Month: November 2022

Devotional

The Names of the LORD – Part Nine of Nine

kathrynhugheswriter

Jehovah-tsidkenu– The LORD Our Righteousness

Come quickly, Lord Jesus! O, for the time when You, Jehovah-tsidkenu, will reign on earth! We will praise You and declare Your righteousness, for You alone forgive us of our sins (Psalm 35:28;50:6; 51:14).

The LORD is our righteousness, for we are not righteous in ourselves. It is God who justifies us. But now a righteousness from God, apart from the law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. Romans 3:21-24 NIV

Jesus Christ’s righteousness is credited to our account.

We are also called to live righteously in both the Old and the New Testaments. In I Peter 3:10-12, Peter quotes from Psalm 34.  “Whoever would love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from deceitful speech. He must turn from evil and do good; he must seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”

Photo by Kathryn Hughes

We learn much of how to live from studying God’s Word. It is God’s instruction manual for us. We also can know the LORD intimately from learning who He is and knowing His character. In this nine-part series we have looked at some of the names of the LORD.

  • He is the LORD Yahweh, or Jehovah, the self-existent One, the eternal I AM.
  • Our God (Elohim) created us, saying “Let Us make man in Our own image.”
  • As Jehovah Elohim, He is our Redeemer.
  • The-LORD-Is-Here, or Jehovah Shammah, is always present with His people.
  • As Jehovah Nissi, The-LORD-is-our-Banner, calls us to follow Him in the war against our flesh.
  • God is our Provider, Jehovah Jireh, who provided for our redemption, and He also supplies our daily needs.
  • The LORD leads us and cares for us as our Shepherd, Jehovah Raah.
  • The LORD Who Heals You, Jehovah Rapha, heals us from diseases and from emotional and spiritual decay.
  • The-LORD-Is-Peace, Jehovah Shalom, brings us peace, even within the storm.
  • Praise be to God, Jehovah Tsidkenu, is The-Lord-Our-Righteousness. 

    Christian singer Phil Wickham sings “1,000 Names” from his album Hymn Of Heaven. I encourage you to listen to it. There are so many more names of God to discover.

    Let’s truly get to know the LORD by every name of God and by every one of His attributes found in Scripture.

    Top Photo by Karolina Grabowska on Pexels.com

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    Thank you for joining me and for reading my devotional blogs. I plan to add more names and attributes of the Lord to this devotional blog in the future. I hope and pray that you will be touched by God in a special way each time you visit. Blogs usually post every other Thursday and are archived for your convenience.

    Devotional

    The Names of the LORD – Part Eight of Nine

    kathrynhugheswriter

    Jehovah-Shalom: The-LORD-is-Peace

    So Gideon built an altar to the LORD there and called it The-LORD-is-Peace (Jehovah-shalom). Judges 6:24 NKJV

    Peace. It can be hard to grasp when the world seems to spin out of control. Reading the news is more distressing than it is hopeful. Stress, troubles, and difficulties with other people cause an emotional and sometimes physical upheaval. Fear and turmoil often become the norm. When my focus is on problems I feel anything but peace.

    Gideon certainly did not have peace when he is first introduced in the Old Testament book of Judges, chapter six. He threshed wheat in a winepress to hide it from the Midianites who oppressed Israel. Gideon was fearful and discouraged.

    I love how the LORD does not leave Gideon in his fears, but comes to him. In the time they are talking, Gideon questioned why bad things were happening and stated, “The LORD has abandoned us.” Then he gave excuses of why he couldn’t be the one the LORD was sending to deliver Israel. The LORD assured Gideon of His presence. “Surely I will be with you, and you shall defeat the Midianites as one man.”

    Gideon’s response grows from fear to bringing an offering. When the Angel of the LORD touched the offering with His staff and fire from the rock consumed the offering, Gideon feared for his life. “Alas, O Lord GOD! For I have seen the Angel of the LORD face to face.” The LORD said to him, “Peace be to you: do not fear, you shall not die.”

    So Gideon built an altar to the LORD there and called it The-LORD-is-Peace (Jehovah-shalom).

    Gideon’s circumstances did not change, yet he found that The-LORD-is-Peace. The Midianites still were the oppressors of his people, but now Gideon had peace because he was listening to the LORD. In his obedience to do what the LORD instructed him, he tore down his father’s idol, he called 32,000 people to arms against their oppressors, and after dismissing all but 300 of them, he led the remaining small army to victory. Gideon became the sixth judge of Israel, and Israel had forty years rest from their enemies. (Judges 6-8)

    Picture of Gideon from Kidfrugal Free Bible images

    We also can find rest from our enemies and from our own distress if we rely on the LORD. Our circumstances may remain unchanged, but if we turn to the LORD, He will be our peace in the midst of the storm.

    Jesus told His disciples, Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. John 14:27 NIV

    Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace by which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Romans 5:1, 2 NIV (emphasis mine here and in Philippians).

    Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:4-7 NKJV.  Paul wrote to the Philippians while he was Nero’s prisoner in Rome, and yet the apostle is triumphant, writing of joy and peace. 

    Let’s look to God as our source of peace. Let’s share that peace with others. Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification. Romans 14:19 NIV

    Jehovah-shalom, thank you for being the LORD of peace. Help me to not be anxious, but to rest in the peace You provide.

    Top photo by Disha Sheta on Pexels.com

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    Thank you for joining me and for reading my devotional blogs. I pray that you will be touched by God in a special way each time you visit. Blogs usually post every other Thursday and are archived for your convenience.