Deep Discoveries - What's in a Name?

Been thinkin' this week about the names of God. My pastor has begun his series on the names of God and just wanted to share...

Pastor Tony Evans:

"One of the primary ways God has helped us to see Him clearly is through His names."

Elohim = Power
a) God is the only one who can create something from nothing.
b) God doesn't need the visible to show you the visible. He can create from the invisible.
c) is a plural word (more than one person although 1 God)
d) greater than the sum total of His creation (i.e. galaxies). He exists in a WHOLE nother dimension for us.
e) When you see "God" in the Bible. This is the meaning behind the name.

I AM = Jehovah = Yahweh = YWHW = LORD ("capital L capital O capital R capital D...as pastor said) = Revelatory/Personal Name

a)Pastor went into the background of how I AM or YWHW was a name that was so sacred, Jewish Rabbi's never spoke it to not mistake it, misuse it, or use it in vain.
b)is the self-revealed, self-declared, sacred name of God.
c)vowels were added (Yahweh) to keep the essence of the name, but could now be said.
d)Jehovah, is the English translation.
e)name He told to Moses from the bush which was on fire but not burning
f)from "to be"; is written twice;"to be" is to exist-so, God says to Moses by saying "I AM that I AM sent you" , "Tell them (in translation) the One who exists because He exists, sent you."
g) God is the only one who has no preceding influences to cause Him to be or external factors to continue to be.
h)only self-generating being in the universe who can go to Himself to get what He needs...totally self-sufficient within Himself.
i)"I AM" also = present tense (no yesterday or tomorrow)--no linear recognition of time which is why you can trust him because he's already in tomorrow...it is the now. And, even though you're not in His dimension, you can touch His dimension if you know His name.

I recommend purchasing the DVD (ocbfchurch.org). I only gave a glimpse of all that Pastor discussed...and this is only the beginning.

I now understand in my NIV translation, that when I read "God", it is referring to the power of God (i.e. the creator of the universe, creating the heavens and the earth), but when I see LORD, it is when God is revealing himself in a relational way.

Hope this blesses you!