The Bible: Lesson #3 Who is God? (continued...) The Names and Attributes of God: (The following information is published in a more complete format at navigators.org.) Though God is infinitely far above our ability to fully understand, He nonetheless tells us very specific truths about Himself through the Scriptures so that we can know what He is like, and be drawn to worship Him. The following is a list of 30 names and attributes of God that help to reveal His nature and character... God is Yahweh. The name of the independent, self-complete being—“I AM WHO I AM”—only belongs to Jehovah God. (From ibelieve.com…) Yahweh means “The Lord” – Yahweh is derived from the Hebrew word for “I AM,” it is the proper name of the divine person, coming from the verb which means to “exist,” “be.” God’s name, Yahweh, is one of authority. It is one that holds great power, and says to all who hear, “I AM the One, true God, follow me.” God is still the “Great I AM,” for He never changes. —Exodus 3:13-15 God is Jehovah-M’Kaddesh. This name means “the God who sanctifies.” A God separate from all that is evil requires that the people who follow Him be cleansed from all evil. —Leviticus 20:7,8 God is infinite. God is beyond measurement—we cannot define Him by proportions or magnitude. He has no beginning, no end, and no limits. —Romans 11:33 God is omnipotent. God is all-powerful. He spoke all things into being, and all things—every micro-organism, every breath we take—are sustained by Him. There is nothing too difficult for Him to do. —Jeremiah 32:17,18; Jeremiah 32:26,27 God is good. God is the embodiment of perfect goodness. He is kind, caring, and full of favor toward all of creation. —Psalm 119:65-72 God is love. God’s love is so great that He gave His only Son to bring us into fellowship with Him. God’s love not only encompasses the world, but embraces each of us personally and intimately. —1 John 4:7-10 God is Jehovah-jireh. This name means “the God who provides.” Just as He provided yesterday, He will also provide today and tomorrow. He grants deliverance from sin, the oil of joy for the ashes of sorrow, and eternal citizenship in His Kingdom for all those adopted into His household. —Genesis 22:9-14 God is Jehovah-shalom. This name means “the God of peace.” We are meant to know the fullness of God’s perfect peace, or His “shalom.” God’s peace surpasses understanding and sustains us even through difficult times. It is the product of fully being what we were created to be. —Judges 6:16-24 God is immutable. All that God is, He has always been. All that He has been and is, He will ever be. He is ever perfect and unchanging. —Psalm 102:25-28 God is transcendent. God is not merely eminent, the highest being. He is transcendent—existing beyond and above the created universe. —Psalm 113:4,5 God is just. God is righteous and holy, fair and equitable in all things. We can trust Him to always do what is right. —Psalm 75:1-7 God is holy. God’s holiness is not simply our best image of perfection. God is utterly and supremely untainted. His holiness stands apart—unique and incomprehensible. —Revelation 4:8-11 God is Jehovah-rophe. This name means “Jehovah heals.” God alone provides the remedy for mankind’s brokenness through His son, Jesus Christ. The Gospel is the physical, moral, and spiritual remedy for all people. —Exodus 15:22-26 God is self-sufficient. All things are God’s to give, and all that is given is given by Him. Everything we give Him was initially given to us by Him. —Acts 17:24-28 God is omniscient. This means God is all-knowing. God’s knowledge encompasses every possible piece of information regarding anything that currently exists, existed in the past, or will exist in the future. —Psalm 139:1-6 God is omnipresent. God is everywhere—in and around everything, close to everyone. “‘Do not I fill heaven and earth?’ declares the Lord.” —Psalm 139:7-12 God is merciful. God’s merciful compassion is never ending and does not run dry. Through His provision in 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. —Deuteronomy 4:29-31 God is sovereign. God presides over every event, great or small, and He is in control of our lives. He rules all creation with all knowledge and power. —1 Chronicles 29:11-13 God is Jehovah-nissi. This name means “God our banner.” Under His banner we go from triumph to triumph and say, “Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:57). —Exodus 17:8-15 Day 20 God is wise. God knows and acts with perfect wisdom in all things. He always acts for our good, which is to conform us to Christ. —Proverbs 3:19,20 God is faithful. Out of His faithfulness God honors His covenants and fulfills His promises. Our hope for the future rests upon God’s faithfulness. —Psalm 89:1-8 God is wrathful. Unlike human anger, God’s wrath is never capricious, self-indulgent, or irritable. It is the right and necessary reaction to objective moral evil. — Nahum 1:2-8 God is full of grace. Grace is God’s good pleasure that moves Him to grant value where it is undeserved and to forgive debt that cannot be repaid. —Ephesians 1:5-8 God is our Comforter. Jesus called the Holy Spirit the “Comforter,” and the apostle Paul writes that the Lord is “the God of all comfort.” —2 Corinthians 1:3,4 God is El-Shaddai. This name means “God Almighty,” the God who is all-sufficient and all-bountiful, the source of all blessings. —Genesis 49:22-26 God is Father. Jesus taught us to pray, “Our Father” (Matthew 6:9), and the Spirit of God taught us to cry, “Abba, Father.,” an intimate Aramaic term similar to “Daddy.” The Creator of the universe cares for each one of us as if we were the only child He had. —Romans 8:15-17 God is the Church’s head. God the Son, Yeshua, is the head of the Church. As the head, the part of the body that sees, hears, thinks, and decides, He gives the orders that the rest of the body lives by. —Ephesians 1:22,23 God is our intercessor. Knowing our temptations, God the Son intercedes for us. He opens the doors for us to boldly ask God the Father for mercy. Thus, God is both the initiation and conclusion of true prayer. —Hebrews 4:14-16 God is Adonai. This name means “Master” or “Lord.” God, our Adonai, calls all God’s people to acknowledge themselves as His servants, claiming His right to reign as Lord of our lives. —2 Samuel 7:18-20 God is Elohim. This name means “Strength” or “Power.” He is transcendent, mighty and strong. Elohim is the great name of God, displaying His supreme power, sovereignty, and faithfulness in His covenant relationship with us. —Genesis 17:7,8 Sources: The Knowledge of the Holy, by A.W. Tozer; Names of God, by Nathan Stone; and God of Glory, by Kenneth Landon. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - El Elyon (The Most High God) First seen in Genesis 14:18 – Used 52 times in the Bible (sometimes without El, simply as Elyon) El is likely related to the word Elohim and is used in conjunction with other descriptive words to specifically reference a particular characteristic of God. Elyon means highest or most high. Used together El Elyon means The Most High God. It refers to the characteristic of God that is above everyone and everything. This name describes his position as sovereign majestic preeminent God. El Olam (The Everlasting God) First seen in Genesis 21:33 – Used 439 times in the Bible El is likely related to the word Elohim and is used in conjunction with other descriptive words to specifically reference a particular characteristic of God. Olam means forever, always, continuous existence, perpetual, everlasting, evermore, perpetual, indefinite or unending future, eternity. Used together El Olam means The Everlasting God. He exists beyond time and space. We can take comfort in the fact that God always was, and always will be God. Nothing we can ever face will change that because God is unchangeable. El Qanna (Jealous God) First seen in Exodus 20:5 – Used 6 times in the Bible El is likely related to the word Elohim and is used in conjunction with other descriptive words to specifically reference a particular characteristic of God. Qanna means jealous, zealous, or envy. Used together El Qanna means Jealous God. God’s jealousy is a holy, loving jealousy without any of the insecure manipulation or control that comes packaged with worldly jealousy. It draws from the marriage relationship with a picture of a husband jealous for his wife. God longs for each of us to put him first in our lives in priority and importance, not out out of ego, but because he knows that is truly what is best for us. Jehovah Sabaoth (The Lord of Hosts) First seen in 1 Samuel 1:3 – Used in the Bible more than 285 times Jehovah is actually YHWH (see Yahweh above) and means Lord and Master. It is the promised and proper name of God. Sabaoth means an army going out to war. Used together Jehovah Sabaoth means The Lord of Armies or The Lord of Hosts. The Lord reigns over a vast well ordered host in the heavenlies. God is always there to defend us, fight our battles, and win our wars. There is no enemy he cannot defeat. Jehovah Raah (The Lord Is My Shepherd) Occurs once in Psalms 23:1. (Raah is also used in reference to God in Genesis 48:15, Genesis 49:24, and Psalm 80:1) (The last five names and their meanings were copied from newcreeations.org.)
What is the Principle of Subsidiarity? (From wikipeida.com) Subsidiarity is a Christian organizing principle which holds that matters ought to be handled by the smallest, lowest or least centralized competent authority. Political decisions should be taken at a local level if possible, rather than by a central authority. The Oxford English Dictionary defines subsidiarity as the idea that a central authority should have a subsidiary function, performing only those tasks which cannot be performed effectively at a more immediate or local level. The word subsidiarity is derived from the Latin word subsidiarius and has its origins in Catholic social teaching. Its origins as a formal concept of Catholic social thought lie with Wilhelm Emmanuel von Ketteler, who served as Bishop of Mainz in the mid- to late 19th Century. It is most well-known, however, from its subsequent incorporation into Pope Pius XI’s encyclical Quadragesimo anno. This encyclical’s formulation of subsidiarity is the touchstone from which further interpretations tend to depart: "Just as it is gravely wrong to take from individuals what they can accomplish by their own initiative and industry and give it to the community, so also it is an injustice and at the same time a grave evil and disturbance of right order to assign to a greater and higher association what lesser and subordinate organizations can do. For every social activity ought of its very nature to furnish help to the members of the body social, and never destroy and absorb them."
Generic principles for dealing with problems… I was listening to Mark Driscoll and his wife offering counsel to a woman who wrote in to ask a question about a certain situation, and this, along with some advice I heard Josh McDowell offering yesterday, prompted me to start writing down my thoughts on such things. One of the ideas that struck me was, when it's in our hearts to help others that might be experiencing some type of problem, it is important not to overlook the fact that one of the main things we should be doing is praying for them. After all, it is God who is ultimately in control and it's His will that needs to be done. Moreover, He is much more able to work in others, through their circumstances, and through us than anything we might be able to accomplish on our own. Moreover, if we are involved in the situation such that it might impact on our own lives, it’s important to also pray for ourselves since we could probably use the presence, protection, power, comfort and wisdom of God to help sustain us as we struggle to have a positive effect on the state of affairs and exercise patience and understanding in whatever role we play. And finally, if we are close to the situation, in might be wise to enlist the aid of others, especially if the person needing intervention might resent it coming from us personally. This includes inviting trusted and mature believers to surround us as well to offer us encouragement if and when we need it and perhaps bounce around ideas and offer insight as to what actions or steps we might take next.
Top Tips of the Day... It's a well known "fact" that the best way to help someone is by being on your knees, hands clasped with eyes closed, talking to an imaginary deity. So when praying to God, always do so through your hair dryer because it really is no more absurd than just praying without one. Plus it helps carry words and thoughts through the air.
Dr. Charles Stanley's 30 Life Principles: intouch.org/Read/30-life-principles 1. Our intimacy with God – His highest priority for our lives – determines the impact of our lives. Genesis 1:26 2. Obey God and leave all the consequences to Him. Exodus 19:5 3. God’s Word is an immovable anchor in times of storm. Numbers 23:19 4. The awareness of God’s presence energizes us for our work. Deuteronomy 20:1 5. God does not require us to understand His will, just obey it, even if it seems unreasonable. Joshua 3:8 6. You reap what you sow, more than you sow, and later than you sow. Judges 2:1-4 7. The dark moments of our life will last only so long as is necessary for God to accomplish His purpose in us. 1 Samuel 30:1-6 8. Fight all your battles on your knees and you win every time. 2 Samuel 15:31 9. Trusting God means looking beyond what we can see to what God sees. 2 Kings 6:17 10. If necessary, God will move heaven and earth to show us His will. 2 Chronicles 20:12 11. God assumes full responsibility for our needs when we obey Him. Job 42:7-17 12. Peace with God is the fruit of oneness with God. Psalm 4:8 13. Listening to God is essential to walking with God. Psalm 81:8 14. God acts on behalf of those who wait for Him. Isaiah 64:4 15. Brokenness is God’s requirement for maximum usefulness. Jeremiah 15:19 16. Whatever you acquire outside of God’s will eventually turns to ashes. Ezekiel 25:6-7 17. We stand tallest and strongest on our knees. Daniel 6:10-11 18. As children of a sovereign God, we are never victims of our circumstances. Hosea 3:4-5 19. Anything you hold too tightly, you will lose. Amos 6:6-7 20. Disappointments are inevitable, discouragement is a choice. Habakkuk 3:17-19 21. Obedience always brings blessing. Luke 11:28 22. To walk in the Spirit is to obey the initial promptings of the Spirit. Acts 10:19 23. You can never outgive God. 2 Corinthians 9:8 24. To live the Christian life is to allow Jesus to live His life in and through us. Galatians 2:20 25. God blesses us so that we might bless others. Ephesians 4:28 26. Adversity is a bridge to a deeper relationship with God. Philippians 3:10-11 27. Prayer is life's greatest time saver. 2 Thessalonians 3:1 28. No Christian has ever been called to “go it alone” in his or her walk of faith. Hebrews 10:24-25 29. We learn more in our valley experiences than on our mountaintops. James 5:10 30. An eager anticipation of the Lord’s return keeps us living productively. Revelation 22:12
@expiated please help me with this. all these "Holybook" quotes witten by humans (some that make tons of money doing the Holybook pumping), I'm wondering 'was it not humankind that invented the God thing the way that God is mentioned or referenced to in an "Holybook"? reason I ask, is that in the middle of nowhere in an uncivilized part of this planet, do the beings living there have the same where-with-all beliefs about the Westen/Easten civilization God as its potrayed in some 'Holybook'? as for "Life Pinciples" ... do I need to believe in a diety? do I know what my purpose in being here living & breathing for a short moment in time as a living lifeform when at the end of days I serve no futher purpose. why do I exist?
I'm not qualified to help you with this. As stated in my first post, the reason I established this thread was to help me stick with it until I memorize all thirty-one of the life principles put forth by Dr. Charles Stanley. If I were you and I seriously wanted answers to the questions you mentioned in the previous entry, I would start by reading the four Gospels found near the end of the Bible: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. If that didn't satisfy me, I would see if certain authors have written any books addressing these topics. Names that come to mind include Ray Comfort, Ravi Zacharias, Dr. Michael L. Brown, Josh McDowell, and William Lane Craig. Or at the very least, if I wanted to be really passive about it, every now and then I'd watch one of the I Met Messiah YouTube videos produced by One for Isreal Ministry to hear the personal experiences of others. If all else failed, I'd make an appointment to sit down with a pastor at a reputable church and ask him... places of worship such as Cleveland's Parkside Church located in Bainbridge Township, OH; Crossroads Baptist Church in Elizabethtown, KY; McLean Bible Church in the Virginia suburbs of Washington, D.C.; Harvest Christian Fellowship in Riverside, CA; Christian Cultural Center in Brooklyn, NY; First Baptist Church in Atlanta, GA; Cottonwood Church in Los Alamitos, CA; Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis, MN; Trinity Church in Scottsdale, AZ; or Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, CA. (No doubt, there are many others.)
Hey, I didn't know One for Israel had testimonies on their site until you posted this. I watched a few and they are very good. This one is my favorite. It's a very positive Jewish and Christian testimony: https://www.oneforisrael.org/bible-...-dauermann-found-jesus-door-real-jewish-life/