Who God Is

A couple years ago the Lord impressed upon me that I should praise him more and that I should be grateful for all he’s done for my family, my world, and me.
As I lay in bed at night needing sleep but unable to get there for one reason or another, I began to focus on the attributes of our God and Lord Jesus Christ. I lay there thinking, praying, “God you are awesome... God you are holy… God you are my advocate... God you are my protector... God you are eternal.”
As time went on and weeks turned to months I formed a system to help me remember God’s attributes. I thought of so many attributes that I began to alphabetize them. Now, on loud stormy nights or retreat weekends away from my familiar bed, I may get clear up to Z.
Ephesians 5:1-2 (NLT ) tells us to: Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. 2 Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.
Introduction

Is it possible to change? You know that Jesus loves you; but, you just don’t understand why life has to be so hard. You are the apple of God’s eye. He loves you more then you could possibly imagine.
My hope is that this devotional book and/or app will help the reader focus on God during their times of trial and tribulation. I would love to see this book in every hospital ICU and in the hands of those struggling from traumatic life events such as natural disasters and victims of human trafficking. The idea is to read it in waiting lines, waiting rooms, while eating, when rising in the morning and at night before bed. Then on nights when one can’t sleep the words, in alphabetical order, can be remembered and meditated on as sleep approaches. It’s as simple as ABC. People need optimism in times of crisis. We need to know how big God really is and how He cares for us. He even cries for us. The world and its human beings at large may attack us, abuse us, neglect us, slander us, accuse us and abandon us. However, God is still on the throne and His greatest desire is to see us through to success, to carry us, and to protect and defend us when we cry out to Him. My hope is that you will find in this study someone with 100% heart and soul who sincerely wants to help you see how real God is in your times of crisis and sorrow.
God is…

Week 1
ADVOCATE
Supporter; Promoter; Activist; Sponsor; Our cheerleader

Seek the good in others and build that good up

7 While Jesus was here on earth, he offered prayers and pleadings, with a loud cry and tears, to the one who could rescue him from death. And God heard his prayers because of his deep reverence for God. Hebrews 5:7 (NLT)

This is how I see God’s ADVOCACY in action:

I have a pastor friend who is one of the most amazing cheerleaders that I’ve ever known. He is always ready and knows what to say to support and bless those around him. I believe one of his greatest qualities is to be an ADVOCATE; to be real, honest, and seek the good in others and to build that good up. When praying, both he and his wife have the ability to put themselves in your shoes and when you’re honored enough to hear them pray for you it is obvious that they practice praying. Just like Jesus this pastor is always willing with an open heart…


Ø Father, you are my ADVOCATE. People may fail me but you never will. You carry me through the fire and go before me. You support me and you are the lifter of my head. Lord, you desire only good for me. Help me to never forget all you’ve done for me when you suffered and died on the cross to save me. Help me to be an ADVOCATE to all those I meet and thank you for showing me how to be an imitator of YOU to others. Amen

Week 2
APPROACHABLE
Open; Easy to talk to; Accessible; All can come no matter what they’ve done
28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Matthew 11:28-30 (NIV)


Anger seems to hurt those that we love the most


This is how I see God as APPROACHABLE:

The Scripture above has helped me fight the anger inside me from all the troubles of my past. Anger seems to hurt those that we love the most. While raising my children I had so much anger bottled up that it absolutely had to explode out of me. Getting professional counseling was considered weak, so, I spent a lot of life living on a wing and a prayer. This was great to a certain point; but, with the degree of my PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder) and the pride-of-life, I felt like a failure which would cause more anger and resentment. Getting help from a Christian psychologist was a life changing factor for me. Pastor Ron Swor once mentioned that, “We often give our enemy a face when in fact there isn’t one”. Our enemies can be situations, behaviors, addictions, or fears. Learning how to respond instead of react, memorizing Bible verses pertaining to anger and gentleness, along with sincerely asking my loved ones to forgive me (with no, “but you did this”) was mind renewing and life transforming.

O LORD, You have searched me and known me.
2 You know when I sit down and when I rise up;
You understand my thought from afar.
3 You scrutinize my path and my lying down,
And are intimately acquainted with all my ways.
Psalm 139:1-3 (NASB)


Ø Father, thank you for being APPROACHABLE and gentle with us. As we seek you, give us supernatural abilities to overcome the things that drag us down and cause us to self-destruct. Our answers are always found in you. Give us gentleness instead of anger and the ability to love our enemies literally and figuratively. Only you are absolutely perfect. I praise you for being accessible. When I come to you in desperation, desiring only good, you listen and answer my call. In times when life leaves me without words you listen to my heart and comfort me with your peace that passes all understanding. As a baby reaches for its mother or father, I raise my hands to you for comfort, protection and love. Thank you for always attentively watching over me. Amen