The Results of Unfaithfulness and Disobedience

On 2023-01-212023-01-21 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Dedication, Needs, Obedience, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Saturday, 2023-01-21
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: 1 Chronicles 10:13-14
TRANSLATION: Contemporary English Version (CEV)

BIBLE TEXT: ¹³ Saul died because he was unfaithful and disobeyed the Lord. He even asked advice from a woman who talked to spirits of the dead, ¹⁴instead of asking the Lord. So the Lord had Saul killed and gave his kingdom to David, the son of Jesse.

APPLICATION: Isn’t it interesting how we’ve come to believe that being good enough, or attending church regularly, or standing out as an obedient and upright citizen, could all lead to eternity in heaven? In fact, we may even skip over Scripture verses such as the one today, because we personally feel like we serve such a God of love, that He would never beat up on us or destroy us. Saul, the first king of Israel, was approved for the position by God. He was successful in many ways during his reign, but we also know that he was pretty headstrong in many things, particularly in his actions towards David as his jealousy constantly increased against him. However, one thing that is evident in this story today, is that our God – our Creator and Sustainer of life, is a jealous God, and He will not stand for open disobedience and mockery to His holy and righteous name. Children are often excused from accidental actions that a peer may have encouraged them into, or they may have innocently tried because they didn’t realize that it would offend their parents, friends or even God. But parents would become irate over actions that children have been warned against, taught right from wrong in, and practiced before them consistently. For parents could clearly see that such actions were done in spite of what the children were taught. As we fast forward into adulthood, we find ourselves still wanting to do those things that we know displease God, but we do them anyway. Why? Dear friends, the enemy is still on the prowl and working diligently to steer us away from God. Satan is the one that makes you so busy in the mornings that you ‘can’t find time to read God’s Word’. Let me encourage you to reword that phrase just slightly as you are tempted to give that excuse in the future. Say this instead: ‘It was just not a priority for me to read God’s Word this morning’. The end result is the same, but the latter excuse better explains why you didn’t read God’s Word! Satan loads you up with lots of excuses why you don’t need to attend church services, and I’m sure that as you reflect back on the excuses given over recent weeks, you will clearly see that it was just not a priority for you and your family to be in church, learning more about God, blessing others, taking in the encouragement and blessings from others, and strengthening your walk with the Lord. Corporate prayer meetings are one of least attended services held by a church. If folk were praying regularly to God, would they not desire to share in that experience with fellow believers who are also seeking God’s face with the celebrations of praise, and petitioning for their needs, their family, their church, their employer, their unsaved friends and all who are hurting? How do you suppose Satan is trying to destroy your time in talking with God? I pray that God will open your eyes to see how these very weaknesses I just mentioned, are some of the very things that weaken our stand for the Lord. When one is weak, they become confused about who can help them, so they may turn to witchcraft for help in solving problems or seeing into the future, just like Saul did. When one is weak in their position with God, they tend to fall prey to their own selfish thoughts and practices, most of which may have nothing to do with God’s design for their life. It seems to me that God particularly placed this account of Saul’s death very boldly in our faces through this account in Scripture. Now that we have been reminded of how God will treat unfaithful and disobedient children, I believe He is offering the challenge to us today: What will you do about this in your life? Do you have changes to make in your priorities? Please don’t look at God’s Word as a threat to your life’s performance. God designed us, brought us into this world, and is patiently waiting for us to worship Him, accept Him as Lord and King of our lives, understand His Word and live obediently without looking for excuses. It’s your call my friend! What will you do with this lesson today?

BLESSING(S) NOTED: We are reminded of the unfortunate circumstances surrounding the death of Saul. Praise God that we know the rest of the story! God sent His Son, Jesus, so that all those who acknowledge Him as Lord, will be saved. In acknowledging your Lord, I believe you will live a fully dedicated life to Him where you will follow in obedience and seek only Him in all of life’s decisions.

PRAYER: Lord, I surrender, again, – all of me, to all of You. Teach me Your ways and help me in my priorities to always place You first and foremost in what I fill my heart with each day. May I be so filled with You, that Your goodness, mercy, love and commitment will be indicative of You in every way. After such awesome wins in battle, and in being such a great first leader of Israel, it all seems like such a waste when Saul life ended in such an unfortunate way. I believe this is eye-opening to my readers and I today, for we can’t continue to do the same as Saul and expect different results. Open our eyes each day Lord, so that we may see Your glory, and desire to live in obedience and dedication to our Father all of our days. Use us Lord to touch the lives of those who need 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 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 Honors His Obedient Servants

On 2022-12-212022-12-21 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Honor, Needs, Obedience, Obedient, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Wednesday, 2022-12-21
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: 2 Kings 18:3; 18:5-7; 19:25;
TRANSLATION: Contemporary English Version (CEV)

BIBLE TEXT: ³Hezekiah obeyed the Lord, just as his ancestor David had done.
⁵Hezekiah trusted the Lord God of Israel. No other king of Judah was like Hezekiah, either before or after him. ⁶He was completely faithful to the Lord and obeyed the laws the Lord had given to Moses for the people. ⁷The Lord helped Hezekiah, so he was successful in everything he did. He even rebelled against the king of Assyria, refusing to be his servant.
²⁵Sennacherib, now listen to me, the Lord. I planned all this long ago. And you don’t even realize that I alone am the one who decided that you would do these things. I let you make ruins of fortified cities.

APPLICATION: The two chapters referenced are extremely encouraging and exciting, as they remind us of our awesome God who is very much alive and responding to our commitment to Him. Please take time to read these two chapters again today. I was intrigued by the level of commitment by king Hezekiah. Let’s remember that many kings decided to not ‘rock the boat’ and change any of the evil practices of their countrymen. However, David was a standard bearer, as new kings were always compared to their ancestor, David. Changing the ‘norm’ is something that will raise up the people against their leaders, for they are comfortable with doing the same old, same old. Yet Hezikiah decided in his heart that he would continue to be faithful to his God, whether he was king or pauper. I wonder how often we let down our guards just to go along with the crowd, and not stand out by being different? Hezekiah must have often questioned whether it was worth it to be different and stick to his principles as taught by God and his ancestors, because he was challenged on many fronts. However, I was blessed to see how God took care of Hezekiah and his people! Hezekiah may have gotten nervous when the powerful Assyrian king threatened to wipe out he and his country, just as we get nervous when we listen to the news and hear about world threats that could easily escalate to include our own country. But notice how the similarities may end when Hezekiah sought the advice of a godly role model in his day – the prophet Isaiah. Notice how Hezekiah never cursed God, but instead went to the temple and prayed even harder. Notice how Isaiah shows nothing but sincerity in relaying to Hezekiah exactly what God told him, without adding any of his personal ideas or recommendations. Notice how, through God message to Isaiah, He revealed to Hezekiah that these challenges from the Asyrian king was not a surprise to Him, but it was all in God’s plan! Notice how, even when things we read in the Bible, or in prophesies revealed to us, things may seem so far out that it’s hard to imagine the plan of God, yet we see through yet another situation where God will never withhold His blessing, or reserve His mighty plan, but instead He will do what He promised. Things beyond our control often seem impossible to us, but with the grace of God, and in His mighty power, God will never renege on His promises – He will take care of us! Let me encourage you, dear friends, to trust in the Lord your God, with all your heart, soul and mind, and He will make your path straight (Proverbs 3:5-6). He did it for Hezekiah and He will do it for you!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Overnight the Asyrian army lost 185,000 men, while Hezekiah did nothing but trusting, obeying and believing. There’s no army too big, or battle too complex for our God to handle – all by Himself! Believe in Him and watch it happen!

PRAYER: So much seems impossible to us today, Lord. The economy, war, hatred, politics, family squabbles and more. Yet we are reminded in today’s Scripture that You are a God who specializes in impossibilities for those who trust in You! Praise God that You saw me in my sin. You rescued me and saved me from sin and gave me eternal life with the Father, His Son, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. While remaining here on earth, I tend to see in my human strength. Thank You for reminding me of the supersized challenges that You overcame for Hezekiah, who had fully committed His life to You. Because You proved Yourself over and over again in the Bible, I believe that my readers, listeners and I could stand at ease, knowing that we serve a God of miracles, and that Your power is much greater than anything we could ever imagine. Instead of panicking over issues that seem so huge to us, please help us to always turn to You as our Savior, and also as our all-powerful King over all heaven and earth. Nothing is too big for You, for You made it all and You have every right to do whatever You want with it. May our faith grow each day so that we may place our faith and trust in You, being confident that You can handle every situation just as You had planned for it! AMEN!

On Following Instructions

On 2022-11-192022-11-19 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Obedience, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Saturday, 2022-11-19
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: 2 Kings 5:10-12
TRANSLATION: The Message (MSG)

BIBLE TEXT: ¹⁰Elisha sent out a servant to meet him with this message: “Go to the River Jordan and immerse yourself seven times. Your skin will be healed and you’ll be as good as new.” ^11-12Naaman lost his temper. He spun around saying, “I thought he’d personally come out and meet me, call on the name of God, wave his hand over the diseased spot, and get rid of the disease. The Damascus rivers, Abana and Pharpar, are cleaner by far than any of the rivers in Israel. Why not bathe in them? I’d at least get clean.” He stomped off, mad as a hornet.

APPLICATION: Throughout the Bible we are told of many things God did – that the people impacted, could never have thought of. Having never rained before, God had Noah build a boat to preserve the life of those God chose to save from drowning. Who would have thought? During their Wilderness travail, The Israelites were brought to a point where they couldn’t turn back without being eliminated by the Egyptian army, yet on ahead they faced the Red Sea. But God’s mighty hand made a way where there was no way for His people to cross on dry land, and the same miracle served to eliminate the Egyptian army that was in hot pursuit. Who would have thought? Word had gotten out about the miracles brought about through the prophet Elisha, so Naaman didn’t hesitate to travel in order to present himself to Elisha for healing. However, as indicated in the first two examples, God has the advantage of seeing what we need not just for the moment, but something that will draw us to Himself for as long as we are left on earth. Faith means that you would are willing to believe in something just because God says so, and not based on any previous experience or knowledge. Noah and his people had never seen rain before, but Noah was obedient to God’s command anyway. The Israelites had never heard of bodies of water being separated before, yet they chose to believe that the same God who showed them the parting of the waters, He would also keep them back while they obediently followed His command through Moses to cross over to the other side. Naaman felt like he was special, and as such, Elisha would methodically perform a personalized miracle on him in grand form. But notice in Naaman’s explanation of his disappointment that he was still referring to ‘his God’, meaning Naaman’s God. Wouldn’t you think that if you were going to travel a distance to see a prophet of God, for healing from God, that you would want to know that God actually thinks enough of you to heal you? Doesn’t it sound like perhaps Naaman should have met the Master, before asking someone to lean on Him on your behalf? Isn’t that how we tend to do it today though? Friends will demand that we have our pastor come to the hospital and pray for Susie’s healing – Susie, the one who has been a terror all her life and wants nothing to do with God. But doesn’t it sound like your friend, Susie, and Naaman must feel like God’s puppet will do whatever you demand of them? But wait, where is the healing coming from? Without God in the mix, let me assure you that Elisha, nor your pastor who is being demanded by your friend, could heal anyone. It is God, and God alone who heals. Both Naaman and Susie need Jesus. Yes, He may choose to heal their physical bodies, but what Jesus is really after is their heart, soul and mind, for then He could save them for all eternity and present them to the Father in heaven as a blood washed child of the one true God. Let’s show by example that we could follow God’s instructions exactly. Perhaps others will then see the love and mighty works of God in our lives and want to know Him also.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Naaman was brought to his senses and realized that God knew what He was doing through the instruction given through Elisha. Oh, that we may also acknowledge that Jesus is Lord – Lord of all lords.

PRAYER: Thank You Jesus for not giving up on us, even in our stubbornness, disobedience, and especially when we feel like we know it all, like Naaman. Please forgive us and help us to always respect Your commands, Your healing and Your love. Help us to never stand in the way of God working through us to touch the lives of others following in our footsteps. Your ways are not our ways and Your thought are different to our thoughts, so help us to always follow in obedience instead of looking for evidence or past experience to support Your mighty work. AMEN!

Obedience, As Unto The Lord

On 2022-11-102022-11-10 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Obedience, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Thursday, 2022-11-10
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Ephesians 6:5-8
TRANSLATION: New International Version (NIV)

BIBLE TEXT: ⁵Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. ⁶Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. ⁷Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people, ⁸because you know that the Lord will reward each one for whatever good they do, whether they are slave or free.

APPLICATION: To understand the full potential of this Scripture, we must look at the time in which it was written and the primary crowd for who it was originally intended. Paul wrote this at a time when there were over six million slaves in the Roman Empire, and at a time when slaves were considered less than ordinary people. This helps us to see these words in their original perspective. However, we know from other Scriptures that God not only prompted Paul in ways that might help slaves and their masters, but He also prompted David to be true and trustworthy to his master, king Saul, in spite of the king making endless efforts to pin him to the wall with his spear. In our Scripture today, Paul wanted to remind the Ephesian church that because of their main Master, they were to be humble slaves so that they might touch the heart of their earthly masters. I don’t believe that it was happen-chance that this teaching made it into the Bible, for I believe that God still has a message for His children – His slaves, to stand firm on their principles and the teachings of their heavenly Master, so that their earthly masters might better understand the truths and ways of our Lord. Friends, our earthly masters/bosses and our earthly slaves/employees always need to see whether we are sincere in our beliefs or our boasting about our Savior. Do we talk the talk and walk the walk? Under pressure and in full obedience, can we still praise the Lord? I believe that when we do as Paul instructed – “do as unto the Lord”, then we will remember that it was God who strengthens us each day for the job, He who gives us wisdom to understand the job, and He who blesses us with income so that we could bless others. When we keep that first and foremost in our minds, I believe we will work without grumbling, smile without the worry of the boss taking advantage of us, and feel appreciated without complaining of our pay. You know, it wasn’t until I retired and didn’t depend so heavily on my income, that I became very relaxed and enjoyed my temporary job to the fullest. It helped to open my eyes of the needs around me and helped me concentrate more on the concern for others. As workers in the Kingdom, imagine how much more effective we would be, if we served as unto the Lord, and not because we are tired of doing more than our share while others just sit around and complain. As a child of God, we owe it all to our Father!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: May God be the Master of our whole being, and not just our Spiritual Father.

PRAYER: Thank You Lord for all that You bless us with. Please teach us to stop whining about our jobs and our bosses when we have a job. Also Lord, please help us to live confident in the God that we serve, especially when we don’t have a job. Please teach us to stay strong in our faith and in the Master of it all, in every aspect of our lives. Teach us to also strive to please You as our Designer, Creator, Way-Maker, Savior and Eternal Master, whether we have an earthly boss or not. For Lord, I firmly believe that when we please You, others will recognize whose we are, and will want to know our Savior as well. AMEN!

Unholiness Leads to Unfaithfulness

On 2022-08-172022-08-17 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Faith, Faithfulness, Holiness, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Wednesday, 2022-08-17
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Psalm 106:34-37; 39;
TRANSLATION: New Century Version (NCV)

BIBLE TEXT: ³⁴The people did not destroy the other nations as the Lord had told them to do. ³⁵Instead, they mixed with the other nations and learned their customs. ³⁶They worshiped other nations’ idols and were trapped by them. ³⁷They even killed their sons and daughters….
³⁹The people became unholy by their sins; they were unfaithful to God in what they did.

APPLICATION: Of course you are holy, faithful, and true to your Master, right? I believe that’s always the answer many, who claim Jesus as Lord, will give. But do you suppose you will continue with that answer if you had a few moments to consult with God and give Him the freedom to open the eyes of your soul? Most of us are probably just alike, in the way we despised our parents for not letting us hang out with the ‘cool’ bunch on Saturday night or staying out after midnight with the young guys who owned cars – fast, cool, cars! Then we became parents, and we had many of the same fears that our parents had. You see, we remembered our best friend who lost his girlfriend when his car flipped at 1:30am on a Sunday morning and she got killed. We couldn’t dare to think of hearing such news about our little girl. But, today we want to think more directly about how our Christian walk might survive if, and when, challenged. It seems like the most common challenge is when we disobey God in much the same way kids disobeyed the warnings or commands of their parents. Think about when a Christian young man marries an unbeliever, even after warnings from Bible teachings and from his Christian parents. Of course, the young man feels like he will marry her to be a good witness to her and win her to the Lord. After all, he is convinced that ‘love’ is all that matters in that very moment of affection! However, in a huge percentage of the cases, we see where the Bible and the parents were right all along, for that Christian young man succumbs to the stress of his wife, walks away from his faith, and then suddenly faces challenges in his marriage, and his life in general in general. Our God, who knows all things – past, present and future, has a reason for teaching us what He explains in His Word. It is imperative that we note that God didn’t have His instructions documented to make us miserable and unhappy, but instead He wanted us to be a successful follower, obedient to His plan for our lives, while spreading the Good News of Jesus Christ through every thought, word and action. God designed us, so He knows how we tick, and He knows how we will react to circumstances that we face. That’s how it was with the Israelites. God meticulously brought them out of slavery in Egypt, through the harshness of the desert, while taking excellent, loving, care of over a million of them. This took over 40 years, so if you suspect that God didn’t know them before, let me assure you that He knew all about them after their desert journey, for He saw their reaction to the good times, the challenges and the successes. He saw them fail in recognizing the Hand that fed them, protected, cared for and loved on them. So God knew that they were not leaders, but instead needed an environment that helped them achieve success in living a life dedicated to the Lord. Meanwhile, God also knew about the Canaanites, and He knew that they would just add to the bad habits and misery of a people group already in a slump. In verse 39 it was obvious that the world witnessed the increasing unholiness of the Israelites who disobeys God. Their unholiness and unfaithfulness to Almighty God had reached an all-time, disappointing high. I know, friend, they’re only human – that’s what we tend to say when we fail. But the Israelites, and those of us who are committed to the lordship of Jesus Christ, are servants of the ‘Great I Am’, the Creator of this universe, the God who sees all things, knows all things and will bless us with all things that we need. We have so much to gain by listening to, and following in full obedience, to our awesome God! Will you commit to Him today? Please learn from the story of the Israelites and allow their failures to teach you the importance of not only accepting Jesus as Lord, but also following Him in obedience to His Word. Jesus loves you, my friend!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: God has a plan for us that will not only be for our benefit, and for His glory, but also one that will prepare us for eternity in Heaven with Him. Glory to God in the highest!

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, thank You for blessing the Israelites in so many wonderful ways and for guiding them on a path that would have led to their faithfulness and commitment to honor Your will for them. Thank God, You still do the same thing for us. I feel tremendously blessed in being led by You today! Please help my readers, listeners and I to stay in close communion with You, to listen and obey Your commands put in place so that we might be obedient and holy. You designed us, created us, direct our path, and You have a plan for our eternity. Thank You Lord for Your mercies on us. Thank You Lord for loving us enough to care about our past, present and future. Oh that we would remain faithful and true until the day You call us home. AMEN!

It Depends On What The Lord Says

On 2022-07-142022-07-15 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Listen, Listen to the Word of God, Needs, Obedience, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Thursday, 2022-07-14
WRITTEN AT: O Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Deuteronomy 8:2-3
TRANSLATION: Easy-to-Read Version (ERV)

BIBLE TEXT: ²And you must remember the entire trip that the Lord your God has led you through these 40 years in the desert. He was testing you. He wanted to make you humble. He wanted to know what is in your heart. He wanted to know if you would obey his commands. ³He humbled you and let you be hungry. Then he fed you with manna—something you did not know about before. It was something your ancestors had never seen. Why did the Lord do this? Because he wanted you to know that it is not just bread that keeps people alive. People’s lives depend on what the Lord says.

APPLICATION: Surely you’re no different to me, in that you hated to hear your mom and/or dad say how it pained them to discipline you! For we always thought ‘then why do it?’!! As adults we now know that to discipline shows love, caring and concern for the individual you are disciplining. The easy thing to do, is to ignore the issue and hope that things will get better. But to care enough about the individual to correct them and possibly discipline them, shows that you love them enough to want them to succeed in life, and to be the best individual they could possibly be. When disciplined at home, it becomes easier for our children to respect and understand the need for discipline by an employer. None of us like to be disciplined, but let’s look at why God thought it was necessary for the Israelites. As His chosen people, God couldn’t stand it that they were being mistreated in Egypt, so in cooperation with their leaders, God decided to get them out of there and into a chosen place that He had prepared for them. Because of their ungratefulness and disrespect during their journey, God disciplined His children in a few serious ways – food, water, obstacles in the path they traveled, etc. And time and time again, God showed love and deliverance for His people. In our verses today, the Israelites are being reminded of what they should have gained from those challenging times of discipline. And I believe that God wants to use these words to remind us of the same thing today. Like the Israelites, we are a spoiled and rotten people. We want, we want, and we want, but oh how seldom do we ever stop to recognize all that God has provided, and how He has taught us along this path called ‘life’. Do we have time to visit the sick or help the poor, or are we too busy tending shop? In other words, are we so caught up in the many material things of life, that we have no time, love, or respect for God, to seek out the needs of others? God disciplined the Israelites because He wanted them to know that there were more important things in life than their stomachs, their material things, and their selfish desires. He wanted them to see, and I believe that He wants us to also learn, that it is the very words of God that teaches us about LIFE, and not at all about what we have, what we see, or what we want. So what’s important in this life to you my friend? Would it require a good dose of discipline by the Almighty God to help us refocus on the really important things in this life? The importance of hearing, obeying and doing the things commanded by God is not just mentioned on verse 3 of our Scripture today, but was also reemphasized in Matthew 4:4 when Jesus responded to Satan. Perhaps God still says to us today that it doesn’t matter that much what we want, or how badly we think we need something, learn to listen, trust and obey His words, for in them we will be reminded that they are ‘food’ for our soul and strength for our tomorrows!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: It is not just bread that keeps people alive. People’s lives depend on what the Lord says

PRAYER: Thank You precious Lord for the many gifts that You shower on us each and every day. Thank You for those times that You stop us in our tracks and, through loving discipline, You redirect us to the ways, and things of Christ. May we have that same kind of love for our brethren, for there are so many in need all around us today. We are often so caught up in protecting all that we have gained, that often we lose track of praise, honor and glory that is so deserving of the One who has blessed us. Thank You dear Lord. Please touch our hearts today. Draw us close to You and help us to use all that You have blessed us with, to bless others in return. Being reminded of the importance of Your words, Lord may we learn to listen, obey and apply Your Word to all aspects of our life. AMEN!

Warning – You May Suffer as a ‘Christ-Follower’

On 2021-11-072021-11-07 By Ed AlgreenIn Christ-Like, Christian, Committed, Imitate Jesus, Obedience, Take a standLeave a comment

Sunday, 2021-11-07

Bible Reference: 1 Peter 4:12-16
Translation: Easy-To-Read Version (ERV)

Bible Text: ¹² My friends, don’t be surprised at the painful things that you are now suffering, which are testing your faith. Don’t think that something strange is happening to you. ¹³ But you should be happy that you are sharing in Christ’s sufferings. You will be happy and full of joy when Christ shows his glory. ¹⁴ When people say bad things to you because you follow Christ, consider it a blessing. When that happens, it shows that God’s Spirit, the Spirit of glory, is with you. ¹⁵ You may suffer, but don’t let it be because you murder, steal, make trouble, or try to control other people’s lives. ¹⁶ But if you suffer because you are a “Christ-follower,” don’t be ashamed. You should praise God for that name.

APPLICATION: I believe that when we accept Jesus as Lord, we tend to think more about what the benefits might be, than thinking about what additional controversy our decision might create, or what additional persecution might arise in our lives. Think about it, when folk are really struggling, we tend to convince them that they need Jesus. What if we told them that what they are presently going through is only a ‘drop-in-the-bucket’ compared to what will be brought on them after conversion? Do you suppose that anyone would agree to surrender their lives to Christ? However friends, we must be honest in evaluating what happened to Jesus, for He healed the sick, raised the dead and caused the blind to see, yet He was sought after like a criminal. I am also reminded of David, after he was especially kind and respectful of Saul, yet Saul desired in his heart to kill David. Regardless, this same Jesus is to be our role model. I feel like what we are taught here is that we are to do good, and be a shining example of Jesus, even if we know that controversy will arise. On the way to a business party one time I was asked by an executive why Christians abstain from drinking alcohol. I believe that it was asked in a jeering way hoping to get laughter from the other executives present, on how I would be challenged to truthfully answer. I responded honestly as I believe God would have me do, and although I waited for the repercussion, it seemed like my honest response was well accepted, and that I was respected even more for giving an honest response. I recently heard a request for prayer about persecution on the job at a local company. It really surprised me, but after reading this scripture this morning, I am convinced that although we are not expected to go out and be deliberate rebels in our workplace or at local diners, or any other place that we go, we are expected to let our lights shine for Jesus and not hide that light for the sake of popularity or because of possible persecution or embarrassment. In fact, I love the suggested attitude in verse 14 – when we feel persecuted, or picked on, or laughed at, or made fun of, because of our faith, it is a great time to praise God knowing that others are impacted by the Christian stance we just took on a matter, or the Christ-likeness that our audience just witnessed. It’s not a show-off thing, it’s our every-day Christian life being displayed in all aspects of our life. Is this always easy for us? Absolutely not, but when done in sincerity and under the direction and power of the Holy Spirit, we will see great things accomplished for God. In fact, I would go as far as saying that if we feel forced into making a stand, then we need to question if it truly is a ‘God thing’, or are we doing it to impress someone about us and our strengths and abilities. Friends, please make every effort to not be half-hearted in being a Christ follower. Of course you expect God to know about your decision, but it might actually encourage someone in doubt if you stand committed in your stance to true obedience to the One you decided to follow.

PRAYER: Dear God, You gave everything You had so that we might have eternal life in glory with You and Your Son. Thank You Lord for Your goodness to me and Your invaluable gift! Lord, I pray that Your children who will meditate on this devotional today, might catch a glimpse, as I did, to the value of living our faith and making our witness known to all mankind, so that they might be convinced of our relationship with You. This witness will sometimes convince mankind of their need for a Savior, but it will sometimes offend those who are led by Satan and his demons. May we be strong in all circumstances, so that the world might know to whom we belong, and that we might be convinced in our heart that we are truly Yours – without a shadow of doubt. Lord, please have Your will and way in our lives today, and may Your glory shine through us as we stand firm in our faith in You. I ask these things in the powerful and awesome name of Jesus, and for your sake, 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!

Tell Them What The Lord Says

On 2021-06-262021-06-26 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Obedience, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Saturday, 2021-06-26
WRITTEN AT: Shamrock, TX

SCRIPTURE FROM: Numbers 22:8; 12-13
TRANSLATION: Contemporary English Version (CEV)

BIBLE TEXT: ⁸“Spend the night here,” Balaam replied, “and tomorrow I will tell you the Lord’s answer.” So the officials stayed at his house….
¹²But God replied, “Don’t go with Balak’s messengers. I have blessed those people who have come from Egypt, so don’t curse them.”
¹³The next morning, Balaam said to Balak’s officials, “Go on back home. The Lord says I cannot go with you.”

APPLICATION: I believe that one of the most challenging things to do, is to pray from a totally neutral position and ask God without any prejudices of our own involved in our request. Often folk will say that God never answered their prayer, but how often do we pray without telling God what we want to see as His answer? When God answers in His wisdom, and it differs to what we asked for, we immediately think that He either ignored us, or just messed up. I know you would never think or say the latter, but we are all human and we differ very little in our reaction to things. But notice how Balaam never offered his first impression to the messengers, but his first response was that he would tell them what God says next morning. I’ve often heard godly men say ‘I feel like God led me to say….’ But never exactly like Balaam told the messengers. What would coworkers and friends say, if you told them you would give them God’s response the next morning? What would they think, or say, if you told them ‘no, God says I can’t do that’? But friends, think with me for a moment what they must be saying already when we make no reference to seeking the will of our Father in heaven before responding to them? Does that help in their evaluation of the relationship you have with the Father and/or His Son? In the included verses, you will note that God told Balaam that these were HIS people whom HE had blessed, so Balaam must not even think about cursing that which is blessed by God! I believe that is a true description of how God feels about His children today! I believe that He is very protective of us and will ward off danger and hurt from that which He has blessed – you and I. For this to be meaningful to you dear brother and sister, you must have surrendered your life to the lordship of Jesus Christ. That’s the method God uses for us to be considered ‘His beloved child that He awaits to receive in heaven someday’. Do you fit the description? Please consider reading my Footnote, and especially click on the link ‘To Know Jesus’. There are Scriptures that will help you evaluate your position with the Creator, and/or provide you meaningful Scripture to help introduce you to the Master. Please drop me a note and allow me to pray with you, or seek out your local Bible Teaching pastor to help you through this important introduction to my Savior!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Let the world know how your decisions are made! It speaks volumes about your relationship with God. Also, know that as a child of the King, you are protected by the One who loves you unconditionally!

PRAYER: Precious Lord, take my hand, lead on to the end…. Beautiful words from an old hymn that speaks to our need for an everyday relationship with Jesus, and a total dependence on Him to lead us in every aspect of life. No matter how smart we get Lord, we are reminded that we still know nothing about the next five minutes or tomorrow. We are totally dependent on You, and because we praise You for who You are, we are placing our faith and trust in You for every decision that we are faced with. Please help us to respond in the manner is which we are receiving our guidance so that the world will not only know about Jesus, but also come to respect Your kids for total obedience. Lord, be glorified in Your children today, beginning with me. AMEN!

If You Obey, I Will… Otherwise I will ….

On 2021-05-282021-05-28 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Obedience, Obedient, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Friday, 2021-05-28
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Leviticus 26:3-16
TRANSLATION: Contemporary English Version (CEV)

BIBLE TEXT: ³Faithfully obey my laws, ⁴and I will send rain to make your crops grow and your trees produce fruit.
⁶I will bless your country with peace, and you will rest without fear.
⁷You will chase and destroy your enemies, ⁸even if there are only five of you and a hundred of them, or only a hundred of you and ten thousand of them.
^14-15If you disobey me and my laws, and if you break our agreement, ¹⁶I will punish you terribly, and you will be ruined. You will be struck with incurable diseases and with fever that leads to blindness and depression……

APPLICATION: God provided freedom to His people, the Israelites, who were enslaved in Egypt. To make the transition, I’m sure God had to lead them in every walk of freedom, including those things that trigger His gifts and generosity. Often as we tune in to the evening news and hear of everything that is creating havoc for our respective families and country, we may be forced to ponder what on earth have we done to deserve all the bad things that occur every day. For the sake of brevity, I only included highlights from Leviticus 26. Let me encourage each reader to click on the Scripture reference above and read the whole chapter. There are things promised by God that I’m sure we would wish to enjoy and flourish in today. However, there are also warnings that God gave about His reaction to our disobedience, and we could only stand back in shock about how real these are even in our current day situation. Notice that God warned about incurable diseases that He will allow to affect us – perhaps cancer, COVID, or other such diseases. Weather conditions that will impact growth of our natural food items. And these forms of punishment will be multiplied as we continue our stubborn and disobedient streak. Friends, I found this extremely interesting as I read this today. Yes, this related how God spoke to the Israelites. But I believe it was placed in His Book of Instruction, so that we might know how He operates. Simply put, I believe God is saying to us that if we recognize Him as our Creator/God and we obey His commands, He will bless us beyond our ability to comprehend. However, beginning in verse 14, God is telling us that if we choose to go our own way, ignore the Almighty God who created us, and live according to the world’s standards and beliefs, then He will release His fury on us. No doubt we will ponder why on earth will anyone choose to be punished. Ever since the very beginning of time, Satan has misled mankind into thinking that they know better than the God who created them. Unfortunately, Satan is still whispering words of deceit to many today, for until some are challenged with unusual or burdensome things that serve to destroy them or their families, they usually opt to continue their rejection of the Great I Am. I believe that it is extremely obvious as to God’s intentions, and His positive reaction to our obedience. But He is strongly against our disobedience, so if it’s up to you, then why would you choose death over life; or evil over goodness; or damnation over the goodness of a loving and caring God? Friends, God has made His decision on the outcome, it’s up to you now to choose your ultimate destination and whether it will be blessings in store for you, or curses. I know you are smart and that you will make the right decision, God being your helper and provider.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: In spite of accepting us in a very sinful state, God saved us from the pit of Hell and, as promised to the Israelites in today’s Scripture, He has many, many blessings in store for His children. We serve such an awesome God!

PRAYER: Thank You Lord for saving my soul…. Thank You also for Your promises of ongoing blessings just like You promised the wicked Israelites who stubbornly worshiped idols, even while You provided their food and passage to a new and wonderful, free land. Please Lord, touch Your people once again today so that our eyes might be opened and our hearts refreshed to Your many blessings. Please give us boldness to stay in Your Word and apply it to our lives every day. May the source of our strength and our divine guide be obvious to all those around us, so that they may also seek after You. AMEN!

Following God’s Instructions

On 2021-03-262021-03-26 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Obedience, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Friday, 2021-03-26
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: Exodus 16:4-5
TRANSLATION: New Living Translation (NLT)

BIBLE TEXT: ⁴Then the Lord said to Moses, “Look, I’m going to rain down food from heaven for you. Each day the people can go out and pick up as much food as they need for that day. I will test them in this to see whether or not they will follow my instructions. ⁵On the sixth day they will gather food, and when they prepare it, there will be twice as much as usual.”

OBSERVATION: It is said that men are so stubborn that they will only follow instructions as a last resort! God had fought for the Israelites, He had performed miracles to get them away from their slavery, and He had provided for them each day in every way. Yet God felt like the people were still not obedient and loyal to Him, so He tested their obedience to His instructions. As we meditate on the Scripture today, let us examine ourselves and decide if we feel God is pleased with our obedience. Does He test us still to prove to whom we belong? Will we pass the testing?

APPLICATION: Ever wonder how God has tested you, or perhaps is testing you? There seem to have been lots of tests over my lifetime, although I never considered them ‘tests’ from God at the time. A boating accident; Unsuccessful in conceiving a child of our own; Helping my dad and sister-in-law who seemed destined for immediate death without proper professional medical help; Leaving my job of 15 years to seek employment internationally; Leaving parents, family and friends to move to a foreign country; etc, etc. Not only were these challenges, or ‘tests’ overwhelming at the time, but they each seemed much bigger than anything I could handle on my own. But before you start feeling sorry for me, I want you to know that each of these challenges brought opportunity to praise God in one way or another for His miraculous intervention, wisdom and healing. Know also that if I were to list my blessings received from God, they would exceed my ‘Tests’ multiple times over. I have been so blessed in studying God’s Word – especially the book of Exodus so far in my journey to read through the Bible again. I have seen/been reminded of the many ways in which God ‘went to bat’ for His people (the Israelites). Miracle after miracle, so that they would know for sure that the great God of the Universe is for them; that He would fight for them, if needed; and that they were so safe in being under His care and protection, that trouble could come to their Egyptian friends and masters, but they, being under the protection of God Almighty, were not impacted; That in being rescued from slavery, they were not just going to a land of freedom, but a land filled with milk and honey! That’s just to name a few of the blessings and proofs offered to the Israelites. Yet we see in our Scripture today that the God who knows our thoughts, words and actions, knew full well that there were still many who wanted to have life their way and not have one imposed on them by God. Are we really that stubborn also? I believe that God is encouraging us to look at our blessings today, just like He gave to the Israelites their blessings of food, and I believe He is saying to us: ‘Now will you just follow me in obedience, knowing that I am your God who provides for you each and every day, and I have already prepared a new home for you in glory, where You will live eternally with my Father and I?’ Will you consider responding affirmatively today my friend? Please accept the offer from our King today and not leave Him with any doubt. Just as mom told me when she had to dish out discipline to me as a child, I believe it hurts God to think about having to discipline us again and again. He loves us way too much for that.

PRAYER: Thank You Lord Jesus for loving me, caring for me, providing for me and giving to me thy great salvation so rich and free! I have no doubt that You love me, in spite of who I am and what I might do or say that may disappoint you at times. But Lord, I want to live my life here on earth as a perfect example of the Christ who died for me, rose again, and lives victoriously at the right hand of the Father in heaven. Please Lord, may each day give me opportunity to better prepare myself for the kingdom, with Your help. You know what I need and You know what’s needed to help me achieve a life dedicated fully and whole heartedly to You. Please touch the lives of each reader so that they may glory in the Father, and sing praises to You without reservation. May others be drawn to You as a result of being encouraged by at least one believer in Jesus Christ today. AMEN!

Nuggets From God's Word

Tag: obedient