Tag: Obey God’s commands

Only What’s Done For Jesus Will Last

On By Ed AlgreenIn A Lamp unto My Path, Adoration, Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Awesome God, Beyond Description, Blessing, Celebrate God, Needs, Obedience, Praise, Praise-worthy, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED: Wednesday, December 27, 2023, and I was blessed to be at Kyle, Texas when God inspired me to prepare this devotional. My Footnote will tell you how to find, read or listen to any and all episodes that I have shared over the years.

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE FROM THE Living Bible (TLB) IS FOUND IN Isaiah 17:9-11

THE BIBLE TEXT IS: Their largest cities will be as deserted as the distant wooded hills and mountaintops and become like the abandoned cities of the Amorites, deserted when the Israelites approached (so long ago). Why? Because you have turned from the God who can save you—the Rock who can hide you; therefore, even though you plant a wonderful, rare crop of greatest value, and though it grows so well that it will blossom on the very morning that you plant it, yet you will never harvest it—your only harvest will be a pile of grief and incurable pain.

APPLICATION OF THE WORD: Isn’t it interesting that we tend to put God aside when we think that we have everything under control and life is going our way? But I was awakened to the fact that we serve a just, fair, and honest God who will do what He told us He would do. Nothing has really changed, for today we still act like since we are smart enough to do what’s needed in our lives, so why bother God with those types of decisions. Unfortunately this goes on when we are faced with decisions every day, so we get into the trap of doing ‘life’ under our own power and without the guidance and power of Almighty God. Friends, I am convinced that God loved the Israelites with all His heart, just like He loves His children today. But it is clear that God gave the Israelites free rein to use the information and help at their disposal to guide them into right decisions. But then they allowed worldly desires, and tried to win worldly approval to influence their decisions which, in turn, told God ‘No thanks, we can do this alone’. But one thing they didn’t factor into their decisions were the consequences God warned them about, if they disobeyed Him. Friends, we also have been warned of God. Yes, He is a God of love and mercy. But that means that if we confess our sin, and acknowledge that we want to do life God’s way, instead of our own earthly desires, then in His perfect love, He will show mercy and grace by wiping our slate clean, forgiving our sin – in full, and welcome us into His Kingdom as a righteous child of God. The Bible tells us that God will do the same today as He did with the Israelites – remember the rich man who awoke in Hell and cried out to God for mercy? Just like the case of the Israelites, it was too late for the rich man. God has warned us that we too are destined for Hell, just like the rich man in the Bible, if we refuse to believe on the name of Jesus and surrender lordship of our lives to Him. God never changes my friends. Because He said it, we could ‘go to the bank with that’. So we find ourselves in much the same state at the Israelites. We have a loving Savior who sacrificed His very own Son for the redemption of our sin. Why settle for anything less than the glories of heaven with an eternity of praise and worship to our Creator, Master and King? God has already completed His side of that covenant agreement with mankind. It’s up to us now to say ‘no’ to the world, and accept His gift – His endless love, protection, mercy and grace.

PRAYER BECAUSE OF THE IMPACT OF TODAY’S SCRIPTURE: Lord, You are so good to us! You created us in Your image, perfect in every way. You gave us the satisfaction of making our own decisions, and I’m sure You must be saddened by the decisions we make and especially how we try to neglect You in our lives. I realize that this is no different to the Israelites, even though we have the option of learning from their mistakes, and we are reminded of your firmness in responding to us in exactly the way that You promised. Lord, we may live to enjoy a new year, so we humbly ask that You renew a right spirit within us and help us to stay committed to You in every way. May the words of our mouth and the meditation of our heart be acceptable to you, precious Lord. AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: There’s another page on my website, entitled ‘To Know Jesus’. If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading or listening to this devotional, please go to this 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 you would like to read more of my devotionals, or subscribe for a daily email containing each new devotional, please go online to NuggetsFromGodsWord.org. For my podcast, go online to Apple Podcasts or, using the Apple Podcast app, simply search for Nuggets From God’s Word to hear more episodes, or click ‘Follow’ to be notified of Podcast updates. Friends, please allow me to encourage you to find a church home nearby 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!

The Path To God’s Response Is Clear

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Honest, Honest Relationship, Needs, Obedience, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Tuesday, 2021-08-03
WRITTEN AT: Hattiesburg, MS

SCRIPTURE FROM: Deuteronomy 19:8-9
TRANSLATION: Contemporary English Version (CEV)

BIBLE TEXT: 8-9 … the Lord your God has promised that if you obey his laws and teachings I’m giving you, and if you always love him, then he will give you the land he promised your ancestors….. 

APPLICATION: So let us address the end result that the Israelites wanted, and that we often cry out for. Our ancestors had tarried in the wilderness for over 40 years, and they were repeatedly told that they were headed towards a wonderful land that was promised to their ancestors. However, the criteria upon which they could wind up with the promised land, is that they would have to be obedient to God and His laws, and they would be required to love the Lord their God. You know, I believe that God still expects these same demands of us today. Think about it, why would a God like our God seek to provide anything for a people who wants nothing to do with His commands, and there is no love in their hearts for Him. Why that’s a clear indication that they have life all figured out, and their path established in just the way they feel is perfect. They see no reason to honor God’s commands, nor to love and respect Him. Friends, although our God is known for His love and for His provisions, I believe that I can tell you with very good assurance, that He will not impose His goodness on you. In fact, God even gave us the liberty to make our own choice about our eternity. A very interesting thing about ‘if.. then..’ evaluation statements, is that there is always a result for those who do not fit in the ‘if’ statement. In other words, I believe that in the statement shared by Moses, we can conclude that if the Israelites did not obey God’s commands or if they did not love Him, then God will not honor His commitment to their ancestors for those particular rebels. How then might this apply to you and I today? Over and repeatedly in His Word, God said that He will love us and that He is preparing a place for us to spend eternity. I believe we all love that promise, and we often are encouraged by that statement, especially when we apply it at the funeral of a loved one. However, based on other things that God repeats throughout His word, I believe that we could build our ‘if.. then..’ statement as follows: If my people who are called by my name will obey my commands and love me unconditionally, then I will receive them gladly on the day that they cease to exist on earth’. I would suggest that you look at the following words as active verbs: ‘obey’ – keep on obeying; ‘love me’ – keep on loving me until we meet in glory. I believe that God might surprise ‘Christians’: who are called by His name (because they accepted Jesus as their Savior), but go on living as they always did before Christ. When one accepts Jesus, they vow to turn from their evil, or worldly, ways and follow Jesus (obey His commands and love Him unconditionally). It is impossible to honestly do the latter and still act like the former ‘you’. You can fool your friends by using ‘churchy’ words, and you may even fool them into thinking that you are right with God, but God not only knows your heart, He also knows your very thoughts. Friends, the prize belongs to those who honestly obey God (whether in the light of God’s presence, or in the darkest place), and who love God unconditionally. God deliberately made the criteria simple and the end result amazing, so that we could achieve and look forward to His awesome presence and the place He has prepared for us.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: A grand prize awaits those who obey God’s commands and love Him unconditionally! Are you ready?

PRAYER: What a shocking revelation for the Israelites to know that all of them may not enter the Promised Land. But Lord, You set the criteria in lots of time so that they could change their evil ways and finally recognize You for Your love and goodness towards them. You have also established criteria for us, and Your Word is clear on what will result if we obey Your commands and love You with all our heart, soul and mind, and what will result if we don’t. Lord, I pray that You will speak intently to every reader and/or listener and that You will convince them of their sinful state, and remind them of the result of disobedience. I pray not only for my family and friends, but also for every one who has ever read one of these devotionals where the love of Jesus was made very clear. Thank You Lord for loving us and for preparing a home in glory for us. ‘Oh I want to see Him, look upon His face, there to sing for ever of His saving grace…’ 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!