In today’s message, Derek shows us that God’s main purpose is to dwell with His people. That was the purpose of the tabernacle in the wilderness and the temple of Solomon. And it is the divine purpose of human history when the New Jerusalem descends from heaven. God with us—the One Who Is There.

The Lord is our righteousness. Righteousness can be obtained in no other way. Our self-righteousness is as filthy rags, the Bible tells us. Jesus, the spotless, sinless Lamb of God purchased that righteousness for us—so that we could become the righteousness of God in Him.

Teaching from Psalm 23, Derek shows us the ways in which the Lord is our Shepherd. As a shepherd, the Lord sees to it that we are not in need, He provides nourishment, He restores and guides us, leading us through the hard times and finally to dwell in His house forever.

Peace is not just the absence of war. In actuality, you can experience peace even in the midst of your circumstances. There are two ways that we need peace. First, with God—a personal relationship that assures us of His favor. And second, peace in the midst of raging elements, like the way in which Noah was safe in the Ark.

In wartime, sometimes the army gets disorganized and scattered. That’s when the standard bearer finds a hill and holds up the banner for all to see. Then all can regroup around that banner. Our standard-bearer is the Holy Spirit, calling the troops to rally around the banner—Jehovah.

In the order in which the names of God appear in the Bible, the second personal name of Jehovah is “The One Who Heals.” In the story of the Caananite woman seeking healing for her daughter, Derek teaches us that “healing is the children’s bread.” And all she needed was “just one crumb.”

The name Jehovah or Yahweh is directly linked with seven specific names representing seven aspects of God’s covenant-keeping faithfulness in His dealings with humankind. The first of these that Derek explains is “The One Who Provides”—or Jehovah Jireh. And His covenant is unbreakable.

When reading your Bible, do you find it interesting to see that the word “Lord” sometimes appears in capital letters? Today, Derek will focus on that fact, revealing that this represents the sacred, personal name of God, translated Jehovah or Yahweh, which means “He is who He is.”

Since God’s name, Elohim, occurs so often in the Bible, it’s good if we know exactly what it means. First, Elohim is God’s primary name; and second, it is plural in form – but is usually followed by a singular verb. What does this mean for us? In Derek’s words, it is the totality of all that is God.

All through the Bible, names have great significance. Each name has a specific meaning and a special appropriateness to the person named. For instance, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob all had their names changed, or selected, by God Himself.