Will others Be Impacted by God Because of Their Encounter with You

On 2022-10-142022-10-14 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Encounter with God, Impacted by the Word, Lives Impacted, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Friday, 2022-10-14
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: 1 Kings 8:59-61
TRANSLATION: The Voice (VOICE)

BIBLE TEXT: ⁵⁹May my words and everything I have requested of the Eternal our God be close to His heart continuously, both day and night, so that He will support His servant and His people Israel according to the needs of each day as it is today. ⁶⁰Then all the people of the world will understand for themselves that He is the only True God. ⁶¹Give your entire heart to the Eternal our God. Walk the path He has intended for us, and keep His laws as you do today.

APPLICATION: I believe that everyone has a picture of God in their minds. For some, it might be that He is so perfect that they know that they should just stay clear, as they could never be good enough. For others, it might be the God of the Sabbath – Saturday. Although others might be convinced that we must worship the resurrected Lord on the day He arose – Sunday. Now, there are some who might also feel like He is just one of many gods. But friends, while I know that this short list is not all inclusive, I hope that it may be enough to open your minds to think about ‘who God really is’ to you. What impact does the God you have on your life, affect your life? Any impact at all? Now, the reason I write these devotionals is to help my readers and listeners attach themselves to the Creator God, the One who has all power over earth, all the elements, and even heaven. The only One who sent His Son, Jesus, to save us from our sin – the one thing that we cannot do for ourselves, yet the one thing that will keep us out of heaven. So as we consider the God that impacts our lives, let’s make sure that we are talking about the one, true, God. And as we consider how God is impacting our lives, let us consider if it’s enough for others to see Jesus in us, or do they see just the same old sinful self who strives for personal attention and selfish desires. We tend to live out who we are and the impact that others have on our character. If it’s Jesus impacting our lives, then others will see things like peace, love, joy, forgiveness, meekness, and all those things that we see in Jesus whenever we encounter Him in the Bible, or through our everyday lives. King Solomon prayed a very unselfish prayer for he and his people. Not only that God would have an everlasting impact on the people, but even if they sinned and got themselves in trouble, that God would hear their cry of repentance and accept their plea to return into His good graces. Solomon wanted that impact to be so drastic, that other nations would stand in awe and wonder what got into these people, or rather, who it is that is impacting their lives. The Christian walk is very different to the ways of this world. Others will notice and be impacted by it. Oh that they will see Jesus and want to know Him more intimately and in a very personal way. It’s your turn now dear reader and listener. Make your life count for Jesus by allowing Him to impact your life and minister through you.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: When others are blessed by God because of His grace being evident in us, it’s just like a gift that keeps on giving and blessing others. Only God can have this kind of impact though, and only if we open our hearts and lives to allow Him access, so He could bless others.

PRAYER: To run alongside a brother or a sister, we might encourage them to know that we care. But Lord, when You live inside of us, and You reach out and encourage that brother or sister, while giving them strength for every step, encouragement through all the storms of life, wisdom for how to best deal with situations that lie ahead, and love to warm their hearts in knowing that someone truly cares, then we will see lives being impacted for the Kingdom. It’s only because of You Lord. Please bless now all those who will read or listen to this devotional. May they feel your touch and know that You are near. Impact the lives of those that we touch, in Jesus’ precious name and for Your sake alone. 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!

God Cares For You

On 2022-02-112022-02-11 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, God Cares For Us, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Friday, 2022-02-11
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Matthew 10:28-31
TRANSLATION: The Passion Translation (TPT)

BIBLE TEXT: “Don’t be in fear of those who can kill only the body but not your soul. Fear only God, who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. You can buy two sparrows for only a copper coin, yet not even one sparrow falls from its nest without the knowledge of your Father. Aren’t you worth much more to God than many sparrows? So don’t worry. For your Father cares deeply about even the smallest detail of your life.”

APPLICATION: Over recent days my wife and I received the shocking news that a good friend of ours left his dear wife behind to finish life on her own. Of course our first reflection is to wonder why God would subject this wonderful man, who blessed so many, to the pain and agony of Covid, and why would God take him away from his faithful service to his church, and from his loving family. We may even tend to wonder if this one slid by God and went unnoticed, but we honestly know differently. Just as God brought His Son into the world for a specific purpose, He also has a specific purpose in mind when He created us. And our Scripture, quoting the words of Jesus Himself, reminds us that nothing escapes the attention of the Great I Am, not even a sparrow that falls from the sky to its death. How much more does He care about the special ones like you and I , who He created in His own image and directs our earthly path until the day He calls us home. No doubt along the way we had many bumps and bruises, but He was there all the time. No doubt there were times that we encountered diseases that brought us to the point of death, but our God still had people for us to meet and witness to, and there were relatives and friends in our circle of influence that still needed a Savior, so He brought us back to good health for His ongoing mission. But one might quickly respond negatively: ‘but what about that wonderful spouse they left, or what will that invalid who depended so heavily on them now do after their passing?’ I believe that God would remind us that He cares for us individually, and not just because of who our spouse is, or which church we attend, or how many relationships were held together because of our loved one. God loves and cares for us with that person in the picture or whether they are now in the arms of Jesus. Let me encourage you dear friend who might be feeling all alone, or might wonder why you are left alone here on this earth: you have a God who loved you so much that He would have sent His precious Son to Calvary if only for you. For He cares for you! He knows the plans that He has for you! He wants to see you go on to bless others because of Him, and He wants them to see Jesus every time they come into contact with you. Your love and your memories of the loved one who left you behind will last a lifetime, but know that the arms of Jesus are all enveloping and totally complete as He seeks to bless others through you! There is purpose in your life and for your future. Rest your hands in the BIG hands of Jesus as He guides you along and makes the road straight for you to maneuver. For those who have not lost a loved one, and you are wandering why God would say all this today – hang tight for no one knows what tomorrow holds for any of us, except the One Mighty God that we know and hold tight to.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: God knows what happens to each little sparrow, no matter how insignificant they seem to us. All the more, God also cares for each of us and watches our every move, because we are significant to Him. Because He created us in His own image, I believe that He has a lot of pride, love and built in care for each of us! Oh how He cares for us!

PRAYER: So often we tend to question why. Way too often we tend to feel like life is spinning out of control. But only a God like You will care for those whom You love, in spite of our stubbornness, lack of obedience and judgmental attitudes. We tend to look way too hard for the ‘perfect’ life, without acknowledging how much we have messed up. Yet You care for us! Thank You for Your love – even for us! So undeserving, yet You love us anyway, and You have prepared an eternal home for us to join You one day soon. Please continue to bless us as we try to represent You in every walk of life. People still need the Lord. May they see You today, and may they experience You in every aspect of my life today because of the total work that You will perform to solicit the love and aspirations of every unbeliever who really needs a Savior. AMEN!

Don’t Condemn Others, You May Be Just as Guilty

On 2021-10-252021-10-25 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

Monday, 2021-10-25

Bible Reference: John 8:3-5
Translation: Easy-to-Read Version (ERV)

Bible Text: ³The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought a woman they had caught in bed with a man who was not her husband. They forced her to stand in front of the people. ⁴They said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. ⁵The Law of Moses commands us to stone to death any such woman. What do you say we should do?”

APPLICATION: At one time in my career I found myself talking to a coworker about the shortcomings of a fellow employee in another department. It was nothing terrible, or at least I thought so, until the coworker turned around and told me that it was odd for me to mention the issue, because that’s exactly what the other party says about me!! Whoa! Was that ever an eyeopener for me! Another personal example of how God slapped me into reality: Being heavily involved in church, there was a time when I looked around and questioned (judged) why others were not doing as much as I was. A very honest pastor reminded me that there were things that individual was doing behind the scenes that I would never know about, but he was way more dedicated to the Lord’s work than most people would know about. Whoa – again! Friends, I’m not sure that there is any person on earth that God would delegate His authority to judge, condemn and destroy the will of another believer. Let me remind all of us that we have a full-time job trying to keep self aligned with the teachings, commands and ordinances of our Master. You see, He is perfect, and we are so far from perfect that it would take us a lifetime of daily persistence, and undiluted dedication to our Savior in order for us to truly follow His commands, and live a life that resembles Christ. Our obligation is to love and pray for our fellow believers, not judge and condemn them. God assures us in His Word that He will hold each of us accountable for our own sins. Let’s never lose sight of the incredible job that is ours to watch over self, while loving and caring enough for others with hopes that they too will do the same as they prepare for that glorious day when we will all see Jesus face-to-face!

PRAYER: It is so easy to get caught up in condemning others, oh Lord, and that’s not our job. Please help us to spend our time looking at You, imitating You, and studying about You so that we will understand what You desire from us. Perhaps at some point others may see enough of Christ in us, that our witness might be effective in helping them also seek for the Master. As you told the Pharisees, let the one without sin throw the first stone. We have no room condemning others, while we also have sin in our lives. You commissioned us to be obedient to Your commands and follow Your perfect example, and You will be the Judge of all. We have no reason to try and assume Your job, for You are perfect. Please forgive us when we overreach our bounds. Please complete Your work in us daily, oh Lord. 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!

Our God Will …

On 2021-08-282021-08-28 By Ed AlgreenIn God Can Do It Again, God Cares For Us, God's WillLeave a comment

Saturday, 2021-08-28

Bible Reference: Proverbs 3:5-10
Translation: The Living Bible (TLB)

Scripture

Bible Text: Trust the Lord completely; don’t ever trust yourself. ⁶In everything you do, put God first, and he will direct you and crown your efforts with success.
^7-8Don’t be conceited, sure of your own wisdom. Instead, trust and reverence the Lord, and turn your back on evil; when you do that, then you will be given renewed health and vitality.
^9-10Honor the Lord by giving him the first part of all your income, and he will fill your barns with wheat and barley and overflow your wine vats with the finest wines.

APPLICATION: Like me, I would imagine that, throughout your day there are times when you are overwhelmed as to how you will ever accomplish everything on your agenda, and that you wish you knew what might be happening in the coming days, weeks and years, so that you could make good choices today. Friends, I believe that God has placed the answer to this dilemma right at our fingertips – in these verses today. For I believe that you will see clearly that although we may not have all of the answers, there is a God who does – praise His name for ever and ever! As you read the first two verses of our Scripture today, let me remind you of Moses, God’s messenger and leader who had millions of people following him. Because He trusted completely in God, when he brought all these folk to the edge of the Jordan River, his ulcers didn’t explode from the stress of what to do next, for he was convinced that if God brought him to this crossroad, then obviously God would see him through, or across the river. These verses declare that when we place our faith and trust in Jesus, He will direct us into right paths and make our journey, or actions successful. Notice that this is not something we need to understand how or when success or answers will come, we are to just trust God and He will… Notice in verses 7-10, there are certain expectation from us, such as:
* Trust and reverence God;
* Turn our backs on evil – of course the positive equivalent to this is to obey God’s commands;
* Honor God by giving Him the first of our income;
Just remember that God is all powerful and He could bless our health and give us vitality without us feeling like we had anything to do with the formula, but by demanding that we participate in the above simple actions, we learn that God’s goodness is for those who have an interest – those who want it. Similarly with our finances – God could very easily bestow great riches on everyone, but don’t you know that we always abuse anything that is given to us without us have some ‘skin’ in the game? When we give the first of our income, we are not only showing obedience to God, but we are acknowledging that there is nothing more important in our life. It also helps us to recognize that because we are blessed by God to be able to work and provide for our family, the least we could do is give back to Him unconditionally from our financial earnings. In true form to the goodness of our God, He foreknew the temptation of money, so He still threw in a blessing for those that obey this commandment to give. I believe that God’s Word is clear that we will be blessed financially in proportion to what we give. Are you ‘blessed’ financially? Check your giving, perhaps it needs adjusting!

PRAYER: Lord God, You have proven Yourself to us in so many ways, yet we often feel like we could handle this thing called ‘life’ all by ourselves. Please forgive us for our littleness Lord. You are Creator; Master; Lord and the Savior of this world. Thank You for giving us clear instruction of what is expected of us to receive optimal results from You. Please touch our stubborn hearts today and convince us of the need for obedience and faithfulness to You. Lord, we want to benefit from all the great things You have promised to us, but more than that, we are anxious to one day be with You in glory, where we could worship You endlessly. Bless us this day with Your grace and your mercy. Please lead us into total obedience to Your Word, for I ask these things in the gracious and loving name of Jesus, AMEN!

Our God of Mercy

On 2021-04-022021-04-02 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Mercy, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Friday, 2021-04-02
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: Exodus 22:22-27
TRANSLATION: New Living Translation (NLT)

BIBLE TEXT: ²²“You must not exploit a widow or an orphan. ²³If you exploit them in any way and they cry out to me, then I will certainly hear their cry. ²⁴My anger will blaze against you, and I will kill you with the sword. Then your wives will be widows and your children fatherless.
²⁵“If you lend money to any of my people who are in need, do not charge interest as a money lender would. ²⁶If you take your neighbor’s cloak as security for a loan, you must return it before sunset. ²⁷This coat may be the only blanket your neighbor has. How can a person sleep without it? If you do not return it and your neighbor cries out to me for help, then I will hear, for I am merciful.

OBSERVATION: Although the exact words are not evident, God indicates in verse 23 that He is merciful towards widows and orphans, just as he indicated in verse 27 about the poor. I wonder how conscious we are about being merciful, like our Father is? I wonder how careful we are about not coming under the wrath of God when dealing with widows, orphans and the poor? Perhaps today is a good day to consider how we are doing in following His example to be merciful. Allow the Word of God to have it’s way in your life today.

APPLICATION: All throughout the Bible we could find where God thought very tenderly and mercifully towards those who struggled to take care of themselves. Brothers were told to marry the wives left behind by their deceased brother. Deacons were told to lookout for, and take good care of, widows and orphans. But I was totally amazed at the reminder in today’s Scripture again. For God warned the Israelites that if they took advantage of these individuals and, as a consequence, they came to Him about their hurt and their need, He would kill the guilty men so that their wives and children would then become widows and orphans. Men, I don’t know about you, but even though I would fear bringing on hurt or death to myself, the last thing in the world I would want to know, is that my wife and child are being left in want after my passing. But none-the-less, Jesus warned that He would be that upset if He saw His weaker children being abused. So how would this be applied to our current day situations? In your line of business, do you offer incentives or discounts to these individuals, or do you see them as a higher risk, seeing that they are without a husband/father, so you charge them more? This might be for goods, or in the case of interest on loans or credit cards, since this was dealt with next. Do you offer them a ride back home after visiting your place of business, or are you way too busy attending to the rich and giving them every possible incentive to give you more business? Friends, I believe that God has allowed us to remain on earth so that we may represent Him well. Today we have been taught a few things that really upsets the Father. What do you suppose you and I could do to stay in the good graces of our merciful God, as it pertains to widows, orphans and the poor? Sure many who read this devotion today may not be considered rich, but in the eyes of the poor and destitute, they see us as ‘rich’. Cutting our meal size in half will not only help our health, but we might then be able to share a portion with one who may not have a solid, healthy meal. With a few extra dollars on hand, instead of using that for an extra vacation, or another new suit, try helping the widow whose electric power is close to being terminated because of unpaid bills. Instead of putting that poor person under the nearby bridge down, share a jacket with him, or take the extra food to her from a meal where you cooked in excess. Show love towards these people, be a good neighbor to that child of God who needs help. Love these individuals, even as our caring, merciful God loved you while you were still steeped in sin and filth. Let it be said of you that you were merciful, just like your Father!

PRAYER: Dearest Lord Jesus, I am so thankful that You know our very heart and therefore You are well aware of all that we stand for. There’s no need in us trying to tell You what we do and who we love, for You know our very heart. Please penetrate our hearts with Your Word, so that Your perfect will and way may be evident in all that we do, say and think. There are so many needs around us, and I’m afraid that we have become way too hardened by the needs. We attribute that to abuse that we may have seen, or perhaps to family members who should really jump in and help their needy members. But in today’s Scripture You gave us no escsape, for You insisted that if we see the need, or if we are aware of the need, meet it with all that we can. May we become keenly aware of the needs that we will encounter today with those that we come into contact with, and may You become very visible to those that we help. You gave it all, and we thank You for that, but please receive honor, praise and glory for any representation of Yourself today by Your children. AMEN!

A Treasured People

On 2021-03-152021-03-15 By Ed AlgreenIn Faith, Love, Love of God, Rewards, TrustLeave a comment

Monday, 2021-03-15

Bible Reference: Exodus 19:5-6
Translation: The Voice (VOICE)

Bible Text: ⁵Now if you will hear My voice, obey what I say, and keep My covenant, then you—out of all the nations of the world—will be My treasured people. After all, the earth belongs to Me. ⁶You will be My kingdom of priests, a nation holy and set apart.”

OBSERVATION: Often we will ask God for things, and expect a whole lot from Him, but how often do we dig into His Word, learn about His commands and obediently follow His instructions? Let’s meditate on how this compares to God’s conditional promise to the Israelites that is detailed in Exodus 19:5.

APPLICATION: I wonder how many of us would pass up on a good deal, that we knew depended only on a few provisions that were within our ability to achieve? Here’s an example, or a scenario that some might quickly jump to: If you move from Florida to Georgia, you will become rich from working the soil there (farming) because of the natural minerals and nutrients, and you will enjoy much cooler weather in which to farm! Wouldn’t you think that some of our Floridians would pack up and begin the move to Georgia, to enjoy the new life that would include the riches of the land there? So let’s consider what we would do if God said to us something similar to what He told the Israelites: (a) ‘If you hear my voice’ and I believe this means that we would be required to not just say that we hear God’s voice, but that we would allow His words to penetrate our very being and have an impact on our lives; and (b) ‘If you obey what I say’ and I believe this means that we would be prepared to stop assuming that the Word is for our wicked neighbor, or for that unfriendly guy down the street, but rather that we, personally, would be prepared to respond to God’s Word by obeying what He tells us to do; and (c) ‘Keep my covenants’ – I believe that this means that we stop pretending that we are obedient to His written Word, but instead decide to truly obey His covenant that God set forth for us. All three of these things sound simple enough, but God added a reward for the Israelites, and I believe that He would do the same for us, if we truly follow His conditions – we would be His treasured people. Yes among all the people of the world, He would choose to honor and treasure us. Friends, this scenario is very much aligned with what God did for us on Calvary, by sacrificing His very own Son. He made such a sacrifice as a reward for us, if we accept His Son as Lord and Savior. The reward is that we would spend eternity with the Father and the Son in heaven, singing praises to the King of all kings and Lord of all lords For all eternity. This is not just a reward dear one, but in comparison to the alternative – eternal damnation under the leadership of Satan, our choice/offer by God is the only one that anyone of sound mind would deliberately choose. Friends, think about this and be blessed today. For those who will believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and surrender lordship of your life over to Him, you will be considered a ‘Treasured People’ by the Creator, and you will join with the angels around the throne singing sweet hallelujahs to the King forever and forever. My prayerful desire today is that all who will read or listen to this devotional today will be among those treasured by God. If you have not accepted Jesus as lord of your life yet, let me encourage you to read my Footnote carefully and follow the steps that will lead you to find Him and accept Him as Lord!

PRAYER: Thank You Lord for providing the means for us to find eternal peace, and eternal salvation through Your precious Son, Jesus. May all who read this devotional today be reminded of the importance of making peace with You so that Your eternal reward may fill their heart with joy and everlasting hope. Please soften the hearts of those who will read this, but have yet to agree to the simple plan of salvation. To know You is to have peace everlasting! AMEN!

God’s Plan

On 2021-03-012021-03-01 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, The Plan, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Monday, 2021-03-01
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: Genesis 45:4-5; 7-8
TRANSLATION: Good News Translation (GNT)

BIBLE TEXT: ⁴…. “I am your brother Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. ⁵Now do not be upset or blame yourselves because you sold me here. It was really God who sent me ahead of you to save people’s lives.
⁷God sent me ahead of you to rescue you in this amazing way and to make sure that you and your descendants survive. ⁸So it was not really you who sent me here, but God…..

OBSERVATION: God built into us a conscience to help us recognize when we have done something that really hurts another person, especially mentally. I’m sure that the brothers of Joseph knew that their time had come when they realized that Joseph knew who they were, and he had the power to revenge himself. But God – full of mercy and love, melted the heart of Joseph and caused him to love his brothers more than anything else. Think of a time that God totally controlled your mind to act completely opposite to what the world would expect. This may help you fully grasp what God did in this reunion of Joseph and his brothers.

APPLICATION: Imagine facing someone, where you may have been responsible for the death of their spouse, child or very close relative. You biggest nightmare would be with them pulling a gun on you and getting even. But what if they acted totally opposite and greeted you in a loving and forgiving manner? You might worry that they have lost their mind, or totally don’t recognize you, right? Can you truly picture this: the brothers of Joseph approaching the King’s assistant (Joseph, the governor) in hopes that he would allow them to purchase food to help their family survive the drought. Surprisingly, Joseph asked way more questions about their family structure than they ever expected, but he seemed more than willing to sell them provisions. But what would you make of the governor then inviting them to his chambers for dinner, and then asked his attendants and guards to leave? Could it be that the Governor wants to eliminate these foreigners personally? But he seems emotionally attached to them, what’s with that? I could only imagine that the brothers were more on edge about the unknown than anyone could possibly understand. But the final blow comes when the governor tells them his true identity – their long lost, or presumed dead, brother? No doubt the brothers are sure of the repercussion they are about to face from Joseph, for they dropped him in a deep well to die of natural causes. They changed their minds and sold him to a passing group Of warriors. But friends, don’t you find it interesting that God used even the wickedness of Joseph’s brothers to fulfill His perfect will for Joseph, for the king, and for Egypt and the neighboring countries? Wouldn’t it have been awful for Joseph to hold a grudge and possibly kill his brothers who were a vital part of God’s ultimate plan for Joseph, his dad and his family? Remember how Joseph gave credence to God while in prison and in foretelling the meaning of dreams? Remember how Jospeh gave credit to God when he gave the meaning of the King’s dreams? Remember how God gave confidence to the king to trust Joseph with being governor at this critical time? Think of the times that you reflect back on your life and could now see clearly how God was clearing the path for the fulfillment of His will in your life. Isn’t it amazing how awesome our God is? For my readers who may have enjoyed this story, but due to lack of relationship with God, you may not be able to identify; let me encourage you to have a little talk with Jesus. Consider reading my Footnote below, especially the underlying scriptures behind the link ‘To Know Jesus’. I pray that you will be convinced of your need for submission to the King of this universe – Jesus, my Lord! He has a plan for your life also, just as He did in the life of Joseph.

PRAYER: Lord You are good, and Your mercies are never ending. You care for us, even in our stubbornness and disobedience. You love us unconditionally, like you did Joseph, and even in spite of who we are. Thank You Jesus! Please forgive us for being less than perfect, and give us more strength, wisdom and power to overcome our weaknesses. May today be a brand new day of seeing us imitating You and obeying Your commands. The world needs to see Jesus in us today. May they not be disappointed, Lord. AMEN!

Use Virtues of God to Set Your 2021 Goals

On 2020-12-282020-12-27 By Ed AlgreenIn Committed, goal, Humble, VirtuousLeave a comment

Monday, 2020-12-28

Bible Reference: Colossians 3:12-14
Translation: The Passion Translation (TPT)

Bible Text: ¹²You are always and dearly loved by God! So robe yourself with virtues of God, since you have been divinely chosen to be holy. Be merciful as you endeavor to understand others, and be compassionate, showing kindness toward all. Be gentle and humble, unoffendable in your patience with others. ¹³Tolerate the weaknesses of those in the family of faith, forgiving one another in the same way you have been graciously forgiven by Jesus Christ. If you find fault with someone, release this same gift of forgiveness to them. ¹⁴For love is supreme and must flow through each of these virtues. Love becomes the mark^[k] of true maturity.^[l]

OBSERVATION: Around this time of the year we begin to reflect on the accomplishments, failures, heartaches and missed goals of the year about to end, and many of us will begin to set goals for the incoming year. It’s always good to have something to reach towards, for without that, we might tend to merely exist and settle for anything that comes our way. What if we chose some spiritual goals for 2021? Let’s meditate on the ones listed in today’s Scripture and see what God might be directing us towards.

APPLICATION: I believe that we unconsciously set New Years’ goals for ourselves, depending on our audience at the time. For we tend to concentrate on spiritual goals when we are with God or His people; and we tend to drift more into financial and other personal goals when we are with our friends and family. This may not be a bad philosophy, but we might question ourselves as to why is there a need to compartmentalize depending on the audience. I believe that when God listens to the cry of His precious child’s heart, He listens for everything that might be troubling that child, or being celebrated by them. After all, if we are going through financial woes, don’t you know that subject will be foremost on our minds as cry out to God about our disappointments in 2020 and when we speak with God and seek His perfect will for our lives in 2021? On another note, don’t you know that our attitudes will be drastically impacted when we are struggling in our relationship with God? But isn’t it awesome to know that God is more than willing to speak with His children about all aspects of our life, as we seek His direction and try to establish goals for the New Year? After all, He’s the only One who truly knows what will transpire next year, so His guidance is vital. However friends, I believe that God has given us some virtues to concentrate on in the days ahead. Think about these things: be holy as our Father is holy; be merciful as we seek to understand others; be compassionate and show kindness to others, as you take the focus off self and all that you want; be gentle; be humble; be so patient with others that you would never offend them; learn to tolerate the weaknesses of believers, for you are also flesh and blood, and you could also easily fall short in multiple ways; God has forgiven you, so learn to also forgive others, especially for their faults; and love – remember, your love for others will be a sign of your maturity in Christ. Friends, can you imagine how much better our world will be, if we choose to seek God’s help in achieving these virtues in 2021? Can you imagine the reduction in stress levels for us individually when we strive for these goals? I believe that as we work towards these goals, we will see God also bless us with the other things He knows that we need, such as financial freedom; good decisions about people and events that we are a part of, etc. As our priority shifts towards our God and His righteousness, I believe that we will see more clearly how truly serious we are about Him, and be reminded of how gracious and kind He is to us.

PRAYER: Thank You Lord for saving my soul, thank You Lord for making me whole, thank You Lord for giving to me, Thy great salvation so rich and free! Your Word is a light unto our path oh Lord, may we read it, take it to heart and be obedient to it, with Your amazing help! As we depend on You for all that 2021 brings our way, may we never cease to stop asking You for help in living life here on earth as You intended for us. May others see Your virtues in us before we ever open our mouths to evangelize with words! AMEN!

God is able to Orchestrate Everything For Our Good!

On 2020-12-272020-12-26 By Ed AlgreenIn Allegiance to the Lamb, Answered Prayer, Believers, Caring, Circumstances, Merciful Savior, Mercy, PerfectionLeave a comment

Wednesday, 2020-12-27

Bible Reference: Romans 8:27-28
Translation: The Voice (VOICE)

Bible Text: ²⁷Don’t you know that He who pursues and explores the human heart intimately knows the Spirit’s mind because He pleads to God for His saints to align their lives with the will of God? ²⁸We are confident that God is able to orchestrate everything to work toward something good and beautiful when we love Him and accept His invitation to live according to His plan.

OBSERVATION: As we approach the end of the year and begin thinking back to all that has taken place in our lives in 2020, unfortunately others may hear us moaning about the ups and downs of COVID or the hardships brought on because of that dreaded virus. However, there could be a much brighter view if we review the year based on our Scripture today. Join me for a time of reflection on the mercies of our awesome God!

APPLICATION: For some, who may have won the lotto, or been immensely blessed in many ways, it may be easy to reflect on how good God is, and the many ways in which He has blessed. But there are some who may have experienced great life events, that may have involved losing a loved one; or medical challenges that may have almost caused separation from life to death for a precious family member; or losing a house or a car because of devastating financial burdens; or any number of things that you may have wished were more ‘normal’ or in line with others. However, if we look at the year in light of what today’s Scripture is teaching us, how might we answer this question of ‘blessings’ more appropriately, or how might we understand more clearly how God’s hand was right plumb in the middle of our circumstances? Friends, the Word of God says that our Savior is ‘pursuing and exploring our heart’ and petitioning the Father on our behalf that we may stay aligned with His will for our lives. Is it any wonder why we reflect on circumstances and wonder why we chose to take a certain road home in lieu of another, after hearing of the awful accident around the time of our travel home? Or that we chose to go to the hospital for expert medical help, instead of playing doctor and treating our chest pains with aspirin? Or that we chose to share our testimony with our best friend, at a time that God was already working out His salvation plan in her life? Friends, for each of these examples we may easily brush them off as just being something you would have done anyway, or we may call them coincidence or good luck, but please notice again from the Scripture that neither of these words are used – not even in this modern translation of the Bible. There is nothing haphazard about God’s plan, or about His actions in working out His plan in our lives. Remember, we are His workmanship, and for those who have accepted Him as Lord, we are His prized possession on loan only to this world for just a little while longer. So let’s look for, and expect to see His love and His caring touch work through us in miraculous ways. Verse 28 is a commonly recited verse, but I pray that it takes on a more enriched meaning for you as you are reminded of these verses today. I love the way that the Voice has translated the condition in verse 28: ‘when we love Him and accept His invitation to live according to His plan’. So friends, whether you reflect on 2020, or look towards 2021, try creating a sense of accountability with God on whether you could honestly say that you have loved Him sincerely, and you have accepted His plan for your life. Learn to praise Him unconditionally for everything that has transpired in your life, even if something devastated you at the time, because you know that He has worked it out with the Father for your good!

PRAYER: Lord You are so good to us! You amaze us with Your love and Your goodness, so much so that we may tend to question ‘why me Lord?’. Thank You for the lessons taught in these special verses today, for we are reminded of Your unconditional love for us, and how You love us enough that You keep us constantly before the Father, for our good. Help us Lord to keep this awesome reminder in mind, especially when things don’t appear to be going our way. May we be encouraged to share that special love with those that we come into contact with today. AMEN!

Christmas Gift Ideas

On 2020-12-082020-12-07 By Ed AlgreenIn Christian love, Christmas, Forgiveness, gifts, Humble, Kindness, Love, PatienceLeave a comment

Friday, 2020-12-08

Bible Reference: Colossians 3:12-14
Translation: Easy-To-Read Version (ERV)

Bible Text: ¹²God has chosen you and made you his holy people. He loves you. So your new life should be like this: Show mercy to others. Be kind, humble, gentle, and patient. ¹³Don’t be angry with each other, but forgive each other. If you feel someone has wronged you, forgive them. Forgive others because the Lord forgave you. ¹⁴Together with these things, the most important part of your new life is to love each other. Love is what holds everything together in perfect unity.

OBSERVATION: At Christmas time we seem to easily find room in our hearts to be kind to others. In our verses today Paul reminds us of what all God did for us, and how that should lead us to do the same for others. So as we meditate on this today, may it stir up within us many ideas on how we might bless others at Christmas!

APPLICATION: Most children are probably looking forward to Christmas because of the gifts they have asked for, and expect to receive. As adults, Paul has reminded us of the gracious gifts that are ours, in being a child of the most high God! Here are some of the gifts mentioned by Paul: 1). God has made us His holy people – imagine that – steeped in sin and very much a part of Satan’s army, yet when we felt the call on our life by Jesus, and surrendered our life to Him, we were adopted into the sonship of the Most Holy God! That is beyond comprehension, and could only be imagined through faith in the truth of God’s Holy Word; 2). God loves us – ‘Love’ is an awesome word that we use, and even abuse in our lifetime, but it takes on such a special meaning when the holy Son of God loves a child that has been so blatant in sin, and asked for His forgiveness. Oh that we may find it in our hearts to love like that this Christmas! But because of all that God blessed us with, here are some gifts that we may give to others, knowing that He will continue pouring out His gracious love to us: Show mercy towards others; Be kind to others; Be humble towards others; Be gentle to others; Be patient with others; Don’t be angry with others; Forgive others; and LOVE others. Friends, the best news of all about these godly gifts, compared to our usual gift giving, is that there will be no increase in credit card bills whatsoever! So why not read over this devotional again as Christmas draws closer, and concentrate on all the gody gifts that you can extend to family and friends. Be instrumental in teaching them God’s ways and His teachings through your example this Christmas! Others just may see that you have a heart like that of Jesus, because you showed that you cared for them!

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, thank You for Christmas, and the precious gift of Your Son! Thank You for teaching us about the many precious gifts that You bless us with, and then through your servant Paul, teaching us how we might extend to others the many gifts that You have showered on us. Please help us to make someone’s Christmas special this year, simply by showering them with the character of Your Son, and the godly gifts mentioned in our Scripture today. AMEN!

Nuggets From God's Word

Tag: Love