Encountering the God of the Bible

JEREMY FONTENOT | AUGUST 12, 2020

That which we have heard which we have seen with our eyes and our hands have touched,
which we have witnessed…this is what we declare to you..

 

APPROACHING THE BIBLE

How do you approach the Bible? Maybe you’ve never thought of reading the Bible in those terms. Let me ask you one more question, “Do you have faith to encounter the One whom the Bible reveals?” In order to receive life-giving enrichment from Bible-reading, one must approach it with expectant faith anticipating the Spirit of the Living God to draw you into its spiritual realities. Never read the Bible just to check off the “I read my Bible today” box. John the beloved disciple of Jesus wrote concerning this book we call the Bible that, “In the beginning was the word and the word was with God and the Word was God.” John 1:1 Oh how my heart has been fascinated for years on that scripture as I’ve meditated upon its meaning. 

The Bible is referred to as the Word of God. Now although the creator of heaven and earth is not a book God is His word and we can encounter Him through it. As you approach the Bible, approach the Word of God full of faith and confidence to encounter Him and you will find Him. I liken it to the woman at the well in John 4 who was talking to Jesus-The Word of God and didn’t realize who He was until Jesus removed the veil so to speak and revealed Himself as the Messiah. Her whole world was turned upside down in a good way of course and she was never the same again. 

As you approach the Bible, approach the Word of God full of faith and confidence to encounter Him and you’ll be overwhelmed by Him.

Years ago, at age 15 I knelt down before the Maker of the universe and received much-needed healing taking place in my heart. At that moment I encountered God the Father.  Galatians 4:6 says, “Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.” Abba is the most intimate form of God’s name. It reveals to us His character as our loving daddy. Just as earthly godly fathers provide protection, security, and unconditional love, our Heavenly Father provides these things as well. Encountering the Lord of heaven and earth in this way brought about wholeness to my heart that allowed me to run the race of life unimpeded. Crawl into the lap of Abba today and allow His great big arms to wrap around you. 

THE NAMES OF GOD

There is great power in a name. It says who we are, it’s what we are known by to all those around us. As we read the Bible it uses different names of God to communicate specific, personal meaning, and identity. The Lord Almighty is so awesome, so vast that you cannot put Him in a box. In fact, you can’t even give Him one name because it would not fully characterize and encompass all that He is.

ELOHIM

In Genesis 1:1 we read, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” The word “God” here is the Hebrew word Elohim. It is also found in Psalm 19:1 “The heavens are telling of the glory of God, and their expanse is declaring the work of His hands.” This name describes God’s immense power and His might. He is the One and only God. He is the Supreme, true God. He is the One in Whom we can fully rely upon. He is Sovereign, He is the one we can completely trust. He is the Mighty One over all of nature, this world, and the heavens above, our creative God who has worked wonders by His hands. God reminds us that He is Elohim every single day. We encounter His amazing power at work daily in every sunrise, every sunset, in the way He holds the stars in the sky, and the way He carries His people through difficult times. You can be confident, you are held by Elohim,  never fearing as His hands are strong and secure.

YAHWEH

Yahweh means “The Lord” – Yahweh comes from the Hebrew word for “I AM,” coming from the verb which means to “exist,” “be.” When God told Moses to go to Pharaoh and to lead the Israelites out of Egypt, God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites, “I AM has sent me to you.” Exodus 3:13-14 God’s name, Yahweh, is one of authority. It is a name that holds great power, and says to all who hear, “I AM the One, true God, follow me.” God is still the “Great I AM,” for He never changes. We can trust His loving leadership in our lives, just as Moses did. Have you encountered the great “I AM” Who rules the nations with truth and justice?

YAHWEH YIREH

Yahweh Yireh means “The Lord Will Provide” – God will provide for our needs. He is faithful, He is able, and nothing is too difficult for Him. The Lord revealed Himself to Abraham in this way in Genesis 22 as the Lord provided a ram for him to sacrifice at just the right time. Psalms 23:1 declares, “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.” Another translation of the Bible says it this way, “I always have more than enough.” In the early church, the book of Acts chapter 4 says that no one had lack. Do you know and experience Him as Yahweh Yireh-the One Who provides for your needs?

JEHOVAH RAPHA

Jehovah Rapha means “Healer, the Lord who heals you” – This name was revealed to the Israelites. For forty years the Israelites walked in divine health as they journeyed from Egypt to the Promised Land. Every person that came to Jesus in the gospels received healing. He is the same today, yesterday and forevermore. Have you met and encountered the God who heals?  

JESUS – THE SAVIOR OF THE WORLD

Encountering Jesus is all-encompassing and enveloping as His life surrounds you. People would fall at his feet with tears streaming down their faces. Men would abandon their careers to follow Him and lay down their lives. Crowds wanted to be near him just to touch him. Multitudes would go for days without eating just to be in close proximity to Him. Jesus had this way of inspiring people like Peter to step out of a boat onto the water to walk upon it because he saw Jesus do it. Why is that? Because to encounter Jesus is to encounter the Elohim, Yahweh, Abba, Yahweh Yireh, and Jehovah Rapha. Endeavor to encounter God as you venture through His word the Bible. As you do you’ll likewise say as John did, “That which we have heard which we have seen with our eyes and our hands have touched, which we have witnessed…this is what we declare to you..”

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