The Importance of ‘Seeking’ God

On 2020-02-282020-03-09 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Listen to the Word of God, Needs, Obedient, Praise, Recognize God, Worship1 Comment

Friday, 2020-02-28

Bible Reference: 2 Chronicles 12:13-14
Translation: The Message (MSG)

Bible Text: ^13-14King Rehoboam regrouped and reestablished his rule in Jerusalem. He was forty-one years old when he became king and continued as king for seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city God chose out of all the tribes of Israel as the special presence of his Name. His mother was Naamah from Ammon. But the final verdict on Rehoboam was that he was a bad king—God was not important to him; his heart neither cared for nor sought after God.

OBSERVATION: In our 2 verses today we could see a recap of the reign of king Rehoboam. It seems like a sad, almost failed attempt at ruling a nation, because he tried to do it on his own terms and couldn’t really see a need for God. It’s really sad, because thousands of citizens probably lost their lives because of his stubbornness and disregard for the God of all nations. As we meditate on this, I believe we are bound to see a lot of similarities in our rulers today, and I believe you will see where they might be almost as bad in our stubbornness.

APPLICATION: I am reminded that our God created all things, and He knows all things – even before we have the slightest inkling that something could, or will occur. I am also reminded how silly it is of us not to seek God and to understand His ways and His message to us, so that we might do it right the first time, with His help and direction. Based on the Word of God, I believe that God is looking at us with outstretched hands waiting for us to surrender to self and seek His perfect will for our lives. Being a father to a young adult, I could appreciate how it must feel for God to look at us and see some of the decisions that we make, and the stupid actions that often follow, because it is easy for me to feel the same frustration when my years of experience here on earth has helped me gain insight into the decisions that my daughter might fumble over. Jeroboam knew of God, but he allowed his world to dictate and influence him into making decisions that were based on popular belief, instead of based on the foundation of an all-knowing God. What are you seeing in your country leaders today? Do you suppose they are making decisions based on the direction and knowledge of our God? What about you? What might your life’s recap sound like? Any different to that of Rehoboam? Based on my life’s experiences, I am convinced that God not only listens to our cry for help and for direction, but I have found where God looks out for His prayed up saints. For you see, I have reflected back on decisions that I made and realized that I never had opportunity to seek God’s voice on, before making certain decisions. Yet I could see from the outcome that He was there all the time. Believe me friends, I’m not a saint, but having asked God to direct my day, and help me make sound decisions that are pleasing to Him and in line with His perfect will, I am just crazy enough to believe that He will honor the prayers of His people in His time. And I know that His timing is always perfect. Throughout the chapter in which our focal verses come from, we could see where God honored His people when He saw them humble themselves before Him, but He allowed attack and destruction when their leaders led them on an ungodly path. Our God is a just God, and He will not allow sin or disobedience to have their way in the lives of His people. Just as good parents do today: when their children, who they bore and raised according to their house rules, decide to walk away from their direction, they will allow them to feel the brunt of bad decisions. However, obedient children who are willing to follow the direction of their parents, will be honored, lifted up, praised, and looked after for life. Our God is superior to our earthly parents in every way! What an awesome God we serve! Do you know Him, my friend? If not, or if you’re not sure, please read through my Footnote, and especially dig into the link ‘To Know Jesus’. Please be assured that your relationship is such that others will be impacted positively by your decisions and actions.

PRAYER: Precious Lord, thank You for the places you have entrusted us to serve in Your kingdom work. Please direct our paths so that others may be impacted positively for You, and may we never be a stumbling block in their path, nor misguided in any way as we minister in Your name. May we be faithful in listening, obeying, serving and leading, so that You might be recognized, praised and glorified in all that we say or do. AMEN!

PRAYER:

FOOTNOTE: There are two more pages on my blog that will provide you with additional information, one of them being ‘To Know Jesus’. If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please click on the above page, or speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. Please allow someone to pray with you and give you help and/or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Words underlined in my blog might indicate a link to a song that came to mind as I wrote the devotional. Feel free to click on the link and listen as you continue to read or pray. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to Nuggets From God’s Word and read more, or you may freely subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. If you are anywhere near the Sebring, Florida area and do not have a church home, I would encourage you to attend my home church. Bible Fellowship Church, located at 3750 Hammock Rd, Sebring, FL 33872! Click the link to check out service times and/or other special activities. God is at work among us! Please consider coming to worship with us!

What We Deserve

On 2020-02-23 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Christian love, Forgiveness, Love, Love your Neighbor, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

Sunday, 2020-02-23

Bible Reference: 2 Chronicles 6:29-31
Translation: New Living Translation (NLT)

Bible Text: ²⁹… if your people Israel pray about their troubles or sorrow, raising their hands toward this Temple, ³⁰then hear from heaven where you live, and forgive. Give your people what their actions deserve, for you alone know each human heart. ³¹Then they will fear you and walk in your ways as long as they live in the land you gave to our ancestors.

OBSERVATION: I know it would be easy to pray that God would give a Brother or Sister what they deserve, but would you dare pray that about yourself? We ask God for a lot of things, but as we meditate today, let us consider what things would be like, if God truly gave to us what we deserve.

APPLICATION: I have a friend who, when asked how he’s doing, will always respond ‘better than I deserve’. That in itself is a very sobering statement, as the individual realizes that should God bless in accordance with what he may have done or said, he would be in big trouble. You know, similar to what we do as parents for our children, for we spoil them with way more than they deserve. Another example that might help us bring this idea to the forefront of our minds is: I have friends that will often make reference to the pastor and how he is not ‘feeding’ them richly from the Word of God. My first question is to ask how much did they pray for the pastor before the service? I will often receive a blank steer, to which I would respond ‘then you got as much from the sermon as you prayed for’. In our Scripture, Solomon prayed that his people would receive forgiveness when they prayed, but he also prayed that, in order for his people to be awaken and actually walk in the ways of the Lord, that they should receive what they deserve. Be reminded dear friends, that you might fool some of the people some of the time, but God knows your heart, and if He decides to bless in response to what He knows, that will not only include the good things that other friends see us do, but God could also reach into our thoughts and actions that others will never see. A real scenario in too many churches revolve around members who stop giving because a decision was made by the church leaders to go down a line of work that the giver disagreed with. I have good friends who will not attend certain services at church, because they are not in agreement with the servant sent to them by God, to minister to his people in our community. What if God blessed these friends in response to their actions against God? Friends, please don’t misunderstand me. I believe that what God did at Calvary, and what He continues to bless us with, is from a heart filled with love like we could never imagine. Do we always deserve it? Absolutely not. But our God is one who not only see our actions, hears our words spoken in love and in anger, but He also knows our very thoughts. Please join me in desiring to worship Him; honor Him in our praises and thanksgiving; and loving those that He created who could sometimes be just as evil-minded as we are. I believe that when we decide to depend on God alone, love Him with all our heart, and look forward in great anticipation to His return, then perhaps we could look beyond the pettiness of everyday strife, envy, revenge and hatred, so that we might fix our eyes on Jesus, our true and everlasting deliverer and author of our faith. Wouldn’t it be awesome for our Father to look at His creation in love, and see that we seek nothing more than to return our love to Him in all that we are and all that we say? God has prepared a home for us. Let us live like children of that heavenly kingdom, and not as its greatest adversary.

PRAYER: Thank You Father for creating us just like You. Thank You for giving us the freedom to live like You intended, even among a people who will try in every way to distract us from that perfect path. Lord, today many of us will decide whether to attend church or not. Many of us will be strong enough to respond in love to those that may deceitfully use us, while many will strike back in revenge and with intent to harm. While I want to pray like David that you might respond to us as we deserve, I also realize how serious that might be. Please open our eyes Lord, so that we might once again be reminded of Your love, Your power to forgive, and Your desire to bless us beyond anything we deserve. Please help us to desire that kind of love, and grant us the power to forgive and be strong in our faith. May others see Jesus in our character, our will, our words and especially in the way that we love others. May You be glorified in and through us today oh Lord. AMEN!

Teach Me Your Ways, Oh Lord

On 2020-02-20 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

Thursday, 2020-02-20

Bible Reference: Psalm 86:11-12
Translation: Easy-to-Read Version (ERV)

Bible Text: ¹¹Lord, teach me your ways,
    and I will live and obey your truths.
Help me make worshiping your name
    the most important thing in my life.
¹²My Lord God, I praise you with all my heart.
    I will honor your name forever!

OBSERVATION: Way too often we claim to know more than almost any other person around us, and we are not afraid to let everyone know that! David was a man after God’s own heart, yet in our Scripture today, he asked God to teach him His ways, and to help him center his heart towards praising His holy name. As we meditate on this Scripture today, let us consider what this might look like to those that we come into contact with each day.

APPLICATION: Ask anyone what they see in you and you will receive multiple answers. Some may be afraid to ‘crush’ you with the truth, while some may not want to ‘swell your head’ by telling you how great you are, yet others will tell you what they think you want to hear in order to keep the peace! I got the impression from this Psalm that right in the middle of this sweet encounter with God, David may have simply emptied himself of everything one might recognize as a ‘David’ characteristic and instead he asked God to just teach him, fill him, and show him the right way. Friends, I doubt if you are very different to me, so if we are honest with ourselves, we tend to show so much of ourselves, and desire so much attention, that it probably becomes very challenging for anyone to really see where our inspiration, direction and help comes from. I looked at this passage in various translations, so the exact words may differ a little from the version that you have in front of you. However, it is obvious that David acknowledged to God that he preferred knowing what God wanted, over anything that he felt like he already knew to say or do. I believe that a follower of Christ who allows the overflow of Jesus’ love and words to go forth from his/her lips, or through every action, results in family and friends seeing Jesus, instead of the old sinful man who is poisoned every day by the ugliness of this old world. Friends, unsaved people need Jesus, not more of you or me. Lord help us if the world becomes entrenched with more of us, for we are sinners saved only by the grace of God. David’s additional plea from God, was that He might help him to prioritize worshiping Him. Now we might quickly retort that this is not an issue for Christians today, right? Let me just add that I would disagree with you. For I believe that we should pray just like David, that God might instill a desire to make worshiping Him a priority in our lives. Notice I used the word ‘worship’ and not ‘church’. Lord, please help us if we only worship You on those occasions that we go to church. Some of us do that on occasion to satisfy a nagging mom or spouse. Some of us do that as a ritual habit that we did since childhood. While some of us attend church because our friends, or our constituents attend a certain church. I believe that when we pray the type prayer that David prayed, we might be asking God to help us recognize Him and worship Him as we start our day, for God gave us a comfortable place to lay our head, and He kept us safe throughout the night. We might worship Him for the food that He provided so that we might stay healthy. We might worship Him for blessing us with a job and a great bunch of people to work with. For all the beautiful sunsets, sunrises, and landscapes that we have always taken for granted, we may be encouraged by the Holy Spirit to give God thanks for these, and just one more reason to worship and praise His holy name. Friends, when we worship God throughout our daily lives, wouldn’t it be natural that we would have a super-charged worship service when we meet together each week with other believers?

PRAYER: Precious Lord, how patient You must be with Your creation, thank You. Considering that You created us, provided everything possible for us, and loved us enough that you showed evidence of that on the cross at Calvary, how shameful that we must now ask You in much the same way as David did, to help us make worshiping You a priority in our lives. Please Lord, open our eyes so that we could see the wonder of Your love. Please remove the scales from our eyes so that we might see Your handiwork and be reminded of Your goodness, so that we will have every reason to worship You in everything that we do or see. AMEN!

What If God’s Message Hinders our Livelihood?

On 2020-02-162020-03-09 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Dedication, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

Sunday, 2020-02-16

Bible Reference: Acts 19:25-27
Translation: The Passion Translation (TPT)

Bible Text: ^25–26Demetrius called a meeting of his employees, along with all the various tradespeople of Ephesus, and said, “You know that our prosperous livelihood is being threatened by this Paul, who is persuading crowds of people to turn away from our gods.^[y] We make a good living by doing what we do, but everywhere Paul goes, not only here in Ephesus but throughout western Turkey,^[z] he convinces people that there’s no such thing as a god made with hands. ²⁷Our businesses are in danger of being discredited. And not only that, but the temple of our great goddess Artemis is being dishonored and seen as worthless.^[aa] She is the goddess of all of western Turkey and is worshiped in all the world. But if this outrage continues, everyone everywhere will suffer the loss of her magnificent greatness.”

OBSERVATION: When the Holy Spirit enters into us after we have accepted Jesus Christ as our Savior, I believe His primary function is to make us talk, walk, pray, act and look like Jesus. To do this, often involves make a 180-degree turn on all that we were, to become all that we should be, as followers of Christ. Let’s keep this in mind as we meditate on this Scripture today.

APPLICATION: It is unfortunate, but humans find it easy to tear one another up when we are doing, talking or generally acting differently than they expect us to. For example, it is so easy for me to tear down an individual who says they are a Christian, yet they act or talk differently than I do, and they attract a different crowd than I do. But as I stop and ponder this Scripture today, I am forced to think about how I would act, if my very likelihood depended solely on a business other than the world considers ‘Christian’ based. I’m not saying that Demetrius was a Christian, but we should try to understand why he acted the way he did. I’m a firm believer in looking inward before we attempt to judge, or correct others. It is obvious that Demetrius tried to incite those who depended on him for their livelihood, hoping that together they could work to get Paul out of town before he convinced everyone of their need for Christ. So try putting yourself in the shoes of Demetrius. But also stop to consider, what would you do if you saw business declining since revival services began down the street at that old church on the corner? What would you do if you were convinced to accept Jesus as Lord of your life, and you owned a business that sold items spoken against in the Word of God? I know of a business where the Christian owner was face with boat captains checking out on a Sunday from his marina, to return home for work the next day. His policy was that he would be in church every Sunday, and that since it was the ‘Lord’s Day’ he would transact no financial business on that day. So he told his guests that chose to leave on a Sunday that they would have to either visit the office on Saturday, or mail him a check when they arrived home. From what I understand, that business owner never lost a dime because of his stand for keeping the Lord’s Day holy, and dedicated that day to Christ alone. Friends, when a young man becomes a husband, he stops the nightly trips to the bar to meet other ladies, and he stops the weekly parties with the boys, for he has dedicated himself to the woman of his dreams, and he has made a 180-degree turn in what he does with his life. Similarly, when a child enters a home, that mother will make a 180-degree turn from her lifestyle, wants and desires, so that she could devote herself wholeheartedly to her newborn. I pray that we have been reminded today that Christians should have a deep desire to be more like Jesus Christ in every way possible. This will involve making a 180-degree turn from the things of this world, to all that Jesus might lead us into as His precious child. Like Demetrius, the world will be giving us every excuse why we should not follow Christ, however they will have no suggestions for you when Jesus asks why should He allow you into His heaven. Let me encourage you to totally dedicate yourself to the One that You have committed yourself to serve.

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, thank You for rescuing us from the sin that attracted us to this world. Thank You for the promise of Heaven and the love and majesty of the King of Glory! Because of our commitment to You, we have a deep desire to follow You and You alone. This means that we have made a 180-degree turn on the ways of this world, but because we still live here, we need Your special touch to overcome the things of the world, and live fully dedicated lives to You. Please be our guide, our help and our deliverer in times of weakness. Help us to make smart decisions, even if it involves changing jobs or other such things that might pull us away form You. May we be faithful followers until the day You call us home to glory. AMEN!

Encouragement For God’s Ministers

On 2020-02-122020-03-09 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

Wednesday, 2020-02-12

Bible Reference: Acts 18:8-11
Translation: The Message (MSG)

Bible Text: ^8-11In the course of listening to Paul, a great many Corinthians believed and were baptized. One night the Master spoke to Paul in a dream: “Keep it up, and don’t let anyone intimidate or silence you. No matter what happens, I’m with you and no one is going to be able to hurt you. You have no idea how many people I have on my side in this city.” That was all he needed to stick it out. He stayed another year and a half, faithfully teaching the Word of God to the Corinthians.

OBSERVATION: I have always heard that most pastors that quit the ministry or a church, makes that decision on a Monday, because the decision is made after a feeling of failure from the Sunday before. As we meditate on these verses today, let is try to understand why God saw it so important to encourage Paul about the work he was doing. Perhaps this might encourage us to be more encouraging to our pastors, Sunday School teachers, and other ministers of the Gospel.

APPLICATION: The commitment you make to serve God through various ministries, is often one that you may find brings no earthly rewards, or there may appear to be no appreciation shown at all for the sacrifices you make. Many Pastors will tell you that this matters little to them, for they are looking forward to their heavenly reward. However, show me a pastor who is praised and encouraged by their congregation, and I believe I could show you a very happy pastor who often feels accomplished. Just as a simple illustration, I had a pastor at one time who encouraged my church to say ‘Amen’ if you felt that he was on target with what he declared from the pulpit. He said it was like saying ‘sick-um’ to a bull dog!! Think about this and realize how something so simple could help a pastor. It shows him that you are listening, and it encourages him to know that you feel very similar to what you just heard him say. We teach, preach and minister, because we want God’s work to be accomplished through us and in anything we might say. Whether we sing, preach or teach, when we look at a nonparticipating audience it will only dampen our spirit and discourage us in our delivery. I believe that when one seeks the wisdom of God, and shares from the Word of God, with a heart that is close to God, then God’s people will be stirred, and they will respond accordingly. I once heard someone complain about the lack of substance spoken by the pastor in his Sunday morning sermon. I asked how much they had prayed for the pastor and his sermon that day. The negative response told me that they got as much from the sermon as they had prayed for. What about you dear friend? Are you a prayer warrior for your pastor, or other teachers/ministers at your church? In Scripture we are told that ‘if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray, then I will hear from heaven and…..’ Wouldn’t we also see better results if we humbled ourselves and prayed for our pastor? Perhaps then he will also hear from heaven and….. In our scripture verses today God shows us how important it was for Him to encourage Paul. I believe He wanted to show us how important it is for us to also encourage our church leaders and pastors. Don’t do this out of habit, but from a deep, sincere heart, in celebration for what you saw in response to your prayers.

PRAYER: Lord, it was precious to see You honor Your servant Paul, and to encourage him to continue ministering in Your name! Thank You heavenly Father for using the foolishness of preaching to reach the lost of our community. Thank You for using humble men and women like my readers and I to share Your Word with others. It’s like one beggar sharing bread with other beggars who are starving. People all around us need the Lord. Please use all those who are willing to share Your Word in such a way that the lost will understand and desire. Please open the hearts and minds of the unsaved, and cause them to either hear Your Word proclaimed, or read attempts such as this blog. Please use our efforts in whatever form You know will touch hearts today, AMEN!

Be Strong, Courageous, Fearless and Enthusiastic!

On 2020-02-11 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

Tuesday, 2020-02-11

Bible Reference: 1 Chronicles 22:12-13
Translation: Living Bible (TLB)

Bible Text: ¹²And may the Lord give you the good judgment to follow all his laws when he makes you king of Israel. ¹³For if you carefully obey the rules and regulations that he gave to Israel through Moses, you will prosper. Be strong and courageous, fearless and enthusiastic!

OBSERVATION: David took his obligation to serve God seriously. He wanted to do everything he could to serve God while he was able to, and of course, he wanted to make sure that the kingdom work would continue after his death. Given the forethought that his son would build a temple for God, David wanted to make sure that Solomon would be prepared personally, as king, and for the job of constructing the temple. The advice given by David, is something that we could use today in our personal commitment, and in raising our own kids. Meditate with me.

APPLICATION: I believe that starting with the very first verse in our Scripture, we are reminded where it is a personal choice for us to follow Jesus Christ, and if we allow His Word to direct our path/steps/life. Notice that David prayed that God would give Solomon the good judgment to follow His laws. I wonder if this is something that we often take for granted? Oh how we must remember that our kids will hang around with the world, and kids of the world. So what habits might they develop? Who might be they act like? David wanted God to help Solomon follow His laws so that his decisions might be based on God’s will, and ordered by Him, for His glory. What kind of world might we have if our students, our teachers, our college professors, and our adults prayed for, encouraged and taught the will of God, and showed our young people that it is God’s laws that must be sought after and followed, if we want to see a society that imitates our Master! David also showed us that it is important to help our children understand what the benefits are from following Jesus and His commands. Our children will be much smarter, and willing to follow our suggestions if we offer them more than a ‘because I told you so’!! David knew it, and he wanted Solomon to also know that our path will be blessed and our future will be prosperous, if we seek after God’s perfect will, rather than our own. Try sharing some experiences with your children. That will help to show proof that God prospered you because you followed His commands, so do as I did my son/daughter. In conclusion, we can provide our children with confidence that God will do as He always did for His children, and as He promised, He would do more for those who follow Him. There’s no need for us to walk around with doubt in our hearts and with a question mark across our faces. If God said it, He will do it! We could go forward in faith knowing that the same God who promised life after the flood; the same God who told Lazarus to come forth from the grave; the same God who told Peter to walk on water, and the same God who sent His Son as the Savior of the world, from the ugliness of sin – this God is the One in who we can place our trust, and be strong, courageous, fearless and enthusiastic – just like David encouraged his son Solomon with! Praise God that I know Him personally, and that I have that assurance. Do you, my precious friend? If not, please read my Footnote and follow the instructions for full surrender to our Lord and Savior. My prayers are with you!

PRAYER: Precious Lord, thank You for Your Word, and for the encouragement from this passage today. Please speak to the hearts of my readers. Oh that we may be a people after David’s own heart, and may we have a burning desire to see our children, our young people, our friends, and yes, our family, may they have a desire to know You and to follow your commands. May the ways of this world become very dull, boring and worthless to them as they draw close to You. May Your perfect will be fulfilled in the hearts of the unsaved today – especially those that we hold near and dear to our hearts. AMEN!

Who Am I Lord?

On 2020-02-07 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Holy, Humble, Humility, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

Friday, 2020-02-07

Bible Reference: 1 Chronicles 17:16-19
Translation: New Living Translation (NLT)

Bible Text: ¹⁶Then King David went ins and sat before the Lord and prayed, “Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far? ¹⁷And now, O God, in addition to everything else, you speak of giving your servant a lasting dynasty! You speak as though I were someone very great,^[b] O Lord God! ¹⁸“What more can I say to you about the way you have honored me? You know what your servant is really like. ¹⁹For the sake of your servant, O Lord, and according to your will, you have done all these great things and have made them known.

OBSERVATION: Can you imagine? Can you even think, why a perfect and holy God, the Creator of the universe, would take a moment to look at us, be concerned about us and the things that concern us? Why? Does that not blow your mind why a King would live and die for a sinner such as you or I? David had a very intimate relationship with God, yet he was overwhelmed with all that God chose to do for him and through him. Think about the ways that God has blessed you?

APPLICATION: I wonder how often we stop asking, begging or pleading with God long enough to just soak in the awesome work He has already completed in our lives? Do we ever stop long enough to give God credit for the wondrous ways that He has blessed others through us? David wanted to excel by building a temple for the Ark of the Covenant to be placed in, for he was feeling guilty that he had a palace, yet there was not a single place that could be considered ‘God’s home’. Notice how God put David in his place and ordered him to stand down, as this was not something that he would construct, but one of his descendants would have that pleasure. Now, with that added information, David is going before his Maker, not to show how upset he is over God not accepting his offer to give, but to thank God for all He has done for him, and continuing to do through his children. Friends, I would love to be able to give, and if I could do it through a friend or relative, I would be thrilled. My desire is to see the work of the Lord flourish, so I pray that God will be lifted up and magnified for all that is received for His work. Remember, God blesses us with our jobs and with a good income. What we give back to Him is just a token of all that He blesses us with. Let’s also remember that we receive many gifts that are not necessarily monetary in nature. Considering all those who work diligently for the kingdom, who am I that God should bless me? Like David said in the preceding verses, there is no one like my God. Let’s thank Him and praise Him for who He is, and for the love and honor He has bestowed upon each of us that call Him – LORD!

PRAYER: Thank You Heavenly Father for accepting me, just as I am. Like David, I acknowledge that I barely understand how You could love me knowing exactly how I act, and how I fail in so many ways. You alone are God, and You love me in-spite of my shortcomings and inadequacies. In fact, I could only imagine that it’s because of who You are and because You are alive in me. Thank You Heavenly Father for loving even me, and blessing my readers and I beyond anything we deserve based on our own merit. May You be honored, praised and glorified because of Your Holy Spirit being alive and well in us. Thank You dear Jesus. AMEN!

Revive Us Again Oh Lord

On 2020-02-06 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Draw Me Close to You, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Revival, WorshipLeave a comment

Thursday, 2020-02-06

Bible Reference: Psalm 85:4-7
Translation: New Living Translation (NLT)

Bible Text: ⁴Now restore us again, O God of our salvation.
    Put aside your anger against us once more.
⁵Will you be angry with us always?
    Will you prolong your wrath to all generations?
⁶Won’t you revive us again,
    so your people can rejoice in you?
⁷Show us your unfailing love, O Lord,
    and grant us your salvation.

OBSERVATION: Less we take the words of our theme today too lightly, I would like for us to consider what will be expected of us in order for God to consider reviving us again. Prayerfully read the Scripture again, and ask God to open your eyes to what needs changing in your own life. We want to rejoice in the God of our salvation, but we must seek an intimate relationship with Him.

APPLICATION: As a young man maturing in the Lord, I remember ‘revival’ services that would last between 3 and 5 days. These were special services dedicated to encouraging the believers to return to a closer relationship with the Lord, or to restore fellowship with God and His church. The active church body would generally petition God to speak to the hearts of His people and to achieve a great work among them so that His church might flourish. It seems like today, pastors are satisfied that they lead the charge for revival every Sunday, but more than that, I believe that we have become a society that has brought the ‘instant’ demands of the world into the church. What do I mean by that? Drive-Thru restaurants provide ‘instant’ food; Microwaves provide ‘instant’ warm-ups for food, coffee, etc.; Computers provide ‘instant’ results for very complex spreadsheets; etc, etc. So with all the ‘instant’ conveniences that we have, why do you suppose that we can’t attend church every so often, sing that hymn ‘Revive us Again’ about once a year, and receive ‘instant’ revival from the Creator of this universe? Friends, our God went to great lengths in the miraculous birth of His very own Son, and setting Him up for cruel punishment and an awful crucifixion, because He wanted to show us through His miraculous resurrection that His very life, death and resurrection was a vivid expression of His love for us. He loved us enough that He gave – He gave His very own Son, so that we might be forgiven of our sin, through faith in His Son, and that we may receive the gift of eternal life – that’s life eternally in heaven with the Father and the Son! So when we think of ‘Revival’, and/or asking God to ‘Revive us again’, please stop and be reminded of what God did for us. I believe that we must ask God to help us to get our lives in order, center our minds on Him, be prepared to rid ourselves of this ugly/dirty world, to draw us close to Him, and also make us more like Him in every aspect of our lives. This will mean turning away from many things that the world finds attractive, but that may totally distract us from looking like, or being like, Christ. I don’t believe that there is a need for us to seek revival, unless we are prepared to acknowledge the greater value in our relationship with Christ. Saying ‘no’ to this world, and ‘YES’ to Jesus Christ – this is what might bring revival in our lives, and a closer walk with our Master and Lord.

PRAYER: Oh dear Lord, may the love You expressed through Your precious Son, be something that we acknowledge, have a desire for, and strive towards imitating daily. Please strengthen us to have no desire for the things of this world, and instead be totally devoted to being more like You. Lord we want to be more like You in every way. The world needs You. May we not be a stumbling block that would prevent them from seeing You, desiring You and knowing You personally. Oh that You may be glorified in my readers and I today. AMEN!

By Grace We Are Saved

On 2020-02-05 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Grace, Merciful Savior, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Saved, Savior, WorshipLeave a comment

Wednesday, 2020-02-05

Bible Reference: Acts 15:8-11
Translation: Easy-to-Read Version (ERV)

Bible Text: ⁸God knows everyone, even their thoughts, and he accepted these non-Jewish people. He showed this to us by giving them the Holy Spirit the same as he did to us. ⁹To God, those people are not different from us. When they believed, God made their hearts pure. ¹⁰So now, why are you putting a heavy burden^[a] around the necks of the non-Jewish followers of Jesus? Are you trying to make God angry? We and our fathers were not able to carry that burden. ¹¹No, we believe that we and these people will be saved the same way—by the grace of the Lord Jesus.”

OBSERVATION: Paul and Barnabas dealt with a divided people because of their heritage – Jew or Gentile. Unfortunately today we permit many things to separate us – even those who call themselves ‘Believers’. My Bible tells me that there is only one God, one cross and one heaven. Our Scripture tells us that Jews and Gentiles had a tough time getting along. Today there are many things that divide us here on earth. As we meditate, let’s be reminded that Paul and Barnabas said in verse 11 something that still applies to us today ‘we will all be saved the same way – by the grace of Jesus!

APPLICATION: If we ever expect to see the world, and in particular our own world of influence, saved from their sin and see them surrender to the lordship of Jesus Christ, then Christians MUST know the answer to this question: ‘What must I do to be saved?’ It’s not the preacher, nor the pastor or not even another spiritual leader that will save them, it’s their recognition of their sin and their invitation to invite Jesus to be their Lord. This may result from intimate friends that they trust, who will plant the seed of faith in them and cause them to turn their eyes and inquiring minds towards Jesus. It is God’s Holy Spirit working through each of us that will impact our unsaved loved ones! However, I believe that this passage comes as a warning to each of us today, for we must be extremely careful not to try and impose upon these ones we are witnessing to, any non-biblical values, or additional conditions, that we may hold as ‘good moral practices’. Our Scripture teaches that it is ‘GRACE’ alone that will save mankind. That’s the unmerited favor of Jesus Christ. So be careful not to complicate what God has made simple for us. Be reminded also that salvation is not reserved for you and your family alone, or you and your church/denomination alone, for this was dealt with in today’s Scripture. God made us all, and He looks on each of us as His children who are all subject to the benefits of His grace. You may be a foreigner in the country in which you are living and worshiping, but you are considered a child of the only King! You may have a different color skin from the majority of your church members, but you are still a child of the same King who made us all. God loves us all, and holds His hand out with readiness to accept us all, so I pray that we would never try to place a roadblock in the path of one of His precious kids looking for a simple relationship with their Master and Lord. At the foot of the cross, we all look alike to Jesus. We are either accepted into His kingdom because He sees nothing but the blood of His precious Son, or we are turned away because of our stubborn rejection of His Son. Friends, there is nothing in this world more valuable than knowing Jesus personally. That’s the only thing that will last, or make a difference for eternity. Stop looking around dear friend, know my Savior today and know peace – the peace that passeth all understanding. I look forward to seeing you at the feet of our Savior one day – very soon!

PRAYER: Precious Lord, I am reminded that as I address You intimately today, there are many who are also addressing You as Father, who may look very different to me here on earth, and may believe Your Word differently to what I believe. Through Grace, we are saved! So in Your eyes, I believe that You are looking at my Brothers and Sisters from all parts of the world, the same way that You look on me as Your precious son. Lord, I want to live like You here on earth. Please help me to look on others through the same lens that You see us – Children of One Lord and Savior. Oh that You may be glorified through my readers and I today, so that unsaved loved ones will want to know You – this is my humble please oh Lord, AMEN!

A Warning From God

On 2020-01-27 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Heaven, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

Monday, 2020-01-27

Bible Reference: 2 Kings 17:13
Translation: The Voice (VOICE)

Bible Text: ¹³The Eternal One gave fair warning to Israel and Judah. He gave His warning through the mouths of prophets and seers throughout the land: “Abandon your wickedness, and obey My commands and laws which I gave to your ancestors through the mouths of My servants, the prophets.”

OBSERVATION: How seriously do we take warnings from almighty God? Do we feel like He knows what He’s talking about? Do we believe Him? Do we do anything about His warnings? The Israelites paid no attention to God and His warnings, and in verse 18 we are told that He removed them from His sight. Meditate with me on this Scripture today. This should make a difference in what we plan to do today, and throughout the year.

APPLICATION: On New Years Eve at the grand party, where Time Square was filled with over a million people, what if someone stood before that crowd, instead of the next planned entertainer, and announced that the city of New York would be totally destroyed by March 31st, do you suppose that some might leave the square right then and begin packing their belongings so they could move out of the state before the March 31st deadline? In the southern states of the US, a large percentage of individuals take seriously the warnings each year about approaching hurricanes, and they either move out temporarily, or they purchase protection and supplies to help them survive the approaching hurricanes. Of course some do nothing for they feel they are invincible and that nothing will destroy their ‘fort’ (their home). At least weekly, many pastors will stand in pulpits, or on street corners, and they will warn parishioners about the soon return of Jesus Christ to collect His church. Some will listen to what God is telling them through the awkwardness of preaching, while some will simply consider such warnings only apply to their wicked neighbor, or the person sitting next to them at church. Friends, it is clear to see from the Word of God, that Jesus was born miraculously for one intended purpose – to show the world (you and I) how much God loves us. For God loved us so much that He gave His only Son, so that any, and all, who believe on Him, will enjoy life eternally with Him in heaven one day (John 3:16). Now you will notice that there is a condition to spending eternity in Heaven with Jesus, just like there was a condition given to the Israelites. In other words, there is an action for you to take, just like there was a condition for our ancestors. But here’s the warning, dear ones: If we believe, then we will reap the reward promised to us by God. But what about those who reject the warnings from God? Unfortunately, there are two destinations: For those who believe on the name of Jesus – Heaven. For those who do not believe on the name of Jesus – Hell. We are smart people, and we know exactly what each destination brings to the table for us. Please let me encourage all who will read this devotional, that you listen to the warnings and accept Jesus as your Savior, for I have done this, and I’m looking forward to meeting my Savior in Heaven one day. My greatest desire is that all my family and friends will be by my side, at the feet of Jesus, on that day that He calls us away from this wicked world. If you have not already heeded to God’s warnings, please let me encourage you to speak with a Bible teaching pastor or read my Footnote to gain the help needed. This warning is way more important than any other warning from government leaders or other earthly sources. Do it today dear friend, please?

PRAYER: Lord, You’ve put the rules and requirements in place, then You’ve gone on to put warnings in place for us to follow those rules. Thank You Heavenly Father! Please prompt us now to surrender our lives totally over to You, heed to Your warnings, follow Your example, and encourage one another on towards good works while anticipating Your soon return. We really want to be with You dear Lord. Please help us to live like men and women who love and serve the Lord, waiting for our greatest reward! Be glorified in us today oh Lord! AMEN!

Nuggets From God's Word

Tag: Praise