Tag: Praise

Explain To Your Children Why You Celebrate

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

DATE WRITTEN: Tuesday, 2021-03-22
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: Exodus 13:8-9
TRANSLATION: Living Bible (TLB)

BIBLE TEXT: 8 “During those celebration days each year you must explain to your children why you are celebrating—it is a celebration of what the Lord did for you when you left Egypt. 9 This annual memorial week will brand you as his own unique people, just as though he had branded his mark of ownership upon your hands or your forehead.

OBSERVATION: Twice in this chapter it is reiterated that the Israelites are to explain to their children why they are celebrating their exodus from Egypt, so I consider that pretty important. While most non-Jews do not celebrate this annual event, there are still some religious celebrations that many of us take part in. How well are you doing in explaining why you are celebrating, or perhaps why you are not? Unfortunately if you don’t share this with your children, someone else will, and it may not explain why or how you personally celebrate!

APPLICATION: Most readers will probably not celebrate the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt during this March/April timeframe. However, Easter is a pretty popular celebration on the Christian calendar, and most of you probably have been invited to Easter Egg hunts, or to a Sunrise service, or even a celebration of new life where the resurrection of our Lord is celebrated. Children are really curious, so they will draw their own conclusions as to why you took them to church this Easter, or perhaps why was there a Egg hunt at this time and no other time of the year. What if you sat your child down and explained why you are planning to attend the events at your church this Easter? Might it not help solidify in them that you are a believer in Jesus Christ, and that you actually believe in the death, burial and resurrection of our Lord? Yes, I know the preacher will explain why Easter is so important, and I know that Sunday School teachers do an extraordinary job of show-‘n-tell with your kids about the risen Lord, but imagine the impact your story would have in your children? Try telling it like God told the Israelites to tell their story: Tell what the Lord did for you when….. Don’t you know that months later that child could be telling their friends what their dad told them about Easter, vs what they are hearing the kids discuss about Easter? Friends, Easter is not a fairy tale for those who believe in Jesus Christ. When you tell others what Easter means to you personally, it will carry a strong sense of personal appreciation to what was done at Calvary for even you. It will reflect the joy that you feel inside from knowing that Jesus arose and stands ready to accept you into His glorious heaven. I would never underestimate the power of preaching from our church pulpits, but I do believe that there is nothing greater than a child knowing where their parents stand on matters usually spoken from our pulpits. Most children will feel the love of their parents for them, but if they are considering accepting Jesus as Lord, the impact of knowing that their parents also know Jesus personally, is immeasurable. Perhaps God blessed you with children of your own. God wanted the Israelites to teach their children the reason why, and the importance of, celebrating their exodus from Egypt. I strongly believe that God also wants us to share with our kids the importance of our Christian celebrations today. Try doing your part dear friend, with God’s help. Let them know that this same Jesus that they are learning about is of key importance to you also!

PRAYER: Thank You Lord for the child You graciously placed in my life. May I always be obedient to Your instructions, and to Your commands. For her to know how I personally feel about our Christian holidays is way more important than her hearing it from a preacher or a friend. The difference is very personal, and I believe that it draws a smile to her in knowing that I am committed to You and very much called by You to share Your Word and Your love with others. Please open the hearts of my audience to Your Word, precious Lord. May their hearts overflow with love and appreciation for the One who gave it all so that they may spend life eternally with the God of this universe. AMEN!

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

The Greatest Commandment

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Love, Love God, Love your Neighbor, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Unconditional love, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Sunday, 2021-03-21
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: Matthew 22:36-40
TRANSLATION: The Voice (VOICE)

BIBLE TEXT: 
Pharisees: 36 Teacher, of all the laws, which commandment is the greatest?Jesus (quoting Scripture): 37 “Love the Eternal One your God with all your heart and all your soul and all your mind.”[c] 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is nearly as important, “Love your neighbor as yourself.”[d] 40 The rest of the law, and all the teachings of the prophets, are but variations on these themes.

OBSERVATION: Although the Pharisees were trying to test Jesus, they asked a very logical question. Jesus’ response is still applicable to us today, so let’s see how we’re doing with the two commandments Jesus considered most important.

APPLICATION: It seems natural for us to worry more about the most important laws, or the most critical infractions we want to avoid. Take speeding for example: In the US we know that we could get away with doing no more than 5 miles over the speed limit, so we will often break the law, but by no more than 5mph, so we don’t get a ticket. Isn’t it the same with God’s laws? It seems ok to take a few pencils or paperclips home from work, but not $100, even though both are stealing. It seems OK to tell a lie, but we wouldn’t ever consider murder, although both are sins. Notice how Jesus set an example for us in quoting Scripture when responding to questions from those trying to test us. He did it to Satan when tempted by him in the desert, and he responds similarly now to the Pharisees. Why is that? Personal opinions are dime a dozen, for everyone has at least one! However, when we quote ‘thus says the Lord’, we are allowing God’s Word to answer why we believe the way we do. I found it interesting that Jesus chose not only the two commandments that epitomize God’s love and His wish for His children, but also the two commandments that all others are based on. In other words, if we get these two right, and if we exceed expectations in response to these two, then no one should have reason to judge us of missing the mark with the other commandments. To love the Lord: With all our heart – is to devote the very core of our being (our heart) to loving our Creator and our Lord; With all our soul – is to love God from the deepest parts of our being, knowing that no one deserves our love more than He does; With all our mind – is to know that our love for God is unconditional, meaning that we will love Him no matter what is going on in life, because our mind is fixed on Him. On the second most important commandment, Jesus tells us that it is equally important as the first, for a child of God who loves His Maker, will also love all that He made. To dislike our neighbor is like saying that God messed up in creating them. Of course they will be different to us in many ways, but in loving them, we soon learn to love the variety of people and things that God created. This widens our spectrum of appreciation for our Creative God. As we love our (different) neighbor, we become better prepared to approach nonbelievers who need Jesus. Remember, God made them, so we should love them! Please note that this is not just a nice story about God getting on to the Pharisees. I believe that He is still saying the same thing to you and I today: Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul and mind – and your neighbor as you love yourself; for this is God’s greatest wish for you today!

PRAYER: Each day that I read Your Word, I am looking for what’s most important for me that day, from my gracious God. Thank You Lord, for making it plain to me today that I am to love You above everything else, and that I am to love my friends, my relatives and my neighbors as much as I love myself. Lord, please teach my readers and I to love like You love us each and every day. For others need to see Jesus – Your love, Your mercy and Your gracious concern for everyone. They need to see You, and not the wickedness of our earthly beings. May others see You and believe. AMEN!

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

Your Response to a Word From The Lord

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

DATE WRITTEN: Saturday, 2021-03-20
WRITTEN AT: Avon Park, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: Exodus 12:26-28
TRANSLATION: Easy-to-Read Version (ERV)

BIBLE TEXT: 26 When your children ask you, ‘Why are we doing this ceremony?’ 27 you will say, ‘This Passover is to honor the Lord, because when we were in Egypt, he passed over the houses of Israel. He killed the Egyptians, but he saved the people in our houses.’” Then the people bowed down and worshiped the Lord. 28 The Lord had given this command to Moses and Aaron, so the Israelites did what the Lord commanded.

OBSERVATION: I believe that most of us will think of our response to a good Sunday morning sermon when we read the theme of this devotional. But for the follower of Christ that reads their Bible daily, you will know that this could actually occur at any time that you are deeply in the Word of God. But regardless of when we receive a word from God, I want us to think deeply and sincerely about what we do with that word. Hang in there as we look deeper into what the Israelites did.

APPLICATION: After church services each week, you might see the pastor standing at the back of the church greeting parishioners as they leave the building. But some pastors don’t do that, because they dread hearing about how he looks, or about how awesome his sermon was for those hypocrites out there. You see, it is very easy to sit and apply the spoken word to others around you, or to your relative that couldn’t be bothered to attend church with you that day. It is easy to make the preacher feel good by praising him up for his fiery sermon, even though you may have napped through most of it. But my friends, whether you read the Word personally, or if you hear a very challenging sermon, it is critical that you recognize that it is the Word of the living God that is being proclaimed. Yes, when the Word is declared it could be especially applicable to the lifestyle and sins of those you know, but know that it is always pronounced in your presence for your good. God has ordained it for you to be in that place at that time for that particular word that is being shared with you. Notice that the Israelites heard the word proclaimed by God’s messengers, Moses and Aaron, and they didn’t bow down before them, but their heads, bodies and hearts bowed before Almighty God for directly sparing their lives at a time that their neighbors were seeing death and destruction in their families. Yes they saw mere men standing before them sharing a word from God, but they knew without a doubt that it was God who sent the word for them, because they had seen His hand at work in their families. Let me encourage you friends: do not go to church this weekend out of habit or because it is scheduled each week, or because of who is teaching or preaching, but go expecting a word from God specifically for you. In our world, God has chosen to give wisdom and knowledge to pastors who will listen intently to Him as they study His Word and then expound on it to small and large congregations. Be like the Israelites, and listen closely to what God has to say to you. Know that He has your pastor in place for a time such as this, for he is God’s messenger with a special word for you. Yes, he is human, and he has flaws just like you and I, but know that God is his judge and not you and I. In the Bible we are told that God uses the foolishness of preaching to speak to His children. So listen to what God has to say to you – even through the mortal man He is delivering it through. Then act on the Word just like the Israelites did. Bow before God and praise Him for His message given just for you, then move on to obey what God has ordered you to do. Your children will probably ask why you are doing what you do each day, each week and on each religious holiday. Try listening to the word of Moses in what he told his countrymen – be ready to explain the mysteries of God.

PRAYER: Oh that we might learn to listen closely to Your word for us, instead of picking Your messenger apart for every misspoken word or for every flaw He might have as a fellow human. Lord, I believe that still today You work in our lives, protecting us from harm like You did with Your people, the Israelites. Please help us to look for and celebrate our blessings each and every day, especially through our worship to You and our praises in thanksgiving for Your goodness. We are truly a blessed people who are honored, protected and guided by an awesome God. All glory to our loving Lord for all Your wondrous works. AMEN!

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

Give To God What Belongs To Him

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

DATE WRITTEN: Friday, 2021-03-19
WRITTEN AT: Avon Park, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: Matthew 22:18-21
TRANSLATION: The Passion Translation (TPT)

BIBLE TEXT: 18 Jesus knew the malice that was hidden behind their cunning ploy and said, “Why are you testing me, you imposters who think you have all the answers? 19 Show me one of the Roman coins.” So they brought him a silver coin used to pay the tax. 20 “Now, tell me, whose head is on this coin and whose inscription is stamped on it?” 21 “Caesar’s,” they replied. Jesus said, “Precisely, for the coin bears the image of the emperor Caesar.[k] Well, then, you should pay the emperor what is due to the emperor. But because you bear the image of God,[l] give back to God all that belongs to him.”

OBSERVATION: It seems like Jesus was consistently challenged by the Pharisees and the Jews, because His arrival into their world really upset their whole belief system. We may tend to be as challenged as the Pharisees when we are corrected on our evil thoughts and our conniving ways. So let us ask God’s grace as we meditate on this passage today. Are we truly giving to God everything He deserves from us in return for all His gracious blessings towards us each day?

APPLICATION: I once heard a prominent leader challenge his staff in response to a new law that would have a grave impact on his business. He asked, what is the minimum we could do and still be compliant with this new law? Doesn’t that sound much like us when we feel a certain obligation to give of our time or money to the work of the Lord? Isn’t attending church once in a while enough? Do we really need to also attend Bible Study or perhaps help in a children’s class? And don’t challenge me on giving, for the church is very liberal in spending the hordes of money it raises through offerings each Sunday! But for those who get caught up in those things, do you suppose that they ever take time to study the Word of God on either of these subjects? In our Scripture today, the Pharisees were getting really on edge with all that Jesus was teaching. Can’t you imagine the feeling they must have had seeing the crowds gather around this newcomer? Who does He think He is? Why not trap Him into saying something that might get Him arrested and punished from ever teaching again? But just as God knows the thoughts and actions of each reader today, He also knew the same of the Pharisees and the evil they were plotting. Notice that Jesus didn’t argue with them about their misgivings in paying taxes, but instead challenged them to do something for God, after all He loves them unconditionally; He created the means of salvation for them, by sending His only Son as a sacrifice for their sin; He has been patiently awaiting their heartfelt songs of praise and their personal worship of the God that created them and provides for them each and every day. Instead of worrying about the taxes they pay to Caesar, they should be concentrating on the God who cares for them and created them so that they may come to Him with thankful and praiseworthy hearts. What about you, my friend? Would God be happy with all that you devote your time to, or would He also challenge you to consider the Creator of all mankind, more than anything else in this world? Only you can assess that, and even then it may take a provoking thought from your Maker to be truly honest with yourself. I believe our challenge from this passage is still very much like Jesus challenged the Pharisees with: Give to God what belongs to Him – in honest response to everything He has blessed you with.

PRAYER: Lord, I have no doubt that still today we tend to question things with You that are really intended to distract from the main challenges of our life. May we all learn to give You our hearts, our lives and our earthly belongings – including our money, for You were the ultimate giver of life, health and everything that makes up our lives here on earth. There’s no time for distractions, for You alone are worthy of our praise and You deserve our praises. Please challenge us regularly so that we may stay on track and never lose sight of whose we are, and from whom our blessings originated. You deserve it all oh King. Thank You for loving even us – unconditionally! AMEN!

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

Then You Will Know That I Am Lord

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Wait on the Lord, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Thursday, 2021-03-18
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: Exodus 10:1-2
TRANSLATION: Contemporary English Version (CEV)

BIBLE TEXT: 1  The Lord said to Moses: Go back to the king.[a] I have made him and his officials stubborn, so that I could work these miracles. 2 I did this because I want you to tell your children and your grandchildren about my miracles and about my harsh treatment of the Egyptians. Then all of you will know that I am the Lord.

OBSERVATION: Such a familiar story, but it seems like we only hear about the plagues and all the bad things that came to the Egyptians. But God opened my eyes to a key point in this whole story, and it made me personally look back over time to remember how God revealed Himself to me in miraculous ways, refreshing my mind to once again realize that He indeed is Lord of all. Think of the same experience in your life as we meditate on the Word today together.

APPLICATION: About 3-6 months before my wife and I moved to the United States, I sat down to break the news to my parents. My dad was visibly upset and said just a few words: ‘Now that your mom and I are getting older, you are really moving further away from us?’. Those words stung like a bee, but I was convinced that God had heard our prayer for direction in the move, so I felt like He had a plan in place for us. Within 8 months of assuming residency in the USA, I received word that my dad was not well, and my siblings were not convinced that doctors had properly diagnosed his problem, nor treating him with a prescription that would help him. In all of God’s wisdom, and in His awesome power working in me, I was able to get an uninsured foreigner into a local doctor. Into a prime hospital, have a heart stint placed, treated for the loss a kidney due to blood clots and half of his huge medical bill satisfied by a local hospital fund. Weeks after the hospital stay, my dad gave a loud sigh and told me that ‘Now I understand what God was doing in getting you over here’. Based on our Scripture for today, I believe my dad was saying ‘I have again been reminded that Jesus is Lord’. Friends, I believe that as we read through the Word of God, we must remember that it is not a fairy tale, for the same God who did miraculous things like illustrated in our Scripture today, is the same God who works in our lives today. The reason He does these things is made clear to us in our Scripture: He wants us, and our children, to know that, or be reminded that, He is Lord! He is not a fairy tale that performs miracles on everyone else except us. If you have accepted Him as Lord of your life, then you must be reminded that He is Lord of everything in your life; He will take care of you; He will guide and protect you; and He is preparing a place for us in Heaven where we will be victoriously positioned with Him! He is Lord, dear friend, and He has a plan for each of us. Know Him today dear friend, and be ready to watch His plan unfold in your life, for His glory!

PRAYER: I am reminded of the words of an old hymn: ‘Oh what a wonder it is that Jesus loves even me’. I thank You Lord for creating me in Your image, being a constant part of my life over the years, and for promising a place called Heaven where all believers will spend eternity with You and the Father. The Egyptians used and abused the Egyptian people living in their country, but I believe that You would have freely forgiven them if either plague had brought them to their knees in pleading forgiveness of You. We have much to read and share with others about Your miraculous works in Bible days. But Lord, I know that You are still very much alive and actively working in the lives of Your children today, so please help us to share these blessings with others – especially our children, so that they may know You and believe in You for their salvation. Lord, we believe You are Lord. Please help us to open our hearts to allowing You to display Yourself through us each day. AMEN!

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

God May Be Working Through You

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

DATE WRITTEN: Wednesday, 2021-03-17
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: Exodus 9:13-18
TRANSLATION: The Message (MSG)

BIBLE TEXT: 13-18 God said to Moses, “Get up early in the morning and confront Pharaoh. Tell him, ‘God, the God of the Hebrews, says: Release my people so they can worship me. This time I am going to strike you and your servants and your people with the full force of my power so you’ll get it into your head that there’s no one like me anywhere in all the Earth. You know that by now I could have struck you and your people with deadly disease and there would be nothing left of you, not a trace. But for one reason only I’ve kept you on your feet: To make you recognize my power so that my reputation spreads in all the Earth. You are still building yourself up at my people’s expense. You are not letting them go. So here’s what’s going to happen…..

OBSERVATION: Way too often we may look at a situation and accuse a person of being much too stubborn to ever hear God, or allow Him to work through them. At other times we may think that God is being excessively harsh on our friends. But today I want us to meditate on how we tend to respond when God is possibly ready to work through us to reach others.

APPLICATION: The stubbornness of Pharoah to obey God and let the Israelites leave his country is almost unbelievable. But did this come as a surprise to God? Of course not, for God told Moses up front that this would happen, and He reminded Moses of what to expect with each demand made of the king. One might wonder how Moses could continue to be persistent in obedience, knowing that with each demand he carefully delivered to the king, it would once again be mocked and/or disobeyed. Friends, the answer to that is no different to the job of a pastor each week when he delivers the Word of God through sermons. For the pastor spends hours preparing his heart and mind to share from God’s Word, knowing full well that his sermon might impact only a very small percentage of the congregation, and an even smaller percentage who will actually respond in obedience to the Word. However, I believe that Moses and our pastors have developed, through experience, a sense of urgency in obeying God and knowing that it is sufficient for the call on their life to simply listen and obey the voice of God, knowing that He is God, and that He will be honored through our sincere obedience in doing what He instructs. So where does that leave us? I believe it is important for us to know that our relationship with the King of Glory demands a heart that will please God. We do that through: Meeting with God regularly in prayer – a time that we could converse with God about the complexities of life, and to share our heart of thanksgiving with Him; Reading His Word and applying it to our life, before ever thinking about who else would benefit from it; and Obeying His instructions that we have discerned from the Word. When we do these things, we will open up ourselves to be God’s hands and feet here on earth. We will make ourselves available as His instrument to those who need Jesus, and for those desiring to draw closer to God. Notice that the Christian life is all about God, and our willingness to allow Him to use us like He did with Moses. I don’t believe that God would fill us with more of Himself if we only plan to keep it to ourselves. He’s not looking for another ‘Red Sea’, but for a river that gushes forth with the love of Christ in every action we take, or word that we speak. You too can be another ‘Moses’, if only you are willing to honor God through obeying His commands, knowing full well that, in time, He will be honored and His work will be accomplished on earth, as it is in heaven.

PRAYER: Precious Lord, please take our hand and guide us into total obedience to You, even when it seems like no one is listening or trying to change because of what we share about You. Moses never gave up, even though he initially found many excuses. It’s no different with us, for we are the first to give in and see nothing but failure ahead. You told us that: ‘With Christ all things are possible’. May we be constantly reminded that all power comes from above, and that our job is to listen to, and obey Your commands, knowing that You will do the rest. Use us Lord, as You did with Moses, to change the world for the glory of God. AMEN!

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

Ask In Faith, Believing, and Receive

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Ask and Receive, Believe, Faith, Know and Believe, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Sunday, 2021-03-14
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: Matthew 21:21-22
TRANSLATION: Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC)

BIBLE TEXT: 21 And Jesus answered them (His disciples), Truly I say to you, if you have faith (a [n]firm relying trust) and do not doubt, you will not only do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, Be taken up and cast into the sea, it will be done. 22 And whatever you ask for in prayer, having faith and [really] believing, you will receive.

OBSERVATION: I’ve been told that when Jesus says something repeatedly, it’s because He wants us to really pay attention. For my regular followers, you will remember seeing several devotionals on ‘Faith’ over recent weeks. Hopefully as we meditate on the Word today, we will really allow God to penetrate our hearts on the subject of ‘FAITH’, for it is the crux of our believing in the Lord Jesus Christ – One whom we have never physically seen.

APPLICATION: As I read these verses this morning, I was sure that this was a repeat of something I had read earlier, and actually shared with you via Nuggets. In fact, I had to go back and review previous devotionals to make sure that I wouldn’t duplicate! I was reminded of a preacher who repeated the same sermon for a few Sundays, until an old lady came and reminded him. He responded that he just wasn’t sure that the congregation really understood and believed in what he had shared, so he thought to say it again! I have bolded the words that I feel God really drew to my attention. I believe that most of us pray. In fact, some of us even take time to attend corporate prayer meetings, and we may even join hearts with other believers to pray about things that impact us corporately as a church. What are we really doing when we stop all activity and pray to our Father? As a child, we were probably taught certain prayer lyrics that would eventually be replaced with internal words from our own heart. In a general sense, we know that prayer is a conversation we have with God. Why would one do that if it has the appearance of our words just disappearing into a black hole? Somewhere along the way, hopefully we may have heard about ‘faith’. You know: the kind of faith that caused a woman to fight the crowds so she could just touch the hem of His garment, and instantly she was healed; the kind of faith that caused a man to hop out of a very safe boat and at the command of Jesus, walk on water towards His Master; the kind of faith that caused a man to tell Jesus to raise his son from the dead, even from a long distance away; and perhaps even a current day healing that each of you may have witnessed or heard about. So I believe that Jesus is saying to His followers (disciples) in today’s Scripture, and to His followers today that if we have ‘faith’, and if we truly believe that we serve an all-powerful God who miraculously sent His one and only Son (Jesus) as our Savior, then we should pray as one who believes, and our requests will not only be heard, but also granted. Friends, what if you bowed your head at night with that kind of faith? What if you joined in corporate prayer with that kind of faith? What change might you see in your life of worship to our King, if you celebrated answers to your prayers each and every day? I don’t believe that God expects us to have a special place to meet with Him in prayer, or that we need to work up an attitude of prayer, or a special prophet leading us in prayer. The Word of God says that: if we have faith; and if we believe in our all-powerful God; then we may ask anything of Him and we will receive. Note that God loves us way too much to give us things that He knows will destroy us and our witness for Him, so He may direct us to pray in certain ways that He may approve of! Hebrews 11:1 tells us “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Oh that we may ask of God without having a clue as to what the right answer is, or how He might handle the situation. We just need to ask, and depend on God to Do what He knows best to do!

PRAYER: Lord, I thank You for Your mercies and I thank You for Your all-sufficient hand. Thank You for this reminder on faith, and how we are to ask of You in faith, believing on the power of the Almighty God. This is so real to us today, because things are happening all around us that we have no answers for, and we often struggle with why You would allow them to happen. But Lord, we acknowledge that we are mere man, and because of that, our minds cannot fathom the power, or the ways of an almighty God. But Lord, we know that You love us, and we know that You are sitting at the right hand of the Father petitioning for us. Lord, we believe. Please help us in our areas of unbelief. In faith, I want to ask for You to touch the heart of any reader who has yet to ask You into their heart. May this be the day of salvation for them, I pray. AMEN!

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

Obey God. Don’t Try To Take His Place

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

DATE WRITTEN: Saturday, 2021-03-13
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: Exodus 6:28-30
TRANSLATION: Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC)

BIBLE TEXT: 28 On the day when the Lord spoke to Moses in Egypt, 29 The Lord said to Moses, I am the Lord; tell Pharaoh king of Egypt all that I say to you.
30 But Moses said to the Lord, Behold, I am of deficient and impeded speech; how then shall Pharaoh listen to me?

OBSERVATION: I was always tickled in the workplace when told that the CEO ordered that we do something, for that phrase was frequently used, and abused, to place creditability in doing what that individual wanted done! Siblings sometimes use that tactic in demanding that something be done, because mom or dad said so! In our Scripture today Moses was trying just the opposite tactic, as he was trying to wiggle out of God’s command to speak to the wicked king. As we meditate on the Word today, perhaps we should reassess our intentions when we try to share Jesus’ commands to the world.

APPLICATION: At times we try so hard for personal satisfaction and recognition, that we tend to overwhelm the audience we are trying to reach, or we may even under-whelm, or convince them. God – the Creator of the world, and the One who had already proven Himself to Moses and the Israelites, is now ordering Moses to go and speak with the Egyptian king. Notice the emphasis on who is ordering the king – I underlined it in the Scripture. So the orders are already written for Moses, from the highest authority. It was almost like Moses was off the hook, for he would just be the messenger. But instead of just doing what he was told to do, Moses quickly came up with excuses. Not that God didn’t know what He was telling him to do, but how useless he (Moses) was, and how ineffective he would be in speaking to the king. In applying this today, how many do you think would attend church if it was only an avenue for a preacher to share his personal success, or his achievements, or his desire for the people? We attend church for the sake of knowing that we will meet with God and hear what He has to say through His messenger who shares the Word of God for His people. Friends, no one can take the place of God, for He is all powerful, holy and righteous. It should always be the desire of a preacher, or every Christian, to seek the heart of God and share what He has to say through His powerful Word to each of us. It is always best that we seek God, put self aside, and share the unadulterated Word of God with others. God is powerful enough to stand firm on His own; to speak Truth and correction through His written Word; and to soften the hardened hearts of the sinner to hear His voice calling each one unto Himself. If God chooses to use a messenger (pastor, preacher, fellow Christian, etc) to do that, then we must know in advance that the effort is all about God, with no credit or praise expected for self. God called me to salvation many years ago, and only He can call you. I pray that God will use His followers to encourage sinners today to listen closely to His call and obey the call on their life. This is especially true for each of you that will read, or listen to this devotional today. Listen closely to the voice of God and be quick to obey Him.

PRAYER: It is so unfortunate that we put so much pressure on ourselves to say the right thing, instead of just sharing the Word of God as He designed it. There was nothing that Moses could have said to the powerful king of Egypt to cause him to change his mind. But thank You Father for convincing Moses to simply carry Your message to the King, and You did the rest. You knew how many attempts the king would make to try and discourage Moses, and You knew what would finally cause the king to stop and listen. You created the king and You knew all about him, just as it is with each of us. Please speak intently to us today so that we may listen, obey and follow Your commands just as You intended. Thank You for being patient with us, just as You were with Moses. We need You each and every day, dear Lord, and I believe that You will work with us. Thank You Heavenly Father! AMEN!

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

Show Us Mercy, Lord!

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

DATE WRITTEN: Friday, 2021-03-12
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: Matthew 20:31-34
TRANSLATION: The Passion Translation (TPT)

BIBLE TEXT: 31 Those in the crowd scolded them and told them to be quiet. But the blind men shouted even louder, “Jesus, Son of David, show us mercy, Lord!”
32 So Jesus stopped and had them brought to him. He asked them, “What do you want me to do for you?”
33 They said, “Lord, we want to see! Heal us!”
34 Jesus was deeply moved with compassion[k] toward them. So he touched their eyes, and instantly they could see! Jesus said to them, “Your faith has healed you.” And all the people praised God because of this miracle.[l] And the two men became his followers from that day onward.

OBSERVATION: In preparation for a missions trip, other team members and myself were coached by pioneers of the same journey and we were warned not to feel sorry for the people of the poor town we would visit, as they are very happy in their own ‘skin’ and in their own condition. For they don’t see themselves as ‘poor’. It’s when we try to compare them to ourselves, that we feel sorry for them. Jesus didn’t assume the two blind man wanted only healing from Him. Hopefully we will learn from the Word what our approach should be when we see people who seem needy.

APPLICATION: If we are rich, then we may be quick to assume that those living in huts and wearing filthy rags with holes, are in need of financial handouts from us and lots of clothing. If a poor person dressed in rags came forward in an altar call at church, we may jump in to pray for their poverty and their financial needs. But what if in both of these examples, these individuals just want to hear about the love of Jesus that they overheard us talking about? Although Jesus knew full well what the need of these two beggars were, He wanted them to express their personal needs. Imagine after a touching sermon on the salvation of Jesus Christ, folk came forward to the altar. It would do them such an injustice to immediately go over to them and begin praying for their salvation. Show interest in them and do as Jesus did, ask them what you might do for them, or how you might pray for them. Imagine the satisfaction in their minds to say in earnest that they want to surrender their life to the lordship of Jesus Christ – the One who the preacher spoke of in such a loving, caring and understanding way. It’s like an alcoholic, help is of no value to them until they are ready to announce their condition and their request for help to overcome that dreaded disease. In our world of computers and devices, it behooves us to see that Jesus cared enough to stop the march and focus His attention on individuals who were receiving a lot of flack for being there. Beggars are still ignored by many today and looked down on by most. I pray that God may have spoken through the example of His Son to each reader today, and that our hearts may be stirred when we see someone in need. Perhaps they need Jesus, or a healing touch, or help with a financial burden, or just a hand up so that they could rest assured that someone still cares. Perhaps they just want to know that Jesus is still alive and well in us – giving reason to them for wanting to know Him personally. Jesus showed the two blind men that He cared enough to stop His world around Him to attend to their needs. Seek the face of Jesus my friend, and see what He wants you to do in order to truly see the needs of others, and then show mercy to them.

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, You know what we need, You know what lies ahead for us, yet You take the time to listen to what we feel our needs are. Thank You for caring for us and our anxious minds. Please touch our lives and help us to be just like You in caring about others. Help us to put aside our prejudices, our likes, our dislikes, our selfish desires, and our mechanical devices that tend to distract us from the needs that are right in front of us. This world is a hard and trying place in which to survive, may we become the light at the end of the tunnel for many that we come into contact with, giving reason for them to go on. Please continue to show mercy on us Lord, as we show mercy on others. AMEN!

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

To Be First; Great and Supreme

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

DATE WRITTEN: Thursday, 2021-03-11
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: Matthew 20:25-28
TRANSLATION: Good News Translation (GNT)

BIBLE TEXT: 25 So Jesus called them all together and said, “You know that the rulers of the heathen have power over them, and the leaders have complete authority. 26 This, however, is not the way it shall be among you. If one of you wants to be great, you must be the servant of the rest; 27 and if one of you wants to be first, you must be the slave of the others— 28 like the Son of Man, who did not come to be served, but to serve and to give his life to redeem many people.”

OBSERVATION: I wonder if national leaders have servants who teach their children what it means to be the son/daughter of the greatest person in that nation? Or the first one that their people will think of as their leader? Or the supreme leader in not just their country, but a strong world leader? Do you do something like this with your children? In our Scripture today Jesus teaches how His children attain greatness; top level leadership; and supreme in our personal achievements. Meditate with me as we mull this over and apply it to our lives.

APPLICATION: Having served in church leadership roles, I had to apply this Scripture to my own life as I read the words of Jesus this morning. More importantly, as followers of Christ, I believe that Jesus wants us to apply His Word to our lives each and every time that we study the Bible, or hear it taught/preached. This Scripture was provoked because of a visit from the mother of James and John (two of the disciples), who asked Jesus to promote her sons to top ranks in His kingdom. The ten remaining disciples became angry, out of jealousy about this request. So Jesus knew this was an issue He had to deal with for the disciples, and for all those who would follow. It is so disconcerting that in this world, we tend to feel superior when we take charge. But look again at what Jesus taught – why would we feel superior, when we should follow His example and be a servant to those over whom we have assumed charge? Imagine walking into a banquet as a leader. You would assume that the head table is set for you and that you are to be seated and served first. But Jesus said that as a slave to the people, we should be serving them without expecting any recognition from them. Over the past year we heard the president of the USA being referred to as the leader of the ‘Free World’. That may be as close to anything we might call ‘supreme’ here on earth, but Jesus meant it in a whole new realm of thinking. You see, He was the son of the Most High God, yet instead of promoting that, He instead sacrificed His own life for the benefit of all who would believe on Him for eternal life. So I believe the question for us to ponder today about our position in life is: how sincere are we in our relationship with the King of all kings? Is He first in our lives? Is it evident to others who we belong to, based on our servanthood? In knowing everything about us, is it evident to God that we are following in the steps of Jesus and His ministry, His servant attitude, and His love for all those that He served?

PRAYER: Lord, I can’t say that I ever thought about being superior in any way while serving in leadership roles, for it was often a heavy load to carry. But this Scripture today has invoked a sense of urgency and commitment to concentrate on serving, way more than any possible benefit from leadership roles. My desire is to be just like You in all that I do or say, so I plead with You to direct me each and every day to achieve that desire and to walk the walk and talk the talk, as You would have Your followers to do. I also plead with You to impact the lives of my readers, oh that they too might seek Jesus above everything else in this world, and may we all glorify You name on earth, as it is in heaven. AMEN!

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