Your Temple Belongs To God

On 2022-05-112022-05-12 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Wednesday, 2022-05-11
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: 1 Corinthians 6:18-20
TRANSLATION: GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)

BIBLE TEXT: ¹⁸Stay away from sexual sins. Other sins that people commit don’t affect their bodies the same way sexual sins do. People who sin sexually sin against their own bodies. ¹⁹Don’t you know that your body is a temple that belongs to the Holy Spirit? The Holy Spirit, whom you received from God, lives in you. You don’t belong to yourselves. ²⁰You were bought for a price. So bring glory to God in the way you use your body.

APPLICATION: It is shocking to observe the environments designed and put in place for almost every lifestyle one decides on, especially here in the USA. Just drive down the highways and glance at the billboards, you will be amazed that our business people have gone to such extremes to attract men and women of every lifestyle, belief, desire and frame of mind. In dealing with the church at Corinth, I believe that Paul must have seen evidence of them living in wicked ways similar to what we looked at above. One of the primary differences that I see between Paul’s address to the Corinthian church and our churches today, is that Paul was deliberate about pleasing God in speaking truth to his congregants about their evil deeds. However, to keep the doors of our churches opened today, it appears like messengers have reduced the message to something that is pleasing to the ears of all attendees and in most cases will not ‘rock the boat’. Now before you start beating up on your pastor, let me suggest that most Christians today tend to do the same thing, and that’s probably a sermon for another day, because I want us to truly get a good understanding of what God led Paul to preach and teach in our lesson today. For those who question their understanding of the Bible, let me try to explain in simple terms what Paul is challenging us on today. When a sinner accepts Jesus into their heart and life, it means that you have accepted the special provision God gave to us as our means for forgiveness of sin, and providing the way for us to enter into the holiness of God, and our eternal home that He has prepared for us. When this action is taken, God sends His Holy Spirit – part of the trinity, to live inside of us to be our helper while still here on earth. Help with what, you might ask? In every aspect of life, we are often picked on when we try to be different to the crowd that we normally hang out with. Being a Christian is no different, for you made a 180 degree change in living like the world and its leader, Satan, to living like your new Master, Jesus Christ. God knew that we would need help with such a drastic change, so He ordered the Holy Spirit to come and dwell inside of us to be our helper, comforter, protector, encourager, friend and guide to all things pleasing to God. So, considering the type places I referred to above, can you even imagine how God must feel when we ignore the voice of the Holy Spirit (God Himself) and ignore His very presence inside of us, and still enter into the wickedness of this world? When we got married, we had to start thinking, acting and being mindful for two. When the Holy Spirit comes alongside to help us stay true to our new Master, we should always think about the places we go and the things we expose our eyes and mind to, for we are now exposing Him to the same thing. Paul taught that prostitution is one of the worse sins, for you expose the Holy Spirit to something in which you are becoming one with that person. I believe from my above explanation, you can see where this also happens when we enter into sin of any kind as well. Friends, because the Holy Spirit dwells inside of the believer, God calls our bodies ‘The temple of God’. Just as we would never think of allowing sin into our church buildings, that some call ‘The Temple’, let’s be just as careful to keep our ‘Temple’ (our bodies and lives) holy for the Holy Spirit to reside in.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Although it seems overwhelming to live according to God’s perfect plan with wickedness bombarding us from every angle, we have been given a powerful helper to see us through the struggles and temptations of this old world – the Holy Spirit!

PRAYER: Thank You Jesus for seeing to it that we receive the necessary help to overcome the powers of evil here on this earth. Please embolden us with this reminder day after day so that we might never lose hope, or become disappointed at the fear of possible failure. Help us to always surrender to Your will, Your desires, Your commands and Your teachings that You provided for our guidance. Teach us Lord to be a mirror of You in everything we do and say, so that the lost will see through our efforts and see the real truth of the matter – that it’s You in control of us! 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!

I Want To Know, Who Is Jesus?

On 2022-05-092022-05-09 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Know and Believe, Know Jesus, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Monday, 2022-05-09
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Mark 8:27-29
TRANSLATION: The Message (MSG)

BIBLE TEXT: ²⁷Jesus and his disciples headed out for the villages around Caesarea Philippi. As they walked, he asked, “Who do the people say I am?” ²⁸“Some say ‘John the Baptizer,’” they said. “Others say ‘Elijah.’ Still others say ‘one of the prophets.’” ²⁹He then asked, “And you—what are you saying about me? Who am I?” Peter gave the answer: “You are the Christ, the Messiah.”

APPLICATION: We tend to be more guarded in what we say outside of the home; more general when in the presence of work associates; and we tend to use more church, or Bible, lingo when at church. But think for a moment with me today as we ponder what we might say in response to a question posed to us by the One who knows our innermost thoughts; has seen our every action/deed; and who not only knows every intricate detail about us, but is also responsible for designing and putting us altogether. To respond to this question today, I would suggest that we not respond with what the Bible says about Jesus, or what our pastor said about Jesus, or what we heard our mentor – Christian Brother or Sister say about Jesus, but to actually respond directly, personally, and intimately about who is Jesus to you. For those who are married, think about how you would respond if asked a similar question about your spouse! How would you respond if asked about your parents? Friends, I believe that this question by Jesus really boils down to the kind of relationship that you have with Him. Your response changes from who ‘they’ say Jesus is, to who is my Savior to me! As a husband, I love to hear my wife say who she feels like I am. Don’t you think that Jesus would consider it praiseworthy to hear us openly express our feelings about the value of who He truly is to us? I’ve always been taught that it is right to praise and adore Jesus for who He is to me, before asking Him for any needs that may exist in my life. I don’t know that I do enough of that, do you? Will you consider joining me in committing to take every opportunity to praise God for who He is to us, and to never be bashful in sharing with everyone who knows us, the awesome news about who Jesus is to us?

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Jesus Is All The Word To Me!

PRAYER: Lord, You are my Creator and therefore You know every little thing about me. Thank you for putting me together, placing me with a wonderful wife, blessing me with an awesome daughter, providing me the best employment opportunity for 32 years of my life, challenging me with ministry opportunities in and through my church, and deliberately placing friends in my life that love, care and pray for me on a regular basis. I am totally blessed, and I thank You from the very bottom of my heart. You are amazing, and beyond comprehension in Your ability to love sinners – even me. Thank You for claiming me as Your son! Please challenge my readers with an inward look at who You are to them. No matter what they might read in this devotional, what they may have heard from the Bible, or what their pastor may have drilled into them, may they walk away today having shared with You about Your place in their heart. May this be evident to everyone we come into contact with each day, precious Lord. AMEN!

Pass Along The Message of Hope

On 2022-05-082022-05-08 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Hope, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Share, Share God’s Word, Teach, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Sunday, 2022-05-08
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Psalm 78:2-8
TRANSLATION: Living Bible (TLB)

BIBLE TEXT: ^2-3… I will show you lessons from our history, stories handed down to us from former generations. ⁴I will reveal these truths to you so that you can describe these glorious deeds of Jehovah to your children and tell them about the mighty miracles he did. ⁵For he gave his laws to Israel and commanded our fathers to teach them to their children, ⁶so that they in turn could teach their children too. Thus his laws pass down from generation to generation. ⁷In this way each generation has been able to obey his laws and to set its hope anew on God and not forget his glorious miracles. ⁸Thus they did not need to be as their fathers were—stubborn, rebellious, unfaithful, refusing to give their hearts to God.

APPLICATION: Take a moment to consider the sort of messages that are passed along to our kids? I distinctly remember a few messages my daughter received first hand while in my house: 1). I arrived home from work one day and my daughter asked permission to share something with me that she had learned. She proceeded to recite the ABC’s! I was excited, but as I looked over to my wife, she clarified the question that was obviously written across my face, ‘she heard it repeated so much by ‘Barney’ on TV that she picked it up’! I was thankful, but I was ready to punish myself for not teaching her myself! 2). I was playing ball with her one day, and she wanted me to pitch. After about 2 missed strikes, she turned around and spit, then positioned herself for the next pitch. I asked what that was all about? My young daughter reported ‘that’s the way the players get to hit the ball on TV’! It soon became evident that my daughter was learning more from TV than from her mom and I. But are we unique in that? I wonder if you sat down each Sunday and analyzed what your child(ren) learned from you over the past week, what might that list look like? Did they see you read your Bible? Did they overhear your prayer? Did you drop them to church and showed them that learning about Jesus is for kids, but adults could indulge in anything they want? Has your dinner table discussion been more about the fights you are having with relatives, Facebook updates, and TV shows, than about how God was evident in your life that day? Notice from our Scripture today that Asaph had the privilege of sharing from the history of what his ancestors did. The lives of many were punished and often lost because they ignored the awesome works and power of God, and they became even more reprobate in their every-day life. The miracles performed by God was not discussed, so the younger generation knew nothing of His power and therefore saw no need to call on Him. With a sorrowful heart today, I’m most afraid that this might be the issue with our children today. They are seeing way too much of our disobedience, our hatred, our selfish desires, our refusal to love one another – especially those who should be closest to us, and hardly anything of our miraculous God. Are we really teaching our kids and grandkids to repeat our mistakes, our bad decisions, our hatred for mankind, and our lack of faith? Many of you reading or listening may have gone through a dedication service for your child, or been a part of one for your grandchild. Have you stayed true to the promises you made that day? I firmly believe that if you stop your busy day long enough to refresh yourself on what you promised to God in that baby dedication, you may sincerely seek the powerful hand of Jesus upon your life to make your promises true. Let’s be diligent about seeking God’s favor, and let’s never forget to pass along His blessings to our children. That’s our responsibility! Since they have a similar responsibility, let’s be sure that they pass along the good stuff that God has done for us because of our faithfulness to Him. Like the Israelites, their very lives may depend on it.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Children will learn from our actions what we know in our heart. Fill our hearts with God, then our kids will come to know our Savior, and our Lord. They lives may be dependent on the role God plays in their life.

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, thank You for reminding us through Your Word today the importance of recognizing the key role You play in our lives, and the importance of us setting an example of whose we are. The Israelites lost battles, and lost lives because they refused to recognize Your power available to them. Lord, may we always share Jesus through our example and in our teaching so that our children, and theirs, will know first hand about You and about Your powerful hand. Others are always watching us, Lord. May they always see Jesus in me, for this is my honest and sincere plea. AMEN!

Things That Are Totally Despicable To God

On 2022-05-062022-05-07 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Obedience, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Friday, 2022-05-06
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Proverbs 6:16-19
TRANSLATION: The Passion Translation (TPT)

BIBLE TEXT: ¹⁶There are six evils God truly hates
and a seventh that is an abomination to him:
¹⁷Putting others down while considering yourself superior,
spreading lies and rumors,
spilling the blood of the innocent,
¹⁸plotting evil in your heart toward another,
gloating over doing what’s plainly wrong,
¹⁹spouting lies in false testimony,
and stirring up strife between friends.
These are entirely despicable to God!

APPLICATION: Whether things are going extremely well for us, or beyond challenging for us, I can’t imagine that anyone would possibly think about doing some of the ugly things mentioned in Solomon’s warning. However, my God knows the good, the bad and the ugly about His children that He created in His image. But friends, we have heard about more extreme and weird crimes than we ever imagined. So yes, I believe that God knew about our need for reminders about the things that He hates. When sin entered this world (that thing that causes us to perform certain acts, and say things that are contrary to God’s design, and in contrast to His teachings) Satan had the goal of redirecting our hearts and our minds away from God’s original design. He chose to redirect, steal, and misguide God’s children away from Him. Satan’s lies and deception causes us to think that there is a better way – one where we might be more powerful and better off at the end of the day. Unfortunately, when we become subservient to Satan, we often do the things that God abhors, and that He teaches against and tries to steer us away from. Our God will not be lifted up, magnified, glorified or praised by folk under the influence of the evil one. God inspired Solomon to forewarn us about the things that God really despises, because he didn’t want us to find ourselves headed in a direction away from God, that may be extremely challenging for us to reverse. I realize that each one could read the Scripture verses for themselves, but I want to add a few comments to each of the seven things, based on my studies. Here are the things we are warned about by Solomon, that God hates:
1) Haughty, or proud eyes, belonging to one who lifts up self, at the expense of others. Jesus practiced humility to an extreme, and He wants us to do the same;
2) Being untruthful, for we will never gain the trust of our fellow man. Plus we tend to falsely accuse others through our lies;
3) Killing innocent people. I know, you’re not a murderer, right? But are you a participant or promoter of abortion. Or are you one to do everything in your power to promote ‘life’ as God has given it to us?
4) Plotting evil towards another – the Word explains that this is devising wicked schemes in our heart. Perhaps it is best to quickly seek help, as it could lead to disastrous actions;
5) Gloating over the evil you’ve done – instead of placing your head between your knees in sorrow, shame and regret over what you’ve done;
6) False Testimony – being an untrusted witness – in court, or if questioned by authorities; and
7) Stirring up strife between others – This might be friends, family or coworkers, where you have chosen to help divide, instead of bringing peace between the affected parties.
Friends, no doubt you could see yourself in one or more of these seven things. Let me suggest that you speak with the God of this universe, and ask for His help, strength and guidance in overcoming the temptations of the evil one. Please join me in a desire to be more like Jesus and to follow His teachings and His will for our lives. Jesus went about doing good in every walk of life, and so should we, God being our helper!

PRAYER: Precious Lord Jesus, we your children, have allowed the world to sway our minds and lead us into actions that You despise. As Your child, I am embarrassed and sorrowful that You are having to look on the mess we have made of the perfect people that You placed here on earth. On behalf of my readers and listeners, I humbly ask that You forgive us and give us extra strength to overcome the evil one, while doing our utmost to please You and obey You while here on earth. Please guide us into all truth, and remind us often of the One to whom we belong, and help us to live boldly in the light of Your teachings and Your example, so that others may see and believe in the God we serve. Please speak firmly to the unsaved today, so that they may surrender their lives to You and become one with You. AMEN!

Jesus ‘Hangs Out’ With Sinners

On 2022-05-052022-05-05 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Sinner, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Thursday, 2022-05-05
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Mark 2:15-17
TRANSLATION: New Living Translation (NLT)

BIBLE TEXT: Later, Levi invited Jesus and his disciples to his home as dinner guests, along with many tax collectors and other disreputable sinners. (There were many people of this kind among Jesus’ followers.) But when the teachers of religious law who were Pharisees saw him eating with tax collectors and other sinners, they asked his disciples, “Why does he eat with such scum?” When Jesus heard this, he told them, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do. I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.”

APPLICATION: Christians tend to hang out with other Christians – because we have so much in common, and we feel comfortable that no one will question us, if seen associating with folk of the same belief. Praise God, Jesus was different in this respect. He shows us that if we are to reach the unsaved, and if we are to truly show God’s love to all people, then we had better build a rapport with everyone, especially those who need Him. When we look down our noses at folk, we must remember that they have a very hard time looking up to us and accepting anything that we may have to say to them. Jesus came so that sinners might have the means for forgiveness of sin, and in recognizing their need for such forgiveness, they would accept Him as Lord and Savior. For Christians who are meditating on this devotional, let’s remember that we are to be Christ followers and therefore follow the lead that He displayed while here on this earth, for people around us need the Lord now, more than ever before. How do you feel like you are doing, my friend? Are you able to show love to the sometimes unlovable? Are you humble enough to sit and listen to the deep struggles and concerns of someone that may be deep in sin? Unless we do this, how will they know Jesus?

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Jesus is still willing to hang with sinners to meet their needs right where they are!

PRAYER: Father, I pray that You will open my heart today and make me aware of those around me that need You as Savior. Make me very aware that although they may not look like me, or they may not follow the same guidelines of living that I follow, and they may not even attend, or perhaps never attended, church, please help me to see them as You see them. Please allow me to present myself in ways that others will see Your love, Your acceptance and Your willingness to listen to their shortcomings. Lord, please show them the way, the truth of Your Word, so that they may see Jesus, and come to know You in a very personal and intimate way. Oh that You may shine through Your children/Your representatives today! Help us to never forget that You reached far down to lift us up from our sin, and in our deepest time of need. There is none like You Heavenly Father. Please help me be obedient to Your will in doing Your work, so that others may know and believe. AMEN!

Oh What A Relief It Is

On 2022-05-042022-05-04 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Forgiven, Forgiveness, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Wednesday, 2022-05-04
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Psalm 32:1-5
TRANSLATION: Contemporary English Version (CEV)

BIBLE TEXT: ¹Our Lord, you bless everyone whose sins you forgive and wipe away. ²You bless them by saying, “You told me your sins, without trying to hide them, and now I forgive you.” ³Before I confessed my sins, my bones felt limp, and I groaned all day long. ⁴Night and day your hand weighed heavily on me, and my strength was gone as in the summer heat. ⁵So I confessed my sins and told them all to you. I said, “I’ll tell the Lord each one of my sins.” Then you forgave me and took away my guilt.

APPLICATION: I’m certainly not trained to deal professionally with how one should handle the stress in their lives (that’s my legal disclosure!!!!). However, I can share with you the best solution, based on a word from our Maker, Designer, Creator and Almighty God! For knowing full well how our generation would handle stress, God gave to His servant David resolution for his personal stresses, and inspired him to share that with us from his first-hand experience. David had his share of weaknesses, challenges, sin; forgiveness and happiness. Today David is challenging us to consider not doing the easiest thing by trying to cover up our sin and pretend it doesn’t exist. For it only makes us miserable when we go around pretending that all is well. Friends, I believe that is the first inhibitor for stress – when we know something is going on in our lives, but we pretend to those around us that all is well. Unfortunately I believe that we unconsciously show our pretense to God also, for we follow our own desires, knowing that these things are almost always contrary to the Word of God, and to what He desires of us. But we go on about our day pretending that all is well anyway. In my opinion this is the source of stress, for we are covering up something that we know should be done, said or acted upon differently. But praise be to God, the Psalmist showed us that there was excellent results for him when he followed the normal pattern designed by God. God has set this pattern for His children so that they might be pleasing to Him in every way. However, in all of our wisdom, we somehow figured that we could go our own way and do our own thing, and God would be just as happy with us. But God, in His wisdom, placed an uneasiness in us, that some may call ‘stress’, while others may call it a conscience, because He wanted us to know when we are doing something that isn’t right. Let me encourage you to re-read the last part of our focal verses today, and I believe that like me, you too might notice the loud sigh of relief by David when he concluded that God heard his cry for forgiveness and He forgave him. I pray that our goal today might be that we live as an open book before God – nothing to be worried about, holding nothing back, exposing everything to God that bothers us in the very least. Recognizing that God knows all about us and our inadequacies, and He knows what we may be covering up. But I believe that He longs to see us reconcile our faults before Him, and seek His forgiveness, so that we may be one with Him. Consider making this the day that you relieve yourself of the stress in your life. Seek God while He may be found. Expose your heart to Him, so that He might cleanse it and make you whole. Be one with your Maker my friend, and experience the relief He gives through forgiveness of your sin.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: I don’t know that we could find a story in the Bible where God did not forgive one of His children who sought His forgiveness. Praise God, He is still waiting, willing and ready to forgive us of our sins and shortcomings also!

PRAYER: Precious Lord Jesus, we approach You as Your loving children that are broken and filled with stress over trying to do ‘life’ on our own. Please speak directly to our innermost person today and help us to acknowledge our shortcomings, and our inability to handle this complex world on our own while thinking that we could still please You. Without You we are broken without any hope of repair. Please humble our hearts so that we might surrender our all to You and give You full reign in every aspect of our being, so that You may be honored and praised by all who we may encounter. AMEN!

Things That Make One Unacceptable To God

On 2022-05-032022-05-04 By Ed AlgreenIn Accept Jesus NOW, Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Worship2 Comments

DATE POSTED Tuesday, 2022-05-03
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Mark 7:20-23
TRANSLATION: Easy-to-Read Version (ERV)

BIBLE TEXT: ²⁰And Jesus said, “The things that make people wrong are the things that come from the inside. ²¹All these bad things begin inside a person, in the mind: bad thoughts, sexual sins, stealing, murder, ²²adultery, greed, doing bad things to people, lying, doing things that are morally wrong, jealousy, insulting people, proud talking, and foolish living.²³These evil things come from inside a person. And these are the things that make people unacceptable to God.”

APPLICATION: Going to the gym has become a high priority for many. Going to weight management classes reaches high on the priority list for many. Attending inspirational conferences and spending time with positive people is a must. Yes, we have become a people who have really dedicated ourselves to make a good impression on the rest of the world, and that’s a very positive thing for our image in the face of our boss, and those who tend to look at our stance in community. BUT, we should all be interested in what makes a difference in the eyes of God, as He determines our eternal destiny. I believe that every day, there are words, thoughts and deeds by us that determines who we truly are. It is important to remember that unlike our ability to hide certain aspects of our life from family and/or friends, our lives are an open book to our Maker. Let us never forget that there are two options for where one might spend eternity, and those options are evaluated based on our decisions in life, and our obedience to God’s commands. If you are intentional about making heaven your eternal home, then you will intentionally seek after Christ, and therefore closely desire to obey His Word. If you do nothing, or couldn’t care less, then obviously you have decided that you are content with Hell and the damnation that comes from its leader – Satan. So having laid the groundwork, I would like for us to think about the focal verses today. Jesus outlined some things that emanate from us that are detriment to the cause of Christ. These are attitudes and actions that result from what has been fed into our lives – by television; movies; the friends we hang out with; the absence of the teachings of Jesus Christ; etc. It is obvious that no matter how good the things are that make us healthy and put our bodies in shape, the really important things in life – the things that please God, truly comes from the inner man – from the things that touched our heart, soul and mind. Friends, let me be the first to tell you that the source of the things that please God, actually come from Him and His teachings in the first place. Verses 21 and 22 in our focal passage lists the things that negatively impact us, and on a close examination of these things, you will clearly see that these attributes are promoted by Satan himself, for the Bible has repeatedly taught against these things. So my challenge for you and I today is that we carefully go to the Source of life, and the Source of eternal life, for inspiration and spiritual growth in ways that please our Master. That’s what really counts in this life! Remember, only what’s done for Jesus will last, and as we learned from these verses today, only lives that are impacted by Jesus will go on to eternity with Him in glory. Where are you headed dear friend? Where will you spend eternity? Have you surrendered your life to Jesus, and find yourself learning from Him daily, so that you may reflect Him in every aspect of your life? That’s my desire, and I pray that each reader will do likewise. For the Christian reading, or listening to this devotional, let me suggest that you make a list of the things mentioned in Vs 21-22 and keep that list in a prominent place in your home. Review that list anytime the Holy Spirit convicts you of separation from God, so that you might determine if any habit are infiltrating your life, that are unacceptable to God. If ‘yes’, then determine in your heart to seek God’s help to get yourself back on track and fully acceptable to Him.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: For the child of God who lives according to His plan and His commands, we are reminded that Jesus died and was crucified so that we might have peace and acceptance with God the Father. The Holy Spirit is our helper to especially be on guard against the things mentioned in our focal verses.

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, You have made it clear in Your Word what You demand of each of Your children. You’ve shown us how our lives will reflect the One to whom we are running to. Please touch each one that will read, or listen to, this devotional today. May we all know without a doubt where we are headed and where we will spend eternity. May our lives reflect that in everything we do and say, through Your strength and by Your power oh Lord. AMEN!

You Will See The Lord Give You Victory!

On 2022-05-022022-05-02 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Faith, Faith in Action, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Victory, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Monday, 2022-05-02
WRITTEN AT: Citra, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: 2 Chronicles 20:15–17
TRANSLATION: Good News Translation (GNT)

BIBLE TEXT: Jahaziel said, “Your Majesty and all you people of Judah and Jerusalem, the LORD says that you must not be discouraged or be afraid to face this large army. The battle depends on God, not on you. Attack them tomorrow as they come up the pass at Ziz. You will meet them at the end of the valley that leads to the wild country near Jeruel. You will not have to fight this battle. Just take up your positions and wait; you will see the LORD give you victory. People of Judah and Jerusalem, do not hesitate or be afraid. Go out to battle, and the LORD will be with you!”

APPLICATION: King Jehoshaphat faced the reality of an approaching army that was superior to his and overwhelmingly outnumbered his army. He was accustomed to prayer, leadership by God, and the awesome power of God. And, true to form, the king took full advantage of petitioning the help of the God who promised to be with His children in their time of need! Jehoshaphat gathered his people in the temple courtyard and he personally led the prayer to God on behalf of his people. After bragging on the known accomplishments of God, in vs 7 and again in vs 12 the king acknowledged that “You are our God”, meaning that You are the proven One that we depend on; You are the One that is powerful enough to bring us victory! In response to this intense, yet humble time of prayer, God spoke through an unknown prophet in their midst, Jahaziel. The prophet shared with the king and his people that they are not to be afraid or discouraged, the battle depends on God, not on them! Wow, we serve the same great God that gave this promise to Jahaziel! What an awesome and reassuring reality when we face our battles today. When we have placed the battle in God’s hands, we can rest peacefully knowing that the battle is not ours, but His! What an all-powerful, protective and awesome God we serve, fellow Christian! Take time to give Him praise, adoration and glory today! If you are facing a battle, no matter how huge, please consider reading the full chapter 20 of 2 Chronicles (30 verses), and be encourage to surrender that battle over to God. Imagine the peace of knowing that the God who created this vast universe, now has the issue that has been troubling you, under His control. The battle is no longer yours, my friend, but His! He will be glorified for the way that He handles this! Just surrender it to God, my friend! For He alone is our God!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Surrendered hearts of believing Christians will seek God and surrender their battles to the Master of the sea; the healer of the blind, deaf and mute; the Victor of battles brought on against Jehoshaphat, and the One who loves, cares and waits for us in Glory. Our battles belong to Him!

PRAYER: Lord God, You know the mountains that we need to cross, and I believe that You know the challenges that seem overwhelming to us. Please comfort the hearts of Your children tuned in to this devotional today, and give us the reassurance that we need to help us face today, and tomorrow, knowing that You are still God and that our ‘mountains’ are very crossable with You as our Guide and our Deliverer. Praise be to God for the assurance of knowing teh God on the mountain is also God of our deepest valley. May we place our faith and trust in You at all times, for all things. AMEN!

Remove The Evil One

On 2022-05-012022-05-01 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Church Leaders, Discipline, Forgiveness, Leadership, Leadership of the Holy Spirit, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Sunday, 2022-05-01
WRITTEN AT: Citra, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: 1 Corinthians 5:9-13
TRANSLATION: New Living Translation (NLT)

BIBLE TEXT: ⁹When I wrote to you before, I told you not to associate with people who indulge in sexual sin. ¹⁰But I wasn’t talking about unbelievers who indulge in sexual sin, or are greedy, or cheat people, or worship idols. You would have to leave this world to avoid people like that.¹¹I meant that you are not to associate with anyone who claims to be a believer yet indulges in sexual sin, or is greedy, or worships idols, or is abusive, or is a drunkard, or cheats people. Don’t even eat with such people.
¹²It isn’t my responsibility to judge outsiders, but it certainly is your responsibility to judge those inside the church who are sinning.¹³God will judge those on the outside; but as the Scriptures say, “You must remove the evil person from among you.”

APPLICATION: I was in conversation yesterday with a few apartment tenants in a large city, and I overheard them talking about the warnings of eviction that were threatened by their landlord, and I believe it seems like an appropriate illustration, just as in the case of our upbringing, as they both open the door to discuss how God’s holy people are set apart unto Him. It is evident that in the case of our parents, they wanted no bad thing to distract from what they were teaching us at home, for parents try to help their children learn to always aim for what is best in life for their own good. It also goes to say that parents want to teach us that if we see behavior that is opposite to what we aim to live, then we should force ourselves away from that person or persons who lead that lifestyle. Similarly, landlords aim at finding the best tenants who will pay their rent on time and treat their building and fellow tenants with due respect. When either of these things become questionable, the landlord seeks to evict that questionable tenant, with hopes of finding one that better suites the desires of the landlord. Now, when Jesus gets a hold of our heart and invites us to let Him in, He teaches us in His Word how it is that He wants us to live so that He might be best represented, so that other non-repentant sinners may be wooed into the Kingdom. So we start to spend a lot of time around church, and with fellow believers, so that we may grow from each other’s strength and encouragement. But what happens when a ‘bad apple’ finds their way into our fellowship? I believe that our Scripture perfectly supports the very old proverb that says ‘one bad apple spoils the whole bunch’! You see, Christians have become so accustomed to ‘loving like Jesus’, that we tend to forget that an important part of loving is to also discipline those who are about to ‘spoil the whole bunch’. In our parents home, if they don’t discipline bad behavior or otherwise breaking their rules, then our siblings quickly catch on to the fact that the rules set by our parents are not really intended to be followed seriously. All of a sudden we see children grow into maturity and expect to view the rules established by police and community leaders in much the same, lax way. Dear friends, I am convinced that there is nothing more serious than us trying to please our Heavenly Father. In Deuteronomy 17:7, the Israelites were told by God that when they discover ‘one bad apple’, they are to rid themselves of that evil. Paul quoted that Scripture to the church in Corinth as he taught them how to rid themselves of the evil that may come in their midst. I believe that for those who have been around for a while, we can look around and see where many standards have been lowered compared to what our ancestors understood from the Scriptures and tolerated in the church. I can only wonder what God might have to say to us on Judgment Day. Is He pleased with the way that we are interpreting His commands, and the little twists we are making to them in the name of politically correctness, or in the name of ‘love’? I believe that if we find reason to question our decision on some of these ‘evil’, controversial, or otherwise borderline things, then perhaps we need more time with God – on our knees and in His Word, until we are convinced that we are obedient to His will. When we question evil in someone else, the whole church may look back at us as also being imperfect. So let’s begin with getting ourselves better aligned with God’s perfect law, design, and will. If we are pleasing in God’s sight, then the same should carry over as we assume leadership in our churches and strive to rid them of evil.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: In obedience to God, we are often called to love one another. But at times, it also means disciplining, as needed. I believe that God will bless us when we do both of these things for His glory, and for no gain of our own.

PRAYER: Precious Lord, thank You for the love that You extend to all your children – even during the times that You love us enough to discipline us. Please teach us daily to: love like You first loved us; judge honestly and fairly like we expect from You; always seek out the best in everyone; and to always present ourselves and Your church as holy in Your eyes, just as You are holy. Lord, You know how badly we fail in life, but thanks for Your forgiveness and strength to go on. May the people see Jesus evident in every fiber of our being, and therefore no condemnation for our failures already covered by Your precious blood. AMEN!

Press On – God Is Victorious!

On 2022-04-302022-04-30 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Victorious Life, Victory, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Saturday, 2022-04-30
WRITTEN AT: Citra, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Joshua 8:1-2
TRANSLATION: Contemporary English Version (CEV)

BIBLE TEXT: ^1-2The Lord told Joshua: Don’t be afraid, and don’t be discouraged by what happened at the town of Ai. Take the army and attack again. But first, order part of the army to set up an ambush on the other side of the town. I will help you defeat the king of Ai and his army, and you will capture the town and the land around it. Destroy Ai and kill its king as you did at Jericho. But you may keep the livestock and everything else you want.

APPLICATION: We can grieve the Spirit by sin. We can quench the Spirit when we fail to wait on the Lord to receive direction. But the Lord never gives up on us! God exposed Achan’s sin as the reason Joshua and his army met with failure, but at just the right time, God said to Joshua: “Don’t be dismayed. I will now give you the victory!” Praise God, He doesn’t give up on us either, even when we were careless in following His orders, or not at all. Dear friend, the successful person in life is the one who gets up one more time than he or she is knocked down. Too many Christians, when they are dealt a blow, lay in the dust day after day and don’t get up. But Paul dealt with this when he addressed the church at Philippi. He told them: “Forgetting the things which lie behind, I press toward the mark of the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus”! Among all the people in the world, how could Paul possibly accomplish what he did? By forgetting that which was behind him, and looking ahead, instead. Fortunately God does not judge quite like we do. He didn’t set Paul aside and give up on him, instead God had a great work prepared for Paul. Just as Joshua learned a very humbling lesson from his first attempt at conquering the king and people of Ai, Paul also learned that God could use even a persecutor of Christians to forgive and use in His service. Doesn’t it seem well within reason for God to also use you and I in His service here on earth? You see, only wicked man will look at our lives before Christ became a part of it, for in their eyes we could never become holy enough to represent the God of all righteousness and hope. But God yes, BUT GOD, in all His mercy and grace, sent His only Son to die for folk like us, so that our old, disgusting life of sin could be cleansed, made white as snow, purified, in the eyes of our Creator. So if we are ‘right’ in the eyes of God, of course we could be used by Him to reach folk that may doubt and fear the possibility of restoration, renewal, or even salvation in the holy name of Jesus. Joshua didn’t stay down, but God was able to teach him a lesson and give him the opportunity to try it again, this time letting God take the lead and give him the winning instructions. Perhaps we need to surrender ourselves to the King of all kings as well, and allow Him to work in, and through us, to do all that He has planned for us in the work of growing His Kingdom here on earth.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: God used the same man who forged ahead into battle without God, to send back into battle, but this time insuring that he would let God be in control. When our battle belongs to God, we win!!

PRAYER: Lord, we normally plead for help with our forgetfulness, but in accordance with the words You gave to Paul for us, please help us to forget what is behind us, so that we may stay focused on all that You have in store ahead for us. Our battle belongs to You Lord. Please teach us as we proceed ahead, and give us victories that will glorify You in every way. Many are struggling, and even more are holding back in committing themselves fully to You, please show them vividly how mighty and awesome You are, so that they may be drawn to You. Use us completely in every way for Your glory oh Lord. AMEN!

Nuggets From God's Word

Tag: Praise