Names Of God - Father!

Psalm 8:1

"O LORD, our Lord, How excellent is Your name in all the earth,..."

Do you have a name? I'm sure you do, all of us do or should. It is part of our identity. But, have you ever wonder why you are given your name? Do you know what your name means? It would be good to find out if you don't.

Names in Biblical times were very important, as they revealed a person's character.
 As we read through Scripture we can see the importance of names, 
therefore, it should be a priority in our lives to learn the Names of God.

God has many Names and each reveals Him in a different way.
 God's Names represent His attributes, His nature.
 Therefore, it is important that we know God by His many Names. 
It is my hope you are encouraged and uplifted as you read these Names of God. 


OLD TESTAMENT NAMES FOR GOD

• JEHOVAH-YAHWEH. a reference to God's divine salvation ................(Genesis 2:4)
• JEHOVAH-MACCADDESHEM. meaning "The Lord thy sanctifier" ...(Exodus 31:13)
• JEHOVAH-ROHI. meaning "The Lord my shepherd" ............................(Psalm 23:1)
• JEHOVAH-SHAMMAH. meaning "The Lord who is present" ..............(Ezekiel 48:35)
• JEHOVAH-RAPHA. meaning "The Lord our healer" .............................(Exodus 15:26)
• JEHOVAH-TSIDKENU. meaning "The Lord our righteousness" ..........(Jeremiah 23:6)
• JEHOVAH-JIREH. meaning "The Lord will provide" ............................(Genesis 22:13-14)
• JEHOVAH-NISSI. meaning "The Lord our banner" ...............................(Exodus 17:15)
• JEHOVAH-SHALOM. meaning "The Lord is peace" ............................(Judges 6:24)
• JEHOVAH-SABBAOTH. meaning "The Lord of Hosts" .......................(Isaiah 6:1-3)
• JEHOVAH-GMOLAH. meaning "The God of Recompense" ................(Jeremiah 51:6)

• ADONAI. meaning "Lord", a reference to the Lordship of God .........(Malachi 1:6)
• ELOHIM. meaning "God", a reference to God's power and might ......(Genesis 1:1, Psalm 19:1)
• EL-ELYON. meaning "The most high God" ..............................(Genesis 14:17-20,Isaiah 14:13-14)
• EL-ROI. meaning "The strong one who sees" ..........................(Genesis 16:13)
• EL-SHADDAI. meaning "The God of the mountains or God Almighty" ....(Genesis 17:1,Psalm 91:1)
• EL-OLAM. meaning "The everlasting God" ................................................(Isaiah 40:28-31)

But what is most interesting is that Jesus did not introduce God in any of the above names during his ministry on earth. In the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5 - 7) Jesus introduces God to us as our Father in Heaven. The very first verse in the Lord's Prayer in Matthew 6:9 (NLT) is

"Our Father in heaven, may your name be honoured."

The word "Father" suggests an intimate relationship and closeness between God and us. This is an attribute of God that is not found in the Old Testament names of God, listed above. God is simply called by the name "Father" or "Abba" the Aramaic term for "father", at the time of Jesus. Abba, an originally Aramaic form is borrowed into the Greek Old Testament as a name. The phrase Abba, Father is found in Mark 14:36, Romans 8:15 and Galatians 4:6.

How then do we see God in this light, as our Father?

This question is similar to the statement Philip, one of the twelve apostles, made to Jesus in John 14:8. Jesus replied to Philip in John 14:9b is ".....Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father!".

The answer to the above question is also found in this verse.

John 1:18 (NLT)
¹⁸No one has ever seen God. But his only Son, who is himself God, is near to the Father's heart; he has told us about him.

which is probably why Jesus says in John 14:6-7 (NLT)

"⁶I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. ⁷If you had known who I am, then you would have known who my Father is. From now on you know him and have seen him!"

The way to see and know your Father in Heaven, is to see and know Jesus. If in your life journey, you are pursuing after God, pursue after Jesus. You will find your Father in Heaven in Jesus and your Father God will meet you half way, for He purpose for you to find him and have an intimate relationship with Him.

God's Spirit Will Guide You

John 16:13-15 (NLT)
¹³When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not be presenting his own ideas; he will be telling you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future. ¹⁴He will bring me glory by revealing to you whatever he receives from me. ¹⁵All that the Father has is mine; this is what I mean when I say that the Spirit will reveal to you whatever he receives from me.

The work of the Holy Spirit in the life of a Christian is multidimentional. We are told that, among other things, the Holy Spirit "join with our spirit to affirm that we are God's children" (Roman 8:16). In this passage, we see that the Holy Spirit serves as a teacher and a guide.

The Holy Spirit Will Help Us Understand the Bible
Before you became a Christian, understanding the Bible may have been like walking around with blinders on. But those blinders you once havd were taken off, so to speak, when the Holy Spirit came into your heart. The Holy Spirit teaches you the truth of the Scripture, helping you grasp hard-to-understand passages.

The Holy Spirit Will Reveal More and More about God and Jesus
The Bible makes it abundantly clear that one of the primary roles of the Holy Spirit is to glorify Christ. The moment you invited Jesus into your heart, God's Spirit began to help you grasp the awesome, praiseworthy attributes of Jesus. Those who do not have a personal relationship with Christ cannot understand the full glory of God, because they do not have the Holy Spirit's assistance.

The Holy Spirit wants to be actively involved in your life, helping you grow in the knowledge of God and his Word so that you can better understand God's will for your life. Everytime you open the Bible, pray for the Holy Spirit to show you how the passages you read can apply to your life.

New Believer's Bible
Ps Greg Laurie

Yandina - Ginger Factory

Passing through the town of Yandina we notice a sign that says "Ginger Factory". Since we could not visit Bundaberg Ginger Beer factory, at Bundaberg when we were at Hervey Bay we decided to follow the sign to the factory.

The Ginger Factory is one of the Sunshine Coast’s largest and popular tourist attractions.

Immediately after entering the door to the Ginger Factory, the first thing we noticed was the Ginger Shop, with a largest selection of ginger products, a variety of gourmet foods, kitchenware and a huge range of cooking accessories.

There is even a section on honey and bees.

Pass the shop into a courtyard is a cafe, appropriately named the Ginger Cafe. A cool tree shaded place to get away from the sun for some tea, coffee or a bite to eat. A bit pricey but I guess its to be expected for a tourist attraction, with free admissions to its gardens, shopping area and cafe.

Other attractions like the train ride, boat and conducted tours will require a ticket which you will have to buy at the ticket counter.

We took one of the conducted tours of the factory and it was interesting to see how the ginger was processed and the many varieties of ginger products being produced. The tasting session at the end of the tour was great, an opportunity to sample some of the products before we buy. As part of the tasting session, a short talk about the many benefits of ginger was expanded on.

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Eumundi - At The Market

Just 30 minutes out of Noosa via Eumundi-Noosa Road towards the hinterland, we reach the small town of Eumundi. A charming hinterland town bustling with locals and tourists. Eumundi is a historic town made famous by its 'Eumundi Markets'. The township also offers rustic shops, cafes, restaurants and art galleries to explore and to indulge in at your leisure.

For us, the main attraction of Eumundi has to be its markets. There is the Original Eumundi Market and there is the Eumundi Square.

Both markets open Wednesdays and Saturdays from 7.30am to 1.30pm and on Sunday’s the permanent Eumundi Square Markets are open from 8:30am to 1.30pm. On market day this normally sleepy little town really comes alive. The car park was practically full by the time we got there, and this was around 8:30am in the morning. We are not early risers.

Eumundi Square is a market with a roof, providing a permanent home for 90+ businesses that offer a diverse selection of products, including clothing, tableware, design accessories, art, plus for the foodies superb chocolates and beautiful cakes. One of the noticeable things about the place is the many colours you see of the products on display. The second is the number of people there.

The Original Eumundi Markets is made up of potable stalls. It is where you’ll find original artworks, sculptures, furniture, handmade toys, homewares, and skincare, as well as "cutting edge" fashion and jewellery made by local designers. ALL sorts of things can be found in this market. As well as hundreds of stalls we found artworks, street entertainment, music and excellent food and drinks. All these add to the atmosphere of the place.

We later discovered that the ethos of the market is “we make it, bake it, grow it, sew it”. It short, all things here are originals. It's a terrific way to spend a morning, have some breakfast and get some genuine, locally-made souvenirs.

For more images of Eumundi and its markets, click here.

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Noosa - One Evening

Once we got into Noosa in the late afternoon, we quickly checked into our accommodation. We were keen to do some grocery shopping at the nearest supermarket and to check out the town.

While the town is called Noosa, it full name however is Noosa Heads and it is located 136km from Brisbane, the state's capital. Its location on Queensland's Sunshine Coast means there are plenty of activities on offer. Fishing, water sports, hiking, as well as surfing at the Noosa Heads beach are the many activities and things to do here, which is why Noosa is a popular weekend or holiday escape destination.

Noosa Heads has a cosmopolitan atmosphere and with its dining scene and year-round warm, sunny climate, makes it one of Queensland's destinations for international travellers. Noosa is also one of Queensland's party places, with popular events such as the Noosa Triathlon and the Noosa Long Weekend staged annually.

There is also the Noosa National Park at the headland. We drove by its entrance but as it was getting late, did not go in. The narrow road from the town to the national park however was very scenic.

Noosa main street is Hastings Street, which lies directly behind the seashore. This is where all the interesting cafes, restaurants, retails shops and boutiques can be found.

We drove to the very end of Hastings Street where we came across the Coast Guard tower along the Noosa River. From the tower, we took a stroll to the mouth of the Noosa River and then to the beach around the corner to watch the evening sun go down before we decided to head back to town for a walk. We wanted to see the town before heading back to our accommodation to cook dinner.

We drove back to Hastings Street. By this time, except for some cafes and restaurants, the shops were closed. However, any visit to Noosa isn't complete without a gentle stroll along the "bustling" Hastings Street strip, even at this late evening of the day, as it is the hub of the town and a popular meeting place for all visitors.

Still it was a pleasant walk with the sea breeze blowing gently and to do some window shopping in preparation for the next day.

The following are the day time view of Noosa along the Noosa River. For more images of Noosa Heads, click here.

 

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Holy Spirit Come And Fill This Place

Matthew 3:11 (NLT)
¹¹"I baptize with water those who turn from their sins and turn to God. But someone is coming soon who is far greater than I am--so much greater that I am not even worthy to be his slave. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.

1 Corinthians 3:16 (NLT)
¹⁶Don't you realize that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you?

1 John 4:13 (NLT)
¹³And God has given us his Spirit as proof that we live in him and he in us.

Romans 5:3-5 (NLT)
³We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they are good for us--they help us learn to endure. ⁴And endurance develops strength of character in us, and character strengthens our confident expectation of salvation. ⁵And this expectation will not disappoint us. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.

2 Corinthians 13:13 (NLT)
¹³May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.