Tag: Praise

Great Is His Faithfulness

On By Ed AlgreenIn Caring, Faithful, Faithfulness, Hope, TrustLeave a comment

Thursday, 2016-10-27

Scripture

Bible Reference: Lamentations 3:21-25

Bible Text:  21 But then I think about this, and I have hope: 22 We are still alive because the Lord’s faithful love never ends. 23 Every morning he shows it in new ways! You are so very true and loyal! 24 I say to myself, “The Lord is my God, and I trust him.” 25 The Lord is good to those who wait for him. He is good to those who look for him.

Bible Translation: Easy-to-Read Version (ERV)

My Take

Perhaps yesterday was a very tough day for you, and your greatest fear for today is that things will only get worse. I believe that this snippet from God’s Word is intended to bring us HOPE friend, for in spite of the evil minds of those who tend to persecute us and hold us down, yet we are reminded that our God is forever faithful to His children – that’s us! In fact, how awesome is it to be reminded that the faithfulness of our God is refreshed, or anew every morning! Doesn’t this renew new strength and hope in us to: worship our God; sing praises to our awesome God; seek His forgiveness for us forgetting His love and power yesterday; and to face today with reassurance that we serve the very God who designed us and this universe where we live! It is that powerful God that cares for and loves us beyond all measure, and will care for us today, friend! There was a bus-line that had a slogan “leave the driving up to us”. I believe our reminder, and reassurance today, is that God wants us to cast our cares and concerns upon Him, leave them at His feet, and depend on Him to hold our hand and guide us lovingly through today with His total protection and extreme love that He wants to extend to those who will trust Him today. This brings me hope today friend, I trust that it will do the same for you!

Prayer

Oh what a Savior! Lord, I thank You for Your faithfulness, for it is not dependent on our perfection, or our efforts, or our capabilities. In fact, I would dare say that it appears like Your love is unconditional and so very evident especially when we are weak and tend to fail in our walk and talk as Your children. Oh that we may learn to love and care for others like that! Thank You Lord for the hope we have each day in knowing that You are our Rock, our Salvation, our Hope, our Protector, our Guide and our everlasting Savior! We need You today Lord, for we are facing a day with many unknowns. Please hold our hand – guide, protect and encourage us to face the day with confidence knowing that the almighty God is our Deliverer, and that You love us enough that all things will work together for our good. We are desperate children, in need of an awesome God! Please help us to trust You and place our total faith and trust in You, for I ask these things in the matchless name of Jesus, God’s Son, AMEN!

Footnote

If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. 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 www.nuggetsfromgodsword.org 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 Highlands County, 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!

How To Stay Encouraged In A Challenging World

On By Ed AlgreenIn Christian, Faith, Humility, Obedience, Our Help comes from God, SurrenderLeave a comment

Monday, 2016-10-17

Scripture

Bible Reference: Philippians 4:8-9

Bible Text:  8 Finally, my friends, keep your minds on whatever is true, pure, right, holy, friendly, and proper. Don’t ever stop thinking about what is truly worthwhile and worthy of praise. 9 You know the teachings I gave you, and you know what you heard me say and saw me do. So follow my example. And God, who gives peace, will be with you.

Bible Translation: Contemporary English Version (CEV)

My Take

Perhaps before you walk out of the door to your home this morning you already realized that there will be many challenges that you will deal with today. Perhaps there is overflow from the challenges you dealt with yesterday. There may even be unresolved contention that you know you must deal with today. You may be deliberating: why is it that you must awake from your ‘perfect’, ‘protected’, ‘uncomplicated’ dream of contentment and peace at home, and face the reality and cruelty of this wicked world. Friends, I want you to be encouraged with the words from God, through His messenger Paul, for I believe this can apply to all who are reading this devotional today:

  • First of all, to the believer in Jesus Christ, here are some tips on how to handle life under God’s leadership, strength, wisdom and guidance today:

    • Don’t allow your minds to be swayed by this world and it’s leader – Satan. Instead, aim towards being like Jesus, for He is true (so important in this world filled with lies, hatred and deception); pure (there is no ‘make-believe’ with Jesus Christ, for He is the real deal. He loved us when we were still steeped in sin, and He gave up His own life to provide the means of us living eternally with the Father in heaven); right; holy (remember Jesus is one with God, so He is holy just as God almighty is holy); friendly; and proper;
    • Think about everything that is truly worthwhile and worthy of praise – in other words, we are to seek God’s help to not be pulled into the gutter of gossip; hatred; and the evil deeds associated with Satan himself. In other words, if we find ourselves thinking about something that we cannot truly praise God for, then we are probably ‘off-track’ with what God is teaching us here. For we are to think on those things that are ‘worthy of praise‘ to our heavenly Father!
  • Secondly, I believe that there is help here for the non-Christian. Think about it friend: how can you possibly deal with life without the power of the Holy Spirit who is busy in the life of the believer? Without the power of Christ, Satan is free to beat up on you all he wants. Christians are not super beings with the capability of handling every aspect of life that is thrown at them. However, we are super excited about the promise that we can do ALL things through Christ, who strengthens us and guides us to all truth, through the awesome power and guidance of His Holy Spirit who controls us. I believe that your encouragement today is knowing that as long as you have life, there is hope in the option to also accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior. Know Jesus and know peace! That’s my recommendation to you today so that you may gain His everlasting joy and contentment in everyday living here on this earth.

Prayer

There are a few sayings that cross my mind dear Lord, “you are now entering your mission field” and “you are now entering the ‘real’ world”. I believe that most of us feel fairly secure and at peace in our own homes, and we fear the challenge of what this bitter world holds in store for us as we step into it today. Thank You for the encouragement given to us in this passage of scripture today. Lord, we believe in You, and we lift high the banner of truth contained in Your Word. We are more dependent on You today than ever before Savior, for we can only handle today’s challenges with You powerfully working inside of us, and helping us to be more like You. Lord, how will the world know about You if we don’t tell them? Oh that they may see everlasting hope and the love of Christ in all that we do or say today. For this is my humble prayer that I ask in and through the name of Jesus, AMEN!

Footnote

If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. 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 www.nuggetsfromgodsword.org 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 Highlands County, 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!

When We Come To Our Senses

On By Ed AlgreenIn Control, SurrenderLeave a comment

Saturday, 2016-08-13

Scripture

Bible Reference: Daniel 4:36–37

Bible Text: 36 “When my sanity returned to me, so did my honor and glory and kingdom. My advisers and nobles sought me out, and I was restored as head of my kingdom, with even greater honor than before. 37 “Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and glorify and honor the King of heaven. All his acts are just and true, and he is able to humble the proud.”

Bible Translation: New Living Translation (NLT)

My Take

As I read about this awakening by king Nebuchadnezzar, I was reminded of the awakening by the Prodigal Son in the New Testament. In both cases they had to follow the advice given to addicts, who have to acknowledge that there is a problem, and that self must step aside to receive the help necessary to overcome the problem. Reading in earlier verses one can understand that the verdict given to the king was ultimate disaster, and would have led to great shame, embarrassment, pain and anguish. However, we can see how God’s grace, although so unmerited, or something we could never be good enough for, yet God pours it on us beyond measure. In this case, He graced Nebuchadnezzar with a heart of humbleness, that although he was king and could demand anything he wanted from his subjects, yet it would have no effect on his impending danger and ultimate verdict given by God through a vision.Once recognized that he had no control over the events foretold for himself, the king surrendered, or came to his senses, and realized that he needed the God of this universe to intercede in his life and help him. Friends, does it ever feel like each day presents yet one more ‘brick wall’ that you can’t seem to break through, or get over? Does it ever seem like you absolutely have no control over what happens, even though your are a hard worker, care for your family and love your friends? I pray that we will learn to humble ourselves, listen to God (through reading His Word); be obedient to His commands, and surrender our will to the perfect will of God. Until we do that friends, we are trying to run this complex ‘show’ that we call life, all by ourselves, and we do that without all the facts about what will happen tomorrow. Let’s be diligent about seeking the face of God. Let’s glorify our Lord and Savior! Let’s turn the ‘reign’s of our life over to the One who really knows what is going on right now, and in all of our tomorrows. Our Father is ready to lead His children, if we allow Him to. Won’t you consider doing this today friend?

Prayer

Dear God, thank you for being patient with us each day as we press on to live this life on our own. Thank You for reminding us through this scripture today that there is a better way; that there is One who can handle all of life’s circumstances; and One who actually knows what’s best for us today, so that our tomorrows will be filled with the joy of Your salvation. Lord, we look forward to being with You in heaven one day. Please continue to lead us in the right path while we live on this old earth. Please use us for Your glorification; the encouragement of the saints; and to challenge those not yet surrendered to You. I ask these things in faith and of the only begotten Son of God, AMEN!

Footnote

If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. 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 www.nuggetsfromgodsword.org 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 Highlands County, 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!

Treated Unfairly?

On By Ed AlgreenIn Love of God, The Father's Love, The love of God, Unconditional loveLeave a comment

Tuesday, 2016-08-02

Scripture

Bible Reference: Job 37:23–24

Bible Text:  23–24  “Mighty God! Far beyond our reach! Unsurpassable in power and justice! It’s unthinkable that he’d treat anyone unfairly. So bow to him in deep reverence, one and all! If you’re wise, you’ll most certainly worship him.”

Bible Translation: The Message (MSG)

My Take

I believe that way too often we tend to look inward and feel sorry for ourselves. Way too often we tend to look at others, and quickly become envious of all that they have, compared to what we recognize in our gifts, talents and possessions. Then we tend to ponder why we are so undeserving. We identify with how Job was feeling after his ‘world’ was stripped away from him. Throughout this book of Job there are many lessons for us. In today’s verses, I believe it is important that we see that true friends are very honest with us, and they may not just tell us what they think we want to hear. It would have been much easier for Job’s friend to go along with the way that Job was feeling; or to make promises to Job that he may, or may not be capable, or willing to make a reality. Unfortunately, we do this all the time friends. We feel sorry for folk and tell them things like: “Don’t worry, everything’s gonna be alright”; or “I will pray for you”; or “I will come and visit you so we could talk”; or “You look so good that no one would ever imagine that you are serious ill”. However, when we are hurting, we tend to look inward and feel sorry for self. Like the world is against us, and that we are being treated so unfairly. I believe that the best thing a friend can do, is to help us get our eyes refocused on Jesus, and His undeniable love for us. We may never understand, at least at the time, why things are going the way they are, but if we can refocus on the love of God for us, that it is unchangeable, and unshaken by circumstances, and that He made us with great purpose in mind, then we might begin to remember all the ways that God has blessed us, and is continuing to watch over us and care for us. Friends, the adversary (Satan) is doing his very best to distract us from the GOOD NEWS of Jesus Christ, and the many ways that Jesus loves us. What better way to do this than to tap away at our mind and try to tear down the very blessings that God is showering upon us every day? Jesus loves us more than anyone or anything we could possibly imagine, and this was not just for the period He sacrificed His life for us on the cross, but right straight through eternity. So let us therefore, always fix our eyes on the Author and the Finisher of our faith; the Alpha and the Omega; the beginning and the end; JESUS, the Holy Son of God!

Prayer

Lord, thank You for reminding me that “poor me’ is not a term used by folk who are children of the most high God; the King of all kings; the Savior of this world! We are so blessed and set apart as such a holy people, that we must always keep our eyes fixed on the Author of all these blessings. There is a lot of ‘Light’ at the end of this sometimes ‘dark’ world that we live in – the Light of the world, is Jesus! As our Light; our Savior and our Lord, please help Your humble servants to keep our eyes and our minds fixed on You, and not allow Satan to interfere with our happiness. We need You daily Lord, and we look forward to eternity with You loving Father, AMEN!

Footnote

If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. 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 www.nuggetsfromgodsword.org 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 Highlands County, 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!

Just A Glorious Glimpse!

On By Ed AlgreenIn Heaven, WorshipLeave a comment

Tuesday, 2016-07-19

Scripture

Bible Reference: Revelation 4:3-4; 8–11

Bible Text: 3 The one sitting on the throne was as brilliant as gemstones—like jasper and carnelian. And the glow of an emerald circled his throne like a rainbow. 4 Twenty-four thrones surrounded him, and twenty-four elders sat on them. They were all clothed in white and had gold crowns on their heads.

8 …. Day after day and night after night they keep on saying,

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty—
the one who always was, who is, and who is still to come.”

9 Whenever the living beings give glory and honor and thanks to the one sitting on the throne (the one who lives forever and ever), 10 the twenty-four elders fall down and worship the one sitting on the throne (the one who lives forever and ever). And they lay their crowns before the throne and say,

11 “You are worthy, O Lord our God, to receive glory and honor and power.
For you created all things, and they exist because you created what you pleased.”

Bible Translation: New Living Translation (NLT)

My Take

Perhaps more scripture than usual, but friends I wanted to share enough with you so that you might catch just a glimpse of what John must have seen. Can you imagine the joy, appreciation and admiration that welled up inside of John as he saw this? After all, this awesome worship was all happening because of what John saw up in verse 3 and 4 – the glory that surrounds our Father! This worship was in recognition of the same God that John knew and adored! If John was to visit our church this week, would he catch such a glimpse of worship, as he did with the Elders at the throne of God in this scripture? When he walks inside of our churches, will he hear the saints who have recognized the holiness of God, whispering  something like “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty – the one who always was, who is, and who is still to come.” Will Jesus be glorified, and John stand in awe as the leaders of your church lead the way in helping the people recognize the worthiness of God? Would visitors and/or the unsaved walk through our doors and be immediately reminded that they are in a place of worship, where Jesus Christ is recognized as Lord of lords and King of kings, and where He and His Father are truly welcomed and worshiped? I wonder if it would help if we all read these verses each time before we enter our sanctuary to worship? Perhaps we might be reminded, or more focused on the reason we are there, and the awesomeness of the One we are there to worship! Do you feel like God is please with your worship? Let me encourage you to worry about self, and not be as judgmental about the person in front of you or near you. God wants a personal, rich relationship with YOU friend!

Prayer

Lord God, thank You for loving us so much that You gave of Yourself so that we might live this life assured of our eternal home. Thank you for the assurance of living in glory with You some day! Until that time, please help us to recognize Your greatness every day and to get used to the idea of worshiping You for who You are. Lord, may our daily lives be filled with gratefulness and joy because of the One we call ‘Lord’ of our lives, and may that joy be contagious to those that we come into contact with. Lord, You are holy, and most worthy of our praise. May our lives be a sacrifice of praise to You dear God, for I celebrate You and praise my Savior, and Lord, as I ask these things, AMEN!

Footnote

If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. 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 www.nuggetsfromgodsword.org 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 Highlands County, 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!

Our God Is Awesome!

On By Ed AlgreenIn Awesome God, Beyond Description, Miraculous, Praise-worthy1 Comment

May I encourage you to get your spiritual ‘Nuggets’ to start your day off right? Pretty amazing that our awesome God would consider feeding even us with His Word! May I encourage you to read the whole devotional, and look for a blessing, friend!………

Today’s Bible Reference: Isaiah 40:25-26
Today’s Bible Text: 25-26 “So – who is like me? Who holds a candle to me?” says The Holy. Look at the night skies: Who do you think made all this? Who marches this army of stars out each night, counts them off, calls each by name – so magnificent! so powerful! – and never overlooks a single one?
The Bible Translation: The Message (MSG)

My Take Away: If I was able to post a photo with my blog this morning, I would open our minds to the beauty of the heavens at night. It would not show a photo of a dark sky void of any color, or one filled with white spots, but rather a sky spotted with clouds, yet filled with stars twinkling in the night sky that are precisely placed – some even in specific groupings to form certain shapes so that we might easily identify the ‘Big Dipper’ or others. In fact, this beauty will draw us to God with such significance that we would look in amazement and quickly conclude that only God can do this! Friends, it’s just one more reminder of how awesome our God is! When we take our largest problem before Him today, one that may seem so very impossible to us, can I encourage you to stop and reflect on the picture I’ve just painted and just praise God first for the few million stars that you can see from your viewpoint? Would you praise Him for making those beauties individually, and for placing them just right in that part of the sky? Wait just one minute, did I just say placing them in the sky? How do they stay up there? I do believe that its yet one more miracle that you can add to your list of praises, for it causes us to look heavenward where all of earths hidden treasures were created. Oh, and don’t forget to praise God for His awesome creativeness in making that otherwise pitch-black sky to not only illuminate, but to give direction and light to that mariner who sails the dark seas at night. Friends, there is no one like our God, no matter how science might try to reason Him out of the equation. Won’t you take time to praise Him today for yet another reminder of His existence, His creation; His miraculous touch to the beauty of this earth that we are blessed to be a part of? Won’t you stop and consider how very capable He is of handling even our largest issue today? Won’t you just take a moment to praise Him for who He truly is? ‘Awesome’ is just one of the many words I chose to title this blog with today. I’m sure you can find a thousand other adjectives to describe our supernatural God today! In this song Phil Wickham described Him as ‘Amazing – this King of Glory’, click listen as you continue to meditate on this thought today!

Prayer: Thank You Father for Your amazing love, Your amazing grace, Your miraculous touch to our world! This truly is Your amazing grace! Please forgive us for running to You with such minor things in this life, but Lord, thank You for understanding our helpless state and for the small glimpse of what we gather of Your awesome power and grace to help us. Lord, as we worship You today and draw close to You, may we be reminded of Your love and availability to us. May we learn to savor in Your grace and Your awesomeness more. We need You Lord, please show us more of Your power and grace today, I pray in the name of Jesus, my Savior and Lord, AMEN!

Footnote: If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. 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 www.nuggetsfromgodsword.org 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 Highlands County, 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!

2016

Committed – Through ALL Circumstances

On By Ed AlgreenIn Stuff, Surrender, WorshipLeave a comment

May I encourage you to get your spiritual ‘Nuggets’ to start your day off right? Pretty amazing that our awesome God would consider feeding even us with His Word! May I encourage you to read the whole devotional, and look for a blessing, friend!………

Today’s Bible Reference: Job 1:20–22
Today’s Bible Text: Job stood up and tore his robe in grief. Then he shaved his head and fell to the ground to worship. He said, “I came naked from my mother’s womb, and I will be naked when I leave. The LORD gave me what I had, and the LORD has taken it away. Praise the name of the LORD!” In all of this, Job did not sin by blaming God.
The Bible Translation: New Living Translation (NLT)

My Take Away: Some Spoiled kids fall face to the ground and bang their heads on the ground while screaming, when things don’t go the way they want. I’ve seen where adults have left the church; hit a wall so hard that it broke their hand; Pouted all day when their angers flare up; and I’ve also seen where folk will go into total depression when they lose someone or something important to them. In this chapter of Job, I believe we can understand how Job could have responded in any of the above ways, based in the many disappointments and losses that he faced at one time, and we would have totally understood his actions. But friends, if you are not fully familiar with the story of Job, I must share briefly what caused him to tear his robe and shave his head. Various servants came in to Job one right after the other excitedly telling of certain disasters that had occurred with his Oxen; his sheep; his camels and his children. In each case, each of these had been killed together with the servants who watched over them. So I must ask you to consider: what would you have done if you were in Job’s place? In purple I highlighted the words of Job’s prayer to God. Could you have done that? Friends, I’m afraid that we place so much emphasis on the ‘stuff’ that we own and the precious gifts that God has blessed us with in family, that it becomes a thing of pride and boasting about what we did to achieve all that we have. When Jesus hung on the cross, about to die sacrificially for our sin, His only concern was that His mother be taken care of. There was no real estate or equipment or cattle for Jesus to worry about. Unless Jesus comes back first, we will all die; and based on decisions we made while alive, we will wind up just like Job, where we stand before the throne of God, just as we came into the world. This could happen this very day friend, so may I encourage you to emphasize on what’s really eternally important to you today. May I suggest that your relationship with the God of this universe, the One you will face after life here on earth, is the most important thing for you to concentrate on. Only then will you be able to separate yourself from the chaos of everyday earthly greed, and keep your eyes fixed on the one who truly holds tomorrow. Jesus loves you friend, and He wants your undivided attention. Job did it, and so can you and I.

Prayer: Father it seems almost farfetched how faithful Job was, especially as we get so attached to all that we are blessed with here on this earth. But Lord, our attachment to ‘stuff’ takes away from our total attachment to You. Please forgive us for all that we have allowed to distract us in our walk with You. Please teach us to place You first in all things, so that our priority in this life here on earth will be to worship, adore and serve you. May we stay focused on You so that earthly belongings and desires will become secondary in our lives. Fill us with so much of Yourself that it will become very evident whose we are, and may this serve only to promote You in all aspects of our character. Praise the name of the Lord! AMEN!

Footnote: If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. 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 www.nuggetsfromgodsword.org 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 Highlands County, 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!

2016

How Awesome is Our God!

On By Ed AlgreenIn Awesome God, Creator, VigilantLeave a comment

May I encourage you to get your spiritual ‘Nuggets’ to start your day off right? Pretty amazing that our awesome God would consider feeding even us with His Word! May I encourage you to read the whole devotional, and look for a blessing, friend!………

Today’s Bible Reference: Psalm 104:1; 5–9
Today’s Bible Text: 1 Let all that I am praise the LORD. O LORD my God, how great you are! You are robed with honor and majesty….. 5 You placed the world on its foundation so it would never be moved. 6 You clothed the earth with floods of water, water that covered even the mountains. 7 At your command, the water fled; at the sound of your thunder, it hurried away. 8 Mountains rose and valleys sank to the levels you decreed. 9 Then you set a firm boundary for the seas, so they would never again cover the earth.
The Bible Translation: New Living Translation (NLT)

My Take Away: The Psalmist shows us how to worship our King. One of the key triggers for worship, is to reflect on the beauty of God’s creation around us, and then on the One who made it all possible. We may visit certain locations where the on-staff horticulturist may have used plants of every description to create a beautiful garden or landscape that just blows you away. But let’s not forget who designed, created and made that plant available to us! That’s the God who created us and made provisions for us to one day join with Him around His heavenly throne for ever! Do you know Him? Do you take time, like the Psalmist, to recognize Him for His awesome power and His mighty works? Have you taken time yet today to worship and adore the God of all creation? You know, He not only made the beauty around us, but He also made you and I. It is way too easy for us to turn up our noses to some folk because we can’t stand how they act, or talk or treat us, but let’s never forget that they are a creation of our loving God, and if they could put up with us, we should make every effort to love them with the love of God. After all, how will you explain to God on Judgment Day that you believe He messed up when He made ______??? Friends, as we go about our day, let’s try to look at creation, or our family, or our coworkers as God’s creation, and let us give Him thanks for blessing us with each other. Remember, God knows even our smallest need, and He is well aware of our major challenges. He will place things and/or individuals in our path today to make us stronger in our faith, or that will draw us unto Him for eternal life. Be vigilant friend, and be ready to recognize God as He pursues your best interest today. He’s just that awesome!

Prayer: Father, You created us, yet we tend to find fault with your creation instead of praising You for ourselves and for those that cross our paths each day. You created awesome beauty all around us, yet we find something to whine about. Lord, from the bottom of my heart I want to thank You for creating me and allowing me to live on this small dot on Your perfect earth. Your majesty is beyond description. Your power is beyond anything we can imagine. Your love is greater than anything we could comprehend, for You allowed Your very own, perfect, Son to be crucified on a cruel cross, so that we would not have to endure that kind of torture in order to one day be with You around Your throne of mercy and grace. Father You are awesome in every way, and I adore You and worship You from the sincerity of my heart. Jesus, thank You for Your amazing sacrifice, so that I may live eternally with You and the Father. Please touch the hearts of all who might read this devotional today. Draw them close to You and help them to see You for who You truly are. In the strong and mighty name of Jesus I ask all this, AMEN!

Footnote: If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. 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 www.nuggetsfromgodsword.org 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 Highlands County, 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!

2016

Discouraged? Sad? Here’s Hope!

On By Ed AlgreenIn Discouraged, encouragement, WorshipLeave a comment

THE HOLY BIBLE – New Living Translation (NLT) ~ Psalm 42:11 ~ Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again – my Savior and my God!

THOUGHTS: One of the translations I compared as I read this verse, used the word ‘depressed’ in lieu of ‘discouraged’. Friends, I come from the background of a quiet and quaint little town, and while there were challenges with gossip, there was little to get stressed over. It seems like today, we have become such a ‘worldly’ people where we desire everything that our neighbor shows off, and we have become a people who refuses to say ‘no’, so we place way more stress on ourselves than we could possible handle calmly, that all we seem to hear about is friends who are discouraged, depressed, sad and even suicidal. It appears to me that David felt himself leaning towards a low in his life, and he shares with us how he felt his Physiologist advised him to handle this! When discouraged, seek God. Not to ask for a handout of encouragement or special blessings, but to praise God! When you are feeling sad, remember that it is not God who is making you sad, so praise Him for His daily goodness, and the people and things that He places in our lives to bring us joy! Friends, let’s learn to praise God in all of our circumstances. Let’s learn to encourage one another in love and good works, for this will not only lift them up, but it will lift our spirits and give us more reason to worship our God! Think of His rich blessings friend, and I believe you will quickly conclude that the reasons you might feel depressed, is really insignificant in comparison. God has provided the means to our happiness and encouragement, may we be careful to be a thankful people that will break out in constant praise and worship for His goodness! Friends, please know that I am not underrating depression, because I realize that there are some folk receiving serious help for this ugly decease. I am merely pointing you to God and to sing His praises in the midst of your storm, so that He would be glorified for the awesome work that He performs each and every day for His dear children. I am hopeful that when you follow David’s (the Psalmist) prescription, you will fix your eyes on Jesus instead of your circumstances.

PRAYER: Lord, you are so good to us, and yet we seem to overlook that, and instead groan in self-pity to a state of depression, and/or deep sadness. ‘Low’ times were evident even in the heart of David, yet he found peace and revival in lifting up Your most worthy and awesome name. My deepest prayer is that You might remind Your children how important it is to look into Your eyes and praise You, way more than to seek You with outstretched hands asking for more of Your kindness and mercy. Lord, may we learn to personally worship You more, and may we incorporate the help of our Christian Brothers and Sisters by joining them in corporate worship at every opportunity. I love You Lord, and I look forward to observing Your goodness and Your greatness, so that I might worship You with all my mind, spirit and soul. Please touch the hearts of my readers, so that their spirits might be uplifted because of times of praise and worship. You are worthy, oh Lord, and we are so needy! Bless Your holy name, AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. 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 www.nuggetsfromgodsword.org and read more, or you may freely subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. If you are anywhere near the Highlands County, 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!

Hindrances to Worship

On By Ed AlgreenIn Forgiven, Righteous, WorshipLeave a comment

THE HOLY BIBLE (Easy-To-Read Version – Hebrews 9:13-14): 13 The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a cow were sprinkled on those who were no longer pure enough to enter the place of worship. The blood and ashes made them pure again—but only their bodies. 14 So surely the blood sacrifice of Christ can do much more. Christ offered himself through the eternal Spirit as a perfect sacrifice to God. His blood will make us completely clean from the evil we have done. It will give us clear consciences so that we can worship the living God.

THOUGHTS: I believe that every Bible Teacher or Pastor’s wish would be, that their hearers are getting as much from a lesson as they received when they studied the lesson being taught. I also believe that every Worship Minister would love to know that the folk they are leading in a time of worship were participating from the deepest parts of their heart and receiving a blessing like they receive when leading us. Often we will go to our corporate worship services and while sometimes being totally blessed and pulled into the worship time through full participation, yet at other times we just attend but don’t feel a closeness to our Lord as we worship. These are the times we find fault with the person next to us or behind us, or with the worship leader, or perhaps the volume of the instrumentalists! But friend, if you especially read verse 14, you will notice that as long as we enter God’s house with stained consciences, there just may not be an opportunity for you to connect with God and His Holy Spirit that day. You might remember from God’s Word that God will not be present where sin abounds. I believe that another way of understanding verse 14 might be in the following way: “One cannot worship the Living God without a clear conscience” or unless one has already settled with God concerning their sin. There’s a worship song that has been around for a long time “There’s A Sweet, Sweet Spirit in this Place“. After reading verse 14, I’m not so sure that will even happen for us if we present ourselves for worship with sin in our life. Perhaps we should have a confession service first, then, perhaps, the Spirit of God might find clean hearts and consciences in which He is free to move and to bless. Let’s keep this in mind the next time that we attempt to worship God. Clean hearts will draw close to God, as it is the only way that He will draw close to you and I.

PRAYER: How dare us attempt to enter Your presence in sin, Oh God, especially thinking that we can block the hindrances (our sin) while we attempt to worship You. It’s not enough for us to conjure up a time of ‘worship’ Lord Jesus, for we want to be where You are, and we want to worship You in sincerity of heart, soul and mind. Please forgive us for attempting to worship You, the One who never sinned, yet with sin in our hearts. Please cleanse me of all unrighteousness, so that as I approach Your throne I can do so with a clear conscience and without sin. Please touch the hearts of my readers Lord, so that they too might be enlightened of any sin that not only separates them from You, but also blocks their true worship of You. Lord, may You rule and reign in every aspect of our lives and especially prepare us for frequent times of worship to You. I love you Lord, and I lift my voice and heart in worship to You alone. My prayer is offered in and through the name of Jesus, the only one worthy of my worship and praise, AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please speak with a local Bible Teaching pastor, or read through Biblical truths on How To Know Jesus, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com so that we can pray with you and give you help and or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Any words underlined above will 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 www.nuggetsfromgodsword.org and read more, or you may freely subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. If you are anywhere near the Highlands County, Florida area and do not have a church home, I would be thrilled to welcome you at Bible Fellowship Church, Sebring, FL! 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!