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Published on October 27, 2015 05:00

Inspired by . . . Day 26: His Name, El-Shaddai

El-Shaddai

God Almighty

The Hebrew shadday , meaning Almighty comes from the root shâdad, meaning burly or powerful. It’s no surprise then, that the Greek word for Almighty, παντοκράτωρ pantokratōr contains the word kratos which means vigor, power, and strength.

We see in this name the raw power of God. But not just a physical power, a power beyond any force known to man, but also a spiritual power. An omnipotent power over hearts, minds, and beyond. This power, Beloved, is the very power that sustains the universe.

He is the image of the invisible God, the Firstborn of all creation. For by Him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities--all things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. Col 1:15-17

In El-Shaddai we see God’s loving supply and comfort.

The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life. Job 33:4

He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. Psa 91:1

But we also get a glimpse of His judgment and wrath.

From His mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty.
Rev 19:15

Few of us, if any, have ever seen the wrath of God. I don’t think it is by accident that all the references (save one in 2 Cor, which is actually quoting the OT) to God Almighty in the New Testament occur in the book of Revelation. A time is coming when we will see and {some will} experience the wrath of God. The majority of the OT references portray El-Shaddai as all-sufficient and all-bountiful, the source of all blessings.

And indeed He is.

I pray by now, as we enter the final week of #write31days and

Playdates with God, Testimony Tuesday, #TellHisStory,

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Published on October 26, 2015 05:00

Inspired by . . . Day 25: His Name, Jehovah-raah

Jehovah-raah

The LORD my Shepherd

This facet of our Lord’s character, the portrayal of our Lord as the Shepherd Who cares for His people as a shepherd cares for his flock, is probably one of the most comforting and familiar to us. Yet, unless we have some background in farming, or understanding of shepherding and sheep, there is a depth to this portrait that we miss.

David, being a shepherd himself, spoke intimately when he penned the 23rd Psalm.

A Psalm of David. The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: He leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: Thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever. Psa 23:1-6

Similarly, when Jesus spoke to the people in John, chapter 10, He spoke of things they would understand. He spoke to the common man about the management of their sheep. He spoke about being the door:

Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door: by Me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. Joh 10:7-9

Jesus tells us that His sheep know His voice, and will not follow another. He tells us that He knows us each by name.

But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers." Joh 10:2-5

Taking these scriptures at face value is edifying and beneficial, however there are buried gems here that can only be found by mining. Remember, Jesus was speaking to the common man. Many of whom were shepherds. When Jesus spoke of being the door of the sheep, the men didn’t think of a wooden door, as we might, but rather, they knew Jesus was speaking of His body, laid down for the protection and safety of the flock.

During the summer, the shepherds would be with their flocks in the high pasture lands. At night they would herd the sheep into a low, rock-walled corral. Then the shepherd himself would lie down in the opening. If an enemy attacked during the night, jumping over the low wall and scattering the sheep, the sheep would run to the opening, thus awakening the shepherd who would then be able to defend them against their attacker.

So too, when Jesus said the sheep know My voice and a stranger they will not follow, His listeners knew He was speaking literally. The relationship between the shepherd and his sheep is very intimate. You’ve probably seen pictures of shepherds carrying young, or wayward sheep around their necks. The sheep know the voice of their shepherd. They will not follow the voice of another. During the winter months, the shepherds return with their flocks from the pasture lands and house them, intermingled, with other flocks in barns. In the spring, when it’s time to return to the pasture lands, the shepherds call out their sheep. It would be nearly impossible to tell one shepherd’s flock from another. But there is no need, for the sheep follow only the voice of their shepherd.

It’s comforting to think of the Lord as our Shepherd. He knows our name, and we know His voice. He protects us from our enemies, and lays down His life to save us.

How could we ask for more?

Lord, Jehovah-raah, what a comfort to know that

You know my name. That when You call,

I will know Your voice and follow You.

Thank You for laying down Your life, so that I may live

in eternity with You.

Such an incomprehensible gift.

One never to be earned or repaid.

Protect us from our enemies, give us rest,

according to Your word.

In Jesus’ name,

Amen,

Note: two books that have blessed me and brought a deeper understanding of my Lord my Shepherd are Phillip Keller’s, A Shepherd’s Look at Psalm 23 and Lessons from a Sheep Dog.

Sharing inspiration here:

Thought Provoking Thursday, Grace & Truth, Weekend Whispers,

Inspire Me Monday, RaRa Link Up, Intentional Tuesday,

#WordswithWinter, Titus 2 Tuesday, Thoughtful Thursdays,

Women with Intention Wednesdays, Word Filled Wednesday,

Playdates with God, Testimony Tuesday, #TellHisStory,

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Published on October 25, 2015 05:00

Inspired by . . . Day 24: His Character, Grace

God is full of grace

After tackling God’s wrath yesterday, I’m very pleased to follow, today, with His grace.

χάρις
charis
khar'-ece
graciousness (as gratifying), of manner or act (abstract or concrete; literal, figurative or spiritual; especially the divine influence upon the heart, and its reflection in the life; including gratitude): - acceptable, benefit, favour, gift, grace (-ious), joy liberality, pleasure, thank (-s, -worthy).

Grace is God’s unmerited favor toward us. Through His Son, Jesus Christ, working in harmony with our faith, He saves us utterly and completely! There is always a penalty for sin. And what we owed, we could never have paid. He paid it for us through His divine work on the cross.

A warning:

If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us. 1Jn 1:8-10

The truth:

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, Rom 3:23

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Rom 6:23

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. Eph 2:8-9

In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace, which He lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of His will, according to His purpose, which He set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in Him, things in heaven and things on earth. Eph 1:7-10

There are hundreds of references to grace in the NT, less than a hundred in the OT, as we might expect. But one scripture in Zechariah stops my heart.

And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon Me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for Him, as one mourneth for His only son, and shall be in bitterness for Him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn. Zec 12:10

This, Beloved is a picture of that glorious day when God appeared for the salvation of His people. In context, it looked forward to the day when the Jews had success over their enemies, in the time of the Maccabees, but it looked further still - - To the gospel-day, to Christ's victories over the powers of darkness and the great salvation He has wrought for His chosen.

We are His chosen, Beloved. And when grace does that divine work in our heart, there will be a reflection in our life of . . .

. . . gratitude.

Have you accepted His free gift of grace? Are you grateful for the grace you have been given? How is that gratitude being reflected in your life?

The Apostle Paul knew a lot about grace. He often ended his letters, The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. The Apostle John often did the same. In fact, the last verse in the bible is, The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen. {Rev 22:21}

That’s my prayer for you today, Beloved. May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you, always.

Lord, we cannot repay what You have given,

we cannot earn Your favor.

You give freely and abundantly.

Our only response is to serve You, praise You

and glorify You.

Forever.

In Jesus’ name,

Amen,

Sharing inspiration here:

Thought Provoking Thursday, Grace & Truth, Weekend Whispers,

Inspire Me Monday, RaRa Link Up, Intentional Tuesday,

#WordswithWinter, Titus 2 Tuesday, Thoughtful Thursdays,

Women with Intention Wednesdays, Word Filled Wednesday,

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Published on October 24, 2015 05:00

Inspired by . . . Day 23, His Character, Wrathful

God is Wrathful

This is a hard truth about God, but if we want to know Him, we have to embrace everything about His character.

Yes, God is Love, but He is

Playdates with God, Testimony Tuesday, #TellHisStory,

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Published on October 23, 2015 05:00

Inspired by . . . Day 22: His Character, Faithful

God is Faithful

A Maskil of Ethan the Ezrahite. I will sing of the steadfast love of the LORD, forever; with my mouth I will make known Your faithfulness to all generations. For I said, "Steadfast love will be built up forever; in the heavens You will establish Your faithfulness." You have said, "I have made a covenant with My chosen one; I have sworn to David My servant: 'I will establish your offspring forever, and build your throne for all generations.'" Selah.

Let the heavens praise Your wonders, O LORD, Your faithfulness in the assembly of the holy ones! For Who in the skies can be compared to the LORD? Who among the heavenly beings is like the LORD, a God greatly to be feared in the council of the holy ones, and awesome above all who are around Him? O LORD God of hosts, who is mighty as You are, O LORD, with Your faithfulness all around You? Psa 89:1-8

Out of His faithfulness God honors His convenants and fulfills His promises. Our hope for the future rests upon God’s faithfulness. Beloved, if there is but a glimmer of doubt, let it be no more. His faithfulness proves He can be trusted. The word {faithful} comes from the Hebrew 'êmûn {ay-moon'} meaning established, trustworthy and true. And from the Greek, pistos, meaning trustworthy, sure, true.

If we are faithless, He remains faithful-- for He cannot deny Himself. 2Ti 2:13

He who calls you is faithful; He will surely do it. 1Th 5:24

But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one. 2Th 3:3

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. Heb 10:23

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1Jn 1:9

There are numerous promises of God, Beloved. Knowing them and meditating on them is a great way to increase your faith! Bible.com has some reading plans that will get you started, or you can do a study on your own using the topical study tools at biblegateway.com. I use these two online resources all the time, as well as the e-sword bible study software - - a fantastic resource and absolutely FREE!

Let us praise Him for His faithfulness, for He is worthy of our praise!

O LORD, You are my God; I will exalt You; I will praise Your name, for You have done wonderful things, plans formed of old, faithful and sure. Isa 25:1

Lord, faithful and true, we trust in Your unfailing love.

We know You will fulfill Your covenant to us;

Your promises of old.

Our hope and our future is in Your hands.

Your word to us is firmly established.

You are trustworthy and true,

great is Your faithfulness.

In Jesus’ name,

Amen,

Sharing inspiration here:

Thought Provoking Thursday, Grace & Truth, Weekend Whispers,

Inspire Me Monday, RaRa Link Up, Intentional Tuesday,

#WordswithWinter, Titus 2 Tuesday, Thoughtful Thursdays,

Women with Intention Wednesdays, Word Filled Wednesday,

Playdates with God, Testimony Tuesday, #TellHisStory,

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Published on October 22, 2015 05:00

Inspired by . . . Day 21: His Character, Wise

God is Wise

châkam
khaw-kam'
A primitive root, to be wise (in mind, word or act): - X exceeding, teach wisdom, be (make self, shew self) wise, deal (never so) wisely, make wiser.

The LORD by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath He established the heavens. By His knowledge the depths are broken up, and the clouds drop down the dew.
Pro 3:19-20

The more I observe nature the more I see the wisdom of God. If you’ve spent any time here at all, you know I write about this often. Creation is God’s manifesto! He speaks to me so clearly through that which He has made. Creation is complex and fragile, yet strong. Each week I hear stories of tragedy, polar bears dying, seas being overtaken with toxic algae. Yet, at the same time, I hear inspiring stories of creatures who have adapted and overcome, animals that are thriving!

God did not create and then leave His creation to self-destruct. All God’s acts are accomplished through His infinite wisdom. He always acts for our good, which is to conform us to Christ. Our good and His glory are inextricably bound together.

If you’ve been following along with me this month, God’s wisdom won’t surprise you. This attribute is just one more line in the beautiful picture we’re drawing in our minds of our Lord.

Knowing all we’ve learned about Him, how could He not be wise?

Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and how inscrutable His ways! Rom 11:33

As much as the wisdom of God comforts us, and increases our faith in Him, He does not keep it for Himself. In fact, several books of the Bible, beginning with Job, and continuing thru the Song of Solomon, are called the Wisdom Books. Do you want to be wise? You begin here:

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction. Pro 1:7

and continue by:

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, Who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. Jas 1:5

And lest you think you don’t need wisdom, consider this (emphasis mine):

My son, if you receive my words and treasure up my commandments with you, making your ear attentive to wisdom and inclining your heart to understanding; yes, if you call out for insight and raise your voice for understanding, if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures, then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God. For the LORD gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding; He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; He is a shield to those who walk in integrity, guarding the paths of justice and watching over the way of His saints. Then you will understand righteousness and justice and equity, every good path; for wisdom will come into your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul; discretion will watch over you, understanding will guard you, delivering you from the way of evil, from men of perverted speech, who forsake the paths of uprightness to walk in the ways of darkness, who rejoice in doing evil and delight in the perverseness of evil, men whose paths are crooked, and who are devious in their ways. Pro 2:1-15

I don’t know about you, but I think being shielded, guarded, watched over and delivered from evil sounds like a pretty good trade off for pursuing wisdom.

. . . for wisdom is better than jewels, and all that you may desire cannot compare with her. Pro 8:11

Lord, wise and merciful, teach us Your ways.

We want to walk in integrity, along paths

guarded by justice and goodness.

Paths that You watch over, from the heavens above.

Incline our hearts to You, that we may

gain understanding.

Deliver us from evil.

In Jesus name,

Amen,

Sharing inspiration here:

Thought Provoking Thursday, Grace & Truth, Weekend Whispers,

Inspire Me Monday, RaRa Link Up, Intentional Tuesday,

#WordswithWinter, Titus 2 Tuesday, Thoughtful Thursdays,

Women with Intention Wednesdays, Word Filled Wednesday,

Playdates with God, Testimony Tuesday, #TellHisStory,

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Published on October 21, 2015 05:00

Inspired by . . . Day 20: His Name, Jehovah-nissi

God our banner

Jehovah-nissi

My husband is a Dreamer. Not a pie-in-the-sky dreamer, but a person who works today, with the hope of a better tomorrow. He has plans. Things he wants to do to bring more JOY into our lives. Each day he works to move one step closer to accomplishing these plans. His plans aren’t set in stone. He’s a dreamer, like I said. So the plans may change a bit, here and there, the way dreams tend to do. They morph and ebb and flow as he moves closer to achieving them. He’s open to God’s leading, He trusts God for the big picture. The dream is what gets him through the hard stuff. He keeps it firmly fixed in front of him, like a banner.

Do you have a banner? Something out it front of you that you’re working toward, that helps you get through the hard places in life? Maybe it’s your family. Each day at the office when it gets tough, you look at their picture sitting on your desk and it gives you the hope and strength you need to keep going. Or you’re stuck in traffic, so you focus on the hot, scented bubble bath that you’re going to sink into when you finally get home. Maybe you’ve got a wedding planned, or a vacation coming up. Maybe just the thought of the weekend coming, or having a few moments to yourself later today is all you need.

The Israelites needed hope when they fought the Amalekites in the desert of Rephidim. They’d been wandering around in the wilderness of Sin {oh, the irony!} without water for days. Having just been refreshed with water from the stone at Massah, they found themselves at war. The Amalekites were descendants of Esau and they hated the Israelites because of that little incident over a birthright, which you can read about in Genesis 25. You can bet that they fought just as savagely, as their descendants do today because of another birthright incident. Joshua and the Israelites needed hope for the battle.

They found it by looking to Moses and their God. During the battle, Moses stood on a high hill, with arms raised. The staff of the Lord in his hand. As long as Moses’ arms were raised, the Israelites were winning.

Ever try to stand with your arms raised above your head for very long? Moses was an old man. He grew tired and his arms grew heavy. When he put his arms down, the Amalekites gained the upper hand in the battle. So Aaron and Hur gave Moses a rock on which to sit, and they held up his arms for him. The Israelites won the battle, and Moses made an alter to the Lord.

And Moses built an altar and called the name of it, The LORD Is My Banner, saying, "A hand upon the throne of the LORD! The LORD will have war with Amalek from generation to generation." Exo 17:15-16

We are in a war of sorts. Every day the enemy tries to tear us down, or slip us up. Dreams and family, vacations and the weekend are all good things to look forward to, but ultimately our hope, our triumph is our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

But thanks be to God, Who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1Co 15:57

And don’t you just love Paul’s therefore:

Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain. 1Co 15:58

Here we are, Beloved. Our labor is not in vain. God is our banner. Jesus stands on the hill, arms raised. Nailed to a cross.

Our hope, our victory is in Him. He is the source and object of our faith.

Lord, You are our banner. The hope set before us.

We trust in Your promise to lead and guide us.

Steadfast and immovable.

In Jesus name,

Amen,

Sharing inspiration here:

Thought Provoking Thursday, Grace & Truth, Weekend Whispers,

Inspire Me Monday, RaRa Link Up, Intentional Tuesday,

#WordswithWinter, Titus 2 Tuesday, Thoughtful Thursdays,

Women with Intention Wednesdays, Word Filled Wednesday,

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Published on October 20, 2015 05:00

Inspired by . . . Day 19: His Character, Sovereign

God is Sovereign

SOVEREIGN, a. suv'eran. 1. Supreme in power; possessing supreme dominion; as a Sovereign Ruler of the universe. 2. Supreme; superior to all others; chief. God is the sovereign good of all who love and obey Him.

God presides over every event, great or small, and He is in control of our lives. To be sovereign, He must be all-knowing and all-powerful, and by His sovereignty He rules His entire creation. If we believe what we’ve learned so far this month about God, that He is good,

Playdates with God, Testimony Tuesday, #TellHisStory,

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Published on October 19, 2015 05:00

Inspired by . . . Day 18: His Character, Merciful

God is Merciful

But from there you will seek the LORD your God and you will find Him, if you search after Him with all your heart and with all your soul. When you are in tribulation, and all these things come upon you in the latter days, you will return to the LORD your God and obey His voice. For the LORD your God is a merciful God. He will not leave you or destroy you or forget the covenant with your fathers that He swore to them. Deu 4:29-31

The Hebrew word used here is:

rachûm
rakh-oom'
compassionate: - full of compassion, merciful.

The LORD is longsuffering, and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression, and by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation. Num 14:18

The Hebrew word used here is:

chêsêd
kheh'-sed
From H2616; kindness; by implication (towards God) piety; rarely (by opprobrium) reproof, or (subjectively) beauty: - favour, good deed (-liness, -ness), kindly, (loving-) kindness, merciful (kindness), mercy, pity, reproach,

Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful. Luk 6:36

Behold, we consider those blessed who remained steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful. Jas 5:11

The Greek word used in both these scriptures is:

οἰκτίρμων
oiktirmōn
oyk-tir'-mone
compassionate: - merciful, of tender mercy.

Webster says that, “Mercy is a distinguishing attribute of the Supreme Being.”

Just as with love, mercy is a part of God’s character that sets Him apart from all others.

But what does mercy really mean? The best way I’ve heard it described is this:

Mercy is God withholding what we do deserve.

Punishment for sin is just one example. I can think of many things I deserved that God withheld from me. And I’m so very thankful that He did so. You?

God’s merciful compassion is infinite and inexhaustible. Through Christ, He took the judgment that was rightfully ours and placed it on His own shoulders. He waits and works now for all people to turn to Him and to live under His justification.

I fear our world today is filled with many Pharisees. Whitewashed tombs, sparkling with perfection on the outside, but inside they are filled with the unclean bones of the dead. They have no need of God’s mercy, so they do not receive it.

"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others. Mat 23:23

We need God’s mercy because we are totally depraved.

For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Rom 3:23

This does not mean that we are as bad as we could possibly be in every dimension. But rather that there is no dimension of our humanity that is not affected by our willful rebellion against God.

But just as the offer of forgiveness means nothing until we are aware of our need, so too His mercy is often shunned by the darkness of our pride.

In a world where more mercy is shown to animals than to people, our cries for mercy should resound. But all is not lost; we can fail a thousand times, and still His mercy remains.

The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. He will not always chide: neither will He keep His anger for ever. He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward them that fear Him. Psa 103:8-11

Lord, merciful and holy, show us ourselves - -

so that we might see our Savior.

In Jesus name,

Amen,

Note: Interested in reading more about mercy? I found this, mind-bending, article which contemplates, The Marriage of Justice and Mercy, aided by two of my favorite authors, George MacDonald and C.S. Lewis.

Sharing inspiration here:

Thought Provoking Thursday, Grace & Truth, Weekend Whispers,

Inspire Me Monday, RaRa Link Up, Intentional Tuesday,

#WordswithWinter, Titus 2 Tuesday, Thoughtful Thursdays,

Women with Intention Wednesdays, Word Filled Wednesday,