Tag: Let them see Jesus

For A Heart Of Understanding and Wisdom

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

DATE POSTED Saturday, 2022-10-01
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: 1 Kings 3:7-9
TRANSLATION: New Living Translation (NLT)

BIBLE TEXT: 7 “Now, O Lord my God, you have made me king instead of my father, David, but I am like a little child who doesn’t know his way around. 8 And here I am in the midst of your own chosen people, a nation so great and numerous they cannot be counted! 9 Give me an understanding heart so that I can govern your people well and know the difference between right and wrong. For who by himself is able to govern this great people of yours?”

OBSERVATION: I believe that God might speak to you about several things in today’s Scripture, much like He did with me. In the New Testament, Jesus taught that ‘unless you come to me as a child….’. When we enter into a new challenge of leadership or management, wouldn’t it be better if we sought wisdom and understanding from God, rather than jumping in like a bull in a china shop? King Solomon acknowledged he needed help. Oh that we would do this more frequently, rather than forcing our personal ideas on a global situation that would affect so many.

APPLICATION: Here’s a man who sat under the teaching and experienced the successful traits of one of the greatest kings ever lived – David. Yet when he was anointed king by Almighty God, he saw that the world around him was so large, so varied, so complex and so needy, that he quickly crawled back into reality and acknowledged that without God, nothing would be possible. In fact, Solomon felt like a small flea in a whole big world. Of course, he had another choice – he could have faked it until he made it through these complexities and experiences through trial and error. But when it comes to the lives of precious individuals, Solomon knew that, albeit his young age, and in spite of his youth and inexperience, he could not experiment with these people. Solomon could have gone to his top officials in his government, and perhaps he would have received good advice. But Solomon knew of One who would stick closer than a brother, One who knew the hearts and minds of the people, One who had a plan for his nation and who would ensure his success as their leader, if he surrendered his will to the tender hand and leadership of his Master and Lord. Notice that Solomon didn’t pray for help in being the best king, or to be the richest king ever lived, or to win over ever country around him, but it was his deep and sincere desire to grow in knowledge and understanding so that he could be a fair, honest, and great leader to his people. Friends, submitting yourself to the ways and means of those around you will lead to more of the same. Submitting yourself to the will and commands of Almighty God, allows you to walk uprightly in His way and with His leadership, so that you may win the battles of temptation, backbiting, hatred, murder and discouragement. God breathes new life into those who seek Him and surrender their will to His, for He has a plan and a purpose for them and will lead them to succeed in their personal and work relationships so that He might be glorified. Do you feel unfilled and unsuccessful in life, my friend? Look to Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith. Be God’s humble servant today, and submit your all to Him, so that He may work out His plan in your life. As He does, you will use that renewed spirit to lead others in a way that is pleasing to God and your leadership over others will meet with His approval. As others around you are blessed because of your leadership, you will be acknowledged by Almighty God for making the most of everything that He gives to you to bless others.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Feeling as a little child, allowed Solomon the humbleness of heart to place God on the throne of his life and be led by Him so that He would be glorified in every decision of leadership! Let’s be careful to pass the praises on to God for anything we might receive accolades on.

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, I am reminded that as Your children, we must come to the Fountain of Life as empty vessels willing to be filled by Your awesome power, knowledge, wisdom, love, and indeed all traits of Jesus that are so badly needed in our interactions with others. Solomon needed these things to be a great king. I believe that my readers, listeners and I need this for our everyday imprint on the lives of those we come into contact with. As one faithful pastor reminded himself on a sticker every time he stood in the pulpit to preach – he had written ‘Let Them See Jesus’. Oh, if that would be the heart-cry of every believer each and every day we rise up from our pillows until the time we go to bed – Let them see Jesus, both in words and in my actions. Perhaps then, more will believe in the existence, power, love and awesome impact that our God has in the lives of His children. 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!

Test Your Christianity

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Christian, Christianity, Example, Example of Christ, Genuine example of Jesus, Godly example, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Worship1 Comment

DATE POSTED Saturday, 2022-08-20
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: 2 Corinthians 13:5
TRANSLATION: Living Bible (TLB)

BIBLE TEXT: 5 Check up on yourselves. Are you really Christians? Do you pass the test? Do you feel Christ’s presence and power more and more within you? Or are you just pretending to be Christians when actually you aren’t at all?

APPLICATION: Paul had a purpose in asking this question of the Corinthian church. Some evangelists might ask this to invoke a spirit of personal examination into our spiritual condition, to see if there is a need for revival of a life dulled by the things of this world. But Paul was actually being accused of not doing the work the people felt like God sent him there to do. This still goes on in churches today, for church leaders are quick to blame the pastor when things are less than booming in church growth, in financial giving, and in satisfying to desires of the congregation. Wouldn’t it be interesting for our Father to sharpen the minds of the people to first examine themselves? Wouldn’t it be challenging for the church leaders to first examine themselves and their lack of sharing the love of Christ with everyone they meet? We should realize that Paul wanted the people to examine themselves and prove that they were worthy of the Kingdom of God. If they were, then credit should be given to the one(s) that shared Christ with them (Paul)! And not to tear him down for not doing everything they expected of him. Friends, I hope that Paul’s congregation accepted his challenge as an opportunity for self-examination before a holy and righteous God. But seeing that God included this in His Book of Instruction (the Bible), then we must assume that He wanted us to also perform a self-examination before God, and here lies the challenge. Why, we’ve been getting away with pulling the wool over the eyes of our Pastor, our Sunday School Teacher and church leaders for years. For we attend church regularly and we have the lingo down pat. But should we be forced to reconcile any difference in opinion with God, that might really present a problem. Here are some things that might help us self-examine our own Christianity: a). Are we truly in the faith or are we simply attending church with hopes that everyone will assume we are? b). Do we honestly have an intimate, daily and active relationship with Jesus? c). Do we have a love for holiness, or does it tend to interfere with our social life? d). Do we abhor, or hate, sin, or does that seem too hypocritical to us? e). Do we practice righteousness by loving the brethren, or does it still depend on who they are? f). Can a new Christian follow in our example – our righteousness? g). Have we truly separated ourselves from the world and the things of this world? h). Do we look and sound so much like Jesus, that the world often mistakes us for the Master? I believe that through His servant Paul, God is teaching us to evaluate ourselves on a regular basis, especially before we attempt to point fingers at another beggar who is also looking for the Bread of Heaven. Our Christian walk is not meant to impress others, it is intended to help others who are seeking Christ to find Him at work in us. Oh that we would never be a stumbling blook to some poor sinner looking for the Master. ‘May they see Jesus’, should be our persistent prayer!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: One beggar helping another beggar find bread! That should be the aim of every believer through their actions and their speech. If Christ resides inside of us, He will shine through in everything we do or say!

PRAYER: Lord, I thank You that You lived and died for our sakes. You created us to live as an example of all that You taught through Your wonderful Word. Others expect that and look for that when they want to know who You are. May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable to You Oh Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer. Please Lord, draw us close to You, and encourage us to be Your church, Your followers and Your light in this dark world of sin. Let others see and experience You today as they encounter us in our normal walk of 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!

Others Will See, Will They Believe?

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Example, Genuine example of Jesus, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Worship1 Comment

DATE WRITTEN: Saturday, 2021-07-17
WRITTEN AT: Deming, NM

SCRIPTURE FROM: Psalm 40:1-3
TRANSLATION: New Living Translation (NLT)

BIBLE TEXT: 1 I waited patiently for the Lord to help me, and he turned to me and heard my cry. 2 He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire. He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along. 3 He has given me a new song to sing, a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see what he has done and be amazed. They will put their trust in the Lord.

APPLICATION: Life can sometimes be compared to the television show ‘Truth or Consequences’. You want others to believe you, but they could tell from a mile away that you are either pretending, or lying! In the Bible, we see many times where others tried to tempt and test Jesus, because they couldn’t believe He was who He said He was. There are times that I will deal with a store clerk, and I will walk away commenting to my wife: ‘did you gather that they were probably a child of the King?’ In those circumstances, I believe that David’s words come through as reality. In other shopping experiences one might encounter a very rude or obnoxious clerk, and guess what, you and I will evaluate them also. Generally we will probably comment that we wish they knew our Lord. But, what if they are a Christian and they are just having a bad day, or perhaps their relationship with the Lord is not where it should be? We might say ‘shame on them’, but what happens to us when we’re down and out; having a bad day; in a lot of pain; been hit with very disappointing news; etc. Are we still able to reflect Jesus? Friends, from one imperfect person to another, let me suggest that we take a hint from David: stay in communion with God; accept His refreshment each morning as you open His Word and take a mental and spiritual note of the new song He wants to place in your heart. Lay your burdens at His feet and ask for His guidance that day. Ask Him to work in you so that He will always be reflected in your attitude; your wisdom; your smile; your dealings with challenging customers; your sadness; your joy; and with those who are out to persecute you. A previous pastor had a note pasted on his pulpit at our church ‘Oh that they will see Jesus’. He tried to preach with that in mind. What if we tried to live with that in mind? It might make a difference in the life of an unbeliever! Always remember dear friends, others will see us, and they will draw their conclusions about us. Let’s be persistent in keeping Jesus at the forefront so that they will meet our Savior!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Many will see what God has done in our lives, and some may put their trust in the God we serve! Be persistent in your relationship with God. Let Him shine through everything that you do.

PRAYER:Lord Jesus, let me acknowledge that when others have a relationship with me, they see just another human being just like them. When they see the difference that You have made in my life, and how You impart Your truth through me every day life, they begin to see the effects of knowing Jesus as Lord and Savior. May others always see You Lord, even if they’re looking at plain old me. For knowing You personally will refresh their spirit and give them a new song to sing each day. It’s all about You Lord. If others see anything else than You, we are wasting our time and space here on earth. Only You can save a soul and lead them into the Kingdom of Heaven for all eternity. Please don’t ever let me mess that up for anyone. 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!

Who is Your Pilot?

On By Ed AlgreenIn Pleasing to God, Representation of the Master, Representative of ChristLeave a comment

Thursday, 2019-06-06

Bible Reference: John 7:16-18
Translation: Good News Translation (GNT)

Bible Text:  16 Jesus answered, “What I teach is not my own teaching, but it comes from God, who sent me. 17 Whoever is willing to do what God wants will know whether what I teach comes from God or whether I speak on my own authority. 18 A person who speaks on his own authority is trying to gain glory for himself. But he who wants glory for the one who sent him is honest, and there is nothing false in him.

OBSERVATION: Jesus spoke the words of His Father. Are you still caught up in self-recognition, or are your audiences hearing the words of your Father? Meditate with me today in this Scripture and examine your own heart, as I do the same.

APPLICATION:  The people recognized that Jesus was an awesome teacher. However Jesus wanted to make it clear that His words came directly from the Father. Verse 18 reminded me of some of our current day teachers, preachers and evangelists, where we see, or hear one speaking from a very selfish ‘me-ology’, instead of the unadulterated Word of God. Could that be the kind of person that Jesus was talking about – trying to gain glory, or draw attention to themselves, by speaking from their own authority? Let’s remember that our godly responsibility is to pray for those who teach us, not to judge them, or make fun of them or ridicule them. That’s where God takes over. Fortunately though, we also have preachers and teachers who display a true sensitivity to God and His Holy Spirit, and therefore there is a deep honesty and openness that causes them to lean on their Master and seek His will in their ministry. Did you notice that Jesus depended on His Father for the right words, and the best timing in which to say them? How much more should we do the same today? So you might wonder, what is there in this Scripture for laity, like you and I? 1). We have been given the litmus test to help us discern whether we are being fed the honest truth of God’s Word, or whether we are seeing a popularity contest, or perhaps self promotion. Honesty to ourselves will help us to place ourselves under the right preaching or teaching, so that we can be truly taught by God; and 2). Look inwardly and allow God to show you any faults that may be evident in your life. Perhaps you are the false teacher/preacher. Are you promoting self every opportunity, or are you standing behind the cross of Christ, with Him as your spokesman, His work will be accomplished? Let Him have His way in your life, friend. Don’t just let Him be the ‘co-pilot’ in your life, but give Him the wheel and let Him pilot you through this life. Let Him receive glory for all that is accomplished in your life and in your ministry.

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, it is so easy to sit back and gloat on the praise that others may give us. Yes, I know it is meant to encourage us and lift us up, but dear Lord, in humility we need to constantly learn that it’s all about You, and not of ourselves. Oh that the people might always see Jesus, without attention being drawn to us. For without You in our lives, and without You guiding our every step, our impact on a lost world would be non-existent. Please continue to use our talents and our willingness to serve for Your glory, and hopefully for the growth of Your church. Please help us to display so much of You, that those that we come into contact with, may receive Your glory. Please forgive us Lord for those times that we may have promoted self instead of You, the One who makes this whole life possible, and worth it all! To God be the glory! AMEN!