A Little Walk With God

A daily devotional exploring the names of God in scripture. Our website http://alittlewalkwithgod.com.

1. Thanks for joining me today for "A Little Walk with God." I'm your host Richard Agee.
2. Alpha, the name that puts God first in everything.
3. Scripture
   1. Revelation 22:13
   2. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.
4. Devotional
   1. God calls himself the Alpha and Omega
   2. Wikipedia information
      1. Alpha (uppercase Α, lowercase α; Greek: Άλφα Álpha) is the first letter of the Greek alphabet. In the system of Greek numerals it has a value of 1.
      2. It was derived from the Phoenician and Hebrew letter aleph - an ox or leader.
      3. Letters that arose from alpha include the Latin A and the Cyrillic letter А.
      4. In English, the noun "alpha" is used as a synonym for "beginning", or "first" (in a series), reflecting its Greek roots.
      5. The letter alpha represents various concepts in physics and chemistry, including alpha radiation, angular acceleration, alpha particles, alpha carbon and strength of electromagnetic interaction (as Fine-structure constant). Alpha also stands for thermal expansion coefficient of a compound in physical chemistry. It is also commonly used in mathematics in algebraic solutions representing quantities such as angles. Furthermore, in mathematics, the letter alpha is used to denote the area underneath a normal curve in statistics to denote significance level when proving null and alternative hypotheses. In zoology, it is used to name the dominant individual in a wolf or dog pack.
   3. Why bring up the information from Wikipedia?
      1. It gives us more insight into the name of God
      2. Think about the name and how the earliest writers described Him and understood Him
      3. The letter meant ox or leader, the strongest of their animals, which could plow their toughest fields, pull their heaviest loads, yet came alongside them to help them with those tasks when asked
      4. Leader - the one who provides the resources to get tasks done. The one who provides the guidance for which tasks need to be completed in the first place. The one who protects, provides, cares for, and guides those in His charge.
      5. First, preeminent, not just the first in a series of events or a line of objects, but first in everything
      6. Even as the term has been co-opted in math and science, you see the power and prominence of the name, alpha radiation, the first particles released; the thermal expansion coefficient of a compound, how much energy it releases, the dominant individual in a pack.
      7. Alpha - first in all things
   4. The God we serve is first.
      1. He will accept no other place in our lives
      2. Worship Him today
      3. Remember to keep Him as Alpha in your life
5. If you want to learn more about my church, you can find us at SAF.church. If you like the devotional, share it with someone. If you don't, tell me. I hope you’ll join me again tomorrow for "A Little Walk with God."

A daily devotional exploring the names of God in scripture. Our website http://alittlewalkwithgod.com.

1. Thanks for joining me today for "A Little Walk with God." I'm your host Richard Agee.
2. God is called our Advocate, not just our judge. What does that mean for you today.
3. Scripture
   1. 1 John 2:1
   2. My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.
4. Devotional
   1. Our Advocate
   2. Have you thought much about what it means to have an advocate or especially what it means for God to be your advocate?
      1. Definition: a person who publicly supports or recommends a particular cause or policy.
      2. A person who supports others to make their voices heard, or ideally for them to speak up for themselves.
      3. An advocate is a type of professional person in several different legal systems and it is also a commonly used honorific for remarkable lawyers, such as in "Adv. Sir Alberico Gentili". The broad equivalent in many English law-based jurisdictions can be a barrister. However, advocate is also a word to indicate lawyers of superior classification.
   3. Why might having God as an advocate be important to us?
      1. Throughout the Bible we read about a final judgment based on our actions during our life
      2. Those actions hinge on our belief in Jesus, the second person of the triune-Godhead, the Son of God. God incarnate, come to earth to die as the penalty we should pay for our sins
      3. If we believe in God, the Son, for forgiveness of our sins, He acts as our Advocate, our lawyer, our defender in the final judgment before God, the Father
      4. We are found “Not Guilty” before the law that establishes the judgment for our sins
      5. Just like our courts today, we are not found innocent, because we have all sinned, but we are found “Not Guilty” because our penalty has been paid, our punishment has been served, our sentence has been satisfied
      6. Our advocate points out the blood spilled on our behalf and the change in verdict that should be applied because of the sentence He served in our stead
   4. Jesus, our Advocate, the perfect defender, our lawyer in the final judgment who prepares the brief and wins our pardon because of His actions 2,000 years ago
      1. Jesus is the judge but He is also our Advocate
      2. When we believe in Him for our salvation we do not lose our case before the judgment seat
      3. He finds us not guilty
      4. Just imagine
   5. Think about God our advocate today as you worship Him
5. If you want to learn more about my church, you can find us at SAF.church. If you like the devotional, share it with someone. If you don't, tell me. I hope you’ll join me again tomorrow for "A Little Walk with God."

A daily devotional exploring the names of God in scripture. Our website http://alittlewalkwithgod.com.

1. Thanks for joining me today for "A Little Walk with God." I'm your host Richard Agee.
2. Topic Introduction with headline.
3. Scripture
   1. Romans 8:15
   2. The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.”
4. Devotional
   1. Abba, Father.
      1. Dad, daddy, pop, papa, what do you call your father informally?
      2. When you climbed up in his lap as a kid and looked up into his face, what name did you use to get his attention?
      3. That’s what Abba means.
   2. Jesus addressed His Father, the Eternal God, the Creator of all things as Abba, Daddy
      1. Expresses an intimate relationship between father and son
      2. Compassion
      3. Nurture
      4. Me
      5. ntoring
      6. Protection
      7. Sharing of values
      8. Passing on a legacy from generation to generation
   3. We are made in the image of God, Jesus is more than the image of God, He is God and calls the Father, Abba
      1. He invites us into that kind of intimate relationship and come to know the Father as Abba
      2. Know His love and compassion
      3. Know His peace and protection
      4. Learn of His legacy and loveliness
      5. Let Him share His wisdom and pass on the knowledge He wants you to know
   4. The Creator will embrace you as a loving father embraces his children
      1. As daddy, papa, abba
      2. With an intimacy only a perfect father can express to his children
      3. No matter what you might be going through today, remember you have a loving Father in heaven who loves you enough to become flesh and blood to rescue you.
      4. He loves you enough to wrap you in His strong arms and protect you from whatever you might be facing.
      5. He wants you to know Him as Abba, daddy, papa
      6. Worship the God of all creation today and get to know Him as Abba.
5. If you want to learn more about my church, you can find us at SAF.church. If you like the devotional, share it with someone. If you don't, tell me. I hope you’ll join me again tomorrow for "A Little Walk with God."

A daily devotional exploring the names of God in scripture. Our website http://alittlewalkwithgod.com.

1. Thanks for joining me today for "A Little Walk with God." I'm your host Richard Agee.
2. El-Olam, the everlasting God. Can we even begin to comprehend what that means?
3. Scripture
   1. Isaiah 40:28-31
   2. Do you not know?

Have you not heard?

The Lord is the everlasting God,

the Creator of the ends of the earth.

He will not grow tired or weary,

and his understanding no one can fathom.

He gives strength to the weary

and increases the power of the weak.

Even youths grow tired and weary,

and young men stumble and fall;

but those who hope in the Lord

will renew their strength.

They will soar on wings like eagles;

they will run and not grow weary,

they will walk and not be faint.

1. Devotional
   1. El-Olam, the everlasting God
   2. Here is another one of those concepts we just can’t get our heads around
      1. Everlasting, eternal, always
      2. We base our concept of time on our lifespan because that’s the only reference we really have
      3. That’s what we know
      4. We try to imagine multiple generations and may have met our great- or great-great grandparents but even that timespan is difficult for us to comprehend
      5. When the Bible talks about the earliest of God’s creation living 900 plus years, many think it a myth and can not understand how it is possible, nor what even a couple of centuries of life would be like
      6. Everlasting? No comprehension
   3. Even if we could imagine centuries or millennia and think back realistically to the age of the pyramids it doesn’t begin to compare with everlasting
      1. The history of man is insignificant in terms of everlasting
      2. The history of the planet is insignificant in terms of everlasting
      3. The history of everything is insignificant relative to everlasting
      4. Divide any amount of years by everlasting and the resulting fraction is so close to zero it might as well be zero. There is no comparison
   4. As you begin to think about everlasting, remember our God is everlasting, He has no beginning and He has no end. He is more than everlasting, He is eternal.
   5. Now as you let the concept of everlasting begin to overwhelm you, remember than the God we worship was and is and will be forever. A concept we really cannot understand but we can try. He is the God we worship. He is the God with infinite power and knowledge and wisdom and understanding because He has always been and always will be. He alone is eternal.
   6. Worship El-Olam today.
2. If you want to learn more about my church, you can find us at SAF.church. If you like the devotional, share it with someone. If you don't, tell me. I hope you’ll join me again tomorrow for "A Little Walk with God."

A daily devotional exploring the names of God in scripture. Our website http://alittlewalkwithgod.com.

1. Thanks for joining me today for "A Little Walk with God." I'm your host Richard Agee.
2. The name for today, El-Shaddai. It can mean God of the mountains or more commonly translated God Almighty.
3. Scripture
   1. Genesis 17:1; Psalms 91:1
   2. When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, “I am God Almighty; walk before me faithfully and be blameless.
   3. Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High

will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

1. Devotional
   1. El-Shaddai, God Almighty.
   2. We hear that term a lot.
      1. We hear the name so often we probably let it just slip off our tongue without really thinking much about it
      2. God Almighty; Almighty God; the all-sufficient one; the one mighty to nourish, satisfy, and supply;
      3. Maybe we should stop and consider just exactly what we’re saying when we characterize God with this title
   3. Definition: having complete, unlimited power; omnipotent
   4. Synonyms: all-powerful, omnipotent, supreme, preeminent
   5. So again, what does that mean to you
      1. He is able to supply your every need
      2. He is able to nourish and satisfy the deep longings of your soul
      3. He is able to defeat your enemies in impossible situations
      4. He is able to bring hope when things seem hopeless
      5. He is able to conquer your greatest fears
      6. He is almighty, all-powerful, omnipotent, nothing can overcome Him
   6. El-Shaddai spoke the worlds into place
      1. He holds the power of the stars in His hands
      2. He pushes back the oceans and releases the power of volcanoes
      3. He makes grass grow through rock and makes the soft down on a duck’s belly
      4. He is God Almighty, the all-sufficient one, the one mighty to nourish, satisfy, and supply your need
   7. El-Shaddai put the mountains in place and causes them to crumble in the rain
      1. He put the rivers in place and dries them up at his command
      2. He heals when there seems to be no cure
      3. He forgives and removes the burden of guilt from us
   8. If El-Shaddai can do all those things, what are you facing that He cannot help you get through? What problem do you struggle with that He cannot help you conquer? Who is attacking you that you cannot overcome? What temptation are you facing that He cannot provide an exit for you?
      1. The answer is simple. He is El-Shaddai, God Almighty. There is nothing beyond His capability because He is almighty, He has complete, unlimited power; omnipotent, supreme, preeminent.
      2. He is able
2. If you want to learn more about my church, you can find us at SAF.church. If you like the devotional, share it with someone. If you don't, tell me. I hope you’ll join me again tomorrow for "A Little Walk with God."

A daily devotional exploring the names of God in scripture. Our website http://alittlewalkwithgod.com.

1. Thanks for joining me today for "A Little Walk with God." I'm your host Richard Agee.
2. Today the name of God we consider is El-Roi, the strong one who sees.
3. Scripture
   1. Genesis 16:13
   2. She gave this name to the Lord who spoke to her: “You are the God who sees me,” for she said, “I have now seen the One who sees me.”
4. Devotional
   1. El-Roi, the strong one who sees
   2. I expect we have all hit that point in our life at one time or another when we think no one care about us. No one sees our plight. No one would notice if we just disappeared from the face of the earth.
   3. Drama of the Old Testament
      1. Unlike the stories of other heroes
      2. Points out the flaws and failures of those we should emulate
      3. Abraham, father of the Israelite nation
      4. Promised a son who and progeny that would be the spark of a nation that was innumerable
      5. At 100 he had no children
   4. Sarah gives her maidservant to Abraham in an effort to help God along
      1. Common practice for barren women
      2. Servant acted as surrogate and their child became the heir of the estate
      3. Adopted into the family
      4. Hagar became arrogant and took liberties with Sarah she should not have taken
      5. Sarah drove Hagar and Ishmael away
   5. Hagar, though a servant, lived in luxury and wasn’t prepared to survive in the desert
      1. Alone
      2. Lost
      3. Without hope
      4. In despair, resigned to die in the wilderness
   6. God, in His strength and power, sees her
      1. God does not abandon her as Abraham did
      2. God sees her despair and hopelessness
      3. God recognizes her need
      4. God intervenes and provides water and food for Hagar and Ismael
   7. Important aspect of the story
      1. God doesn’t take Hagar out of her difficult circumstances
      2. He tells her to go back into the situation from which she fled
      3. God puts her back under Sarah’s thumb
      4. Bt with a promise
      5. Ismael will also become a great nation, and he did
5. If you want to learn more about my church, you can find us at SAF.church. If you like the devotional, share it with someone. If you don't, tell me. I hope you’ll join me again tomorrow for "A Little Walk with God."

A daily devotional exploring the names of God in scripture. Our website http://alittlewalkwithgod.com.

1. Thanks for joining me today for "A Little Walk with God." I'm your host Richard Agee.
2. El-Elyon, the Lord most high, nothing compares to Him. Let’s hear more about His name.
3. Scripture
   1. Genesis 14:17-20; Isaiah 14:13-14
   2. After Abram returned from defeating Kedorlaomer and the kings allied with him, the king of Sodom came out to meet him in the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King’s Valley).

Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High, and he blessed Abram, saying,

“Blessed be Abram by God Most High,

Creator of heaven and earth.

And praise be to God Most High,

who delivered your enemies into your hand.”

Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything.

1. 1. You said in your heart,

“I will ascend to the heavens;

I will raise my throne

above the stars of God;

I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly,

on the utmost heights of Mount Zaphon.

I will ascend above the tops of the clouds;

I will make myself like the Most High.”

1. 1. 1. Devotional
         1. El-Elyon, the Most High God
            1. Elyon, up, high
            2. el-Elyon, could be translated, the extremely exalted, sovereign, high, God
            3. If there were any other gods, our God would be high above all others, none other would come close
            4. El-Elyon, the God so high none other can compare
         2. In an age of polytheism
            1. Abram recognized and worshiped only El-Elyon
            2. Melchizedek, king of Salem, served as a priest and he too recognized only one God, El-Elyon, God Most High
            3. They both understood nothing could compare to Creator of all things
            4. El-Elyon is the only One worthy of worship
         3. The world tries to convince us otherwise
            1. From the first deception in the garden of eden
            2. Success
            3. Fame
            4. Wealth
            5. Pleasures of life
            6. None can take the place of El-Elyon
         4. Today remember we worship El-Elyon, God Most High, the Extremely Exalted, Sovereign, Most High God. Nothing compares to Him
      2. If you want to learn more about my church, you can find us at SAF.church. If you like the devotional, share it with someone. If you don't, tell me. I hope you’ll join me again tomorrow for "A Little Walk with God."
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A daily devotional exploring the names of God in scripture. Our website http://alittlewalkwithgod.com.

1. Thanks for joining me today for "A Little Walk with God." I'm your host Richard Agee.
2. Topic Introduction with headline.
3. Scripture
   1. Isaiah 6:1-3
   2. In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him were seraphim, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. And they were calling to one another:

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty;

the whole earth is full of his glory.”

1. Devotional
   1. Jehovah-Sabbaoth, the Lord of Hosts
      1. The Lord of armies
      2. The Lord Almighty
      3. The Lord of a vast multitude
   2. Isaiah caught a glimpse of God seated on His throne one day
      1. Surrounded by angels of the highest order, servants of God, but even they must cover their eyes as they approach the Holy God
      2. John describes the crowd in heaven as thousands of thousands, too numerous to count
      3. Jesus mentions He could call ten thousand angels to come at His call to rescue Him, but He didn’t
   3. 285 times God is called Jehovah-Sabbaoth, the Lord of Hosts, the Lord of Heavenly Armies
      1. God has at His disposal the might to defeat whatever enemies we face
      2. Name the problem
      3. Physical
      4. Relationships
      5. Emotional
      6. Temptations
      7. Spiritual weakness
      8. God has the soldiers at His disposal to defeat our enemies
   4. God is the Lord of Hosts, seated high and lifted up
      1. Picture the victor lifted on the arms of His team carried away by their exuberance
      2. That’s the Lord of Hosts, high and lifted up
      3. Surrounded by His messengers, commanders, soldiers
      4. Ready to support us with His might
   5. Today, worship Jehovah-Sabbaoth, the Lord of Hosts
2. If you want to learn more about my church, you can find us at SAF.church. If you like the devotional, share it with someone. If you don't, tell me. I hope you’ll join me again tomorrow for "A Little Walk with God."

A daily devotional exploring the names of God in scripture. Our website http://alittlewalkwithgod.com.

1. Thanks for joining me today for "A Little Walk with God." I'm your host Richard Agee.
2. Topic Introduction with headline.
3. Scripture
   1. Judges 6:24
   2. So Gideon built an altar to the Lord there and called it The Lord Is Peace. To this day it stands in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.
4. Devotional
   1. Jehovah-Shalom, The Lord is peace
   2. The story surrounding this verse is anything but one of peace
      1. Midianites raided the Israelites at will
      2. Stole their crops, livestock
      3. Left them in poverty with just enough to sustain life until the next harvest
      4. Gideon threshed grain in a winepress to hide from the raiders
   3. God chose him to lead an army against these marauders
      1. A war would start that would cost countless lives
      2. Gideon built an altar and called God, Jehovah-Shalom, the Lord is peace
      3. Seems contradictory
   4. Why could Gideon call God, Jehovah-Shalom?
      1. Brought peace to his own heart
         1. Warrior that came to the winepress wasn’t there to take the grain
         2. Didn’t die when he discovered it was an angel
         3. Discovered purpose for his life
      2. Saw future peace for Israel
         1. God had a plan to rescue His people
         2. God would defeat their oppressors
         3. God would bring peace to His land
   5. Can you call God, Jehovah-Shalom?
      1. What is causing turmoil in your life?
      2. What seems too big to conquer?
      3. What enemies seem to stand at the door about to break in?
      4. God is bigger. God has a plan. God is almighty and conquers all.
      5. Then God brings peace to the troubled heart.
      6. He brings victory through impossible situations.
      7. God gives peace when peace seems beyond hope
   6. Examine your life today. Remember we serve Jehovah-Shalom, the Lord is peace. He can bring peace to you today no matter what you might be facing.
5. If you want to learn more about my church, you can find us at SAF.church. If you like the devotional, share it with someone. If you don't, tell me. I hope you’ll join me again tomorrow for "A Little Walk with God."

A daily devotional exploring the names of God in scripture. Our website http://alittlewalkwithgod.com.

1. Thanks for joining me today for "A Little Walk with God." I'm your host Richard Agee.
2. Topic Introduction with headline.
3. Scripture
   1. Exodus 17:15
   2. 15 Then Moses constructed an altar and called it, “The Eternal Is My Battle Flag.”
4. Devotional
   1. Jehovah-Nissi, The Lord our banner
      1. Battle flag
      2. Flag
      3. banner
   2. On my study wall hangs a replica of the colors, the banner, that accompanied my battalion as its commander.
      1. In ancient times the banner was the rally point for soldiers
      2. Marked the direction they would move on the battlefield in the attack or defense of the line
      3. Represented the men, the state, the families for which they fought
   3. In a case on the wall is a Texas flag that flew over the Alamo given to me by the Daughters of the Republic
      1. Represents all those who fought and died in defense of that mission against the Mexican army of Santa Anna 1846
      2. Started the revolution of those citizens of Texas and the rise of the fledgling Americans to take the territory from the Rio Grande and claim it for the United States
      3. I spoke at commemoration of that battle several years ago and the Daughters of the Republic gave me that banner, that flag, as a remembrance of that event
   4. In another case on one of my bookcases I have an American flag
      1. Presented by the installation commander on the occasion of my retirement
      2. Represents the nation I served, the people I served
      3. Represents the individual and collective states, the places I’ve lived and worked
      4. The moves my family has made and the sacrifices they have made to support me in my career also
   5. Another wall has a case that holds the American flag that draped my father-in-law’s casket as he was laid to rest
      1. Represents his service to the nation as a veteran in World War II and Korea
      2. Honors his service and the sacrifice he made during those conflicts
   6. Banners are important remembrances
      1. Visible representations of something much greater
      2. Yet Jehovah-Nissi is no representation
      3. He is our banner
      4. Rally point
      5. He is the thing for which we fight and die
      6. He is the One we look to when the battle is hard and we need inspiration to carry on
   7. Today, if it seems the fight is overwhelming and the battle too hard.
      1. If it seems the enemy might be winning and you might be overcome,
      2. look to Jehovah-Nissi, the Lord our banner and
      3. know He is there,
      4. never wavering,
      5. always conquering,
      6. always winning.
      7. He is our battle cry and
      8. our victory
5. If you want to learn more about my church, you can find us at SAF.church. If you like the devotional, share it with someone. If you don't, tell me. I hope you’ll join me again tomorrow for "A Little Walk with God."