Tag: salvation

Remorse That Leads To A Better Relationship

On By Ed AlgreenIn Excuses, Service, Time, Time alone with GodLeave a comment

SCRIPTURE  FROM:   2 Corinthians 7:10-11 (TPT)

TEXT:  10 God designed us to feel remorse over sin in order to produce repentance that leads to victory. This leaves us with no regrets. But the sorrow of the world works death. 11 Can’t you see the good fruit that has come, as God intended, because of your remorse over sin? Now you are eager to do what is right! Look at the indignation you experienced over what happened and how alarmed you became. What holy longing it awakened, what passion for God, and how ready you were to bring justice to the offender. Your response has proved that you are free of blame in this matter.

OBSERVATION:   Paul had dealt with a group to whom he had written a letter, that he was sure could easily have dampened their spirits and perhaps even make them mad. When he arrived on site, he was thankful that the letter was well received and that it had the desired impact on the Corinthians. Because we also need correcting from time to time, let us take note of how this was achieved.

APPLICATION:   Isn’t it interesting how someone can say something to us at certain times and we will laugh along with them and take their advice in stride, while other times the slightest little thing will make us so upset and ready to fight? I believe that Paul was expecting the worse as a result of his letter, but instead he found the best possible results. That’s no different with us today, for if we are challenged about our sin, or discord, the first thing that most of us would do is to become very defensive. We might also become upset at the Brother or Sister trying to help correct us, and we would probably stay out of their way for a while. On the other hand, if we are filled with the Holy Spirit and therefore looking for ways to please God more, and better, then perhaps we would welcome correction, because we would be listening more attentively to the Holy Spirit who lives inside of us as our guide to pleasing Christ everyday. I believe this is the same way it works with Jesus speaking wisdom to us, for when our hearts are in tuned with Jesus Christ, we are in tuned with His Word and we easily apply it to our lives and give God thanks for it. However, when we are out of sync with our Master, and we have not been transparent with Him about our sin, we are easily misdirected by Satan, who forces us into many other directions when we know deep inside that we should be in the Word, at a prayer meeting, or some other place that we had scheduled, at least in our minds, to facilitate our personal time with the Lord. Friends, daily distractions is our biggest enemy to spending time with the Lord. Here’s a help tip for you: Whenever distracted by something that steals your time away from being with the Lord, and you go before God with your excuses and especially about not having time for everything, just tell Him “Sorry God but that was not a priority for me today”. Think carefully about the circumstances and you will quickly agree that you just gave a more accurate explanation to God, but now try thanking Him for all that He has sacrificed, and done just for you. Try asking Him for all the things that you feel you should have, to better align with your neighbors. Very difficult, isn’t it? Make God your priority friends! Above all else that He could have been doing in His ministry, yet He stopped everything and made the ultimate sacrifice just for us. How could we but praise Him? How could we but serve Him? How could we but worship Him? How could we but honor Him – my Savior and my Lord?

PRAYER:   Lord Jesus, I worship and adore You today, because of who You are, because of Your love for my readers and I and because of all that You gave up just to provide the means of us getting to the Father and all of the joys of Heaven. We have such a challenge keeping our priorities in order, like You demonstrated on the cross at Calvary. Please, please, continue to impress upon us what’s important in life and help us to stay focused on the only thing that matters – our eternal destination in heaven with You and the Father.

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 s peak 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 Sebring, 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!

 

Showing You Are God’s Servant

On By Ed AlgreenIn Bold Confidence, Confidence, Dependence on God, Godly Confidence, Servants of GodLeave a comment

SCRIPTURE  FROM:   2 Corinthians 6:6-7 (ERV)

TEXT:  6 We show that we are God’s servants by our pure lives, by our understanding, by our patience, and by our kindness. We show it by the Holy Spirit, by genuine love, 7 by speaking the truth, and by depending on God’s power. This right way of living has prepared us to defend ourselves against every kind of attack.

OBSERVATION:   Paul declared at the very beginning of this chapter that THE most important thing for his people, is their salvation, and that the day of salvation is NOW. For we are not promised the next day, hour or minute. Therefore he wanted his hearers (including us) to know that we need not wait for any event in life for us to start speaking, acting and loving like our Master, the Lord Jesus Christ. This will speak volumes to us, read on…..

APPLICATION:   Ever heard a spouse warn you to go easy on their partner, because they are trying to get over what someone said to them, or embarrassed over what they said to someone, or they got told off by a friend and they are trying to calm their nerves before they would otherwise explode? Does this sound very much like you, friend, because you have been there and done that? So what impression of Christ did the ‘world’ around that believer just receive? Was it a convincing act that helped them finalize their decision to follow Christ? Was it an outpouring of love, like Christ showed even at His most difficult time – hanging on the cross? Did it remind you of anything that you had seen even in the ‘world’? Are you convinced that you need to be more like that friend because he says that he is just like Jesus? Friends, Paul knew that the ‘world’ was watching him very closely, and just waiting for him to mess up so they could either poke fun at him or use it against his witness. I believe that Christians today, who live among the ‘world’, also knows that things have not changed. So the big question is: What have we (Christians) done to prepare ourselves to face the world’s: temptations, deceitful ‘friends’, the opposition’, etc? I believe that we should be as much like Jesus Christ in our workplace, in our social clubs, in the restaurants, at the football game, and anywhere else that we go each day, as we are in church or in the safety and security of our homes. If the character of Christ is in us, it will show through us in our actions and in our words. If we struggle with that, then the formula for success rests on our knees. For only Jesus can help us face the uncertainties of the day through a fresh filling of His Holy Spirit each morning that we ask for it. Are you ready for the day – not personally, but confident that you and Jesus could face anything that Satan may send your way.

PRAYER:   Spirit of the Living God, fall afresh on each of us today. May we be so filled with Your power, Your grace, and Your love, that we could face any giant that may pose a threat to our representation of our Savior today. Please prepare us, and be our Guide through every circumstance today. For I ask this in the powerful name of Jesus, my Lord, my Savior and my everlasting King! 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 Sebring, 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!

 

God’s Response To Our Excuses

On By Ed AlgreenIn Excuses, Forgiveness, SalvationLeave a comment

SCRIPTURE  FROM:   Isaiah 1:18-20 (ERV)

TEXT: 18 “I, the Lord, am the one speaking to you. Come, let’s discuss this. Even if your sins are as dark as red dye, that stain can be removed and you will be as pure as wool that is as white as snow. 19 “If you listen to what I say, you will get the good things from this land. 20 But if you refuse to listen and rebel against me, your enemies will destroy you.” The Lord himself said this.

OBSERVATION:   Although these verses were shared by our Old Testament prophet Isaiah, and were no doubt very applicable to what he was facing at the time with his own people, I can understand why God had these words included in His Holy Book For we have folk that refuse to listen to the voice of God today. Let’s see how this might still applicable to us today.

APPLICATION:   “Pastor, you just don’t understand. This ‘Holy’ and ‘Righteous’ and ‘Perfect’ Father that you refer to won’t have anything to do with me. For I am a filthy sinner in all that I’ve done in my past, and if you only had a clue as to what my job currently is, and the horrible clientele that I serve“. The Word of God responds: “My child, I sent my very own Son as a sacrifice for your sins. No matter how dark, or crimson red those sins might be, the sacrifice I offered for you will actually cleanse you as if you were super clean, just as freshly fallen snow appears.” “But pastor, all my friends know about my deeds and my past. A change on the inside may not be evident to them” “My dear one, all along you have lived to please others, and you don’t appear happy with what you achieved. As you surrender your heart to my Son, He will guide you into all truth for everyday living, so that you may please Him. That turn of events will allow you to one day be in Heaven with My Son and Me. That benefit is ‘out of this world’! So you have a choice my child: continue living to please the world and its leader so that you may spend eternity in torment by Satan, or accept My offer of forgiveness, love, and eternity in Heaven.” To all my readers: What is your choice in this matter? Do you know my Savior? Are you pleasing Him, or are you still pleasing the world and your friends? Please carefully decide where you will spend eternity. It’s your choice, and only you can make that choice, with God’s help. Your life will be evidence of which choice you made. May I recommend that you make the decision to follow Jesus? Look full into His wonderful face, and the things of this world will grow strangely dim! It’s all a matter of life (eternity in heaven) or death (total darkness and everlasting abuse with Satan in the pit of Hell). It’s your choice my friend.

PRAYER:   Lord, I so appreciate all that You did for me on Calvary. I pray that as my readers contemplate on this today, they will make the obvious choice to accept Your precious Gift and Your ultimate destination for all who are Yours. To do nothing is the same as them telling You, “no thank you, I rather do this ‘life’ thing on my own and accept my consequences at the end”. Faithful Father, I pray that You will soften the hearts of all that might begin to read this devotional today and draw them unto Yourself. My whole purpose in writing this blog is to point family and friends towards my Savior. Bless this devotional today dear Lord, and allow it to accomplish Your work. 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 Sebring, 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!

 

Never Give Up

On By Ed AlgreenIn Determined, Evangelism, Salvation, SavedLeave a comment

SCRIPTURE  FROM:   2 Corinthians 4:16-18 (TLB)

TEXT:  16 That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our inner strength in the Lord is growing every day. 17 These troubles and sufferings of ours are, after all, quite small and won’t last very long. Yet this short time of distress will result in God’s richest blessing upon us forever and ever! 18 So we do not look at what we can see right now, the troubles all around us, but we look forward to the joys in heaven which we have not yet seen. The troubles will soon be over, but the joys to come will last forever.

OBSERVATION:   Paul knew that some of his congregants were getting discouraged, and there may be the threat of them giving up on all that he had taught them, and in all that he had shared with them from his personal experiences. Of course God knew that we, His children today, would also need this advice, so He inspired Paul to go ahead and include this advice in His Word for our good. Therefore, we will meditate on this for a few moments today so that we may grow in this area of our life….

APPLICATION:   What do you suppose might cause us to give up on the commitments we make, or the projects that we set out to do? Here are some of the excuses that I’ve heard, or perhaps used, in the past: 

  • It must have been a weak moment for me when I committed to that!
  • They oversold that idea to me, it has never worked the way they sold it to me;
  • I wasn’t as brave and outspoken as I thought I would be;
  • I’m just not ‘cut out’ for that;
  • Others are so much better at that, why should I bother;
  • I’m not in their social status. I’m just a poor man from ____ but they are the queen, king, president, senator, etc, They’ll never listen to me;
  • It brings nothing but stress on me, so I must redirect my energies;

Friends, it is not my intent to analyze each of the above, because I don’t have all of the answers. But I really believe that we occasionally need reminding that when we are involved in God’s work, let’s remember to always stay focused on whose work it is, and on who gives us the power to do His work. Furthermore, we might often set our goals on what we could expect from our ‘God’ assignments. Is that really the way this should work? Shouldn’t we keep doing what He has led us to do, knowing that He cares for us all, especially the unsaved children that He is sending us after? I believe this may be one of the greatest disappointments for the Christian, is that we become despondent when our goals are not achieved, and we often want to give up. I seriously believe that when God said that we are to go into all the world and preach the gospel, He didn’t leave that up to us to decide which country, or nationality, or gender, or color, or the state of how many are being mislead by unorthodox religions. I really believe that we should be reminded daily that God looks across this great big world and He sees the beauty of every child that He has created, in His image, and He probably whispers to each one ‘I still love you’, regardless of what they may be doing or whatever religion they may be practicing. Sure, I know that He is saddened by many of the things that are misleading and keeping these children from Him, but they were designed and placed here by God, and He loves them as His created child. So as children of God, why are we using that as one of our excuses on why we don’t minister to all that we come into contact with?  Let’s remember, everyone needs the Lord, and if we have the ultimate power in us that could help us reach ‘everyone‘, then we are ready to do God’s assigned work for us! No excuses, and no reason to consider giving up!

PRAYER:   Lord Jesus, I believe that too often we listen to Satan’s lie that things are so much different now in this modern world, and that there is no way that a poor little Christian boy, like me, could knock on the door of one in authority, or one in a high position in life, or the super rich, and share Jesus with them. PLEASE Lord, knock on our heart’s door again today and help us to totally surrender our life to You. For there is no reason for a royal son of the most high God/King, should be afraid of approaching any of our siblings to remind them of all that the Father has in store for those who truly believe in Him. The world is saddened by the recent deaths of stars, but the Word says that if they never met the Master, then their disappointments in life will only worsen. We all need Jesus, and without You Lord, we are a miserable people. Please revive those who claim You as Lord, and awaken the hearts and souls of those who need to know You personally. May today be the day of salvation for many who are unsaved. 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 Sebring, 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!

 

He’s Watching You

On By Ed AlgreenIn God Cares For Us, Love, The Father's Love, The love of God, VictoryLeave a comment

SCRIPTURE  FROM:   Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 (ERV)

TEXT:  …  The most important thing a person can do is to respect God and obey his commands, because he knows about everything people do—even the secret things. He knows about all the good and all the bad, and he will judge people for everything they do.

OBSERVATION:   At the conclusion of the book of Ecclesiastes, Solomon summed up the whole book with the above verses. That tells me that all that he wrote in 12 chapters could be summed up into these final words, so I believe they are intended as a recap to open our eyes, and open our ears to the words of this wise man. As these words are also God-ordained, I believe they are also critically important to our walk with Christ. Let’s dig in and meditate on these words……

APPLICATION:   I would like for us to pull these verses apart so that we can look at the critical parts of what Solomon (and his Inspiration Giver – God) wanted to say to us. First of all let’s look closely how we are drawn to these words because of their importance. I bolded the words that drew my attention to this. Notice that we are told that we must respect God and obey Him. This was not a ‘perhaps it would be a good idea for you to respect and obey…’ So why might this be so important? Well, in 12 chapters Solomon not only shared words of wisdom with us, but he very carefully explained that even to those mundane things that we see and do every day, they are important in the Kingdom, so do them with all fervor and respect for God. In fact, our lives should be living examples of the God who created us, and His Son who set an example by living among us. The second important thing for us to remember is that God is not only with us while we attend church, but when He sends His Holy Spirit to live inside those who claim to be His followers, then that means that He is with us every second of every day. So whether it is at church, or any other place that we find ourselves, let’s remember that it’s then plural – for it’s us and God, not just ourselves. Does that cause you to be guilty about some of the places you used to visit? Perhaps. But oh what a joy it is to know that Jesus is as close as the mention of His name in every circumstance of life. You know, when you accept Jesus as Savior, he takes away the desire to visit places that might not bring glory to His name, or that may be embarrassing to the Holy Spirit that lives within us. Furthermore, if Jesus is your all-in-all why would you go to a place where He may not be welcomed? Are you looking for other joys to fulfill your lack of communion with the Lord Jesus Christ? Our verses confirm the existence of the Holy Spirit by declaring that He knows even those things that we’ve always kept a secret from the rest of the world. Friends, this is not meant to frighten you, but instead to give you peace of mind that when you invite Jesus to be Your Lord and Savior, He takes that very seriously and He sticks with you closer than a brother, mother or father. Remember, you’re His and He will love, protect, guide and comfort you through every circumstance of life. He is one that you can always count on! 

PRAYER:   Oh what a joy and a peace to know that my Savior loves us, even at times when it feels like no one cares for us. Lord we need You more each day, as trials here on this earth seem to increase with each passing day. Lord, please touch our hearts in such a way each day that we would be reminded of Your love, mercy, care and omnipresence. Lord this world needs You. In fact, many of my family and friends need you. Please continue to bless us, so that we may bless others, and as they are touched may they extend hands, arms and hearts out to the King of all kings and Lord of all lords. It’s You that deserve all of our praise and our ongoing worship, oh 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 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 Sebring, 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!

 

A Brand New You

On By Ed AlgreenIn Changed, Dedicated, RevivalLeave a comment

SCRIPTURE  FROM:   Ephesians 4:22-24 (ERV)

TEXT:  22 You were taught to leave your old self. This means that you must stop living the evil way you lived before. That old self gets worse and worse, because people are fooled by the evil they want to do. 23 You must be made new in your hearts and in your thinking. 24 Be that new person who was made to be like God, truly good and pleasing to him.

OBSERVATION:   Paul recognized that many of those he had led to the Lord were still living their same old lifestyles as before they were saved. Our verses today helped his church get back on track, and I believe that it will also help us to be all that God has called us to be.

APPLICATION:   In today’s society, if a lady goes out and has her hair, fingernails and toenails done, and then come out of her bedroom all decked out in a new dress, we would know right away that she is going somewhere important, because she looks like a totally different lady than what you saw working in her yard yesterday. However, Paul is not talking about physical appearances, but instead about much deeper changes that occur in a person’s life. Changes that impact attitude; speech; willingness to help others; or speaking the truth in love. These are the types of changes that others will recognize as a change in you, without you having to tell them why you are so different today vs yesterday. I’m sure you heard the old adage, what goes in contributes to what comes out. In your old life, no doubt you enjoyed the things of this world, so your life was filled with its actions, attitudes and even its words. I believe that many of those things might be offensive to the Holy Spirit that now resides inside of you. Have you done something about that? God has provided His Word to us, so that we might not only have the best reading material in the world, but it is also our guide throughout this life; our encouragement as we reflect on the many scenarios where Jesus helped folk just like us thru issues just like ours; It is filled with example after example of how Jesus responded to various circumstances, and how His miracles encourage us that the same God of yesteryear is also the same God that we serve today! God has also opened up an avenue for us to have conversation with Him and to bring our needs and concerns to Him. In His Word, God spoke of His church and the importance of the church to Him. Mankind has formed many churches, so I would encourage you to connect with a good Bible Teaching and Preaching church near you, so that you may share in all that God is blessing you with, and in turn be blessed by all that God is blessing others with. Friends, let me encourage you to always chat with God about what you are doing or saying. Allow Him to help you control your life, so that the fruit of the Spirit may be evident in your life, that would result in God receiving all the glory and honor from all that you do or say!

PRAYER:   Lord, I believe it is harder for us to live in a way that mirrors Your attitude and actions today, than it was for the Ephesian church, because of all that is thrown at us by social media, television and other social events. Please prompt us to always seek Your will for our lives, and to try and determine what You would have done in various scenarios. Lord we want to bring glory to You, and we want our lives to reflect You in every way. We need You to help us be that kind of Christian, please? 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 Sebring, 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!

 

Blessed So That We May Bless Others!

On By Ed AlgreenIn Blessings, Healing, MercyLeave a comment

SCRIPTURE  FROM:   2 Corinthians 1:3-5 (MSG)

TEXT:  3-5 All praise to the God and Father of our Master, Jesus the Messiah! Father of all mercy! God of all healing counsel! He comes alongside us when we go through hard times, and before you know it, he brings us alongside someone else who is going through hard times so that we can be there for that person just as God was there for us. We have plenty of hard times that come from following the Messiah, but no more so than the good times of his healing comfort—we get a full measure of that, too.

OBSERVATION:   Several points of encouragement in these verses: Our God is one who could heal more so than any drug or doctor we could recommend; He’s our Guide, our Partner and our Friend when we face hard times; We are worthy of His confidence in comforting others facing similar challenges to what God has brought us through. What a Mighty God we serve!

APPLICATION:   When we are going through challenging times in life, as all of us do at times, we either call a friend, or a trusted counselor, like a pastor or Christian Brother or Sister. Isn’t it rewarding to read what God inspired Paul to write in these verses, and be reminded that He is:

  • A God of all mercy – which means that He will listen to even us as we petition before Him. Think about it, what have we done to deserve anything from a perfect and holy God?;
  • A God of healing counsel – I believe that this encourages me that no matter what may be going on physically or mentally with us, God designed us and He therefore has the power to heal us, and/or give us counsel for whatever is needed. I love to attend a physician that has a photo showing Jesus looking over the doctor’s shoulder, indicating that He is counselling the doctor on what is best for us – the patients!
  • A God who stands by us, guides and protects us – I see this as not only being our pilot in our autos, but also as we walk or drive along dangerous roads, and as we wander in the woods or make decisions at work. Friends, with God by our side, what have we to fear?

The biggest takeaway for us, is that God will often cause us to walk alongside someone who could benefit from our experiences where God has been so gracious and loving to us. I recently had a doctor who was going in for back surgery, with the same facility that I had used about 8 times. His spirits were lifted as I shared first hand experience with him, and what he might expect along each step of his surgery and recovery. This is the same scenario as in any other experiences in life, for it opens the door for you to share how God has blessed you. I hope that you are looking for those opportunities and sharing as much as you could. Promoting the God we love is always a good thing friends!

PRAYER:   We are once again reminded of Your love Lord Jesus and Father God, and oh how sweet the name of Jesus is to a believer’s ear! There is no shortage of friends and family who need encouragement from us, and as You guide us to those individuals today dear Lord, please fill us with Your Holy Spirit so that we may have the words and gentleness of heart to share in a way that would draw that individual unto yourself. I ask these things in the powerful name of 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 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 Sebring, 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!

 

Reasons for Uncertanties

On By Ed AlgreenIn Assurance, Heaven, UncertaintiesLeave a comment

SCRIPTURE  FROM:   Ecclesiastes 7:14 (TLB)

TEXT:  14 Enjoy prosperity whenever you can, and when hard times strike, realize that God gives one as well as the other—so that everyone will realize that nothing is certain in this life.

OBSERVATION:   When something becomes a certainty, we tend to take it for granted, because we believe that it will occur just like it did the last time. Depending on the season, or the time zone you’re in, we know when to expect daylight. So we build our schedules around that. So why would God indicated in His Word that there might be some uncertainty to things like that? Let’s meditate on that for a few moments….

APPLICATION:   Although Solomon was the wisest, and the richest, and the ruler of a large nation, yet he knew that only God was in control of most things that he depended on daily. We are much the same today friends, but let’s ponder what the reason might be for that. Beginning with the thought: what if I had control of everything for a day? Can you see disaster looming in the darkness, as I look for my backup alarm to awaken me in time to get that huge light (the sun) going? Oh, but where is the light switch again? What did you say? I must set this whole process in motion with the click of a finger? Oh boy, I wasn’t taught that little trick! I know, it sounds like I’m turning this whole thing into a humorous story. But do you begin to see the complexities of all this? Yet God has all of this under His powerful control! Think with me about a newlywed couple. The husband arrives home at 5pm each day, and the wife is seen opening the door to welcome him home. Then one day the husband is 5 minutes, 10 mins, 15 mins late and the wife goes into panic mode worrying that he may have gotten into an accident. And by the time he walked in the door after 30 minutes of deep agony, pacing the floors, calling friends along his route home, and on the verge of a nervous breakdown, the husband waltzes singing a tune he heard on the radio during his delayed drive home. If this type incident didn’t happen, would you soon begin to believe that you live in a bubble in this perfect world where everything is controlled to your liking? In case you haven’t figured this out yet friends, our spouse could be in the same boat as a friends spouse last week who never returned home because of a terrible wreck that took his life of the way to work. I believe that God shows us the uncertainty of things to make sure that we are ready to meet Him when He comes back to earth for His bride – the church. When will that be? Only God Himself knows, so the onus is on us to be ready at all times. Are you, my friend? Jesus could return at any moment to collect us, and because I want to be in that number, I have committed my life to the care of my Savior. If there is uncertainty in your mind, please click on the link ‘To Know Jesus’ in my Footnote and allow the Bible to speak truth into your mind and soul.

PRAYER:   Lord Jesus, thankfully we know that You created us; You accepted my request for forgiveness and saved my soul; You’ve shown me in Your Word, that You have prepared a new home called Heaven for other saints and myself; and I believe that You might even be waiting with opened arms waiting for my arrival to my eternal home! Regardless of the time lines on any of these events, I have a future that You have promised to those who have accepted You as Lord. I am standing by in deep anticipation, praise the all powerful name of Jesus, my Savior!  Lord, please open the eyes and hearts of my readers. Please call those to You, who will read this and push it aside because they can’t fathom this connection with You while here on earth. However I pray that You will give Joy and everlasting happiness to those who know, without a shadow of doubt that they belong to You as defined by Scripture. As I look forward to That Day, please bless me as Your servant and witness to 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 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 Sebring, 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!

 

Where Joy Comes From

On By Ed AlgreenIn Love, Sacrifice, The Father's Love, The love of GodLeave a comment

SCRIPTURE  FROM:   Ecclesiastes 2:25-26 (ERV)

TEXT:  25 ….. The best thing people can do is eat, drink, and enjoy the work they must do. I also saw that this comes from God. 26 If people do good and please God, he will give them wisdom, knowledge, and joy. But those who sin will get only the work of gathering and carrying things. God takes from the bad person and gives to the good person. But all this work is useless. It is like trying to catch the wind.

OBSERVATION:   In these verses Solomon, the wisest man in the world, shared what he had discerned about life. In fact, the verses leading up to this goes into describing how useless life appears to be when just going through the motions of everyday life. Solomon had been the richest king, so he had everything he could possibly need or want, but thank God, his eyes were opened and he is sharing with us where true life begins and ends. Read on friends….

APPLICATION:   Why not begin this time of meditation with me by stopping and reflecting on all that you have done to earn a good, honest living in your life up to this point. Think about the friends you have met when things were going well, and when times were rough. Think about all that these friends have added to your relationship with them. Now think about all you have poured into your relationship with friends and family. I know, often you were determined to stop giving because you saw no appreciation or returned love from the recipients. Perhaps you found Jesus and accepted Him as Lord of your life. Think about how awesome it was to learn that He loved you because of who you are, not because of how much you poured into His life. In fact, under those same conditions, you learned that He actually loved you beyond anything you could ever have imagined, for He was obedient to His Father and went through the crucifixion and all of the pain and mockery that came with that day of the crucifixion, and LOVE was His only motive. Love for His children who would look at that day and always meditate on the actions committed for the eternity of those who were living hopeless lives without any knowledge or concern about where they would spend eternity. Friends, this is the ‘real life‘ that I awaken each day at 3:45 am to share with folk like you that may be looking for encouragement, or love, or hope, or peace, or a closer walk with your maker – the only One that loves you to the extent of sacrificing His life, so that you and I may live eternally in heaven with He and the Father. This my friend is the one true means of joy for the believer! But be encouraged by Solomon in these verses, for he shared with joy, that this relationship with Jesus also brings to the believer wisdom and knowledge. As the wisest man that ever lived, Solomon realized that there was no other source of his wisdom other than that offered by God, so he was speaking from first-hand knowledge.  So friends, let me encourage you to meditate on these things today, make any adjustments in your relationship with God that might be necessary, and enjoy the benefits of being a child of the King!

PRAYER:   Father God, who is man that You should sacrifice Your Son for our eternal benefit? Who are we that You should love us and care for us with such tender compassion like You do every day? I realize that You chose to accept us because of Your love for us, so Lord I just want to say thank You for being my Master and my Lord. My beginning and my end, or everlasting King! Please direct me to ways of showing Your love today and give me wisdom to represent You in everything I say of do. Bless my readers with all of these good things also, as they totally surrender 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 Sebring, 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!

 

Even So, He Saved Me!

On By Ed AlgreenIn Give thanks, Sacrifice, SavedLeave a comment

SCRIPTURE  FROM:   Psalm 106:6-8 (NLT)

TEXT:  6 Like our ancestors, we have sinned. We have done wrong! We have acted wickedly! 7 Our ancestors in Egypt were not impressed by the Lord’s miraculous deeds.
They soon forgot his many acts of kindness to them. Instead, they rebelled against him at the Red Sea. 8 Even so, he saved them — to defend the honor of his name and to demonstrate his mighty power.

OBSERVATION:   God delivered the Israelites from slavery and many evil things that were going on, yet they were so disrespectful and unthankful to Him in the Wilderness. However, instead of revenge,  we are encouraged by the words ‘even so, He saved them’. This sounds a whole lot like what our God did for us. So let’s just stop and meditate on this for a while….

APPLICATION:   There are stories out there that’s a whole lot better than mine, but I bet there are cases where God has been a lot more forgiving, because of your life’s circumstances also. The point is my friend, that all of us were either living deep in sin, or may even still be living a life of sin. Yet at one point in time God, in His awesome grace and mercy, concluded that at His expense, He would provide an easier and more understandable way for us to move from a life of sin, into a life of assurance, peace of mind and full assurance of our eternal destination. However, I’m sure that you would probably want me to say to the world that we’re a whole lot different to the Israelites and that we show a whole lot more appreciation for what God has done for us. But can I truthfully do that? I don’t think so, because after we walk away from our altar of forgiveness by God –  through His Son Jesus, many of us have continued to act like the world when around our unsaved friends; we wrestle with giving to the church, because of all the horror stories we’ve heard from friends; we have no time or money for helping the poor, because we have our own opinion about what we should do with our hard-earned money; and the biggest challenge is this thing about being at church every spare moment we have. Saturday and Sunday is the only two days we have off work, and to expect us to attend church for one or two hours of that is really asking a lot. Really friends? These things sound kind of far out, but can you imagine how real they are for many in our circle of friends, or for many church attendees? Some have this calculated to the very time that they should spend under the instruction or teaching of the Word. So are we really that much better than the Israelites were? Ever stopped to think that God sent His one and only Son to die for us – even while all this, and more, was going on among His kids? I’m glad He did friends, and I hope that you will join me in rethinking the reasons why we refuse to do some of the things that may cause a sacrifice of our time or money, when we know full well that it could be for the eternal good of the Kingdom and/or to help a lost soul who might be otherwise destined for Hell. Jesus – a whole lot like us, even so, He gave it all for our sake. How much would we be willing to give in return?

PRAYER:   Lord, we praise You and we magnify Your name on high for all that You have done for us, and continue to do for us each and every day. Lord, please help us to be more giving, more thoughtful and more loving, so that we might imitate You better in so many more ways. Lord You are good, and we praise You for who You are. 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 Sebring, 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!