Tag: riches

Enjoying Life: Insights from Ecclesiastes

On By Ed AlgreenIn Accept Jesus NOW, Acknowledge God, All have sinned, Awesome God, God Cares For Us, God’s WordLeave a comment

DATE POSTED
Friday, February 21, 2025, and I was blessed to be at Mariposa at Hunter Road, San Marcos, TX when God inspired me to prepare this devotional. My Footnote will tell you how to find and read any and all episodes that I have shared over the years.

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
Read it in your Bible or click Ecclesiastes 5 to read it in the New Living Translation (NLT).

APPLICATION – as inspired by the Holy Spirit
Praise God that His Word is completely true and can be trusted for direction, encouragement and most of all blessings. Without meditating on the Word daily, we go about our day like a man, or woman, without daily nourishment/food. I say all that to particularly draw your attention to today’s Scripture that captured my full attention. In just the 20 short verses of Ecclesiastes chapter 5, there are several areas of life that are addressed, and if adhered to, will give us peace and direction for our lives. Please click on the above reference so you can read the whole chapter, but here are the things that caught my attention:
–> Things we should gain from going to church (vs 1-2) – As we enter, let us always remember who owns the church/temple in which we enter. If we knew that the President of the United States, or the King of England, or any other national leader was there, we would make special preparation to insure we are dressed our very best, we would be on our best behavior, displaying our best manners, and we would listen way more than we speak. Although no where as important as God, we would give the authoritative figure our full attention, and would never question them, but probably vow to obey what they told us. If you agree with this, then perhaps you might get a better picture of what Solomon is telling us to do as it concerns the God of this universe when we enter His house.
–> Follow through on the promises you make to God (vs 4-6) – We are told that God considers a man/woman who makes vain and/or unkept promises, a fool. While you may punch me for calling you a ‘fool’, I hope that you would ask God to help you always stay true to your promises. I had a pastor who promised God in the middle of battle, that if He would save him, he would serve Him the rest of his life. This Brother recently retired from a lifetime of blessed and successful ministry! May we all keep our promises made to God as we seek His favor.
–> Our financial success – Riches (Vs 4-11) – Many of us might believe that riches bring us happiness. Solomon assures us that this is meaningless, as we constantly battle for more riches. Furthermore, when our mother presents us to the world for the very first time, we are penniless, no matter how rich our parents were. When our loved ones present us to God by laying us in our earthly grave, again we are penniless. Why again are we so concerned about riches??
–> How we should enjoy life (Vs 18-20) – We all enjoy a good meal, and most of us also enjoy being around family and friends. Solomon brings to our attention that for most of us, we are so busy with all of the above, that we can’t find time to spend with family, or around the table, without electronic devices, where we might enjoy quality time together.
Friends, I believe that two things become very clear in this short chapter of the Bible. Make every effort to spend your life/time with God and your family – the ones who make life possible for you, and who are deeply concerned about your happiness, joy and eternal destiny. While the rest of life may seem important, they are meaningless without God and family. As you’ve read this devotional, I pray that you have also completed a thorough analysis of your life against the instructions in God’s Word. Is there a proper balance, and do you exemplify a value pleasing to God in each of these areas of your life? God can help you be honest in your evaluation and with the realignment, if you let Him!

PRAYER
Thank You Lord for challenging me in my walk with You. It is so easy to compare ourselves to the world and assume that we must be doing fine. But You are our perfect God, and You not only set the bar for us, but You sent Your Son to show us how we could live more like You. As followers of Christ, please help us to be transparent in our thoughts, actions and words, so that others will experience the love, teachings, behavior and obedience of Your followers and they will desire a relationship with You, the One who gives us the strength, direction and desire. Be glorified in and through us, oh Lord. AMEN!

FOOTNOTE
If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please take advantage of the information provided on my page ‘To Know Jesus’. Alternatively, consider speaking with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. One of God’s servants will pray with you and offer help and encouragement as you begin or continue your walk with Jesus. If you would like to read more of my devotionals or subscribe to receive a daily email containing each new devotional, please visit NuggetsFromGodsWord.org. Friends, I encourage you to find a church home near your residence and attend as frequently as possible. Get to know God and allow His people to encourage and strengthen you in your Christian walk while you make every effort to be a blessing to them. God is at work among His people! Please consider being a part of that while also growing in your faith as you worship with fellow believers!

Guard Your Heart From Greed and Covetousness

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

DATE POSTED Tuesday, 2021-08-31
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Luke 12:13-15
TRANSLATION: The Passion Translation (TPT)

BIBLE TEXT: 13 Just then someone spoke up from the crowd and said, “Master, you should compel my older brother to divide the family inheritance and give me my fair share!”
14 Jesus answered, “My friend, who made me a judge or arbitrator over you?”
15 Speaking to the people, Jesus continued, “Be alert and guard your heart from greed and from always wishing for what you don’t have. For your life can never be measured by the amount of things you possess.”

APPLICATION: The reading of wills, and the content of a will dictated by a father, has probably caused more family divisions than anything else in the world! For a dad writing his will, he probably looks for a way to right the wrongs committed towards he and his wife, or the bitterness, meanness and hatred that may have developed between siblings. In our story, Jesus was teaching a crowd, but a young man in the crowd had a personal vendetta that he wanted Jesus to resolve for him, and he wanted the crowd to hear exactly how Jesus intended to resolve the issue. We have seen over time how Jesus found it very helpful to use parables/examples to help others better identify with His message or response. Jesus again uses an example that the people could identify with, in order to help this young man. You see, when you find yourself in a crowd, your questions should be such that the crowd might be helped, and leave personal scenarios for your one-on-one discussions with the leader. So Jesus responded with an example that might help all hearers. Often our greed will result in overfilling our barns, before we would agree for a neighbor to have some of the excess to just feed his cattle. The excess will often cause spoilage for us, but actually meet a very critical need for our neighbor. Jesus teaches in this parable today that greed and covetousness will do us no good, as it has no impact on our time left on earth to enjoy the excess. However, when we allow a neighbor to win the battle in order to feed his family and/or animals, we are actually showing love towards him, and we show understanding of his circumstances, without first overfilling our own barn. Friends, we witness many who fill their barns to overflowing, then comes the time for them to leave this world. The excessively filled barns are then left for selfish kids to fight over and continue the vicious selfish cycle. When the deceased stands before Jesus, He totally ignores all that the person has amassed and He looks simply at the heart and goodwill of the man. Did He know Jesus as Lord of his life, and was He obedient to the commands of Jesus? That’s what matters dear one. If you know Jesus and obey His commands, you still may die a rich man, but in following the commands of Jesus, you would ensure that no one around you is in need. May we draw close to God so that He may work miraculously in us, for His ultimate glory!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: When committed to Jesus, we will be led by the Holy Spirit to live like He intends. He will be glorified when His children are drawn to Him!

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, please have Your will and way in our lives. May Your children be such imitators of all that you demonstrated to us and all that You teach us each day, that the unsaved will experience Jesus and be drawn to Him. There is nothing in this world that could meet the basic need for Jesus that our soul yearns for. Oh Lord Jesus, please help us to stay focused on the miraculous works of the Holy Spirit in every aspect of our life. May Jesus be glorified today because of our submission to His will, and through our obedience to Him as we experience life with others. 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!

Only God Can

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

DATE WRITTEN: Tuesday, 2021-03-09
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: Matthew 19:23-26
TRANSLATION: New Living Translation (NLT)

BIBLE TEXT: 23 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “I tell you the truth, it is very hard for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. 24 I’ll say it again—it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!”
25 The disciples were astounded. “Then who in the world can be saved?” they asked.
26 Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible.”

OBSERVATION: Since Jesus made it clear that the rich can’t save themselves from the pit of hell, we may ponder ‘then what about those who do good? Or those who work endlessly around the church? Or those who habitually attend church every Sunday?’ I believe that as we meditate on the Word of God today, we may be tempted to ask like Peter did: ‘then who in the world can be saved?’.

APPLICATION: I had a good friend who argued that he had no doubt his dad would go to heaven, because he had impeccable character and was overly kind to everyone. Sounds logical, especially if you were in charge of who gets into heaven, right? As suggested in my ‘Observation’, there are other cases where mankind might assume that a dear friend is going to heaven. But in today’s Scripture, our eyes are opened to the fact that since this is God’s kingdom that we are talking about, then we must look to His Word for the answers on who will make it in. The disciples themselves were amazed that Jesus would refuse to allow an influential man who had lots of money into heaven. But the Scriptures are filled with wisdom on every subject that we could think of, especially on the subject of heaven. There is only one way dear friends. God sent His Son in a miraculous way as a baby, and His designed purpose was to minister while on earth, then die a cruel death just like a criminal. His death on the cross gave way to His resurrection three days later, so that Jesus could return to heaven to be with the Father. The death of our Lord was designed to be a sacrifice for the sins of all who place their faith and trust in Jesus Christ. This act of salvation became the one and only way that mankind could be forgiven of their earthly sin and made clean to face the Father when we stand before Him. You see, our money has nothing to do with the act of salvation. No amount of goodness will take the place of seeking salvation in Jesus Christ. And no matter how often we attend church, without surrendering lordship of your life to Jesus Christ, you will not see the glories of heaven. Jesus showed us in today’s Scripture that the rich find it virtually impossible to say ‘no’ to their riches and ‘yes’ to Jesus. I pray that as you meditate on this today, you will allow God to examine your heart to ensure that money, fame, good works or nothing else stands in the way of your surrender to Jesus as your Lord and Savior.

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, thank You for the sacrifice You paid for my sin, and the sin of those who seek Your Kingship. Please help my readers and I to seek You first in our lives and in all humility surrender any and all other allegiance. Nothing in this world is worth us missing the greatest opportunity ever given to mankind. You are my Lord and my everlasting Savior and I look forward to being with You in glory some sweet day. May all who read this devotional be settled in their hearts to make the same commitment to You for the sake of their eternal destiny. 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!

Salvation, Contentment and Everlasting Life!

On By Ed AlgreenIn Commitment, Love, SurrenderLeave a comment

May I encourage you to get your spiritual ‘Nuggets’ to start your day off right? Pretty amazing that our awesome God would consider feeding even us with His Word! May I encourage you to read the whole devotional, and look for a blessing, friend!………

Today’s Bible Text:
1 Timothy 6:7-10 – 7 We didn’t bring anything into this world, and we won’t take anything with us when we leave. 8 So we should be satisfied just to have food and clothes. 9 People who want to be rich fall into all sorts of temptations and traps. They are caught by foolish and harmful desires that drag them down and destroy them. 10 The love of money causes all kinds of trouble. Some people want money so much that they have given up their faith and caused themselves a lot of pain. (The Contemporary English Version).
Psalm 80:3 – Turn us again to yourself, O God. Make your face shine down upon us. Only then will we be saved. (New Living Translation).

My Take Away: In my New Testament reading today I felt compelled to ponder a while on the verses shared above from 1 Timothy 6. Then I was torn when I got to the Psalms and read the verse above, for the words in vs. 3 were  reemphasized/repeated in verse 7 and again in verse 19 of that Psalm. It then became clear that the Holy Spirit was actually guiding me to the answer to life’s dilemma that becomes man’s greatest frustration when he realizes that riches will not bring all of life’s answers and or happiness. You see, in the new testament verses, Paul was teaching Timothy to make sure that he really emphasized to the people that on the day they were born and on the day they die, their worldly worth is the same – nothing. So why make such a fuss over money during the short span in between the two events. In fact, in verse 10 Paul emphasizes that our love for money becomes so strong during our lifetimes, that it actually affects our walk, our relationships, and our ability to properly represent God. We often reflect on the simplicity of life in the days of our ancestors, and while they also had their own types of issues, we quickly discern that they had more time to fellowship with each other and show God’s love one for another. Friends, the real answer to our dilemma became evident in Psalm 80:3, for we desperately need to seek God’s face, allow His face to shine upon us, save us, and cause us to turn again to Himself. I believe it is only then that our minds will deflect the temptation to covet what our neighbor has, or to feel the need for more money in the bank as our only answer to survival now, and in the future. It’s all about God, friend! He was here from the beginning of our lives, He surrounded us with His love, protection and direction throughout our lives and He is available to lead us to our eternal home with Him, if we accept Him as Lord of our lives. There just is nothing more important than that friends! Look to my ‘Footnote’ for help on how to make this transition in your life, if you haven’t made a decision yet to accept Jesus as your Savior, for He is the answer to all of life’s questions and earthly challenges.

Prayer: Father God, You created this world, brought us into this world, provided for us and loved us beyond anything we could imagine, by sacrificing Your very own Son to die for us so that we might live in hope of one day returning to spend eternity with You in heaven. Please forgive us for the times we have really messed up and gone sideways on Your expectations of us. As the Psalmist penned in Psalm 80:3, please turn us again to Yourself and make your face to shine upon us again, so that we may be saved. Please reach into the hearts of the hardened ones that we know and love today. May they feel Your presence and be drawn to You with sincere and broken hearts. Thank You for loving us beyond anything we could imagine. May we surrender ourselves fully to You and love you with all the capacity that we could muster up, is my humble request today, 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 contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. 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 www.nuggetsfromgodsword.org 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!

2016

One Way – Trust God!

On By Ed AlgreenIn Faith, Surrender, TrustLeave a comment

THE HOLY BIBLE (The Message – Matthew 19:23-26): 23–24 As he watched him go, Jesus told his disciples, “Do you have any idea how difficult it is for the rich to enter God’s kingdom? Let me tell you, it’s easier to gallop a camel through a needle’s eye than for the rich to enter God’s kingdom.” 25 The disciples were staggered. “Then who has any chance at all?” 26 Jesus looked hard at them and said, “No chance at all if you think you can pull it off yourself. Every chance in the world if you trust God to do it.”

THOUGHTS: In this particular story Jesus was confronted with a lot of questions from His disciples. In the immediately preceding example, a rich young man had stepped away sad after asking what he might do, any more than he was already doing, to be saved. Jesus knew the man’s heart and where his hang-ups were, and what was necessary for the young man to truly become as a little child in faith and full commitment to his Lord. In this young man’s case, it was his belongings – his earthly possessions that he was hung up on. I wonder what ours would be today. What is it that keeps us at a distance from Jesus? What is it that, although we may not brag about it, is the one thing that tends to devour our time and our commitment more than our relationship with God? What is it that we seem to think we can’t live without? We read earlier how Jesus told the disciples that unless they gave up mother, or father or siblings. Earlier, Jesus also illustrated that unless we become as a little child. In this story He is telling the disciples that unless this man is willing to give up his riches – his accumulated ‘stuff’. Friends I believe it is evident that Jesus is teaching us to fully surrender our lives to Him. In verse 26 He even explains that this is virtually impossible on our own, and that we need the power of God to guide us into eternal faith and trust in Jesus. It is very evident that money can’t help us to buy our way into heaven; and that relatives – no matter how awesome they are, can open the gates of heaven for us. Jesus is emphasizing once again that there is only One Way into His world, and into the gates of heaven, and that way is through the grace of God and the shed blood of Jesus Christ. It’s a personal, one-on-one relationship thing. Nothing other than our hearts, will substitute or enhance that decision that we must make to secure our passage. Don’t delay making this decision friend, for we are promised only the present moment. Make much of the present by making important decisions now that will make a difference for eternity. Please let me encourage you to read the tips I have included in my ‘Footnote’ to help you in this very important decision, part of which is my offer to personally help you, so feel free to contact me today friend!

PRAYER: Father, You created us, yet gave us the freedom to do our own thing. You gave us choices and consequences. Today You have reminded us that there are grave consequences for decisions we make to live life more aligned with the world than with Your commands and Your will for our lives. You’ve reminded us that there is only One Way to experience the love of God and the heavenly home you’ve prepared for us – just trust in Jesus and His shed blood. Money won’t do it, nor will family or friends or possessions. Lord, I pray that today the eyes of my readers might be opened to the truth of Your Word and the gift of eternal life that is only possible through total surrender of all things, and pure faith in and through Jesus Christ. Please have Your will and way in our lives today oh Lord. For I ask this in the precious and strong 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!

A Warning To Those Who Have Much

On By Ed AlgreenIn Blessings, Generosity, GivingLeave a comment

THE HOLY BIBLE (Good News Translation – 1 Timothy 6:17-19): 17 Command those who are rich in the things of this life not to be proud, but to place their hope, not in such an uncertain thing as riches, but in God, who generously gives us everything for our enjoyment. 18Command them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share with others. 19In this way they will store up for themselves a treasure which will be a solid foundation for the future. And then they will be able to win the life which is true life.

THOUGHTS: Way too often we attribute ‘riches’ to mean those who are rich financially, and yes I agree that this could very easily apply to them. But I believe that deep within the meaning of this we must be careful to never lose sight of everything that God has truly blessed us with! We must also be very careful to not get satisfied in our blessings, because that becomes challenging to appreciate what another person might be going through. For example, one might be crying out for help in dealing with family issues, but if we are content and ‘rich’ in peace in our family, it might be hard to identify with the need. I believe the point that God is relaying to us through Paul is that we must learn to put our faith in the Giver of all good things and not in the riches we feel secure in, for it is God who gives the gifts/riches to us. Let’s remember that everything we are blessed with comes from the generosity of the gracious hand of God. He blesses us with such gifts to enable us to help others. I believe that a kind heart and a generous hand is demanded of all God’s children, for this is what Jesus exampled for us to follow. It is not sinful to be rich, and it is not godly to be poor. Some are blessed with resources that could serve well in the ongoing ministry of the church. Often with these resources comes the temptation to misuse them, for some will demand leadership in the church, or a major say in where the finances must be used. There is nothing biblical about that kind of giving friends, so be careful to always give from a heart of love to the work of Christ in and through His local church – your church. If you have been diligent in electing church officials according to God’s design, then the funds will be properly allocated and used for His glory, not yours. The joy of the giving Christian comes from the treasure they are laying up in heaven through obeying God and investing their gifts – monetarily or plain life-talents here on earth for the glory of God. I believe that the take-away on this scripture today, is that we give of ourselves and our resources generously, just as God generously gave to us at Calvary, and through all that He blesses us with daily here on this earth. The Bible gives us guidelines on the minimum amount we should give financially, but it also teaches us to give from the generosity of which we have been blessed. Is that truly measurable? Just learn to give friend, and then watch the blessings of God that is out-poured on you! You just can’t out-give God!

PRAYER: To the Giver of all life and all good and perfect gifts, Jesus my Lord, thank You for Your generosity in all that You have blessed me with. So undeserving, yet You loved me beyond all measure. I am rich in Your awesome blessings, way beyond anything I deserve. Thank You! I pray that You might open my heart and my mind to the riches that I have yet to share with others. Lord, I want to show Your goodness so that You may be lifted up, and recognized as the loving, tenderhearted and understanding God that You are. Please lead me and guide me to do better at this. My friends who will read this devotional might also be faced with similar challenges, please speak very boldly to them as they meditate on Your Word and cause them to know the path You would have them travel today, and the attitudes necessary to allow others to know that You are God, yet working through mere humans that love and serve You. Father God, may I ask that You continue to pour Your riches on our lives, but also ask that You give us renewed hearts so that we may pass those riches on to others – many of whom need an urgent touch from You today. In appreciation for all You have done, and will continue to do, I bring these petitions before You, in thanksgiving, and through Your precious Son, 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 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!

God is still God!

On By Ed AlgreenIn A Lamp unto My Path, Allegiance to the Lamb, Bible Believing, Born Again, Christian, Eternal Life, Faith, Follow Jesus, God Cares For Us, God our Helper, God our Provider, God Reigns, God’s Word, Heaven, Listen to the Word of God, Righteousness, Things Eternal, Victorious Life, Worry no moreLeave a comment

SCRIPTURE Studied: Genesis 12

OBSERVATION (What is God saying here?)

7 Then the Lord appeared to Abram and said, “I will give this land to your descendants. ” And Abram built an altar there and dedicated it to the Lord, who had appeared to him.8 After that, Abram traveled south and set up camp in the hill country, with Bethel to the west and Ai to the east. There he built another altar and dedicated it to the Lord, and he worshiped the Lord.9 Then Abram continued traveling south by stages toward the Negev. 10 At that time a severe famine struck the land of Canaan, forcing Abram to go down to Egypt, where he lived as a foreigner. Gen 12:7-10 (NLT)

APPLICATION (How Can I apply what God is saying here to my circumstances today?)

At the beginning of this chapter it is so amazing to see God at work in Abram’s life, and also Abram being so obedient to leave his hometown and all the people that he knew, to move to a foreign land far away. In these verses, it is also interesting to note that during Abram’s journey everything was not rosy, no, everything did not go without a hitch and/or challenges. In fact, while passing through Canaan there was a great famine that hit the area. Now in a perfect world, most of us would say that if this was a journey destined by God, led and directed by Him, then why would there be obstacles. Friends this is the same way it is today. Just because we surrender our hearts to the Lord, we are not exempted from all the trials and tribulations of this world – at least as long as we live in this world! Often challenges will come our way – the question, or challenge for us is to determine is, which way will we go? A life totally surrendered to God will always do like Abram did, we will wait for further instructions, while during the interim challenge, looking to God for direction and depending on Him for strength to overcome. I believe that often our faith is determined by how we handle trials, not just on how well we do during the times of blessings and riches. God is still God during the highs, and during the lows of our lives. We must insure that our faith holds strong daily, because we don’t know what may be in store for us each day. Let’s think in terms of a partnership, we don’t jump ship on our partner on a day when things are rough, nor do we when our partnership celebrates its highs. A true partnership stays in tact during both good and bad times. So should our relationship with God. What are you facing today? Trust only in God and never lean on your own understanding, for only He knows what lies ahead for us. I love the words of that gospel song “God of the Mountain”, listen to it and be blessed as you reflect on the words of this Bible passage.

PRAYER (With God’s help, what am I going to do differently today because He said it?)

Like in the case of Abram, You bless me beyond measure each day oh God, and this morning I want to say thank You with all of my heart. Please forgive me when I worry about the challenges I see in life from the small perspective of my personal abilities. Please help me to stay so focused on You that I will always look through Your eyes and therefore face life’s challenges with the benefit of Your unlimited power and Your everlasting love for me. I believe that as I place my faith totally in You, I will always receive Your protection and You will bring me through life’s challenges in ways that will bring You glory. I know that this may not always come in the way that I may personally desire, but Lord I pray that You will help me to hide behind the cross and allow Your glory to shine through in all that I do or say. Self is insignificant in the whole scheme of things, for only those things that are done for Christ will last. May Your love shine through in all that is done in Your name this Christmas time! Thank You for sending Your Son as a babe, so that we may ultimately be re-born into life with You, and accepted into Your kingdom!