NAMES OF GOD

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NAMES OF GOD

In the English language we basically have one name for God.  But in Hebrew there are many names for the one God.  In an English translation a particular Hebrew name for God may lose its basic meaning by just being translated God.  I would say it’s like the difference between black and white and color TV with the full splendor of the image being represented by color.  (Dan 2:20) Daniel answered and said: “Blessed be the name of God…  Happy study of God’s names! 

- YAHWEH - The name Yahweh (or Jehovah) means “I am that I am” and means God is self-existent in His nature and Being . . . always was and always will be.  In the Old Testament Yahweh occurs 6,519 times.  This would be the covenant name of God for His people.  (Exo 3:14-15) And God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And He said, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’”  15 Moreover God said to Moses, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel: ‘The Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you. This is My name forever…

- ELOHIM - The plural form of EL, meaning “strong one.” This name occurs 2,570 times in the Old Testament.  It is a plural of majesty and intimates the Trinity. It is especially used of God’s sovereignty, His creative work, and His mighty work for Israel - (Gen 1:1)  In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 

- ADONAI - Translated “Lord” in our English Bibles.  In the Old Testament Adonai occurs 434 times. The first use of Adonai is in . . . (Gen 15:2)  But Abram said, "Lord GOD, what will You give me, seeing I go childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?"   

- EL SHADDAI - God Almighty or "God All Sufficient." Used 48 times in the OT.  (Gen 17:1)  When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to Abram and said to him, "I am Almighty God; walk before Me and be blameless. 

- EL ELYON - “The Most High God.” Stresses God’s strength, sovereignty, and supremacy. - (Gen 14:19) And he (Melchizedek) blessed him and said: "Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; 

- EL OLAM - "Everlasting" God. This is a seldom used name, however, it indicates that God exists for all eternity. He is the God of all ages. (Gen 21:33) Then Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba, and there called on the name of the LORD, the Everlasting God. 

- EL ROI - “The God who sees me” – Hagar’s name for God when He saw her affliction - (Gen 16:13) Then she called the name of the LORD who spoke to her, You-Are-the-God-Who-Sees; for she said, "Have I also here seen Him who sees me?" 

Louie

BIBLICAL FASTING

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BIBLICAL FASTING 

In the Bible we read about how the Israelites enjoyed the feasts of the Lord in the Old Testament.  The gospels also reveal how Jesus ate often in fellowship with others.  But when we have a serious concern on our heart or if we as a body have a corporate concern, then it’s time to seek the Lord with fasting.  Fasting is a very rewarding experience.  May the Lord direct us to fast as the Spirit leads.  And I pray the following Bible study will give you insight on scriptural fasting: 

Definition - “To go without food for the purpose of seeking God”. 

CONSIDERATIONS ABOUT FASTING: 

·               For guidance (Judges 20:26-28) 

·               Victory over temptation (Matthew 4:1-2) 

·               National repentance (1 Samuel 7:5-6) 

·               Burdened for others (Nehemiah 1:3-4) 

·               Personal concerns (1 Samuel 1:7, 10) 

·               Direction for ministry (Acts 13:1-3)

 PITFALLS TO AVOID 

·               Pride (Nehemiah 9:1-2; Joel 2:12; Matthew 6:16-18) 

·               Empty ritualism (Zechariah 7:5-7) 

·               Forgetting true spirituality (Isaiah 58:4-6) 

KINDS OF FASTS 

·                      Supernatural fast - No food and no water (Exodus 34:28).  Not a normal fast and usually never lasted more than three days (Ezra 10:6-8; Esther 4:16).   

·                      Normal fast - No food but liquids okay and for a time that the Spirit would lead (most common in the Bible). 

·                      Partial fast - Eating lightly (blander food) while abstaining from rich and sweet foods.  This is good if you have to keep up your busy and strenuous schedule as Daniel evidently did.  Fasting doesn’t have to be all or nothing.  (Daniel 10:1-5) 

*Please check with your doctor if you have special needs. 

How blessed we are to enjoy the food God has graciously and abundantly given to us.  And what a blessing it is to go without food for a time when we feel directed to seek the will of the Lord for our lives. 

Louie

 

CARING FOR THE CAREGIVER

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CARING FOR THE CAREGIVER

(Heb 6:10) For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister.

When a person has a long term illness your heart really goes out to them.  You do what you can to help them and for sure you keep them in your thoughts and prayers.  But for every person that has an ongoing sickness or disability there is at least one or more persons that takes care of him or her.  They serve ongoing and so often without a break.  They serve willingly and they serve modestly and without recognition.  For these we need to turn our attention to how we may care for the caregiver.  And if you are a caregiver you need some encouragement because what you do is amazing and will one day be rewarded by the Lord Himself (Mat 25:21).   

There are different types of caregiving in terms of who a person takes care of.  It could be an elderly mother or father, a person with a disability, someone on hospice, etc.  But one thing is common…a caregiver serves day in and day out.  They rarely have any time off.  Their whole life is devoted to the care of their loved one, friend, or person they are caring for.  They are depended on, and if they weren’t there then the ailing person would suffer for it.  The caregiver maintains the life and dignity of the person they serve.  They have learned every intricate detail that could never be written down in full for someone else.  These are unsung heroes who need: 

1) ENCOURAGEMENT:  Just a word of appreciation for their work goes a long way to boost their spirits and to keep them inspired in the work they do.  God is not unjust to forget their labors and neither should we be neglectful to recognize their undying devotion.     

2) REST:  The caregiver gives constantly but to avoid burnout they need a break now and then.  (Gal 6:2) Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.  We can do this by offering help so they can finally get to the things they need to do for themselves.  

3) GOD’S COMMENDATION:  Some scripture verses are in order so the caregiver will realize how much the Lord appreciates what they are doing:  (John 15:13) Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends…(Mat 25:40) And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’…(Isa 40:31) But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint. 

Our society has it all wrong.  We celebrate the celebrities and bypass those who are the real superstars.  For those who give care we applaud what you are doing for others.  You are an inspiration more than you know by your selfless service so we may serve more nobly for Christ.   

Louie

THE GAP THEORY

 

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THE GAP THEORY 

(Gen 1:1-2) In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.  2 The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. 

According to the Gap Theory, creation can be explained as follows: In Genesis 1:1, God created the heavens and the earth, complete with dinosaurs and other prehistoric life that we see in fossil records. Then a catastrophic event took place such as a flood (indicated by the "deep waters" in verse 2) brought on by Lucifer's rebellion and fall from heaven to the earth. Consequently the earth was ruined or destroyed, reducing it to the "formless and empty" state of Genesis 1:2. In verse 3, God began the process of restoring life. 

The Gap Theory was first introduced in 1814 by Scottish theologian Thomas Chalmers in an attempt to unite the six-day biblical creation account with the newly defined geologic ages being proposed by leading geologists of that time.  The gap theory became quite popular among evangelical Christians in the early part of the 20th century, largely because it was included in the study notes of the Scofield Reference Bible published in the 1917 edition.   

There are many overwhelming gaps in the Gap Theory. The idea that the geological ages took place in between Genesis 1:1 and 1:2 is prohibited by the plain Biblical statement in the Ten Commandments, where God said, ‘In six days, the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is’ (Exodus 20:11). That is, He was telling man that he must work six days and rest one day because God worked six days and then rested one day. The context goes on to say that everything in heaven and earth and in the sea was made in six days.  

The geologic column (which is the “bedrock” of the evolutionary theory) shows every evidence of having been deposited quickly by Noah’s Flood and not over long periods of time as proposed by the Gap Theory.     

If the fossil record is to be explained by the millions of years in the gap, that means death, pain, and disease were common many ages before Adam fell. But the Bible tells us that it was Adam’s sin that introduced suffering to the world: “Sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin” (Romans 5:12).  

As you can see there are gaps in the Gap Theory, but it is no deal breaker when it comes to fellowship in Christ.  But the reason for this writing is to encourage Bible believing Christians to: Be…rightly dividing the word of truth. (2 Tim 2:15)  And also to heed the apostolic warning:  (1 Tim 6:20) O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called. 

Louie

DEALING WITH LONG TERM ILLNESS

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DEALING WITH LONG TERM ILLNESS 

(2 Cor 12:8-9) Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me.  9 And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 

Sometimes in life there are surprises.  Some of those are good surprises and some of those come unwelcomed.   Long term illness is one of those that can crash the party of life and seek to pop every festive balloon.  Perhaps you are dealing with being chronically ill.   Here is some encouragement from scripture for your health concern.   

Let’s talk about the apostle Paul.  As far as we know he started out as a healthy young man.  He rose through the ranks of Judaism and had the energy to fulfill his zeal by persecuting Christians far and wide.  On his way to Damascus a light shone from heaven and he fell to the ground.   He was blind for three days until he was prayed for.  The Bible records that something like scales fell from his eyes and he received his sight, was filled with the Spirit and was baptized. (Acts 9) 

Later on Paul’s first missionary journey it looks like from all accounts (Acts/Galatians) that he suffered some kind of Asian eye disease.  He even preached among the Galatian believers with this problem.  Later Paul prayed for his thorn in the flesh to be removed from him.  It very well could be this chronic and debilitating eye problem that began at his conversion and then was accentuated on his travels.   God promised special grace to live with the problem in replacement of his healing.  Paul accepted this decision and learned to live on God’s strength instead of his own.   

When illness first strikes us we pray for healing. (James 5:14-16) But what if God doesn’t heal right away?  We keep on praying (Luke 18:1-8; Eph 6:18).  If God still doesn’t heal then like Paul we see it as a thorn in the flesh to cause us to rely on Him for the daily strength we need.   

But life doesn’t stop with a long term illness!  You might be limited and not be able to do what you did before but that doesn’t mean it’s over for you.  Paul kept doing what he could.  He couldn’t do it the way he used to but it didn’t stop him from finding ways to press on and accomplish something for Christ. (Phil 4:13)  He learned to rely on the Lord and what he accomplished was all for the glory of God.  It would also prove inspirational to others who would see him carry on in spite of weakness and infirmity.  Here’s a guy who wrote half of the New Testament books, traveled on mission trips, led people to Christ, established churches, and spent time in prison. Missionary to India Amy Carmichael suffered a terrible fall and spent the last twenty years of her life bedridden where she wrote many of her inspirational books.  God still wants to use you, and others will be inspired to keep at it despite their weakness. 

Louie

REPAY YOUR PARENTS

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REPAY YOUR PARENTS 

(1 Tim 5:4) But if any widow has children or grandchildren, let them first learn to show piety at home and to repay their parents; for this is good and acceptable before God. 

It seems like forever that you are growing up and are under your parents roof.  Then as time goes by you get on your own but your parents are still your parents and have their role in your life.  But as time slips into the future there is the growing reality that mom and dad are getting older.  They start needing your help.  You begin to see unspoken needs.  You begin to realize that you must spend more time with them, giving them the support they need.  It happens quicker than you think so be ready to REPAY YOUR PARENTS. 

Joseph was the favorite of Jacob’s sons.  His father even made him a coat of many colors.  His brothers got so jealous of this favoritism that they plotted against him.  They sold him to traders going down to Egypt where he was sold to Potiphar, a high ranking official in the Egyptian army.  We all know the story that as time moved on Pharaoh had a dream that only Joseph could interpret.  This propelled Joseph into being number two in the land as he distributed the grain during that seven year famine.  Soon his brothers would visit the land for food and Joseph eventually revealed himself to them and without animosity chose to forgive them and promised to take care of them as well as his father Jacob.  Soon the whole family moved down to Egypt to survive the famine. 

While on the way to Egypt Jacob needed confirmation from the Lord that he was doing the right thing.  God spoke to him and said, “I will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also surely bring you up again; and Joseph will put his hand on your eyes.” (Gen 46:4)  Joseph responsibly took care of his father and brothers and settled them in the land of Goshen.  During Jacob’s declining years Joseph looked after him in every respect.  When Jacob died it says, “Then Joseph fell on his father’s face, and wept over him, and kissed him”. (Gen 50:1) 

When my father was declining I knew I had to step in to help my parents.  I was in the busiest time of my life with my family and ministry but I knew this is what I had to do.  I began to visit more and call more often, offering physical and moral support.  Dr. appointments, fixing things around their home, etc.    When my dad was on hospice I needed to kick it up another level.  I had the intimate experience of my father passing in my presence.  Now it’s time to look after mom.  Lots to do but this is a part of my life now and has been for some time.   

I think of how many years my parents took precious care of me and laid down their lives for my comfort and well-being.  Now things have turned all the way around and here I am taking care of them.  The older you get the more you appreciate your parent’s sacrifice and all they did for you.  What a debt we owe them and no wonder the Bible says to REPAY YOUR PARENTS. 

Louie

HOW TO TREAT YOUR WIFE

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HOW TO TREAT YOUR WIFE

(1 Pet 3:7) Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered. 

Men, we need a lot of help and guidance on how to treat the woman God gave us to marry.  Come on admit it, we are constantly at a loss on how a woman ticks so we tend to shake our heads on understanding them, let alone how to treat them.  But there is hope for us yet!  The Bible has much to say about marriage and about how to relate to a woman.  So take the time to read and apply this encouragement for it is written from one man to another.   

DWELL WITH THEM: This means spending time with your wife.  Men love their work but make sure you save a lot of your energy to be with your wife.   She loves when you hang out with her and it means more than you know.  Do things together.  Keep her as your best friend.   

WITH UNDERSTANDING:  This means to be considerate of your wife’s spiritual, emotional, and physical needs.  Realize the differences of the sexes and respect how God made her female and not like you.  Study her and anticipate her needs before she has to say something to you.   

GIVING HONOR TO THE WIFE: This means to respect her for who she is.  She is female, the way God made her.  She has a personality that is God-given.  Don’t ever put her down or make her feel less than.  Refrain from ever making fun of her weaknesses, insecurities, or fears.    

WEAKER VESSEL: This refers to physical or emotional weakness.  Use your masculinity to serve her and to help her in areas where she has need.  Be that pillar of strength when she is having a meltdown and let her cry on your chest when she needs to.   

HEIRS TOGETHER: Romans 8:17 says we are heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ.  That means God wants to bless you together.  Pray with your wife.  Read the Bible to her.  Attend church and Bible study together.  Let Christ be the foundation of your marriage always.  

GRACE OF LIFE: I love this one.  It’s loving your wife and overlooking her faults.  It’s not taking things personally when she acts a certain way or says something that rubs you the wrong way.   It’s giving her lots of space to be herself and to just be a woman.  It’s how the Lord loves us.   

PRAYERS MAY NOT BE HINDERED: Hey guys, let me tell you straight, if you’re not right with your wife it can clog your spiritual life.  So avoid being bitter towards her and keep from ever being a jerk (Col 3:19).  One day we will have to answer to God for how we treated our wives.  Enjoy her, pray for her, and lay down your life for her like Jesus did for His bride the Church!  

Louie