Tag: Life after death

Our Comfort, Our Hope, Our Encouragement!

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

DATE POSTED: Tuesday, 2023-02-28
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
TRANSLATION: The Voice (VOICE)

BIBLE TEXT: 13 Brothers and sisters, we want you to be fully informed about those who have fallen asleep in death so that you will not be overwhelmed with grief like those who live outside of the true hope. 14 Here’s what we believe: since Jesus died and rose again, in the same way, God will bring with Jesus all who have died through Him. 15 For we can say all this to you confidently because it is the word of the Lord: we who are still alive and left behind when the Lord comes will not precede those who have fallen asleep in death. 16 On that day, with a command that thunders into the world, with a voice of a chief heavenly messenger, and with a blast of God’s trumpet, the Lord Himself will descend from heaven; and all those who died in the Anointed One, our Liberating King, will rise from the dead first. 17 Then we who are alive and left behind will be snatched up together with them into the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. This is how we, the resurrected and the living, will be with Him forever. 18 So comfort one another with this hope, and encourage one another with these words.

OBSERVATION: When others are hurting, we may tend to stay clear of them, because we are afraid that we won’t have the words to encourage them. However, God’s Word is not just for correction and direction, but we will find in today’s Scripture that it also offers us words to be encouraged by, or to help those who have lost loved ones who knew Jesus as Lord.

APPLICATION: My wife had completed a medical procedure that caused her to use a wheelchair while shopping. We found it interesting how some friends who saw her in the wheelchair chose to walk down a different isle or try in some way to avoid having to encounter my wife or ask her about her temporary disability! We believe they were at a loss for words. Visitations and/or funerals are no different, for we become dumbfounded for the right words to encourage the grieving relatives left behind. Unfortunately, this is very challenging if the loved one died without ever accepting the sacrifice Jesus made at Calvary for the forgiveness of their sin. For the Bible is clear on their eternal destiny, where they chose to remain unsaved and, instead lived, and died, in a way that only Satan would approve of. Friends, I believe if we face family or friends who are suffering through such a loss, we might become even more determined than ever to urgently share the love of Jesus with those we know and love. As believers in Jesus Christ, it is imperative that we follow the practice and teaching of our Master. One of those principles is that we do not lie. So, while we must be sympathetic toward the family the loved one, we should never confuse them into thinking that their lost loved one is now in heaven. Of course, that’s what they want to hear, but we know, based on the Word of God, that if God honored their request to have nothing to do with them on earth, He will be sure to keep that commitment in death also. Instead, we might therefore take the opportunity of sharing the encouraging news that Paul highlights in today’s Scripture, with hopes of helping the living relatives make a better choice for their eternal destiny. It is always sad to lose one that we care about – yes, even one whose destiny is secure, and their eternal destiny is one of peace and comfort. safe in the arms of Jesus. Praise God, Paul shared a message of hope for the surviving family of one who has passed on from this world. For those of us who know Jesus as Lord and Savior, let’s be comforted in the hope, and encourage those who care about us, that greater is one day in His courts than a million elsewhere! Let’s plead with them to also leave us with the same assurance about themselves.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Let us comfort one another with the hope that our eternity is secured, and our destiny is set to be in heaven with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit when our time on earth is finished! What a peace is afforded to us, and our loved ones in knowing this fact.

PRAYER: What an awesome God we serve! You not only sent Your Son to satisfy the sin of those who seek You as Lord of their life, but You also showed us through Your servant Paul, that our friends and relatives can now rejoice in knowing our eternal destination, instead of sorrowing in our loss here on earth. Lord Jesus, this not only brings peace to us, and our relatives, but also drives us to wanting our family to also seek Jesus as Lord and experience that same peace. Please Lord, soften the hearts of those who continue to be stubborn and disobedient to Your call on their life. Only You can draw them to Yourself. Please be patient with them and once again today, show them the way to eternal life. We are forever grateful for what You did for us, now please give us peace about those who are still here on earth and have the opportunity to open their hearts to You, and we thank You in advance for what You could do! 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 Gift – Just For You!

On By Ed AlgreenIn Biblical Decisions, Choice, Choices, Decisions, Eternal Life, Jesus led decisionsLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Saturday, 2020-10-03
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

Bible Reference: 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.

OBSERVATION: Most people who have heard the Bible taught or preached, could probably recite verse 16! But the verses that follow go on to explain why God sent His Son, and how this whole gift has to do with our eternal destiny. This is of super importance to each of us, because it helps us to understand the whole purpose of the gospel, and how it relates to each of us. So seek God’s face as we take time to understand this clearly today!

APPLICATION: If a gift was given to everyone at church, you would find where some would cherish it and recognize the value of it. They would appreciate it and cherish it for everything it’s worth. Others may take the gift home, but they may stash it away in a drawer, somewhere so it is not tarnished or broken. However there are some who will leave it in the seat at church, or throw it in the back seat of the car, because the gift is of little value to them, nor do they care to understands the necessity of the gift. Now compare this to the gift that God gave to us in verse 16. Many have accepted the gift, and perhaps you might be one of those. But what have you done with that gift? Anything? In the verses following, we are told that God saw that the sacrificial practices of the Old Testament, for the forgiveness of sin, were just not working. But God chose to give us a very valuable gift, even though it was extremely costly to Him. But God wanted to make this one-time sacrifice something that we could identify with, so that we might accept the gift that would clear the way for a right relationship between us and the Father. This Scripture is very simple, and It is extremely clear enough to us, because now we could know today where we will spend eternity. In vs 17 and 18 we are told that if we accept the gift of Jesus as our personal Savior, then we are acquitted of our sin. This qualifies us to stand before the Father as a righteous person, or a saint! Can’t you begin to see the miraculous value of this gift? However, this Scripture goes on to say that unless we take this important step, then we have personally placed ourselves under a death sentence, meaning that we will not live eternally in the beauty of life with Jesus and His Father, but instead we are condemned to death, where our eternity will be with Satan and his demons for all eternity. The choice is very clear dear friends, but it puts us in charge of our own destiny. Accepted the free gift of salvation – the precious gift of God’s Son given for all who call on His name, to be saved? Or, without making a deliberate decision, then we have personally decided to take the option of Hell and damnation. Dear friend, I write these blogs every morning hoping that no one who reads them would ever make a decision like the latter one I just explained, for I am so looking forward to rejoicing with each of you in glory one day! Because of the fact that you are reading this blog, this means that you still have a choice. However, today is the day of salvation, for you may not have the next minute or hour to make a change in your decision about where you will spend eternity. Make that decision right now, won’t you? I included help in my Footnote hoping that you would decide to make the right decision. Please contact a local pastor, or email me for help or prayer over this matter.

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, the Scripture is very clear. The stage has been set for us, and it is up to us to make sensible and responsible decisions, especially those that involve our lives after spending our last moments here on earth. You have made things abundantly clear. May each reader make a responsible decision today about their post earthly life – their destiny. I want them to join me in heaven with You, Lord, but I can’t make that decision for them. Tender their hearts today to Your Word, and encourage them to accept the precious gift that You gave to us, Your precious Son, 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!

Guilty? Or Acquitted?

On By Ed AlgreenIn Biblical Decisions, Choice, Choices, Decisions, Eternal Life, Jesus led decisionsLeave a comment

Post Date:

 Tuesday, 2017-10-03
SCRIPTURE

From:

 John 3:16-18 (MSG)

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.
OBSERVATION:
Most people who have heard the Bible taught or preached, could probably recite verse 16! But the following verses go on to explain why God sent His Son, and what this whole gift has to do with our eternal destiny. This is of super importance to each of us, because it helps us to understand the whole purpose of the gospel, and how it relates to each of us. So let’s make sure we understand this clearly…..
APPLICATION:
If a gift was given to everyone at church, you would find where some would cherish it and recognize the value in it. They would appreciate it and cherish it for everything it’s worth. Others may take the gift home, but they may stash it away in a drawer, somewhere so it is not tarnished or broken. However there are some who will leave it in the seat at church, or throw it in the back seat of the car, because they see no value in the gift at all, nor understands why the church would have spent money to give a gift to everyone. Now compare this to the gift that God gave to us in verse 16. What have you done with that gift, anything? In the verses following, we are told that God saw that the sacrificial practices of the Old Testament were just not working, and He wanted to give His children a gift that was extremely costly to Him, but easy for us to accept as our sacrificial gift back to the Master. This Scripture is clear enough that we could know today where we will spend eternity, for we are told in vs 17 and 18 that if we accept the gift of Jesus as our personal Savior, that we are acquitted of our sin and we appear before the Master as a righteous saint of God. Now it also states that unless that step has been taken, we have personally placed ourselves under a death sentence, meaning that we will not live eternally in the beauty of life with Jesus, but instead condemned to death, where our eternity will be with Satan and his demons for eternity. There is only one decision for you today friend, have you truly accepted the free gift of salvation – the precious gift of God’s Son given for all who call on His name to be saved? If the answer is ‘no’, then you have personally decided to take the option of Hell and damnation. Dear friend, I write these blogs every morning hoping that no one who reads them would ever make a decision like the latter one I just explained, for I am so looking forward to rejoicing with each of you in glory one day! Because of the fact that you are reading this blog, this means that you still have a choice. However, today is the day of salvation, for you may not have the next minute or hour to make a change in your decision where you will spend eternity.
PRAYER:
Lord Jesus, the Scripture is very clear. The stage has been set for us, and it is up to us to make sensible decisions, especially those that involve our lives after spending our last moments on earth. You have made things abundantly clear. May each reader, and loved one of mine, make a responsible decision today about their post life on earth destiny. I want them to join me in heaven with You, Lord, but I can’t make the decision for them. Tender their hearts today to Your Word and the precious gift that You gave to us. AMEN!
FOOTNOTE:
There are two more pages on my blog that will provide you with additional information, one of them being ‘To Know Jesus’.  If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please click on the above page, or speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. Please allow someone to pray with you and give you help and/or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Words underlined in my blog could indicate a link to a song that came to mind as I wrote the devotional. Feel free to click on the link and listen as you continue to read or pray. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to Nuggets From God’s Word and read more, or you may freely to subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. If you are anywhere near the Highlands County, Florida area and do not have a church home, I would be thrilled to welcome you at Bible Fellowship Church, located at 3750 Hammock Rd, Sebring, FL 33872! Click the link to check out service times and/or other special activities. God is at work among us! Please consider coming to worship with us!