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!

Find Refreshment and Peace

On 2021-02-052021-02-04 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Friday, 2021-02-05
WRITTEN AT: Avon Park, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: Matthew 11:28-30
TRANSLATION: The Passion Translation (TPT)

BIBLE TEXT: ²⁸“Are you weary, carrying a heavy burden? Then come to me.^[o] I will refresh your life, for I am your oasis.^[p] ²⁹Simply join your life with mine.^[q] Learn my ways and you’ll discover that I’m gentle,^[r] humble, easy to please. You will find refreshment and rest in me.^[s] ³⁰For all that I require of you will be pleasant^[t] and easy to bear.”^[u]

OBSERVATION: Today some may be stressed because of family members affected by COVID; finances resulting from COVID induced layoffs; medical problems; loss of a loved one; and so many other things. In today’s Scripture, Jesus gives us answers to these problems, for He has promised to give us refreshment and peace through our troubled times. Do you know Him? Can you depend on His graces today?

APPLICATION: In our Scripture Jesus responds to the heavy burden that had been placed on the disciples and their home towns by the Pharisees. But isn’t this a stark reminder to us today, that in spite of the many things that burden us down in everyday life, and especially the extraordinary things that occurred since COVID began? Children of God still have the same all-powerful, all-knowing, Almighty God to help us bear up under the load of stress brought on by today’s burdens and Satan’s wickedness through our leaders, neighbors and friends. It is challenging to read national and world news, or watch the evening news, without becoming stressed out, for it seems like there is no good or positive news. But for the child of God, Jesus wants us to come to Him – come like a man who rushes to an oasis for an unlimited replenishment of water to a thirsty soul. Animals will show us that when they find an oasis, they will hang out there, for it relieves their worries about finding water when they need it. That should also minister to us, for when we find that there is pure peace and contentment in the Lord Jesus Christ, why would we wander away? When we feel the touch of the Master’s hand on our life, that renews a spirit of oneness with our Savior, why would we dare wander away from that? In fact, we would want to know Him even more intimately, so that our spirit might overflow with His goodness and a contentment that only He could give. To do this, we should dig into His Word on a daily basis. This helps us to see Him as He is and to be reminded that He not only went to the cross for our benefit, but that He loves us unconditionally and He intercedes on our behalf before the Father. We serve such an awesome God dear friend, know Him today and know the peace that surpasses all human understanding. Please read carefully through my Footnote and the links included, especially the one ‘To Know Jesus’.

PRAYER: Dear Lord Jesus, thank You for loving us even when we were unlovable. Thank You for reaching out Your hand to offer us peace and contentment, especially in the very challenging times that we are going through. What a peace in knowing that one thing remains unchanged – our gracious Lord, and the love that He offers even to us. Please calm the worries of all who may read this devotional today and remind them of the peace that only You could offer to those who will seek Your face. You are so precious in our sight dear Jesus, may we be Your hands and feet on the ground as we interact with everyone today. Peace and refreshment is available – praise the wonderful name of Jesus. AMEN!

Commit to Peace and Unity!

On 2020-10-262020-10-25 By Ed AlgreenIn Commitment, Dedicated, Dedication, Live in peace, Peace, Surrender, UnityLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Monday, 2020-10-26
WRITTEN AT: Lillian, AL

SCRIPTURE FROM: 2 Corinthians 13:11-12 (TPT)

TEXT: ¹¹….. beloved friends, be cheerful! Repair whatever is broken among you, as your hearts are being knit together in perfect unity. Live continually in peace, and God, the source of love and peace, will mingle with you. ¹²Greet and embrace one another with the sacred kiss.

OBSERVATION: Paul, who went through a miraculous conversion into Christendom, had spent quality time with his friends at Corinth. He had also written several letters to them in between trips, just to encourage the new converts and help them stay strong in their faith, with their new-found Savior. At the conclusion of his letter, Paul gave some excellent advice, that I believe not only helped those believers in Corinth, but because churches today are still facing very similar challenges, I believe that this advice is still very applicable to us today.

APPLICATION: So often we look for Christian advice in the Bible, but then question every other resource for ways to do better in our family, friends and work life. I believe that you will find this Scripture helpful to you in general, so listen closely to the word of God. In earlier days of the church, some Might recall days, and sometimes weeks of revival services and/or evangelistic services, where there was a strong emphasis on reviving the saints and evangelizing the lost of the community. Because of the strong emphasis on prayer leading up to and during the times of these special services, there was usually a very strong presence of the Holy Spirit and many lives were impacted. Often at the end of the services, there was a sense of sadness to see the services end, so at the parting service there would be very similar sentiments, and challenges offered like these that Paul shared with his followers. Why was revival services needed? I believe that the answer is summed up in a phrase that I heard an old pastor say: “because, as Christians, we tend to leak!” Friends, it is very challenging to keep a good healthy church surviving as such, for there are many personalities working together – or at times against one another. There are so many who feel like they have all the right answers and therefore they should be the boss in most areas of the church. There are so many with chips on their shoulder, and if you only look at them seriously they may become very upset and threaten to leave the church, because they figured out exactly what that look meant! Aren’t most of these things very, very silly? Think about the one true God, whose Son we endeavor to exemplify. Jesus came into an imperfect world, as the perfect Son of God, filled with godly wisdom, and with love for everyone, as only God Himself could do. And this perfect Savior, He taught among the elite of society, as well as carefully and lovingly attending to those in need along the street and in the crowds that followed Him. He healed those that we may have considered ‘worthy’ and some who we tend to disassociate with, because they may not be ‘just like us’. He ate with sinners, and He chose some to follow Him that many would have turned up their noses at. However, for those of us that have accepted Jesus as Lord, and are committed to His teachings and commands, we strive to be just like Him. Why then do we tend to be so much unlike Him in so many ways? Are we still that needy, or is it that we have not totally turned away from our earthly master yet? In verse 11 of today’s Scripture, Paul warns us that we should repair whatever is broken among us. I believe this starts with our relationship with our Lord, for if we have a healthy relationship with Him, He will direct our paths, if we let Him, and that includes relationships with one another. Friends, here’s how important I believe this is: If we expect to be instrumental in our family and friends’ lives, to encourage them into a relationship with our Lord, then we must be living like Jesus. We could ‘tell’ them all we want, but unless they see it evident in our lives, they won’t listen to, or follow us. How much is a soul worth to you? There is absolutely nothing more important to me than to see my family and friends make a decision to follow Christ. When they, and me, leave this world, I want us all to be ready to meet Jesus in the air! I hope that you feel the same way!

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, we need You more today than ever before. I believe that Paul realized how much impact Satan was having on Your children in his day, and I’m sure Satan is still impacting the lives of our people today. Lord, I know that You are such a strong and awesome God and that there is nothing that You can’t handle, so I beg You to work miracles in the lives of Your children – embolden us to be more like you in our character, our words and our actions. Humble the hearts of the proud into total surrender to You. I know that we don’t have a perfect world, but I am convinced that we have a perfect God, so I beg with You to work on us imperfect beings, all for benefit of Your kingdom, AMEN!

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

No Reason To Doubt

On 2020-10-152020-10-14 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Peace, Praise, Recognize God, Without doubt, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Thursday, 2020-10-15
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: Hebrews 13:5-6
TRANSLATION: Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC)

BIBLE TEXT: ⁵Let your ^[a]character or moral disposition be free from love of money [including greed, avarice, lust, and craving for earthly possessions] and be satisfied with your present [circumstances and with what you have]; for He [God] ^[b]Himself has said, I will not in any way fail you nor^[c]give you up nor leave you without support. [I will] not, ^[d][I will] not, [I will] not in any degree leave you helpless nor forsake nor^[e]let [you] down (^[f]relax My hold on you)! [^[g]Assuredly not!]. ⁶So we take comfort and are encouraged and confidently and boldly say, The Lord is my Helper; I will not be seized with alarm [I will not fear or dread or be terrified]. What can man do to me?

OBSERVATION: Especially when things seem most challenging, we may tend to question: ‘what’s in this life for me’? But then we look at Scripture, such as the one we will focus on today, and we are reminded that we are untouchable by mankind when God holds the reins on our life. So let’s take comfort today as we remind ourselves from God’s Word that we have nothing to fear when we are confidently in the hand of the One who made us all!

APPLICATION: Seldom do I use this version of the Bible for displaying our focal verses, but I was so impressed when I read this, that I just had to share it with you. Sometimes it takes extra emphasis to truly get our attention! But let me point out a serious reminder that I discerned from this Scripture today: In verse 5 Paul quotes what God said from Deuteronomy 31:6. Also, in verse 6, Paul quotes what the Psalmist said in Psalm 118:6-7. Now this is not to try and impress you that I did a thorough study, but rather to remind us that as we face life’s ups and downs, it might do our heart good to also seek God’s Word on the matter and memorize that verse for easy reference when the same situation repeats itself. This helps to remind us that our God, who has always been in existence and helped our ancestors, is also still very much alive and wants to reassure us that He is there for us, and to protect us from all harm. Each and every day we seem to be challenged with aspects of life, enough to frighten us and force us into retreat. Friends, with God the Father in charge of the lives of His children, what is there that really might be overwhelming for Him? Nothing – absolutely nothing! Notice in verse 5 how Paul chose to overemphasize that God has promised to never, never, never abandon or forsake us! So as you reflect on the God, whose Son you chose to Lord over your life, I want you to be reminded, and encouraged to know that our God still reigns, and He will continue to reign until the day He calls us home to Himself. Friends, do you suppose that there is anything that your God can’t handle? Is there any reason why you should worry about Him failing? Then why do you worry? I believe that these verses were presented today because God knows that we have become a bunch of worry ‘warts’! But He wants to remind us that He is still God, and that there is absolutely nothing for His children to worry about, for He cares for us and has promised that He will never give up on us, nor forsake us, nor let us down. He will win the battle over the war Satan has attempted to bombard us with. God is in control, and not Satan nor any of his evil ones. So let me encourage you faithful ones, our God will never fail. So stand strong and be bold in knowing that you are under His protective care, and He will never let you down. For my readers who may have never made a decision to accept Jesus, I realize that this devotional seems like a promise that stands afar off for you, and you are correct. However, Jesus is as close as the mention of His name. He stands ready to accept your invitation to become Lord of your life, but He will not force Himself upon You. He wants you to make the invitation. Don’t wait dear friend!

PRAYER: O Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder, consider all thy hands have made, such as the beauty I see outdoors in all You have created, I can only say that my confidence is increased in knowing that You also care for me, and will take good care of me, until the day You call me home to glory. Thank You precious Lord. When we are prone to wander, and prone to doubt, please Lord Jesus, open our eyes and our hearts so that we may once again see Jesus and be revived in our belief of who You are. I know that there is nothing You can’t handle that comes my way, so I boldly stand in confidence in knowing that my God will never fail. Please touch the hearts of those yet undecided about Your Lordship. Oh that today they may see You in all of Your glory, and accept You as Lord and Savior. For this is my humble prayer, with a heart full of gratitude and peace. AMEN!

No Greater Love

On 2020-09-282020-09-27 By Ed AlgreenIn Love, Love of God, The Father's Love, The love of God, Unconditional loveLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Monday, 2020-09-28
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

Bible Reference: Ephesians 3:18-20
Translation: Easy To Read Version (ERV)

Bible Text: ¹⁸ … I pray that you and all God’s holy people will have the power to understand the greatness of Christ’s love—how wide, how long, how high, and how deep that love is. ¹⁹Christ’s love is greater than anyone can ever know, but I pray that you will be able to know that love. Then you can be filled with everything God has for you. ²⁰With God’s power working in us, he can do much, much more than anything we can ask or think of.

OBSERVATION: In leaving his beloved Ephesians, Paul shared that in spite of everything he had dealt with throughout his letter, and while on site with them, he was really hoping that they would remember the sincere love of Jesus Christ that filled his heart before coming to visit with them, filled him while with them and even as he left them. Can’t you imagine that this sort of love will help you to overcome insults and ridicule, and to look at life’s circumstances in a much more meaningful way? Can you see how a love like this will make your life worth living?

APPLICATION: Like me, you may remember being spanked by your parents while being told that they were only doing that because they loved you!! That was extremely hard to understand as a child, because we thought that love equated to giving us everything good that we asked or hoped for!! Even as adults, I’m not so sure that we have really grasped the unconditional love of Jesus for us. What could you find to say to a mother that could convince her that God loves her unconditionally, even while she buries her son or daughter, or even a grandchild? What could a preacher find to say after preaching Hell and damnation to a congregation of believers, and then try to follow that by reassuring them that Jesus loves them more than anything else in this world? Consider a husband who has been struggling for years to find the right woman to make him happy, but in spite of all efforts, nothing ever materialized. Or a wife who seems to be fighting one relationship after another, but can’t seem to find love, or happiness, in anything she does, or anyone that she meets. Unfortunately, it seems like even if we start our day in God’s Word and assure ourselves of His precious love for us, it is extremely challenging for us to stay strong in the faith, especially after we are beat up on during the day. In fact, it often seems like the whole world is against us. However friends, let me encourage you to read the verses again, and particularly look for the conditions given for God’s amazing love. In finding none, I can only encourage you to stand firm in your faith and never doubt the love of God. Whether in very positive news, or very negative news – God still loves you! Whether you are on ‘cloud nine’ with very positive and encouraging things happening in your life, or quite to the contrary – remember that God still loves you! Whether things are going way better than you could ever have expected under today’s circumstances, or whether it feels like the bottom has fallen out and no one is in control today – know that God loves you unconditionally and that He is always in charge of His universe, especially you and I. Why sweat it friends? Know that God has every little thing under His complete control and that He will always look after His precious children and everything that affects us.

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, what a privilege to know that we serve a God who loves us in spite of who we are, and in spite of all the circumstances that may be impacting the world around us. The greatest love ever demonstrated was the sacrifice You made at Calvary so that we may have life eternally in heaven with You. Thank You Father, thank You Lord Jesus for loving us so much. May that assurance bring peace and contentment to each of Your children, in every circumstance of life. AMEN!

Nuggets From God's Word

Tag: peace