Tag: Living for Jesus

Important Responsibilities of the Christian

On By Ed AlgreenIn Christian, Example, Like JesusLeave a comment

THE HOLY BIBLE (The Contemporary English Version – Hebrews 10:23-25): 23 We must hold tightly to the hope that we say is ours. After all, we can trust the one who made the agreement with us. 24 We should keep on encouraging each other to be thoughtful and to do helpful things. 25 Some people have gotten out of the habit of meeting for worship, but we must not do that. We should keep on encouraging each other, especially since you know that the day of the Lord’s coming is getting closer.

THOUGHTS: There are some important reminders for Christians in these few verses today that, I believe, we can be encouraged by, and that also serve to show us our worth, while representing Christ here in this earth:

  • Because we can trust our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ to do all that He has promised to us in His Word, we need to hold on tight to the hope this brings, and not let the trials and tribulations of this earth pull us down, which is exactly what Satan sets out to do every day with children of the Most High. In fact we need to memorize the scripture that Jesus used against Satan when He was being tempted by him (Satan) in the wilderness. Remember, the power of the One who lives inside of us (God’s Holy Spirit) is far greater than any obstacle that might be placed in our way. So let us keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, and not our circumstances;
  • Because of this hope that we have, we must be constantly aware of those around us who are getting bogged down in the trials of this world, and the adversary, Satan. Notice the Word said nothing about this being the responsibility of the pastor, although I’m sure that he equally shares the responsibility that is ours. Friends, I believe that if we were to actively look for folk that we could encourage or minister to, we won’t have near enough time to sit and sour about the lack of attention the pastor may have paid to us when we attended church! My experience has been that the more we try to minister to others, the more we are ministered to by the Holy Spirit. Try to bless others, and watch double the blessings outpoured on yourself!
  • The Day of the Lord’s return is closer now than ever before. It is important that we get used to being around those that we hope to be in heaven with! Church attendance and worship times together are some of the best opportunities for us! Now I’m sure that many reading this can quickly tell me of the excuses why this just doesn’t work for you, but friends, the Word is clear. We are to not only make every effort to attend worship services, but go there with the intention of encouraging as many brothers and sisters as you can. This can be done simply through a smile, or a sincere handshake, or listening carefully to what the other person is sharing with you. Make them the most important person in the room while listening attentively to them. Share with them how God has blessed you. They might be encouraged to continue praying about a need. They might come back for the very next service because of the time you spent with them!

Friends, if you are challenged to do any of the above, may I suggest that you go back to square one and reacquaint yourself with the Lord Jesus Christ? All of the above is characteristic of the King, and since you are supposedly His child, you also should have these characteristics. I believe He is waiting and willing to help you mature in these qualities!

PRAYER: Father in Heaven, thank You for sending Your Son to live on earth and, in turn, showing us the way to live. Thank You for touching these great writers who shared Your heart with us throughout the books of the Bible, and making its contents so applicable to us even today. Please draw Your children closer to You, so that we might be reminded of how much more blessed it is to give, than to receive. Please help us to look for opportunities to minister to others, so that Your love might be expressed through us in the words that we speak, and in every opportunity we have to act in love towards others. Please fill us with Your character and help us to be better representatives of Yours each day, for I ask all this in the wonderful, matchless name of Jesus, my Lord and my Savior, AMEN!

 

FOOTNOTE: If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please speak with a local Bible Teaching pastor, or read through Biblical truths on How To Know Jesus, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com so that we can pray with you and give you help and or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Any words underlined above will indicate a link to a song that came to mind as I wrote the devotional. Feel free to click on the link and listen as you continue to read or pray. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to blogger.nuggetsfromgodsword.org and read more, or you may freely subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. If you are anywhere near the Highlands County, Florida area and do not have a church home, I would be thrilled to welcome you at Bible Fellowship Church, Sebring, FL! Click the link to check out service times and/or other special activities. God is at work among us! Please consider coming to worship with us!

We Must Continue To Follow God

On By Ed AlgreenIn Follower of Christ, ObedienceLeave a comment

THE HOLY BIBLE (The Good News Translation – Hebrews 3:7-11): So then, as the Holy Spirit says: “If you hear God’s voice today, do not be stubborn, as your ancestors were when they rebelled against God, as they were that day in the desert when they put him to the test. There they put me to the test and tried me, says God, although they had seen what I did for forty years. And so I was angry with those people and said, ‘They are always disloyal and refuse to obey my commands.’ I was angry and made a solemn promise: ‘They will never enter the land where I would have given them rest!’ ”

THOUGHTS: One of the biggest obstacles a person might have when they read the chosen verses today, is pondering how they will know when God is speaking to them. I believe that when sinful man is normally looking out for self, tempted in every evil way to do the selfish and all inclusive things to benefit self only. When this person senses a need to change his/her ways and instead be drawn to a holy and righteous God, or the things in which He is present, then God is speaking to that sinner. I believe that when a person is in deep despair and, after calling on the name of Jesus, they feel a sudden peace that they just can’t explain, then God is speaking to that despondent person. I believe that when a person lives life without any regard for God, yet suddenly they have an urge to attend church or do some other Godly exercise, then I believe that God is speaking to that person. There are times when we feel like we just don’t know what to do or where to turn next for relief from certain life-situations, then after praying about it, we receive a peace that passes all human understanding, then I believe that God is obedient to our cry for help and delivers us. In this passage today, the above scenarios are likened to those of the Israelites traveling and depending on God in the wilderness for 40 years. They had a choice to call on the God that proved Himself faithful in many situations for them, however, at every opportunity they chose to turn their backs on God and return to their idols. Friends, God became angry at the Israelites, how do you suppose He is feeling about you? Are you causing this same anger to rise up in Him because of your constant disobedience, or are you following His commands and accepting His loving direction for your life? God loves us so much that He wants to see His very best for His children, but we must be willing to not only call on Him, but to accept His help and follow His direction for us. Our obedience would make Him happy, and willing to continue helping us. How about joining me in continuing to follow Christ and therefore anticipate His rich blessings on our lives?

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, thank You for loving us and being so patient with us. Thank You for being available to us when we call on You, but also thank You for the warning given in these verses today. Please forgive me for the times I have turned my back and expressed my dependence on self, rather than on You. Please speak to the hearts of my readers one more time today Lord, and show them again how much You love them and care about their future, provoke them to a full commitment to continue following You. For those who are strangers to You, please soften their hearts one more time today so that they are willing to brush aside self, and look full into Your wonderful eyes and fully surrender their life to You. May this be a day of pure joy for You and my readers Lord, so that there will be no need for Your anger to rise against them. Thank You for Your love, yet firm stand on what we must do to receive Your help. May we be obedient followers today, is my humble prayer, for I ask this in the powerful name of Jesus, AMEN!

 

FOOTNOTE: If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please speak with a local Bible Teaching pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com so that we can pray with you and give you help and or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Any words underlined above will indicate a link to a song that came to mind as I wrote the devotional. Feel free to click on the link and listen as you continue to read or pray. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to blogger.nuggetsfromgodsword.org and read more, or you may freely subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. If you are anywhere near the Highlands County, Florida area and do not have a church home, I would be thrilled to welcome you at Bible Fellowship Church, Sebring, FL! Click the link to check out service times and/or other special activities. God is at work among us! Please consider coming to worship with us!

How To Recognize the Last Days

On By Ed AlgreenIn Christ's Return, Come Soon, Heaven, Last DaysLeave a comment

THE HOLY BIBLE (The New Living Translation – 2 Timothy 3:1-5): 1 You should know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times. 2 For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. 3 They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. 4 They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. 5 They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that!

THOUGHTS: As I meditated on this, I realized that some will stumble across this and won’t have a clue what this is all about, because unless they have heard something about the second coming of Jesus Christ, they live each day without regard to their state of readiness. To some, this might be a reminder that they have a few ‘clean-up’ items to attend to before the return of Jesus. To Christians, we are to be reminded that our work and our witness has never been as urgent as it is today. Scripture tells us that the day of Jesus’ return is known only to God, so no one else really knows. However, the Bible tells us that only the prepared (those who have accepted Jesus Christ as their personal Savior) will be accepted into heaven. Because of their commitment, Christians are to always be prepared to leave this old world and join with the millions who have also made a similar life-decision, to meet at the feet of Jesus and worship Him. We are also to be busy convincing those whom we love, and who we want to join us around the throne. For those who have not made it a priority to surrender your lives to Jesus, I believe that you will see from the warning signs in the scripture today, that we are living in the last days. Jesus could return before you complete the reading of this devotional. I have an obligation to also remind you that when Jesus returns to take His bride (believers in Jesus Christ) home with Him, it will not just be business as usual for those of you that are not ready. For the Bible says that you will be cast into a hot, burning, hell with Satan and his angels where you will spend a miserable eternity, without further opportunity to redeem yourself. On my phone I have a weather app that warns me of approaching danger – perhaps a tornado, or other such dangerous weather. This app was programmed to recognize these dangers based on certain conditions in the atmosphere and weather patterns. Please consider this scripture as a Biblical warning about the impending end of life as we know it today. Christians have read about heaven in the Bible, sung about it, dreamed about it and anxiously await the transition day. May I suggest to all not fitting in that category that you should consider this as a warning from God that His return is near. We are living in the last days, and He could come at any time. There will not be a shelter in which you can hide until He returns again. There are no plans for a third return. It will be heaven or hell. Where will you open your eyes in eternity? If there is the slightest doubt that it will be in heaven, may I encourage you to follow the steps outlined in my ‘Footnote’? Friend, Jesus loves you more than you can imagine and not only do I want to see you accept Him as Lord and be in the group going to heaven, but my whole idea of sharing these devotionals online, is my hope that you might be touched and prompted to join my band of fellow Christians as we await the coming of Jesus! Do it today friend! Be ready should He return before your very next hour!

PRAYER: Dear Father in heaven, thank You for providing a place for us to look forward to after our time here on this earth! In meditating on the signs in this scripture today, I am convinced that the return of Your Son to take His children home is very near, and I believe that many fellow Christians will join me in singing “Come Soon Lord Jesus“, for the stresses and heartaches resulting from these signs are hard on us. Please hear my cry today to speak to the hearts of my family and friends who have yet to accept You as Lord. They are playing such a dangerous game of procrastination. I humbly ask that You tender their hearts today, open their eyes of understanding and lead them to the truth contained in Your Word. Please, may this be the day of salvation for them? I pray that Christian friends reading this devotional today will also catch a glimpse of the urgency of which I speak, and that we may be busy about the work of the Lord today. Yes, many of us have jobs to attend today, but Lord, I believe that we are Your hands and feet on the ground, so may our lives portray Your unconditional love, and may our actions be proof of whose we are, for I believe non-believers must see living proof of a living Savior to convince them of their need. Use us oh Lord, and may Your kingdom come, for thine is the glory, for ever and ever, AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please speak with a local Bible Teaching pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com so that we can pray with you and give you help and or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Any words underlined above will indicate a link to a song that came to mind as I wrote the devotional. Feel free to click on the link and listen as you continue to read or pray. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to blogger.nuggetsfromgodsword.org and read more, or you may freely subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. If you are anywhere near the Highlands County, Florida area and do not have a church home, I would be thrilled to welcome you at Bible Fellowship Church, Sebring, FL! Click the link to check out service times and/or other special activities. God is at work among us! Please consider coming to worship with us!

What Precedes the ‘THEN’?

On By Ed AlgreenIn Roadblock, SinLeave a comment

The Holy Bible (The Contemporary English Version – Isaiah 58:8,14 and 59:1-2): 8 Then your light will shine like the dawning sun, and you will quickly be healed. Your honesty will protect you as you advance, and the glory of the Lord will defend you from behind.

14 Then you will truly enjoy knowing the Lord.

59:1 The Lord hasn’t lost his powerful strength; he can still hear and answer prayers.
2 Your sins are the roadblock between you and your God. That’s why he doesn’t answer your prayers or let you see his face.

Thoughts: This reading in Isaiah really impacted me today, and I would encourage you to read both chapter 58 and 59 so you could see the scope, and the happenings from which Isaiah prophesied. God got my attention to think about the things going on in my life that might need to be attended to before he would bless me with the things after the ‘THEN’ mentioned in verses 8 and 14. Based on this scripture, here’s where I believe God wants to bless those that take care of the sinfulness that comes before the ‘Then’:

  • The light of Jesus would shine brightly through us to touch the life of another (vs 8);
  • Quick healing would occur in our physical and/or spiritual lives (vs 8);
  • Our honesty/integrity would be solidified to impress the lost for Jesus (vs 8);
  • Our lives would be so filled with Jesus that His glory would overwhelm us and act as our defense (vs 8);
  • We would truly enjoy knowing the Lord (vs 14)!

Friends, these things are very applicable to each of us. In fact, in 59:1-2 we are told to stop trying to blame God for unanswered prayer, for our sins are the roadblock. I believe that this affirms what precedes the ‘Then’; what needs our attention before we could expect to receive His rich blessings. So friends, as I have been challenged this morning, I will also challenge you. Please talk to God, seek His forgiveness for the hindrances in your life, and then ask Him to speak very clearly and openly to you through these chapters. See what He has to say to You. By using the contact information in the footnote, I would love to hear back from you on how God spoke to you in this passage! Better still, reply to the blog on my website so others may also be blessed by your response. It could be in totally different ways to how He spoke to me, for He knows what each of us need in our lives and will meet our needs! God loves you friend, and He wants to shower you with His blessings so that you may go on to be His loyal and effective representative!

Prayer: Lord, I am constantly amazed by Your Word and how I can find such truth and relevant direction each day for my Christian walk and witness. Thank You for giving us a glimpse of Yourself and Your mighty works! I’m sure that there is much to clean up in my life before I could be purely used by You in Your service/ministry, for a holy and righteous God cannot reside in a sin-infested soul. Father, this requires strength far beyond anything that I am capable of, but in faith I come before You asking for forgiveness of my sin and asking that you replace that ugly void with the sweet aroma of Your grace. I badly want to get beyond the ‘THEN’ and see Your will being fulfilled through me for Your glory and to affect the lives of unbelievers so that they too might follow You. I Need You Every Hour of every day oh Lord. Please impact the readers of this devotional today for a closer walk with You, is my humble and sincere prayer dear Lord, for it is in Your name and for Your sake that I ask, with a thankful heart, AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please speak with a local Bible Teaching pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com so that we can pray with you and give you help and or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Any words underlined above will indicate a link to a song that came to mind as I wrote the devotional. Feel free to click on the link and listen as you continue to read or pray. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to blogger.nuggetsfromgodsword.org and read more, or you may freely subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. If you are anywhere near the Highlands County, Florida area and do not have a church home, I would be thrilled to welcome you at Bible Fellowship Church, Sebring, FL! Click the link to check out service times and/or other special activities. God is at work among us! Please consider coming to worship with us!

Ambassadors For Jesus Christ

On By Ed AlgreenIn Ambassador, WorthyLeave a comment

The Holy Bible (New Living Translation – Philippians 1:27): 27 Above all, you must live as citizens of heaven, conducting yourselves in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ.

Thoughts: Almost 25 years ago I applied for citizenship to the United States of America. Part of the oath and promises I had to make involved total loyalty to this country, even if it went to war with my birth country. I believe that Paul is teaching us in this chapter that we are to consider it such a privilege and honor to become children of God – or ‘citizens of heaven’ that we are to leave behind the old life of our previous world of sin and hardships, and take hold of the promises of God and the kingdom of Heaven, under every circumstance. In fact, in the previous verses we are taught that in dying we gain the honor of being with Christ, however, there is such an awesome work that remains here on planet earth that we should strive to remain here as long as God permits, so that we may spread the joy of our heavenly citizenship. In other words, we are to be ambassadors for Heaven – for Jesus Christ! To do this, we must not faint in: doing the will of God; being His loyal representative; acting like Him; speaking like Him and imitating Him in every walk of life. When we do this friends, it is fairly obvious that others will see Jesus through us and gain a desire to know Him in a very personal way. So my challenge to you today, at this very early stage of the New Year, is to commit to living wholeheartedly for Jesus Christ, despite the audience, and especially while allowed to remain on this earth. To do this we are to follow the teaching of Paul in the captioned verse, “conducting yourselves in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ“. I would dare say that with God’s help we can do this friend! Will you make this commitment to God and seek His powerful hand of wisdom and direction for your life?

Prayer: Lord, this challenge often seems impossible, especially when we consider it under our own strength and abilities. Therefore, I acknowledge that I can only do all things through Christ who strengthens me. I need You more today than ever before. Please teach me to submit myself to You daily, so that I might live in the power of Your might and in the center of Your will. Not for my sake, but so that the world might know that Jesus is alive and that You love them unconditionally. Please have Your will and way in my life, and please touch my friends who will seek You today. May we reflect on this day as one lived in a manner worthy of the Good News of Jesus Christ, is my sincere prayer that I ask in the matchless name of Jesus, my Lord, AMEN!

FOOTNOTE:If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please speak with a local Bible Teaching pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com so that we can pray with you and give you help and or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Any words underlined above will indicate a link to a song that came to mind as I wrote the devotional. Feel free to click on the link and listen as you continue to read or pray. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to blogger.nuggetsfromgodsword.org and read more, or you may freely subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. If you are anywhere near the Highlands County, Florida area and do not have a church home, I would be thrilled to welcome you at Bible Fellowship Church, Sebring, FL! Click the link to check out service times and/or other special activities. God is at work among us! Please consider coming to worship with us!

Missed Opportunities

On By Ed AlgreenIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

The Holy Bible

As for those who were considered important in the church, their reputation doesn’t concern me. God isn’t impressed with mere appearances, and neither am I. And of course these leaders were able to add nothing to the message I had been preaching. It was soon evident that God had entrusted me with the same message to the non-Jews as Peter had been preaching to the Jews.

(Bible Translation and Location: The Message – Galatians 2:6-8)

Thoughts:

The small statement that I bolded is also translated “God has no favorites” (NLT) or “God does not judge by outward appearances” (GNT). However, how often do we snub our noses at that person who is trying to minister to us, because they’re not dressed the way that we picture a pastor, or worse still, how often do we miss ministry opportunities because we just can’t be seen associating with a known drinker, or just a sinner in general – you know the kind of folk that Jesus died for? What do we find to say to Jesus when He questions us on our actions? How do we feel when we hear about that same person dying without anyone else ever having the opportunity to share the gospel with them? Missed opportunities sting a lot friends. Most of us have such a fear about sharing with others, because we feel inadequate. First of all, we are inadequate, as we should never attempt witnessing without giving God the lead. Please don’t make it a ‘me’ thing! Secondly, fearing what others may think or say was actually covered in my reading in the Proverbs this morning: “It is dangerous to be concerned with what others think of you, but if you trust the Lord, you are safe.” (GNT – Proverbs 29:25). Let’s be careful to give God praise for all His mercies, and let’s stop focusing attention on ourselves. God, in His infinite mercy saved us, and it is He that could use us to minister to others, but we must be available to Him. Let’s use this week of Thanksgiving celebrations to truly open ourselves up to God, so that He might bless our family gatherings and each member present, in spite of what we know them to be away from the family! God so loved the world that He gave His only Son so that ALL might come to know Him! Let’s let Him do His thing in and through us this Thanksgiving holiday time!

Prayer:

Father, I am thankful for all that You have done for me, especially the sacrifice You made for me at Calvary, and I am also thankful for Your watchful, protective hand over me each and every day that I live. Please help me to not allow those blessings to just channel up inside, but to openly share with those in need. Those who see no hope for their future. Those who have no hope because they don’t even know You. Thank You for sending Paul to minister to so many in his day, and that his written words, under Your inspiration, can continue ministering to us today. Paul encountered challenges, but he quickly allowed You control of his situations. Lord, may we also surrender ourselves to You so that Your perfect will might be accomplished, and not just our selfish desires. My greatest desire is that all my family, friends and acquaintances will come to know You and live for You, so that we may one day all celebrate around Your throne in glory! I realize that You are all powerful and can touch the lives of each of these, but please empower me to do my part and to be obedient to Your voice and Your instructions, regardless of my impressions of the person. You are all powerful dear God, and I’m not, so I humbly ask that You answer my prayer today, for it’s in the name of Jesus, my merciful Savior that I ask all this, AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please speak with a local Bible Teaching pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com so that we can pray with you and give you help and or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Any words underlined above will indicate a link to a song that came to mind as I wrote the devotional. Feel free to click on the link and listen as you continue to read or pray. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to blogger.nuggetsfromgodsword.org and read more, or you may freely subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. If you are anywhere near the Highlands County, Florida area and do not have a church home, I would be thrilled to welcome you at Bible Fellowship Church, Sebring, FL!

Recognizing God

On By Ed AlgreenIn Allegiance to the Lamb, Bible Believing, Celebrate God, Christian, Discerning, Faith, Faith, Follow Jesus, God Cares For Us, God our Helper, Imitator of Christ, Listen to the Word of God, Obedience, Righteousness, Thank You JesusLeave a comment

Scripture: Genesis 40-41; Matthew 12

OBSERVATION (What is God saying here?)

22 Then a demon-possessed man, who was blind and couldn’t speak, was brought to Jesus. He healed the man so that he could both speak and see.23 The crowd was amazed and asked, “Could it be that Jesus is the Son of David, the Messiah?” Matt 12:22-23 (NLT)

APPLICATION (How Can I apply what God is saying here to my circumstances today?)

Sometimes we read these familiar stories in God’s Word and God will just speak to us afresh through something contained in that passage. In this story Jesus had performed several miracles, and finally the crowd stepped back in wonderment and questioned among themselves ‘Could this possibly be the Messiah?”. In the world we live in today God is still very active, and although we tend to really hone in on the negative, there are times that our spiritual minds are awakened and we say to ourselves “that must be a Jesus thing”. That certain thing could only have occurred if Jesus made it happen. Friends, I believe that we must be praying with such expectation that we will notice every little act of God and response to our prayers by God. He is very much alive today and active in our lives. It is time for Christians to wake up and give Him credit for all that He does. It is in this type of act that we help to make believers out of those that doubt and question. They must see our faith, if we ever expect to be a Christian influence on them! We serve a mighty God, but don’t wait for the ‘big’ miracles to occur, recognize and praise Him daily for all that He does in your life. Good health – especially when we see so many in hospitals or at home sick; safety – especially when we pass a wreck on the road where some innocent person got hurt or even killed; answer to prayer – especially when we see so many that doubt or questions the work of God, or try to give credit to chance or horoscopes or palm readers. Friends we serve, and we should recognize the mighty God of all, the King of all kings, the creator of our universe – including mankind. Do we have reason to doubt? I believe that we actually have more reasons not to doubt the mighty works of God in our world today.

PRAYER (With God’s help, what am I going to do differently today because He said it?)

Praise be to God for accepting me as a humble child in great need of a Savior. Praise be to God for all the miracles performed in my life, in the life of our church and in the lives of my family and friends. May I be very alert to Your mighty hand at work in my life and all around me. May others see Jesus reflected in my life and in their own lives, so that together we can truly be a thankful people praising You for all Your mighty works and wondrous love. Thank You Jesus for caring so much for me. Please continue to work on me and mold me into something that  You can use to accomplish Your work. May I recognize Your mighty works each and every day!

Overcoming the World

On By Ed AlgreenIn Bible Believing, Christian, Love, Obedience, RighteousnessLeave a comment

SCRIPTURE

Studied: 1 John 5

 

OBSERVATION

1 John 5:1-5 – If we believe that Jesus is truly Christ, we are God’s children. Everyone who loves the Father will also love his children. If we love and obey God, we know that we will love his children. We show our love for God by obeying his commandments, and they are not hard to follow. Every child of God can defeat the world, and our faith is what gives us this victory. No one can defeat the world without having faith in Jesus as the Son of God.

APPLICATION

These are very powerful verses and reveal several truths to remind me of what a child of God, Christians, should look like and how we should act:

  1. The reassurance for us, in order to comprehend verses 2-5, is that for those of us that believe that Jesus is truly the Christ, we are children of the Almighty, the King of all kings, the Lord of all lords, the Master of the universe. We are royalty! Words from a popular old hymn, “…I, though so unworthy, Still am a child of his care, For his word teaches me …”;
  2. If we love the Father, then we will also love His children. – How then can we say that we hate a Christian brother or sister?
  3. If we love and obey God, then we will love His children. – Slightly different to #2, because this point says that not only if we love but also if we obey God, then we will love His children;
  4. A major way that we show that we love God, is by obeying His commands. Read and/or listen to the Word, and obey what God says to us. Prove that we love God by obeying Him;
  5. Exercising our faith in God is what gives us victory over this world. We become so depressed when things of this world really burden us, yet through Christ, we are reminded that we are more than conquerors. Let’s place our hand, our faith, our trust in the hand of the only One that has power to overcome all the sick, violent, evil, hateful things of this world, for He has the power and the wisdom to overcome it all!

Why do we whine when the world seems to be against us, for we don’t serve the world. We are not servants of the world, for Jesus is our master. Our stress levels would be much improved if we place our faith where it belongs, in the only One who sacrificed it all for us.

 

PRAYER

Lord Jesus, please help us, Your children to get our act together, get our priorities in order, help us to just simply obey Your Word and allow You to be God, to be our Master over everything, especially the challenges of this old world, for there is power in the name of Jesus. I love You Father, and need to frequently remember who is in charge so that I can direct my energies towards obeying and serving You, and to loving Your children. Thank You for challenging me with this today!

Did you Know……???

On By Ed AlgreenIn Born Again, Christian, Faith, Humility, Obedience, RighteousnessLeave a comment

SCRIPTURE

Studied: Jeremiah 33

OBSERVATION

Jeremiah 33:2-3 ~ “This is what the LORD says, he who made the earth, the LORD who formed it and established it—the LORD is his name: ‘Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.’

APPLICATION

When first reading these verses I thought, what a comfort to know such a wonderful Savior, one that made this whole earth and now He is telling Jeremiah, and us, to call to Him and He will answer. Then as I meditated more deeply on this I saw in the later part of verse three that God said He would tell us great and unsearchable things that we do not already know. Now unlike our natural desire to want to catch up on to gossip and hear something for the first time so that we have something ‘juicy’ to spread around to those that we speak with, I am thrilled to be reminded of these words spoken by the Lord for these reasons:

  1. God would tell us these things because He is growing us closer to Him and wants to fill us with more of His glory. We should therefore celebrate in praise as we learn something new from God, whether through reading His Word or in responses to our prayers;
  2. He wants to encourage us, because we may be feeling so out of it all in finding an answer to a problem that we are dealing with. We should therefore have the faith to implement the Word given to us by the Almighty;
  3. He has a mission for us to tell others something special directly from Him. We should be careful not to boast about this, after all who are we that God should use us? However, I believe that one of the important ways that God speaks to others, or confirms a Word that He may have given directly to them, is through another saint. Therefore while following through on sharing the great and unsearchable news with others may be a blessing to us, it could be a confirmation for a brother or sister in the Lord and a great relief to them.

PRAYER

Lord Jesus who am I that You should find me worthy to speak Your great words of wisdom to, or through? Praise God that You consider me a son of the King and therefore royalty! Praise God that it is not of anything personal that I can boast, but rather Your love for me and for others that You answer our prayers and tell us great and unsearchable things that we do not know, so that Your glory may be shown in this dark world that we live in. Thank You for loving me so much that You gave of Yourself that I may have eternal life, and that I may have peace in this troubled world. May I always be careful to pass the praise on to You anytime others are blessed by something You may have given me to share with them. You are an awesome God! My God and my King! Amen!