Tag: master

How To Identify Children of God

On By Ed AlgreenIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

SCRIPTURE  FROM:   1 John 3:9-10 (TPT)

TEXT:  9 Everyone who is truly God’s child will refuse to keep sinning because God’s seed remains within him, and he is unable to continue sinning because he has been fathered by God himself. 10 Here is how God’s children can be clearly distinguished from the children of the Evil One. Anyone who does not demonstrate righteousness and show love to fellow believers is not living with God as his source.

OBSERVATION:   It seems like there are many areas of the Bible that God chose to get His point across to us, on what characteristics one should look for in order to identify His children. In line with this, Christians are also taught what kind of life they should be living in order to align with the will, and person, of God. As we meditate on these two verses, perhaps God will open our eyes to ways that might help us clarify to the world, that God is the source, and root, of everything that identifies us!

APPLICATION:   I believe that if we walk into a store and deal with an employee who is very friendly, customer oriented, and a strong proponent of everything that their company sells, we would quickly conclude that the particular business is one who cares about its customers and seeks to meet our needs as its core objective. Imagine then if that same individual freely talks about their Maker as part of the sales encounter? We may conclude that the company is probably a Christian employer who really cares about its customers. I believe it is important for us to also remember that when we walk in as a paying customer, employees are also analyzing us to determine our attitude and our demeanor. In fact, the employee might quickly conclude who might be the real source of our outward actions and our attitude, and the kind of God that we purport to represent. Friends, God is speaking to us through His servant John about the important key elements that truly shows the world who you and I really are. In fact, it reaffirms to the Master of this universe, to whom you truly belong. I believe a few golden sayings come to mind on this, such as: if it’s in you, it will come out of you; from the depths of the heart, or soul, the mouth speaketh; garbage in, garbage out…. So think about that word ‘garbage’ – let’s be reminded that if we fill our hearts and souls with the Word of God, that our minds will be more inclined to be like the Son of God. If our soul is filled with God, then our lips will be filled with praise and the goodness of God. Of course the opposite is totally true as well. So may I remind you, that when you begin to consider where certain words came from that flowed from your lips, or where certain actions derived from that you enacted, remember that they are a good indication of what you have been filling your mind and soul with. With God inside of us, we are most apt to speak and act like the One who fills us. With less of our God in us, we tend to fall back to our old habits and feelings. Additionally, we permit ourselves to mix with old company, and fall back into unfulfilling entertainment that only serves to bring back the ‘old’ man/woman that promotes our old master – Satan. The world will easily identify the source of our words and actions – oh that they might see Jesus! 

PRAYER:   Lord Jesus, I pray for forgiveness for those times that I have opened the panes of my heart and allowed the evil one access to my thoughts, my words and my actions. I invited You to rule and reign in my life, and for that to be effective, I know that I must fill my life with Your Word and therefore understand Your goodness and mercy that is showered upon me each and every day. I pray for my readers – that they would not just skim over this devotional, but allow Your Word to penetrate their hearts and to encourage righteousness, goodness and mercy. The world needs Jesus, so they need to see Him, without blemish, so that they will know that He is alive and well, because they see the evidence in us. Thank You for loving us precious Savior, please have Your perfect will and way through the lives of Your children today. AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: There are two more pages on my blog that will provide you with additional information, one of them being ‘To Know Jesus’.  If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please click on the above page, or speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. Please allow someone to pray with you and give you help and/or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Words underlined in my blog could indicate a link to a song that came to mind as I wrote the devotional. Feel free to click on the link and listen as you continue to read or pray. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to Nuggets From God’s Word and read more, or you may freely subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. If you are anywhere near the Sebring, Florida area and do not have a church home, I would be thrilled to welcome you at Bible Fellowship Church, located at 3750 Hammock Rd, Sebring, FL 33872! Click the link to check out service times and/or other special activities. God is at work among us! Please consider coming to worship with us!

‘GUILTY’ of Praying?

On By Ed AlgreenIn Commitment, Dedication, Determined, PrayerLeave a comment

Tuesday, 2018-11-13

Scripture

Bible Reference: Daniel 6:10-11

Bible Text: 10 When Daniel learned that the decree had been signed and posted, he continued to pray just as he had always done. His house had windows in the upstairs that opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he knelt there in prayer, thanking and praising his God. 11 The conspirators came and found him praying, asking God for help.

Bible Translation: The Living Bible (TLB)

My Take

Many of us meditating on this scripture today probably don’t have any state laws prohibiting us from any religious activities, but I wonder when last we could have possibly been found guilty of ‘praying’? Over in Philippians 4:6 we are told to not fret or worry about anything, but instead ‘pray’ about everything, yet in a country where we are free to pray and worship the God of this universe, we probably deal more with depression and anxiety than anything else. Daniel shows us that in spite of man’s efforts to hinder his relationship with his God, that nothing would separate him from the love of his Lord. I would encourage each of us to take particular note of this, because it doesn’t take much to hinder us in our prayer life. Of course I could only speak to our corporate prayer life, but it is sad that our midweek prayer and Bible study is attended by only a very small percentage of our congregation. In fact, so poorly attended that I am reminded by the words of a pastor in my younger life, who said that it looks like the church at large has voted to cancel the service, for the absence of the vast majority speaks volumes about how they feel about corporate prayer meetings. In fact, I wonder how God must feel when He looks at our corporate prayer meeting attendance, for He said through His servant in 1 Thessalonians 5:18 ‘Be cheerful no matter what; pray all the time; thank God no matter what happens. This is the way God wants you, who belong to Christ Jesus, to live‘. So friends I would challenge you to seriously consider and declare who you are claiming as your King; your Lord; and your Master. Have you personally accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Savior? God’s Word tells us that if you have, then you would have a desire to ‘pray all the time’. If your ‘love-for-God’ meter is measured by your prayer life, are you proud of the love you show to God every day? How about your concern for the church as a whole, do you attend corporate prayer enough to support its survival and its outreach into your community? Is your pastor empowered because of your prayers for him? Daniel maintained his prayer life in spite of a new law being enacted that he knew could have led to his imprisonment. How valid do you feel your excuses are for not attending your corporate prayer services, compared to Daniel’s commitment in the circumstances he was under?

Prayer

Lord God, we are a sorry bunch, considering all the gracious gifts that You bless us with every day, compared to the uncaring attitude we extend in returning thanks to You. Friends are dying every day without Jesus, and ashamedly we acknowledge that our prayers and our influence in their lives could have made a difference. We have read, heard and seen the power of prayer, yet many have chosen to ignore its power through their attendance and commitment to pray corporately. Please forgive us Lord. I feel like we are witnessing the greatest need for revival probably in the life of Your church here on earth. Only those who have actually accepted you as Lord can be ‘revived’, so Lord, please begin a great work in the life of Your church – Your people. May Your children be reminded of the power of prayer, and their obligation to converse with their Master. We need you heavenly Father, revive Your church again, I pray. 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. Allow someone to pray with you and give you help and/or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Words underlined in my blog could indicate a link to a song that came to mind as I wrote the devotional. Feel free to click on the link and listen as you continue to read or pray. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to www.nuggetsfromgodsword.org and read more, or you may freely to subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. If you are anywhere near the Highlands County, Florida area and do not have a church home, I would be thrilled to welcome you at Bible Fellowship Church, located at 3750 Hammock Rd, Sebring, FL 33872! Click the link to check out service times and/or other special activities. God is at work among us! Please consider coming to worship with us!

Concerned Enough To Pray

On By Ed AlgreenIn Caring, Needs, Needs of others, PrayerLeave a comment

Thursday, 2018-11-10

Scripture

Bible Reference: Nehemiah 1:2–4

Bible Text: 2 Hanani, one of my brothers, came from Judah with some other men, and I questioned them about the Jewish remnant that had survived the exile, and also about Jerusalem. 3 They said to me, “Those who survived the exile and are back in the province are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire.” 4 When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven

Bible Translation: New International Version (NIV)

My Take

Ever shared your burden with a friend, and they promised to pray for you, but never followed up with you to see how you’re doing? Ever stood in a line of folk entering or exiting a church, and while telling one parishioner that you will be praying for them, you are already looking at the next person and greeting them? I am not your judge on whether you follow through with those promised prayers for someone, but I can honestly share with you that I have said those words many times before and now stand ashamed before God acknowledging that I have often not followed through with praying for the needs that I promised someone I would pray for. Nehemiah’s actions in verse (4) really spoke to me, but what equally ministered to me, was the action that he took in verse 2, where he asked about the condition of his Jewish brothers who had survived the exile. How many times do you leave church upset that the pastor never even asked you how you were feeling? Now, may I ask you a more challenging question, how many times in the last 4 weeks have you asked how things are going at the church at a very high level, or how might you pray for your pastor? Friends, too often we want to know what’s going on because we want every little piece of gossip we could get. I believe that Nehemiah is teaching us to settle for an answer like “I am really struggling today, please pray for my health”, or “I am feeling discouraged today, please pray for me”, or a pastor may say “I am feeling overwhelmed today because I am concerned about so many parishioners who are hurting emotionally or perhaps sick”. I believe that if we could settle for prayer needs such as that, instead of needing to know every little detail, then more pastors and/or Brothers and Sisters would share their high level prayer requests with us. But remember, most won’t share their prayer requests with us if we don’t care enough to ask. Now let me draw our attention to the depth of Nehemiah prayer. For he not only cared enough to ask about the condition of his people, but he followed through with days of mourning, fasting and praying before God for the needs of his people. Some months ago I took part in a prayer chain, where I committed to enter into God’s presence for one hour, praying over some heartfelt concerns. Because I have been accustomed to short, quick conversations with God, that hour felt like an eternity. Look at the condition of Nehemiah’s heart over this concern for his people – he mourned, he fasted and he prayed for days. May I challenge you to dig deep into your heart, yes even those of you that are trying to have hearts like your Master, the Lord Jesus Christ, and consider the last time that you were burdened enough about your church, or pastor, or unsaved loved one that you found it more important to pray than to eat, and your heart was so burdened for the need that you wept uncontrollably before God in prayer for hours and days before you felt a breakthrough? Let’s care enough to actually pray about those things that concern us, and/or concern those that we love and care about. The effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man/woman avails much. Communion with God will best prepare us for dealings with mankind!

Prayer

Lord Jesus, please touch Your people once again. Draw us unto Yourself so that with Your heart and Your love and Your concern for Your children, we too might become more devoted to caring for one another and praying sincerely for the needs of others. Regrettably, we have become such an instant, fast-paced people that we hardly leave time for showing deep concern for one another, for our pastors and for our churches. Please forgive us Lord, and teach us to pray in a way pleasing to You, and that consequently reaches the hearts of those that we pray for. Our prayers are to You and for Your glory, so help us to never lose sight of our Savior by slacking in our prayer life. The world needs You, heavenly Father, and Christians need more of You to be effective witnesses for You. Please renew a right spirit within us, beginning with me, so that the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart will be acceptable in Your sight, oh Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer. 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. Allow someone to pray with you and give you help and/or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Words underlined in my blog could indicate a link to a song that came to mind as I wrote the devotional. Feel free to click on the link and listen as you continue to read or pray. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to www.nuggetsfromgodsword.org and read more, or you may freely to subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. If you are anywhere near the Highlands County, Florida area and do not have a church home, I would be thrilled to welcome you at Bible Fellowship Church, located at 3750 Hammock Rd, Sebring, FL 33872! Click the link to check out service times and/or other special activities. God is at work among us! Please consider coming to worship with us!

There is a God Who Can!

On By Ed AlgreenIn All-powerful, God Can Do It Again, God Cares For UsLeave a comment

SCRIPTURE  FROM:   Daniel 2:18-19; 27-28 (TLB)

TEXT:  18 They asked the God of heaven to show them his mercy by telling them the secret, so they would not die with the others. 19 And that night in a vision God told Daniel what the king had dreamed. Then Daniel praised the God of heaven…..
27 Daniel replied, “No wise man, astrologer, magician, or wizard can tell the king such things, 28 but there is a God in heaven who reveals secrets, and he has told you in your dream what will happen in the future. This was your dream…

OBSERVATION:   Seeking God first in all things, will especially encourage us to seek God in the times that we have no idea which way to turn next, or how to respond to a situation that is totally impossible in the eyes of mankind. This is exactly the situation with Daniel and his companions were in. They had already proven the power of God in their lives, and knew that they could seek His power in the problem at hand – identifying the King’s dream, and interpreting its meaning, but they sought God’s power anyway. Let’s look for life lessons in this as we meditate on the Word of God today!

APPLICATION:   While browsing through a store yesterday, I saw a book entitled ‘Answers to 50 dreams’. I don’t know about you, but I would not pay very much for a book like that, because I have no faith in man’s ability to give meaning to my dreams. If you read closely, king Nebuchadnezzar not only wanted the meaning of his dream, but he felt compelled to also ask for the wise person to also tell him what his actual dream was. Think about it, this was a bold and wise move by the king, for if someone had the power for one, they would also would have had power for the other! In Daniel 1:17 we are told that God gave Daniel the special ability to interpret dreams. However, nowhere in the Scripture do I see where Daniel went around bragging about this unique skill. In fact, I believe from our focal verses above, it is quite evident that Daniel had not taken this skill as something God gave to him so that he could independently gain praise from it, or to boast about it. This is evident because Daniel and his companions seriously sought the face of God over this demand from the king. One thing that I was totally blown away with, was the fact that Daniel received the answer and didn’t follow what most of us would probably have done – burst out of the door and head to the palace. Instead, Daniel and his friends took time to thank and praise God for His goodness and His mercy on them by giving them the dream and the interpretation. How often do we forget this little piece of important protocol – give thanks when given something that you ask for. The other neat nugget that God also drew to my attention, is that there was no doubt or bragging when Daniel went to the king’s chief executioner. He pretty much asked Arioch to let the king know that he (Daniel) was ready with the answer whenever he (the king) was ready for him. Please notice the confidence displayed in the power of the Almighty God that was revealed to Daniel! Awesome, awesome, awesome!!! However, there is another really heart-warming piece in this story: when asked if Daniel was ready, he covered for the others who had stood before the king, by telling him that they were exactly right in their response, however the difference is that he (Daniel) knew a God who could do exactly what the king ordered. I would beg for this type of confidence, for I’m sure that I would have said something like ‘I’m pretty sure that I have the answer for you from my God’ or ‘I have every confidence in the one true and all-powerful God, and I believe that He will direct my words to you today’. I would love to have the faith and boldness to say like Daniel: ‘I know the one true God who can do what seems impossible to man, for He created mankind, and He not only knows the number of hairs on our head, but He also knows our thoughts and our dreams, and because He saw fit to share that through me, and here it is…..’ Friends, what if we prayed in earnest about all of our hospital visits, bedside prayers for the sick, pre-surgery prayers with loved ones, or prayers with suicidal friends? Could we say with more confidence that our God, who: gave Daniel answers to the king’s dreams; parted the Red Sea, raised Lazarus from the dead; opened blinded eyes; and healed the lame – that this is the same God that we pray to, and in whom we have confidence that He could also answer our minor issues? It is evident friends, that we serve the One and Only God who can do all things – for His glory! Will you trust Him wholeheartedly today?

PRAYER:   We serve the only God who can do all things, yet we are still down and out when things don’t go our way. Lord, please forgive us for our ungratefulness. We have the ‘best of the best’, yet we complain. Lord, You’ve shown us how Your power and wisdom worked in the life of Daniel today. Please help us to draw closer to You than ever before, so that we may be touched by that same power and given that same wisdom that You showered on Daniel and his companions. May we always step aside and allow Your work to be accomplished, all for Your glory, and if You choose to use us in Your mighty works, may we be eternally grateful and enriched for Your further work. In all things, be glorified through me today oh Lord, AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: There are two more pages on my blog that will provide you with additional information, one of them being ‘To Know Jesus’.  If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please click on the above page, or speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. Please allow someone to pray with you and give you help and/or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Words underlined in my blog could indicate a link to a song that came to mind as I wrote the devotional. Feel free to click on the link and listen as you continue to read or pray. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to Nuggets From God’s Word and read more, or you may freely subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. If you are anywhere near the Sebring, Florida area and do not have a church home, I would be thrilled to welcome you at Bible Fellowship Church, located at 3750 Hammock Rd, Sebring, FL 33872! Click the link to check out service times and/or other special activities. God is at work among us! Please consider coming to worship with us!

Looking Forward to THE DAY!

On By Ed AlgreenIn Devoted, Heaven, Holy, Peace, SalvationLeave a comment

SCRIPTURE  FROM:   2 Peter 3:11-14 (ERV)

TEXT: 11 Everything will be destroyed in this way. So what kind of people should you be? Your lives should be holy and devoted to God. 12 You should be looking forward to the day of God, wanting more than anything else for it to come soon.When it comes, the sky will be destroyed with fire, and everything in the sky will melt with heat. 13 But God made a promise to us. And we are waiting for what he promised—a new sky and a new earth. That will be the place where goodness lives.   14 Dear friends, we are waiting for this to happen. So try as hard as you can to be without sin and without fault. Try to be at peace with God.

OBSERVATION:   God used Peter to remind Christians of his day, and to remind us today, that He will return. He has promised that! While we wait, Peter is warning us of the things that will bombard us, and the people that will discourage us, by doubting and questioning the integrity of God. In the focal verses, we are reminded of what kind of people we should strive to be while we wait. Because this applies to us today, we must be very familiar with what the Word of God instructs us, so let us stop and meditate on this for a while today. 

APPLICATION:   As kids, we might remember our parents either threatening us, or promising to reward us, depending on how well we behaved, and how obedient we were to baby sitters while our parents are out. Often they would return and ask the sitter how the kids did while they were away. Through Peter, God is instructing us on how we should act while He is readying our eternal home! As we stop and meditate, I wonder how we would rate ourselves on how we’re doing? Here are some things that stood out to me in this Scripture:

  1. My life should be holy and devoted to God. God knows all things, so He can quickly tell me how I’m doing in this arena, but if my family and friends were honest with me, I wonder what they might say? Is it apparent to them? One translation says that I should be consumed with godliness!
  2. I should be looking forward to the day of His return! One translations says that I should daily expect His return! ‘Daily’ tells me that I should never forget that my Lord will return – any day now! Yes, it could be today, and I should have a deep desire for that. To the contrary, remember hearing folk say that they hope the Lord will wait one more day? Perhaps so they could welcome their first grandchild, or meet the guy they met online and chatted with for almost a year, etc, etc. Would you say that you desire and long for the return of our Master?
  3. I should be trying my best to live without sin and without fault. Way too often, I believe that we ‘cave in’ to every little effort of satan to distract us from our walk with Christ, and from our path to holiness. If we ‘caved in’ so easily in our marriages, we would see a drastic increase in the rate of divorce, I believe. So isn’t it frightening to imagine what Christ might say when He sees us face to face?
  4. I should live at peace with God. Friends, we can only do this if our conscience is clear and we know wholeheartedly that we are living holy and righteous lives unto God. How are we doing?

PRAYER:   Father God, You have such awesome plans in mind for us, and we know this from the promises You have made in Your Word, yet we still seem so unenthused by the look ahead to THE DAY when You will welcome us home. All we know of here on earth are things like: heartaches, financial burdens, health challenges, hatred and many other things that pull us down every day. But to look through the clouds of doubt and heartaches of daily life here on earth, and to know that our Savior is awaiting our arrival with open, loving arms, does it not give you joy for today and great hope for tomorrow? Friends, if your know my Savior, let’s live like He ordained it in these verses today. If you don’t know Jesus personally, may I encourage you to seek Him out now and accept Him as Lord of your life? Read through my Footnote below and follow the plan of salvation outlined there. Accept Him today friend, while there is still time! AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: There are two more pages on my blog that will provide you with additional information, one of them being ‘To Know Jesus’.  If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please click on the above page, or speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. Please allow someone to pray with you and give you help and/or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Words underlined in my blog could indicate a link to a song that came to mind as I wrote the devotional. Feel free to click on the link and listen as you continue to read or pray. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to Nuggets From God’s Word and read more, or you may freely to subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. If you are anywhere near the Sebring, Florida area and do not have a church home, I would be thrilled to welcome you at Bible Fellowship Church, located at 3750 Hammock Rd, Sebring, FL 33872! Click the link to check out service times and/or other special activities. God is at work among us! Please consider coming to worship with us!

Slaves to Anything That Controls Us

On By Ed AlgreenIn Committed, Control, Control your tongue, Totally committedLeave a comment

SCRIPTURE  FROM:   2 Peter 2:18-20 (ERV)

TEXT: 18 They boast with words that mean nothing. They lead people into the trap of sin. They find people who have just escaped from a wrong way of life and lead them back into sin. They do this by using the evil things people want to do in their human weakness. 19 These false teachers promise those people freedom, but they themselves are not free. They are slaves to a mind that has been ruined by sin. Yes, people are slaves to anything that controls them.  20 People can be made free from the evil in the world. They can be made free by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. But if they go back into those evil things and are controlled by them, then it is worse for them than it was before.

OBSERVATION:   God used Peter to speak to his people at the time, and to also warn us today of the danger of false teachers sneaking in among us. Of course, no one reading this devotional will probably know of any ‘false teachers’ that have made their way into your churches, although you may have heard of this happening before at the churches across the street! Peter’s warning in these verses today shows us how easily this could happen in your own church, and how well accepted it might be, especially if they start opening up the doors, that are normally restricted or barred from typical Bible believing churches. So let’s stop and meditate on this for a little time today friends…

APPLICATION:   I remember attending a very small church at one time, and as they moved into their time of Holy Communion, my wife and I chose not to participate, because of our understanding of where our hearts should be in order to take part in this holy, sacred practice. From the pulpit, we were told that there’s nothing wrong with participating, because all have sinned. After some 50 years, I still remember the guilt feelings of giving in to that preacher in spite of where we felt we were with God at the time. Now in no way am I accusing that preacher of being a fase teacher, but I believe from our focal verses today, we could see where some teachers might easily convince us that it’s ok to do certain things, that we have always being taught is off limits for the believer. Friends, there is no better way to deal with this, than to have your Bible in hand at each service and/or Bible teaching class. If the preacher has announced a Scripture that supports his sermon, then turn in your Bible to that passage, and try to support what he is saying against what is written in the Word. If you can’t support it, then please get with the preacher after the service and ask him for the reference upon which he based his statement. Let me encourage you to do this. It will not only help you to stay true to the Word, but it will also help keep that preacher accountable to his calling. This will also encourage the preacher to thank God that at least one person was listening to the sermon/teaching! The other major thing that God got my attention on, was the fact that anything that controls us, we could easily become slave to. This really caused me to stop and ponder the things that tend to control me. While I really want you to think carefully about what might be controlling you, I believe that for me it might be things like work; church work; food; computer based programs and technology-based wonders, etc. To apply the Word of God, I believe it is my responsibility to make sure that none of the above enslaves me or interferes with my relationship with God. What about you friend, are there things that keep you for your daily time with the Lord, or opportunities to grow spiritually? Think about it, and will yourself to let nothing draw you away from God – the only One that loved you enough to sacrificially provide the means of you getting to heaven, and the only One who has the ability to help you overcome the evil things of this world and draw you to Himself.

PRAYER:   Lord, You won us to Yourself through Your precious Word. Please deepen our commitment to always seek the Word when we feel like something is separating us from You. Please help us to feed ourselves on Your Word daily, so that our souls might be fed with things that are holy, things that are righteous, and things that will draw us even closer to Yourself. Please keep us accountable to our commitment to serve You all the days of our life here on earth. May Your Word be a rock and a firm foundation on which we could stand as we face the evil 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 could indicate a link to a song that came to mind as I wrote the devotional. Feel free to click on the link and listen as you continue to read or pray. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to Nuggets From God’s Word and read more, or you may freely to subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. If you are anywhere near the Sebring, Florida area and do not have a church home, I would be thrilled to welcome you at Bible Fellowship Church, located at 3750 Hammock Rd, Sebring, FL 33872! Click the link to check out service times and/or other special activities. God is at work among us! Please consider coming to worship with us!

We Are One In Christ

On By Ed AlgreenIn God alone, Oneness, UnityLeave a comment

SCRIPTURE  FROM:   Galatians 3:26-28 (TLB)

TEXT:  26 For now we are all children of God through faith in Jesus Christ, 27 and we who have been baptized into union with Christ are enveloped by him. 28 We are no longer Jews or Greeks or slaves or free men or even merely men or women, but we are all the same—we are Christians; we are one in Christ Jesus.

OBSERVATION:   There are so many things that divide us, yes, even Christians; even churches; even pastors. God saw that happening in Peter’s day, and He knew that as long as He allowed humans to be involved, it would happen again and again, until He returns to take us on to glory. I feel impelled to meditate on this for a moment today. Let’s seek God’s face and instruction on how He would lead us to deal with disunity, or division.

APPLICATION:   Ever noticed how people who generally want nothing to do with God in their everyday normal life, will often seek out a pastor, or a praying Christian in times of desperate need? What if they sought us out when they were battling with another unbeliever, but to their disappointment found that we were also struggling in that area of our lives? Would that be of any comfort? Now before you start your email to condemn me on this, let me explain that I believe that we all battle with sin, therefore we may have already, or soon will, battle with disunity at one time or another also. However, I believe what makes the difference is, when the Christian runs to the Source of all Truth for guidance, for help, for strength to overcome, and for direction on how to handle the situation God’s way. Friends, our way will be extremely selfish and self-promoting. God’s way will draw the individuals closer to Him, so that He might be glorified in the church! Satan will use the smallest things to divide God’s church. Elections and political differences are commonly a source of division, but according to our verses today, God is reminding us that we must never forget that we, who are called by His name, are still ‘ONE in CHRIST’. So my friend, my Brother and my Sister, if we are one in Christ, why would Satan try to bring enmity between us? Isn’t it plain to see that a church that is working together, loving each other, sharing in the same faith, having the same Father, will accomplish so much more for the kingdom, than a body that is divided and fighting against each other? Let’s never forget that God’s purpose is to unite the church and build it up, so that His purpose and will might be accomplished. Satan’s purpose is to destroy anything that God is trying to accomplish through His church. We can only be ‘One Church’ if we are God’s Church. Let’s forget about all of the other labels that we may place on ourselves while here in this world. We are children of God, and that’s what matters most of all!

PRAYER:   Father, please teach us, Your precious children, to examine ourselves regularly, so that we may allow You to point out those things in us that might distract from our oneness in You. Lord, may we constantly give up those things that bring division, or that cause us to lose our identity with You. We will come into contact with people who need You as their personal Savior, and we will have daily encounters with those who know You personally. May they all be reminded of Jesus as they interact with us, so that a strong desire might be developed in them to know You in a very personal way. Lord, may You be glorified in us, so that we may become one with You! AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: There are two more pages on my blog that will provide you with additional information, one of them being ‘To Know Jesus’.  If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please click on the above page, or speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. Please allow someone to pray with you and give you help and/or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Words underlined in my blog could indicate a link to a song that came to mind as I wrote the devotional. Feel free to click on the link and listen as you continue to read or pray. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to Nuggets From God’s Word and read more, or you may freely to subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. If you are anywhere near the Sebring, Florida area and do not have a church home, I would be thrilled to welcome you at Bible Fellowship Church, located at 3750 Hammock Rd, Sebring, FL 33872! Click the link to check out service times and/or other special activities. God is at work among us! Please consider coming to worship with us!

Everything You Need for Living a Truly Good Life

On By Ed AlgreenIn Christian Living, Exemplary Living, God's Goodness, Good, Good works, Holy Living, Living with purpose, Righteous LivingLeave a comment

SCRIPTURE  FROM:   2 Peter 1:2-4 (TLB)

TEXT:  2 Do you want more and more of God’s kindness and peace? Then learn to know him better and better. 3 For as you know him better, he will give you, through his great power, everything you need for living a truly good life: he even shares his own glory and his own goodness with us! 4 And by that same mighty power he has given us all the other rich and wonderful blessings he promised; for instance, the promise to save us from the lust and rottenness all around us, and to give us his own character.

OBSERVATION:   When we seriously desire to know God personally, and when we commit ourselves to Him personally, we will desire to know Him better and better. The Word of God tells us that when this happens, He will give us everything we need to live a truly good life, including the power to fight against the evil and rottenness all around us while here on earth. Isn’t this the answer to most of our excuses why we feel like we cannot be successful in the Christian life? God is faithful to His Word and we can depend on that, so let’s meditate on this for a short while today.

APPLICATION:   Children growing up will tell mom or dad that they just can’t handle this adult life, because the demands are too great, or the temptations are too great for them to overcome. Adults who are approached by a messenger of God about the condition of their soul, will often be tempted to say that they are not good enough, or they have been so heavily involved in things of the world, that God would never accept them. We also have many Christians who say they could be nothing more than a pew warmer, because they just don’t have the abilities. After reading the Scripture today, do you still feel like that’s all you can do friend? Do you still feel like you have a legitimate excuse?Have you done much about knowing Him better and better each day? To do this, will require that you dig into the Word daily, for there you will learn about the commands of God, the life and nature of Jesus, and all of the promises that are in store for us when we leave this world and join hearts and hands with the Master in heaven! There will be days when you might feel like a failure, or you might feel so weakened by this evil world. Friends, God has provided a means by which we can communicate with Him on a regular basis. In prayer you can ask forgiveness, and you can communicate one-on-one with the Savior. He will not only identify with your hurts, sins, and shortcomings, but He will give you strength to overcome and wisdom to redirect your life in a meaningful way to better serve Him and bring Him glory. May I encourage you to give God a try? He created your very being, and He knows all about our daily ups and downs. The last words in our verses remind us that He wants to give us His character. What more can we ask for, precious friend?

PRAYER:   Lord, we come humbly before You, knowing that You are our everything, and that You hold us, and this world, in the palm of Your hand. You’re in control of it all. You know how badly Your children need you every day, and in every aspect of life. We therefore admit that we are needy, and badly in need of our Master. So we commit ourselves to you all over again, and we ask that You give us confidence to depend on You for every need in order to live a truly good life – one that represents You in a manner pleasing to You. We would be eternally grateful oh Lord. AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: There are two more pages on my blog that will provide you with additional information, one of them being ‘To Know Jesus’.  If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please click on the above page, or speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. Please allow someone to pray with you and give you help and/or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Words underlined in my blog could indicate a link to a song that came to mind as I wrote the devotional. Feel free to click on the link and listen as you continue to read or pray. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to Nuggets From God’s Word and read more, or you may freely to subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. If you are anywhere near the Sebring, Florida area and do not have a church home, I would be thrilled to welcome you at Bible Fellowship Church, located at 3750 Hammock Rd, Sebring, FL 33872! Click the link to check out service times and/or other special activities. God is at work among us! Please consider coming to worship with us!

Biblical Response To Worries and Stress

On By Ed AlgreenIn Worry, Worry no moreLeave a comment

SCRIPTURE  FROM:   1 Peter 5:6-7 (TPT)

TEXT:  6 If you bow low in God’s awesome presence, he will eventually exalt you as you leave the timing in his hands. 7 Pour out all your worries and stress upon him and leave them there, for he always tenderly cares for you.

OBSERVATION:   This chapter begins with Peter giving godly advice to church elders, but I am convinced that these two verses apply to all Christians. Let us meditate on these words for a few moments today!

APPLICATION:   In an effort to understand the Scripture best, I sometimes will think of the passage in a ‘what if’ scenario. So take these verses for example: what if we were to stand proud and not develop a deep, sweet relationship with the Master? Would this not mean that we would have no one to turn to when our troubles and trials become more than we could bear alone? Would this not mean that we are asking God to keep His hands off, because we will fight our battles alone? Friends, I want to remind you that there is absolutely nothing more important than us having a close, one-on-one relationship with our Master – the Creator of all humans, and this earth on which we live. There is no greater peace, or cause for humility, than to approach the throne of grace, knowing that we are not only going all the way to the top of all power sources, but also in knowing that we are approaching the One who loves us beyond anything that we could humanly comprehend. For He sacrificed His only Son so that we (sinners) might have the means of going to heaven. Wow! Oh what a love is that? So as we approach the throne, don’t you know that Jesus is there with outstretched arms to welcome His child and patiently listen to our worries and concerns? Also, like any good father, don’t you know that He is anxiously awaiting to settle our minds in knowing that He now has control, and there is nothing more for us to worry about? This is enough to send the child of God over the top in excitement and in peace! But to those who might read this devotional and not have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, I must warn you that our Savior is not a heavenly Santa Claus. He really wants you to first acknowledge Him as Lord, by accepting Him as your Savior. He is quite the gentleman, and will stay His distance until you invite Him into your life. So what are you waiting for my friend? Please read my Footnote and understand how easy it is to find Jesus, and to accept Him as your Lord and Savior. He cares for you, and is patiently waiting for you to invite Him in. Make it today, won’t you?

PRAYER:   Lord I pray that someone will read this devotional today and receive a clear understanding of accepting You as their Lord and Savior. Please open the hearts of those who are searching for more in this life, and for hope in the future. May today be the day of salvation for them. Thank You Lord for the peace of knowing You personally, and for the comfort in knowing that there is a God who cares about us and loves us beyond human understanding. May the glory be all Yours today as eyes are opened to the gospel, is my humble prayer oh Lord, AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: There are two more pages on my blog that will provide you with additional information, one of them being ‘To Know Jesus’.  If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please click on the above page, or speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. Please allow someone to pray with you and give you help and/or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Words underlined in my blog could indicate a link to a song that came to mind as I wrote the devotional. Feel free to click on the link and listen as you continue to read or pray. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to Nuggets From God’s Word and read more, or you may freely to subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. If you are anywhere near the Sebring, Florida area and do not have a church home, I would be thrilled to welcome you at Bible Fellowship Church, located at 3750 Hammock Rd, Sebring, FL 33872! Click the link to check out service times and/or other special activities. God is at work among us! Please consider coming to worship with us!

Your Gift From God

On By Ed AlgreenIn Blessing, Gift, gifts, Gifts of The Spirit, Spiritual GiftsLeave a comment

SCRIPTURE  FROM:   1 Peter 4:10-11 (TLB)

TEXT:  10 God has given each of you some special abilities; be sure to use them to help each other, passing on to others God’s many kinds of blessings. 11 Are you called to preach? Then preach as though God himself were speaking through you. Are you called to help others? Do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies so that God will be glorified through Jesus Christ—to him be glory and power forever and ever. Amen.

OBSERVATION:   Peter is reminding us that God has given each of us a grace gift. One that could only be attributed to God, and one that will bring joy to the Father’s heart every time we use it. Have you recognized your gift, and do you feel like you are using your gift to its full potential? Let’s meditate on the goodness of our God today as we reflect on our gift that only God could grant to us!

APPLICATION:   I believe it would be awful if we stood before God on Judgment Day and, when asked about our special grace gift given to us by our Father, we respond with “what gift?”, or “I used my gift daily and I benefited greatly from it every day”, or something similar. I can’t imagine how God would respond, for He uses Peter in our focal verses today to tell us that we are to use our gifts to bless others. Friends, I believe that these precious gifts given by God, cannot be learned in seminary, Sunday School, or through weekly preaching services. For God sees the needs of His children, and then blesses an unsuspecting faithful child of His to just go about their day in obedience to Him. As we do, I believe that we will see hearts warmed; discouraged warriors lifted up and encouraged; beaten down pastors and church leaders rejuvenated and revived to go on preaching and teaching; the mentally challenged individuals will be encouraged that someone actually cares about them; the sick, the lame, the blind and the critically ill will see a glimmer of hope as they feel the touch of their creator reaching deep inside their weakened bodies. Friends, notice that in all of the examples that I gave you, we are helpless to do any of those things, but with Christ we are more than conquerors! So I believe that God is asking us today to make good use of all that He has blessed us with, and with all that He gives us each day, so that He might be glorified in all things – especially those things that He does through us. Be obedient and faithful dear one.

PRAYER:  Lord, You are so precious and gracious to us. Thank You for using even us to participate in the awesome work that You perform each day. It seems like more today than ever before, we see and hear about so many that are hurting and dying of incurable deceases. Thank You for reminding us of Your great power, You love, and Your ultimate desire to bless Your children. Lord, we make ourselves available to You. Please help us to stay so in tuned with You that You will make full use of the empty vessels that we present at Your feet in need of a fresh filling from You. May You be glorified in all things today, especially those things in which You may choose to allow our participation. AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: There are two more pages on my blog that will provide you with additional information, one of them being ‘To Know Jesus’.  If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please click on the above page, or speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. Please allow someone to pray with you and give you help and/or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Words underlined in my blog could indicate a link to a song that came to mind as I wrote the devotional. Feel free to click on the link and listen as you continue to read or pray. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to Nuggets From God’s Word and read more, or you may freely to subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. If you are anywhere near the Sebring, Florida area and do not have a church home, I would be thrilled to welcome you at Bible Fellowship Church, located at 3750 Hammock Rd, Sebring, FL 33872! Click the link to check out service times and/or other special activities. God is at work among us! Please consider coming to worship with us!