Tell Me Who

3 I have not learned wisdom, nor have I knowledge of the Holy One. 4 Who has ascended to heaven and come down? Who has gathered the wind in his fists? Who has wrapped up the waters in a garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what is his son’s name? Surely you know!

Proverbs 30:3-4 (ESV)

As I was looking at these verses of scripture it struck me that as Agur son of Jakeh was writing this he would not know or understand much more than you or me about God than what had been shown or taught him by the scriptures of the Old Testament. He would have seen God portrayed by many names;

Yahweh meaning The Lord or Creator

Jehovah also meaning The Lord

Jehovah-Elohim meaning the Lord is God

Jehovah -Elyon meaning The Lord God Most High

Jehovah-Jireh meaning The Lord Will Provide

Jehovah-Repheka meaning The Lord is My Healer

Jehovah-Tsidqenu meaning The Lord is Our Righteousness

Jehovah-Tsebaoth meaning The Lord of Hosts

Jehovah-Nissi meaning the Lord is Conqueror

Jehovah-Shalom meaning The Lord is Peace

Jehovah-Shamah meaning The Lord is There

Just to name a few of the names God is known by each of these names brings into focus a certain characteristic of God’s personal nature. When we know and understand this we better understand what He is capable of in our life. When we pray we need to understand and believe that he is able to do what we are calling on him for. Often this is why are prayers are ineffective and seem to go nowhere because we truly do not understand the power He possess. In our life today as Christians we are called to pray in only one name and that name is above all names being equal with God; Jesus Christ, has the authority of all these names in His one name but if we do not understand the character of God than we will not understand the power in Jesus’ name.

9  Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Philippians 2:8-11 (ESV)

18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.

Matt 28:18 (ESV)

The wonderful part of this is we know the name of the Son and the name of Father just as Agur asked in the proverb He desired to know and he has opened our minds to that same desire. I want to leave you with a quote from the GI Joe cartoon series from the 1980’s and it is simply “Knowing is half of the battle” as we grow to understand the character of God we will better understand the power found in the name of Jesus Christ and in this we will find assurance when we pray in His name for our needs and those around us. Have a blessed day as we walk in the light of God’s Word.

Faith in the Name

3-22-12

16 “Through faith in the name of Jesus, this man was healed—and you know how crippled he was before. Faith in Jesus’ name has healed him before your very eyes.

Acts 3:16 (NLT)

16 And his name—by faith in his name—has made this man strong whom you see and know, and the faith that is through Jesus has given the man this perfect health in the presence of you all.

Acts 3:16 (ESV)

When we walk through life as a Christian we often hear and see individuals who will tell us we have to have faith if we desire to see God work miracles in our own lives and those around us. This is true and many times we fail to grab hold of this idea and we find ourselves wondering if healing is possible. You know the word healing is not just about the physical body. It also applies to our relationships, finances and any other area in your life that brings you pain or sorrow. Do you see in this passage something that we often overlook? The man who was made well; he was not healed because of his own faith but because of Peter and John’s faith. They brought healing to this man not for their glory but to bring glory to Jesus. Sometimes I look at those who are working for God and wonder if they have forgotten who they serve and what God has done for them. Humility is something that seems to be dying in our churches today. It is alright to have pride in ones accomplishments but at what cost. Is it worth causing your brother to stumble; will you be willing to stand before God on the Day of Judgment and receive what you are owed. We must always remember where our strength and power really comes from.  As Christians we do nothing in our own power and our name will not ever save or heal someone. It requires we have faith in the name of Jesus and only in His name can people be made whole. Today who are you drawing your strength and power from? Is your hope found in what you can do or is it based on the faith you have in Jesus the only Son of God? I challenge you to be humble in your walk and allow Jesus to be who others see and experience in all that you do. I saw a T-shirt yesterday that I really liked; it said on the front; “Be like the moon”, on the back it said, “Reflect the Son” that is all we are really able to do. Live humbly, walk confidently and love passionately  as you walk in the light of God’s Word.