Tag: Provider

God Will Provide

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

DATE WRITTEN: Tuesday, 2021-01-26
WRITTEN AT: Paul B Johnson State Park, Hattiesburg, MS

BIBLE REFERENCE: Genesis 22:7-8; 14
TRANSLATION: Contemporary English Version (CEV)

BIBLE TEXT: 7-8 Isaac said, “Father, we have the coals and the wood, but where is the lamb for the sacrifice?”
“My son,” Abraham answered, “God will provide the lamb.”
The two of them walked on…
14 Abraham named that place “The Lord Will Provide.” And even now people say, “On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided.”[a]

OBSERVATION: Abraham had his faith tested in many ways, but at the very beginning of chapter 22, we are told that God put Abraham to the ultimate test. As we meditate on the Word of God today, let us place ourselves into the shoes of Abraham And his son, Isaac. What if God wanted to prove how faithful we are to His promises and His powerful hand? How would we respond to our orders to sacrifice our only child? Are we convinced, without a shadow of doubt, that God will provide?

APPLICATION: In the days of Abraham, it was commonplace to sacrifice animals at the altar of God. Abraham was used to that, and so was Isaac already aware of the requirements and practice of sacrifice. But, neither of these men were accustomed to human sacrifice, and I am amazed at how little God was questioned by either of these men for such a command from God. I want you to think with me about a time in your life where you felt like God may have tested you. Granted, it probably won’t be to the extent of what He asked Abraham to do, but none-the-less you felt like it was a test of your faith and you were committing to honor God without knowing how you would possibly accomplish such a feat. Pretty tough just thinking about the impact of such an event in your life, right? Well, let’s try and place ourselves in Isaac’s shoes. Dad calls him to go to the altar of God, and as always, you quickly prepare to make that journey without question. But something seems strange about this particular journey. You help to carry the wood to burn, and you notice that your dad is carrying the hot coals to start the fire, but you keep looking around wondering where your dad will collect the animal from for the sacrifice. Friends, there is no mention of Abraham questioning God, and no mention of an objection of any kind, but instead he walked towards the altar, set up the fire and was ready for the sacrifice ordered by God. However, in verse 8, notice that Abraham told his son not to worry, for God would provide the sacrifice. Isn’t it awesome when we know our God so intimately that we know deep in our heart that God would not take us anywhere that He would not see us through? Abraham knew that He served a God of love who would love him and care for his needs through every circumstance of life, including the frightening thought of sacrificing his only child. Then we might also consider the faith of Isaac. He was told get up on the altar, and I believe that he did this with grumbling or whining about why it had to be him. I believe that most young men may have fired a blow or two at their dad, being convinced that he must have lost his sense of reasoning. But instead, Isaac went along with God’s plan just like a lamb being prepped for slaughter. I believe that Abraham convinced Isaac that they served a great big God who promised never to leave them nor forsake them, and if He ordered a sacrifice so precious, He must have a bigger plan ahead that any of them could have imagined. I know that most of you reading this devotional will say confidently that you know that God is holy, and that He has all power to see you through every circumstance of life, but I wonder where the line is drawn. Are you willing to do anything that God asks of you? Perhaps if we did a better job of obeying God’s commands while here on earth, we might be better equipped to respond in great faith if given the ultimate test by Almighty God. Let’s learn to trust in God with all of our might, with every fiber of our being, knowing that He cares for us, and that if He takes us to it, He will see us thru it.

PRAYER: I’m afraid that You could easily say to many of Your children today, just like You said to Your disciples ‘oh ye of little faith’, for we say we believe, but often our faith is very thin, and perhaps almost nonexistent at times. Please humble us to look full into Your wonderful face and be reminded of who You are. You created everything around us, so why can’t we believe that You can direct us through difficult waters, and still be there to help us cross over Jordan in perfect wholeness. I’m afraid that we look too much at our own weakness and insecurities, and just can’t imagine a God who is so much more. We need You precious Lord. Please bless us richly so that we may be a blessing to others. We know that you will provide. Please help us in our unbelief. AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: There are two more pages on my blog at https://NuggetsFromGodsWord.org that will provide you with additional information, one of them being ‘To Know Jesus’. If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading or listening to this devotional, please go to the above page, or speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. Please allow someone to pray with you and give you help and/or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to Nuggets From God’s Word and see all of my posts, or you may freely subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. I would encourage you to find a church home near by your home, and attend as frequently as you could. Get to know God, and allow His people to encourage and strengthen you in your Christian walk, while making every effort to be a blessing to them. God is at work among His people! Please consider growing in your faith, as you worship with fellow believers!

Give The Lord A Chance

On By Ed AlgreenIn Appreciation, Love, Submission, SurrenderLeave a comment

Post Date:

 Thursday, 2017-05-18
SCRIPTURE

From:

 Psalm 34:8-10 (ERV)

Text:

 8 Give the Lord a chance to show you how good he is.
    Great blessings belong to those who depend on him!
9 The Lord’s holy people should fear and respect him.
    Those who respect him will always have what they need.
10 Even strong lions get weak and hungry,
    but those who go to the Lord for help will have every good thing.
OBSERVATION:
Speaking from firsthand experience, David is challenging his readers to just give God a chance, then we will see how awesome He truly is, and how trustworthy He is. For those of us who have already placed our faith and trust in Jesus, we are to respect and honor Him, knowing that all good and worthwhile things come from the Father above.
APPLICATION:
I find it amazing how faithful, appreciative and praiseworthy we become to those who help us in one way or the other when we are in need. Yet when we put our feet on the floor each morning and actually have feet to stand on, air to breathe and the warmth and comfort of a home, we tend to take that for granted – as if all that is due to us. But that’s only ‘good’ for those of us that could ignore the news reports of folk starving, homeless, and many without vital limbs to give them mobility. Friends, the Word of God says that we could expect rich blessings if we love Him, respect Him, honor Him and call on Him in every aspect of life. As for that very last item, we must do a better job of allowing God to steer us throughout our day, for I believe that as we do that, we will become less desperate when the repercussions of the crazy, sinful choices that we make on our own. I am fascinated by the fact that we have a Savior who willingly gave His life so that we might have eternal life with He and His Father. A Savior who made the ultimate sacrifice to show His love for us. How could I but love Him? How could I but serve Him? How could I but thank Him, my Savior and my Lord! I know Him, call Him Lord and rest all my cares in His loving, but strong and powerful hands. Do you, friend?
PRAYER:
Lord, thank You for this reminder from the Psalmist. You created us, created everything around us to enjoy, and then also offered Your precious Son as a sacrifice so that we might live eternally with You. More love than we could even imagine or comprehend. Oh that we might learn to accept that love, that sacrifice and that gift offered to undeserving sinners in need of a Savior. Lord, please speak to the hearts of those who will meditate on this devotional, just as You have already done to me. Please continue to draw us close to You. 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 could 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 to 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, located at 3750 Hammock Rd, Sebring, FL 33872! Click the link to check out service times and/or other special activities. God is at work among us! Please consider coming to worship with us!

Pray – In Faith – and Receive

On By Ed AlgreenIn Evidence of Faith, Faith, Genuine Faith, Power of Prayer, PrayerLeave a comment

Post Date:

 Tuesday, 2017-03-07
SCRIPTURE

From:

 Matthew 21:20-22 (NLT)

Text:

 20 The disciples were amazed when they saw this and asked, “How did the fig tree wither so quickly?”

21 Then Jesus told them, “I tell you the truth, if you have faith and don’t doubt, you can do things like this and much more. You can even say to this mountain, ‘May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and it will happen. 22 You can pray for anything, and if you have faith, you will receive it.”
OBSERVATION:
Jesus had a point to prove to his followers, because He knew there was still doubt in their minds of what all they could accomplish through the power of the Holy Spirit. So He merely spoke to a barren fig tree and it instantly withered up. Of course, the disciples reacted just as Jesus knew they would, and this provided a teaching moment for Jesus. Verse 22 should be posted in all prayer rooms today! 
APPLICATION:
For all believers reading this today, I believe that we can reflect back on our life-journey and see the path God set that led us towards accepting Him as our Master and Lord. For me, it was: placing the right lady in my life; one who was attending an evangelistic, Bible-teaching church that believed in altar calls; driving me towards attending her church vs the one that I was attending; placing a godly man in the service the night that I felt God tugging at my heart but wouldn’t let go of the seat to go to the altar, so God’s messenger came over, touched me on the shoulder and helped me make that walk that totally changed my life for ever. For the disciples, in our story today, who needed to learn about faith, Jesus also found the perfect time to demonstrate His power, and teach them about the miracles that could be wrought by even them, if they had faith. Friends, this story was placed in the Word of God to show us that, as believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, we too have access to the throne of God to ‘ask for anything, in faith, and receive it’. Sounds impossible? Good, because the Bible said that these miracles will not be of our own power, but if we ask Jesus for it, and believe in faith that He can, and He will do it, then our prayer will be answered. So if we are asking this of Jesus, please realize that the things you ask will have to be things that He would approve of, and that fits into His perfect will. Jesus even gave an example of what could be possible through this kind of faith. So may I challenge you today to consider whether anything that you would ask in prayer today is greater than the ability to move a mountain into the sea? Probably not, right? Yet Jesus said that could be done, if we exercise our faith in Him! Wow!
PRAYER:
Father, there are things that many of Your children are praying for right now that seem very impossible to us. Please draw us closer to You so that our faith might increase, and so that we would think outside of our small box of finite possibilities. We need You Heavenly Father to be in charge of our personal lives, so we fully surrender to You today. Please use us as Your instruments through which You can reach the souls of mankind. May we never be ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and may we see nothing but Jesus rather than the mountains of impossibilities that often block our view of You. Thank You Lord for reminding us of Your awesome power that can be extended from You to others we cross paths with, in the form of miracles 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 could 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 to 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, located at 3750 Hammock Rd, Sebring, FL 33872! Click the link to check out service times and/or other special activities. God is at work among us! Please consider coming to worship with us!

Lord, Lead Me

On By Ed AlgreenIn Guide me, Lead me, Mold meLeave a comment

THE HOLY BIBLE – Psalm 5:7-8 – Amplified Bible (AMP): 7 But as for me, I will enter Your house through the abundance of Your steadfast love and tender mercy; At Your holy temple I will bow [obediently] in reverence for You. 8 O Lord, lead me in Your righteousness because of my enemies; Make Your way straight (direct, right) before me.

THOUGHTS: I believe that there comes a time in each of our lives that we wake up one day and question ourselves as to why did we do, or say certain things the day before. For some, this may mean that you are now thinking with a sober mind about the occurrences while you were under the influence. For some, this may mean that because you were under the influence of the Holy Spirit, you remember words coming from your mouth over which you may recall not personally having any control or influence at all. I feel like David (the Psalmist) is reminding us here that it is only because of the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ that we could ever be worthy enough to enter into His presence and reverently seek His face. Let’s take a moment and consider the righteousness of Jesus Christ – He’s the One who was divinely sent by His Father through the miraculous virgin birth; He’s the One who mentioned over and over again in scripture that His words and His actions were those dictated by His Father (God); He’s the One through whom God chose to heal, and even raise the dead to life again; He’s the One who sacrificed His life on Calvary for our eternal salvation, but whom God brought back to life again on the third day. This, friends, is the Holy Son of God that we bow before in prayer. Who are we, to stand before such a holy, loving, miraculous God? Yet, as David discovered and recognized in verse 7, through the abundance of His steadfast love and tender mercy, He entertains our presence and listens to our prayers. Are you feeling humbled yet friend? I certainly am! So let us not come before our Lord and Savior flippantly, or irreverently, or with any pretense of authority over Him, but let us enter His presence humbly, reverently and with utmost respect for the God who He truly is, and the littleness and meekness of the creatures that we are. It is only in this humble attitude that we can ask God to lead us into the path of His righteousness, to give up our earthly desire to be like the best human we could think of, and to follow in His footsteps, obey His commands, and to walk a path and lifestyle that imitates Him in every way. I sincerely believe that it is only then that our friends will discern that there is a God and that He is alive, because they see evidence of that in our lives. Friends, when we put all the earthly stuff aside, we can more clearly see the path that Christ has exampled before us, and the greater our desire will be to follow that path as our Savior leads us to, God being our helper.

PRAYER: Oh God, You are our God, our Designer, our Provider, and You have not only placed this world into existence, but allowed us to live here, knowing that our very life depends on You and the guidance of Your Son. Lord, it is very apparent that if we are to ever expect to live with You in glory, then we need to be obedient to You here on this earth and follow Your path designed for our holiness and our witness to others. Thank You for your patience with us. Please continue to mold us to be more like You in every way, so that Your work may be accomplished through us, and that our lives might be better attuned to You even while still here on this earth. Lord, lead me so that I might imitate You today, and that I might be one step closer to the path You have prepared for me to follow. May others see Jesus in me and through the words that I speak today, and may this be evident in all those who meditate on this devotional today, for this my humble and sincere prayer that I ask in the precious name of Jesus, 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 www.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!