Communion with God

A. Praise

Our God is great "and most worthy of praise" (Psalm 48:1).
As we meditate on Him, and His greatness, on who He is, our heart will want to praise our God.

Great is the LORD, and most worthy of praise.

in the city of our God, His holy mountain.

Psalm 48:1

1. Praising God in spirit and in truth

A shallow knowledge of God and the place of praise in a believer's life leads to shallow and half-hearted praise.

God is Spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth

John 4:24

2. Growing in Praise

B. Who God is: the attributes (characteristics or qualities) of God

1. Essential attributes of God

(a) He is Elohim or God our Creator, the One who is worthy of worship (Genesis 1:1).

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

(Genesis 1:1)

I am the LORD,
who has made all things,
who alone stretched out the heavens,
who stretched out the earth by myself.

(Isaiah 44:24)

(b) He is the Jehovah-Elohim, the LORD God (Genesis 2:4; Exodus 9:30).

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.' "

God also said to Moses, "Say to the Israelites, The LORD (Jehovah), the God of your fathers - the God of Abraham, the God of Issac and the God of Jacob - has sent me to you. 'This is my NAME forever, the name by which I am to be remembered from generation to generation.'"

(Exodus 3:14-15)

(c) He is the Eternal God,

• who has no beginning and no ending (Hebrews 7:3).
• who always has been and always will be; the "I AM WHO I AM" (Exodus 3:14).
• the Everlasting God, the Everlasting Father (Psalm 90:3; Genesis 21:33; Isaiah 9:6),
• the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the ending (Revelation 1:8),
• who is not limited to time, and is unlimited by time;

who is timeless, who holds time in His hands,
who was and is and is to come (Revelation 1:4; 4:8).

Before the mountains were born

Or You brought forth the earth and the world,
From everlasting to everlasting You are God.

(Psalm 90:2)

(d) He is the Self-Existent God,

• who exists in Himself and from Himself (John 5:26),
• who owns His existence to no other,
• who is the All-Sufficient One, dependent on no other outside Himself,
• the "I AM WHO I AM", Jehovah the LORD (Exodus 3:14; Isaiah 41:4),
• in whom alone is the fountain of life (Psalm 36:9; John 1:4).

For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself.

(John 5:26)

(e) He is the Unchanging and the Unchangeable God, (the immutable God),

• who does not change like shifting shadows (James 1:17),
• whose plans stand firm forever (Psalm 33:11),
• who is Jehovah, who does not change (Malachi 3:6),
• who is Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8; Psalm 102:27),

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

(Hebrews 13:8)

(f) He is the Omnipotent God, the all-powerful God (Revelation 19:6),

• El Shaddai, the Almighty God (Genesis 17:1; Revelation 15:3),
• with whom nothing is too hard (Genesis 18:14; Jeremiah 32:17,27),
• who can do all things, (Job 42:2),
• with whom all things are possible (Matthew 19:26).

When Abraham was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to him and said, "I am God Almighty; walk before me and be blameless. I will confirm my covenant between me and you and will greatly increase your numbers."

(Genesis 17:1-2)

(g) He is the Omnipresent God , the God who is present everywhere (Psalm 139:7-10),

• who fills all things at all times, unlimited by space and time (Jeremiah 23:24), filling even heaven and earth,
• who is not far from everyone (Acts 17:27),
• from whom no one can hide or flee (Jeremiah 23:23-24; Psalm 139:7-12).

"Am I only a God nearby,
and not a God far away?

Can anyone hide in secret places

So that I cannot see him?

Do I not fill heaven and earth?" declares the LORD.

(Jeremiah 23:23-24)

(h) He is the Omniscient God, the all-knowing God (Psalm 147:5; Jeremiah 23:23-24),

• knowing all things at all times, whether of the past, present or future,
• whose understand is infinite (Psalm 147:5),
• who has perfect knowledge, perfect understanding and perfect wisdom,
• who is therefore incapable of error (who is infallible),
• who know our thoughts and all our ways (Psalm 139:1-6),
• who know the hearts of all the sons of men (Genesis 6:5; 1 John 3:20).

Great is our Lord and mighty in power;
His understanding has no limit.

(Psalm 147:5)

(i) He is the Soverign God, the God who reigns and rules over all creation,

• who reigns according to His own will and desire (Revelation 4:11, 19:6),
• who receives counsel from no one (Isaiah 40:13-14),
• who does as He pleases (Daniel 4:32,35),
• the God of gods, King of kings, Lord of lords (Psalm 136:2-3; Revelation 19:16).
• He is El Elyon, the Most High God (Genesis 14:18; Luke 2:14),

"Seven times will pass by for you until you acknowledge that the Most High is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and gives them to anyone He wishes."

(Daniel 4:25)

2. The moral attributes of God

(a) God is holy (Leviticus 19:2; Luke 1:35), a God of absolute purity,

• who cannot sin and cannot tolerate sin (Isaiah 59:1; Habakkuk 1:13),
• whose name is holy (Isaiah 57:15), who alone is holy (Revelation 15:4),
• whose people are to be holy, as He is holy (Leviticus 11:44-45; 1 Peter 1:16),
• who has made us holy by the blood of Jesus (Hebrews 13:12).

But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy."

(1 Peter 1:15)

(b) God is righteous (2 Chronicles 12:6), always acting against sin,

• always doing what is right and just (Deuteronomy 32:4),
• who as the Judge of all the earth will do that which is right (Genesis 18:25),
• whose judgement are true and righteous (Revelation 16:5-7),
• whose people are to walk in true righteousness and holiness (Ephesians 4:24).

He is the Rock, His work is perfect.
For all His ways are justice.

A God of truth and without injustice;

Righteous and upright is He.

(Deuteronomy 32:4)

(c) God is love (1 John 4:8, 16), expressed in His desire to always bless and do good to His people (1 Chronicles 16:34,41; Lamentations 3:22-23),

• always giving good gifts to those who ask Him (Matthew 7:11),
• always blessings His people freely out of His grace (John 1:16),
• always showing his mercy upon all His enemies (Psalm 102:8-11),
• revealing Himself as

Jehovah Jireh: God our Provider (Genesis 22:13-14).

Jehovah Rapha: God our Healer (Exodus 15:26).

Jehovah Nissi: God our Banner of Victory (Exodus 17:8-15).

Jehovah Shalom: God out Peace (Judges 6:24).

Jehovah Tsidkenu: God our Righteousness (Jeremiah 23:6).

Jehovah Shammah: God our Presence (Ezekiel 48:35).

• He is our Heavenly Father, our "Abba Father" (Matthew 6:9; Romans 8:15).
• He is Immanuel, God with us (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:23).
• He is the Wonderful Counselor, the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6).
• He is the Bread of Life (John 6:35).
• He is the Good Shepherd (John 10:14).
• He is the Resurrection and the Life (John 11:25).
• He is the Way, the Truth and the Life (John 14:6).

The Lord is good;
His mercy (His love) endures forever.

(1 Chronicles 16:34,41)

(d) God is faithful, a God who is absolutely trustworthy.

• He is a God who keeps His word, His promises, His covenant (Deuteronomy 7:9; Hebrews 10:23).
• God is not a man that he should lie; He cannot lie (Numbers 23:19).
• All His commands are faithful (Psalm 119:86).
• Forever, God's word is settled in heaven (Psalm 119:89).
• His faithfulness endures to all generations (Psalm 119:90).
• Jesus Christ is a Faithful High Priest (Hebrews 2:17).
• Jesus Christ is the Faithful Witness (Revelation 1:5).

Therefore know that the LORD your God, He is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and mercy for a thousand generations with those who love Him and keep His commandments.

(Deuteronomy 7:9)

Prayer

Declarations & Proclamations