Tag: Humility

A Lesson In Humility

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

DATE POSTED: Saturday, 2023-04-29
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Luke 14:7; 10-11;
TRANSLATION: Easy-to-Read Version (ERV)

BIBLE TEXT: 7 Then Jesus noticed that some of the guests were choosing the best places to sit. So he told this story: 
10 “So when someone invites you, go sit in the seat that is not important. Then they will come to you and say, ‘Friend, move up here to this better place!’ What an honor this will be for you in front of all the other guests. 11 Everyone who makes themselves important will be made humble. But everyone who makes themselves humble will be made important.”

OBSERVATION: With as much as we learn, it sometimes becomes quite challenging in deciding our best move in certain circumstances. For example, some taught that if we don’t promote ourselves, no one else will. Others taught that we assume our rightful place when among others who consider themselves influential. However, for the child of God, we are to always follow in the example of our Master and Lord. Having learned His teachings, we become appreciative of His life-lessons and easier for us to follow in His example. Meditate with me as together we look deeper into this lesson today.

APPLICATION: Let’s take a moment to reflect on a few of the ways that Jesus showed Himself humble. Riding into Jerusalem while being escorted by his disciples and followers, Jesus was comfortable riding on the lowliest of animals – a donkey. Notice how unimportant that particular piece of information was to Jesus. He didn’t need a long processional, nor the protection of the town’s security forces, yet the people waved palm branches and sang songs as Jesus proceeded through the crowd, for He was their King! He ate at the table of the Tax Collectors, a group ridiculed by their own people for their dishonest dealings with the people. However, Jesus was more concerned with their heart’s condition and their readiness for heaven. Don’t we tend to stay away from such people as we are afraid the church might consider us one of them, or that we agree with their dishonest practices, if we mix with them? In our lesson today, Jesus saw how everyone was scrambling to be near the seat of honor. In today’s world and in a similar situation, we may say that they were trying for a photo op that would show them in close proximity to the host of the party! One of the best lessons taught by my parents, and shown by their example, is to take the back seat so that we do not show off our pride in being invited to such an event. Friends, if we did anything worthy of mention by the host, they would recognize us, no matter where we sit. But is there really something that forces us to be puffed up about, or smear in the faces of those who chose to sit near the back? In another part of the Scriptures, Jesus said that unless we humble ourselves as a little child, we would not be accepted into heaven. Think about the differences in what you find in a child vs an adult. They tend to listen closely to those in authority, and obey what they are told; they are very trusting of people they know, and willing to trust their lives into the hands of these people; They accept what adults tell them, assuming it to be the truth; they tend to tell the truth, even if they know it might get them into trouble; etc. Friends, when we humble ourselves like a child, we become moldable by our Father; We take Him at His word and trust Him to heal us when He tells us to trust in Him for all our cares and worries; We give credit to God for His kind and gentle touch that He promised, because He said in His Word that He cares for us and will meet our needs. If we are humble ourselves before the King of all kings, I believe that it would be natural for us to be humble before others. Proverbs 3:5-6 says: Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek His will in all you do, and He will show you which path to take.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Everyone who makes themselves humble will be made important.

PRAYER: Lord, You know how this world teaches us to focus on self as number one. Often through selfies, social media posts where we could promote ourselves. Unfortunately, we sometimes take this into the church, where we spend more time promoting self than we do in teaching the Word. Please forgive us Lord, for You are the One that we adore, and without You we are nothing. But because we are so self-centered, it becomes more challenging to truly become humble, and instead lift up Your holy name. This tends to flow over into our life that others see also, whether it’s in leadership, or even while serving You. Thank You for this reminder today on the importance of being humble, just as You were humble. Lord, we want the world to see Jesus, so please impress upon us the wrong in prideful acts. They want to see Jesus, so please help us to step aside and let Your light shine brightly through us so that the world will see and believe. 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!

Doing What God Wants, Not What You Think

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

DATE POSTED Friday, 2023-02-03
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: 1 Chronicles 17:4-6
TRANSLATION: Contemporary English Version (CEV)

BIBLE TEXT: 4 … go to David and tell him: David, you are my servant, so listen carefully: You are not the one to build a temple for me. 5 I didn’t live in a temple when I brought my people out of Egypt, and I don’t live in one now. A tent has always been my home wherever I have gone with them. 6 I chose special leaders and told them to be like shepherds for my people Israel. But did I ever say anything to even one of them about building a cedar temple for me?

APPLICATION: Isn’t it interesting how we seem to have answers for most people that we interact with, no matter how challenged we are in our own personal agenda? In the example given in my introduction, we may be challenged to afford a reasonable place to stay in, but when we see people living in true poverty, we feel compelled to ‘fix’ their problem and permit them an opportunity for a ‘better life’. I wonder, how we would respond if a rich person approached us and asked what our greatest need is today! For some, it may be financial challenges, but for others it may surprise our rich friend that all they need is to find a better job; to understand the love of Jesus; or a deep concern for a neighbor who recently lost their spouse. This was no different to David’s day. God had been extremely helpful to David and provided for his needs as a leader of God’s beloved nation. God also protected David and his army from some of the toughest nations and armies on earth. Don’t you know that David must have felt indebted to God and wanted to do all within his power to repay Him for His awesome love and concern? Don’t we tend to get like that? Many of us either feel this way or go overboard in trying to repay a friend because of this mindset: ‘You have blessed my family and I, so I am eternally indebted to you’. But that’s not the reason God has blessed us all the days of our life, and often it may not be the reason that a good philanthropic gives their excess earnings to others. I believe that God so loved the world – His creation, that He gave us His very own Son so that we, who were made without sin, could overcome the weakness of the flesh and this world, and still become eligible for the glories of heaven when breath leaves this earthly body. This is what God taught us in John 3:16. God did this for us not because we worked hard around the church, or we preached to thousands over our lifetime, or we gave of our finances so that the work of Jesus Christ could be extended to all parts of the earth, but solely because of His love for us. God exampled before us how we should, in turn, show love to Him. It doesn’t matter how many times you gave to the church or missions, but did you give of yourself to help the cause of Christ? It doesn’t matter how many times you sent your kids and/or your spouse to church, but did you dedicate your life whole heartedly to Christ and allow Him to direct your path each and every day. You see, when you put self into the equation, you will be more lightly to recognize God for who He is, you will have a deep desire to love Him, support His work to reach all who would believe, and your priorities and speech will change to reflect the God who has changed you, and who lives inside of you. Sending your money to good causes, or your kids to a place where they will learn good morals and principles only shows that you have good intentions. But where is your heart? In some of the public places that you visit, you may find buildings named after the philanthropic who gave much of the money needed for the construction. Because he loved the organization who built the building, he wanted to give to them. So honorable, but I would challenge you to find Scripture to show that the eternal destiny of that person was changed because of his generosity. Please understand that many non-profit organizations will discontinue without the gifts of generous donors, but it’s not until you personally have an encounter with God that your destiny will change heavenward. God might be saying today that He would love for you to give to His cause, but I can assure you that He would much prefer that you do that from a heart dedicated to God and directed by Him. If you don’t recall ever personally committing your life to Jesus Christ and giving Him permission to rule and reign in your life, then I would encourage you to read my FOOTNOTE carefully, because I have offered biblical direction for you to surrender your life to Jesus today. God doesn’t need an earthly temple, He wants individuals who call Him Lord, to worship Him and love others through His earthly temple.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Jesus will be honored and glorified through your life and through your worship, not through your excess funds, especially those that may have been earned in questionable or dishonest fashion.

PRAYER: Lord God, You were so right in telling us that Your ways are different to our ways. This world teaches us to build bigger and more significant so that everyone can have evidence of how we are flourishing in our personal life, our families, our church and our nation. Yet Lord, You told David that you were quite content with where You were at – a mere token of a holding place for the God of this universe. I am reminded that I have nothing to show off, and it’s only a penitent heart that’s ready for the return of Your Son, Jesus, that brings a smile to Your face and comfort to Your heart. While I believe that David sincerely wanted the very best for his Lord, this whole conversation with David has opened our hearts and minds to know that a heart relationship with You is all that matters. As You bless us, and bless our finances, You may then direct us to grow our facilities so that we may extend out even more into our lost communities. Please bless Your people today dear Lord and bless the churches in which they truly lift up the name of Jesus. Help us all to know Your timing and Your ways, so that we may properly apply them in our lives and in the life of Your church. I believe that the ultimate goal of Your church is to reach the unsaved, while taking every opportunity to lift up Your name and glorify our Father who art 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!

Saying The Right Thing

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Fruit of the Spirit, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Thursday, 2022-12-29
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Luke 6:44-45
TRANSLATION: New International Version (NIV)

BIBLE TEXT: 44 Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers. 45 A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.

APPLICATION: In the technical arena we tend to say about the quality of computer data: ‘garbage in, garbage out’! I believe that children and adults are the same way, for if your child is given the opportunity at a very young age to hear calm and satisfying reading, quality teachings and people around them that care about, and love them, then I believe that they will have a chance at success in their personal lives, and their education – that often leads to success in their relationships, their workplace and their circle of friends. Jesus knew that His children would be easily swayed by Satan and that it may often come through the friends we make that load up our ‘bucket’ (heart) with hatred, revenge and paybacks that are not pleasing to our Father, nor does it conform with His teachings. I believe that today we are challenged by our Father to consider a few things:
1. Based of the fruit others see, what type of tree will the world identify us as? Will they find enough evidence to convict us of being aligned with our Master and Lord – a Christian?
2. If our bucket (heart) is filled with the teachings of Christ and looks like the example He set for us, will our fruit, or our character show such things as love – even to those who refuse to love us? Will they see mercy, even if we feel deep inside that the person doesn’t deserve it? Will they see grace, because they see our humility and forgiveness even towards those who aim at showing us up, or attempting to destroy our character?
Dear friends, I am prompted to look closer at what I fill my heart with each day, and I would sincerely suggest that you do the same. For, from that input, we are filling our hearts with values that we will draw from in our speech, our attitude and our actions. Jesus wants us to look like, act like and speak like Him so that the unsaved will see evidence of His existence in our lives. If you fall short in achieving this ideal, then you may need to join me in seeking God’s help – daily. We all have a purpose here on earth. May our purpose always be so surrendered to Jesus Christ, that He will ensure that the world sees Jesus, and not the old person we used to be.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: God knows how unfaithful we are in filling our heart with His love and instruction each day, yet He is patient in working on us to change our ways and commit ourselves to Him more fully. Praise God for our loving Savior – the One that we serve!

PRAYER: Lord, I pray that first and foremost we will be recognized by our Father as one of His own. Help us to never grow so stagnant in our faith that the world loses sight of who You are. Please teach us daily to depend on You – as a constant reminder of how important you are to us and how we can’t live a day without You. May You become such a valued presence in our lives that it will be virtually impossible to look on us without seeing the work of the Holy Spirit working in and through us. Some may never enter the church doors, but as the church operates in the world, may it be evident to the unsaved that the Holy Spirit is at work within us, drawing the lost to its Shepherd – the Great I Am – the King of all kings and Lord of all lords. All glory to You dear Lord, today and always! 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!

Good Servants Make Great Leaders

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

DATE POSTED Tuesday, 2022-07-19
WRITTEN AT: O Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Mark 10:43-45
TRANSLATION: The Living Bible (TLB)

BIBLE TEXT: 43 … among you it is different. Whoever wants to be great among you must be your servant. 44 And whoever wants to be greatest of all must be the slave of all. 45 For even I, the Messiah, am not here to be served, but to help others, and to give my life as a ransom for many.”

APPLICATION: Although not spelled out by Jesus that this Scripture pertained only to church leadership, I believe it can definitely be applied to the church. But Jesus was approached by two of His faithful disciples who wanted to go straight to the top of the list in popularity by Jesus in His eternal kingdom. I would suggest that we try to apply this principle to our life in general, for everything Jesus taught, was intended to help His children be more like Him in every aspect of life. Although I believe that it is imperative for others to see servanthood as part of our DNA, I also believe that we should frequently perform a self-evaluation. The easiest way to know if you’re a servant, is by how you react when people treat you like one. All too often, I’m afraid, our heart is, “Yes, Lord, I want to be a servant – as long as people realize I’m serving. I want to be a slave – as long as I become Slave of the Year.” But friends, if you’re gladly slaving in the nursery, in the kitchen, or in a Sunday-school class without being noticed, appreciated, or thanked – then, perhaps, yours is the heart of a true servant. Think about this, do you suppose that the Lord wants us to be slaves because He likes to see us grovel? I don’t think so, it’s probably because He’s preparing us for the kingdom – for all eternity – and He knows that the best exercise for strengthening your heart is stooping down to pick up someone else. Your employer may not acknowledge you as a good potential leader when he sees you willing to do anything at absolutely any level in the workplace. But instead of fretting over present rewards, we should instead look forward to the time when we move into the kingdom, and the Lord says, “Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of the Father!” Imagine how our hearts will well up within us, for He’s the One we’ve been living and working for! His words are all that will matter to us when we enter the portals of heaven. At that point, I don’t believe any of us will regret the times we weren’t applauded by people for serving the Lord. Instead, we may say, “Thank You, Father, for sparing me from getting my reward on earth where it passes away so quickly.” Friends, when we apply the teachings of Jesus to our life, we will make great leaders here on earth, but hopefully it will be obvious to those we serve, whose we are. Leadership classes will not teach you this principle, but let me emphasize that for the child of God, our responsibility is to obey God first. When we honor God by obeying His teachings, He will make us the leaders He needs us to be!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Jesus showed us that servanthood matters, and that it won’t hurt us to also serve our fellow man. Jesus demands us to serve, so that we could reflect true leadership when the opportunity presents itself. Join me as we obediently follow this command of Jesus.

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, thank you for teaching us the importance of serving before attempting to lead others. Please work on those areas of our life that will impact our leadership in a way that pleases you. As in all other areas of our life, please help us to bless others so that You may be honored and magnified. 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!

It Depends On What The Lord Says

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Listen, Listen to the Word of God, Needs, Obedience, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Thursday, 2022-07-14
WRITTEN AT: O Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Deuteronomy 8:2-3
TRANSLATION: Easy-to-Read Version (ERV)

BIBLE TEXT: 2 And you must remember the entire trip that the Lord your God has led you through these 40 years in the desert. He was testing you. He wanted to make you humble. He wanted to know what is in your heart. He wanted to know if you would obey his commands. 3 He humbled you and let you be hungry. Then he fed you with manna—something you did not know about before. It was something your ancestors had never seen. Why did the Lord do this? Because he wanted you to know that it is not just bread that keeps people alive. People’s lives depend on what the Lord says.

APPLICATION: Surely you’re no different to me, in that you hated to hear your mom and/or dad say how it pained them to discipline you! For we always thought ‘then why do it?’!! As adults we now know that to discipline shows love, caring and concern for the individual you are disciplining. The easy thing to do, is to ignore the issue and hope that things will get better. But to care enough about the individual to correct them and possibly discipline them, shows that you love them enough to want them to succeed in life, and to be the best individual they could possibly be. When disciplined at home, it becomes easier for our children to respect and understand the need for discipline by an employer. None of us like to be disciplined, but let’s look at why God thought it was necessary for the Israelites. As His chosen people, God couldn’t stand it that they were being mistreated in Egypt, so in cooperation with their leaders, God decided to get them out of there and into a chosen place that He had prepared for them. Because of their ungratefulness and disrespect during their journey, God disciplined His children in a few serious ways – food, water, obstacles in the path they traveled, etc. And time and time again, God showed love and deliverance for His people. In our verses today, the Israelites are being reminded of what they should have gained from those challenging times of discipline. And I believe that God wants to use these words to remind us of the same thing today. Like the Israelites, we are a spoiled and rotten people. We want, we want, and we want, but oh how seldom do we ever stop to recognize all that God has provided, and how He has taught us along this path called ‘life’. Do we have time to visit the sick or help the poor, or are we too busy tending shop? In other words, are we so caught up in the many material things of life, that we have no time, love, or respect for God, to seek out the needs of others? God disciplined the Israelites because He wanted them to know that there were more important things in life than their stomachs, their material things, and their selfish desires. He wanted them to see, and I believe that He wants us to also learn, that it is the very words of God that teaches us about LIFE, and not at all about what we have, what we see, or what we want. So what’s important in this life to you my friend? Would it require a good dose of discipline by the Almighty God to help us refocus on the really important things in this life? The importance of hearing, obeying and doing the things commanded by God is not just mentioned on verse 3 of our Scripture today, but was also reemphasized in Matthew 4:4 when Jesus responded to Satan. Perhaps God still says to us today that it doesn’t matter that much what we want, or how badly we think we need something, learn to listen, trust and obey His words, for in them we will be reminded that they are ‘food’ for our soul and strength for our tomorrows!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: It is not just bread that keeps people alive. People’s lives depend on what the Lord says

PRAYER: Thank You precious Lord for the many gifts that You shower on us each and every day. Thank You for those times that You stop us in our tracks and, through loving discipline, You redirect us to the ways, and things of Christ. May we have that same kind of love for our brethren, for there are so many in need all around us today. We are often so caught up in protecting all that we have gained, that often we lose track of praise, honor and glory that is so deserving of the One who has blessed us. Thank You dear Lord. Please touch our hearts today. Draw us close to You and help us to use all that You have blessed us with, to bless others in return. Being reminded of the importance of Your words, Lord may we learn to listen, obey and apply Your Word to all aspects of our life. AMEN!

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

Mercy, Because Of Who I Am

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Because of you, Mercy, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Friday, 2022-06-03
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Psalm 86:1-5
TRANSLATION: GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)

BIBLE TEXT: 1  Turn your ear ⌞toward me⌟, O Lord.
Answer me, because I am oppressed and needy.
2 Protect me, because I am faithful ⌞to you⌟.
Save your servant who trusts you. You are my God.
3 Have pity on me, O Lord,
because I call out to you all day long.
4 Give me joy, O Lord,
because I lift my soul to you.
5 You, O Lord, are good and forgiving,
full of mercy toward everyone who calls out to you.

APPLICATION: As I meditated on this today, I was compelled to stop and consider the power that David must have felt as he sat in humility and conversed with God. It is so easy for us to simply use the Scriptures to quote back at God, but can you remember the last time that you sat, quietly in your mind and spirit, and had an uninterrupted conversation with God? Sharing your very thoughts and feelings at the time with God? I’m sure that it would be well worth your time to record everything you remember about that conversation, for it might stir your mind at some point in the future when you feel out of it spiritually, or it might certainly help a loved one who is following your example. Praise God we can read and meditate on David’s time with the Lord! Not because he was perfect, but to the contrary – David was very much like us. The biggest difference is that David spent time with the Lord, and we tend to struggle so badly in putting the phone, computer, tablet, and/or television aside so that we could concentrate on the moments spent with God. Why getting up early to spend time alone with God is out of the question for many, as they try to sleep right up to the very moment they need to head out of the door for work. What really touched me in this prayer by David, is that he realized that he wasn’t perfect. In fact, he had dealt with some pretty serious sin before God. So when he took this precious time to converse with God, he didn’t just ask for a list of things, but he explained himself in each case as to why he wanted it. I went through and bolded each explanation given by David, and while God would never have demanded these explanations, I sincerely believe that it did David’s heart good to explain why he was asking for things. Wouldn’t that be an interesting process for us to explain why we are asking God for things sometimes? God already knows why we need what we are asking for, but it may certainly help us to think carefully why we are asking, and not just out of habit, routine, or as a recurring theme for our prayers. Why not stop for a moment and try this when you pray today! If it becomes a helpful thing for you to do, share with us by responding to my post. It may help us all to grow from your experience.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: I just love the Psalms, and I especially love the prayers of David as shared throughout this book! David was known as a man after God’s own heart, but yet this was a gentle and humble man who sought to know God even better and to have regular conversation with Him. I believe this practice might help us to stop and evaluate our true relationship with our God, and help us insure that we are asking God out of sincere of heart and with honest and humble intent!

PRAYER: Lord, I am so grateful for Your goodness, because You gave up Your very own life so that my sins might be forgiven. I am so looking forward to Heaven, because it is where You are, together with Your Father, and You have promised to have a place prepared for us when we arrive. But Lord I want so desperately to know that my family and friends will be joining me around the throne, because the alternative is absolutely the worse place for anyone we go. So Lord, please glorify Yourself in winning the lost that I mentioned. Soften their hearts and speak intently to their very soul, so that they may be convinced of their sin, and make every possible effort to accept You as Lord and Savior. 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!

We Are Equals At The Feet of Jesus

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

DATE POSTED Wednesday, 2022-05-25
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Mark 5:22-23; 27-28;
TRANSLATION: Amplified Bible (AMP)

BIBLE TEXT: 22 One of the synagogue officials named Jairus came up; and seeing Him, fell at His feet 23 and begged anxiously with Him, saying, “My little daughter is at the point of death; [please] come and lay Your hands on her, so that she will be healed and live.”
27 She had heard [reports] about Jesus, and she came up behind Him in the crowd and touched His outer robe. 28 For she thought, “If I just touch His clothing, I will get well.” 

APPLICATION: Some will say that most individuals will not look up to Jesus, until they are flat on their back without any other choice but to look up. I’ve heard of many who have traveled hundreds of miles to get the best possible doctor for their loved one, while many have also traveled equally as far to be prayed over by a purported evangelical ‘healer’. In our Scripture today, we have an official of the local synagogue with a need. Surely he had seen many walk through the doors of the synagogue in search of healing, or in need of a touch from God, much like believers today do when they have run out of earthly solutions. However, the petition of Jairus before Jesus was a little different. For you see, this was not just a matter of tradition or routine, like we tend to do on church days, but instead, Jairus had a desperate need that He was convinced in his heart could only be resolved by the Great Healer, Jesus Christ. There was no need for fanfare, or flowery prayers, or recognition for what he did in the synagogue, Jairus was there because he had a desperate need, and he was convinced in his heart about the only one who could satisfy that need. Unlike some current-day evangelists, Jairus didn’t demand that Jesus heal his daughter, but instead he took a position of humility as he pleaded with Jesus to please heal his daughter. Notice also that Jairus was persistent in his request of Jesus. Despite the news that came to him that his daughter had died, he did not turn away and run home as a defeated warrior. Jesus encouraged him to maintain his faith, because he alone held the keys to his daughter’s life. I wonder, how many of us would have hung around if we received such discouraging news from home while you are still out seeking answers? I believe that because Jesus said He would go with Jairus and heal his daughter, nothing – absolutely nothing would cause Jesus to go back on His word to this hurting father.
Notice in the second story, the lady held no religious position, but she too had a need that she was convinced could only be resolved by the King of kings. She had tried earthly experts and they sucked her dry of every penny she had. She too had heard of the Great Healer and she was convinced that even if she couldn’t earn His attention to speak with her, if only she could touch any part of Him or His clothing, healing would be imparted to her. How much faith did you say you have dear friend? Anywhere near as much as this lady displayed? Notice that her suspicions were correct, for it took just a touch of the Master’s clothing! But Jesus made sure that she didn’t go unnoticed, for there were many people there who could benefit from the awesome faith of this woman. I believe that many who will meditate on this devotional today may also benefit from this reminder that there is only one Creator, one Lord, one Healer, one Savior and one King who will return one day soon to take His children on to glory to spend eternity with He and His Father. Today, I believe that Jesus wants us to be reminded of His awesome power to heal, and also to check our state of readiness for His eminent return. I am looking forward to His return, and I want to check around and see each reader or listener right along side me as we are taken to our final home! What a day that will be!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Jesus was mindful of the needs brought to Him by the two individuals in our Scripture. Because of additional Scripture, I am convinced that Jesus also cares about us, and about our eternal destination. I am ready and anxious to go and be with He and the Father in heaven, and I hope that each reader/listener feels the same way!

PRAYER: Thank You Lord Jesus for this awesome reminder today. Healing comes from You alone, and You are never too busy to attend to our needs. Lord, I believe that there are many friends known to each reader and listener today who are unprepared to meet You, and even worse, they lack the faith to approach you about their needs. You created us; You lived and died for us; and You have a wonderful place prepared for us when life here on earth is over. Thank You Lord for loving us so much in so many wonderful ways. Please continue to impress upon the hearts of our unsaved loved ones the need for a Savior, and may we always glorify You for all Your wondrous works each day. AMEN!

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

Seek God For A Daily Washing

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

Monday, 2021-11-15

Bible Reference: John 13:6-8
Translation: The Voice (VOICE)

Bible Text:
Simon Peter (as Jesus approaches): 6 Lord, are You going to wash my feet?
Jesus: 7 Peter, you don’t realize what I am doing, but you will understand later.
Peter: 8 You will not wash my feet, now or ever!
Jesus: If I don’t wash you, you will have nothing to do with Me.

APPLICATION: My spiritual curiosity was peaked when I read verse 8, so I studied the meaning of these words deeper. I loved the way this is explained in the Matthew Henry Commentary and wanted to share it: All those, and those only who are spiritually washed by Christ, have a part in Christ. All whom Christ owns and saves, he justifies and sanctifies. Peter more than submits; he begs to be washed by Christ. Those who truly desire to be sanctified, desire to be sanctified throughout, to have the whole man, with all its parts and powers, made pure. The true believer is thoroughly washed when he receives Christ for his salvation. See then what ought to be the daily care of those who, through grace, are in a justified state, and that is, to wash their feet; to cleanse themselves from daily guilt; and to watch against everything defiling. This should make us the more cautious. From yesterday’s pardon, we should be strengthened against this day’s temptation. Within pain and filth, there is an opportunity to extend God’s kingdom through an expression of love, humility, and service. This simple act of washing feet is a metaphor for how the world looks through the lens of Jesus’ grace. He sees the people—the world He created—which He loves. He also sees the filthy corruption in the world that torments everyone. His mission is to cleanse those whom He loves from those horrors. This is His redemptive work with feet, families, disease, famine, and hearts. When Jesus sees disease, He sees the opportunity to heal. When He sees sin, He sees a chance to forgive and redeem. When He sees dirty feet, He sees a chance to wash them. Oh for wonderful grace of our Savior to cleanse ourselves daily. With sin in our lives, we are like Peter, guilty and embarrassed for Jesus to look inside and see our filth. With a regular cleansing from Jesus, we would feel honored and proud to be in the presence of our holy God, because we are happy to be living a holy life before Him. Christianity is not like some men say about their marriage – I told her at the altar that I loved her, and unless something changes, that word remains true without the need to repeat myself daily!! That is not true love, and it definitely does not define a true relationship with Jesus. He deserves our commitment to honor Him every day and to commune with Him daily to keep our relationship in good, fresh order. Dear friend, if you have not been to Jesus for cleansing yet today, may I encourage you to keep your priority items first on your to-do list? He deserves our first, and our best!

PRAYER: Dear Lord, living in a world filled with the filth of Satan and his demons, it becomes increasingly challenging to allow my light to shine as a beacon for all that represents my loving Savior. Like Peter, I acknowledge that there is a strong need for me to be washed by You on a regular basis. You washed my sin away, when I asked you to, back on 1976. But Lord there is a daily influx of evil that fills my eyes, my mind and tempts me with evil thoughts. Please wash me Lord, so that my mind will remain fixed on You and that I may remain immersed in Your precious love, forgiveness and mercy. Lord, I plead also for my readers that they too may receive a word from You today, and that they may be drawn to You more closely than yesterday. Our wicked world needs You, dear Lord, and I believe it would really help if they could see You in every action by Your representatives her on earth. Use us Lord as Your loyal, honest and dedicated representatives before our family and friends who desperately need You. AMEN!

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

Our God Will …

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

Saturday, 2021-08-28

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

Scripture

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

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

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

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

What Does Your Heart Produce?

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Clean Heart, Heart, Heart Knowledge, Humbleness, Humility, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Worship1 Comment

DATE WRITTEN: Monday, 2021-07-05
WRITTEN AT: Gallup, NM

SCRIPTURE FROM: Matthew 15:17-20
TRANSLATION: Contemporary English Version (CEV)

BIBLE TEXT: 17 Don’t you know that the food you put into your mouth goes into your stomach and then out of your body? 18 But the words that come out of your mouth come from your heart. And they are what make you unfit to worship God. 19 Out of your heart come evil thoughts, murder, unfaithfulness in marriage, vulgar deeds, stealing, telling lies, and insulting others. 20 These are what make you unclean. Eating without washing your hands will not make you unfit to worship God.

APPLICATION: The Pharisees had overstepped their boundaries, as usual, and tried to test Jesus by reporting something they felt His disciples were overlooking. In this particular instance, they reported that, upon close observation, it appeared like the disciples were neglecting the customs of the Jews in washing their hands before eating a meal. Now we practice this little rule today, and we will get on to our children for not practicing good hygiene. But Jesus took this opportunity to teach the Pharisees, and us, that although this may be a good earthly practice to avoid spreading of germs, this is minuscule in the big picture, as it has nothing at all to do with godliness. So does this mean that the Christian must think only about godliness? Not necessarily, but when you follow through like the Pharisee in reporting a brother or sister for non-godly things, instead of praying that they might become more Christ-like, then there may be questions about your motives. Furthermore, I would hope that when you report someone for breaking man’s law, or God’s, I would hope that your life is in stellar condition. Much like the case of the Pharisees, I remember a time when I was gossiping with a coworker about certain staff members who, I thought, was less than perfect. To my surprise, and through a rude awakening, that coworker looked at me and said: ‘that’s funny, they say the same thing about you’. Shocking, but thank God for an honest and bold coworker, for it opened my eyes that I was too much like the Pharisees. Jesus went on to give examples of what results from a heart that is filled with the world’s trash. Think carefully about the Word of God and see if you could think of any Scripture that supports the following actions: evil thoughts, murder, unfaithfulness in marriage, vulgar deeds, stealing, telling lies, and insulting others. I believe you will find that the Bible/God teaches just the opposite to each of these wicked things. Being children created by God, I’m sure that He didn’t teach these things to us, so where do you suppose we came up with these? Friends, we live in an evil and conniving world that is out to set God’s children out of line with His powerful and godly teachings. It is very important that we fill our minds with the things of Christ. Jesus taught that if we fill ourselves with these two things – love God; and love one another; then we would easily follow all of His other commandments. As we practice these two commandments each day, we will fill our hearts and our minds with the things of God, and the world needs to see and witness more of this today, than perhaps any other time in history. We must guard our hearts, so that we take in the things of God, and not the things of this world that leads to more evil and disharmony. Show them Jesus, won’t you?

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Fill your heart, mind and soul with more of Jesus, and prepare to worship Him! the world needs more of Jesus, not more of itself.

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, I desire that my heart will produce the fruits that You speak of in Your Word. To accomplish this while still in a world filled with sin and imperfections, I will need You by my side every minute of every day. Please fill me with the will to obey Your commands and to replicate the many good things that You modeled while on earth. My friends who will read and/or listen to this devotional may have the same desire, so Lord I pray that You will touch Your children today in miraculous ways so that the world may know that Jesus lives, because they see You alive in us. Please humble hearts who need You today. Draw the lost to You and use us at every opportunity where You know that we won’t mess up. 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!