Craig Cooper

The Bible is filled with illustrations and references to agriculture. This largely is due to most of Scripture being written in a heavily agrarian society. The church continues to use agriculture speak to explain biblical principles in a similar fashion. I came across this one, “Sometimes when you’re in a dark place, you think you’ve been buried, but you’ve being planted.” Although this is not from the Bible, it’s quite biblical.

In 1 Peter, we read, “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you” (1 Peter 5:8-10). Due to The Fall, the world (culture), the flesh (sinful leanings), and the devil wreak havoc on all our lives. No matter how attractive things contrary to God’s permissive standards may appear, they bring only ultimate sorrow. In this life, bad decisions, our and others, and the state of the world create circumstances that seem to bury us.

Peter challenges us to resist every temptation to compromise our faith. When we suffer, we are to courageously remember God’s faithfulness and follow the examples of past and present believers who have persevered. I’m reminded of these words from Romans 8, “We know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28). This verse does not deny hardships. Still, it offers hope that we can be confident that nothing can hurt God’s people so deeply that God cannot turn it around for their good. God is so powerful He takes that which appeared to bury us and uses it to sprout us into “oaks of righteousness” (Isaiah 61:3).

I’m reminded of the tale of the phoenix, an immortal bird from Greek mythology. The phoenix dies in a show of flames and combustion, and from the ashes is birthed a new phoenix. Like the phoenix, our God brings “beauty out of ashes” (Isaiah 61:3). He takes even those dark events that seem to bury us and, from the proverbial aches, produces in us a more profound understanding of His grace and the ability to flourish in Him. From the ashes comes life for those in Christ. You might feel like you are buried under the crud of life, but take heart, in Christ, you have been planted, and God will “restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.” Soli Deo Gloria (Glory to God Alone)!

God has graciously provided us with no less than 32 names for Himself in the Old Testament. He presents these names to us so we can grow in knowing Him and walk more intimately with Him. One of those names is Jehovah Rohi, meaning the Lord is our Shepherd. The 19th-century preacher Charles Spurgeon declared, “We have all things and abound; not because I have a good store of money in the bank, not because I have skill and wit with which to win my bread, but because the Lord is my shepherd.”

In our modern lives, most of us live distant from that of actual shepherds. This is not to say that shepherds don’t exist today. They certainly do. But, a vast majority of us don’t have hands-on knowledge of where the food we eat and the fabrics used to make our clothes come from. However, God has placed this description of Himself as Shepherd for a purpose, which is that we know Him more fully and intimately.

What does the word shepherd or rohi mean? The word rohi is derived from a word meaning to feed. The word came to characterize a figure of great importance to Jewish culture; the shepherd who feeds and tends a flock of sheep. A shepherd cares and watches over his flock. Due to the shepherd’s care, many sheep got to know and trust their shepherds, trusting them with every aspect of their lives. This is a beautiful picture God presents to us of Himself. This is the kind of relationship God wants to have with everyone.

The most famous reference to Jehovah Rohi is Psalm 23. David starts off using the words, “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want” (Psalm 23:1). Even though this psalm is often used to comfort mourners at funerals, it wasn’t David’s intent to merely be used in mourning loss. It’s a psalm that expresses walking with God and Him being our shepherd through all the seasons of life. Psalm 23 is a psalm of profound hope.

Psalm 23, in its entirety, describes what it means that God is our shepherd. For instance, we read that God makes us lie down in green pastures, where we can rest peacefully with all the provisions we need. The first blessing we receive from our divine Shepherd is spiritual nourishment. As a shepherd leads sheep to fresh grass for feed, so the Lord leads His people. Anyone who follows the Lord does not lack any spiritual nourishment.

We also are told that God leads us beside still waters, where we can quench our thirst without fear of being swept away. A second blessing that comes from our Lord’s shepherding is spiritual restoration. As a shepherd leads his sheep to water for rest and cleansing, so the Lord restores and refreshes the soul. We can safely find forgiveness and peace as we follow Him.

Further, God restores our souls, meaning he meets all our needs, including our emotional needs. Another blessing we receive from our Shepherd is He being our constant to help us manage our emotions. It’s easy to allow the stuff of this earth to have the greatest impact on how we feel and react. However, when we place our trust in God as our Shepherd, we can receive from Him all we need in every way, including emotionally.

God leads us in paths of righteousness to help us become more and more the people He has created us to be in Him. When we walk with God, our Shepherd, He leads us down the right path for our lives. God knows the right path to bring us, His sheep, safely home. The Lord loses none of His sheep but guides them in the right way and does so, in part, “for His name’s sake.”

Lastly, we don’t have to fear any evil because He is with us, comforts us, and provides victory for us. The Lord provides protection. If one finds himself in a valley of deep darkness (or “shadow of death”), he need not fear. The Lord is with us and will protect us, leading us to victory.

I once heard a pastor declare, “The closer we are to the shepherd, the safer we are from the wolves.” The picture we receive from this psalm is of a God who is both tender and mighty. God is both in never-depleting amounts. God, as our shepherd, is able to fend off all attacks as well nurture us in His love.

In John 10, Jesus refers to Himself as not just any shepherd but “the Good Shepherd:” Jesus is the “Good Shepherd” because His purpose is to willingly give His “life for the sheep.” Jesus declares His love, concern, and care for all believers from all peoples and all time who are one people as part of God’s forever family and are one under the Good Shepherd, our Savior, and Lord. Genuinely, every word of Psalm 23 reaches its fullest depth of meaning in the Christian’s peace and trust in Jesus Christ, the Good Shepherd, Jehovah Rohi.

The great invitation of our Lord is to come to Him, the Good Shepherd. How often have we gone our own way and faced unsuccessful consequences? He knows us and the right path for us to journey with Him. From start to finish, the Lord hears us, sees us, and is present and willing to care for our wellbeing. Christ is the Good Shepherd who knows His sheep. He cares, protects, forgives, heals, and saves. Soli Deo Gloria (Glory to God Alone)!

Of the 32 names of God that present us with attributes and characteristics of God in the Old Testament, Jehovah Nissi, the “Lord Our Banner,” is one of them. The name for God, Jehovah Nissi, appears in Exodus 17:15. This is the only place it occurs in the Bible. It combines Jehovah, the Latinized version of Yahweh, the most frequently used name for God, with the Hebrew word, for a “banner” or a “flag.” The verse reads, “Moses built an altar and called the name of it, The Lord Is My Banner” (Exodus 17:15).

What prompted Moses to build an altar and dedicate it to Jehovah Nissi – “The Lord is My Banner?” In Exodus 17, we find the Israelites, shortly after they’ve been set free from bondage in Egypt while traveling to the Promised Land, camped at a place called Rephidim. They came under attack by the Amalekites, who didn’t appreciate the Israelites passing through their land. Moses puts Joshua in charge of leading the Israelite forces in battle. Moses declares that he will stand up on the hill with the staff of God held in his hand. This is Moses’ battle plan.

What was the “staff of God?” Moses was holding the staff he had used under God’s direction to work miracles. He used this staff when the Red Sea was parted and Israel escaped from the Egyptians. This is no ordinary staff. Joshua battled with the Amalekites all day, and Moses held up the staff. When Moses raised the staff, the Israelites prevailed, but when Moses lowered the staff, the Amalekites prevailed. As Moses’ arms tired, Aaron and Hur assisted in holding his arms high, staff in hand. In the end, God gave Israel victory over the Amalekites. The staff Moses held was like a banner flying over the army of the Israelites. It identified them as God’s people. The staff represented God’s presence with the Israelites as well as His power. The staff represented God’s people depending on Him. So, Moses built an altar to create a place of remembrance and celebration of what God had done, He being their banner.

Although God being named as Jehovah Nissi is found only in Exodus 17:15, we discover elsewhere His “banner” as a representation of His protection and salvation. For instance, Psalms 60:4-5 and 20:5 speak of God’s protection and salvation using the imagery of His banner. We discover that much like banners and flags in the ancient world, and today, God’s banner identifies those who belong to Him, those He has saved in Jesus Christ.

In Scripture, Jesus is mentioned as a banner (Isaiah 11:10, 12; Romans 15:12). He will raise a signal (or banner) for the nations and will assemble the banished of Israel and gather the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth. This includes believing Jews and Gentiles, who’ve placed their faith in Jesus Christ for salvation. Jesus makes this affirmation of Himself, “And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself” (John 12:32). Think about it, nothing can ever ultimately overcome us when we look to Christ, our banner, for salvation.

What can we glean from Exodus 17:15 and the other explored verses? What is the meaning for the believer? First, believers are not left to fight their battles alone but in the strength and direction of the Lord. When God’s people faced the Amalekites in battle, they were recently freed from slavery in Egypt. They were not a battle-hardened army. However, God was with them, and under His leading and power were victorious. As believers, we understand, “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12). On our own, who could win such a fight? But we are not on our own. We have God, and He offers His strength and leading. In fact, God promises victory, “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us” (Romans 8:37). Therefore, the second meaning for a Christian is that believers experience ultimate victory as they rely upon, trust, and follow the Lord. Israel was victorious as long as Moses held up the staff of God. We depend on God for our victory, but we’re also responsible for trusting and following Him, cooperating with the Holy Spirit (Proverbs 3:5-6; 1 John 5:4-5). Let me add as Moses built an altar he called “The Lord Is My Banner” to remember what God had done for Israel, we, too, need to remember and celebrate the way God has led us and the victories He has provided, most importantly, salvation in Christ.

There’s a quote often attributed to Abraham Lincoln, “My concern is not whether God is on our side; my greatest concern is to be on God’s side, for God is always right.” This quote is thought to have been spoken by Abraham Lincoln during the Civil War as a reaction to a clergyman who had actually commended the Union’s reason as being “the Lord’s cause.” Lincoln emphasized the importance of aligning oneself with God and His will instead of presuming that God is in agreement with us. We need to realize that Moses held up the “staff of God.” It’s God’s staff. We need to understand that we’re not the banner. God is the banner Who brings protection and salvation. We need to remember we aren’t to wait for God to rally to us; we are to rally to Him, Jehovah Nissi, the Lord our Banner. When we do, ultimate victory is ours in Christ. Soli Deo Gloria (Glory to God Alone)!

We discover in the Old Testament 32 names of God. Each presents us with attributes and characteristics of God. Becoming familiar with these names allows us to draw closer to God. One of the names of God is Jehovah Jireh, which means “the Lord will provide.”

We are first introduced to God as Jehovah Jireh in Genesis 22. At God’s direction, Abraham is taking his son Isaac up a mountain to sacrifice him. God promised Abraham that He would make him a great nation. In fact, God declares that he will bless Abraham to be a blessing, and the nation he will father will be blessed to bless the nations of the world.

Isaac was a child of promise. Both Abraham and Isaac’s Mom, Sarah, were beyond childbearing years. God provides through Sarah Isaac. Abraham understood that God’s promise that he would be the father of a great nation rested in this son of promise. This makes Isaac, Abraham’s son, of great importance to God’s divine plan.

Place yourself in Abraham’s shoes (or sandals) for a minute. He is a Dad. This son was a blessing provided to him in his old age (a literal miracle). Think about it. Abraham was asked to measure his faith in relation to his parental love for his son. No one can take such testing lightly. In addition, Abraham’s parental challenge was a deeply spiritual one. God had revealed to Abraham that his promise to him was intertwined with Isaac’s life. Abraham understood that if the promises of God were to be fulfilled, Isaac’s life would have to be preserved. Here is part of Abraham’s dilemma: The promise of God required that Isaac live, while the command of God demanded he should die. However, Abraham pressed on, not always knowing the why, where, or when but always knowing the Who!

While journeying together, Isaac asks, “Where is the sacrifice?” Abraham responds, “God will provide the sacrifice.” Eventually, Abraham and Isaac reach where the sacrifice is to take place. Isaac is laid on an altar, and Abraham raises up the knife to sacrifice Isaac. Picture Abraham, blade raised high, heartbreaking, and faith stretched. God intervenes. This is a triumph of divine timing. Abraham was taken to the point of no return, not only for God to see but for Abraham to see his faith for himself (not to mention Isaac witnessing all of this from his uncomfortable position).

Abraham looks, and a ram is caught in a thicket by his horns. This is provided as the sacrifice. He could not have known when he told Isaac that “God would provide the sacrifice” what was about to happen. Picture this, as Abraham and Isaac are walking up one side of the mountain, God has already provided the ram on the other side of the mountain. God is named here as Jehovah Jireh; the Lord will provide.

For you and I today, we can know God as Jehovah Jireh by seeing what He has provided for us as well. God provides our daily needs. In Matthew 6, we see how Jesus tells His followers not to worry about food or clothes but that the God who cares for nature also cares for them. In addition to, and even more important than, our basic necessities, God also provides the sacrifice needed to redeem us. John the Baptizer declared of Jesus, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world” (Joh 1:29)! Scripture is clear that our sin deserves death. Yet Jesus, as the Lamb of God, was our atoning sacrifice, providing those who believe with everlasting life. Romans 6:23 clearly declares, “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Further, we read, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). God provides for our salvation.

Besides the greatest benefit, salvation, I want to share three other benefits of knowing God as Provider. Firstly, we are content when we know God as Jehovah Jireh (Philippians 4:12-13). Secondly, we get peace when we know God as Jehovah Jireh (Philippians 4:6-7). Thirdly, we can be mission-focused when we know God as Jehovah Jireh (Matthew 6:31-33).

I came across the account of Chandler Moore, a vocalist who has been part of the recording of the song “Jireh.” Four days before recording the song, his apartment, at 4 am, caught on fire. He was supposed to be in the apartment that morning. He was scheduled to fly out of town at 8am that morning. But he switched the flight to leave a day early to catch a church service. He explains, “This could have gone another way. Point is: I’m alive.” He lost almost all of his material possessions, which I bet was frustrating. However, he declares, “I have life! The Lord is so kind.” Materially Moore lost practically everything, but because he knows God as his provider, his Jehovah Jireh, He can praise God with his whole heart. When our Lord’s miraculous kindness and provisions are on display as it was in Moore’s life, we can’t help but be thankful for the life he provides and sustains. What does knowing God as Jehovah Jireh do for you? Soli Deo Gloria (Glory to God Alone)!

I was out with a friend the other day, and he mentioned an interesting phrase he came across in 2 Timothy 2:15, “rightly dividing the word of truth.” The whole verse reads, “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” The phrase in question means to understand, correctly interpret and teach the Scriptures with the help of the Holy Spirit. The Greek word for “rightly dividing” implies guiding the truth along a straight path, expounding it soundly, and shaping it rightly. In the ESV translation, this word is rendered as “rightly handling the word of truth.”

Paul writing his young protégé Timothy such instruction in 2 Timothy should not surprise us since this letter presents Paul’s final words to a beloved kingdom laborer. We should all live life in such a way that we can say, like Paul, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (2 Timothy 4:7). In context, 2 Timothy 2:15, Paul is instructing us on how to teach the truth of God’s Word. He also describes how not to do it. We are not to be like false teachers. Paul writes, “But avoid irreverent babble, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness” (2 Timothy 2:16). The false teacher may seek people’s approval, but the true teacher seeks God’s approval. Why? Because he does not want to be ashamed before God.

Living by the word and teaching it rightly may not win us any popularity contests. The Bible can be intrusive. However, it instructs on how to know God and make Him known, leading us into God’s preferred destiny for us. I am reminded of Proverbs 3:7, “Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil. Also, Proverbs 16:2 says, “All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the spirit.” I would rather be a fool in the eyes of man than a fool in the eyes of God. I certainly don’t want to be the proverbial blind man leading the blind.

Regarding the phrase “rightly dividing,” false teachers may twist meanings for their own purposes. This is not so for those who “rightly handle the word of truth.” The true teacher must have nothing to do with godless or empty talk. Such discussions only lead people away from God.

I met with a person once who sought to teach God’s Word. I proceeded to provide some help on how to rightly study and apply the Bible. The person’s response, “I don’t have time for that!” I responded, “Then, please don’t teach God’s Word.”

Paul warns us, “For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions” (2 Timothy 4:3). In other words, false teaching increases because people want to hear what pleases them rather than what is true. “Itching ears” addresses a harmful curiosity to hear anything new and sensational running from one teacher to another. We need to be rooted in the truth because unquestionably accepting as truth whatever is said – or printed – leads only to following fables and falsities down a destructive path.

The good news is we have Scripture. We know how to study the Bible; if not, we can learn how to do so rightly (hermeneutic principles). We, believers, have the Holy Spirit to help us read, understand, and apply God’s Word to our lives. I am glad my friend mentioned the phrase “rightly dividing the word of truth.” I pray we are found “rightly handling the word of truth” in our lives. Such living glorifies God, blesses us, and benefits others. Soli Deo Gloria (Glory to God Alone)!

I have always been encouraged and challenged by the story of D.L. Moody, who lived in the latter half of the 1800s. His formal education ended after fifth grade. At seventeen, he left his home to pursue employment in Boston. After failing to secure a job, he asked his uncle to hire him, who reluctantly brought him on as a shoe salesman at his retail shoe store. One condition of Moody’s hiring was that he would attend church.

Moody began attending a Sunday School class at the Mt. Vernon Congregational Church. One day Moody’s Sunday School teacher visited him at work, where he shared the message of salvation in Christ with him, and shortly after that, Moody received Christ as Savior and Lord. He devoted his life to serving the Savior.

A year later, Moody moved to Chicago, dreaming of making his fortune in the shoe business. He had much success in selling shoes. He developed a burden to provide a Sunday School class for Chicago’s children and the local Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA). At the YMCA, Moody served as a janitor and wherever else needed. Although they could not pay him, they recommended he stay as a city missionary.

The Sunday School class Moody began and led flourished and grew into a church, where he became the pastor. The church remains today (The Moody Church). Moody continued to stay connected to the YMCA. During the Civil War, he began an outreach to the soldiers stationed at Camp Douglas, established outside Chicago. Moody ministered on battlefields and throughout the city, state, and country to thousands of Union and Confederate soldiers throughout the war. All the while, he maintained the mission Sunday School. After the war, Moody led revival meetings in the US, England, and Ireland. He’s credited with founding numerous ministries, missions, and schools, such as the historical Moody Bible Institute.

Moody’s story is that of an undereducated man who became a successful shoe salesman and is remembered as an evangelist, teacher, urban ministry pioneer, and founder of Moody Bible Institute and its original ministries. Moody once said of another unlikely servant in the hands of God, “Moses spent forty years thinking he was somebody; forty years learning he was nobody; and forty years discovering what God can do with nobody.”

Whenever you wonder if God can use you to make a kingdom impact remember, “It is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13). Believers can rejoice in God’s empowering presence as they place themselves in His capable hands. The goal is not to become another Moody. The goal is to walk with the Lord, knowing Him and making Him known as He manifests His love and message through you. The goal is to be an everyday missionary in the places where we live, go to work or school, and play. Further, in Christ’s power and leading, we can flourish in Him, experiencing all He will do in and through us for His glory, our blessing, and the betterment of others. Soli Deo Gloria (Glory to God Alone)!

Jehovah Shalom is one of the 32 names of God found in the Old Testament. It means the Lord is peace. Jehovah is the Latinized version of the Hebrew name of God, Yahweh. Shalom is a Hebrew word for peace, which appears more than 200 times in the Old Testament. The root meaning is “to be whole.” Shalom may suggest either a personal, internal peace in the heart of an individual or an external peace between people and nations. In a personal sense, it’s a peace that gives us victory no matter how hard our personal lives become or how difficult the circumstances we face. Shalom “puts our minds at ease” despite the stress, anxiety, tension, pressures, or worries that may come our way.

In the Old Testament book of Judges, we discover an account where God is called Jehovah Shalom. Judges records events that occurred within the 250 years after Joshua, Moses’ successor, died. After Joshua’s death, the Israelites lost momentum in driving out the inhabitants of the Promised Land. The Lord warned that this would lead Israel into a downward spiral. This is precisely what happens as the Israelites begin worshipping idols, suffering punishment by attackers, crying to God for help, and receiving God’s aid in the form of a human judge (or “deliverer”) who restores order. In short, Israel goes through cycles of sin, suffering, and salvation.

One of the Judges is Gedeon, who lived when the Midianites were causing havoc on the Israelites. We read of an account of an angel of the Lord appearing to Gideon in Judges 6. Notably, Gideon was beating wheat in a winepress (Judges 6:11). Nothing is mentioned in Scripture casually. Gideon is in a winepress because he fears his enemies, the Midianites. Gideon is like a child fearing bullies will steal his lunch. Keep in mind that fear and faith cannot coexist in equal measures. Where fear increases, faith diminishes, and where faith increases, fear diminishes. One always gives way to the other.

The Lord calls Gideon to deliver Israel as He also works Gideon through his doubts about God and himself (Judges 6:12-21). Fear has dominated Gideon, and he cannot comprehend the angel’s greeting or God’s call on his life. Gideon’s fear has distorted his view of God, his current situation, as well as what God can do in and through his life. It’s apparent in the account that Gideon has the strength to save Israel but must appropriate it through faith. Faith activates the Lord’s provisions in and through our life. Again, faith and fear cannot coexist in equal measures. One must give way to the other. Gideon has to come to the realization that his strength lies in his being chosen by God and in God’s promise to be with him. The Lord encourages Gideon. He declares, “I will be with you, and you shall strike the Midianites as one man” (Judges 6:16). What is unthinkable on my own is unstoppable with God!

As Gideon accepts his call, we read, “Then Gideon built an altar there to the Lord and called it, The Lord Is Peace. To this day it still stands at Ophrah, which belongs to the Abiezrites” (Judges 6:24). Gideon declares, “The Lord is Peace.” Peace is part of the character of God. God revealed himself as the Lord of Peace to Gideon. We discover Gideon in a time lacking peace where the Midianites are bringing havoc on Israel. Gideon does not have personal peace, as we find by his hiding and possessing such a poor view of himself. But, when he encounters the Lord, he receives genuine peace. Gideon still lives in this fallen world, but he gains a heavenly perspective and a touch of the peace of our eternal God. Genuine peace is found in and only in the Lord.

It becomes clear through the New Testament that Jesus is the source and giver of shalom, of peace. Peace is grounded and rooted in Jesus, God the Son, Prince of Peace (Romans 1:7; Isaiah 7:14; 9:6; Luke 1:35, 37; 2:1). Jesus, as “Prince of Peace,” is the giver of (shalom) “peace.” Jesus brings both world peace and personal peace. One is still to come, and the other is available here and now. The ultimate fulfillment of this “shalom” peace will occur when Christ returns, but a foretaste can be experienced in the inner life of a believer today. It’s been said, “No Jesus; no peace. Know Jesus; know peace. This is so true. The peace of God will reign in the lives of those who choose Him, Jehovah Shalom. The Lord is our peace. Soli Deo Gloria (Glory to God Alone)!

One of the thirty-two names of God found in the Old Testament is Jehovah M’Kaddesh (the Lord who sanctifies). “Jehovah” is a Latinized version of the Hebrew word Yahweh. We discover Jehovah M’Kaddesh in Leviticus 20:8, “Keep my statutes and do them; I am the Lord who sanctifies you.”

The context of this verse is better understood by noting that the previous chapters, Leviticus 18-19, outlawed certain evil practices. Chapter 20 states the penalties imposed on those who broke God’s law. The same Lord who declared the precepts also declared the penalties. These laws were meant for the people of Israel, God’s covenant people. This law was the law of the land. God gave these laws to retrain sin, not necessarily to reform sinners. The penalties imposed were for the purpose of upholding His law, not improving offenders. This by no means calls believers today to seek equal penalties for the offenses mentioned. However, believers ought to strive to ensure that justice is served justly. We do this while remembering that the main call upon followers of Christ is to make disciples, and our primary tools are Scripture, prayer, love, and testimony (Acts 6:4, John 13:35, Revelation 12:11).

Leviticus 20:1-5 speak out against child sacrifice. It addresses the heinous act of worshipping Molech. His metal image was heated red hot, and little children were placed in his arms and burned to death (see 2 Kings 23:10; 2 Chronronicles 33:6; Jeremiah 32:35). People who practiced such idolatry were vile, and their presence in the camp of Israel defiled God’s sanctuary and profaned His holy name. Idolaters were not tolerated because they influenced others, leading people away from worshipping the true God. Verse 6 addresses seeking out fortunetellers. Who doesn’t want to know what the future holds? We often look to others for guidance. God warns against looking to the occult for advice because, among other things, they are either fakes or in contact with evil spirits. Either way, they’re dangerous. Here’s the good news, God has given us the Bible to acquire the information we need to live the abundant life offered to us in Christ.

Then we read, “Consecrate yourselves, therefore, and be holy, for I am the Lord your God. Keep my statutes and do them; I am the Lord who sanctifies you” (Leviticus 20:7-8). Even amidst this list of capital crimes, God graciously offers encouragement to live morally, which is motivated by His own holiness and made possible by His workings in our lives. It’s important to remember that the motivation behind every aspect of Israel’s laws was that the people would demonstrate their distinctiveness from the nations. Israel was chosen to be a light unto the nations.

Holiness is not presented as something merely achieved by human effort but as a state created and given by the power of God. God’s people are called to maintain the holiness He has already conferred on them through His grace and redemptive work. The call is to live differently because God has made them different; therefore, be what you are.

God is Jehovah M’Kaddesh, the Lord who sanctifies you; He is the Lord who sanctifies. Sanctification is the cooperative work of God and believers by which ongoing transformation into greater Christlikeness occurs (2 Corinthians 3:18). When we turn in repentance and faith to look at Christ through the mirror of God’s Word, we are graciously transformed more and more fully into His image by the Holy Spirit. God operates in the life of Christians (Philippians 2:12-13) by, for instance, convicting them of sin and empowering them by the Holy Spirit. At the same time, they engage in spiritual disciplines such as reading and applying Scripture, praying, dealing rightly with sin, and yielding to the Spirit. Such maturing transpires particularly through the Holy Spirit (2 Corinthians 3:18); Galatians 5:16-23) and the Word of God (John 17:17).

Therefore, we can think of sanctification as the salvific work of our Lord today in the life of a believer, where they are becoming practically what Christ bought for them positionally on the cross, a work that will be completed when we see Christ face to face. Through faith in Christ, I have shared in His death on the cross. As before I lived under sin, I now live in Him. This life comes from that faith in which I share not just His crucifixion but also His resurrection. I am in Christ.

I pose three responses to our Lord who sanctifies. First, receive Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. Secondly, believe that God makes His Spirit and holy character available to all who enter into a saving relationship with God through Jesus Christ, while I earnestly desire this work and trust in His workings in and through me by faith. Thirdly, by the power of the Holy Spirit, grow in Christ by applying His grace rigorously to every area of life because grace must continually be appropriated through a life of faith. The “Means of grace” are the spiritual disciplines that promote growth in grace when engaged. The means of grace do not work automatically; they are instruments through which we receive grace, not machines that produce grace. God gives grace, but to grow in it, we must appropriate it.

It is no small thing that the Lord makes His sanctifying work available to us. Jesus prayed that His disciples (past, present, future) would be sanctified, “Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth” (John 17:17). There are three questions we need to consider. How will I respond to the Scriptures teaching on God’s work and willingness to sanctify us? Do I hunger in my spirit for more of God’s holiness? Am I willing to cooperate with the Holy Spirit to grow in greater Christlikeness? Past and present, multitudes of Christians bear witness that when they put their faith in the promises of Scriptures, received Christ as Savior and Lord, and filled with His Spirit, our Lord cleansed them of sin; He sanctified them. I echo these words of Paul over us, “Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thessalonians 5:23). Soli Deo Gloria (God Alone Be The Glory)!

In the Old Testament, there are up to 32 names for God, each having its own meaning. Each title can be understood as descriptive, a way to know more about God. It’s important to remember that God is supreme and beyond our complete comprehension, but He can be known and trusted. Some of God’s revealed qualities are mighty, creator, Lord, provider, and healer. The simple truth is that God is addressed by many names because He desires us to know Him personally and genuinely believe in Him. As we get closer to Him, through the study of Scripture, we gain a glimpse of His awesomeness. As we look at several of the names of God, we begin to get an idea of some of His attributes, presenting us with the opportunity to draw closer to Him. One of the names of God is Jehovah Tsidkenu, which means the Lord is our righteousness. Jehovah is the Latinized version of the Hebrew Yahweh.

We find the name Jehovah Tsidkenu in Jeremiah. We read, “Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is the name by which he will be called: ‘The LORD is our righteousness’” (Jeremiah 23:5-6). God presents Jeremiah with this glimpse of a coming king at the time he needed it.

The context of this passage is that the Babylonian king, Nebuchadnezzar, brought a mighty siege upon Jerusalem. Zedekiah was king, watching the nation disintegrate before his eyes. The kings that had come before Zedekiah had left a legacy of hopelessness. King Zedekiah did little, if anything to change this trajectory. Jeremiah was amidst a devastating time in his life and the lives of God’s chosen people.

How could he bear such lousy news and crushing events? In such times it’s important to remember that when darkness falls around our lives when burn-out and spiritual fatigue threatens to obscure all hope, God is present and working, even when we’re unaware or see it. Take, for instance, this event in Jeremiah’s life where God shows up and gives the prophet his finest vision. God provides Jeremiah the ability to look through a long, dark tunnel into the light of a new age. Jeremiah is prophesying about the expected Messiah. His name is Jehovah Tsidkenu, the Lord our righteousness. The name indicates that our Lord, Jesus, is the model ruler and shepherd of His people. For all Jeremiah’s love for his rebellious country, for all his thankless ministry, he is given the refreshment of seeing God fulfill His own intention of being King of His people.

We discover in Jeremiah 33, “In those days Judah will be saved, and Jerusalem will dwell securely. And this is the name by which it will be called: ‘The LORD is our righteousness'” (Jeremiah 33:16). Here is an interesting turn of events. Under King Zedekiah’s leadership, Judah was allowed to continue to rebel against God. The result was that his revolt against the Babylonians led Nebuchadnezzar in 587 BC to siege Jerusalem for a second time, which culminated in the destruction of the city and first temple, bringing an end to the Kingdom of Judah. However, God’s people are not without hope. God will reaffirm His covenant with His people. Jerusalem is to be given a name directly connected to the name given to the Messiah in Jeremiah 23:6 (Jehovah Tsidkenu, the Lord our Righteousness). This indicates the unity that will be established between God and His people.

It must have been astonishing for Jeremiah to entertain the idea that one person’s righteousness could restore a race of humanity that had lost theirs – this person would come from the throne of David and execute judgment in such a way that He could actually become righteousness for us in a substitutionary way. The Bible’s standard of human righteousness is God’s own perfection in every attribute, every attitude, every behavior, and every word. When we look at Scripture, we discover that God’s laws describe His character and serve as a monitor to detect human righteousness (yours and mine). The Bible describes the righteous person as just or right, holding to God and trusting in Him (Psalm 33:18-22). The problem is that there are no perfect people. The bad news is that true and perfect righteousness is impossible for any of us to attain on our own. The standard is higher than any of us have the capacity to reach.

Where is the hope? The hope is found in Jehovah Tsidkenu, the Lord our Righteousness. None of us have the ability to achieve righteousness in and of ourselves. But, through the cleansing of sin by Jesus Christ and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, the believer possesses the righteousness of Christ. We read in 2 Corinthians, “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21).

Jesus became a sin offering. Reconciliation between God and people (you and me) has taken place only because God, through Jesus, has removed our sin and its eternal consequences. In His death, He took the punishment for our sin (“the wages of sin is death” – Rom 6:23a) so that we might be forgiven (“the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” – Rom 6:23b) and the “righteousness” of God might become a reality in our lives.

No matter how hopeless life may seem, Christ, our Righteousness is our hope. No matter how dismal a situation may seem, Christ, our Righteousness, is the one who provides a way. No matter what you have done, Christ our Righteousness has the power to make us righteous in Him. Here is the gospel truth. Events and people do not get the final word, Jehovah Tsidkenu, the Lord our Righteousness, gets the final word, and He offers us His righteousness, hope, and abundant life eternal with Him. Soli Deo Gloria (Glory to God Alone)!

While we celebrate Independence Day, commemorating the Declaration of Independence, I am reminded of those who fought to provide freedom for all Americans. Included in those freedoms is the First Amendment, which among other things, protects freedom of speech. As we’ve been exploring how to “fight the good fight” (1 Timothy 6:12), which consists of staying faithful to Jesus despite trials, tribulations, and difficulties by holding fast to God, battling against temptation, and striving to love God and others, I remember our Savior who gave His life that we would have access through Him to have ultimate freedom. In Christ, we have been offered abundant life everlasting. I am mindful of the brothers and sisters in Christ who have gone before us, laying the foundation, sometimes with their very lives, to pave the way for the gospel to come to you and me. One aspect of the believer’s ultimate freedom in the Lord is the privilege of prayer, which Christians throughout the ages have modeled.

As a citizen of our country, I want to exercise my freedom of speech. But, more so, as a believer, I want to exercise my freedom to pray. As we examine how to fight the good fight, we have come to realize that firstly, we fight the good fight by relying on the power of the Holy Spirit (see: Zechariah 4:6). Our salvation and sanctification (becoming more like Christ in character, love, and on mission with Him) is made a reality in us through coming to the Lord and cooperating with His Spirit’s workings in and through our lives. Secondly, we fight the good fight by remaining committed to Christ. The key is to place Christ at the center of our lives, giving Him control rather than trying to go it alone. Thirdly, we fight the good fight by being sustained by God’s Word. As we surrender to the Spirit’s workings and leading in our lives, He uses Scripture to form us into the image of Christ in our thinking and actions (Romans 12:2). Then, fourthly, we fight the good fight by being sustained by prayer.

James teaches, “The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working” (James 5:16). A believer who has been made right with God through Jesus Christ, through prayer, prevails in much. For instance, prayer helps us grow closer to God. Prayer helps us align with God’s will. It gives us strength, hope, peace, comfort, wisdom, and guidance. Further, prayer increases our faith as we experience the Lord’s power, miraculous workings, and breakthroughs. The faithful missionary to China, Hudson Taylor, wrote, “When you work, you work. But when you pray, God works.”

How does prayer work? Or, how does God work as we pray? First, we need to understand that prayer is a conversation with God. Therefore, prayer occurs whenever we speak to God through thought or voice. It’s not a monotonous monologue but a dynamic dialogue. God is always listening and willing to lead and talk to us, which primarily occurs through His Spirit using Scripture. Prayer is inviting God to be a part of our lives by opening our hearts and minds to Him. In short, prayer is direct communication with the Lord. In prayer, we declare our commitment to the Lord, praise Him, offer thanksgiving for who He is and what He’s done, commit our lives to Him, and ask Him to meet the needs of ourselves and others.

C.S. Lewis wrote, “I pray because I can’t help myself. I pray because I’m helpless. I pray because the need flows out of me all the time, waking and sleeping. It doesn’t change God. It changes me.” The privilege to pray has been offered to us by God. Through prayer, we can prevail in much. In fact, prayer sustains us. Soli Deo Gloria (Glory to God Alone)!