humblesinner

Names of God 10 Q4. (1 Peter 5:10) How has God shown his grace to you and your family? Why do you think Peter describes him as the God of all grace? 1 Peter 5:10

Names of God 10 Q3. How does God's steadfast love in the Old Testament relate to his mission of love in John 3:16? John 3:16;

Names of God Q2. What does faithfulness have to do with trustworthiness and keeping one's word? What does the Faithful God inspire in you? Why must faithfulness be part of our character as believers? If we are faithful to the LORD then we show to Him that we are worthy of His trust. Being faithful means we are loyal to our word; what we have said we will stick to. The LORD as our faithful God inspires in me a concern for staying loyal to Him. The LORD inspires me with a sense of what it involves to be faithful; to have faith and to follow the instructions of the LORD as revealed in Scripture. The LORD inspires me with a will to want to follow His instructions and when I do not I feel the shame and disappointment in myself that I have not lived up to what He asks of me. Faithfulness is essential in our character if we are to believe the LORD. The whole Christian faith is based upon faith and faithfulness. We are taught how to live and we are asked to live this way. If we do this then we are worthy of the LORD

Names of God 10. Q1. Why was God's willingness to forgive essential to Israel's survival in the wilderness? Was Israel contrite after turning away from the Lord in Exodus 34? What is so amazing about God's forgiveness? If God had not forgiven Israel quite simply they would not have even survived in the wilderness. The LORD knows, as Jesus told us, that we are all sinners; we cannot help it. Sin is our hereditary condition. Only through forgiveness can we come to the LORD, only through Jesus who is our forgiveness. Israel were abominable when they turned away from the LORD. They became as barbaric as the culture (Egypt) from which they had escaped. They abandoned themselves to all the worst practices. Only by acceptance of the Law were they able to become a people of God with all the moral and spiritual gifts engendered in submission to the LORD. God

Names of God Q5. What do we miss in our understanding of God if we remove the metaphor of Father and Son from our church vocabulary? Which feminine metaphors of God especially help you understand God's nature? If we remove the central metaphor of Father and Son from church vocabulary we are removing the only real way of understanding the LORD and His anointed Son Jesus Christ. Jesus taught us that God is “The Father”. Jesus taught us that Jesus is His Son. That is how a Christian is taught by God and Jesus, the prophets, the apostles and Scripture to understand the nature of God and Jesus in relation to humanity. To remove this central metaphor of metaphors we are really removing the Teachings of God and Christ. In other words there would be no point in calling ourselves Christian if we do this. I have found a very good account of the male and female aspects of God on the web page of The Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood: http://www.cbmw.org/Resources/Articles/Seven-Reasons-Why-We-Cannot-Call-God-Mother This is entitled “Seven Reasons Why We Cannot Call God “Mother”” by Randy Stinson and Christopher W. Cowan. The authors state that, “On rare occasions, Scripture describes God’s actions using feminine figures of speech—metaphors and similes (see, e.g., Deut 32:18; Job 38:29; Ps 123:2; Isa 42:13-14; 46:3; 66:13; Hos 13:8). However, the Bible also uses similar figurative language to speak of the actions of male human beings (see 2 Sam 17:8; Isa 60:16; Gal 4:19; 1 Thess 2:7). Rather than implying that we are to refer to any of these men as "mother" or "she," such language is simply a literary device that makes for a vivid description. But if this figurative language does not require feminine terminology for human beings, neither does it demand the same for God.” As in Luke 13:34, where Jesus used the simile of a hen gathering her chicks, “34 "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones God's messengers! How often I have wanted to gather your children together as a hen protects her chicks beneath her wings, but you wouldn't let me.” We can appreciate the nurturing nature of Jesus and the Father. It is a trait that we ascribe to the feminine out of tradition, but in truth it is an impulse that men have naturally also. It is a simile for describing a certain feeling and impulse, but not role or gender or a title of God or Jesus. Names of God are always masculine. I find it totally unnecessary to understand the LORD in any feminine sense, but I appreciate the metaphors and similes where Scripture reveals this nurturing aspect of our Creator's Being. Through all Scripture the LORD is described to us by using masculine terms. This is how the LORD chose to reveal Himself to humanity. God sent us His Son and not a daughter. I do accept that God can have certain feminine ways with us, the more nurturing care He provides us with. I also believe that the female is part of His creation and comes from Him. However, in my own soul I only look to the LORD as He, as Father and Jesus Christ as He and Son. That is what God wanted for us and I follow the LORD’S teaching and descriptions of Himself.

Names of God Q3. In what sense are Jesus and the Father one? In what way was Jesus distinct from the Father? Is Jesus God in the sense that the Father is God? Jesus and the Father are one in that Jesus is the only Son of the LORD. He is the LORDS Word. He is the Lords Servant, Prophet and High Priest. He is Gods Chosen and anointed. Jesus and the Father are one in that they are both the Trinity alongside Gods Holy Spirit. Jesus and the Father are one in that Jesus is everything that the Father desires, the perfect One who does the Fathers Will always. Jesus is the Lords Intercessor with humanity; the Son of Man Jesus is the Way to the Creator, the Only Way, as it is written. Jesus and the Father are one in that Jesus knew Himself to be close enough to God enough to make the "I AM" statement,John 8:58 (CJB version) "58 Yeshua said to them, "Yes, indeed! Before Avraham came into being, I AM!" Jesus is distinct from the Father in that He is not the LORD. YAHWEH is the LORD. Jesus is the Son of YHWH; His only Son. Jesus came as a man. The LORD is in eternity and is the Alpha and Omega. He always was, is and ever shall be. Jesus is the LORDS creation as are all things in Heaven and earth. Jesus is the prized and special One to the LORD because there is only one of Him. There are many Angels, there are many, many humans and animals, but only one Son. That is the reality! Jesus is not God as the Father is God. God created everything. Jesus is created by the LORD. Jesus is the very closest of created beings to the LORD. Jesus is the most perfect of all Gods creation. God is the source of all creation and all that exists. Jesus is the most important Being created by our LORD.

Names of God: Lesson 9 Q4. In what sense was God the Husband of Israel? What is the New Testament extension of this metaphor? What causes God jealousy? Prior to the coming of Jesus God spoke through the Prophets often that Israel, Abraham

Names of God 9 Q2. How was the intimate way that Jesus taught his disciples about God as "Abba" and "Father" different from the Jews' understanding of God as Father? How does God as Abba influence your relationship with him? Jesus used the term Abba for the LORD as a matter of course as we can understand from the gospels. It is a very informal Aramaic word for Father. Before this, the LORD was known much more formally and more distantly. It would seem that prior to Jesus coming to us the LORD was approached by the Hebrew people very much as a Great King with all the pomp, sobriety and formality of that relationship. Jesus, as with many other aspects of the Hebrew Faith, completely revolutionized our relationship with God. Jesus brought us the more personal relationship. We can look to God as a child looks to a father. It is much more intimate and personal and allowing of a loving relationship and understanding with the Lord to take place. Jesus meant this to be so by deliberately using the term

Names of God 9 Q1. What does the concept of "father" teach us about God, especially the formal way which the word is used in the Old Testament? According to the quote from Otfried Hofius above, which two aspects of a father underlie our understanding of Father in the Old Testament? How should they affect our behavior? God as The Father teaches us that the LORD is literally the one who made us. He is the biological Father of all Creation, the Angels, all nature and all animals and people, even Satan. The formal use of the term Father in the Old Covenant is describing the role of Father in human terms; protector, defender, supporter, provider and the One to who most respect is due. This is the way the Old Testament verses use this term. So we can be assured that God will be this for us. Jesus really so strongly emphasized this role in His teaching. Indeed it the way Jesus taught us that we should look upon our God; such as the address at the beginning of the Lord

Names of God: Lesson 8 Q4. Meditate on the concept of God as a Spring of Living Water or a Fountain of Living Water for you. What does this say about God? About your thirst? About your future? The LORD is indeed a Spring of Living Water. He is the constant Spirit to revive the thirsty. When I lose myself He helps me to find myself again. He is the source of all my hopes and dreams, because without Him this life is very finite; we live then we die, but with Him, we live then we die then we live again. He is the Hope of hopes and the Dream of dreams. He is my life and salvation. As I grow older I realize this more and more deeply and acutely. This says to us that God is always there, no matter where, when and how. The Lord will always revive us. It is the beautiful image of the Lord, who was first worshipped in the desert by the Patriarchs. His comparison to a spring of water in the dryness of the desert shows how He is a constant source of life. In the barrenness of human life without Him, we have the opportunity to find where the true life lies, in Him and in His Son. Without Him we are just doomed our threescore years and ten of a frustrated temporal existence.

Names of God 8 Q3. Why do we sometimes resist calling on God to be our Helper? Why do we try to do it ourselves first? What is required of us if God is to be a Helper and Shepherd to us? For my own part I resist calling upon God to be my Helper usually because my faith fails me sometimes in moments of despondency. That is when He really shines through because, despite me having wandered from the path, somehow I am brought back to Him, even though it be kicking and screaming. I feel very humbled then and know only too clearly that Jesus is right that we are indeed sinners and need the Lord and need His Son to make us anything like well again. It shows God

Names of God 8 Q2. (Psalm 23) Can you remember any times when God has cared for you as a Shepherd - in times of blessing and in times of trouble? What are you facing right now where you realize your need to rely on God as your Shepherd? Psalm 23 (NLT):

Names of God 8 Q1. (Genesis 22:1-14) Do you think Abraham was really expecting God to provide a sacrifice, or that was just what he told Isaac? What support do you have for your position? Did you ever receive a last-minute provision from God? In what circumstances can we expect God to supply our needs? Any conditions? Genesis 22:1-14 (NLT): 1 Later on God tested Abraham's faith and obedience. "Abraham!" God called."Yes," he replied. "Here I am." 2 "Take your son, your only son -- yes, Isaac, whom you love so much -- and go to the land of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains, which I will point out to you." 3 The next morning Abraham got up early. He saddled his donkey and took two of his servants with him, along with his son Isaac. Then he chopped wood to build a fire for a burnt offering and set out for the place where God had told him to go. 4 On the third day of the journey, Abraham saw the place in the distance. 5 "Stay here with the donkey," Abraham told the young men. "The boy and I will travel a little farther. We will worship there, and then we will come right back." 6 Abraham placed the wood for the burnt offering on Isaac's shoulders, while he himself carried the knife and the fire. As the two of them went on together, 7 Isaac said, "Father?""Yes, my son," Abraham replied."We have the wood and the fire," said the boy, "but where is the lamb for the sacrifice?" 8 "God will provide a lamb, my son," Abraham answered. And they both went on together. 9 When they arrived at the place where God had told Abraham to go, he built an altar and placed the wood on it. Then he tied Isaac up and laid him on the altar over the wood. 10 And Abraham took the knife and lifted it up to kill his son as a sacrifice to the LORD. 11 At that moment the angel of the LORD shouted to him from heaven, "Abraham! Abraham!""Yes," he answered. "I'm listening." 12 "Lay down the knife," the angel said. "Do not hurt the boy in any way, for now I know that you truly fear God. You have not withheld even your beloved son from me." 13 Then Abraham looked up and saw a ram caught by its horns in a bush. So he took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering on the altar in place of his son. 14 Abraham named the place "The LORD Will Provide." This name has now become a proverb: "On the mountain of the LORD it will be provided." In this account of Abrahams faith and obedience to the LORD who had revealed Himself to Abraham, the whole passage suggests to me that Abraham was in new spiritual territory. Abraham had no real past experience here of what his LORD would require of him in worship. The fact that Abraham went so far as to raise the knife above his son Isaac strongly suggests that he was quite prepared to go the whole distance. This, coupled with the fact that sacrifice of the first born was common practice in Canaan before, during and even after the generation of Abraham, gives me the very strong impression that Abraham was acting in faith and obeying Gods command without knowing what the consequences would be. That is the whole point of this Bible narrative. For me this is the very crucial time in mans meeting with his Maker. Abraham is indeed the hero of all human kind for his faith and obedience. I really do believe that God was testing man here. The LORD was searching the human spirit. He found a man willing to sacrifice his only begotten son for his God. Now what does this remind us of? We know later that the LORD really did have to sacrifice HIS only begotten Son. There was no pulling out at the last minute, either. Jesus really did have to die for us! I believe that is why the LORD did this to Abraham. He wished to see whether a man would be prepared to sacrifice his only son for God. In Abraham He found one such man who passed the test. Now we must all be thankful to Abraham for this! Through his actions all mankind has been able to know forgiveness through Jesus. God was so faithful to His promise to Abraham because all the nations really have been blessed through Abrahams seed. We have been blessed with the Word of God; the Lord Jesus Christ. I must admit that countless times I have received a last minute provision from God; too numerous to mention. As I sit here and write I know that I am still here, despite the many tribulations and problems in my life. I have every faith in this God of ours. The LORD really is there for us and He does help us. I have seen it in my own life time and time again. It is not always what I wanted, when I wanted it and I have many things lacking in my life, but I know that the LORD knows better than I what I need and when I need it. So I trust Him. I believe that God helps the wicked as well as the good. He does not differentiate between people. He looks after all people. We are all His people, His creation, some know it and some do not; it does not make too much difference as to the way in which the LORD sends His love. Our reward for following Him will not be given here on earth. We only have to meditate upon the fate of Jesus Apostles to know that. Remember what horrible deaths these brave men came to. That is not a just reward is it! Only in terms of the Kingdom can this be really understood for the reward that it is. Yet these were the very best of men, specially chosen by Jesus. So if they met with a horrible death for all the wonderful good things they did upon the earth, then it does not follow that we should expect to be treated better than the wicked. If we are truly followers of Jesus, then in our love for our fellow brother and sister, wicked or not, we would want only the best for them. That is Gods way with people and Jesus taught us that it should be our way, too. There are no conditions and no certain circumstances when God will provide. God gives and He gives to us all, good or bad. And we should be thankful for it. God is love and that love is for all. Personally I am glad. I love this that our LORD is so kind and caring about all His creation. I know that He loves me when I am good and I know that He loves me when I sin. Of course He has His demands of us, but as long as we can believe in our hearts that Jesus came in the flesh, that He was crucified for the forgiveness of sins and that He was raised on the third day, then that is the New Covenant with our Maker. We people will never completely eradicate sin from our lives in this world. God knows this, but we can give ourselves the second chance in the Kingdom to come by acknowledging the Son, Gods greatest Gift to mankind.

Names of God: Lesson 7 Q4. (Psalm 121). What does it mean that God is our Keeper. In what ways does he "keep" or "guard" us? Psalm 121 (NLT):