"God of... " - A Summary

As we finish our long-running “God of…” series, in which we learned many aspects of God’s character, majesty, and authority, I would like to take the time to summarize the past three and a half months of study.

Over the sixteen weeks we learned that God is the God of…

…hosts – stated 49 times in Old Testament, 9 of those in Amos (example: Psalm 89:7-8)

…heaven – found 17 times in Old Testament, 2 times in New Testament (example: Ezra 6:10)

…my salvation – found 11 times in the Bible (example: Psalm 18:46)

…peace – found 6 times in New Testament (Romans 16:20, 2 Corinthians 13:11, Philippians 4:9, 1 Thessalonians 5:23, Hebrews 13:20-21, “Lord of peace” found in 2 Thessalonians 3:16)

…gods – found 5 times in 4 passages (Deuteronomy 10:17, Joshua 22:22, Daniel 2:47 and 11:36)

…the earth – found 3 times in the Bible: in the beginning (Genesis 20:3), in the middle (Isaiah 54:5), and at the end (Revelation 11:4)

…glory – found 2 times in the Bible (Psalm 29:3-4 and Acts 7:2-3)

…justice – found 2 times (Isaiah 30:18, Malachi 2:17)

…comfort – found 2 times (2 Corinthians 1:3-4, Romans 15:4-6)

…my life – 1 time (Psalm 42:8)

…my strength – 1 time (Psalm 43:1-2)

…my righteousness – 1 time (Psalm 4:1)

…mercy – found 2 times, both in Psalm 59 (please read the whole psalm to see them, it’s very good!)

…hope – 1 time (Romans 15:13)

…all grace – 1 time (1 Peter 5:10)

…recompense – 1 time (Jeremiah 51:56b)

…truth – 2 times in one verse (Isaiah 65:5)

…holy prophets – 1 time (Revelation 22:16)

Side note: One verse I did not include in the study is Matthew 22:31b-32, where Jesus asks, “…have you not read what was spoken by God, saying, ’I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.” (NKJV)

I hope you have discovered new aspects of God that help you to praise Him with your whole heart, humble you to seek and serve Him with your whole being, and motivate you to honour Him all your whole life!

You can do it! So can I!!   

"God of... truth... the holy prophets"

    This week we will look at two aspects of God: He being the God of truth (2x in Isaiah 65:16) and the God of the holy prophets (Revelation 22:6).

“So that he who blesses himself in the earth shall bless himself in the God of truth; and he who swears in the earth shall swear by the God of truth; because the former troubles are forgotten, and because they are hidden from My eyes.” (Isaiah 65:16 NKJV)  

    The context in which this verse is found God describes “My people who have sought Me” (65:10) and those who “forsake the LORD” (65:11) and what their lives will be like.

    Those who have sought the LORD and seek to do His will to the best of their ability after returning from captivity will realize God’s mercy in renewing them and not holding their past against them, their past that led them straight into captivity in both a physical and spiritual sense.

    Today we can read this verse and see the enduring truth that those who have sought the LORD and seek to do His will to the best of their ability, who repented of (turned away from) their sins and were baptized for the remission of their sins (Mark 16:15-16, Acts 2:37-38, Romans 6:1-14), realize God’s mercy and grace in renewing them (Ephesians 4:20-24) and not holding their past against them, their past that led them straight into captivity in a spiritual sense (Romans 6:15-23, 1 John 3:8; 5:18-20).

    God is the God of truth. The Hebrew word behind “truth” is one that is very familiar to every one of us: ‘amen’ – did you know you were speaking Hebrew every time you finished a prayer?  Amen means so be it; it is a declaration that all the praise you have spoken about God is true and it also proclaims your confidence in God’s ability to hear what you have said and to do what is best with what you have requested.

    When ‘amen’ is used in this Isaiah passage it would read like this: “…he who blesses himself in the earth shall bless himself in the God of so be it; and he who swears in the earth shall swear by the God of so be it….”

    Simply put: If God says it, it will happen (Numbers 23:19, Joshua 21:45; 23:14, Ezekiel 12:25; 24:14). If God has made a promise it will be fulfilled (Psalm 145, 2 Corinthians 1:20, Hebrews 11:6, and consider John 17:4). God is truth and He can be counted on – you can trust Him with your life and with your soul.

“Then he said to me, “These words are faithful and true.” And the Lord God of the holy prophets sent His angel to show His servants the things which must shortly take place.” (Revelation 22:6 NKJV)

    “Lord God of the holy prophets” – a prophet was given words from God to speak to specific people (kings, tribes, cities, nations, etc.). The prophet was to speak God’s word faithfully (Jeremiah 23:28) and the people, if doubting, would know that the prophet was from God if what was said came to pass (Deuteronomy 18:20-22). The LORD rose early (always well ahead of time) to warn people of their trespasses (Jeremiah 7:13, 25, 25:14) and encourage them toward repentance.

    God used prophets – people among His people – to warn His creation from impending dangers and to trust in the mercy of the LORD, the last of all being His very Son, Jesus (Hebrews 1:1-4). “Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away. For if the word spoken by angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received just reward, how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him…” (Hebrews 2:1-3)

    Do you believe God to be the God of truth – the very so be it? Do you believe Him to be the God of the holy prophets, the very writers of the books contained in your bible? All His words have come to pass and we can trust that the words prophesied of what will yet be will be fulfilled. God is the God of truth and the holy prophets spoke only His words, only the truth (1 Thessalonians 1:13, Acts 3:18-21). I encourage you to read His word daily, fully trusting that it is Truth.

You can do it! So can I!!  

"God of... recompense"

“…for the LORD is the God of recompense, 
He will surely repay.” (Jeremiah 51:56b NKJV)

    Found within the prophecy against Babylon, foretelling their devastating fall from power and ultimate destruction, Jeremiah informs them that the LORD – the true holder of all power – is the God of recompense. The LORD who allowed them strength and power is the same LORD who has observed their murderous greed, their pride, and their wickedness and He will repay them for what they have done in the time He has granted them.

    “God of recompense,” like other terms we have recently looked at in this study, is found only once in scriptures but alluded to throughout the Bible. The overarching message? God wants us to lean on Him as the only true and proper Judge, trust in His knowledge and ability to do what is best, and leave our troubles with Him (1 Peter 5:7, Philippians 4:6-7).

“Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.” (Romans 12:17-19, NKJV)

    When we have been mistreated we have God-given responsibilities:

• To not repay the evil (Romans 12:17) but follow in the steps of Jesus, who did not revile in return, nor threaten but turned wholly to God who judges righteously (1 Peter 2:18-24).
• Have regard for good things in the sight of all men (Romans 12:17). Jesus says to “bless those who curse you,” meaning that you speak only good things about the one who has spoken badly to/about you. Don’t go around bad-mouthing the one who mistreated you; remember ‘if you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all.’ Pour your heart out to God instead, He is the only one who can properly transform your heart and mind as your work through your hurt.
• Live peaceably with all men (Romans 12:18) as much as depends on you meaning that you seek peace (Matthew 5:9; 21-26) and speak peace (Proverbs 15:1, Colossians 4:5-6) – and ask God for wisdom to do this (James 1:5) because it is only wisdom from above that is pure and peaceable (James 3:13-18).   
• Love your enemies (Matthew 5:44) be kind and well-meaning, seeking only good for them (consider Mathew 22:37-40). Remember, if God can be patient and longsuffering with us to come to repentance, so we, too, can be patient and hope that our enemy may one day come to repentance and become a brother/sister in Christ – which is the ultimate good we could seek for them!
• Do good to those who hate you (Matthew 5:44) – consider Jesus’ kindness to Malchus amidst the angry mob and His kindness while hanging from the cross (Luke 23:34) – keep your focus on things above not on things on the earth (Colossians 3:1-10, Acts 7:54-60)
• Pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you (Matthew 5:44) whether it is by your government (1 Timothy 2:1-4) or a fellow citizen (1 Peter 2:18-20) we are to commit ourselves to God and pray for these people, because God desires all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth (1 Timothy 2:4).
• Do not avenge yourselves (Romans 12:19) leave it with God – He will know what is best to do and when is best to do it. And it is not our place to stand around imagining or anticipating ‘the wrath to come,’ but to go humbly about our duties (listed above) and commit ourselves wholly to doing God’s will.

    The LORD is the God of recompense, He will surely repay – let that be enough.  You fulfill your part and wholly trust that God will do His part. Don’t get caught up in society’s temporary badges of honour and applause for ‘a perfectly formed comeback,’ desire, instead, to hear God’s true commendation, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”      

You can do it! So can I!!

"God of... all grace"

“But may the God of all grace who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.” (1 Peter 5:10 NKJV)

    Grace is an often misunderstood aspect of God, but the context in which we find this term, “God of all grace,” offers us much insight on the subject of grace.

Grace (from the Greek ‘charis’) is defined as kindness, a leaning toward to bless, a favour given although not earned.

    We can never repay God for what He has done for us: giving us life, breath and all things, giving us His Son to die for us so we can have remission of sins and live in hope, granting us the necessities of life (food, water, and clothing). We could never be in a position where God would owe us, we are all reliant on His grace, but we can prove to Him that we desire His blessings, value His wisdom, and appreciate His mercy and grace by diligently searching for Him and finding Him (Acts 17:24-27), by walking just as Jesus walked and loving one another (1 John 2:1-11; 4:7-19), and seeking first His kingdom and His righteousness (Matthew 6:25-34).    

Look at 1 Peter 5:5-12:

Your part:

• If you are a younger person, you must submit to your elders (obey instruction of those older in the faith, those who hold the office of the elders Hebrews 13:17)
• All of us must be submissive to one another and clothed in humility (not seeking power/control over another, but having lowliness of mind knowing that you make mistakes and are still learning, and so are your brethren, Galatians 6:1-3)
• You must humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God (James 4:7-10)
• You must cast all your care upon Him (Philippians 4:6-7)
• You must be sober and vigilant (serious and watchful, consider 1 Corinthians 16:13, Ephesians 5:15-17, 1 Peter 1:13-16)
• You must resist the devil and remain steadfast in the faith (your brethren suffer in the same way, Ephesians 6:16, 1 Corinthians 15:58)
• You must suffer awhile (James 1:2-4, 1 Peter 1:6-9; 4:12-19)

God’s part:

• He will give grace to the humble (James 4:4-7, Proverbs 3:31-35)
• He cares for you (consider Hebrews 4:16, anytime, anywhere)
• He has called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus (God calls us by the gospel, 2 Thessalonians 2:13-17)
• He will perfect you (2 Timothy 3:16-17, Hebrews 5:14)
• He will establish you (Romans 5:25-27, 1 Thessalonians 3:11-13)
•  He will strengthen you (Ephesians 1:17-19; 6:10-11)
•  He will settle you (Philippians 4:1-13, the assurances of “by this we know”/”we know” statements throughout 1 and 2 John)

“I have written to you briefly, exhorting and testifying that this is the grace of God in which you stand.” (1 Peter 5:12b NKJV)

 God graciously promised these blessings to those who submit to Him and obey His instructions, declaring to Him our desire to be pleasing to Him and right in His sight – will we ever get it all right? No, and that is why we are so thankful for His grace. God will do His part if we do our part to the best of our abilities! Show the God of all grace whose side you desire to be on! Do what He asks of you and wholly appreciate His wonderful gift of grace!!

You can do it! So can I!!

"God of... hope"

    Similar to the term “God of mercy” (that we studied last week), the term, “God of hope,” is alluded to throughout the bible but the actual term is only found once in the bible, in Romans 15:13.   

“Now may the God of hope fill you with joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 15:13 NKJV)

hope (from the Greek, ‘elpis,’ Strong’s #G1680) meaning expectation of good, joyful and confident expectation of eternal salvation

    God is the author and origin of our hope, the very reason for our hope. It was by His plan, formed before the foundation of the world, that we have hope in Him through His Son: “…knowing you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold…but with the precious blood of Christ, as a lamb without blemish and without spot. He was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you who through Him you believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.” (1 Peter 1:18a, 19-21 NKJV)

    Consider Jeremiah’s words:

“Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, and whose hope is the LORD. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, which spreads out its roots by the river, and it will not fear when heat comes; but its leaf will be green, and will not be anxious in the year of drought, nor will cease from yielding fruit.” (Jeremiah 17:1-8 NKJV)

    The prophet paints a picture of peace, contentment, and joy, as the ‘tree’ remains healthy and continues to develop and produce fruit even during ‘the year of drought.’ That is what the God of hope can do for us! He can fill us with joy and peace in believing!

    Why?

    That we may ABOUND in hope!

abound (from the Greek, ‘perisseuo,’ Strong’s #G4052) means to overflow, to have above and beyond ordinary measure, to exceed

    Think on this definition of hope – and consider the fact that God desires you to abound in it:

“Biblical hope not only desires something good for the future – it expects it to happen. And not only expects it to happen – it is confident it will happen. There is a moral certainty the good we expect and desire will be done.” - John Piper

    Hope is the great stabilizer – think again of the strong, well-rooted, and well-nourished tree, able to withstand the storms of life. When your origin of hope is in God, it gives you great peace and enduring joy even amidst the trials of life, because you are wholly confident in His power, faithfulness, goodness, grace, and mercy!

“For You are my hope, O Lord GOD; You are my trust from my youth. By You I have been upheld from birth; You are He who took me out of my mother’s womb. My praise shall be continually of You. I have become a wonder to many, but You are my strong refuge. Let my mouth be filled with Your praise and with Your glory all the day… I will hope continually, and will praise You yet more and more. My mouth shall tell of Your righteousness and Your salvation all the day, for I do not know their limits. I will go in the strength of the Lord GOD; I will make mention of Your righteousness, of Yours only.” (Psalm 71:5-8, 14-16 NKJV)

    God wants you to abound in hope – a hope that nourishes you with joy and roots you in peace through the good days and the bad, a hope that overflows and becomes evident, causing you to be a wonder to many, and giving you opportunity to proclaim the reason for the hope that is in you (1 Peter 3:15)!

    Let your hope be in our loving God of hope – joying in His provision and living in true peace as you trust in His abilities – and develop a hope that absolutely ABOUNDS!!

You can do it! So can I!! 

"God of... mercy"

    This week, I would like you to take the time to read Psalm 59 – it’s only 17 verses long – and if you can, please read Psalm 57 (11 verses) as well. Both these psalms are among the psalms David wrote while King Saul was murderously pursuing him. It is valuable to consider those circumstances as you read these psalms, so you can better hear the earnest pleading in David’s words but also be buoyed by his confidence in God’s mercy.

    It is interesting to note that the actual term “God of mercy” (or “God of my mercy” as it is sometimes translated) is only found two times in the Bible, both in Psalm 59, yet one could readily argue that God is accurately described and depicted as a God of mercy throughout the Bible; there are hundreds of verses that speak of His mercy and lovingkindness toward men, the greatest ones being those that tell of Him sending His Son to save us from our sins – that is surely the greatest possible proof of His mercy (John 3:14-21, 1 John 4:7-10)!

“My God of mercy shall come to meet me; God shall let me see my desire on my enemies. Do not slay them, lest my people forget; scatter them by Your power, and bring them down, O LORD our shield.” (Psalm 59:10-11 NKJV)

    Why was David so confident in God’s mercy? He knew that he was upholding God’s law and abiding by it to the very best of his abilities. He states, “The mighty gather against me, not for my transgressions nor for my sin, O LORD. They run and prepare themselves through no fault of mine” (Psalm 59:3b-4). At the beginning of his troubles with Saul, it says in 1 Samuel 18:14 that “David behaved wisely in all his ways, and the LORD was with him” and later, when given two opportunities to end Saul’s life, David stated on both occasions, “The LORD forbid that I should stretch out my hand against the LORD’s anointed” (1 Samuel 24:1-22; 26:1-25)

    David could be assured of God’s mercy because he had been merciful (consider Matthew 5:7) and he loved God and kept His commandments (Deuteronomy 7:9, Psalm 25:10). Time and time again David trusted in God’s mercy – consider David’s prayer for forgiveness in Psalm 51 and his choice of punishment in 2 Samuel 24:10-25 – and so we find him speaking of God’s mercy throughout his writings: “The LORD is gracious and full of compassion, slow to anger and great in mercy. The LORD is good to all, and His tender mercies are over all his works” (Psalm 145:8-9).  

“To You, O my Strength, I will sing praises; for God is my defense, My God of mercy.” (Psalm 59:17 NKJV)

    In your troubles, can you do as David did?  Can you trust in God’s mercy enough to praise Him in the midst of the storm, fully confident that He will help? Do you consider God your defense?

    In Psalm 57:1-3 David begins his plea to the LORD: “Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me! For my soul trusts in You; and in the shadow of Your wings I will make my refuge, until these calamities have passed by. I will cry out to God Most High, to God who performs all thongs for me. He shall send from heaven and save me; He reproached the one who would swallow me up. God shall send forth His mercy and His truth.” (NKJV)

    Are you assured of God’s mercy as you faithfully serve Him? He is “the Father of mercies and God of all comfort” (as we studied earlier, 2 Corinthians 1:3-7), you can trust in His mercy – it is renewed every morning; it will not run out (Lamentations 3:22-24)! Learn from David and let his trust in God lead you to trust Him more – let David’s words become your words:

“I will sing of the mercies of the LORD forever; with my mouth will I make known Your faithfulness to all generations. For I have said, “Mercy shall be built up forever; Your faithfulness You shall establish in the very heavens”… “Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne; mercy and truth go before Your face. Blessed are the people who know the joyful sound!” (Psalm 89:1-2, 14-15 NKJV)

You can do it! So can I!!

 

"God of... my righteousness"

    This description of God is found only once in the Bible, it was penned by David, and found in Psalm 4:1.

“Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness! You have relieved me in my distress; have mercy on me, and hear my prayer.” (NKJV)

    As we have been learning in this study when we see the term “God of…,” we understand that God is the author and originator of whatever follows; He is the source from which we can obtain it in its completest and purest form.

    David praises God from Whom he has learned righteousness, by Whom he has been guided in the most proper way. God established what is right and has not left His creation to guess at what that is; He rose early and gave His commands and instructions, even having them written for accurate remembrance, complete with the reward and consequence that would come respectively from His followers obedience and disobedience.

    Because God has loved His people enough to provide knowledge of how to live right in His sight David could be calm and feel safe even in distresses (Psalm 4:1, 8). His adherence to God’s righteousness kept him focused on proper conduct when he was feeling angry (Psalm 4:4-5) and developed his desire for others to know of it and to follow it with him (Psalm 4:2-3, 6-7). Knowing he was doing his very best to align himself with God’s way of living, he felt assured of God’s promises to hear and to help (Psalm 34:17-19; 145:17-19, Proverbs 15:29, James 5:16).

    The psalmist who wrote the Hebrew acrostic known to us as Psalm 119 dedicated a whole section to righteousness. Verses 137 through 144 are under the title letter, TSADDE.

Side note: the Hebrew term, ‘tzadik,’ which means ‘righteous person’ is based on the Hebrew letter, TSADDE (or TSADE).

TSADDE

Righteous are You, O LORD, and upright are Your judgments.

Your testimonies, which You have commanded, are righteous and very faithful.

My zeal has consumed me, because my enemies have forgotten your words.

Your word is very pure; therefore Your servant loves it.

I am small and despised, yet I do not forget Your precepts.

Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and Your law is truth.

Trouble and anguish have overtaken me, yet Your commandments are my delights.

The righteousness of Your testimonies is everlasting; give me understanding, and I shall live.”

(New King James Version)  

    This is the conduct and attitude of a righteous person (1 John 3:7), someone who delights in the doing of God’s commands, who has learned the value of His instruction, and is continually discovering the wisdom found in His law.

    A righteous person also comes to appreciate the everlasting-ness of God’s righteousness. What God has called right and proper – and what He calls wrong and sinful - has not changed, will not change. We serve the God of righteousness just as David and the psalmist did, just as Jesus did, just as Mary, Martha, Paul, and Cornelius did!

    God gave His commands and instructions, having faithful men write them down, so that they may be preserved through the ages for us, and all future generations, as He wills.

    Is God the God of your righteousness? Do you look to Him for instruction in pure, absolute righteousness? Do you do your very best to align yourself with His instructions and commands? Are you assured of His comfort and help? Look to God for all that is right and proper, gain understanding of His way (Ephesians 5:15-17), and live with full assurance before Him!

You can do it! So can I!!

"God of... my life, my strength"

    Continuing in our study of descriptions of God found in the Bible, we are beginning to get to the terms that are found only once in the scriptures, so I may choose to combine them, as I have done this week, as this series goes on.

“God of my life”

“The LORD will command His lovingkindness in the daytime, and in the night His song shall be with me – a prayer to the God of my life.” (Psalm 42:8 NKJV)

    Psalm 42 depicts the challenge of being patient during distresses – a portrait of longsuffering with joy. There are pains and hurts described but the overarching theme is confidence that God will help – that there will be reason to praise Him.

    Lovingkindness is a beautiful way to describe God’s mercy. God is in command of it; He will be merciful to whoever He chooses to be merciful (Romans 9:15-16, Exodus 33:19), and His mercies are new every morning – His lovingkindness will not run out – God will always be able to show mercy to whomever He desires (Lamentations 3:22-26).

    What is God’s song that will be with those in distress? I like to think of Zephaniah 3:17 that says, “The LORD you God in your midst, the Mighty One will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, and He will rejoice over you with singing.” (NKJV)  And as we studied last week, God is the “Father of mercies and God of all comfort,” providing us with such comfort in our tribulations that we are steadied and readied to comfort others in their troubles with God’s comfort (2 Corinthians 1:3-4).

    When the psalmist considers God’s enduring mercy and love, He cannot help but offer a prayer to the God of his life – the very God who “gives to all life, breath, and all things” (Acts 17:25) and by His divine power “given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness” (2 Peter 1:2-4). The God who does not fail (Joshua 21:45, 23:14) and the God who gives us strength to endure (Colossians 1:9-11)! God is in control and is over all – He will help, and there will never cease to be reason to praise Him and thank Him in your life and for your life!

“God of my strength”

“Vindicate me, O God, and plead my cause against an ungodly nation; oh, deliver me from the deceitful and unjust man! For you are the God of my strength; why do You cast me off? Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?” (Psalm 43:1-2 NKJV)

    This psalm is a seeming continuation of Psalm 42 and its opening is so pleading, dark, and desperate, but if you continue in it (please do read it), the confidence the psalmist has in the ‘God of [his] strength’ shines with such beams of comforting light, that he buoys not only his own soul, but ours as we read them now! In both Psalm 42 and Psalm 43, the closing statements are a rebuke against his own soul for doubting God’s help: “Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; for I shall yet praise Him. The help of my countenance and my God” (v5).  

    The psalmist was in need of enduring strength and he wisely went to the only true and proper source: God. He asked the LORD to send His light and His truth to lead him, to show him the way to His presence – so that he may praise Him (vv3-4)! We have access to the very same God today – a God who provides strength so we can stand and withstand against the wicked one and endure the troubles of this life (Ephesians 6:10-18, 2 Corinthians 4:16, Colossians 1:9-14) – look to His light (John 8:12, Ephesians 5:8-10) and learn His truth (John 14:6, Ephesians 5:15-17, 1 Peter 1:22-25, Romans 2:4-11).

    God gave you life, you were born into this world to seek Him and find Him (Acts 17:26-27). Coming to the light (John 3:19-21), hearing the truth (Romans 10:17, 2 Timothy 3:16-17, Ephesians 1:13-14), and baptized into Christ, He granted you newness of life (Romans 6:1-4)! This same God is also the source for all the strength we need to endure and overcome whatever we may face in this world.  

    Is He the God of your life? Is He the God of your strength? Do you acknowledge Him as the giver of life and provider of strength, do you run to Him for all that pertains to life and find strength in His light and truth?

    God has given us SO much and He has SO much more give, if we but turn to Him and rely on Him to help!

“Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who trusts in Him!” (Psalm 34:8)

You can do it! So can I!!

"God of... comfort"

    God is the very author of comfort, it begins and exists in Him. Note that this is not a lazing or loafing comfort of do-nothing indulgence and indifference – it couldn’t be because God is none of those things – this is a comfort that encourages, consoles, and gives solace to the one standing and withstanding (Ephesians 6:10, 13) busy in doing the work (James 1:25, 1 Peter 5:6-10).

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.” (2 Corinthians 1:3-4 NKJV)

    In this passage we see God described as “God of all comfort” – whatever your situation, He has all that you need. Not only does God have all the comfort you need while going through all your tribulations, He comforts us with such a comfort that we, ourselves, can get up and go on, and comfort those around us who are going through any troubles.

    Our God of comfort steadies us and readies us to encourage others in their walk!

“For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope. Now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus, that you may with one mind and one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Romans 15:4-6 NKJV)

    God prepared His word (having faithful men write it down) so it could be preserved and provided to future generations – why? So that we, in reading it could gain both patience and comfort while learning from it, and have hope knowing that the God they served then – the God of patience and comfort – is the same God we serve now.

    And again, beyond supplying us encouragement through the Scriptures, our God of comfort wants us to be like-minded – full of patience and comfort – toward our brethren, why? That we may with be as one, with one mind and one mouth, glorifying the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! What will eternity in heaven be but joining together as one with the saved from all ages to glorify our God of comfort?

    Our God of comfort steadies us and readies us for our eternal home!   

    Please take time to read and consider 1 Thessalonians 5:1-22 this week. Within this passage you will find comfort and encouragement for yourself and several ways to comfort and encourage your brethren!

    “Be imitators of God, as dear children” (Ephesians 5:1) and share the comfort He comforts you with! God is patient and comforting so remember to be patient and comforting toward your brethren who need help and solace just like you! Allow God’s comfort to steady you and ready you for the work that needs doing, so that you can help others stay the course and together you can look forward, with hope, to glorifying Him for eternity!!

You can do it! So can I!!

"God of... justice"

    This description of God is found only two times in the Bible, both in the Old Testament: Isaiah 30:18 and Malachi 2:17. In some translations of these texts ‘judgement’ is written in place of ‘justice.’ Let’s take a look at each of these references to see how the description is used and what we can learn from it.

“Therefore the LORD will wait, that He may be gracious to you; and therefore He will be exalted, that He may have mercy on you. For the LORD is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for Him.” (Isaiah 30:18 NKJV)

    In the context of this Isaiah passage we see Israel putting their trust in the Egyptian leader to help them, the same nation that had brutally oppressed their people for 400 years before the exodus (Exodus 1-15). The nation of Israel rebelled against Him so much so that God referred to them as “lying children, children who will not hear the law of the LORD” (Isaiah 30:9).  They told their seers and prophets to not speak the hard truth but to speak smooth words – even deceitful words (consider 2 Timothy 4:3-4) – in the hopes that God would simply go away and leave them be. They preferred foreign oppression to following God’s word and way; they had become so much like the people around them that they were increasingly irked by God’s wholesome commands, boundaries, and standards.

    God did give them over to foreign oppression – Assyrian captivity – and yet even then, the LORD was already telling them that He longed to be gracious to them and be merciful to them and that those who also longed for Him would be blessed (Isaiah 30:18).

 “You have wearied the LORD with your words; yet you say, “In what way have we wearied Him?” In that you say, “Everyone who does evil is good in the sight of the LORD, or “Where is the God of justice?”” (Malachi 2:17 NKJV)

    Here in Malachi, the last prophecy before the 400 years of silence, we find the people of God acting like they were anything but. They have gone after pagan gods and when they, out of obligation, perform their duties before God (sacrifices) they do so half-heartedly at best (see Malachi 1:6-14). Their corruption has permeated even the priests – the ones who were to know and guide the people in God’s law (Malachi 2:7-9) – even they did not regard the holiness of God (consider Leviticus 10:3).

    The people had grown so cavalier and calloused that they disregarded God’s judgement of right and wrong (Isaiah 5:20-21) and declared that everyone is okay in God’s sight because where is God to tell them otherwise? Because a lightning bolt did not strike them for any misstep or wrongdoing they began to grow lax not only about their own service toward God but about God’s standards and rules as a whole, maybe even thinking, ‘the so-called “evil people” around us are not punished, so they must be fine in God’s eyes; what’s the harm of being with them or like them?’

    God’s justice is pure and right. He always ‘rose early’ (well beforehand, Jeremiah 7: 13; 32:33) to tell people that there would be consequences for rejecting Him and there would be reward for diligently seeking Him (Hebrews 11:6). God wants all people to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth (1 Timothy 2:4), for all to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9). He longs to be gracious to all people, but only those who turn to Him and long for Him will find blessing, that is why He is longsuffering and patient, hoping more will open their eyes, grope for Him, and find Him (Acts 17:26-27).

    God’s justice does not change: If you do what He says, you will be rewarded; if you do not do what He says, there will be consequences (Matthew 7:21-23). He has provided all that we need to know to be pleasing to Him (Ephesians 5:8-10, 15-17, 2 Timothy 3:16-17, Romans 10:17), to become His child (Galatians 3:26-28), and to walk as Jesus walked (1 Peter 2:21-24, 1 John 2:3-6).

    God is the God of justice. His judgement stands. Don’t think that because God patiently waits for the lost to repent that He is absent – the time He grants us is salvation – it’s an opportunity for all to turn, learn, and submit to Him! He wants to you to cling to Him, waiting for Him in all circumstances, longing for the day that you can see Him face to face (1 John 3:1-3, 2 Peter 3:11-13), because He wants to gracious to you! Be assured of His promises, be wholly aware of His justice and judgement, and be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless (2 Peter 3:14-15)!

You can do it! And so can I!!

"God of... glory"

    As our study continues, we are now getting to terms that appear only one to two times in the Bible. This week we will look at the description “God of glory” mentioned once in the Old Testament and once in the New Testament.

In a psalm of David, Psalm 29:3-4, and in Stephen’s sermon, Acts 7:2-3

    ‘Glory,’ in this Psalm 29 passage, is the Hebrew word, ‘kabod’ (Strong’s #H3519), meaning abundance, honour, glory, and splendor, and in the Acts 7 verses it is the Greek word ‘doxa’ meaning a good opinion that determines value, its use in reference to God tells us of His infinite worth and value that has always been and will always be.

    Stephen had seen the fruition of God’s plan; separated from Abraham by over 2000 years, Stephen knew from the Scriptures all that God had promised AND fulfilled to Abraham, he knew the history of Israel, the people descended from Abraham (the twelve sons of his own grandson, Jacob/"Israel"). Stephen was living in the time when “all families of the earth shall be blessed” (Genesis 12:1-3) through Jesus’ coming. Stephen proclaimed Jesus as the Just One, who came to save, but whom the Jewish people rejected, betrayed, and murdered (Acts 7:51-53). Stephen was, with his good opinion of God, desperately trying to remind the Israelites of God’s unsurpassable value; that His word did not, does not fail. The promise given to their esteemed patriarch, Abraham, WAS fulfilled – they could have been blessed, they still CAN be blessed, but like they did with Jesus, they turned on him.       

    As the crowd showed anger at his words, Stephen looked up into heaven and “saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God” (Acts 7:55) and even as he lay dying from the rocks hurled at him, Stephen prayed to God that He would not charge the people with this sin (Acts 7:59-60) – even in his last breaths he wanted the people to know of God’s value in their lives – that He was trustworthy, that His words are trustworthy, that they need to turn to Him and give Him the glory.

“Give unto the LORD, O you mighty ones, give unto the LORD glory and strength. Give unto the LORD the glory due His name; worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness. The voice of the LORD is over the waters; the God of glory thunders; the LORD is over many waters. The voice of the LORD is powerful; the voice of the LORD is full of majesty.” (Psalm 29:1-4 NKJV)

    David, who lived halfway between Abraham and Stephen, proclaimed God’s glory to all, not only through his psalms, but through his complete trust in God, shown by his words and conduct throughout his lifetime. He, too, had seen the fulfillment of God’s promises to Abraham (of a land, Canaan, and a name, Israelites), and assured of God’s abilities he looked toward the future when the promised Messiah would come (Psalms 22, 110).  

    This man of the Old Testament, David, and this man of the New Testament, Stephen, proclaimed God to be the God of glory: God, the author and personification of all that is splendourous and honourable; God, whose value and worth is beyond compare.

    Do you see Him, think of Him; speak of Him in this way? Do you value Him? His Word? More than all others, more than all other things? Be confident, like David, in the God of glory and proclaim His goodness and greatness (1 Peter 2:9). Be concerned, like Stephen, and tell others of God’s incomparable value and all that His has supplied for them to know the truth and be forgiven of their sins!

    We serve the God of glory!! Let’s give Him the glory!!

You can do it! So can I!!