Attributes of God: Jesus

"But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord

appeared to him in a dream and said,

'Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife,

because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.

She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus,

because he will save his people from his sins.'"

(Matthew 1:20-22)

I am praising God today for His Son, Jesus.  Our Immanuel, God with us.  Thank You, Lord, for your sacrifice, your forgiveness, and eternal life.  Thank You for giving us hope when we were hopeless.  Faith when we were faithless.  And purpose when we were without direction.

What about you?

Are you praising Him today for being your Joy?  Your Justice?  Your Judge? Are you thanking Him for the Journey He is carrying you on?  Or are you, like me, praising Him for Jesus today?  Just Jesus ...

"Who has believed our message and to whom has

the arm of the Lord been revealed?

He grew up before him like a tender shoot,
and like a root out of dry ground.

He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him,

nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.

He was despised and rejected by mankind,

a man of suffering and familiar with pain.

Like one from whom people hide their faces

he was despised, and we held him in low esteem.

Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering,

yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted.

But he was pierced for our transgressions,

he was crushed for our iniquities;

the punishment that brought us peace was on him,

and by his wounds we are healed.

We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
each of us have turned to our own way;
and the LORD has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.

He was oppressed and afflicted,
yet he did not open his mouth;
he was led like a lamb to the slaughter,
and as a sheep before its shearers is silent,
so he did not open his mouth.
By oppression and judgment he was taken away.
Yet who of his generation protested?
For he was cut off from the land of the living;
for the transgression of my people he was punished.
He was assigned a grave with the wicked,
and with the rich in his death,
though he had done no violence,
nor was any deceit in his mouth.

Yet it was the LORD's will to crush him and cause him to suffer,
and though the LORD makes his life an offering for sin,
he will see his offspring and prolong his days,
and the will of the LORD will prosper in his hand.
After he has suffered, he will see the light of life and be satisfied;
by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many,
and he will bear their iniquities.
Therefore I will give him a portion among the great,
and he will divide the spoils with the strong,
because he poured out his life unto death,
and was numbered with the transgressors.
For he bore the sin of many,
and made intercession for the transgressors."
(Isaiah 53)

Praise God for His Son Jesus.

Attributes of God: I AM

Moses said to God, "Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them,

'The God of your fathers has sent me to you,' and they ask me,

'What is his name?' Then what shall I tell them?"

God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM.

This is what you are to say to the Israelites:

'I AM has sent me to you.'"

(Exodus 3:13,14)

I AM the Lord your God (Leviticus 19:3) ...
I AM the Son of God (Matthew 27:43) ...
I AM the Alpha and Omega (Revelation 1:8) ...
I AM the First and the Last (Revelation 1:17) ...

Are you weary? He is rest (Matthew11:28). Are you burdened? He is peace (Isaiah 26:3). Are you lost? He is salvation (Hebrews 9:28). Are you lonely? He is near (Deuteronomy 4:7).

Thank you, Jesus, for being the great I AM.  There is absolutely nothing that You cannot satisfy, cannot salvage, and cannot sustain.  I thank You today for being I AM in my life.  Anything I am in need of, Lord ... You are.   

What about you?

Are you praising God for being Imperishable (indestructible)? For being Incorruptible? For His Infinite understanding?  For the Inheritance you have through Jesus?  Is He your Instruction?  Your Intimate God? 

"I AM the Alpha and Omega," says the LORD God,

"who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty."

(Revelation 1:8)

Attributes of God: He is our Hope

"Israel, put your hope in the LORD,

for with the LORD is unfailing love

and with Him is full redemption."

(Psalm 130:7)

How very strong are those words.

With the Lord ...

is unfailing love ...

and full redemption.

This redemption, as described in the New American Standard Bible, is abundant.  Plenty of redemption to go around.  A surplus of redemption that is more than able to cover all our sins, our shortcomings, our strongholds.  Praise the Lord for being our hope!

What about you?

Are you praising Him today for being your Healer?  Your Help?  Are you in awe of His Holiness?  Have you taken time to thank Him for being your Holy Spirit?  

"The LORD is good to those whose hope is in Him,

to the one who seeks Him."

(Lamentations 3:25)

"But as for me, I watch in hope for the LORD,

I wait for God my Savior;

my God will hear me."

(Micah 7:7)

"In His name the nations will put their hope."

(Matthew 12:21)

Amen! 

Attritbutes of God: Our Guide

"He restores my soul;

He guides me in the paths of righteousness

for His name's sake."

(Psalm 23:3)

As a little girl, I remember memorizing Psalm 23 with my Dad.  He and I would recite it again and again.  As I was thinking through this particular attribute, I received an email from my Dad where he had typed out the entire 23rd Psalm.  Perfect timing.  Psalm 23 reminded me of the sweet picture painted of a Shepherd with his flock.  And that is what Jesus desires our relationship with Him to be.  He desperately desires to be our guide in life.  Will we obediently follow as the sheep follow the voice of their Shepherd? Or will we painfully rebel, to the probable detriment of our own lives?

I am praising God today for being my Guide.  Thank You, Lord, for your guidance.  Where would I be without it?  And do you know what I love? You only have the ability to lead me in paths of righteousness - as You alone are righteousness.  You know nothing less.  May I trust You unswervingly in this race of life.  Guide me, Lord ... for Your name's sake.  

What about you?

Are you praising Him today for His Gentleness?  Are you thankful that He has sent His Gospel to teach and instruct you?  Are You blown away by the Grace He has for mankind?  Has He brought Gladness into your life, your home?  Are you worshipping Him as the Greatest God?  Is He the Guarder of your heart?

"Guide me in Your truth and teach me,

for You are God my Savior,

and my hope is in You all day long."

(Psalm 25:5)

"He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them."

(Psalm 25:9)

"Since You are my rock and fortress,

for the sake of Your name lead and guide me."

(Psalm 31:3)

  "For this God is our God for ever and ever;

He will be our guide even unto the end."

(Psalm 48:14)

"I will lead the blind by ways they have not known,

along unfamiliar paths I will guide them;

I will turn the darkness into light before them

and make the rough places smooth.

These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them."

(Isaiah 42:16)

Attributes of God: The Faithful One

"Know therefore that the LORD your God,

He is God, the faithful God, who keeps His covenant

and His lovingkindness to a thousandth generation

with those who love Him and keep His commandments."

(Deuteronomy 7:9)

I praise the Lord today for being the Faithful One.  In a world cursed with betrayal, disappointment, and defeat, I stand firm knowing that I serve a God who is forever faithful.  He is the Rock to which I turn when life betrays, disappoints, and defeats.  And He not only lifts me out of despair - He promises faithfulness.  My God is faithful! 

So what about you?

Are you too praising your God today for being Faithful?  Are you thanking Him for being the Finisher (completer) of your faith? For being your Father?  For being a Forever God?  The One who Forgives?  Your mighty Fortress (stronghold)? For giving you Freedom through His one and only Son, Jesus? For being your Friend (companion)? Has He alone brought Fulfillment to your life?

"Thus says the LORD, the Redeemer of Israel, and its Holy One,

To the despised One, to the One abhorred by the nation,

to the Servant of rulers,

'Kings shall see and arise,

Princes shall also bow down;

Because of the LORD who is faithful,

the Holy One of Israel who has chosen You.'"

(Isaiah 49:7)

"God is faithful, through whom you called into fellowship

with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord."

(1 Corinthians 1:7)

"Faithful is He who calls you ... "

(1 Thessalonians 5:24)

Attributes of God: The Examiner

"Examine me, O LORD, and try me;

Test my mind and my heart."

(Psalm 26:2)

I am praising God today for being the Examiner of my mind and heart.  He alone knows my motives and my thoughts.  I am thankful today that my Examiner is named Jesus.  I am blessed to know that when my Father examines my heart, He will reveal truth to me and I will through Him have the power to change.  Thank You, Lord, for caring enough about me ... that You would take time to examine my life in order to humble me, in order to use me more specifically and effectively for Your purposes.  You are The Examiner. 

What about you? 

Are you praising Him today for being your Encourager?  Are you thanking Him that He Endures forever?  That He is Eternal, Everlasting, Exalted above all others?  Are you praising God that He has given you Jesus, your Example?  Are you bowing before Him, in awe of His Excellence?  Is He the One you Exult (rejoice) in? 

"The LORD is in His holy temple; The LORD is on His heavenly throne.

He observes everyone on earth; His eyes examine them."

(Psalm 11:4)

"For your ways are in full view of the LORD,

and He examines all your paths."

(Proverbs 5:21)

"Let us examine our ways and test them,

and let us return to the LORD."

(Lamentations 3:40)

"Examine yourselves to see whethere you are in the faith; test yourselves.

Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you -

Unless, of course, you fail the test?

(2 Corinthians 13:5)

Attributes of God: My Director

"The mind of man plans his way,

but the LORD directs his steps."

(Proverbs 16:9)

The Message translates the above verse the following way: 

"We plan the way we want to live, but only God makes us able to live it."

The word direct means to regulate the activities or the course of; to show or point out the way for.

I praise You, God, today for being my Director.  Thank You for fashioning my steps in the way they should go.  Thank You, Father, for regulating the course of my life.  For showing me the way.  Thank You for directing my life in ways that are beneficial for me.  So many times I tried to go off on my own path, but You, Lord, were faithful to nudge me back onto the way of Truth.  

What about you?

Has He been your Defender, your Delight?  Are you praising Him for being your Deliverer?  Are you thankful that He is the One you can Depend on?  Is He the master Designer to you?  The Desire of your heart?  Your Devoted One?  The Divine? 

"The steps of a man are established by the LORD;

And He delights in his way."

(Psalm 37:23)

"LORD, I know that people's lives are not their own; 

It is not for them to direct their steps."

(Jeremiah 10:23)

  

Attributes of God: The Creator

"For You created my inmost being ... "

(Psalm 139:13)

Oh how I could not wait to get to "C" this week, and this is one of the many reasons ... 

Are you ready for this?

Isn't that the sweetest little foot you've ever seen? Ok, perhaps I'm a bit biased. 

I could get so wrapped up in talking about how amazed I am with the intricacies of creation right now. How perfect our God is that He has thought of absolutely everything. How magnificent He is that He weaves us together with such purpose and precision.

Lord, I praise You today for being the Creator. There is NONE besides You. You are so perfect and precise and You function with such purpose. Thank You for weaving us into Your plan. You created us each with an individual goal in mind and I thank You for that. May I glorify You with my life, my breath, my everything. You are deserving of it all. The Creator of all the earth - May my lips glorify you all the days of my life. [And thank you, Jesus ... For being the Creator of that sweet little foot.]

What about you?

Are you praising Him today for being the Change you needed? Are you praising Him for His Character? For Christ? For the Cross? Are you thanking Him for being the ultimate Cleanser of your sins? For being your Comforter? Your Counselor? Your Commander? Are you praising Him for being your Companion? For His Compassion? 

"You have searched me, LORD, and You know me.

You know when I sit and when I rise;

You perceive my thoughts from afar.

You discern my going out and my lying down;

You are familiar with all my ways.

Before a word is on my tongue 

you, Lord, know it completely.

You hem me in behind and before,

and You lay Your hand upon me.

Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,

too lofty for me attain.

For You created my inmost being;

You knit me together in my mother's womb.

I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; 

Your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

My frame was not hidden from You when I was made in the secret place,

when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.

Your eyes saw my unformed body;

all the days ordained for me were written in Your book

before one of them came to be.

How precious to me are Your thoughts, O God!

How vast is the sum of the them!

Were I to count them,

they would outnumber the grains of sand - 

when I awake, I am still with You."

(Psalm 139:1-6, 13-18)

Attributes of God: Our Benefactor

"Bless the Lord, O my soul,

and forget none of His benefits."

(Psalm 103:2)

Have you ever looked to God as your Benefactor? His Presence alone benefits our lives in so many ways. We are the beneficiaries of all His gifts, of all His grace.

Psalm 103 describes this particular attribute of God so perfectly. As I reflect upon all the ways His Presence has benefited my life, I find this Psalm 103 to be so fitting.

Thank You, Lord, for all of Your Benefits. My I not forget one of them. For You are the One who ...

Pardons our iniquities ...
Heals our diseases ...
Redeems our life from the pit ...
Crowns us with lovingkindness and compassion ...
Satisfies our years with good things ...
Performs righteous deeds ...
Makes Your way known ...
Shows compassion and grace ...
Is slow to anger and abounding in love ...
Will not keep Your anger forever ...
Has not dealt with us according to our sins ...

What about you?

Are you praising Him for being your Beginning? Has He proved Himself Believable to you? Is He your Beautiful Savior, your Beloved? The only Blameless One? Is He the One you Boast in?

"For as high as the heavens are above the earth,

so great is His love for those who fear Him;

As far as the east is from the west,

so far He has removed our transgressions from us.

Praise the LORD, all His heavenly hosts, 

you His servants who do His will.

Praise the LORD, all His works

everywhere in His dominion.

Praise the LORD, my soul."

(Psalm 103:11-12, 21-22)

Attributes of God: The Accomplished One

The other day I received a text message from my husband that [accidentally] said: Almighty.  He meant to say: Alrighty.  Interestingly, this got me thinking about something. 

Almost instantly, I was back in the car with my family driving through the gorgeous mountains of West Virginina going to visit family.  We always knew what to expect when we were driving through those beautiful scenic mountains and my Mom reached over and turned the radio off.  It meant we were about to start praying.  She would lead ... Yes, usually while driving because many of these trips were made without my Dad in the car.  Usually he would meet us there after finishing up business.  The attributes of God have always been a very big deal in our family.  If you ever want to know the attributes of God, ask my mother.  She has her favorites all typed out alphabetically and can print them off her laptop in an instant.  So on these car rides through the mountains, she would start with A and then I would do B and my brother would do C and so on ... 

Mom: Almighty God
Me: Beautiful One
Brother: Creator 

We would go all the way to Z and then sometimes we would repeat.  A tradition that I will certainly never ever forget.

So when I received the "Almighty" text from my husband the other day, although erroneous, it put me back on the path of wanting desperately to never forget the attributes of my God.  

What is an attribute, you may ask?  An attribute is simply a characteristic of someone.  A quality that sets them apart.  When you start with A and end with Z, it's amazing the picture that is painted of this great God whom we serve.  This is a wonderful tool to use during your prayer time.  Or even ... when driving down the road.  

As I mentioned yesterday I have been reading in the book of Joshua.  Joshua 1:8 came to mind just now:

"This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous and then you will have success."  

The Lord boldly commanded that truth to Joshua.  And you and I should be nothing less than challenged to live by that same command today.  If you don't know where to begin, go to the concordance in the back of your Bible and start with A.  This is sure to get your mind reeling with attributes of your God.

So today, I am praising Him for being The Accomplished One:

"I will cry to God Most High,

To God who accomplishes all things for me."

(Psalm 57:2)

He is the Accomplished One.  He has accomplished deliverance and redemption.  He has accomplished victory and miracles.  No other accomplished one compares to Him.  He has accomplished in me salvation, restoration, and change.  He will continue to accomplish His purpose in and through my life.  He promises to accomplish that which concerns me.  I praise You today God, for being The Accomplished One.   

What about you?

Has He been your Abba (father), your Abundance (plenty, surplus), your Adviser (counselor), your Advocate (defender, witness)?  Has He proved Himself Alive to you? Has He been your Almighty, your Alpha (beginning), your Altar (place of sacrifice), your only Answer?  Has He Armed you for the battle?  Perhaps He's been your Assurance (confirmation), your Awesome God?  Has He completely Astonished (amazed) you?  

 "Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good;

For His lovingkindness is everlasting.

Give thanks to the God of gods, 

for His lovingkindness is everlasting.

Give thanks to the Lord of lords,

For His lovingkindness is everlasting.

Who remembered us in our low estate ... 

And rescued us from our adversaries ...

Who gives food to all flesh ...

Give thanks to the God of heaven,

For His lovingkindness is everlasting."

(Psalm 136:1-3, 23-26)   

We are here for You

"And the priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord

stood firm on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan while all Israel crossed

on dry ground, until all the nation had finished crossing the Jordan."

(Joshua 3:17)

I have mixed emotions as I write today.  I have missed blog world.  Desperately.  But in all reality, I needed a little break.  Not until I was well into it did I realize that, however.  This is a brand new season of life for me in many aspects, and as a dear friend put it to me last night: "Enjoy the season the Lord has you in.  It will pass quickly."  I want to be better with savoring the season I'm in - I think I used to be better at this.  Realizing this has caused me to prioritize my life a little.  [It's no secret that this is not my forte'.]  So in all honesty my lack of blogging - It's just been a time factor.  It's not been laziness or complacency or even lack of things to say.  Life has been busy, as I know it too has been for you.  I know you haven't missed me half as much as I have missed you, but I still feel the need to explain myself.

I have been reading in Joshua for the past few days.  We know the background - Moses has died at this point and the Lord has appointed Joshua to be the one who leads the Israelites to their Promised Land.  In verses 7-8 of chapter 3, the Lord comes to Joshua to deliver an important message:

"Now the LORD said to Joshua, 'This day I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that just as I have been with Moses, I will be with you.

'You shall, moreover, command the priests who are carrying the ark of the convenant, saying, 'When you come to the edge of the waters of the Jordan, you shall stand still in the Jordan" (NASB).  

And this is how this chapter ends:

"And when those who carried the ark came into the Jordan, and the feet of the priests carrying the ark were dipped in the edge of the water (for the Jordan overflows all its banks all the days of harvest), that the waters which were flowing down from above stood and rose up in one heap, a great distance away at Adam, the city that is beside Zarethan; and those which were flowing down toward the sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea, were completely cut off.  So the people crossed opposite Jericho.  

And the priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD stood firm on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan while all Israel crossed on dry ground, until all the nation had finished crossing the Jordan" (Joshua 3:15-17).

Ok, bear with me here.  I'm going somewhere, I promise.  Take a look at the footnotes provided in my Bible in reference to this passage:

The Lord did not act until their feet stepped down to the water! He was severely testing the faith of the priests here.  The phrase "Jordan overflows all its banks" should rather be translated "is full up to all his banks," i.e. brimful.  These verses illustrate how suddenly and how completely the Lord showed His power in Israel's behalf to bring them into the promised land.  The Jordan flows at the bottom of a deep valley.  Descent is made to the water on both sides by two, and occassionally three, terraces.  Ordinarily the water flows only in the lower part of this course and is usually less than 100 feet wide.  The bank is overgrown with a veritable jungle of tamarisks and willows.  In the spring the rising waters reach well up into the trees and undergrowth.  Occassionally the rising water fills the ravine to the brim.  Such was the case when Joshua brought the people to the crossing.  Under these conditions the river cannot be forded at all and crossing can be made only by swimming.  At best this is a hazardous task.  Though it was no doubt the means used by the two spies, it was completely out of the question for the large multitude that followed Joshua.  Though it was no doubt the means used by the two spies, it was completely out o the question for the large multitude that followed Joshua.  The fact that this great number of people passed over the Jordan at that season was a clear demonstration that God's power was continuing to work for them.  There were absolutely no human means available to produce such an effect.  Just as God had sent a strong east wind to clear a wide path in the Red Sea for Israel (Ex. 14:21,22), so He could cause a great upheaval or a tremendous landslide to dam the waters of the Jordan.  He can use physical things to accomplish His divine purpose. (Hebrew-Greek Key Word Study Bible, NASB, 294).

Read some of the other Scriptures that are in reference to this particular passage:

"He turned the sea into dry land; They passed through the river on foot; There let us rejoice in Him!" (Psalm 66:6)

"It was You who opened up springs and streams; You dried up the ever-flowing rivers." (Psalm 74:15)

"The sea looked back and fled; the Jodan turned back." (Psalm 114:3)

"What ails you, O sea, that you flee? O Jordan, that you turn back." (Psalm 114:5)

Chris Tomlin's theme song for the Passion 2011 album "We are here for You" hit home for me this morning at church.  Our Pastor announced that we will be singing this song each Sunday throughout the month of April and I felt my heart bounce with excitement (My baby too. I think he likes this one.)!  Let me tell you why I love it so much.  Because if I could point out one common theme that the Lord has taught me in the past few months it is that I am here for Him.  Our Pastor posed the following question time and again throughout the previous message series: "Do you exist for God or does God exist for you?"  That question has changed my perspective in so many ways.  Ok, so back to the song.  [Man, I'm scatter-brained today.]  Just take a glimpse at some of these lyrics:

Let our praise be Your welcome

Let our songs be a sign

We are here for You, we are here for You

Let Your breath come from heaven

Fill our hearts with Your life

We are here for You, we are here for You

Let our shout be Your anthem

Your renown fill the skies

We are here for You, we are here for You

Let your Word move in power

Let what's dead come to life

We are here for You, we are here for You

In Joshua chapter 3, the Israelites had a tough challenge set before them.  More dangerous than crossing the Jordan, they had to step outside their comfort zone and believe their God.  They had to believe their God that He was going to use immeasurable circumstances to accomplish His divine plan, didn't they?  I know it probably seems like I'm all over the place with this, but that's ok.  Here's my question - and this is geared at both you and myself: What is God asking us to do that we see as a major challenge?  What is God asking us to believe Him for? 

For me, I tend to get so wrapped up in my own insecurities and fear of failure that I am paralyzed to take another step.  But look at the faith of the priests in Joshua 3.  Joshua was instructed by the Lord and commanded to speak a challenge of faith to the priests.  The priests chose to believe their God and carried out obedience.  Then, God accomplished His divine plan. 

God's divine plan for our individual lives is that we know Him, love Him, and serve and worship Him with our every breath.  But in the midst of that everyday service unto the Lord, He presents opportunities before us that are only fit for us.  And what's important is that we remember that we are here for HIM!  Out of obedience, let's say "Yes!" to the challenges.  Let's say "Yes!" to believing our God.  Because this is not about us.  It's about Him.  And when we can get to that mindset - when we can get to that place in our belief-life - It will be easier to say "Yes!" because we'll be doing it out of obedience. 

Does any of this make sense?

Melissa Moore Fitzpatrick used the following quote in a post on Living Proof's blog the other day and it has stuck with me.  A friend of mine actually had it posted on her facebook wall, as well:

“You must once and for all give up being worried about successes and failures. Don’t let that concern you. It’s your duty to go on working steadily day by day, quite quietly, to be prepared for mistakes, which are inevitable, and for failures” (Madeleine L’ Engle, Herself, 72).

What if the priests were too worried about failure?  Then God is God and still would have accomplished His plan some other way, I reckon, BUT ... Their lives would have been utterly sad and you know why?  Because they would have missed out on an opportunity to believe their God.  Because they would have missed out on an opportunity to see their God work on their behalf.  Because they would have missed out on an opportunity to see the divine plan of their God fulfilled. 

 

I don't want to miss out. 

 

Do you?

 

We are here for You, we are here for You.