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
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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