God: Lesson 4 - Yahweh

YAHWEH

The position or rank that God gave Himself when forming the nation of Israel was "Yahweh". The Great "I AM" revealed to mankind that He was in perpetual existence without boundaries of time, space, mass, force or energy. These are the 5 basics of physical science. Our God, the "I AM" is beyond the physical boundaries in which we live.

To be in tune with Him, we must learn, as Moses did, to seek His Presence. Moses sought God and found His glory, His Shekinah, the glorious, brilliant, shining manifestation of the divine presence which allows man to visualize a messanger from God without being destroyed (Acts 7).

As members of the Lord's (Adonai) Body, the church we should be a company of believers with one purpose – to practice presence by opening our hearts to the will of God step by step and moment by moment. As one of the Christian disciplines, practicing presence helps us to see the big picture in the scheme of God Almighty’s Plan.

PRACTICING PRESENCE

(1) Practice being more conscious of God every minutes of the day. Be able to say as Cornelius, “We are now here in the presence of God”.

(2) Practice confident expectation. Be able to say with the prophet and psalmist, “My Lord will hear.”

(3) Practice praising His every day work in our lives. Be able to declare as Isaiah, “Lo, this is our God…this is the Lord.” (this is NOT luck or good fortune)

(4) Practice humbling ourselves to walk in His will. Be able to say as James commanded, “Instead, you ought to say, ‘If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that’”

SHARE with the group what you discovered this week as you "practiced presence".

RESOURCES:

(1) The Names of Jesus from  http://www.tentmaker.org/lists/
(2) Names of Jesus: http://vimeo.com/1591680

·         Advocate - 1 John 2:1

·         Almighty - Revelation 1:8

·         Alpha - Revelation 1:8

·         Amen - Revelation 3:14

·         Angel of the Lord - Genesis 16:7

·         Anointed One - Psalm 2:2

·         Apostle - Hebrews 3:1

• Author and Perfecter of our Faith - Hebrews 12:2
• Beginning - Revelation 21:6
• Bishop of Souls - 1 Peter 2:25
• Branch - Zechariah 3:8
• Bread of Life - John 6:35,48
• Bridegroom - Matthew 9:15
• Carpenter - Mark 6:3
• Chief Shepherd - 1 Peter 5:4
• The Christ - Matthew 1:16

·         Comforter - Jeremiah 8:18

·         Consolation of Israel - Luke 2:25

·         Cornerstone - Ephesians 2:20

·         Dayspring - Luke 1:78

·         Day Star - 2 Peter 1:19

·         Deliverer - Romans 11:26

·         Desire of Nations - Haggai 2:7

·         Emmanuel - Matthew 1:23

·         End - Revelation 21:6

·         Everlasting Father - Isaiah 9:6

·         Faithful and True Witness - Revelation 3:14

·         First Fruits - 1 Corinthians 15:23

·         Foundation - Isaiah 28:16

·         Fountain - Zechariah 13:1

·         Friend of Sinners - Matthew 11:19

·         Gate for the Sheep - John 10:7

·         Gift of God - 2 Corinthians 9:15

·         God - John 1:1

·         Glory of God - Isaiah 60:1

·         Good Shepherd - John 10:11

·         Governor - Matthew 2:6

·         Great Shepherd - Hebrews 13:20

·         Guide - Psalm 48:14

·         Head of the Church - Colossians 1:18

·         High Priest - Hebrews 3:1

·         Holy One of Israel - Isaiah 41:14

·         Horn of Salvation - Luke 1:69

·         I Am - Exodus 3:14

·         Jehovah - Psalm 83:18

·         Jesus - Matthew 1:21

·         King of Israel - Matthew 27:42

·         King of Kings - 1 Timothy 6:15; Revelation 19:16

·         Lamb of God - John 1:29

·         Last Adam - 1 Corinthians 15:45

·         Life - John 11:25

·         Light of the World - John 8:12; John 9:5

·         Lion of the Tribe of Judah - Revelation 5:5

·         Lord of Lords - 1 Timothy 6:15; Revelation 19:16

·         Master - Matthew 23:8

·         Mediator - 1 Timothy 2:5

·         Messiah - John 1:41

·         Mighty God - Isaiah 9:6

·         Morning Star - Revelation 22:16

·         Nazarene - Matthew 2:23

·         Omega - Revelation 1:8

·         Passover Lamb - 1 Corinthians 5:7

·         Physician - Matthew 9:12

·         Potentate - 1 Timothy 6:15

·         Priest - Hebrews 4:15

·         Prince of Peace - Isaiah 9:6

·         Prophet - Acts 3:22

·         Propitiation - I John 2:2

·         Purifier - Malachi 3:3

·         Rabbi - John 1:49

·         Ransom - 1 Timothy 2:6

·         Redeemer - Isaiah 41:14

·         Refiner - Malachi 3:2

·         Refuge - Isaiah 25:4

·         Resurrection - John 11:25

·         Righteousness - Jeremiah 23:6

·         Rock - Deuteronomy 32:4

·         Root of David - Revelation 22:16

·         Rose of Sharon - Song of Solomon 2:1

·         Ruler of God's Creation - Revelation 3:14

·         Sacrifice - Ephesians 5:2

·         Savior - 2 Samuel 22:47; Luke 1:47

·         Second Adam - 1 Corinthians 15:47

·         Seed of Abraham - Galatians 3:16

·         Seed of David - 2 Timothy 2:8

·         Seed of the Woman - Genesis 3:15

·         Servant - Isaiah 42:1

·         Shepherd - 1 Peter 2:25

·         Shiloh - Genesis 49:10

·         Son of David - Matthew 15:22

·         Son of God - Luke 1:35

·         Son of Man - Matthew 18:11

·         Son of Mary - Mark 6:3

·         Son of the Most High - Luke 1:32

·         Stone - Isaiah 28:16

·         Sun of Righteousness - Malachi 4:2

·         Teacher - Matthew 26:18

·         Truth - John 14:6

·         Way - John 14:6

·         Wonderful Counselor - Isaiah 9:6

·         Word - John 1:1

·         Vine - John 15:1

God: Lesson 3 - El Shaddai

Covenant Maker & Keeper

This week we will be studying the Highest Almighty Covenant God. We learn to trust Him to much more than we can ever even imagine. We will learn that He is predictable in His faithfulness, goodness, loving kindness and as a promise and covenant keeper.  He acts on perfect values and never disappoints His followers.

The Old Testament is full of stories that exhibit God's supernatural ability to keep His promises to men. In Genesis 17 we see a promise made to Abraham to become the father of nations. God identifies Himself as El Shaddai (The Almighty). Abraham was weak and God was Almighty. This is how the glory of God is revealed to man, in our weaknesses.

With Covenants Come Blessings:

When God makes a covenant with His people, He gives them a new name, (Abram to Abraham; Children of Darkeness to Children of Light), a new spirit, inheritance, mission, purpose, home, and new hope. God's covenant relationship with Christians empowers us to live a new life, with enlightened eyes, strengthened by His Spirit (Eph 1 chapter), and given new hope, wisdom, righteousness, new Kingdom and new body, the church.

With Covenant Comes Responsibilities:

When God calls us through His son, He changes our descriptions of ourselves. Eph 5:8 tells us that we were once in darkness but now are children of light. Galatians 4:7 says we were once servants of sin and now sons and heirs of the Father. 1 Peter 2:10 explains that we are now a nation of God's own people.  But God requires something from us in order for us to participate in the covenant. Colossians 2:11-12 says that we must die to self and be buried as Christ as buried with faith in the working of God in that baptism (burial). We have the responsibility to BELIEVE in God's operation on our eternal being during our death, burial and resurrection to a new life in Christ Jesus.

What work does God do in baptism? God provides everything in baptism. Just as in the baptism of His son, He claims us as His child, imparts His Holy Spirit (Luke 3:21-22), and gives us a ministry of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:18).

Moses, Abraham, Noah, Adam, and Christians all have had covenants with God. In a covenant relationship man does not have to be perfect. Thanks be to God that we have been given grace and it abundantly! However, our responsibilites are to stay in a close, loving, trusting relationship with our convenant maker. We accomplish this by trusting and relying daily on Him to provide. He is the Almighty God and He is able.

REFLECTION: How do we demonstrate a convenant relationship with the Almighty God?

This week our lesson is about El Shaddai….the Highest Almighty Sovereign who is known to Abraham as the Covenant Maker and Keeper. If we believe in the power of the Almighty God then we should be able to overcome all fear of rejection and know that God works through our weaknesses for His glory.

ASSIGNMENT

Your assignment is to take one of the following challenges and be ready to share it next Wednesday evening.

Choose to share with someone one of the following:

(1) The deeper meaning of being in a covenant relationship with the Almighty

(2) Help someone understand the meaning of submitting to the washing of regeneration through faith in the Covenant God

(3) The spiritual blessings (Eph 1) we receive through faith in the power of God working in our baptism into Christ (Col 2:12)

If we are in covenant relationship, just as in a marriage, we don’t keep that relationship a secret. In fact, we might want to meditate and re-read – 1 Timothy 6:12 (click here)

RESOURCES:
(1) Join this Community and download FREE inspirational books from great Christian Authors. http://www.ccel.org/  Example: Search for Andrew Murray and download his books in PDF format for free.
(2) Read Ephesians Chapter 1 and describe the spiritual blessings we recieve as we walk in convenant relationship with God through Christ.