A Test of Spiritual Maturity

On 2020-04-29 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Church growth, Maturity, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Wednesday, 2020-04-29
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: 1 Corinthians 3:1-3
TRANSLATION: The Voice (VOICE)

BIBLE TEXT: My brothers and sisters, I cannot address you as people who walk by the Spirit; I have to speak to you as people who tend to think in merely human terms, as spiritual infants in the Anointed One. ²I nursed you with milk, as a mother would feed her baby, because you were not, and still are not, developed enough to digest complex spiritual food. ³And here’s why: you are still living in the flesh, not in the Spirit. How do I know? Are you fighting with one another? Are you comparing yourselves to others and becoming consumed with jealousy? Then it sounds like you are living in the flesh, no different from the rest who live by the standards of this rebellious and broken world.

OBSERVATION: Paul’s test for spiritually immaturity: Do you argue? Do you compare yourself to others? Are you jealous? Answer “yes” to any of these, then you are spiritually immature. Let’s look closer at this today, for the sake of the Gospel, and for the sake of Christian growth and maturity – so that the world may be saved.

APPLICATION: I believe that the downfall for most pastors is not for neglecting to dedicate themselves fully to the preaching of the Word, nor attending to the needs of their flock, but rather when spiritually immaturity rears its ugly head. This is no different to the secular world, for during my years of supervising and managing staff, it was always the most challenging part of my job – to deal with the ups and downs of my staff. Yes, we could get the work done, but there always came times when an employee saw the need to show their immaturity and they would become fixated on pulling a coworker down. As a supervisor wanting to make sure that all staff are happy workers, one might make the mistake of trying to ‘fix’ these problems. But often, it is just a matter of trying to help mature the employee who has the issue. Like Paul, many pastors become so burdened with these acts of immaturity that it pulls them down, through discouragement, anger and resentment. It can also destroy a church, for as word gets around, good, mature Christians will leave a church to avoid confrontation. This also serves to keep the unsaved from knowing Christ, for they look at the church and have no desire to gain the kind of disharmony that they hear about at their local church. Ministering to immature Christians is a persistent challenge for a teacher or pastor as they are forced to always teach or preach from an elementary level, or from the basics of the Bible, even if others in the class or church long for the depths of truth from the Word. So I believe that the reason God had Paul share this lesson with us in two different areas: 1). For the parishioner: work towards an intimate, learning, experience with your Maker. This means developing a personal relationship with the Master and getting to know Him better each and every day by studying His Word and conversing with God (praying) on a regular basis. If you only met with your spouse once per year, you would have to reignite the love relationship you once shared. In studying the Word of God, you learn more about Him and long to spend more time with Him, and this becomes a key reason for you to meet together with other believers; and 2). For the teacher and/or preacher: Patience is a virtue, and I believe that we will always need the love and grace of God to work with folk who refuse to fully develop their relationship with the Creator of the World. It gives us reason for seeking God’s help and understanding on why He brings certain circumstances into our lives and ministry. Often these folk are needy people who will always want our attention and our love to help them move on to greater heights in their relationship with God. Will it keep others back, perhaps. However, let’s use this as good reason to seek the help of the Master and follow what He tells us to do. It may be a growing experience for us as we deal with this each situation. There may eventually be another leader who will look to us for advice on how to handle these delicate matters. God may be preparing us and placing us in the right situations at the right time, for His ultimate glory. So let us learn to be content in whatever situation we may find ourselves, so that we may learn to praise God in our storms, in our growth opportunities and in our times of celebration – all glory goes to the Lord!

PRAYER: We probably use the word ‘WHY’ way too much Lord, and almost every time we realize that we are sadly questioning You. I believe that You created us to worship You, with absolutely no reason to question You. Please forgive us for placing ourselves in a bad position with You. To question You is just as immature as in the case of those we just pondered over in the above thoughts. As long as we are alive, please remind us that we are the clay and You are the Potter. You will provide situations that will mold us and shape us in the way that is pleasing to You. Please touch the hearts of those that will read this devotional. May they find total peace in knowing You as Lord, and as their personal Savior, regardless of the storm we may face while still here on earth. Please teach us and lead us to grow in You daily. 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!

A Vessel Used By God

On 2020-04-28 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Praise, Preach, Preaching, Recognize God, Teach, Teacher, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Tuesday, 2020-04-28
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: 1 Corinthians 2:1-5
TRANSLATION: The Voice (VOICE)

BIBLE TEXT: My brothers and sisters, I did not pose as an expert with all the answers. I did not pretend to explain the mystery of God with eloquent speech and human wisdom. ²I claimed to know nothing with certainty other than the reality that Jesus is the Anointed One, the Liberating King, who was crucified on our behalf. ³I was moved to utter despair during my time with you. I would find myself trembling in dread and fear. ⁴The sermons I preached were not delivered with the kind of persuasive elegance some have come to expect, but they were effective because I relied on God’s Spirit to demonstrate God’s power. ⁵If this were not so, your faith would be based on human wisdom and not the power of God.

OBSERVATION: There are certain books that you might pick up and the story is so interesting that it becomes challenging for you to stop reading and put the book down for a while. The same is true with some teachers and preachers. Is it because one is more educated than the other, or one has been trained to assemble a sermon with certain form? I believe that if you are a preacher or teacher, you will definitely benefit from Paul’s lesson found in our Scripture today, but I also believe that it will train listeners to also look for the influence of the Holy Spirit on what is being said. Think about this with me today dear friend!

APPLICATION: I’m sure that like me, you have attended a Sunday School class and been bored out of your mind, only to arrive home and hear your spouse brag about all that they got out of the lesson that day. The same holds true with a church service. You may have been blessed beyond expectation, only to hear a friend complain about how ‘dry’ and ‘dull’ the preacher was, or how the music was too loud to enjoy and how they couldn’t stay awake during the sermon. Friends, when the Holy Spirit is at work, and has a message for one or more individuals, He could speak through an inexperienced, spoiled young man, or through a seasoned, old, dull man, and the Spirit’s word will fall on fertile ground. In our Scripture today, Paul deliberately held back on his fancy words and trying to overly impress those he was ministering to, for he knew that it was more important to plead with God to accomplish His work, even if He did it through him. Paul sounded very much like any of us, for he said that he was often fearful to stand before this crowd, and find the right words to convince them of their faithful Father. I have attempted to share the Word in a public/church setting before, and I could easily appreciate what Paul was saying. Much like this blog, some of you might read what I share some days and you may sit back and wonder where is this brother coming from? Friends, without bragging at all, I can tell you that on many occasions I have struggled to complete a day’s devotional, but because I asked God for His direction, I went ahead and posted it. Only to hear from one or more readers that they were drawn closer to God, or blessed immensely by the blog that day. Only God! There are days that God will fill me with so many thoughts that I could hardly type it fast enough. However, there are some days that God seems to give it to me in pieces. Often I share a lot of personal examples/experiences to help you understand what’s on my mind when I write the blog. Please don’t take this as bragging in any way, but seek God and ask Him to help you see what’s in store for you as you read His Word, and my thoughts. Perhaps He will use something to truly speak to your heart also and grow you in your faith. Please pray for me that I will stay on target and allow the Holy Spirit to speak boldly through me, so that you might hear from Him each day. Although I pray that God will always use me in this way, I want you to hear from Him, even though I may be shown as the author of the blog. It’s not until that happens that you will truly be blessed!

PRAYER: Precious Lord, just as Paul was used as a vessel for You to speak to the church at Corinth, I pray that it will be evident every day from the words read in my blog, that You are using me as a vessel to speak with myself and my readers. I also pray that You will use those who teach and those who preach, so that Your Word might go forth in season and out of season to those in need of hearing Your Word. Many are searching for a word from the Master during these trying times. I pray that their time will be well spent in reading what You have to share through Nuggets From God’s Word. May they see Jesus, and hear all about Your love, Your forgiveness. and Your direction for their lives. May I, in humility, avoid selfish feelings and relaying selfish thoughts, but instead wait on You and always allow You to speak through the words that I pen. Please touch our church leaders, teachers and preachers in the same way Lord, for people need the Lord, and not to learn more about any of us. AMEN.

The Simplicity of the Cross

On 2020-04-272020-04-27 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, First Hand Experience, Heart Knowledge, Knowledge, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Monday, 2020-04-27
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: 1 Corinthians 1:21
TRANSLATION: The Passion Translation (TPT)

BIBLE TEXT: ²¹For in his wisdom, God designed that all the world’s wisdom would be insufficient to lead people to the discovery of himself. He took great delight in baffling the wisdom of the world by using the simplicity of preaching the story of the cross^[w] in order to save those who believe it.

OBSERVATION: The great philosopher could explain what the cross was made of and every detail behind the reason that Jesus went to the cross, but isn’t it interesting how a simple person, like you or me, could talk to a friend about the old rugged cross and how it made a difference in our lives, and their mouths will drop open in wonder, hoping that this joy of which we speak, could also impact their lives? Join me in meditating on the simple story of the cross that we could share with, or preach to, our friends today and everyday.

APPLICATION: Many songs have been written and sold to thousands about the old rugged cross. Many sermons have been written and shared on almost any day, with church attendees, some of which might sit and wonder ‘how on earth does this apply to me today’? Many have braved the criminals, the poor and also the rich with various tips on how to win them to the Lord. Seminary after seminary charge thousands of dollars to students wanting to pursue a degree in religious studies. In churches located in countries around the world and represented by my readers, you will find that some are led by pastors and staff who are well educated, while some may simply have a pastor, filled by the Holy Spirit who has a heart touched by God, and who desires to share his simple faith with anyone that will listen. I believe that God will speak through all men described above, but based on our Scripture today, we are also reminded that no matter how smart our church leaders might be, without a very personal and current relationship with the Master, they will simply preach what they learned from professors in seminary. For I am convinced that Jesus wants us to share what He has done in our lives, because of what God did at Calvary when He sacrificed His only Son. Share this, so that those who are lost and seeking desperately for the Light, might understand that the whole reason Jesus died and rose again, was to provide life eternally with Him in heaven. You see, one might share the account of the cross based on the Biblical story, while another might explain with deep emotion how the events of the crucifixion happened so that they might see the hope of salvation, and it is that same reality that they want to share with those listening. God has blessed many with a lot of talent. God has also blessed a lot with extreme knowledge. However, God has placed in each of us a unique experience with His Son, that only we could share. I have an awesome friend who has been blind since birth, yet he shares the love of God on Social Media and with everyone who comes into contact with Him. I know of friends who have never gone to college, yet they do an outstanding job of sharing the news of Jesus Christ with others. I have friends who are as smart as anyone on earth, and they do a great job of sharing the love of the Lord Jesus that lives inside of them. If we have something to share, we can do so successfully, and in line with this Scripture. However, if we have all the knowledge in the world and can only share text with someone, they are lightly not going to get it. God uses the foolishness of preaching to reach unbelievers. A seminary or college degree might help you explain the story well, but unless that story comes from your innermost being, I’m not sure that just words will impact those you might share those words with. Let me share with you friends that we must know Him in order to share about Him with others. Know His Word and share how it impacts your life, so that others could base their decision based on something that is proven, and truly works.

PRAYER: Lord, I pray that none of Your children will allow knowledge, or the lack thereof, to prevent them from sharing with others what they see at work in their lives. Please give us the boldness to share with others all that You have blessed us with. Help us to avoid telling the good news about what You did for famous people, although that might be a super good story, but to always share about how You impacted our lives and blessed us so wonderfully. Dear God, thank You for saving my soul. Please use me to share that story with many who have yet to accept You as Lord, so that they may see the hope that is possible for even them. Many whom we know, need the Lord. Please use us to be instruments of Your truth, Your grace and Your love, so that those in our circle of influence may know and accept You as Lord. AMEN!

We Serve A Good, Good Father

On 2020-04-25 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Salvation, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Saturday, 2020-04-25
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: Psalm 103:10-12
TRANSLATION: The Voice (VOICE)

BIBLE TEXT: ¹⁰Thankfully, God does not punish us for our sins and depravity as we deserve. In His mercy, He tempers justice with peace.
¹¹Measure how high heaven is above the earth; God’s wide, loving, kind heart is greater for those who revere Him.
¹²You see, God takes all our crimes—our seemingly inexhaustible sins—and removes them. As far as east is from the west, He removes them from us

OBSERVATION: I wonder, what could we have possibly done last night to dissolve the sin we committed yesterday. I wonder, if space engineers ever thought to calculate sending a rocket past Mars and into the heavens above. I wonder, how fed up our family must get with us as our efforts to be ‘good’ is always met with more of the same old, same old sins. These are probably things we could ponder day in and day out, because in and of our own efforts, each of these things are unresolvable. Yet we are reminded by the Psalmist that we have a God who cares for us and cares about each of these items for His dear children who are called by His name!

APPLICATION: What happens to us as a father or a mother who teaches our children certain lessons that we have learned, yet they follow their own desires and make their own rules, often followed by horrible mistakes? Often we get unbelievably mad, and often our kids could detect that we are very upset over something, correct? What a contrast that is, compared to what the Psalmist shares with us about our Heavenly Father. I believe that we should also pay close attention to who the Psalmist said that these kind acts of God applies to. Some may think that this applies only to royalty, or to the rich, or perhaps those who are recognized at school as being ‘good’. But notice that this is not the case. Friends, God sent His only Son, so that all who believe on Him will be saved and live eternally with Him in glory. There is no distinction to race, color, rich, poor, healthy, crime-free, or otherwise, but ALL who believe. This is something that we ALL can rejoice over, for this means that each of us are included in that bunch that Jesus loves so unconditionally. Just imagine how ashamed we feel after we have messed up and disobeyed man’s laws. Imagine how much worse we feel when we have been found guilty of disobeying God’s laws. Yet, because of the unmeasurable love that God has for His children, we are reminded that God accepts our call for forgiveness and He separates our sin from us as far as the east is from the west. The next time you find yourself in an airplane, ask the pilot to just fly east. When he asks how far, tell him: until you reach the point where you meet the juncture or East and West. Perhaps that pilot will still let you on his airplane, even though he might think that you’ve lost your mind!! Yet that’s how far God said that He would separate the sin of those who seek His face and ask for forgiveness of their sin. Do you suppose that God loves you my friend? I would dare say that there is no one that loves you quite like the way that God loves you, and no one who cares enough for you that they would forgive you of your sin and remember it no more, like God does! For those reading this blog who already knows our Lord, let me suggest that you glory in His name today because of your position in His kingdom. For those who have not yet decided to follow Christ, I pray that after being reminded of His wondrous love, that you might surrender yourself to Him today and seek a right relationship with Him. Jesus could return at any given moment to take His children home to glory, so ready yourself today before its too late.

PRAYER: Precious Lord, thank You for being my Savior and Lord. Thank you for accepting me just the way I was, and cleansing me as white as snow for the sake of my Master. In spite of my personal happiness, Lord I am desperately asking that You speak to the heart and soul of my family and friends who have not recognized the urgency of the hour in which we live. You made it clear that only the Father knows when You will return to take Your church home. I pray that not one soul reading this devotional, nor any of my family or friends, will gamble with their ultimate decision in life. May it be today that they get things right with You. My greatest desire is that I kneel at Your throne in heaven, with each of these loved ones by my side. But this takes Your nudge and Your power to help them overcome the restraints placed on them by Satan. Please show forth Your power today and help them decide to make this most important decision. I love You Lord, and I long to see Your face and worship at Your feet. AMEN!

Have Confidence in Your Faith In Challenging Times

On 2020-04-24 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Safety, Security, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Friday, 2020-04-24
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: Job 4:2-7
TRANSLATION: The Message (MSG)

BIBLE TEXT: You yourself have done this plenty of times, spoken words
    that clarify, encouraged those who were about to quit.
Your words have put stumbling people on their feet,
    put fresh hope in people about to collapse.
But now you’re the one in trouble—you’re hurting!
    You’ve been hit hard and you’re reeling from the blow.
But shouldn’t your devout life give you confidence now?
    Shouldn’t your exemplary life give you hope?
“Think! Has a truly innocent person ever ended up on the scrap heap?
    Do genuinely upright people ever lose out in the end?

OBSERVATION: Just as Eliphaz gave great advice to Job in his time of trouble, we too must look at our faith, and at our God when we face challenging times. Yes, our God took real good care of us when we were looking for a job, when our mother was sick, and when we were downhearted over life situations at church, but we must always be encouraged in knowing that our God is also big enough, and all powerful, to help us through Covid 19, or whatever else is challenging us today! Praise God, He never fails and He will be with us to the very end of time. Meditate with me as we look into this short Scripture!

APPLICATION: Right at the very beginning of the book of Job, we could read about how special Job was in the eyes of our God. His friends also knew how special Job was, and they were well aware of the faith that he exhibited on various occasions leading up to this testing that he was experiencing. In the chapter we are looking at today, Job’s friend, Eliphaz reminded Job about his faith, about his God, about all that God had done in his life, and about the exemplary life that Job had lived as a result of the close relationship he had with God. Doesn’t Job sound like us when tough times come our way? Covid reared its ugly head and surely we felt sorry for all those affected by it, and especially those who lost loved ones. But then, we heard from our employer that he would have to lay us off until after this awful virus passes by us. However the bills kept coming, it became harder to find groceries, and the kids became restless at home after a while. We may have even begun to wonder if God had left the scene, so we could suffer a little while. Did God forget us? Why would He see us suffer? I’m sure there were multiple other questions that arose, but did you stay true to your private time with God? Remember, being a follower of Christ means that you are in a relationship with the ‘Great I Am’, and not just knowing a puppet whose string you could pull, as necessary. Being in a relationship means that you might talk to God about what is going on and about what is troubling you. As you reflect on your experience to date with God, you may gain confidence today in remembering that the awesome God who saw you through struggles earlier in your relationship with Him, is the same God that also made a way for the Israelites to cross the Jordan River, who gave sight to the blind and brought Lazarus back to life again. He’s still God and He’s still on the throne handling our situation today. Why not ease your stress by having a little talk with Jesus, tell Him all about your struggles and concerns and about how your life is impacted in this time of pandemic. I can confidently tell you dear friend, that He is still our miracle working God – One who is concerned about His children and all that they are encountering right now. I believe that He will stretch out His hands and gently reassure you that every little thing is going to be OK, because He’s got this. He promised us very early in His Word that He would not place more on us than we are able to handle. And I know that without our hand in His, there is nothing that we can’t walk through together. Be reassured of whose you are, my friend, and remind yourself of all that He is, so that you can be comforted in how you will make it through your struggles today, and tomorrow.

PRAYER: I love that old hymn ‘Blessed Assurance Jesus is Mine’, because it reminds me to whom I belong! Thank You Heavenly Father for watching over me in the good times, and yes, especially in the times that I feel are tough times. With the reminder, and assurance that heaven is my ultimate home, where I will rest eternally in the arms of Jesus, I gain the strength that I need to make it through times like we are facing currently, where there seems to be no cure for our diseases and therefore little hope of doctors saving loved ones. Lord, I pray that all those reading this devotional will be encouraged to know that nothing that we tend to worry about affects the Creator of this universe! God is still on the throne and one day He will return to take His children home to glory where we will be with You for eternity! Praise God for His wondrous love. Lord, please melt the hearts of those unable to call You ‘Father’, because they have never invited You to be their Lord and Savior. Oh that today may be the day of salvation for them, I pray in deepest sincerity and utmost urgency, from the bottom of my heart. AMEN!

With One Voice, Praise & Glorify God

On 2020-04-20 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Monday, 2020-04-20
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: Romans 15:5-7
TRANSLATION: New Living Translation (NLT)

BIBLE TEXT: ⁵May God, who gives this patience and encouragement, help you live in complete harmony with each other, as is fitting for followers of Christ Jesus. ⁶Then all of you can join together with one voice, giving praise and glory to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁷Therefore, accept each other just as Christ has accepted you so that God will be given glory.

OBSERVATION: I believe that Paul could very easily preach this same sermon to each of us in our respective churches the next time we meet. Think about it as you meditate with me today. I’ve seen churches refuse to participate in a community evangelism event because a certain church was also participating and they believe so differently. I’ve seen a preacher stopped in his tracks while preaching, for saying something slightly different to what a certain church practiced. In our Scripture today, we are reminded that Jesus accepted us, just as we were. If Christians (little Christs) were to accept other believers just the way they are, vs 6 tells us that then perhaps we will be able to praise and glorify God.

APPLICATION: I won’t dare point a figure at you dear Brother or Sister, because I’ll have 3 or 4 pointing right back at myself. So let’s look at the only thing that we have control over – our own hearts, as we study this passage today. I remember while studying ‘Experiencing God’ in a group of about 10 people, that we were given certain scriptures to study and listen to the voice of God on. Weekly we would come together and discuss how God spoke to us. I was always amazed by the various ways that God spoke to us individually, but in such varied ways. It helped me to realize that our God does not support us or love us in a rule-based and defined fashion, but rather from a very personal standpoint. He cares for us individually, and therefore ministers to us personally. But this creates a lot of challenges for the church as a whole, for they are therefore challenged to establish bylaws and rules for the entire community to follow. Friends, our God created us individually, and He cares for us individually. It is obvious from vs 6 that with Him as our central theme, that our corporate worship should be centered around Him and not on our differences. I found vs 7 to be a mind blowing challenge, for it reminds me that I was far from perfect; far from holy; far from righteous; and far from obeying the commands of God that are detailed in His Word, yet He was willing to bring His Son into this wicked world, and die a cruel death on a cross, to save me – a nobody in the kingdom of God; a sinner that could only be saved by God’s wondrous grace. And if God could do that for me, and since I am striving to be just like Him, who am I to not like what that Brother said from the church down the street, or to cause division over which way that church in the country decides to baptize? Friends, we are reminded in verse 5 that we are to be ‘fitting to be called children of God’, and to ’live in harmony as HIS children’. In verse 6, we are promised that if we fulfill the previous verse, we will stand in awe of our King and sing praises and glory to OUR God, with ONE voice – period! Vs 7 reminds us that Christ accepted us just as we were, and so should we do the same for others who are also called by the same name. Notice that nothing was said about us believing some of the practices brought in by ‘religion’ or ‘denominationalism’. Instead, if they know Jesus, and we know the same Jesus, then we are family and we could easily join hearts and hands with each other and lift up our praises to OUR Jesus. Hum that chorus ‘He is Lord’ for just a moment while you meditate on these words. Be reminded that every knee shall bow to the one Jesus, for He alone is Lord!

PRAYER: Thank You Lord for the assurance of salvation in Jesus Christ! Oh the grace of our Heavenly Father, to send His Son so that those who believe on Him shall not perish, but instead have everlasting life! (John 3:16). Loving Father, I believe You would have done this if I was the only sinner who needed Your grace. However, there are millions who have accepted that call to salvation. Yet the world probably looks on at the separation created by churches and want no part of it, or the God who they claim to serve. Thank You for the reminder in today’s Scripture that Your children must be able to get along, so that they could join hearts and hands together in worship and praise to the one and only Jesus – their Lord. Please Lord, awaken Your church even today. I pray that You would begin with me, and I also pray that as You remind us of whose we are, that we will learn to worship You in one voice and in one spirit. Oh Lord, may Your will be done, and may Your kingdom come, on earth as it is in heaven. AMEN!

Here is What’s important

On 2020-04-18 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Saturday, 2020-04-18
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: Romans 14:17-19
TRANSLATION: Easy-to-Read Version (ERV)

BIBLE TEXT: ¹⁷…. Here is what is important: a right way of life, peace, and joy—all from the Holy Spirit. ¹⁸Whoever serves Christ by living this way is pleasing God, and they will be accepted by others. ¹⁹So let’s try as hard as we can to do what will bring peace. Let’s do whatever will help each other grow stronger in faith.

OBSERVATION: Ever feel like you wish that you knew a lot more about certain subjects? Ever started your day wishing for wisdom to help you do a lot better today than you feel like you did yesterday? Much like today, Paul saw where his people were bickering over very trivial things that only brought division, rather than purposeful things that unite and draws the whole group closer to God. Paul had to address the sore subject of arguments over what foods each group ate, or didn’t eat, and the challenges that created for those who felt they were right. Yes, we do the same thing today, and yes, we need reminding again about what’s important to God.

APPLICATION: Churches have split over very silly things – oftentimes it happened when one or more members felt it was more important to have their own way, rather than win the lost, or see the body of Christ draw closer to God through their sweet communion together; or through Bible studies; or through prayer for each other. Arguments still exists today among churches as to the right day to worship, the right way to baptize, or the foods that should be eaten. Paul told the church that they were missing the point, as God intended for us to be much bigger than that. In fact, if we ever want to win the lost and dying world, we must pay attention to the things that Paul taught as being of great importance: Seek first the Holy Spirit and follow His lead in living a life that is right, and in accordance with the God of this universe; Live in peace with God and with each other; And, seek joy for those you come into contact with, before seeking after your own selfish joys. Friends, this is just a short list, but it takes a child of God to do these things, and when you have spent time before God seeking His will and making every effort to obediently follow His commands, you will start to act like Him and imitate the example that He set for us while He was here on earth. Remember, God has established His way for mankind to live in love, and at peace with each other. Trouble starts when we stray away from His ideals and mix in some of our own selfish ways. When this happens, it becomes increasingly challenging for unbelievers to see enough difference between the church and the world that they are used to, and therefore little reason or necessity for any change in their belief, or in the God that we claim to honor, adore and worship. Friends, when I got married, I put aside things that I did as a boy, including some of the friends that had a bad influence on me. I promised God that I would love and care for the woman of my dreams for the rest of my days. That was a challenging promise to fulfill if I kept on pleasing my friends and ignoring my beautiful wife. This was very similar to the decision I made to serve Christ. It is virtually impossible to please my old friends and the God who sent His precious Son so that I could have eternal life with Him in heaven. I believe it is time for all of God’s children to rededicate themselves to the One in whom they believed and be faithful to Him until the day He calls us home. Will you join me in this rededication dear friend? People/friends/family need the Lord, and the sooner they see Him alive and well in our lives, the sooner they may be willing to dedicate themselves to Him. Please contact me if I could help, support or encourage you in anyway regarding the change you would like to make.

PRAYER: Thank You Lord for saving my soul, thank You Lord for making me whole, thank You Lord for giving to me, thy great salvation so rich and free. Please help me Lord to show in every aspect of my life, evidence of the One who lives inside of me. I want to show You daily that I love You and I want everyone that makes contact with me to know that it’s only Jesus that could make a change, like You’ve made in my life. Please touch the lives of my readers and all those that are in my circle of influence. May we all strive to know You more and through the work of Your precious Holy Spirit, may others be influenced to also want a relationship with you. AMEN!

For Such A Time As This

On 2020-04-17 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Worship2 Comments

DATE WRITTEN: Friday, 2020-04-17
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: Esther 4:14
TRANSLATION: The Message (MSG)

BIBLE TEXT: If you persist in staying silent at a time like this, help and deliverance will arrive for the Jews from someplace else; but you and your family will be wiped out. Who knows? Maybe you were made queen for just such a time as this.”

OBSERVATION: I believe that if you had just read the title of this blog today you might jump to the conclusion that this is directed towards the expert that has a resolution for Covid 19, or perhaps the cure for cancer, or even the secret to making you rich! However, as you meditate with me on this, I would really like for you to click on the Scripture link above, and see how this phrase is used in context. Are you being asked to do something today because of the unique position you are in, or because of the friends you hang out with? Perhaps! Listen closely to your instructions and stop looking for excuses!

APPLICATION: I was once involved in a boating accident where it appeared like two young men would drown after being hit by my boat. However, God saw to it that a commercial diver was on my boat, and upon impact he immediately jumped into the water and saved the two young men. Was that diver catching a ride with me that day, for such a time as that unfortunate accident? I believe so. On the night that I surrendered my heart to the Lord, there was a gentleman in the audience of my church that knew how bashful I was, and although my wife had already gone to the altar to pray, I continued a tight grip onto the bench in from of me. Through God’s direction that gentleman came over and not only encouraged me to move towards the altar, but made that long walk with me. Was he there, in that place, for such a times as that? I believe so. We are going through some very tough times, where many people are dying, because of the Corona Virus (Covid 19). Where has God placed you during this endless lockdown period? Has He made an appointment for you to share your faith with someone in your place of isolation, or someone who might be in close proximity? I believe that the worse nightmare for you or I would be to lose a loved one that we wish we would have shared our testimony with, or shared the gospel story with. Let’s remember that we can’t save anyone, nor can we give them Jesus, but we are told in God’s Word to share what we have. The Word says ‘go and tell everyone about your Lord‘! As you meditate today, perhaps you will consider how you might respond if a message was sent to you today from God similar to what was sent to Esther: ‘perhaps you were placed right where you are, for such a time as this’. Esther was asked by her adoptive father to act in such a way that could save the lives of her fellow Jews. You might be reminded to act deliberately to help save the lives of those around you who could awake in Hell, where they will spend eternity with Satan and his demons, without knowing about, and accepting the love of our Savior who sacrificed His life just for them. You have the secret resolution that could help save lives, if you are willing to share, right where you are and with all that are with you. Perhaps it all was arranged this way by the Master, for such a time as this! Act now, won’t you, dear friend? Esther acted and was able to see the lives of many Jews saved.

PRAYER: I thank You Heavenly Father for placing us in appropriate places for times such as this. Unprecedented times, so nothing that we could have prepared for and booked our place to stay in advance, while we fight this pandemic virus as a country. I believe that we each have examples how You’ve placed us in certain places before for specific reasons, and in many cases we are able to praise You for working through us in those circumstances. Please do it again Lord? Many of us are stuck in places where we have a captive audience, and many that are in our group may not know the Lord. Oh that this would be a time where You are busy at work, touching the lives of our family and our friends that have no choice but to watch us closely and listen to the words You might share through us. May we be willing servants – like empty vessels that come to You daily and wait to be filled with Your wisdom, Your grace, Your power, Your words and most of all Your love. May they see the Jesus in our actions that we try to share verbally, and may our loved ones accept You as Lord – for now is the day of salvation. Into Your hands Lord, we place our humble lives and willing hearts, for Yours is the kingdom, the power and the glory, AMEN!

Fully Immerse Yourself In The Lord Jesus

On 2020-04-16 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Thursday, 2020-04-16
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: Romans 13:10-14
TRANSLATION: The Passion Translation (TPT)

BIBLE TEXT: ¹⁰Love makes it impossible to harm another, so love fulfills all that the law requires. ¹¹To live like this is all the more urgent, for time is running out and you know it is a strategic hour in human history. It is time for us to wake up! For our full salvation^[e] is nearer now than when we first believed.
¹²Night’s darkness is dissolving away as a new day of destiny dawns.^[f] So we must once and for all strip away what is done in the shadows of darkness, removing it like filthy clothes.^[g] And once and for all we clothe ourselves with the radiance of light as our weapon. ¹³We must live honorably,^[h] surrounded by the light of this new day, not in the darkness of drunkenness^[i] and debauchery,^[j] not in promiscuity and sensuality,^[k] not being argumentative or jealous of others.
¹⁴Instead fully immerse yourselves into^[l] the Lord Jesus, the Anointed One, and don’t waste even a moment’s thought on your former identity to awaken its selfish desires.

OBSERVATION: Warning from weather forecasters: A tornado is heading your way. Our Typical Response: We immediately gather our whole family and run to our safe room. Warning from Homeland Security: Smart intelligence is in that we will be attacked by terrorists tonight. Our Typical Response: We make sure that all of our neighbors heard the warning, and together we plan our safest defense that would protect our families. Warning from God’s Word: Jesus will return and it could be today. Our Typical Response: Surely He will let me graduate college first, or …. As we meditate on our Scripture today, perhaps we will be reminded that Jesus could return even today.

APPLICATION: I deliberately included a lot of Scripture today because I wanted you to join me in getting the full picture of what Jesus is telling us through His servant Paul. Perhaps today we should consider all the sources that we truly trust to give us accurate warnings. I believe that we see more today than ever before how warnings are used to prompt people into buying; into driving better; into being at work and on time; attending to the welfare of our family; attending church; etc. etc. Some of these warnings really pay off, because their intent serves to raise a sense of urgency in our minds. So I wonder how we could read Scripture like we have above, see the warnings, and still go about our lives without a care or concern about our own destiny, or of family or friends that we know will be left behind, unless they make a decision to accept Jesus as their Savior. But it also bothers me to see how relaxed we could be about seeing our loved ones make silly mistakes or show unconcern about their eternal destiny. We could look at ways that people respond to current events and we know that they care about others. They make sure that neighbors heard the warnings and that they are doing everything possible to insure their safety. However, when we look at Scripture and the warnings included there, we tend to crawl into our shell and blame our selfishness on not wanting to be rejected, or not wanting to push our beliefs on someone else. Wow, let’s go back and consider the sources again. We’re OK sharing news from forecasters who depend on trends and current radar, and we’re OK sharing news from the media from whom we have been bombarded with lies and one-sided stories, but then we clam up when it comes to sharing the very Word of God? What has become of our world folks? Has Satan gotten such a hold on people because of his assurance to help them drink themselves to death; party their income away; and reach for the stars at work by beating up on fellow workers and creating havoc for them – to make sure they fail? Please notice how simple God makes this life for us: Love makes it impossible to harm one another (vs 10); Love fulfills ALL that the law requires (vs 10); God provides a huge tip in advance that time is running out for the people on earth, so we are to ready ourselves for the day that we stand before Christ (vs 11); Warning signs about decisions that will hinder us are given in vs 12 & 13; But tips on what we should be doing as children of the Light is included in vs 14. I was amazed by God again as I ready my Proverb for the day: It pleases God more when we demonstrate godliness and justice than when we merely offer him a sacrifice (Proverbs 21:3). I believe this reaffirms that there is nothing more important than to know God, and to serve Him faithfully each and every day by obediently following His commands written in His Book – The Bible. Take time to be holy my friend. Draw night to Him and let Him guide and direct your paths until He calls you home to glory!

PRAYER: Dear Lord, thank You for the gift of salvation. Please work in the lives of Your children today as You reassure us of our eternal home. Thank You for the warnings given in Your Word, because even after accepting You as Lord, we quickly become lax in applying Your teachings to our lives. People we know, need the Lord. Master, I believe that Your children is in dire need of revival – a time where the saved might be renewed in spirit and encouraged by the Almighty to go on stronger than ever before. Our family and friends are dying and going to Hell, while we hold the secret to eternal life with You in Heaven. Please prompt us to remove all selfish desires, and may there never be a sense of fear that would prevent us from sharing our love for You, with all of our friends. With Your help, Your power and Your guidance, we want to immerse ourselves in You. May Your perfect will be done today, dear Lord. AMEN!

Give God the Glory

On 2020-04-13 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, For His Glory, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Monday, 2020-04-13
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: Romans 11:33-36
TRANSLATION: The Voice (VOICE)

BIBLE TEXT: ³³We cannot wrap our minds around God’s wisdom and knowledge! Its depths can never be measured! We cannot understand His judgments or explain the mysterious ways that He works! For, ³⁴Who can fathom the mind of the Lord? Or who can claim to be His advisor?^[g] ³⁵Or, Who can give to God in advance so that God must pay him back?^[h] ³⁶For all that exists originates in Him, comes through Him, and is moving toward Him; so give Him the glory forever. Amen.

OBSERVATION: In our Scripture today we are reminded that God is still in control; that His ways are far greater than anything we could imagine; and although He owes us nothing, He still loves us with an unconditional love and will do whatever it takes to see us through our circumstances and events of this life that seem so impossible to us. Hard to imagine? I believe it was for Paul also, and therefore the reason he told us to just give God the glory forever! A good reminder for us to meditate on, especially when times seem to be at the most challenging – ever.

APPLICATION: We can hear story after story about how challenging the times are in which we are now living. In fact, these are unprecedented times and even Christians are standing back in question about when things will return to ‘normal’, or when God will show forth His power. Friends, I trust that you will really take time to read our focal verses carefully today, and allow God to speak to you about how much He is in control of everything – yes even our trying times with Covid 19. I find it fascinating how God is still showing His powerful works through our weather patterns (floods, tornadoes, cold fronts, etc); how He is really speaking to the hearts of His people, especially now while they have time to listen; how this awful virus has no regard for the color of our skin or the value of our net worth, or the positional status of the individual (prime ministers, movie stars, pastors, military, etc). This is a time where those of us willing to open our eyes and truly observe, we may find where it seems like this a precursor to the return of Christ to take His bride home to glory – for the streets are empty, the business places are closed, governments of the world are in a panic, doctors don’t have the right medicine for the virus, loved ones are taken away and some remain with empty hearts, those alive can’t even bury their dead loved ones, and there really only seems to be One with the answers – the God who always was, always is and always shall be. So if you are like me and recognize all these interesting facts and have come to the realization of the awesome power of our God, how are you dealing with it? For the unbeliever, perhaps you have enough questions in your mind that you are finally recognizing that the God who created you, the God who keeps the earth spinning on its axis every day, the God who gives you breath to get out of bed each morning, He is the God who will also face you with some very challenging questions one day when you stand accountable before Him. Please allow me to share with you, based on the Word of God, that there will be no trial where you could offer your excuses, for my God already knows every little detail about you. So you will merely stand before Him for your verdict – Heaven, or Hell. No doubt you know the answer to that already, for God will only allow into Heaven those who have asked His Son, Jesus, into their hearts as Lord and ruler of your life. That’s it! No credit for good behavior or for what you gave to the poor, for we are told over and over in the Bible that there is only one way. Let me encourage you to seriously consider this during this down time where you are not overwhelmed with the cares of this life. I would love to have you standing next to me at the feet of Jesus, but no matter how hard I try, I can’t get you in. Only you can accept Jesus as your Savior and Lord, for yourself. Please consider doing this today my friend. Contact me if you would like for me to pray with you, or in any way help you with this decision.

PRAYER: Thank You Lord for Your daily intervention in our lives. Normally we will recognize this when we are on top of the clouds with extreme joy, success and happiness. However, through our challenging times You also help us to recognize Your power and Your authority over everything that exists. Please speak to the hearts of each one today, especially those who have struggled with recognizing and accepting You as Lord. May this be a day of decision for many, as we see Your hand at work in our lives and in our communities as we struggle to survive through the anxieties of today’s challenge with this pandemic. You are always there, always available and always reaching out to receive all who will call on Your name. May we do our part today, is my humble, but urgent plea. AMEN!

Nuggets From God's Word

Tag: Praise