Tag: Proud

In The Last Days

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

DATE POSTED: Wednesday, July 26, 2023, and I was blessed to be at Orlando, 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 2 Timothy 3:1-2; 5;

THE BIBLE TEXT IS: ….. in the last days there will be very difficult times. For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred.
They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that!

MY INITIAL THOUGHTS: Much like Paul issued a warning to his ‘son’ in the ministry, Timothy, I was reminded of the warnings given to us when a natural disaster, such as a hurricane, is approaching. Many heed the warnings, but some decide that they know better than the authorities and stay put. God felt like Paul’s warning was important to help His children after Timothy to also be on guard, and ready for the return of Christ. Since that includes all my readers, listeners and myself, I believe that it is important that we remind ourselves of this warning once again today.

APPLICATION OF THE WORD: Throughout our lifetime there are numerous warnings that come our way, and most of them come with repercussions if we choose to disregard the warning. But the warnings from God seem to go unheeded, or so it seems, by many in our world today. Our Scripture refers to ‘the last days’ so we should know what that means. Paul is writing to Timothy who is ministering to many of the churches that Paul started, and Paul wants Timothy to know that in the days just before the return of Christ, this is what he could expect. Since Timothy was setting out to minister to the church, this means that he could expect church people to be acting this way. Now, after you close your jaw from the shock of what I just said, I believe that this may cause you to consider the church today, and whether the behaviors indicated by Paul in all the first 5 verses of this chapter continues. Unfortunately, the answer to that last thought is ‘yes, this behavior is still prevalent’. So, why do you suppose that Paul’s warnings, that were inspired by God Himself, are still disrupting life in the church, destroying the witness of ‘Christians’ to an unsaved world, and causing closed doors for those who honestly want to share the love of Christ? Paul helps us with that dilemma in verses 2 thru 4:, and I will quote that from the Amplified Version, since it goes a little deeper “They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God.” Of course this is in addition to the clues given in the verses included above. Although I trust that everyone reading or listening, constantly seek the face of Jesus asking for deliverance from these worldly attitudes and sinful actions, I believe that there are many still bound by Satan that walk through our church doors, and/or challenge us each day in areas of our life that we find most challenging to surrender or align with the perfect will of God. But friends, be on guard and constantly aware that, unfortunately, Satan is alive and well in our world, and the Bible reminds us that he is roaming about seeking whom he may capture and devour. But I pray that for the child of God, that you will daily remind yourself that greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world. There is no temptation greater than that which God can help you overcome. We are more than victors when we stand bold in the victory of Jesus Christ! Paul was afraid of Timothy walking into a den of thieves and lions. We still do that each day, but all the more reason why we need not go single handed, but instead go with Jesus by our side and His guardian angel going before us. Unless we do this, our human strength is usually unwilling and unable to overcome the evil one. If you have invited Jesus to be Lord of your life, let me encourage you to approach His throne each morning and ask Him to be Lord throughout that day – your stronghold; your deliverer; your Lord of all lords and King of all kings. Yours is the victory when you stand under the Lordship of Jesus our Lord! To the unsaved, please invite Jesus into your heart and allow Him to be Lord. You will not be able to deal with Him, if you have no relation with Him. He is a God of relationship, not of convenience or a Santa Claus to your every wish or whim.

BLESSINGS WORTH NOTING: Ours is the victory for those who place their faith and trust in the holy Son of God, Jesus Christ!

PRAYER BECAUSE OF THE IMPACT OF TODAY’S SCRIPTURE: Lord Jesus, thank You for the cross, and for the assurance of salvation given to those who surrender their lives to You as Lord and Savior. Each and every day we walk into a world that is much like Timothy found himself in ministry. I can only imagine how Your heart aches for us, much like Paul, especially if we enter our day on our own and with no concern for allowing You to be our guide and our stay. Lord, for those who try to do life without You, may they be reminded of reasons to do otherwise through this devotional today. For those who claim You as Lord, may each one be reminded of seeking Your guidance, protection and comfort each day while seeking Your strength to witness to and encourage at least one lost soul that day. Please Lord, may we be conscious of whose we are and may we always represent You perfectly each day so that You may continue to touch souls much like You did with me. Be glorified through us today oh Lord, our Rock and our Redeemer, 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 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!

How to Shoo the Devil Away

On By Ed AlgreenIn Humble, SurrenderLeave a comment

THE HOLY BIBLE (Contemporary English Version – James 4:4-7): 4 You people aren’t faithful to God! Don’t you know that if you love the world, you are God’s enemies? And if you decide to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God. 5 Do you doubt the Scriptures that say, “God truly cares about the Spirit he has put in us”? 6 In fact, God treats us with even greater kindness, just as the Scriptures say, “God opposes everyone who is proud, but he is kind to everyone who is humble.” 7 Surrender to God! Resist the devil, and he will run from you.

 THOUGHTS: Isn’t it interesting how we get so fed up with Satan, but yet we are unwilling to change anything about our own character and/or life to change that? I was drawn to these verses, especially after just reading Ezekiel 20 – which I would encourage you to read if you are touched in any way by this passage in James. For God gave the Israelites rules and instructions on how to please Him and live together in peace and harmony. After the parents failed, God attempted to help the children become different in their endeavors, but they also failed, and faced destruction. Here in James, God saw where the problem was continuing and He once again gave instructions on how children of God can draw closer to Him and resist the devil. Friends, I would dare say that even in our day, after all that has gone on before us, we still are faced with selfish motives and greed, to the extent that old Satan is attacking us from every side. Unfortunately this appeal especially pertains to Christians, because Satan fears that we may be too involved with Jesus Christ. In this scripture, James is warning us that our relationship with God is weakened when: a). We are unfaithful to God; b). We love the world; c). We are God’s enemies, because He will not reside where sin abounds; d). We doubt the scripture too often and try to handle obedience to it under our own terms; and e). We are proud – assuming that there is something personally that accounts for all we have accomplished or are enjoying. Friends, the return of Jesus is near, and the Bible is clear that we will either face a welcoming smile from our Savior, or we will be turned over to Satan, because of our disobedience and lack of regard for the Savior who died to bring us life everlasting. Are you successful in shooing Satan away? Are you prepared to totally surrender your life to Jesus Christ and allow Him to save you from your sin, and guide you into life everlasting in His presence? If it’s to be, it’s up to you! Please read the help in my ‘Footnote’ on how to make a change in your life. The benefits are ‘out of this world’!

 PRAYER: Thanks for being so patient with us dear God. I can’t imagine how our lack of appreciation, and lack of desire to please You, must hurt You, especially considering all that You have done for us and our ancestors. Thank You for Your forgiveness, Your undying love and Your amazing grace. Thank You for loving us in spite of our failures. I pray that You will especially ignite a renewed fire within the lives of my readers and myself, so that we may totally surrender ourselves to You and subsequently reap the rewards of being a child of the King. Oh how I look forward to one day being in Your holy presence and worshiping before You in person! Please impact the lives of my readers and I today, is my humble and sincere prayer that I ask in the name of Jesus, the Christ, AMEN!

 

FOOTNOTE: If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please speak with a local Bible Teaching pastor, or read through Biblical truths on How To Know Jesus, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com so that we can pray with you and give you help and or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Any words underlined above will 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 blogger.nuggetsfromgodsword.org and read more, or you may freely subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. If you are anywhere near the Highlands County, Florida area and do not have a church home, I would be thrilled to welcome you at Bible Fellowship Church, Sebring, FL! Click the link to check out service times and/or other special activities. God is at work among us! Please consider coming to worship with us!