Love Like Your Father in Heaven

On 2021-01-152021-01-14 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Love, Love others, Love your Neighbor, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Unconditional love, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Friday, 2021-01-15
WRITTEN AT: Paul B Johnson State Park, Hattiesburg, MS

BIBLE REFERENCE: Matthew 5:43-48
TRANSLATION: Contemporary English Version (CEV)

BIBLE TEXT: ⁴³You have heard people say, “Love your neighbors and hate your enemies.” ⁴⁴But I tell you to love your enemies and pray for anyone who mistreats you. ⁴⁵Then you will be acting like your Father in heaven. He makes the sun rise on both good and bad people. And he sends rain for the ones who do right and for the ones who do wrong. ⁴⁶If you love only those people who love you, will God reward you for that? Even tax collectors^[k] love their friends. ⁴⁷If you greet only your friends, what’s so great about that? Don’t even unbelievers do that? ⁴⁸But you must always act like your Father in heaven

OBSERVATION: While we are not so picky about who we wind up hating, we have a more definite plot about who we love. If they show kindness to us, or if they’re nice to us, we will be nice to them, and we may eventually even love them. But is that what Jesus taught or practiced? Twice in the few verses we are meditating on today, Jesus encourages us to act, or love, like our Father in Heaven. Let’s spend some time with God today and evaluate our response to this command, and try to improve our response to Jesus on this.

APPLICATION: In High School, we were taught to try and avoid the word ‘get’ in our conversation, as any other word that takes its place will often sound much better and more proper. Sounds funny, although it would be a great practical experience to also try and avoid the word ‘but’ from our conversation, for it often provides the beginning of a good excuse we devise for not obeying an order! For example, if we seriously decided that we would follow Jesus’ command to act like our Father and love even those who hate us, can’t you imagine the ‘but’s’ in our response? But Lord, You know how evil they are; But Lord, I would be setting myself up for a lot of hurt; But Lord, I’m not sure that even You could love that person; etc, etc. So let’s try and understand why Jesus may have taught His disciples to be obedient to such a command:
1. They’re His children – Imagine you talking to a group of friends about your child. Won’t you want them to love your child just like you do? Won’t you want them to act kindly towards your child?
2. They have His nature – You will probably say that you have encountered many who seem more like Satan, but I would encourage you to read the Word of God and see if It ever refers to a child of Satan’s. God created us all in His own image. Because we were given a free, independent will, we tend to be led by the things and people around us, and not necessarily by the One who created us. Living by the world’s standards will cause us to live according to it’s leader – Satan. A life surrendered to the Lordship of Jesus Christ will encourage us to live like our Master and Lord;
3. They are drawn to a relationship with Him – How so, you might ask. I would suggest that you ask any criminal if they felt, or knew they were doing wrong when they committed a crime. Some have said ‘The devil made me do it’, while others have said ‘I hated that person so much that I would probably have done worse if someone didn’t stop me’. You see, God made us to desire Him. When we stump our foot in the sand and insist on doing otherwise, God pricks our conscience and shows us that we are doing wrong, and should be ashamed of our choices.
Friends, to hate God’s creation is like saying that He messed up and didn’t create a child fashioned after Himself. We all have excuses that Satan implants in our minds as to why we shouldn’t love a particular person. The Word of God plainly demands us to love even those who hate us, or despitefully abuse us. There is no exception offered by God, and as His child trying to live by His design, we must never create an exception of our own. ‘Love one another, even as I have loved you’ – that’s God’s command to us today.

PRAYER: You tell us in Your Word that Your burden is light, and I believe that includes the command that if we love one another, even those that seemingly hate us, that You will make the results amicable to everyone involved. Please help deter us from making another excuse why we should not love like You first, and always loved us. We have no godly reason to hate anyone you created, after all they put up with us, so why shouldn’t we make an effort to just do what You command, knowing that You will do all good things for our benefit. Thank You for loving us precious Lord, for You loved us even when we were unlovable by the world. Please melt our hearts of pride, prejudice and judgment, so that we may love You unconditionally, and in turn, love everyone You created to spend life on earth with us. May it be obvious to the lost that only Jesus could truly love like they experience from us, for it’s You we glorify and give praise to for all good things accomplished through us. I love You Lord! 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-Like Generosity

On 2021-01-142021-01-13 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Generosity, Generous, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Thursday, 2021-01-14
WRITTEN AT: Paul B Johnson State Park, Hattiesburg, MS

BIBLE REFERENCE: Matthew 5:42
TRANSLATION: The Passion Translation (TPT)

BIBLE TEXT: ⁴²Learn to generously share what you have with those who ask for help, and don’t close your heart to the one who comes to borrow from you.”^[bd]

OBSERVATION: One of the things that Satan uses to turn people off from churches and church leaders is that they are always after their money! In fact, one church did such a fine job in teaching about tithing that community members warned others from going to that church because you had to ‘pay’ in order to attend!! Today I want to encourage you to search deep inside God’s Word as He speaks through His Son, when He taught His disciples on the edge of the mountain. It’s about generously giving to others.

APPLICATION: In the serenity of the mountain, Jesus spoke to His disciples, and I believe that it was on subjects that He knew they were struggling with. I wonder what our list might look like? I believe that if a pastor kept a list of Christian principles that he was questioned about, he would have a long list to sit down and expand on, as he teaches us. So what do you suppose God would have to say about your giving: Generous? Looks like something a child of the Kingdom would do? If he/she gave any more, they would probably starve their own family? While I believe that God gave us principles to follow on the subject of giving, I believe that He is speaking here about the heart principle behind our giving. Imagine someone growing up in an environment where they were given a quarter to throw in the offering plate. Can you imagine what they must think as an adult when taught in the Bible to give 10% of their income? I’m sure there would first be a sanity check, as Satan tries to distract the individual from giving to further the work of the Gospel in their community! Of course Satan wouldn’t like that, and of course Satan will immediately cause your eyes to be turned towards your net expenses and how this type of giving would totally destroy your budget. But do you recall the Gospel message where Jesus said that if we do His perfect will and obey His commands, that all these things will be given to you? In other words, I believe Jesus is reminding us that if we follow His commands and do what He tells us, that we wouldn’t have to worry about anything else financially. Now let me be quick to remind the child of God, that this doesn’t mean that the minute you start tithing, its ok to commit to purchasing that boat, or a nicer car, or a bigger house, because God said He would take care of us. A child of God should trust in the Master to help them properly budget the income He has blessed us with. If you have been blessed to earn $1,000 per week in gross income, you may be obligated to the government to pay taxes, and God said that we should honor those He has placed in charge of us. Let’s assume that after taxes you have $800 remaining (net). I believe that God directed us for the first fruits of our income, so 10% of your gross income would be $100. I believe that God is true to His word and will help you pay your budgeted expenses, purchase groceries and gas, and still have a few dollars left from the $700 that remains. I am living proof of it, and I could vouch to you that God is true to His word. Your prayer life will be enriched by asking God to help you control your spending so that you stay within budget. Now, where I believe generosity comes in, is that in addition to the above, you may be approached by an individual in need. Instead of instinctively saying that you have no extra income, that you look to God and have peace about trimming your expenses that week so that you could help that person, or asking God to please provide the money so that you could give a certain sum to that individual. Friends, I truly believe that when we let go and let God, He will let go and shower the blessings on us that may be more than we could handle. He is a giving God, remember He gave His only Son for us while we were yet sinners. If He said that He will provide our every need, then as His precious child, I could only trust Him at His word and ready myself to receive His gift. We must be willing to look beyond what our human eyes could see, for with God, all things are possible to him who believes and trusts in Him. So be generous dear friend, just like a child who knows that they are cared for by the God of the universe, who promised to care for our every need. Allow God to be praised by the recipient of any gifts you may give. You are just the messenger, God is the giver of all good things.

PRAYER: You gave us Your very best, Your only Son, even though we were undeserving of such love. Thankfully You have also given to us – perhaps way more than we deserve, but with those gifts of love, You have commanded that we share with those in need. Please help us to discern abuse and evil intentions when approached by the ‘needy’, and please open our hearts to give generously when the need is legitimate. I sincerely believe that You stand ready to help those in need, and You also placed us here on earth, exactly where we are for the purpose of working through us to meet the needs that exist. Lord, we wait on Your direction, and stand ready to be Your hand extended to the needy, so that You may be glorified by them. AMEN!

Anger – Cautioned By God

On 2021-01-132021-01-12 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Wednesday, 2021-01-13
WRITTEN AT: Paul B Johnson State Park, Hattiesburg, MS

BIBLE REFERENCE: Matthew 5:21-22
TRANSLATION: Contemporary English Version (CEV)

BIBLE TEXT: ²¹You know that our ancestors were told, “Do not murder” and “A murderer must be brought to trial.” ²²But I promise you that if you are angry with someone,^[f] you will have to stand trial. If you call someone a fool, you will be taken to court. And if you say that someone is worthless, you will be in danger of the fires of hell.

OBSERVATION: It seems like anger will always bring out the worst in us, and it is something that we have all dealt with at one time or the other in our lives. Parents dealt with it, friends tried to deal with it, bosses wouldn’t tolerate it and nor does God. So let’s looks at our own hearts today through the lens of God’s Holy Word on the subject of ‘Anger’.

APPLICATION: So what made you lose your cool the very first time that you could remember? How did you overcome it? Do you remember re-friending someone with whom you were once very angry with? How long do you suppose it took for them to regain their faith and trust in you? Do you suppose that you were a good, or bad witness for the Kingdom while you were angry? These are all very challenging questions for us to ponder, and answer, as we reflect back on times that we were less than perfect! Why do you suppose God made us with this particular flaw? I believe that God may have waited for us to show our real strength in Him, and our dependence on Him when we didn’t get our own way, or when another path was chosen instead of the one we suggested. However, instead of turning to God, or instead of imitating Him, we exploded in anger with whomever crossed our path first. Friends, I believe that with any of our flaws, if we would keep our eyes fixed on our King, and if we would keep our eyes in the Book and study the perfect example of Jesus, and if we ask for His help daily to obediently follow all that He teaches to us through His Word, then perhaps we would be more like Him in responding to challenging and tempting times. What might we expect to do better, if our minds are constantly being filled with whatever shows are on television? Do we think for a moment that we are strong enough to watch whatever we want, absorb all the evil and cheating that takes place in the shows and movies that we watch, and still act like Jesus? I don’t believe we were designed by God to respond like that. In our Scripture we are told that Old Testament prophets and lawmakers were concerned about murder, but God knows full well that an angry man could very easily be tempted to murder, should the situation ever present itself. I was particularly moved by the command of not calling anyone worthless, because it reminded me of a weakness I probably share with many of my readers. Oh that we would never call anyone ‘worthless’, even if they couldn’t do what comes very easy for us, or if they are not as successful as we wish they would be, for I believe that we are then calling God less than perfect because He made someone that doesn’t meet our standards. God don’t make ‘junk’, so we should learn a lesson in meekness, and appreciate the blessings of God, instead of looking down on someone for their inabilities. Let’s try to always remember: God looks at our actions, words and thoughts when He evaluates sin in our lives. We may not have murdered, but in our thoughts we may have done a lot worse. Be careful, my friend.

PRAYER: Father, thank You for loving me in spite of my inadequacies, my failures, my anger and my sin. Thank You for drawing me unto Yourself and for forgiveness of my sin. I believe that many of my readers could probably say these words in harmony with me, as they probably feel the same. Please give us the strong desire to fill our minds with Your Word each day, so that we may receive that much needed tune-up and refresher. May we receive the necessary power, and always strive to learn the perfect ways of Jesus Christ, and may we boldly strive to live in His footsteps each and every day, so that Our Father may be glorified, instead of us being ridiculed. It’s all about You Lord, may You be glorified in and through us each day. AMEN!

Make A Difference For the Kingdom

On 2021-01-122021-01-11 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Light, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Salt, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Tuesday, 2021-01-12
WRITTEN AT: Paul B Johnson State Park, Hattiesburg, MS

BIBLE REFERENCE: Matthew 5:13-14, 19
TRANSLATION: The Voice (VOICE)

BIBLE TEXT: ¹³You, beloved, are the salt of the earth…..
¹⁴And you, beloved, are the light of the world……
¹⁹Anyone who breaks even the smallest, most obscure commandment—not to mention teaches others to do the same—will be called small and obscure in the kingdom of heaven. Those who practice the law and teach others how to live the law will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

OBSERVATION: We are looking at three different commands that Jesus issued to His disciples while enjoying some teaching moments on the mountain. Since there is such great truth in these lessons, I thought we might benefit from these today as we meditate on what God might have us do in 2021. Especially after being told that if we practice (obey) these commands and teach them to others, we will be highly considered by the Master in heaven.

APPLICATION: As we learn from our Master and share our experience and our knowledge with others, I believe that we too can be classified a ‘disciple’ of Jesus Christ. So I believe that these commandments taught by Jesus are very applicable to us still today. Here are three very important commands that I believe will help us make a difference in our world, and in our circle of influence:
1. You are the Salt of the earth – Salt was very well known to the original disciples, and it is still well known and commonly used today. It makes a huge difference in the flavor of our foods. Tasting food that was not seasoned in salt, is tasteless to those who use it on a regular basis. Jesus used this as a parable to help us realize that lives not infused with the power, love and image of Jesus Christ is bland, and has very little impact on the rest of the world, because they see no difference in our behavior. However, although many will not claim knowledge or acceptance of Jesus Christ, yet they are quick to recognize a Christian in their midst, as they see a difference in their mannerisms and their life choices, plus they know that they have a connection with the King of the universe. I believe Jesus wants us to stand for what He has taught us and be different, if we need to be, just as salt makes a difference in our food;
2. You are the light of the world – I found this one very interesting, because in John 8:12 and in John 9:5, Jesus said that He is the Light of the world as long as He is here in the world. The Bible says that we are to be like Jesus to the world, so I’m sure that by us also being commanded to be the light of the world, we would be following very closely in His footsteps. Jesus likened this to being a light on the top of a hill. Don’t you see that this means that the whole world could see the light that shines high on a hilltop? Don’t you know that in a room of people, the child of God must be an example, or a bright light for the rest of the world to see, respect and follow after? I believe this means that when the world is not sure where to turn next, or what they should do in certain circumstances, they should be able to ask those discipled by Christ which way to turn, knowing that the Bible and It’s Master is guiding us through each and every decision every day;
3. Practice God’s Commands and Teach them to others – This is clearly not a case of ‘doing as I say, not as I do’! For we are told that we should be obedient and living out the commands of Jesus. In other words, whether we say something about a situation, or if we just act in obedience to what God is leading us to say or do, He will be glorified and He will follow through with His promise to make us ‘great’ in His kingdom. There is nothing better than that dear friends!
So let me encourage you today to make a difference in the world around you. As Jesus lives inside of you through the Holy Spirit, be bold in declaring whose you are. Live like Him and allow Him to live through you to save a world that is otherwise dying and going to Hell.

PRAYER: Living here on earth is challenging in many ways, but when we are obedient to our Master and Lord, we can rest assured that He will only lead us towards loving, encouraging and challenging others to know Him as Savior. Thank You Lord for giving us our marching orders in today’s Scripture. May we be sincere and obedient to Your commands in everything we do and say, so that others will see proof of the Master right here on earth. Oh that Your kingdom may come soon, so that we may freely glorify You in all Your majesty at the right hand of the Father, where we will remain for all eternity. AMEN!

What Should You Do?

On 2021-01-112021-01-10 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Praise, Preach, Recognize God, Teach, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Monday, 2021-01-11
WRITTEN AT: Paul B Johnson State Park, Hattiesburg, MS

BIBLE REFERENCE: Luke 3:8-9
TRANSLATION: New Living Translation (NLT)

BIBLE TEXT: ⁸Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God….
⁹Even now the ax of God’s judgment is poised, ready to sever the roots of the trees. Yes, every tree that does not produce good fruit will be chopped down and thrown into the fire.”

OBSERVATION: After saying the above to a crowd gathered in the wilderness waiting to be baptized, John the Baptist was still asked by three different groups what they should do. Perhaps you might be asking the same question, so I wanted to share this with you in hopes that we all might be energized into letting our lights shine for our Lord all over this earth, and that our witness will produce fruit for the Kingdom.

APPLICATION: We studied this in our Sunday School class on Sunday and I was so touched by the work of John the Baptist, I thought I would share it with you! We see in many teachings by Jesus, that He taught in parables. Often this was a good way of relating something that His hearers associated with, and it helped them immediately understand what He was teaching. It seems like John also shared this message in a light that the crowd would understand, for they may have had farming experience and therefore accustomed to the idea of fruit bearing trees. But since some of the groups in the crowd needed further explanation, I thought you might also benefit from the additional information that John shared:
– The crowd asked as a whole in vs 10, ‘What should we do (to prove that we have repented from our sins)?’ New Christians today might also ask the same question. So John responded in vs 11 that they should look for opportunities to help others. This sounds elementary, as folk may tend to think that they have always done this. But I believe that the moment we become Christ followers, we tend to think, act and give, like Jesus did. You see, He stopped along His path and helped blind folk, and crippled folk, and He even fed the 5,000 just from a lad’s lunch. He didn’t look for every excuse in the book as to why He couldn’t help, but rather He pulled out all the stops and helped over and beyond anything they could ever imagine. As children of God, it should be our aim to excel in our efforts to help those in need. If we recognize a need, then obviously God wants us to do something about the need. Let’s love others enough to try and satisfy their needs;
– In vs 12 the Tax Collectors asked ‘Teacher what should we do?’ I wonder if God didn’t just prick their conscience into believing that there must be something more they could do than what was told to the crowd in general, and they were right. For God knew that they were charging more than the prescribed taxes, so they could pad their pockets, and the Tax Collectors knew deep inside that they were overcharging the poor people. Some countries call this ‘Under the table, or silent bribery’. This is not right in the eyes of God, and if we are to be His imitators, then we should not tolerate bribery, nor should it ever be necessary. Let our yea be yea and our nay be nay, is the way it is described elsewhere in the Bible. Bribes should never be necessary;
– In vs 14, the soldiers asked ‘What should we do?’ Perhaps we can’t identify with the issue here, but John knew that there were some issues with the soldiers using uncalled for actions in trying to receive additional pay. John warned them to be content. I wonder, to what extent do we go when trying to force our employer’s hand for more money? As a child of the King, let’s be content in our pay, until our Lord touches the heart of employers to increase our wages. God knows what we need, let’s trust Him for all we need.
Friends, we must be careful when we teach the Word of God. Teaching it in a way that makes good sense to us, may not make it understandable for others. Try to understand your audience, and use examples that they will identify with. Make sure that they understand, even if you have to do like John and break it down for various sectors of your audience. If you preached the Word, or taught it, and you went over the heads of your audience, your words may have been in vain. Simple does it! And use examples or illustrations that they will identify with. Don’t beat around the bush, be like John and teach it like God prods you to do. It is the Word of God that you are teaching and preaching, not your glorified words that will only return void, even if it made you sound real smart.

PRAYER: Thank You for awesome example You have given us to follow dear Lord. Please embolden us to spread Your Word in ways that hearers will understand, and that Your Holy Spirit will speak through. May the lost be found, may the poor feel loved from the gifts we share with them, and may the crooked be made straight as others follow our example – a mirror of what You taught to us in Your Word. May Your Kingdom come oh Lord, and Your will be done. We have nothing more important to gain in our lives, so please lead us to teach and preach the Word of God in ways that will help our hearers to understand and apply It to their lives, so that You may be glorified on earth and in Heaven. AMEN!

It Will Be Worth It All

On 2021-01-09 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Rewards, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Sunday, 2021-01-10
WRITTEN AT: Paul B Johnson State Park, Hattiesburg, MS

BIBLE REFERENCE: Matthew 5:11-12
TRANSLATION: New Century Version (NCV)

BIBLE TEXT: ¹¹“People will insult you and hurt you. They will lie and say all kinds of evil things about you because you follow me. But when they do, you will be blessed. ¹²Rejoice and be glad, because you have a great reward waiting for you in heaven. People did the same evil things to the prophets who lived before you.

OBSERVATION: There’s a saying, that if you keep on doing what you’ve always done, you will likely see the same results. I believe this also means that if you do what others have done, you should expect the same results as they did. The Bible says that prophets of old were condemned and had to deal with various forms of evil, because they stood for, represented, and boldly spoke the words of God. If we do the same thing as our Christian ancestors, we should not be surprised about the way we are treated in this world. Although our Scripture today prepares us for the outcome, God is smiling, because He has a great reward awaiting for us when we arrive in heaven! Are you preparing for your reward?

APPLICATION: I believe that faith is doing what you know will give you the ultimate prize, in spite of very challenging times accomplishing the work that will be judged. Fellow Christians, we are told that people will insult us, they will hurt us, they will lie about us, and they will say all kinds of evil things about us. The natural man will immediately ask, so what must I do to avoid that, because that sounds like anything but fun, or enjoyable times. But today we stand boldly with the Word of God in hand, and our Father says that if we truly stand up for Him and the things of God, we will experience the acts aforementioned. Why is that? I believe that the world acts in ways so opposing to the Word of God, and their actions so different to Godly actions, that they tend to look at us as the odd ball. We are looked at as the group that thinks differently; acts differently; stands for everything opposite to what the world enjoys; opposes some of the funnest times that the world enjoys; or as in my case, accused of being too black and white. In fact, the world may look at us and refuse to associate with us because we are simply no fun to be around. But the great news of Jesus Christ is that there is no reason for us to go to our corner and pout when we are looked down on, or not worth hanging around, but instead rest assured in knowing that because we are bold enough to do the right thing, our Father is smiling in heaven knowing that the prize He has set aside for us is merely gaining more jewels until we arrive safely at His feet. It’s worth it dear friend. Commit yourself to the Lord Jesus Christ, honor Him in all your ways, and all these things will be given unto you! Heaven is a glorious place, and I would be thrilled to have you join me at the feet of the Master one day very soon!

PRAYER: Praise the name of Jesus, we have a future that includes praise, worship and prayer at Your feet forevermore! But we need You badly while we remain on this old earth, dear Lord, for we live as a prince among thieves. Please continue to give us strength and boldness to encourage and love those who despitefully use us, for we would love to see them surrender their lives to Your lordship and rule. Oh that they may accept You as Lord and use their energies for promoting the Kingdom of God instead of their evil agenda to discourage and hold back the children of God. You are bigger than all our troubles Lord, so we trust in You, and depend on You, to help us deal with, and overcome this wicked world. AMEN!

A Lesson From Noah on Faith and Obedience

On 2021-01-092021-01-08 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Saturday, 2021-01-09
WRITTEN AT: Paul B Johnson State Park, Hattiesburg, MS

BIBLE REFERENCE: Genesis 7:5-7; 22-23;
TRANSLATION: Living Bible (TLB)

BIBLE TEXT: ⁵So Noah did everything the Lord commanded him. ⁶He was 600 years old when the flood came. ⁷He boarded the boat with his wife and sons and their wives, to escape the flood.
²²everything that breathed and lived upon dry land. ²³All existence on the earth was blotted out—man and animals alike, and reptiles and birds. God destroyed them all, leaving only Noah alive, and those with him in the boat.

OBSERVATION: There are so many reasons that we may desire more faith, for we’ve come through some of the most challenging times of our lives in 2020, and as we enter 2021 we are still struggling in how to deal with the unknowns. Often our faith is restricted by our willingness to obey, however in today’s Scripture we can see great examples of each of these. Noah is a well known Old Testament man of God, so let’s seek God’s face and expect to learn from Noah today.

APPLICATION: Some of you may remember the story of Noah, and/or the Ark, as told on flannel graft in Sunday School, while some may remember the catchy tune in that old chorus ‘Noah Found Grace in the Eyes of the Lord’. But in reading the account told in the Bible, God provided a few important reasons why He felt it important that we know about Noah in an even deeper fashion. My attention was especially drawn to two very important characteristics of Noah that could serve to improve my walk with the Lord, and I pray that these may also help you:
1. Faith – Things were really bad at the time – crime, mischief, partying and carousing – perhaps very much like we experience in some of our neighborhoods today. And although we don’t read where God spoke to everyone mentioned in the Bible, yet Noah had such a relationship with God that He told Noah how upset He was with His people, and that He was considering starting all over again. There was some mention of ‘rain’ – an unknown entity at that time. There was also mention of enough rain that it would cause a devastating flood. Unimaginable to Noah, but God said it, he believed it, and was willing and ready to act on any further instructions given to him. So the mystery continued as Noah was told to build a boat – a giant boat – larger than anything imaginable at that time. If we are given all of the intricate details of the conversation God had with Noah, then it is easy to believe that Noah instantly obeyed God without question, and was ready to begin the work assigned to him. Do you see just a tiny bit of faith there? Building a huge boat in the middle of the land where there was no water, and it will eventually work just perfectly by floating with immense weight in it? Wow, is that ‘FAITH’, or is that ‘FAITH’? Do we truly have ‘faith’ to follow God, and any command He may issue to us?
2). Obedience – Build a monster ship; Peculiar wood that must be used in construction, and precise measurements; Gather pairs of all animals, birds and reptiles to take on to the ship; Take your beloved family, knowing that you will lose everything and everyone else? While Noah followed all these things in humble obedience, I don’t see where he had any questions or suggestion on items that weren’t included in God’s plan. What about food? What about waste? What should he tell folk that are sure to come and make fun of him? What about friends and extended family that would be left behind? What if his family questioned the trustworthiness of this massive ship that Noah built? No, instead we are told that Noah did just as he was told to do. Can you do that dear friend? Are you in close enough relationship with God that you will do any and every thing that He orders you to do?
I can only desire that God would make me an extension of His love, His care for others, and faith so convincing that I would follow Him in humble obedience, regardless of the earthly outcomes and in spite of what appears to be insurmountable challenges. Oh that instead of worrying about how things are possible, that instead I would confidently and faithfully accept the powerful hand of the Father and just do what He says, for His glory alone.

PRAYER: Lord, I believe that You are well aware of our strengths and our weaknesses. You know why we doubt, and You know why we fail to follow Your commands obediently. Please forgive us for our lack of faith, even though You have blessed us to see, and read about many miracles You performed. Your Word declares that with faith the size of a mustard seed, we could move mountains. You’ve proven Your strength, Your wisdom and Your might, and You have shown Your love for us in supernatural ways. So there is no Godly reason for us to doubt. Please continue to work miraculously in our lives so that we might have the faith of Noah, and so that we may act on Your instructions instinctively, just as Noah did. You are all-powerful and almighty, so we place ourselves squarely at Your disposal to do Your work, so that You may be glorified in our lives and through our witness. AMEN!

Living In Fellowship With God

On 2021-01-082021-01-07 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Friday, 2021-01-08
WRITTEN AT: Paul B Johnson State Park, Hattiesburg, MS

BIBLE REFERENCE: Genesis 6:10-13
TRANSLATION: Good News Translation (GNT)

BIBLE TEXT: ¹⁰Noah had no faults and was the only good man of his time. He lived in fellowship with God, ¹¹but everyone else was evil in God’s sight, and violence had spread everywhere. ¹²God looked at the world and saw that it was evil, for the people were all living evil lives. ¹³God said to Noah, “I have decided to put an end to all people. I will destroy them completely, because the world is full of their violent deeds.

OBSERVATION: It is evident in our Scripture today what makes God proud of us – when we live in a right relationship with Him, and how our evil minds upset Him – for He is the Designer; Maker of all things around us; and the God of this universe. As I read the Scriptures today, it was as if God chose to remind me that our recent events of riots; crime; hatred; envy and our insistence of our own personal agendas really compares to what He saw in the time of Noah. Friends, if we, as simple forms of mankind are fed up with the crime and sin of our countrymen/women, imagine how God must be getting to the end of His rope with us. But God gave us an example to follow – the story of Noah should open our eyes today about what truly pleases God.

APPLICATION: I wonder, how many Noah’s are there in your Circle of influence? I am amazed by the simple term used to clarify the righteousness of Noah – ‘He lived in fellowship with God’. Wow! We hear lots of good things said at a funeral, or at a roast, but how often have you heard of a man being referred to as ‘He lived in fellowship with God’. So I believe it is worth our time to consider what this truly means. Some versions says that Noah was right with God (a righteous man) and that he obeyed God. I believe that he was a man full of faith also, for God knew that it would take great faith in Him to obediently follow through with all He was about to order Noah to do. You see, men seem to love doing their own thing, by themselves, probably so they could receive all the praise. In a personal experience, I once worked with a group of men who agreed to undertake reconstruction of an area of our church auditorium to incorporate a sound system for the church. A fine, older gentleman took the charge, but soon many of the helpers felt they were interfering by trying to help, so they stopped going to try and help. They felt like the older gentleman wanted to complete the task alone. Now, notice how often the Bible records Noah objecting, correcting or suggesting to God what should be done differently with the dimensions, building material or layout of the ark. I believe that Noah had built such a love and respect for his Father – knowing that He had already created the whole earth perfectly, created mankind perfectly, and been more patient with His children than any man could attempt to do, so of course Noah listened to God, and obeyed Him without excuse or question. I believe we could easily see why God chose Noah, and why Moses referred to Noah as a man who lived in fellowship with God. But let’s now look at what may have upset God enough with the rest of His creation that He wanted to get rid of them and start over again? The Bible says that God was tired of their evil and the violence that had spread everywhere. Can we truly read those words and not reflect on our world today? There are some who are beheading Christians; some who are killing infants before they are given a chance at life; some who are killing police and others at they try to have their own way in riots; some who are stealing from the poor, even while watching them live under bridges out of their own poverty; some who reject the church because of its stand for God and some who attend church out of habit, but have no desire to commit to a right relationship with God. What is it that may cause God to act any differently with us, than the way He acted with the people of Noah’s day? Should He be any kinder to us? Should He save our people from disaster even when they act like Satan and follow his evil plan? Please let me encourage each reader today by saying that it is not too late to accept Jesus as Lord, and it is not too late to develop a right relationship with our Maker. Worship Him daily; read His Word daily for that day’s instructions, and reminders of how you should act; seek to recognize His presence in everything you attempt each day; and follow His commands in obedience to His Word each and every day. Enjoy a right relationship with Your Master and Lord, precious friend!

PRAYER: Dear Lord, You are merciful and kind, almighty and all-powerful. Your love for Your children is beyond our comprehension for it is so unconditional and pure. I believe that when You started the world population over at the time of the flood, You may have hoped that we would have learned our lesson from Your actions with the people of Noah’s day. I am truly saddened by the news each and every day, for it seems that our people today are much worse than anything You saw back then. Please be patient with us as we learn about Your goodness, and Your patience with Your children who consistently revert to evil, instead of seeking to follow Your will and Your design. Please Lord, forgive us of our sin – both our actions, words and our thoughts, for without You in our lives, we are left to the will of our earthly master – Satan. Only You could make things better for us, Lord. Please deal in the hearts of each reader that we may seek Your face and do Your will by having a right relationship with You, as long as we have breath here on earth. AMEN!

Why Me, Lord?

On 2021-01-072021-01-06 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Submission, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Thursday, 2021-01-07
WRITTEN AT: Paul B Johnson State Park, Hattiesburg, MS

BIBLE REFERENCE: Matthew 3:13-17
TRANSLATION: Contemporary English Version (CEV)

BIBLE TEXT: ¹³Jesus left Galilee and went to the Jordan River to be baptized by John. ¹⁴But John kept objecting and said, “I ought to be baptized by you. Why have you come to me?” ¹⁵Jesus answered, “For now this is how it should be, because we must do all that God wants us to do.” Then John agreed. ¹⁶So Jesus was baptized. And as soon as he came out of the water, the sky opened, and he saw the Spirit of God coming down on him like a dove. ¹⁷Then a voice from heaven said, “This is my own dear Son, and I am pleased with him.”

OBSERVATION: Ever been asked to do something that is totally out of your experience, talent or God-given abilities? I’m sure that you were probably way more likely to take on the challenge than I, for if it’s not a proven thing, I would have lots of questions and objections, since I don’t want to mess up. This was the option first taken by John, for he didn’t feel worthy to do such an honorable task as baptizing the King of the universe, the One in whose name John was actually baptizing others. I pray that our thoughts today would center around doing what God demands, even if it’s outside of our talent or knowledge base.

APPLICATION: I believe that many of us have a multitude of excuses that we pull from when asked to take on yet another job at church. I’ve never done that before; I have never been trained to do that; I don’t believe I’m suitable for that; I have too many irons in the fire already; Can’t you find someone else to do that? Those are probably some of the most common excuses we would give to the pastor, or the nominating team when approached about taking on additional responsibility at church. BUT, what if it was Jesus who approached us to do a specific task? He knows everything about us, including what He could do with a willing, obedient heart willing to serve God in whatever He asks. Wouldn’t you think that perhaps God has a special work to accomplish through you, and only for you? In other words, you may think that your friend Susie might be best suited for that, only to find out that God has a different mission for her. In fact the task He presented to you may not be suitable for anyone else but you, so unless you allow Him to complete His mission through you, that particular task may not be fulfilled. How would you then feel? Supposing your declination may prompt God to ask you if you don’t trust Him enough to complete the task He asked you to do? But look at the story of Jesus again, the prophets foretold it, and Jesus particularly went to the Jordan River to be baptized by John. Although without sin, Jesus was prompted by the Father to be baptized as a sign of His identification with the Father. John had preached to the people that One would come whose sandals he was not worthy to untie. So John knew that this action requested by Jesus might look like he was overstepping his authority. John knew that it just appeared wrong for the servant to baptize by the Creator. Why me, Lord? John asked it, and I’m sure that many times we ask it, when approached to take on a task that seems outside of our comfort, talent and knowledge area. BUT, I believe that God enables the one that He calls to handle His work. I believe that as we surrender ourselves to the Master each day, God uses us to complete His work in much the same way that He wanted it done. He calls us into service and He enables us in our service to Him, so that His work may be completed supernaturally, even through His messengers. What if we determined in ourselves, with God’s help, to turn this little phrase around from ‘Why me, Lord?’ to ‘Why not me, Lord?’. Don’t you think that God will then see the willingness in us to do whatever He demands? What if John responded to Jesus: ‘why of course Jesus, I would be honored to follow Your command, even though I feel so unworthy’? Trusting in God often means that we are trusting Him to do far greater things than we could ever accomplish on our own.

PRAYER: As Your humble servant stands before You today Lord, I acknowledge that talent, knowledge and trust is limited without You. Please encourage my readers to join me in taking the hand of the One who calmed the waters; who parted the Red Sea; who caused the blind to see again and so much more, for with You all things are possible. Many are dying without hope and they need to know our Savior. Please give us strength, wisdom, boldness and power to overcome the expected opposition of the evil one and instead keep our eyes and trust fixed on You. It was determined that John should baptize You from the very desire of the Father. I believe that He also gave us Jesus so that we could do mighty and powerful things through the work of the Holy Spirit in us. Use us Lord so that Your work may flourish in our midst, even through using humble servants such as us. AMEN!

The Knowledge of Man

On 2021-01-062021-01-05 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Knowledge, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Wednesday, 2021-01-06
WRITTEN AT: Paul B Johnson State Park, Hattiesburg, MS

BIBLE REFERENCE: Genesis 3:22-24
TRANSLATION: Contemporary English Version (CEV)

BIBLE TEXT: ²²The Lord said, “These people now know the difference between right and wrong, just as we do. But they must not be allowed to eat fruit from the tree that lets them live forever.” ²³So the Lord God sent them out of the Garden of Eden, where they would have to work the ground from which the man had been made. ²⁴Then God put winged creatures at the entrance to the garden and a flaming, flashing sword to guard the way to the life-giving tree.

OBSERVATION: Whenever my mom saw something rare and marvelous happen, I remember my her exclaiming ‘oh the wisdom of man’. I also remember hearing my grandmother saying ‘Man, he has the knowledge to send people to the moon, but not smart enough to save his soul from Hell’! As I restart my reading of the Bible, I am always amazed by the new things that God always brings to my attention. Truly this is the ‘Living Word of God’! Meditate on the Word of God with me today friends.

APPLICATION: There are so many things that we could reflect on, and marvel over, as we look at the knowledge of mankind. I had a 7-hr surgery last year, where most of my cervical vertebrae were replaced through very small tubes and with robotic arms – truly unbelievable. And there are tons of other miraculous medical advancements that we could think of. Men has landed on the moon, and we now have humans living in space in the International Space Station. Who would have dreamed that mankind would ever develop such knowledge to accomplish such a feat? However, I believe that God would have us ponder the idea of why mankind chooses to make some of the foolish decisions that adds nothing positive to life. Here are some examples that crossed my mind as I pondered this:
~ God told us in John 3:16 that He loves us all, and that He died for us all, so that everyone who believes on His Son (surrenders lordship to Jesus and accepts His guiding hand/His will for life), that they would be assured of eternal life in heaven. Yet many would block their ears to hearing the Word, while others will choose to accept the love of God, knowing that it is unconditional, and hope for the best while they continue to practice every evil or leading of Satan here on this earth. What happened to knowledge or reasoning in this?
~ Some will choose to believe certain parts of the Bible that appease them, while rejecting other parts that must certainly be pointed at other individuals. What happened to knowledge or reasoning in this? Is it not clear enough in the Bible that Jesus died for us all and that God loves us all? Is it not clear that the Word of God was ordained by God to save the lost, enrich the lives of those who have accepted Jesus, and speak soberly to the lives of those who are hardened to the things of God?
~ Some realize that God is all-powerful and that He could do such things as heal the sick, make the blind to see again, make the lame to walk again, and even raise the dead to life again, but when we face either of these scenarios in our lives, do we first reach out to God for His healing touch on our lives? Although I have faith to believe that God can and will work through our medical professionals, our pastors and our lay leadership, yet I know that the throne of grace is open to all who call on the name of the Lord, and I am convinced that God will answer the pleas of His children in His way and in His time. However, please remember that ‘No’ is also an answer!
Friends, God said it from the very beginning that we have knowledge just like the triune God has. Oh that we would learn to always apply that knowledge in all areas of our life. Remember, seek God first, and all these things will be granted to you!

PRAYER: Thank You Lord that You are all-knowing and all-powerful. Thank You for also blessing us with so much knowledge. Please open our hearts and our understanding to always seek You first in all things, so that You may pour out your blessings on us and be glorified through our efforts while here on earth. The world says ‘Knowledge is power’. Praise to the God of all knowledge, we serve an awesome God who is so much greater than the whole world! Oh that we would always seek You in every challenge of life, and praise You for all our blessings. AMEN!

Nuggets From God's Word

Tag: Praise