Jehovah Raah

We have covered many names of God during the past few days. Today's name is one that speaks of safety and security in a world that offers none. In Psalm 23:1 we discover than“Jehovah-Raah” means “The Lord is my shepherd”. This verse continues with “I shall not want.” This is the name for the Lord which promises we shall not lack anything. Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of that promise. “I am the good shepherd,” Jesus said. “The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep” (John 10:11, NIV). Jesus became our shepherd by giving His life for us. Just as a shepherd assumes the responsibility for the care and well-being of his sheep, so Christ takes compete responsibility for our care and well-being. The Lord as “Jehovah Raah” is the shepherd who provides loving care for His people. He is the same great “Jehovah Jireh” that is powerfully on time with His provision. In this Jehovah God, we are saved by His redeeming love. All that we could ever want or need is found in our shepherd, who paid our price in full.

Sheep always need a shepherd to protect and care for them. We, just like sheep, are completely defenseless and dependent on a shepherd. Prey attack sheep, and bad environmental conditions put them in grave danger. We are also attacked, and face danger from our enemy. “Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” (1 Peter 1:8b, NIV). A shepherd protects His sheep at all cost―sometimes to even the point of death. Jesus gave His life on the cross as our Good Shepherd. He had the power to save himself, but he chose to give His life for you and me. “The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28, NIV).

“I am the good shepherd,” Jesus continues. “I know my sheep and my sheep know me—just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord”(John 10:14-18a, NIV). The gift of His life is not for just a certain view. It is for all mankind. Jesus is the Good Shepherd over all who come to believe in Him. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16, NIV). To know and believe that “The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want”, we must know Him as the Good Shepherd who gave His life for our sake.

ADONAI

The name of God , “Adonai”, means “Lord and Master”. Because “Yahweh” is considered too holy to be spoken by the Hebrews, “Adonai”, and sometimes “Jehovah” are the two names which are interchangeably spoken in its place. “Adonai” is plural, and can be translated as “my lords”. “Adon” is the singular form of “adonai” and refers to a human who is a master. In the old Testament “Adon” is used 215 times in reference to man, and “Adonai” (sometimes as “Jehovah”) is used over 200 times in reference to God. Whichever name is used, it speaks of submission and obedience to someone who has authority.

The first time “Adonai” is used is in Genesis 15:1-2 when God speaks to Abram. “After this, the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision. 'Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward.' But Abram said, 'Sovereign Lord (“Adonai”), what can you give me since I remain childless and the one who will inherit my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?'” (Genesis 15:1-2, NIV). Through many hard years God had been “Lord and Master” to Abram in many ways. When God called Abram to leave his homeland and follow Him, Abram had no idea who this God was that was calling him. The call was so strong and so clear to Abram that he surrendered, and packed up his family and moved―trusting God to lead him and not knowing at all where he was headed. During many years after leaving Ur, Abram had always relied on God to take care of his family. Now in these two verses Abram seems to agonize over the one thing means the world to him―having a son. Although the Lord told Abram in Geneses 15:1 that He, the Lord, was Abram's “great reward”, Abram longed for a son and heir to which to leave everything he owned . In Genesis 15:2 Abram told “Adonai” that there was something else he wanted and needed beside God as his reward. In fact, it was something that Abram desired more than God at this moment in his life. He spoke the name “Adonai”, but he had not allowed God to be his “Lord and Master” more than his desire for a son. 

Just as Abram we often say that God is our “Lord and Master”, and our lives say something very different. Instead of God being the ruler of our lives, something else takes His place. That ruling idol can be power, money, possessions, alcohol, drugs, food, children, and the list goes on. Even good things in our lives can master us. Church can become more important than the Lord. Doing things for others can become more important. Whatever we put before God becomes the thing that claims our devotion and rules our lives. God wants to be more than a lip-service “Adonai” we just honor when we feel like it. He longs to be more than the temporary “Adonai” we seek during hard times. He longs to be our real and permanent “Adonai” in every moment of our lives. 

This morning I look at myself. Is He more than “lip service” to me? Do I run to Him only when I have a huge problem in my life? Do I long for a promise or a need to be fulfilled more than I long for Him? When I surrender all that I am―all my perceived needs, my thoughts, my life-style, my will―to “Adonai”, my faithful and loving “Lord and Master”, He becomes my “greatest reward”. He is all that I need. When He is first in my heart and mind, I am at rest in my desires. I am at rest in His presence. Life is peaceful even when circumstances rage. It is content even when everything is not perfect around me because, in placing him first, I have discovered His joy. I know the love of this “Lord and Master” who gave His life so that I might live. He surrendered all to me. Now I long to surrender all to Him. He is my “Adonai”.

JEHOVAH JIREH

The name of God, “Jehovah Jireh”, occurs only once in Genesis 22, and it means “The Lord Who Provides”. When the Lord called for Abraham's willingness to give up his son―for Abraham to put his love for God above all else, Abraham heart-brokenly followed the Lord's instruction. He built an altar, not understanding why the loving God who had miraculously given him Isaac in his old age, would now ask for him in return. God's purpose was not to wound Abraham, and take away the son he loved so much. It was a lesson in willing obedience. There on the mountain the Lord halted Abraham's obedience, and provided a ram instead. “So Abraham called the name of that place 'The Lord Will Provide', and it is said to this day, on the mount of the Lord it will be provided” (Exodus 22:14, AMP).

“Jehovah Jireh's” provision of the ram is a powerful testimony to Abraham's great faith and trust in God's character. Abraham followed God's instruction knowing not only was he called to offer his beloved son, but that in Isaac the promise he would be the father of a multitude of nations rested. The provision of the ram is a statement of faith that God does not abandon the children that He loves. The meaning of “The Lord Will Provide” was very real to Abraham when God stopped the sacrifice of his son, and provided a ram. In obedience to the test, Abraham was faithful to the last second, and God answered His faithfulness with His provision.

Why would God ask for something so precious from Abraham? The altar is our place of worship, and nothing should stand in the way of our “life offering” to God. The Lord didn't want Abraham to love anything or anyone greater than he loved Him. It is the same for us. God desires our love for Him to be above all else. “In worship”, Matt Martin said last night, “we lay our most price possession on the altar. There is nothing that gets between us and God.” The Lord longs for our willingness to lay all our prized possessions upon His altar. The Lord laid His most prized possession, Jesus Christ His son, on the altar for us. All He asks in return is our love and obedience.

“Isn't this what our heart longs for when we need the Lord to rescue us? We long for the Lord to save and provide. God sacrificed His own son for us. He doesn't expect us to sacrifice our own “son” in return, but He does ask us to sacrifice sin in our life and everything that separates us from Him. He asks for our heart to love and honor Him above everything else. Just as Abraham faithfully trusted God to provide, so we too need to trust Him. We yearn for a God who sees our need and provides for us. Sometimes we don't really understand what our need really is, but He knows and will bring it to light. When we put God first in our heart and life, He will always be sure that our needs are met. Just as He did for Abraham, He is never late and completely provides. “And my God will liberally supply (fill to the full) your every need according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19, AMP).

Jehovah Rapha

“Rapha” is derived from the Hebrew word “rapa” which means “restore” or “heal”. Since “Jehovah” means “to be”, God desires His people “to be” restored emotionally, physically, and spiritually. This word reveals that God has the power to restore a life that is broken or diseased to the original state He created it to be―one that is clean, healed, and in one accord with His Spirit. “Jehovah Rapha” is the Lord “who forgives [every one of] all your iniquities, who heals [each one of] all your diseases” (Psalm 103:3, AMP). 

The first example of “Jehovah Rapha” is in Exodus 15. The Israelites had been rescued from captivity in Egypt. After crossing the Red Sea on dry ground, and praising God for their salvation, they wandered in the deserts for three days thirsty and seeking fresh water. They came to Marah and they couldn't drink its bitter water. “The people murmured against Moses, saying, 'What shall we drink?'” (Exodus 15:24, AMP). The Lord showed Moses a tree which he threw into the water, and the waters were made sweet and fresh. “If you will diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord your God, and will do what is right in His sight, and will listen to and obey His commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases upon you which I brought upon the Egyptians, for I am the Lord (Jehovah Rapha) who heals you” (Exodus 15:26, AMP). How many times do we complain about our circumstance, and God allows it to teach us to lean on Him? Just as He restored the water at Marah, He has the power to restore our lives. If we will obey and faithfully live for Him, we shall know Him as the Lord who restores and heals. 

The Lord heals emotional pain and hearts that are broken. “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds [curing their pains and their sorrows]” (Psalm 137:3, AMP). The word “broken” means “to reduce to pieces or fragments”. The Lord comes against our pain with his great power and smashes it to fragments. “Bind” means “to bandage”. He “bandages” and cures the emotional fragments of our lives that we lay on His altar, and imparts healing from our brokenness.

Physical healing is also His promise. When trying to reason the emotional and physical pain that comes with physical sickness, many times we end up in complete despair. It might be our own pain or perhaps it is for someone else. When there is pain and suffering, we are forced to face the truth that we are not in control. We face our own limitations. Some freeze up in fear and can't function. Others are driven deep into the Lord's presence. Seeking Him with all their heart, they cry “heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved, for You are my praise”(Jeremiah 17:14, AMP)! This cry is one of faith that He is who He says He is. Jesus “our Jehovah Rapha” answers our cry. We experience the amazing truth that “He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our guilt and iniquities; the chastisement [needful to obtain] peace and well-being for us was upon Him, and with the stripes [that wounded] Him we are healed and made whole” (Isaiah 53:5, AMP).

For His promises of emotional and spiritual healing to be true, our first need is to be spiritually healed. “The heart is deceitful above all things, and it is exceedingly perverse and corrupt and severely, mortally sick! Who can know it [perceive, understand, be acquainted with his own heart and mind]?” (Jeremiah 17:9, AMP). “Jehovah Rapha” knows the sin that lives in the human heart, and the destruction it brings. We all fall short of God's standard, and are spiritually in desperate need of the healing that the precious blood of Jesus Christ imparts (Isaiah 53:5). God has sent His Son, Jesus Christ, “to bind up and heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the [physical and spiritual] captives and the opening of the prison and of the eyes to those who are bound” (Jeremiah 61:1b, AMP). When we give Him our sinful heart, God promises “a new heart will I give you and a new spirit will I put within you” (Ezekiel 36:26a, AMP). We are restored completely by His sacrificial love offered freely at Calvary. 

The wounds of an Almighty God, who loved me enough to die for me, have healed my life.

JEHOVAH NISSI

For the next few days, we are going to look at “Jehovah” in conjunction with some other names of God. Jehovah comes from “havah”, the Hebrew name which means “to exist” or “to be”. Yesterday, we saw God as the great “I AM” that existed before all else. The name “Jehovah” denotes God as the “I AM”of the universe (Yahweh) who reveals himself as the God who wishes “to become known”. He is the all-powerful “Jehovah” (Yahweh) who wishes to have a relationship with the people He has created.

“Jehovah” in conjunction with “Nissi” is only mentioned once in the old Testament, and that is in Exodus 17. “Nissi” is derived from the word “nes”, which means “banner” in Hebrew. In Exodus 17:15, Moses, having just defeated the Amalekites, erected an altar to “Jehovah Nissi”. The word “nes” can be demonstrated by the example of a flag mounted on a pole as a focal point in battle. In old Testament history (and even much later throughout centuries) opponents in war flew their own flag on their front lines. This focal point reminded soldiers of their purpose. When they focused their mind to win, they received encouragement that their efforts would not be in vain. This is what God “Jehovah Nissi” is to us. He is our focal point, our “banner” on which we can focus our mind―all our thoughts, strength, hope, belief, and life. Isaiah wrote of God as this “banner”. “You guard him and keep him in perfect and constant peace whose mind [both its inclination and its character] is stayed on You, because he commits himself to You, leans on You, and hopes confidently in You” (Isaiah 26:3, AMP).

In the Septuagint (the Greek version of the old Testament written for Jews two centuries before Christ) the word “nissi” is translated as “refuge”. When I focus all that I am―all that I believe―all that I live―all of my being on His unfailing standard, character, promise, and purpose, then He is my refuge in whatever comes before me. “He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High (Elyon) shall remain stable and fixed under the shadow of the Almighty (Shaddai) [Whose power no foe can withstand]. I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress, my God; on Him I lean and rely, and in Him I [confidently] trust” (Psalm 91:1-2, AMP). He is not only my “banner” whose focus in my life gives strength and purpose; He is my refuge and my fortress in the heat of battle. He is my strength to stand against all evil. When I put on the whole armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-17), no weapon can come against me.

The next verse following Isaiah 26:3 explains the faith that I can have in the Lord, my banner and my refuge, when my mind and whole life is focused on Him. “So trust in the Lord (commit yourself to Him, lean on Him, hope confidently in Him) forever; for the Lord God is an everlasting Rock [the Rock of Ages]” (Isaiah 26:4, AMP). Yes, He is “Jehovah Nissi”, the one in whom I will always trust.

"I AM" YHWH

What is this Hebrew name of God―”YHWH”? The modern spelling for this name is “Yahweh”which has vowels to help pronounce it. By Jewish tradition, this name of God cannot be spoken because it is too holy. Three hundreds years following Christ, the Jewish people stopped saying “Yahweh” in fear of breaking the commandment "Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain" (Exodus 20:7). Since the name “Yahweh” became too holy to be pronounced, it was replaced with “Adonai” also meaning “Lord”. “Adonai” denotes the mercy of a divine and all-powerful God. In the Septuagint (which is the Greek version of the old Testament written for Jews two centuries before Christ) “Yahweh” means “Lord and Master”. “Yahweh” is likewise referenced many times as “Jehovah” (also meaning “Lord”). The references to “Yahweh” occur over 6000 times in the old Testament. 

God reveals for the first time in Exodus that He is “Yahweh”. God had just instructed Moses that He is to go to the Israelites held in slavery in Egypt and tell them that God will set them free. Moses asked God what he was to tell the Israelites about who sent him. “And God said to Moses, 'I Am Who I Am and What I Am, and I Will Be What I Will Be;' and He said, 'You shall say this to the Israelites: I Am has sent me to you!' God said also to Moses, 'This shall you say to the Israelites: The Lord, the God of your fathers, of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, has sent me to you! This is My name forever, and by this name I am to be remembered to all generations'”(Exodus 3:14-15, AMP). “I AM” is “Yahweh”, “Jehovah”, and “Adonai”. He is the Lord and Master who sets His people free from bondage. His name is to be remembered forever.

“Yahweh”, as the great “I AM”, has no beginning and no end. There was nothing before Him. There was no reality―nothing. He existed before all else. He needs nothing or no one to help Him, counsel Him, or support Him. Everything that is not of God is still totally dependent on God. He created the universe, and He alone allows it to continue. As amazed as we might be by the magnificence of the universe, compared to God it is nothing. God never changes. No improvement is necessary. He is same today, yesterday, and forever. He is not becoming “more” or “greater”. He already is “I AM”. God is the absolute standard of truth. There is no law to which He submits. He himself reveals what is right and what is true. He alone is the final authority. God does as He wishes, and it is always in agreement with His absolute truth. He never violates His own standard. God is the most important reality. He is over any reality that sets itself above His own will. Any reality that exists outside of Him is still under His authority because He is “Who I Am and What I Am and I will Be What I Will Be”. His reality reigns above all else in the universe . He is “I AM”, and yet the great “I AM” has come to set me free from bondage. Nothing is more amazing than that the God of the universe has become my Savior.

El ELYON

        Today we look at the name “El Elyon”―another of the old Testament names of God. There is no way that I can write of all I have found so I will present what has impressed me.

        As we learned yesterday, “EL” means “God”. Today we learn that “Elyon” literally means "Most High". When “El” is joined with “Elyon”, this aspect of God's character means “God Most High”. God reigns with authority and in majesty. “I will cry to God Most High,” the psalmist wrote, “who performs on my behalf and rewards me [who brings to pass His purposes for me and surely completes them]” (Psalm 57:2, AMP)! This “God Most High” moves on my behalf, and and not only brings about His purpose for my life, but completes what He begins in me.

        “El” used in conjunction with “Elyon” first occurs in Genesis 14:18-22 where Melchizedek, a priest of God and king of Salem (Jerusalem) was honored by Abram with a tenth of the spoils he had taken when rescuing his nephew, Lot, from the hands of those who had defeated Sodom. Melchizedek favors Abram with God's blessing, and refers to God as “God Most High”. The King of Sodom is so thankful that Abram has rescued his people from captivity, he tells Abram to keep the goods that were taken from Sodom. “But Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have lifted up my hand and sworn to the Lord, God Most High, the Possessor and Maker of heaven and earth, that I would not take a thread or a shoelace or anything that is yours, lest you should say, I have made Abram rich'” (Genesis 4:22-23, AMP). “El Elyon” is a name that denotes great and final authority. “El Elyon” is the creator and the owner of heaven and earth. So what is offered to honor Him comes from what He already owns. In these verses, “El Elyon” is the authority who is honored by giving; He is the authority by which one blesses, and by which one swears an oath. Another occurrence in its compound form is found in Psalm 78:35. “And they [earnestly] remembered that God was their Rock, and the Most High God their Redeemer” (AMP). Here “El Elyon” is one who delivers and saves. He is one whose authority is recognized and majesty is honored. “El Elyon” has a purpose in the lives of those who honor Him.

        There are other occurrences in Bible where “Elyon” stands alone and occurs without “El”. These occurrences are found in the Psalms, Numbers 24:16, Deuteronomy 32:8. In Isaiah 14.:14 “Elyon” is used as one who inspired great envy and jealously in Satan. “I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High” (Isaiah 14:4, (AMP).

        Whether occurring with “El” or without “El”, the “Most High” one over all the earth reigns in sovereignty and final authority. Because of His majesty He deserves my highest respect and praise. I must never assume to put myself in His place, but I often do when I make my own decisions without seeking His will. The Most High God is my judge, and the one who has the authority to forgive me. When I come to Him in repentance honoring His authority, He delivers and saves me from all that I have been. He hears my cry, and moves on my behalf. He blesses and rewards me. God is not only my high and sovereign Rock. He is my Redeemer.

EL SHADDAI

There is so much that can be studied about the name of God, “El Shaddai”. Actually a book could be written. Today I would like to write about some of what I have found and what it means to me.

In the old Testament God is called “El Shaddai” 7 times. The first reference is in Genesis 17:1 where God refers to himself as “God Almighty”. The name “El” translates as "God" and is used several times with other names to show aspects of God's character. In this case, “El” is used simultaneously with “Shaddai”. Some scholars believe that “Shaddai” comes from the Hebrew word “shad” which means “breast”. The word “breast” reminds us of a God who nourishes and satisfies His children. In several verses in Genesis the name “El Shaddai” is connected with being fruitful. One of these verses is: “May God Almighty (El Shaddai) bless you and make you fruitful and multiply you until you become a group of peoples (Gen. 28:3, AMP). Another verses states “By the God of your father, who will help you, and by the Almighty (El Shaddai), who will bless you with blessings of the heavens above, blessings lying in the deep beneath, blessings of the breasts and of the womb” (Gen. 49:25, AMP). The nourishment that “breast” denotes is connected to new life that springs from the womb. The nourishment which comes from “El Shaddai” brings great spiritual life, blessings, fulfillment. 

Other scholars believe that the word comes from the Akkadians, who at one time inhabited Mesopotamia (the area between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers). The Akkadian word from which “Shaddai” might be taken is “sadu”, which means “divine mountain”. In Exodus 6:3 “El Shaddai” is revealed to be the God that called Abram (Abraham). “I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob as God Almighty, but by my name the Lord I did not make myself fully known to them” (Exodus 6:3, NIV). Some scholars believe that since God called Abram out of Mesopotamia that the term “sadu” (divine mountain) traveled with him and became a reference to the Lord God Almighty. Another thought is that “Shaddai” or “divine mountain” is also used in reference to Mount Sinai.... the mountain of God's great power. This study can go on and on.

This morning “El Shaddai” is the only nourishment that fully satisfies my soul, and brings fulfillment to my life. He breathes life in His Word. He is water from the well that never runs dry. He is the food that forever satisfies my spiritual hunger. He is my answer for all that comes against me. And when life is hard, and I feel weak, and drained, His nourishment still supplies me. He becomes my strong tower... my mountain to which I can run. I realize all the nourishment and help I need comes from Him. “I lift up my eyes to the mountains—where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth” (Psalm 121:1, NIV). He is my “El Shaddai” that gives me all I need to stand strong.

What's in His Name?

William Shakespeare wrote that “ a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” The beautiful smell of a rose would still be just as real even if that rose had another name. Then there are the different names of God in the old Testament that are used to describe each aspect of His character. No other name will suffice for each part of our God's personality. Each name reveals part of His very nature. In the time of the old Testament, a person's name revealed something about the person who held it. For instance Abraham means “a father of a great multitude”, and he was the father of the great Hebrew nation. All the way through the His Word, God explains who He is through His names. If God created and knew us before we were even born (Psalm 139:13-15), we should also know Him by His names.

In the Lord's prayer, the first thing Jesus says after addressing His father in heaven is “hallowed be thy name” (Matthew 6:9, KJV). When we “hallow” something we honor it. It is sacred, precious, and holy. For God to be precious and holy, we exalt Him about all other things. He is our Savior who is worthy of our complete surrender, adoration, and worship. “Stand up and praise the Lord your God,” Nehemiah declared, “who is from everlasting to everlasting. Blessed be your glorious name, and may it be exalted above all blessing and praise (Nehemiah 9:5b, NIV)! God's name is worthy of all praise! We should never treat His name without the respect it is due. “Do not profane my holy name for I must be acknowledged as holy by the Israelites. I am the Lord, who made you holy” (Leviticus 22:32, NIV). We honor the Lord by allowing His name to be revered not only by what we say but how we live. To revere and honor Him, we must know who He is.

For several days I would like to study and explore the spiritual depth of some of the names of God. Who is God to you? Is He your healer? Is He the Lord who provides? Is He your master? Is He your peace? Do you know Him as your Father? Is He the shepherd who guides you safely? Is He your righteousness? God knows me by my name. I long to know Him by His.

Tomorrow He is El Shaddai, the Lord God Almighty.

Free Indeed

The only true freedom I shall ever know is found in Jesus Christ. “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed” (John 8:36, KJV). Other versions say “through and through”. If He has freed me from sin, then I am liberated through and through. It is a thorough work―not a partial one. His work in me will always be one that calls for obedience and perseverance. “Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything” (James 1:4, NASV). Continually growing in His grace, I will not lack. What is true in the spiritual realm will be true in the physical. Sin will no longer be my master because I have been set free by His grace (Romans 6:14).

“Sin didn’t, and doesn’t, have a chance in competition with the aggressive forgiveness we call grace. When it’s sin versus grace, grace wins hands down. All sin can do is threaten us with death, and that’s the end of it. Grace, because God is putting everything together again through the Messiah, invites us into life—a life that goes on and on and on, world without end” (Romans 5:20b-21 MSG),

My deliverance from sin is completely found in the redemptive work of His grace. The spiritual maturity to stand against it comes through perseverance to study and apply His Word, through prayer, and through the power of His indwelling Spirit. I choose to live an obedient and holy life, and His grace empowers my choice. There will always be temptations, threats, and adversity, but by His grace I shall prevail through any battle that comes my way. His grace shall prevail against any temptation or threat or circumstance. He will empower my lifestyle choices and help me stand strong in the miracle of His grace.