Slaves to Anything That Controls Us

On 2018-11-06 By Ed AlgreenIn Committed, Control, Control your tongue, Totally committedLeave a comment

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

TEXT: ¹⁸They 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. ¹⁹These 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. ²⁰People 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 2018-11-052018-11-05 By Ed AlgreenIn God alone, Oneness, UnityLeave a comment

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

TEXT: ²⁶For now we are all children of God through faith in Jesus Christ, ²⁷and we who have been baptized into union with Christ are enveloped by him. ²⁸We 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!

Everything You Need for Living a Truly Good Life

On 2018-11-032018-11-03 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: ²Do you want more and more of God’s kindness and peace? Then learn to know him better and better. ³For 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! ⁴And 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!

Biblical Response To Worries and Stress

On 2018-11-022018-11-02 By Ed AlgreenIn Worry, Worry no moreLeave a comment

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

TEXT: ⁶If you bow low in God’s awesome presence, he will eventually exalt you as you leave the timing in his hands. ⁷Pour 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!

Your Gift From God

On 2018-11-01 By Ed AlgreenIn Blessing, Gift, gifts, Gifts of The Spirit, Spiritual GiftsLeave a comment

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

TEXT: ¹⁰God 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. ¹¹Are 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!

Nothing To Be Afraid Of

On 2018-10-312018-10-31 By Ed AlgreenIn All have sinned, CommittedLeave a comment

SCRIPTURE FROM: 1 Peter 3:13-14 (TPT)

TEXT: ¹³Why would anyone harm you if you’re passionate and devoted to pleasing God? ¹⁴But even if you happen to suffer for doing what is right, you will have the joyful experience of the blessing of God. And don’t be intimidated or terrified by those who would terrify you.

OBSERVATION: In the preceding verses of chapter 3, Peter had reminded us of our marital relationships, and about how we are to love one another. Based on that, some readers might step back and ponder why then does it seem like everyone is out to ‘get them’. So Peter went on to tell us about the unique experience of doing good, even under very challenging circumstances. We still face these types of scenarios, so I feel like it is very important for us to meditate on these thoughts, and allow them to penetrate our hearts into God-like actions towards one another.

APPLICATION: Imagine if you were a good, law-abiding, citizen and the cops show up at your door one morning, ready to handcuff you and haul you off to the police station. Many of us would probably come close to suffering a heart attack from just the thought of that, but it would really impact us if something like that was to actually occur! Most who are innocent would probably not even call an attorney, because we know that there is probably just some sort of mistake. Here’s another thought, imagine if someone came to you and started a conversation where they begin accusing your church deacon or elder of a crime. I believe you would quickly get in their face about falsely accusing a good man that you know, would never do such a horrible thing. Please know that I am not naive enough to believe that all religious leaders are innocent of all crimes, but if you know a man of God, and you know his heart and testimony, I believe you would quickly defend him of a crime you feel convinced God would protect Him from. Friends, I believe that God inspired Peter to share this for our good. Think of the following reasons:

To encourage us to live the life that we profess to the world. So let us always live life according to God’s plan, His design, His teachings, if we claim the name of Jesus to the world;
Live without ever being accused of being double-faced – talking being someone’s back things that you wouldn’t say to their face;
Let you yeah be yeah and your nay be nay. If you say that you will do something, never give someone reason to doubt that you will do as you say.

Notice that this Scripture today tells us that even though you may sometime suffer for telling the truth, you will always receive God’s gracious blessings for being obedient to Him and His commands. If you know our Master, live like you belong to Him! Make Him proud of you, won’t you?

PRAYER: Precious Lord Jesus, when I consider all that You did for me, and all that You gave up just for me, who am I that You would still reach out to me in love and with such purpose? My readers and I look to Your Word for direction on how we should live like You intended. Please give us that boldness, and a totally committed purpose in being totally obedient, regardless of any earthly consequences that might be due to us. Lord, we believe in You, and we are committed to serve You right up to our very last breath. We need Your wisdom and Your strength to remain true in all that we do and say. To God be the glory, for ever and for ever, AMEN!

How To Mature In Your Christian Walk

On 2018-10-30 By Ed AlgreenIn Mature, Maturity, ObedienceLeave a comment

SCRIPTURE FROM: 1 Peter 2:1-3 (TPT)

TEXT: ¹So abandon every form of evil, deceit, hypocrisy, feelings of jealousy and slander. ²In the same way that nursing infants cry for milk, you must intensely crave the pure spiritual milk of God’s Word. For this “milk” will cause you to grow into maturity, fully nourished and strong for life — ³especially now that you have had a taste of the goodness of the Lord Jehovah and have experienced his kindness.

OBSERVATION: In chapter 1, Peter had challenged us to holy living. In these verses today, we are given direction on how we might achieve this call to holy living. I believe you will find this list of things to be just as applicable today, as they were at the time that Peter wrote them, so these are some things that we must be very mindful of.

APPLICATION: I believe if we were to stop and think about folk that we don’t like being around, we would find that it may be due to them having attitudes flawed by one or more of the characteristics mentioned in verse 1. I also believe that God had Peter include these things to remind us that when we see these impacting us, it is high time for us to reexamine our relationship with the Lord, because we have obviously slipped in our walk with Him. Let us always remember friends, that when we invite Jesus to rule and reign in our lives, and when we study His Word to learn more of His character, then we will desire to follow our Master in deed and word. Speaking of studying the Word, Peter reminds us of the dire need, or necessity of us yearning for the Word of God. He used the analogy of a baby desiring milk. I love looking in on babies and trying to get them to smile. I tried that with a beautiful child last Sunday, and she started to cry. I know, the face was enough to frighten her, right?!!!! But her mom was actually about to feed her. So this baby had one thing in mind at the time – milk! What if we had such a desire for the Word of God? That’s where our spiritual food comes from, and if we expect to flourish because we are adequately nourished by the Word, then we must ask God to give us a strong desire to immerse ourselves in His Word and diligently follow the commands of our Lord that’s contained therein. If we want to look, act, speak and diligently obey the Word of God, then there may be little time for the newspaper; the evening news; your favorite TV shows; romance novels; etc, for your mind will be set on getting into the Bible.

PRAYER: Dear God, You’re the One that I love, adore and long to be with throughout eternity! Thank You for giving my friends and I the opportunity to serve You while here on earth. Lord, we want to do it right, so please help us to crave Your Word, so that we could understand Your character and obey Your commands. People need You, Oh Lord, so please help us to understudy every little detail about You, and also live our lives as a living testament of Your love and Your teachings, so that You may be glorified here on earth, as You are in heaven. Please forgive us when we fail, but quickly lift us up, turn us around and help us to get back on track for You every day! AMEN!

Tested and Proven

On 2018-10-27 By Ed AlgreenIn Forgiven, Forgiveness, Love of God, Proven, Tested, The love of GodLeave a comment

SCRIPTURE FROM: 1 Peter 1:6-7 (GNT)

TEXT: ⁶Be glad about this, even though it may now be necessary for you to be sad for a while because of the many kinds of trials you suffer. ⁷Their purpose is to prove that your faith is genuine. Even gold, which can be destroyed, is tested by fire; and so your faith, which is much more precious than gold, must also be tested, so that it may endure. Then you will receive praise and glory and honor on the Day when Jesus Christ is revealed.

OBSERVATION: Peter tells us in the preceding verses that for those of us who love the Lord and have surrendered our lives to Him, we have an awesome time awaiting, where God the Father will release His blessings on us that have been stored in heaven pending our arrival. That helps me to feel like no matter what we face here on earth, there is great hope that lies ahead! And because our Father is involved, we also know that His awesome love will be unleashed as we enter His presence forever. Looking at what happens in the interim, is the theme of our devotional today….

APPLICATION: In considering a real life comparison to this Scripture today, I thought of a husband who went to prison for battery, or abuse of his wife. Misery, pain and hardship ensued while the husband was in prison, but deep inside of each spouse was a love that was first kindled when they were in high school. While the wife wanted desperately to show that love before the husband was sent away, there was a world of influence that prevented that, and it caused the husband to release anger in ways neither of them thought possible. However, during the time in prison there were folk who worked hard at rehabilitating that husband and helping him to better deal with his anger issues. To do this, they tested him with various scenarios that might cause him to doubt any improvement. It was totally challenging to turn the other cheek to the love he had for his wife, and flourish in those circumstances. However, upon his release from prison, his wife was waiting with open arms to welcome him back home, and promised to do all she could to help him never to return to his former life of anger and violence. The life of both spouses while the husband was in prison, could be compared to what Christians face on earth. For although we surrendered our life to Jesus, yet we are left here on this earth to weather the storms of doubt; pain; financial burdens; being picked on; victims of crime; etc. In fact, at times we may even wonder if our commitment to Christ really means anything at all. But friends, I want us to be reminded that our gift of salvation was not our immediate ticket out of this world, for Peter reminds us that God not only wants to use us for His glory while here on earth, but that when we are serious about our faith, the enemy will be looking to see how we will handle the storms of life. Those storms don’t go away, we are just given a new hope in what lies beyond the storms. That husband in prison was able to endure the hardships of prison, because he knew that he had a loving, caring wife waiting for him, and ready to finish up their lives together. We have the same promise in Jesus Christ dear friends! There is a loving, caring, awesome Savior awaiting us on the other side of this treacherous world. Our time here is one of testing and proving whose we are. Wouldn’t it be neat to converse with God each evening and ask: “how did we do today?” Please don’t forget that prayer provides that exact medium for you to converse with God. Keep the lines of communication opened, so that He may guide and direct you into total holiness – just as He is holy! Why is something tested? To prove its durability under pressure. Something that is tempered under heat or pressure, convinces the purchaser that it will last. I can only imagine that God looks under His kids who survive the pressures of this life, with His help, as being fit for eternity! How are you doing friend?

PRAYER: Lord God, thank You for reminding us that we have a purpose here on this earth, especially after we accept You as Lord, for then Your mighty works can be accomplished through us, if You choose to do so. When trials come, please continue to drive us towards You, and what You might want to accomplish through even the slightest ‘thorn in our side’. You never promised us smooth sailing and calm waters after accepting You as Lord, instead You have given us the hope that through the ups and downs of life, our Master still loves us, still waits for us, and is still our guide through every circumstance. Thank You for that love, that comfort and the peace that it gives to our soul. Oh that others may see Jesus in us, no matter the circumstances we face while on planet earth. AMEN!

Prayer and Healing

On 2018-10-25 By Ed AlgreenIn Faithful, Genuine Faith, Healing, Power of Prayer, PrayerLeave a comment

SCRIPTURE FROM: James 5:16-18 (TLB)

TEXT: ¹⁶Admit your faults to one another and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous man has great power and wonderful results. ¹⁷Elijah was as completely human as we are, and yet when he prayed earnestly that no rain would fall, none fell for the next three and a half years! ¹⁸Then he prayed again, this time that it would rain, and down it poured, and the grass turned green and the gardens began to grow again.

OBSERVATION: Through first hand experiences and through the faith that he had developed in his Master, James shares with us about the awesome power of God. This starts with us humbling ourselves, before praying earnestly for the needs at hand. So I believe that we need to rehearse in our minds and hearts the need for healing that exists in our individual lives, as well as those we love and hold dear to us. The ones we really want to ask God for. Then as we endeavor to follow the words of James in these verses, let’s look for the power of God, and be prepared to celebrate the results.

APPLICATION: Numerous inventors have become famous, because they discovered a remedy, or solution, for one of earth’s nagging problems, and they found a great way to market that solution to many folk who were impacted by the nagging problem. My purpose in sharing through this blog today, is to share the Good News of Jesus Christ, and to remind you of what He could do for you, and for me. At our midweek service last night, we heard about an accountability partner that one of our pastors have with a good friend in the Lord. I believe the purpose for something like that might be exactly like James is suggesting to us in verse 15. Think about it friends, when we admit our faults to one another, we are humbling ourselves and acknowledging that we are not the ‘Perfect One’, and that we still mess up on a regular basis. Not only does this empty us of pride, but it also leaves us bare before the Lord, so that He may fill us with His love, His grace, His mercy and His awesome power, so that our faith in Him may be renewed and supercharged. In fact, as we present ourselves bare before God, guess who is the only one who could then receive praise for the healing that might occur in our bodies, or the answered prayers that we may witness? The other encouraging thing about this Scripture, is that James shows us how important it is for us to reflect on God’s power that we had already experienced through our earlier prayers, or perhaps by other saints, or even by prophets of old. I believe we are reminded that if we are faithful to God, He would be faithful to us, just as He has already done for countless others already. So it’s like facing a friend who you are trying to convince about God’s power, you might say to them “show God your humbleness, empty yourself of all pride, ask Him in faith, and stand by for the answer to prayer that you will receive – yes, even to healing that can only come from God”. Friends, this is not the way we do things in school, at work, or perhaps even at church, but according to God’s Word, this is the way we do it when asking our God for His touch in our circumstances. We are looking for a miracle from God, so we must do things His way to receive His results!

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for the reminder of how awesome our God is. Thank You for reminding us of the need to get self out of the way, so that God might perform His mighty deeds in our lives. Please touch our lives today. Please teach us humbless of heart, so that we can faithfully look up to You without anything to brag on, but fully dependent on You. You are our Rock, our Creator, our Redeemer, our Healer and our soon coming King! We are eternally thankful and look up to You in faith and love for Your perfect touch on our lives. Thank You Lord! AMEN!

How To Identify Godly Wisdom

On 2018-10-242018-10-24 By Ed AlgreenIn Grace, Mercy, WisdomLeave a comment

SCRIPTURE FROM: James 3:17-18 (ERV)

TEXT: ¹⁷But the wisdom that comes from God is like this: First, it is pure. It is also peaceful, gentle, and easy to please. This wisdom is always ready to help people who have trouble and to do good for others. This wisdom is always fair and honest. ¹⁸People who work for peace in a peaceful way get the blessings that come from right living.

OBSERVATION: In the preceding verses, James points out what worldly wisdom looks like, and it helps us to recognize why we have so many challenges in our families, community, and even in our churches. Yes, we have ‘dirty sheep’ in our churches also, and depending on their influence in the community, they may even make their way into church leadership. However, in the above two verses we could see Jesus, for He performed His work here on earth in a very peaceful, calm and righteous manner. His wisdom was, and still is, beyond all wisdom, and He is the One that we should imitate.

APPLICATION: When we seek God for wisdom, He gives us the kind of wisdom that He portrayed while here on earth, and He will teach us the kind of wisdom spoken of in these verses. Now let’s compare that to the wisdom sought by unbelievers. I believe they look to the wisdom taught at our colleges; they place themselves in the middle of very smart people; they may try to imitate the practices of very successful leaders who have proven themselves; and I believe they probably watch a lot of world events to help them understand what may be successful, or not. You may have heard of other things that you might add to that list, but friends let me encourage you to consider the source of each of the mentioned items. It is mankind, filled with all of his fallacies, yet we are content to try and imitate, or repeat those things that may appear successful to us. Oh my, is there any wonder that we see a repeat of disastrous efforts by some leaders? I trust that you will not misunderstand me and think that I am proposing that our Christian leaders never seek any of the above ways to increase their effectiveness, because I really believe that our men of God will still follow some of the above methods, but hopefully they will allow God to guide their minds, their thought process, and fill them with His wisdom as to the wise things they should implement that will also bring Him glory. Friends, let’s always remember that in all things that we do, let’s acknowledge God and be obedient to His perfect will, and that we follow through with things that will bring Him glory and bless His people. That will fulfil the purpose for which He has placed us here, and in the positions that He has entrusted to us. Let’s always remember that it’s not about us, but all about Him, that causes us to accomplish any good thing!

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, we need You every hour of every day. We especially need Your guidance and Your wisdom so that our actions might serve to glorify Yourself. May our words be pure and filled with the wisdom that we learn from Your Word. Fill us with so much of Yourself Lord, that others will see Jesus as they look on us and rub shoulders with us. Please touch the hearts of each one reading this devotional today, oh Lord. May they be reminded of the One who created them, the One who sacrificed His only Son for the good of mankind, and the One who patiently waits at our Father’s side and intercedes for us. Please use Your humble servants today oh Lord, so that those that we come into contact with will draw close to You and seek Your forgiveness, grace and mercy. AMEN!

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