Tag: Praise

They Are Rejecting God, Not You

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

DATE WRITTEN: Monday, 2021-06-14
WRITTEN AT: Shaker Heights, OH

SCRIPTURE FROM: 1 Samuel 8:6-8 
TRANSLATION:New Living Translation (NLT)

BIBLE TEXT: 6 Samuel was displeased with their request and went to the LORD for guidance.
7 “Do everything they say to you,” the LORD replied, “for it is me (God) they are rejecting, not you. They don’t want me to be their king any longer. 8 Ever since I brought them from Egypt they have continually abandoned me and followed other gods. And now they are giving you the same treatment.

APPLICATION: Times have not changed very much, for still today pastors are trapped by angry members when he preaches the Word, without regards to who, how church attendees might be impacted. Friends, it is so unfortunate that we tend to blame someone else for issues that we have caused. It is likewise unfortunate when we look beyond the issues in our own lives, or the condition of our family, or our church or our group, and see so much wrong with others, while all the while blinded to our own problems. Let’s think for a moment about issues with a church. Of course, we all know that it’s not the building where the church meets that is the problem, it’s folk like you and I that attend the church that causes the challenges. So look no further than inside yourself when issues arise. Changing pastors will have a similar effect as it was when God told Samuel to go ahead and give them what they want. In most cases things will only get worse. Friends, unless we commit and dedicate ourselves to becoming more like Jesus in every aspect of our lives, then anything we become a part of will suffer from the sin brought into our lives by the world. Becoming one with Jesus, means a perfect life, a life without sin – and that should be our aim everyday friends. Only then will we contribute positively to our churches and the groups that we become involved in. Remember, the world hates Jesus. Always have, and always will. So if we look enough like Jesus, they will hate us also, just like God told Samuel. So what shall we do? Determine this day who you will serve, and give it all you have. Be determined to serve only God and His righteousness, so that He might be glorified in everything we do and say! Pray for those you minister to, and that you come into contact with. Pray that they will lift up their eyes to the Lord, from whom our salvation, and all blessings flow.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: God wants us to represent Him so well that others will see Jesus. If, in living out our faith, others become upset, we must remember that it’s really God that completes His work through us!

PRAYER: Lord we so desperately need You in our lives. We want to add positively to groups that we become involved in, through sharing Your love and Your mercy that You showered on us. Anything else would only add to the confusion and hatred that normally develops. Unfortunately, our church group members are also challenged with worldly influences as well, so we see churches that are less than perfect. Oh that we may see churches that are always ready to forgive, always looking out for the best in the other person, always contributing to the best in others, always praying for and supporting their pastor/shepherd/leader. Lord, it is very obvious that we need more of You in our lives individually so that we can see more of You in our churches, so that we can see Your church effectively reaching out to the lost community that we serve. We need You in our lives personally Lord, please humble us to earnestly seek Your face and allow You to rule in our lives.

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!

Who Does He Think He Is?

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

DATE WRITTEN: Sunday, 2021-06-13
WRITTEN AT: Florence, IN

SCRIPTURE FROM: Numbers 12:1-4
TRANSLATION:Contemporary English Version (CEV)

BIBLE TEXT: 1-3 Although Moses was the most humble person in all the world, Miriam and Aaron started complaining, “Moses had no right to marry that woman from Ethiopia! Who does he think he is? The Lord has spoken to us, not just to him.”
The Lord heard their complaint 4 and told Moses, Aaron, and Miriam to come to the entrance of the sacred tent.

APPLICATION: There is nothing more desirable than to be known by family, friends and coworkers as ‘the most humble person’ they ever knew. I believe that would be a life patterned after Jesus himself. But Moses was also considered ‘the most humble person in the world’, so it may be safe in following his example also. However, anytime someone looks at us as having ‘more of anything’ compared to them, then they will probably be out to destroy our credibility. But friends, we all are scrutinized and watched closely by others, especially those whom we least suspect. This was the case with Aaron and his wife, for they became very jealous of Moses and his stance on the things of God. You see, following the ways of God will never point us to prideful acts or words, for God’s Word teaches just the opposite. However, Aaron and Miriam listened one time too many to the adversary (Satan), so they started to follow his evil tactics against their very own brother. At this stage it would be good for us to remember that God is fully aware of our words, actions and thoughts, even when we think we are privately obscure to the world. God became angry at the idea of this couple’s jealousy and hatred, so He brought all three people together for His disciplinary actions. Do you suppose that there would be fewer church splits today if God was to continue this practice when He noticed our actions at times against our pastor or church leader? Friends, I agree that some church leaders, and perhaps even some pastors, are out for personal recognition and/or gain, and some churches deal with them very pointedly on this. However, the majority of God’s workers are striving to represent Him completely. Many workers are even depending on God to help them live according to His will and in obedience to His commands. Yes, we all wish that we could follow the example of the ‘perfect’ leaders, and receive the blessings that they enjoy through serving, but may I suggest that we try serving them by: praying for them; encouraging them; and giving to their cause? This would ease their stress and help them concentrate even more on the ministry God has called them to. As you join them in the ministry of our Master, know that you will also be blessed of God!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Moses was protected by the God that he served! I believe that God will also bless us as we seek ways to serve Him and follow in obedience to His commands!

PRAYER: Precious Lord, You are merciful and filled with compassion for Your obedient and humble servants. You showed this in Your dealings with Aaron and Miriam as they complained about Moses, and I believe that You will also protect us as we seek to serve You today. Please bless those who are serving You today in our churches and on the mission field. Sure, they’re not perfect, but as they make every effort to be more like You every day, I pray that You will protect them, encourage them, and bless them immensely. Please speak to the heart of every reader today as they read Your Word, become excited about Your teachings and Your commands, and seek to follow in obedience. Oh Lord God, may You be glorified by Your subjects today! 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!

Man’s Vision vs God’s Reality

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

DATE WRITTEN: Saturday, 2021-06-12
WRITTEN AT: Williamsburg, KY

SCRIPTURE FROM: Numbers 11:21-23
TRANSLATION: Contemporary English Version (CEV)

BIBLE TEXT: 21 Moses replied, “At least six hundred thousand grown men are here with me. How can you say there will be enough meat to feed them and their families for a whole month? 22 Even if we butchered all of our sheep and cattle, or caught every fish in the sea, we wouldn’t have enough to feed them.”
23 The Lord answered, “I can do anything! Watch and you’ll see my words come true.”

APPLICATION: We won’t find anywhere in Scripture where God cracks jokes, or speaks of hypothetical actions a god might or can do. HE is GOD and if He said it, we could go to the bank with it! For Moses, this was a proven fact, because he had witnessed miracle after miracle from God. But in his human state and in his human mind, Moses still thought from man’s perspective at times, and therefore he only saw man-sized actions that were possible through sight. God got tired of the griping and complaining by the Israelites, so He told Moses that He would feed them meat for a whole month. From man’s perspective, we would need to know which wholesaler will bring in that much meat at one time; where will the money come from to purchase that meat; who will rent the trucks to pick up that much meat; Are the cooks prepared to cook that much meat; etc, etc. In fact, you could see where the worry of just that one thing may easily cause you to start looking for mental therapy! Moses was just like us, so his mind was racing, and he tried to get answers from God. Now child of God, stop and consider that story so far, because that’s exactly the root of many worries for our little minds in many concerns of life. We try to stop God in His tracks and question why, how and when could He possibly do such a miracle. But let’s be especially careful as we evaluate closely what God responded (in my own words): Are you questioning God my friend? Are you doubtful about what He can do? Is He not the same God who put this whole world together; Created every human being; Totally understands our every problem and knows the answer on how to correct our problems? Notice God didn’t say that He had to amass the multitude of birds first, He said that His words would simply come true. That’s how simply God would resolve the actions that He promises to us. All you have to do is trust in Him with all your heart, soul and mind, and all these things would be given unto you. That’s the kind of God that we serve friends. He a great big God, who can do ALL things.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Just watch, and you’ll see My words come true! Of course God can do it!

PRAYER: I can’t imagine why we would doubt Your capabilities when we consider all that You have made and done, but seeing how ridiculous it seemed for Moses, I pray that You will constantly be our guide and our stay in every aspect of life Lord. We have the great opportunity to converse with our Maker. Please help us to keep our eyes fixed on You and our hearts set on the awesome Creator of all things, so that we may always know the power of our God. So often Satan causes us to doubt, but praise be to the Almighty, greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world! You created us in Your image and for your glory. Thank You Father, Son and Holy Spirit. 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!

The Power Source

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

DATE WRITTEN: Friday, 2021-06-11
WRITTEN AT: Unadilla, GA

SCRIPTURE FROM: Numbers 11:11-15
TRANSLATION: The Voice (VOICE)

BIBLE TEXT: 11 Why are You so hard on me? I am your devoted servant. Why don’t You look on me with affection? Why do I have the great burden of these spiteful people? 12 Did I conceive them, bear them, and give birth to them? Why should You tell me to carry them—as a nanny does some suckling infant—into the land that You swore to their ancestors? 13 And now, where am I supposed to find meat to feed this crowd crying out that I give them food to eat? 14 I simply cannot keep carrying them along. They are way too heavy. 15 If You plan to treat me like this, then just kill me now. If You care about me at all, just put me out of my misery so I do not have to live out this distress.

OBSERVATION: To plug a lamp into an electrical outlet and expect anything but power for the light bulb, is a useless situation. However, you can’t take that same electrical cord and meet any other need in your life, only Jesus Christ can. After following God’s command in leading the Israelites, we are reminded in our Scripture today what happened when Moses looked inward and started to feel like it may have been something He did, instead of teh miraculous hand of God. Unfortunately, we too may be guilty of the problem Moses displayed, way too often. Yes, even you, my friend!

APPLICATION: Did Moses think that he could touch the end of the power cord mentioned in my overview, and provide power to that dumb lamp that just sits there until it receives power before it would illuminate? Perhaps! But don’t we sometimes become like Moses and think that we are a privileged child of God and we could move mountains? There were so many times that God showed His power to Moses – through the plagues that convinced Pharaoh to let the Israelites go; through the opening of a road along the sea bed when Moses stood at a crossroads on how he would lead over a million people to safety from the onset of a mighty army; through the manna that was provided for daily food when the people stood in question of how they would receive sustenance; through the awesome hand of God in providing water when Moses was told to strike a rock with his staff; etc. Yet in our Scripture today, we read where Moses started to place way too much pressure on himself to meet the impossible tasks needed for the huge crowd he was leading. Perhaps he felt like there was some powerful act that he did, that contributed to the miracles of God. Don’t you dare get down on Moses, for we tend to do the same thing today. We ask God to bless us with a child, then we do our best to set questionable goals for ourselves as parents, and for our child. Then we wonder what went wrong, and why is God punishing that which He blessed us with. As leaders of our churches, we seek God’s will to lead our church into successful ministries to win the lost for His kingdom. Then we look around and see how churches around us are growing in numbers, and we take the reigns from the Master of the church, and try implementing our own worldly techniques and ideas. Soon, we see where success is very temporal and our church starts to fall apart again. Don’t we then tend to blame God for leading us down the wrong path? Friends, you will find that God had a plan for the Israelites and He used His leader through rigorous exercises to follow His plan. However, in today’s Scripture we could see where the human instincts started to kick in for Moses as he tried claiming credit for their success and questioning God as to why is He not doing more for this single leader of such a large nation of people. What if Moses would have given God full credit for everything accomplished and every step they took, and then accused God for not doing it right. Anyone could then see that Moses was off on the wrong tangent, right? So Moses started to bring attention to himself and his inabilities, as he sought pity from God. This is so indicative of us when we see that the things of God are not going the way that we feel they should. It’s everyone else’s fault, and it may even be God’s fault. We just need someone to blame the lack of success on. Oh that we might be reminded today that God created this world without our help, He created human beings in His own likeness, and He is actively involved each day in the lives of those who place their faith and trust in Him. In all things, worship the Lord thy God and be ready to praise Him for His goodness. As His servant, God may decide to include you or I in His work, but it’s still Him who does the work, and always Him who receives the praise for His masterful design, direction and work among His people. There is no need to feel sorry for yourself, let go and let God do His work among His people. Always be ready to celebrate in honor and praise to our King, the source of all power, knowledge, wisdom and grace.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Although feeling sorry for himself, Moses consulted God because he knew that only God could do the miraculous acts already performed among His people, the Israelites. God allowed Moses to be His hands and feet among the people, but all the while it was God who was the power source behind every miracle and through each day’s activity.

PRAYER: Precious Lord, it is so easy for us to see the fault with Moses. Oh that we might learn a great lesson from this story – that it is You who created us and the world we enjoy, and it is only You who could continue to direct us and help us to stand firm in our faith while all the while pointing others to the cross. Nothing of ourselves is worthy of praise, but in Christ alone I take my stand and lift up my hands in worship, praise and endless thanksgiving. Please draw this wicked world to Yourself, Lord, and please continue to bless Your children so that others will be drawn to the source of our strength, love and wisdom. AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: There are two more pages on my blog that will provide you with additional information, one of them being ‘To Know Jesus’. If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please click on the above page, or speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. Please allow someone to pray with you and give you help and/or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Words underlined in my blog might indicate a link to a song that came to mind as I wrote the devotional. Feel free to click on the link and listen as you continue to read or pray. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to Nuggets From God’s Word and read more, or you may freely subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. You may also visit me on Spotify and listen to Nuggets while you’re out and about. I would encourage you to find a church home near by your home, and attend as frequently as you could. Get to know God, and allow His people to encourage and strengthen you in your Christian walk, while making every effort to be a blessing to them. God is at work among His people! Please consider growing in your faith, as you worship with fellow believers!

Your Guide To Life

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Biblical Decisions, Guide, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Thursday, 2021-06-10
WRITTEN AT: Unidilla, GA

SCRIPTURE FROM: Proverbs 7:1-3
TRANSLATION:The Voice (VOICE)

BIBLE TEXT: 1 My son, live according to what I am telling you;
    guard my instructions as you would a treasure deep within you.
2 Stay true to my directives, and they will serve you well;
    make my teachings the lens through which you see life.
3 Bind cords around your fingers to remind you of them;
    meditate on them, and you’ll engrave them upon your heart.

APPLICATION: I am always amazed to look around and consider all that God has made for us to enjoy, starting with the very people in our family. But God was not just satisfied to provide these things for us, He gave us a book of instruction on how to make best use of these things/people and enjoy them just as God intended. Notice that God wants us to treasure His instructions. That’s because He created us, and He created people and things around us to enjoy, if we go about our interactions in a right way. God’s instructions are so important that He instructed us to frequently remind ourselves of what He said. We will usually learn that which we hang around, and interact with, most. For mechanics, they learn about the engines they work on and will not require instructions after a few times, because they have memorized where everything is, and what causes those things to break or malfunction. I believe that God wants us to become so familiar with His Word, that we could do like my blind grandmother did in her 90’s. She was able to continue her daily devotions by reciting Scripture that she learned over her years of reading God’s Word. Friends, God has it all covered in His Book. For us to become familiar with His instructions and insure that they form the basis for our daily decisions, we will need to read them, reread them, practice them, tell others about them, and be held accountable for acting and speaking according to God’s teachings. Do you feel like you have reached a point in your life where God can trust you with all that you do and say, knowing that others will mistake you for the King of all kings? It’s up to you to set the importance on this aspect of your relationship with God. If it’s important, and you make it a priority to read the Word at least daily, learn from what others know about the Bible – perhaps at Bible Study, or at church, or in a small group, and make it a part of your daily life-decisions, then perhaps you will identify with Solomon in feeling like doing this God’s way is super important to you because you have His Word engraved on your heart. Ask an honest friend to help keep you accountable. Hopefully they will be totally honest with you. Pray to God for wisdom to do life His way, every day!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: God made us, He made everyone and everything for us to enjoy, and He provided a Book of Instruction to point us in the right direction to make the most of His people and things, while demonstrating His goodness and love. Unless we read the Word and follow God’s instruction, we will not receive the full benefits He intended for us. Praise God, He thought of everything – what a Mighty God we serve!

PRAYER: Precious Lord, thank You for providing everything we need in life, and for giving us instructions to follow as we enjoy those things while all the while pleasing You. We know from experience the importance of following the instructions when constructing something. Please open our eyes and constantly remind us of the importance of knowing Your Word and following Your instruction for the best experience while here on earth. Let others see You as they experience interactions with us, and invite them to know You personally so that You may be glorified. 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!

Obedient To God’s Commands

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

DATE WRITTEN: Wednesday, 2021-06-09
WRITTEN AT: Orlando, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Numbers 9:15-18
TRANSLATION: The Voice (VOICE)

BIBLE TEXT: 15 When the congregation tent was finally erected and assembled, the cloud of the presence of God covered it and the place where the terms of the covenant were kept. In the dark of night, the presence of God looked like a fire and marked the spot until morning. 16 And so it continued—cloud cover by day, and something like fiery storm clouds at night. 17 Whenever the cloud lifted up, the Israelites would pack up and move, and wherever the cloud stopped, they would settle. 18 This is how the Eternal One indicated when the Israelites should travel and where they should set up camp. As long as the cloud stayed still over the congregation tent, the Israelites also stayed at their tents.

APPLICATION: In today’s environment we see where the strongest nation militarily, and/or financially, receives the attention of other nations not quite as fortunate in these areas. In our churches, I believe that we see where some churches really have a lot going for them in man’s eyes, and the crowds seem to be looking for a church that has a lot going on for children and adults – the whole family structure. But I am convinced that God is still after touching each heart individually and personally, and He is still looking at how well we obey Him and His commands. Finding a good church home is a vital part of seeking to obey God’s commands, because in any good church you will hear God’s Word taught and explained; You will meet fellow believers who will encourage you in your walk with the Lord, and their testimony will convince you that God’s not dead, because you could see where He is alive and well in His people; You will also be given the opportunity to obey God by giving to His ongoing work here on earth through your tithes and offering. Now compare this to what happened with the Israelites: God considered them His chosen people, so when He saw how badly they were being treated in Egypt in slavery, He went to bat for them and not only freed them from the hand of Pharaoh, but made them aware of a Promised Land He had prepared especially for them. Moses was chosen as God’s leader for the Israelites, but because he was mere man, God guided him and gave him great power. In today’s Scripture we are told that the Israelites moved when God told them to – through moving the Cloud from over the congregation tent. But as long as the Cloud remained there, the people obediently stayed there. Can you even imagine how mankind today would react to that? We have numerous denominations today, because every leader had his own ideas and understanding of what God wanted. Do you think for a minute that everyone would stay united waiting for a Cloud to move? I specifically chose this translation for our Scripture today because they had ‘Cloud’ capitalized – to show that it represented God’s presence! Friends, what do you suppose it would take for us to unite as children of the Most High God? As such, we may be apt to join hearts and hands and obey the commands of our God, no matter how insane it may sound to us, and no matter how much we feel our neighbor may disagree with God’s commands. God stayed true to the Israelites because they learned to be obedient to Him and follow His commands. I believe He has a place prepared for us also, and He is anxiously awaiting our arrival. But now while here on earth, we must learn to be obedient to the will of the Father and follow His commands. Can He count on you?

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Just as God led the Israelites all the way from slavery in Egypt to a Promised Land flowing with milk and honey. He has also promised us a land where the streets are made of pure gold. Our job is to obey His commands and place our faith and trust in Him alone! What a mighty God we serve!

PRAYER: Praise God from whom all blessings flow, praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost! Oh that we would follow in strict obedience to Your commands dear Lord, and learn to trust in You for all things. The Israelites were forced to depend solely on You while in the desert. Thank You for blessing us with jobs, family, friends and everyone else that provides for us daily. But most of all we stand in awe at Your goodness. Thank You for sending Your Son to offer such a sacrifice so that we may one day worship at Your feet and enjoy our heavenly Home that You have prepared for us. Come Lord Jesus come and take us home to be with You and the Father! 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!

Ask It, Believe It and Receive It

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Ask and Receive, For His Glory, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Tuesday, 2021-06-08
WRITTEN AT: Kissimmee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Mark 11:24-25
TRANSLATION: Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC)

BIBLE TEXT: 24 For this reason I am telling you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe (trust and be confident) that it is granted to you, and you will [get it]. 25 And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him and [g]let it drop (leave it, let it go), in order that your Father Who is in heaven may also forgive you your [own] failings and shortcomings and let them drop.

APPLICATION: A child who has developed faith in their dad, will think nothing of jumping from a wall into the arms of their dad, confident that they will not hit the ground. Jesus knew that the Father is also just as faithful in listening to His children and responding to the faith and confidence His children have developed in Him. But how do we develop that faith and trust? I had a good friend who would seriously ask God to direct him to his car keys whenever he could not find them. Sounds petty, and perhaps too trivial to bother God with? Well, his idea was that knowing He could trust God for even the small things in life, helped increase his confidence and faith as he asked God to help him in the major concerns of life. Friends, our God is not just available to us as a last resort, or for major disasters in life, but He loves us and cares about every little circumstance in our life. You see, most things that we ask God for will probably seem minor to Him because of His abilities, regardless of what rating we place on our problem. I believe that our greatest challenge is that we are often afraid that God may not respond in the manner that we tell Him we want our prayers answered. But remember, He is God and we are not. The reason we are asking Him, is because the issue is beyond our ability. So if we ask for something, and He chooses to decline our request, or answer it differently, we must remember that His ways our not our ways. But let’s rest assured that His ways are always best, for our ultimate good, and for His glory. So let’s remind ourselves today that we are to praise our Mighty God with all answers to our prayers. The additional tip given to Peter and the disciples was that our requests should never be without thought, and in all seriousness. Jesus said that if we stand before Him to ask for something, be sure that we have no outstanding issue with our fellow man. For God will consider our action towards our Brother in how He will respond to us. If we have been forgiving, He will forgive us; If we have given much, He will give to us; If we have been loving, He will show much love to us. When we stand before God with a clear conscience between us and our fellow man, then we may have faith in our God and willing to trust Him with our concerns. To reiterate: ‘whatever you ask for in prayer, believe (trust and be confident) that it is granted to you, and you will [get it]’.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: It’s not just a kid in a candy store that’s given everything they ask for who will be excited and extremely happy. Jesus said that if we ask in faith, believing, and with a right heart, we will get what we ask for! Only our God has that kind of love and unlimited power!

PRAYER: In deepest appreciation we say thank You Lord for Your amazing love and Your kindness and mercy to us. Please continue to bless us, and may we always sing Your praises, whether You give things to us in the fashion we asked for or not. You are all-knowing and all-powerful. There are so many circumstances in life over which we have no resolve, other than what You point us to. Be glorified in us today dear Lord. 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!

Pass The Glory On

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, For His Glory, God's Glory, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Monday, 2021-06-07
WRITTEN AT: Sebring, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: John 7:16-18
TRANSLATION: Good News Translation (GNT)

BIBLE TEXT:  16 Jesus answered, “What I teach is not my own teaching, but it comes from God, who sent me. 17 Whoever is willing to do what God wants will know whether what I teach comes from God or whether I speak on my own authority. 18 A person who speaks on his own authority is trying to gain glory for himself. But he who wants glory for the one who sent him is honest, and there is nothing false in him.

APPLICATION: The people recognized that Jesus was an awesome teacher. However Jesus wanted to make it clear that His words came directly from the Father. Verse 18 reminded me of some of our current day teachers, preachers and evangelists, where we see, or hear one speaking from a very selfish ‘me-ology’, instead of the unadulterated Word of God. Could that be the kind of person that Jesus was talking about – trying to gain glory, or draw attention to themselves, by speaking from their own perspective/learning/point-of-view? Let’s remember that our godly responsibility is to pray for those who teach us, not to judge them, or make fun of them or ridicule them. That’s where God takes over. Fortunately though, we also have preachers and teachers who display a true sensitivity to God and His Holy Spirit, and therefore there is a deep honesty and openness that causes them to lean on their Master and seek His will in their ministry. Did you notice that Jesus depended on His Father for the right words, and the best timing in which to say them? How much more should we do the same today? So you might wonder, what is there in this Scripture for laity, like you and I? 1). We have been given the litmus test to help us discern whether we are being fed the honest truth of God’s Word, or whether we are seeing a popularity contest, or perhaps self promotion. Honesty to ourselves will help us to place ourselves under the right preaching or teaching, so that we can be truly taught by God; and 2). Look inwardly and allow God to show you any faults that may be evident in your life. Perhaps you are the false teacher/preacher. Are you promoting self every opportunity, or are you standing behind the cross of Christ, with Him as your spokesman, so that His work will be accomplished? Let Him have His way in your life, friend. Don’t just let Him be the ‘co-pilot’ in your life, but give Him the wheel and let Him pilot you through this life. Let Him receive glory for all that is accomplished in your life and in your ministry.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Though so unworthy, yet I’m a child of the King! And because of that sonship, God will use even us to spread His Word and His good works so that He might be glorified by our circle of friends and influence. Let’s aim at having our audience see Jesus and not our weakness.

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, it is so easy to sit back and gloat on the praises that others may shower upon us. Yes, I know it is meant to encourage us and lift us up, but dear Lord, in humility we need to constantly learn that it’s all about You, and not of ourselves. Oh that the people might always see Jesus, without attention being drawn to us. For without You in our lives, and without You guiding our every step, our impact on a lost world would be non-existent. Please continue to use our talents and our willingness to serve for Your glory, and hopefully for the growth of Your church. Please help us to display so much of You, that those that we come into contact with, may receive Your glory. Please forgive us Lord for those times that we may have promoted self instead of You, the One who makes this whole life possible, and worth it all! To God be the glory! 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!

A Personal Encounter With The Master

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Encounter with God, Needs, Personal, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Saturday, 2021-06-05
WRITTEN AT: Sebring, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Mark 10:48-52
TRANSLATION: The Passion Translation (TPT)

BIBLE TEXT: 48 Those in the crowd were indignant and scolded him for making so much of a disturbance, but he kept shouting with all his might, “Son of David, have mercy on me now and heal me!”
49 Jesus stopped and said, “Call him here.” So they went to the blind man and said, “Have courage! Get up! Jesus is calling for you!” 50 So he threw off his beggars’ cloak, jumped up, and made his way to Jesus.
51 Jesus said to him, “What do you want me to do for you?”
The man replied, “My Master, please, let me see again!”
52 Jesus responded, “Your faith heals you. Go in peace, with your sight restored.” All at once, the man’s eyes opened and he could see again, and he began at once to follow Jesus, walking down the road with him.

APPLICATION: In another story, I found it especially fitting how Jesus gathered the children to Himself, despite the disciples trying their best to send them away. Now in our story today, to see how the disciples also tried to send the blind man away so that Jesus would not be bothered by his call for mercy and healing. What I appreciate most of all though, is to see how Jesus singled out this blind man to learn more about his needs. We must be reminded that Jesus knew all about this man and his personal needs, long before he every ordered him to be brought before Him. However, it is often good for us to verbalize exactly what is going on inside of us, especially to the Creator of the Universe. Imagine for a moment if Jesus had just ordered that sight be returned to this man and afterwards, He just ordered the disciples to have him go about his way. What might the blind man have gained spiritually about that kind of distant encounter? Can’t you see that Jesus wanted to have a personal encounter with this man? We tend to grow relationally when we have a personal encounter, don’t we? That’s why pastors and evangelists often encourage non believers to not only meet the Savior, but to have a personal relationship with Him. There’s more accountability one for another when this happens, and we are more convinced of the love someone has for us when they are willing to meet with us where we are, understand our very personal convictions and needs, and make an effort to hold our hand or help us through the mountains in our life. Jesus is just that kind of loving Savior, and One that we have good reason to seek after, accept and follow for the rest of our lives. After all, He created us and He has a perfect plan for our lives. However, He will not force Himself on anyone, so just like the blind man, Jesus wants us to express our desire to know Him, to have a relationship with Him, and He wants to meet our needs in ways that are way beyond anything we could imagine. Have you called out to Jesus yet my friend? You may not be blind, but your needs may be even greater than Bartimaeus in various ways. Jesus knows about your troubles, challenges and your deepest needs, but He wants to hear from you. Are you interested in a one-on-one relationship with the Master and willing to share your heart with Him? Imagine His hands outreached in much the same way as He may have been when He ordered the disciples to bring him to Me. Talk with Him right now dear friend, and be willing to move when He calls.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Jesus is more interested in hearing about our needs than just healing from a distance. He wants a personal relationship with us as He meets with us and hears us acknowledge our shortcomings and our failures. With God, ALL things are possible!

PRAYER: Thank You Lord Jesus for wanting to know me, to reach out and touch me rather than meeting my needs from a distance. It is such a relief to admit our inadequacies and inabilities to a God who knows it all and can remedy our every weakness. Please Lord, touch the hearts of my readers and listeners today, as together we acknowledge our need of the King of all kings. Open our eyes Lord, we want to see Jesus. Please make our lives shine with the love and glory of Jesus that the lost will be drawn to the source of our strength, love and wisdom. 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!

Never Lack Any Good Thing

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

DATE WRITTEN: Friday, 2021-06-04
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Psalm 34:8-10
TRANSLATION: The Passion Translation (TPT)

BIBLE TEXT: 8 Drink deeply of the pleasures of this God.
    Experience for yourself the joyous mercies he gives
    to all who turn to hide themselves in him.
9 Worship in awe and wonder, all you who’ve been made holy!
    For all who fear him will feast with plenty.
10 Even the strong and the wealthy grow weak and hungry,
    but those who passionately pursue the Lord
    will never lack any good thing.

APPLICATION: For those of you that watch very much television, you could wind up very confused by the end of the day after being pitched commercial after commercial telling you how to choose the best products, food, partner, house, boat or investment. However, for the child of God, we know that the One in whom we believe brings us all of these things without us stressing over who to trust. Furthermore, as we seek God, accept His offer of salvation through His only Son, and understand His plan for our lives here on earth, we also learn more about the home He has prepared for us in Heaven after we transition from this world. Ever notice that at the very best, the world can offer us a real nice crypt, or mausoleum when we finish our time here on earth, but they have no power beyond that point. David had faced many challenges in his day, although he never indicated a state of perfection, for you see, David knew that he belonged to the Almighty God. In each verse of our Scripture today we could see where David is not only giving us great advice, but the advice is based on personal experience with his Maker. In verse 8, David coached us to ‘experience the joyous mercies that God gives to all who hide themselves in the arms of Jesus; In verse 9 David identified with all who worship God and recognize His amazing power and majesty, for as they fear Him, or respect the King of all kings, they will feast with plenty and they will enjoy the benefit of His goodness; And in verse 10, David encouraged us to passionately pursue the Lord – go after Him with heart, soul and mind, and we will be rewarded with so much that we will never lack any good thing. Friends, these things that David spoke about in our Scripture today will never show up on your TV screens, for these are offered only by our Father in Heaven, who sees our heart, knows our needs and longs to meet our every need while still here on earth, and when we transition to Glory to be with our Savior. Are you ready for the coming of the Lord dear friends, or are you satisfied with just the ordinary, yet stressful things of earth? There is a better way – seek the Lord while He may be found, and know His peace that surpasses all human understanding! You will never lack any good thing!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: I expanded above on three blessings noted in the focal verses today. These are proven and timeless promises by a God who loves us beyond description! Know Him today, and know this peace!

PRAYER: Thank You Lord for all that You did in the life of Your servant, David. He was able to share with us from first hand experience how You blessed him and cared for him. Please provoke us to love and good works, so that we too might share the love of God. and Your mercies that endure for ever and for ever. We are too blessed to just keep Your mercies bottled up inside. Our family and friends deserve to know about You, may we be their inspiration. 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!