Wholehearted devotion brings alignment, movement, and fulfillment.
“Love God with all your heart and all your soul and all your mind.” – Matthew 22:37
This is not a religious legalistic command in a vacuum.
“We love because He first loved us.” – 1 John 4:19
“love God”
Love – Sincere appreciation, high regard and devotion
The more we learn, know, and experience, the more we will come to appreciate and love God.
God
Names help us understand who people have found God to be.
When we learn the names of God we learn about God’s attributes and we can come to know God better.
The prayer pattern Jesus gave us teaches us so much about who God is and about the nature of our relationship with God.
“Pray like this our father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. May your kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.” – Matthew 6:9-10
Names of God:
• Adonai the God who is the strong Lord and Master – Isaiah 51:22
• El Elyon the Most High God – Genesis 14:17-20
• El Olam Everlasting God – Isaiah 40:28-31
• El Roi the One who sees – Genesis 16:13
• El Shaddai the God Almighty – Genesis 17:1
• Elohim the Mighty Big God – Genesis 1:1
• Yahweh/Jehovah the Lord God who always exists – Exodus 34:15
• Jehovah Jireh the Lord will provide – Genesis 22:13-14
• Jehovah Maccaddeshem the Lord my sanctifier – Exodus 31:13
• Jehovah Nissi the Lord our banner – Exodus 17:15
• Jehovah Rapha the Lord our healer – Exodus 15:26
• Jehovah Rohi the Lord our shepherd – Psalms 23:1
• Jehovah Shalom the Lord our peace – Judges 6:24
• Jehovah Shammah the Lord who is present – Ezekiel 48:35
• Jehovah Tsidkenu the Lord our righteousness – Jeremiah 23:6
The song Yahweh Forever reminds us of this.
“ I am the Lord and I do not change.“ – Malachi 3:6
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday today and forever. – Hebrews 13:8
The character of who God is has not changed when I am facing a challenge.
God is worthy of my praise even when I’m facing a challenge.
The Psalmist songwriter went through just such a journey, learned from it, and prayed about it.
“How long Must I struggle with anguish in my soul with sorrow in my heart every day? How long will my enemy have the upper hand?”
“But I will trust in your unfailing love. I will rejoice because you have rescued me. I will sing to the Lord because he is good to me.“ – Psalm 13:2, 5-6
“So the jailer put them into the inner dungeon and clamped their feet in the stocks. Around midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening.“ Acts 16:24-25
All the believers devoted themselves. Acts 2:42
Devotion Motion
Wholehearted devotion brings alignment, movement, and fulfillment.
alignment – arrangement in a straight line or incorrect or appropriate relative positions of position of agreement or alliance
The prayer pattern Jesus gave us teaches us so much about who God is and about the nature of our relationship with God.
“Pray like this our father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. May your kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.” – Matthew 6:9-10
Jesus is our example in this.
“Father if you are willing please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.” – Luke 22:42
“My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts, says the Lord. And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the Earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts are higher than your thoughts.” – Isaiah 55:8-9
So we pray: Your thoughts are higher than my thoughts your ways are higher than my ways.
God is with us….as we follow Jesus.
Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life.
What should we do?
1. Pray your loving devotion to God.
2. Worship.
3. Ask God if you are out of alignment.
4. Confess and turn from any way in which you are out of alignment.
5. Receive and respond to God‘s gracious steadfast love.
Devotion Motion
Wholehearted devotion brings alignment, movement, and fulfillment.