The Names of God: Almighty

“When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, ‘I am God Almighty; walk before me faithfully and be blameless.’ ” (Genesis 17:1, NIV)

God was getting ready to do something amazing in Abram’s life. He was going to make a great nation from Abram’s descendants. The only problem was that Abram had no descendants. He and his wife were almost one hundred years old, and they had no children. That may explain why the Lord introduced himself to Abram as God Almighty. He was assuring Abram that he had all the might he needed to accomplish his plans—no matter how impossible they seemed.

Here are additional verses that identify God as Almighty:

"May God Almighty bless you and make you fruitful and increase your numbers until you become a community of peoples." (Genesis 28:3, NIV)

"I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob as God Almighty." (Exodus 6:3, NIV)

"David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied." (1 Samuel 17:45, NIV)

"And he became more and more powerful, because the LordGod Almighty was with him." (2 Samuel 5:10, NIV)
"The Lord Almighty is with us." (Psalm 46:7, NIV)

"Who is like you, Lord God Almighty? You, Lord, are mighty, and your faithfulness surrounds you." (Psalm 89:8, NIV)

" Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty." (Psalm 91:1, NIV)

The good news for believers is that God has lost none of his might. He is still able to do all that he wills.

The above article was adapted from the Encountering God Devotional Bible, which my team created for Zondervan.

God is Strength

“David was greatly distressed because the men were talking of stoning him; each one was bitter in spirit because of his sons and daughters. But David found strength in the Lord his God.” 

1 Samuel 30:6, NIV

David tapped into God’s strength in ways that are available to us, too. He prayed in the morning:

"In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice;
    in the morning I lay my requests before you
    and wait expectantly." (Psalm 5:3.) 

He poured out his complaints to God: 

"Trust in him at all times, you people;
    pour out your hearts to him,
    for God is our refuge" (Psalm 62:8). 

He meditated on the beauty and mercy of God:

"One thing I ask from the Lord,
    this only do I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord
    all the days of my life,
to gaze on the beauty of the Lord
    and to seek him in his temple.
For in the day of trouble
    he will keep me safe in his dwelling;
he will hide me in the shelter of his sacred tent
    and set me high upon a rock.

Then my head will be exalted
    above the enemies who surround me;
at his sacred tent I will sacrifice with shouts of joy;
    I will sing and make music to the Lord.

Hear my voice when I call, Lord;

    be merciful to me and answer me."  (see Psalm 27:4–7). 

David’s renewed strength rallied his men. They returned from battle victorious, along with their families, their possessions and all that their enemies had plundered. God still makes his strength available when we look to him. With his strength we can overcome the worst times—even those days that never seem to end.

Taken from a project I edited for Zondervan in 2010 called the Busy Dad's Bible.

Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Your Anger

One of the best-known and oft-quoted pieces of relationship advice is found in Ephesians 4:26. That’s where the apostle Paul wrote,“Don’t get so angry that you sin. Don’t go to bed angry.” What’s remarkable about the verse, though, is not just what it says but also what it doesn’t say. The apostle Paul did not say,“Don’t get angry” or “Anger is a sin.” Instead, he warned us not to let our anger cause us to sin. Anger is a healthy emotion,every bit as valuable to our well-being as joy and grief. Anger is a natural response to upsetting circumstances. Neither does the verse say, “Don’t get angry with someone you love.” That’s unreasonable. When two people try to build a life together, conflict is inevitable. If they have problems resolving their conflicts, anger is practically a given. And that’s okay. What the apostle Paul suggested in Ephesians 4:26 is that we resolve our anger in a timely manner—ideally, within a day.

Why? One reason is that anger must not be allowed to fester. If it does, it will mutate into something uglier. Turned outward, it will become hatred; turned inward, depression. Clearing the air during your waking hours will prevent both scenarios. A second reason to work through your anger before sleep overtakes you is that it lets you get on with your life sooner. Anger—and the grudges that result from it—will occupy your thoughts until you do something about it. The more quickly you deal with it, the less your productivity will suffer. A third reason to deal with anger today instead of tomorrow is that tomorrow is promised to no one. Too many people regret their last angry words to a loved one. Don’t allow yourself to become one of them. Don’t go to bed angry.

This article was taken from a project created by my writing team: 100 Ways the Bible Can Change Your Life. Time Home Entertainment, Inc. New York, New York: 2013. p. 70.