Tag: Saved

God’s Mercy in Challenging Times

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

DATE POSTED
Tuesday, June 18, 2025, and I was blessed to be at Mariposa at Hunter Road, San Marcos, TX when God inspired me to prepare this devotional. For your meditation and reading pleasure, my Footnote will tell you how to find and read all episodes that I have shared over the years.

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
Read Jeremiah 30:18-22 in your Bible or click on it to read it online in the Living Bible (TLB).

APPLICATION – as inspired by the Holy Spirit
As I worked through this chapter in Jeremiah, I couldn’t help but imagine how modern nations—and individual people—would react if they heard a message this confrontational straight from the Lord. Honestly, in many places I suspect crowds would riot or even go to war, even if the messenger made it crystal-clear, as Jeremiah did, that the warning came directly from God.

Yes, the tone is severe. Yet woven through the prophecy is God’s unmistakable mercy: He promises restoration for Israel after their brutal years in Babylon. It reminds me of how quickly people today turn away from God—how many friends or relatives refuse church because “God took their daughter,” or “He didn’t protect their son in combat,” or because they’ve been hurt by hypocritical Christians.

We were created to worship our magnificent God, but that calling is often the last thing on our minds. God’s design was for us to love Him, to walk with Him, to mirror His character. Instead, we bend Scripture to fit our own standards, and the result is everywhere: hatred, prejudice, corrupt lifestyles, and outright rejection of the One who formed us.

Picture a child defiantly dishonoring a devoted father—most of us would’ve faced a severe “trip to the woodshed” for that. Yet our heavenly Father, who sees every harsh, deceitful impulse in us, still chose to sacrifice His Son so we could be forgiven. His love never wavers!

But love doesn’t erase standards. Jesus declared, “Whoever believes in Him will have eternal life” (John 3:16). Genuine belief shows up as obedience—aligning our choices with His Word, following Christ’s example, letting Scripture separate right from wrong. Those who refuse that gift will not enter Heaven; hell is the only alternative.

God told Jeremiah He would punish everyone who harmed His people. I’m convinced He hasn’t changed. He still defends those who belong to Him and will deal with anyone who trips them up on their way to His Kingdom. So, dear reader, trust the Lord Jesus Christ and be rescued from judgment. Love Him, honor Him, obey Him—and urge others to do the same. The reward God has prepared is literally out of this world.

PRAYER
How wonderful it is to be loved by You, precious Lord! How awesome it is to read about Your passion towards Your created ones, yet You still saw fit to give us the choice of where we would spend eternity. Although this seems like an easy choice for everyone, yet we know that some live each day here on earth with a very stubborn and selfish streak that causes them to reject Jesus, our only Savior. Please Lord Jesus, have mercy on us and hear our cries as we petition You for our loved ones. Please help us to never settle for me, myself and I, but to always seek Your help to encourage those we love, to also love the God we love. I believe that it is clear to see the heart that You have for Your people, and how You will go to all extremes to protect, love and cherish us until the day You call us out of this sinful world. Knowing You, and enjoying that peace of our eternal destiny, helps us through each day. Thank You Jesus for loving me! AMEN!

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

Transforming Faith: Lessons from Nicodemus

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

DATE POSTED
Saturday, March 15, 2025, and I was blessed to be at Advent Christian Village, Dowling Park, FL when God inspired me to prepare this devotional. My Footnote will tell you how to find and read any and all episodes that I have shared over the years.

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
Read it in your Bible or click John 3:1-15 to read it in the New Living Translation (NLT).

APPLICATION – as inspired by the Holy Spirit
In 1987, my wife and I moved from the Bahamas to Florida. There was quite a challenge in the transition. After going through all government paperwork and approvals, we were allowed to live in Florida. But although we had visited many times, yet there was quite the transition to fit in with the natives and become a part of their world. In 2024 we felt led to move to Texas to be near our daughter and son-in-law living there. Just recently we were reflecting on the challenges we faced with the move, for again we wanted to fit in with the natives living there. In our Scripture, one of the rich Pharisaical leaders saw something unique about Jesus and His ministry so he wanted to understand it better and see if it was worth transitioning to the teachings of Jesus. When many come to church for the first time, they are probably like Nicodemus, who heard about the healing power of Jesus Christ. Something catches the attention of a non-Christian who then becomes curious of what these Christians do each week! Let me share with you that this is a lot deeper than most of you might think. For you see, the sinner wants nothing to do with Jesus, for Satan has given them much to enjoy here on earth. They are living their life of sin and Satan’s grip on them, and they are bound and powerless to handle anything Godly. However, the Holy Spirit takes responsibility for nudging the heart of one who needs Jesus. So although one attributes the good music, or the outstanding and charismatic preaching and teaching that their friends brag on at their church down the road, it’s not until the Holy Spirit steps in and pricks the heart of a person that they are able to look beyond their sin and recognize the miracles of God, the love of their Creator and the salvation offered through the sacrificed blood of Jesus Christ. I’m sure that Nicodemus felt like he had it all, knew it all, and was in a good spot with the religious leaders of his day, but suddenly he became enthused about the miracles of Jesus! That’s not normal without the tug of the Holy Spirit. I am convinced that this was not a coincidence, but rather, this was the day of salvation for this man, as God ordained it through the Holy Spirit to Nicodemus. Although there was not a list of tips and ideas for Nicodemus on how to make the transition to be a Jesus follower, Jesus knew exactly where he was, his level of understanding, and his need for a Savior. In the lessons taught to Nicodemus by Jesus, as outlined in today’s Scripture, they may seem strange to us, but when Jesus calls on us, He speaks to us where we are at – educationally, in the circumstances of our life, and our mindset about needing to change. There are some deep theological ideas about what Jesus meant and the reasons why He responded to Nicodemus the way He did, but lets try hard to recognize that it takes a total rebirth in our heart, thoughts and desires to transition from a worldly life of sin, to a life in Jesus, the only sinless One – a life that leads to eternity in heaven. Money didn’t do it for Nicodemus, nor did it help that he was a leader in his religious rights. Nothing, but the blood of Jesus can wash away our sin and make us new again. But verse 16 goes on to reassure us that this change is available to ALL who would believe on Him (Jesus). I pray that this will be your day of decision dear friends. Believe on the name of Jesus, and just like Nicodemus, you will be saved! I have experienced it, and so can you!

PRAYER
Dear Jesus, thank You for the assurance of our salvation, and the promise of eternity in heaven with You and the Father at a time already allotted by You. Thank You for blessing us with opportunities to share our testimony and experiences as children of our heavenly King. Please teach and empower us with opportunities to help redirect others towards heaven, and always help us to be ready to share the hope that lies within us. Please give us opportunities today, and prepare the hearts of those who need our meager influence, but the needed encouragement to hear Your voice calling them to salvation. May You be lifted up, and may many come to know You today – before it is too late. AMEN!

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

Living Your Faith: Practical Applications of James’ Teachings

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

DATE POSTED
Sunday, January 26, 2025, and I was blessed to be in Kyle, TX when God inspired me to prepare this devotional. My Footnote will tell you how to find and read any and all episodes that I have shared over the years.

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
Quoted from the Good News Translation (GNT) and found in James 2:14-26 (Click to open and read)

APPLICATION – as inspired by the Holy Spirit
I maintain that the Word of God is all sufficient and covers every aspect of life for which we need help, comfort or direction. It is amazing, dear friends! But less we become confused, or should we totally misunderstand what James is teaching us here, perhaps we should look at a few real-life examples. Such as: If a man and woman marries and the man continues his life-long hobbies with his buddies, leaving very little time to spend with his new wife, will that marriage survive? I doubt it! Plus, if family and friends never see the couple together, or either of them showing affection towards each other, or lovingly doing things for each other, will others ever believe that they are married? I doubt it. If your friends heard that you are a fisherman, but they notice that you don’t own a boat, or you never go out fishing, or never sell seafood, will they ever believe you are a fisherman? I doubt it. So it is with Christianity my friends, and I believe that this is what James wanted to draw our attention to. Christian loved ones will probably drive us to attend church with them, and we may get caught up in the charisma and excitement of the preaching or the exceptional worship team, and we may walk the isle to impress our friends and/or the pastor. An elder may pray over us, but what difference does it make in our lives on Monday morning? In God’s Word we are told that we are to leave behind the things of this world and follow Christ. That tells me that we are to make a 180 degree turn from the things we once did, for the things, and teachings, of Jesus Christ is always opposite to that the world, or its leader, Satan, would lead us to do. When this change is not noticed by those who know you, then James is teaching us to go back to square one and make sure that we are saved. When we surrender lordship of our lives to Jesus Christ, we become a band new man, or woman, for our lifestyle changes, our vocabulary changes, we become a helpful person who loves God’s children and want to lead them to the Savior we love. These things are quite the opposite to the old ridiculing, persecuting, selfish, greedy, hateful personal we once were. But unless we totally miss the point, we must pay close attention to verses 23-24 where James uses the example of Abraham. For many will look at the self-controlled man that Abraham was when he followed the instructions of God to take his son with him up to the place of sacrifice, then build a fire, and then place his very son on the wood altar as a sacrifice. Friends, that took guts, so we may tend to believe that anyone who is so strong, they must be a born again Christian. But for those of us who look to the Bible for it’s full instruction, we will remember that in Genesis 15:6 the Word tells us that ‘Abram believed the LORD, and the LORD counted him as righteous because of his faith’. So I believe the Bible is clear in presenting you with a million dollar question today: ‘Have you believed in the Son of God?’. If you haven’t, then I believe James is teaching us to recognize that we are only spinning our wheels with our church attendance, giving generously to the work of the church, being kind to the widow down the street who always respects you, etc. Instead, dear friends, take the Word of God seriously and believe that Jesus died and rose again for all mankind, knowing that those who believe in Him will not perish, but will enjoy eternal life in glory with He and the Father! Believe, commit, enjoy and obey the Word of God dear friends, and your actions and intents will be known to God and those around you. He has prepared a place for you in heaven, but you must prepare for that gift of eternal life today, while here on earth. Be sure that you take the Bible seriously dear friends and be obedient to its teachings.

PRAYER
Thank you precious Lord for Your sacrifice and the gift that You offer to those who believe in You. Every time we listen in to the news we hear nothing but trouble and strife, and these are not from You. James reminded us today that Abraham believe in God and he was saved – gifted with eternal life in heaven. Please help us to be obedient children and believe on the name of Jesus to receive the gift of eternal life, as the Bible teaches in John 3:16. James helps us to reflect on the seriousness of our commitment to You by honestly reviewing our actions for the proof of who has lordship over us. God knows all things – even to our innermost thoughts, so He knows where we stand. Oh that He may invoke to us a strong sense of where we are spiritually, so that we can sing praises to You or strengthen our petitions before You today, God being our Helper and Guide. AMEN!

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

The Righteous vs The Unrighteous

On By Ed AlgreenIn A Lamp unto My Path, Adoration, Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Awesome God, Beyond Description, Blessing, Celebrate God, Needs, Praise, Praise-worthy, Recognize God, Righteousness, Worship1 Comment

DATE POSTED: Monday, August 14, 2023, and I was blessed to be at Dowling Park, FL when God inspired me to prepare this devotional. My Footnote will tell you how to find, read or listen to any and all episodes that I have shared over the years.

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE FROM THE Amplified Bible (AMP) IS FOUND IN Proverbs 13:6; 13

THE BIBLE TEXT IS: Righteousness (being in right standing with God) guards the one whose way is blameless, but wickedness undermines and overthrows the sinner.
Whoever despises the word and counsel [of God] brings destruction upon himself, but he who [reverently] fears and respects the commandment [of God] will be rewarded.

MY INITIAL THOUGHTS: Every time we turn on the television to catch up on the news, many of us are bothered by the evil, crime and wickedness that takes over the headlines. Some of us grow weary from this news, because we have read the Book and we know why these things are happening. But this is not new to our era, for Solomon also dealt with this back in his day. Being the wisest man on earth, and a close study of the righteousness of God, I believe we can find answers to our present-day dilemmas directly from God’s Word. Ask God to open your eyes of wisdom and understanding as you join hearts with me in understanding the words, He gave to His servant Solomon.

APPLICATION OF THE WORD: I watched a movie recently where a local City Commission reacted to certain crimes in their city by implementing very stringent laws to guard against the possibility of such crimes recurring. Soon, the town was pretty much on lockdown because of the various new laws implemented, and many of the town residents soon became extremely unhappy. I believe that may be representative of many of our cities, and possibly even our churches. But Solomon teaches us how to search for the root of our problems. What does God’s Word say about these things? Are we living in full obedience to God’s Word and His instructions? Recently I have been so busy with earthly challenges, that my heavenly relationship has been hindered. I found where nothing seemed to have been going right. Until one day God opened my eyes to see how my priorities have become skewed by the challenges of this world. Nothing bad, dear friends, but yet I could see where my priorities were out of order. This is not the way exampled by God in the very beginning. He created everything that we might need to eat and enjoy, then He created man. As if everything evolved around mankind, that He made in His own image. It sure seems to me that we try everything else, do everything else, enjoy all the world has to offer, THEN if anything goes wrong, we run to the only One who could do ALL things – Almighty God. I believe that our Scripture verses today are showing us that if we try to turn things around and trust God first, call on Him first, praise God for who He is and for what He can do – first and foremost each and every day, allow God to be our Savior and Lord who will direct our every word and action, THEN He will direct our path – our righteous path, so that we may live worthy of the Kingdom and His righteousness. Friends, don’t be fooled by this world. Unholy and unrighteous people will do unrighteous things. That’s where the evil, crime and wickedness comes from that I mentioned in my introduction. Our verses indicate that righteousness will guard the life of the blameless (those who are right with God). Please allow me to suggest that should you ever find where things are going south, or you see where sinfulness is creeping in, that you immediately go back to the beginning and reacquaint yourself with the Lord Jesus Christ and ask Him to resume leadership in your life so that you may once again walk the walk and talk the talk that He intended for your good. Let’s all try daily to call on the name of Jesus as we strive to live righteous and fearless lives that represent our Lord Jesus in every way. If you aim for perfection and to be the image of God, while asking Him to be your strength, guide and everlasting Lord, He will direct your path to avoid the pitfall of Satan’s wicked plans that are intended to destroy and tear apart every relationship that you seek after. Be ready to say like Paul did, ‘follow me, as I follow Christ’!

BLESSINGS WORTH NOTING: Solomon was careful to help us understand that the blessings for the righteous stands in stark contrast to the hands-off-by-God evil that comes to the wicked. I am rejoicing once again at being reminded that I am a child of the King of all kings and Lord of all lords!

PRAYER BECAUSE OF THE IMPACT OF TODAY’S SCRIPTURE: Too often we stand surprised by the unusual cruelty and punishment that comes to those who show no interest in following the ways of our Lord, but thank You Lord for opening our eyes once again today to see how You permit the unsaved to live unholy and disobedient lives as they wish, while blessing and preparing a path of righteousness for those who know, love and serve You. It is clear that You give us what we desire, even when it must hurt You deeply to see Your creation follow a path of unrighteousness and evil. Lord, I pray that for as long as You permit us to live in this world, that You will direct our path and give us boldness to represent You in everything we do or say. Please continue to teach us to not only say we are your children, but to especially live out the truths of Your Word each and every day. AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: There’s another page on my website, entitled ‘To Know Jesus’. If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading or listening to this devotional, please go to this page, or speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. Please allow someone to pray with you and give you help and/or encouragement as you begin or continue your walk with Jesus. If you would like to read more of my devotionals, or subscribe for a daily email containing each new devotional, please go online to NuggetsFromGodsWord.org. For my podcast, go online to Apple Podcasts or, using the Apple Podcast app, simply search for Nuggets From God’s Word to hear more episodes, or click ‘Follow’ to be notified of Podcast updates. Friends, please allow me to encourage you to find a church home nearby your home and attend as frequently as you could. Get to know God and allow His people to encourage and strengthen you in your Christian walk, while making every effort to be a blessing to them. God is at work among His people! Please consider growing in your faith, as you worship with fellow believers!

Are You Registered Yet?

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Assurance, Believe, Heaven, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Salvation, Saved, Savior, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Monday, 2023-02-20
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Luke 10:17-20
TRANSLATION: New Living Translation (NLT)

BIBLE TEXT: 17 When the seventy-two disciples returned, they joyfully reported to him, “Lord, even the demons obey us when we use your name!”
18 “Yes,” he told them, “I saw Satan fall from heaven like lightning! 19 Look, I have given you authority over all the power of the enemy, and you can walk among snakes and scorpions and crush them. Nothing will injure you. 20 But don’t rejoice because evil spirits obey you; rejoice because your names are registered in heaven.”

APPLICATION: Often we only need to be associated in a group who is experiencing success in some area of their ministry, for us to start bragging about what God is doing in and through our church, or group. Praise the Lord that you can do that, and I pray that there will be many opportunities to experience success in your work, and then rejoice in the celebration of that success. The 70 disciples were given authority by Jesus to heal the sick, tell them about Jesus and cast out demons. These guys returned in such rare form! They bragged to Jesus about how they saw demons obey their commands when they used His name to cast them out. You can only imagine the excitement! Why, we do the same thing when we see people saved and their lives totally transformed. We are thankful to God when we see people leave their worldly offerings of ball games, beach parties, family times around the television, and so on, so they could be in church worshipping together with us. We know that coming to God’s house to worship together and hear a message from God, will speak truth intro their lives and could create an environment where Satan is not welcomed, so we rejoice and celebrate in God being at work. BUT, do you really get the jest of what Jesus told His disciples? In this world, there will be many reasons to rejoice, to celebrate, or even thank God for moving in the ministries of our church! But what what do you suppose will happen in our churches if our people would remind themselves of their eternal destination as often as they meet? Just talking about heaven should excite us beyond words, and cause us to worship, adore and praise the Lord Jesus for making this all possible to us. Don’t you know that when God’s children truly act like children of the King, and they respond to the reminder of whose they are and where they are going, this is bound to excite those worshipping together with us, and they will want to make sure that their names are registered in heaven and they have the assurance of eternity with our Creator, God Almighty, and His precious Son? The challenging part of corporate worship is that almost everyone will sing, or raise their hands in worship, while some may even sing in a choir, receive the offering or greet visitors. This might help everyone subscribe to a thought that they are all in the same boat and everyone is headed to heaven. But God’s Word declares that the latter only occurs when one has accepted Jesus as Lord of their life and repented of their sin. To repent means that you ask for the help of God to turn away from your sin, so that you might, instead, follow a totally opposite direction in life – one that is obedient to God, and following in His will for your life, as detailed in the Word of God. Friends, just as Jesus told His disciples who had been out ministering in His name, there is nothing more important than to know that your name is written in the book of heaven. If you are unsure, or if you have reason to doubt your assurance of this, please get with a local, Bible teaching Pastor, or drop a note back to me so I could help you with this most important question.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: For those who have their name registered in Heaven, Jesus is ready to welcome you home when that time comes! Glory to God in the highest!

PRAYER: I find it fascinating that even after sending out the 70 to minister and heal in Your name, that You still saw the importance of them knowing without a shadow of doubt that their name is written, or registered in heaven. It is so easy for us to feel such a part of a group, that we may convince ourselves that we have the same privileges as the overall group has. Thankfully, I am reminded by Your words today, Lord, that a group setting will not save me. It’s only through accepting the new birth that is offered through Jesus Christ alone that I am saved, my name registered in the book of heaven, and I am on my way to spending eternity with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit! Please Lord, use this simple reminder from You, and the simple explanation of this devotional to open the eyes of those blinded by Satan, pride and the greed of this world. Please show them the way, the truth, and the glories of heaven that can be theirs if they would simply accept You as Lord and Savior. Give each reader and/or listener new reasons to truly worship and adore You today! AMEN!

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

Guilty Of Following Christ’s Example

On By Ed AlgreenIn Character, Characteristics, Christ-Like, Example of Christ, Genuine example of Jesus, Godly example, Like JesusLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Monday, 2022-03-21
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

Bible Reference: Romans 2:21-24
Translation: Living Bible (TLB)

Bible Text: 21 … you teach others—then why don’t you teach yourselves? You tell others not to steal—do you steal? 22 You say it is wrong to commit adultery—do you do it? You say “Don’t pray to idols” and then make money your god instead. 23 You are so proud of knowing God’s laws, but you dishonor him by breaking them. 24 No wonder the Scriptures say that the world speaks evil of God because of you.

APPLICATION: I cringe when I hear folks say things like “your actions speak so loudly that I can’t hear what you are saying”. Because, unfortunately these folk are often right in saying these things. It hurts me deeply when I hear of church leaders caught in certain acts of sin, because they often have such a large following who is looking to them as a role model. No matter how often we tell folk that they should model their lives after Christ, not man, yet we see more fall out from church members when a pastor leaves, or a church leader is caught in an act of sin. The bottom line is that we all should be guilty of following Christ’s example so closely that people around us would see no difference between our actions and those they expect from Christ. When we surrender Lordship of our lives to Jesus, we ask Him to guide our footsteps every day so that we may walk like Him; guide our tongues each day so that we may talk like Him, and care so much for us each day that we may, in turn, love others like He would. Without Jesus Christ, it is virtually impossible to follow His ways each day in this world we live in, however, rest assured that in Christ, ALL things are possible. If friends of yours never read the first thing about the Bible, but they trust you enough to follow in your footsteps and obey your verbal instructions to them, who would they look like, Jesus Christ or the world? Remember, we are to be little ‘Christ’s’, so our friends following us could ultimately look the same! How are you doing? Do you have portions of your life still left to surrender to God, or are you comfortable that your life is in line with Jesus Christ? Please don’t let Jesus say to you on Judgment Day what Paul said to his fellow Jews, that people are cursing Christ because of you. As a parent we gloat at the times when others praise our children, because we feel a sense of pride in the job that we did in parenting. Let’s live our Christian lives following the same formula, so that Jesus may one day say “Well done good and faithful servant, when these children of Mine followed you, it was the same as them following Me, receive now the crowns I have prepared for you”! Let’s live with the end in mind friend!

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, I respectfully ask that I not be a stumbling block to anyone here on this earth. I pray that others may see enough of You in me that they will not be disappointed over their expectations of You. Lord, may I always represent You in ways that might lead others towards You. Please gently speak to my friends that may meditate on this devotional today, and lead them into a time of soul-searching and revival in their personal lives. Lord, it’s You that we live for. May that be evident in our words and actions today, is my humble prayer that I ask in Your very precious and holy name, AMEN!

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

Preparing For Baptism

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

DATE POSTED Wednesday, 2022-01-12
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Matthew 3:5-9
TRANSLATION: New Living Translation (NLT)

BIBLE TEXT: 5 People from Jerusalem and from all of Judea and all over the Jordan Valley went out to see and hear John. 6 And when they confessed their sins, he baptized them in the Jordan River. 7 But when he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming to watch him baptize, he denounced them. “You brood of snakes!” he exclaimed. “Who warned you to flee the coming wrath? 8 Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God. 9 Don’t just say to each other, ‘We’re safe, for we are descendants of Abraham.’ That means nothing, for I tell you, God can create children of Abraham from these very stones.

APPLICATION: Ever noticed how some will dye their hair blue, if they see a friend or two doing the same thing, and getting attention over the strange practice? Ever noticed at an altar call in your church how challenging it is to get the first person to respond to the gospel message, and how much easier it is after the first person makes the walk down to the altar? We don’t want to be the first to make a move, but we are quick to follow the flow by our friends. People from the neighboring towns came to hear for themselves what all this ‘wild man’, John, was preaching about. His message touched their heart, so they confessed their sin and was ready to be baptized. This is still pretty customary in churches today, especially during revival or evangelistic services. But what would your church, or your pastor, do if at the baptismal service a number of people showed up for baptism who had never visited your church before? I believe we all can agree that at such special services, many might get in the spirit of what is occurring , and they may want to be baptized also. John recognized that the Pharisees and Sadducees who showed up and wanted to be baptized, felt like they were already good enough on their own reconnaissance and at least as good as the persons there who may have received forgiveness of their sin that day. However, John addressed this by drawing their attention to the change that occurs in a believer’s life. I believe John’s teaching on this is well worth our time to reflect on. Think about it – if we are a child of the King, then we will look like; sound like; and act like the King. It would be highly hypercritical of us to say that we are a child of the King, yet continue to behave like our old sinful selves. Who are we trying to fool? I also appreciate that John included the piece for his audience not to feel ‘saved’ because of them being from the seed of Abraham. You see, when we have grown up in the church, or if we happen to be a child of the pastor, deacon or elder, we may try to fool the world into thinking that because of our heritage, we too are saved. Notice what John taught here: we are each to approach the throne of God individually. Nothing done, said, or practiced by our ancestors could cleanse us of our sin and make us right with God. It is only through the shed blood of Jesus Christ that we are saved. That’s the sole purpose in God sending His Son, and He will have it no other way. We cannot slither our way into heaven through any other means. Be encouraged today Brothers and Sisters. We may not be a son or daughter of any earthly king or queen, but as a son of the Most Hight God – King Jesus, we are born again and ready to meet our Savior whenever He calls us home to glory. We are never too bad, or never too much of a pretender for God to accept us. Repent of your sins and ask God to become alive in You so that your words, actions and witness will be all about your heavenly Master.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Jesus can save the hardened criminal or even the one who feels like they’ve always been ‘good enough’ according to the word’s standards.He came to seek and save ALL that are lost. That includes you, me, our neighbor or the drunk down the road.

PRAYER: Father God, we are reminded that there is nothing we can do of our own selves to save ourselves from our sins and ready ourselves for the portals of Heaven. John was very blunt about this with the Pharisees and Sadducees, and he may have even found reason to preach at some of our churches today. Yes, we must be saved through the righteous sacrifice of Jesus alone. But our life will always reflect who takes center place in our lives. May that always be you, and you alone dear God. As the world see Jesus in us, they might become convinced of the power of the One who sacrificed His life for the remission of our sins. Please forgive us for trying to play the fool before You, like we so often try to get away with before our fellow man. You are the one, and the only one, that we must be honest before. Please deal in our hearts and our lives so that we may have an honest relationship with You, and the one who will naturally display to the world who controls every fiber of our being. We love You Lord and we want You to be evident in all that we 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 might indicate a link to a song that came to mind as I wrote the devotional. Feel free to click on the link and listen as you continue to read or pray. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to Nuggets From God’s Word and read more, or you may freely subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. You may also visit me on Spotify and listen to Nuggets while you’re out and about. I would encourage you to find a church home near by your home, and attend as frequently as you could. Get to know God, and allow His people to encourage and strengthen you in your Christian walk, while making every effort to be a blessing to them. God is at work among His people! Please consider growing in your faith, as you worship with fellow believers!

Comfort and Encourage Each Other With This

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

DATE WRITTEN: Tuesday, 2020-08-18
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18
TRANSLATION: Living Bible (TLB)

BIBLE TEXT: 16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a mighty shout and with the soul-stirring cry of the archangel and the great trumpet-call of God. And the believers who are dead will be the first to rise to meet the Lord. 17 Then we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and remain with him forever. 18 So comfort and encourage each other with this news.

OBSERVATION: While some might consider this a morbid subject, I can assure you that each of us will travel this road some day! Having just lost a friend, and seeing the awesome strength in his wife, I thought it is perfect timing that God would have this Scripture come up as part of my daily Bible reading plan, because I want us all to be as prepared for the inevitable – death of a loved one, as this dear wife has been. Prepare your hearts for the Word of God and meditate with me, dear friends.

APPLICATION: Many folk struggle to survive the loss of a loved one, especially where there was a great relationship enjoyed. In fact, we often hear of surviving spouses following in death very soon after losing their mate. But why is this? Often we live in such a manner that it may sometimes appear to a loved one that you could care less if they were there or not. But, there are many, many relationships where one partner could easily speak for the other, because they are so closely knit and their minds are so intertwined after happily living together. For the Christian, I firmly believe that the awesome God we serve, knows all about our relationships, and He knows what an awful time we will go through when we lose that favorite person in our lives. At times He prepares us for that, by providing a new baby, or grand baby as a distraction. My wife witnessed this when she lost her mom just a few short years after we got our first and only child. At other times, God might bless us with rich moments together, where the memories of that loved one will last a lifetime. He might also bless us with such assurance about what might be a very short separation, or about the relief from medical issues for the one about to leave us. Whatever the circumstances, please know that we serve a God who knows all things, both past and present. He knows what we will need to go on without a parent, friend or spouse that we have been attached to at the hips. Notice in our Scripture that God wanted Paul to encourage his church at Thessalonica, and He wanted these words penned so that we who are alive today could also benefit from them. So pay close attention to how this will all play out friends. Although we are forced to bid farewell to our loved ones here on earth, there will come a day that Jesus will return for us, and God has outlined in granular form how this will all happen. When He appears, those in the graves, who died knowing Jesus as Lord and Savior, will rise first and meet with Jesus in the heavens! Then those of us who are still alive, and have accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior will then rise to meet Jesus and our loved ones who went on before us, and we will remain with the Lord forever! So God wants us to encourage each other with these words, so that sorrow will not overcome us when a loved one goes on before us, for we know that one day we will see them again, and together meet our Savior and Lord! To my readers that will happen across this blog and you have not met this Jesus of whom I have spoken, please carefully notice that you will not be in that collective meeting with Jesus – for that is reserved for those who have already said ‘YES’ to Jesus. However, as long as there is breath in your lungs, and the Master has not yet returned, you still have an open option. May I introduce you to my Lord and Savior? I went into detail in my Footnote so that you might see from Scripture how to do this. Please take time to understand the Word of God and accept Jesus as Your Lord today. Without Him, you will not hear the voice of God on that day when Jesus returns. Please, please, please, accept Jesus today!

PRAYER: Dear Jesus, thank You for the reminder today that our hope is built on nothing less, than Jesus blood and sacrifice. Thank You that we can know today that should I go first, or should I remain, one day soon we will all be together around Your throne singing Your praises and glorifying You for ever and for ever! As related by the surviving spouse of my friend, What a Day that Will Be, When my Jesus I shall See, When I look Upon His Face, the One who saved me by His grace….. Come Lord Jesus, come, for Your servant awaits Your call! AMEN!

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

To Appreciate God’s Power

On By Ed AlgreenIn All-powerful, Almighty, Appreciation, Awesome God, Miraculous, Wonderful Savior2 Comments

DATE WRITTEN: Wednesday, 2020-05-13
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

Bible Reference: Job 26:7&14
Translation: New Century Version (NCV)

Bible Text: 7 God stretches the northern sky out over empty space and hangs the earth on nothing.
14 And these are only a small part of God’s works. We only hear a small whisper of him. Who could understand God’s thundering power?

OBSERVATION: As we meditate on these verses, I want to remind you that this is Job speaking to one of his encouragers! For he had been beaten up on and robbed of everything by Satan, yet he knew deep inside that no matter what happened to the flesh, his God still loved him and cared for him! Wow! In fact, although I only chose to show two verses, the whole chapter of 14 verses are filled with the many praises of Job! He showed us that no matter what earthly trials come our way, let us never lose sight of the mighty hand of God, whose love constantly abides within us and is available to us.

APPLICATION: Wow, what an example for those of us that whine and complain our whole day. We just have to look outside of our personal problems, many of which we have brought on ourselves. We have to look for the ways that God has provided for us, especially when we see so many in need around us. We have to thank God for the good health we enjoy, especially when we look at the number in our hospitals and the numerous sick people who are much worse off than we are. We must remind ourselves of the serious need for diet in our lives, while we reflect on the number of persons that go to bed hungry worldwide. We have so much to be thankful for that it would take much more than 14 verses to truly reflect our praises. So much to be thankful for, that we should never have time to complain! We should express so much praise from our thankful hearts that others who truly have needs would be encouraged by just listening to our praises, and there would be ample proof to those praying for desperate needs in their life that they would pray in renewed confidence, knowing that they are praying to a God who cares and loves them, seeing how much we are constantly bragging about Him. God is truly, amazingly and wonderfully amazing to us friend! Let the whole world know to whom you belong!

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, I praise You this morning for who you are! Not just someone I have read about, although I have read the praises of Job, but I too can testify of Your love and goodness towards me! Not just for the love that I read about, or that the pastor preached about, but for the genuine love that I feel deep inside when reminded of the sacrifice that You made for mankind (especially myself) when You hung on that cruel cross at Calvary, with all the power to totally reverse the scene, but yet You chose to show Your love towards all mankind, by suffering under the hands of those You were dying for. Please forgive me Lord for my ungrateful spirit. Please help me to always look for the ways You have blessed, and still are blessing, so that I might exalt You for Your active role in all these things. You have created us with a free choice, please always remind us that we have a choice to praise You or to complain. I pray that we will always make the right choice to praise You in our storms of life, and let You control and help us to overcome the difficulties. I ask all this in Your loving and wonderful name Lord Jesus, AMEN!

Transformed Relationships

On By Ed AlgreenIn Born Again, Christian, Encourage, Example of Christ, Forgiveness, Fruit of the Spirit, Genuine example of Jesus, Getting Along, Godly example, Heaven, Holy Spirit, Humility, Imitator of Christ, Love, Love your Neighbor, ObedienceLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Tuesday, 2020-04-14
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

Bible Reference: Romans 12:9-12
Translation: The Passion Translation (TPT)

Bible Text: 9 Let the inner movement of your heart always be to love one another, and never play the role of an actor wearing a mask. Despise evil and embrace everything that is good and virtuous. 10 Be devoted to tenderly loving your fellow believers as members of one family. Try to outdo yourselves in respect and honor of one another. 11 Be enthusiastic to serve the Lord, keeping your passion toward him boiling hot! Radiate with the glow of the Holy Spirit and let him fill you with excitement as you serve him.
12 Let this hope burst forth within you, releasing a continual joy. Don’t give up in a time of trouble,[e] but commune with God at all times.

OBSERVATION: Often times we will read about ways to, and often we are encouraged to, transform our lives into one that aligns with the will of God and in obedience of the Holy Spirit. Paul encourages us to meditate also on how these transformed lives will look to those that we connect with and call our friends. Perhaps you might be willing to join me in looking deeply into our personal relationships with others, and whether there is evidence of the Holy Spirit’s work within us as we fellowship with each other. Paul gives great guidance to us, so let’s dig in…

APPLICATION: Often times we struggle in relationships, both with family members and with friends. For there is jealousy between one another and envy and hard feelings that could quickly result, in fact, to the extent that we can’t stand to be in each other’s presence. Coworkers tend to be so competitive to reach for the top, or earn more commissions and/or recognition, so they step right over another employee, and may even do certain things to prevent that coworker from doing their best. Church members want to be in charge, or favored by the pastor, or perhaps they just can’t have their own way, so we see churches split or families leave the church and move on to another. I wonder if the result would be any different if we were to follow the advice of Paul in these two verses? Friends, Christians are to be deep into the Word at every opportunity, but not less frequently than daily, looking over God’s instructions to be sure that we live and love like Him. You see, God’s Word contains our template for love, it tells us about our Role Model, Jesus Christ. Our responsibility according to the Word, is to go and minister to the world so that all may know Jesus. Don’t you know that we are actually teaching them our evil ways when we act like the world, or like the above examples? Remember, our actions speak so loud that others will rarely hear what we are saying to them. I believe Paul is saying that we are not to be hypocritical. If we claim Jesus as Lord, then we are to live like Him and seek to squash all evil thoughts that Satan will buffet us with. Through the work of the Holy Spirit, we will seek to act like Jesus. and in no way follow the path of least resistance that are led by Satan – whose aim is to kill, steal and destroy the work of God. Friends, Jesus is coming soon and we must live with that in mind. Don’t dare live like the devil and think you’ll have time to seek forgiveness when you hear that Jesus is coming down the street. The Bible says that we must live in a state of readiness, because Jesus in no way needs our permission that the coast is clear for Him to come and gather His bride (the church – us). This means that we are to live and love like Jesus demands of us today. Don’t delay, please?

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, the creator of love, the One who showed ultimate love, please forgive me for making a mockery of living and loving like You exampled for me. You showed me how to live, and I have totally blown it. Thank You for Your servant Paul, who has reminded us that we need to live and love in ways that others might recognize as an imitation of God. This is impossible to achieve, as long as we continue to give in to the ways of this world. Father, please give my readers and I strength to be true victors in living our lives according to the model You displayed. Please help us to stay so in tuned with Your Word that it will not only impact the words from our lips, but the desires of our heart and the actions of our whole being. Lord, sadly, we must confess that we have ‘Christian’ family and friends that are living in sin, because they are acting just like Satan, and in similar ways to the above examples given. Please use this devotional today to speak to the hearts of those claiming You as Lord. Please also speak to those who have not yet accepted You as Lord, for today is the day of salvation, and there is no better time than today for them to seek Your power and Your strength so that they too might live and love like You. Lord, this old world is getting in extremely poor shape morally, for folk are becoming more and more hardened to their sin. Please, I beg You, do a mighty work in Your people today. Begin with us, Christians. Get us straight first, so that we may be Your hands and Your feet on the ground seeking to impact the lives of those that don’t know You. These things I ask humbly in Your precious name and for Your sake, AMEN!