From Praying the Names of Jesus Week One, Day Five
The Name
Elohim is the Hebrew word for God that appears in the very first sentence of the Bible. When we pray to Elohim, we remember that he is the one who began it all, creating the heavens and the earth and separating light from darkness, water from dry land, night from day. This ancient name for God contains the idea of God's creative power as well as his authority and sovereignty. Jesus used a form of the name in his agonized prayer from the cross. About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?"—which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"
Key Scripture
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1:1).
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Friday
PROMISES ASSOCIATED WITH GOD'S NAME
A promise is only as good as the person who makes it. Sometimes young children make promises they cannot keep, like the one about eating all their vegetables if only you will please give them a candy bar right now. Lovers promise to stay together in sickness and in health until death parts them. Yet sometimes they stray. Salespeople promise the moon just to close a deal. But when it comes to mak¬ing a promise and keeping it, God is not like any of his flawed crea¬tures. He is absolutely reliable, completely trustworthy, entirely able to follow through on his word. As the Creator he has infinite resources to accomplish his purposes. Remember that when you think about the following promises from his word in Scripture.
Promises in Scripture
Do you not know?
Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.(Isaiah 40:28-29)
So do not fear, for I am with you;
do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you;
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. (Isaiah 41:10)
I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you. (Genesis 28:15)
Continued Prayer and Praise
Remember that we bear God's image. (Genesis 9:6)
Thank God for his covenant with all living creatures. (Genesis 9:12-17)
Pray that God will turn darkness to light. (Psalm 18:28)
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Meet your spiritual ancestors as they really were: Less Than Perfect: Broken Men and Women of the Bible and What We Can Learn from Them.