how unified the disciples and Christians were in living together and pooling their resources to create community, and dependencies on one another. Joseph, also called Barnabas, showed a huge example of this by giving to the disciples 100% of what he sold a piece of land for. Another couple, Ananias and Sapphira wanted to be just like Barnabas, so they also sold land, but they decided to hold back a portion, and give the remainder to the disciples, under the pretense that it was the full amount. God hates pretense, so we need to look at this closer…
APPLICATION:
When God knows right down to our innermost thoughts, what do you suppose that we prove by trying to hold out on Him, or anyone else? Personally, I remember in tithing where I gave a full 10% of my net pay, and often when finances were tight, old Satan would cause me to question the amount I was giving to God. However, at a revival service we were challenged on our giving. We were invited to take our wallets out, and in our prayer to God ask Him to take control of all that He gives to us and allows us to earn. That night I was challenged to begin giving on my gross salary, so that I would be giving to God the first fruits of my earnings. Friends that was probably 10 – 13 years ago, and I have been blessed with the necessary finances ever since. Now, I don’t believe that this lesson is holy and solely about money, but more about the heart. The Christian faith is not one where we preach about doing what we say and not as much on what we do, for it is about a relationship with the Master Creator of this universe, including you and I. I once wrote a fairly complex software program that would run a whole bank. Whenever I received a call about something not working the way it should, my mind would go to all the possible programming around that part of the program. Why then do we feel like we can get away with Satan’s tactics when God, the Creator, knows so much about His precious creation? Do we think for a moment that we are fooling God – the Maker of all things, or are we simply fooling ourselves by thinking that we could pull off our shenanigans without anyone knowing – even God? It just doesn’t work that way friends? Mom, dad, sisters, brothers, friends, coworkers, pastors and everyone else might not realize what we are up to, but the God who created us, and knows all things, always has His finger on the pulse of what is going on in our lives. So why not ‘fess up friends, and do it right the first time, and every time, by asking God to forgive you of all your past sin. Welcome His Son, Jesus, into your heart and life and create a personal relationship with Him, then through the power of the Holy Spirit, ask Him to show you how to live in accordance with His perfect will. Others will soon question you about what has happened in your life, because of the change evident in your walk and in your talk. God can do just that for you, my friend, if you’ll let Him.
PRAYER:
Precious Savior, thank You for being a stable friend that we can depend on and place our faith in. A plumb-line by which we can measure right from wrong, and a loyal friend that we can depend on through all phases of life. I personally thank You for persuading me to surrender my life to You many years ago, but I am just as dependent on You today as I have always been, because I want to live life perfectly and in accordance with Your will, even in a broken and sinful world. For my readers and I that are serious about our relationship with You, please help us to live like You taught us to, and talk like You exampled for us while You were here on earth. For the curious and the lost, please soften their hearts once again today Lord, and may they be reminded about the truths of Your Word in several ways today – to the point that it may cause them to surrender wholly and solely to You oh Lord. 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!

Reflective of Jesus or…..

On By Ed AlgreenIn Godly example, Reflective of Jesus Christ3 Comments

May I encourage you to get your spiritual ‘Nuggets’ to start your day off right? Pretty amazing that our awesome God would consider feeding even us with His Word! May I encourage you to read the whole devotional, and look for a blessing, friend!………

Today’s Bible Reference: Luke 6:43-45
Today’s Bible Text: 43 “A good tree does not produce bad fruit. And a bad tree does not produce good fruit. 44 Every tree is known by the kind of fruit it produces. You won’t find figs on thorny weeds. And you can’t pick grapes from thorn bushes! 45 Good people have good things saved in their hearts. That’s why they say good things. But those who are evil have hearts full of evil, and that’s why they say things that are evil. What people say with their mouths comes from what fills their hearts.
The Bible Translation: Easy-To-Read Version (ERV)

My Take Away: I would like to encourage you to re-read the above verses without trying to apply the words to a friend or relative, for I want to encourage you to allow God to speak with you personally about this subject today! Here are a few things that God is dealing with me on about this teaching:

  • When I act ungodly, or say things that I later regret, what type of tree am I – really? For God is teaching me here that I am recognized by the type fruit (character, outward expressions or words) that comes from me;
  • If I am truly a child of the King, then He expects to see me produce ‘fruit’ that reminds folk of Jesus. For God is good, and bad ‘fruit’ should not come from a ‘good’ or Godly person – or least one who is endeavoring to look like Jesus every day;
  • There is a saying, that if something looks like a duck, smells like a duck and acts like a duck, it probably is a duck! If my life produces thorns, and I become very irritable at having folk around me – in fact they could practically feel the thorns, then chances are that I am not a ‘good’ God-fearing, loving, Christ-like person (or tree) that folk will want to be around. I could only imagine that they would never relate to me as a child of the King;
  • Just as I can evaluate a salesperson at a local store and jump to my own conclusions as to the ‘heart’ of that person, so it is with others as they evaluate the things I say and do. For what my heart is full of, so will the words of my mouth and indeed my whole character will reflect the same.

There is a song that I like to reflect on around Father’s Day ‘I want to be just like You’. That is my desire today, that I be more like my heavenly Father in every word or deed, so that I may be faithful in reflecting the depth of my heart, and that my life might truly be reflective of Jesus in every way. I would lovingly encourage each of my readers to commit to something similar as you allow these verses to speak to you today!

Prayer: Father, I believe that we are designed to act the way that we want and say the things that we want. I am reminded this morning that this is pretty automatic, in that these things come from deep within our hearts. Lord, I humbly plead with You today to so fill my heart with all aspects of Your character, that it will overflow in the words that I speak and in every action of mine today. Lord I want others to see You, especially in and through the things that I say and do. I pray that my readers will gain a similar desire today, so that Your army will leave our homes and families but yet reflect You in every way to all that we come into contact with as we enter our workplaces, shops or other business-places.  Fill us Lord, so that we might be used by You for every mission field today. For I ask these things in the all-powerful name of Jesus, 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!

2016

Extreme Testing

On By Ed AlgreenIn Committed, Proven, Tested, Testing, Tried1 Comment

May I encourage you to get your spiritual ‘Nuggets’ to start your day off right? Be thinking in advance how you would act under pressure today. Satan wants to see you fail. However God wants you to be His hands and feet on the ground! What’s inside will surely come out when put under pressure. I pray that nothing but the character of Jesus Christ will pour out from you today!…….

Today’s Bible Reference: Job 1:12
Today’s Bible Text: “All right, you may test him,” the LORD said to Satan. “Do whatever you want with everything he possesses, but don’t harm him physically.”
The Bible Translation: New Living Translation (NLT)

My Take Away: Right at the very beginning of the book of Job. in the very first verse, Job was announced as a blameless man filled with total integrity. Hopefully you know a few men that you would feel comfortable in calling them ‘men of integrity’. In fact, I once heard a preacher say that it is the same as someone coming up to you and telling you all sorts of evil about this ‘man of integrity’ that you have in mind right now, and you saying to them that although you weren’t on the scene, you can comfortable vouch for your ‘man of integrity’ knowing that he was not involved in any sort of evil. That’s about the impression of what I discerned in verse 1, only realizing that God knows even our deepest thoughts, intents and purposes, and still He announced Job as a man of deep convictions to which he was totally committed. So in this verse 12, we see where God is so confident in Job that He allows Satan permission to test him and try him. Knowing the successive verses that this testing became extreme, this whole thought made me stop and ponder: what if God wanted me to dig deep into my  thoughts, my words and my actions to see if I am truly all that I claim to be before the church, before my family, my friends or my coworkers? I wonder what His evaluation of me reveal? Will I past the test and still be strong in my witness for the Lord even through such extreme times? What about you friend? There’s a song ‘I’m Standing on the Solid Rock’. Are you truly where you need to be with Christ, or have you just been successful in fooling the world around you? I’ve been married over 40 years, and there’s no fooling my wife. She knows when something is bothering me and she knows when I am feeling ‘on top of the world’. I pray that I will never assume that God is anything less than my wife and that I can act any differently before folks in my world than who I truly am deep inside. I pray that I will constantly be confused for Jesus, because my character mirrors His character so closely. Where are you at friend? Will anything be revealed that would surprise others should you be put under this type test?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, I thank You for giving us free will, but I also thank You for hearing our heart’s cry when we call out to You. I pray that my readers will join me in pleading with You to give us the boldness and stamina to stand firm in our faith, and may we not just pretend but rather, that our lives in every way will reflect our hearts that are filled in every way with Your character. We would prefer not to be tested to the extreme that Job was tested, yet we know that Satan is ready to pounce on us each and every day to discredit our witness for You. I ask for Your ongoing strength and guidance to always prove Satan wrong and instead to be a total witness to You before a hurting and dying world. I ask these things in the name of Jesus, my Everlasting Strength, Protector, Guide and Loving 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 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!

2016

Who or What Are You Influenced By?

On By Ed AlgreenIn Control your tongue, Doers of the Word, True to the Word, Your InfluenceLeave a comment

May I encourage you to get your spiritual ‘Nuggets’ to start your day off right? Pretty amazing that our awesome God would consider feeding even us with His Word! May I encourage you to read the whole devotional, and look for a blessing, friend!………

Today’s Bible Reference: James 1:25-27
Today’s Bible Text: … anyone keeps looking steadily into God’s law for free men, he will not only remember it but he will do what it says, and God will greatly bless him in everything he does. Anyone who says he is a Christian but doesn’t control his sharp tongue is just fooling himself, and his religion isn’t worth much. The Christian who is pure and without fault, from God the Father’s point of view, is the one who takes care of orphans and widows, and who remains true to the Lord—not soiled and dirtied by his contacts with the world.
The Bible Translation: The Living Bible (TLB)

My Take Away: There are a few things in this scripture today that James felt was of great importance to share with his listeners. God permitted these things in His Word to us, because He knew that we would struggle with these things also. Let’s examine them for our edification today:

  • Be doers of the Word – Hopefully you are refreshing your soul daily in the Word of God, and also over the weekend as you attend church to fellowship with other believers. This should mean that you are being reminded of the truths of God’s Word on a regular basis. Imagine for a moment that you are soaking in all this encouragement; truth; direction; wisdom; and unselfish, sacrificial love, but it has not impacted your life enough to create a change in your behavior and/or relationship with others. Friends, you can study the Driver’s License test book for days, but if you don’t do what it says when you take your test, you won’t be granted your license. Doing what the Word of God says, is a strong indication that it has impacted your life more than the world has. The Word says that God will bless you in your efforts towards obedience of His Word;
  • Control your tongue – It is unfortunate, but the tongue will give away the deepest secrets of your heart every time. It won’t take too many words before one will quickly discern who is influencing your life. If you bathe yourself with the Word of God, and seek God’s face in desiring to live out the Word of God, then His principles will govern what you say;
  • Proof of your influencer – When influenced by the Word of God, you will voluntarily take care of the widows and orphans. Has there been enough evidence lately that you are being influenced by God and His Word?
  • True to the Word – Are you saturated in the Word of God to the extent that it is virtually impossible for you to be influenced by your old friends, or the evil of this old world? We may continue to reside in this world, but because we represent the kingdom of light, there should be clear evidence that we are not of this world.

What does the world see when they come into contact with you? Same old same old, or a true, honest reflection of Jesus Christ? 

Prayer: Lord, I believe that the world is tired of seeing fakes, or make-believes, for it reminds them way too much of what they witness in the world everyday. I pray that as we deal with this reminder today, that You will influence us to be agents of change that will truly reflect the life and character of the One in whom we believe. I pray that words will not be necessary to express our relationship with You, but that others will see evidence in and through everything we say or do. Please dear Lord, may we truly be representative of all that You are, so that our contacts will catch a glimpse of Jesus today and desire to know Him personally. This is my prayer in deepest humility dear Jesus, 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!

2016

Greatest Need To Take Before Our Master

On By Ed AlgreenIn Distractions, Greatest Need, Sin, SurrenderLeave a comment

THE HOLY BIBLE (The Contemporary English Version – John 2:23-25): 23 In Jerusalem during Passover many people put their faith in Jesus, because they saw him work miracles. 24 But Jesus knew what was in their hearts, and he would not let them have power over him. 25 No one had to tell him what people were like. He already knew.

THOUGHTS: It seems to me that it is very much like us to chat with Jesus primarily about all of the issues that our friends appear to have, at least in our eyes. After reading these verses this morning, I am reminded that my first obligation is to walk humbly before my God and plead the blood of Jesus upon all the issues that distract me from a closer walk with the Lord. I may have concern for my family and friends, but as an old spiritual reads, “It’s me standing in the need of prayer“. Friends, when we stand before the master, let’s remember that there is no one that we could think of, no matter what their physical needs are, that is more in need of prayer than ourselves. In the particular case referenced in these Bible verses Jesus had performed various miracles, and the eyes of the people were opened to the awesome power of the Son of God. This softened their hearts to place their faith in Jesus – praise the Lord! However, just as in our case today, Jesus knew that they needed constant help and power from Him every day to overcome the power of Satan and the temptations of the world, so He was cautiously accepting their faith, I believe, because the Word says “BUT He knew their hearts”. Friends, we are very easily swayed into making decisions and saying things to God that ‘rolls off the tongue’ easily, but God knows that we could awaken tomorrow with added temptations and/or trials that might cause us to easily sway, or do things that totally oppose Him and His desire for our lives. To overcome this, I believe it is important for us to have daily communion with God. Let’s ask Him for strength and direction for the day. Let’s ask Him to keep Satan at bay, so that we might truly concentrate on our Master and our Lord, and represent Him well before a lost world. Let’s ask Him to fix our minds on Him so that He, knowing our hearts, can trust us to be faithful to the end. To the uncommitted one who might be reading this devotional, may I introduce you to my Savior, and encourage you to have faith in the only One who holds the keys to our eternity in heaven? Please read my ‘Footnote’ for help on this. I would love to hear from you and pray with you!

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, You know our heart, yet You loved us enough to die a sacrificial death for us so that we would have the means to eternity in heaven with You and our Father. Thank You for such love. Please continue to work with us as we walk this mean, cruel earth where Satan is wondering around and interfering with Your children. We need Your power to overcome the temptation and sin that face us every day. We want to be trusted, and totally dedicated to Your will, especially while still here on this earth, because we believe that You can use us to touch the lives of those that we have connections with. Please forgive us of our past sins, and empower us with Your strength and determination to live our lives pleasing to You. We need You Lord, and we ask all this in the strong and holy name of Jesus, 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!