Understanding God's Nature as Revealed by His Names

Throughout Scripture, many different names are given to God. Remembering that Scripture is inspired by God, studying the meaning of those names tells us things about God that we need to know. As we see different facets of His character revealed in the names, our faith in God is strengthened and increased.

El Shaddai - Almighty God

This reflects His unfailing capacity to meet every need that we have. Abraham's faith was greatly challenged when he was called to leave his home and family to seek a new country, but God was with him each step of the way, faithfully leading him and supplying all his needs.

Jehovah Jireh - God Sees; God Provides

The story of Abraham offering Isaac on Mount Moriah reveals this name of God to us. God sees every need we have and He goes beyond seeing—He meets those needs.

I AM 

When God called Moses to lead the children of Israel out of bondage, this is the name He chose to identify Himself to His suffering people. There is a wealth of truth in this name; but the primary relevance is that God is everything we need. He is not in the past. He has not changed. 

Jehovah Shalom - The God of Peace

People everywhere are seeking for peace. Yet beyond the struggles of nations, individuals also are seeking peace. The only true source of peace is an understanding of the God of peace. 

Jehovah Shammah - The God Who is There

God is not an abstract concept-He is real; and He is present with us. God's presence should be a visible testimony to all with whom we come in contact. 

Bible names have deep meanings. When we look at the names of God, we see facets of His character and nature that increase our faith and help us grow as Christians. WE find in Him our supply, our present help, our peace and our constant companion. Living in light of who God is changes everything. Living with such an awareness is the only way we can achieve "the high calling of God" for our lives.

It's Impossible

To sow tares and reap roses.

To sow jealousy and reap love.

To think wrong and live right.

To do wrong and live right.

To dance without paying the fiddler.

To bat below par and maintain self-respect.

To be unfair and succeed for any length of time.

To make decisions tomorrow rather than today.

To carry hatred in the heart without reflecting it in the face.

Basic Principles to Getting Your Prayers Answered - #7

God is Waiting for you to Pray

"Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not"—Jeremiah 33:3.

God delights to hear and answer prayer. "Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God."—Philippians 4:6.

Have you ever experienced God answering your prayers? We'd love to hear about it. Leave a comment below!

—taken from the booklet 'You Can Get Your Prayers Answered' by Dr. Tom Wallace. You can purchase this booklet and read the unabridged version here.

Basic Principles of Getting Your Prayers Answered - #5

Ask in Faith

"If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. A double minded man is unstable in all his ways."—James 1:5-8.

You can get you rprayers answered, but it is essential that you believe God's promises and develop a trust and confidence. When you have met God's conditions, then pray and believe.

Remember, it is vital that our believing be based on His Word given to us in the Bible and not on some experience. 

—taken from the booklet 'You Can Get Your Prayers Answered' by Dr. Tom Wallace. You can purchase this booklet and read the unabridged version here.

Basic Principles to Getting Your Prayers Answered - #4

Pray With a Proper Motive

"Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts"—James 4:3.

Here is a case of selfishness and James minces no words about it. He is blunt and pointed in telling us not to expect answers to that kind of prayer.

This type of individual looks upon God as a big welfare department, doling out assistance like a federal giveaway program instead of as our Heavenly Father, giving all that we request to help us run our program.

God wants us to be stewards and ambassadors representing His cause on this planet. When we join His program, He supplies the wherewithal to accomplish His purpose.

—taken from the booklet 'You Can Get Your Prayers Answered' by Dr. Tom Wallace. You can purchase this booklet and read the unabridged version here.

Basic Principles to Getting Your Prayers Answered - #3

Allow the Holy Spirit to Assist You in Praying

"Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered."—Romans 8:26.

• The Holy Spirit convicted and alerted us to our need of a Saviour when we were lost (John 16:7-11).
• He gave us birth into the family of God (John 3:6). 
• He came into our lives and took up abode in our bodies (Romans 8:9-11). 
• He leads us in the path that is in harmony with the Bible (Romans 8:14). 
• He fills us with His presence and power (Ephesians 5:18). 
• He manifests in our lives the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). 
• And finally, He assists us in our praying (Romans 8:26).

We must be conscious of His help and allow Him to impress us with right and wrong things for which to pray. Since He knows what God's will is, the Holy Spirit does not permit us to continue to pray for things outside God's plan, but He will impress us as to what to pray for and when to pray.

—taken from the booklet 'You Can Get Your Prayers Answered' by Dr. Tom Wallace. You can purchase this booklet and read the unabridged version here.

You Can Get Your Prayers Answered

"Ask and ye shall receive."—John 16:24

"Ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you."—John 15:7

James, the brother of our Lord, said, "Ye have not, because ye ask not" (James 4:2). God has much more for all of us; what a shame we don't take advantage of the privilege we have of asking!

Prayer is not complicated. Any believer can talk to God and get results. There is no magic formula, no secret code. The Bible simply says "Ask" but it has a dual meaning. It means to ask one time; it also means to keep on asking. We are to ask and ask, and we will keep on receiving and receiving.

Dr. R.A. Torrey stated, "Nothing lies beyond the reach of prayer except that which lies outside the will of God."

If that be true, all we need do is determine whether what we ask is in the will of God. If it is, then we can have it. George Mueller, who saw thousands of answers to his prayers, explained how he did it:

1. One must come to complete dependence on the merits of Christ as the only claim of blessing.
2. One must separate himself from any known sin.
3. One must have faith in God's Word.
4. One must ask in accordance with God's will.
5. There must be an importunity or continuous asking and supplication until the answer comes.

These great men were not God's pets with some "in" that the rest of us do not have, for Peter by divine inspiration, said, "Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons." (Acts 10:34).

Why Should Christians Know the Scriptures?

Knowing the Scriptures

II Timothy 3:14-17—"But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works."

1. It builds up. "And to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up."—Acts 20:32
2. It produces faith. "Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God."—Romans 10:17
3. It produces fruit. "If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you."—John 15:7
4. It convicts of sin. "For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword."—Hebrews 4:12
5. It gives peace. "Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them."—Psalm 119:165
6. It corrects wrong. "All scripture is given by inspiration of God...for correction"— II Timothy 3:16
7. It confirms right. "If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed."—John 8:31
8. It comforts the heart. "This is my comfort in my affliction."—Psalm 119:50
9. It settles. "For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven."—Psalm 119:89
10. It keeps us from sin. "Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee."—Psalm 119:11
11. It produces love. "Obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love."—I Peter 1:22
12. It gives warning. "And they are written for our admonition."—I Corinthians 10:11
13. It gives knowledge. "These things have I written unto you...that ye may know."—I John 5:13

7 Reasons Why We Should Pray

• It is commanded plainly of God that Christians ought to pray always about everything and about everybody, with all prayer and supplication.
• Prayer is God's appointed way for Christians to get things.
• Prayer is the way for Christians to have fullness of joy.
• Prayer is God's cure for worry, the way out of trouble and anxious care.
• Answered prayer is God's way of stopping the mouths of unbelievers, God's unanswerable argument against infidelity.
• Prayer is the way to have the power of the Holy Spirit for God's blessed work.
• "Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." Therefore, beloved brethren, let us pray! Oh, how many and how weighty are the reasons that Christians should pray!

-snippet taken from: Prayer—Asking and Receiving by Dr. John R. Rice. Purchase your copy here! Now available on eBook.

7 Steps to See Good Days, part seven

I Peter 4:16—"Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God."

We're going to take our stand and let our colors be seen. We're going to run our flag up high. We are not lowering the flag to halfmast; we are putting it up to the top. And if we suffer, we will praise God for the privilege of bearing the reproach of Christ—like Moses did in Hebrews 11:26.

The Christian life is a good life. Glean the most you can from it. Get as much as you can from it. Feed yourself upon it, and God will lead you and bless you right to the very end of your sojourn.

—This concludes our 7 part series on How to See Good Days. These posts were used with permission from the Sword of the Lord newspaper and condensed for this series. Author, Dr. Harold Sightler.

7 Steps to See Good Days, part six

I Peter 4:16—"Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed."

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek"—Romans 1:16.

If any person suffer as a believer, let him not be ashamed.

If they are heaping persecution on you, saying all manner of evil about you, don't be ashamed.

If you suffer as a Christian for doing the right thing, believing the right Gospel, serving God in an acceptable manner, then don't be ashamed.

When you live right, dress right and walk right, you will suffer. And if you suffer as a Christian, don't be ashamed. That's how you can love life and see good days.

7 Steps to See Good Days, part five

Not all of us minister in the same way. Some give themselves to evangelism, others to Bible study, others to missions and to other aspects of the ministry. It is wise to present the whole counsel of the Lord in a well-rounded ministry.

The text implies that we are given different abilities and different degrees of ability. I am to be satisfied with whatever my ability is or whatever degree of that ability I may possess.

If you're complaining and finding fault and are a bit jealous of the blessing of God upon another, then read I Peter 4:11.

If any man will love life and see good days, if he labor, if he 'minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth.' When God gives that ability, learn to take what He allows you to be and be happy with that.

7 Steps to See Good Days, part four

Oracles of God are Bible terms, Bible statements, Bible quotations. The Proverbs are the oracles of God. Many New Testament texts contain the oracles of God. When you speak, quote the oracles of God. 

You will be surprised what that will do when you fellowship with people. We live in a generation given over to profanity and obscene language. We need somebody in the crowd to say, "Praise God!"

7 Steps to See Good Days, part three

Let the man who would "love life, and see good days...seek peace." As much as in you is, be at peace with all men (Romans 12:18).

Don't have enemies. Somebody may not appreciate you and may be your enemy—but don't you be the enemy of anybody. Those who despitefully use you—we are commanded to pray for them.

Be at peace with every man—as much as possible, even your enemy. Then 'ensue it'. Make it a life policy as a peacemaker. Jesus said, "Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God" (Matthew 5:9).

I didn't say compromisers. God's people aren't to compromise, but we are to stand, especially when truth is at stake. Be peace-loving people.

7 Steps on How to See Good Days, part two

"Let him eschew evil, and do good..."—I Peter 3:11a

There are the positive and the negative in one short sentence.

Step 2 to see good days:

Let him despise evil; let him avoid evil; let him separate from evil and start out on the positive side of the ledger doing good—not to be saved, but because he's saved.

Avoid evil communications. Avoid fornicators. Have no fellowship with the wicked, the ungodly. Have no fellowship with the one who doesn't believe this Bible. Then, set out to do good.

Find something to do for somebody. Carry a widow a pounding of food. Go visit one who may have nobody else. Every community has scores of shut-ins. Do good to them. Set out to do good.