WISDOM FOR LIVING DAILY DEVOTIONAL
AUGUST 21, 2022
TOPIC: EVERYONE NEEDS HELP
BY T. O. BANSO
âAnd a vision appeared to Paul in the night. A man of Macedonia stood and pleaded with him, saying, âCome over to Macedonia and help usââ (Acts 16:8 New King James Version).
Everyone needs help in one area or the other, if not now, most probably, soon. Ignorance, pride, or foolishness can, however, make someone think or say he doesnât need help. And the lack in his life will persist, because of non-admission that he needs a helping hand.
In Genesis 2:18, sometimes after the LORD had formed Adam, He said it was not good that the man should be alone; He would make him a helpmeet for him, a helper comparable to him. God made Eve because Adam needed help.
Suppose someone asks you, âHow may I help you?â If you really need help, and you know it is safe to speak with the person, it would be unwise not to tell the person how he may help you. Everyone needs help. Do I need help? Evidently, yes. If you ask me how you may help me, I’ll tell you!
Blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sitting by the road begging, needed help, and he didnât hide it. When he heard that Jesus of Nazareth was coming, he began to cry out, âJesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!â (Mark 10:47 New King James Version). That was a cry for help, but he was not specific.
People tried to silence him, but he kept crying for help until Jesus sent for him. The same people who had tried to silence him told him Jesus was calling him. Bartimaeus threw aside his garment, rose, and went to Jesus. He asked him, âWhat do you want Me to do for you?â (Verse 51 New King James Version). He replied that he wanted his sight restored, and Jesus did for him exactly that. He helped him.
You may not be physically blind, but spiritually blind. You need spiritual help. Jesus said, âThe Spirit of the LORD is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed; to proclaim the acceptable year of the LORDâ (Luke 4:18-19, New King James Version).
Whether it is the physical or spiritual help you need, God wants to help you. He is a very present help in trouble (Psalm 46:1). You should not fear; He will help you (Isaiah 41:10, 13, 14). Look to God first for help rather than fix your eyes on men for help. Psalm 121:1-2 says, âI look up to the mountains â does my help come from there? My help comes from the LORD, who made the heavens and the earth!â (New Living Translation).
God may use human beings to help you, but you donât know who. Thatâs why you should look to God first. While some people pretend they donât need help, some ask for help from the wrong persons or people who canât help them. And when such people donât help them, they become bitter. But it could be that theyâre not in a position to help or God doesnât want to use them.
Bitterness is a wrong attitude. It will keep Godâs help far away from you. As rightly said by the king of Israel, “If the LORD does not help you, where can I find help for you? From the threshing floor or from the winepress?” (2 Kings 6:27 New King James Version).
Donât be ashamed or too proud to ask for help, especially when youâve done all you could to resolve a problem. I need to qualify that statement because some people are just too lazy to make personal efforts. They like to transfer their responsibilities to others. They go about harassing people for help, most times monetary. Yet, such people donât help anyone in the smallest way possible. It is not right to subsidize anyoneâs laziness or irresponsibility.
The Ethiopian eunuch wasnât a lazy person. All his efforts to understand the scripture he was reading werenât successful. Therefore, God came to his help. He sent Philip to him, and he wasnât too proud to admit his ignorance.
Acts 8:30-31 says, âPhilip ran over and heard the man reading from the prophet Isaiah; so he asked, âDo you understand what you are reading?â The man replied, âHow can I, when there is no one to instruct me?â And he begged Philip to come up into the carriage and sit with himâ (New Living Translation).
Philip didnât just explain that scripture to him, the Ethiopian eunuch was saved and baptized in water. Donât hide your ignorance; seek help. Everyone needs help in one area or the other.
Paul understood the cry for help from Macedonia, in his night vision, and he did not ignore it. âAnd a vision appeared to Paul in the night. A man of Macedonia stood and pleaded with him, saying, âCome over to Macedonia and help usââ (Acts 16:8 New King James Version). Following the vision, Paul and those with him immediately went to Macedonia, concluding that the Lord had called them to preach the gospel to the Macedonians. Help came to them.
Peterâs cry to Jesus as he was drowning was, âLord, save me!â (Matthew 14:30). That was a cry for help, and Jesus saved him. Jesus performed all His miracles to help the beneficiaries in their particular areas of need.
Donât pretend you donât need help. Paul asked for prayer help from fellow Christians (Colossians 4:3-4; 1 Thessalonians 5:25; 2 Thessalonians 3:1). Hebrews 13:18a also says, âPray for usâ (New King James Version).
Everyone needs help. Take your need to God in prayer first; donât harass anyone. Let the Holy Spirit lead you in asking for help from fellow humans. Help anyone in any way you can. âDo not withhold good from those who deserve it  when itâs in your power to help them. If you can help your neighbor now, donât say, âCome back tomorrow, and then Iâll help youââ (Proverbs 3:27-28 New Living Translation).Â
As it is often said, âWhatever you make happen for others, God will make happen for you.â Everyone needs help.
TAKE ACTION!
If you are not born again, you need to give your life to Jesus now. I urge you to take the following steps: *Admit that you are a sinner and you cannot save yourself and repent of your sins. *Confess Jesus as your Lord and Saviour. *Renounce your past way of life â your relationship with the devil and his works. *Invite Jesus into your life. *As a mark of seriousness to mature in the faith, start attending a Bible-believing and Bible-teaching church. There they will teach you how to grow in the Kingdom of God.
Kindly say this prayer now: O Lord God, I come unto You today. I know I am a sinner and I cannot save myself. I believe that Jesus is the Son of God who died on the cross to save me and God raised Him on the third day. I repent of my sins and confess Jesus as my Lord and Saviour. I surrender my life to Jesus now and invite Him into my heart. By this prayer, I know I am saved. Thank You, Jesus, for saving me and making me a child of God.
I believe you have said this prayer from your heart. Congratulations! You will need to join a Bible-believing and Bible-teaching church in your area where they will teach you how to live your new life in Christ Jesus. I pray that you flourish like a palm tree and grow like a cedar of Lebanon. May you grow into Christ in all things and become all God wants you to be. I will be glad to hear from you. The Lord be with you.
PRAYER POINTS: Father, send me help from above. Connect me with my helpers, and connect them with me. Father, let me not miss my helpers. No satanic covering will hide me from my helpers. Father, I shall not fail to help those I am in a position to help in life in Jesus’ name.
(For over 800 in-depth and powerful messages by T. O. Banso, visit www.cedarministry.org).
 
T. O. Banso is the President of Cedar Ministry International, Abuja, Nigeria.
Phone No: +2348155744752, +2348033113523
WhatsApp No: +2349081295947
Email: cedarministryintl@yahoo.com,
cedarministryng@gmail.com
Website: www.cedarministry.org
  
  
  
  
