Mentoring Minutes

“I will make Your name known among all generations; Therefore the peoples will praise You forever and ever.”   Psalm 45:17

El Tsaddik – The Righteous God (Isaiah 45:21)

Today’s first Name for God should give us tremendous encouragement as we find it in Isaiah 45:21. Isaiah is prophesying how God will, in the future, use a pagan king, Cyrus, to accomplish His will! He speaks of God’s Supreme Power and then He, God Himself, declares through Isaiah that He alone is God and that at some point every knee will bow and every tongue will proclaim allegiance to Him (give Him the honor He alone is due)!

In the middle of God’s declaration there in v. 21 He calls Himself “EL TSADDIK – THE RIGHTEOUS GOD.” I believe He does this because He wants to let Israel, and all who will believe on Him, know that everything He does is righteous. There is no unrighteousness in Him and no unrighteous act that He ever does!

Even though He is righteous and we were created for relationship with Him our sin broke that relationship. We look for it through the law, our fleshly desires, and through other created things but can never find the fulfillment because we are unrighteous…but for Christ! He is our righteousness!

Christ is our “EL TSADDIK – THE RIGHTEOUS GOD” to all who believe on Him. The Righteous God, in Christ, became our sin and unrighteousness so that those who put their faith in Him would become righteous (1 Corinthians 1:30; 2 Corinthians 5:21)!

Again, how can we not praise Him, that even though we could never be righteous in and of ourselves and our feeble efforts, Christ has made it so for all who will believe in Him as Savior and walk with Him as Lord. He has justified us (“just if I’d” never sinned), sanctified us (daily shaping and molding us by faith through grace) just as He saved us and put us in a right relationship with God by making us righteous, and is glorifying us as we live for His Glory!

Where are you in your standing with God? Are you still trying to stand on your own righteousness? Have you received all that Christ has done in making you righteous before God? You can be in relationship with The Righteous God because you are righteous in Christ!

Jehovah Moshi’Ech or Yasha – God Our Savior and Jehovah Go’el – God Our Redeemer (Isaiah 49:26; 60:16)

We’ve spent much time seeking out and looking at the Names of God given through David in the Psalms and now through Isaiah. If you remember from recent devotions Isaiah is written in two sections. The first part is mainly warnings to Judah of the coming disaster for their sins and rebellion against God.

The second part is largely dealing with Messianic prophecy. It is here that we find one of the last Names of God in Isaiah. There are actually two names we will look at both found in Isaiah 49:26 and 60:16. Being very relevant to proclaiming the Messiah makes them very pertinent to us.

The whole chapter of Isaiah 49 is about God’s ultimate and complete salvation that will reach the ends of the earth. Obviously this is done in Christ the Messiah!

In v. 26 He proclaims that He is “JEHOVAH MOSHI’ECH or YASHA – GOD OUR SAVIOR.” These names are variants of Yeshua – God Who Saves and certainly point to Christ’s coming and our salvation. The new Name found here is “JEHOVAH GO’EL – GOD OUR REDEEMER” again pointing to Christ and helping us better understand that salvation includes redemption…from sin, self, evil, death and hell!

In Isaiah 60:16, he uses the very same names in proclaiming that ultimate salvation and victory that Christ will bring in the glorified Zion…the New Heaven and Earth…when Christ has set all things right and we will reign with Him. He is JEHOVAH MOSHI’ECH/YASHA AND GO’EL…OUR SAVIOR AND REDEEMER!

What an incredible and great God to come to us in Christ the Messiah as JEHOVAH MOSHI’ECH/YASHA AND GO’EL…OUR SAVIOR AND REDEEMER and both save us from our sins and redeem us back from all that self and sin had relegated us to…death and hell!

In Galatians 3:13-14, Christ is JEHOVAH GO’EL – GOD OUR REDEEMER and in Luke 2:11 and John 4:42 He is clearly proclaimed as JEHOVAH MOSHI’ECH or YASHA – GOD OUR SAVIOR!

PTL for His salvation and redemption for all who will put their faith (not just mental assent but lived out faith) in Christ! Have you?

Jehovah Ma’ozi – God My Fortress (Jeremiah 16:19)

With these Names in mind we look at our final Name of God for today’s post found in Jeremiah 16:19 we have a very reassuring Name of God as you enter into the hope and the unknown of each and every new day. In this chapter, as with many of the prophets of the OT, Jeremiah is declaring the destruction and distresses that Israel, in their wickedness, had invited on themselves. God was simply being faithful to His Word to show them the Truth of their evil choices.

After spending most of this chapter telling them that they would face the consequences of their sins, Jeremiah closes with the encouraging prophetic word that God was their strength, He is “JEHOVAH MA’OZI – GOD MY FORTRESS!”

What incredible encouragement as we face life with all the hopes, dreams, difficulties and unknowns. Jesus is our JEHOVAH MA’OZI – GOD MY FORTRESS who is always with us, will always protect us and has saved us for eternity even as we may face trials and troubles each day!

Jesus as our Fortress means that He is our security, protection, strength, shield, rock, literally that He encircles us and keeps us from anything that can harm us. While we live in a fallen world and face the evil and sin of those around us and our own struggles and sin, Christ is faithful as our Fortress to keep us secure in Him (Jude 1:24-25; Romans 8:31-39).

This does not mean that we will not face trials, struggles, sin, brokenness, disease and pain…these are all part of a fallen world and fallen people. BUT it does mean that He will keep us secure in Him and present us before God as faultless and blameless… what a wonderful God He is and a great Fortress – JEHOVAH MA’OZI – GOD MY FORTRESS!

Are you sure and secure in Christ? You can be! Let us know at Love and Lordship if you have questions or would like to know more?

Love and Lordship…Food for Thought – He is El Tsaddik – The Righteous God that none of us could approach apart from Him becoming our sin and unrighteousness in Christ and making us Righteous. He is Jehovah Moshi’ech or Yasha and Jehovah Go’el – God our Savior and Redeemer. Finally, He is Jehovah Ma’ozi – God My Fortress! All of this made possible and a reality only in Christ!

Love and Lordship…Action Item –

1. Read the Scriptures in this article and ask The Holy Spirit to teach you.
2. Write down what each of the Names of God in this post mean to you. 
3. List at least one specific way that God has shown Himself to you in one of the Names in this post.
4. Why is it so important that Christ as The Righteous God become sin and unrighteousness to make us righteous?

Contact us at Love and Lordship to find out more about how you can know God the Father, Christ His Son and The Holy Spirit and The Lord God.

Check out this week’s Love & Lordship Mentoring Minute Video

“In God we make our boast all day long, and we will praise your name forever.”  Psalm 44:8

Immanuel – God With Us (Isaiah 7:14)

First of all a very Merry CHRISTmas to you and yours in The CHRIST of CHRISTmas! No this is not CHRISTmas in June, it’s simply that our first Name of God this week is The Name that makes everything possible for us.

It is an incredibly unique Name and the most personal Name of all as it encompasses all that God did in sending Himself in the form of His Son to us and what we celebrate at CHRISTmas and hopefully throughout our lives in Him!

The Name is first found in Isaiah 7:14 and is not only given but defined…it is “IMMANUEL – GOD WITH US!” How powerful and reassuring is this Name! Those under the Old Covenant could never know fully what this meant until in the fullness of time God came in the form of Christ as a Babe, The Highest of Kings in the lowliest of settings to redeem us, to save us, to set us free (Galatians 4:3-4)! Think about that…not just at CHRISTmas time but always!

Isaiah’s prophecy came true in that perfect timing as read in Luke 2:4-7 and Matthew 1:21-23 where God gave Him the Name Jesus…God Saves and literally the Name “IMMANUEL – GOD WITH US!” Not just with us…He became us to save us!

Think about this with regard to this name…if Christ never came as IMMANUEL – GOD WITH US none of the other Names and related character of God would mean anything. Savior, Shepherd, King, Lord, Healer, Redeemer, Father, Counselor, Friend, Prince of Peace and on and on would mean absolutely nothing because it was in His coming to us, as us, that He could restore and redeem us back into a right relationship with Himself.

Without IMMANUEL we would have nothing because we would have no relationship with our great God. Because He came and because he became us we can know Him and have all that He is and that He gives to us!

Thank You, Father, for coming to us in Jesus as “IMMANUEL – GOD WITH US to save us. Without IMMANUEL in the manger there would be no empty cross or empty tomb. Praise God that He came and Merry CHRISTmas in June!

El Yeshuati – God my Salvation (Isaiah 12:2)

Having explored the Names of God found in the Advent and Incarnation of Christ as expressed in Isaiah’s beautiful and reassuring prophecy in 9:6, we continue with the great prophet as he reveals more of God’s Names to us. The next one we will look at is in Isaiah 12:2 and should remind us of what we all need more than anything…”El Yeshuati – God my Salvation!”

The Book of Isaiah is generally broken up into two segments… Chapters 1-39 and then Chapters 40-66. The first section is largely prophetic warnings during the last days of the Northern Kingdom of Israel for them to turn personally and collectively (nationally) back to God. Woven in these dire warnings is the Hope of the coming Messiah and ultimately that Savior and Salvation of Israel (and all peoples – all who believe in Christ).

This is where we find Isaiah proclaiming that thanksgiving in Chapter 12 and in particular thanks to “El Yeshuati – God my Salvation!”

As already pointed out, Isaiah is not only calling the people of Israel to repentance for past and present sin but pointing them to the ultimate Salvation found in Christ who is “El Yeshuati – God my Salvation!” Yeshua is the Hebrew Name for Jesus – God Who Saves.

This is found no more poignantly or powerfully than in Acts 4:12 when Luke declares that it is in the very Name of Jesus alone that we find Salvation! How much more plain does it need to be stated that Isaiah proclaims one of God’s Names as literally Salvation and then Christ’s Name is given as the only Name for Salvation. PTL!

Paul takes it to the next level in 1 Corinthians 3 when he’s writing about how we are to live out that salvation in right living and states in vv. 10-11 that the entire foundation for this “saved life…and living” is found in no other than Christ.

Have you received Jesus Christ as “El Yeshuati – God my Salvation?” Are you daily walking in that salvation in the only Name that it can be found…Jesus Christ?

El Mishpat – God of Justice (Isaiah 30:18)

The final Name for this post is one that we all love to know but often have difficulty receiving it according to God’s design and perfect Truth. We desire it our own way as is evidenced by the success of many movies and stories that proclaim the world’s idea of this character trait.

This Name of God is revealed in Isaiah 30:18 as “EL MISHPAT – GOD OF JUSTICE.” Referring back to our own and the world’s concept of justice we find it rooted in our own selfish will and desires. God’s Justice is rooted in His perfect righteousness, holiness and wisdom and includes His perfect grace and compassion. While it is not always easy we can always trust His Justice just as Isaiah shared with the Israelites in the southern kingdom of Judah when they were seeking protection and justice in Egypt knowing the Assyrians were coming against them.

Isaiah declared that God is “EL MISHPAT – GOD OF JUSTICE” and that is where they (and we) should seek true justice and protection.

Christ is our “EL MISHPAT – GOD OF JUSTICE” as He came specifically for that purpose. He came as God in the flesh so that in sacrificing that flesh…dying on the Cross…He made us Just before God The Father. He satisfied God’s wrath against sin…our sin…so that we could stand justified is God’s presence. God in Christ became both Just in what He did and justifier in making us holy and righteous for all who believe in Christ. He truly is our “EL MISHPAT – GOD OF JUSTICE.”

Are you believing in your own sense of justice as those in Judah were doing by choosing Egypt over God? Are you trying to justify yourself in any way by the Law and your fleshly desires (Egypt)? The Only way we are just before a perfect God of Justice is in Christ as “EL MISHPAT – GOD OF JUSTICE.” Place your trust in Him as He has already made you just before God by His grace as you believe by faith. He alone can save, protect and make things right and just for you and for all who believe in Him.

He not only is the Only One that can save us but He is the Righteous Judge (2 Timothy 4:1, 8)…the God of Justice!

Love and Lordship…Food for Thought – So, Merry CHRISTmas in June? No always because of Immanuel – God With Us in Christ who became us. Why is this so important because as He is also El Yeshuati – God My Salvation and in Yeshua or Jesus, we have the only Name whereby we can be saved. To wrap it up we find God as El Mishpat – God of Justice. What more Just Judge can we have…He is The Righteous Judge in Christ, who became us to save us!

Love and Lordship…Action Item –

1. Read the Scriptures in this article and ask The Holy Spirit to teach you.
2. Write down what each of the Names of God in this post mean to you. 
3. God becoming Human in Christ and to become My Salvation and My Judge. How does this combination of Names reassure you of all that God is for you?
4. Which of these Names speaks most powerfully to you and why?

Contact us at Love and Lordship to find out more about how you can know God the Father, Christ His Son and The Holy Spirit and The Lord God.

Check out this week’s Love & Lordship Mentoring Minutes

“And those who know Your name will put their trust in You, For You, Lord, have not abandoned those who seek You.”  Psalm 9:10

Sar Shalom – Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6)

As we continue this week with the Names of God we find one more in the beautiful prophecy in Isaiah 9:6, and it is the most comforting of Names, “SAR SHALOM – PRINCE OF PEACE.”

Many wonder today why the world is full of chaos and brokenness if God is “SAR SHALOM – PRINCE OF PEACE” and Christ came to reveal that to us. We speak and sing about it at CHRISTmas but then often fail to experience it in our day-to-day lives or see it as people, marriages, families, even churches, and the world crumbles around us.

None of this changes the Truth that God in Christ is “SAR SHALOM – PRINCE OF PEACE.” Oswald Chambers reflects that often those in the world see Christians and wonder why they don’t face the same difficulties and struggles that others do, i.e., why they seem to be always at peace? However, when we peel back the layers and see that the Christian’s life is made up very much of the same day-to-day struggles and trials, others begin to wonder where the peace comes from? What a great testimony!

Jesus Himself stated as “SAR SHALOM – PRINCE OF PEACE” that He had come to give us peace (John 14:27; 16:33) but explicitly stated that it would not be the kind of peace (everything has to be calm…no chaos) that the world gives and clamors for. We live in a fallen, broken world among fallen, broken people. The only peace that does any good is the reconciliation that Christ came to give us…to put us back into a relationship with God. When you know and are by faith, firmly in the relationship…that is SHALOM or PEACE!

Jesus as “SAR SHALOM – PRINCE OF PEACE” also stated that He did not come to bring peace but a sword (Matthew 10:34)!?! How do we reconcile these statements? Simply put, Jesus knew that the “peace” of the world was false and that He had to bring a sword against any and all “peace” (false sense of peace) that was rooted in the world and flesh so we could know the peace of being reconciled to God…true peace in “SAR SHALOM – PRINCE OF PEACE!”

This is why He came. Do you seek for a peace that can never be found in this world? Or are you receiving the Shalom (wholeness) of Christ that freely gives you a relationship with Him and God The Father…this is the only true peace.

I pray that you know Him and know Peace today. Let Him strike down every peace in this world that is not of Him and rooted in His Truth and Love so you can know His real Shalom and the Peace that comes with it!

Moshel – Ruler (Micah 5:2)

We have wrapped up the four beautiful and royal Names of God (and Christ) found in Isaiah 9:6, there are still precious Names that reveal His Truth and Love character to us especially at CHRISTmas.

Today we look at another incredible prophecy in Micah 5:2 in which God as “MOSHEL” or Ruler, in this case over Israel. Micah prophesied that out of Bethlehem would come a ruler over Israel (Moshel).

In Matthew 2:4-6 we see the fulfillment of this prophecy in Christ as that “MOSHEL” or ruler over Israel!

What an incredible story that God weaved throughout history and with the people, leaders, towns and times to bring about His perfect Son in His perfect timing and plan for our salvation (Galatians 4:4).

The question in all of this remains…Is Jesus the Ruler of your life? If not I pray that you will seek Him and seek out someone to help you know Him as Savior and Lord.

Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh – I Am That I Am (Exodus 3:14)

As we think about all these incredible Names of God and what they mean to us as we seek to know God more and more, there is one Name that perhaps stands out above all the others…if that is possible.  This Name is revealed in the Old Covenant and it encompasses all that God is. It is given to Moses in Exodus 3:14 when He asks for God to give Him a Name he can share with the Israelites because they will ask and want to know His Name.

God’s reply is simple and profound, mysterious and comforting, powerful and all-encompassing. He declared “Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh – I Am That I Am.” Even more encouraging is that it is also translated, “I Will Be What I Will Be” meaning that He truly is our All in All! That’s what He was declaring to Moses and to the Israelites and that has never changed. That is who He is to us today!

John in his unique and enlightening gospel account brings this Name of God to us in Christ in John 1:1, 14. John tells us that The Word (Logos – another name for God/Christ as the creative and self-existent Word that created and sustains all) was with God and was God and has always existed with and as God…”Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh – I Am That I Am!”

How awesome that John would reveal to us in His version of the “CHRISTmas” story that God in Christ and Jesus as God was, is and always will be our All in All…I Am That I Am…I Will Be What I Will Be!

Are you struggling and searching for meaning and purpose in your life? Our Great God in Jesus our Savior and Lord can satisfy all you will ever need.

Love and Lordship…Food for Thought – Sar Shalom – The Prince of Peace gives us a peace that passes understanding because it is a wholeness or completeness found only in Him…even in the midst of the chaos. Moshel or Ruler declares that He is over all but will only rule in your life if you willingly choose to submit to Him as such. And, Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh – I Am That I Am/I Will Be What I Will Be has shown us over and over again that God The Father, Son and Holy Spirit is the All in All and is our All in All if we make that choice for Him to be so in our lives.

Love and Lordship…Action Item –

1. Read the Scriptures in this article and ask The Holy Spirit to teach you.
2. Write down what each of the Names of God in this post mean to you. 
3. Peace, Ruler, I Am That I Am may seem to be at times contradictory to us in our fleshly thinking. How do these come together in your life?
4. Which of these Names of God, maybe all three, have had the greatest impact in your life of late and how?

Contact us at Love and Lordship to find out more about how you can know God the Father, Christ His Son and The Holy Spirit and The Lord God.

Check out this week’s Love & Lordship Mentoring Minute Video