Finding Peace and Healing Through Prayer

On 2025-03-05 By Ed AlgreenIn Accept Jesus NOW, Acknowledge God, All have sinned, Awesome God, God Cares For Us, God’s Word, Righteous Living, Righteousness, SinLeave a comment

DATE POSTED
Wednesday, March 5, 2025, and I was blessed to be at Mariposa at Hunter Road, San Marcos, TX when God inspired me to prepare this devotional. My Footnote will tell you how to find and read any and all episodes that I have shared over the years.

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
Read it in your Bible or click Jeremiah 14:19-22 to read it in the New Living Translation (NLT).

APPLICATION – as inspired by the Holy Spirit
As I read this Scripture today, I was shaken by the parallel I see in our world today. We seem to have one disaster after the other and we quickly go in search of things that must have provoked such an occurrence. There’s often a lot of name throwing for who may have caused it, and there’s a lot of physical attributes we look for that may have contributed to the issue. But how often do we stop and seek the face of God in deep regret for our sin, and the sin of our forefathers? Do we see our churches calling members together in prayer to humble themselves before almighty God, asking for His forgiveness for our sin? Fellow believers, we must remember that God is probably angrier at His saved children for their ongoing submission to sin and the evil of our land, than He is at non-believers who have yet to learn about Him and His teachings. There’s no time for us to throw blame on anyone, or anything. When we look into the face of a holy, righteous and sinless God, is it not easy to realize where we have fallen short? We live in a sinful world among sinful people, so we know we have not been perfect, as only God can do. Notice that Jeremiah and his people were expecting peace and healing, because after all, they and us – we serve a God who can do all of that. But when no peace or healing came, they looked inward, and I believe that this is where many of us are challenged, for we reach our hands out expecting a lot from God. But are we worthy of those gifts, or even a second look from God? Notice how Jeremiah remembered to include his ancestors in his prayer. Have you ever stopped to think about the attributes of your life that you acquired from hanging out with your parents, grandparent and possibly those before them? Praise God some of those attributes are godly in nature, and many times have help to lead us in the right way, but we cannot fool ourselves, there are things that have served to lead us astray from the will of God also. Let’s be transparent with God, for He already knows the very hairs on our head, He knows our very thoughts, so He truly knows the sources of our sin and sin nature. I loved the though by Jeremiah in vs 21 where he pleaded with God to purify and bless him and his people for His own sake, if for no other reason. Think about that friends, God may think the whole world of us as His children, but when we sin, we disappoint Him. So, we could only imagine that He might not see enough value in blessing us because of our wayward thinking and actions, but as we consider who made us, and who set this world in motion for us to enjoy, we might easily allude to the fact that His name would be lifted up if others saw His blessings outpoured through us. Why not join me in praying at all times that God might be glorified in everything that we say or do, for whatever we do it will only matter if it’s all about Him, dear ones! May someone see and accept Jesus today because of some word or action they see in and through us.

PRAYER
Precious Lord, thanks for the reminder of how important it is to look internally before ever raising a finger to blame others for our consequences. Jeremiah seemed to have quickly identified that it was the sin of his ancestors and those of he and his people that were the blame for the critical times they were in. Today we seem to blame our neighbor, our boss, the church, the country, our president and anyone else that we are upset with at the time, for the misfortunes that impact us or stand in our way to success and happiness. But Lord God, although You delivered your people out of Egypt into a land flowing with milk and honey that You promised to them, it is obvious in our Scripture today that they were still disciplined because of their sin. This is a reminder to us as we seek your righteousness, and as we plead humbly that You show us Your perfect will for our lives. Please nudge us along to live righteously and holy, so that the world will see and know to whom we belong. Be glorified in us, because we are your obedient and righteous children, oh Lord. AMEN!

FOOTNOTE
If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please take advantage of the information provided on my page ‘To Know Jesus’. Alternatively, consider speaking with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. One of God’s servants will pray with you and offer help and encouragement as you begin or continue your walk with Jesus. If you would like to read more of my devotionals or subscribe to receive a daily email containing each new devotional, please visit NuggetsFromGodsWord.org. Friends, I encourage you to find a church home near your residence and attend as frequently as possible. Get to know God and allow His people to encourage and strengthen you in your Christian walk while you make every effort to be a blessing to them. God is at work among His people! Please consider being a part of that while also growing in your faith as you worship with fellow believers!

The Ultimate Sacrifice Paid Just for You

On 2024-06-06 By Ed AlgreenIn A Lamp unto My Path, Adoration, Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Awesome God, Beyond Description, Blessing, Celebrate God, Needs, Praise, Praise-worthy, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED: Thursday, June 6, 2024, and I was blessed to be at Advent Christian Village, Dowling Park, FL 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 53:5-6; 11

THE BIBLE TEXT IS: But he was wounded and bruised for our sins. He was beaten that we might have peace; he was lashed—and we were healed! We—every one of us—have strayed away like sheep! We, who left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet God laid on him the guilt and sins of every one of us!
…. and because of what he has experienced, my righteous Servant shall make many to be counted righteous before God, for he shall bear all their sins.

APPLICATION OF THE WORD: You might recall that Noah was mocked, and many poked fun at him when he started building a huge ark (boat) in the middle of a land that had never seen rain. As we read through and meditate on the words of Isaiah, we should stop and ponder how he was empowered to speak with such authority about things that would happen many, many years in the future. However, we are once again reminded that our God knows all things, including those things that are yet to come! And while He works in the hearts and lives of individuals in unique ways that will ultimately result in glorification to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, we find in our Scripture today that He chose to speak through His servant, Isaiah, about how the future of all mankind will change when God would choose to send His very own Son into the world to save the lost and wavering souls who are torn by Satan’s tyranny here on earth. As a child of the King, I find myself looking at a world filled with people that God must shake His head and wonder how on earth can they call themselves ‘Christian’, if they are truly looking to His Word for the meaning and lifestyle of a Kingdom child. Some that we know are cheating, lying, living an adulterous life, associated with the same sex in ways that the Bible calls an abomination, and yet they are members, and in some cases, even leaders in our local churches, the ‘bride of Christ’ as referred to in Scripture. Unfortunately, those who acknowledge that they are ‘without Christ’ look at these examples of current day ‘Christians’ and they decide to follow in their example, rather than the example of Jesus Christ as intentionally shown throughout Scripture. Now, some will say that if you read the Bible you will find where people today are no different to the people who lived in Bible days. While that is true, you will also find that your neighbor, or your fellow Sunday School attendee, and others that we rub shoulders with every day, still live today in ways that are contrary to Bible teaching. The key point for us today is the same as in days past. When God impresses upon us to seek Him while He is available to us, He convinces us that there is something wrong about the way we are living. There is no where in Scripture that God points someone to live like their neighbor, or parent, or coworker, etc. God directs us to be obedient children of the Word – His Book of Instruction. Think about it, a banker would not use the practices of a school teacher to do his/her job at the bank, but rather the rules of the bank and/or its regulators. Similarly, God would have us read, meditate, and try to understand His written Word, and to live by what He directs. In the last verse of today’s Scripture, it says that God’s aim is to have us live righteous lives that are pleasing to God. You and I gain nothing by trying to please those around us. God knows our heart, our thoughts and He is very aware of our actions and words. It is God that we must live to please, because only what’s done for Him will matter in eternity. Jesus paid the ultimate price so that we could live in the light of eternity. Are you truly living a life that is pleasing, honoring, and faithful to such an awesome God? If not, please consider waiting no longer to invite Jesus into your heart, mind and soul and honor Him every day of your life through complete obedience to His Word.

PRAYER BECAUSE OF THE IMPACT OF TODAY’S SCRIPTURE: Thank you Lord for anointing Isaiah, as Your messenger, to share the good news about a Savior that would come to prepare the way for us to enter into heaven some day. Unworthy, sinful, with the same mind as those who crucified You on that cruel cross, yet You sacrificed Your very own Son for us. Thank You Father, Son and Holy Spirit! Meditation on this Scripture invoked some very challenging thoughts for myself, plus the thoughts I shared in this devotional. Please Lord, teach us humbleness of heart and give us totally committed hearts that will learn to live out Your teachings and Your example so that the lost will catch a glimpse of Jesus without seeing the frailty of our attempts at obedience and with compromise and hypocrisy. Let there be nothing in us that will hinder the lost from seeing a holy and righteous Savior and 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!

NOW and THEN

On 2023-12-09 By Ed AlgreenIn A Lamp unto My Path, Adoration, Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Awesome God, Beyond Description, Blessing, Celebrate God, Needs, Praise, Praise-worthy, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED: Saturday, December 9, 2023, and I was blessed to be at Florida Hunting Adventures, Okeechobee, FL 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 9:5-7

THE BIBLE TEXT IS: In that glorious day of peace there will no longer be the issuing of battle gear; no more the bloodstained uniforms of war; all such will be burned.
For unto us a child is born; unto us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder. These will be his royal titles: “Wonderful,” “Counselor,” “The Mighty God,” “The Everlasting Father,” “The Prince of Peace.” His ever-expanding, peaceful government will never end. He will rule with perfect fairness and justice from the throne of his father David. He will bring true justice and peace to all the nations of the world….

APPLICATION OF THE WORD: No matter where you go today, there will be a doomsday cry echoing by people you come into contact with. It might be about the wars that are going on and the atrocities we hear that fellow believers are experiencing every day in these war-stricken countries. Or, you might hear the cry of a wife, whose husband is in hospital and there is little hope of him being released alive. Or, even at a special time like Christmas when so many want to give gifts to loved ones, yet they have been unemployed most of the year and not sure where monies will come from for Christmas dinner, much less for gift-giving. In each of these cases, victims often wonder when there will be relief in sight. Isaiah not only witnessed many hopeless situations like this in his day, but if surrounding nations were not totally wiped out, their residents were definitely living in a day of fear and without hope. As a prophet of God, the Holy Spirit led Isaiah to also speak to the generations that would follow, because just as in the examples I gave, there is much that still troubles the souls of men today. However, God allowed Isaiah to be encouraged about a special gift that He would send to give hope to the hopeless. This would bring hope to Isaiah, his people, and to you and me today! These verses are often read in church services around Christmas time, but as I read these verses in the context of how God encouraged His people, I was reminded that God still wants His children to be encouraged by the awesome promise He has in store for us. For there will be no more wars, nor unemployment, nor sickness when we stand in the presence of our Father, His Son and the Holy Spirit. The Bible teaches that those who believe on the name of Jesus here on earth, will enjoy a time of peace, contentment and love like nothing we ever experienced on earth, as we bask in His presence, worship, and adore Him for all eternity! Don’t you wish that you could face if only one day of that in the midst of your battles here on earth? Be reminded that God has never lied. His promises are true and we could depend on every detail that we read in His Word. However, part of what you will find, is that you must be born again. Unless you set aside the good, bad and indifference in this world and call on the name of Jesus for salvation, only then will you receive Eternal Life. If you fail, or neglect doing what Jesus ordered, you will be sent to an even worse place than anything you might face here on earth. It’s either heaven or hell, precious friends, and you determine your eternal destination by what you decide to do with Jesus. It’s really simple, but your decisions will make the difference between whatever you are going through now, and in what you will find when you are called out of this world. This great hope ahead, and you can drive the road to a wonderful eternal destiny when you decide today to follow Jesus. Please read my Footnote for instruction in making life-changing decisions today!

PRAYER BECAUSE OF THE IMPACT OF TODAY’S SCRIPTURE: Faced with every challenge of each new day, it is so rewarding to read Your Word, oh Lord, and be reassured of what lies ahead for the child of God! Precious Lord, I ask that You kindly touch the heart of every reader or listener today and direct them to the place You have prepared for us for all eternity. It seems like life here on earth consists of more of the same each day, so to stand amazed in Your presence and wait for Your return brings glorious hope to all believers today. May Your kingdom come oh Lord, and Your will be done on earth today, and in heaven tomorrow – when we sit at Your feet and worship You endlessly. What a glorious hope, oh Lord – my Savior and my Lord! AMEN!

Wisdom For Today

On 2023-09-20 By Ed AlgreenIn A Lamp unto My Path, Adoration, Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Awesome God, Beyond Description, Blessing, Celebrate God, Needs, Praise, Praise-worthy, Recognize God, Righteousness, Wisdom, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED: Wednesday, September 20, 2023, and I was blessed to be at Dowling Park, FL 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 Amplified Bible (AMP) IS FOUND IN Proverbs 14:29-31;34;

THE BIBLE TEXT IS: ²⁹ He who is slow to anger has great understanding [and profits from his self-control],
But he who is quick-tempered exposes and exalts his foolishness [for all to see].
³⁰ A calm and peaceful and tranquil heart is life and health to the body,
But passion and envy are like rottenness to the bones.
³¹ He who oppresses the poor taunts and insults his Maker,
But he who is kind and merciful and gracious to the needy honors Him.
³⁴ Righteousness [moral and spiritual integrity and virtuous character] exalts a nation,
But sin is a disgrace to any people.

MY INITIAL THOUGHTS: Many turn to horoscopes, while some depend on positive thoughts of uplifting words from well-known speakers in their inbox to help inspire them to have a positive impact on others each day. But for the child of God, our Creator gave us a Book of Instruction to meet our every need in life. Few pastors and teachers tend to share the Proverbs, which leads me to think that many may tend to feel they are unimportant. But in providing His Word, I believe that God had us front and foremost in His mind for complete encouragement, healing and the kind of wisdom that only our Maker could give us as and when needed. Think on the Words inspired by our Master as we study these few verses from Proverbs today!

APPLICATION OF THE WORD: How often have you heard, or been guilty of saying, ‘where did he get that anger from’? Or perhaps you have gone on to liken a foolish or angry person to a relative who was also short-tempered, because you knew them to also act foolishly in stressful times! Some Bible translations used the word ‘stupid’ instead of ‘foolish’ in verse 29, but in either case I believe we can see more clearly why, when someone acts so irrational, they have allowed their anger to get the best of them. Friends, to correct this and help prevent this, I believe it would benefit us to stop and think about the source of peace in our lives. Surely it doesn’t come from the local bar, nor the crowds that hang out there. Nor does it come from the television where we tend to sit and ‘relax’ in front of at the end of our day, for it is obvious that movie producers are convinced that they must add violence, sex or sinful acts to a movie in order for it to be successful. Why even news channels seem to succeed from the hatred they spark from their one-sided reporting and repeating it constantly throughout the day by every reporter who has his/her own twist on what authorities must have intended by what they said or did. Verses 29 and 30 speak to the individual who has peace in their heart and is therefore able to control their emotions and reactions to life events. As already indicated, that peace comes from knowing God; being regularly reminded of how blessed we are to be a child of the King of all kings; and reenacting the love shown by Jesus when He willingly sacrificed His own life for our sin to enable our eternal destination in Heaven because of our submission to Him as Lord and Savior of our lives. After reading verse 31 in several translations, I better understood how the Holy Spirit is reminding us through Solomon that God created ALL mankind, so unless we treat EVERYONE like our Master’s son or daughter, we are insulting our Master. So many parents get hurt, angry, and are ready to fight if you say anything bad about their child – someone God created through them. Aren’t we really upsetting God when we push aside, ignore, and refuse to help one of His little ones in need of a hand-up? Friends, I am well aware of the abuse by many in trying to beg their way through life on a street corner, but let’s not use that for a crutch. There are many legitimate cases where people are suffering because of certain circumstances that have devoured their lifesavings and they just need help to make it through one more day. As a child of God, let us see the poor man or woman that God caused our path to cross with, also as a child created by our God. I believe I would be spot on if I predicted how most who meditate on this devotional today would respond to an individual who questioned us about the sinful state of our country. Wouldn’t we fault the bad politicians; or those with addictive drug or alcohol abuse; or those who commit other sinful acts, as the cause of our country’s downfall? But I believe the question I would end with today may sum up the last verse above: If every ‘Christian’ we know was to live as righteous as God expects of us, wouldn’t our country be exalted, just as the proverb says? Let’s not point fingers dear friends, until the one whose finger is pointed back at them, is truly living a noble and obedient life that is pleasing to Almighty God.

BLESSINGS WORTH NOTING: There’s no need to purchase another inspirational book, or join another Bible study, or change churches in order to hear the Word preached more clearly. It’s all in the Book – God’s Word – the Bible; let’s just increase our desire to know Him better, and through meditating on His Word more regularly, let’s make every effort to draw closer to God, so that He would draw even closer to us. Let’s aim at mirroring all that our Master did so that we might look and sound like Him to a lost world!

PRAYER BECAUSE OF THE IMPACT OF TODAY’S SCRIPTURE: Lord, I am thankful that You created me, died and rose again for my sin, and gave me Your Word to guide me while here on earth being bombarded by Satan and his court. Please give me the desire to make a daily diet of delving into Your Word so that I might behold all that You would say to me for correction, encouragement and for living a life that is pleasing to You. Thank You for placing me where I’m at, and meeting everyone that I do, even with their needs and quirks that may seem challenging to me. I accept this as my mission and ask that You work powerfully through me to bless others and help them see You more vividly each day. May my audience also be touched by Your Word, not just what I had to say. I ask that You draw us close to You Lord, so that our land might become more righteous, especially when Your children reveal their righteousness before those in need of a Savior. AMEN!

Live In Harmony Or Strife Will Result

On 2023-02-042023-02-04 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Harmony, Needs, Peace, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Saturday, 2023-02-04
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Psalm 133:1-3
TRANSLATION: Good News Translation (GNT)

BIBLE TEXT: ¹How wonderful it is, how pleasant, for God’s people to live together in harmony! ²It is like the precious anointing oil running down from Aaron’s head and beard, down to the collar of his robes. ³It is like the dew on Mount Hermon, falling on the hills of Zion. That is where the Lord has promised his blessing – life that never ends.

APPLICATION: A pastor relates the following story: a man stood in the back of one of our services. He was obviously a transient. He looked over the congregation as he watched the worship and listened to the Word. Then he slipped out before I could get to the door. He came back the second service, stood in the same place, and watched again. That night, he came back for the evening service. And as we celebrated the Lord’s Supper, he didn’t participate, but he watched carefully. About 11:00 that night, he knocked at my door. After we talked together for a while, he accepted Jesus as his Savior based upon one thing. “The thing that drew me is the love I sensed among the people in that building,” he said. “I want to give my heart to the One who has caused all those people to love each other.” What an awesome reminder for us to consider, for our Lord also looks over our actions and hears our words and thoughts as we meet together with others. I wonder what His conclusions are, especially at certain stressful times in our lives! I really like the analogy used by David in comparing our state of contentment and harmony among our group, as something that oozes off into the crowd. Think of the opposite – when we are hard to love or have acted up to a shameful state, others will keep their distance from us. Think also of our personal family experiences. I don’t believe that there is anything more rewarding to parents but to sit and watch their children spending quality and happy times together! Don’t you know that our Creator must be smiling and thanking the Father when He sees us imitating Him through our unity and love for one another? You know, way too often arguments, fighting and strife in the family, arises from selfish motives. But when we live to please the Lord, we will pay particular attention to His teaching in John 13:35 where He said: “By your love one for another shall all men know that you are My disciples” Also in John 17:21 He said “Father, let them be one even as we are one, that the world may know that You are in me and I am in You, that they may believe that You sent Me into the world”. Dear friends, fighting is expected and occurs way too often in our sinful world. Let us then dedicate ourselves to live in peace and harmony, just like our Lord ordained for His children to do.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Peace will be the result as we allow the calm assurance of our Heavenly Father to trickle down to those in our presence and with those we come into contact with.

PRAYER: Lord Your are most merciful, but as I look inward I see where there is such a need for my seeking Your face and asking for Your strength and guidance. Of ourselves, we are way too much like the world in which we live, but as we place our faith in You and seek Your face, we can do all things, knowing that You are alive and well. Under the power of the One inside of us, we are so much greater than the evil one in this world. Thank You for Your Word precious Lord. Please embolden us with power from above so that we would fix our eyes on Jesus, and all these things will become strangely dim. 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!

Your Umpire In Life

On 2023-01-272023-01-27 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Live in peace, Needs, Peace, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Friday, 2023-01-27
WRITTEN AT: Live Oak, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Colossians 3:15-17
TRANSLATION: Amplified Bible (AMP)

BIBLE TEXT: ¹⁵Let the peace of Christ [the inner calm of one who walks daily with Him] be the controlling factor in your hearts [deciding and settling questions that arise]. To this peace indeed you were called as members in one body [of believers]. And be thankful [to God always]. ¹⁶Let the [spoken] word of Christ have its home within you [dwelling in your heart and mind—permeating every aspect of your being] as you teach [spiritual things] and admonish and train one another with all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs with thankfulness in your hearts to God. ¹⁷Whatever you do [no matter what it is] in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus [and in dependence on Him], giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

APPLICATION: Isn’t it interesting how young men and women will get on a ballfield, play a game together, and quickly overlook the rules of unity and teamwork when they don’t get their own way? However, when an umpire has control of the game, players know the rule – you either respect and obey the umpire or you will be kicked out of the game. Like the umpire, God demands our respect and obedience when His peace comes over us and fills our heart. Now, just to be sure that we don’t pick up that phrase and use it arbitrarily in our lives to make it sound to the world like we have a keen sense of hearing God’s approval on our decisions, I must remind you that God will never give you peace in your heart about something that is contrary to what He has commanded in His Word. I believe it is interesting that this lesson comes immediately before God teaches us how married men, married women, children and workers will succeed in life – the answers to peace in their lives and relationships. Friends, if you have accepted Jesus as Lord of your life, then you have basically asked Him to lord over you and call the shots in your life. Since He created you, He knows about the intricate design He placed within you and therefore how you will understand when there is peace in your heart about a decision you want to make, vs when uneasiness abounds. God gave us His Book of Instruction – the Bible, to be our rule book, reminders, and our voice from the Almighty. As we study God’s Word about a subject, and we feel that sweet assurance that we understand what God has taught us, then He will quickly bring back that teaching to us when we need it most. What we must be very careful about, is that there are two voices out there. While we are in the world, its leader (Satan) will be actively trying to steal our heart from his enemy, God. Satan will tell us exactly what we want to hear, and we may say that we have ‘peace of heart’ about something. But for the child of God, who is in close communion with our Savior, it will be very much like a married couple who, after so many years, can finish each other’s sentences. This is because they know each other’s heart, their likes and dislikes, and what they stand for. If you say you accepted Jesus as Lord, yet you have no relationship with Him, how do you commune with Him? How do you receive confirmation, or peace of heart, from Him on decisions you want to make? Who will keep you on the straight and narrow way while here on earth? Unfortunately, we receive only added stress, worry, hatred and disloyalty to one another when we depend only on what transpires in our lives each day without Jesus Christ. Decisions that are based on these emotions and egged on by Satan and his demons, will only lead to more stress, more worry, more hatred, continued disloyalty and unrest. But when we place our hand in the hand of the one who created us and the beauty of the world around us, we can soon feel comfort in the power of the One who holds us in the palm of His hand. Being assured of God’s love for us, will lead us to live out that love to our family, neighbors, coworkers and the world. This gives us peace within and gives us enough peace to share with others who need Jesus. This replenishes our heart where songs of praise come from, and where our hearts are revived to a deep desire to know God better so that we might live out His qualities in everything we extend to others.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: The formula for peace is made clear for us – let Jesus Christ be the controlling factor in our hearts! Peace with God results in the peace of God. Filled with that peace, we can pass that along to others that we come into contact with.

PRAYER: Lord, this life is filled with so much stress and evil that is greater than anything we can handle. Thank you for this promise of peace that comes from You, that gives us a calm assurance of whose we are and where we are going. Like all good news, we want to share this joy with those that we come into contact with, so Lord I implore You to strengthen my readers, listeners and I with Your peace that surpasses all human understanding. Open the eyes of the unsaved that we will meet today. May they desire Your peace because of the evidence of it in our lives. Please help them to know Christ and know peace! AMEN!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Your Character Will Reflect Who Controls Your Life

On 2022-09-102022-09-10 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Character, Characteristics, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Worship2 Comments

DATE POSTED Saturday, 2022-09-10
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Galatians 5:24-26
TRANSLATION: New Living Translation (NLT)

BIBLE TEXT: ²⁴Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. ²⁵Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives. ²⁶Let us not become conceited, or provoke one another, or be jealous of one another.

APPLICATION: It appears like Paul was one who sought to simplify the message of God so that his audience would have no excuse to continue their old life. The Pharisees taught things to promote themselves and the Jewish law, so learning about Jesus and the characteristics taught by Paul, was a real challenge by the Galatian church. I’m sure that many will ponder why I don’t use just one version/translation of the Bible in my blog. Friends, I spend a lot of time making sure that I find the version that best explains a teaching of Christ in its simplest form. I aim at sharing the Word so that most readers could finally rejoice in saying ‘yes, I finally understand what that Scripture means’! In this particular chapter, Paul goes into depth to help the Galatians understand how they could identify their master, and because I believe that God inspired this author to pen these words, I also believe that He wanted these words printed so that those who follow – you and I, would have access to the same teaching that God inspired Paul to do. In the above verses, Paul shows a distinction between the character of one, before they invite Jesus into their lives, and then what everyone should look for in the Character of one who claims they are led by the Holy Spirit. In verse 23 Paul basically apologized for repeating this teaching, but because it served the important purpose of helping one live according to the life they have personally committed to, then he was at ease in repeating his teaching. By now, you are probably anxious to know what the Bible, or Paul in particular, teaches that would help us identify who controls our life. I will gladly share this with you:
Those who follow the sinful nature will reflect these characteristics, according to earlier verses: ¹⁹When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, ²⁰idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, ²¹envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. In other words, before one comes under the leadership of the Holy Spirit, their lives are uncontrolled, and they therefore feel like they could do anything they want, even if they break the teachings of God. Paul warned that these folk will not inherit eternal life in Heaven but will spend eternity with their chosen master – Satan.
Those who are led by the Holy Spirit will reflect these characteristics of God as they characterize this teaching: ²²But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³gentleness, and self-control. Paul taught that there is no law against these things, so one would never need to worry about the worldly legal system, but instead live expecting the warm and loving greeting of their Master when they graduate from this world to heaven.
Christians, I encourage you to keep a close eye on the list in vs 19-22. Anytime you see an inclination of those characteristics sneaking into your life, it’s time to draw closer to God and ask for His powerful hand to redirect you to His good graces as He draws you closer to Him.
Unbelievers, please allow me to encourage you to allow God to direct your path so that you could be all that He intended for you. Don’t settle for the ordinary and feel helpless to do any better. As a child of the King – my King, He is longing to love on you, bless you with His character, and guide you into being all that He needs you to be, so that He may be glorified through you. Yes, there is more to life than the natural tendency to act like Paul described in vs 19-21, but you must recognize that you are a sinner, and invite Jesus to be Lord of your life instead. A local Bible-teaching pastor will gladly help you in this quest, or you may email me, and I will be happy to help.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: With God’s help and through His power, we could live as He commands in His Word. I believe the world needs more truly committed and devoted saints today!

PRAYER: Lord, I pray that every man, woman and child who may read this devotional today will be touched by You. Please infused them with such a strong conviction, that they will strive to get over their natural tendencies that are pushed by Satan and his contemporaries, and instead place their faith and trust in You, Jesus, for a new and rewarding life that leads to eternity in Heaven. For every saint that will read or listen to this devotional, I pray the Lord will encourage you to watch your behavior and your characteristics closely to ensure that He is shining through you in every act and word. There is only one way into heaven, and I am thankful dear God that You sent us Your Son to provide that means. Please direct our path and instill in us the characteristics that will show the world what Jesus really looks like. We are anxious for Your return Lord Jesus, please have Your will and way in our lives while we serve and represent You here on earth. AMEN!

Some Listen To God and Some Don’t. Here’s Why?

On 2021-10-312021-10-30 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Salvation, Satisfaction, Worship1 Comment

Sunday, 2021-10-31

Bible Reference: John 8:44-47
Translation: Good News Translation (GNT)

Bible Text: ⁴⁴You are the children of your father, the Devil, and you want to follow your father’s desires. From the very beginning he was a murderer and has never been on the side of truth, because there is no truth in him. When he tells a lie, he is only doing what is natural to him, because he is a liar and the father of all lies. ⁴⁵But I tell the truth, and that is why you do not believe me. ⁴⁶Which one of you can prove that I am guilty of sin? If I tell the truth, then why do you not believe me? ⁴⁷He who comes from God listens to God’s words. You, however, are not from God, and that is why you will not listen.”

APPLICATION: If I had a talk on hunting, and you were not into sports, or if your parents never liked hunting, you would probably have no interest in attending my talk. Plus, if you got stuck in the room where I had my lecture, you would probably argue with almost everything I said. In our society today, we have parents who have no connection to God, so He is not spoken of around the house, nor do they make any attempt to take their children to church. But what if Jesus came to your town, and what if He was speaking at a local church, don’t you think that many people from your town would make a special effort to go out and see Him? They may want to settle their curiosity that this Jesus, the One who has always been the talk of your neighbors and friends – that He really does exists. But how do you think they would react when He speaks on matters that really hits close to home? Why Jesus may even say the same thing to our people as He said to the Jewish leaders – you are challenged to believe in me, and to visit your local church, because you have your sights centered on this world and it’s leader. You are being pulled down by your friends, causing you to be discouraged and with no desire to learn about Jesus. Remember dear one, that the message of Jesus is that of love, faith, peace and forgiveness. Friends, as you read today’s verses, you may assume that this does not apply to you because you never gave Satan control of your life. Please allow me to clear that up for you. When you are born into this world you are a natural being controlled by the leader of the natural world. And it’s not until you are introduced to Jesus, that you ever know that there is another, and a better leader. But the path to Jesus is one where each individual has to make a personal decision to accept the gift of salvation that He offers. So if a pastor, or as in our story today, Jesus, was there speaking, and He called you a child of Satan, it’s because He knows that you have not accepted Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior yet. I’m sure that you may be filled with questions as to what difference this all makes. The difference is huge, for if you maintain your natural stance and keep Satan as your ruler, you wind up spending eternity in the place he has prepared for you – hell, with all of its terror and total damnation. Conversely, Jesus has also given us a glimpse of what His eternal home looks like, and it is detailed in His very own written Word – the Bible. There we learn that His home is free from sorrow, heartache, pain and disappointment, and filled with the glorious light of His Father (God), which prompts endless praise and rejoicing from His people (us). So my dear friend, I pray that you will make the best decision, based on what I have shared with you. I pray that you will listen to the voice of God as He calls your name, and that you will surrender your life to Him. As this occurs, you will clearly understand what Jesus meant in the last verse above – you will then hear His voice and obey His commands, for you are His! If you have not made the decision I mentioned above, please read on to my Footnote and click on the links included. You will receive more Biblical help on making that very important decision.

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, please hear our cry today for we are Your children looking forward to spending eternity with You. Some may read this devotional today and are undecided about changing their allegiance from Satan, to you. Please tender their hearts today and draw them unto yourself, so that they may tear down the barriers that are preventing their decision. Oh that they will know You today, is my humble plea. Thank You Jesus for loving us enough to pave the way for our eternal peace with the Father. 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!

Jesus Also Knows About Our Struggles

On 2021-05-162021-05-16 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Sunday, 2021-05-16
WRITTEN AT: Nassau, BAHAMAS

SCRIPTURE FROM: Mark 6:47-51
TRANSLATION: Living Bible (TLB)

BIBLE TEXT: ⁴⁷During the night, as the disciples in their boat were out in the middle of the lake, and he was alone on land, ⁴⁸he saw that they were in serious trouble, rowing hard and struggling against the wind and waves.
About three o’clock in the morning he walked out to them on the water. He started past them, ⁴⁹but when they saw something walking along beside them, they screamed in terror, thinking it was a ghost, ⁵⁰for they all saw him.
But he spoke to them at once. “It’s all right,” he said. “It is I! Don’t be afraid.” ⁵¹Then he climbed into the boat and the wind stopped!

APPLICATION: It is easy to praise God the Father when we’re on a mountain-top experience and we could clearly see that God has been working miraculously in our lives. The disciples had experienced times like this. In fact, they had just been a part of a miraculous feeding of the five thousand, so they knew without a doubt that Jesus was the true Son of God and that He was capable of performing God-sized miracles. But now their faith is being tested, for Jesus’ disciples were traveling in a boat across the lake to Bethsaida, without Jesus being on board the boat with them, when a storm arose and blew them off course. Notice that the Word says that Jesus was well aware of the struggle His disciples were going through. You see, He not only knows where we want to go, but even more importantly, He knows the struggles of this world that are holding us back and forcing us off course. It may be health, or finances or family issues, or a thousand other things. Just as He knew what His disciples were facing out in the middle of that lake in the middle of the night, HE also KNOWS what we are facing. The following course of action is even more exciting, because the Bible tells me that He stopped what He was doing and left where He was spending time in prayer and went to the disciples – He went to their rescue, to help them. Isn’t it comforting to know that Jesus already knows our hearts and He knows what we need, when we need it and how badly we need it. I am amazed that in spite of our worldly distractions yet, because we are His children, Jesus comes to our rescue and calms our waters of worry and hopelessness! Just as the rough waters of the lake subsided when He entered the boat with His disciples, I truly believe that He meets our needs, calms our fears, fills us with His joy and His peace, and then He tops that all off by giving us hope for eternity with Him in heaven! It seems like the writer of that old hymn ‘It Is Well With My Soul’ may have encountered this kind of peace, and perhaps wrote that longtime favorite for Christians even today, so that we may glorify our God for His everlasting hope, peace of mind in knowing that our future is secure with our Savior because of our souls are at peace with Him. Are you experiencing this kind of peace my friend? If you know Jesus as Lord, I pray that His peace is with you through every circumstance of life. If you do not know Him, I pray that you will take a few minutes to click on the link in my footer ‘To Know Jesus’, for there you will find Scripture that will introduce you to my Savior and how you too might become secure in the salvation offered only by Jesus!

PRAYER: From the bottom of the heart of one who needs the love, peace and joy of my Savior on a daily basis, I will be the first to say thank You Lord for saving my soul, thank You Lord for making me whole, thank You Lord for giving to me – thy great salvation so rich and free. How would I ever manage without the peace of knowing the King of all kings, the Lord of all lords, and the comfort of knowing who leads my way each day. Lord, oh how I wish that all my readers will share my joy today because of their faith in You. I love You Lord, and I lift my voice to You in honor and praise. AMEN!

Nuggets From God's Word

Tag: peace