Oh For His Measureless Grace!

On 2021-10-012021-09-30 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Grace, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Friday, 2021-10-01
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Psalm 55:22
TRANSLATION: The Passion Translation (TPT)

BIBLE TEXT: ²²So here’s what I’ve learned through it all:
Leave all your cares and anxieties at the feet of the Lord,
and measureless grace will strengthen you.

APPLICATION: For the majority of humans, I believe that we have inherited a sense of urgency when life is not going perfectly at all times. For example: when we develop a pain or discomfort, we rush into the doctor’s office for a medicine that will help us overcome that. When our bank account dries up, we apply for another credit card or we run to our banker for a loan to get us over the hump. When situations develop in our family that impacts our home-life, we find a pastor who will try to help us deal with, or overcome the problem. We seem to search out ‘fixes’ for most of life’s issues, don’t we? But what do we do when we are told something we don’t want to hear, like a doctor who tells us that hospitalization and/or surgery might be the only fix for our medical issues? Or a pastor who advises that things will only get worse if we don’t make some very serious decisions that could negatively impact our family even more? For some of us, that’s when we turn to Jesus – as a last resort. It seems like the Psalmist might be supporting our normal trends, for he found grace at the foot of the cross, and he is advising us to do the same. But unless we take this bit of advise separate and apart from the rest of the Bible, we may forget that Jesus also told us that some suffering is a gift from Him. Say WHAT???? Let me suggest that you click on the following two Scripture verses so that you can see for yourself what Jesus said about this: Philippians 1:29 and John 18:11. Friends, I believe that God would have His children know that regardless of our challenges in life, we have a Father who cares for us and will see us through every circumstance of life. For some scenarios, we might experience healing, and for some we may be challenged by the way He chooses to handle it, but as His child we must always know that God loves us, and that His measureless grace is sufficient for all our anxiety and cares of this world. Let’s always keep the end goal in mind – Jesus has gone to prepare a place for us in heaven. As we journey towards that goal, we will need Him to hold our hand and gently lead us through situations that sometimes seem impossible, troublesome or even unsurmountable to us. He cares for us, He loves us, and He will guide us in ways that will bring Him glory and praise. Perhaps if we stop fighting to have our own way, we will see and appreciate the blessings He sends our way!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: God’s measureless grace is all sufficient for our every care and concern!

PRAYER: I am reminded of a chorus I learned as a child attending Sunday School: God is still on the throne, and He will remember His own, though trials may come and often beset us, yet He is still on the throne! Of course there are other songs that fit the intent of this verse today also: He never promised us a rose garden! But thank You Jesus, You did promise us that You will never leave us or forsake us, and that Your measureless grace is all sufficient for each and every child. May we find peace and contentment in knowing that we are a child of the King and that You have our best interest at heart, precious Lord. For the unsaved who will not experience this comfort and peace, I pray that You will speak intently to them today, Lord. 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!

Reason To Shout!

On 2021-09-302021-09-29 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Worship1 Comment

DATE POSTED Thursday, 2021-09-30
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Luke 19:37-40
TRANSLATION: Contemporary English Version (CEV)

BIBLE TEXT: ³⁷When Jesus was starting down the Mount of Olives, his large crowd of disciples were happy and praised God because of all the miracles they had seen. ³⁸They shouted, “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory to God.”
³⁹Some Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, make your disciples stop shouting!”
⁴⁰But Jesus answered, “If they keep quiet, these stones will start shouting.”

APPLICATION: I believe that the excuse modern day Christians give for their reserved praise and worship services is because they are accustomed to celebrating inwardly. Really? How much incentive do you acknowledge from the ‘inward’ praises of your parents/spouse/friends? As a youngster growing up in a very reserved community, I remember going by car to the nearby town where we sat and watched a charismatic congregation rejoice in songs of praise and through the preaching of the word, in ways that we hardly did on the baseball field sidelines! We never doubted that they were worshiping, but it seems like their habits never impacted our lives to worship in that manner. However, as an older adult, where my times with the Lord are super charged with the joy of knowing my Savior intimately; Where my life has been impacted by my Savior in miraculous ways over the years; Where the Word of God has become very personal to me and where I apply it’s truth to my life on an ongoing basis, it excites me to hear from God and to see Him at work miraculously in my life. But I believe that the question remains: does everyone who come into contact with me know that I am a Christ follower? Do I worship Him so boldly that my opposers are shaking in their boots and asking me to quiet down? When most of us received Christ, it was evident to everyone, for we didn’t care who was around when we lifted up the name of Jesus and sang praises to our new-found King. What happened? He’s still King, and as I already said, I draw closer to Him every day as I learn of His commands, and practice His teachings, so why am I not as outwardly excited? I believe that something happens inside of us every time that we recognize we are in the presence of Jesus, and I believe that we are especially thankful and extremely happy when we are aware of His mighty works in our lives. Perhaps we need to go by the words of another great old hymn: Count you blessings, name them one by one… Let’s stop attributing our blessings to another lucky day, or a ‘win for all’ where a certain good thing happened. Instead, let us draw close to God and be keenly aware of all that He does in our lives – things that bear no other earthly explanation. I believe we will all find reasons to ‘tick off our neighbors’ because of our continual celebrative lifestyle! Jesus deserves our praise, dear ones! We have a reason to shout!!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: So many, so often, and so loud will be our praises when we truly acknowledge the source of our daily blessings! Not just those that we expect every day, but particularly those personal ones with our name written all over them! Only Jesus, dear friends! Let’s learn to shout our praises to our well-deserving King!

PRAYER: As a recipient of all good things from on high, I feel like my expressions of joy, happiness and praise to my Maker is very underwhelming. I am reminded of a song ‘How Can I Say Thanks’, for I feel like that should be my heart’s cry every time I’m reminded of the goodness of my King. Thank You Lord for the miracles You have performed in my life and all around me. You are truly worthy of my every praise and endless expressions of thanksgiving. Lord, I pray that You will speak gently, but boldly to Your children who will be reminded of Your goodness today. May we all celebrate from a heart of thanksgiving to our Maker and our Eternal Father. Thank You Jesus for saving my soul, thank You Lord for making me whole. As a child of the King, I stand boldly in saying that You are so deserving of all my praise and also that of my readers and listeners. Be glorified today because of the opened hearts of Your children. AMEN!

What Should We Do?

On 2021-09-292021-09-28 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, direction, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Wednesday, 2021-09-29
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Luke 3:10-14
TRANSLATION: New Living Translation (NLT)

BIBLE TEXT: ¹⁰The crowds asked, “What should we do?”
¹¹John replied, “If you have two shirts, give one to the poor. If you have food, share it with those who are hungry.”
¹²Even corrupt tax collectors came to be baptized and asked, “Teacher, what should we do?”
¹³He replied, “Collect no more taxes than the government requires.”
¹⁴“What should we do?” asked some soldiers.
John replied, “Don’t extort money or make false accusations. And be content with your pay.”

APPLICATION: I believe that most will ask ‘Why should I change?’, for we are all convinced what we are doing is right and just. However, when presented with facts that challenge our beliefs or our practices, we must decide whether we want to continue doing the ‘norm’ or whether we should accept the change presented to us. After all, we all want to be the best man or woman possible while here on earth. As for what God expects of His creation, I believe that God created us with a very special purpose in mind. He proved His love for us in very special ways – the most important being the sacrifice of His own dear Son, so that we might have options/choices about escaping Hell’s fire and damnation. God also ordained messengers to reenforce that message to us, especially when we become so engrossed in the things of this world. John the Baptist was one of such messengers, and in Luke 3 we are blessed with a reminder of his ministry. The Word of God is still alive today, because we are able to apply it’s truths to our lives, and I believe that the challenge remains for the Christian: prove by the way you live, that you have repented of your sin and turned to God – as per verse 8. For the unbeliever, I believe that John would have you know that it really doesn’t matter what your parents do, in attending church regularly and giving generously to its cause. But instead, know that true life comes through Jesus Christ alone. Accept His free gift of eternal life and then do just as commanded above, per verse 8, live like you mean it. Jesus said in another instance of His walk here on earth: I wish you would be hot or cold, for I despise the hypocrite. In other words dear friends, don’t think that you could convince God you are saved by what you do, what you give, or by whom you are related to. If you know that you have followed God’s commands regarding salvation, then your life will reflect that change. Saying that you are a child of the King, but continuing to act as the world, makes you a hypocrite, and that makes God sick to His stomach. Many will ask ‘what shall I do?’, unless you are living like a true believer in Jesus Christ, you will be hard-pressed to honestly help them know what to do, and live the right way.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: True Children of Jesus Christ will live like children of Christ. As unbelievers analyze our lives, I trust that they will conclude whose we are.

PRAYER: Precious Lord, take my hand, lead me on and let me stand in awe of You. This world has nothing to offer, so please help my readers and listeners to join me in standing firm in the One whom we claim as King of kings and Lord of lords. As we do this, please help the world to see Jesus in us – our every word, action and deed. Draw the world to Yourself oh God, and if You can use us in that work, please make full use of us. Help us not to be stumbling blocks that only confuse the unsaved. They want Jesus, and not a fake misrepresentation of Him. Draw them close oh Lord, and please keep us close so that we could help show them what to do. AMEN!

Only God Can

On 2021-09-282021-09-27 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, God Can Do It Again, God Cares For Us, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Worship2 Comments

DATE POSTED Tuesday, 2021-09-28
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Judges 16:19-20
TRANSLATION: New Living Translation (NLT)

BIBLE TEXT: ¹⁹Delilah lulled Samson to sleep with his head in her lap, and then she called in a man to shave off the seven locks of his hair. In this way she began to bring him down, and his strength left him.
²⁰Then she cried out, “Samson! The Philistines have come to capture you!
When he woke up, he thought, “I will do as before and shake myself free.” But he didn’t realize the Lord had left him.

APPLICATION: It seems more and more prevalent for doctors to let us make our own choices on certain treatments available to us. They present the facts, and leave the decision up to us. God has always shown us that same freedom. He has a glorious eternity in mind for us, and He presents through His Word all the reasons why it would be beneficial for us to accept His Son, Jesus, but He leaves the actual decision up to us. God also had a very special life in store for Samson, as a judge over Israel. He gave him physical strength that any earthly man would be envious of, but God also gave Samson the freedom to make his own choices. There was a certain ‘weakness’ that Samson displayed towards the opposit sex, for he loved women, and they were attracted to him because of his physique. Unfortunately, we are a lot like Samson, in that we are generally warned about certain dangers, and we agree with those dangers, but we tend to think that everything will be alright, because we know how to protect ourselves against the evil plans of others. But as the Scripture tells us, Samson was not as independently strong as he felt he was, and he was therefore lulled into a game that threatened his very life. My friends, I believe God is still warning us today of the power and strength of the Evil One. I realize that many of you are very similar to me, and would quickly say ‘we’ve got this’, but let me remind you that just as we are no match for the Almighty God, neither are we any match for God’s greatest oponent, Satan. Remember, God loves us so much that He showed us at Calvary how deep that love ran, but if we insist on doing life ‘our way’, He is gentleman enough to let us. You will be warned over and over about the dangers and extreme risks, but if we keep shoving God away and grabbing the reigns for ourself, God will do for us what He did for Samson, He will let us face the battle all alone, and that will lead to complete failure. Fortunately for us, the opposite is still very true today. If we call on God, He is faithful and just, and He will forgive us of our sin, and He will stand by us to the very end of time here on earth. Receive your free gift today precious friend. Allow God to be God of your life and in all circumstances of life. God never fails!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Submission to God results in His love, protection and deliverance through all of earths pain, trials and temptations. Seek Him today, while He may be found, and let Him lead you in every circumstance of life.

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, You made us with great big egos, and way too often we feel like we could handle every challenge and difficulty presented to us here on earth. But Lord, You alone is the answer to all of life’s challenges, and we are reminded daily that we can’t do life without You. Please help us to learn from Samson and not become caught up in feeling like we could handle the Evil One, for only You can keep Satan at bay. Forgive us Lord when we try to assume Your position in our lives, we need You every moment of every day. Please reign us back in immediately when You see us wandering off to try and handle things on our own. We need You precious Father. Please work out Your will and way in our lives and impact others as You see the need evident in them. AMEN!

SEE Jesus and Worship Him

On 2021-09-272021-09-27 By Ed AlgreenIn Acknowledge God, Awesome God, Power of God, Powerful, Praise, Recognize God, See God, WorshipLeave a comment

Friday, 2021-09-27

Bible Reference: Matthew 28:16-17
Translation: New Living Translation (NIV)

Bible Text: ¹⁶ Then the eleven disciples left for Galilee, going to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. ¹⁷ When they saw him, they worshiped him—but some of them doubted!

APPLICATION: In our scripture reference today we see one of many instances where folk saw Jesus, and they bowed down and worshiped Him. I acknowledge that this particular instance is so miraculous that it would give reason for anyone to ‘worship’ the Master. But let’s be careful to note that Jesus was crucified, died, buried, and three days later He arose from the dead, and now He stand in the very presence of His disciples! But friends, I want us to stop and meditate on the many times that we stand in the presence of the Lord Jesus, but do we always stop and acknowledge Him and/or offer up our sacrifices of praise to Him? Matthew Henry in his commentary on this verse says “All that see the Lord Jesus with an eye of faith, will worship him.” I could almost imagine by now you are dumbfounded as to what I might be getting at here, because although the Lord Jesus stood in the presence of the disciples, you probably can’t remember the last time that He did that to you, right? Dear friends, we are presented with reminders of our Lord Jesus every day and we make personal choices as to what we do with that. If you pick up the precious Word of God and read it, you will be flooded with evidence and overwhelmed by the presence of God as you read about Him – but do you stop to worship Him and acknowledge His greatness? If you walk out of your home and stop complaining about the humidity, or the cold, or the heat long enough you will SEE the beauty of all that God has provided for you to enjoy, you might consider raising your hands in praise to Him for His miraculous touch on everything from the heights of the skies to the beautiful green grass and flowers that you see, to the cattle that produces dairy products and/or beef for your plate, to the beautiful waterfalls that make us wonder where is the water coming from so high up on a mountain, to the beautiful ocean that is filled with man’s best foods, etc. If you enter God’s house of worship and hear the stories of how God has miraculously healed and/or touched His children, you will SEE where God has been busy meeting the needs of His people, and you will worship Him knowing that there is still hope for Him to also miraculously help you through your challenges that seem insurmountable to you at times. Friends, it is time for us to stop whining and start praising. It is time for us to stop attributing God’s miracles that occur all around us every day, to happen-chance, or good luck, or any other worldly credit, and truly SEE God for who He is. It is then that we will worship Him in deep sincerity like the disciples exampled for us in this Scripture today. Jesus is still alive and He is looking for opportunities to bless you, so that you may SEE Him, if only you will let Him into your world. Won’t you do that today friend?

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, thank You for Your presence each and every day. Please forgive us for the times that we find every other reason in the world why something special occurred in our life, before we finally realize that it truly was the God of this universe that stepped in and blessed us. You have provided lots of evidence of your miraculous hand at work in our lives and all around us. Please open our spiritual eyes so that we may SEE Your goodness, Your miracles and Your love that You want so badly for us to accept and envelope. Lord, may we truly learn to worship You in every way, because of all that You place before us as evidence of Your presence. Please also open the eyes of the non-believer today so that they will realize that there is no other explanation for the miracles around them other than the awesome power and greatness of the Almighty God. Lord I pray that our worship and our praise will come naturally, as we recognize the originator of our blessings. Thank You for being so good to us! I ask these things in the gracious and blessed name of 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 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. If you are anywhere near the Sebring, 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!

How To See Jesus

On 2021-09-262021-09-25 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Humility, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Seeking God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Sunday, 2021-09-26
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Luke 19:5-7
TRANSLATION: The Passion Translation (TPT)

BIBLE TEXT: ⁵When Jesus got to that place, he looked up into the tree and said, “Zacchaeus, hurry on down, for I must stay at your house today!”
⁶So he scurried down the tree and found himself face-to-face with Jesus.
⁷As Jesus left to go with Zacchaeus, many in the crowd complained, “Look at this! Of all the people to have dinner with, he’s going to eat in the house of a crook.”

APPLICATION: Some may go to a church service at a very large church, and they will sit far in the back in, what they feel is, a very inconspicuous place, so that no one will identify them. They’re just curious about who Jesus is, and what this church attendance thing is all about. But here’s a thought for you to consider: in and of our own sinful selves, we want nothing to do with God or His places of worship; however when God is tugging at our sinful heart, we suddenly become interested in Him, His servants and His places. So let me remind you that when you show up to church, or when Zacchaeus climbed up that tree, God is already busy at work in your heart. yes, God may have used your parents to ‘bug’ you once again about going to church, but I encourage you to listen to what God is saying to you. Notice that Jesus needed no lookouts to point out those hiding in trees, nor did He need an introduction to the chiefest of sinners in their midst. Jesus simply looked up, confirmed His suspicions about a man being in a tree who needed Him, and He called Zacchaeus down, by name. Knowing his sinful condition, and knowing how he was frowned upon by his people, yet Jesus zoomed in on Zacchaeus and wanted to actually spend time with him. I love how this translation says that Zacchaeus came face-to-face with Jesus, because there was a day when I surrendered my heart to Jesus, and I came face-to-face with Him as He helped me make a total 180-degree turn from the sinful path I was on. I believe there are some who will read, or listen to, this devotional today and feel like Jesus is just looking over your head at the sinner behind you, because you are too far gone, and beyond the saving grace of Jesus Christ. Please allow me to remind you that Jesus is not surprised about any sin you might need to confess to Him. He also knows you by name, and He is willing to visit with you today, so that He might change your life into a usable vessel for His glory. You may feel like you have hidden real good from God and, perhaps, all of His messengers. Notice that Jesus found Zacchaeus, spent time with him, changed his life, and he and his whole household were saved. I believe that you may not be capable of imagining what all God might have in store for you! My friend, you are no less that the greatest preacher ever lived, you too could be a child of the King – the King of all kings, if only you will search for Jesus in all sincerity, and accept His call on your life. Please let this be the day you will always celebrate as your ‘new birth in Jesus Christ’! I want to see you in glory as we worship at the throne of the Almighty, but that will only happen if you surrender your life to Jesus, for He is the only way to heaven. Zacchaeus was bold enough to make this decision in spite of the riches he accrued from his crooked job, surely you can give up what you feel is important to you here on earth so that you might also accept Jesus and welcome Him into your house and family, God being your helper and guide.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: The current condition of Zacchaeus’ life had no impact on how Jesus looked at his need for salvation. He knew him by name and He knew all about his sin. Praise God, salvation is available to all!

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, I praise You for accepting us, even in our sinful condition, and You miraculously recondition us for the glorious meeting with the Father in Heaven some day! Thank You Jesus for identifying and saving our friend, Zacchaeus. Now Lord, I believe that there will be some who will read, or listen to, this devotional and they will realize that they are in a similar condition to that of Zacchaeus. Please soften their hearts, give them boldness and humility to seek Your presence and acknowledge You as Lord. May this be the day of salvation for many, I pray. AMEN!

Our Incentive Not Needed

On 2021-09-232021-09-22 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Needs, Praise, Promise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Thursday, 2021-09-23
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Joshua 11:29-31; 34
TRANSLATION: Contemporary English Version (CEV)

BIBLE TEXT: ²⁹Then the Lord’s Spirit took control of Jephthah, and Jephthah went through Gilead and Manasseh, raising an army. Finally, he arrived at Mizpah in Gilead, where ³⁰he promised the Lord, “If you will let me defeat the Ammonites ³¹and come home safely, I will sacrifice to you whoever comes out to meet me first.”
³⁴When Jephthah returned to his home in Mizpah, the first one to meet him was his daughter. She was playing a tambourine and dancing to celebrate his victory, and she was his only child.

APPLICATION: Often when we are given the right incentive, we will gain the confidence needed to accomplish much more than normal. But God is much greater than anything we could dream or imagine. It is not necessary for us to promise Him something in return for His favor, nor is it necessary for us to reassure Him of our good intentions, for He knows us by name and He also knows our very thoughts, word and actions. He will therefore give to us that which He knows is best for us and for those His blessings will touch. We cannot incentivize God to honor our request. I had a pastor who, while in the heat of battle overseas, made a promise as he petitioned God in desperation for his safe return to his homeland. Fortunately that pastor served out his promise to God and is still faithful to this very day. In today’s Scripture, Jephthah was very anxious about leading his people in war against the ammonites, because their king had mocked the idea of Jephthah ever facing such an army as his. So I would imagine that Jephthah was not just asking for victory, but also wanting to retain his pride before such a powerful king. But regardless of the reason, Jephthah made a very wild and potentially dangerous promise in the heat of the moment, for only those very near and dear to his heart would exit his house to greet him home after a tough battle. Regardless of the reason he did this, Jephthah was determined to live up to his promise. His beloved daughter, who was the first to exit his home, encouraged him to live up to his promise, and neither of them tried to wiggle their way out of the promise. Some may wonder, why didn’t God intervene and excuse Jephthah from his promise? Notice that God played no part in the promise. God didn’t condition His response on the promise, nor was He approached when Jephthah found himself in the dilemma of having to sacrifice his own daughter. I believe that our lesson here is to avoid the practice of, or the need for, swearing on anything to guarantee our word, or the need to promise something unrelated, to reinforce our request for something. God created us, and He loves us very much. He wants nothing but His very best for those who have accepted His lordship and honors Him in all that we do and say. Simply ask, and wait to see His response – the answer that is best for our good!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: God heard the cry of Jephthah and honored his request to win the battle against the ammonites. It is so unfortunate that Jephthah saw the need to try and incentivize God.

PRAYER: Here I am Lord. Just me, with no hidden agendas or pride to mend. Please control my anxious fears and my pride to win in order to better my selfish gain. Many reading this devotional may be like Jephthah, and tempted to offer anything in order to win a battle they are fighting, or a job promotion they are wishing for, or a family situation they want desperately to see resolved. Lord, I believe that You know our hearts and You therefore know whether our intentions or our request is genuine, and You will respond lovingly without any further incentive thrown in by us. Forgive us Lord when we try to use our tactics to win Your approval and Your action. You know us way too intimately to need any more than our word in its simplest form. Thank You that Jephthah kept his promise, regardless of the outcome. I pray that You will help us to learn from his experience and just trust You with our requests. AMEN!

Don’t Run To Your gods

On 2021-09-222021-09-21 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Idols, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Wednesday, 2021-09-22
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Judges 10:13-16
TRANSLATION: Contemporary English Version (CEV)

BIBLE TEXT: ^13-14… I’m not going to rescue you any more! You’ve left me and gone off to worship other gods. If you’re in such big trouble, go cry to them for help!
¹⁵“We have been unfaithful,” the Israelites admitted. “If we must be punished, do it yourself, but please rescue us from the Ammonites.”
¹⁶Then the Israelites got rid of the idols of the foreign gods, and they began worshiping only the Lord. Finally, there came a time when the Lord could no longer stand to see them suffer.

APPLICATION: I’m sure that we will quickly deflect this message to our neighbor, since we would never personally worship other gods, right? But let’s consider one thing today. Church attendance has seriously declined over the past year, and many will suggest that they are worshiping virtually with their church. But let me suggest that you look at the numbers that are missing from the pews, and then look at the number attending online. Unfortunately you will see an enormous variance. None of us would be judgmental enough to think that our friends who sat next to us in church pre-Covid actually created idols at home to worship, but we will be hard-pressed to get a straight answer from them, if we cared enough to ask, about what is really keeping them away from church. However, we serve the same God who knew without a shadow of doubt what the Israelites were doing. God told them to destroy the idols in the towns they captured, but He knew that they retained the idols for a ‘rainy day’! God loved them enough to send warnings to them, by way of foreign leaders taking over their cities and terribly abusing them. But that didn’t change their hearts. No doubt God sent awful diseases on them, much like what we are dealing with today. But that didn’t turn them back to God. However after constant badgering by the enemy, the Israelites remembered God and they just knew that He would win their battles for them. After the 911 attacks on the US, Americans flocked into churches to connect with the only One who could save our country. God comforted the hearts of His children and helped them to know that He was still on the throne. For weeks, and even months afterwards, the church celebrated the power of God. However, church attendees gradually returned to their gods who stole their hearts prior to the 911 attacks. Although several other warnings have been given to us, we have been losing family and friends left and right to our current warning that seems to be uncontrollable and taking the lives of those we love. When the Israelites finally came to their senses and asked to reunite with the God who helped them win their battles in the past, God said ‘No, try asking the gods whom you served most recently’. I know, you have no idols, or gods, in your home, or your temple, or in your community that you worship. But let me ask you to think about those things that are taking God’s place in your life. What stops you from Bible reading, or prayer, or church attendance? Can you list them so that you could be reminded of the gods that exist in your life? I strongly believe that it was not until the Israelites threw out their idols and began worshiping God Almighty, alone, that God saw their repentance and returned to their rescue. What is it that you must consider ridding yourself of, to make room for Jesus? Please make this a priority, as Jesus could return to take His church home TODAY! Be ready for His return dear friends.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: God saw the misery of His children, and He saw their efforts to return to Him. God loves us and wants our companionship more than anything!

PRAYER: Way too often we ponder the evil going on and the dreadful impact it is having on our lives, and we wonder how long will this last? Lord, I believe You may be whispering the answer in our ears: ‘Until you get the message I am sending to you about your sin, and the sin of those around you’. Oh Lord, please humble the heart of every believer, and help us to remember how You pounded on the Israelites when they turned their heads on You. Praise God You eventually came to their rescue, but it was not until they gave up their idols and their worthless gods. I believe that we might be right in the middle of a similar condition at this time. You are sending warnings over the bow and trying desperately to redirect our path to follow You. Please Lord, soften hearts again today like You did with the Israelites, so that we may come to our senses and acknowledge You as the only God who can save, and who has prepared a place already for us to join You in heaven one day soon. Help us to influence others with whom we associate with, to do the same. Lord, may Your kingdom come today, as it is in heaven. AMEN!

Are You Ready To Go?

On 2021-09-212021-09-20 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Evangelism, Evangelize, Needs, Praise, Readiness, Ready, Ready to Go, Recognize God, State of Readiness, WorshipLeave a comment

DATE POSTED Tuesday, 2021-09-21
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Luke 17:26-27
TRANSLATION: Living Bible (TLB)

BIBLE TEXT: ²⁶“When I return the world will be as indifferent to the things of God as the people were in Noah’s day. ²⁷They ate and drank and married—everything just as usual right up to the day when Noah went into the ark and the Flood came and destroyed them all.

APPLICATION: For those who strive to evangelize the lost and guide them into a relationship with Jesus Christ, you will find yourselves much like the disciples, in that you will encourage the lost to accept Jesus today, as He could return anytime after the very moment that you share the Good News. But even in Bible stories, we read about the excuses that people quickly came up with when they are asked to accept the Lord, so I’m sure that the excuses will flow rapidly from the mouths of those that we set out to encourage. For the disciple’er I would suggest that you think back to the days when you tried to encourage your spouse to marry you. Although they may have initially had some doubt, you went through a long courtship to try and convince them that you two belonged together. So let me encourage you to do a little courting of your closest family members, or your dearest friends, so that you may gain their confidence to believe the urgency of the message you want to share with them. Also, let’s remember that Jesus warned His disciples, and us, about the uncertainty of the day and the hour, so getting the message out today could make the difference between eternal life, or eternity and damnation in Hell for that dear person. To the one who might be reading this and you have chosen to ‘wait and see’, I believe that there has never been a time in our history where we are reminded daily how death is knocking on the door of our family and friends almost daily, and without regard to age, gender, health condition, or anything else. Please realize dear friends that your time could be next. Please be ready for the day that Jesus comes back, even if it’s today. Just as airport officials only admit passenger who are ready to travel when the flight departs, so will Jesus have a similar decision when He returns to take us home. Are you ready to go?

BLESSING(S) NOTED: For those who are ready to go, Jesus can come today, tomorrow or anytime and you will be ready to join with the rest of His chosen children to accompany Him into heaven! No greater joy!

PRAYER: Lord, Your warning is clear, and for many we are ready to join with You and the angels in Heaven when You come to take us home. The urgency is also clear for our unsaved loved ones, so in all humility I ask that You bestow upon all Christians the importance of showing how much they care about loved ones, by showing them the only way to Heaven. Lord, with urgency evident to both the evangelist and the hearer, may we be busy about our Father’s work. We may say that we love and care about our family and friends, but may that be apparent by us showing them the way to Heaven. Please forgive us when we fail, or when we are timid, but Lord we depend on Your wisdom and Your strength to guide us every day. AMEN!

Doubting It’s Really Jesus?

On 2021-09-202021-09-19 By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Appreciation, Joy, Needs, Praise, Recognize God, Salvation, WorshipLeave a comment

Monday, 2021-09-20

Bible Reference: Luke 24:36-41
Translation: Living Bible (TLB)

Bible Text: ³⁶And just as they were telling about it, Jesus himself was suddenly standing there among them, and greeted them. ³⁷But the whole group was terribly frightened, thinking they were seeing a ghost!
³⁸“Why are you frightened?” he asked. “Why do you doubt that it is really I? ³⁹Look at my hands! Look at my feet! You can see that it is I, myself! Touch me and make sure that I am not a ghost! For ghosts don’t have bodies, as you see that I do!” ⁴⁰As he spoke, he held out his hands for them to see the marks of the nails, and showed them the wounds in his feet.
⁴¹Still they stood there undecided, filled with joy and doubt.

APPLICATION: In light of the challenge that the disciples faced, the Holy Spirit prompted me to look inward and see what I would do if Jesus appeared at my church, or Bible Study, etc. Whoa, that brought a whole new perspective on this. You see, I believe that often we will read these Scriptures and, if we’re not careful, we start to examine the hearts and lives of the individuals, like the disciples, to see what on earth might have distorted or blocked their faith at such a sensitive time. But what about us? I often attend a Easter Sunrise service each year, where we highlight, celebrate and try to envision with the rising sun, what it must have been like to see the rising Son. What if Jesus became our guest speaker at one of those services one year? Wouldn’t that truly break the routine what we might expect from those services each year? I can’t imagine the impact that would have on the believers present, or at least those who don’t die from shock! Often we will pray that Jesus might come down and heal our bodies, our church and our land. What if He came in person one night and just chatted with us about His Kingdom and perhaps His intentions for our respective ministries? Would our feeble hearts be capable of handling that? Friends, our Savior is no longer in the grave, for He arose! So as we reflect on this wonderful experience of the disciples, let’s be sure to prepare our hearts for seeing Jesus again some day. Whether it’s here on earth, or when we get to heaven, I am convinced that it will be a glorious time for us to kneel at His feet and worship Him endlessly! Until that time, let me encourage you to seek the face of Jesus daily, and prepare yourself for the most magnificent visit with Him. There’s a song ‘Oh that will be Glory for me, Glory for me, Glory for me, When by His grace I shall look on His Face….’. Not sure about you my friend, but I become overwhelmed with joy at just the thought of seeing my Savior. May you be ready to see Him, whether it’s today, or whether He waits for your arrival to allow your physical presence! Oh Lord Jesus, come!

PRAYER: The disciples experienced it first! Meeting Him in person after His Resurrection, had them in awe! And I can’t even imagine how such a miracle would impact us today. Lord, You gave it all for my friends and I, and we’ve read and understood from Scriptures that You are very much alive and awaiting our arrival in Heaven! Thank You Lord Jesus for making the way possible for us to overcome the evil of this wicked world and to make the transition to heaven one day where we might worship You throughout the rest of eternity. Please help us to live as children of the King, and may every selfish desire disappear as we work on convincing our unsaved loved ones and friends about the need for our Savior. Please soften hearts even today as we go about our way and make contact with various ones who have not yet accepted You. Please give us boldness and wisdom to share the joy of our salvation with everyone we come into contact with today. AMEN!

Nuggets From God's Word

Tag: Worship