Word of the Week: Yahweh Rophe

This week I'm living in Chicago Illinois. I'd never spent the night here (that I can remember) until this Monday evening, and now, I live about 1/4 of a mile from the Magnificent Mile at Moody Bible Institute. I am doing my one week of classes at school for the semester of homework I'm doing on my own at home. I'm taking a class called "Biblical Theology of the New Testament" and I'm learning so much my brain might just explode. So, partly for this reason, and partly to have a good excuse to introduce you to another student, and partly to give that student a chance to show her stuff, the Word of the Week is brought to you by Angie.
I see Angie more each week than any other student because she is SO involved at TCF -- and TCF is BLESSED by her presence and service. Praise the Lord for her!! And please check out what she's got to say:


Yahweh Rophe (yah- WEH ro- FEH)

Have you ever had a broken heart? Broken spirit? A headache? Or anything else that need healing? Well, let me share with you the perfect remedy!


Rophe is the Hebrew word for “heal”, “cure”, “restore”, or “make whole”. God revealed himself as Yahweh Rophe, “the LORD who heals”; to his people shortly after they left Egypt for the Promised Land. The Hebrew Scriptures indicate that God is the source of all healing. Not only can he heal the body but the mind and soul as well. He can heal everything from sin to apostasy and the aliments that come from living in a world with evil in it.

In the Old Testament, God smites people for their sins to wake them up to their spiritual danger. Yet, he quickly restores them when they repent. A good thing to ask God is to help us see the link between obedience and health, physical and spiritual.

Yahweh Rophe is “the LORD who heals” and he showed us this when he sent his only son down to us. “The New Testament reveals Jesus as the Great Physician, the healer of body and soul, whose miracles point to the kingdom of God.” When God allowed Jesus to die for us on the cross, Jesus took on not only our sins but all our infirmities as well; completely making us whole inside and out.

The healing Jesus offers today is not merely physical and therefore temporary. His miracles are far more penetrating, like his word, “dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12).

There is a lot of pain in this world and sometimes it is difficult to be strong and believe. We need to remember to hold fast to Yahweh Rophe and ask him to reveal himself as “the LORD who heals us.”

Do you believe?

Jeremiah 17:14- “Heal me, O LORD, and I will be saved, for you are the one I praise.”

Word of the Week: Adonai

Hello Everyone! This week I am preparing for my week of school at Moody Grad. School. I'm taking Biblical Theology of the New Testament, modular style -- which means that I do most of the work at home, go to class for one week, and finish up the work at home. Next week is my week there and the BIG DEAD LINE for a LOT of homework, which I'm behind on. So I'm taking this opportunity to practice delegating! This week, we get a very special blessing from one of the students at Titan Christian Fellowship! I hope to use this (and future opportunities of more purposeful delegation) to introduce you to a few more students and their spectacular mental and spiritual capacities :)

This is Keith's Word of the Week contribution:

Adonai

Lord, Master

“That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved” -Romans 10:9

I can remember back in sophomore year of high school when I first accepted Jesus as my Lord and savior. I remember getting down on my knees crying and pouring out my heart to Jesus. I cried out to Jesus and gave him everything that was on my heart that night to the point where I gave him my life. I’ll never forget that night and I remember it so clearly to this day. It was the first time I ever gave my life over to somebody and become a servant to them. So what does this story have to do with the God name Adonai? You’ll have to keep reading to find out!

Adonai (a-do-NAI) is a Hebrew word that means Lord Master. Adonai is also the plural form of the word Adon. The word Adon, according to herbrew4christians.com, derives from a Ugaritic word meaning Lord or Father. Adon is used often as a term of respect and always refers to people. Adonai therefore refers to Lord in the sense of an owner or master. The first time in the Old Testament that Adonai is used is in Genesis 15:2 when God makes a covenant with Abram. In this verse Abram refers to God as “Lord God” (or “Sovereign Lord” in other translations) which refers to both Yahweh and Adonai. In the New Testament, the Greek word most often translated Lord is Kyrios.

The story above is a great example of Adonai. When you accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior (as I did in the story) you are confessing that He is Adonai. You are trusting Jesus as your Lord and you are a servant to Him. It was the biggest release I ever had knowing that God is master and Lord over my life. I was filled with so much joy that week that people in school sometimes didn’t know who I was! I was a completely different person and eventually my “old self” faded away. When Jesus is Lord of your life you will truly see changes happen for the better as you serve Him.

Part of Adonai that many believers forget is that we are called to serve the Lord. That word “serve” or “servant” sometimes scares people. Many people have a very hard time being a servant; even more people have a hard time being a joyful servant. Sometimes that way of thinking prevents us from doing what is God is calling us to do, which is to serve others. Ann Spangler puts it really well in saying that sometimes we treat “God as though he was some kind of celestial butler who should use his divine powers to further our plans.” Doing things to benefit yourself usually doesn’t benefit you at all. What do I mean by that? Well, if you do things to benefit yourself, outside of God’s plan for your life, you are not only hurting your relationship with the Lord but you are also cutting off yourself from God’s blessing that he had for you. The Lord’s blessing is far greater than anything this world could ever give you (I know that from experience) and not only benefits those you were serving but you also grow in your relationship with the Master himself!

Jesus is the best example of someone who didn’t do things his own way. He was Lord but he was also a servant to the Father. Philippians 2:5-11 states that
“Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature of God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death- even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

Jesus could have easily taken himself off the cross, but He didn’t and became sin so that we would not perish. He remained a servant to the Father and did God’s will to the end. Jesus is now seated at God’s right hand “far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.”- Ephesians 1:21 (NKJV) Because of His faithfulness to God’s will, Jesus has not only been blessed but has also brought that blessing to us who believe in Him! If we become a servant to the Lord and make Him Lord over every area of our life, we will start seeing God in a truly beautiful way as our relationship grows deeper and deeper with the Master. And in the process of a deeper relationship, we will have blessings like never before!

The Lord wants to draw near to each and every one of us! How awesome is that? All we need to do is surrender every aspect of our lives to Him. Not just 75 percent or 99 percent of your life, but all of it. So many times (in the Bible and in our lives) we don’t give God everything we hold on to as if we can keep some stuff secret from God. My friend that is not trusting the Lord with everything you have, but is actually a way for Satan to get a foot in the door. Once that happens, you start living a double life and your relationship with the Lord is hindered. Instead give it all to God. If you have to get on your knees, raise your hands, shout, cry, whatever it is you have to do, don’t hold back and pour out your heart. Confess all the things keeping you from giving it to the Lord and then let it go. Don’t let fear take root and cast it out, Jesus died so that you can have love not fear! Praise Adonai and give thanks to Him as you go out and serve Him.

Some final thoughts about Adonai is that every day we should worship and thank Him for all the things he has done in our lives and for His amazing love. Also, pray that the Lord uses you and that you are faithful to whatever he is calling you to do. Everyone can do something for the Lord no matter how big or small. Here are some verses that contain Adonai in them that will help.
Nehemiah 4:7-18, Psalm 16:2, 73:25-26, 54:4, 62:11-12, 86:15, 110:1, 136:3, Isaiah 6:1-8, Luke 17:7-10, Thessalonians 5:16-18

Word of the Week: El Shaddai

El Shaddai
The All Sufficient God.

“I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” Phil. 4:13

The first time God reveals this name for himself is in Genesis 17:1, where YHVH (“Yahweh,” which is the personal name of God – the one that denotes his mercy and condescension to us) said to Abram: "I am El Shaddai. Walk before me and be blameless, that I may make my covenant between me and you, and may multiply you greatly." What does that mean?? What does this new name have to do with Abram, or ME, walking blamelessly and a covenant and multiplication?

According to hebrew4christians.com, no one is really sure where “El Shaddai” is derived from. It could be from the root verb “shadad” that means “to overpower” or “to destroy.” In this understanding, the Name is usually translated “God Almighty” and can be understood in his omnipotence. But it could also be a contraction of the phrase, “I said to the world, dai (enough),” as in “it would have been sufficient.” God created the world, but “stopped” at a certain point, leaving it incomplete and imperfect because he wanted us to exercise chesed (love) in repair of the world. But Jacob’s blessing in Genesis 49:25 “indicates that Shaddai might be related to the word for breasts (shadaim), indicating sufficiency and nourishment…. In this case, the Name might derive from the contraction of sha ("who") and dai ("enough") to indicate God's complete sufficiency to nurture the fledgling nation into fruitfulness. Indeed, God first uses this Name when He refers to multiplying Abraham's offspring (Gen. 17:2).”

So we see that this personal God, Yahweh, is not just demanding that I be perfect and blameless all on my own. He is inviting me into a relationship where He is sufficient for me. As I walk before Him in faith, He is Enough who makes me perfect and blameless. Not only is Enough for me in my weakness, but He is Sufficient to do the work of multiplication Himself – whether that is in regards to descendents or ministry or whatever He desires me to accomplish.

Anne Spangler comments, “Sometimes it’s easier to believe in the power of Shaddai on a grand scale – creating the universe, sustaining it through time, reigning over the centuries – than it is to believe in his power to keep one simple promise.” We can believe in Him as the God who created the universe or caused a virgin to be pregnant or raises people from the dead. But it is much harder to trust Him daily when He promises that He “is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it” (1 Co. 10:13).

El Shaddai is the Name to remember when you are beyond your own power to resist temptation (it might be wise to remember it before you get to that point, too!). He is not only able to help you bear up under temptation, He is completely sufficient for you.

There may be pain, confusion, struggle, and difficulty along the way, but El Shaddai is able and willing to work even these for the good of those that love him – those that walk before Him in faith. Nothing can prevent El Shaddai, our Almighty God, from carrying out his plans – trust Him, and be watching for His blessings.

Check these verses out:
“For since the law has but a shadow of the good things to come instead of the true form of these realities, it can never, by the same sacrifices that are continually offered every year, make perfect those who draw near…. When [Christ] said above, “You have neither desired nor taken pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and sin offerings” (these are offered according to the law), then he added, “Behold, I have come to do your will.” He does away with the first in order to establish the second. And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” Hebrews 10:1, 8-10

“But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” 1 Corinthians 12:9

El Shaddai can also be found in these verses: Gen. 28:3; 35:11; 43:14; 48:3; 49:25; Exod. 6:3; Num. 24:6; Ruth 1:20; Job (various references); Psa. 22:10; 68:15; 91:1; Ezek. 1:24; 10:5; 23:21 etc.

(References: ESV Study Bible, Anne Spangler’s Praying the Names of God, and www.hebrew4christians.com)

Word of the Week: El Olam

El Olam (EL o-LAM)

Do you ever feel like you are running around in this world, not sure where you’re going or why? Do you think you know God pretty well, or are you serving a set of rules taught at church without really understanding? Who are you in the light of who God is? Should your relationship to God really make a difference in who you are? What’s the significance of your life, anyway? Read Psalm 90, it may shed some light.

In verse 2, Psalm 90 says “from everlasting to everlasting, you are God.” This “everlasting” is translated from the Hebrew word “olam,” which means “eternal, “forever,” “ancient,” “universe” or “everlasting time and space.” “El Olam” is the Hebrew name for the God who was God prior to creation and who will still be God when it is gone. He has no beginning and no end. He will not cease to be God – He is not growing in godliness, nor is His godliness diminishing. The word “olam” also applies to His love, His plans, covenant, laws, promises, and His kingdom – all of which stand firm forever.

In contrast, however, the life of man – even the longest life possible (the oldest man ever was 969 years old)— is brief compared to God’s longevity. In Psalm 90, the life of man is compared to a watch in the night, a dream, a flood, and grass!! Not only this, but our lives tend to be full of toil and trouble, separated, as we are, from God and the purpose He created us for. We are utterly insignificant apart from Him!

Anne Spangler points out that Psalm 90 (and most of the rest of Scripture) teaches that “wisdom comes, not from living a long life, but from numbering our days aright, which is another way of reminding us that death could come to us anytime, anywhere, at any moment.” This could be a depressing, horrifying, or debilitating thought! But for someone who has faith in the everlasting God, this perspective helps to keep us humble and focused – we recognize our limitations and believe that every day matters. The significance of our lives then, comes from living each day dependent on El Olam, allowing Him to satisfy us, to make us glad, and to “establish the work of our hands” – to make what we do in pursuit of God’s calling WORTH something (Ps 90:14-17).

So, what IS our worth? We are creatures loved by an Everlasting God. And we are saved and kept by Him to be eternally loved. Spangler questions, “Is it any wonder that the Eternal God wants a people he can love eternally? Is it so hard to fathom that God’s love is stronger than death? Is it impossible to believe what can happen to souls created to be wide and deep enough for God to dwell in?” Our worth, then, is found solely in God, for all of eternity. Then, “let it be said of us, not that we died laughing (great as that might be), but that we died loving, trusting our eternal future to the everlasting faithfulness of God” (Spangler).

But how about here on this earth? It’s all well and good to be loved by God now and forever, but what about what I am doing here and now? What does knowing and loving and being loved by God look like while I’m still HERE? “Perhaps the challenge is not only to believe that those who belong to Jesus are destined for heaven but to live in a way that expresses heaven as your deepest longing, your true home” (Spangler). This might still seem a little vague, but pray and seek after God as you try it out, and it will become clear: act for the love, honor, and glory of God in everything you do. If something you are doing is done for any other purpose, it will be a chasing and striving after the wind (see the book of Ecclesiastes!). Acting with the Love of God in mind will help focus your actions only on what God wills and what is for the best benefit of His Kingdom (including you!). Not only will he bless you immensely out of his pleasure in you, but he will “establish the work of your hands” giving it significance on this earth, and in eternity.

When you read the Bible, ask these questions: “What does this say about God?” “What does it say about me?” “How can I live this out to show Him my love for Him?”
Bank on this: There is nothing in the universe as solid as God’s plans. Psalm 33:11 says that the “purposes of his heart stand firm forever,” and because of that, and knowing that the purpose of His heart is to save those that love him, we can simply focus on loving Him and trusting Him to work out His plans. So, even if you’re not sure you’re doing the right thing, or if it has turned out to be harder than you imagined, be confident that when the created world passes away, Jesus (the Alpha and the Omega) will be there to raise you up because El Olam has given you worth and your life eternal significance.

“Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock.” Is 26:4

(References: ESV Study Bible; Praying the Names of God, by Anne Spangler; hebrew4christians.com)

Word of the Week: Yahweh Yireh

Yahweh Yireh (yah-WEH yir-EH)
Last week’s Word was God’s Name “El Roi,” the God who Sees. He sees our present situation, our past hurts, our future destination. He is the God who sees EVERYTHING that we are, and loves us anyway. Remember FB Meyer’s quote, “Wherever we go He precedes and brings up the rear; we are beset by His care behind and before.” Because God is omniscient (able to see the future as well as the past and the present), he is able to anticipate and provide for what is needed. The Name of God that corresponds to this idea is “Yaweh Yireh” or, more commonly translated as “Jehovah Jireh,” the Lord will Provide.
The Hebrew word raah (RA-ah, from which both “yireh” and “roi” are derived) means “to see.” In the case of Genesis 22, the story of God testing Abraham’s faith by asking him to sacrifice his only son, it is translated as “provide.” The English word “provision” is made up of two Latin words: “pro” meaning before hand, and vision, meaning “to see.” When you pray to Yahweh Yireh, you are praying to the God who sees the situation beforehand and is able to provide for your needs.
Check it out for yourself: Read Genesis 22:1-14.
Anne Spangler (Praying the Names of God) asks, if we have “ever considered [this story] from God’s point of view? Watching the man and is son, did God feel something tearing at his heart, knowing that what he asked but did not require of Abraham – the sacrifice of his only son – he would one day require of himself?” She sheds a little more light on the story also, “Moriah, the site of Abraham’s thwarted attempt to sacrifice his son, has been traditionally associated with the temple mount in Jerusalem. Today Mount Moriah is occupied by a Muslim shrine called the Dome of the Rock. Jesus, whom John the Baptist called “the Lamb of God,” is thought to have been crucified just a quarter mile away from Mount Moriah. It was there that Yahweh Yireh provided the one sacrifice that would make our peace with him.” See John 1:29, and Isaiah 53 (especially verses 6-8).
Here’s another excerpt from Anne Spangler:
What kind of God would ask a man to do this? What kind of man would obey?? The questions betray our ignorance. Seeing the story through human eyes, we miss the point and fail to see what it means to be God and what it means to be human. Why would God ask for such a sacrifice? Because he knows there is no other way for us to learn that he is God. When we put something on the altar, sacrificing it to him, we acknowledge two things: that he is God, and that we are not God. This is the worship we need to offer, the worship that will allow us to experience his provision for our lives.
Each of us will be faced with Abraham’s dilemma, perhaps many times in our lives. In our case, it won’t be a matter of physically placing a child on an altar, but it may mean placing a child in God’s hands, forswearing our tendency to be a little god to that child, trying to control her universe and to keep her safe. If not a child, then something else – a relationship, a career, a gift, a dream. Whatever it is, if we offer it to God as Abraham offered his only son, we will begin to know God as Yahweh Yireh, the Lord who provides everything we need.

Reference: Praying the Names of God by Anne Spangler

Word of the Week -- El Roi

El Roi – The God who Sees.

Check it out for yourself: Gen. 16, 21:8-21; 2 Chronicles 16:9, Ps. 33:13-15, 18-19, 139; Mt. 6:3-4

Interestingly, while the idea of God watching over us is found throughout the Bible, the Name “El Roi” is found only once. I suggest you read the story, found in Genesis 16. Here are some interesting tidbits that you might not get from the text:
Hagar was an Egyptian slave. She was brought up in a culture that worshipped Egyptian idols – gods that could be seen but that could not see. The idea of a God who takes a personal interest in His creatures may have been completely unfamiliar to her. Or, perhaps she would have known of Abram and Sarai’s God, but would not have considered herself a part of His providence.
Note in the story that blame can be placed everywhere: Sarai and Abram weren’t able to wait for God to fulfill His promise to them, so they involved Hagar. Hagar was haughty to Sarai after she conceived. Abram encouraged Sarai to do whatever she wanted to her slave. Sarai mistreated Hagar.
When The Angel finds Hagar, He not only knows her name, who she is, and where she is, but has a plan for her, a promise for her and her child, and knows her future.
The Angel of the Lord is probably God Himself – most likely the Person of Jesus taking on human form even before the incarnation. In the Old Testament an angel of the Lord is simply one of the angels, but THE angel of the Lord is God Himself. Take a closer look: Gen. 16:13 says, “So she called the name of the Lord who spoke to her, “You are a God of seeing,” for she said, “Truly here I have seen him who looks after me.”
After this encounter, it’s no wonder Hagar is willing to return and submit to her mistress. This is a GOOD God, one who is powerful, interested, gentle, and caring.

El Roi, “the God who sees,” bears the connotation of One who sees everything and loves anyway. This is not the cruel God who watches, waiting with thunderbolts to destroy anyone who steps out of line. FB Meyer in Our Daily Walk, says “Wherever we go He precedes and brings up the rear; we are beset by His care behind and before.” He also notes that in Ps. 139, a Psalm all about how God sees and knows us, the tone is one of rapturous gladness. Meyer says, “It is the prerogative of friendship to love the presence and thought of a friend….”

But there’s still a naggling question, isn’t there? If God sees and God is good, why is life so hard?? Even Hagar and Ishmael were sent away from Abraham’s camp again – this time to nearly die of thirst, despite the promise spoken directly to her by El Roi (see Genesis 21).

Sometimes God allows us to bear the weight of persecution or to face a particular trial. And yet Jesus set the example: we are to “take His yoke, and bear it as He did; remain where God has put us, till He shows us another place; and bear what He ordains and permits.” How?? By believing that “what God permits is as much His will as what He appoints. Behind Sarah's hard dealings we must behold His permissive providence. Through all the discipline of life we must believe that God has a purpose of unfailing love and wisdom” (Meyer).

R.C. Sproul in “The Character of God” writes, “God knows that even in all of these afflictions there is the potential to bring Him glory. Remember that because God is sovereign, if what occurred in our lives (or is occurring right now) did not have the potential to conform us to the image of His Son, then He would not have allowed it to occur but He would have intervened. This should give you great peace in the midst of the storm, an inner peace that comes from the fact that He is the God Who sees and that He has not missed any of the events in our lives…the peace is that He knows.”

Praise God!! He knows YOUR whole story and is working something GOOD in YOU.

(References ESV Study Bible, FB Meyer,“Our Daily Word”; R.C. Sproul “The Character of God”; Anne Spangler, Praying the Names of God.)

Word of the Week -- Elohim

Elohim is the Hebrew word for God that appears in the very first sentence of the Bible. “In the beginning, Elohim created the heavens and the earth” (Gen. 1:1)…

Check it out for yourself: In each of these verses the word “God” (capital G, lowercase –od) is translated from the Hebrew “Elohim”: Genesis 1:1; 1:26-28; 28:10-22; 35:1-8, Psalm 102.

“Elohim (e-lo-HEEM) is the plural form of El or Eloah, one of the oldest designations for divinity in the world. The Hebrews borrowed the term El from the Canaanites. It can refer either to the true God or to pagan gods. Though El is used more than 200 times in the Hebrew Bible, Elohim is used more than 2500 times” (Spangler, p 15). According to Hebrew for Christians (www.hebrew4christians.com), the variation of El to Elohim is unique to Hebrew thinking. It is masculine and plural, but does not mean “gods.” It is most often used with singular verb forms, adjectives and pronouns (see Genesis 1:26). Ann Spangler, in her book Praying the Names of God, states that the plural form is used to denote the “majesty of the one true God. He is the God of gods, the highest of all.” Further understanding of this strange combination of plural and singular comes with the later revelation of the plurality within the Godhead; three Persons, one Being – the Trinity.

Elohim means Creator and Judge. This ancient name for God contains the idea of His creative power as well as his authority and sovereignty.
“The Holy One, Blessed be He, said to Moses, ‘You want to know my name? I am called according to my actions. When I judge the creatures I am Elohim, and when I have mercy with My world, I am named Adoni” (Ex R. 3:6, see The Names of God Introduction for an attempt at an explanation of what Ex R. is).

Think about this:
Elohim, the mighty sovereign creator, could have created a world VERY different from what He did. Gravity might not work; animals could ALL be ugly and dangerous; humans (or whatever) could be automatons, incapable of love or any meaningful interaction. “Have you ever wondered why the world you take for granted is often so stunningly beautiful?” wonders Spangler (p 19). Have you ever wondered how it is that you were created to be able to sense and interact with and enjoy creation? Why you can usually trust a chair that you can see and feel to hold you up when you sit on it?

Praise God! Not only did He create the world and everyone in it but continues to sustain it through his creative power. Think about the world in a new way, and offer thanks to Elohim: He has blessed you with the good things of the earth. Do you have a tendency to take God’s earthly blessings for granted? Confess that to Him. (Spangler, p 21.)

Apply it:
What do you think it means to be created in “the image of God”?
So often we miss life’s beauty because we are preoccupied by its flaws. But God seems delighted by what he has made, proclaiming it good and even very good. How does God’s assessment of Creation shape your own attitude toward the world? Toward yourself?
As human beings we need constructive change because both we and the world we live in are imperfect. We are not yet everything God intends us to be. Perhaps you face unwelcome changes…? Let the God who is the same yesterday, today, and forever steady your world today. Whatever challenge or change confronts you, let it drive you toward the God who never changes, a God so stable and strong you can lean on him forever. (Spangler, p 17-24).

(Sources: ESV Study Bible, Praying the Names of God, by Anne Spangler)