WHAT IS HIS NAME?

 

Tuesday, October 27, 2026

WHAT IS HIS NAME?

Ex 3:13-15

13 And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them?

14 And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.

15 And God said moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, The Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: this is my name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations.

          Moses was having a conversation with a burning bush which commissioned him to rescue Israel from slavery in Egypt. Moses thought ahead to when he would announce that “God” had sent him, and someone would surely ask: “What is His name?” It wasn’t God who was having an identity crisis but Moses. Moses was still struggling with whether he was a prince or a shepherd.

          There are no less than twelve names of God in the Old Testament but here the Lord offered a name that answered Moses’ question. If someone asked the name of God, Moses was to answer simply I AM. The Hebrew word translated I AM is the word hayah which simply means “to exist or to be.” Verse 15 offers a more detailed answer when God says: “this is my name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations.” The word “ever” is translated from a word that means “time out of mind.”

          When God said his name was I AM, He was not simply saying that He exists from now on till infinity. He was saying that He exists from infinity to infinity. He exists from before the beginning till after the end. Such a concept, even when thoroughly explained, is hard for a time-dweller to grasp.

          There is continuity, consistency, stability, and singleness of purpose in a God who has neither beginning nor end. With God there are no yesterdays or tomorrows. When He confronts us, He is as He always was. (Malachi 3:6) There is comfort in such a God.

Rom 11:33

33 O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!

Dear Lord, you are the same God who listened to my childhood prayers and calmed my childhood fears. You are the same God who heard my confession and saved my soul. You have led me until today and will see me through tomorrow. Your thoughts toward me have not changed. Your plans for me are sealed and fully determined. My destiny is sure because you do not change. Thank you, Lord. AMEN

 

GOD NEVER PANICS

 

Monday, October 26, 2026

GOD NEVER PANICS

(a CLASSIC devotional from 2010)

Ps 91:1-2

91:1 He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

2 I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.

Panic is the result of challenges that are greater than our store of resources. We come up against a force too strong to deal with and we run away. This happens often with men but never with God. He has an unlimited supply of options at His disposal. His strength is unmatched.

Secret Place! The idea from the Hebrew word is simply a “cover,” hiding place or disguise. The idea of a “secret” place suggests an inner circle of those initiated into a choice brotherhood. It is a place for insiders, for those who are intimately acquainted with “the Most High.” It is a place of acceptance no matter how diverse the individual members of this secret society may be. They have status. They are granted entrance and protection.

Shadow of the Almighty! The Hebrew is Shadday (shad-dah'-ee) and springs from one of the names of God, El Shaddai. Shaddai itself occurs forty-eight times in the Old Testament and is translated "almighty." The other word so like it, and from which we believe it to be derived, occurs twenty-four times and is translated "breast." As connected with the word breast, the title Shaddai signifies one who nourishes, supplies, satisfies. The Egyptian goddess Isis was clustered over with breasts because all things are sustained or nourished by the earth or nature." The same was true of the idol of the Ephesian goddess Diana in Acts 19, for Diana signified nature and the world with all its products.

(From Names of God, Copyright 1944 by The Moody Bible Institute of Chicago.)

Perhaps that is too much information for this early in the morning, but the idea is that God is quite capable of satisfying the needs of His people! The Almighty is all-mighty.

When I first became pastor of my current church, the secretary had a small item on top of her file cabinet which read simply “God Never Panics!” I will never forget misreading it for the very first time as “God Never PUNTS!” When you think about it, it still makes good sense. If God had a football team there would be no punts!

Dear Lord, I know I can hide in your secret place today. I am a member of beloved band and have access to the “hideout.” I know also that I have no need that can’t be more than adequately met by your rich supply. Let there be no panic today. AMEN

 

THE CHURCH IN ACTS 4

 

Saturday, October 24, 2026

THE CHURCH IN ACTS 4

A properly functioning church should use the book of Acts as a model.

Acts 4:32-35

32 And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common.

33 And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all.

34 Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold,

35 And laid them down at the apostles' feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need.

          UNITY!  (v.32). There is no schism in the body. One heart [kardia] or feelings and emotions. They were of one soul [psuche] Psyche or mind; way of thinking. Opinion! Paul battled the Corinthians on many fronts including party politics. Some favored the oratory of Apollos while some were true to Paul.

1 Cor 3:3-4

3 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?

4 For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?

          COMMUNITY! (v.32) Community is impossible without yielding rights! Because they had one heart and one mind it was not hard to develop one pocket! Nobody felt that any of his things belonged to him alone. (v.33) Those things that they held in common they treated with respect. They looked on church property not as if it was their own possession but as something that was borrowed and must be returned in good condition.

          ENERGY! (v.33) This is the kind of church the Lord can easily bless. They were able to witness with great power because there were no divisions in the body and no competition between various programs. Great grace was upon them all.

          SUFFICIENCY! (v.34) There was no lack anywhere! You can not make a hole in a bucket of sand by thrusting in your fist. The moment you remove your hand the hole is immediately filled as every grain of sand in the bucket rushes to make his contribution.

          GENEROSITY! (v. 34 & 35) The idea of a healthy modern church has such a practical application that perhaps we miss it by over spiritualizing it. All Spiritual truth has a simple and practical application.

Dear Lord, make me willing to share. Make me respectful of church property. Let me not think that my program is more important than any other. When there is a hole, let me rush to fill it. AMEN