Tag: Know Jesus

When Others Are Impacted By Our Lives

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

DATE POSTED: Monday, May 6, 2024, and I was blessed to be at Advent Christian Village, Dowling Park, FL 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 The Voice (VOICE) IS FOUND IN Proverbs 27:17

THE BIBLE TEXT IS: In the same way that iron sharpens iron, a person sharpens the character of his friend.

APPLICATION OF THE WORD: After her husband’s death, I recall telling a new widow how her husband impacted my life while living under their roof for a short while, and she acknowledged being warmly touched by that testimony. That husband’s life was not in vain, because his life had impacted at least one person, and I strongly believe many others were also touched by him. I feel like this is similar to what the Scripture teaches through this proverb today. Whether we care to acknowledge it or not, life consists of daily encounters with others who help to shape our lives – our eternal destiny, character, mannerisms, compassion and possibly even our speech. This may not always be in a positive manner, but with the help of God, the Holy Spirit can direct us to the right folk, and away from those who will tear down our testimony. Because of the relationships we develop with others, our lives change, and we become either: more likable to others, despised, or possibly even envied. As a child, we tend to live our lives trying to please our parents. As teenagers, we tend to try and please our peers. As adults we try to please our spouse, while also trying to set an example for our children. In our workplace, in our social activities, and in community activities, we tend to earn the respect of others, if we reflect characteristics that positively impact them, and show them that our upbringing and our relationship with Jesus Christ has affected our life, even through the challenges of this wicked world. Find a good, dedicated pastor or Christian friend, and you will see that others are drawing close to them because they want some of what they see in them. Read the Bible and allow the Holy Spirit to speak to you and direct your path to a life of obedience to the life and teaching of Jesus Christ. However, this Scripture clearly teaches that the character of another person will impact us. Should we hang out with the wrong crowd, we could easily see that their ungodly character is rubbing off on us and our own character is suffering, and deteriorating from ungodly habits and speech. For the child of God, the Holy Spirit lives inside of us to guide, protect and teach us the ways of our Savior and Lord. Let’s learn to not fight those nudges and redirects that tend to move us along to other friends. I believe the intent of this Proverb, is to teach us to not only protect our godly character against the ills of the evil one, but to consciously pulling alongside those who need encouragement, strength for another day, and drawing closer to their Master so that they could walk and talk like Him. For you see, they too want to go on to sharpen the character of their family and friends looking for Truth among the lies of Satan; Love others among the hatred expressed in so many ways by the world; Hope among the despair many of the unsaved tend to feel with Christ; and expectations of a brighter day coming when we will no longer deal with this world, but rather kneel at the feet of the Holy of Holy’s and offer up endless praise and worship for all eternity. Dear friends, seek the Lord while He may be found and allow Him to direct your path, even in a lost and cruel world. Seek to impact the lives of others for the better. Good friends work to rub off dull edges and make each other better. That’s why we need ministries and churches that are full of men and women talking about more than work, the weather, and sports. Oh that others will see, hear and experience Christ in us through each encounter with them!

PRAYER BECAUSE OF THE IMPACT OF TODAY’S SCRIPTURE: Precious Lord, it is because of the work of Your Holy Spirit working through a prayer warrior and giving him boldness, that I walked the isle of my church in Nassau, Bahamas. That gentleman wanted me to be better than I was, he wanted to introduce me to his Master and Lord, so that my character my be developed into one of Christ-likeness, and my destiny become one that would be secure in the glories of Heaven. Thank You Lord Jesus for using that friend and at just the right time. Over the years I have had opportunity to come alongside many who needed You, and until I stand beside You, I may never know how many made decisions to accept Your lordship. Please Lord, continue to place each reader of this devotional into a place of opportunity to enhance the spiritual lives of others so that they may be drawn to You. May we become enhancers of the faith, and one who will shape others into becoming better men and women who would accept and serve You until you call us home. 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 nearby 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!

Are You Registered Yet?

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Assurance, Believe, Heaven, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Salvation, Saved, Savior, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Monday, 2023-02-20
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Luke 10:17-20
TRANSLATION: New Living Translation (NLT)

BIBLE TEXT: 17 When the seventy-two disciples returned, they joyfully reported to him, “Lord, even the demons obey us when we use your name!”
18 “Yes,” he told them, “I saw Satan fall from heaven like lightning! 19 Look, I have given you authority over all the power of the enemy, and you can walk among snakes and scorpions and crush them. Nothing will injure you. 20 But don’t rejoice because evil spirits obey you; rejoice because your names are registered in heaven.”

APPLICATION: Often we only need to be associated in a group who is experiencing success in some area of their ministry, for us to start bragging about what God is doing in and through our church, or group. Praise the Lord that you can do that, and I pray that there will be many opportunities to experience success in your work, and then rejoice in the celebration of that success. The 70 disciples were given authority by Jesus to heal the sick, tell them about Jesus and cast out demons. These guys returned in such rare form! They bragged to Jesus about how they saw demons obey their commands when they used His name to cast them out. You can only imagine the excitement! Why, we do the same thing when we see people saved and their lives totally transformed. We are thankful to God when we see people leave their worldly offerings of ball games, beach parties, family times around the television, and so on, so they could be in church worshipping together with us. We know that coming to God’s house to worship together and hear a message from God, will speak truth intro their lives and could create an environment where Satan is not welcomed, so we rejoice and celebrate in God being at work. BUT, do you really get the jest of what Jesus told His disciples? In this world, there will be many reasons to rejoice, to celebrate, or even thank God for moving in the ministries of our church! But what what do you suppose will happen in our churches if our people would remind themselves of their eternal destination as often as they meet? Just talking about heaven should excite us beyond words, and cause us to worship, adore and praise the Lord Jesus for making this all possible to us. Don’t you know that when God’s children truly act like children of the King, and they respond to the reminder of whose they are and where they are going, this is bound to excite those worshipping together with us, and they will want to make sure that their names are registered in heaven and they have the assurance of eternity with our Creator, God Almighty, and His precious Son? The challenging part of corporate worship is that almost everyone will sing, or raise their hands in worship, while some may even sing in a choir, receive the offering or greet visitors. This might help everyone subscribe to a thought that they are all in the same boat and everyone is headed to heaven. But God’s Word declares that the latter only occurs when one has accepted Jesus as Lord of their life and repented of their sin. To repent means that you ask for the help of God to turn away from your sin, so that you might, instead, follow a totally opposite direction in life – one that is obedient to God, and following in His will for your life, as detailed in the Word of God. Friends, just as Jesus told His disciples who had been out ministering in His name, there is nothing more important than to know that your name is written in the book of heaven. If you are unsure, or if you have reason to doubt your assurance of this, please get with a local, Bible teaching Pastor, or drop a note back to me so I could help you with this most important question.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: For those who have their name registered in Heaven, Jesus is ready to welcome you home when that time comes! Glory to God in the highest!

PRAYER: I find it fascinating that even after sending out the 70 to minister and heal in Your name, that You still saw the importance of them knowing without a shadow of doubt that their name is written, or registered in heaven. It is so easy for us to feel such a part of a group, that we may convince ourselves that we have the same privileges as the overall group has. Thankfully, I am reminded by Your words today, Lord, that a group setting will not save me. It’s only through accepting the new birth that is offered through Jesus Christ alone that I am saved, my name registered in the book of heaven, and I am on my way to spending eternity with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit! Please Lord, use this simple reminder from You, and the simple explanation of this devotional to open the eyes of those blinded by Satan, pride and the greed of this world. Please show them the way, the truth, and the glories of heaven that can be theirs if they would simply accept You as Lord and Savior. Give each reader and/or listener new reasons to truly worship and adore You today! AMEN!

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

Express Your Love For God

On By Ed AlgreenIn Jesus Loves you, Love, Love God, Love of God, The Father's Love, The love of God, Things God loves, Unconditional love3 Comments

DATE WRITTEN: Wednesday, 2022-10-05
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL.

Bible Reference: Psalm 123:1-2
Translation: The Passion Translation (TPT)

Bible Text: 1 O God-Enthroned in heaven, I worship and adore you!
2 The way I love you is like the way a servant wants to please his master, the way a maid waits for the orders of her mistress. We look to you, our God, with passionate longing to please you and discover more of your mercy and grace

APPLICATION: I’ve seen this done at church, where the congregation was asked to give descriptive words of how they know that God loves them, and why they love God. Very often this comes with a lot of Biblical terms, churchy words, and words that you might hear from the pulpit, or over Christian radio. But I wonder how much more personal this might be if it was just you and God. If there were no devices, and no distractions, but you became overwhelmed with the thought of how powerful God is; how loving He is; how forgiving He is; and that God had brought you to a point where you realized that He is an awesome God who loves you – individually, more than anything else in the world. What would you have to say to Him in return? Remember, it’s just you and God present and He wants to hear your heart. What would you say? I remember at one time at a marriage retreat, couples were asked to find a spot where just the two of you could be alone with absolutely no distractions. That kind of alone time is what I’m thinking of with God. I live on a ranch with almost 1000 acres of land. There are places I could visit and talk out loud to God without anyone else thinking that I must have lost my senses. That’s the kind of alone time where I believe one could pour out their heart to God. Perhaps you’ve seen Him in the Word as you meditated on it today; perhaps in a song; perhaps in the beauty of the outdoors; perhaps a beautiful animal – one of His wonders, just ran in front of you; or perhaps your mind reflected back on the love of God, and/or how He touched you during a recent life event. Friends, our God is always present, and I believe He is just waiting for us to praise Him for His amazing greatness, if only we will separate ourselves from the busyness of life and allow our hearts and minds to connect with our Creator. Although a church service, or a sermon may cause us to focus closely on God, it will not reach inside, open our hearts and open our mouths to speak lovingly to our Lord. Allow these words of David to reinvigorate your heart, soul and mind and cause you to focus on your Maker. Take time away from every distraction and get alone with God. Tell Him how you feel about Him, for He is so worthy of our praise, our love and our affection. Nothing is more important, dear friends!

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, how can we say thanks for the things You have done for us? How can we love You near as much as You love us? How can we give to our Master who has everything? Yet You loved us enough to sacrifice Your one and only Son for our salvation. You have also prepared a place for us to spend eternity with You and Your Father for all eternity! Praise God that in spite of our inadequacies, yet You love us anyway, and You have given us life itself to enjoy while here on earth. Thank You for who You are, and for all You do and show to us precious Father. May we show love and appreciation to You in every way and as frequently as our hearts could imagine. In Jesus’ name, 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!

Refresh The Hearts of Believers

On By Ed AlgreenIn Christian love, Encourage, Encourager, Jesus Loves you, Love of God, Love others, Revival, The Father's Love, The love of GodLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Wednesday, 2022-09-21
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

Bible Reference: Philemon 1:4-7
Translation: Voice Translation (Voice)

Bible Text: 4 I am constantly thanking God for you in my prayers 5 because I keep hearing about your love and faith toward our Lord Jesus and all those set apart for His purposes. Here’s what I’ve been praying on your behalf:
6 Thank You, Father, for Philemon. I pray that as he goes and tells his story of faith, he would tell everyone so that they will know for certain all the good that comes to those who put their trust in the Anointed One.
7 My brother, because you are out there encouraging and reviving the hearts of fellow saints with such love, this brings great joy and comfort to me.

OBSERVATION: In this translation, verse 7 reads that Philemon was encouraging and reviving the hearts of fellow saints. In the NLT, we are told that Paul was excited because Philemon refreshed the hearts of believers! Ever been complimented for that? Let’s meditate on how we might do that…

APPLICATION: I don’t believe there is anything more satisfying than to walk in on someone speaking something complimentary about you! I suppose the next best thing is probably to read the compliments on our character in a letter, email or newspaper. Unfortunately this hardly ever occurs until the time of our memorial service! Now, I realize that we never do the work of the Lord for man’s applause, but I also know that we each need encouraging from time to time. Paul’s applause to Philemon was all about the feedback that Paul was receiving from the church members that met in Philemon’s home. Friends, we must remember that as we strive diligently to live as an example of our Master and Lord, if no one around us notices, then how do you suppose we are doing? Philemon lived such a life of love in the presence of his congregants, that Paul likened it to something that we do to our computer screens when we ‘refresh‘ the screen! It’s like something that we diligently pray for in our churches, when we pray for ‘revival‘, for we want our hearts to be ‘refreshed‘ in the love of Jesus, and our spirits refreshed to the state of when we first met Jesus, when we fell deeply in love with Him for saving our soul. Friends, I believe that God would encourage us to not wait for our encouragement, before we bless the souls of those around us. Imagine, they may see the love of Jesus in us, even while they are alive to enjoy, and be blessed by it. They may be encouraged in knowing that Jesus is alive, and they may be rejuvenated in wanting to serve Christ even more fully. Friends, when we do the Lord’s work, we also will be encouraged. May we all learn to reach out to Jesus and desire a filling of His sweet Holy Spirit, so that His Spirit may flow through us and electrify anyone’s spirit who happens to come near us. People who need the Lord are constantly looking at those who say they have a personal relationship with Him, so they could see what a Jesus filled life looks like. How are you doing with that friend? Can others see enough of Jesus in you that they want to be around you, hoping that some of the joy and love that you exude would rub off on them! Draw close to God friend, and He will draw close to you. In fact, He will overfill your joy and love, so that others will want to know the source of it all!

PRAYER: Thank you Jesus for allowing Paul to encourage his Brother, Philemon, based on the great work that he saw from, and heard of, him. Thank You for speaking to our hearts through this Scripture today, so that our hearts might be overfilled and encouraged. May we be looking for avenues to encourage and share Your precious love with others. Please give us more love to share and many more opportunities in which to share that love with others. Draw the unsaved to Yourself Lord, and if my believing readers and listeners may be of service through some awesome act of love, then I beg You to please use us for Your service. Please have an impact on all those who will read this devotional today. 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!

Spiritual Exercise

On By Ed AlgreenIn Dependence on God, Meditate, Spiritual FitnessLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Sunday, 2022-08-21
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

Bible Reference: 1 Timothy 4:7-8
Translation: Living Bible (TLB)

Bible Text: 7 Don’t waste time arguing over foolish ideas and silly myths and legends. Spend your time and energy in the exercise of keeping spiritually fit. 8 Bodily exercise is all right, but spiritual exercise is much more important and is a tonic for all you do. So exercise yourself spiritually, and practice being a better Christian because that will help you not only now in this life, but in the next life too.

APPLICATION: I believe we all may have given some thought as to why we want to stay physically fit. For some, it may ease certain aches and pains; For some it may help their breathing; For some it may help avoid certain medications by keeping the heart healthy; For some, it prepares them for a huge competition that’s coming up; and a plethora of other reasons, I’m sure. So then, why do you suppose that God, through His servant Paul, found it necessary to get our attention in staying spiritually fit? Let’s first look at the pitfalls when we are not spiritually fit. I believe that this is where we are easily provoked into sin, for we have no real, current, depth and/or communication with the Master. There are really two parts to this, first of all we must know what to do and what’s expected of us. This means that we have to learn what’s expected of us by our Lord. As in the business world, this means that we not only learn the Word, but we also keep on learning and refreshing our knowledge of the Word. Secondly, we must put into action all that we learn. Imagine in the business world where you might tell an auditor that your books, practices and overall processes are in order because you read about what’s required? That will absolutely not protect you against exceptions, since your auditor will compare what you are actually doing, against what written regulations say that you must be doing. Our Christianity is much the same. God has set forth a wonderful book that details His commands, and it shows us how our Savior lived perfectly while here on earth by following the commands of His Father. For us to do the same, we must know those commands, we must be in the Bible daily so that our minds might be spiritually fit for battle against the Evil One at every opportunity that he aims to challenge us. Yes, I know that some are fast studies and therefore only need to read through the Bible once but let me assure you that the Word of God is very real and it is pointed to help us each and every day, no matter what we are facing today for the very first time in history. To practice what we learn, we must be diligent to apply God’s rules and commands in every aspect of our lives, with the Master’s help. In fact, if we aim at perfection in all our ways, then we might be mistaken frequently for the One that we are imitating. Has that happened to you recently? Friends, when we hit our finger with a hammer, our immediate response will often reflect what’s inside of us. Likewise, when we are hit with life’s challenges and the temptations of Satan, our immediate response will reflect what has filled our heart, and how close we are to the Savior – how fit we are spiritually. How are you doing friend? Seek the Lord while He may be found, and allow Him to guide your steps, your actions and your speech. May it be known to God, and obvious to all those you meet, that the blood of Jesus as washed your sins away and that Jesus lives within every fiber of your being!

PRAYER: This is a very challenging passage of Scripture Lord Jesus. One in which we are reminded that we don’t have all the answers, and we desperately need You in every aspect of our lives, every day. We are reminded that without You we can truly do nothing of value for the Kingdom. Please open our hearts and draw us to a closer walk with You and a life truly dependent on the power of Your sweet Holy Spirit. Lord, You know all too well how weak we are, but thank God You also know that You created us to be like You. So Lord, again today we beg of You to forgive us for those evil things that we do, and the awkward things that we say – our spiritual weaknesses. Please draw us close to You and melt our hearts to closely depend on You in all walks of life, so that You may be glorified in every aspect of our lives. 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!

Don’t Be A Stumbling Block

On By Ed AlgreenIn Ask and Receive, Salvation, Stumbling block, WorshipLeave a comment

SCRIPTURE  FROM:   Romans 11:25-26; 33-34 (TLB)

TEXT: 25 I want you to know about this truth from God, dear brothers, so that you will not feel proud and start bragging. Yes, it is true that some of the Jews have set themselves against the Gospel now, but this will last only until all of you Gentiles have come to Christ—those of you who will. 26 And then all Israel will be saved…..

33 Oh, what a wonderful God we have! How great are his wisdom and knowledge and riches! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his methods! 34 For who among us can know the mind of the Lord? ……

APPLICATION:   As I meditated on the Word of God, I was reminded, in awe, of His great wisdom, and His awesome power to fulfill His Godly purpose. This particular Scripture reminded me of a sad story, but one that brought awesome results. Many years ago, my cousin, a young man about 35 years old, was electrocuted and fell to his death from a roadside electric pole. The mourning of that mother, my aunt, could be heard over most of the small town. However, before the sun set the following day, my dad (brother to the grieving mother) had surrendered his heart to Jesus! He then became a Godly influence to his five children until the day he died. What happened in this Scripture today, also reminds me an awful lot of our churches today, for it almost seems like the movement of Christ has been slowed down and possibly even dwindled some, and I wonder if it is not God dealing more intensely in the hearts of so many that are totally lost. This may not make total sense to everyone, but I wonder if God is not saying to our churches: ‘put away selfish desires, prejudices and pride. Remember, your wisdom is nothing compared to the wisdom of our awesome God. For people to gain wisdom from and in you will teach them very little however, to know Christ will gain them all eternity’. The Bible reminds us that God’s ways and thoughts are way beyond our own, so that tells me that I can’t possibly understand all that He’s up to. However, I know from the Word that God made us all to worship and adore Him, so shouldn’t our every effort be in seeking ways to know Him better, accept Him more fully and worship Him in total surrender to self and this wicked world? It just seems like we are currently facing the same dilemma that Jesus spoke of in our Scripture verses today. For we hate to look at the evening news because of all the crime, violence and acts of hatred that fills our news portals, while churches are closing their doors in record numbers because of non-attendance, lack of giving and leadership. We hear excuses such as COVID, or the effects of war, but friends, we must remember that Jesus is coming back soon to collect His church. Can you even fathom how few will be taken up to glory with Him, compared to the huge population of earth? To the church, I would say with great urgency that people need the Lord. The Gentile population has grown, and unless we who are Christian, stand firm in our faith, lift up the banner of God so that the lost may recognize God in His greatness and accept Him as Lord, then there will be a massive divide on the day that Christ returns to take His bride away with Him. It would hurt my heart to think that God may have to push Christians aside, so that the unsaved may find Jesus Christ. Unfortunately, I have family and friends that I believe will be left behind if they remain unchanged. Assuming that many of you are in a similar position, I would encourage you to join me in praying to the God of this universe for a great movement upon our land. Oh that Jesus may rule and reign in our personal lives, our families, our churches, our communities and in our nations around the world, so that the people will know and believe in the sacrificial lamb of God – Jesus Christ. May the God of this universe become known as Everlasting King of this universe!

PRAYER:   Lord You are good and Your mercies endureth forever! In our Scripture today, we are reminded that although You created us to worship You, many refuse to do so. You created us in Your likeness hoping that we would live in similar fashion to Your example while here on earth, yet there are many who mock and scorn You and Your children, much like what occurred in times past. The warning signs of Your return are evident Lord, and we thank You for promising us that You will return for Your children! Heavenly Father, please soften the hearts of Your children, so that Your churches may be filled to capacity with worshipers longing to draw close to their Creator, our Everlasting God, and may this impact the unsaved like never before. 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 are not already connected in a local Bible teaching church, let me encourage you to find one so that you may grow in the love and stature of the King of all kings. God is at work among us! Please consider coming to worship with us!

When You SEE Jesus

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

DATE POSTED Monday, 2021-12-06
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: John 6:38-40
TRANSLATION: Contemporary English Version (CEV)

BIBLE TEXT: 38 I didn’t come from heaven to do what I want! I came to do what the Father wants me to do. He sent me, 39 and he wants to make certain that none of the ones he has given me will be lost. Instead, he wants me to raise them to life on the last day. 40 My Father wants everyone who sees the Son to have faith in him and to have eternal life. Then I will raise them to life on the last day.

APPLICATION: I often hear couples say ‘From the time I placed my eyes on her/him, I fell in love with them’. ‘Seeing is believing’ is another popular saying! But how do we ‘see’ Jesus? Many of us will say that we have great luck in certain aspects of life. However, when we meet up with our parents or grandparents, they will tell us that they have been praying earnestly for us. So did we have ‘luck’, or were the prayers of our ancestors being answered? Could it be that Jesus was showing Himself to you in miraculous ways? While visiting the beach we often marvel over the beauty, tranquility and serenity of the calm, beautiful waters and the perfectly manicured beach. Ever stop to consider how it got that way? It’s just another way of us seeing the handiwork of God in nature. I recently visited the Grand Canyon. What an awesome and beautiful site to behold! Unlike Disney, there is no way that man could ever have designed and built such magnificence. I was reminded of the handiwork of my God! Based on our Scripture for today, I believe it is super important for us to carefully acknowledge God in life as we note things that could only have come from Him as Designer and Creator. For it is as we ‘see’ Him at work that we learn to trust in Him for ALL things in life. Jesus said that as we ‘see’ Him, we will trust Him and have faith in Him – His abilities, His love, His creativity, His caring attitude, and our everlasting hope in life eternally with He and the Father. Dear friends, we sometimes sigh in our troubles, hard work and everyday labors and we may say ‘there has to be more to life than this’! Jesus has reminded us in His Word today that there is a lot more to life! See the Creator, Know the Master Accept Him as Your Lord, and live in anticipation of eternity in heaven with the Father and the Son! Jesus assures us that for all who accept Him as Lord, He will raise us up on the last day – that glorious Day that we are assured of in the Bible when we will see Jesus face-to-face and celebrate around the throne of God every day – forever! If you are wondering how to accept Jesus, please refer to my Footnote and follow the link for ‘To Know Jesus’. Otherwise, feel free to contact me by email, as noted below. It would be a blessing to pray with you!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: In spite of our troublesome time here on earth, Jesus was sent as our Advocate and our heavenly Father. Praise Jesus for His love!

PRAYER: I can gladly rejoice in the words of an old favorite hymn – ‘I am so glad that my Father in heaven, tells of His love in the Book He has given….’ Oh what a Savior, You’re the One who loves us just as we are, and just where we’re at. Thank You Lord for making Yourself known to us in so many ways. We ‘see’ You Lord, and we must know You intimately, for You love us even when no one else sees value in us to love us unconditionally. Please make Yourself known to our family and friends that we pray for. Oh that they may accept You today, is my heartfelt and sincere prayer. AMEN!

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

A Proper Introduction

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Know and Believe, Know Jesus, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Worship4 Comments

DATE POSTED Saturday, 2021-11-06
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: John 3:16-18
TRANSLATION: The Message (MSG)

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

APPLICATION: A new pastor presented an excellent sermon on his first Sunday at his new church. The leaders were convinced that they had chosen the right man to lead them spiritually. However, on the next 2 or 3 Sundays the pastor repeated the same sermon. This caused the leaders to question him about his repertoire of sermons, to which the new pastor responded: ‘Once I am convinced that the congregation has received and applied the Word to their hearts and lives, I will then move on to my next sermon!!’ That sounds a lot like John 3:16, for it is probably one of the most quoted verses of the Bible, but I wonder how many simple know the words, but haven’t really applied them! I would like for you to carefully read this popular verse in the contemporary translation I chose to present the Scripture today. Perhaps hearing it afresh in simpler terms, may draw your attention and cause you to question God, like Nicodemus did, on what must you do to be saved. You see, unless you make this bold step and present yourself humbly before God, you are still under the death sentence mentioned in our Scripture. Why is that? Well, the Bible says that unless you accept this free gift given to us by God, and believe on His one and only Son, Jesus, then you are under a death sentence – eternity with Satan and his army of fallen angels in Hell where you will receive eternal punishment through fire and brimstone. Friends, this is not just vain religious threats to have you join a church, these are facts presented by the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Out of perfect love for His children that He created, God sent His Son miraculously into this world, to bring hope and the means of us one day making our way back to heaven to be with God the Father and His precious Son, Jesus. If we receive the Son, by inviting Him to be Lord and Master of our lives, then we will be accepted into Heaven when we cease to live here on earth. If we don’t, then God has warned us that there is only one other place – Hell. Besides this Scripture today, I have also provided Scripture references through the link ’To Know Jesus’, referenced in my Footnote. Please consider the open invitation from God, through His Word. I have, and I would love to have every reader and listener join me around the throne of God in heaven. The choice is yours dear friend, please make the obvious, right, choice today – before it’s eternally too late.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Although we may deserve eternal damnation from Satan, yet God loved us so much that He has given us the opportunity to live in n His ‘palace’ – the portals of heaven, where He and His Son lives and reigns forevermore!

PRAYER: Normally we have to work extremely hard to have a home here on earth, but Lord I thank You for Your love and Your mercy in providing the means for our entry into Heaven, plus the assurance of eternity with You and the Father. Thank You for Your Word, Your promises, and for the place You have prepared for those who love You and allow You to rule and reign in their lives. Please use Your Word to touch the hearts of many who will read this devotional today. May they immediately fall to their knees and seek Your face as they ask You to rule and reign in their lives. Be glorified today in knowing that others will recognize You as Lord, and that they will accept You as Lord today! AMEN!

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

In Preparation For Your Mission

On By Ed AlgreenIn Example of Christ, Genuine example of Jesus, Godly example, Personal Witness, True witnesses, WitnessingLeave a comment

SCRIPTURE  FROM:   2 Timothy 2:14-17 (VOICE)

TEXT:  14 …... Warn them before God to stop their useless bickering over words. After all, splitting hairs does no good; it only ruins those forced to listen to their meritless arguments. 15 Timothy, do everything you can to present yourself to God as a man who is fully genuine, a worker unashamed of your mission, a guide capable of leading others along the correct path defined by the word of truth. 16 Stay away from ungodly babbling because it will only lead deeper into a godless lifestyle. 17 Once these empty voices start to speak, Timothy, they infect and spread; and soon the body is consumed with its cancer….

APPLICATION:   I’m not sure how many of us will ever be blessed to have the honor of mentoring someone entering into a ministry role, like Paul did, but we are often part of a church where new workers are called into ministry each year, and some of us may also be blessed to be part of a commissioning service for a new minister of the gospel, like Timothy was. This advice given by Paul is great for us to consider as we look into our own lives. Hopefully as we live these out personally, we will be in a much better position to say like Paul did in one of his other teachings: “now follow me, as you try to live a godly life” or as you endeavor to serve in your new assignment. You see, it is hypocritical to suggest that a new minister, teacher, worker, do some of these things, if we are personally doing an awful job at these things ourselves. For example, how can we suggest that they not get in arguments over words, or split hairs over individual interpretations, if we are so bad at doing that ourselves? Or that they should be genuine in their walk, if we are personally accused of living a double life? Or to not be ashamed of the gospel, if we are often embarrassed to have others know that we are involved in the ministry of our local church? So friends, I would encourage you to not brush this off by thinking that we now have some good advice to give ministers and/or workers entering into the ministry of Jesus Christ, but instead that we live out these principles ourselves so that we might give sound advice as we suggest that they follow, just as we follow Christ. I believe that only then, will the church of Jesus Christ see effective workers in the local church, and well prepared ministers and/or missionaries that we send out from our local churches. Lost people are anxious to see genuine Christians. Just as we aim to be exactly that, will we be effective and genuine in sending others out, just like us.

PRAYER:   Lord, please have Your perfect will and way in the hearts of each one that will meditate on this devotional today. May the words of our mouth and the meditation of our hearts be acceptable in Your sight oh Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer. May Your kingdom become richer as a result of us sharing our genuineness with others who will be impacted today, with the character and form of the One true God. 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!

His Name

On By Ed AlgreenIn Christmas, Imitate Jesus, Imitating Christ, Imitator of ChristLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Saturday, 2020-12-19
WRITTEN AT: Paul B Johnson State Park, Hattiesburg, MS

Bible Reference: Matthew 1:21-23
Translation: Easy-To-Read Version (ERV)

Bible Text: 21 She will give birth to a son. You will name him Jesus. Give him that name because he will save his people from their sins.” 22 All this happened to make clear the full meaning of what the Lord said through the prophet: 23 “The virgin will be pregnant and will give birth to a son. They will name him Immanuel.” (Immanuel means “God with us.”)

OBSERVATION: It’s pretty miraculous how the birth of Jesus Christ came about. The prophets foretold; a virgin girl (Mary) was selected by God and approached by angels to conceive the baby; a simple, humble man who was engaged to Mary was approached to play the role of an earthly father to care for his espoused wife, Mary; The most humble of people, the shepherds, were selected to be the first to visit with baby Jesus. On and on the story goes, with one miracle after the other, all resulting in the Savior of the world being brought into the world as man’s eternal hope. This is what Christmas is all about, friends!

APPLICATION: As declared in my ‘Observation’, God went to great extents to bring His precious Son into the world, and throughout the Bible we read about all that He did while here on earth, and the whole purpose of His life here on earth. Of course we also know the ultimate reason that Jesus came, because we remember His death every year at Good Friday, and we remember His resurrection at Easter. The big question for each of us as we meditate on the extraordinary names of Jesus is: ’what are we known as?’ To our face, we may be called by our nickname. When our parents are upset with us, they may call us by our full legal name. Based on our habits and our character, we may be known as a thief, or a criminal, or a kind person, or a caring person, a hypocrite, or hopefully a man/woman after God’s own heart. Why all of these names? Because it identifies our character when someone is speaking to a friend and they make reference to us. Notice from the names, that while one name will drive that person away from you, one might interest them in knowing you, or at least speaking with you. Just from the name selected for you! Although folk will easily identify us based on the words we speak and with the tone used, but I pray that the actions they experience with you will convince them of whose you are. May the Jesus, born in a humble stable and lived on earth as the living Son of God, be evident in your character today and every day. Stay closely in tuned with Him through the Word of God and in daily communication (prayer) with Him, so that you may be ‘topped off’ each day with even more of Jesus. Keep it fresh and exciting friend!

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, I thank You for coming to earth as a baby, so that you would complete the purpose of the Father in providing everlasting hope for us. For there is no other way for us to see the gates of heaven without first accepting You as our Savior. You were introduced to us very early in the Bible, and many of us have accepted You as our Savior and Lord, so that we might celebrate with You one day in heaven! As we are reminded once again this Christmas of the hope that you bring, may we learn to truly celebrate even now, so that one day soon we will be comfortable in celebrating before our Father in heaven. Please touch the hearts of those who have not accepted You as Lord yet. May this be the first Christmas that they will truly be aware of the One whose birthday we celebrate! 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!