Today’s Truth
“Then God said to Moses, ‘I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: I AM has sent me to you'” (Exodus 3:14 NIV).
Friend To Friend
One day, I was talking to a friend of mine on the phone. Her four-year-old daughter, Hope, who was supposed to be taking a nap, came walking in the room.
“What are you doing out of bed, young lady,” Lysa asked.
“I’m having my quiet time,” she responded matter-of-factly.
Hope plopped down on the couch with her “Bible” – the Sears Catalog.
Unfortunately, many view God as someone up in heaven Who doles out the goodies and see prayer as a time to place an order. But He is so much more.
A.W. Tozer wrote, “Nothing twists and deforms the soul more than a low or unworthy conception of God.” Our concept of God, our understanding of who He is and what He does, is of crucial importance. Inaccurate and unbiblical thoughts about God can block His power in our lives.
In the Old Testament, there are many names of God that describe His character: He is Elohim-the Creator, El Elyon-God Most High, El Roi- the God who sees, El Shaddai- the All-Sufficient One, Adonai- the Lord, Jehovah- the Self-Existent One, Jehovah-Jireh- the Lord will Provide, Jehovah-Rapha-the Lord who Heals.
When someone in the Old Testament had an encounter with God and learned something new about His character, that person often gave God a new name. Likewise, when we encounter God in our everyday lives, we will learn new and exciting aspects of His character. However, our perception of God should never be based on our experiences alone. God has given us the Bible to reveal His nature. Through that revelation, God releases His power in our lives – power that renews our minds and in turn, affects our actions and emotions.
Of all the names of God mentioned in the Bible, the one that is the most powerful is I AM. Moses asked God, “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ then what shall I tell them?”
God answered, “I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: I AM has sent me to you” (Exodus 3:13-14.) That name is so powerful that when Jesus answered the questioning Roman soldiers who were coming to arrest Him with the same answer, they fell over backwards (John 18:5). Whatever you need, dear friend, God is.
Oswald Chambers once said, “We act like pagans in a crisis – only one out of an entire crowd is daring enough to invest faith in the character of God.” How about you? Do you trust in the Great I AM today?
Let’s Pray
Dear God, You are the great I AM, and because of who You are, everything is as it should be. You always have been and You always will be. You had no predecessor and You’ll have no successor. There was nobody before You and there will be nobody after You. You are indescribable, incomprehensible, invincible, and irresistible. You are The Great I Am.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.
Now It’s Your Turn
Can you think of anything you need today that God cannot provide?
Today, make a list of all the names of God you can think of. I would love to hear them. Let’s share our answers on my Facebook page. And while you’re there, make sure to sign up so you can visit with other Girlfriends in God.