Tag: The Truth

The Source of Your Growth in The Lord

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

DATE POSTED Saturday, 2023-01-14
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Colossians 2:7-10
TRANSLATION: Living Bible (TLB)

BIBLE TEXT: 7 Let your roots grow down into him and draw up nourishment from him. See that you go on growing in the Lord, and become strong and vigorous in the truth you were taught. Let your lives overflow with joy and thanksgiving for all he has done. 8 Don’t let others spoil your faith and joy with their philosophies, their wrong and shallow answers built on men’s thoughts and ideas, instead of on what Christ has said. 9 For in Christ there is all of God in a human body; 10 so you have everything when you have Christ, and you are filled with God through your union with Christ. He is the highest Ruler, with authority over every other power.

APPLICATION: I believe that many in the medical profession probably wish on many occasions that the internet never existed for their patients. For many of us tend to see what ‘Professor Google’ has to say about every little ache or pain that comes upon us. Therefore, when we visit our doctors, it’s just the matter of us telling them exactly what’s wrong, and how to best solve the problem for us! Funny, but wouldn’t it be awesome if Christians read their Bibles as frequently as they consulted with Google? You see, others will help to confirm our understanding of the Bible, and/or clear up any misunderstanding, but I believe that we must be a people of the Word of God. In my working career, I was frequently at seminars, training sessions and persistently studying written copies of government regulations to ensure that I obeyed their instructions as they related to my job. If I didn’t stay current, then government regulators would soon enough correct me by writing me up, and possibly fining my employer. Also, if I didn’t stay current, I would never detect if employee practices and false interpretation of the regulations would ever be caught. And so it is with Christians today. If we don’t stay in the Word of God on a regular basis, how would you affirm what your pastor says in his sermon? I know, you have the best pastor, and he would never intentionally mislead you with a falsehood. But, I had a pastor who was challenged by one of his congregants at the door as they filed by him giving their praises for his sermon just delivered. The challenger questioned something he said, as it differed from their understanding from the Word. Upon investigation, the pastor realized that the congregant was correct, so he re-preached the same sermon in order to correctly convey the truth to his church. Friends, let’s be reminded that teachers, preachers, elders, deacons, and other church leaders, are mere humans, just like us. While most will not intentionally misguide us, we are all subject to the same warning given by Paul in our Scripture today. At times, pastors and teachers may be over our heads in their highly educated teachings, or they may be so filled with news reports, and so opinionated about various earthly things, that they may not always be on target with what says the Word of God. Perhaps if church leaders left politics up to the politicians, and gave Christians a steady course of Biblical teaching, we might be better informed on the commands of Jesus Christ, and more apt to listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit as He leads us to all truth, even in our voting and our expectations of elected officials. The bottom line my friends, is that our spiritual growth will come from the Word of God. He inspired great men of God to include His commands, His teachings and His practices, so we could have a guide for practical Christian living here on earth. As we follow Christ, and live according to His teachings, not only will we grow in our faith, but the lost will see evidence of the living Christ who died for their sins and who desires to see them in heaven someday.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Christians are filled with Christ, just as Christ is filled with all the glory and wonder of God! My heart can only sing of His wonders and His grace, glory to God in the highest!

PRAYER: Dear Lord, thank You for this reminder today about Your expectation of Your children to be filled with You and Your glory! Please continue to impress upon us the need for daily growth in our understanding of, and appreciation for, Your amazing grace that transcends all earthly understanding. May we be so filled with the Holy Spirit, and of the written Word, that we will not only discern false teachings, but that we would always stand against that which takes away from the majesty and glory of our Almighty God, and instead stand firm with solid Biblical teaching. To be more filled with You and Your Word, is to be less filled with the evil sway of this world and its false doctrines. Oh, that Jesus might be seen in every fiber of our beings, so that the lost will recognize Jesus in us and seek salvation, and the saved might be encouraged and learn more of You for their ongoing edification and ministry. 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!

Light For Your Path

On By Ed AlgreenIn Light, Truth, WayLeave a comment

Thursday, 2019-10-31

Bible Reference: John 8:12
Translation: Contemporary English Version (CEV)

Bible Text:  12 Once again Jesus spoke to the people. This time he said, “I am the light for the world! Follow me, and you won’t be walking in the dark. You will have the light that gives life.”

OBSERVATION: When stumbling down a dark path, we would welcome light to help prevent us from tripping and falling. The time ahead of us is dark, because we cannot see what’s ahead. However, God’s Word brings hope to us in this area, for it tells us that Jesus is the light of the world, and those who accept Him as Lord and Savior will be led into the glories of heaven. Let’s consider what it might be like having that Light available to us today!

APPLICATION:  After surgery a few years ago, the doctor was emphatic about making sure there was adequate light at night to make sure I didn’t trip on anything. Earlier this week I was working on a project that involved using a screwdriver. Once it got dark enough I could not continue, because without light I just could not find the screw-head. I believe that you are probably getting the point, that without sufficient light you just cannot do a whole lot. But what about in other aspects of life where we don’t necessarily depend on natural light, nor become despondent about the absence of light? There are times when we need to make decisions, and we feel totally blinded because we just don’t know what impact our decision will have on us. For example, retirement. We may want to begin retirement at age 50, so we could enjoy our dream vacations and destinations while we still have fairly good health. However, we worry about there being enough money in our retirement fund to keep us out of poverty, because who knows how long we will live into retirement? There seems to always be a part of decision making that is impacted by the unknown, so we stumble around in the dark, hoping that we will make good decisions, or trusting God to do the right thing. For those who read their Bibles, we know that there are two final destinations that awaits us after death from this world. If we have accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior, then Jesus has shown us His light, and showed us what our eternal kingdom will look like, and who will be in charge there. God created this universe, so we know He is there, and His Son, Jesus, is already there waiting for us. For those who have not made a decision like this, then the Bible is also clear about your final destination, and who will be in charge there, for Satan and his angels await those who have deliberately chosen to walk in darkness. Unfortunately folk, if you are like many that you know, you may have already had your share of earthly sufferings. But please allow me to gently break the bad news to you: ‘You ain’t seen nothing yet’. Friends, I would like to invite you to consider being obedient to the Light of this world – today, friend! Jesus suffered, even to the point of dying on a cruel cross, just to prove His love for us. He wants us to have the keys to heaven, or know the pathway to heaven, and there is no earthly means that would help us to achieve that. But He has provided light to the dark path that we are traveling, for He is the Light of the world. Why go on blindly as if in total darkness, when we know who the Light is? Jesus loves us way too much to see us plunder around in darkness and lose our battle to Satan, but He loved us enough to provide the means of us seeing He and the Father one day in Heaven. We are left with the choice of whether we will invite Light into our dark pathway of life. The choice seems plain, and obvious to me. Will you please consider making the most important decisions of your life – the right choice? Although not considered selfish by my friends, I am extremely selfish in asking God to tender the hearts of all my family and friends. I truly believe that Jesus heard my prayer, and that He is already working on each of you. Listen to His voice my friend, and surrender your life to Him today, won’t you?

PRAYER: The picture is clear dear God, for You have provided the Light that this world needs. Not only to prevent our stumbling around in the dark here on earth, but also for providing a clear, lighted path to heaven, where we are told that no light will be necessary there for You are the light. Praise God forever and forever! Please touch the lives of the unsaved today dear God. Please light their path so brightly that they will recognize their need for the Savior. Thank You for so adequately providing the Light of the world Heavenly Father, to be my Savior from Hell and damnation. My deepest desire is to see my family and friends do the same, so I am humbly placing this request at Your feet, praying that Your perfect will might be accomplished today. I ask these things in the precious name of Jesus, THE Light, THE Truth and THE Way, AMEN!

Light Your Path

On By Ed AlgreenIn Light, Truth, WayLeave a comment

THE HOLY BIBLE (Contemporary English Version – John 8:12): 12 Once again Jesus spoke to the people. This time he said, “I am the light for the world! Follow me, and you won’t be walking in the dark. You will have the light that gives life.”

THOUGHTS: Having recently had surgery, the doctor was emphatic about making sure there was adequate light at night to make sure I didn’t trip on anything. Earlier this week I was working on a project that involved using a screwdriver. Once it got dark enough I could not continue, because without light I just could not find the screw-head. I believe that you are probably getting the point, that without sufficient light you just cannot do a whole lot. But what about in other aspects of life where we don’t necessarily depend on natural light versus the absence of light? There are times when we need to make decisions, and we feel totally blinded because we just don’t know what impact our decision will have on us. For example, retirement. We may want to begin retirement at age 50, so we could enjoy our dream vacations and destinations while we still have fairly good health. However, we worry about there being enough money in our retirement fund to keep us out of poverty, because who knows how long we will live into retirement? There seems to always be a part of decision making that is impacted by the unknown, so we stumble around in the dark, hoping that we will make good decisions. For those who read their Bibles, we know that there are two final destinations that awaits us after death from this world. If we have accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior, then Jesus has lifted the vail and showed us what our eternal kingdom will look like, and who will be in charge there. God created this universe, so we know He is there, and His Son, Jesus, is already there waiting for us. For those who have not made a decision like this, then the Bible is also clear on their destination, and who will be in charge there, for Satan and his angels awaits those who have deliberately chosen to walk in darkness. Unfortunately folk, if you are like many here, who have already had your share of earthly sufferings, please allow me to gently break the bad news to you: ‘You ain’t seen nothing yet’. Won’t you consider being obedient to the Light of this world today friend? Jesus loved us and suffered on a cruel cross just so that we might have the keys to heaven, or know the pathway to heaven. He has provided light to the dark path that we are traveling, for He is the Light of the world. Why go on blindly as if in total darkness, when we know who the Light is, and where we can find it/Him? Jesus loves us way too much to see us plunder around in darkness and lose our battle to Satan, but He also loved us enough to allow us to make the choice of whether we will invite Light into our dark pathway of life. The choice seems plain, and obvious to me. Will you please do me a big favor and make the right choice, for I really want to see all of my friends and family in heaven on celebration day, especially you, friend!

PRAYER: The picture is clear dear God, for You have provided the Light that this world needs. Not only to prevent our stumbling around in the dark here on earth, but also for providing a clear, lighted path to heaven, where we are told that no light will be necessary there for You are the light. Praise God forever and forever! Please touch the lives of the unsaved today dear God. Please light their path so brightly that they will recognize their need for the Savior. Thank You for so adequately providing the Light of the world Heavenly Father, to be my Savior from Hell and damnation. My deepest desire is to see my family and friends do the same, so I am humbly placing this request at Your feet, praying that Your perfect will might be accomplished today. I ask these things in the precious name of Jesus, THE Light, THE Truth and THE Way, 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!