Tag: Praise

Any Regrets?

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

DATE WRITTEN: Saturday, 2020-09-12
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: 2 Timothy 4:6-8
TRANSLATION: Living Bible (TLB)

BIBLE TEXT: 6 I say this because I won’t be around to help you very much longer. My time has almost run out. Very soon now I will be on my way to heaven. 7 I have fought long and hard for my Lord, and through it all I have kept true to him. And now the time has come for me to stop fighting and rest. 8 In heaven a crown is waiting for me, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on that great day of his return. And not just to me but to all those whose lives show that they are eagerly looking forward to his coming back again.

OBSERVATION: Saul, who was well known for his accomplishments in shutting down Christianity and its churches, had a life changing event happen in his life when Jesus met up with him. He changed his name to Paul and he made a 180 degree change in what he expended his efforts on. In this reflection time by Paul in our Scripture today, it is obvious where he felt His time was best spent, and he had no regrets. Knowing that God could call you home at any moment, what might your time of reflection reveal about how you have spent your time? Is it something God might be proud of, and rejoice with you on?

APPLICATION: I recently retired after spending 47 years of my life in the banking industry. There were many times that I reflected over those years, and together with others who celebrated with me, we rejoiced in my achievements and my devotion to my various bosses over the years. Wouldn’t it be great if we had such a celebration in our Christian walk about every 10 years, and take time to reflect over the past 10 years to evaluate how effective we feel our time was in God’s work? Please note up front that our work in and of itself is worth nothing, but very often we will see that based on the condition of our heart, and the determination of our spirit, we will gladly get involved in the work of Christ in our family and in our community – especially our church family. In fact, this would help facilitate our memory as we stand before God and respond to the question ‘why should I permit you to enter my heaven?’. This will also serve to remind us of where we were, and how far we have come in our Christian walk. Have you advanced in the knowledge of God and His Word? Are you more at ease sharing the Gospel and your walk with the Lord, than you were 10 years ago? Do others tend to look at your Christian walk, and desire to be just like you? Do you feel like it is evident to the world whose you are? Friends, this might also be a time to reflect on how you personally feel about your walk with the Lord. Often we are so busy about church work, that I’m afraid we never stop to reflect on where we are at personally in our walk with the Lord. Unfortunately, the two things are not synonymous, for one could busy themselves in church work, without spending time alone with God to enhance their own relationship with Him. You see, it is vitally important that church leaders reflect so much of Christ in their lives, that others will pay little attention to their leadership qualities, but rather to their spiritual condition. When one sets a goal in life, the idea is that they will look towards that goal, and not the everyday hiccups that tend to knock us around while heading towards that goal. Paul’s goal was set on being in the presence of his Lord. What’s yours? Keeping your eye on your goal will help direct how you spend your days and hours reaching for that goal!

PRAYER: Precious Lord, take my hand, Lead me on, let me stand I am tired, I’m weak, I am worn, Through the storm, through the night, Lead me on to the li-ight, Take my ha-and, precious Lord, Lead me home. My eyes are fixed on You dear Lord. While here on earth, please guide me on so that I may represent You well and be an influence to others in search of You. For each reader today, please draw them close, take their hand and lead them on to draw closer to You. May our goal always be to reflect on You and to worship endlessly at Your feet in glory. 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!

Life’s Guide Book

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Bible Believing, Biblical Decisions, Guide, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, The Book of Life, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Friday, 2020-09-11
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: 2 Timothy 3:16-17
TRANSLATION: New Living Translation (NLT)

BIBLE TEXT:  16 All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. 17 God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.

OBSERVATION: In life we tend to live by certain principles, either from what we were taught as a child; what impressed us in school; was taught by teachers; or what is demanded of us at work. Many leaders will teach based on the rules handed to them, mixed with their own personal principles of life. For those who have been fortunate enough to have parents, teachers, or work coaches who had faith in God, then we were probably taught many Biblical truths along the way. Our lives today portray whatever principles we were taught and that we continue to hold on to. God’s Word is still that one truth that we could trust today, to guide us along the right path of life. Stay with me as we study this principle.

APPLICATION: In my career, there were always guide books that not only showed me how to best handle certain dilemmas, but if I did so, I would stay out of trouble with regulators, examiners and auditors. At one point in my career, I was an examiner/auditor, and as such I was on a team that would enter a bank and compare what was being done, to what was instructed in the bank’s rules and procedures. And, or course, we had to make sure that the bank’s demands were in line with government regulations. If we found something that seemed out of line, we would have to write an exception and list the very rule that was not followed. Often when we found a bank branch that had very few exceptions, it was also a branch that was well run, pleased its customers, and escaped errors – because they were following the rules. Although we rarely take time to look at, and analyze, our own lives closely, I believe that each of us could see times when we simply followed what our parents taught us without fighting with them in rebellion. It felt good when we didn’t have to keep looking over our shoulder for retribution from them. It felt good that there was little to no stress when we just simply followed the rules! In our Scripture today, Paul continues to mentor his son in the ministry, Timothy, and God included this in His Book so that each of us that followed after Timothy, would be taught how simple life could be if we just follow His instructions. I don’t believe that God had Paul teach us that if we open His Book and search for answers to throw at people that seek our guidance, they will behave and do better. But what I do believe that God intended here, is that we must saturate our lives with His Word, for it contains the very basis of how we should live our lives; the things that we should avoid; and the right way of handling certain life-issues, knowing that if we follow the instructions given to us be God, then the results will be favorable and pleasing to God. In order to saturate ourselves with the Word of God, it means that we must be consistently reading it, studying its principles, and listening closely to what God is telling us. You see, I believe that when we open the Word after asking the Holy Spirit to indwell us and lead us through the Word, then we will find that it is in season and right on time. Meaning that God will show us how He wants us to respond to life’s challenges that day. I have found that often I will hear a sermon or teaching that aligns perfectly with what I meditated on that morning. Coincidence? No way, for we are providentially blessed by the Almighty God, and He will reemphasize what He wants, in order to impress strongly upon our hearts, what He want us to do, say, or follow. I’m sure that like me, you have experienced times where you’ve been asked to pray about certain life issues going on in a coworker’s life – just out of the clear blue sky. Then you remember your Scripture reading that morning where God saturated your life with reassurance of His love, protection and direction. Suddenly you open your mouth in obedience to pray, and the words just pour forth. Friends, let me encourage you today, to saturate your lives each and every day with the Word of God. Don’t just run to it in the middle of a crisis. What’s inside your heart, will be helpful to you as you stop to say a prayer for a friend. Scrambling to find a good Bible reference will tell them that you are one who goes to the Book on an as needed basis and therefore your help might very well be superficial. Make it real dear ones, be filled with the Word every day, so that God might bring to memory the reassurance you need in times of trouble; the right words to respond, that are filled with His wisdom for the time needed; and you could do this from a heart filled with the love of the One you make it a priority each and every day. We are assured in verse 17 that filling our heart with the Word of God, prepares us and equips us for the work that God has planned for us. Are you ready? Do you have a good reading plan to follow each day? Drop me a note and I will be happy to help you!

PRAYER: Lord, it is obvious that You didn’t save us to sit and sour. You told us in Your word that You want us to let our lights shine brightly so that the world might see where that ‘light’ originates. Please God, touch each reader today. May we all be made keenly aware of the importance of a right relationship with You, and that regular maintenance is needed daily through Your Word that is very much alive, and it will teach us Your ways for the circumstances we will face that day. Your Word is a light unto my feet, and a light unto my path, When I feel afraid, Think I’ve lost my way… Oh that we would keep our eyes on Jesus, and our mind in the Book! 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!

Warning – Difficult Times Ahead

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Christ's Return, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, The Return of Jesus, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Thursday, 2020-09-10
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: 2 Timothy 3:1-5
TRANSLATION: New Living Translation (NLT)

BIBLE TEXT:  1 You should know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times. 2 For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. 3 They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. 4 They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. 5 They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that!

OBSERVATION: If you rushed to read this devotional because you were hoping that suddenly I am a prophet and could therefore tell you what lies ahead for each of us, then you might be right, yet wrong in some ways! However, our Scripture today had such a profound impact on me, that I wanted to make sure and share with you what Paul foretold when he was directing his son in the ministry, Timothy. You see, much like Timothy may have felt like he was dealing with very challenging people, even though this was the local church, this actually compares pretty accurately with the local church today. Meditate further with me on this scripture, dear friends!

APPLICATION: Just as we may think that we’ve heard way too much about the crimes that are taking place today, and the attitudes we either hear about or experience, unfortunately there were similar situations that took place back in Bible days. Young Timothy was thrown into a situation where Paul came to his rescue to open his eyes to what he might expect in the church, and from church folk. The descriptions might cause you to cringe, but Paul basically told Timothy, brace yourself young man, for as the Day of the Lord draws near, things will only worsen. As I recently shared with you, many of the signs foretold by the prophets and in Revelation, have either occurred already, or they are in process. This means that the time of the return of our Lord and Savior is drawing nigh. This means that one day soon, each of us will stand before the King of kings and will answer Him on why He should allow us into His kingdom. Friends, we are seeing in our Scripture today that it really describes what we are seeing all around the world today. The same attitudes, the same actions, the hatred, disregard for parents and authority, etc, etc. Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Paul told Timothy that these things will occur in the last days – the last days that Christians remain on earth. In my last job, we would call these things ‘red flags’, meaning indicators, that Jesus is coming soon. What could you do to help prepare yourself, your loved ones and those in your circle of influence? I’m not so sure that there is anything you could do to rehabilitate those you know so that they won’t do and say the things mentioned by Paul. For you see, I believe the underlying problem points to an inward problem. In each of these verses, and especially in verse 5, the message is clear that we are seeing folk with multiple personalities. When at church, they try to act godly. When at work, they need to impress the boss and his greed, so they are willing to act like a criminal in order to help him succeed. When at the club, they need to be as good as the popular star who dances with everyone and drinks at least as much as the top man there. So when we look at the same person acting in each of the various ways like I just explained, why would a sinner see the need for being a saint? Our message for today is a reminder that perilous times are ahead. Know Christ in all of His glory, and live like He instructed us to, and showed us while here on earth with us. This is what drew us to the cross in the first place, so be conscious of those without Christ, who are looking for examples of Jesus Christ here on earth. They want to see if this Christianity thing actually has any credit, and is worth following its principles. Let them see Jesus in you precious friend. Hopefully it might impress upon them that if we could do it, so could they, with God’s help and because of Jesus!

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, we might ask how can it get any worse, because of the awful things that we are seeing happen all around the world today. But You have given Your servant Paul information that seem to be impacting us already, with warnings that the times ahead will only get worse. Lord, we know that You will return to take Your bride, the church, home to glory with you, so I believe that my readers and I are excited to see that happen sooner, rather than later. Many of these things mentioned by Paul are already happening, so I believe that is confirmation that your return is very near. Please soften the heart of each one reading this devotional. May we all be ready, even if You returned today. Oh that we may see Jesus in all of Your glory. 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!

Been There and Solved That

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

DATE WRITTEN: Wednesday, 2020-09-09
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: Jeremiah 44:21-23
TRANSLATION: Living Bible (TLB)

BIBLE TEXT: 21 “Do you think the Lord didn’t know that you and your fathers, your kings and princes, and all the people were burning incense to idols in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem? 22 It was because he could no longer bear all the evil things you were doing that he made your land desolate, an incredible ruin, cursed, without an inhabitant, as it is today. 23 The very reason all these terrible things have befallen you is because you have burned incense and sinned against the Lord and refused to obey him.”

OBSERVATION: What if Almighty God has looked on our world in its current state, compared it to Judah and Jerusalem, and it brought back way too many bad memories to Him? What if our current ‘plague’ is just the beginning of the destruction He has set out to hit us with? Are you ready to go with Him when you are marked absent from this world? Should He decide to bring total desolation, are you satisfied with spending eternity in the lake of fire, or have you completed your arrangements with God’s Son, so that you will joyfully join me at the throne of God? There’s lots for us to consider as we meditate further on these questions, so plan to stay with me during the whole blog today!

APPLICATION: If your teenage daughter traveling abroad had to call you from the Atlanta airport and say that her flight stopped there for 2 hours and will continue at that time, if the weather subsides, you would probably be besides yourself with worry, and you would be on the phone endlessly as you give her warning upon warning about the huge airport, getting lost, and making sure that she returns to the gate in lots of time for her next flight. As I read this Scripture today, my heart sank, because God gave us His very special Book – the Bible, that contains everything about how He created the world, and mankind in His very image, yet He dreadfully watched as mankind chose to go his own way and commit crimes against His commands, and even worse crimes against the laws of the land. Our God loves us so much that He shared with us how upset He got with our original ancestors and how it caused Him to retaliate exceedingly. So He had all this included in His Book in order to warn us that the same thing could happen to us, if we sin like our ancestors. Well guess what, it seems like the sin being committed in our cities, and in our states, and in our country as well as other countries around the world, far exceeds anything our ancestors could possibly have done. Additionally, look at the number of churches we have today, where pastors are standing several times a week to simplify what the Bible says, so that we could never claim that we didn’t know. Sorrowfully, I would imagine that our county is no different to yours, for it is estimated that less than 10% of the population attends church each week, and this was recorded prior to COVID. So basically, our people have either refused to read the Bible, or otherwise chosen to totally ignore the warnings, and they won’t attend church because they consider it antiquated. Dear friends, I’m not meaning to paint a picture of doom and gloom, but just like the mother mentioned above, I feel compelled to share the warnings with you so that you are not left behind. Obviously God is seeing how He has been rejected, and how awful His servants are being treated by so many that refuses to hear or obey the commands of God. Please don’t wait any longer to make a decision for Jesus Christ, the Bible is clear that no one knows the day or the hour, but God could decide to call His church home to glory before you ever complete reading this devotional. There are many things in the Bible where our eyes have been opened to understand what will indicate the return of Jesus for His church. Many, if not most, of these things have already been put in place. If you have not taken time to accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior, may I encourage you to not wait, but instead seek Him now, while He may be found. Please take time to read my Footnote below, especially the information you will find by clicking on ‘To Know Jesus’. Alternately, stop by and see a local pastor, or drop me a note, we will be overjoyed to help you with your decision!

PRAYER: Loving Savior, thank You for making a way for us, and thank You for speaking to the hearts of each one about accepting You as Lord. Lord, I’m ashamed at all that is occurring in our world today. It seems worse than anything we have every read or heard about in Bible days, or in our past history, and it seems to only be getting worse. Please Lord, use simple things like our churches, and these types of devotional, to help people see and understand the need for the Savior of the world. Please Lord, don’t give up on us yet, but I kindly ask that You melt the hearts of those who need You. Draw them close Lord, and cause them to seek Your face while You may be found. You wiped out the cities of Judah and Jerusalem, and it may take that to get the attention of some today, but I plead with You to once again speak gently to the souls of my family, friends and my readers. 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!

Always Faithful

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

DATE WRITTEN: Tuesday, 2020-09-07
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: 2 Timothy 2:13
TRANSLATION: Living Bible (TLB)

BIBLE TEXT: 13 Even when we are too weak to have any faith left, he remains faithful to us and will help us, for he cannot disown us who are part of himself, and he will always carry out his promises to us.

OBSERVATION: I believe that one of the greatest reasons for divorces, might be because of an unfaithful spouse. When we hear of our spouse being unfaithful, unfortunately the worse comes out in us and regardless of what we promised in our wedding vows, we cannot find it within ourselves to forgive, and move on with our marriage. Perhaps you have heard of Christians feeling this way about God also, just as our Scripture alludes to. So let us prepare our hearts for this in light of what the Word of God says.

APPLICATION: We talked about marriages that fail because of unfaithfulness, but there are numerous other scenarios where we also choose to refuse forgiving others. Think about an employer who hired you into a vigorous training program for the eventual position of president. You worked hard, and for many long hours, at the sacrifice of your family, only to one day arrive at work and find a new person sitting in the president’s office. You are later informed that they came in very unexpectedly and applied for the position, and given their impeccable record and achievements, they are well qualified and deserving to lead the company on into the future. Ouch! What’s the first thing you will do? You got it, you will quickly write up your resignation letter and make your exit ASAP. The company was not faithful to you, so why should you remain faithful to them. Another analogy is that you were deeply involved in church work, and you had an excellent team working with you to develop the best ministry for your town that had a huge number of unsaved folk. It seemed to be working well, and you constantly led your team into awesome times of praise and thanksgiving for the work that God’s was doing. So you purchased land to build a bigger, better and more modern facility in which to teach and train the hundreds of people coming your way because of your ministry. Suddenly, your financial secretary came to your office one day to announce that the church was running out of money to meet its payroll and budget. In an emergency meeting with your leadership team, you discover that your church is in trouble financially. What happened to God, did He walk out on you? After weeks of wrestling with this, you are challenged by one of your leaders who warned that they felt you had walked out on God almost a year ago when you allowed the increasing number of attendees to assure you that you must be on the right track. Friends, pastors have committed suicide or left the church over things like this. God’s church must be run by God, and not man. No matter how good you may feel your man (pastor) is. But Paul tells us in this Scripture today that although you may have become unfaithful to God, He will never, ever, become unfaithful to you. Like the story of this pastor, there comes a time when you know that you have stepped out of God’s presence and decided to do life on your own, or as in the case of this pastor, you decided you had everything going your way and therefore did not need to bother God any further about your growth program. Stop – whose church did you say? Praise God that He allows the ignorance of mankind, and the silliness of preaching, to be used to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ to all mankind. However, we must always remember the position that we fill in the church is that of servant-hood, for God alone saves mankind; He alone grows the church; He alone touches hearts and heals the sick. As His servants, we simply stand back and follow His commands. Let’s never lose sight of our true position in the church. God’s in charge, and we are the pions who simply ask for His guidance so that we may obediently follow His will for His church. And remember, God’s faithfulness is not only in the church, but in everything where He has promised to be our Lord. I sincerely believe that if we remain faithful to God, and if we will do what He commands, then He will direct us in all aspects of our lives and relationships.

PRAYER: Dearest Lord Jesus, we are thankful that You are faithful in everything that You have promised. Please direct Your children so that we never step out of line, or try to assume Your role in our lives. Let us be content in following exactly whatever You command and go wherever You lead. Please be with our church leaders and prompt them to follow You in every aspect of Your church, so that our communities will see Christ in the church and they will therefore develop a desire to know You. May they never be blocked from seeing You because of us standing in the way. 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!

Guidance for Success

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

DATE WRITTEN: Sunday, 2020-09-06
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: 2 Timothy 2:3-7
TRANSLATION: Living Bible (TLB)

BIBLE TEXT: 3 Take your share of suffering as a good soldier of Jesus Christ, just as I do; 4 and as Christ’s soldier, do not let yourself become tied up in worldly affairs, for then you cannot satisfy the one who has enlisted you in his army. 5 Follow the Lord’s rules for doing his work, just as an athlete either follows the rules or is disqualified and wins no prize. 6 Work hard like a farmer who gets paid well if he raises a large crop. 7 Think over these three illustrations, and may the Lord help you to understand how they apply to you.

OBSERVATION: Paul told his son in the ministry, Timothy, that He should consider three different professions to help him grasp the importance of his ministry, because each have impressive drives that could teach him the values of hard work and dedication that will serve to enhance his aspirations. I believe that our time spent meditating this direction from Paul might also help us, even today.

APPLICATION: One of the things that my younger sisters dreaded while growing up, was to hear my mom tell them how she wished they would pay attention to the character and habits of their older brother! They were no different than most of us, for we tend to assume we are being told that what we are currently doing counts for nothing. But friends, notice that Paul was merely using these three professions because of the qualities that normally come forth from those who chose to follow these paths. Let’s look at each individually:
~ A Soldier – Although I have never been in the military, I am told that the first thing military leaders/trainers try to achieve, is to convince new recruits that they now belong to the military and they should therefore forget all other allegiance and everything else. When in battle, soldiers know that they are to follow the orders of their commanders and no one else. They are trained to have a one-track mind. As workers in God’s army, we must also have a one-track mind, for we are to listen carefully to His commands; and follow His orders only. Anything else will result in a half-hearted soldier who can be swayed by every distraction that Satan sends our way;
~ An Athlete – In the days that our Scripture was written, if athletes trained less than 9 months, they were disqualified from competition. Imagine if churches were to ordain leaders and pastors with very basic training and experience? Paul wanted Timothy to be fully trained and very aware of the extreme stress on himself while striving to win the battle of snatching souls from the pit of hell. Satan is very real, but our God is so much more! Strive to win and not settle for anything less, when it comes to winning the lost;
~ A Farmer – My dad was a farmer, so I know how much he dreamed about the end result when he slowly cleared the ground, planted the small seeds, and tenderly and patiently nurtured the plants through to maturity and reaping. I also remember the days of harvest, for he celebrated in seeing, reaping and selling the beautiful crop. Isn’t it very obvious to see the various levels of church work in everything I just described in farming? Paul knew that Timothy would be very familiar with farming, and would therefore apply its concepts to his ministry. This is a great reminder for us as we endeavor to share our hearts and lives in the ministry of Jesus Christ!
Friends, we each have a desire to succeed in life, but what are we prepared to do in order to win? Others have shown us through their various professions, And often all we need to do is to apply the same principles that they used, and most of all, listen closely to our Chief as we head out to do His work. To sit at the feet of Jesus and look around to see all those that we touched in some way with our lives and/or our ministry, is worth every minute of every hour that we spend here on earth in training, in executing and in celebrating successes. Oh that God may be glorified through all of our efforts, is my greatest desire!

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, we thank You for all that You are to us. We thank You for softly speaking to our hearts and guiding us into accepting You as Lord, and then helping us to share that love with others. But Lord, the times seem to get rougher each and every day, so I beg You to help us remember the one-track mind and dedication of a soldier; the training and aim to win, that athletes strive for, as we strive to win the lost for the Kingdom; and also help us to remember the patience and nurturing by our farmers as they wait in anticipation for the joy that comes with harvest time. Our work seems endless and often so unrewarding, but when we allow you to guide us and work miraculously in the lives of those we touch, we are confident about the joy that will come in the morning! Oh that You may be glorified today dear Lord, and oh that You may use us powerfully in Your kingdom work here on earth. This is my humble plea today for all my readers and myself! 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 Rewards for Trust

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Salvation, Worship2 Comments

DATE WRITTEN: Saturday, 2020-09-05
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: Jeremiah 39:16-18
TRANSLATION: Living Bible (TLB)

BIBLE TEXT:  16 ….The Lord, the God of Israel, says: I will do to this city everything I threatened; I will destroy it before your eyes, 17 but I will deliver you. You shall not be killed by those you fear so much. 18 As a reward for trusting me, I will preserve your life and keep you safe.”

OBSERVATION: There are certain things that frighten us and cause us to ‘shake in our boots’! However we often have opportunity to do something about the problem and either prevent the thing that frightens us, or deal with the fear of it. But what motivates us to accept help or protection? Based on what God did for the Ethiopian, Ebed-melech, I believe that God assures His children today that we too can avoid the fright of receiving due punishment for our sins on Judgment Day, if we place our faith and trust in Him, like Ebed-melech did. What’s your excuse, or reason, for refusing this assurance? Are you not sufficiently afraid yet, or do you feel like you have control over the time you have left?

APPLICATION: If we are afraid of sharks, then we will choose to swim only in safe waters, and we will stay safely ashore or in the middle of a boat to prevent someone from pushing us overboard! The same is true with snakes – we will stay out of the woods, or look intently while walking through the woods, in order to prevent an encounter with a possible venomous snake! To avoid being injured, or possibly killed, we will stay clear of a fight or serious argument. But we’ve been told about the God who loves us beyond imagination, yet we live reckless lives, and not afraid of sin or its temptation. We know already that we could only avoid the pit of hell, by knowing Jesus personally and holding on to His nail-scared hand daily. Yet we choose to follow a path where sin is rampant, and temptation extends out to the weak and unguarded. Do you really not care about the effects of a burning hell dear friend? Notice that our friend, Ebed-melech did not wait until a moment of threat, but instead he was ready when God warned he and the Israelites about their impending destruction. That’s similar to how it will be on Judgment Day, for no one knows the day or the hour when Jesus will return to take His chosen ones home to glory. But Jesus is coming for those who are called by His name – those who have the blood of Jesus sprinkled on their heads, for they have accepted the crucified One, and they are now awaiting the risen Lord, as He breaks through the clouds to take His children home. His coming will not need our prior approval, for God is in charge of the return of His Son. Today we know how to ready ourselves for that glorious day and we know that one day soon, Jesus will return. Friends, God saved Ebed-melech because he had already secured his salvation. God has also promised to save us from eternal condemnation if we have made things right through accepting Jesus as our Lord and Savior. Do you feel secure in your salvation, dear one? Or are you destined for hell? It’s your choice, and I pray in all earnest that you will make your decision today, for there is no assurance about tomorrow.

PRAYER: Dear Jesus, please touch the lives of Your children today. I sincerely plead with my readers to seek the Lord while He may be found, and to surrender your lives to the Master while you still have life and breath to do so. Lord, You have promised us life eternal for those who have been washed in the blood of Jesus Christ. Thank You for my salvation Lord Jesus, now please touch the heart of each one who reads this devotional and help them to seek You while You may be found. In the name of Jesus, I ask all this. 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 Things That Distract Us

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

DATE WRITTEN: Friday, 2020-09-04
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: 1 Timothy 6:9-11
TRANSLATION: Contemporary English Version (CEV)

BIBLE TEXT: 9 People who want to be rich fall into all sorts of temptations and traps. They are caught by foolish and harmful desires that drag them down and destroy them. 10 The love of money causes all kinds of trouble. Some people want money so much that they have given up their faith and caused themselves a lot of pain.
11 Timothy, you belong to God, so keep away from all these evil things. Try your best to please God and to be like him. Be faithful, loving, dependable, and gentle. 

OBSERVATION: As I meditated on this chapter, my mind went on to ponder what type things distract us today from our walk with the Lord. What tends to distract us from the work of the Lord? How does this leave the people who Give in to these distractions? Are they still good witnesses for the Lord, and dependable workers for the church? Many of these things that distract God’s people are ‘evil’, as Paul referred to them in verse 11. Meditate with me as we delve into the Scriptures!

APPLICATION: Thank God for messengers such as Paul, who saw the complexity of things that his new son in the ministry would be faced with, and then went on to coach him on staying righteous, even when the situation around him was tough. Seasoned pastors would be challenged when faced with these issues, but Paul had gone through a lot with the churches that he started and also in dealing with many of the individuals in those churches. Why do you suppose Paul forged ahead with giving this difficult advice to Timothy? Often times these problems will fester and create a monster problem real quick, unless the issue is dealt with timely. As with many of our churches today, there were at least a few of the folk who were rich, or at least distracted by the idea of getting rich. This becomes a huge issue for pastors today, for soon these folk feel like they sent their money, so they don’t need to be there every time the doors open. Often these same ones will withhold tithes and offering until the church leadership becomes attuned to their likes and dislikes. This creates jealousy, envy and strife among the membership of the church, because they soon see favoritism, and the workers work harder to fill the gap for those who can’t be bothered to attend. As Paul taught this to Timothy, I’m so happy that he also went a step further to tell him what he should do differently, and this is still very applicable to us today. You’re a man of God Timothy, so stay away from these evil things. In other words, yes the church could really benefit from the finances of the rich, but you should never allow their influence to cause you to depend on them instead of God. Know that the ministry is about winning souls for Christ and edifying the saved among you, so that together you may lift up holy hands in worship to the King of all kings. Remember that if He (God) be lifted up, He will draw all men unto Himself. Never allow anything to hinder your praise to the Almighty. Paul reminded us of godly characteristics that are super important as we strive to represent Christ. These are the important qualities we should concentrate on, as opposed to the things that really distract our dedication to, and love for, the Lord. Today I’m sure that our distractions are numerous, but the truth remains – be faithful, loving, dependable, and gentle. Most of all dear friends, love God more than anything else in this world, and seek to show Him your love with every fiber of your being.

PRAYER: Dear Lord Jesus, thank You for giving Your very life on Calvary so that we might have life eternal. Please help us to never hesitate giving of ourselves as we dedicate ourselves to You and as we seek to share our witness with a broken and lost world. Please give us boldness to withstand the distractions that come our way, so that we may represent You well. Please soften the hearts of those who feel like it’s enough to give financially to Your work, or to just have financial worth and filled with worldly advantages. There is nothing more important that serving You and showing our love for You. We need You every hour of every day Lord, to be by our side and fill us with more of Your love. 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!

Principles Of Interpersonal Relationships

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Godly example, Godly lives, Honest Relationship, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Relationships, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Tuesday, 2020-09-01
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: 1 Timothy 5:1-3
TRANSLATION: New Living Translation (NLT)

BIBLE TEXT: 1 Never speak harshly to an older man,[a] but appeal to him respectfully as you would to your own father. Talk to younger men as you would to your own brothers. 2 Treat older women as you would your mother, and treat younger women with all purity as you would your own sisters. 3 Take care of[b] any widow who has no one else to care for her. 

OBSERVATION: A common theme used when raising children is: ‘It takes a town’! This is no different in the church, for it takes all leaders and workers to help disciple and mature the saints, and minister to the unsaved. This becomes extra important when there is trouble brewing among the members. Paul wanted to prepare Timothy spiritually for the challenges he would face. As we meditate, let’s examine, and reassure ourselves of whose we are, and be sure that we are building relationships like God intended.

APPLICATION: At a point in my working career, I became keenly aware that instead of getting upset at my younger staff for not doing things right, that it was vitally important that I do my part in coaching them along in life. For example: it was against bank rules for a staff member’s account to be overdrawn. Instead of getting upset at a younger member of my staff, I found it necessary to help them balance their checkbook to prevent overwriting their account balance. In all areas of life, we need to look at relationships in this way, for way too often others will not respond the way we were expecting, or complete a project in the way we wanted it done. Instead of becoming agitated or upset, it then becomes necessary to train them in the way you want to see the project completed. Paul knew that as Timothy began his ministry, he would encounter different people in different cultures that would prove to be quite challenging for him. Doing this correctly and as God intended, is best when it’s done right the first time. So Paul warned Timothy, and admonishes us today, to earn the respect of others and represent God well, with all people types. Her are some tips that Paul gives: Older Men – Don’t speak harshly or angrily to them, but treat them as you would your dad. With respect, and in a calm and mild-mannered way. As if you were looking to earn their respect. Yes, you may have one up on them educationally, or you may be in a higher paid job, but they will treat you respectfully for all your advantages, if you show respect to them. Younger Men – Think about your younger brothers. How would you treat them? Hope you can do a lot better than the many horror stories I hear about today where siblings have not seen each other in years, and they rarely talk via telephone. Older Women – Think about your mother – how would you treat her. My wife was told that she should look at the way her prospective husband treated his mom, for he will probably treat her the same way. Younger Women – Think purity, like you would tend to think about your younger sisters. Be respectful of young ladies, for they may become your daughter-in-law! Widows – Imagine that you lost your dad. How would you want young men to treat your mom? Some take advantage of them, don’t they? Know that all due respect is owed to ladies having to suffer the loss of their husband. No doubt they are helpless in many areas in which their husbands filled the leadership role. They need lots of hand-holding by people they could trust, in order to get through the new challenges they are presented with. So what does this all serve to do for the man who follows Paul’s instructions? I believe that you will find better church leaders, better work leaders for their employers, men who law enforcement never have to chase or worry about, and men who respect their community and its people. If this is not taught in our homes, supported by our teachers and reinforced by our church leaders, then we may understand why we have such a high crime rate and lack of respect for authority and our elderly today. May God grant us mercy to see this turned around in our lifetime, because adults like you and I chose to stand firm on the Word of God and insist that our younger generation do the same.

PRAYER: Oh Lord God, You see the mess that we have on our hands today. Please forgive us for waiting so long to teach our younger folk about Your principles and Your direction in relationships. I pray that as relationships are bonded, that You will be in the midst of them and that Your Word will be opened and obeyed so that solid relationship will develop by trustworthy individuals. This could all begin by each person committing to do their part in their circle of influence. Please speak intently to each reader as this blog is read and meditated on. May we all rededicate ourselves to the work of the good Lord, so that our relationships will be cemented in Your truths, and therefore bonds will develop where respect will shine across our land. Oh that You may once again be glorified in each land represented in my readership, so that lost folk will see and believe that You still rule and reign among Your people and their relationships. 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!

In Training

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

DATE WRITTEN: Monday, 2020-08-31
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: 1 Timothy 4:7-10
TRANSLATION: New Living Translation (NLT)

BIBLE TEXT: 7 Do not waste time arguing over godless ideas and old wives’ tales. Instead, train yourself to be godly. 8 “Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come.” 9 This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it. 10 This is why we work hard and continue to struggle,[d] for our hope is in the living God, who is the Savior of all people and particularly of all believers.

OBSERVATION: Paul was a mentor to Timothy, and he tried to help him become a good pastor to the churches he went to serve in – churches that were in trouble. We can relate to this, because churches tend to change their pastor an average of every 18 months. Regardless of what might be going on at your church, I believe that Paul’s advise to this young pastor is spot on. So let us examine Paul’s advice and see how we might apply this in our individual areas of ministry.

APPLICATION: I believe there is good reason why Paul drew a parallel to physical training, for we all try to condition ourselves to help with many areas of our health. I remember an older lady that was in top shape physically, and following her Unfortunate surgery, she quickly recovered and was back on her feet. She said from the very beginning the doctor knew that she would do well and recover quickly, because her body was well conditioned. But let us just stop and think what constitutes sufficient physical fitness for our bodies to thrive, and for healing to be effective after surgery or an injury. Most doctors will suggest a minimum of a brisk 20-minute walk at least 3 or 4 days per week. So if this will keep our physical bodies in shape, what might it take for us to keep our spiritual bodies in close communion with God, and therefore ready for the battles of Christian life (yes, we still have battles in our new life) and in the spiritual warfare that we will face from Satan and his legion? It is important for you to think about this friends, for Satan comes after laypeople as a way of getting to a pastor and/or destroying a church. Wouldn’t you think that too little spiritual fitness will leave us vulnerable, gullible, and therefore easy targets for the evil one? Paul issued a very real warning to Timothy when he told him to be persistent in avoiding idle chatter, or fables, or just stories. I want you to think about this and reflect on a Sunday School class or a Bible Study where someone derailed the teacher from his/her awesome lesson. After 10 minutes you, or the teacher, realized that your lesson is totally off track and that you will be lucky to get back to the lesson and see it achieve the desired effects that the teacher felt like God led him to teach. You might then leave that class more confused than when you entered, and totally unprepared for the challenges of the week ahead. What if our pastors got into this kind of environment during the week when they would normally study and prepare their sermon? What will happen during the sermon time that Sunday? How might God use him to speak His truth to His hungry children who came searching for spiritual food? Friends, please notice that Paul saw a troubled church, and he saw a young man about to enter the lions den to deal with the issues of their day. Paul said then, what I believe that God would have us discern today: there is no greater training for us than to train ourselves into being good students of the Word of God. All the answers are in The Book for all of life’s challenges. But unless we saturate our lives with the Word, our preaching/teaching/witnessing will be in vain. Is the Word of God oozing out of every aspect of your character, your witness, your teaching, and your preaching, if you happen to be gifted to preach? This is the medicine needed for our hurting world. Let’s be sure that we train, and fill ourselves with the Word of God without it being diluted and/or distracted by Satan and his agents.

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, although it is unfortunate that today we still face challenges in our churches like Paul saw in his letter to Timothy, and in spite of all that Paul taught. Please Lord, let the church be the church – Your church that is in place to reach the lost and speak tenderly to needs of the saved. Let us represent You well and let the world see Jesus in every aspect of our lives. Help us to be drawn to Your Word and be entrenched into Your teachings so that our lives may be impacted by the Master of the universe, and may it be obvious through every aspect of our lives. Let us be willing to train regularly and consistently so that You would prepare us fully for all that may come our way. Bless Your church and it’s workers Lord, so that You may be lifted up and rule in our churches. 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!