My Name is God: Elohim - YHWH

Sharing good news of great joy to all people.

Elation Church. Today we're beginning a series

entitled, Hello, My Name is God. Hello, My Name

is God. Everybody say that. Hello, My Name is

God. So let's talk about names for just a minute.

What's in a name? Names signify three things.

Everybody say three things. First of all, names

signify identity. Because everybody has a name,

and then we call each other by our names. I want

to tell you something a little bit interesting

about me. When I started playing high school

football, it was actually junior high football

in the state of South Carolina. We had to have

a state birth certificate, you know, just to

make sure that I was the right age and wasn't

cheating and all that kind of stuff. I was pretty

little then, so I don't know why. But everyone

had to provide a birth certificate. So we sent

off for my South Carolina birth certificate that

I did not have. And when it came back, guess

what it had on it? No name, Forrest. That was

my name. I kid you not. That's my official name

in the state of South Carolina is no -name Forrest

because my parents didn't name me before we left

the hospital. So my birth certificate, even my

county birth certificate, has unnamed Forrest

on my county birth certificate. The state birth

certificate had no -name Forrest. So I didn't

get to play the first couple of weeks because

we had to fix that. Right? Had to fix that to

the name that I've been going by my whole life,

which is Jeffrey Dean Forrest. That's my name.

You can call me no name, I'll answer. But my

name is Jeffrey Dean Forrest. Most people just

call me Dean. And people say, well, what do you

want me to call you? Just call me Dean. I'm just

Dean. Not just Dean, but Dean. You know what

I'm saying? Here's another name that I'm sure

excited about is I'm a Christian. I'm a Christian.

I'm a Christ follower. That's what that means.

It actually means a little Jesus. I hope I'm

living up to that. Because it was a name given,

a derogatory name given when it was first given.

Look at all those little Jesuses running around.

And they said, well, if you think I look like

a little Jesus, I'll take that. I'll go by the

name of Christian. So those names are my identity.

Everybody say identity. Christian is who I am.

It's not some, it's who I am. Jeffrey Dean Forrest,

and I'm a Christian. But names also signify relationship.

Everybody say relationship. Everybody say identity.

And then say relationship. So I've got some relationship

names. My mom always called me baby. Even when

I'm 50 stinking years old, my mom would say,

if she introduced me to someone, she would say,

this is my baby. Because I'm the youngest of

four. So I was always the baby. My dad didn't

call me baby. He called me son. That was my relationship

name with my father. Now, Gayna, when we got

married, I became her husband. And that's a relationship

name, right? Are you with me? I know this is

simple, but I want you to be with me. But she

doesn't say, oh, husband. This is what I would

like for Valentine's Day. A new set of tires

for my car. She doesn't call me husband. She

calls me honey on good days. If I've been acting

right, sometimes it's hard to act right, right?

Try to act right. But she calls me honey on good

days. I won't tell you why she calls me on bad

days. I'm also a father. It's a relationship

name. But Jeffrey doesn't say, Oh, Father, what

is thou lendeth me $20? I mean, that's not the

way he talks to me. He calls me Dad. All these

are my names. That's a lot of names, right? Does

everybody say identity? Everybody say relationship?

And then I've got a lot more names that signify

my activity or my work. What a person does. Here's

a few. I was a student for a long time. I was

actually a cook. Junior year of high school during

the summer, cooked steaks at Quincy's Restaurant.

I was a salesman working for my uncle, selling

car parts, working for an AV company, selling

sound equipment and things like that. We sold

a lot of tapes and stuff. I've been a sound man.

People have actually paid me to run sound before,

believe it or not. I was a sound man for Children's

Church. It's a big deal. I was a custodian for

a while at Disney. I was a janitor because Gane

and I, you know, we picked up some part -time

jobs so that we could pay the bills. And we cleaned

offices three days a week. I was also a screen

printer and everything that entails. Bought my

equipment, did the artwork, made the screens,

printed T -shirts and things like that. I was

an A &R director for Mark V Records, artist and

repertoire, whatever that meant. I don't even

know what it means, and I was one. I was the

vice president of Heartlook Records. I was the

vice president of state and national organizations.

I was the music director of state and national

organizations. I was an event planner for national

organizations and for... Our ministry, we planned

a lot of events. I was actually a crusade director,

not near as much as John was a crusade director.

I don't even know how many crusades you've directed.

I've directed a few myself. Been the president

of state and national organizations and even

non -profit corporations have been the president.

Been the worship leader at events. I was actually

a worship leader at the Ryman Auditorium. What

about that? Look at the person beside you and

say, what about that? I was a conference director

over 20 years as an evangelist. I was a chaplain

at Lakewood Camper Resort for nine years. A lot

of people call me preacher, preacher dean. Some

people call me Pastor Dean. Some people just

call me Dean. It's okay. That's a lot of names.

As a matter of fact, I've given you 29 names,

or just my names. I've got 29 names, but I'm

only one person. That's important to understand

in this series, because in the Bible, God has

given us a lot of different names that show his

identity. that show the relationship that he

wants to have with you and with me to show his

activity or his work. He's given us a lot of

names. Now, when we first started Elation Church,

we talked about this, but I think there's only

four people in the room that were here during

that series. And this is foundational. Foundational

truth. It's hard to move too far in your Christian

faith without knowing some of these things. Here's

why. Very important, important, important verse.

Well, let's recap. Everybody say identity. Everybody

say relationship. Everybody say activity. And

here's that verse that we're going to springboard

off of every week. Psalm 910. Those who know

your name, talking about God's name. Everybody

say God's name. Those who know God's name will

put their trust in God. Here's the deal. If you

don't know who He is, how are you going to trust

Him? Some people just trust anybody and everybody.

I don't. Trust has to be earned. How many of

you have trusted somebody and you found out later

you shouldn't have trusted them? Anybody? If

you've been alive on this earth, you might have

experienced that. Pinch yourself, see if you're

living. But those who know God's name can put

their trust in Him. That Hebrew word trust also

means confidence. Everybody say confidence. If

you know who God is, if you know His identity,

If you know the relationship He wants to have

with you, if you know His activity, what He does

and what He wants to do for you, then all of

a sudden you can have confidence in that. Hallelujah.

I need my Amen button. I should have got an Amen.

The church gave me an Amen button for my birthday

in January. They recorded their voices on it.

And if I don't get an Amen, I hit the button.

Those who know God's name will put their trust,

put their confidence in Him. You know why we

can put our trust and confidence in Him? Because

God's never forsaken anyone who seeks Him. I

want to say that again. God has never forsaken

anyone who seeks Him. Based on... Who He is.

His identity. The relationship He wants to have

with you. And His activity, what He wants to

do. He's not going to forsake you when you seek

Him. Because He's able and He's faithful. Hello.

My name is God. Let's look at some of it. Genesis

1 .1, very first verse of the Bible, starting

out right out of the gate. In the beginning,

God created the heavens and the earth. In the

beginning, God, that Hebrew word is Elohim. Everybody

say Elohim. Elohim. That's God's name. That's

who God is. He's great. He's mighty. He is the

supreme God. You know, a lot of people worship

a lot of little g gods in this world, but there's

only one great, mighty, supreme God. He is Elohim.

Now, that word Elohim is actually a plural word.

When you look at the language, it's a plural

word, but it's treated as a singular noun, even

though it's plural. And right out of the gate,

God is telling us that He is Father. He is Word

or Son. We find that out later. He is Holy Spirit.

We find that out. It's all encapsulated in the

word Elohim. Great, mighty, supreme God. It's

used over 2 ,500 times in the Old Testament.

Look to the person beside you. That's a lot.

2 ,500 times in the Old Testament. Let's look

at some more verses that use that word Elohim.

Let's find out who God is and find out how we

can trust Him. Elohim, God is. Everybody say,

God is. Psalm 14 .1 says, Only fools say in their

hearts, There is no God. Because God is. I believe

it goes on to talk about how can you look at

the intricate detail of the creation and not

know that it was created? It didn't just happen

by chance. What is it? The law of thermodynamics

says everything's going down, not everything's

coming up. Right? God is. There is a God. God

is eternal. Everybody say, God is eternal. That

means no beginning. This is so hard for us to

wrap our brains around. He always was and is.

And is to come, right? God is eternal. Isaiah

40, 28. The everlasting God, the Lord. He is

everlasting. He is the eternal one. The everlasting

one. The everlasting God, the Lord, the creator

of the ends of the earth, neither faints nor

is weary. I get weary sometimes. Anybody get

weary sometimes? Just get tired and you just

woe out. Somebody came to the studio one time

and recorded a song. Woe Out was the name of

the song. It was funny. God is creator. He's

everlasting. He's the creator. And he didn't

take off on the seventh day because he was tired.

He didn't say, whoa, this creation stuff is wearing

me out. I think I need a day off. He does not

faint. He does not grow weary. He does not sleep

or slumber. Acts 17, 24. He is the God who made

the world and everything in it. Now we're in

Greek, so it's going to be a little different.

But it means the same thing. Hothios. Did I say

it right? I don't know if I said it right or

not. Close. Sound good to you? John can open

up a Greek New Testament and just read it. I've

got a Greek scholar in here today. Hothios. How

many of you see that that means the same thing

as Elohim? The one supreme divinity is what that

means. The one supreme divinity. God is good.

Everybody say God is good. If you read the Bible

or if you're experiencing something in life and

you say, God's not good. It means you have a

wrong perspective of what's taking place. You're

blaming someone who did not do what you're blaming

Him for. God's a good God. Luke 18, 19. Jesus

said this, No one is good but one. That is the

supreme God. The great mighty supreme God. The

one supreme divinity. He's good. Everybody say,

He's good. Please smile when you say, He's good.

You know, I look at you and it's like, He's good.

I'm not sure if you believe it, if it won't even

change your expression. Elohim. Elohim is more

of a title than a personal name. Now this might

shock you, but the word Elohim is used as people

describe... Other gods in the Old Testament,

false gods, they use that word Elohim because

it's just a title. Alright? It's the person who

says it thinks that the God that they're talking

about is the supreme God. But there's only one.

We read this story a couple of weeks ago. I'm

going to read it again today as we continue.

Exodus 3, verses 1 through 15. One day Moses

Exodus 3:1–15

was tending the flock of his father -in -law

Jethro, the priest of Midian. He led the flock

far into the wilderness and came to Sinai, the

mountain of God. There the angel of the Lord

appeared to him in a blazing fire from the middle

of a bush. Moses stared in amazement. Though

the bush was engulfed in flames, it didn't burn

up. This is amazing, Moses said to himself. Why

isn't that bush burning up? I must go see it.

When the Lord saw Moses coming to take a closer

look, a couple of weeks ago we talked about,

it was a different translation, but it said,

Moses wanted to turn aside. Everybody say, turn

aside. He turned aside to look at the bush. And

then when God saw him turn aside, then God spoke

to him. We talked about the importance. If you

weren't here, I recommend you going back and

listening to that on YouTube or on podcast. Because

when Moses turned aside, then God saw him turn

aside. and then He spoke to him, and we just

really jumped on this with both feet. We have

to turn aside if we're going to hear from God.

God is waiting on you to turn aside to hear from

Him. I'll get off two weeks ago's message because

I've got a lot to preach today. When the Lord

saw Moses coming to take a closer look, God called

to him from the middle of the bush, Moses. Moses.

Here I am, Moses replied. Don't come any closer.

The Lord warned, take off your sandals for you're

standing on holy ground. I wish I had a big radio

voice. I am the God of your father, the God of

Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob.

When Moses heard this, He covered his face because

he was afraid to look at God. Now you can go

boldly to the throne because we're under a different

covenant, by the way. I'm just going to throw

that in there. Don't have to be scared of God

anymore. He's daddy now. Hallelujah. Then the

Lord told him. I have certainly seen the oppression

of my people in Egypt. I have heard their cries

of distress because of their harsh slave drivers.

Yes, I am aware of their suffering. So I have

come down to rescue them from the power of the

Egyptians and lead them out of Egypt into their

own fertile and spacious land. It is a land flowing

with milk and honey. The land where the Canaanites,

Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and

Jebusites now live. Glad I made it through that.

Look, the cry of the people of Israel has reached

me, and I have seen how harshly the Egyptians

abused them. Now go, for I am sending you to

Pharaoh. You must lead my people, Israel, out

of Egypt. But Moses protested. Who am I to appear

before the Pharaoh? Who am I to lead the people

of Israel out of Egypt? God answered, I will

be with you. And this is your sign that I am

the one who has sent you. When you have brought

the people out of Egypt, you will worship God

at this very mountain. But Moses protested, If

I go to the people of Israel, and tell them the

God of your ancestors has sent me to you, they

will ask me, what is his name? Then, what should

I tell them? God replied to Moses, I am that

I am. Say this to the people of Israel, I am

has sent me to you. God also said to Moses, say

to the people of Israel, Yahweh, the God of your

ancestors, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac,

and the God of Jacob has sent me to you. Listen

to what he says. This is my eternal name. My

name to remember for all generations. So Elohim,

Is a general name. For God. 2 ,500 times. But

Yahweh. Is his personal name. Like my name is

Dean. God's name is I am that I am. Hello. My

name is God. My name is Elohim the great. Mighty.

Supreme God. My name is Yahweh. I am. That I

am. It's God's name. I am that I am. That tells

us that he is self -existent. That means that

he is eternal. He didn't say I was that I was.

He said I am. That I am the ever -present one,

the eternal one, the self -existent one. He's

not dependent on anybody or anything for His

existence. We are. But He's not. In just the

15 verses that we read, we discover some things

about God that He sees us. Now that can be a

comfort, or that can be, oh no, God sees me.

That's up to you whether it's a comfort or an

oh no. God hears us. God delivers us. God provides

for us. God is with us. All those things we discover

in those 15 verses. When we find out who God

is and his activity and the relationship that

he wants to have for us and with us, some of

these are going to be, this is what he wants

to do for us. And if you're like me, you have

to agree that the promises that we make can be

dependent on the actions of others. circumstances

that are out of our control. Right? Now, we plan

to have some pizza tonight. Have you already

bought the pizza? Not yet. We're going to have

pizza, but I don't know exactly how we're going

to have pizza. Because we may run into some situations

that are beyond our control, being Super Bowl

night. Oh yeah, we can get you some pizza four

hours from now. Then you're going to back up

and punt and get faster pizza, right? Might not

be what you wanted, but you got it. But see,

sometimes we make promises. Like, if I told you

I'm going to come wash your car this afternoon,

mine needs it. Who has pollen all over their

car? So if I told you I'm going to come wash

your car this afternoon, What if I take off to

your house and I have a flat tire? Something

happens. I can't get there. See, sometimes we

don't keep our promises because of things that

can happen that are out of our control. That's

what I'm trying to communicate, right? I'll do

this unless this happens. Here's a good thing

about God. There's nothing that can come up that

can keep God from being who He is and doing what

He wants to do for you. There's nothing that

can stop it on His end. God's promises are only

dependent on who He is. Now we've talked about

this. Whether you... or in that relationship

that God desires to be in with you, whether He

is doing that work or that activity in your life,

you know, you can resist that and not experience

it. You can align your words against what He

desires to do for you and not experience it.

In your life, but there's nothing that can stop

God from doing it. If we come to him by faith.

Trusting, having confidence in. You remember

that word from Psalm 910? From trusting and having

confidence. So God is the eternally present God.

who is self -existent. He's never needing or

depending on anyone or anything. He didn't do

that to begin His existence because there is

no beginning because He's eternal and everlasting.

And He don't need it to maintain who He is or

to maintain His existence. A God like that is

a God that we can depend on. A God like that

is a God that we can have confidence in. A God

like that is a God we can trust. He is Yahweh.

Now this week is kind of an introductory message.

Because we have at least 13, maybe more than

that weeks to go. Okay? And some weeks we're

looking at three names in one week. But we have

to have this foundational information. Both Yahweh

and El signifying Elohim, they are used in compound

names of God throughout the Bible. So we need

to understand that before we can understand the

compound names. Does that make sense? We need

to understand what those are. Has anyone ever

heard of El Elyon? Or El Shaddai. All those are

based on Elohim, right? And then there's... I

don't know. I'm going to read off some of them

here in a minute, so I'll do that. Through discovering

God's names. Remember, names are identity, relationship,

and activity. This is not just a... Intellectual

exercise. Because growing up, I did some studies

of God's name. God's name, his compound name

is in the Bible, but it was just an intellectual

exercise. I became aware of it, but I didn't

know that I needed to connect to it. So through

discovering his name, we're going to learn about

who he is. We're going to learn about the relationship

He desires to have with us. We're going to learn

about what He wants to do in our lives. Because

that's who He is. That's who He is. And when

we find out these things, we can put our trust

and our confidence in Him. Because He's God,

and that's who He is. Those who know your name

will put their trust in you. For you, Lord, have

not forsaken those who seek you. This online

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