W@W WRAP – Week 303

What’s in a Name?

Read:

Genesis 17:1 (NASB): Now when Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am God Almighty; walk before Me, and be blameless”.

Exodus 3:14 (NASB): And God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM”; and He said, “This is what you shall say to the sons of Israel: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’”

Act:

This week, let us reflect on the wonderful names of God and embrace Who He is in every aspect of our lives. Our gracious and loving Lord reveals His character and His nature, as He reveals His names. He longs for us to know Him.  As we read in Jeremiah 29:13-14 (NLT), “If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. I will be found by you,” says the Lord”…

Perhaps this week, do a search of the Scriptures for the names God gives for Himself, and reflect on how they relate to you personally. Here are just a few examples: Elohim (God, our mighty creator); Adonai (Lord, our Master); Yahweh Nissi (The Lord, our banner – the one who fights on our behalf); Logos (The Word and truth); El Olam (The everlasting God); Sar Shalom (Prince of peace).

This week, let’s focus on:

Knowing and understanding the character and nature of our Triune God. This will allow us to step into a deeper relationship with Him and follow His way. We will be able to see and experience the goodness and grace of God, and to CHOOSE HIM. The choice that we make in following Him will enable those names of God to be real to us. What a great comfort. He can be everything He describes to us… and that is EVERYTHING! Why would anyone then choose anything else but the way of JESUS? As it is written in John 6:66-69 (ESV): “After this many of His disciples turned back and no longer walked with Him. So, Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you want to go away as well?” Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed, and have come to know, that You are the Holy One of God.”

Reflecting and demonstrating the love we have for God and His people. As we get to know God more fully, we can live out our faith in Jesus Christ, just as the early disciples did in Acts 2:42-47: They were faithfully devoted; their hearts were mutually linked to one another, sharing communion and coming together regularly for prayer; they performed many miraculous signs and wonders; they were in fellowship and generous with what they had; they met daily to celebrate communion; they shared meals together with joyful hearts and tender humility; and they were continually filled with praises to God, enjoying the favour of all the people. May we do likewise and reflect God’s character and nature to the world around us, for His glory and renown. Let us choose to live our whole life for our Heavenly Father and His people! Let us together in fellowship and communion, through love, and the guidance and strength of the Holy Spirit, lead others to get to know Jesus.

Honouring and glorifying God! As we seek the Lord and His Kingdom in our lives, we long to love and worship Him with obedient hearts in our relationships, choices and actions. Our lives become a story of God’s goodness, grace and power. As others see what believing in Jesus means in our lives, they will want it for themselves. We can then share about the amazing provisions that are ours and about who God is!

Pray:

Lord, thank You so much that we can believe in You! Thank You that You go to these lengths to tell us what You want us to do. Thank You for Your Word. It is the ultimate truth. We can bank on it and it’s never going to change. Thank You that You are the same yesterday, today and forever. We stand before You and submit ourselves to you. We want to live Your way. We will choose You every single time.

Jesus, I come to You and thank You that my experience of You has always been reflected in Luke 6: You’ve been sympathetic and tender and compassionate toward me. You’re always interested in who I am, You always affirm who I am. That is our engagement, this is our experience of You Lord. I ask that as we see what You have done for us, and as we have experienced what You have done, that we would do likewise, that we would do the same. May we demystify the terms that we use in our Christian language and just love on the people that You’ve chosen to love. I pray that we would open our hearts and open our generosity toward them – sharing simple things, like laughter, stories, and joy. I ask this in Jesus’ name.

Lord, I thank You that we can be together today, in a community of believers. Lord, I pray that we will all start to pray more for each other – in community and in unity. I thank You that we will see breakthroughs Lord. I pray that we will keep persevering and encouraging each other through all the battles that we fight daily Lord. I thank You that we can be victorious in this, that we can go to Your Word for scriptures that will encourage us when we feel discouraged. Thank You that we can claim that we are victorious Lord. Thank You that through these battles You also build our character. We don’t have to fight this alone. We fight it alongside You and with a massive community of fellow believers. Thank You for that.

Father, thank You for the truth of Your Word that we need to continually abide in. I pray that we would step forward boldly into the future – not fearing it, but with great faith, for the truth and reality of what You have done for us has set us free. In Jesus’ name.

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your Kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Our Father, give us today our daily bread. Our Father, forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Our Father, keep us from temptation and from the evil one. For Yours is the Kingdom and the power and the glory! We want to say You are our Father, and we honour and respect Your name. Amen.