How to Discern True Messengers of God

On 2025-05-202025-05-23 By Ed AlgreenIn Accept Jesus NOW, Acknowledge God, All have sinned, Awesome God, Commitment, God Cares For Us, God’s Word, Totally committedLeave a comment

DATE POSTED
Tuesday, May 20, 2025, and I was blessed to be at Mariposa at Hunter Road, San Marcos, 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
Read Jeremiah 23:28-40 in your Bible or click on it to read it online in the New Living Translation (NLT).

APPLICATION – as inspired by the Holy Spirit
I can hardly imagine how much the hearts of the prophets must have been impacted by the messages given by God for them to deliver. Think about it, if you were given a message for a small group of friends, I feel pretty sure that you wouldn’t think twice about delivering that message. For your home church, that may be just as easy for you to deliver that message. But how about giving that same message before a crowd where other denominational leaders may be present, as well as many political leaders from your state? Might be a bit more challenging, right? But in our Scripture referenced today, God issued a word for Jeremiah to deliver to ‘prophets’. Now, Jeremiah was also a prophet, so he would be delivering this message to his contemporaries, and God wants them to be aware that He will not stand for false prophets any longer. No doubt, Jeremiah did some soul searching and questioning of God to make sure that no fingers were being pointed at him, before ever hitting the road to deliver this critical message from God! However, I feel like this is a moving example for those of us that move to a new area, and we begin searching for a new church, or while on vacation and we look for a church to visit. Unfortunately, our world has not learned a whole lot from what God said in His Word, for there are still pastors and churches who meld in much too much of the world’s ideals so they could, presumably, attract more of the world’s population. But can’t the people simply go to a movie theater or live show somewhere to get that kind of wishy-washy environment? When the Holy Spirit is tapping on the heart of a sinner to know Christ, or a believer to return to Him, don’t you think that they will opt to attend a local church instead of places like I gave in my example above? But how then will they know a legitimate, Holy Spirit empowered, and Bible teaching church? Is it the quiet one down the street, or perhaps the popular one on the other side of town, or should they travel to the next town where you’ve heard a lot about the good life groups and lots of programs they have? In addition to asking the Holy to guide you to a church where He knows you will grow in your faith, I believe that you can also use some of the principles from our Scripture today:
Vs 28 – God insisted that His ‘True Messengers preach every Word that He declares’. Try attending a church that preaches through every verse in the Bible. You will find some messages that will take you to another level of joy, and some that may really mash your toes because of truths that you need to adopt into your Christian lifestyle. They might even apply these principles to current day events to help you discern right from wrong in a biblical and Godly sense, rather than a political and worldly view;
Vs 35 – Take your tools to church with you. It is important that you have your Bible in your lap and that you follow along with what is being taught. The pastor in front of that church is human just like you, and some have been known to fail, just like you do at times. A good orator could make everything they say sound very believable, but when you are holding them accountable by reading the same Scriptures they are preaching from, you stand a better chance of ensuring that the reference in vs 28 is a reality – that they are True Messengers of the God you went there to worship and learn about.
As you leave that place of worship, examine the message in light of vs 35: What is the Lord’s answer delivered through the Word that day. And/or What is the Lord saying to you through the Word preached that day. If you struggle with this, contact that pastor and ask for clarification, or contact another pastor in whom you have already developed a good confidence level, and discuss the matter with him. Think about this dear friend: While on the internet, you do everything possible to make sure you are on a legitimate site and not a fake site developed under false pretenses in order to steal your confidential information. Emails you receive are much the same – legitimate or are they spam or junk? Why should you do anything less in selecting a church, or attending one, or in listening to the teaching/preaching of God’s Word from that church?

PRAYER
Dear Lord Jesus, You have taught us everything we need to know for salvation, righteousness and for living in obedience with Your Word. Yet we have allowed the world to soften our grip on obedience and the boldness to stand firm in spite of any worldly repercussion. We need more of You in every walk of life while here on earth Lord. Please continue to work on us and develop us into the children You would have represent You here on earth. Whether its false prophets or uncommitted Christians, I believe Your Word would indicate that both are tasteless in Your mouth and You would spit us out. Just as we could be good, committed, longtime employees, help us to be even more committed to our stance with You. Others need to see Jesus in us, otherwise we look more like the False Prophets You spoke of through Jeremiah. Please have Your will and way in my life, and also in the lives of those who recommit themselves to you after this reminder today. 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!

Motivated & Inspired By God’s Love For Us

On 2022-07-022022-07-02 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Christian love, Faith, Faith in Action, Mature, Needs, On guard, Praise, Recognize God, Stand Firm, Unconditional love, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Saturday, 2022-07-02
WRITTEN AT: O Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: 1 Corinthians 16:13
TRANSLATION: Amplified Bible (AMP)

BIBLE TEXT: ¹³Be on guard; stand firm in your faith [in God, respecting His precepts and keeping your doctrine sound]. Act like [mature] men and be courageous; be strong. ¹⁴Let everything you do be done in love [motivated and inspired by God’s love for us].

APPLICATION: I have been blessed to serve at a church that sent off short, and long-term missionaries, and I have been blessed to serve on a short-term missions group sent to a country where the needs were great. Church leaders did an awesome job in ‘sending us off’ with their blessings and their prayers. But for the one who draws a blank on what advice to give such a group, I believe that you could easily adopt Paul’s words and be right on target. Some may choose to go on these trips for various personal reasons, but if we are truly going to represent God on a Mission’s trip where we intend to show the love of Jesus to those on the Mission’s field, and share with them all that God has done for you, then we must prepare our hearts and be willing to let God guide our footsteps, our words and our actions. However, if we try to speak the truth of God’s Word every day while on the trip, but our actions misrepresents what the people expect of Jesus, then their hearing will become blocked and their eyes will become very critical of our mission. In other words, our actions could become a stumbling block to the Gospel going forth to a people who need the Lord Jesus Christ. Of course this teaching very much applies to our daily lives also, for we meet family, friends, coworkers, restaurant and department store help that also need the Lord. Will they see enough of Jesus in us to convince them of what they are missing? In John 17:4, Jesus told the Father that He had completed the work that the Father sent Him to do and that God was glorified through His work. Can you commit to that kind of prayer at the end of each day, or at the conclusion of a Missions Trip? We may have had the best day, or we may have accomplished every goal set out by our Missions team leaders, but did we complete our tasks with a heart of love and represented the Master well? Finishing the work God gave Him to do wasn’t just an idea in His journal or a thought stirring in His mind. It was something Jesus did. Has God called you to teach Sunday school? Do it and stay with it until He leads you in a different direction. Has He called you to have a time of morning worship? Then do so. Has He spoken to you about spending time discipling your kids? Then do it. I believe the Lord wants every one of us to be hugely successful in the things of the kingdom. Be encouraged as you remember: His burden is easy, and His load is light. The only question is, will you stand fast? Let me encourage you to re-read the Bible verse we focused on today, and make it your aim to be on your guard, stand firm and always represent the One that sent you into the mission field to spread the Gospel. Be sure that your mission is aligned with the mission spoken of by Jesus. Know Jesus today dear friend, and allow Him to influence your life in every way so that you will represent Him fairly in all you do or say.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: What a honor and a privilege it is to tell the world about Jesus, and to show them through our actions, what it means to love Him and share His love with others who need Him!

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, it is obvious that mere man will accomplish only man-sized efforts. Please impact the lives of those of us who strive each day to be Your representative here in our mission’s field. They need You oh Lord, not more of me. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to You oh Lord, and use me to spread Your joy, Your love, and Your sweet communion with everyone I touch every day. For the believers reading this devotional, I pray that You would also pass this blessing on to them . For the unbeliever who may have happened across this devotional, I want to thank You for drawing them to learn more of You, but also ask that You would humble them to realize that it is only the blood of Jesus that will wash away their sin and ready them for eternity in heaven. Until we all leave for our eternal home, please bless us with boldness and a commitment to stand firm in our faith and committed to share it with others in Jesus’ name! 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!

Stand Firm With Patient Endurance

On 2021-10-072021-10-06 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Endure, Grace, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Wait Patiently, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Thursday, 2021-10-07
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Luke 21:12-19
TRANSLATION: The Passion Translation (TPT)

BIBLE TEXT: ^12–13And because you follow me, you will be on trial before kings and governmental leaders as an opportunity to testify to them in my name. ^14–15Yet determine in your hearts not to prepare for your own defense. Simply speak with the words of wisdom that I will give you that moment, and none of your persecutors will be able to withstand the grace and wisdom that comes from your mouths. ¹⁶“You can expect betrayal even by your parents, your brothers, your relatives and friends—and yes, some of you will die as martyrs.¹⁷You will be hated by all because of my life in you. ¹⁸But don’t worry. My grace will never desert you or depart from your life.¹⁹Stand firm with patient endurance…..”

APPLICATION: How committed are you to being a child of the King? Committed enough to stay determined to serve Christ and acknowledge His as Lord, no matter what may come your way? Jesus’ disciples were curious about some of the things that He taught them, and in this instance it was about the destruction of the beautiful temple that they stood in. Jesus took such times to really bring out a truth about His going away, and also how we will be challenged for even acknowledging that we are a follower of Christ. The world, meaning those who have chosen not to accept and follow Christ, despise those who decide to follow Jesus. I know, you don’t have any family or friends like that, but there will come a time when you will be called unkind names; there are times you will be called stuck-up or prideful, or perhaps unwilling to associate with the ‘local folk’. It was this type of envy and hatred that led to the Pharisees calling Jesus names, and their tempting Him to say things against the ‘locals’, so they could have Him condemned by their authorities, that ultimately led to His false imprisonment and conviction of treason. But friends, I wonder if we are convinced and confident and committed enough in our decision to accept and follow Jesus Christ, that we would really be convicted of anything? Remember Peter, the disciple who said that Jesus could depend on him to follow Him and stand firm for Him even if it led to his death? Peter, the one Jesus nicknamed ‘the rock’ because of his boldness, yet he conceded to the bombardment of questions about his identity with Christ, three times in quick succession. Would you or I be better prepared to handle the questioning Jesus referred to in these verses without caving in to the pressure of what might come next? But look at the words Jesus chose to encourage us with in verse 18: ‘don’t worry, my grace will never desert you or depart from you’. I remember similar words also spoken by Jesus when He said ‘My grace is all sufficient for your every need’! Friends, it is painfully true that we may cave in to earthly pressure, but the love of Jesus will never fade away from us. It is also true that Jesus promised us that we could afford to stand firm in our faith, even when temptation or trials come, for His grace is sufficient for us and He will see us through our circumstances. Do you know Him my friend? Let me encourage you to know Him in such a personal way that you would be willing to depend on the grace of our Father as He stands ready and willing to be our strength and provider in every circumstance of life.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: His grace is sufficient for us in all that we do in Jesus’ name and for His glory! Let’s prepare ourselves for the worst, knowing that we have the very best guiding and protecting us as we serve Him and testify in His name.

PRAYER: I am Thine oh Lord, and I have heard Your promise in today’s Scripture. Thank You for Your reassurance and also for Your promises to be with us right until the very end of time. May my readers and listeners join me with hearts of gratitude for our King as we rest our hands in Yours and leave our anxiety and cares at Your feet. Times may get rough for us, but with our hand in Yours, we know that Your grace will see us through. Please draw the unsaved to Yourself today Lord, especially our family members and those that we are connected to in some way. AMEN!

Eye Witnesses

On 2020-10-302020-10-29 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, True witnesses, Witness, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Friday, 2020-10-30
WRITTEN AT: Vicksburg, MS

BIBLE REFERENCE: 1 PETER 2:11-12
TRANSLATION: New Living Translation (NLT)

BIBLE TEXT: ¹¹Dear friends, I warn you as “temporary residents and foreigners” to keep away from worldly desires that wage war against your very souls. ¹²Be careful to live properly among your unbelieving neighbors. Then even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior, and they will give honor to God when he judges the world.^[i]

OBSERVATION: If innocent and trying to defend yourself in a traffic case or in any court battle, you will always look for and appreciate good eye witnesses. Conversely, if you are guilty, then you would hope that the defense does not have an eye witness to bring to the courts. God said through Peter that even though neighbors may accuse you, they will have no choice but to give a witness to God for your honorable and trustworthy behavior. Today’s Scripture leads us to recall what might cause us to be worthy of such honor from our neighbors. Stay with me!

APPLICATION: I had someone once use me in an illustration along the lines of today’s subject. They said that we should be of sufficient good character, that if our spouse or best friend was given accusatory information on us, they would, without a full investigation, refute the accusations based on their first-hand knowledge of our character. I wonder how many close friends we might have where we could be that confident about their character? There are several pointers given to us by Peter that we should bear in mind as we ponder what others might see in us:
a). We are temporary residents and foreigners here on earth – Isn’t that an interesting concept, especially considering how determined we are to work ourselves silly to make sure that we are financially fit for retirement? How much is enough? A little bit more is needed, right? Often it is for this reason that we see so many die prematurely, because of the stress placed on themselves. It is also something that leads so many into illegitimate jobs and risks so that they could supercharge their income and expedite their road to retirement. When considering how much is needed to carry you through retirement, how many years do you account for? That’s right, you have no idea. However, Peter warned us to make our short number of years here count for the Master. Don’t waste it following the residents who have no plan at all;
b). Keep away from worldly desires and pressures – for the world will try hard to win you over to their evil desires and way of life. Establish borders for yourself and decide before hand how far you will go in pleasing your fellow man, especially when your actions might encroach on your beliefs about what God expects of you. I was approached late one evening by some young men who wanted to borrow my boat so they could pull off a drug heist. Sure, I could have paid off my boat and probably taken a grand vacation from the few hours that I loaned out my boat, but was it worth more than my commitment to God to stay true to Him? If I gave in once, then my character would have been placed into question and everyone outside of that transaction would have lost faith in what I actually stood for in life. Who or what was guiding my path? God, or just another deal that I might not refuse?
Oh that God would be my everlasting guide, protection and deliver, so that He would always know in whom I believe. May others see Jesus whenever they look into my character and my life, and may they stand firm as eye witnesses for me and the man of God that I strive to be, with God’s help. May this prick the hearts of those who have not fully surrendered their lives to Jesus, and may your hearts be softened as you meditate on this devotional, so that you might also stand firm in your faith, and your stand for the Master. Others have an opinion of you. May they be an eye witness of your good works and your godly influence on them.

PRAYER: Dear Lord Jesus, thank You for loving us and thinking so much of Your creation that You sent Your Son Jesus to provide the means for our salvation. We are made new in Jesus, and we are cleansed of all the dirt that this world has stained us with. We know that You are fully aware of our spiritual condition, but we ask that You continue to work miraculously in us so that the world might also know in whom we believe. May they be drawn to You through their dealings with us, and may their surrender to the God that we serve and long to be with. 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!

Your Identification With Christ

On 2020-05-18 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Faith, Faith, Needs, Praise, Prayer, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE WRITTEN: Monday, 2020-05-18
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

BIBLE REFERENCE: 1 Corinthians 11:17-19
TRANSLATION: English Standard Version (ESV)

BIBLE TEXT: ¹⁷But in the following instructions I do not commend you, because when you come together it is not for the better but for the worse. ¹⁸For, in the first place, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you. And I believe it in part,^[e] ¹⁹for there must be factions among you in order that those who are genuine among you may be recognized

OBSERVATION: It is reported from various survey experts that there is little difference in the number of divorces, and abortions among God’s church, as in the world. WHAT??? Could this record possibly be right? Why? How could this be? Paul found that his church members argued and had cliques among themselves, just like the world itself has. But as we meditate on these verses today, let’s concentrate on the reason Paul found for this.

APPLICATION: Paul said that if it was not that factions arose in the church, how else might we know that sincere children of God exists. Wow! What a thought! But as I meditated on this, unfortunately I came across other actions that tend to flush out the real vs the pretend Christians. Ever notice how things like gossip, favoritism, prejudices and a strong desire for leadership, is just as prevalent in the church today as we might find at our workplaces, social clubs or elsewhere in the world? So even though we see Paul’s explanation for this, I wonder what you, my readers and my friends might think of the problem? Having been actively involved in church work for many years, I know first hand that there are so many things that affect the progress of God’s church, but I never looked at it quite like Paul described. Let’s look at a few challenges that seem to hinder the work of the Lord in His ministry, and see what would happen if God’s children would truly be loyal to their King and be His warriors in prayer and in growth as a Christian. Paul mentioned cliques, and unfortunately these are just as prevalent today. But what if a child of God stood up to the group and refused to continue in the group unless he was able to include whoever he wanted to, or what if that Christian felt open to correction by a member of the clique for what was said, or inferred about another church member? What about gossip? Wouldn’t it be awesome if someone told you news about someone else and you asked them to join you as you met with that person to discuss the matter? Another popular challenge of Christians is to place their pastors and church leaders under a microscope instead of acknowledging them as a fellow human being and praying diligently for them and the role they are called to fulfill for the Master. The results of our prayers are always evident. When someone complains about the job done by a pastor or teacher, I believe you will find it interesting if you ask them how did they pray for the pastor before he taught or preached. I have found that most times people will neglect praying for the glory of God to shine through their pastor as he brings the Word at church that day, yet they complain when they get nothing from the sermon. Is that not what they prayed for – nothing? Friends, I realize that none of us are perfect, nor can we expect perfection here on earth, but I wonder how often God looks on us and stands proud of His child who stood firm in their faith and trusted God for the challenges at hand instead of complaining or whining about it. I had a situation once in life where someone stopped me in my tracks from talking about a team of employees, and told me that these employees were saying the same things about me. That had a lasting impression on me, and has helped me many times when tempted to go along with slander, or whining or complaining or spreading lies. I believe that it is time for God’s children to stand firm for the One in whom they believe. Let Jesus be Lord of all – every situation, or not Lord at all. We represent an awesome God. Let’s not misrepresent Him, or what He stands for.

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, I pray that we might stop long enough today to think through our relationship with You. I’m sure that we will quickly humble ourselves before You as we recognize our downfalls and our shortcomings. Lord, it seems like we are weak in so many areas of our lives, and we realize that we could only gain the needed strength from You. In much †he same way as we tend to judge others, they are also watching us under a microscope. Lord, I truly want them to see You in me – in every action and every word that I speak. I pray that You will see Your children who are serious about their relationship with You shine through in every aspect of life. Please help us not to be a stumbling block to anyone looking for Jesus. We need You precious Lord, please be our guide and our deliverer in every aspect of life today. AMEN!

Things You Might Do Under Pressure

On 2017-12-292017-12-29 By Ed AlgreenIn Commitment, Evangelism, EvangelizeLeave a comment

Post Date:	Friday, 2017-12-29
SCRIPTURE
From:	Acts 5:40-42 (ERV)
Text:	⁴⁰They called the apostles in, had them whipped, and ordered them never again to speak in the name of Jesus; and then they set them free. ⁴¹As the apostles left the Council, they were happy, because God had considered them worthy to suffer disgrace for the sake of Jesus. ⁴²And every day in the Temple and in people’s homes they continued to teach and preach the Good News about Jesus the Messiah.
OBSERVATION:
For the preaching and teaching of God’s Word, the apostles were sent to jail. However, the prison door were soon opened by God, and the apostles were able to escape. Because they immediately returned to preaching and teaching, the king ordered that they be brought before him and his council. It is evident from the preceding verses that the intent was to kill these men, however one wise priest, Gamaliel, convinced the king that to kill these men, might be like trying to kill God, if they are correct in reporting on who their Master truly is. It is interesting to see what the apostles’ thought of their arrest, their whipping and their warnings upon their release. I wonder how many of us would do the same as the apostles?
APPLICATION:
If the above story was written in today’s news journals, it probably would have had a much different twist. I could see a lot of emphasis being placed on how badly they were beaten – hoping to accuse the palace of battering, and possibly finding reasons why these men were beaten and not other evangelists just like them. I could hear the comments of how long the men should have been imprisoned, for deliberately disobeying the king. I wonder how many ‘Gamiliels’ there would have been who tried to speak to the king on behalf of the apostles/evangelists. I wonder how many government leaders would have stood up to this group for fear of losing votes during the next election, because of their stand. The same applies to leaders who would not have challenged these men, because of their personal faith in God and their conviction of spreading the gospel to an impoverished world. Now, let’s consider the apostles. If a group of us just got out of jail, went back to preaching, and immediately arrested, beaten and warned again, I wonder what we would do? Many churches have closed down over recent years for various reasons. Do you suppose that this would have been yet another reason for church leaders to close the doors and go underground? Friends, what I was really touched by, is the rejoicing from the apostles as they left the meeting with the government leaders, because they were allowed the privilege of suffering for spreading the news of their Savior. Wow, when last have you heard of church leaders rejoicing over the fact that they suffered because of their commitment to, and spreading the news of, Jesus Christ? Thankfully in some countries we are blessed with the privilege of freely preaching the Word of God. However in those same countries, we are already being warned of our freedoms – no prayer in schools; most work places will not allow us to display or share God with customers or fellow employees; some may be arrested if special permits are not obtained for ministering on street corners; etc, etc. In this whole thought today, please know that this message is for you, not for your preacher, or your elders, deacons or Sunday School teachers. Any child of God should be a minister of the same Gospel that saved them. Are you?
PRAYER:
Lord, You are our Savior and our King. If we seriously believe that, we should be willing to tell the world about that. However Lord, we know that Satan will try in every way to cause us to cower and hide the joy of the Lord in our witness to others. I am reminded of a chorus “it you’re happy and you know it say AMEN”, and the last verse goes on to celebrate “if you’re saved and you know it say AMEN”. Oh how I wish that we could all sing that openly as our testimony in every place that we go any day of the week, not just in Sunday School. Savior, You were beaten and crucified publicly to show Your love for us and to save us from our sins. May we be willing to share that love publicly without fear of human rejection or mockery. Thank you for giving to us Lord, may we learn to give more to You so that the lost might know and believe. AMEN!
FOOTNOTE:
There are two more pages on my blog that will provide you with additional information, one of them being ‘To Know Jesus’. If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please click on the above page, or speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. Please allow someone to pray with you and give you help and/or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Words underlined in my blog could indicate a link to a song that came to mind as I wrote the devotional. Feel free to click on the link and listen as you continue to read or pray. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to Nuggets From God’s Word and read more, or you may freely to subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. If you are anywhere near the Highlands County, Florida area and do not have a church home, I would be thrilled to welcome you at Bible Fellowship Church, located at 3750 Hammock Rd, Sebring, FL 33872! Click the link to check out service times and/or other special activities. God is at work among us! Please consider coming to worship with us!

Guidance For Any Kind Of Day

On 2015-12-122015-12-12 By Ed AlgreenIn Guidance, The WordLeave a comment

THE HOLY BIBLE – ¹³Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong. ¹⁴ And do everything with love. ~ 1 Corinthians 16:13-14 ~ _{New Living Translation (NLT)}

⁴ Sing to the Lord, all you godly ones! Praise his holy name. ⁵ For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime! Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning. ~ Psalm 30:4-5 ~_{New Living Translation (NLT)}

THOUGHTS: Nearing the conclusion of Paul’s letter to the Corinthians he continued to speak to them as a father would to his children, especially in light of everything they were facing at the time as a church under persecution. In light of everything that we face in our world today, I was extremely encouraged by Paul’s blessing, because here’s what I got from the first two verses above. Paul admonished the church to:

Be on guard, or be alert – Don’t you feel some days like it may have been better if you had just stayed in bed? It is so obvious that Satan is out to tear us down at every possible opportunity. Paul, in telling the Corinthian church, is also telling us, to be strong in our relationship with the Lord, so that we will be armed with God’s love and His power and His strength, to face any and all circumstances that Satan may fire our way. Imagine leaving home with an armed guard by your side, and one who knows all things, sees all things, made all things and who happens to be the one who loved you enough to have given His very life for you. Wouldn’t that be an ultimate way to guard your way and keep you alert to the attacks of Satan that are just lurching around the corner?
Stand firm in the faith – Friends, it’s impossible to do this if you don’t have faith. Likewise, if you don’t maintain, and grow in your faith, do you really have something that you can trust when under pressure? I would encourage you to get connected to God in Bible Study and Prayer, and further strengthen your faith by getting with folk of like faith as often as you can. ‘Iron sharpens iron’ is a phrase used in the Bible. I would suggest to you today that not only do you need the strength and encouragement of other believers, but they need you also. As your faith is sharpened and strengthened, you become better equipped to not cave in to the things of this world – Satan’s tools that he has placed to trap you;
Be courageous – I believe that we must be willing to stand up for what we believe, and often this will involve a courageous spirit, especially to one who is generally timid in life;
Be strong – This is especially important, because folk are judging whose inside of your heart based on your actions, your attitude and your words. When we consider all that God has done, all that He is doing and all that He has prepared for our future in heaven, and then to imagine that He is the one controlling us, protecting us and guiding us, whom then shall we fear?
Do everything in love – It’s so easy to do loving things for those who show love towards us, but we know all too well how challenging our job is when folk are unkind to us. Perhaps we should take our eyes off others and stay focused on God, then perhaps we will more easily ‘do everything in love’ knowing that God will be pleased with us? Imagine the smile on His face when He recognizes that we have depended on Him and done amazing things for others, knowing that we are aiming to please Him, regardless of how others may react to our actions?

I realize that I have gone a bit long today, but friends would you take note of these two verses and my commentary, then read the two verses I included from Psalm. Don’t you see that we serve a most awesome God, and that joy will come in the morning, regardless of what the night has revealed? My earthly energies are geared towards honoring, worshipping, pleasing and adoring the God that I plan to spend eternity with. Where do you spend your energies each day? The above information gives you guidance on how God expects you to spend your day!

PRAYER: Father, You are awesome, and I thank You for conveying Your principals, Your character, Your will and Your encouragement to us through your Holy Word. May it be a light to our feet and a constant guide to our path each and every day, so that others may see and believe on You. I ask these things in the name of the One who gave it all for me, Jesus my Lord, 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 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 blogger.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!

Stand Firm

On 2015-12-112015-12-11 By Ed AlgreenIn Perseverance, Stand Firm, UnshakenLeave a comment

THE HOLY BIBLE – ⁵⁶Sin is what gives death its sting, and the Law is the power behind sin. ⁵⁷ But thank God for letting our Lord Jesus Christ give us the victory! ⁵⁸ My dear friends, stand firm and don’t be shaken. Always keep busy working for the Lord. You know that everything you do for him is worthwhile. ~ 1 Corinthians 15:56-58 ~ _{The Contemporary English Version (CEV)}

THOUGHTS: I’ve heard terms like ‘hunker down’ and I’ve heard it used in scenarios where all preparations have been completed, so now settle in for the main event. Before I give you another scenario, I promise you that I will not talk politics on this blog, because my story, and this blog, is about a much more important matter and individual. However, I’ve seen in every case where politicians will begin their campaigns in fairly low gear as they try to organize their campaign and gear up towards the BIG day, but they will stand committed to their campaign principles and goals. Now, let’s think about all that Paul is sharing in his admonition to the Corinthian church, and why I believe that God placed this in His word especially for us. In the verses preceding the ones above, Paul explained what happens to our bodies after they wear out here on earth. I realize for the non-believer reading this devotional, this simply means that life is done, so no need to worry about any possible future life. The Bible teaches otherwise, friend, and I would love to share more on that with you. However, for the believer, it’s almost like a kid looking towards Christmas and counting down the days, for we know that the greatest gift ever imagined, was given for us through the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. Knowing that the time for us to see Him, builds our anticipation towards that day, and it causes us to rejoice in anticipation of His presence throughout all eternity! Praise to the everlasting Prince of Peace! When a child builds up so much excitement about Christmas, parents must find ways to really keep them busy, so they don’t become overwhelmed with anticipation. Paul knew that we would have that same type of anticipation, but yet face ongoing pressure and distractions by the evil one while we remain in his territory here on earth, so Paul advises that we are to ‘hunker down’, or stand firm in our faith, so that He in whom we have placed our faith, will be our strength, our deliverance, our provider, our encourager and therefore, become the focus of our faith and our trust while we wait for His return. As we do this, we encourage those who are still in doubt and who tend to waiver when faced with challenges and distractions. There’s a little children’s chorus with words “if you’re happy and you know it clap your hands”. I would like to encourage all God’s children with the words we are reminded of in these verses today, “if you’re truly His and you know it, stand firm and don’t be shaken by anything Satan will fire at you while living in his territory here on earth, for we have a much brighter future to look forward to and an awesome Savior awaiting our welcome home to spend eternity with He and His Father – God”! It just don’t get any better than that friend! The great news for everyone – especially the unbeliever, is that you can have this truly awesome experience also, if you surrender your life to, and accept the invitation of, my Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ. Even better news is that there is no big secret in how you can be saved, in fact, I have all the help you need in the Footnote below! Make your decision and commitment today friend, then join us in standing firm in our faith as we await that awesome day, when our Lord will welcome us home!!

PRAYER: We are so blessed by the Gift that You provided for us dear God, so that we might have a means of seeing You and worshiping You in person one day! Thank You dear Father, thank You dear Jesus for the greatest gift ever given! Please help us to stay focused, stand firm in our faith, so that we would not cave in to the snares of Satan and his many cohorts here on earth. As we focus on eternity with You, may we aim to live like You and in full obedience to all that You have instructed us, may we stand so firm in our faith, that it will become obvious to all that we come into contact with, whose we are. It’s You we love, and live to be with, dear Jesus. Please grant us strength and perseverance to live our life pleasing to You, for I ask these things in the precious name of Jesus, AMEN!

Faith Is…….

On 2015-10-032015-10-03 By Ed AlgreenIn Committed, Faith, FirmLeave a comment

THE HOLY BIBLE (New Living Translation – Hebrews 11:1, 5-6): ¹Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see. ⁵ It was by faith that Enoch was taken up to heaven without dying—”he disappeared, because God took him.” For before he was taken up, he was known as a person who pleased God. ⁶ And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.

THOUGHTS: This whole chapter is known as ‘The faith chapter’. It takes on the job of the dictionary in explaining the meaning of ‘Faith’, for it tells us that ‘Faith’ makes us sure of what we hope for, and gives us proof of what we cannot see. It was ‘Faith’ that helped our forefathers know God and please Him in every aspect of their lives. This whole chapter is filled with examples of how our ancestors pleased God in and through their ‘Faith’. Verse 6 goes on to minister to us by telling us that we can only please God through our ‘Faith’, for if we want to know Him, we must have ‘Faith’, believe that God exists and that He rewards us as we sincerely place our trust in Him. I just love this chapter, because not only am I told to have ‘Faith’, but it goes on to demonstrate the very reason it was so important in the lives of our ancestors, and therefore helps me to understand that God has not changed, so if I want to be as successful in my relationship with God as any of our ancestors were, then I had better sharpen my ‘Faith’. This also helped me to reflect on my own Christian journey and identify areas of my ‘Faith’ journey, for if our offspring is to truly walk a path towards, and with God, they will not only look to Hebrews 11 for evidence of ‘Faith’, but they will also want to know how impactful was ‘Faith’ in the life of their dad/uncle/grandfather/brother/cousin. I was able to identify times where I stepped out in ‘Faith’ believing in the true leadership of the God to whom I prayed, and I saw where lifesaving medical help became available to two family members, plus the increase of my family, because of my ‘Faith’ in knowing that God approved of me moving my family to a different country. There have been other instances friends, but I want to challenge you to look into your own life and identify how impactful your ‘Faith’ in God has been in your life. I want to challenge you to talk about that with your family so that they might know that the miracles of God are not only told in the Bible, but in every aspect of our lives today also. If we are truly the only Bible that most folk will read, then it is incumbent upon us to reveal our ‘Faith’ by telling them of the ways that God has worked in our lives and showed His power and His goodness in miraculous ways. Imagine your daughter teaching your grandson about the subject of ‘Faith’ and using examples in your life, rather than, or in addition to those related in this chapter of Hebrews! If our God is truly alive today, then we should be a witness to what He is doing today in and through us, His saints who are alive today! Tell your story friend! Brag on our Savior and allow Him to be praised because of what He has done for you!

PRAYER: Father I am concerned that people are judging our salvation based on the amount of faith we portray. This could negatively impact Christians, however this is exactly what James taught us in James 2:14 when he said: “What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone?” As we have come into Your holy presence; as we have invited Your Holy Spirit to live inside of us; as we have committed to live our lives imitating Your character, Your example and Your teaching, we have so much to brag about. Please empower us with boldness, to not brag on anything that we are deserving of, but on the One deserving of our praise and our worship, because of Your outstanding and awesome goodness and mercy to us. Thank You Father, for it’s in the precious and faithful name of Jesus that I ask all this, 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!

The Importance of Integrity

On 2014-11-192014-11-19 By Ed AlgreenIn Integrity, TruthLeave a comment

The Holy Bible

¹⁴Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist…

(Bible Translation and Location: The New International Version – Ephesians 6:14a)

Thoughts:

In this chapter of Ephesians, Paul is warning the church, and I believe that since Paul’s words are inspired by God for our benefit, that we also are being warned, to be prepared for challenging times. I find it interesting that the first thing we are warned to have in order, is our integrity. For Paul says that it is vitally important that we represent Truth, and that we will stand for Truth in every circumstance of life. I believe it is outstanding how the New Testament backs up and supports those things prophesied in the Old Testament, for in Isaiah 11:5 we were told that “Righteousness will be his belt and faithfulness the sash around his waist.” and this was referring to Jesus Christ! Now, if we are to be ‘little Christs’, how much more important it is that we also always have Truth as our foundation? I believe that it all boils down to integrity, for if we had found where Jesus didn’t always stand for Truth, we would have lost all faith in Him as our divine Savior. Do you suppose that the reason we may not be winning the lost for Christ is that we have lost our integrity in their eyes? Are they seeing someone different outside the four walls of our churches than they see when worshiping with us in church? God saw integrity of vital importance for His Son, Jesus, to have prevalent in His life. Paul saw it of super importance in his life. May I challenge you to join me in also making this of utmost importance in our lives? We will be put to the test daily friend. Be sure that the world can clearly see whose you are in every scenario, if you ever expect to be a witness to them for Jesus.

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, thank You for showing us the way of truth, and for living a consistent life of truth, in spite of the circumstances that You were forced into by very evil people. Most of us have never been pushed to the limits that You have, because we want so badly to please others, and are so filled with greed, that we often cave in to the ways of the world. Please forgive us Lord, and raise up a multitude of saints that will stand firm for what they believe in Your Word and let the world know what it truly means to be a follower of yours. This may sometimes place us in unpopular situations, because we may have to go to the back of the line, or our choices may cost us more money. Father, please help us to always evaluate our decision based on our loyal servitude to You vs being more concerned about this old world, Satan or even our friends. Please fill us with boldness and confidence to stand for Truth in every circumstance of life, so that there will be no doubt about whose we are. Only You can give us this strength dear Jesus, so I ask all this humbly in Your precious and holy name, AMEN!

Nuggets From God's Word

Tag: Stand Firm