The Blessed Life #1: Blessed Beyond Our Wildest Dreams

There is a well-known account of a man who spent all his life searching for silver in the mountains of the Old West. This man’s search became an obsession to the point that both his wife and children left him. When the man died a handful of people came to bury him under his cabin as were his last instructions. This cabin was all the man had left. As the people dug the man’s grave, a lustrous gray material began to appear. This location became known as the largest silver vein in California history. The miner had been a millionaire all his life, but he had never been able to claim his wealth, because he was looking in the wrong location.

My question to you is, are you looking in the wrong location for your wealth? The Bible says that we are spiritual billionaires because of Christ' death and through a personal relationship with Christ.

“All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ” (Eph. 1:3 NLT). God gives us Christians, His adopted children, the best blessings imaginable. What’s more, God’s blessings do not rot, rust or decay. Even though we may neglect them, or fail to claim them, no one can take them away. One day our lives and even this world will pass away, but our souls and the blessings which God has for us will never go away.  However, we must first be looking in the right location and second claim what God has already given us.

These blessings are scattered throughout His Word, the Bible. Take for example Ephesians 1:3-14. As I briefly looked through these few verses, I discovered 18 spiritual blessings.  As I mentioned, this is just a start.  There are numerous more listed throughout Scripture that can be our treasures for this life and beyond.

Therefore, I want to encourage you to claim the blessings which God has for you. These blessings are new every morning. These blessings enable us to live above the trials of this life. Yes, we do experience storms in this life; however, God enables us to live above the clouds regardless of our circumstances when we look to Him. Apart from Christ we are nothing; in Him we have “every spiritual blessing.”

Charles Spurgeon said, “We are rich as Christ is rich, when we are united to Him by the living bond of faith.” Therefore, I want to encourage you to claim the marvelous gifts which He has especially for every one of us, for God has just the right gift that you require in your time of need. Thus, I want to encourage you to live the blessed life.

In His service,

        Matt 

Elder's Corner: The Love of Someone Special

What is love?  Maybe for some of you it is simply a dream.  Some people think of love as a feeling, others as simply lust.  Some of you have loved as long as you can remember, while others of you can’t remember experiencing loved.

The Bible teaches us that love is patient, kind, giving, and forgiving (see 1 Cor. 13).  Love is an action that a person chooses to do or not to do. You can choose to show love or withhold your love.  As Valentine’s Day approaches, you have a choice to remember that special someone in your life.  Remember also that God’s love is there for you every day and He wants you to share His love.  Is there something you can do to demonstrate your love for Him this Valentine’s Day as well?

Do not neglect to love those people that God has put in your life, but also do not neglect to love Him.  If you have never felt God’s love, grab a Bible and read Luke chapters 22-24 and see what He did for YOU.

In Christ’s Love

Tim

God Revealed #3: It’s all in the Name

Names mean a lot to people.  Our name is the one that we most listen for.  Whether your name is Huxley, Miggy, Sophia or Jacob, each has a special significance. Maybe your parents chose your name based on someone in their ancestry, or someone significant in their lives, or because of its special meaning or sound. I know for my wife and I, we have specifically chosen our son’s name – Samuel based on its meaning, ‘Heard of God’ and the account in Scripture behind it; our prayers for a child have been heard by God.

Rarely in the Bible will you find a name which doesn’t mean something significant. A few common examples are the names David (“Beloved”), Naomi (“Pleasant”), Elijah (“Yahweh is my God”), Daniel (“God is my judge”), and John (“Yahweh is a gracious giver”). 

Over time, we develop a reputation or name for ourselves based on our behavior, and those we hang around.  As a result of this, people can be given nicknames, like Stinkweed, Shorty, etc.  Thus, there are several ways our names have special significance to us and to others.  What kind of name are you making for yourself?

Likewise, as you read through Scripture, you will discover that God Himself has several names. However, all of the names of God recorded in the original Hebrew Old Testament and the Greek New Testament point to some attribute of God.  Each name has significance not only to the one who initialed called Him by it, but also to generations who came after. 

For example, God chose to send Moses to act as His spokesman to free His chosen people, the Israelites from their slavery in Egypt. This caused Moses to ask God what His name is. God responded by saying that His name is “I AM.” The name Yahweh/Jehovah is a form of this Hebrew verb, “I AM.” At first glance, one may think that this is an odd name, but what it points to is of great significance. By God referring to Himself as the “I AM” (Yahweh/Jehovah); He is declaring His eternal nature. He has always existed and will always exist. He is the personal, loving, and loyal God who is always true to His word (Mal. 3:6; John 8:58-59).  

Yahweh/Jehovah/I AM (LORD): He is the Eternal, personal, covenant LORD	Elohim/El/Theos (God): He is the Creator of the universe
Adonai/Kurios (Lord): He is the absolute Owner	Yahweh-Shalom: the LORD is our peace
Jehovah-Jireh (Provider LORD): He provides our needs	Yahweh-Tsidkehu: the LORD is our righteousness
El-Shaddai (God Almighty): He is all powerful and all sufficient	El Elyon (God Most High): He is above all things
El-Olam (Everlasting God): He is unchangeable	Yahweh-Nissi: the LORD is my Banner—He fights for His people
El Roi: the God who sees and knows all things	Immanuel: God is with us
Yahweh Elohim (LORD God): He is Holy and Sovereign	Yahweh-Rohi: the LORD is my Shepherd
Father: He loves and cares for His children	Wonderful: Jesus fills our hearts and minds with amazement
Counselor: Jesus has the wisdom we need	Mighty God: Nothing is too difficult for Jesus
Everlasting Father: Jesus is the Father of Eternity	Prince of Peace: Jesus fills our lives with true peace
Jesus: the LORD saves	Logos (Word): Jesus is the Message of life and salvation
Son of Man: Jesus is God in the flesh (100% man)	Son of God: He is equal with the Father (100% God)
Holy Spirit: the presence of God living in believers	Comforter: the Spirit grants us peace through the storm
Helper: the Spirit wants to help us at all times	Convicter of Sin: the Spirit convicts all people of sin
Spirit of Truth: the Spirit guides believers in truth	Witness: the Spirit testifies about the believer’s relationship with God

One of the most common names for the Deity in the Bible is the Hebrew name, Elohim, (El for short), and the Greek version of it Theos. These names are simply translated as “God.” However, their meaning is vastly more significant than that in the Bible.

God (Elohim/Theos) is the Creator of all creation (Gen. 1:1). This name speaks of the One who formed each and every one of us while we were in our mother’s wombs. He is the Sustainer of all things. He holds all things together. If God ceased to be, then so would everything else.

This name also speaks of One who is holy (Lev. 19:1-2), perfect (Matt. 5:8), faithful (Rom. 3:3), the ultimate promise keeper (Rom. 9:6-8), wise (Rom. 16:27), totally righteous (2 Cor. 5:21), and loving (1 John 4:8).

And this name speaks of the One who is Sovereign. God the Father said to Jesus, “Your throne O God, will last forever and ever, and righteousness will be the scepter of Your kingdom” (Heb. 1:8). God’s names are significant!

The chart on page 1 gives a brief summary of God’s names and what they mean. I encourage you to spend time studying Scripture, noting all of the names of God you can find. Some of these names Scripture applies to all 3 persons of the Trinity (Father, Son—Jesus, and Holy Spirit), while others are applied to only one of the members of the Godhead.

Therefore, to say that God only has one name, for example, Jehovah, is to completely reject certain names which God is clearly called in the Original, and it minimizes the greatness of the One True God.  It doesn’t take long of studying the names of God to recognize that He is beyond our comprehension. This may bother some of us; however, if you and I could fully understand God, then how great would He truly be?

One could spend their entire lives just seeking to grasp all that is revealed about God and never fully comprehend the awesomeness of our God. He is greater than we could ever imagine. He is too wonderful for words to describe Him. He is big enough to handle any problem which we encounter and yet He is loving enough to care about our smallest concerns.

More of Him, less of me,

     Matt