Reveal Yourself Oh God

On 2022-11-082022-11-08 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Tuesday, 2022-11-08
WRITTEN AT: Ormond Beach, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: 1 Kings 18:36-37
TRANSLATION: The Voice (VOICE)

BIBLE TEXT: Elijah (praying): Eternal One—God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel—reveal Yourself on this day as Israel’s God. Make it known that I serve You and have done all this because You commanded it of me. ³⁷Answer me, Eternal One. Reveal Yourself so that everyone here will know that You, Eternal One, are the True God—the only God. Do it so that everyone knows You are turning the gaze of their hearts back to You again.

APPLICATION: Your pastor may be a deeply committed man of God, but one who easily draw the congregation to himself by the mighty works that may occur while occupying your pulpit. It may not be the intent of that good pastor, but we become attached to those that we admire, and those who may have been preaching when God touched our heart. I believe that many pastors try to make it clear that it’s God who moves inside of you and that they are just your pastor through whom God may be accomplishing His good work. Many miracles had come to pass through Elijah. God used him in a very powerful way. Through the Scripture, it seems apparent to me that Elijah tried very hard to escape popularity. And in his prayer mentioned in today’s Scripture he found himself asking God to please convince the people that the power and the miraculous things that occurred, all came from the powerful hand of the God in whom Elijah trusted. I believe the reason that God drew my attention in this story today about Elijah is that, in our current day churches, we find it easy and necessary to pray about finances, about new facilities, about an exciting music ministry, and any number of other things that will help us look legitimate in ministry to our community. But do we pray often enough like Elijah: Please Lord, draw the people of this community to this place of worship today so that they will be encouraged by our congregation, touched by Your Word, and their hearts melted by You in hopes that they will be drawn from their hardened hearts of sin, to a new life fully trusting in the wonderful name of Jesus. As they look on the workers, may they see mere messengers of God, but may they prefer seeking the wonderful face of Jesus, the only One who could save them from their sin and ready them for the Kingdom of God. Having retired from a secular job, I found that customers might appreciate my efforts to help them accomplish their needs, but they always lifted up and praised the owner of the business who did everything possible to offer his business to a community who needed it. And so it is with the church, pastors, elders, deacons, Sunday School teachers, youth and worship ministers as they all strive for the same thing – to promote the creator and owner of all life present, and yet to come. To make it into heaven, we must know Jesus and have a relationship with him. No matter how good our relationship is with the pastor or any of the above mentioned leaders, that does nothing for our salvation. However, it is very important for the lost to see Jesus in each of their lives. I had a pastor who pasted a note on his pulpit that would remind him every time that he spoke from that sacred desk. The note read: ‘Oh that they might see Jesus’. Please remember to join me in praying that the lost will have a growing desire to meet Jesus, and that when they arrive to worship with us, they will not be disappointed. I believe that in them feeling like they are around people of God, they will sooner meet the One whom we worship, and come to believe in Him for all eternity.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: On the next Lord’s Day, please reveal Yourself so that everyone will know that You, Eternal One, are the True God—the only God. Do it so that everyone knows You are turning the gaze of their hearts back to You again.

PRAYER: Lord, we are here to grow Your Kingdom, not our own. Please help us to stay humble and never forget who deserves the praise for all that has been done, and continues to be done, for us. People still need the Lord. Please help us Lord to not get in the way of that. May Your church be a place where the lost will come to find You, not more of the same self-promoting ideas that they see in the world. May our physical beings disappear, so the lost will only see the hands, feet and actions of the Savior of this world. 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!

Here’s What Makes Marriages Work

On 2022-11-072022-11-07 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Husbands, Marriage, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Wives, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Monday, 2022-11-07
WRITTEN AT: Ormond Beach, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Ephesians 5:21-27
TRANSLATION: New Living Translation (NLT)

BIBLE TEXT: ²¹…. submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.
²²For wives, this means submit to your husbands as to the Lord. ²³For a husband is the head of his wife as Christ is the head of the church. He is the Savior of his body, the church. ²⁴As the church submits to Christ, so you wives should submit to your husbands in everything.
²⁵For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her ²⁶to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God’s word. ²⁷He did this to present her to himself as a glorious church without a spot or wrinkle or any other blemish. Instead, she will be holy and without fault.

APPLICATION: Isn’t it interesting how people hang on to certain pieces of Scripture, and often use it out of context for their own good? For example, men will often threaten their counterparts with the phrase that wive’s are to submit to their husbands unconditionally. And while that is true, there are other parts of this Scripture that makes this all come alive and applicable. Yes, wives are to submit themselves to their husband, just as they do to the Lord. But let us examine the scriptures to determine how many times we see the Lord being referred to as ‘abusive’, ‘a drunk’, ‘high on substance abuse’, ‘a cheater’, or ‘excessive time with his guy friends’. I have no doubt that you will not find where God is referred to by any of those worldly attributes. Instead, today’s Scripture goes on to explain the role of the husband that Paul, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, referred to in this Scripture. Notice the following: 1). The husband is the head of the wife – God did the decision making for us to help avoid arguments by husband and wife. We don’t argue that the captain is in charge of his boat, or the CEO in charge of his business, so hopefully we have no qualms with God’s decision in marriages. When God created man, He designed him in His own image. Throughout the Bible we could see that God worked with men to fight military battles, as His disciples, as ministers of the Gospel, and in various leadership roles of countries, churches and missions. Yes, God could have chosen the wife, but He didn’t. 2). God examples before mankind by demonstrating His love, sacrifice, leadership, and through His very own precious Son, that His children – the church, was most important to Him. He wants men to follow suit with His example, in being the leader of his wife and family through the good, bad and challenging times of life. Perhaps when there seems to be a strain on our marital relationship, we should step aside with God and ask for wisdom to see where we have departed from His example and His guidance as good godly leaders in our homes. 3). Be willing to sacrifice in order to see our wives be blessed and enjoy the benefits of God’s chosen child. And 4). Be willing, and plan to shower our wives with the Word of God, for this is the Truth of all God intended for us. God did this to purify His church, and so should we as we endeavor to redeem our wives. Friends, when husbands endeavor to be all that God intended for them to be, then we could expect wives to take note, respect, love and obediently follow the leadership of their godly husbands. Unfortunately, many are choosing to cohabitate and not follow the plan ordained by the God who created them. God has a plan for you my friend, please listen to His voice and be obedient to His commands. He has your very best interest at heart. In whatever role you assume today – husband or wife, I pray that God will open your eyes to all that He intended for you to do in obedience to His Word and in following His example. Show the world that God’s not dead, He’s very much alive – even in our marriages, so that He might be glorified.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: God designed us, and He has a plan in mind for how we might enjoy life together in the form that He created – husband and wife. He also placed an order to how our marriages should work. Thank God when we allow Him to make such decisions and not depend on the mess we would make of things when done in our own selfishness and pride.

PRAYER: I am so thankful for the lady You placed in my life to be my forever wife, Lord. Thank You for blessing us with 47 years of happiness, ministry and a living testimony to all who may wonder if marriage still works. Lord, I have so many friends who wish they could experience such happiness as You have blessed my wife and I with. Please Lord, touch Your people once again today. Show them that in the same way You designed and created each one, You have also designed a plan for our happiness, and a guide for our decisions so that we could portray Your goodness in every part of our lives. The unsaved need to see Jesus in our marriages also, and I’m sure they are watching for how well we, individually do in following Your commands. Please reignite a fire inside of Your children today, that Your way is always best, and that we should be obedient to the One who created us for His good purpose. Please bless marriages again today, Lord. For our future generation will carry on the work that they discover in us today. Be lifted up Lord, for You are the King of glory. AMEN!

Led By The Spirit

On 2022-11-062022-11-06 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Filled With The Spirit, Jesus led decisions, Leadership of the Holy Spirit, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Sunday, 2022-11-06
WRITTEN AT: Ormond Beach, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Luke 4:1-2
TRANSLATION: The Voice (VOICE)

BIBLE TEXT: ¹When Jesus returned from the Jordan River, He was full of the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit led Him away from the cities and townsand out into the desert. ²For 40 days, the Spirit led Him from place to place in the desert, and while there, the devil tempted Jesus. Jesus was fasting, eating nothing during this time, and at the end, He was terribly hungry.

APPLICATION: Surely you’ve heard about the 40 days Jesus spent in the wilderness, or the desert. And that God’s perfect Son was tempted – verbally, though abstinence from food, through power struggles backed by Scripture, and yes through temptations by Satan himself. We were taught about how Jesus countered Satan’s use of Scripture , with His own quotes of Scripture given to Him by the Holy Spirit, and we heard about how Jesus stood firm to His Father’s will for His life. But why did the Holy Spirit lead Jesus into such tough times? Shouldn’t the Spirit have instead placed Jesus into a temple where sinners needed the Lord, or among the sick where people needed healing, or in the midst of the discouraged and depressed where He could have shown His love, compassion and hope for them? Oh dear friends, those are the types of things we may have been tempted to do, but God’s ways are much greater than our ways; His thoughts much deeper than our thoughts; and His knowledge of what is, and what’s to come, is off the chart compared to our knowledge. It seems evident that God wanted to show Satan once again who is in charge, and that His Son had equal authority and power to Himself – both to enact what God commands, and to submit even under extreme pressure, for the will and benefit of the Father. It’s like God wanted to show off His precious Son that He sent to earth to save the world from sin. Satan is known for messing with anyone who promotes his enemy – God. So God was sure that Satan would have a field day if he ever had the opportunity to work on Jesus. So God seemed to have deliberately set this up for Satan so that He could show off the power, the dignity, and the overwhelming will of Jesus to honor His Father even under extreme circumstances. Satan needed to know that Jesus was off limits to him because He was much more powerful, and closely in tuned with the Creator. This, my friends, presents a challenge for us to think about. What do we do when hard times come; when temptations seem to hit us on every side; when it seems like God has separated Himself from us? Are we strong enough and committed enough to show Satan who our Father is? Will the world know for sure that greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world? While the world may not go to battle with us to watch us fall or fail, they are looking for children of the most high God, who will stand firm in their faith like they would expect. You see, I believe that many will remain on Satan’s side, until they can see proof of those who are truly led by the Spirit like Jesus was. It may behoove us to thank God for our circumstances, and ask Him for strength to endure until He sees us safely through them, after His work is complete. Instead of questioning God, let’s learn to stay closely connected to Him so that He may use even us in His mission to reach the lost, encourage the disheartened and lead the wicked to His righteousness.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Jesus was successful in overcoming the temptations of the evil one. He was led into the circumstance that Satan used to tempt Him. Oh that we would draw close enough to God to accept His leading, even if it seems overwhelming to us at the time. May God always work out His will in our lives everyday – for His glory!

PRAYER: ‘…. And lead us not into temptation….’ These are very familiar words from what many call ‘The Lord’s Prayer’. But Lord, if You led Your very own Son right into ultimate temptations by Satan, how can we possibly feel like we would be exempt from temptation. Perhaps we should be consistent in asking You to lead us into circumstances where we can show off Your power, Your love and Your forgiveness. Teach us Lord to wait on You, to listen and obey Your every command, so that Your perfect will might be accomplished for Your good and Your Kingdom’s sake. Please help us to think of opportunities that You send our way, instead of whining about our setbacks and worries about what it all looks like in our sight. Please excuse our pride and humble us into Your service. AMEN!

Following In Your Footsteps

On 2022-11-052022-11-05 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Faith in Action, Follow Christ, Follower of Christ, Needs, Praise, Promise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Saturday, 2022-11-05
WRITTEN AT: Ormond Beach, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: 1 Kings 15:3-5
TRANSLATION: Good News Translation (GNT)

BIBLE TEXT: ³He committed the same sins as his father and was not completely loyal to the Lord his God, as his great-grandfather David had been. ⁴But for David’s sake the Lord his God gave Abijah a son to rule after him in Jerusalem and to keep Jerusalem secure. ⁵The Lord did this because David had done what pleased him and had never disobeyed any of his commands, except in the case of Uriah the Hittite.

APPLICATION: There are several ‘wow’ moments in this Scripture today:
1. God kept His promise that He made to David, even though his great-grandson, king Abijah, din’t live up to the commitment God saw in David. Often we will be compared to our parents, but isn’t it amazing how Abijah’s judgment, his actions and his character is being compared to his great-grandfather? I believe the same applies to our influence in the lives of generations that will follow is. Is there anything we need to work on now – before it’s too late? Guide us Lord, so that You might shine through us in every word and action.
2. Even in today’s Scripture, it acknowledged David was not perfect. But we know that David had a heart after God’s very own heart, and he was committed to following the ways of God. But God made a promise to David, and he was not about to renounce his promise. Long after David died, God was still keeping His promise. We may become downhearted about letting our guard down and messing up on something we may have promised God, but what a reminder that even long after we have left this life, yet God will still maintain His promise to us!
3. For each of David’s relatives who became king, notice that the Scripture always compares them to the standards set by David. Future history will show that our children, or their children may be compared to us. Those we taught in Sunday School may be reminded of something we said in a lesson we taught. Our coworkers may be questioned about their principles, even after being taught more justly by us. I wonder, will we hang our heads in shame, or will we proudly rejoice before the Father when He questions those with whom we interacted?
Friends, we are guided along in this life by whatever enters our heart, mind and soul. And we act out, and speak, according to that which we have taken in. If we fill ourselves with hatred and bad worldly ideas, then it becomes virtually impossible to act and speak in love. Conversely, if we fill ourselves with the teachings of Jesus and the love expressed by Jesus in all that He did, and if we will seek to imitate Jesus in every way possible, then God will fulfill a good work in those who come after us, or that we minister to. Perhaps each day as we stop to communicate with God, we should analyze whether our words and actions of that day may have helped others live like Jesus, or the Devil. I trust that you would join with me in desiring that we live more like Jesus every day, and when others interact with us, they would feel like they’ve been with Jesus, or at least one of His messengers. Our world needs this, and so do we. Let’s make sure that our lives are worthy of following and that our time on earth was worth our being here. May God’s Kingdom be richer because of our involvement on His behalf here on earth.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Just as our Father continued to fulfill His promise to David even into the second and third generations, I believe He will do the same for us! We serve an awesome God!

PRAYER: There is no God like our God, praise the wonderful name of Jesus! What a reminder in seeing You bless even an unfaithful servant like Abijah. But Lord, I believe that You will do the same for us as we pass along Your good works to all who follow us. Abijah certainly didn’t deserved Your blessing, or the gifts You gave to him, but because of Your faithful promise to David, You blessed him. Lord, please work on us so that we may be worthy of our children following in our footsteps. May they see Jesus evident in our talk and in our walk. I believe that many of the unsaved are also looking for evidence of the Great ‘I Am’, and Lord I pray that they will catch a glimpse as they interact with us. Fill us with Your love and blessings each and every day Lord, and may we do the same with those we come into contact with also, for Your Kingdom’s sake. AMEN!

A Cause For Joy

On 2022-11-032022-11-03 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Joy, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Wednesday, 2022-11-02
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Psalm 119:73-74
TRANSLATION: New Living Translation (NLT)

BIBLE TEXT: ⁷³You made me; you created me.
Now give me the sense to follow your commands.
⁷⁴May all who fear you find in me a cause for joy,
for I have put my hope in your word.

APPLICATION: It makes my heart glad when others recognize who my earthly dad is, based on their observation of my words and/or my actions. How much more will it mean to me when they recognize that I am a Christian and they witness the character of Jesus Christ in me? If that’s not happening to you dear friends, then I believe that it’s time you refamiliarize yourself with God Word – His teachings and His guidance for us to follow each day. David said in our verses today that it is not natural for us to automatically follow God’s commands. You see, we are in this old world, and we want to please everyone we come into contact with. Not necessarily to become the most popular guy/gal, but so that we won’t stand out like a sore thumb. Perhaps we should say like the Psalmist: “Please Lord, give me the sense to follow Your commands”. I believe it is just human to do what pleases those around us, even when we know right from wrong, or the right thing to do or say in response to what the Holy Spirit is teaching and guiding us to do and speak. Unfortunately, this also carries over into the church. That’s why you will see some churches practicing certain beliefs and others are a lot more liberal. They know what the Word of God says/teaches, but they don’t want to lose ‘important’ members by insisting on being different to the world in which they live. Friends, some of the commands that David learned was ‘follow Me and I will make you fishers of men’; and ‘Come out from the world and be separated’; and ‘Do not love the world and the things in it. If you do, the Lord is not in you’; etc. But how would David have known these things? Notice that David knew this would not come natural to his carnal mind, so he asked God to give him the good sense to follow His commands. We are no different. To turn away from the things that we have always done, we need God to give us the good sense and determination to desire to know Him in a more personal way and follow His commands. To know His commands, we must study His Word daily and allow it to be embedded into our hearts so that we would turn away from our evil, worldly ways, and instead fix our eyes on Jesus and His teachings/commands. Oh, that others will have cause for joy because of the good works of Jesus in and through us!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: May others not only experience the love of Christ in us, but may they rejoice and find hope in knowing that God can still change the world!

PRAYER: Lord, I can easily say like the Psalmist, please put some sense into me that will cause me to explore Your teachings and be willing and obedient to Your instructions. Please touch the heart of all who will happen across this devotional today and draw them to Yourself where You could counsel and mold them into being all that You intended for them. May people that we meet find joy in us because of our walk with You and our determination to be obedient to Your commands. In Christ we can be more than conquerors. AMEN!

A Changed Life

On 2022-11-012022-11-01 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Changed, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Tuesday, 2022-11-01
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Ephesians 5:8-10
TRANSLATION: Contemporary English Version (CEV)

BIBLE TEXT: ⁸You used to be like people living in the dark, but now you are people of the light because you belong to the Lord. So act like people of the light ⁹and make your light shine. Be good and honest and truthful, ¹⁰as you try to please the Lord.

APPLICATION: I had a pastor who said that he preached the same sermon repeatedly for a few Sundays. Finally, a deacon approached him and asked if there were other sermons in his repertoire. To which the pastor responded that he was reserving the other sermons until he was sure that the congregation received and understood his current sermon! Sounds funny, but I believe we need constantly reminding of the Word of God, because from all appearances, I bet that God must question whether we really did ‘get it’ the first time! Paul saw the need for helping the Ephesian church understand from someone looking in from the outside, how it appeared like they really needed reminding of the teachings of God. God knew that we would need reminding, so He had this teaching of Paul included in the Bible for us. So, when we talk to a non-Christian about what we believe and why it may seem like we act differently to the world, perhaps they may wonder ‘What change?’, since they are seeing the same old man. So let me explain: In my life before Christ, I was following the ways of the world – a world without Christ. I was no axe murderer, but I just had no regard for the things, and ways, of the Lord. When I met the Lord and committed myself to following Him for the rest of my days here on earth, He showed me a ‘new life’ – one patterned after His holy and righteous teachings and example. This inspired a completely new life for me, for most of the things I used to do, were all inspired by Satan and/or his earthly cohorts. And I soon learned that these things needed a special touch from God so that those I come into contact with would be reminded of everything they heard about Jesus Christ. Here are some examples given by Paul about what our newly committed life should look like, and in ‘red’ font, see the things that Paul warns us might indicate our former life – without Christ:
~*~ Let love be your guide. Vs 2; Say how thankful you are. Vs 4; Act like people of the light and make your light shine. Vs 8&9; Be good and honest and truthful, as you try to please the Lord. Vs 9&10;
~*~ Don’t let it be said that any of you are immoral or indecent or greedy – Vs 3; Don’t use dirty or foolish or filthy words – Vs 4; Don’t let anyone trick you with foolish talk. Vs 6; Don’t take part in doing those worthless things that are done in the dark. Vs 11

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Be good and honest and truthful, as you try to please the Lord.

PRAYER: Lord I believe that only You could change the way we once lived, into the way that You want us to live. I believe that anytime we find ourselves drifting back into our old ways, it becomes clear that we are also drifting away from our relationship with You. Please Lord, draw us close to You and keep us humble before You until You call us home to glory. May the words of our mouth and the meditation of our hearts be acceptable to You at all times oh Lord, so that Your name will be lifted high in everything about us, all for Your glory and praise. AMEN!

The Cause and Cost Of Disobedience

On 2022-10-312022-10-31 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Obedience, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Monday, 2022-10-31
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: 1 Kings 13:7; 15;
TRANSLATION: Living Bible (TLB)

BIBLE TEXT: ⁷Then the king said to the prophet, “Come to the palace with me and rest awhile and have some food; and I’ll give you a reward because you healed my arm.”
¹⁵Then the old man said to the prophet, “Come home with me and eat.”

APPLICATION: We are looking at two different encounters with the same prophet who was given instructions by God on how to respond to such questions. In the first instance, the prophet followed God’s instructions completely, even though it was the king who invited him to his palace. The prophet was promised a good meal and a reward, but the prophet stayed true to the instructions given to him by God. Very admirable. However, word got around quickly what transpired at the palace, so an old ‘prophet’ in Bethel thought that he would try his persuasive powers to see if he could get the young prophet to follow him, instead of the strict instructions given to him by God. So, as the young prophet walked away from the king and started his journey back home, the old prophet started his conniving actions. No doubt the young prophet was hungrier by now, so the old prophet caught up with him, convinced him that he was also a prophet of God with instructions for him and offered him to come and dine with him, the young prophet gave in. So, what do you suppose caused the young prophet to disobey God? Based on my personal experience, I believe that it would have been extremely challenging for me to disbelieve an older gentleman, and even more challenging to disagree with a man representing himself as a prophet of God. So, I really don’t know if I would have acted any differently, had I been in the young prophet’s situation. For much of my working career, I was told that I only see black and white and am almost blinded to any grey areas and decisions. Perhaps this means that I would have stuck to my guns and stayed true to the word of the Lord. But based on hindsight in knowing the end of the story, we know that the prophet’s disobedience led to his death. Friends, each and every day we are faced with decisions like the one the young prophet had to make. We know what the Word of God says, yet we cave in to the pressures of those around us, or to the attraction of more advantages offered to us. I had an old preacher friend say that he had to stay at our church until God told him to move on. For it was God who sent him there, and he couldn’t move until God released him from that obligation. I believe that principle may have worked well for the young prophet, for he was given instructions and he was expected to follow those instructions unless told otherwise by God. In trusting the old ‘prophet’, it appears like the young prophet may have felt like God sent him with different instructions for him. But Satan comes at us in various forms. He will give us every excuse on why we shouldn’t follow the will of God. And we are left with deciding in whom we will place our faith and trust. Perhaps today you feel tossed around in many areas of your life. Please allow me to suggest that you seek God and be willing to follow His commands exclusive of all other options that may come your way. How will you know it’s God? Know that His Word is always aligned with His will. There is no coincidence in you coming across Scripture on a day you are looking for confirmation from God on a decision. If this is also confirmed by a true saint of God in some form or the other, then you are looking at multiple confirmations to the instructions you received from God. Learn from our Scripture today that when you are tasked with carrying out a mission, do it without allowing any interference by one just posing as a fellow Christian or even a ‘Christian’ leader. Satan can choose the most unsuspecting person to misdirect us into his path.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: God will always guide us aright. His ways are not our ways, so His will might be way more than we could ever expect to see, but we are to trust God and watch Him work miraculously in us, through us, and all around us.

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, You have given us the right path to follow and You have opened the doors of heaven to bless us way more than we deserve. Please Lord, strengthen and embolden us to be obedient servants, even when others try to distract us in ways that may even seem like they were sent by You. Help us to discern the way that is right and directed by You. I believe that when we follow You in obedience, You place us in the path of those who need Your help and Your guidance. Satan is very busy roaming around in search of all that he could devour. Lord, we want to be just like You and help to fulfill Your mission here on earth while we are able to. Please open the doors of heaven and bless us with all we need to represent You in perfect form so that those who are in need of the Savior will see you evident in our lives. Bless as only You can, heal as only you are capable and save as only You have the power to do so, In Jesus’ name, AMEN!

Strive To Please The One Blessing You

On 2022-10-302022-10-30 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Glorify, Needs, Obedience, Pleasing to God, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Sunday, 2022-10-30
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Ephesians 4:29-32
TRANSLATION: GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)

BIBLE TEXT: ²⁹Don’t say anything that would hurt ⌞another person⌟. Instead, speak only what is good so that you can give help wherever it is needed. That way, what you say will help those who hear you. ³⁰Don’t give God’s Holy Spirit any reason to be upset with you. He has put his seal on you for the day you will be set free ⌞from the world of sin⌟. ³¹Get rid of your bitterness, hot tempers, anger, loud quarreling, cursing, and hatred. ³²Be kind to each other, sympathetic, forgiving each other as God has forgiven you through Christ.

APPLICATION: In growing up, I’m not sure at what stage children’s eyes are opened to the sacrifices made by parents so that they might thrive. For example, how many meals did mom and/or dad have just vegetables so that the kids might enjoy an extra piece of meat? How many Christmases did moms and dads forego giving each other a gift, so that they could bless their kids with an extra gift to open on Christmas morning? God is even more giving to His children, for He sent His only Son, knowing that we needed so much help in seeking forgiveness of our sin. Yet Paul saw that the Ephesian church members were still acting like the world (unsaved rebels living like there was no God). Because God saw fit to have this as part of His final instructions to Christians, I believe He desperately wanted us to catch the heart of Paul in this teaching, as it clearly explains the heart of God for His children. I feel like the key phrase in these verses is ‘Don’t give the Holy Spirit any reason to be upset with you’. Other translations say, “don’t cause the Holy Spirit to grieve over you”. Such words are used when a close family member dies, for the remaining family ‘grieves’ over losing their loved one. In the examples given in my introduction, we can easily see the expression of pride and happiness on our parent’s face when they see us achieving greatness or successful in our endeavors, but what if we stood near them as they prayed, and we heard them grieving before the Father over their disappointment in what they are seeing in us? That would tear us up and cause us much pain. I believe that’s the idea that Paul is portraying about our Savior, for He gave His very life for us, and it must hurt beyond all measure when He see us still acting like the world – like a sinner who has never even heard about grace or forgiveness. I believe we should be encouraged by this challenge given by Paul, for he not only encouraged us to put aside the evil practices of our old life, but since we accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior, with every intent to turn away from our sin and heartache, and follow the King of all kings, so too ought we to do the same in our habits and practices that once identified us as an unsaved sinner. In Christ, and with the special power afforded to us by the Holy Spirit residing inside of us, WE CAN do all things through Christ who strengthens and guides us towards holiness and righteousness, just like Jesus did. As you live each day, think about the words you would like to hear from Jesus when He calls you home to glory. My goal is to hear my Savior say, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant’. I pray that you have once again been encouraged to follow Jesus Christ in total commitment and to spend your life being just like Him, even while allowed to remain here below. Jesus paid the price for my sin, and He left me a ton of instructions to help guide me into all righteousness under the inspiration, and with the help of the Holy Spirit. I know we can do this fellow Christians, let’s just commit to it and do it – with God’s help.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: God forgave us by separating our sin from us as far as the east is from the west. Now if we could only learn to forgive like our Father in heaven taught us to and exampled for us!

PRAYER: Thank You Lord Jesus for loving us enough to sacrifice Your very own Son for the redemption of our sin. Please Lord, embolden us to be different and to live in love, like you did; forgiving others, like You did; loving even the unlovable, just as You did; and sacrificing for even them just as You did for us. Please help us to make a difference in this world, just as You made a difference in our lives. May we live in a way that pleases our Maker, our Savior and our Friend. To God be the glory for the things You have done in and through each of your children. Now, be glorified in us and through us Lord Jesus. AMEN!

What Should We Do?

On 2022-10-262022-10-26 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Doers of the Word, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Wednesday, 2022-10-26
WRITTEN AT: Leesburg, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Luke 3:10-14
TRANSLATION: Contemporary English Version (CEV)

BIBLE TEXT: ¹⁰The crowds asked John, “What should we do?” ¹¹John told them, “If you have two coats, give one to someone who doesn’t have any. If you have food, share it with someone else.”
¹² When tax collectors came to be baptized, they asked John, “Teacher, what should we do?” ¹³John told them, “Don’t make people pay more than they owe.”
¹⁴Some soldiers asked him, “And what about us? What do we have to do?” John told them, “Don’t force people to pay money to make you leave them alone. Be satisfied with your pay.”

APPLICATION: Sometimes it’s the small insignificant things that catches our attention and causes us to look inward and try to see what God and/or others are seeing in us. However, I believe that the Holy Spirit is at work in us to cause us to think this way, because naturally we tend to think that we are on top of the world and hoping that everyone else will watch us to see how life is really done well! The individuals that the apostle John dealt with in the questions bolded, had come to hear what this strange fellow from the wilderness had to say. John was not complimentary at all, for he called them a bunch of venomous snakes. So the people didn’t flock to hear this man preach and expecting to be lifted up or have their ears tickled. But still, the Holy Spirit dealt with them in such a way that it seems they all wanted to make major changes in their lives. In my working career, whenever I was rated less than the highest score on an area of my work, I always asked my supervisor to give me direction on improving my score. It seems like the Holy Spirit may have caused such a desire in the hearts of John’s hearers, for many asked how they might best portray the God that they accepted, with the power of the Holy Spirit who lives inside of them. Friends, it is a known fact that we much prefer praise than correction. But it is also a known fact that only God is perfect, no matter how hard we try personally. So for us to attain perfection, we must look to the One who is perfect. Let’s try to do like those hearers of John and ask God “What must we do”, or “What change must we make”, or “please show us what to do that will make us more like You, Lord”. I believe that the demands that God made through His servant John are still applicable to us today, for we tend to often drift into the world’s way of assimilating more than we could ever make use of personally, while still turning a blind eye to the needs of others. We tend to always want more and more profit on items or services we sell, thinking that it’s no one else’s business but ours. And although we may never blackmail people, we want their allegiance to us and/or our business and will incentivize to gain that allegiance. Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, John gave great advice to his hearers, and I believe his advice is still on target for us today, dear readers and listeners.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: From a life that is uncontrolled or guided by any good principle, to a life guided by the only Perfect One, there is change that will occur. Praise God, He is all powerful and all wise – willing to teach us and show us the path that we must follow in our efforts to be like Him!

PRAYER: Lord, please teach us Your ways so that we may best represent You here on earth, in every phase of our lives, for people still need the Lord. May our light so shine that our Father in heaven will shine through, be lifted up, and accepted as the King of all kings by the lowliest and the richest of persons that we will make contact with. Be glorified in and through us Lord. You know the work that must be done to properly mold us into Your likeness, so I pray that You will continually work in us for Your kingdom’s sake. AMEN!

Away With The Old, In With The New

On 2022-10-252022-10-25 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Salvation, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Tuesday, 2022-10-25
WRITTEN AT: Leesburg, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Ephesians 4:17; 20-24;
TRANSLATION: The Message (MSG)

BIBLE TEXT: ¹⁷And so I insist—and God backs me up on this—that there be no going along with the crowd, the empty-headed, mindless crowd.
^20-24But that’s no life for you. You learned Christ! My assumption is that you have paid careful attention to him, been well instructed in the truth precisely as we have it in Jesus. Since, then, we do not have the excuse of ignorance, everything—and I do mean everything—connected with that old way of life has to go. It’s rotten through and through. Get rid of it! And then take on an entirely new way of life—a God-fashioned life, a life renewed from the inside and working itself into your conduct as God accurately reproduces his character in you.

APPLICATION: It is so easy to go along with the crowd, and to try and please those who seem to be popular and/or seem to know what they want in life. But I’m sure that you have run into the same realization as I have, in recognizing after a very short time, that many of those who seem popular and have their act together, has much to be be desired. Friends, when one gives their heart to the lordship of Jesus Christ, it mirrors a person going down a road of destruction without a firm grip on what they want in life, and as the moment of salvation comes when they accept Jesus. Suddenly, Jesus gives new life and miraculous meaning to our life, and we make a complete 180 degree turn to follow Him. You see, Paul is helping us to understand that unless we make that 180-degree turn, we will show Jesus that we want to find and experience Him among the crowd of crazy friends that have misled us all along. Jesus said, follow me and I will show you life eternal in a place that is ‘out of this world’. A place that is unlike any experience here on earth, no matter how much we may have spent to experience it. For the one who is stuck in a rut and following the ways of the same old crowd, or what appears to be the popular crowd, and have not discovered the ultimate Leader yet, let me assure you that it was no accident or mistake that you happened across this devotional today, for God doesn’t operate by mistake or happenchance, He specializes in divine appointments with His children at just the right time, with just the right words, for He cares so much for you that He sacrificed His very own, precious Son, so that you can find the means of forgiveness through Him. There is only one way to heaven my friend, it has nothing to do with the friends you keep, the money you have, or the places you visit, even though they all sound very appealing to a child of this world. Jesus is the answer to all of your questions, dilemmas, bad friends, and appalling practices that you have developed from the family and friends you have hung out with over the years. Make that turn today dear friend. Leave the ‘old’ way of life behind you, and follow the life of Jesus today, for it leads to eternal peace and security in the arms of Jesus and eternity in heaven with He and the Father. No worries about leaving the fun and the good times behind, the best is yet to come! Imagine, you will then be leading those who follow you, on the right path that will impact their lives for all eternity!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Regardless of the challenges we experience in life today, there are better times ahead! Awesome times of peace with the Father and in experiencing His love intimately and personally, as we will be bowing at His feet and experiencing His love and adoration for His children!

PRAYER: Why me Lord, what have I ever done, to deserve God’s own Son? For I was walking down a bad road just like I described above, before You miraculously accepted my plea for forgiveness, and You gave me strength to turn around and instead follow a path that leads to eternal life in heaven with You. Lord, I pray that this will be a day that goes down on the list of most memorable for many today as You tug on their heart’s door and convince them of their sin and their need for a Savior. Please use this devotional as a tool to encourage the most stubborn person and draw men and women unto Yourself today, for this is my humble plea and greatest desire. AMEN!

Nuggets From God's Word

Tag: Lord