How To Prove You Are A Follower of Christ

On 2015-11-132015-11-13 By Ed AlgreenIn Follower of Christ, SincereLeave a comment

THE HOLY BIBLE John 13:34-35 – New Living Translation (NLT): ³⁴ So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. ³⁵ Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”

THOUGHTS: When you walk into a doctor’s office you will often see the walls plastered with a wide range of certifications they received, and the doctorate degree they earned upon graduating med school. Jesus knew that just as His authority was questioned while here on earth, His followers would also be questioned. So He prepared us for this by telling us how to prove we are His follower. First of all, unlike a doctor’s office where there are signs posted over the office door, we will not be recognized as a follower based on a name badge showing our title, nor a badge across our forehead. However, I believe that it will be evident from our outlook on life, for we will have such an appreciation for the Savior who gave His life so that we could expect life eternally with Him. Just as natural born children inherit the qualities of their parents, I believe that the more Christians learn about their heavenly Father and His teachings on how we should live, and follow the example that Jesus demonstrated while here on earth, then the more that we would be apt to follow in His teachings and example. For example, Jesus loved us enough that He gave His all for us. It is that kind of love that we are expected to demonstrate one for another. When we do, we will prove whose we are, to a world that is so self-centered and looking out for number one. In fact, the ‘Jesus’ kind of love demonstrated by us will be so different to that of the ordinary citizen of this world, that it will be immediately evident that something is different about us. How is it with you friend? Based on your God-like love for your fellow man, is it evident that Jesus is playing a major role in your life? If we only love those who show love to us, how does that make us any different to our friends of this world? If we only give because of what we expect to receive in return, does that make us any different to the average citizen of this world? When we think of ‘love’, we think of Jesus, for the Word of God says that “Jesus is LOVE”. Can the same be said of you and I Christian Brother and Sister? If not, we make it impossible for others to know that we are a follower of Christ, and why would they listen to our testimony or our witness, if we need preaching to ourselves?

PRAYER: Father it often seems like we are losing the battle to win the lost to You. Yet when we read passages like this one today, I believe You are telling us to make sure that those of us who claim You as Lord actually live like You demonstrated for us, and taught us throughout Your Word. In other words, I believe You are telling us to live out the talk, and to let our actions be reflective of Your actions and Your teachings. Then, perhaps, others might recognize that we are children of the King, and worthy of their attention. We can only do this with Your help and through Your power, oh Lord. Please hear our prayer and our heart’s desire, then fill us with Your power so that we may be true imitators of You. I ask all this in the precious name of Jesus, my Lord and Savior, AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please speak with a local Bible Teaching pastor, or read through Biblical truths on How To Know Jesus, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com so that we can pray with you and give you help and or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Any words underlined above will indicate a link to a song that came to mind as I wrote the devotional. Feel free to click on the link and listen as you continue to read or pray. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to www.nuggetsfromgodsword.org and read more, or you may freely subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. If you are anywhere near the Highlands County, Florida area and do not have a church home, I would be thrilled to welcome you at Bible Fellowship Church, Sebring, FL! Click the link to check out service times and/or other special activities. God is at work among us! Please consider coming to worship with us!

Do You Really Belong To Jesus?

On 2015-11-122015-11-12 By Ed AlgreenIn Commitment, Salvation, SurrenderLeave a comment

THE HOLY BIBLE – John 13:6-10 – The Contemporary English Version (CEV): ⁶ But when he came to Simon Peter, that disciple asked, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” ⁷ Jesus answered, “You don’t really know what I am doing, but later you will understand.” ⁸ “You will never wash my feet!” Peter replied. “If I don’t wash you,” Jesus told him, “you don’t really belong to me.” ⁹ Peter said, “Lord, don’t wash just my feet. Wash my hands and my head.” ¹⁰ Jesus answered, “People who have bathed and are clean all over need to wash just their feet. And you, my disciples, are clean, except for one of you.”

THOUGHTS: There’s a lovely old hymn entitled ‘Are You Washed In the Blood of The Lamb‘, and unless we grasp the full understanding of those lyrics, we may miss the whole point of the song, and this scripture that we are looking at today. Friends, even in the case of the disciples, Jesus saw where it was necessary to challenge them into surrendering themselves fully. Way too often, I’m afraid that we make a decision to accept the Lord because of outside pressures – perhaps it was mom who prayed endlessly for us and provoked us at every opportunity to surrender to the call of Jesus. Perhaps it’s a spouse who is threatening to leave us, unless we give ourselves to the lordship of Jesus Christ. Or perhaps that old preacher who ‘bugs the tar out of us’ every time he sees us. Often when we do something for the sake of others, we tend to get them off our back, but nothing has really impacted our heart. For a moment, consider a decision made under one of the scenarios I just gave, and compare this to a case where God truly got a hold of your heart and caused you to personally, willingly, and not under any outside pressures, provoked you to personally decide that today is the day of salvation. In other words, you are personally seeking the face of Jesus. Which one would you suspect might have the longest lasting impact? Let’s remember, Jesus knew the heart of each disciple, so as He knelt before them to wash their feet He really knew and understood what the motives were behind their being there, and what was going on in their minds at the time. But friends, nothing has changed in the power of God to know and understand our hearts and our minds today. He knows how committed we truly are to Him. He knows whether our walk is sincere, or whether our words are the same around church as they are out in the field where we interact with abrasive coworkers. He knows if we claim Him as Lord on church day, but put Him ‘on a shelf’ until we need Him or find ourselves around church folk again. Friends, like Jesus told Peter, unless He washes every piece of our being with His cleansing power – His blood that was shed on Calvary for the cleansing of our sin, then our lives will be a farce, and we will always pretend that we are something that we really are not in our hearts. You know, this Christianity thing – this salvation thing – is all relational, it’s not a game, or a thing that is dependent on who could act this thing out the best. Is it truly evident from the way you live, that Jesus has truly gotten hold of your life, washed away the old selfish life of sin, and given you a brand new life where it is evident that you are not the ‘pilot’, but instead, you are led by the Savior of this world – the God of this universe, and the King of all kings? If not, may I encourage you to read God’s Word daily to seek His perfect will for your life? May I also encourage you to chat daily with our Lord? This opens the doors of communication with Him, and this is vital to every relationship – especially the one you should develop with Jesus Christ.

PRAYER: Father, I am concerned that many may be in the same boat as Peter, where they feel like they have everything under control – their control. Your Word is very clear that unless You wash us clean of all our sin, we are not really Yours. Please open the eyes of those pretending today, so that they may fully understand Your call on their lives. Please open eyes and soften hearts so that each reader will closely examine themselves and see the need for a thorough cleansing by You. Full surrender is a must, and I pray that no one will miss that point to consider seriously today. May You be very active in each of our lives today, is my humble and sincere prayer that I ask in the strong name of Jesus, AMEN!

Lord, Lead Me

On 2015-11-112015-11-11 By Ed AlgreenIn Guide me, Lead me, Mold meLeave a comment

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

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

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

The Main Attractors

On 2015-11-102015-11-10 By Ed AlgreenIn Evangelize, WitnessLeave a comment

THE HOLY BIBLE – John 12:17-19 – New Living Translation (NLT): 17 Many in the crowd had seen Jesus call Lazarus from the tomb, raising him from the dead, and they were telling others about it. 18 That was the reason so many went out to meet him—because they had heard about this miraculous sign. 19 Then the Pharisees said to each other, “There’s nothing we can do. Look, everyone has gone after him!”

THOUGHTS: Like the folk in Jesus’ day, we also have many folk today who are anxious to know what this ‘Jesus’ is all about, that they keep hearing friends talk about. But I wonder, what are they seeing? Are they seeing any difference in Christians than what they see in their sinner friend from work or in their friends they meet at the local bar? Let’s take a moment and consider some of the similarities and/or differences between the folk in the story told by John and in our particular scenario today. Many in the crowd had seen Jesus call Lazarus from the grave, and they were spreading the good news to others they came into contact with. Now granted, most of us may not have actually seen someone brought to life, but what about the answer to prayer for various challenges in your life that you have no explanation for, other than a miracle from God? Here’s my challenge for you: how many family or friends have you shared the good news about this miracle? If like me, I bet you’re ashamed to respond that you have shared no where near as much as you should have, considering the unbelievable miracle(s) that occurred in your life. So friend, what have we done to encourage those in our realm of influence to gain a desire to want to see, or meet our Jesus? Just like the Pharisees did, wouldn’t it be exciting to hear Satan’s cohorts give up in disgust, or throw their hands up in surrender, because there is nothing else they could think of that would help them regain their power over God’s children? Friends, the unsaved will be encouraged to see our Jesus, if they believe that we have enough value in our relationship with Him that might be attractive to them. But how will they know, if we don’t make that known? I was challenged in reading this because I realized that the welfare of others may be contingent upon my openness to share the goodness of my Savior. How about you?

PRAYER: Lord God, thank You for hearing our prayers and answering so powerfully in so many ways and in so many circumstances. Please forgive us for keeping that awesome news to ourselves and not sharing that openly with our friends. Just as John shared how the crowd showed up to see You because of the publicity by those who saw Your miraculous works, I pray that the ‘crowds’ today will have a greater desire to meet You and know You, because of our witness and the awesome story of Your great works. I ask all this in the wonderful name of Jesus, the great healer and miracle worker, AMEN!

Are You Known as a ‘Christ-Follower’?

On 2015-11-092015-11-09 By Ed AlgreenIn Committed, Imitate Jesus, Take a standLeave a comment

THE HOLY BIBLE 1 Peter 4:12-16 – Easy-To-Read Version (ERV): ¹² My friends, don’t be surprised at the painful things that you are now suffering, which are testing your faith. Don’t think that something strange is happening to you. ¹³ But you should be happy that you are sharing in Christ’s sufferings. You will be happy and full of joy when Christ shows his glory. ¹⁴ When people say bad things to you because you follow Christ, consider it a blessing. When that happens, it shows that God’s Spirit, the Spirit of glory, is with you. ¹⁵ You may suffer, but don’t let it be because you murder, steal, make trouble, or try to control other people’s lives. ¹⁶ But if you suffer because you are a “Christ-follower,” don’t be ashamed. You should praise God for that name.

THOUGHTS: I believe that when we accept Jesus as Lord, we tend to think more about what the benefits might be, than thinking about what additional controversy our decision might create, or what additional persecution might arise in our lives. Think about it, when folk are really struggling, we tend to convince them that they need Jesus. What if we told them that what they are presently going through is only a ‘drop-in-the-bucket’ compared to what will be brought on them after conversion? Do you suppose that anyone would agree to surrender their lives to Christ? However friends, we must be honest in evaluating what happened to Jesus, for He healed the sick, raised the dead and caused the blind to see, yet He was sought after like a criminal. This same Jesus is to be our role model friends. I feel like what we are taught here is that we are to do good, and be a shining example of Jesus, even if we know that controversy will arise. On the way to a business party one time I was asked by an executive why Christians abstain from drinking alcohol. I believe that it was asked to embarrass me because it was asked in a jeering way hoping to get laughter from the other executives present. I responded honestly as I believe God would have me do, and although I waited for the repercussion, it seemed like my honest response was well accepted. I recently heard a request for prayer about persecution on the job at a local company. It really surprised me, but after reading this scripture this morning, I am convinced that although we are not expected to go out and be deliberate rebels in our workplace or at local diners, or any other place that we go, we are expected to let our lights shine for Jesus and not hide that light for the sake of popularity or because of possible persecution. In fact, I love the suggested attitude in verse 14 – when we feel persecuted, or picked on, or laughed at, or made fun of, because of our faith, it is a great time to praise God knowing that others are impacted by the Christian stance we just took on a matter or the Christ-likeness that our audience just witnessed. It’s not a show-off thing, it’s our every-day Christian life being displayed in all aspects of our life. Is this always easy for us? Absolutely not, but when done in sincerity and under the direction and power of the Holy Spirit, we will see great things accomplished for God. In fact, I would go as far as saying that if we feel forced into making a stand, then we need to question if it truly is a ‘God-thing’, or are we doing it to impress someone about us and our strengths and abilities.

PRAYER: Dear God, You gave everything You had so that we might have eternal life in glory with You and Your Son. Thank You Lord for Your goodness to me and Your invaluable gift! Lord, I pray that Your children who will meditate on this devotional today, might catch a glimpse, as I did, to the value of living our faith and making our witness known to all mankind, so that they might be convinced of our relationship with You. This witness will sometimes convince mankind of their need for a Savior, but it will sometimes offend those who are led by Satan and his demons. May we be strong in all circumstances, so that the world might know to whom we belong, and that we might be convinced in our heart that we are truly Yours, without a shadow of doubt. Lord, please have Your will and way in our lives today, and may Your glory shine through us as we stand firm in our faith in You. I ask these things in the powerful and awesome name of Jesus, and for your sake, AMEN!

Your Destiny – Per Your Choice Today

On 2015-11-072015-11-07 By Ed AlgreenIn Heaven, Hell, SurrenderLeave a comment

THE HOLY BIBLE Psalm 1:5-6 – The Contemporary English Version (CEV): ⁵ Sinners won’t have an excuse on the Day of Judgment, and they won’t have a place with the people of God. ⁶ The Lord protects everyone who follows him, but the wicked follow a road that leads to ruin.

THOUGHTS: As I read this Psalm this morning I remembered a time when a few cities in Florida received a lot of damage from an un-named storm some years ago that had a devastating effect on them. There was a lot of blame thrown on broadcasters and on weathermen because these folk felt like there just wasn’t enough warning given for them to protect their homes and belongings. I believe that we often try to find someone to blame for disasters that come our way and destroy those ‘things’ that we love. Does it not seem appropriate then that we should be constantly in the Word of God, since we know that the Good Book contains so much information on what our final destiny holds for us? May I encourage you to take close note of what the two verses noted above has to say to each of us reading this devotional today? Think about this friends:

To the unsaved (those without a commitment or relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ): – You are reminded that there will be no excuses allowed on that Day, for your life will be analyzed or judged based on the choices made today, or the excuses that you try to use today that result in such poor choices;
To the saved (those who have accepted Jesus Christ as their personal Savior while here on earth): – The Day of Judgment will be like a homecoming celebration, for Jesus will welcome His children home! The protection referenced in verse (6) gives me the picture of a hen gathering her flock under her wings. I could only imagine how precious it will be for our Savior to welcome His children home to be with Him and His Father throughout eternity! What a glorious day that will be friends!

The challenge I have for those reading this devotional today, is that unless you know without a doubt that you fit into the second group referenced above, then I have a responsibility to warn you with all sincerity, that you are living ‘on the edge’ by not clarifying your position with God today. Yes, God has gifted us with the ‘present’, but not for any second after this, for you could be standing in the presence of the Almighty receiving your reward, or being convicted to damnation in the pits of Hell with the deceiver, Satan. The choice seems simple friend, but only you can make it, and the time to do that is today. Please contact me if there is anything I can do to help you deal with this friend. Your future hinges on your decision today!

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, You have provided such hope for those who know You. Please touch the hearts of all who read this devotional today and awaken their hearts to the importance of making right decisions today, while the opportunity is still available. I pray that there will not be one who reads these words who will choose to reject Your offer and continue following the road that leads to ruin, as indicated in vs 6 above. Your power can change lives, and I thank You for hearing my heart’s cry today and touching the hearts of Your precious ones. I ask all this in faith, and in the all-powerful name of Jesus, AMEN!

How To Know Who Jesus Is

On 2015-11-062015-11-06 By Ed AlgreenIn Faith, Know and BelieveLeave a comment

THE HOLY BIBLE – John 10:24-30 – _{New Living Translation (NLT)}: ²⁴ The people surrounded him and asked, “How long are you going to keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.” ²⁵ Jesus replied, “I have already told you, and you don’t believe me. The proof is the work I do in my Father’s name. ²⁶ But you don’t believe me because you are not my sheep. ²⁷ My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. ²⁸ I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me, ²⁹ for my Father has given them to me, and he is more powerful than anyone else. No one can snatch them from the Father’s hand. ³⁰ The Father and I are one.”

THOUGHTS: In the highlighted scripture today, Jesus told the people following Him, that it was obvious that their eyes were open, but they were choosing to ignore the work that His Father had performed through Him. These mighty works were actual confirmation, or proof, that He truly is the Messiah, but unbelief had blinded them from seeing the mighty works of God. This made me think of our churches today and our, so called ‘Christians’ today. For I believe that if most of us were questioned on Sunday afternoon about the church services we attended that morning, we would probably respond about how ‘out of it’ our Worship Leader was today, or how boring our preacher was, or how disrespectful the teen agers were. Should we not use that invitation to celebrate that the Savior who gave His very life for us, actually met us there and blessed our time together? Or perhaps, we were reassured of His power and His might, and that His sweet Holy Spirit that is so available to us every day, was perfectly evidenced in our services. Or how sweet it was in singing praises to God and realizing that He was right there, receiving our praises and smiling at the worship of His children who recognized His mighty works that week. Perhaps reassure the person asking that it was worth every bit of effort extended for us to get out of bed on our day off, and to head on over to the house of God to worship God and to hear from Him through the reading and preaching of His Word. Friends, I wish that we would deliberately attend worship services, and deliberately expect to see God there, deliberately lift up holy hands to Him and worship His holy name, and be ready to give an account to the world of how real our God is to us. Let’s not be distracted by everything else we see around us, that we totally miss the purpose of why we go to church altogether. Jesus said in verse 27 and beyond, that His sheep (you and I) – those who know Him personally and consider Him as their heavenly Father, that we will listen to what He has to say – yes even through our earthly pastors and teachers. Furthermore, He reassures us that He will know us. That’s a very personal and intimate thing friends, for that shows me that when I lift up praise and worship to Him, He will know us, expect us, and receive our worship unto Himself. What a glorious personal experience that could be! So friends, if you are missing this intimacy with your Father, may I recommend that You ask Him to help you re-examine your life and identify any wicked way or sin that may be hindering you. Remember, He knows You and is expecting you. Please don’t disappoint Him friend!

PRAYER: Father, thank You for constantly revealing Yourself to us. Please forgive us for distancing ourselves from You through the distractions of sin. If we ever expect our family and friends to receive You as their Lord and Savior, surely it is incumbent upon us to show them that we have proof of who You are. With this ‘proof’ our lives will glow with the evidence of whose we are. Lord, may this be the case in the lives of myself and all those reading this devotional today, for I sincerely believe that there will clearly be outward evidence of the inward experience that we enjoy with You, our Father, our Savior and our Lord. I ask these things in the precious name of Jesus, the risen, ‘proven’ Son of God and Savior of this world, AMEN!

Find Yourself

On 2015-11-052015-11-05 By Ed AlgreenIn Good Shepherd, Obedience, SheepLeave a comment

THE HOLY BIBLE – John 10:10-13
– Contemporary English Version (CEV): ¹⁰ A thief comes only to rob, kill, and destroy. I came so that everyone would have life, and have it in its fullest. ¹¹ I am the good shepherd, and the good shepherd gives up his life for his sheep. ¹² Hired workers are not like the shepherd. They don’t own the sheep, and when they see a wolf coming, they run off and leave the sheep. Then the wolf attacks and scatters the flock. ¹³ Hired workers run away because they don’t care about the sheep.

THOUGHTS: In this scripture I recognized several characters that Jesus chose to use in this parable, and I believe it was intentional, because each of us would recognize the qualities of the characters and position ourselves as one of these as applicable. Here are the characters:

A Thief – This is an individual controlled by Satan, and comes into a person’s life, or into a church with the intent of robbing us of our joy, our peace and our security. They are so determined in their mission that their ultimate goal is to kill and/or destroy the fellowship that we have with Jesus Christ. This person comes in the form of a gossiper; a teacher of false doctrines; a distractor when one is determined to draw closer to God and/or determined to understand and obey His Word. I believe we are challenged to be on guard for such ‘thieves’, but more importantly to open our eyes so that we might not get caught in the trap of being a ‘thief’;
Hired Worker – I believe this could be a leader that sees the need to teach a lesson, but they really got nothing out of the lesson themselves. I am very touched when it becomes evident that a teacher, or a preacher visited the ‘wood shed’ before teaching a same principle or lesson to an audience. For then the lesson comes from the heart, or from personal application first, and not from an obligation to teach, or because one is paid to do so. This also becomes very apparent in the extent that the teacher feels a heart-felt responsibility for their audience, rather than a casual sharing because of given responsibility. Satan can easily distract our pastors and teachers, so let us continually pray for their spiritual welfare as they seek, in obedience, to be used by God to impact our spiritual welfare;
Sheep – I believe it is very important that we get the picture about the relationship between the sheep and the shepherd. Sheep are very dependent on the shepherd, but they are extremely blessed by their shepherd, for he protects them, leads them to green pastures for great nutritional value, and also to streams of water that satisfies their quench. Sheep are so obedient that the shepherd can walk ahead of them and they will follow. No need for whips and sheep dogs to keep them corralled together. We are often likened to sheep in the Bible. Don’t these characteristics speak volumes as to what God expects of us as His ‘sheep’?
Wolf – A wolf is known for attacking, scattering and destroying. This happens in many congregations, and could easily happen in our own lives, where a ‘wolf’ could sneak in and totally destroy our fellowship, or our individual walk with the Lord. Let’s be careful that Satan has no leverage in our lives that may cause us to act like a ‘wolf’ among God’s people. Let’s be leery of wolves that may be standing by to attack us. Staying strong in the Lord and His might, is our primary defense. May God be so strong in our lives that wolves will be kept at bay;
Shepherd – The importance of a ‘shepherd’ is highlighted throughout my above thoughts. Jesus is our ‘Shepherd’, and in Him we should take our stand. He will not lead us astray, and only He can protect us from the harm and potential danger of Satan’s wolves that wait to destroy us each and every day. It is incumbent upon us to stay closely attuned to our Shepherd. Follow in His footsteps. Obey His commands and love Him because of the love He shows for us every day. Our Good Shepherd is the only defender capable of standing up to Satan. Let’s stay connected and confident in our Good Shepherd, for He has already sacrificed His life for our safety from the awful wolves of Satan and the peace, tranquility and security of Heaven – our heavenly home!

PRAYER: Dear God, thank You for sacrificing Your Son as our Savior, our Lord, our redeemer and our Shepherd. May we be careful to take our appropriate role today as Your humble and obedient sheep. Our witness to this will affirm to the sinner that there is a God and a Good Shepherd that they need in their lives also. Happy, obedient sheep will attract more sheep, especially those who are not secure in Your good graces. Use each of your servants who meditate on this devotional today to be the kind of sheep that You desire, and can use to reach out to other sheep. For I ask these things in the name of Jesus, our obedient Good Shepherd, AMEN!

Jesus Can Help Even If Blinded By Sin

On 2015-11-042015-11-04 By Ed AlgreenIn Blinded by Sin, Hardened Hearts, SalvationLeave a comment

THE HOLY BIBLE – John 9:39-41 _{The Voice (VOICE)}:

Jesus: ³⁹ I have entered this world to announce a verdict that changes everything. Now those without sight may begin to see, and those who see may become blind.

Some Pharisees (who overheard Jesus): ⁴⁰ Surely we are not blind, are we?

Jesus: ⁴¹ If you were blind, you would be without sin. But because you claim you can see, your sin is ever present.

THOUGHTS: Ever noticed how easy it is, and how prone we are, to assume that the preacher is talking to the guy behind us, or perhaps right beside us? You know, the message just seems to fit the other person so well! In fact, you couldn’t have said it any better yourself, right? This is so unfortunate, and really very scary, because if we are not careful we can walk away from a sermon, or read a devotional like this one, and never be personally impacted by the Word of God, because these lessons must have been intended for ‘the other person’. So having said this up front, may I encourage you to take a moment and speak to God? Ask Him to melt, and humble your heart, so that you might be open and attentive to His Word today, and apply it very squarely to your life. Let’s try to put this in perspective friends. I would imagine that if you met a group of friends at church and decided to go out and do some door-to-door evangelism, you would probably choose to visit those homes where no one attends your church. Why? Because we are caught into a trap like the Pharisees, where we assume that all church attendees are saved. Let me suggest another view on this. Let’s assume that an investigator approached you for help in finding a criminal who has been tormenting the neighborhood. How many church attendees would you suggest that the investigator visit and question? Friends, this scripture is a great eye-opener for us, because Jesus is saying to us that because we say we are saved, then anything that we do contrary to His teaching, is sin. In other words, the day we asked Jesus into our hearts, there was an awesome Helper assigned to us, because we were given a new ‘plumb line’ (standard) to live by – God’s Word and His teachings. When we deliberately reject the guidance and help of the Holy Spirit and live any which way we want to, then we become like those Pharisees that Jesus spoke to in these verses. We know the right way, or God’s way, yet we have chosen to disobey and do our own thing. This is blatant sin, friend! For non-Christians reading this today, please don’t think that you are off the hook, because your whole life has not been reconciled with God yet. Your responsibility lies with working out your own salvation. God Loves you so much that He gave His precious, and only, Son to die on a cruel cross so that you might have a means of seeking forgiveness of your sin. To my Christian friends, please be reminded that accepting Jesus as Lord was the first and primary step in knowing Him as Lord. If you were sincere in that decision, then your life will reflect that by the way you live. If you are His child, you will live like Him. Thinking that you are His child and reflecting no change in your lifestyle may be a case of you having repeated a few words suggested by a pastor or friend. A true commitment to Jesus, creates a relationship with Him. Success in any relationship comes through knowing more about the other person and doing everything possible to please them. Are you there yet in your relationship with Jesus?

PRAYER: Dear God, please forgive us for assuming that we have this thing called ‘life’ all worked out. So often we are induced into making decisions in order to please parents, spouses or friends, but without taking personal responsibility to live according to the commitment we made. Unfortunately our commitment to You is much like that, for we enjoy the security of Your love, Your protection and Your eternal security, but we go on to live our lives without the full impact of change that is necessary to be obedient to You and Your commands. This causes us to get caught in a trap of hardened sin in our lives, that makes it challenging for You to pierce our hearts and get our attention. Distancing ourselves from You makes it challenging for us to recognize sin in our lives. Please soften hardened hearts today oh Lord, beginning with me. May we be sensitive to the work of You Holy Spirit so that we may be more like You before a lost and dying world. We need You Heavenly Father, and I ask that You break down walls today so that we might recognize You and go on to be more obedient children, for this is my humble plea that I ask in the name of Jesus, AMEN!

The Value In Experiencing God

On 2015-11-032015-11-03 By Ed AlgreenIn Honest, Sincerity, True, WitnessLeave a comment

THE HOLY BIBLE (The New Living Translation – John 9:24-25): ²⁴ So for the second time they called in the man who had been blind and told him, “God should get the glory for this, because we know this man Jesus is a sinner.” ²⁵ “I don’t know whether he is a sinner,” the man replied. “But I know this: I was blind, and now I can see!”

THOUGHTS: Try asking me what it was like to land on the moon the very first time, and I would have to look to the internet and/or the local library to find information on the first landing. No doubt I would share some of the personal feelings of those first pioneers as they landed and as they walked around on the surface of the moon. Now, think about the difference in that story versus the response I might write to the question: “what is it like to live in the Bahamas?” You see, I am originally from the Bahamas, having lived the first 33 years of my life there. So I don’t need to do research in order to share a valid response with you. In my response to the first question I would share feelings and facts from the hearts of the first adventurers that landed on the moon. In response to the second question, you would hear about those things I personally experienced, and more about the physical descriptions of the beautiful waters and beaches. You will quickly discern the passion in my response, because my life was, and always will be, impacted by the people and places of the country where I was raised. In our Bible verses today, we see where a man who was once blind, is passionate about Jesus who impacted his life forever. For through His majestic touch, this man could now see for the first time in his life. In fact, the man is getting very frustrated because the Jewish leaders are trying to convince him that the healer is a fraud and that there must be something erroneous about his experience. Friends, this is representative of what happens in Christianity. To those of us who have surrendered our lives to the lordship of Jesus Christ, we have experienced His saving power; His love that was poured out for us on Calvary, in spite of our sin and evil ways; and the eternal hope that is ours to one day unite with Him around the throne of grace in heaven. Anyone carrying the title without the personal experience or interaction with their Master and Lord, can tell you about a Savior they read about or heard testimony of, but they can be easily swayed and distracted to another story that may sound more convincing. A personal experience is embedded in us and will help us to stay firm in the faith and true to our commitment until the day we are called away to be with the Lord in glory! As in any relationship, this experience will only happen as we dedicate ourselves to true and honest servanthood to the One we have surrendered our lives to. I pray that each of you reading this devotional will stop the pretense and seek a personal relationship/experience with a very personal, yet powerful God, through His Son Jesus Christ. Please use information in the ‘Footnote’ to contact me with any questions this may have aroused for you. It is super important that we each seek and experience a ‘personal’ relationship with Jesus. Today can be the day for you, friend!

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, thank You for reaching down from the glories of heaven to touch my life in such miraculous ways that I can declare today that I know my Redeemer Lives, because He is Alive in me. Lord, may this be evident in every aspect of my life so that others will experience the risen Lord, and not just hear about an event that may have impacted my life. Although I know that You are our main defense against the enemy, I believe that our personal and intimate relationship with You brings peace, solidarity and a witness that will stand firm against the attacks of Satan and his earthly cohorts. May others look to us with a hope today, and not consider us just another hypocrite. I thank You for saving my soul Lord Jesus. May my life exemplify You so vividly today that others will be convicted of their sin and want to know you personally. I ask these things in the strong name of Jesus, my Savior and Lord, AMEN!

Nuggets From God's Word

Tag: Savior