My Sanctifier and My Righteousness

The Holy Spirit is our Sanctifier and we are made righteous through Christ. Being a believer is truly a wonderful thing.

September’s Awakening, Day 17

“Speak also to the children of Israel, saying: ‘Surely My Sabbaths you shall keep, for it is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I am the LORD who sanctifies you. Exodus 31:13 NKJV   

 

            Yahweh-M’Kaddesh (or Jehovah-M’Kaddesh), is the “LORD my Sanctifier,” the One who imparts His Word and Law into my heart and makes me holy as He is holy. The Holy Spirit who indwells us is now truly our Sanctifier, as He imparts His guidance and direction to urge us onward to become holy vessels worthy of the Lord. Remember, sanctification is all about cooperation and allowing the Holy Spirit to do His work. Call upon the Lord to help you overcome your past, and walk each day in the newness of Him. Become the holy vessel that God designed you to be.

 

“Behold, the days are coming,” says the LORD, “That I will raise to David a Branch of righteousness; A King shall reign and prosper, And execute judgment and righteousness in the earth. In His days Judah will be saved, And Israel will dwell safely; Now this is His name by which He will be called: THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS. Jeremiah 23:5–6 NKJV

 

            Yahweh-Tsidkenu (or Jehovah-Tsidkenu), is the “LORD my Righteousness,” revealed in Jeremiah prophetically for Israel during the Millennial reign of Christ here on earth. Christ is the Branch of righteousness and King who will certainly rule the earth with all justice and peace. For Israel, they must wait till the Millennium for this to be realized, but for the church, all believers in Christ, this is realized for us now, as Christ’s righteousness is already imputed to us. We are made righteous through Him now, and His justice will soon rule this earth. Come quickly, Lord Jesus!

Author Web Page Link

http://www.christianfaithpublishing.com/books/?book=renew-my-heart-o-god-daily-devotions-for-healing-your-heart

My Healer and My Shepherd

God is your Healer and God is your Shepherd, but both require that you are following only Him. Make sure you willingly do not stray.  

September’s Awakening, Day 16

Now when they came to Marah, they could not drink the waters of Marah, for they were bitter. Therefore the name of it was called Marah. And the people complained against Moses, saying, “What shall we drink?” So he cried out to the LORD, and the LORD showed him a tree. When he cast it into the waters, the waters were made sweet. There He made a statute and an ordinance for them, and there He tested them, and said, “If you diligently heed the voice of the LORD your God and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have brought on the Egyptians. For I am the LORD who heals you.” Exodus 15:23–26 NKJV  

 

            Yahweh-Rapha (or Jehovah-Rapha), is the name God identifies Himself as the “LORD my Healer.” Soon after parting the Red Sea, God makes the bitter and probably toxic waters at Marah, fresh and clean and healing for the Israelites. Note, however, that in this passage continued healing comes at a contingent price—diligent obedience unto the Lord. Know that God has certain expectations of us too. He is our Healer and Physician, so never remiss in calling out His healing name.

 

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. Psalm 23:1 NKJV  

 

            Yahweh-Raah (or Jehovah-Raah), is the “LORD my Shepherd,” well known from David’s Twenty-Third Psalm, the Shepherd Psalm. This shepherd analogy is frequently used throughout the Bible, and connotes one who leads, cares for every need, protects, and continually watches over the flock. This is precisely how the Lord our God looks after and cares for us, to the point of sacrificing self for the protection of each valued member of His flock. The shepherd knows every sheep and the sheep know and follow only the shepherd. No matter what trouble life may bring, know that your Shepherd is right there with you, willing to sacrifice it all just for you. He will never leave you nor forsake you, for He has already laid down His life for you.

Author Web Page Link

http://www.christianfaithpublishing.com/books/?book=renew-my-heart-o-god-daily-devotions-for-healing-your-heart

 

My Peace and Host of Armies

God is your peace and He is the one who goes with you into the battles of life. You may be up against seemingly impossible odds, but you are certainly not fighting alone.

September’s Awakening, Day 15

Now Gideon perceived that He was the Angel of the LORD. So Gideon said, “Alas, O Lord God! For I have seen the Angel of the LORD face to face.” Then the LORD said to him, “Peace be with you; do not fear, you shall not die.” So Gideon built an altar there to the LORD, and called it The-LORD-Is-Peace. To this day it is still in Ophrah of the Abiezrites. Judges 6:22–24 NKJV

 

            Yahweh-Shalom (or Jehovah-Shalom), is the name that Gideon used to describe God after his encounter with the Angel of the LORD. We will discuss this in further detail in a later devotion, but for now understand that this is no ordinary angel of God, but is in fact the Son of God Himself, the pre-incarnate Jesus Christ, before He was made man. Thus, this is a direct encounter and visitation by God directly to Gideon (and there were many other such instances recorded in the Old Testament). Because it was thought that one could not be directly in the presence of God and live, Gideon was obviously overwhelmed, yet our God is the “LORD my Peace,” even in the most dire and death-defying situations. Call upon our God of Peace in your valleys of dismal despair.

 

Then David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 1 Samuel 17:45 NKJV

 

And when the servant of the man of God arose early and went out, there was an army, surrounding the city with horses and chariots. And his servant said to him, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?” So he answered, “Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” And Elisha prayed, and said, “LORD, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.” Then the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. 2 Kings 6:15–17 NKJV

 

            Yahweh-Sabaoth (or Jehovah-Sabaoth), our “LORD of hosts,” literally the innumerable angelic army of heaven. David calls upon the heavenly host to support him in his conquest of the giant Philistine, Goliath, just as the prophet Elisha did when the Syrians came to war against Israel. You may be the underdog, the unlikely, one against impossible odds—yet open your spiritual eyes and look around you and see the invincible and innumerable angelic heavenly host with horses and glistening chariots of fire that are all around you. No, you are not alone in life’s battles. Call upon the LORD of hosts.

Author Web Page Link

http://www.christianfaithpublishing.com/books/?book=renew-my-heart-o-god-daily-devotions-for-healing-your-heart

My Provider and My Banner

 

Did you know that very early in the Old Testament, God identified Himself as your Provider and your victory Banner? Keep your hand in the His hand and His provision and victory over your enemies is secure and assured.   

September’s Awakening, Day 14

And Abraham said, “My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering.” So the two of them went together. Then they came to the place of which God had told him. And Abraham built an altar there and placed the wood in order; and he bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, upon the wood. And Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. But the Angel of the LORD called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” So he said, “Here I am.” And He said, “Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.” Then Abraham lifted his eyes and looked, and there behind him was a ram caught in a thicket by its horns. So Abraham went and took the ram, and offered it up for a burnt offering instead of his son. And Abraham called the name of the place, The-LORD-Will-Provide; as it is said to this day, “In the Mount of the LORD it shall be provided.” Genesis 22:8–14 NKJV  

 

            Yahweh-Yireh (or Jehovah-Jireh), is the name used by Abraham to describe the “LORD my Provider”—and the ultimate provider of life and everything He surely is. Call upon the name of the LORD my Provider in your deepest, dire need. Instead of sacrificing everything that you have, your Provider has something nearby to supply your every need.

 

And so it was, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed; and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. But Moses’ hands became heavy; so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it. And Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. So Joshua defeated Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword. Then the LORD said to Moses, “Write this for a memorial in the book and recount it in the hearing of Joshua, that I will utterly blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.” And Moses built an altar and called its name, The-LORD-Is-My-Banner; for he said, “Because the LORD has sworn: the LORD will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.” Exodus 17:11–16 NKJV 

 

            Yahweh-Nissi (or Jehovah-Nissi), is the name that Moses used to describe God’s victory for Israel over the Amalekites, after Israel’s exodus from Egypt, on their way to the Promised Land. Moses’s hands lifted high to God, imploring for victory, was itself a banner and motivator for the people that God was surely with them. The “LORD my Banner” signifies God’s hand of victory over the enemy. The banner we think of is the national flag or flag designating a particular group of people, especially raised high and flying in victory over a battlefield. In ancient times, the banner was more of an emblem or ensign held high on a pole as the identification for the people. It is a symbol of allegiance to be rallied around, and with God as your banner, victory against every enemy is assured.

Author Web Page Link

http://www.christianfaithpublishing.com/books/?book=renew-my-heart-o-god-daily-devotions-for-healing-your-heart

The Personal Name of God—Yahweh/Jehovah and Adonai

Names have meaning and are powerful, especially biblical names. You know the names and “nicknames” of your friends, do you know the names of God and their meaning? Each name gives us another picture of our LORD God.    

September’s Awakening, Day 13

And God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And He said, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’ ” Moreover God said to Moses, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel: ‘The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you. This is My name forever, and this is My memorial to all generations.’ Exodus 3:14–15 NKJV

 

            “I AM WHO I AM,” or “I will be who I will be,” is the transliteration of the Tetragrammaton, the four Hebrew consonants denoting the personal name of God—YHWH. The Hebrew language has no written vowels—they are only pronounced through the knowledge of oral tradition. Hence, the best representation of the personal name of God is Yahweh. The Latinized version of YHWH was JHVH, which ultimately became transliterated as Jehovah. In Scripture, the personal name of God is most commonly transliterated as “LORD,” in all capitals, in the KJV and NKJV versions of the Bible. Oftentimes, we see “LORD God” together (or simply “Lord God” in most other translations), denoting the personal nature of God. Keep that nuance in mind as you read Scripture and God is revealing His very personal nature to you. It is tragically disappointing that most of our newer translations do not distinctly represent much of the true meaning and nuances of the Hebrew language.

 

So the LORD said to him, “Who has made man’s mouth? Or who makes the mute, the deaf, the seeing, or the blind? Have not I, the LORD? Exodus 4:11 NKJV 

 

            Adonai reverently means “Lord or Master” and was the name of God used instead of Yahweh at an early point in time when Yahweh became thought of as too sacred to be pronounced in any public fashion. Hence, Adonai was almost always substituted for Yahweh when praying or reading the Scriptures, but the connotation was the same as the personal name of God. Therefore, even though the Scripture read “Yahweh,” “Adonai” was spoken instead.

            In summary, Yahweh, Jehovah, and Adonai all reference the personal name of God. Yahweh is by convention the most appropriate, since it is the best direct transliteration of the original Hebrew. Good sheep know the Shepherd’s voice and His name.

Author Web Page Link

http://www.christianfaithpublishing.com/books/?book=renew-my-heart-o-god-daily-devotions-for-healing-your-heart

Living by the Spirit

Are you living victoriously each day? Are you living by His Spirit or living through each day in your own strength?  

September’s Awakening, Day 12

A general rule for the good use of time is to accustom oneself to live in a continual dependence on the Spirit of God.

 —F. Fénelon

Life in the Spirit is . . . to be a ceaseless personal response to the call and claim of Jesus in each new situation by the individual disciple from within the Christ-centered fellowship.

 —John V. Taylor

There is no human power that can replace the power of the Spirit.

 —Lewi Pethrus 

 

Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Galatians 6:8 NIV 

 

            Make your life its best and make each day its best—live by the Spirit every moment that you can. Living in the strength of self will never overcome all the obstacles and difficulties of this life. You need Him. You cannot effectively do it on your own and succeed with victory. Wake up each morning with a fresh start with the Spirit and keep that connecting bond throughout the day. Your life will be more peaceful and ultimately much more successful.

Author Web Page Link

http://www.christianfaithpublishing.com/books/?book=renew-my-heart-o-god-daily-devotions-for-healing-your-heart

United in Spirit

We are all in this together, so make sure you’re doing your part. Be the strongest link in the chain.  

September’s Awakening, Day 11

All of us who have received one and the same Spirit, that is, the Holy Spirit, are in a sense blended together with one another and with God. For if Christ, together with the Father’s and his own Spirit, comes to dwell in each of us, though we are many, still the Spirit is one and undivided. He binds together the spirits of each and every one of us, and makes all appear as one in him. For just as the power of Christ’s sacred flesh unites those in whom it dwells into one body, I think that in the same way the one and undivided Spirit of God, who dwells in all, leads all into spiritual unity.

 —Cyril of Alexandria

We share in the divine nature through our sharing of the Spirit.

 —Athanasius

His task is to bring about the unity of the human race in the Body of Christ, but he also imparts to this unity a personal, and hence diversified, character.

 —John Meyendorff

The Holy Spirit not only unites us, but also ensures our infinite diversity in the Church.

 —Kallistos Ware 

 

But whoever is united with the Lord is one with him in spirit. Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 1 Corinthians 6:17, 19 NIV 

 

For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. Ephesians 2:18; 4:3–6 NIV

 

            All believers are united through Christ and the Holy Spirit. In that sense, we are all spiritually entwined with God and each other. There is great power, of course, in unity. Together, working for the kingdom, we can accomplish the most and be eternally effective in bringing about God’s will. Although we are in unity, we are each uniquely distinct and diverse—just as God made us and intended us to be. Celebrate our unity and rejoice in your individuality. Be the best you can be for yourself and for all.

Author Web Page Link

http://www.christianfaithpublishing.com/books/?book=renew-my-heart-o-god-daily-devotions-for-healing-your-heart