Tag: Seeing the needs of others

What Other Children of God Need from Us

On By Ed AlgreenIn A Lamp unto My Path, Adoration, Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Awesome God, Beyond Description, Blessing, Celebrate God, Needs, Needs of others, Praise, Praise-worthy, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED: Thursday, May 25, 2023, and I was blessed to be at O’Brien, FL when God inspired me to write this blog post. In my Footnote, I explain how you might read or listen to this devotional, or any past devotionals.

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE FROM THE Living Bible (TLB) IS FOUND IN 1 Timothy 5:1-3

THE BIBLE TEXT IS: Never speak sharply to an older man, but plead with him respectfully just as though he were your own father. Talk to the younger men as you would to much-loved brothers. Treat the older women as mothers, and the girls as your sisters, thinking only pure thoughts about them. The church should take loving care of women whose husbands have died if they don’t have anyone else to help them.

MY INITIAL THOUGHTS: To avoid decisions based on personal emotions alone, as God’s child, we must look to God’s Word for direction, or verification on whether His Word confirms our intentions. Timothy was a young pastor, so rather than picking up bad habits from those he would minister to, Paul gave him directions, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. In today’s lesson Paul helps Timothy, and us, discover how to please God when dealing with other individuals. Stay tuned, as this will benefit us all!

APPLICATION OF THE WORD: As a Christian, most of us will probably feel like we must be good to others, because that’s what Jesus did. We might also feel compelled to give to the poor, destitute and widows until we no longer have anything to give, for Jesus loved and cared for others, even those whom others despised. Add to these feelings that you are about to embark on a journey of inviting the lost to be saved, and to disciple and lead the saved to a deeper faith in Jesus Christ. Can you see how easily we might let our personal feelings and emotions control our decision making? Praise God, we have One who gives us direction in all walks of life, and as we strive to please Him and follow in His footsteps, we have a resource that was left for us that contains the heart and mind of Christ, the Bible. Private letters are great, but God wanted this letter from Paul to Timothy made available to all generations for a reason. We are quick to grumble, and we may even share perfect solutions through our ingenious ideas! But when we look to the Word of God for direction, we will find what God knows is best for us and He will guide us into ensuring that the world sees Jesus in what we’re doing. We hear in the news about thugs beating up on old, poorly dressed, and battered looking homeless men and women on the streets of our larger cities, and we feel angered at the thugs and sorry for the elderly. But do we follow God’s commands in meeting their needs where they’re at, or even when they walk through our church doors? For those who regularly attend church, do we stop to listen to their story, hear what their needs are and try to do all within us to meet their needs? Don’t we tend to brush the older men aside assuming their thoughts and ideas are antiquated and not of any value to the church today? Do we try to treat these older men like we did our own father, or are we truly challenged to meet the direction given by Paul to his ‘son in the ministry’, Timothy? I can’t be sure about you, but I often feel out classed by our younger men leading our churches today, and that I may be a bother to them, so it becomes increasingly challenging to offer advice to them. Imagine if we could do something like Paul commanded of Timothy, and partner up with these younger men so we could share our lifelong experience with them. Brothers stand alongside each other and seek out the best for one another, shouldn’t we continue that into our senior years as we pray for, and simply share our experiences with younger men? Before I married my wife, she was told to watch for how her boyfriend or fiancée treated his mom, as it was a good indication of how he will treat his wife. Paul seems to indicate that children of God should also treat older women in much the same way. Those who are perfect in these actions highlighted above have nothing to fear, nor work on, but I believe the majority of us must be reminded of what God’s Word says in how we are to treat others. Because this is commanded of us, I believe that God will judge us on this. ‘Thinking of younger girls as sisters’ could apply to older women, or all men. ‘With pure thoughts’ will apply to the men. When you treat that younger lady like you would your sister, then you will understand how important it is to treat that lady with utmost respect, and help her though her concerns, prayer and needed advice, to complete her mission in life that God has ordained for her to do. I was intrigued by the advice to widows. I thank God for the woman He has placed in my life, but I dread to think about how she might survive on her own, should God take me out of here before her. Can I rest in peace knowing that my church will take care of her like they would take care of their own mothers? But Paul also addressed how this young pastor should treat younger widows. I believe that the church is so attuned to feeling sorry for younger widows, that they may fall prey to correction in these words from Paul. No two scenarios are the same, so good church leaders should carefully understand the needs and either help, or extend godly advice, to younger widows in obedience to their understanding of God’s Word and His direction, God being their helper and advisor.

BLESSINGS WORTH NOTING: Too often we search for ways that God, and the church can help us. But through today’s lesson our eyes are opened to ways that we can treat, and help others, no matter their age, or circumstances of life, God being our helper.

PRAYER BECAUSE OF THE IMPACT OF TODAY’S SCRIPTURE: Lord Jesus, I am reminded of an older couple that I attended church with, in my younger days. One was almost blind, and one was crippled. But together they were able to help other seniors by doing their shopping for them. Unfortunately, I believe that too often we feel we are incapable of helping others, because of various circumstances in our life. But dear Lord, most of us can pray, or pick up the phone and call to encourage a shut-in or even our pastor who may struggle to make it through various burdens laid upon him each day. When we’re not doing something helpful, it’s like we declare Your good works in us is meaningless, and perhaps like You may have made something less than perfect. Just as was said about Esther’s purpose in the palace, I strongly believe that You have placed us where we’re at for such a time and place as this. Everyone needs Jesus, and everyone needs to know that they are loved and appreciated for who they are. Please teach us to do our part, while we wait for You to bring us into Your greater glory – in heaven with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. 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 see or hear more of my devotionals, please go to NuggetsFromGodsWord.org and read more, or go to Apple Podcasts and search for Nuggets From Gods Word to listen to more podcasts. You can also choose to freely subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s written devotional, or on the Apple Podcast app, simply search for Nuggets From God’s Word and click ‘Follow’ to be notified of Podcast updates. Please allow me to 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!

Never Tire of Doing Good

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Help, Helper, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Worship1 Comment

DATE POSTED Thursday, 2022-09-15
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Galatians 6:9-10
TRANSLATION: Amplified Bible (AMP)

BIBLE TEXT: 9 Let us not grow weary or become discouraged in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap, if we do not give in. 10 So then, while we [as individual believers] have the opportunity, let us do good to all people [not only being helpful, but also doing that which promotes their spiritual well-being], and especially [be a blessing] to those of the household of faith (born-again believers).

APPLICATION: It has become so much of a satisfaction to give financially to missions, to outreach groups, to evangelists, and to neighborhood help groups. But I’m not so sure that Paul would agree with you that your rewards will be based on the amount you give to these groups. To test this for yourself, let me suggest that you try going on a mission’s trip, instead of just giving financially to the group that goes. Instead of giving so much advice, or giving food to neighbor outreach groups, try going with them, if only for one day, and hand out food, or pray with those in need. If you do this, I believe you will quickly develop a whole new sense of how blessed you truly are, and how desperate the needs are in our community. I love this Bible translation and how it promotes not just handing out stuff to those in need, but also encouraging them spiritually. Yes, you can pay a minister of the Gospel to go with your mission’s group and help in the spiritual needs of those recipients your group is aiming at, but what impact will that have on your soul, your conscience, your mind? Compare that to returning from a trip feeling overwhelmed by the needs and seeing repeatedly the faces of those that you encouraged while you were with them. You saw them, you spoke with them, you felt their need. You could never achieve that through simply handing the Mission’s Team member a $50 bill. Friends, when we witness first-hand how God returns to us one hundred-fold for all that we do in His name, we will then fix our minds on the soul of men instead of fighting inflation and trying to maximize our bank account. Paul challenged the church, you and I, to be cognizant of the needs right in our very own churches. Strangers walk into our doors not to see how we are blessed by the God that we worship and adore, but to see how real our God truly is, and how He reflects His love and His power through you and I. What do you suppose they walk away thinking after their encounter with you? Did they truly see God’s amazing work, and His love and concern for mankind? Hopefully they didn’t see our selfish desires, or our pride still very prevalent in our words and actions. If they did, then perhaps they will walk into the church down the road to continue their search for ‘real’ Christians/followers of Christ. When Jesus rode along the road on a donkey and heard a blind man shouting out for help, Jesus didn’t hold his hand out from the 100′ mark and heal the man, instead He went over to this ‘reject of society’, asked him of his need, and healed Him. May this stir our minds to ‘jump in there’ and personally help in the needs of those in our church, along the path we travel each day, or buried deep in the trenches of our community. Paul said, let us not grow weary in doing this.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: There is no greater satisfaction than standing in the presence of Almighty God with a clear conscience because you have done all that He has asked of you. This includes being His hands extended to the poor and destitute that we come into contact with on a daily basis.

PRAYER: Precious Lord, please help us to see what You see. You know exactly what we need, yet You respect us and ask us to verbalize our needs before You. Too often we tend to see the needs and then try to find ways to brush off the urgency of the need or the reasons why we shouldn’t help. Please Lord, help us to always see people and their needs in much the same way as You first saw our need and then helped us arrive at a state where we sought Your help, forgiveness and love. People still need the Lord. Additionally, people have needs that the world would rather leave for the government to satisfy, but I pray that You will help us Lord to reach out and touch those in need. May our love and Your forgiveness be more than enough to help those we come into contact with. As they see Jesus at work in the lives of those they recognize as Christians, may they also reach out to You Lord to assume control of their lives. 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!