Our Greatest Need

On 2017-07-032017-07-03 By Ed AlgreenIn Faith, Faith in Action, Genuine Faith, Greatest Need, Healing, Needs, Needs of others, Recognize NeedsLeave a comment

Post Date:	Monday, 2017-07-03
SCRIPTURE
From:	Luke 5:18-20 (TLB)
Text:	^18-19Then—look! Some men came carrying a paralyzed man on a sleeping mat. They tried to push through the crowd to Jesus but couldn’t reach him. So they went up on the roof above him, took off some tiles, and lowered the sick man down into the crowd, still on his sleeping mat, right in front of Jesus. ²⁰Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the man, “My friend, your sins are forgiven!”
OBSERVATION:
There are a few powerful lessons here in this Scripture, beginning with the audacity of the paralyzed man’s friends to get their friend in front of Jesus in spite of any obstacles that might present itself. The second thing is to notice that Jesus’ first priority was to meet the man’s greatest need – forgiveness of his sin. Let’s apply this to our challenges of today….
APPLICATION:
I am very convinced that Jesus is the same today as He was yesterday. I am therefore convinced that when we are called on to pray for someone’s health; someone’s battle with evil; or someone’s battle with finding a job. In fact, no matter what the request is for prayer, we who know the Lord personally, must take the example of Jesus and seek to know the spiritual condition of the individual first and approach God for their greatest need(s) before any other physical need they could possibly have. Although given the facts in this Scripture today, let me encourage you to think this through in a logical manner also. What would it profit a man to be healed, if his soul is destined for eternal damnation in Hell. Miracles happen so that the Son of God might be glorified. What glory might God receive for an unbeliever to be healed and then attribute his ‘miracle’ to happen-chance, or some other good luck charm, or ‘positive thoughts’ from a friend? Would this not be making a mockery of our Lord Jesus? What impact would healing have on a person whose soul is destined for Hell? Jesus immediately recognized that this paralyzed man wanted to be seen by Him, because the man allowed, or possibly even asked his friends to place him at the feet of Jesus. But Jesus also knew that the man’s greatest need was to have his sins forgiven so that he might be assured of his eternal destination, whether lying on a mat or walking about like you and I. Friends, many folk may present their needs to us today in hopes that we would pray for them. Unless you know about their spiritual relationship with God, may I suggest that you pray for that most urgently, then possibly for their physical needs? I believe that will fall more in line with what we were taught in the Scripture here today. In closing, let me suggest that we remember the determination of these friends to get the paralyzed man at the feet of Jesus. The didn’t let things like: his weight, their back issues, the crowd, possible security at the entrance of the meeting place, or even a means of how to get onto the roof interfere with their far-out alternate plan. Remembering this determination might help us the next time we are looking for excuses not to attend church and worship the Lord corporately, or going to the hospital to pray with a friend. We come up with lots of excuses that may sound OK to a friend, but let me assure you that God knows your heart, and the very thoughts that run through your mind! Make Him priority in your life, if He truly is your King!
PRAYER:
Lord God, thank You for Your faithfulness to us. Thank You for Your healing power displayed to the paralyzed man in this Scripture today. I am confident that the same love and power shown to this man, is only a glimpse into what You can actually do for us. Please help us to daily recognize Your amazing grace and miraculous works in our lives. Please help us to also be much more mindful about what others truly need first and foremost in their lives, in spite of what they may have called us to do for them, or pray with them about. Thank You Lord for saving my soul, and thank You for Your miraculous touch in my life through many circumstances way beyond anything I or the doctors could do for me. Lord, may You continue to amaze me with Your power and invincible hand, for I ask these things in and through the precious name of Jesus, my 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 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!

Jesus – Our ROCK!

On 2017-06-282017-06-28 By Ed AlgreenIn Defense against the enemy, Fear, Fortress, Rock, SalvationLeave a comment

Post Date:	Wednesday, 2017-06-28
SCRIPTURE
From:	Psalm 62:1-2 (TLB)
Text:	¹ I stand silently before the Lord, waiting for him to rescue me. For salvation comes from him alone. ²Yes, he alone is my Rock, my rescuer, defense and fortress. Why then should I be tense with fear when troubles come?
OBSERVATION:
It seems very evident that the Psalmist spent some valuable time alone with God. It is also evident that David experienced very intimate times with God, that helped him to conclude that God had not only saved him, but been his rescuer, defender and his very fortress. I am convinced that we serve an awesome God!
APPLICATION:
Based on our personal experiences with God, I wonder what words we might use to describe our God. Let’s look deeper at the adjectives of David and decide whether we have witnessed any of these same characteristics of God in our lives: Our salvation: Can you thank God for the salvation that you found through the precious gift of Jesus – our Savior and our Redeemer? There is no other way into heaven than through the shed blood of Jesus, my friend. How often do you thank Him for that precious gift, and brag on it before others, as David did in these verses? Our Rock: Solid; impenetrable; immovable; dependable; will not give in or crumble under extreme weight or pressure – these are some of the words that can be used to describe a rock. David described God as his ‘Rock’ because he had seen many of these characteristics and strengths in his relationship with God. Can you add to that list friends? Would you remove any of the same attributes mentioned by David, because you have not experienced them in your relationship with God yet? Our Rescuer: This makes me think of times that one has been in deep trouble and have been noticeably rescued from that trouble because of prayers asked of God to pull you to safety. Having a personal relationship with the God of this universe, means that He can rescue you even when it may seem hopeless in your own eyes. Remember, He’s the one who walked on water; parted the Red Sea for His people to walk safely through and performed miracle after miracle in the lives of many. Surely He could rescue you from any situation you may have gotten into! Our Defender: I tend to think of someone who will defend against those intending to harm us. Our primary worry here on earth is Satan, for his intentions are simply to distract us, and lead us away, from God. In knowing Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we can agree with David on this one, because our God will defend us from the evil one (lead us not into temptation), and deliver us from evil. Asl Jesus to do this, child of God. Then be ready to brag on Him as your Defender, just like David did! Our Fortress: In the Bahamas, and here in Florida, we can find forts that were built to help our ancestors defend against invaders. The walls are several feet thick in some places, and were built to keep our soldiers safe from even an incoming cannon ball. So when the enemy was approaching, they all went to their ‘fortress’. I believe that’s about how David felt, and I believe that’s about how we should feel. In our case, the enemy is waiting to attack every time we turn around, so being safely inside our fortress means that we know the ‘Fortress’ and He knows us and will let us into the safety and security of His loving arms. I trust that today you are very confident in knowing that you can run to the security of your Fortress, safe in the arms of Jesus our Savior and Lord! A stranger knocking on the door of the fortress in the height of battle will not be allowed in, for they personally chose to exclude themselves from that security. Let that not be your case friend. Look full into the eyes of Jesus today and accept His offer to be your Fortress.
PRAYER:
Thank You Father for sending us Your Son to be our Salvation; our Rock; our Rescuer; our Defender; and our Fortress! Lord, I pray that today many will come to the foot of the cross and accept You as Lord and Savior, for all the reasons already mentioned in this devotional. I am proud to know that You accepted my plea for forgiveness and acceptance into Your kingdom, and I thank You from the bottom of my heart for being all of these things mentioned, and much, much more. Lord I look forward to being with You in glory some sweet day, but while allowed to remain here on earth, I ask that You continue to watch over me and lead me to help another beggar looking for bread – the Bread of Life! 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!

‘Mountains’ That Seem Impassable

On 2017-06-09 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Power of Prayer, PrayerLeave a comment

Post Date:	Friday, 2017-06-09
SCRIPTURE
From:	Numbers 21:33-35 (GW)
Text:	³³Then they turned and followed the road that goes to Bashan. King Og of Bashan and all his troops came out to fight the Israelites at Edrei. ³⁴The Lord said to Moses, “Don’t be afraid of him. I’ll hand him, all his troops, and his land over to you. Do to him what you did to King Sihon of the Amorites, who ruled in Heshbon.” ³⁵The Israelites defeated him, his sons, and all his troops, leaving no survivors. And they took possession of his land.
OBSERVATION:
God delivered His people, the Israelites, from the hands of the Egyptians. He led them by day and by night through the wilderness and taught them many lessons, including how they should conquer fear; obstacles; times of need and desperation; and situations that would remind them of huge ‘mountains’ that may seem impassable in their eyes.
APPLICATION:
I’m sure you’ve heard the slogan ‘If God takes you to it, He will see you through it’. Real neat thought to hear from your preacher when you’re sitting in a ‘cushy’ church and everything is great at the time, right? But what happens when disaster hits; or huge medical decisions become necessary; or you encounter battle after battle each day? In fact, you begin to feel like each day you awake, you are faced with ‘mountains’ at every turn. Can you imagine what Moses must have felt when he saw the many ‘mountains’ each day that faced the thousands and thousands of people that were looking up to him for leadership, protection and direction? Let me suggest to you that your hope and your security in Jesus Christ begins with a personal relationship with Him. Not because you attend church with your parents, or even attend church now with your own family. A personal relationship begins with a heartfelt decision to accept Jesus not only as you would another friend, but to give Jesus full leadership and control in your life. Notice how Moses sought out God about the battle he and his group were facing at Edrei? We all know that in any battle, we need to strategize and get out there and fight. However, when God is your King and your Lord, you are to always seek His will. For when ‘mountains’ stand in our way, we should always remember that God created the ‘mountains’, so if He wants to remove them, or make a way through them for us, He can simply speak the word. I gave several examples of ‘mountains’ you may be facing today, may I encourage those of you that have a personal relationship with Jesus to seek His face and worship Him, for He is still God. Thank Him for the blessings and the challenges He has helped you through. Then seek His reassurance and/or direction for all you are facing, or will face in the days ahead. Allow Him to love on you and comfort you through every facet of your life, including all the ‘mountains’; miracles; opportunities; disappointments; and encouraging times. ‘He’s got this’ friend, we just need the faith, humility and confidence to let Him. Can you commit to that today?
PRAYER:
So many times in life we may stop and question ‘Why me Lord’. However Lord, as we are reminded of Your power shown to Moses and the Israelites, we recognize that had it not been for the challenges, they may not have sought You out at all. Had it not been for the miracles, they would not have known about Your awesome power. Please teach us to always praise You, and accept Your response to our prayer request when you say ‘no’, realizing that it is not the same as not answering our prayer at all. We petition You because we know the answer could be ‘yes’ or ‘no’. Lord, we pray that we may be an extension of You to a lost world. This will include giving Your ‘no’ answer even at those times that we may personally wish it was ‘yes’. Please grant us more faith to be more like You; act more like You; and obediently follow Your Word and Your perfect will for us, and those we lead or influence. 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!

In A State of Readiness

On 2017-05-29 By Ed AlgreenIn Eternity, Heaven, Our DeterminationLeave a comment

Post Date:	Monday, 2017-05-29
SCRIPTURE
From:	Mark 13:32-33; 36-37 (ERV)
Text:	³²“No one knows when that day or time will be. The Son and the angels in heaven don’t know when that day or time will be. Only the Father knows. ³³Be careful! Always be ready. You don’t know when that time will be. ³⁶If you are always ready, he will not find you sleeping, even if he comes back earlier than expected. ³⁷I tell you this, and I say it to everyone: ‘Be ready!’
OBSERVATION:
Jesus truly loved His disciples and He didn’t want them to miss out on the opportunity of a lifetime, the return of God the Father to take His loved ones home to glory. However, Jesus shared with the disciples, and us, that we could live knowing about this very special day, but we must be careful to live in a state of readiness at all times, as our eternal destination will be determined by our spiritual condition when He returns to take us home.
APPLICATION:
I want you to imagine with me that you were taking a very special, and long awaited trip by train to visit your closest relatives that you haven’t seen in years. The only thing you could get out of the train operators is that the train should be at your station around 6am, but it has been known for the train to arrive within plus or minus 2 hours of the scheduled time, and it will leave within 3 minutes of its arrival time. I wonder how many will be at the station at 3:30, knowing that the train could arrive as early as 4am, and how many will wait until 7:45, knowing that the train could actually arrive two hours late? Also, consider that pregnant mothers are ready for their infant’s arrival months in advance of the predicted arrival date, knowing that the baby could very easily come at any time. Friends, quite often I hear people sharing their shock of someone dying young, or sharing how important it is for them to enjoy life, as eventually they will get old and depart this life. I believe that we all should be warned today, that God could call us out of this world at anytime. Sometimes because He is ready for us in heaven, and other times because we have been so careless in this world that we have compressed our earthly life duration without any thought of heaven, or preparation for our eternity. Friends, our verses today reminds us that we may meet our Maker today, tomorrow, next week, by the end of the year, or perhaps in a few more years. I will repeat the emphasis that Jesus used in our Scripture today, are you ready? Not giving a specific date is not unfair, for it should lead to us in to taking the Word of God seriously and ensuring that we are ready today. Throughout human history mankind has been known to procrastinate until the very last minute, so if they knew the specific time the deadline will actually occur, guess what would happen? May I encourage you to examine your state of readiness today friends, so that you will be ready when God is ready for you.
PRAYER:
Father, thank You for providing life itself for us to enjoy all the blessings that You pour on us every day. Thank You for preparing a home for us to look forward to when we finish up our time here on earth. Thank You for providing the Lamb – the means for us to graduate from this old wicked world, into the glories of heaven, IF we accepted Your Son – Your gift of salvation while there was still time for us to do so. Lord, please touch the hearts of family and friends who have yet to make that decision. Today truly is the day of salvation, because we want to be ready to see You face to face when called out of this world. Thank You heavenly Father, thank You Lord Jesus and thank You Holy Spirit for being our Guide each and every day. Oh that we may be convinced of our eternal destination, even if You returned today to take believers home to glory! 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!

A Cry For Help

On 2017-04-19 By Ed AlgreenIn God our Helper, Help, Our Help comes from GodLeave a comment

Post Date:	Wednesday, 2017-04-19
SCRIPTURE
From:	Psalm 27:9-11 (NLT)
Text:	⁹Do not turn your back on me. Do not reject your servant in anger. You have always been my helper. Don’t leave me now; don’t abandon me, O God of my salvation! ¹⁰Even if my father and mother abandon me, the Lord will hold me close. ¹¹Teach me how to live, O Lord. Lead me along the right path, for my enemies are waiting for me
OBSERVATION:
David was not afraid to cry out to God for help, and in this Psalm he was desperate enough to say that even if his parents turned their backs on him, yet he KNEW that his Savior lives and would always listen to his cry and help him in his time of need. Wow! ‘Oh What A Savior’!
APPLICATION:
I was reminded as I read this Psalm this morning, of the importance of developing and maintaining a strong relationship with the Savior of the world. Friends, it is one thing to build a great relationship with your spouse, or relatives, or friends, but can they really do anything for the hurt you feel at times, that seems so deep and troubling? Can they really give you direction for your life, by knowing what’s in store for you tomorrow? Can they really mend a broken heart? Are they truly prepared to prove their love for you by placing themselves in the way of death, so that you may go on and enjoy the glories of your God and King? How desperate are you really, for this type of relationship? Are you willing to set aside the evil and sin that seems like so much fun, to accept Jesus as your personal Savior and Lord, and be filled with joy everlasting about the prospects of heaven one day? Friends, Jesus knows the sincerity of your heart, so please give this your careful attention. Dedicate your life to Jesus today, and allow God to rule, reign, love, protect and guide you while you finish up life’s journey here on this planet. There are much brighter days ahead for those of us that have placed our trust in Him. I pray that you can be counted in that number today.
PRAYER:
Lord Jesus, it is so hard to imagine the love that You have for us, because we have nothing to compare that to here on this earth. I pray that my family, friends and readers will develop the kind of joy that David spoke of here in this Psalm that we read today. He developed such a relationship with You that he was content to celebrate Your help in times of obvious successes, but he also felt very comfortable presenting his troubles at Your feet for help, comfort and direction. Oh Lord, I pray that we will be a people like Your servant David, where we celebrate our joys with You, and then run quickly to You when we can’t figure things out, or feel alone, or frustrated over not knowing which way to turn next, or just desire a more intimate relationship with You. You are my rock and my salvation, and I sincerely thank You for being my guide throughout the rest of my days on earth. I am so looking forward to seeing You and worshiping You face to face in glory, but ‘Until Then, My Heart will Go on Singing’! 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!

Our Greatest Need

On 2017-04-15 By Ed AlgreenIn Cross, Good News, Greatest Need, Needs, SalvationLeave a comment

Post Date:	Saturday, 2017-04-15
SCRIPTURE
From:	Mark 2:2-5 (NLT)
Text:	²….While he was preaching God’s word to them, ³four men arrived carrying a paralyzed man on a mat. ⁴They couldn’t bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, so they dug a hole through the roof above his head. Then they lowered the man on his mat, right down in front of Jesus. ⁵Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, “My child, your sins are forgiven.”
OBSERVATION:
The determination of these men carrying the paraplegic is to be admired. They didn’t let the crowds stop them, nor the leaders that were probably there helping with crowd control. They didn’t let the walls of the building stop them, for they got up on the roof with the man on the stretcher. The roof was no hindrance, for they dug a hole through it that was large enough to fit a stretcher through it – probably 80″ by 30″ or more. They had a determination to get their friend before Jesus, no matter what obstacles stood in their way.
APPLICATION:
I wonder how disappointed the men were after going through all that they did, yet when Jesus saw the young man He didn’t immediately address the issue of paralysis, but rather attended to the condition of his heart and his readiness to meet God. I wonder how much this story parallels our earnest prayers to God, where we are concerned for our family and friends’ welfare or health, but seldom show deep concern for the salvation of their soul for eternity? Would we ‘go to bat’ over their salvation as much as we would for other things in their life that we feel might impact their normal living here on earth? How often do we forget that the things of this earth are temporal and could very easily be gone today or tomorrow? Yet the condition of their soul will determine their eternity. Should we be concerned for the physical, financial and personal welfare of our friends? If we didn’t then one would question if they are truly our friends, but I believe Jesus showed the Pharisees, and is showing us, that there is one concern that trumps all other concerns in life, and that is the spiritual condition of the individual. When you know that your friend is ready to meet their Savior and Lord, and that they are living daily to be more like Him here on earth, then all other needs will fall into place, for God cares intimately for His children and He will not bring anything on us beyond what we can bear, nor will He burden us with anything that will not bring glory to Himself. So friends, let me encourage you this Easter weekend, to look just a little differently at those you love and will spend time with this weekend. Look beyond their physical and material needs and pray with them about their spiritual needs, should there be a need to do that. Our greatest need in life is to be the individual that God designed us to be – one that will worship Him and bring glory to Him, in everything we do, until Jesus returns to take us all home to heaven to spend eternity with He and His Father. I’m ready for that reunion friends, and I want each of you, and all of my family and friends to also be ready to join me for that meeting at the foot of the cross! ‘What a Day That will Be’!
PRAYER:
Thanks You Jesus for all that You willingly did that very first ‘Good Friday’ and the glory of that first ‘Easter’ morning! As we celebrate the events of that occasion again this year, I pray that although we will be touched by the drama of all that You went through, yet we will never lose sight of the fact that You did it all for us. Thank You Lord Jesus! I am eternally grateful Heavenly Father! In much the same way that You were willing to do whatever it took to save Your children from the awful stain of sin and damnation, I pray that each of us will commit to being so concerned about our family and friends that we would recommit to sharing Your love with them and allowing them to see the meaning of the cross and the possibilities of their eternity with You. There was nothing more important to You Lord Jesus. I pray that we would be very much the same in our concern for others. May You be glorified and lifted up this weekend, for I ask these things in the precious name of the crucified, yet risen Lord Jesus, AMEN!
FOOTNOTE:
There are two more pages on my blog that will provide you with additional information, one of them being ‘To Know Jesus’. If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please click on the above page, or speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. Please allow someone to pray with you and give you help and/or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Words underlined in my blog 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!

Our Protective Father!

On 2017-03-302017-03-31 By Ed AlgreenIn Jesus Loves you, Love of God, Surrender, The Father's Love, The love of GodLeave a comment

Post Date:	Thursday, 2017-03-30
SCRIPTURE
From:	Matthew 26:40-41 (GW)
Text:	⁴⁰When he went back to the disciples, he found them asleep. He said to Peter, “Couldn’t you stay awake with me for one hour? ⁴¹Stay awake, and pray that you won’t be tempted. You want to do what’s right, but you’re weak.”
OBSERVATION:
You will recognize this as part of the scene at the Garden of Gethsemane right before the betrayal and arrest of Jesus. Jesus invited a few disciples to join Him for some alone time with the Father. However, I was touched by how unselfish Jesus was even during such a critical time in His life. Notice the words that I bolded and underlined, to see how Jesus was so mindful of His beloved disciples even at a time that He was asking for reprieve from all that He would soon face.
APPLICATION:
I believe that often we recognize danger for our loved ones much faster than we do for ourselves. I often implore my wife and daughter to be careful whenever they are driving, yet I jump behind the wheel and never give a second thought to the impending danger that we each face each day on the road! Clicking on the scripture link will give you a few surrounding verses to remind you of the situation with Jesus in the context of which these verses were taken. He was about to face beatings, mockery, public crucifixion with much pain to His mother and others who loved Him dearly. However even though we know that Jesus prayed over the agony He knew He would face very soon, yet in these verses He shared His concern for the spiritual welfare of His beloved disciples. I find that immensely humbling and gratifying. In fact, I am reminded of the words of a song that I like “when He was on the cross, I was on His mind” and other included words “He knew me, yet He loved me”. Friends, that gives you an outlook on the love of my Savior for not only me, but for all who call on the name of the Lord, and that includes you! Please don’t think that you are beyond the love of Christ. This same Peter that Jesus was encouraging to pray for strength for his hour of temptation, is the same one that stood nearby and watched a sword be drawn and cut off the ear of one of the soldiers that came to arrest Jesus. He’s the same Peter who denied knowing Jesus, out of fear for his own life. Yet Jesus loved him anyway. Our weakness in caving in to the temptations of Satan is no surprise to God. However, He loves us way too much to see us settle for that. His offer of salvation and eternal security is available to ALL who call on Him as Lord – that includes you Brother, and you Sister. Will you consider surrendering to His invitation today? There are eternal rewards for those who do! Like Jesus, I would also love to see each of you reading this blog today, gain eternal life through inviting Him into your heart and life. Will you do it?
PRAYER:
Lord Jesus thank You for all that You went through, in obedience to Your Father, so that I might have peace of mind and security in knowing where I will spend eternity. Thank You for drawing me to Yourself and using me here on earth to reach and encourage others for Your glory. Lord, I have friends and family that still need to make this most important decision. I pray that they, and each reader of this blog, will receive Your invitation today to surrender their lives totally and completely to You, and that they may be drawn closer than ever to the cross upon which You hung so that we might have eternal life with You and the Father. Have Your will and way in our lives today Lord Jesus, is my humble cry, 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!

How Long Do I Have?

On 2017-03-21 By Ed AlgreenIn Heaven, Ready to Go, Salvation, True witnesses, Witness, WitnessingLeave a comment

Post Date:	Tuesday, 2017-03-21
SCRIPTURE
From:	Matthew 24:37-42 (TLB)
Text:	^37-38“The world will be at ease – banquets and parties and weddings – just as it was in Noah’s time before the sudden coming of the Flood; ³⁹people wouldn’t believe what was going to happen until the Flood actually arrived and took them all away. So shall my coming be. ⁴⁰“Two men will be working together in the fields, and one will be taken, the other left. ⁴¹Two women will be going about their household tasks; one will be taken, the other left. ⁴²“So be prepared, for you don’t know what day your Lord is coming.
OBSERVATION:
Jesus took the opportunity to further explain how it will be when He returns to take His church/His children home to glory. Like many serious events in our lifetime here on earth, it won’t be on our timetable.
APPLICATION:
At my church there is a group that I shepherd, and back in December we had our Christmas party all planned out, including a few things I wanted to share as part of a devotional. Well guess what, I surprisingly wound up spending that time period in the hospital and the party had to go on without me. In our verses today, there is another such story in the Bible where Noah was commissioned to find the righteous in his area. Finding none, he was ordered to build a boat in the middle of the land. This made as much sense to the people as someone today building an airplane in a high-rise downtown New York city! But Noah was an obedient servant who left the logistics of launching that huge ship up to the God who ordered him to build it. Friends, doctors today have been blessed with such talent, and they have so many technologies available to help them analyze their diagnosis of a patient, yet I believe that most of us head home from a doctor’s visit and research on the internet all side effects of any medications prescribed, or any new diagnosis shared by the doctor. I wonder how many go home from a church service and research more about what their pastor shared in his sermon! I wonder how many go to the main resource for life, the Bible, to see what God says about current world events, or personal issues they are dealing with! I wonder how many see enough of Jesus in Christians that they ask “what is your source of hope, because I need some of that!” I wonder what we will say to Jesus when questioned about a family member or friend that we never warned about the separation that will come when Jesus returns, should they not have heard about or accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior! I believe that doctors have gotten a whole lot better at telling their patients the truth about their evaluation of their remaining life. I hope that my fellow Christians and myself will do a better job of doing the same. The Bible tells us that can be at any time Jesus sees fit. Let’s not ‘sugar-coat’ that news as we glory with those who are ready, or challenge those who are not ready to go.
PRAYER:
Come Lord Jesus, even today! Lord, I pray that we, Your children, will be honest in telling the BIG news today, even though for some that will be so challenging that they may reject us. All the same, please help us to be very honest and not tell them what we think they want to hear. Your Word is a light unto our path, and that same Word tells us that Your return is eminent, and could be at any given moment. Praise God for all who are reading this devotional and know that they are ready to see Jesus, now may we all be busy sharing with our family and friends the clear path to eternal life, God being our helper. Thank You Lord Jesus for being the Way, the Truth and the Light for all mankind, 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!

Prepared To Go?

On 2017-03-18 By Ed AlgreenIn Prepared, Salvation, The Father's Love, The love of God, Unconditional love, Warning, Warning SignsLeave a comment

Post Date:	Saturday, 2017-03-18
SCRIPTURE
From:	Matthew 24:9-14 (ERV)
Text:	9 ….People all over the world will hate you because you believe in me. 10 During that time many believers will lose their faith. They will turn against each other and hate each other. 11 Many false prophets will come and cause many people to believe things that are wrong. 12 There will be so much more evil in the world that the love of most believers will grow cold. 13 But the one who remains faithful to the end will be saved. 14 And the Good News I have shared about God’s kingdom will be told throughout the world….
OBSERVATION:
Jesus was asked to explain when the end of time will come. He responded with several signs, and in the link to our scripture reference you will find the whole chapter that details it all. However, in these verses we will look at reasons why we should be prepared even before the signs materialize.
APPLICATION:
I Find it interesting how some folk may not react to warnings but rather to certain actions that confirm the warnings, whereas some are proactive and prepare ahead of time for what is predicted. In my part of the world we particularly see this with hurricanes. In Christianity we try to teach that because God loved us so much, He gave us His very own Son to live among us, experience our challenges, then die a cruel death to make our hope a reality and our future in eternal life assured. Based on that love, many accept that offer of salvation through our Lord and Savior who died for us. However, some gamble with their very lives by thinking they could wait until the end of their life and, when given no other choice, then try Jesus. Unfortunately for the ‘gamblers’, these end of time signs include no clues as to when they will occur, and to be realistic, we are seeing many of these things quickly falling into place even now. I hope that for any of us meditating on this devotional today, our minds would become more focused on the Savior who loved us enough that He provided a ‘sign’ to us in the shape of a cross on which He was crucified, just to prove His love for us. In being reminded of, and refocused on that, won’t you show your appreciation and reciprocal love to Jesus by accepting that gift of love He produced for all who would accept it? Please don’t wait for the signs told of in the Scripture today, for many will never live to see these materialize, and you could be one of them. At the time of reading this blog you are assured of life here on earth, however the very next moment you could be facing death, with no further chance to change your mind about this loving Jesus of whom I witness and share with you about. The Bible is clear about what happens to the ones who reject the gift of Jesus also, and it is not good friend. For those who reject Jesus, or have never accepted His gift of eternal life, their eyes will be opened in the pit of Hell under the reign of Satan himself. Only you can make the above choices friend, and unless you make a deliberate choice to allow Jesus access and Kingship over your life, then your destination is determined to be under the lordship of Satan. My obvious desire is to see all of my family, friends and readers of this blog at the feet of Jesus in glory. Please don’t disappoint me, make the choice today to accept Jesus as Lord and follow Him.
PRAYER:
Thank You Lord Jesus for loving us enough to pay the ultimate price for our sins, giving us the hope of eternity in heaven with You, Your Father, and all of our loved ones gone on before us who claimed You as their Savior. I am flabbergasted that the King of Glory would love me enough to do this even if I was the only one needing a Savior! Wow! Lord, I pray Your emense blessings on Your Word as it is shared today and tomorrow through this blog, through pulpits in various churches, and in neighborhoods where Christians will share their testimony of the Christ who saved them from Hell. May Your Word bring forth much fruit today, and may those who have never given ear to the truth of Your love for them, hear, believe and accept the love You freely poured out for them. I love You Lord. May You receive honor and praise in many ways this weekend! 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!

Join Me on a Trip to Paradise!

On 2017-03-09 By Ed AlgreenIn Heaven, Hell, SalvationLeave a comment

Post Date:	Thursday, 2017-03-09
SCRIPTURE
From:	Luke 23:43 (Voice)
Text:	Jesus: ⁴³I promise you that this very day you will be with Me in paradise.
OBSERVATION:
Two criminals faced certain death at the same time as Jesus. One was rebellious right to the end, the other was humbled and asked Jesus to remember him when He arose in glory. Jesus instantly accepted him and assured him of his final destination – ‘Paradise’!
APPLICATION:
If you are one of those who are quickly offended when we talk about death, because you are still among the living, then you may want to click away from this blog entry now. However, if you are unsure about where you will spend eternity, or if you would much rather hear about the option of ‘Paradise’ versus where you know you are destined to spend eternity in your current spiritual condition, then stay tuned. In the story of the crucifixion there were two criminals. One was rebellious right to the end, and the other realized his sinfulness and wanted to do something about it, even though he was very near the end of his life. Friends, there are three words that I underlined in this short verse, and I want to speak with you about their importance. The two criminals in this story had a planned appointment for their death, where a decision would be made about their eternity. However, that is not the normal case for us. A dear friend lost a 49 year old son to a severe stroke recently. There was no time for a last minute decision. A coworker was reading a local paper about a man who was run over by his own truck in a church parking lot this past weekend. There was no time for a last minute decision. I want you to see that Jesus didn’t question the criminal of every little bad thing that he ever did, He simply accepted him based on his sincere request. May I suggest that you order Satan away from your mind about you being way too bad for God to ever accept? A very popular Bible verse reminds us that Jesus is very clear that He died for all, and that anyone who calls on Him and believes in Him, will be saved. That includes YOU friend! In my ‘Footnote’ you will find information to help you cement this decision today, for we have no promise of tomorrow. Today is the day of salvation! If you decide to do nothing, like the rebellious criminal, then Satan has also prepared a place for you. Unfortunately, from everything we know about that place it’s just the opposite to Heaven. You make these two choices every day friend. My prayer and my hope is that I will see you in glory with our Heavenly Father, singing praises at His feet!
PRAYER:
Lord Jesus, we have been reminded that there is only one way to prepare ourselves for an eternity in ‘Paradise’ with You, and that’s to accept You as our Lord and Savior. For it was Your sacrifice that would redeem us of our sin and make us worthy to enter heaven’s gates. I believe that daily You touch the hearts of many who are unbelievers to convince them of their need for a Savior. I gave two examples above of how their time of prompting ended, and now they are either with You, or in the pit of Hell. Lord I sincerely pray that this warning will not fall on deaf ears today, but that decisions will be made where necessary to ensure our eternity with You. Thank You for Your willingness to accept even me, a sinner saved only by Your grace. 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!