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Category Archives: Characteristics of God

Jill Richard’s Musings on the Characteristics of God based on verses in the Bible

God is a Miracle Worker Luke 7:20-23

20 Dec

Luke 7:20-23 When the men came to Jesus, they said, “John the Baptist sent us to you to ask, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?’”

At that very time Jesus cured many who had diseases, sicknesses and evil spirits, and gave sight to many who were blind. So he replied to the messengers, “Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor. Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.”

God is a Miracle Worker!

This is good news for me today. As I face many battles ahead, challenges that currently seem insurmountable, I am reminded of all that God can do. He can heal, restore, change and save. These are all the things I need Him to do in my life today.

Living Miracles

Imagine receiving site after being blind from birth. When I first got glasses, I was amazed at the details I could now see. I can’t even imagine what it must be like for one who is cured of blindness. I pray I soon will though. I want to be cured of the blindness of seeing who God sees me to be. He knows that though I am weak and frail, He, who is perfect and strong, can work through me so that others may know Him more fully.

Facing addictions

As I face my addiction to food, I’m coming to realize the true problem with addictions is that they get in the way of upholding the two main commandments God gives to us. To love Him above all else and to love our neighbor as ourselves. I need to get the focus off myself and my wants and needs in the moment, and focus on what the Lord is calling me to do. He wants me to be freed to be used by Him in the lives of others. That I might be blessed by being in service to others. May the Lord help me to think of Him more and me and my food a bit less.

When do we need miracles?

Do those who have their life together need a miracle? I don’t know, but I think it is true that the broken, those in pain, those struggling and weak need a miracle. I need a miracle. So who is blessed most? Those who have their life together but never get to experience a miracle, or those who struggle in this world, but are changed and  healed by the love of God. Those who experience a miracle after going through the worst time of their lives may be the most blessed people of all. How can they walk away unchanged? Can they help but share the love they have experienced in the miracle?

Do you need a miracle? Do you believe they can happen? Have you experienced a miracle?

 
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Posted by on December 20, 2011 in God is a Miracle Worker, Luke

 

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God is My Mighty Rock Psalm 62:6-8

16 Dec

Psalm 62:6-8

Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken. My salvation and my honor depend on God; he is my mighty rock, my refuge. Trust in him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge.

My God is My Mighty Rock

When someone goes through rough times, you might hear them say something like this, “Carol was my rock during that time.” It is really hard to go through the tough times in life by yourself. It’s almost as hard when the people you think you should be able to count on don’t come through for you.

Mighty means Powerful or Extraordinary

When we say someone is our rock. It means we can count on them. They added stability to an otherwise crazy time. They gave us a foothold, a safety net, a foundation. But people are people. They don’t always know what we need, and even if they do, they can’t always give it to us. But there is one who can.

God isn’t just my rock. He’s my mighty rock.

He is the only thing that’s worth building my life on. My powerful, extraordinary God is solid. I can count on Him in all kinds of trouble. If I build my life on Him, I have built my life on something solid, something secure, something strong. God doesn’t sway in the wind, wash away in a flood or disappear when things get hard. He supports, encourages and sometimes maintains us so that we can survive and learn to know Him more.

Solid, Unmovable, Reliable

What are the things you count on most? What do you trust to always be there? Has anything ever let you down? I’ve told the story about when I found out I had MS. I told about how my husband wasn’t there when I found out because he was away at a school for the Air Force. This led to an amazing moment with the Lord, one I never want to forget and would never trade in. But I wasn’t happy about my husband not being there.

I had put my trust in my husband.

My husband had earned it. He had supported me through some really tough times, he was my rock. He was who I went to when I was feeling insecure. He was who I trusted with my raw emotions. He was the one who could help me keep going when I wanted to give up. But he wasn’t there. He wasn’t there when I needed him the most. My life had changed. I was facing a debilitating disease, and had strange confusing things happening to the way my brain worked. I was worried I couldn’t care for my boys on my own. I felt abandoned. The truth is, no human can be there for you all the time. They can’t be all that you need them to be.

But there is one who is greater than all of the humans in the world.

One who can be there for you when no one else can. My God, the God of the Bible, Jesus Christ who saved me from my sins not only wanted to preserve me from death and an eternity in hell, but also wants to have a relationship with me. He wants me to be drawn closer to Him, that I might know what it feels like to be able to rely on Him, trust Him and be blessed by Him. He is my mighty rock. I trust Him. I trust Him with my life. I trust Him with my death. I trust Him with everything in between.

Who do you count on?

 
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Posted by on December 16, 2011 in God is my Mighty Rock, God is My Strength, Psalm

 

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My God is … Faithful Deuteronomy 7:9

07 Dec

Deuteronomy 7:9 Know therefore that the LORD your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments.

Are you faithful? 

What does it mean to be faithful? Are you a faithful husband because you don’t go around with other women behind your wife’s back? Are you a faithful parent when you believe your child when everyone else is saying he’s not being honest? Do you keep your word? Do you tell the truth?

God is Faithful

God keeps His promises. He keeps the covenant of love he made to the Israelites and has extended to us in the new testament. A covenant that includes salvation from our sins through Jesus Christ.

When I read this verse, I almost picture Moses talking in the voice of a Baptist minister. The LORD your God is GOD. He is the FAITHFUL GOD.

He is the Faithful God

There are so many things in which we place our trust. We think, “If I had enough money, that would solve all my problems.” or “If I had that great job, I wouldn’t have to worry anymore.” or maybe “If I could just marry the man of my dreams, then everything would be perfect.” They’re all lies. All lying gods (notice the small “g”). They don’t do what you think they’re promising to do. Money doesn’t solve real problems. A job usually creates more problems and let’s not get started on the problems men can cause (just kidding)!

God keeps his promises. 

All throughout the Bible, you can read, hear and digest the promises that the Lord is making to you. His promises remain true throughout the ages. This means we can trust what He says. We can follow, believe and have comfort in the fact that God is faithful. He’s the Faithful God. Unlike all those other “gods” we create here on earth that we look to for fulfillment, God actually follows through. He doesn’t leave you, forsake you or stop loving you.

Instead he draws you closer. With each promise that He fulfills in your life, He’s showing His faithfulness and His love for you. The promises He made are for the thousands of generations of those that love Him.

 

 
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Posted by on December 7, 2011 in God is Faithful

 

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My God is Merciful Micah 7:18-20

06 Dec

Micah 7:18-20 Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression
of the remnant of his inheritance? You do not stay angry forever
but delight to show mercy. You will again have compassion on us;
you will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea.
You will be faithful to Jacob, and show love to Abraham,
as you pledged on oath to our ancestors in days long ago.

Who is a God like you

When I was studying this verse, I noticed in the notes that phrase might be a pun on Micah’s name which means “Who is like the Lord?”. It’s a good question. Who is like that? Not me that’s for sure.

You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy.

What a beautiful thing to know about our God. That He doesn’t stay angry forever. He has every right to, but he doesn’t. Sometimes I think a parents love is like this. We get mad. Boy, do we get mad. But we don’t stay mad at our children. We love them in spite of themselves. They may drive us crazy, but we love them. Ok – some of you may know this is not a perfect reflection (especially if you put one of those Dr. Phil cameras in your house – you know some problems never go away!).

God delights to show mercy

When is the last time you were delighted. Close your eyes and think about it. I can think of a time I was recently delighted. My friend Tara sent me a present out of the blue. It was a very special, encouraging present. It was unexpected and amazing. My heart delights when I think about it now. Delight is such an amazing thing.

Definition of DELIGHT  de·light noun \di-ˈlīt, dē-\

1: a high degree of gratification : joy; also : extreme satisfaction
2: something that gives great pleasure <her performance was a delight>
3 archaic : the power of affording pleasure
It brings God joy to show mercy. 
He does show us mercy, doesn’t he. I know when I was in college, I was stupid. I made a lot of mistakes. It wasn’t until later that I found out that my mother had been praying all those years for my sister and I. She was praying that God would not give us the full consequences of our sins. That He would show us mercy. And thank God He did.
Are you given the full consequences of your sin?
In Romans 6:23 – “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” We’re told that the wages (consequences) of sin is death, but that’s not what God gives us. By His mercy he gives us more than we deserve. He gives us eternal life, because of Jesus Christ.
Why do good things happen to Bad people?
I’m sure your friends, Christians and non-Christians alike, have asked “Why do bad things happen to good people?”. But the truth is, we’re not good people. We’re sinners. I think a better question to ask is Why do good things happen to bad people. The answer is the Mercy of our God through Jesus Christ. Because of Him we don’t get the full consequences of our sin. I’m grateful my mom prayed this prayer for me, and today it is my prayer for my family and you as well. May you never have the full consequences of your sins, but instead receive the mercy given you through the death and Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.
 
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Posted by on December 6, 2011 in My God is Merciful

 

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My God is My Fortress Psalm 91:1-8

29 Nov

Psalm 91:1-8

The one who lives under the protection of the Most High dwells in the shadow of the Almighty.

I will say to the LORD, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”

He Himself will deliver you from the hunter’s net, from the destructive plague.

He will cover you with His feathers; you will take refuge under His wings. His faithfulness will be a protective shield.

You will not fear the terror of the night, the arrow that flies by day,

the plague that stalks in darkness, or the pestilence that ravages at noon.

Though a thousand fall at your side and ten thousand at your right hand, the pestilence will not reach you.

You will only see it with your eyes and witness the punishment of the wicked.

The Lord is my Fortress

I take comfort in this verse. I am grateful that the Lord is watching out for my family. That I don’t have to fear the terror of night. And I don’t have to fear the arrows that fly by day (figurative or literal). I don’t have to worry about health or evil that comes to my door. I can trust that the Lord is going to take care of it.

We only see it with our eyes!

This is an amazing verse. Here the Lord promises that we won’t get the full effect of pestilence. We will only see it with our eyes. Again I’m no theologian (as I’m sure you’ve gathered if you’ve read any of my other blog posts). But I wonder if this means that while we recognize the evil of the world, and even experience the bad behavior of others, that pestilence will not fully reach us. Perhaps the pain it should inflict will be softened by the promises of eternal life or the knowledge that vengeance is the Lord’s.

My son is being bullied

Today a neighbor came over to tell me that he witnessed another child bullying my son. The neighbor was amazing. He spoke to the boy and then reported it to the school (they were on school property). My son hasn’t come home from school yet, and I’m curious to hear his thoughts on what happened. I think this verse may be part of my discussion. That no matter what other people do to us or say to us, they can’t hurt us in our soul, because the Lord is protecting our souls. While he shouldn’t let someone bully him, he may be able to step back and pray for that child. Praying that his rage toward my son was not the result of someone else’s rage being taken out on him. We’re fortunate. No matter what happens to us here on earth, we have hope. Hope of eternal life in heaven with our Lord. Oh yeah, and the Lord will take care of any revenge that’s due.

Do you fight your own battles? Do you hang out in the fortress?

 
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Posted by on November 29, 2011 in God is My Fortress, Psalm

 

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My God is…The Bread of Life John 6:35

17 Nov

Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. John 6:35

Jesus is the Bread of Life!

When I was a preteen, my friend and I were talking in her kitchen. As tweens do, our insecurities about our bodies came up and she said she wanted to have a bigger booty. She had a solution. Eating Bread. She knew what she was talking about. Since I love eating pretty much anything, I was game. So we began eating bread. I don’t know how long we kept that goal up, but I’ve succeeded in getting that bigger booty. Not sure if she has!

We had a need we tried to fill with bread

We wanted to look better. We wanted to get boys to notice us. We had a need. We tried to fill it with bread, but   even though we got what we “wanted” (a bigger booty), we didn’t really feed the true need of a better self-esteem.

What is your bread?

For some of us we’re still stuffing ourselves with bread. Maybe that bread isn’t really bread, but gambling, sex, drugs or alcohol. Maybe it’s less obvious and shows itself as control or manipulation of others. We keep using these things to make us feel better, change our lives or numb us to the realities of this cruel world.

You Never have to go hungry

Jesus is the bread of life. He is the only thing that satisfies me for any length of time. The devil wants me to try to stuff myself with other distractions so I’ll take my focus off of God. But in John 6:35, Jesus promises that when I feed myself with His truths, I won’t be hungry anymore. When I believe Him, I won’t be thirsty anymore. I won’t ache with hunger pains for something more.

You have to eat!

Physically I have to eat to sustain my life, and it’s no different spiritually. If I want to sustain my relationship with the Lord and be healthy in mind, body and soul, I need to eat of the bread of life. I need to come to his table through His word (the Bible) and sacraments (Baptism and the Lord’s Supper). Letting His word fill me up inside so I can release some of the other things I stuff in trying to stop the hunger pains.

What are you stuffing yourself with? Are you hungry later?

 
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Posted by on November 17, 2011 in God is The Bread of Life, John

 

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My God is My Hope 1 Peter 1:3-9

07 Nov
Praise to God for a Living Hope 1 Peter 1:3-9

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

The World Can Seem Hopeless

There are so many things going wrong in our world. It’s hard to think of things getting better. I was watching “Idiocracy” the other day, and sadly it doesn’t take much of a stretch to think that horrible way of life could be where the human race is headed. (As a side note, there is a lot of swearing and lude behaviors in this movie, so I’m not necessarily recommending it, just referencing it). In “Idiocracy”, we’re introduced to the horrible life humans have because they never questioned anything, valued education or hard work. It is a strange movie, but one that makes you wonder where the actions of this world might lead.

If we trust man, we’ll be disappointed

We can’t count on man to get us through in this world. The advice we get from the world is self-centered. Take care of yourself, do what’s right for you, and more of the same. We’re not to care about others more than ourselves. We need to look out for our own self interests, and sometimes people take that to the extreme. Robbing and killing often happens because someone wanted something someone else had.

We do have a hope

Even though the things of this world get us down: politics, job losses, health issues and family squabbles, as Christians we have a hope that surpasses all understanding. Our hope is in Jesus Christ. Through His resurrection, we have been adopted into the new family that isn’t dysfunctional, is healthy and not political. God wants us to look past the bad things of the world and keep our focus on Him. And when we have to suffer grief or trials, we’re able to bear them knowing that God is still with us and our promise for eternal life with him in heaven is ahead of us. He draws us close that we might snuggle in and feel His arms wrapped around us, protecting us from the evils of this world.

Are you hopeful?

 
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Posted by on November 7, 2011 in 1 Peter, God is My Hope

 

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My God is My Portion – Psalm 73:26

26 Oct

My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. Psalm 73:26

God is my portion

Maybe you’ve noticed, I like food. I have already admitted I’m fat and that I struggle with eating the right amount of the right things. One of the things the book “Made to Crave” and my Over eaters Anonymous books both mention is keeping your focus on God. As God does, He often beats me over the head with the concepts I seem to be absorbing a bit slowly. Recently I have been finding verses from scripture that call God my portion. I’m into portions, so this peaked my interest.

How is God my Portion? 

What does portion mean?

por·tion

n.

1. A section or quantity within a larger thing; a part of a whole.
2. A part separated from a whole.
3. A part that is allotted to a person or group, as:

a. A helping of food.
b. The part of an estate received by an heir.
c. A woman’s dowry.
4. A person’s lot or fate.
tr.v. por·tioned, por·tion·ing, por·tions

1. To divide into parts or shares for distribution; parcel.
2. To provide with a share, inheritance, or dowry.

Looking at these definitions, I see God being my portion as a combination of a few of these.
Definition 3 –  A part that is alloted to a person or group. This can be food or an inheritance. Obviously for this food obsessed girl the idea that God is my food portion peaked my interest. It’s not that I eat God. Though I do consume His word and I do come to the Lord’s table for communion. The truth is He is the portion that satisfies. He is what soothes my soul. He is the answer to all the reasons I’m eating when I shouldn’t. Sad – don’t eat – turn to God. He satisfies. Mad – don’t eat – turn to God. He calms your temper. Embarrassed – don’t eat – turn to God. He Loves You. Nervous – don’t eat – turn to God. He will be your strength. Whether a portion of food or an inheritance, God is my portion. He is what satisfies.

God is my fate
One of the other meanings of portion is “a person’s lot or fate”. Now, if this is the definition that we are to take from the scriptures that call God my portion, I’m good with that too. He is my fate. He is my destiny. Because of Him, I will spend eternity in heaven.

Bring Him your best portion
In scripture, the word portion is also often used in reference to offerings people bring to the altar. There are instructions to bring our best portions to the Lord. Bring our best, because God deserves no less than our very best. I’m sure that one of the meanings as God as our portion is reference to the fact that He is the sacrificial offering that solidifies our eternal life. He is our portion. Jesus was sacrificed, our portion, to pay forever and finally for our sins. Because I have been forgiven by His actions, I now have a portion, an inheritance I didn’t deserve, but I’m very grateful to have.

Have you felt the satisfaction that having God as your portion can bring?
 
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Posted by on October 26, 2011 in God is My Portion, Psalm

 

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My God is … My Joy – Psalm 4:7-8

18 Oct

You have put more joy in my heart than they have when their grain and new wine abound. I will both lie down and sleep in peace, for You alone, LORD, make me live in safety. Psalm 4:7-8

God is my Joy

I’m reading a book called “Made to Crave“. It’s a book about getting your focus off of food and on to Christ. About satisfying your desires with God. This book is really good, and I feel it’s really reinforcing a lot of what the Lord is trying to transform in me right now.

I’m Fat

It’s the sad truth. I have often self medicated my feelings and thoughts with the comfort of food. Using the endorphin rush to help me not have to feel whatever I was avoiding. The Lord has been putting a lot of information in front of me lately about focusing on Him instead of food (like the grain and new wine in Psalm 4). Through this book, OA (overeaters anonymous) and Bible Study, I feel the Lord making a big transformation in me. Helping me to take my focus off of food and put it where it needs to be – on Jesus. He’s the one who will put more joy in my heart.

Come after me

On Sunday, one of our pastors did a message on Luke 9:23 – “And He was saying to them all, ‘If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me.'” This was an amazing message. He focused on the very first part of that verse. If any one wishes to come after me. He talked about being in pursuit of God, like we are in pursuit of our first love. Thinking about them at all times, wondering what we could do to get their attention. It spoke to me. I was always a bit boy crazy. I worked hard at getting the boy I liked to like me. Looking my best, being nice to him, spending time with him. Do I do that with my Lord? If I did pursue God that way, would I have a problem with my eating? Would many of my sins survive that kind of singular focus on my Lord?

Attention Seeking

I want the attention of my husband. When I don’t get it, I’m embarrassed to say I don’t behave very well. I’ll do almost anything to have a few extra minutes with my hubby. I find ways to spend more time with him, invite him out to dinner, do the dishes so he won’t and will hang with the family in the living room. Whatever I can do to spend that time with him, I’m likely to do. This week we’re spending some time apart. He’s at a conference, and I’m home with the rest of my family. I was concerned about this, because I’m more likely to overeat when I’m alone or lonely. So I brought it up to my counselor, and she asked, what if you spend that time you would have spent with your husband with God. It was one more piece to the puzzle. One more way the Lord was showing me I need to put my focus back on him, to come after him as it said in Luke 9:23.

In hot pursuit

I’m going to work on spending this time away from my husband as a boot camp for being in pursuit of the Lord. I’m going to set aside more time to spend with Him. Talk to Him about my day. Ask Him how to handle situations, and rely on Him more. I want to deny myself, pick up my cross and follow Him.

Are you in hot pursuit of God?

 
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Posted by on October 18, 2011 in God is My Joy, Psalm

 

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My God is…My Intercessor Job 16:19-21

11 Oct

Even now my witness is in heaven; my advocate is on high. My intercessor is my friend as my eyes pour out tears to God; on behalf of a man he pleads with God as one pleads for a friend. Job 16: 19-21

God is my intercessor

I don’t always say the right thing. In fact, sometimes I put my foot in it (right Jenny?). Friends who know me well know I’m quick with my words, and that has also led me to be quick with apologies. That’s because when you speak without thinking, you have to apologize a lot.

When I talk to God I don’t apologize

The beauty of talking to God is that I don’t get misunderstood. I have the Holy Spirit interceding for me, making it clear, concise and coherent. At times I think the Holy Spirit is acting like a TV censor, cutting out all my bad words and offensive language. I don’t have to apologize for having the wrong words, the Holy Spirit has my back.

It’s like on a recent episode of Big Bang Theory. Raj, who normally can’t talk to girls much less date them is introduced to a woman who is deaf and communicates through sign language. His friend is their interpreter. Raj however is not saying anything that would be appropriate to tell a girl. His friend, edits and changes what Raj says into what he means.

I think that’s how it must be for the Holy Spirit. He’s probably saying to God the Father, “What Jill meant to say was….”. The Holy Spirit is a much better intercessor than Raj’s friend though. The Holy Spirit keeps the message the same, but improves it. Sometimes He even translates our thoughts, when we are unable to put our feelings into words. It’s amazing to have someone be able to translate for you in such a way!

When words fail me

Sometimes I don’t know what I need. I don’t know what to ask. I don’t know the words. The Holy Spirit does and intercedes for me with the Father. Making sure my message is received.

How does it make you feel to know you have someone interceding on your behalf?

 

 
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Posted by on October 11, 2011 in God is my Intercessor

 

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