I Am Who I Am

Did you know that when you study God's names, you gain power? Power exists in verbalizing God's name. Meditating on God's names will open a door and lead you on a journey in which you can experience God in exciting and extraordinary ways. God's magnificent names are a disclosure of God Himself. In His name, there is peace, comfort, provision, healing and destiny. When you press into a name of God, you will discover a transforming power.

Meditate on God's name. Ask him to remind you of the times he has evidenced that name to you personally and to others. In the Bible, we are encouraged to ponder things which are of a good report; we are admonished to meditate on virtuous and praiseworthy things. What could be purer, lovelier, nobler, truer, or more praiseworthy than the names and attributes of God?

God's wonder's never change. His power and powerful acts are the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. he is in control of the universe, showing His compassion and might in a myriad of ways. Meditate upon the wonders God has done in your life. What are the marvelous works which He has done during your friendship with Him? What secrets have you and He shared? What more does God have for you? What wonders will God show you in the coming weeks? What does God have in store for you in the days ahead?

-Bits and Pieces from "I Am" 365 Names of God by John Paul Jackson-

Names of God: His Titles Revealed in Scripture

"ELOHIM" (or Elohay) is the first name for God found in the Bible, and it's used throughout the Old Testament over 2,300 times. Elohim comes from the Hebrew root meaning "strength" or "power", and has the unusual characteristic of being plural in form. In Genesis 1:1, we read, "In the beginning Elohim created the heaven and the earth." Right from the start, this plural form for the name of God is used to describe the One God, a mystery that is uncovered throughout the rest of the Bible. Throughout scripture, Elohim is combined with other words to describe certain characteristics of God. Some examples: Elohay Kedem - God of the Beginning: (Deuteronomy 33:27). Elohay Mishpat - God Of Justice: (Isaiah 30:18). Elohay Selichot - God Of Forgiveness: (Nehemiah 9:17). Elohay Marom - God Of Heights: (Micah 6:6). Elohay Mikarov - God Who Is Near: (Jeremiah 23:23). Elohay Mauzi - God Of My Strength: (Psalm 43:2). Elohay Tehilati - God Of My Praise: (Psalm 109:1). Elohay Yishi - God Of My Salvation: (Psalm 18:46). Elohim Kedoshim - Holy God: (Leviticus 19:2, Joshua 24:19). Elohim Chaiyim - Living God: (Jeremiah 10:10). Elohay Elohim - God Of Gods: (Deuteronomy 10:17).

"EL" is another name used for God in the Bible, showing up about 200 times in the Old Testament. El is the simple form arising from Elohim, and is often combined with other words for descriptive emphasis. Some examples: El HaNe'eman - The Faithful God: (Deuteronomy 7:9). El HaGadol - The Great God: (Deuteronomy 10:17). El HaKadosh - The Holy God: (Isaiah 5:16). El Yisrael - The God Of Israel: (Psalm 68:35). El HaShamayim - The God Of The Heavens: (Psalm 136:26). El De'ot - The God Of Knowledge: (1 Samuel 2:3). El Emet - The God Of Truth: (Psalm 31:6). El Yeshuati - The God Of My Salvation: (Isaiah 12:2). El Elyon - The Most High God: (Genesis 14:18). Immanu El - God Is With Us: (Isaiah 7:14). El Olam - The God Of Eternity (Genesis 21:33). El Echad - The One God: (Malachi 2:10). "ELAH" is another name for God, used about 70 times in the Old Testament. Again, when combined with other words, we see different attributes of God. Some examples: Elah Yerush'lem - God of Jerusalem: (Ezra 7:19). Elah Yisrael - God of Israel: (Ezra 5:1). Elah Sh'maya - God of Heaven: (Ezra 7:23). Elah Sh'maya V'Arah - God of Heaven and Earth: (Ezra 5:11).

"YHVH" is the Hebrew word that translates as "LORD". Found more often in the Old Testament than any other name for God (approximately 7,000 times), the title is also referred to as the "Tetragrammaton," meaning the "The Four Letters". YHVH comes from the Hebrew verb "to be" and is the special name that God revealed to Moses at the burning bush. "And God said to Moses, 'I AM WHO I AM; and He said, thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, I AM has sent me to you... this is My eternal name, and this is how I am to be recalled for all generations'" (Exodus 3:14-15). Therefore, YHVH declares God's absolute being - the source of everything, without beginning and without end. Although some pronounce YHVH as "Jehovah" or "Yaweh," scholars really don't know the proper pronunciation. The Jews stopped pronouncing this name by about 200 A.D., out of fear of breaking the commandment "You shall not take the name of YHVH your God in vain" (Exodus 20:7). (Today's rabbis typically use "Adonai" in place of YHVH.) Here are some examples of YHVH used in scripture: YHVH Elohim - LORD God: (Genesis 2:4). YHVH M'kadesh - The LORD Who Makes Holy: (Ezekiel 37:28). YHVH Yireh - The LORD Who Sees/provides: (Genesis 22:14). YHVH Nissi - The LORD My Banner: (Exodus 17:15). YHVH Shalom - The LORD Of Peace: (Judges 6:24). YHVH Tzidkaynu - The LORD Our Righteousness: (Jeremiah 33:16). YHVH O'saynu - The LORD our Maker: (Psalm 95:6).

Christianity

The word Christianity simply means followers of Christ. It has nothing to do with denominations or doctrines; God offers everyone the choice to accept Christ Jesus. The title Christ, coming from the Greek word khristos and means anointed. The anointed one, Jesus the promised Messiah, was consecrated, commissioned, and appointed to come as God in the flesh for the atonement of our sins.

Jesus of Nazareth is the central figure of the Christian religion, a savior believed to be both God and a human being. He is also known as Jesus Christ. The term "Christ" means the chosen one. Most of the details of his life are unclear, and much of what is known about his life comes from the four Gospels of the Bible (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John).

The Gospels tell the story of Jesus' wonderful birth in a stable in Bethlehem, and then of his life as an adult, a teacher with glorious powers which brought his own death and to his closest followers, called apostles. Jesus, betrayed by the apostle Judas, was crucified by the Romans, and his resurrection three days after his death was taken as proof of his divinity. The date of Jesus' miracle birth to Mary is celebrated each December 25th as Christmas. The holiday was used as the base year for the modern Christian calendar, though researchers now believe that earlier estimates were inexact and that Jesus was actually born a between 4 B.C. and 7 B.C. The date of the crucifixion is now marked as Good Friday, and the resurrection celebrated as Easter.

For the Jews, Jesus arrived as the long awaited Messiah. But on his arrival many people did not recognize him. Others refused to accept him because he did not fit their image as a king of all. Everywhere he went in his short life on earth he had made enemies and friends that would do anything for him. Some men hated him so deeply that they wanted to end his life and did crucify him. They refused to believe the words that he had spoken during his lifetime on earth.

Jesus instructed his disciples (students) in the ways they were to go forth and teach others. He tells them in Matthew 28:19: "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations...". The book of Acts is a history of the beginning of the early church and is important in proving the truth of Jesus' teachings. Christ's followers dealt with many adversaries though they were highly persecuted for their faith and for pursuing this "Great Commission".

The death and resurrection of Jesus Christ greatly impacted his devoted followers. At his death many went into hiding, fleeing for their lives. At his resurrection they finally figured out what he had been trying to tell them and became powerful witnesses to the things that he had said and done. They spoke of how he had changed their lives and the lives of other people who he had touched. The word of their testimony and the power of his name continued to change the lives of many other people.

Their secure belief in Jesus and his teachings enabled them to speak confidently and effectively. Even in the face of persecution, they were compelled to speak what they knew was true, and the movement continued to grow. The spiritual hunger of the people they met needed to be fed and the spirit within those audiences quickly latched onto what they learned to be truth.

Many did not want Christianity to expand any further and ordered them to stop speaking in the name of Jesus. Their reply recorded in Acts 4:19-20 was, "Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God's sight to obey you rather than God. For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard." Because they saw first-hand the things Jesus did, they had very strong convictions about the message Jesus wanted them to spread.

Christianity survived and spread because of the resurrection of Jesus Christ and the power of God's Holy Spirit. Paul writes to the church in Thessalonica: "...our gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction..." (I Thessalonians 1:5).

The world today has accepted diversity and has attempted to educate others about their culture and religious beliefs with the exception of Christianity. Even though Christianity is the largest religion in the world, the mention of the name of Christ is forbidden in many schools and at national events. The entertainment industry has shunned any accurate religious portrayals, or the use of the name of Jesus in their productions in spite of the immense popularity of such pictures as the "The Passion of Christ". Religious persecution is steadily growing against Christianity.

It seems that the more strongly the world protests hearing the name of Jesus, the more clearly it shows he is alive and active on earth. He is a powerful force in the lives of his followers who wait in eager expectation for the fulfillment of the Bible prophecies that have been predicted about his second coming when every knee will bow and every tongue will confess the name of Jesus. (Philippians 2:10-11)
-by Aubrey Gibson-

This research paper was written by my granddaughter two years ago. I was looking through files and found it and was very impressed by the way she organized the facts she found and made them work together to tell about "Christianity". I'm sure she got an A+. I know the Lord was proud of her time and effort she spent researching.

Lord, Teach us to Pray - Author ANDREW MURRAY

1828-1917

Author of over 250 books, he was the minister at the Dutch Reformed Church of Wellington (South Africa) from 1871 to 1906, and lived there until his death in 1917.

His vision for winning Africa for Christ led him beyond the borders of Wellington. Missionaries from Wellington penetrated into the heart of Africa.

He was a proponent and at the forefront in founding schools both of education for girls, and of Higher Education for women.

And it came to pass, as He was praying in a certain place, that when He ceased, one of His disciples said to Him, Lord, teach us to pray. Luke 11:1

THE DISCIPLES HAD BEEN WITH CHRIST, AND SEEN HIM pray. They had learnt to understand something of the connection between His wondrous life in public, and His secret life of prayer. They had learnt to believe in Him as a Master in the art of prayer-none could pray like Him. And so they came to Him with the request, `Lord, teach us to pray.' And in after years they would have told us that there were few things more wonderful or blessed that He taught them than His lessons on prayer.

And now still it comes to pass, as He is praying in a certain place, that disciples who see Him thus engaged feel the need of repeating the same request, `Lord, teach us to pray.' As we grow in the Christian life, the thought and the faith of the Beloved Master in His never-failing intercession becomes ever more precious, and the hope of being Like Christ in His intercession gains an attractiveness before unknown. And as we see Him pray, and remember that there is none who can pray like Him, and none who can teach like Him, we feel the petition of the disciples, `Lord, teach us to pray,' is just what we need. And as we think how all He is and has, how He Himself is our very own, how He is Himself our life, we feel assured that we have but to ask, and He will be delighted to take us up into closer fellowship with Himself, and teach us to pray even as He prays.

Come, my brothers! Shall we not go to the Blessed Master and ask Him to enroll our names too anew in that school which He always keeps open for those who long to continue their studies in the Divine art of prayer and intercession? Yes, let us this very day say to the Master, as they did of old `Lord, teach us to pray.' As we meditate we shall find each word of the petition we bring to be full of meaning.

May God open our eyes to see what the holy ministry of intercession is, to which, as His royal priesthood, we have been set apart. May He give us a large and strong heart to believe what mighty influence our prayers can exert. And may all fear as to our being able to fulfill our vocation vanish as we see Jesus, living ever to pray, living and standing surety for our prayer-life.

`Lord, teach us to pray:

Blessed Lord! who ever livest to pray, Thou canst teach me too to pray, me too to live ever to pray. In this Thou lovest to make me share Thy glory in heaven, that I should pray without ceasing, and ever stand as a priest in the presence of my God.

Lord Jesus! I ask Thee this day to enroll my name among those who confess that they know not how to pray as they ought, and specially ask Thee for a course of teaching in prayer. Lord! teach me to tarry with Thee in the school, and give Thee time to train me. May a deep sense of my ignorance, of the wonderful privilege and power of prayer, of the need of the Holy Spirit as the Spirit of prayer, lead me to cast away my thoughts of what I think I know, and make me kneel before Thee in true teachableness and poverty of spirit.

And fill me, Lord, with the confidence that with such a teacher as Thou art I shall learn to pray. In the assurance that I have as my teacher, Jesus, who is ever praying to the Father, and by His prayer rules the destinies of His Church and the world, I will not be afraid. As much as I need to know of the mysteries of the prayer-world, Thou wilt unfold for me. And when I may not know, Thou wilt teach me to be strong in faith, giving glory to God.

Blessed Lord! Thou wilt not put to shame Thy scholar who trusts Thee, nor, by Thy grace, would he Thee either. Amen.

-Bits and Pieces from writings of ANDREW MURRAY-

For a Biography on Andrew Murray and a list of books free to read go to:
http://healingandrevival.com/BioAMurray.htm