Tag: Promises

Foolish, Ignorant, Senseless?

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

DATE POSTED Monday, 2022-04-25
WRITTEN AT: Citra, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Psalm 73:21-26
TRANSLATION: New Living Translation (NLT)

BIBLE TEXT: 21 Then I realized that my heart was bitter, and I was all torn up inside. 22 I was so foolish and ignorant — I must have seemed like a senseless animal to you. 23 Yet I still belong to you; you hold my right hand. 24 You guide me with your counsel, leading me to a glorious destiny.
25 Whom have I in heaven but you? I desire you more than anything on earth.
26 My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; he is mine forever.

APPLICATION: I believe that throughout our lifetime, and yes, even since our salvation experience, there may have been times when we may have attempted to hide our faces from the Creator, because we came to ourselves and realized that our immaturity and selfishness had caused us to think and act irrationally and perhaps even foolish. Recently I was reminded in a sermon that this is actually the Holy Spirit at work within us, for God said that He would send the Holy Spirit to live inside the Believer in Christ, to be our helper. Boy, do we ever need help every day of our lives! For as long as we live in this world, we are subject to the evil forces around us, as Satan continues to try and trip us up. What then shall we do, you might ask. I believe that God placed this Scripture before us today to show us that just how He worked on Asaph, and melted his stubborn, selfish and hardened heart, He will continue to work inside of us. Nowhere in Scripture will you find that God sent Asaph to telltale on those around him. It was not his job to get them straight, or to correct their ways. Is this starting to help you understand that you needn’t worry about those who persecute you, or tempt you, or try to distract your righteous walk? You see, just like Asaph, we have a heavenly home that awaits us! And if we spend more time praising God for His goodness, and celebrating all that He has done for us, don’t you know that the unbeliever watching might finally get the picture that God has made a difference in our lives? It’s not like God to snap back at the enemy and continually fight them, so when the enemy experiences that behavior from us, they will likely challenge us for claiming to be a child of God, but yet acting like the world. In a right relationship with God, His Holy Spirit will cause us to follow the practice taught by firefighters: stop, drop and roll! For we are not doing the will of the Father, and we need to backup and allow Him to do His work – not our wishes for revenge. After being alerted to his foolish, ignorant and senseless feelings and actions, Asaph came to his senses and acknowledged the goodness of his Father in heaven. My prayer is that God the Holy Spirit will always get my attention and cause me to stop my evil thoughts from ever leaving my mouth, but instead use my mouth to glorify my God in all things – even for those that come my way to test me, tempt me, and make every effort to disrupt my walk towards the Savior. Remembering that God the Holy Spirit lives inside of me, I pray that I will never think, do or say anything that dishonors Him in any way. Please allow me to encourage you to do the same, if you know Jesus as Lord. If you are yet to make that important decision to give God control of your life, then allow me to suggest that you do that today. It’s the only time promised to us!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: What have I in heaven but You oh Lord! No matter what may fail me here on earth, my God stands firm, and He is mine forever!

PRAYER: Thank You Lord Jesus for reaching down and changing the bitter heart of Asaph. As my Lord and Savior, I too am thankful that You have made the Holy Spirit available to me as my strength, my guide and my everlasting hope. Please continue to work in the lives of Your children who will read this devotional seeking encouragement and hope from the only One who can mend a broken heart, guide a misdirected wanderer and encourage one feeling forsaken in a world totally engrossed in greed and selfish pride. May we all be found faithful as we look to the One who sacrificed everything for our good. Soften the hearts of the unsaved and draw them unto Yourself dear Lord. May Your children, especially me, be especially careful to extend Your love and Your righteousness to all that we come into contact with. 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!

God’s Undeserved Favor

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

DATE POSTED Sunday, 2022-04-24
WRITTEN AT: Citra, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: 1 Corinthians 1:4-5; 7:9;
TRANSLATION: Easy-to-Read Version (ERV)

BIBLE TEXT: 4 I always thank my God for you because of the grace that he has given you through Christ Jesus. 5 In him you have been blessed in every way. You have been blessed in all your speaking and all your knowledge.
 7 Now you have every gift from God while you wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to come again. 8 He will keep you strong until the end so that on the day when our Lord Jesus Christ comes, you will be free from all blame. 9 God is faithful. He is the one who has chosen you to share life with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

APPLICATION: Paul was overwhelmed that a church, such as the one at Corinth, who had not been very faithful at all, yet it was now evident that they had been graced by God, and it showed in their demeanor and in their love of him and others. Often in today’s churches, we seem to think that those who are graced by God’s favor, are the real religious ones. But I believe that God specifically chose to be glorified through the Corinthians so that it was obvious that it was His grace at work in them. Ever got disappointed when you attended a new church and discovered that it was just an ordinary kind’a looking guy who stood in the pulpit to bring the sermon for the day? Yet by the time he concluded his teaching and preaching you were floored at the amazing way that God used him! My mind goes back to a Father’s Day, when a layman was elected to bring the Word at church that day. He had no seminary training, he was seldom involved in teaching around the church, but because of his relationship with his Master, He opened himself up as God’s messenger for that day. It was evident that God’s grace was all over that man that day, for many left that service totally blessed by God and overwhelmed by His grace to His humble servant chosen to represent Him that day. Perhaps you might recall a time when you were challenged to visit a faithful member of the church who you always looked up to in their faith and knowledge of the Lord and His Word. You may have been humbled to make the visit, but you were probably exceedingly nervous about going to minister to them. I hope that you may have left that home, or hospital bed, that night feeling overwhelmed by the grace of God that overshadowed you and filled you during your visit. A time that I felt used of God, was in agreeing to teach a Sunday School class in a large church I attended. You see, I allowed Satan to make me nervous about ministering to a group that contained many retired missionaries and pastors. Not long afterwards I remember a missionary complimenting me for teaching that past Sunday. I then realized that when God gives us an opportunity to represent Him, we have no need to become nervous, for if He calls us to it, He will guide us and give us the wisdom to make it through that job in a way pleasing to Him. I was awaken to the fact that when we are called by the Master, we should humble ourselves before the Great I Am, and not worry about the accolades from our role models that may be in the class that day. There are words in a song that I love to sing ‘Jesus loves even me’! You see, we may put so much pressure on being perfect, that we overlook the fact that the only Perfect One is the one guiding us and giving us the opportunity to be His hands and His feet here on earth. Let’s learn to soak in His grace and allow Him to lead us. Because He is perfect, our efforts to reflect His majesty will be pleasing to Him. That’s all that matters! The lost will be saved because of their encounter with Jesus Christ, not because of their encounter with a pretender, like we may sometimes portray to others. God’s grace is sufficient for every need, if only we will humble ourselves to allow Him to minister through us!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Because of God’s faithfulness, many have become children of God. I believe He’s still working on the rest! His grace is sufficient for even you as you seek to follow His will!

PRAYER: Precious Lord, I thank You for Your wondrous grace that saved many who might read this devotional. My deepest prayer is that Your grace will be sufficient and meet the needs of the unsaved who might happen across this devotional today. I pray that it will be the answer to their prayers and fill the most important need of their lives. Thank You for Your grace to a sinner such as I, and for convicting me of my sin. Thank You for adopting me as your loving child! May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to You, my Savior and Lord. 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!

STAY THE COURSE

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

DATE POSTED Saturday, 2022-04-23
WRITTEN AT: Citra, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Joshua 1:7-8
TRANSLATION: The Voice (VOICE)

BIBLE TEXT: 7 Always be strong and courageous, and always live by all of the law I gave to my servant Moses, never turning from it—even ever so slightly—so that you may succeed wherever you go. 8 Let the words from the book of the law be always on your lips. Meditate on them day and night so that you may be careful to live by all that is written in it. If you do, as you make your way through this world, you will prosper and always find success.

APPLICATION: GPS apps and programs have become quite popular for those wishing to find the quickest and shortest route to their destination. Often without a GPS, folk tend to easily get lost, and waste fuel trying to get back on course. Joshua had many options available to him as he assumed leadership of the Israelites. I’m sure that each of the tribal leaders had their own ideas, should Joshua had chosen to listen to their advice. But Moses gave Joshua instructions from God. At that point, Joshua had to decide whether he would accept and follow God’s instructions, or choose to do his own thing. That’s a crossroad we all face each day, for we may open the Word of God and clearly see what He has ordered for us to do, but then we arrive at work and may be given a different agenda by our boss. Decisions, decisions!! But here’s an example of what happens when we choose to do our own thing: I had a relative that would often question why her cake, or other prepared meal would not turn out as good as the one she tasted when she asked for the recipe. My wife or I would ask her if she followed the recipe exactly. By the time she had finished telling us of the exceptions, we helped her realize that her exceptions resulted in a totally different taste or texture!! Isn’t that somewhat like us when we decide that God didn’t really mean that we should follow His exact commands? As God’s representative, Joshua was told not to steer off-course, but to follow the exact commands ordered by God. After all, God had certain end results in mind, and He knew how His people could achieve those results. Friends, so many of us have added our own little twists to what God may have intended for us to do, that the unsaved are confused. I had a friend recently ask me ‘so why did Jesus rise from the dead?’ I was really caught off guard, because I felt like everyone knew the importance of a resurrected Lord. But think about what the lost are seeing in us. Some religions still show publicly that Jesus is still on the cross, so why believe us when we teach and preach about the risen Lord? And that just one of the contradictions that the lost are seeing as they analyze the call on their life by Jesus Christ. Not only have we determined our own way, but we are misleading those whom Jesus is determined to save. God told Joshua to meditate on His words day and night so he would be sure that he knows what it says; remember what it says; and obediently follow what it says. Throughout the rest of the Bible, God clearly promises great success and ultimate happiness to His who does exactly what He ordered Joshua to do. BUT, God goes one step further by telling those who don’t follow His instructions, that they would end up with totally different results. Eternity in heaven with God and His Son, versus eternal damnation in Hell with Satan and his demons. The invitation to Heaven is open to all who will believe in the Lord Jesus. That includes you, dear friend. Accept this as a call from Jesus and invite Him to be Lord of your life today. Ask Him for the course you are to take that will lead you to His throne in Heaven.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Proper instructions have been given for our final destination in Heaven. Let’s stay the course!

PRAYER: You’ve given us what we need to decide between life and death, between heaven and hell, between the love of God and the damnation of Satan. Please continue to impress upon us the need to learn, stay connected, and be determined to obey Your Book of Instruction – the Bible – our compass with concise directions to heaven! Thank You for giving Moses and Joshua such perfect instructions to lead such a vast crowd through the wilderness without food, water or clothing. We are blessed with so much more, but I pray that You will still reach deep into our hearts and promote a sense of determination to obey You in every walk of life. Oh that the lost will understand from Your Word, and the practice of Your children, the right course You have in store for them to stay the course to heaven. 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!

You Alone Are Our Hope

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

DATE POSTED Friday, 2022-04-22
WRITTEN AT: Citra, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Psalm 71:5-9
TRANSLATION: Living Bible (TLB)

BIBLE TEXT: 5 O Lord, you alone are my hope; I’ve trusted you from childhood. 6 Yes, you have been with me from birth and have helped me constantly—no wonder I am always praising you! 7 My success—at which so many stand amazed—is because you are my mighty protector. 8 All day long I’ll praise and honor you, O God, for all that you have done for me.
9 And now, in my old age, don’t set me aside. Don’t forsake me now when my strength is failing.

APPLICATION: Although it seems like one of the great pitfalls of aging today is Alzheimers, another is probably just as prevalent, if we’re not careful – complaining! But if we’re getting older, rather than complaining about our aches and pains or the sorry state of society, what if we chose to talk about the Lord continually? Wouldn’t that be an awesome way to grow old gracefully and faithfully? But i’m sure many will ask how this can be done? Many people try to discipline their tongues, but Jesus said that it is out of the abundance of the heart that the mouth speaks (Matthew 12:34). Therefore, the key to changing your speech is to change your heart. How? By allowing the Word of God to fill it day by day. If you do this, your heart, and therefore your words, will be filled with praise. Don’t you know that relatives and friends would much prefer visiting and being around you when you frequently praise the Lord and give Him thanks in all things that He has blessed you with? After reflecting on his blessings, David tells us in our Scripture today that it’s no wonder praise is continually in his heart and on his lips! As for you, sure you may encounter pain in your arms, but how do you feel when you look at a man who has no arms? I was tired and hurting in my back and legs, until I saw a man coming my way with both feet pointing inward, heavy braces on his legs and feet, yet walking along with a smile on his face. Oh Lord, please forgive me when I whine. But precious friends, when I meditate on God’s Word and am reminded of all that He did for our ancestors, and the love that He showed in extreme circumstances, my heart is filled with praises to my King for all that He has done, because He continues to do the same for me and my loved ones every day! Please try and join me each day in seeking out the blessings of God. We could read all that He did for David, and for Moses and the Israelites, but let’s look around and fill our hearts with joy as we observe all that He continues to do for us. Our God is so good, and we could never stop praising Him for His goodness! There is such encouragement and hope in admiring the handiwork of our God!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Let us learn to praise God every day! Enough with the griping and complaining, we serve an awesome all-powerful, ever-loving Savior who gave everything for our eternal salvation!

PRAYER: Oh Lord, teach us to set our minds on the great and awesome gifts that You bestow on us daily! Please help us to shun the desire to whine and complain about everything and everyone, but instead to look towards the heavens, read from the holy pages of Your Word, and reflect on the awesome power of our Lord, so that our hearts may be filled with appreciation that overflows through our lips as we sing Your praises and encourage others to know our Savior and Lord. Oh Lord, great is thy faithfulness and greatly You are to be praised and honored in every aspect of our lives. Minister to the lost today Lord, and open their eyes to Your goodness and mercy. 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!

As You Go, Aim at Changing The World

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

DATE POSTED Thursday, 2022-04-21
WRITTEN AT: Citra, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Matthew 28:16-20
TRANSLATION: Amplified Bible (AMP)

BIBLE TEXT: 16 Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had designated. 17 And when they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted [that it was really He]. 18 Jesus came up and said to them, “All authority (all power of absolute rule) in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations [help the people to learn of Me, believe in Me, and obey My words], baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe everything that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always [remaining with you perpetually—regardless of circumstance, and on every occasion], even to the end of the age.”

APPLICATION: Some will read today’s Scripture and will respond like Peter did when the soldiers came to arrest Jesus. Peter assured Jesus that he would always stand firm in his faith, but sure to the prediction by Jesus, he quickly cowered and even denounced ever knowing Jesus. When Jesus met the eleven disciples after His resurrection, there were a few other Peter’s and Thomas’ in the group, for they stood at a distance in disbelief. For those who worshipped Jesus, no doubt they recalled Him saying that He would overcome death and the grave. No doubt His cryptic messages about rebuilding the temple in 3 days, started to make a lot more sense to the disciples, and in awe they worshipped the Master knowing that God ordained it for this whole event to take place just as it did. For us, we have the benefit of reading the Scriptures and, under the inspiration and wisdom of the Holy Spirit, have supporting evidence that our Lord is alive, and reigns forevermore! But let’s take a moment to reflect on The Great Commission given by Jesus to His disciples, for this remains as our commission today as well. After celebrating the risen Christ, Jesus gave His disciples their marching orders. All over the world Christians celebrated the risen Christ last Sunday (Easter). I believe it is fitting that God planned for us to study this Scripture this week, because He has our marching orders laid out for us also. He knew that after the ‘high’ of celebrating Easter, we would need to know what we should follow that with. In taking a hint from the Great Commission, I believe Jesus is once again saying to us: the world is still badly in need of the Savior, and you have locked inside of you, the answer to the world’s dilemma. Wherever you go, and whenever you go, tell people about the One who died and rose again so that you might enjoy the everlasting hope of eternity in heaven for ever and for ever with the King of all kings and Lord of all lords. Teach them to observe everything that God has passed on to you through His Holy Word. Win them to the Lord, so that they too might have that everlasting hope that you enjoy. Know that just as Jesus rose from the dead, in affirmation to all that He told you, so will He also be with you wherever you go and in every word that you share of Him, for He also promised that He would do that. Some glorious day, and I believe that will be much sooner than any of us might think, Jesus will return, just like He did after His resurrection, but this time He will take His children home to glory to be with He and the Father. Let’s all be ready to worship Him fellow Christians, just as the believing disciples did!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Share the Good News of our risen Lord, knowing that Jesus will be with us in everything we do for His kingdom’s sake!

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for giving us hope, especially in a world where there seems to be no hope. We want to be just like the disciples who trusted in You and believed exactly what You taught them. Please continue to impress upon us the need for our family, friends, and those we come into contact with, to know You in a personal way. May we be ready to obey Your command to ‘GO’, and as we are going – tell, baptize and teach, so that the world might believe, know and accept You as Lord. 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!

Life or Death? Your Choice

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Choices, Death, Eternal Life, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Tuesday, 2022-04-19
WRITTEN AT: Citra, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Deuteronomy 30:19-20
TRANSLATION: New Living Translation (NLT)

BIBLE TEXT: 19 “Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live! 20 You can make this choice by loving the Lord your God, obeying him, and committing yourself firmly to him. This is the key to your life. And if you love and obey the Lord, you will live long…..

APPLICATION: I remember the warnings given by my dad when I left home for high school in another city. There wasn’t much room for negotiation, for my dad gave me more of an ultimatum. If you get in any kind of trouble, you’re coming back home son! For those who are curious, I succeeded in graduating High School!! I’m of the impression that Moses also gave the Israelites an ultimatum, for he clearly gave them the conditions necessary for a life filled with God’s blessing, vs a life destined for Hell and destruction. I have no doubt that no one would chose the latter, for we all want the very best out of life, and we want to leave a legacy for those who will follow in our footsteps. I believe that God continues to care for us in the same way, and under the same conditions that He did with the Israelites. In vs 16 God said through His servant Moses: if you love the Lord your God and keep his commands, decrees, and regulations by walking in his ways, then His people would live a great life. I believe that means that God would love, protect, guide and keep us as long as we remain on earth but, since He has also prepared a place for us to spend eternity, then I believe that we can live expecting heaven on earth, and for all eternity! But God didn’t just leave it up to the unsaved to assume what might happen to them, for He told the Israelites in vs 17 that if their heart turns away and you refuse to listen, and if you are drawn away to serve and worship other gods, then I warn you now that you will certainly be destroyed. You will not live a long, good life. Friends, I believe that God is similarly saying to the one who has chosen to live their life without the Savior, that you can’t live like the devil and expect to be treated like a child of God. It just don’t work that way! So to all my readers and listeners, I believe that you are faced with the same decision as the Israelites – heaven, or hell? What’s your choice? If you refuse the call of God on your life, then you are destined for a life of hell here on earth, and eternal damnation after life here below. I wouldn’t wish that on my worst enemy, so may I encourage you to please choose ‘life’, my friend? To my Christian Brothers and Sisters, let me implore you to be steadfast in prayer for, and encouragement to, your unsaved family and friends, for I believe that Jesus will return at any time now to take His bride home to glory, and we all want to be ready for that day!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: We’ve been given a present – today! So let’s ready ourselves, and encourage our friends, for that great Judgment Day. A final verdict will be announced on that day – heaven, or hell. Oh that we all will be prepared and ready for eternity with Jesus and His Father.

PRAYER: Through Your servant Moses, You made it clear to Your people the benefits of following Your commands and obeying Your Word. You also warned them of the dire consequences if they failed to obey You. I am convinced that You had this particular warning placed in Your Word to also get our attention today, for the same logic applies to us. Lord, I pray that we’ll all be ready. That we’ll all choose ‘life’ over eternal death and damnation. Please encourage many to read this devotional today, Lord, and open their hearts and minds to fully comprehend the consequences of the decisions they make today. May they commit fully to Your saving grace, and may they follow through in accepting You as Lord of their life – TODAY. 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!

Lives Acceptable To God

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

DATE POSTED Sunday, 2022-04-17
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Romans 14:12-13; 17-19;
TRANSLATION: Amplified Bible (AMP)

BIBLE TEXT: 12 So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God. 13 Then let us not criticize one another anymore, but rather determine this—not to put an obstacle or a stumbling block or a source of temptation in another believer’s way.
17 for the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking [what one likes], but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. 18 For the one who serves Christ in this way [recognizing that food choice is secondary] is acceptable to God and is approved by men. 19 So then, let us pursue [with enthusiasm] the things which make for peace and the building up of one another [things which lead to spiritual growth].

APPLICATION: Some may not be aware, but in certain occupations, an employer will demand that employees be on their best behavior in, and outside of, the business, as the public judges the business through its employees. In reading today’s Scripture, I am reminded of those employment expectations. For no matter how awful we may feel like we were before surrendering to the lordship of Jesus Christ, anything we do or say after that awesome day reflects on His image to those we come into contact with. In the working world, we may receive extra monetary incentives for representing the company outside in the public. As a child of God, He offers us a lot more than the incentive of heavenly rewards, for He has also given us the Holy Spirit to help guide us and direct us in the ways of Christ while living in the world, and facing the temptations of the evil one. I believe that many of the challenges we face in trying to be an obedient child of God in our working years, is that seldom will we find an employer who will send us off into the mission field while representing the company well. It just doesn’t seem to work that way. Perhaps join a non-profit organization where we could try to win the membership elites over to our company, yes. Perhaps attend the parties of major customers, so our company will show our support, yes. Perhaps volunteer in our communities, so that our company name may be shown as being a part of the local community, yes. But how often are we asked to spread the name of Jesus wherever we go? Unfortunately, that’s where the line is drawn between Christ and the workplace. However, for the Christian who pays close attention to today’s Scripture, we must aim to always represent the only One who sacrificed His very life for us, so that we may accept Him; seek His forgiveness; lift Him up high above the world in our praise and adoration; and represent Him – through living out His teachings and commands. When we act like Jesus would among our business associates and friends, only then will many of them see Jesus in His splendor. I believe that when we stand before our Lord, He will cause us to reflect on the times that we were strong and determined to reflect Him, even when everyone else around us were indulging in the pleasures of this world. Dear friends, for those who raise up kids to be responsible and successful adults. We teach them to live out their upbringing in the presence of everyone they come into contact with. Not just the pastor, or family friends, but also while at work and in every other aspect of life. So it is with our representation of Jesus Christ. We might never know how many are impacted for the Kingdom through our contact with them, or the compassion we show in dealing with them, or through the Biblical truths that we live out in every circumstance of life, BUT I am convinced that when Jesus saved us, He intended for us to always be His representative, not just at times when we don’t feel intimidated. The world will never be challenged to make a change in their lives, if they see no difference in ours. With Jesus in control of our lives, His love, His teachings, and His eternal hope for mankind, will shine through us and convince a lost and dying world of their need to also know our Lord. How are you doing with that my friend? Are you ready for your day of accountability before God?

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Although Jesus has the power and will to touch a man’s heart, I believe that He also wants to touch people through proper representation by His children. Our actions and our words will reflect the One we serve.

PRAYER: Precious Lord, it is mind boggling to think that the Son of the most High God would sacrifice His life on a cruel cross, so that we could enjoy the benefits of heaven. This is more marvelous than anything we could ever imagine, because we find it impossible to duplicate that kind of sacrifice. Thank You for blessing us so much more than we could ever imagine or ask for. Please continue to impress upon us the importance of always imitating Your characteristics in everything we do and say, for we never know how You might use us to impact the life of an unbeliever. Oh lord, may we surrender ourselves fully to Your will and Your desire for us, so that the world might see Jesus, accept Jesus and know Jesus in a miraculous way. 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!

Placing A Loved One At The Feet Of Jesus

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Love others, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, The Father's Love, The love of God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Saturday, 2022-04-17
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Mark 2:2-5
TRANSLATION: New Living Translation (NLT)

BIBLE TEXT:  2  ….While he was preaching God’s word to them, 3 four men arrived carrying a paralyzed man on a mat. 4 They couldn’t bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, so they dug a hole through the roof above his head. Then they lowered the man on his mat, right down in front of Jesus. 5 Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, “My child, your sins are forgiven.”

APPLICATION: I wonder if the men were disappointed in seeing Jesus’ concern, vs their intentions? After all, they went through a lot to see Jesus heal their friend, yet when Jesus saw the young man He didn’t immediately address the issue of paralysis, but rather attended a more urgent matter – the condition of the paralyzed man’s heart – to ensure his readiness to meet God. I wonder how much this story parallels our earnest prayers to God, where we are so concerned for our family and friends’ welfare or health, but seldom show deep concern for the salvation and the readiness of their soul for eternity? Shouldn’t we be more concerned about their salvation than we are about the other things in life that might impact their normal, everyday living here on earth? How often do we forget that the things of this earth are temporal and could very easily be gone today or tomorrow? Yet the condition of their soul will determine their destiny for eternity. Should we be concerned for the physical, financial and personal welfare of our friends? If we didn’t then one would question if they are truly our friends, but I believe Jesus showed the Pharisees, and is showing us, that there is one concern that trumps all other concerns in life, and that is the spiritual condition of the individual. When you know that your friend is ready to meet their Savior and Lord, and that they are living daily to be more like Him here on earth, then all other needs will fall into place, for God cares intimately for His children and He will not bring anything on us beyond what we can bear, nor will He burden us with anything that will not bring glory to Himself. So friends, let me encourage you this Easter weekend, to look just a little differently at those you love and will spend time with this weekend. Look beyond their physical and material needs and pray with them about their spiritual needs, should there be a need to do that. Our greatest need in life is to be the individual that God designed us to be – the one that will worship Him and bring glory to Him, in everything we do, until Jesus returns to take us all home to heaven to spend eternity with He and His Father. I’m ready for that awesome day dear friends, and I want each of you, and all of my family and friends to also be ready to join me for that meeting at the foot of the cross! Oh ‘What a Day That will Be’!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Our soul’s condition is of more importance to God than any physical, health, or financial challenge we might have. God sees us and asks ‘Is your heart ready to meet your God?’

PRAYER: Thank You Jesus for all that You willingly did that very first ‘Good Friday’ and the glory of that first ‘Easter’ morning! As we meditate on those events again this weekend, I pray that although we will be touched by the drama of all that You went through, yet we will never lose sight of the fact that You did it all for us. Thank You Lord Jesus! I am eternally grateful Heavenly Father! In much the same way that You were willing to do whatever it took to save Your children from the awful stain of sin and damnation, I pray that each of us will commit to being as concerned about our family and friends. Oh that we would recommit to sharing Your love with them and allowing them to see the meaning of the cross and the possibilities of their eternity with You. There was nothing more important to You Lord Jesus. I pray that we would be very much the same in our concern for others. May You be glorified and lifted up this weekend, for I ask these things in the precious name of the crucified, yet risen Lord Jesus, 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!

One Thing I Ask, And Seek After

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

DATE POSTED Friday, 2022-04-15
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Psalm 27:4
TRANSLATION: Amplified Bible (AMP)

BIBLE TEXT: 4 One thing I have asked of the Lord, and that I will seek:
That I may dwell in the house of the Lord [in His presence] all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty [the delightful loveliness and majestic grandeur] of the Lord and to meditate in His temple.

APPLICATION: Many things that we pray for each day, that may change the circumstances of the day, should God decide to bless us with it. For example, heaviest on your heart might be the well being of a family member, or friend, about to have surgery. Joy overflows when you follow up with a family member and you hear that they are now recuperating at home! But what about your own personal relationship with the Lord, what might be that one thing that can only be attended to supernaturally, and may improve your walk with the King of all kings? What might that one thing that you are desperately praying to God for, and that you are willing to diligently seek after? By way of suggestion, you may want to consider the one thing that you feel stands in the way of your total surrender to the Lord; or it might be that one person that you become so agitated with, as that volatile relationship could stand between you and your perfect God; it might be a habit that you feel convicted about, but have found it impossible to give up – perhaps this one bad habit is standing in the way of a friend or family member truly seeing who it is that you serve. Friends, let’s be totally open to the fact that our God knows all things, so there is nothing that you might ask Him about that He is not already aware of. So the onus is on us in wanting to have a right relationship with God that is free from constraints. Seek Him while He may be found and surrender your life completely to Him – for His full and complete control. To make yourself moldable by God, He needs your full surrender. So may I encourage you today to ‘let go and let God’ have His way in your life my friend? Imagine what He could do through you when your life is totally surrendered to Him!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Oh to be in God’s presence – here on earth through our worship and adoration, and in heaven when He calls us home! ‘Oh that will be glory, be glory for me’ as the words of an old hymn goes!

PRAYER: Father in heaven, You formed us and created us, yet we try to hold back on portions of our lives that should totally belong to You. Please forgive us for our selfishness, and our self-consuming desire to have our own way. Lord, we acknowledge that we are powerless without You, so we humbly ask that You melt our hardened hearts; renew a right spirit within us; make us more like You in every way; and then use us in ways that only You can – for Your purposes alone. 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!

God Gives The Power to Rule

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

DATE POSTED Wednesday, 2022-04-13
WRITTEN AT: Astatula, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Romans 13:1-4
TRANSLATION: New Century Version (NCV)

BIBLE TEXT: 1 All of you must yield to the government rulers. No one rules unless God has given him the power to rule, and no one rules now without that power from God. 2 So those who are against the government are really against what God has commanded. And they will bring punishment on themselves. 3 Those who do right do not have to fear the rulers; only those who do wrong fear them. Do you want to be unafraid of the rulers? Then do what is right, and they will praise you. 4 The ruler is God’s servant to help you. But if you do wrong, then be afraid. He has the power to punish; he is God’s servant to punish those who do wrong.

APPLICATION: In our everyday circle of life, we can hardly place much faith in someone’s opinion about our government leaders, or leaders of another country, because they have their opinions and I’m sure they will stick to them. I have no intention of turning my blog into a political forum, but today I want us to see what God’s Word has to say, and I will try to lead you into how we might understand and obey God’s commands, leadership and will for us, even through our government leaders. I believe you might find this little story amusing, but this particular Scripture came up for study one Sunday when I was teaching Sunday School, and it just happened that it was the day after our presidential elections here in the US. A new president was elected who was not favored by most of the class members! At the very least I can tell you that we had a very interesting Sunday School lesson that day!! It seems like we really struggle with overcoming our own preferences, like and dislikes, even if presented with Scripture such as this! So today, I feel like we should stop and think carefully about who it is that we seek to serve while here on earth. We know that our gracious God loves us; He cares for us; He protects us; He hears our cry for help; He heals our diseases and He is there for us when we seek His all-knowing guidance. But what about when He opens our eyes to the truth of His Word? Doesn’t it seem like we need a convincing touch, or an explanation, to help us do something with the truth that we learn about God, and from Him? In the case of our government leaders, we can easily see the corruption, although we receive information about that through our newscasters and other politicians, who are probably involved in more corruption than the accused! But yet it is challenging for us to take God at His word that He is directing ‘the ship’ that the accused leader is captain of! Why is that? It seems like we get more satisfaction from our own opinions, even though they are tainted by the world and its leader. We can say with our mouth that ‘God is good’; ’His mercies are new every morning’; ‘He restoreth my soul’; ‘His love endures all earthly trials and temptations’; ‘He has a place prepared for me’; BUT I know I am right about that government leader, and I cannot be convinced that God is involved in anything that he does, says or enacts? Under his leadership our country is headed for doom and gloom! In other words, God falls short when it comes to His promises about guiding and using earthly government leaders? So who needs the most help from God for mistrust; lack of faith; disobedience; and belief in God, especially when He does things and directs our leaders in paths that don’t meet with our agenda or personal feelings? Dear friends, after many years of meeting with God on a daily basis, I can assuredly tell you that our ways and thoughts are not God’s ways and thoughts. In no way does God need to convince us about His truth, but I am convinced that we need Him every day to soften our hearts, and increase our faith and obedience to believe in Him; trust Him; and obediently follow His commands and His guidance, so that we might become the people of God in a world who badly need visible proof that He exists and is still alive in and through His people. Government leaders are temporarily in power, and they battle many forces that impact their decisions. Instead of becoming totally engrossed in them and their attributes, let’s learn to trust God and believe in HIM, because His Word IS true, and His intent is for all to accept His Son as Savior and Lord, so that one day soon we will all rejoice around his throne in heaven for all eternity. I believe our tasks is to pray for our leaders as God does His thing in guiding them, for our good! God can do that without our help, so let’s stick to our personal assignments!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: God is on His throne and very much in control of everything we encounter in this life. May we learn to accept that each and every day, so that we don’t place our faith in mankind, especially our politicians.

PRAYER: Dearest Lord Jesus, thank You for Your amazing grace and for salvation that became possible through the blood You shed on Calvary. Please help Your children to believe fully in You, and not just those parts of Your Word that sound possible, or aligned with our likes and wants. In Your Word today You have convinced us that You have a purpose even in our government leaders, and way too often we tend to think that could never happen with such an unlikely bunch. Some may look on us in the same way, how could a holy and righteous God accept such sinners as us? Why would He love any of us, after the sin and disobedience that filled our lives before Christ. You loved us anyways, and today we are reminded that You have used, and will use, even our politicians – ones that we think are so corrupt, disobedient, greedy and undeserving of love by a righteous God. Praise God these leaders are answerable to You, and not to those of us who consider ourselves ‘better than the rest’. I am convinced that You will return soon to take away Your beloved children. While we still remain here for the time being, please melt our hearts and convince our minds to humble ourselves before You and to love others unconditionally, just like You demonstrated for us. 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!