Tag: Trust

A Well Orchestrated Plan!

On By Ed AlgreenIn Bible Believing, Christian, Faith, Humility, Love, Obedience, SurrenderLeave a comment

Monday, 2017-12-18

Scripture

Bible Reference: Micah 5:2-5

Bible Text: 2 The Lord says, “Bethlehem Ephrathah, you are one of the smallest towns in Judah, but out of you I will bring a ruler for Israel, whose family line goes back to ancient times.” 3 So the Lord will abandon his people to their enemies until the woman who is to give birth has her son. Then those Israelites who are in exile will be reunited with their own people. 4 When he comes, he will rule his people with the strength that comes from the Lord and with the majesty of the Lord God himself. His people will live in safety because people all over the earth will acknowledge his greatness, 5 and he will bring peace.

Bible Translation: Good News Translation (GNT)

My Take

Because I learned a few new things in my study today about this popular passage included in the story about the birth of Jesus, I wanted to share with you the fascination I found with how God coordinated this whole birth of His Holy One, the Lord Jesus Christ. For those of you that know all of these things, I ask that you bear with this humble child while I continue to learn the great truths of God’s Word. Look at these things with me:

  1. Bethlehem Ephrathah – It seems interesting why God chose the humility of one of the smallest  towns around for His Son to be born. His Son that would be born to rule and reign over all Israel and be the Savior of the whole world. But:
    • Did you know that in this small town, David was also born? Look at 1 Samuel 17:12 for this reference! Remember from New Testament scripture that Jesus would be of the lineage of David!
    • Did you know that God didn’t need the popularity of a large town, or the extra security of a major city for His Son to be born and recognized as a major leader of the world?
  2. The Lord abandoned His people – The Lord had worked so miraculously among the Israelites and carefully provided for them, yet time after time He sadly saw them return to their sin and idol worship. So in this passage we are told that He answered their requests to leave them alone, for He abandoned them. But He did this while also foretelling of One that He would send to love, rule, and reign over them with deep compassion. Friends, do you see where this whole miracle has changed us very much today? For it seems like we live in a world where idol worship is still very prevalent, and our merciful God is still mocked through the blatant sin and disregard of His precious Son. Note that ‘idol’ worship is something, or someone, other than God, who attracts  the attention of His people. What are those excuses again that folk use when they can’t, or won’t make it to corporate worship?

Friends, we can see from the very beginning that God had a well orchestrated plan to save His people from their sin, and I am convinced that this was not just for the people of Israel, but for all that He created to live on this earth. That includes both you and me. I have accepted Him as my Lord and Savior and therefore can boast of my eternal home in heaven. My whole purpose in sharing these blogs each day is not to help you feel better about yourself, or for you to see how guilty I feel about myself, but to encourage you to take God at His word. He orchestrated a plan for your salvation. Please consider accepting that gift today, by surrendering your life to the Lord Jesus Christ. You will see and feel Christmas in a way that you have never done before! Friends, know Him and know the peace that is often referred to each Christmas, won’t you?

Prayer

Dear God, I thank You for the everlasting gift of salvation, and for Your precious Son that You sent so that salvation might be possible. I am so afraid that our world has become as bad or worse than Israel when You removed Your hand from them. I am also afraid that we are still as stubborn about our sin and disregard even after Your special provision given through Your Son. Lord, please use this Christmas season to once again remind our people of the purpose of You sending Your Son, and the unique privilege that is ours to allow Your Prince of Peace, the Everlasting Savior, to rule and reign in our lives throughout the rest of our lives and even through eternity with You in glory. You’re my King, and I praise You Heavenly Father, 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. 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 www.nuggetsfromgodsword.org 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!

When God Answers Prayer

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Obedience, Obedient, Power of Prayer, PrayerLeave a comment

Post Date:

 Monday, 2017-09-18
SCRIPTURE

From:

 Psalm 59:16-17 (TLB)

Text:

  16 But as for me, I will sing each morning about your power and mercy. For you have been my high tower of refuge, a place of safety in the day of my distress. 17 O my Strength, to you I sing my praises; for you are my high tower of safety, my God of mercy.
OBSERVATION:
David had a way of expressing himself about the relationship that he had with God, and how God answered his prayers in the very miraculous ways that only God could do! In these verses today David was acknowledging through praise, how God heard his prayers and protected him against Saul’s men that surrounded his home. Let’s look into the ways that we can apply this in our own lives….
APPLICATION:
No doubt there have been times of desperation in our own lives where we have knelt before our Maker in desperation and prayed over very critical moments for a family member, or perhaps a parent, or even a friend. Often we can remember the growth and encouragement that came when our prayers were answered just like we asked of God. However, we tend to get our noses a little ‘out of joint’ when we tell God to do such and such, and He decides that there are alternate ways that He would prefer handling things. This might be a good reminder that the whole reason that we ask God, is that we know that there could be more than one outcome to a situation. For example, in David’s scenario, God could have left Saul’s men hidden for a longer period of time which would have allowed Him more time to work on David; He could have used these men, yes even the opposition, to take David out; or of course He could have stricken the enemies blind so that David could walk away unscathed. I believe that God will gladly listen to our personal desires, or wishes, in a scenario, but I also believe that when we ask that His perfect will be done, that we should strap ourselves in and prepare for the strong, all-knowing, mighty hand of God to be applied in our best interest, or that might bring praise to the Almighty. I believe that most Christians are good about asking, but we may be way too caught up in telling God how to answer our prayers. Additionally, we are way too quick to say that God didn’t, or won’t, answer our prayers, when in fact He answered in line with His perfect will for us. Friends, if we truly know God personally, and we are willing to take Him at His word, then we need to follow the words of an old hymn, ‘Just take it to the Lord, and leave it there’. The other challenging thing for us, is to be ready to obey Him and follow His perfect plan for us, no matter which way He answers. This type of obedience is probably one of the most challenging for mankind, because our tendency is to snarl our noses up when we may have to do something differently than what we asked for. I believe that we need to decide that if God is truly in control, it’s our responsibility to listen and obey Him, knowing that He has our best interest, and His glory, at the center of our heart.
PRAYER:
Precious Savior, thank You for being patient with us as we learn from Your Word, and through our own personal experiences. You are a God who loves and cares for us, and who can be trusted with perfect decisions for us so that You may be glorified. Please help us to take our burdens, cares and concerns to the foot of the cross and leave them there. Please help us to be obedient, even when Your perfect response is different to our personal desires. Lord, may our faith increase everyday because of the awesome working of Your hand, 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!

Qualities of a Child That Adults Need

On By Ed AlgreenIn Children, Faith, Faithfulness, qualities, TrustLeave a comment

Post Date:

 Thursday, 2017-08-24
SCRIPTURE

From:

 Luke 18:16-17 (TLB)

Text:

  16-17 Then Jesus called the children over to him and said to the disciples, “Let the little children come to me! Never send them away! For the Kingdom of God belongs to men who have hearts as trusting as these little children’s. And anyone who doesn’t have their kind of faith will never get within the Kingdom’s gates.”
OBSERVATION:
Men has a predetermined idea of the qualities needed to do a job, and the type of person to do it – perhaps even the age of the person. Jesus tried to break that idea by showing that there are qualities even in a child, who has not really experienced a lot in life yet, that we need to take note of. Let’s have a closer look at those qualities and see what we might learn from them.
APPLICATION:
It is so challenging for a group of adults to sit in a room and come to a unanimous decision. Even more challenging for a group working on a project and agreeing to accomplish the necessary tasks in unity. Jesus pointed out two qualities that He recognized in children that, I believe, we need to have a closer look at:

  • Trust: When our child was very young, we were told that it was the best time to teach her to swim, because she had not built up the fear of the water yet. I believe it was more like, she knew that her mom and the teacher were keeping such a close eye on her that she felt safe. Put a child on a wall and tell them to jump to you, and generally they will jump without a second thought, because they trust their mom or dad, who’s asking them to jump. You tell a child about God, and although, like us, they never see God, they are convinced that God is always there watching over them. Listening to a child’s prayer will blow you away, because you could easily tell how much trust they have developed in God.
  • Faith: Although very similar to trust, a child’s faith seems to never waiver or fail – until they are old enough to see our weakness in faith! Think about this, we tell children about God before they could ever talk back to us, and they have faith to believe it, even though they have never seen Him. We tell them about Santa, and every Christmas they are excited with anticipation about him coming. Friends, we sing hymns and we hear Bible teachers and preaches say it often: have faith in God. This means that: We should easily believe that God exists, even though we have never seen Him; We should easily believe that heaven is real, even though we have never seen it; However, when we approach God with things we think are impossible, we tend to believe that it is impossible with Him also. Friends, my God is the One who parted the waters of the Red Sea and the waters of the Jordan River so that His people could march across on dry land! What is it again that you feel He cannot handle for you? Is your faith where it needs to be? Draw close to God, and He will draw close to you friend.
PRAYER:
Father God, Creator of heaven and earth, All powerful and almighty in strength and power, we exalt You and we lift up Your name on high. We come before You with thanksgiving, knowing that we serve an awesome God who loves and cares for His children. Please enhance our faith Lord, so that we may trust You with all of life’s ups and downs. Lord we need You every day and in every circumstance. We need You every hour dear Lord. Thank You for Your faithfulness and love. 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!

Here’s The Reason Jesus Came

On By Ed AlgreenIn Effective Ministry, Reflective of Jesus Christ, The ChurchLeave a comment

Sunday, 2017-07-16

Scripture

Bible Reference: Mark 2:17

Bible Text: 17 When Jesus heard this, he told them, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do. I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.”

Bible Translation: New Living Translation (NLT)

My Take

The attention given to the unrighteous, reminds me of a friend who is attracted to the one who sits at the back of the church and may be feeling dejected. I am also made keenly aware of why our churches are not reaching many of the unsaved in our communities. Think about it, who do most of our church members hang around? Fellow Christians, right? What happens to a pastor or church leader who may be seen hanging around a questionable crowd? Jesus said that He came for those who know that they are sinners. Wouldn’t that be a bold statement for a church to acknowledge that they exist for the sake of the unsaved? Who generally devours most of your pastor’s time, the saved or the unsaved? Where do most of your budget dollars go – towards reaching the lost; or patting the backs of the saved, and keeping them entertained? Will the unsaved feel welcomed at your worship services, or will they feel looked down on by the masses? Are you a part of a ministry that imitates the desire of Jesus, seeking to reach those who know they are sinners? If we are to be about our Father’s work, I believe we should be busy doing exactly what He showed and taught us to do. Can you handle that friend?

Prayer

Lord, may we Your children be willing to minister to those in need of a Savior more than just ministering to those just like us, or those we like. You came so that the lost might be saved and see the Kingdom of God. Please help us to keep that as our focus of ministry. I ask these things in the strong name of Jesus, 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. 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 www.nuggetsfromgodsword.org 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!

Do Not Fear – God’s Got This!

On By Ed AlgreenIn Awesome God, Faith, Faithfulness, Fear, Genuine Faith, SecurityLeave a comment

Post Date:

 Monday, 2017-06-26
SCRIPTURE

From:

 Matthew 10:29-31 (Voice)

Text:

 29 Look, if you sold a few sparrows, how much money would you get? A copper coin apiece, perhaps? And yet your Father in heaven knows when those small sparrows fall to the ground. 30-31 You, beloved, are worth so much more than a whole flock of sparrows. God knows everything about you, even the number of hairs on your head. So do not fear.
OBSERVATION:
In this chapter Matthew talks about the many fears that people have. He assures us that we only need to fear the One who could destroy both body and soul – God Himself. But the only reason we would have to fear Him is if we have disowned Him here on earth, and pledged our allegiance to other masters who could order our death without giving it a second thought. However, to those who claim Jesus as their Lord, we have nothing to fear! Praise the Lord!
APPLICATION:
At home we ‘fear’ our parents, because they take care of us and therefore control our lives, and therefore demand our obedience and best behavior. At work we may ‘fear’ our boss, because if we are not obedient to what they ask of us, they could fire us. For those that have no regard for the Lord Jesus Christ, and saw no importance in allowing Him kingship over your earthly lives, your destination is clear and your eternal master is clearly defined in scripture, so you may start to worry now about the effects of Hell and the severity of it’s ruler – Satan. If instead you have chosen to accept the Lord Jesus – my Lord and Savior, as your King, then this very Scripture that’s quoted in this devotional assures us that we have nothing to fear, for He cares for us and has prepared a home in heaven for us where we will spend eternity together with He and His Father – God. Until that time He is intimately involved in our lives, for He knows every little detail about us and will care for us and protect us no matter what we may face. So friends, to know that we have a Savior who loves us beyond anything we could imagine, watches over us through every little detail of life, comforts us when we are down and out, and has our eternal home prepared for our homecoming, what is there to fear? May I encourage you to give thanks in all things, knowing that our Father, who knows ALL things, has a plan already worked out for us. We serve an awesome God friends! Let us worship Him and thank Him for His mighty works and His preparations for us, even while we still have breath to do so!
PRAYER:
Lord Jesus, thank You for the hope of eternity and also for the assurance of Your love and care for us while still here on this earth. Please touch the hearts of Your people today Lord, may they be reminded that there is nothing to fear when they have placed their faith and trust in You. Lord, may this also speak to the hearts of those who have yet to surrender their lives to You, for they have yet to experience the lack of fear in knowing that You have everything under control for those who have entrusted their lives wholeheartedly to You. Thank You Lord for being my Savior, My Lord, and my soon coming King. Whom then shall I fear, when You are on my side? There is none like You heavenly Father, and I thank You for that assurance today, AMEN!
FOOTNOTE:
There are two more pages on my blog that will provide you with additional information, one of them being ‘To Know Jesus’.  If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please click on the above page, or speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. Please allow someone to pray with you and give you help and/or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Words underlined in my blog 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!

Faith Like That of The Shepherds

On By Ed AlgreenIn Believe, Evidence of Faith, Faith, Faith in Action, Faithful, Genuine Faith, Know and Believe, TrustLeave a comment

Post Date:

 Tuesday, 2017-06-20
SCRIPTURE

From:

 Luke 2:8-12 (NCV)

Text:

 8 That night, some shepherds were in the fields nearby watching their sheep. 9 Then an angel of the Lord stood before them. The glory of the Lord was shining around them, and they became very frightened. 10 The angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I am bringing you good news that will be a great joy to all the people. 11 Today your Savior was born in the town of David. He is Christ, the Lord. 12 This is how you will know him: You will find a baby wrapped in pieces of cloth and lying in a feeding box.”
OBSERVATION:
God had a plan in action, with the miraculous birth of His Son through a virgin named Mary. Everything went just as God had revealed to Mary, Joseph and Elizabeth. Now God was working in the lives of those that were praying for this Savior to come and save them and their country from the awful stain of sin, corruption and destruction. Let’s have a closer look at the shepherds, whom God chose to reveal Himself to, resulting in them being one of the first groups to visit the newborn infant and God’s servants, Mary and Joseph.
APPLICATION:
Some may assume that I am getting wrapped up in the Christmas story way early this year, and while I totally love the story of our Savior’s birth, I am merely reading through the Bible and got to this Scripture today! I believe that way too often we hear the Christmas story, and because we have always loved the story of Jesus’ birth, we remember the story vividly and therefore never stop to meditate on particular servants or scenes, because we feel like we have heard it all so many times over the years. In the case of the shepherds, they were keeping watch over their sheep to protect them from the wild animals that may have been looking for a quick way into the pasture to grab one for dinner! It seems like these were godly men who prayed for a deliverer, and probably looked into the night sky while on watch, just praying some more and imagining what it might be like if that deliverer might come during their lifetime. I believe that many Christians probably do something very similar when they look at the challenges with politics in their own country. I love the outdoors, so I have often looked into the dark skies lit only by God’s perfect candles (stars) and imagined what it would be like to witness the return of Jesus Christ when He comes to take fellow Christians and myself up to our heavenly home to live eternally with Him! What if that night silence and dark sky was broken one night and God sent His angels to come and take us home? Of course you will immediately cry out for family and friends for whose salvation you’ve been praying, but can you even imagine the joy that will fill your heart to even imagine going to live with your blessed Redeemer for whom you’ve been loving, serving and anticipating for years? In fact, this may all have crossed the minds of these shepherds as they saw something bright and glorious appear before them in the dark sky. I’m sure they were in so much shock and awe that they probably had trouble concentrating on what was being told to them, but they gathered enough from the good news that they quickly decided to go and see this child that the angels spoke of. But let’s be sure that we get this. Imagine being a part of a group considered the lowest of the lowest in society, and now you are convinced that the Almighty God sent an angel to tell you about the birth of His Son? Furthermore, you are witnessing this group dropping everything, and risking to walk a distance to see if this is for real? As part of that group, what will you tell someone along the way who may ask about your travel destination? Friends, I believe you could see that while we classify people based on our perception, God is no respecter of persons. Some of us create separations by country, by race, by political party, by church denomination, etc. But I truly believe that God looks at us as His precious children, period. Being no respecter of persons, God could give someone that we least expect, a message that He would like for us to adhere to, or be encouraged by. Are we seriously looking for a word from the Lord each day, no matter who God decides to use as His delivery boy? Are we seriously looking forward to His return? What if it was today? Are you truly ready and waiting for His return? Let’s try to be like the shepherds who, when told about Jesus, dropped what they were doing and went to worship Him!
PRAYER:
Lord God, You are so awesome in every way, and I praise You for who You are to me. In being reminded today of Your willingness to minister to ALL mankind, I am humbled and reassured that I can stand boldly before the throne and worship You and bring my petitions before You. Lord, for those who will read this and doubt about their worthiness in Your sight, please reassure them of Your love for all mankind – all who were made by You, in Your image and for Your glory. The shepherds glorified the arrival of their long awaited King and Savior, because their world was so challenging and filled with hatred and crime. Sounds like a mirror of what we face today Lord, so we plead that You might hear our cry for help and send us relief that only You could imagine or make possible. We have hope in You oh Lord, please help us to remain faithful until You are ready for us in heaven, 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!

Give The Lord A Chance

On By Ed AlgreenIn Appreciation, Love, Submission, SurrenderLeave a comment

Post Date:

 Thursday, 2017-05-18
SCRIPTURE

From:

 Psalm 34:8-10 (ERV)

Text:

 8 Give the Lord a chance to show you how good he is.
    Great blessings belong to those who depend on him!
9 The Lord’s holy people should fear and respect him.
    Those who respect him will always have what they need.
10 Even strong lions get weak and hungry,
    but those who go to the Lord for help will have every good thing.
OBSERVATION:
Speaking from firsthand experience, David is challenging his readers to just give God a chance, then we will see how awesome He truly is, and how trustworthy He is. For those of us who have already placed our faith and trust in Jesus, we are to respect and honor Him, knowing that all good and worthwhile things come from the Father above.
APPLICATION:
I find it amazing how faithful, appreciative and praiseworthy we become to those who help us in one way or the other when we are in need. Yet when we put our feet on the floor each morning and actually have feet to stand on, air to breathe and the warmth and comfort of a home, we tend to take that for granted – as if all that is due to us. But that’s only ‘good’ for those of us that could ignore the news reports of folk starving, homeless, and many without vital limbs to give them mobility. Friends, the Word of God says that we could expect rich blessings if we love Him, respect Him, honor Him and call on Him in every aspect of life. As for that very last item, we must do a better job of allowing God to steer us throughout our day, for I believe that as we do that, we will become less desperate when the repercussions of the crazy, sinful choices that we make on our own. I am fascinated by the fact that we have a Savior who willingly gave His life so that we might have eternal life with He and His Father. A Savior who made the ultimate sacrifice to show His love for us. How could I but love Him? How could I but serve Him? How could I but thank Him, my Savior and my Lord! I know Him, call Him Lord and rest all my cares in His loving, but strong and powerful hands. Do you, friend?
PRAYER:
Lord, thank You for this reminder from the Psalmist. You created us, created everything around us to enjoy, and then also offered Your precious Son as a sacrifice so that we might live eternally with You. More love than we could even imagine or comprehend. Oh that we might learn to accept that love, that sacrifice and that gift offered to undeserving sinners in need of a Savior. Lord, please speak to the hearts of those who will meditate on this devotional, just as You have already done to me. Please continue to draw us close to You. 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!

The Path to Integrity

On By Ed AlgreenIn Dependable, Integrity, TrustLeave a comment

Post Date:

 Saturday, 2017-03-25
SCRIPTURE

From:

 Proverbs 4:10-15 (Voice)

Text:

 10 Hear my words, my son, and take them in;
    let them soak in so that you will live a long, full life.
11 I have pointed you in the way of wisdom;
    I have steered you down the path to integrity.
12 So get going. And as you go, know this: with integrity you will overcome all obstacles;
    even if you run, you will not stumble.
13 Tighten your grip around wise advice; don’t let it slip away.
    Protect Wisdom, for without her, life isn’t worth living.
14 Do not start down the road of the wicked—
    the first step is easy, but it leads to heartache—
    do not go along the way of evildoers.
15 Stay away from it; don’t even go past it—
    and if you find yourself anywhere near it,
    turn your back and run as far as you can in the opposite direction.
OBSERVATION:
Wikipedia gives the following meaning to ‘Integrity’: “Integrity is the qualifications of being honest and having strong moral principles; moral uprightness. It is generally a personal choice to hold oneself to consistent moral and ethical standards.” That sounds like a pretty close match to what the Proverbs is describing in these focal verses today, I feel!
APPLICATION:
I believe that many strive to live a life of integrity even if they know nothing about the promises of God to bless us as we strive to live in the wisdom of all that He has taught us. Often this may occur because of the upbringing of the individual, or because of someone that they are looking up to in their life. For the child of God, we have the Word of God to guide our actions, thoughts and principles, and we have the power of God to help us overcome obstacles that may try to hinder our walk to consistent integrity. When we accept Jesus as Lord of our life, He places the Holy Spirit within us to guide us along the right path. He is our Helper and our Guide when puzzled about which path to follow; He is our Comforter and Protector when trouble comes our way; He is our Deliverer when tempted and we call on Him for help. So with that kind of support within us, can you think of any reason why we can’t follow the Word of God and the will of God for our lives? Friends, if ever our employers should find employees of integrity, that they can trust wholeheartedly, or if ever our friends could find and trust people of integrity that they could depend on and trust with sharing their heart, it should be in those who have honestly invited Jesus into our heart and committed ourselves to allow Him full control over our lives. Jesus has always been, and always will be considered a person of integrity, for He is the only Perfect One, so having Him as our Lord and Savior, we too can be people of integrity. It’s your call friend. As for me, I choose to be a man of integrity, God being my helper!
PRAYER:
Lord, in a world that seems filled with strife, backbiting and lack of trust in each other, I reaffirm my desire to be a man of integrity, with the help of Your Holy Spirit. I pray for commitment of this attribute for my readers, my family, my friends and my coworkers. Lord may this lost world see more of You in more of us. May we be known as people of integrity because of whose we are! AMEN!
FOOTNOTE:
There are two more pages on my blog that will provide you with additional information, one of them being ‘To Know Jesus’.  If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please click on the above page, or speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. Please allow someone to pray with you and give you help and/or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Words underlined in my blog 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!

What Can Jesus Do For You?

On By Ed AlgreenIn Faith, Genuine Faith, Healing, Miracles, Seek God FirstLeave a comment

Post Date:

 Monday, 2017-03-06
SCRIPTURE

From:

 Matthew 20:31-34 (NLT)

Text:
31 “Be quiet!” the crowd yelled at them. But they only shouted louder, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!”
32 When Jesus heard them, he stopped and called, “What do you want me to do for you?”
33 “Lord,” they said, “we want to see!” 34 Jesus felt sorry for them and touched their eyes. Instantly they could see! Then they followed him.
OBSERVATION:
In this story we see a few things: First is the determination of the blind men to get Jesus’ attention. Although told by the disciples to be quiet, they shouted all the louder; Secondly, I am always shocked how Jesus would ask two blind men what he could do for them! He didn’t assume that they were there to have their sight restored, for they may have had much deeper needs that only the Master could resolve for them. And thirdly, their miracle led to them becoming followers of Christ!
APPLICATION:
Throughout the gospels we can read story after story about the extremes that some folk went to in order to see, touch, or plead with Jesus about their situation. I am saddened by our current day believers who either wait until their very last option to seek Jesus and ask Him for help in their respective scenario, or because they have listened to Satan and the world, and have chosen to not follow Christ, they therefore might opt to not ‘bother’ Him in their time of need. Notice that the blind men did not let pride get in their way of getting close to Jesus and asking Him for a miracle. They weren’t concerned about friends trying to turn them away because they never wanted anything to do with Jesus. I want you to also notice that although these men were not follower of Christ, He stopped, listened to their plea, and delivered them from their blindness. Friends, this is another reminder of how deep the love of God is for His children. Notice also that Jesus teaches us to never assume what the needs of another person might be. Wouldn’t you have thought that two blind men waiting to see Jesus, were probably there to ask for restoration of their sight? However, Jesus still asked what they wanted of Him. Friends, let’s learn from this that we are to be specific in our asking of God. So I believe the important question that Jesus might have for you today is: What is your greatest need that you would have me attend to for you? This should be the item that you are daily pleading to God for, and is first and foremost on your mind. Be determined as the two blind guys, knowing that the same Jesus that they called out to for mercy and healing, is still available, able and ready to also hear our cry for help.
PRAYER:
Dear Lord, we serve the awesome Creator of this world, and You have proven yourself over and over again, yet You are often the very last person that we call on in our times of trouble and despair. As we were reminded by this Scripture today, please teach us to be persistent in asking, knowing that You are ruler over all things and that Your awesome power is just as prevalent today as it was when You gave the command to restore eyesight to the two blind men. Lord, please touch the hearts and lives of all who might read this devotional today, and please especially touch the lives of my family at this time so that we all might be reminded of the King of all kings and Lord of all lords, and Your awesome love and power. For I ask these things in Your wonderful and matchless 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 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!

A Test of Your Faith

On By Ed AlgreenIn Commitment, Committed, PrayerLeave a comment

Post Date:

 Thursday, 2017-02-23
SCRIPTURE

From:

 Matthew 17:19-21 (Voice)

Text:

 19 Later, when they were away from the crowds, the disciples asked Jesus why they hadn’t been able to drive out the demon themselves.

Jesus: 20 Because you have so little faith. I tell you this: if you had even a faint spark of faith, even faith as tiny as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, “Move from here to there,” and because of your faith, the mountain would move. If you had just a sliver of faith, you would find nothing impossible. [21 But this kind is not realized except through much prayer and fasting.]
OBSERVATION:
One could only imagine the frustration that the disciples must have felt when they kept receiving hints from Jesus that they could do what He does, and yet they felt so powerless at times. This particular incident was one of those cases, for a man presented his epileptic son for healing, and the disciples were totally helpless. Let’s examine why…
APPLICATION:
There were so many things that Jesus did that might be compared to magic today. It may seem to some that they merely say the word and the lame will walk again and the blind will once again see like you and I. However, I believe that Jesus clears this up for us in these verses. If the power was truly given to us to bring about healing, why would one need Jesus, or to know about His Father? First of all, we must remember that as His children, we are merely messengers of the Almighty God. Meaning that God still does the healing, and not us. Often mankind is out to win the battle and claim the victory personally, and that is not the way that God works. I remember gathering with others to pray down God’s blessings on upcoming revival services, and that hearts that had become hardened, would be touched by God and drawn back to Him. By the time the revival services began, I remember looking down the aisle with expectation and anticipation of individuals walking the aisle who we had prayed diligently and desperately for.  The praise and rejoicing went to the Father as we saw results though, because we prayed to Him asking Him to move in their hearts. So to see ones walk the aisle meant that God had accomplished His work as a result of our prayers and His perfect will for the individuals we prayed for. In the verses we are looking at today, we are reminded that verse 21 was not included in some ancient manuscripts, but I believe it was inserted later to help us understand that miracles are still a work of the Almighty, and if we are sincere about our requests to Him, then we must be earnest in our prayers to Him about the individual or the situation. Friends, when we are willing to do more than just mere words. When we are deeply convicted and are ready to seek God’s face over a situation. When it becomes a priority to us, enough that we are willing to seek His face more than some other pleasure in life, then I believe Jesus recognizes the earnestness of our prayers and the deep desires of our heart. Are you ready to take a need before the Lord in such earnest today? If so, God assures us that it could be as big of a challenge as moving a mountain from one location to another, for nothing is impossible with God! Let’s get serious about the needs that we pray about, and be willing to commit more than just words to the need. Our God is able, if we are willing!
PRAYER:
Dear God, we have become so trivial with our promises to pray, that our promise to pray for a Brother or Sister just rolls off the tongue. Sometimes we make promises to pray, and then allow the busyness of life to take over, and overwhelm the promise we made to pray. At other times we are challenged to put our all into the request because of our lack of concern, or perhaps because of our lack of faith in the Father who can do ALL things. Please forgive us Lord, and fill us with hearts like Yours, where we are willing to sacrifice, or fast, and pray to the Father over the needs we might have. Thank You for the awesome powerful God that You are! Please give us renewed strength, boldness and power to pray as You did, Lord Jesus. 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!