What Fault Do You Find in Jesus?

On 2024-03-26 By Ed AlgreenIn A Lamp unto My Path, Adoration, Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Awesome God, Beyond Description, Blessing, Celebrate God, Needs, Praise, Praise-worthy, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED: Tuesday, March 26, 2024, and I was blessed to be at Advent Christian Village, Dowling Park, FL when God inspired me to prepare this devotional. My Footnote will tell you how to find, read or listen to any and all episodes that I have shared over the years.

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE FROM THE Living Bible (TLB) IS FOUND IN Luke 23:15-21

THE BIBLE TEXT IS: Herod came to the same conclusion and sent him back to us—nothing this man has done calls for the death penalty. I will therefore have him scourged with leaded thongs and release him.
But now a mighty roar rose from the crowd as with one voice they shouted. “Kill him, and release Barabbas to us!” (Barabbas was in prison for starting an insurrection in Jerusalem against the government, and for murder.)
Pilate argued with them, for he wanted to release Jesus.
But they shouted, “Crucify him! Crucify him!”

APPLICATION OF THE WORD: I believe it is extremely challenging for most of us today to even think of crucifixion. Perhaps if the crime was hideous enough, some of us might agree to capital punishment that leads to death, but the charges against Jesus was not hideous, nor extreme. This ‘Holy Week’ is a time for us to think about what happened to our Lord, so this Scripture seems timely, yet no easier for us to understand why such punishment seemed necessary, or appropriate, for our Lord. Notice that Herod nor Pilate saw any fault with Jesus, especially nothing that would warrant His crucifixion. But as we look at this Biblical story, we must recognize that the people in this crowd who pushed for Jesus’s crucifixion were made up of folk just like you and me, together with our family, friends and coworkers. So I wonder if we should try to place where we would be in this crowd, if this was happening today. When a crowd is incited like this, there are some who lead the crowd and incite the people to become more militant. There are some in the crowd who may feel a little unsure that they are doing the right thing, so they may stand towards the back of the crowd unsure when, or if, they will join in the riot. After all, the rioters could have been arrested for their out-of-control behavior. But also notice that there were many who may not have been a part of this crowd, for whatever reason. Included in this absentee group may have been followers of Jesus who were gathered in deep prayer for the safety and ultimate sound decision on the fate of Jesus. The remainder of this group were probably folk who couldn’t care less what happened. This latter group might be similar to a group today who knows that Jesus loves them and cares for them, but have chosen to remain uncommitted to serving Him, attending church, or even talking about Godly things in the presence of others. These are the folk who stand by and accept everything that Satan throws at them, and/or their family, community, or leaders and perhaps even accuse some as being deserving of such evil acts. Neighbors could adore, love, worship and share Jesus with everyone, but don’t dare step into their yard to tell them what they need to hear. This last group was probably comfortable with hearing that Pilate gave in to the crowd and ordered the crucifixion of an innocent man, because they just couldn’t be bothered to get involved. Where would you be if this was the scene happening down at your courthouse today? Will you fight, or stand firm, to the end for the One who surrendered His very own life so that your sin might be forgiven, allowing you access into heaven? Are you actively involved in a relationship with Jesus so that your heart may be touched, and your misdeeds pointed out to you? God detailed His plan for us – His design for a life that is holy and pure before Him. Let’s be devoted to daily reading of His Word so that we might be reminded of God’s will for us, and that our sins might be brought to light. Let’s be ready to seek Jesus and His righteousness, to ask for His forgiveness of our sin; direct us in the path that He has set out for us; and be ready to promote the life and character of Jesus through the life that we live.

PRAYER BECAUSE OF THE IMPACT OF TODAY’S SCRIPTURE: Lord Jesus, thank You for continuing on to complete the work You did at Calvary for our benefit, especially after hearing the very people rant and rage that You had created, and for whom You were about to make an ultimate sacrifice for. Often when we are finding fault with someone, we will refuse to be in their presence, not want to hear their loving advice, nor have anything good to say about them. This was obviously the case of those condemning You to die, but it seems ever so evident that Your people today do the same thing. Please Lord, reignite a fire within us that will open our eyes to Your love and Your sacrifice. May we have a renewed desire to be with You daily and at church services where other believers aim to do the same thing. May Your Word become our daily companion, our guide book for life, and our place of reference for every decision in life. Please help us to work out any fault that we find in You, so that our relationship may remain pure and undefiled. AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: There’s another page on my website, entitled ‘To Know Jesus’. If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading or listening to this devotional, please go to this 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 you would like to read more of my devotionals, or subscribe for a daily email containing each new devotional, please go online to NuggetsFromGodsWord.org. For my podcast, go online to Apple Podcasts or, using the Apple Podcast app, simply search for Nuggets From God’s Word to hear more episodes, or click ‘Follow’ to be notified of Podcast updates. Friends, please allow me to encourage you to find a church home nearby your home and attend as frequently as you could. Get to know God and allow His people to encourage and strengthen you in your Christian walk, while making every effort to be a blessing to them. God is at work among His people! Please consider growing in your faith, as you worship with fellow believers!

Your Response To God’s Decisions

On 2024-03-24 By Ed AlgreenIn A Lamp unto My Path, Adoration, Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Awesome God, Beyond Description, Blessing, Celebrate God, Needs, Praise, Praise-worthy, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED: Sunday, March 24, 2024, and I was blessed to be at Advent Christian Village, Dowling Park, FL when God inspired me to prepare this devotional. My Footnote will tell you how to find, read or listen to any and all episodes that I have shared over the years.

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE FROM THE New International Version (NIV) IS FOUND IN Isaiah 38:1-3

THE BIBLE TEXT IS: …“This is what the Lord says: Put your house in order, because you are going to die; you will not recover.”
Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord,“Remember, Lord, how I have walked before you faithfully and with wholehearted devotion and have done what is good in your eyes.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly.

APPLICATION OF THE WORD: “I’m glad it was you, because I’m not sure how I would have reacted to that”! Isn’t that what we would normally say when we’ve been dealt a blow like the one Hezekiah was dealt? But as we meditate on this powerful passage of Scripture today, we must see that Hezekiah had several options: (1) The response he actually gave in response to the message Isaiah brought to Him from God, or (2) he could have thrown up his hands, lied in his bed and waited for his final breath. OR, (3) he could have become bitter to the decision by God to end his life. Which option sounds more like your character? To choose (1), you would have taken a few minutes to reflect on your life and ministry then, knowing that you were actually speaking to the God who knows your heart, mind, soul and the very thoughts that wander through that mind of yours, you would have to decide if you could honestly respond like Hezekiah. Perhaps having grown up to revere the voice of God as our final authority, some of us would not feel at ease asking God to reconsider His decision, but in an intimate, personal relationship with our Creator, hopefully we’ve become comfortable with two-way conversations with God – in prayer. How many would have chosen option (2)? God said it, I believe it, that settles it! All very true, but again, in a personal and intimate relationship with the Master, would you not even consider asking God about this decision to end the life of His faithful servant? Hopefully, not many of us would assume the last option I mentioned, (3). However, since some believers resort to anger when life is not going exactly how they had mapped it out, there are some who might choose to have their final party, or make their final big trip, or just leave the church since God is brushing you aside like He would an unbeliever. Friends, I pray that God will open our eyes to see that we serve a great, big, wonderful God, however He is never too big, or too far away, or heartless, to not listen to the cry of His faithful servants – His son or His daughter who loves Him intimately with all their heart. I don’t believe that God is in the practice of changing His mind about things every time we want our own way, butI do believe that in His sweet relationship with us, He will listen to our heart’s cry and work with us for our good and His glory. The case of Hezekiah revolved around his death sentence. In our case, we might be dealing with a job sentence, or divorce, or financial challenges or losing a loved one. Please allow me to challenge us today to maintain a sweet, intimate, personal, daily relationship with the Lord Jesus, and be prepared to discuss with Him the desires, hurts, challenges and victories of our heart. He has a place already prepared for us, and I believe that He always wants His very best for His children, no matter how dismal things may look to us here on earth! I am reminded of the words of Samuel when he was called on my God, he said ‘Speak Lord, for thy servant heareth’. Oh that we would be that submissive.

PRAYER BECAUSE OF THE IMPACT OF TODAY’S SCRIPTURE: Lord, I pray that our daily communion with You will be so vital, so sweet and so meaningful, that we will search our hearts and be ready to follow Your commands and share the concerns, joys and celebrations with You. Thank You for loving us so much to be concerned about our every care, yet willing to listen to our feedback and concerns. Please train us to be more like You in every way, every day. Thank You for the examples shared with us through Your Word, as in the case of Hezekiah. I pray that each reader or listener will be open to sharing back with You, just as they would to almost any other friend or colleague. Please continue to train us in the way we should go, so that the lost and doubtful will see Jesus at work in us, and believe. AMEN!

Follow The Example Jesus in Responding

On 2024-03-21 By Ed AlgreenIn A Lamp unto My Path, Adoration, Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Awesome God, Beyond Description, Blessing, Celebrate God, Needs, Praise, Praise-worthy, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED: Thursday, March 21, 2024, and I was blessed to be at Advent Christian Village, Dowling Park, FL when God inspired me to prepare this devotional. My Footnote will tell you how to find, read or listen to any and all episodes that I have shared over the years.

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE FROM THE New Living Translation (NLT) IS FOUND IN Luke 23:2-5

THE BIBLE TEXT IS: They began to state their case: “This man has been leading our people astray by telling them not to pay their taxes to the Roman government and by claiming he is the Messiah, a king.”
So Pilate asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”
Jesus replied, “You have said it.”
Pilate turned to the leading priests and to the crowd and said, “I find nothing wrong with this man!”
Then they became insistent. “But he is causing riots by his teaching wherever he goes—all over Judea, from Galilee to Jerusalem!”

APPLICATION OF THE WORD: Something, or shall I say someone, kept nagging at me about the response of Jesus to Pilate, the Roman governor. After a few days pondering the response of my Lord, I feel like the Holy Spirit gave me something to seriously meditate on and share with you. Think about it, what do we normally try to achieve in responding to criticism or accusation about something we’ve said or done? Of course we try to right our situation and clear up any misunderstanding we feel others may have about us. Often we feel we must add our ‘2 cents’, even if it’s only to clarify what our accusers, or judge, say about us. Jesus was definitely in this position, for His accusers chose to take His teaching as total opposition to what they felt their government leaders were trying to achieve. Pilate recapped what he thought he was hearing from the accusers of Jesus, and he tried to validate that opinion with Jesus. But this is where the awesome lesson comes in for us! Notice that Jesus didn’t try to add clarification to what He was being accused of, nor did He see the need to correct Pilate about his conclusion. Instead, Jesus surrendered to accepting the words of Pilate. I’ve said something similar before – ‘if you say so’, but way too often we tend to feel like we need to throw in our ‘2 cents’ with hopes that it would improve our position, or better explain our actions. Often, opening our mouths serve to provoke our accusers to dig their heels in and stick with their accusations. Another important aspect of this Scripture is that the accusers found reason to judge Jesus for what he believed. When last were you accused of a solid biblical belief that you felt must be shared with the crowd in which you found yourself, even if you knew it would trigger a fiery response from them? Don’t we normally try to meld into the crowd to avoid confrontation or difference in opinion about our belief vs theirs? Let’s take this one step further, if the authorities walked into your Sunday School class, or your church worship service, what might they want to bring charges on? Is the truth of God’s Word only shared, depending on who’s in the audience? Aren’t we very careful not to ‘rock the boat’ with local authorities for fear of losing our government tax exempt status, or necessary licenses? But what about your personal response to controversy? How will you respond to controversial issues, knowing how your local ministry might be impacted, yet knowing that Jesus is also analyzing your response to clarify where you actually stand with Him? I feel like it is important for us to be reminded that our God is always aware of our words, actions and thoughts. Our response to life circumstance must meet with His approval, regardless of the consequences that may be triggered by local authorities. They need to know where we truly stand as children of God, but how easily we unfortunately crumble under the strain of their presence in our midst. If we trust in God to meet our needs, then we must truly trust in Him to support our stand as a genuine child of the King, God being our Helper and Guide. We may often say in a ‘safe’ environment that we are a ‘Christian’, but do you suppose that Jesus sees enough evidence to conclude a ‘guilty’ sentence? Those around you are looking for the evidence, when you tell them your’e a Christian. Do you suppose they are convinced?

PRAYER BECAUSE OF THE IMPACT OF TODAY’S SCRIPTURE: Lord Jesus, You stood the ultimate test of time when You were taken before the authorities, and treated, and questioned like a criminal, in spite of the genuine life You lived and poured out in sacrifice and love for our sake. Most Christians today will never face the tests and accusations that You faced, yet we are often tested and tried to prove our stance on Christianity, and our relationship with the Son of God. Oh Lord God, may our convictions be true, and our lives a living sacrifice and testimony of the God we serve. May the Holy Spirit always guide us to all truth, no matter the earthly circumstances we find ourselves in. May others see and witness Jesus in all aspects of our lives, God being our guide, protector and sustainer. AMEN!

Your Faith and Strength in God Will Sustain You

On 2024-02-10 By Ed AlgreenIn A Lamp unto My Path, Adoration, Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Awesome God, Beyond Description, Blessing, Celebrate God, Needs, Praise, Praise-worthy, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED: Saturday, February 10, 2024, and I was blessed to be at Advent Christian Village, Dowling Park, FL when God inspired me to prepare this devotional. My Footnote will tell you how to find, read or listen to any and all episodes that I have shared over the years.

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE FROM The Voice (VOICE) IS FOUND IN Proverbs 24:10

THE BIBLE TEXT IS: If you fall apart during a crisis, then you weren’t very strong to begin with.

APPLICATION OF THE WORD: I am convinced that the Holy Spirit wanted me to spend some time on this verse today. Perhaps one of the shortest in the whole chapter, and definitely one of the bluntest for us to accept, but it sure is impactful. There are so many Bible references and hymns of the faith that refer to the power of God, and I believe that we hang on to that because we know that we are minimally strong when things are going great in our lives, but this Scripture verse precisely describes us when things get stressful or tough, for we tend to fall apart. I wonder why?? Perhaps too often we pray for an easier, wealthier, and more successful life, rather than asking God to make us a stronger child of the King who can accept and deal with all circumstances of life that may confront us. Trials don’t make or break a person. They’re simply a gauge to show you where you’re at in your walk with the Lord. In Jeremiah12:5, God addressed this when He said: ‘If you are worn out after only running with a few men, how will you one day compete against horses? If you stumble on the easy terrain, how will you manage in the thick brush near the Jordan?’ Friends, in other words, if you’re exhausted by the problem facing you today, what will you do when even bigger problems come your way? Whatever I’m going through today is strengthening me for what will come tomorrow. 2024 came in with a bang for me, with trials, medical, finances, etc., it was enough for me to seek the face of the Master and question what it is that He desires of me to do differently in my life. But as I continue in the Word of God, I find refreshment that my God is waiting for me to open the doors of my heart so that He might open the floodgates of heaven to supply all my needs, guide me through all my challenges, and renew such a spirit of holiness in me that others might be touched by the power of my God, and overwhelmed with a desire to know Him in new and beneficial ways that might return glory, honor and praise to Him. Oh, that our strength might be renewed so that we may face our present challenges with such boldness and faith, that God will do even more to prepare us for what lies ahead! With God as my strength, I have nothing to fear! How about you, how do you deal with the extraordinary and stressful things of life? If you know my Jesus, then this devotional is for you. If not, then I believe this devotional will prompt you to a knowledge and acceptance of my Jesus, so that you too may depend on him in all circumstances of life. Please read on to my Footnote, where you will find tips on leading you to Jesus.

PRAYER BECAUSE OF THE IMPACT OF TODAY’S SCRIPTURE: Lord, I am convinced that You can do all things, and because of Your love for me, I ask that You give me ongoing faith to depend on You for today, while accepting of everything You will provide to help me through tomorrow. You are my Rock and my everlasting strength, dear Lord. Please continue to work out Your plan in my life so that I may be obedient to Your direction and accepting of Your love and protection in all circumstances of life. Many who will read this devotional are probably in a similar situation as I opened up about already. Please show Yourself to us and give us the faith and humbleness we need to call on You, depend on You, and trust You for everything that might come our way. AMEN!

Praise God for His Compassion!

On 2024-02-02 By Ed AlgreenIn A Lamp unto My Path, Adoration, Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Awesome God, Beyond Description, Blessing, Celebrate God, Needs, Praise, Praise-worthy, Recognize God, Worship1 Comment

DATE POSTED: Friday, February 2, 2024, and I was blessed to be at Advent Christian Village, Dowling Park, FL when God inspired me to prepare this devotional. My Footnote will tell you how to find, read or listen to any and all episodes that I have shared over the years.

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE FROM THE Good News Translation (GNT) IS FOUND IN Isaiah 30:18-23

THE BIBLE TEXT IS: And yet the Lord is waiting to be merciful to you. He is ready to take pity on you because he always does what is right. Happy are those who put their trust in the Lord.
You people who live in Jerusalem will not weep any more. The Lord is compassionate, and when you cry to him for help, he will answer you. The Lord will make you go through hard times, but he himself will be there to teach you, and you will not have to search for him any more. If you wander off the road to the right or the left, you will hear his voice behind you saying, “Here is the road. Follow it.”
Whenever you plant your crops, the Lord will send rain to make them grow and will give you a rich harvest, and your livestock will have plenty of pasture.

APPLICATION OF THE WORD: To get the full impact of these verses today, you will want to click on my Scripture reference and read the whole chapter of Isaiah 30. In fact, you may also wonder if Isaiah may have been blessed with this prophecy because of everything that has happened in your life! Israel had turned to Egypt for help instead of turning to the God of this universe – very much like we tend to do when we moan, complain, and turn to various government programs or other resources when we feel like we have reached the end of our supply chain, friends list, protection or hope. God disciplined Israel pretty severely through heartaches, trials, lost battles, and just plain hopelessness. He wanted them to see what life would be like if they got their wish to truly exclude Him from their lives. Not sure about you dear friends, but there seems to be times in my life also when so many unexpected things are occurring that I am made to wonder if my life is properly aligned and obedient in every way with my Master – Jesus Christ. But then comes verse 19 above where we are reminded that we serve a compassionate God. For me, this breaks down to Him being loving, caring, and always having our best interest at heart, even when He has to discipline us. However, although this is what we derive from our understanding of God, what do we learn about ourselves in this Scripture today? Unfortunately, it becomes very evident that we are spoiled worse than the most undisciplined child we can think of. In spite of us not doing our part, we first blame God for not caring about our situation, or denouncing all those that God may have placed in our path to love and care for us, or complaining about our lack of perfect health, finances, material goods, opportunities, and prospects for our future. Oh that we would be reminded today that God is still love; that He created us in His image; that He sacrificed His very own Son so that we might be forgiven of our sin and allowed to join Him in heaven one day; that His love for us is far greater than anything our human minds could comprehend; and that He has a future in mind for us just as He had for the Israelites, if only we would turn from our wicked ways and acknowledge Him as Lord and everlasting Savior. Yes, my friend, we serve a compassionate God. Do you know Him intimately? Have you given Him lordship of your life? I really want to see you in heaven one day, so please allow me to encourage you to sure up your relationship with the only One who can make this possible, Jesus Christ.

PRAYER BECAUSE OF THE IMPACT OF TODAY’S SCRIPTURE: Thank You Lord for loving me, even when I may appear unlovable to others around me. Thank You for providing the means for my future in heaven to be assured. Please Lord, continue to impress upon the hearts of my readers, listeners, and myself that we have a strong hope and a very bright future. Soften hearts so that we might take our eyes off self long enough to see a loving, compassionate and caring Savior who truly wants us in His presence one day when life here on earth is complete. Please give us opportunity to share this love with others today so that they may also be reminded of Your compassion and grace causing them to develop a growing desire to find and accept You as Lord. AMEN!

Follow Jesus in Habitual Prayer

On 2024-01-18 By Ed AlgreenIn A Lamp unto My Path, Adoration, Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Awesome God, Beyond Description, Blessing, Celebrate God, Needs, Praise, Praise-worthy, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED: Thursday, January 18, 2024, and I was blessed to be at Advent Christian Village, Dowling Park, FL when God inspired me to prepare this devotional. My Footnote will tell you how to find, read or listen to any and all episodes that I have shared over the years.

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE FROM THE Amplified Bible (AMP) IS FOUND IN Luke 22:39-41

THE BIBLE TEXT IS: And He came out and went, as was His habit, to the Mount of Olives; and the disciples followed Him. When He arrived at the place [called Gethsemane], He said to them, “Pray continually that you may not fall into temptation.” And He withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed…

APPLICATION OF THE WORD: One of the awesome things about a ministry such as mine, is that the Word of God must speak to the heart of the teacher before they could share its effectiveness with their audience. Praise God! I believe that this Scripture today is intended directly for me, but because there are others just like me, I believe that this message might also speak to you and challenge you in the adequacy of your prayer life. The Holy spirit spoke to me on a few matters while meditating on this Scripture:
– Jesus left the Upper Room and went to His ‘usual’ hangout (the Mount of Olives) where He could speak with the Father. I would be hard-pressed to answer a curious youngster who might ask me where my usual place is to pray. Do you have a quick, honest answer for that question? For those who followed Jesus and heard Him teach, they were reminded first-hand that this Teacher did as He taught. Remember how Jesus had said earlier that He only said and did as instructed by His Father? So, what do you suppose created the urgency for Jesus to seek private prayer? I believe that nowhere in Scripture will you find where Jesus ever taught that we wait until urgent needs arise before we seek the Father’s face. For you see, we were created for communion with our Creator and Father. Yet prayer is probably one of the weakest habits of a Christian, and therefore of the church. If we find it unimportant to stay in communion with the Father, what might He say when we just use this vehicle of communication during those times of urgent prayer? What would you say to such a person who does that to you? Probably one of the worst results of our absent prayer life is that those who are watching and following in our footsteps are led to do the same thing. Unfortunately, this leads to a church of tomorrow where prayer has been placed in the corner ‘for urgent needs only’. I believe that our ministries fail when we are basing our output strictly on the input received from seminary teachings; last week’s sermon; the deacon’s counsel; etc. For it is only what’s said for Jesus will last or impact the lives of others.
– Pray continually that you don’t fall into temptation – For those of us who fail, or refuse to pray, we might very well fall into the same trap as the unsaved where we are overcome by temptation and any other sin that Satan places before us, because we are unprepared and unconcerned about our Protector helping us defend against our known primary enemy. In our Scripture, Jesus knew full well what His disciples would face over the next few days as He was arrested, tried, convicted and crucified. Because we serve the same all-knowing Master, I am convinced that God also knows what lies ahead for each of us, and I can only believe that He is saying the same thing to us today – pray continually that you are not tempted. Notice He didn’t say ‘now as soon as you’ve followed through on everything you are tempted on, get with me right away’. Every time you are tempted, stop and question yourself as to whether you have been faithful in your prayer life. For it sounds to me that Jesus could also have said this same phrase in a slightly different way: ‘If you don’t pray continually, you may very well be tempted by the evil one – more than you could ever handle personally’.
For those reading this devotional who have not surrendered lordship of your life to Jesus Christ, please ponder what your defense is when you are tempted. Jesus wants to be Lord and everlasting Savior of your life. Will you please consider accepting His offer? You are invited to read my Footnote for tips on how this might be accomplished.

PRAYER BECAUSE OF THE IMPACT OF TODAY’S SCRIPTURE: Thank You for Your Word, oh Lord. It is food for my soul and is a guide to my feet. Thank You for prompting me to salvation and giving me the necessary boldness and determination to surrender lordship of my life to an all-knowing, all-loving and all-powerful God. I can only imagine that some will read this devotional and be puzzled by Your command to Your disciples, and to us, that we pray continually to avoid temptation. But Lord, I believe. Please deliver me from my lack of commitment to regular prayer and embed these words into my mind – that I must pray continually so that I do not fall into temptation. Just as I want to see You in every aspect of life, I believe that unbelievers are also seeking you out in the lives of those who claim to be under Your lordship. Oh Lord, may they see Jesus in me today, and be convinced of their need for a Savior. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the kingdom, and the glory, forever. AMEN!

God’s Message About Your Country

On 2023-12-31 By Ed AlgreenIn A Lamp unto My Path, Adoration, Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Awesome God, Beyond Description, Blessing, Celebrate God, Needs, Praise, Praise-worthy, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED: Sunday, December 31, 2023, and I was blessed to be at Kyle, Texas when God inspired me to prepare this devotional. My Footnote will tell you how to find, read or listen to any and all episodes that I have shared over the years.

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE FROM THE New Living Translation (NLT) IS FOUND IN Isaiah 22:1; 11; 13;

THE BIBLE TEXT IS: This message came to me concerning Babylon—the desert by the sea: Disaster is roaring down on you from the desert, like a whirlwind sweeping in from the Negev.
This message came to me concerning Edom: Someone from Edom keeps calling to me….
This message came to me concerning Arabia…..

APPLICATION OF THE WORD: God used one of His major prophets to warn many nations of the things that need some attention to better align them with His commands, teachings and will for them. I bolded just three from the Bible passage I studied today, but the theme was the same, and it provoked enormous thought in my mind about the things that God might impress upon our hearts about our respective countries. We can’t change the world, and we definitely can’t personally bring about change in our country. But as children of the King, I believe God would have us yearn for a heart like His. I believe that God is concerned enough about the disobedience, disrespect, and disloyal attitudes of our people that He wants us to make this a priority in our prayer lives, and that we try in every way to teach everyone in our circle of influence what it is that God wants from them and us. We are faced with the beginning of a brand new year, thankfully. What better time to make new commitments to be the face and image of Jesus in everything we say or do. To ensure that you don’t accept this idea in a blanket fashion without thought and direct concern, I would suggest that you take a few moments to think about the variances you see in your own life, your home, your church, your workplace, your city, state and country, from what God commands in His Word. This is not intended to bring a judgmental attitude on yourself, but rather, to show you at minimum, the things that God would have you pray for. You won’t see everything, because God knows our hearts, our very thoughts, and the things done in hiding, but I believe you will assimilate a list long enough to lead you into endless prayer for this new year. I trust that you will consider joining me in this challenge dear friends. Plead for a heart like Jesus who is concerned about the unsaved who are heading into eternity without being convinced of a living Savior who prepared a way for them to make Heaven their eternal home.

PRAYER BECAUSE OF THE IMPACT OF TODAY’S SCRIPTURE: It is so easy for us to throw our hands up in despair because of everything we see as evil, or in total disobedience to God’s Word. But Lord, I thank You for declaring through Your prophet Isaiah how harshly You will deal with those who refuse to accept You. You saved us, especially when we’re so unworthy. Thank You Lord Jesus for loving us. I respectfully ask now that You give us a heart like Yours and not give up on those in our circle who need You. May we be Your hands and feet in every aspect of our life, til You come and take us home to be with You. AMEN!

Follow Jesus’ Example on Prayer

On 2023-12-30 By Ed AlgreenIn A Lamp unto My Path, Adoration, Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Awesome God, Beyond Description, Blessing, Celebrate God, Needs, Praise, Praise-worthy, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED: Saturday, December 30, 2023, and I was blessed to be at Kyle, Texas when God inspired me to prepare this devotional. My Footnote will tell you how to find, read or listen to any and all episodes that I have shared over the years.

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE FROM THE New Living Translation (NLT) IS FOUND IN Hebrews 5:7-8

THE BIBLE TEXT IS: While Jesus was here on earth, he offered prayers and pleadings, with a loud cry and tears, to the one who could rescue him from death. And God heard his prayers because of his deep reverence for God. Even though Jesus was God’s Son, he learned obedience from the things he suffered.

APPLICATION OF THE WORD: I believe that it is always best to follow in someone’s example who we fully trust, and who proved successful in what they did. We may tend to overlook a close example of Jesus on the subject of prayer, because we may feel like we are offering our prayers to He and the Father every time we pray anyway. If you are leaning to agree with me in that last statement, then please allow me to suggest that we look to Him for direction in this important communication tool with He and the Father. In parenting we may have learned that children do a whole lot better with what we show them, rather than what we tell them to do. Knowing that the Bible is God’s inspired Word to those who penned its words, I found it extremely interesting to see that God wanted us to know that Jesus was not exempt from some of the same things that we struggle with, and may have questioned about the holy Son of God. Here are a few points that I feel like God particularly caught my attention on:
*~* Respect for the Father (God) – Jesus prayed to ‘the One who rescued Him from death’. Some commentators believe this meant premature death. But in acknowledging that His Father protected Him from death, shows that He knew that His Father was the only One who could do that. Jesus respected God’s authority, power, wisdom and love to save Him from any harm that mere man could conjure up against Him. Notice that nothing was said about Jesus resorting to dependence on God – after trying every other possible solution. Isn’t that what we most frequently do? Knowing that His Father was all-powerful, Jesus humbled Himself to ‘pleading’; ‘loud cries’; and ‘tears’. If Jesus was touched by the Father in such a way, do we have any right demanding things of God, as if we’re in charge? Perhaps we should reimagine who God is in 2024, recognizing that we are but a particle of dust, compared to His majesty and awesome power. Let’s make it a point to pray to God with the kind of respect Jesus showed, every time we approach His throne.
*~* Reverence for God – ‘God heard Jesus’ prayers because of His deep reverence for God’. What do you think? Will God answer your prayer because of He recognizes and acknowledges your reverence and respect for the Creator of heaven and earth; for the Healer who not only cured unimaginable diseases, but He also restored sight to the blind, made the lame to walk again, and even raised the dead back to life? Can you honestly acknowledge that God is not just there for your convenience – to call on in your time of need, but that you KNOW that He wants an intimate relationship with you at all times?
*~* Obedience as a result of suffering – ‘Even though Jesus was God’s Son, He learned obedience from all that He suffered’. In 1 Peter 3:18 we are told that Christ suffered, not because He sinned, but because of the sins of sinners. In our focal verses today we are told that Jesus learned obedience from His suffering. Won’t it be awesome if we could look at our suffering as a learning tool, rather than cursing God for ignoring our cry for mercy? In a Bible study I took part in many years ago, we were encouraged to look outside of our personal circumstances and try to see what God is doing, then join Him in His work. In principle, that is an awesome and admirable piece of advice, but I believe everyone will agree that it’s never easy trying to rejoice while living out circumstances that seem to drown us in pity, depression, hopelessness and despair. I truly believe that way too often we try to pull ‘God’ out of a deep box where we throw unimportant things (to us) that are placed there in case we ever need them. Friends, if we are to imitate Jesus, then we would call on the God who opens our eyes each morning; through the Holy Spirit, guides us through His Word, then to open communication with Him on a regular basis through prayer, so that we may better deal with our daily circumstances. When we trust wholeheartedly in God, we are reminded each day that His love never changes for us, even when we face unfortunate circumstances. His love is unconditional, and He displayed that on the cross when He accepted public disgrace, embarrassment and death, because He knew that it was all necessary for our eternal destiny with He and the Father. Dear friends, that same love is still very much in place during every circumstance of life today. Experiencing this daily, helps us to deal with even the most challenging circumstances, and helps us realize that God is indeed still with us at all times.

PRAYER BECAUSE OF THE IMPACT OF TODAY’S SCRIPTURE: Oh dear Lord, please continue to work in the hearts of Your children to develop relationships with You, and not just think of You in urgent times of need. Thanks also for the reminder that since Jesus suffered, we also may suffer, and that we should look for the learning opportunities in that suffering, instead of assuming that You turned Your head to our needs. Thankfully, You set the example for us in recognizing the importance of prayer, and the qualities to insure our dependence on, and trust in, You. Please continue to be merciful and patient with us Lord, we know that we need Jesus more than anything, but we still allow the world to influence us too much. As we trust in You, we can better share the importance of knowing You with others. AMEN!

Reasons Why We Can’t Heal

On 2022-07-012022-07-02 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Faith, Healing, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Friday, 2022-07-01
WRITTEN AT: O Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Mark 9:18-19; 28-29;
TRANSLATION: New Life Version (NLV)

BIBLE TEXT: ¹⁸Wherever the demon takes him, it throws him down. Spit runs from his mouth. He grinds his teeth. He is getting weaker. I asked Your followers to put the demon out but they could not.”
¹⁹He said, “You people of this day have no faith. How long must I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring the boy to Me.”
²⁸When Jesus went into the house, His followers asked Him when He was alone, “Why could we not put out the demon?” ²⁹He said to them, “The only way this kind of demon is put out is by prayer and by going without food so you can pray better.”

APPLICATION: It would be enlightening to see the results of a survey answered by first time visitors to our church services. Think about how you might answer such questions as: 1). Why did you chose this church today?; 2). Did the pastor show an interest in you, or your needs today?; 3). Did a regular church attendee show an interest in you, or your needs today?; 4). What brought you out to church today?; 5). Based on what you heard today, do you have a clear understanding of how you might know, or draw closer to God?; and 6). Do you feel like your needs were met at this church today? | Based on our Biblical story today, I feel like we could probably answer the above questions for the dad who brought his son for healing. The bottom line is, that up until his encounter with Jesus, his needs were unfulfilled. BUT Jesus issues a compassionate invitation when He says, “Bring the child to Me.” The father had come seeking help from the disciples, but the disciples were unable to help. But isn’t that like us a lot of times? Perhaps we might bring a child, a friend, a co-worker to church or Sunday School, but they were not helped. However, we should be comforted that we brought them to where the disciples of Jesus are, and guess who shows up sooner or later? Jesus Himself! Through a testimony shared, a study given, a story told, a song sung—something will happen! Jesus will come! “Bring your child to Me,” Jesus said. But often we are so filled with doubt and fear, that we will quickly respond: ‘But how?’ Morning by morning in our devotional time with Jesus; teaching him what you’re learning from the Word as you do errands together; making sure he’s growing through fellowship with other believers; showing love and compassion like Jesus showed to us; etc. The cause of evil and destruction in this world is Satan. The cure is Jesus. The question is: Will you bring your friends and family to Him? For the disciples (followers of Jesus Christ), you might find the excuse that there was no time to fast and pray when a situation suddenly presented itself to you. Friends, we must maintain a life of prayer and fasting, because when the demonized boy is before you, it’s too late to start. Often something exceedingly important could take place, but we feel impotent and powerless because we haven’t been praying, fasting, reading the Word, or seeking the Lord. Let me encourage you by saying that: As a father, I have no other recourse than to maintain a life of prayer and fasting because I never know when the Enemy will strike my child – For he has, he does; and he will; As a believer, I have no other choice but to maintain a close walk with God because I never know the next conversation that will open up before me at work, the grocery store or in the park with a neighbor, and Jesus may speak through me with words that will impact them for eternity. We MUST be ready dear friends! Always ready!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Jesus is compassionate about our needs, just as He was about the boy brought to Him by his dad. As representatives of the King of all kings, we must be filled with faith, ready, available and willing to speak truth and power in Jesus’ name, so that the Devil will flee and never impede us or our friends ever again.

PRAYER: Thank You Lord Jesus for being patient with us, although we are reminded from Your response to Your disciples, that You become frustrated by our lack of faith and our willingness to open up and let You have Your will and way in the lives we touch each day. Please Lord, help us to be ready on every occasion to represent You and be used of You for healing, salvation or just encouragement to help others go on in the faith. Just as You touched the little boy that You called to You, I pray that You will powerfully touch the lives of those who place their faith and trust in You today, for this world needs Jesus more today than ever before. AMEN!

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. You may also visit me on Spotify and listen to Nuggets while you’re out and about. 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 Prayer of David

On 2022-02-122022-02-12 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Power of Prayer, Praise, Prayer, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Saturday, 2022-02-12
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Psalm 25:4-8
TRANSLATION: Contemporary English Version (CEV)

BIBLE TEXT: ⁴Show me your paths and teach me to follow;
⁵ guide me by your truth and instruct me.
You keep me safe, and I always trust you.
⁶Please, Lord, remember, you have always been patient and kind.
⁷Forget each wrong I did when I was young.
Show how truly kind you are and remember me.
⁸You are honest and merciful, and you teach sinners how to follow your path.

APPLICATION: So often we find ourselves in places where we question ‘how on earth did I ever get to this point?’ There are times that we long to get closer to a situation so that we might share God’s love with the person, but it just seems like we are destined to stay at a distance. So I could see why David would ask God to direct His paths, and most of all, teach him to follow the path of Christ, no matter where it leads. David knew that God’s instruction will come from His Word, so he was reminded of the importance of meditating on the Word of God. Does this seem strange or impossible to you? Perhaps you are not a daily reader of God’s Word? Can’t find an extra 15 minutes in your already busy day to check in on what God has in store for you each day? An old Brother in Christ told me that I just wasn’t making it a priority! Try telling God at the end of your day that you didn’t have time for Him, no, instead say that He was not a priority to you! Do you still feel like He should make it a priority to guide you in the right path that day? As we continue with David’s prayer, notice that he probably didn’t talk too much about having the best luck, because he was saved from danger in his day. He thanked God for keeping Him safe. Recent news reports tell of innocent drivers being killed because of the carelessness of other drivers. We NEED God’s guidance and protection each and every day. Ask Him for it, and depend on Him to guide you aright in order to keep you safe. Further, it seems like when we stand before God in prayer, Satan does his best to keep our memories fresh, on the evil things we did in our youth. After asking God to forgive you of your sin, He separates that sin from you as far as the east is from the west. Why shouldn’t you do the same. Rebuke Satan and tell him his place in your life. Friends, I was reminded that when we bow before the God of this universe, it’s not a fixed or permanent fixture in a building, but I am chatting with my Creator. He knows all things, sees all things, and loves me more than I could ever imagine. He wants His very best for my life, and He wants the world to know that I belong to Him. If they want to know what He’s like, just look at me in true perfection. It’s a personal relationship! David taught us to commune with God as our very best friend and One who loves us beyond description. Listen to His instruction and follow in obedience so that we might be led along the path of righteousness for His name’s sake.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Created by God to live in the image of God so that the world will see God in and through us. God blessed David for placing his faith and trust in Him, and God will do the same for us when our priorities are in order.

PRAYER: Precious Lord, thank You for the reminder of how You respond to Your children when they honestly and reverently seek Your face and desire to live in the light of Your goodness and grace. We need You each and every day oh Lord, please patiently work with us to get our priorities straight and to seek You each day for Your direction. Thank You for loving even us! As David said, our past is most undesirable, but with You leading the way, our future could be filled with lessons for others on how to connect with our Father – the King of all kings; the Creator and Master of this universe! AMEN!

Nuggets From God's Word

Tag: PRAYER