Category: God our Helper

Do you influence for good or evil?

On By Ed AlgreenIn Christian, God our Helper, Imitator of Christ, Our Help comes from God, Pleasing to God, Reflecting Christ2 Comments

Scripture: Judges 15-16.  

OBSERVATION
(What is God saying here?)

Judges 16:18-21 (NLT)

18 Delilah realized he had finally told her the truth, so she sent for the Philistine rulers. “Come back one more time,” she said, “for he has finally told me his secret.” So the Philistine rulers returned with the money in their hands.

19 Delilah 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. 20 Then 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.

21 So the Philistines captured him and gouged out his eyes. They took him to Gaza, where he was bound with bronze chains and forced to grind grain in the prison.

APPLICATION
(How Can I apply what God is saying here to my circumstances today?)

Delilah was a deceitful woman with honey on her lips and poison in her heart. Cold and calculating, she toyed with Samson, pretending to love him while looking for personal gain. How could Samson be so foolish? Four times Delilah took advantage of him. If he didn’t realize what was happening after the first or second experience, surely he should have understood the situation by the fourth time! We think Samson is foolish, but how many times do we allow ourselves to be deceived by flattery and give in to temptation and wrong beliefs? Avoid falling prey to deceit by asking God to help you distinguish between deception and truth.

A person’s greatest accomplishment may well be helping others accomplish great things. Likewise, a person’s greatest failure may be preventing others from achieving greatness. Delilah played a minor role in Samson’s life, but her effect was devastating, for she influenced him to betray his special calling from God. Motivated by greed, Delilah used her persistence to wear down Samson. His infatuation with her made Samson a vulnerable target. For all his physical strength, he was no match for her nagging, and he paid a great price for giving in to her. Delilah is never mentioned again in the Bible. Her unfaithfulness to Samson brought ruin to him and to her people.

Are people helped by knowing you? Do they find that knowing you challenges them to be the best they can be? Even more important, does knowing you help their relationship with God? What do your demands for their time and attention tell them about your real care for them? Are you willing to be God’s instrument in the lives of others?

PRAYER
(With God’s help, what am I going to do differently today because He said it?)

Father, You have placed me here on this earth for a specific reason. As I go about my daily walk, may I be so filled with Your Spirit that others will be influenced by those things that You have influenced me with in Your Word. May others see so much of Jesus in me that their eyes will be opened to the truths of Your Word and the nature of Your very character. I place my faith and trust in You oh Lord, praying that Your will may be accomplished in and through me each and every day. Please help me to stay strong, especially in every temptation, every trial and every circumstance of life where others may be out to deceive me or to bring dishonor to Your name. It’s You I live for oh Lord, every day!

 

àWords underlined may be a hyperlink to a song that God laid on my heart while sharing this devotional this morning. Click it and be blessed by the song, like I was when I listened to it! …… I would be overjoyed to have the opportunity to pray with you about a need in your life that may, or may not have been highlighted by this Nugget today. Why not drop me a note and tell me about it? You may email me at:
nuggetsfromgodsword@yahoo.com.
ß

In Faith, Believing

On By Ed AlgreenIn Bible Believing, Chosen by God, Faith, God our Helper, Imitator of Christ, Obedience, Pleasing to God, PurityLeave a comment

Scripture: Luke 1.  

OBSERVATION
(What is God saying here?)

Luke 1:35-38 (NLT)

35 The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby to be born will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God. 36 What’s more, your relative Elizabeth has become pregnant in her old age! People used to say she was barren, but she’s now in her sixth month. 37 For nothing is impossible with God.”

38 Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” And then the angel left her.

APPLICATION
(How Can I apply what God is saying here to my circumstances today?)

In my last devotional I was drawn to a section of scripture that highlighted the unbelief of the disciples concerning the resurrection of our Lord. In this passage I rejoiced, and was encouraged over the humbleness and total faith of Mary who was honored by the presence of an angel and also by the miraculous message that she would bear a child, even though she never had relations with a man. In fact, it appears like Mary basically said to the angel: I am God’s and God’s alone, may He do with me what pleases Him so that He may be honored through me and bless others. Wow, what a powerful example of a totally surrendered, unselfish, committed life. This means that nothing in this world was more important, or had greater priority, than to follow the will of God and be used by Him. Even if it meant that the world may look upon her in disgrace, because they wouldn’t know the extent of what brought on the pregnancy. If there was at least one person in each church congregation that had these characteristics today, there would be no doubt that we are truly a Christian nation! Individually, can we work on our faith so that we may totally surrender our lives to the work of the Master? Can we turn loose of self and our desire to please a sinful world, and instead dedicate ourselves to pleasing an almighty God?

PRAYER
(With God’s help, what am I going to do differently today because He said it?)

Father, in reading this today I am reminded of how much I lean towards pleasing those around me rather than totally surrendering myself to You and allowing You to have Your will and way in and through my life. Please forgive me for my lack of priority and direction. Please help me to get on track in being obedient to You, the one that I have committed my life to and asked You to be leader, director and model for my every decision, movement and action. I am Your servant, may everything You desire to use me for here on this earth be accomplished in and through me in its most purest form.

 

àWords underlined may be a hyperlink to a song that God laid on my heart while sharing this devotional this morning. Click it and be blessed by the song, like I was when I listened to it! …… I would be overjoyed to have the opportunity to pray with you about a need in your life that may, or may not have been highlighted by this Nugget today. Why not drop me a note and tell me about it? You may email me at:
nuggetsfromgodsword@yahoo.com.
ß

The Results of Faithlessness

On By Ed AlgreenIn Faith, God our Helper, God our Provider, God Reigns, Listen to the Word of God, Obedience, Our Help comes from God, Worry no moreLeave a comment

Scripture: Numbers 13-14.  

OBSERVATION
(What is God saying here?)

Numbers 14:33 (NLT)

33
And your children will be like shepherds, wandering in the wilderness for forty years. In this way, they will pay for your faithlessness, until the last of you lies dead in the wilderness.

APPLICATION
(How Can I apply what God is saying here to my circumstances today?)

There are several instances in these chapters where God either punished his people for their faithlessness or told them of punishment that would result from their faithlessness. Besides the above verse, look at 14:11-12 and 14:20-23 and 14:43. Is this any worse than us today? I dare say that we are just as bad. We receive blessing after blessing. We see prayers answered. We read God’s Word and see the miraculous things that He has done, yet we sit back in self-pity and question God or show extreme doubt in our prayers to the almighty. Why should we wonder why so many things happen to us as a city, as a state, as a country or even as a wicked world? We must learn to take God at His word, believe wholeheartedly in Him and His mighty works and in faith receive His blessings and His miracles. So many things seem impossible to us, but with God ALL things are possible to them that believe. I serve a God bigger than all my troubles, all my worries, all my concerns and all the mountains and giants that I may feel oppose me and my Christian walk! I must learn to always, always, have faith in God.

PRAYER
(With God’s help, what am I going to do differently today because He said it?)

Father God, You are Alpha and Omega, You are God of this universe and You are God of my life. I want to submit myself to Your leadership and Your direction today. Please help me to always be obedient to Your will and way for my life so that anything that I may do may bring glory to Your holy name.

 

àWords underlined may be a hyperlink to a song that God laid on my heart while sharing this devotional this morning. Click it and be blessed by the song, like I was when I listened to it! …… I would be overjoyed to have the opportunity to pray with you about a need in your life that may, or may not have been highlighted by this Nugget today. Why not drop me a note and tell me about it? You may email me at:
nuggetsfromgodsword@yahoo.com.
ß

We Will Act Like Our Master

On By Ed AlgreenIn Allegiance to the Lamb, Bible Believing, Christian, Fruit of the Spirit, God our Helper, God’s Word, Imitator of Christ, Obedience, Reflecting Christ, Victorious LifeLeave a comment

Scripture: Leviticus 17-18.  

OBSERVATION
(What is God saying here?)

Leviticus 18:2-5 (NLT)

2
“Give the following instructions to the people of Israel. I am the Lord your God.

3
So do not act like the people in Egypt, where you used to live, or like the people of Canaan, where I am taking you. You must not imitate their way of life.

4 You must obey all my regulations and be careful to obey my decrees, for I am the Lord your God.

5 If you obey my decrees and my regulations, you will find life through them. I am the Lord.

APPLICATION
(How Can I apply what God is saying here to my circumstances today?)

God delivered the Israelites from their bondage in Egypt. He took care of them in some miraculous ways each day while in the wilderness and yet He found it an ongoing opportunity to see them overcome their worldly weaknesses each day. Friends, this is exactly how I see our situation today. God received us as a forgiven people when we accepted Him as Lord and Savior, yet we struggle through life each day facing very serious temptations and subsequently very challenging decisions on which master we will follow. Jesus is reminding me through His word today, that He alone is God and considering that I have accepted His as Lord and Ruler of my life, I must act like Him, obey His decrees/laws/written Word and follow His will and way every day. I must act so much like He did when He walked this earth that folk will take me for a ‘Jesus kid’ or a Christian or a child of God. In growing up I remember my parents saying that I was not to act like my unruly friends, but in a manner like they had taught me and brought me up. I feel like God is reminding me here to do the same. Some key ways of doing this are included in the verses observed above:

  1. Do not act like the people that do not know God;
  2. Do not imitate our old way of life;
  3. Obey God’s regulations and decrees;

PRAYER
(With God’s help, what am I going to do differently today because He said it?)

I am a blessed man, and I feel like I can say that because although I may not have been looked down on as an awful person, yet God accepted me as His child when I invited Him to rule and reign in my life. As part of my commitment to Him I promised to follow His will and way every day. Thank You for reminding me in the above of the areas that I must emphasize on to truly declare You Lord each day. Thank You for Your Word to guide me each day. Thank You for Your love that surrounds me every day. Thank You for the hope that is mine in knowing that one day I will be with You in heaven. While here on this earth, I humbly ask that You guide my every step, my every decision, my every word and every action so that I may declare who is Lord of my life. Without ever saying a word, may others recognize to whom I belong.

Do It All for God’s Glory!

On By Ed AlgreenIn Bible Believing, Christian, Evangelism, Faith, God our Helper, God our Provider, God’s Word, Imitator of Christ, Our Help comes from God, Pleasing to God, Reflecting Christ, Servants of God, Work Til Jesus ComesLeave a comment

SCRIPTURE: Matthew 25.  

OBSERVATION
(What is God saying here?)

Matthew 25:34-36 (NLT)

34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world.

35 For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home.

36 I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’

Matthew 25:40 (NLT)

40 “And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’

Matthew 25:45 (NLT)

45 “And he will answer, ‘I tell you the truth, when you refused to help the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were refusing to help me.’

APPLICATION
(How Can I apply what God is saying here to my circumstances today?)

There is such a tremendous lesson in this passage that teaches us several things, or at least it has taught me:

  1. God has given us each gifts that we should use for His glory;
  2. These are attributes that may not cost us a dime financially;
  3. God demonstrated these attributes for us to follow, and He is the only one that we truly need to imitate;
  4. I need not look at a need and think about WHO should meet that need. If it was laid on my heart, then I need to follow through in meeting that need;
  5. No one is exempt from unmet ‘needs’ in their lives, so I should never exempt a person due to their financial status or the denomination of the church they attend or if they attend any church at all;
  6. The only praise that may result from the things I do is from God himself, but then He is the one that I want to always please anyway.

Oh to hear the words from my Master’s mouth, “Well Done Thou Good and Faithful Servant”! This is my desire friend, I hope that it is your prayer and daily desire also. Let’s make it our daily goal!

PRAYER
(With God’s help, what am I going to do differently today because He said it?)

Father, I thank You for all that You have blessed me with. Please help me to use each and every talent, each and every gift, for Your glory. Please make me very sensitive to the needs of other and help me to do my part without prejudice as to who they are or what church they may attend, or even if they attend no church at all. They are all your children in need of a touch from the Master. May I be Your hands extended in human form!

God, Provider of All Our Needs

On By Ed AlgreenIn Bible Believing, Christian, God Cares For Us, God our Helper, God our Provider, Our Help comes from GodLeave a comment

SCRIPTURE: Exodus 27-28.  

OBSERVATION
(What is God saying here?)

29 “In this way, Aaron will carry the names of the tribes of Israel on the sacred chestpiece over his heart when he goes into the Holy Place. This will be a continual reminder that he represents the people when he comes before the Lord. 30 Insert the Urim and Thummim into the sacred chestpiece so they will be carried over Aaron’s heart when he goes into the Lord’s presence. In this way, Aaron will always carry over his heart the objects used to determine the Lord’s will for his people whenever he goes in before the Lord. Ex 28:29-30 (NLT)

APPLICATION
(How Can I apply what God is saying here to my circumstances today?)

In Chapter 27 there were great pains in explaining how the temple should be built by the Israelites, now in chapter 28 great pains to explain every detail about who the priests would be and what they should wear. While this sounds very archaic, it reminded me about the respect we should have for God’s house and for His priests/preachers/pastors. These details were given to a people who wandered in the wilderness without food or water of their own. With all the details about the fancy building and contents we may wonder where the money was coming from to pull something like this off. However, when we consider that God provided food and water for a crowd, well over one million in size, each and every day. When we consider that He parted the waters to allow the Israelites safe passage across, then collapsed the ridge of water at just the right time to drown the enemy who was chasing them. Is there any wonder WHO would provide the means for them to build such a temple? Today we are so used to whining about everything that we really have trouble seeing through those things that seem impossible to us humanly, and seeing all that God can do as owner of all things and provider of all things. When we worry about how the church building will be funded, how the repairs will be funded, how the pastor will be paid, how the budget will be met, etc, etc, we must stop, drop and pray. The same God that provided all this for the Israelites, is the same God that we serve, and the same God that can provide for us out of situations that seem impossible to us. He made it all and He can provide even more – a lot more than we can ever imagine. As He shows us what to do, let’s never question where the funds, or means will come from. Let’s remember, we serve a Mighty God!

PRAYER
(With God’s help, what am I going to do differently today because He said it?)

Lord, thank You for opening my eyes this morning to be reminded that You are God and God alone of this universe. You own it all! You will guide us into what You would have us do to spread Your Word and win the lost for You. To accomplish that, You will provide the means. Ours is not to question, but to obey and follow Your commands. Thank You Jesus for being my King, my Provider and my Shepherd. May I always lift You up as such and obey You in all things!

God’s Wonderful Protection

On By Ed AlgreenIn A Lamp unto My Path, Bible Believing, Bold Confidence, Christian, Faith, God our Helper, God our Provider, Obedience, Our Help comes from God, Peace, Protector, Victorious Life1 Comment

SCRIPTURE: Exodus 15.  

OBSERVATION
(What is God saying here?)

The power of your arm makes them lifeless as stone until your people pass by, O Lord, until the people you purchased pass by. Ex 15:16 (NLT)

APPLICATION
(How Can I apply what God is saying here to my circumstances today?)

So often we look at the trials and temptations around us that seem impossible to overcome. Child of God, we must remember that the same God that saved the Israelites, the same God that they sang about making the Egyptians lifeless as stone, the same God that opened up the waters so His people could march through, this is the God we serve, this is the God that we can depend on to see us through each and every day and all that comes along our way. We are victorious as children of the King of kings, for He is our Protector and He has a proven track record to back that up!

PRAYER
(With God’s help, what am I going to do differently today because He said it?)

Father, please help me to keep focused on You regardless of the ‘walls’ that may seem to surround me at times. Thank You for being my ‘Protector’ at all times, even those times when I don’t see imminent danger ahead. You are my God, and I thank You for accepting me as Your child, and watching over me and protecting me, even as You did with the Israelites. Whom then shall I fear?

Then We Will Know He is God

On By Ed AlgreenIn Bible Believing, Celebrate God, Christian, Faith, Follow Jesus, God our Helper, Listen to the Word of God, Obedience, Pleasing to God, Victorious LifeLeave a comment

SCRIPTURE: Exodus 5 and 6.  

OBSERVATION
(What is God saying here?)

7 I will claim you as my own people, and I will be your God. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God who has freed you from your oppression in Egypt. Ex 6:7 (NLT)

APPLICATION
(How Can I apply what God is saying here to my circumstances today?)

So often we set out to follow God’s will and obey His every command, then we start listening to self or others and wonder, are we really following God’s will? Things got worse at the camp that Moses was in charge of, when he followed God’s commands and spoke to Pharaoh. However, in this verse God told Moses that He really was in charge of this release and that soon he and his people would be able to look back and acknowledge Him as the God who released them from their oppression. I would imagine that it must get pretty upsetting to God when He sees us being so impatient and so untrusting when we try to follow His orders. Moses had great faith, yet he questioned God when he saw things getting worse instead of better. However, the thing that we have to our advantage is that we can read from the Word that God came through on His promises and did everything He had promised, plus some. My God loves me too much to promise me something then back off on His promise. However, I must learn that His ways are not my ways, and he will accomplish His work in ways that I may not understand. My job is to be the obedient servant and do what He says, and then I will know that His is God.

PRAYER
(With God’s help, what am I going to do differently today because He said it?)

Thanks be to God for being loving and patient enough to accomplish His work through me. God You are awesome, and as proven throughout the parts of Your word, You are all powerful and could accomplish Your work through those that may seem most unlikely by us. Thank You for seeing the best in the worst of us and thank You for assuring us that those who wait upon the Lord will renew their strength, they will see You accomplish the work You have promised, no matter how impossible it may seem to us. Then as this verse says, we will know that You are the Lord our God who accomplished the work. Please help me to be faithful to Your instructions, especially when You choose to use me to accomplish a work in me, or through me to others.

Be Persistent in Obeying God

On By Ed AlgreenIn Bible Believing, Bold Confidence, Christian, Faith, God our Helper, God Reigns, God’s Word, Humility, Imitator of Christ, Listen to the Word of God, Obedience, Our Help comes from God, Pleasing to God, Surrender, Victorious LifeLeave a comment

SCRIPTURE: Exodus 8.  

OBSERVATION
(What is God saying here?)

25 Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron. “All right! Go ahead and offer sacrifices to your God,” he said. “But do it here in this land.” Ex 8:25 (NLT)

28 “All right, go ahead,” Pharaoh replied. “I will let you go into the wilderness to offer sacrifices to the Lord your God. But don’t go too far away. Ex 8:28 (NLT)

APPLICATION
(How Can I apply what God is saying here to my circumstances today?)

Often we try so hard to please God and try to please those around us. We must be careful to please God in all that we do. Often folk around us will plead with us to compromise, like Pharaoh did in the case of Moses and Aaron. I feel like this is a daily battle, and something that requires daily prayer, as we search for or seek God’s guidance and direction. God is in control of our lives. He is in control of our future. Unless we rid ourselves of all the distractions and opposition of His will, we will be easily tempted and/or pressured into following a path that opposes God’s will for us. If Moses was not deeply grounded in his faith, he would have walked away from the assignment given to him to free his people, the Israelites. There were so many times that it sounded like Pharaoh was committed to follow the plan after most of the plagues, yet he changed his mind as soon as he felt like he once again had control. Because of the long range plan designed by God, and God’s persistence to encourage His willing servant Moses, eventually His plan proved successful and Moses and his people were free to leave. Let’s learn to place our faith and trust in God and follow His instructions, no matter how bleak things may appear around us in response to our obedience.

PRAYER
(With God’s help, what am I going to do differently today because He said it?)

Father God, I thank You that I know and serve the only One with all answers to all of life’s challenges, and You are the only one that has the key to my future with You. Please help me to stay faithful to Your will and way. Please help me to stay focused on Your Word, as I believe that it holds the answers to all of life’s challenges that I face every day. I know that You are in control, please guide me to follow Your directions every day.

God’s Timing

On By Ed AlgreenIn Answered Prayer, Ask and Receive, Bible Believing, Bold Confidence, Christian, God Cares For Us, God our Helper, God our Provider, Humility, Obedience, Power of Prayer, SurrenderLeave a comment

SCRIPTURE: Exodus 2.  

OBSERVATION
(What is God saying here?)

24 God heard their groaning, and he remembered his covenant promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.25 He looked down on the people of Israel and knew it was time to act. Ex 2:24-25 (NLT)

APPLICATION
(How Can I apply what God is saying here to my circumstances today?)

I believe that too often we are discouraged and think that God has forgotten us because He has not answered our prayers yet. On the other hand, we would be in trouble if He answered everything that we ask of Him in the manner in which we ask for it to happen. It would almost appear sometime that we have taken on the role of God and appointed Him the puppet to respond as we ask. In this verse we see where God looked down on the Israelites and knew it was time to act. Any sooner may have caused the Israelites to miss out on lessons learned while they waited on God. Any later may have resulted in them losing faith and reacting negatively to the actions against them. God’s timing is always perfect; it’s our patience, humility and understanding that we need to work on. Let’s always remember that He is God, He is in charge, He has all the answers, He knows the future and what positive or negative results would occur if answers are not timely. Let’s do our part to be the obedient, patient, humble child of God waiting for His response and His action to our prayers.

PRAYER
(With God’s help, what am I going to do differently today because He said it?)

Often we ask and we ask and we ask dear God, and sometimes we get impatient and think that our prayers must have hit a brick wall. Today I have been reminded that it is my job to be the child and ask, while Your job to respond when the timing is right so that everything will be just right. Thank You for being my God that I can come to with my concerns. Thank You for answered prayer. Thank you for answering on time, and in Your own way, not necessarily in the selfish and unintelligent way that I may do it filled with shortcomings and possible long-term negative results. You are God, and I thank You for that. Please help me learn to always take my role, and allow You to be God, to respond and act in ways that will ultimately bless me and/or the situation that I am praying for. You are God Alone, praise be to God!